《The Atlantian System: Creation》


 Chapter One: Meeting The Team

    As Leta was manhandling her duffle bag off the bus, she was beginning to think the saying ¡°the journey is more important than the destination¡± was coined by an asshole who had a team of manservants carry their bags.


    The muggy air of Athens was thick with car exhaust and the sound of typical city life mixed with random conversations by Greek strangers.


    Her jaw cracked as she let out a long yawn, her eyes watering as she started trudging towards the museum. Her flight from Seattle to Frankfurt had been delayed by several hours due to an issue with the landing gear, causing her to miss her original flight and sleep uncomfortably on the airport terminal chairs.


    She would have liked to have gotten in yesterday so she had time to recover from the jet lag, but she was just glade that she had stepped off that bus within walking distance to the museum where the rest of the archaeological team was about to meet.


    ¡°Leta!¡±


    She heard her name shouted over the crowd and turned to see tall, handsome Vigo from New Zealand striding up to her with a wide smile on his face. ¡°You made it.¡±


    ¡°So good to see you in person, Vigo!¡± She smiled, giving his cheeks a kiss in greeting.


    ¡°Did you just arrive?¡± He gave her a quizzical look, one brow raised on his tan face as he looked over her slightly wrinkled attire.


    ¡°Just stepped off the tarmac.¡± She shrugged, readjusting her bag as they headed towards the museum together. ¡°My plane got delayed.¡±


    ¡°I almost didn¡¯t make mine.¡± He chuckled. ¡°My layover was in Singapore, and I stayed too long checking out the gardens.¡±


    Leta smiled, hoping she didn¡¯t seem too weird. She had met most of the team over a video conference call before the trip and had tried to be as mature and knowledgeable as possible so she didn¡¯t come across as the nerdy teen fresh out of high school that they¡¯d have to babysit.


    Her British father had always said that she was ¡®comely¡¯ while her very American mother had labeled her ¡®curvy¡¯. Leta knew she wasn¡¯t ugly, but a love of mac and cheese and years of her nose buried in books had given her the pudgy body and fat face.


    She wasn¡¯t some beauty that people gave a second look to.


    That was okay with her.


    She was here to do a job, not to date or catch anyone¡¯s eye.


    As long as she didn¡¯t need to buy an extra seat on the airplane, she was happy with her looks and her lot in life.


    ¡°Are you excited?¡± Vigo asked, seeming sincere in his curiosity as they climbed the steps to the museum¡¯s front entrance.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve had an interest in the Mesopotamian civilizations since I was a kid, so having a chance to be there for this kind of excavation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.¡± She smiled, unable to hide her giddiness when talking about her favorite subject, as she approached the front counter.


    ¡°Hello. We are here to see Dr. Marrow with the university¡¯s archaeological team.¡± She said slowly, her Greek pronunciation showing that her only lessons in the language was from an app during her flight.


    The receptionist called someone on the landline, and a moment later, a tall man of African heritage dressed smartly in a light blue collared shirt and slacks came out to meet them.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Dr. Simon De Mar, Assistant Curator of Mycenaean Antiquities. Welcome to the Athens Archaeological Museum,¡± he said with an accent that sounded like Moroccan but was tempered slightly with something else she couldn¡¯t recognize. He smiled, giving them a slight bow of his head as he gestured for them to follow behind them. ¡°Right this way, please.¡±


    Leta looked around the museum as they headed for an employees-only door and felt a strange sense of being right at home.


    ¡°Have either of you visited Greece before?¡± Dr. De Mar asked over his shoulder.


    ¡°No,¡± Vigo answered.


    ¡°Yes. Years ago, I was with my parents on an excavation at the Library of Hadrian.¡± Leta responded distractedly, her eyes catching a glimpse of the Mycenaean exhibit before they headed in the back.


    ¡°Your parents are archaeologists?¡± He asked curiously as they meandered through less exciting back halls and offices.


    ¡°My mom is a professor, and my dad is a lecturer on geoarchaeology and paleoethnobotany at the University of Washington. My mom¡¯s research focused on how ancient European and Asian cultures communicated in the last 5,000 years, so I grew up on these kinds of digs.¡±


    ¡°Is your mother Dr. Naomi Black? I believe I worked with her previously regarding a Roman tablet that had been found in Delos. It¡¯s wonderful to see a young woman following her parents¡¯ interests. And here we are.¡±


    He opened a conference room door and ushered them inside. A large wooden table, the same as you would find in any major corporation, dominated the room around which sat over a dozen people encompassing a wide variety of ages and ethnicities.


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    At the head were two women in their mid-forties. One was short with long braided brown hair streaked with grays and kind brown eyes behind thick-rimmed glasses. The other was tall and statuesque, her once blonde hair had turned mostly white, though her face was still very youthful. Her hazel eyes were sharp as she took in the newcomers.


    She recognized the tall woman, whose hard stare had melted into a smile upon seeing her. ¡°Leta, good to see you got in on time. You¡¯re mom has been blowing up my phone since you left.¡± Dr. Annika Galloise smiled at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my flight got delayed.¡±


    The professor waived her off, saying, ¡°Just glad you made it. Take a seat. Vigo Thompson, good to see you, dear.¡±


    Leta turned to Dr. Marrow, who gave her a warm, almost motherly smile. The woman was the definition of a petite, scholarly lady. She was in her early sixties with wavy, dark brown hair that was mostly gray by now and piled on her head in a bun. brown eyes twinkled behind half-moon wire glasses, her pale weathered skin standing out against her modest forest green dress.


    ¡°Lovely to meet you, Leta.¡± Dr. Marrow greeted her with a polite handshake. ¡°I think you were maybe ten when I last saw you. Your father helped me identify seeds that were found in a jar at Herculaneum.¡±


    Leta greeted the team and took a seat next to Pilar Flores, a Columbian student focusing on ancient maritime trade, and Chandi Jadhav, an Indian student from the Punjabi region with a focus on ancient stonework.


    The last to arrive was Captain Vasilis, the owner of a deep-sea salvage company that would be assisting on the site. He was a large, rotund man who looked exactly like what Leta would think when she thought of an old Greek sailor: gray hair, a hard stare, and enough chest and arm hair that he could be mistaken for a polar bear from a distance. He was dressed in a thin maritime shirt, cargo shorts, and old tennis shoes and smelled of wax and oil as if he had just been working on his ship before he arrived.


    ¡°Are we all here?¡± Dr. Marrow asked, pushing her glasses up her nose. ¡°Right, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    She turned down the lights in the room and used a remote to flip on an overhead projector that lit up an aerial map of Santorini and its surrounding waters.


    ¡°Just a recap from what we discussed during our video call a few weeks ago: the site was originally discovered last year after a cyclone disturbed the underwater seabed and revealed structures. It¡¯s taken a bit to survey the site, but as of this year, everything is in order so that we can move forward with excavating the site.¡±


    She tapped the remote, and the map zoomed in to a small set of three islands over 15 kilometers southwest of Santorini, and below those, an ¡®X¡¯ was placed in what looked like the middle of the ocean.


    ¡°Our site is located three kilometers south of the Christiana Islands, just over 30 meters below the surface, with an elevation change of about five meters. It is located on a stretch of volcanic rock that was probably above the surface and connected to the nearby islands at one point in time.¡±


    The image on the screen flipped to the survey sketch of the site, a mix of sonar, satellite, and other scans layered on top of each other and overplayed with a grid. ¡°Surveys have currently put the site at just a little over half a square kilometer, but that is expected to grow as we uncover more.¡±


    Dr. Galloise stepped forward and said, ¡°The site is broken out into separate areas.¡± An image popped up on the screen with thick colored lines corralling around raised edges in the sand. ¡°The main courtyard is in yellow, the inner courtyard is in light blue, the reception room is in red, private rooms are in orange, storage is in green, the elevated quarters are in white, and the unknown section is in black. This is the most decayed section, so we do not have this part defined yet.¡±


    The colorized sections faded to black and white except for a small section of the northernmost wall that was orange. ¡°The previous team began excavating the northwest wall of the site, which had private rooms and went one meter into the site. We will be continuing the excavation of the north wall to the south side, still one meter into the site.¡±


    The image on the screen blinked away to pictures of the site taken underwater by the survey team, showing the sand-covered outline of a buried metropolis. It clicked again to show the progress the first team had made on the northern wall, as they revealed once smooth walls that had been weathered by time and the elements before flipping to small items found around the walls.


    Dr. De Mar stood up as pieces of pottery and small sections of cuniform tablets came on the screen.


    ¡°The items that have been recovered so far estimate this complex to have been in use around 2500 BCE. However, the layout of the site indicates that it is much older than that, with construction taking place sometime between 3500 and 2000 BCE. There are a lot of questions around this site, as you all are aware. What is the Mesopotamian-era complex doing in the middle of the Sea of Crete? Why was it here? What was it used for? We cannot answer these questions if we are not careful. I know everyone here has been on a dig at least once before, but please remember that this is an incredibly fragile site and to be conscious of your surroundings.¡±


    ¡°Which brings us to the obstacles we are facing with this.¡± Dr. Galloise added, crossing her arms as she surveyed the room. ¡°One, the dive site is situated four kilometers between two ferry lines west and southeast, so be prepared for that. Second, there is a current in that area that is pushing west towards the busier ferry line, so if something goes loose, it may float that way. Third, this site sits just south of the volcanic Christiana Islands. They are uninhabited and will attract all kinds of wildlife, so keep this in mind during the dive. Vasilis, would you please talk about the boat and dive procedures?¡±


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Vasilis greeted everyone with a thick Greek accent. ¡°Forecasts show no storms in our immediate future, but we are expecting to have easterly winds on some days that may make conditions impossible for diving. I will be monitoring the weather and sea conditions and will be in communication with Dr. Marrow and Dr. Galloise on whether it is safe to be at the site before we depart. Please remember, that it is roughly 24 kilometers, or just over twelve nautical miles, from the site to the shore. We will have first aid kits on the boat, but if you are seriously injured, it could take an hour to get you to a hospital.¡±


    Vasilis reiterated basic scuba procedures, which were a requirement to be certified for this dig. He talked about the light at that depth, the clarity of the water, and some of the wildlife that they could expect to see before nodding to Dr. Galloise.


    ¡°What comes next is straightforward.¡± She intoned. ¡°We have seats booked on the ferry to Santorini tomorrow morning at 7:25. You will be at the docks at 6 a.m. Remember, this is peak tourist season, and there will be a lot of us, so be on time. Also, it¡¯s an eight-hour journey, so make sure to pack your go-bag accordingly. Once we arrive in Santorini, we will be getting to our hotel in Fira. You are welcome to go get dinner, but please be aware that breakfast is at 4 a.m. with a debrief by the outgoing team at 4:30. We will be leaving immediately after to head for the boat to be over the site at sunrise. Are there any questions?¡±


    Seeing none, she nodded. ¡°Right. Get some rest, people. We¡¯ve got a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.

 Chapter Two: Thirty Meters Deep

    One week later¡­


    Leta¡¯s smile behind her mask could probably be seen from the boat bobbing 30 meters above her head.


    It had been five days of sunny skies and clear waters as they worked from dawn to just before sundown. The team had made significant progress in clearing away most of the sand and silt around the northern perimeter of the main building, which had been dubbed The High Steep.


    Her favorite part had been clearing away the very edges of the interior rooms along the wall. In the five days they had been below examining the ruins, they¡¯d found several small artifacts, the most astonishing so far being what appeared to be a metal coin. If it was what they thought it was, then this small disc the size of a two-pence was the oldest coin ever found.


    The possible discovery had everyone excited, especially Leta. Today was supposed to be her day off, but she had volunteered to switch with Pilar.


    Just being in the water, the ¡®glugh glugh¡¯ of air bubbles escaping up to the surface, and the gentle push and pull of the underwater currents were enough to make her feel like the happiest nineteen-year-old in the world.


    At her side, the whine of an underwater vacuum vibrated the space as she used a brush to push the debris into the hole. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched for something of interest to catch in the vacuum¡¯s safety net, but so far the most interesting thing she¡¯d come up with was some pieces of pottery.


    Checking the air tank gauge on her wrist, she saw that she was just under half a tank. Enough time to continue clearing back the silt for a little longer.


    Underwater with her were Vigo, who was a ways ahead of her and beginning to clear away the external edge of the eastern side of the complex, and Jun Sun, a dedicated young Chinese woman who was busy photographing the outside north wall that had just been cleared.


    She was in one of the far northwestern rooms, clearing away the sand around the interior walls and marveling at the tiny bits of paint that still stained the walls thousands of years later. Most of the walls were only 30 centimeters tall from the interior floor, but this particular room was a bit taller, a bit larger. Most likely these were staff quarters, so whoever had lived here was someone of high station within the household.


    Leta was mentally singing a song, probably looking like a dancing hippo underwater, when she noticed an odd form taking shape in the wall she was cleaning.


    Buildings in Mesopotamian times were made of a combination of mud cores and an exterior of baked bricks and plaster. Bricks would be uniform in size to ensure the structural integrity of the building.


    And yet, as she swept back the sand clinging to the wall, she saw that one brick had been mortared diagonally rather than horizontally. This was an interior wall with no indications of a door or window, so such an out-of-place error in design seemed jarring.


    Leta slipped the brush handle through a strap around her thigh and ran her gloved finger around the odd brick¡¯s edge. It wasn¡¯t flush to the wall like all the other bricks, but it was noticeably raised to the touch.


    Her thumb ran over the lower edge as her mind thought of reasons for such an odd placement when the stone seemed to give way, pushing inward as if the mortar gave way.


    ¡®Shit!¡¯ Leta grunted into her scuba mask as she pushed away from the wall, terrified that she had unintentionally destroyed such a relic.


    Her heart sounded like it was in her ears as she felt herself hyperventilating with fear before an odd shift in the water had her turning her head towards the complex¡¯s interior.


    The seabed less than a meter away had started to give way like the maw of a beast opening wide to catch prey, revealing a square of darkness about 60 centimeters on each side.


    Fear turned to giddy curiosity as she looked from the vertical brick to the hole, as her brain could only come up with the idea that she had just found a secret compartment.


    ¡®Holy¡­ wow¡­¡¯ She breathed out, bubbles haloing around her head as she wondered at the technology she¡¯d just discovered.


    As she floated towards the trap hole, her mind raced with possibilities. How had the mechanisms for the trap hole survived thousands of years underwater? Was it spring action? The Greeks and Egyptians had been known to build clever contraptions to deter thieves, but nothing she could think of had been made during the period of this site. Who was the person who lived in this room and required such an advanced device?


    Leta was practically vibrating with her excitement. She could think of no time that such ingenuity was shown in any early Bronze Age artifacts.


    Technology such as this trap door belonged to remarkable early inventions like the battery of ancient Egypt or the wine vending machine of first-century Greece.


    Leta hovered above the hole and peaked into the darkness, which was only now seeing sunbeams for the first time in millennia. At first, she couldn¡¯t make out much; a long barnacle-covered shape about a meter and a half in length and flat stones she would bet money were cuneiform tablets were the most easily recognizable.


    She turned her head, and another item caught her eye.


    It was slightly green, like copper that had oxidized.


    Strange.


    While bronze would have included large amounts of copper, it would have been offset with tin. The ratio for whatever the artifact was was significantly abnormal for the estimated building age.


    The oxidized metal was raised upwards like two arms reaching for the heavens behind a ball-like object.


    Surrounding the artifact were the edges of what appeared to have once been a box, the wood covering it having long decomposed until all that was left was the bottom that had been preserved in the silt and darkness.


    But that wasn¡¯t the most interesting part.


    ¡®Is that¡­glass?¡¯ Leta thought in astonishment.


    Held within metal prongs and obscured by oxidation runoff, sand, and ancient barnacles was a small glass tube around three or four inches long.


    If Leta could have screamed in excitement through her apparatus, she would have.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Glass bottles weren¡¯t invented until 100 BCE in southeast Asia, at least 100 years before the Romans learned about the technique. By that time, this building would have been underwater for nearly 3,000 years!


    Leta, at nineteen years old, may have just discovered the oldest piece of intact glass in history.


    It completely rewrote history, proving that the Early Bronze Age civilization had not only succeeded in serious maritime capabilities but had truly advanced by leaps and bounds past the Stone Age and into the future.


    The tube contraption had stylized prongs and was tilted upward at a 45-degree angle, a tapered cone ending in an extremely narrow metal tube that was attached to another piece of the same alloy.


    Leta turned to look up and started waving her hand, trying to get someone¡¯s attention. Vigo spotted her movements and gestured that he was coming, but it was a slow swim in her direction.


    Leta pulled up her vacuum and started to brush away the sand to see if the artifact was affixed to anything or if it was freestanding.


    It looked like the remains of some inscription carved into the strange ball-like protrusion, but it was so rough that she couldn¡¯t hope to try and understand it.


    Maybe if she whipped it off¡­


    In a flash, the sphere split like a flower edged in thorns, suddenly malleable tentacles wrapping around her hand and digging into her skin through her gloves. She hadn¡¯t even had a chance to scream before the metal and glass contraption activated, the narrow cone whipping forward with a speed that was much too fast for something underwater and much too fast for her to react.


    Before she could try to wiggle her hand free of the metal tentacles, the small tube was stabbing into her hand centimeters below her wrist, digging through skin and muscle like a hammer runs a nail through the wood.


    Leta nearly coughed out her breather as she screamed in pain.


    Instincts took over, and Leta forgot that this was a priceless artifact thousands of years old as she grabbed the tube and prongs and tried to forcibly pry it out of her arm.


    Through her grunts of shock and pain, she hissed as she felt a burning sensation spreading through her wrist and fingers and up her arm.


    Through the haze of kicked-up sand caused by her thrashing, she could see the black liquid in the vial emptying into her hand through some unseen pressurized mechanism. Leta wasn¡¯t focused on the engineering of such a device or the unsanitary and possibly deadly bacteria in said liquid; instead, she was only focused on getting free of what was hurting her.


    As the vial emptied the last of the liquid into her bloodstream, Leta watched in mounting horror as the glass and metal of the artifact seemed to liquefy like stone, becoming magma, pushing itself into her body through the hole it had made as if chasing the liquid.


    First the vial, then the prongs holding it up, and finally the tentacles unwound themselves from her fingers and crawled into the hole in her hand like starving leeches, smelling blood.


    Finally free, she cried into her apparatus as she clutched her wounded arm to her chest, pain wracking her body as if she¡¯d been stung by a Portuguese man of war from head to toe.


    Her thrashing had caught the attention of the other divers, and as she slowly swam to the surface to depressurize, Vigo and Jun were quickly swimming their way to assist.


    Leta surfaced and pulled her breather out with her free hand, finally being able to voice her pain as she screamed to the clouds above.


    ¡°What happened? Are you okay?¡± Jun, the first to get to her, asked in alarm.


    ¡°I dunno.¡± Leta hissed through the pain as she floated on her back. ¡°There¡¯s something down there. It¡­ Fuck, it burns! Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Vigo flagged down Dr. Galloise and the rest of the team who were on the boat, ¡°We¡¯ve got an injury!¡±


    Jun pried Leta¡¯s fingers away enough, gasping when she got a glimpse of the massive hole in her hand that was still bleeding.


    ¡°It is alright, we have you.¡± Vigo tried to calm her, but she could barely hear him over the roar of blood in her ears as the burning in her veins seemed to be mounting.


    She hissed as the arm that he wrapped around her shoulders to help her float back to the boat seemed to stab at her suddenly sensitive skin, her flesh feeling like it was being seared with hot embers with every movement.


    She didn¡¯t remember Vasilis pulling her from the water or Dr. Galloise frantically undoing her scuba gear.


    She didn¡¯t even remember Jun brushing her blonde hair from her face and telling her that what was about to happen was going to sting, but she did remember the screech of agony that scorched her throat as Dr. Galloise poured hydrogen peroxide over her hand.


    When she could open her eyes, her vision was spotted with blots of green, their faces becoming almost unrecognizable.


    She got the impression that Jun had cut her wet suit off and had pressed a towel to her wound as someone was shouting into the radio with a panicked rush.


    Through her hazy vision, she could see that the strange artifact had done some serious damage to her hand.


    It was a complete mess, with a deep gouge about seven centimeters above her wrist, almost directly in the middle of her hand. The gouge itself was less than a centimeter in circumference, but the wound was puckered around the edges, and black lines were running from the wound like spiderwebs under her skin.


    She couldn¡¯t tell at first glance if it had gone all the way through her hand, but it felt as if it had hit the bone and was painful to the touch.


    Vasilis got the boat engines roaring, and Leta was then told to lay down, rest, and not to move. The Greek sailor drove like a mad New York cabby, pushing the boat to pick up speed that was probably dangerous for such a craft. It seemed to jump as it took each wave, and through the pain that consumed her, she almost wondered if she was in more danger of dying from Vasilis¡¯s crazy sailing than the wound in her hand.


    But soon, thoughts were hard to come by, replaced by groans and cries of pain as her body went from burning with fever to wracked with chills that nearly chipped her chattering teeth.


    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m-m, s-so-so sor-r-ry.¡± She stammered through her uncontrollable shivering, an odd thought floating through the miasma of pain that she had let the team down by getting hurt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking die on me,¡± Dr. Galloise shouted back at her. ¡°That¡¯s how you apologize!¡±


    She could tell that the loud Canadian woman was scared, though she buried it under a lot of bravado.


    Minutes ticked by as the boat sped for land.


    Eventually, Leta¡¯s tongue started to feel stiff, and she could only moan her discomfort.


    A few team members brought her water to keep her hydrated, but her body¡¯s muscles were so stiff that she couldn¡¯t lift her head to drink.


    The sun was low on the horizon when Santorini came into view. Leta could only make out a blurry, dark blob with twinkling lights that got closer and closer as the boat cruised onward.


    She had become more and more scared that she was going to die as her skin started to pale, her lips turning blue, and her limbs, once rock stiff, now went limp.


    Her heart seemed to be beating double time as panic began to set in.


    At the dock, Dr. Marrow and the rest of the team were waiting. An ambulance and stretcher waited for her arrival.


    Leta went in and out of consciousness as they loaded her onto the stretcher.


    She remembered Vigo telling the medics something in broken Greek, and the medics opened her eyelids, but by that time she couldn¡¯t see anything.


    Soon, thoughts became spotty.


    She felt a jolt as she was moved from stretcher to gurney and felt the pinch of a needle in her arm.


    She could almost make out the light behind her eyes of the fluorescent tubes in the hospital hallway as she was wheeled away.


    The beep of her heart monitor seemed too weak.


    That beep was getting more faint.


    Beep¡­¡­¡­ beep¡­¡­¡­¡­ beep¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.beep¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-


    Silence.


    Leta felt as if she were floating in an abyss, cold and desolate when suddenly something blurry came into her field of vision.


    They looked like odd hieroglyphs that were a strange mixture of cuneiform and some other language she¡¯d never seen before but felt that she knew intimately.


    Visions danced through her head.


    Silver wings.


    A flash of blue light.


    A temple of white marble cloaked in shadows.


    Then, an androgynous and unaccented voice so clear as to be almost mechanical penetrated the darkness of her visions.


    [Host Identified.]


    [Testing compatibility with the host.]


    More visions swam through her mind¡¯s eye.


    A crown of silver and white that dazzled with blue gems was placed on the head of a beautiful woman with white hair and opal eyes that changed colors in the light. Others with smaller crowns bowing so low that their heads touched a golden floor.


    What looked like a silver angel hallowed in starlight, hands outstretched as she beheld the light of a new day dawning on a world that burned in ruin.


    Runic symbols tattooed on the stars blurred and warped like a fever dream when suddenly she could read them.


    ¡®MONARCH. ONE WHO RULES ABOVE ALL¡¯.


    [Host compatible with the system]


    [System uploading¡­]

 Chapter Three: Welcome, Host

    Leta¡¯s addled mind didn¡¯t question how words and sounds in a strange, archaic language were there, hovering like eye floaters in her vision.


    Instead, she stared at them passively, curious in the way that ghosts are when watching the living pass them by.


    [Warning: Abnormalities found within the Host biological structure.]


    ¡®Uh oh.¡¯ Leta thought. ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound good¡¯.


    [Nanites rerouted for abnormality removal.]


    Suddenly, the blinding darkness that was her world was filled with searing pain that seemed to burn her nerve endings and blister her muscles.


    It was so painful that Leta could make out the feel of her own body in the blackness as her back arched, muscles locking in pain, and every brush against her skin was like it was being raked with coals.


    Worms made of magma felt like they were wiggling through her body, swarming to various places and leaving a trail of fire in their wake as her body thrashed.


    Leta could hear someone shouting, ¡°She¡¯s seizing!¡± in Greek like it was shouted through a tunnel, but she couldn¡¯t feel the press of her hands against her body as her muscles twitched uncontrollably.


    She could barely perceive the feel of latex-covered hands holding her down. Her mouth opened to scream, but nothing came from her raw throat.


    They must have injected her with a sedative because she could slowly feel the tightness of her muscles relaxing by degrees, dulling the agony of her burned nerves ever so slightly.


    [Early-stage breast cancer removed.]


    [Hereditary arthritis removed.]


    [Hereditary dementia removed.]


    [Nearsightedness removed.]


    [Weak metabolism removed.]


    [Abnormalities removed.]


    [Nanites returning to system installation.]


    Leta¡¯s body relaxed further into the darkness, and she happily let it wrap around her like a warm blanket to escape the torture. Muscles that felt like cinders moments ago started to cool and lose their tension, letting her tired mind focus on stringing thoughts together.


    What was this voice and the strange symbols that flashed in her mind¡¯s eye?


    How could she understand their meaning?


    Why was she in so much pain earlier but now felt fine?


    She remembered the artifact underwater that injected her with¡­something.


    Was she dying? Was this voice just the delusions of a young woman on her way to the afterlife?


    It seemed odd that, if she were dying, she¡¯d feel so calm about the situation. Perhaps her weakened brain was just happy not to be in pain anymore.


    In the silence of her mind, she started to hear a soft, steady beeping that grew louder and louder.


    It felt like she had dived underwater and was slowly floating back to the surface, becoming increasingly aware of the surface above.


    Then the smell of disinfectant and antibacterial wipes grew more robust, the feel of rough sheets and the chill of a cold hospital invading her calm darkness.


    Was she in a hospital?


    A few heartbeats later, she could perceive her chest rising and falling rhythmically with her steady breaths, her eyelids heavy with weakness, and her muscles exhausted like she¡¯d run a marathon.


    [System uploaded successfully.]


    [All functions are performing at peak levels.]


    [Anesthesia removed.]


    [Rebooting of the Host¡¯s nervous System will now commence.]


    [It¡¯s time to wake up, Host.]


    Leta gasped in a heavy breath, her eyes wide as if someone had kick-started her heart.


    A nurse who had been checking her vitals nearly dropped her clipboard in shock, fully expecting Leta to still be under, as a squeak of shock escaped her.


    ¡°Oh, thee mou,¡± the nurse breathed with one hand over her heart before switching to English. ¡°I¡¯ll get the doctor. Please wait, miss.¡±


    Before Leta could make any remark, the young nurse scampered off, shouting, ¡°Dr. Kappiadis! Doctor! The young lady from the archaeology team is awake.¡±


    Leta blinked, realizing she somehow understood the nurse despite her limited knowledge of Greek.


    Traveling worldwide, she¡¯d gotten pretty good at picking languages up, but it took time, effort, and a lot of awkward miscommunication.


    While her earlier memories were slowly returning to her, she was positive she hadn¡¯t been fluent in Greek before.


    Alone, she took stock of her surroundings. She was in a private room with an IV in her arm and oxygen tubes in her nose. Someone had cut away the rest of her wet suit and replaced it with an uncomfortable hospital gown, covering her in a thin blanket that did nothing to ward off the chill of the building.


    Despite her current state, Leta felt remarkably good for surviving a life-threatening situation. Instead of feeling at death¡¯s door, she felt like she had just had a perfect nap after a long day of hard work.


    The door opened, and the nurse entered, followed by an elderly doctor in his late sixties with balding white hair and kind eyes behind his thin glasses.


    The doctor gave her a tired but gentle smile. ¡°Good morning, Miss Black.¡± He said slowly, in rough English, ¡°My name is Dr. Kappiadis. You¡¯ve had quite an ordeal and have been in our care, recovering. Could you tell me how you are feeling?¡±


    Leta looked down at her hands, clenching them into fists, then relaxing them to see if they were stiff, and was happily surprised that they weren¡¯t.


    Not a tingle or twinge could be felt.


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    ¡°Good¡­ Which is odd. I don¡¯t think I should feel good right now, but I feel fine.¡±


    Dr. Kappiadis nodded as if that made all the sense in the world. ¡°Your body was under great stress, but you slept very soundly after the first 24 hours. I want Nurse Logakis to check you over and run more tests. I¡¯d also like to keep you here overnight for observation. Is this acceptable?¡±


    One side of Leta¡¯s mouth went up in a half-smirk. ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with a professional. Do what you need to do, doc.¡±


    The doctor nodded. ¡°Good. I will get those tests in order.¡± He said this before closing the door behind him. The nurse came to her side, checked her heart rate, blood pressure, and other standard vital signs, and drew some of her blood.


    ¡°Are there any other symptoms you are feeling?¡± The nurse asked her.


    ¡°Uh¡­ yes. Right before I got up, I heard this weird voice in my head, and now I see some symbols floating in my vision. Is that normal?¡±


    The nurse looked quizzically at her before jotting down something on her clipboard. ¡°It is probably just something left over from when your body was under stress from healing. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing, but I¡¯ll ask the doctor.¡± She said this before politely exiting the room.


    Then she was alone again in the room with nothing but herself and the floating symbols that read ¡®Time to wake up, host¡¯ in a strange language.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± She whispered, ¡°I guess it¡¯s just you and me then.¡±


    [Assimilation complete.]


    [Welcome, Host, to the Atlantian System.]


    Leta blinked as the words changed in front of her. ¡°Atlantian System?¡±


    [Correct. I am Gada, your system assistant. I am the collective hive mind of your nanites. I became active when you acquired a specialized class system.]


    ¡°What the¡­ what?¡± Leta scowled, her brows knitting together as she tried to follow what the voice and words were telling her.


    [The Host is confused. Would the Host like to initiate the Nanite Tutorial?]


    Leta gave a rough exhale, feeling like she would get a migraine with whatever this was. ¡°What the hell is a nanite?¡±


    [Nanites refer to atomic-sized machines within all human lifeforms. These nanites improve the Hosts¡¯ overall physiology, mental capabilities, and skills.]


    ¡°I¡­ no. I¡¯m not dealing with hallucinations. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± Leta groaned, readjusting to try and fall back into oblivious sleep.


    [This is not a hallucination.]


    ¡°That¡¯s just what a hallucination would say. You¡¯re not fooling me.¡±


    [Sarcasm will not depreciate the truth, Host. The Host¡¯s System is now active, and the Host will soon be able to see the physical updates that have taken place. The Host has already experienced some new system updates, including a newly installed linguistics skill.]


    Leta frowned. She had noticed that she¡¯d suddenly been able to understand the nurse as if she¡¯d been living in Greece for decades.


    She opened one eye with a frown and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll entertain this delusion a little longer. What the hell do you mean by systems?¡±


    [A system refers to an active hive mind where nanites are programmed to execute specific skills based on the Host¡¯s designated class.]


    ¡°I feel like that didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    [More simply, a system is the web of nanites that support the Host¡¯s class. Like a spider, the class defines and reinforces its system web, giving it particular strengths and weaknesses.]


    ¡°And a class is¡­?¡± She drawled.


    [Classes are programs and software organized into a particular framework. Classes define a Host¡¯s capabilities and limitations, allowing the Host to surpass human limitations. Classes can range from physically dependent, such as Warrior, to mentally esoteric, such as Scholar and Alchemist.]


    Leta pinched the bridge of her nose before running her hands over her face as she moaned, ¡°Oh, this is crazy. Why am I even entertaining these delusions?¡±


    [Would the Host like a small demonstration of class capabilities?]


    ¡°You know what?¡± She threw her hands up and said, ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯d love a demonstration to prove I¡¯ve gone insane.¡±


    [As observed, the Host is no longer nearsighted or requires man-made inventions to see, as this abnormality was corrected during the initial system installation. In addition, the linguistics software ¡®Tongues of the Many¡¯ has been uploaded. This software allows the Host to read, write, and speak any language as long as the Host has adequately been exposed to the language for a short period.]


    Leta tried to ignore the voice, running her finger up her nose to push her glasses up and realizing she wasn¡¯t wearing any.


    Her hand went to her eyes. It was true; she wasn¡¯t wearing any glasses, and a quick eye poke proved she wasn¡¯t wearing her contacts either.


    Yet she could see perfectly, her blue eyes dancing around the room as her naked vision could see the details she¡¯d never noticed before.


    The weave of the linen sheets.


    The defined pixels in the numbers on her health monitor.


    The ever-slightly uneven texture of the paper hospital gown she was wearing.


    She could see it all.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ odd.¡± She poked the side of her cheek but stopped when she noticed the texture of her teeth.


    Her filling on the back molar was gone, replaced by smooth teeth as if she¡¯d never had a sweets addiction as a child.


    She ran her tongue around the other side of her mouth. Her crown on that side was also gone, and her teeth were perfect.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ very odd.¡±


    [Would you like to see your status window and upgrade options?]


    ¡°Uh, sure, I guess.¡±


    Leta blinked, and, like before, text in opaque blue floated in front of her eyes in a language she¡¯d never seen before and yet knew fluently.


    [Height: 165 centimeters


    Weight: 68 kilograms


    Bone Density: +1.2


    Power: 11


    Speed: 10


    Stamina: 10


    Reflexes: 12


    Constitution: 10


    Mental Fortitude: 15


    Current Skill Software Installed:


    Tongues of the Many: The Host can fluently read, write, and speak a language after exposure to the language.


    Sacrificial Touch: The Host can absorb organic nanites through physical touch.


    Filter Feeder, Level One: The Host can filter out and absorb only inert nanites and will not be affected by programmed nanites.


    Eyes of the Night Hunter: The Host can see in 95% darkness.


    Ears of the Judge: The Host can detect false statements made by an individual.


    Electric Misconduct: Level One: The Host can create an electric charge powerful enough to short-circuit electric wiring and other devices powered by the flow of electricity.


    Persuasion: Level One: The Host can produce a frequency that can resonate with nanites within a victim¡¯s brain, allowing the Host to make suggestions that the victim is more likely to agree with.


    Upgrade Options Available:


    Physical Characteristic Reconstruction: The Host can make changes to their physical appearance. This upgrade is affected by the inert nanoparticles available.


    Internal Characteristic Reconstruction: The Host can change its internal structure by creating artificial enhancements and structures. This upgrade is affected by the available inert nanites.


    Magician¡¯s Hand: The Host can move a physical object without touch that weighs a maximum of 70 kilograms in their line of sight. This upgrade is affected by the Host¡¯s constitution, power, and mental fortitude statistics. Nanites needed for this upgrade: 500,761.]


    [Inert Nanites: 504,268.]


    [Would the Host like to make an upgrade selection?]


    Leta looked over the available options, but it seemed like she could choose only one.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s prove I¡¯m crazy. Give me the Magician¡¯s Hand.¡±


    [Magician¡¯s Hand Upgrade Selected. Software upload is in progress.]


    Leta gasped as her body locked up, feeling as though someone had inserted electric wires into her brain.


    Her vision went white, and suddenly, knowledge was pouring into her brain. Mathematical equations and information from physics and quantum field theory raced past her mind¡¯s eye, being absorbed and imprinted into her brain¡¯s neurons.


    What felt like thousands of years of information was instantly inside her head as Leta took in a great gulp of air like someone who¡¯d just surfaced after being underwater.


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± She gasped, taking heavy breaths and steadying herself from the sudden shock.


    By some impossibility, she knew.


    She knew that telekinesis was possible.


    She knew how the physics and science behind such a miracle worked and how to apply them.


    She knew its limitations and physical limitations that would affect her ability.


    She knew telekinesis opened up the possibility of other abilities that she didn¡¯t know yet, like having a word on your tongue that you can¡¯t figure out.


    She knew.


    ¡®Holy shit.¡± She repeated, a feeling of joy filling her belly. ¡®Is this what Neo felt after getting kung fu into his brain?¡¯ She thought, then paused as the wonder at her sudden knowledge faded into the shock of discovery.


    ¡°It¡¯s real. You¡¯re real.¡± She whispered to the System as if speaking too loud would shatter the moment. ¡°The system, the classes¡ªit¡¯s all real.¡±


    [Correct. The System is real. Does the Host have any questions?]


    Leta felt like all the air in her lungs had suddenly been pushed out of her, her eyes staring out the window on the other side of her room but not seeing the blue sky and bustling city beyond.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got questions.¡±

 Chapter Four: History Lessons

    ¡°If these nanites are in all humans, why haven¡¯t we discovered this before?¡±


    [Under inspection, nanites will show as iron, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, phosphorus, and other atoms that make up one¡¯s blood bones, virtually undetectable outside an Atlantian laboratory.]


    It had been about twenty minutes of asking questions, and Leta¡¯s wonder had quickly turned to curiosity as Gada gave her all the information she could want.


    How did the Atlantians get here? Spaceship and quantum travel.


    When did the Atlantians get to Earth? 12,453 years ago.


    How did they pick their locations? Population density and preference.


    All interesting, but none were as fascinating to her as her history lesson of the Atlantian doctors and engineers that orchestrated such a massive project.


    She still tried to wrap her hand around the idea that telekinesis was possible as she stammered, ¡°You said that before -Atlantian. Who¡­ who¡¯s that?¡±


    [Question identified. Would you like the summarized history of the Atlantian Outposts?]


    ¡°Uh¡­yes.¡±


    [After discovering a planet with an atmosphere close to Atlantian standards, they designated the planet as a usable resource and began seeding the planet¡¯s atmosphere to their liking. Initially, the planet was selected to be mined for resources. However, during a survey, they discovered tiny single-cell organisms had progressed much farther than anticipated due to the atmospheric seeding. Earth was then protected, as the Atlantians wanted to study evolution.]


    [For several millennia, the Atlantians were content to monitor the planet until, for unknown reasons, they returned to Earth 12,453 years ago and created twelve outposts to research and develop the code name Project Black Fire.]


    ¡°Uh¡­wow. Sounds like a lot happened. These guys had been traveling the stars while Earth tried to figure itself out.¡±


    [Correct. Continuing, Project Black Fire was the brainchild of Doctor Aetes Domine and was intended to create a steady source of labor and materials the Atlantian race desperately needed. The project would be achieved by installing a minimal version of Atlantian¡¯s nanite system into the human species. The resulting modified humans were then trained to perform specific tasks, such as raising animals, harvesting, and creating goods needed to support larger populations.]


    [Humans were taken to the outposts and used to create city structures that were exceptionally advanced for a species that was only exiting the Stone Age. After 2,000 years, Earth entered a period known as the Enlightened Age. The nanites within the human systems allowed the race some protection against disease. They assisted with increasing their overall physiology, extended life expectancy, and improving the overall population numbers and quality of life.]


    [Progressively, the Atlantians introduced more and more skills and inventions. Harvesters became skilled Farmers, Potters became Sculptors, and the human population quadrupled under the guidance and authority of the Atlantians.]


    [Do not mistake the human and Atlantian relationship to be equal; humans saw the Atlantians as immortal gods that gave their blessings to those they found useful, and the Atlantians saw humans as a cheap labor source that was easy to control and was mildly entertaining.]


    ¡°Wait one damn minute.¡± Leta chuffed in anger, ¡°You mean to tell me the Atlantians came to Earth and gave us systems so they could make slave labor cool? That is so messed up.¡±


    [The Atlantians saw the human race as an underdeveloped, distant version of themselves, similar to how humans see primates. They justified their actions as accelerating the domestication of humans for the betterment of the race.]


    [Continuing. The Atlantians continued their mission, providing the human race with more and more technology to further their evolution for millennia. In less than 5,000 years, human ingenuity had transformed from simple hunter-gatherers to skilled artisans capable of creating more advanced machinery than currently available. Domestic animals and plants were modified to produce abundant crops, noninvasive mining for ores was normalized, and clean energy was ample for all to power the outposts and the cities that grew around them.]


    The door of her room opened, and the nurse returned, giving her a professional smile.


    ¡°Your test¡­ came¡­ back¡­¡± She said slowly, trying to find the right words in English.


    [The Host has had sufficient exposure to the Greek language for fluency.]


    Leta took a deep breath and focused. The Greek words quickly came to her as if she had been a native all her life.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak English for me.¡± She responded perfectly, her tongue forming the language without hesitation. It didn¡¯t feel very comforting, like someone else was using her mouth to say words for her.


    The nurse¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t know you spoke Greek. Well, your toxicology test came back negative, so the poison from the weeverfish is out of your system.¡±


    Leta frowned. ¡°weeverfish?¡±


    ¡°You were stung by the spines of a weeverfish.¡± The nurse said, as a matter of fact, ¡°It¡¯s rare to find them at the depth that you were at, but your extreme temperature changes, sweating, vomiting, and the swelling that was in your hand are signs of a weeverfish. Weeverfish are somewhat common in these parts, so we have everything we need to treat them when they come in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good.¡± She had to pause, deciding that just agreeing with the explanation of weeverfish was a lot more believable than alien technology was the cause of her current condition.


    ¡°While your toxicology came back beautifully, your symptoms when you arrived were extremely severe, so we want to make sure there won¡¯t be any lasting effects. We¡¯re going to start with an EKG and go from there.¡±


    They started hooking her up to monitors, setting up equipment that filled the room with mechanical beeps and whirls.


    [Would the Host like to continue with the historical information session?]


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± The nurse¡¯s head popped up from where she was fiddling with a device, ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Everything¡¯s good. Sorry.¡± Leta answered quickly, like a child trying to devise excuses for why their hand was in the cookie jar.


    [Human vocal cords will vibrate slightly when mentally speaking, which can be monitored by the nanite hive mind. If the Host can continue communicating with the hive mind by mentally speaking without speaking out loud.]


    ¡®Like this?¡¯ Leta thought to herself.


    [Correct. Continuing the historical information, human civilization had advanced by leaps and bounds due to the influence of the Atlantians. The humans who received nanite systems experienced life spans far longer than usual. High-ranking humans had access to high-speed transportation and other innovations.]


    [Records have been lost, but eventually, the outposts received a message from the Atlantian home world: evacuate all colonies and outposts and return to Atlan with all haste.]


    ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ Leta mused, smiling to the nurse as she finished the tests she had been running and saying she would get the doctor and see if they were ready for the MRI. ¡®A millennia of growth would mean hundreds of thousands of people, maybe millions.¡¯


    [Correct. When the evacuation call was transmitted, the population of nanite-enhanced humans was nearing 23 million individuals across the planet. In the thousands of years that they had occupied the planet, the Atlantians had succeeded in inoculating nearly the entire population with a system as humans continued to reproduce, passing on nanite systems capable of maintaining a class to their offspring.]


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    Leta blinked, speechless at such a number. She remembered reading once that there were estimates that the human population around 5,000 BCE was about 25 million, which meant over 90% of the entire population had a system by then.


    Just then, the doctor came in and said that they were ready to move her to imaging to get her MRI, but Leta could only smile and nod because her attention was entirely focused on what Gada was telling her.


    [Protocol for an evacuation dictates that a planet must be returned to its natural state, which required the Atlantians to remove any resources introduced to the native population, including technological innovations and structures, and deactivate all systems. Select high-ranking humans were deemed a genetic resource and were taken with the Atlantians during the evacuation.]


    ¡®Jeez¡­ they just kidnapped people?¡¯


    [Humans believed that the Atlantians were gods, so those instructed to depart with them were canonized as saints and demigods in the human religions created around their activities.]


    Leta felt her heart break a little at the thought.


    That was still family members that were being left behind. Grandparents, cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers, and sisters were separated, and they obviously never saw each other again.


    ¡®Still, with such a large population and having colonized the planet for thousands of years, I can¡¯t imagine this was a smooth transition.¡¯ She thought as they moved her into the MRI machine, feeling like a torpedo about to be loaded into the barrel.


    [Correct. The outpost of Atlanorobos headed by Doctor Nikomedes Kenasus rebelled against this order, citing a need to complete the project to improve the Atlan race. A brief civil war took place among the devotees of the Atlantians. Nikomedes oversaw political and judicial systems and ultimately was destroyed by his creations, who judged that they must evacuate per the order given and were able to exact Divine Retribution due to his breach of contract - causing his nanites to self-destruct. Atlanoboros was destroyed, and the humans who participated in the rebellion were executed.]


    [With Atlanorobos no more, the outposts prepared to remove all traces of their presence. All forms of Atlantian Language were removed and all records were destroyed. Each of the doctors and engineers who oversaw parts of the project did as instructed and deactivated the systems embedded within the human genetic makeup, forcing the nanites into a dormant state and becoming just another atom in the endless sea of cellular atoms. Material built of Atlanite was rendered useless or unrecognizable, and all structures were destroyed by various means.]


    [Finally, the Project Black Fire crew and the selected humans returned to their ship, the Mul-Sir, which had been in orbit around the planet during the habitation. After thousands of years of occupation, Earth had been reduced to its former self in less than a week. The last recorded transmission from the Mul-Sir was that it had entered quantum speed shortly after passing the Kuiper Belt headed for Atlan.]


    [With the loss of the Atlantians that were relied upon for everyday life, the human race on the cusp of space travel was reduced to their former Stone Age ingenuity. Without the nanites to provide skill mastery, humans were left vulnerable and isolated from each other. Millions perished due to diseases that were once preventable with the nanites. Starvation was also quite common, as the population relied on machinery no longer there to feed cities that numbered millions. Without the technology, those who still held some knowledge of agriculture could only produce enough for a few hundred.]


    [In conclusion, the human race would relearn most simple agricultural practices, and world population numbers would slowly rise to pre-evacuation numbers in the following centuries.]


    Leta blinked, processing everything the story that the words in her vision had told her. And it did feel like a story¡ªa fantastic, unbelievable tall tale invented by an active imagination and a brain lacking air.


    ¡°Everything okay in there? Your heart rate is showing some changes.¡±


    Leta gulped, ¡°Uh, yeah. Sorry. Just thinking about how my mom is going to kill me for getting sent to the hospital.¡±


    The technician chuckled, ¡°Well, please try to think happy thoughts. We¡¯ll be getting the contrast in you in a moment.¡±


    Leta did her best to get comfortable and stay still.


    ¡®Something weird though with this whole story. You said the Atlantians took everything with them when they left.¡¯ Leta inquired, ¡®If that¡¯s the case, why was that nanite injector thingy still in the ruins?¡¯


    [Caches of essential data and materials were secured and stored in secret locations so if the Atlantians returned they could quickly revitalize the population should the planet and its inhabitants be needed in whatever emergency caused the evacuation.]


    ¡®So¡­ I got stabbed with a backup safe of specialized virus robots.¡¯


    [Correct. The Host had found the classified caches of Doctor Pherenike Chilonus.]


    Leta¡¯s love of history bubbled up at the mention of the room and its owner.


    Dr. Pherenike Chilonus.


    Who was she?


    What did she look like?


    Why did she become a scientist?


    What was she researching?


    So many questions raced through her head that she didn¡¯t even realize she¡¯d asked the latter.


    [Doctor Chilonus was the head researcher and developer of the program class Monarch. This highly specialized class was produced to be the pinnacle of class programs, providing countless benefits to the Host and removing set class status limitations to recreate a human into an Atlantian.]


    ¡®Hold the phone.¡¯ Leta frowned, ¡®What do you mean ¡®recreate a human¡¯?¡¯


    [The Monarch system was designed to genetically reconstruct a human to match the Atlantian. Over the next one to two years, the nanites within the Host¡¯s body will slowly replace any human cell structures with that of an Atlantian, including incrementally integrating software programs that provide mastery over the human classes.]


    ¡®Why incrementally? Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to do it all at once?¡¯


    [Software downloads can cause strain on the Host¡¯s organs as cells are reprogrammed and adjusted. The monarch class was designed to slowly integrate skills to put the most minor strain on the Host. Multiple skill downloads in quick succession can have adverse effects, such as nose bleeds, nausea, vomiting, and, in extreme situations, organ failure.]


    Leta locked her arms and legs to keep herself still and not scream like a banshee.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, what?!¡¯


    ¡°Ready for contrast?¡±


    The machine started pulling her out to reveal the technician by her side with a medical needle. She tried to be a good patient but was optimistic that the look she gave him was akin to a person on a reality thriller who was just told their next challenge was eating a bug.


    ¡°Are you scared of needles?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m going through some things.¡± She grumbled as he inserted the needle into her arm before reloading her into the machine.


    [Regarding regular classes, most would receive all their skills during installation. However, the monarch class contains the skills and programs of all regular courses and those only available to Atlantians. As such, the software would have to slowly download skills to decrease strain on the Host¡¯s brain while the nanites create new memories and reflexes.]


    ¡®Or your brain could explode.¡¯ Leta thought sarcastically.


    [In extreme situations, yes. However, it would require several skill downloads at one time for such an event to occur. Based on current host physiology, one skill every six hours would have no ill effects. The less time given in this time frame between skill downloads, the more likely an extreme side effect is to occur. Two skills back to back may cause a nosebleed. Three skills may cause a seizure, and four a stroke. While you would eventually recover from a seizure or stroke depending on your inert nanite count, five or more may cause irrepressible damage not even nanites can fix. In addition, adding too many stats at one time could also be dangerous. An influx of power could cause your muscles to burst out of your skin, or too much constitution at one time could cause you to fall into a coma.]


    She gulped, ¡®Wow. That¡¯s¡­ gross.¡¯


    [It is by no means a pleasant experience. However, the skills that the Host will acquire are substantial. Considering the early humans worshiped the Atlantians as gods, and the Host is being remade in their likeness, there is much to look forward to. The Host need only be patient and pace yourself.]


    Leta mulled that over. A quote from one of her father¡¯s favorite authors and scientists, Arthur Clarke, came to her then.


    Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.


    A highly advanced race capable of quantum travel had descended from the heavens to remake the Earth to their benefit. Of course, cave dwellers from the Stone Age would have considered them gods.


    The sudden image of a frazzle-haired man on one of those ancient conspiracy shows saying ¡°aliens¡± had her snorting.


    ¡®Okay, so I get these wonderful skills like telekinesis, but you just said I¡¯ve got access to a metric ton of skills. You only showed a handful of skills a moment ago. How are these skills getting prioritized?¡¯


    [Skills are chosen by the Host. Skills available for download are based on the number of nanites available and what skills will cause the least strain on the Host¡¯s organs. Other skills can be self-taught or learned by observation.]


    [Each new skill downloaded opens up new cellular links and access to other download options. For example, the Host learned the skill Magician¡¯s Hand through the downloading process. Because those memories and synopsis were already created, new skills that link to the fundamental understanding at the root of Magician¡¯s Hand are now available.]


    ¡®Like a skill tree in a game,¡¯ She mused, ¡¯Similar skills that branch off each other as you progress because their functions work off the same core principals.¡¯


    [Correct.]


    The whirling of the MRI machine slowed to a stop before the technician entered the room again. ¡°Alright, everything looked good from my end. I¡¯ll have the nurse bring you back to your room, and the doctor will take a look at your results.¡±


    The nurse from earlier stepped inside and helped Leta into a wheelchair before taking her out of the imaging lab.


    ¡°Just to let you know, you¡¯ve got some visitors when we get you back to your room. I believe it¡¯s the professor over the dig site. We informed her that you were awake a little bit ago, and she insisted on coming to see you.¡±


    Leta sighed, ¡°Oh boy¡­ Dr. Galloise is going to be an absolute basket case.¡±


    She could practically feel the nurse behind her smiling, ¡°She¡¯s¡­ certainly protective of you.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me she hasn¡¯t called you every ten minutes¡­¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had to get the authorities involved yet for a restraining order, but I think the doc is considering it.


    Leta groaned, already feeling a headache forming in anticipation of the show that was about to come.

 Chapter Five: Phoning Home

    It was, as her mother would have said, a shit show.


    She could hear the angry Canadian professor from the elevators loudly cursing out unfortunate hospital staff and demanding a lawyer. Leta wasn¡¯t sure if that rule still applied in this country, but even through her broken Greek, she made it difficult for the nurses to say otherwise.


    ¡°Please, lower your voice, Miss.¡±


    ¡°I will not be lowering my voice until-¡± Her rant cut off as the nurse opened the door and pushed Leta¡¯s wheelchair inside.


    Even enraged, she still managed to look like she¡¯d just rolled out of a dig. Her graying blonde hair was haphazardly twisted into a bun on top of her head, and she was wearing well-worn boots, loose jean shorts, and a light linen shirt. She must have gotten here in a rush because she still had her straw gardening hat on site, and her arms were still smeared with dirt.


    When she saw Leta, her angry expression turned to relief, and she strode over and hugged her, nearly pulling her out of the wheelchair in the process.


    ¡°Oh my god, you scared the hell out of us.¡± She mumbled into her hair.


    Leta awkwardly patted her back reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Did you know there¡¯s weeverfish in the Med?¡± She commented sarcastically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to be cute.¡± Dr. Galloise scowled at her humor. ¡°Do you know how freaked out I¡¯ve been for the last few days? Your mom has been blowing up my phone practically every hour on the dot. I¡¯m surprised she hasn¡¯t booked a ticket to get you herself. You¡¯re going to give your parents a video call the moment you have a second to spare. No negotiations.¡±


    ¡°Thankfully, that should be very soon.¡± The same doctor from before said as the nurse helped Leta onto the bed.


    The doctor went over her charts with them and parroted the nurse from earlier that all of her tests had come back clean. They wanted to keep her overnight for observation, but he was optimistic that she would be released tomorrow morning.


    Dr. Galloise had a ton of questions. Could there be any lingering side effects in the future? What medication would she need to take for hypothetical symptoms? What were the dangers of her taking a plan?


    After what felt like a thousand questions, the nurse and doctor left the room for Leta to get some rest just as Vigo stepped into the room, looking a bit more put together but still sporting the beginnings of a sunburn.


    He smiled when he saw her on the bed, ¡°You¡¯re up!¡±


    ¡°Surprise,¡± Leta smirked as he placed a tote bag on her lap.


    ¡°They called us when you woke up. I got your phone and some clothes since they had to cut off your wetsuit. I didn¡¯t go through your stuff.¡± He held up his hands as if to show that he was unarmed, ¡°I¡¯m not dumb enough to go through a woman¡¯s clothes unsupervised. Pilar picked some clothes for you that night when you finally got out.¡±


    ¡°So you had faith that I¡¯d be walking out.¡±


    Vigo laughed, ¡°Like hell, you¡¯d be done in by a stupid fish.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the confidence.¡± She chuckled as she fished out her phone from the bag. The screen had cracked, but at least they¡¯d been kind enough to ensure it was still charged.


    She winced when she saw that her mother had left her at least fifty voicemails and what she estimated to be about a thousand text messages from her parents and friends.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Vigo drawled, ¡°I¡¯d probably give her a call. Even if it¡¯s about one in the morning, I¡¯d bet money she¡¯d pick up.¡±


    Dr.Galloise chuckled at Leta¡¯s uncomfortable look before giving her another hug, ¡°Well, stop by again with the crew later this afternoon. For now, please talk your mom off the cliff before she does something crazy.¡±


    They turned to leave, but Leta spoke up, ¡°Oh, wait! What happened at the dig after I was gone? What about the trap door?¡±


    Dr. Galloise frowned, ¡°What trap door?¡±


    ¡°There was a trap door where, uh, the weeverfish was,¡± She caught herself, ¡°It had a copper latch that I activated.¡±


    Vigo and the professor shared a look, ¡°How could there be copper exposed under water?¡± Vigo asked, ¡°The time frame of the building means they wouldn¡¯t have had the capability to make sophisticated trap door in such a structure. And even if they did, the metal or wood mechanisms would have deteriorated to dust ages ago.¡±


    Leta chewed on the inside of her lip, wanting to say more, to push the subject, but what could she say to convince them?


    Telling them that it was probably propped up with alien technology would end in a mental evaluation.


    The professor sighed, ¡°Well, the site has been closed temporarily while they do another survey of the area to ensure there aren¡¯t any other dangers lurking down there.¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Leta sighed, but Dr. Galloise waved her disappointment away, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. This is not the first time something like this has happened. The survey team went out this morning, so hopefully, we¡¯ll get the all-clear to get back in the water by the time you get discharged.¡±


    ¡°Now, stop stalling and call your mom.¡± She laughed as she closed the door, leaving Leta alone and looking at her cell phone as if holding a grenade.


    Bracing herself, she dialed her mother.


    On the second ring, Naomi Black answered the phone with a screech, ¡°Why the hell haven¡¯t you been answering my calls!¡±


    ¡°Because I just woke up two hours ago,¡± Leta responded quietly.


    She heard a sniffle on the other end, followed by a watery, ¡°Oh my god, Letty¡­ I was so scared¡­¡±


    Leta¡¯s lips pulled back in regret. Her mother had always been a bold, unapologetic woman who wore her feelings on her sleeve but was always sincere.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, mom. I¡¯m fine. Doctors have done many tests, and everything has returned all good.¡±


    ¡°S¡¯that Letty?¡± She heard the groggy voice of her father in the background.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s awake. Letty? We¡¯re going to put you on a video call.¡±


    ¡°No, mom. You don¡¯t have to- oh, okay, you already did.¡± Leta protested by stopping when she saw her phone light up with the video call request. Sighing, she accepted, and her screen filled with a darkly lit image of her parents in bed, huddled together to see the screen.


    Her mother had those great Scandinavian genetics that made her oval face, blonde hair, and blue eyes look like she was in her late thirties rather than well into her fifties. She never wore makeup, but even in a shirt she¡¯d stolen from Leta¡¯s dad and her hair disheveled, she still looked beautiful.


    Her father, Theodore Black, was the epitome of a gentle giant, tall and naturally muscular with an even temperament. His salt and pepper hair had always been well maintained, and his hazel eyes crinkled lovely as he smiled at his daughter.


    ¡°Your mum has been hard at work drilling a hole in the kitchen floor with her pacing.¡± He chuckled in his Manchester accent, then coughed when he saw the look her mother was giving him, ¡°Naomi, my love, you know it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°All you sent us was ¡®heading out, love you,¡¯ and then the next thing we get is a call from Annika saying you were in the hospital because you got stung by a poisonous fish.¡±


    ¡®Lord, if it were only as simple as that.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not like I just scheduled an appointment with the hospital. It was a freak accident, with emphasis on the accident part. Look at me, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in a hospital gown, love.¡± her father pointed out, ¡°It¡¯s hard to be ¡®fine¡¯ right now.¡±


    ¡°I already booked a flight out in the morning to get you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± Leta¡¯s palm connected with her face, but her mother wasn¡¯t having any of it.


    ¡°My daughter is in a coma in a foreign country after being stung by some poisonous fish. Of course, I am coming to get you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to come get me,¡± Leta said firmly, ¡°I am this close to a historical breakthrough! I can¡¯t go home now.¡±


    ¡°You are coming home-¡± Her father held up a hand to stop her rant and said, ¡°If I may, Naomi? Please?¡±


    Her mother didn¡¯t look happy at being interrupted but nodded her consent.


    ¡°Letty Love, we have been apprehensive these last few days as the doctors who contacted us didn¡¯t have a lot of information other than that you were in some coma. I understand you wish to continue your work - believe me, we have both been there.¡± He looked pointedly at Naomi, ¡°We understand that feeling of being on your first dig and discovering something new. But, Letty, nothing will ever be more important to us than your health.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡®Proof of an ancient race of aliens colonizing Earth might say otherwise.¡¯ Leta mused to herself but said, ¡°Please, just hear me out on this.¡±


    Her father sighed and then gestured for her to continue.


    ¡°Before the¡­ weeverfish, I was helping unearth the interior side of a wall. You know how crazy it is to find a Mesopotamian-era building underwater, right?¡±


    Her father nodded along sagely, ¡°Correct. The organic materials will easily break down and decompose. It¡¯s a miracle that it was buried in sediment to protect it.¡±


    ¡°Right! And you know how bricks were stacked horizontally and then plastered over? Well, I was unearthing the interior wall, and I noticed a very clearly defined brick in the wall that was vertical.¡±


    Her parents frowned, going straight into archaeologist mode. Her mother¡¯s nose was scrunched when she retorted, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make much sense. Was it a door frame?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Leta shook her head. ¡°No door or window frame, just an interior wall.¡±


    Her father shrugged, ¡°Probably some sort of structural support.¡±


    She grinned like a child about to reveal a secret, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a support beam. It was a trap door.¡±


    Her parents paused, trying to register what she was saying. Her mother blinked and then chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Uh, what?¡±


    ¡°I touched the brick, which moved like an old-school switch button. Then a trap door opened up on the floor.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Her mother denied skeptically, ¡°It must have just been a cave-in with all the activity.¡±


    Leta shook her head, ¡°A cave-in wouldn¡¯t be a perfect square and open up to reveal some artifacts, would it?¡±


    It took a moment, but soon, her parent¡¯s faces turned from confusion to shock as they started to ask more and more questions. What was the shape of the brick? How far off the floor was it? How deep was the hole? Did she see any internal mechanisms?


    The more she talked, the more excited her parents got at the idea that possibly the first recorded mechanical device had been discovered, and it was still functioning after thousands of years buried in sand underwater.


    After an hour of describing, debating, and hypothesizing, her parents had gotten as excited about the discovery of sophisticated technology as she was.


    Had she succeeded in getting her parents to forget about her being in a hospital?


    No.


    Was her mother still thinking about flying out to Santorini to bring her back home?


    Maybe.


    Leta was on thin ice at this point but had been appeased by a text from Dr. Galloise, who said that Dr. De Mar at the museum was willing to take Leta on as an intern so she could still get her hours for her internship. She wasn¡¯t particularly pleased with the idea of dropping out on the Mesopotamian site, but she felt she wouldn¡¯t get a choice in the matter.


    Maybe she could convince Dr. Galloise to let her back on the boat, but for now, she comforted herself with the idea that there was an option for her to work with the artifacts they¡¯d brought up.


    The discussion of the dig and what she¡¯d found - minus the alien technology part that she didn¡¯t bring up - was enough to calm her mother down and get her to cancel her flight out in the morning.


    It was probably about three in the morning for her parents when the nurse returned to check on her, smiling at her.


    ¡°Parent¡¯s checking in on you?¡± She asked as she closed the door behind her.


    ¡°Convincing them not to freak out,¡± Leta replied, then realized her mistake when she saw her mother¡¯s frown.


    ¡°Your Greek has gotten good.¡± Her father commented slowly.


    ¡°Thanks. Those language apps have been beneficial.¡± Leta lied.


    ¡°Very good, dear.¡±


    The nurse looked between her and the phone, ¡°I can go through this quickly with you. Would you like to translate for your parents?¡±


    ¡°I guess. Go for it.¡±


    Thankfully, the nurse kept it short and reiterated what the doctor had said. Everything looked good, and she was to stay the night for observation but would most likely be released.


    This interaction with the nurse finally seemed to take all of the manic energy out of her mother. Naomi yawned, leaning her head against her husband¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Okay, I am so happy that you¡¯re not hurt. I will not be flying to Greece tomorrow morning but getting much sleep because it is¡­ tomorrow.¡±


    Leta chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll be out tomorrow, so I¡¯ll text you once I¡¯m out.¡±


    ¡®Talk to you later¡¯ and ¡®Good night¡¯ were shared between them before Leta finally closed the video call.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just you and me, Gada.¡± Leta relaxed into the bed.


    [Would the Host like to practice their new skill?]


    She smiled wickedly. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    With the giddiness of a child running downstairs on Christmas day, Leta steeled herself and focused on her phone.


    It smoothly lifted into the air as if held aloft by graceful hands until it was at her eye level.


    Leta¡¯s breath rushed out of her in elated wonder as she watched the device float in the air as if by magic.


    The phone wobbled in the air at Leta¡¯s lapse in concentration, so she took a deep breath to refocus, willing the phone to rotate slowly.


    [Congratulations, Host. You have succeeded in preforming your first action of the software, Magician¡¯s Hand.]


    She held out her hand and willed the device to lower into her open palm gently.


    ¡°This is so cool.¡± She giggled and looked around the room for other things to play with.


    She pulled out her phone charger, toothbrush, and deodorant from her bag, laying them in front of her. She willed the toothbrush to rise into the air and set it to float at eye level before trying to lift her charger.


    It was harder to do two items than just one, like trying to look in two directions simultaneously. The moment her focus moved from one item to the next, the first would wobble before falling to the bed.


    After a few tries, she changed up her approach and put the two items right next to each other. She focused on them as if they were one object instead of two. They thrashed unbalanced, but with some effort, they floated at eye level as one before she lost control with a gasp.


    ¡®Damn¡­ why do I feel so out of breath?¡¯ Leta huffed.


    [The performance of the software is based on the host¡¯s statistics. Mentally training software such as a magician¡¯s hand relies on higher levels of mental fortitude to execute actions. The host currently has a mental fortitude rating of 15, which is slightly higher than that of an average human. This allows the host to perform the desired actions, which an average human cannot perform. To increase the output for skills, statistical numbers must be increased.]


    ¡®How do I do that?¡¯


    [Statistics can be raised by repeated use of the skill or action. Additionally, the host can invest inert nanites into specific statistics on a one to 1,000 ratio.]


    Leta chewed on her lip as she thought that over. She could grind out, exercise the skill repeatedly, or use the nanites to jump ahead.


    It seemed like, even in the world of alien nanites, there was still a pay-to-play scheme.


    Sighing, she mentally opened up her stats.


    [Height: 165 centimeters


    Weight: 68 kilograms


    Bone Density: +1.2


    Power: 11


    Speed: 10


    Stamina: 10


    Reflexes: 12


    Constitution: 10


    Mental Fortitude: 15]


    ¡®Can you explain what all of the statistical measurements mean? I¡¯m assuming Power makes my muscles bigger, and Mental Fortitude makes me smarter, but I¡¯d hate to assume wrong.¡¯


    [Measurements listed are necessary factors for program output. Increases in these statistics will result in physical and cognitive changes as nanites are rerouted to support these new developments. For example, an increase in power would increase muscle mass to produce an increase in output force. An increase in mental fortitude would result in an increase in gyri and sulci in the brain, which allows for faster and deeper cognitive processes.]


    ¡®Um, I studied history, not biology. What¡¯s the gyri and sulci?¡¯


    [To put it simply, these are the folds of the brain which increases the brain¡¯s overall surface area and thinking capabilities.]


    ¡®Oh. Well, now it makes since when they say people have a smooth brain. So, Speed decreases fat in the muscle and increases endurance, right? What about the others?


    [Reflexes focus on the speed of nerve-to-brain communication, allowing the host to register, categorize, and respond to an outside force. Stamina governs the distribution of energy within the body. A host could have high levels of power, but if their stamina is low, they are highly susceptible to becoming sluggish and slow as their bodies cannot distribute the energy needed to sustain their mass. Constitution is the overall resilience of the host¡¯s form to physical harm. High constitution ratings indicate the amount of outside trauma a host¡¯s body can withstand before injury.]


    ¡®I¡¯ll be honest I don¡¯t like how you labeled that as ¡®trauma.¡¯¡¯ Leta articulated with a raised eyebrow.


    [An external attack such as blunt force is considered a trauma. The Host should also note that changes to stats can also affect the Hosts in unexpected ways. For example, a significant increase in power can increase overall body weight and decrease reflex stats. Increases in Mental Fortitude may weaken the Host¡¯s energy and stamina as bodily functions are redirected to supporting an overworked brain.]


    ¡°Jeez, thanks for telling me that now before I start dumping points.¡± Leta grumbled.


    [The Host should not be too concerned at this time. points available for stat increase are not significant enough to warrant caution. However, the Host should keep this in mind for future upgrades. By balancing your stats, the Host can avoid medical issues resulting from sudden increases in a particular stat. It should also be noted that internal characteristic additions can also increase stat numbers without affecting other stats.]


    ¡®Awesome. Okay, so what¡¯s my budget then?¡¯


    [The Host currently has an available inert nanite count of 3,507, which equals to an increase of three if the host would like to use 3,000 of the available total.]


    ¡®Hm¡­ any suggestion on where to put those points?¡¯


    Gada was silent for a moment, but Leta could almost feel a buzzing in her blood, as if the nanites were whispering among themselves.


    After a minute, Gada answered. [Current uploaded software such as Electric Misconduct and Magician¡¯s Hand require high mental fortitude to execute desired results. It is suggested that the host use all available nanites to increase this stat, thus increasing the output of this software.]


    Leta nodded, ¡°Okay, then. If I¡¯m not in danger of a stroke, please put 3,000 points into Mental Fortitude.¡±


    A sensation of fingers trailing over her brain sent shivers down her spin as her vision momentarily went white before suddenly coming back online.


    Leta blinked, waiting for something to happen.


    [Mental fortitude has successfully increased from 15 to 18.]


    ¡°That was it?¡± Leta asked quizzically, fully expecting something more dramatic.


    [Correct. The Host already had an above average mental fortitude due to software uploads during class integration.]


    Leta focused back on the items in her lap. As before the toothbrush and phone charge wobbled drunkenly into the air, but this time if felt easier, the strain on her mental muscles lighter. Where a handful of times Leta had felt out of breath, she now felt like she could comfortably keep this up for a few hours.


    The handle to her room rattled, breaking her concentration as the objects fell back onto her lap just as an older woman with a hospital staff badge came in carrying a tray of food.


    A slice of bread, small star shaped noodles in what looked like chicken broth, a baked chicken breast, half a lemon, and a glass of water.


    ¡°Delicious.¡± Leta smiled as earnestly as she could despite the mean reminding her of some bad cafeteria food she¡¯d once had in high school.


    She was starving though, and at this point she¡¯d eat a paper bag if they told her it was edible.


    ¡®Anyway can you turn off my taste buds?¡¯ Leta spooned the soup, realizing that the broth was a lot thicker than she originally anticipated.


    [Negative. Under extreme circumstances, pain messages between nerves and the brain can be temporarily shut off. However, dinner is not considered an extreme circumstance.]


    ¡®I think it¡¯s about to be.¡¯ She whined, resigning herself to eating what was given to her and hoping that sleep would at least come easy tonight.

 Chapter Six: Night of the Nixie

    A summer rainstorm had rolled in as the sun began to set over the sea, the city¡¯s lights casting an orange haze over the landscape.


    The rest of the archaeological team had stopped by after she¡¯d finished dinner to check on her. Pilar was exceptionally distraught and kept pinning, saying that Leta was injured because she had taken Pilar¡¯s spot on the boat that day. Vigo awkwardly patted the Colombian woman¡¯s back and reassured her that it was an accident and that the team had to be careful of weeverfish in the future.


    This brought up conversations about what to do going forward. As of right now, the site was closed until further notice, but Dr. Galloise said that she fully expected to get word soon that they would soon be getting back in the water. However, she also warned that the Greek government may put a pin in everything and not get their hopes up too soon.


    Visiting hours soon ended, and without anything to do, Leta started to play with her new powers.


    The telekinesis was weight-limited, and she couldn¡¯t lift herself into the air like a superhero, a fact she discovered when she¡¯d tried and had gotten a migraine.


    As the clock ticked away to 11:15 p.m., Leta was sitting on her bed and concentrating on the tiny sparks of electricity that danced between her fingers as she snapped.


    The Electric Misconduct skill was much more challenging to practice in a hospital than the Magician¡¯s Hand, but it was still impressive.


    Surprisingly, it was easier for her to concentrate and control this power than the other as her mind subconsciously manipulated the positive and negative charges in the air.


    She¡¯d discovered that her body could act as an insulator and turn her fingers into tasers. Unfortunately, she¡¯d also discovered that while her body could harness the electricity, what she was wearing couldn¡¯t. The room smelled of ozone from her electricity and burned fabric after she singed her hospital gown until she could finally compact the electricity running through her to just her hands.


    [It is advised that the host rest to be at peak performance tomorrow.]


    Leta snapped and watched a tiny blue-white spark crackle in the air before going out.


    With a sigh, she nodded in agreement and curled up to go to bed but found that sleep was elusive tonight.


    How does somebody go to sleep like it¡¯s just another day when their entire knowledge of the world has turned upside down?


    What would she, a college archaeology first-year student, do with superpowers? Of course, it¡¯s fantastic - unimaginably wonderful all on its own - but what comes next?


    As she thought about it, a nagging thought kept coming.


    Her entire life, she¡¯d been fascinated by the civilizations of Mesopotamia. She¡¯d read every book she could find on the Sumerians, got lost in every study on the Akkadians, and marveled at the impact of the Babylonians.


    Even with the realization that the civilizations she¡¯d been obsessed with since childhood had a completely different history than what she once knew, that flame of curiosity hadn¡¯t been extinguished.


    It seemed silly even to ask herself what she would do now that she had these gifts.


    Her life¡¯s mission hadn¡¯t changed; it had just gotten a bit more complicated. She still wanted to know about these cultures, but now she also wanted to know about the beings that had shaped them and what had happened at the end to the Atlantians.


    A smile curled her lips as she settled into bed, content with the idea that this strange twist of fate had connected her deeper to her life-long obsession than ever before; she finally registered a strange noise humming in the air.


    The clock¡¯s ticking seemed louder as the odd thumping click matched its movements like a musician¡¯s metronome. It reminded her of someone thrumming a string on a guitar but more profound and robust enough to make the hairs on her arm prickle and stand on end.


    [Warning! A foreign entity is attempting to use corrupted software to manipulate the Host¡¯s constitution and reflexes.]


    [The Host¡¯s mental fortitude stat + Ears of the Judge + Persuasion is higher than mental manipulation Trojan ware.]


    [Mental manipulation by foreign entities has failed. Protection of the Host¡¯s mind still holds.]


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She was so focused on the strange noise that it took her a moment to realize an odd hush had fallen over the hospital. Even in the late hours, the hospital buzzed with the sound of medical instruments and the squeak of staff¡¯s shoes on the linoleum floors as they did their business.


    All she could hear was the pattering of rain against her window and the thumping clicks of something ominous that seemed to get louder.


    Leta turned towards the door, a sense of foreboding like being moments away from a car accident, setting her nerves on edge.


    The temperature in the already cold hospital was dropping rapidly, causing her skin to prickle with goosebumps. The light of the outside hallway she could see between the spaces around the door flickered just before the clicking sound reached a crescendo.


    Water began to trickle into her room from the other side of the door as if someone was pouring out a cup of water, but no sound of liquid splashing against the floor could be heard.


    The rattling of the doorknob was loud in the stillness of the hospital as the door opened an inch. Long green-skinned fingers tipped with sharp claw-like nails extended through the opening, one sizable yellow eye that looked like it was the size of a baseball peaking through.


    Its slit pupil locked on her, and the clicking became fever-pitched, its tempo rising as if it were a killer whale spotting prey.


    Leta had been shocked, speechless at the sight of the creature, and her scream was slow to rise before it rammed the door open and flew at her.


    A blood-curdling scream ripped from her throat as she rolled off the bed and crab-walked to the wall as the creature landed on the mattress she¡¯d previously been occupying.


    It was bipedal, with unnaturally long skinny arms and legs and equally unnaturally long fingers and toes. Its emaciated torso held a small neck supporting a massive oval head. One-third of its head was dominated by an enormous pair of eyes the size of her palm. It had two slits under its eyes for a nose that dilated and contracted as it constantly sniffed the air and thin, ragged hair dangling from the crown of its skull.


    The creature¡¯s head snapped in her direction, and a lipless mouth unhinged its jaw to let loose an agitated set of clicks as if it were displeased. She hadn¡¯t let it kill her.


    It leaped again, claws extended as Leta tried to roll to the side but stumbled as its nails cut deep into her arm.


    [Battle has been initiated.]


    [Adrenaline in the brain has been released.]


    [Reflexes, speed, stamina, and power have been increased.]


    She flopped to the ground unceremoniously, having just enough time to roll onto her back as the monster attacked again and managed to sink its claws into her shoulders.


    Its head reared back, and Leta stuck her arm forward to prevent her throat from getting torn out as its serrated teeth bit into her forearm.


    She shrieked in pain as blood splattered her and the monster, its face so close she could smell the scent of bog and sulfur and watch its pupils shrink with excitement.


    [Host has received piercing damage from Corrupted-Nixie.]


    [Bleeding is currently in effect.]


    [Stamina and constitution compromised.]


    The monster flexed its jaw as it bit harder into her arm, its mouth seeming to smile like a dog with its favorite toy.


    Grunting in pain, Leta reached under the monster until her other hand was just able to touch its ribs.


    The room filled with the scent of ozone as she gritted her teeth and focused.


    A lightning spark ran from her chest, through her arm, and into the monster. A flash as bright as a small sun sent the creature flying backward as the sound of a falling grand piano shook the floor. She cried out as its shark-like teeth were ripped from her arm, and its body hit the wall above her bed with a meaty thud.


    [Nanites rerouted for healing.]


    [Bleeding status has been removed.]


    [Stamina and constitution have returned to normal levels.]


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Leta didn¡¯t have time to relish the sudden relief from the pain or marvel as the gaping bite and claw marks on her body suddenly crusted over. She stumbled and ran for the door as the monster shook its head.


    It quickly recovered from the lightning strike and jumped to intercept her, landing nimbly on all fours just before the door.


    Its clicks were low in its throat as if trying to growl at her. It stalked forward like a lion approaching a cornered animal.


    She glanced around, looking for something to use as a weapon, and locked onto the IV bag and the attached line.


    Her hand raised as the line sailed into the air like a transparent snake before wrapping around the creature¡¯s short neck before pulling her fist back with a snarl. The line yanked the creature back as its lanky arms pinwheeled for balance before clawing at the plastic tubing for air.


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± She took two steps towards the door before she realized that she¡¯d miscalculated how sharp the monster¡¯s claws were.


    Its black nails cut through the IV line as it turned its feral gaze on her and pounced with an angry, clicking shriek. Leta screamed as she fell backward, landing hard on her back and nearly knocking the wind out of her lungs as her arms rose to protect herself from the claws that reached for her.


    What felt like daggers dug into her forearm and chest. Leta tried to buck it off, but it held firm. With a triumphant rattle, it brought its head down and bit into her left shoulder near the curve of her throat.


    [Host has received piercing damage from Corrupted-Nixie.]


    [Subclavian Artery has been breached.]


    [Major bleeding is currently in effect.]


    [Stamina, power, and constitution severely compromised.]


    [Warning! Substantial damage has been sustained. A hemothorax has formed in the area of the Host¡¯s left lung. The Host is experiencing hemorrhagic shock. The Host must remove the Corrupted-Nixie to begin emergency medical treatment. Failure to receive medical treatment in the next ten minutes may result in cardiac arrest and death.]


    Leta shrieked in pain, her chest burning as the monster bit into her shoulder before thrashing its head as it tried to eat her.


    Screaming, Leta shoved her hand at the monster¡¯s face but could only form a tiny spark that seemed to hit it like an inconvenient static shock rather than a bolt of lightning. Focusing, she tried again as spots filled her vision.


    The smallest clap of thunder vibrated the room as the blue-white electricity connected. She could feel the relay of lightning as it channeled through the creature and back into her, where its teeth and claws were sunk in, making her hair stand on end as she gritted her teeth in determination.


    The blast caused the monster¡¯s muscles to lock, so it couldn¡¯t even let go. Its rough green skin began to blister and burn, filling the room with the smell of smoke and blood.


    The dots swimming in her vision had increased to the point she nearly passed out, and Leta released the charge before going boneless on the cold floor.


    Burned and smoking, the monster¡¯s jaw went slack as pain-filled base tones accompanied its clicks.


    She groaned as its weight seemed to try and press all of the air out of her.


    [Nanites rerouted for healing.]


    [Major bleeding effect has been downgraded to bleeding.]


    [Stamina, power, and constitution levels remain compromised.]


    [Emergency repairs to Subclavian Artery in progress. Healing will be complete in five minutes and eight seconds. It is recommended that the Host staunch bleeding to speed up the healing process.]


    Leta grunted as she pushed the creature¡¯s body off of her, taking a few heavy breaths to keep the dots from her vision again before weakly getting to her knees.


    Its once moss-green skin was nearly black with scorch marks, much of its hair being singed off on the side she¡¯d hit it on. Its body twitched as its head lolled to the side to fix one mangled eye in her direction before trying to roll toward the window.


    ¡°How¡¯s this thing still alive¡­¡± She growled before looking around the room to find a suitable weapon. She turned to grab the IV pole when a screech of metal had her looking back to see the monster had managed to flip the window latch. As the glass swung forward, the wind picked up and blew cool rain into the room and over the creature.


    Leta watched in mounting horror as the black marks on its body began to heal rapidly, puss-soaked muscle rolling across its face and centering on its eye until a yellow eye formed where once an empty socket was.


    ¡°Oh shi-¡± Her scream was cut off as black-tipped claws on a green skin hand lunged for her face with impossible speed.


    With a squeal, she raised the IV pole as if it were a quarterstaff in time to block it from permanently blinding her as they fell backward.


    She hit the floor hard with enough force that Leta thought she¡¯d cracked her head open but managed to hold on to the pole.


    Straddling her waist, the monster did its best to press the full force of its body into her hands as Leta tried to push it off. Its head shot forward like a snapping turtle as it tried to take a bit out of her, slowly inching closer and closer as the strength in her arms began to waiver.


    [Stamina and power levels decreased.]


    [Emergency repair of Subclavian Artery compromised.]


    Leta hissed, turning her head as the creature nearly took her nose off. Her arms were shaking with the effort to keep the beast at bay, but even an idiot could tell it was a losing battle.


    The fire of rage and anger that had been burning in her to fight and destroy what had tried to kill her was beginning to sputter out, replaced with terror at the pain and agony those sharp teeth promised would come soon.


    She gritted her teeth, a small tear rolling down the side of her face, the only outward remorse she could muster as she fought to live just a second longer.


    A flash of black cloth and leather snapped in her vision a moment before the crushing weight of the monster was suddenly lifted from her chest.


    Leta sucked in a deep breath before rolling to the side to see that the monster had flown against the wall and landed in the puddle forming under the window.


    She only had a moment to glance to her side to see a man dressed in all-black, mercenary-like attire: black tactical pants, combat boots, long-sleeved black jacket tucked under matte black vambraces. A shaved head and hazel eyes were the only discernible features due to a black face mask covering his mouth and nose. Everything save for the two short swords, only slightly too long to be considered daggers in his hands, seemed to absorb the light around him, making him appear as if he had manifested from the shadows themselves.


    ¡°Can you stand?¡± His voice was deep and even, his English accented with something that sounded surprisingly like Basque.


    The base-toned clicks of the monster slowly getting to its feet as it surveyed the intruder had her scuttling into a stand, ¡°Uh, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Good. We need to cut it off from water sources. Nixies can only travel when water is present, giving them strength.¡±


    ¡°Kind of figured that part out.¡± She grumbled.


    [Emergency repairs to Subclavian Artery resumed. Completion in two minutes, forty-eight seconds.]


    Baleful eyes snapped between Leta and the man in black. The Nixie seemed to size up its opponents and chances before deciding it wouldn¡¯t win this battle.


    It snapped around to jump through the window but stumbled with a shriek as a long dagger appeared on its back and crashed into the wall with a thud.


    Leta shrieked in surprise at the stranger¡¯s speed. He¡¯d moved so fast she hadn¡¯t even had time to register that he¡¯d cocked his arm back and thrown it end over end with such precision.


    He shot forward, brown eyes never leaving sight of its target as he attacked without hesitation. It tried to scramble up the wall to the open window, but the man in black grabbed it back its hair and pulled it back. He hefted the creature like a professional wrestler and threw it to the side as its clicking scream followed after its flying form.


    It landed with a heap but soon shot back to its feet with a growl as it saw its access to the rain, and the man in black cut off freedom.


    ¡°We need to remove its head.¡± The man in black informed her as he pulled a punch dagger from somewhere in the folds of his jacket. ¡°If it touches water, it¡¯ll heal itself no matter what you do to it.¡±


    The Nixie jumped for the bed to get around the stranger and get through the window, putting itself between the stranger and Leta, whom it saw as the weaker target. Leta pulled back the pole like a baseball bat and hit the creature with as much force as possible, going for a home run. The top rack of the pole struck the beast in the back, just under where the short sword was still embedded in its shoulder.


    It screeched in renewed pain as it stumbled on the bed, giving the stranger an opening to strike. The Nixie tried to scuttle back like a cockroach from the arcing blow but wasn¡¯t fast enough.


    It let out a piercing scream that could have shattered glass as the black blade cut into its calf just above the ankle, severing the foot from the rest of its body. Maroon-colored blood that was almost purple sprayed the sheets as the Nixie trashed like a chicken without its head. It stumbled with jerking motions as it scrambled for the door but was caught as Leta jabbed it with the rack of the IV pole. The metal prongs caught it by the throat, and she pressed it with all her might to hold it down.


    One clawed hand flailed at the rack while the other tried pulling itself along the floor and couldn¡¯t break her hold.


    That anger and disgust she¡¯d felt earlier returned, and Leta¡¯s vision tunneled until it was just her and the monster. Crackling blue eyes stared into the yellow serpent eyes of the Nixie with contempt as her entire focus centered on this creature that had tried to kill her.


    Her lungs expanded with air and power as she gathered her intent before she let loose her anger with a scream that ripped through her throat with the force of a falling planet.


    Her fingers glowed blue-white as she let loose a blast of lighting from a dark place in her soul, the IV pole becoming her conduit as she hit the monster with everything she had.


    The stranger raised a hand to shield his eyes from going blind as the lightning created a pocket of superheated air so bright and scorching it was five times hotter than the sun¡¯s surface. He hissed in shock as he saw his bones and blood vessels through his skin as the thunder she created sent shock wave after shock wave through the building.


    Leta had no trouble seeing through the light and kept her eyes on the Nixie as its skin darkened and turned to charcoal. Its mouth opened in a soundless scream as its sharp teeth turned black and its tongue turned to dust in its mouth.


    Yellow eyes turned red before bursting in their sockets. Cracks began to open on its skin like fault lines in an earthquake, blood spraying the air but quickly evaporating in the fire of Leta¡¯s rage.


    What was left looked more like the mummified remains of an alien when her scream of anger finally subsided, and the lightning disappeared as quickly as it came.


    The stranger blinked, trying to get control of his vision before coming around the bed to gaze down at a huddled mass that had once been the Nixie but now looked more like several-week-old roadkill.


    Leta huffed, her breathing gasps as if she¡¯d run a marathon. Her fingers had been in such a death lock around the IV pole that it almost hurt to stop clenching them.


    Even after being hit with the force of a small star, the body twitched with spasms but only managed to hurt itself further as its skin fell off it like a wet curtain.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s gross.¡± Leta gagged.


    The stranger came around to her side and looked at the state of the Nixie before raising his sword and severing its head.


    Muscles clenched before relaxing in death. Whatever devilry had conjured, this monster seemed to have released as its muscles crumpled in on itself.


    Before their eyes, it fell apart piece by piece like a sandcastle in a rainstorm; all that was left was a pile of muddy green ash.


    For a moment, all was still and quiet save for Leta¡¯s heavy breathing, the ¡®shh¡¯ of a body disintegrating into dust, and the distant bleep of medical equipment.


    Leta finally turned to the stranger and got a good look at him.


    He looked young, maybe in his early twenties, and had a strange presence about him that was similar to the Nixie and yet vastly different. Where the Nixie¡¯s aura had felt sticky, almost sickly, the stranger¡¯s had felt clean and pure. It was like comparing toxic radioactive sludge to a cup of ice-blue glacier water.


    The stranger looked back at her before she saw his eyes crinkle with a smile behind his face mask.


    ¡°What a way to awaken your powers.¡± He chuckled as he bent down to pick up the sword lodged in the Nixie¡¯s back. Unfortunately, it had also conducted her lightning, and the metal was now bubbled and badly melted. The stranger hissed as the weapon¡¯s grip crumbled away and the heat of the steel burned his fingers.


    Leta¡¯s mouth suddenly went dry, and her heart sank at his quickly spoken words.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    The stranger dusted his hands off his pants before giving her a raised eyebrow. ¡°Your lightning, of course. You¡¯re an Arisen, like me.¡±

 Chapter Seven: Insurance Fraud

    [Emergency repair of Subclavian Artery complete.]


    Leta didn¡¯t even register the sudden relief of pain in her shoulder or how her blood had stopped leaking down her chest as the stranger¡¯s words echoed in her ears like voices through a canyon.


    Arisen.


    Like him.


    She blinked, breath coming fast, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡±


    The stranger chuckled again, ¡°American, yes? Are there many people where you are from that can create lightning from within themselves and channel it so?¡±


    He looked over the chunk of metal that had once been his sword with a pout like a child who had lost a wheel of his favorite toy car. ¡°I am fortunate my team alerted me to come to this hospital. Nixies are secretive but relentless when they find prey.¡±


    ¡°Holy¡­ I can¡¯t believe I did that.¡±


    Leta looked down in rising shock at the dusty remains and chard linoleum that made the room smell of burning glue. Now that the danger had passed, she was both appreciative and terrified of the power she¡¯d wielded during the skirmish.


    Now that the battle craze had passed and she could breathe, she was struck by the magnitude of her strength.


    Electric Misconduct had been an exciting skill when she first looked it over, assuming she¡¯d use it to taser some assailant that thought her an easy mark quietly.


    Now that she was staring down at the product of her abilities, it was slightly terrifying that she had all this power at her disposal.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s impressive.¡± The stranger shrugged and threw the chunk of metal on the blood-stained bed, ¡°Most of the time, the Arisen have no idea what their abilities are and can¡¯t fully utilize their gifts. You could do such concentrated damage without destroying this entire structure, which is miraculous.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be a pat on the back, or are you making fun of me.¡± Leta gave him a sidelong look.


    He held his hands up in surrender, ¡°I speak the truth. You seem to have an innate understanding of your abilities, which is fortunate considering the Nixie went after you.¡±


    ¡°Why? The doctor said I¡¯ve been in a coma for the last three days.¡±


    ¡°You probably didn¡¯t have a scent until you woke up. Not an actual scent,¡± He added when he saw Leta make a sour face and sniff her hair, ¡°that is just what we call it. It¡¯s an aura, a sense of something. Surely you feel my existence differently than you did the Nixie.¡±


    ¡°Fair, but so far, you haven¡¯t tried to rip my throat out.¡± She quipped.


    The stranger laughed before pulling off a glove-covered hand and holding it to her. ¡°Koa Masters.¡±


    Leta looked at the offered hand a moment before shaking it. His hands were rough with the calluses of a man who worked long days of hard labor. She guessed that labor was with a sword.


    ¡°Oletta Black. People call me Leta or Letty.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Good to meet you, Leta. I wish it would have been on better terms, but nothing can be done about it now.¡±


    ¡°What were you doing in the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Hunting the Nixie.¡± He shrugged, ¡°I could smell its sickly stench, so I came to investigate. Creatures such as these are a kill-on-sight, for obvious reasons.¡±


    ¡°Where did it come from?¡± Leta turned her gaze back down to the remains.


    ¡°Probably through a storm drain. Nixies need water and generally don¡¯t travel far from their territory. It likely smelled you and thought it had easy prey while it was raining to give its song power.¡±


    Leta frowned, ¡°That clicking thing?¡± Koa nodded, ¡°Nixie¡¯s can cause people with low mental shields to go to sleep. It¡¯s how they hunt their prey. Arisen, like us, tend to have a decent resistance to the song, but not always.¡±


    ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t even think about everyone else.¡± She hissed, but he raised his hand in a ¡®stop¡¯ gesture.


    ¡°Everyone is asleep. The entire hospital and most of the surrounding buildings.¡±


    ¡°Shit, that¡¯s not good. What if someone was having an operation?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the central hospital.¡± He shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s an out-campus. No emergency department and no major surgeries are happening.¡±


    Leta breathed a sigh of relief, calm again until Koa added, ¡°While it could have eaten anyone, the flesh of Arisen is delicious. It was too interested in eating you to stop and hurt anyone else. ¡°


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s awful to think about. How long will everyone be out?¡±


    His shoulders rose in speculation, ¡°Best guess would be about an hour or so. Less if they have better resistance. Which gives us enough time to clean this mess up.¡±


    He gestured to the heap of ash, the growing puddle under the open window, and the blood-covered sheets and floor.


    Leta winced. They¡¯d done a number on this place.


    ¡°First, the smell of burnt skin and fabric clings to you. There should be a clean set of coverings in the cabinet,¡± He gestured to the lower cabinets under the sink where the doctor usually washed their hands. ¡°Try to find some, then get changed in the water closet. I¡¯ll be out here trying to organize this mess.¡±


    By the time she had found a clean hospital gown and got changed, Koa had already swept the remains onto the bed and closed the window.


    ¡°Grab the towels from the bathroom and sponge up the water and blood. I¡¯ll take the bed sheets.¡±


    Leta did as instructed, thinking he was extremely calm during this whole situation and hadn¡¯t batted an eye at cleaning up a crime scene.


    She didn¡¯t ask what he was doing when he bundled the sheets together and flipped the mattress over or where he went when he disappeared with the evidence.


    ¡°How did my life end up like this?¡± She muttered to herself as she quickly mopped up the blood on the walls and floor before throwing the towels into the dirty clothing sack they left by the toilet.


    She had found more bed sheets in the cabinets and was remaking the bed with Koa walking back in. He took a look around the room and nodded to himself. ¡°Much better.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do about this, though?¡± She gestured to the burnt linoleum and scorch-marked wall near the bed where Leta had unleashed her final attack.


    ¡°That¡­ is where things get technical.¡± He knelt and fiddled with the PC of the rolling monitor station Leta had seen the doctor use to type in medical information into their system. ¡°We are going to simulate an electrical fire.¡± He answered as he worked.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we live in an age where insurance groups are meticulous in their investigations. If you were to try and pass this off as anything other than an electrical fire, they¡¯d figure it out, and the goal is to ensure they do not look further than we want them to.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re stripping the wires and creating an exposed fault?¡±


    ¡°Correct. I will then go into their system and tell the computer to pull in more electricity than it needs.¡±


    He stood back up and pulled out his phone. A text lit the screen, and he typed in whatever he¡¯d been sent.


    The monitor screen went black before opening to a computer desktop.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Leta raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is hacking part of the job, too?¡±


    Koa didn¡¯t answer as he focused on pulling up the computer¡¯s settings and fiddling with the power options.


    ¡°Alright, this is going to get very nasty very fast. Do you have a clothing item you are not fond of and would like to sacrifice to make this more believable?¡±


    She made a face as if she¡¯d smelt something distasteful. ¡°Uh, no. I need everything to go home tomorrow.¡±


    Koa looked down at her belongings and pointed, ¡°How about the tote bag?¡±


    She nodded, and Koa took it to shove it underneath the device, positioning it so it would look like she had innocently left it on the floor before the machine had been rolled on top.


    ¡°Good, that will help. We don¡¯t have long now until this goes off. I suggest going into the water closet until it catches fire. If the alarms don¡¯t immediately go off, leave the room and go to the nurse¡¯s station. Yes?¡±


    ¡°I got it. What about you?¡±


    ¡°Strange man dressed in black carrying swords? It¡¯s not exactly something that would fly under the radar. Do not worry; we¡¯ll be in touch.¡± He babbled as he got his things and headed for the door.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°Go, Leta. Get in the water closet.¡± He commanded hurriedly and shut the door behind them.


    She smelt an odd, almost fishy scent and turned to the machine to see smoke starting to trail from its PC tower near the wheels.


    ¡°Crap¡­ yeah.¡± She jumped and headed for the toilet just as an electric buzz sounded behind her.


    She¡¯d never seen an electrical fire before and was surprised at how quickly it happened. Everything was normal for a few seconds before the buzzing became a quick pop. With a ¡®whoosh,¡¯ flames erupted inside the PC until the entire box was a ball of fire.


    Leta waited a moment for the alarms to start blaring and flashing lights, but after at least thirty seconds, nothing had happened. By then, the plastic encasing the PC tower had melted and dripped burning liquid onto the tote bag, which had also started to catch fire.


    The rest of the night was passed in a long, drawn-out blur of activities.


    When the alarms didn¡¯t go off, she found her way to the nurse¡¯s station, where two young women had fallen over their keyboards from the Nixie¡¯s song.


    After some shaking them awake, they¡¯d sprung into action, one making a call and the other pulling the fire alarm and going into her room with a fire extinguisher.


    The noise of the alarm managed to wake most of the staff and patients up from their supernaturally induced sleep, and nurses were running through the halls trying to assess the situation.


    Shortly after this, the fire department showed up and ensured that the fire was truly out before checking the rest of the building and setting up large fans to push the smokey air out.


    Someone contacted Dr. Galloise, who was back to being a pissed-off Canadian and came marching down to the hospital to tear into the floor chief.


    In the end, Leta was moved to a room close to three in the morning, checked over by a very tired nurse, and told to get some sleep.


    ¡°Are they crazy?¡± Leta mumbled, alone in a new room, trying to ignore everything that had happened that night.


    [Would the Host like to review the diagnostic report made after the confrontation?]


    ¡°You make a diagnostic report on me like I¡¯m a car?¡± Leta voiced her skepticism, ¡°Sure. Why not.¡±


    [Based on calculations, most damage the Host took was caused by piercing damage from Corrupted-Nixie claws and teeth. It is recommended that the Host increase her constitution in order to avoid this type of damage.]


    [Congratulations. Due to continuous use in a live battle scenario, Electric Misconduct has reached Level 2. The Host can generate 300 million volts of electricity in a single interaction. The Host can maintain up to 200 volts of electricity while concentrating. It takes less focus for the Host to control electricity discharge and maintain conduction.]


    [To increase discharge and strike power, it is recommended that the Host increase power and replace 15% of organic bone structure with Atlanite.]


    ¡°Hold up. Replace my bones?¡± Leta coughed on the water that she¡¯d been sipping.


    [Correct. The internal characteristic reconstruction replaces internal structures with partial or complete Atlanite material. This increases the overall resilience and output power, providing an unbreakable structure that can conduct electricity and additional nanite storage capabilities.]


    ¡°Is that like when you get your knee or a hip replaced?¡±


    [In concept, yes. Similar to how the femur ball is replaced with artificial materials during hip replacement surgery, the nanites will replace organic bone matter with Atlanite - a metal derived from nanites.]


    ¡®Interesting¡­¡¯ Leta mused, ¡®so like an internal bionic structure.¡¯


    [It was common among Atlantians to begin replacing organic structures with Atlanite at birth. Children were scarce due to fertility issues among the Atlantians, so providing the offspring of Atlans with the greatest odds of success was paramount.]


    That comment helped her mind escape from the monster smackdown that had occurred earlier. As sad as it was to think of an entire galaxy-fairing civilization unable to or have difficulty having children, it also left a lot of questions of who it happened to and why.


    Did it have anything to do with why they were forced to evacuate Earth after thousands of years?


    Was it from a disease?


    She probably would never know at this point.


    ¡®Tell me more about the Atlanite bones. What are the benefits of having them?¡¯


    [Replacing biological structures would mean that the new Atlanite structures would be 15 times stronger than the strongest metal currently known to the human race, yet still flexible and light enough that it would not hinder the Hosts movements. In addition, Atlanite structures cannot be detected during medical exams but can be upgraded further once acclimated. However, replacing biological structures with Atlanite is permanent and cannot be reversed once completed.]


    Leta took a moment to appreciate the ingenuity of the Atlantians and the nanites. One minute, the nanites were putting knowledge into her brain on how to move things with her mind, and the next, they were making her bones indestructible.


    ¡®Okay. So I need to up my Power and turn my bones into metal. Awesome, but how do I do that? I used all the available nanites to up my Mental Fortitude.¡¯


    [Exclusive to the Monarch class are the skills Sacrificial Touch and Filter Feeder. Combined, these skills allow the Host to absorb inert nanites from organic matter through touch. These inert nanites can be utilized to acquire new skills or increase statistical capabilities.]


    Leta frowned, ¡®Define organic for me. Are we talking about the food I eat? I don¡¯t think I got any extra nanites from what they gave me for dinner.¡±


    [Organic matter consists of matter with active cellular components. This can include flora and fauna, such as trees and animals that are grown for consumption. The meal that the Host consumed previously lacked inert nanites due to the genetic modifications and processing that it went through.]


    ¡®Wait. Wait. Wait. Now that we¡¯re talking about this, how is it that trees and animals have nanites as well? Did the Atlantians put nanites into other things?¡¯


    [Correct. Over several thousand years, the Atlantians and their agricultural class crews inoculated hundreds of thousands of species with nanites to increase crop and animal yields. As time progressed, the nanites spread to nearly every species on the planet. It is estimated that a few pockets of flora species remain in extremely remote places that have not been inoculated with nanites.]


    [It has been found that continuous genetic modification, selective breeding, and extreme processing will wash out inert nanites. As stated, the meal eaten earlier lacked inert nanites due to the excessive genetic alterations of the vegetables and wheat flour and the extreme selective breeding and processing of the meat, which resulted in inert nanites being washed out of the matter.]


    Leta made a face as she felt her stomach roll. The food had left a lot to be desired; thinking about how mass production had made food that was so lacking in nutrients that nanites at the atomic level had been cleaned out was a bit disgusting.


    ¡®Gross. Okay, moving on. If I want to up a stat it would take 1,000 nanites. I¡¯d be here for days - hell, months - trying to eat enough to up a single point. But you said I could absorb nanites by touching organic materials, so there¡¯s another way. I¡¯m guessing that touching a tree is going to give me more nanites than eating an apple, right?¡¯


    [Correct.]


    ¡®Out of curiosity, what happens to what I¡¯m touching after I absorb the nanites?¡¯


    [Results of nanite loss vary depending on the item that is losing inert nanites. While the nanites may be inert and do not have a designated function, they are still relied on by other atoms within the cell for structural integrity and longevity. Loss of inert nanites may result in an organic matter losing cellular elasticity and slowed function, leading to an overall loss of vitality. Again, the severity of this vitality loss depends on the subject losing its inert nanites. To use the example you stated earlier if you absorbed the inert nanites from an apple, it would begin to soften and appear as if it had been sitting out for a week or so. If it were the apple tree, the leaves may start to curl and brown as if it had not had water for some time. The most substantial amount of inert nanites is within humanoid organisms, as the human species has undergone the least overall genetic changes.]


    Leta groaned, pressing her head back into the pillow, ¡®That¡¯s worse¡­ I¡¯m not absorbing nanites from people, so that rules that out. I¡¯m about to put on some pounds going through food to get those points.¡¯ She sighed as she rolled onto her side, sleep starting to creep in on her despite today¡¯s adventures.


    [That is an incorrect statement. Part of the initial system download was to remove hazardous cell structures and reset the host body¡¯s functions for maximum efficiency. This included an overhaul of the Host¡¯s hormones and metabolism. The Host will see a decrease in overall body fat over the next several months, with noticeable changes in the next two weeks.]


    ¡®That¡¯s¡­ cool, actually.¡¯ She mused. Leta had never been a skinny girl, despite eating healthy and getting a lot of work out running around dig sites. No matter how many days she had where her fitness watch said she walked 15 kilometers, she never seemed to lose that pesky jiggle around her hips and thighs.


    Maybe with the nanites, she finally would.


    [It should also be noted that humanoid organisms do not only refer to humans. This can also include corrupted organisms such as the Corrupted-Nixie that was encountered earlier.]


    Leta opened one eye as if she could give the hive mind attitude. ¡®So, I can get nanites from monsters. Great.¡¯ She drawled sarcastically.


    [The Host should not be discouraged by this prospect. The Host has learned much from the experience and will be better prepared. In addition, the Electric Misconduct skill ensures that the Host always has a weapon available to them in an emergency.]


    ¡®I¡¯m still fighting monsters.¡¯ She gave a long, drawn-out yawn that nearly cracked her jaw.


    [At the moment, the Host is going to sleep. Fighting corrupted organisms can be scheduled for another day.]

 Chapter Eight: Breaking The News

    Leta woke a few hours later as the sun began to peak through the hospital windows, signaling a new day full of potential.


    A full of potential wonder and adventure or a day full of headaches? That was still to be decided.


    Dr. Galloise was first through the door when visiting hours began, marching through the hallway like a woman on a mission.


    Leta was already dressed when she arrived, sitting on her hospital bed and going through social media. The doctor had already returned earlier to hand her discharge papers and apologize again for last night¡¯s emergency.


    Leta gave him a strained smile and tried to pretend it was an accident as she signed the paperwork to get her out of this place.


    Dr. Galloise had said little while they were in the building until she had gotten Leta in the car for most of the drive back to their hotel.


    It was slow going as the streets were crammed full of oblivious tourists.


    ¡°Merde!¡± Dr. Galloise cursed as she hit the brakes for another tourist who decided the road for cars made a great walking path.


    ¡°Downsides to having this dig occur during peak tourist season.¡± Leta tried to lighten the mode, but the angry Canadian wasn¡¯t having any of it. She rolled down the window to stick her head out and let loose a string of curses in Qu¨¦b¨¦cois that went on for so long. Leta got a notification that she was now fluent in Quebec French.


    ¡°Wow, tell ¡®em¡¯ how you feel.¡± Leta quipped in English. The look Dr. Galloise gave her was enough to make a cold sweat break out on most people, but Leta had known her for so long that this look didn¡¯t even phase her.


    It also meant that she could tell when the professor was upset about something she was passionate about. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Dr. Galloise? Talk to me.¡±


    The professor took a deep breath and let it out slowly as if aiming for peace and serenity. A moment later, she admitted, ¡°I got word this morning that the dig is officially on hold indefinitely.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Leta nearly leaped out of her seat in surprise. ¡°Holy shit, why?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m surprised it only took a few days. Governments always take a long time to decide, but it was like someone expedited the process¡­¡± Dr.Galloise grumbled as they made a turn. After stewing in her emotions, she continued, ¡°Surveys came back. While they never found evidence of the weeverfish, they¡¯re concerned about disturbing another critically endangered fish that might be in the area. Until they can confirm where the fish are and possibly set up a perimeter to protect it, no one is getting in the water.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­Damn¡­¡± Leta groaned, knocking the back of her head against the headrest.


    ¡°I got that call on my way to pick you up.¡± Dr. Galloise said, ¡°The rest of the team doesn¡¯t know yet. Dr. Marrow knows. She¡¯s handling things to get us back to Athens and contacting the universities, but at this point, it¡¯s all over.¡±


    Neither spoke for the longest time as they stared forward, their eyes unseeing the sweeping landscape of white and blue houses as they tried to process that everything the universities and museums had worked so hard for so long had been taken away overnight.


    For Dr. Galloise, it was teeth-grinding and aggravating, but nothing she hadn¡¯t had to deal with before. Much of historical research is influenced by the countries where they worked, and Greece was stringent in its policies regarding historical sites and artifacts.


    Setbacks like this were just part of the job, after all.


    For Leta, it felt like it was probably the worst news she could have received. They had worked so hard and learned so much; it was gone just like that. The cultures of the Mesopotamian era had been her life; to give her the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse herself in that history only to keep her away just as she was on to something monumental was like Santa had given her a unicorn only to take it away a moment later.


    It felt like they had only just arrived, and now she¡¯d have to be going back home.


    She couldn¡¯t hide the disappointment weighing down her spirit, and Dr. Galloise hissed out a small curse in Qu¨¦b¨¦coiswhen she saw the look on the young woman¡¯s face.


    ¡°Look,¡± She sighed with a chagrined face and reached over to put a hand on Leta¡¯s shoulder - the most comforting she could be while driving, ¡°Don¡¯t be down. Yes, we¡¯re out of the water indefinitely, but we still have to do all the work with what we brought up. The universities and museums will probably spend the next year examining and cataloging all the artifacts, so there¡¯s still work to be done.¡±


    It would have been a lie to say that the rest of the team took the news like Leta did when they returned to the hotel/hostel.


    Everyone was shocked when Dr. Galloise finally got the team together and gave them the bad news. Based on the string of explicit Spanish descriptions coming from Pilar, she was ready to storm the Greek government.


    Vigo released a breath of defeat and sank back into the sofa next to Jun Sun, who hadn¡¯t moved a muscle and looked terrifying.


    If Pilar was the roaring fires of uncontrollable rage, Jun Sun was the silent creeping of poisonous chemical gas that took prisoners and asked no questions.


    Chandi looked nearly in tears, the young man seeming to move through the stages of grief. He¡¯d gone from denial into pain and was now in the bargaining stage as he looked at Dr. Galloise with pleading eyes and stammered, ¡°S-Surely we can appeal this, yes? Each of us has made a discovery that rewrites history as we know it. They must see the importance of our work! We could provide evidence of how this will rewrite our histories and-¡±


    ¡°Mate.¡± Vigo interrupted, head resting against the sofa as he stared at the ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s over. Do you think they¡¯re going to let us possibly disturb a critically endangered species for us? When the site has barely been touched, and we haven¡¯t even excavated a quarter of the exterior wall yet? There¡¯s no negotiating this.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Pilar shot to her feet, the whites of her eyes seeming to overtake her irises with her anger. ¡°This is unacceptable! Thousands - hell, millions - of dollars have been put into this project. I can¡¯t be just ¡®pfft¡¯ and gone. There has been too much invested.¡±


    Leta sat at a kitchen table that had been pulled out, elbows on her knees as everyone went back and forth. Each sigh of resignation or shouts of anger and frustration felt like a stone placed on her shoulders, pulling her down with a crushing force meant to break her.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Her gasped breath was so strained that everyone paused to turn in her direction as she ran her hands through her hair like a felon waiting for their judgment. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ If it weren¡¯t for me, we¡¯d be back under the water¡­ I-I¡¯m so¡­ damn it¡­¡±


    Even Chandi looked down and away contrite. After a pause as everyone seemed to try and gather themselves, Jun Sun spoke softly but evenly, ¡°It could very well have been me or even Vigo. We were both in the water and not far from you. No one here blames you or holds any anger in themselves towards you. The excavation is canceled, at least for now. What matters is what our next steps are. Dr. Galloise?¡±


    Everyone turned to the professor expectantly as she pulled another dining room chair over and sat down.


    ¡°Now, we are to act as if the dig is completed and move on to the next phase of our research, which will be further examinations and cataloging of the retrieved artifacts. All of the items are currently with Dr. De Mar at the Museum back in Athens, so we will spend the rest of our time in Greece as we do the less glamorous but just as important work behind the scenes.¡±


    She paused to look at her wristwatch, ¡°It¡¯s currently a quarter past ten in the morning. Unfortunately, we do not have enough time to catch the noon ferry for Athens today, so we must take the first boat out tomorrow. That boat leaves at 7:25 promptly, so we will all leave these accommodations at exactly five in the morning.¡±


    Everyone let out a collective groan at needing to get up so early, except for Dr. Galloise, who shook her head at how dramatic they were all being. ¡°You¡¯ve all been getting up at three for these digs. Now you want to complain about getting up too early?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but that was for something fun and cool,¡± Vigo grumbled.


    Dr. Galloise chuckled as she relaxed back into her chair before relaying to the team what Dr. Marrow had assigned for everyone. ¡°Vigo, Jun Sun, and Harper will continue their intern work at the Archaeological Museum with Dr. De Mar and his associates. Chandi, Pilar, and everyone else will be joining me at the university to do further research and compile our information and findings.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    She went further into where everyone would be staying once they got back to the mainland, what to expect for food, check-ins with the rest of the team, and all the other details that might get overlooked during archaeology.


    ¡°Treat this as a free day. You can explore the island and be a tourist, so long as everyone sticks to the buddy system.¡±


    With agreements from the team, Dr. Galloise said everyone was free to go about their business.


    Leta stomped to her room and unceremoniously fell face-first into her mattress. Her clothes and books were still on the mattress where she¡¯d left them that morning before her life completely changed, and her nose hit the edge of a paperback novel.


    ¡°Ow¡­¡±


    [Nanites have utilized considerable resources to complete healing processes. The Host is suggested to consume protein-rich nutrition to replenish nanite energy stores.]


    Leta peaked one eye open.


    ¡®You¡¯re suggesting I get something to eat?¡¯


    [It is recommended that you get something to eat.]


    She took a moment to enjoy laying in a comfy bed before rolling out and heading to the kitchen, where a bowl of various fruits sat for the team to pick at when hungry.


    ¡®Okay, Gada. How do I absorb nanites?¡¯


    [First, the Host must touch the targeted matter.]


    Leta reached for the apple and held it up to get a better look.


    [Apple. Inert nanites: 2]


    [Absorb inert nanites? Yes/No]


    ¡®Are you kidding me?! That¡¯s barely anything!¡¯


    ¡°Everything okay, Leta?¡±


    She nearly jumped out of her skin at the questioning look Chandi was giving her.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. Everything¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Do you find something offensive about the apples? You looked very displeased with it.¡±


    Just displeased with the idea I only get two nanites from an apple, she thought to herself.


    ¡°No, the apple¡¯s fine,¡± She sighed, ¡°Just¡­ still a little unhappy about the dig.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ do not be so discouraged.¡± He smiled, his earlier emotional state seemingly forgotten the face of someone¡¯s troubles, ¡°These situations can happen quite often. One of my first projects as a student was at ?atalh?y¨¹k in Turkey. We were forced to stop operations due to conflicts that were taking place in a neighboring country. It is most unfortunate, but it is not the end of everything.¡±


    When Chandi wandered towards the fridge, Leta turned her attention back to the fruit in her hands and wanted to throw the apple across the room in frustration.


    If she wanted to raise just one point on her stats, she¡¯d have to consume 500 apples.


    [Please remember that flora and fauna are some of the most genetically engineered matter in the universe. Genetic manipulation and selective breeding have created modern species with significantly low numbers of inert nanites. While low in inert nanites, the matter can be used as an exercise in Nanites absorption.]


    With a huff, Leta nodded and mentally selected ¡®yes¡¯ on the absorption prompt.


    [Inert nanite absorption complete. Current inert nanites: 509.]


    And thus, Leta began absorbing all the available nanites in the dining room.


    [Apple. Inert nanites: 2]


    [Apple. Inert nanites: 2]


    [Orange. Inert nanites: 4]


    [Banana. Inert nanites: 3]


    After raiding the fruit bowl of whatever inert nanites she could get her hands on, she quickly moved to the refrigerator but learned that processed items, such as pasta noodles, soda, and cold cuts, were utterly void of inert nanites.


    Chandi, who was busy with a small cup of yogurt, watched her curiously as she seemed to pick up each fruit in the bowl, look it over, and then put it back before heading to the fridge.


    She was beginning to lose hope when she came across a half dozen eggs in a Styrofoam carton.


    [Chicken egg. Inert nanites: 10]


    ¡®Score!¡¯ Leta cheered and quickly absorbed the nanites.


    [Current inert nanites: 580.]


    ¡®Still scraping the barrel.¡¯ She mused.


    ¡°Are you considering making yourself some eggs?¡± Chandi asked as he watched her pick up all the eggs before putting them back.


    ¡°Uh¡­ No. Not sure what I¡¯m craving.¡±


    [Living matter from animals will generally have more nanites, among them inert nanites that can be absorbed. While the cold cuts have been processed to the point that all inert nanites have been removed, a larger piece of fresh meat would hold more inert nanites than eggs.]


    ¡°Who wants to go get lunch?¡± Pilar raised her voice and looked around the living room, raising her hand like a child.


    An hour later, Leta was seated at a small outdoor cafe table with Vigo, Pilar, and Captain Vasilis, who had seen them while walking down the road and stopped to chat.


    The captain was visibly relieved to see Leta walking about, even commenting that she seemed healthier than when she¡¯d gone in the water that fateful day.


    ¡°It¡¯s been odd on the water the last few days.¡± The dear captain mentioned it while they talked about their work.


    ¡°How so?¡± Vigo asked as he put down his highball of ale.


    ¡°Normally, around this time of year, we get mild weather, mostly. The last few days, the waters around the ChristianaIslands have been very - how do you say in English - choppy? Big, big waves. Ships and ferries have given the islands a wide berth to avoid it altogether.¡±


    Pilar frowned, ¡°That¡¯s near the dig site.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± The captain sipped his ale, ¡°I would say right now that your site is protected so far underwater, but it may be at risk of the sands burying much of what you¡¯ve already excavated.¡±


    ¡°Seems a bit odd that the waves seem so isolated to just that area. Do you think it¡¯s something to do with the currents?¡± Vigo asked with another sip of his drink, and his posture relaxed and at ease though his expression was intent.


    Vasilis shook his head, ¡°No, it is not normal. Many of the other captains are starting to talk. Two that I know of have made offerings to appease the gods, and I can name at least three more that will soon do the same.¡±


    Leta tilted her head like a curious puppy at his statement. ¡°What offerings and what gods?¡±


    ¡°Poseidon and the Anemoi. The god of the sea and the wind gods. They have made offerings of good, hard liquor in hopes of alleviating them, but I think it will not be enough.¡±


    ¡°Do you still believe in the ancient gods?¡± Pilar raised an eyebrow, her tone not condescending but noticeably skeptical.


    Captain Vasilis was unperturbed by her words, ¡°You don¡¯t become a sailor without having a healthy respect for the explainable, especially in these ancient waters.¡±


    A commotion of raised voices and screeching metal caught the table¡¯s attention, and they turned as one to see what was happening.


    Roughly 60 meters down the sloping street, a homeless woman in a dirty, stained hoodie pulled over her head was slowly picking herself up off the ground from where she¡¯d run into a display of magnets and postcards in front of a souvenir shop. The owner, a fat older gentleman, stopped out of his business to wave her away and command that she never enter his shop again.


    ¡°Like those¡­¡± Vasilis said quietly, his eyes hardening as he stared at the homeless woman with such intensity it was like he was staring down a predator.


    ¡°Those what?¡± Leta asked as she scooted her chair to see about helping her, but the Captain quickly put a hand on her arm to keep her in her seat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He hissed through his teeth.


    The homeless woman had gotten to her feet and was slowly trudging her way up the slope in their direction. Though her head was turned down as if she was watching her feet, Leta could tell from her posture that she was young, maybe in her twenties.


    Her long, tawny hair was tangled and oily, as if she hadn¡¯t bathed for some time, and the calves that poked out of her cheap maxi skirt were skinny and malnourished.


    It was hard not to see someone in such a state and not want to help, but the Captain¡¯s instant reaction to seeing the woman set the hairs on the back of her neck on edge.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Vigo asked in confusion.


    The woman was nearly at the table but seemed prepared to pass them by when Vasilis gritted out ¡°Seir¨ºnes.¡± The woman stopped, her back rigid as her head came up to look the Captain in the eye.


    The captain sucked in a breath and froze as if he were suddenly petrified with fear by what he saw in that challenging stare.


    Leta blinked. No amount of dirt or grime could hide that the woman was beautiful, with flawless features perfectly symmetrical in her oval face. The only blemish on her face was the slight crinkle between her brows as gray eyes stared at the captain with a frown of resentment. A potent scent of clogged pipes and low tide seemed to hover around her like a haze.


    She watched the woman¡¯s nostrils flare as she caught the scent of something, and her gaze jerked to Leta.


    [Warning! A foreign entity is attempting to manipulate the Host¡¯s reflexes using corrupted software.]


    [The Host¡¯s mental fortitude stat + persuasion is higher than mental manipulation Trojan ware.]


    [Mental manipulation by foreign entities has failed. Protection of the Host¡¯s mind still holds.]


    ¡®Oh no¡­¡¯ Leta felt her heart drop as Gada¡¯s words rang in her ear.


    The woman tilted her head in curiosity, seeming to expect her to have the same reaction as the Captain.


    Released from the woman¡¯s stare, the Captain gasped as his muscles relaxed from their inflexible state.


    He gulped air, looking down into his ale as he bit out, ¡°Leave us be, the devil. You are not wanted here.¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t move at his command, holding Leta¡¯s gaze as Pilar and Vigo looked back and forth between them. Other tourists on the road took notice of the disturbance but passed quickly to avoid being roped into the drama unfolding.


    Leta swallowed, then took a deep breath as she channeled her nanites to use the Persuasion skill.


    ¡°Leave us.¡± She said in Greek, but her tone vibrated like a physical force.


    [Host has used the skill of persuasion. Persuasion successful.]


    The woman turned her head in interest in the other direction before gracefully turning on her heels and continuing up the road to whatever her destination was.


    With every step she took from the group, the air seemed to lighten, the pressure of budding conflict easing as they relaxed back into their seats.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± Vigo mused, head tilting to watch the woman disappear into the crowd of tourists.


    ¡°A bad omen,¡± Vasilis grumbled. ¡°They haunt our islands; they do not speak on land when the sun is high, but old sailors like me have seen those haunting eyes in storms and rough seas.¡±


    Leta said nothing, her thoughts swimming as two realizations dawned on her.


    First, the woman¡¯s smell was familiar to her.


    She had smelt it last night around the Nixie at the hospital.


    If her guess was correct, then Vasilis knew the woman was no homeless vagrant wandering the tourist traps for spare coins.


    He knew that she was a danger if found in her element.


    He was familiar with this person.


    This creature in human clothes - a wolf in the garb of a sheep.


    He knew it well enough to know it by name.


    She knew it, too.


    Her new ability to understand languages didn¡¯t need to help her translate the word. Leta was also familiar with the stories of these monsters.


    Seir¨ºnes.


    Sirens.

 Chapter Nine: The Last Supper

    Even with the apparent Siren having vanished into the crowd of tourists, Leta felt paranoid and on edge.


    Everyone at the table seemed to work hard not to bring up what had happened earlier, but it was honestly more awkward not to talk about it and sit silently.


    Pilar tried to start small talk again, but it was evident that everyone was distracted until the waiter came out to refill their ales.


    With fresh beverages and a new plate of appetizers, Vigo, Pilar, and Captain Vasilis began to relax and enjoy themselves.


    Everyone but Leta, that was.


    Each person who passed by was a suspect.


    Was that gentleman with the shirt-line sunburn an average human or a troll?


    Was that woman checking out the sunglasses just a tourist or a witch?


    Were those kids pestering their mom to give them their tablets just annoying children, or were they goblins?


    The last observation seemed the most likely scenario, but she wasn¡¯t positive.


    ¡°What do you think, Leta?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She nearly jumped at Pilar¡¯s question because she¡¯d been so focused on watching a young couple of newlyweds trying to figure out if they were monsters.


    ¡°Dinner tonight with the team,¡± Pilar asked as she looked back at her phone. ¡°Dr. Galloise sent a text asking if we¡¯d all like to go get food together tonight as one last ho-rah before returning to Athens.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Uh, yeah. Sounds good.¡± She blurted out, quickly taking a sip of her ale.


    Pilar didn¡¯t even notice as her thumbs flew over the phone screen. ¡°Cool, I¡¯ll let her know. She¡¯s trying to get reservations at a place now.¡±


    Dinnertime in Greece was late, somewhere around nine in the evening.


    With no plans for the rest of the day, Pilar, Vigo, and Leta hit as many typical tourist stops in Santorini as possible. The cloudless sky had brought out all the tourists, but they still managed to elbow their way to the Three Bells of Fira, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, and wander through the Museum of Prehistoric Thera.


    Vigo even convinced them to take the cable cars down to the Old Port, where they took a moment to appreciate the island¡¯s distinct architecture as cruise ships passed by on the sea below.


    They managed to take a cab to Oia to catch the sunset over the water before taking a bus back to Fira.


    ¡°Oh¡­ that was such a bad idea.¡± Pilar moaned as they stumbled back into their accommodations. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got a blister that popped.¡±


    Leta was surprised that she felt good. Sore but capable of walking a few more miles.


    [While the Host has an average statistical measurement of stamina, the Host¡¯s active nanite system allows nanites to run more efficiently than an average human. The Host¡¯s nanites have been refined to respond to stress on the body as effectively as possible. Prolonged periods of physical strain will cause the Host¡¯s muscles to tire. However, nanites begin immediate repairs after the physical strain has ended. Every pause to take a photograph or moment spent sitting down has given the nanites time to alleviate stress to the Host¡¯s muscles, allowing the Host to move farther and for longer than previously.]


    Shrugging, Leta headed for the bathroom and had to do a double tack after she closed the door when she looked in the mirror.


    She was by no means a supermodel - she¡¯d been way too heavy due to her academics and her love of mac and cheese to have been skinny.


    But her cheeks looked more defined, her sandy blonde hair seemed lighter, and she could barely make out the curve of hips that had once been hidden under her slightly diminished muffin tops. She wasn¡¯t a femme fatale, but she could admit that she looked a bit more attractive, like the sweet, nerdy girl next door with whom you could have an intellectual conversation.


    ¡°Wow.¡± Leta exhaled softly, running her hands through her tangle of blonde hair. It even had a healthy shine, as if she wasn¡¯t constantly twisting it into a bun to get it out of her face.


    [The Host¡¯s metabolism was corrected during the initial system download process. In addition, increases in statistical measurements have also slightly affected the Host¡¯s body-to-fat ratio. The Host can expect similar changes as statistical measurements increase.]


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s nifty.¡¯ Leta mused, noting that her pants seemed slightly looser than she remembered.


    In honor of their last night in Santorini, Leta pulled out the only dress she¡¯d brought to wear for dinner. She¡¯d packed it with visions of celebrating a fabulous end to six weeks of excavation as the team welcomed the next crew taking over the dig.


    Hair down, no makeup, and a dress was as dolled up as she could get, which was in line with just about everyone¡¯s attire.


    The restaurant was stunning: a French Mediterranean place not far from the cable cars overlooking the ocean. The cruise ships had all left port, leaving the twinkling of private catamarans and mono hulls glittering like stars on the water.


    The harsh sunset wind had given way to the gentle evening breeze, which set the small tea lights that ran the center of their table flickering.


    Everyone had been invited, including Captain Vasilis¡¯s entire crew helping them. Even Dr. Marrow and Dr. De Mar had managed to make the ferry and meet them for dinner.


    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re well.¡± Dr. Marrow greeted her with open arms and hugged her tightly. ¡°This will be one heck of a story to tell on your next excavation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly true.¡± She mumbled before turning to shake Dr. De Mar¡¯s hand when she felt a brush of something unseen against her spirit. Her smile faltered as she thought the same clean aura like glacier water she¡¯d felt with the Warrior Koa.


    Dr. De Mar¡¯s eyes widened as he seemed to get the same impression of her.


    For a moment, the two stared at each other with the same silent surprise as siblings who¡¯d spotted each other at a party they weren¡¯t supposed to attend.


    Dr. De Mar cleared his throat and said too loudly, ¡°It¡¯s great to see you, Leta. Would you mind stepping over there?¡± He gestured with his chin to a more secluded spot near the team¡¯s table, ¡°to talk about your internship with the Museum?¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± She smiled and headed that way.


    When they were alone, she gave the professor a dry look. ¡°You know, you are the worst actor I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    Dr. De Mar ignored her jab as he spoke low, ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    Leta blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be sarcastic, sir, but you know why this excavation got canceled in the first place, right?¡±


    He gave her a look that showed how he felt about her answer, ¡°So this didn¡¯t happen before leaving Athens?¡±


    She leaned forward and spoke softly, ¡°If by ¡®this¡¯ you mean that I can now taser people with my hands, then no, this didn¡¯t happen before I left Athens. ¡®This¡¯ happened a few days ago, and ¡®this¡¯ is the reason I was in the hospital.¡±


    De Mar blew out a breath and rocked back on his hips. ¡°I apologize. When someone becomes an Arisen, it means that they were on the verge of dying. I feared perhaps something had happened that you hadn¡¯t told us. And your electricity?¡± He shook his head, baffled, ¡°Masters said you had the talent for electricity. Honestly, I¡¯ve never met an Arisen with that one.¡±


    Her ears perked up at the familiar name from the curator, ¡°You know him?¡±


    ¡°Koa? Yes, he¡¯s part of our faction. There¡¯s a lot of history and explaining to do, but here right now is neither the place nor time. I¡¯ve completed the proper paperwork for you to finish your internship at the Museum back on the mainland. This will be a good opportunity to meet others like us and learn more about your talents.¡±


    Leta did a double take, ¡°Others? There are more of you guys?¡±


    De Mar gave her a prideful smirk, ¡°Hundreds across Europe, and last count, we neared a million across the globe, but again, this will all make a lot more sense when we can sit you down and explain a few things. Until then, I ask that you follow our most sacred rule: do not reveal your talents to the humans.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no fear of that.¡± Looking down at her fingers, she muttered, ¡°These powers are a little too showy.¡±


    ¡°This is very serious, Leta.¡± His eyes were hard as if to convey a state secret, ¡°You must not reveal yourself to humans. You could literally get yourself killed.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± She put her hands up, ¡°Message received. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    Satisfied, De Mar relaxed and extended his hand for her to lead the way back to the table.


    Everyone had a glass of wine, and Dr. Galloise spoke to a waiter about sampler options.


    Leta found a seat with her back to the black ocean between Jun Sun and one of Captain Vasilis¡¯s crew, who poured her wine for her as she sat down.


    Everyone was talking about what they had experienced on the dig and their plans. Vigo was making friends with the boat crew and had already downed one glass of wine.


    Mediterranean octopus salad, foie gras on creme bruleed sweet potatoes, and Aegean sea bass came and went as everyone dug in.


    Leta took a bite of sea bass and moaned at the delectable taste that fell apart like melted butter on her tongue.


    [Sea bass. Inert nanites based on quantity available for consumption: 243]


    ¡®Much better than an apple.¡¯ Leta smiled and took another bite.


    Between the sea bass, tartare de boeuf, a fantastic chocolate confection the restaurant called a ¡®black pearl,¡¯ and two glasses of wine, Leta was feeling fantastic.


    The influx of nanites was also a significant bonus.


    She was surprised that she didn¡¯t feel full despite the food she¡¯d been putting into her body all day. Or the slightest bit drunk, for that matter.


    [The Host has recently gone through a traumatic experience where many resources and nanites were utilized to keep the Host¡¯s form functioning effectively.] Gada answered when she asked about this.


    [The Host¡¯s metabolism and organ functions were reset during the initial system upload to quickly and efficiently break down nutrients and replenish these resources. In addition, nanites within the Host¡¯s organs can identify chemicals in the nutrients that may impair the Host¡¯s statistical measurements and abilities. These chemicals are quickly compartmentalized to keep the Host¡¯s cognoscente capabilities at peak performance.]


    Leta¡¯s mouth nearly opened in shock. ¡®I can¡¯t get drunk?¡¯


    [The Host may be able to reach a state of intoxication if specific programs that manage the Host¡¯s nutritional intake were altered or if the Host consumed a high percentage of the chemicals in a short period. During the second option, the Host would only experience an inebriated state until the nanites successfully reversed the effects.]


    ¡®So if I chugged a whole bottle of wine?¡¯


    [The Host would experience an inebriated state for an estimated three minutes and eight seconds before the nanites reversed the beverage¡¯s effects.]


    ¡®That¡¯s¡­ honestly? Awesome and awful all at the same time.¡¯ She grumbled to herself as she took another sip from her glass.


    It was a little past midnight when dinner began to draw to a close. Jun Sun, Chandi, and some of the boat crew who had duties early in the morning had already departed. Leta looked down the table to see De Mar and herself, the only sober ones. The curator merely gave her a shrug when they met eyes as if he were used to being among a table full of half-drunk and wasted scholars.


    Vigo and the boat crew he¡¯d been drinking with were the worst of the bunch. Leta was quite surprised he¡¯d managed to stumble into Jun Sun¡¯s empty seat next to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m a take you home.¡± He slurred as he leaned forward, nearly knocking her out with the yeasty smell of his breath.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be doing much of anything. And I hope you¡¯re going to imply something in this state.¡± Leta coughed, waving her hand before her face to remove the pungent stench.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to take you home. You need some-burp-someone to protect you.¡±


    Leta sighed, ¡°Vigo, I love ya like a brother, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to fight your way out of a wet paper bag right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m f-fine.¡± He announced, bloodshot eyes tracking back and forth as if she was wavering in his vision, ¡°You need someone to protect you from¡­ from that asshole.¡±


    ¡°Oh jeez, you will be so much fun on the boat.¡± She muttered under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°What asshole?¡±


    ¡°That one right there.¡± He drawled, attempting to point a finger, but was rocking so much in his chair that he had gestured to nearly half a block of people.


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°That one. The - burp - the guy with the shirt. And that stud-hiccup-stupid grin.¡±


    His directions were useless, but as Leta scanned the faces of those still out and about at this time of night, one did stand out among the rest.


    Across the pedestrian road and one floor up was a terrace bar with a few tourists still nursing their drinks into the wee hours. At the corner of the terrace was a dark-haired man with Middle Eastern features dressed in a dark collared shirt and jeans. His hair was long, coming to rest at the nap of his neck, and framed a square face that was nothing but hard angles and stubble.


    With her upgraded vision, she could make out the slightly raised scar cutting through one eyebrow and the amber gold of his eyes as he watched her.


    ¡°He¡¯s been - hiccup - staring at you for the last hour. He¡¯s an asshole.¡±


    Her watcher gave a wicked smirk and raised his whiskey glass in salute as if acknowledging that he¡¯d been staring.


    Leta kept eye contact and shook her head no, taking another sip of wine and turning away as if to dismiss him.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Dr. Galloise shouted from further down the table.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s an a-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all good.¡± Leta interrupted Vigo with a raised hand.


    He gave her a boyish grin, cheeks flushed with intoxication. ¡°You¡¯re adorable when you¡¯re bossy¡­¡± He asserted.


    She ignored her wasted friend when addressing her mentor. ¡°We¡¯ll need to get a cab back, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Dr. Galloise looked at Vigo, who was slowly leaning in the wrong direction, and nodded. ¡°Yeah, and probably some help up to the street I think.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m jus¡¯ tryin¡¯ to look out fer¡¯ you.¡± Vigo drawled as he swayed.


    ¡°Vigo, look.¡± She pointed back up at the terrace, where the stranger from before had vanished, ¡°The asshole is gone. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    Vigo blinked, then squinted as if he were trying to read the fine print on a contract. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Taxis were few and far between on the island outside major destinations like the airport and ferry, but ride share was available through an app.


    Leta¡¯s phone chimed with an alert stating their driver was approaching. ¡°C¡¯mon, Vigo. Let¡¯s get you up and get going.¡±


    If there were ever an example of what it was like to herd cats, it would have been Leta trying to navigate a very drunk Vigo up a flight of stairs and through a pedestrian road as he stopped to comment on something he saw a few days ago at a particular souvenir shop or ate in a specific hole in the wall establishment.


    It took nearly twenty minutes to get him 30 meters to the main road, and Leta had to text the driver waiting for them that they were close by.


    She spotted the black Nissan Micra waiting for them as they turned a corner into the square and heard the doors unlock at their approach.


    ¡°Oletta?¡± The driver asked as she opened the door for Vigo to fall in.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±


    And fall in Vigo did, taking a few minutes to dramatically push himself into the back seat.


    When she had enough room, she got in and closed the door.


    The doors locked, and Leta turned to grab her seat belt when she felt the dirty, sludge-like presence prickling at her senses.


    ¡®Oh no¡­¡¯


    Her mouth suddenly went dry, and her heart beat over time. She slowly looked up to see amber-gold eyes in the rear view mirror looking back at her.


    The man on the terrace from earlier turned around to give her his full attention, his irises reflecting like cat eyes in the car¡¯s dark interior. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Black. I believe we have some things to discuss, you and I.¡±

 Chapter Ten: A Cab Ride From Hell (Part I)

    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s the asshole.¡± Vigo slurred with a wavering point.


    The scar-faced man glanced momentarily at her companion before looking away as if dismissing his very existence to tap at a smartphone mounted to the dashboard.


    Leta glanced at the ride-share app and then glanced down at her phone.


    ¡°Well, clearly, you are not Karlos.¡± She said slowly, trying to pull on the door handle with no luck discreetly.


    She could see the stranger-turned-kidnapper give a nasty smirk in the rear view mirror.


    Slowly, to avoid drawing attention, she exited the app to call the emergency number, asking him as calmly as possible, ¡°So what happened to him?¡±


    ¡°Do not worry about him.¡± He drawled in a slow Middle Eastern accent. ¡°He is currently sleeping in a bar.¡±


    The car crawled out of its parallel park and into the road.


    Neither Leta nor Vigo were buckled in, which caused them both to fly into the car doors as the vehicle took off, her phone flying from her grasp to land on the floor between Vigo¡¯s feet. Leta recovered her balance, but Vigo practically ended up in her lap with a moan.


    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡±


    ¡°To your accommodations. I mean you no harm, dear Oletta. As I said, we have much to discuss.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a bad driver.¡± Vigo groaned as he tried to grab hold of the kidnapper¡¯s chair to hoist himself up but slipped and went nose-first into the plastic center consul.


    ¡°I would recommend you strap your friend in. I fear he may accidentally injure himself.¡±


    Leta took a deep breath and focused on the brake pad, willing it to press down and stop the car.


    [Line of sight on target obscured. Magician¡¯s Hand has failed.]


    ¡®Dammit!¡¯ She tried to see if she could get a good look at the shift, but the space between the front seats was so small, and he was leaning on the center console that she couldn¡¯t see it.


    Switching tactics, she channeled Persuasion.


    ¡°Stop the car.¡±


    [Host¡¯s Mental Fortitude + Persuasion is lower than the target¡¯s Mental Fortitude + skill software Focus of the Jackal. Persuasion has failed.]


    ¡®Shit!¡¯


    ¡°You seem to be going through a lot of trouble just to talk to me.¡± Leta quipped as she grabbed Vigo by the collar and pulled him back. He was barely conscious, but that was mostly from drinking so much and not from taking a car part to the face.


    Their kidnapper shrugged, effortlessly commanding the vehicle through the still-busy streets. ¡°Just another Wednesday for me. I needed to speak with you privately, away from your friend, the Judge. You two seemed on good terms as you spoke with him alone earlier.¡±


    Leta blinked at the realization that he was talking about Dr. De Mar. ¡°How long have you been watching me?¡± ¡°Since you stopped by the Cathedral. The Siren earlier let me know a fresh Arisen had come to our shores, and I had to see it for myself.¡±


    ¡°What a creep.¡± Vigo groaned as his head pressed against the car window.


    Leta¡¯s back went ridged as visions of green skin and sharp teeth flashed through her mind¡¯s eye.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Their kidnapper watched her reflection in the mirror after her quick inhale. ¡°Be at peace. I am not so vicious as some of our kind are. I would wager you have met some of our kind then, yes?¡±


    ¡°A few.¡± Leta quipped as she tried to figure out of this trap.


    ¡°We are as varied as sands in the desert.¡± He turned left towards the east, ¡°And as beautiful and dangerous as stars in the heavens. For example, your friend the Judge? Kind-eyed and sincere with an overdeveloped sense of righteousness, but do you know his talent? Judges are creatures of justice and are charged with ensuring Arisen follows the rules laid down by the gods when they walk among us. Break a rule, and a Judge could decide a proper punishment is that your eyes should melt from their sockets, or your arm should rot from your body. And if you break a sacred rule? Suddenly, you¡¯re heart stops beating, and you fall dead where you stand.¡±


    ¡°That-burp-sounds gross,¡± Vigo commented.


    ¡°And you? What are you?¡± She glanced down at her phone, gauging if she could grab it while he was paying attention to the road.


    She didn¡¯t think so, not when their kidnapper kept glancing back at them. And Vigo wouldn¡¯t be subtle about grabbing it in his condition.


    She glanced down at her hands. Could she taser him? She didn¡¯t understand these powers yet, and her clothes had been singed when she¡¯d fought the nixie. With how tiny this car was, there was a chance she¡¯d electrocute Vigo as well.


    Their kidnapper smiled, his canines unnaturally long and amber eyes glowing gold in the sparse lamplight. ¡°I am Loupgarou, the wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.¡±


    ¡°A werewolf?¡± Leta sputtered, baffled and terrified at the same time by the whole situation.


    ¡°Nothing so crass and unrefined as the image of what that term invokes.¡± His lip curled in disgust as if she¡¯d suggested something profoundly distasteful. ¡°Werewolves are hulking bodies of unorganized muscle and mindless rage. No, we Loupgarou are elegant in our deadliness, created for stealth and precision. But what I am most interested in is you, Oletta. What are you precisely?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I am a dumb American who should have probably stayed home.¡± She snorted, then froze. She recognized the tiny fruits and vegetables store as they turned right and started heading south-away from where they were staying.


    ¡°We¡¯re not heading to Imerovigli.¡± She stated, her throat suddenly dry as her heart felt like it was constricted against her ribs.


    ¡°We will be. Eventually.¡± He looked up at the sky, and Leta saw a muscle tick in his cheek as if he were clenching his jaw.


    ¡°But not before this conversation is over.¡± Golden amber eyes hardened as they stared her down in the reflection, ¡°No more jests, our time grows short. What are you?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?¡± She lied, ¡°I¡¯m literally brand new to all of this.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s an American, mate. Leave her be.¡± Vigo groaned.


    ¡°Do not play coy.¡± He grated in annoyance as he tried to ignore the drunkard in his backseat, ¡°Did you have a vision, or was your death dreamless?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Leta stammered.


    ¡°You had a life or death experience - that is always the catalyst for those that rise above mortal existence. You either had a vision as you stood on the threshold of the afterlife, or you closed your eyes and opened them as an Arisen. Which is it then?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Leta¡¯s breathing picked up as she watched the man¡¯s knuckles that gripped the steering wheel flex with an audible pop.


    Something was happening under his skin, like worms crawling through his veins.


    It almost looked like they were¡­swelling.


    ¡°Your time for a pleasant conversation is ticking away, Oletta. The longer you draw this out, the worse you¡¯re evening will be.¡± He his tone was clipped and harsh as the car sped up, taking a turn a bit too hard.


    ¡°Where¡¯s ma phone? I¡¯m calling the cops.¡± Vigo wiggled around in the back seat but looked more like an uncoordinated octopus out of water.


    ¡°I¡­I think I had a vision.¡± She stuttered, trying the door again as she saw them pull into an unlit side street that was just a dirt road covered in weeds.


    Their kidnapper hissed, dark brows furrowing in anger as his lips curled back from sharp teeth. Was it her imagination, or did his hair look fuller as if the follicles were standing at attention like a dog¡¯s raised hackles?


    ¡°Chosen¡­¡± He snarled low.


    ¡°Aw¡­ I think I left it back at the Restaurant. Hey! There¡¯s your phone, Leta.¡± Vigo flopped forward to pick her phone up when they made another turn, which had him falling into her lap as one arm pinwheeled in the air.


    Their kidnapper growled.


    A low, deep rumbling that came from the chest and not the throat. She could feel it echoing in her bones like when she was a kid and put her hand over her father¡¯s surround sound speaker.


    The man turned his full head in her direction, and Leta shrieked. The golden amber of his eyes had overcome the whites, and his pupils dilated till they were the pinpoints of a madman. The wriggling under his skin pushed bone and muscle forward as his nose and jaw seemed to be pulled forward, blood dripping from his nostrils. His ears seemed to be lengthening and climbing up his skull as the on his body started to darken to a leathery black, small tuft of fine fur sprouting on his cheeks and what was now a muzzle.


    ¡°Holy shit!?¡± Vigo shouted, red eyes blinking as he pressed back into his seat.


    ¡°Oletta¡­¡± The monster at the steering wheel hissed her name, his tongue catching on the L as it rolled through sharp teeth and long canines, ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡±

 Chapter Ten: A Cab Ride From Hell (Part II)

    She screamed as one leathery hand, now tipped in three-inch claws, shot back at her, nearly making contact with her throat before she caught the arm. Her slight increase in strength wasn¡¯t enough to push it away as the body twisted, and she could see his shoulder pull back to launch the other one.


    Sparks covered her fingertips as her electricity tore into the monster, locking its body in place. Its jaw opened on reflex as a long, thin tongue writhed in its mouth as the car filled with the smell of burning hair.


    Arks of electricity danced in her arms as the car lights flashed and the radio blared before a nasty pop near the engine could be heard from inside the cab.


    Leta grunted as she pushed the monster back into the front seat, using all her strength to thrust it into the dashboard.


    Dislodged, she turned to see Vigo had also been shocked, his body limp in his seat and eyes wide.


    ¡°Fuck, Vigo!¡± She reached over to him and pulled at the door handle, finding her electricity had deactivated the car locks. With a grunt, she pushed his body out of the car and fumbled at the floor for her phone, fully intending to dial 112 for the emergency line, but blinked when a notification flashed on her screen from an unknown number.


    Hi, Leta. Run. Run now!


    Leta crawled out of the car and looked back at the monster inside. It was limp over the front seats, its head falling into the floorboards of the passenger side, and its body twisted in a weird position over the center console.


    Its massive lungs were pumping air as its chest moved up and down, but it wasn¡¯t moving.


    She wasn¡¯t about to check on Vigo¡¯s condition when there was a literal werewolf right next to her. Grabbing his arms, she dragged Vigo¡¯s body away from the car a few feet until she could get in position to bend down and try and pull him up.


    She surprised herself that, while she felt the dead weight of his body, it didn¡¯t feel too cumbersome or awkward, like she could probably carry him around for a while before feeling too strained.


    Leta threw one of his arms over her shoulder and felt a twinge of relief when she heard him moan.


    ¡°Oh, thank god! I didn¡¯t kill you.¡± She grinned and turned to ensure the monster was still in the car as she pulled her phone out with her free hand and dialed.


    ¡°What¡¯s your emergency?¡± A bored tone came over the line.


    ¡°Yes, hi! I was in a ride share. The guy was acting crazy and just attacked me. My friend is drunk, and I¡¯m scared he¡¯s going to come for me.¡± She shouted into the phone, having enough sense to realize the operator would hang up on her if she said a werewolf attacked her.


    ¡°Okay, miss. Do you know where you are?¡± The operator¡¯s voice was more to the point as it sounded like they sat up straighter in the chair at her words.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not sure where I am. Southern Fira, I think? He was supposed to take us to Imerovigli, but he turned south.¡± She looked around, trying to find some recognizable landmark and cursing that there weren¡¯t any real street signs on this island.


    ¡°I¡­I think I see a hotel. And some parked cars. It¡¯s so dark.¡± ¡°If you can, head towards the hotel. Are you injured?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. My friend was drunk before we got into the car, and he¡¯s passed out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great.¡± The operator reassured her, ¡°How close are you to the hotel?¡± ¡°Still a ways away. It¡¯s white with blue trimming. But everything on this island is white with blue trimming.¡± She grunted, her adrenaline turning to sarcasm.


    ¡°Keep going, don¡¯t stop.¡±


    The sound of metal bending unnaturally had her head turning back to see one clawed hand pushing the car door open, baleful gold eyes turning a sinister glare her away as thin lips peeled back in a snarl over wolfish teeth.


    ¡°Oh god.¡± She breathed, ¡°He¡¯s coming. He¡¯s found me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic.¡± The operator tried to calm her down. ¡°Get to the hotel as fast as you can.¡±


    ¡°What do you fucking think I was doing?¡± She shouted back, hobbling as fast as she could but was already beginning to feel Vigo¡¯s dead weight pulling her down.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Just ahead, she could see people standing near the hotel¡¯s gate entrance, the soft melody of someone singing ringing inside. ¡°Hey!¡± She cried out, feeling a sudden hope in her chest. ¡°Help me!¡±


    Another step, and that hope began to crumble. They weren¡¯t moving, just standing there gazing at the road as if transfixed by something.


    [Warning! A foreign entity uses corrupted software to manipulate the Host¡¯s mental fortitude and reflexes.]


    [The Host¡¯s mental fortitude stat + ears of the judge + persuasion is higher than mental manipulation Trojan ware.]


    [Mental manipulation by foreign entities has failed. Protection of the Host¡¯s mind still holds.]


    ¡°Not again¡­¡± She moaned. She could hear the operator getting frantic as they hastily asked, ¡°Miss? Miss! Are you alright? What¡¯s going on? Where are you?¡±


    From behind the small crowd of people at the gate walked a young woman with tawny hair and a face so beautiful it was heartbreaking.


    Dammit. The siren.


    Her mouth was partially open as a sound that could only be described as a cry echoing through a cathedral reverberated from her throat. She never stopped for a breath as her hard eyes stared at Leta. The notes raised one octave higher, and the people parted in unison like puppets on strings, making way for three apparitions that had the shape of hyenas made of black smoke and embers.


    Red eyes watched her unblinking as they crept towards her, their pace unhurried and leaving footprints of ash in their wake.


    A low growl behind her saw that the werewolf from earlier was closing in.


    ¡°Fuck. Okay.¡± She gulped, visions of being ripped limb from limb coming to her as she slowly lowered Vigo to the ground. If she were going to die tonight, she¡¯d at least try to do some damage first.


    Her heart was racing, but she could feel that willful anger bubbling up from her stomach, buoying her nerves. It was something she¡¯d always had in dire situations - an odd rage that overcame her when someone tried to hurt her.


    She felt it when she¡¯d nearly been attacked on father¡¯s dig in Serbia.


    She felt it last night when the Nixie had come for her.


    She felt it now as her eyes went from the back of shadow hyenas in front of her and the werewolf behind her.


    That brewing fury seemed to spread in her gut as she held her arms out at her sides and let the electricity-free, small cracks of miniature lightning race over her arms and around her chest and back.


    The shadow hyenas seemed to pause as one, eyes of fiery coal watching the sparks cautiously before spreading out. It was evident that they intended to encircle her with the werewolf, pinning her down with her companion.


    The werewolf at her back growled low, then took off, massive pawed feet kicking up dirt as it charged her.


    She pulled her arms forward to block its attack as a howl filled the air. Another snarl cut through the night, and a massive black-furred body tackled her assailant.


    Two midnight colored bodies tumbled in the dirt before separating and she was able to catch a glimpse of who - or what- had attacked the monster.


    It was a wolf. Not another werewolf but an actual, walked on four legs and had a tail wolf. It was massive, its ears probably coming up the Leta¡¯s chest and covered in thick black fur with a few white hairs at its chest.


    It looked to Leta and gave her what could only be a canine smile as its tail gave two wags before turning back and putting its body between her and the werewolf with a snarl.


    The shadow hyenas chuffed and chuckled together in agitation.


    Leta glanced back at the siren whose brows were furrowed in agitation that someone had come to her aid.


    By then, the werewolf had gotten to its feet clawed at the dirt in challenge as roar that was more like a tiger than a wolf tore from its throat.


    She didn¡¯t pay attention as the black wolf answered the challenge as one of the three shadow hyenas ran forward at her distraction.


    Leta nearly stumbled backwards when the creature¡¯s back arched and it let out a painful cry as it went snout first into the ground, a large metal bolt sticking from its back.


    Before she even had time to react another bolt struck one of the other hyenas between it¡¯s throat and shoulder blade.


    For the first time, the siren faltered for a moment as she watched the two shadow creatures suddenly drop.


    The third one that had been trying to sneak up on her flank had noticed its comrades fall and jumped out of the way of another bolt, smoky muzzle looking around for their attacker.


    In the darkness Leta couldn¡¯t see who or what was firing the shots, but the whistling of air and the sudden thud of another bolt missing was hard to miss. She followed the gaze of the hyena to a two story bar several blocks away by the road, but even with her advanced vision she couldn¡¯t spot the sniper.


    The siren¡¯s song went higher in pitch to the point it was close to shattering glass as her arms outstretched and her face contorted in agitation.


    As one, the heads of the hotel crowd under her control turned towards Leta and broke into a run, vacant eyes locked on her like robots set to kill.


    Leta took a step back as a mob started her way, only to fall to the floor like puppets without strings as another bolt ripped through the air and hit the siren in the hip, her voice shrieking then going quiet as she whimpered in pain.


    The bolts were coming in quick succession as the shadow hyena dodged, taking steps further back towards the hotel to get out of range.


    Tires squealed down the road main road and around the side street until an old white 90s pick up truck can screeching to a stop.


    At the wheel was Koa Masters, who leaned out the window to aim a pistol with a silencer at the still battling werewolf and shouted ¡°Get in!¡±


    Leta wasted no time in pulling Vigo up, who seemed to be coming back to his senses. ¡°What the fucks goin¡¯ on here?¡± He slurred, confused eyes looking to her and then the truck.


    ¡°No time. Get in.¡± Leta pulled the tailgate down and hoisted him in. It would probably have been easier lifting a walrus into the truck bed with how unhelpful his dead weight was, but she eventually succeeded, crying out ¡°Drive! Now!¡±

 Chapter Eleven: Racing Hell Hounds (Part I)

    The truck tires peeled off the dirt road and onto a paved thoroughfare in a spray of gravel and dust, back wheels smoking as Koa threw the vehicle forward.


    He pulled a walk-talkie from his cup holder and pressed its button, ¡°Al!¡± We¡¯re away.¡±


    ¡°Aye, but not for long.¡± The speaker¡¯s deep Scottish accent crackled, ¡°That Hound¡¯s on your tail, lad.¡±


    Leta turned back to see the shadow hyena swirling onto the road to chase after them.


    Long legs pumped as it tried to pick up speed.


    ¡°Dammit. We¡¯re headed towards Fira.¡± He hissed into the speaker.


    Leta crawled forward and pulled down the center window to shout at him, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bad idea to lead this monster back to where people are?¡±


    ¡°For us, maybe. Hellhounds exist in shadow. When it¡¯s in light, it loses its form.¡± He called back to her, reaching into a massive duffle bag in the passenger seat for something.


    ¡°So the city is going to help us?


    ¡°The lamp lights! When it¡¯s in the light, it can¡¯t hurt us.¡±


    Another car passed them, going in the opposite direction, and she watched in morbid fascination as the Hound¡¯s body seemed to evaporate, ember eyes shrinking to barely the size of a candle¡¯s flicker as its shadows vanished in the oncoming brightness from the car¡¯s headlights.


    The moment it passed, the fire of its eyes brightened and drew in the shadows around it, pulling the darkness to it until it was whole once more and back on its trail without losing speed.


    ¡°That¡¯s fucking terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Take this.¡±


    Leta looked back and saw the point of something medieval shoving through the truck¡¯s center window.


    ¡°What the¡­ is that a crossbow?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Take it.¡±


    Her fingers closed over the barrel in an incorrect way to handle a weapon and pulled it to her.


    ¡°That looks pretty cool.¡± Vigo sighed from where he was slumped against the passenger side of the truck bed as if they were casually going for a ride through the country.


    ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do with this?¡± She shouted at Koa with equal parts bewilderment and indignation.


    ¡°Use it, you bloody pillock!¡± He cursed, ¡°There¡¯s bolts under the quiver. Pull the line back and load. Put the pommel near your shoulder, not your chin. You¡¯ll lose your teeth if you do.¡±


    Leta didn¡¯t need any more encouragement and did as instructed, slipping a bolt out of the polyester pouch under the barrel. The string was more challenging to pull back than anticipated and nearly slipped from her grasp.


    She set the butt of the weapon against her shoulder like the hunting rifle her grandfather had insisted she learn to shoot.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It was easier to aim the rifle than this crossbow, which she realized as she pulled the trigger and watched her shot go wide, nowhere near hitting the monster by any stretch of the imagination.


    ¡°Oh, this is going to suck.¡± She muttered to herself and pulled another bolt, pausing to look up as a lamp suddenly illuminated the truck bed overhead.


    ¡°Al! We¡¯re getting into Fira.¡± Koa called into his device, ¡°We¡¯re sticking to the outskirts.¡±


    ¡°Good, lad. Get to - oh, shite! The Loupgaru¡¯s gotten around Bonnie. It¡¯s on your trail!¡±


    ¡°Dammit!¡± Koa spat before pulling the truck hard to the right when they reached a fork, keeping them from heading into the center of town.¡±


    Leta had been focused on the Hell Hound behind them and lost her balance, falling unceremoniously into Vigo and nearly bludgeoning him with the crossbow.


    ¡°Oh..¡± That was all he got out before he turned his head over the side of the truck and threw up.


    ¡°Jeez, Vigo!¡± Leta scrambled away to avoid being hit by flying nasty.


    She heard him moan, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s gross,¡± as she strung another bolt and took aim.


    The lamp lights above were closer together, shortening the time that the Hound was solid more and more until it was more a figment of imagination than a physical thing.


    Leta focused, trying to take deep breaths to center herself and time the shot to hit it when it was in darkness but missed as the neon light of an unexpected restaurant kept the monster hidden.


    ¡°Feck!¡± Came from the truck cab before the car swerved right to avoid a lorry backing up into a restaurant, tossing Leta roughly into the other side of the bed.


    ¡°I want off this ride¡­¡± Vigo moaned, his face green even in the darkness of the night as he lay against the truck.


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± Leta sighed as she got another bolt together.


    She turned her head to call through the back window, ¡°Someone should have called the cops, right?¡±


    ¡°Hell Hounds can pass as just a trick of the light or a few too many drinks since they¡¯re intangible out of the shadows.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not intangible though!¡± She quipped, ¡°Everyone can see you breaking the speed limit and me with this crossbow.¡±


    ¡°Then we better pick up the pace and hope we can outrun them.¡± He turned the wheel again to get them down a one-way alley away from the overhead lamps.


    The long stretch was free of tourists with minimal door lights, leaving a long stretch with minimal interruptions.


    ¡°Take the shot! Take the shot!¡±


    Leta pulled the crossbow up, aimed, and fired.


    Her bolt was true and dug deep into the shadow monster¡¯s shoulder blade. It yelped in that haunting, almost chuckling cackle as it lost its footing and stumbled into the pavement unceremoniously.


    ¡°Yes!¡± She whooped, cheeks cracking in a wide smile as she pumped her fist. ¡°Woohoo! Hell yeah!¡±


    Her joy was short-lived as Hound tripped and rolled under the harsh light of a grocery store¡¯s back door, its body again turning to mist as the bolt clattered to the stone floor. Its tiny twin flames moved slowly through the glare above as it drew in the darkness around it, merging into the massive canine form before it shook itself like a dog coming out of the bath and started to peruse again.


    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± She shouted at it indignantly.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Koa called back, only able to glance back for a heartbeat before returning to the road in front of them.


    ¡°I hit it, but the minute it got under a light, it evaporated and put itself back together again.¡±


    ¡°Hounds can only take damage when they¡¯re corporeal!¡± He answered, ¡°Once they¡¯re in the light, they heal themselves. You have to hit it between its eyes or behead it while it¡¯s in shadows to kill it.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just great.¡± She grumbled.


    The walkie-talkie crackled to life, ¡°Lad! The Loupgaru¡¯s turning northwest. It¡¯s headed for the rendezvous point. Pretty sure I¡¯m seeing tracks of a Minotaur, too.¡±


    ¡°Shite!¡± He spat as a car pulled out in front of them, forcing him to lose acceleration and swerve around it, ¡°What¡¯s the call? This thing¡¯s still on our tail.¡±


    ¡°Stick to the plan. Get to the rendezvous where Afra¡¯s waiting to cover for you. This is what we train for, laddie.¡±


    ¡°Right. 10-4!¡±


    ¡°A Minotaur!?¡± Leta screamed in shock.


    ¡°Welcome to being an Arisen.¡± He chuckled anxiously and then grunted as everyone lurched forward. Then, the truck suddenly decelerated. Leta lost her grip on the crossbow as she fell to the bed, slid backward with a yelp, and looked back to see that the Hound had caught up to them, two shadow paws clinging to the tailgate with its talon claws inches away from where her feet were braced.


    Its burning coal eyes the size of baseballs glared at her, mouth opening to bath her in a scorching hot breath full of ash and embers as it tried to lunge forward and take a bite of her.

 Chapter Eleven: Racing Hell Hounds (Part II)

    Leta didn¡¯t think; she just acted on the first stupid idea that came to mind: lifting her foot and kicking the underside of its jaw as hard as she could.


    The attack was surprisingly effective and seemed to surprise the monster and Leta when she realized the creature didn¡¯t burn hot to the touch. Instead, it was freezing, her toes feeling like she¡¯d stepped in snow inside her sneakers.


    She pushed that revelation to the back of her head and hit again.


    And again.


    And again, as the monster recovered from its initial surprise and tried to get back to killing her, an uncharacteristic bravado fueled by that inner rage bubbled to the surface when she was in danger.


    ¡°Bad.¡±


    Kick.


    ¡°Dog.¡±


    Kick.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Kick.


    ¡°Biscuits!¡±


    With a yelp, it lost its footing as they drove under the soft glow from the neon light above, its body going intangible and slipping away before she could grab the crossbow, sliding towards her and taking aim.


    Koa had found a very touristy stretch of street just north of Fira, bathed in bright light from restaurant signs and street lamps. Shadows were chased away, and the Hound¡¯s hand began to fall behind and lose ground due to the lack of shadows around.


    Its glowing eyes persisted and continued to stalk after them, the unblinking stare following them as tourists milled on the side streets unsuspectingly.


    ¡°Get ready to shoot! We¡¯re about to get back on the roadway.¡± Koa warned them as the light of eateries and tourist traps tapered off to vacation homes and rental properties up ahead.


    A far-off flash of atmospheric lightning heralded a coming storm, the pulsating light outlining bulbous clouds that seemed to be following the Hell Hound that perused them.


    It was like moving from one world to the next as they transitioned from the hustle and drunken revelry of couples on vacation, unaware of the monsters lurking literally among them, to the intermittent darkness between lamp light as a creature from nightmares coalesced seemingly out of thin air with the low echo of a clap of thunder in its wake.


    Leta kept the crossbow steady as they took a sharp corner, taking a deep breath in and then pulling the trigger as she exhaled, her shot making a hit to the side of the creature¡¯s extended throat but not a killing blow.


    It tripped over itself and cried out in pain before falling under the light and evaporating to continue the chase once whole again in the darkness.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± She growled, ¡°Screw it.¡±


    Dropping the crossbow to the truck bed, she raised her hands as snaps of electricity played on her fingertips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Koa shouted in alarm, eyes wide as his head whipped back to scream at her through the center window, ¡°The truck bed is metal! You set that off, and no matter if you hit or miss, you take out the truck and probably your friend there too!¡± ¡°That might be an improvement.¡± Vigo dry heaved over the side of the truck as his bloodshot eyes stared back at the Hell Hound chasing them.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± She flexed her hands as the tiny lightning bolts faded away, looking around for inspiration as to what to do next when Vigo moaned, ¡°Can he stop the car soon? I¡¯m going to be sick again.¡±


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    A light bulb went off in her head, and Leta nearly face-palmed at the realization she hadn¡¯t been using all of her talents.


    ¡°Hey, Koa!¡± She crawled back to shout at him through the center window, ¡°Is there any stretch of road without overhead lights on the way to this rendezvous point?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Can you get us someplace where it can¡¯t go intangible?¡±


    ¡°Why would we do that!? In the light, it can¡¯t kill us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and we can¡¯t kill it. I¡¯m not sure what kind of help you have waiting for us at the end of this car ride, but I have a feeling we¡¯re still going to be in a world of hurt with the Loupgarou and a goddamn Minotaur in the mix. I can contain this thing, but I need it to be whole. Trust me, please!¡±


    Koa took a deep breath, taking a moment to think before his face twisted in the universal expression of ¡®I¡¯m about to do something stupid, and I¡¯m going to regret it.¡¯


    Pulling the walkie-talkie out of the cup holder, he pulled the truck left onto a more intimate road and called into the transmitter, ¡°Al! We¡¯re making a slight detour. ETA remains unchanged.¡±


    ¡°Negative, Masters! Stick to the plan.¡±


    ¡°Our new friend here says she can take out the Hound but needs it to keep its form. If we can kill it, should we?¡±


    ¡°Ah lad¡­ Aye. You get a shot, and you take it.¡± Al grumbled from the other end as if the acknowledgment was being squeezed out of him, ¡°But if that hunk of metal¡¯s remotely late, let¡¯s just say your next three months of training are going to be creative.¡±


    ¡°Shite. Aye, sir.¡± He swallowed, only sparing Leta a sharp look, ¡°This better be worth it.¡±


    The road they traveled was lined with immaculate vacation rentals to their right, and the left was an empty space of exceedingly expensive land that slopped downward to the sea below. The waning moon, barely visible through thin wisps of clouds, was now entirely covered by the oncoming storm, which turned the ocean into a void of nothingness peppered only by the resilient lights of far-off ships.


    As the homes grew further apart, she could feel the temperature cool and goose flesh her skin as she reloaded her crossbow.


    Shadows swallowed one more house light, and then, the Hound picked up speed as if in celebration of chasing prey in its element.


    Without hesitation, Leta turned back to the monster, held it at the ready, and pulled from that well of power inside to gather it in her belly.


    Focusing on the creature¡¯s eyes and holding its gaze, she took a deep breath and shouted a single command.


    ¡°Freeze!¡±


    [The Host has used persuasion. Persuasion successful.]


    The Hound¡¯s eyes went wide and seemed to take up all of its skull as its muscles locked in place, its momentum pushing it forward to smash snout first into the pavement as it toppled end over end like a toy thrown from a speeding car.


    ¡°I got it!¡± Leta whooped, slamming her hand on the side of the truck bed to get Koa¡¯s attention, ¡°Hey! It¡¯s down.¡±


    He turned his head to look behind them and saw a motionless mass of darkness illuminated by the house lights behind them.


    Leta was right.


    It wasn¡¯t getting back up to chase them.


    Even from this distance, he could see the embers of pupils in its coal eyes moving in its skull as the creature struggled to move, only to find that it couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Holy¡­ what did you do?¡± he stared at the creature, still in shock, his mouth lax as if he was so surprised his muscles couldn¡¯t be bothered to keep his lips together.


    ¡°I¡­ told it to freeze.¡±


    ¡°And it did, just like that?¡± He shook his head skeptically as he hit the brakes and quickly rummaged for something in his duffle bag.


    ¡°Um, yeah. Just like that.¡±


    ¡°That is suspiciously convenient, my dear. Duck your head, please.¡±


    ¡°Duck my-what the fuck!?¡± Leta shrieked as she turned around to see the muzzle of a hunting rifle poking through the center window of the truck. She dropped to the floor at the sight of the gun and covered her head with her hands as the crack of the weapon was smothered by the rumble of oncoming thunder. She felt the bed of the truck vibrate with the force of the shot, and then she heard the Hound give a single vibrating shriek of pain that skittered down the road like a rock skipping over a frozen lake.


    The embers of the creature¡¯s eyes burned bright as if in shock of its coming death before they darkened and went out as it died.


    Leta slowly poked her head up from where she was crouched to see the shadows that comprised its body evaporating one final time as motes of darkness floated on the wind like ash from a fire before looking back at Koa with a stunned look.


    ¡°The hell is wrong with you?!¡± She shrieked at him, but he didn¡¯t seem phased by her outburst at all.


    ¡°I fear you¡¯ll have much to answer for when all this is over.¡± Koa sighed as he did something with the rifle -maybe flipping the safety on, she didn¡¯t know - and set it down in the passenger¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Why?¡± Her eyes narrowed, instinctively on the defensive with his statement, ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything.¡±


    He ignored her question for the moment to put the car into drive and hit the gas, Leta holding tight as the truck lurched forward.

 Chapter Eleven: Racing Hell Hounds (Part III)

    Reaching into the cup holder, Koa clicked the walkie-talkie. ¡°Al! The Hound is no more. We¡¯re still headed to the rendezvous.¡±


    ¡°Well done, lad! Pick up the pace that Loupgarou is closing in.¡±


    Koa made a sour face like a guilty child who was being rewarded for a spelling test they cheated on.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, sir. It was our new friend. She¡­ Well, I¡¯m unsure how to explain what happened. I¡¯ll fill you in during the debrief.¡±


    A moment of silence passed before Al responded, ¡°Aye, lad. We¡¯ll have much to discuss.¡±


    Koa looked to be contemplating something serious as the car started a gentle incline towards the main road above them, one elbow propped on the open window and rubbing his chin in thought at what he had seen.


    Leta took the opportunity to look over at Vigo, who was pale-faced. His eyes stayed transfixed on the black spot that stained the pavement where the Hell Hound had been.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He moaned, leaning against the side of the truck, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m drunk enough for this.¡±


    She chuckled, propping her back against the cab to watch the world go by as her racing heart began to settle down. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m done with this night, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± He burped, making a sour face as he cleaned his mouth with the back of his wrist, ¡°That one was spicy. Gross.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get you some water when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Fraid¡¯ there¡¯s no going back now, love.¡± Koa exhaled, partially tired, partially exasperated.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t start with that.¡± Leta turned to lean over the side of the truck to shout at him from the window. ¡°Whatever this bullshit is with fire hyenas and evil mermaids, count me out. That¡¯s your problem to deal with, not mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in the thick of it now, love. There¡¯s no turning back. You walk, and you¡¯ll be dead within a week. I promise you that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to go around shooting sparks out of my fingers like some sideshow-¡±


    ¡°Do you really not understand what¡¯s happening?¡± Koa interrupted, obviously agitated by her denial. ¡°You¡¯re Arisen now. And in case you haven¡¯t been paying attention in the last twenty-four hours, other Arisen can smell that you¡¯re Arisen and are bloody ready to eat you.¡±


    Leta frowned, ¡°Are you planning to eat me too? Just deliver me to the butcher.¡±


    ¡°Oh, grow up.¡± Koa rolled his eyes. ¡°First off, that¡¯s disgusting. Secondly, if I were going to eat you, I¡¯d have done it in the hospital when I had the chance.¡±


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    ¡°So what¡¯s your angle, then?¡± Her eyes narrowed as they turned onto one of the main roads, ¡°Why go to all this trouble?¡±


    ¡°Cause you¡¯re one of us. You seem cool, and you defy all logic and reason for our kind for some bloody reason.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ thanks?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a compliment. I mean, look what¡¯s in the truck.¡± He thumbed over his shoulder.


    Leta looked around, confused, but could only see the crossbow and Vigo, who looked green around the gills.


    ¡°A drunk?¡±


    ¡°A bloody Mundane! In my truck! Saw a damn Hell Hound and Siren in the heat of their power, and yet he¡¯s still breathing. He should be a psychotic vegetable. You should be dead for exposing your powers to him!¡±


    Leta frowned, ¡°Why would I be dead? He¡¯ll probably just think it¡¯s some fever dream he had while drunk.¡±


    Koa turned his head to look at her in the driver¡¯s side window, a look of bewilderment marring his face. ¡°The rules. You know? The rules. The rules are ingrained into us by the gods when we arise. Have you ever felt an aversion to doing something in front of others? If you considered using your talents in front of Mundane, do you feel an instinctive need not to do it?¡±


    Her brows furrowed in confusion, ¡°No, I just don¡¯t do it cause that would be hard to explain to someone why I¡¯m not being electrocuted.¡±


    ¡°During this entire episode, you never felt compelled to keep hidden when we were going through the towns?¡±


    ¡°Kinda hard to keep hidden when a damn shadow hyena is chasing you.¡±


    Koa looked back to the road, eyes wide and mouth relaxed in shock.


    ¡°By the gods¡­ you don¡¯t know the rules.¡±


    ¡°What rules!?¡± Leta growled in annoyance. It felt like I was talking in circles now.


    ¡°The rules, woman! The rules all Arisen instinctively follow because if we don¡¯t, we die! We literally burst into flames and die!¡±


    The silence drew a line between them as Leta blinked in confusion at his outburst and what he was saying.


    Koa¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he angrily shouted, ¡°Why do you think the Loupgarou took the long way around the towns instead of following our trail? Or why do the Siren and the Nixie use beguiling magic to bend the Mundane¡¯s memory? If an Arisen willingly exposes themselves to a Mundane, the Arisen¡¯s blood boils, and their body literally tears itself apart! But you¡­¡± He threw a hand up in agitated bewilderment, ¡°You¡¯re fine. All your parts are still together, not a scratch on you. You should be dead. That Loupgarou probably got insanely lucky because your friends in a bad way, but you should be dust on the wind.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ you guys will die if you accidentally let it slip to normal people about what you are?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think the world isn¡¯t under the thumb of Loupgarou and other, far worse nasties?¡± Koa took his eyes off the road to look back at her in the driver-side mirror. ¡°If the rules didn¡¯t exist, you might be just an unfortunate blood bank for a vampire or-¡±


    ¡°Holy fu-!¡± Vigo shouted in alarm as a dark mass erupted from the shadows, ramming into the truck¡¯s passenger side with the force of a Mac truck. It was like they were a paper boat going up against a tsunami as the force of the hit pushed the car over the edge of the road and into the guard rail.


    Leta had a moment to register a deep rumbling and caught a glimpse of thick horns and matted dark fur before the guard rail couldn¡¯t contain them any longer, and the vehicle toppled over.


    Minutes didn¡¯t tick by so that Leta could see everything that happened. There was no moment of clarity as things moved in slow motion with Ave Maria playing in the background.


    It felt like falling in reverse in the blink of an eye as Leta felt the jarring force of the truck bed pressing into her body before she felt herself go airborne.


    [Host has received secondary bludgeoning damage due to Corrupted-Minotaur. The Host is stunned.]


    What happened after that was falling in the usual order of it.


    The world circled above her as Leta was ejected from the truck bed, the ground coming up all too quickly as a rough patch of large stones the size of car tires rose to greet her.


    She landed.


    She heard the crunch of her body.


    And everything, thankfully, blissfully, went dark.

 Chapter Twelve: Horns Against The Storm (Part I)

    [The Host has¡­


    paralysis¡­


    rerouting¡­ for¡­


    kinetic¡­ restart¡­


    3¡­ 1¡­]


    Existence came back like a bolt of lightning from the void.


    Leta¡¯s eyes flew open wide, and she gasped before immediately coughing as it felt like she¡¯d nearly swallowed her tongue.


    She must have left her thoughts back in the void because stringing together words was out of her grasp as she tried to fill her lungs with oxygen but felt like she was suffocating.


    She was alive.


    She knew she was alive, but everything else was a jumbled mess. She was still in the darkness of the void, unable to see or feel anything except the pounding of her frantic heart that thumped close by, most likely in her ears. She thought she was facing upward, but other than that, she had no sense of her form or if she was hot or cold.


    [The Host¡¯s neural functions are back online. Welcome back, Host.]


    Leta blinked furiously, face twitching as she tried to understand what was happening around her. A fog had settled over her brain, leaving her flailing in darkness.


    [Host has suffered significant fall damage due to being ejected from the vehicle and has life-threatening injuries, among them paralysis, several broken bones, ruptured ligaments, and you have seven broken ribs, two of which have pierced the Host¡¯s left lung. Nanites have been rerouted to heal damaged facilities and restore motor functions. However, the Host will feel extreme pain as nerve endings are repaired. The repair process is to start now.]


    Leta¡¯s jaw locked open in a silent scream as her brain could suddenly register the feel of her skin. It felt like every layer of skin was on fire as she felt hot tears trail down her cheeks, making the burn of skin even more agitated.


    It felt like the unbearable pain was chasing her tears as sharp pain-like needles peppered the muscles of her face before blood sprayed from her body as her nose suddenly snapped into place with an audible crack.


    Leta choked, then let out a whimper of pain that was so muffled from her damaged ears that it sounded like it came through cotton balls.


    She felt something wet against her face for a moment before her vision suddenly and forcefully came back. The transition from seeing nothing but the void of darkness to blinding light was so sudden that she felt her retina seared.


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    [The deflated eyeball has been repaired.]


    ¡®Oh, god¡­ why am I on fire¡­¡¯ her jumbled brain was finally able to put together.


    [The burning sensation the Host is feeling results from nerve damage. The Host will only experience this as nerves are returned online during the repairs. Please endure the pain.]


    A slight whine in her ears, like a note so high it was barely perceptible, suddenly increased as if a toddler had gotten hold of a volume button and cranked it up to full blast. It was too much all at once, and Leta¡¯s head rocked from side to side as if trying to escape it without success.


    The prickling needles of pain were working their way down to her neck, and her world rocked on its axis as the Nanites repaired her broken neck.


    They moved over her clavicle and to her shoulder blades before her arm suddenly wrenched in its socket as the Nanites forcefully popped her bones back into place.


    [Dislocated shoulder has been repaired.]


    Leta yelped in pain, the sound of her agony centering her for a moment where she could register the feel of dry grass and the sharp stabbing of stones underneath her.


    She felt the prickling running down her right arm and turned her head to look at it. She only had a heartbeat to think, ¡®That¡¯s not supposed to be bent that way,¡¯ before her arm suddenly twisted back into place with a wet snap that nearly knocked the wind out of her. It was so unbearable.


    She had no time to scream before she watched fingers that were facing the wrong direction twist into place on her right hand, and her shattered left forearm cracked audibly as it righted itself.


    [Skeletal structure of arms has been repaired.]


    [Nanite internal repair power has been depleted. Nanites will now consume the Host¡¯s energy reserves to complete emergency repairs.]


    Pins and needles in her chest foreshadowed a wet sucking noise as one rib slowly pulled out of her lung, hot blood pumping out of her in its wake.


    Leta closed her eyes and sobbed at the agony. When she felt it start to diminish, she looked down at herself to see the damage in time to watch the second and third ribs begin to extract themselves from her organ.


    She threw her head back and screamed, which only added to the torture of feeling her body put itself back together as the Nanites stanched the blood flowing from her chest.


    [Lungs have been repaired.]


    Leta ground her teeth against the pain as she pushed up on her elbows, catching a glimpse of a mangled left leg that was bent in the wrong direction at the knee and whimpering at the agony that was to come.


    Her femur on her left side felt like a hundred blood pressure monitors were compressing it as the shattered bones were fused. Through the pain, she tried to catch her bearing to figure out what had happened.


    She was on a sloping hill above a residential road, the tops of vacation rentals visible between the expanse she¡¯d landed on and the sea below. The storm brewing that night had arrived as fat droplets started to pelt her feverish skin and hair.


    Above her was an extensive rock cropping that was only a few inches tall, but at the angle she was at, she could barely make out the wreck of the truck uphill.


    And it was a wreck. Not far from her, she could see debris like the broken crossbow, Koa¡¯s duffel bag, and a bent fender. Intermingled with the smell of rain, Leta could taste the bite of ash that had her stomach turning in fear.


    ¡®The Minotaur!¡¯


    Leta felt the pinpricks in her shattered leg and clenched her teeth as a wave of pain swept over her. It snapped in the right direction, salty tears blinding her as she took deep breaths.


    Steeling herself, she pushed over onto her stomach and scanned the terrain. The truck was resting on its hood, smoke rising from around the engine and badly mangled.


    She could make out a form she thought was Koa in the driver¡¯s seat, held upside down by his seat belt.

 Chapter Twelve: Horns Against The Storm (Part II)

    A sniffling sound like a pig going through trash rustled as a dark form stomped into view from the other side of the truck.


    It was massive, probably the size of a rhinoceros, with long matted fur and large horns on a face that was both bovine and human simultaneously. It looked like someone had tried to turn a person into a cow, and they got stuck halfway.


    Its large head had a protruded nose cavity over an unnatural wide mouth, not quite a snout, as if someone had taken someone¡¯s face in Photoshop and pulled the nose and jaw forward. Its mouth was unnaturally wide, with thin but protruding lips that were open as the creature panted, revealing a mouth full of block-like molars the size of car keys throughout its mouth. Though its head and body were covered in thick black fur, she could barely make out human ears that rested higher than usual on the side of its head.


    Its shoulders were hunched as it walked on all fours, three fingers on each hand tipped in thick keratin extensions that balanced its hulking body over the rough terrain.


    Haunches bigger than tree trunks tapered into completely bovine feet, a thick tail that was oddly cat-like in its proportions whipping behind its body.


    Though it snorted loudly, it didn¡¯t seem to smell anything. It pawed at the truck as if trying to see if the car was still alive.


    Another wave of pinpricks and pain raced up her body as Leta tried to breathe through the pain of her foot cracking in the right direction.


    [Skeletal structure damage repaired. The paralysis effect has been removed. Muscles are severely bruised and healing. Bleeding from superficial wounds has been halted. Healing of superficial wounds. Time until complete recovery is eight minutes, seven seconds.]


    Pressing her face into the grass, she could see a body in the other direction that wasn¡¯t moving. It was lying on its side facing away from her, but she recognized the collared shirt with the funny print pattern as what Vigo had been wearing earlier.


    ¡®Oh shit¡­¡¯ she thought to herself, then turned back as a screeching noise like metal twisting unnaturally nearly had her jumping out of her skin.


    She turned back to the Minotaur to see that it had rammed one of its horns into the passenger door and gotten caught. It huffed and chomped at the air, rocking and jolting the truck as it tried to free itself, demonstrating its strength.


    Leta blinked through the rain coming down in heavy curtains as she tried to see what it was trying to do.


    It kept pacing around the truck, hoofed appendages pawing at the truck bed as if it was rooting around for something but was in no extreme rush to get it immediately.


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    Motion caught her eye, and she saw Koa¡¯s arm twitch, then barely caught a moan on the breeze as he seemed to be rousing from unconsciousness.


    Leta sighed in relief that he was alive, but for how much longer was the question? The Minotaur sniffed around the car¡¯s passenger side, putting itself between her and the vehicle before it snorted and went back to the driver¡¯s side. It stuck its massive snout into the window and gave Koa¡¯s body a wet sniff that had the hair rising on the back of her neck.


    A low rumble of agitation like an oncoming train could be felt in the ground beneath her before the monster growled and stalked back to the truck bed. It didn¡¯t like Koa but was more interested in finding something else.


    ¡®What¡¯s its fixation with the bed?¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡®Now that I think about it, I wasn¡¯t exactly quiet a moment ago, but he hasn¡¯t come to check out me or Vigo. What does it want with the truck?¡¯


    Its head cocked back, and it let out a pleased grunt as it seemed to find whatever it was looking for and started to try and put its unnatural head under the upturned truck bed.


    Leta looked back at Koa and saw that his eyes were finally open, but he was holding himself as still as possible as his eyes tracked the monster behind him. He looked up, and their eyes met across the expanse when she peeked to see what the creature was doing.


    Slowly, to avoid drawing attention from the Minotaur, Koa raised his hand and made a fist with his thumb and index finger extended in the universal sign for ¡®gun.¡¯


    Leta turned her head back to the duffel bag nestled haphazardly in the grass, not less than a few meters away but in clear view of the monster.


    She turned back to Koa, who hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off her, and gestured to where it was.


    He brought a finger up gently to his ear and shook his head slowly before taking his index and thumb and making pinching gestures by his eye with a nod.


    ¡®It can¡¯t hear well, but it has good eyesight,¡¯ Leta gulped, then nodded. It was getting so low that she was genuinely laying flat on the grass and slowly reached one arm out to pull herself out from her cover.


    Her eyes were glued to the creature as it struggled to get its horned head under the truck bed, front paws that weren¡¯t meant to grab things trying to dig at whatever it was it was after.


    Inch by inch, Leta wormed her way over to the duffel bag. Her movements slowed as the rain made the ground slick and muddy.


    She was halfway between the cover and the bag when the Minotaur tried to ram the truck bed with its bony head. The blow¡¯s force was enough to push the bed about a foot at an angle but not enough for the beast to get to its prize.


    Huffing, the monster pawed at the ground like a bull about to charge as it took a few steps back before ramming into the vehicle again.


    Leta pressed herself into the grass, body locked in stillness like a cornered rabbit as she watched the truck spin with the force of the hit until its engine was facing the hill and away from her.


    The hit was enough to catch fire from whatever had been smoking this time near the engine as flames began to flicker and pop in the rain.


    ¡°Shit. Shit!¡± Leta hissed as she watched Koa fumble with his seat belt to escape the now flaming vehicle, uncaring if the creature saw his movements.


    He stopped when he felt the truck began to wobble. The new direction meant most of the vehicle¡¯s weight was not at an angle, and the car creaked and cracked as it rolled onto its driver¡¯s side and back right side up.


    Koa threw the doors open and rolled away as the engine began to ignite in earnest.


    The Minotaur huffed and stomped at the vehicle before going back to digging around for whatever it had been searching for.


    Koa ducked against another rocky outcropping as he patted himself for a weapon. Even in the rain, she could see his eyes go wide, and his mouth form the words¡¯ oh no¡¯ as his head slowly turned back to the Minotaur.

 Chapter Twelve: Horns Against The Storm (Part III)

    They watched as the beast gave a gleeful chomp, standing up on its hind legs like a bear before thumping back on the ground. When it picked its head up, she saw it holding the sword Koa had been wielding at the hospital the night before between its human-like teeth.


    Leta wouldn¡¯t ask why a Minotaur would want a weapon it couldn¡¯t wield when she turned back to Koa¡¯s duffel bag.


    Emboldened by its obvious distraction, she quickly crawled to the bag and saw that it was partially open from earlier, and Leta reached inside. Her hand met all manner of textures: rough and bumping metal, smooth metal, wood, and plastic. Eventually, she felt the gun handle and heard the monster loose another low, ominous growl.


    Her heart sank, and she slowly raised her head to see that the Minotaur was looking dead at her, black eyes wide as its nostrils flared.


    It stomped at the ground in challenge, sword still in its mouth before it let loose a bellow of anger as it charged.


    Leta didn¡¯t think. She just extracted the handgun from the bag, aimed, and pulled the trigger.


    The gun clicked, empty.


    ¡°Oh no.¡± Leta breathed before throwing herself to the side as the monster nearly stampeded over her.


    ¡°Freeze!¡± She shouted at it but got a notification from Gada.


    [The Host has attempted persuasion. The target¡¯s mental fortitude is higher than the Host¡¯s. Persuasion has failed.]


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Leta shouted, then shrieked as it charged at her again.


    Leta reached a hand outward, mentally grabbed hold of a rock the size of both her fists, and used her abilities to hurl it at the monster.


    It didn¡¯t even blink as it ran at her, forcing her to roll again at the last second.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use that to pull the bag towards you?¡± Koa shouted as thunder cracked above them.


    ¡°I¡¯m new! Give me a break!¡± She called back before rolling again. This time, the Minotaur was ready for her, and it turned its head at the last second, intending to jab one of its horns into her stomach.


    Leta reached out on instinct and grabbed hold of it in time to pull it aside, keeping her from being impaled but now trapped between the beast¡¯s horns.


    She screamed as she used all her strength to keep the monster from bashing its head into her stomach and pulverizing her organs when it suddenly pulled its head back and slapped at her with its front paw.


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    Leta hadn¡¯t had enough time to pull her hand up to block the strike as the blow connected against her side. It threw her several meters, and she skittered across the rough pebbles before hitting a giant rock.


    [The Host has taken bludgeoning damage from Corrupted-Minotaur. The Host has sustained internal bleeding, a cracked rib, a dislocated shoulder, and a laceration. Movement in the left arm is diminished. Bleed is in effect. Nanites rerouted for repair.]


    She coughed as the wind that had been knocked out of her came rushing back, her blood spitting from her mouth as she pulled herself up on her side.


    The Minotaur paced, tail lashing from side to side as it sized up its prey, the wild look in its all-black eyes seeming to convey that it thought she was an easy target. Like a mountain goat, it lifted onto its hind legs to be as intimidating as possible, grunting in challenge as if to protect its property.


    That all too familiar anger that surfaced when she was under attack bubbled to the surface like pockets of poison from the depths of the abyss, her eyes narrowing at the creature that would dare to try and end her.


    It was building, frothing under her skin.


    It set her teeth on edge and tightened her muscles as she met its gaze, the fear of a painful death now in the backseat as that raging flame of survival took the wheel.


    The beast didn¡¯t even notice the tiny snaps of static electricity dancing around her, so blind was it to anything but destroying what it deemed a threat to its desires.


    The monster let out a scream of a victory as its front paws landed on the ground with an earth-shattering thud before it kicked off, head lowered like a bull to a matador as it intended to ram her through.


    Leta put one hand out towards the beast, all of her pent-up emotions flooding out of her as a torment of electricity arched out of her outstretched fingers and slammed into her adversary.


    It shrieked in pain, the metal sword in its mouth frying the Minotaur¡¯s tongue as it acted as a conduit to her attack. It stumbled, knees buckling as aftershocks bounced through its muscles, and shook its head to try and clear the cobwebs.


    [Internal bleeding has been repaired. The healing process of cracked rib and dislocation has begun.]


    Leta rose on shaky legs, sparks of electricity hovering around her like angry spirits made even more erratic by the storm.


    The Minotaur had barely gotten back on its feet when she opened her hand to thrust another bolt at it.


    It screamed as its body locked in pain, hair singing as her electricity hit it on the side of the face, causing one eyeball to burst and bleed.


    That fear in the backseat wanted to throw up at the sight, but this was the anger¡¯s show now.


    And the anger wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    Leta took another step towards it, hurling another bolt.


    The sky above seemed to roar with applause as lightning clapped between the clouds, spreading its web like the hand of god above her.


    Another step, another bolt.


    The Minotaur¡¯s leg gave out as its muscles quivered, her electricity frying nerve endings and tearing tendons.


    It shrieked in agony, shaking its massive head from side to side, black eyes wide as it was beheld the tiny but terrifying creature before it. Even as the sword between its teeth amplified her attacks, its simple mind couldn¡¯t fathom letting what it wanted to go.


    Leta was so close now that she could see her silhouettes in its eyes, her lightning creating a halo of destruction around her head.


    It was petrified, a massive creature the size of a dinosaur reduced to naught but a mouse staring down a tiger.

 Chapter Twelve: Horns Against The Storm (Part IV)

    Leta gritted her teeth against the creature¡¯s hot breath as she stared it down, that ugly side of her that was in control reveling in its terror. She could feel the energy of the storm above and around her.


    It mirrored the roiling destruction within, like calling to like.


    Fearless, she reached one blood-soaked hand outward and wrapped her fingers around its horn, small snaps of lightning branding the creature and searing its flesh.


    [Corrupted-Minotaur. Inert Nanites: 1,782,925. Absorb inert Nanites? Yes/No?]


    ¡°Fuck. Yes.¡± Leta growled each word through clenched teeth.


    [Host has selected yes. Absorbing Inert Nanites.]


    The monster bellowed in agony and terror as its very essence was sucked out of it. Leta felt like her body was swelling with vitality, the heady flush of energy making her skin so feverish she expected steam to start rising off her.


    Power was pouring into her as a lightning bolt struck a hill so close that even in the rain, her hair began to float around her from the static in the air.


    Under her hand, the hair of the beast withered as its muscled body began to age. What had once been the size of a minivan quickly diminished to the size of a shaggy horse. Still, it struggled to break free from her grasp, its head shaking as if maybe, just maybe, it could get free and run away with its prize.


    It snorted and twitched, bovine noises becoming hoarser and rougher, the sword dropping from its mouth as lightning struck the fiery truck only a few meters away from them.


    But it couldn¡¯t break free.


    As its vitality was leached away, Leta¡¯s power increased until she felt like she was at the point of bursting like a too-full water balloon.


    All her focus was on the monster in front of her, its hair smoking and chard, eyes glazed as its vision dissipated along with its Nanites.


    Leta could feel the storm swelling above her, the snap of atoms in the clouds ready to unleash super-heated potential.


    And she welcomed it.


    She called to it even though she knew she was already in such an unstable state.


    The power within her was too much. She could feel it tickling between her organs and searing at the tiny cuts that healed, burst open from her power, then healed again.


    With each jolt of power, she thought the energy would lessen and gradually disappear, but as lightning cracked and thunder boomed around them, the energy above seemed to fan the flames of her destructive power.


    In her mind, she could visualize a pressure gauge that cracked as her body took in the vibrating energy of the storm that her mortal form couldn¡¯t sustain for long periods and the Nanites that instantly healed any wound inflicted by being stuffed with power.


    It was a vicious cycle of destruction and restoration over and over again.


    She knew she needed to let this power loose, but like grabbing hold of a live wire, she couldn¡¯t let this power go so quickly.


    It needed an outlet.


    It needed a victim.


    The Minotaur pawed at the ground, a feeble attempt to push away as it sensed its coming doom.


    But it was no use.


    It looked up, nearly blind as the last seconds of its life ticked by, to behold an incarnation of chaos.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    A storm encased in skin and rage.


    Like called to like.


    A blue-white bolt of lightning split the night, arching from the clouds to hit her Leta, instantly vaporizing the droplets that had collected on her skin and searing her clothes.


    A bellow of wrath and ruin ripped from her throat as she acted as the conduit to thrust the storm¡¯s power into the beast, eyes unblinking as she willed the very essence of the power of the storm into her adversary.


    This was not your typical summer storm lightning.


    This was the gathering of the storm¡¯s entire destructive force into one single blow.


    The Minotaur threw its head back, its jaw dislodging as its body contorted in tortuous agony.


    Leta grabbed the sword¡¯s hilt before it could slip free from the creature¡¯s mouth, keeping it in place as she punched more and more lightning through the beast.


    [Atlanite weapon detected.]


    Leta ignored the notification, her entire being focused on eradicating what was before her.


    The Minotaur was dead in a heartbeat, body locked in twisted agony as the last thing it knew was the white-hot heat of a burning star and the face of a being that shouldn¡¯t exist.


    Its skin peeled away and turned to ash, its body acting as a pressure cooker and causing its organs to liquefy only for its blood and bones to turn to dust on the breeze.


    Muscles and hair vaporized as a torrent of electricity with the destructive power of a raging sun, blasting through the charred remains to turn the stone beneath it into molten liquid.


    For countless seconds Leta held the bolt of lightning in place, its continuous force blasting out windows in homes and cars for miles in every direction as it began to suck away the air around them.


    She could feel the clothes on her back burning to cinders but held the storm¡¯s power in place until even the beast¡¯s shadow was nothing more than motes of dust and regret that vanished into the rain.


    As immediately as the lightning came, it vanished, and the clouds above them suddenly became silent, save for the rain pattering against the still-burning truck.


    Leta¡¯s muscles twitched uncontrollably, arches of electricity moving through and around her, as the lingering energy of the storm-ravaged her internally. Her skin cracked and bled with each movement before the wound healed immediately, just as another crack appeared.


    ¡®It¡¯s still too much.¡¯ Leta thought through chattering teeth just as Gada notified her.


    [Host has absorbed the kinetic force of a lightning storm. Though much has been depleted, the remaining force is too great for the Host to consume now. The Host must dispel the energy before serious internal injury occurs.]


    Leta did feel like she was about to be ripped apart by the energy still inside her. She could feel muscles clenching and unclenching, straining like metal wires handling a load that was too heavy for it.


    Fingers tightened as she shoved the sword from its sheath and raised it above her head.


    With a scream, she thrust the sword into the earth, cutting through stone and rock a knife through wet paper And letting loose the energy that was inside her.


    It poured out of her like a fire hydrant cut wide open, a hot flood of potential buried deep into the ground as she used the sword like a lightning rod.


    Into the earth, the energy went, absorbed, and redistributed among the rocks and roots till it was no more.


    Leta¡¯s breathing was hard as her death grip on the sword loosened, her muscles relaxing as the adrenaline and rage that had been fueling her was spent.


    Lightheaded, she looked up to the road above them and could make out the outline of the slinking Loupgarou watching them from above through the rain.


    It made no move to approach, its wary gaze fixed on her as if to gauge if it was the next target of her fury.


    Leta tried to stand from where she¡¯d been kneeling, but even rising a few inches had her lightheaded as her vision swam.


    [The Host has depleted stamina due to excessive channeling of kinetic energy. It is recommended that the Host rest until stamina has been restored.]


    ¡°Not if there¡¯s a fucking werewolf.¡± She groaned but stumbled into the mud around her, losing her grip on the weapon.


    ¡°Leta!¡± She heard Koa shout from a distance away as her head hit the ground, her lungs unable to get enough air as her heart continued to race unnaturally fast.


    She could feel the thump of his footsteps through the earth as he ran for her, but she never took her eyes off the monster watching them.


    ¡°Shite! Leta! Holy-are you-of course you¡¯re not okay.¡± Koa exclaimed, interrupting himself as he hovered over her.


    His touch was painful against her sensitive skin, but she only had the energy to flop one arm in the beast¡¯s direction as the edges of her vision began to dim.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ there¡­¡± She breathed, her lids heavy with exhaustion as she finally succumbed to all that had taken place.


    She didn¡¯t see Koa grab at the sword, only to wrench his hand free as its hot metal seared his flesh.


    She didn¡¯t see a Loupgarou¡¯s focused gaze track her even breathing before slinking away, vanishing into the darkness of the rain and the night.


    She didn¡¯t see the giant red-haired man and his black wolf run down the hill or remember the hands that pulled her onto a stretcher.


    But Koa did.


    He remembered a being of fire and destruction unleashed upon this world.


    He remembered the sound of her fury shattering his eardrums and the smell of her power as it set the air ablaze.


    He was in awe.


    And he was terrified of what fate held for this world because this being was in it.

 Chapter Thirteen: Oh Great, Another Hospital (Part I)

    The darkness she found herself in was becoming all too familiar as Leta¡¯s mind slowly floated up from the void into awareness.


    The blip of a heart monitor was the first thing that registered, followed soon after by the smell of disinfectant and the peaceful ambiance of conversations in the distance.


    Out of the void, she could hear an echo of her feverish skin as goose bumps crept over her arms exposed to fridge air.


    As her brain sluggishly crawled toward consciousness, she could sense more of her surroundings, like the rough texture of cheap cloth against her torso that seemed familiar and the slight weight of a blanket over her lower body.


    More than that, she started to understand her being better.


    She was exhausted. Her bones felt like paper straws, her muscles seemed to have the endurance of a marshmallow, and even the feel of her chest going up and down with her breathing felt like someone had put concrete blocks on her lungs.


    And she was tired. All she wanted to do was wrap the void around her again and pull her back into the darkness where nothing could touch her, and she could rest.


    She would have happily succumbed to her body¡¯s desire to sleep, but something tickled her brain that she couldn¡¯t ignore.


    A sensation like lead weighing down her heart grated against her psyche like rough sandpaper, insistent on being acknowledged.


    Worry, maybe?


    It was a struggle, but Leta took a deep breath and opened her heavy eyelids. Her vision was blurry, then cleared as she blinked away the cobwebs of her mind.


    Unadorned walls covered three sides of the room, with one taken up from floor to ceiling by a window overlooking a city. On the far wall were tasteful but cheap cabinets centered around a large TV playing reruns of a Greek game show.


    Next to her bed, Leta saw a medical setup monitoring her vitals, beeping away rhythmically as a saline bag dripped liquids into her through an IV.


    ¡°Oh, great.¡± Leta breathed, her eyes scrunching shut in distaste, ¡°Another hospital.¡±


    She focused, trying to remember what had happened for her to end up here.


    She remembered the bon voyage dinner with the rest of the dig team and getting a ride share with Vigo¡­


    Her eyes shot open as yellow eyes and shadow creatures flashed through her vision.


    The accident¡­


    Channeling the storm¡­


    Vigo¡¯s body in the mud¡­


    ¡°Vigo. Shit!¡± She hissed and tried to sit on her elbows, but even that was an effort as she felt around for the bedside report. It took a moment for her to pull it towards her so she could press the nurse call button.


    Her elevated heart rate must have tripped one of the nurse alert buttons because her door opened before she¡¯d even had a chance to press the button.


    In walked an elderly woman of maybe sixty with kind eyes and thick white hair that was artfully twisted into a bun on her head. Her pale face was weathered from years of fixing others, her sharp hazel eyes seeing much with a glance. She was dressed in a professional white collared shirt and black skirt, her low heels making a soft ¡®click clack¡¯ as she walked in and closed the door behind her.


    As the door shut, Leta caught a clean whiff of linen in the air and realized this woman was another Arisen.


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    The doctor smiled warmly like a grandmother seeing her grandchildren.


    ¡°Hello, dear.¡± Her soft voice held an odd accent that sounded vaguely Baltic, ¡°My name is Doctor Erienne Kudela. How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Uh. I¡¯m¡­ good.¡± Leta frowned, realizing that it was true. She was exhausted, but after being paralyzed from the neck down and channeling a bolt of lightning through her body, exhaustion was the only thing that was ailing her. ¡°Tired mostly. My muscles feel heavy like I¡¯d gone hard at the gym after not exercising for months.¡±


    Dr. Kudela nodded absently as she pressed some buttons on Leta¡¯s medical monitor, ¡°That¡¯s completely understandable. You¡¯ve been through quite an ordeal.¡±


    Satisfied with what she saw, she turned back to her patient, pulled back the sleeves of her white medical coat, and raised her hands, ¡°Now, let¡¯s have a look at you.¡±


    Delicate fingers pressed lightly to Leta¡¯s temples, and she watched as the older woman¡¯s hazel eyes flickered a swirling golden color.


    [Warning! A foreign entity is scanning the Host¡¯s vital signatures and gauging overall health. Malicious intent not detected.]


    Dr. Kudela¡¯s eyes flicked over her face as if looking through her to see something else. She held Leta¡¯s head in her hands for a few more moments before letting go with a smile.


    ¡°No healing needed from me. You¡¯re dehydrated and weak but should quickly make a full recovery.¡±


    She turned away, but Leta raised her hand to stop her. ¡°Excuse me. I was with someone when we crashed. My friend Vigo. Do you know what happened to him?¡±


    Something like uncertainty flickered across the older woman¡¯s eyes before she put on a kind smile. ¡°Oh, you must mean your Mundane friend. He¡¯s banged up, but due to his inebriated state, his body was fairly relaxed when you both were ejected from the vehicle. He has some broken bones, but we¡¯re working on healing those. I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re awake and let you see each other when it¡¯s alright to do so.¡±


    Leta sighed in relief, her head falling back as she smiled. ¡°Thank god. I thought he was dead.¡±


    ¡°You were both fortunate.¡± Dr. Kudela¡¯s voice was firm, lips tight as she gave Leta a stern look, ¡°You and young Koa were unnaturally lucky to have survived the crash, much less taking on a Minotaur without so much as a proper weapon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, jeez. Koa! What about him?¡±


    ¡°Unlike you two, Koa was smart enough to wear a seat belt and walked away with a few scrapes that had already healed. He¡¯s right as rain.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Leta sighed with a smile, then frowned. ¡°Now that that¡¯s out of the way¡­ where am I?¡±


    She turned her head to look at the large window wall overlooking the city. She could tell by the signs over the shops below them that they were still in Greece, but they were not in Santorini anymore.


    ¡°You¡¯re at the Aceso Hospital in Athens. It¡¯s one of two private hospitals in the country owned by Chosen. We have a handful of private rooms on the top floor reserved for our kind because, despite our great talents, we still get banged up and bruised. As you well found out.¡±


    She gave Leta a knowing look before her face got serious, and she grabbed a chair from the side and brought it over.


    Leta gulped. ¡°Uh oh. Doctors don¡¯t sit down to give people good news.¡±


    Dr. Kudela¡¯s lips twitched as she sat down, legs crossed professionally and her back straight as if she were addressing a head of state. ¡°You¡¯ve been out for about 36 hours now. After you passed out, our people collected you and brought you back to Athens by air to be treated. You¡¯ve healed up well on your own, but whatever you did back in Santorini put a lot of strain on your organs and muscles, and you need some prolonged therapy to ensure your body didn¡¯t heal something incorrectly.¡±


    At Leta¡¯s confused look, Dr. Kudela waved a hand as if swatting away a fly, ¡°It happens. Our bodies heal quickly, and sometimes that means broken bones that heal without being set properly will heal in harmful ways.¡±


    Leta cringed as she remembered the pain of the Nanites putting her back together, a shiver of terror tripping up her spine as she imagined if the Nanites had just healed her broken bones while they were still pointing in the wrong direction.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Dr. Kudela continued, ¡°Your body needs rest and time to regain strength, but I fear you don¡¯t have that right now. It¡¯s the afternoon, but your team would have discovered this morning that you and your friend didn¡¯t make it back to your accommodations. I¡¯m letting you know so you can process this because we¡¯ll have to decide soon what we¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°What do you-¡± Leta asked, but the elderly woman raised her hand to stop her. ¡°I just put our kind back together again, dear. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s making the decisions, but you¡¯re not the first person who¡¯s stumbled head over foot into our world. If you go back to living among the Mundane, there¡¯s an excellent probability that you¡¯ll continue to be hunted by the Blessed - they¡¯re the tainted faction of the Arisen, the creatures you met last night.¡± She explained when she saw Leta¡¯s furrowed brows. ¡°However, if you cut yourself off entirely from the Mundane, that would mean faking your death so you don¡¯t have any loose ends that could be in danger of associating with you.


    ¡°Oh, the other hand, you could keep up pretenses and continue to stay immersed in the Mundane world while also being part of the Arisen, but you could put those you love in the cross hairs if and when the Blessed decide to make you a priority.¡± ¡°Wow. You, uh, don¡¯t sugarcoat things.¡± Leta mumbled.

 Chapter Thirteen: Oh Great, Another Hospital (Part II)

    The older woman chuckled her laughter almost bell-like as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°Beating around the bush is for the guilty and those that work in sales. It is a lot to take in, and unfortunately, you¡¯re not going to get a lot of time to think it over. I can tell that you¡¯re smart enough to know when you¡¯re in a serious situation, and, well, this would be such an instance. How about this? I have some other patients to check in on. Give it a little thought, get your questions in order, and when I return, I¡¯ll answer them as best I can. Does that sound good?¡±


    Leta chewed on her lip and then nodded, realizing she had no choice.


    Dr. Kudela smiled sweetly and patted her hand. ¡°No need to look so concerned. I¡¯ll have one of the nurses bring you some lunch - I¡¯m sure you¡¯re famished.¡±


    At the mention of food, Leta¡¯s stomach made an ungodly noise that sounded like a dying whale. She¡¯d been so wrapped up in everything since waking up that she hadn¡¯t even noticed the cramping of her empty stomach.


    Dr. Kudela chuckled, daintily saying, ¡°Well, that settles that. The nurse will unhook you so you can use the bathroom and bring you something to get your strength back. Don¡¯t hesitate to press the call nurse button if you need anything.¡±


    When Leta was left alone, the emptiness of the room was like a haunted canyon, her thoughts like pestering specters as the accumulation of what was to her at least three days of consistent life-or-death situations nearly drove her mad.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± She breathed, running, shaking hands over her face as she relived everything in her mind.


    The werewolf- Loupgarou - and his transformation into the monstrous jackal creature.


    The Siren and her ability to control people.


    Koa and the red-haired giant with his black wolf.


    Leta held her arms up as she remembered her bones breaking and being put back together.


    Despite the ordeal, there wasn¡¯t a scratch or scar on her.


    She flipped her left arm back and forth, trying to see any physical signs that the fingers had been bent in the wrong direction, but everything looked fine.


    Fine¡­ but not normal.


    At least, not to her.


    Her fingers looked slimmer and longer, her forearms taught like a bow.


    She pulled the hospital gown sleeve back to look at one of her arms and was shocked that it was so emaciated. She¡¯d had fatty arms since she hit puberty - the product of a fairly sedentary life without a lot of major heavy lifting.


    She twisted her arm back and forth and couldn¡¯t see a single jiggle or bounce of fat on them.


    Bewildered, she ran a hand over her stomach, and through the blanket and hospital gown, she could feel the outline of her hipbones and a deep concave where her stomach was.


    ¡°Holy¡­ I¡¯m skin and bones.¡± She blinked in shock. ¡°Gada, what happened?¡±


    [The Host¡¯s physique uses fat stores as long-term power banks for energy. Nanites are capable of cannibalizing the fat particles within the host in an emergency where high percentages of the Host¡¯s body are damaged and require immediate attention to avoid death. This practice is used only as a matter of last resort, as the Host¡¯s fat is necessary to protect vital organs and manage necessary hormones within the body. The substantial damage sustained by being ejected from the vehicle and landing on a rocky surface required more energy than was readily available to the Nanites, and so most of the Host¡¯s emergency fat reserves were used in order to power the healing process.]


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    ¡°How much fat?¡± Leta was almost scared of the answer.


    [18 kilograms of fat were used during the healing process.]


    ¡°Jezzus¡­¡±


    She¡¯d lost the weight of a small boat engine overnight.


    [The Host currently has 1,783,882 inert Nanites available. The Host may utilize Nanites temporarily to convert ingested food into fat to replenish emergency energy supplies.]


    ¡°Uh¡­ skip that thought for now. How many inert Nanites?¡± She blinked, thinking she heard the hive mind incorrectly.


    [The Host currently has 1,783,882 inert Nanites which can be utilized for upgrades.]


    Stunned, Leta stared absently out the window.


    She¡¯d only gotten about 400 Nanites out of the super fancy meal they¡¯d eaten just before everything went sideways, and that was better than the 50 Nanite she got from her coffee date with Vigo and Pilar.


    To have gotten this many Nanites in one go, she would have had to consume over 35,000 lattes and croissants.


    ¡°Wow. Just¡­ wow. Okay. One thing at a time. So¡­ Let¡¯s start from the beginning. Can you provide another diagnostic report from the fight?¡±


    [Based on calculations, the Host received the most damage during the confrontation from being ejected from the vehicle while it was moving at high speeds. It is recommended that the host increase their constitution as well replacing major joints and bones with Atlanite.]


    Leta pursed her lips. This was something she¡¯d need to make a priority if she was going to continue getting into scraps with the supernatural.


    [Congratulations. The Host has wielded voltage twenty times higher than was previously possible at their level without being destroyed by the same power. In addition, the Host maintained a voltage over 1,000,000 times greater than their level without being destroyed. Electric Misconduct has reached Level 5. The Host is now able to generate 500 million volts of electricity in a single interaction. The Host can maintain up to 30,00,000 volts of electricity while concentrating.


    Congratulations. The Host has discovered the passive Skill Software, Herald of the Storm. By channeling the entire kinetic energy of a storm through the body and surviving, the Host¡¯s Nanites have attuned themselves to anticipate the positive and negative charges and air insulation capacity of storm clouds. Sensing oncoming storms comes easily to the Host. In addition, the Host is able to draw in positive and negative charges when immersed in a storm, resulting in a more powerful Electric Misconduct attack.


    Congratulations. The Host wields a two-handed ranged weapon and understands basic mastery. The Host has unlocked their first combat skill, Mechanized Ranged Weapons: Level One. Combat software is now available.]


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± She hissed as Gada listed off all the improvements she received from last night.


    She hadn¡¯t expected channeling the lightning would bump up her mastery by four levels in one go.


    As amazed as she was at how quickly she¡¯d leveled, Leta wasn¡¯t keen to try and pull such a stunt a second time, so close were the memories of the electricity broiling her organs.


    By all rights, she should have died. The heat of the lightning was equivalent to the surface of the sun, and she¡¯d held it for close to twenty seconds.


    If she hadn¡¯t been pulling Nanites out of the Minotaur as she was doing it, her Nanites wouldn¡¯t have had the energy needed to heal what the lightning was destroying inside her.


    At the same time, she came to terms with the fact that she¡¯d most likely have to put herself in the same risky situation in order to survive, considering she¡¯d now been fully absorbed into a world of legendary figures.


    ¡°Thanks, Gada. Now, let¡¯s have a look at Upgrades.¡±


    [Upgrade Options Available:


    Physical Characteristic Reconstruction: The Host can make changes to their physical appearance. This upgrade is affected by the inert Nanites available.


    Internal Characteristic Reconstruction: The Host is able to make changes to their internal structure, including the creation of artificial enhancements and structures. This upgrade is affected by the inert Nanites available.


    Combat Skills: The Host masters basic proficiency in the following combat areas - unarmed hand-to-hand, dagger, short sword, hand-and-a-half sword, long sword, claymore, archery, spear, battleaxe, kopesh, and mace. This skill software requires 1,002,431 inert Nanites.


    Arc Chain: When the Host unleashes a bolt of lightning and hits a target, there is a possibility of hitting other targets within a five-meter radius depending on the number of targets and their proximity to each other. This skill software requires 600,045 inert Nanites.


    Gremlin¡¯s Trick: Utilizing Electric Misconduct and Magician¡¯s Hand allows the Host to manipulate electrical currents and wires from a distance of 10 meters. This skill software requires 539,474 inert Nanites.


    Storm Witch - Level One: Like calls to like. The Host can command the heating and cooling of storm clouds for two minutes, causing massive lightning storms to weaken or giving a driving cloud the fuel it would need to later become a hurricane. This skill software requires 800,626 inert Nanites.]


    Leta ran a finger over her lower lip, thinking about the upgrades that had become available.

 Chapter Thirteen: Oh Great, Another Hospital (Part III)

    Obviously, some kind of combat skill would come in handy since she could almost guarantee she¡¯d end up in another scuffle.


    Gremlin¡¯s Trick wasn¡¯t exactly her style. She couldn¡¯t see an instance at this time where she¡¯d need to hot wire something, but you¡¯d have to be an idiot not to see it¡¯s potential. It was also the first time she¡¯d seen two ¡®skill branches¡¯ cross to form a skill that used such different talents.


    If this is what she currently had while having Electric Misconduct and Magician¡¯s Hand, just imagine if she had the ability to control water.


    Pushing thoughts of water bending away, she turned back to reviewing the options.


    Storm Witch and Arc Chain were both serious skills to consider. The idea of calling a storm to her was tempting, considering she already had the Herald of the Storm skill that would make her electricity more powerful when she was in a storm. On the other hand, Arch Chain would be great when going up against a lot of enemies at once. If she¡¯d had that skill last night, she could have probably taken out all three of the Hell Hounds at once.


    The question was, what was more important? Crowd control, or firepower?


    Leta sighed, knowing that these choices would have to be made after some minor upgrades.


    ¡°Gada, up all my stats across the board by two.¡±


    [Converting 12,000 inert Nanites now.]


    She winced as a migraine flashed across her brain. She could feel her skin cells toughening as her vision became even more clear and defined. Even from across the room, she could see the individual tubes of light on the screen of the television as easily as reading words in a book.


    [1,771,882 inert Nanites remaining.]


    ¡°Constitution helps me to take a hit. How high does it have to be to not break a leg next time I get thrown out of a moving vehicle?¡±


    [Based on the Host¡¯s current physiology, calculations indicate that a Constitution of 42 would prevent the injuries that were sustained. However, it would be recommended to also increase power, stamina, reflexes, and bone density in order to compensate for the changes to the Host¡¯s body from such an increase.]


    ¡°Can you go further into that? I know if I dump a lot into power I¡¯ll Hulk out but my muscles will explode off my bones. What happens if I dump all my points into Constitution without balancing it out?¡±


    [Constitution affects the overall resiliency of the Host¡¯s natural bodily protections. While the most obvious of these protections is tightening the bonds between skin cells in order to prevent piercing damage, it also includes layers of fat and muscle tissue to protect internal organs as well as reinforced skeletal structures resilient to bludgeoning and fall damage. When Constitution is overcompensated without support, it may lead to muscles, fat, and skin tissue that is rigid and motionless. This could lead to slower movement speeds and self-injury as the body breaks its own skin and muscle cell bonds in order to function.]


    ¡°Ew, gross.¡± Leta wrinkled her nose as she visualized her skin splitting open if she so much as sneezed.


    [It is indeed an unpleasant experience. Persons with unnaturally high constitutions without aspects to support them become living statues, unable to move for fear of breaking their own, indestructible bodies apart.]


    ¡°Jezzus. Wow, okay. Let¡¯s not do that. How about if I up my constitution by four? Would that be bad?¡±


    [Increasing Constitution by four will not have negative effects on the Host¡¯s overall physiology at this time. However, it would be beneficial to also increase Power and Stamina by at least one to further support this change.]


    ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s make it so. Up Constitution by four and Power and Stamina by one.¡±


    [Converting 6,000 inert Nanites]


    Leta watched in fascination as her body adapted to the changes quickly, her almost anorexic-looking body filling out ever so slightly so that she looked skinny but not sickly like before.


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    [1,765,882 inert Nanites remaining.]


    ¡°Can you go further into detail about replacing the bones with Atlanite? I know earlier you explained the concept of why it¡¯s a good idea, but after going through two fights, what are the best options to take based on the previous experiences?¡±


    [In both situations, the Host received trauma to the ribs which resulted in fractures, breaks, and punctured lungs. Based on the most common traumas received during both instances, it would be recommended to replace the rib cage with Atlanite to protect the lungs and heart. The host does not have the required Nanites to replace the entire rib cage, but the host can use 1,755,399 available inert Nanites in order to replace the four middle ribs, which are the most common ribs to break and the most likely to cause injury.


    [Another recommended option is to replace the Ulma and Radius bones in both forearms. Opening the Combat Skill Software options suggests that the Host now has access to basic training, allowing the Host to utilize their forearms as an internal shield during the confrontation. In future situations, the Host can use their forearms for both defense and offense, unlike the ribs, which would be used for defense only. This option would require 1,765,692 inert Nanites to complete.


    [It should be noted by the host that since both are made of Atlanite, both options introduce inert Nanite storage capabilities. Replacing the Host¡¯s ribs would increase the Host¡¯s Nanite storage capacity from 5,120,453 to 5,705,586, and replacing the Host¡¯s forearms would increase capacity to 5,709,017. It should also be noted that replacing skeletal structures with Atlanite is permanent and cannot be undone.]


    Leta bit her lip as she pondered her options.


    Now that she had all the facts about the Atlanite bones, she realized that if she picked either of the skill software she¡¯d be turning herself into a glass cannon - super powerful but easily damaged.


    On the other hand, in both instances where she¡¯d had to fight to survive, it had been her electricity that had saved her life, allowing her to decimate the Nixie and literally disintegrate the Minotaur. If you could upgrade from a bow and arrow to a tank, wouldn¡¯t you?


    Then again, in both fights, she¡¯d been forced to survive thanks to her lightning because she didn¡¯t have a lot of defensive skills on her own. Persuasion was a very helpful skill, but she¡¯d learned that it didn¡¯t mean everything she met would be susceptible to it and it wouldn¡¯t be a good strategy to rely on it.


    In the end, she knew she¡¯d need to go replace parts of her with Atlanite for added protection, but what?


    Gada was right, her ribs had taken a lot of beatings in both instances. The memory of white-hot pain searing her insides as a broken rib pierced her lung twice had her shivering. She could happily pay the price for this alteration if it meant avoiding that again.


    But then, changing her ribs to Atlanite for protection, was just that - protection. It didn¡¯t provide any benefits in regard to offense, other than allowing her to store more inert Nanites. Replacing her forearms would allow her to use them for defense from multiple angles while also acting as a conduit for applying force during hand-to-hand situations. The downside was, that she was woefully inexperienced in hand-to-hand she might as well be an infant going against a world-class heavyweight.


    Before she could make a decision, she was startled by the sound of the door handle rattling open.


    Inside walked a young woman around Leta¡¯s age wearing the light teal scrubs of a nurse that stood out against her olive complexion. Her thick hair was tied back in a messy bun which made the twinkle of mischief in her dark black eyes all the more easy to spot. She was smiling as she held a tray of food, closing the door behind her with her foot when Leta realized that this woman was another Arisen.


    ¡°Hey there!¡± She greeted cheerily with an Arabic accent, ¡°I¡¯m Afra. Got your lunch. Hope you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    Leta¡¯s stomach took that moment to make a rather loud impression of a dinosaur. ¡°Oh my gosh, I am so sorry.¡±


    Afra laughed, putting the tray on the rolling table and positioning it in front of her, ¡°Don¡¯t be. I heard you¡¯re new to all this. I¡¯d say welcome, but I¡¯ve never met a single person who had a pleasant experience being brought into the fold. Anyway, you¡¯re going to find that all Arisen get super hungry after using their talents a lot or getting seriously injured. Hopefully, you don¡¯t have to actually find that out a lot, but you know, it is what it is.¡±


    The spread before Leta would have put her off if she wasn¡¯t so famished. Unlike the hospital in Santorini, the food before her was nothing short of decadent. An artisan sandwich, fluffy mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, fresh sliced chicken, a Mediterranean salad, and a sweet honey roll had her mouth-watering.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m about to be very unladylike.¡± She exhaled, to which the nurse waved her hand as she took up the chair Dr. Kudela had been in before.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be! Eat up.¡±


    Leta didn¡¯t need much more prompting and quickly devoured the sandwich in record time.


    She was taking a sip of water when she looked up to see the nurse was reading something on her phone. ¡°Hey, Ismenesays you should pick the forearms option.¡±


    Leta nearly choked on her water at the casual remark. ¡°What?¡±


    Afra shrugged, not even bothering to look up from the phone, ¡°Not sure what it¡¯s for. She just sent a text to give to you saying ¡®Pick the forearms option¡¯, whatever that means. Also, she said not to tell anyone about the bugs. Gross.¡±


    Leta¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock, the feast in front of her nearly forgotten. ¡°Who¡¯s Ismene?¡±


    ¡°Oh, crap. You haven¡¯t met her yet.¡± Afra winched, ¡°Sorry, sometimes it¡¯s easy to forget with Ismene. She¡¯s the Priestess for Athens, and she sees the future. You¡¯ll like her, she¡¯s also an American. Anyway, she just put an emphasis on the bugs part, so you¡¯re really not supposed to talk about that. Annnd she just sent another text that she¡¯ll explain tonight, so I guess you¡¯ll probably get released today. Good for you.¡±

 Chapter Fourteen: The Blessed and the Chosen (Part I)

    ¡°Hold up, what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably going to be released today.¡±


    ¡°No, not that.¡± Leta sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°A Priestess? A Priestess of what?¡±


    Afra looked at her quizzically, then sighed as if she¡¯d just realized she¡¯d forgotten something, ¡°Right, you¡¯re new to this. Sorry. Goodness, where to start¡­¡± She took a moment to sort her thoughts before looking back up, ¡°Okay, so you were in a life-and-death situation, right?¡±


    Leta blew out a breath ¡°Like, every ten minutes.¡±


    Afra snorted but continued, ¡°And while this whole thing was going on, you had a vision, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes?¡±


    ¡°So, there are two kinds of Arisen: those that have a vision when they ascend and those that do not. The vision that you experienced is in direct connection to your class, which is determined by the sum of your talents - Talents are what we refer to as your powers.¡± Afra interrupted herself as she realized she was leaving out key details.


    She continued, ¡°Talents come in all shapes and sizes. See the future, be super fast or strong, able to control different elements, blend in with the shadows, make flowers bloom; you get the idea. Anyway, your talents decide your class, and what your class can do or is about is reflected in the vision you have during your ascension. Following so far?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡± Leta nodded, taking a cautious bite of her vegetables.


    [40 inert Nanites consumed.]


    ¡®Wow, this stuff is really, really good.¡¯ she thought to herself.


    Afra waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Anyway, back to the two types of Arisen. There are those like us who have a vision when we ascend, who are called the Chosen. Then, some don¡¯t have a vision when they ascend and call themselves the Blessed. You¡¯ve unfortunately had a few run-ins with their kind.¡±


    Leta paused, ¡°The monsters?¡±


    ¡°Bingo.¡± Afra smirked, ¡°Most of the Blessed have a taste for eating Chosen but will happily munch on Mundanes, and the Chosen consider it their duty to protect the Mundane and rid the world of Blessed. The classic ¡®I hunt you, you hunt me¡¯ relationship. You got a chance to see that last night, unfortunately.¡±


    ¡°Why are they called Blessed and Chosen?¡±


    The nurse shrugged, ¡°There¡¯s some theological debate, but the general idea is that the chosen derive from ancient Demi-gods and were ¡®chosen,¡¯¡± She said with hands making quotation gestures, ¡°To guard the human race from the shadows against some great evil. Legend has it that some of the more nefarious Demi-gods got hold of something they weren¡¯t supposed to touch, and, well, it didn¡¯t go well for them. The gods turned them into monsters, every one of them. But these guys didn¡¯t see it as a curse, quite the opposite, actually. They saw themselves as free from the perceived shackles of their lineage, so they started calling themselves the Blessed. And, well, we¡¯ve been at each other¡¯s necks ever since.¡±


    Leta swallowed a bite of her sandwich, looking over the nurse quizzically. ¡°Demi-gods?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the most widely believed explanations.¡±


    She took her fork and stabbed her vegetables. ¡°What do you believe?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Afra grinned, ¡°I dunno. This isn¡¯t some Percy whatever-the-heck-his-name is book. Saying that we¡¯re decendents from gods seems a little blasphemous. Still¡­¡±


    She trailed off, entirely looking to the side before raising her hand.


    Leta watched in shock and fascination as tiny flames appeared like magic around her open palm, flicks of fire wrapping around her fingers like serpents.


    The nurse turned her hand back and forth, watching the flames dance over her skin with a look of calm wonder.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to do the impossible yourself and not think there¡¯s some sort of divine work at play, no?¡± Her question hung in the air as she made a fist, the fire extinguishing as quickly as it came.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Leta breathed in awe. Besides herself and the Blessed, she¡¯d never seen anyone do anything supernatural. ¡°That was¡­¡±


    Afra smirked, ¡°Like I said, there are all kinds of talents. Mine revolve around fire creation and manipulation.¡±


    She frowned, ¡°What class are you? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m what¡¯s called a Hearth Maiden. Remember, the Chosen are supposed to lead and protect the Mundane as best they can from the shadows while following the rules. But also keep in mind that these classes are old. If we were working with AI computers, these guys were working with cave paintings to give you an example of how antiquated some of these classes are. That being said, mine is what¡¯s called a Hearth Maiden. Supposedly, the Hearth Maidens provided heat for households, kept buildings lit at night, and also provided fire for ceremonies and lit the forges for the smiths.¡±


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°However,¡± She exclaimed with a mischievous grin, ¡°You¡¯re going to learn that it¡¯s not about what your class used to be about. It¡¯s how you use your talents that¡¯s important. Being able to control fire means I can casuterize wounds and sense flammable materials, which is important in a hospital, right?¡±


    ¡°Between you and me,¡± She leaned in as if she was going to tell an important secret, ¡°If there was a large enough fire, I could turn it into a miniature firestorm and suck the air out of a building. I¡¯m not saying I would, but in our line of work, it¡¯s always good to have a trump card.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s terrifying.¡± Leta¡¯s smile was that of someone trying to appease a crazy person.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m inquisitive about you.¡± Afra put an elbow on her knee and tapped her chin with a finger, ¡°You¡¯ve got this place absolutely buzzing.¡±


    She frowned, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s see¡­ Successfully fought a Nixie as a proverbial newborn, then pushed back a Siren with a word, paralyzed a Hell Hound, and turned a Minotaur literally to dust with a storm.¡± Afra counted them on her fingers, ¡°All in about 24 hours. Come on! How could you not make people lose their minds?¡±


    ¡°You control fire.¡± Leta pointed out.


    ¡°And you controlled a lightning storm. A literal force of nature.¡± Afra gave her a look that said, ¡®Oh honey, please,¡¯ ¡°Give yourself some credit.¡±


    ¡°Is that so unique? I mean, you control flames. That just boggles the noddle.¡±


    Afra beamed, ¡°Why thank you. And yes, the combination of your talents is unheard of. Heck, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if no one¡¯s ever heard of a class like yours - I certainly haven¡¯t. Go down the list with me, will you? Maybe I¡¯ll narrow it down.¡±


    ¡°You mean my list of- what did you call it? Talents?¡±


    Afra nodded, smiling and sitting nicely like an eager student.


    Leta shook her head, ¡°Okay. Um, I guess you could say lightning is my big one.¡±


    ¡°Kind of hard to miss.¡±


    ¡°I can also do something called Persuasion. That¡¯s what I used on the Siren and the Hell Hound.¡±


    The nurse pursed her lips in thought. ¡°I think some more political classes have something like that, but they¡¯re not elemental talents. What else?¡±


    ¡°I can do this.¡± Leta focused on her plastic cutlery, which rose into the air, hanging above her meal as if gravity had been switched off.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Afra exclaimed, getting up from her chair to get a better look at the spork that was slowly turning in the air, just like one would imagine on the International Space Station. Carefully, she plucked it from the air and examined it but couldn¡¯t feel any changes in its mass.


    She held her hand out, and Leta made the spork rise into the air before slowly setting it down on the plate.


    ¡°That is so trippy.¡± Afra giggled, pulling her hand back and holding it to her chest when the plastic cutlery left her hand.


    ¡°There¡¯s gotta be others that can do that, right?¡± Leta raised an eyebrow as she took a bite of the sweet bread.


    ¡°I mean, yeah, but those are the heavily mental and magic-based classes. Magician and Alchemist, I think.¡± Afra scowled, her earlier wonder at Leta¡¯s display of power turning to confusion. ¡°But elemental classes can¡¯t do that, and certainly not the political classes. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Leta thought momentarily before responding, ¡°Oh, I can understand any language after listening to someone speak it. I can see well in the dark, almost like daytime. Also, if I focus I can tell when someone is lying to me, but I¡¯ll be honest, no one¡¯s essentially lied to me since I arose, so I haven¡¯t done much in testing that out.¡±


    Afra scratched her head, becoming even more confused with each talent Leta listed. ¡°Nothing you¡¯re saying makes any sense. Lie detection is possible with some of the civil classes like Judges, and night vision is a skill that only Hunters have. And then linguistic skills are reserved for Scribes. None of these talents are things that work together with each other.¡±


    She shook her head, stumped. ¡°For my life, I have no idea what all that adds up to. Maybe we can get a clue. Do you remember the vision you had when you ascended? Can you describe it?


    Leta pursed her lips, memories of that moment in her life surfacing along with the echos of pain and agony as the system entered her body.


    Silver wings.


    A flash of blue light.


    A temple of white marble cloaked in shadows.


    A silver angel haloed in starlight.


    The light of a new day dawning on a world that burned in ruin.


    ¡°I saw an ancient world,¡± She intoned, lost in the memory of what she¡¯d seen, ¡°And dead language written in stone, but it was too fuzzy for me to remember. There was a white-haired angel and a crown made of silver and white with blue gems¡­¡±


    A noise from Afra snapped Leta from her memories. The nurse was looking at her wide-eyed in shock, her mouth opening and closing in shock like a fish out of water.


    ¡°Holy¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Leta snapped, ¡°Is that bad?¡±


    ¡°N-no! I mean, maybe. Wow¡­¡± Afra stuttered. Her face had visibly paled at what Leta had described.


    She swallowed loudly, eyes wide as she slowly asked, ¡°Who was wearing the crown? Was it you?¡±


    Leta paused, her mind aching as she tried to remember.


    It was like pulling out a diamond lost in quicksand as she grappled with the memory as if her subconscious had intentionally buried it.


    Slowly, the edges of the vision began to clear.


    The silver-white hair, the pale white skin, the runic symbols of power etched into her skin over her cheeks and down her arms and legs.


    Her skin.


    She could see herself in the outline of her face, the curve of her eyebrows, the set of her lips, and how she held her head high.


    It was her, Leta, but it also wasn¡¯t here.


    The angel in her vision was tall and athletic but not bulky, her physique similar to that of an Olympic swimmer. The hair was silver-white instead of her honey blonde and very long, coming down to the small of her back instead of where it was around her shoulders.


    But the most important features were her opal eyes that flickered with different colors in their irises and a pair of massive silver wings that protruded from her back.


    The wings were grand but odd. They were relatively shaped like a bird¡¯s, but they looked almost metallic. Instead of the normal webbing and plumage of a normal feather, these feathers were flat and rather sharp looking, an odd white-blue light emanating from their edges and layered over each other like loose-scaled chain mail.


    The longer Leta held the vision in her mind, the more precise the vision of her angelic self came to her as if everything else had faded away.


    ¡°Me.¡± She whispered. ¡°It¡¯s me. I¡¯m wearing the crown.¡±


    [Monarch.] Gada said in a nearly reverent tone, [One who rules above all.]

 Chapter Fourteen: The Blessed And The Chosen (Part II)

    ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± Afra exhaled, nearly hyperventilating. ¡°Oh my¡­¡±


    Her distress broke Leta from the vision. ¡°Seriously, what? You¡¯re making me nervous.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I am too low on the food chain to be speaking to you. This is reserved for people way above my pay grade.¡± Afra muttered, hands up as if trying to show that she wasn¡¯t dangerous as she slowly stood from her seat.


    ¡°Jezzus, Afra, just tell me.¡± Leta squinted her eyes in annoyance. The woman had been more than happy to treat her like everyone else, yet suddenly started acting like Leta was supposed to be given a wide berth.


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯ll go get Atreus. He¡¯s the head of the Athen¡¯s sect. He¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°Afra, stop!¡± Leta growled, her voice going low as Persuasion came to the surface.


    [Host has used the skill, Persuasion. Persuasion successful.]


    The woman stopped in her tracks, her body stiff as if suddenly petrified. Her gaze was full of shock and fear. Her mouth parted slightly as if to gasp when she saw Leta¡¯s eyes glowing an eerie blue in the afternoon light.


    At the woman¡¯s obvious distress, Leta looked away, releasing the hold she¡¯d inadvertently had on her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Just¡­ tell me what you think I am.¡± Leta sighed, trying to convey that she wasn¡¯t a threat, though the slowly fading glow of her eyes wasn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­Y-you¡¯re a Crown. I-I have to go.¡± Afra gulped before fleeing from the room as if running from a monster.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    [It would seem the images described from the Host¡¯s system integration process were a bit of a shock.]


    ¡°Yeah, I wonder why.¡±


    [Based on archive records, Crowns refer to the King/Queen classes, which were created to manage overall human populations in various regions under the guidance of the Atlantians. These classes were subjects of fear and awe by the general population due to their impressive mastery of software such as Persuasion and Command and highly advanced offensive skill software. During the Atlantian reign, these classes were sporadic, with less than 1% of the inoculated population attaining this class. In addition, all classes save for the Priest/Priestess class were programmed to be subservient to the King/Queen which, coupled with the King/Queen¡¯s passive software, Intimidation, would cause the general population to show reverence to those with the class.]


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Leta mused, partially out of academic curiosity at such a class, but also for inadvertently learning there were skills for Command and Intimidation.


    [Please remember that, as the Monarch, the Host will not be affected by the passive skills of Leadership designated classes.]


    Just then the door swung open forcefully and Vigo stumbled inside, his hair disheveled and dressed in nurse scrubs.


    ¡°Vigo-!¡± She started then went silent as he vigorously waved his hands to get her to stop.


    ¡°Shh!¡± He hissed as he quickly ran to her side. He had a cut over his left eye, bruises visible on his collarbone and shoulder, and one arm was bandaged in a temporary cast. He was certainly banged up from last night¡¯s events but seemed mostly fine, which is why his wide eyes and cautious facial expressions were so jarring to her.


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    ¡°We have to go. Now.¡± He told her, holding out another set of scrubs for her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s some unnatural stuff going on here, and we need to run.¡± He interrupted as he went to her medical display to unhook the IV. His worried gaze looked her over with an expression of horror. ¡°Oh god, what did they do to you!? You¡¯re nothing but skin and bones!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Vigo.¡± Leta tried to calm him down, but Vigo was in a state of panic.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not fine!¡± He snapped, his eyes going hard as if trying to explain a dire situation to a toddler. ¡°Who knows what they could have done to you. To us!¡±


    He held up his arm in the cast, ¡°Look at this! This was completely broken in the middle and bent so far back, I could have touched my shoulder without moving my elbow. Now it¡¯s just a hairline fracture.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, right?¡±


    ¡°In moments! I should be an amputee, but a little old lady pats my arm and suddenly I¡¯m walking around like I just took a hard fall. Now, come on! We need to leave.¡± He hurriedly pushed the food tray aside and put the scrubs in her lap.


    ¡°Wait, Vigo!¡± Leta hurriedly raised her hands so she didn¡¯t accidentally drop her cup of water, ¡°You need to calm down. Everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°Everything is not fine!¡± Vigo was starting to get frantic, ¡°I watched some woman put her hand on a mug and the water started bubbling. There¡¯s some really weird X-Men stuff going on here and we do not want to be a part of it.¡±


    He was anxiously pacing the room, going to each window and scanning the rooftops of nearby buildings as if he fully expected to see a sniper with their sights on him.


    ¡°We¡¯re probably their next target. We saw that werewolf and the shadow monsters. We know too much.¡± Vigo was mumbling to himself like a madman, ¡°That¡¯s it. We saw something we weren¡¯t supposed to see, and now they¡¯re keeping us here to turn us into one of them.¡±


    ¡°Vigo, calm down.¡± Leta intoned with her Persuasion skill.


    The effect was instant as the lines bracketing the man¡¯s mouth smoothed out and his wide gaze softened, his facial expression relaxing as if he¡¯d just gotten out of a trip to the spa.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± He slurred as he rocked on his feet as he gently turned back to look back at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of making people do things against their will, but I need you to listen.¡± She spoke slowly so that each word was understood. ¡°First, I¡¯m sorry you got pulled into all this. You were definitely not supposed to know about this crazy world you¡¯ve found. I¡¯m¡­ well I¡¯m new to all this myself, but I¡¯m what¡¯s called an Arisen. Long story short, we can do things that normal people can¡¯t do. Crazy, supernatural things. Right now, we¡¯re in a hospital for Arisen. You¡¯re not supposed to be here, but since you were with me, you¡¯re also getting treated.¡±


    Vigo took a deep breath, his eyes focusing as the Persuasion began to fade, ¡°What¡­Arisen?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The doctor that healed up most of your arm? The nurse that can control heat and fire? All Arisen. These guys are called The Chosen. They look like normal humans but they¡¯ve got superpowers.¡± She explained, trying to make this as simple as possible for the still recovering man. ¡°There¡¯s also another group of Arisen called the Blessed. They are literal monsters out of legend and like to eat Chosen.¡±


    Vigo¡¯s face went white with her words. ¡°The shadow monster and the werewolf?¡±


    Leta nodded, ¡°Yeah, those were Blessed. You might not remember, but the reason we were both ejected from the truck was because it was hit by a Minotaur.¡±


    His eyes nearly bulged out of his head. ¡°Holy¡­ really? Minotaur are real?¡±


    ¡°Yep, but they look nothing like what the legends say. Instead of a man¡¯s body with a bull¡¯s head, it¡¯s more of a bull¡¯s body with a human-like face. Super creepy.¡±


    A look of horror crossed his face at the mental image, ¡°Oh my god.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it wasn¡¯t fun. Anyway, the Minotaur is gone, but we both got really hurt so, well, here we are.¡± She emphasized with outstretched hands to gesture at the room around them.


    Vigo blinked, his eyes distant as his frazzled brain tried to recover from the shock of finding out that he was a small fish in a very big pond. It looked like the human equivalent of the spinning wheel of death that came up when a computer crashed.


    Seeming spent, he practically fell into the chair behind him. ¡°H-holy shit.¡±


    ¡°Breathe, man.¡± Leta tried to encourage him, even acting out taking deep breaths. ¡°I know this is a lot to take in, trust me. I¡¯m literally only a few days into all this myself.¡±

 Chapter Fourteen: The Blessed and the Chosen (Part III)

    A knock at the door surprised him so much that Vigo let out a slightly unmanly squeal as he stood up, arms in front of him as if he was going to fight off an attacker.


    A nurse poked her head inside, her eyes narrowing when they landed on Vigo and his karate hands.


    ¡°Really?¡± Her posh English accent dripped with sarcasm until she looked into the room farther and saw Leta. Her eyes went wide and she stepped fully into the room to give a very low bow at the waist.


    ¡°My sincerest apologies, your Majesty.¡± She breathed reverently, ¡°I¡¯ll have this man removed from your room at once.¡±


    ¡°No, please!¡± Leta put her hand up as if to stop her, ¡°He¡¯s fine. We¡¯re all good here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your Majesty.¡± She squeaked, backing out of the room so as not to turn her back as she made a quick exit.


    The pair were silent for a while before Vigo looked back at her with an aghast expression. ¡°Are you royalty?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Leta moaned, putting her face in her hands. ¡°This is a new development.¡±


    ¡°That nurse seemed to think you are someone well to do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and there¡¯s a really good possibility that everyone in this hospital is absolutely bonkers.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what do we do?¡±


    Leta ran her hands through her hair, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m contemplating that myself. Now that we¡¯re part of all this, the Blessed will be after us - mostly me cause I¡¯m an Arisen but you¡¯re not off the menu either.¡±


    Vigo swallowed audibly.


    ¡°However, if we stay with these guys, we may never see our family again.¡±


    Leta could only imagine what her parents were thinking. By now her team would either be arriving in Athens or would still be on the ferry. They would have noticed when Leta and Vigo didn¡¯t return and would have contacted the authorities.


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    Who knows? Maybe the next steps had already been decided for them.


    A much gentler knock on the door sounded before a soft voice said, ¡°Pardon me, your Majesty. The Sect leader of Athens, Atreus, is here to see you.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Um, please let him in.¡±


    The nurse from before opened the door as a rough looking man entered. He was maybe in his early forties, with a short black beard that was peppered with gray and hard gray eyes that seemed to catalog everything in the room at once. His face was square, and every part of exposed skin she could see bore scars. Some were small like small cuts from sparing with a sword. Others, like one that cut down his temple to curve around his cheek spoke of a man who¡¯d weathered countless battles.


    He was tall and well built, his reinforced motorcycle jacket and simple black shirt doing nothing to hide a toned physique. His blue jeans were slightly dusty as if he¡¯d just come from a fight, his combat boots making ominous thuds as he walked.


    He carried himself like a commander of legions, his aura telling her that this was a man who had garnered a respect that was well earned.


    When the man had made it to the center of the room, he stopped and bowed low.


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you, your Majesty.¡± His voice was deep with an accent Leta didn¡¯t recognize. It came from the middle of his mouth like Australian, but had a slight edge to the vows like German.


    Leta and Vigo shared a look before she slowly replied, ¡°Likewise.¡±


    He rose from his bow, ¡°I am the head of the Chosen¡¯s Sect in Athens, Atreus Swordsworn. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I am well, thank you.¡± With all this bowing, she tried to sound as regal as possible.


    ¡°It is good to hear that. I came to speak with you about your future plans and how you would like to proceed with matters.¡± He watched her with unblinking eyes, his hawk like gaze catching every tell that passed over her face.


    Leta took a deep breath. ¡°What matters would that be?¡±


    ¡°As you know, the events in Santorini have been¡­ unfortunate. We have been doing our best to cover the incident to protect yourself and our people, but this has caused some¡­ stress to the Mundane that you had been associating with on the island.¡± Atreus¡¯s gaze had flicked to Vigo at the last part.


    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve been covering the incident?¡± Leta questioned, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of your stomach.


    ¡°If you will permit me¡­¡± He walked back to the table at the other end of the room and found the remote for the television, flipping channels until he landed on a Greek news station.


    Leta¡¯s heart dropped.


    Sprawled along the bottom of the screen were the words ¡®Fiery accident in Santorini¡¯ with clips of the burned-out husk of a truck on the side of a hill overlooking the sea from different angles. An aerial shot from a helicopter showed police officers and forensic techs all over the scene, taking pictures of the deep skid marks and footprints in the dirt.


    ¡°Oh shit¡­¡± She heard Vigo whisper.


    ¡°As you can see, we¡¯ve removed any traces of Arisen, as one would expect. You were flown to Athens to be treated, which is the story provided to the authorities.¡± Atreus turned back to her, ¡°The question is, would you like the story to be that you survived a fiery accident, or that you succumbed to your wounds and perished. Which shall it be?¡±

 Chapter Fifteen: Let’s Talk About Sects (Part I)

    Atreus excused himself from the room, instructing the hospital staff to give Leta and Vigo some privacy.


    The fact that a decision needed to be made soon was left unsaid at this point.


    Leta knew she was on the clock.


    Alone in the room, the pair watched the news recap, drone video flipping between interviews with people who said they had lived on the road and hadn¡¯t heard the crash.


    She wondered how much of that was due to the storm or some Arisen intervention.


    There had even been some footage captured from the security doorbell of someone who lived on the road that showed Koa¡¯s truck driving by just before the Minotaur hit, but by some miracle, the camera hadn¡¯t captured the monster.


    She thought about how the rule that killed Arisen if they exposed themselves to ordinary people worked with security cameras. Did it have the same effect as if someone showed off in front of a human, or, because technically, the camera wasn¡¯t human, it didn¡¯t do anything?


    Leta filed that question away for a later date and looked to Vigo, who was still glued to the TV.


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    He turned back to her with a lost and confused expression. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to decide if they¡¯re going to fake my death or let me go back to Seattle and pretend to be normal.¡±


    Vigo¡¯s lips dropped as he tried to understand the question. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you want to go back home?¡±


    ¡°No, no. I want to go home,¡± She emphasized, ¡°but going home means forgoing any protection for myself. Remember, these Blessed will eat regular people, but they crave other Arisen, and they¡¯ve got beef with this other group, the Chosen, which I¡¯ve inadvertently been added to.¡±


    Thus began a lengthy discussion of what could potentially happen if she were to return home and if she were to stay with the Chosen.


    What about her dream of studying ancient Mesopotamian era cultures?


    Would she drop out of college without even getting through her introductory courses?


    Would her phone call telling her parents she was fine after the last hospital visit be the last time she spoke to them?


    The last one tugged on her heart a little too hard.


    During all this, Leta took the plunge and replaced her forearms with Atlanite. She decided that she would rather have defensive and offensive options rather than just defensive.


    ¡®I¡¯m gonna regret this.¡¯ Leta sighed internally, ¡®Anyway, we can do this without knocking me out?¡¯


    [An option is available to block all nerve synapses below the humerus bones temporarily. During this time, the brain will not receive pain signals. However, the Host will experience an itchy, numbing sensation from the elbows down and a severe loss of arm and hand strength until the modifications are complete.]


    She leaned back, looking up at the ceiling tiles as if they could give her advice. ¡®Let¡¯s just get this over with. Go for it.¡¯.


    [Confirmed. Modification process initiated.]


    Leta immediately felt a tingling in her forearms as her nanites got to work, blocking all feeling. It started just above her elbows with a sensation similar to when you accidentally hit your funny bone. Like water over rock, it soon flowed over her forearms, down her wrists until everything from her elbow to the tips of her fingers was numb.


    She looked down at her hands and pressed her forefingers and thumbs together. In her head, she could almost feel a ghost sensation of touch, but in actuality, she only felt the whisper of pressure. It was like her arms had been dipped in novocaine - sensations perceived but not truly felt.


    Vigo¡¯s voice broke through her distraction. ¡°I think you should go home.¡±


    Her head snapped up in surprise. ¡°What?¡±


    Vigo looked nervous after seeing her expression. ¡°I mean, I feel like you¡¯re looking at it in black and white when there¡¯s some very gray wiggle room. Work with me here - do you know if there¡¯s a lot of you Arisen folk, or is it just a handful?¡±


    She frowned, then remembered her discussion with Dr. De Mar just before the dinner. ¡°There¡¯s a lot. Probably upwards of a million.¡±


    He blinked as if shocked by that number but recovered quickly, ¡°Okay. Now, I¡¯m not sure what the census count is, but I think it¡¯s safe to say that not everyone in this country is an Arisen, so they have to be in other places. Now, that bloke Atreus said he was the Sect Leader of the Chosen. It sounds like there are more of them - Sects, I mean. Like, why would you call it a Sect if there was just one? Why not just call it Headquarters or something?¡±


    Leta¡¯s tongue poked at the inside of her cheek as she followed his train of thought. ¡°You think that there¡¯s some of these Sects in the U.S.?


    He shrugged. ¡°Maybe? Who knows. But I¡¯d bet money that there are some other locations out there. This then brings me to my other point. You seem like some kind of big shot here-¡±


    ¡°Not by choice.¡±


    ¡°-which means you¡¯ve probably got some sway in what¡¯s about to happen. You¡¯ve got people bowing and scrapping to you.¡± He pointed out, ¡°I think you need more information to decide. I say, get that nurse back here to give you the straight of it. If you can go home but still get protection, do so. If not? Well, then you think long and hard about it.¡±


    A knock at the door was heard before a soft voice said, ¡°Your Majesty? May I enter?¡±


    Leta raised a brow when she recognized Afra, the nurse from earlier. ¡°Suddenly, they are so formal.¡± She muttered under her breath before raising her voice, ¡°Yes, please come in.¡±


    Afra entered, looking contrite before bending at the hips in a low bow. ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize for the way I spoke earlier. I didn¡¯t know-¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t apologize,¡± Leta shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s fine, you didn¡¯t know. You¡¯ve got great timing.¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Afra looked up from her bow in confusion. ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Leta smirked and waved her over, ¡°Come over. We¡¯ve got some questions that you can probably answer.¡±


    Afra opened and closed her mouth in shocked surprise. ¡°Oh-oh, you¡¯re Majesty. I-I¡¯m not qualified-¡±


    ¡°Girl, come on.¡± Leta rolled her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not royalty. I¡¯m just some college kid from the States. We¡¯ve got some major decisions to make and could use your help.¡±


    The nurse looked nervous but obediently took the chair.


    Leta began, ¡°Okay, first question. What are the Chosen Sects?¡±


    Afra looked back and forth between the two archeology students, her eyes pausing over Vigo as if cautious about revealing anything to a Mundane.


    Leta noticed the woman¡¯s gaze and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not going to die, I promise. Hey, Vigo.¡± She turned and grinned, ¡°What do you think about this whole Arisen thing with the Blessed and the Chosen?¡±


    Vigo shrugged, ¡°Honestly, I could do without the werewolves, shadow hyenas, Minotaurs,¡± He stopped ticking them off on his fingers and paused, ¡°Actually, I could do without the monsters in general.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± She turned back to Afra, who looked surprised that nothing had happened, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. So, please? Your input would help us.¡±


    Afra licked her lips nervously before squeaking, ¡°W-well, Sects are groups of Chosen that work together to protect each other and to fight back against the Blessed. There are Sects worldwide, but most are in the major cities.¡±


    ¡°What about the US?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where each Sect is, but I¡¯d say there are many in the States as well. I¡¯ve only been to the New York City Sect once when I visited the US for the first time. Besides that, I¡¯ve only been to the Sects in Greece, Turkey, and Albania.¡±


    Vigo and Leta shared a look. While it was interesting information, it didn¡¯t answer their question.


    ¡°Do you know anything about Seattle?¡±


    Afra¡¯s eyebrows perked up, ¡°Yeah - I mean, yes, Seattle has a Sect.¡±


    Leta blew a breath, smiling as she leaned back in the bed. Her relief was almost a physical sensation like finally unclenching a sore muscle.


    As quickly as that peace of mind came, other questions circled her head like nagging insects.


    Leaning back up, Leta questioned, ¡°What about Berkeley? That¡¯s in California.¡±


    Afra winced and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that name doesn¡¯t sound familiar.¡±


    Vigo saw the disappointed look Leta tried to hide and spoke up. ¡°What about in New Zealand?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s one in Auckland, but I¡¯m not positive.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re part of the Sect, what does that mean?¡±


    Afra must have gotten over her initial hesitancy with them, judging by the way she seemed to have relaxed and sat in the chair comfortably.


    ¡°We live and work near each other to watch each other¡¯s backs. Occasionally, the Combat classes will go out to hunt Blessed, but for the most part, we¡¯re all just living our lives. Dr. Kudela, Adjany, the other nurse, and I do shifts in the hospital - not as a cover or anything, but as our actual jobs. Adjany and I are RNs and Dr. Kudela,¡± Afra shook her head, ¡°Arisen live a lot longer than the Mundane. That woman has something around seven or eight doctorates degrees, half of which I think she took because she was bored.¡±


    Vigo and Leta stared in shock. ¡°The little old lady?¡± Vigo asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Afra smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t let her find out you called her that. I¡¯m not sure where she¡¯s from, but I do know her native tongue is a dead language. She¡¯s old, but you know the saying about old soldiers.¡±


    Vigo gulped, speechless.


    After a moment, Leta cleared her through, ¡°Back to the Sects. So, other than living near each other, there isn¡¯t much difference between this and living a normal life.¡±


    ¡°Basically,¡± Afra confirmed, ¡°We have a residency outside the city with some shared common areas but it¡¯s still pretty private. I work in the hospital with the Mundanes except on the few occasions where we actually have Arisen that need tending to. My sister, Huda, is a Scribe who works in a law office here in Athens. Kaviah is a Blacksmith who has an online shop and crafts custom metal work. You¡¯ve met Koa. He¡¯s a HEMA instructor and does some reenactment stuff for tourists. When we¡¯re not working, we¡¯re doing other things; sometimes going to concerts or other entertainments, sometimes hunting Blessed.¡±


    Leta pursed her lips.


    It sounded oddly¡­normal.


    Like a superhero, they had their day jobs and their off duty jobs. It was surprising how balanced it all seemed.


    ¡°Is faking your death common practice for becoming part of the Chosen?¡±


    Afra was quiet, her face contrite as if she were about to give someone terminal news.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not uncommon. Mostly it happens when there¡¯s a family that may come looking for someone. Honestly, it¡¯s just been safer to join a Sect then go it alone. I¡¯ve heard stories of Arisen who went solo.¡± She shuddered, ¡°It isn¡¯t pretty. Whole families down to third and fourth cousins getting ripped apart, and that¡¯s when only one of them was an Arisen.¡±


    ¡°Jezzus¡­¡± Vigo looked absolutely horrified at the mental image.


    ¡°Not to say it¡¯s impossible.¡± Afra quickly reassured them, ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories of some very powerful Arisen that just go out into super isolated areas and thrive.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever met one?¡±


    Afra opened her mouth to answer, closed it, then quickly replied, ¡°No.¡±


    Leta sighed. ¡°Awesome.¡±


    Afra tucked a loose hair behind her ear, ¡°In your case, though? I think you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Leta raised an eyebrow. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Crown.¡± Afra made a face as if that explained everything, then blushed, ¡°Sorry, I just remembered you¡¯re new. I think this will make a little more sense if you understand Chosen hierarchy. So, there are a lot of Sects all over the world. Each Sect is part of a network of Sects that report to a single Governor. Like most of the civil service classes, the Governor class is rare, so maybe ten or so Sects report to each Governor-¡±


    ¡°Hold up.¡± Vigo put his hands together in a ¡®time out¡¯ gesture, ¡®There¡¯s a Governor class? Seriously?¡±


    Afra shrugged, ¡°Think Roman era occupations. Every job you can think of that existed in ancient Roman has an equivalent class for Arisen, and that includes jobs like Governor and Senators. Governors oversee a handful of Sects and basically negotiate supplies and personnel between the Sects. They are also in charge of creating military organization between the Sects. To be totally honest, I don¡¯t think the Sects ever had to have muster call since the 1600s, but if something were to happen, they would be in charge of getting people together to have a military force.


    ¡°Overseeing the Governors are the Senators. These guys are even more rare - I think there¡¯s maybe twelve in the world. These twelve Senators basically do the exact same thing as the Governors but on an even larger scale. If a legitimate war were to break out against the Blessed, the Senators would consolidate and coordinate the Generals under their command to execute attacks.


    ¡°At the very top of the food chain are the Crowns. This is the King and Queen classes that everyone, and I mean everyone, swears fealty to. Each Senator has a King or Queen they directly report to based on their region. There are four of them, three Kings and a Queen. Supposedly they meet up every few years and they determine the fate of the world¡¯s nations, but they¡¯re so secretive that no one knows for sure.¡±


    Afra pointed a finger at Leta, ¡°You are a Crown. A baby Crown, but a Crown nevertheless. Even in your proverbial infancy, you still have a higher rank than anyone else. I mean, I wasn¡¯t alive the last time a Crown showed up, but from what I remember there was a big reshuffling after they got them up to speed, so if you want a Sect somewhere, there¡¯s very, very few people who could tell you no.¡±


    Afra¡¯s phone went off and she turned to look at it, her eyes going wide as she read the message.


    ¡°Um¡­ you¡¯ve got less than ten minutes to make a decision I¡¯m afraid. Ismene says your parent¡¯s taxi just got into the city proper.¡±


    Leta could feel the blood draining from her face as panic began to set in. ¡°My parents are here?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. They know you were brought to this hospital but everyone¡¯s been keeping, well, everyone in the dark about your condition.¡±


    She took a deep breath, steeling herself. ¡°We¡¯re not faking my death.¡± She met Afra¡¯s eyes and tried to convey how serious she was in this. ¡°I¡¯m alive, okay? I¡¯m alive. The story is going to be that I was in a coma and lost a lot of blood but I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Afra held her gave a moment, nodding at the conviction that she saw. ¡°Understood. You¡¯re alive. I¡¯ll let Dr. Kudela and Atreus know about your decision. You.¡± She pointed at Vigo, ¡°Need to go back to your room. You¡¯re supposed to be resting.¡±


    ¡°How am I going to rest when there¡¯s people with magic roaming the halls.¡± He grumbled but trudged to the door dutifully, smiling as he gave her a wave, ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, Leta.¡±


    Afra turned to follow but stopped as she remembered something, ¡°Do you need anything before I go?¡±


    ¡°Not sure if it¡¯s in police custody or not, but do you guys know what happened to my phone?¡±


    Afra shook her head. ¡°No, sorry. If you need to make a call, we have a telephone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, I was just wondering, thanks. And Afra, please no more bowing. Can you let everyone else know?¡±


    Once more alone as the afternoon sun shone through, Leta felt her heart pounding in her chest at the absolute madness that was about to befall this building because of Naomi Black.

 Chapter Fifteen: Let’s Talk About Sects (Part II)

    ¡°What it gods name were you thinking!?¡±


    ¡°Hi mom. Missed you, too.¡± Leta grumbled as a little over one and 150 centimeters of fury bulldozed it¡¯s way into the room.


    Naomi Black was the embodiment of pint-sized rage, her blue eyes wide and angry as she stopped into the room and began looking her over. That rage suddenly turned into sadness as she beheld her daughter with tears in her eyes. ¡°Oh, Letty, what happened to you?¡±


    Right behind her was her giant teddy bear of a father, Theodore. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were rumpled as if he¡¯d been in non-stop flights for some time as he trudged behind his wife like a zombie. However, the moment he saw the state of his daughter his usually calm and composed exterior changed to wide-eyed shock and concern. ¡°Good lord, Letty. You¡¯re nothing but skin and bones.¡±


    ¡°This, um¡­¡± Yeah, it was hard to explain how someone goes from a woman¡¯s size fourteen pants to a size two overnight. ¡°I actually was losing a lot of weight with exercise and the super healthy food here. The accident just took more of it, I guess.¡±


    At the mention of the accident, Naomi¡¯s eyes flashed back to fury. ¡°Explain. What. Happened.¡±


    ¡°We were having dinner at this super fancy restaurant.¡± Leta began to tell her story, adding some embellishments so that it followed the events of the night without mentioning the monsters, ¡°Vigo got absolutely wasted. We got in a ride share but the car broke down, so the guy¡¯s buddy arrived with his truck and was going to take us back when someone hit the truck. After that, I don¡¯t remember anything. It was probably a hit and run.¡±


    Theodore nodded, ¡°That does sound like the police said when they contacted us.¡±


    ¡°Was the guy who hit us caught?¡± She asked, trying to play the victim card.


    Her father shook his head, ¡°Not that we know of. Said they were still investigating.¡±


    ¡°Our flight out is tomorrow morning. Don¡¯t-¡±


    Her mother¡¯s scolding was interrupted when Leta said, ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    ¡°I-huh?¡±


    Leta smiled to herself but didn¡¯t dare show it on her face. She¡¯d managed to surprise her mother, Naomi¡¯s sermon expression morphing quickly into a flabbergasted surprise that her daughter was agreeing with her.


    Leta continued, ¡°You know how much I hate needles. I¡¯ve been in the hospital one too many times on this trip. I¡¯m ready to get back home and just rest for the next few weeks until college starts.¡±


    ¡°Uh, well then.¡± Naomi cleared her throat as she regained her composure, ¡°Good. We¡¯ll have to coordinate getting your things from Dr. Galloise¡¯s team. I spoke with her earlier and the rest of the dig team made it back to Athens without issue. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll want to stop by and see you before we go.¡±


    Her mother had quickly moved into business mode and began listing off what needed to be done for their morning departure.


    Dr. Kudela came in and gave her mother a pleasant smile as she explained the extent of Leta¡¯s injuries -or lack thereof- and confirmed that Leta would stay overnight for observation to make sure there wouldn¡¯t be any lasting issues from the accident.


    Her parents nodded and listened intently as the doctor explained further care and what to look out for, all of which was unnecessary based on the look Afra was giving her behind her parent¡¯s backs.


    When the good doctor finally excused herself, her mother also left the room to make some calls to Dr. Galloise as well as Dr. De Mar with the museum.


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    Her father shook his head as Naomi quietly closed the door, ¡°Scared her half to death, you did.¡±


    ¡°Fat chance,¡± She snorted, ¡°Remember when she went toe to toe with that scammer in Vanuatu? Mom¡¯s never been scared a day in her life.¡±


    Theodore rolled his eyes and chuffed, ¡°She¡¯s a spitfire. We¡¯re both fortunate and unfortunate that we seem to have instilled in you that same stubbornness.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this wasn¡¯t my finest moment.¡± She sighed, running her thumb over her fingers as that itchy numbing sensation Gada had warned her about became noticeable.


    Chuckling, he took a seat at the foot of her bed, ¡°No, Letty Love, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re well. I know how capable and independent you are, but you had me scared to death there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry, Dad. Trust me, I¡¯d like to avoid these crazy situations myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you do.¡± He reached forward to give her hand a squeeze. ¡°Let¡¯s nip this bad habit in the bud, shall we? Your mother had us packed and on a plane so fast I barely had time to grab my trainers.¡±


    ¡°That bad?¡±


    ¡°Oh! By the time I made it down stairs, she already had both our bags packed and was hailing a ride share. I asked what happened and she could barely catch her breath telling me that you were in an accident and they didn¡¯t know if you¡¯d make it.¡± He got quiet, looking down at his large hand engulfing hers, ¡°Damn near broke me, hearing that.¡±


    She felt the sting of tears in her eyes seeing the shadow of despair that lingered on her father¡¯s face, his distant gaze seeing a hundred scenarios where he walked into this hospital to find her dead.


    Swallowing back her emotions, she gave him a watery smile and squeezed his fingers with what strength she had. ¡°I love you, dad.¡±


    He looked up at her, the ghosts of fear gone but not forgotten as he returned her grin with a shaky one of his own, ¡°Love you more, darling. Always have.¡±


    Just then her mother stepped inside, her shoulders falling with a sigh as she closed the door behind her.


    Her mother had always been that goal oriented woman who left no stone unturned when she took on a task. Leta had always admired her work ethic and drive, but had seen this same expression in the past.


    Naomi Black had been wired as tight as a drum for hours on end, her perpetual motion fueled by determination and spite. Now that every task was completed and the goal was met, that compacted bundle of nerves had finally loosened, leaving her nearly boneless with an exhaustion that was as emotional as it was physical.


    All she had left inside was that soul crushing relief that only comes when your greatest wish is granted against the most staggering odds.


    Without a word, Naomi walked to the bed and sat down next to Leta, pushing away the rolling tray of food that had been forgotten as she ran her hands over her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom.¡± Leta broke the silence.


    It seemed the only thing she could say in this situation that was honest and didn¡¯t bring her parents into this strange world she¡¯d stumbled into.


    A soft whimper was all that escaped before Naomi leaned over and put her head on Leta¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, Letty.¡± She sobbed, tears flowing hot down her cheeks before soaking into the fabric of the hospital gown as she pulled her daughter close, ¡°My Letty Love.¡±


    Leta¡¯s breath came out ragged as she held her mother close. She¡¯d been taller than her mom since junior high school, but the warmth of love and security she always felt from her mother was equivalent to a wildflower soaking in the rays of the sun.


    Leta thought about telling her parents everything.


    About the Nanites.


    The Blessed and the Chosen.


    About everything that had happened and what it meant for her going forward.


    As her mother gave her a tight squeeze, Leta couldn¡¯t bring herself to break this sense of peace having her parents with her brought.


    ¡®Later,¡¯ She committed to herself, ¡®When we¡¯re safe at home and away from this place. I¡¯ll come clean then.¡¯


    After some time, Naomi finally pulled far enough away to hold Leta¡¯s cheeks, her eyes roaming over her daughter as if to catalog that everything was well.


    ¡°Oh god, you¡¯re okay.¡± Naomi breathed, her lips trembling as she smiled in relief.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Leta chuckled, ¡°And I am ready to never visit a hospital again. What time is our flight out?¡±


    Her mom coughed a few times before laughing. ¡°Early, but I don¡¯t think your dad or I will be getting much rest. Our internal clocks think it¡¯s around 4:30 in the morning.¡±


    Theodore winced at his wife¡¯s words, ¡°Oh¡­ why did you have to bring up the jet lag?¡±


    The three of them chuckled, Naomi resting her head on her daughter¡¯s shoulder in blissful peace as she remarked, ¡°You know you¡¯re never going to live this down, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I figured this was going to go on my permanent record. I¡¯m very surprised you haven¡¯t put me in a straight jacket and stamped a ¡®ship to Seattle¡¯ on my forehead.¡±


    ¡°Oh, trust me,¡± Naomi scoffed, ¡°I would if I had one, but checked bags are too expensive and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some kind of paperwork involved.¡±


    ¡°God help us if mom has to fill out a lengthy custom¡¯s form.¡± Leta smirked.


    Theodore grinned mischeviously down at hid daughter, ¡°All I can say is, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all in one piece, Letty. But in all seriousness, maybe hold off on doing anything exciting for a bit, aye? There will be no living with your mother if something were to happen to you.¡±

 Chapter Sixteen: Fire In The Hole

    The day flew by as a steady stream of well-wishers and team members came through to visit her. Dr. Galloise and the entire research team practically took over the hospital floor as they went between Leta and Vigo¡¯s rooms.


    She could tell from the slight tightness around Dr. Kudela¡¯s lips that she was nervous having so many Mundanes on a floor designated for the Arisen, but she, Afra, and the other nurse, Adjany, never let their secret slip.


    Eventually, they had given the all-clear for Vigo to sit in her room with her so that their visitors didn¡¯t have to keep ping-ponging from room to room.


    Leta was grateful that they made the exception for her and let everyone in.


    It was nice to have the chance to say goodbye to the team that had treated her like family during these summer weeks and taught her so much.


    Everyone had a handshake or hug for her, happy that she was okay after the accident and looking forward to working with her again in the future.


    As the sun dipped low on the horizon, Leta felt the itchy numbing in her hands begin to fade as the Nanites finished up remaking her arms.


    [Modifications complete. 190 inert Nanites remain.]


    Using the motion of crossing her arms, she felt her forearms for any changes but couldn¡¯t determine if there was any difference between this and what it was before.


    Hopefully, she wouldn¡¯t have to find out any time soon.


    Dr. Galloise bent over and gave her a hug, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay, kiddo. Hope I see you at Berkeley next time I visit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Anika.¡±


    A soft knock sounded and Dr. Kudela poked her head inside. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but visiting hours are about to end.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out of here.¡± Dr. Galloise nodded, giving her shoulder one last squeeze before turning to hug her parents.


    ¡°You guys should get a hotel for the night if we need to be up early.¡± Leta tried to reason but her mother¡¯s squinted eyes put a stop to that.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m letting you out of my sight?¡±


    Dr. Kudela¡¯s shoulders squared, her voice firm, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, but visiting hours-¡±


    ¡°Could we just get a few more minutes?¡± Leta interrupted the doctor, who seemed to really consider the request before sighing.


    ¡°Just a little bit longer. Then you go. She needs her rest.¡± Dr. Kudela looked pointedly at her mother who looked ready to protest when Leta butted in again.


    ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡±


    The older woman was shaking her head ruefully as she closed the door behind her.


    Theodore put a hand on Naomi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Love, we should try to get some sleep while we can.¡±


    ¡°I know. I just¡­¡± Her lips tightened, fine lines bracketing her mouth in protest.


    A thought struck Leta and she nearly face palmed at being so forgetful. ¡°I just realized that you guys are going to a hotel but you have no way to contact me in the morning or for me to get a hold of you with my phone gone.¡±


    Theodore¡¯s head rolled back as he saw the mistake, ¡°And I¡¯m sure the emergency contact information is still listed as Dr. Galloise¡­ You, ladies, sit tight, I¡¯ll go see if I can get a phone number for the nurses¡¯ station and give them mine if you need to get in touch with us.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, babe.¡± Naomi smiled softly as he kissed the top of her head before exiting.


    They sat quietly for a while sipping water the nurses had brought them as they gazed out at what they could see of the Acropolis illuminated in the dusk light.


    ¡°I would have liked to have at least stopped by the museum before we go,¡± Leta remarked.


    ¡°You saw it when you were twelve.¡±


    ¡°I saw it for, like, two minutes. Plus, we were visiting Dr. Marrow and we were at the university a lot longer than the museum.¡±


    Naomi waved her hand as if to swat away a fly, ¡°You didn¡¯t miss much. Plus, half the stuff of any historical note was stolen by the British, anyway.¡±


    Leta rolled her eyes. The museum in London was always a sore spot with her mother.


    Leta took another of her water and nearly choked as the floor vibrated beneath them, the medical tower next to her rolling an inch as the building seemed to shake.


    ¡°Wah-Earthquake?¡± Naomi gasped as she put a hand on Leta¡¯s bed to keep her balance. Outside the window, the city bustled as if it were a perfectly normal evening, cars traversing the narrow roads as the nightly entertainment began to open its doors.


    A moment later the shrill of fire alarms echoed through the room as the shaking stopped.


    ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± Theodore asked as he burst into the room and nearly knocked the door off its hinges as Afra and the nurse Adjany trailed after him.


    Leta nodded, ¡°Yeah, small earthquake.¡±


    ¡°We should probably move you to a more secure location,¡± Adjany added, her dark eyes pleading but downcast as if trying not to look her in the eye. ¡°Just in case there are aftershocks-¡±


    ¡°shhht¡­ call¡­¡± The radio clipped to her hip crackled as the dark-skinned woman pulled it free to fiddle with the toggles.


    ¡°shhht¡­Blessed have¡­ get¡­ I repeat. Blessed have attacked the civilian entrance. Get the Queen to safety. Code Silver. Mundane floors, Code 5.¡±


    Afra¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± She breathed, her voice trembling with fear as she immediately ran to unhook Leta¡¯s IV.


    ¡°W-whats Code Silver?¡± Lea stuttered.


    ¡°The hospital is unsafe.¡± Adjany said over her shoulder as moved to the door, checking the hallway, ¡°There is a dangerous situation occurring. We need to get you safe.¡±


    ¡°What!? A-¡±


    The door burst open, revealing a stern-faced Dr. Kudela holding two massive daggers in her dainty hands.


    ¡°Ground floor is overrun, and the first floor is compromised.¡± She hissed.


    ¡°We need to get-¡±


    ¡°Shhh!¡± she admonished Naomi with a stern look. ¡°Keep your voice down.¡±


    ¡°Halls are clear. I¡¯m making a run for my bag.¡± Adjany said quietly from the threshold.


    The elderly doctor nodded her consent, and the dark-skinned woman darted off, the squeak of her sneakers on the hospital floor nearly unheard from the shrill of the still echoing fire alarms.


    Bewildered at what was happening around them, her parents stared at the sight of the two daggers in the woman¡¯s hands, her mother instinctively taking a step to put herself between Leta and the elderly doctor before she took a closer look at the weapons.


    ¡°Is that¡­ a seax?¡± She blinked.


    Dr. Kudela gave her mother a tired smile, ¡°Yes, dear. It¡¯s the most familiar weapon to me.¡±


    The sound of footsteps had the elderly woman twisting around quickly into a fighter¡¯s stance, weapons held out at the ready. Around the corner came Koa still in his own hospital gown and wielding his familiar sword followed by Vigo.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got the other one.¡±


    ¡°Rude much?¡± Vigo grumbled but didn¡¯t put up much of a fight as they too made their way into the room quickly followed by Adjany.


    A bulky canvas cross-body bag was slung across her chest, glass vials filled with different materials held in loops within easy access.


    Leta raised a brow. ¡°What class are you?¡±


    ¡°Alchemist,¡± Adjany replied, then turned to the elderly doctor. ¡°We¡¯re ready to move.¡±


    Dr. Kudela nodded, ¡°Head for the back stairwell and get to the roof.¡±


    ¡°Wait one damn minute.¡± Naomi growled between her teeth, ¡°If there¡¯s a fire from the earthquake shouldn¡¯t we head for the road? What kind of hospital-¡±


    ¡°Silence.¡± Leta growled, her voice resonating off the walls as the weight of her power seemed to press down on those who heard her, their shoulders suddenly heavy and their knees weak as if instinctively wishing to kneel.


    Taking a breath, she looked back at her parents. ¡°Mom. Dad. There¡¯s some really bad people that want to hurt us. If we can get to safety, everything will be fine. If not, then you¡¯re going to see some really weird stuff before something unimaginable tries to eat you - literally eat you. We¡¯re going to follow these nice people to safety and do what they tell us to and for once we¡¯re not going to question why, okay?¡±


    As if to punctuate her statement, the lights overhead suddenly flickered off, on again, then off just as red tinged emergency lights came to life.


    Dr. Kudela gulped. ¡°They hit the main power. They¡¯re nearly to the floor below us. We need to go now.¡±


    ¡°This way.¡± Koa called, holding his sword at the ready. ¡°Dr. Kudela and me in the front, Her Majesty and the Mundanes in the center, Adjany and Afra in the back. Stay close.¡±


    The Hearth Maiden put a hand on Leta¡¯s shoulder as the Warrior led them out of the room, arms loose and ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Keep your voice down from here on out.¡± Adjany whispered, turning the volume down on her radio so it could still be heard but wouldn¡¯t draw attention if they were ambushed.


    Her parents were so bewildered and frightened by what was happening that they didn¡¯t even bother responding.


    The red lights illuminating the hallway coupled with the flashing lights and shrill of the fire sirens felt as if they¡¯d stepped into some post-apocalyptic world.


    ¡°We need to get you up to the roof for extrication.¡± Afra whispered at her back, ¡°We need to hurry, because with this much racket, every fireman, police officer, and news anchor with a helicopter will be crawling all over this place.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t the Blessed kill themselves if they¡¯re exposed to Mundanes?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve both learned how to do a lot of damage when people aren¡¯t looking.¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Dr. Kudela hissed.


    They were halfway down the hallway when a low baritone noise froze them in their tracks like a deer caught in the gaze of a tiger.


    It was a deep grating low in the throat like the noise a dog makes right before it growls, followed by one long drawn out sniff and an animal-like snort.


    ¡°Slowly and quietly now,¡± Dr. Kudela flicked one outstretched arm back to signal them to back up. ¡°back into the nurse station.¡±


    Leta¡¯s heart was racing as she felt the floor tremble with a rhythmic ¡®thump, thump¡¯ that steadily became louder and louder as she took cover behind the nurse¡¯s desk. It wasn¡¯t meaty like when flesh or paw slapped against linoleum but instead sounded hard, like someone was dropping a heavy stone on the floor again and again.


    Dr. Kudela and Koa sat close to the hall, backs to the desk and weapons in easy reach as they readied themselves for what was to come.


    Everyone seemed to hold their breath as Dr. Kuela gingerly peeked around the side, waiting¡­waiting¡­.


    She rolled back and looked at Adjany. ¡°Onikuma.¡±


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    The Alchemist nodded, taking out a bundle of something Leta couldn¡¯t identify from her bag and strapped it to her wrist before pulling a vial of white powder and a vial of almost neon blue liquid from the loops on her bag.


    Placing them in one palm, she covered them in a tight grip and focused before relaxing her fingers. Where once there were two cylinder vials was now a glass ball filled with swirling gray smoke.


    As she used her talent, the sniffling snorts grew closer, stopping only a few meters away as it sounded like it was investigating one of the rooms and nearly made her parents jump as a medical tower came crashing down.


    Placing the sphere in a leather sling that she realized was a wrist-mounted slingshot, she put the soon-to-be projectile in a relaxed grip, rolling into a squat to act at a moment¡¯s notice.


    Dr. Kudela turned to once again peek around the desk, her left hand raising to shoulder level like a general about to signal the attack. She paused, her tiny hand never wavering as she held her weapon.


    Hold¡­


    Hold¡­


    Leta watched a pen cap near her foot rattle on the ground as whatever it was approached, it¡¯s heavy breathing and almost-growls seeming to feel like it was right next to her ear.


    She didn¡¯t even see Dr. Kudela lower her arm in signal to the Alchemist nurse, but she did see Adjany suddenly pop up from her position and, in one swift move, pulled back on her weapon.


    Dr. Kudela and Koa were already on their feet and sprinting into the attack by the time Adjany fired.


    Leta rolled forward to see what was happening and nearly gasped at what she saw.


    It was a bear, at least in general shape and size. Massive front paws and slightly smaller hind legs gave it a sloping back on a body packed with muscle. Its form was covered in light gray fur that was thick and shaggy, but its front paws were¡­ stone?


    Stone claws and paws larger than her face were made of a dark gray stone with black strands webbing through it. The granite-like material ran from the tip of its claws halfway up its arm but moved like flesh.


    The creature had been ambling out of an observation room, its block-like head turning to see two figures coming quickly towards it.


    Stuck between the door¡¯s frame the creature had little room for movement but still managed to let loose an absolutely terrifying roar that sent the pen cap by Leta¡¯s toe flying as it raised one stone paw to attack.


    Just as its 20 centimeter claws started to reach for them, Adjany¡¯s glass missile found its mark, landing directly above the monster¡¯s left eye and shattering into pieces as the gray smoke that was inside spread over it like a low hanging fog. The beast roared in pain as the smoke seeped into its fur and eye, black blood sprayed from its eye as the smoke melted skin, fur, and bone.


    One stone paw rubbed at the smoke to try and dislodge it, only for the acidic gas to eat away at its granite claws.


    It caught movement out of its one good eye and turned back to snarl at the tiny woman and young male coming at it.


    It swung its slowly dissolving paw with a speed that didn¡¯t seem to match its bulky mass at Dr. Kudela, who slid to one side narrowly missing being pulverized.


    Koa split to the other side of the hall, forcing the beast to fight from two different angles as he swung his sword upwards, his blade digging deep into the beast¡¯s shoulder.


    Adjany wasted no time in crafting another missile and setting it in the sling, arms at the ready and waiting for a moment of opportunity as Dr. Kudela spun like a dancer, her white coat flapping behind her as she swung her massive daggers.


    She moved like an Olympic gymnast, kicking off the wall and using her momentum to slice deep into the monster¡¯s forearm just above where stone turned to flesh.


    It¡¯s head snapped around as fangs the size of her palm opened wide to bite down on the woman who had dared get so close. Dr. Kudela managed to get her other dagger up, the beast¡¯s jaw closing around the blade instead of her face. Its black eyes glared down at her for a second before Adjany¡¯s second missile landed on the top of its snout, gray smoke quickly dissolving its other eye and most of the skin around its face.


    It roared, shaking its massive head from side to side and sending Dr. Kudela flying into the wall where she landed with a hard thump before sliding to the ground.


    Blind, the beast¡¯s head thrashed this way and that, knocking into the walls with enough force to break the drywall.


    ¡°Adjany! Grease!¡± Afra hissed before popping her head over the desk, ¡°Koa! Get in the room!¡±


    Koa didn¡¯t ask what she planned to do as he rolled into the room next to them, pulling the dazed Dr. Kudela in after him as the monster continued to go back and forth running full force into the walls. He could see its melted face that was nearly completely skeletal at this point through the holes in the drywall as its parade of destruction continued.


    Adjany had produced another glass sphere, this time filled with a viscous black liquid that moved like molasses in its container.


    She loaded it in the sling and looked to the Hearth Maiden, who¡¯d crawled forward to have an open running lane.


    ¡°Go!¡± Afra growled, sprinting forward as Adjany let loose her sphere. It sailed through the air before it smashed into the floor just in front of the monster¡¯s feet. The thick liquid inside spread out on the floor in a slick but sticky mess, the beast slipping on the liquid and coating its underbelly.


    ¡°Fire in the hole!¡± Afra shouted as she leaped into the hallway, throwing up her glowing white hands as she let loose a torrent of white hot flame from her palms.


    The fire caught on Adjany¡¯s liquid, instantly setting it ablaze in a burst of green tinged flame.


    Koa and Dr. Kudela watched through the holes in the drywall as its body thrashed once more, sparks from its fiery form floating into the room.


    It roared in pain and terror as the super hot flames turned its fur to ash. Its stone paws glowed red as they heated, turning into magma and dripping onto the linoleum with a hiss. Rough skin was burned away until all that was left was mostly granite bone barely held together by charred muscle.


    Whatever Adjany had thrown burned hot but did not burn long. The flames quickly eating up the combustible liquid until it was spent. As the flames subsided, all that remained was a massive form of blackened muscle, its blood sizzling and popping against its bones and still glowing paws.


    It whined low in its throat, still expressing its agonizing pain through vocal cords that were barely there.


    ¡°Koa!¡± Afra shouted as the flames coating her hands died away.


    The Warrior burst through the door, taking a running leap to cut his sword into the monsters neck. Its still smoldering bones now exposed and weakened by the heat, the sword easily cut through bone and muscle, cleaving the beast¡¯s head off as its body finally went limp in death.


    ¡°Clear!¡± He confirmed, standing up straight.


    ¡°Holy crap, it¡¯s dead.¡± Afra breathed, falling back on her bum in relief before her brows furrowed. ¡°Holy crap, I should be dead. I just exposed myself to Mundanes.¡± She looked back to Vigo and Leta¡¯s parents who¡¯d been frozen in terror at what they¡¯d witnessed.


    The Hearth Maiden looked back at Dr. Kudela who was slowly limping back into the hallway as if the elderly woman could give her answers. ¡°Why am I not dead?¡±


    ¡°Questions for another time, I think.¡± She groaned, leaning against the door¡¯s frame.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Koa nodded, going over to Afra to help her to her feet.


    Naomi slowly rose up from where they¡¯d been crouched down behind the nurses station and gave a muffled scream at the corpse of the monster still smoldering in the hallway.


    ¡°What is¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a monster, mom.¡± Leta said matter of fact, putting her hands on her mother¡¯s shoulders to guide her forward towards the stairwell.


    ¡°Is that a bear?¡±


    ¡°It sure looks like it.¡±


    ¡°Its paws are¡­ stone?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    She heard her father dry heave behind her as the smell of burned flesh and hair wafted over them.


    ¡°Two floors up is the roof.¡± Dr. Kudela muttered, standing up straighter as if she was just going to walk off getting thrown into a wall by a monster. ¡°No time for quiet now. We need to get there fast. Hurry.¡±


    Screeeeeech¡­


    The sound of metal bending unnaturally behind them saw the elevators at the other end of the hallway rattling in the red emergency light. The doors groaned as something behind it tried to force them open.


    ¡°Go. Go. Go!¡± Adjany shouted as she prepared another grease sphere for whatever was coming from that direction.


    ¡°Run!¡± Afra pushed her father forward around the monster corpse towards the stairwell as one green skinned arm stuck its way between the doors.


    A hollow howl sounded behind them just as a lengthy jackal-like creature jumped from the stairwell ahead, a triangle-shaped head locking on their group with a snarl.


    ¡°Loupgaru!¡± Koa cried out as he swung at the monster.


    It jumped out of the way just as one of its paws swiped at him, pushing him backwards.


    Another Loupgaru came charging up the stairwell behind it just as the elevator doors were pushed open, revealing three stout creatures that looked like miniature amphibian humans.


    ¡°Goblins!¡± Adjany shouted as she let loose her grease sphere, coating the hallway in the slippery liquid.


    The Loupgaru jumped at Koa, who dodged to the side and got his sword up to bring it down on the creature¡¯s neck, successfully killing the beast as Afra used her flames to burn the other.


    It howled in pain, writing on the floor as Dr. Kudela pushed Leta and her parents toward the stairwell. ¡°Hurry! Don¡¯t look, just go!¡±


    The dark stairs were only lit by LED lights set into the sides of the steps, casting the space in near darkness. The floor below them thumped, and Leta looked over the rails to see another Loupgaru two floors below them and gaining.


    Adjany saw it too and threw a grease sphere down just as the goblins still slick with the liquid slipped into it behind them, clawed hands reaching for them as they muttered something unintelligible, eyes the size of baseballs glowing yellow in the darkness.


    Leta leaned over the rail and focused, sparks dancing over her fingers to let loose in a stream of lightning that hit the goblins and set the grease on fire. They shrieked as their leathery skin turned to ash in the green flame.


    ¡°Oh my!¡± Naomi shrieked in horror as she watched her daughter use magic, a look of bewilderment on her face as she didn¡¯t recognize the person in front of her.


    ¡°Run, mom! Run.¡± Leta grabbed her mother¡¯s hand and pulled her up the stairs.


    They¡¯d made it to the floor above when the Loupgaru jumped over the ash covered bodies of the goblins, its sleek muscles easily clearing halfway to the landing in one go as it was joined by another Loupgaru from the floor they had just exited.


    Adjany quickly made an acid ball and turned to throw it, her shot missing as the sphere hit the concrete stairs and melted it.


    Afra pulled the Alchemist forward as Adjany stumbled onto the landing and threw her hand forward. The first Loupgaruwasn¡¯t as quick this time and was awash in flame before realizing its error.


    The other Loupgaru pulled up short before it, too, would have been set on fire and growled, its triangle-shaped head turning to Leta with too intelligent eyes.


    Quick as lightning it pulled itself up onto the inner railing and leaped, massive claws catching the railing just in front of Leta as its wide jaw shot forward to take a bite out of her.


    Instinctively, Leta raised her arms to protect her face as its teeth bit into her skin and muscle until it hit bone.


    Leta screamed as she felt its needle sharp teeth pierce her skin as the monster tried to bite down but couldn¡¯t break her bones.


    [Host has taken piercing damage from Corrupted-Loupgaru. Atlanite skeletal structure has prevented complete loss of arm function. Remove piercing items for repairs.]


    She pushed at it with her other hand, fingers digging into fine black fur as a prompt appeared.


    [Corrupted-Loupgaru. Inert Nanites: 1,001,452. Absorb inert Nanites? Yes/No?]


    ¡°Yes, quickly!¡±


    The feel of strength and vitality entering her had her lungs feeling with relief as the Loupgaru shrieked twice, one from Dr. Kudela¡¯s daggers digging into its shoulder and again as its body began to shrivel up.


    Its eyes went white as its vision went black and its teeth dislodged from her skin before falling from its mouth.


    It only took a few seconds from the creature to become a mummified husk, breathing its last without any understanding of how it was dying.


    Theodore watched in shock as the bite marks on his daughter¡¯s hand puckered like pursing lips before fading away as if she¡¯d never been injured.


    Leta quickly rolled to her feet and picked her mom up off the ground, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± She didn¡¯t see the shocked and frightened looks of the nurses behind her or Dr. Kudela¡¯s slack jaw. She was only focused on the door above them that led to the roof and onward to freedom.


    Below they heard the skittering of webbed feet and the growl of a predator as another Loupgaru from the floor below spotted them, goblins following closely behind.


    Dr. Kudela pushed open the door and stumbled onto the gravel covered roof as Koa ushered her parents forward and out of the stairwell.


    Adjany had crafted another glass sphere, this one containing a glowing red stone that she tossed to Afra, who shut the door behind her and smashed the orb between the door and its metal frame.


    The red stone glowed like a miniature sun before fading as it fused the door to the frame. Afra jumped back as the door glass shattered, green skinned arms reaching for her as the Goblins screeched in annoyance.


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to hold them forever.¡± Afra muttered, scurrying away from the door.


    ¡°Hayato should be here.¡± Koa looked around, his head turning back and forth as if searching for something.


    Dr. Kudela turned as something heavy battered the door from the other side. ¡°We need to find someplace to take shelter. We cannot be exposed like this.¡±


    ¡°Head for the air conditioning units!¡± Adjany shouted, pointing to the other side of the room where large fans were encased in metal containers, cooling tubs running out of them as they pumped air into the building below. ¡°It will give us some cover to stage an-¡±


    Without warning something dark as night swooped down and grabbed the Alchemist in massive eagle like claws around her body and dragged her into the sky. Leta watched in terror as Adjany¡¯s screams faded into the night before she saw the outline of the creature release her body, letting her shrieking form plummet to the city below.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Naomi screamed, hands to her mouth in shock.


    ¡°Gargoyle!¡± Koa shouted, ¡°Run! Get under something.¡±


    They ran, Leta keeping one eye on the sky as the barely visible outline of the monster circled around then tucked it¡¯s arms in a dive like a bird of prey, massive talons for feet outstretched as it targeted Dr. Kudela.


    ¡°This is a dumb idea.¡± Leta admonished herself as she stopped in her tracks, putting herself between the doctor and creature coming at them. As it got closer she could see a somewhat humanoid body, its feet eagle-like in shape made of rough stone like the rest of its body. Its bat-like wings stretched out to correct its trajectory, the pointed ears on its bald head twitching as glowing red eyes glared down at her. A mouth full of razor sharp teeth like a shark drew back in a snarl as clawed hands gripped the air, ready to rend and tear its prey apart.


    ¡®Not bloody likely.¡¯ she growled to herself, gathering the anger inside her as she threw her lightning at the creature.


    It wasn¡¯t expecting the attack, red eyes widening in surprise just before a bolt of electricity struck its chest, causing its muscles to lock in place, tendrils of lightning webbing out from her target to hit the roof.


    Without the use of its wings the Gargoyle smacked into the ground before rolling like an uncoordinated boulder.


    Its cone shaped head shook before turning to growl at Leta who was already gathering her strength, sparks of electricity snapping around her arms and making her hair dance.


    ¡°Leta, don¡¯t!¡± Koa shouted.


    She looked over and saw Koa, her parents, and the rest of the team taking cover amid the cooling units and cursed. With all the metal surrounding them, she could seriously hurt them with her lightning by accident.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re gonna do this the un-fun way.¡± Leta groaned, jumping on the balls of her feet as the Gargoyle launched itself at her, flying low like a glider with claws outstretched.


    She raised her arms in a boxer stance and waited for it to strike.


    The blow just behind the monster¡¯s screech of fury, sharp claws made of rough stone digging into her forearms as she screamed into the monster¡¯s snarling face.


    ¡°Freeze!¡±


    [The Host has used persuasion. Persuasion successful.]


    Her knees buckled as the full weight of the monster fell on top of her as it became a living statue. Gritting her teeth, her hands latched onto the monster¡¯s face as it twitched in her grasp, trying to fight the compulsion.


    It didn¡¯t know that it was already too late.


    [Corrupted-Gargoyle. Inert Nanites: 1,203,014. Absorb inert Nanites? Yes/No?]


    With a thought she confirmed her choice.


    The Gargoyle had regained enough of itself to howl in pain as what made it so powerful was leached away. Granite hard skin weakened and broke apart, its deadly claws turning to dust as its wings broke off and shattered on the ground, the creature¡¯s muscles now little more than calcium unable to hold up the weight of it¡¯s own body.


    Leta breathed deep as she let go, it¡¯s body now sand in the wind as the night air from the far off ocean blew what remained away.


    ¡°Leta!¡± Koa shouted, ¡°I just got cell service. Atreus says that Hayato needs a big shadow to get us all out of here, but with the power out there¡¯s no light to make a shadow that big! We need to get that spotlight on!¡± He pointed to a corner of the building were a large light was set up to illuminate the helicopter landing zone in the middle of the room.


    The only problem? Between the light and her was a stairwell door holding back a horde of monsters ready to eat her alive.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s way over there.¡± Leta muttered to herself just as the welding on the door failed.

 Chapter Seventeen: Extrication (Part I)

    For one heartbeat, Leta had enough time to realize that Goblins had the mental capacity of a running zombie; all they wanted was to consume by any means necessary, even if it meant clogging the one door leading to their prey.


    The green-skinned creatures were stampeding and tripping over each other as they scrambled towards her, hurting each other in the process as claws and fangs got in the way. Behind them, two Loupgarou were trying to squeeze through the mindless horde, their howls of frustration mixing with the clicking chatter of the Goblins.


    ¡°Freeze!¡± She shouted, her voice echoing over the city as the horde in front of her wobbled on their feet but quickly righted themselves as they continued their pursuit.


    ¡°Dammnit.¡± She spat. There were too many to make the skill effective.


    ¡°Afra!¡± Leta called, pulling static from the air to her before letting loose in a stream of negatively charged electricity. The bolt branched off, striking at least a half dozen goblins who screamed before falling to the ground, their mottled skin seared to a crisp. Some had been standing too close to those who had taken a direct hit and seized up, their bodies writhing in pain as electricity reverberated through them.


    The strike wasn¡¯t enough to do severe damage. It seemed that for each Goblin that went down, another managed to squeeze through and take its place.


    Another one of Leta¡¯s bolts cracked with white-hot fury at the oncoming stampede, filling the air with the smell of ozone and burned flesh as more monsters were cut down and replaced.


    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± She heard the Hearth Maiden call behind her but didn¡¯t risk taking her eyes off the chest-high monsters rushing towards them.


    ¡°Smoke ¡®em!¡±


    Leta cut off her lightning just as Afra let loose a funnel of white-blue flame that spread over the roof like a blazing fan.


    The oncoming Goblins squealed in surprise before they were engulfed in fire, those who managed to avoid the flame quickly retreating to behind the stairwell box.


    ¡°How long can you keep this up?¡± Leta breathed heavily as her brain tried to think of a way to get the light on.


    ¡°Not very long,¡± Afra grunted, her body locked as if she were physically directing the force of a jet engine. ¡°In the open with all this fresh air to keep the fire fed, I can go about a minute or two before I need to catch my breath. Plus, the longer I burn, the more I heat the tar and metal on the roof.¡±


    As they watched, the metal door to the stairwell began to glow red hot and bend under the intense heat being blasted. Shielded by the stairwell, the goblins that had taken cover shrieked and howled as the heat mounted.


    A moment later, Afra gasped as her hands fell to the side in exhaustion, the fire going out as quickly as it had come. The Goblins wasted no time seizing the opportunity to run from their shelter and charge, the two Loupgarou¡¯s bursting from the partially melted door with a roar.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Leta threw out another web of lighting that nailed one of the Loupgarou and several oncoming Goblins. The second Loupgarou avoided being hit and pressed forward, muscled legs pumping as it charged.


    Just as Leta pulled her hand back to let loose another bolt, a figure ran past her so fast it blew her hair into her eyes.


    When she could see again, Koa had run into the fray, sliding to stab into the monster¡¯s belly as it leaped toward her.


    Rolling to the side of the crashing corpse, his sword lashed out to cut a goblin in half.


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    ¡°Afra! Take left. I¡¯ve got center. Leta! Take right and get to that lamp!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Afra shouted back, tendrils of fire that looked like coiling snakes wrapping around her arms and scorching the sleeves of her scrubs.


    Hands closed into fists, she aimed as if she were manning a warship as the burning snacks glowed brightly. Suddenly, a burst of fire shot from one fist and then the other quickly, the baseball-sized fireballs moving faster than a Formula 1 car and slamming into the charging horde.


    The Goblins never stood a chance, the flame¡¯s heat searing their skin to the bone as the force of the hit sent them sailing backward to knock into other attackers.


    Afra continued her attack without end, her fireballs like miniature cannons as wave after wave of Blessed were mowed down.


    Koa moved like a man possessed, ducking and twisting with a lethal grace as his sword cut through muscle and bone like a hot knife through butter.


    Another Loupgarou had managed to squeeze through the door, its gaze landing on the Warrior and bounding forward, muscled arms propelling it forward with a mindless intent.


    Koa ducked as it tried to tackle him and pulled his sword up, the blade landing where its neck met its body and exited behind its shoulder blades as two parts of its body separated and rolled to the ground in a spray of hot blood.


    Leta shot off another bolt of lightning that echoed across the city, her electricity punching through bodies like a pin through wet paper.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Afra¡¯s fireballs and got an idea.


    Focusing, she reached out her mind as ghostly hands swept up sand, ash, and dust from the floor, pulling it to her as she held it in the air.


    With a scream, Leta closed one lightning-covered fist and punched.


    Her electricity collided with the sand and dust, particles fusing under the super heated power and shooting out in a spray of glassy fulgurite the size of pencils.


    Goblins jolted mid-step as their bodies turned to pincushions, the icicle-shaped shards doing as much damage as a machine gun.


    [The Host has learned the skill Storm Glass. War Craft skill software options identified. Refine the Storm Glass skill to unlock branches of the War Craft skill.]


    ¡°Holy shit, I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be that effective.¡± She grinned manically until the she spotted a shadow move in front of a cloud to her right, here one minute and gone the next.


    It could have been nothing, but the last few days had taught her otherwise.


    ¡°Oh, shit. Gargoyle, 2 o¡¯clock!¡±


    ¡°I see it!¡± Koa responded, twisting as he cleaved a Goblin in two.


    ¡°It¡¯ll need to bank up to attack,¡± Afra added, ¡°The updraft from the buildings means it can¡¯t make an effective run. It needs to dive down then use the air current to propel it onto the roof if it wants to attack.¡±


    Leta drew up another ball of sand and punched as the Loupgarou circled to the side to charge at her, this time focusing on her strike. Instead of her goal being a burst of force to do a lot of damage over a wider area, she narrowed her energy into a single direction.


    Constricting the energy was like putting pressure on a cork gun.


    Eventually it goes off.


    And when it does¡­


    Like a cannonball, a giant shard of fulgurite the length of her arm and as thick as a tree branch cut the air with an odd humming noise that rattled teeth.


    The Loupgarou¡¯s eyes went wide, a moment of clarity to realize that it was about to be quickly deleted from existence before it was turned into¡­a mess.


    The strike landed just below its left eye, cutting straight through the monster¡¯s spine and exiting somewhere near its tail. The energy of the missile literally blew the monster in half as body parts flew in all directions and coating Leta in a spray of blood and bits.


    ¡°Oh my god! It¡¯s in my teeth!¡± Leta gagged as she realized what had happened, trying to whip her mouth but realizing her hands were just as covered as she was.


    ¡°Later! The Gargoyle¡¯s making an approach.¡± Koa growled.


    Leta blinked away the grim coating her and focused on the shadow moving like a falcon across the sky, circling wide to come at them from the side of the building. Out of direct moonlight, she lost it for a moment before she saw a dark mass against the flickering lights of the city and moving fast. It was maybe half a kilometer when she finally recognized the outline of bat-like wings and eagle-like talons for feet.


    It dipped low to catch the updraft from the building, losing sight of them for a moment which was exactly what Leta needed.


    ¡°Look out!¡± Leta shouted.


    Afra lowered her hands and fell forward, Koa rolling to the side as the Gargoyle pulled up over the lip of the roof, its massive talons open wide to grab her.


    It had expected its prey to be distracted and easy to pick off. It hadn¡¯t been ready for Leta¡¯s lightning to hit it square in the chest, the creature bellowing in pain as its muscles twitched uselessly.


    It hit the roof hard, bouncing unceremoniously across the asphalt before rolling off the other side of the room and dropping to the ground below with a quickly fading scream.

 Chapter Seventeen: Extrication (Part II)

    Afra popped up from her crouch and threw out a cone of flames that incinerated the corpses now covering the ground and sent Goblins jumping from the roof to escape the fire.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up.¡± Koa huffed, Afra¡¯s flames giving him a moment to catch his breath, ¡°The longer we¡¯re up here, the faster a news helicopter or some idiot with a drone will get to us.¡±


    ¡°Can we bum rush it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Can we bum rush it? Rush at them and force them into a choke point. Afra bottlenecks them into the stairwell with her flame, you guard my back with the Goblins behind the stairwell walls, and I get the lamp.¡±


    ¡°Afra?¡±


    ¡°If I drop this now I¡¯ll have enough energy to do it.¡±


    Leta looked back to Koa, ¡°I¡¯ll throw down cover fire.¡±


    ¡°Okay, go!¡±


    ¡°Oh, bloody hell¡­¡± Afra groaned as she cut her stream off and the three sprinted forward, arms pumping as they charged head-first into the horde.


    Mindless as the Goblins were in their frenzy, the Loupgarou that managed to squeeze through paused as their prey changed tactics, head swiveling from side to side before it zeroed in on Leta.


    It was a poor decision.


    She took a breath, pulling static electricity from the air, the dust on the floor, between each hair on the Loupgarou, anywhere she could get it. Like a magnet, Leta felt herself being saturated with charged particles building in her blood as her hair began to float behind her.


    She could feel a vein throbbing in her head as Gada warned her that she was close to the limit of current she could sustain in a single time.


    Narrowing her eyes, she let her lightning out with a roar, a ball of blue-white lighting shooting off from her outstretched hand that hurdled into the air.


    [Host has learned the skill Ball Lightning.]


    A sphere of light the size of a basketball hovered over the threshold of the stairwell, snaps of electricity connecting it to whatever it could reach.


    Concrete. Goblin. Railing.


    It didn¡¯t matter.


    It all burned.


    The horde of Goblins that had clogged the threshold was set aflame, green-skinned faces scorched until they were mostly skeletons as they screamed in terror, unable to understand why they were dying.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Afra cursed, drawing up short as a random strike connected with the ground in front of her.


    Leta could feel the lightning ball losing its energy at a fast pace as if she were trying to power a skyscraper with the batteries from a television remote.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to run out of juice soon!¡± She called out, ¡°Koa, this way!¡±


    The pair dashed to the building¡¯s edge just as the lightning ball gave one last sputtering ¡®ffzzzztt¡¯ before winking out of existence.


    ¡°Go! Go! Go!¡± Afra cheered as she ran for the door, her fire snakes coiling around her wrists with feverish excitement as she started launching fireballs into the black chasm of the stairwell.


    Koa and Leta sprinted for the lamp, passing the remains of a melted door just as a massive Loupgarou came barreling up from the depths of the hospital.


    Afra yelped and stretched her fingers wide, blasting the monster and into the door beyond with such force that the wind began to pick up, the air around them being sucked into the blast as the flames pulled on oxygen to keep it going.


    It was so strong that two Goblins of the handful that had bunkered down behind the stairwell wall lost their footing and were sucked towards it.


    Leta felt the tiny firestorm pulling at her hospital gown as she stretched out her hand and wrapped it around the pole, sending a spark through her touch that caused the light to flicker on then sputter out.


    ¡°Again!¡± Koa shouted as the other goblins turned to look at the flickering light and realized that prey was close.


    One sprinted for them only to be split in two by Koa¡¯s sword, another loosing it¡¯s footing only to be sucked into the firestorm.


    Leta breathed deep, trying to visualize the circuit of power between hot and neutral wires running through it. Focusing on that circuit she visualized the circulation of electricity from live wire to neutral wire and added her spark.


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    [Host has learned the skill Gremlin¡¯s Trick.]


    The lamp came to life, nearly burning her retinas with its blinding light.


    Leta whooped in elation, ¡°Ha! We just might survive this.¡±


    She swore she could hear her father cheering for her where they were sheltered among the cooling units.


    ¡°Get out of there!¡± Afra warned them, ¡°I can¡¯t hold it much longer!¡±


    ¡°Time to go.¡± Koa grunted as he dismembered the last of the Goblins, turning with Leta to sprint away.


    The lamp had done what it needed to do, the brightness generated sending long shadows across the roof from all manner of objects.


    Leta spotted a dark figure rise up from the shadow of the cooling units next to Dr. Kudela, its body rising up as if standing from a pool of water and not from solid concrete.


    It was humanoid in shape, and from the way Dr. Kudela seemed relieved to see it, the figure was friendly.


    ¡°Run!¡± Leta screamed just as she reached Afra, whose flames promptly sputtered out as she ran out of energy.


    The trio turned to flee just as yips and growls could be heard in the bowels of the hospital coming at them.


    Koa turned back to see at least three Loupgarou clawing their way over burning remains, their predatory eyes seeing their fleeing forms and giving chase.


    ¡°Leta!¡± Vigo shouted, and she turned to see him waving his arms in an attempt to get her attention. ¡°Duck!¡±


    The three bent low just as a third Gargoyle came up over the lip of the roof, talons outstretched before closing around Afra. The Heart Maiden screamed, fiery fists flying into the monster¡¯s legs and groin as she attempted to get herself free.


    The monster shrieked as the Hearth Maiden in its clutches struggled to break free, her movements and burning form causing it to pause a handful of meters off the roof as it tried to hold its prey still.


    ¡°Drop her!¡±


    [Host has used the skill, Persuasion. Persuasion successful.]


    As if a reflex nerve had been hit, the creature¡¯s legs jerked, talons stretching wide and releasing Afra whose shrill cry followed her five meters to the ground.


    She landed hard on her side with an audible crack, bouncing on the roof as her shriek of terror turned into cries of pain.


    ¡°Koa! Grab her!¡± Leta called to the Warrior as she let loose another stream of lightning at the Loupgarou that had gotten within striking range during their distraction.


    Her bolt hit one straight between the eyes before arching to strike the second one alongside it in the ribs, both seizing up. their lungs bursting within their bodies as the lightning super heated the air in their chest like an overfilled balloon.


    Koa threw Afra¡¯s arm around his shoulder and dragged her into the shelter of the cooling units just as the Gargoyle shook his head as if to clear away the last of the Persuasion before turning back to her with a scream of rage.


    It flapped its wings to gain altitude then tucked them back to dive once more at her. Leta was ready and pulled in static from the cooling unit to send another bolt arching from her to the creature. Its jaw opened unnaturally wide as its body seized, momentum and gravity dragging the monster into the roof where a crater formed with the impact from its mass.


    Leta had little time to savor the victory as a heavy mass tackled her body, the fangs of the third Loupgarou digging into the curve of her neck as thick claws came around her like a lion latching onto prey and stabbing into her back.


    She hit the ground hard, her vision going in and out for a moment as her skull connected with the concrete just as she let out an uncontrollable scream of pain.


    [Host has taken minor fall damage. Host has taken piercing damage. Bleeding is in effect. Vocal cords have been damaged. Persuasion is still temporarily unavailable. Remove the piercing item to begin the healing process.]


    She could feel its hot breath on her skin and the roughness of its tongue on her flesh as its jaw bit down, golden eyes staring down at her as if to ensure she knew that it was eating her.


    She felt the thump of paws vibrating through the floor as three more Loupgarou ran past where she¡¯d been pinned down, tongues lolling from their mouths as they headed for the cooling units.¡°Raaaaaah!¡± Leta roared in its face. Far from frightened, she was angry.


    Fueled by her rage, sparks covered her hands as she balled them into fists, punching into the creature¡¯s ribs.


    She watched its eyes go wide as it felt the electricity of her strikes bouncing through it internally, organs rupturing as its fur began to smoke.


    Gritting her teeth, she reached around and grabbed the monster by its scruff, her hands glowing with the force of her lightning as her palms left burns like a brand.


    [Corrupted-Loupgarou. Inert Nanites: 998,928. Absorb inert Nanites? Yes/No?]


    Golden eyes glazed over as they sunk into its skull, glossy black fur matting and falling off its form as muscles seemed to shrivel up beneath its skin, the last thing it saw in life was a blonde-haired human with glowing blue eyes that seemed to flicker with an almost opalescent sheen.


    [Piercing item removed. Nanites routed for healing.]


    ¡°Leta!¡±


    She heard her mother scream just as she pushed the mummified corpse off of her, head turning to see the three other Loupgarou had attacked while she¡¯d been down. Koa and Dr. Kudela were doing all that they could, standing between the beasts and the Mundanes with Afra throwing fireballs with the arm that she could still use when the opportunity presented itself.


    The newcomer was dressed from head to toe in black, the only skin visible was his short black hair, the upper half of his face that wasn¡¯t covered by his black face mask, and dark hooded eyes. The stranger was coached on the ground, hands flat against the floor as black tendrils that gave her flashbacks of the Hell Hounds seeped from his fingertips. They merged with the shadows around them, the darkness increasing as if drawn to the man in black.


    A circle began to form around his palms, spreading wider and wider, swelling like an oil spill.


    Two and a half people against three flesh-hungry monsters still were not very good odds.


    Leta staggered to her feet, she coughed up blood as she tried to shout a command, but all that came out was a red-tinged gurgle.


    ¡®How long till my throat¡¯s healed?¡¯


    [Healing of the throat will be completed in one minute, 58 seconds.]


    ¡®Shit!¡¯


    Her fingers twitched as the tiny snaps of electricity danced around each digit, her hand raising to throw another bolt but cursed when a thick arc of lightning bridged between her and a metal duct connected to the cooling unit.


    ¡®Shit. I let off my electricity, I could end up killing everyone near these things.¡¯


    [One minute, 42 seconds.]

 Chapter Seventeen: Extrication (Part III)

    She could feel the blood dripping from her throat being staunched as the veins closed and the skin began to pucker just as Dr. Kudela took a swipe with her dagger, slicing the Loupgarou¡¯s face in half from ear to snout, the two sides slide apart as it went limp in death.


    The older woman turned to look at her before shouting, ¡°Leta! Behind you!¡± just as she tossed one of her daggers with grace and accuracy only acquired from decades of battle.


    Leta caught the weapon mid-air and spun on the balls of her feet, the blade singing in the night just as it planted itself in the temple of leaping Loupgarou that had managed attempted to sneak up behind her.


    Distracted, Dr. Kudela didn¡¯t see the second Loupgarou¡¯s head snap to her, winding up on powerful hind legs to leap with outstretched claws.


    Falling back, the monster missed clawing the doctor¡¯s face but was able to bit down on the woman¡¯s tiny arm, it¡¯s powerful jaws breaking bone with a loud snap.


    The elderly woman cried out in pain, her other hand raising to stab into the creature¡¯s exposed neck but was tossed to the side before she could land a hit, the monster quickly digging its claws into her stomach.


    Naomi screamed in terror at the carnage in front of her as Theodore pushed up from where he¡¯d been pressed against a metal duct to kick at the Loupgarou, trying to dislodge the old woman.


    With a growl it let Dr. Kudela slip from it¡¯s teeth to the floor, molten gold eyes burning as it¡¯s head snapped around to clamped down on her father¡¯s thigh, fangs the length of a finger piercing through muscle to the bone as blood filled its mouth. Leta¡¯s father screamed in terror, hands clawing at the monster¡¯s snout as if he would somehow be able to get free.


    She pushed up from the monster at her feet to see the beast shaking her father like a rag doll, attempting to drag him away like a dog with a bone.


    Leta saw red.


    All that remained was blood, shadow, and a burning need to destroy.


    Leta screamed; a loud, visceral scream filled with rage at what she saw.


    The air suddenly thickened, becoming oppressive as if gravity were pressing down on everything around her. Metal groaned as the dirt at their feet began to vibrate, the shadows around them growing ominous. The Loupgarou growled and whined, their movements slowed and disjointed as if they were moving through molasses, their gazes wide as they experienced fear for the first time.


    Blood dripped from her lips as her vocal cords were further damaged by her fury, but her rage would not be contained so easily.


    The monsters, which had tried to continue their massacre under the weight of her rage suddenly twitched, muscles shaking as they tried to move but found their bodies being pushed into the ground.


    Koa and her people were also affected by the thick press of her power. Vigo, who¡¯d been trying to protect the injured Afra felt like he suddenly found himself on the surface of Saturn, gravity pushing him to his knees as he tried to lock his arms beneath him to keep from going face first into the dirt.


    Teeth red with her blood, Leta gritted out one word, channeling her rage into a single coherent command.


    ¡°Suffer!¡±


    [Persuasion skill has evolved to Command. Command successful.]


    As one, the backs of the two Loupgarou arched unnaturally as if an unseen force had tried to snap them in two. Their shrieks echoed off the cooling units as their ribs imploded into their chests, eyes burning with hot blood as the tendons on their arms and legs snapped and rolled into their muscles.


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    It was a scene directly from a horror, the monsters unable to feel or think of anything but the excruciating agony that was their being. They were alive, but they were unspeakably broken, so tortured that it would have been better to die then live another minute in that state.


    Like a discarded doll, Leta fell to the ground limp, Dr. Kudela¡¯s dagger clinking to the floor as the Command took everything out of her.


    She couldn¡¯t remember a time in her life where she felt such exhaustion. It was as if her bones had been replaced with cartilage, her body suddenly feeling a thousand times heavier as every fiber in her body cried out in pain as if it had been dipped in slow burning acid.


    [Host is experiencing Nanite fatigue. Host will feel the echo of the Command executed at 10% of the given damage for each target. Healing time for the Host¡¯s vocal cords has been reset to one minute, three seconds.]


    ¡°Leta!¡± She heard her mother¡¯s frantic scream as Koa and Vigo rushed forward, grabbing her under her arms to pull her into a massive shadow that was still growing around them.


    ¡°How much longer?¡± Koa asked the man in black.


    ¡°Less than a minute.¡± He answered, his eyes never leaving the shadow under his control even with the battle now dead around him. The shadows had created a perfect circle nearly five meters across. As he spoke, the shadow stopped growing as purple runes began to appear at its edges as a rhythmic humming pulsated through the night.


    Theodore groaned as he pushed the limp body of the Loupgarou off them, clutching at the bite marks on his leg that pulsated with blood.


    Naomi went pale. ¡°Oh god, I think it hit an artery.¡± She hurriedly pulled off her cardigan to wrap around his leg as a tourniquet.


    The sound of distant howls had the group looking up to see more Loupgarou slinking through the doorway. Silhouetted by the light of the lamp, they looked like phantoms with only their reflective cat-like eyes visible.


    Naomi shrieked at the sight as Koa held his sword at the read, taking a defensive stance.


    Unlike before, the Loupgarou didn¡¯t charge forward or prepare for a coordinated assault.


    They stood as a pack, waiting.


    Watching.


    A humanoid figure emerged from the burnt out darkness of the stairwell.


    It was male and human in appearance. Tall, with olive skin, dark hair, and an athletic body clothed only in well worn gym shorts.


    ¡°Oletta Black!¡±


    Leta wearily opened her eyes, struggling to turn her head as she recognized the wolfish eyes set in a familiar face.


    ¡°It¡¯s the asshole!¡± Vigo gasped.


    The pack of Loupgarou snarled as if in offense to his words, causing the very human Vigo to flinch.


    ¡°Apologies, Oletta. This is not personal.¡± The wolf man from Santorini called to her, taking slow and even steps over the battlefield that had once been the roof of the hospital. ¡°You understand, I have a job to do, as do your friends.¡±


    Leta groaned, as she tried to sit up, her mother hovering close by as if she could protect her.


    [Forty seven seconds.]


    ¡°Bloody dog,¡± Koa hissed, brandishing his swords as if to rush towards the pack leader.


    ¡°Koa, no!¡± The man in black warned, his dark eyes meeting the Warriors to warn him off his course of action.


    ¡°He¡¯s stalling,¡± Koa growled, ¡°He has the advantage. Why does he not press the attack.¡±


    The wolf man shrugged, his golden gaze landing on the healing Leta ¡°I don¡¯t need to kill you, Warrior. You¡¯re death is acceptable but not required by my master.¡±


    ¡°Thirty seconds.¡± The man in black called to the group.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not exactly as my master described, are you, Oletta Black?¡± The Loupgarou shouted over the whoosh of wind picking up from the black shadow, ¡°I was sure you are a Queen, but something¡¯s off isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re not like them.¡±


    The pack moved slowly forward, as if they were gauging prey that had been cornered, golden eyes unblinking.


    ¡°Twenty seconds!¡±


    The Loupgarou smirked, ¡°So yes, I¡¯m letting you escape, purely for my own curiosity.¡±


    ¡°Ten seconds!¡±


    ¡°However, letting you go gets me in a spot of trouble.¡± The wolf man¡¯s grin dropped until it was almost apologetic, as if he regretted the entire situation. ¡°You¡¯ll forgive me, I hope, if I take something as collateral.¡±


    Leta heard the flap of wings and felt the influx of air too late as massive talons wrapped around her mother¡¯s shoulders, the unseen Gargoyle swooping in from behind and lifting her mother into the air with a fearful scream.


    She could see her mother¡¯s wide eyes full of terror as she flailed in the creature¡¯s grasp, arms stretching as if she could reach out to grab hold of her husband and daughter.


    Leta found her strength as she jumped up, her finger just barely skimming her mother¡¯s sneaker before the runes around the shadow¡¯s edge flared a blinding purple as the hospital roof winked out of existence around them.


    [Healing of vocal cords complete.]


    ¡°Noooooo!¡±

 Chapter Eighteen: Coming Clean (Part I)

    Even while surrounded by a void bubble of time and space, Leta¡¯s screams echoed on. For a moment, it felt as if they were being pulled into a void, causing their bodies to become weightless. The group felt an intense cold that penetrated their bones while shrieking winds battered them from every side, as if trying to snatch them away.


    Following a brief pause, gravity decided on the correct orientation and they found themselves stumbling onto a rough floor.


    Leta¡¯s scream morphed into a choked sob, her fingers gripping cobblestones that were still warm from the sun, her throat raw from wailing.


    Each breath caused her intense pain as her lungs burned and anguished noises escaped her.


    The sound of footsteps grabbed her attention, but she was too physically drained to even raise her head.


    Surrounded by a columned courtyard, Leta observed cream-colored stucco walls, red-tiled roofs, and wooden doors. Jasmine and an unfamiliar flowering vine clung to the walls, while a few wall scones and pendant lights offered some illumination in the arches.


    Amidst her tears, she spotted a young woman wearing a headscarf rushing towards Afra from a side entrance. In a hushed tone, the nurse uttered something while her broken arm was tended to by the woman. The striking similarity in their faces made Leta certain that they were related.


    The woman with the head covering was closely trailed by General Atreus, with a hulking man in his fifties, his once-ginger hair and beard now peppered with gray.


    The most colossal black wolf Leta had ever seen walked alongside the giant, breaking away to nuzzle Koa¡¯s side.


    ¡°Hey, girl.¡± Koa breathed, his fingers tangling with the animal¡¯s thick fur, as he gave her a gentle pat.


    Leta¡¯s father groaned at her side and she turned as he began to list to the side, his face pale as both hands clutched at his mangled leg.


    ¡°Dad!¡± She reached over to grab a hold of his jacket so he didn¡¯t end up face first on the cobblestones.


    ¡°Al, go get the others. We need the muscle.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡± The ginger giant nodded and turned to head back inside, the General facing Dr. Kudela with a stern frown. ¡°Where¡¯s Adjany


    The elderly woman lowered her head. ¡°Gargoyle.¡±


    His lips pressed together, but he nodded, kneeling down on Theodore¡¯s other side as he looked over his wound.


    ¡°Loupgarou?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Leta exhaled, her lips trembling. Her fight for survival, once driven by rage and anger, now dissolved into a deep sorrow, urging her to close her eyes and escape into the void. Despite her desire to pass out, she had to stay awake. To ensure her father¡¯s safety, she had to push forward a little more.


    Atreus let out a breath. ¡°Your father¡¯s in bad shape. We need to get him to our infirmary.¡± He looked up just as the giant, Al, returned with two women and a man she recognized as Dr. De Mar.


    Her father¡¯s face, covered in sweat, twisted in confusion as he groaned, ¡°Simon?¡±


    ¡°Oh gods, Theodore!¡± Dr. De Mar rushed to her side, taking one look at her father¡¯s wound and cursing. Before supporting Theodore with one arm, he took a moment to compose himself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my friend, we¡¯ll get you checked out. Where¡¯s Naomi?¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡± Theodore started but couldn¡¯t finish, his eyes squeezing tight as a sob robbed him of speech.


    Dr. De Mar gazed at Leta, who could only shake her head and wipe away her tears. The realization hit him hard, causing his eyebrows to knit together and his heart to sink.


    He had to swallow before speaking in a low, soothing tone. ¡°Right now, let¡¯s concentrate on the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Where¡­.¡± Leta started, but Dr. Kudela put her hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°The Sect has the best medical technology in the country.¡± She soothed, ¡°You¡¯re both in good hands.¡±


    Afra was effortlessly lifted in a princess carry by a short, stocky middle-aged woman with dark hair and dressed in a traditional Indian sari. The Hearth Maiden hissed when the action put pressure on her broken arm, to which the woman holding her rolled her eyes and huffed, ¡°Suck it up, child.¡±


    The woman who caught Leta¡¯s attention was a tall brunette with doe-like brown eyes. She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties and was dressed in a blue bandeau and loose-fitting linen overalls.


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    The woman gave Leta a sympathetic smile.


    ¡°Are you injured? Can you stand?¡± She asked with a noticeable Russian accent.


    Leta made an effort to get up but stumbled, her legs experiencing a jelly-like weakness and incapable of carrying her.


    ¡°Leta! Dear, don¡¯t strain yourself.¡± Dr. Kudela gasped as she and the young woman managed to catch her before she hit the dirt.


    ¡°My dad¡­¡±


    ¡°Dear, listen to me. You and your father are both safe here. I solemnly swear by all the gods. I can¡¯t even comprehend how you managed to do what you did tonight, but I can see that you¡¯re worn out from magic fatigue. What you need is rest and I mean immediately. Not in a minute, not after you go to the bathroom, I mean right now. The more time our kind spends awake and outside of a mediated state, the greater the strain on our bodies and minds, leading to potential harm.


    Leta was certain she was telling the truth.


    Her exhaustion went beyond normal limits, as if she had been running on empty for an extended period. With the painful echoes of her use of Command, it¡¯s a wonder she hadn¡¯t fallen into a coma.


    Her vision blurred as she turned to Dr. Kudela, speaking slowly to ensure her voice didn¡¯t slur, ¡°You¡¯ll take care of my dad?¡±


    She sensed the older woman¡¯s kind smile more than she saw it. ¡°Yes, dear. I¡¯ll handle it personally. You just need to rest.¡±


    Leta allowed herself to succumb to unconsciousness, hoping the emptiness would lessen her heartache.


    ***


    The shadows provided an ease to her burden, but the void would not let her escape her pain.


    The sting of fangs just about to pierce her throat.


    The smell of burned flesh.


    The taste of blood on her tongue.


    The sound of her father¡¯s scream as she was attacked.


    As she found solace in the void, something would appear, wriggling like worms before disappearing again.


    At times, the worms would adopt forms that appeared to be taunting her.


    From the shadows, a Loupgarou emerged with powerful shoulders and a fierce head, its golden eyes glaring at her, revealing sharp teeth as its jaw opened wide. However, instead of a roar, Adjany''s terrified scream filled the air as she fell to her demise. Suddenly, it vanished, plunging into the darkness and leaving her unsettled and by herself.


    Another form appeared, but it was in the form of her mother, her eyes wide as she pleaded for Leta to take her hand and pull her to safety. From the abyss, talons resembling those of a bird emerged and gripped her mother¡¯s shoulders, causing her to be pulled back into the darkness as she desperately reached out for assistance before being consumed by the void.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Leta abruptly awakened, her heart pounding and her breathing erratic, overwhelmed by the lingering echoes of emptiness in her thoughts.


    In a state of panic, she scanned her surroundings, vaguely registering the light brown walls and empty bookcase nearby, but her true focus was on finding the demons that haunted her.


    After a brief pause, she recognized that she was by herself and took a deep breath to calm down.


    As she looked around the bedroom she had awakened in, the scent of old books and jasmine filled her lungs. It was small but spacious enough for one, with stucco and wooden beams lining the ceiling and the antique wooden window on one side of the room. A bookcase and writing desk took up most of the wall next to her, where a small candelabra sat with its nub of a candlestick that had burned itself out. Peering out of the window, she glimpsed hillside farms and what appeared to be a city in the distance, with fluffy clouds drifting across the sky above.


    Leta had been resting on a single sized bed and still wearing her hospital gown, but someone must have cleaned her up while she¡¯d been passed out because the blood that had covered her was nearly completely gone.


    A small dresser and chair were tucked away in the corner of the room. On the dresser sat a folded set of clothes, a basin, and a pitcher filled with water. Just below an antique mercury mirror, the items were neatly arranged.


    A person lightly tapped on the wooden door three times. ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    The voice was deep with a Scottish drawl that Leta recognized as the giant Al from earlier.


    Leta cleared her throat. ¡°Uh, hello?¡±


    The iron door knob rattled before the man ducked his head slightly to get through the threshold. He looked just as huge as she recalled, wearing linen pants and a shirt in earthy tones, with rolled-up sleeves exposing strong arms that could inadvertently snap her in two.


    He shut the door and proceeded to give her a respectful bow. ¡°Good morn¡¯, your Majesty. My name is Allister Douglas, Hunter for the Athens Sect. How do you fare? Do you need anything?¡±


    Leta took a moment to process everything before shaking her head. ¡°What happened to my dad?¡±


    The giant¡¯s gaze shifted downward to the floor. ¡°Your Da was seriously hurt. Loupgarou bites are, well. They¡¯re bad news for Mundane. Thanks to Erienne and Afra¡¯s efforts, he is now stable and resting. He¡¯s likely to sleep for the rest of the day, I¡¯d say. And before you ask,¡± he held up a finger at the hopeful look in her eye, Erienne''s currently running tests to make sure he¡¯s stabilized. I¡¯d advise to give her and your Da some peace and quiet for a moment for her to focus.¡±


    Leta released a sigh of relief. Her muscles started to relax and the ball of nerves inside her began to unwind.


    ¡°Is there anything else I can help you with?¡± Al insisted.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear and winced at the sensation of it. The person who attempted to tidy her did their best with her hair, but it desperately needed washing.


    ¡°Is there any way I can get a bath? A proper bath - not a sponge bath.¡± She sheepishly asked, tucking some hair behind her ear.


    There was a twinkle of humor in the giant¡¯s eyes at her words. ¡°Aye, your majesty. Regrettably, the absence of running water in the rooms is a consequence of this building¡¯s history as a monastery. Nevertheless, there is a lower level with showers and a restroom. If you give us a moment, I¡¯ll see to it that the water is runnin¡¯ for you.¡±


    ¡°That would be amazing.¡± Leta¡¯s sigh was full of anticipation, the simple idea of being clean giving her something to look forward to.


    ¡°Excuse me a moment, your Majesty.¡± He bowed again and stuck his upper half out the door to whisper something to someone outside. That done, he closed the door behind him and turned back to her. ¡°Yelena will go prepare the bathing chamber ahead of us. If you¡¯d please follow me.¡±


    Leta got out of bed and took hold of the clothes on the chair, clutching them tightly while Allister offered her a wool blanket. ¡°May I offer you a blanket, your Highness? I don¡¯t think I would find it comfortable to walk around in that outfit.¡±


    She blushed, realizing that she may have unintentionally revealed her backside to everyone during their ordeal yesterday before clearing her throat. ¡°That¡¯s, um, very kind. Thank you.¡±

 Chapter Eighteen: Coming Clean (Part II)

    With a smile concealed by his beard, Allister moved forward to drape a blanket around her shoulders.


    He guided her out of the bedroom and into an open-air hallway with arched columns on one side, which offered a view of the familiar stone courtyard from the previous night.


    Bathed in sunlight, the monastery resembled a scene from a fairy tale. Walking around the courtyard, they were greeted by the refreshing aroma of water and jasmine. They continued until they reached a set of wooden stairs that led down to the ground floor. Except for the courtyard floor made of cool gray cobblestones and the roof adorned with terracotta tiles, everything else either covered cream-colored stucco or antique wood.


    The building resembled a Mediterranean castle rather than a serene place of prayer, especially with the sound of metal clanging and bodies grunting as they moved in the courtyard below. At the heart of the area, Koa stood with a wooden quarterstaff, accompanied by an Asian man of their age who wielded two Japanese Ono axes. Leta recalled that the man¡¯s name was Hayato.


    In a dazzling performance of skill and precision, the two opponents sparred with flashing steel and lethal strikes. Both Hayato¡¯s speed and Koa¡¯s reflexes and precision were evenly matched, creating a balanced competition.


    Allister¡¯s throat-clearing brought them to a collective halt, their attention shifting from the giant to Leta.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Hayato dipped into a low bow at the hips, weapons still in hand but in a relaxed grip.


    Koa took a moment before he, too, gave a slight bow, his greeting of ¡°Your Majesty¡± sounding far less formal and clipped than his sparring partners.


    ¡°As you were, lads.¡± Allister waved them on without breaking his stride.


    He held a wooden door open for her, which revealed a long inner hallway lined with open doors to light the way, save for one. The door swung open, revealing the brunette woman from last night, who had donned yoga pants and a stylish linen button-down shirt.


    Allister began the introductions. ¡°This is Yelena . She¡¯ll be able to assist you with anything you need in the bathing chamber and will make sure you have some privacy.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± She greeted as she dipped into a graceful and experienced curtsy, a polite smile showing off the hint of dimples.


    Yelena opened the door and signaled for her to come in. The bathing chamber, as they were referring to it, was massive. Leta could fit her entire house back in Seattle in this one room. It was so large that Yelena had to give her a tour.


    The ceiling was incredibly high, making her believe that the supporting columns extended all the way to the heavens. The room remained comfortable with open windows, as natural light and a soft breeze filtered in.


    During its time as a monastery, Leta couldn¡¯t determine the purpose of this room. However, at some stage, walls and curtains were added to create individual areas with showers and toilets. The woman explained that in the main area, there were several sinks and large soaking tubs, predominantly utilized for ice baths after training. It was strictly enforced that clothing had to be worn for those.


    In one corner, a walk-in tub the size of a swimming pool was partially concealed by breezy white curtains, while steam rose from its depths and the statue of a cherub holding a water pitcher poured steaming water into it.


    ¡°There are some soaps and towels here.¡± Yelena pointed to the items resting on a stone bench next to the giant tub. ¡°Please, take your time. If you require assistance, there¡¯s a pull rope located against the wall here. I¡¯ll be at the door to ensure your privacy, your Majesty.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Please.¡± Leta shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not royalty. You guys can drop the ¡®your majesty¡¯ stuff.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Yelena blinked. ¡°Would you prefer a different title? My Queen? Your Highness, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°No, jeez¡­¡± Leta pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°I¡¯m not-no, I¡¯m just a history nerd from the States. If you prefer a very formal approach, feel free to address me as Oletta.¡±


    Yelena straightened up and curtsied once more. ¡°Then I will give you some privacy, Oletta.¡±


    Leta groaned quietly as the woman closed the door, thinking about the bowing. ¡°That¡¯s going to get old real quick.¡±


    The bath exceeded her expectations, the hot water easing her discomfort while she washed her blonde hair and observed its lighter shade and increased length.


    Once she realized that, she started observing other recent changes, too. She was confident that she had grown a few centimeters taller and her previously nonexistent fingernails were now long, healthy, and strong. She could probably do some damage with these as claws in a pinch.


    Leta soaked in the bathtub until her fingertips wrinkled, then dried herself off and dressed in the clothes provided: loose linen pants and a fitted, long-sleeved Henley shirt.


    Yelena had left her house slippers, so she put them on before going outside and found Yelena keeping watch. ¡°I¡¯m assuming we¡¯re burning the hospital gown. Where do you want me to put my towels?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please leave them your - Oletta. I¡¯ll see to them.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, no special treatment.¡± Leta shook her head. ¡°Where do they go?¡±


    Yelena stopped abruptly, wearing a troubled expression, as if treating Leta as an ordinary person violated her moral principles.


    ¡°There¡¯s a cloth bin next to the showers and a rubbish bin by the sink.¡±


    Leta¡¯s face lit up as she exclaimed, ¡°See? Was that so hard?¡±


    She made an effort to tidy up the bathing chamber. When she came out, Allister was speaking softly to the Yelena, who was still standing watch.


    Allister gave her a pleasant smile. ¡°Feeling better, your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°One hundred percent. But I literally just told Yelena here to just call me Leta, like everyone else.¡±


    ¡°In private, as friends, aye, I can do that.¡± Allister agreed, ¡°But it¡¯s not proper for me to refer to a Queen by her name in mixed company, ya kinne?¡±


    ¡°Whatever makes you sleep at night.¡± Leta rolled her eyes.


    Her expression turned serious as she spoke to the giant. ¡°I¡¯d like to see my father. Can you take me to him?¡±


    Allister exchanged a glance with Yelena, and the woman curtsied before quickly leaving.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to your .¡± He said once they were alone, ¡°But I need to give you some warning. Loupgarou bites¡­¡±


    The ominous tone of his voice made Leta¡¯s heart start pounding again.


    ¡°Well, the bite itself isn¡¯t bad. Painful and slow to heal, but you could bounce back. It¡¯s their blood that could cause a problem for a Mundane. It¡¯s unimaginably rare thanks to the rules, but if Loupgarou blood gets into a Mundane¡¯s system, it can¡­¡±


    He took a deep breath, steeling himself before continuing, ¡°It can change em¡¯. Turn a Mundane into what we call a Fiend. They get some of the Loupgarou traits, like the need to hunt prey and are constantly hungry for living food, but don¡¯t change shape.¡±


    Leta was frozen as the news washed over her like a bucket of cold water, the panic and fear she¡¯d experienced last night bubbling to the surface. ¡°What¡¯s that mean for him? He¡¯s turning into a monster?¡±


    ¡°A bit in the head, aye. Again, cases like this are rare, especially in this day and age. Remember, the Golden Rule keeps a fine line of separation between us and the Mundane, so the odds of a Mundane ingesting Arisen blood are few and far between. I¡¯m certain the last time a human consumed Loupgarou blood was most likely back in the early .¡±


    Allister saw Leta¡¯s expression and coughed, his cheeks and ears going red as he realized he was rambling. ¡°My apologies. From what I¡¯ve been able to gather, it doesn¡¯t change their appearance, just their mental state. They still walk around and can hold conversations, but there¡¯s this growing need to hunt and feed that, if left unchecked, that need can make them a danger to themselves and others.¡±


    Leta felt a sudden rush of air leave her lungs as sadness and regret waged a war within her. She felt the weight of guilt dragging her down, making it difficult to catch her breath.


    ¡®If I had faked my death¡­¡¯


    Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°I just want to come clean with you about this so you know what to expect.¡± Allister gave her shoulder a squeeze. ¡°It¡¯s not a death sentence if it¡¯s managed, but you need to know before you see him. When he wakes up, he¡¯ll have his wits about him still, so you should be able to have these conversations about what you want to do next.¡±


    Leta nodded, her eyes burning with  tears as she took a ragged breath.


    ¡°Thank you. Please take me to my dad.¡±

 Chapter Ninteen: Where We Go From Here (Part I)

    During the construction of the monastery, a small room was added to serve as an infirmary for local farmers seeking treatment.


    Leta would have loved to get the monk¡¯s thoughts on the Chosen¡¯s updates on the place since then.


    It was a mesmerizing blend of state-of-the-art instruments and old-fashioned architecture. The stone floors were no more, having been replaced with a gray hospital-grade linoleum, yet the stucco walls and wooden beams endured.


    Against the wall, a trio of modern hospital beds offered patients a view of serene countryside hills through the expansive windows. A long table, equipped with multiple exam instruments, offered a window to the outside world for those working. An arched window was framed by bookshelves filled with scrolls and medicinal jars, creating a delightful aroma of chamomile and fresh linens.


    When they arrived, Dr. Kudela was putting a glass jar with pungent dried leaves back on the bookcase.


    Giving them one of her gentle smiles, she motioned towards a bed that was partially hidden by a curtain.


    Her father was resting peacefully on the bed as the heart monitor on the medical tower next to him beeping evenly with the rise and fall of his chest.


    He looked tired; the bags under his eyes were dark and heavy and his skin was pale and thin, his body looking skinnier than last night.


    Leta spotted two gleaming handcuffs securing her father to the bed and gave the woman a pointed stare.


    ¡°He¡¯s under a lot of sedation right now.¡± Dr. Kudela spoke quietly, ¡°Until we know the extent of the mental damage from the bite and can treat it, it¡¯s for the best. Handcuffs are being used as a precautionary measure in case the sedatives don¡¯t have the desired effect. I don¡¯t think your father would be very proud of himself if, in a moment of clarity, he were to realize that he¡¯d hurt someone.¡±


    Leta¡¯s throat burned with regret at the woman¡¯s words. ¡°How do you know he¡¯s a danger? Maybe it will go away on its own, like a cold.¡±


    The Healer shook her head. ¡°I contacted a colleague of mine in Canada who witnessed the effects of Loupgarou consumption by a person. Through his research, he confirmed that the patient¡¯s mental ability would progressively deteriorate, leading to permanent effects. His Sect at the time actually had an alarming number of these cases over the centuries that the indigenous people had a name for the victim - Wendigo.¡±


    Her breath was drawn in sharply upon hearing the name. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, she was familiar with the local ghost stories surrounding the Wendigo and its cannibalistic tendencies.


    ¡°Contrary to pop culture,¡± Dr. Kudela continued quickly when she saw Leta¡¯s expression, ¡°your father isn¡¯t in danger of turning into a horned deer zombie, but the need to consume flesh and meat is very real and will get progressively worse. Right now, it¡¯s an odd but mild craving that he doesn¡¯t recognize, but it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±


    Finally, a tear broke free and traced a fiery path down her cheek. She collapsed to her knees beside her father, her hand gripping his cold palm, letting out a wail that was the final breaking point.


    Her body wracked with sobs as she mourned over her father¡¯s condition.


    Her mind was filled with memories of happier times.


    Her father putting her on his shoulders while they explored an archaeological site.


    He spoke about ancient plant species with an infectious giddy excitement.


    The way he looked at her mother and her with such pride and love.


    He wasn¡¯t dead, but the idea that her father would slowly turn into a cannibalistic beast made it feel like he was.


    Dr. Kudela touched her shoulder and softly stroked her back to comfort her. ¡°I don¡¯t want us to give up on your father just yet, dear.¡± She spoke with a gentle but strong voice.


    Leta looked up slowly, as if to avoid getting her hopes up. ¡°Is there a way to fix him?¡±


    ¡°Not that we know of yet,¡± The Healer gave a rueful smile, ¡°But medicine has come a long way since my colleague first studied Wendigo. With your permission, I¡¯d like to do a few tests. Namely, I¡¯d see about putting your father on a regiment of medicines and a specialized diet.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Leta gripped her father¡¯s hand, reminiscing about the times he would playfully ruffle her hair while she explored the excavation site with him.


    ¡°You said he was going to turn into a flesh eating monster, but you think you can patch him up with what? Vitamins or something?¡±


    ¡°My colleague has a theory that introducing Loupgarou blood causes something akin to schizophrenia, as well as a change in the brain¡¯s responses to specific triggers, and I¡¯m inclined to believe it. Although curing your father might not be achievable, there is a possibility of slowing down the progression of his illness to a point where he can have a healthy life, as long as he maintains control and follows the treatment.


    ¡°I will not sugarcoat it. It will be a long, drawn-out process with much trial and error.¡± The Healer cautioned, ¡°But we can¡¯t change the fact that what happened happened. All we can do is decide where we go from here.¡±


    Leta wiped away her tears. ¡°What¡¯s the alternatives then?¡±


    Dr. Kudela¡¯s eyes wavered to the window before looking back at Leta with a sad expression. ¡°Voluntary euthanasia. Due to the safety concerns of the Sect, The Chosen cannot house an individual with such extreme needs. Honestly, I don¡¯t think your father would be happy with the person he would become if left unchecked.


    Leta¡¯s eyes squeezed shut, her body recoiling as if she had been struck.


    She had to decide if the experimental treatment would prevent her father from becoming a living nightmare or if it was better to let him go with dignity.


    Although she initially agreed to the treatments, she wondered if her father would be willing to endure a life bound to a hospital bed, filled with pills and therapies that would drastically change him.


    Leta ran her hands over her face, feeling like any decision she could make was the wrong one.


    However, deep down, she was completely certain about one choice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to decide now,¡± Dr. Kudela soothed, ¡°But the faster we get started, the better if you want to do treatment.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m okay.¡± Leta cleared her throat, her voice cracking as she tried to get herself under control. ¡°I don¡¯t need time. We¡¯ll do the treatment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in and process. Don¡¯t make a rash decision without really thinking about it.¡± Allister had said nothing this entire time but spoke up to make sure she was choosing this option after deep consideration.


    Leta simply shook her head.


    Her decision was already final.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a rash decision. If there¡¯s a chance that my dad could live even a remotely normal life, I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°Even if it removes you from the picture? Keep in mind that this is the first time anyone has ever tried something like this in history. If getting your father¡¯s help includes sending him to a remote location so that nothing disturbs his treatment, are you willing to accept that?¡±


    Leta swallowed, but nodded. ¡°Yes. Whatever it takes.¡±


    Giving her a smile full of understanding and pride, the older woman nodded in response. ¡°Alright then. We¡¯ll be starting with a series of medications to increase his glucose intake and promote fatty tissue. The research shows that the Wendigoexperience a feeling of starvation even though they are eating normally, so we¡¯ll try to counteract this first.¡±


    Dr. Kudela went through the complete treatment plan, covering everything from prescribed medications to her father¡¯s diet, therapy sessions, and exercise routine.


    She was a patient Healer and answered all of Leta¡¯s questions no matter how odd or off-the-cuff they seemed.


    They¡¯d probably been discussing everything for about an hour when Dr. Kudela asked, ¡°Do you have any more questions?¡±


    Leta¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°I don¡¯t think at the moment. Probably once all this starts, I¡¯ll have more questions, but not right now.¡±


    Allister said quietly, ¡°There are a lot of other decisions that need to be made. If you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll go to Atreus and get things sorted out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Leta exhaled, the chaos of last night almost overlooked by her father¡¯s situation. ¡°The Blessed attacked a hospital full of ordinary people. How¡¯d they survive? Shouldn¡¯t they have self-imploded or something? And Vigo! Where¡¯s Vigo?¡±


    ¡°The Blessed and the Chosen have both become very good at subterfuge.¡± Dr. Kudela shrugged.


    ¡°Aye. Atreus will review with you what the Mundane are seeing and what¡¯s being reported. As for your friend.¡± Allister shook his head with a baffled chuckle, ¡°Man¡¯s holed up in the scriptorium. Huda the Scribe took him on a tour of the monastery, but once he laid eyes on our assortment of scrolls and texts, he got lost in books for a few hours. We¡¯ll swing by on after we speak with the General. I¡¯m sure Kudela will send for you once he¡¯s awake.¡±


    The Healer nodded her head. ¡°Of course. The moment he¡¯s conscious.¡±


    Leta¡¯s lips were licked, her throat parched from speaking for such a long time. Even though the discussion gave her hope and dried her tears, she was still reluctant to leave her father¡¯s side.


    She paused to memorize her father¡¯s serene face, then leaned down to kiss his forehead.


    He showed a slight response to her touch, as if he could feel her presence nearby, but he didn¡¯t wake up.


    ¡°Love you, Dad. Always will.¡± She whispered, giving his hand one last squeeze before following Allister out of the infirmary. She turned her head as the door shut behind her, catching one last glimpse of her father. It felt almost immoral to go, like her father was on his deathbed and she had left to answer a work call.


    Leta walked behind Allister, oblivious to his presence, consumed by thoughts of her father¡¯s health and the remote chance of her mother¡¯s survival. Leta held onto the hope that her mother, feisty as she was, had escaped the Gargoyle and find safety.


    She understood the unlikelihood, but embracing the slim chance of Naomi Black¡¯s well-being was better for her mental state.


    An awkward silence separated the pair like a physical wall as Leta followed one step behind the giant as he led her through the monastery.


    ¡°As was said last night.¡± Allister cleared his throat when the silence became unbearable. ¡°You¡¯re da¡¯s in excellent hands. Eirene Kudela is literally one of the greatest Healers of our time, and as she said, medicine has come a long way.¡±


    ¡°I know that she¡¯s a good doctor.¡± Leta said absently, her eyes roaming over an antique painting hanging in the hallway as they walked, ¡°I just I don¡¯t like not knowing.¡±


    ¡°Aye, lass. Well, one thing at a time.¡±

 Chapter Nineteen: Where We Go From Here (Part II)

    The renovation turned the chapel into two separate areas with stone walls. The front, where the pews would have been, now featured a large metal table that resembled something from a science fiction novel. Against one wall was a sea of televisions, some showing newsreels from various countries, others showing CCTV footage of what looked like Athens. Simple panels of stained glass on the opposite wall lit the room in splashes of reds, whites, and yellows.


    Four raised bumps on the metal table projected holograms of a city map and a man¡¯s upper body.


    His stature loomed large, with a thick neck supporting his round face, while his dark eyes squinted at Atreus standing in front of the table, his hand was ready to smooth back the hologram¡¯s topee.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky someone didn¡¯t snap off a picture and post it on social media with that little light show on the roof.¡± The hologram growled with an American accent, his voice echoing around the room from a hidden speaker.


    ¡°It is incredibly fortunate.¡± Atreus responded slowly, arms crossed over his chest as he tried to hold back his irritation, ¡°Considering the Blessed were so adamant on killing our new Queen that they risked such exposure.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re not court marshaled for this little stunt-¡±


    ¡°What stunt is that, sir?¡± Atreus¡¯s eyes narrowed at the hologram, ¡°One of the greatest threats to humanity set its minions loose on Athens to kill our new Queen mere days after her Rising, and I¡¯m expected to protect her with a skeleton crew with bad intel and subpar equipment. An unprecedented surprise attack, the largest raid we¡¯ve recorded in the last 200 years done so effectively that neither the Sects nor any other Priestess said anything.¡±


    ¡°Because of your lack of foresight, I lost good men-¡±


    ¡°And I lost good people, too. Corbin. Luis. Nicole. Tomaseo. Adjany. All deaths that could have been avoided if my Sect hadn¡¯t been stripped bare just when a Queen arrives.¡±


    ¡°Watch your tone!¡±


    Atreus uncrossed his hands to set them on the lip of the table, meeting the eyes of the hologram with a look akin to cold anger, ¡°Our counts show the number of Goblins that made it into that hospital was higher than our best estimates of Goblins in the entire country. You want to talk about court marshall? How about explaining to me how not a single Sect in the surrounding area noticed a gods damn Onikama found its way into Athens? Who¡¯s not doing their damn job keeping the Comms down in an emergency so the Sects can talk to each other?¡±


    His eyes flew up when he detected movement, seeing the Hunter and Leta strolling towards them.


    Straightening, Atreus bowed low over the table. ¡°You¡¯re Majesty.¡±


    The hologram turned and jumped when it spotted her, eyes widening when it realized who she was.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± His crooning was sickly sweet. ¡°An absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Elston Van Brawn, Governor of Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Serbia.¡±


    Leta raised an eyebrow. The man was as two faced as she¡¯d expect a Governor to be. He had a look that screamed terrible politician. His syrupy tone and greasy smile rubbed her the wrong way. ¡°What seems to be going on here?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we were discussing the errors made in your protection during last night¡¯s.. events.¡± Van Brawn chose his words carefully. ¡°Your safety is our top priority, naturally. There were serious laps in safety. We-¡±


    ¡°Why are the Comms down?¡±


    Elston opened his mouth as if to respond, then closed it when her words finally registered. ¡°Apologies, your Majesty, I¡¯m not-¡±


    ¡°Atreus here just said the Comms are down. Why can¡¯t the Sects talk to each other?¡±


    ¡°I counted two attacks on Your Majesty in Santorini,¡± Elston said, seeming to flounder for words before a too-wide smile spread across his face. ¡°The first was an unfortunate event, but it was believed that the second option may have been nearly successful because of information leaked to the Blessed.¡±


    When Leta looked at Atreus, she observed his lips were pressed in a thin frown.


    ¡°So you shut communications down in order to prevent further information from getting out.¡± Leta summarized.


    ¡°Correct, your Majesty! Most astute-¡±


    ¡°So if you have the Comms shut off why didn¡¯t you think to beef up security at the hospital?¡±


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    Allister coughed behind her as if he were trying to mask a laugh.


    Leta gazed through the hologram at the General, who sported an amused smirk with his lip pulled up. ¡°Atreus, who was to plan my security detail?¡± She asked, though she felt she already knew how the rest of this conversation was going to go.


    ¡°I was, your Majesty, after Governor Van Brawn and the Senator approved it.¡±


    ¡°So you designed the plan?¡±


    ¡°I designed the plan and, after it was reviewed and edited by the Governor and Senator, I executed the approved plan.¡±


    ¡°Edited, you say.¡± Leta pursed her lips and looked back to Easton the hologram, who was looking worried. ¡°What edits were made?¡±


    Atreus lowered his head. ¡°The number of guards placed outside the hospital and those in plain clothes within.¡±


    ¡°That was-¡± Elston tried to interject, but Leta cut him off.


    ¡°What was the number changed to?¡±


    ¡°Two guards instead of eight at the front door, one instead of five at front reception, and three guards instead of ten to monitor the halls.¡±


    Elston finally spoke up. ¡°The numbers requested were unreasonable!¡±


    ¡°My safety is unreasonable?¡± Leta asked calmly.


    ¡°O-of course not, your Majesty.¡± He stuttered, backtracking like a pro, ¡°But to meet these demands would require pulling personnel from the Istanbul or Sofia Sects.¡±


    ¡°And why wasn¡¯t that doable?¡±


    ¡°They were already in route to the dig site. If we called those still at the Sect, it¡¯s a fifteen hour train from-¡±


    ¡°So you prioritized a dig site over the safety of a Queen? Look,¡± Leta pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°I feel you two can argue and point fingers at each other all day long. Explain to me how they got into the hospital without dying from exposing themselves?¡±


    Atreus stood at attention in front of her as if addressing his superior officer, ¡°Based on CCTV footage and witness statements, the Loupgarou arrived armed and dressed in quasi-military attire, making it appear as if they were a terrorist organization from Costez. The current political unrest in Costez off the coast of the Med has led credence to the story that the group were there to assassinate a high ranking Costezie figure. No figure has been named, but the event has caused further tensions between the two nations, and Greece and several other countries are now imposing sanctions on the Costez.¡±


    Leta looked at the wall of televisions. A few were playing the same story but in different languages as they showed aerial footage of the hospital. Others showed images of men with faces covered, rifles held high as they chanted something she couldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°And the Goblins?¡±


    Atreus¡¯s fingers danced across the buttons, illuminating the table with a soft glow. The projection of city streets dissolved to show a three-dimensional image of the hospital.


    ¡°By some miracle, most of the hospital was under renovations during the raid as the hospital was a new purchase. The ground floor and first floor,¡± the floors highlighted on the hologram, ¡°were open and used to treat Mundanes. Floor two was compromised, but the Mundane doctors quickly secured the theaters where they were performing operations. Third floor is empty save for utility area that also houses the hospital¡¯s main servers. Without prying eyes, the Loupgarou cut the power to cause confusion before setting up a channel to funnel Goblins into the building past the Mundanes from the sewers.¡±


    A moving van at the loading area in the back of the hospital flashed twice to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°In the back loading area, we discovered a Lorrie parked with a bed covered in dirt and rocks. With the hospital¡¯s loading area and kitchen¡¯s closed for the night, we believe they used the vehicle to bring the Onikama through the city and set it loose in the stairwell.¡±


    Leta nodded. ¡°That explains how they got in. What was the evacuation plan in case of an emergency?¡±


    ¡°Bring you to the roof to be lifted out. Hayato was kept on ice here at the monastery, specifically to be a means of last resort should you be attacked.¡±


    She pursed her lips as her eyes roamed over the hologram of the hospital. Despite not being a strategist, she suspected Comms would be shut down at the same time that the Sect was short-staffed and unable to properly protect her.


    She couldn¡¯t determine if he was merely an oblivious idiot or had sinister motives behind his leadership decisions.


    Both options were terrifyingly possible.


    She clenched her fists tightly, feeling the heat of anger radiate through her body.


    ¡°So my dad getting hurt, my mom being taken by a Gargoyle, and Adjany getting thrown from the damn roof is all because you wouldn¡¯t fucking make sure you had enough staff present.¡± Leta growled, pinning her glowing blue eyes to the hologram as her hair rose from static.


    Elston demonstrated enough intelligence to recognize he was in trouble as he observed tiny sparks crackled around her clenched fists.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s a bit more complex-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it fucking is.¡± She snapped, the glow of her eyes and the red of the stained glass window making her look like an avenging spirit rising to exact retribution. ¡°I think it¡¯s very simple. Your inaction caused my dad permanent harm, my mother to be kidnapped and possibly killed by the Blessed, and a talented Alchemist to be thrown to her death. I think it¡¯s straightforward for you to think you¡¯re guiltless in all this, but it¡¯s. Your. Fault. ¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re Majesty.¡±


    Leta snapped around with a sharp eye to see Allister, who had the decency to lower his gaze at her furious expression. ¡°Our intel shows the Gargoyle took your mother out of Athens. We lost them just before they reached Mount Parnassus, but she was still alive when they were last spotted.¡±


    The hope that bubbled up from the pit of her stomach at the idea her mother maybe, just maybe, survived the attack was a terrible thing.


    She wished for it to be true.


    She desperately desired for her mother to be alive.


    But in the case that she was, her mother was now in the grip of an undeniable monster. Not like the psychotic Goblins or the Loupgarou driven by their instincts, but a true monster. The kind that derived pleasure from watching someone¡¯s mind shatter while their bodies were mutilated and broken.


    The sort of monster that fanned the flames of war and watch the world burn down because they thought the embers were pretty.


    Leta took a deep breath, centering herself as she directed her anger towards something that had a constructive purpose.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about how or why last night happened.¡± Each word came out slow but full of teeth as she fixed the hologram with a menacing glare. ¡°All I care about is what we¡¯re going to fucking do about it.¡±

 Chapter Twenty: Convictions (Part I)

    ¡°Fucking politicians¡­¡± Leta growled as the image of Elston flickered out.


    Saying the man had been less than helpful was being generous.


    Leta had begun by asking about what countermeasures would be taken against the Blessed and what they would be doing to hunt down the Gargoyle that took her mother.


    Elston went on some long, drawn-out speech about other areas that needed protecting, then backtracked when she brought up the lack of safety for herself as their ¡®Queen.¡¯ Then the Governor would try to point out that she was healthy and safe in the Athens Sect and then backtracked again when she brought up that she¡¯d been attacked on Sect property.


    He¡¯d say he didn¡¯t have the men to spare to find her mother, then he turned around and said that finding her mother was his top priority when she questioned his sincerity to protect humanity.


    The more he talked, the more she realized he reminded her of an infant unable to hold his head up on his neck, his head flopping this way and that as he went on and on as if her suggesting he do, his job was an insult.


    In short, Atreus and Leta were finally able to drag out a promise of some reinforcements; a small contingent compromised of a Gladiator, Animal Herder, Archer, and a Messenger would be dispatched from , Albania.


    Elston cautioned that, should there be an emergency in that region, the Albanian team would need to return. It was something that seemed trivial until the Governor also slipped in that he would recall them anyway once he¡¯d secured at least two other Arisen to be stationed in Athens.


    He sounded like he was being strong armed into the decision when he finally agreed that he would be ensuring communications were back open between the Sects.


    After an hour or so of the back-and-forth exchange, Elston made up some excuse to drop out of the conversation, his hologram image dissolving into tiny light particles that faded from existence.


    ¡°How, in gods name, did that man get the job?¡± Leta grumbled, her head dropping as she gripped the edge of the table.


    ¡°Unfortunately, when the man comes to civil disputes, he¡¯s very good.¡± Atreus sighed. He kept Bulgaria and Serbia from becoming a bloodbath during the Cold War, so he¡¯s got a bit of clout.¡±


    Leta¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion at his offhand remark. ¡°The man doesn¡¯t look older than fifty. How could he have had a hand in anything happening during the Cold War?¡±


    Atreus looked up to Allister with a raised brow as the giant put his hands up in surrender. ¡°Donne¡¯ look at me. This hasn¡¯t come up yet.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Leta looked between them, her confusion turning into apprehension. ¡°What hasn¡¯t come up?¡±


    Allister groaned as he ran one hand over his neck as if about to confess to eating the last cookie on the plate. ¡°Well, lass. You know how we heal quickly, aye?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Leta pulled the word out slowly as if she were trying to pry it free from syrup.


    ¡°Well, Arisen are¡­ very healthy, let¡¯s say. We  get sick, and if we break a bone, it¡¯s healed completely in a few days. After we Rise, our¡­ aging slows down. A lot.¡±


    Her frown deepened, hearing what he was saying but unwilling to believe it. ¡°What do you mean by a lot?¡±


    ¡°It varies between the Arisen, but our best guesses are that we age about one year for every ten or so years that pass.¡±


    She blinked in surprise, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Allister, here¡¯s over 300 years old, pushing 400,¡± Atreus remarked, his arms crossed as he leaned his hip against the hologram table as if they were discussing the weather.


    ¡°What!?¡± Leta¡¯s raised voice echoed slightly off the stained glass as she looked at the giant Scotsman in shock. He didn¡¯t look any older than his mid-fifties, his red hair only just showing a few strands of gray.


    She remembered how Afra had said the Healer was ancient, but she looked like a lovely woman in her mid-seventies.


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡±


    ¡°Died valiantly in battle, my body never returned home.¡± Allister nodded to himself with a smile as if he were pleased with himself. ¡°The stomach wound I could have done without, but I donna regret it.¡±


    ¡°So, everyone here¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Old, aye, lass. At least in terms of Mundane life spans.¡±


    Leta looked to Atreus, who shrugged. ¡° War for me.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Leta¡¯s expertise was Mesopotamian cultures, but she was pretty sure the  War wrapped up around 1791.


    ¡°It¡¯s not immortally.¡± Allister was quick to remind her, ¡°Just a long existence. Losing your head is a sure way to go, and you can still bleed to death if you get seriously injured.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always one new Arisen that wants to test it, though.¡± Atreus sighed, then frowned, ¡°However, from my reports, you might be fine if you did. Kudela said that you healed extremely fast, even for an Arisen.¡±


    ¡°Crowns are built a bit differently.¡± Allister shrugged.


    Leta winced before taking a deep breath.


    She needed to rip the band aid off and tell them the truth.


    Keeping this secret was becoming too dangerous, and her parents had paid the price.


    If she¡¯d told everyone up front that she wasn¡¯t a Crown, maybe things would have been different.


    She opened her mouth when a thought crossed her mind that had her muscles freezing in panic.


    The Golden Rule.


    The rule that killed any Arisen that exposed their true nature to humans.


    What did that mean for her?


    She hadn¡¯t been shy with showing her powers to the Arisen,


    While she¡¯d been able to use her abilities in front of her parents without repercussions, did that extend to the Arisen?


    Everything she had done had been unnatural to the Arisen but explained away as a Crown ability.


    Talking about the nanites was a different matter. If she came out and talked about the System, would that trigger the rule?


    The Atlantians had kept the humans in the dark for literally thousands of years, reigning as gods and happy to be treated as such.


    She didn¡¯t think the ancient architects of the System, who¡¯d engineered their machines with such a deadly fail safe, wouldn¡¯t have taken her System into consideration as well.


    What limitations were put on her in order to keep the Atlantian secrets?


    ¡®Gada?¡¯ She was almost hesitant to ask the machine.

 Chapter Twenty: Convictions (Part II)

    [There are no records on file that indicate a catastrophic systems failure should the Host disclose nanites to another. However, security measures would be in effect should the individual then disclose the knowledge of nanites to another, which would be in line with the Atlantian goal of keeping information about their race and their advantages a secret.]


    Leta found herself releasing a deep breath that was a mix of relief and panic.


    ¡°Leta?¡± Allister tilted his head, a cautious frown on his face as he took in the range of expressions that had been playing across her face. ¡°Are you well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, um, I¡¯m fine.¡± She ran a shaky hand through her hair to calm herself, taking a deep inhale through her nose and blowing it out of her mouth. She was aiming for calm and serene, but her nerves weren¡¯t having any of it.


    ¡°Okay, what I am about to tell you can only be talked about in my presence, alright?¡±


    She looked between the two men, who were now both frowning with arms crossed. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very serious; you cannot, under any circumstances, talk to anyone about what I¡¯m about to say, not even between each other. Once this conversation is over, we never speak of it again, do you understand? If there is even so much of a whisper, the Golden Rule could take effect.¡±


    They were both straight-faced now, their posters tightening from relaxed conversation to ridged alertness. They shared a look that said nothing and spoke volumes at the same time before turning back to her.


    Allister replied slowly. ¡°Aye, lass. If it''s so secretive, we¡¯ll not breathe a word.¡±


    With a nod of agreement for Atreus, Leta took a deep breath before speaking.


    There was no turning back now.


    ¡°You guys call our abilities talents and talk about them like it''s some sort of magic that we control. But it¡¯s not magic. It¡¯s not a blessing from ancient gods. It¡¯s not a curse or a blessing, for that matter. It¡¯s a result of an ancient technology.¡±


    And so she told them the truth.


    She told them about the nanites.


    She repeated what Gada had told her of the Atlantian history that first day and the story of how she got her system.


    She told them about her abilities and her limitations.


    She talked about her ability to absorb inert nanites and how she grew stronger each time. Everything.


    By the end of her story, it was an hour or so till midday, and Atreus and Allister had yet to blink. They hadn¡¯t moved since she started speaking, almost as if they were characters in a movie that someone had paused.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the Blessed are after me because of the System or if they think I¡¯m a Queen like you guys did, but they¡¯ve really gone out of their way to try and catch me. And, well, that¡¯s everything.¡±


    Utter silence blanketed the room. The only noise was the slight whine of the machines and the muffled sounds of a sparring match.


    It felt like an eternity later when Allister raised one slow finger and asked, ¡°Aliens?¡±


    Leta¡¯s eyes jumped between the two, both hoping for and bracing against their reactions.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She drew the word out a full five seconds, waiting for a response that hadn¡¯t come.


    Atreus took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh. His voice dripped with skepticism as he spoke. ¡°Alien tech? That¡¯s what you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy, I know,¡± Leta said quickly. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely insane. But then again, the Arisen would have been insane and crazy for me just a few days ago. I don¡¯t expect you to believe me, but it is the absolute truth. Look, I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t believe me. I just need you to know because I¡¯m not a Queen, so I¡¯m not going to have the powers that a Queen would have. You guys are the leaders of the Sect, and you can¡¯t make good decisions if you don¡¯t have all the answers. Just take it into consideration in the future, please?¡±


    Atreus¡¯s nose flared with his exhale, wishing that Judge De Mar was here to taste her words. It was a ludicrous story, but he when presented with a problem, he couldn¡¯t shove something off the table until there was evidence to prove her wrong.


    And really, the more evidence they gathered, the more it pointed to her story being true.


    The strange powers.


    The unspeakably fast healing abilities.


    The lack of ability to bolster forces with a wave of her hand.


    All of it pointed to something else, but at Queen, wasn¡¯t it.


    He shook his head.


    Until he had evidence to prove that she was crazy, he couldn¡¯t rule it out.


    ¡°For now, we will keep this information between the three of us and will not speak of it again, even among Allister and myself. We have more pressing issues to attend to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say.¡± Allister snorted. ¡°The entire city is steps away from martial law after last night. The Costez government isn¡¯t taking responsibility, but all the evidence at the hospital points to them. Greece is on edge, as are their allies. Everyone in the city is going to be looking over their shoulder. All that paranoia and panic is like an engraved invitation for the Blessed. Plus, with Tariq in town, things are going to be tense.¡±


    ¡°Tariq?¡± Leta asked.


    ¡°The name of that Loupgarou you met. Athletic? Dark hair, dark eyes? Pretty boy.¡± Allister scoffed, ¡°We¡¯ve run into him once or twice. He¡¯s up there in the local Blessed hierarchy. Most Loupgarou you can converse with when they aren¡¯t furry, but they¡¯re average at best regarding prowess. But this Tariq? He¡¯s different. Smart and capable enough to control one of the largest packs in Europe. He¡¯s built differently from the other Loupgarou. After a few years, the beast inside starts to eat away at the person they once will until they¡¯re beasts no matter what skin they are in. But not him. He¡¯s held onto his humanity. He¡¯s got all the ferocity of a berserker with the strategic mind of a master chess player.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s given us our fair share of black eyes,¡± Atreus added, his face sullen as if giving the man any compliment physically hurt him. ¡°But by their nature, the Blessed are very territorial, which means getting them to agree to something, or better yet, follow orders, isn¡¯t easy. Tariq has the know-how, but he doesn¡¯t have the manpower by himself. However, without backup, we¡¯re basically on an even playing field now.¡±


    ¡°Tariq mentioned that my existence was bad for his master. Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Alrich, most likely.¡± Allister ran a hand over his face as he felt an oncoming headache, the thought of a creature enough to give him a migraine. ¡°He¡¯s a Vampire that came onto the scene somewhere around the French Revolution era. If Alrich has set his sights on you, we¡¯re in deep shit.¡±

 Chapter Twenty: Convictions (Part III)

    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Best way to think of Vampires somewhere along the lines of a Senator when it comes to power and reach. They¡¯re not Crowns by any means, but they¡¯re much, much more powerful than, say, a Goblin or a Loupgarou. Having a Vampire on your back would be like having half of a hemisphere gunning for you.¡±


    Leta gulped. ¡°Why would he want to go after me? I¡¯m three days into this bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, for that reason.¡± Allister shrugged as if they weren¡¯t discussing monsters trying to kill her, ¡°In his eyes, you¡¯re a fledgling Queen. You donna know your strength yet. Be smart, wouldn¡¯t it, to kill a weed before it has enough time to truly infest a garden, no?¡±


    ¡°As a Queen, you¡¯d have the potential to be a threat.¡± Atreus added. ¡°Crowns are famously known for being able to boost their troops in all out war. Legends past say a Crown could take a handful of simple farmers and turn them into a deadly fighting force with a wave of their hand. As a corpse, well, you¡¯re not much of a threat.


    ¡°Which brings us to our next topic.¡± Atreus uncrossed his arms as he gave Leta a serious look. ¡°Apologies, your Majesty, but to be completely frank The Athens Sect is understaffed to properly defend you and yet I am concerned about sending you to another Sect at this time. I believe that it is best that you stay within the confines of the Athens Sect until we have more information for your own safety or until we¡¯re able to get you to a safer location.¡±


    Her lips pursed at his matter-of-fact tone. ¡°So, what then? I¡¯m just supposed to sit here twiddling my thumbs until we get attacked or a group of old farts decide what to do with me?¡±


    Allister let out a breath, tapping his foot as he thought for a moment. ¡°Best guess, I¡¯d say you¡¯ve maybe a few weeks before Crowns summon you. But make no mistake, we can do nothing to protect you when that time comes. One minute you¡¯re here, the next you¡¯re with them. There¡¯s no warning or buildup like when Hayato¡¯s makes a Shadow Gate - that¡¯s the kind of power they wield.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re so powerful, why haven¡¯t they taken over the world?¡± Leta said flippantly.


    ¡°Well,¡± Atreus answered, ¡°because of the rules they can¡¯t do it themselves, or at least they can¡¯t make a spectacle of it. It¡¯s all very ¡®man behind the curtain¡¯, but with a lot more ¡®Annoy me and suddenly you¡¯ll find out who invented the Screaming Eagle¡¯.¡±


    Leta felt a little bile in her throat at the mental image of someone¡¯s organs being pulled out of them while they watched.


    ¡°Noted. So, sit tight till my blind date with destiny comes knocking. That could be weeks from now though, and my mother is still out there.¡±


    Atreus frowned. ¡°First of all, we¡¯re outside the city limits, and our Priestess as placed runes around the Sect, so no ones getting in. Second, your mother was taken by a Gargoyle and I lost four men last night. I don¡¯t have the man power to go out on the wishful thinking that she might still be alive. I need people here, in this Sect, defending who we have left until our reinforcements get here.¡±


    Leta felt her jaw clench. She wanted so badly to tell him off; to shout and curse him for abandoning her mother. There were several explicit words on the tip of her tongue, but she ground her teeth instead and let her anger simmer.


    In a way, she could understand where he was coming from.


    He was in charge of people and several of them had been killed defending her.


    Atreus¡¯s priority was his Sect and not investigating if a human kidnapped by a Gargoyle had survived.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    It didn¡¯t mean she had to like it.


    Taking a deep breath, she vowed to get her dad secured before heading out on her own to go look for her mother.


    Leta didn¡¯t care if it was one mile or a hundred that she had to cover, she¡¯d go to the ends of the Earth to know if her mother was alive.


    Taking a deep breath, she focused on the hear and now.


    Obviously, she¡¯d never win in a straight-up fight against the likes of Tariq. He¡¯d proven twice now that he was not to be taken lightly.


    Not only that, the Blessed had shown last night the lengths they¡¯d be willing to go to in order to kill her, and unfortunately, both of her parents had gotten caught in the crossfire.


    If she was going to rescue her mom and bring the fight to the Blessed, she needed to know how to fight.


    She needed to be a killer.


    Someone who wouldn¡¯t hesitate or freeze up when the fighting started.


    Someone willing to do the frightening things and make the hard choices to achieve her goals.


    She wasn¡¯t that person right now. Not yet, anyway.


    ¡®But I could be.¡¯


    After killing that Minotaur, she knew she had it in her to be ruthless.


    That was probably the most freeing part of the whole situation. Leta had tasted the fear in the creature¡¯s eyes and liked the flavor.


    There was that tiny voice again that was absolutely panicked about her situation, but the louder voice railed against those that had wronged her; wronged her parents.


    It promised retribution.


    It vowed to scorch the Earth where those who hurt her stood so that nothing would grow - an eternal reminder of who she was.


    What she was.


    But Leta wasn¡¯t ready yet, not in battle prowess.


    She had to be forged into a weapon. One that was elegant in its grace and yet lethal and precise in its strike.


    Like a blade to the fire, she needed to burn in the crucible of battle before she had a chance to destroy Tariq and the Blessed.


    Her firey gaze lifted to the men in front of her who just might be able up to the task.


    ¡°We have a common enemy though.¡± Her words were low but full of certainty, her eyes shining with a lethal fury as she embraced that now familiar anger bubbling in her stomach like an old friend. ¡°They took my mom. They hurt my dad. I want them to suffer.¡±


    The word came out like the hiss of a viper. Her teeth bared as fury wrapped her in its embrace as she raised her chin. ¡°I want them to bleed. I want their bones to snap while I watch them burn till they¡¯re nothing more than dust on the wind. What do I do to make that happen?¡±


    Atreus blew a breath out through his teeth, his expression showing his annoyance, ¡°I¡¯ve not the time nor the patience to make you a soldier, Leta.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be holed up until we get reinforcements, right? I think we could make time.¡±


    Allister chuckled, then smothered his humor at the harsh looks of disapproval from both Atreus and Leta.


    Leta turned back to Atreus with a defiant stare, her blue eyes burning with the heat of a supernova. ¡°Teach me. Show me what I have to do to make them suffer for everything they¡¯ve done. Make me into something that will be fared, and I¡¯ll let that fury loose up those that killed your men with a smile on my face.¡±


    All her life, she¡¯d gazed in wonder at the ancient world and marveled at its grandeur. Now, the monsters of the past had risen from the depths, intent on ending her.


    Her old life was over. It ended last night on the roof of a hospital.


    Her new one would start here, in this room, among inhuman strangers in a land far from home.


    Atreus stared at the young woman so confident in her convictions as she leveled a burning stare at him.


    She was frail and little more than an infant lost in the woods.


    But the fire in her eyes¡­ that rage. He¡¯d seen it before in war, a spark that could light the flames of revolution or burn the world to cinders trying.


    ¡®She could do it, too.¡¯ The potential was there. Her clenched fists and the point of her chin said she¡¯d become the most terrifying thing in the world to meet her goals, with or without his help.


    She was a wild card, and the last thing anyone needed in battle was a wild card.


    The girl needed to understand herself and her own limitations in order to be effective. Like an ingot of iron, she needed the beating that comes from training and the burn of her rage to shape her into the deadly weapon he could glimpse lying dormant within her.


    Resigning himself to his choice, he pushed off from the table to stand before her. ¡°You want revenge?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Her response was immediate, almost reflexive.


    ¡°I will not treat you with any leniency, Leta. If you go this route, you will train and bleed just as hard as the rest of us, sometimes harder. You will probably have every bone in your body broken several times. You will freeze. You will burn. You will be so intimate with pain that it will be all you know. Once you go down this road, there is no turning back. You will be Chosen, whether you like it or not. Is that clear?¡±


    Leta swallowed, but her gaze didn¡¯t waiver as she nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Atreus let out a breath. ¡°Fuck. Alright.¡±

 Chapter Twenty: Convictions (Part IV)

    A viscous smile broke over Leta¡¯s lips with the sense of morbid excitement.


    No one but her had probably been giddy to get the shit kicked out of her before, but she didn¡¯t care.


    Atreus held up a hand to calm her strange enthusiasm. ¡° First, we need you to understand your limits. Whether you¡¯re a Queen or a¡­ Monarch¡­ you¡¯re no good to the Chosen if you¡¯re useless in battle. Come.¡± He gestured to the door that they entered through.


    Allister gave her a flourishing bow as she neared, a sarcastic smile crinkling the edges of his eyes. ¡°This way, your Majesty.¡±


    Leta frowned, then turned her head to look back at Atreus behind her. ¡°Totally serious question here. Am I allowed to hit him upside the head every time he does that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Queen. Supposedly, something more than that. I can¡¯t tell you no.¡± Atreus deadpanned.


    Leta smiled happily as she turned back to the giant and made to follow through with the threat. He was quicker than expected, his head ducking to the side as her palm sailed past.


    Allister straightened, still smiling. ¡°Reflexes are better than a Mundane but not spectacular. Something we can work with.¡±


    The gleeful look in the giant¡¯s eyes tempered the burning anger in her stomach with a mix of confusion and trepidation.


    The pair led her through the hallway into the center courtyard, where Hayato and Koa were taking a break from their sparring. As they approached, the pair stood up and bowed low before standing straight at attention like true soldiers.


    ¡°At ease.¡± When the two relaxed, Atreus gestured to Leta by his side. ¡°Her Majesty has committed herself to training. You¡¯re both relieved of training today and will attend to your other duties until our evening debrief. Dismissed.¡±


    Hayato and Koa shared a look before bowing low again to her and backing up to their discarded weapons.


    Leta ran her tongue behind her cheek and looked at Atreus, ¡°Do you guys do memos? What do I have to do to get that bowing nonsense to stop?¡±


    Allister shrugged, ¡°Most will when ya ask. Some will be easier to break the habit of than others.¡±


    Atreus sized her up and down, arms crossed as he tried to figure something out in his mind. ¡°You¡¯re skin and bones, so that will need to be remedied. The Talents that you possess, list them for me.¡±


    No please or thank you. Just a demand for a result with a conviction that he would get it.


    As with Afra yesterday, she went down her list of abilities, even going over her stats and explaining her higher than average strength and stamina.


    She could tell that Allister was trying to put puzzle pieces together in his brain how best to approach her powers, but furrowed brows said he was having trouble doing so.


    Atreus seemed the most interested in her lightning, a talent that was apparently not a normal ability for Arisen.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Give me an example. Nothing destructive, but so I can observe.¡±


    Leta nodded, remembering that neither of the men had witnessed her channeling the storm or her fight on the hospital roof.


    Hold her arms out, she breathed as the tiny cracks of electricity arched over her fingers and hands, caressing her skin moths drawn to a flame. Was it weird that the dancing light had begun to feel familiar?


    The two men watched the sparks dance up her arms to tangle in her hair, the blonde strands beginning to float as the static played over her head.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Atreus held up a hand and she dutifully dropped the energy, though it took a moment for her to shake the energy from her hair.


    ¡°How strong can you make that?¡±


    ¡°In a single blast? 300 million volts, enough to power more than 50 homes for a day. Sustained? Somewhere around 200 million. Not enough for a normal lightning bolt but enough to do some serious damage. However, any clothes or things touching me will start to burn the longer I channel that energy.¡±


    Allister whistled in approval. ¡°Stun guns max out at 30,000 volts.¡±


    ¡°And that trick you did on the roof.¡± Atreus ignored the giant¡¯s impressed voice, his calculating face piecing information together. ¡°The glass shards. What was that?¡±


    ¡°There was a lot of dust and ash on the roof. I remembered the fulgurite I made on Santorini, so I tried to recreate that. I used the telekinesis to scoop up dirt and hold it in the air, then channeled my electricity into a punch so the fulgurite would have some momentum.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Leta waited for him to say more, but he just stood there looking in the distance, lost in thought.


    Finally, he shouted, ¡°Samuel!¡±


    Leta turned and looked up to where The General was gazing. On the second-floor walkway around the courtyard, a young boy of around ten watched them with rapt interest, his dark eyes going wide in his surprise at being caught.


    She could see his mocha-skinned cheeks flush even from this distance as he pointed at himself.


    ¡°Yes, you.¡± Atreus¡¯s words were firm but gentle like an old soldier addressing a young squire who dreamed of being a knight, ¡°The Queen¡¯s powers could cause some damage to the structures if she misfires. We¡¯ll need to set up some rods around the courtyard to catch and stray bolts.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± The boy nodded and made to run before he paused and turned back to her with a low bow before scurrying away.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one.


    From the second floor, Yelena, Koa, Hayato, and the stout Indian woman from last night stood among the columns and arches watching. Yelena watched with an oddly hopeful look while Koa and Hayato followed her movements with a fascinated curiosity. The middle-aged Indian woman had her arms crossed over a blacksmith¡¯s apron, seemingly not impressed.


    ¡°Ah.¡± She waved her hand at the young woman dismissively. ¡°You dragged me out of my shop for a child¡¯s skirmish when you promised me a battle. I¡¯m going back.¡±


    ¡°But, don¡¯t you-¡± Yelana started but the older woman was already walking away with a huff, muttering something that sounded like curse words under her breath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Kaviah,¡± Allister chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s just how she is. She¡¯s dedicated to her craft and harder to crack than the weapons she makes.¡±


    Atreus gave Koa and Hayato a sharp look, ¡°Isn¡¯t it your day to help in the scriptorium? Why are you leaving Huda alone to it?¡±


    ¡°The Mundane is poking around in there.¡± Hayato responded, ¡°Why clean up after his every step only for him to make another mess? I say just let him have his fill and then clean up after.¡±


    ¡° ton ¡­¡± Atreus sighed, ¡°Fine. Then, you¡¯ll both be coming down here and participating in this evaluation. If I have to educate one person I might as well I make sure I¡¯m educating the lot of you. Start by getting the mats prepped.¡±


    Leta could hear Koa grumbling but the two began collecting their weapons.


    Atreus looked back at her and continued.


    ¡°What physical martial arts training have you had?¡±


    ¡°I did karate for two weeks at summer camp when I was eight.¡± Leta provided with a straight face.


    Atreus stared at her for a while. The silence only broke when Allister snickered off to the side.


    ¡°Fuck.. Hayato! Koa!¡± Atreus called up to the second floor, looking as if his future was about to be a lot more painful than theirs, ¡°Grab Afra too. This could be a long lesson.¡±

 Chapter Twenty One: Testing Metal (Part I)

    ¡®You know, based on the Islamic design of the arches, I¡¯m pretty sure before this building was a monastery, it was-¡¯


    Leta¡¯s train of thought was derailed as she crashed into the courtyard wall, bouncing off the stucco before landing on the hard cobblestones with a groan.


    ¡°Again!¡±


    Leta hissed out a breath, her chest heaving as sweat dripped off her in rivets and stinging as it soaked into her bloody knuckles. Atreus and Allister¡¯s ¡®review¡¯ was taking such a toll on her body that her nanites were in a constant state of repair.


    She¡¯d already cracked a rib again when Hayato roundhouse kicked her in the chest so hard she missed the mat and rolled into the courtyard fountain.


    Koa had given her a beating by way of weapons as his sword cut deep.


    The first time she got tossed out about and nearly dislocated her shoulder in the process, it had given her a surprising reward.


    [Host has unlocked Basic Hand-to-Hand combat skill.]


    Everyone seemed to watch in morbid fascination as the scrapes and bruises from being tossed around quickly healed, remarking that even for an Arisen, it would have taken them a day or two to recover from a broken rib where it only took her a moment.


    Leta took a deep breath, a sweat-covered arm wiping the grim from her face as she returned to the fighting stance Allister showed her.


    Hayato nodded at her before launching another attack, his hand flying at her head. Leta used her enhanced forearms to block the strike with one before throwing a fist with the other. Hayato grabbed her wrist and pulled, causing her to lose her balance as he threw her over his shoulder.


    ¡®Yep, those are totally Moorish Arches.¡¯


    Leta could feel her tooth crack as her cheek scraped against the stone floor.


    From above, she could hear ¡°ooh¡± from the onlookers on the second floor as she rolled over and stared up at the fluffy clouds rolled by, mocking her suffering.


    ¡°Stop. Let¡¯s take a breath.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank god.¡± She sighed, gingerly picking herself up off the cobblestone and limping to the fountain. ¡°Can I just fall into this?¡±


    ¡°No, lass.¡± Allister shook his head with a wry smile.


    ¡°Tragic.¡± She moaned as she cupped her hand to pour water over her head and face, wincing as the freezing water stung her quickly healing cuts.


    ¡°Fifteen minutes. Then we¡¯ll be back to it.¡±


    Dr. Kudela came down from where she¡¯d been watching on the second floor and knelt beside Leta as she propped herself up against the fountain.


    [Warning! A foreign entity is scanning the Host¡¯s vital signatures and gauging overall health. Malicious intent not detected.]


    ¡°Your healing is remarkable, " she muttered, her eyes fixed on the skin of Leta¡¯s cheek that had been scrapped partially off. Before her eyes, the skin was smoothing out and scabbing over, the swollen redness subsiding until her face was whole once more.


    Leta shrugged, her tongue running over her now-fixed tooth, ¡°It was weird at first, but now I¡¯m getting used to it.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind if I monitor you for a moment? It¡¯ll just be like someone putting a cuff on you at the hospital to monitor your vitals from a distance. I¡¯ve only met a Crown once before and didn¡¯t get a chance to observe them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Leta nodded, surprise in her tone as the woman put two fingers on her wrists and looked at her watch. ¡°You met a Crown before? When was that?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Dr. Kudela shrugged, ¡°A long, long time ago. I don¡¯t even remember the battle. At that time, there were only three known Kings. Today, when a new king comes or goes, the Crowns meet up and redraw territories, but in the past, it was war. I was, at that time, under the command of the Eastern King. When the Central King suddenly died, I was sent north with a company to confront Timur¡¯s army, which the Western King backed.¡±


    Leta nearly choked on air at that statement. ¡°Timur as in during the Middle Ages?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t call it that at the time.¡± Dr. Kudela gave her a mischievous grin, ¡°But it would have been towards the later end of that era. The Plague was still a thing, but by then, it had mostly run its course, and kingdoms were back to expanding their territories instead of consolidating their power.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Leta opened her mouth as if searching for the words before starting again, ¡°I don¡¯t want to seem rude, but how old are you?¡±


    Dr. Kudela chuckled, ¡°Old enough not to be bothered by silly questions. Only the nobility took note of dates and years, and it¡¯s not like we celebrated birthdays or anything anyway as peasants. Well¡­¡± She paused, her lips pursing as she thought about it. ¡°I was born in Autumn towards the end of the , so best guess I¡¯d say I¡¯m 670-something years old.¡±


    Leta¡¯s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. ¡°Holy¡­¡±


    The woman shrugged, ¡°Healers are much sought after among the Sects, so I have been well protected and cared for. I¡¯ve also been lucky to work with adept soldiers who taught me how to defend myself.¡±


    She thought back to last night and remembered how skilled the older woman was with her blades, her fearlessness at facing off against literal monsters.


    Lost in thought, Leta barely felt the woman pat her shoulder. ¡°You are doing well. Most of the Arisen were in terrible situations and often labeled monsters and demons after our Rising. I wandered for about five years before I stumbled upon another Arisen. With today¡¯s technology and increased numbers, it¡¯s much easier to find one other after their Rising and protect them.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that you guys knew about me?¡±


    ¡°About you? No. About your circumstances? Not until De Mar realized what you were. De Mar studies the ancient world, that much is true, but he is also tasked with keeping an eye out for Atlantian artifacts.¡±


    ¡°What kind of artifacts?¡±


    ¡°Everything. Anything that can give us some insights into how we are what we are. Your dig site was flagged as a confirmed Atlantian sight shortly after your Rising. De Mar told me that several items were brought to the surface that were Atlantian in origin, so steps were taken to shut down the site to outsiders so that our people could go in to remove the artifacts.¡±


    ¡°And started a bloody war in the process,¡± Kaviah growled, assisting the young boy Samuel in installing long metal rods at the corners of the courtyard as she eavesdropped on their conversation.


    Dr. Kudela shook her head. ¡°It happens every time, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°And it could have been avoided, and you know it.¡± The Indian woman shot back as she steadily placed one long pole on top of the other in the ground. Under her hands, the metal glowed red, and the air filled with the scent of ozone and ash. When she pulled her hands away, the two metal rods welded together under her power.


    Leta blinked, distracted by the seemingly magical welding job, ¡°What war?¡±


    Dr. Kudela sighed, ¡°While the Chosen may have moved first to close down your dig site, the Blessed weren¡¯t far behind. A marine force stationed with a Sect in Cyprus was sent out to begin going through the ruins and ran into water-based Blessed, who also got wind of the site.¡±


    ¡°Spies.¡± Kaviah hissed and spat on the stone floor in disgust.


    ¡°None among us.¡± Dr. Kudela soothed, ¡°But there¡¯s constantly confrontations between the two. During the day, the Blessed are weakened, so the Chosen can hold the position and do their search, but come night, the Blessed have the advantage. It¡¯s a war of attrition. Neither side is winning, and it only ends when all the artifacts are taken, but that will take a while.¡±


    ¡°What sort of artifacts are they going after?¡±


    ¡°Whatever they, and we, can get their hands on. Anything Atlantian is priceless and important to us. Not in monetary value but in function. Take Koa, for example.¡± She pointed at the Warrior sitting on the stone balcony ledge, munching away on a sandwich as one leg swayed back and forth over the side, ¡°Koa¡¯s weapon is what¡¯s called a Blade. It¡¯s made of god steel and will forever hold its edge, never tarnishing or breaking. Only a Blacksmith like Kaviah can shape god steel-¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s a pain in the arse,¡± Kaviah grumbled as she cleaned her hands in the fountain. ¡°Like no metal I¡¯ve ever . It¡¯s almost as if it¡¯s intelligent, the way it fights to fit a form. And to make things worse,¡± She paused to wipe her hands on a towel that Samuel offered, ¡°Some of the earth-based Blessed are attracted to it. The scent, the taste, I¡¯ve no earthly idea. Someone finds some god steel, then the next thing we know, an ogre¡¯s chewing on it like a dog with a bone.¡±


    Leta remembered the disastrous night in Santorini and that the Minotaur hadn¡¯t been interested in the car or Koa but appeared to be looking for his sword.


    ¡°Huh.¡± She wondered if Blessed might be hungry for Atlanite -or god steel as it was referred to because their corrupted nanites craved it. Perhaps that was also why the Blessed preferred eating Chosen rather than humans. Like cancer cells, maybe their broken systems craved the taste of pure nanites.

 Chapter Twenty One: Testing Metal (Part II)

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Kudela waved her hand, ¡°Blades are highly sought after among the combat classes. Because of the quality of the steel and how difficult it is to actually wield it, a Chosen with a Blade is much more deadly, and therefore, all Sects want a Blade in their roster. But the greatest of all artifacts is a Codex.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a religious artifact. It might not even be a real thing, but supposedly, the Codex was a book of knowledge given to the priests before the Gods vanished. It¡¯s said that the Codex contained knowledge of how to contact the Gods or how to take away someone¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± Leta didn¡¯t know why her heart was suddenly beating in trepidation. ¡°That sounds like some very Ark of the Covenant stuff right there.¡±


    ¡°Who knows if it¡¯s real.¡± Kudela shrugged. ¡°No one¡¯s every scene it-¡±¡°That we know of.¡± Kaviah interjected with a terse tone.


    ¡°But, just because we do not know doesn¡¯t mean it does not exist. I wouldn¡¯t worry about it, dear. It¡¯s like   or the Holy Grail. Maybe it¡¯s real, but most likely, it¡¯s just a fairy tale.¡±


    A water bottle was pushed into her face and Leta looked up to see the young boy, Samuel, holding the object out for her to take, his dark eyes wide as he looked at her with uncertainty and awe.


    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± She gave him a warm smile as she took a sip.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, your Majesty.¡± He nervously stuttered, small hands wringing with uncertainty.


    Leta grimaced into the bottle before swallowing her drink. ¡°Call me Leta, and you don¡¯t have to bow, kid.¡±


    Allister clapped his hands, calling out, ¡°Breaks over. Leta. Center. Everyone else, either get indoors or get away from the courtyard.¡±


    She let out a breath, her muscles aching as if sensing the oncoming pain she was about to be in. Kaviah held out a hand to help her up, callused fingers deftly pulling her to her feet as if she weighed nothing.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Leta muttered as the Blacksmith was already walking away and out of sight as if she couldn¡¯t be bothered by what others were doing.


    Kudela patted her arm, ¡°Dr. De Mar is charged with examining what¡¯s brought up, and I hear he is very excited about what¡¯s been found so far at the dig. I can send him a message to get in touch with you. You were a student of history, were you not? Perhaps you can take some comfort in learning more about the ancient world as you did before.¡±


    Leta smiled at the older woman¡¯s attempt to cheer her up. ¡°That would be nice.¡±


    Kudela, Hayato, Koa, Yelana, Afra, and young Samuel chose to stay and watch, retreating to the second-floor walkway where the columns and courtyard rods provided some measure of protection.


    Atreus stood some ways away from the rods, arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed those watching above before giving the giant a nod to begin.


    Allister turned to her with a serious expression like a ship captain about to address his men before battle. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re going to be testing the rods first. Can you hold a charge in your hands and gradually increase its intensity?¡±


    Leta took a breath and raised her head in affirmation. ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Right then. On my signal.¡±


    Allister about-faced and joined Atreus outside the rods.


    ¡°These better hold.¡± She saw Atreus¡¯s lips form the words, but he spoke so low that she couldn¡¯t hear him.


    ¡°Alright, begin!¡±


    Leta filled her lungs with air and slowly blew it out, centering herself as she pulled forth her lightning slowly.


    Blonde hair began to lose touch with gravity as the tresses floated around her head with the rising static. Tiny arches of electricity zapped over her arms as she raised her hands, holding her palms in cupped positions like an imaginary ball.


    The tiny sparks arched between her fingers, holding for half a heartbeat at a time, then half a second.


    Five seconds.


    Ten seconds.


    The longer the arches of electricity were sustained, the brighter they glowed until they began to splinter into a spider¡¯s web of crackling light. At the center of the arches started to collect and fuse, the bands thickening until a ball of white-blue light appeared between her fingers.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Hold it.¡±


    Leta heard Atreus¡¯s command but didn¡¯t look up, afraid that any break in concentration and the lightning would run wild.


    She didn¡¯t want to break the rest of the building and the rods if things got out of control.


    Focusing on the baseball-sized mass of lightning, she slowly pulled one hand away until it was accessible from the web of electricity holding the ball aloft.


    ¡°Good. Put a little more into it.¡±


    Breathing deep, she pulled static from the air around them and channeled it into the ball, watching it swell as it fed until it was the size of a basketball.


    Everyone hissed and held their hands up to protect their eyes as the light of a miniature star filled the courtyard.


    As she held its size firm in her mind, excess lightning began to discharge and connect with the ground around her, leaving tiny scorch marks on the cobblestone.


    ¡°Excellent, Leta. Can you put more in?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± She grunted, doing her best to focus, holding the mass in place while answering, ¡°But it¡¯s going to start discharging.¡±


    ¡°Okay, everyone, back.¡±


    Distantly, she could hear the group watching above take steps away from the balcony ledge as Atreus and Allister retreated a few steps.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Allister nodded, ¡°Give it a go.¡±


    ¡®Just a little more.¡¯


    The smell of ozone filled the air as she fed the mass. Leta brought her other hand back up to support the mass as it swelled between her hands to the size of a beach ball.


    [Warning. The Host has reached the voltage limit to hold a sustained charge. Further increases in voltage may cause harm to the Host.]


    Leta grunted by holding firm, her nanites continuously repairing her retinas as the white-hot light of the mass blinded her.


    Seconds later, a large arch of lightning cracked through the air, connecting the ball of electricity with one of the rods.


    Another giant arch snapped to her left, seemingly drawn to the rod.


    ¡°Holding¡­¡± Atreus muttered as two more bolts connected with the metal additions.


    Suddenly, an arch shot up and branched into two halves, one striking the ivy-covered wall above the war room and blasting the greenery to ash instantly as the other crossed the courtyard to strike the tiled roof.


    She heard Samuel scream in surprise and nearly lost control of the energy she was wielding.


    ¡°Alright, Leta. Slowly draw energy out of it.¡±


    It might have been easier stuffing a hurricane into a bottle.


    Now that the energy was there, it couldn¡¯t be turned off. It had to be channeled into something or release the power simultaneously. The sudden release would probably shatter the windows and everyone¡¯s eardrums, so that option was out.


    Leta imagined an arch of energy running up her arms, through her body, and into her feet, dispersing its potential into the earth below her.


    At first, it felt like nothing happened, so she tried again.


    And again.


    After the fifth or sixth time, she could see it slowly decreasing as it shrank from the size of a beach ball to that of a basketball.


    Without the mass to give it power, the bolts decreased until the much smaller arches from before were all that remained.


    Leta dared to glance up and see the General¡¯s reaction.


    Atreus had found a pair of very dark aviator glasses but was still using his hand to protect him from the glaring light of the ball in her hands.


    Allister could only close his eyes and feel his face warm as Leta¡¯s miniature sun increased the air temperature around them.


    ¡°Well done, Leta.¡± Atreus called, ¡°Bring it down a little more.¡±


    Steadying herself again, she began pulling strands of electricity through her body and expelling the energy into the ground beneath her. As she painstakingly shrank the mass of lightning, the smell of burning rubber singed her nose as the soles of the sneakers she¡¯d been wearing began to melt with the heat of the discharging electricity.


    A minute or two passed before the mass was once more the size of a baseball. Its bright glow was still too much to look at directly, but it was small enough now that those watching could at least see her.


    ¡°Alright, now throw it at a rod.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She nearly lost control of the lightning mass at such a crazy request.


    ¡°The rods can take the bolts, but we need to know if they will hold against a heavier attack.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, okay.¡±


    Just as when she used the skill Ball Lightning last night, she compressed the energy together, holding its fragile form together before throwing her hand out and sending it flying.


    Unlike last night, the mass of lightning moved almost lazily through the air. As it neared the rod, tendrils of electricity branched off and connected, wrapping around the pole like reaching fingers.


    The moment it made contact, the ball of lightning suddenly jerked and shot toward the rod just like metal shavings were dragged to a magnet.


    When it made contact, it flashed blinding white like a photographer¡¯s camera light, splitting the air with the loud crack of thunder.


    In its wake, the rod glowed red where it had been hit, and the metal scorched back with the direct attack but otherwise unharmed.


    Leta breathed and shook the static from her hair as the last electricity was grounded through her feet into the cobblestone and dirt below.


    She saw Samuel¡¯s dark eyes peaking over the stone ledge. ¡°Is the coast clear?¡±


    ¡°From me? Yeah.¡± She chuckled before addressing Atreus. ¡°I think it would be a good idea to put a metal net up and attach to the rods. That would probably keep my lightning from hitting the buildings.¡±


    Atreus was blinking furiously as he removed his aviators, stepping forward again now that the danger was contained, ¡°Agreed. Samuel?¡±


    ¡°On it!¡± He answered before his smaller feet putter-pattered away.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to need some new shoes.¡± He pointed to her sneakers that had melted slightly, sticky strands of plastic and rubber gluing her in place as if she¡¯d stepped in bubblegum.


    ¡°Yeah, it might be best if I just go barefoot from here on out if we just test my skills. I don¡¯t want to end up melting every single pair.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to research a good pair of shoes for you. If the worst should happen, I won¡¯t have you going into harm¡¯s way without some foot protection.¡±


    ¡°Lineman must have something,¡± Allister commented. ¡°I¡¯ll see what the good ole¡¯ inter-web offers.¡±


    Atreus bobbed his head in agreement before looking up to the wide-eyed Hearth Maiden, looking around in surprise as if she fully expected another wild bolt to come out of nowhere.


    ¡°Afra. You¡¯re up.¡±


    ¡°You want me to face off against this goddamn X-Man? I think fucking not!¡±

 Chapter Twenty Two: Dangerous Games

    Tariq¡¯s Perspective


    The ever-present need to hunt had been absent for some time now. In the past, any sudden movement would have caught his attention, his predatory nature honing when he caught sight of someone running or turning their back to him.


    It was in his nature to seize an opportunity to strike when his prey were unaware, a trait he¡¯d had to work on for years to contain. Even still, his breath would catch when he caught the scent of a Chosen, the newly Risen still so smothered in the smell of the Mundane that their scent was nearly completely masked.


    At least, that was until a blue-eyed vexation that was barely a woman had caught his eye. As he walked through the warehouse near the Athens docks, he looked left and right at other Loupgarou that were still in their Mundane forms, all in various stages of losing their minds. Some were fresh-faced, still shell-shocked by the realization that they were no longer ¡®normal¡¯. Others fidgeted and twitched, the constant stimuli of smells and textures grating on their sensitive minds. Even in their Mundane flesh where their senses were slightly muted, it was still enough for them to flinch and bare their flat teeth and the clinking of chains and the blasting of the ship horns.


    And then there were the truly lost, those that had been hunters of the night for so long that what had once been Mundane had long since withered and decayed away. All that was left were beings stuck halfway, creature in mind but man in body. They hated their Mundane forms, longing for fangs and claws as they scratched stumped fingers over frail flesh, their wild eyes focusing on him as they tried to rend the flesh from their bodies in the hope that there was fur beneath.


    He should be among these rabid fiends, crazed by years of succumbing to the whims of the sun and moon that he forgot his name and yearned to submit to his canine instincts.


    These wild beings were the eldest of their kind and lived as stark reminders of the fate that awaited all Loupgarou.


    As elegant and deadly as they were, ultimately, a mind born of the Mundane could not exist alongside that of the Loupgarou.


    For 200 years, Tariq had haunted the deserts, only in the last few decades wandering across the vast sea to lands unknown at the beck and call of his master. Loupgarou younger than himself had fallen and become little more than wild dogs, and yet through focus -and a bit of spite he¡¯d maintained his whits.


    Now the wild dogs watched him as he walked through the warehouse, lips curling back in contained snarls as he passed, only to whimper and roll in the dirt on their backs when his gaze fell on them.


    As manic as the wild dogs were, they were of use to himself and his master.


    As the Alpha of the region, it was his duty to execute the demands of his betters, and wild dogs made excellent shock troops when needed.


    With the recent losses at the hospital and the constant skirmishes taking place under the sea, every soldier counted, and he was in no position to be picky.


    At the opposite end of the warehouse a green shipping container that was typical of the ships bobbing in the water just outside the building. The placement within the warehouse was odd, but it was done at the request of a powerful acquaintance.


    With each step towards the structure, the air seemed to grow thinner and the shadows deepened as if the light itself was hesitant to go near it. Even the wild dogs growled and glared at the container but refused to go near as if their animal minds sensed the danger of a predator more powerful than them.


    As one approached, you could see a thin trail of white smoke lazily floating from some hole in the roof of the structure, the smell of burning fat and meat tickling his nose.


    The sound of the shipping container¡¯s door unlocking made many of the wild dogs and Loupgarou jolt upright, their hearts pounding audibly in his ears as the echo of the heavy metal swinging open rattled off the walls.


    From its depths came the faint glow of candlelight and the smell of sour herbs.


    ¡°Tariq. Tariq.¡± The sing-song voice that came from inside would have matched perfectly with a black widow spider, ¡°Why do your pets smell of piss and blood, Tariq?¡±


    ¡°Lizzie.¡± He greeted her formally, even going as far as to politely bow his head.


    ¡°Always the gentleman, you are.¡± She giggled, her thick American-Southern accident stressing each vowel spoken.


    The sliding door of the warehouse creaked open on rusty wheels, filling the space with mid-day light and causing the Loupgarou to growl as a beautiful woman in ragged clothes dripping with seawater entered.


    Right behind her came a hooded figure that was covered from head to toe, their thick coat out of place for Greece¡¯s humid and hot summers.


    ¡°Minon, love. And look, you¡¯ve brought Cadoc with you too.¡± Lizzie cajoled from the darkness as the Siren pushed the heavy metal door closed.


    The moment they were once again alone, the figure pushed his hood back to reveal a handsome face that most in today¡¯s age would have found attractive. His skin was a purple-brown hue that made his nearly-white blue eyes stand out, even from a distance. Coupled with his slightly pointed ears and the flash of fangs in his smile, he was anything but Mundane.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s smiling.¡± Lizzie giggled, ¡°You must have something nice to give me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, lovely.¡± He chuckled, his deep voice tailor-made to seduce and draw one in like a moth to the flame.


    Minon¡¯s hands flashed about as she signed, ¡°Today¡¯s catch bears fruit.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    The soft tinkling of tiny bones clacking together sounded almost like rain as they heard the rustle of fabric. In the candlelight, eyes that reflected in the darkness like a cat watched them with an unblinking manic stare.


    From the shadows of the shipping container stepped a female figure, her form taking shape as she approached.


    She was tiny, barely coming up to his chest, with a shock of dark brown hair and bright green eyes on a heart-shaped face. Skinny as she was, she looked nearly skeletal, her white shift dress stained brown resembling what was given to asylum patients centuries ago barely clothing her. Around her waist she¡¯d tied animal bones to an old belt with sea grass, painting the bones with archaic runes Tariq had no hope of deciphering.


    Her bare feet were dirty and caked in what looked like old blood as she stepped from the container. The wild dogs around them whimpered at her presence, scuttling away to the darker corners of the warehouse so as not to be seen by her.


    White teeth flashed as she gave the Siren a toothy grin, her manic eyes too wide as she held both hands up like a child asking for a piece of candy.


    ¡°Please?¡± She drew the word out, her excitement palpable.


    Minon went to her satchel, which was little more than a man''s shirt that had been sewn and knotted together to make a pouch, and pulled for a rod-shaped object about the length of a forearm that was rusty and covered in grim.


    ¡°Ooh.¡± Lizzie cooed, fingers wiggling as Minon placed the object in her waiting hands. Running her thumb over the dirt and rock that had calcified over the millennia revealed silver-colored metal that had wavy patterns in its grain like Damascus steel.


    ¡°How pretty!¡± Black nails clawed at the fossilized sand, pulling chunks off, and in the process of dislodging the stone cut and bloodied her fingers.


    A hard tug at the end revealed that the metal curved upward into a raised tip, still sharp after thousands of years below the sea.


    ¡°Ah! You have had quite the catch there, Minny.¡± Lizzie gave her a sparkling smile, her giddiness rivaling a toddler holding something they should be as her bloody fingers left crimson smudges on the rock.


    ¡°We have more, but they are checking to ensure they are Atlantian.¡± The Siren signed, to which the woman patted her cheek like a loving mother presented with an art project by a child, black nails leaving a streak of dirt and blood on the Siren¡¯s face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see it.¡±


    ¡°I think my present¡¯s better.¡± Cadoc sang as if he were tempting them with a secret.


    ¡°Oh, I love surprises. Gimme.¡± She held a hand out, her hand opening and closing impatiently.


    Cadoc chuckled and pulled forth a rusty, barnacle-crusted object from the folds of his clothes that was almost rectangular. It was about the size of a school textbook and just as thick, the fossilized sand and stone nearly covering the object entirely.


    ¡°Cadoc! You shouldn¡¯t have.¡± She sighed, the blade she¡¯d been given nearly forgotten as he placed his catch in her palm.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Oh! Ain¡¯t it heavy.¡± She cackled, wrapping it in her arms and holding it and the blade close to her chest as if her school crush had given her flowers. ¡°You bring me the sweetest things. I¡¯ve seen a lot of artifacts, but I ain¡¯t never seen one like this.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know I love to make you happy.¡± He smiled, his fangs and pointed ears making the act look almost sinister on his handsome face.


    Lizzie¡¯s head tilted back at a frightening angle to look back at the Loupgarou. ¡°Whatcha got for me, Tariq love?¡± Her crazed eyes watched him unblinking like a possessed doll.


    His eyes looked up to the Siren and the Drow that watched the exchange. While Minon seemed unaffected by anything, Cadoc had a smirk on his face like he¡¯d come out on top in a competition.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I have not been involved in the site, so I do not bring you anything tangible to enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, poo.¡± Lizzie pouted, pursing her lips in disappointment.


    ¡°However,¡± He quickly added, ¡°I did get to meet the new Queen and observe her power.¡±


    ¡°Really now?¡± The Witch¡¯s eyebrows perked up in interest.


    ¡°Indeed, and I bring some interesting news.¡± He leaned forward, his voice low as if to whisper in her ear but loud enough so the others would see, ¡°The new Queen isn¡¯t a Chosen.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Lizzie shrieked in surprise, her shrill voice frightening the wild dogs that were hiding.


    Tariq glanced up to see Cadoc¡¯s smirk had slipped seeing Lizzie¡¯s attention moving away from him.


    ¡°Yes, she had a vision during her Rising, but her powers are nothing I have ever seen. As I watched, she does not bestow blessings upon her allies as the stories say about Crowns. Instead, she touched her enemies and they turned to mummies while she grew stronger.¡±


    Lizzie¡¯s mouth dropped open, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be.¡± she breathed in shock. ¡°A Paradox Queen, as I live and breathe. I think this calls for giving our master a ring, yeah?¡±


    To himself, Tariq grimaced as Lizzie spun on her heels to return inside the shipping container, the bones at her hips clicking with each step.


    A growling noise vibrated from Cadoc as he pushed past to follow the Witch inside.


    Tariq turned back to Minon, whose lips were pressed in a thin line as if something weighed heavily on her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± She signed.


    He nodded, ¡°Me, too. But, we do what we must when we play dangerous games.¡± He held a hand out for her to enter the shipping container like a gentleman holding the door for a lady.


    Inside the shipping container, it looked like one had stepped inside a pocket of hell. Bones, rags, sea grass, and other strange objects hung from the walls, and candles were placed in various locations making the archaic runes painted over the ceiling easy to see. Near the center was a small fire heated a large steel stew pot that could have fed an army if it was cooking to nourish.


    Instead, he could see a human jaw bone with the teeth still attached bobbing up from the bowels of the thick, bubbling brown goo.


    The smell nearly had his sensitive nose sneezing, the cacophony of scents assaulting him from all directions.


    Lizzie dumped her offerings next to a pile of firewood and turned back to a body that was tied hand and foot to a chair at the far end of the shipping container.


    It was a young man around fourteen or fifteen years of age, his curly dark hair matted with blood from a head wound that dripped over one eye. His clothes were dirty and he smelled of human excrement, indicating that he¡¯d been tied up for a very, very long time.


    ¡°Ring, ring.¡± She sing-songed, dipping her thumb in the boiling pot. The sticky mess stuck to her finger like glue, barely moving from her finger as she slowly approached the boy.


    ¡°Ring, ring.¡±The boy startled awake, dark eyes racing around the room as the sound of his racing heartbeat caused the Loupgarou outside to stir.


    Wide eyes fell on the terrifying woman approaching him and fixated on her painted thumb.


    ¡°Ochi, ochi sas parakalo¨²me, ochi.¡± He trembled, his stuttering as he struggled in vain to break free.


    ¡°Ring, ring.¡± Lizzie sang, coming to stand so close her stained dress nearly touched the young man¡¯s knees.


    ¡°Sas parakalo¨²me. Ochi, sas parakalo¨²me-¡±


    ¡°Ring, ring.¡± She sighed as she ran her thumb from the crown of his forehead to the bridge of his nose, the disgusting goo mixing with his blood as she did.


    He gasped, the muscles in his neck straining as he threw his head back. As if he were having a seizure his body twitched under his restraints, eyes rolling back in his head as his back arched. It drew to a head when he opened his mouth as if to scream, his jaw looking like it was unhinged with how wide he opened it.


    The candles around them flickered, the flames dancing on their wicks as if an unseen force was at work when suddenly the young man¡¯s body went limp and the candles dimmed ever so slightly.


    Moments passed before the body moved, head rolling back on its neck to look at them with eyes that were the white, glazed-over kind that could only be seen on the dead.


    He smiled, teeth stained red from where he¡¯d nearly bitten off his tongue. ¡°Well, well, my Elizabeth.¡± The voice that came out of his mouth was not the sniveling, terrified cry of a young boy, but the baritone of an adult.


    ¡°Hello, master dear.¡± Lizzie giggled, kneeling before the young man with an excited smile. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you accepted the call.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. If you¡¯re trying to get in touch with me at such an early hour, it must be important. Did you find something at the site?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. An interesting artifact has been brought up, one I haven¡¯t seen before.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh.¡± She nodded as if he could see her, ¡°Rectangular and heavy. I¡¯ve got an idea of what it is, but I¡¯ll need to do a thorough examination before I know for sure. That isn¡¯t why I¡¯m calling, though.¡±


    Lizzie turned her head to look back at Tariq and gestured him forward with the crook of a finger.


    Dutifully, he stepped forward and took a knee. ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Is that Tariq I hear?¡± The boy¡¯s head turned in curiosity as if parroting the movements of the puppet master.


    ¡°It is, master.¡± Tariq bowed his head, ¡°I bring word on the new Queen.¡±


    The boy¡¯s smile grew, ¡°Oh? I was under the impression that the mission I gave you was a failure.¡±


    Tariq could hear Cadoc snicker behind his back, but he ignored it.


    ¡°While the raid was unsuccessful in killing the infant Queen, I believe that it has brought forth some interesting information regarding her.¡±


    ¡°Believe I was quite clear in my instructions to you.¡± The young man¡¯s head dipped forward, his cheerful smile taking on an angry sneer.


    ¡°You were, master, but I believe that what I have to say may make up for my mistake.¡±


    There was a pause as if the puppet master was thinking about what to do next when the boy¡¯s head finally tilted back, ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°I observed the Queen on Santorini do something odd to the feral Minotaur that had been in the area. She channeled the power of the storm to turn the poor thing to ash-¡±


    ¡°I am well aware that she wields the power of storm.¡± The boy scoffed, ¡°Though this power is undocumented among the Arisen, this fact is not unknown to me.¡±


    ¡°I state this only to add a prefix.¡± Tariq replied soothingly, ¡°At first, I believed it was the power of the storm that ate the insides of the Minotaur before it turned to ash, but upon further reflection, I¡¯ve come to the conclusion that she was absorbing its life force before using the storm to burn it to ash.¡±


    The body stopped, not a hair moving as if the one controlling it had to pause to understand the words that had been spoken.


    Tariq let the pause hold for a moment longer before continuing, ¡°Then, during the raid on the hospital, I saw her touch one of my soldiers. This time, she did not call forth the storm to destroy the corpse. Instead, she held the Loupgarou in her grasp and I watched as his body mummified, aging before my eyes as the wounds on her body closed and healed. He fell to the ground dead, appearing as if he had been lost in an ancient tomb for a thousand years while she stood tall, healed, and perfect.¡±


    The young boy said nothing for several heartbeats as the new information was processed.


    ¡°But she had a vision on her Rising?¡±


    Tariq nodded, ¡°I confirmed this when we first made contact in Santorini. But in every instance where she was in danger, she did not use the powers of a Queen to bless her comrades with invincibility. Instead, those she touches are drained of life.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a Chosen, and yet she isn¡¯t.¡± Lizzie gushed excitedly, ¡°A Paradox Queen. Can you imagine?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The boy¡¯s lips pursed in thought, ¡°A mystery, but more so a threat. Can she be brought to heel?¡±


    ¡°I do not know, master.¡± Tariq lowered his head, though it grated on his nerves to ever show such submission to another, ¡°Her mother was taken by a Gargoyle during the raid, but they are not under my command.¡±


    He turned his head to look back at Cadoc, who grimaced as if he¡¯d swallowed something sour. Schooling his features, he stepped forward and knelt next to Tariq. ¡°Your servant, Cadoc, is here, my master.¡±


    ¡°What of the Gargoyle¡¯s under your care.¡±


    ¡°Their nests on Mont Giora are not easily accessed, but we will go to retrieve her.¡±


    ¡°If the mother cannot be retrieved or the Queen cannot be swayed, our plan remains the same. Tariq, you may continue to observe her actions, but if the opportunity presents itself, then remove her from the chessboard. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    ¡°Inescapably, master.¡±


    ¡°I expect either her words or loyalty or her heart to be delivered by post in one month. Lizzie?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, my master.¡± Her bubbly manner is at odds with her bloody hands and unkept appearance.


    ¡°If this is the artifact we seek, then I would be most pleased.¡±


    ¡°Me, too, my master. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve been dreaming of.¡±


    The boy¡¯s lips pulled back in a grin like a father pleased with his daughter before his face went slack and his head fell forward like a puppet off its string.


    As before when Lizzie used this method to contact their master, Tariq could no longer hear the boy¡¯s heartbeat after the connection was severed.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Lizzie clapped her hands as she rose to her feet, ¡°I¡¯m just as excited as can be. I¡¯ve never met a Queen¡¯s mother before.¡±


    ¡°I fear though that it might be a lost cause.¡± Cadoc sighed as he stood, ¡°The Gargoyles are fickle things. They may be subservient to Drow, but unrestricted as they have been the last fortnight, we may discover not but bones left.¡±


    ¡°Well, that isn¡¯t such a bad thing. There¡¯s gotta be some real good power in that marrow, and at the very least I¡¯d love to add them to my collection.¡±


    Lizzie leaned down and gave Tariq a quick peck on his cheek, holding his breath as the smell of diseased meat entered his nostrils.


    ¡°Let me know if you need my help with the Queen, Tariq love. Oh, and why don¡¯t you take that thing with you.¡± She pointed at the corpse still tied to the chair. ¡°I¡¯m sure your pets outside are hungry, and no one works well on an empty belly.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Three: Assimilation (Part I) (V2)

    ¡°How are you holding up, Koa?¡± Leta asked, leaning over to make sure that he was okay.


    The only response she got from the Warrior was a mournful groan as the twitching spasms of his muscles slowly subsided.


    The man had stepped into the ring after Leta had accidentally electrocuted poor Afra during their match.


    Atreus initially used Koa to assess her fighting skills.


    He was very helpful and initially approached the interaction as a training session, demonstrating various weapons to test her abilities and providing advice on fighting and defending against them.


    The approach was to gauge her ability the only way he knew how: through combat.


    In the beginning, he didn¡¯t make a single movement. He just stood in front of her with his arms crossed over his chest as he threw questions at her not unlike a teacher quizzing a distracted student.


    ¡°Have you ever attempted to use a spear?¡±


    Did you ever shoot a gun?¡±


    ¡°How are you in a fistfight?¡±


    Have you ever used a sword?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on ?¡±


    ¡°How do you feel about longbows?¡±


    After questioning her about every conceivable piece of weaponry, he then began taking the mentioned items off the rack and handing them to her.


    Koa then demonstrated standing, weapon handling, parrying, and striking to see how her body moved and what would probably be the best weapon for her to use going forward.


    She could tell that he genuinely enjoyed educating her on the merits and drawbacks of all the weapons. He taught fairly, exhibiting saintlike patience when explaining techniques.


    Leta found herself unexpectedly enjoying the instruction. His teaching helped center her and offer a bit of comfort  thoughts of her missing mother and injured father.


    She absorbed the learning experience eagerly, her eyebrows pinching in concentration but a soft smile on her face with each new weapon she was shown.


    The rhythmic movements of the forms were easy to follow during the slow practices, though Leta was starting to build up a sweat.


    After what felt like hours, Allister finally pulled Koa, and Afra stepped into the ring.


    Afra, as Leta quickly discovered, was not a methodical instructor.


    Allister hadn¡¯t even said to start sparring when Afra¡¯s quarterstaff shot forward.


    It could have been instincts or a reaction to being surprised, but the static that seemed to hover near her suddenly increased as if in response to the attack.


    Afra¡¯s staff was centimeters from Leta¡¯s shoulder when the tiniest finger of electricity arched between her and the oncoming weapon.


    Electricity shot up the staff and caused the wood to explode before sending Afra hurdling backward into a wall.


    Leta could hear Samuel and Yelena, who¡¯d been watching from the second floor, flinch and cry out in surprise as pieces of quarterstaff flew in all directions.


    She¡¯d thought that maybe Afra had thrown some sort of wooden grenade and raised her hands to block the perceived attack. In doing so, she completely missed the Hearth Maiden going airborne.


    ¡°Ah!¡± She flinched as tiny pieces peppered her before she blinked her eyes open to see Afra on the other side of the quart yard on her back, staring up at the sky with a vacant but surprised expression.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Oh, my gosh!¡± She¡¯d thought she¡¯d accidentally killed her until Afra groaned and turned onto her back.


    ¡°Is everyone good?¡± Allister shouted as those present checked themselves over for damage. He went to Afra to check for serious injuries.


    Other than contemplating her life choices and a slight concussion, the Hearth Maiden was physically fine.


    ¡°You alright, lass?¡±


    Afra didn¡¯t move for a second before a long, drawn out ¡°¡± wheezed out of her.


    ¡°She¡¯s alive.¡± Allister got her back to her feet and helped her slowly walk towards a bench out of the way.


    Koa had been her next victim.


    To his credit, he did not start the experience off by swinging his weapon.


    Instead, he grabbed a small rock and tossed it under-hand at her.


    They watched as it almost leisurely sailed through the air until it bounced off her hip harmlessly and rolled away.


    ¡°Uh¡­Ouch?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Koa nodded to himself and put his fist to his chin in contemplation. ¡°So, it isn¡¯t activated by proximity. How is it triggered?¡±


    Leta shrugged, ¡°I haven¡¯t a clue. I feel that was a knee-jerk reaction.¡±


    ¡°Can you try to activate it on your own? That¡¯s good that it will help in a fistfight, but I¡¯m worried about the dangers you fail to anticipate. Snipers, projectiles, and things of that nature.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha.¡± She nodded with his train of thought. ¡°Okay, give me a second.¡±


    After several attempts, Leta could get the small static sparks to hover over her skin before fading from view. The only sign that they were still there was that her hair seemed to move around her shoulders as if she were underwater.


    Koa grabbed another small stone the size of a thumbprint and threw it towards her. This time, a clear ¡°zip¡± sound marked the projectile¡¯s impact, which deflected harmlessly off her skin to strike a stone column.


    ¡°Did you feel that?¡±


    Leta looked down to where the rock had landed against her forearm and shook her head.


    Next followed a larger rock, this one nearly the size of a baseball.


    When it rebounded from her to impact one of the pillars, Leta called out, ¡°I felt that one! It didn¡¯t hurt as much as it probably should have, though.¡±


    And so began a series of progressively more daring attacks as Koa tried to discover the limits of her static shield. Half an hour passed before they figured out that less than half of the projectile¡¯s force made it through the static before pushing the object away.


    They also noticed that any item thrown at her was hot to the touch after hitting her defensive barrier, which Leta attributed to the heat of the electricity. It would account for why wood exploded after it landed against the shield. The static was heating the pockets of gas in the wood grain so fast that weapons like the quarterstaff, spear, and fighting sticks would burst into splinters.


    Koa inquired about her ability to command people with a word, and she then had to explain that the skill evolved last night as well as the challenge that now came with using the skill.


    Atreus held up a hand, his eyes scrunched tight as if fighting a migraine. ¡°It evolved?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± Leta licked her lips nervously, ¡°Before, I could give a suggestion for people to follow, but it wasn¡¯t always effective. Now, it will work, but I¡¯m going to feel some of whatever I say. When I made the command to suffer, my bones were in so much pain and I felt like I just couldn¡¯t go on.¡±


    ¡°And if you told them to die?¡±


    Leta visibly shivered. ¡°I¡¯d rather not think about what would happen if I did that.¡±


    He pinched the bridge of his nose, his exhale a mix of frustration and exhaustion. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll revisit the capabilities of that another time. Let¡¯s focus on gauging her fighting prowess and proceed with weapons.¡±


    ¡°Will ya not use your Blade?¡± Allister raised an eyebrow as Koa took a hand and a half sword from the rack.


    The Warrior shook his head, ¡°No. That thing can cut through just about any metal. Although her static may reduce the attack¡¯s impact, I¡¯m worried that it could still reach her and cause damage.¡±


    It was a tactical error on his part.


    Koa swung his weapon with the same velocity that he would have when attacking a Blessed. Leta recognized the familiar arc of his sword, a form she knew well from his lessons, and raised her blade to meet it.


    ¡®Please-don¡¯t-throw-him-across-the-room. Please-don¡¯t-throw-him-across-the-room¡¯. She repeated like a prayer just before his sword connected.


    A bright light flashed, then thunder cracked where weapons clashed. For a heartbeat, she could almost see the arch of lightning as it traveled down his sword and over his arm before it faded somewhere around his shoulder.


    With a surprised expression, he flew across the room and skidded onto the cobbled stone floor.


    A collective ¡°Oh¡­¡± came from the second-floor spectators as Leta and Allister moved to check on his condition.


    ¡°Holy crap! Are you okay?¡± Leta was about to put a hand on him but pulled back in fear that she¡¯d hurt him again.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Koa grunted, rolling onto his knees before standing back up and shaking his head to dispel the cobwebs from his mind.


    Allister looked him over. ¡°Any damage?¡±


    ¡°Some scrapes.¡± Koa flexed the right arm, ¡°And a lot of numbing in my hand.¡±


    The twitching muscles seem to ripple beneath the surface, a subtle yet noticeable movement. ¡°Looks like that electricity messed with how your tendons talk to each other. Let¡¯s pause briefly for you to recover, then continue.¡±


    Koa¡¯s jaw muscles bunched, his eyes narrowed in a grimace before he gave a curt nod.


    Shortly after, Koa declared his readiness for another attempt.

 Chapter Twenty Three: Assimilation (Part II) (V2)

    Leta tried to reduce the intensity so that he wouldn¡¯t go flying again with some success.


    This time, Koa wasn¡¯t thrown across the room, but he did falter as he pinwheeled to stay upright.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t sparring.¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡®This is just me tasering people over and over.¡¯


    Despite her awareness of her power output, he was still stumbling back with twitching muscles whenever she touched him.


    He always got to his feet, albeit unsteady. At this rate, everyone would end up in the infirmary.


    [The Host has learned the skill Static Armor.]


    Leta glanced at Atreus, ¡°I don¡¯t think we should keep doing this. I promise I¡¯m pulling my punches, but the electricity is too dangerous to play with.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Doctor Kudela nodded from her seat next to Afra, who was leaning against the wall with a dazed look. ¡°I can see Oletta is making an effort to restrain herself from doing serious harm, but she¡¯s still hitting them with the electrical force of a defibrillator. The only reason Koa¡¯s not incapacitated right now is his Warrior skills and endurance.¡±


    Atreus sighed, his expression not exactly defeated but certainly disappointed as he ran a hand through his hair.


    ¡°What¡¯s the verdict?¡± Allister asked as he helped Koa onto shaky feet.


    ¡°Her power is substantial, but she has no concept of combat, much less how to keep herself alive.¡± He crossed his arms and scowled at the floor, thinking. ¡°Although she can trip up her attackers with a word or see in the dark, her inexperience prevents her from utilizing these powers effectively. The static around her is promising, but I worry that she cannot discern between friend and foe with it. She could just as easily injure a friend with a clumsy high-five as she could skillfully deflect a fatal attack.¡±


    Leta winced at his words.


    He wasn¡¯t mistaken. When she wasn¡¯t in the thick of it, she¡¯d use her voice like when she had been caught in the car with Tariq. When the lights went out in the hospital, she had forgotten to activate her night vision.


    Atreus continued, ¡°As surprising and frightening as her power is if she doesn¡¯t know how to use it, she¡¯s useless in a fight - a proverbial glass cannon that is just as likely to smite her enemy as a friend.¡±


    She huffed, ¡°Ouch, jeez. Did I do anything right at all?¡±


    ¡°She has control.¡± Doctor Kudela pointed out, ¡°That¡¯s more than can be said for most of us fresh from our Rising. When you ask, she listens and tries to comply to the best of her abilities. She¡¯s trainable, Atreus. You can work with that. I¡¯ve seen you turn utter buffoons into deadly weapons.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Allister put a hand to his heart as if he took great offense to his words.


    Yelena and Samuel chuckled from their perch on the second floor.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Atreus snorted, amusement softening the hardness in his eyes slightly. ¡°At least you¡¯re not as bad as most of the Crowns I¡¯ve heard about.¡±


    ¡°And¡­?¡± Leta rolled her wrist for him to keep going.


    ¡°That¡¯s the limit of what you will receive. Take it and hold it close because you won¡¯t get any more sympathy to cherish.¡± He declared with thin lips, his eyes calculating as he returned to business. ¡°The facts have not changed. If you lack training, I can¡¯t send you on raids in good conscience, and we still don¡¯t have the personnel required to be as effective as we once were. While you may have melted all the Goblins in Greece, the Blessed will regroup and gain the advantage.¡±


    The courtyard fell silent as everyone thought about the situation.


    The Blessed had taken a beating, but so had the Chosen. If they stayed still to lick their wounds, the Blessed would soon have the numbers to push back.


    ¡°Our saving grace at this point is their interest in the dig site.¡± Atreus crossed his arms, his feet shoulder-width apart and looking like a real General as he addressed the group, ¡°The Blessed are putting substantial resources and manpower to use in their skirmish with General Mic¡¯s marine unit from Cyprus, so the number of Blessed slinking through the city is fairly low. Their main focus is on controlling the site, leaving their dens understaffed with only skeleton crews until the artifacts run out. We have a brief chance to take out these dens before the the Blessed can gather their strength to defend them.¡±


    They would split Atreus, Allister, Koa, Hayato, Afra, and Kaviah into groups to patrol the city in shifts and investigate possible dens. If a den was confirmed and they had the means, they would proceed with the attack.


    Patrols would rotate between two shifts, leaving at dawn and returning to the Sect before sunset.


    He turned to Allister, ¡°Kaviah, you, and Bonnie will be on this afternoon¡¯s shift. Be ready; report to the war room at noon.¡±


    ¡°On it.¡± The giant nodded, pulling a phone out of his pocket and getting to work.


    ¡°Hayato, you will be with Afra and myself. We leave at first light. Be ready. Eriene is on standby to treat injuries. Samuel, Yelana, and Huda will be on rotating shifts and assist in the war room. This is our life going forward until reinforcements arrive.¡±


    He then turned to Leta with a no-nonsense frown. ¡°We will review your abilities after break today. At dawn, you¡¯re reporting to either Allister or myself for weapons study. We will have a single break for lunch, and then you will shadow those in the war room.¡±


    At her confused look, he added, ¡°Training is more than fists and steel. You want to bring down the Blessed? Good. Watch us and learn how we do it as a unit. No one, not even a Queen, fights alone. For today, we are breaking for lunch, and afterward, you¡¯ll be back here for your first hand-to-hand lesson.¡±


    [Warning. The passive skill of a foreign entity is affecting the Host¡¯s physical and mental response. Passive skill: General¡¯s Orders partially successful.]


    Leta instinctively pushed her shoulders back and nodded before Gada¡¯s caution finally registered. The involuntary action and the strange sense of excitement to fight made her pause and tune out the rest of the commands Atreus was issuing to the others.


    ¡®What was that?¡¯


    [The foreign entity has a passive skill called General¡¯s Orders. At its core, General¡¯s Orders is very similar to the Persuasion skill. However, this skill produces both a physical and mental response after the entity gives instructions. The Host was partially affected by this skill and experienced a subdued version of the desired response.]


    She frowned while looking at Atreus with a mix of surprise and disappointment.


    ¡®You mean he could just tell me to jump, and I¡¯d want to do it?¡¯


    [While the skill is active, the Host should expect some response when an instruction is given. However, while the skill will generate initial responses, it does not change the Host¡¯s base mental state, memories, or thought patterns.]


    ¡®Still not a fan of it. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s hypocritical, but being compelled to obey commands is unacceptable.¡¯


    [The skill affects those with a lower Mental Fortitude than the entity. Increasing the skill will decrease the ability for the skill to affect the Host.]

 Chapter Twenty Three: Assimilation (Part III) (V2)

    ¡°Any questions?¡± Atreus¡¯s words cut through her conversation with Gada and brought back to the present.


    Seeing none, he nodded. ¡°Alright, to your tasks then.¡±


    While everyone started organizing themselves for their duties, Leta looked around in confusion, attempting to decide on her course of action.


    Afra groaned as she got to her feet and gestured for Leta to follow. ¡°Come on, Sparky. Let¡¯s get some food. I¡¯m not your biggest admirer at this moment, but I won¡¯t let you starve wandering around this place.¡±


    Leta snorted. ¡°Most generous of you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. I¡¯m starving and can literally set this place on fire if I get . Nobody wants that. Afterward, I¡¯ll give you a tour of the place and drop you off with your Mundane friend in the scriptorium.¡±


    ¡°Oh, crap. Vigo.¡± Leta face palmed, ¡°Yeah, I need to make sure he¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, he¡¯s having the time of his laugh.¡± Afra cackled as she headed towards a pair of large wooden doors, ¡°I stopped by earlier, and Huda said he was running around with the energy of a caffeinated toddler. I believe her exact words were, ¡®he was as happy as a seagull with a French fry.¡¯¡±


    Chuckling to herself, Leta followed Afra into the main hall and to the central kitchen.


    Lunch was a simple affair of slightly dry sandwiches and a selection of fruits on a table in a surprisingly modern kitchen.


    Afra helped Leta figure out where everything was, like plates and silverware, explaining that everyone took turns making meals for the group, but it was everyone¡¯s responsibility to wash their plates.


    The place where they ate was large - too large for the number of Chosen that were supposed to be with the Sect. Four tables of different lengths stood parallel in the main dining area and were surrounded by mismatched chairs.


    Koa, Hayato, Allister, and young Samuel sat at one table, silently devouring their meals with gusto.


    The table lurched upward as they approached, and a mass of black fur stuck its head out from under the tablecloth.


    ¡°Oy! Bonnie, ya daft beast,¡± Allister grunted as the massive wolf emerged from beneath the table to stick its snout in Leta¡¯s hip, its tail wagging.


    ¡°Holy¡­¡± Leta let out a sharp breath as she tried to calm her racing heart at the sudden appearance of such a large animal.


    ¡°Aye. Meet Bonnie Lass, my familiar and all-around pain in my arse.¡± Allister groaned in disgust but smirked as he ruffled the wolf¡¯s ears like an overgrown puppy. ¡°She¡¯s just hoping you¡¯ll accidentally drop something. Pay her no mind.¡±


    Leta grinned, watching Samuel surreptitiously slide bits of sandwich beneath the table to the wolf.


    Seeing that lunch was a silent event, Leta didn¡¯t bother making conversation.


    She had something else to talk to anyway.


    ¡®Gada?¡¯


    [Yes, Host?]


    ¡®How are my nanite numbers doing after last night?¡¯


    [The Host currently has 3,203,584 unassigned nanites in storage.]


    ¡®Damn, that¡¯s a lot.¡¯ Leta mentally confided in her sandwich. She hadn¡¯t hit max capacity, but the potential of so many nanites was tempting.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    She would have no trouble acquiring skills like Herald of the Storm but reminded herself that getting too many skills at once could have severe consequences for her health.


    ¡®Let¡¯s start small. Show me my base stats.¡¯


    [Height: 1.67 meters


    Weight: 52 kilograms


    Bone Density: +1.2


    Power: 13


    Speed: 12


    Stamina: 12


    Reflexes: 14


    Constitution: 12


    Mental Fortitude: 17]


    ¡®Huh. I got taller again.¡¯ Leta¡¯s head tilted as she thought about that. ¡®Weird, but okay. So, to recap, give me the skills that I currently have. Just the names and levels - I already know what they do.¡¯


    [Current Skill software installed:


    Tongues Of The Many


    Sacrificial Touch


    Filter Feeder: Level One


    Eyes Of The Night Hunter


    Ears Of The Judge


    Electrical Misconduct


    Magician¡¯s Hand


    Storm Glass


    Gremlin¡¯s Trick


    Command: Level One


    Thunder Strike]


    Leta frowned. ¡®Wait a minute. I remember Gremlin¡¯s Trick being an option the previous night, and then I got the skill after fixing the helicopter light on the roof. Why did I obtain the skill at no cost?¡¯


    [The Host can acquire specific skills without downloading software by implementing and mastering that skill¡¯s essential functions through their methods. For example, by utilizing both Electrical Misconduct and the Magician¡¯s Hand, the Host could learn the skill of Storm Glass. It should be noted that the Host can only acquire skills if the prerequisite skills needed have already been learned.]


    Leta nodded to herself. That at least felt easy to follow.


    ¡®Got it. So, theoretically, I could download a combat skill for something like throwing daggers, then start practicing using telekinesis to throw them. Getting that right would allow me to throw sharp objects with my mind.¡¯


    [Theoretically, it is possible. Remember, downloaded skills give the Host a fundamental understanding and application. It does not give muscle memory.]


    ¡®That¡¯s fair. Just because I know how to use a crayon doesn¡¯t make me the next  . Okay, let¡¯s start with that list of available skills I could pick from.¡¯


    The sudden tidal wave of skill titles and descriptions was so overwhelming that her body recoiled from the sudden onslaught.


    Leta¡¯s reaction didn¡¯t go unnoticed. Allister frowned at her strained expression and the way she narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°You all right there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Leta groaned in pain, ¡°Something in my eye.¡±


    ¡®Jeez! Turn it off.¡¯ She blinked as her vision cleared instantly. ¡®What was all that?¡¯


    [Recently acquired skills have opened pathways to several new software options. If the Host is interested in a particular set of software, a filtered list can be provided.]


    ¡®Holy crap, I¡¯ve seen terms and conditions that were shorter!¡¯ How would she make a decision when there was a novel¡¯s worth of information to sift through?


    ¡®I think I¡¯m going about this the wrong way. Let¡¯s do the diagnostic first, and then we¡¯ll see where we need to go from there.¡¯


    [Based on calculations, the Host received the most trauma during the last fight from piercing damage. To effectively mitigate this form of trauma, it is recommended that the Host increase constitution, convert skeletal structures of ribs and fists to Atlanite, and acquire the available skill, Gladiator¡¯s Resistance.]


    Leta paused in peeling her orange. Her hive mind suggesting skills for her was a new one. Maybe because she had so many options this time around?


    ¡®What else?¡¯


    [The Host has survived seventy-two consecutive hours and is fully assimilated to the nanites. The Host can now create ports in certain parts of the body using Physical Characteristic Reconstruction and the skill Summon Nanite. These small ports would allow unassigned nanites to temporarily be assigned rolls outside the Host¡¯s body, as long as they remain in contact with the Host.]


    Leta nearly choked in shock, quickly taking a drink of her water as the table gave her a confused look.


    ¡°Maybe you should concentrate on eating.¡± Hayato said pointedly, ¡°You seem to be very distracted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Her eyes watered as she coughed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Once she had calmed down, she took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Are there any other bathrooms besides the massive one with the showers?¡±


    The group exchanged bewildered glances. Koa finally slowly said, ¡°That¡¯s the only one.¡±


    ¡°Fabulous. Please excuse me.¡± Leta took her plate of food to the kitchen and followed the instructions Afra had given her earlier on where to dispose of things before gracefully walking out of the room as the eyes of the group trailed her footsteps.


    A very quiet Samuel asked, ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    Just as the door shut behind her, she could hear Allister sigh, ¡°Who knows?¡±

 Chapter Twenty Three: Assimilation (Part IV) (V2)

    Leta picked up speed as she got out of earshot and was nearly sprinting to her destination. When she arrived at the large wooden door she¡¯d been in previously, she knocked loudly before opening it an inch. ¡°Anyone in here?¡±


    Not hearing a response, she rushed inside and quickly locked the door behind her.


    ¡°What the fuck do you mean the nanites can live outside my body?¡± She hissed once she was alone.


    [Nanites exist as part of the Host- literally woven into the fabric of the Host¡¯s DNA. This does not mean that nanites exist only within the Host - so long as the nanites are in full and direct contact with the Host, they can survive outside of the Host¡¯s flesh.]


    ¡°If they¡¯re outside my body, what good is that doing me? Don¡¯t I need them to, like, breathe or something?¡±


    [Unassigned nanites are not being utilized for a task. These nanites can be interpreted as free-floating material within the Host¡¯s body with the potential to be given a function. Unassigned nanites can be given temporary tasks until a permanent command is given. For example, when the Host is injured, unassigned nanites may be given a temporary command to assist assigned nanites in the healing process to remove the Host from danger quickly. Once the task is completed, these nanites return to their free-floating existence, waiting for a permanent task. The Host¡¯s physical form currently does not allow nanites to function with temporary assignments outside the Host¡¯s flesh. However, by creating small ports, unassigned nanites can temporarily be used outside the body. This was a common practice with Atlantians, who would manifest these unassigned nanites in various ways, from linking with supercomputers and commanding their space vessels to creating armor and weapons.]


    Leta leaned against a wall and practically fell onto the stone bench as her knees weakened.


    She sat speechless, elbows on her knees as she tried to process the image from her vision of the winged woman in white armor with alien runes.


    ¡°I mean, wow.¡± After a few minutes of stunned silence, she chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡±


    [However, it should be noted that if the Host were to install the skill Summon Nanite and install two ports, the Host would not have sufficient unassigned nanites to generate anything substantial regarding armor or weaponry. With the current number of available nanites, the Host would only be able to conjure a coin-sized disk of material.]


    Gada¡¯s insights only slightly damped the wonder and awe from a moment ago. Of course, there was a little kid inside her who remembered Saturday morning cartoons and watching animated shows of superheroes in disguise magically transforming to save the day. Who wouldn¡¯t think that was cool and be disappointed that that dream was just a hair¡¯s width out of her reach?


    Once again, the sophistication of the Atlantian race astonished her, and their technological mastery filled her with marvel.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    It was not the first time she wondered what they were like.


    Their culture.


    Their religious beliefs.


    What sports were they interested in?


    Did sports even exist in their society?


    What did their teens do for fun?


    What did their art look like?


    She felt that same curiosity as a child with her nose stuck in books about the Mesopotamian cultures, her imagination wandering down painted corridors and walking through fields that had never known the plow.


    The human race¡¯s ancestors were probably learning to stand upright when these creatures from a far-flung planet were mastering the stars, using nanites to take them past the farthest horizons.


    ¡°Just tell me what that cost would be.¡± She quietly asked, her soft voice barely an echo.


    [The installation of a single port would require 2,001,982 unassigned nanites. The software Summon Nanites would require 340,321 unassigned nanites. This would leave the Host with 861,281 remaining unassigned nanites, which would be able to produce approximately 56 grams of usable external nanites.]


    ¡°That isn¡¯t anything if you¡¯re trying to make yourself armor.¡± Leta pursed her lips as she pondered, visualizing a disk ten centimeters wide. In her mind, she crumpled it into a ball and reshaped it into various forms of that mass.


    Maybe she could make a tiny pyramid that could do some damage to a Goblin in a fight?


    An itty-bitty dagger that was little more than a letter opener?


    Perhaps a choker around her neck to stop a Loupgarou from biting again?


    Leta rubbed her neck at the memory of fangs sinking into her flesh.


    Atreus¡¯s earlier words served as a reminder that she lacked the readiness to face those who wronged her and loved ones.


    If she wanted vengeance, she had to be alive for it.


    She needed to strike her enemy dead but also endure the hits when they landed.


    ¡°What skills or stats do I need to fight and take a punch?¡± Leta¡¯s lips tightened with her resolution to seek out Tariq and the ones who had hurt her family.


    [An immediate recommendation to increase hand-to-hand combat would be to replace all skeletal structures in the wrists and hands with Atlanite. This would require 2,804,205 unassigned nanites and would need eight hours to complete. The remaining 399,379 unassigned nanites would reinforce muscles and tendons in the hands and forearms, increasing the Host¡¯s power stat by three.]


    ¡°I forgot that changes like that could affect the stats.¡± Leta admonished herself, ¡°It didn¡¯t do anything when I modified my forearms. Let¡¯s say speed. If I aimed to be too quick to hit, how should I do that?¡±


    [Based on the number of currently unassigned nanites, the Host would be able to replace all skeletal structures below the ankles and reinforce some tendons. However, this option would, at best, be suited for movement over rough and uneven terrain and would not significantly increase overall speed. For that goal, the Host would need to replace all skeletal structures and substantially reinforce muscles and tendons below the hip, increasing endurance and reinforcing lung and heart functions.]


    ¡°Dang. Looks like speed is a massive investment.¡±


    [It is recommended that the Host consider what sort of offense and defense best suits the Host¡¯s methods and capabilities. Not every combatant is disciplined for melee, and not every hand-to-hand soldier is suitable for mastering long-range offensives such as archery or fire.]


    Leta sighed, nodding. ¡°Yeah, probably should have thought about this way before we reached this point. In my defense, though, I¡¯ve either been trying to pretend everything is normal or being unconscious in various hospitals.¡±


    [The Host has adjusted well into being the carrier of the Monarch system. Statistically, the Host should be dead several times after multiple poor decisions. Given the opportunity to utilize their talents, the Host will undoubtedly master an offensive strategy that works best.]

 Chapter Twenty Four: The Job Book

    With time left before everyone reported to the war room, Leta decided to wander around the complex.


    She hadn¡¯t been the most observant last night and was still trying to come to grips with everything this morning, so she hadn¡¯t had time to appreciate the beauty and history of the place truly.


    She could tell that the original building had probably been the home of a noble when Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire. Tiny details such as arched windows and the slightly domed roof of the dining hall were reasonable indications of the building¡¯s original intent.


    In her wanderings, she crossed paths with Allister, who was carrying two plates of food.


    ¡°Fancying meeting you here.¡± He chuckled at his joke, ¡°Are you lost?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± She responded readily, ¡°Just looking around. Make sure I know where everything¡¯s at, seeing as I¡¯ll stay with you guys for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the scriptorium to give Huda and your Mundane friend lunch. Care to join me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted.¡± She beamed and then pointed at the plates. ¡°Can I help you with those?¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡± His booming chuckle felt like it shook the building as he gave her a good-natured grin behind his beard, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like people treating you like a Crown, I¡¯d still treat you like a lady. Erienne would hit me upside the noggin if I did anything less. Follow me. Best we see what mischief your friend has found among the books.


    She followed close behind as they headed back into the main hallway, decorated with antique paintings and sconces whose candles had burned down to nubs.


    The silence between them was only slightly uncomfortable until Leta broke the silence. ¡°So, I¡¯ve been thinking about this whole training thing. I¡¯m grateful for you and Atreus¡¯s willingness to help me improve, but I wonder why you¡¯d even bother. It sounds like the Crowns are kept locked away and protected for their value in war and their power over the Chosen. I guess my question is, why would you even offer to train me if I¡¯m so valuable.¡±


    ¡°Well, lass.¡± He sighed, ¡°Atreus and myself are firm believers in the notion that everyone should be able to protect themselves and make decisions for their well-being. You didn¡¯t pick this life; hells, many see this fate as more of a curse. You give up a lot when you Rise so the least anyone can do is let you decide in what direction you want to go from here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s oddly sweet.¡±


    Allister shrugged one beefy arm, ¡°We¡¯ve all been where you are now - just learning the strength that now flows through you while trying to come to grips with the loss of what you once had. Erienne wandered for five years, thinking she¡¯d been cursed into a half-life until she came across another Chosen. Koa was nearly gutted in half in the Korean War. And little Samuel? Well, the poor lad lost most of his immediate family in a ferry accident. That was two years ago, but he¡¯s only just started to act like a kid again. The point I¡¯m trying to get at is you don¡¯t Rise if you¡¯re not going through hell on earth. Now that you¡¯re on the other side of things, it¡¯d be cruel to lock you away to suffer the traumas that made you what you are.


    ¡°Secondly, as you said, the Crowns lock themselves tighter than the chastity belt on an Admiral¡¯s daughter. Not only are they a scarce class, they are also a powerhouse when it comes to war. Crowns are built to lead, both on a throne and on a battlefield. They¡¯re charged with maintaining the Chosen way of life as a cohesive unit. Millions of people are under their rule, and they have to ensure everyone¡¯s fed, sheltered, and trained to survive. They command the space around them and are known to have all manner of abilities. They can tell when someone is lying and can even see a person¡¯s strengths and weaknesses with a single look and get a sense of whether you would make a good ally or enemy. What they are most famous for is a power called King¡¯s Blessing. When in active battle with an enemy, anyone who has pledged loyalty to that Crown will be completely impervious to injury for the duration of the Blessing. It drains the Crown, but having an invincible army makes for a short war.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± Leta whistled. She could see why Crowns would be so valuable. In her mind, she visualized a vast cavalry army sweeping over a battlefield; arrows and swords broke on impact with their bodies like flies to a car¡¯s windscreen.


    She could envision bullets crumpling on impact only to fall uselessly to the ground.


    It was a terrifying thought to think, with a wave of their hand, a Crown could make their army bulletproof.


    What if they could do more than that?


    Tank proof?


    Missile proof?


    Nuclear warhead proof?


    Allister nodded with her sentiment, ¡°As you can see, Crowns are not only a critical aspect of governance but an invaluable asset in war. Naturally, you don¡¯t just let something as vital as that go walking down to the shop for some fish and chips. No, you put it in a box, then put tall walls around it, then put guys on those walls with machine guns, and, well, you get the picture.¡±


    Leta frowned, ¡°I think that brings me back to my original question. If I¡¯m a Crown, why aren¡¯t you doing that? If I¡¯m looking at it from your angle, wouldn¡¯t you want to put me in that proverbial box even if I¡¯m kicking and screaming?¡±


    ¡°Atreus, I think, believes that you won¡¯t know the full scope of what you can do until you¡¯ve tested yourself. Me, personally? I think you¡¯re an anomaly as far as Crowns go. No offense, but you donna seem to understand the first thing about managing a Sect let along a section of the earth.¡±


    ¡°None taken.¡±


    Allister smirked at her sarcasm before continuing, ¡°Also, you¡¯re lightning. Tinkers can get close in that they can work with electrical parts and computers easily, but calling storms like that? No, that¡¯s something altogether unheard of. So far, all the powers you¡¯ve shown have been a mismatch of abilities from different classes. If you are a Queen, which I believe you are, you are as different from the other Crowns as night and day.¡±


    Leta remembered Afra being very confused when she confessed her abilities to the woman in the hospital. ¡®I guess it was an odd combination.¡±


    ¡°Just between you and me, lass.¡± Allister lowered his voice and leaned over an inch as if to confide with her a secret, ¡°I think the biggest reason Atreus wants you trained is that ability to drain others.¡±


    A line formed between Leta¡¯s eyebrows as she frowned. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Erienne said that back at the hospital, you touched some of the Blessed, and they withered up dead like mummies. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s ever been any documentation of a Chosen¡¯s ability to do that. As a General, Atreus has to look after the well-being of his Sect, so if he has someone who could clear a den on their own without putting a group of his people in danger, he will use that option. Sorry, love. It¡¯s not personal, Atreus is just solely focused on protecting his Sect and their interests, and that could mean using you to do it.¡±


    Leta¡¯s lips pursed. The notion that she was being used by someone grated on her nerves. That tiny part of her that got angry when threatened bubbled in her stomach as if it sensed something.


    She understood Atreus¡¯s reasoning.


    Hell, he¡¯d lost four people last night just getting her dumb ass out of that hospital.


    It didn¡¯t mean that she had to like it.


    Allister watched her out the corner of his eye, noting her peeved expression.


    ¡°I¡¯d think of it more of a blessing, lass. I think you¡¯d be hard-pressed to find a Sect that wouldn¡¯t, as you said, shove you into a proverbial box to keep you safe. Atreus understands your value as a fighter as much as a potential ruler. You¡¯re not a ruler now, but you could be a fighter, and that¡¯s good enough for him.¡±


    Leta¡¯s head bobbed up and down in acknowledgment of his words but didn¡¯t respond as she thought about things.


    The Blessed wanted to eat her.


    The Crowns wanted to see if she was going to be of use.


    And Atreus was willing to help her get revenge on Tariq and the Blessed, but with the intent that he would send her out into danger so that the rest of the Sect wouldn¡¯t have to.


    Leta let out a sharp exhale as she rolled her head this way and that until her neck gave an audible crack.


    She could deal with this. At least the Crowns and Atreus weren¡¯t actively trying to suck the marrow from her bones like the Blessed.


    She could deal with the political side of things later once the physical threat of being eaten alive had subsided.


    Leta looked around as she thought, her years of history lessons helping her navigate the complex.


    She could tell from the subtle differences in the architecture of what had previously been the chapel and infirmary that these areas had been additions after the original property was converted into a monastery.


    With this hunch, she had a general idea of where things would likely be. The infirmary would have been towards the front gate so the monks would not have had sick people wandering into their sanctuary.


    More importantly, the scriptorium would be as far into the complex as possible so that the previous occupants could keep their sacred texts as safe as possible.


    Eventually, they reached a set of ornately decorated doors that had probably once been the Lord¡¯s private study but had since been converted into a temple of history. Into a stone plaque above the door were inscribed the Latin words ¡°LitteraScripta Manet.¡±


    ¡®The written word endures.¡¯


    Stepping inside, Leta found herself shivering. The space was freezing, the cold stones and the whirl of electric air conditioners sending chills up her spine as her bare feet stepped over the stacks of books.


    Bookshelves covered every wall from floor to ceiling and stood in neat rows on each side of a center aisle. The room was lit above by a dim chandler with just enough light to see by and small electric lamps positioned around the cancerous space.


    At a table in the center was a young woman wearing a head scarf who was carefully flipping through the pages of an ancient codex with gloved fingers.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.The small lamp on the table cast her features in an almost secretive ambiance, as if Leta, Allister, and the woman were thieves sneaking into a sacred vault.


    There was a secretive ambiance to the dark room that was shattered as Vigo ran around the room excitedly, the young woman wearing a headscarf watching him out of the corner of her eye with slight amusement.


    ¡°How the hell did you guys get your hands on this?¡± Vigo shouted in surprise, running over to place a book on the center table next to several others he¡¯d pulled out, his hands also gloved to protect the books as best he could.


    ¡°The same way we acquired the Inca codex.¡± Huda sighed with an amused smile, deftly flipping another page.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Vigo was in full fanboy mode, reverently running his hands over the book¡¯s hardcover as if it were a holy object.


    Huda giggled, ¡°Yes. Allister pulled that one from a black market dealer during the Great War.¡±


    ¡°I hear my name,¡± Allister called out, his baritone voice echoing off the cavernous walls. ¡°Brought you both something to eat.¡±


    Huda turned to give the Scottish giant a soft smile. ¡°Just the man we were discussing. Vigo has been extremely excited about some of the text you¡¯ve brought back over the years. Thank you so much for bringing us lunch. An honor to meet you, your Majesty.¡± She said with a curtsy to Leta, though Leta noticed her informal tone when addressing her in such a way.


    ¡°Mate!¡± Vigo put the book down and ran over to the giant, trying to wrap his arms around the man¡¯s chest but could barely get his hands around Allister¡¯s stomach. ¡°Do you know what history you¡¯ve saved in this room alone?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your enthusiasm, lad.¡± Allister gave him an awkward pat on the back. ¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m shocked.¡± Vigo was looking at him, starstruck. ¡°How old are you?¡±


    Allister gave Huda a look, who shrugged in response. ¡°He did the math.¡±


    The giant sighed before answering, ¡°Old, lad. Very old.¡±


    Vigo finally noticed Leta, and his expression fell. ¡°How are you holding up, Leta?¡±


    Leta swallowed, feeling her heart lurch but trying to keep it together. Seeing Vigo brought back the pain of seeing her mother being dragged away by the Gargoyle and her father in the infirmary bed all over again.


    ¡°I¡¯m- well, I¡¯m here.¡±


    He gave her a sympathetic smile, ¡°That¡¯s all we can say, right?¡±


    Leta blinked back her tears at the memories and cleared her throat, ¡°I¡¯ve been told you¡¯ve been losing your mind in this room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible!¡± Vigo nearly shouted, his sympathetic mode quickly changing to giddiness. ¡°Journals and documents from the Chosen dating back centuries - millennia in some cases. Look at this!¡±


    He gestured for her to follow him to a side table where an ancient scroll had been laid out for examination.


    ¡°This,¡± Vigo reverently hovered his hands over the papyrus, ¡°Is a scroll from the Library of Alexandria. It¡¯s a first-hand account of a Chosen Merchant traveling on the Silk Road to China and reporting the valuable trade items and Blessed activity.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Leta gasped as her eyes went wide.


    ¡°I know!¡± Vigo¡¯s excitement was closer to a child that had been holding in a secret for too long, ¡°It says his name as Veritus, and he was traveling to Alexandria Eschate in 120 BCE; if my memory serves me right, that was somewhere in Tajikistan, which was part of Alexander the Great¡¯s empire at the time. As a Chosen Merchant, he¡¯d done very well for himself and traded for the much sought-after silk while gathering intel on the Blessed.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± Leta gushed alongside her friend. Seeing something like this brought back the wonder and excitement that had made her want to study history for the rest of her life. Seeing something so personal and humanizing always left her stunned. More than just lines in a textbook, these were real people.


    They had jobs and worried about making ends meet. They had inside jokes between friends and nights out in town. Seeing objects like this felt like they continued to live on. Even though their bodies had long since turned to dust, the echoes of their memories lived on.


    ¡°Question,¡± Huda spoke up as she got Leta¡¯s attention, ¡°Can you tell the value of someone just by looking at them?¡±


    Leta seemed to recoil at the odd question. ¡°I what?¡±


    ¡°It says here,¡± Huda turned back to look at the book she was flipping through, ¡°That a Crown can look at someone and see their value. I believe this is referencing value as in whether someone is a good person but it could also mean if someone is skilled and would make a valuable contribution to society.¡±


    ¡°No to both of those. I can¡¯t see someone¡¯s ROI with a glance.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Huda hummed to herself, making a note on a spiral notebook beside her.


    The question had piqued Leta¡¯s interest. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going through the Job Book to see if there¡¯s any record of a class with your skill set. I had hoped it would be useful to see what else you¡¯re capable of, but so far, no luck.¡±


    Leta took a few steps over to the woman to look at the tome she was examining. It reminded her of the beautifully detailed books of the Middle Ages illustrated by monks that were sometimes more fiction than historical documentation.


    Huda flipped the page to a partially faded illustration of a nobleman dressed in green and gold clothes, depicting people surrounding him but only coming up to his hips, indicating that the man was above those he ruled.


    Leta could make out the word ¡®Regens¡¯ scratched with gold foiling on the other side of the page. Beneath was a brief description of a minor noble, followed by itemized skills that sounded much like those of a Chosen class.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Leta looked confused as Huda flipped to another page, featuring a man proudly holding a bow with a quiver of arrows at his back and the words ¡®Sagittarius¡¯ in gold.


    ¡°This is the Codex Classium Electus, or as we call it, the Job Book. It¡¯s a documentation of the known Chosen classes made by a Scribe during the reign of William the Conqueror. It¡¯s a fascinating read, especially if you want to study what each class can do, but it¡¯s not providing me much insight into your abilities.¡±


    Leta shook her head ruefully, ¡°I highly doubt it¡¯s going to have anything in there about me.¡±


    ¡°You would be correct.¡± Huda¡¯s giggle was melodic and sincere, which made her appear even more beautiful.


    ¡°Feel free to go through it, your Majesty.¡± Huda stood from the table, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m not about to eat my lunch over a thousand-year-old book.¡±


    ¡°By all means. Where do I find the gloves?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry! Right here.¡± She pulled a box of disposable gloves from the seat of a chair and handed it to Leta before walking away with her plate.


    Leta took a pair of gloves out and, after snapping them into place, flipped to the next page in the tome.


    This one featured a man dressed in black with the lower half of his face covered with a cloth and a dagger raised high as the word ¡®Sicarius¡¯ shone from the other page.


    As gently as she could, Leta flipped one page after the other, looking at the various classes that had been noted.


    Fisherman. Sailor. Warrior. Blacksmith. Locksmith. Farmer. Baker. Mason. Alchemist. Merchant. Archer. Butcher. Tailor. Cook. Spy. Potter. Weaver. Miner. Musician. Hunter.


    Each class was thorough in its details of abilities and weaknesses. Each page was equal in its artistic design so that each job, from the noble to the farmer, was depicted in gold and beauty as if to stand firm that all classes were equally important.


    That was until she flipped the book to the very first page to start over.


    There was a title page painted in gold and a variety of other colors, followed by a short handwritten note from the Scribe who first made the Codex.


    And then, there it was.


    A man and a woman dressed in red and white with silver crowns resting on their brows. On the other side were the words¡¯ Regis Et Reginae Ad Coronam¡¯ in letters that were painstakingly detailed.


    Kinds and Queens of the Crown.


    Leta sat down in Huda¡¯s vacant chair to read what had been essential to the author.


    ¡°The Kings and Queens of the Crown are the most noble and just of the Chosen.¡± Leta read aloud, ¡°Above all else, they uphold the sacred duty to guide the Chosen and defend the mortal existence from the forces of fang and blood that would seek to destroy all life. By their blessing, they bestow great power to those that pledge their loyalty and bring peace to a chaotic world.¡±


    ¡°As with most historical documentation.¡± Vigo noted with a raised eyebrow, happily munching away where he sat cross-legged on the floor away from all of the priceless manuscripts, ¡°That statement seems very biased.¡±


    Leta snorted, ¡°I agree, but you also have to remember the period in which it was written.¡±


    ¡°Hard to figure this ¡®period¡¯ stuff out when these blokes are leaving centuries at a time.¡± Vigo humphed. ¡°But the sentiment hasn¡¯t changed much. These Crowns have been the top dogs for, well, forever.¡±


    When he didn¡¯t say anything else, Leta glanced over to see Vigo had a pensive expression on his face, hands holding his sandwich but his gaze elsewhere.


    ¡°I know that look.¡± Leta noted cautiously, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Vigo licked his lips before he spoke. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that. These guys have been at the top of the food chain since before we, the human race, started writing things down. Huda mentioned that the Crowns used to go to war with each other over territory when a Crown died or was Arisen. While they don¡¯t do that nowadays, habits die hard.¡±


    ¡°This is building up to something I won¡¯t like.¡± Leta gently closed the book and turned to give Vigo her full attention. ¡°Just spit it out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an anomaly.¡± He huffed, ¡°They may have been cordial when they knew the score with each other, but now that you, a mysterious class that¡¯s never been seen before, have entered the game? Something in my gut is telling me that the book on rules of engagement just got chucked out the window, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before something bad happens.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Five: The Whole Truth

    The shrill of a cellphone alarm going off had both of them practically jumping in their seats.


    The pair turned to watch Allister casually pull a cell phone from his pocket where he¡¯d been conversing with Huda in hushed tones near the entrance.


    His eyes snapped up to Leta before looking back at his phone. He huffed as he slipped the device back into his pocket before calling, ¡°Leta, you¡¯re needed in the War Room. Ismene¡¯s awake and wants to talk to you.¡±


    Leta rose from the table with a furrowed brow. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°A Priestess.¡± Vigo added, ¡°Huda told me about her when she showed me the Job Book. She¡¯s sort of an oracle and sees the future, but her visions force her into a constant sleep state.¡±


    ¡°Tragic.¡± Leta mused as she pulled off her gloves. She said her goodbyes as the red-haired giant ushered Leta forward and out of the room.


    ¡°We should probably see about getting you a phone.¡± Allister looked like he was mentally adding to his ever-growing list of things to do. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with Yelana about that.¡±


    ¡°That would be appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited now. Mine and Atreus¡¯s phones are special, but everyone else in the Sect has old model cellphones.¡±


    Leta frowned. ¡°Are we talking carrier pigeons or something like a Blackberry?¡±


    ¡°More along the lines of Blackberry. You¡¯ll not be watching MTV or dancing on that clock app any time soon.¡±


    ¡®Who watches MTV anymore?¡¯ Leta thought to herself as Allister opened the doors to the War Room.


    Inside, Leta saw that the large double doors on the other side of the room were open just enough to spot a cacophony of stained glass and the edge of a four-poster bed beyond the threshold.


    Just outside the door was a woman with yellow runes glowing under her mocha-colored skin sitting in a chair, her breathing heavy and her golden eyes half-lidded as if struggling to stay conscious.


    Dr. Kudela knelt next to her and was in the process of patting an alcohol swab over her arm before taking a syringe and pressing down on the plunger.


    As the liquid in the barrel emptied into her, the woman¡¯s eyes lifted to reveal irises of swirling gold with no discernible pupil, as if all she could see was the molten sun.


    Dr. Kudela saw Leta¡¯s surprised look and quickly stated, ¡°Adrenaline shot. It¡¯ll help her stay conscious.¡±


    The golden-eyed woman looked up to Leta with a tired half-smile. ¡°Hey, doll. Sorry to meet under such crappy circumstances, but I promise we¡¯re going to get along great.¡±


    Leta blinked at hearing another American accent and opened her mouth to say something when the Priestess interrupted.


    ¡°Temple Terrace. It¡¯s basically Tampa. Lost of Scientology wackos, but our hockey team is mostly stellar if only our guys can stop screwing around.¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± Leta looked at Dr. Kudela with some confusion, who just shook her head with a sigh.


    ¡°Leta, this is Ismene the Priestess.¡± She gestured to the golden-eyed woman, ¡°Ismene, this is Oletta the Crown.¡±


    Ismene rolled her eyes. ¡°You were going to ask me where I was from. I was answering. Then you were going to tell me you¡¯re from Seattle, but then tell me that you actually live in Bellevue. People think Bellevue is just part of Seattle because it¡¯s basically next door, so you say you¡¯re from there.¡±


    Leta¡¯s mouth dropped in shock.


    Holy shit, she was right.


    ¡°How-?¡±


    ¡°Priests and Priestesses see the future, among other things. Trust me, it¡¯s not a fun superpower to have.¡± Ismene groaned, wincing as Dr. Kudela gave her a shot of something that burned under her skin and caused her glowing runes to shine even brighter.


    ¡°That should keep you up for a few hours.¡± The Healer noted as she placed a band-aid over the injection site and gave the Priestess a pat on the back. ¡°I¡¯ll get some coffee and give you two some privacy.¡±


    Nodding farewell to Leta, Dr. Kudela exited the war room, leaving the two women alone. The silence was perforated only by the quiet hum of computers and the hologram table.


    Finally, Ismene seemed to gather some courage as she took a deep breath and nearly shouted in a rushed voice, ¡°Nanites!¡±


    The woman flinched, her eyes shut tight as if waiting for something terrible to happen. When nothing did, she opened one glowing eye and patted herself down to ensure she was solid.


    ¡°Holy crap, it¡¯s true.¡±


    Wide-eyed in shock and confusion, Leta questioned, ¡°What? How do you know about Nanites?¡±


    Ismene didn¡¯t hear her as a broad smile stretched over her lips. She threw one fist in the air with a whoop, grinning like a mad woman. ¡°It works! Oh my gosh, this changes everything.¡±


    When she finally caught Leta giving her a raised eyebrow, she sheepishly ran a hand through her tight black curls. ¡°Sorry, I knew it would work from my visions, but there¡¯s always a difference between knowing it and actually doing it.¡±


    ¡°What were you expecting to happen?¡± Leta asked at the woman¡¯s unmistakable giddiness.


    ¡°If it was anyone else but you, I¡¯d probably be turned inside out or burst into flames or some other kind of nasty end. But it¡¯s you, so I didn¡¯t. So, yay!¡±


    Leta pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°Yeah, that just leaves me with more questions than answers.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we Priests tend to have that effect on people.¡± Ismene chuckled, ¡°Maybe we should start with the obvious questions, yeah? So, I know about the Nanites, the Atlantians, and all that jazz because I¡¯m a Priestess. Our class was designed to be the liaison between the Atlantians and the rest of the classes. While the other Classes were going around worshiping them because they thought they were gods, we were allowed to know the truth since we were their right-hand man.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­cool.¡± Leta mused.


    ¡°Right? Now, they told you about the rules, right? The ¡®Golden Rule¡¯ of don¡¯t let normal people know?¡±


    At Leta¡¯s nod, she continued, ¡°So, when the Atlantians went ¡¯bye bye¡¯, they put a fail-safe into everyone¡¯s Nanites. You talk about Nanites or show your powers to a cognizant human in complete control of their thoughts and ability to observe? Poof!¡± She made an explosion gesture with her hands. ¡°You¡¯re dead. Even now that they¡¯ve been gone for thousands of years, if you¡¯ve got an active system, that fail-safe is still in action.¡±


    ¡°Right, but obviously that¡¯s not always the case cause-¡±


    ¡°Afra was able to use her abilities in front of your parents, whose systems were 100% not active at all, yeah.¡± Ismene¡¯shead bobbed, ¡°Oh, crap. Sorry. I was supposed to let you finish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡± Leta sighed, ¡°I¡¯m just going to need some time to process this.¡±


    ¡°How long do you need? Cause I¡¯ve got other things to blow your mind with, and I¡¯m on a time crunch.¡± Ismene looked at her bare wrist as if she were looking at a watch.


    Her voice picked up speed as she talked as if you could see the medication and whatever else had been pumped into her kicking in. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get you up to speed on the whole truth of what the actual fuck is going on, give you some advice on what to do next, then I¡¯ve got to go give some prophecies, also known as ¡®cheat sheets,¡¯ to the rest of the team. And I¡¯ve only got a few more hours to do it before my stats catch up with me, and they put me under again.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Leta grumbled, running her hands over her face as about a million questions ran through her head.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Want me to give you my shpeel and go from there?¡± Ismene asked almost reluctantly, like someone trying to give bad news to an already upset boss.


    Leta exhaled, ¡°Sure, why the heck not.¡±


    ¡°Awesome! If that¡¯s cool with you, I will start with our immediate issues and work my way up to some of the more Earth-shattering revelations. First, the fail-safe on all of us can be broken under super-specific conditions. The first one is that you, Leta Black, break the rule first. Don¡¯t ask me why - I haven¡¯t gotten that part yet. Condition number two, someone else breaks the rule in your presence after they have observed you breaking the rules first.¡±


    Leta thought back, remembering the time in the hospital when Afra had been shocked that she hadn¡¯t been killed when she used her flames in front of Thomas and Naomi. Before everything went down, Leta had used her Persuasion ability to make her parents quiet.


    ¡°Why, you might ask?¡± Ismene prompted before she even had a chance to ask a question, ¡°Because you¡¯re the Monarch and stupidly important. Now, on to the next issue. Trust me, you¡¯ll like this: your dad will wake up later today.¡±


    Leta stiffened at the news, her heart somersaulting in her chest as hope and disperse elbowed each other to be first in her mind.


    ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡± The thought of her father¡¯s condition had her mind in a visceral grip.


    ¡°For now, yes.¡± Ismene confirmed, ¡°What¡¯s happening in him is that the corrupted Nanites system is trying to overtake your father¡¯s dormant system. Thankfully, even though his system is down, the Nanites can tell when something is corrupt and have fortified themselves to resist. However, that fortification won¡¯t last.¡±


    Ismene stood and started pacing as she continued her explanation, her quick strides and fast speech closer to a toddler hopped up on candy and soda pop.


    ¡°Now, he won¡¯t become a Loupgarou - that system is already corrupted and unable to duplicate itself. What will happen is that eventually, his system will be put under so much stress that it will activate, and because the Nanites have been weakened, they¡¯ll activate as a corrupted system, which leads to a Wendigo.¡±


    Leta¡¯s eyes lowered to the ground, her suddenly rising home crashing, ¡°So he¡¯s going to turn into something awful.¡±


    ¡°Possibly. Well, I guess this leads me to another topic. I don¡¯t necessarily see the future. I see the most likely possibilities in a situation.¡±


    She tapped at her temple with one long finger and a slightly manic smile, ¡°Every person I meet or meets someone I meet creates a connection to me - an infinite spiderweb of chance and luck. What my Nanites are doing behind the scenes is akin to skimming the frequency. They¡¯re monitoring everyone on that web and calculating the most probable actions based on the echos from their Nanites.¡±


    Leta pursed her lips at that. She didn¡¯t necessarily like the idea that someone could monitor her every move without her consent. It was one thing to have her data being collected by the government - she still wanted to see the look on some poor CIA intern¡¯s face when he went through her nerdy browser history - but it was another to be face-to-face with the person who was doing the monitoring.


    Ismene waved her hand in front of her with a crinkled nose. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My little semi-mortal brain can barely handle getting a compliment, let alone all that info, so even though I¡¯m not consciously looking through the web, my Nanites are running in the background. Basically, my poor laptop¡¯s been running and hasn¡¯t been shut off or restarted, so it¡¯s constantly crashing. Hence, I¡¯m asleep more than I¡¯m awake and need meds to keep me upright.¡±


    ¡°Geez, that sucks,¡± Leta remembered Gada had told her about what could happen if someone¡¯s constitution was too high and they became prisoners in their own bodies. It sounded like Ismene¡¯s Mental Fortitude was disproportionately high, affecting the Priestess¡¯s ability to function.


    Ismene shrugged, ¡°It is what it is. Anyway, back to your dad. While most of the visions I have show the most likely outcome of someone¡¯s choices, I do see other possibilities and variables that could happen. In a lot of the visions, yes, your dad does become a raging cannibal. However, the most probable outcome right now is that Dr. Kudela can help your dad manage it by helping his body fortify his system against the corruption. If things stay on the correct course, he¡¯ll live a long, not exactly normal life.¡±


    Leta¡¯s breath came out of her in a shaky gush, and her knees suddenly felt weak.


    Ismene grabbed her elbow and helped gently lower her into a nearby computer chair.


    A well of emotions felt like it blew its lid inside her as she took several breaths. She wanted to laugh with relief and cry with worry all at once.


    The Priestess gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. ¡°It¡¯s not absolute. The future is never 100% certain. But right now, if you stick the course, it¡¯s a pretty good bet.¡±


    Leta looked at the woman, her eyes taking in the Priestess¡¯s youthful features and kind smile.


    ¡°What course?¡± She asked almost hesitantly, as if she was afraid just saying the wrong thing would destroy a future where her father lived peacefully.


    Ismene beamed, ¡°You¡¯re already on. You made the first step when you asked Atreus to take you in.¡±


    Her head perked up, and she looked around the room, ¡°Infinite possibilities and these stupid visions don¡¯t tell me where a goddamn pen and paper is.¡± She grumbled to herself before spotting a notepad and pen jar next to one of the far computer stations.


    Leta watched the Priestess get up and walk over to it. ¡°What¡¯s the second step?¡±


    ¡°The second step, ¡°Ismene paused as she rummaged through the cup till she found a green gel pen with an outlandish teddy bear on the cap that looked so out of place against all the weapons and sophisticated computers, ¡°Is to get you prepared. Again, you are stupidly important. We need you to stay alive and, you know, make sure your head stays attached to your neck and all that.¡±


    She picked up the paper pad and scribbled down the words ¡®Leta¡¯s To Do List.¡¯


    ¡°To start, you need to put those inert Nanites you absorbed to good use. My recommendation is to get the ports and Summon Nanites. Yes, it¡¯s basically useless once installed because you¡¯ll be out of Nanites, but that won¡¯t last long. One of the things on Atreus¡¯s to-do list will be bringing back the Loupgarou bodies for you to mummify.¡±


    Leta¡¯s eyebrows went up. The monsters she¡¯d siphoned from yesterday had yielded such a large number of inert Nanites she¡¯d have been an idiot not to connect the dots. Monster corpses equal free upgrades.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Ismene chirped distractedly as she started to write something, then quickly scribbled it out. ¡°Nope. Nope. Nope. Oh! Yeah, don¡¯t get comfy with this gig of free meal delivery. This is an extremely temporary setup, so enjoy it while it lasts.¡± Her head picked up, and she looked at the ceiling with a confused expression as if she were trying to remember something as she mumbled. ¡°What came after that? Oh, yeah.¡±


    Returning to her scribbling, she continued, ¡°The issue you¡¯ve got right now is you¡¯re heckin¡¯ strong but have little defense. Those nanites you¡¯ve got are all jacked up on Mountain Dew and heal you insanely fast, even for a Chosen, but you don¡¯t want to rely on them to patch you up when you¡¯re in the thick of it. Plus, your Persuasion just upgraded to Command. That ability packs a serious punch, but the recoil you get can damage you if you¡¯re not careful. You can¡¯t rely on telling your enemies to ¡®Freeze¡¯ because that will trip you up until your stats get boosted.¡±


    Crossing her arms, Leta leaned back in her seat as she thought about it. ¡°I realized that. So what are your probabilities suggesting?¡±


    ¡°For now, focus on getting enough Nanites to create armor and defend yourself. As you¡¯ve observed, your stats will increase as you hone your skills.


    ¡°Plus, you don¡¯t want to dump all your nanites into your stats all at once; your body will tear itself apart trying to make those adjustments.¡± Ismene gave Leta a ¡®don¡¯t try it¡¯ stare, ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s gross. Your muscles start trying to expand, but there¡¯s not enough pass for them to compensate. Your skin tears apart as you start bleeding from your ears because you¡¯re experiencing a massive stroke and brain bleed as your gray matter is turning itself into soup to improve itself. It¡¯s nasty. Don¡¯t do it. That little system stayed hidden under the ocean for thousands of years. Don¡¯t screw everything up on day three of being special.¡±


    Leta swallowed down bile as the visual Ismene painted made her feel sick. ¡°You know, I was wondering how that switch and trap door managed to stay functional after being buried for so long¡­¡±


    Ismene turned in her pacing to give her a cheesy smile as she put her hands up before saying, ¡°Aliens.¡± Laughing to herself, she turned back to her writing, ¡°Just kidding. Not really. It actually was aliens. But anyway, the metal was holding the trap door up, and the switch mechanism was Chosen-made. If you get a Blacksmith and an Alchemist in the same room using their abilities to bed metal and chemicals, you can get an alloy that can survive being buried in salt mud for thousands of years and still work.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t distract me! My brain has got too many tabs open to think straight as it is. Now, don¡¯t be stupid and dump your points to Arnold Schwarzenegger-ify your nanites. Invest in the ports and the Summon Nanites skill. With me so far?¡±


    Leta nodded as she watched Ismene pace back and forth like a ping-pong ball.


    ¡°After that, you need to hit the gym. You got the Basic Hand to Hand skill from getting thrown around earlier but you need to learn how to defend yourself. Missile launchers. Swords. Nunchucks. A spork. Anything that could be a weapon, you need to master it. Also, you need a Blade.¡±


    ¡°I thought I could just borrow one of those?¡± Leta thumbed over her shoulder to the weapons rack, where one wall was dedicated to displaying swords and daggers of various cultures and periods.


    ¡°Cute, but no. You need an Atlantian Blade like what Koa has. Atlantian Blades aren¡¯t going to break, and since they¡¯re made out of Atlanite and, well, you¡¯re the Monarch. Unlike everyone else whose Atlantian Blade can only take one shape, your command over Nanites means you can change your Blade¡¯s form to whatever you need.¡±


    Leta nodded along, impressed. ¡°That sounds cool, but I¡¯m pretty sure I can¡¯t just go to the corner shop and find one.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised.¡± Ismene gave her a knowing look that was frighteningly feline in its mischief.


    ¡°What?¡± Leta¡¯s eyes narrowed at the Priestess as she drew the word out slowly.


    With an evil chuckle, Ismene sat in another computer chair and gave her a mischievous grin, ¡°Leta, doll, when you sprang that trap door, what was done there?¡±


    She paused to think, memories of a traumatic time flitting through her brain like an old camera reel.


    Coins.


    Cuneiform tablets.


    The Atlanite contraption that had given her the system.


    And a long barnacle-encrusted object¡­


    Leta¡¯s eyes shot up to the knowing look on Ismene¡¯s face as her heart skipped a beat. ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed, doll!¡± Ismene cackled, ¡°Now, what is the probability of that? Statistically, it¡¯s impossible, but hey! Crazier things have happened in the last twenty-four hours.¡±


    ¡°I mean, how?-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you don¡¯t want the answer to. Just say ¡®thanks, dead person¡¯ and accept the probability of fate for what it is.¡±


    Leta ran a hand through her blonde hair, her cheeks inflating as she let out a surprised breath.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s helpful. Wait, aren¡¯t the Chosen and Blessed currently at war over the dig site? It must be long gone by now.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Ismene giggled, putting her pen and paper down to pull out a cell phone from what looked like thin air and began texting someone. ¡°We got it and the tablets. However, it is under lock and key by Simon, and wouldn¡¯t you know it? They don¡¯t give the person who sees the future the password. Weird.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Six: Accidentally On Patrol

    ¡°You want me to give her the Blade, no questions asked?¡±


    Simon pinched his nose as he felt a migraine not far off. Leta couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for the man.


    Ismene had texted Atreus and Allister to say the same thing she was telling the Judge now: give Leta the Blade.


    Atreus had asked the Priestess to go into detail, but she responded with a shake of her head and an exasperated frown.


    ¡°Now, Atreus. You know I can¡¯t give you the answers to everything or else the good futures don¡¯t happen - only what pushes us in the right direction. Just trust me, Leta needs the Blade.¡±


    The leader of the Athens Sect sighed but fired up the hologram table with a resigned look in his eyes.


    After a few moments, Simon¡¯s image flickered into existence. Next to him was a man who appeared to be in his early forties with olive skin, a square jaw, stone discs the size of quarters in his lobs, and tattooed lines down his brow and chin.


    ¡°Simon. Mic.¡± Atreus nodded to the tattooed man.


    ¡°Atreus.¡± The stranger nodded in return, his accent almost South American Spanish but a bit harsher.


    The General had looked to Ismene and waved a hand for her to start talking, leading to a five-minute monologue about the Blade and that it would go to Leta.


    As she did, Hayato entered with Bonnie the wolf and Yelana a step behind. Hayato looked between the two Sect leaders and gave them a slight bow before heading to the weapon wall and pulling a privacy screen from a hidden pocket disguised as one of the stone groves in a column.


    Yelana quietly moved to the wall of computer screens and pulled on a headset as she before toggling on screens to start a digital reconosence.


    Bonnie, for her part, went to her owner with a wagging tail, her tongue lolling from her mouth in a canine smile as Allister started strapping a military-like harness on her.


    Leta had been sitting in the chair she¡¯d occupied since Ismene had told her about the Blade¡¯s whereabouts, her thumbs absently flicking the edges of the paper the Priestess had ripped from her notepad and handed to her.


    Licking her lips, she exhaled hard as she looked back down at the words scrawled like a shopping list instead of a prophecy.


    <ul>


    <li>First Den (Den six) - Use Storm Glass. Think of it as a rug¡ªno time to eat.</li>


    <li>Second Den (Den eight) - Gremlin¡¯s Trick. Don¡¯t forget to use your night vision. Pack a dagger. Eat the Ogre.</li>


    <li>Don¡¯t take the stairs</li>


    <li>Third Den (new den three location) - To wet - no electricity. Use a crossbow and Magician¡¯s Hand. Eat the Nixie.</li>


    <li>At the vault - everyone loves a show. Make a statement - DO NOT eat John.</li>


    <li>On the way back - Make your upgrade for ports (4x) and get Call Nanites.</li>


    <li>Your dad will wake up while you¡¯re in the third den. Atreus isn¡¯t going to tell you until you¡¯re out. Don¡¯t get distracted. You¡¯ll talk to him when you¡¯re back.</li>


    <li>If everything goes as planned tonight, the Crowns will meet to discuss you. You will get a summon tomorrow evening.</li>


    <li>Hang in there. You¡¯ve got this.</li>


    <li>Don¡¯t screw this up.</li>


    </ul>


    ¡°I¡¯d almost argue that it¡¯s hers even by our codes. So yes, Leta gets the Blade.¡± Ismene commanded, holding the coffee cup Dr. Kudela had given her as if her fingers needed something to be busy with so she didn¡¯t start twitching.


    Leta looked about, confused, ¡°What codes?¡±


    Allister sighed, standing up from where he¡¯d been kneeling next to his familiar before answering, ¡°The Chosen have some rules for composing themselves. ¡®Thou shalt nots¡¯ and all that. The bylaws for this instance state that if a Chosen finds a combat weapon of Atlantian make, they have the right of first refusal.¡±


    ¡°It also states that others may challenge the one who found it if they so choose,¡± Mic noted as his eyes narrowed on Leta. ¡°One of my Fishermen has requested the Blade, and he has survived many battles, so I am inclined to say that it should be a reward for his service.¡±


    ¡°John isn¡¯t getting it. It¡¯s Leta¡¯s.¡± Ismene pursed her lips. ¡°Plus, would your guy openly challenge a Crown for something?¡±


    Mic straightened, his back stiff as he realized his error and dropped into a low bow.


    ¡°My sincere apologies, your Majesty. I had been informed of your Rising but not of your description.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Ismene clapped her hands as if everything was said and done with that admission, ¡°so we¡¯ve established that it¡¯s Leta¡¯s property. Leta will come tonight and get it.¡±


    ¡°I will?¡±


    ¡°She will?¡± Allister and Atreus sputtered at the same time.


    Ismene rolled her eyes, ¡°Den three on your target list tonight is abandoned. They don¡¯t realize it yet, but the Blessed moved the new den close to containment vault six, where the Blade is. Check your cheat sheets. It¡¯s in there.¡±


    The two men shared a look before pulling out the to-do lists Ismene had written for them, both grumbling ¡°Oh yeah¡± as they scrolled down to a line item that said precisely what Ismene had just instructed.


    ¡°The problem is,¡± Simon massaged the base of his neck like a child about to confess they broke a window, ¡°it isn¡¯t here yet. The Blade is en route from vault nine and should arrive within the hour. Also, the vault doors close an hour before sunset.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention, if we go to the vault first, we may waste time attacking the dens when they¡¯re weaker,¡± Allister added as Hayato pulled back the privacy screen. Leta didn¡¯t see much of an immediate difference except that the man was dressed in pants, combat boots, and a long-sleeved coat unseasonable for summer in Athens.


    ¡°Leta needs this Blade.¡± Ismene tried to reason with them, ¡°If we wait even another day, we¡¯re in serious trouble.¡±


    Atreus gave her a hard, unflinching stare, his dark eyes holding her golden gaze in as if to spot any flaw in her statement.


    Ismene took the silence as a push for more information. ¡°It¡¯s just a change of plans.¡± She asserted, her voice low as if pleading, ¡°If the team leaves in the next thirty minutes, they have four hours to take out den six and eight and attack the new den three location before arriving at the vault. I¡¯ve given Mic a fair warning, but John is still going to challenge Leta. She needs that experience from those dens to win the challenge, or we¡¯re all screwed, and you know as well as I that other things are in play with this.¡±


    Leta watched as Atreus chewed on the inside of his cheek, holding her stare a moment longer before asking, ¡°What happens tomorrow?¡±


    The simple question had Ismene glancing away, small brackets around her mouth forming as her lips pressed together.


    Seeming to resolve herself to a choice, she stood on tiptoes to cup his ear to whisper something so low not even Leta could make out.


    Whatever she¡¯d said had the General¡¯s eyes going wide before he schooled his facial features into a blank mask.


    ¡°Fine.¡± His voice was clipped and precise, his disdain for the situation easy to catch, ¡°Leta joins us for the hunt. Yelana? Assist Her Majesty in getting kitted up. We leave in twenty-nine minutes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The woman answered, quickly doffing her headset and motioning for Leta to follow her.


    ¡°Nothing heavy!¡± Ismene called out, ¡°She¡¯s not built for throwing around a claymore. Think ¡®compact¡¯.¡±


    Yelana nodded and pulled Leta behind the partician, deft fingers finding a latch hidden among the stone carvings, revealing a rack of thin, futuristic armor.


    Leta took a moment to think, ¡®holy crap, this is actually happening,¡¯ before Yelana returned with what looked like a torture device but was the front and back of chest armor. Leta was told to fit her head through a hole, and the two halves were sealed together like a clamshell.


    ¡°This is madness.¡± She heard Atreus hiss and peeked around the side. Whatever needed to be said to Simon and Mic had concluded, leaving a surely General with his men and a half-mad Priestess.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°It¡¯s stupid, I¡¯m not arguing that.¡± Ismene gave him a tight-lipped smile, her discomfort at their options evident, ¡°In any other instance, this is a dumb idea - it¡¯s like chucking an infant into a firefight with nothing but a toothpick and a ¡®best of luck.¡¯ But we¡¯re out of options on this one. Even now, the probability windows are tightening, and we can¡¯t afford to miss a single step. It¡¯s got to happen, and it¡¯s got to be done this way and in this order.¡±


    The sigh that escaped Atreus as he put his hands on the holotable and bowed his head was that of a man resigning himself to a slaughter.


    Ismene put one hand on his shoulder, ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe in a higher being, but, well,¡± She swallowed and looked away, her golden glow seeming to flicker a moment, ¡°I need you to just trust. Trust me, trust her, trust the future we¡¯ve - I¡¯ve been working so hard to achieve.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Yelana got Leta¡¯s attention as she finished securing the front and back of the chest armor before connecting abdominal plates until the tank top she¡¯d been wearing was covered.


    Leta bounced on her feet in surprise at how light it all was, twisting to one side and then another as she got a feel for any limitations on movement.


    Yelana watched for any signs of discomfort or limited movement. When satisfied, she began clipping armor over her shoulders and arms, politely but firmly asking Leta to raise her arms to test the joints for any issues.


    Seeing none, Yelana passed her a loose white crew neck to slip over the armor and a pair of black pants that looked bulky and thicker than they should have been.


    The woman turned to give Leta a modicum of privacy as she pulled off the sweatpants she¡¯d been given and pulled the new pair on.


    It looked like she was wearing a pair of motorcycle jeans on the outside, but as her thumb flicked over the hardened ridges, she realized the same plate armor had been sewn into the fabric.


    She had barely finished buckling up her pants before Yelana was at her side again, grabbing her free arm to clamp on elbow and forearm protection.


    ¡°Time is of the essence, your Majesty.¡± She breathed, flitting around Leta as weapon after the weapon was slipped into hidden compartments. A compact crossbow was fitted along her spine between her shoulders, daggers were tucked near her stomach, and a spring-loaded quarterstaff was neatly strapped to the small of her back. The woman was like a whirlwind, leaving Leta mildly dizzy and a bit heavier as she started to feel the weight of all the armor and weapons she now carried.


    Yelana looked her up and down and nodded at her work before handing her a pair of steel-toed combat boots and a leather jacket that was out of season but would do well in covering her armor.


    Dressed, the woman pushed the privacy screen back into its hidden pocket, and all eyes turned to Leta, swearing over her as if to find any flaws.


    ¡°Oh! The gloves!¡± Ismene exclaimed, darting over to a side cupboard and coming up with a pair of long fingerless gloves that were bulky and covered the vambraces up to her forearms like thin gauntlets. The insides were made of a lightweight, sweat-absorbent material while providing padding between the Kevlar-like metal encasing her arms. A raised metal plate covered the backs of her hands and reminded her of something out of a ninja cartoon.


    ¡°Make a fist,¡± Ismene instructed, that mischievous smile never leaving her face.


    Leta did and nearly gasped as a section of iron slipped from beneath the hand plate to roll forward, covering her knuckles in an inch-wide chunk of studded metal.


    ¡°Built-in brass knuckles.¡± She chuckled at Leta¡¯s wide-eyed speechlessness.


    ¡°Holy-¡±


    ¡°Now, imagine that with your lightning.¡±


    Leta¡¯s blue eyes kept up to glowing golden eyes and the slightly manic smile the Priestess was giving her.


    Allister gave an appreciative whistle, ¡°Talk about packing a punch.¡±


    Bonnie gave a little ¡®woof¡¯ in agreement. The Hunter and his familiar must have kitted themselves out of thin air, the ginger giant¡¯s chest plate visible from his open jacket.


    Leta never even heard the man move so much, let alone equip an entire set of armor and weapons. You would expect such a large individual to make a noise like a bull in a china shop, but he was terrifyingly silent on his feet, which she guessed resulted from his Hunter class.


    Allister zipped up his jacket, the plate armor peaking near his clavicle disappearing as he looked over his team with a critical eye.


    In the silence, Leta could only focus on the fluttering of anxiety in the pit of her stomach that couldn¡¯t decide if it wanted to be nerves of excitement or trepidation.


    ¡®Who am I kidding?¡¯ She chastised herself, ¡°This is the dumbest thing you¡¯ve ever done, Leta. Why are you doing this?¡¯


    ¡°Alright.¡± Atreus exhaled, a muscle in his jaw ticking at the situation, ¡°Let¡¯s move out. Yelana, you¡¯re on Logistics.¡±


    ¡°Aye, sir.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Kudela, please be on standby. We¡¯ll keep in touch. Ismene?¡±


    ¡°Coffee and the meds should keep me up for a few hours, but by the time you¡¯re headed back, I¡¯ll be under.¡± She answered, pulling her shawl close as if defensive about her limitations, ¡°If anything major happens that shifts course, I¡¯ll text you.¡±


    Allister clapped, rubbing his hands with a gleam in his eyes, ¡°Oh, this is going to be exciting.¡±


    Atreus raised an eyebrow as they made their way out the door. ¡°Exciting isn¡¯t how I¡¯d put it.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it would be fun, just that it would be exciting.¡±


    Leta glanced back to see Ismene giving her a friendly wave, a smile pulling her lips tight as if she were seeing a family member off to the airport.


    Just before the doors closed, her expression shifted from cheerful to severe, her golden eyes flaring brightly for a moment as Leta saw her mouth the words ¡°Fight dirty.¡±


    What had once been stables had long ago been converted into a garage; the paint was worn and faded from the walls, but the tools neatly organized at the workbench looked brand new.


    Leta spotted all manner of vehicles, all of them no descript and forgettable save for three motorcycles and a classic Jaguar covered by a tarp in the corner.


    Samuel was bent over and halfway into the engine of an SUV as they entered, their boots making the barest scrap against the concrete floor. Wide-eyed, the boy quickly finished what he¡¯d been working on and slid down the step stool he¡¯d set up to reach into the bowls of the vehicle.


    ¡°All tipped up.¡± He called, closing everything down and storing the wrenches and other items he¡¯d been using to tinker with the machine before tossing a key into the air.


    Atreus caught it easily, ¡°Well done.¡±


    He¡¯d barely said a complete sentence, but Samuel was beaming at the recognition, a proud smile twinkling as he folded up his step stool before going to a large red button against the side of the wall and giving it a good ¡®whack.¡¯


    Well-oiled chains came alive as the garage door against the north wall rolled into the ceiling, the afternoon light blinding them momentarily.


    Allister opened a door for Leta to sit in the back before going around to the boot and popping it open for Bonnie to jump in, rocking the vehicle with her movements.


    Leta noticed how thick the doors were compared to a normal car and realized they must have been bulletproof. There weren¡¯t any seatbelts, but groves had been installed in various areas to hold all weapons. Some, like the giant punch dagger on the back of the driver seat in front of Hayato, were occupied, their contents strapped in to prevent any accidental stabbing during a sudden stop.


    Over the center console table, she spotted what looked like a large tray on a swiveling bar and realized it was a mobile workstation as Atreus slid into the seat and placed a thin laptop on the station.


    Allister squeezed himself into the driver¡¯s seat and started the vehicle.


    ¡°Is it too late to ask for a bathroom break?¡± Leta chuckled anxiously.


    Atreus turned in his seat and shot her a scathing glare that had her shrinking back into the cushions.


    ¡°Sorry. Nervous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, lass.¡± Allister gave an evil chuckle, ¡°We¡¯ll work those out of your system in no time. Nothing a little blood and chaos can¡¯t fix.¡±


    ***


    The drive into Athens was scenic for the first few minutes as the SUV rolled from a dirt path lined with mountain farms to a paved road. Ancient olive trees and quaint stone houses gave way to modern concrete buildings and hot sidewalks.


    No one spoke for the first part of the trip until they hit the main thoroughfare, and Atreus snapped his fingers to get their attention.


    Leta and Hayato leaned forward and nearly pressed themselves together as they strained to look at Atreus¡¯s screen. Displayed was a three-dimensional image she recognized as Lycabettus Hill, the tallest point inside the capital. It was a dry wooded landmark of the city, full of trees, cactuses, and religious sites, providing a tiny refuge of peace in the middle of a metropolis.


    ¡°We¡¯ve had our suspicions about den six but have been able to pinpoint its location at the northeast ridge of LycabettusHill,¡± Atreus informed them as he tapped on the screen, the image zooming in on a long dip in the hill¡¯s landscape to a small concrete structure that could have easily been mistaken as some utility contraption for the not too distant outdoor theater or restaurant.


    ¡°This is a popular den that¡¯s been cleared out multiple times, and this time will be no different. Inside,¡± He tapped the screen again as the utility structure expanded to show a hidden cave system underneath connected to a tiny hole to the north, ¡°Are two main rooms. Room one is closest to the main stairs. This has generally been their sleeping and eating abode, so the minute anyone comes down those stairs, they¡¯re met with a room full of fists and fangs. Towards the back is room two, where they keep their supplies. They may be more monster than man, but the more humanoid will still attempt to blend in with the populous to get food.¡±


    ¡°Room two narrows into a very cramped tunnel that can only be accessed on hands and knees,¡± Atreus indicated to the thin line that connected the cavern rooms to the northern point of the hill, ¡°It¡¯s a sixty-meter crawl to the outside once you start, and there¡¯s no room for you to pull out a sword or quarterstaff. If caught in the tunnel, you¡¯ll grapple your opponent in a space less than a meter wide.¡±


    ¡°Hope you don¡¯t get claustrophobic.¡± Allister chuckled as he made another turn.


    Atreus put away the tablet and looked at the two in the back seat, ¡°Hayato, you do the best in close quarters like the tunnel. I need you at the mouth of the tunnel to pick off any trying to make a run for it. Bonnie¡¯s scent won¡¯t trigger their instincts initially, so she¡¯ll do a check ahead.¡±


    ¡°Woof.¡± The wolf¡¯s head piped up from the back, her ears at attention at the prospect.


    ¡°This will be a standard room-clearing. Allister will be front - your Hunter¡¯s Gaze is best suited for the condition. I will be behind Allister. And Leta? You¡¯ll be behind me.¡±


    The general gave her his full attention. ¡°The strategy is to throw a flash-bang into the room, then rush in and subdue the targets while they are disoriented from the attack. While you will be in the back of the line, you will not be out of danger. Other than the flash grenade, we will not be using any firearms due to the nearby Mundanes. You will need to rely on your gifts and the weapons you have on hand. Do you understand?¡±


    Leta gulped but nodded, her heart feeling like it was beating in her throat as a nervous shiver ran down her spine.


    She didn¡¯t even notice their surroundings until the SUV braked slowly, pulling into one of several parking spots at the base of the hill.


    Allister turned the key and braced his elbow against the armrest to look back at them. His stare was serious and unwavering, holding such weight that it pulled one¡¯s heart into their feet with the gravity of the situation they were about to face.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Seven: The Lion’s Den

    It was an odd sensation - visiting a place twice in two weeks, first as a tourist who knew nothing of creatures that hunted humans.


    Now, she was dressed in armor with a crossbow and knives on her way to go monster hunting.


    Probably for the millionth time in the last three days, Leta wondered what she was doing here.


    The approach to the ¡®target¡¯ was straightforward. Allister and Bonnie took the lead, two pairs of sharp eyes scanning everyone they met on the path up the hill. The giant strapped a leash on Bonnie, which didn¡¯t stop the curious and sometimes fearful looks people gave the wolf, but at least no one made a fuss.


    They looked like an odd group of punks in leather jackets here to see the sites.


    Their speed was just short of running- their brisk pace slowed only by the angle of the path, the uneven terrain, and dodging the tourists that were meandering up and down.


    Halfway up the hill, Hayato broke off from the group, giving Atreus a quiet nod as he hopped a small fence and vanished into a patch of trees and cacti.


    It was more than two hundred meters from the base of the hill to the top. Leta was optimistic that they¡¯d arrived at the theater at the top in about ten minutes.


    The top was full of tourists taking pictures of the fantastic panoramic view of the city and the Acropolis that looked the size of a thumbnail in the distance.


    The theater had been barricaded off as crews moved about getting ready for a show tonight, most likely a reproduction of a classic ancient play if the stage set and garments passing by on a rolling rack were any indication.


    Allister and Bonnie skirted around the barricade until the group arrived at a stone outcropping that acted as a natural wall.


    A few meters away, the outcropping slopped down towards the path. It was a steep climb, but the compact dirt of a desire path proved that it had been well traveled.


    It also showed that their information was correct.


    Bonnie stuck her nose into the dirt and immediately sat on her bum, signaling that she¡¯d gotten a scent.


    Allister and Atreus shared a stern look.


    The Blessed were close.


    Hand over foot, they began climbing up the ridge before reaching the top. As they reached the lip of the ridge, they followed the desire path back down the other side, the small utility building stark against the dirt and vegetation.


    As they reached the inside of the shallow valley, Bonnie pawed at the ground and whined, her large head bumping into Allister¡¯s hip.


    He knelt and put his hands on either side of hers, his eyes boring into her as she stared back at him.


    The pair stayed locked in each other¡¯s gaze as small microexpressions played over their faces.


    Allister¡¯s eyes would flicker.


    Bonnie¡¯s snout would twitch.


    It looked like they were silently communicating with each other somehow.


    Finally, Allister sighed and stood up, his lips pulled tight behind his beard.


    ¡°A manticore and three bulgasari.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Atreus hissed angrily, spitting on the ground in disgust.


    Leta looked between them with trepidation. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with a bulgasari. What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s got the head and feet of a tiger with the snout of an elephant and several rows of serrated teeth like a shark in a maw that looks like an insects,¡± Allister answered without looking at her, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the lair.


    Atreus began checking his weapons, breaking down a handgun he¡¯d had in a hidden side holster and covering the inert gun in a cloth. ¡°They start small, barely the size of a kitten,¡± He said, ¡°but the more metal they eat, the bigger they get. That trunk will try to take your sword from you or pull the arrows from its body, eat the metal, and heal itself. Bullets won¡¯t work either.¡±


    ¡°Bonnie says they smell young.¡± Allister added, ¡°Their scent indicates they¡¯re about the size of a small dog, but any metal they eat will just make it grow till it¡¯s the size of a polar bear. Our biggest issue is the manticore. It¡¯s about the size of that minotaur but looks like a giant scorpion with wings for gliding instead of pincers, breaths fire, and shoots poisonous barbs from its tail.¡±


    Leta¡¯s jaw dropped, ¡°So how the hell are we killing these things?¡±


    ¡°Thankfully, the bulgasari are more of a nuisance than a threat as long you don¡¯t make the first move against them or feed them. They¡¯ll all go into attack mode when you do either.¡± Atreus removed his jacket to reveal a small, flat backpack-like satchel that was attached to his weapon holsters.


    Taking the gun parts and storing them in the satchel, he pulled his jacket back on, ¡°Our initial focus is on the manticore. It¡¯s exceptionally territorial and will go into offense when we make contact. It¡¯s big. It¡¯s fast, and it hits hard.¡±


    ¡°Bonnie,¡± Atreus looked down at the wolf, ¡°You¡¯re the fastest one here. Once the flash bang goes off we need you to engage and draw it away from the bulgasari so we have room to fight.¡±


    ¡°Woof.¡±


    ¡°Allister, you take the left. I¡¯ll take the right. Focus on incapacitating it and then taking the head.¡±


    ¡°And me?¡± Leta frowned, ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± Atreus gave her a pointed look as the two men began pulling weapons from various hidden areas, ¡°are to stay out of site so you don¡¯t become the creature¡¯s target. I need you alive, not the manticore¡¯s next meal.¡±


    Leta bit the inside of her cheek, unable to deny the sting she felt at his words. The idea of sitting doing nothing while others were literally fighting for their lives in the room next door was as grating as sandpaper.


    Arbitrarily, she knew his decisions were sound.


    She¡¯d been fighting the Blessed for three days now, all of which had been by accident and on the defensive.


    These people had been fighting them for centuries. They knew what they were doing and could recognize something or someone that would hinder their ability to fight.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    She didn¡¯t like being that extra baggage - that extra weight in their pockets as they were thrown to the sharks.


    ¡®But, come on.¡¯ Leta chastised herself, ¡®What the hell do you know about planning attacks? You¡¯d be as likely to hit Atreus in the ass with a lightning bolt as you would a monster.¡¯


    Bonnie bumped her head into Allister, her golden eyes pleading with her partner to pay attention to something. Frowning, the giant ran his fingers over her skull and into her thick fur as they locked eyes in conversation.


    A moment later, he let out a long, almost relieved sigh.


    Standing tall, he looked to their leader, ¡°Good news. Bonnie says the manticore¡¯s scent has changed since we arrived, but it¡¯s finally solidified. The manticore has finished transforming to its humanoid face.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Atreus nodded, ¡°That gives us a few moments while its mind is fractured during the change. Relay this information to Hayato.¡±


    ¡°On it.¡± Allister had already pulled his phone out and began texting.


    Atreus motioned for Leta, ¡°The order of the attack is Bonnie, Allister, myself, and then you. You will stay out of the fight and observe. Become familiar with the chaos. Do not let your guard down because battle can be unpredictable. Be prepared to strike should the fight come to you.¡±


    She swallowed, her mouth dry as she nodded hoarsely, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in position and ready.¡± Allister put the phone away as he pulled something from his pants pockets and strapped it to his vambrace. He flicked his wrist, and a semi-transparent, blue-tinted circle half his height flickered into existence with the device at its center.


    ¡°What is-¡± Leta blinked at the hexagon-like pattern that was only just noticeable in the film of what obviously was a shield.


    ¡°Plasma shield,¡± He answered, flicking his wrist to deactivate the device, ¡°Useful, but uses a lot of energy. It only has enough juice to handle two or three hits before it¡¯s rendered useless.¡±


    ¡°Ready yourself,¡± Atreus told them as he pulled a short Yatagan sword from between his shoulder blades, his other hand busy with two heavy weighted balls with a chain between him that she recognized as a meteor hammer.


    Allister didn¡¯t need any elaboration and pulled from the small of his back a well-worn battleaxe that looked like it had probably overthrown more than one government in its time.


    Even Bonnie got in on the action, her tail wagging slightly as her partner slipped a pair of canine goggles over her eyes for additional protection


    Taking a deep breath, Leta got into line behind everyone, her fists activating the brass knuckles in her gloves.


    There were a lot of conflicting emotions bouncing around in her head at that moment.


    There was fear, obviously. She was about to follow a bunch of people she had only just met into an actual monster pit.


    Oddly enough, there was also excitement. A strange nervous giddiness wiggled in her belly like when you were about to make what you knew was the historic discovery of a lifetime or step foot onto a football pitch for the World Cup.


    She wasn¡¯t sure why the excitement was so prominent in her brain. It wasn¡¯t that she was keen to see the creatures - she¡¯d had chunks bitten out of her too much to be interested.


    In fact, the more she thought about it, the more strange it felt.


    It didn¡¯t seem normal, but her questions about why she felt like that were pushed to the back of her mind as Allister raised an arm and silently counted down with his fingers until he pointed forward with ¡®one.¡¯


    Bonnie trotted forward dutifully, her partner close behind as they approached the utility site.


    Everyone scanned the trees and cacti around the ravine, keenly focused on their surroundings as they searched for any threats.


    Like a well-oiled military machine, Bonnie, Allister, and Atreus pressed against the wall, listening and waiting for any signs that they¡¯d been spotted.


    Allister checked the door handle and heard the faint sound of metal easily sliding over its internal workings.


    Either the Blessed didn¡¯t have the keys or had purposefully left the door unlocked to trap any unsuspecting fools stupid enough to enter, but it made their approach much more straightforward.


    Bonnie sniffed the dirt, then the air, before pressing her head into Allister¡¯s hip.


    The two silently conversed again before the giant nodded to his commander.


    The General held his sword at the ready as the two men stepped to either side of the door. With one hand on the handle, Allister counted down again before gently pulling on the handle.


    The team paused at the sound of rusty door hinges creaking open, their bodies wincing as the low groan reverberated down the stair shaft.


    Allister looked back to Atreus for a moment before pressing forward, his free hand up and ready to activate the shield at a moment¡¯s notice.


    The stair shaft was short and narrow, the concrete walls and floors making the room noticeably cooler than the scorching afternoon sun outside.


    The only light source were small automatic safety lights every other step that glowed orange in their age, probably remnants from some economic boom decades ago that still functioned.


    At the bottom of the stairs was a small room barely the size of a bathroom. Two walls were dominated by utility meters, gauges, and pipes that were measuring who knew what.


    On the other side was an old wooden door, probably from the seventies, with a square cut out at the bottom covered by wooden slates for ventilation. The door had been purposely left ajar, rough stone walls illuminated by a distant light further in the cavern.


    By some miracle, the wooden door did not squeak as Allister slowly pushed it open and held his position as Bonnie stepped forward. Her claws made the tiniest of taps against the stone floor, her dark fur blending into the shadowy depths of the cave.


    Leta¡¯s eyes caught onto Atreus as she watched him pull a phone-sized display monitor from his belt loop. The screen initially showed nothing but black, but soon, tiny pixelations appeared.


    At first, only rough parallel lines wiggled in odd directions on the display. A few heartbeats later, textures became more apparent steadily until she realized it was a map of the cavern generated as Bonnie traversed its depths.


    The images showed the cavern slowing downwards, snacking left and right for about a hundred meters until it opened up into the first of the cave rooms.


    On-screen, they watched as an odd-shaped dot appeared from the unmapped void, moving forward and to the side before retreating into the void again. Its movements were slow, almost leisurely. It was a good sign that they had not been discovered just yet.


    ¡®He¡¯s feeding them.¡¯ Allister¡¯s whisper was little more than the soft ¡®whosh¡¯ of wind coming up from the bowels of the cave as it played over their ears.


    Atreus put his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder before glancing back her way. ¡°Grab my shoulder. It will be dark, and you must be sure of your footing.¡±


    Step by slow and steady step, they moved through the cavern with weapons ready for an attack.


    Though the walls were rough and oddly shaped, the floors had been worn smooth, Leta guessed intentionally done during the Cold War to stockpile supplies.


    Hidden between some rough outcroppings were old lights from the Cold War, though most of them were inoperable. The light was few and far between, reminding her to use her Dark Vision for once.


    [Dark Vision skill has been activated.]


    She winced as the sudden brightness burned her vision, her eyes filling with tears as she blinked away the sting to focus on the world around her.


    Where once had been darkness peppered only by small pools of ominous light, she could now see the stone walls as if it were midday.


    Looking up into the sparse overhead lights nearly blinded her, she quickly focused on the way in front of them.


    ¡®Yeah, that was dumb.¡¯ She groaned internally, blinking the spots from her vision. The sudden brightness would hurt her eyes, but the soft glow of an incandescent lightbulb at the other end of the cavern was much easier to manage.


    ¡®Noted. Gradual light changes are fine. Too much blinds you.¡¯ She thought as the team stopped just as Bonnie came from around a curve.


    Allister patted her head before they continued forward a short distance. One more curve and Bonnie sat down on her haunches, signaling they were in position.


    The men shared a look, what seemed like a lifetime¡¯s worth of words spoken with just a glance before Allister swapped his battle axe to his left hand and pulled a metal contraption the size of her fist that looked like it had come straight out of an American military film set.


    One heartbeat.


    Two heartbeats.


    Quick as lightning, Allister stepped into the open space and threw the flash-bang before leaping back and pressing himself to the wall.


    Leta heard the metal object hitting the stone floor and bouncing before it rattled to a halt as she disengaged her night vision ability ahead of the explosion.


    She could feel a giant creature¡¯s distinct, low baritone growl as it sensed an invasion of its territory.


    Then the flash-bang went off, a bright Leta could only describe as the core of a new sun burning her vision even from where they were hidden in the cavern. The loud boom of the grenade ricocheted off the cave walls with such an intensity that even from a distance and protected by a wall of solid rock, she still felt a ringing in her ears.


    A pain-filled bellow of something followed by a sharp bark beastly echoed up the cave.


    It was the signal they were looking for.


    With a bark of excitement, Bonnie leaped into action, powerful legs and claws finding perch in the stone floors as the wolf sprang forward into the fray, Allister and Atreus close behind her.

 Chapter Twenty Eight: First Blood

    Allister let out a bellow of battle fury as he charged, Bonnie quickly passing him as she rushed head first into the smoke-filled haze.


    In the thick white cloud, Leta could make out the shape of a man as tall and as wide as Allister, a black hair tattered and long swinging about his shoulders in a dreaded mess as glowing blue eyes tried to find its target.


    Massive canines that looked like they belonged on a sabertooth tiger overlapped his bottom lip as the man bared teeth too sharp and pointed to be human.


    He roared, massive lungs producing a sound that echoed off the cavern walls with a decibel level closer to a jet engine taking off an arm¡¯s length away.


    [Warning! Corrupted-Manticore has used the skill Scream. The Host¡¯s ear drums have been damaged. Nanites routed for repair. The Host cannot hear discernible auditor direction for forty-five seconds.]


    One moment, she was clutching her ears in pain; the next, everything had become a muffled echo as if it came from underwater. Leta shook her head as she tried to dislodge the off-putting sensation, but it felt like someone had buried her head in thick blankets. She could see the two men and Bonnie moving forward despite the attack, tiny drops of blood running from their ears as they pressed on, but the sound of their shouts was closer to a phone ringing on the other side of a house.


    Through the smoke, she watched Bonnie¡¯s black form suddenly appear at the man¡¯s shoulder, teeth just as long as his sinking deep past his dirty and ill-fitted shirt to cut into his flesh.


    The man snarled, the pupils of his eyes lengthening to serpentine slits as one arm reached for the wolf. His fingers began to swell as black nails suddenly hardened into claws, black fur sprouting from his arm as it grew in size.


    ¡°He¡¯s changing!¡± She could make out Allister¡¯s muted shout among the cacophony of other noises as they encircled the man, who was quickly turning into a creature.


    With a grunt, the manticore took hold of Bonnie¡¯s scruff in one clawed paw and threw her against the cave wall near the cavern entrance.


    ¡°Bonnie!¡± She heard the wolf yelp pain as it hit the stone wall and stumbled to the floor. Leta wasted no time getting on her knees and crawling the short distance to the wolf.


    As she moved, the sounds around her slowly began to increase in volume, getting louder and louder until what had once been a muted trickle of noise became a full-fledged auditory assault on the senses.


    [Damage to ear drums has been repaired.]


    Bonnie¡¯s tortured whines were loud and wet as if the wolf was experiencing some sort of internal injury from hitting the cave wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, girl.¡± Leta breathed as she reached forward, grabbed the wolf¡¯s tactical vest, and pulled her into the cavern entrance as out of sight as she could manage.


    It hurt to hear the animal wheeze as she tried to find any visible wounds. There weren¡¯t any, but the sounds of the wolf weren¡¯t pretty.


    ¡°Oh, god. What do I do?¡± Leta exhaled, her heart racing as her fingers tried to find any exterior wounds to staunch.


    Another screech drew her attention as the man was halfway through a complete transformation. Through the waning smoke, she could make out an already large form that seemed to have doubled in size. Meaty hands that mostly turned into massive paws swung at Atreus and Allister as they ducked over and under, barely dodging at the last moment.


    Sword and axe made contact periodically with the man-turned-creature, but each contact was met with a shower of sparks as its flesh became reptilian-like scales.


    Pants split as a long, scale-covered tail extended backward, forcing the creature on all fours for balance. From the base of its neck, ridged plates like a crocodile¡¯s shot up like a mountain range down its spine and tail, becoming five long, thin spikes that shined like ebony.


    The matted hair that had fallen around shoulder length as a man had frayed and become the thick black mane of the beasts. A square face that seemed to have turned almost feline as the nose flattened and pushed outward from the skull. The once dirty and full-of-holes shirt had been ripped in two and was hanging from his elbows as the chest had ballooned outward as a thin, bluish membrane ran from the wrists to hip.


    The beast roared and whipped its tail about, trying to use the spikes to strike one target while its claws engaged the other.


    It snarled, head dealing back as its chest expanded with a breath.


    ¡°Allister! Shield!¡± Atreus shouted as the two rolled towards the cavern entrance before her. The burly giant flicked his wrist and brought his futuristic shield up just as the monster hissed, and a torrent of flame spewed from its mouth in a blistering gush.


    It felt like someone had pointed a jet engine at them.


    Leta grabbed Bonnie¡¯s loosened harness and ducked as low as she could as the fire and super-heated air attempted to pull her into the cavern depths.


    Seconds passed as the hot flame broke over the shield, Allister¡¯s grunts audible over the roar as he pushed with everything in him to keep from faltering.


    Bonnie moaned as the rock beneath them began to heat with the onslaught, the temperature in the cavern entrance rising with each moment.


    What had felt like hours had probably been three minutes before the manticore¡¯s flame breath fizzled out.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± Atreus called as he rolled forward, ¡°We¡¯ve about ten minutes before its glands fill up again.¡±


    ¡°The shield only has two more charges!¡± Allister glanced at Bonnie, whose head strained with pleading eyes for her partner.


    She could see the worry and sadness on the man¡¯s face, his concern for his familiar evident.


    Leta put her hand on Bonnie¡¯s harness, her gaze leveling with his, ¡°I¡¯ve got her.¡±


    Allister gave one sharp nod. ¡°Give her the green injections.¡± He called behind his back before twirling on his feet with the grace of a trained dancer to strike the monster¡¯s hide.


    The creature yelped and swatted at him with its tail, landing a hit to Hunter¡¯s rib cage and sending him stumbling backward.


    The creature nimbly flung its tail in the opposite direction as one of its spikes flew through the air with the whistle of an oncoming arrow.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Atreus barely jumped out of the way as the projectile lodged deep into the cave wall and kicked up dust.


    Leta jolted as she patted through Bonnie¡¯s vest until she found a small pouch. The zipper hissed as it exposed three small needle vials, two of which had green tape around the needle cover.


    She pulled one out and tore the needle protector off, pausing only to ask herself where she was supposed to put it before remembering a movie she once watched with a veterinarian in it.


    Grabbing the scruff at the base of Bonnie¡¯s neck, she plunged the needle in and pressed.


    Bonnie jerked under her hands, surprising Leta so that she nearly jumped as the wolf stretched its paws out, and its muscles seemed to lock for a moment before going limp.


    An explosion a meter had Leta ducking and covering her head as a shower of dust and stone flakes showered over her from where one of the monster¡¯s tail spines had embedded itself in the cavern wall behind her.


    ¡°Three left!¡± Atreus shouted, rolling under a swipe of the monster¡¯s paws only to pop up within its guard and swing his sword in an upward arch, sparks flying as it made contact with the monster¡¯s tough hide but catching on an old scar and sending a small spray of blood into the air.


    The beast shrieked and then turned its head, teeth open wide to bite the General¡¯s neck, but Atreus had already ducked back out of range.


    Movement out of the corner of its eye had the monster¡¯s head whipping around, snarling as Allister came in with a low uppercut swing of his axe


    ¡°Tail! Tail!¡± Atreus¡¯s call shook the stone walls, ¡°It¡¯s got an old tail wound!¡±


    Sure enough, there was a faint scar less than halfway down the leathery extension covered in puckered flesh instead of scales.


    ¡®Its scales are tough, but it¡¯s vulnerable where they are missing.¡¯ Leta realized just as Bonnie made a chuffing noise, her eyes blinking as if she were surfacing from unconsciousness.


    The wolf looked at her as if struggling to catch her bearings before rolling onto tired legs and stretching like a cat.


    Stunned, Leta looked the wolf over but could no longer see any signs of distress as the animal breathed deeply and without pain.


    Bonnie turned her large head to Leta and gave her a long, wet lick of the face from chin to hairline. Leta sputtered at the animal¡¯s affection, her brain still trying to figure out what could be in those syringes to get the wolf¡¯s internal bleeding down.


    Bonnie blew past Leta and joined the battle with a snarling bark of challenge; claws extended as she leaped forward and sunk her teeth into the monster¡¯s hide like a lion trying to take down a gazelle.


    The monster roared in pain and surprise before twisting its body to knock the wolf off.


    Bonnie let go of her prey just as the creature¡¯s massive paws meant to sink into her, but the attack was effective.


    Distracted, the creature couldn¡¯t get out of the way as Atreus managed to cut into the creature¡¯s face, blood so crimson it was nearly black arching in the air as the blade found purchase in the creature¡¯s exposed eyelids.


    ¡°Al. Atreus!¡± She could hear Hayato shout but couldn¡¯t tell where it was coming from, ¡°Your fight¡¯s spooked the bulgasari. They¡¯re headed my way.¡±


    ¡°Blind them and keep them in the cave!¡± Atreus shouted back as he went for the wound on the monster¡¯s face.


    Its screech was loud, not as ear-piercing as its Scream had been, but close.


    Reflexively, it lashed out with one oversized paw. Atreus rolled out of the way to dodge but only managed to move into the path of the tail.


    It was a double hit.


    As the creature¡¯s spiky tail connected with the General¡¯s arm, an ebony spike digging into his arm and sending him skittering backward, the monster spun on nimble paws and swiped at Allister¡¯s exposed guard.


    While the attack didn¡¯t break his armor, the force of the blow had the Hunter taking several steps back to keep balance.


    The manticore wasted no time seizing the opportunity, powerful hind legs propelling it into the air as its jaw opened wide.


    Allister managed to pull his axe up and flat side forward just in time to keep from a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth biting his face off, but the monster¡¯s paws pushed against the flat side of the axe head, claws gripping the edges as the manticore took Allister to the ground.


    Leta could hear Atreus¡¯s pain-filled groan as he tried to stand up through the pain but couldn¡¯t get to his feet fast enough, his left land swinging at his side uselessly.


    He wasn¡¯t cut, but the force of the projectile had indeed dislocated his elbow at the very least.


    The manticore wasn¡¯t paying attention to Atreus, and one blue eye glared down at the Hunter, using every muscle in his body to push back against the total weight of the monster as it tried to snap at his face.


    An animal growl was the only Warning it had before Bonnie¡¯s teeth bit into the monster¡¯s neck like a lion, her long claws finding purchase in its mane of hair.


    While the creature yelped and tried to use its tail to swing at the wolf, Atreus pulled his green syringe from one of his pouches and stabbed it into his damaged arm.


    She watched the man gasp in a breath as his pale face flushed with color, his arm healing quickly before running towards the manticore.


    The monster bucked like a wild bronco in a rodeo, but Bonnie held on with the tenacity of an animal twice her size.


    The monster¡¯s movements lessened the force it used to push Allister into the ground, which the Hunter took full advantage of as he gave one forceful push, making the beast¡¯s claws slip from his weapon.


    When its attention was back on the axe-wielding giant, Atreus had managed to get behind the creature and bring his sword down in a two-handed swing directly onto the scare on the animal¡¯s tail.


    Sure enough, skin and muscle parted under the strike, not quite cleaving the appendage in two but nearly cutting it halfway off.


    The manticore screamed its auditory attack, the sound echoing off the rock and causing Leta¡¯s hearing to go out again.


    [Warning! Corrupted-Manticore has used the skill Scream. The Host¡¯s ear drums have been damaged. Nanites routed for repair. The Host cannot hear discernible auditor direction for forty-five seconds.]


    The attack caused Bonnie to lose her grip, paws rubbing at her ears as Allister and Atreus stumbled from the onslaught.


    It was a costly mistake.


    As the manticore¡¯s head rammed into Allister and sent the man bouncing off the stone floor to the cavern connecting the two cave rooms, one of its paws came around and connected with Atreus¡¯s exposed side.


    She couldn¡¯t hear it, but Leta could imagine the sound of ribs cracking as Atreus was flung into the cavern she was hiding in.


    This time, she did hear the muffled crack as his back met the fat end of the ebony spike sticking out of the cave wall.


    The man¡¯s eyes went wide before gravity pulled him onto the stone floor in a dazed lump, his sword clattering to the ground next to him.


    A pause filled the room, everything seeming to hold still at that moment as if God had paused the movie to grab more popcorn.


    Leta could feel a low rumbling in the stone beneath her fingers as an ominous foreboding made her blood cold.


    Slowly, she turned her head to look into the single blue eye of the manticore boring into her.


    That baleful eye seemed to consume her vision till all she saw were too-long teeth pulling back from feline lips as the monster put one paw in front of it and then the other, slowly approaching like a cat who had been led on a frustrating chase until it had finally cornered the mouse.


    Despite her damaged ear drums, Leta could perceive the ¡®whoosh¡¯ of blood in her ears and the ¡®thump thump¡¯ of her heart beating over time.


    That tiny fearful part of her that told her always to play it safe and see reason was cowering in fear, its very existence smothered by the monster creeping towards her.


    The other part, the angry part that had been elbowing its way to the front of her mind more often in the last few days, was screaming at her to move, to fight back.


    ¡®Move, Leta. Move!¡¯


    Her left hand slowly lowered to the ground, her fingers trailing over the rough stone until they tapped against the cold handle of Atreus¡¯s Yatagan.


    [Damage to ear drums has been repaired.]


    Leta¡¯s hearing returned just as the manticore¡¯s lip curled back in a snarl, claws flexing as it paused in its slow stalk forward.


    Deep breath in, deep breath out. Leta tried to focus - tried to push that petrified part of her out of the driver¡¯s seat in her mind so other, more assertive emotions could lead her.


    The manticore¡¯s head lowered just a few centimeters as it adjusted its position, hind legs seeming to wind up, reading for a pounce.


    In her peripheral vision, she could make out that Allister and Bonnie were starting to get to their feet, but she¡¯d seen how fast things were.


    By the time it jumped, it would be too late for her.


    ¡®Do you accept this end?¡¯


    Leta paused at the thought.


    Was this how she wanted to go out? Mauled by a manticore? Just another tourist who simply vanished?


    Leaving her dad to become a cannibalistic monster, never to know if her mother survived the Gargoyle or was eaten alive.


    Was this where she wanted this trail of struggle and mystery to end?


    Did she accept this?


    ¡®No,¡¯ That anger, that rage that had served her well and helped her stay alive, said as it took the wheel. ¡®No, I don¡¯t accept this.¡¯


    Let¡¯s fingers closed on the sword¡¯s handle just as the manticore leaped towards her with a snarl.

 Chapter Twenty Nine: Fists of Steel and Glass

    Leta didn¡¯t think about her open guard or that a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and paws the size of dinner plates were coming her way.


    Instinct had taken over as her fingers gripped the weapon and slashed upwards, her anger fueling the storm inside her as she began to fall backward and lightning danced across the blade¡¯s edge.


    The metal vibrated like a live wire in her hand, the blade turning red hot as the sword arched under an outstretched claw to cut into the beast¡¯s chest near its armpit.


    A blinding flash of light erupted at the point of contact and was quickly followed by the boom of thunder reverberating off the rock.


    For one millisecond, Leta could see a spiderweb of cracks like a lightning bolt running from the blade¡¯s hit to its tip before the metal shattered outwards in an explosion of superheated shards, the storm¡¯s power too much for the blade to channel.


    The boom of thunder was followed by the tinkering of metal shards bouncing off the stone as sword parts flew in an outward spray of destruction.


    As the most prominent target in its path, most of the metal hit the oncoming manticore. The creature let out a shriek of surprised pain as the hot metal managed to cut under its impervious scales and into the flesh and muscle beneath.


    Its body locked as the electric shock of the attack ravaged its muscles and nerves. By some miracle, the electricity caused the creature¡¯s jaw to clench tight, and its neck locked in place an arm¡¯s length away from her as it barreled forward.


    Leta screamed as the monster¡¯s bloody chest crashed into her, pushing her to the ground with the weight of a bodybuilder shot out of a cannon. Her vision went dark a moment before coming back as her head cracked against the cave floor, her throat stinging with a cough as she breathed in dirt kicked up from the cave floor.


    Her left arm was pinned to her breastplate as hot blood splattered her face and hair with every thrash and jolt of the beast as it spasmed from the electric shock.


    She could hear Allister shouting her name and Bonnie barking as she struggled to try and push the monster off her without success.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, lass!¡± the giant shouted as he began hacking at the monster¡¯s hide, the ¡®ting ting¡¯ of the axe as it tried to cut past its scales, sounding like arrows bouncing off a war tank.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± She heard Atreus curse and could turn her head just enough to check on his situation. While the monster had crashed on top of her, its head had landed right next to the General¡¯s side, close enough that he could wrap his right arm around its muzzle.


    Locked in a seizure from the electricity, the beast had its glowing serpentine eyes fixed on him as Atreus pulled out a punch dagger and tried to stab into its neck without success.


    As the two men tried to break through the monster¡¯s scales, she watched as the twitching of its muscles began to subside and a low grow began to vibrate in its chest.


    She saw its throat expand from her vantage point as it breathed deeply.


    ¡®Oh fuck, its breath.¡¯ She realized.


    She and Atreus would be cocked alive.


    Panic and rage fueling her, Leta¡¯s hand curled into a fist as the brass knuckle crossed her fingers. Her other arm pushed forward to give her some space.


    Lightning danced over her arm as she used everything in her to jab her fist into an open wound in the beast¡¯s chest.


    She could almost see the fingers of electricity digging into its muscles as lightning tunneled under scale and bone.


    The manticore cried out in pain as it stumbled to one side, the force of the strike pushing it to the side and seizing its lungs, effectively disrupting its ability to breathe fire.


    Leta didn¡¯t give it a chance to figure out what was happening as she pulled back and struck again, aiming for the same wound as before.


    She could only describe the noise from it as a whale screaming mixed with the shrill whine of a pierced air tank as her lightning tore through the beast¡¯s lungs.


    Blood sprayed out of its mouth as it screamed in agony, coating Atreus¡¯s face and chest as it stumbled to the side.


    Again and again, her metal and lightning-covered fist punched into the manticore¡¯s wound, sweat and blood stinging Leta¡¯s eyes as she clenched her teeth like a snarling animal.


    In the blink of an eye, the tables had turned, with the manticore on the cave floor shaking and bleeding and Leta kneeling over it as she continued to pummel the beast with storm-enhanced punches.


    What had once been a small wound barely centimeters in length had blossomed into a gapping hole of bone and muscle with each strike of her fist.


    Blood was trickling from the manticore¡¯s tear ducts, ears, and snout as its ruined eye looked up at her with an animal-like fear like a house cat that a tiger had cornered.


    Good.


    She craved its terror - its fear of crossing something higher on the food chain.


    Leta paused momentarily to catch her breath, her glowing blue eyes staring into the monster as it tried to turn its head away in submission as it yielded to her power.


    She snarled in its face, conveying in the most primal ways that its fealty wouldn¡¯t appease her wrath. The manticore flinched as its tattered heart beat wildly with the knowledge that death was coming.


    With her left hand, Leta grabbed a fist full of the cave dirt and forcefully pushed it into the monster¡¯s chest wound before pulling her other fist back. White hot sparks covered her fingers as she drove one metal-covered punch and unleashed the storm she¡¯d been channeling.


    The manticore let out a single pain-filled screech as sand particles fused into a spike of storm glass and drove through the beast¡¯s ribs and lungs to pierce its heart.


    Its forked tongue extended outward as its muscles stained with shock before the entire creature went limp, the glow of its eyes fading as it succumbed to death.


    Leta gulped air as she tried to slow her pounding heart, her hands falling to her knees as she suddenly felt exhausted.


    ¡°Holy crap.¡± She exhaled, trying to wipe the sweat from her face, but only succeeded in smearing blood across her forehead and cheek.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Bonnie was the first to break the stunned silence as she trotted over and tried to clean her up with a big lick.


    ¡°Oh, god. Don¡¯t do that.¡± Leta tried to push the wolf¡¯s head away from lapping up the blood on her face, ¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Lords above, lass.¡±


    Leta looked up to see Allister glancing from her to the dead manticore in shock before he finally asked, ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± She gulped, her heart still racing, ¡°Storm Glass. I don¡¯t know. I just guessed that its heart was pretty important.¡±


    ¡°Aye, that¡¯ll about do it for most things.¡± He sighed before looking to their leader, ¡°How are you holding up.¡± Atreus groaned as he stood on shaky legs. He removed his leather jacket and turned around.


    The spike base had left a nasty indent in the armor that looked like it was digging into his shoulder blade and ribs.


    ¡°Thankfully, it was the blunt base, not the spike tip.¡± Atreus mused as he tried to rotate his shoulder with limited movement.


    ¡°Sure knocked the wind out of ya and rattled that grey matter.¡± Allister breathed out a small chuckle.


    The General nodded, ¡°It¡¯s sprained but not broken, thank the gods.¡±


    ¡°Do you need green, friend?¡±


    Atreus shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste a quick heal on this-¡±


    ¡°Uh, Atreus?¡± Hayato¡¯s voice crackled again, and Leta realized that Atreus had a small radio/microphone contraption attached to the breastplate, ¡°Did you guys throw darts or something?¡±


    Atreus¡¯s eyes shot up to Allister¡¯s, a chittering noise not unlike an insect¡¯s mandibles that could be heard from the depths of the second cave room.


    Bonnie hummed the sound of a whine and a growl as something almost metallic could just be seen from the small emergency light in the cavern.


    ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Leta exhaled.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Atreus groaned as he pushed past the manticore¡¯s body to focus on what was approaching, ¡°Leta, get back. They¡¯ll go after your gauntlets.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll go for my axe first, more likely,¡± Allister grumbled as he slipped the weapon back into its holster.


    In the eerie orange light, Leta could see something around the size of a medium-sized dog slowly crawling towards them. Despite its size, it had a barrel-shaped chest with very stubby legs, and its body appeared covered entirely in metal. What was most terrifying was its head, which looked like someone had taken a bear and replaced its jaw with two long tusks and the gnashing mouth of a bottle.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Leta¡¯s nose scrunched in disgust at the truly nasty-looking face.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to get worse, lass.¡± Allister cautioned as a second and a third bulgasari followed close behind the first, their tusks tucked toward the ground as their bear-like nose sniffed the ground.


    One found a tiny sliver of sword shard smaller than a thumbnail and chirped, picking up the shrapnel with its mandibles as precise as tweezers.


    Another of the bulgasari trilled at its comrade¡¯s discovery and tried to take the sliver from it, but it was already in the creature¡¯s mouth, the sound of metal grinding against metal like nails on a chalkboard.


    Leta watched in horror as the bulgasari gulped, and it began to swell, stubby legs gaining some muscle as its snout began to extend downward like an elephant¡¯s trunk until it hung just past its jaw.


    ¡°Leta,¡± Atreus said slowly as they watched the bulgasari grow, ¡°How accurate can you make that storm glass?¡±


    She blinked, ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know. It depends on how much sand I¡¯m working with and how close someone is to the target.¡±


    ¡°Allister, you and Bonnie move into the cavern,¡± He commanded without even looking their way, his eyes fixed on the creature as its growth began to settle, ¡°Leta, move up here as slowly as you can.¡±


    Leta crept forward on her hands and knelt as she watched the monster shake itself like a wet dog. Just that tiny shaft had given it enough nutrients to go from the size of a corgi to the size of a golden retriever.


    She moved forward with one hand in front of the other as one of the smaller bulgasari found a shard. The other smaller monster chirped and tried to fight its tusks flying as the pair tussled.


    She made it to Atreus¡¯s side as one of the creatures prevailed and swallowed the whole metal, its body beginning to swell with growth.


    ¡°They¡¯ll get close enough to smell our weapons in a moment. When I tell you, I need you to use your magic to strike these things.¡± Atreus told her quietly as the bulgasari came even closer. ¡°Hitting them with a dagger or an axe will make them stronger. Your glass, on the other hand,¡± He didn¡¯t finish his statement as he took two slow, measured steps backward so that Leta was positioned in front and knelt.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Atreus breathed.


    Leta could barely hear her breathing over the sound of tusks scraping over the cave floor and the snuffling of short trunks. The larger bulgasari trilled again as it found another shard and ate it up. It shivered as it grew again until it was as tall as Bonnie, and its trunk extended down to its elbows.


    As it grew, the monster¡¯s aggression increased as well. The team could only watch as the little runt, who had had no success finding metal, pawed at the larger one like a pup asking its mother for food.


    Instead of nipping at it or pushing it away, the larger of the three grabbed the little one with its trunk and squeezed its head as its smaller companion squealed in fear and surprise.


    Like ridged metal bending unnaturally, the loud screech groaned through the cave as the runt¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of its sockets, and the bones began to strain beneath.


    With one final shriek, the runt¡¯s head was ripped from its tiny body, deep crimson blood that shimmered with an odd translucence dripping over the leader¡¯s trunk as its trunk relaxed and released the creature¡¯s body.


    ¡°Jezzus.¡± Leta felt bile rising in her throat as the tiny runt landed with a heavy splat like iron wrapped in pig skin.


    The larger bulgasari hadn¡¯t gone in to eat its companion like a typical predator asserting its station. It sniffed the ground, looking for more metal, the body of its kill forgotten like an unfortunate ant had been caught under its boot.


    Atreus cautioned her with another ¡°Wait¡± as the lead bulgasari¡¯s head lifted slowly and looked their way.


    The growl that came out of It was low and resonated like the creaking of an aircraft carrier.


    The noise alerted the other bulgasari from its musings, and the pair trilled in challenge as they came to stand together like an organized unit.


    ¡°Oh, geez,¡± Leta gulped, her fingers spreading out palms downward as she readied herself.


    With Magician¡¯s Hand, she could sense the dirt and loose flakes of stone that covered the cave floor and dragged the particles towards her like a lazy vacuum.


    The monsters didn¡¯t seem to notice the skittering pebbles or the unnatural swirl of sand eddied beneath their feet. They were so focused on the glint of steel at Atreus¡¯s hip and Allister¡¯s back.


    ¡°Good,¡± Atreus breathed low, watching the small grains consolidate between the beasts and them, ¡°that¡¯s very good. Stay focused.¡±


    Leta imagined the dirt and sand being pushed into a long, thin line as it covered the ground in front of them like a carpet.


    Or a rug.


    ¡®Shit.¡¯ She blinked, remembering Ismene¡¯s prophecy.


    The lead bulgasari lifted its trunk, its mandibles unfolded with a bellow, and it pushed up on its hind legs like a challenging bear. Its front paws hit the floor with the force of a building collapsing and began to charge, the smaller monster close behind.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Atreus shouted, waiting for the monsters to enter a point of no return.


    Six meters away, the back foot of the smaller bulgasari crossed over the swirling blanket of sand.


    The trap had been sprung.


    ¡°Now!¡± He commanded as Leta pulled a storm forward from somewhere deep within.


    With a scream of defiance, she raised both fists; snaps of blue-white electricity covered her arms before bringing her fists back down on the cave floor.


    Lightning cracked and boomed as silicon and other particles within the sand became superheated instantly as her electricity broke through the rug of dirt with the heat of a star.


    Atoms fused and fizzled, crystallizing in hot spikes that jettisoned from the floor.


    Shards taller than a person and as thin as a spear shaft broke out of the earth like massive quills and stabbed into the oncoming bulgasari, seeming to pierce every possible organ and bone imaginable.


    The creatures couldn¡¯t even scream as they were instantly impaled by her storm glass and looked more like pin cushions.


    The little one took two spikes right to the skull, its pierced tongue twitching between its mandibles as all life left its eyes.


    The larger one had shards the length of an arm pushing out of its chest and throat, with one thinner shard cutting under its mandible jaw and out its head, one eye exploding outward in a spray of crimson metallic blood.


    The cave shook with the echos of thunder as the lead monster gurgled before finally succumbing to its fate and going limp, suspended in its final position like a specimen in a scientist¡¯s lab.


    ¡°Gods above.¡± Allister swallowed as he slowly rose to his feet, ¡°That worked.¡±


    Leta turned from her surprised wonder at the macabre display before her to frown back at the giant. ¡°We¡¯re you guys just guessing?¡±


    Allister shrugged as Atreus stood, ¡°Metal cannot touch them, which means piercing through its body to do damage is impossible with mortal weapons.¡±


    He held out a hand to help her to her feet, and she took it, dusting herself off. ¡°How do you usually kill them?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Fire.¡± He answered as if she¡¯d asked him what he did for a living, ¡°Kaviah can melt their hearts from the inside with a touch due to her class ability, and Afra can wrap them in a fire column till their metal skin heats and melts from their body. Come now, we best be off. We¡¯re on a tight schedule.¡±

 Chapter Thirty: Bad Listener

    Leta¡¯s eyes drifted to the manticore¡¯s body, and an odd feeling in her gut, not unlike hunger, tightened her abdomen.


    While they had been focused on the bulgasari, the manticore body had begun to decompose in an interesting way. A fine layer of obsidian crystal had spread over its corpse in random spots before slowly crumbling into tiny black flakes as small portions of the monster began to cave in on itself.


    ¡®Gada? Should I be concerned?¡¯


    [It would appear that the creature¡¯s body is in the process of Nanite¡¯s self-destruction, resulting in a form of fast calcification - or, in this case, .]


    Curiosity got the better of her as she slowly extended her fingers to grip the beast¡¯s coarse mane.


    [. Inert Nanites: 1,642,593. Absorb inert Nanites? Yes/No?]


    ¡®Oh my goodness.¡¯ She needed to wipe saliva from her mouth at the number of inert Nanites. It was nearly as many as what she¡¯d gotten from the Minotaur, and that beast had been massive.


    [Warning.  is in the process of Nanite self-destruction. Inert Nanites: 1,503,981.]


    ¡®Oh, crap!¡¯ It was going down fast.


    ¡°Leta?¡± Allister looked concerned as they packed their weapons while Leta stared at the monster¡¯s corpse. ¡°We must depart.¡±


    ¡°Right. Um,¡± She looked up at the two men, then back down at the body. ¡°Give me a second.¡±


    [Inert Nanites: 1,472,458]


    She mentally selected the affirmative option as she dug her fingers into the manticore¡¯s bristle-like mane.


    Under her touch, the body began to turn shallow and empty, and its muscles turned ash and stone. She could hear Allister curse under his breath as they watched its scales turn matte and rough, and its fangs begin to fall from its gums as it appeared to decompose in rapid time.


    Between the sudden decomposition and the rapid , the body was quickly disintegrating before their eyes, but not quickly enough.


    ¡°Atreus!¡± Hayato¡¯s voice crackled over his transmitter, ¡°Leta¡¯s lightning did something to the electronics up here. The theater¡¯s blacked out, and the employees are trying to find out why. They¡¯ll be headed your way soon.¡±


    ¡°Dammit.¡± Atreus¡¯s growl was low and full of bared teeth. ¡°Leta!¡±


    ¡°Give me just-¡± She grunted through a strained body, the sudden and massive influx of inert Nanites nearly making her lightheaded.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Atreus grabbed her shoulder to pull her away from the body forcibly but cursed as a crackle of electricity arched between her and his outstretched hand.


    Leta didn¡¯t even realize what had happened. She was so transfixed on absorbing every last available Nanite that her hands were buried in ash and obsidian dust.


    [Inert Nanites absorbed: 1,375,692]


    ¡°Leta!¡± Allister¡¯s urgent shout finally snapped her out of the trance she¡¯d felt herself fall into and she looked up to see the Hunter, Bonnie, and Atreus hustling to the second cave room where the bulgasari had come from.


    ¡°We have to go.¡± He urged her with wide, pleading eyes, ¡°They¡¯re almost to the entrance.¡±


    Rising as quickly as she could on shaky legs, she stumbled after him and into the darkness.


    The second cave room was larger than the first but was filled with rough boulders that looked to have once been stalagmites before being broken from the cave floor over the millennia. The uneven placement of the stone columns meant that only a tiny cavern area was navigable by foot. The group had to scamper up and over dozens of sharp-edged boulders before arriving at what looked like a bottomless pit roughly a meter wide.


    Atreus looked up to his second in command, ¡°You first.¡±


    Bonnie replied with a whine of apprehension as she pawed at the hole, kicking a small pebble, which quickly disappeared into the darkness.


    ¡°Oh, go on, you overgrown poodle.¡± Allister huffed and picked up the wolf, who promptly put both paws on his shoulders as her ears flattened against her head with an ¡®oh, please, no¡¯ expression. Her whine only earned her an eye roll from her partner as he used one hand on her rump and the other at her shoulders to keep her close and steady.


    ¡°None of that now.¡± He chuckled before stepping into the pit, his falling form barely fitting through the hole as it vanished with Bonnie¡¯s echoing ¡®¡¯ of protest.


    ¡°You next.¡± Atreus motioned for her to jump.


    Leta felt her mouth dry as she looked into the void at their feet. She¡¯d never liked roller coasters, and the idea of free falling made her already racing heart feel like it was about to burst out of her chest and run in the opposite direction.


    Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath, brought her arms in close, and jumped.


    The fall was unexpectedly short, maybe two or so meters before it hit at a sharp 45-degree angle. Leta couldn¡¯t help the scream that bubbled out of her as her uncontrolled slide through the tunnel picked up speed.


    She did her best to keep her booted feet together as the tunnel began to curve left and left again before widening as the distant light of an exit quickly approached.


    Said exit came in the form of a large hole in the tunnel floor that emptied like a sink drain, her frantic slide suddenly turning into an abrupt fall to a sand-covered floor below.


    Leta yelped as she rolled forward, nearly face-planting into the dust before a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to the side just as Atreus landed where she¡¯d been laying, his body keeping balance and making his landing look effortless.


    ¡°Everyone okay?¡± He asked, looking around as everyone gave him a confirmation.


    Leta whipped the dirt from her face and looked around, realizing they were again in a small cave-like alcove on the side of  Hill not far from one of the less used trails. Hayato was at the mouth of the alcove¡¯s entrance with one hand extended outward to what looked like a translucent blanket of shimmering air that billowed and rolled gently like grass in a breeze.


    Slowly rising to her feet, she made her way over to get a better look, one hand going to her sore bum, which felt like it had been scrapped raw over the rough stone.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°What is that?¡± She asked, keeping some distance between them in case she accidentally disturbed whatever it was.


    ¡°Trickster¡¯s Mantle.¡± Hayato answered , his body never moving, ¡°It allows me to shield us from prying eyes, but only so long as I concentrate.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit! Sorry.¡±


    Behind her, Bonnie was lying in the dirt, her heavy pants and wide eyes showing she had not recovered from their trip down the tunnel.


    ¡°A hundred years you¡¯ve been getting into trouble with me, and you still can¡¯t handle drops.¡± Allister sighed as he gave the wolf a loving pet that did not match his teasing tone.


    ¡°On your feet, girl.¡± Atreus said quietly to the wolf, ¡°Night approaches quickly, and we have much ground still to cover.¡±


    Everyone gathered together behind Hayato before he lowered his hand, and the blanket of rippling air dissolved into the wind.


    ¡°Go. Go.¡± Atreus¡¯s voice urged them to hustle as they exited the alcove, which appeared to be as little more than a deep gouge on the rocky side of the hill.


    From there, it was a short run to the tree-lined trail and another five minutes before they arrived at the road where the car was parked.


    Everyone piled in, and Atreus started the vehicle with an awkward chuckle, ¡°Well, that could have gone better.¡±


    ¡°I could have been of assistance,¡± Hayato said with a straight face, his even stare following Atreus in the  mirror.


    ¡°You absolutely could have.¡± Atreus acknowledged, ¡°But your skills lie best with weapons of stealth and cunning, not against a manticore in closed quarters. Also, I could not risk losing you if we were in dire peril and needed an escape.¡±


    ¡°Our next den will be one of particular interest to you-¡± He paused as the phone in his pocket vibrated.


    ¡°.¡± He answered, but the volume on the phone was so low that Leta couldn¡¯t hear what was said.


    Atreus then glanced at Leta from the  mirror. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s fine.¡± He said before his lip twitched in amusement, ¡°On moment.¡±


    Turning in his seat, he held the phone out for her, ¡°For you, your Majesty.¡±


    Leta took the offered device and held it to her ear. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°WHY ARE YOU A BAD LISTENER?!¡± Ismene screamed from the other end of the line.


    ¡°Wow. Even I could hear that from over here.¡± Allister chuckled as Leta held the phone away from her now ringing ears. No wonder Atreus had the volume so low - their enhanced hearing would have left her deaf after that shout.


    ¡°What did I do?¡± She answered defensively, feeling like she¡¯d just come home from school to her mother yelling at her for leaving her socks out.


    ¡°Did I tell you to eat the manticore? No! I explicitly told you not to eat it. Now we¡¯ve got to deal with car crash traffic as well as a whole host of other troubles.¡±


    The car lurched as Allister pulled the vehicle to the side and hopped the curb, jostling everyone as an ambulance passed with lights and sirens blaring.


    From the phone, Ismene huffed, ¡°Put me on speaker.¡±


    Slightly terrified to do anything else, Leta complied.


    ¡°Allister! Hand a left, doll. The initial route has got a car accident.¡±


    ¡°, alright.¡± The giant grumbled but complied, pulling the car into a hard left turn at the first chance.


    Atreus¡¯s frown deepened as he watched the ambulance fade into the distance, ¡°How behind does this put us?¡±


    ¡°An extra thirty minutes,¡± Ismene answered, ¡°Normally, it wouldn¡¯t be too big of a deal, but this means that the ogre at the next den will start waking up soon, and you won¡¯t have the option to catch it sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Leta¡¯s brows drew together as the Priestess¡¯s statement caught her attention, ¡°Ogre? What else is in this den?¡±


    ¡°A bunch of gremlins and a .¡± Ismene answered.


    Hayato cursed at the news, ¡°, just what we need. A damn .¡±


    Leta looked about the car, confused, hoping one of the other men could answer her, ¡°What¡¯s up with a ?¡±


    Allister answered, ¡°The closest thing to describe a  is a dark elf. Dark skin with a bit of a purple hue, white hair, comely, but some of the most wicked and evil creatures I¡¯ve ever had the displeasure of meeting.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re fast and cunning,¡± Atreus added to the discussion. ¡°And they are opportunistic as they come. Of the Blessed, they are some who are most ruthless. A manticore would kill you for stumbling into their territory. A  would make it their life mission to kill every friend and family you¡¯ve ever known, down to the boy you had a crush on in grade school, just for getting their order at the cafe wrong.¡±


    ¡°Charming,¡± Leta snorted sarcastically, ¡°But why tell us about all the monsters in the den now? Why not let us know before we leave?¡±


    ¡°A few reasons. One, time was of the essence, and if you were strapping yourself down for all the bumps in the road, you¡¯d never get out the door,¡±  annoyance at Leta¡¯s disregard for her warnings slowly started to dissipate, ¡°The second reasons goes back to the whole ¡®I can¡¯t give you the answers to the test¡¯ situation. If I¡¯d told you about the bulgasari, you would have unconsciously packed fewer metal items you¡¯ll need later. Just trust me. I¡¯m a professional regarding this whole predicting the future business so I know what I¡¯m doing. Reread the cheat sheet I gave you and follow the instructions, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Now, I know you¡¯ve got some questions that are a bit more private, so go ahead and take me off speaker.¡±  voice was almost pleasant, but a command was hiding in her tone that didn¡¯t leave room for misinterpretation.


    Leta followed her instructions and put the phone back to her ear, ¡°Are you going to answer my questions, or is this going to be considered answers to the test?¡±


    heavy sigh crackled the air on the other end of the phone. ¡°I¡¯m going to answer as best I can. There are some things that I can¡¯t tell you yet because I still need to ensure you¡¯re in a good place to get those answers, physically, mentally, spiritually speaking. However, I¡¯ll always be honest and tell you if the answer hurts you or someone you know.¡±


    Leta pursed her lips. She didn¡¯t like the answer but knew it would probably be the best she¡¯d get. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you predict the attack on the hospital?¡±


    ¡°I did, but unfortunately, too late. The Blessed have a being called a Warlock or a Witch, depending on the gender. They are the evil counterpart to Priests and are one of the few beings I can¡¯t see the future of - I can only glimpse their movements through the eyes of those they interact with.


    ¡°Anyway, there is a Witch here in Athens that is the one all the other Blessed report to. Her name is Elizabeth. A real piece of work - she killed her infant brother when she was two because his crying annoyed her. Back to the topic at hand, all the futures that I had of her were that she was commanding legions to begin attacking the dig for artifacts. I now know that while I was under, she¡¯d managed to wrangle a wraith to bring in an army from somewhere else in Europe outside of my reach.¡±


    Leta could feel that indignant anger bubbling up in her throat again, ¡°So my dad was bitten, and my mom was kidnapped because you were napping?¡±


    She could hear the sharp scowl in  tone at the insult, ¡°Hey! I am doing the absolute best that I can with all of this. Do you want to try sifting through millions of future probabilities every waking moment? Do you want to try staying focused on things while you¡¯re awake when your vision is being invaded by new probabilities being created every millisecond? The probabilities when I went under were not good, to begin with, but there was nothing I could do. What did you expect? I call up the Governor and tell him to pull his head out of his ass? You¡¯ve met the guy. Do you think he¡¯d listen to one Priestess?¡±


    Leta pursed her lips, her bubbling anger turning into a simmering pit of lava ready to erupt at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Can you tell me why he didn¡¯t send more people?¡±


    Ismene paused for a second as if she were consulting the probabilities to see if her answer would affect anything.


    When she did speak, her voice was low with the gravity of her words, ¡°I think you know the answer why.¡±


    Leta nodded to herself, her lips pulled back in a thin line.


    ¡°Top of the food chain?¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh huh.¡±


    Leta blew out a breath as she leaned back in her seat, her stomach tightening in her building rage. After a long pause, she could growl, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Again, you know why. You don¡¯t want to dwell on it, but you¡¯ve already drawn your own conclusions. That¡¯s why you need the weapon. That¡¯s why you need to be clearing these dens. You need to be ready, and you need to be ready very, very soon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Allister called, flicking his blinker on as he prepared to turn into an underground parking garage.


    ¡°One last question,¡± Leta asked hurriedly though her anger and yet to dissipate, ¡°Is my mom still alive?¡±


    Ismene was quiet for several seconds, once more seeming to pause so she could check the probabilities of the universe, before answering, ¡°I can¡¯t give you the answer, but I can give you a question: what do you think?¡±


    Leta took a deep breath, frustrated that she couldn¡¯t get a straight answer, before giving it some thought.


    ¡°My head says realistically, it would be a miracle if she¡¯d made it to the mountain at all. The heart? Well, my heart¡¯s a hopeless optimistic that wont give up the idea that she might be alive until I see her body myself.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Ismene¡¯s voice on the other end of the line was firm as if something had been cemented into fate¡¯s tapestry, ¡°Hold onto that optimism for as long as you can. That¡¯s a rare thing for Chosen. Anyway, you don¡¯t have long. We¡¯ve got some upgrades to work out.¡±

 Chapter Thirty One: A Minor Upgrade (Part I)

    Leta frowned, ¡°I thought I was waiting until after all this to upgrade?¡±


    ¡°Doll, you ate a manticore you weren¡¯t supposed to.¡± She could practically feel Ismene¡¯s eye roll through the phone, ¡°Which was terribly inconvenient, mind you. You¡¯re literally eating into the time it will take you to get to the vault. Also, if you don¡¯t use your points, you will hit your nanite cap before you get to a stopping point to spend your stuff.¡±


    Leta moaned as she started to unbuckle herself from her seat, the need to hit her head against a wall strong. ¡°Crap, I forgot about the cap.¡±


    ¡°Leta?¡± Allister looked back at her with a frown as the rest of the team began piling out of the vehicle.


    ¡°Sorry, Ismene¡¯s got some things for me. Can you give me two minutes?¡±


    The giant sighed, looked at his watch, and nodded, ¡°Aye, lass, but no more than that. We need to keep to the schedule.¡±


    Leta waited until Allister had shut the door to lean her head back against her headrest. She reminded herself to remember more important details like nanite caps and switch on her night vision.


    Ismene¡¯s words were compassionate as if she knew Leta¡¯s struggle to keep up with life as an Arisen. ¡°You¡¯re three days into all this, and the rules are changing literally by the minute. Give yourself some slack. That said, I suggest increasing your mental fortitude by two and everything else by one. That will give you a big enough boost without putting too much strain on your body during the upgrade.¡±


    Leta nodded to herself, ¡°That¡¯s doable. Any other suggestions?¡±


    There was a pause on the other end of the line before Ismene answered, ¡°I was hoping to get you upgraded later when you had time, but if you¡¯re already running late, you might as well go ahead and get Summon Nanite. You won¡¯t be able to use it, but it¡¯s one thing off your to-do list, and it frees up room for more Nanites. It would be best if you also got something for speed or defense. But only get Summon and one other skill, you hear me? You need to pace yourself with skill downloads so your brain doesn¡¯t turn to mush.¡±


    ¡°Fun,¡± Leta raised one eyebrow before addressing her hive mind out loud, ¡°Gada? What suggestions do you have?¡±


    [Many speed and armor-based skills are available to the Host. For defense, recommended options are Hand of the Shield Bearer, Static Armor, and Stone Skin. For speed, the recommended options are Thunder Jump and Storm Step.]


    ¡°Wow, that narrows it down. Bring up those descriptions, please.¡±


    [Hand of the Shield Bearer - Level One: The Host can create an impenetrable circular barrier that will absorb physical damage. At Level One and with the Host¡¯s projected stats, the barrier is 61 centimeters long and must be anchored to an Atlanite base. Thus, the Host is currently only able to anchor the shield to the Host¡¯s hand and forearms. This skill requires 1,032,561 inert Nanites.


    Static Armor: The Host can generate a charge that covers the Host¡¯s form in a thin layer of static electrical energy. If the Host is struck during a melee, the attacker will receive an intense static shock, which will cause a temporary stun effect. This skill requires 783,053 inert Nanites.


    Stone Skin - Level One: The Host can temporarily calcify skin cells in 12,000 square centimeters of skin for ten minutes every two hours, reducing trauma to the Host. This skill requires 664,109 inert Nanites.


    Thunder Jump: The Host creates a compressed pocket of lightning under the soles of the feet, which propels the Host forward. This skill requires 502,451 inert Nanites.]


    Storm Step: The Host has attuned themselves to the ebb and flow of positive and negative charges. The Host can create a contained lightning arc and instantly move their physical body from one end of the arc to the other. This skill requires 1,543,194 inert Nanites.]


    ¡°Jezzus.¡± Leta balked at the stiff price tag on the skills, especially Storm Step. That single skill alone was more than what she got from the minotaur that had nearly killed her.


    ¡°Yesh,¡± Ismene parroted Leta¡¯s surprise and dislike, ¡°That sucks, but they¡¯re sound suggestions. Each one of those is really going to change how you keep yourself alive.¡±


    ¡°Which one should I pick?¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah.¡± She could hear Ismene shaking her finger through the speaker, ¡°That¡¯s cheating. All of these are good choices and will help you in the coming fight, but I can¡¯t make that decision for you.¡±


    ¡®Damn,¡¯ Leta thought to herself. This decision felt a lot harder than any other before. In the past, she¡¯d been flying by the seat of her pants and only given a few easy choices. Now that everything was on the table, picking one skill felt like betting all your chips on a single hand. Would she be lucky and choose the right option or lose the game?This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°That being the case,¡± Ismene continued, ¡°I can give you some food for thought. Remember, these software upgrades are quick ways to get where you want to go, but at the end of the day, they¡¯re just shortcuts. Every skill downloaded is one you could learn. What you¡¯re downloading is knowing how to do something instead of figuring it out alone. Remember? You chose not to get Gremlin¡¯s Trick but got it anyway during the fight with the Goblins.¡±


    Leta nodded along, aptly listening to the Priestess¡¯s words.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ismene cut off as if talking to someone on the other end, ¡°Oh, yes! Please and thank you. Your mocha espressos are to die for.¡±


    She cleared her throat before addressing Leta, ¡°Sorry, doll. I¡¯ve already polished off one moka pot and am trying to stay awake, and the good doctor made me another. Back to what we talked about, the second thing you should remember is your fighting style. You¡¯ve had a lot of unexpected skirmishes lately, so how did you feel going into those? Are you wishing for a specific weapon or something to help you in the fight? What is a skill that can compensate for that?¡±


    A knock on the car door startled Leta as Atreus opened it to give her a stern look, ¡°We must depart.¡±


    ¡°Go on, Leta.¡± Ismene chuckled, ¡°Deep down, you know what you need to do. I have faith in you. There are some changes to the cheat sheet I gave Atreus earlier, but I¡¯ll send him a message about this while they¡¯re distracted by your upgrade. See you later, Doll!¡±


    The line went dead, and Leta handed the phone back to her as she jumped from the car seat to the concrete floor of the parking garage.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Leta responded sheepishly, ¡°Ismene made some stat update suggestions I need to make quickly.¡±


    Atreus blew out through his nose as he shut the car door, ¡°This could not have been done earlier?¡±


    ¡°It was going to be done later, but things have bumped the schedule.¡± She shrugged, her head turning as Allister, Bonnie, and Hayato came around to join them. ¡°Plus, I think it¡¯s a good idea for you to see the who stats thing in action if you¡¯re going to be training me.¡±


    Atreus looked far from pleased and rolled his head on his neck as if to crunch out the kinks forming there just from this conversation. ¡°Fine. Make it quick.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this stat thing, Leta lass?¡± Allister raised an eyebrow, perplexed by the sudden level of secrecy.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated.¡± She sighed, also rolling her neck from side to side as she steeled herself mentally.


    ¡®Gada? Do it.¡¯


    [Increasing power, speed, stamina, reflexes, and constitution by one. Increasing mental fortitude by two.]


    Leta gasped at the sudden pain that rippled through her body, her teeth clenching as she felt her skin tighten painfully for a moment as muscles swelled ever so slightly and bone hardened.


    Within Leta, the Nanites were fortifying every tissue, ligament, and organ in her body. Her lungs expanded to take in more air as her heart began to pump blood more efficiently through her.


    A sharp sting had Leta screwing her eyes tight as a migraine washed through her brain, her ability to intake, process, and react to the world around her increasing.


    Atreus watched in shock as Leta¡¯s body grew ever so slightly, her cheeks sharpening as her muscles seemed to become more defined. Was it just him, or did her hair seem lighter? More white than blonde?


    Thanks to his abilities as a General, he could easily pick up on weaknesses in others when he concentrated.


    As they stood transfixed at the tiny metamorphoses before them, he could visualize the scale of strength and weakness within Leta shifting more and more towards one side.


    Leta took a breath and looked up at the men staring at her in wonder. Her blue eyes seemed brighter than before, and the more they stared into them, the more they realized that there was almost a bit of movement in her irises. It was as if the Nanites within her were waking, unable to be dormant now that they were awake.


    [Inert Nanites remaining: 4,562,276]


    ¡®Damn.¡¯ Leta blew out a breath. It was good that she was freeing up space now - if she¡¯d followed Ismene¡¯s cheat sheet and absorbed from the two monsters on the list, she¡¯d most likely exceed the cap.


    [Increases in stats had affected the Host¡¯s skills and skeletal system. Bone Density has increased to +1.4. Magician¡¯s Hand restrictions have increased to 100 kilometers. Ears of the Judge have evolved from a toggled to a passive skill.]


    ¡®Well, that bump for Magician¡¯s Hand is certainly nice. Okay, let¡¯s get that Summon Nanite.¡¯


    Leta¡¯s eyes fluttered shut as an odd sensation infused her mind. The closest she could describe it was like her mind was a balloon suddenly filling with air, expanding beyond its set limits.


    In her mind¡¯s eye, she could almost see her Nanites as if she were a subatomic microscope looking through layers and layers of existence to the very atoms that gave her form.


    She could see them, feel them. They didn¡¯t look like bugs, like Ismene¡¯s words implied. They were spherical in shape and almost silver and iridescent in color. The glow of the vibrating magnetic field surrounding it nearly looked like a halo, and for the briefest moment, Leta could feel a tear roll down her cheek in wonder at a race that could craft something so small and yet so divine.


    Just as quickly, she felt her mind settling in her body as she took an almost meditative breath, looking around with a strange sense of serenity as if one of life¡¯s mysteries had just been solved.


    ¡°Lords above. Lass,¡± Allister breathed, looking her up and down as if someone else were standing in her place.


    ¡°You¡¯re stronger,¡± Atreus stated with a discerning eye, seeming to take in every inch of her as thoroughly as a soldier inspecting his weapons before battle, ¡°And¡­taller.¡±


    A glance at her stats showed that she was, indeed, a few centimeters taller.


    Hayato¡¯s head tilted to the side as if he were studying a scientific experiment. ¡°Did you cast some sort of spell?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no.¡± Leta stretched and clenched her fingers to get the odd sensation running through her skin to quiet down, ¡°You know how I can take from things? I can channel that potential into upgrading myself a little at a time. Can¡¯t do it too fast, or I could end up hurting myself in the process, or worse.¡±


    Hayato watched her absent-minded movements and marveled at the transformation.


    ¡®Who is this woman?¡¯


    He thought to himself as he remembered the girl who had been so skinny in her hospital gowns last night that he¡¯d mistaken her for a pretty skeleton.


    Overnight, she¡¯d filled out with muscle, her white-blonde hair longer than it was and shining with health and vitality. Heads would turn to watch her as she walked by, enraptured by her beauty that was as undeniable as a sunrise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one more upgrade to go through, and then I¡¯m good.¡± Leta gave them a sheepish smile before turning her attention inward to choosing a skill to keep her alive for what was to come.

 Chapter Thirty One: A Minor Upgrade (Part II)

    ¡®Speed. Speed is what I need to stay alive. The best fighters aren¡¯t the ones that hit the hardest; they¡¯re the ones that can hit so fast that their enemies are dead before they even realize it. If I had been fast enough, I could have gotten out of the way of the manticore. And the minotaur. Hell, even the nixie.¡¯


    Leta looked back at the two options, though, in all honesty, there wasn¡¯t a competition.


    ¡®Okay, Gada. Select Storm Step.¡¯


    [Selection made. Downloading skill software now.]


    The sudden sharp pain in her brain caused her to involuntarily hiss as hot prickling needles skittered over her gray matter and down her spine to tap dance over every nerve and bone.


    Allister shouted her name in shock as a hot trickle of blood began to drip from her nose and down her tightened lips, covering her teeth in red.


    Leta felt every inch of tissue and muscle in her body intimately, almost uncomfortably. Waves of knowledge flooded her mind like she was speed-reading an entire library¡¯s worth of information in an instant.


    She took a big deep breath and filled her lungs with the smell of stale petrol and concrete, using the sound of the city¡¯s ambiance in the distance and the feel of asphalt beneath her feet to center her.


    After a moment, the flow of knowledge and the agony in her body began to fade until she realized she was bent over and breathing hard through clenched teeth with the taste of metal on her tongue. Hayato and Allister were on either side of her, their hands trying to hold her upright and keep her from falling to the ground.


    ¡°Lords above, lass!¡± Allister barked, his face pinched with concern as he watched the young woman take another deep breath to steady herself, ¡°What was all that about? You¡¯re bleeding.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Leta muttered softly, rubbing her nose with her gauntlet and doing a poor job of cleaning up until Allister handed her a handkerchief from some hidden pocket. Leta thanked him and blotted her upper lip before looking down at the now bloodied cloth with a frown, ¡°I hope this wasn¡¯t important. Could be a priceless artifact from the first Queen Elizabeth for all I know.¡±


    ¡°No, lass.¡± Allister sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not that old.¡±


    Atreus watched blot the crimson from her face with a look of concern and confusion. ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Um, a whole lot of info at once.¡± Leta admitted through the fabric before looking down at the soiled handkerchief spotted with her blood, ¡°Remember what I said? If I do too much upgrading too soon, it can hurt me. Two skills back to back give me a bad migraine and a nosebleed.¡±


    Allister and Atreus shared a concerned look over her head, the questions flitting back and forth between them obvious.


    ¡°These skills.¡± Atreus addressed her, ¡°They are new abilities you didn¡¯t have before. They are not some dormant ability that needed some catalyst to occur?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Leta shook her head as she held up the ruined handkerchief, deemed it unsalvageable, and tucked it sheepishly into her pocket, ¡°The skills are brand new to me.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°What skill did you acquire?¡± Hayato asked curiously as his head tilted to the side slightly like an intrigued puppy.


    Oh! Um, a speed skill called Storm Step.¡± Leta answered, ¡°You¡¯ve seen my lightning, right? I can create a bolt of lightning from myself to another unobstructed place and,¡± She paused as she searched for the words before looking at Hayato, ¡°It¡¯s, well, you know how you use shadows to move from one place to another? It¡¯s kind of like that, but where you can be miles apart without a clear line of sight, I need an unobstructed path through the air to where I want to go.¡±


    Allister listened intently, with Bonnie watching by his side, ¡°Fascinating. Can you show us while we are headed to the front? The clock is ticking, and we¡¯re already running late.¡±


    ¡°Right! Yeah, sorry.¡± Leta gave them an apologetic half smile, then focused on the world around her. Knowing how to pull off such an impossible feat came quickly as she visualized the arc¡¯s path.


    She exhaled deeply before drawing in her power with her inhale, feeling her chest heat as forces began to build inside her.


    Leta could perceive the team taking several steps back as tiny snaps of electricity fizzled just above her skin and hair, but she paid them no mind.


    Her focus had zeroed in on the empty space before the stairs leading to the lower floors. For a moment, barely a faction of a second in the universe¡¯s timeline, Leta could see the world slow to the point that it seemed to stop.


    She was moving, flying, where all the world was frozen in time.


    A sudden release of power seemed to propel her forward with such a speed that every atom in her body felt as if she were merging with the stream of positive and negative charges. Each chain reaction was like an explosion from a rocket shooting her forward until her feet materialized in front of her, the world around her returned to its average speed, and Leta found herself stumbling into the wall from her own momentum.


    ¡°Mary, Mother, and Joseph!¡± Allister screamed in shock, his arms coming up as if he had been taken by surprise.


    ¡°Leta!¡± Hayato and Atreus shouted in unison, briskly walking towards where she was partially kneeling with her hands on her knees.


    She put one hand in the air and took deep breaths, her eyes wide as if trying to process what she¡¯d just accomplished, ¡°I¡¯m okay! I¡¯m fine! Just¡­ wow.¡±


    The three men looked at her bewildered as Allister spoke, ¡°How? One minute, you were there; the next, you were gone in a crack of thunder.¡±


    ¡°I never even saw you move,¡± Added Hayato, ¡°and I have the fastest reflexes of the entire Sect.¡±


    Atreus¡¯s mind was whirling with possibilities. ¡°How often can you do that?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Leta quickly calculated, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure indefinitely. Or at least until I start getting tired. The charge I¡¯m creating is just short of a full lightning bolt, so it is not putting a big strain on me.¡±


    ¡°How far could you go at one time?¡±


    Leta looked to the concrete ceiling as she ran the numbers in her head, ¡°Well, lightning can strike 16 to 20 kilometers from its storm cloud, but some could go as far as 96 kilometers, so somewhere in that general ballpark. I¡¯m pretty sure if it was a straight line, no barriers between, I could maybe do the 96, but I¡¯d need to visualize where I¡¯m landing.¡±


    ¡°Good lords,¡± Allister rocked on his feet with a shell-shocked look, ¡°16 kilometers an hour, and you did that little light show once a second; you¡¯re traveling over 57,000 kilometers an hour.¡±


    ¡°Consecutively, if you never stopped and just kept going,¡± Atreus added with a cross of his arms, ¡°You¡¯d be going over forty times the speed of sound.¡±


    Leta blinked.


    The knowledge and mathematical equations of performing the skills were in her brain but didn¡¯t provide any scope of the power she wielded.


    Unable to be touched in her formless state between one spot and the other, she could move from point to point, striking her foes with a lightning-covered gauntlet or a stab of the boot dagger Yelana had equipped her with.


    An almost malicious grin pulled her lips at the images that danced through her mind of lightning and battle.


    That anger-fueled part of her seemed to blossom in battle purred like a well-fed cat. Was it for this new ability or the promise of beating her enemies into submission? She couldn¡¯t say.


    ¡°As unheard of as this ability is, we must depart.¡± Allister cleared his throat to get the team¡¯s attention, ¡°We¡¯re already behind schedule from the car accident. We should make haste.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Atreus nodded but not before giving Leta a sharp look that spoke volumes about his feelings about going into battle with unknown variables in play. It was a look that promised a long and in-depth discussion later.

 Chapter Thirty Two: Walk and Talk (Part I)

    They had their sights set on the up-and-coming Chalandri neighborhood in Athens, which was 13 kilometers from the Acropolis. The up-and-coming Chalandri neighborhood in Athens, which was 13 kilometers from the Acropolis, has seen the replacement of old buildings that used to house souvenir shops and restaurants with modern constructions, including nightclubs, gyms, and upscale cafes.


    Upon leaving the underground parking garage and reaching street level, Leta was impressed at the abundance of green trees that filled the urban neighborhood. The green trees filled the roofs, sidewalks, and building entrances, creating smell oranges and dust.


    Leta commented on the difference between the den site and the previous one, saying, ¡°We were in a cave.¡± How did this den end up in such a lavish area? Where are we even going?¡±


    Allister explained that ¡°HiTec Innovations LLC.¡± has moved on, but the Blessed now use their abandoned computers and other seized technology to establish connections with other dens outside the city. By removing this den, they would cripple the ability for the Blessed to communicate between themselves.


    With a sigh, Hayato¡¯s lips tightened into brackets when he heard the word ¡°Gremlins.¡±


    Leta gave him a concerned frown. ¡°What¡¯s the problem with gremlins?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re annoying little beasts.¡± Atreus threw over his shoulder, ¡°About the size of those goblins you fought at the hospital and are just as nasty, except these guys have wings.¡±


    The thought made Leta¡¯s nose wrinkle as her mind imagined emaciated bodies with lipless mouths and needle-sharp teeth attacking her on bat wings.


    ¡°Furthermore,¡± Atreus added, ¡°Not only are they smarter than goblins, but their natural curiosity makes them dangerous in this age of surveillance cameras and technology.¡±


    Atreus shifted roles from teacher to seasoned General, as they advanced, ¡°However, we¡¯ll also face a drow and an ogre. Because of the earlier car accident, the ogre will awaken, but the plan will stay straightforward.


    He looked over his shoulder at Leta and Hayato, who were picking up the rear. ¡°You two will target the transformer powering the building. Cutting the power will destroy the alarms and surveillance cameras monitoring the den. When the power goes out, the little beasts will investigate the transformer right away.


    With a firm nod, Hayato asked, ¡°What is the total count?¡±


    Atreus answered, ¡°Seven,¡± without turning around to see the young man¡¯s disappointed face.


    Leta leaned over to whisper, ¡°Are you upset that there are too many or not enough?¡±


    Hayato gave her a sidelong glance, as if to say, ¡®What do you think?¡¯


    His response made her chuckle with exasperation. She was growing accustomed to the delight these Arisen displayed when faced with life-or-death scenarios.


    After three days and being paralyzed from the waist down, having her esophagus ripped out, breaking multiple ribs and many other bones, and having an eye regrown, Leta was also finding that she wasn¡¯t as nervous about pain and death as she was before.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    At a crosswalk, they allowed a speeding car to pass before Atreus resumed, ¡°Once the gremlins are preoccupied, Bonnie, Allister, and I will confront the ogre.¡±


    ¡°This is the tricky part,¡± he confessed, as they made a right turn at the corner and proceeded down another row of stores and apartments lined with trees. ¡°Once we confront the ogre, the drow will notice the commotion and investigate. We can hold our own for a while, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before the drow gets the better of us. Leta and Hayato need to exterminate the gremlins before accessing the office through the roof entrance. Our best chance is for Hayato to sneak up on the drow while its focus is on us. Remember, the drow can see through your shadows. To succeed, we must enter aggressively, allowing us to concentrate on defeating the ogre.¡±


    Leta glanced back and forth at the two men in front of her as Atreus recited the battle rhythm. ¡°Can you please explain the drow and the ogre to me? I don¡¯t want to be going into this thing unprepared.¡±


    Allister turned his head to give her one raised copper eyebrow. ¡°Aye, that we can. Ogres are, well, as you might imagine. Tall, with some over three meters in height, and muscular, but lacking in intelligence for tasks such as decision-making. Daft as a doorknob, they are. However, they possess two elements that render them hazardous. They¡¯re strong, and they can regenerate. Stab them in the heart or cut an arm off? They¡¯ll crush you like you were a grape, regrow their arm, pull your sword out, and use it as a toothpick.¡±


    Leta swallowed at the visual, but nodded. ¡°And the drow?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, they¡¯re as dangerous as they get.¡± Allister answered, ¡°Have you ever watched movies with dark elves? These are the ones I¡¯m referring to. With skin that is almost purple and hair as white as moonlight, a drow is comely as the day is long but more wicked than a debt collector on a deadline.¡±


    ¡°And they are fast.¡± Atreus turned to her and explained, ¡°The drow poses innate talents with weapons and mastery over shadows, as Hayato does. While Hayato can use his abilities to hide among shadows and go unseen, they have excellent night vision that can pierce through any illusions an Assassin can conjure.¡±


    Leta nodded in understanding while he explained. ¡°What about travelling from one area to another through shadows?¡±


    Hayato replied curtly, ¡°No, but they are resistant to certain types of magic that I am not.¡±


    ¡°Odds are the drow is the one in charge,¡± Allister added. ¡°In all fairness, the drow are in a league of their own in smarts, but they¡¯re an arrogant bunch, the lot of them. Never met a drow that wasn¡¯t haughty as the day is long. You can sometimes use that to your advantage.¡±


    Atreus emphasized that Hayato¡¯s actions would determine whether the fight would be swift or prolonged. ¡°We will depend on your ability to succeed. Understood?¡±


    Hayato nodded. Although appearing unaffected, Hayato projected an air of self-assurance and confidence that he had recently suppressed.


    One could tell from how his shoulders squared and his pace quickened that he thrived on the challenge.


    Atreus signaled them to halt outside a boba cafe after walking for several blocks and then used his phone¡¯s map app to outline their attack plan.


    By overpowering the transformer that powers the den, Leta and Hayato would be the first to engage. The challenge was that the den had set up five cameras outside covering the corner where HiTec was located and the roof.


    The den¡¯s transformer was located on a corner near an Orthodox Church, about halfway down the block in the southeast direction. One camera was aimed at it. Their task was to disable the transformer without raising any suspicion.


    The rest of the team would hide behind a Lorie truck, waiting for the power outage to occur as a signal for their attack.


    While Bonnie, Allister, and Atreus handle the front entrance, Hayato and Leta need to find a way to the roof where the Gremlins would go to investigate what happened to the transformer.


    The attack demanded swift action, and Leta was thankful that her intuition was spot-on and her upgrade choice would be impactful on this mission.


    After laying out everything, Atreus asked her, ¡°Are you prepared for this?¡±


    Was she?


    Was she prepared to launch an attack on the Athens power grid and eliminate many mythical creatures?


    Leta nodded her head with a mix of nervous excitement and anticipation, a complete contrast to her initial fear in the first den. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Two: Walk and Talk (Part II)

    ¡°Good.¡± Atreus intoned, ¡°Follow Hayato¡¯s commands, and we will get through this.¡±


    Hayato and Leta went north, while the rest of the team went east to avoid the cameras.


    Following a brief silence, Leta noticed her footsteps becoming softer and her walking becoming more precise. Before, she had walked with the untrained trot of a cow among leopards. Each movement appeared deliberate and effortless, with a grace only seen in dancers and warriors, without her exerting any effort.


    ¡°Your presence draws too much attention,¡± Hayato muttered to her, the tinge of annoyance coloring his words.


    Leta realized the accuracy of the situation when they noticed a few people giving them looks.


    She replied, ¡°We don¡¯t fit the usual tourist standards dressed as we are. We¡¯re bound to draw attention this way.


    Hayato expressed his frustration with a sigh, clarifying, ¡°It¡¯s not just your outfit but also your overall presence. How one moves conveys just as much as words.¡± He turned his head to give her a narrowed stare. ¡°Your presence begs to be gazed upon, not to blend in, which is what we must strive for in this mission.¡±


    Leta frowned at his passive-aggressive words, ¡°Then tell me how to carry myself. You are the expert in this field.¡±


    He snorted, ¡°Forget it. I have a better chance of teaching an ox to dance.¡±


    ¡°What is your problem?¡± Leta bit back, her temper rising. ¡°I¡¯ve known you for less than twenty-four hours, and you¡¯re acting as if I threw you under the bus for something.¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡± Hayato snapped, turning to her in the street to set his blazing eyes on her. ¡°You have done nothing. You have neither protected nor provided for anyone in this Sect. Time and time again, you have catered to fears and disregarded the consequences. Despite this, the Priestess and the General are protective and cater to your every desire, while those I loved have suffered because of it. Why? Other than existing, what have you done to earn such loyalty? Besides your inclination to enforce your desires on others and lead to the deaths of innocents, what other merit do you possess?¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    He looked away, holding back his anger and the words he wanted to say.


    His outburst caught Leta off guard, and the venomous tone startled her in his words. There was a tense silence hanging in the air between them. Just like two individuals on a glacier, they nervously waited to see who would be the first to fall through the crack in the ice.


    ¡°Hayato,¡± Leta spoke with a calm and even tone, her words cautious but attempting to bridge that divide. ¡°Who is gone?¡±


    Hayato didn¡¯t respond at first. Instead, he shook his head and started walking again.


    Leta caught up again and said more clearly, ¡°Who¡¯s gone, Hayato?¡±


    When he said nothing again, she pushed, ¡°I can¡¯t fix a mistake if I don¡¯t know what to fix. Please, Hayato.¡±


    Hayato¡¯s stride decelerated, transitioning from a brisk escape to a leisurely stroll.


    ¡°Adjany and Edward,¡± He said, his voice low and filled with a suppressed emotion, ¡°We were close, friends even. Well, as much as three people trapped in eternity can be. They were the closest thing to family that I had in this Sect. Edward was a nurse on the Mundane floor who got on the radio and warned everyone before the Blessed killed him. Adjany was on the roof with you, and a gargoyle killed her.¡±


    ¡°I remember Adjany.¡± Leta breathed. She hadn¡¯t realized she¡¯d been holding her breath, the anger and resentment she¡¯d felt earlier leaving her like a candle snuffed of its flame.


    ¡°Shit,¡± she exhaled, thinking to herself, ¡®How do you respond to something like that?¡¯


    ¡°I will not apologize for the Blessed attacking the hospital,¡± Leta spoke, ¡°Nor will I apologize for lacking education in the struggle between the Blessed and the Chosen. What I can do is try to live with honor for those who died protecting me.¡±


    She gave him a slight bow of her head. ¡°Thank you for telling me. I never met Edward, but Adjany was a fearless woman. I wish I could¡¯ve been more acquainted with her. We would have gotten along.


    With an unwavering gaze, Hayato watched her, his dark eyes as profound as his control over shadows. His face remained neutral, but the movement of his Adam¡¯s apple betrayed his effort to control his feelings.


    He resumed walking towards their target without responding, and Leta had to hurry to catch up once again.


    ¡°Will you tell me about them? When we get back to the Sect.¡± She asked, ¡°If someone sacrificed themselves for me, I want to know them and carry on with their stories.¡±


    Although Hayato didn¡¯t reply, the expression in his eyes conveyed her words had some effect on his disdain, even if his sadness and anger remained.


    Whether she met the expectations of those who had sacrificed for her was yet to be determined.

 Chapter Thirty Three: Learning The Hard Way (Part I)

    ¡°How are we doing this?¡± Leta anxiously scratched her chin as she gazed at their target half a block away. If Hayato hadn¡¯t stopped her, she would have walked into the path of the cameras.


    ¡°We wait.¡± His response was slow and even as his head swiveled from one direction to the other, looking in both directions of the road as if searching for something.


    Leta looked around, confused. ¡°For what?¡±


    Before Hayato had the chance to reply, his phone abruptly vibrated in his pocket, prompting him to hastily retrieve it and commence typing.


    In a somewhat absentminded manner, he answered, ¡°Atreus and Allister are in place,¡± before returning to his surveillance of the road.


    In exasperation, Leta pleaded with Hayato not to leave her hanging.


    ¡°Ah!¡± He motioned behind them as a Lorry truck started to creep around a corner, its indicator signaling that it would be turning in their direction. ¡°Do you see that? That is our opportunity. Your speed is immense when required. Dart across the space and focus your storm into the transformer as soon as the Lorry is in front of the electrical pole. This will disrupt their power supply without alerting them to our presence.¡±


    Leta¡¯s gaze shifted between the oncoming Lorie and their target as she drew out the word, ¡°Okay. And are we not concerned about a group of average individuals witnessing an unexpected lightning bolt in the heart of the city?¡±


    Hayato casually mimicked an elderly man with a shrug. ¡°How is it possible for something such as this to occur in such a modern city? It must have been a discharge from the transformer that exploded.¡±


    He resumed speaking in his typically brief manner. ¡°Furthermore, it seems that the rules that may pose a danger to us if we¡¯re discovered don¡¯t pertain to you, so you¡¯ll remain unharmed.¡±


    With a snap of his fingers, he directed her attention towards the vehicle.


    It was approaching three in the afternoon, and workers were walking back to their offices from lunch or in their cars, causing some congestion on the road and forcing the vehicles to creep along the pavement.


    Leta took a long breath as it gradually neared them. The driver at the wheel, who appeared middle-aged, let out a yawn before drinking an energy drink, as she observed.


    She reminded herself to concentrate, bouncing on the balls of her feet like a boxer preparing to step into the ring.


    Hayato warned her that she only had one opportunity. ¡°Do not miss.¡±


    Leta gauged the distance, her eyes fixed on the transformer pole, preparing herself mentally.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡®It¡¯s a block and a half. Your objective is to travel straight from here to there. Skip the effort of building up a charge. Just go for it. Don¡¯t announce your presence. Thunder comes after a lightning strike, not before.¡¯


    With the Lorie¡¯s shadow looming over their target, Hayato hissed and commanded, ¡°Go!¡±


    Leta¡¯s body transformed into lightning, crackling and arcing through the air, freezing time. There was a moment when she stood beside Hayato and the transformer at the same time. It seemed as if space had folded, allowing her raised foot to reach its target before her other foot even lifted off the ground.


    Leta, while maintaining her connection to her lighting, collided with the pole with great strength, her mind and spirit racing towards the transformer like a squirrel in a tree.


    Leaving a black scorched trail where she touched, Leta climbed until her soul was completely focused on the transformer. Like a suffocating blanket, she enveloped the device with immense power and energy, causing the system to overload at a fast pace.


    The interior components swiftly burnt out when they were heated to an extremely high temperature, causing the metal to become white hot and emit a high-pitched sound.


    To Leta, it appeared as if minutes of work had passed, but to Hayato, it seemed like a mere second.


    As she stood there, Hayato noted a concentrated expression evident in her determined blue eyes and tight lips.


    Out of nowhere, it felt as if a tiny nuclear bomb had detonated beside him, with the intense light blinding his eyes and his skin growing uncomfortably hot, resembling a sunburn.


    Beside him, the insurance company¡¯s windows shattered, resembling spiderwebs. It was only because they were tempered that they didn¡¯t break and send shards flying everywhere.


    People on the entire block promptly ducked, with many screaming and covering their heads in astonishment as the lightning struck, causing the car alarms to go off.


    Leta had no concept of the havoc she had unleashed on the small street.


    Her mind and body comprised of energy and caught in an endless battle between positive and negative charges, she possessed no awareness beyond the electrical currents that surrounded her.


    It required some effort for her to disconnect herself and reintegrate the power into her human form. Just as one¡¯s fingers become stiff from gripping a rope for too long, she had to consciously let go and push the storm back inside her.


    Leta had not been prepared for the power she unleashed as she separated herself. Electricity arched from the transformer to the power lines and pooled as hot sparks sprayed the concrete below.


    In a graceful manner, she became aware of her surroundings as she floated above the road, her body a mix of lightning and energy, moving with elegance on a power line connected to HiTec.


    ¡°Oh, shit. Ahhh!" she shrieked as the atoms of her body finished putting themselves back together several meters above the roof line just as gravity began to pull her down to the pavement below.


    Despite her fear of falling to her death, her need to live was stronger. She imagined herself connected to the pebble-covered roof below by a grappling hook.


    Leta experienced a strong pull on her body as the visualization became clearer, causing her head to snap back as she was dragged towards the uneven rooftop.


    Her descent suddenly changed, as if she was yanked horizontally against gravity by a massive lasso.


    The pebble-covered roof rushed towards her, and she shrieked in surprise. If she hadn¡¯t raised her hands to shield herself, the rough rock shards would likely have scraped off most of her face when she landed in an uncoordinated bounce.


    ¡°Ow! Fuck. Ow!¡± Leta grunted as her tumbling was cut short by the wall of the stairwell. After a loud ¡®thump,¡¯ her back and head made contact with the wall until gravity finally pulled her down to the floor.


    Feeling the soreness in the back of her head, Leta attempted to blink away the black spots that were swimming in her vision. ¡°Well, that could have gone better.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Three: Learning The Hard Way (Part II)

    Shaking the cobwebs from her brain, she did a quick check for any broken bones, but other than a scrapped cheek and hands that were quickly healing, she was fine.


    Satisfied that she wasn¡¯t too hurt, She turned her head this way and that as if to confirm that she was, in fact, on the roof of HiTec and not on the pavement below.


    ¡°Holy crap,¡± Leta looked down at her fingers where the last lingering scabs on her palms quickly flecked away to reveal perfectly smooth, healed skin below, ¡°I can use Magician¡¯s Hands now to lift me.¡±


    Her wonder was short-lived as the sound of an old door handle rattling as loud as the bay doors of an airplane hanger had her nearly jolting out of her skin.


    Leta stumbled around the corner just as the door grated open and short; humanoid figures began to pour out.


    Their skin color ranged from green to mustard gold and red, each a different shade from the others.


    Though they would barely reach her thigh, they looked sinister and vicious, with sharp teeth like some deep sea predator. Their fingers were long and tipped with pointed nails closer to talons, and their skin looked like wet leather that could have been found on a toad. They had broad, pronounced foreheads like beluga whales as if to compensate for a much larger brain capacity and large pointed ears nearly as wide as their heads. Their lips were so thin they were almost nonexistent, and they had two slit nostrils where a nose should be.


    Most sported tiny machine gears on chains as jewelers, while others had taken computer parts such as wired and motherboard fragments to weave around their torn fabric loincloths. Though each was a different color and had decorated themselves differently, every one of them had a pair of leathery wings at the base of their shoulder blades.


    Pointed ears and folded wings twitched as the creatures crawled forward cautiously, some on hands and knees as they looked about, chattering among themselves.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    As shocking as the gremlins appeared, Leta was more surprised when she could hear them speaking.


    ¡°Hot! Hot! Too hot!¡± One hissed as it picked one clawed paw up from the pebble-covered floor, which was practically scorching after being heated by the summer sun all day. Its voice was unevenly pitched, like a child halfway through puberty, but she quickly recognized the creature¡¯s American accent.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Another chastised the first gremlin, ¡°Hurry and look.¡±


    A third crept forward with its wing brought up to cover its head, hopping from one foot to another as it moved closer to the roof edge.


    ¡°What is?¡± A fourth growled from the safety of the stairwell.


    ¡°Transformer blew. Transformer really blew. Sparks and fire everywhere.¡±


    ¡°What caused?¡±


    ¡°Dunno. Can¡¯t tell. It broke, though.¡±


    ¡°Drow gonna be mad.¡± The one that had tried to crawl on the hot rooftop worried, scratching at its chin nervously.


    ¡°Drow always mad.¡± The one at the stairwell shot back, ¡°Not our fault. Accident.¡±


    ¡°What we do?¡± The lookout at the roof¡¯s edge asked, ¡°No cameras. No power. No talking.¡±


    ¡°Mundane take care.¡± The stairwell gremlin Leta was beginning to assume was the leader of the bunch retorted, ¡°Big fire?¡±


    Lookout nodded, ¡°Big fire. Lots sparks.¡±


    ¡°Then they come quick.¡± The leader¡¯s voice was undisturbed by the sounds of cars blaring below as smoke from the transformer filled the air with the smell of burning grease and ozone, ¡°We do nothing.¡±


    ¡°No fix?¡±


    ¡°No fix.¡±


    The other gremlins groaned as if they¡¯d been excited to get their paws into a new mechanism.


    ¡°I no go back.¡± One of them with a belt across his chest grunted, ¡°Drow is dumb. Treat us like rats.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Drow big and dark.¡± Another chimed in from somewhere in the stairwell, ¡°Think they scary. They just dumb. Think tech is silly.¡± As the gremlins argued about going below, Leta tried to peek around enough to do a head count. She could see four on the roof and hear the leader and the other one in the stairwell.


    ¡®That¡¯s six. Atreus said there were seven. Where¡¯s the other one?¡¯


    ¡°Hang on,¡± One of them sniffed the air, ¡°It taste funny.¡± Its wings restlessly fluttered against its back as its head roared about like an owl, its slit nostrils widening as it took in the air.


    ¡°Funny how?¡± One growled as the banter on the merits of messing with Drow was quickly forgotten. The rest of the gremlins began to look around uneasily.


    ¡°Funny bad.¡± The first replied.


    ¡°I smell, too.¡±


    ¡®Crap,¡¯ Leta hadn¡¯t guessed that they would have such a good sense of smell. ¡®Jig is up, I guess. Time to play.¡¯

 Chapter Thirty Three: Learning The Hard Way (Part III)

    To the lead Gremlin in the stairwell, it looked like invisible hands had grabbed the two comrades in front of him and slapped them together, leathery foreheads banging into each other like rag dolls in the hands of an uncoordinated toddler.


    The two Gremlins squeaked and groaned as they floated as one mass a few inches above the hot rooftop before they were sent flying into the stairwell wall.


    With a savage twist of her hands, Leta pulled back and smacked them into the wall again before chucking them away. Untethered by her telekinesis, the pair somersaulted with a hiss of pain over the pebbled ground, the tiny rocks scrapping their crocodile-like skin raw.


    Frantically, the Gremlins looked around for the cause until one finally spotted Leta¡¯s head peaking around the stairwell corner. It shrieked, pointing at her to get the other¡¯s attention. Its attempt was short-lived as Leta¡¯s hands gestured to the creature and the Gremlin suddenly found its face being pushed into the ground as she mentally dragged the monster across the rooftop like cheese to a grater.


    By then, the others had taken notice as well. The sound of bat wings flapping resonated like wet rags being flung about as the Gremlins pushed to get their miniature bodies airborne to launch an attack against the human woman.


    She had to admit that in the air, they were formidable.


    At first glance, their tiny wings looked like they wouldn¡¯t have been able to lift their weight, short-statured as they were. However, the speed at which the little appendages began to move was so fast that they seemed to disappear from their backs altogether.


    The moment their clawed feet were off the ground, they launched themselves at her, their wide yellow eyes locked as their jaws dropped open to reveal sharp, thin teeth.


    With a flick of her wrist, Leta pulled the one she had been scrapping against the roof towards her and used the creature as a fly swatter, knocking the Gremlin in front of her out of the air and sending them head first into the wall.


    The next was on her almost instantly, causing Leta to drop her mental hold on the beast to get her gauntlet up in time to avoid her eye getting clawed out.


    Before it could do more than latch its sharp nails to her arm, Leta clenched her fist and covered her arms in snaps of static electricity, causing the monster to screech in surprise before she punched it with one metal-covered fist.


    The feel of bones cracking under her brass knuckles and the smell of dark blood squirting from its slit nostrils was oddly satisfying. Leta caught herself grinning as she followed up with another punch to the beast¡¯s chest that, while not coordinated and smooth as the strike of a professional fighter, was nevertheless effective.


    Sparks of electricity clung to the creature as it went flying, though it was quickly replaced by another Gremlin flying at her, this holding a wrench that it brandished like a crude club.


    The Gremlins circled the air above her, diving down when they spotted an opening to try to swipe at her face or head. Each time, she could quickly push them aside with Magician¡¯s Hand or punch them away, but they were getting crafty.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Two dove at her in a coordinated attack, aiming to latch onto her arms and immobilize her long enough for the others to go in for a kill.


    Leta ducked in time for the creatures to careen into each other midair like two cartoon henchmen. She wasted no time pulling out the boot dagger while falling into her squat. Her blade raised as she popped back up to stab the monsters above her, trying to separate themselves.


    Her strike was wild but met flesh as the tip dug into a creature¡¯s thigh, dark blood that was more brown than red streaming in the air as the little beast howled in pain before flapping out of range.


    The Gremlins hissed at the sight of the steel weapon, their serpentine eyes narrowing as they snarled, circling like sharks around her at the scent of blood in the air.


    ¡°Not today, fucker.¡± Leta growled back. She didn¡¯t know where this bravado was coming from and guessed that after three days of nearly dying from one thing or another, the fear of death and the unknown had slowly been chiseled down until all that was left was a firm determination to persevere.


    One had tried to circle out of her peripheral to catch her by surprise and was quickly met by the tip of her dagger cutting through its abdomen as easily as a hot knife through butter.


    It gurgled in shock, sharp nails trying to find purchase on her gauntlets as if to hold on to life with everything it had left.


    It was not enough.


    Its body dropped to the ground lifeless as Leta swung around to punch another Gremlin that had tried to use the same trick as this one, though this one left with a broken face instead of being completely dead.


    Leta glanced and counted five remaining Gremlins, the lead Gremlin and the second hiding in the stairwell joining the fight.


    ¡®Where is that seventh one?¡¯


    A whistling in the air was the only warning before a bolt shaft emerged between the shoulder blades of one of the circling Gremlins, the creature¡¯s body locking in pain as it dropped from the sky like a rock.


    The creatures turned to see what new trouble had arrived, only for a second Gremlin to be struck by a bolt right through its nostrils and promptly fall dead as Hayato reloaded his crossbow.


    The three remaining creatures barked as two Leta recognized as the pair she¡¯d smashed together at the beginning of the fight launched themselves at the Assassin.


    One was dead before it realized what had happened, its wings propelling it to incredible speeds but not fast enough to dodge a bolt to the eye.


    Hayato dropped the crossbow and pulled out a sickle and chain weapon. Leta recognized it as a kusarigama.


    The Gremlin drew up short, flapping its wings as the sickle blade flew towards it and nearly decapitated the creature midair.


    While Hayato was busy, Leta used Magician¡¯s Hand to grab the last Gremlin from the air and smashed its face into the ground like she was trying to hit a nail with a hammer.


    The poor creature didn¡¯t stand a chance as her fingers twitched, sending the beast up and down, up and down, as its head turned into a blood stump.


    Satisfied that it was well and truly dead, Leta let it slip from her mental grasp and turned to see if Hayato needed help.


    He didn¡¯t.


    The sickle flew past the Gremlin, making it think for a second that it had dodged the attack, only for Hayato to pull the chain back as if he were trying to control a rabid dog. Like a boomerang, the sickle was pulled back, but the little beast was in its path this time.


    It never saw the blade coming before it cut into its back and severed the Gremlin completely through the middle, the two halves of its body falling with a wet spat to the floor.


    Hayato expertly gathered his weapon and looked over the battlefield with a keen eye.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the seventh one?¡±


    Leta shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t know. They probably left one down below to try and fix what they could from there.¡±


    He nodded as he whipped the blood from his sickle¡¯s blade before tucking it out of sight. With a simple ¡°Follow¡± and a head gesture, he motioned for them to head to the building¡¯s roof entrance.

 Chapter Thirty Three: Learning The Hard Way (Part IV)

    Hayato took the lead, pulling a pair of tant¨­ that was utterly black, even down to the matte black metal of the blades, as he cautiously approached the open door.


    The air was stale, and it smelled of old sweat and mildew- a telltale sign that HiTec''s old office had been vacant for some time. Despite the smell, the space was clean; the steps leading into the building were dust-free, and the hallway was tidy, save for a few spots of drywall dust on the carpet.


    Hayato moved quickly but quietly, a silent understanding between the two forming. As Hayato examined each room to ensure they wouldn¡¯t be ambushed from behind, Leta would keep an eye out in the hallway.


    One room after the next, they slowly made their way through a large room that was almost cavernous, without the cheap cubicles, the trill of phones, and the office ambiance.


    The hard thump of something falling to the floor in a corner office caught their attention as Hayato gestured with one hand for Leta to push herself up against the wall.


    This time, they heard the faint sound of a grunt that was so quiet it could almost have been imagined if it wasn¡¯t immediately followed up by a heavy flapping like someone was trying to shake something out of a book.


    Leta looked to Hayato, who nodded in confirmation.


    They¡¯d found the missing Gremlin.


    ¡°Argh. Heavy. Stupid heavy.¡±


    As they slowly tiptoed towards the room, the sound of the Gremlin talking to itself became easier to understand.


    ¡°Go to Greece. It be fun. They lie. Greece sucks.¡±


    Hayato peaked around the corner to see what they were dealing with.


    What had once probably been the boss¡¯s office had been turned into a makeshift radio communications room. Wires crossed in seemingly random directions and connected to a crude server and computer. The windows had been covered with thick curtains that looked to be made out of furniture fabric, effectively blotting out the afternoon sunlight so that the only light of the room was the ominous glow of a single hand-crack torch.


    Leta peeked around and frowned at what she saw. ¡®Is that an old Commodore? The last time I saw one of those was in a museum.¡¯


    Hayato pushed them both away from the door as the Gremlin came flying by lugging an old HAM radio that looked like it hadn¡¯t been used since the 80s from a haphazard pile of shell cases.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    With a grunt, the monster let it fall onto an old desk with a loud bang before it started fiddling with the device.


    ¡°Hope this quick.¡± It muttered to itself as it worked, ¡°We missing baseball. Must see who wins.¡±


    Clawed fingers twisted dials and knobs as it tried to find some sort of frequency, all the while cursing the spotty electricity and the lack of good entertainment.


    Hayato gave Leta a look that translated into ¡®stay here¡¯ before he seemed to activate one of his skills.


    He didn¡¯t precisely vanish, but it looked like he was pulling the shadows towards him as his body blended into the darkness around them.


    His footsteps were silent as he pushed off the wall to approach the threshold, his feet ghosting over wires and other computer parts strewn about the room.


    ¡°Five, two-no, no. That not it. Ah!¡± The Gremlin¡¯s wings flapped unconsciously as it finally landed on its desired frequency.


    What came out of its mouth wasn¡¯t American English like what all the Gremlins had been speaking thus far, but a light, almost musical language that was only made harsh due to the monstrous mouth speaking it.


    [The Host has acquired the language Ananakian.]


    It was strangely familiar. The flow of vows and tight clicks of phrases felt like she was trying hard to remember something she¡¯d heard in a dream but couldn¡¯t draw the memory.


    ¡°Echo. Echo.¡± The Gremlin chirped into the microphone, ¡°Roost East two. Searching. Roost East ten? Roost East four? Confirm? Searching. Confirm?¡±


    It paused, listening to the static of the universe for a moment before repeating, ¡°Echo. Echo. Searching. Confirm?¡±


    Nothing, and then, ¡°Echo. Echo. Affirmative. This Roost East four. Broken?¡±


    The little creature threw one fist in the air in triumph before clicking on the microphone again, ¡°Roost east four. This Roost East two. Broken. Power down. Flock investigating.¡±


    ¡°Received. Clear skies?¡±


    ¡°Clear skies. No clouds spotted.¡±


    ¡°How soon not broke?¡±


    ¡°No clue. Waiting for Flock.¡±


    By then, Hayato was practically right behind the creature, his body appearing more like a ghost rising from the Gremlin¡¯s shadow cast by the bright light of the old torch.


    He was so close that if the creature leaned back on the stool it was perched on, it would have bumped into him.


    ¡°Affirmative. Tasks from Lead?¡±


    The Gremlin snorted in disgust, ¡°Normal. Nothing worth it. All boring.¡±


    The moment the little monster clicked the radio to receive, Hayato struck. The Gremlin gurgled and twitched, staring down in confusion and shock at the black thorn that seemed to have erupted from its chest. It tried to raise bloodied claws to the blade as if it meant to confirm that it wasn¡¯t an illusion before Hayato¡¯s other blade cut through its throat in one clean slice.


    It had rolled to the floor as its body fell limp, dark blood staining the carpets a deep maroon brown.


    Just as silently as he appeared, Hayato vanished, leaving the body where it lay as its Nanites began to self-destruct and disintegrate the corpse.


    Hayato gave Leta one look as if to gauge whether she would find his method of killing distasteful. When all she gave him was an approving nod, they continued to check the rooms for traps before heading for the second floor, leaving a mostly disintegrated body and a radio unanswered.


    ¡°Yes. Lead no good. Too lofty. Much prefer the dogs. At least we eat. Need more flock? We help fix. Confirm? Echo. Echo. Roost East two? Roost East two? Echo?¡±

 Chapter Thirty Four: Into The Shadows (Part I)

    Leta and Hayato barely entered the empty cubicle space when the building violently shook, causing electronics to fall in the radio room.


    As they approached the stairs leading down to the second floor, a loud, grating noise like a cinder block scrapping over a wooden floor reverberated from the shadowy depths. Leta was able to feel it vibrating up through her legs, similar to the sensation of standing too close to a helicopter about to take off.


    Hayato turned to her and whispered as quietly as possible. ¡°Keep a safe distance from me. You must remain hidden in case I am spotted.¡±


    He activated his ghost ability at her nod and began descending the stairs, his matte black weapons ready.


    Leta waited until the barely-there-outline of his form had vanished into the shadows below before quietly tip-toeing her way down.


    The second floor appeared pitch black in contrast to the third floor, which had sparsely covered windows that allowed some light to enter. Every window had been covered with tinfoil and blankets, and all the emergency lights had been removed.


    The impressions she sensed but couldn¡¯t visually perceive transformed into walls, doors, and other objects left behind.


    Strangely enough, her impression of Hayato had become more noticeable in the blackness of the second floor. Leta suspected it to be a component of his Assassin class profile, as he create his teleportation gates soley in shadows, not in the absence of light.


    Despite this slight handicap, Hayato¡¯s footsteps maintained an eerie silence as he carefully observed the area like a true harbinger of death.


    The floor primarily served as a space for cubicles and the mundane activities of office life, yet the odor of decaying earthiness and the strong tang of sweat and mildew had overwhelmed the room.


    Occupying one corner stood a mound of cardboard boxes and other packaging material, crumpled and flattened under the weight of something pressing against them. Leta suspected a connection between the crimson-brown splatters on the paper nest and the bone shards scattered about, rather than attributing it to a packaging mishap.


    The building shook again as whatever lay below gave another grating bellow, followed by a yip that Leta recognized as belonging to Bonnie.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± something vaguely human groaned out of a conference room across the expanse from the nest. She had difficulty pinpointing the exact origin of the speakers distinctly Baltic accent.


    Leta saw Hayato move and hide in a nearby hallway while Leta shot into a janitor¡¯s closet and took cover behind the door.


    ¡°Damn ogres,¡± murmured the voice quietly before erupting, ¡°Just devour whatever it is and get it over with!¡±¡±


    Another grinding trill emanated from the other monster¡¯s response, causing a corner of the material covering the window to loosen. This allowed a coin-sized shaft of light to shine into the room, prompting the other occupant to growl from its chambers.


    ¡°Stick me in this backward hole with the flying rats and a boulder with legs.¡± The speaker grumbled with displeasure as they heard fabric shuffling just before light footsteps trotted through the room. The door to the conference room creaked out.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Leta¡¯s vision was hindered by the narrow gap between the door and the frame, yet she managed to discern the cascade of silver hair, glistening golden eyes reflecting like those of a cat in the solitary beam of light, and skin tinged with a purplish-blue shade reminiscent of a bruise.


    As it opened the door, the Drow hissed at the tiny sliver of light, its handsome fast twisting into a vicious scowl.


    ¡°Fucking great.¡± Then it sighed as if it were a toddler being asked to complete a task it didn¡¯t want to do as it scooted around the beam of light. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll get it.¡±


    Footsteps approached her position, fading slightly as the Drow moved past her hiding spot. Leta could feel her heart pounding so hard in her ears that she was certain the Drow¡¯s pointed ears would have detected it.


    Shortly after, Leta spotted a sunbeam flicker. Hayato trailed behind, mirroring the Drow¡¯s movements as he closed in for the attack.


    The Drow whirled around, one arm raised to block Hayato¡¯s attack with a long hunting knife. It twirled the attack away and sent the Assassin stumbling back.


    ¡°Oh,¡± The Drow purred, its smile full of sharp fangs, ¡°Is it my birthday? How fun.¡±


    The subsequent scene resembled something straight out of a martial arts movie. Hayato and the Drow showcased their impressive fighting abilities, executing precise knife jabs and skillfully evading each other¡¯s strikes. The spectacle unfolded, resembling a clash between two vipers filled with unnatural speed and venom, as they fought for supremacy.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you killed those flying rats, eh?¡± The Drow¡¯s grin was full of madness as it ducked under Hayato¡¯s stab to try to slash upwards. Hayato parried with his other knife and used his opponent¡¯s moment to twist the blade away.


    ¡°Then downstairs must be your friends? How exciting.¡± The Drow kicked out and hooked one of Hayato¡¯s legs, making him lose balance. He caught himself and blocked the Drow¡¯s downward stab when the blade was only inches away from his face.


    ¡°And they sent you up here to kill little ole¡¯ me?¡±


    Hayato got his feet underneath him and kicked the Drow off before flipping into an attack crouch.


    His opponent laughed as if enjoying himself, brandishing his knives in a twirl before their blades met again.


    Hayato displayed enough speed to knock the strike aimed at his ribs out of the air.


    The Assassin didn¡¯t flinch as he grabbed the offending arm and pulled. The Drow¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as Hayato flipped it over and threw it with all his might.


    The Drow was nimble and twisted its body around midair to land in a roll, but the only available path it could take put it directly into the tiny sunbeam.


    The Drow¡¯s skin touched the light, releasing a scent of burning hair and flesh. The room filled with the agonizing sound of its pain filled shriek.


    It tumbled out of harm¡¯s way before crouching to glare at Hayato. The face on one side exhibited a reddened and blistered appearance, with the skin on its cheek shedding to uncover sharp white molars as a bundle of formerly attractive hair descended to the ground.


    Leta watched its tongue poke at its wounded face from inside its mouth.


    ¡°That,¡± The Drow growled, ¡°was uncalled for.¡±


    Hayato did not respond to the Drow¡¯s words but tilted his head curiously before gesturing with his knife for his opponent to come to him.


    The Drow sneered, its ruined cheek twisting in a nightmarish curl as it darted forward.


    Like flipping a switch, the Drow suddenly started launching swifter and more savage assaults, as though it had been playing a game previously, but now it was filled with anger.


    Hayato noticed the change, adjusting his technique to combat the flurry of attacks.


    The Drow acted as a wild animal, tracking its prey with knives, fangs, and claws, taking advantage of every opportunity to inflict harm.


    After trading blows, it hooked its knife into Hayato¡¯s collarbone, stabbing between his armor plates to dig deep into the bone.


    Hayato grunted in pain, the first sound he¡¯d unintentionally made during the entire fight.


    Pushed down to one knee, he struggled to use his other hand to keep the Drow from stabbing him with the other knife.


    Drow cackled as if sensing a swift victory, yellow eyes wide with madness as it tore its cheek wound further open with its laughter.


    ¡°Oh, screw it,¡± Leta muttered to herself before grabbing the crossbow at her spine and throwing the door open.


    The Drow¡¯s head shot up as she pulled the trigger, the bolt landing with a meaty thud below its clavicle. It had no choice but to disengage with Hayato, to avoid being hit by her next arrow.


    Hayato, who flipped backward and out of the Drow¡¯s range, gave her one look to confirm her well-being before taking a defensive stance.

 Chapter Thirty Four: Into The Darkness (Part II)

    ¡°Aw, you didn¡¯t tell me you brought a friend.¡± The Drow drawled as it pulled the bolt from its body and tossed it aside. ¡°And a pretty one at that. My favorite.¡±


    Leta scrunched her nose, slipping the empty crossbow back into its holster, ¡°Ew, no. You look like a cheap Spirit Halloween version of a zombie vampire.¡±


    Leta nearly lost her head as the creature was suddenly in front of her, pulling her crossbow up just in time as its blade took aim for her neck as the Drow attacked.


    A spray of sparks reflected in its manic eyes, its partially grotesque face showing blood covered fangs as it gave an almost pleasurable his as it tried to come up with its other dagger to stab her in the face.


    ¡°Oh sh-¡± Leta ducked her head just in time for the blade to sail centimeters over her skull, taking some of her blonde hair with it.


    Using the crossbow, she twisted the Drow¡¯s arm and used it¡¯s momentum to push away as Hayato dove around her, his sickle chain spinning as it darted for their enemy.


    ¡°Dammit.¡± Leta chastised herself for her missed shot before glaring at Drow.


    Throwing a hand out, she focused on it¡¯s chest and envisioned Magician¡¯s Hand wrapping around the monster like she¡¯d done with the Gremlin.


    [Target¡¯s weight exceeds 100 kilograms. Magician¡¯s Hand has failed.]


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Leta spat, then gasped as the Drow pushed off the wall and darted for her as fast as a speeding bullet.


    With a roll, Leta managed to duck out of the way, but not before the tip of its blade sliced across her shoulder pauldron in a flash of white sparks.


    ¡°Oh, its no fun when you roll away, beauty.¡± it cackled wildly before turning its head to the side to avoid Hayato¡¯s sickle. With a frown, the Drow glared at Hayato. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait if you want me attention, lovely.¡±


    Leta used its momentary distraction to throw out a lightning bolt, tempering the charge so as to avoid accidentally hitting her companion.


    The bolt took the Drow by complete surprise, it¡¯s eyes widening just as the blast hit the creature low in the gut, sending it flying into the wall with a loud thud.


    She could tell that the light from the bolt had burned its retinas, at least momentarily as it tilted its head and listened to the room before pulling hits head down and launching itself at Hayato who had been attempting to strike it while it was dazed.


    ¡°Dammit.¡± Leta grunted, sparks circling her arms as she waited for an opening that never seemed to come. With its vision compromised, the Drow committed to an extremely close quarters fight, grabbing Hayato or his sickle chain to pull him close. It looked more like they were grappling each other in a wrestling match instead of a melee fight with weapons.


    She almost missed the Drow throw a dagger at her face as rolled over Hayato¡¯s swing and just managed to pull her gauntlet up.


    Her lightning covered forearm sent the projectile flying into a southern window, shattering the glass and lightening the room with indirect sunlight.


    ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Leta thought to herself, quickly looking from the shattered window to the small beam of light cutting across the room. ¡®Light doesn¡¯t hurt it, direct UV light will.¡¯


    Hand flying, she called forth the broken glass and held them in the air, sharp edges fanning in front of her.


    ¡°Hayato! Move!¡±


    She had already sent the shards flying as the Assassin kicked away. Razor sharp shards of glass rained down like a volley of arrows, slicing through muscle and bone as they struck the Drow¡¯s legs and primarily it¡¯s right calf.


    It shrieked in pain, its leg looking more like a porcupine as every twitch of movement caused searing pain. It¡¯s leg now useless, it could only pull its daggers up to block Hayato¡¯s shot, the pair locked in a stalemate of will.


    ¡°Cheap shot.¡± It hissed angrily, its crimson-stained teeth nearly as red as its bloodshot eyes. Then it¡¯s disfigured face pulled into a crazed grin, ¡°What luck to run into royalty here. And the Paradox Queen at that.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Hayato kept his focus on her, but she could feel that he¡¯d taken an interest in the creature¡¯s words.


    ¡®It thinks I¡¯m a Queen?¡¯ Leta frowned down at the creature as if it were a rabid dog.


    ¡°What do you know of the Queen?¡± He asked sharply, trying to shoulder his way through the Drow¡¯s guard but it held firm as if putting everything left in it to keeping alive.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Its satisfied purr rolled into a growl as it spoke. ¡°The Infant Queen. Storm Witch. The Paradox Queen. The-Is-And-Wasn¡¯t. Though my personal favorite is That¡ªFucking-Lightning-Bitch.¡±


    Leta rolled her eyes, ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re just going to be mean, its time to go bye bye. Hayato, when I tell you to, get back.¡±


    The Drow shouted just as she was raising her hand, ¡°They¡¯ve taken an interest in you!¡±


    She paused as sparks still dancing over her raised fist. The Drow saw this and pressed on, still trying to push Hayato back. ¡°You¡¯re on the Nobility¡¯s radar now, Beauty. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they pay you a visit.¡±


    He licked his lips in pleasure then grunted at the pain ravaging his body, ¡°A war¡¯s coming. It¡¯s only a matter of time. But you¡¯re special, aren¡¯t you? Why else would the Crowns and the Nobility be keeping an eye on your every move?¡±


    Leta¡¯s eyes flashed to Hayato, trying to get a sense of his reaction to the Drow¡¯s words. After a moment, she ventured, ¡°The Nobility are the ones running the Blessed?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± It purred, then groaned as Hayato attempted to push forward only for the Drow to lock its arms in place, ¡°They haven¡¯t educated you on us yet? What a pity. Throwing a child to a pack of hyenas.¡±


    Leta scoffed at his analogy, ¡°I think we need to wrap this up, Lieutenant Dan.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Do lets.¡± It snarled before tucking its ruined feet beneath itself and propelling all of its weight forward in a spray of hot blood, it¡¯s wounded leg nearly bursting apart as the creature sacrificed its body for the kill.


    Hayato¡¯s footing faulted as the creature¡¯s dropped its daggers to lock its claw tipped fingers around his wrists. It dragged him to the floor as its mouth closed around her companion¡¯s shoulder just above his armor, his sharp fangs tearing through skin and flesh.


    Hayato let out an involuntary cry of pain as the Drow bit Dow hard, its maddened eyes looking up to her as if in warning.


    Leta¡¯s hair was like a living thing as snapping arches of electricity danced between the strands, her blue eyes glowing in the darkness as battle rage consumed her as her body rose from the ground to hover inches above the carpet.


    Snarling, her mind wrapped around the Drow¡¯s discarded daggers, taking them in ghostly hands as she jabbed them up into the creature¡¯s chest, piercing its lungs at an angle as she pushed with all her might.


    The Drow may have been too heavy for her to telepathically lift, but it¡¯s weapons were of little effort.


    The force of her phantom-like attack dislodged the Drow¡¯s hold on Hayato, but not before taking a serious chunk of muscle out of the Assassin¡¯s shoulder as the creature was thrown back against the wall.


    The Drow screamed and snarled, pinned to the dry wall as it tried to pull itself free, its body looking more like a bloody rag doll than anything remotely humanoid.


    Its sharp eyes looked up to her, teeth bared as if in challenge only to pause as it beheld a being of storm and ruin.


    Her eyes glowed so brightly they appeared more like two white-blue suns fixed into her skull, her clothes whipping around her body as arches of lighting twisted together around her head to form a circlet of energy.


    Dawning realization that it had angered a being not of this world flickered over the Drow¡¯s face for a brief moment before Leta waved her hand and set her storm loose upon the world.


    The Drow had made a tactical error putting its den facing west.


    With the force of a hurricane, Leta¡¯s storm crashed through the room, blowing doors off their hinges and shattering every window on the second floor.


    Bright sunlight from the world outside filled the space like an incoming flood, suffusing every surface with its warmth.


    The Drow¡¯s screech turned into agonizing, pain-filled screams, and it thrashed about wildly, the sunshine instantly charred its skin and large muscle flakes slid off its bones. Its hair burst into flames as it tried desperately to get free of the dagger¡¯s pinning him to the wall but its arms had disintegrating into dust beneath its clothes.


    Lithe arms turned to ash, and its face had melted until it was nothing more than a skeleton held together by the barest of sinew. Its eyes had turned to liquid in its skull and run down its white bone cheeks as its sharp teeth, which had torn into Hayato moments before, fell uselessly from its mouth.


    What had once been a handsome, albeit arrogant and insane Drow was now a partial skeleton draped in charged clothes, a pain-filled moan the only hint that it was still clinging desperately to life.


    A breath later and that too was gone, what was left of the skeleton rapidly turning to dust on the wind till all that remained was badly burned clothes hanging from daggers and a large scorch mark on the drywall.


    Leta¡¯s feet touched the ground as she drew the storm back into her, letting out a breath as she let the battle rage pass before running over to her companion.


    ¡°Oh, shit! Hayato!¡±


    To his credit, the Assassin had managed to pull a first aid gauze from one of his various pockets and had pressed it to the deep wound while Leta had been handling the Drow.


    He was in the process of jabbing one of the colored needles Leta recalled using on Bonnie at the last den by the time she was by his side.


    ¡°Holy crap! Are you okay.¡±


    ¡°Rhetorical questions are inefficient.¡± He groaned, pulling the gauze off to spray the would with a clear liquid that stopped the hole in his muscle from gushing any more blood.


    She asked him, ¡°What can I do to help?¡±


    He shook his head, tapping a fresh gauze over the wound, ¡°I do not need assistance. I just need a moment for the Healer¡¯s concoctions to begin the process of speeding up my recovery.¡±


    ¡°Aaaaaah!¡±


    They turned as a giant red-headed body flew up the stairs, one arm still holding an activated shield as his arms pinwheeled in the air before crashing into the adjacent wall.


    Leta blinked, ¡°Was that Allister?¡±


    The floor beneath them shook rhythmically as if something large was stomping their way.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Hayato sighed, ¡°And I believe that is the ogre.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Five: A Rock And A Hard Place (Part I)

    What tromped up the stairs could only be described as a human rhinoceros.


    It was so large that it had to tilt its head slightly to avoid hitting the ceiling tiles, and it was bulky with muscle to the point that it looked nearly unbalanced as it walked.


    Its skin was thick with stiff, leathery muscle that looked more like plate armor than flesh. Its arms hung lower than was anatomically correct on a human, the four digits that resembled fingers skimming just above its knees as it hobbled up the stairs after Allister.


    It was also completely naked save for a few parkas that had been tied together to form a loincloth-like skirt, chain around its neck that Bonnie was dangling from as she tried to tug at the beast¡¯s neck like a dog that wouldn¡¯t get up its toy.


    The monster¡¯s face, though, was anything but human.


    It was completely bald with small round eyes set far apart on its face and a wide mouth with thick lips pressed against long tusks like that on a warthog. Its nose, however, was nearly non-existent. Its nostrils were small pinprick slits set far apart to make room for a long keratin protrusion that very much resembled a rhino¡¯s horn which extended half an arm¡¯s length from its face and curved towards what would have been its hairline.


    ¡°God must have run out of ideas making this thing,¡± Leta remarked as her heart fluttered in fearful excitement, like a base jumper standing at a cliff¡¯s edge.


    Allister got back to his feet, his holo-shield winking out of existence.


    ¡°One charge left.¡± He grunted, pulling his axe forward as he stood between Leta and the Ogre.


    Bonnie¡¯s tugging finally caught the monster¡¯s attention, and it glanced down at the canine still dangling from its chain collar.


    Bonnie looked it in the eye and gave a muffled growl, her head thrashing back and forth until the ogre grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and threw her into its next of boxes and bones.


    Leta could see the wolf slowly getting to its feed among the cardboard, dazed but thankfully still in one piece.


    Hayato looked around cautiously. ¡°Where¡¯s Atreus?¡±


    They heard Atreus¡¯s voice grunt, ¡°Here,¡± before the ogre jerked, turning to swat at something on its back, only for them to spot Atreus propped up against the beast¡¯s back, his daggers lodged deep into its shoulder muscles.


    ¡°Need to get its mouth open,¡± Atreus barked as he dodged the incoming arm with a twist of his body, ¡°That¡¯s its only weak spot.¡±


    Allister growled as he swung his sword at the beast, ¡°Pretty sure that¡¯s what we¡¯ve been trying to do.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The swing caused the ogre to stagger as his axe barely chipped its chest plating and nearly knocked Atreus off its back.


    The General strained as he tried to use his knives like a climber¡¯s pickaxe to get further up its back, ¡°Well, that¡¯s obviously not working.¡±


    Hayato had ghosted further into the room and out of reach as he pulled his crossbow out and loaded a bolt.


    Like a waiting cobra, he held his pose while waiting for an opening. When Atreus managed to dig his dagger into the beast¡¯s neck, it grunted in pain, the sound like boulders falling down a cliff.


    Hayato pulled the trigger, timing the release of the bolt with the stab of Atreus¡¯s blade.


    It whistled through the air only to ping off the ogre¡¯s fat lip. The beast flinched as if it had been stung by a bee, but the bolt didn¡¯t even chip its hardened skin.


    Behind her, she could hear Hayato expertly resetting the crossbow with another arrow.


    Leta yelled, ¡°What¡¯s the code word for you to move so I can shoot it?¡±


    ¡°Fucking move?¡± Allister grunted as he used his axe to parry a backhand from the ogre, the force of which sent the man crashing into another wall.


    ¡°That works, too.¡± Leta raised an eyebrow before throwing her hand out as a stream of lightning shot from her fingers to strike the ogre in its breastplate.


    The arc collided in a small explosion of dust and sparks that blew a chunk the size of a fist out of the beast¡¯s armor.


    Leta¡¯s wide smile at the damage she managed was short-lived as she watched the small crater in its stony skin wriggle as worms tunneled beneath the granite. Beneath its skin, muscles reattached themselves and calcified, its body healing before her eyes with a speed only she could match.


    Her stunned pause to watch its body erasing the damage nearly killed her as it lashed out in her direction. Leta jumped out of the way as one rock-hard fist came down like a hammer where she had been standing just a moment before.


    Just as she landed on the musty carpet, Leta felt something clamp onto the neck of her jacket and tug as Bonnie pulled her out of the creature¡¯s reach just as it tried to slap at her prone form.


    Leta managed a ¡°Thanks, Bonnie,¡± as she rolled to her feet, her dagger ready.


    Atreus had managed to hold on for dear life while the ogre had tried to stomp her out of existence and shouted for Allister.


    The Hunter pulled a long chain with a thick hook at the end and swung it above his head once, twice, picking up speed before he let it loose.


    Like a precision missile, the hook sailed through the air for Atreus, who could barely catch it as the beast was momentarily startled by Bonnie¡¯s barking an nearly topped backwards.


    Atreus caught the beast¡¯s chain collar with the hook before shouting her way. ¡°Leta! Now!¡±


    Gripping the chain tight, Atreus braced his feet against the ogre¡¯s back and pulled, his muscles straining and his teeth clenched as he threw his weight backward.


    The ogre cried out, the sound like a landslide crashing as one hand tried to grip the chain that was suddenly digging into its craggy skin while the other tried to keep itself balanced and not fall backward.


    Leta saw its mouth open wide in a scream, the moment frozen in place like a snapshot as she activated Storm Step.


    Her lightning shook the building as it skipped over the floor and past the ogre¡¯s guard before ejecting her like a rocket up toward its head, a battle cry burning her lungs.


    She could feel the beast¡¯s hot breath on her hand as she plunged her dagger past its massive tusks, through the top of its mouth, and into its skull.


    Its bellow of pain was the breaking of a dam as its wide, dark eyes bore into the tiny woman with sparks of electricity snapping around her head like a halo.


    It paused, momentarily shocked by the sight of her, before its granite arms began to come around, intending to squeeze her to death.


    ¡°Atreus!¡± Leta screamed, ¡°Let go!¡±


    She felt the beast¡¯s body jolt slightly beneath her as Atreus dropped to the floor and rolled out of danger just as she let loose a torrent of electricity down the ogre¡¯s throat just as it managed to wrap its massive hands around her.

 Chapter Thirty Five: A Rock And A Hard Place (Part II)

    Leta had no words to describe the shrieking, agonizing sound that was ripped from the beast¡¯s lungs, but she was sure that when a stone god was murdered, it probably sounded a lot like this.


    The dagger still wedged into the ogre¡¯s skull acted like a lightning rod as she channeled her storm, the red hot metal sizzling against the ogre¡¯s blood and muscle as her electricity set the beast on fire from the inside out.


    Just as she had with the minotaur, Leta kept up the stream of power as the ogre¡¯s body seized and buckled, dropping with the weight of a mountain to the ground and nearly breaking through the carpet and concrete to the floor below.


    Cradled between a literal rock and a hard place, the fall rattled Leta¡¯s teeth as black spots swam in her vision.


    She could feel something break -probably another rib- and distantly heard Gada telling her she¡¯d taken damage, but she didn¡¯t let up as she shoved more and more lightning down its gullet.


    By now, its throat was all but ash as the heat of a sun liquified and evaporated its blood. The muscle that had been encased in an impervious shield of rock-hard skin was now like meat in a pressure cooker, its sinew separating and breaking apart under the intense forces.


    Its eyes had liquified and boiled from the heat inside its body, and the last thing it saw was blue eyes filled with elemental fury and the white snap of electricity crowning her white-blonde hair like a circlet.


    Black oil that had once been fat and brain bubbled out of its eyes as the creature gave one last exhausted rattle before it finally died.


    Leta took deep breaths of air as the high of battle began to ebb. Her hair settled around her shoulders, and the sparks of electricity dancing around her faded as the storm within her was calmed by their victory.


    [Corrupted-Ogre. Inert Nanites: 2,001,203. Absorb Inert Nanites? Yes/No?]


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I fucking do.¡± Leta¡¯s grin was almost vicious as she felt the new influx of Nanites entering her bloodstream and mingling with her own.


    Her sigh was almost pleasurable as her cuts and bruises healed, the crackled rib and broken arm that had ended up taking most of her fall healing as the ogre¡¯s body began to disintegrate.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Sheets of granite detached from its body and broke apart into smaller and smaller dust fragments until all that remained was a massive skeleton that, too, was nothing but granite dust and a thick collar chain.


    ¡°Oh,¡± She rolled her head, her neck cracking, ¡°That¡¯s much better.¡±


    Leta blinked up at the men watching her cautiously.


    Allister shook his head, at a loss for what to do about this crazy woman who seemed to grow both in fearlessness and insanity by the minute.


    ¡°Well,¡± He chuckled awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s going to make clean up a lot easier.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Atreus groaned as he rolled the sore shoulder he¡¯d landed on, looking over at the body of the Drow that had turned into a puddle of liquid during the battle.


    Leta wrinkled her nose as she put her dagger away, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s gross.¡±


    ¡°Atreus.¡± Hayato drew their attention to the sound of sirens steadily drawing near.


    They went down to the ground floor and pushed through HiTec¡¯s back door just as a police van circled the block.


    Leta wondered what the authorities would make of a pile of granite dust and a pool of gross fluids but then shrugged.


    People saw what they could understand, not necessarily what was truth.


    A vagabond¡¯s hovel was much easier to explain than the remains of mythical creatures.


    Leta wasn¡¯t even winded as they finished running the several blocks to the parking garage, something she noted as they piled into the car without a word.


    This fight had felt different.


    She felt different.


    It wasn¡¯t so much a lack of fear but instead a lack of lingering fear.


    When the ogre appeared, her heart beat wildly in her chest, but for reasons she was still surprised.


    She¡¯d been excited.


    Nervous, yes, but excited all the same.


    It was the feeling of someone in a plane who knew that the door would open any minute, and they would jump.


    It felt like the fear had washed over her like an ocean wave, lingering just long enough to experience it with her whole body before it sloshed off her to be replaced by a bloodthirsty giddiness for a fight.


    She¡¯d liked it.


    She had been thrilled at the idea of fighting such a massive beast, which she felt was decidedly not her.


    Where was the scholar? Where was the college student who dreamed of discovery and knowledge?


    What had happened to the young woman who had never touched a weapon? Had never been the reason something shed blood?


    ¡°Lass,¡± Allister¡¯s eyes caught hers in the car¡¯s mirror, ¡°Your hair.¡±


    Frowning, Leta looked down to see that her blonde hair, which had steadily been lightening since she¡¯d received the system, was now completely white, its length now coming to rest well past her shoulder blades.


    ¡°Oh, wow,¡± Her lips twitched in amusement as her fingers pinched some of the white strands and held them up for inspection, ¡°Would you look at that.¡±


    Maybe it started when she saw that first nixie.


    Maybe it happened on that cab ride from hell as they outran the hellhound.


    But it didn¡¯t matter when it happened, did it?


    Not in the grand scheme of things, anyway.


    All that mattered was if the person she was now - this new stronger, faster, impossible Leta - was strong enough to survive in this unbelievable, screwed-up world.


    ¡®I guess we¡¯ll find out,¡¯ She thought as the car lurched backward and out of the parking garage, racing the sun towards their next target.

 Chapter Thirty Six: A Watery Grave (Part I)

    ¡°Oh, gross.¡± Leta pressed the back of her gauntlet to her nose as they skirted around a pile of human feces and trash. The rats appeared engrossed in investigating the small heap, their beady eyes swiveling between the group and their treasure as Leta and the team made their way through the empty water channel.


    During the drive, Allister explained in depth about these water channels, which were designed to control flash flood waters during the rainy season while channeling normal rainfall into the city¡¯s water treatment plant for consumption.


    The channel¡¯s interior appeared predominantly dry, with scattered puddles lining the center from the rainstorm that passed through two days ago. Green algae developed in the puddles and any place with moisture, saturating the area with the smell of mildew and decaying eggs.


    The stone walls were covered in foliage and graffiti, with various piles of human trash collecting towards the channel walls.


    The surroundings remained quiet despite their location within the city proper.


    The channel walls had thick trees lining the top, which were well-watered from their proximity to the channel. However, moving forward, parked cars and bustling residential streets could be seen.


    It made the idea of a den of nixies so close to people¡¯s homes even more unsettling.


    Two large passageways stood ahead, positioned to redirect the torrents of water to the treatment area, their entrances adorned with a graffiti image of a red-eyed rat hissing at a human skull with the words ¡®ICK¡¯ in bold artistic letters.


    The irony was not lost on Leta.


    A soft moan like a cave blew cold air up from the depths and sent chills down their skin as they approached.


    ¡°Hold here.¡± Atreus held up a fist as the team came to a halt.


    Atreus turned to everyone and spoke in a low voice, ¡°As we discussed in the car, the only advantage we have in this fight is the element of surprise. However, we will not have that advantage if we are charging in. Nixie¡¯s at nocturnal, and our window of opportunity shrinks every second.¡±


    ¡°Bonnie. Allister.¡± He gestured to the two, ¡°You will take point. Leta and I will be at the center. Hayato? I need you to take the rear. Nixies are crafty and known to ambush, so we stand the best chance of surviving an unseen attack with you there. Remember, nixie¡¯s are healed by water, so the only way to kill them in their element is a direct shot to the brain or beheading.¡±


    When everyone nodded along, he continued, ¡°Most of the tunnels will have raised sections for walking, so whatever you do, do not fall into the water.¡±


    Leta¡¯s nose wrinkled. Not only was it disgusting, but Atreus went into some detail during the car ride about how Nixies could sense vibrations in the water they occupied.


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± He gave her a pointed look, ¡°We cannot have you throwing your lightning around for this one. These channels are old, and most have other pipes and cables running through them. You could kill us or accidentally turn off power and water to half the city. You will need to rely on your other talents for this. Is that clear?¡±


    Leta pursed her lips.


    She¡¯d been thinking about that since he¡¯d first described the tunnels. After three days of being in this world, she¡¯d come to depend on her lightning for just about everything in a fight.


    To not have it was like being blindfolded, with one hand tied behind her back, and being told to fight an Olympic boxer.


    Allister must have taken pity on her because he¡¯d given her a calming grin, ¡°Donna, worry, lass. I¡¯ve just the thing for ya.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    From one of those hidden pockets - Leta had begun to wonder if they¡¯d sewn small wormholes into their jackets - He pulled a small cylinder that looked like an old film roll canister. Leta recognized it as one of the pop-out quarterstaff she¡¯d seen Hayato equipping just before they left the Sect.


    Taking it, Leta flicked off the release with her thumb. The contraption barely emitted a sound as it sprung outwards until it reached a height almost equal to her own. The metal in her grip felt surprisingly smooth, and she observed the presence of a short cone-shaped tip on its ends that could effortlessly be used to impale an unfortunate enemy.


    Allister nodded to himself, ¡°Your lightning is a distance attack. Not sayin¡¯ you¡¯re no good in an up-close fight, but I think a quarterstaff or spear would be more of your style. And if they get through your guard? Well, that gauntlet isn¡¯t for show.¡± He said with a shrug.


    Leta tightly grasped the metal, sensing its weight in her hands and performing a few practice swings to familiarize herself with it.


    Once she felt content that she wouldn¡¯t accidentally impale herself, she pressed the slightly beveled button at its center, and the staff retracted as they commenced their approach.


    From the first step past the threshold, Leta felt the goose bumps chasing up her arms as cold air blew up from the depths. It smelled like the ocean at low tide or possibly the color brown - notes of sourness, but still very unpleasant.


    The wet walls exhibited a slight sheen, resembling a perpetual coating of mildew. The only sound outside of their muted footsteps was the moan of dank air and the dripping of water off the stone roofs.


    Atreus held up a fist for the team to stop. Just ahead, standing water ebbed in the center channel.


    From the depths of her nerdy brain flashed a scene from one of her favorite Middle Earth movies, the voice of a certain semi-immortal ranger giving some advice.


    ¡®Do not disturb the water.¡¯


    Without a word, the team split into two sides and hopped onto the raised walkways on either side of the channel. Bonnie, Leta, and Atreus on one end and Allister and Hayato on the other crept cautiously through the tunnel, always keeping one eye on the water.


    Bonnie had her nose to the ground as the darkness consumed them, occasionally picking her head up to look around and get her bearings.


    The gradual descent of the tunnel turned left at an angle, left again, then pivoted right. As Leta¡¯s night vision gradually came online, she could make out drain holes she assumed were from other channels or storm drains from above. Some had water steadily flowing and emptying into the tunnel, but most could only produce the smallest ¡®drip drop¡¯ of droplets from the last rainfall.


    Allister pointed at something, and all three looked at small scratches in the wall of four parallel lines, all looking to be made around the same time and by the same maker.


    A few meters away, another set of claw-like marks had been carved into the stone wall just below a drain mouth.


    Following signs of bones and bodies confirmed that they had reached the appropriate spot.


    At first, it had small bits of fur, then rib bones from a rat.


    Leta stopped when they came across a pair of partially eaten cats. Their chests had been ripped open, and all of their organs had been removed, most likely a midday meal for the nixies, leaving behind a deflated spine full of maggots and shallow, glassy eyes following their movement.


    The tunnel gradually descended and narrowed until Allister was in danger of hitting his head on the ceiling.


    They were just about to turn a corner when Bonnie¡¯s head perked up, and she sat on her haunches, looking back at Allister with concerned eyes.


    Leta pressed herself against the grimy wall, her thumb poised over the spear shaft mechanism as Allister poked his head around the corner before looking back to Atreus. He flipped his palm face up to face down with one hand, then pointed his hand at his chest and dragged his fingers downward before holding up two fingers.


    ¡°Dead bodies,¡± Atreus whispered to her.


    The walkways displayed the scattered remains of a man and a woman, partially submerged in the water.


    The woman appeared to have been homeless based on the state of her unseasonal and mismatched winter clothes. Her body lay flat against the wall, one arm and a leg dangling over the walkway to vanish into the water. She had a pale and shallow skin tone. Her brown hair had been madly pulled out in patches. She looked to have been dead, maybe a day or so.


    On the other side of the channel, the man was facing the opposite direction. There wasn¡¯t a significant amount remaining of him - his body had decomposed to such an extent that the only indication of his gender was his stained collared shirt and dress pants. What remained of his skin had faded into parchment, making him appear like a paper-machete skeleton.


    Like the cats, both of the corpses had had their internal organs removed. It was also clear to see that the limbs of the woman that were in the water had also been eaten away, the whites of the leg bones just visible over the bubbling of the water.


    Allister was on the verge of moving forward when Bonnie sat again, lying down and pressing her belly to the cold stone floor of the walkway, her tail flat and ears alert.


    In a flurry, Allister gestured over his weapon hand, and everyone pushed back into the walls, holding a collective breath as a faint humming noise echoed from where another tunnel intersected the one they were traveling.

 Chapter Thirty Six: A Watery Grave (Part II)

    The scene from the other passage brought to mind otters from a nature documentary, who cuddle and hold hands to stay together during sleep.


    However, there were no cute and adorable water puppies; instead, there was a gathering of amphibian-skinned creatures, just as Leta recalled from her first night as an Arisen. In the cold tunnel, their green arms clung to each other, perhaps for warmth. In the midst of the tangled limbs, Leta counted five heads with dark hair and pointed ears.


    In spite of their large numbers, they had intertwined so closely that they effortlessly floated on the surface in the confined space.


    Nestled within the resting flotilla was a smaller one, comparable in size to a six-year-old. Instead of a doll, it cradled the preserved foot and portion of a leg, which Leta presumed belonged to the deceased woman.


    Leta shut her eyes and released a slow breath, afraid that any noise might disturb the creatures. On the opposite side of the channel, Allister and Hayato stood with their crossbows, resembling vengeful angels frozen in time.


    Right beside her, Bonnie had pressed herself to the wall and become motionless, not even wagging her tail. If not for her expanding ribs and wide golden eyes, she could have been mistaken for a lifeless body.


    Leta, unsure of her stealth with the crossbow, opted for the spear canister instead, her thumb gliding over the mechanism in anticipation of striking at the right moment.


    All of a sudden, that moment arrived without any effort on their part.


    The flotilla was pushed by a sudden current undulation into the side of the walkway near the intersection of the two tunnels.


    One of the nixies flinched and emitted a clicking whimper as it bumped its head against the raised stone while sleeping. The tiny nixie¡¯s humming swiftly changed from peaceful to agitated due to its sudden movements.


    Another creature in the flotilla, resembling a tired mother with a newborn, softly touched its arm and released a sigh filled with clicking sounds as though to extend reassurance.


    The little nixie gradually became calm, rolling over among the limbs of the other creatures as if it were adjusting in bed.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    For a short time, Leta believed that it would fall back asleep, giving them the opportunity to approach the group more effectively.


    With its slitted yellow eyes, the smaller nixie blinked open and gazed with a drowsy expression at the foot it held, then noticed the team of Chosen standing with weapons raised.


    The screech of the small creature was as piercing as a nail in their eardrums. The tunnel¡¯s acoustics amplified the already high-pitched scream, which rebounded off the stone and struck them with almost the same intensity as the manticore¡¯s attack.


    The team was already in action by the time the beast opened its mouth, bombarding the flotilla with all manner of projectile weapons. One of Allister¡¯s bolts had punched through the foot the tiny nixie was holding to pierce its eye, its screech cutting off.


    Hayato skillfully hit another nixie using his crossbow, while Atreus struck one with his throwing dagger as the flotilla disentangled.Hayato¡¯s quickness enabled him to rapidly strike out with one of his daggers, severing the hand at the wrist.


    Leta never saw the survivors slip beneath the surface until one was jumping out of the water next to her, grabbed Bonnie by her vest, and pulled her into the water.


    ¡°Crap, Bonnie!¡± Leta cried as the other jumped up and took a swipe at Hayato with its claws. Hayato¡¯s speed allowed him to strike out with one of his daggers swiftly, cutting off the hand on the wrist.


    Before Allister could strike it with a smaller hatchet, the nixie shrieked and dived back underwater.


    Bonnie surfaced with a burst of action, biting down on the creature¡¯s neck and shoulder, prompting the nixies to try to remove the wolf with a desperate and clicking shriek.


    Leta wasted no time, quickly activating her spear and driving it into the beast¡¯s side, causing Bonnie¡¯s head to thrash and the nixie¡¯s back to arch in pain.


    By a close margin, the spear successfully punctured the creature¡¯s lung, narrowly missing its heart. Following her attack, Atreus responded by hurling his own dagger, one blade finding its mark on the clavicle while the other narrowly missed Bonnie.


    The nixie released a shriek and maneuvered its arm to wrap around Bonnie like a coiling snake, pulling both her and the wolf underwater once more.


    Leta sensed the spear¡¯s end jerk before the tension disappeared as the nixie slid off.


    ¡°Shite!¡±


    Allister¡¯s powerful voice made Leta glance up. The other nixie had taken Atreus¡¯s missed-throwing daggers and was now hurling them back at the Hunter and the Assassin.


    Hayato barely escaped getting hit as the nixie sprang out of the water like a dolphin and hurled a weapon before diving back down.


    Allister had managed to use the flat of one of his smaller hatchets to block a strike, but cursed as a second hit him in the thigh.


    Bonnie¡¯s body emerged on the murky water, her panicked dark eyes scanning the area as she swam with a sense of urgency, reminiscent of a seal attempting to escape from a pack of sharks.


    Startled, Leta let out a shriek as the other Nixie emerged from the water and grabbed her ankle without warning, pulling her into the water with a jolt before she could counterattack.

 Chapter Thirty Six: A Watery Grave (Part III)

    Unintentionally, she dropped the spear as her head collided with the stone walls, causing her vision to blur with dark spots, while she struggled to find something to cling onto.


    Someone shouted her name, but it was soon drowned out by the rushing water and the orca-like chattering of the nixies.


    The water was colder than she had imagined, with a darkness rivaling the deepest parts of the sea. The tunnel¡¯s safety lights provided only a vague outline of the surface, and in the dim obscurity, Leta could barely distinguish the presence of dark shapes that appeared to be the nixie crawling up her body.


    There was a dull scraping noise as the creature¡¯s long claws gripped her armored legs and chest, its frantic movements giving the impression of fingers everywhere. Despite the channels unexpectedly shallow depth, the nixie¡¯s heavier than expected body prevented her from pushing off the channel bottom to the surface.


    Leta could make out the outline of the nixie¡¯s toothy grin, its face so close she could have smelled its breath if they were above the surface. The beast was taking joy in her struggle to kick off the channel bottom and take a breath.


    Despite the burning in her lungs from depleted oxygen, her anger propelled her forward, overpowering the discomfort and suppressing the panicked need to breathe.


    Despite the nixie¡¯s pressure, Leta managed to securely grasp its slippery throat.


    The creature¡¯s wild gaze showed no response to the tight grip on its neck.


    Not long after, Leta received the awaited notification from Gada.


    [Corrupted-Nixie. Inert Nanites: 856,492. Absorb inert Nanites? Yes/No?]


    Watching the nixie¡¯s eyes widen in shock, a twisted excitement in her gut pulled her lips into a smirk as the skin under Leta¡¯s hand started to turn black and wrinkled. The creature sensed the impending threat and released its hold on her, attempting to push her away without success.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Her hands still on the creature¡¯s throat, Leta got one leg underneath her and up pushed them both into the air, breaking the surface and pulling cold stale air into her lungs.


    ¡°Leta!¡± The sound of Atreus shouting her name echoed down the tunnel like a crashing wave.


    As she gripped the nixie tightly, it recoiled and let out a hiss as two throwing daggers manifested on its shoulder and back without warning, causing its dark blood to blend with the churning water.


    Despite the claws piercing her face, Leta refused to release her grip. Gada told her that nanites were already healing her bleeding cheek as she kept her eyes locked on the beast¡¯s frightened movements.


    The rot on the nixie¡¯s neck under her touch was spreading at a sluggish pace, in contrast to the rapid decay observed with the other creatures she had consumed.


    Both of them were constantly remaking themselves after each injury, making no progress.


    ¡®So let¡¯s get you out of your element.¡¯ Leta growled to herself, her mind wrapping around the nixie, and pulled.


    Alarmed, the beast¡¯s clicking shriek intensified when it lost its footing as unseen hands started to lift it out of the water.


    Leta¡¯s forehead became covered in a cold sweat and her face turned red from the effort. The nixie¡¯s weight was so much greater than hers that lifting it from the water was like struggling with a wiggling weight heavier than an elephant.


    She maintained a firm hold, enduring the discomfort, and steadily lifted the nixie off the ground.


    When its hips eventually appeared from the murky depths, its thrashing became even more insistent, resembling a snake on scorching pavement. The creature¡¯s wide yellow eyes were filled with fear and shock as it struggled to escape the grip around its neck and find refuge below the water¡¯s surface.


    Alerted by the screams of its comrades, the other nixie hissed and raised its webbed claws, showing its intention to attack Leta from behind.


    Hayato pulled the cord of his grappling hook out and swung it forward with expertise, preventing the creature from ever touching her as the cord wrapped around the beast¡¯s neck and pulled it back.


    The creature spun back into the water, struggling against the cord in a desperate attempt to save the other nixie, but it was too late.


    Leta successfully freed the nixie from the channel and held it in the air, its legs almost touching the tunnel¡¯s ceiling, while Gada commended her improved control over Magician¡¯s Hand.


    The creature¡¯s hair, long and stringy, touched her face as it continued to fight back, despite its skin drying and turning to ash.


    First its claws, which cracked and crumbled before the webbing between its long fingers, turned to parchment.


    Then its hair fell into the water in clumps as its skin and muscles began to flake off its body.


    Allister and Hayato joined forces to lift it out of the water, a feat that was like grappling with a blood thirsty shark as the nixie writhed, only managing to pull it halfway out of the water as they traversed the slippery walkways.

 Chapter Thirty Six: A Watery Grave (Part IV)

    Leta¡¯s hold on the nixie began to loosen as it neared its end.


    Out of the water, the process of consuming the beast was quick. In less than a minute, its appendages had vanished, and its last sight on Earth was Leta¡¯s otherworldly gaze and a celestial ring hovering above her.


    It looked like a halo.


    Or maybe a crown.


    [Inert nanites: 856,492 consumed. Total inert nanites: 5,536,456]


    ¡®No time to celebrate yet.¡¯


    Leta¡¯s attention snapped to the nixie Hayato had managed to hook, which was still causing a commotion in the water as he and Allister worked together to haul it out.


    Her silver hair spun around her head as she turned and called out to Atreus. ¡°Spear!¡±


    With impressive agility, she caught the spear canister thrown by Atreus and activated it. Leta brandished the weapon and, like the warriors preceding her, lunged forward with a fierce war cry.


    Slipping between the creature¡¯s ribs, her spear impaled its left lung and embedded into the stone walkway.


    Half out of the water and half in, the nixie screamed in pain, one hand trying to pull the spear from its body while the other tried to claw through the cord around its neck.


    ¡°Allister!¡± Leta shouted as she put all of her weight into the weapon to keep it anchored.


    With a strong tug, Hayato pulled the cord, lifting the nixie¡¯s head, while Allister swung his battle axe and struck the creature¡¯s neck with a grunt.


    It took two strikes of the blade to completely detach the head from the body.


    Freed from the cord, the creature blinked its eyes in disbelief as its head fell into the water, appearing shocked by its own demise.


    Not long after that, the lifeless body began to dissolve into a sludgy ash, blending with the water swirling in the channel, as though the natural world was reclaiming its rightful possession.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Leta let out a sigh of relief as she removed the spear from the stone, causing the nixie¡¯s body to finish dissolving into the water.


    ¡°Holy crap.¡± She breathed heavily as the adrenaline of the fight began to fade.


    She noticed movement in her vision as Allister reached out his hand to assist her in getting up and out of the channel. One hand holding her spear, she grabbed his hand as he lifted her out the the churning water and onto the walkway.


    ¡°Well done, lass.¡± Allister chuckled as he slapped her shoulder so hard she almost fell back into the water below.


    ¡°Jezzus, Al!¡± Leta groaned with a mix of anger and frustration, rubbing where his hand had left a stinging mark.


    ¡°Took years off my life when I saw you go under.¡± The giant shook his head as the team began to go through the normal process of collecting and stowing their weapons.


    Leta flicked the switch to compress the spear. ¡°Yeah, that wasn¡¯t exactly fun.¡±


    ¡°You handled it well.¡± Atreus added on the other side. ¡°Most people panic in such situations, but you used the tools you have available.¡±


    Allister smiled, showing his sense of accomplishment. ¡°A little black and blue, but all parts are still attached. I¡¯d call that a success.¡±


    Much to Atreus¡¯s annoyance, Bonnie shook her fur and barked in approval.


    Annoyed by the wolf¡¯s behavior, Atreus secured his remaining throwing knives in their designated pockets within his jacket. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Now that we have removed tonight¡¯s targeted dens, our next goal is to reach the Vault before it locks for the night.¡±


    ¡°Awesome.¡± Leta exhaled, her head rolling back on her neck like a gladiator preparing itself for the next fight.


    Hayato made a quick pivot and promptly led the team back in the direction they had come from.


    While Leta was putting the spear canister in her pocket, she felt a thin film-like material that made her pause.


    She frowned and slowly removed it, realizing it was a folded piece of paper wrapped in a plastic sandwich bag, which definitely wasn¡¯t there when she put on the jacket. Scrolled in harsh letters as if the writer¡¯s hands were shaking were the words ¡®FOR OLETTA. ONLY READ IF ALONE¡¯.


    Leta felt a surge of fear as her heart leapt into her throat, causing her to glance back at the channel below. Once again, the water was still and undisturbed, causing her anxiety to grow at how the item had gotten into her pocket and when.


    ¡°Everything alright, Leta?¡± Allister questioned at her back, causing her to nearly jump.


    ¡°Oh! Uh, yeah. Everything is fine.¡± She hurried to say, shoving the bag back into her pocket.


    Throughout the rest of the journey out of the tunnel, Leta stayed quiet, her eyes carefully surveying the murky waters for any potential threats, while her fingers hovered over the trigger of her spear.


    They had made a turn and were out of sight of the den when a tawny-haired head slowly pushed up from the water depths, grey eyes reflecting in the darkness like a cat as long fingers gripped the stone sides of the walkway.


    The watcher lingered, hearing their footsteps grow distant, then submerged and disappeared from sight.

 Chapter Thirty Seven: Mystery Box (Part I)

    Vigo¡¯s Perspective


    ¡°Why do you think some Arisen become Chosen and others become Blessed?¡± Vigo ventured as he flipped through one of the thousands of books in the scriptorium.


    After the initial excitement of exploring millennia of history had subsided, he was now peacefully seated at the table with Scribe Huda. Occasionally, he would break their comfortable silence with a random question.


    Huda gently shut the book she had been immersed in, absentmindedly tracing circles with her gloved fingers on its delicate leather surface.


    ¡°Hm. I¡¯m not sure if anyone knows for sure. I remember reading an account from ancient Scribe who spoke of the Old Gods that made the Arisen. From what I remember, the myth tells of the Old Gods crafting the Arisen to defend and support the Mundane. Nevertheless, a war erupted between a faction of the Old Gods. I can¡¯t remember what for, but the result was that the golden rule was placed on all of us, those that fought for the evil god lost their humanity, and the Old Gods left our world.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Vigo flipped a page. ¡°Seems way too simple.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Huda casually inquired as she opened her book back up.


    ¡°I mean, nothing in history has ever, ever been x plus y equals z. Look at World War II, for example. None of the events in World War II would have happened if World War I. World War I wouldn¡¯t have looked very different if Archduke Ferdinand hadn¡¯t been assassinated. Archduke Ferdinand wouldn¡¯t have been assassinated if the Treaty of Berlin hadn¡¯t been signed thirty-something years earlier.¡±


    ¡°The past is nothing but a spiderweb of happenstances.¡± She commented impassively.


    ¡°See, first of all, I don¡¯t like spiders.¡± Vigo shivered in disgust. ¡°Second, I really don¡¯t like not seeing the web as a whole. Sure, life is one big domino effect, but being blind to those blocks is a great way to knock everything over.¡±


    After finishing his book, he took a moment to collect his thoughts before standing up and setting off to return it to its rightful place on the shelf.


    Once again, his mind wandered to his grandmother in Christchurch. Since he was four, she had been looking after him, as his father was incarcerated and his mother struggled with drug addiction. Her memory had been steadily declining, and she had moved to a retirement village when he began college two years ago.


    Once again, he pondered if they informed her about his situation or if she expected him to contact her.


    To distract himself, he immersed himself in the scriptorium, absorbing as much information as he could, but in the moments between reading and searching through books, his thoughts were consumed by his grandmother.


    Vigo quickly located the right shelf and was about to return to the table to grab the next leather-bound journal when he noticed a glimmer of something metallic on a different bookshelf in the collection.


    Overcome by curiosity, Vigo allowed his feet to guide him towards the object, just like a moth irresistibly drawn to a flame.


    The item in question was a metal spine of darkened steel, which was strange considering nearly every book and scroll in the space had been made of paper, leather, or cloth.


    In the gentlest manner possible, he retrieved it from its spot on the shelf, and upon closer examination, realized he had never witnessed anything quite like it.


    The book consisted of pages made from a steel-like metal, so thin and intricately woven that they could bend and adapt to the reader¡¯s preference without hindering the reading experience.


    The cover and back plates were thick and tooled with archaic images of swirls and hard lines. A peculiar yet prominent pattern of semi-precious stones adorned the front, back, and spine.


    Vigo carefully turned the pages, his surprise shifting into confusion as he examined the intricate designs etched onto the delicate paper.


    When Huda heard Vigo¡¯s footsteps and saw the metal tome in his hands, her eyes did a double take.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Oh! You found the mystery box.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡± Vigo frowned at her statement.


    ¡°We call this the mystery box. As you can see, it is no ordinary piece of literature. It is written in Ananakin, which is a common version of the language used by the Old Gods. Unfortunately, no one can decipher what it means. Not even us Scribes, and we¡¯re built to understand and communicate in every conceivable language.¡± Huda shrugged, leaning back in her chair as if she were about to continue reading, but watched him move about the room out of the corner of her eye.


    ¡°Huh,¡± He poked the inside of his cheek as his eyes ran back and forth over the symbols, then picked up some of the books on the table and placed them on a cart so that he had room to place the metal tome there.


    He took a piece of paper and a pen, then proceeded to scribble two sets of symbols - first a few lines of one set, followed by a second set.


    He paused, his head tilting to one side as he looked between the two different sets of symbols on the paper and the strange markings in the metal book.


    ¡°Huh.¡± He said again, nodding to himself as he got another piece of paper and did the same thing again, this time with two different sets of symbols.


    Huda¡¯s brows came together as she watched him pause once more and look at his work, his expression both confused and fascinated.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked as she placed the book she¡¯d been reading on her side of the table.


    ¡°You said no one had been able to figure out what this book says, right?¡± The expression he gave her when his head tilted up from his work was that of a man on the brink of a masterpiece.


    When Huda nodded, he continued, ¡°Do you know how old this book is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dated to 1430s, but my understand is that it¡¯s a replica of a tome from the first century.¡±


    Vigo looked back down at the tome, his gloved hand running over the symbols on the book as he asked, ¡°Do you know what conclusions they drew? Stuff they ruled out?¡±


    Frowning, she shook her head. ¡°No. In all honesty, records were sort of hard to maintain before the Iron Age due to internal conflicts. It wasn¡¯t until the early Middle Ages that the Chosen were able to be systematic with their record keeping, so any texts earlier than around 1,000 A.D. are very rare.¡±


    Vigo had a lot more questions than answers.


    Where were the originals kept?


    What was the internal conflict that kept such talented people from being able to keep track of their own history?


    He shook his head, reminding himself to keep on track.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t mean this to be rude, but how do you - the Scribes - not know how to read this thing?¡±


    Huda shrugged very so slightly, ¡°The original mission of a scribe was to take notes and keep track large quantities of information for a population where the majority of its citizens were illiterate. We were the record makers and maintainers, which usually meant we were only exposed to a handful of languages. The skill used most by a Scribe is writing - I am ambidextrous, my photographic memory which lets me retain anything I read, and my ability to quickly learn languages if I have the correct materials. If I want to understand a language, I have to be exposed to it in both the phonological and phonetic sense, and the language needs to be close enough to one I¡¯m already fluent in to understand it.¡±


    Vigo frowned in confusion. ¡°You need to see and hear a language and hope it¡¯s close to something you already know for you to be fluent?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°Correct. Take the romantic languages. Spanish, Italian, and French, for example. To say ¡®of¡¯ or ¡®from¡¯ in Spanish and French is both ¡®de¡¯ while in Italian its ¡®di¡¯ - all of them are so close in written and verbal form. In constraint, the words ¡®weather¡¯, ¡®transportation¡¯, and ¡®marriage¡¯ are almost identical in Chinese as they are in Japanese, but knowing Chinese or Japanese wouldn¡¯t help me in acquiring Swahili.¡±


    He glanced back down at the book. ¡°So the reason you can¡¯t read this book is that it isn¡¯t close to any language you¡¯ve heard or read before. You can¡¯t acquire a new language if you don¡¯t have some kind of building blocks to start with.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± The smile she gave him was bright, but colored with an odd sadness. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, though, that the world was in so much chaos back then that even our kind couldn¡¯t preserve such works for future generations.¡±


    Vigo ran a hand over his stubble. ¡°This might sound very crazy, but I think I know what language this book is written in.¡±


    Huda froze, his statement so strange to her that it took her a moment to find the right words.


    ¡°I-I what?¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± Vigo held up the papers he¡¯d been scribbling to show the four sets of symbols drawn there.


    ¡°This is Sumerian dating back to 3000 B.C.¡± He pointed to a set of pictographs. ¡°This,¡± He pointed to the next set directly under the first, ¡°Is also Sumerian, but it¡¯s when the language moved away from pictographs to cuneiform, which happened somewhere in 2200 B.C.¡±


    Huda leaned forward, squinting as she compared the two. Indeed, the symbols were very similar, but she noticed that many of the symbols had been turned 90 degrees on their side, like the symbol of wheat grain that had once pointed up now pointed left on its side and the fish that had faced right was now facing upwards. Also, most of the symbols have fewer lines and were just a bit more simple.


    ¡°Now, this one.¡± He pointed at the third set of symbols, ¡°is Early Babylonian, which is a dialect of the Akkadian language that used Sumerian as a building block for its own. The Akkadian language shifted to a phonetic language, so words were written as they sounded according to their syllabary. However, a lot of the Sumerian words like sheep kept their characters, but now they were being pronounced how the shape appeared in their language. So, instead of saying udu for sheep in Sumerian, you would have said immerum.¡±


    This time, Huda could easily see the departure from pictographs to the use of wedge styluses. Gone were the curves and subtle nuances, replaced by harsh straight lines. The symbol of the fish from earlier had been reduced to an inverted triangle, with four smaller lines coming off its points for fins and tail.


    Vigo finally pointed to the fourth set of symbols. ¡°This is Akkadian in the Late Babylonian dialect. Notice something?¡±

 Chapter Thirty Seven: Mystery Box (Part II)

    Huda was taken aback by the set.


    The symbol of the star used to resemble an asterisk with lines going in all directions, but now it¡¯s just two lines crossing evenly with smaller triangles on the left and top. The symbols seemed to have been reduced to simple lines and triangles, no longer resembling the original pictographs.


    ¡°Now, look at Late Babylonian compared to this.¡± He placed the paper next to the metal book and stepped to the side as Huda stood and came around to his side.


    ¡°Good lords.¡± Huda breathed in shock.


    While there was a noticeable similarity between the characters, the symbols on the metal book differed in shape, with curves and circles instead of triangles, and the lines had slight curves at the ends, unlike the straight and ridged Late Babylonian script.


    ¡°You said that the book is a copy of one from the first century.¡± Vigo spoke as she stared down at the two languages. ¡°Late Babylonian was used from 600 B.C. to 100 A.D., so the language here could very well have been based on Late Babylonian.¡±


    Huda¡¯s eyes went back and forth between the two before pointing out, ¡°Wait, the sentence structure isn¡¯t right, though. These symbols are all rotated clockwise at 90 degrees.¡±


    Vigo nodded in agreement. ¡°Exactly. Not only that, but Late Babylonian - and, well, most of the Akkadian languages - are written left to right. In this format, the symbols aren¡¯t creating words. However,¡± He reached for the metal book and turned it to the left. When he did, the symbols appeared in even columns running from the spine to the edge of the page, ¡°if you move it this way, the characters line up to make somewhat cohesive structures, but in a reading format that is more aligned with the column structure of the early Sumerian pictographs.¡±


    Huda remained silent for a few moments, then whispered almost reverently. ¡°Can you read it?¡±


    It felt as though the request had been unearthed from the depths of her soul. Her passion for history and longing to forge connections with forgotten people and places uplifted her and instilled an unusual sense of hope.


    Vigo hung his head. ¡°Parts of it, but it would take a bit to decipher. Babylonian script used anywhere from 600 to 1,000 individual characters in their written language, so translating normal cuneiform isn¡¯t exactly a quick job, much less trying to figure out some unnatural version of it - if that¡¯s what this is.¡±


    His nose crinkled as other thoughts bubbled to the surface. ¡°I mean, this could also just be me projecting my knowledge of dead languages onto what amounts to ancient gibberish. My brain is wired to pick up on patterns - it¡¯s part of the reason I study etymology - but I¡¯m basing this assumption through the lens of my own knowledge. This could have fallen off a spaceship for all I know, or just the random doodles of a madman.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡®I know I¡¯d probably go insane to if I lived forever,¡¯ he thought to himself, chagrined.


    Huda shook her head in disbelief, trying to process the overwhelming amount of new information. ¡°You¡¯re wild guess is probably the closest any of us have come to cracking this. This thing has always remained a mystery and so odd for its time frame. Bound books like this one didn¡¯t come around until the Romans, so how did they create one like this, let alone one made of metal?¡±


    Vigo¡¯s eyes scanned the countless ancient texts, his expression turning serious. ¡°That reminds me of something else I find odd.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, you said that there were some crazy things happening with the Arisen, so there aren¡¯t a lot of records before the Middle Ages. I didn¡¯t realize it until you mentioned this little fact earlier, but none of the journal entries or anything talk about things during the Iron Age. Like, literally nothing. No historical documents, no journals, no lists, no letters, nothing. I mean, even historical journals from us normal folk will mention visiting old areas or some kind of lore from a bygone time. There isn¡¯t any of that. It¡¯s like history really began for the Arisen during the Early Middle Ages and everything before that is nonexistent.¡±


    Shaking her head, Huda denied the statement. ¡°That cannot be true. We have items like this, don¡¯t we?¡± She gestured down at the metal book, which had become both a source of wonder and frustration.


    Vigo turned and slowly picked up the piece of paper where he¡¯d drawn the Sumerian language. ¡°But you can¡¯t read it. The only things in this library are from the Early Middle Ages and first-century artifacts you can¡¯t read. There¡¯s a 500-year gap left unaccounted for with no information - and what information we have before that is a mystery.¡±


    The Chosen, despite their long lives, were oblivious to the events of their past as he observed the artifacts.


    Circa 505 AD here.


    490 AD there.


    512 AD is mentioned in a journal over there.


    Before that?


    Nothing. Not even a stray thought.


    The omission of historical information in the records was strikingly precise.


    He shifted his serious gaze towards her. ¡°What happened to you guys that 500 years of history is gone? For people that can live hundreds of years, there ought to be something, but there isn¡¯t. It¡¯s like your race just vanished for five centuries, only to turn up like nothing had happened.¡±


    Huda¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at him, then she glanced down at the metal book, feeling a sense of trepidation that made her stomach knot.


    Licking suddenly dry lips, she intoned, ¡°Political and socioeconomic conflict can result in the lose of a lot of our history. Take the Library of Alexandria, for example. One fire and thousands of years of knowledge were lost. Do I know what happened between this gap in history? No, but one only needs to look at the rest of history to see the strife and disorder at the time of the gap.¡±


    Vigo¡¯s frustration grew as he ran his hand through his hair, realizing he still didn¡¯t have all the puzzle pieces. ¡°But we still have statues and other artifacts for regular human history. for the Arisen, it¡¯s all gone. Something must have gone down. Something big enough to whip the slate clean and for you guys to start-¡±


    A sudden blaring alarm from a hidden speaker interrupted him, causing Huda to shriek in pain as they both covered their ears.


    ¡°Holy¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Vigo grunted as he looked around for where the sound was coming from.


    Huda¡¯s face had turned white as she stood frozen in place, her mouth opening with a fearful gasp as she breathed out, ¡°Imminent attack.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Eight: Modern Ghosts (Part I)

    The plastic bag gave the impression of burning in her pocket, as if it harbored a scorching ember or some sort of charm signaling misfortune.


    Leta found herself monitored the deep shadows cast by the setting sun as they drove past shops and restaurants towards the more historic center of Athens as if she fully expected something to jump out at them.


    The fact that the note existed was disturbing.


    How and when did it end with her?


    She¡¯d had her hands in her pockets just before they¡¯d started the attack on the second den. It must have appeared sometime between then and when she had been pulled from the water.


    But again, how?


    She doubted the nixie had thought of slipping it on her person as it had tried to drown her.


    The name on the note, however, was a telling clue.


    Oletta.


    She could count on one hand the number of people who called her that. One was missing. Another individual was unconscious in the Sect infirmary.


    The third individual happened to be a dark-haired werewolf with a tendency to render ride-share drivers unconscious.


    Tariq.


    The Asshole, as Vigo referred to him.


    Who else would call her that or figure out a way to magically get a note into her pocket?


    She contemplated incinerating the note, disregarding whatever it was that he wanted to tell her.


    ¡®He orchestrated the whole attack and kidnapped mom.¡¯ Leta glowered out the window. The heat of her anger radiated from her core, as if her very skin burned with the intensity of her emotions.


    She felt her cheeks flush with rage at the touch of the note in her pocket.


    Similar to a hot needle in her gut, the thing acted as a constant reminder of every broken bone, every drop of blood that she had shed since she first woke up in the Santorini Hospital.


    ¡®Audacity must have been on-fucking-sale¡¯. Leta ground her teeth, her thumbs running over her long nails with a need to tear the letter to pieces.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that look before.¡± Allister eyed her baleful expression in the rearview. ¡°Last time, you punched the living daylights out of that manticore. What has you so angered, lass?¡±


    She considered right then letting out everything she¡¯d been holding in.


    About the note.


    About the nanites.


    About her frustration that stemmed from her inability to go out and find her mom right now.


    About the gut-wrenching anguish that twisted inside her at the thought of her dad turning into a cannibalistic monster.


    About how she herself was more alien than human by now, the nanites in her body effectively scrubbing away bit by bit what remained of who she once was.


    The memory of Ismene describing how even the Priests were unable to discuss the Atlantian technology among themselves for fear of their nanites self destructing kept her quiet.


    Gada advised her to keep quiet about the nanites to the Chosen, and now Leta understood why.


    The Arisen were protected from accidentally causing harm to themselves in her presence. She had inadvertently become a safe zone, but did that safety extend outside her realm of influence?


    If she told them about the nanites and then went on patrol, would they suddenly explode because they talked about the machines amongst themselves so far from her mantle of security?


    Leta refused to take that chance.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    It proved more prudent to hold back information until she understood her own limits.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She answered, taking a deep breath to get her emotions in check.


    Allister chuckled, ¡°I may not understand the lingo you kids use nowadays, but when a woman says ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯, it never means she¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Both Hayato and Atreus said together.


    Leta snorted at the absurdity of his statement, but she understood how the giant always used good-natured humor to break tension.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Atreus¡¯s tone took on a passive quality as he posed the question as though he were inquiring about her school day.


    ¡°You probably should have asked me that before the manticore.¡± Leta chuckled, pulling her hand out of her pocket and reminding her to focus on the fight ahead of her.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Allister nodded sagely in agreement, ¡°Sometimes I forget that you¡¯re only three or so days into this world.¡±


    Leta pointed out, ¡°Four, really, if you count that first day I woke up. I¡¯d say about seventy-two hours since that nixie in the hospital. To be fair, I was either incapacitated or unconscious for a good part of that.¡±


    Watching the world pass, she reminisced about life before she¡¯d accidentally triggered the system. Her memories of that morning¡¯s briefing or the boat ride out to the site were blurry recollections by now.


    What she did remember was the sun coming up over the Med and how her heart skipped a beat as she dove beneath the waves and the outline of underwater ruins came into sight.


    Those moments felt like a lifetime ago now.


    A life where she¡¯d known the order of things and everything went according to plan.


    Her parents should be waking up now for another day of research and lectures.


    She should be close to wrapping up the last full week at the dig site before heading back home to university.


    Allister¡¯s keen eyes deciphered the subtle shifts in her facial expression. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, lass, I¡¯m sorry. This life we¡¯ve been given ain¡¯t easy, and it always starts in the cruelest of ways.¡±


    Leta sighed. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but words aren¡¯t going to find my mom or fix my dad.¡±


    His lips curved upwards, forming a gentle and regretful smile. ¡°Well, it¡¯s there all the same.¡±


    ¡°Could be worse.¡± Atreus added, his eyes watching the people they passed on the street, ¡°My mother and father were forced to give me up to an occupying regime that made me a child soldier.¡±


    The car was quiet as Leta looked at Atreus in shock.


    ¡°Jezzus.¡± She finally spoke after some time. ¡°Where the hell did that come from?¡±


    Atreus¡¯s lips twitched, hinting at a hidden smile that danced in his eyes. ¡°I thought we were going to be measuring who had the worst Rising.¡±


    Allister chuckled darkly, his eyes full of mischief. ¡°Oh, not me. I¡¯m proud of how I went, never you doubt that. Did I ever tell you Leta of how I first died?¡±


    ¡°Here we go again.¡± Leta heard Hayato mutter under his breath.


    Before she could get a word in otherwise, Allister was already talking, going onto a long-winded explanation of how he¡¯d died.


    ¡°I was one of nine children, and of course my mother had so many bairns to tend to that I naturally found myself gravitating to the wilds for some peace and quiet. I¡¯d come upon an abandoned thief¡¯s hollow one day and told my Da about it. Turns out, the law had finally caught up to the thief, and he¡¯d been hung not long before I¡¯d found his bed. Da sold what goods he didn¡¯t need from the hollow, but I kept the bow and quiver. Practiced in the woods every chance I got and took to it. By the time I was ten, I was the finest shot in the hamlet and was actively helping put food and money on the table for my family as a hunter.


    ¡°I got older my mother was pressing for me to wed a wife, but I was more interested in the wild places than settling down. There was a comely lass in the hamlet named Joanna who fancied me, and I wasn¡¯t apposed to her company-¡±


    ¡°Uh, Al,¡± Leta scrunched her nose up, ¡°No offense, but I don¡¯t need to hear about your teenage escapades in the Medieval Ages.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that old,¡± He retorted with a dramatic hand to his heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a far off assumption.¡± Atreus raised an eyebrow at his second feigned indignation.


    ¡°Criminal, both of you.¡± The giant wagged a finger at them. ¡°Anyway, around the time I was seventeen, the first English Civil War was brewing. Of course, my mother was against it, but many in my Hamlet had been called to service, including me, and my religious upbringing had me believing it was my divine duty to answer the call. Mother tried to get me married quick to keep me from the battlefield, but she had no power against the Convenantists. So I made a promise to my mother and Joanna¡¯s kin: Once the war is over and I return with a proper salary from my service, we¡¯d wed and I¡¯d start working on giving my mother more grandchildren to bounce on her knee.¡±


    Remembering the Bishop¡¯s War in the early 1600s, Leta was astounded by the firsthand history witnessed by these people.


    ¡°Well,¡± she raised an eyebrow, ¡°I take it since you¡¯re here and not dust in a grave that didn¡¯t exactly go as plan.¡±


    ¡°Only promise I ever broke to my mother.¡± Allister shook his head, a bitter smile on his face as if the memory of his pain was still there, even though the sting had faded. ¡°Lucky Royalist got me good with a spear when they managed to get around our outer line. Ran me straight through gut and out the other end. I remember my vision going dark but thinking to myself that I needed to get back home to my family. Suddenly my eyes were filled with a vision of a hunter in the woods stalking prey. When my eyes opened, the sun was just starting to slip beneath the hills and the spear was still in me. Training told me not to take it out, but every movement had burning pain shooting up through me. My shouting got the attention of the soldiers that were tending to the dead.


    ¡°They got me to the healers who removed the spear, stitched me up, and plied me with herbs. By the next day, the bleeding had stopped, and it looked like I¡¯d taken the wound months ago instead of hours. It was there in that blisteringly hot tent that one of the cavalry knights approached my cot. He was himself a Chosen who suspected I had just Risen and brought me into the fold. Made up some excuse to get me out of that tent and eventually got me to the Sect in London. As they say, the rest is history.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Eight: Modern Ghosts (Part II)

    ¡°Wow.¡± Leta exclaimed. The story was fantastical; surely, someone could have made a movie.


    ¡°When it was pronounced in my village that I was one of the fallen, she mourned, but I got the impression she wasn¡¯t exceptionally upset. Remember, she fancied me, but she had a lot of other lads ready to take my place. She ended up marrying my younger brother, Hamish.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They had several kids and lived a relatively normal life for that moment in history. In fact, my fourteen or fifteenth great grandniece is a human rights lawyer for the United Nations. I¡¯m rather proud of that, actually.¡±


    The idea of being alive and youthful while your great-great-great-great grandson was out there living his best life amazed Leta.


    Fed by the history that Allister had experienced, Leta¡¯s curiosity got the better. ¡°So, child soldier?¡± She gave Atreus a cautious look, as if to show she didn¡¯t wish to offend him.


    ¡°That was my situation, yes.¡± Atreus soothed her concern with an even expression, letting her know that he wasn¡¯t offended by her question. ¡°At the time, Greece was under Ottoman control, and it was expected that Greek families would send one son in every five to join the Janissaries. We were made to practice their religion and trained for combat in service to the Sultan. I was taught to fight from a young age, but I never forgot being pulled from my mother¡¯s arms or how they beat my father that night for some ridiculous offense. Eventually, the Janissaries fought back against our masters, and I helped lead my small unit in the rebellion. I fell in battle, and rose as a Chosen, simple as that. We were more isolated in that area, so I continued to lead my men for several more days until a Chosen Merchant stumbled upon our group and brought me to the Sect here in Athens.¡±


    ¡°Have you been here this whole time?¡± Leta blinked, surprised.


    ¡°No,¡± Atreus answered with a shake of his head. ¡°I was eventually moved from Athens to Alexandria in Egypt, then north towards where Norway is today, and then to a small village in modern Canada to run my first Sect. After World War II, I was asked to come back to Athens, and I have been here ever since.¡±


    Leta turned and glanced expectantly at Hayato, who had held his posture during the entire car ride.


    He did not answer for a long moment before responding crisply, ¡°I died on the first of September, 1923, when part of a building collapsed on me during the Great Kanto Earthquake. I was lucky enough to be working inland as an apprentice at that time. If I had been home, I would have been swept out to sea with the rest of my family when the following tsunami struck our village. I was found by a Fisherman who brought me to the Sect in Osaka before being brought to South Africa to train, and then to Argentina. I have been with the Athens Sect since 2004.¡±


    His tone was flat and almost mechanical as he quickly summarized what must have been an extremely painful memory.


    ¡®Well, damn.¡¯ Leta thought to herself, ¡®and here I was feeling sorry for myself for getting stabbed by a rusty piece of alien tech.¡¯


    Hayato gave her a stern look out of the corner of his eye, ¡°Do not feel pity for me, or any of us. We lived. We died. And now we live on with the mission that we have been gifted in exchange for our afterlife.¡±


    ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth?¡± Allister sighed as he pulled the car off the main road and onto a less busy street, ¡°To Rise means you must be one foot in the grave. You¡¯ll always be tied to memories of a time and place that no longer exists.


    ¡°We are but modern ghosts,¡± Atreus remarked, his eyes shifting north towards the Acropolis that could just be seen for a moment between the buildings, ¡°forever part of this existence and yet permanently detached from it, moving through the centuries as everything around you is in a constant state of life, death, and rebirth. Nothing more than shadows of history given flesh and a burning need to smite that which hunts the living.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Allister waved Atreus¡¯s melancholy aura away, ¡°That¡¯s not how I see it. I like to think of it as the Earthly equivalent of the Valhalla warriors. We continue to train and fight the good fight against the monsters that prey on this world until the next great battle with the Blessed. Just a bunch of idiots given a second chance, a weapon, and the general direction of something that needs killing.¡±


    ¡°You know what,¡± Leta tilted her head as she looked between the two of them, ¡°That is probably the most accurate example of your personalities that I ever saw.¡±


    Atreus opened his mouth to protest, then closed it, his face becoming filled with an expression of surprise


    After a brief pause, Allister barked out a laugh that shook the vehicle.


    ¡°Well, bless me,¡± He chuckled as he wiped away a tear, ¡°I think she¡¯s right.¡±


    Leta smirked, the man¡¯s humor infectious. ¡°I guess your afterlife is what you make of it.¡±


    They shared a more comfortable silence, each person lost in their own thoughts as the local shops turned into tourist traps and unnecessarily expensive eateries as they neared their destination.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the National Artifact Museum could be seen ahead.


    The sight of it didn¡¯t fill her with the nervousness and dread she anticipated.


    Instead, she experienced a sense of tranquility and a touch of anticipation, as though someone had enveloped her in a cozy blanket and offered her an energy drink.


    The taste of adrenaline lingered on her tongue, a bitter reminder of the constant danger she faced, had desensitized her to the possibility of pain and suffering.


    ¡°I want you to know something.¡± Leta''s voice remained steady and composed as Allister rolled down the window to swipe a key card for the museum¡¯s private parking area.


    The giant absently called over his shoulder, ¡°What¡¯s that, lass?¡± As the bar across the entrance raised and the vehicle¡¯s tires rolled forward.


    ¡°Once this fight is over,¡± she continued, ¡°and I have the Blade, I¡¯m headed for Mount Parnassus.¡±


    The team¡¯s eyes widened like saucers, and their jaws dropped as her startling words felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over them. Even Hayato was looking at her with wide eyes, questioning her statement.


    Atreus turned in his seat to give her a cold stare. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mount Parnassus is where my mom and the gargoyle were last spotted. I¡¯ll start there and try to pick up the trail.¡± She answered with a conviction that she would succeed.


    ¡°H-How.¡± Allister swallowed, trying to get his words together in a cohesive sentence. ¡°How do you expect to do that? You¡¯ve no ability to track. You¡¯ve no idea what direction they went in from there. Even if you managed to find their nest, you¡¯re talking about a nest of gargoyles that would take at least two Sects to clean out. Also, you donna eve know if your mother¡¯s still alive or no.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m faster than any of you guys,¡± Leta responded evenly, undisturbed by the appalled looks on their faces, ¡°And my ability to absorb means I can get stronger as I go. I can¡¯t explain, but my instinct says to go to the mountain. I am aware that it may not be very logical, but I need to go there. Either I return with her bones or I carry her back, but I need to do this.¡±


    ¡°And what of your father?¡± Atreus cautioned, ¡°Do you think to abandon him with us?¡±


    Leta paused, choosing her words carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out. Maybe Vigo will be able to be my dad¡¯s caretaker as he goes through treatment. Maybe I can get them squared away in a secluded area safe from the Blessed or get medication from Dr. Kudela so he can come with me. I just¡­ I have to see for myself if she¡¯s alive.¡±


    Allister pulled the car around and parallel parked it near the back entrance. At the door, two people dressed in dark collared shirts and jackets, which closely matched the outfits worn by the team, were visible to them.


    ¡®Guards from the other Sect,¡¯ Leta wagered.


    ¡°Do not jump to such a decision so quickly.¡± Atreus advised her, his dark eyes boring into hers, ¡°We shall speak more on this when we return to the Sect. For now, I suggest you steel yourself for the fight ahead. You may be a Queen, but in their eyes you might as well be a toddler swinging her father¡¯s sword. It¡¯s time you showed them why you don¡¯t fuck with Crowns.¡±


    Ismene¡¯s voice echoed in my mind, relaying the instructions with a firm yet sarcastic tone.


    ¡°Everyone loves a show. Make a statement.¡±


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Leta purred to herself, the predator within her rising at the prospect of prey, ¡®I think I can manage that¡¯.

 Chapter Thirty Nine: A Warning And An Entrance (Part I)

    Allister looked at her when the team started to unbuckle their seats, and he frowned upon seeing that she wasn¡¯t doing the same.


    ¡°Is everything well?¡±


    Leta¡¯s lips tightened as she became acutely aware of the note she still had in her pocket.


    The prudent choice would have been to wait and discover the intentions of the Loupgarou when she was in the safety of the Sect. Still, there was an unsettling knot in her stomach, warning her to read it before stepping into the building.


    Maybe it was instinct or impatience.


    Despite the reminder of the impending Vault closure, she felt compelled to read it now, just to be safe.


    Taking a breath, she gave him a brief nod.


    ¡°Would you mind giving me a minute? Just one,¡± she added after seeing the serious look he gave her, ¡°Cross my heart. This isn¡¯t like when I did the upgrade. Just, well, a moment alone. Please.¡±


    Allister turned to Atreus, who responded with a loud exhale through his nose for confirmation.


    ¡°Alright.¡± He grumbled, his expression evident of his displeasure, ¡°We will wait for you outside.¡±


    Leta thanked everyone as they got out of the vehicle. Bonnie happily wagged her tail while Allister opened the door for her to jump down.


    As she took the note from her pocket, she noticed them forming a synchronized circle around the car like bodyguards protecting a royal motorcade.


    Leta¡¯s heart pounded with anticipation as she quickly removed the plastic and unfolded the paper.


    Oletta,


    There is no scenario in my imagination that would make me believe you would trust these words, but I must give you the truth. You do not have to trust me, but I wager that you are perceptive enough to realize that there is something terribly wrong with this whole timeline of events.


    That being said, all I can do is pray you take my words to heart.


    Get out of Athens by any means necessary.


    War is coming, and it comes much faster than anticipated.


    Your Rising has pushed up the timetable for what is to come.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    If you were a true Crown, then maybe. But we both known you are far, far more than a Queen.


    That has put the Crowns and the Royalty on alert.


    A few hours? A few days? I¡¯m not sure, but when it hits, it will hit hard.


    While I have been instructed to either bring you in to the Blessed or kill you, rest assured, I have no intention of either outcome. However, my inaction in the last 24 hours to do either has pushed me from the circle of information that I have previously relied on.


    What I do know is that there are others of my ilk, a Drow and a Witch, who plot something far worse for you.


    You must not let that happen.


    Do not go back to the States. They will expect you to return there. If you are willing to take a leap of faith, go to D¨¹sseldorf. There is a boat docked there that I think you will find interesting, if not entertaining.


    Leave the Mundane with the Chosen, but take your father with you. We will do what we can.


    For both our sakes, please destroy this letter after you read it.


    I will do what I can to keep an eye out for further dangers, but I fear my ability to reach you have now been irreparably compromised.


    Good luck, my lady.


    - Tariq Al-Hashimi


    ¡°The-fucking-nerve.¡± Leta growled as a spark of electricity turned the paper to ash in her fingers.


    ¡®He tries to kill me, gets Adjany thrown off a building, kidnaps my mother, infects my father, and what? Does he really think I¡¯ll set everything aside and listen to someone like him? Oh, sorry! I know I¡¯ve killed and mortally wounded a lot of people you know, but I¡¯m totally not the bad guy here, I promise. Bastard.¡¯


    Irritated, she released a sigh, her head pushing back into the headrest.


    ¡®I can¡¯t trust a word he says,¡¯ she admitted to herself. ¡®He¡¯s done too much damage, and he¡¯s in with the Blessed. It¡¯s like trusting an orca not to go after a seal. He¡¯s a predator, plain and simple.¡¯


    Leta stopped to reflect on what he had said. ¡®But that Drow back at the old tech company had also said something about a war. I thought it was just gallows bravado or the ramblings of a lunatic, but maybe it¡¯s connected?¡¯


    The train of thought raised more questions than it provided answers.


    The Blessed and the Chosen were already attempting to murder one another. How much more of a war could there be?


    Were they simply two opposing sides, engaging in a stick-throwing contest before resorting to using nuclear warheads?


    Leta shook her head. She couldn¡¯t solve any of these issues while sitting in the back of an SUV. Once she had acquired the Blade, she could delve into this further.


    ¡°One thing at a time.¡± She told herself before taking a deep breath and opening the door.


    Atreus, who was standing nearby, heard the door click and instinctively reached for the handle to hold it open for her, acting like a diligent chauffeur.


    Leta briefly glanced at him, reminding herself of the role she had to fulfill.


    Make an impression.


    She had the means to successfully achieve that.


    Seamlessly, she pivoted and strolled forward, moving with the grace and dignity of a duchess, her head held high.


    Eleven years ago, little eight-year-old Leta had walked through this museum with her father and wondered in awe at the ancient statues and the gleam of Agamemnon¡¯s Mask.


    About two weeks ago, an enthusiastic nineteen-year-old Leta entered through the main doors, excited to immerse herself in the history and culture she adored.


    This time, a tall, elegant woman with silver hair and swirling blue eyes walked through the back parking area, flanked by her team.


    A tall, dark-skinned guard signaled their arrival to someone with an earpiece, and a petite woman with brown hair and green eyes emerged from the opened doors.


    In unison, the three of them performed a deep bow.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The woman spoke with an Eastern European accent. ¡°I am Weaver Stefana, Second of General Mic. Please, follow me.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Nine: A Warning And An Entrance (Part II)

    With a small bow of her head, Leta indicated for the woman to go first as they were escorted through the doors and into the Museum¡¯s back halls.


    It looked exactly like she recalled: old linoleum floors and plain walls featuring the usual Greek safety posters. Faded ceiling tiles overhead created a sterile and emotionless atmosphere, in stark contrast to the vibrant and inspiring exhibits in the public areas.


    Leta¡¯s unsettling stare inspected each speck of dust, carrying an air of superiority as if she owned the place.


    Two extra guards were assigned to the entrance of the main elevators, which were responsible for moving the larger exhibit items. Upon Stefana¡¯s arrival, they too bowed and maintained lowered heads until she guided them into the elevator.


    ¡®Is it wrong to like this?¡¯ Leta thought to herself as the doors closed in front of her. That feeling of power - of immediate respect - was a heady sensation.


    It was clear to her how those in positions of power throughout history had developed an insatiable craving for that boundless sensation.


    The subbasement revealed itself as the elevator doors slid open, featuring a long room with doors on all sides and a weathered wooden table in the center.


    When Leta was a child, she remembered this door from a tour of the back halls with her father. According to the friendly guide, the doors led to the old physical records of the exhibits. A wide range of documents, including financial records, meeting minutes, and artifact restoration receipts, were stored here.


    ¡°Things happen, as you know from reading about history.¡± the old volunteer guide had winked at her with all the humor of a doting grandmother. ¡°You might forget a key detail and need to look it up, or something bad has happened and you need to connect the dots to find out why it happened at all. We¡¯re still working on digitizing all of this, so these are still necessary.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The presence of two guards dressed in black by an unmarked door made it evident that there was more than just old records down here.


    As Stefana held the door open, the two guards, a dark-haired woman and a tall blond man, bowed their heads, exposing a closet filled with stacks of old cardboard banker boxes.


    Leta was on the verge of breaking character when she saw it, fully anticipating a lair reminiscent of James Bond, complete with high-tech gadgets.


    Advancing towards the front, the man with blond hair pulled one of the banker boxes forward, causing the bookshelf to shift and uncovering a lengthy concrete hallway that descended gradually.


    ¡®Maybe James Bond does exist,¡¯ Leta mused to herself. ¡®Or Batman. This has some real Bruce Wayne vibes.¡¯


    The cold hallway opened up to a large stone expanse the size of a medium-sized house where around twenty or so people all dressed in the same black attire moved about.


    One side of the room looked like a copy of the War Room back at the Sect, complete with a wall covered in LED TV screens and a hologram display area the size of a dining table.


    The other side of the room could only be described as a sort of barracks. Three rows of metal bunks that looked mighty uncomfortable were folded up flat against the wall next to racks of weapons and armor of various shapes and sizes.


    There were numerous large boxes resembling oversized coolers filled with MREs and other provisions to sustain the small army.


    A massive metal door stood between the barracks and the war room, towering over the entire wall and wide enough to make any New York banker envious. The door was open, revealing that the vault was several feet thick and housing a small metallic work table were some small unrecognizable items rested.


    The room grew quiet as Leta took in her surroundings upon entering. She was unaware that the static had made her long silver hair dance around her like coiling snakes.


    The combination of her eyes¡¯ flickering blue and her overwhelming presence gave her the appearance of a goddess among humans.


    The individuals in the room almost simultaneously knelt on one knee, demonstrating reverence by lowering their heads and quietly uttering ¡°Your Majesty¡±.


    Leta discreetly stole a glance at Allister.


    She interpreted the crinkle around his eyes as a positive response, indicating that she was making the intended impression.


    ¡°Rise.¡± Her command echoed through the room, making the weakest of the group shiver.


    As he stepped forward and bowed his head in greeting, Mic, the leader, was easily recognized in the crowd.


    ¡°Your Majesty. Welcome to the Vault.¡±


    Leta raised a hand to stop him from going further. ¡°You may dispense with the pleasantries, as our time is short. Show me the Blade.¡±

 Chapter Forty: Night Mares (Part I)

    Vigo''s Perspective


    ¡°Go! Go! Go!¡± Huda was shouting as they sprinted through the Sect towards the War Room. Vigo was initially denied access to the sacred space, but a strong Indian woman forcefully ushered him into the room.


    He surveyed the surroundings, taking in the multiple screens, until his gaze fell upon a woman with a mocha complexion, thick, curly hair, and glowing yellow markings on her body.


    She appeared to be unwell. Her golden eyes could barely stay open as if she were struggling to stay conscious and her movements were sluggish and weak.


    She blinked up at Vigo and gave him an exhausted smile, her American accent slurring as she spoke. ¡°Hey, doll. Sorry to dine and dash like this, but we gotta scoot.¡±


    He glanced at the elderly doctor with confusion while she responded with a perplexed shrug, working alongside the dark-haired fire-bender woman to maneuver the strange glowing woman onto a medical gurney.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked, looking around at a lose for words.


    The rest of the room was in a state of rushed panic as a man in armor Vigo remembered being called Koa was going around doing something to an array of televisions and computers, which soon began flickering and sparking.


    Huda pushed past him and headed to the wall on the right that had the armory, where the blacksmith woman was already kitting herself up with a futuristic-looking armor and started equipping herself as well.


    ¡°Kaviah,¡± the blonde woman from earlier that he¡¯d only seen in passing reading about stocks, called from the hologram table, ¡°They¡¯ve tripped our sensors near Parnitha Mola.¡±


    ¡°And the signal?¡± She shouted back across the room as she helped Huda slip a chest armor over her head.


    ¡°Still the same.¡± Samuel grunted as he typed furiously at a hologram keyboard next to the blonde woman. ¡°We¡¯re still picking up comms from the outside, but none of our maydays are going out.¡±


    ¡°How many do we count on the map?¡° Koa barked as the final display monitors shut down.


    ¡°Lots. Maybe a hundred.¡± She blinked wide blue eyes at the screen as the hologram display zoomed out to show a topographical map of the area, with a large cluster of red dots coming at their location from the northwest.


    ¡°Whatever you have to do to get a message out, Sam, do it.¡± Koa called out before pointing a finger at Vigo. ¡°You. Get suited up. Now.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Mate, I-I¡¯m-¡±


    ¡°Can it, Normie!¡± Koa shouted angrily over his shoulder as he caught the crossbow Kaviah the Blacksmith had thrown his way, ¡°You want to live? You kit up like the rest of us.¡±


    The man approached the table and forcefully directed Vigo to the armory where Huda awaited with a chest plate.


    The Scribe and the Blacksmith made quick work of getting him armored and shoving weapons into various holsters throughout his person.


    ¡°Afra, I¡¯ve got it here.¡± The elderly doctor held up a hand to stop the dark-haired woman from helping her. ¡°You go get the other one.¡±


    ¡°You need to scramble the drives,¡± the glowing woman breathed, eyes drooping once again as she fought to stay awake. ¡°We have to abandon ship and make a run for Athens.¡±


    ¡°You just said that the Vault was about to be compromised.¡± Koa frowned at her as an alarm went off.


    ¡°Thirty minutes from reaching the first line of defense!¡± The blonde woman exclaimed, her voice strained with fear.


    ¡°If we stay, we will all be slaughtered. Our best chance is to regroup-¡± The woman with the glowing runes paused, her eyes going wide and vacant for several minutes before she blinked.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Koa pushed.


    ¡°Another Wraith just entered my sphere of reach. It¡¯s¡­¡± She paused as another episode locked her body in place before she pulled out of it, gasping for air.


    ¡°Ismene!¡± Doctor Kudela¡¯s voice was as shrill as the heart monitor beeping wildly.


    Golden eyes stared upward as the woman¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°Oh god.¡± She whispered. ¡°Oh, no. Oh, no. No. No. No. No!¡±


    Each word from her lips became louder and more frantic as Ismene cried out, ¡°We need to go! Now!¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Koa¡¯s harsh words were cut short as Ismene gripped his hand tightly, her wide eyes pleading.


    ¡°The war! It¡¯s starting!¡± Her lips trembled as she cried out. ¡°This isn¡¯t just an attack on our Sect, it¡¯s a full-scale invasion, and they''ve pulled the Mundane world into it! That Witch Elizabeth¡¯s got her fingers in the Costez military and they¡¯re attacking Greece. The entire city is about to be a war zone! Costez attacks Greece, which will let the Blessed be able to move more freely in the carnage when the power and internet surveillance go dark!¡±


    ¡°Twenty-five minutes to first impact of the shields!¡±


    Koa ground his teeth, his cold eyes turning to glance at the hologram of the oncoming army before he looked back at the strange woman.


    ¡°And the Vault?¡±


    Ismene rushed to say, ¡°Their only chance of surviving the attack is if we get out of this bubble these Gremlin¡¯s have over our heads and get word to them.¡±


    Koa¡¯s resolute nod sent a ripple of determination through his body as he started giving orders. ¡°Then that¡¯s what we do. Sam! Scramble the drives; we¡¯re abandoning ship. Kaviah, help Dr. Kudela and Afra get Ismene and the other one into the caravan. Huda, you and the Normie have three minutes to get the archive ledger from the Scriptorium and get to the garage. Let¡¯s move!¡±


    ¡°Move! Move!¡± Huda shoved Vigo towards the door and the pair were once more headed back to the scriptorium, their arms pumping as they raced down the hall and up the stairs.


    ¡°What are we grabbing?¡± Vigo heaved as Huda sped past him.


    ¡°The archive ledger is a recording of the what historical texts have come in and out of the Sect. The Blessed could use the ledger to determine the location of other Sects based on the destinations of the books.¡±


    She didn¡¯t bother putting on gloves as she threw open the doors and sprinted past the rows of priceless artifacts to a small compartment hidden behind a stack of scrolls. Out of the shadows, she pulled a thick but simple leather-bound book and quickly stowed it in a hard shell, backpack-like container made out of the same material as their armor.


    They were turning to leave when Huda shouted, ¡°Grab the mystery box!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The mystery box!¡± Her words echoed behind her as she was already sprinting for the door.

 Chapter Forty: Night Mares (Part II)

    Metal book in hand, Vigo followed her back down the stairs, the metal book a slight weight in his arms as they took the stairs two at a time.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to the books?¡± He asked, nearly out of breath, trying to keep up with the woman.


    ¡°Collateral. Maybe the Blessed will destroy it. Maybe they won¡¯t.¡±


    Vigo felt a pang of sadness at the thought of all that knowledge being lost, but had no item to stop and mourn.


    Huda directed them to an old stable that had been converted into a car garage, where two minibuses were lined up with engines hot. One had the sliding door open as Afra frantically waved them inside.


    The mechanical door whined as Vigo jumped into the vehicle¡¯s open side door. The hearth maiden slammed the door and squeezed into the driver¡¯s seat, with Huda falling into the seat beside her.


    Vigo looked up to see Leta¡¯s father strapped to a medical gurney, his head swiveling around with a look of confusion.


    ¡°Fancy meeting you here, Doctor Black.¡± Vigo gave an awkward salute before bracing himself against the sides of the minibus as the vehicle lurched forward.


    ¡°I¡¯d say the same, lad.¡± Theodore grunted uncomfortably. ¡°But the location is less than ideal.¡±


    ¡°Koa, we¡¯re secure.¡± Huda said into a walkie talkie, his response crackling through the vehicle¡¯s speakers.


    ¡°Roger that, Huda. Let¡¯s move out.¡±


    Making a concerted effort to balance himself between Theodore¡¯s gurney and the door, Vigo succeeded in propelling himself into an unsteady position as the radiant oranges and yellows of the setting sun momentarily obscured their vision.


    Then they were dropping down a steep incline as the two minibuses began to pick up speed down the road.


    ¡°Sam. What¡¯s our status?¡±


    There was a pause before the boy answered. ¡°Our electronics in the Sect have been scrambled. Timers on the small incendiaries are less than two minutes out. Our sensors are still picking up the incoming horde.¡±


    ¡°Did that little boy just say ¡®incendiaries?¡¯¡± Theodore looked around, confused.


    Vigo nearly shouted in shock. ¡°They¡¯re blowing up the monastery!?¡±


    ¡°Evacuation S.O.P.¡± Afra called over her shoulder. ¡°Destroys anything of value technology-wise. Plus, the fire will get the attention of the Mundane authorities, which should hopefully discourage the Blessed from lingering.¡±


    ¡°I think that library was something of value.¡± Vigo snorted before looking down at the metal book still clutched in his grip before nearly losing his footing as the minibus took a hard turn onto a forest road, the hard bumps of tree routes nearly dislodging Theodore¡¯s gurney.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Scribes are human libraries, remember?¡± Huda retorted as she struggled to set up a digital map on the tablet as the vehicle traversed the bumpy road. ¡°I¡¯ve got all that information in my head except whatever is on that mystery box, which is why I needed you to bring it.¡±


    Frowning, Afra turned her head to see the metal book in Vigo¡¯s hand before giving her sister a scowl.


    ¡°You had him bring the mystery box!? Of all the useful things he could have grabbed, you had him take that one?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got a lead on deciphering it!¡± She shouted back as her fingers flew over the tablet. ¡°That thing has been collecting dust on our shelves for centuries and he¡¯s gotten the closest anyone has come to figuring it out.¡±


    Afra¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and her lips formed a tight line, revealing her clear displeasure.


    Away from the monastery, the car violently shook from a distant explosion, reminding Vigo of driving during an earthquake.


    ¡°Incendiaries have gone off-Afra! The horde is splitting.¡± Sam¡¯s voice nearly made them jump as it came over the speakers. ¡°A small group is headed for the Sect, but the rest are headed southeast towards our location.¡±


    ¡°Ismene! How close are we to getting out of range?¡± Koa¡¯s voice was strained as the vehicle in front of them went over a particularly thick root.


    A muffled voice could barely be heard as if they we speaking from a distance, ¡°Ten¡­ It¡¯s about¡­ main road¡­ head north.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Afra! We¡¯re going to hit the main road in a few minutes. You need to turn left. We¡¯re heading north.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell are we going north?!¡± she nearly screeched, ¡°Athens is south!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not headed for the Vault. We¡¯re going to the safe house in Thessaloniki via the E75.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a six-hour drive, not to mention that the roads will most likely get shut down before we even get halfway there.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice, Afra. We have to try,¡± Koa argued back. ¡°The Blessed will closely monitor every port and airstrip within 100 kilometers of Athens. They¡¯ll assume that we¡¯ll make our way to the closest evacuation site out of the country. We have a plane in Thessaloniki at a private airstrip that will get us to safety with the Sect in Sofia, but we have to get out of this bubble first. If we are able to reach the E75, we can escape the bubble and send a warning back to Atreus.¡±


    Afra huffed but nodded absently, ¡°Roger that. North to E75 headed for Thessaloniki.¡± Then she turned to her sister. ¡°What¡¯s your status?¡±


    ¡°Receiving satellite imaging now.¡± The map on Huda¡¯s tablet began to fill in with more details, including traffic patterns and surveillance cameras. ¡°Still not transmitting out, though.¡± she muttered in annoyance.


    The radio crackled once again. ¡°Shite. Afra!¡± Koa called out, ¡°Ismene¡¯s passed out. We¡¯re on our own now.¡±


    ¡°H-Hey! We got incoming!¡± Sam exclaimed with a fearful tone. ¡°A herd of Night Mares is splitting off. They¡¯re covering the terrain fast. Can¡¯t share the bigger map with you under this bubble, but estimates show they¡¯ll intercept us in five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Afra cursed loudly.


    ¡°What¡¯s a Night Mare?¡± Vigo asked, holding on for dear life as they navigated over a stretch where the road had deteriorated to a patchy mess.


    ¡°Ever heard of the Mares of Diomedes?" Huda threw over her shoulder as she pulled open the glove box, spilling gun parts onto her lap.


    ¡°Normie!¡± Afra turned long enough to give Vigo a hard stare. ¡°Under your feet is a compartment. There¡¯s a waist harness - it looks a lot like what you use for rock climbing or via feratta. Get that on and hook the carabiner into the ¡®oh shit¡¯ handle above your head.¡±


    Vigo looked down to see the compartment¡¯s latch right beneath his feet and scooted to the side to open it.


    There were, in fact, several sets of waist harnesses, as well as multiple crossbows, canister spears like what he¡¯d seen Koa practicing with earlier today, as well as an assault rifle that had been broken down into parts.


    Shocked, he blinked at the weapon before coming back to reality. Living in the adventure capital of the world had prepared him well for getting the harness quickly and effectively.


    ¡°Three minutes!¡± Huda shouted. ¡°I¡¯m picking them up on our maps now.¡±

 Chapter Forty: Night Mares (Part III)

    Afra picked up the walkie talkie and shouted into the microphone. ¡°Koa! Boggies are in range. Be ready.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Afra.¡± came the affirmative from the vehicle in front of them.


    She put the walkie talkie away and called backwards, ¡°Okay, Normie! Grab a crossbow and get those doors open! You¡¯re firing at the Night Mares.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Vigo nearly bit his tongue as the minibus hit an incline at such a speed that when they suddenly leveled out, the car flew a few centimeters from the ground.


    ¡°Your friend is strapped in and I need Huda up front for navigation. You¡¯ve got to open those doors and take out as many Night Mares as you can before they get in range to attack.¡±


    ¡°One minute! On our left!¡±


    Vigo¡¯s head snapped to the side to see what looked like a stampede of a dozen or so horse larger than any he¡¯d seen before cresting over a hill, their eyes glowing an ominous green that could be seen even from this distance through the trees.


    Afra¡¯s call of ¡°hurry up¡± pushed Vigo to crawl towards the back of the minibus, shaky fingers gripping the back latch.


    The loud click of the lock was followed by a sudden ¡®whoosh¡¯ of air as the doors flew open, the sudden wind pulling at their hair and anything loose, like tiny fingers trying to drag them out.


    Vigo blinked several times against the sudden dryness, only to scream as the stampede reached the road meters away.


    They truly were the stuff of nightmares.


    Their bodies were somewhat close to equestrian in general shape, with long necks and horse like skulls and chests. However, instead of hooves, their feet ended in dragon-like paws that tour up the ground beneath them in a spray of dirt. A monstrous mouth that stretched from just under one eye to the other, leaving a gaping maw full of thick canines and a throat that glowed green with flames as the creature let out an unnatural sound that was more beastly growl than horse-like groan.


    The herd was a dozen strong, making the noise of their reptilian paws cutting up the dirt ground sound like an oncoming avalanche.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Vigo''s fear-filled scream was nearly drowned out by the wind as he fell onto his rump in shock.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Shoot them! Shoot!¡±


    Vigo didn¡¯t know if it was Huda or Afra that called at him, but he found himself scrambling to pickup up the crossbow and took wild aim.


    His first few shots were too high, and he had to reload the crossbow, his finger slipping slightly on the string with nervousness.


    ¡°Give it here, son.¡± Theodore shouted over the roar of whipping wind, ¡°I¡¯ll load. You shoot.¡±


    Vigo didn¡¯t hesitate to throw the man on the gurney with the spent weapon and quiver of bolts as reached for one of the other weapons.


    ¡°Hold them back! Huda! Speed it up!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hurrying!¡± Huda hissed as her deft fingers worked to assemble the weapon, a feat that was made extremely difficult due to the rough and uneven terrain.


    By the time Vigo had the second crossbow up, the Night Mares were practically on top of them. If he leaned out of the back door, he could reach out and get his fingers bitten off. They were so close. The bray of the lead creature was like two boulders hurtling into each other as its mouth opened wide, baring its thick teeth.


    Vigo braced his feet against the side of the gurney and the vehicle as he fired once more, focusing all of his efforts on that one in the front that seemed as if it were about to jump into the minibus with them.


    His first bolt grazed the top of its skull and sailed off into the trees, but the second and third ones lodged deep into its neck.


    Its shriek of pain echoed through the forest as the fourth bolt managed to wedge itself deep between cervical muscle until it hit something important, hissing spittle flying from its mouth as it lost its footing.


    It toppled into the dirt, its body twisting grotesquely from its momentum before being further trampled by the Night Mares behind it, who continued to stampede forward with the single-mindedness of rabid dogs presented with a feast.


    ¡°Here!¡±


    Vigo switched his empty crossbow with a freshly loaded one from Theodore and began firing once again into the bellowing horde.


    Between reloads, he¡¯d been able to hit five of the creatures but only managed to kill three when Samuel¡¯s voice came over the speakers. ¡°We¡¯re about to hit the main road! Hard left!¡±


    Afra shouted behind her to the two humans in the back of the minibus, ¡°Brace yourselves! We¡¯re coming in hot!¡±


    Vigo didn¡¯t have time to react when suddenly it felt like the force of gravity had shifted to the right side of the minibus, the crossbow slipping from his fingers as he was flung into the vehicle¡¯s side door.


    He was screaming for dear life as his feet left the ground, his fingers white-knuckling the line connecting him to the roof handle, his literal life line keeping him from ejecting out the back door.


    The smell of the tires burning as the brakes miraculously kept the vehicle in motion and not careening into a tree.


    The Night Mares were agile on their feet and continued their break-neck pace, the deceleration of the minibus as they turned, allowing them to catch up. The vehicle hadn¡¯t had a chance to straighten out yet when a scaly, vaguely horse-like shaped head lunged forward, its wide mouth nearly taking a bite out of Vigo¡¯s kicking feet.


    Vigo wasn¡¯t proud about the shrills scream of ¡°Oh, fuck!¡± that came out of him, but had little time for anything else as he wildly scrambled further into the vehicles interior as the creature¡¯s long neck stretched forward, the green flames in its mouth intensifying as if in anticipation of a meal.

 Chapter Forty: Night Mares (Part IV)

    A hand on his shoulder nearly had him jumping out of his skin as Huda grabbed his shirt and nearly flung him backwards as she pushed forward with a determined stare.


    In her hand was an almost futuristic looking weapon that was clearly a firearm of some type based on the way she held it and the obvious barrel that promised whatever shot out of it would quickly make any bad guys weigh a lot less.


    It was evident from her quick and efficient actions that she was very familiar with the weapon as she loaded the magazine and took aim.


    The Night Mare¡¯s snapping maw was in arm¡¯s reach when she pulled the trigger. The scent of steel and blood was so strong that its sharp flavor remained on their tongues. Vigo was not prepared for the devastation the compact but powerful weapon created.


    Neither were the Night Mares, for that matter.


    The last thing the snapping creature saw of this world was the darkened barrel of the gun and the fierce look in Huda¡¯s eyes as she bared her white teeth before a spray of bullets tore past its scales and through its skull.


    Vigo covered his ears, his shouted expletive drowned out by the rapid ¡®tat-tat-tat¡¯ of the weapon and the screams of the Night Mares as they were mowed down. The ones in the back attempted to dig their clawed paws into the pavement, trying to slow down and maybe gallop out of the direct path of the projectiles, but it was futile.


    Huda made a sweeping motion back and forth, initially causing chaos among the stampede before targeting the stragglers.


    The gun kicked in short bursts as she peppered them with 28 milometer long rounds, the ammunition powerful enough that large chunks of flesh, muscle, and bone went flying before the creatures ever had a chance to protest.


    At last, the final Night Mare brayed in anguish like a predator mourning the loss of its prey before the creature¡¯s legs gave underneath them and it rolled onto pavement, its monstrous body becoming a smaller and smaller speck as the minibus sped away.


    Vigo looked back at Huda in shock, his ears still ringing and his voice too loud as he shouted, ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    Huda looked down at the firearm in her hands, as if to ensure that he was talking about her gun.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°FN-P90 sub-machine gun.¡± She replied matter-of-fact, ¡°A lot of Blessed have thick enough skin that guns won¡¯t penetrate, but Night Mares are not one of them. Those scales are more for intimidation than defense.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell did you tell me to use the crossbow if you had that?¡± He huffed incredulously, the energy keeping him upright during the encounter seeming to have left him.


    Huda raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were well versed in assembling a sub-machine gun while under pressure. My apologies.¡±


    Afra chanced a quick look back to ensure that everyone was accounted for before grabbing the walkie-talkie, ¡°10-26 with the Night Mares. What¡¯s the status of the rest of the crew?¡±


    ¡°Blessed are about to breech the Sect,¡± Koa answered, ¡°But the fire is preventing them from doing a full assault. We¡¯ve got a group breaking off hoping to out-flank us, but we¡¯ve got such a speed advantage that they won¡¯t intercept us.¡±


    ¡°Fabulous.¡± Afra let out a relieved sigh before clicking the walkie-talkie back on, ¡°How much longer till we¡¯re out of the bubble?¡±


    There was a slight crackling on the other side of the line before Samuel¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Another few kilometers. Messages from Allister show they made it to the Vault, but I¡¯m still unable to send anything back.¡±


    Another shuffling on the other side before Koa spoke, ¡°Continue the course. Keep your eyes peeled for anything back there.¡±


    ¡°10-4, boss.¡± She put the walkie-talkie back as Huda hobbled past a gobsmacked Vigo and squeezed into the passenger seat. Disassembling the firearm she¡¯d used looked like second nature to her, and was completed much faster than when the minibus had been rattling wildly over the rough dirt road.


    ¡°What the actual hell¡­¡± Vigo breathed, then grunted as the minibus hit a shallow hole in the road and he found himself scrambling to grip the line, tethering him to the vehicle.


    ¡°Steady, son.¡± Theodore gripped the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you able to shut the doors?¡±


    ¡°U-Uh.¡± He blinked a few times as if his brain was having a hard time processing spoken words. ¡°Yeah. Um, yeah. Hold on.¡±


    The sudden quiet in the vehicle after he scooted forward on his knees and pulled the doors closed was almost painful, as everyone had a moment to take a breath.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Theodore broke the silence, ¡°The Mares of Diomedes were¡­ dragons?¡±


    Vigo¡¯s chuckle was rough as he tried to steady his drumming heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m realizing a lot of the descriptions in the myths were off.¡± He shook his head before leaning against the side of the minibus. ¡°This whole thing is messed up.¡±


    Theodore sighed, his expression showing that he was just as surprised at the situation, before handing the crossbow he¡¯d been loading to Vigo, who put it back in the floor compartment.


    ¡°Well, son. We¡¯ve apparently got some time on our hands, but we¡¯ll need to stay vigilant. It sounds like we¡¯re not out of the woods yet. Both literally and physically.¡±


    Vigo nodded, his eyes roaming the thing brush around them as if he fully expected another monster to jump out at them. ¡°That about sums it up.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Theodore clapped his hands. ¡°It¡¯s never good to stew on things. The lovely doctor back there said I¡¯d been out for almost a full 24 hours, and by the looks of things, a lot has happened. Get me up to speed and tell me what¡¯s going on. Oh! And do you happen to have any crisps or anything on you? I woke up absolutely famished.¡±

 Chapter Forty One: Contract To Duel (Part I)

    The Blade didn¡¯t appear remarkable at first sight.


    It was about the length of her body from chin to toe, and looked like a cylinder-shaped rod made of stone encrusted with patches of barnacles and long dead coral nubs.


    Most people would have assumed that they had dragged a random but interestingly shaped rock from the ocean and stuck it with a bunch of other interestingly shaped artifacts.


    But to the Arisen, it clearly signified a greater purpose.


    For the Chosen in the room, it evoked an unfounded sense of discomfort, like feeling a ghost¡¯s presence in the room but unable to see it.


    For Leta, it practically vibrated with an aura of dangerous potential, like standing too close to a live wire. A strange buzzing humming grew louder as she stepped further and further into the Vault, as if the rock and sediment were barely able to contain the artifact¡¯s power. So close, she noticed a slight wavering disorientation in the air around the Blade like a mirage in the desert or the cheesy holograms of her childhood.


    Despite its aura of danger, Leta¡¯s curiosity outweighed her fear. Perhaps because she was much less human now than a few days ago. It might have been nearly dying multiple times.


    Either way, she found her head tilting to the side as De Mar ushered her into the Vault to examine the Blade, her blue eyes carefully studying it with the curiosity of a tiger examining a shark.


    It was evident to her that someone, most likely De Mar, had removed a few coin-sized pieces of the hardened sediment to uncover dark silver metal underneath, but had not made significant progress in restoring the weapon.


    ¡°It¡¯s a difficult process,¡± De Mar scratched at his chin, his body language suggesting he was having a hard time grappling with treating her like the college student she¡¯d been when they¡¯d first met and the mythical figure she was now, ¡°Not because we fear damaging the Blade, mind you. We haven¡¯t been able to find a material that can put a dent in it other than another Blade. The sediment encasing it has been exceptionally difficult to pry off, and we don¡¯t have a Mason in the ranks who can remove it. The Istanbul Sect isn¡¯t going to send their Mason just so someone can get a Blade. Until the sediment is removed, it¡¯s useless as a weapon.¡±


    Leta tore her eyes away from the Blade on the table, her expression questioning as she turned to him. ¡°If you¡¯ve been working on it for days, why hasn¡¯t anyone claimed it?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± His eyes darted to Mic, who was watching their exchange from afar with an unreadable expression, ¡°Mic claimed the weapon for John after it was brought up, but the sediment has been hindering John¡¯s ability to effectively tune with the weapon and claim it.¡±


    Leta examined the many faces, noticing their interest what she was doing. ¡°Which one is John?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Tall fellow over my left shoulder.¡± De Mar said quietly without glancing in the man¡¯s direction, ¡°Built like he wrestles bears for fun.¡±


    He stood out clearly, now that she knew who to search for.


    John, as described, stood tall and weighed down with so much muscle she was concerned that if you threw him into a pool, he¡¯d sink right to the bottom. He looked to be in his early thirties, with short brown hair on his head and a close-cut beard. That facial hair, the expression of annoyance, and the way he crossed his arms over his chest reminded her of a back street thug from the Industrial Era.


    ¡°What is he?¡±


    ¡°Miner.¡± De Mar answered quietly, ¡°Miners have incredible strength and endurance, as well as dark vision, and can withstand extreme pressure. However, their biggest strength in a fight is an ability called Tremor Sense. They can detect the slightest variations in frequencies, which allows them to predict what an opponent is about to do before they¡¯ve committed to an attack. They don¡¯t have the ability to shape stone as if it were clay like a Mason, but they can cover parts of their skin in stone to withstand attacks.¡±


    ¡°And he wants the Blade?¡± Leta stated the question as if it were a known fact.


    De Mar nodded. ¡°He has been under Mic¡¯s command for over a century. A Blade is a step up in the ranks as well as an increase to his power output - something that he¡¯s been longing for quite a while.


    She let out a breath through her nose, her lips pursing slightly as she turned back to the Blade.


    Its vibrations seemed to have gotten lower since she had approached, as if it were holding its breath in anticipation.


    ¡®You¡¯re ready for a fight, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ she chuckled to herself. ¡®Kind of silly question to ask a weapon.¡¯


    An odd pull toward this weapon gripped her, something she hadn¡¯t encountered with Blades like Koa¡¯s sword. She could only assume that it was because Koa had already claimed his weapon while this one was yet unspoken for, but it still seemed as if she and the hunk of stone in front of her were like two magnets being held apart, but all the two of them wanted to do was crash into each other.


    Licking her lips, Leta reached out her hand.


    De Mar made a noise to stop her from touching it, but she quickly soothed him, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just getting a sense.¡±


    The group of onlookers hushed their conversations as her palm hovered centimeters above the weapon, the slight mirage distortion around it wavering and wrapping around her fingers as if reaching back out to her.


    [The Host has identified an Atlantian Protector-Commander Class Weapon. Scans indicate this weapon is not attuned to a Host system. Would the Host like to claim this weapon?]


    Leta frowned. ¡®I thought the Blades were impossible to take with all this sediment still on top of it?¡¯


    [This is partially true. Atlantian weapons were highly prized even during Atlantian occupation due to their ability to reform themselves into whatever shape or weapon their wielder desired, in addition to acting as a conduit for the wielder¡¯s abilities. However, in an effort to prevent the temptation to revolt against their masters, the Atlantians engineered the weapons so that they would only be attuned with Atlantian assistance. The Arisen are able to attune the weapons to themselves, but only on the most basic level. In addition, this is a Commander grade weapon. These weapons when in full harmony with its master could morph into various forms based on their desires. As a Protector class weapon, an Atlantian can forge a mental bond with these blades, which Arisen are unable to do.]


    ¡®Mental connection?¡¯


    [Atlantian weapons are made of Atlanite, and have such a high quantity of nanites that they possess a hive mind, though not as sophisticated as a System. These hive minds are able to adapt and adjust themselves to their master as well as record impressions, which can be stored and retrieved by the next wielder.]


    ¡®Damn.¡¯ Leta blinked in surprise. ¡®No wonder this thing feels alive. It basically is.¡¯

 Chapter Forty One: Contract To Duel (Part II)

    [It is not alive in terms of organic composition. To put it in a more simple terminology, it would be like a computer had been left running for thousands of years, waiting for someone to come and use its potential once more.]


    Though Gada described it as a forgotten machine, it felt more human than that.


    In her mind¡¯s eye, she could almost see the shadow of memory, as if the weapon was trying to speak to her the only way it knew how.


    Her eyelids closed as she let the impressions wash over her.


    The minor annoyance of sun-baked sand on her arms.


    The smell of wheat in the field.


    The cool of stone under her feet.


    The taste of beer on her tongue during a harvest festival.


    The sting of sweat in her eyes after hours of training with the very weapon in her hands.


    [Inspection shows that the Head of Palace Security was the last Master of this item and was bestoyed on him by Dr. Pherenike Chilonus, the Atlantian doctor overseeing the creation of the Monarch class.]


    Like the ghost of a whisper, she could almost see a tall bearded man layered in timeworn armor, this sword perfect and whole at his hip as he patrolled the dark halls of an old palace dedicated to his patron.


    ¡°Lady of Secrets¡­¡± Leta whispered.


    De Mar¡¯s sharp inhale broke her concentration. She looked up to see his pensive expression, which had gone slack, and his mouth open in shock.


    ¡°Where did you hear that name?¡± His hoarse whisper was tight, with something closer to shock than fear.


    She swallowed past a suddenly dry throat. ¡°The Blades,¡± she said evenly and loudly enough for those watching to hear, ¡°Contain the memories and impressions of their previous owners. Most Arisen can¡¯t attune themselves to see these memories, but I can. I can almost see him standing guard as he protects a palace temple full of shadows and darkness.¡±


    The crowd watching murmured in surprise at her words, their hushed whispers relaying their shock at this news.


    De Mar exhaled, fearful for what her words meant as he tasted the truth in them. ¡°What else do you see, your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°It was given to him by his master,¡± Leta continued, the words coming naturally as if she knew the man¡¯s history, ¡°Blessed when he took his vow to protect the palace of the Lady of Secrets. He wielded it with pride and honor till the end, never wavering from his duty.¡±


    Simon licked his lips. His expression was one of trepidation and morbid curiosity, like staring at a lion in the wild.


    ¡°This changes a great many things.¡± He said quietly, his eyes slowly drifting down to the weapon with a new sense of trepidation.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Leta snorted. ¡°Yeah, I tend to have that effect on people.¡±


    They stared at the Blade, lost in thought, silence stretched between them.


    ¡°You could take it.¡± De Mar noted absently. ¡°By our laws, you were the first to discover the weapon, and you sacrificed much for it - you died and Rose as an Arisen. If youdecide to take it, you do so with a balanced scale.¡±


    A soft, rueful smile pulled across her face, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    The impressions of the Blade¡¯s fromer owner was still fresh in her mind, but she got the sense that there was more.


    Those warriors before him - charged with protecting the sanctum, preserving the Atlantian race¡¯s genetics.


    Men and women who sacrificed themselves to protect something they didn¡¯t fully understand but did so anyway.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t earned it yet.¡± She responded quietly, taking one last look at the weapon before turning her face up to the Judge with a firm set to her jaw, ¡°This Blade is the legacy of those who came before. Taking it without conquest would be a cowardly mark on this weapons lineage.¡±


    De Mar exhaled. Never had the truth tasted so sweet on his lips and yet so bitter at the same time.


    With a resigned expression, he stood straight before giving her a low, respectful bow. ¡°Understood, your Majesty.¡±


    Leta took a deep breath before turning her back on the weapon and addressing the waiting crowd. ¡°By the laws of the Arisen, this Blade is mine. However, custom dictates that others may challenge me for the right to bear this weapon, and I accept those challenges.¡±


    Another murmur swept through the audience at her willingness to fight, with people exchanging curious and uneasy glances at the thought of challenging a Queen.


    Atreus, Allister, and Hayato stood at the crowd¡¯s edge, their arms crossed, gazes fixed on the unfolding scene, their expressions unreadable.


    Most eyes on the crowd were watching John expectantly, and the man wasted no time stepping forward. His massive fists clenched and his square jaw set as he looked down at her. ¡°I challenge Queen Oletta for the right to bear the blade.¡±


    His thick Cockney accent, a cascade of clipped vowels and rhyming slang, solidified the image of this man as a seasoned denizen of the London underworld.


    Leta¡¯s lips twitched in a smirk. ¡°Fun. Alright, Peaky Blinders, how would you like to do this?¡±


    John¡¯s brow furrowed at her jab, but he looked to De Mar for instruction.


    The Judge stepped forward, his eyes faintly glowing gold as he spoke with a voice that resonated with power. ¡°John Downing has challenged Oletta Black to combat for the right of spoils. All abilities in this duel shall be limited to what abilities are shared between the combatants.¡±


    He extended his arms out with his palms facing up, and John and Leta placed their hands a few centimeters above them. She could feel her hand warming at the energy generated from whatever the professor was doing.


    [Warning! A foreign entity is scanning the Host¡¯s skill software capabilities. Malicious intent not detected.]


    De Mar¡¯s glowing eyes jumped to her, his lips parting ever so slightly, as if truly seeing her for the first time.


    She could see his Adam¡¯s able bob with trepidation, though he quickly lowered his gaze so as not to cause a scene.


    ¡°Good,¡± she thought, ¡°This will reach right person.¡±


    De Mar cleared his throat before speaking again. ¡°The differences in strength between the two of you. The limitations of this fight are as follows. Downing,¡± He addressed her opponent, ¡°You will be bound to only your strength and your tremor sense.¡±


    The grin that split the man¡¯s face was nothing short of vicious and reminded her of a childhood bully she¡¯d once had.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± He gave a slight bow of his head when speaking to her, ¡°you will be bound only to your strength and to your ability to command static electricity. You will not be able to use your storms, lightning, great speed, flight, or ability to command others. You will also be prohibited from draining vitality from Downing during this duel.¡±


    Leta raised an eyebrow at how De Mar had chosen his words, noticing the surprised gazes and slack-jawed expressions of the onlookers. His utterance served as both a declaration of her skill and a caution to others.


    She caught a twitch in John¡¯s eye as De Mar listed off what she was not allowed to do, but he quickly smothered it with a look of confidence.


    De Mar continued. ¡°Your Majesty, as the one being challenged, you have the right to decide what weapons can be used during this duel.¡±

 Chapter Forty One: Contract To Duel (Part III)

    Her head tilted to the side as she stared the behemoth brawler down, meeting his smug sneer with quiet confidence.


    Everyone loves a show, Ismene said. She needed to make an impression, but how?


    By far, her best weapon was the crossbow, but with her opponent¡¯s ability to sense tremors, it would be a useless weapon.


    She considered hand-to-hand for a moment - her static would help to stun the man, but once done, she had no way of forcing him to yield. Koa had shown her how to put someone in a choke hold, but she could barely see the man¡¯s neck under all that muscle. She doubted she¡¯d be effective in getting her arm around his neck without him grabbing her and turning her into roadkill.


    She faced the same problem with quarterstaff - her skill level was at novice rank and she was doubtful she¡¯d be able to defeat him.


    Thinking for a moment, she lifted her chin and said, ¡°Daggers.¡±


    John¡¯s teeth flashed white with approval as some onlookers in the crowd gasped after hearing her choice of weapons.


    ¡°Lass¡­¡± She could hear Allister cautioning her, though they were far apart. His gaze filled with worry as Bonnie let out a little whine of concern at his side.


    ¡°Daggers, your Majesty?¡± De Mar tried to clarify.


    Even he sounded like he was giving her an opening to reconsider and pick something else, but Leta had decided.


    It was easy to see that she didn¡¯t have the same level of brute strength as her opponent. A staff or sword would have been an advantage to the large man, who no doubt would have been able to hack or beat her to a pulp. Using a dagger, which required more focus and precision over power, was something that would further level the play field.


    Despite his powerful physique, she realized that the classes put more limitations on their hosts because of unbalanced stats than perceived strengths. His stamina and power stats were probably through the roof, but she was willing to wager his reflexes and constitution were not up to the same level.


    She could work with that.


    ¡°Yes. Daggers. Two for each of us.¡± She nodded before asking, ¡°Do we need to specify what kind?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± De Mar blinked in surprise a moment before recovering. ¡°No, your Majesty. As long as the weapons are of equal quality and both the same classification of weapon, then it will be equal.¡±


    She smiled, the glow of her eyes flashing in anticipation. ¡°Excellent.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    De Mar gave a subtle shake of his head before turning to John. ¡°Do you find this acceptable?¡±


    ¡°Aye, plenty.¡± The brawler sneered down at her, though his expression faltered when De Mar gave a small shrug and whispered almost to himself, ¡°Your funeral, then.¡±


    The Judge offered his hands out palms up, and the two placed theirs over his just as before.


    ¡°By the laws and customs of our people, I sanction this duel between the Miner, John Downing, and Oletta Black, Lady of Storms. John Downing may only utilize his strength and ability to sense tremors, while Oletta Black may only use her static electricity and strength for the duration of this duel. The duel ends when one opponent becomes incapacitated or otherwise yields. Failure to abide by the laws of the duel shall result in a loss of abilities or life if warranted by the offense. Do you so swear to abide by the terms of this duel?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Leta nodded slowly, looking at John expectantly at his slight hesitation.


    The brawler recovered quickly and nodded as well. ¡°Aye, this is well and good.¡±


    De Mar bowed his head, the glow of his eyes brightening for a moment as Leta experienced a sudden flush of her skin across her arms and face as the muscles in her chest tightened with whatever he was doing.


    [Warning! The Host has entered into a contract with a Judge. Terms of the contract: duel and incapacitate the opponent without the use of skill software save for Gremlin¡¯s Trick and the Host¡¯s enhanced strength. Failure resulting in the Host being incapacitated or using a banned skill during the duration of the contract can result in a loss of skills. The scope of skill software lost is dependent on the severity of the failure.]


    Leta licked her lips, a ball forming in the pit of her stomach now that they had made the contract.


    That little human part of her brain was absolutely freaking out. ¡®What the hell am I doing here? Why am I about to risk my neck for a sword? I don¡¯t know anything about fighting with a sword! My focus is on ancient architecture, not freakin¡¯ weapons! I don¡¯t know the first thing about what to do with a sword other than the pointy end should always face away from you. What the actual fuck?¡¯


    The newer, more dominant part of her brain that had every bone in its body broken and still got back up to melt a Minotaur¡¯s face off grinned at the challenge.


    ¡®Probably for the best to put limits,¡¯ the voice chuckled menacingly from the shadows of her mind, ¡®I¡¯d hate to turn him into a stain on the floor. That would certainly leave a bad impression.¡¯


    Her chin held high, she declared in a firm voice, ¡°I swear,¡± with John echoing her shortly after.


    [Contract complete. Limitations are now being set.]


    Leta did her best not to hiss as her body suddenly felt heavier, her movements sluggish and weak, as if every cell in her body had been weighed down.


    ¡®Jezzus, what the hell was that, Gada?¡¯


    [Judges have the ability to enforce limits of the nanites of others via the conditions of the contracts that are made. In this instance, the Host has agreed to the terms of a contract that limit the Host¡¯s abilities. What the Host is experiencing is a stopgap created in order to prevent the Host from exceeding the limitations set in the agreement and breaking the contract, thus severely crippling the Host¡¯s abilities. Because of the stopgap, the Host is experiencing the physical loss of these skills.]


    ¡®I thought I just had to make a conscious effort not to do certain things. I didn¡¯t realize it was going to be an actual sensation, like I¡¯m running a marathon in full body armor.¡¯ She groaned but resigned herself to the situation.


    There wasn¡¯t any sense in getting upset at this point; she was already in the proverbial ring.

 Chapter Forty Two: Force of Nature (Part I)

    Leta unconsciously flexed her hands as one of Mic¡¯s team and Atreus stepped forward, as if in unison.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your gear but your knives and anything you don¡¯t want with you in the fight, your Majesty,¡± Atreus spoke quietly as John began pulling weapons from his person and passing it to the subordinate.


    Leta followed suit and pulled her crossbow, canister staffs, and boot daggers before handing each item to Atreus.


    She paused over her gauntlets and sighed in disappointment before unhooking the fastenings and placing them into the General¡¯s waiting hands.


    Next, she doffed her leather jacket and shirt to expose her armored chest and arms, her eyes drifting to her opponent. The subordinate¡¯s knees trembled under the weight of the weapons John extracted from what seemed like every conceivable space.


    Brass knuckles, crossbows, daggers, canister staffs, pistols, and even small vials of swirling mist she would bet were smoke bombs. Pulling from behind his back, the man revealed a massive weapon. It looked like a pickaxe but was likely a bludgeoning tool. The thing was so heavy that the assistant grunted and wheezed in pain at its weight as John placed it on top of his overflowing pile.


    He stripped out of his jacket and shirt leisurely, as if to intimidate her with every muscle he exposed.


    If she wasn¡¯t about to fight him, Leta would¡¯ve rolled her eyes at his showboating. She had to admit that he cut a rather foreboding shadow, the armor on his tree trunk-sized arms and burly chest barely able to fit around his muscled frame.


    A throat clearing caught her attention, and she turned to see De Mar brackets forming at the edges of his mouth as if he were uneasy with the duel.


    ¡°Please present your weapons.¡±


    Leta, with a swift movement, drew her daggers from her vambraces, while John simultaneously unsheathed his from the holsters near his ribs.


    Leta presented two tactical combat knives, while John showed two rather lengthy punch daggers.


    She raised an eyebrow at his choice but realized it made sense.


    The man understood that his strength gave him an edge in the fight; of course, he would pick a blade that worked best in a brawl and was most effective with force behind its stab.


    De Mar inspected the weapons for a moment, while Gada informed her that he was using one of his skills to check that the blades were in proper order and not coated in poison or any other trickery.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He gave a satisfied nod and withdrew. ¡°I have verified that the chosen weapons for this duel are of equal quality and have not been tampered with. We are ready to begin.¡±


    ¡°Good luck, Leta.¡± She heard Atreus whisper as he stepped to the side and was absorbed by the crowd. The poor assistant took a few minutes to hobble away, and the weapons clinked and groaned in his grasp.


    She and John held each other¡¯s gaze for a moment as if daring the other to back out before the two turned and stepped apart, their weapons gripped tightly as they faced each other.


    Her heart was beating wildly with anticipation and a healthy dose of something that was more concern or nervousness than fear.


    Some little part of her was scared still, like a rabbit hiding in the brush waiting for a predator to spot it whimpered at the knowledge that there was a very real possibility that she was going to be beaten within an inch of her life.


    But over shadowing all that was beast baying for a fight.


    Her excitement for the duel outweighed any nervousness - her body count today alone was too high for anything else.


    She focused on the steady rhythm of her own breath, the fear in her mind fading to a quiet whisper, like a distant star¡¯s faint glow against the silent void.


    She reminded herself that pain was to be expected. She fully anticipated to have her bones broken and her blood spilled in the next few minutes.


    As she exhaled, she remembered a quote from one of her favorite books that gave her some peace and clarity as she faced off against her opponent.


    ¡®I will permit this fear to pass through me and over me, and where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.¡¯


    ¡°Witnesses, be advised. This duel has no physical boundaries. To witness is to accept the risk that you may be wounded during their struggle.¡± De Mar¡¯s voice was deep as he cautioned the onlookers.


    Leta dipped her head as she tightened her grip on weapons, feeling strangely at peace despite her heart sending adrenaline rushing through her veins.


    Her swirling eyes flared, blue flashes in their depths like a storm caught in a void as her resolve manifested within her.


    ¡°On my mark, the duel shall begin.¡± De Mar raised his palm as a hush fell over the crowd.


    With her arms loose and angling herself to present a smaller target, she took a deep breath in before letting it out slowly once more. Simultaneously, John assumed a fighting stance, his lips twisted in a bloodthirsty sneer. She let the electricity rise within, her body buzzing with static, undetectable except for the faint prickling of goosebumps and the way her hair coiled like rousing snakes around her.


    ¡°Only I will remain.¡± She whispered as De Mar brought his arm down.


    ¡°Begin!¡±


    John was a blur of motion as he launched himself forward like a cannonball, immediately barreling forward before De Mar¡¯s axe hand had fully lowered.


    ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Leta sidestepped out of the brawler¡¯s attack and ducked low to dodge the right hook tipped with a spike aimed at her face.


    She saw a knee rising from the corner of her eye, heading straight for her exposed chest at an alarmingly fast pace for something that large.


    John was fast, but Leta¡¯s reflexes were just a bit faster.


    She lunged with her dagger, striking the back of his knee and pulling, using the flat of her blade like a level fulcrum and causing his knee to sail past her nose with only centimeters to spare. His armored legs prevented a cut from the weapon, but the move broke John¡¯s momentum and forced him to spin to the side to keep himself upright.


    ¡®Gotcha!¡¯ Leta bared her teeth as the surprisingly graceful maneuver left John off-balance with only one arm to protect himself from another strike.

 Chapter Forty Two: Force of Nature (Part II)

    Springing forward, she pressed her attack and lashed out with her dagger, aiming for the seam connecting his shoulder armor.


    The tip of the blade made contact with the seam but failed to pierce, the edge sliding off the side of his shoulder armor in a spray of sparks as her static electricity locked the muscles in his arm.


    ¡®Dammit!¡¯ Leta cursed as she rolled away from the stab John tried to deliver at her prone back. She could feel his blade connect with the platting on her back, the force of the blow knocking the breath from her throat.


    Leta could see a slight tremor in his arm as he got his footing underneath him, which caused a wicked smirk to spread across her face.


    She pushed forward, a strange thirst for a carnage fueling her steps as her static electricity increased to the point it was just barely visible.


    It became her saving grace.


    As she¡¯d learned from throwing Koa and the others around the courtyard earlier, there was no true defense when it came to a knife fight - there was either upright or dead. As he advanced to strike her chest, she met him with her knife positioned at her wrist, anticipating his parry.


    In a human fight without armor, his blade would have cut into the inside of her forearm, effectively disabling her arm as the damaged tendons would have made holding her blade a challenge.


    With her body soaked in static, an electric charge traveled up his arm and caused John to let out a painful grunt as his muscles twitched and spasmed.


    Like a ballerina swirling around their partner, Leta used the flat of her blade to circle the limb and push the attack away, ducking low again to slice at his stomach while Koa¡¯s words from their earlier knife sparring rang in her ear.


    ¡°With these kinds of weapons, you want to be constantly be changing levels. Not just distance level from between you and your target, but the vertical distance of your attack. Attack high. Attack low. But don¡¯t get comfortable and attack in the same area. Forget your guard - there is no guard with a dagger. It¡¯s all about flanking.¡±


    Leta leveraged the force of her abdominal blow to lift her blade and aim for his exposed neck, simultaneously using her other blade to parry a further assault.


    Surrounding them, the crowd cheered for every successful hit. An audible ¡°oooh¡± echoed through the room at each close call.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°You got em¡¯!¡± Allister cupped his hands around his mouth to shout over the noise of the onlookers as Bonnie barked encouragement. Even stoic Atreus had found himself enraptured by the fight. One arm crossed over his chest as he traced over the stubble of his jaw in contemplation.


    ¡°Come on, Leta.¡± He breathed, his words lost in the clamor of the crowd as the duel pressed on.


    Leta¡¯s heightened intellect had quickly picked up on the slight tells of John¡¯s fighting style - the way he would take two slight steps forward before lashing out with his left fist or how he would fake a left hook, only follow it up with a swing of his right.


    Her brain was like a super computer as her abnormal mental fortitude and elevated reflexes pushing her thoughts to inhuman speeds. The longer the duel, the faster her mind raced.


    While her mind was operating at an incredible speed, the lack of muscle power prevented her from ending the fight quickly.


    Being able to predict a move was one thing.


    Being able to get your hand up in time to deflect the metal-tipped punch coming at her was another.


    She¡¯d discovered this fact when John¡¯s dagger glanced off her forearm, the strength behind the blow even indirectly was enough to rattle her Atlanite enhanced bones.


    Leta had nearly lost an eyeball when the blade whizzed past her face, a hair¡¯s breadth from impaling her cheekbone.


    Her best chance of surviving and winning this?


    Be just quick enough to dodge his attack and just slippery enough not to end up in his crushing grip.


    If she could land a blow to his face, great, but more likely than not, she¡¯d win this thing by slowly chipping away at his armor until it eventually gave way and left him exposed.


    She was luckier than she had any right to be when she managed to hit the seam of the same shoulder armor that she¡¯d been aiming for earlier. A flash of silver blinded him as the tip of her blade glinted as it tore through the bindings, a thin red line appearing where it sliced into his muscle.


    The sound of his pain filled the air as the steel pierced his flesh, making him react with a defensive lash that forced her to step back and created some distance between them.


    Eyes darting, they scanned their bodies, searching for signs of injury. John held up his arm as the pauldron flopped over on its still connected side like a banana peel, revealing to the onlookers a deep cut the length of a hand across his arm, which dripped hot blood down his limb and onto the floor.


    The crowd became restless at the sight of it as words of surprise and shock echoed in various languages around them.


    ¡°First blood to her Majesty!¡± De Mar called out like an announcer at a wrestling match.


    ¡°At¡¯ a girl!¡± Allister couldn¡¯t help but cheer, his large hands thunderously applauding as he watched her pick herself up and stand in a relaxed but ready fighting position.


    Atreus looked at Mic to see his reaction.


    The other General stood like a silent sentinel, arms crossed over his chest, his features hard and set like granite.


    It was hard to miss what she lacked in weapons mastery, but she made up for it in every other aspect, her sharp mind studying her opponent and quickly adjusting her tactics.


    That notion made Mic cautious about the entire situation.


    John scowled, inspected his damaged armor, removed the damaged plating, and tossed it aside. He wasn¡¯t even breathing hard by then, where Leta¡¯s lungs felt as if they were pulling in double the amount of air.

 Chapter Forty Two: Force of Nature (Part III)

    They checked themselves and made adjustments. It wasn¡¯t exactly a truce, but more of a ¡®pull yourself together while you have a moment¡¯ situation for both combatants.


    As they took a moment, the invigorated crowd jeered and shouted as if they were attending a football match.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Watch his left!¡±


    ¡°Tenner on the Queen! Any takers?¡±


    Never taking her eyes off John, she saw the heckling of the crowd was affecting him more than her blades ever could. His hand shook as he readjusted the straps on his armor - the remnants of her static made his limb tremble, a fact that only made the brawler''s temper rise even further as the momentum of the onlookers pivoted to her instead of himself.


    ¡°She¡¯s a fast one! John can barely keep up.¡±


    ¡°Man hasn¡¯t found his own neck in a century under all that muscle. You think he can find a way to finish her?¡±


    He tightened his vambrace with more force than was probably necessary before brandishing his punch daggers with an angry snarl.


    Leta let out a deep breath and stepped forward, twirling a dagger in one hand as she observed John¡¯s body seem to vibrate from head to toe. A low humming sound like a distant train filled the room as the spectators hushed with the promise of blood.


    Even the growl of rage that slipped between his bared teeth seemed to resonate in his throat as he sprinted towards her.


    ¡°That¡¯s his Tremor Sense! Watch out!¡± Allister shouted, though Leta barely had any time to register what he said before she was trying to deflect John¡¯s coming attack.


    This time, the fight was different.


    She realized that his Tremor Sense acted as a buff for his reflexes, as the skill enabled him to sense every minute twitch of her finger and shuffle of her feet.


    It was like fighting a reflection, if the reflection was an oversized, angry brawler, five times her weight.


    She¡¯d seen synchronized divers less in tune with each other¡¯s movements than John suddenly was.


    By the time she¡¯d even thought to commit to an attack, he had already anticipated it and positioned himself to outmaneuver her.


    Previously, her speed and velocity had made her feel like she¡¯d been in a foot race with someone forced to crawl. Now, she was competing against an Olympic sprinter.


    And she wasn¡¯t doing well.


    Without speed, she was a novice against a pro.


    It was like trying to trick a mirror into moving in the wrong direction.


    Every time she tried to feint in one direction, he was already shifting to bypass it with the precision of an expert.


    Not only that, but he was making slight adjustments as his Tremor Sense predicted her movements coming closer and closer to actually doing grave damage.


    More than once, he managed to just nick her with the tip of his daggers against her armor, the flash of sparks reflecting the concentration and determination to survive in her eyes.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    He was wearing her down like how a wave wears a rock smooth as his seemingly bottomless stamina fueled his fury.


    The murmur of the crowd changed from excited to cheers to cautious whispers as the fight dragged on. Leta could feel a slow strain on her muscles building with each blow deflected, and each jab missed.


    Her speed no longer helped against his ability to predict her moves; all John had to do was drag the duel out until she eventually slipped up.


    From his eyes, she saw he also knew it. His red-cheeked anger from before morphed into a sort of blood thirsty joy that could only be found in those who thrived on brutality.


    She had deprived him of his hundred-year-long ambition.


    The instant he emerged from his grave, he vowed to achieve the position he¡¯d been denied during his lifetime.


    Betrayed by those he trusted, he was murdered before taking the boss position he had worked so hard for. Now, his only chance was that Blade.


    He was owed this weapon - this testament to all that he had over come both in his first life and his second.


    Then she waltzed in and took it from him.


    She was a child among killers and expected to outmatch them.


    The blood lust was clear in his eyes.


    He wanted her to bleed. His desire was for that victory and the weapon that was rightfully his - the Blade that would give him the status he had fought and killed to achieve.


    For him, it was personal.


    And his prize was within arm¡¯s reach.


    It finally happened when Leta tried to feint left and was too slow to dodge. His dagger scraped across her back plating before finding purchase in the seam of her armor, his brute force pushing the blade past to burrow deep between her ribs with the force of a hammer. If her plating hadn¡¯t mostly been in place, she was sure his fist would currently be holding one of her lungs. While her armor had prevented her form being impaled, it had done little to soften the blow of his fist.


    [Host has received piercing damage from Miner-John.]


    [Left lung has been damaged by a foreign object.]


    [Ribs five through seven and all false ribs on the left side have been broken. Rib seven and first false rib have shattered and are compromising left lung.]


    [Host has received bludgeoning damage from Miner-John.]


    [Diaphragm has compromised. Oxygen intake has dropped by 75%]


    Leta gasped, her mouth forming a surprised O, as that singular moment of clarity stretched into an eternity.


    John¡¯s pungent scent of tobacco and leather polish filled her nostrils as he leaned down for a heartbeat to whisper, ¡°Little Queenies should know when they¡¯re done.¡± Before pulling his dagger free and pushing her away.


    [Bleeding is currently in effect.]


    [The Host is stunned.]


    [Stamina, power, reflex, and constitution compromised.]


    A searing hot pain flared up in her side as she took a step backward, only for her legs to give out as she tumbled to the ground right on her injured ribs.


    ¡°Owww.¡± She groaned in pain, before muttering low, ¡°Why is it always the ribs?¡±


    She could hear several onlookers utter shouts of surprise, some of them moving forward as if intending to come to her aid until De Mar held up a hand.


    "None may interfere." The Judge intoned, his glowing eyes fixing the crowd with an unbreakable will.


    When his gaze rested back on Leta in her prone state, his eyes softened slightly, as if he were concerned for her wellbeing despite telling others not to assist her.


    ¡°Get up, lass.¡± Allister¡¯s whisper sounded close. She turned her head back, noticing she¡¯d fallen a couple of meters from the spot where her team was watching the duel.


    Bonnie whined as she pawed at the ground, the beast desperately wishing to come to her and offer comfort.


    Her eyes drifted over Hayato, who hadn¡¯t said a thing or moved from his position since they¡¯d arrived, his eyes as cold and as disapproving as ever.


    She could see a muscle tick in his jaw, the only show of emotion that the assassin could muster.


    Next to him was Atreus. Atreus scowled at her, his hands crossed over his chest. His eyes held hers, a flicker of amusement dancing in their depths as a mischievous smile played at the corners of his lips. ¡°Tik tok, Leta. No time for theatrics.¡±


    [Nanites rerouted for healing.]


    Leta let out a breath as the pain of her wounds began to fade. She blinked, realizing her heart pounded with joy. It was a strange sense of adrenaline-filled happiness - that moment after skydiving or bungee jumping or any manner of dangerous feats when you¡¯ve touched down and you¡¯re laughing because you survived and you didn¡¯t die.


    [Ribs five and six and false ribs two and three have been repaired.]


    [Damage to diaphragm has been repaired.]


    [Stunned effect has been removed.]


    She was alive. She hadn¡¯t died.


    More than that, she wanted to go again.

 Chapter 42: Force of Nature (Part IV)

    By the time Leta had gotten the alert that her diaphragm had been repaired, John had gone over to his cadre of allies, who were all giving him firm slaps on the back and congratulating him.


    He looked back at her with the air of a marathon gold medalist curiously turning to see who come in second place, only to pause when he saw that she wasn¡¯t crying in pain or passed out from the internal damage his blow had caused.


    Instead, she was¡­ snickering?


    A slow chuckle was building in her chest, which, coupled with the blossoming red stain between her plate armor, made her look like a madwoman.


    John glanced at De Mar, then back at her. ¡°Call the duel, Judge. Let this be over.¡±


    ¡°She has not forfeited.¡± Atreus responded coldly, fixing the Miner with a hard stare, ¡°Nor has she been incapacitated. The duel continues.¡±


    John argued back, ¡°She¡¯s been stabbed through and is bleeding out.¡± he pointing a bloody push dagger in her direction, ¡°She¡¯s not fit to continue fighting. She¡¯s out of of this match.¡±


    ¡°How confident are you in that assessment?¡± Allister chuckled menacingly.


    The crowd turned back to Leta with confusion as Leta whipped a tear from her eye.


    ¡°Sorry. Inside joke. You should have been there when I broke every bone in my body being thrown from a car.¡±


    With a pain-filled moan, she rolled to her knees before rising up on shaky feet with a smile.


    ¡°That was a good shot, though.¡± She rotated her arm and was happy to discover her muscles were barely sore by now. ¡°The Minotaur hit harder, but that was still a great hit.¡±


    John looked absolutely puzzled at her words, but she paid him no mind. She tuned back to Atreus and held up her left side, where a gap in the armor seam was visible.


    ¡°Can you help take this off?¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    She didn¡¯t miss the smirk on his face this time as Atreus gave her a slight bow. ¡°Of course, your Majesty.¡±


    He stepped forward and expertly pried the two sides of the chest armor off her. Without a base to latch onto, her shoulder pauldrons were removed as well, until her only form of upper body protection was the sports bra and tank top she¡¯d been wearing earlier.


    There was an unmistakable dark stain on her grey shirt, but it was dry and crusty, as if she¡¯d been stabbed hours ago and not moments.


    Absently, Leta pinched the fabric and pulled it up, revealing her toned abdominal muscle until the stab wound a thumb length beneath her sports bra came into view.


    Only¡­ there wasn¡¯t a wound.


    What had once been a deep hole of blood and bone was now a puckered scar that looked as if it was several weeks into recovery. There wasn¡¯t even a bruise to be seen despite how hard she¡¯d been punched.


    The crowd gasped and gawked as they watched the two sides of the wound come together like puckering lips melting into one, the red mass transforming to scar tissue in a moment before that, too, faded until all that was left was smooth skin free of any blemish.


    [Bleeding status has been removed.]


    [Stamina and constitution have returned to normal levels.]


    Bonnie had picked the daggers she¡¯d dropped up and presented them between her teeth, her tail wagging with delight.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± Leta ruffled the wolf¡¯s ears before taking her weapons and gesturing with her head for the wolf to join Allister on the sideline.


    Leta sighed, giving a shocked and pale-faced John an almost apologetic smile. ¡°I was starting to like this shirt, too. Oh, well. Shall we get back to it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Someone in the crowd exclaimed, ¡°He¡¯s screwed.¡±


    John wasn¡¯t as quick to brandish his weapons this time as he was when the duel began. His brows furrowed as his eyes kept flickering down to where he¡¯d stabbed her before, then back up into her swirling blue eyes.


    ¡°I¡­I stuck you.¡± He stammered.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she glanced down at the blood stain on her shirt, ¡°Yeah, you did.¡±


    His mouth opened, then shut before he tried again, but all that he could get past his lips was a shaky, ¡°H-how?¡±


    Leta shrugged. ¡°Honestly? Basically, being close to immortality isn¡¯t as fun as it sounds. I¡¯ve had every bone in my body broken at least once. Some twice. I¡¯ve had my throat nearly torn out. I¡¯ve been impaled. I¡¯ve almost been drowned by a Nixie. And that¡¯s all in the last few days. It hurts. A lot. But, hey! They say pain is temporary.¡±


    John¡¯s already pale face turned white as she twirled the daggers in her hands and gestured with one tip for him to come forward, something he didn¡¯t do immediately.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that bravado from earlier?¡± She asked innocently, batting her eyes like a child asking why the sky was blue. ¡°I¡¯d really been looking forward to this.¡±


    ¡®Fear my potential.¡¯ The rage inside her whispered fervently. ¡°You might have stamina, but nothing outlasts eternity. You cannot control nor command a force of nature. I am a storm cloaked in the guise of human flesh, and my victory will not be denied.¡¯

 Chapter Forty Three: Long Live The Queen (Part I)

    John blinked at her several times as he slowly drew his punch daggers back out and moved forward. John¡¯s mouth was set, his brows knitted together in a cautious manner, a stark contrast to his usual sneer, as if he were facing an apparition.


    Bringing his fists up, she watched his body begin to vibrate and hum once more as he engaged his Tremor Sense.


    Leta took a deep breath and ran her tongue over the back of her teeth.


    Letting him get close enough to stab her again so she could return the favor wasn¡¯t exactly a plan.


    ¡®I need leverage.¡¯ But how to get it?


    Her agility was her saving grace before and had made up for her inexperience, but with his Tremor Sense activated, she¡¯d lost that advantage.


    ¡®Can I use the static to augment my speed?¡¯ She paused the question to her hive mind.


    [Negative.] Gada responded, [Static electricity does not provide a consistent or effective means for velocity. Simply creating a spark would not generate enough energy to create a propulsion effect.]


    ¡®So, no thunder feet then.¡¯ She nodded to herself as John and she began to circle each other, both waiting for the other to make a move first.


    ¡®Or is it?¡¯ An idea started to take shape in her mind as she suddenly remembered a device her mother had been forced to wear after an accident at one of her excavation sites. She¡¯d been bedridden for some time, and the device would stimulate her legs with electricity to prevent muscle atrophy.


    ¡®Tremor Sense is able to pick up minute vibrations even in one¡¯s muscles, which is how he¡¯s been accurately predicting my movements. What is muscle vibration if not the flex and flow of electricity between as our muscles contract?¡¯


    Perhaps the key to ending this wasn¡¯t about enhancing her speed, but removing the Tremor Sense advantage he possessed?


    As John¡¯s fist lashed out at her, Leta brought her dagger up to parry while focusing on drawing her static electricity inward and letting the streams of protons and electrons course through her. A shiver went up her spine as she ducked out of the way of his oncoming attack. Though her physical form was accustomed to the surrounding static, having it inside her bouncing around her organs was an off-putting sensation that made her skin pepper with gooseflesh, as if something were literally crawling inside of her.


    Nevertheless, the effect was almost immediate.


    She could see John¡¯s expression shift to confusion as their blades danced around them, their bodies twisting about almost as if they were in a macabre dance.


    Where previously muscle contractions manifested as bright flashes of white and gold in John¡¯s vision, Leta now seemed to him like a being constructed entirely of incandescent light. Every action she took left a trail of echoing static in its wake until he was blind to any action she took.


    She glowed like a sun in a human shape and he instinctively flinched away as the electricity beneath her skin overloaded his Tremor Sense and made his eyes water and ache, disorienting him better than any flash-bang ever could.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    It was the break she¡¯d been waiting for.


    ¡®Now!¡¯ Leta ducked low around his blind jab, pushing his oncoming arm out of the way with her right arm, using the full force of her Atlanite-enhanced forearms while slashing upwards with her left and catching the bottom of John¡¯s chin.


    He let loose an angry hiss as crimson blood misted the surrounding air. His blades instinctively punched downward, but Leta had already twisted out of his attack lines. Like a coiling snake, she danced low and to the side of his staggering figure, her reverse-gripped daggers sliced through the seams of his armor just behind his knees and into his tendons before spinning around to his other side.


    John cursed between gritted teeth as his legs gave way under him. He caught himself with his hand as he wildly slashed about, one squinting eye trying to glimpse her through the haze her static had rendered his Tremor Sense, but she was already at his back.


    Flipping her dagger back into a hammer grip with her right hand, she slipped it between his ribs and slashing arm to slice through the seam at his armpit, landing the crucial blow she¡¯d been hoping for.


    The artery she¡¯d targeted was severed, blood pouring out in a torrent. John¡¯s cry of pain resembled that of a wounded animal as he fell to the ground, desperately trying to hold the wound together by pressing his arm to his rib.


    The brawler was full of piss and vinegar from before was gone. Only a mass of shivering flesh and useless limbs bleeding out onto the cold stone floor remained.


    A hush had fallen over the crowd as they¡¯d witnessed the white-haired beauty heal herself, then quickly and effectively take down one of the strongest among them, their mouths hanging open as they witnessed her with equal parts fear and awe.


    Leta paid them no mind and let her static return to its regular movement encompassing her body.


    There was no reason to keep it contained.


    His wide eyes and chattering lips made it clear the fight was over.


    ¡°John Downing, do you yield?¡± Leta spoke slowly and evenly, as if she were physically holding his face so that he couldn¡¯t look away.


    He took three gasping breaths like a fish out of water as blood collected around him, his wide eyes staring up at her as if he saw death itself before giving her a shaky but firm nod.


    Her blue eyes darted up to De Mar, who looked to be just as shocked as the rest of the onlookers.


    ¡°He yields.¡± She announced, ¡°Call the duel, De Mar.¡±


    Snapping out of his daze, the Judge pointed a flat hand at her. ¡°Her Majesty, Oletta Black is the victor.¡±


    The terms of the contract have been fulfilled. Limitations are now removed.]


    Leta breathed a sigh of relief as her muted senses returned to normal. For a moment, she closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of her restored skills, as if her limitations were unnatural.


    As her eyes opened, her swirling gaze turned to two of John¡¯s Sect, the dark-haired lackey from earlier and a young man that looked to be her age, approaching with lowered heads as if to retrieve their fallen comrade or offer medical attention.


    ¡°Hold.¡± Leta raised her hand, and the pair froze mid-stride, their cautious gazes looking up at her through the fringe of their eyelashes.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the young man broached, ¡°A major artery in John¡¯s arm has been severed, which is bleeding at an extreme rate and compromising his ability to breathe. If he does not receive medical attention soon, he can bleed to death before his Arisen healing can be effective. I am a healer. Please, let me help him.¡±


    Leta gave him a sad smile.


    This boy-doctor looked like he wasn¡¯t old enough to order a beer back in America, yet he didn¡¯t hesitate when faced with a much larger man bleeding out in front of him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± She said calmly before kneeling down to look at John, who was truly in danger of passing out from blood loss at this point. The crimson tide of blood, once a torrent, now trickled slowly, but its red path was creeping closer to her dust-caked boots.


    With her hand resting on his head, she held his gaze as power welled in her chest, and her static formed a corona of light behind her head like a celestial being.


    ¡°I Command you to heal, John Downing.¡± The words that rumbled from her throat were raw and layered as if a hundred voices were speaking through her.


    Snaps of electricity crackled the air as her Command seeped into his pores, a slight moan pushing from between his gritted teeth as his body forced itself to comply.


    His arms and legs twitched involuntarily as nerve endings and blood vessels that had been severed before reconnected.


    After several moments, John took a deep, calm breath as Leta felt her body tense to imitate the command she¡¯d given.

 Chapter Forty Three: Long Live The Queen (Part II)

    [The Host is experiencing Nanite fatigue. Power and reflex output are temporarily reduced by 25% for the next twenty minutes.]


    ¡®A much better outcome than the last Command. The backlash really scales with what you¡¯re doing.¡¯ She mused to herself, trying to rise into a standing position without letting people see her legs shaking.


    A furry head tickled her arm. Leta looked down to see Bonnie pushing into her side to offer support, her expressive eyes looking up at her as if to offer comfort and assistance.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± She breathed shakily as she put one hand on the wolf¡¯s neck and hoisted herself up on her feet as gracefully as possible.


    Freed from the limitations of the duel, the sparks of lightning and energy floated above her head like a halo to tangle in her white locks and over her shoulders.


    With her swirling blue eyes glowing as if lit by the hottest of fires and her regal stature, she looked like a celestial being made flesh, here to bless those that pleased her and condemn those that brought her ire.


    Her eyes caught John¡¯s bewildered stare as he poked and prodded his previously injured arm and legs.


    ¡°Bloody hell¡­¡± He breathed as he ran a finger over his shoulder, only to pause and look at his hand as if seeing it for the first time. ¡°My scars are gone.¡±


    Leta winced. ¡°Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t specify to only heal your current injuries.¡±


    John was suddenly bursting with energy as he tore off his chest armor and ripped open his button shirt in a flurry of movement as if he were frantically looking for something.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone!¡± he hooted in excitement, his mouth splitting into a wide, joyous grin as he placed a hand over smooth skin. ¡°Gods above, the brand they stuck me with is gone!¡±


    Leta¡¯s eyes shot up to Mic with a questioning gaze that was both disapproving and curious.


    ¡°Not I.¡± He shook his head, ¡°From before his Rising. He was part of a London fighting gang. When he displeased a boss, they branded him and took away his authority, making him just another soldier.¡±


    ¡®That explains why he was so hung up on elevating his station in the Sect.¡¯ Leta thought to herself before movement drew her back to the present.


    John had pulled himself up to one knee and was kneeling in front of her with his head bowed.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°There is not a word in any language that can express my thanks to you, your Majesty. Both for my life and removing the physical marks that bound me to a time long gone. I have already pledged my service to the Crowns, but to you, I hold above all others. Should you call on me, I will answer.¡±


    In the audience, several people put one fist over their heart and lowered their heads as hushed words such as ¡®Long live the Queen¡¯ and ¡®So shall it be¡¯ echoed around the room.


    Confused about what to do or how to act, Leta looked to Atreus and the team for help.


    Allister was giving her an enthusiastic thumbs-up while Atreus was slowly shaking his head no.


    ¡®Very helpful.¡¯ Leta exhaled before turning to the still kneeling man in front of her. ¡®What would the Queen have said in this situation?¡¯


    ¡°Your skills are remarkable.¡± She spoke in an even but firm voice. ¡°If it was anyone else, you would have been victorious. I think we both learned our lesson, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    John raised his head slightly to look up at her with a perplex expression, which only grew when he saw her smirk of amusement.


    ¡°You learned never to go a Queen, even in her infancy.¡± She chuckled, ¡°And I learned this armor won¡¯t protect me from a punch dagger to the rib. That stung.¡±


    At her wince of mock pain, John¡¯s face broke out in a wide grin.


    Leta shook her head ruefully as she slapped his shoulder. ¡°Get up. I¡¯m not some delicate princess that needs people bowing and scrapping.¡±


    He did just that, his large frame towering over her, though his sheepish expression hinted that he wasn¡¯t exactly comfortable with addressing her so casually.


    ¡°Thank you for your¡­ understanding, your Majesty.¡± He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, ¡°I was fully expecting you to finish me off. The duel doesn¡¯t exactly have a clause explicitly stating ¡®no ¡¯¡¯, and it¡¯s never good to have an enemy at your back.¡±


    ¡°If someone tries to jump me from behind, they¡¯ll accidentally get tasered.¡± Leta raised an eyebrow. ¡°I think I¡¯m covered on that front.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Majesty.¡± De Mar¡¯s voice broke through the banter and drew Leta¡¯s attention to the Judge who motioned with one arm towards the Blade. ¡°Time grows short. The Vault will close in the next thirty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Always cutting it close.¡± Leta sighed and stepped forward.


    The crowd whispered as they followed behind her like moths to a flame as if in expectation of a miracle or another impossible display of magic.


    Though they pressed forward in anticipation of something monumental, none stepped over the Vault¡¯s threshold, leaving only De Mar and her in the space.


    The hum of the weapon seemed to resonate even louder in her ears, as if it knew she was close by and was calling out.


    De Mar looked down at the Blade with a frown of confusion, his amber eyes roaming from one end to another as it to discover some hidden secret.


    ¡°I can hear it.¡± He said slowly, drawing out each word as if he didn¡¯t quite believe what he was saying. ¡°I have been present for a handful of , but never have I heard a Blade make such a noise.¡±


    Leta gave a halfhearted shrug. ¡°Just add it to the growing list of things going off the rails in my presence.¡±


    Swallowing past a suddenly dry throat, she gently raised a hand and placed it over the weapon, her fingers wrapping around the rough stone and ancient barnacles as the vibration seemed to snake its way from the pads of her fingers to her elbow and up to her shoulder.


    It was as if her vision narrowed, focusing solely on the Blade.


    ¡®Gada?¡¯


    [Does the Host wish to imprint on this Protector-Commander Class Weapon? Yes/No?]


    [The Host has selected Yes.]


    [Standby for imprint.]

 Chapter Forty Four: Barzal (Part I)

    A tingling sensation like static electricity danced up her arms, making the hair there stand at attention. A moment later, Leta gasped as a force not unlike the touch of god itself struck her like a spear from on high. Her back arched as her mouth opened in a silent scream, eyes wide and unblinking as power moved through her form that was barely equipped to handle it.


    De Mar shouted for her in shock, fearing to touch her as crackles of metaphysical power and lightning snapped the air like deadly fireflies around her body.


    All of this was ignored by Leta as her mind was propelled into the darkness of the weapon¡¯s hive mind.


    Colors danced across her vision. Streaks of blues, yellows, pinks, and whites sped past her like a jump to hyper space as seen in an old sci-fi movie until all was white.


    Then, suddenly, it wasn¡¯t.


    As fast and as sudden as a car crash, there was darkness.


    She beheld a true void, a vacuum in space and time. She could not tell if it was hot or cold. She had no way to judge if a roaring loudness had deafened her or if there was truly no sound.


    She couldn¡¯t perceive if she even had a form at all or if she was just a soul lost among nothingness.


    A sudden sense of agoraphobia came crashing through her.


    The vast emptiness made her feel like an untethered astronaut, floating forever lost in the vast emptiness of space.


    She instinctively wanted to scream and lash out, but she had no vocal cords or arms to do so.


    The only thing that kept her grounded and prevented her from going insane with fear was the knowledge that she was who she was. No matter where, when, or what form she took, she was still Leta.


    The knowledge that she was still herself gave her some comfort as she tried to take a deep, steadying breath - even though she had no lungs with which to do so.


    In the void, she sensed two other energies.


    One was by her side, tethered to her by unbreakable forces, and would be with her till the day she died. The energy was a steadfast, unchanging form that was familiar to her and hummed rhythmically with a steady ¡®thump¡­. thump¡­ thump¡¯ like an even heartbeat.


    She easily recognized this presence to be the hive mind of her own nanites, Gada.


    The other was constantly changing.


    One minute it seemed large and almost airy, then it shrunk and brought its great mass together so tightly it was as if it could begin to warp the fabric of reality around it.


    Like water without a vessel to give itself shape, the energy fluxed in and out of itself without reason or pattern in an endless cycle of change.


    This entity hummed and vibrated like a broken tuning fork in an uncoordinated and out of sync confusion.


    In the void, she felt the energy shift with curiosity and frigidness, like a dragon slowly opening one eye to see what had disturbed its slumber.


    ~Who¡­ are¡­ you¡­? ~


    It wasn¡¯t words that echoed slowly in the darkness, but more the echoes of intention, like sensing the body language of someone you couldn¡¯t see but was in the other room.


    Next to Leta¡¯s existence, Gada vibrated in response, [Protector-Commander Class Weapon, your previous master is dead. You have been in stasis for over 4,000 years.]


    The alien energy paused momentarily, almost contemplative.


    ~I¡­am without¡­ a master¡­ adrift in shadow¡­. ~


    Leta observed the void around them. Now that the shock of everything had quieted some, the idea of being trapped in such a place for quite literally thousands of years was probably the most terrifying thing she could imagine.


    Not pain.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Not dying.


    Just nothingness; an endless cycle of unfathomable and intangible existence as you slowly go insane.


    No solitary confinement could compete with something like this, and this thing had been here for eons.


    Though it was a nanite hive-mind, she got the impression that this one was more human-like than her own system. She wondered if its human masters had rubbed off on it because communicated in a very human and expressive way that lacked the mechanical rigidness of Gada.


    ~I desire to serve¡­I desire to¡­ do as I was made to do. ~


    As it spoke, its form began to fluctuate and shift less and less as if the longer it communicated, the more organized its particles began to be.


    And it was turning out to be a massive thing.


    In the void, the hive-mind felt as if it was several times her size and had a compartmentalized mass like a black hole. It felt as if it could easily increase the volume and suck her in, obliterating her very existence.


    She felt like a mouse conversing with a tired lion.


    ~I was made for a purpose. ~ The entity spoke, ~Will I be able to serve my purpose once again? ~


    Gada paused before her energy seemed to take a step back, as if allowing Leta a moment to draw the attention of the great entity before them.


    Its focus shifted to her like the eye of a colossus. Despite everything she had been through, this¡­ thing in front of her was more terrifying than staring down a hungry Minotaur.


    It was like being eye to eye with a sentient black hole that could be the size of galaxies one minute and the size of an atom the next, never loosing its deadly power.


    She was so small compared to something like this.


    Even without form or sense of self, she found her being vibrating in answer and speaking words she had not voiced out loud, not even to herself.


    ¡°I am the Monarch. I am alone. I do not know if the Atlantians have survived, but I am all that remains of the Atlantians on this planet.¡±


    ~Monarch¡­~ The entity seemed to hiss the title as it pulled its terrible mass inward until it had gone from the size of a skyscraper to the size of a baseball. For a moment, she felt a pull on her being as if its smaller mass caused a strong gravitational pull like a planet pulling in a meteor until even that dampened as if humbling itself before its lord.


    ¡°You know what I am?¡± She swallowed past the lump in her throat to ask.


    The entity vibrated in response, but this time it did so in such a way that almost seemed like something else was speaking through it.


    ~For thousands of years, I stood vigil before the Lady of Mysteries and guarded her secrets as she weaved the Godseed in her shadow halls. ~


    As she listened to it communicate, she could almost swear that what was speaking was the Captain of the Guard that she had glimpsed like a memory earlier. It was speaking in long, complete sentences now without the drawn out lulls, like it had finally begun to wake up.


    ~There are moments where I heard her refer to the Godseed as the Monarch - a demigod made with the intention of transcending into godhood, or so the mortals would perceive. ~


    Let felt her existence shiver with this bit of knowledge.


    ¡®The Atlantians called it the Godseed?¡¯ she mused to herself before asking, ¡°Why did they create the Monarch system?¡±


    Its mass shivered for a moment before answering.


    ~I do not know, but I remember my Lady weaved her wonders with a passion that could only be described inspired and yet fearful. It was her great love - more so, it seemed sometimes, than her husband, Doctor Aetes Domine. ~


    Leta blinked in shock. ¡°Pherenike was married to Aetes?¡± She remembered when Gada had given her a history lesson at the very beginning of all this, that Doctor Aetes Domine was the person in charge of the Atlantian colonies.


    ~Correct. Doctor Pherenike Chilonus, the Lady of Mysteries, and Doctor Aetes Domine, the King of Earth and Stars, were a married couple. I have no memories of their story before they arrived on this planet, but both were truly dedicated to their mission and their designated charges. ~


    Leta could feel her existence expand and deflate slightly, as if her soul was exhaling.


    Strangely enough, the knowledge made the Atlantians sound more human.


    Her being turned to the entity to ask, ¡°What was Pherenike¡¯s mission?¡±


    Its vibrations shifted again to the hive mind¡¯s. ~Pherenike¡¯s official role in Project Black Fire was to ensure the stabilization of the planet¡¯s atmosphere and to oversee climate maintenance. Unofficially, Doctor Pherenike was tasked with the development of the Monarch System, which was designed to ensure the survival of the Atlantian genetic composition and structure. ~


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Leta exhaled in shock.


    ¡®It sounded like my system was a secret, even from the other Atlantians. But why?¡¯


    [It is recommended that the Host complete the imprinting process.] Gada interjected. [Prolonged exposure in this state can be dangerous to the Host¡¯s mental and physical health.]


    Leta nodded and addressed the entity. ¡°What was your mission?¡±


    It expanded ever so slightly, as if it were puffing out its chest.


    ~All weapons are designed to act as an extension of the Master and, in turn, the Master¡¯s objective. As a Protector class weapon, my and my Master¡¯s objectives were to guard and protect the Lady of Mysteries. This classification allowed my physical form to change to whatever suited my Master¡¯s needs. As a Commander grade weapon, my design was of a higher quality than others and something that was only given to those tasked with safekeeping the Atlantians. As such, other Atlantian weapons are subservient to my weave and will generally be weak or dull when striking my physical form, unless they are also a Commander grade weapon. ~


    ¡°So, you¡¯re sharper than other weapons and can become whatever you want?¡±


    ~Not what I want. I have no concept of desire, save for a need to protect. My weave requires a Master to be effective, or else I am as you see me here; formless and without consistency. ~

 Chapter Forty Four: Barzal (Part II)

    A swelling of sympathy for the entity came over Leta.


    The Atlantians had built it to serve and protect.


    It had likely seen countless battles, taken countless lives, and led thousands to victory.


    Nevertheless, it had been lost to the sea - probably by intent.


    She glimpsed memories of former Masters who were proud and dedicated to their cause. The last one had left his weapon, an extension of himself, with the life work of the Atlantians, as if to guard it in the afterlife.


    He had literally severed a limb to keep what Doctor Pherenike had cherished safe from whatever would come next.


    ¡°Compared to your previous Master, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m worthy.¡± She said quietly, ¡°But I am in danger. I¡¯ve drawn the attention of others who are prepared to kill me, and they¡¯ve almost been successful several times. They have already taken my mother and injured my father. I know I and those I care for are being hunted, and I wish to make them pay for every tear and drop of blood they have caused.¡±


    When the weapon spoke this time, the vibration resonated like the collective voice of the hive-mind and all previous masters of the Weapon speaking as one entity.


    ~I, as all Weapons are, was created with reverence to the Atlantians and, in turn, to the Godseed. I bow to you now as a servant of the Atlantians and the Godspeed. I am yours to command, Monarch. ~


    The energy continued as it lowered itself in a direction that seemed to be downward as if it were bowing to her.


    ¡°You will allow me to wield you?¡± Leta asked in confirmation.


    ~If that is what you wish, yes. I long for the ring of metal on steel as I defend a great cause. I can think of no greater honor than to be branded by the Godseed herself and to act as her instrument of both retribution and mercy. ~


    Gada¡¯s aura flared behind her, the threads that bound them together quivering as they extended outwards like wisps of silk towards the alien aura.


    Words tumbled out of Leta as if they had been there resting against her soul all along, and yet she¡¯d never spoken them before.


    ¡°Will you vow your loyalty to me? Will you act as an extension of my form and with my intent? Do you swear your form unto my keeping for all time, shaping yourself to my desires and needs? Do you pledge to be strong in my time of great peril and sharp as I exact my vengeance? No other shall give you commands, and should you falter under the pressure of others to point your blade at me, you will become truly lifeless, unable to be wielded forever more?¡±


    ~On every god among the stars and on those that watch behind the veils of the worlds, I swear this unto you, my Master. ~


    [The Host has performed their first Oath Binding.]


    [The Host has gained the skill Oath Binding: Level One. More than any spoken or written contract, the Oath Binding skill allows for a mutual agreement to be made between the Host and another entity. The Host and the counterpart entity must agree to the pact and accept all rewards and punishments associated with the Terms of Agreement. Please note that a reward and punishment must be given in the oath for it to be binding.]


    [At level one, the Host can create minor Oath Bindings, resulting in less severe penalties possible for entities composed of living matter. With non-living matter, such as Atlantian Weapons, oaths are completely binding and can only be removed by those in the Atlantian Judiciary System.]This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Tendrils of power wrapped around the baseball-sized entity before Leta felt something click into place. The wisps that tied her, Gada, and the entity glowed white, resembling a star on the verge of exploding in the void¡¯s darkness.


    Eons of memories flashed through her mind¡¯s eye as the cords which connected them tightened their hold as they sparked and crackled, lightning arched from her to the other entity.


    The object seemed to groan softly as it enlarged from the size of a grapefruit to that of a small house.


    Undeterred by the the size of the thing in front of her and acting on instinct, Leta¡¯s soul grabbed hold of a cord and pulled, dragging the entity to her as she stared up at its large mass.


    Her fear of it had burned away with the binding until all that remained was a calm sense of peace.


    ¡°Who do you serve?¡± She commanded, her town strong and echoing into the void as if to rattle the cosmos.


    ~I serve the Monarch of Earth, ~ It answered with a confidence no computer could muster, ~The True Crown. Queen of Storms. Master of Systems. Heir to the Lady of Mysteries and Atlan herself. ~


    With its last words, the entity suddenly went supernova, its brilliance exploding outward in a dizzying display of power until it had completely consumed the surrounding darkness.


    Colors danced around and through her in the radiance, their tendrils gliding over her like the reverent fingers of the devoted over a prophet.


    Leta gasped as something pulled her consciousness back into her body. In her hands the sword vibrated, glyphs glowing a white-blue under the rock hard sediment.


    The Blade hummed like an angry bee with a tone so loud some of the onlookers winced and covered their ears.


    Clutching tightly, she watched as the ancient weapon¡¯s long-standing filth and grime heated up, releasing a scent of burnt earth into the room as the sediment sizzled and steamed. Around the glowing glyphs, the stone began to turn orange and red as the weapon¡¯s super-heated metal quickly turned the sediment to slag.


    Goblets of liquid mineral dripped off the metal to hiss and burned the metal table until the grim that had coated it was literally burned away.


    In her hand was¡­something.


    It resembled a sword, clean and beautiful, and yet lacking detail. It looked more like an oversized toy than a weapon of war.


    Her eyes fluttered; it felt like something tickled her brain and caused a shiver to run down her spine. She could feel the weapon¡¯s hive mind integrating with Gada - the two separate entities but working in perfect tandem.


    Leta shuddered as the Blade sifted through her memories and stored the echoes within itself among the copies of its other masters.


    Thousands of years of memory flickered before her eyes as the weapon stretched outward in various directions like a cat waking from a map before it began to truly transform.


    It molded itself into various weapons as if it were trying on clothes, changing into one form only long enough for someone to recognize what it was before it was changing again.


    A sword.


    A battle axe.


    A dagger.


    A bow.


    A war hammer.


    A flail.


    A war hammer.


    It was almost dizzying to watch the weapon change shape so quickly until it finally settled on a form that it liked.


    From where she held it firm, the weapon pulled outward in opposite directions to form a pole shaft, one end expanding and sharpening to form a spear¡¯s tip.


    It was nearly seven feet tall from top to bottom and made entirely of a silvery metal with the faintest of blue toned waves running over it like Damascus steel, but in a very uniformed and geometric way that almost looked like circuit boards.


    The spear tip was the length of her forearm and seemed to glow with its sharpness. On the blade just above the transaction, she recognized the Sumerian god star symbol.


    Over the shaft, she could see Atlantian glyphs and geometric shapes that flowed as one with a mesmerizing beauty that was almost hypnotic.


    Leta gazed at the weapon in her hand in awe, catching in the reflection the blue glow of her eyes on the spear tip. For all its mass, it was impossibly light in her hands, no heavier than holding a notebook.


    The weapon hummed with the faintest line of white-blue light that promised to eviscerate anything that stood in its path of destruction.


    And yet, it dulled only when she ran her fingers over the edge of the spear, never willing to harm its Master.


    It was beautiful.


    A kind of weapon that one only heard about in ancient sagas or sacred texts.


    Leta placed the pole end on the ground and held it in a relaxed carry as if it were a quarterstaff, which made a metallic ¡®thump¡¯ against the stone floor.


    Smiling as she beheld the weapon, she whispered to it, ¡°I give you the name¡­Barzal. The White Light Before Dawn.¡±

 Chapter Forty Five: Enemy at the Gate (Part I)

    ~I am Barzal, weapon of the Monarch.~ The spear sighed in her mind, seeming to settle into itself as if it were blowing out a breath.


    ~I am yours to command, my Master.~


    [Imprint complete. Protector-Commander Class Weapon designated ¡®Barzal¡¯ has been fully attuned.]


    [The Host now has access to the memory files of previous weapon Masters. Eleven memory files available.]


    [Available skill software downloadable from memory files: 58]


    [Warning! The Host has reached the four-hour limit of software downloads. Further downloads or excessive stat augmentation may result in damage to the Host.]


    ¡®Damn.¡¯ Leta sighed, holding the spear with two hands, ¡®Well, something for tomorrow, then. I still need to get the nanite ports made.¡¯


    She nearly yelped with the weapon broke into two pieces and flowed up her arms like a living silver blob before crawling over her shoulders and under her t-shirt. The sensation was cold and left goosebumps in its wake as the putty-like Barzal split chilly tendrils that connected to two halves on either side of her body.


    The metal seemed to adjust itself as it settled on her before blessedly warming to her own body temperature.


    ~Reformation complete. Is this an acceptable form for when not in battle?~


    Over her hands were two finger-less gauntlets similar in design to those she¡¯d been wearing earlier but much thinner. So much so that they looked like someone hand-painted her palms and wrists black before covering them with metal plates as thin as paper. They were made of a matte black material that looked almost like fabric in softer sections like her palms.


    Around the edges of the plates were small Atlantian glyphs that proclaimed her titles.


    The Monarch.


    The Atlantian Heir.


    The True Crown.


    Queen of Storms.


    Master of Systems.


    Heir to the Lady of Mysteries and Atlan herself.


    Each of her knuckles was adorned with small black caps, and as she flexed her fingers, the knuckle caps flattened to cover the entire section of her fist that would make an impact.


    The gauntlets were as malleable as linen and light enough not to impede her movements.


    Barzal had also covered the skin on her right elbow and arm with the thin plated armor that was also similar in concept to the Chosen plate armor, but had also encased her shoulder in a plate pauldron. this, too, was made of the matte fabric-like material and plating and edged in Atlantian script.


    Leta paused as she saw something etched over the backs of her hands and on the shoulder pauldron that she didn¡¯t recognize.


    Two bird wings stretched upwards like a bird about to take flight. The pair were connected by a clearly defined halo with beams of light extending downwards. Set between the wings and over the top, the halo was a thin line that looked like a spear tip pointing towards the heavens.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    ~It was customary among the Atlantians to have a personal sigil. I have created this sigil for you based on those used by the doctors and engineers of Project Black Fire from memory files. The wings symbolize the Master¡¯s Atlantian tiles -wings were part of the Atlantian banner as well as a common physical augmentation among the Atlan population.


    The halo and light represent the Master¡¯s right to rule over the Systems of Earth, as the halo is more divine than a mortal crown could ever be. It is also symbolic of you as a person, as your abilities, in an active state, produce an electrical corona around your head.


    Based on data from the Master¡¯s memories as well as memory files of previous Masters, we have determined that the spear would most suit the Master¡¯s fighting ability and make for a suitable standard for royalty, as the spear is often used in place of a scepter for ancient kings and is a symbol of divine retribution.~


    Leta frowned, ¡®I really haven¡¯t done much with using a spear as a weapon outside of my training with Koa. I¡¯m no spear master.¡¯


    ~You are not a spear master yet. As the Monarch, you will undoubtedly be a master of all manner of weaponry in the future. Would you like to change my default weapon design to something else?~The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡®No, not-¡¯


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    Leta¡¯s head popped up as De Mar¡¯s words cut through her mental conversation.


    The Judge had taken a few steps back after she¡¯d started the imprint process. Unbeknownst to her, rocks and stones had gone flying in all directions as Barzal had heated the sediment around it.


    He looked at her before his eyes drifted down over the pauldron on her shoulder to her fingerless gauntlets and then back up at her face.


    ¡°What?¡­¡± He swallowed audibly, his eyes wide in shock, before he tried speaking again, ¡°What happened? Are you well?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Leta drew out the last word as she slowly turned to see the crowd around them in various displays of disbelief.


    A handful of Chosen, John included, had knelt on one knee where they stood watching, their heads lowered in reverence.


    In the back of the gathering, Atreus, Allister, and Hayato looked like they were questioning everything. The Hunter and the General were looking between themselves with speechless expressions of disbelief as if they were saying, ¡®Did we just see that?¡¯


    Hayato¡¯s lips had parted at the display of power, a look of surprise she¡¯d never seen before replacing his usual scowl.


    Even Bonnie the wolf had lowered her head as if she were bowing down.


    ¡®Make an impression? I¡¯d say that was mission accomplished.¡¯ Leta thought to herself before taking a deep breath and holding her head high as she addressed De Mar.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The weapon is a part of me and requires integration with my being.¡±


    De Mar still looked like he¡¯d swallowed a bee as his gaze was glued to her sigil etched on the pauldron. ¡°That was no simple claiming.¡± He stated it as if it were a matter of fact.


    Leta chuckled. ¡°Be honest. When was the last time something was simple in my presence.¡±


    His eyebrows twitched ruefully. ¡°It worries me that I taste sweet truth in your words.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve started to get used to it.¡± She smiled before something tickled her enhanced hearing and dropped the grin from her face.


    ¡°What do you mean? What?¡±


    Leta¡¯s head turned to look at Atreus who had stepped away from the press of people to press a phone to his ear, fingers on his other hand pressed to his forehead as if he were trying concentrate.


    ¡°Your audio is breaking up. You¡¯re¡­¡± The confused pinch of his brows smoothed as his face went lax with undeniable shock.


    He slowly turned his gaze to her, and the look in his eyes had her heart sinking to her stomach.


    Whatever was happening, it wasn¡¯t good.


    Mic had noticed his expression as well and stepped towards him with a frown. ¡°Atreus?¡±


    ¡°Where are you now?¡± Atreus nearly shouted into the phone, which finally got the attention of the other Chosen in the room, their heads swiveling behind in curiosity to see what the commotion was.


    He nodded at whatever was said in response. ¡°Good man. Stay the course. Continue to send me updates. I¡¯ll contact you again when it¡¯s safe.¡± He exited the call and looked at her before turning to Mic, his eyes hardening as thin lines of anger bracketed his tight lips.


    ¡°Get word to the Governor while we still can and prepare to be under siege.¡± He gritted through clenched teeth to Mic and Allister as he began backing away towards the entrance door.


    ¡°Atreus! What happened-¡°


    ¡°War has come!¡± Atreus¡¯s bellow was that of an angry beast he he shouted, ¡°My Sect was attacked and is aflame, our Priestess and people are on the run, and the Blessed are preparing an attack on the city as we speak! This was a trap.¡± He waved a violent hand to indicate the room around them, ¡°A trap to get you, me, and the Queen in a hole with one way out.¡±


    Mic was in action before Atreus had finished his tirade, barking orders as the Chosen sprang into action. Someone was at the tech station, presumably to get the word out to the rest of the Chosen, while others were pulling on armor and readying their weapons.


    Others still had gone in to the Vault and began securing the artifacts inside as an alarm counted down fifteen minutes until the door closed.


    ¡°Allister?!¡± Leta shouted over the commotion as she sprinted to the Hunter¡¯s side. ¡°What do you mean the Sect is on fire? What happened to the rest of the crew?¡±


    ¡°That was Koa.¡± The giant answered as he pulled out a futuristic looking bow and checked it over, ¡°Just as Atreus said. The Blessed attacked the monastery and our people are in vehicles headed to a safe house.¡±


    Satisfied with the weapon, he fixed her with a hard gaze, ¡°Costez is launching an assault on Greece, but in truth, Costez¡¯s government has been under the thumb of the Blessed for some time. The Blessed are invading with the Costez army and are coming for us.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t Hayato get us out of here to safety?¡±


    ¡°Too many layers.¡± He paused to prepare his weapons and looked up at the ceiling as if he could see right through it. ¡°In the open air as I was on the hospital roof, it a simple enough task. But every layer of the matter I must move us through puts more strain on me and draws out the time needed to build a gate. Also, I can only bring us back to places I myself have been, and as Atreus said, our Sect is in flames. Where would we go?¡±


    Leta turned her head to look back at De Mar and two assistants scrambling to secure artifacts in metal cases. ¡°How strong are the Vault doors? Can we all get inside while you build your gate?¡±Hayato shook his head, ¡°There isn¡¯t enough room in there for all of us, and that would be another layer.¡±


    ¡°Mic! They¡¯re here!¡± One of the soldiers pointed to a screen showing a feed of a surveillance camera pointed at the back door they¡¯d entered the building through.


    They could see on the display at least a dozen people in various states of dishevel, all of them with manic expressions as they periodically twitched and snapped sharp teeth at each other. Their limbs seemed too long for their frame and their eyes reflected like an animal in the lamplight of the darkening sky.


    At their feet, two bodies Leta recognized as the guards that were standing watch were lifeless on the ground, three of the most terrifying creatures Leta had ever seen crouched over their corpses.


    They were human-shaped, with long, lanky arms and legs. Its skin was a mottled gray and had a rough texture like decaying wood. Its head was large, too large for its thin neck, and its fingers were tipped in serrated claws as long as her hand.


    Its feet were long but not flat-footed like a human. Instead, the creature balanced on the tips of its claw-like toes like a feline with its heel high off the ground. Where the heel should have been was a swollen growth that reflected on the screen like an eyeball.


    One of the creatures picked its head up and hissed at its compatriots, allowing Leta to get a better look at its face or lack thereof.


    It was completely bald without ears or a nose, and where eyes and a forehead should have been was a puffy mass like the world¡¯s largest blister that jiggled slightly with its movements, similar to the bulge of a beluga whale.


    Its mouth, though, was anatomically in the same place as humans, though its unhinged jaw opening unnaturally wide to show off long teeth that made it impossible for the creature to close its mouth was certainly not human.


    ¡°Aigamuxa. Nasty things.¡± She heard Allister shiver at her back. ¡°Nightmare fuel, they are.¡±

 Chapter Forty Five: Enemy at the Gate (Part II)

    Just then, a ¡®boom boom¡¯ like distant explosions rocked the room, even from their location so far underground.


    From the cameras, they could see the cars outside sway from the sudden force. Car alarms went off everywhere, which caused the monsters outside to shriek in displeasure at the blaring noise.


    ¡°Missile fire.¡± Mic looked up at the ceiling as if he could see through rock and stone to the world above.


    Atreus nodded absently. ¡°Not too far off if we can hear it from down here.¡±


    ¡°Stef?! I want answers!¡±


    One of Mic¡¯s soldiers came up beside Leta with a quick bow of his head, ¡°You¡¯re Majesty, come with us. Your safety is our top concern.¡±


    Leta turned back to Atreus with a sharp look, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Queen.¡± He hissed through gritted teeth. ¡°Our job is to ensure you survive this fiasco. Get to the back and-¡±


    ¡°I am not a Queen!¡± Leta shouted back, her blue eyes snapping with the promise of thunder. ¡°Not right now. Not in a fight when our lives are on the line. I¡¯m a weapon, so bloody use me. Why are you fighting with bows and arrows when you¡¯ve got a missile in your arsenal?¡±


    Leta could tell that Mic looked shocked at her outburst, but her focus was solely on the tick in Atreus¡¯s jaw as he restrained himself from thrashing her for confronting him in front of everyone.


    When Leta spoke next, it was calmer but no less authoritative, as if she were the general giving directions. ¡°A trap that we know about is no trap at all. That isn¡¯t a blocked exit, that¡¯s a bottleneck. Have you ever heard of the Battle of Thermopylae?¡±


    ¡°Need I remind the archeologist that the Spartan-led army was wiped out in that battle?¡± Allister, who had been listening to the conversation, chimed in with a raised eyebrow as he plucked the string of his bow with his thumb.


    ¡°Only because the Greek city-states were outflanked.¡± Leta pointed out, ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to outflank us here, and that bottle neck means that their numbers count for nothing.¡±


    She took a step towards Atreus, her recent growth now putting her nearly at eye level with the stormy-eyed general.


    Her words were both earnest and almost bloodthirsty as she said, ¡°We¡¯ve got to try. Let me loose upon them, Atreus. Put me in the front and set me loose. I can give Hayato the time he needs to make the gate.¡±


    Atreus¡¯s lips pressed together, his gut telling him that this was a Queen in front of him and it would be suicidal, both literally and figuratively, if he were to let the most important political figure in front of their ranks to be ripped apart.


    But the flicker of lightning in her eyes gave him pause.


    This was not the half-scared young woman from earlier full of piss and vinegar, thirsting for vengeance she had no chance of achieving.


    He sighed a curse and nodded his consent.


    Truly, what could he do to stop her?


    Before him was a Fury of legends - a mythical creature born of tragedy and struggle who had survived trial after trial and come out the other end of something else.


    Something that wasn¡¯t mortal.


    Something that he¡¯d begun to suspect wasn¡¯t even Arisen.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Leta¡¯s smile was nothing short of radiant. Recovering quickly, she gave him a pleased nod that soon fell away as one of the Chosen shouted, ¡°Second gate has fallen!¡±


    Mic growled in annoyance, ¡°So what then? The city is under attack as we speak.¡±


    ¡°We run like hell.¡± She answered smoothly, watching the rest of the Chosen prepare out of the corner of her eye.


    It was like a sea of modern knights kitted in futuristic armor as they formed ranks like a well-organized regiment. The four hunters had lined up in front, bows and arrows at the ready. Close behind were several individuals who seemed to stand without any form of weapon until she noticed faint, silvery strands like spider silk clenched between their fists.


    ¡®Weavers.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Behind them were the rest of the brawlers, including John, who had managed to find his massive pick axe weapon and was gripping it in his massive paws with an almost beastly excitement.


    Mic¡¯s shout of ¡°Stef!¡± brought her back to the present as the woman who had escorted them in spoke up from the command center.


    ¡°The Sofia and Istanbul Sects are en route!¡± She pulled the phone from her ear to shout her response. ¡°Naples and Tirana have been deployed. Alexandria¡¯s naval fleet is on the way, but they¡¯ve hit a Blessed embargo in the Med.¡±


    The person next to her pulled off his headset to add, ¡°Reports are coming in on the military frequencies of Costezian missile strikes on the port and outside of Athens International Airport. Social media is showing at least three buildings have been hit with an apartment building completely collapsed. Reporting bombardment 15 kilometers north of this location. Multiple casualties confirmed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the E75.¡± Allister looked to Atreus with horrified eyes, ¡°Right during rush hour when people are going home.¡±


    Atreus looked at the satellite map of Athens on the screen. ¡°They¡¯re boxing us in.¡± With one finger, he pointed to the locations that had been hit. ¡°North, east, and west. They¡¯re going to drive us south to the sea.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going to drive everyone to the sea,¡± Hayato spat, his distaste clear in his expression, ¡°Over 600,000 people in this city, more if you count the tourists. All of them will be panicking and screaming as they try to escape, and we¡¯ll be powerless to effectively combat the Blessed when we are surrounded by so many Mundanes.¡±


    ¡°Third gate is about to fall!¡±


    On a monitor screen, CCTV footage showed the subbasement right above them as the dark-haired warrior woman and the blond alchemist male fought a losing battle.


    She killed two Loupgarou before an Aigamuxa came out of nowhere and tackled her to the ground, its thick claws like kitchen knives dining through flesh and bone as its wide jaw bit into her face.


    The Alchemist was quick enough to create one last potion before slamming the vial against his own chest.


    His back arched as the veins beneath his skin lit up like rivers of magma, wisps of vapor coming off his skin until, in a blinding flash, he detonated like a bomb. A loud boom shook the wall monitors as they watched in the explosion engulf several creatures before taking the camera as another casualty.


    ¡°Holy¡­¡± Leta exhaled before springing into action as she pushed past Mic and Atreus towards the front of the formation.


    Allister broke protocol to call out after her ¡°Leta!¡± as the warriors in front of her parted with her approach.


    ¡°Chosen!¡± she bellowed with the authority of a war lord. ¡°Ranks as close to the Vault and away from the sides! The storm is as potent as it is wild. Too close and you may get hit!¡±


    A small voice in the back of her mind was wondering why it felt so natural to take charge and issue commands but was quickly silenced by it was quickly smothered by the feel of pressure beneath her skin like a gathering storm cloud as she drew energy into herself.


    As one, the formation clapped their weapons together or put a fist to their chest mail, creating a cacophony of ringing steel.


    They did not see the gathering storm clouds that thrust the panicking city further into a frenzy as lightning cracked and the air filled with the scent of ozone, but they could feel it even so far down beneath the surface.


    It started as a sudden drop in temperature that sent shivers up their spine, followed by the sound of buzzing like they were too close to a live wire.


    In front of them, Leta¡¯s fingers splayed wide as small arches of lightning crackled between them, their frequency increasing as she drew in more and more energy. The lights in the room flickered as the runes and sigils on Barzal glowed blue-white and the monitors flickered to white screens as Leta¡¯s feet left the ground.


    She hovered above the ground as the buzzing increased until it sounded like a swarm of locusts. Thick ropes of lightning were arching up her arms and around her body, some twisting through her dancing hair to accumulate into the corona of energy that seemed to occur whenever she was about to do battle.


    She could hear the beasts coming.


    Bug like chattering and the scrape of claws against stone growing louder and louder as the horde scrambled like starving beasts towards their location.


    It sounded like there were hundreds of them, all pushing and shoving forward with the same purpose.


    Kill.


    Eat.


    Savor.


    ¡°Shield eyes!¡± Leta shouted a heartbeat before the doors burst open.

 Chapter Forty Six: Blood and Thunder (Part I)

    Creatures from every nightmare imaginable flooded the room, their jaws open wide as manic eyes locked on a glowing figure floating in front of them. With their long teeth snapping, Loupgaru used their lengthy limbs to push past the ravenous Aigamuxa, but the narrow double doors forced the entire horde to crash into each other to move forward.


    It was exactly what the Chosen wanted.


    Compacted together as they elbowed forward, they couldn¡¯t spread out or avoid damage.


    The horde snarled, clamoring to feast on human flesh just before their retinas were burned from their eyeballs as Leta unleashed a tempest of destruction upon them with the force of a god-sized hammer.


    With a roar that a vengeful god could only rival, she threw her lightning outwards like hot spears of cosmic justice. They covered the space in front of her like a super heated blanket, cooking the monsters alive in their own skin as their organs liquefied from the extreme heat.


    Those in the center of the mass got the brunt of the attack. Ropes of lightning burrowed through flesh and bone as it left gaping holes, some as wide as dinner plates, and sending severed limbs flying in all directions. Blood was spraying into the air before the heat of the lightning evaporated it into a pink mist that covered everything.


    No one had considered what a compressed lightning storm would sound like in a closed space.


    The thunder was so loud that it caused the Chosen at her back to cry out as their ear drums ruptured from the noise.


    It was also wrecking havoc on everything in the room.


    Lightning was arching around the room, punching into the surveillance screens and cracking the concrete.


    While she mostly contained the wild energy to obliterating anything within a three-meter-wide cone of destruction in front of her, stray cracks of plasma twisted at odd angles, connecting farther to the left and right than anyone preferred.


    One crashed into a metal pipe running along the wall within arm¡¯s reach of the formation, causing some on the outer edge to flinch and duck as sparks rained down over them.


    ¡°Barzal!¡± Leta bellowed as one hand continued to channel her lightning while she thrust back with the other, the pauldron and arm plating melting and flying off behind her. As if in reaction to her thoughts, the Blade became two thin fighting sticks that dug deep into the ground and extended upwards to become makeshift lightning rods.


    ~¡®Separated from your being, I can absorb the energy of the lightning strikes for a time, but too much for too long can overheat my weave and destroy my structure.¡¯~


    [Prolonged use of electricity will affect the structural integrity of this facility.]The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Leta chanced a glance around and saw that her lightning was well and truly destroying the room. While Barzal was redirecting any stray shots, dark scorch marks covered the entrance. Chunks of pebble-sized concrete had chipped away from around the door as dust rained down on the creatures pushing forward past the bodies of their fallen allies. An ominous crack had formed from the door frame, running perpendicular to the floor like the maw of a devil beginning to open.


    ¡°Hayato!¡± Leta screamed, never taking her eyes off the battering horde. ¡°How¡¯s that Gate looking?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take at least fifteen minutes at this depth!¡± He shouted back, though she did not know how he heard her command over the roar of her lightning. He held his arms aloft as if sensing the air, his eyeballs covered in shadow as he gazed upwards, seeing into infinite.


    ¡°This room will not outlast this fight! We need evac, stat!¡±


    Hayato cursed before replying with a terse, ¡°Understood!¡± as he got to work.


    Tendrils of darkness of thick black and purple smoke wrapped around his fingers like coiling octopus legs as he tucked his chin in concentration.


    ¡°Chosen!¡± Leta called out, ¡°We need to give our Assassin all the time we can to get that Gate up! I can tighten the reach of my lightning, but some of these creatures will make it through!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got your back, Leta!¡± Allister responded immediately as he held a crossbow in one hand and a long sword in the other, Bonnie barking in agreement at his side.


    ¡°Archers, ready!¡± Mic shouted his command as John, Allister, Atreus, and Bonnie readied themselves for a fight.


    Leta grunted as she fought to draw her hands towards each other. The power she was channeling was like trying to redirect the flow of a fire hydrant with her bare hands.


    Straining with everything she had, she condensed the energy until the stream of power was like a twisting vine of energy from her to the door. The stream of power obliterated anything in its path, while smaller arcs of lightning scorched those nearby.


    In the frenzy of blood and body parts, some creatures manages slip over and around the death trap.


    The eyeless, beluga whale headed monsters that looked too much like a Xenomorph for her linking were the first to make it through, their unhinged jaws hissing as dark gray saliva dripped from their serrated teeth.


    ¡°For the Queen!¡± John was cackling wildly as he followed Allister, Atreus, Bonnie, and a handful of Chosen out into the battlefield.


    Atreus took up position on her right with John on her left, his pick axe weapon swinging as he engaged a shrieking Aigamuxa that tried to come for her.


    Allister was in his element. He moved with a speed and grace that shouldn¡¯t have been possible on his massive frame as he fired his crossbow into the horde, tiny fingers of lightning twisting around the projectiles as they found their marks.


    With a growl, Bonnie sank her fangs into the scruff of a Loupgarou, pull it to the ground. With a savage yank, she twisted her head and pulled, taking most of the creature¡¯s throat with her.


    Leta heard Mic shout, ¡°Loose!¡± just as a volley of arrows sailed over her right shoulder and someone tossed a handful of glass vials over her left.


    Screeching, the torrent of hot energy drowned out the clicking shrieks as the chemical reactions impaled or set the nightmarish creatures ablaze.


    And yet, they just kept coming.


    Bodies had piled up around the small entrance, with many of them in flames from the barrage of electricity.


    The room had grown hazy with smoke and the smell of charred flesh and burning rubber irritated the eyes as the battle raged on around her.


    ¡°How much longer on that Gate, Hayato!?¡± Allister called out as he swung his sword and sliced the Loupgaru he was fighting clean through.

 Chapter Forty Six: Blood and Thunder (Part II)

    ¡°Less than ten? May eight?¡± Hayato¡¯s grated response sounded like he was straining to pull the plug on an ocean as the shadows beneath his feet darkened unnaturally and expanded.


    In the minutes it had taken between beginning his weave, and now, the Gate had only spread to cover a few meters of area.


    ¡°Rear guard! Three steps back!¡± Mic issued, ¡°Get as far into the Gate as you can.¡±


    Thump.


    Thump.


    It took a moment for Leta to register the trembling of the ground beneath her feet as the loose pieces of concrete skittered about as something large approached.


    Then she heard it.


    A wet sniff somewhere between a large animal snorting and the inhale of a whale.


    She heard Allister shout, ¡°Onikuma!¡± as one massive paw as long as a pickup truck shot through the darkness, thick claws as long as her forearm reaching towards her.


    Leta couldn¡¯t help the ¡°Oh, shit!¡± that escaped her lips as the giant bear-shaped stone head, coupled with the proportionally large arm, wedged itself into the small door.


    While it jammed the space and effectively prevented the other monsters from getting in, its massive body was damaging the entire building to where Leta couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about the room¡¯s structural integrity.


    With one arm thrashing about as it tried to get further into the room and its unnaturally large maw snapping viciously about, it heaved against the sides of the door as visors in the concrete spider-webbed from around the threshold.


    One chunk the size of a manhole shifted ominously, permitting the Onikuma to nudge forward under a fall of dust.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Leta cursed as she dropped her stream of lightning out of fear that she¡¯d damage the structure further than this thing was managing.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Leta turned to see a young man among the three remaining Alchemists calling for her. They held noxious-looking spheres in their wrist slings.


    ¡°We¡¯ve no Hearth Maiden to light our volley. Can you manage!?¡±


    ¡°Fire away!¡± She responded as a thin ribbon of lightning circled her fists.


    ¡®I can¡¯t throw a ball of lightning in this space or send out a blast with this thing trying to bring down the building. Barzal! Spear!¡¯


    ¡°John!¡±


    The brawler picked his head up from where he¡¯d cut down a Loupgarou as Leta pointed to the Onikuma. ¡°Get its attention!¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    An almost manic grin stretched across his face as he held up his pick axe and charged with a whooping shout.


    The creature¡¯s head pivoted in his direction and snarled, teeth the size of a toddler snapping at the oncoming threat.


    The Blade melted off her shoulder and extended from her grip, forming itself into a silver spear as the Alchemists drew back their slings and fired.


    In her mind, she saw hundreds of years of battle as the memories of the past melded with hers until her actions were an echo of theirs. With a battle cry in her throat, Leta held the spear in front of her as she ran forward. Her awareness made it feel like time had slowed so that she could witness everything around her in this single tick of the clock. She watched the Onikuma¡¯s soulless black eye swivel from John to her as the vial spheres rotated slowly in the air a hand¡¯s length away from its dinosaur-sized head.


    Then time sped up again, and the projectiles crashed against the creature¡¯s face and side in a wide spray of black, viscous liquid.


    The monster flinched and roared as the chemicals seeped into its eyes. It swung wildly with its paw, a spontaneous move to prevent anything from attacking it in its partially blinded state.


    John heaved his great pick axe and caught the creature¡¯s arm, the bit digging into the monster¡¯s stone skin for the Miner to keep the appendage still long enough for Leta to sprint forward.


    Sparks danced across the spear shaft and blade as, with a shout, she thrust her weapon forward, the tip slicing through a divot in the creature¡¯s skin. The beast roared in agony as her sparks set the liquid on its skin ablaze and sent wave after wave of lightning through its internal organs.


    Leta pulled her spear out and stepped back just as John lost his hold of the creature¡¯s arm. With a curse, she dropped low, its claws scraping sparks across the backs of her leg armor and shredding her pants around her ankles as the creature tried to scrap the flames from its face without success.


    A moment later, she was back on her feet and rammed her spear back into its exposed side, sending another wave of energy through its body.


    The blue flames of the fire burned so hot that its stone exterior had softened and melted. Thick clumps of magma dripped onto the concrete floor to reveal a black skull and clavicle. Its scream of pain was hoarse and raw because of its quickly melting voice box as the loss of mass near its chest allowed it to push even further into the room.


    ¡°Holy crap.¡± Leta retreated some steps back out of reach of the creature¡¯s claws. They could hear the screech and click of other monsters behind the Onikuma blocking the door. As it shifted forward, a small gap appeared above its shoulder, no larger than a hand but enough that two lanky Aigamuxa arms managed to push through, grasping at the air as if to catch its prey.


    ¡°Leta!¡±


    At Hayato¡¯s call, she turned to see that the Gate had finally reached critical mass. His dark eyes had gone a violet purple and the whites of his eyes pulsed with black shadows as he shouted, ¡°Hurry!¡±


    Leta, along with Atreus, Allister, and the rest of the Sect that had been finishing the creatures that had gotten through, turned and sprinted for the safety of the Gate¡¯s perimeter.


    Behind them, they could hear the groan of the Onikuma as an enormous chunk of its ribs melted into slag on the floor, sending up a ¡®whoosh¡¯ of blue fire.


    Leta turned once she was within the Gate to see two of the Aigamuxa push through the widened gap above the Onikuma as they charged towards them on all fours.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Leta cursed as she pulled the dust from the floor and punched Storm Glass into one before stabbing her spear through another.


    Atreus and Allister stood on either side of her like royal guards as monsters pushed their way in single file, their crazed eyes looking in every direction, their heads snapping and rolling on their necks as if in a crazed frenzy.


    The room had filled with dust and smoke, causing a thick haziness to cover the room. It was hard to decipher who was friend or foe until they were practically right next to you.

 Chapter Forty Six: Blood and Thunder (Part III)

    From the darkness of the horde, Leta could hear a loud but deep clicking noise that sounded as if someone had super-sized an insect.


    From the shadows, a giant mandible arm shot out of the hole and nearly impaled a distracted Loupgaru. The arm had a blackened hard shell encasing it like a crab, but on closer inspection, she saw a sparse layer of thick hairs covering it, and its tip sharpened to an obsidian point.


    Like a jackhammer, the spider arm tried to find purchase in the Onikuma carcass, stabbing repeatedly as it chipped away the corpse¡¯s thick stone hide.


    The rapid ¡®tink-tink-tink¡¯ of its deadly arm was like a piston engine, moving so fast that it was a blur of motion until, with a shriek, it found a footing and tried to pull the corpse back into the shadows.


    A sickening, slurping sound like meat being ripped from bone loudly echoed from the shadows as the unseen creature quickly devoured what remained of the Onikuma.


    Whatever it was, it was hungry, and it had no issue with destroying the room as it pushed and heaved from the other side of the door to drag the body back into the darkness. A large chunk of concrete as big as a rib cage broke free from the threshold, allowing more of the Onikuma¡¯s corpse to slip back into the shadows as monsters pushed their way over the body and into the room.


    Hayato called out over the roar of creatures, ¡°Thirty seconds!¡±


    ¡°Leta!¡± Atreus¡¯s sword cut through a Loupgaru as he shouted her name. ¡°Bring down the building!¡±


    Spear in hand, Leta channeled the storm outside as the inscriptions on her weapon glowed white-blue. It felt like taking in a deep breath before firing a shot, but this time, her lungs felt like they were the size of a blue whale as she drew in more and more energy.


    ¡°Twenty seconds!¡±


    She could feel the weapon vibrating violently in her grip as the spear tip turned blinding white. It was getting uncomfortable even for her to hold it or even look at the spear in her hand.


    The Onikuma¡¯s snout disappeared into the darkness as a squelching, nauseating sound of something large being eaten could be heard just above the spear¡¯s hum.


    From the shadowed entrance, four more mandible arms shot forward. They connected at a thorax that was too large to be a spider but too round to be a crab. Instead of an animal head, though, the thorax thrust upwards to form a very humanoid-shaped abdomen covered in the same black and gray plating as its legs. Above a thick set of chest armor and balanced on an abnormally long neck was a face with flat slits for a nose that flared as it scented the air. Large, completely black eyes had two additional pairs of smaller eyes framing them at the temples.


    It hissed and screeched as two of the smaller mandibles in the front clacking on its joints as its black eyes centered on her.


    ¡°Oh, hell no.¡± Leta cursed as, with a loud crack of thunder, a torrent of electricity as thick as bridge cables shot through the creature where the humanoid part connected to the spider-crab part, ripping it in half.


    It shrieked in pain as the two pieces separated, its arms and part of its chest disintegrating as it fell into the beam.


    [The Host has learned the skill, Plasma Torrent: Level One.]If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    [Warning. Prolonged use of Plasma Torrent will destroy nanites within the Weapon.]


    [Weapon weave sustainability at 95%]


    ¡®Shit!¡¯


    She could see another spider crab monster illuminated by the Torrent being blown apart behind the first as the entrance caved in on itself in an explosion of dust and concrete.


    [Weapon weave sustainability at 85%]


    What remained of the TV screens clattered to the ground in a spray of electrical parts as the Sect covered their heads from chucks of stone that rained down from the spiderweb cracks in the ceiling.


    The surrounding lights flickered ominously, and the ground shook and rumbled, and the roof threatened to give way above them.


    [Weapon weave sustainability at 70%]


    ¡°Ten seconds! Rein it in!¡±


    With a grunt, Leta severed her hold on the energy she¡¯d been channeling, the smell of ozone filling the air as the Torrent faded from existence.


    Her spear tip was smoking as the lights above them flickered out, leaving the fiery glow of her spear the only illumination in the dust-filled room.


    ¡°3!..2!¡­¡±


    From the shadowy darkness, the face of a spider crab monster came screeching, its fang-filled mouth opened wide, both of its human arms and front mandibles reaching for them as the Gate bubble snapped shut.


    Once again, Leta floated weightlessly in the void, feeling ice particles cover her skin as if the vacuum of space had flung them there.


    Just as quickly as it appeared, the bubble popped, and something threw the Sect onto the dirt-covered ground as clumsily as children throwing dice.


    ¡°Fuck! Ow!¡± Leta cursed as she landed on the side of a stone stairway, her hands scrapping as she caught herself from rolling into the night.


    Around her, she could hear the groans and grunts of the Chosen as they rolled to their feet and checked themselves for damage.


    Other than some scrapped knees and wounded pride, everyone had made it out alive, a feat that surprised even them.


    ¡°Blessed gods, we made it out.¡± De Mar sighed with relief, taking in lungs full of dust-free air.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you drop us, lad?¡± Allister groaned as Bonnie shook her fur out like a wet dog.


    Hayato was already on his feet, daggers in hand, his eyes scanning around them as if ready for another attack. ¡°Attican Grove.¡± He answered. ¡°Good hiding spots in the brush if needed and centralized enough to get a bearing.¡±


    A sudden flash got Leta¡¯s attention as she rose to her feet. She¡¯d landed on stone steps leading down a gravel path to an open gazebo overlooking the city.


    On a typical Thursday night, it would have shown a beautiful, unobstructed view of the Athens skyline, the buildings twinkling in the night with the Acropolis lit up like an immortal observer, never changing as the world below its rocky post moved onward.


    Instead, she saw a prelude to hell.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    Her stunned exhale caught the attention the rest of the Chosen as they stepped forward to join her under the gazebo.


    ¡°Gods above.¡± Allister breathed in shock.


    Below their rocky perch, they watched a city under siege.


    Fires had broken out across the city, and some buildings were completely engulfed as thick smoke filled the air. Horns were blaring, and people were screaming. Here and there, they could hear the staccato of machine gun fire and ammunition in the streets.


    To the left, they could see several helicopters taking off from a tall set of buildings that Atreus pointed out was the Hellenic Ministry of Defense.


    Far off in the distance, they could just make out the muzzle flash of gunboats at sea, though it was too far to tell where they were firing at this distance.


    From the port, they watched a stream of anti-missile fire light the sky, tiny explosions catching in the air as they found their targets.


    Storm clouds had gathered above their heads, threatening to let loose their rain as arches of lightning crackled in the clouds.


    Among the columns of smoke and burning buildings, the lights of the Acropolis continued to illuminate the ancient structure, the haze of destruction making it look like a ghost hanging above the city.

 Chapter Forty Six: Blood and Thunder (Part IV)

    ¡°Bashar! Yes. Yes, it¡¯s as bad as it sounds.¡±


    Leta turned back to see Mic had pulled a sat phone from his pocket and was barking orders at someone.


    He cursed in his native language before pulling the phone away and looking at Hayato. ¡°Can you get us to Skyros? Better yet, Lemnos?¡±


    Hayato shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to either of those physically.¡±


    Mic cursed again, ¡°The Governor says all operations in Greece and the Aegean are to evacuate to Sofia. Sofia pushed into Greece and set up a staging area at Delta Nestos National Park to funnel Chosen out and prepare for a counter strike. Istanbul has ships to get us out by sea and bring us there, but we need to get as far north as we can first.¡±


    Without question, Atreus pulled out his tablet, flipped to a digital map, and handed it to Hayato.


    ¡°I can get us here.¡± He pointed to a small island several thousand kilometers to the north. ¡°Skiathos. But that¡¯s extremely far and will take a while to build a gate to, much longer than what it took for me to make the gate here.¡±


    The Chosen didn¡¯t even hear the fighter jet approaching until they were practically on top of them, flying so low they nearly blew the gazebo off its foundation as it banked low to intercept another fighter jet heading for the Defense Ministry.


    They watched in horrified wonder as the pair of jets exchanged fire before twisting up towards the sky, both trying to outflank the other.


    ¡°That was an F-16 and a Rafale.¡± Stefana pointed out. ¡°We should move. One or both of those planes are coming down, and I don¡¯t want to be beneath them when they do.¡±


    ¡°How long would it take you to build a gate to Skiathos?¡± Atreus asked insistently.


    ¡°An hour. Maybe more. That¡¯s a lot of ground to cover.¡±


    ¡°Can we evacuate by air and intercept Istanbul?¡± Atreus looked to Mic. ¡°An hour being forced to be stationary in a war zone is too dangerous. Additionally, if we make it to Skiathos and there¡¯s an emergency, we have no way to make a quick escape.¡±


    He pointed one finger at a location on the map. ¡°The Olympic Stadium. This is one of our landing zones in case of an emergency. It¡¯s been under another renovation, so it¡¯s not occupied right now. The pitch is large enough to land a few helicopters to get us out. If your team at Santorini has enough fuel to get here and out to sea, we can meet up with Istanbul¡¯s fleet.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but there¡¯s an entire war going on right now.¡± Mic waved his hand angrily at the view of the city in flames. ¡°Our helicopters won¡¯t make it through those anti-aircraft guns.¡±


    ¡°They can if we get with our contacts with the Hellenic military,¡± Atreus replied calmly but firmly. ¡°Give me your aircraft¡¯s call numbers, and they won¡¯t have to worry about the HAF; they¡¯ll just need to be ready for the Costezian jets.¡±


    ¡°That still means running 5 kilometers through a war zone with missiles flying overhead.¡± Stefana pointed out, ¡°Besides dodging panicking civilians and any Blessed laying in wait. The roads to the stadium will be clogged with people trying to get on the E94 and 6 trying to get out of the city.¡±


    ¡°Filothei Hill is between here and the Stadium, and it¡¯s basically been undeveloped.¡± Allister added in, ¡°Wide open space for us to see any oncoming attacks and avoid civilians.¡±


    ¡°Our ammunition won¡¯t be enough in a true firefight.¡± One warrior pointed out. ¡°We grabbed what we could from the Vault, but what we have won¡¯t make much of a difference if we¡¯re pinned down.¡±


    Hayato answered, ¡°After Filothei Hill, there¡¯s a residential area to get through, and then we¡¯re in the sports complex. We own a space across from a church there where our Blacksmith works. There will be ammunition there.¡±


    ¡°One caveat to this,¡± Allister winced, ¡°Is that we¡¯d just gotten intel of a den near a school less than 500 meters away. It was to be targeted later tonight by our second party.¡±


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡± Mic growled, his eyes narrowing with disdain as his voice slowly rose in volume, ¡°A 5-kilometer sprint through an open field with a firefight taking place over our heads, followed by a brisk walk through Mundane territory full of screaming and panicked civilians, only to end up on a merry walk into an enemy domain, all on the hope that our helicopters can get in and out of a barrage of anti-aircraft fire. Have I left anything out?¡± By the time he¡¯d finished his tirade, he was practically screaming, his teeth bared like an angry lion.


    ¡°Uh, guys?¡± Full of cautious uncertainty, Leta¡¯s voice broke the tension. ¡°Do you hear that?¡±


    Everyone went silent, their eyes looking about as they tried to listen.


    Small explosions and the crackling of fire were perforated by the sound of car alarms screaming, the cries of terrorized citizens, and the ¡®tat-tat-tat¡¯ of artillery fire.


    There was the screech of car tires, the chopping of military helicopter rotor blades whirling in the distance, and the sound of dogs barking.


    As they paused to listen, the canine barking seemed to get louder.


    It also seemed to get more numerous, as if one or two dogs had suddenly turned into a dozen or more.


    And then they heard it.


    The bay of a wolf at the unseen moon.


    ¡°Allister.¡± Leta said in a slow and cautious tone, ¡°You said the Stadium was in a general that-way direction?¡± She thumbed northeast over her shoulder.


    ¡°Aye, lass.¡± His answer was just as drawn out as he tried to scan the city below for signs of what was coming.


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    Leta said nothing else or added any insights. She simply turned on her heels and sprinted up the hill, heading northeast.


    Confused, the Chosen watched her for a moment before Allister and Atreus nodded in agreement and followed, with Bonnie, Hayato, and the rest of the Chosen close behind and whatever was pursuing them not far off.

 Chapter Forty Seven: Flight of the Valkyrie (Part I)

    ¡°That¡¯s the last of them,¡± Atreus called as he surveyed the gory scene, his voice echoing amidst the scattered bodies. The party had managed to crest Attican Grove before being intercepted by the pursuing pack of Loupgarou.


    ¡°Fabulous.¡± Leta huffed with exertion as she yanked her spear from the slain Loupgarou, the heat scorching the blood from the glowing blue tip.


    ¡®Gada, how close am I to my nanite cap?¡¯


    [169,130 until nanites until the Host has reached storage capacity.]


    ~Master, I am at 70% efficiency after using Plasma Torrent. As a symbiotic machine, I can absorb unassigned nanites through you to heal internal harm to my weave. ~


    ¡®How much do you need?¡¯


    ~For complete restoration, I would need 300,000 nanites. ~


    ¡®Wow. So the ratio of your damage to self-heal is around 100,000 nanites for every 10%,¡¯ she mused. That would mean she¡¯d need a million nanites to repair the Blade if it reached 0%.


    ¡®That¡¯s almost a whole Manticore. I¡¯ve seen skill software priced lower than what it would take to patch you up.¡¯ She mused, wondering to herself if she was going to have to go on a hunt every time her weapon got a scratch.


    ~I am a Protector-Commander Class blade. ~ Barzal¡¯s monotone voice droned with a hint of irritation as if emphasizing his disbelief in her actions. ~I am incapable of being scratched. However, my weave was designed for human hands, not Atlantian. I was not exactly engineered to channel the destructive power of a small sun in close-quarters combat. ~


    Leta blinked at how human the weapon sounded in her head.


    ¡®I¡¯m¡­sorry?¡¯


    ~I take comfort in your apology.~


    ¡®You do?¡¯


    ~And I shall inform you that, as a symbiotic machine and extension of my Master¡¯s being, I can be configured to suit their needs. Since my master, the Monarch, is presently a quasi-Atlantian, I can configure myself to absorb unassigned nanites when I land a blow and pierce my opponent. ~


    ¡°Are you shitting me!? You mean you could have been absorbing nanites for me this whole time?¡± Leta shouted out loud, causing the rest of the Chosen to turn to her with looks of confusion, blades drawn as if ready for another attack.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Cautiously, Atreus reverted to his formal speech as he tried to piece together what she¡¯d been yelling at.


    ¡°Oh, crap. Sorry,¡± she waved a hand in the air, ¡°Ignore me while I look like a crazy person shouting at my spear.¡±


    He gave her a slow nod, his expression revealing that he was trying to determine her level of psychosis. ¡°I¡­see. Let¡¯s move onward, your Majesty.¡±


    Sighing, Leta looked down at the body of the Loupgarou at her feet, which had mostly turned to ash and left a dark stain on the tennis courts where they¡¯d fought.


    ¡®Are your skills connected to me? Like, will I fry my brain with you acquiring a new ability?¡¯A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ~Negative. Contact Siphon is a configuration between your hive mind and myself, not a downloadable skill. This arrangement requires specific integration between our two weaves to make sure unnecessary siphoning doesn¡¯t occur outside of combat. This integration has not yet been initiated, as consent from the Master is needed.~


    ¡®Alright, take what nanites you need to get you back up to 100%. I suspect we will soon have to fight enough creatures to compensate for the loss. Also, I need you to take the necessary steps to absorb nanites when I¡¯m in a fight.¡±


    ~At once, Master. ~


    Leta winced at the sudden, sharp pain in her stomach that felt close to a muscle spasm. She could almost feel the draw of nanites out of the storage cavities in her body being siphoned into the weapon.


    Outwardly, there wasn¡¯t much of a change. Perhaps it looked a bit more shiny? Were its runes more luminous?


    She could tell with certainty that the weapon was healthier if that made any sense.


    It was like when an expert swordsman held a blade and just knew that it wouldn¡¯t shatter on impact.


    [Weapon Barzal is not at 100% efficiency.]


    [321,402 nanites utilized. 5,215,054 unassigned nanites remaining.]


    ~I will begin the configuration now. This may take a moment. ~


    They made their way out of the tennis courts and past the motionless bulldozer and other construction trucks left behind where the road in front had been in the process of being repaired earlier that day.


    Beyond that was a steep embankment down to one of the main roads, which was the last piece of modern civilization before a section of maze-like stone outcroppings used by adventurous ATV riders and other thrill seekers.


    Atreus described it as a fairly large section of no-man¡¯s land full of cliffs and sudden drop-offs peppered with rundown, graffiti-covered buildings from a bygone era. Not only was the craggy topography difficult to develop hotels or apartments, but its proximity to the more costly, up-and-coming neighborhoods near the sports complex meant the land was too pricey for someone to buy it for use as a farm or resource mine.


    It was too undesirable for the wealthy and unaffordable for the middle class or entrepreneurs. A combination that, when silhouetted against the burning and screaming of the city at war, made the land appear eerie and haunted.


    ¡°Hayato,¡± she whispered to the Assassin that was in step close by, ¡°What were those spider-crab monsters back at the museum?¡±


    ¡°Jor¨­gumo.¡± He answered in a normal speaking volume. ¡°As you observed, they are neither a crustacean nor an arachnid, but an odd combination of both. But, like a spider, they can produce sticky webs used to trap unsuspecting prey. In addition, they have glands under their claws and in their teeth, which produce an exceptionally potent poison. One scratch, and you¡¯ll be paralyzed, still able to hear and see everything as they devour you. Though I¡¯ve heard stories of Jor¨­gumo victims who managed to survive, who said that the poison gave them incredibly vivid hallucinations.¡±


    He fixed her with his usual hard stare, a skeptical look on his face. ¡°Why are you whispering?¡±


    ¡°This place is super creepy. It just feels like I should be quiet so I don¡¯t disturb the ghosts.¡±


    ¡°Ghosts are not real.¡± He frowned.


    Leta mirrored his expression with a raised eyebrow. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as people that can teleport, shoot fire out of their hands, or talk to animals. And yet, ah!¡± She waved a finger around at the group, ¡°Here we are.¡±


    She heard John snort from the rear of the party, but other than Allister¡¯s smirk of amusement, no one else commented.


    They made it up and over a ridge and were on a relatively smooth downward slope when Atreus, who¡¯d been at the front of the party, stopped and raised a fist.


    Leta could practically feel everyone tense and grip their weapons tight as they came to a halt, looking in all directions for danger.


    Atreus signaled Mic with his eyes, who then handed him a large pair of binoculars that looked a lot like military night vision goggles.


    He held them up and scanned the skyline for threats.


    ¡°What do you see?¡± She could barely hear Mic¡¯s whisper.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he responded, lowering the binoculars. ¡°And that¡¯s what I find so concerning. Where are the Gargoyles? Last I heard, that nest was supposedly twenty-strong. With this much chaos and people¡¯s minds clouded by panic, it would be easy picks for them.¡±


    Mic pulled out his phone to read something on the darkened screen.


    ¡°We have a Chinook and its Apache escort inbound, but we need to pick up the pace. My man says they¡¯ve had to detour ten minutes to get around most of the naval fighting. We¡¯ve still got forty-five minutes to reload our ammunition and get to the Stadium.¡±


    ¡°There!¡± Atreus hissed as he spotted something in the distance before quickly putting the goggles to his eyes. He watched whatever it was for a moment before giving Mic the goggles with a quiet, ¡°Wyvern.¡±