《Conscious, Conscientious》


 1. The Edge of Tailpiece

    Tailpiece was a small, circular village built from the trees surrounding it, and nothing bad ever happened there. Or, more accurately, nothing happened there.


    Deon had spent all eighteen years of his life in Tailpiece, and he wasn¡¯t about to waste another. This led him to the outer rim of the village in the middle of the night. He entered the woods where the perfect grass met the tall maple trees, and scurried quickly through the branches and brush. It had been a while since he and Savannah discovered the spot, so he hoped he¡¯d be able to retrace his steps in the dark.


    After spending a minute convinced he was way off track, Deon stumbled forward, finding a familiar clearing in the trees. He made it to the edge. His heart began to race as he raised a hand and slowly stepped forward.


    Maybe it¡¯s¡­gone now?


    The thought turned out fleeting. Deon¡¯s hand met the solid, invisible surface he had grown to loathe. The barrier still surrounded Tailpiece.


    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised you¡¯re here too,¡± a voice uttered not too far behind him.


    Deon sighed. He lowered his hand and turned around. ¡°What¡¯s up, Savannah?¡± He could barely make out her outline from where she sat, leaning against a tree and unconsciously stroking her brown hair like she always did.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think those dreams of yours don¡¯t actually mean anything,¡± Savannah said.


    ¡°I had another one tonight¡ªthat¡¯s why I came here,¡± Deon quickly defended. ¡°And Lammy has them too, the same exact ones. That has to mean something.¡±


    Savannah shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re cousins. Maybe it¡¯s just a weird relative thing.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m telling you¡­¡± Deon trailed off, realizing there was no point right now. The barrier was still there, just like every other time. ¡°Why¡­is it just the two of us?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why are we the only ones who want to leave this place¡­to see if there¡¯s something else out there?¡± Deon clarified. ¡°Nobody else even wants to think about it. Just you and me.¡±


    Savannah leaned her head against the tree trunk. ¡°Probably for the same reason I dumped you.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­harsh¡­¡±


    ¡°We both want to know if things can ever change.¡±


    She said nothing after this, so Deon sensed she was almost ready to make her way back home. He glanced again through the invisible wall, and then back to her. It was a terrible feeling¡ªto be this close to everything you wanted, and know it¡¯s impossibly out of reach.


    ¡°You look hot, by the way,¡± Deon added after a while.


    ¡°Shut up. You can barely see me.¡±


    ¡°Still.¡±


    ~


    The next day¡­


    Evasive maneuvers¡­look good.


    Close-range offensive¡­perfect.


    Sportsmanship¡­


    Lammy looked up from his messy notes to watch Deon¡¯s fight as it raged on. He was surprised his older cousin¡¯s opponent had lasted this long.


    ¡°Come on, Reever. I really hope you have more tricks than that!¡± Deon taunted. ¡°I expected more from someone who felt confident enough to take me on!¡±


    Lammy slapped his hand against his face, and then circled the word ¡°sportsmanship¡± in his notes. Deon had certainly tightened up his techniques since their last training session, but his mocking and one-liners¡­not so much.


    Nonetheless, the dozens of teenagers and children cheered Deon on, eagerly watching the faceoff in the afternoon sun. They all stood in a grassy field surrounding the combatants, creating the borders of an improvised fighting arena.


    Lammy watched Reever¡¯s motions as he prepared his next move. He¡¯s too tired for close-range combat, he observed. Here comes a projectile attack.


    Reever lifted a hand in Deon¡¯s direction. In an instant, an oversized potato appeared, floating in place. With a point, Reever launched the potato at Deon.


    Much to Lammy¡¯s expectation, Deon sidestepped the giant vegetable, closely dodging it as it crashed into the grass and faded from existence.


    ¡°A potato? Really?¡± Deon teased with a smirk.


    His fatigued opponent took a few steps back and shifted into a defensive fighting stance. By his heavy breathing and sweaty red tunic, it was clear he was at his limit.


    Time for a trapping technique, Deon, Lammy thought. Focus on the space around Reever, like we practiced¡­


    Deon laughed menacingly. ¡°This was a nice fight, but it¡¯s time to wrap things up!¡± he announced.


    A circle of intertwined vines flashed into existence around Reever. Under Deon¡¯s control, the vines tightened, trapping his target within them. Reever struggled to maintain balance, but ultimately fell onto the grass, unable to move.


    ¡°...And that¡¯s that,¡± Deon said with finality.


    The crowd burst into applause. It was another simple victory. Deon commanded the vines to disappear, relieving the defeated Reever.


    Lammy smiled; this was a perfect finisher. His cousin was still as impressive as ever.


    He approached Deon as kids took turns walking by to congratulate him.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re still the best!¡± he told Deon as they high-fived. ¡°But you seriously failed in one area, though.¡± He presented his notes.


    Deon scanned the hardly-legible writing. ¡°Bad pun?¡± he read aloud.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to wrap things up? That was kind of lame,¡± Lammy said. ¡°Also, maybe ease up on the taunting a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s half the fun!¡± Deon retorted with a laugh. ¡°Loosen up, Lammy.¡±


    They headed over to help Reever to his feet as the crowd died down, and then began their way home. The walk wouldn¡¯t take long, but that¡¯s because nothing was far in Tailpiece. It took about five minutes tops to clear the entire village, and the ever-short grass only made it easier to navigate.


    But the downside of the village¡¯s humble size was its lack of things to do. There was a fresh pond and a small field, and that was about it. So most of the youth simply used their powers for entertainment, which most often took the form of daily fighting competitions after school. Every day was predictable and easy¡ªand with Deon at Lammy¡¯s side, there was nothing he¡¯d ever hope to change about Tailpiece.


    Lammy looked up at Deon as they walked quietly. He liked to think Deon was the older version of himself, the identity he¡¯d get to have in four years¡ªat least, as far as his confidence and talent. Like their mothers, they had the same white hair and sunset orange eyes. They even wore matching black tunics. But that was about it; while Deon was tall, lean, and fit, Lammy was still short and pudgy. While Deon was rambunctious, Lammy was his silent companion.


    But worst of all: while Deon was always a natural with his powers, Lammy could never get his to work properly. No matter how hard he tried to bring his imaginations into reality, something always went awry. He liked to think Deon was the older him, but he knew he would never be as great.


    Lammy noticed Deon was unusually quiet today. Post-fight chats about techniques and training had become a habit, and Deon had always initiated them.


    ¡°I gotta say, you¡¯re one talented fighter,¡± Lammy said to break the silence. ¡°I can¡¯t think of a single person who can beat you now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Deon said absently. He was gazing into the woods that bordered Tailpiece.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    He returned his attention. ¡°Nothing. Just¡­there¡¯s no real challenge anymore. Fighting used to be more fun when there were people who could seriously take me on.¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t count on me getting any better; I¡¯m a terrible fighter,¡± Lammy told him with a laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Without your coaching and drills, I¡¯d be screwed,¡± Deon assured. ¡°I¡¯m just saying I wish fighting was still exciting. I wish anything was still exciting.¡± He looked back to the trees. ¡°Sometimes, Lammy, I wonder¡­do you think¡­?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lammy snapped nervously. ¡°There¡¯s nothing beyond here. Remember: ¡®Tailpiece is our only safe and peaceful home.¡¯¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not in the schoolhouse. You don¡¯t have to recite that stuff,¡± Deon said flatly. ¡°And that¡¯s what they say, but¡­what if they¡¯re wrong?¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Lammy detected a layer of annoyance in Deon¡¯s tone that he hadn¡¯t heard before. It made his heart beat faster. If they¡¯re wrong, I still don¡¯t want you to leave¡­he thought. I need you.


    Suddenly, Lammy felt his foot slip into a pocket of rocks. ¡°W¡ªWhoa!¡± he exclaimed, toppling forward and landing stomach-first.


    Deon burst out laughing. When Lammy observed the rocks, he noticed they all featured childish sketches of Deon sticking his tongue out at him. He had once again fallen victim to Deon using his abilities for pranks.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lammy yelled, but his anger quickly morphed into laughter as his cousin began to run away teasingly. The cousins chased each other home as the sunlight continued to decline.


    ~


    Deon cracked the front door open, and he and Lammy slipped into Deon¡¯s house with cautious steps. They figured if they were subtle enough, maybe their family wouldn¡¯t notice they were once again late for dinner.


    They both scanned every corner of the wooden walled living room: nobody was in sight.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room and act like we were here the whole time,¡± Deon whispered.


    Lammy nodded.


    ¡°THINK YOU¡¯RE SNEAKY, EH?!?!¡± came a deep, booming voice from behind. Before Deon and Lammy could react, they were tugged off their feet and dangling in the air by their collars.


    ¡°Uncle Adon¡­HOW?!¡± Deon choked, arms and legs flailing. For such a massive, muscular man, his uncle was remarkably stealthy.


    ¡°Sorry dad¡­¡± sulked Lammy, hanging limply.


    Their captor¡¯s reverberating laughter filled the house as Deon noticed his aunt Ergi enter from the dining room.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough roughhousing,¡± she said with a gentle patience.


    To their relief, Adon released them and they landed clumsily on the floor.


    Deon¡¯s father poked his head in, untying his pink apron. ¡°Deon, why are your clothes all dirty? Were you out fighting other kids again? You know I hate when you do that. I get so worried¡­¡±


    Deon sighed.


    ¡°Okay boys, come get some food,¡± Aunt Ergi instructed, returning to the kitchen.


    ¡°Yes Mom,¡± said Lammy.


    As Deon watched Lammy and Uncle Adon make their way across the room, something just didn¡¯t feel right. He didn¡¯t want to go sit with them. While he loved his family, they were all on a different page than him. They were content. Life was the same every single day, and they were okay with it. He wasn¡¯t. He needed an out.


    ¡°Actually¡­I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Deon said quietly. He wasn¡¯t sure if anyone heard him as he kept his head down and started towards his bedroom.


    As soon as Deon arrived, he slumped against his bed and began staring at the walls of his room. He noticed some old stick figure drawings he had carved with Lammy in a corner, of the two of them fighting a giant squirrel monster.


    Focusing on the air in the middle of the room, Deon imagined the monster carving in his head. With a mental command, he brought the cartoonish beast into existence, floating near the ceiling. He made it run in place and show off its fangs.


    Now this would be a cool attack if I can make it fight, Deon thought. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯d ever need it; nobody in Tailpiece would be able to handle it. And Dad would just get mad at me¡­


    Someone knocked on the door. With a sigh, Deon commanded the squirrel monster to disappear. ¡°Yeah?¡± he called.


    The door opened and Deon¡¯s mother stood there, glaring at him with a strange twinkle in her eyes. ¡°Dad says you were out fighting again, is that so?¡± she asked loudly, practically yelling down the hallway.


    ¡°Um¡­yeah¡­¡±


    She quickly stepped in the room and closed the door. ¡°Well? How did it go? Did you win?!¡± she asked as the twinkle in her eyes turned into fiery excitement.


    Deon couldn¡¯t hold back a half-smile. ¡°Yeah Mom, I won.¡±


    ¡°Good, you better have. Any new techniques?¡±


    ¡°Lammy helped me come up with a new trapping technique with vines¡ªAH!¡± Vines shot out from in front of his mother and grabbed him by the arms, pulling him to his feet.


    ¡°Vines, huh? I¡¯m sure you boys can get more creative than that,¡± she said firmly. Then with a wink, she grabbed Deon¡¯s arms. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    Deon rolled his eyes and looked away.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, mom. I just need some alone time, I guess.¡±


    His mother continued to examine him, then released his arms. ¡°I know you too well, Deon. I know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± he replied, trying to mask his concern. If she figured out he¡¯d been sneaking to the edge of Tailpiece, it was all over.


    ¡°Listen, it¡¯s okay to be missing Savannah right now. That¡¯s totally normal,¡± she said. ¡°She¡¯s a sweet girl. Just give her some time. And I¡¯m here to talk if you need me.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­thanks,¡± Deon said. Well, at least Savannah dumping me gives me a good cover¡­


    His mother gave him a quick smile and headed to the door. ¡°Be sure not to tell dad I used my powers just now,¡± she instructed. ¡°And if he asks, I scolded you for fighting.¡± She gave him a thumbs-up.


    Deon returned the signal as she closed the door and left. His smile faded only seconds after she was gone. He wished Lammy¡¯s companionship and his mother¡¯s constant encouragement could keep him feeling positive, but it just wasn¡¯t enough. Or rather, it should have been¡ªbut the knowledge that something else could be out there turned Tailpiece into a cage instead of a home.


    There needs to be something more, Deon thought. He glanced at his backpack lying against the bed. Those dreams have to lead to something¡­


    ~


    Glowing purple rain showered the vast metallic structures that scraped the black sky. Floating in the air¡­


    ¡­Now the orange fade of a horizon cast a beam of subtle warmth onto a grassy cliff. Laughter filled the air. The grass was soft¡­


    ¡­A child smiled with wonder as she watched the gash on her arm reverse itself until it was fully healed¡­joyful tears¡­


    ¡­A man with dead eyes¡­a league of men¡­calamity¡­a tool meant to kill appears in a woman¡¯s bloody hand¡ª


    Lammy awoke with a jolt, immediately sitting upright. He was breathing heavily. After waiting for his heartbeat to finally slow, he rubbed his face.


    ¡°Another weird dream¡­¡± he whispered to himself. But this one was even more vivid than the others¡ªit felt like he was really there, even though he had never seen or perceived anything like these places in real life.


    He knew Deon must have seen it all too; every time it happened, they would find out the next morning that their dreams were identical.


    Lammy looked out his window to the house beside his. Deon and Lammy¡¯s families lived right next to each other, making it easy for them to have meals together and share life. Deon¡¯s window was directly across from Lammy¡¯s.


    But it was open.


    Alarmed, Lammy opened his own window and peaked outside. He heard a low shuffle, and looked to see Deon sneaking away from the house. He was heading towards the woods, carrying his white backpack.


    No¡­he can¡¯t be¡­Lammy thought as the same panic he felt from the dream began to build back up. It crossed his mind to go wake his parents. No¡­Deon would get in so much trouble if they found out, and he would hold it against Lammy.


    But he needed to stop him. Taking in a nervous breath, Lammy hurried to put on his shoes and black tunic. He hopped back onto his bed, opened the window, and began to climb out. But his foot caught the corner of the windowsill, and he toppled out of the house, landing hard on his back.


    Lammy grumbled to himself quietly as he got up and brushed grass off his clothes. Looking forward, he saw Deon was much farther along, closer to the trees. Lammy scurried after him, keeping low to avoid the windows of the two houses.


    Thankfully, their houses were two of the closest to the woods, so he wouldn¡¯t have to sneak past many villagers to catch up. Savannah¡¯s was the only home left to get past, and he doubted her or her father would be up this late. He hastily crawled past their porch, keeping an eye on Deon.


    ¡°Lammy? What are you doing?¡± a voice called from the porch in a half-whisper.


    Lammy froze. After a few seconds, he heard the person get up and walk towards the edge. Lammy sheepishly looked up and saw Savannah gazing down at him, with a smirk that made it clear he must look ridiculous.


    ¡°You¡­heard me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not very sneaky, bud,¡± Savannah said with a soft laugh.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Savannah sat down close to him. He noticed she was wearing the faded yellow dress Aunt Meiv had crafted for her when she and Deon were still dating. Her light brown hair shivered in the faint breeze.


    ¡°Trying to stop him?¡± she asked, cocking her head towards the woods.


    Lammy nodded shyly. ¡°H¡ªHe¡¯s¡­trying to leave Tailpiece,¡± he said. ¡°He thinks there¡¯s something else out there for some reason¡­¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I don¡¯t know. Everyone says there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    Savannah leaned back a bit. ¡°I think there¡¯s something out there¡­probably a whole world of something,¡± she shared. ¡°I don¡¯t have the crazy dreams Deon said you guys have, but sometimes my dad says stuff without thinking. He doesn¡¯t realize I pick up on it.¡±


    Lammy glanced over to Deon. He was practically a speck in the distance, and the darkness of the trees enveloped him as he entered the woods.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want him to go see?¡± Savannah asked, noticing his growing worry.


    Lammy must have appeared more appalled by her question than he intended, as Savannah¡¯s eyes widened when he returned his attention. ¡°He can¡¯t¡­I mean, what if he likes it out there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°But¡­what will I do?¡± He didn¡¯t realize his heartbeat could feel so heavy. If Deon left, he knew he didn¡¯t have anything else. He couldn¡¯t make friends on his own, he wasn¡¯t much help to his dad for lumber and farming, and his powers were weak. Deon was the source of everything that gave him purpose.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know bud, what you do about it is up to you,¡± Savannah said. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d like to get out of this place too. But I don¡¯t have powers like the rest of you; I probably wouldn¡¯t make it very far. And besides, I think Deon needs to do this for himself.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He needs something that makes him grow up,¡± she said. ¡°He needs to learn he can¡¯t have everything he wants handed to him. Maybe this will be good for him.¡± She turned her gaze to the woods. ¡°I think you should let him go.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Lammy yelled, springing to his feet. ¡°How can you say that? I won¡¯t let him!¡±


    Casting aside any attempt of stealth, Lammy started running to the trees. You¡¯re not going anywhere, Deon, he thought. I can¡¯t let you! Soon he was struggling to keep moving, cursing that he couldn¡¯t be as fit as his cousin. But not even his own body was about to keep him from stopping Deon.


    When he reached the woods, he plowed through the branches. Twigs and bark clawed at his clothes and hair as he pushed along. Lammy had never been in the woods, and a new feeling of unfamiliarity only increased his nerves. He could only hope he was still on Deon¡¯s track.


    Lammy tried to yell Deon¡¯s name, but he was too winded to speak. He tripped on a root, rolled, and leaped up to his feet in desperation.


    Then at last, through the branches, he spotted the shine of white hair and a backpack under the moon¡¯s dull light.


    Lammy launched himself into the small clearing and where Deon stood. There were more trees ahead of them, so it appeared the woods continued on much farther than this. Deon stood facing the edge of the clearing, but he turned his head to see Lammy.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Lammy gasped, falling to his knees and wheezing.


    ¡°Lammy? What the heck are you doing all the way out here?¡± asked Deon.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡± said Lammy, slowly getting his breath back. He wished he could recover sooner and sound more convincing.


    But as he looked at his cousin, something began to shift. He could see it in Deon¡¯s eyes¡ªthe eagerness, the tenacity. Watching him stand there, Lammy realized how long it had been since he saw that same fiery expression. Over the past couple years, something in Deon began changing. He still seemed to love their daily routines, but now it was clear that with each passing day, this was fading.


    As much as Lammy didn¡¯t want Deon to leave him behind, he saw that maybe Savannah was right¡ªmaybe he needed this.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Deon said somberly. ¡°I just¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Lammy stood up, finally recovering. ¡°You know, I followed you all the way out here to beg you not to leave,¡± he admitted.


    Deon nodded uncomfortably. ¡°Right¡ª¡±


    ¡°But you know what? I want to say something else,¡± continued Lammy. He felt his throat tightening as he fought back tears. ¡°You can do this. I want you to do this. If there¡¯s really something outside Tailpiece, I want it to be everything you¡¯ve ever hoped to find. You¡¯re the best fighter I know, you¡¯re my best friend, and I want you to be happy. I want you to find yourself.¡±


    The words poured out naturally, catching Lammy by surprise. Yet he knew this was precisely what he wanted to say.


    Deon paused for a moment, until a huge smile grew on his face. He turned to face Lammy fully. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend too, Lammy,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t think I could tell you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I¡¯ll really miss you,¡± Lammy muttered.


    Deon shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t speak so soon, though. I mean, I¡¯ve been out here every night we have those dreams, and I always reach some invisible wall. I can¡¯t even promise I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± He laughed.


    ¡°Wait¡­really?¡±


    ¡°Yup, the stupid wall thing has been here every night,¡± Deon explained. ¡°Watch.¡± He leaned back against the air¡­


    And disappeared.

 2. Youre an Imaginer

    Deon blinked hard and squinted. He was lying on the ground, and for some reason, everything was incredibly bright. When his eyes finally adjusted, he was looking up at an afternoon sky.


    What the¡ªhow? Deon thought. It was almost pitch-black only moments ago, and he was showing Lammy the invisible barrier that kept him from leaving Tailpiece. Now the woods felt mildly warm under the daylight.


    Did I¡­pass through?


    Deon sprung to his feet. ¡°The wall¡¯s gone! It¡¯s actually gone!¡± He shouted to Lammy.


    But he only saw more trees before him. The daytime woods now existed where Lammy was standing only a few seconds before. Not only this, but now the clearing they had been in was full of trees.


    ¡°Lammy?¡± Deon called. He stepped forward, and immediately bumped into an invisible surface. ¡°Huh?¡± Deon banged on the surface. It was the same barrier he had felt every night while trying to pass beyond Tailpiece¡ªbut now he was on the other side.


    ¡°Can you hear me, Lammy?¡± Deon yelled, now walking along the wall and feeling for an opening. He walked for a couple minutes one way¡­then the opposite way¡­but the barrier remained.


    Just like when Deon and Savannah first discovered the surface inside Tailpiece, it seemingly had no end.


    Deon stood quietly for a moment. He turned to see what lay ahead. At first, the woods seemed no different than when he was inside Tailpiece. But then he noticed unusual colors hanging in the trees: yellows, purples, oranges¡­fruit he had never seen before was dangling from the branches, along with the familiar red apples and pineapples he was used to. In clusters of bushes beneath the trees, there were also multicolored berries that resembled the pink berries of Tailpiece.


    A bit further beyond, Deon saw something that immediately shifted his confusion into eagerness: a dirt path. It curved away from where Deon stood, and continued outward for as far as he could see.


    I knew it¡­Deon thought. I knew there was something more! He glanced back to where Tailpiece used to be, now blocked off by the invisible wall. It seemed there was no clear way back. And yet, if he could pass through once, maybe he could do it again.


    But not right now. This was his chance. He was finally outside Tailpiece. This was his time to see what lay beyond, to see what his village was trying to hide. Maybe he could finally escape the mundane, and uncover what life really had to offer.


    Deon looked back one more time. A melancholy feeling passed through.


    ¡°See you again sometime, everyone,¡± he uttered. He stepped forward, shifted the weight of his backpack, and began his journey.


    He was ready to discover the extraordinary.


    ~


    Several hours later¡­


    Deon walked along the dirt path, still surrounded by trees, more bored than he had been in his entire life. A chipmunk or rabbit would scurry by every once in a while, but that was the most interesting thing he experienced for the past four or so hours.


    His stomach growled loudly and he moaned in response. Deon had already eaten all the leftovers he snagged from the kitchen during his escape, and to make matters worse, he hadn¡¯t seen a fruit-bearing tree in hours.


    He realized he was perhaps a bit underprepared for an adventure. He had scaled the length of Tailpiece countless times over by now, and had no idea any path could go on for so long.


    Eventually he took a break along the side of the path and leaned against a trunk. Maybe Mom and Dad were just trying to save me from pure boredom or starvation, Deon pondered. I guess this is how it ends. He looked across the path, deep into the woods. Red dots hung from a single tall tree not too far away.


    Finally! Hope! Deon cried in his mind.


    With rekindled energy, He headed for the tree. When he arrived he found it only featured a handful of apples, and strangely, a few purple berries. Deon shrugged to himself; this would have to do for now.


    Then he faintly heard someone approaching from ahead. There was a small opening in between the tree and another dense part of the woods, and into that clearing walked a teenage girl.


    She had midnight blue hair tied up in a black elastic, and wore a loose sleeveless blue shirt with a jagged black design on the front, tight black pants, and thin, worn tan shoes. The girl was slender but seemed athletic as she walked very lightly with her arms crossed, watching Deon closely. Her vivid purple eyes looked up into the branches of the apple tree, and then back to him emotionlessly.


    While Deon was intrigued to be meeting his first person outside Tailpiece, there was a more immediate task at hand: he was hungry. ¡°Uh, sorry,¡± he began. ¡°These apples are taken.¡±


    ¡°No they¡¯re not, they¡¯re up in the tree,¡± the girl responded plainly. Her voice was clear and stern, but sounded as if she were talking to herself.


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­I was here first, so¡­¡± Deon tried to explain.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she said, glaring at him uncaringly.


    Deon cursed in his mind. Who does this girl think she is? She just waltzes on over and assumes she can take these apples when I found them first? Yeah right! ¡°Alright, listen,¡± he demanded.


    The girl stopped walking and cocked her head to the side slightly. A gleam appeared in her stare.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been walking for hours,¡± continued Deon, ¡°and all I want is a little snack and some food for later, so I¡¯m sorry but I won¡¯t let you take these apples.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes smiled coldly, but the rest of her face remained unchanged. ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission,¡± she said, and she continued to advance toward the tree.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, stop!¡± Deon demanded.


    ¡°Are you really trying to pick a fight over this?¡±


    ¡°MAYBE I AM!¡±


    Deon blinked¡ªand within that instant, he was struck to the ground. Confused, he saw that the girl was now standing beside him with her arms still crossed and the same blank expression on her face.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s not a good idea,¡± the girl muttered, her attention on the tree.


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    Oh, so THAT¡¯S how it¡¯s gonna be¡­Deon thought. This girl has no idea who she¡¯s messing with: the best fighter in Tailpiece! Fumed, Deon leaped to his feet and swung a fist at the girl. She swiftly blocked the blow with her forearm, but suddenly recoiled, grabbing her arm and turning away.


    ¡°Ow!¡± she cried with an unexpectedly high tone.


    Deon paused, his rage vanishing instantly. ¡°Oh! Um¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­I got carried aw¡ª¡±


    Then her fist smashed into his stomach. Deon keeled forward and coughed.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± uttered the girl. Deon blushed¡ªshe fooled him. The anger immediately returned and he grabbed the arm that had punched him. Still leaning forward, he sent his own fist into the girl¡¯s gut. She grunted, but retaliated with a quick backhand to Deon¡¯s cheek. A light flashed in his eyes and he fell to his knees while the girl hopped back, waiting for him.


    Deon stood up, hiding any evidence that he felt pain. He shot a raged look into the calm girl¡¯s eyes, yet at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited: she was good. He had faced some tough fighters in Tailpiece, but this girl was clearly something else.


    ¡°You take hits better than I thought you would,¡± the blue-haired girl told him.


    Deon smiled. ¡°I was about to say the same to you.¡±


    They both lunged at each other and met in the middle with locked arms. The girl kicked him in the side and he tried to knee her in the stomach, but she sidestepped it and with a spin, broke her arms free. Before Deon could react, the girl bashed her palm into his chest, causing him to stumble backwards. Then, with a jump, she flew at him and kicked him in the same spot.


    Deon fell over backwards, but rolled and clumsily brought himself back to his feet. He was now breathing heavily, while the girl remained completely composed.


    Darn it! How is she fighting me with this much ease?! Deon wondered. She wasn¡¯t even relying on powers, making Deon wonder if she was like Savannah and simply didn¡¯t have any. Maybe powers were unique to Tailpiece? Either way, it was about time he introduced his own, if he wanted any chance of winning.


    ¡°It turns out you¡¯re not much of a fighter,¡± said the girl.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen the half of it,¡± he told her as a confident smile grew on his face.


    For the first time, the girl looked the slightest bit puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Deon imagined that a thick plank of wood, roughly half his size, was floating a few feet behind the girl. The plank appeared into existence as he intended, unbeknownst to her.


    Upon his demand, the plank punched forward, colliding with the girl from behind. She let out a surprised exclamation as she crashed to the ground. She lay still for a few seconds, before slowly positioning to push herself back up.


    Crap¡­thought Deon. He was hoping that would be the end of it. But if anything, this bought him some time. He raced over to the tree as the girl began to stand up. Deon considered using his new vine trapping technique, but he knew she¡¯d be too fast. If there was no clear victory in sight, maybe he could at least grab the apples before she got to them.


    With no time to climb, he needed another power-based move. Deon imagined a giant pair of bug wings with a vine handle hanging out of the bottom. The wings appeared just above him, and he grabbed onto the handle. Then the wings began to flap rapidly, producing a low buzzing noise as they ascended, taking Deon off the ground and towards the fruit-bearing branches.


    When Deon reached the first thick branch, he touched down onto it and allowed the bug wings to vanish. Right in front of him was a beautiful, bright red apple, just waiting to be picked. He could feel his stomach calling out to it in longing, but then he heard the shuffling of feet below.


    The girl now stood at the trunk, looking up square at him.


    Deon froze, until he remembered he was too high up for the girl to get to him easily. He had plenty of time.


    Or not.


    The girl pounced into the air, soaring straight for Deon¡¯s branch. When she reached his height she swiped an arm at his shoulder, causing him to lose balance and fall out of the tree. The girl pushed off the tree and jumped after him with her foot aimed at his torso.


    ¡°What the heck?!¡± Deon cried as he plummeted to the ground. He crashed with a hard thump and a moment later was pinned on the chest by the girl¡¯s foot.


    Deon couldn¡¯t move¡ªfirstly because he was in too much pain, and secondly because the girl kept her foot there, nailing him down as she stood with her hands on her hips. She leaned over him, meeting his eyes with hers.


    ¡°Like I said, you¡¯re not much of a fighter,¡± she said, and then she removed her foot from his chest. Deon lay silently as the girl walked away to retrieve her apples, and then everything faded.


    ~


    Deon awoke groggily, still soar everywhere. He felt something in his hand, so he brought it to his eyes to see the perfectly red apple in his grasp. How did this get here? He wondered. Deon sat up slowly, grunting as he did. He nonchalantly glanced towards the tree¡ªand almost fell over after jumping from surprise.


    The girl sat casually against the tree trunk, munching on an apple with two more apples and a few berries beside her. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of me now, are you?¡± she teased impassively.


    ¡°What?! N¡ªno,¡± Deon stammered as he sat more comfortably. Then he noticed he also had apples and berries next to him. ¡°What¡¯s with this?¡±


    ¡°There were six grown apples, so I gave you half and took the other half.¡±


    Deon was dumbstruck. ¡°SO WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE MESS WHEN YOU WERE JUST GOING TO SHARE THE APPLES IN THE FIRST PLACE?!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°WHY DIDN¡¯T YOU JUST TELL ME?!¡±


    ¡°You never gave me the chance to tell you,¡± she explained. ¡°Besides, I knew I could take you down easily, so it didn¡¯t matter to me either way.¡±


    Deon took an angry bite out of his apple. ¡°Hey wait a minute¡ªyou didn¡¯t take me down easily; I got you good with my plank attack!¡±


    ¡°And by doing so you made the worst mistake you could when fighting someone like me.¡±


    ¡°¡®Someone like you?¡¯¡±


    ¡°You really can¡¯t tell by now?¡± the girl asked. ¡°I¡¯m a Power Rebound.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡±


    The girl¡¯s thin eyebrows furrowed in confusion, which was the most emotion Deon had seen her demonstrate yet. ¡°You¡¯re wandering around No Man¡¯s Land, picking fights when you don¡¯t even know what that is? Power Rebound is a type of consciousness¡ªyou at least know what that is, right?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­can I have a hint¡­?¡± Deon requested awkwardly. This girl was practically speaking gibberish with all these terms.


    She stared at him for what felt like a full minute. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°No, but now I wish I was.¡±


    She took a long, deep sigh. ¡°Okay¡­well¡­welcome to No Man¡¯s Land. This is the place that bridges all of the countries of the Multiverse together. Only consciousnesses can enter No Man¡¯s Land, so I¡¯m not really sure how you made it this far while being so ignorant.¡±


    Deon wanted to push back against her insult, but his sheer curiosity kept him quiet.


    ¡°Consciousnesses are people with mind-related abilities, and there are over a hundred types and variations,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m a Power Rebound, which means whenever I¡¯m hurt, my nerves charge up energy and release a power boost throughout my body. So when you hit me hard from behind, all you really did was incapacitate me for a moment and give me an energy boost. Did you get all that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­think so,¡± Deon said, feeling foolish. This was quite a bit to take in. A multiverse¡­consciousnesses¡­This place already sounded infinitely vaster than Tailpiece. ¡°Wait, so since I¡¯m out here, I¡¯m a consciousness too, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you know what type I am?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious. You can create things with your mind and bring them into reality,¡± she explicated. ¡°You¡¯re an Imaginer.¡±


    Whoa, an ¡®Imaginer¡­¡¯ thought Deon. That sounds cool. ¡°That must be one of the rare types, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s literally the most common one.¡± The girl took her fruits and stood up, about to leave.


    ¡°Well wait a second!¡± Deon urged. ¡°You just probably haven¡¯t seen a good one yet. I mean, I am the best Imaginer in my village.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t tell whether she was unsurprised or unimpressed, but he guessed both as she stared at him wordlessly. Then she turned and started to walk away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Deon yelled again.


    The girl stopped once more and turned around slowly with her arms crossed. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are¡­are you doing anything tonight?¡±


    ¡°Sleeping. Bye.¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­I was thinking maybe we could¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­practice against each other.¡±


    The girl finally stopped rejecting him for a moment. ¡°Why do you want to do that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the first um¡­consciousness¡­I¡¯ve met since I left,¡± Deon explained. ¡°And I think where I come from, Imaginers are the only type. I figured this could be a chance to learn about another type and test my abilities against them.¡±


    Deon waited impatiently as the girl continued to glare at him, and then he was dismayed when she turned and continued to walk away. He considered telling her to wait once more, but decided against it.


    ¡°Come on,¡± the girl called to him.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± she repeated. ¡°And my name¡¯s Skrili.¡±


    Deon was thrown off for a moment, but he hurriedly climbed to his feet, grabbed his fruits and backpack and tried to catch up to Skrili, who wasn¡¯t slowing down for him.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Deon,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    The two of them entered the main path of the woods and followed it under the shade of the late afternoon sun. Deon wasn¡¯t sure what he was getting himself into by asking this Skrili girl to train with him, but as long as it was something new, he didn¡¯t care. He had fallen into a world¡ªor apparently, a Multiverse¡ªfilled with special powers, and he couldn¡¯t wait to experience it all.

 3. Distract Attack

    Deon finally managed to catch up to Skrili. She walked silently with her arms crossed, paying no attention to him as she led him down the dirt path of No Man¡¯s Land.


    ¡°Where exactly are you taking me?¡± Deon asked her.


    ¡°To a place to spar,¡± she answered plainly.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Deon watched Skrili as they walked. She just stared ahead. It was impossible to determine what she could possibly be thinking.


    ¡°Stop watching me like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªsorry,¡± said Deon as his cheeks flushed.


    Something was wrong about this girl. In Tailpiece, he could say as little as a single word to most girls and they would be in awe, gazing back at him with a shy smile. Savannah was the only girl he ever had to actually try and impress, but other than that, he had complete control.


    With Skrili, Deon felt like he had absolutely no control. Talking to her was like juggling knives, and her responses were like ghosts backing him into a corner. Deon was determined to make that change.


    ¡°So how long have you been travelling like this?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°A year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, cool. You must be what, nineteen?¡±


    ¡°Seventeen.¡±


    ¡°Really? And your parents were cool with you going off on your own?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking so many questions about me?¡±


    ¡°I was just¡­¡± Deon sighed. ¡°Sorry.¡± Man, this girl refuses to be the least bit friendly! he thought. They continued to walk, and Deon gave up on trying to hold a conversation.


    A short while into their stroll, Deon started to regret being so hasty by asking Skrili to train, as the pain made itself known once more in his back and ribs. I¡¯ll have to use a lot more imagining this time around, he decided.


    ¡°Don¡¯t step on that rock,¡± Skrili advised casually.


    ¡°What rock?¡±


    The ground vanished beneath them, and Deon let out an exclamation as he felt himself begin to fall.


    ~


    Deon saw the orange sky high above, which was encompassed by a circle of dirt. Then his eyes refocused, and he realized that he was looking up from the bottom of a deep hole in the ground. His arms and legs were sprawled out and his head was indented into the dirt beneath him. Deon felt a strange weight on his body and something soft was brushed against the bottom of his neck.


    In an uncomfortable effort, he lifted his head from the dirt to see dark blue hair. It took him a moment to realize Skrili was lying on top of him. He tilted his head slightly to see her dirt-smudged face and found that her eyes were closed.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he called to her, but there came no reaction. He could feel her breathing, so at least he knew she was alive. ¡°Hey! Wake up!¡± he yelled again, but she was unresponsive. Deon tried to move, but the combination of his pain and her weight held him down.


    Great¡ªI¡¯m stuck in a hole in the middle of the woods, he thought hopelessly. And I have no idea how the heck we got here!


    ¡°Hey boss, look! We caught something over here!¡± a man said in the distance. He had a very peculiar accent, as if he were trying to replace every ¡®o¡¯ with ¡®awe¡¯ and remove every ¡®r.¡¯


    ¡°Well, well, well¡­whadya know?¡± came another man¡¯s voice, this one higher but with the exact same accent.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a bunny, can I cook it?¡± the first man asked excitedly.


    ¡°Fine, but you gotta remember to take the fur off first this time.¡±


    ¡°Right, right¡­¡±


    Who are these nutcases? wondered Deon. A second later, a chubby man in a round hat poked his face into the hole eagerly. His eyes widened, and his head disappeared again.


    ¡°It¡¯s a couple of kids, boss!¡± He heard the man exclaim.


    ¡°Hmm¡­even better.¡±


    Then the apparent boss¡¯s head appeared in Deon¡¯s view, looking down at him and Skrili. He was smaller and had a round, shaven face, and wore rectangular sunglasses along with a hat similar to the other man¡¯s. A smug half-smile was on his face, which made Deon realize he wasn¡¯t in the safest of situations.


    ¡°Hello there,¡± the boss said to Deon.


    Deon didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Your little friend seems to have nodded off on you¡­literally,¡± he observed with his evil smile. ¡°Allow me to take care of her.¡±


    Suddenly Deon felt Skrili¡¯s weight lessening¡ªthen he realized she was beginning to levitate off of the ground.


    Huh?? What¡¯s he doing to her? Deon thought as his heartbeat increased. Skrili slowly ascended upward, her limbs and head dangling in the air. Soon she was out of the hole, floating in place.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have here,¡± said the boss. Then an invisible force turned Skrili upright, facing the two men. ¡°Too bad; it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s got anything on her.¡±


    ¡°Boss, this girl is dressed like the girl from yesterday!¡± declared the energetic stout man from out of Deon¡¯s view. ¡°Except she¡¯s in all blue instead a¡¯ red!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why she seems familiar,¡± the boss remembered, shaking his finger at her.


    ¡°You think she¡¯s, eh¡­just as tough, boss?¡± He sounded rather worried.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter when she¡¯s trapped, does it?¡±


    Deon saw Skrili slowly lift her head, and his hopes increased slightly.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Purple-Eyes,¡± greeted the boss with a sneer. ¡°How was your nap?¡±


    Skrili looked around and noticed she was floating above a hole. To Deon¡¯s surprise, she didn¡¯t seem fazed. ¡°Put me down so I can kill you,¡± she ordered him.


    The boss broke out into laughter, and his sidekick quickly joined in. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll put you down,¡± he agreed. ¡°But the only person you¡¯ll be killing is your boyfriend when you land on him.¡±


    Instantly Skrili started falling out of the air, but she managed to grab onto the edge. With a single pull-up, she launched herself out of the hole and onto the solid ground, right in front of the boss.


    ¡°You lucky little¡ª¡± the boss started, but Skrili flashed forward and nailed him in the stomach with her elbow and he toppled backward, away from Deon¡¯s sight.


    That¡¯s right, Deon recalled. She said she¡¯s that ¡°Power Rebound¡± type! When she gets injured she gets stronger, so she must have a huge power boost right now!


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, you dope!¡± the boss shouted furiously to his sidekick. ¡°Get her!¡±


    ¡°Oh! Um¡­right!¡±


    Skrili zipped away from the hole, and immediately Deon heard the man howl in pain. Dangit¡­I wish I could see what was happening! he thought.


    Meanwhile outside the dirt hole, Skrili stood over the portly sidekick, who lay on his back clutching his nose. Blood was dripping onto his black suit and leather shoes.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you have to go for my face?!¡± the man squealed.


    ¡°I can think of a more painful spot if you want,¡± Skrili taunted monotonously.


    ¡°N-No, please! I wanna have kids someday!¡± he pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we stole your bag! I¡¯d give it back if that little red-haired girl didn¡¯t take it from us, I swear!¡±


    ¡°So it was you who stole my bag,¡± Skrili confirmed. ¡°This red-haired girl¡ªwhere is she now?¡± When he stammered to respond, she kicked his shin.


    ¡°Owww!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so cocky, girl,¡± warned the boss from behind. Skrili looked over to see he was standing up, brushing dirt off his gray suit. ¡°This is just the tip of the iceberg.¡± The smirk returned to his face, and he began to laugh slowly.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Suddenly, a tall man in a white button-up shirt, red tie, and sunglasses faded into appearance beside the boss. The man was bald, very muscular, and had a constantly blank look on his face.


    So he¡¯s an Imaginer, thought Skrili.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to meet my friend Boris,¡± the boss said. ¡°Say hello to the girl, Boris.¡±


    The man firmly punched his fist into his palm.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, huh?¡± asked Skrili. ¡°This will be quick.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak so soon,¡± the boss advised her as the sunlight glistened on his sunglasses. ¡°You see: Boris comes from a big family.¡±


    At that moment, a second man completely identical to Boris appeared beside him, followed by another¡­and another¡­and in a moment there were six, total.


    ¡°And I would watch my back if I were you,¡± said the boss. Skrili turned around to find six more Boris¡¯ standing a short distance from her. ¡°Any more remarks?¡± the boss asked her.


    Skrili was silent.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think so. Boys, beat ¡®er to a pulp.¡±


    The men charged from both sides, and Skrili cautiously waited. Then she whirled around and pounced at one of them. She kicked the burly man and he fell back expressionlessly, then disappeared. But right when Skrili landed, one of the men nailed her in the back with his fist. She let out a cry and fell to her hands and knees as the rest of the men surrounded her.


    The boss laughed loudly.


    Back inside the hole, Deon lay listening with unease. He could hear the boss¡¯s cruel laughter and what seemed to be the sound of numerous people hitting something, or someone.


    What the heck is happening up there?! he wondered. When did all these other people show up? That¡¯s it¡ªI need to do something. He started to sit up, but then a line of pain shot through his back and he fell down. Ow¡­back¡­he moaned in his thoughts.


    Up on the pathway, the eleven men completely caged Skrili in as they all punched at her. She was curled up on the ground, unable to move. Then, with a great deal of effort, she managed to plant her feet. Covering her head with her arms, she jumped upward, prying through the many large arms and shooting out of the top of the crowd like a bullet. Skrili flipped once through the air, and landed gracefully a safe distance from them.


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± the boss exclaimed in disbelief.


    Good, my Power Rebound is in effect, Skrili noticed. She reached for her hair and pulled out the black elastic that kept it up. Her hair flowed down to her mid-back as she pulled back the elastic like a slingshot and aimed at the boss. If I can blind him with this, he won¡¯t be able to control his fake thugs, she planned.


    Skrili released the elastic and it whizzed at the boss like an arrow¡ªbut at that instant, one of the Boris¡¯ dove in front and took the elastic in the chest. He vanished from existence.


    ¡°That¡¯s a mighty strong rubber band you got there,¡± the boss observed. ¡°But I saw it coming once you aimed it.¡±


    Skrili cursed under her breath. The ten remaining thugs charged at her, so she took a breath and sprinted at them, running low.


    In the hole, Deon made another attempt to sit up, and this time was successful. ¡°Finally!¡± he gasped. ¡°Time to get out of here.¡± First he considered his bug wing technique, but he knew it would make too much noise and give him away. Instead, he looked at the dirt wall of the hole and imagined a wooden ladder built into it, running up to the top. The ladder appeared. Deon slowly stood up, grunting from the soreness, and began climbing. Before long, he reached the top and peaked above the hole.


    What?! he thought.


    There were ten huge men fighting Skrili, and she was doing pretty well for fighting ten-on-one. It seemed as though all the large thugs knew how to do was punch, but when they did, Deon could almost feel the amount of force they were putting into it. Unfortunately for them, Skrili was too fast to be brutally hit. She jumped from person to person as they surrounded her, dodging with leaps, ducks, and flips, and throwing her own punches or kicks when she got the chance.


    Not too far away from Deon, the boss stood facing outward, watching the fight closely. A little farther down, the other man sat covering his bleeding nose. Wow, thought Deon. Skrili seemed to be handling this pretty well. Despite the situation, he found himself excited to have found a training partner this skilled.


    Skrili flipped away from the ten men, with her back to Deon. She appeared confident and energized¡ªbut all of the sudden she seemed to lose balance as she fell to one knee, breathing heavily. It was as if all of the energy had been sucked out of her.


    Skrili weakly lifted her head to see her enemies running at her once more. Great, my Power-Rebound energy is out, she realized. I don¡¯t stand a chance now.


    Soon the closest man was in front of her, and with his massive fist he punched her square in the stomach. All of Skrili¡¯s breath shot out at once, and she fell forward, practically unable to inhale. The other men joined the first and continued to crowd up and punch her like before.


    Huh?! Deon thought. She was just doing fine a second ago¡ªwell whatever it is, I have to get these guys off her back!


    Deon rapidly searched his mind for an idea, and then he conjured up the quickest thing that came to him. Behind one of the thugs appeared a thick wooden stick. On Deon¡¯s silent command, the stick swung and collided with the man¡¯s head. Once it made contact, the man vanished from existence. Deon was confused by the disappearance, but then he connected the dots: the men were imagined.


    ¡°What on earth?!¡± the boss exclaimed. He swung himself around to see Deon there, but kept glancing back at the fight.


    Deon speedily climbed out of the hole and to his feet. ¡°I get it now; you¡¯re like me: an Imaginer,¡± he said. Though he still wasn¡¯t sure how this guy managed to make Skrili float earlier, or how he imagined fake people into existence. Deon had never witnessed techniques that complicated¡ªit turned out there was a lot more to these powers than he realized.


    The boss tried to keep his eyes focused on the fight while facing Deon. ¡°You¡¯re darn right I¡¯m an Imaginer, kid,¡± he said.


    ¡°In that case,¡± began Deon, ¡°I know how to handle this.¡±


    He stared the boss down, unblinking and unmoving. The boss struggled to look between the fight and Deon, clearly unsure of what he was about to do. Deon¡¯s cold stare continued for a few more seconds, and he noticed his opponent was getting nervous.


    He grinned.


    Deon took a deep breath and screamed, ¡°PINEAPPLES!!!!!!¡± At that same moment, he imagined an oversized pineapple into existence in front of the boss. The boss pounced with surprise as he shifted his full attention to the enlarged colorful fruit before him.


    Deon smiled. ¡°Got you,¡± he said.


    Over where the fight was, the eight men abruptly stopped attacking Skrili. They all looked forward with confused expressions, and with a simultaneous POOF! they all turned into six-foot-tall pineapples.


    Pleased, Deon quickly returned his attention to the boss. ¡°You lose,¡± he said.


    ¡°Ha! It¡¯ll take more than that!¡±


    Deon imagined a plank of wood behind the boss, just like what he did against Skrili. ¡°I know,¡± he agreed. The plank materialized, and Deon made it punch the boss in the back of his head. The boss plopped onto the ground, his hat rolling off into the dirt.


    The plank disappeared, and Deon started to make his way over to Skrili, who lay on her stomach breathing heavily. The boss¡¯s sidekick still sat clutching his nose, watching Deon with fearful eyes. He won¡¯t be an issue, Deon decided.


    He made his way through the circular fence of pineapples, smelling their fresh aroma. To his surprise, they were real: while Deon¡¯s distraction was just the image of the fruit, the boss was so advanced he accidentally turned his puppet minions into actual food. Again, Deon was impressed¡ªthere was clearly so much more to learn.


    He walked up to where Skrili lay. Her straight hair was spread out around her head, and she was covered in dirt smudges and bruises.


    ¡°It¡¯s over now,¡± Deon told her.


    ¡°I told you not to step on that rock, you idiot,¡± Skrili said, shooting him an irate look. ¡°And it was nice of you to finally show up at the last second. Is that supposed to make you the hero?¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Deon began, but then he gave it a second thought. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± He may have saved her life, but come to think of it he was the one who sprung the trap in the first place. Also, he did leave it all to her for a good while. ¡°Are you gonna be okay?¡±


    She proceeded to stand up, showing no signs of pain or trouble¡ªalmost as if the fight had never happened. Deon was bewildered.


    Skrili seemed just as confused. ¡°I¡¯m fine, obviously,¡± she said.


    ¡°So¡­do your powers heal you or make your energy come back or something?¡± Deon tried to theorize.


    ¡°No. I just got sick of lying on the ground.¡±


    Deon was both impressed and annoyed. While he could barely get himself to sit up earlier, Skrili had taken the worse beating and still seemed unaffected. Deon had always been the toughest kid in Tailpiece, but the first person he met outside of his village immediately made him feel like a wimp.


    ¡°You¡¯re one weird fighter,¡± Deon said.


    ¡°At least my technique doesn¡¯t include shouting about fruits,¡± mocked Skrili.


    ¡°Hey! That was a clever technique!¡± Deon defended. ¡°You see, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Distracted him by making him think of pineapples,¡± Skrili finished. ¡°He lost focus on his imagined men, so they turned into whatever he was thinking about.¡±


    Deon stood silently, impressed that Skrili was able to figure him out that easily. ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°I bet our apples are bruised from that fall¡­but on the bright side, now we have plenty of fresh pineapple to stock up on.¡±


    Then something he thought to be impossible occurred: Skrili smiled. It was a small, subtle smile that she tried hard to push back, but he saw it. And it made her finally seem like a real person. ¡°True,¡± she agreed. ¡°I hope you¡¯re good at imagining giant knives.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Deon told her. He proceeded to demonstrate, imagining an extra shiny, oversized kitchen knife. It appeared before him, but when Deon looked back at Skrili to show off his skill, she was already walking away towards a black elastic band on the ground. Deon shrugged and had his knife start slicing one of the pineapples. Its sugary scent filled the air as he chopped it up.


    After a few minutes, the pineapple was halfway sliced, which was more than enough to share between Deon and Skrili. Deon imagined bags for each of them to carry their slices in as Skrili viewed silently, crossing her arms once she finished tying her hair back up.


    ¡°Since your old bag got stolen, I can just imagine up a new one for you,¡± offered Deon while handing Skrili her pineapple bag.


    Skrili shook her head. ¡°That bag has something very important,¡± she said. Then she looked over to the boss¡¯s plump sidekick, who still sat watching with blood all over his hands. ¡°Which is why I need it back,¡± she added firmly, eyeballing the man. She stormed over to him as he started to recoil.


    ¡°You already beat us, don¡¯t be like that!¡± the man begged.


    ¡°Then answer me this time¡ªwhere did that girl go?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know? They were heading in the same direction as you guys were before we trapped ya, I guess¡­but that was yesterday. She was with a skinny, creepy fella with pale skin. That¡¯s all I got.¡±


    Skrili tensed, but then eased up and walked back over to Deon.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Deon began awkwardly. ¡°Are we still gonna have that training session?¡±


    ¡°I need to find the girl who has my bag,¡± Skrili sternly told him. ¡°I know who she is. I can¡¯t waste time.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± sighed Deon, disappointed. ¡°Well maybe I¡¯ll see you around sometime.¡±


    Skrili stared at him for a moment expressionlessly. ¡°Maybe,¡± she said. Without another word, she turned her back to him and started walking away.


    ¡°Well¡­good luck,¡± added Deon.


    Strangely, Skrili stopped walking. ¡°I hope you realize you¡¯re too clueless to be out here. You¡¯re going to get your butt kicked every day if you travel around No Man¡¯s Land alone,¡± she said without looking at him. ¡°If you prefer for that not to happen, I suppose you could come with me for a while¡­¡±


    That caught Deon off guard. He knew it would be lonely out here alone, but at the same time he took her suggestion as an insult: she thought he wasn¡¯t skilled enough to survive. ¡°Thanks,¡± said Deon, ¡°but I¡¯m pretty sure I can take care of myself.¡±


    Skrili stood still for a few seconds, but then carried on walking away with her light steps and inevitably crossed arms. The sun was on the verge of setting, casting an orange blanket over the path ahead of her.


    Deon let out a sigh. Before he knew it, he was running after her. ¡°Wait,¡± he called.


    ¡°You say that a lot,¡± Skrili said blankly. Deon smiled as he caught up and followed her down the smooth road.


    ¡°¡­But I truly swear,¡± she added, ¡°if you step on any more rocks or objects I tell you not to step on, I will kill you slowly and painfully.¡±


    Deon gulped. ¡°Understood.¡±

 4. Zayza the Dreamer

    Lammy stood alone, staring into the darkness of the woods. Only an instant ago, Deon was laughing and talking to him¡­and then he vanished.


    ¡°Deon?!¡± Lammy cried.


    No response came.


    Lammy had just come to terms with the fact that Deon was trying to leave, but for a moment it looked like it wouldn¡¯t happen. Deon said the invisible wall was always there, but this time¡ªof all times, this time was different. Panic quickly set back into Lammy¡¯s gut.


    He tried calling to Deon one more time, and his dread only increased when there was still no reply. Did something bad happen to him? Was it dangerous out there?


    Lammy couldn¡¯t bear the thought. ¡°Are you alright?!¡± he cried, rushing to the spot where Deon disappeared.


    He tripped on a root, toppled forward, and immediately, a white light overcame his vision.


    Lammy blinked. Now he was lying facedown on the ground, but the air felt warmer. He could hear birds singing high above him.


    Huh?


    He lifted his head to find daylight. The woods continued on for as far as he could see, but Deon was nowhere to be found. Lammy stood to his feet and felt his foot squish something underneath it. He lifted his foot to see a long, yellow fruit he was unfamiliar with. Looking to the trees, Lammy noticed all kinds of colors and shapes of fruit.


    What is this place? He wondered.


    But his attention quickly returned to searching for his cousin. Deon had only passed through the wall seconds before him, so he couldn¡¯t have gotten too far. Lammy just wanted to know he was safe.


    He quickly appreciated how much easier it was to hurry through the woods in the sunlight as he scanned the area for his cousin. Yet after a couple minutes of calling for Deon and rushing around, he was starting to doubt his chances.


    Lammy paused against a tree to catch his breath. I get that Deon wanted to leave Tailpiece, he thought, but I had no clue he¡¯d be in such a rush! Despite his failed attempts, he at least knew wherever Deon was, it didn¡¯t seem to be very dangerous.


    Then with a deep thud, something crashed to the ground beside him. Lammy looked down to see a round, brown fruit next to his foot. He lifted it¡ªit was unexpectedly heavy, and seemed to be covered in brown hairs. Lammy looked up to see that the tree he stood under carried several more of these shell-like fruits. They shared no resemblance to apples or berries that grew on Tailpiece trees. Curious, Lammy surveyed the trees ahead of him to see if there were more like this.


    Then his heart skipped a beat as he laid eyes on the most amazing thing he had ever seen.


    There was a thick tree a short walk away, and lying under it was a woman in a fancy green dress. Usually Lammy didn¡¯t pay too much attention to girls like Deon did, but he couldn¡¯t deny that she was absolutely beautiful. Her face was captivating; it was calm and smooth, with large eyes, a graceful pointed nose, and a small, elegant mouth. Her long brown hair flowed around her dress elegantly. It took Lammy a moment to realize she seemed to be asleep, and beside her shoulder lay a larger version of the round brown fruit Lammy held.


    Wait a second¡ªis she okay? he wondered. He dropped his fruit and started to make his way towards her, growing increasingly nervous¡ªfirstly because he wasn¡¯t sure if she was hurt, and secondly due to his strong shyness towards girls, especially one as striking as her. As he neared, he noticed she appeared to be around Deon¡¯s age¡ªmaybe a bit older, and wore very expensive-looking silver jewelry around her neck and wrists.


    Soon Lammy stood above the woman, unsure of what to do, watching her as his cheeks turned red. He pretended to clear his throat, hoping that would wake her, but nothing happened. Lammy wanted to say something, but kept hesitating. She looked so peaceful and content, so maybe it would be wrong to disturb her¡­


    ¡­But at the same time, the heavy fruit next to her hinted that perhaps it had fallen on her, in which case it would be necessary to see if she was alright...


    Lammy sighed shakily and somehow managed to make his legs move. He shuffled closer to her side and leaned next to her. ¡°Um¡­Miss?¡± he practically whispered. Knowing that would do no good, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°M-Miss?¡± he repeated louder.


    The woman took a quick breath in and her eyes opened. They were a dazzling green, perfectly matching her dress. She seemed rather surprised when she looked over and saw Lammy there.


    Once her eyes met Lammy¡¯s, he froze completely. Everything locked up and all he did was blush even more. Sound vanished, along with time. If the woman said something to him, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed it.


    ¡°Hello? Can you hear me okay?¡± she asked him. Apparently she had said something, and he missed it. In fact, she was already sitting up.


    Lammy faltered, and blinked repeatedly. ¡°Oh! Um¡­sorry¡­what?¡± he stuttered.


    The woman smiled, which only made Lammy freeze up even more. It was as if the entire woods lit up around her. ¡°I said: ¡®Hello, my name¡¯s Zayza. What¡¯s your name?¡¯¡± she repeated. Her voice sounded incredibly lighthearted and soothing.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡ªI¡ªI¡­¡± Lammy attempted.


    ¡°Eye-eye-eye-eye?¡± asked Zayza. ¡°That¡¯s a unique name¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­I¡­¡± Lammy paused and took a moment to gather himself. ¡°I¡¯m Lammy,¡± he said slowly.


    ¡°Lammy?¡± Zayza laughed, speedily covering her mouth with a delicate hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve never heard that name before. Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°Tailpiece,¡± Lammy told her, pointing in the village¡¯s general direction.


    Zayza looked to where he was pointing, and then returned her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not familiar with that place. What country is it in?¡±


    Country? Lammy wondered. ¡°Um¡­I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t think it has one.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­that¡¯s interesting¡­¡± said Zayza with pondering eyes. ¡°So can I help you with something, Mr. Lammy?¡±


    He was confused for a moment, but then realized she was trying to understand why he bothered to wake her up. Clearly Zayza seemed fine, so he felt stupid for disrupting her. ¡°I was just¡­um¡­wondering...if you were okay. Sorry to wake you.¡±


    Zayza continued to watch him for a moment, as if he were still talking. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s alright,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°The fact that you checked on me simply says that you¡¯re a caring person. Besides, I suppose I must have looked rather odd sleeping under a tree in the middle of No Man¡¯s Land like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡­guess¡­¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry; I was just searching for something,¡± Zayza reassured.


    ¡°That fruit?¡± Lammy asked, gesturing towards the one beside her.


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    Zayza laughed again. ¡°Oh, this coconut? Not quite, I have that just in case. I¡¯m not searching for something out here.¡±


    Lammy was perplexed. Then why are you out here? he wanted to ask.


    Zayza seemed to sense his confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I haven¡¯t properly introduced myself, Lammy,¡± she began. ¡°I¡¯m a Dreamer.¡±


    Lammy was certain that was supposed to mean something significant, but he had no idea what that was. He wanted to ask, but instead found himself nodding awkwardly.


    His disguise clearly didn¡¯t get past Zayza. ¡°Oh, I supposed it¡¯s not the most common type,¡± she reasoned politely. ¡°A Dreamer is a consciousness type that enters another realm in our dreams. Whenever I¡¯m asleep, I go to the Dream World. It¡¯s a very strange but inviting place.¡±


    ¡®Consciousness type?¡¯ Wondered Lammy. Hmm¡­so there must be more than one kind of special power out here¡­and Zayza¡¯s kind sounds fascinating!


    Suddenly his nerves vanished, replaced by nerdy excitement. ¡°Where are you from? I¡¯ve never met a Dreamer before because we only have one type in Tailpiece.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Zayza started, but then she simply sighed. ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to find out,¡± she explained.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to find out where you¡¯re from?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªthat and many other things,¡± she told him. ¡°Almost all of my memories seem to be missing. All I know is that my name is Zayza and I¡¯m a Dreamer. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been exploring through the Dream World, searching for the rest of my memories¡­but I haven¡¯t found anything yet¡­¡± Her eyes started to water and her expression smoothly but quickly switched from lively to heartbroken. She resembled a puppy being snatched away from its loving owner.


    Her watery eyes set off an alarm in Lammy¡¯s mind. ¡°Oh¡ªdon¡¯t cry¡­¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about the Dream World, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get your memories back eventually¡­just don¡¯t give up.¡±


    Zayza wiped her eyes and tried to smile. ¡°Thank you, Lammy. You¡¯re a nice boy,¡± she said. Then suddenly, her happy demeanor reappeared. ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right! All I have to do is keep looking! I¡¯m far too excited to try and fall asleep again now, so it looks like I¡¯ll have to go to my backup plan!¡±


    She grabbed the coconut beside her, held it in front of her head with her arms extended, and winced as if preparing for a collision.


    Lammy almost had a heart-attack. ¡°Whoa! Stop! What are you doing?!¡± he shouted frantically.


    Zayza stopped and looked at him, appearing to make a mental connection. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she responded, and then offered the coconut to him. ¡°Could you please hit me on the head with this? It would make more sense if you did it¡ªI would probably hold back and not hit myself hard enough¡­again.¡±


    ¡°W¡­what???¡±


    ¡°If I want to be awake there, I can¡¯t be awake here,¡± Zayza tried to explain.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to knock yourself out with that? That¡¯s how Dreamers get to Dream World??¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­but that¡¯s what I do sometimes.¡±


    Question marks shot out everywhere like a volcano eruption in Lammy¡¯s mind. So this lady¡¯s suffering from amnesia and she¡¯s dealing with it by hitting herself in the head¡­talk about irony¡­


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t be mad at you, Lammy,¡± Zayza tried to convince him. ¡°Besides, you¡¯d be helping me get my memories back.¡± She continued to present the coconut to him.


    ¡°You¡ªyou really want me to hit you with that,¡± confirmed Lammy.


    ¡°Yes, on the head, preferably.¡±


    Despite his inner protests, Lammy considered the idea. Zayza was right: she was asking for his assistance, and Lammy didn¡¯t want to pass up befriending someone with powers he had never seen before. But when he looked at her, the friendliest and prettiest girl he had ever met, he couldn¡¯t picture himself doing it, even if she wanted him to.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so shy, here,¡± insisted Zayza, pressing the coconut up against Lammy¡¯s chest. ¡°You can¡¯t just inspire me like that and then deny me a chance to keep searching.¡±


    ¡°But all I said was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please?¡±


    Then it happened again. Upon hearing her say ¡®please,¡¯ he became a living statue. Zayza¡¯s eyes seemed to grow larger and shinier, and everything around her face turned into an array of wonderful bright colors.


    ¡°Lammy?¡± Zayza asked. ¡°Are you broken?¡±


    With a shake, Lammy sprung himself back to life. The coconut was still against his chest, and despite his own inner objections, he placed his hands on it. ¡°Fine¡­¡± he uttered.


    Zayza smiled even wider and released her grip on the coconut. ¡°Great!¡± she said, standing to her knees to fully face him. ¡°Now don¡¯t hold back¡ªjust give me a good bonk on the noggin!¡±


    This can¡¯t actually be happening, thought Lammy. There¡¯s no way I can do this, it¡¯s ridiculous!


    But then a sound resounded from him: the loud, thunderous rumble of his stomach growling. He realized it must be that time of night back inside Tailpiece, when he would sneak into the kitchen for a quick midnight snack.


    Upon hearing it, Zayza appeared quite troubled. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked.


    Lammy blushed. ¡°Yeah.¡± But the groan of his stomach served as an urgent reminder: he had been away from home too long. If he didn¡¯t get back soon, he didn¡¯t even want to think about how much trouble he¡¯d be in. ¡°To be honest¡­I really shouldn¡¯t be out here right now,¡± he confessed.


    ¡°Oh¡­I see. Will you be on your way then?¡± Zayza wondered, trying to cover up her disappointment.


    ¡°Uh¡­well¡­¡± stuttered Lammy. ¡°You can come too, if you want,¡± he offered.


    ¡°Really?¡± Zayza said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to impose¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not. I¡¯m sure my parents won¡¯t mind,¡± Lammy assured.


    That was absolutely untrue: his mom and dad would find it bizarre of him to bring home a fancily dressed stranger as company. Moreover, his mother wouldn¡¯t appreciate his snooping around beyond Tailpiece. But if this would get him out of having to knock Zayza out with a fruit, he figured it was probably worth it. And maybe his parents could help with her amnesia. While they were strict about rules, he knew their kindheartedness would outweigh their frustration.


    ¡°If you insist¡­¡± Zayza accepted. ¡°Thank you, Lammy. I¡¯ve just been stuck outside since I got here. The last time I was actually in a building was¡­well, I don¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    With that, Lammy and Zayza departed from the tree, and Lammy began retracing his steps back to where he first fell. All the while, Lammy could hear Zayza humming an improvised cheery tune behind him. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh to himself.


    He began to wonder if he was remembering correctly, but soon enough, he saw the squished yellow fruit he had stepped on earlier.


    ¡°Interesting, I didn¡¯t know bananas were out here, too,¡± Zayza commented.


    Lammy stepped forward to re-enter Tailpiece. Time to get the scolding of my life, he thought.


    That scolding never came. Lammy banged face-first into an invisible wall.


    Oh no¡­he thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zayza asked from behind.


    ¡°No¡­no¡­no¡­¡± Lammy uttered to himself. He turned to face her, swallowing hard to conceal his panic. ¡°Um¡­we might not be able to get into my village¡­¡± he explained shakily.


    ¡°Oh, dear. But you need to get home, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he quickly turned back around to make sure Zayza couldn¡¯t see him freak out, and began pressing the wall in various places to find an opening.


    ¡°I suppose your town must not like me,¡± Zayza wondered.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Lammy began walking along the barrier, feeling for any break as he became more and more frantic. But the wall was endless. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Zayza. I swear my village is through here, but I don¡¯t know how to get back¡­I¡¯m lost¡­I¡¯m¡­I guess I¡¯m stranded like you¡­¡± he rambled, too embarrassed and scared to look at her.


    There came no reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting your hopes up¡­¡±


    Still no response.


    ¡°Zayza?¡± Lammy finally turned around. He had assumed Zayza was following him this whole time, but she was nowhere in sight. Alarmed, Lammy hurried back to the squished banana.


    The subject of his panic immediately changed.


    Several trees away, Zayza stood stiff and timid. There was a glistening knife against her neck, held by a man who stood hunched over her. He covered her mouth with his other black-gloved hand.


    The man had seemingly bad posture, yet a toned build. His spiky and disorderly pitch-black hair covered most of his face¡ªall but one thin dark eye¡ªand a gray bandana masked his mouth. He wore all black and his clothes were slightly ripped all over, but it was unclear if this was due to his stylistic preference or history of fighting. His thin boots seemed designed for silent but hasty movement.


    The man noticed Lammy immediately and shot a disturbingly calm glare at him, tightening his hold on Zayza. Zayza¡¯s eyes also met Lammy¡¯s, and they were full of sheer terror and confusion. They all stood motionlessly, as if they were one with the still trees around them.


    The whole woods felt tense with impending violence.


    A twig cracked off to the side, causing Lammy¡¯s ear to twitch. Another man entered from that spot: this one tall, very thin and well poised. His rather fashionable light blue jacket, matching outfit, and intricately styled pale blond hair indicated he clearly wasn¡¯t dressed for combat or dirty work. His long face was stern and focused, and he carried himself as if he knew exactly what was coming next at every moment. He had not looked at Lammy yet, but somehow Lammy knew the man realized his presence.


    ¡°Zayza¡­it¡¯s been a while, has it not?¡± the blonde man said. His voice sounded like a lullaby. ¡°You¡¯ll be coming with us now.¡±


    ¡°What of this boy?¡± the other man asked, gesturing to Lammy. His voice was even stranger: it was practically a whisper, if not for the rasp behind it.


    The blonde man finally glanced at Lammy, and his cold eyes made Lammy want to cry. ¡°Did you make a new friend, Zayza?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind us killing him. You can keep his head if that makes you feel better.¡±

 5. Interruption

    ¡°Did you make a new friend, Zayza?¡± the thin blonde man asked quietly. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind us killing him. You can keep his head if that makes you feel better.¡±


    Those quiet words sent a shiver down Lammy¡¯s spine as he stared dumbstruck into this disturbing stranger¡¯s eyes. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m going to die, he realized.


    Zayza struggled to mumble something out of objection through the darkly-dressed man¡¯s firm hand. He jerked her head closer to his and moved his fingers slowly on the knife that he held to her neck. Zayza¡¯s eyes blinked flinchingly and her nervous breathing intensified.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± the dark man hissed into her ear.


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± began the other man in a calmer tone. ¡°You have no right to complain. You¡¯re about to feel the burden of watching someone suffer for the choices you¡¯ve made. He¡¯ll die slowly and painfully, and you¡¯ll soak in every last second of it.¡±


    Zayza reached a hand towards him, shaking her head, but the man holding her kneed her hard on the thigh. She shrieked, shrinking back.


    ¡°Before we kill you, boy,¡± the thin man started, ¡°tell me: how do you feel about your fate being the result of another¡¯s actions?¡±


    Lammy didn¡¯t respond. He had no idea what this guy was talking about.


    ¡°Hmm¡­nothing, huh?¡± sighed the man. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. Then how about you, Zayza? Is there anything you¡¯d like to share with us before your friend dies?¡±


    The man confining her cautiously released his hand from her mouth, eager to hear what she had to say.


    Zayza remained unspoken for a moment, watching the cruel tall man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­who are you?¡± she asked.


    The blonde man practically fell over, taken off guard by her question. Even in the situation, Lammy found it hard not to laugh at the sight of such a serious man becoming so confused. ¡°There¡¯s no use in playing dumb at a time like this¡­¡± he said when he recovered, making sure his hair was still perfect and returning to his earlier demeanor.


    ¡°I¡¯m not, I promise,¡± Zayza said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m sure we¡¯re supposed to know each other somehow, but I can¡¯t remember how¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough of this foolishness!¡± her captor snapped. ¡°Let¡¯s just kill her now,¡± he told the other man.


    ¡°Patience! You know we can¡¯t do that, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the idiot, idiot,¡± the dark man grumbled grudgingly, but his peer ignored him.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry,¡± continued Zayza. ¡°I¡¯ve misplaced my memories, so I don¡¯t know why you want to hurt us. But please leave Lammy alone. He¡¯s a good person. I¡¯ll take the punishment for whatever it is I did, but don¡¯t hurt Lammy.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­Lammy?¡± the darkly dressed man asked with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s a stupid name.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± agreed the other, ¡°and this is an interesting development¡­¡± a sinister smirk appeared on his face and he slowly made his way closer to Zayza and her captor while placing his hands in his pockets. Zayza tried to back away, but the man held her in place. Soon the blonde man was right in front of her, staring down at her unblinkingly.


    ¡°You have no memories, you say? So that means you don¡¯t know what this is for.¡± Keeping his hands in his pockets, he lifted one leg back and launched it into Zayza¡¯s shin. She yelped, and the man holding her quickly pressed his hand back on her mouth.


    No! Stop it! Lammy cried in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to actually say it.


    Appearing pleased, the blonde man removed one of his hands. ¡°Or this,¡± he said coolly, and punched her in the stomach. Zayza coughed and fell forward, but the dark man kept her on her feet.


    Leave her alone!! Lammy screamed in his thoughts as tears were beginning to build up. He considered running and finding a way back into Tailpiece to get help, but if he tried, those men would probably catch him in no time. If only Deon were here¡­he wished as his heart raced.


    The blonde man put his hand under Zayza¡¯s chin and gently lifted her head to make her look at him. Her remarkable green eyes stared into his without anger or hatred¡ªonly sheer confusion. A tear rolled down her cheek.


    ¡°Look at you; you¡¯re pathetic now,¡± the man observed. ¡°You really have lost your memories¡­what a shame. But this doesn¡¯t change the boy¡¯s fate. He must die to keep anyone from knowing about this.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± asked an infuriated voice from behind Lammy. His heart skipped a beat as he turned to see exactly who he thought it was: his mother. She was still dressed in her nightgown, and stood angrily just before the invisible wall of Tailpiece with her hands on her hips.


    ¡°M¡ªMom?¡± Lammy stuttered.


    ¡°Lammy, we¡¯ll talk about your punishment later,¡± she said. ¡°What is the meaning of all of this?¡±


    The two men snickered to themselves. ¡°How nice: Mommy¡¯s come to save the day,¡± the darkly dressed one joked.


    ¡°We¡¯re just doing business; it¡¯s none of your concern,¡± the other said.


    ¡°Um¡ªexcuse me,¡± Lammy¡¯s mother began. ¡°You just said to were going to kill my son. It¡¯s every bit my concern.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­these guys are serious,¡± Lammy whispered nervously. ¡°Go get dad.¡±


    His mother ignored him. ¡°Now let go of that poor girl and go find someone else to bother. Go on; shoo!¡±


    Lammy slapped his hand against his forehead. We¡¯re goners, he told himself.


    The two men exchanged glances, with twinkles in each of their eyes. The thin one spoke: ¡°I don¡¯t think you picked up on our hint,¡± he said slowly. The other man shoved Zayza onto the ground and faced Lammy¡¯s mother, but remained aware of Zayza as she lay there watching.


    ¡°Oh, I picked up on it. I just don¡¯t care,¡± replied Lammy¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose we¡¯ll be killing two people today,¡± said the blonde man.


    Lammy didn¡¯t know what to do. These guys were acting like they did this kind of thing every day, and his mom¡ªwho wasn¡¯t a fighter and never even used her powers¡ªwas talking to them like they were nothing. Even if Lammy tried to help with his limited abilities, he knew it would be useless.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Lammy, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± his mother told him. ¡°Just stay inside for now.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ~


    Lammy blinked. It took him a moment to realize he was now in a completely different location. Next he realized all he could see was whiteness right in front of him. And finally, he felt the ice cold wind ripping against his body. The loud, ghostlike gusts filled the atmosphere with an eerie song as Lammy tried to figure out why it was so frigid, and what that white substance shooting all around him was. Even the ground beneath him was white as his hair, and strangely soft.


    Through squinting eyes, Lammy looked around to try and see what else was around him. What just happened?! he wondered. Then he spotted a figure lying in the white powder. Her hair was flying around in the wind and he caught a faint hint of a green color on her shoulder.


    Zayza! Lammy thought. ¡°Zayza! Is that you?!¡± he tried to yell, but he could barely hear himself and the relentless wind seemed to suck the air right out of him. Trying to shield his face, Lammy started making his way over to her.


    It appeared she was the same distance away from him as she was when they were in the woods only seconds ago. He had to take large steps, as the white powder sank beneath him each time. Eventually he made it beside Zayza and dropped to his knees.


    Zayza was shivering tremendously, hugging herself tightly as her eyes looked ahead wide open, clearly in shock of the sudden cold. Even though Lammy had his black tunic and pants on to protect him, he could feel the wind blowing right through him. So he figured it must be a dozen times worse for Zayza, who was only in a dress. The powder was already beginning to cover her.


    Come on Lammy: think! he pictured Deon saying in his mind. Get creative! Lammy knew he needed to come up with a way to help her, fast, and the only resource he had were his amateur powers. Well, here goes nothing, he thought, and imagined a brown blanket over Zayza. After some concentration, he managed to allow the blanket to enter into existence on her, covering her from the neck down. ¡°It¡¯s not very creative,¡± Lammy said aloud. ¡°But it works.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s shivering was now less violent, but Lammy was disheartened to see the blanket was getting wet very quickly. It was also beginning to fade in and out of existence as he struggled to keep it in place against the wind.


    Come on, I have to do better than this! he realized. If I can just cut off this icy wind¡­Lammy closed his eyes and pictured a tall gray wall. He reopened his eyes, struggled to look to where the wind was hitting them, and in his mind placed the wall right there. It slowly appeared, sinking into the white terrain. Immediately the sound of the wind became muffled and the icy substance stopped whipping them. ¡°Yeah!¡± Lammy celebrated. ¡°My cousin would like that one!¡±


    ¡°G-g-g-good j-j-j-job, L-Lam-my,¡± said Zayza beside him, her chin vibrating up and down from the cold. Lammy noticed that she was now hugging the blanket close to her and was in less of a shocked state than before. ¡°W-where are w-w-we?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Lammy started, but he went quiet when a crunching noise started coming from the bottom of the wall. The crunching increased, and to Lammy¡¯s dismay, the wall was starting to lean down towards them. ¡°NO!!!¡± Lammy bellowed, lunging at Zayza and covering her head in his arms. He tried to shield his own head at the same time, ducking as low to the frozen and powdery ground as possible.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Zayza exclaimed, startled. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    The crunching through the dense white powder grew faster, and Lammy knew the wall was about to fall on them. He slammed his eyes shut and braced himself, but unexpectedly, the noise vanished. Lammy waited a few more moments, but no crushing came.


    He cautiously opened one eye, and the other soon followed. Then he released Zayza and peaked over to the wall, to find that a man dressed in a thick hooded coat was holding it up, facing them with his back pushing against the wall. His tan face was barely visible, bundled behind the fluffy hood, as he looked down at them with light eyes.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re confused,¡± the man said, ¡°but don¡¯t worry, just get out from under here!¡±


    Lammy quickly realized the man was struggling, so they had to move fast.


    Oh¡ªwait a second¡­I¡¯m an idiot! he thought, and he simply imagined the wall to vanish. It disappeared, and the man fell backwards into the white powder. Luckily, the ice-wind had died down significantly to a gentle but freezing breeze.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± the man exclaimed. ¡°I guess that¡¯s a better way to handle it.¡± He laughed while sitting up. Lammy and Zayza also heard the laughter of someone else coming from the side. They both looked and saw another man, who looked totally identical to the first in clothing and facial features¡ªonly this man¡¯s eyes were brown. He joined his companion and observed Lammy and Zayza with a smile.


    ¡°Now here¡¯s a sight you don¡¯t come across every day,¡± he commented. ¡°A snow-haired kid and a formally-dressed girl hanging out in a storm¡­without any winter clothes, at that!¡±


    ¡®Snow-haired?¡¯ ¡®Winter clothes?¡¯ What is this guy talking about? Lammy wondered.


    ¡°I hear you bro, this is definitely a new one for the records!¡± the other agreed cheerily.


    ¡°So friends,¡± the first man began, ¡°I¡¯d love to hear names and types.¡±


    Lammy wasn¡¯t quite sure what he meant at first, so Zayza spoke. ¡°My name¡¯s Zayza and I¡¯m a Dreamer,¡± she answered politely. ¡°This is my friend Lammy, who, as I just found out, is an Imaginer. Thank you for saving us.¡±


    ¡°A Dreamer and an Imaginer, eh? That¡¯s an interesting combination,¡± the man commented. ¡°Our names are Folel and Foler. If you couldn¡¯t tell, we¡¯re twin brothers.¡±


    Lammy realized he was right earlier: outside Tailpiece, there must be all kinds of power types¡ªor consciousnesses, as Zayza called it¡ªother than his own. Apparently, he was an Imaginer.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re all learning a lot today,¡± the other brother said. ¡°At any rate, you two must be freezing. Allow us to take you in to warm up.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± asked Zayza excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you.¡±


    Lammy wasn¡¯t as eager as her, despite his numbing limbs. We just met these guys, he thought. They seem nice, but we don¡¯t know for sure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; come on!¡± both brothers said simultaneously. Then they looked at each other and laughed. ¡°That happens a lot,¡± they said in synchronization. Folel nodded to Foler to let him speak.


    ¡°I think it has more to do with the fact that we¡¯ve been teammates for years than that we¡¯re brothers,¡± Foler explained. ¡°But I could be wrong. Now, hurry and follow us before you two turn into giant icicles!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this calmer weather won¡¯t last much longer,¡± Folel agreed.


    Zayza and Lammy stood up and followed the lead of the brothers. Lammy had no idea how they knew where they were going when all he could see was whiteness everywhere, yet he had no choice but to trust their navigation.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking,¡± Zayza said, ¡°what kind of consciousnesses are you two?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Feelreader,¡± Folel told her.


    ¡°And I¡¯m a Thoughtreader,¡± Foler said.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a good blend,¡± commented Zayza.


    A Feelreader and a Thoughtreader, huh? Lammy thought. So¡­does that mean Folel can sense people¡¯s feelings, and Foler can read minds?


    ¡°Exactly, Lammy!¡± answered Foler kindly.


    Lammy¡¯s heart jumped, but then he remembered: Thoughtreader¡­right¡­As cool as that type was, he felt it was a bit invasive.


    ¡°Foler, you¡¯re making the poor kid uncomfortable,¡± Folel told his brother.


    ¡°Am I? Sorry.¡±


    Eventually they could see they were heading towards a small, white village. Strangely, the stormy weather ceased right where the village began, and inside it Lammy noticed small, round flakes of white powder falling gently out of the sky and onto the pale blue ground. The slightly undersized round buildings were made out of blocks of ice, and they each featured a circular hole that served as the entrance and exit. By now the four consciousnesses were not far from this place.


    ¡°Here we have our snowy village,¡± Folel announced.


    ¡°It¡¯s so adorable!¡± said Zayza. ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t have a name,¡± explained Foler. ¡°We just call it ¡®Our Snowy Village.¡¯¡±


    Snowy? Lammy wondered. Is that what all this white stuff is called? Snow? It sure is uncomfortable¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad you don¡¯t like the snow,¡± Foler said. ¡°I never get tired of it!¡±


    Lammy stiffened, once again remembering that Foler could read minds.


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing,¡± mentioned Folel.


    ¡°I know,¡± responded Foler.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Folel continued, ¡°there¡¯s definitely a pattern to how people feel about snow: they either love it or hate it.¡±


    How come these guys are only reading my mind and feelings?! Lammy screamed in his head. Why not bother Zayza while they¡¯re at it?!


    ¡°Because that would be rude,¡± Foler told him calmly.


    ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    ¡°Relax, Lammy. Don¡¯t get so worked up,¡± Folel told him with a chuckle. ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll give it a break.¡±


    The four of them began their entry into ¡®Our Snowy Village.¡¯ As they proceeded, Lammy tried to wrap his mind around all of this. Life had just thrown so much unfamiliarity and chaos at him in only a handful of moments, and his head was spinning just to keep up. He thought about his mother: she stood up to those two violent strangers with such a confidence he had never seen in her. And while his memory could have been dramatizing the event, he could have sworn there was an unusual glow in her eyes.


    But worst of all: before he could witness the outcome, he somehow ended up in this frosty new land.


    Please be okay, Mom¡­Lammy thought to himself.

 6. Sorry, Hes New

    The darkness was on the verge of encompassing No Man¡¯s Land as Deon followed Skrili quietly along the dirt path. This time around, he was keeping a close, apprehensive eye on the ground, being sure to avoid any rocks or pebbles.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so afraid of traps,¡± Skrili said detachedly.


    Deon wondered how she could even tell he was doing that. ¡°But you said¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll tell you not to step on something,¡± she reminded him. ¡°If you don¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll take it as a death wish.¡±


    Just because you beat me one time, you think you¡¯re so much better, Deon thought angrily. Once we get this bag of yours back, I¡¯ll prove you wrong.


    They continued to walk in silence. The quiet annoyed Deon, but he had come to realize it wasn¡¯t worth trying to have a conversation with Skrili that lasted longer than one exchange of words. The rattling of a tree frog in the distance made up for the lack of talking, and with every passing minute a new one joined in, growing into a chorus of constant buzzing. The higher pitched melodies of crickets soon accompanied them all around. Their soothing song made Deon recognize night was practically upon them.


    Skrili suddenly turned off to the right, away from the pathway and into the trees.


    ¡°Why are we going in here?¡± Deon asked as he followed.


    ¡°I¡¯m finding for a place to stay for the night,¡± Skrili answered.


    ¡°Already? It¡¯s not that late yet.¡±


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s dark. There¡¯s no point in looking for someone when you can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t argue with that. They joined the dwelling place of the trees and continued deeper in. After a few minutes, they came upon a thick tree with low, firm branches and scarce leaves. Its size was unmatched by any tree Deon had seen in Tailpiece. Skrili chose to settle there, and without a word she climbed up onto one of the branches midway to the top. She sat in the curve where the branch met the trunk and opened her bag of pineapples Deon had saved from their fight.


    Removing his backpack, Deon walked over to the trunk, about to sit down against it.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend sleeping there,¡± he heard Skrili say above him.


    ¡°Really? Why not?¡±


    ¡°There are dangerous nocturnal animals out here,¡± she answered. ¡°Not to mention thieves, like those idiots we just met.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­fair enough.¡± Deon looked up the tree to spot a branch worthy to spend the night on, but the only one he found was practically at the top. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s time to use the good ole¡¯ bug wings again,¡± he decided.


    Deon imagined his bug wing contraption. The giant wings and vine handle appeared above his head, and he grabbed on. Like before, the wings buzzed noisily as they lifted Deon into the air. Skrili¡¯s hair blew across her face as the wings ascended past her. Soon he touched down on the branch and made the bug wings disappear. He sat, placed his backpack and pineapple bag between his legs, and got comfortable. ¡°So what do you think of that technique?¡± he called down.


    ¡°It¡¯s obnoxious.¡±


    Deon chuckled to himself. Right, I don¡¯t know why I bothered asking.


    Only minutes later, night had made its full arrival. High up in the tree, Deon could see the tiny green lights of fireflies flicker all around the woods. He smiled as he observed the light show.


    It was hard to believe his first day outside Tailpiece was already over. He already got to use his imagining in two fights, made a new friend¡ªor acquaintance, it seemed¡ªand Skrili introduced him to just how massive the world really was: all kinds of powers besides his own, all coming from places across the ¡°Multiverse¡±¡­ Deon didn¡¯t know what it all meant, but he simply could not wait to find out more. He felt like leaving Tailpiece may have been the best decision he ever made.


    His thoughts shifted to his current adventure with Skrili. How long would it take to find this red-haired girl that stole her bag? On top of that, why was it such a big deal?


    ¡°Skrili, are you still awake?¡± he called.


    There came no answer.


    Deon quickly noted that even if Skrili were awake, she probably wouldn¡¯t want to respond to him. ¡°Well if you are, what¡¯s so important about your bag? Like, what¡¯s in it?¡± he pried.


    The only sounds were the tree frogs and crickets around them.


    Eh, she¡¯s probably sleeping, Deon figured, before he heard her try to conceal a sneeze. Nope, she¡¯s just ignoring me.


    Deciding it would be best to get some shut-eye to prepare for whatever awaited him tomorrow, Deon leaned low against the tree and called it a night.


    ~


    The tweeting of birds echoed through Deon¡¯s ears. He awoke to the fresh sunlight of the morning. Deon wiped his eyes and yawned, and when his vision cleared he saw three tiny red birds hopping about on his branch a few inches down.


    Deon looked out to the vast view before him. At night, he couldn¡¯t see all that much, but now he had quite a sight of the woods around him. The trees continued on as far as he could see, and more birds of all colors were flying about, above and amongst them. Squirrels and other small creatures were running around busily in the branches and on the ground. From here, he even had a decent view of the path he and Skrili had been following. Deon wondered just how far these woods continued on for.


    He was about to turn his attention to breakfast (which was more than likely going to be the rest of his pineapples), but right then two figures appeared in the distance, walking down the path. They were coming from where Skrili and Deon would soon be headed. As they slowly neared, Deon could discern it was a pair of girls¡ªone in a loose gray beanie and the other with long, wavy red hair.


    Well it¡¯s their lucky day; I better go introduce myself, Deon thought. Hopefully not all the ladies out here are as cold as Skrili¡­


    He stretched his arms and prepared to make his way down the tree. But something seemed important about this¡­he tried to place a finger on it. As his morning haze wore off, he made the connection.


    ¡°THE RED-HAIRED GIRL!!!¡± Deon shouted. All the birds around him tweeted with surprise and darted off. ¡°Skrili!! I found that girl!¡± he yelled, almost falling out of the tree. He felt giddy¡ªthe day had just begun, and judging by how uptight Skrili was about this girl, there was probably yet another fight on the way.


    ¡°What?¡± Skrili eventually answered groggily.


    Deon leaned over and looked down at her. She was rubbing her eyes slowly. ¡°That girl we¡¯re supposed to be looking for! With the hair! She¡¯s coming our way! I can see her!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Skrili asked, meeting his eyes. ¡°Does she have my blue bag?¡±


    Deon checked again quickly. ¡°Um¡­she has a bag¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± commanded Skrili. She hopped out of the tree and landed neatly on the ground.


    ¡°Wait, but¡­¡± started Deon.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Can I just¡­um¡­get ready first? You know, wash my face, fix my hair, make sure I smell good¡­¡± he requested. ¡°I like making an impression, you know?¡±


    Skrili glared at him unblinkingly. Her judgment instantly pressed upon him like the weight of every house in Tailpiece combined.


    ¡°Uh¡­just kidding, heh-heh¡­¡± Deon said quickly as he began to climb down. When he met her under the tree, the two of them made their way towards the path.


    By the time they reached the edge of the path, the two girls were about to pass by. The red-haired one strutted daintily. Her outfit was very bright: a hot-pink top with a heart on the front, white pants and sparkly shoes. The bag she carried on her shoulder followed this pattern. Her brown eyes were very bold, further intensified by her makeup.


    The girl she walked with sent a much calmer vibe. She wore mostly dark colors: a thin hooded green sweater, black jeans, and sneakers. Her brown hair flowed lazily out of her baggy hat and covered one of her gray eyes. A soft-covered case was slung around her back. Deon guessed it was for some kind of stringed instrument. The girls both appeared to be in their early twenties.


    ¡°Hello ladies,¡± Deon said coolly.


    The pair took note of Deon and Skrili and slowed their walk to a stop. ¡°Hi,¡± they both greeted casually.


    ¡°Um¡­what¡¯s with your friend?¡± the one in the hat asked in a troubled tone.


    ¡°Huh?¡± uttered Deon. He looked beside him, and then turned around to see Skrili was walking away, back towards their tree. ¡°Uh¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± he called.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t her. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡±


    Deon felt like she perceived this as his fault. ¡°Well, how was I supposed to know? All you said was ¡®red hair,¡¯ and this girl has red hair!¡±


    ¡°This girl¡¯s hair is violet-red. The girl we want has cherry red hair. And she¡¯s shorter.¡±


    ¡°Well excuse me for not considering the many possible shades of red¡­¡± Deon grumbled.


    ¡°Uh¡­were you guys looking to have a fight or something?¡± the violet-red haired girl asked them.


    Deon paused and returned his attention to the girls, returning to his ¡®cool¡¯ demeanor. ¡°Oh, so you two are into fighting too?¡±


    The ladies exchanged confused glances. ¡°Um¡­obviously,¡± they answered.


    Skrili sighed from behind, and made her way back over to the group. ¡°Sorry, he¡¯s new,¡± she explained. ¡°And we can¡¯t fight right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah come on Skrili, are you sure?¡± Deon interjected. ¡°This could be fun!¡± He wasn¡¯t certain why these girls seemed so eager to fight, but he wasn¡¯t about to question it. Yesterday Skrili had mentioned how everyone in No Man¡¯s Land was a consciousness, which meant they probably had cool powers he had never seen.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Skrili said flatly. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t have any money to offer.¡±


    What does money have to do with this? wondered Deon.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± thought the red-haired girl aloud. ¡°Well, you said you were looking for a short, cherry-red haired girl, right? I¡¯ll tell you what: we fought someone just yesterday who fits the bill. If we fight and you beat us, I¡¯ll tell you where they were headed.¡±


    Skrili stood quietly for a moment. ¡°Then I guess we have no choice,¡± she decided.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Ashley,¡± the brightly dressed girl introduced.


    ¡°I¡¯m Miranda,¡± the other said. ¡°We¡¯re from Normal Country.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Skrili. Fiction Country.¡±


    Wait¡­now there¡¯s ¡®countries,¡¯ too? thought Deon. ¡°I¡¯m Deon,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m from Tailpiece¡­uh¡­country¡­?¡±


    All three girls stared at him in bewilderment.


    Well that wasn¡¯t right¡­he quickly realized.


    The girls walked away and so he followed, figuring it was time to pick their fighting spot.


    ~


    Soon the four consciousnesses found a spot that would serve as a decent battleground, not too far off the path. It was more open than most of the woods, as most of the trees in the area were fallen. This meant there would be plenty of jumping and climbing to get from place to place, so Deon couldn¡¯t wait to begin.


    The two teams stood on opposite sides of the battleground, ready to start.


    ¡°Would you guys mind doing matchups?¡± Ashley asked her opponents.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Skrili approved. ¡°You can pick.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you, Deon,¡± chose Ashley. ¡°So Skrili will start against Miranda.¡±


    It appeared ¡°matchups¡± meant starting the fight one-on-one. The two duos split up to different halves of the battleground as they neared their opponents.


    Miranda pulled off her soft-shell case and opened it up, revealing a black, six-stringed instrument made of wood. She put the strap around her shoulder and stood, ready to play it.


    ¡°Nice guitar,¡± Skrili commented plainly, though she appeared to be in contemplation of something deeper. Deon had never heard of or seen a ¡®guitar¡¯ before, and he wondered how Miranda planned on using it to fight.


    Miranda simply smiled and twisted one of the knobs to tune it.


    ¡°Alright, start!¡± Ashley announced. Deon pounced with surprise, expecting her to leap at him and attack. Instead, she merely looked at him with her bold brown eyes.


    Somehow Deon hadn¡¯t really noticed it before, but there was something different about her. This Ashley girl¡­is kinda hot, he realized. I hope that doesn¡¯t make it weird to fight her.


    Meanwhile, Skrili stood cautiously, deciding if she should attack first or not. Okay, obviously she has something up her sleeve with that guitar, she observed. But what?


    Before Skrili could make a move, Miranda began playing the guitar. She started a serene, sweet-sounding song¡ªopposite to the music that would typically play during a fight. ¡°I never get tired of this one,¡± she muttered peacefully.


    Skrili blinked a couple times. She couldn¡¯t help but absorb some of the calm energy it evoked. ¡°Really? What¡¯s it called?¡± she asked, maintaining her sense of caution.


    ¡°I call it ¡®Garden Lullaby¡¯,¡± Miranda told her. A strange smirk appeared on her face.


    A light bulb instantly flicked on in Skrili¡¯s mind. So that¡¯s what she¡¯s up to! she realized. Wasting no time, Skrili darted forward at Miranda¡ªbut she wasn¡¯t quick enough; Miranda leaped backwards, landing atop a fallen tree trunk. All the while, she continued playing her song.


    Skrili felt her eyes growing heavy. Crap¡ªshe¡¯s a Hypnotizer! She¡¯s trying to put me to sleep! I have to hurry! She jumped after Miranda with a leaping kick but the guitarist dodged her once again, hopping from that tree trunk to another. Skrili landed and immediately chased after her.


    As Skrili¡¯s game of tag unfolded, Deon planned his initial move against Ashley. Let¡¯s see¡­the vine trap technique might catch her off guard¡­he thought.


    ¡°Hey,¡± said Ashley. She advanced closer to him slowly. ¡°Can I tell you something?¡±


    Deon faltered. ¡°Um¡­sure,¡± he responded.


    Ashley kept getting closer. ¡°The thing is,¡± she started, and then she glanced over at Miranda and Skrili¡¯s fight, as if to make sure they weren¡¯t looking. ¡°I don¡¯t actually want to fight you.¡±


    Deon was bewildered. ¡°You¡ªyou don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, now only a couple inches away from him. She smiled at him and began twirling her hair in her fingers.


    The hair-twirling was a sure sign. This girl¡¯s totally into me, Deon realized. ¡°That¡¯s cool, wanna just¡­hang out, then?¡± he suggested.


    Ashley touched his arm and continued to gaze at him. ¡°You should tell me about that place you¡¯re from¡­what was it called?¡±


    ¡°Tailpiece,¡± he told her.


    ¡°Yeah, Tailpiece,¡± she repeated. ¡°Come on!¡± she grabbed his hand flirtingly and led him to a fallen tree trunk. They sat down together as Deon began to share.


    Skrili shook her head back and forth. The drowsiness was building, and she couldn¡¯t shake it. As her mind grew foggier, it became even harder to keep up. By now they were both squatting on the branches of two parallel trees, high above the ground. Skrili was within jumping distance of Miranda, but she had learned her musical opponent was too speedy to be caught like that. Even still, Miranda was calmly playing her song, enjoying herself.


    Stay awake¡­don¡¯t doze off...Skrili kept repeating in her head.


    ¡°Do you want to hear the lyrics? It took me a while to write them, but I think I finally have them perfect,¡± Miranda said.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Skrili admitted, but Miranda began singing nonetheless. And of course, her soft voice was just as enchanting as the guitar; it made the song twice as relaxing. Skrili tried not to pay attention to the poetic words, but that didn¡¯t help. She caught her eyes closing a couple times, and sound was starting to become distant.


    Ashley laughed as Deon finished telling her a childhood memory of him and Lammy. ¡°And that¡¯s why nobody lets us cook anymore,¡± he added. Wait¡­what about the fight? he remembered. He was about to glance over to see how Skrili was doing.


    ¡°Do you wanna hear about my home?¡± Ashley said, and Deon returned his attention to her. ¡°I¡¯m from Ontario, which is part of Normal Country¡­¡±


    Skrili couldn¡¯t command her eyelids any longer. She couldn¡¯t tell if she was still awake or not¡ªall she could hear was Miranda¡¯s song. All thoughts of strategy were out the window. Only visions of flowers and fields danced around in her head. Then, Skrili felt herself falling through the various colors around her. She seemed to be in a bottomless, flowery abyss with no worries and no pain¡­


    THUD! Skrili¡¯s eyes slowly opened, which confused her because she didn¡¯t remember them closing. Everything was foggy, but she saw a tree above her¡­the one that she had just been in a second ago.


    Then suddenly, her vision cleared and energy raged back into her as if she had been splashed with cold water. She felt a pain all along her back and head, and with it came a dark smile. It seems falling out of the tree worked out to my advantage, she observed. The impact gave me a Power Rebound.


    Skrili quickly sat up, and a moment later Miranda touched onto the ground a few yards away, still playing her song. ¡°Huh? I thought I had you for sure,¡± she commented. ¡°Oh well, you¡¯re almost there.¡± She continued on singing.


    Skrili knew she needed to act fast. Though her Power Rebound had been activated, it was mild, and wouldn¡¯t last long if the song could just put her back to sleep. She reached into her hair and ripped out the black elastic that held it up.


    Miranda was taken off-guard¡ªshe clearly didn¡¯t expect Skrili to be this lively again. Using this stalled moment as an opportunity, Skrili stretched her elastic and aimed it at her target: the soundhole on the guitar. It shot straight ahead and a loud THWACK!!! resounded as it made impact. Four of the strings snapped off, and Skrili¡¯s elastic bounced onto the ground.


    Deon heard the THWACK, which sounded like someone being whipped with a wet towel. He looked over speedily to see Miranda standing still across the battleground with Skrili sitting not far from her. Then Ashley abruptly touched his shoulder.


    ¡°Have you ever been to anywhere in Normal Country?¡± she asked quickly.


    Deon looked back at her, surprised to find her sitting even closer to him. ¡°Uh¡­no¡­¡± he said. Despite his urge to find out what happened, he still found himself unable to look away from her face. Her eyes were¡­alluring¡­


    Skrili felt her Power Rebound begin to fade. She sat, waiting to see how Miranda would react.


    Miranda¡¯s cheeks had gone rosy. She blinked once, then twice in disbelief. Then finally, tears began to fall. She put her face in her hands and cried softly. ¡°That was the last pack of strings I had,¡± her muffled voice explained. ¡°Now I can¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Skrili said uncomfortably, realizing maybe that attack was a bit harsh. But hurt feelings would have to be dealt with later; she defeated her opponent, so it was time to help Deon finish the fight. She jumped to her feet, grabbed her elastic, and braced for more battle. My Power-Rebound may be gone now, she thought, but two on one should be enough to¡ªWHAT THE HECK IS HE DOING?!?!?!?!?!?!


    At the other end of the battlefield, Deon was sitting with Ashley and chatting it up. He had a stupid smile on his face, and she was gawking at him and giggling.


    ¡°Do I have to do everything?¡± Skrili moaned hopelessly.


    Meanwhile, Deon playfully explained to Ashley how he had never dated a girl outside of Tailpiece before. ¡°I¡¯m dead serious! I¡¯ve never left the place until now!¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s insane!¡± Ashley exclaimed. ¡°Well¡­would you¡­date someone from Normal Country?¡±


    Deon smiled. Deon, you sly fox¡ªI knew you still had it in you! he told himself.


    Ashley hastily leaned towards him, seemingly in a hurry. ¡°New question: have you ever kissed someone outside of Tailpiece before?¡± she asked rapidly.


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡±


    Then two rather unexpected things happened: first, Ashley grabbed Deon¡¯s face and pulled it closer to hers, but then out of nowhere someone¡¯s hand whacked Ashley right across the head. Ashley swiftly fell over and landed face-first on the ground, with her legs dangling in the air.


    Startled, Deon saw Skrili standing above them. She crossed her arms in closure.


    ¡°WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!?!¡± Deon demanded angrily.


    His anger overtook Skrili. ¡°Because you were too much of a FOOL to do it yourself!¡± she argued.


    ¡°But we decided not to fight and were hitting it off!!¡± Deon screamed.


    ¡°Owwww¡­¡± Ashley groaned from the ground.


    Skrili sighed. Her anger was replaced with sheer impatience and embarrassment for him. ¡°You weren¡¯t ¡®hitting it off¡¯, you dummy. Ashley was trying to hypnotize you¡­and it was working. Once she kissed you, you would¡¯ve been completely under her spell,¡± she explained. ¡°She¡¯s a Hypnotizer type¡ªthey both are.¡±


    Deon¡¯s face flushed. He hated realizing he had been deceived in such a humiliating way. ¡°Well¡­that may be true, but I still think she¡¯s at least a little into me,¡± he declared, scraping up whatever pride he had left.


    ¡°Not really¡­¡± Ashley mumbled from the ground.


    Deon hung his head in shame as Skrili let out a chuckle.


    Miranda joined them solemnly, holding her broken-stringed guitar. It was as if a raincloud was floating above her, proclaiming her sadness to everyone around. ¡°Congrats on the win¡­¡± she sniffed.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Skrili, sounding a little apologetic. Deon sat up straight again but said nothing, knowing he made absolutely no contribution to their victory.


    ¡°Well a deal¡¯s a deal,¡± Ashley told them. She had rolled onto her back to see everyone, but was massaging her injured head with one hand. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you which way that girl and her teammate went¡­But since I¡¯m impressed you managed to figure us out and beat both of us, Skrili, I¡¯ll give you some advice on fighting them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Miranda added between tears. ¡°You¡¯re gonna need any advantage you can get. We¡¯ve never fought anyone like them before¡­¡±


    ¡°Ooh, sounds exciting. I¡¯m up to the challenge!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°We were talking to Skrili, lover-boy.¡±


    ¡°Alright, geez¡­¡±

 7. Pang and Phillip

    Ashley slowly stood from the leafy ground and sat back on the fallen tree trunk¡ªthough this time, she left plenty of space between herself and Deon.


    ¡°Okay¡­If I remember right, this girl said her name was Pang,¡± she started. ¡°Does that sound right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± confirmed Skrili. ¡°She has something of mine.¡±


    ¡°I believe that¡­¡± Miranda chimed in softly, as the cloud of sorrow continued to rain over her and her broken guitar. ¡°She has a few things of ours now, too¡­¡±


    ¡°And there was that weird emo guy,¡± added Ashley.


    ¡°¡®Weird?¡¯ I thought he was cute,¡± Miranda said in a less sob-inflicted tone than before.


    ¡°So did I,¡± Ashley agreed grimly, ¡°until he totally paralyzed me.¡±


    ¡°¡®Emo guy?¡± Skrili wondered.


    ¡°Pang¡¯s teammate,¡± Miranda clarified. ¡°I think his name was¡­Phillip. You didn¡¯t also meet him?¡±


    Skrili shook her head. ¡°I knew Pang when she had a different teammate.¡±


    While massaging her temples from the headache Skrili inflicted at the end of the fight, Ashley leaned forward in thought.


    ¡°So I think the best way to give you guys an idea of what you¡¯re getting yourselves into, and where those two are probably headed, would be to start from the beginning,¡± she said.


    Skrili nodded in agreement. Deon, who had been sitting in embarrassment and silence, was beginning to notice that the three girls had pretty much ceased acknowledging him since the end of the fight.


    It¡¯s like I¡¯m not even here anymore, he thought whiningly. Girls never ignored me like this back home¡­


    ¡°Alright; I¡¯ll try to remember all the details for you,¡± Ashley told Skrili. ¡°Miranda, feel free to chime in with anything. So we had just come from a defeat the night before, after leaving Normal Country¡­¡±


    ~


    (One day earlier...)


    Miranda sighed as she and Ashley traveled down a long, straight path in No Man¡¯s Land. It was slightly downhill and encompassed in tall maple, orange-bearing trees. The early afternoon sunlight shone down in random patches through the branches high above them.


    ¡°Why so depressed?¡± Ashley asked her friend.


    ¡°We lost the first fight of our tour,¡± answered Miranda. ¡°You know what happens whenever we lose the first fight.¡±


    ¡°This tour will be different¡­just wait,¡± Ashley insured, only half-convinced by her own words.


    That previous night, Ashley and Miranda faced an older and more experienced team and¡ªthough they held their own for a while¡ªcouldn¡¯t come out on top. Ever since the duo started traveling fulltime as a consciousnesses team two years ago, they tended to fulfill a rather bothersome pattern: whenever they lost the first fight of a tour through No Man¡¯s Land, they would face a drought of wins for the remaining fights.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Miranda said with a shrug.


    ¡°Sometimes you just have to think positive, you know?¡± Ashley told her, nudging her with her shoulder.


    ¡°And sometimes you just have to drown in self-pity,¡± came Miranda¡¯s dismal response.


    The two girls exchanged glances and burst into laughter. As friends, the vibes each of them gave off were opposite, but their contrasting personalities seemed to always complement each other¡ªwhich was likely the reason they stuck together. If it weren¡¯t for each other, they doubted either would continue this crazy lifestyle.


    They continued to walk down the path, conversing about anything that took their minds off of the night before. After a few minutes passed, Ashley spotted two young individuals off to the side of the path a small distance away¡ªa boy and a girl. ¡°Hey look,¡± she pointed out to Miranda.


    Miranda noticed the pair. ¡°Ashley, you can¡¯t want to fight already,¡± she complained. ¡°We lost just yesterday¡­and we haven¡¯t even done any practicing today.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t hurt to try,¡± Ashley responded.


    ¡°Actually it can; it can hurt our bodies and our wallets,¡± argued Miranda, but she knew Ashley already had her mind made up. ¡°Can we at least eat lunch first?¡±


    Ashley laughed. ¡°Quit making excuses. We¡¯ll be fine, Miranda.¡±


    Miranda sighed and crossed her arms as they gradually approached the two teenagers. The boy was standing off to the side silently behind the girl, as if awaiting her orders. He was quite tall, unusually thin, and wore only black and white: a black hooded jacket with a striped t-shirt underneath, tight black jeans, and white shoes so thin they were practically slippers. His skin also matched the attire as he was particularly pale, and his black hair spiked out in all directions, with the front brushed down dramatically to conceal his eyes. A small frown and some unshaven chin hair were the only visible features of his face.


    The girl sat in front of him, leaning casually against a tree trunk. She seemed completely calm, chewing on a long blade of grass with her arms back behind her head. Something about her face was unnerving¡­it was uncomfortably confident. She had sharp features and large gold eyes that looked around as if everything she saw was her own creation. Her straight hair was bright red and came down to her shoulders, and she wore a sleeveless, blood-red tank top featuring a jagged black symbol. The girl¡¯s shoes were similar to the boy¡¯s, but gray.


    Next to her lay two nearly identical bags: one the same color as her shirt, and the other dark blue.


    Even Ashley began to sense the peculiarity of the girl¡¯s demeanor as they approached the duo, but it wasn¡¯t enough to scare her away. She barely looks old enough to even be out here, Ashley thought.


    Neither the boy nor girl seemed to acknowledge her or Miranda when they walked up to them.


    ¡°Uh¡­hey, guys,¡± Ashley greeted, feeling awkward and intrusive.


    The red-haired girl slowly made eye contact with Ashley while the boy stood unchangingly. ¡°Can we help you?¡± she asked emotionlessly. Her voice sounded full, and much more mature than Ashley and Miranda expected.


    ¡°Yeah¡­um¡ªmy name¡¯s Ashley and this is Miranda. We were wondering if you guys would like to have a fight.¡±


    Still chewing on the long piece of grass that bobbed up and down in front of her face, the girl looked Ashley up and down, and sized up Miranda in the same manner. ¡°Hmm¡­sure, why not,¡± she said, shrugging lazily. She looked over her shoulder to the boy. ¡°Hey Phillip, we¡¯re fighting these girls.¡±


    Phillip gave a single nod.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re doing names, I¡¯m Pang,¡± the girl said while standing up. At her full height, she didn¡¯t even reach five feet¡ªand standing next to Phillip, she appeared even shorter.


    ¡°Are there any good places to fight nearby?¡± Ashley asked.


    ¡°Here¡¯s fine,¡± Pang said casually.


    ¡°Here?¡± repeated Miranda. ¡°In the middle of a path?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Pang ensured. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t take too long. We probably won¡¯t get in anyone¡¯s way.¡±


    Miranda and Ashley exchanged glances, thinking the same thing: Did she really just say that?


    ¡°Uh¡­alright,¡± Ashley agreed reluctantly. ¡°How do you guys want to set up the winning pay? Cash or TeamTrack?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll figure that out after¡­¡± Pang responded as Phillip looked away.


    After Ashley and Miranda put their travel bags down, the two teams walked into the dirt path, creating a distance between each other to discuss strategy. Miranda turned to Ashley with concern in her eyes. ¡°Okay, these guys are super weird,¡± she whispered. ¡°How should we approach this?¡±


    ¡°We do what we do best,¡± Ashley told her. ¡°I¡¯ll request matchups. It doesn¡¯t look like they care all too much, so I¡¯ll be able to choose that Phillip guy and use my specialty. From there, we play it by ear¡ªyou¡¯re a musician; that part should be easy for you.¡±


    Miranda tried to appreciate Ashley¡¯s pun with a smile. ¡°Okay¡­let¡¯s get this over with.¡± She took her guitar out of its case and strapped it around her shoulder. They refaced their opponents, who were already waiting for them silently.


    ¡°Are you guys okay with matchups?¡± Ashley asked.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± was Pang¡¯s bored response.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll start against Phillip and Miranda will¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, got it,¡± Pang interrupted.


    Ashley and Miranda spread apart from each other as far as they could, which was limited due to the fairly thin path they stood on. Phillip and Pang did the same, and the two teams drew closer to each other. Without an official announcement, the fight began.


    Which song should I play? Miranda wondered. I just finished the words for ¡®Garden Lullaby;¡¯ let¡¯s try that one. She began to play the guitar, staring into Pang¡¯s golden eyes intently. Pang stood still, waiting for something to happen.


    Ashley was the first to make a move, as well. So he¡¯s the quiet type. I know just how to handle him, she thought. She placed her hand on her hip and walked slowly towards Phillip with confidence, secretly keeping her guard up. ¡°So let¡¯s see what type of consciousness you are, big guy,¡± she said, flipping her hair dramatically. She attempted to gaze into his eyes like she usually would, but his bangs covering them made it difficult.


    Phillip didn¡¯t move, but his cheeks flushed subtly.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Ashley smirked¡ªshe had him right where she wanted. She figured if she could make him feel awkward, it might be easy to take him down without having to finish the hypnosis.


    Across from them, Miranda continued to play her song as Pang watched her with crossed arms. Why isn¡¯t she starting to look tired yet? Miranda asked herself. And if this isn¡¯t affecting her, why doesn¡¯t she just come and attack me?


    ¡°Still not showing me your powers yet, huh?¡± Ashley asked Phillip as she neared him. ¡°I¡¯ll show my type if you show yours¡­¡± she winked at him.


    Phillip continued to stand there, unmoving and blushing.


    Finally Ashley stopped a few feet in front of him. That should be enough for now, she decided. ¡°Ok then, here I come!¡± she warned playfully. Then, with a lightning-speed leap, she launched herself at Phillip knee-first. Her knee was aimed perfectly at his stomach¡ªbut then she went through him as if he were a ghost. Ashley landed sloppily on her feet. ¡°Huh?!¡± she wondered aloud.


    Immediately, something smashed into her upper back, sending her toppling to the dirt. Dizzied, she lifted her face from the ground and looked behind her. Phillip was right there, standing tall as before and looking down at her quietly.


    A tiny smile appeared on his face.


    Meanwhile, Miranda kept playing her guitar uneasily, still seeing no sign of her song¡¯s sleep effect on Pang. The red-haired girl merely stood waiting impatiently.


    This is getting nowhere fast, noticed Miranda. She breathed in and began to sing the lyrics. Pang¡¯s eyes widened for a moment upon hearing this, and then something twinkled in her eye as she appeared to figure it out. Great¡­Miranda thought, preparing herself for an attack¡­yet still, nothing happened.


    Ashley climbed to her feet and hurriedly backed away from Phillip. ¡°That was¡­a cool move. What¡¯s it called?¡± she asked him, attempting to keep sounding friendly. The spiking pain in her back made it hard to maintain her flirtatious smile.


    Phillip seemed unsettled by her continued kindness as his small smile vanished. Using this moment as an opportunity, Ashley charged at him again. Right as she was about to jump and kick him, an enormous, dark creature appeared out of the left corner of her eye. Frightened, she looked over at it¡ªbut nothing was there. Immediately, she felt Phillip¡¯s long arm slam into her head. With a cry of pain, she tumbled to the ground once more.


    After taking a few seconds to recover, she raised her head and wiped dirt from her face, watching Phillip loom above her again.


    ¡°I get it now,¡± she said to him. ¡°You¡¯re an Illusionist, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Phillip nodded once.


    Ashley brought herself to her hands and knees and then paused, wincing. ¡°I said I would show you my powers if you showed yours, but I guess both of us were already using them. I¡¯m a Hypnotizer, if you haven¡¯t already noticed.¡± With an effort, she pushed herself to her feet, dusting off her pants. ¡°But if you haven¡¯t realized what my specialty is yet, I¡¯ll keep that a secret.¡± She winked at him again and smiled through the pain.


    Phillip¡¯s cheeks reddened again, but his composure remained the same as usual.


    This might be it for me unless I can figure out something else, realized Ashley. With little other choice, she attacked him again¡ªthis time with a swift punch to the chest. As expected, her fist went right through this apparent illusion. Ashley quickly spun around and kicked, predicting that Phillip would be there. He was¡ªbut this was also an illusion, and her foot slipped through him. Ashley knew she was in trouble again, and at that moment she was kicked in her mid-back. She let out an involuntary puff of air and fell to her hands and knees.


    Frick! I guess the jig¡¯s up¡­how can I hypnotize him if I can¡¯t figure out which one is him? Ashley thought as she slowly stood up again, knowing the illusions and hard hits would only continue.


    Miranda burst open her eyes as her heart skipped a beat. What just happened?! she wondered. She had come to an instrumental part in the song, but had somehow missed her vocal entry into the next verse. She remembered getting lost in the music, but didn¡¯t recall ever closing her eyes.


    Now she stood, blinking and strumming the chords to the verse lightly. Across from her, Pang still waited¡ªonly now a smile spread across her face. Miranda knew she should be alarmed by this, but for some reason she felt beside herself, watching her actions from the outside. She had no concern as her eyelids drooped down and her head started to bob. Even when she vaguely saw a red figure walk up to her and lift her guitar upward¡ªcausing her to stop playing¡ªshe remained careless and heavy-eyed.


    Then a fist hurled straight into her gut.


    Miranda coughed and her eyes shot wide open in shock. The pain came at once as she collapsed to her knees and her guitar fell back to its original position. When her blurry vision cleared, Miranda saw Pang standing right in front of her.


    ¡°So that¡¯s your type? Some sort of musical Hypnotizer? How pathetic!¡± Pang laughed. ¡°I was right¡ªyou were no challenged at all.¡±


    Miranda looked up at her, hopeless and confused, as Pang brought her hand back in preparation for a finishing blow. She must be¡­a Manipulator¡­Miranda realized in her final moments of thought. Then Pang¡¯s hand came down and met the side of her head, and nothingness followed.


    After getting kicked to the ground again, Ashley looked over to see Miranda lying unconscious not too far down the path. Pang turned around to watch her fight against Phillip.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Ashley uttered to herself. Her heart sank: Miranda was down, and to make matters worse: now Pang could come over and help Phillip.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t taken her out yet?¡± Pang called over to Phillip. ¡°Well make it entertaining for me, at least.¡±


    Wow, this girl¡¯s such a jerk, Ashley thought bitterly while standing up yet again. She had been tricked and knocked down by Phillip numerous times now, but had no urge to give up yet.


    Looking at Phillip, she brushed back her now-dusty hair. ¡°You¡¯re making my new outfit all dirty,¡± she told him wearily, not expecting a response.


    Suddenly an arm wrapped around her neck from behind and trapped her in place. The Phillip in front of her vanished, revealing he had once again created an illusion, and was the person behind her. He locked on tightly, but didn¡¯t choke her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep hurting you,¡± Phillip practically whispered in his low voice. Ashley was stunned to hear him speak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªthis won¡¯t last. And I¡¯m sorry.¡± She felt Phillip¡¯s hand slide over to the back of her neck and perform a strange twisting and pinching motion. Instantly, her whole body went totally limp. Her eyes closed as she sunk into Phillip¡¯s arms, and though she lost all control over her body, she was still wide awake. She felt Phillip gently lower her to the ground and lay her down carefully.


    He¡­he paralyzed me?! she exclaimed in her thoughts. I can¡¯t move a single muscle!


    ¡°Aw, well that was no fun,¡± Pang complained jokingly. ¡°You could have at least messed her up with some crazy combo¡­or thrown her into a tree or something.¡±


    Phillip said nothing.


    ¡°This other girl was way too easy,¡± Pang told him. ¡°She tried to put me to sleep with some lullaby song. How stupid. Consciousnesses like her shouldn¡¯t bother fighting.¡± Ashley heard Pang yawn. ¡°Well, let¡¯s do our thing and get out of here.¡±


    ¡®Do our thing?¡¯ What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Ashley wondered. She heard Pang¡¯s footsteps move towards the spot Ashley and Miranda had first stopped to talk to them. Then there was the sound of a zipper opening, and Pang started bustling through a bag.


    ¡°This girl¡¯s obsessed with her appearance,¡± Pang noticed. ¡°Half of this bag is nothing but makeup and perfume. She must be an Attraction-Style Hypnotizer¡ªor as I call them: the sluts of consciousness fighting.¡±


    If Ashley could move, she would have jumped right up and tackled Pang to the ground. What¡¯s you¡¯re deal?! she wanted to scream. What is she doing going through my stuff?!


    ¡°Oh¡ªhere it is,¡± Pang said, pulling something out of Ashley¡¯s bag. Then she moved over to Miranda¡¯s bag and repeated the same process. ¡°Alright Phillip, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    Phillip mumbled a question, but it was too quiet to understand.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re¡ªwe¡¯re just¡­going to leave them lying here like this?¡± he repeated a little louder.


    ¡°Sure, who cares?¡± Pang answered.


    ~


    ¡°¡­And then they left,¡± Ashley told Skrili and Deon. ¡°Miranda came to a minute later and she pulled me over to the side of the path. By then I could at least talk, so I told her to check our bags. All of our cash was gone, but luckily everything else was still there. We wanted to chase them, but it took another five or so hours before I could walk again. So to make a long story short: I heard them heading east, towards Fantasy Country.¡±


    ¡°Once Ashley could move again late in the afternoon, we ran through the woods looking for them,¡± Miranda explained. ¡°We even searched through most of the night, but eventually we had to call it quits. Now we¡¯re heading back home. Without any money¡ªand being 0 and 3 already¡ªwe have to end the tour early.¡±


    Miranda and Ashley looked to each other with sadness. Suddenly, they ran to each other and hugged, tears shooting out of their eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯M SORRY I MADE YOU FIGHT THOSE MEANIES, RAN-RAN!!!¡± Ashley cried.


    ¡°IT¡¯S OKAY, WE¡¯RE STILL BEST FRIENDS!!!¡± sobbed Miranda.


    ¡°Wow, it sounds like you guys really have it rough,¡± Deon commented. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder you didn¡¯t want to actually fight me, Ashley¡ªyou must be exhausted.¡±


    The girls abruptly stopped hugging and crying. ¡°True¡­,¡± began Ashley. ¡°But that was mostly because I knew you¡¯d be easy to fool,¡± she said. ¡°No offense.¡±


    Deon sulked.


    ¡°So Pang¡¯s new teammate is an Illusionist¡­¡± Skrili noted.


    ¡°Is that a type of Imaginer, like me?¡± asked Deon.


    ¡°Some consider it to be, but they¡¯re technically separate from Imaginers. They can only create illusions in people¡¯s minds,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°And by the way Miranda, you guessed right: Pang¡¯s a Manipulator¡ªshe uses other people¡¯s consciousness abilities against them.¡±


    ¡°So that is what happened¡­¡± Miranda realized.


    ¡°Well¡­I hope my little story helped you out a bit,¡± Ashley said.


    ¡°Of course. Now I know what general direction they¡¯re headed in, and I learned about Phillip. Thank you,¡± Skrili answered. ¡°I would offer you some money to help, but Pang has my bag. That¡¯s why I¡¯m hunting her down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s totally fine,¡± said Ashley with a smile.


    Skrili began to walk away, so Deon stood to follow her. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry about your guitar,¡± she added.


    Miranda froze for a moment, and then looked down at her guitar. ¡°Right¡­I forgot about that¡­¡± she said bleakly. The cloud of sorrow began to reform above her.


    Then something occurred to Deon. ¡°Hey¡­I bet I can fix that,¡± he said. ¡°In Tailpiece, we have this seven-string instrument called the Koz. It looks a lot like your guitar. Back when my mom used to teach me about my powers, she had me make Koz strings as a project. The strings are a little different, but it might work on your guitar,¡± he proposed.


    ¡°Really?¡± asked Miranda. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, go for it!¡±


    After Miranda took a minute to remove the old strings from the guitar, Deon prepared his creation, closing his eyes in concentration. Let¡¯s see¡­there was iron¡­and bismuth, I think¡­he recalled.


    After remembering all the various elements that were part of the string, and their correct amounts, he mentally combined them and created the first six of the seven strings in his thoughts. They were all a transparent iris color.


    When they were as precise as he wanted, Deon opened his eyes and looked at Miranda¡¯s guitar. One by one, he placed the strings in their positions on the guitar, starting with the thickest string on the top to the thinnest on the bottom. The tricky part was imagining them wound around the tuning machines at the top (because the guitar¡¯s pegs were thinner than the Koz¡¯s), but he managed to get it done securely. Soon, the process was complete.


    ¡°There you go,¡± Deon said. ¡°I didn¡¯t try to tune them perfectly because I¡¯m not sure how guitar strings are tuned, but they should work okay. And people will have a hard time breaking those strings: I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of a Koz string snapping.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t they disappear when you leave or stop thinking about them?¡± asked Ashley.


    Deon was surprised: it seemed people out here were pretty familiar with his powers¡ªor, Imagining, as they called it. Then again, Skrili did say it was the most common type.


    ¡°Actually, since I went element-by-element to make it, the strings are totally real,¡± Deon explained. ¡°They won¡¯t go away at all!¡±


    ¡°Whoa, thank you so much!¡± Miranda exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know¡­it¡¯s what I do,¡± Deon said cockily. ¡°Way cooler than Illusionists, right?¡±


    Skrili rolled her eyes and started to leave again. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll meet again someday,¡± she said to Ashley and Miranda.


    They returned her farewell as Deon followed Skrili out of the clearing and back towards the main path. As they walked through the trees, Deon contemplated some of the things Ashley talked about while telling them her story. ¡°Skrili,¡± he started. ¡°What was all that about being in ¡®teams¡¯ and ¡®touring,¡¯ and stuff?¡±


    Skrili stopped walking and her eyes narrowed. ¡°Again, how did you even get out here if you have zero knowledge about the Multiverse?¡±


    ¡°Good question, I have no idea.¡±


    Skrili took a deep sigh. ¡°Well, the majority of traveling consciousnesses are part of the Consciousness League. It¡¯s an inter-universe fighting league where consciousnesses pair up in teams of two. Ashley and Miranda are fulltime pros, which means they do this for a living. If they win a fight, their opponent pays them, but if they lose they have to pay their opponents. The teams usually decide what that price will be before the fight.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± uttered Deon. This Multiverse thing was just getting better and better.


    ¡°Since Ashley and Miranda are broke,¡± continued Skrili, ¡°their information on Pang and Phillip was their price. Every team needs to keep fighting regularly to stay in shape, so they sought out this opportunity even though they have no money or energy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­this all sounds freaking awesome!¡± stated Deon. ¡°So¡­does this make us a team?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday you told me I could tag along with you,¡± Deon reminded her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that kind of mean we became teammates?¡±


    Skrili stared at him blankly for a moment, and he looked back at her with a smirk. ¡°¡­No,¡± she said flatly.


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Deon caught himself. ¡°Well if we were, we¡¯d be 2 and 0 right now.¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t say anything more. A few seconds passed, and then she silently continued walking. Deon shrugged with a smile and followed her lead.

 8. Welcome to Our Snowy Village!

    Lammy sighed a breath of relief as he and Zayza followed Folel and Foler into their village. Once they entered the snow died down dramatically, and Lammy noticed the cloudy vapor puffing from his mouth whenever he breathed out. Winter sure is a weird thing, he thought. Oddly, it had also become slightly less cold the instant they stepped into the village¡ªbut not enough to stop him or Zayza from shivering.


    The village was about half the size of Tailpiece. Its small, spherical ice buildings were all similarly sized, and jointly formed a semicircle. Each of them had a smaller ice building attached to the back, with an entryway facing the other direction. At the farthest point of the semicircle, a larger building stood tall with a blue flag sticking out of the top. Nobody seemed to be outside at the moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s dinner time right about now, so everyone¡¯s inside eating,¡± Foler explained. Lammy nodded, realizing Foler probably heard him think that question before he even needed to ask it. ¡°And Zayza, that larger igloo at the end is where our Chief lives.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was just wondering that,¡± Zayza said with a laugh.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be stopping by there right after dinner for our village meeting,¡± said Folel. ¡°You two are welcome to join us and meet the Chief.¡±


    The twin consciousnesses led them to the right of the village and to the sixth igloo from the Chief¡¯s. As they entered, Lammy found the building looked much bigger on the inside, and felt notably warmer. There was a bunk bed covered in blue blankets, and two armchairs made of snow on parallel ends of the round wall. Spaced out between these were a couple bulky cabinets, and a large white box with ice protruding from its seam, clearly meant to contain frozen of chilled items. A metal pot hanging above small wooden logs rested in the center of the room.


    ¡°This is a lovely little home,¡± Zayza commented.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Folel and Foler said at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll whip us up something for dinner,¡± announced Folel.


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± agreed Foler. ¡°And I¡¯ll grab you two some warmer clothes. Feel free to make yourselves comfortable.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Foler to get clothes for Lammy and Zayza. He found something in his cabinet Lammy could fit in, and had to run over to a neighbor¡¯s house to borrow women¡¯s clothes for Zayza. Lammy and Zayza took turns going out to the smaller igloo in the back¡ªwhich was apparently a bathroom¡ªto change.


    The clothes were big and thick, but comfy. Both of their outfits included bulgy snow pants and boots, and clingy but warm long-sleeve shirts made out of dense material. Lammy¡¯s shirt was black and Zayza¡¯s grayish-blue. Lammy couldn¡¯t help but notice that even in clothes as ridiculous as these, Zayza still looked outstandingly beautiful. Foler also offered them enormous coats, soft hats, and scarves, for when it was time to go back outside.


    Within the hour, the food Folel prepared was ready. He had cooked some sort of fish in the pot after making a fire underneath it, adding in a variety of unfamiliar ingredients to create a stew. A subtle fishy aroma filled the igloo. He grabbed four bowls and spoons from the cabinets and gave everyone their meal. Lammy and Zayza sat in the snow chairs¡ªwhich were surprisingly cozy¡ªas Folel and Foler took their seats on the top and bottom bunks of their beds.


    ¡°So how did you two end up out there, anyway?¡± Folel asked his guests. ¡°Judging by your feelings, it must have been something wild. You seemed pretty lost.¡±


    ¡°To be honest with you, we haven¡¯t a clue,¡± Zayza told him. ¡°Not too long ago we were standing in No Man¡¯s Land, just outside a place called¡­was it Tailpeas?¡±


    ¡°Tailpiece,¡± Lammy corrected.


    ¡°Right¡ªand then I blinked, and all of the sudden we were here.¡±


    ¡°And to add to that,¡± started Lammy, ¡°We were about to get jumped by a couple of guys¡­just when my mom showed up¡­¡± He trailed off. There was no way to know if she was okay, or how far they would have to travel to find out. He felt helpless, as the cold stares of those two strangers remained imprinted on his mind.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± uttered Folel as he stirred his stew. ¡°That¡¯s a lot to be stressed about, I¡¯m sorry, friends.¡±


    Foler nodded. ¡°And well, we¡¯ve never had anyone just randomly show up near our village like that before¡­¡±


    ¡°We should bring this to the Chief; maybe he¡¯ll be able to make sense of it,¡± Folel suggested.


    Foler agreed. By then the stew was cooled enough, so they all began eating while continuing the discussion. Lammy was surprised the stew was quite delectable, compared to the fish-based meals he would eat in Tailpiece.


    When they all finished, the brothers stood. ¡°It¡¯s about time to make our way over to the Chief¡¯s igloo for the village meeting,¡± Foler stated.


    ¡°You two can either make yourselves at home here, or come with us to hear the Chief¡¯s explanation for yourselves,¡± offered Folel.


    ¡°I would love to attend the meeting,¡± answered Zayza. ¡°Will you be joining us too, Lammy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± he responded. While joining an entire crowd of strangers sounded like the last thing he¡¯d ever want to do¡ªespecially when he was already anxious enough over his current plight¡ªhe figured sticking with these new friends was probably the right call. He just hoped they could learn how to get home, and fast.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry kiddo; if anyone knows his stuff, it¡¯s the Chief,¡± Folel ensured, sensing Lammy¡¯s unease.


    They all put their coats and hats on, and departed from the igloo.


    ~


    Much like the brothers¡¯ home, the Chief¡¯s igloo appeared larger on the inside. Folel, Foler, Zayza, and Lammy were the first ones in the building¡ªin fact, not even the Chief himself was there yet. It was strangely bare, save for a mattress off to the side, a large blue rug covering the farther half of the floor, and a cabinet to the right (identical to the ones in Folel and Foler¡¯s house). Two wooden torches that stuck out of the icy wall on each side lit the room. Their reflection on the ice made the space bright and clear.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Foler said, and they all sat on the snowy floor in the center of the igloo, facing the rug.


    Soon afterward, a young couple entered the building and gave warm smiles to Folel and Foler as they greeted each other. People gradually began to trickle in, and each person was just as delighted to see the twins. This pattern continued for the next few minutes, and Folel and Foler knew everyone by name.


    ¡°Wow, you two certainly are popular,¡± Zayza noticed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a small village; we all know each other around here,¡± said Foler. ¡°I guess it also has to do with us being the only two consciousnesses in the village.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we try to use our abilities to help however we can,¡± Folel added. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but it goes a long way for these kind folks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very inspiring,¡± said Zayza. After a moment, she looked at Lammy. ¡°You¡¯ve been awfully quiet, Lammy¡­I know you must be so worried¡­¡±


    Lammy looked over to her, realizing he had become sort of distant. ¡°Oh, I-I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, blushing. He could see the depth of concern in her green eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get back to your mother as soon as possible. I¡¯ll make sure of it,¡± Zayza declared. ¡°Besides, you wanted to help me with my memories. I¡¯ll return your kindness.¡±


    Lammy smiled. Zayza¡¯s care enough to check on him lifted his spirits a bit. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.


    Village people continued to file in every few seconds, taking seats on various parts of the floor. Some of them had the same tan complexion as Folel and Foler, while many others looked like they may have come from somewhere else. Chatter filled the igloo, growing louder with each person¡¯s arrival. After a few minutes, about fifty people covered every part of the floor up to the rug. Some decided to stand at the entrance to allow room for everyone else.


    ¡°Good evening, Chief,¡± someone close to the entrance uttered. Then people behind him had to shift slightly to allow room for the Chief to make his way to the rug. Zayza and Lammy followed suit, and a moment later two shaky legs in old snow pants swished between them.


    The Chief arrived at the center of the rug and turned around. He was tall, very old, and hunched over. The man¡¯s aged face featured intelligent eyes and a long, gray beard. He wore no winter hat, but instead covered the top of his head with a heavy hood. Upon first glance, Lammy knew this Chief was wise and potent. He could tell why Folel and Foler had confidence in him.


    The Chief waved his hand slowly and the igloo grew silent. Then he looked down to Lammy and Zayza and greeted them with warm eyes. ¡°I see we have newcomers,¡± he said.


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    Lammy almost exploded in a surprised laughter, but he quickly swallowed hard to contain it. The Chief¡¯s voice was much higher than he thought it would be, and was notably scratchy. He sounded like a small boy with a dragonfly jammed in his throat¡ªnot at all matching his demeanor. Zayza was also having a hard time hiding her astonishment as her eyes widened with surprise.


    ¡°These are our new friends: Zayza and Lammy,¡± Folel introduced.


    ¡°We found them lost in No Man¡¯s Land just outside of here,¡± Foler explained.


    No Man¡¯s Land? thought Lammy. That¡¯s what Zayza called the woods we were in earlier¡­that¡¯s the same place?


    The Chief seemed equally intrigued. ¡°¡®In No Man¡¯s Land,¡¯ you say? That means you young ones are consciousnesses!¡±


    Everyone in the igloo gasped.


    ¡°That is correct, Mr. Chief,¡± Zayza confirmed. ¡°I am a Dreamer, and Lammy here is an Imaginer. We¡ªoh¡­¡±


    Zayza trailed off as the Chief abruptly lifted his face to the ceiling with closed eyes and raised his arms above him dramatically. ¡°O Great Spirit of the Mountains!¡± he cried in his odd voice. ¡°We thank you for this gift of salvation you have brought to us!¡±


    Lammy and Zayza exchanged confused glances.


    ¡°Chief,¡± began Folel, ¡°we haven¡¯t gotten around to telling them about the monster yet.¡±


    Um¡­monster?? thought Lammy.


    ¡°Oh¡­pardon me, young ones,¡± the Chief said. ¡°Allow me to hear your story before jumping to conclusions.¡±


    Zayza politely proceeded to sum up the events of the day since she first met Lammy. The Chief¡ªalong with everyone else in the building¡ªlistened very intently. She told them of her amnesia, her near-kidnapping, Lammy¡¯s mother coming to help, and their sudden and unexplainable relocation to the snowy abyss. As Lammy listened, he realized this was the most absurd and horrifying day he ever had.


    When Zayza finished, the village people began murmuring to each other in amazed and sympathetic tones.


    The Chief nodded slowly. ¡°What a terrible experience you have both had,¡± he commented.


    ¡°So what does this all mean?¡± asked Foler.


    ¡°It is clear,¡± announced the Chief. ¡°These two youth have been delivered from their dangers, and in turn have been brought here to help us defeat the monster. The Mountain Spirit has provided us with the youthful energy and powerful abilities of these two, so that we may finally overcome our conflict.¡±


    Now the peoples¡¯ murmurs were sounding more excited and hopeful. Lammy, however, wasn¡¯t at all comforted by the Chief¡¯s words. Something horrible could happen to his mother, yet the Chief wanted them to put that aside and solve another potentially perilous problem.


    ¡°Um¡­Chief, sir¡­¡± stuttered Lammy nervously, ¡°My mother could be in a lot of danger right now, if she¡¯s still okay. I was just hoping you could guide us back to where we were.¡±


    The Chief looked at him with soft, understanding eyes. ¡°That is quite reasonable. Where exactly is this ¡®Tailpiece¡¯ young Zayza spoke of? There is a chance it¡¯s not too far from here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure, actually,¡± Lammy said. ¡°It¡¯s the only place I know.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Zayza pondered aloud. ¡°Well, I know we were still in No Man¡¯s Land¡­but it was a forest area. And there were trees with all kinds of fruit on them. Unfortunately, that¡¯s all I know.¡±


    The Chief nodded slowly again. ¡°Ah, yes. I am familiar with the region. There are few like it,¡± he confirmed. Then he looked at Lammy solemnly. ¡°Young Lammy, I¡¯m afraid you are very, very far away,¡± he said. ¡°This village is in the Realistic Fiction Country¡ªthe largest Country in the Multiverse¡­and not only that, but we are at the tip of it. The area young Zayza describes is somewhere between Fantasy Country and Normal Country. I¡¯m sorry to say: it will be an extremely long journey back.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart dropped into his stomach. He lost the will to respond. Zayza placed her gentle hand on his shoulder, but not even that helped him recover from this awful revelation.


    ¡°So...Mr. Chief¡­you believe we were sent here to help your village?¡± Zayza asked.


    ¡°That is the best conclusion I can reach for this,¡± answered the Chief. ¡°Allow me to explain: for the past month a strange mystical being, which we¡¯ve named Snowdust, has been causing us a great deal of trouble.


    ¡°You see, just beyond my igloo lies a path that leads out towards the mountains. These mountains are the only place we can get our resources: fish, wood, and other necessities¡ªbut lately we haven¡¯t been able to access that area because the monster lurks on the path, attacking anyone who tries to pass by.¡±


    ¡°That sounds so dreadful,¡± Zayza commented. ¡°What is this monster like?¡±


    ¡°I believe our dear friends Folel and Foler would be the best people to ask,¡± the Chief told her. ¡°Being the best fighters in the village, they have been trying to defeat the beast for weeks and see it face-to-face almost every day.¡±


    Foler nodded. ¡°We often go out into the harsh weather of No Man¡¯s Land to train and strengthen ourselves before fighting it,¡± he added.


    ¡°Despite all our work, that thing still defeats us each time,¡± said Folel. ¡°It would be an honor if the two of you helped us fight it.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. They¡¯re serious¡ªthey really want us to fight¡­but I¡¯m no fighter¡­I¡¯m barely even an Imaginer! And what about Zayza? How does a Dreamer fight a monster? By sleeping at it?


    ¡°Wow¡ªyou have enough doubt for all of us,¡± laughed Folel.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re thinking too much¡ªI would know,¡± Foler added. ¡°Look at it this way: we¡¯ve only almost died in half our attempts to beat it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring¡­¡± Lammy mumbled.


    After Zayza figured out Folel and Foler had sensed Lammy¡¯s feelings and thoughts, she turned to him. ¡°Lammy, I¡¯m scared too¡­and I can¡¯t remember if I know how to fight¡ªbut I think we should try to help them,¡± she started, looking him in the eyes.


    Instantly the same thing that happened when he first met her reoccurred: the world became a glistening, foggy frame around her radiant face and her eyes seemed to gently peer into his soul. He could hear her soothing voice, but her words had no meaning.


    ¡°¡­clothed and fed us, which is why I think it¡¯s the least we can do,¡± finished Zayza. ¡°Would you agree¡­? Lammy¡­?¡±


    Lammy blinked and shook his head. ¡°Huh? Oh¡­sure,¡± he said, blushing.


    The Chief suddenly lifted his hands into the air and closed his eyes again. ¡°O Great Spirit of the Mountains! Truly your chosen heroes have followed your path and we shall be saved!!¡± he exclaimed. The crowd, including Foler and Folel, let out a collective cheer.


    Oh great¡­what have I done? Lammy thought.


    ¡°We are incredibly grateful,¡± the Chief told Lammy and Zayza. ¡°May the Great Spirit provide you with strength.¡±


    With that, the nature of the meeting shifted towards what seemed to be the more routine agenda. Zayza and Lammy sat silently it progressed. The village people made known their health needs to the Chief, and then they moved through a variety of other topics such as the food supply, supporting each other as resources continue to deplete, and what types of inventions are in the works from the village¡¯s construction man.


    Even in this difficult time, they were all in the same carefree mood as Folel and Foler. Lammy wondered if this had anything to do with the hope that came with his and Zayza¡¯s arrival, or if that was simply the way they were. Even after all the topics were covered, everyone¡ªthe Chief included¡ªengaged in conversation about the events of the past day. It was an overall warm atmosphere despite the chill of the winter they lived in.


    It had been almost an hour since the proceedings began by the time the Chief dismissed the people of the village. Everyone stood and began to file out. As Zayza and Lammy rose to their feet, the Chief thanked them once more.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever we can,¡± Zayza told him with a smile.


    The Chief returned her smile. ¡°And Lammy, remember this: no matter what enemy you¡¯re facing, doubt and fear are your only true opponents.¡±


    Lammy nodded, unsure of why the Chief was telling him specifically. The four consciousnesses then turned to leave the igloo.


    ~


    When they returned to Folel and Foler¡¯s home, the brothers set up the sleeping arrangements for Lammy and Zayza early, to avoid worrying about it later. They provided them each with a hefty black sleeping bag complete with a pillow. Lammy could tell these were made specifically for low temperatures.


    After Foler cleared up space, he placed the sleeping bags beside each other in the middle of the icy home. They lit a couple lanterns to ward off the incoming darkness, and sat around the room to discuss their task.


    ¡°Normally I would suggest that we get in some practicing tomorrow morning to get used to fighting alongside each other,¡± Folel began, ¡°but I know we¡¯ll need all the energy we have to last against that thing.¡±


    Foler nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll already have the advantage with twice as many fighters.¡±


    Lammy wanted to challenge that statement, but felt he missed his opportunity back in the meeting. Besides, he knew the twins could already sense his reluctance, yet it wasn¡¯t enough to dwindle their hope in the Chief¡¯s prophecy. And most of all: he already told Zayza he was in, and he didn¡¯t want to let her down. If anything, maybe he could keep her safe.


    So there was no choice: he was about to fight a monster with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m still quite curious¡ªwhat exactly is this mystical creature?¡± Zayza asked them.


    ¡°Oh¡ªthat¡¯s right! We haven¡¯t even told you guys anything about it yet!¡± laughed Foler. ¡°Sorry about that. To answer your question, we can barely explain it ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Folel agreed. ¡°Snowdust sure is a strange creature. It¡¯s almost like a human¡ªwell, it¡¯s shaped like one, at least. But it¡¯s made entirely out of specks of snow and ice. The thing doesn¡¯t have a face, so it doesn¡¯t talk or anything¡­but it sure can fight.¡±


    ¡°We can never seem to finish it off,¡± Foler added. ¡°Even when it falls apart into nothing but a pile, it can rebuild itself in a second as long as there¡¯s snow¡ªwhich around here, is always. We¡¯ve even tried melting it by lighting sticks on fire, but it just rebuilds itself in another spot using different snow. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so strange¡­¡± Lammy thought aloud. ¡°How are we supposed to beat a monster like that?¡±


    ¡°We just keep trying; it¡¯s all we can do,¡± answered Folel, and then he sighed. ¡°¡­Now I don¡¯t know about you guys, but I think we should get as much rest as we can. We need plenty of energy for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°If you all would like,¡± Zayza proposed, ¡°when I enter the Dream World tonight, I could search specifically for any memories I may have lost that have to do with fighting. Maybe I¡¯ll find something that can help us out.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the Dream World worked like that,¡± commented Foler.


    Zayza nodded. ¡°Mm-hmm, in the Dream World every Dreamer has a home¡ªmine is a cute little cave beside a river¡ªand everyone¡¯s home stores all their memories, feelings, preferences, and other thoughts¡ªwell, it should at least. Because I have amnesia, most of my memories aren¡¯t in my cave¡­They¡¯re all scattered around the Dream World¡­lost¡­¡± her voice began to sound choky and her eyes shined with tears.


    Lammy¡¯s heart dropped at the sight of Zayza¡¯s distressed face.


    ¡°Foler, you made the poor girl think of her troubles,¡± Folel told his brother.


    ¡°Hey now, don¡¯t cry,¡± Foler said to Zayza kindly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain it if that¡¯s a tough subject¡ªjust do your thing, and let us know what you find.¡±


    Zayza sniffed, wiping her cheeks as her tears gently rolled down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªhow embarrassing¡­¡± she said with a light laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely see what I can find¡­I¡¯ll have plenty of hours to do so.¡±


    A little while later, everyone agreed that it was time to go to sleep. Folel put the lanterns out with handfuls of snow, and they all got in their beds. As Lammy lay there in the dark, he reflected upon all that happened in that single day, and laughed bitterly in his mind.


    Deon wouldn¡¯t believe how ridiculous everything got right after he left¡­I wonder if his life is just as messed-up right now¡­Then he thought about his mother. Now he wouldn¡¯t know if she was okay for a long, long while.


    That last thing you said to me, Mom¡­¡®Don¡¯t worry about me. Just stay safe¡¯¡­I can¡¯t tell if that makes me feel better or worse about all this.


    Lammy continued to lay there, wide awake. Eventually Folel and Foler began to snore (at the same time) and he could hear Zayza¡¯s steady breathing. Soon enough, he merely accepted it as it was and closed his eyes, imagining numerous different objects in his head to pass the time and prepare for the next day.

 9. Vs. Snowdust

    Lammy opened his eyes, and was startled to find a smooth layer of ice high above him.


    Oh yeah¡­he remembered morosely, recalling the fact that he and Zayza were in Folel and Foler¡¯s house, and that the last he knew, two killers were about to attack his mother on another side of this apparent Multiverse. On top of that, they were all about to go fight an unbeatable opponent that had a body of snow.


    It was a rough way to start the day.


    ¡°Good morning, Lammy,¡± Zayza said beside him. She was sitting up in her sleeping bag. Though her brown hair was somewhat messy and her eyelids half-closed, her bright eyes still made her look as lively as ever. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Lammy answered, though he didn¡¯t sleep much at all. ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so¡­technically I was awake in the Dream World, but my body feels well rested,¡± she said. Suddenly, her eyes opened fully and she was filled with even more life. ¡°Oh! And I found some of my memories!¡± she exclaimed.


    Lammy looked past Zayza at Folel and Foler¡¯s bunks, fearing that her excitement had woken them, but they weren¡¯t there. ¡°Really?¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s great! What were they?¡±


    ¡°Well, apparently I have some basic self-defense training,¡± she explained. ¡°I found that memory floating around above the river across from my cave. I¡¯m not sure how helpful it will be, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely something,¡± Lammy said. ¡°Either way, this whole fighting thing will be interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. I know I¡¯m not the kind of warrior these kind people must think we are, but I hope I can do something to help them,¡± shared Zayza.


    I hope so too¡­thought Lammy. And that we don¡¯t die¡­


    ¡°Oh, and I remembered something else: I like oranges!¡± Zayza declared.


    Lammy was hoping for a memory a bit more beneficial, but Zayza seemed too proud of her accomplishment for him not to encourage her. ¡°That¡¯s really cool,¡± he told her with a smile.


    They heard footsteps crunching in the snow outside, coming towards the entrance. Then Folel walked in, carrying some small logs. ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not as cool as it is outside right now!¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a cold one, alright.¡±


    Foler entered behind him. ¡°Oh, you two are awake,¡± he noticed. ¡°Perfect¡ªwe¡¯re about to make breakfast. It¡¯s not much, just some more fish stew made out of whatever we have left in here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Lammy told them.


    Zayza nodded. ¡°Besides, after we beat that mean old monster, you guys will be able to find all the food you want in the mountains.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± laughed Foler.


    Zayza and Lammy took turns using the bathroom out in the back to get dressed while the brothers prepared breakfast (Folel had acquired more pairs of clothes for them the night before, thanks to the other villagers). Soon they were once again eating and conversing; only this time, it was about their attack plan.


    ¡°So Lammy and Zayza,¡± began Foler, ¡°Since my brother and I have fought Snowdust multiple times, I suggest you follow our lead at first. Just fight however you fight, and we¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re not putting yourself in too risky of a position.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lammy agreed, but his mind raced nervously. He had watched Deon fight countless times and coached him, but he never actually took part.


    Luckily, the twins didn¡¯t seem to be reading his thoughts and feelings at the moment. ¡°Oh yeah¡ªand Zayza, did you find any memories about your fighting techniques?¡± Folel asked.


    ¡°Just simple self defense,¡± she said. ¡°Though I did find out that I like oranges!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s nice¡­¡± responded Foler awkwardly.


    ¡°Well either way, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Folel said. ¡°If things get too bad, we¡¯ll cut it short. I don¡¯t want you two kids getting hurt.¡±


    When everyone was done eating, they waited a few minutes longer and then suited up for the outdoors. Lammy was grateful that the bulgy winter coats would give him and Zayza decent padding, but it also restricted the speed of their movements. Nonetheless, he put on every clothing accessory he was given: the warmer, the better.


    ~


    The feet of the four consciousnesses sunk into the deep snow with each step as they walked past the Chief¡¯s large igloo and towards the path. Folel was right¡ªit was even colder than yesterday, but luckily, there was no wind this time.


    ¡°Hey guys, show Snowdust who¡¯s boss!¡± a young man exclaimed from behind. They all turned around to see him waving to them by an igloo farther down into the village.


    Folel and Foler smiled. ¡°Will do!¡± they shouted back.


    With that, they continued towards the path behind the Chief¡¯s home. It started only a few steps back from the building. Along with everything else, the path was made of snow¡ªit was a smooth white walkway that was dug deeper to the ground¡¯s surface than the snow around it.


    On both sides of this path to the far left and right, white, lumpy hills rose in random patterns. They appeared rather fluffy and soft, but snow wasn¡¯t present in certain spots, revealing dark gray rocks hiding underneath. As far as Lammy and Zayza could see, this sight continued in a straight line towards the horizon, which featured three colossal blue and white mountains in the distance.


    These mountains overlapped each other and were covered in rock and trees. Their peaks displayed shimmering white snow and were surrounded by gray clouds. Lammy had never seen such an astounding landscape¡ªit looked so unreal to him compared to the typical sights of Tailpiece, that it appeared as though it were a painting.


    Folel and Foler entered the path, so Zayza and Lammy followed their lead; it was wide enough to walk in twos. Lammy felt his heart pounding, and its rate only increased the further they went into the path. His first-ever fight was about to start at any moment.


    ¡°Like I said earlier,¡± Folel called back, ¡°just stay back at first, and we¡¯ll keep him busy. No sweat.¡±


    ¡°Right¡ªthat¡¯ll also give you time to plan your techniques,¡± added Foler.


    For once Lammy actually appreciated their ability to be inside his head. Their words gave him at least a little sense of readiness.


    But then an icy breeze blew through them.


    The breeze was quick and smooth, sounding strangely similar to a whisper. It came from behind and whooshed past them. Folel and Foler stopped in their tracks, and so Zayza and Lammy did the same.


    ¡°Here he comes,¡± Folel and Foler announced grimly, shifting into fighting stances.


    Oh great¡­okay, this is really happening¡­Lammy realized, trying to control his rapid breathing.


    Directly in front of Foler and Folel, snow rose from the ground in a spiral of white mist that shot wind out in every direction. As the mist whirled, it began to take on a shape: that of a person. Within seconds the spinning stopped, and before them floated a short, thin man made of hovering particles of snow. He had no face, but even still he appeared upset with the four individuals facing him.


    ¡°Hello, Snowdust,¡± Folel greeted in a low tone. ¡°This time we brought a couple fr¡ª¡±


    Snow exploded under Snowdust as he fired a thick gust of wind at the twins. The blast swept them off their feet and sent them flipping through the air to separate sides of the powdery field. The gust continued toward Zayza and Lammy.


    ¡°Look out!!¡± Zayza cried, grabbing Lammy and pushing both of them over¡ªbut the edge of the gust still caught them, and they too were launched to the side. They were airborne for a second, and then tumbled into the snow, rolling to a stop.


    Lammy lay there on his back for a moment, feeling snow seep into his boots and hat. With a push, he sat up.


    ¡°Are you alright, Lammy?¡± Zayza asked. She was right beside him, on all fours.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°That guy¡¯s fast.¡±


    Zayza nodded in agreement as they returned their attention to the fight. They had been tossed a short distance to the side of the path, where Snowdust levitated in wait. Not far to the right of them stood Folel, already prepared to continue battling. Foler was parallel to him on the other side of the path.


    In perfect synchronization, the two brothers darted at Snowdust from both angles, not at all held back by the heavy clothing they wore. Snowdust stayed in place as they neared him. When they were only a few steps away, Snowdust unleashed another gust¡ªonly this one shot out in two directions: one at Folel and the other at Foler. Mist flew everywhere, covering the three figures in a cloud.


    Lammy and Zayza stood to their feet, waiting anxiously to see if their new friends survived the attack. This doesn¡¯t look good, Lammy thought nervously.


    The mist faded, but to their confusion, only Snowdust remained. The twins were nowhere to be found!


    ¡°What happened to them?¡± wondered Zayza.


    To the left of Snowdust, a pile of snow abruptly burst open, and out from it erupted Foler. He pounced into the air, sticking his tongue out at Snowdust mockingly.


    Snowdust turned to face Foler, and just as that happened Folel emerged from another pile of snow behind him. He leaped at Snowdust and threw a powerful fist right into the center of his back. Snowdust instantly fell apart into nothing but a bunch of snowflakes that fluttered to the ground.


    ¡°YEAH!!!¡± Lammy cheered, jumping up and down. ¡°I see: that was awesome technique! They used their consciousness abilities to communicate through their minds so they could coordinate that whole attack! What a great utilization of their powers and surroundings! The timing was just perfect! It couldn¡¯t have been any better! Their¡ª¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­Lammy, look¡­¡± Zayza told him uneasily.


    Lammy stopped rambling and returned his focus to the fight scene. To his dismay, a spiral of snow was assembling in front of Foler and Folel. Soon enough, the mist formed into Snowdust just as before, as if he had never been hit. The brothers didn¡¯t seem surprised¡ªthey were expecting the monster¡¯s return.


    ¡°WHAT?!?!¡± Lammy exclaimed.


    ¡°How horrible¡­¡± Zayza muttered.


    Before Folel and Foler could attack again, Snowdust put both his arms out to the sides, and in response two large piles of heavy snow rose from the ground. Snowdust fired both of them at the brothers. They tried to dodge the snow, but were both hit and fell to their backs.


    The brothers attempted to stand back up, but by the time they were almost to their feet Snowdust fired another pair of snow piles at them. He continued to shoot snow at Folel and Foler while they repeatedly tried to dodge, and were repeatedly unsuccessful.


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    ¡°Oh, goodness!¡± Zayza gasped. ¡°We have to do something!¡±


    Lammy knew she was right, but he hadn¡¯t a clue how to help. I can never seem to think of something good to imagine under pressure! he thought. But if I don¡¯t do something, Foler and Folel will be done for! He closed his eyes in concentration, despite his racing mind.


    ¡°Lammy, can¡¯t you imagine something?¡± Zayza pleaded worriedly.


    ¡°Yeah, and here it is!¡± Lammy declared, opening his eyes. ¡°Take this, Snowdust!¡±


    An enormous and perfectly circular boulder appeared in front of Lammy and Zayza and rolled speedily on the snow towards their enemy. Snowdust ceased his attacks to look at the oncoming boulder. It rolled unevenly and unnaturally as it approached him. Right as the boulder was about to crash into him, Snowdust floated higher into the air. It passed underneath him, missing entirely.


    ¡°No!¡± Lammy shouted as he imagined his failed attack out of existence.


    Snowdust turned his attention to Lammy and Zayza. Now they were his primary targets.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, Lammy; j-just try again,¡± Zayza said encouragingly, through her obvious fear.


    ¡°It would make no difference,¡± Lammy told her glumly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Look at the snow where the boulder rolled,¡± he told her. ¡°There¡¯s barely any indentation.¡± He was right: there was a faint, shallow line in the snow where the boulder had travelled, but it was otherwise untouched. It looked unrealistic.


    Zayza was confused. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I can barely ever imagine things that have an actual influence on reality,¡± he explained. ¡°I¡¯m not good enough with my powers. If it¡¯s any more complicated than a wall or something, I probably can¡¯t do it¡­which means my fake objects can¡¯t affect Snowdust¡¯s real snow.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Snowdust, watch out!¡± Zayza warned Lammy. Before Lammy knew it, Snowdust launched a huge gust at them. It soared astoundingly fast and threw them like they were weightless. Lammy and Zayza screamed as they were catapulted into the air, flipping and twisting in all directions.


    Lammy closed his eyes, waiting for some kind of impact. Suddenly he crashed, and felt himself rolling down a hill. When he came to a halt, he was facedown in the snow. He lifted his head and spat snow out of his mouth. Dizzied and soar, he looked around for Zayza.


    He saw her lying sprawled out on her back slightly far away. She was completely still. ¡°Zayza!¡± Lammy called, but she didn¡¯t seem to hear. When his vision returned to its full focus, Lammy noticed that her eyes were closed. Oh no, she¡¯s knocked out, he realized.


    ~


    Zayza¡¯s eyes opened slowly, and then she caught herself¡ªshe was standing up. Startled, she looked down to find that she was in her green dress again¡ªand that just beyond where she stood was a thousand-foot drop to a rocky lake.


    ¡°Oh, dear!¡± she exclaimed. Beyond the silver rocks surrounded by pink water a thousand feet down from her, lay a landscape covered in short black grass, tall trees with small twilight-orange leaves, white cobblestone pathways, and a pink river that ran from the lake she stood so high over. The sky was a watery lime green this time, with very few of its purple clouds hovering about in it.


    ¡°How did I get in the Dream World?¡± Zayza wondered. ¡°Did I lose consciousness?¡±


    She turned around to see the steep wall of the brown mountain she was on. ¡°I must have been knocked unconscious; otherwise I would have shown up in my cave like usual,¡± she realized. ¡°Oh, this is no good¡­now I can¡¯t get back into the fight until I wake up¡­¡±


    A quiet, high-pitched mystical sound resounded from further down the narrow path. Zayza looked to find a purplish light glowing from the rocky wall. ¡°Hmm¡­I¡¯ve seen and heard this before¡­but from what?¡± she thought.


    ¡°Oh, of course! It was when I found one of my memories last night! Could that light be another one?¡±


    She looked down to find a pebble falling from the path and plummeting towards the rocks. Zayza gulped. ¡°If it is, I¡¯ll have to risk falling to get it¡­but I¡¯m not much safer here, so¡­¡± She lifted her foot and very cautiously placed it a tiny step forward, keeping her back against the mountain.


    ~


    Lammy observed his surroundings, noticing he and Zayza were beside one of the hills at the far end of the land where the path lie. Folel and Foler stood wearily on the path a good distance away, while Snowdust was floating slowly towards Lammy and Zayza.


    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± said Lammy. ¡°Come on; wake up, Zayza!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Snowdust is coming! Wake up!!¡±


    It was no use. Zayza wasn¡¯t responding. Snowdust was getting closer, in range to attack at any second. By now Folel and Foler were chasing after Snowdust and trying to get his attention on them, but he kept simply shooting small gusts at the brothers to push them away.


    ~


    ¡°One¡­two¡­one¡­two¡­¡± Zayza uttered with each tiny, extremely careful step she took on the edge of the mountain. ¡°One, tw¡ªAAAH!¡± her foot had slipped on the corner of the path, but she pulled it back as her screamed echoed in the air, rising in pitch with each echo.


    Zayza gasped in and out repeatedly, her body flat against the mountain. ¡°If I keep it up this way, I¡¯ll have a heart attack before I make it to the light!¡± she told herself.


    She peered back over at the purple glow, and took a deep breath in. ¡°Here I go¡­ONE, TWO ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO!!!!...¡± she shouted as she practically ran across the thin path, her eyes slammed shut. Eventually she stopped, and while holding her breath, she opened one eye to look over: she had made it!


    The glow and mystical sound was coming from a large hole in the side of the mountain, which was a relief to Zayza: no more being so close to a deadly drop. She warily made her way into the entrance of the oddly placed cave, and her eyes widened at what she beheld.


    ~


    This is it¡ªnone of us can take him down, Lammy decided as he watched his enemy prepare to end the fight. It¡¯s not fair: those townspeople will run out of supplies, and the four of us will be gone for good, too. Why is he doing this?


    He glanced back at the motionless Zayza. And Zayza¡ªshe¡¯ll never get to find out who she is¡­


    Snowdust finally stopped advancing. He was ready to finish this. A burst of air lifted around him, sending snow into the air underneath him.


    ¡°WATCH OUT!!!¡± a desperate voice cried. Lammy turned around to see a man dressed similarly to Folel and Foler sprinting down one of the hills, headed for Zayza. When he got to the bottom, Snowdust fired a powerful gust at the two of them. The man quickly picked up Zayza and hopped out of the way, just in time.


    Lammy blinked once, then twice as he looked at the man.


    He looks just like Folel and Foler! Lammy noticed. He was right: the only difference was that this man had one brown eye and one light one.


    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s our other brother,¡± Foler explained. ¡°It¡¯s him, alright: I can¡¯t sense his thoughts.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t sense his feelings,¡± said Folel. ¡°It¡¯s been years since we last saw you, Felix.¡±


    Felix smiled. ¡°Hello, brothers. It looks like I decided to pay a visit at the perfect time,¡± he said, glancing at Snowdust as he repositioned his hold on Zayza. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, kid. I¡¯m Felix, a triplet of Folel and Foler. Unlike my brothers, I was born without consciousness abilities. But regardless, I¡¯m here to help.¡± His voice was as friendly and inviting as his brothers¡¯.


    He has no consciousness powers? How is that helpful?! wondered Lammy.


    Suddenly Snowdust stirred, as if awaking from sleep. He raised a pile of snow and shot it at Felix and Zayza. With little effort, Felix sidestepped the attack. Another two piles came at him, yet he effortlessly avoided both.


    It¡¯s like he sees them coming, Lammy noted, impressed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to catch up with each other later,¡± Folel said. ¡°For now, let¡¯s take this monster down!¡±


    Everyone expressed their agreement and took on fighting stances. Snowdust floated, surrounded by the four fighters. With a gust of mist and wind, their enemy marked the beginning of Round Two.


    ~


    Zayza inched further into the cave. It only ran several steps into the mountain, and it was barely tall enough for her to stand in. A large, spherical light at the end of the cave lit the space with a purple hue. It also gave off the high-pitched, musical sound Zayza detected earlier.


    She walked up to the light¡ªor, lights: there were two purple orbs floating beside each other just above the ground. ¡°Two of my memories are here?¡± Zayza said excitedly. ¡°How convenient!¡±


    She reached down and held her hands out to the orbs as they began to sing louder and grow brighter. One of the orbs floated to her hands and remained there for a moment; then it abruptly zoomed into her forehead, where it flashed and disappeared.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Zayza recalled. ¡°There are two categories of imagined objects that an Imaginer can create: physical objects that interact with reality, and ideas, which don¡¯t. I wonder if this can help Lammy somehow¡­well, now for the other memory¡­¡±


    ~


    Something didn¡¯t seem quite right. Snowdust was mostly attacking Lammy, Folel, and Foler, who were all struggling to avoid his gusts and snow piles. But when Snowdust did attack Felix, he would seamlessly sidestep it and evade the attack entirely.


    At first, Lammy thought Felix was simply very good at reading attacks¡ªbut now he could¡¯ve sworn Felix was beginning his dodge before the attack was unleashed. Is Felix secretly a Thoughts-Senser and he¡¯s reading Snowdust¡¯s mind? Lammy wondered in between dodges. But wait¡ªhow could Snowdust have a mind? He¡¯s snow!


    Lammy made another weird observation: Felix still hadn¡¯t put Zayza back down. His speed was restricted because of the extra weight, and he was completely unable to fight back because his hands were full.


    ¡°Brothers,¡± Felix began, ¡°we have monsters like this near my village, too. Our warriors defeat them every day.¡± Snowdust sent a gust at him, and with a spin he dodged it. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan: I¡¯ll bring this beautiful woman back to my village to be treated, while you guys hold the monster off. I¡¯ll return with warriors to destroy it.¡±


    Folel and Foler seemed to hesitate, but they nodded. ¡°Be quick,¡± they said.


    ~


    Now filled with a second new memory, Zayza stood perkily. ¡°Aha! I wonder if this can be helpful for Lammy too,¡± she said. ¡°I just need to wake up in time¡­¡±


    After only a few moments, Zayza¡¯s vision blurred and she felt herself beginning to sink. Soon, everything was black.


    ~


    Lammy noticed Zayza opening her eyes in Felix¡¯s arms. Good, she¡¯s okay, he thought. Zayza looked around, noticing them all standing there as they looked back at her. Even Snowdust had ceased attacking for some reason.


    ¡°Uh¡­why is there a third Foler or Folel?¡± Zayza asked. ¡°Well, anyway: Lammy! You told me that most of the time, you can only imagine objects that don¡¯t affect reality, right?¡±


    Lammy stood in bewilderment. ¡°Um¡­yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure why I used to know this¡­¡± she continued. ¡°¡­But even if you imagine something that won¡¯t have an affect on reality, it can still influence anything that¡¯s created by another Imaginer,¡± she told him in a very informative tone.


    ¡°Huh???¡± the three brothers uttered.


    At first Lammy was just as confused as everyone else by this random fact. Why is she discussing my powers at a time like this? he thought. That would be useful if we were fighting another Imaginer, but we¡¯re not¡­WAIT A SECOND.


    A huge smile spread across his face. ¡°Zayza, you¡¯re a genius!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°I am?¡±


    Without another word, Lammy knew just what to do. He looked at Snowdust, and then at the snow-covered ground all around them, and imagined all of it to melt. In response, a thin top layer of the snow turned to water, including much of the snow on the rocky hills, and yes: even Snowdust himself. He instantly became clear liquid, which then rained down into the giant puddle they all stood in. The sheet of water sunk into the snow beneath it, quickly fusing into a soaking mess of mush.


    Taken off-guard, Felix slipped on the wetness and fell backwards. He dropped Zayza, who with a yelp, face-planted in the slush. They both sat up uncomfortably, covered in the gooey mixture. Folel and Foler stared at the ground in shock.


    Zayza wiped some soaking hair out of her face. ¡°Goodness¡­what just happened?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Like you said,¡± began Lammy seriously, ¡°It didn¡¯t matter that I struggle to imagine things that affect reality, because Snowdust isn¡¯t real¡ªhe was created by an Imaginer.¡± He pointed at Felix. ¡°He was behind all of this. Felix is an Imaginer!¡±


    Everyone let out an exclamation of surprise.


    ¡°What?! Don¡¯t be silly¡ªI¡¯m not a consciousness,¡± Felix told him.


    ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth,¡± added Foler. ¡°Felix has never had powers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re wrong,¡± Lammy said. ¡°You said you guys can¡¯t read his mind or feelings, right? Well, that has blinded you. Felix is an Imaginer, and he created Snowdust.¡±


    The brothers exchanged uneasy glances.


    Lammy continued, ¡°He imagined his own snow and placed a sheet of it over the real stuff, so he could secretly control Snowdust and keep him regenerating. So to us, it looked like a real monster rising from the ground. And while I¡¯m not always good at imagining real objects, one thing I can always do is manipulate other imaginer¡¯s creations. So once Zayza gave me the thought, I simply melted all of his snow.¡±


    ¡°Lammy, trust me,¡± Felix insisted. ¡°I¡¯m not the one behind all this. If I was, why would I show up and help you guys fight?¡±


    ¡°Easy: you had your eyes on Zayza,¡± responded Lammy, ignoring the confused expressions from everyone. ¡°Why would Snowdust attack an enemy who¡¯s already unconscious when there are three other enemies who can still fight? You had him go after Zayza so you could save her. And for good measure, you had him attack you a couple more times¡ªbut I noticed that you were starting to dodge attacks before they were even thrown.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Felix began.


    ¡°And then you just tried to leave with her!¡± Lammy continued.


    Felix looked to his brothers for help, but they just watched him sternly. ¡°Is all of this true?¡± they both asked.


    Felix was silent for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re smart, kid,¡± he finally said. He briefly glared at Zayza as she nervously began to crawl away from him in the mush. Then he shifted his gaze to his brothers, who stared back with the exact same heated expression.


    ¡°Hey Lammy, looks like you have a knack for this kind of thing,¡± Folel said. ¡°And it looks like we have some family business to take care of.¡±

 10. The Fullmetal Consciousness(t)?

    Skrili and Deon journeyed along an eastbound path. Deon could barely keep up, as Skrili had been practically fast walking through the woods for an hour, eager to hunt down Pang and Phillip.


    Deon jogged for a moment to catch back up. ¡°So¡­do you think we¡¯ll have time at some point to wash up?¡± he asked gaspingly. Or even just to breathe? he added in his thoughts.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± answered Skrili. She sped up her pace.


    ¡°Why? There¡¯s no river or something nearby?¡±


    ¡°There is, but the more we sit around, the less progress we make,¡± Skrili explained, obviously starting to get annoyed.


    ¡°True, but I feel like cleaning up is kind of necessary,¡± stated Deon. ¡°I mean, especially considering we just fought¡ª¡±


    ¡°We fought? All you did was play googley-eyes with Ashley while I took care of everything,¡± Skrili reminded him.


    ¡°Okay fair...but even still, that means you were running around enough for both of us,¡± Deon pointed out. ¡°So I would say you need to bathe more badly than I do, right?¡±


    Skrili stopped with a slight jolt and whirled around to face him. Deon expected her to look irritated, but instead she looked at him with her usual blank expression¡ªthough her cheeks and nose were glowing pinkish red. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your idiocy,¡± she said flatly.


    Deon tried not to smirk. He knew saying something more would be going too far, but at the same time he was starting to feel a sense of accomplishment whenever he got a reaction out of Skrili. Besides, she was still letting him stick around¡ªshe couldn¡¯t hate him that much yet. This tempted him to test her further: ¡°What? Where I¡¯m from, girls actually care about personal hygiene.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even realize Skrili punched him in the jaw until his face skidded against the coarse dirt. He came to a stop flat on his stomach, and lifted his head slowly to spit out a few pebbles.


    ¡°Now that I think of it, you do look like you might need a dip in the river,¡± Skrili commented unemotionally.


    ¡°Well played¡­¡± mumbled Deon.


    ~


    Skrili didn¡¯t say a word as she led Deon to the nearest stream. They headed a few minutes off the path, before she sat down against a tree. ¡°The stream¡¯s right down the hill,¡± she finally said. ¡°You can go first.¡±


    Deon nodded with a sheepish, dirt-covered grin. He continued past Skrili, and a hill began just beyond her. It was relatively steep, but not enough to make walking a challenge.


    The stream at the bottom wasn¡¯t very wide, but it was deep enough for the water to come up to Deon¡¯s stomach. The water rushed hurriedly but silently, aside from the occasional trickling of tiny waves.


    I hope I didn¡¯t upset Skrili too bad, Deon thought as he took off his backpack and opened it. It¡¯s hard to tell, since she never seems to show emotion¡ªother than being annoyed. He pulled out his containers of soap and shampoo, both of which were formulas made by an old couple in Tailpiece.


    After washing up in the particularly cold water and drying off with a towel he imagined into existence, Deon imagined clothes onto himself, which were almost identical to what he had been wearing before. While he certainly felt ill-prepared for all this traveling, he was glad he had at least memorized how to imagine his outfit.


    While un-imagining the towel and packing up his bathing supplies, something occurred to him: Skrili had nothing more than the clothes on her back, since that girl Pang took her bag. He took the soap and shampoo back out and imagined another towel into his hand.


    Next he attempted to imagine clothes for her. Hmm¡­she has that blue shirt thing¡­he thought with closed eyes. And those pants are kind of like this¡­after combining the necessary elements and shaping them into the clothes, he opened his eyes and brought his imagined product into existence. The clothes flopped into his hands. That should be good enough, he decided.


    Deon made his way back up the hill and met Skrili under the tree. He tossed the towel, clothes, and soaps onto her lap wordlessly.


    Skrili glanced at what she was given and looked up at him. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡±


    ¡°Nothing; just some stuff I imagined for you to use,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Skrili. She took it all in her arms and stood up. ¡°Thanks.¡± With that, she headed to the stream.


    Unsure of whether Skrili was actually grateful, annoyed, or whatever else, Deon took Skrili¡¯s seat next to the tree and began waiting.


    A couple minutes passed until he started hearing footsteps¡ªbut they were coming from ahead of him, and it was more than one person. Soon two individuals came into view: one tall, dark, and brawny, and the other short, pale, and bony. Deon heard the short one rambling energetically about something. His voice was loud and squeaky. These guys seem like characters, Deon told himself.


    ¡°Hey you!¡± the scrawny guy exclaimed. It took Deon a moment to realize the person was talking to him. Deon waited for them to come closer so he could communicate without having to shout.


    When they drew near, he saw the short one was wearing an large red cloak with the hood down. He had awkwardly long, unnaturally yellow hair that was tied back in a ponytail and didn¡¯t fit his uneven patches of brown facial hair. He also wore circular black glasses, dark pants, and black boots that looked too heavy for him.


    The tall, muscular man next to him wore a simple button-down gray shirt, with matching gray pants and shoes. His rectangular glasses were shaded purple. This man appeared to be in his thirties. He seemed uncomfortable and hesitant about approaching Deon, while the short man was more than eager to.


    ¡°Hi. What¡¯s up?¡± Deon greeted.


    ¡°¡®Hi,¡¯ you say? ¡®What¡¯s up,¡¯ you say?!¡± the short man repeated in his cracking voice. ¡°You clearly don¡¯t know who you¡¯re addressing, pal!¡±


    ¡°Nope, not a clue,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°EH?!!!¡± the man practically screamed. ¡°It is I, the greatest Imaginer¡­the one and only¡­¡± He clenched his fists and dramatically looked to the sky as if a spotlight shone down on him. ¡°¡­FULLMETAL CONSCIOUSNESST!!!!¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±


    ¡°The FULLMETAL CONSCIOUSNESST!!!¡±


    Deon looked at the tall dark man, whose hand was slapped against his face in embarrassment. ¡°So this dude¡¯s from Normal Country,¡± the man began, ¡°and he¡¯s obsessed with this show from there called Fullmetal Alc¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet, Al!¡± the Fullmetal Consciousnesst snapped. ¡°My identity has nothing to do with the greatest anime of all time!¡±


    ¡°Okay; for the last time, my name¡¯s not Al¡ªit¡¯s Xavier. How does that even remotely sound like Al???¡± Xavier asked angrily.


    Deon sat in silence, too freaked out to speak.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± continued the Fullmetal Consciousnesst, ¡°Me and my little brother here are looking for a rare type of mineral. It¡¯s called the Imaginer¡¯s Rock. We were wondering if you have any clue of how to obtain one?¡±


    ¡°First of all,¡± interrupted Xavier, ¡°I¡¯m obviously not his brother. I just wanted to clarify that. And by saying ¡®we,¡¯ he means just him, because I don¡¯t give a crap about some random rock that probably doesn¡¯t exist¡ª¡±


    ¡°IT EXISTS, BROTHER!!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M NOT YOUR FREAKING BROTHER!!!¡± Xavier retorted.


    Deon hesitated, and then deemed it safe to respond. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ve never heard of an Imaginer¡¯s Rock.¡±


    The Fullmetal Consciousnesst lowered his head in apparent sadness. Then he lifted it slowly, with an oddly concerned expression on his face. ¡°Wait¡­are you an Imaginer?¡± he asked curiously.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah, actually.¡±


    ¡°AHA!¡± the Fullmetal Consciousnesst exclaimed. ¡°Then you must have heard of it! You probably know something about it that you¡¯re not telling me!¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Deon assured him. ¡°But hey, have you seen a girl named Pang with red¡ªuh¡ªcherry red hair walking around with some tall guy named Phillip?¡± He figured it couldn¡¯t hurt to ask.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject!!¡± cried Fullmetal.


    ¡°Actually yeah, we have,¡± Xavier said. ¡°We were¡ª¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t tell him! Not until he spills what he knows about the Imaginer¡¯s Rock!¡±


    ¡°YOU JUST MADE THAT UP¡ªyou know what, I give up,¡± said Xavier.


    An idea dawned on Deon. ¡°Wait a second,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe I do know a little something about this Imaginer¡¯s Rock¡­how about we make a little deal. When my teammate comes back, let¡¯s have a fight. If we win, you tell us about Pang and Phillip. If you win, I tell you about the Imaginer¡¯s Rock.¡±


    Deon knew he could¡¯ve presented a deal that avoided having to fight, but he didn¡¯t want to pass up this opportunity.


    ¡°Deal!¡± the Fullmetal Consciousnesst agreed.


    Xavier just sighed. ¡°Whatever¡­¡± he said.


    Someone walked up beside Deon and faced him. At first he didn¡¯t recognize her, but it was Skrili. Her hair wasn¡¯t tied up like usual¡ªit was down and still damp from the water. Most notably, though, was that she was wearing the clothes Deon imagined for her¡­and they looked downright ridiculous.


    The blue shirt was obnoxiously big on her: its width was almost too large for her small shoulders to hold up, and it flowed like a huge robe down to her knees. On top of that, he accidentally made it long sleeved instead of sleeveless. Her pants weren¡¯t as bad, but they were too long and covered the back halves of her shoes.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Skrili stood there uncomfortably, blushing once again. She handed Deon his supplies silently with her sleeve-covered hand. The other sleeve held her other clothes, which were wet from being washed in the stream. ¡°I appreciate the effort,¡± Skrili told him monotonously.


    Deon couldn¡¯t help it. He fell over in a fit of laughter. Nothing was funnier than seeing the most serious person he ever met dressed in the most absurd clothing.


    WHAM!!!


    The laughing ceased immediately, now that Deon¡¯s head was jammed against the dirt under Skrili¡¯s foot. Skrili crossed her arms, the excess of her sleeves waving in the air.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Deon mumbled through twisted cheeks. He was starting to grow familiar with the ground¡¯s taste.


    ¡°Good¡ªyou¡¯re oddly-dressed teammate is here,¡± the Consciousnesst announced. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the fight!¡±


    ¡°The fight?¡± Skrili repeated. Her purple eyes looked down at Deon ragingly and she pressed her foot on his head even harder. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to fight again, you dope!¡±


    ¡°Bt¡­Thnbpnfp!¡± Deon struggle to say, wincing from the pain. Skrili released her foot from his head. Relieved, he sat back up. ¡°I said: they saw Pang and Phillip, so if we beat them they¡¯ll tell us what they know!¡±


    He intentionally left out the fact that it was he who challenged them.


    Skrili sighed. ¡°This again¡­fine.¡±


    ¡°Though I should probably warn you,¡± the Fullmetal Consciousnesst said, ¡°You two have no idea what you¡¯re getting yourselves into. For I am¡­¡± he looked to the sky dramatically again. ¡°¡­THE FULLMETAL CONSCIOUSNESST!!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s no ¡®T¡¯ in ¡®Consciousness¡¯, right?¡± Deon wondered as he stood to his feet and placed his bathing items to the side.


    ¡°I tried to tell him,¡± Xavier sighed.


    Skrili hung her wet clothes up on a branch and turned to her opponents. ¡°What are your specifications?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do teams,¡± decided Xavier. ¡°No boundaries.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good!¡± exclaimed Deon. Then he leaned close to Skrili. ¡°What does that mean?¡± he whispered.


    Skrili closed her eyes as she tried to maintain her patience. ¡°We¡¯re fighting two-on-two¡ªwe¡¯re not assigned to specific opponents like last time. And we don¡¯t have to worry about going too far and leaving the boundaries, which would mean disqualification. ¡®No boundaries¡¯ is usually a default rule.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Sounds good!¡± Deon exclaimed again.


    ¡°If you two kids are done whispering to each other,¡± Fullmetal began impatiently, ¡°let the battle BEGIN!!!¡±


    Skrili stood in place, waiting, so Deon did the same.


    ¡°Al, what¡¯s your reading on them?¡± the Fullmetal Consciousnesst asked his teammate.


    Xavier adjusted his purple sunglasses and observed Deon and Skrili silently for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­the kid wasn¡¯t lying about being an Imaginer¡­he¡¯s just a noob, though. And I¡¯m having a hard time figuring out the girl, but she definitely has more experience than him.¡±


    ¡°Analyzer,¡± Skrili whispered to Deon.


    ¡°Does that mean he can figure out what types we are?¡± he murmured back.


    Skrili nodded. ¡°And more.¡±


    ¡°Okay; Attack Three!¡± the Fullmetal Consciousnesst shouted. Before Deon had the chance to wonder why he yelled a number, Xavier and Fullmetal charged at him and Skrili.


    Skrili shifted into a defensive fighting stance and Deon watched the oncoming attackers closely. When they neared, two things happened at once: Xavier grabbed Skrili¡¯s loose sleeve and pulled it away from her center, opening up her guard. Immediately he sent his massive palm into where her neck met her chest and shoved Skrili backward, pinning her hard against the tree. Simultaneously, Deon noticed Fullmetal¡¯s right hand turning into bright, silvery metal, and he was pulling it back in preparation to punch him. Alarmed, Deon quickly imagined a rock wall in front of himself. It appeared just in time, and with a thud, the Fullmetal Consciousnesst crashed into it.


    Meanwhile Skrili was trapped up against the tree trunk as Xavier¡¯s muscular arm held her firmly in place. Skrili struggled, grabbing his wrist with both hands and jerking in all directions, but to no avail.


    Xavier analyzed her further with attentive eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a tricky one to read,¡± he told her. ¡°You must be one of those rare Consciousnesses.¡±


    Deon imagined the wall out of existence to see the Consciousnesst rubbing his cheek in pain, and then Deon kicked him in the chest, sending Fullmetal flying back and tumbling to the ground with a clumsy yelp. Remembering that he could also fight Xavier, he turned around to see Skrili¡¯s predicament.


    ¡°Pick on someone your own size!¡± he bellowed, and he imagined his plank-of-wood attack behind Xavier¡¯s head. It whacked Xavier full-force and dead-on. Xavier turned his head to look at Deon and smiled¡ªhe was completely unaffected.


    ¡°WHAT?!?!¡± screamed Deon. ¡°Skrili, this guy¡¯s tough!¡±


    Xavier looked back at Skrili and let out a laugh. ¡°Your teammate¡¯s lacking in experience,¡± he said.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my teammate,¡± Skrili managed to respond in a constricted voice.


    Xavier chuckled again. ¡°That¡¯s what I keep telling myself about Mr. Consciousnesst over there.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t just ignore me!¡± demanded Deon. He swung the plank of wood at Xavier¡¯s head once more, which also had no effect. Angered, Deon tried a third time¡ªbut just as it was about to hit him, Xavier cocked his head to the side to dodge it. It went past him and whacked Skrili right in the forehead. Her head banged against the tree and dropped forward as she grabbed it, wincing with pain.


    ¡°¡­Oops¡­¡± Deon uttered, quickly de-imagining the plank. ¡°Sorry, Skrili!¡±


    ¡°You pea-brain,¡± Skrili groaned.


    Xavier shrugged. ¡°Rookie mistakes; you gotta love ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°In a sense, you¡¯re right,¡± said Skrili, suddenly lifting her head and looking at him, completely alert. Then, she put one sleeve-covered hand on Xavier¡¯s hand and effortlessly removed it from her. Now free, she leaped forward with bullet speed and kneed Xavier in his core. He stumbled back several steps, grasping his stomach with surprise. ¡°There¡¯s a hint to my type,¡± Skrili told him.


    ¡°Ha!¡± cheered Deon. I ended up giving her a Power Rebound by accident! Nice! he realized. Skrili and Xavier engaged each other in more combat, and Deon was eager to jump in.


    ¡°That was a cheap-shot!¡± whined a crackly voice. ¡°And I¡¯m not done yet!¡± Deon turned and saw the Fullmetal Consciousnesst standing to his feet.


    ¡°I would hope not; that wasn¡¯t even too hard of a kick,¡± Deon pointed out.


    ¡°Shut it! I was gonna save the best for last, but now I¡¯ll show you why they call me the FULLMETAL CONSCIOUSNESST!!!¡±


    ¡°No one calls you that!¡± Xavier shouted as he struggled against Skrili¡¯s Power-Rebound-induced speed and strength.


    The Consciousnesst ignored him and spread his arms out to the sides. With a menacing smirk, he began his transformation: the same silvery metal from before started forming around him, taking the shape of his body until he was completely encompassed in it. He was now fully covered in metal armor.


    The Fullmetal Consciousnesst pointed at Deon and said something confidently, but his metal exterior muffled the words.


    ¡°Oh man¡ªthis transformation looks really strong,¡± Deon said to himself. ¡°But at least now I don¡¯t have to hear his annoying voice.¡±


    The now truly Fullmetal Consciousnesst pounced at Deon, but Deon sidestepped it and quickly imagined two large rocks into his hands. He chucked these rocks at Fullmetal, who eluded one and caught the other with a clank! To Deon¡¯s alarm, the rock reformed into silver metal before his eyes.


    The Fullmetal Consciousnesst held his hand out and launched the block of steel back at Deon. With little option to avoid it, Deon jumped and twisted himself. Luckily, the metallic ball only grazed his shoulder¡ªbut it was enough to throw him off-balance and onto the ground. Deon grabbed his sore shoulder and watched Fullmetal.


    Clever¡­re-imagining my rock into his own metal, he thought.


    The Fullmetal Consciousnesst seemed to taunt Deon, but again his words were incomprehensible. Then abruptly, Xavier was sent soaring at Fullmetal, colliding with him and sending them both to the ground. Deon looked over to Skrili, who had apparently managed to throw Xavier at the Consciousnesst. She glanced back at Deon impassively.


    ¡°Whoa, nice job,¡± Deon told her, but then Skrili began to waver as if about to faint. She collapsed into a sitting position, breathing heavily.


    ¡°That was the last of my Power Rebound,¡± Skrili said to Deon airily. ¡°I overdid it a bit.¡± Across from her, Fullmetal was standing back up, followed slowly by the injured Xavier.


    Crap, thought Deon. Now they¡¯ll be able to take out Skrili easily and gang up on me! He stood up and jogged over to Skrili, standing directly in front of her.


    ¡°Stall for a little while,¡± he heard Skrili whisper between breaths. ¡°I used too much Rebound energy at once, but I¡¯ll get my normal strength back in a couple minutes.¡±


    Deon agreed silently. ¡°So how about that weather?¡± he asked his opponents.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Skrili murmured, struggling to stay quiet.


    The Fullmetal Consciousnesst and Xavier seemed to take no notice of their talking. ¡°Fullmetal,¡± began Xavier. ¡°The girl¡¯s a Power Rebound¡­and from the looks of it, her Power Rebound is used up. She¡¯ll go down easy.¡±


    The metal around the Consciousnesst¡¯s face opened up. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s time we end this and learn a little something about that Imaginer¡¯s Rock.¡± He closed the metal armor back up.


    But all of the sudden, the metal surrounding his body jerked inward with countless dents. Even through the metal barrier, everyone could hear Fullmetal¡¯s blood-curdling scream.


    ¡°Stop! You¡¯re going to kill him!¡± Skrili demanded Deon urgently.


    ¡°It¡ªit¡¯s not me!¡± Deon assured her. He had just considered using imagining to influence the Fullmetal Consciousnesst¡¯s armor, but he would never try to crush him. Something else was causing this.


    The Fullmetal Consciousnesst managed to get it together enough to imagine his metal armor out of existence. He looked quite shaken up; his glasses were smashed and blood gushed out of his swollen nose, but no deadly injuries were evident. Fullmetal dropped to his knees, and then fell forward wordlessly.


    ¡°Fullmetal!¡± Xavier cried¡ªbut then he looked ahead in confusion. ¡°What? NO!¡± he shouted, pressing his hands against his head and closing his eyes. Xavier leaned forward, yelling with pain as sweat tricked down his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Deon asked worriedly.


    ¡°STOP! AHHHH!!!!¡± He screamed. ¡°STOP ANALYZING!!!!!¡± Then the large man¡¯s hollering stopped, and he keeled over on his side. His eyes were open with shock as he stared unthinkingly.


    Deon and Skrili watched in silent uncertainty and fear as their former opponents lay incapacitated before them. A wind blew passed them softly.


    ¡°How annoying,¡± someone said. ¡°There¡¯s no one down the other way, so we come back and the first people we see are the two pieces of trash we just beat a few days ago.¡±


    The voice had come from the far right, and it was getting closer.


    ¡°At least these two kids look like new faces. If that¡¯s the case, I say we¡¯re the ones who deserve to fight them,¡± the same voice said. ¡°Not two veteran has-beens who don¡¯t even get along.¡±


    Nervous, Deon backed away from the two injured consciousnesses slightly and stood beside Skrili. He watched the area the voice had come from, and through the trees he could depict two figures¡­


    ¡­one with cherry-red hair and the other in black and white.


    Deon¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Pang and Phillip walked into the area. Ashley and Miranda¡¯s descriptions of them were spot-on, and Pang did in fact have two bags on her shoulder¡ªbut Deon noticed something unsettling: Pang¡¯s clothing was the exact same outfit as Skrili¡¯s usual clothes, only in blood red. Also, he knew they said Pang had a confident demeanor, but her eyes¡­those large, golden eyes gave off the disturbing implication that she believed the world around her was hers.


    The uncomfortably quiet and rather tall Phillip loomed behind her like her ghostly shadow as the two of them observed the fighting scene they had carelessly paused.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Pang said to Deon in her oddly mature voice. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but trust me: these two aren¡¯t worth anyone¡¯s time.¡± Her eyes fell to Skrili and widened with surprise. ¡°No way¡ªis that you, Skrili?¡±


    Skrili sat mutely and averted her eyes.


    ¡°Wow!¡± exclaimed Pang. ¡°Phillip, that¡¯s my old friend Skrili I told you about. We go way back¡­¡± she returned her attention to Skrili, noticing her oversized clothes. ¡°Sweetheart, I don¡¯t know what happened to your sense of fashion, but look!¡± She gestured at Deon. ¡°Good for you! You went along and managed to find your socially awkward little self a new teammate! And you did good; this one¡¯s a cutie.¡±


    Finally one of the girls out here realizes my obvious hotness! Deon thought. But of course, it has to be the one girl I¡¯m supposed to dislike¡­


    Skrili remained silent. It was strange¡ªshe didn¡¯t seem intense like Deon had known her to be, and particularly expected her to be, now that she saw Pang. Instead, she appeared timid¡­intimidated¡­She hesitantly glanced at her blue bag, which rested at Pang¡¯s side.


    Pang seemed to notice. ¡°Oh! Look what I found for you, Skrili.¡± She unstrapped the bag from her shoulder and held it in front of her on display. ¡°I swiped it off some old fat guys a couple days ago. I figured you must miss it dearly. Well, here you go; come and get it,¡± she said with an unexpectedly sincere smile.


    Deon had to hold up his jaw to keep it from dropping with disbelief. She was just going to give it to Skrili without issue? Did I misunderstand the situation or something?


    Skrili sat still for a while, but right when Deon was convinced she wasn¡¯t going to get it, she began to stand up. He could tell she was still somewhat weakened from earlier, but she stood and took a few steps forward.


    ¡°Wait¡ªoh, how awkward,¡± Pang suddenly recalled. Deon couldn¡¯t tell if she was being serious or toying with Skrili. ¡°I just remembered: I can¡¯t give this to you. There¡¯s something in it that I need. Oh, well.¡± Pang lightheartedly strapped the bag back around her shoulder.


    Skrili gently stopped walking and stood in place. Deon couldn¡¯t see her eyes because her loose hair now blocked them, but somehow he sensed her anger. He could feel the tension.


    ¡°Give me my bag,¡± Skrili demanded so softly, yet so threateningly.


    The smile on Pang¡¯s face morphed into one that entertained the thought of impending violence. ¡°Make me,¡± she said.

 11. Whole Other Level

    Deon wasn¡¯t sure if Skrili and Pang were going to pounce at each other or just stand there, glaring into each other¡¯s eyes.


    The standoff lasted for an uncomfortably silent and long several seconds. He couldn¡¯t see Skrili¡¯s face from where he stood, but Pang had an expression that was like a cross between a schoolgirl trying not to laugh in class, and a bloodthirsty wolf.


    Phillip was situated behind Pang just as Deon was behind Skrili, and the only sign of life he made was removing his hands from his pockets slowly. Deon didn¡¯t know why, but this unsettled him further.


    After a moment, Deon glanced down at Xavier and the Fullmetal Consciousnesst, who were both motionless on the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so concerned. I didn¡¯t kill them,¡± Pang suddenly said. ¡°It would¡¯ve been easy, though: I could¡¯ve just crushed the Fullmetal guy with his own metal, and forced the big guy to analyze himself until his brain gave out¡­some consciousnesses are so lame.¡±


    Deon looked back at Pang, who stood innocently. It doesn¡¯t even faze her that she just completely cheap-shot these guys, he thought.


    Pang¡¯s eyes shifted between Deon and Skrili and she let out a chuckle. ¡°Okay, okay, you guys don¡¯t have to be so dramatic,¡± she teased. ¡°You obviously wanna fight, so let¡¯s get to it. Give me some specs.¡±


    ¡°Matchups,¡± Skrili demanded instantly.


    ¡°Whoa¡­alright, chill,¡± responded Pang. ¡°Now if we¡¯re doing that, I say we make this an opportunity to meet new people. I¡¯ve never met this new teammate of yours and you don¡¯t know Phillip, so let¡¯s have the fights be myself versus your teammate, and you versus mine. It¡¯ll be like a social event! Besides, you could use more friends.¡±


    Skrili appeared hesitant with this offer. Deon knew when she called for matchups, she was probably counting on fighting Pang.


    ¡°Come on, Skrili¡­We already know too much about each other¡¯s fighting¡ªit would be so boring,¡± Pang persuaded. ¡°But I mean¡­we don¡¯t have to fight. Phillip and I can be on our merry way...¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine,¡± said Skrili.


    Pang laughed. ¡°You¡¯re still such a pushover,¡± she told her. ¡°Okay; I¡¯m ready when you guys are.¡±


    Skrili and Phillip wordlessly decided to be the ones to relocate. They walked to a nearby clearing, separated from Deon and Pang by a row of trees.


    Deon watched them leave, and then fully internalized what was about to happen. So I¡¯m fighting Pang¡­the girl who took out Miranda, Xavier and that Fullmetal guy like they were nothing. If she¡¯s better than Skrili, this should be interesting, he thought. I bet Skrili will stop being so hostile towards me if I beat Pang and take her bag back.


    Pang tranquilly placed Skrili¡¯s bag and her own on the ground beside her and flipped her red hair. ¡°So what¡¯s your name? And how did you meet my dear friend Skrili?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Deon. She and I fought over some apples yesterday,¡± he answered.


    Pang shook her head and laughed briefly. ¡°That girl¡¯s too much. What¡¯s your type?¡±


    ¡°Imaginer.¡±


    Pang¡¯s smile grew. ¡°Perfect! That¡¯s my favorite.¡±


    It makes sense: she can use other people¡¯s powers¡­a ¡®Manipulator,¡¯ they called it, Deon noted. I¡¯ll have to be careful how I imagine, ¡®cuz she can probably use what I make against me.


    Not far from them, Skrili and Phillip faced off quietly in the tree-absent patch covered in dirt and dried-up grass. Phillip seemed to be waiting for Skrili to make the first move. Under normal circumstances, this would bother Skrili¡ªbut thanks to Ashley, she had the benefit of knowing Phillip was an Illusionist. However, he was most likely aware of Skrili¡¯s type through Pang, which meant he might go for a finishing blow earlier in the fight.


    I¡¯ll give him what he wants and charge first, Skrili decided. I¡¯ll spring his trap and make him fall into mine.


    By now Skrili¡¯s energy had returned from the aftereffects of overusing her earlier Power Rebound, so without worry she leaned forward and darted at Phillip. The baggy clothes Deon made for her restricted her full speed and made it hard to keep from tripping, but she managed to hold herself up.


    Phillip made no movement. He simply waited as Skrili came at him. She reached him and slowed down, throwing a fist at his stomach¡ªbut at the same time, she had already begun to turn around and kick behind her.


    Just as Skrili expected, her fist passed through Phillip as if he were part of the air: it wasn¡¯t Phillip, but an illusion. The actual Phillip was behind her, and he took a much-unexpected kick to the gut. He involuntarily spat out breath in response and hunched forward, grasping his stomach.


    Skrili¡¯s plan had worked: she predicted Phillip¡¯s first illusion perfectly. He tricked her eyes into seeing him stand motionlessly, when in reality he had maneuvered himself to be behind her. It was the same strategy he used against Ashley until she realized what type he was.


    Wasting no time, Skrili leaped at Phillip with a flying kick. This time the tall boy was able to hop to the right and dodge it. Once Skrili landed, she followed his steps¡ªbut somehow Phillip was no longer there. Realizing it was another trick, Skrili tried to turn to the left and shielded herself, but she was too late. Phillip¡¯s shoulder banged into Skrili¡¯s side and knocked her to the ground.


    So he can make me think he¡¯s moving one way when he¡¯s really going the other, Skrili observed as she hurriedly climbed back to her feet. Phillip stood expressionless, his eyes blocked by his black hair. He didn¡¯t begin a second attack¡ªhe only waited.


    Based on Ashley¡¯s fight with him and how this one¡¯s going so far, it seems like this guy likes to be on defense, Skrili noticed. He waits for the opponent to attack and retaliates. But what if I don¡¯t attack? So she remained still like him, watching closely and patiently. It became hushed¡ªenough for them to hear Pang and Deon¡¯s fight unfolding.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± announced Deon.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Pang responded composedly.


    Here¡¯s one I haven¡¯t tried out here yet, Deon thought. He began running at Pang while imagining three dense, impenetrable black walls and a small ceiling of the same type. Deon brought the walls into existence around and behind Pang, concealing his miniature cave with the ceiling on top. Now Pang was trapped: the only way she could exit was the front, but by now Deon was too close and preparing a head-on attack.


    But something was wrong: Pang showed no concern. In fact, she stood calmly, leaving herself completely vulnerable to the blow Deon would deliver. Pang merely observed the walls around her, and returned her golden eyes to Deon.


    In natural response, Deon hesitated slightly. His pace slowed as he approached her, and when he proceeded to punch at her he held back significantly.


    But as his fist was about to make contact, Pang suddenly smirked and fell backward¡ªthe back wall had vanished!


    Deon stood confused with his fist still hanging there, as he watched Pang fall backward and perform a roll to quickly bring herself back to her feet.


    Next he realized two bad signs: first, one of the side walls had also faded out of existence, and second: he was directly underneath the ceiling, while Pang had moved just outside its reach. Before he could escape, the wall and ceiling dropped onto him, tackling him to the ground with two loud thumps. In a frantic effort to avoid being crushed by their weight, he hastily imagined them out of existence.


    Pang laughed jeeringly at Deon as he lay there, panting. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± she asked him. ¡°I really hope that¡¯s not the best you can do.¡±


    Deon slowly began the climb back to his feet, sore all over. Dangit¡­I know she¡¯s a Manipulator, but this isn¡¯t fair¡ªPeople with my powers can¡¯t imagine away stuff made by other Imaginers, yet she¡¯s able to?


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He finally stood and shot an angry look at Pang. ¡°Hey! You could¡¯ve killed me!¡±


    Pang bolted at Deon, quicker than he would ever expect. Before he could even react, she jammed her knee into his gut. Deon leaned over and grunted in pain.


    ¡°Well that won¡¯t happen again if you stop fighting like crap, will it?¡± Pang said in an alarmingly dark tone. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll give you one more chance to impress me. Don¡¯t screw it up.¡±


    Hunched over, Deon looked up at Pang. Despite her small and unintimidating size, at that moment she looked superior to him. She seemed bigger and stronger, and it made Deon feel like the feeblest fighter in the world.


    It was mostly in her face: Pang maintained her larger-than-life expression as she looked down on him, expecting close to nothing. It was like he knew he would never be able to reach her level. A rage welled up in him. He suddenly couldn¡¯t stand Pang. It had nothing to do with her conceit; it wasn¡¯t even connected to the fact that she was a thief or a bully.


    No: it was the realization that Pang was far out of his league, and she knew she was.


    Deon hated it.


    In a fury, Deon gazed slightly past Pang, to the air behind her. There he imagined into existence a round ball about the size of his head. It was of a thick, leathery substance that was heavy enough to hurt someone significantly if thrown. He produced a second one beside it, and rapidly continued creating them until there were thirty of these dense objects floating in place.


    Oh, I¡¯ll impress you, Deon thought dourly. He sent the first ball plummeting at Pang¡¯s head¡ªbut his heart skipped as he realized he had thrown it much faster than he intended to.


    Just as the ball was about to hit, Pang shifted very slightly. The ball grazed her cheek and Deon heard it scrape skin. Right after the impact, Deon imagined the ball away. His heart began to pound¡ªif that had hit Pang directly, she definitely would have died.


    Pang blinked a couple times out of surprise. She had a long red cut across her cheek and blood slowly emerged from it. She brought her hand to the injury and then observed her fingers, gazing at the blood. She seemed fascinated by it. Then her awe evolved into excitement¡ªher eyes came alive and a small smile formed. She refocused her gaze to Deon.


    ¡°Funny that you should get mad at me for almost killing you,¡± she said. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t sensed your attack, you might¡¯ve taken my head right off.¡±


    Deon knew she was right: in his rage, he got carried away and almost murdered her. He didn¡¯t know what to say¡­he just continued staring at Pang.


    Pang looked at her blood again. ¡°You know¡­I like you, Deon,¡± she said. ¡°I guess good looks aren¡¯t the only thing you¡¯ve got going for you. You have an edge¡­a temper. Keep using that.¡±


    Deon remained silent, but he didn¡¯t like where this was going: it sounded like Pang was considering this the conclusion of their fight.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad, though¡­you still have a lot to learn,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a head-start: Whenever you trigger your powers, I can sense it¡ªlike how I know you have twenty-nine leather ball attacks floating behind me.¡±


    Deon cursed under his breath.


    ¡°So do me a favor and get stronger for the next time we meet. If I can manage to piss you off then, maybe we¡¯ll have a good fight.¡± Pang laughed and turned towards her bag and Skrili¡¯s.


    ¡°What the¡ªthe fight¡¯s not over in case you didn¡¯t notice!¡± Deon exclaimed. He started commanding the leather balls to keep attacking, but for some reason, they didn¡¯t budge.


    Pang paid no attention to him and kept walking. At that moment, one of the balls came swooping down at Deon. He tried to sidestep it, but it just followed his movement and nailed him in the arm. The impact took Deon down as the ball faded from existence. A moment later, she sent another one zooming at him, which bashed into his back. Then another came, and another, and another¡­


    Soon Deon realized there was no escaping it: he was defeated. The last he could see was Pang picking up her red bag to pull out a sandwich. She nonchalantly sat down and watched Deon get pummeled with his own attack while she enjoyed her food.


    Meanwhile, Skrili and Phillip still stood staring at each other, doing nothing else but breathing and blinking. Neither refused to back down: they both insisted on the other taking the offense.


    Finally, Phillip was the one to crack. ¡°Look around you,¡± he warned in his soft voice.


    Skrili did so: surrounding her in a circle were five other Phillips, each standing a short distance from her. Immediately, Skrili started trying to break the code of this oncoming attack. Obviously none of these can actually hurt me: Phillip can only make illusions, not actual objects. But one of them is the real Phillip¡­and it¡¯s not the one I¡¯ve been staring at, that would be too obvious¡­


    Skrili heard footsteps rushing towards her from behind. She turned and watched this Phillip charge at her. He wouldn¡¯t let the first attack be the real him, she decided¡ªand she was right: he jumped at her, but merely passed through her like air.


    Next another Phillip came running at her. Skrili decided against this one as well, taking a risk, but she was right. One by one, most of the Phillips attacked and continued to attack as if to confuse her, but they continually passed through her like ghosts. Skrili wasn¡¯t impressed.


    Just as I thought: he¡¯s not much of an offensive fighter, noticed Skrili. She saw that by now, only one of the Phillips was still waiting to her left. There he is.


    Skrili launched herself at this last Phillip with a kick aimed at his chest¡­but she was taken by surprise when her foot passed through this one, as well. Since she had expected to make contact, Skrili landed clumsily and rolled onto the ground. What?! she wondered, standing again.


    Before her eyes, all six of the Phillips vanished. She was alone in the clearing.


    ¡°Up here,¡± came Phillip¡¯s voice.


    Skrili looked to where she heard him. Up in a tree across from her, Phillip sat high on a branch. ¡°You¡¯re a smarter fighter than I expected,¡± he told her. She had to strain to hear his practical whisper of a voice. ¡°It¡¯s obvious my simple tricks won¡¯t work on you, so I distracted you with an illusion to prepare a more¡­advanced technique.¡± He seemed awfully hesitant, as if afraid of what he was about to do.


    Skrili waited and listened.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have to experience this¡­I wish I didn¡¯t have to do it, but you have to understand: I can¡¯t afford to lose¡­I can¡¯t.¡± He paused and took a deep breath. ¡°Please forgive me.¡±


    Immediately, it appeared. Skrili didn¡¯t know what it was, but it was too much to comprehend: everything in front of her vanished, being replaced with the darkest of blackness and the brightest white light. These colors formed shapes everywhere: swirls, lines, undefined objects¡­and they all flashed and moved at different speeds in different directions.


    And there was that sound¡­it was the most thunderous, enormous and horrendous sound Skrili had ever heard¡ªyet somehow, it didn¡¯t deafen her ears. Worse: it just got louder and louder, never stopping. It was a constant crash, scream, roar, and explosion, all at once. It was paralyzing. Skrili felt herself beginning to shake uncontrollably.


    But on top of everything, the images appeared. Black and white, flashing, horrific images: a screaming child. A gravestone. A bloody knife. The list continued. In her fit of quivering, Skrili¡¯s knees buckled and tears began to force themselves out of her eyes. She slowly managed to bring her sleeve-covered hands to her eyes to block them from these incessant sights, but still they remained, ever flashing in the eye of her mind.


    Skrili gritted her teeth. Like a small child, she stood trying to hide her face from this nightmare. The noise was still getting louder. The flashes became more rapid and violent.


    Skrili couldn¡¯t take it any longer. She felt her mind pulling itself away from her, desperately trying to retreat. Her thoughts became jumbled and illogical. She felt her body collapse lifelessly. Finally, her mind managed to escape her.


    ~


    The sound of the woods around Deon became known again, as he felt something pressing against his cheek and pushing his head back and forth against the ground slowly. Deon moaned and then opened his eyes.


    ¡°Hmph¡­you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    The weight released from Deon¡¯s face and he looked up to see Skrili standing over him. She had awoken him with her foot.


    ¡°Still alive? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Deon snapped.


    ¡°There was no way you would¡¯ve stood a chance against Pang,¡± explained Skrili. She seemed distant¡ªeven more than usual. It was as if she had seen a ghost.


    ¡°Hey! I¡­I realize that now,¡± admitted Deon. ¡°But what¡¯s with you? You look like you just woke up or something.¡±


    ¡°I did. Phillip defeated me. We lost.¡±


    Deon figured that much. With a great deal of effort and self-forcing, Deon brought himself up into a sitting position. Everything was sore: Pang had pummeled him with his own creations. He looked around to see that everybody else was gone. ¡°Where are Xavier and that weird guy?¡±


    Skrili shrugged. ¡°They must have left. It¡¯s been a little while.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Well, this was all crazy.¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t respond. She stepped past him and headed towards the tree they had placed their things at earlier. Deon watched as she grabbed the clothes she had hung up on a branch, and checked to see if they had dried yet.


    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°To find Pang and Phillip.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes narrowed with disbelief. ¡°You have to be joking¡ªyou might have forgotten, but they literally just COMPLETELY WRECKED US!¡±


    Skrili said nothing as she placed her clothes back on the branch.


    Deon sighed. ¡°If we want to beat them, we have to get to their level¡­or higher.¡±


    ¡°Then get up,¡± Skrili commanded.


    ¡°W¡ªWhat?¡±


    ¡°Get up,¡± she repeated. ¡°You want to get stronger, right? The best way to do that is to fight.¡±


    What got into her all the sudden? Deon wondered. ¡°Yeah¡­but¡­can¡¯t we at least recuperate for a bit?¡±


    ¡°I have no time for that. The longer we wait, the farther they go.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t believe this. All in one day, they fought Ashley and Miranda, Fullmetal and Xavier, and Pang and Phillip¡­and now Skrili was stubborn enough to keep going. He had never seen anyone so determined to keep fighting¡ªbesides himself¡ªand it was all for some mysterious bag.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in that bag of yours, but it must be pretty darn important to make you so uptight like this,¡± Deon noted as he stood to his feet. ¡°How about this: I¡¯ll fight you, but only if you promise to let me know what¡¯s so special about your bag.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Skrili objected. She stood in thought for a few moments. ¡°This is how it will work: we¡¯ll fight until I say we can stop. And if you somehow manage to beat me at least once, I¡¯ll tell you about my bag.¡±


    Deon smiled. This was his chance: if he beat Skrili, it would force her to give him more respect. ¡°¡¯Works for me,¡± he said. ¡°When do we start?¡±


    ¡°Right now.¡±


    ¡°Whoa! Wait a sec¡ª!¡±


    Skrili dashed at Deon like an arrow, jumped up, and swung a kick into his chest. Yelping with surprise, Deon fell straight back and landed hard on the ground. He lay sprawled out and unmoving¡ªthat kick only made his body twice as sore.


    ¡°¡­Ow.¡± Deon grunted.


    Skrili walked over and stood above him again with her arms crossed. ¡°You lose the first fight,¡± she told him dispassionately. ¡°Now get up.¡±


    This girl is nuts...Deon thought, preparing himself to make a long day even longer.

 12. New Horizons

    A few snowflakes fluttered down gently and landed in the gradually freezing slush that Lammy, Zayza, and the triplets were all in. All eyes were on Felix, who sat in the wintery mix across from the others with a grim expression on his face.


    Zayza, who had been crawling away in fear from the apparently evil Felix, reached Lammy and stood up behind his shoulder. She was covered in wet snow from head to toe and was shivering violently from the cold.


    Her decision to take refuge behind Lammy gave him a slight sense of confidence. He was grateful to have earned her trust.


    ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± Folel finalized. ¡°You¡¯ve been controlling Snowdust this whole time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been attacking the village,¡± continued Foler.


    Felix continued to stare at his brothers with fury. He spat into the ice and snow. ¡°We already established that. Of course it was me.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s only one question left: why, brother?!¡± demanded Folel. ¡°Why would you hide that you¡¯re an Imaginer, and try to starve out your own family and friends?! What could possibly lead you into wishing that on us?!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡®hide¡¯ anything,¡± Felix explained. ¡°When you two knew me, I wasn¡¯t a consciousness. I was the one identical brother who wasn¡¯t born with powers. It was unfair! Our parents always spent more time with you two. Father would take you guys out into No Man¡¯s Land to train while I stayed behind and did chores around the village. You could read each other¡¯s minds and feelings, but since I¡¯m the one exception to your powers, I always felt left out.


    ¡°And when we grew up, you guys were the heroes. I was the inventor¡¯s assistant who could barely even use a screwdriver. It was embarrassing¡ªI couldn¡¯t take it anymore!¡±


    ¡°Felix, we never meant to make you feel left out,¡± Foler assured. ¡°We love you, and Father did too¡ªyou know that.¡±


    ¡°LIES!!¡± screamed Felix, bashing his fist into the sloppy ground. ¡°I left to find my own way, and I found it. When I became an Imaginer, I knew I had achieved who I¡¯m supposed to be. I wanted nothing more than to get revenge for all of the pain this cursed village caused me. That¡¯s why I created the snow monster you call Snowdust.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza watched quietly as the brothers poured out their emotions. But something was troubling Lammy. What does he mean ¡®When I became an Imaginer?¡¯ he wondered. Everyone back home with powers were born with them¡­I didn¡¯t know it was possible to get them later in life¡­


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± Foler commented, looking at Lammy. He had evidently heard his thoughts. ¡°How did you manage to become an Imaginer if you weren¡¯t born one?¡±


    Felix smiled darkly. ¡°All I¡¯ll say is this: it¡¯s an interesting world beyond this path.¡±


    Lammy was perturbed by this answer, but he didn¡¯t think Felix would spill any more details. ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t tell us that, then explain this: why did you try to kidnap Zayza?¡± he pressed.


    Felix started. ¡°You little¡ªI didn¡¯t try to steal your gorgeous friend!¡±


    ¡°And WHY THE HECK DO YOU KEEP REFERRING TO HER PRETTINESS?!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± Zayza said, covering her mouth uncomfortably.


    Felix hesitated¡ªhe had no immediate comeback to Lammy¡¯s persistence. ¡°I¡­well¡­it¡¯s lonely out there¡­I was tired of being alone¡­¡± This was the first time one of Felix¡¯s excuses actually sounded legitimate. Lammy hated to accept it, but he actually felt a hint of sympathy.


    It didn¡¯t have to take Folel¡¯s Feelreader abilities nor Foler¡¯s Thoughtreader powers for them to feel it, too. ¡°You¡¯re not alone,¡± they said. ¡°We¡¯re your brothers, Felix. Come home.¡±


    Felix looked at them with appreciation, but mostly puzzlement. ¡°Wait¡ªso¡­then I¡¯m off the hook?¡± he asked. Lammy was about to ask the same thing.


    Foler and Folel exchanged glances, and then burst into powerful laughter.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Foler cried.


    ¡°What, are you crazy?!¡± shouted Folel.


    They gradually returned to their earlier stature. ¡°If you¡¯re willing,¡± began Folel, ¡°We¡¯ll give you a second chance. If you really try to change your ways and learn to love Our Snowy Village again, we¡¯ll convince the Chief to strictly limit his punishment.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you ever resist,¡± Folel added, ¡°Just know that Foler and I have grown much stronger since you last saw us. Not to mention, we have a couple new friends we can call for backup.¡± He motioned towards Lammy and Zayza.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Felix said with an eager nod. ¡°What do I have to do?¡±


    Folel and Foler looked at each other a second time. ¡°Work alongside us,¡± they said.


    ¡°It¡¯s the perfect way to see where your heart is,¡± Folel told Felix. ¡°Our duty and passion is to help our fellow villagers in their everyday lives¡ªwhether it requires our consciousness abilities, or just a couple extra sets of hands. It¡¯ll be impossible to fake the willingness to serve. If it¡¯s not real, we¡¯ll know.¡±


    ¡°You want me to¡­help you guys?¡± Felix repeated, seemingly in awe. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Good; we could really use an Imaginer,¡± said Foler with a smile.


    Lammy felt like this was all being resolved too fast. ¡°Wait¡ªhow do we know he¡¯s not going to attack us once our backs are turned?¡±


    Felix looked like he was about to snap back, but he held it in and understood Lammy¡¯s concern. ¡°Kid, it¡¯s okay: even if I did plan on attacking, the only technique I¡¯ve mastered in my three years of being an Imaginer is the snow monster, which we all know you can handle pretty easily.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± added Folel. ¡°If he¡¯s up to something, Foler and I will whip him into shape¡­and if we can¡¯t, Mother will.¡±


    ¡°Oh great¡­Mom will be pretty angry with me about all this¡­¡± Felix realized. ¡°She¡¯s not even a consciousness and I¡¯m afraid of her the most.¡±


    Folel and Foler laughed, and so everyone else gradually joined in¡ªbut when Lammy did, it was with reluctance. He was still concerned: Felix never bothered to explain how he became an Imaginer, even after he supposedly decided to change his ways.


    ~


    ¡°THE VILLAGE IS SAVED!!!¡± the Chief cried in his uncomfortably high and squeaky voice.


    The Chief¡¯s igloo erupted with cheers and noise filled the evening as all the village people jumped with joy, danced merrily, and hugged each other. Lammy and Zayza (who had washed off all the slush) stood on one side of the Chief, humbly receiving praise as Folel and Foler did the same on the other side. Between the brothers stood Felix, who hung his head low like a guilty child.


    ¡°The Mountain Spirit was true to its word!¡± declared the Chief. ¡°When it transported Zayza and Lammy to our village, it used them to help our beloved Folel and Foler thwart the evil that threatened us! Allow me to recount this glorious event¡­one that will become a legacy as it is passed down from generation to generation.¡±


    Everyone settled down to hear the Chief¡¯s narration.


    ¡°The morning was young when our four youthful heroes awoke to go and confront the mysterious and dangerous creature nicknamed Snowdust¡­¡± he began dramatically, emphasizing his words with overly animated hand gestures. He proceeded to recite an epic tale, but the details sounded infinitely more extraordinary than the actual fight. Lammy couldn¡¯t tell if the Chief had misheard when they explained what happened earlier, or if he was just dramatizing it to make it more exciting. Regardless, the crowd was fully immersed.


    After narrating something about Zayza scaling an entire ¡®dream mountain¡¯ and Lammy creating a ¡®water explosion¡¯ to defeat Felix, the Chief concluded his account. The villagers cheered once more, this time specifically for Lammy and Zayza.


    Lammy scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He made us sound like champions or something¡­I wasn¡¯t that cool¡­he thought.


    ¡°Haha, close enough!¡± Folel shouted to Lammy over the applause.


    The Chief eventually raised a hand, signaling for the crowd to quiet down. The round room fell silent. ¡°Now to address Felix¡¯s offense¡ª¡± he started.


    ¡°Let me punish him, Chief!!¡± a woman shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he never does anything so dopey again!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mother¡­¡± Felix said to her, flinching with fear.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Oh, you will be!¡±


    ¡°Now, now¡­¡± the Chief intervened timidly. ¡°You can deal with your son in private later¡­but as for his official sentence, Felix must stay in Our Snowy Village and labor with Folel and Foler for as long as they please. After a meeting, I and the brothers agreed that our goal is to slowly welcome Felix back into his home, teaching him that this village is not an enemy, but a family.¡±


    Everyone seemed to be on board with this decision. Lammy was surprised at their collective forgiveness; it was inspiring to see that many people willing to give someone another chance.


    The Chief turned to Lammy and Zayza. ¡°And as for our saviors, I¡¯m not sure how we can repay you two for your selfless act.¡±


    Zayza smiled. ¡°Your gratitude and graciousness towards us is more than enough reward for me,¡± she told him kindly.


    Lammy nodded in agreement.


    ¡°But wait!¡± a man exclaimed from the crowd. He stood to his feet: it was an older, scrawny little man with a cone-shaped head, small eyes, a large nose and a black moustache that covered his mouth. When he spoke, the moustache seemed to move up and down in place of his mouth. ¡°I know how we can help you kids: what you want is to get back to where you came from, correct?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­right, Tailpiece,¡± Lammy confirmed.


    ¡°Well then, allow me to introduce myself: I¡¯m Opelfine, the village inventor. When I first heard your tragic story yesterday evening, I was so moved¡­and when you were so willing to help my village¡­it was inspiring¡­¡±


    He wiped tears from his eyes. ¡°So I immediately ran home to my igloo after the meeting and began to think about how I could help you. I thought and thought¡­and finally, it came to me: the perfect blueprint.¡± Opelfine paused while the crowd eagerly awaited an elaboration.


    ¡°A blueprint for what?¡± someone finally asked.


    Opelfine¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°A blueprint for¡­a catapult.¡±


    ¡°A¡ªa catapult?¡± the Chief repeated. ¡°Opelfine, you don¡¯t really mean to try and fling Lammy and Zayza across half the Multiverse, do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Chief,¡± responded Opelfine. ¡°I only wish to give them a head-start on their journey. It¡¯s the best I can do to help. This catapult will spare them the initial long hike, and get them all the way up into to the Mountains!¡±


    ¡°Really? And how long will it take to finish this contraption?¡± asked the Chief.


    Opelfine¡¯s moustache curled as he smiled. ¡°With some help, I can craft it tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Opelfine!¡± a boy cheered, and soon the villagers were celebrating again.


    Zayza grabbed both of Lammy¡¯s hands and faced him. ¡°Lammy, isn¡¯t this great? We¡¯ll be closer to saving your mother than we thought!¡±


    He just stared back at her tensely. Wait¡ªthis guy¡¯s really going to shoot us through the sky? I appreciate his effort, but what if we land on rocks or ice or something? This could be suicide! And even if we live, we still have to make it all the way back to Tailpiece...


    As Lammy continued to worry to himself, Zayza joined the villagers¡¯ vigorous celebration.


    ~~~


    After having been defeated (completely wrecked, really,) by the dark duo of Pang and Phillip, Skrili has forced the injured Deon to join her in an afternoon session of unending fights in the woods of No Man¡¯s Land. This sudden challenge is a frantic attempt at getting stronger before encountering Pang and Phillip once more. In turn, Skrili promises to reveal the secret of her stolen bag¡ªthat is, if Deon can defeat her a single time¡­


    Deon¡¯s face slammed into the dirt, followed clumsily by the rest of his body.


    ¡°You lose again,¡± Skrili told him plainly from where she stood a few feet away.


    ¡°THANKS FOR THE OBSERVATION!!!¡± screamed Deon from the ground, though it hurt to speak. This was his fifth fight against Skrili, and also his fifth defeat. So far the fights had been pretty consistent in nature: Skrili would wait for Deon to get back up, and when he did she would charge at him and knock him into the dirt with a single blow.


    While Deon was beyond annoyed, his body was too exhausted to respond: earlier he had been battered with his own attack after Pang manipulated it to make it hers, and now he was taking direct hits from Skrili every half-minute. His muscles refused to cooperate.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Skrili said impatiently.


    How is this helping us get stronger?! wondered Deon as he somehow mustered up the strength to bring himself on all-fours. After gasping for air, he proceeded to force himself back to his feet. Okay: this time I¡¯ll imagine a¡ª


    Skrili ran at him, jumped up, and performed a graceful spinning kick into Deon¡¯s shoulder. He stumbled over once more, crashing onto his side.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even announce the fight was starting!¡± Deon complained.


    ¡°I figured it should be obvious by now,¡± stated Skrili. ¡°And you lose again. Get up.¡±


    Deon grunted and attempted to move¡ªbut this time, his body resisted. Not only was there a sharp burning sensation as usual, but now his muscles weren¡¯t responding to his commands. He knew he wasn¡¯t getting anywhere soon. ¡°Um¡­I really can¡¯t move¡­¡± he told Skrili.


    He expected her to scold him in response, but instead she just sighed. ¡°My normal clothes are probably dry by now, anyway,¡± she said. ¡°Rest while you can, but I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Deon heard her walking away, and then he allowed himself to relax. He laid there and thought about his adventures thus far. Despite by far being the best Imaginer in Tailpiece, when Deon came to No Man¡¯s Land, things were different: he had only defeated one opponent out of the five fights he participated in¡ªand that was just against another Imaginer (the thug who tried to trap him and Skrili in a hole). And when he faced Pang a short while ago, she toyed with him the whole time and took him down without trouble.


    He may have been the best back home, but it turned out there was a whole other level of mastery to strive for out here in the Multiverse¡­and that was everything he could have hoped for. It was time to get his act together¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t sure Skrili¡¯s approach was helping at all¡­


    Hearing footsteps approaching, Deon forced his head to turn and see Skrili joining him again. She was now in her usual attire once more: the sleeveless blue shirt with the same black design that was on Pang¡¯s shirt, and tight black pants. Also, her blue hair was tied up with her signature elastic again. Deon found himself relieved to see her back to normal; she had looked absolutely absurd in the clothes he had attempted to imagine for her.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± asked Skrili.


    ¡°Actually, I have a question,¡± Deon answered, ¡°With all due respect¡­I think¡­what makes you think beating the crap out of me over and over again is going to get us stronger than Pang and Phillip?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Beating you up isn¡¯t the point. The point is to build endurance,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°This is a technique my old teammate created, and we got to where we are because of it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Deon commented. ¡°Was your old teammate¡­I don¡¯t know¡­INSANE by any chance???¡±


    Skrili looked away and paused for a moment. ¡°I suppose you could say so,¡± she finally said. ¡°¡­Since it was Pang.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± exclaimed Deon¡ªbut it started to make some sense: that probably had something to do with why their outfits were so similar, and why Pang said they knew so much about each other¡¯s fighting.


    ¡°We met each other a year ago in Fiction Country, before either of us had ever been to No Man¡¯s Land,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°We both set out on our own for the first time, and we knew we were going to need a teammate. It just seemed like a good idea to team up, since we had a lot in common. We were both pretty young to be full-timers: Pang was only fifteen and I was sixteen¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªso Pang¡¯s only sixteen now?!¡± Deon noticed. ¡°She seems so much more¡­I don¡¯t know, mature.¡±


    Skrili continued. ¡°Also, we both left our families behind and had nothing to go back to. It was inevitable for us to become friends and teammates.¡±


    ¡°So then¡­what happened?¡± wondered Deon. ¡°I mean, the both of you together must¡¯ve been a pretty strong team. Why¡¯d you split?¡±


    ¡°We were a strong team¡­Actually, we went undefeated for the ten-or-so months we were together. But then I screwed up in one fight,¡± she shared.


    ¡°We were facing a team that had been together for about six years, and they were the toughest team we had ever met. While we were fighting matchups-style, I was struggling so I tried a strategy that I¡¯d used plenty of times before: intentionally trigger a Power-Rebound by allowing my opponent to hit me¡ªbut I misjudged his attacks and he hit me harder than I predicted. I couldn¡¯t get up for about five minutes, and Pang had to worry about fighting both opponents.¡±


    ¡°So she got mad at you for making you guys lose?¡± guessed Deon.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t lose,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°By the time I stood up with a Power Rebound, it was too late: Pang had defeated both of them by herself.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?! By herself?¡± Deon responded. Dang¡­she¡¯s not just strong; she¡¯s ridiculously strong! he realized.


    ¡°After that fight,¡± Skrili continued, ¡°Pang had decided that she ¡®outgrew¡¯ me. She thought my type of consciousness couldn¡¯t keep up with her growth as a fighter anymore and she needed to find a new teammate that could. So we parted ways.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s dumb,¡± Deon pointed out. ¡°Well it¡¯s okay; she seems like a complete jerk anyways.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s expression suddenly became more intense. ¡°It¡¯s different when you really get to know someone,¡± she snapped at him in a low tone, but gradually she returned to her default, emotionless state. ¡°Though also, I didn¡¯t agree with a lot of Pang¡¯s views on fighting¡­and life¡­so splitting with her was for the best.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­except now she has your bag and won¡¯t give it back¡­¡± mentioned Deon. ¡°And I still have no idea as to why that bag is so special.¡±


    ¡°If you want to know that badly, stop fighting like a drunken sloth and take me down,¡± Skrili instructed. ¡°You¡¯ve put off the next fight long enough.¡±


    Deon mumbled to himself like a bitter old man as he gathered what energy he had left to get himself to his feet.


    ~~~


    Lammy, Zayza, and the triplets were the last to exit the Chief¡¯s igloo besides the Chief himself, who remained inside. This village meeting had run twice as long as the last one, due to the excess of celebration and the time everyone took to personally thank Lammy and Zayza.


    Lammy had never experienced such attention before in his life¡ªusually Deon was the one getting noticed for some incredible act. While he was thankful for the recognition, he was also relieved to finally leave the crowded ice house and come into the open, chilly night. The igloos of the village were all glowing from the orange lights of lanterns hanging in front of each entrance.


    Their plan was set: tomorrow morning, everyone would help Opelfine carry his catapult as they travelled to the mountains, where he would make estimates and adjustments to aim it correctly for Lammy and Zayza¡¯s launch. After saying goodbyes, Zayza and Lammy were to be flung up into the mountains to embark on their journey. It sounded pretty much like the most unreasonable idea Lammy had ever heard, but he knew and accepted that his friends¡¯ enthusiasm would once again override his worrying.


    ¡°Are you guys ready for another adventure tomorrow?¡± Folel joyfully asked Zayza and Lammy as he led everyone towards his and Foler¡¯s igloo.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± answered Zayza, ¡°but I think right now I¡¯m even more excited about entering the Dream World again tonight. Last night and this morning showed me that my memories are still out there, I just have to find them!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± said Foler. ¡°I bet by the next time we see you, you¡¯ll have every last memory back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I hope so,¡± Zayza told him.


    Felix, who had been walking at the back of the group, started walking slower. ¡°Hey guys, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said casually.


    ¡°Sure,¡± his brothers responded, engaged in their conversation.


    Felix nodded and separated himself from the others. He made his way over to a dark, open space between two quiet igloos. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, black device, bringing it close to his mouth with his back turned to the rest of the village. He pressed a button and spoke softly.


    ¡°I found Zayza,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s with an Imaginer kid named Lammy, and tomorrow they¡¯ll be traveling through the North Mountains of Realistic Fiction.¡±


    There was a pause of dead silence as he awaited a response.


    ¡°¡­Well done,¡± said an uncomfortably calm voice through the device.

 13. Flinging and Falling

    Deon thudded onto his stomach with a grunt.


    ¡°You lose¡ª¡± began Skrili.


    ¡°NOT THIS TIME!!!¡± Deon screamed desperately. He propelled himself to his feet and dashed at Skrili, who hadn¡¯t expected him to rebound so quickly and was hurrying to get into a defensive stance.


    While running, Deon imagined three wood plank attacks around Skrili, positioning them at varying heights to keep her from dodging them. He neared her and launched a fist, and at the same time he made the three planks swing at her.


    Skrili threw herself at the ground, her legs in a flexible split and her head down. Deon¡¯s punch and all three of his plank attacks missed completely. He de-imagined the wood, but in the same instant Skrili spun on the ground, tripping him with her leg. He fell forward while trying to maintain balance, but she jumped up and knocked him over with a swift palm to his rib.


    He rolled to a stop and once again lay on his stomach.


    Skrili crossed her arms. ¡°As I was saying, you lose¡­once again¡ªbut at least you tried a little harder this time.¡±


    Hearing Skrili declare that he had lost had become customary to Deon¡¯s ears. By now, they had been going at it consistently for almost three hours straight. And still, he had not even come close to beating Skrili¡ªlet alone hit her once.


    While Deon wanted to believe his soreness from his defeat against Pang gave Skrili an advantage, he recognized she had also been through a long day of fighting: Miranda, Xavier, and Phillip were all formidable opponents in a single day, and yet she could still fight with the same vigor¡ªnot to mention the seamlessness of all her techniques. It only urged Deon to keep coming back harder than before.


    Deon¡¯s stomach moaned deeply, but he ignored it. They had fought straight through lunchtime, but neither had much available to eat anyway, and Deon was too focused. It was time to make her spill the secret of her bag¡¯s contents. With a determined push, he stood back up and faced Skrili. ¡°I¡¯ll get you this time,¡± he told her.


    ¡°Then do it.¡±


    Deon conjured up another familiar technique: the giant bug wings. The wings appeared above his head with the vine handle hanging down in front of him. He grasped it tightly with both hands, and mentally commanded the contraption to lift off. The wings flapped and produced their obnoxious buzzing noise as they carried him higher and higher. Skrili watched him blankly as he ascended. Eventually Deon was well above the ground, dangling amongst tall tree branches.


    ¡°How do you plan on attacking me now?¡± he taunted.


    Skrili said nothing.


    Feeling confident, Deon proceeded to imagine heavy, leather balls all around Skrili. They were similar to the ones he had tried to use against Pang earlier, but these were a bit lighter for safety. Once about twenty leather balls were in place, Deon sent them speedily at Skrili, one by one.


    She immediately began a series of impressive dodges: spinning, ducking, sidestepping, and just about anything else that would help her avoid these close-call attacks¡­and once again, Deon found himself unable to even touch her.


    Disgruntled, he added another element to his technique: he started imagining more leather balls as the other ones were fading. Now Deon was shooting some attacks (which Skrili continued to successfully evade) and preparing more at the same time. It took a lot of concentration at first, but eventually he got the hang of it¡ªthough something felt off.


    Why do I feel like I¡¯m forgetting something? Deon wondered. All of the sudden, he began falling out of the air. He hastily reached for where his bug wing contraption was supposed to be, but felt nothing¡ªhe had forgotten about it, and thus accidentally imagined it away.


    Shouting, he plummeted towards the ground below and in a panic, imagined a second bug wing contraption whose wings were even stronger. Just as he was sure to slam against the earth, the device appeared and he grabbed hold of it for dear life. The deafening buzz sounded as it stopped Deon¡¯s progress and began to slowly yank him back upward.


    Just as Deon was sighing over the fact that he avoided breaking every bone in his body, he looked forward and noticed Skrili watching him¡ªsince he had stopped focusing on the leather balls, they had all vanished.


    Oh, come on! he cried in his mind.


    Skrili reached for her hair and ripped out her special black elastic band: same one strong enough to break the strings on Miranda¡¯s guitar earlier that day. Her long hair fell down gracefully as she pointed the small weapon at Deon.


    ¡°Crap¡ªFly faster, ya stupid wings!!¡± Deon bellowed to his invention. Looking up at it, he noticed that in his hurrying he not only made the bug wings stronger, but the entire contraption larger and thus, heavier. It lazily heaved him upward, but not nearly high enough to avoid Skrili¡¯s attack.


    Skrili released the elastic and it whizzed at Deon like an angry hornet. With a SNAP! it stung him directly on the hand, causing him to lose grip. Deon now hung from the bug wings with one hand, slowly ascending higher. Since all his weight shifted to one side of the handle, the bug wings tilted and started moving sideways.


    Skrili continued her pursuit. She raced towards the dangling Deon with her incredible speed and launched herself into the air, her foot aimed at his stomach.


    ¡°Enough with the kicking!¡± yelled Deon. As Skrili¡¯s foot was about to reach him, he turned with a jerk¡ªrepositioning just enough for her to miss. Seeing the opportunity, Deon quickly grabbed hold of her ankle and held on tightly. Startled, Skrili found herself swinging and hanging upside down.


    The bug wings dipped to become even more lopsided, now slowly rotating in a circle. Due to the added weight, its ascent stopped and it levitated at a consistent height¡ªwhich at this point, was a dangerous distance from the ground.


    Deon struggled to hold on to both the bug wing handle in one hand and Skrili¡¯s ankle in the other. Though he felt like he was going to split in half, he tried to hide the pain.


    ¡°It looks like this is it, Skrili,¡± he taunted through gritted teeth. ¡°One long drop to the ground and you¡¯ll be done! You might as well just say you surrender.¡±


    Still oddly calm as always, Skrili observed the distance between her and the surface of the woods. Then she looked up to Deon. ¡°Go ahead, drop me,¡± she said.


    Deon was confused at her response, but then he realized what she was hoping for: if he let her go, the pain from hitting the ground would just trigger her Power Rebound. ¡°Yeah, right! I see what you¡¯re up to!¡± he declared. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m dropping you!¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m not surrendering. So if you don¡¯t figure something else out, we¡¯ll be here awhile,¡± Skrili pointed out.


    Darnit¡ªshe¡¯s right! agreed Deon. But what other choices do I have? Hmm¡­I could give the bug wings even more speed, wait for it to fly near the trees, and toss her at one¡­No, that could also give her a Power Rebound. Wait, I¡¯ve got it!


    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll be here awhile,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna keep holding you upside down until the blood rushes to your head and you pass out!¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes half-closed with annoyance. ¡°How classy of you,¡± she commented sardonically.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be classy, it just has to work¡ªwhoa!¡± Deon was taken by surprise when Skrili began shaking her leg back and forth in an attempt to free it. ¡°Stop it!¡± Deon cried. ¡°There¡¯s no wiggling you way out of this!¡±


    Yet her ¡®wiggling¡¯ was working: Skrili¡¯s ankle began to slip from his hand. Soon enough, her foot broke through and she dropped towards the ground.


    ¡°NO! Um¡­GIANT PILLOW!!!¡± Deon bellowed, and instantly an enormous, soft pillow poofed into existence on the ground below Skrili. She sunk safely into the sponginess of the gigantic cushion. Instantly Skrili attempted to stand, but the pillow was so dense and squishy that it trapped her in place, and she sunk back down.


    Meanwhile, Deon was clinging desperately onto the bug wing handle: now his grip on this was slipping, as well. No, no, no! Deon pleaded, but it was no use¡ªhe lost hold.


    Once again Deon fell, but since he hadn¡¯t been as high in the air as before, he had no time to re-imagine the bug wings. Luckily, Deon also sunk into the oversized pillow, beside Skrili. The softness enveloped him, and almost convinced him to just forget the fight and take a nap. But he knew he couldn¡¯t stop yet¡ªwith Skrili trapped, now was perhaps his only chance.


    Deon de-imagined his half of the pillow, thus freeing himself as he dropped onto the dirt and leaves. If Skrili couldn¡¯t escape the pillow, the victory was his!


    ¡°Having a little trouble there, Skrili?¡± he called from the ground.


    ¡°¡­Maybe¡­¡± she admitted reluctantly.


    ¡°Then it looks like I win!¡± Deon gave himself a high-five.


    ¡°You just have to stand up,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t move either, then this is a draw. Stand up and take the win.¡±


    Deon laughed. ¡°Oh, well that¡¯s no big deal, I can¡­uh¡­¡± He tried lifting himself, but it appeared his body had reached its limit again. His muscles and joints throbbed from the hours of getting kicked, punched, and thrown to the ground¡ªon top of the injuries he sustained from Pang. ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°You ran out of strength again, didn¡¯t you?¡± asked Skrili.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a draw.¡±


    ¡°Darn.¡±


    Deon and Skrili continued to lay there, motionless and wordless. Though Deon still didn¡¯t end up truly beating Skrili, he took pride in the fact that at least he finally managed to stand a chance against her for a while, as opposed to an immediate defeat. He decided to focus on this slight achievement while waiting for his strength to return.


    ¡°¡­Are you planning on letting me out of this thing?¡± Skrili called after a while.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ~~~


    Lammy looked up to the sky as he walked. Despite the sun poking through a spot in the clouds, it couldn¡¯t fend off the ever-brisk air. The wind felt like it was cutting right through his face. Thankfully, the coat, pants, and boots the village gifted him and Zayza kept the rest of his body warm¡ªthat, and the fact that they had been hiking for hours now.


    Snow was crunching all around him and Zayza, underneath the feet of villagers from Our Snowy Village. Most of the villagers, aside from very young children and the elderly, decided to travel to the North Mountains alongside the duo to see them off.


    One man pulled the Chief along the snowy path in a wooden sled, while several women and men, including Folel, Foler, and Felix, were a short distance behind, working together to lug an enormous contraption. It was the key to kick-starting Lammy and Zayza¡¯s journey, and the source of Lammy¡¯s constant apprehension: the catapult.


    To Lammy¡¯s dismay, Opelfine, the village inventor, was able to successfully complete his catapult overnight with help from the triplets. This meant the plan the village had promised them last night was now a reality: they were about to try launching Lammy and Zayza through the air, into the North Mountains.


    Opelfine insisted the catapult would shoot them all the way to one of the peaks, but just one look at their target filled Lammy with doubt. The colossal bluish mountains dominated the sky, with the clouds towards the top concealing their true height.


    Lammy glanced back at the catapult and shuddered for the hundredth time since the day began.


    The machine was slightly crude in appearance with the wood still looking merely like parts of a tree, but it appeared at least moderately stable. It featured a large square base made of tree trunks, spanning almost the area of an igloo, and had four dense wooden poles on each corner that held up a series of planks.


    From this base arose what resembled a giant spoon that stood far taller than any building in Tailpiece. Its arm consisted of malleable tree branches twisted and knotted together, which were craftily attached to a giant ice-carved bowl at the top where Lammy and Zayza would sit. A series of pillows served as a cushion inside the bowl, and three large ropes hung down from the top of it to the ground.


    Lammy had to admit: he was impressed that a small man like Opelfine could throw this together so fast. But it still didn¡¯t make him feel any better about having to use it.


    A melody sprouted from a couple of energetic villagers at the front of the march, and the rest of the crowd quickly joined in: ¡°Lammy and Zayza! They¡¯re the ones who saved us! Shoot them to the Mountains! Shoot them to the heavens!¡± It grew until nobody could sing louder, and then collapsed into applause and cheering.


    Lammy scratched his head and blushed. Do we really deserve all this attention? he questioned. At the same time, I don¡¯t want to look like I don¡¯t appreciate it¡­he mustered up his best attempt at a smile, despite feeling fairly certain his new admirers were about to lunge him to his death.


    Zayza laughed and waved to the cheerful villagers. ¡°They¡¯re all so sweet, Lammy,¡± she said, but once she looked at him her eyes widened. ¡°Um¡­are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah. I¡ªI am smiling, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that¡¯s a smile¡­you look, to be honest, like you¡¯re having trouble¡­relieving yourself¡­¡± the end of Zayza¡¯s response was a whisper.


    Lammy sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just freaking out a bit. This catapult doesn¡¯t seem like the best idea¡­I mean, aren¡¯t you nervous about all this?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zayza confirmed calmly.


    ¡­Could have fooled me¡­Lammy thought after she provided no further elaboration.


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯m just grateful,¡± she added, seeming to sense Lammy¡¯s skepticism. ¡°We did something to help these kind people, and in return they¡¯re doing whatever they can to help us. It might be a bit¡­dangerous¡­but if it brings them this much joy to feel like they¡¯re returning the favor, I would hate to take it from them.¡±


    Giving it some more thought, Lammy nodded. ¡°Well, these people are really sweet. And hey, maybe it¡¯ll actually be pretty safe!¡±


    ¡°Triplets! Don¡¯t push too hard!¡± They heard Opelfine yell from behind the catapult. ¡°If that part comes even slightly out of place, Lammy and Zayza will be goners!¡±


    Zayza let out a nervous laugh.


    ~


    After another hour or so, the crowd finally arrived at the foot of the North Mountains. They only seemed even more daunting up close: several steep slopes and rocky hills fenced off the bottom of the colossal incline, providing no clear path without treacherous climbing. Lammy figured this was probably why the villagers insisted on catapulting them over these obstacles. On top of this, tall, dark green trees heavily populated the mass and hid any potential wildlife roaming the area.


    Most interestingly, and perhaps most unsettlingly, a thick misty fog cast a veil on the mountain beyond the initial few hills and slopes. Lammy fixed his eyes on the fog, realizing he wasn¡¯t ready to find out how much more perilous his journey was about to become beyond it.


    Yet at the same time, he knew he needed to keep moving. He needed to reach his mother¡ªno matter how far she was¡ªand make sure she was safe.


    ¡°Let the preparations begin!¡± the Chief declared, standing from his sled and facing everyone. The crowd answered with hearty cheers. Lammy wondered how the villagers still had this much energy after hours of hiking in the snow; he was already exhausted.


    Lammy and Zayza sat to the side as they watched the triplets and several villagers remove the catapult from the four sleds they had been carrying it on, and cautiously position it at the beginning of the mountain. The contraption creaked and swayed, which didn¡¯t help Lammy¡¯s anxiety.


    ¡°Now, before we part ways,¡± began the Chief, ¡°We understand that a very long and demanding travel awaits you. Because of this, our villagers have agreed to put together bags filled with anything you might need: clothes, water, food, sleeping bags, and other essentials. There is one for each of you.¡±


    Two men walked over to Lammy and Zayza, each carrying a large bag. They placed the bags before them, briefly expressed their gratitude, and rejoined the crowd. Both bags were black and bulky¡ªbig enough to contain plenty of supplies, but small enough for Lammy and Zayza to each strap one around their backs.


    ¡°Wow¡­Thank you,¡± Lammy said. Admittedly, it hadn¡¯t even occurred to him until then that he and Zayza were without supplies for survival. He had never travelled beyond the simple confines of Tailpiece, so he had no idea what this sort of adventure entailed.


    ¡°And now,¡± the Chief started, ¡°let me give you both a proper sending-off.¡± He raised his hands to the sky and closed his eyes. ¡°By the power of the Great Spirit of the Mountains, may you promising and heroic youth find wisdom and meaning in your travels. May your humble spirits bless everywhere you go and may your gifts¡ªnot just your consciousness gifts, but also the beauty of who you both are¡ªbe used to bring justice to wherever you tread. And always know that Our Snowy Village is your ever-grateful and ever-supportive second home.¡±


    He reopened his eyes and looked upon Lammy and Zayza with a deep warmth they didn¡¯t quite understand. The Chief then faced Opelfine. ¡°Shall we?¡± he asked.


    Opelfine nodded. ¡°Everything is in place, Chief.¡±


    ¡°Then it is time for the launch!¡±


    The crowd cheered once more, watching eagerly. Opelfine had the brothers grab the ropes hanging from the top of the catapult. Together, with a great deal of strength, they pulled them down. The pliable wood squeaked as it bent backwards, pulling the icy spoon of the catapult back. Eventually they brought it close to the ground, and with their impressive power, they wrapped the loops of the ropes to three wooden anchors they had dug into the ground below the snow.


    Meanwhile, Opelfine instructed Lammy and Zayza to strap their travel bags to their backs. He then gave Lammy another smaller bag with a string hanging from it. ¡°This is the parachute,¡± Opelfine explained, ¡°which I had originally made for another invention months ago¡­and come to think of it, that invention was a complete disaster. Well anyway, when you start to feel yourself falling, pull the string and it¡¯ll shoot out. You¡¯ll float gently to the ground together.¡±


    Somehow I feel like it¡¯s not supposed to be that simple, Lammy thought while strapping this backpack on top of the other one. He made sure the string dangled close to his hand.


    Opelfine guided them over to the bowl of the catapult, and together they entered, lying against their bags. Lammy felt Opelfine tie the strings on the fronts of each supply bag to each other, linking them.


    Waiting, Lammy looked up at the gray sky as his heart repeatedly threw itself against his chest, seemingly in an attempt to break free and avoid this terrifying experience. He looked beside him at Zayza, who was still smiling calmly¡ªthough he noticed she hadn¡¯t spoken in quite a while.


    ¡°You ready for this?¡± he asked shakily.


    ¡°You know, I forgot to mention earlier¡­¡± she responded, still staring ahead unblinkingly. ¡°Last night in the Dream World, I found another memory.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good! What was it?¡±


    ¡°¡­My biggest fear is of falling to my death¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    Opelfine patted both backpacks, and then lowered himself from the bowl. ¡°They¡¯re ready when you are, boys,¡± he told the triplets.


    ¡°Lammy and Zayza! I¡¯m so sorry we didn¡¯t really get to talk much on our final day together,¡± Folel said from behind them. ¡°You¡¯re both awesome. Thank you for saving our village.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± agreed Foler. ¡°Lammy, you¡¯re a much braver kid than you think. And you¡¯re quick-witted¡ªtrust me, I know. Never lose sight of that.¡±


    Lammy smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you guys.¡±


    ¡°And Zayza,¡± Foler added, ¡°You¡¯ll find all your memories again. You deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Well I know for sure that I¡¯ll never forget you two,¡± said Zayza.


    The villagers picked up on the fact that this was the last moment before the launch, and began shouting their heartfelt goodbyes. Lammy and Zayza shyly lifted up a hand and waved.


    ¡°Anything to add, Felix?¡± the twins offered.


    ¡°Nope,¡± said Felix. ¡°I think Zayza¡ªand the kid¡ªbetter get into the mountains sooner than later¡­¡±


    Something about his tone unsettled Lammy, but he was too nervous about everything else to dwell on it.


    ¡°Alright! Oh, one last thing, friends,¡± Folel and Foler said. ¡°Quit worrying about everything!¡± With that, Lammy suddenly felt wind shooting at him and an uncomfortable pressing sensation filled his whole body. Before he knew it, he and Zayza were soaring through the air.


    Lammy tried to scream, but they were rocketing against the wind so fast that it snatched his voice right from his mouth. The skin on his face pushed back as if someone was pressing their hands against it, and his eyes watered ceaselessly. Soon all he could see was gray and his entire body felt soaked; he figured by now they must have reached the fog. Despite the discomfort of rapidly flying above the ground, Lammy found an unexpected sense of reassurance knowing that Opelfine¡¯s catapult actually worked.


    However, to his expectation, it didn¡¯t work as well as Opelfine promised. Within a moment, Lammy could feel them beginning to descend already¡ªthe peak of the mountain would have to wait.


    ¡°Parachute?!¡± Zayza requested.


    ¡°Right!¡± Lammy reached for the string and pulled it, instantly hearing the chute shoot from the backpack. He was relieved that this chaotic flight was about to end with a peaceful glide.


    The only problem was: it didn¡¯t end with a peaceful glide.


    Confusion and fear swept over Lammy and Zayza as they felt themselves falling faster¡­and faster¡­and faster.


    Soon, they were plunging full-speed. Lammy tried to see above him, and found that the parachute was swinging around rapidly in the wind¡ªripped in two.


    Are you kidding me?!! he cried mentally. The pressing feeling in his gut returned as he and Zayza fell helplessly through the fog, which masked whatever unknown dangers awaited them below.


    Finally catching his breath, Lammy screamed at the top of his lungs.

 14. Food Town

    Zayza sighed, wandering aimlessly along the white cobblestone pathway in her green dress, as she passed by the orange-leaved trees spread out several steps from each other. The leaves gave off a high-pitched, soft ringing sound every time the wind blew against them. Around her, tiny neon-colored bugs scurried along the short black grass. Zayza looked up at the yellowish sky.


    ¡°Lammy!¡± she called. ¡°Could you please wake me up?¡±


    Several seconds passed, but nothing happened.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use,¡± Zayza told herself. At some point, while she and Lammy were falling out of the sky after their catapult launch, she ended up in the Dream World. A ripped parachute flailing above them was the last thing she saw before entering.


    Zayza stepped off the path and approached a tree, sitting against it in deep thought. ¡°I hope nothing terrible happened to us out there when we landed¡­¡± she said to herself. ¡°And I hope I awake soon¡ªI don¡¯t want to hold Lammy up from possibly saving his mother...¡± She looked down at her hands, and noticed a purple light reflecting off her bracelets. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± A quiet, mystical sound sang above her.


    ¡°A memory?¡± Zayza exclaimed, looking up into the tree. High within its branches, the tree held a purple orb of light. ¡°It is a memory! But¡­how do I get to it?¡± She stood to her feet and examined the orb.


    After a few seconds, the wind blew again. The branches of the tree swayed and the orb slipped through, floating slowly down towards Zayza. When it was almost within her reach, it suddenly shot down at her head and vanished with a bright flash.


    Zayza blinked a few times from surprise, then smiled. ¡°Oh, of course!¡± she remembered. ¡°This fact came at quite a convenient time! I need to tell Lammy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Zayza¡­Hey¡­¡±


    She heard a voice far in the distance and felt a slight nudge on her shoulder, but nobody else was there.


    Then, her eyes closed and she felt herself begin to sink¡­


    ~


    Zayza¡¯s eyes opened to the sight of Lammy looking down at her worriedly. She was lying on her back, against her travel bag. Dark pine trees towered over them all around.


    She noticed a few scrapes and cuts across Lammy¡¯s face. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Zayza asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m the one who should be asking you that,¡± said Lammy.


    Zayza sat up as snow fell out of her hair, noticing she had a few of her own bumps and bruises, as well. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have scared you, I must have fainted while we were falling. That was horrifying¡­¡±


    Lammy nodded. ¡°Luckily, we fell through some branches and landed in a bunch of snow. We slid down the hill for a bit, but I grabbed a tree branch to stop us. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re all that far from where they launched us¡­¡±


    They sat on slanted ground, which was masked in fog several trees down. At the very least, it seemed Opelfine¡¯s catapult sent them over the initial hump of the mountain and onto its slope. The incline continued upward for as far as they could see, covered in more pine trees and large rocks.


    ¡°Should we go tell them we¡¯re okay?¡± wondered Lammy.


    Zayza smiled and shook her head. ¡°I think they all believe we are. Let¡¯s keep moving¡ªthat¡¯s what they really want for us. Let¡¯s go find our way back to your mother!¡±


    Lammy met her smile with equal energy. He stood. ¡°Yeah! And let¡¯s get your memories back along the way!¡±


    Zayza took Lammy¡¯s hands as he helped her to her feet. ¡°Oh! Speaking of that, I just found a memory in the Dream World!¡± she declared. ¡°This is probably rather important for our journey: remember how the Chief explained that we¡¯re at the top of Realistic Fiction Country?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Well, my memory was actually a fact about that: in many areas of Realistic Fiction Country, the native people are unaware that consciousness powers exist. In fact, they don¡¯t even know about the Multiverse beyond their world. So it¡¯s forbidden to use consciousness powers in those areas.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lammy thought aloud. ¡°How do we tell which areas fall under that rule?¡±


    ¡°We should probably play it safe,¡± Zayza decided. ¡°Let¡¯s avoid using or mentioning our consciousness abilities around people, until we get a feel for their knowledge.¡±


    With that, the duo set out on their adventure through the North Mountains. Given that the catapult¡¯s purpose was to shoot them up to one of the peaks, they figured climbing up the mountain was their best direction.


    Lammy and Zayza were the sole travelers on their trail, other than a few birds and rabbits. The hills became bumpier and more challenging the higher they journeyed.


    Several hours into their hike, Lammy found himself completely wiped, sweating inside his thick coat in spite of the frosty chill. He had been struggling the whole way¡ªall of the hills, rock climbing, and the weight of his travel bag depleted what little endurance he had. Walking around the simple, grassy Tailpiece his whole life proved to be poor preparation for this quest.


    Meanwhile Zayza faired much better as she scaled the rocks, but by now she too was growing weary. It was also quickly getting darker and colder, as the snow they stepped through became icy. Fearing they would freeze to death if they stayed out here too long, they decided to seek shelter.


    They explored the side of the mountain for any sort of secluded flat land or cave. Just when Lammy was ready to lie down where he was, Zayza noticed a cluster of large rocks with an opening in the middle.


    ¡°Maybe that cave will be sufficient,¡± she suggested.


    They neared the entrance and looked inside. It was unoccupied, but for an obvious reason: the cave had no ground¡ªit was a deep hole. To add to the oddity, they could faintly hear the chatter of what seemed to be dozens of people far below.


    Lammy would have suggested avoiding this mysterious place altogether, if it weren¡¯t for the aroma that rose from the hole. He didn¡¯t recognize this savory scent, but something incredible was cooking down there.


    ¡°That smells wonderful¡­¡± Zayza uttered. She leaned forward, trying to peak further down. ¡°I think I see¡­AH!!¡± Suddenly she slipped on a patch of ice. She tried to catch herself, but couldn¡¯t find a grip and fell into the hole, screaming.


    ¡°ZAYZA!¡± Lammy cried, leaning after her. But the weight of his travel bag shifted, throwing him off balance, and he too fell inside.


    After a couple seconds of screaming, he felt himself sink into a massive pile of snow. While his head remained free, the rest of his body was trapped.


    What lay ahead was a place even more alien to him than Our Snowy Village.


    The cave was much, much bigger than he and Zayza thought: it was an entire town lit by bright lights high above. Or it might have been a large marketplace; it was hard to pinpoint.


    Roughly a hundred people stood impatiently in a massive line that stretched to an opening at the other end of the cave. Along the outskirts, dark wooden homes stood attached to the stone. The line curved near the snow pile where Lammy and Zayza landed, and led to a large, bright structure against one of the cave¡¯s massive walls.


    The source of the delicious aroma was immediately clear: in blinding bright red lighting, a sign above the structure read, ¡®Food Town.¡¯ Underneath, about a dozen workers in identical uniforms prepared and served food to the people in line. They stood behind a long counter with a glass shield as they rapidly scooped various types of ingredients.


    Off to the side, Lammy noticed a couple of workers tending to meat that sizzled on top of a silver surface. An upbeat tune resounded from an unknown source.


    Lammy¡¯s head was practically spinning. What the heck is this?? he wondered, trying to grasp why a place in ¡®Realistic Fiction Country¡¯ could have light and cooking with no fire, and music without musicians. Where¡¯s the power source for all of this? Are Imaginers doing it?


    Right next to Lammy, Zayza¡¯s head popped out from the snow pile. She shook her head to get snow out of her eyes, and then viewed their surroundings. ¡°Oh wow! How exciting!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°We found a hidden restaurant!¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± asked Lammy.


    Zayza was already climbing her way out of the snow eagerly. ¡°Come on! Maybe someone here can help us find a place to stay for the night¡­and maybe we can get some food, that smells incredible!¡± She freed her arms and gradually pushed herself out of the pile.


    ¡°Um¡­if you really want to,¡± mumbled Lammy. After he took a few moments to yank himself free, he joined Zayza on the cave¡¯s firm ground. Several of the people waiting in line glanced at them plainly, and then returned their attention to their destination.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Zayza greeted politely to one of the customers.


    ¡°THE LINE STARTS BACK THERE, PUNKS!¡± the lady wailed at them.


    ¡°Oh, but we were just¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you got a problem with this place, that line¡¯s over there!¡± she interrupted, pointing to a shorter line at the other end that led to the far corner of the restaurant. Another handwritten sign hung above that area, reading ¡®Speak with Management,¡¯ though the words ¡®Speak with¡¯ were crossed out and corrected underneath with ¡®Yell at.¡¯


    ¡°Oh¡­thank you,¡± Zayza said timidly. She turned to Lammy. ¡°Maybe we should just go there for help¡­these people seem a tad on-edge.¡±


    Still uncertain, Lammy cautiously followed Zayza as they began to walk towards the appropriate line. As they made their way, he noticed some people grumbling to each other irritably, while others chatted about what they were going to order. He observed all the houses that lined the walls. People sat on some of the porches, eating their meals.


    ¡°You seem fairly lost,¡± realized Zayza.


    ¡°Well¡­what is this place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a restaurant: people come here to buy meals,¡± Zayza explained.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± said Lammy. While Tailpiece had a humble market area, none of the shops prepared the food themselves. ¡°And, do people usually live at the restaurants, too?¡±


    Zayza glanced at all the houses surrounding them. ¡°No¡­that is pretty odd¡­¡±


    Soon they arrived at the ¡®Speak with Yell at the Management¡¯ line. Luckily, this one wasn¡¯t quite as long, and seemed to be decreasing quickly. At the end of the line, a short, stocky man in a button-up shirt stood talking to each customer one-by-one. When Lammy and Zayza were close enough, they could hear most of the complaints and replies:


    ¡°I asked for extra chicken but I only got a lot of chicken. There¡¯s a difference!¡±


    ¡°Refunds online. Sorry about that. Next?¡±


    ¡°Ten minutes ago I placed an order for yesterday morning. Why wasn¡¯t my order ready yesterday?!¡±


    ¡°Refunds online. Sorry about that. Next?¡±


    ¡°YOU RUINED MY SON¡¯S BIRTHDAY!!! DIE!!!¡±


    ¡°Refunds online. Sorry about that. Next?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I just wanted to say the food was amazing. Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Refunds online. Sorry about that. Next?¡±


    What¡¯s wrong with all these people?¡¯ Lammy wondered.


    ¡°NEXT?¡±


    With a start, Lammy and Zayza realized it was their turn to speak with him. They inched forward as the sweaty man eyed them down with a lifeless gaze.


    ¡°Um¡­Hello, sir,¡± started Zayza. ¡°I¡¯m Zayza and this is my friend Lammy. You see, we¡¯re travelers, and we were just wondering if you might know of anywhere we could stay for the night?¡±


    The man looked back and forth at each of them uncaringly, until Lammy was convinced he¡¯d say something about ¡®refunds¡¯ and ¡®online¡¯ again.


    ¡°Yeah sure, you guys can crash in my spare room,¡± he finally said. ¡°That is¡­if you¡¯re willing to work tonight.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°To be honest, we¡¯re getting slammed today. My idiot employees and their managers¡ªI use the term loosely¡ªcan¡¯t keep up. You in?¡± He didn¡¯t blink as he awaited their reply.


    Zayza looked to Lammy to read his reaction. Tired as he was after this day of climbing, if a little bit of work was his ticket to sleep in a bed, at this point he was willing to take it. Besides, it looked easy enough. Lammy shrugged.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it!¡± Zayza declared.


    ¡°Good!¡±


    ~


    Within a few minutes, Lammy stood wearing an employee uniform: a black short-sleeve shirt, red pants, black shoes, and a red hat with a lid. He had changed in one of the restaurant¡¯s back rooms and left his travel bag there.


    Now he stood back where they met the owner. Soon Zayza joined him, dressed identically.


    ¡°How do I look?¡± she asked, posing jokingly.


    Lammy found himself blushing a bit. While the outfits were a bit tacky, Zayza made it work¡ªto him, she could make anything look great. ¡°Good,¡± he answered shyly.


    ¡°Alright, so let¡¯s get you two situated,¡± said the owner. ¡°Usually we have a training process for new hires, but given the busyness, we¡¯ll have to cut some corners. Mariel here will get you situated.¡±


    A young woman walked over to join them. She was dressed similarly, but unlike Lammy and Zayza, her shirt had a collar and buttons, with ¡°Manager¡± sewn on the torso. She had attentive yet weary gray eyes, and long blonde hair tied up with red twists mixed in.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Mariel greeted.


    ¡°Alright that¡¯s enough standing around and talking, Mariel. We need to get these orders out!¡± the owner instructed. He turned away, returning his attention to the ¡°Yell at the Management¡± line.


    ¡°Yes, master, of course¡­¡± Mariel uttered under her breath for only Lammy and Zayza to hear. She rolled her eyes, and then winked at them. ¡°Well, it¡¯s gonna be a rough night. Come with me.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza followed Mariel away from the owner and towards the long counter where workers were serving customers.


    ¡°So you two are travelers, huh? That¡¯s pretty cool,¡± she said. ¡°Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from Tail¡ª¡± Lammy started, but Zayza nudged his shoulder. Oh¡­right, no Multiverse stuff¡­he recalled. ¡°Um¡­a place that¡¯s¡­not here? It¡¯s¡­far away.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where I¡¯m from,¡± Zayza explained.


    Mariel looked at both of them with puzzlement. ¡°Alright¡­you two are weird,¡± she noted. ¡°I like you already.¡±


    At least someone in this town¡ªor restaurant¡ªis friendly, thought Lammy.


    They stopped beside the serving counter, and Lammy noticed there was an identical setup just behind it with less employees preparing meals. Here, Mariel began explaining their roles: Zayza¡¯s job was to take the orders made on the back counter and deliver them to customers waiting in the center of the cave. These were online, pre-ordered meals.


    Since Lammy was still unsure what ¡®online¡¯ meant, he was glad it was Zayza¡¯s responsibility.


    ¡°And Langley¡­¡± continued Mariel.


    ¡°Um¡­It¡¯s Lammy.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Lammy, you¡¯ll be with me making orders on the front,¡± she instructed. ¡°I wish I had time to teach you, but just follow my lead. You¡¯ll recognize the ingredients.¡±


    Lammy nodded. After fighting a snow monster and getting catapulted into a mountain, he figured this would be as simple as breathing.


    As Zayza parted from them to await orders at the second counter, Lammy followed Mariel over to theirs. Several ingredients lay before him in steaming hot metal pans, and he quickly realized he didn¡¯t recognize any of them. His stomach growled loudly at the sight of the food, but thankfully the customer¡¯s voices and clanking of serving tools drowned it out.


    Mariel handed him a pair of transparent gloves, which he struggled to put on. ¡°Alright, real quick: the stuff in this pan is¡ª¡± she began.


    ¡°EXCUSE ME. I WANT MY FOOD.¡±


    Lammy looked up to see a customer glaring at him from the other side of the glass.


    ¡°Sorry¡­they don¡¯t like to be kept waiting¡­¡± Mariel whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll be right next to you; you should be able to figure it out.¡±


    ¡°STEAK.¡± Demanded the customer, his mouth visibly watering. ¡°STEAK, KID!! STEEEEEAAAAK!!!!!¡±


    Lammy had no idea which one steak (or STEEEEAAAAK) was, and everything before him looked practically the same: different shades of cubed brown meat. He grabbed a container and scooped the nearest option.


    ¡°NO!!¡± the customer barked. ¡°YOU RUINED MY DINNER!! I¡¯m speaking to the owner to get you fired.¡±


    Mariel quickly swooped in and placed a different scoop of brown meat cubes into the container. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that, sir. Here you go. What else would you like?¡± she said pleasantly in a high-pitched tone. The customer entirely forgot about Lammy¡¯s existence as Mariel completed his order.


    As the guest turned from them to pay for his meal, Mariel came back, again rolling her eyes. ¡°What a scumbag¡­¡± she said darkly. ¡°Oh¡ªyou¡¯ve got another one!¡±


    Lammy fearfully returned his attention to the next customer, who didn¡¯t look much kinder. I think I¡¯d take the catapult again over this, he realized.


    Meanwhile, Zayza was walking out past the serving area to the center of the cave, carrying her first order in a brown paper bag. She noticed a cluster of people standing and waiting in between the massive main line and the complaint line, so she figured that was the right spot. Humming to herself cheerfully, she approached the customers.


    ¡°I have an order for Karen White,¡± she announced.


    ¡°WHAT ABOUT JOHN SMITH?!¡± one customer pressed.


    ¡°PETER STEWART!¡± yelled another.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for three minutes!¡±


    ¡°YOU RUINED MY SON¡¯S BIRTHDAY!!! DIE!!!¡±


    Finally a woman¡ªsupposedly Karen White¡ªsnatched the bag from Zayza¡¯s hand and stormed off, followed by her seven rambunctious children.


    Zayza stood in shock for a moment. ¡°Oh¡­¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Hey cutie, when¡¯d they hire you?¡± A man called over from the main line.


    Zayza turned away, deciding to hurry back to the serving counters as she tried to ignore him whistling at her.


    Back at Lammy and Mariel¡¯s station, Lammy struggled to keep up. He noticed how lightning-fast Mariel helped customers, but even despite her speed, the line was getting longer and longer. And it seemed people were getting ruder and ruder, too.


    For a brief moment, the next person in line wasn¡¯t paying attention, and Lammy took the chance to breathe. Mariel laughed beside him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re doing fine,¡± she assured. ¡°This place is just a sick joke.¡±


    ¡°How do you do it?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­I have to remind myself that these people aren¡¯t any better than me, even if they think they are,¡± she shared. ¡°And that can be tough when our store¡¯s motto is literally ¡®Worship the customer. Bow to their feet.¡¯¡±


    That¡¯s a bit excessive, thought Lammy as the nearest customers in line began demanding for food.


    Zayza continued to rush back and forth between grabbing bags of orders and handing them out to ungrateful recipients, carrying as many bags at once as she could. Whatever positivity she tried to retain seemed to evaporate with every interaction. All the while, the same man from the line continued pestering her:


    ¡°Come on, girlie. Shoot me a smile, at least,¡± he called as she breezed by for the hundredth time.


    Zayza said nothing, trying to balance four large bags at once.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t they dress you in something sexier?¡± the man badgered. ¡°Now that¡¯ll keep people coming back. Let¡¯s see some skin.¡± He turned to laugh with his buddies.


    Zayza stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned to face the man, and then threw the four orders to the cave ground. The surrounding crowd gasped.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go find another cave to die in?¡± Zayza responded.


    After several seconds of pure surprise, the man¡¯s demeanor erupted into rage, along with the rest of the crowd. They all began screaming at her¡ªespecially the four people whose orders she had just spilled everywhere.


    Zayza held her ground, standing with her arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯re acting like spoiled, entitled children. Fools, all of you.¡±


    Lammy could hear the uproar from where he worked. When the customer he was serving turned to see the commotion, Lammy looked past him and saw dozens of people surrounding and shouting at Zayza.


    ¡°Looks like your friend pinched a few nerves,¡± Mariel observed with a chuckle.


    ¡°No¡­¡± muttered Lammy. ¡°Zayza is way too kind¡­¡±


    Mariel shrugged. ¡°I mean, they probably deserve it. Our customers are the worst.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re really gonna freak out at someone like Zayza, then they are the worst,¡± Lammy concluded. He immediately felt himself boiling inside. His heart raced, his face went hot, and his vision started blurring. I wish they would all just¡­he thought.


    I wish they would all just GO AWAY!


    Suddenly, on top of all the shouting and complaining, Lammy could hear a buzzing noise coming from above, all around the cave. Alarmed, he looked up to see a massive swarm of bugs: flies, mosquitos, and some combination of both. They zipped around as a furious cloud, and began descending towards all the customers.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± uttered Mariel.


    The customers screamed and panicked, their cries deafening as they echoed against the cave¡¯s walls. Most of them pushed and shoved in a race to escape through the hole at the other end of the cave. Many others hit the decks¡ªliterally¡ªsprinting up the stairs into their homes that surrounded the restaurant.


    Did an Imaginer do this?! Lammy wondered. Wait a second¡­


    ¡­Uh-oh¡­


    He recalled that when his anger was building up, for a split second, he did picture bugs flying after the customers. It was just a passing cathartic thought, though¡­could he really have imagined this himself? He had never attempted something so complex¡ªhow was this possible?


    ¡°Lammy! What¡¯s going on?¡± Zayza was running up to him, hiding her face from the insects. When she got close enough, she whispered, ¡°Your eyes¡­they¡¯re glowing.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± was all Lammy could think to say. Okay, if this was really me, I better take care of it¡­Focusing his attention on as much of the cave as he could, Lammy mentally commanded all of the flies and mosquitos (and mosquito-flies) to vanish. Within an instant, they were all gone. The cave went dead-silent: by now, all the customers had either fled through the exit, or took shelter in their homes.


    ¡°Uh¡­what the¡­?¡± Mariel wondered beside him. She quickly looked at Lammy. ¡°Was that some kind of miracle¡­?¡±


    ¡°FLEMMY AND ZELDA!!!¡± the owner bellowed, marching over to them and pointing at Lammy and Zayza. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but everything got ruined the second you started working! YOU¡¯RE FIRED! Find somewhere else to sleep tonight! Come on, Mariel, now we have to close early!¡±


    As the owner stomped off, Mariel turned back to Lammy and Zayza. ¡°Yep: that was definitely a miracle,¡± she confirmed. She started to walk away, but then paused. ¡°Oh¡ªcome find me here after I close. You two can crash at my place tonight.¡± With a smile, she departed for the back rooms of the restaurant.


    Lammy and Zayza stood wordlessly for a minute.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± began Zayza slowly. ¡°That¡­worked out.¡±

 15. Reason to Fight

    Deon lay still on the dirt ground of No Man¡¯s Land. He wished he had the energy to move over to the shade, but his entire body felt heavy and dead. A couple of ants scurried by his face, and he followed them with his eyes.


    ¡°Hey little guys,¡± Deon greeted. ¡°It must be nice to BE ABLE TO MOVE!!!¡±


    He heard Skrili sigh from above. She had been standing across from him for quite a while now, quietly waiting for him to get back up and continue their training. Deon wondered how she could even manage to stand after all this fighting.


    A third ant walked by him. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Deon decided. ¡°Now they¡¯re mocking me. It¡¯s time I give it a shot.¡± He began to move his arms, and the instant he did, they shook violently before collapsing. Deon groaned.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re able to move,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°Well¡­technically yeah,¡± answered Deon. ¡°But barely¡­¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°What matters is that you can move. That¡¯s the point of this training: you need to ignore how you feel, and keep going. I shouldn¡¯t have beat you as many times as I did; for the most part when I hit you down, you just didn¡¯t get up. You could¡¯ve, but you didn¡¯t. That¡¯s called laziness. We¡¯re trying to build endurance.¡±


    It was odd for Deon to hear Skrili lecture him after such a long time of her relative silence. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± he responded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll ¡®endure,¡¯ if that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for. I¡¯ll endure my way right into finding out what¡¯s in your bag.¡±


    ¡°Quit gabbing about it and do it.¡±


    Deon still wanted to have the last word, but he bit his tongue. Whatever¡­It¡¯s weird talking in this position, anyway, he thought. Okay Deon, you know you¡¯re gonna be the best consciousness fighter of all time. You can do something as simple as stand up.


    He tried once again to move his arms, and was met with the same wobbly resistance¡ªthough it was less severe than the first time. He managed to move his arms and hands into a push-up position. After this, he took a breath. A trickle of sweat rolled down his forehead from the effort.


    Next it was time for the legs. He moved one knee very slightly¡ªbut a sharp muscle pain shot through. Deon held back a cry and winced. Then he breathed in and out deeply, and tried again. His leg shook violently as it moved to where he was commanding it.


    Deon gasped for air. At this rate, I¡¯ll be too tired to fight once I stand up, he noticed. ¡®Ignore how I feel¡¯ she says¡­I better make this quick.


    With a puff of air, Deon shoved all of his might into his muscles. His body resisted viciously, trembling all over and shooting darts of pain everywhere¡­but Deon didn¡¯t care: he was getting up. With a roar, he launched himself to his feet. He immediately became dizzy and lightheaded, but fought this off, as well. Soon Deon stood tall, covered in sweat and panting heavily.


    ¡°Here¡¯s that endurance you wanted,¡± he said breathily to Skrili.


    ¡°Hmph¡­Took you long enough,¡± came her unemotional response.


    ¡°Well, not all of us can have endless amounts of energy,¡± Deon retorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Skrili denied. ¡°I¡¯ve been fighting all day, too. I just know how to keep moving.¡± She noticed her black hair tie resting on the ground beside her and picked it up, tying up her hair. ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are,¡± she said.


    Deon rolled his eyes, though he knew she was right. He found it incredible that after all of her opponents for the last two days, and after fighting Deon countless times, she showed no sign of exhaustion. He wanted that.


    ¡°Alright, well don¡¯t get too cocky,¡± Deon started, ¡°because this time, you¡¯ll be the one flat on the ground.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better hope so for your sake,¡± Skrili said. ¡°I¡¯m making this the last fight of our training.¡±


    Great¡­Of course, Deon thought sourly. Choose the fight where I can hardly lift my arms as the last fight. ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s do it,¡± he agreed.


    The two consciousnesses watched each other in stillness and focus. Sweat continued to roll down Deon¡¯s face while he analyzed Skrili.


    Skrili slowly slid into her fighting stance, her eyes set on Deon like a predator.


    She doesn¡¯t look tired one bit¡ªI¡¯m gonna need to give everything I¡¯ve got, Deon decided. He didn¡¯t move into a fighting stance: it would take too much valuable energy. Behind Skrili, he imagined three of his leather ball attacks into place. He made them larger and thicker than usual, and for good measure, they were jet-black.


    Skrili immediately picked up on Deon¡¯s eyes focusing behind her. She spun around and beheld the attacks. Caught off-guard by her detection, Deon punched all them at her simultaneously, instead of the rapid-fire he had intended. Skrili ducked and dodged them, so he launched them again. Skrili rolled to the side and stood back up.


    Once again, the extent of Skrili¡¯s evasion skills were clear: Deon continually shot the leather balls at her, yet no matter how he did, she was somehow able to avoid contact.


    Hmm¡­she knew my attack was coming from behind because she watched my eyes, Deon analyzed. So if I can distract her long enough, maybe I can land a hit.


    He continued to occupy Skrili¡¯s attention with the leather balls in front of her. Synchronously, Deon imagined a giant shoe behind Skrili. He was right: she was too busy with the other three attacks to notice. Knowing he had her now, Deon sent the large shoe swinging into the center of Skrili¡¯s back.


    Skrili let out a brief cry of surprise as she fell to her hands and knees. Deon imagined the leather balls and shoe out of existence.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Skrili? Did that hurt?¡± He asked teasingly.


    Skrili stood back up¡ªthough notably slower than he had expected. ¡°You idiot, you could have finished me off just now,¡± she scolded him. ¡°All you did is give me a small Power Rebound.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Deon said. ¡°I¡¯ll just end this now, then.¡± He imagined a long wooden rod behind her and swung at her back again, but Skrili knew it was coming and spun out of the way. While Deon was about to swing again, Skrili suddenly dashed at him. He tried to imagine a smooth rock wall to stop her in her tracks, but she passed his target spot before he could place it in existence. He raised his heavy arms in defense.


    Skrili swung a backhand at him, but he blocked it with his forearm. A red-hot sensation passed throughout his arm and he grunted from the pain. Following this attack came one of Skrili¡¯s dreaded kicks, which bashed against his chest and sent him stumbling backwards.


    ¡°You¡¯re disappointing me,¡± Skrili told Deon as she threw herself at him and landed a punch into his shoulder. Deon almost lost balance, but was barely able to hold himself up.


    NO! This is turning out exactly like all the other fights! he realized as he attempted to fend off Skrili¡¯s fast and fierce blows. I can¡¯t let that happen! I¡¯m sick of being treated like a beginner!


    Skrili¡¯s attacks kept on coming, and Deon knew his body would fail him any second.


    Sensing that Deon was at his limit, Skrili jumped up and performed her spinning kick across his core. When it hit, his legs instantly gave out and he dropped like a rock. He lay still, entirely filled with an intense soreness and fatigue he¡¯d never known. His vision blurred.


    ¡°Is that it, then?¡± Skrili asked above him.


    Deon wanted to protest, but he couldn¡¯t bring his mouth to move. After all that, it was over.


    ¡°Huh,¡± remarked Skrili. ¡°Maybe focus less on taunting, and more on fighting.¡±


    Her last sentence echoed in Deon¡¯s head, again and again. He didn¡¯t know why¡­


    ¡­And then his mind reverted back to two days earlier: his final afternoon in Tailpiece.


    After he had just defeated Reever in the grassy field, all the kids cheered. And while Lammy had congratulated him as well, he also shared some coaching notes:


    ¡°¡­Maybe ease up on the taunting a bit,¡± Lammy had recommended gently. Only moments later, they were laughing and poking fun at each other all the way home, like they always did.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    It hadn¡¯t even been three days since Deon left, but it hit him¡ªhe already missed his cousin¡¯s constant support and love. Even when Lammy caught him trying to sneak out of Tailpiece that evening, all he had to share was more encouragement:


    ¡°You can do this. I want you to do this. If there¡¯s really something outside Tailpiece, I want it to be everything you¡¯ve ever hoped to find. You¡¯re the best fighter I know, you¡¯re my best friend, and I want you to be happy. I want you to find yourself.¡±


    Deon¡¯s attention returned to his present surroundings and his sight had improved a bit.


    Lammy¡­you always had something to point out, because you believed I could always get better, he remembered. Even when I decided to run away, you hated it, but you still put my desires first. You understood what I needed. You believe in me¡­


    ¡°NO!¡± Deon barked aloud.


    ¡°¡®No¡¯ what?¡± wondered Skrili.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡ªI¡¯m not done!¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ll show you real endurance!¡± Against his body¡¯s insistence to remain unmoving, Deon sat up and brought himself to his knees. He was fully aware of his limits, more than ever, but now he could cope with it. Feeling free of restrictions, he stood to his feet with ease and looked Skrili directly in the eyes.


    Now that he was closer to her, he could have sworn he saw a hint of weariness in her face.


    Skrili watched him for a moment. ¡°You¡¯ve learned the lesson,¡± she finally said. Deon detected a subtle smile in her eyes.


    Deon smiled back. ¡°I guess so, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s exactly the lesson you were getting at,¡± he answered soberly. ¡°I did learn endurance, but my own version of it. You told me that to endure is to ignore how you feel. Well you can ignore it all you want, but your feelings are still there.¡±


    He watched her eyes even more intensely, until she looked away uncomfortably.


    ¡°Actually, I can see it all over you now,¡± he declared. ¡°You¡¯re way more exhausted than you¡¯re letting off.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s cheeks flushed. She returned her attention and began to listen more fixedly.


    ¡°The thing is, I think my way to endure is different: I¡¯ll make sure I feel it all. I¡¯ll think about the people who believe in me¡ªabout the people I love,¡± Deon continued. ¡°Especially my little cousin, Lammy. He looks up to me, and helps me get better¡­and I left him behind to be out here. He¡¯s counting on me to be my best self, and I don¡¯t plan on letting him down. This time, Skrili, I won¡¯t lose. ¡± Deon sprung into a fighting stance.


    But oddly, Skrili¡¯s demeanor shifted in an instant. Now she couldn¡¯t hide it anymore: she looked completely burned-out. It was more than that, though¡ªshe was totally unfocused¡­perhaps distracted.


    In somewhat of a delayed reaction, she shifted into a halfhearted fighting stance¡ªit wasn¡¯t much of a fighting stance at all. Instead of glaring at Deon with predator¡¯s eyes like before, she watched him detachedly, and kept glancing down.


    What got into her? Deon wondered.


    Nonetheless, he knew it was time to decide the fight. He darted at Skrili with all of his strength and swung a fist at her gut, preparing for her to easily deflect it. Instead, Skrili absently moved her arms to block the blow, and his fist swept right through her barrier and plowed into her stomach.


    Air puffed out of Skrili¡¯s mouth as she jolted forward from the impact. Her uncommitted defense startled Deon, but he knew he shouldn¡¯t stop now. With a spin, he positioned himself to Skrili¡¯s side and nailed the side of his fist directly on her back. A soft grunt came from Skrili as she went limp and collapsed to the ground.


    Deon was bewildered: he knew Skrili was exhausted, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be so weak as to let down her defenses¡ªsomething had disoriented her other than her fatigue. Concerned, he kneeled down beside her.


    Skrili lay motionless, aside from her heavy eyes, which stared at the dirt ponderingly. It was like she was broken, void of all motivation.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± was all Deon could think to say.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± came Skrili¡¯s voice quietly. ¡°You finally won.¡±


    With that, a grand realization came to Deon: this was his ultimate chance. At last, he had Skrili at his mercy. After hours of dealing with her emotionless superior attitude, now he was the victor. He tried to think of some witty way to rub it in her face. Numerous mischievous remarks popped into his head¡­the options were plentiful¡­


    ¡­But to his own surprise, he found himself saying this: ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    He made a confused face at the sound of his own question.


    Skrili looked back at him for a moment. A few strands of hair had fallen over one of her eyes, but the other one showed same confusion Deon expressed. She too, had expected an in-your-face comment from him. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said plainly.


    Deon figured that was somewhat of a lie, because she didn¡¯t attempt to get up. He found he didn¡¯t feel as satisfied as he thought he would upon beating Skrili¡ªactually, he felt sort of bad for her: seeing an incredibly tough and skillful fighter like her go down so easily just didn¡¯t feel right. He didn¡¯t like it at all.


    ¡°I know how to imagine an ice pack, if you¡¯d like one,¡± he offered.


    ¡°No,¡± Skrili rejected.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    There was a pause in their awkward conversation. Deon didn¡¯t know what to do next, other than hover over her uncomfortably. Now that he won, he pretty badly wanted Skrili to unveil the secret of her bag, but it felt wrong to press her about it now when she obviously needed to recover.


    ¡°Well, you beat me,¡± Skrili began. ¡°So I guess you¡¯ve earned the right to know why Pang has my bag and won¡¯t give it back.¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart leaped. He didn¡¯t even have to ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s because she wants to get into the Conscious Competitions,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± he said, nodding slowly. ¡°Uh¡­the what?¡±


    Skrili stared at him for a second. ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªI forgot you don¡¯t know anything,¡± she recalled impassively. ¡°Earlier today I told you how most of the consciousnesses you¡¯ll find in No Man¡¯s Land are fulltime teams: fighting is their job; their wins or losses determine if they gain or lose money.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember.¡±


    ¡°Good. Well, the Conscious Competitions are massive tournaments across the Multiverse for the top pro consciousnesses,¡± she explained. She sighed, clearly reluctant to begin a long description. ¡°To be certified for the Conscious Competitions, a team needs to win one hundred fights.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened¡ªhe liked the sound of this. Entire tournaments dedicated to fighting the best of the best? It seemed like a blast. ¡°Whoa¡­so, why does Pang need your bag in order to do all that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s up to something, and I think I know what,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°My bag has my TeamTrack in it, which is a device every pro consciousness needs so they can register with a teammate, transfer money, keep track of their wins and losses, and lots of other stuff.¡±


    She gazed off into the distance. ¡°When Pang and I split it happened fast. I didn¡¯t even bother to unregister us as a team on my TeamTrack that night. Next thing I know, those thugs stole my bag, Pang ran into them first, and she took it from them. Now I think she¡¯s using our wins so she and Phillip can get into the Conscious Competitions sooner.¡±


    ¡°What? Why don¡¯t they just start their own team?¡± asked Deon.


    ¡°They¡¯re supposed to. But the thing is: whenever a consciousness team breaks up and unregisters, they lose their record. Their next team has to start from 0 wins and 0 losses all over again,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°By the time Pang and I broke up, we had over eighty wins and no losses¡ª¡±


    ¡°Eighty and 0?!¡± Deon exclaimed. ¡°In less than a year?!¡±


    ¡°Yes. So we only needed about twenty more wins to qualify for the Conscious Competitions. Even though Pang didn¡¯t want me as a teammate anymore, I don¡¯t think she wanted to give that up,¡± Skrili continued. ¡°So she¡¯s having Phillip basically fill in for me. He¡¯s an Illusionist, so they must be planning to use that to trick the League.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s so unfair!¡± Deon protested. He couldn¡¯t say he was surprised, though¡ªhe knew Pang and Phillip were total punks: from stealing from Ashley and Miranda, to surprise-attacking Xavier and the ¡®Fullmetal Consciousnest,¡¯ to now: stealing all of Skrili¡¯s hard work for their own gain.


    ¡°No wonder you want your bag back so badly,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to fight those jerks again. We¡¯ll get your device-thing back, unregister you from Pang, and be our own team! Let¡¯s get into the Conscious Competitions before them!¡±


    Skrili looked away. ¡°¡­I could care less about the stupid TeamTrack,¡± she said.


    ¡°Wait¡­huh?¡±


    ¡°I said I would tell you why Pang wants my bag, and that¡¯s why,¡± she said.


    ¡°So¡­what¡¯s the reason you want it back, then?¡±


    ¡°I already told you yesterday: there¡¯s something very important in it,¡± Skrili told him flatly.


    ¡°¡­And that is?¡±


    Skrili glared at Deon defensively, as if he knew she was trying to hide some embarrassing secret from him. Then slowly, she began to lift herself up. Deon leaned towards her a bit in caution, unsure if she was ready to move yet, but she managed to eventually sit.


    She supported herself by leaning to the side with one hand planted on the ground. Skrili was grimacing slightly, obviously still drained.


    ¡°I left a¡­¡± she looked away again and began to blush. ¡°I left a¡­picture of my brother in it.¡±


    Deon was taken-off by the fact that her reason turned out to be something so simple and harmless, after all that secrecy.


    ¡°You have a brother?¡± he said. ¡°Older or younger?¡± He tried to picture what an older brother of Skrili might look like: probably a towering, absurdly muscular blue-haired fighting monster, scowling down at Deon for hurting his baby sister. It was the most horrifying thought to ever cross his mind (maybe aside from his mother scolding him).


    ¡°He¡¯s younger¡­five,¡± Skrili answered him shyly.


    Deon was secretly relieved. ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t respond; she kept staring at the ground. A long period of silence began between the two.


    As Deon looked at Skrili, he noticed she appeared opposite to her typical demeanor: she seemed incredibly fragile. Granted, she was weaker than normal and tired from all the fighting (as was he), but Skrili looked like she thought she was made out of paper and glass. It was like if someone stamped up to them and challenged Skrili to a fight, she would fall back over and cry nervously¡ªas opposed to her usual self, who would stand right up and break their nose with her fist.


    ¡°When you mentioned your cousin,¡± Skrili began, ¡°¡­he reminded me of my brother.¡± She finally returned eye contact.


    Deon smiled. ¡°Wow, then he must be a pretty freaking great brother if he¡¯s anything like Lammy,¡± he said.


    Then a rare occurrence happened: Skrili smiled at him¡­but it was quick and faded away. Their eyes stayed set on each other for a couple more seconds, but they both looked off to the side. It became quiet again for a while. A single, light breeze blew by, and Deon noticed another ant adventuring past them.


    ¡°Could...¡± Skrili started, but she left the word floating.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± wondered Deon.


    ¡°Could I¡­have one of those ice packs?¡± she muttered, blushing even more.


    Even though Skrili wasn¡¯t looking at him, Deon nodded quietly. He imagined a block of ice, then animal skins to enwrap it¡ªjust like his mother taught him¡ªand his palm filled with its refreshing coldness.


    He pushed himself closer to Skrili so he could hand it to her. She accepted the ice pack wordlessly and went to reach towards her back with it¡ªbut she suddenly sucked in air and winced, too sore to move her arm any farther back.


    ¡°I got it,¡± Deon said quickly, repositioning to her side. Skrili was about to reject his offer, but he ignored it and took the ice pack from her hand. He gently placed it against Skrili¡¯s back. She tensed for a moment, but was soon able to relax.


    As they sat together mutely and Deon kept the pack in place, he could feel that Skrili was trembling¡­and he knew it wasn¡¯t from the chill of the ice pack. Something else was definitely wrong, and Deon found himself too afraid to ask what it was.

 16. Steps and Secrets

    Wood creaked under Lammy and Zayza¡¯s feet as they followed Mariel up a tall staircase. Now that the restaurant was closed, the lights high above the cave dimmed to a dull glow.


    They had waited quite a while for Mariel to finish closing the store for the night. When she finally rejoined Lammy and Zayza and handed them their travel bags, she had flooded them with delighted comments about the ¡°bug miracle¡±¡ªIf that swarm of insects hadn¡¯t appeared out of nowhere, she¡¯d still be slaving away for several more hours before getting to head home.


    Lammy made sure not to reveal that he imagined the bugs by accident, recalling that certain areas of Realistic Fiction Country can¡¯t know about consciousness powers. But even still, he had no idea why he was able to conjure up such a thing with his limited skills.


    Thankfully, Mariel had stopped mentioning it for a moment, as she led them up to the front door of her wooden house. Once she opened it and they stepped inside, a fruit-scented vapor surrounded them. Loud music and booming sounds also filled the house.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you guys vape outside? I have guests over,¡± Mariel called to her housemates. Four guys about her age sat on a couch and chairs in the dark living room, staring at a large, rectangular screen that displayed bright colors.


    ¡°There is no outside, we¡¯re in a cave,¡± one of them said back.


    Mariel rolled her eyes and turned to Lammy and Zayza, lifting the paper bag she held. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the kitchen. You guys hungry? I made us some bowls.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mariel,¡± Lammy said, trying to downplay his utter delight. He felt like he was going to faint¡ªhe and Zayza hadn¡¯t eaten since that morning in Our Snowy Village.


    ¡°Oh goodness, thank you SO much!¡± Zayza exclaimed, holding back nothing.


    Mariel laughed. ¡°No biggie, it was all gonna get thrown out, anyways.¡±


    They sat at a table in the small kitchen¡ªit seemed like all the rooms so far were fairly tiny. On top of having four roommates, it didn¡¯t appear like Mariel had much living space.


    Mariel unpackaged everyone¡¯s food and grabbed utensils. While she dipped back into the living room to tell her housemates about the savior bugs, Lammy and Zayza instantly dug in. Though Lammy didn¡¯t recognize much of the ingredients besides chicken, his bowl was downright delicious¡ªspicy, yet incredible.


    ¡°Okay, I have so many questions for you guys,¡± Mariel began when she returned and sat down.


    ¡°Well¡­me too, actually,¡± said Lammy shyly. ¡°Um¡­what¡¯s making all the lights shine?¡±


    Mariel and Zayza broke out laughing, much to Lammy¡¯s embarrassment. For the next few minutes, Mariel and Zayza attempted to give a crash-course on electricity: how the lights in the restaurant worked, along with the music playing over speakers, online ordering, the glowing screen¡ªwhich was apparently called a ¡®TV¡¯¡ªand whatever else he didn¡¯t understand. Mariel was astonished Lammy was never exposed to any of this.


    When she pressed him as to why, Zayza quickly changed the subject: ¡°Mariel, pardon me if this sounds insensitive¡­but, why do you choose to work here in this cave? I only spent a few hours here, and if I wasn¡¯t fired, I would have quit.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I¡¯d love to quit,¡± said Mariel. ¡°But I need to save up money so I can go to school. There¡¯s one not too far from here on the mountain, so I moved here to start taking those steps.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s admirable,¡± said Zayza. ¡°What are you planning to study?¡±


    ¡°Well, I want to be a nurse,¡± Mariel shared. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to just do something helpful for people¡­but working here has kind of been a motivation-killer. The customers are entitled jerks, and none of my coworkers really have any ambition. I wish I could find a place where people actually appreciate each other¡ªMaybe school will be like that, but it¡¯ll be forever until I can afford it.¡±


    Zayza glanced at Lammy with a twinkle in her eye. It seemed she had an idea. ¡°Actually, Mariel, we know a little village with a beautiful community of people. It¡¯s called Our Snowy Village; they¡¯re very open to newcomers, and are always looking for an extra hand. I¡¯m sure they could use a nurse.¡±


    Lammy was surprised Zayza would mention Our Snowy Village, when its residents clearly knew about the greater Multiverse. But then again, she technically didn¡¯t disclose that information herself. And it seemed she was eager to return Mariel¡¯s favors.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± uttered Mariel, a bit unconvinced. ¡°That sounds nice, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m trained or anything¡­where is it?¡±


    ¡°Just north of here. If you hike down this wall of the mountain and keep traveling across the flat land, you¡¯ll reach it in less than a day.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­north of the North Mountains?¡± Mariel questioned. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing else past the mountains¡ªthat¡¯s the edge of the earth.¡±


    Lammy smirked to himself¡ªshe sounded like him only a few days earlier, believing nothing else existed beyond Tailpiece.


    Zayza smiled calmly. ¡°Well, if you ever get fed up with this place, it might be worth the trip to find out for yourself. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d love it.¡±


    Mariel returned Zayza¡¯s smile and shrugged. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± She laughed. ¡°You two really are pretty weird. Where are you traveling to, anyway?¡±


    Lammy explained that they had just come from Our Snowy Village, and were heading south to, hopefully, find his mother. As he spoke, he tried to conceal his ever-growing worry about her safety. Those two cruel men who tried to kidnap Zayza hovered in his thoughts and still gave him chills.


    ¡°Wow¡­I¡¯m so sorry your mom might be in danger,¡± said Mariel. ¡°If you¡¯re heading south past these mountains, the fastest way is through the rest of the caves.¡±


    ¡°The rest?¡± Lammy and Zayza asked simultaneously.


    Mariel nodded. ¡°There are three more caves past Food Town, inside the mountain walls. They¡¯re all connected, so if you pass through them all, you¡¯ll end up close to the south side of the mountain. The only other way is to leave the caves and climb along the outside, which would take forever. Not to mention it gets insanely dangerous.¡±


    Taking forever and possibly dying both sounded like pretty undesirable choices to Lammy. He needed to get home as fast as possible.


    ¡°Are all the caves like¡­this place?¡± asked Lammy with a slight shudder.


    ¡°They¡¯re not all restaurants,¡± said Mariel. ¡°But¡­well¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The uh¡­third and fourth caves are pretty cool¡­one¡¯s a school and the other¡¯s an amusement park¡­¡± Mariel was clearly reluctant to say whatever was next.


    ¡°And the second cave?¡± inquired Zayza.


    Mariel suddenly sat back and removed her work hat, adjusting her hair tie. She avoided eye contact with Lammy and Zayza with an awkward smile. ¡°The second cave is, um¡­kind of horrible,¡± she uttered practically under her breath. After sighing, she leaned forward again and returned her attentive gaze. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s the thing. Don¡¯t hate me, but I won¡¯t tell you what¡¯s in the next cave over.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­why is that?¡± Zayza questioned as her eyes widened.


    ¡°I think, if I tell you,¡± she began slowly, ¡°you¡¯ll be too afraid to go.¡±


    That sent shivers down Lammy¡¯s spine. What was so horrible about it that Mariel wouldn¡¯t tell them? Could it be worse than Food Town? Or even Snowdust? He exchanged nervous glances with Zayza.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this,¡± Mariel decided. ¡°When you go¡­just make sure you know how to make people agree with you.¡± She stared at them intensely, before quickly shaking back into her calm, friendly demeanor. ¡°Don¡¯t stress too much about it, though!¡±


    How am I supposed to not stress after all that?! wondered Lammy.


    After they finished their food and chatted a little more, Mariel showed Lammy and Zayza to their sleeping arrangements: Zayza would use Mariel¡¯s bed, and she pulled out a spare mattress for Lammy (she kept it around in case her coworkers would come over for drinks and go a little too overboard). Mariel insisted on sleeping on the couch, whenever her roommates were done binging shows on the TV.


    Though it felt a bit intrusive, Lammy wanted to look around the room and try to understand all of the strange light-up devices and decorations he saw¡ªbut by now, he was far too weary to remain curious. Apparently Zayza was just as beat, because practically the second after she returned from changing into nightclothes and lay down, she was fast asleep. Lammy searched through his travel bag and discovered blue pajamas the Our Snowy Villagers provided, and after stepping out to change, he too, fell asleep within moments.


    ~


    The next morning, Lammy awoke earlier than he would have liked¡ªwhile he couldn¡¯t tell exactly how early it was, he could feel it in his still-heavy eyes.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Even after pure exhaustion from yesterday, his ongoing journey kept him constantly worried. He was so used to waking up in the same bed for thirteen years. Now, he didn¡¯t even know where he would sleep tonight. He tried to repress thoughts of his mother and those two sinister men as he sat up, realizing his journey was just unfolding.


    After Zayza awoke, the two of them took turns showering and changing into different clothes from their travel bags. Thankfully, the villagers had provided lighter clothes than the winter attire they had been wearing, and given that they¡¯d be traveling in the caves for a while, Lammy and Zayza opted for these. Lammy chose an outfit that reminded him most of his Tailpiece clothing¡ªa black shirt and gray pants, with his original shoes. Zayza dressed similarly in green and black, with a knitted gray beanie.


    They met Mariel in the kitchen for a simple egg and toast breakfast. Apparently Mariel had work again in just an hour, but she offered to guide them to the cave exit and see them off. She seemed half-awake, so Lammy assumed her roommates must have kept her up late, but she remained cheerful, nonetheless.


    Soon enough, they were on their way. As Lammy followed Mariel and Zayza down the long front steps of the house, he noticed all the Food Town lights were back on. In fact, customers were already forming a line, waiting for the restaurant to reopen. Lammy recognized several of the same people from the night before.


    ¡°Man, I was hoping the bug incident would keep these pigs away,¡± Mariel said with a sigh. ¡°I guess nothing can stop them¡­we don¡¯t even open for another two hours.¡±


    As they crossed Food Town and passed customers, Lammy and Zayza held their heads low, hoping no one would recognize them and start yelling again. Thankfully, they reached the far wall without incident.


    Mariel guided them to a tall, neatly carved hole in the stonewall. Above it a large sign read, ¡°Come back soon!¡± Peering into the exit, Lammy saw nothing but a dark, narrow tunnel with no clear ending.


    ¡°Well, here we are,¡± announced Mariel. ¡°Just follow this tunnel, and you¡¯ll end up in the next town. And don¡¯t take the left when it splits¡ªthat just leads to the outside of the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Seems a bit¡­shady,¡± commented Lammy.


    ¡°The tunnel¡¯s not as shady as the next town¡­¡± Mariel uttered quickly, to herself.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. You guys will be fine, just keep moving!¡±


    There she goes again...thought Lammy uneasily.


    ¡°Thank you for everything, Mariel,¡± Zayza said. ¡°You¡¯ve been so sweet. I wish we could repay you.¡±


    ¡°You kidding? Seeing you give it right back to our customers was the ultimate blessing,¡± said Mariel with a spirited laugh. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll meet again, if I ever get out of this place.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza nodded. With kind waves and goodbyes, they turned to face the next phase in their adventure.


    ~~~


    A day passed since Deon and Skrili completed their training. Still recovering from the strain the fighting put on both of their bodies, they restarted their mission to search for Pang and Phillip¡­


    A squirrel scurried away from Deon as he joined Skrili under a tree along No Man¡¯s Land¡¯s path. He removed his backpack and sat down beside her. Skrili was leaning against the tree trunk, resting her sore back.


    ¡°Time for a really late breakfast¡­or just a late lunch,¡± Deon announced.


    Yesterday, when the two finally had enough energy to at least relocate, they dragged themselves over to some bushes and lay down to rest. Despite the possibility of confronting robbers or animals, both were exhausted and fell asleep. It was only early in the evening, but they were wiped out enough to sleep soundly through the night and into the early afternoon the next day.


    Upon awaking, they had decided to head back in the direction they had come from the day before. Skrili figured that since Pang and Phillip were looking for more teams to beat in order to unlock the certification, they would be wandering that way.


    Skrili crossed her arms and closed her eyes as she sat. The sun shined down on her in spots through the leaves above. ¡°Do we have any food?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not technically, but I am an Imaginer, you know,¡± replied Deon cockily. ¡°If that thug could imagine real pineapples, I¡¯m sure I can figure it out.¡±


    He focused on the space in front of him, and pictured a pineapple similar to the ones the boss had made, but smaller. He imagined it into existence, and it appeared instantly. But something was wrong as he took it into his hands¡ªit was incredibly light and felt similar to hollow wood. ¡°Dangit, a dud,¡± he realized.


    Skrili opened one eye to observe the issue.


    He tried several more times, to no avail. Soon he sat in a pile of inedible, mock pineapples, grumbling to himself.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take a lot more practice than that,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°True¡­¡± Deon admitted, de-imagining all the fake pineapples around them. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t imagine us food, then¡­¡±


    He decided to dig through his bag and see if there was any food he missed on his first day in No Man¡¯s Land. With a shout of triumph, he discovered some grain bars he had grabbed the night of his escape, buried at the bottom.


    ¡°My dad made these. They¡¯re pretty great, I must say. Pick your favorite,¡± he said while reaching over to hand it to Skrili¡ªbut as he did, the bag slipped out of his hands and fell into Skrili¡¯s lap. All the breakfast bars poured out of the bag and rolled into the dirt and grass.


    Skrili wordlessly observed their ruined meal.


    ¡°Oops¡­¡± uttered Deon. ¡°Sorry¡­that was all I had.¡± He was already bracing himself for her shot of anger.


    Skrili picked up the bag and calmly handed it to Deon. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she told him, and she leaned back against the tree, crossed her arms, and closed her eyes again.


    Deon sat there holding the bag and blinking with confusion. It was like expecting a splash of icy water to the face, but never getting it.


    It¡¯s¡­fine? Deon repeated in his head. Nothing? Not even a judgmental glare? What¡¯s with her?


    His question lingered in the air as the two sat under the tree for a few more minutes. Eventually they stood and continued searching.


    ~


    The next day wasn¡¯t much different: Skrili and Deon walked along the path, stopped for a break every once in a while, and then walked some more. They happened upon an area of trees that grew green grapes, so they stocked up Deon¡¯s bag and continued walking.


    They never directly crossed paths with other consciousnesses, and when Deon spotted any teams from afar, Skrili was sure to avoid them to stay focused on finding Pang and Phillip. Their travels involved minimal talking. While Deon couldn¡¯t stand his constant lack of conversation, he found himself getting used to the silence. It allowed him time to really think.


    One thought that crossed his mind particularly often was the Conscious Competitions. Nothing seemed more exciting than the idea of participating in fighting tournaments for skilled consciousnesses of all kinds. Deon wondered about what the fighting areas must look like, and where they might be located. He envisioned hundreds¡­no, thousands of people cheering him on as he fought.


    He knew it was something he had to do¡ªhe simply needed to get registered, earn a hundred wins, and fight in the competitions. If he could manage to get Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack back from Pang, perhaps that would convince Skrili to start a new team with him.


    The other thing Deon found himself pondering over was how Skrili had been acting for the past two days. She was quiet and impassive as always, but ever since Deon defeated her in training and they had that brief discussion, something was off about her. She never insulted him when he did something foolish (which was often), or even expressed impatience with him.


    But it wasn¡¯t only that: Skrili spoke softer, walked slower and just all around looked less intense¡ªless like the fighter she was. Often Deon would catch her staring off and would have to say her name twice to get her attention, to which she would respond with a spacey look in her eyes.


    He kept reliving the moment he was icing her back for her, and how he could feel her trembling. Now every time he looked at her, he was sure the trembling had never stopped.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight Pang,¡± Skrili said. By now they were walking down a long, flat dirt path surrounded by particularly tall trees.


    This sudden declaration startled Deon. Not once had they previously discussed what the fighting arrangements would be if they could find Pang and Phillip. ¡°Huh?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°This time I¡¯m fighting Pang,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°You can have Phillip.¡± She was staring at the ground before her, as if talking to herself instead of Deon. Nonetheless, her eyes reflected her determination: her decision was final.


    ¡°Wait, but¡­¡± Deon tried to think of how to respond. He wanted to fight Pang. She had humiliated him in their last fight and he wished to redeem himself. Plus, he had another problem with this proposal: ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re in any condition to put yourself against her?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°No you¡¯re not!¡± denied Deon. ¡°You keep saying that, but you¡¯re not. I can tell you¡¯re still too tired, you¡¯ve been acting all weak and soft lately.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Skrili quickly negated.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand!¡± she snapped at him, making furious eye contact. They both stopped walking. Deon welcomed her intensity: it was a hint of the Skrili he was used to¡ªbut she still looked too fragile to handle a fight, let alone one against Pang.


    ¡°Well what I do understand is this: unless you get yourself together, there¡¯s no way you can beat Pang,¡± Deon told her. ¡°I bet right now you can¡¯t even take me.¡±


    Skrili lunged at Deon, tackling him to the ground. Once they fell, she pinned his arms flat against the dirt with her hands and stood on her knees, which were firmly planted on Deon¡¯s chest.


    Deon was shocked. He hadn¡¯t seen that coming at all. He could flail his legs around, but that was just about the only movement he could make. His chest was pressing in from the weight.


    Skrili looked down at him with hard, adamant eyes. Some of her straight hair dangled down from her towards Deon, like an array of needles ready to fall into his skull at any moment.


    ¡°You hardly know me. Don¡¯t act like you do,¡± she commanded.


    Deon found it impossible to avert his eyes from her stern gaze. He still didn¡¯t get it¡ªwhy did her behavior change so drastically after their last fight? She had opened up to him briefly that day, but now she was even more closed off than before. And clearly, with his current approach, that wasn¡¯t improving.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Deon grunted reluctantly. ¡°You can fight Pang.¡± He hated having to humble himself, but he certainly didn¡¯t want to stay on bad terms with Skrili¡ªnot if he wanted any chance of convincing her to become a pro team with him.


    ¡°Well isn¡¯t that cute?¡± they heard a familiar voice say from a slight distance.


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes widened in perfect synchronization. They looked down the path, and there stood Pang and Phillip, as if posing for a dramatic entrance.


    Even from a distance, Pang¡¯s bright golden eyes were distinguishable as clearly as if she was only a few steps away from them, and they looked as fearless and all-knowing as always. Phillip stood as an expressionless black and white statue.


    Pang and Phillip began to make their way towards Skrili and Deon. ¡°Skrili dear,¡± Pang began as she walked, ¡°I know you¡¯re not used to having friends, but that¡¯s not how you¡¯re supposed to treat them. Gosh, you¡¯re such a hopeless girl. Poor Deon¡­¡±


    Immediately, Deon noticed Skrili¡¯s demeanor shift. She made no distinct indication, but somehow she now seemed to make herself small, like a dog with its tail between its legs. It was just like the first time they encountered Pang and Phillip; Skrili became timid. She crawled off of Deon and stood to her feet. Deon was relieved at the weight being lifted off his chest, and after taking a few deep gasps he joined her.


    Now Pang and Phillip stood just before them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Deon; Skrili just doesn¡¯t know how to express her feelings,¡± Pang said coolly. She looked at Skrili with pretense sympathy. ¡°Sweetie, he¡¯s too good-looking for you. It would never work.¡±


    Skrili glared at Pang and her eyes narrowed. She murmured something softly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you,¡± said Pang. ¡°You need to speak¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said SHUT IT,¡± Skrili accentuated firmly.


    Pang smiled warmly, as if Skrili had just expressed affection towards her. It sent shivers down Deon¡¯s spine. ¡°Oh wow, Skrili, you¡¯ve never said such a thing to me. Does this mean you don¡¯t love me anymore?¡±


    ¡°It means I want my bag,¡± Skrili affirmed.


    Pang glanced down at the two bags around her shoulder, both identical but one red and the other blue. She sighed dramatically. ¡°How many times do we have to go through this?¡± she complained. ¡°I can¡¯t give it to you.¡±


    Skrili reached for her hair and tore out the elastic holding it up. As her hair fell, she aimed the bullet-like band at Pang¡¯s face and stretched it back until it was four times longer.


    Pang gazed back at the impending attack, unfazed. Her smile returned. ¡°Hey Phillip,¡± she said with her eyes set on the elastic.


    ¡°Yes?¡± came Phillip¡¯s soft voice.


    ¡°I think these two want to play with us again.¡±

 17. Rivalry (Part 1 of 3)

    Skrili¡¯s aim was unwavering: a simple release of the elastic weapon would provide Pang a severe injury to the face.


    And yet, Pang stood unconcerned. ¡°Really? You¡¯re really going to shoot someone outside of a declared fight?¡± she asked doubtingly.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time,¡± Skrili told her.


    Their eyes remained locked on each other for a few seconds. Deon and Phillip happened to glance at each other, but looked away uncomfortably.


    Pang¡¯s fearless smile remained. ¡°You¡¯re full of crap, Skrili,¡± she said. ¡°Who are you kidding? There are laws against doing that, and you don¡¯t have the guts to break them. You¡¯ve always been a softy about that.¡±


    Deon was impressed with how far Pang was so comfortably pushing Skrili. He was surprised she didn¡¯t just shoot Pang on the spot. If she had been acting herself lately, he felt she probably would.


    ¡°Well, I told you I¡¯m not giving you your bag,¡± Pang reminded Skrili. ¡°So you do have to shoot me, by your standards. What are you waiting for? Just shoot me.¡±


    Skrili released the elastic¡ªbut not until first pointing it at the ground in front of her. The powerful hair band slapped against the ground and a small wave of dirt bounced from where it made impact. Pang didn¡¯t even blink.


    ¡°Matchups,¡± declared Skrili as the dust floated away. ¡°And I¡¯m fighting you this time.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, sugar,¡± Pang agreed.


    ~


    The four fighters passed through a series of short bushes, whose branches clung and snapped as they walked. Pang and Phillip were leading the way towards a fighting spot they had used once before.


    They exited the miniature forest of bushes and entered a more open, tree-dominant section of the woods. Deon watched Pang and Phillip as they walked before him. Neither seemed tense about the upcoming fight. They may as well have been on an innocent stroll together, as if they had forgotten all about Deon and Skrili.


    The whole time, Pang had been holding a one-sided conversation with Phillip. She lightheartedly joked about past fights, frequently mentioning how weak their opponents had been. Pang would often ask Phillip his opinion, and when he didn¡¯t answer¡ªwhich was always¡ªshe would naturally move on to another subject.


    I could learn a thing or two from her to hold a conversation with Skrili, thought Deon.


    All of the sudden, Skrili seized Deon¡¯s wrist.


    Deon jumped. ¡°What?¡± he asked loudly.


    Skrili looked up at him sternly without a word. She slowed her walking pace, so Deon followed. Skrili waited until Pang and Phillip were out of hearing distance before she released Deon¡¯s wrist and began walking normally again.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take everything in your power to keep up with Phillip,¡± uttered Skrili.


    ¡°I know that,¡± Deon told her. ¡°But he¡¯s an Illusionist, right? Sounds like just a lame version of Imaginers. I¡¯ve been fighting Imaginers my whole life, I can take him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, he¡¯s far more experienced than you,¡± Skrili warned him. ¡°Remember what Ashley told us, and never trust what you see. And there¡¯s another thing¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Skrili took a breath and continued. ¡°Phillip has a special attack I¡¯ve never heard of before. It¡¯s what he used to defeat me: he causes his opponent to see flashing images and hear loud sounds that are so severe, eventually their mind can¡¯t process it anymore and they black out.¡±


    ¡°What? How the heck do I avoid an attack like that?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°The attack takes time to prepare. He¡¯ll use illusions to make you think you¡¯re fighting him, while he¡¯s hiding somewhere charging up the attack,¡± explained Skrili. ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t let him use that technique on you.¡±


    Deon nodded.


    ¡°Are you two lovebirds almost done with your private meeting back there?¡± Pang called back to them. ¡°We¡¯re almost at the spot.¡±


    Deon and Skrili eventually caught back up to Pang and Phillip, and by the time they did, their battleground was before them. It was a circular clearing of relatively flat land, which oddly, was covered in burnt leaves and branches. Small stumps of thin trees poked up an inch from the ground here and there.


    The clearing was particularly large compared to ones Deon had previously seen. It spanned about half the size of Tailpiece. Minus the tall trees around the perimeters, there was nothing to block the rays of the late afternoon sun. As a result, the sun cast a light orange tone on the site.


    ¡°Sorry about all the burnt stuff,¡± Pang said. ¡°The other day we were fighting this pyromaniac Imaginer, but he was a wimp. So I used the opportunity to make my own battleground. I manipulated his fire imagining and burnt this place down into the perfect place to fight. I know it¡¯s a little messy, but it¡¯s nice, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Deon was surprised she hadn¡¯t managed to burn the entire forest down pulling something like that. But while he didn¡¯t want to admit it out loud, it did create a fair fighting ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªI forgot you guys are being all grumpy,¡± Pang recalled after no answer came. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going. Come on, Skrili. We¡¯ll take the far side and leave this end to the boys.¡± She assertively began her stride across the clearing.


    Skrili turned to Deon once more. ¡°Don¡¯t forget,¡± she whispered, and then she followed Pang.


    It was then that something occurred to Deon: Skrili¡¯s chances of getting the picture of her brother back depended greatly on him. If he lost to Phillip and cost her the fight, she would once again fall short of the one thing she desperately wanted.


    He still didn¡¯t get why the picture was so vital, but this was his chance to prove she could depend on him. If they won, maybe she¡¯d agree to team up professionally.


    When Pang reached the other side, she dropped her and Skrili¡¯s bags beside her and crossed her arms, looking back at Skrili with a both friendly and sinister smile.


    Skrili joined her, keeping her distance.


    Pang tilted her head to the side as her golden eyes focused in on Skrili¡¯s. ¡°Dear, you don¡¯t look right¡­have you been eating okay?¡±


    ¡°My problems don¡¯t concern you,¡± said Skrili plainly. ¡°They won¡¯t make me give you any less of a fight.¡± She shifted into her fighting stance.


    Pang¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Goodie,¡± she said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. This will be just like when we used to train together. Oh¡ªbut now I can hurt you all I want.¡± Pang winked, and moved into a fighting stance almost identical to Skrili¡¯s.


    ¡°Your teammate is a brilliant fighter,¡± mumbled a low, quiet voice.


    Deon blinked and looked over to Phillip. Like Deon, the unraveling tension between Skrili and Pang had distracted him. He was watching the girls solemnly.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah,¡± Deon responded. ¡°So is yours.¡±


    Phillip nodded.


    They continued to observe Skrili and Pang. The two girls silently stared each other down. Deon felt his heartbeat increasing. Both girls shifted¡­


    ¡­and they vanished.


    Immediately, Pang and Skrili reappeared in the center of their battleground, and their hands and feet were moving so fast that it took Deon a moment to realize they were trying to punch, kick and block each other.


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    They¡¯re¡­that fast?! Deon thought. Both facial expressions remained unchanged: Skrili appeared emotionless and Pang smiled as if this were a game.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± began Phillip, ¡°but Skrili won¡¯t win.¡± He turned his attention to Deon.


    Deon looked back at Phillip. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he uttered. ¡°But we have our own fight to do.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡±


    That voice had come from directly behind Deon. He started to turn around, but was far too late. The real Phillip¡¯s palm smashed into his back and he tumbled into the burnt leaves.


    Heart racing, Deon scrambled to his feet. The illusion of Phillip he had been speaking to faded away. Deon turned to face the real one. ¡°That was a cheap move,¡± he spat.


    ¡°Once one fight starts, the other one automatically begins,¡± Phillip explained.


    ¡°Those are the rules,¡± a second Phillip said directly beside Deon.


    This time, Deon reacted quickly and punched the Phillip beside him¡ªbut his fist passed through. ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡± he wondered.


    The Phillip in front of him dashed forward and landed a fist in Deon¡¯s chest. Deon grunted and fell back again. Come on! He yelled in his mind. He can imitate sound, too. I guess I can¡¯t trust my eyes or my ears.


    Deon pounced to his feet. He glanced at Phillip, but also looked around warily. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky,¡± Deon advised him. ¡°I¡¯ll have you figured out in no time.¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t have time to think. Instinct guided her attacks and blocks, and with the speed Pang was fighting at, it would have to stay that way.


    Pang let out a laugh, and then she disappeared.


    Skrili immediately shifted to block behind her, and instantly Pang was there. Their arms locked as they pressed each other. Then speedily and effortlessly, Pang tugged Skrili off of her feet and slammed her against the ground. Once Skrili¡¯s body bounced against the dirt, Pang kicked her directly in the stomach with full force. The impact sent Skrili skidding against the ground. She rolled to a stop several paces away.


    ¡°I think I have a love-hate relationship with your fighting style,¡± Pang told her. ¡°I just love finally being able to fight someone again who can keep up with me¡­mostly. But I hate how your consciousness type sucks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not why you hate it,¡± Skrili said from the ground. She made her way to her feet as crushed black leaves rolled off her clothes. ¡°You hate it because you¡¯re powerless against it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Skrili wiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek. ¡°You never admit it, but you hate Power Rebound types because Manipulators can¡¯t steal their powers.¡±


    Pang¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Look at you, sticking up for yourself for once,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of your stupid Power Rebound, Skrili. I can take you even when you¡¯re powered up. All I need to do is avoid hitting your sweet little head¡ªand that¡¯s just what I¡¯ll do.¡±


    They charged at each other again.


    Deon leaped and swung a kick at Phillip, but it passed through the apparent illusion. Another Phillip charged at him from the left, so he sent a fist at him¡ªbut this one vanished, as well. Then came a third one from the right. Deon went to block the potential attack, only to find this to be yet another fake.


    The attacks stopped coming, so Deon took the opportunity to look around. Ten Phillips surrounded him, all standing a short distance away. Each one stared at him, waiting for him to act. Deon tried to discern if any of them looked ¡®off¡¯ somehow, but they were all perfectly identical: with their long, spiked jet-black hair, black and white clothing, and blank faces.


    ¡°Alright, quit hiding,¡± Deon demanded.


    ¡°Make your move,¡± the chorus of Phillips told him.


    Deon smiled. ¡°Alright, I will,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m about to show you what real Imaginers can do.¡± He quickly imagined ten of his leather ball attack, mentally placing each ball directly in front of each Phillip. The instant they appeared, Deon shot them at the Phillips. The balls passed through most of them, but out of the corner of his eye Deon saw one Phillip leap to the side to dodge the attack.


    Got¡¯m, he thought.


    Without wasting a second, Deon faced this Phillip and imagined the wall-barrier technique he had attempted against Pang. The three black walls sunk into the dirt on both sides and behind Phillip, and a roof landed on top of them to complete the structure. While this was happening, Deon sprinted at Phillip to finish the attack.


    As Deon neared the small building, another wall appeared at the opening, sealing it off and encasing Phillip.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fall for that!¡± Deon called as he reached the trap. ¡°It¡¯s just another illusion!¡± Deon burst through the massless wall and swung his fist¡ªbut Phillip wasn¡¯t there.


    What? Where could he have gone? Deon wondered.


    WHACK!! A foot had come swooping down and kicked him in the face. Deon fell onto his back in confusion, but then he saw Phillip propped up against the ceiling. Phillip¡¯s long arms and legs stretched far enough for him to push against the three walls and hold himself up.


    ¡°Smart,¡± noted Deon aloud. Then he imagined a shoe into existence and shot it up at Phillip. Phillip grunted at the impact, losing his grip on the walls. As Deon rolled to his feet, Phillip landed stomach-first on the ground. ¡°But not smart enough,¡± Deon finished. He imagined the walls, ceiling, and shoe out of existence.


    Phillip stood up as the illusionary Phillips around them vanished. ¡°You¡¯re a little better than I expected,¡± he admitted softly.


    Deon crossed his arms and grinned. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started,¡± he declared with confidence.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Phillip. ¡°Now I¡¯ll try some intermediate techniques on you.¡±


    In¡ªintermediate? Deon repeated in his mind. Does that mean he¡¯s only been using rookie techniques on me so far? Hiding his concern, Deon sucked up more pride. ¡°Bring it on,¡± he said.


    Suddenly, everything Deon saw began to spin slowly. It was like he was looking at everything from underwater. Deon stumbled sideways, now finding it hard to keep his balance. What the heck? he wondered. A bird chirped in the distance, but its sound echoed and rang in Deon¡¯s head for several extra seconds.


    Phillip sprang at Deon and began to attack. Disoriented, Deon found it close to impossible to keep up with Phillip¡¯s moves. Nearly every punch and kick that Phillip threw made direct contact.


    To make matters worse, Deon¡¯s vision was now getting blurry. Phillip began to look more like a cloud than an opponent. What¡¯s he doing to me?! Deon wondered.


    Something bashed Deon in the chest and launched him to the ground. He attempted to stand up, but by now he was so dizzy that he could hardly tell where up was. Instead, he climbed his way into in a sitting position.


    ¡°You still have a lot to learn,¡± Phillip¡¯s voice echoed from no particular direction.


    Everyone I fight keeps telling me that! Deon observed angrily. But there has to be some way to outmatch him!


    Skrili¡¯s fist swept across Pang¡¯s cheek. The hit opened up Pang¡¯s defense long enough for Skrili to send another punch into her stomach.


    Pang clutched her stomach and hopped a few steps away. ¡°Nice one,¡± she told Skrili. ¡°That might even leave a bruise.¡±


    ¡°There are more on the way,¡± Skrili promised monotonously.


    ¡°No thanks,¡± Pang politely declined. ¡°I think I¡¯ll give you some bruises, now.¡± She darted at Skrili, and their lightning-speed duel continued. ¡°Would you like one on the shoulder?¡± she teased.


    Without enough time to consider whether or not that was Pang¡¯s actual target, Skrili took a chance and made a subtle shift in her stance to guard her shoulder.


    She guessed wrong: Pang smirked and slammed her knee into Skrili¡¯s hip. Before Skrili could process the searing pain, Pang¡¯s other knee flew into her stomach. As Skrili fell to her knees, Pang completed the combo with an elbow to Skrili¡¯s shoulder. Skrili dropped to her side, wincing from the sting of each hit.


    ¡°Oops¡ªI guess I should have asked you if you wanted one on your hip and stomach, too,¡± Pang added with a laugh.


    Skrili frowned and leaped up at Pang. Their exchange of rapid attacks and blocks restarted once more, and Skrili felt her Power Rebound continue to increase her speed and strength. This pattern had become the formula of their fight: Skrili and Pang would punch, kick and parry for a while, until one would find an opening and land a hard attack or two on the other.


    Every time Pang hit her down, Skrili¡¯s Power Rebound would kick in further. And yet, to Skrili¡¯s concern, Pang was still an equal match. Even in Skrili¡¯s increasingly powered-up state, Pang was not only keeping up¡ªshe kept the fight perfectly even.


    She¡¯s even stronger than when we were a team, Skrili realized.


    In the midst of their attacking and blocking, Skrili noticed a smirk form on Pang¡¯s lips. Then Pang quickly repositioned and sent a fist at the side of Skrili¡¯s head. Skrili couldn¡¯t dodge it in time¡ªshe hadn¡¯t expected Pang to target her head. The punch caused Skrili¡¯s whole body to twist around. She then felt Pang¡¯s foot strike her back, which launched her over forward. Once Skrili collided with the charred ground, she swiftly brought herself to a handstand and rolled to her feet.


    Skrili refaced Pang. While her back stung and her head throbbed a bit, she was more preoccupied with Pang¡¯s choice of attack. ¡°I thought you were trying to avoid my head,¡± she reminded her.


    ¡°I know¡­but this back-and-forth stuff is starting to get boring,¡± Pang explained. ¡°If this is gonna stay fun, we have to keep things fresh. I think it¡¯s time we see that Concussion power-up of yours.¡±


    Is she serious? Skrili wondered. She took a breath and entered her fighting stance. ¡°You¡¯re making a big mistake,¡± she warned.


    Pang merely winked at her again, and they ran at each other once more.


    Deon continued to sit in dizziness. His wavy vision had worsened and everything he heard bounced around in his brain as if he were in a deep cave.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long until you lose all sense of where you are,¡± Phillip¡¯s low voice said all around him. ¡°I would recommend forfeiting.¡±


    Yeah right! Deon thought. Okay, Phillip¡¯s an Illusionist, so he used Illusions to make me dizzy¡­But what if I just¡­Wait, that¡¯s it!


    Deon tried to ignore his hazy vision and muffled hearing, and sink deeper within his head. He pictured the fighting area as he remembered it, just before Phillip obscured his senses. As he had hoped, it appeared in his memory, unaffected by the attack.


    Deon fixated his mind on this image deeper and deeper, until it was all he could think about. Then, he shot his eyes open, and pictured the image in front of his own vision. Instantly, Deon¡¯s sight and hearing returned to normal.


    ¡°Nice try, Phillip,¡± Deon taunted. He sprung to his feet and faced Phillip with perfect balance.


    Phillip¡¯s long hair hid his expression. ¡°Well done,¡± he said.


    ¡°It was simple, really,¡± explained Deon boastfully, crossing his arms and smiling. ¡°You can¡¯t really make me dizzy¡ªyou can only make me think I am. All I had to do was trick myself into thinking I wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Phillip nodded.


    ¡°But I know you¡¯re better than that,¡± Deon continued.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point trying to hide it¡ªI heard all about your special finishing attack,¡± said Deon. ¡°Now there¡¯s a real technique.¡±


    Phillip didn¡¯t respond for a few moments. He looked away. ¡°It won¡¯t be necessary today.¡±


    Deon laughed. ¡°Really? Well if you think you can beat me either way, you have nothing to lose. Might as well go all out,¡± he said.


    Phillip shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± said Deon. ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡±

 18. Rivalry (Part 2 of 3)

    The sun was just before its earliest stage of setting, now casting a deeper tint of orange on the burnt battleground. Some shadows now emerged from the tall trees around the clearing. Everything was beginning to look less like an average day and more like an obscure dream.


    Deon and Phillip faced each other in the late sunlight.


    So he doesn¡¯t think I can handle his strongest move, huh? thought Deon. Yeah right¡ªI got this. I¡¯ll be the reason Skrili gets her picture back, and then she¡¯ll wanna be a real team with me!


    He smirked at Phillip. ¡°If you¡¯re not gonna show me your final attack, I¡¯ll just prove to you that you¡¯ll need to!¡±


    Phillip said nothing.


    Time to bust out one of Lammy¡¯s ideas, Deon decided. He imagined a wooden rod twirling in a rapid spiral. He brought it into reality in front of Phillip and sent it at him rapidly. Phillip rolled to the side to avoid the attack.


    He dodged it, noticed Deon. That means he¡¯s not an ill¡ª


    A fist slammed into Deon¡¯s upper back, followed by a kick to his lower. Deon tripped to his knees but quickly stood back up. The Phillip he was attacking faded away. Deon turned around to see Phillip¡¯s fist heading for his face. He managed to bring his hand up just in time to block the punch.


    Phillip continued his advance, punching and kicking skillfully as Deon blocked, dodged and backed away.


    ¡°That was a nice trick,¡± commented Deon between punches. ¡°But it¡¯s nothing too different. Let¡¯s see something new¡­I know: your finishing blow!¡±


    Phillip found an opening and, with a leap, kicked Deon in the chest. It launched him to the ground and he slid on his back to a stop.


    ¡°You¡¯re in no position to be taunting me,¡± Phillip told him calmly. ¡°This is the sixth time I¡¯ve knocked you over.¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn, then!¡± Deon declared. He rolled onto his hands and propelled himself to his feet. This time, Deon imagined a much larger spinning wooden rod and brought it to existence right over his head, with the midpoint just above him. Its length spanned twenty steps in all directions, serving as a wide-radius weapon that was constantly attacking and defending.


    Perfect, thought Deon. This will help me determine whether or not Phillip¡¯s using illusions. If they come near this, it¡¯ll pass right through them!


    Phillip stood silently once more, with no evident reaction.


    Skrili and Pang¡¯s duel intensified with every second, their fists and feet flying like a crowd of angry hornets. Neither showed signs of fatigue.


    Any second now¡­Skrili thought as she observed Pang¡¯s attack patterns. She¡¯ll go for a headshot once she sees an opening¡­


    Their attacking and defending continued. Skrili kept waiting, keeping a keen eye on Pang¡¯s aim.


    Then it came: a swift punch at Skrili¡¯s forehead. Skrili immediately tilted her head to the side, just avoiding it, and then she kept blocking as Pang¡¯s attacks continued.


    Next came Pang¡¯s second try: another punch towards Skrili¡¯s cheek. Skrili turned her face away and leaned back slightly as Pang¡¯s fist zoomed right above her head, so close that it swept across some of her hair.


    Pang¡¯s third attempt followed immediately after. With a fluid twist, she leaped into the air in a spinning kick much like Skrili¡¯s own. Skrili ducked, evading this one as well.


    The attacks stopped. ¡°Oh come on, Skrili. Don¡¯t you want to unlock Concussion?¡± Pang asked. ¡°That can¡¯t happen if you don¡¯t let me hit your head.¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she jumped at Pang, thus restarting the combat.


    I¡¯ll need at least a stronger Power Rebound to beat her, Skrili thought. But Concussion¡­that¡¯s too dangerous. I have to be careful which attacks I let hit my head. If I¡¯m not careful, she could knock me out. And if that happens, she¡¯ll be able to go help Phillip beat Deon and we¡¯ll be¡ª


    Something slammed into Skrili¡¯s forehead. She stumbled a few steps back, blinked, and brought her arms close in full defense mode as Pang continued to pound at her.


    ¡°I bet you felt your brain bounce around after that one!¡± Pang exclaimed as she attacked. ¡°Do you feel an extra surge of energy yet?¡±


    Skrili felt her Power Rebound energy building higher¡ªbut it was another normal power boost. Good¡ªit wasn¡¯t hard enough, she observed. Hopefully this will keep me on par with her for now.


    As the wooden rod whirled above Deon, he crossed his arms and grinned, eager to see how Phillip would try and counter his technique.


    To Deon¡¯s confusion, Phillip began to run at him.


    What does he think he¡¯s doing? wondered Deon. He can¡¯t get near me without getting whacked, and if he¡¯s an illusion, I¡¯ll know instantly.


    As Phillip ran, he moved a few inches to the left¡ªand the right simultaneously. Phillip had split into two people, who were now running alongside each other in perfect synchronization. When they neared the spinning rod, they both cut to opposite sides of Deon.


    ¡°I get it, now I can¡¯t tell which one of you is real,¡± Deon realized aloud. He chuckled. ¡°As if that makes a difference.¡±


    The Phillips charged at both sides of Deon, staying low to avoid the spinning rod.


    The instant they were in hitting distance, Deon leaned the rod towards the left Phillip. It simply spun through him as if he were an apparition. Nope, observed Deon. The real Phillip was about to attack, so Deon quickly shifted the rod to the right. A loud thwack! resounded as the pole collided with Phillip, who let out a grunt and rolled to the ground.


    The rod halted after hitting Phillip, but picked up momentum again and continued spinning as Deon re-centered it above him.


    Phillip crawled out of the pole¡¯s range and stood, clutching his shoulder.


    ¡°Your diversion wasn¡¯t fast enough,¡± Deon told him.


    Phillip simply backed away further, until he was the same distance from Deon as before. Then he ran again.


    Really? thought Deon.


    This time Phillip split again, but into multiple copies. Deon counted seven total. The crowd of Phillips charged at him and proceeded to surround the twirling wooden rod once more. Deon smiled.


    Once they began to close in, Deon dropped to his hands and knees, allowing space for the entire pole to spin lower. He brought it down, thus attacking all of the Phillips at once. The pole whacked against something to the front right of Deon and ceased again. Deon stood, mentally lifting up the pole again as its spin restarted.


    Phillip sat before him, now grasping his stomach and shoulder as the illusionary Phillips vanished again.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many illusions of yourself you send at me,¡± Deon started, ¡°I¡¯ll be able to find the real you.¡±


    Once again, Phillip stood and backed away.


    ¡°It¡¯s not gonna work,¡± Deon urged him, growing annoyed.


    Phillip began running again¡ªbut this time to the side. He stuck his arm into his sweatshirt pocket, and split into two Phillips. They began circling Deon, both with a hand in their pocket. Next, both Phillips divided and continued circling Deon. Then those divided into more, and those divided¡­eventually Deon couldn¡¯t keep track of how many Phillips there were¡ªenough that they formed a complete, rotating circle around him and his wooden rod. And all of them had a hand in their pocket.


    What¡¯s he up to? Deon wondered.


    Then all of the Phillips removed their hands. Each held a short dagger.


    ¡°WHAT THE?!¡± Deon shouted. ¡°Hey, Phillip¡ªwhichever one you are¡ªI don¡¯t know a lot about the fighting rules, but I¡¯m pretty sure they don¡¯t allow DEADLY WEAPONS!!!!!¡±


    A dagger shot past Deon, inches from his chest. His heart jumped.


    I know only one of the daggers is real, but how the heck do I tell which one it is??? Deon wondered. It looks like I¡¯ll have to dodge and block all of them!


    A second dagger flew towards Deon from the right, but he tilted the pole to deflect it just in time. However, it passed through the rod noiselessly, and then passed through Deon as well, with no effect.


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    This is just sick torture, Deon thought.


    Skrili heard Deon shout something about ¡®deadly weapons¡¯ in the distance, but she was too preoccupied with her own situation.


    She had been on the defense ever since Pang¡¯s first successful headshot, and since then Pang had landed plenty more minor blows to the head. With each painful hit, Skrili felt her strength continue to steadily rise.


    Pang sent a powerful kick into Skrili¡¯s blocking arms, opening them up and breaking Skrili¡¯s defense. Before she could close it up again, Pang launched an uppercut into Skrili¡¯s chin.


    A white light flashed in Skrili¡¯s eyes and she practically fell over. She blinked dizzily, and her vision returned.


    Pang laughed at her. ¡°Wow, that rattled you up a bit,¡± she noted. ¡°Still no Concussion though, huh?¡±


    The unsteadiness in Skrili¡¯s vision remained. No, but it¡¯s coming, she thought. Her head was spinning and her vision unfocused¡ªat any moment, Concussion could kick in.


    Pang wasn¡¯t about to sit and wait. She started swinging at Skrili again. Dizzied, Skrili found her reflexes slower.


    If I can just hold her off for a little, I can beat her with the Power Rebound she¡¯s giving me, Skrili thought. I just can¡¯t let her trigger Concussion¡­it¡¯s not ready¡­But things weren¡¯t working in her favor: she could hardly keep up with Pang now.


    Pang let out a single laugh. Now Skrili was acting entirely out of guesses; her vision couldn¡¯t follow Pang¡¯s movements. Out of nowhere, the backside of Pang¡¯s hand struck Skrili dead on the temple. Skrili collapsed, barely aware that she even hit the ground.


    Pang crossed her arms. She watched the blue-haired fighter, who lay facedown. ¡°Down and out, huh? That must have done it,¡± she said. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t take forever to wake up. I wanna have fun before Phillip beats Deon, so show me Concussion.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Before Pang knew what was happening, she found herself flat on her back. Skrili now stood over her with her hands on her hips, and a subtle purple hue emanated around her body. Emotionless as ever, Skrili bent down and grabbed Pang by the collar of her shirt. She stood and lifted Pang, bringing her face close.


    ¡°Here it is,¡± Skrili said.


    Pang¡¯s golden eyes lit up and she smiled widely. ¡°I¡¯m so exci¡ª¡±


    In one fluid motion, Skrili ripped Pang off her feet, turned around and tossed her like a ragdoll. Pang flew across the burnt clearing before crashing into a tree at the edge of the fighting ground. She coughed up air with a puff and sunk down into a sitting position.


    In a blink, Skrili was directly in front of her. ¡°I warned you,¡± she said. ¡°You made a huge mistake awakening this on purpose.¡±


    Pang smiled again, and then winced as she tried to stand up. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± she replied. ¡°This is so much better.¡±


    She jumped up at Skrili, but Skrili immediately pushed Pang back against the tree and began a series of rapid punches and kicks, this time much faster than the speed they fought at before¡ªfaster than humanly possible. Pang attempted to defend herself, but almost half of Skrili¡¯s attacks were direct hits to her stomach, shoulders, and head.


    This is¡­different than I expected, Skrili thought to herself while fighting. Last time I unlocked Concussion, it was all a blur¡­I barely remember it. But I¡¯m fully conscious right now. Does this mean I mastered the technique? No, that can¡¯t be right¡­


    ¡­Either way, this is my only chance!


    Pang managed to roll to the side and avoid Skrili¡¯s thunderous kick, which left a footprint in the tree trunk. Skrili quickly followed Pang and her assault raged on.


    Daggers continued to zip past Deon and his spinning wooden rod with every second as the Phillips surrounded him. So far, all of the daggers were illusionary.


    Shouldn¡¯t his self-illusions have run out of daggers by now? Deon wondered. Then again, he can just keep putting illusionary daggers back into their hands.


    A dagger came spinning straight at Deon¡¯s face and he had no time to avoid it. Luckily, it was another illusion and flew through him. Deon sighed with temporary relief.


    Wait¡ªwhy hasn¡¯t he just attacked for real already? It¡¯s been a while now¡­noticed Deon.


    But then it came to him: Unless¡­


    ¡°I wish you could fight like this all the time!¡± Pang told Skrili gleefully as she attempted to evade Skrili¡¯s super-speed punches and kicks. Skrili had never seen Pang so thrilled, which was ironic, considering Skrili was now dominating the fight.


    Skrili¡¯s movements had become so supercharged she was practically teleporting around Pang, planting devastating hit after hit. Even still, Pang continued to shriek with joy, like a child being tossed in the air by their father. Every now and then she narrowly dodged a blow, but it meant nothing when Skrili reappeared from an opposite angle with a hard kick.


    It¡¯s time I wrap this up, Skrili decided. I have to finish her off before this Concussion wears off, or I¡¯ll be in trouble.


    Skrili waited for Pang to risk an offensive move. Soon she threw a punch, and Skrili easily seized her arm in her hands. Drawing from her Concussion energy, Skrili tugged at Pang¡¯s arm, spun her off of her feet and flung her high into the air.


    Straightaway, Skrili zipped up after Pang, who flipped and spun uncontrollably. Reaching her height, she kicked Pang hard on the side, and with both hands, bashed her on the back. Pang yelped from the pain as she hurtled towards the ground. She crashed onto her side, her hair falling over her face. Skrili touched down beside her.


    Skrili took a few jumps back as Pang slowly rose to her hands and knees and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Skrili could tell she had ruined Pang¡¯s fun: her smile was gone, replaced by a sober frown.


    Pang stood. She reflected the deepening orange rays of the sun in her now slightly disheveled red hair and matching clothes, giving her an even fierier appearance.


    This is it, Skrili told herself. She zipped at the weakened Pang, aiming her final knockout punch. Meanwhile, Pang raised a single hand in defense. Skrili neared and threw her final attack.


    But Pang blocked the punch.


    Skrili stood in confusion, Pang¡¯s palm effortlessly holding her fist. As they maintained eye contact, Skrili noticed energy slipping away from her. She realized the comedown had started the moment she ran at Pang, but now its drain became rapid.


    She knew the feeling immediately. No! Skrili thought. I¡¯m too late! How did the Concussion boost already run out?!


    ¡°I know you all too well, Skrili dear. It looks like you¡¯re out of time,¡± Pang said. ¡°I¡¯ve fought with you long enough to know when your power boost is about to fade. You should¡¯ve known better, too. Wishful thinking, I suppose¡­¡±


    Skrili cursed in her head.


    ¡°Clearly that wasn¡¯t really Concussion. Just some stupid stage in between,¡± continued Pang. ¡°Like, how silly do I have to knock you to get you there? I hate your powers.¡± She released Skrili¡¯s fist and dispassionately plowed her knee into Skrili¡¯s stomach. ¡°Well, it was fun while it lasted.¡±


    Skrili coughed and keeled forward as stars bounced in her vision. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s over, she realized. Her energy continued to dissipate as her whole body grew sluggish and shaky.


    ¡°It¡¯s sad but true,¡± continued Pang, ¡°that this is one of the reasons I left you.¡± She kicked Skrili in the thigh, knocking her to her knees. ¡°In the end, you¡¯re just like all the other consciousnesses out here: weak and useless.¡±


    It¡¯s over¡­I failed¡­Skrili repeated in her head, fighting to stay conscious. I failed Akri¡­


    Another dagger lunged at Deon, but he didn¡¯t even attempt to avoid it. It simply passed through him like all the others. At this point, Deon had grown to anticipate illusions instead of the real thing.


    Give it a bit longer¡­Deon thought. It¡¯s coming soon. I just have to keep focusing¡­


    The many Phillips kept circling him, still full of energy, and still throwing daggers. But none of the knives pierced Deon or his rod.


    He¡¯ll attack at any second¡­


    The Phillips kept running. The daggers kept zooming through.


    Keep focusing¡­


    More fake daggers.


    Focus¡­


    The daggers stopped coming. Deon watched as all the Phillips circled him empty-handed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would have to use this,¡± came Phillip¡¯s voice from a distance. It sounded like he was up in the air, behind Deon.


    The illusionary Phillips surrounding Deon vanished. None remained¡ªPhillip hadn¡¯t been among them.


    Deon turned to where Phillip¡¯s soft voice was coming from. Phillip was squatting high up in a tree at the edge of the battleground, watching Deon.


    Skrili¡¯s warning came to Deon¡¯s mind: ¡°He¡¯ll use illusions to make you think you¡¯re fighting him, while he¡¯s hiding somewhere charging up the attack.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very skilled for a beginner,¡± Phillip told him. ¡°But this needs to end now.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re showing me your final attack after all,¡± said Deon with a smirk. ¡°Perfect¡ªbut first, I want you to see mine.¡± He de-imagined the spinning rod.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Right in front of Phillip appeared an enormous, cartoonish squirrel monster. Its pointed nose was inches from Phillip¡¯s face, and its large and furious black eyes glared into his. It was so tall that its burly, clawed feet rested on the ground beside the tree Phillip crouched in.


    ¡°Meet my new friend Twitchy,¡± said Deon happily.


    Phillip nodded nervously at the squirrel beast.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re wondering how I could imagine something this profound just instantly like that,¡± Deon began. ¡°The truth is: I¡¯ve been planning this since before the fight started. Skrili warned me about your final attack, so I wanted to have something up my sleeve. Once you did the whole dagger thing and they kept being fakes, I knew you were probably trying to distract me and prepping your finisher¡ªand that¡¯s exactly what I was hoping for. I¡¯ve been getting this counter ready the whole fight.¡±


    Phillip continued to stare at the furry fiend. ¡°Impressive,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°This has been the best fight I¡¯ve ever had, Phillip. Thank you,¡± Deon told him. ¡°It¡¯s time to finish this. TWITCHY, ATTACK!!!!!¡±


    The squirrel brought its head back, opened its mouth to reveal long, sharp fangs, and pounced forward.


    Panicking, Phillip dove out of the tree, barely avoiding Twitchy¡¯s bite. He freefell a long way down, and then with a thump, crashed onto the ground under a heap of bushes.


    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Deon commented upon Phillip¡¯s harsh landing. ¡°That should do it. Good job, Twitchy!¡±


    Upon his command, the squirrel vanished from existence.


    Deon waited a little while longer, but Phillip didn¡¯t get up. Deon chuckled. He really thought Twitchy was real¡­I guess I beat him at his own game, he thought. There¡¯s no way I could¡¯ve actually imagined a huge, living monster¡ªI¡¯m not that good. It looks like the Illusionist was fooled by an illusion.


    Satisfied with his hard-earned victory, Deon turned to check Skrili and Pang¡¯s fight.


    He gasped.


    Skrili was on her hands and knees, breathing heavily. Pang stood over her, and kicked Skrili in the side. Skrili fell over, rolling onto her back limply. She struggled hard to bring herself back to her hands and knees, but Deon could see her arms and legs shaking even from where he stood. Once again, Pang kicked her down.


    ¡°Crap¡ªI better stop this,¡± Deon said to himself. He started running across the fighting ground, eager to relieve Skrili from the beating, but reluctant to confront Pang.


    As he arrived at Skrili and Pang¡¯s side of the clearing, Pang took notice of him. Once she made eye contact with him, he stopped in his tracks. Her eyes seemed to glow with curiosity.


    ¡°Wow¡­you beat Phillip?¡± she asked.


    Skrili weakly lifted her head from the ground and looked up at Deon. Her eyes were heavy and her mouth hung open from exhaustion.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Deon as his heart began to race. ¡°And you¡¯re next.¡±


    Pang laughed amiably as if Deon was flirting with her. ¡°That¡¯s cute,¡± she commented.


    Skrili stirred. With a grunt, she climbed back up to her hands and knees. Still visibly void of energy, she tried to stand up again.


    ¡°What are you doing, Skrili?¡± Pang asked her.¡± She grabbed Skrili¡¯s shoulder and effortlessly pushed her back to the ground. ¡°Just stay down. You¡¯re done.¡±


    Deon felt an uncomfortable anger welling up in him as he watched Skrili fall. She briefly glanced up at him, and then pretended she hadn¡¯t as she looked away with desperate frustration.


    ¡°Alright listen,¡± Deon uttered to Pang, as he continued to watch Skrili. ¡°We¡¯re taking Skrili¡¯s bag back. We¡¯re taking her TeamTrack-thing back. And we¡¯re taking her¡ª¡±


    He stopped short when Skrili suddenly shot him an intense, wide-eyed glare.


    Wait, should I not mention the picture? he wondered.


    Pang looked between Deon and Skrili repeatedly, appearing confused for the first time. She laughed awkwardly. ¡°Um¡­And you¡¯re taking her what?¡± Pang faced Skrili. ¡°What was he going to say?¡±


    Skrili stared back at her like she had just been exposed.


    ¡°What else is in that bag, Skrili?¡± asked Pang in an alarmingly low tone.


    Deon had revealed something he wasn¡¯t supposed to.

 19. Rivalry (Part 3 of 3)

    No Man¡¯s Land had grown darker, but not because of the time of day¡ªclouds were beginning to gather above them.


    Deon watched uneasily as Pang and Skrili stared at each other. It was as if their battle had continued through their gazes alone. Pang was clearly on the offense, trying to break through the mental shield Skrili placed around her secret. Skrili glared back, seeming both determined and afraid.


    So Skrili doesn¡¯t want Pang to know about the picture of her brother? Deon realized. Why?


    He recognized Skrili¡¯s current demeanor from the other day, when they were in their final phase of training against each other: she had tried to put on a front of toughness, when in reality she was close to breaking. It was the same now¡ªonly she was already defeated physically.


    ¡°What was Deon about to say?¡± pressed Pang. ¡°Why are you getting all dramatic?¡±


    Skrili was silent.


    ¡°Then again¡­¡± Pang began pensively, ¡°You never really seemed that driven to get certified¡­To be honest, I was surprised you already found another teammate.¡± She smiled, amused by her own realization. ¡°So this whole time you weren¡¯t even tracking me down to get your TeamTrack back. You want something else. That¡¯s pretty low, Skrili, dragging poor Deon around to help you, giving him false hope.¡±


    Saying nothing, Skrili looked away.


    ¡°So what is it, then?¡± Pang pressed. ¡°Forget it¡ªI¡¯ll just go find out for myself.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± mumbled Skrili. Her mental defense was broken, and her stoic expression shifted to worry.


    Pang ignored Skrili and turned, beginning her way over to Skrili¡¯s blue bag, which lay beside her own several steps away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Skrili urged, this time a bit louder. With the little strength she still had, she slowly climbed to her feet.


    Pang turned back around. Then suddenly, a giant shoe¡ªidentical to the one Deon imagined in their training¡ªfaded into existence in front of Skrili. It was big enough to hit her entire front side at once. The shoe sprung forward and banged into Skrili, who tumbled helplessly to the ground and rolled to a stop.


    The shoe disappeared. This time, Skrili didn¡¯t try to get back up.


    Pang glanced at Deon. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, and she continued to walk towards the bags.


    Did¡ªdid she just borrow my powers to attack Skrili?! Deon thought. His heartbeat increased¡ªit was one thing to keep knocking Skrili down when she clearly couldn¡¯t fight anymore, but using Deon as a tool to hurt her?


    Now he was disgusted.


    ¡°Whoa, hey, wait a second!¡± he shouted at Pang. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a Manipulator, I won¡¯t let you get away with using my own powers on my friend!¡±


    ¡°Get over it,¡± Pang said impassively. She kept walking.


    That cut the chord for Deon. He bolted at her, fists clenched and heart racing. You think you can just do anything you want?! I¡¯ll put an end to that, he thought.


    Pang didn¡¯t even turn around when he closed in. Out of nowhere, something grabbed Deon from the side and swooped him right off of his feet. It hurtled him across what was left of the clearing and pinned him hard against a thick tree trunk. Only his head was free from the trap, and the rest was stuck against the tree, suspended up in the air.


    Deon looked down at the trap: it was a giant, floating hand. The hand appeared slightly cartoonish, as if it had been quickly sketched.


    What the?¡ªSo she can use my Imagining to make things I¡¯ve never even tried before?! Deon realized. Frick, I can¡¯t even move!


    He was now a slight distance from where Pang stood and Skrili lay, but close enough to see and hear them clearly. Pang had reached Skrili¡¯s bag and picked it up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± said Pang. ¡°What could my good friend Skrili be hiding from me?¡± She reached into the bag and began shuffling through Skrili¡¯s things shamelessly. Her hand emerged with a blue shirt much like the one Skrili was wearing. ¡°Nope,¡± Pang decided, dropping it on the ground beside her. Next she pulled out a couple black hair elastics identical to the one Skrili had been wearing and using in fights. She smirked and tossed these to the side, as well.


    This continued for a moment, as Pang pulled out a few more appliances like more clothing, shampoo, and some simple tools, and dropped these in a pile. Growing impatient, she turned the whole bag upside down and dumped all of its contents out onto the ground. The pile of Skrili¡¯s belongings consisted mostly of dark blue and black clothing and portable toiletries, save one small, rectangular device. It was in a sleek yellow and gray case, and featured a black glass screen.


    The device was totally alien to Deon, so he determined it must be Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack. So that¡¯s what consciousness fighters need when they go pro¡­he noted.


    Still holding the emptied bag upside down, Pang observed the pile. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything secretive here,¡± she announced disappointedly. She rattled the bag a bit in case anything was still stuck. After she did, a small piece of paper-like material fluttered out and floated to the ground. Intrigued, she picked it up to get a closer look.


    There¡¯s the picture, Deon noted.


    ¡°This is just adorable!¡± exclaimed Pang emotionally¡ªbut Deon couldn¡¯t tell if she was acting or not. Still looking at the picture intently, she suddenly turned to Deon and walked closer to him ¡°Isn¡¯t this just the most precious thing?¡± she asked, holding up the picture for him to see.


    Having only seen paintings and drawings back in Tailpiece, Deon was surprised to find the image was a frozen piece of reality.


    But while that amazed him, he was even more shocked at the content of the photo itself. In it, a teenage girl and a little boy were sitting together and hugging. It took Deon a moment to realize that the teenage girl was, in fact, Skrili.


    Her clothing was the first reason he hadn¡¯t recognized her. Skrili wasn¡¯t wearing blue like usual, but had on an old, frayed, brown rag of a dress. Her hairstyle was the same¡ªthough a bit longer¡ªand if it weren¡¯t for this he wouldn¡¯t have known it was her, because her face seemed totally different. Skrili was smiling widely, her eyes shining with happiness as she looked back at him. She was filled with joy¡ªor more than that, love.


    The young boy she hugged had on the exact same smile. In fact, he resembled Skrili incredibly. His face was rounder, but he had the same midnight blue hair and deep purple eyes. His hair was relatively short and disorderly, and his dusty shirt and worn shorts matched his sister¡¯s rags.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± was all Deon could think to say in response.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± came Skrili¡¯s voice faintly.


    Deon and Pang looked over to her. Skrili had lifted her head and was gazing at Pang with desperation.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± she repeated. ¡°I need that picture...¡±


    Sympathy arose in Deon. He had no idea why this picture was so absolutely important to her¡ªall he knew was that she refused to give up.


    ¡°Please, Pang,¡± Skrili said shakily. ¡°Please give it to me.¡±


    Deon could hardly watch Skrili like this. It made him squirm to see her so helpless. This was the same girl who had effortlessly taken him down countless times, constantly corrected his ignorance, and allowed him to accompany her in her travels only because she thought he was too pitiful to last in No Man¡¯s Land on his own. And now she was lying in the dirt at Pang¡¯s mercy, begging.


    Surprisingly, Pang appeared just as disturbed by this. ¡°Cut it out, Skrili,¡± she snapped. ¡°Just cut it out. You¡¯re making me sick.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Skrili repeated. Her voice was beginning to sound choky.


    Deon¡¯s unease increased as he realized she was about to cry.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Pang demanded.


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Pang,¡± started Deon. ¡°It¡¯s just a picture, right? Maybe you should just give¡ª¡±


    ¡°YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!!!¡± Pang shouted, whipping her head around at Deon and shooting a deadly glare at him.


    Deon flinched behind the giant hand, wondering what he did to make her snap like that.


    Pang refaced Skrili. ¡°So you want your little picture, do you?¡± she asked darkly, beginning to walk over to Skrili. When she reached her, she stood in place silently for a few moments, watching Skrili lie there on the verge of tears.


    The clouds now took up most of the sky.


    Pang shook her head slowly. ¡°You look so pathetic,¡± she told Skrili. ¡°We used to be unbeatable. No one could touch us. Now I¡¯m better than ever, on my way to get certified. But what about you, Skrili? Where are you?¡±


    Skrili gazed up at her silently.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you where you are,¡± Pang decided. ¡°You¡¯re on the ground, begging, wasting your life trying to track me down. You know what makes us so different, Skrili? This picture. You¡¯re pouring all your time and energy into something you¡¯ll never get back, while I¡¯m making something out of myself. I learned not to let my past control me¡ªwe promised each other we would. You promised me.¡±


    ¡°Pang, please,¡± urged Skrili.


    ¡°SHUT UP!!!¡± screamed Pang. ¡°You¡¯re brother¡¯s dead, Skrili!! DEAD!!! He¡¯s gone and he¡¯s never coming back! You¡¯re never gonna see him again! EVER!¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart skipped a beat. What? he thought. He¡¯s dead? But Skrili didn¡¯t say¡­


    Then he remembered Skrili¡¯s words:


    ¡°When you mentioned your cousin¡­he reminded me of my brother.¡±


    Finally, he understood. Now he knew why she had been acting so small since that conversation. Deon had raved about Lammy, and how much he meant to him¡ªjust the thought of his loving cousin was enough inspiration to get him back in any fight. Hearing that must have been like tearing open a wound for Skrili. Deon couldn¡¯t even fathom losing Lammy. He would feel like he¡¯d lost himself¡ªlike he failed to protect what mattered most to him¡ªso he could hardly imagine the heartache Skrili was feeling.


    This whole time, she had been carrying that weight of her five-year-old brother¡¯s death. She had been hiding that torment from Deon and trying to seem strong.


    And all she wanted was to see her brother¡¯s smile again.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    But Pang raged on. ¡°This picture can¡¯t replace your brother, Skrili. Akri isn¡¯t gonna crawl out of here and give you a big hug.¡±


    Skrili had begun to cry quietly. Tears rolled down her cheeks and onto the ground.


    Why is Pang doing this?! Deon wondered angrily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve told you this,¡± said Pang, ¡°but I¡¯m trying to help you. You¡¯ll never feel better if you can¡¯t adapt to change. You¡¯re wasting your time on all your feelings, but all they do is eat away at you until there¡¯s nothing left.¡±


    Shut up, Pang¡­thought Deon.


    ¡°I went through hell too, but I got past it, didn¡¯t I?¡± Pang explained. ¡°I lost my family too, but here I am, right? So why can¡¯t you move on? Why can¡¯t you be like me? Huh? Why does it have to be on your mind all the time?!¡±


    Now she was shouting.


    ¡°Why do you always have to see him in your dreams at night?! Why do you still think you hear his voice?! When will it go away?! Why does this still hurt so much?! WHEN WILL IT STOP HURTING?!?!¡±


    Skrili¡¯s tears intensified into sobs.


    Pang took an abrupt step away, and Deon caught a glimpse of her face. Her mouth was trembling.


    She held back for a moment, and after seeming to have regained her composure, returned to Skrili. Pang sighed, and dropped the picture. It drifted to the ground, just outside of Skrili¡¯s reach.


    ¡°Now,¡± started Pang, ¡°I know you have it in you. Do you want to stay worthless and cry over a dumb picture for the rest of your life, or do you want to be somebody? Do you want to be nothing, or the fighter I know you are?¡±


    Skrili hesitated. She looked up at Pang, and then at the picture. With a push, Skrili reached her hand out to the picture and grabbed it. She hurriedly crawled to her knees and beheld it in both of her hands, like a homeless woman scurrying for food.


    Pang snatched the picture from her hands.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it!¡± she yelled.


    Skrili remained in the same position¡ªshe stared into her hands as if the picture was still there. ¡°No¡­¡± she murmured breathily.


    ¡°Fine!¡± shouted Pang. ¡°If this is the only way you¡¯ll understand¡­¡±


    She lifted her other hand to the picture¡­


    ¡­and tore it in half.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Skrili repeated, her tears intensifying.


    Pang continued to rip the photo into smaller pieces.


    ¡°No¡­no¡­no¡­¡±


    After several more rips, Pang tossed the picture¡¯s remains into the air. The shreds fell all around Skrili like snowflakes.


    Skrili¡¯s face went pale and her tears ceased. She still didn¡¯t move, staring at her empty hands.


    Pang¡­you piece of garbage¡­Deon raged in his mind. He immediately started brainstorming Imagining attacks.


    ¡°I just did you a favor,¡± Pang told Skrili. ¡°Maybe now you¡¯ll learn how to¡ª¡±


    Skrili swayed forward, and then collapsed in a faint.


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened, but then a thought eased his mind: She must have just drained all her energy from a Power Rebound. He felt oddly relieved: at the very least, now Pang couldn¡¯t keep torturing her with words.


    But the harm was already done, and Deon felt like he could explode from anger.


    Pang watched Skrili quietly. ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t disgust me,¡± she uttered, hardly loud enough for Deon to hear.


    She turned casually to Deon. ¡°Well she¡¯s out cold, and you¡¯re trapped up there. This has been real nice and all, but I think that¡¯s the fight.¡±


    ¡°Shut it, you heaping sack of pig crap,¡± Deon spat.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of watching Skrili listen to your stupid lies!¡± Deon shouted.


    ¡°Lies?¡± Pang gasped melodramatically, bringing a hand to her mouth. ¡°Oh dear! You think of me as a liar, Deon? I¡¯m heartbroken!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, shut up,¡± commanded Deon. ¡°I can¡¯t stand you. You push Skrili around like she¡¯s your pet. You know what? Whenever she¡¯s not around you, she¡¯s one of the most intimidating people I know. But then you show up and she changes. I don¡¯t know what makes her so scared of you. You¡¯re just an annoying little punk who drags Phillip around to help you steal money and pick on people weaker than you.¡±


    ¡°Goodness!¡± Pang exclaimed. ¡°Now I¡¯m a liar, a thief and a bully? Your words are so hurtful! How will we ever make this work?¡±


    ¡°THIS IS NOT A GAME!!!¡± Deon screamed. That was it¡ªhe had to get out of this trap.


    He looked at the oversized hand encompassing him. These are my powers, he told himself, mentally demanding the hand to open. Its fingers moved slightly, but he could tell Pang was resisting him because they barely budged.


    The hand fought with itself, but eventually gave way to Deon¡¯s command and opened up. Deon dropped to the ground and landed soundly on both feet. The hand disappeared above him.


    Pang crossed her arms. ¡°Look at you, Skrili¡¯s starry-eyed lover,¡± she mocked. ¡°Here¡¯s some advice for you, too: ditch Skrili if you want to get any better. At this rate, she¡¯s just about as well off as her brother.¡±


    Enraged, Deon imagined six spinning wooden rod attacks around Pang. He shot them all at her, but as soon as they neared her, they vanished. Pang didn¡¯t blink.


    Crap¡­Deon thought. Be smarter¡­she senses and can control everything I make. This time, he imagined several wooden rods, along with several giant shoe attacks and leather balls. They added up to twenty-five attacks total.


    He sent all of the projectiles at Pang, but at slightly different times to make it harder for her to track each of them. Nonetheless, when each of them got close to her, they vanished individually.


    Pang smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have a very wide variety of attacks, do you?¡± she observed tranquilly. ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble, but I¡¯ve faced plenty of Imaginers and never lost. Nothing you can do will surprise me.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t imagine!¡± decided Deon. He started running towards Pang.


    Suddenly, Deon vaguely sensed his imagining create something behind him. He turned to see another giant hand racing towards his back. Alarmed, Deon quickly imagined it away.


    Quit stealing my powers! he thought.


    Pang didn¡¯t seem concerned by her failed attack. ¡°Hey handsome,¡± she greeted when Deon closed in.


    He swung a punch, which almost flew right above Pang¡¯s head¡ªtheir drastic difference in height threw off his aim, so Pang easily deflected it. Deon swung another, to the same result. Then he broke out into a fury of punches and kicks as fast as he possibly could. But Pang blocked all of them effortlessly, with a smile on her face.


    Pang laughed like she was being tickled. ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re so slow!¡± she told him. She slapped him across the face and laughed again.


    Deon blushed, feeling foolish, and continued to attack.


    Another slap came, followed by more careless laughter. ¡°Oops!¡± Pang exclaimed jestingly. ¡°Okay, enough silliness.¡±


    Faster than Deon could even see, she lifted her knee and crashed it into Deon¡¯s leg. Immediately after came three lightning-fast punches to his stomach, another two to his face, and an enormous jump-kick right into his chest.


    This was all over the course of a second.


    Deon shot backwards, falling hard onto the ground. After a moment, all of the pain from Pang¡¯s rapid attacks shot through him at once. He didn¡¯t realize how hard she actually hit him in that brief instant until now¡ªeverything stung and his head began to throb. He let out a shout, not daring to get up.


    ¡°Too easy¡­¡± Pang sighed.


    I¡­don¡¯t stand a single chance¡­Deon realized.


    Looking to his left, he noticed that he landed beside Skrili. She was still unconscious, but her face was relaxed and she seemed at ease for once. After the hell Pang put her through, Deon felt she deserved the rest. It tempted him with thoughts of just admitting defeat, and lying still.


    Maybe I¡¯ll just¡­stay down, he told himself. That¡¯s fine, right? It¡¯s not like Skrili thought I¡¯d be able to take Pang, anyway. And it¡¯s better to give up now than get my butt handed to me. Plus, she¡¯ll just keep mocking me and making me feel stupid.


    So¡­


    ¡­I¡¯ll just¡­


    ¡­lie here.


    Then he realized what he was thinking.


    NO! I¡¯m sick of this! I¡¯m sick of Pang! No one¡¯s ever brought me to the point of wanting to quit! he thought. I can¡¯t wrap my head around it! I beat that old Imaginer thug, I could¡¯ve beaten that Fullmetal guy, heck¡ªI even beat Skrili once! Not to mention Phillip! But I go up against Pang for two seconds and she makes me feel like I have no idea what I¡¯m doing¡­like I¡¯m wasting my time out here!


    How am I supposed to beat her?! I can¡¯t touch her with Imagining, and her hand-to-hand fighting is ridiculous! She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s¡­


    She¡¯s unbeatable.


    Deon knew it was true. He couldn¡¯t reason his way around it, and he was at a loss for ways to overcome it. Pang hadn¡¯t beaten him yet, but the concept of her ability alone had already defeated him.


    He felt an ugly, uncontrollable anger forming inside him.


    Why does this girl get to be so much stronger than me?! It¡¯s not fair!!


    She gets away with stealing¡­


    His breathing started speeding up.


    ¡­She gets away with cheating¡­


    His eyes widened as he clawed into the dirt.


    ¡­She keeps bullying Skrili!


    His muscles all flexed on their own, and all his pain vanished.


    And she makes me FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT!!!!!


    Deon felt like his entire body was about to explode into flames.


    ¡°What, are you about to cry, too? So you¡¯re done already?¡± asked Pang, disappointed. ¡°That was boring. I thought I saw something special in you¡­but I guess not.¡±


    The anger in Deon came alive. It became part of his mind¡ªno, it became his mind. Ferocity occupied all of his thoughts, and he liked it. His face reddened with rage and his vision blurred¡ªhe felt like he was entering a dream state. Deon¡¯s heavy breathing intensified into to low growls, with only one thought on his mind:


    Pang.


    Deon stood up, but the adrenaline coursing through him cancelled out the exertion of energy and the feeling of his feet on the ground. All he saw clearly was Pang, who stood just in front of him.


    She still looked calm, but with a hint of concern. ¡°Oh¡­you¡¯re not done yet,¡± she said strangely.


    Deon frowned at her. He swung a powerful punch, which she expectedly blocked. But at the same instant, he imagined a shoe attack into existence behind her upper back. She didn¡¯t have time to avoid this as well, so it pounded into her hard. Pang stumbled forward, towards Deon.


    Deon kneed Pang in the stomach. As she coughed painfully and keeled forward, he caught her in his hands and lifted her off the ground¡ªshe felt unnaturally light. Deon effortlessly lifted her over his head, took a step, and with a thrust, slammed her onto the ground.


    Pang lay flat, moving slowly and breathing chokingly. ¡°Ow¡­you¡¯re playing awfully rough now¡­¡± she coughed.


    Giving her no reprieve, Deon imagined vines to life, which grabbed Pang by the wrist and tugged her back to her feet. The instant she clumsily gained her footing, Deon fired another punch at her face. Pang rushed to stop it and was successful, but then a large leather ball swooped from the side and banged into her shoulder. Pang stumbled sideways, staying on her feet. Directly after, another came from the other side and gave the same damage. Then they vanished.


    Deon had imagined these two attacks while the vines were still yanking Pang to her feet, so she was too distracted with the immediate situation to manipulate them all away. Somehow, his imagining abilities had heightened.


    Now Pang gazed up at Deon with large eyes. Her concern had evolved into confusion¡ªperhaps even fear.


    ¡°You¡¯re not smiling anymore, are you?¡± Deon asked her sinisterly.


    Pang shook her head, taking a step away. ¡°What¡¯s¡­what¡¯s wrong with your¡­? Why are your eyes glow¡ª¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t let her finish. He imagined a giant shoe attack darting down from above, towards Pang¡¯s head. Pang evidently sensed it, because it vanished right before making contact.


    Almost had her, Deon thought energetically. He found himself smiling, despite his utter fury¡ªor rather, because of it. His mind raced faster than he thought it ever could. It had evolved into the perfect environment for limitless Imagining.


    ¡°It¡¯s over now, Pang,¡± he announced. ¡°Say ¡®goodnight.¡¯¡±


    Several leather ball attacks zoomed at Pang rapidly. She imagined away many of them, but a few still remained and crashed into her. While she was still recoiling from the collisions, Deon imagined more leather balls¡ªa swarm of them. His imagination and focus were completely connected. There was no interference; his mind had never felt so clear and open.


    Meanwhile, Pang was getting pounded with leather balls from all directions. She could no longer keep track of the attacks¡ªhe had overloaded her.


    ¡°You¡¯re all about fun, right Pang?¡± said Deon. ¡°Let¡¯s make this a bit more fun.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know how he was able to do this, but Deon focused on Pang while continuing the endless swarm of leather balls, and caused her to levitate off the ground. He had never been able to attempt anything this advanced before, but somehow, he could just do it¡ªand he knew he could. Deon mentally raised her higher and higher until she was above the surrounding treetops. All the while, the leather balls kept coming.


    Yeah that¡¯s right, Pang. How does that feel? Deon thought as his bloodthirstiness peaked. He wanted her up on display, getting wrecked by the opponent she was mocking only moments ago. He wanted to humiliate her. To hurt her.


    Pang attempted to protect herself from the merciless attacks as she remained suspended in the air, but there were far too many for her to keep track of. They kept hitting her, often directly.


    Deon paid no attention to Pang¡¯s plight. Yeah¡­yeah¡­eat it all up, Pang! Who¡¯s the loser now?! Want me to keep going?! Fine, maybe I¡¯ll just kill¡ª


    Suddenly, he blinked several times. The odd heat in his face cooled and his vision cleared. It was like waking up from an odd dream. He felt his muscles relax back to normal, and his heavy breathing slowed.


    With this, his rage vanished.


    Now that Deon saw Pang with a sober mind, he realized she wasn¡¯t even responding to the ongoing attacks anymore. Panicked, Deon instantly removed all the leather balls from existence.


    Pang floated in place, completely limp.


    Oh no¡­what just happened? worried Deon. He still had no idea how he made Pang float, but he was glad he was still in control of this technique. Commanding his imagining, Deon lowered her slowly. When she had descended close enough to the ground, Deon gently laid her on her back with his mind. She didn¡¯t move.


    Deon blinked again, and now the adrenaline had completely vanished, replaced by a panicked heartbeat. He hurried over to Pang.


    She lay sprawled out. Her eyes were closed and her mouth hung open slightly, like she had been surprised. Deon noticed a dark purple ring forming around her eye, and some bleeding cuts on various spots of her skin.


    What¡­did I do¡­? Deon wondered. I really gave her a beating¡­why didn¡¯t I stop myself sooner?


    With Pang¡¯s seemingly all-knowing, self-confident, golden eyes now closed, she seemed less like a god and more like what she truly was: a small, sixteen-year old girl. For once Deon didn¡¯t see her as an otherworldly, untouchable fighter. She was a normal girl.


    And the realization that he caused her current condition made him feel like a monster.

 20. Start All Over

    Deon¡¯s worry increased¡ªPang was still motionless.


    You really screwed up now, he told himself.


    Suddenly he heard footsteps approaching. Deon looked forward to see Phillip walking over to them. The dark-haired, colorless teenager¡¯s frown was slightly more defined than usual.


    Great, here we go again, Deon thought. He started to shift into a fighting stance.


    Phillip waved a hand of dismissal. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± he said plainly.


    Deon paused before easing up, and waited uncomfortably for Phillip to reach him and Pang. When he did, Phillip stood at the other end of Pang silently, studying his fallen teammate from behind the hair that masked his eyes. Deon stayed still, feeling incredibly awkward.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s gonna¡ª¡± Deon started.


    ¡°You went too far,¡± Phillip said, now looking at Deon. His voice sounded stern and sharp, not distant like normal.


    A flicker of defensiveness rose in Deon. ¡°Well, your teammate wasn¡¯t being all that respectable, to say the least,¡± he retorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Phillip denied. ¡°I saw your finishing technique. You may not have noticed, but Pang lost consciousness twenty-six blows before you stopped attacking her. So you were hitting a defenseless opponent, which is not only against the rules: it¡¯s dishonorable. And you may have severely injured Pang.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t have a response. Somehow, he hadn¡¯t even realized Pang lost consciousness during his rapid attacks. And at the time, frighteningly, he didn¡¯t even care. In his rage-induced dream state, his only concern had been to make her feel helpless.


    Phillip abruptly turned and hurried towards Pang and Skrili¡¯s bags, which rested on the ground at the other end of the clearing. He opened Pang¡¯s bag and immediately snatched something out of it, then made his way back over to her, bumping Deon out of his way.


    As Phillip lifted the item to his face, Deon realized it was Pang¡¯s TeamTrack. It had the same black screen and rectangular shape as Skrili¡¯s, but inside a pink case.


    Phillip hastily pressed the screen several times, and then held it above Pang. To Deon¡¯s surprise, a direct green light shone from the TeamTrack and onto Pang. A soft high-pitched buzz resounded from the device as Phillip moved it slowly above her. He continued the same rotation countless times, aiming the light at various parts of her body.


    After a while, Deon noticed the cuts on Pang¡¯s skin beginning to reverse themselves. Soon, most of them had totally healed, or left behind only minor scabs.


    Deon looked on, amazed, until Phillip pressed the screen again and the light vanished. Now most of Pang¡¯s injuries appeared healed, aside from the forming bruise under her eye, which had only faded slightly. She was also breathing slowly and deeply now, seeming merely asleep.


    Phillip leaned down close to her, lightly touching her face and then grasping her hand. ¡°She¡¯ll be okay,¡± he announced without looking at Deon.


    ¡°That thing¡­healed her?¡± Deon asked.


    ¡°Mostly,¡± uttered Phillip. ¡°It can undo most minor wounds, but it¡¯s only able to stabilize major injuries to a certain point. And it loses effectiveness the longer you wait.¡± He checked the TeamTrack briefly. ¡°It managed to heal her head to just a bad concussion. You¡¯re lucky I was here.¡±


    Relief swept through Deon, but he still felt no sense of victory. He was glad he was able to take her down after everything she did, but he was even more ashamed of the rage it took to accomplish it. He had won not as his true self, but as someone tainted by his sudden leap in power.


    Whatever that was, I need to learn how to control it¡­Deon thought.


    ¡°You should probably tend to your own teammate,¡± mumbled Phillip.


    ¡°Oh¡ªright.¡±


    Deon turned and walked over to where Skrili lay. She seemed to be okay, lying calmly on her stomach and breathing steadily. He realized her Power Rebound earlier must have been pretty major, for her to still be this wiped out.


    Deciding he should let her rest, he stepped past Skrili and made his way over to her and Pang¡¯s bags. The pile of Skrili¡¯s things rested beside her empty blue bag. Deon kneeled down to start putting her things away, attempting to fold her clothes and place everything in some sort of neat, orderly fashion. It felt rather intrusive packing a girl¡¯s belongings, but he figured he might as well do something helpful.


    Finally, he had made it to the last item: Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack. Meanwhile, Phillip had walked over to claim Pang¡¯s bag and took notice of the object.


    ¡°Take it,¡± Phillip instructed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the whole reason you guys had Skrili¡¯s bag?¡± Deon questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just gonna let me take it, like that?¡±


    Phillip¡¯s frown tightened. ¡°You defeated us for it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Deon certainly wasn¡¯t about to refuse; this meant Skrili could continue her career as a pro consciousness. And that meant when she found out Deon won it back for her, she might consider him a worthy new teammate. After all the time he¡¯d spent with her in this new world, and after all the fights they¡¯d been in, he wouldn¡¯t choose to team up with anyone else.


    But why was Phillip so willing to give up? Why was he letting him just take the TeamTrack?


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean you and Pang will have to start all over with a blank record?¡± Deon asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Phillip plainly. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for you. I¡¯ve been stealing Skrili¡¯s identity ever since I joined Pang, so we could get certified sooner. Most of the wins on their record are from when Skrili was fighting with Pang. I didn¡¯t earn any of that. It¡¯s not right. So take it; it¡¯s the least I can do for stealing what Skrili deserved.¡±


    Huh¡­this guy sure cares about being fair¡­ Deon thought. How did he end up with Pang? ¡°Thanks¡­I guess,¡± he said. He let out a small chuckle. ¡°You know, now this means you guys are just as far off from getting certified as us, huh?¡±


    ¡°Technically, Pang and Skrili are currently certified,¡± said Phillip plainly.


    ¡°Wait¡ªWHAT?!¡±


    ¡°Pang and I surpassed one hundred wins under her and Skrili¡¯s team yesterday,¡± explained Phillip. ¡°We were just about to sign up for a Conscious Competition until we crossed paths with you.¡±


    Deon was dumbstruck. Skrili said they had around eighty wins before they split. That means Pang and Phillip won the other twenty wins that fast??


    Phillip was clearly uninterested in any further discussion, as he tossed Pang¡¯s bag over his shoulder and began to walk over to his teammate. ¡°Now both teams can start all over, like it¡¯s meant to be,¡± he concluded.


    Deon took the TeamTrack in his hand and looked at it for a moment.


    So here it is¡­we did it! Next move: sign up as a team and win a ton of fights, he planned excitedly. Before we know it, we¡¯ll be certified and get to fight in those tournaments! He placed the TeamTrack in Skrili¡¯s bag, strapped the bag over his own backpack, and stood.


    A single drop of rain speckled onto his face.


    Phillip now stood carrying Pang carefully. The undersized girl seemed even smaller now, slumped in her particularly tall friend¡¯s arms. Deon felt his guilt worsen. It was like he was looking at a different person altogether¡ªa victim of his lack of self-control.


    Phillip noticed Deon watching Pang. ¡°This is the first time she¡¯s ever lost a fight,¡± he told Deon. ¡°I¡¯m unsure how she¡¯ll react to it.¡±


    Deon hadn¡¯t expected Phillip to say anything. ¡°Y¡ªyeah,¡± he answered. He considered apologizing, but thoughts of how Pang made Skrili cry flashed in his head. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. ¡°Where are you headed now?¡± he decided to ask.


    ¡°It depends. I would prefer to find a hospital in the nearest Country so Pang can recuperate,¡± Phillip shared. ¡°But if she wakes up first, she¡¯ll probably want to continue our travels as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Deon responded. A few more raindrops fell on and around him. It began to drizzle consistently.


    Phillip had turned to walk away.


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Deon called quickly.


    He wordlessly turned back.


    ¡°You seem like a pretty decent guy,¡± he told Phillip. ¡°Why do you tag along with someone like Pang?¡±


    Phillip stared at him for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t assume you know someone based on a few encounters with them,¡± was all he said. Then he turned back around and walked off, into the woods.


    Deon watched Phillip leave, confused by his ambiguous statement. The rain picked up a bit more.


    I¡¯d better find a dry spot for us, Deon decided. He walked back over to Skrili.


    The shredded pieces of Skrili¡¯s picture lay all around her. Deon shook his head. He couldn¡¯t believe someone would do that¡ªeven Pang. All Skrili wanted was this simple memory, and now it was destroyed. He knelt down and picked up all the pieces he could find, tucking them under his tunic into his pants pocket.


    Next he turned to Skrili. As gently as possible, he rolled her onto her back and into his arms, half expecting her to jolt awake and punch him in the face. Luckily for him, she slept through it as he rose to his feet with her.


    Deon remained there obliviously for a moment, gazing at Skrili as he cradled her. Then the rain picked up to a steady, wet downpour, jolting him back to the world.


    He shook off the blush that had somehow grown on his face and hurried out of the clearing. But all the trees here were spread out and thin-leaved, so the rain continued to soak him and Skrili. Deon kept hurrying, hoping to find a denser section of the woods. But a few more minutes of walking passed, and the rain persisted.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Wait a second¡ªduh,¡± Deon said to himself. He stopped for a moment beside a tree, and imagined the hood of a wide umbrella above him and Skrili. At last, the water ceased falling on them.


    Deon glanced at Skrili, who continued to rest soundly in his arms. I should have thought that up sooner¡­A little distracted now, are we? he teased himself.


    Figuring the rain would only continue, Deon decided to stay put and wait it out. He imagined a mattress to put Skrili on, but since he had never imagined one before, it came out more like a large, mattress-shaped pillow.


    Meh, it works, Deon shrugged. He laid Skrili on the soft surface and then imagined a blanket on top of her.


    After this, he plopped onto the ground beside the mattress-pillow hybrid and leaned against the thin tree. The forest of No Man¡¯s Land was filled with the airy scent of wet plants and constant whispers of the rain falling onto the leaves.


    I should make sure I stay relatively focused on the mattress and umbrella, Deon planned. If I¡¯m not paying attention, they¡¯ll disappear. And so he began to stare intently. Deon rotated between watching the umbrella and the mattress, making a mental note to master these creations so it wouldn¡¯t be an issue in the future.


    He laughed to himself, remembering how long it took to master his imagined clothes so they wouldn¡¯t disappear off of him. And that time Savannah¡­


    Oh wait¡ªFocus!


    The rather monotonous staring session continued for what seemed like forever. The woods gradually grew dark around him as he kept his mind on the objects he imagined. Eventually Deon drifted off to sleep, dreaming about wide umbrellas and pillow-mattresses.


    ~


    Deon awoke with a snort. It was bright out now and morning birds were tweeting in the trees all around. To his surprise, the umbrella and mattress were still there.


    It¡¯s a good thing I ended up dreaming about them, he remarked.


    But something was wrong: Skrili wasn¡¯t on the mattress anymore. Confused, Deon looked around. Her bag was gone, too. The only thing left from it was the TeamTrack, which had been placed beside Deon¡¯s backpack.


    She left? Deon wondered. He stood up. Skrili was nowhere in sight. She just left? We went through all that trouble together, and she ditches me right after? No ¡®See ya around,¡¯ or anything???


    He turned around to see if she had gone the other way. Deon felt an immense sense of relief when he saw Skrili there¡ªbut her back was turned to him and she was walking away.


    ¡°Going somewhere?!¡± Deon called.


    Skrili stopped abruptly, but she didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Away,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Well thanks for the warning,¡± Deon snapped. ¡°I usually like to know when someone decides to ditch me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Skrili answered softly. ¡°I have to go now. Thank you for helping me.¡± She began to walk again.


    Deon couldn¡¯t believe it. Though they never discussed what their plans would be if they ever got Skrili¡¯s bag back, he¡¯d assumed they wouldn¡¯t part ways¡ªat least not immediately. ¡°But¡­like, I mean¡­¡± Deon stuttered.


    Skrili stopped again. ¡°Fantasy Country,¡± she said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Go to Fantasy Country. It¡¯s the closest Country to where we are right now. You¡¯ll find plenty of consciousnesses who would love to start a team¡ªespecially with an Imaginer who can beat someone like Phillip and Pang,¡± Skrili explained.


    ¡°But¡­what about you?¡± Deon asked her. ¡°What are you gonna do?¡±


    Skrili was silent for several seconds. ¡°I¡¯ll live out here, by myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s it???¡±


    Skrili turned to look at him. Her face was in its default emotionless expression, but her eyes seemed slightly shiny. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. There¡¯s food out here,¡± she said.


    ¡°But¡­that sounds awfully boring¡­¡± commented Deon.


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± Skrili asked, her eyebrows furrowing faintly. ¡°This doesn¡¯t affect you. You can just go to Fantasy Country and easily find a teammate. What I do with my life shouldn¡¯t make that any harder.¡±


    ¡°It does, though,¡± Deon said.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I want you to be my teammate,¡± he told her. ¡°You¡¯re tough as nails, and smart¡­and honestly, I just think you¡¯re really cool. We¡¯ve already fought together plenty of times; let¡¯s just become a real team.¡±


    Once again, Skrili went quiet for a while. ¡°I never really wanted to do this professionally, and that won¡¯t change,¡± she told him. ¡°You¡¯ll be better off with someone else, anyway. Find a new teammate¡ªsomeone more like you, who won¡¯t drag you around or correct you as much.¡±


    The glistening in Skrili¡¯s eyes was increasing.


    ¡°Find someone who can take the time to get to know you,¡± she continued, ¡°who doesn¡¯t mind talking with you¡­who can laugh with you and open up to you. I¡­¡± she paused. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t be that. That¡¯s why I¡¯m meant to be alone. Just go find someone else.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Skrili exclaimed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You don¡¯t need me, and I don¡¯t need you. Please go away.¡± She turned back around and continued walking.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Deon called.


    Skrili kept walking.


    Deon spoke anyway. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t matter, why are you trying so hard not to cry?!¡± he demanded. ¡°Skrili, all you¡¯re doing is becoming exactly who Pang said you would be! You want her to be right?!¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe her! You can do something for yourself! Get certified and win fights! Become a name every consciousness needs to know if they want to know what fighting really is!¡±


    Still, Skrili continued walking. It finally came to Deon¡¯s realization that she wasn¡¯t going to stop. She had chosen her path, and she was set in it. Deon knew he probably wouldn¡¯t see her again.


    It aggravated him¡ªthis girl had so much to offer. Just being around her made him stronger in the few days they had known each other. But since her skills and resolve failed to get her what she longed for, she threw it all away. Skrili was beginning a life void of purpose, and all Deon could do now was accept her choice.


    But he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°You know what?¡± he started. ¡°Never mind the fighting. And never mind the teaming up. Heck, never mind me. Just, whatever you do, don¡¯t do it alone, okay? If spending your life out here in the woods is what you want, then fine, but please¡ªjust make sure you let someone into your life. It doesn¡¯t have to be me¡­I¡¯m obnoxious, I get it¡­but let someone in. Because¡­¡± Deon paused, wondering if he might have already taken it too far. ¡°Well, you should be happy and¡­I think that¡¯s what your brother would want for you.¡±


    Skrili tripped on something and fell over. She remained on the ground, sitting still. Deon could faintly hear her crying.


    Unsure of what else to do, he walked over to her hesitantly and stood beside her as she sniffled softly. Skrili¡¯s head hung down, so her hair blocked her face out of visibility.


    After a short while, Deon sat down next to Skrili.


    ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m really sorry about all that,¡± he said.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± Skrili uttered shakily.


    Deon nodded in full acceptance, in spite of himself. ¡°Yeah, pretty much¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Skrili began, suddenly standing up. She started to hurry back to where Deon had set up their camp. ¡°You left all your stuff out in the open,¡± she said. ¡°We can¡¯t be a team until we get you registered, so we don¡¯t have time to go hunting down stolen bags again.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªsorry,¡± Deon said with a big smile as he rushed to stand and catch up to the pace of his new teammate.


    ~


    Deon joined Skrili, who was sitting on the ground beside Deon¡¯s bag with her TeamTrack in hand. By now, the mattress and umbrella had vanished out of existence.


    ¡°So how is this thingy supposed to work?¡± he asked. ¡°I picked it up yesterday, but it didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you have to turn it on,¡± said Skrili monotonously. She pressed in a button on the side of the device, and immediately, the screen began to glow with a white light.


    ¡°WHOA!¡± Deon exclaimed as he recoiled instinctively.


    Skrili stared fixedly at the TeamTrack. ¡°Calm down, that¡¯s supposed to happen,¡± she assured. When several shapes appeared on the screen, she tapped them in a seemingly random order. Nothing happened, so she tried again. After several attempts, Deon noticed a slight blush on Skrili¡¯s face.


    ¡°Is¡­that supposed to happen too, or?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Skrili uttered as a slight pout formed. ¡°I¡­forgot my password,¡± she admitted in a low mumble. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sure it¡¯ll come back to me¡­¡±


    ¡°So uh¡­what does that mean for us?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°Our next step is to get you registered as a pro fighter, so we¡¯ll need to start travelling,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll have to use the plain map.¡±


    She pressed the side button on the TeamTrack again, this time twice.


    A blue light glowed from the screen, and then it extended beyond the device, into the air above them. As the light widened, it reshaped into a flat, multicolored image.


    ¡°This is a map of the Multiverse,¡± introduced Skrili as they gazed up at it. ¡°Every TeamTrack has a basic map accessible in case of emergencies.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened.


    There¡¯s¡­this much more to existence?!


    The map displayed a vast world. It was divided into countries, which all had incredibly specific names. On the east side existed Realistic Fiction Country, Fantasy Country, and Fiction Country. On the west: Normal Country, Science Fiction Country, and Horror Country. A vast space between these six areas took up much of the map, and was simply marked as No Man¡¯s Land.


    Deon observed the map in fascination, until something odd struck him: ¡°Wait¡ªwhat the heck? Tailpiece isn¡¯t even marked on here!¡±


    ¡°What place?¡± asked Skrili.


    ¡°Tailpiece, where I¡¯m from,¡± Deon told her. ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­if I ended up in No Man¡¯s Land when I left, Tailpiece should be in the middle of the map somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Well, we are zoomed out all the way,¡± Skrili pointed out. She slid two fingers across the screen, and the floating image of the map centered closer into No Man¡¯s Land.


    But even after they checked closely, Tailpiece was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°We¡¯ll look again on the better map, once I remember my password,¡± she decided.


    Deon nodded. ¡°Right. So, where to now, teammate?¡± He shot her a booming smile and gave a playful nudge.


    Skrili pretended not to notice. ¡°We¡¯re roughly here,¡± she said, pointing towards the west end of No Man¡¯s Land. ¡°The closest country is Fantasy Country, and they have a registration center in the city past their middle border. It¡¯ll be a few days¡¯ journey.¡±


    Deon tried to suppress his ever-increasing smile. It was happening: they were about to be a team. He was itching to see all that awaited them, and explore this massive Multiverse together.


    ¡°By the way, I wonder if Pang and Phillip are heading to the same place right now,¡± said Deon. ¡°They have to start all over, too. I thought I was gonna have to beat Phillip a second time for your TeamTrack thing, but he just let me take it. Weird guy¡­¡±


    ¡°He let you take it?¡±


    Deon smirked. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! I haven¡¯t told you what happened while you were passed out!¡± he recalled. ¡°Well?¡±


    Skrili blushed. ¡°¡®Well,¡¯ what?¡± she asked uneasily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna know how I single-handedly beat Phillip and Pang, got your TeamTrack, and returned your bag to you?¡±


    Skrili irately stared back at Deon, unable to conceal her curiosity. She knew he was very much enjoying her reaction. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care,¡± Skrili told him.


    Deon laughed. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s the thanks I get for winning the fight for us?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re trying to force it out of me, yes,¡± Skrili mumbled.


    ¡°Really?¡± retorted Deon, still laughing. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I know you were fainted, but you should have seen my fight with Pang. It was so intense. Honestly, I bet you¡¯re pretty pumped to be in a team with me. You don¡¯t express a lot, and that¡¯s totally okay, but I know you¡¯re just trying to hide how unbelievably excited you really are¡ª¡±


    WHAM!!!


    Deon flopped over onto his back, knocked silly.


    Skrili rubbed her fist and looked away. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ecstatic,¡± she said calmly. ¡°Dimwit.¡±


    ~~~


    In the Grasslands of Realistic Fiction Country¡­


    ¡°I find it rather ludicrous that this pitiful heap of rotten logs is the only vehicle permitted in this landscape,¡± complained a raspy, whispery voice.


    ¡°Cease your whining, Najinzu,¡± an oddly calm and relaxed voice responded. ¡°Our only other options were the horses alone, and that wouldn¡¯t be fit for carrying our hostages. And it would be unwise to utilize magic or technology foreign to this country¡ªthat would draw unwanted attention.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, Fewpar, I¡¯m aware,¡± Najinzu grumbled. ¡°But that does not diminish the fact that this is a pitiful heap of rotten logs.¡±


    Fewpar and Najinzu were steering an old wooden horse carriage through the vast and flat Grasslands. The duo sat in the front part of the carriage¡ªthe only part exposed to the outdoors. Behind them, the rest was concealed under a rounded roof of white fabric. Two large brown horses were pulling the covered carriage across the grass.


    Fewpar, a tall, slender blonde man, watched the view with a content face. Aside from his slight bristles, he kept himself well dressed. He wore a black suit jacket over a button up and light blue tie, along with black pants and shoes. The only thing missing from the clich¨¦ getup was a top hat; he preferred to show off his well kept, fashionable pale blonde hair.


    Najinzu, on the other hand, had been wearing the same exact black, ripped outfit for days. It was complete with his stealth boots and the signature black bandana that covered his face from his nose down. His messy and spiky jet-black hair matched the attire and hid his face, save one slim, annoyed eye.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been staring at the same loathsome plain for hours on end,¡± spat Najinzu. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that white-haired boy¡¯s mother distracting us, we wouldn¡¯t still be on this quest. Zayza and her friend would be in our grasp.¡±


    ¡°Yet if your impatience didn¡¯t block your view, you would observe that we¡¯re soon to encounter the Pine Forest,¡± Fewpar responded with a relaxed sigh.


    Fewpar was right: in the distance, a spacious forest of pine trees began. And just beyond this was their desired destination: the triplet North Mountains.


    ¡°That wretched Zayza will be ours sooner than you think,¡± added Fewpar.


    Najinzu sneered. ¡°Tell me, Fewpar, how do you think she fares with knives these days?¡± he asked curiously.


    ¡°Hmm¡­I imagine she¡¯s one of the more diverse types,¡± he responded. ¡°Perhaps a screamer, probably a fighter¡­but most definitely a crier and pleader.¡±


    ¡°I''ve worked my craft on so many...I simply cannot remember,¡± commented Najinzu. "But I hope you''re right. Pleaders are my favorite."


    ¡°I¡¯d have to agree, friend.¡±


    ¡°So then, you¡¯ll let me play with her?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± permitted Fewpar with a kindhearted smile. ¡°I prefer that you do. Only remember: you can¡¯t kill this one. By all means come close to it, but don¡¯t kill her.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°And please, Najinzu, do refrain from getting her blood all over your clothing. That¡¯s so untidy.¡±

 Bonus Chapter: A Close Call

    Mariel slipped on an icy rock and fell sitting in a pile of snow.


    ¡°See? Told you this was a bad idea,¡± Rodrigo whined.


    Mariel stood back up carefully, dusting herself off. The brisk North Mountain air was even harsher than she remembered, and the slopes were steeper. She had never explored this far beyond the caves¡ªeveryone always said there was no point.


    It¡¯s supposed to be the end of the world past here¡­she recalled.


    ¡°I hate this,¡± Rodrigo added, climbing down from one boulder to another.


    ¡°Rod, if you¡¯re just gonna complain, why did you come?¡± Mariel pressed.


    ¡°I mean¡­I don¡¯t want you to get eaten by a wolf, or anything¡­¡± he insisted. ¡°Besides, Shane and I broke up. I¡¯m trying to be as far away from him as possible.¡±


    ¡°I thought you two just got back together yesterday morning,¡± Mariel said.


    ¡°Yeah. And then we broke up last night.¡±


    Mariel sighed. At least her housemate gave her company. They continued their journey, climbing down snow-covered rocks until they finally reached more solid land.


    For Mariel, it was too late to go back to Food Town¡ªshe had already told them she quit. It meant giving up her dream of affording nursing school, but after all her days of rude, entitled customers yelling at her, she had enough. She just hoped this odd village they were headed for was real.


    ¡°Do you think Zayza¡¯s right?¡± Mariel asked Rodrigo as they walked.


    ¡°What did she tell you this place is called again?¡±


    ¡°Our Snowy Village.¡±


    ¡°Nope¡ªI think she¡¯s on something,¡± Rodrigo said bluntly. ¡°Honestly, I thought you would have given up and wanted to go back to the caves by now. I was kind of banking on it.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m not, so you¡¯re either gonna have to come with me, or¡ª¡±


    Mariel stopped in her tracks, so Rodrigo looked at her with confusion.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ssh.¡±


    Something was rustling in the trees nearby. Mariel and Rodrigo looked closely. As it neared, they could hear muffled thuds against the ground. A few branches bowed underneath the weight of a massive, furry foot.


    Rodrigo cursed. ¡°We¡¯re gonna die.¡±


    ¡°Ssh! Don¡¯t move!¡± Mariel whispered.


    Only a short pace ahead, a black bear emerged into the clearing where they were heading. It was preoccupied, sniffing the ground.


    Mariel¡¯s heart pounded, but she tried to remain still.


    The bear looked up suddenly and stared at them.


    ¡°We¡¯re dead. Tell Shane I¡ª¡± Rodrigo began.


    ¡°Wait. See? If we don¡¯t move, it won¡¯t hurt us,¡± Mariel pointed out.


    The bear stood tall, and then let out a deep roar.


    ¡°Now what?!¡± Rodrigo exclaimed.


    ¡°Um¡­don¡¯t run¡­?¡±


    With a grunt, the bear charged them.


    ¡°RUN!!!!¡± Mariel screamed.


    She almost slipped again as she and Rodrigo sprinted in the other direction. But if they headed backwards for too long, they¡¯d reach the steep, rocky incline. Their only option was to hurry along the side of the mountain.


    But the bear was gaining on them, fast.


    Just when their fate couldn¡¯t seem any more certain, Mariel heard the crack of a stick. Then she saw Rodrigo trip, and he slid down the slope of the mountain, crashing against a tree.


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    ¡°Rod!¡± she cried desperately.


    Rodrigo let out a cry of agony, clutching his leg.


    Before Mariel could consider her actions, she found herself rushing to him. She slipped and fell onto her side, sliding down the hill until she crashed beside her friend. Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t sustained any injuries.


    But Rodrigo was crying in pain. Mariel leaned close to check on him¡ªbut as she heard the thunderous approaching footsteps, she knew it was no use:


    Looking up, she saw the bear was almost upon them.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± someone shouted spiritedly.


    Then, an enormous ball of snow and ice came tumbling down the hill from above. It slammed right into the bear, causing it to stumble onto its side.


    ¡°You were right, Foler!¡± came the same voice from where the snow boulder had descended. ¡°Setting up these giant snowballs was worthwhile!¡±


    Mariel looked up the slope to see a man in thick winter attire, wearing far too big a smile for the current situation.


    Then she jumped with surprise when someone else landed on the ground right in front of them, seemingly coming from high up in the tree.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that Lammy kid¡¯s got lots of good ideas, Folel!¡± this man called up the hill. He turned to face Mariel and Rodrigo, even as the bear was recovering. This man, Foler, looked exactly like the one farther up the hill.


    ¡°Hey there!¡± Foler greeted. ¡°You guys are in a tough area¡ªwe keep seeing bears around here lately! Sit tight, okay?¡±


    Mariel nodded both fearfully and out of sheer confusion, as Rodrigo let out another cry. Blood was dying the snow red beneath his leg.


    ¡°Can you take care of him?¡± Foler asked.


    ¡°I¡­um¡­I want to be a nurse, but¡­I don¡¯t know a lot yet¡­¡± Mariel stammered tearfully.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what your thoughts are telling me,¡± Foler said. ¡°You have what it takes¡ªI can tell!¡±


    Mariel didn¡¯t quite understand what he meant, but she knew she had to at least try.


    ¡°Leave the bear to me and my brother,¡± Foler insisted with a smile.


    He turned to face the bear, who was now charging at them once more. Foler swiftly scooped up a snowball and chucked it at the bear¡¯s face, running away from Mariel and Rodrigo. The bear followed him.


    Mariel was impressed at Foler¡¯s speed, but then she returned her attention to her own role.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be fine, Rod. I¡¯m just gonna need to see your leg, so this might hurt, okay?¡± she said as calmly as possible.


    Rodrigo nodded wincingly.


    Mariel rolled up his pant leg carefully, until she found the wound just under his knee. The deep cut was still bleeding fast, and judging by the shape of his leg, he likely had a fracture on his shin.


    First and foremost, she knew she needed to slow the bleeding. She rapidly reached under her coat and managed to rip off the sleeve of her shirt. Folding it into a cloth, she used it to apply pressure to his wound.


    ¡°Okay, now I¡¯m gonna need to raise your leg a bit. You¡¯re doing so great,¡± Mariel said encouragingly.


    Rodrigo let out a shout as Mariel gently lifted his leg above the level of his heart. As she did, she looked back up to Foler.


    Mariel gasped¡ªthe bear was close behind him, and he was heading towards a steep drop on the mountain.


    ¡°Alright, the big one, Folel!¡± Foler shouted up to his twin. ¡°Wait until you sense my feeling of readiness!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Folel shouted down. Mariel realized he had headed farther away, following Foler and the bear from above. There were more giant snowballs stationed around him, and he was running towards the leftmost one, which was twice the size of the first.


    How is he supposed to move that thing?! Mariel worried.


    Foler hadn¡¯t said anything out loud, but somehow Folel knew it was time. He threw himself against the snow boulder, shoving with everything he had. With an immense amount of raw strength he got the giant snowball to budge, and it began rolling down the mountain.


    Mariel¡¯s heart pounded even harder. At this point, the snowball would collide with the bear and Foler. But then Foler dove, landing just above the beginning of the cliff.


    The bear wasn¡¯t so lucky: the icy boulder smashed into it just as it neared the drop, tackling it and sending it freefalling. They all heard a deep boom as the bear landed in the snow below.


    Foler stood, still smiling as he checked down the drop. ¡°He¡¯s alright, it wasn¡¯t much of a drop,¡± he observed. ¡°No way he¡¯s getting back up here anytime soon, though! Nice work, brother!¡±


    ¡°You too, brother!¡± Folel exclaimed with a laugh, now hurriedly climbing down the slope.


    The twins regrouped and joined Mariel and Rodrigo under the tree.


    ¡°You guys okay?¡± Folel asked.


    Mariel checked on Rodrigo, who seemed to have calmed down. ¡°He¡¯s gonna need treatment, but he¡¯ll be alright,¡± she said.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what brings you two all the way out here?¡± wondered Foler. ¡°Your thoughts say you¡¯re from the caves¡ªbut I didn¡¯t want to pry any deeper without permission.¡±


    Again, Mariel wasn¡¯t sure what he meant by what her ¡®thoughts say.¡¯ ¡°Well, a couple of travelers I met told me to find a place called¡­¡± she began. ¡°Uh¡­never mind. It¡¯s gonna sound insane.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to find some hidden place called ¡®Our Snowy Village,¡¯¡± Rodrigo finished for her sardonically. ¡°Crazy, right? I told her we¡¯d never¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re from!¡± Folel exclaimed.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Folel and Foler laughed. ¡°Those travelers¡­do you mean Lammy and Zayza?¡± Foler asked.


    Mariel¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Yes! I let them stay at my place the other night! Zayza told me to come find you!¡±


    Folel laughed again. ¡°Well, if you guys really are from the mountains, I guess we should have warned them you¡¯re not supposed to know about the Multiverse¡­¡± he explained with a shrug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, brother. It could be the Great Spirit of the Northern Mountains working through our friends once more,¡± said Foler. ¡°Allow us to take you to Our Snowy Village. Our nurse is very old, but she¡¯ll be able to treat this young man.¡±


    ¡°Well hey, I think we just found her a new apprentice,¡± Folel pointed out, gesturing to Mariel.


    Soon, the twins were guiding Mariel and Rodrigo down the mountain. As Folel carried Rodrigo on his back, Foler held a large bag filled with wood and other resources.


    Despite their near-death encounter, Mariel couldn¡¯t stop smiling¡ªZayza was right: there really was more to the world than what she¡¯d been taught. She didn¡¯t have to stay tied down to a broken system that forced her to sacrifice joy for success. What was it Folel had called it¡­?


    ¡°The Multiverse¡­¡± Mariel recalled as they journeyed. ¡°What is that?¡±


    The twins smiled identically. ¡°Take a deep breath: your whole world is about to change.¡±

 Concept Conscientious

    Conscious, Conscientious exists thanks mostly to Super Smash Brothers: Brawl.


    Thanks for reading! Next time¡ª


    Alright, alright. I¡¯ll give some more context.


    It was back in my college days, roughly eight years prior to writing this (wait¡ªit¡¯s been THAT LONG ALREADY?!?!). I was home for the weekend, as usual, but since it was early in the fall semester I didn¡¯t have much homework to do. So instead, I found ways to be a productive member of society!


    ¡­Not really. I just played too much Wii. Specifically, Super Smash Brothers: Brawl.


    I had played the game so much with a friend in high school that I fell into a routine approach: I¡¯d always do two-on-two team battles. As I dodged and spammed the A-attack for hours, my creative gears began turning. Ever since I was a kid, my brain has interpreted everything as some sort of story or narrative, and apparently playing a mindless game was no exception.


    I began competing as the same team combinations over and over again, on all kinds of different stages. Before I knew it, I was forming fake little storylines for these teams in my head.


    (Apparently, at nineteen years old I wasn¡¯t old enough to stop playing pretend. But anyways¡­)


    All this overly-specific gameplay got me thinking: this could literally BE a story. Fighters with special powers that always fought in teams of two¡­travelling to extremely diverse types of locations, to the point where they cross genres when they cross borders¡­


    This could be fun to write.


    As a Toonami kid back in the day who had recently returned to the anime world like some sort of Prodigal Weeb, I had seen my share of powered-up fighting anime. But I hadn¡¯t seen many concepts where the characters always fought as duos.


    (I had yet to watch Pacific Rim, which had just released months earlier¡­but that¡¯s Pacific Rim. It just¡­doesn¡¯t count.)


    On top of that, I thought it would be fun to implement a Pok¨¦mon-type culture. Hence, the Consciousness League: a fighting league where teams of two would travel around and challenge each other for money and potential stardom.


    As for where they would all be adventuring, the idea of attributing genres to actual locations intrigued me. These power-enhanced duos would travel a vast world filled with virtually every possibility, much like the randomness of all the Super Smash Bros stages. It wouldn¡¯t be constrained to science fiction, fantasy, or realism alone.


    While initially I had no idea what that would look like, it has since evolved into the story¡¯s setting and system: the Multiverse, containing Fiction Country, Realistic Fiction Country, Fantasy Country, Science Fiction Country, Normal Country, and Horror Country¡ªall connected by No Man¡¯s Land.


    (I understand I haven¡¯t explored this very much in the first Volume, but it¡¯s addressed much more in Volume 2, which starts next week!)


    Similar to the limitless settings in the Multiverse, the characters would be just as diverse. In Smash Bros, I had been playing as two teams consistently: Link and Shiek, and Zelda and Lucas. These four characters were my initial inspirations for the main cast: Deon, Skrili, Zayza, and Lammy.


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    And when you spend too much time fighting as Link, you start to question things.


    Namely: how does he carry so much stuff around at once?? It always looks like he¡¯s pulling it out of his butt. Is his butt an infinite pocket of items??? Like, where is this all coming from?!


    That gave me the whole ¡°Imaginer¡± idea: a power where consciousnesses can create objects with their mind alone (Momo Yaoyorozu from My Hero Academia didn¡¯t exist to the public yet so don¡¯t come at me). Originally, all consciousnesses were going to be Imaginers. Instead, I landed on over a hundred consciousness types, like the original 101 Pok¨¦mon in Gen 1.


    To be fair, I can¡¯t really say Super Smash Bros: Brawl and OG Pok¨¦mon were my entire inspiration. As I mentioned, I was the Prodigal Weeb: returning to anime as a bright-eyed manchild and absorbing every second of shows like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Bleach (the latter of which hasn¡¯t aged nearly as well as the former). As a reborn anime fan, those long-running shonen epics excited me. I wanted to try and make my own story like them, paying homage to my favorite anime.


    And I kid you not: I genuinely, na?vely thought I was doing something unique by starting an anime-inspired ongoing novel. I had no idea the communities on Royal Road or other sites existed. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t even planning on showing anyone my work¡ªI was going to use Conscious, Conscientious merely as writing practice.


    So by this point, I had paused my game. I turned on my Toshiba laptop (Old Faithful¡­you will be remembered forever) and opened a Microsoft Word Document.


    I¡¯d been writing fiction for nobody since I was very young, but hadn¡¯t worked on anything in quite a while. This gave me the push to get back into it.


    As I typed the first few words, it all began magically coming together into a pure masterpiece.


    Just kidding, it sucked.


    Throughout my college years, I went on to write around 26 chapters (which I called ¡°episodes¡±) of my original story. My ingenious approach was to write on the fly each time, with no idea of an overarching plot. I was winging it, just to keep my writing muscles exercised.


    That caused A LOT of stupid plot issues. I DON¡¯T recommend writing this way.


    Eventually, I began emailing the chapters to close family and friends. One is a fellow aspiring writer, and you may see their work on this site one day¡­I¡¯ll let you know ;-) Over the years, after I realized I had a legitimate idea on my hands, this friend helped me flesh out the overarching story and characters.


    This led to about a year ago, when I finally decided to try sharing my stories with the world for the first time. I had a clear beginning, middle, and end in mind, with all of the plot and character arcs conceptualized.


    The only problem was: my original 20-something chapters were in rough shape. So I spent quite a while reworking and rewriting chapters, while planning what the overall release of the project would look like.


    Aside from writing fiction for nobody to read, my other passion has always been making music. As a longtime Sonic the Hedgehog fan (the casual kind, not the questionable-fan-art-kind), I always loved how the 3D games would feature actual theme songs for each character. Plus, I discovered the immersive art of concept music from rock bands like Falling Up, who released an album called Hours with a corresponding audionovel of the same name. This was something I¡¯d always wanted to try.


    And so, as I prepared Arc 1 of Conscious, Conscientious, I also began writing and recording theme music for it.


    (Shameless plug: check out the first theme EP Conscious, Conscientious 1 wherever you stream music! I¡¯ll include the Bandcamp link below.)


    And now, after several months of writing, recording, posting, and mostly just learning from dumb mistakes, we have the first 20 chapters of Conscious, Conscientious. I¡¯m pleased to say: starting next week, we dive right into Volume 2 with Chapter 21.


    In the next arc, you can expect a lot more exploration of the Multiverse and how it works, a lot more powers and types, and most importantly: you¡¯ll see the main characters forced to grow and change with new challenges, both physical and emotional. I¡¯m excited to raise the stakes, as well as bring you some more theme songs. I hope you¡¯ll come along for the journey!

 21. The Worst Town

    Lammy jumped when a sprinkle of water dripped onto his neck from the ceiling of the shady cave.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± he declared nervously, his voice reverberating against the rocky walls. ¡°I really don¡¯t like this.¡±


    Zayza, who was a few steps ahead of him, turned around. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lammy,¡± she said in her ever-lighthearted tone. ¡°I think I see the other side down there.¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but blush, so he was glad the cave was too dark for Zayza to notice. Once again, no matter what she said, her voice lifted his spirits. He was grateful to have her as a companion on this long journey.


    He couldn¡¯t believe how much they had been through together in a matter of a couple days. It hadn¡¯t been long since he was comfortably home, in Tailpiece, where everything was safe and predictable. Now, in a blink, they were at the tip of a grander Multiverse filled with powers, on a mission back to his village.


    They had already fought a snow monster, been catapulted onto a mountain, and worst of all: worked a night in food service. Who knew what else could be in store?


    Lammy thought of his mother¡­was she still alive? Did she escape the two dangerous men targeting Zayza?


    Again, he found himself thankful for Zayza¡¯s company. She may have lost all memory of her past, but she certainly still knew how to stay positive and compassionate. She was determined to help Lammy get home.


    We¡¯ll get back to Tailpiece, no matter how long it takes, thought Lammy, trying to shake his worry. And we¡¯ll recover each and every one of Zayza¡¯s memories along the way.


    After a few moments, Lammy could see the opening, as well. It was the same size as the entrance they had walked through a minute ago, and the slightly dim light of the next town shone from it. Lammy was relieved to be leaving this dire pathway, but now his anxiety about the town ahead sunk in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hate me, but I won¡¯t tell you what¡¯s in the next cave over,¡± Mariel had said to them this morning. ¡°If I tell you, you¡¯ll be too afraid to go. Just make sure you know how to make people agree with you¡­¡± Those statements rang over and over in Lammy¡¯s mind as they approached the end of the tunnel.


    Soon the entrance into the mysterious town was just before them. Zayza passed through first, and she waited for Lammy to join her. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look so scary,¡± she commented as Lammy came to her side.


    They stood on a small cliff that ran a few steps beyond the tunnel, and the town rested far below. Zayza¡¯s reaction was right: unlike Food Town, this place didn''t shock Lammy upon first glance. In fact, it reminded him a bit of Tailpiece, but with a rock floor instead of grass. Its houses looked to be made out of the same dark wood as those in Food Town, but they were shorter and instead of running along the walls, they were arranged in a grid-like fashion with perfectly square streets in between.


    Lammy noticed that like Food Town, this place used electricity: there were tall, black lamps placed throughout the town, keeping it bright enough to see, but still relatively dark as if it were always nighttime. In the center of the town¡¯s grid-like setup rested a particularly large wooden building with a motionless, droopy blue flag propped at the very top.


    There were a few adults rushing along the streets here and there. They all wore the same general outfit: black or gray formal coats, ties, dark pants, and leather shoes, each carrying a briefcase as they went about their seemingly important business.


    While the town didn¡¯t look very scary, it certainly looked boring.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a ladder over here,¡± Zayza noticed, walking up to the edge of the cliff. ¡°Let¡¯s head down.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful this time,¡± Lammy told her. ¡°We did enough falling yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Zayza called, already beginning her steady descent down the ladder.


    Lammy followed, his worries decreasing a bit. Maybe this place has changed since the last time Mariel was here, he thought as he climbed downward. It really doesn¡¯t seem so bad.


    The ladder was sturdy enough, but as Zayza and Lammy neared the bottom, the weight of their large travel bags made the climb a bit strenuous on their backs. Nevertheless, they touched down safely. When they turned around, they saw a large sign standing before them. In big red letters, it read: ¡°Welcome to Politician Town!¡±


    Zayza narrowed her gaze and crossed her arms, analyzing the sign fixedly.


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®Politician?¡¯¡± Lammy wondered.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a¡­um¡­a¡­¡± Zayza began. Lammy could see the confusion growing on her face as she found no words. ¡°Hmm¡­for some reason, I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m supposed to know what this word means, but it¡¯s just¡­not coming to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s your amnesia,¡± Lammy figured. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡ªI¡¯m sure we can figure it out¡­¡± He began to theorize. ¡°Well, it¡¯s spelled like it might be a variant of something¡­maybe ¡®Politic?¡¯¡±


    ¡°That word sounds incredibly familiar, too¡­¡± Zayza uttered.


    ¡°Well ¡®Politic¡¯ looks like a compound word¡­¡± proposed Lammy. He thought hard. ¡°¡®Poly¡¯ often means ¡®many¡¯¡­¡±


    Zayza nodded with interest.


    ¡°And a ¡®tick¡¯ is a bloodsucking parasite,¡± Lammy concluded.


    ¡°So this is¡­¡± began Zayza.


    They slowly turned from the sign and their eyes met.


    ¡°So this is the Town of Many Bloodsucking Parasites???¡± Zayza whispered fearfully.


    Lammy gulped. ¡°We need to get out of here!¡± he exclaimed, heading towards the ladder.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Zayza called.


    Lammy spun back around. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mariel said the only safe way out is through here,¡± she reminded him. ¡°I think we have no other choice but to pass through.¡±


    Lammy moaned. ¡°I don¡¯t want my blood being sucked by many parasites¡­¡±


    ¡°If we get there quickly and quietly, maybe the parasites won¡¯t catch us,¡± Zayza suggested.


    With a reluctant sigh, Lammy rejoined her. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s do this thing.¡±


    Zayza and Lammy stayed close to each other as they began to walk into the town, looking around with large, wary eyes. They reached the nearest street, in between two rows of houses. Nobody else seemed to be present, so they rushed along the walkway. Because of the Politician Town¡¯s symmetrical, boxy structure, the street ran all the way to the other side of the town. Lammy and Zayza could vaguely see the cave wall just beyond the houses on the other side.


    When they had made it about midway through, Lammy detected a woman walking quietly along a road that intersected with theirs. Like all the citizens Lammy and Zayza had seen, she dressed professionally and carried a briefcase.


    ¡°Zayza¡­¡± Lammy murmured uneasily. ¡°Someone¡¯s over there¡­¡±


    Zayza noticed the woman. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she whispered back. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s a parasite?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be a parasite¡­¡± muttered Lammy.


    Suddenly, the woman noticed them and perked up. ¡°Hello there! I¡¯m a proud mother of three, and I¡¯ve always cared about this town! You can totally trust me with your life!¡± she shouted abruptly, waving them down.


    ¡°Who starts off a conversation like that?!¡± Lammy whispered in horror. ¡°And why does she sound so rehearsed?!¡±


    ¡°This must be how she lures in her victims!¡± whispered Zayza.


    ¡°So what do we do??¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± began Zayza. ¡°RUN!!!¡±


    Zayza grabbed Lammy¡¯s hand and tugged him along as they began to run down the street.


    As they passed by the woman, she watched them with a puzzled gaze. ¡°Uh¡­those allegations about me are definitely false!¡± she added, but Lammy and Zayza were too far to hear.


    ¡°Another parasite on your right!¡± Zayza warned Lammy as they sprinted.


    A man with a forced smile and alarmingly perfect hair was stepping out of a building close to them. Just like the woman before, he tried to get their attention.


    ¡°Hey kid! I notice your hair is dyed white!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s great! I just want you to know that under my administration, no matter how you look or where you come from, you¡¯ll be valuable!¡±


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him Lammy! It¡¯s a trap!¡± cried Zayza.


    They almost ran into another man, and screamed as they pivoted to the side to get past him.


    ¡°Hey there!¡± he greeted. ¡°I see your travel gear¡ªyou must be hikers! Hiking blood actually runs deep in this town¡¯s history! The first hikers to travel here helped this town grow big and strong! My name¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°THAT GUY¡¯S NOT EVEN TRYING TO HIDE IT!!¡± Lammy wailed to Zayza.


    ¡°Sir, our blood isn¡¯t very tasty!¡± Zayza called back.


    ¡°Huh?¡± uttered the man.


    Zayza and Lammy raged on, speeding up whenever they saw someone nearby. All of the citizens reacted like the first few people they saw, watching with confusion. Eventually the two friends made it to the other side, sprinting past the final row of houses. The cave wall was bare besides one tunnel opening in the middle, identical to the one at the end of Food Town. But there was a problem.


    It was blocked off.


    Lammy and Zayza reached the closed-off tunnel and came to a skidding stop, gasping for air. Thick planks of wood were nailed into the stone wall, covering the exit entirely.


    ¡°You¡­have to be¡­kidding,¡± breathed Lammy.


    ¡°Hey there, what¡¯s the commotion?¡± someone asked from behind them.


    With a start, Lammy and Zayza whirled around and kept their backs flat against the wooden planks. A man with short light hair, small eyes, and a friendly yet uncomfortable smirk approached them. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± he asked.


    ¡°P¡ªPlease don¡¯t suck our blood, mister,¡± Zayza pleaded fearfully.


    The man stopped his advance as his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Suck your blood? Why would I ever do that?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Town of Many Bloodsucking Parasites?¡± asked Zayza.


    The man appeared even more confused. ¡°Huh? Of course not¡ªthis is Politician Town. We don¡¯t suck people¡¯s blood here; that¡¯s unlawful¡­and most certainly unjust.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Zayza and Lammy said together with a sigh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this town is the most fair, caring, and selfless town you¡¯ll ever happen upon!¡± the man continued. ¡°We allow everybody¡¯s voice to be heard. Before we make any decisions around here, it goes through a very organized voting system that we encourage everybody to participate in.¡±


    ¡°That seems like a good approach,¡± Lammy commented.


    ¡°It most certainly is, my boy!¡± the man agreed enthusiastically. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Charles G. Cook, the Block 7A Vice Assistant Secretary of the Third Board of the Representatives Committee.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you must be really important,¡± said Zayza.


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that,¡± said Charles. ¡°Without me, there would be nobody to make the coffee or keep the office bathroom clean. Anyway, what brings you two kids to our town?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Zayza and this is Lammy,¡± Zayza introduced. ¡°It¡¯s a rather long story, but basically we¡¯re passing through on a long journey back to Lammy¡¯s home to save his mother.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± responded Charles. ¡°Well I¡¯m sorry, but as you can see, the exit is blocked off. We had a vote three years ago. The majority decided that this town is so functional, nobody really needs to leave it.¡±


    Um¡­what? Lammy wondered. So they just¡­blocked it of???


    ¡°But¡­is there any way you could allow us to get through?¡± Zayza urged. ¡°Our situation is very urgent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that simple. You see: it¡¯s against the law to leave. The only way out is towards Food Town, but that¡¯s just for grabbing meals. By the way, have you tried their Cow Butt Special? Amazing!¡± He laughed cheerily.


    ¡°So¡­we¡¯re trapped in here??¡± Lammy asked as his nerves returned.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± confirmed Charles. Then he stopped to think. ¡°However¡­you could appeal to the mayor for another vote. Then you would have to convince the town to vote in your favor of re-opening the exit.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­how possible do you suppose that would be?¡± asked Zayza.


    ¡°Very possible,¡± Charles assured her. ¡°Allow me to very briefly explain: you¡¯ll need an impressive campaign if you want to change the minds of most of the town. That means you¡¯ll first need lots of credentials, or they won¡¯t be convinced. You should both get involved in working for the town and climb your way up the office positions by building good reputations as hard workers that care about the people. If you can do that, eventually you¡¯ll be in positions high enough that everyone will know and respect your names. But you can skip all of that if you have a lot of money. What follows next is the necessity of having supporters. Build relationships with other politicians and support their causes¡ªspecifically those that are well liked by the majority of citizens. If you have them on your side, it will greatly increase your influence on people¡¯s opinions. Or, just target an uninformed demographic and lie to them. Either is acceptable, though the latter approach is probably more effective. Next, you¡¯ll need to prepare a proposition to the town council, raising awareness about why closing off the exit is indeed a public issue. Persuade them, using any means necessary, to believe that it¡¯s worth having another vote on the matter. If they accept your proposition and open up the poles, you can then start your campaign by holding debates with politicians who disagree with you. Perform random acts of kindness for the citizens to get them on your side, even if you don¡¯t care about their situation. Also¡ªand this is an extremely crucial tool¡ªpost obnoxious and colorful signs everywhere you possibly can. Always make sure your signs are bigger than your opponents.¡¯ And most importantly, above all else, you need to make your opponents look bad. Find everything controversial they¡¯ve ever done, and let that be the leading argument for your cause. If you can¡¯t find much, be sure to take things out of context and make stuff up. Slander, slander, slander. That¡¯s the name of the game, you see. And if they have any dirt on you, just lie about it. Then, you¡¯ll be in the clear to convince everyone that your personal views are in their best interest, and victory will be yours.¡±


    Zayza and Lammy stared at Charles blankly and wordlessly.


    ¡°And that¡¯s the beauty of democracy!¡± Charles added with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to do to allow your voice to be heard!¡±


    ¡°So¡­if we do all those things¡­¡± said Zayza slowly, ¡°¡­we can pass through?¡±


    ¡°Well, not necessarily,¡± Charles answered. ¡°If the town votes in your favor, there¡¯s also the high probability that the mayor will repeal the law. But that¡¯s your best shot!¡±


    Lammy stared at Charles, trying to mask his increasing disgust. Now he knew why Mariel hated this town. ¡°Um, sir¡­?¡± he began timidly.


    ¡°Yes, my friend?¡±


    ¡°So to summarize, we have to lie, manipulate, cheat, slander, and hurt people?¡± Lammy questioned.


    ¡°Uh¡­well, that¡¯s just how the game is played¡­¡± Charles stammered as his smile grew even more plastic.


    ¡°How is that fair to anyone?¡± Lammy asked.


    Charles gazed at Lammy and Zayza for a moment as they awaited an answer. He shifted back a bit.


    ¡°Um¡ªwell, good luck with your campaign!¡± he suddenly said, turning and walking away quickly.


    Lammy and Zayza remained there, watching the politician leave into the streets of the dim town. A cadence of silence marked the end of their odd discussion with him, leaving them feeling just as hopeless as when they had first noticed the blocked-off exit.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Zayza uttered, ¡°at least we don¡¯t have to worry about bloodsucking parasites after all.¡± She faked a light laugh, which quickly died out when she noticed Lammy wasn¡¯t joining in.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± he said sardonically.


    Zayza watched Lammy with concern as he stared ahead grouchily. ¡°We¡ªwe can¡¯t let some silly blocked-off passageway stop us, Lammy,¡± she said, though with little confidence. ¡°If the only way to get you back to Tailpiece is to spend years working here, then I¡¯m willing to do it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± stated Lammy. ¡°If we wait that long, we¡¯ll definitely never save my mom from those two guys. And I don¡¯t want to become like these people.¡±


    ¡°There¡­must be another way¡­right?¡± Zayza wondered.


    ¡°Oh, there is. There totally is,¡± someone said from off to the side.


    Lammy and Zayza looked and saw a young man in his early twenties standing nearby. To their surprise, he wasn¡¯t dressed at all like the rest of the people they had seen. The man wore a black leather jacket with a red hooded sweatshirt underneath, and carried a sort of side bag that was strapped over his shoulder. He had on tight, dark jeans and expensive-looking casual shoes.


    The man had a handsome face: tough features, small, focused blue eyes, some unshaved stubble and a chiseled, bony chin. His dark hair was in an odd fashion Lammy had never seen before: the sides of his head were shaved to a buzz and the top was longer, with his bangs slicked back. The man stood relaxed, with his hands in his jacket pockets and his head tilted back a bit.


    ¡°Sorry, I guess I kinda eavesdropped on your conversation with Block 7A Vice Assistant Secretary Cook,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯m Ryan, by the way.¡± His voice was smooth and laid-back.


    ¡°Um¡­how long have you been standing there?¡± questioned Lammy.


    ¡°Pretty much the whole time,¡± admitted Ryan with an embarrassed laugh. ¡°Truth is, I kinda get a bad rap with the people in this town. We don¡¯t really see eye-to-eye, to say the least.¡±


    He walked up to them casually. ¡°I¡¯ve been stuck in this dump ever since they passed that stupid law that blocks this place off from the rest of the world. I was just stopping by for a couple hours to get some research for a paper I had to write, and next thing I know, they¡¯re telling me it¡¯s against the law to leave. Like, I¡¯m not even from here, but I¡¯ve been in this God-forsaken place for three years.¡±


    ¡°How terrible,¡± Zayza commented.


    Ryan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m alright; could be worse, I guess. And I didn¡¯t want to raise a fit¡ªI¡¯m sort of a pacifist¡ªso I tried the whole ¡®campaign¡¯ thing Cook was telling you about. Trust me, it¡¯s not worth your time or energy. They say their system here is fair, but that¡¯s only if you¡¯re willing to give up some humanity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through that,¡± said Zayza.


    Ryan laughed lightly. ¡°No it¡¯s all good, I¡¯m just complaining too much. The point is, you guys sound like you need to get outta here ASAP. Me too, and I just finished up a way to do that.¡±


    ¡°Really? How?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple: we just blow up the wooden planks.¡±


    Lammy looked at Ryan with confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t that sort of¡­against their rules?¡±


    ¡°Dude, everything¡¯s against the rules in this hellhole,¡± Ryan responded nonchalantly. ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna get out of here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Lammy. ¡°But wait¡ªhow are we supposed to break this down so easily?¡±


    A twinkle appeared in Ryan¡¯s eye as he smirked. Without answering, he reached for the bag strapped over his shoulder. Ryan unzipped the top and pulled out a somewhat large, unfamiliar rectangular device. He unfolded it, revealing a screen on one half and many black, square buttons on the other. Ryan pressed one of the buttons and instantly light emitted from the screen. Lammy had never seen such an otherworldly object.


    ¡°I know this looks like any old laptop,¡± Ryan began, ¡°but let¡¯s just say it¡¯s got a few tricks up its sleeve.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much for doing this,¡± Zayza suddenly said. ¡°It¡¯s very nice of you.¡±


    Lammy noticed a tone in Zayza¡¯s voice that he had never heard before. She seemed nervous, but not in a fearful way.


    Ryan looked up from his computer and his eyes met Zayza¡¯s. ¡°Sure, no prob,¡± he told her. ¡°Hey, not to be weird or anything, but you have really pretty eyes.¡± Ryan returned his attention to his laptop.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Zayza uttered shyly. Lammy noticed that her cheeks had gone a bit rosy.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes half-closed with disgust. Oh please¡­what¡¯s so great about this guy? he thought.


    ¡°Alright, you guys might want to step away from the wall,¡± Ryan warned.


    Zayza and Lammy did so, confused as to what Ryan planned to do with his laptop to open up the exit. They stopped several feet away and watched with curiosity.


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t go around telling anybody about this,¡± Ryan advised.


    Lammy and Zayza nodded.


    Ryan proceeded with his plan: he rapidly pressed several buttons on his laptop. A moment later, a pinkish circular light appeared in front of him. It produced a smooth, high-pitched buzzing noise as it floated before him. Satisfied, Ryan pressed a few other buttons, and immediately the light darted forward, colliding with the wooden planks. The planks exploded with a deafening crackle, and in an instant the exit was wide open.


    Lammy and Zayza stood in amazement. ¡°What?!¡± they exclaimed.


    ¡°And now we book it so no one catches us,¡± Ryan told them. He shoved his laptop back into his bag and darted through the rocky exit. With a start, Lammy and Zayza followed him, still in awe of what they just witnessed.


    As the three of them raced into the darkness, Lammy¡¯s mind raced even faster. What was¡ªhow did he¡ªwhy could¡­he thought rapidly. Is he a consciousness? He must be! I assumed if this place was like Food Town there wouldn¡¯t be consciousnesses, but I guess there are! But what type is he? I¡¯ve never seen¡­


    Their rushed footsteps echoed against the rock walls and Lammy continued to wonder as they headed for the next unknown destination.

 22. Unexpected Reunions

    Lammy¡¯s unfit body had a tough time keeping up with the agile Ryan and Zayza as they all ran through the dark cave pathway. Their frantic footsteps filled the stone hallway with echoes.


    They could see the exit¡¯s light much sooner than when Lammy and Zayza had passed through the path that led to Politician Town, but this was mostly due to their rushed pace. Soon enough, Ryan had reached the opening. He stopped just before it and turned to face Zayza and Lammy.


    Zayza reached Ryan effortlessly and began running her hands through her hair to make sure it stayed orderly. Meanwhile, Lammy wheezed as he hauled himself over to the two. He eventually joined them, pausing to catch his breath.


    ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t think anyone followed us,¡± Ryan decided, looking past Zayza and Lammy to check. He snickered. ¡°They probably can¡¯t until they pass another law that allows them to. I¡¯d say the coast is clear.¡±


    ¡°That was riveting,¡± Zayza told him. ¡°The last time I had a nice little run like that was¡­was¡­oh goodness, I forgot I don¡¯t have my memories¡­¡±


    ¡°Well I hope you guys are ready to run a lot more,¡± began Ryan, ¡°¡¯Cuz we¡¯re gonna need to if we wanna get through this next place.¡±


    I guess this is it for me, then¡­Lammy thought, still catching his breath.


    ¡°Oh no, why is that?¡± Zayza asked.


    ¡°You know how you guys were asking Block 7A Vice Assistant Secretary Cook if you were in the ¡®Town of Many Bloodsucking Parasites?¡± he reminded them.


    Zayza and Lammy nodded uneasily.


    ¡°The thing is, this next town really is the Town of Many Bloodsucking Parasites,¡± he explained soberly.


    ¡°Oh no! How horrifying!¡± Zayza exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands.


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± Lammy asked with terror.


    Ryan suddenly burst out laughing. ¡°Not really, I¡¯m just kidding,¡± he told them in between laughs. ¡°I just wanted to see your reactions. They were priceless! Especially yours,¡± he said to Zayza. ¡°You were all¡­¡± He mimicked Zayza¡¯s troubled expression and covered his mouth as she had, but more dramatically.


    ¡°Oh¡­I actually believed you!¡± Zayza said smilingly as she joined in on Ryan¡¯s laughter.


    Lammy glared at both of them, unimpressed.


    ¡°All right, sorry,¡± said Ryan, cooling down. ¡°But really, this place is where I lived before I got stuck in Politician Town. Man, I haven¡¯t been here for three years. Well, come on in!¡± With that, Ryan entered his apparent hometown.


    Zayza turned to Lammy before following Ryan. ¡°He¡¯s pretty funny, huh?¡± she said to him.


    ¡°Yeah¡­hysterical,¡± Lammy agreed emptily.


    Together they entered this new place, and what lay before them immediately filled them with awe. It was much more expansive than Food Town and Politician Town¡ªin fact, it was just about four times the size of both of them combined. Rectangular lights that hung from various points of the distant ceiling kept this massive section of the cave extremely well it.


    The vivid lighting revealed stone walkways throughout the area that were neat and organized, but not gridded like the roads in Politician Town. These walkways led to various gray and bluish buildings of many sizes, seemingly made out of the stones from the cave and mountain. Some were wide and rectangular, while others were tall, with many floors. They had sturdy wooden doors and glass windows.


    People filled the whole place, either walking about, mingling, or sitting on one of the multiple stone benches set along the walkways. Most of them looked to be in their twenties, and like Ryan, many carried bags and devices similar to his ¡°laptop¡± while others lugged around thick, hardcover books.


    A central, particularly wide walkway ran down the middle of the sizeable establishment, and it was the most occupied pathway. Numerous light blue banners stood symmetrically along both sides of the road, with the letters ¡°CTC¡± printed in white.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Zayza uttered as she took it all in.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good to be back!¡± Ryan exclaimed. ¡°Welcome to my real home: College Town College! It¡¯s the only town in this cavern that doubles as a college campus.¡±


    Whoa¡­So this is a college¡­ Lammy thought. This must be where Mariel is trying to go.


    ¡°A college?¡± Zayza repeated. ¡°So people can actually study here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ryan confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s a registered college for Realistic Fiction Country. Anyone can apply to come here and get a degree. I came here as a computer engineering major¡­and I hope they¡¯ll take me back after all this time¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll understand,¡± said Zayza. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault you were gone for¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ryan!¡± someone shouted from within the campus. Soon they saw a young man running eagerly towards them from a nearby building he had just exited. He was dressed a lot like Ryan, but was taller and bulkier, and had curly blonde hair.


    Ryan beamed. ¡°Cheese!¡± he yelled back, now darting towards his friend.


    ¡®Cheese?¡¯ wondered Lammy. What kind of name is ¡®Cheese?¡¯


    Ryan and Cheese met somewhere in the middle on the wide walkway, embracing each other in a macho hug. Zayza and Lammy rushed to catch up to Ryan and stood to the side.


    ¡°Bro, where the heck have you been?!¡± Cheese asked Ryan, shaking his friend¡¯s shoulders violently. ¡°It¡¯s been three freaking years!¡±


    Ryan laughed. ¡°It¡¯s alright, calm down, Cheese! When I went to Politician Town to get some research done, they like, blocked everyone off from leaving! I legit just got out of that place! Dude, never go there. Ever.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I wasn¡¯t planning on it,¡± Cheese reassured him. ¡°But man, I gotta say: I miss having you as a roommate. I¡¯ve been rooming with Nate since sophomore year, and dude¡­the guy smells. He smells really bad. Anyways, aren¡¯t you gonna introduce me to your friends?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Right!¡± Ryan remembered. He gestured for Lammy and Zayza to come closer. They joined the two college boys quietly. ¡°This is Zayza and¡­uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Lammy,¡± Lammy finished, a bit annoyed.


    ¡°Right,¡± said Ryan. ¡°They got stuck in Politician Town like me, so I helped bail them out. The exit was blocked off with wood, so all it took was a good hammer and some stealth.¡±


    Hammer? But he used his laptop thing to blow up the planks, Lammy noted. Then he remembered: Ryan had asked him and Zayza not to mention what he did to anyone.


    Did his own friend not even know about his consciousness abilities?


    ¡°Cool,¡± Cheese said, but his interest had already shifted. He abruptly edged closer to Zayza with a gentle gleam in his gaze. ¡°Hey, doll. I like that beanie of yours. Very tasteful,¡± he said coolly. ¡°If you ever apply to CTC, I¡¯d love to show you the ropes around here.¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Zayza stared back at him with a flustered blankness. ¡°Um¡­thank you,¡± she said both politely and uncomfortably.


    Ryan sighed. ¡°Cheese, not now,¡± he said with embarrassment. Ryan grabbed Cheese by the back of his collar and pulled him away from Zayza. ¡°Sorry,¡± he told Zayza. ¡°If you were wondering, that¡¯s why we call him Cheese: he¡¯s the cheesiest guy on campus.¡±


    ¡°Not true!¡± Cheese denied. ¡°Blake is way worse! You missed it: last year he told Andrea¡­¡±


    Ryan continued to drag Cheese along the stone path as Cheese energetically recited his story.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you guys around,¡± Ryan told Zayza and Lammy while ignoring his friend.


    They followed Ryan and Cheese around as they traveled throughout the campus. Lammy found the layout and concept of this school fascinating. The idea of dorms, where students would live together without any parental guidance, sounded wild. But he was most interested in the large buildings dedicated to different areas of study.


    The only thing he was disappointed not to find was a building dedicated to studying consciousness powers. If they had that, he would be in there in a heartbeat. He knew there must be so much more to learn, but it seemed this town was like Food Town: consciousnesses were unknown.


    As the tour neared the other side of the campus, they entered a more recreational section. To the back of the campus, there was a court for a sport Lammy had never seen before. Benches meant to seat lots of people were on either side of it. Other sporting areas were laid out beside the court with other activities Lammy didn¡¯t recognize. The only familiar one was at the other side of the campus: archery. Some students were over there shooting targets with bows and arrows.


    Throughout the tour, Lammy noticed that Ryan was focusing most of his energy towards Zayza. It was as if this tour was explicitly for her while Lammy and Cheese just happened to be tagging along.


    Apparently, Lammy wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed.


    ¡°Hey Lenny,¡± Cheese said, leaning down to him discretely as they all walked.


    ¡°Lammy,¡± Lammy corrected.


    ¡°Yeah, that. I think my bro¡¯s really got a thing for your friend,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him get like this.¡±


    Lammy and Cheese watched Zayza and Ryan as they walked before them. They were immersed in their own conversation, looking at each other more than the campus Ryan was supposedly showing her. They would both laugh when one shared a joke¡ªno matter how unfunny it was.


    ¡°No wonder he didn¡¯t let me hit on her¡­¡± Cheese commented. ¡°But it¡¯s all good, I¡¯m happy for the dude!¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± said Lammy as he pretended not to care.


    Cheese stared at Lammy for a moment, seeming to pick up on his pretense. ¡°You okay? You seem kind of ticked¡­¡± observed Cheese, leaning even closer with an analytical gaze that made Lammy step away with unease.


    ¡°Wait¡­you¡¯re not¡­¡± Cheese sprung back upright, bringing a fist to his mouth in shock. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­her boyfriend, are you? Are you like, one of those guys who looks like he¡¯s only a kid but he¡¯s actually twenty?!?! I knew it! Dude, this is mad awkward! I¡¯ll get this straightened out¡ªdon¡¯t worry!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡± Lammy wondered. ¡°No!¡±


    Ryan and Zayza turned to look at them in synchronization.


    ¡°What are you guys talking about back there?¡± Ryan asked with a laugh. ¡°Come on! I¡¯m gonna show them the caf. I bet some old friends will be there!¡±


    ¡®Calf?¡¯ Why would everyone be hanging out around a baby cow? Lammy thought. College people sure are weird.


    It only took a few moments before Lammy realized that ¡°caf¡± was just an abbreviation of ¡°cafeteria.¡± They neared a square plaza towards the center of College Town College. There were tables in the center area, and on the outer rims rested several stations with light-up signs above them indicating different types of food and drink. Workers¡ªmany of whom appeared to be college students¡ªoperated each zone. The food stations reminded Lammy of the setup in Food Town, only these were smaller and simpler.


    Students filled the food court both physically and sonically: this was the loudest section of CTC they had been to so far. Voices occupied the air with conversations and laughter as everyone socialized and ate together.


    ¡°Welcome to our cafeteria,¡± Ryan announced, mostly to Zayza.


    ¡°If you can help it, don¡¯t eat here. The food sucks,¡± Cheese chimed in.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± began Ryan, scoping out the plaza. ¡°Oh! There¡¯s a bunch of people over there!¡± He led the other three to one of the circular tables to the edge of the eating area.


    There sat about eight college students, some men and some women, who immediately recognized Ryan with happily shocked expressions. Many of them sprung to their feet and ran over to him, surrounding and cutting him off from Zayza, Cheese and Lammy. Together Ryan¡¯s friends made the cafeteria even louder with their exclamations of joy, questions about his three-year absence, and multiple other excited statements.


    ¡°Wow, Ryan seems to have quite a lot of friends,¡± Zayza noticed. Then she suddenly became anxious. ¡°Um¡ªnot that I¡¯m surprised, because he seems like a very likeable person¡­Um¡ªnot that I¡­I mean¡­¡±


    Cheese laughed calmly. ¡°I know what you mean. Yeah, coming from his roommate, he¡¯s an awesome guy.¡±


    The circle of students encompassing Ryan abruptly opened up when Ryan mentioned something about his new friends. Ryan introduced each of his many acquaintances to Lammy and Zayza, whose names Lammy failed to keep track of.


    ¡°¡­And this is Zayza and¡­um¡­¡± Ryan started.


    ¡°Lammy,¡± corrected Lammy once more.


    ¡°What¡¯s a kid like you doing all the way out here in the caves?¡± one friend asked with a smile.


    Lammy blushed, noticing everyone¡¯s attention was on him. ¡°Oh, um¡ªI¡¯m just¡­trying to get home,¡± he struggled to say.


    ¡°We¡¯re grateful for Ryan¡¯s special talents,¡± added Zayza, ¡°Thanks to him, we can continue our journey. You have a good friend.¡±


    ¡°Special talents? Ryan, you have special talents?¡± another friend asked teasingly, and the rest laughed.


    Ryan joined in loudly with more abrupt, false laughter. ¡°Yeah good one, Matt! You know me: not talented at all!¡± He darted over to Lammy and Zayza, facing away from everyone else. ¡°Can you guys come talk for a second?¡± Ryan asked apprehensively. Before awaiting an answer, he rushed away from everyone, off to the side of the food court.


    Lammy and Zayza exchanged puzzled glances. They shrugged and followed him. Soon they arrived at the quieter corner where Ryan nervously awaited them. His laidback demeanor had vanished, replaced with a stern and slightly fearful expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ryan? Are you alright?¡± Zayza asked him with concern.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± answered Ryan. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­these guys don¡¯t know about my¡­skills. You can¡¯t really talk about consciousnesses and stuff around here. This is one of those zones where consciousnesses aren¡¯t supposed to use their powers.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry¡­I meant to be subtle,¡± said Zayza.


    Ryan dismissed it with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s all good.¡±


    ¡°So¡­you are one then, right?¡± Lammy quietly pressed. ¡°A consciousness?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ryan answered¡ªbut he seemed uneasy. ¡°Well, sort of¡­it¡¯s¡­kind of complicated¡­¡± He glanced at Zayza with a strange fear in his eyes.


    ¡°How so?¡± wondered Zayza.


    Ryan continued to look at her, appearing incredibly troubled. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead closed it. ¡°I¡­¡± he managed to mutter, but again his attempt failed.


    ¡°Oh dear¡ªif it hurts that much to explain, please don¡¯t feel compelled to,¡± Zayza told him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if our being here is causing you trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°No, please stop,¡± Ryan uttered quickly. ¡°It¡¯s not you. The thing is¡­it¡¯s that¡­oh, for the love of¡ªI can¡¯t do this anymore!¡± he exclaimed, turning away sharply and looking up with his hands on his head. It was like he was being interrogated. Suddenly, he turned back and looked at Zayza and Lammy intensely. ¡°You guys need to get out of here. You can¡¯t stay here,¡± he instructed them. ¡°You have to leave this place now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lammy questioned.


    ¡°Did we do something wrong?¡± Zayza asked him.


    ¡°NO!¡± Ryan barked. He looked around briefly, and then tried to contain himself once more. ¡°No, Zayza. Please, you need to leave. The longer you stay here, the bigger chance you¡¯ll be in serious danger. Just trust me¡ªthere¡¯s still plenty of time for you to get away if you go now.¡±


    ¡°I believe you should reevaluate the validity of that statement, Ryan,¡± someone declared in a remarkably calm voice. It had come from one of the cafeteria tables.


    Ryan looked past Lammy and Zayza towards the voice, with complete terror in his eyes. Alarmed, Lammy and Zayza turned to see who had spoken to them.


    Their hearts skipped several beats, and immediately dread began to melt their insides. At a nearby table sat the two men who had tried to kidnap Zayza and kill Lammy back in No Man¡¯s Land near Tailpiece. They recognized the duo instantly: the tall, slender one with overly stylized pale blond hair in well-fitted formal clothing, and the hunched-over man in tattered black clothing, shrouded by his unruly dark hair and a mask that covered his nose and mouth.


    The sinister pair stood slowly, with both of their cold and bloodthirsty stares targeting Zayza.


    ¡°F-Fewpar and Najinzu¡­¡± Ryan stuttered shakily. ¡°You¡¯re already here?¡±


    ¡°What a foolish question,¡± spat Najinzu in his raspy voice. ¡°Can you not see us?¡±


    Fewpar, the tall and tranquil one, smiled. ¡°Hello, Ryan,¡± he said.


    Wait¡­but if they¡¯re here, thought Lammy, then what happened to my mom???


    Off to the side, Ryan¡¯s college friends were observing the tense standoff with curiosity and confusion.


    ¡°But¡­how?¡± Ryan asked. ¡°How did you get here so fast?¡±


    ¡°When we got your message, we just couldn¡¯t wait,¡± Fewpar explained. ¡°So, as I¡¯m quite embarrassed to admit, we broke the ¡®no magic¡¯ rule of this Country and warped from the Pine Forest to here. A basic Fantasy Country trick.¡±


    ¡°But enough babble,¡± Najinzu interceded impatiently. ¡°You¡¯ve done your part, now hand the girl and her friend over.¡±


    Ryan nervously glanced at Zayza and Lammy, who now watched him with fear.


    ¡°What¡­does he mean¡­?¡± Zayza asked Ryan faintheartedly.


    ¡°Are you with them?¡± Lammy questioned, his heart racing.


    Ryan was speechless, his eyes shifting between everyone nervously.


    Fewpar laughed, as if he was having a relaxing cup of tea. ¡°How amusing,¡± he observed. ¡°They appear so perplexed. Do humor them, Ryan. Go on and tell them who you really are.¡±

 23. Onward

    The initial downpour in the woodlands of No Man¡¯s Land had settled down to a much more bearable mist for the past hour, so Phillip deemed it safe to continue his travels along the slightly muddied path. He silently carried his sleeping teammate along the way.


    Phillip tried to avoid looking at Pang; whenever he did, he would just become more concerned about her, and angrier with the immature Imaginer who hurt her.


    It had been a couple hours or so since their lost fight against Skrili and Deon. Phillip wondered where Deon had taken his own fallen teammate in the midst of the rain. He speculated if Deon was taking care of her¡ªor if he even cared about her at all. All he knew of Deon and Skrili was that they didn¡¯t seem to get along that well. Phillip didn¡¯t understand how a team with that much inner conflict could ever function.


    ¡°That was fun¡­¡± Pang muttered softly. Phillip looked down at her. She was still slumped in the same position and her eyes remained closed.


    Phillip couldn¡¯t tell if she was either talking in her sleep or half-conscious. The healing ray feature on the TeamTrack affected everyone differently, and for Pang, it apparently made her sleepy. She had never needed to use it until today, and due to the severity of her injuries, Phillip guessed she would probably be out of it for a while longer.


    Pang¡¯s golden eyes opened halfway. By now the dark ring under her left eye had developed into a full bruise. It was somewhat swollen, causing that eye to be a bit more closed than the other. She looked up at Phillip with a dazed, wavering gaze that was still somehow alert. ¡°That Deon¡­he plays rough, doesn¡¯t he?¡± she said.


    ¡°Mm,¡± Phillip agreed, though he wouldn¡¯t have worded it so lightly.


    Pang smiled, as if she had been dreaming of something special. ¡°Yeah¡­he really¡­¡± she started, and her eyelids began to fall. ¡°¡­Got me good¡­¡± she finished as her eyes closed and her head drooped back against Phillip¡¯s shoulder.


    Phillip continued to watch his no-longer undefeated teammate for several more seconds. She appeared to have returned to that special dream, with a little smile on her face. It unsettled Phillip: even in brutal and humiliating defeat, Pang seemed to see this merely as a game¡ªone that she was particularly enjoying.


    He was pretty sure of the reason, but he tried not to think about it.


    As he observed the healing girl in his arms, he felt the opposite as her: resentful. An image of Deon pestered his mind. He could picture Deon from when they had fought: the white-haired Imaginer stared back at him with those lively, overconfident orange eyes and that annoying, bigheaded smirk. Phillip had no patience for him.


    Deon¡­Phillip thought bitterly. Anyone who can go so far as to beat a girl senseless like that and walk away without remorse is¡­is just¡­


    Is my enemy.


    ~


    ¡°Do you think Pang is gonna hate my guts from now on?¡± Deon asked Skrili over the loud buzzing of his bug-wing flying device. He was holding onto the handles and steering the contraption as it traveled forward. ¡°Like, if we meet again, is she gonna be ticked?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Skrili answered below him. She was hanging on tightly to Deon¡¯s ankles. Together they floated amongst the trees, hovering above the swampy ground. The excessive rain of the day before had caused the streams to flood and muddy the pathways in the direction they were headed for as long as they could see, so utilizing Deon¡¯s flying technique was the best way to advance.


    ¡°¡®No?¡¯ Are you sure?¡± questioned Deon, looking down at her. ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t just win against her¡ªI beat the living daylights out of her,¡± he elaborated. ¡°While she was being a total jerk, I still feel pretty bad about it.¡±


    ¡°I know her,¡± Skrili said decidedly. ¡°She¡¯ll be more excited than anything, especially if you really beat her as bad as you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Weird,¡± Deon commented. ¡°Well, I gotta say it again: you must feel lucky to have a teammate so good he can take down someone as strong as Pang!¡±


    Skrili rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m shaking with joy,¡± she said plainly. ¡°Just be sure to¡ª¡±


    ¡°WHAAA! HORNET!!!¡± cried Deon, abruptly jerking to the side to avoid a large oncoming bug. ¡°Phew! That was close,¡± he said. But then he noticed Skrili¡¯s weight had vanished. His eyes widened. ¡°Uh-oh¡­¡±


    Skrili splashed into the slushy mud below.


    Deon nervously lowered his bug wing device closer to where Skrili had landed. She lay on her back in the muck, holding her travel bag in both hands above the ground to keep it from getting soiled.


    Skrili stared at Deon as he descended. She appeared emotionless, but he knew she was probably rather irritated.


    ¡°Want me to take you over to the stream?¡± Deon asked apologetically.


    ¡°Just do it, you dummy.¡±


    ~


    Now Deon flew alone, wandering about the woods as he waited for Skrili to rinse off in the stream. He stayed nearby the water so he¡¯d know how to get back to her when she was ready.


    At least I didn¡¯t drop her on solid ground¡­Deon thought. She¡¯d probably get a Power Rebound and kick me into the clouds. He chuckled at the thought, painful as it sounded.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Deon spotted someone sitting under a tree not too far from him on the other side of the stream, in a patch of land that was still dry. It was a young woman, probably in her early twenties. She had straight, blonde hair that fell to her mid back and stylish rectangular glasses. The woman wore a fitted dark green coat with large buttons, dark pants and matching boots. Beside her lay a couple of small travel bags.


    Hey¡­there aren¡¯t too many blondes in Tailpiece, Deon noted. And I have a bit of time on my hands¡­


    He swerved the bug wings to turn in the woman¡¯s direction. After crossing over the stream, Deon landed a good distance away from her to avoid freaking her out with his strange contraption. After imagining away the bug wings, he made his way over.


    Now with a closer view, Deon noticed that the girl had a light, pretty face and to his surprise, pink eyes¡ªbut not in a sense that she was sick¡ªher irises were a soft shade of pink.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted. ¡°Can I help you with something?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just strolling around¡­¡± Deon told her coolly. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not all alone out here.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m just waiting for my teammate,¡± the woman explained.


    So that means she has a friend, too, Deon thought to himself. Deon, you may have hit the jackpot. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good,¡± he told her in the same cool tone. ¡°You know, I have to say: I¡¯ve never seen anyone with pink eyes like yours before. It looks nice.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± the girl said with a small smile. ¡°And I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anyone with orange eyes.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Runs in the family,¡± Deon said with a shrug. ¡°So you must be a consciousness fighter, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m a¡ª¡±


    ¡°WHO¡¯S THIS LITTLE PUNK?!?!?!¡± a deep voice bellowed from above. All of the sudden, a man dropped seemingly out of nowhere, landing directly in front of Deon. He was a towering guy with short, spiky blonde hair, a large and currently angry face, and toned muscles, which were visible even through his red hoody and jeans.


    ¡°We were just talking,¡± the woman explained composedly. She casually glanced up into the tree. ¡°How long were you up there, hun?¡±


    ¡°Long enough to see this pipsqueak hitting on you!¡± the man spat, getting even closer to Deon. ¡°Listen here, buddy.¡± He placed a thick finger on Deon¡¯s chest. ¡°You have no right to be hitting on my wife!¡±


    ¡°W¡ªwife?!¡± Deon repeated. Then he laughed. ¡°Oops, my bad. I had no idea she was married. And I didn¡¯t think chicks went for guys who stalk them up in trees. That was pretty weird.¡± He laughed again, collectedly removing the man¡¯s finger from his chest.


    ¡°Did you just mock me, kid???¡± The man exclaimed, veins popping out from his head. ¡°I can snap you in half if I want to!¡±


    Deon chuckled. ¡°I doubt it. But you can go ahead and try.¡± This guy has no idea what he¡¯s getting himself into, he told himself.


    ¡°Benny, don¡¯t get too worked up over this,¡± the man¡¯s wife uttered tranquilly behind him, wiping her glasses on her jacket. ¡°We have more important things to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Big Benny, you don¡¯t wanna hurt yourself,¡± Deon added with a taunting smirk.


    ¡°Stay out of this, Darla,¡± Benny told her. ¡°I need to teach this punk not to mess with my lady.¡±


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    ¡°Whatever you say, sweetie,¡± Darla sighed, putting her glasses back on.


    Benny swung his huge fist at Deon, but he easily hopped backwards to dodge it.


    Deon crossed his arms. ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s the best you can do?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Oh, so you want me to bring out the big guns, huh?¡± warned Benny.


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna do that, try not to kill him,¡± Darla instructed.


    ¡°No promises,¡± came Benny¡¯s response. He raised his fist again, even though Deon was now out of his reach. But as he did, another arm twice as large and muscular appeared beside him, mirroring the position of his actual arm. ¡°Eat this!¡± Benny exclaimed, and he punched forward his fist. As he did, the giant arm punched and shot forward at Deon like an arrow. Before Deon could react, it nailed him in the stomach and sent him backwards several paces before he crashed onto the ground.


    Deon sat up immediately after the attack, his stomach aching. He¡¯s an Imaginer! he realized. No sweat; that¡¯s my specialty. He stood up confidently. ¡°That¡¯s a cute little technique,¡± Deon analyzed. ¡°But it¡¯s not good enough to¡ª¡±


    Benny brought back his arm again, this time imagining the giant arms on both sides of him. He punched and shot the first fist, and immediately launched the other one behind it. Deon cautiously pounced into a fighting position. He ducked under the first fist as it flew above him, and then imagined a stone wall into existence in front of himself. The second fist slammed into it, but didn¡¯t break through. Deon imagined the wall away.


    ¡°As I was saying, it¡¯s not enough to take me down,¡± Deon finished. ¡°You¡¯re not just dealing with an everyday Imaginer, you know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my line,¡± Benny said with a chuckle. ¡°That was just a little taste of my Fist Flinger attack. Here comes the real¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡®Fist Flinger?¡¯ Really?¡± Deon repeated, laughing.


    ¡°See, Benny? I told you it was a stupid name,¡± Darla chimed in behind Benny.


    ¡°WHO¡¯S SIDE ARE YOU ON?!?!¡± Benny steamed. ¡°That¡¯s it: I was gonna hold back, but now I¡¯ll show you how a real professional does it!¡± After that, several more Fist Flingers faded into existence around him. Deon was about to make another sarcastic remark, but then the fists kept appearing. Soon enough, there were more giant, jacked arms than he could count. They filled up all the space beside and above Benny. There must have been hundreds of them, all aimed at Deon.


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened. Oh¡­crap¡­that has to be the most imagined things I¡¯ve ever seen someone put into one attack¡­this guy really is a true pro! he thought nervously. Well, now I¡¯m in trouble¡­


    ¡°Not so cocky now, are we?¡± Benny taunted.


    Deon frantically imagined another concrete wall in front of him, but this one was taller, wider, and had a rounded shape so it could serve as a bunker to hide behind.


    Benny laughed and began a rapid-fire of his Fist Flingers. Deon ducked behind the bunker, but imagined a small eyehole in it so he could peak through and look for an opening in Benny¡¯s stance. The fists pounded against the bunker, disappearing as they made contact. He noticed that every time a fist was shot, another would appear in its place, ready for launch.


    Dangit¡­it¡¯s like the attack I used on Pang, Deon observed. And there¡¯s no opening in sight!


    Suddenly, a fist crashed into the bunker right beside Deon¡¯s eyehole, and a large crack formed along the concrete.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to hide behind that thing forever!¡± Benny called.


    He¡¯s right, Deon told himself. Soon enough, the bunker would break apart, and Deon would get bombarded with punches before he¡¯d get the chance to put another one in place. In that case¡­Deon focused through the eyehole again and began to imagine his large shoe attacks above the bunker. After making about fifty of them, Deon began to shoot them at Benny.


    Fake fists and feet flew everywhere. Some collided into each other and disappeared, and while very few of Deon¡¯s attacks made their way to their target, Benny easily sidestepped them. Meanwhile, Deon¡¯s bunker was still getting pounded.


    Deon focused hard, trying to imagine more shoes to replenish those he was shooting. But something was wrong: he wasn¡¯t moving fast enough. He didn¡¯t have the same focus as he did when finishing off Pang.


    Why can¡¯t I attack like I did yesterday?! Deon wondered hopelessly. Where did all that new strength go?


    Meanwhile, Darla still sat against the tree, watching the flurry of fists and kicks with little interest. Suddenly, one of Deon¡¯s shoe attacks zipped at her face. Unfazed, she tilted her head to the side and the foot bashed into the tree behind her.


    Darla looked at the foot as it faded away. ¡°That would have made things interesting,¡± she said to herself with a smile. Darla then casually stood up and walked towards the stream as more shoes occasionally zoomed right past her. Soon she was to the side of the fight, out of range of the attacks. Darla yawned, and then stood beside the stream and watched the fight from a distance.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± someone said quietly. Darla turned to see a teenage girl with purple eyes and damp dark blue hair standing beside her. ¡°Have you seen a guy with white hair, wearing a black tunic?¡± Skrili asked Darla.


    Darla pointed to the fight in front of them. ¡°Is that him?¡± she asked.


    Alarmed, Skrili looked to the battle. Two overly determined men were launching fist attacks at each other and shouting silly insults, and one of them was Deon. Skrili slapped her hand against her face in humiliation. ¡°He¡¯s such an idiot¡­¡± she mumbled despondently to herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­that¡¯s my blockheaded teammate. What did he do to you guys?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Darla said. ¡°Only¡­I don¡¯t think my husband was too thrilled to find him trying to hit on me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Skrili repeated.


    Darla laughed. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay!¡± She reassured. ¡°My husband¡¯s the one being a blockhead. He thinks he¡¯s teaching your teammate ¡®not to mess with his lady.¡¯¡± She laughed again. ¡°But I hope this ends soon; we have some serious practicing to do.¡±


    ¡°Big fight?¡± Skrili guessed.


    ¡°Yep! Well¡ªa few, actually,¡± Darla explained. ¡°We¡¯re registered for the big Conscious Competition coming up next month in Fantasy Country. You know, the national one. It¡¯ll be the first Conscious Competition for us since the one before our wedding last month.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you guys are certified?¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Darla confirmed. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re actually on our way to Fantasy Country to get my teammate registered right now,¡± Skrili told her.


    ¡°Oh, fun,¡± Darla said sarcastically. ¡°I remember how long we had to wait in line¡­make sure you get there early.¡± She then took notice of something going on in the fight. ¡°Oh¡ªokay, honey! I think you won! You can stop now!¡± she called to her husband.


    Benny stood panting and sweating. He imagined away all the floating arms that remained. Across from him, Deon was completely covered under a shell of rock, which he had imagined around himself as a last effort to hide from the relentless punches. Deon imagined away the shell and poked his head up from the ground to see if it was really over.


    ¡°Consider this a warning, you little twerp,¡± Benny told Deon. ¡°Come on, babe, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Darla said. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Skrili. ¡°It was nice to meet you. I¡¯m Darla, by the way. Power Rebound.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m Skrili. I¡¯m a Power Rebound, too,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve never met another Power Rebound before.¡±


    ¡°Me either¡ªthere¡¯s not many of us out there,¡± Darla said with a smile. She began to walk over to the tree where her and Benny¡¯s bags rested. ¡°Well, good luck with your registration! Maybe we¡¯ll see each other at a tournament sometime.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Skrili told her with a small smile. But then she noticed Deon walking over, and her smile was immediately gone.


    ¡°Man, that guy was tougher than I thought,¡± Deon told Skrili as he joined her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even put a single hit on him.¡±


    Skrili glared at him.


    ¡°What?¡± Deon wondered.


    Wordlessly, she turned to continue their travels along the stream.


    ¡°What, Skrili?¡± Deon repeated, following her. ¡°What?¡±


    ~


    ¡°Good grief, Phillip!¡± Pang exclaimed.


    Phillip knew it was coming¡ªnow that she was alert, she had realized Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack was gone.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have told me I have this hideous black eye?¡± Pang finished as she walked over to Phillip and stood above him with her hands on her hips.


    Phillip sat against a tree trunk, taken off-guard. He had been waiting for Pang to return from washing up in a nearby stream. She now looked and sounded livelier than she had been since the day before¡ªPhillip figured the cold water probably helped wake her out of her groggy state. Even still, her black eye and the bandages she had placed on her remaining cuts immediately reminded him of her injuries.


    But¡ªshe wasn¡¯t mad about the TeamTrack? Or their whole plan being foiled? Just the black eye?


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Phillip decided to utter quietly.


    Pang flipped her still-wet hair. ¡°Now, be honest: how stupid does this make me look?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Phillip told her plainly. He was being truthful: Pang¡¯s black eye was very noticeable, but the swelling from yesterday had already gone down and either way, it didn¡¯t take away from her features. ¡°You¡­you look nice,¡± he added awkwardly, growing quieter towards the end of the statement.


    Pang stared back at him in disbelief. She shook her head and smiled. ¡°Well, at least now I know you keep me around for more than just my good looks,¡± she joked. She began to look over her bandages and check on their stability, letting out a single laugh.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve seen it, Phillip,¡± she said. ¡°After I easily knocked Deon over, he got really mad. Then he stood right up, and¡­his eyes¡­they were glowing.¡±


    Phillip looked at Pang with increased interest.


    She glanced at him for a moment to see his reaction, and then returned her eyes to her bandages. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding, I swear,¡± she continued. ¡°His eyes were literally glowing¡ªlike, they actually got brighter. It was bizarre¡­the scariest thing¡­¡± She tugged a bandage off her arm and repositioned it. ¡°And he looked so angry at me¡­it freaked me out. You should¡¯ve seen him attack me, too; he was a monster.¡± She laughed briefly. ¡°He was brutal. I seriously thought he was trying to kill me.¡±


    Phillip shook his head in disgust, but Pang didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Phillip, that Deon guy is something else,¡± said Pang. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he sticks around with Skrili¡ªhe could really branch out.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Phillip uttered.


    Pang immediately looked up from her bandages and gazed at Phillip with surprise: she clearly hadn¡¯t expected such a negative remark from him. ¡°Was that emotion I heard? From you?¡± she questioned, astonished.


    Phillip said nothing.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pang asked him as her eyes began to smile. ¡°Are you upset Deon beat you, too? Or¡­are you jealous?¡± Now her eyes smiled even more.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡± Pang insisted, highly amused.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­just¡­¡± Phillip paused as he felt himself beginning to blush. ¡°Deon was too violent to you. He could have ended it without hurting you so much.¡± He looked away, embarrassed and afraid to see Pang¡¯s expression.


    But the silence lasted too long for him to bear, and soon Phillip cautiously looked back at Pang. Her mouth had now joined her eyes with a big smile as she now appeared even more amused.


    ¡°Aw, that¡¯s just precious!¡± Pang exclaimed. She walked closer to Phillip and sat down beside him.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Phillip muttered defensively.


    ¡°You¡¯re being protective of me,¡± Pang expounded, nudging his shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s just too cute. You¡¯re adorable.¡± She laughed spiritedly. ¡°But I¡¯m okay, Phyllis. Don¡¯t you cry one little tear for me. I know how to take care of myself, alright?¡±


    Phillip sighed and nodded. He knew she was right. Pang was small, and¡ªif you didn¡¯t make eye contact with her¡ªunintimidating, but the fact of the matter was that she was tough and relentless to the core. Phillip couldn¡¯t think of a single person more capable to handle the life of a consciousness fighter than her. In fact, she certainly had her own history of fighting too intensely, so why would she see Deon¡¯s actions as wrong?


    And yet, Phillip still couldn¡¯t help it: Pang was his teammate, and Deon had hurt her unnecessarily. He wasn¡¯t about to just let that slide.


    ¡°Speaking of tears, remember that one Persuader we fought a while ago?¡± Pang recalled. ¡°He wasn¡¯t very persuasive at all if you ask me, remember him? What a loser¡­I don¡¯t understand how so many crappy consciousness types think they can be fighters, I really don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Phillip sat silently and listened as Pang began one of her many one-sided conversations with him.


    But¡­something was still off¡­


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± he asked cautiously.


    Pang stopped with a surprised look. Phillip had never interjected when she got going on one of her fighting stories. ¡°Hm?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well¡­we don¡¯t have Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack¡­we can¡¯t enter a Conscious Competition anymore¡­¡± continued Phillip.


    A smile slowly morphed on Pang¡¯s face. ¡°Trust me, that won¡¯t be an issue.¡±

 24. The Worldline

    ¡°Deon, you did it!¡± Skrili exclaimed with joy. ¡°You won the Conscious Competition for us! We¡¯re the champions!¡±


    Deon stood on a wide platform. Skrili was beside him, hopping up and down with uncontainable glee. In front of him lay Benny and Darla, both defeated. Deon could hear the cheering of the crowd all around him.


    ¡°Oh wow, Deon, you¡¯re so talented!¡± came a girl¡¯s voice. Suddenly, Deon was surrounded by girls. Ashley, Miranda, Savannah, and several of his past girlfriends from Tailpiece were around him, cheering and celebrating with him.


    Even Darla got up from where she was lying and joined the bunch, no longer injured. ¡°That was amazing, Deon! Congratulations!¡± she said. ¡°Now I¡¯m sorry I married that big, stupid Benny. I should have married you!¡±


    Skrili broke through the crowd and approached Deon. ¡°I¡¯m so very sorry for being so cold to you all the time,¡± she told him sadly. ¡°Please forgive me. I¡¯ll be nicer now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, Skrili!¡± Deon exclaimed with a smile. ¡°I understand. You were just intimidated by my great looks and raw talent.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, thank you for understanding,¡± Skrili agreed. Then she was refilled with joy. ¡°Hey, when you¡¯re done hanging out with all your new girlfriends, let¡¯s become the most famous consciousness team in the whole wide Multiverse!¡±


    ¡°You got it!¡± Deon said, giving a thumbs-up. ¡°Come on, ladies!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªare you sure this is okay?¡± Ashley asked him cautiously.


    ¡°Huh? Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°Won¡¯t your wife be upset if she sees you hanging out with all of us?¡±


    ¡°What??? Wife???¡± Deon asked, heart pounding.


    ¡°Of course, team leader,¡± Skrili said. ¡°She¡¯s right there!¡±


    All of the sudden, Pang was right beside Deon, looking up at him with a sinister smile.


    ¡°Hey hot stuff,¡± Pang said.


    Deon screamed.


    Deon¡¯s eyes shot open and he sat right up, panting with terror. Relief swept through him as he realized he had been dreaming on the thick branch of a tree, high above the ground. The gentle glow of the early morning sun caused his eyes to adjust as he wiped them.


    ¡°That was amusing,¡± Skrili said plainly. She was above him to an angle, sitting in a portable tree hammock that she hung from the branches. It was a device she had recovered since getting her bag back.


    Removing his hands from his eyes, Deon looked up at Skrili uneasily. ¡°Wait¡­how much of that did you hear?¡±


    ¡°Apparently I¡¯m intimidated by your good looks and raw talent,¡± Skrili answered.


    Deon blushed. ¡°Oops¡­well, it was just a dream¡­¡± he awkwardly justified. ¡°Oh, never mind. Are we going or not?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Skrili. She crawled out of her hammock and balanced on a nearby branch. Then she reached over to a corner and pulled a small lever. The hammock immediately released from the branches and folded itself into a ball, which fell into Skrili¡¯s hands. She grabbed her bag off of the branch above her and placed the rolled-up hammock inside.


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready to go, meet me on the path,¡± she instructed Deon. ¡°Make sure you keep anything you need close to you. We¡¯ll be entering Fantasy Country today.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Deon asked excitedly.


    Skrili nodded, and with that she began her speedy descent down the tall tree.


    Invigorated by Skrili¡¯s news, Deon quickly grabbed his backpack and started to climb down as well. It had been three days since they met Darla and Benny, but in their monotonous travels afterward he had forgotten that their quest to the registration center in Fantasy Country was only a few days¡¯ journey. Now he felt closer to being a pro fighter than ever before.


    Additionally, Deon was looking forward to a hopeful change in scenery. He had been living outside in the forest of No Man¡¯s Land for over a week now, and the constant sights of trees and squirrels were getting rather boring.


    After Skrili and Deon split up to get dressed for the day ahead, they met on the path. It was wider and flatter than it had been for the majority of their travels, and when Deon stepped onto it, he noticed it felt more solid. The soil was also a darker shade: it was clear that they were in fact getting close to a new region.


    As Deon joined Skrili, he noticed she had changed into a slightly different outfit than her usual clothing. It was still blue and black, only now she wore a long-sleeved version of her signature blue shirts. Her pants were almost the same as normal, but instead of being solid black, blue stripes circled one leg.


    ¡°Oh, a new outfit, I see,¡± Deon acknowledged.


    ¡°The weather tends to be chilly at the border.¡±


    After making sure they had everything, they continued their travels along the path.


    ¡°If you see more girls along the way,¡± began Skrili, ¡°don¡¯t think you can flirt with them. We don¡¯t have time for that. And I doubt they do, either.¡±


    ¡°Aw, seriously?¡± Deon complained.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Even if they¡¯re really attractive?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But what if they¡¯re like, super attractive?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°But¡­okay, fine. What about when we get into Fantasy Country? I bet Fantasy Country girls are cute, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°No flirting.¡±


    ¡°No flirting?¡±


    ¡°NO FLIRTING.¡±


    Deon sighed, accepting defeat. ¡°Wait¡­since when did you get the right to decide when I can and can¡¯t hit on girls?!¡±


    ¡°Since you decided you wanted to keep me your teammate.¡±


    ¡°Well played¡­¡± Deon admitted. Then he smirked. ¡°So then¡­if I can¡¯t flirt with a girl even if she¡¯s super attractive¡­I guess that means I can¡¯t flirt with you, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you want to slowly die in agony?¡±


    Deon laughed. ¡°Jeez Skrili, relax. I thought it was clever.¡±


    ~


    Pang and Phillip walked along the dirt path, which was becoming less rocky and uneven.


    ¡°¡­And Skrili was holding her own against the Feelreader girl, but I got bored after beating that chubby guy so easily¡­¡± Pang paused her story to take a bite out of her apple. ¡°¡­So I just manipulated the girl¡¯s powers and made her sense her own feelings. That freaked her out, so I¡­¡± She stopped when she noticed Phillip had been staring at her strangely. ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡±


    Phillip blushed and mumbled something inaudible.


    ¡°Use your voice, Phillip.¡±


    ¡°Are¡­you sure¡­¡± he said a bit louder, ¡°¡­you don¡¯t want to see a doctor first?¡±


    Pang rolled her eyes with an understanding smile. ¡°They¡¯re just scabs and bruises; I¡¯m not dying.¡±


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    Phillip nodded.


    ¡°Besides, at this rate, we¡¯ll get to the Conscious Competition right on time,¡± Pang pointed out. ¡°It¡¯ll all happen so fast: the qualifying rounds will be a breeze, and then next thing you know, the first place prize money will be¡ª¡±


    All of the sudden, something shot up out of the ground beneath them, encompassing and rapidly lifting them into the air. They stopped high above the ground and realized they were dangling in a rope net hanging from a tree.


    The duo hung silently, tangled in the rope and each other as the net swayed back and forth slowly.


    ¡°This might set us back a few minutes,¡± Phillip noted calmly.


    Pang burst out laughing, her head resting on Phillip¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well if I have to be stuck in some idiot¡¯s trap with somebody, I¡¯m glad it¡¯s you,¡± she told him.


    Phillip nodded in agreement.


    ~


    ¡°Hey¡ªis that a¡­stone building?¡± Deon asked in amazement. It was late afternoon now in their travels, and in the distance Deon witnessed a long structure of tan bricks behind the many trees that obscured his view. It ran as far left and right as he could see. The structure was astonishingly tall, towering above even the highest trees of No Man¡¯s Land.


    ¡°It¡¯s a stone wall,¡± Skrili explained as the two walked. ¡°It marks the border between No Man¡¯s Land and Fantasy Country.¡±


    ¡°Wow, we¡¯re almost there, then,¡± Deon observed.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A pair of burly consciousness travelers walked past Deon and Skrili, on their own journey. By now, Deon and Skrili had passed by numerous teams. The closer they got to the border, the busier the pathways seemed to be.


    ¡°Man, I hope the food is good in Fantasy Country,¡± Deon said. ¡°I¡¯m sick of eating nothing but fruits and berries.¡±


    ¡°Pang and Phillip left most of my money in my bag, so we¡¯ll be able to find something,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Really? They didn¡¯t steal it all? I¡¯m shocked,¡± Deon commented.


    Skrili fell silent. The new team continued their seemingly endless walking, but their pace increased a bit now that Fantasy Country was in sight. It took another hour before they actually approached the great wall, but to Deon it felt like much longer. Having the destination in sight for that long only made him antsier.


    Soon enough, they arrived.


    The late sun¡¯s position caused the Fantasy Country wall to cast a long, deep shadow on its neighboring woods where Deon, Skrili, and many other consciousnesses walked. The trees stopped only a few paces away from the wall, while the path of No Man¡¯s Land led right up to it. The dirt walkway ended at an enormous, elegant arched opening. Sophisticated carvings of various images, like people in fighting positions, fire-breathing monsters, horses, and unique symbols decorated the arch.


    Oddly, however, the archway didn¡¯t seem to actually lead anywhere. Instead, the pathway stopped there, and there was a window of sorts filling the opening in the wall. It was a mixture of many bright colors, and to add to the peculiarity, the window wasn¡¯t solid. In fact, it had no substance at all: people were casually passing right through it, either disappearing into it or coming from it.


    ¡°This is a Worldline,¡± Skrili said, just before Deon was about to ask. ¡°This is what divides different areas of reality from each other. A lot of them are transparent, but this is one of the famous colorful ones.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± uttered Deon. ¡°And, only consciousnesses can leave from these?¡±


    Skrili nodded.


    They approached the Worldline, keeping to the right because the majority of people exiting Fantasy Country were emerging from the left side. When they were about to pass through the gate, Deon had expected to be surrounded by the colors of the Worldline for a moment. But to his surprise, the instant they passed through, the colors vanished and they were immediately on the other side.


    The first thing Deon noticed, since it was the only thing he initially understood, was that Skrili was right: it had become a bit chilly once they passed through the Worldline. Second, his eyes adjusted to the brightness of this place¡ªbut once they did, his jaw dropped and he stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°What¡­the¡­?¡± Deon stuttered. It had somehow become early afternoon again, and all of the colors in this place seemed intensified. The sun was shining brightly down on them, but that wasn¡¯t the cause. All colors were now more vibrant, as if Deon¡¯s eyesight had transformed.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Skrili said. Deon almost gasped when he looked at her: Skrili appeared slightly different, affected by the coloring of this new place. Her purple eyes were highly defined, almost glowing with intensity, and her midnight blue hair was now a bolder shade of dark blue. Skrili¡¯s clothes were affected in the same manner. Strangely, her hair also seemed sharper than normal. It was as if Skrili was a painting, depicted by another artist with different preferences.


    ¡°Whoa, you look different,¡± Deon noted. ¡°Not in a bad way, though¡­just¡­different¡­¡±


    ¡°You do too; it¡¯s the color palette for the Fantasy Country mainland,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°Every section of reality has its own unique color palette.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Deon, now looking around. Since his mind had finally adjusted to the new coloring, he began to notice other aspects of this new place. They stood on a wide bridge made of tan cobblestone, behind a long line of consciousnesses who had arrived just before them.


    The bridge was long, and it led to another endless wall with an archway almost identical to the first, only this one didn¡¯t have a Worldline. Instead, there was a sort of station underneath it where everyone in line would pause for a second before continuing through. Deon was too far away to see much detail, but there appeared to be officials of some sort monitoring the station.


    There was a drop on both sides of the bridge, leading to a seemingly endless dark abyss beneath them. Deon had never seen anything so immeasurable.


    ¡°Man, this place is crazy!¡± Deon said, taking it all in. ¡°It¡¯s way cooler than No Man¡¯s Land so far!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re shocked by just this,¡± started Skrili, ¡°just wait until we actually get inside the Country.¡±


    Deon noticed a hint of a lively smile in Skrili¡¯s vibrant eyes.


    ~


    ¡°You know what, Phyllis? I¡¯ve been thinking¡­¡± Pang announced, her head still resting casually on Phillip¡¯s shoulder. They continued to dangle, suspended uncomfortably above the ground in the rope net trap as the late day dimmed slowly.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Pang searched for a final bite on the apple in her hand, but found none. She emotionlessly dropped it through a hole in the net. ¡°We might not have to take people¡¯s money anymore,¡± she said.


    There was a long silence between the teammates.


    ¡°¡­Really?¡± Phillip finally responded.


    ¡°I mean, once we have that prize money, we¡¯ll have 150,000 scale cards in our pockets,¡± Pang elaborated. ¡°We¡¯ll have what we need¡ªespecially if we keep winning tournaments after that. And I know how much the stealing thing bothers you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­wrong,¡± Phillip confirmed.


    Pang laughed briefly. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. The way I see it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well what do we have here?¡± someone with an odd accent said from below them.


    ¡°Looks like a couple of fighters, boss!¡± said another man with the same accent, his voice lower and more enthusiastic.


    ¡°Mm. And kids, at that,¡± the boss added.


    Pang and Phillip glanced downward, noticing two men standing on the path beneath them. The men wore black suits, matching hats and dark sunglasses. The taller, chubbier one was looking up at Pang and Phillip with great interest, while the shorter one observed them calmly with his arms crossed.


    ¡°We got the jackpot this time, boss!¡± the stout one exclaimed. ¡°You think they got anything good on ¡®em?¡±


    ¡°Once we¡¯re through with them, we¡¯ll find out for sure,¡± the boss said with a dark smile. He and his companion began to laugh evilly.


    Pang and Phillip continued to glance down at the two men for a moment. Then they lost interest and returned their attention to each other. ¡°So as I was saying¡­¡± Pang continued.


    The thugs immediately stopped laughing, their smiles awkwardly hanging in place.


    ¡°Um¡­didn¡¯t they notice us?¡± the chubby man wondered.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not convinced that what we¡¯ve been doing is wrong,¡± Pang told Phillip. ¡°I mean, you have to put it in perspective. Sure, we¡¯ve been taking people¡¯s money, but we need it more than they do. What would¡¯ve happened if we never got this money?¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Phillip said uneasily. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± the boss shouted at them from below. ¡°What makes you two think you can just ignore our intimidating laughter?!¡±


    ¡°Shut up for a second! We¡¯re trying to talk up here!¡± Pang shot back down. She turned back to Phillip. ¡°Take these complete idiots, for example: they¡¯re the same thugs we took Skrili¡¯s bag from. They capture and rob people because they want to be rich and have fancy crap. They jip people for their own shallow gain.¡±


    ¡°We can hear you, ya know!¡± the larger man bellowed. ¡°Wait¡­those two¡­¡± he gasped in horror. ¡°They¡¯re the kids who beat us up and stole that bag we stole!!¡±


    The boss gulped. ¡°Ah, crap. Yep.¡±


    ¡°I said shut it, didn¡¯t I?¡± shouted Pang. ¡°Anyway, Phillip, we¡¯re different. These fools steal because they¡¯re greedy. We don¡¯t. And if we didn¡¯t take that money¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Well¡­point is, I don¡¯t think we deserve to lump ourselves into the same category as these two.¡±


    Phillip shrugged, looking into the distance.


    ¡°Well hey, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, remember?¡± Pang reminded him lightheartedly. ¡°If we get that Conscious Competition prize money, we won¡¯t have to steal ever again. And since I know how much you hate it, let¡¯s just stop right now. We have some money to fall back on until the first Competition. Okay?¡±


    Phillip glanced at Pang, who was looking towards the sky as she leaned against him in the cramped net trap. ¡°Yeah¡­thanks,¡± he said as he felt a warmth in his heart.


    Phillip smiled as he realized he couldn¡¯t figure Pang out. They had been a team for about two months now, and since then their friendship had grown strong. But despite this, Phillip still didn¡¯t get her. Pang was never one to compromise her surefire ideas, and yet that was exactly what she was doing now, solely because it bothered him. For this and many other reasons, Phillip deemed it impossible to understand who Pang really was. But maybe that was why he enjoyed her company so much.


    ¡°Alright, you ready to get out of this thing?¡± Pang asked.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°G¡ªGet out?!?!¡± the boss repeated both angrily and nervously below them. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®getting out¡¯ unless we say so! What makes you think you can have a nice little bonding moment in our trap and then just waltz off?!¡±


    Pang looked at the boss briefly. ¡°Imaginers are so easy,¡± she commented to Phillip.


    Then she manipulated his powers to imagine giant scissors floating above the net. She mentally commanded the scissors to open up and cut the net from the tree. With a sharp metallic snip, the net fell to the ground. Pang and Phillip managed to land upright, and stood composedly as the severed trap collapsed around them.


    ¡°Ha! There¡¯s no way you¡¯re getting off easy this time, punks!¡± the boss spat, shifting into a fighting position.


    ¡°Yeah, boss! Uh¡­let¡¯s clobber ¡®em!¡± the other added as he tried to match his leader¡¯s stance.


    Pang checked up at the sky, seeming disappointed. ¡°Good grief¡­that put us behind a few hours. I guess we¡¯ll have to move faster if we wanna get there on time,¡± she decided.


    Phillip nodded.


    With a sudden gust of air, the team dashed away along the path. Dirt flew everywhere, creating a thick cloud of dust that encompassed the two thugs.


    When the dust finally cleared, Pang and Phillip had already run so far down the path that they were nowhere to be seen or heard. The boss and his associate stood wordlessly, their nice suits now covered in dirt.


    ¡°I have a few choice words for those two¡­¡± the boss grumbled irately.


    ¡°I mean I can chase ¡®em down, boss, but um¡­let¡¯s just say I didn¡¯t make the track team in high school.¡±


    ¡°Shaddup.¡±

 25. Campus Quarrel

    Ryan¡¯s peers watched uneasily to the side of the cafeteria, unsure of what was going on or who these two mysterious men were.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done your part, now hand the girl and her friend over,¡± Najinzu demanded.


    Ryan nervously glanced at Zayza and Lammy, who now watched him with fear.


    ¡°What¡­does he mean¡­?¡± Zayza asked Ryan faintheartedly.


    ¡°Are you with them?¡± Lammy questioned, his heart racing.


    Ryan was speechless, his eyes shifting between everyone nervously.


    Fewpar laughed, as if he was having a relaxing cup of tea. ¡°How amusing,¡± he observed. ¡°They appear so perplexed. Do humor them, Ryan. Go on and tell them who you really are.¡±


    Ryan continued to look apprehensively at everyone as they all awaited a response. Then he cleared his throat and his eyes settled on Zayza and Lammy.


    ¡°Like I said¡­¡± Ryan began quietly, ¡°I¡¯m a consciousness¡­sort of. The truth is¡­¡± He turned his attention to his schoolmates standing to the side. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t leave College Town College three years ago to do a research project. I left because I was afraid of failing my classes. Ever since I came here to study engineering, I¡¯d been struggling. I didn¡¯t really tell anybody, but I barely passed first semester and was about to fail second semester. I felt like an idiot, and I didn¡¯t want my friends to see me that way. So I ran away, hoping I could disappear and start over.¡±


    ¡°Ryan¡­¡± Cheese muttered, but he didn¡¯t know what else to say to his friend.


    Ryan returned his sober gaze to Zayza and continued. ¡°I spent a while being down on myself and feeling stupid, but then one day this group approached me called Proscious. They told me they could help¡ªthey could make me intelligent. In turn, I would have to join their organization. It seemed kinda sketchy, but I was sick of being dumb. I would take any chance I could get to somehow be smarter, and that¡¯s exactly what they offered me. So I joined them. They used this crazy genetic technology on me and turned me into a consciousness type¡ªa Mastermind, to be specific. It was exactly what I wanted.¡±


    A Mastermind¡­thought Lammy. So his new powers gave him the intelligence to build that special laptop he used¡­


    ¡­But¡­they turned him into a consciousness? How is that possible?


    ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve worked for Proscious,¡± continued Ryan. ¡°It¡¯s a secret service that partners with organizations to bring people to justice. This year, a kingdom in Fantasy Country needed us to help find a runaway criminal¡­which was you, Zayza.¡±


    Zayza brought her hand to her mouth in horror. ¡°C¡­criminal?¡± she repeated. ¡°¡­Me?¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart raced even faster now, though he didn¡¯t believe it. How is Zayza a criminal? That can¡¯t be right¡­he thought.


    But something else seemed off: this group, Proscious, gave Ryan powers artificially, and now he was hunting down Zayza¡­


    There was one other person with an eerily similar story: Folel and Foler¡¯s brother.


    So Felix was a part of Proscious, too?! Lammy realized.


    Ryan looked into Zayza¡¯s fearful eyes with the same heartbrokenness she displayed. He continued: ¡°I got assigned to your case, so when they heard that you and Lammy were coming to the North Mountains, they stationed me in the caverns to be on the lookout. Their orders were that if I spotted you, to contain you both and wait for Fewpar and Najinzu to show up. Fewpar told us you have amnesia but you could be extremely dangerous, so I was hoping to hold you here without having to use force.¡±


    ¡°And as it turned out, you were entirely successful,¡± Fewpar added with a calm smile. ¡°So do you see now, Zayza? He was only being nice to you to trick you.¡±


    Zayza said nothing. She took a couple tiny, nervous steps away from Ryan.


    ¡°No, wait¡ª¡± Ryan began.


    ¡°He deceived you,¡± continued Fewpar. ¡°He¡¯s not really your friend. Do you know why, Zayza?¡± Suddenly Fewpar¡¯s relaxed face grew dark and bitter. ¡°It¡¯s because people like you don¡¯t deserve kindness or friendship. Not after everything you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Zayza turned to face Fewpar and Najinzu as her eyes became watery. ¡°I¡¯m¡­so sorry¡­¡± she told them shakily. ¡°I can¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    Lammy was filled with anger¡ªhe couldn¡¯t stand to witness sweet Zayza getting scolded for something she didn¡¯t even remember doing. And he found it hard to believe she would do anything to harm others in the first place.


    Najinzu rolled his eyes. ¡°Alright, Ryan, you¡¯ve shared your testimony,¡± he said in his raspy voice. ¡°Now, as I said, hand over the girl and her stout companion.¡±


    Lammy grabbed Zayza¡¯s hand and shot a defiant look at Najinzu. ¡°None of you are touching Zayza!¡± he shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you all to pieces!¡±


    ¡°No, Lammy,¡± Zayza pleaded.


    Suddenly Lammy felt someone place their hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Ryan standing beside him, glaring at Fewpar and Najinzu with fear and determination.


    ¡°I¡­I won¡¯t let you take them,¡± Ryan declared.


    Fewpar and Najinzu exchanged glances. They burst out laughing.


    ¡°You won¡¯t let us? Who are you but lowly engineered scum?¡± Najinzu jeered. ¡°A prosciousness like yourself is not a true consciousness. Do not test us by putting yourself on the same level.¡±


    ¡°Well spoken, my friend,¡± Fewpar said. ¡°Ryan, did you forget so quickly that Zayza is a villain? Did you allow her charms to dissuade you so easily? You are truly weak.¡±


    Ryan tensed. ¡°Alright, I know I signed up for this,¡± he began, ¡°and I know your Country is saying Zayza is a criminal, but I just don¡¯t see it. I may not be that smart aside from my Mastermind powers, but I know how to make my own judgments. And when I met Zayza, I saw a friendly, genuine person who wanted to help her friend save his mother.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a fool,¡± Najinzu began. ¡°Fewpar, let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up when I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Ryan snapped, now gaining more confidence. ¡°The thing is: whatever criminal you¡¯re trying to capture isn¡¯t here. Zayza¡¯s memory is wiped clean; this is a totally different girl. It¡¯s not fair to treat her like she¡¯s a monster.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re terribly mistaken,¡± Fewpar responded slowly. ¡°Sin is sin, and sins must be atoned for. And your betrayal of both Proscious and our mission is no different. Najinzu?¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to remove him from the equation?¡± Najinzu assumed.


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± Najinzu said, stepping forward.


    Ryan stepped forward as well, reaching into his book bag.


    ¡°Ryan¡­¡± Zayza said anxiously.


    ¡°Stay back,¡± Ryan instructed quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t want you guys to get hurt.¡± He looked over to his school friends, and the rest of the cafeteria. ¡°Get away from here, everybody. It¡¯s about to get a little messy,¡± he instructed.


    The students murmured amongst themselves worriedly.


    Najinzu spat. ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t carry yourself as a hero, traitor.¡± He shifted into a low fighting stance. ¡°This shall end quickly.¡±


    Ryan pulled his laptop from his bag, opened it, and turned it on.


    The two men now stood there, facing off. By now the entire cafeteria had gone silent. Lammy looked around to see if there were any professors or other staff around who might take action to prevent the oncoming brawl. Some stood by, but they, like everyone else, seemed frozen by fear. Something about Najinzu¡¯s dark and deadly impression made it clear that there was nothing they could do to restrain him.


    ¡°I hope you reserved a spot in hell,¡± growled Najinzu. He leapt high into the air with a rapid spin. Just as he did, Ryan dove to the side and three black knives stuck into the stone ground where he had stood.


    When Najinzu landed, he appeared slightly disappointed. ¡°You were lucky, boy,¡± he sneered.


    Lammy blinked with surprise, staring at the knives. This Najinzu guy¡­he¡¯s fast! he realized.


    Suddenly Zayza grabbed Lammy¡¯s arm and pulled him backward. ¡°Watch out, Lammy!¡± she cried. They backed away from the unfolding fight. As they did, Lammy noticed that most people were beginning to run away. The cafeteria had erupted into chaos.


    Ryan stood back up quickly. He no longer held his laptop¡ªit floated on its own beside him. ¡°Alright, if it¡¯s gonna be like that¡­¡± he said. Ryan quickly typed something on the keyboard of his laptop. ¡°Eat this.¡± Immediately, several pink orbs of light appeared in front of him. Ryan pressed a few more keys, and one by one the orbs fired at Najinzu.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    If one of those hits Najinzu, he¡¯s done for, Lammy thought, recalling the effect Ryan¡¯s computer attack had on the wooden barrier in Politician Town.


    But Najinzu seemed unfazed. As the orbs speedily reached him, he became a dark blur, dodging each one while somehow remaining on foot. The orbs exploded around him on the cave ground like fireworks. The last one to miss shot past the quick Najinzu and crashed just beside Fewpar, who didn¡¯t even blink as the aftershock shook his clothes and hair.


    ¡°How unruly¡­¡± Fewpar commented.


    Najinzu now stood surrounded by the tiny craters that Ryan¡¯s failed attacks had formed in the ground. ¡°What an idiotic technique,¡± he said. ¡°But that¡¯s just what I expected from a measly prosciousness.¡± He suddenly vanished from where he stood.


    Immediately, Najinzu reappeared directly in front of Ryan. He kicked him in the chest, launching Ryan back. Ryan flew right past Lammy and Zayza and crashed into the front side of one of the food stations, denting it in. His laptop hurriedly floated over to him, seemingly awaiting orders.


    ¡°Ryan!¡± Zayza and Lammy exclaimed with worry. A fierce wind suddenly blew past them, and with it a black blur. Now Najinzu stood before Ryan. He grabbed him by the collar and lifted him inches above the ground.


    ¡°You were far too easy,¡± Najinzu told him, grabbing another dark knife from his belt. ¡°I didn¡¯t even require my consciousness abilities to defeat you¡ªjust mere speed.¡±


    Wait¡ªNajinzu¡¯s speed isn¡¯t from his powers?! He¡¯s that fast by himself?? Lammy realized with horror.


    ¡°No, please!¡± Zayza begged. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him because of me!¡±


    Fewpar laughed emptily. ¡°You have no right to utter such a statement, girl. Kill him, Najinzu. Teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Computer: Zero Gravity!¡± Ryan shouted. A beam of light shot from his laptop and encompassed him in a green glow. Before Najinzu could react, Ryan swiftly placed his feet on him and pushed off. Somehow, Ryan began to soar weightlessly into the air.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me a chance to show off all my techniques,¡± he told Najinzu with a wink as he and his laptop ascended towards the high ceiling.


    Najinzu cursed. Without hesitation, he hurled his knife into the air¡ªbut not at Ryan: at his laptop. Just as the knife was about to hit, it crashed into some kind of invisible wall in front of the computer. The knife fell and clanged against the floor.


    ¡°Nice try,¡± said the floating Ryan. ¡°I rigged that thing with a force field. Nothing can pass through it except my own hands.¡± He glided over to the laptop and typed something. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try this again,¡± he announced. Ten pink orbs of light appeared in front of him, similar to the ones from before.


    ¡°Fool. What makes you think that will work this time?¡± Najinzu wondered.


    With the touch of one more button, Ryan¡¯s attack commenced. But this time, the orbs themselves didn¡¯t move. Instead, they began to rapidly fire pink lasers down at Najinzu. As the lasers rained down, Najinzu sprung back into action. He became a blur once more, dodging each individual beam. But the lasers kept coming, picking up in speed and frequency. Soon Najinzu retreated to the side, exiting the cafeteria. Ryan followed him in the air, his orbs still firing.


    ¡°Oh dear¡­let¡¯s follow them!¡± Zayza decided as she began to run in the direction they had left. ¡°Maybe we can help somehow!¡±


    Lammy chased after her, glancing over at Fewpar to see if he was going to stop them.


    Fewpar simply continued to stand in place, watching with amusement.


    Zayza and Lammy ran along the stone walkway, following the stream of pink lights that fell from the air. People were now fleeing in the opposite direction, attempting to evade the violence. Soon Ryan¡¯s attacks had reached the recreational area of the campus, in between the sports court and the archery section. The cloud that was Najinzu continued sprint around in various directions to avoid the lasers.


    Zayza stopped running, so Lammy joined her. They remained at a distance, but close enough to witness the continuing battle.


    Suddenly, Najinzu let out a shout of pain. He slid against the rocky ground on his side and eventually came to a halt. He brought himself to one knee, clutching his shoulder. Lammy could see some smoke rising from Najinzu¡¯s injured arm.


    ¡°Just in time,¡± Ryan said from the ceiling. ¡°My laser energy needs to recharge. In the meantime¡­¡± He typed on his laptop. ¡°This should make things interesting.¡±


    On cue, he and his laptop became completely invisible.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Lammy commented to Zayza, impressed by his technique. ¡°It looks like Ryan¡¯s actually gaining the upper hand with his technology.¡±


    Zayza simply continued to watch with wide, anxious eyes.


    But if he beats Najinzu¡­thought Lammy, who knows how strong Fewpar is?


    Najinzu stood, no longer holding his burnt shoulder. He looked around with an unconcerned gaze. ¡°You had more skill than I anticipated,¡± he admitted. ¡°Not bad for a prosciousness.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He picked up on something unsettling in Najinzu¡¯s voice: the tone of someone who had victory within their reach.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Lammy uttered.


    Najinzu abruptly turned to his left and launched a knife up into the empty air. It stabbed into something unseen, and Ryan¡¯s voice shouted with pain. Ryan became visible and fell to the ground with the knife stuck in his stomach.


    Zayza gasped. ¡°No¡­¡± she murmured despairingly.


    Lammy watched in horror.


    Najinzu walked slowly over to the fallen Ryan, who lay in agony as blood began to ooze through his jacket. His laptop floated loyally behind him.


    ¡°You failed to neglect the hint I gave you earlier,¡± Najinzu hissed, now standing above Ryan. ¡°I mentioned that I hadn¡¯t used my consciousness powers yet. But when you escaped my grasp, you continued to fight as if I had no more tricks up my sleeve. Arrogance was your undoing.¡± He reached down and ripped his knife from Ryan¡¯s stomach.


    Ryan screamed.


    ¡°You see, Ryan, I am a Sense Enhancer,¡± Najinzu explained. ¡°When you used your technology to make yourself invisible, it was no matter to me. I simply stopped relying on sight and enhanced my senses of hearing and smell. You might as well have been completely visible when you flew down to attack me.¡±


    Ryan gazed up at Najinzu in severe pain, but said nothing.


    Lammy continued to watch, shaking with terror. He wanted badly to attempt an Imagining attack and save Ryan, but he knew his lack of talent would be no match for Najinzu¡¯s enhanced senses. Even if he could somehow tap into that sudden rush of power he felt back in Food Town, he knew his utter fear would keep him frozen.


    ¡°Please¡­stop¡­¡± Zayza said chokingly, though not loudly enough for most to hear. Her eyes became teary.


    ¡°Farewell, Ryan,¡± Najinzu said, aiming his bloody knife for the final strike. ¡°Prepare to¡ª¡± he paused and suddenly turned with his hand raised. An arrow came soaring at his face, but Najinzu caught it in mid-air, just in time.


    Cheese stood a good distance away from them, in the archery station. He held an empty bow. ¡°Get away from him, you piece of crap!¡± he shouted.


    Ryan sprung into action. He leaped towards his computer and typed rapidly; this command was far more complicated than the others. Then he turned to face Lammy and Zayza.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know when to quit?!¡± Najinzu asked Ryan angrily.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Ryan weakly. ¡°I may not be able to beat you, but I can save them!!¡± He pressed another button, and a white light shot from his computer at Lammy and Zayza.


    Surprised, Zayza and Lammy recoiled¡ªbut when the beam of light reached them, it encircled and lifted them off of their feet. Lammy and Zayza fell into sitting positions, feeling themselves being raised into the air by the light. They could vaguely see through this spherical force field, but right now the cave ceiling was their only view.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Zayza exclaimed. All of the sudden, they felt themselves being jerked forward; the white orb was rapidly traveling.


    ¡°I think this thing is taking us somewhere!¡± Lammy answered. He tried to listen for what was happening on the outside, but the constant buzzing of the light canceled out sound. All they could hear was each other.


    They flew through the air, away from the concluding battle. Within seconds, they noticed the cave walls and ceiling suddenly grow narrow and dark. It was clear they had left College Town College, and were now zipping through another tunnel towards the next town.


    Aside from the buzzing of the light, everything had gone incredibly quiet. Just moments ago they were in the midst of a clamorous, fast-paced duel, and now they sat helplessly in near silence. Lammy found the contrast uncomfortable¡ªespecially considering they were unable to find out what happened to Ryan and Cheese.


    Then the tunnel ended, and instantly, they were flying high above the fourth town.


    Flashing colorful lights shone through the white orb. The friends peered down to see the town passing beneath them. It was grand: towering, blinking structures, games, food stands, and delighted people of all ages filled every corner. Every part of this town was so stimulating, that nobody seemed to notice or pay mind to Lammy and Zayza¡¯s glowing vessel while they flew above.


    Blinking neon signs were everywhere: ¡°Amusement Town.¡±


    It was spectacular, and it made Lammy feel sick.


    This wasn¡¯t what they needed right now. All these people had no idea what was happening right next door, and Lammy couldn¡¯t alert them. He could only watch their bliss from a distance.


    Lammy looked at Zayza. The lights from the amusement park reflected in her stunning green eyes.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lammy asked, feeling stupid because he figured the answer was obvious.


    Zayza pretended to smile, still looking downward. ¡°I just feel awful because¡­all of this is because of me,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s not true. At least, we don¡¯t know that for sure¡­¡± Lammy said.


    ¡°It is, Lammy,¡± Zayza said softly, making eye contact with him. ¡°We don¡¯t know what I did or if I even did something terrible, but either way, because of me Ryan got positioned to these caves. And because of me, he decided to fight that man. And because of me, he¡¯s¡­¡± she paused. ¡°¡­And you ended up far away from your home because you wanted to help me, and now you¡¯re in danger, too. And your mother¡­¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened to her yet,¡± Lammy interrupted quickly. He tried not to think about the possibilities as he tried to calm himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zayza told him.


    Lammy realized he might have sounded defensive. ¡°No, Zayza, it¡¯s¡­please don¡¯t blame yourself for all of this. Right now we need to focus on where this thing is taking us, staying away from Najinzu and Fewpar, and finding your memories to get the truth.¡±


    Zayza nodded, but the sorrow in her eyes remained as she looked back down.


    Within moments, the orb took them past Amusement Town and into another cave tunnel. They sat silently for a short while, waiting for the orb to slow or land at some point. Right when Lammy was about to wonder if it was just taking them on an endless journey through the air, he noticed a light shining at the end of the cave¡ªthis time, a natural one.


    They passed through the exit of this final tunnel, and found themselves floating in the open air beneath a light gray sky. The orb of light began to slow.


    Once it came to a halt, it vanished. Instantly, Lammy felt a chill as he and Zayza began to fall. He was about to scream, but suddenly they landed on the ground beneath them. Lammy landed atop his large travel bag, which weakened the impact of the short drop. He noticed Zayza had landed on hers, as well. They sat up and observed their surroundings.


    They were now outside in midday, on a pine tree-inhabited hill that flattened out in the distance.


    ¡°We must be on the other side of the mountain now,¡± Zayza realized.


    Lammy smiled halfheartedly. ¡°That was one heck of a technique Ryan pulled,¡± he said.


    Zayza nodded, saying nothing.


    But they both knew it wasn¡¯t over yet. Fewpar and Najinzu might still be pursuing them.


    ¡°We¡¯d better get going,¡± said Lammy. ¡°We should probably get as far away from here as possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza stood and continued their travels, now much more anxious and hurried than before. They had been in a race to get all the way back to Tailpiece, but now, they were in a race to escape. Had it not been for Ryan¡¯s valiant efforts, they would now be in Fewpar and Najinzu¡¯s grasp.


    It all shook Lammy. The image of Najinzu stabbing Ryan played over and over in his mind, despite his efforts to distract himself. He had never witnessed such violence in his young life. And Ryan fought for their sake. He had only met them that day, but was willing to sacrifice himself to help them.


    I won¡¯t let your effort go to waste, Ryan, Lammy decided. I won¡¯t let those guys lay a hand on Zayza.


    As Lammy and Zayza walked, Lammy noticed that Zayza was beginning to slow down. He turned to check on her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lammy wondered.


    Zayza appeared dazed and dizzied as she walked unsteadily. ¡°I feel¡­¡± she began, and then with a sigh, she began to collapse.


    ¡°Zayza!¡± Lammy cried, jumping towards her. He caught her in his arms and fell to his knees. Zayza was limp, and she appeared fast asleep. ¡°Zayza, come on!¡± shouted Lammy, shaking her. But she didn¡¯t awaken. Then Lammy spotted something on her neck: a tiny dart of some sort stuck into her skin.


    ¡°What is¡­?¡± Lammy began, and then he felt something sting his own neck. Before he could react, the world around him began to spin. His muscles relaxed and he doubled over. Then everything went black.

 26. Captured

    Lammy felt himself being rocked around. He heard the sound of wood creaking and bending, along with the deep, rhythmic thuds of horse¡¯s hooves against the ground. The scent and sound of heavy rainfall filled the forest around him. Then he realized he was lying down on a hard floor.


    He opened his eyes. His vision remained blurry for the next several seconds, but when it finally cleared, Lammy saw a round fabric roof above him held up by a thin wooden frame. The dull light from outside bled through the roof enough to cast a dim but visible shade on everything, revealing to Lammy that he was in the back of a traveling wooden carriage.


    He turned his head to find Zayza lying across from him on the shaky floor, still asleep. Her gray beanie from Our Snowy Village was now gone, and her long hair spread out messily along the floor. She lay sprawled out awkwardly, as if whoever was handling her had carelessly dropped her there like a sack of hay. The dart from before was still stuck in her neck. Lammy felt his own neck to remove the dart that stabbed him, but found it was no longer there.


    Lammy sat up, noticing their travel bags towards the front end of the carriage. Just behind those, he viewed something that infused his heart with dread.


    Through the front opening, he could see Fewpar and Najinzu. Their backs were turned to him, and they sat in the rain on the front bench, steering the two horses that pulled the carriage.


    Lammy¡¯s heart raced. But¡­how? he wondered.


    At any rate, he knew they couldn¡¯t stay where they were. They needed to get out of there as quickly and quietly as possible. He turned his attention back to Zayza, leaning over to her to try and wake her. ¡°Zayza¡­¡± he whispered softly.


    Suddenly, the carriage slowed to an abrupt stop. Lammy lost his balance and fell over, immediately looking to Fewpar and Najinzu. They continued to sit in place.


    ¡°Did something startle your strong senses, good Najinzu?¡± Fewpar asked.


    ¡°Her friend stirs,¡± responded Najinzu. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that he knows his place.¡±


    ¡°I shall accompany you.¡±


    The duo turned and climbed inside the carriage, noting Lammy impassively. Lammy sat up, now shaking. He edged backward, closer to the rear of the carriage. Fewpar and Najinzu approached him and Zayza, standing above them.


    ¡°That fool Ryan apparently forgot to take into consideration that we had already used Fantasy Country magic to warp once,¡± Najinzu told Lammy. ¡°After taking care of him, it was no issue warping again to find you.¡±


    ¡°Do not hope that you can escape with your criminal friend,¡± Fewpar added calmly. ¡°We haven¡¯t the patience to deal with your pointless attempts.¡±


    Lammy stared up at them in terror. He was alone with two deadly men, and this time there was no one to stand up for him.


    ¡°I heard you trying to wake her,¡± continued Najinzu. ¡°There is no use in attempting such a thing.¡± He walked closer to Zayza and grabbed the collar of her shirt, violently tugging her up into a sitting position. Zayza flopped, still unconscious. Najinzu shook her back and forth violently.


    ¡°Do you see, boy? She is deeply sedated.¡± He aggressively shoved her down. Zayza¡¯s head and arms bounced against the hard floor lifelessly. ¡°Your sadistic companion will not rouse for a while.¡± Glaring at her, Najinzu kicked Zayza hard on her side.


    Lammy was speechless as tears clouded his vision.


    ¡°Najinzu, do restrain yourself from this roughhousing,¡± Fewpar said. ¡°Wait until she is conscious; it¡¯s much more enjoyable for you that way.¡±


    Najinzu smiled darkly. ¡°Then I wish she would awaken sooner,¡± he commented.


    ¡°I told you to give her a high dosage for a reason, good friend,¡± explained Fewpar. ¡°It would be unfair if I let you have your fun without allowing myself a turn. I would like to have my own fun, as well.¡± His eyes lit up.


    Najinzu chuckled. ¡°Very well, very well¡­¡±


    Lammy had never been so disgusted in his life. He felt a deep hatred for these men welling up within him. ¡°You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re both¡­monsters,¡± he mustered the courage to say.


    Fewpar and Najinzu stared at him, unmoved.


    ¡°It appears you have much to learn about your own friend before you label us ¡®monsters,¡¯¡± Najinzu uttered plainly. He turned to retake his place on the outer bench.


    As Najinzu climbed out, Fewpar wordlessly began to follow.


    ¡°What did you do to my mom?¡± Lammy asked shakily, but clearly.


    Fewpar paused. He stood in place for a few seconds, before turning to look at Lammy. ¡°That determined little woman resembles you remarkably,¡± he noted.


    ¡°What did you do to her?¡± Lammy repeated, tears intensifying.


    Fewpar appeared slightly perplexed. ¡°One would think the son of such a woman would have much more faith in his mother¡¯s ability to protect herself,¡± he said. ¡°You truly have no reason to fear for her wellbeing.¡±


    With that, Fewpar turned and joined Najinzu on the outside. The horses began to pull the carriage through the rainy forest once more.


    Lammy sat there, taken completely off-guard. Wait¡­what? he wondered. Does that mean she¡¯s okay? But he talked about her like she¡¯s powerful, or something. That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡ªMom is just a housewife. She never even uses her powers for anything.


    Having been frightened, disgusted, hopeful, and confused all in a short amount of time, Lammy didn¡¯t know what to feel anymore. He looked back at Zayza. She appeared so helpless, lying slumped and still beside him. Then Lammy noticed something lying just beyond her head: her beanie from Our Snowy Village. He picked it up, gently lifted Zayza¡¯s head, and placed the hat underneath her as a pillow.


    Lammy quietly brushed Zayza¡¯s hair from her face. I won¡¯t let those guys hurt you like they think they will, Zayza, he promised.


    ~


    (In the Dream World¡­)


    ¡°I¡¯m a killer,¡± said Zayza.


    The sky was covered in dark green, almost black clouds. Transparent yellow raindrops fell onto the Dream World¡¯s ground, but none of them made contact with Zayza as she sat on a rock in the middle of a clear stream. Her green dress reflected onto the water, but in the reflection it was pitch black. Tall, thin trees with sharp white leaves surrounded the stream where she sat alone.


    Zayza stared unblinkingly at the running water before her. She wanted to take a drink from it, but felt she didn¡¯t deserve to.


    A blue lily pad appeared on the water, precisely where Zayza was staring. It remained in place, uninfluenced by the rush of the stream. Then out of the sky fell an orange snake, landing right on the lily pad. He was furry had no mouth, and looked up at Zayza with tiny, beady eyes.


    ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± the snake asked. His voice was high-pitched and filled with vibrato, as if someone were shaking him around. If Zayza were in a better mood, she would have laughed upon hearing him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish to,¡± Zayza told him.


    ¡°You are not a killer to me,¡± the odd snake decided.


    ¡°If you spend enough time with me, I cannot promise that will last,¡± Zayza explained. ¡°Those I wish to come close to eventually find themselves in danger on my behalf. Ryan sacrificed himself so I could live. Lammy wanted to help me find my memories, and now violent men wish to harm him. Lammy¡¯s mother came to try and rescue us, and those same two men probably killed her. I¡¯m sure if you stay with me long enough, something terrible will come your way, too.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked the snake.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    The snake stared at her for several seconds. Now that Zayza had gotten past his strange voice, she found him rather pleasant. In spite of herself, Zayza smiled.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°I shall stay away from you, then. Goodbye,¡± the snake said. He leaped into the water and swam away.


    Heartbroken, Zayza watched him leave. ¡°Goodbye,¡± she said. She began to cry softly, out of both grief and understanding. She longed for company, but now she knew for sure that the snake wouldn¡¯t face harm by befriending her.


    ¡°The Dream World is very lonely,¡± Zayza realized aloud. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best for everyone if I try to stay here.¡±


    A mystical sound suddenly faded into existence behind her. Zayza turned to find a purple orb of light floating in place within arm¡¯s reach.


    ¡°A memory? Why didn¡¯t I hear this before?¡± Zayza wondered.


    The light launched at her head, and with a flash it disappeared before her. When Zayza¡¯s sight recovered, she remembered the memory¡¯s contents. Ingredients flowed into her mind.


    ¡°These are¡­ingredients for a magic sleeping potion,¡± Zayza recalled. ¡°Why did I once know how to make this?¡±


    One of the yellow raindrops splashed on her cheek.


    ~


    Lammy couldn¡¯t tell how much time had passed since Fewpar and Najinzu came to speak with him, but he guessed it had been about an hour. He continued to sit beside Zayza, waiting and hoping for signs that she was coming around.


    A drop of water dripped onto Zayza¡¯s cheek. Lammy looked up to the ceiling of the carriage and spotted a small rip in it. Another drop fell on her.


    Cut it out, thought Lammy. Wait, maybe I can imagine a patch. He focused on the spot of the rip and tried to mentally place a white patch over it. The patch appeared, but another drip fell through it as if it wasn¡¯t there. Crap¡ªno good, he realized. Why has my imagining always been so inconsistent? If I could just get this down, maybe I can use imagining to surprise Fewpar and Najinzu and break us out of here¡­


    He continued to focus on the rip, repeatedly attempting to imagine a version of the patch that would affect reality.


    Between attempts, Lammy heard Fewpar and Najinzu discussing something, though their voices were muffled underneath the sound of the rolling wheels and jogging horses. Lammy looked over to them and watched closely as they talked. He couldn¡¯t read Najinzu¡¯s lips because of the mask over his mouth, so he focused on Fewpar.


    Lammy was fairly certain he noticed Fewpar say something like ¡°I shall return soon.¡± Najinzu nodded and their conversation ended, but strangely, Fewpar didn¡¯t leave.


    That¡¯s weird¡­Lammy thought. Maybe I saw it wrong? Reluctantly, he returned to his attempts of imagining the patch in the ceiling.


    ~


    (The Dream World)


    Zayza continued to sit alone on the rock. For the most part, the yellow rain only fell around her. But for some reason, every once in a while a single drop would splash onto her cheek in the same exact spot.


    ¡°Did you really think the prosciousness boy could deliver you from us?¡± someone asked from the side of the stream.


    Frightened, Zayza quickly looked to where the voice had come from. She gasped as she saw Fewpar standing underneath a white-leaved tree. He was drenched from the rain as it continually poured on him. Fewpar was dressed in the same clothes as when he and Najinzu had first ambushed Zayza: he wore a light blue button-up jacket, tight dark pants and dressy blue shoes. He stood glaring at Zayza coldly.


    He¡¯s a Dreamer? Zayza thought despairingly.


    ¡°Ryan blindly sided with you, and unknowingly supported evil,¡± Fewpar continued. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be the first to make that tragic mistake. But he will hopefully be the last.¡±


    For some reason, Zayza felt more courage here inside the Dream World than when she encountered Fewpar in reality. She was still terribly afraid, but had the boldness to overcome it. Zayza stood up on the rock and turned to face Fewpar.


    ¡°I truly wish to know¡­¡± she began. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    Fewpar¡¯s normally calm face suddenly became enraged. He shoved his hand into the air and aimed it at Zayza. Out of his palm he shot a blue ray of light. Before Zayza could even process it, the beam crashed into her.


    With a bright explosion, Zayza was propelled backward. She felt a throbbing pain all over as she zipped through the air. After a few seconds, Zayza finally hit the black grass. She tumbled and slid across it before slowing to a stop.


    Zayza lie on her back in a vast black field. The soreness that spread through her body now throbbed less frequently. However, now she found herself paralyzed: she could barely move, but not enough to sit up.


    To Zayza¡¯s dismay, Fewpar suddenly appeared before her, looking down at her with a perturbed expression.


    ¡°Please¡­what did I do?¡± Zayza repeated weakly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s play a game together, shall we?¡± Fewpar announced. ¡°Instead of simply telling you of all the pain you¡¯ve caused to our entire nation, I will show you firsthand. I will try to make you feel every single ounce of the hurt to represent what you¡¯ve done to us. Since you cannot remember, maybe this way will help you truly understand.¡±


    Zayza watched him fearfully, still unable to defend herself.


    Fewpar pointed his hand at her once more, and a circle of blue light filled his palm. He raised his hand high above him, and with full force, threw the light down at Zayza. It collided with her and exploded. Zayza shouted from the pain. Without hesitation, Fewpar charged more light into his palm and prepared to hurl this at Zayza, as well. But right when he was about to unleash the attack on her, he caught himself.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes were closed and she lay still.


    The light faded from Fewpar¡¯s hand as he grew calm once more. He watched Zayza for a while. Finally, he let out a single, bitter laugh.


    ¡°You were knocked dreamless after only two blows? It appears you have also forgotten your Tolerance Training,¡± he observed. ¡°No matter¡ªI will allow Najinzu to correct that for you. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll leap at the opportunity.¡±


    Fewpar stood tall and closed his eyes. He brought his hands together as if for prayer, and then he disappeared from the Dream World.


    Zayza lay alone in the large black field as the rain fell around her. That repetitive, single drop still fell onto her cheek.


    As she lay insensible, round, purple lights slowly descended from above and approached her. There were four memory orbs in total. As they neared her, they began to circle around her head. Then one by one, they leapt down at her and, with a flash, joined her memories.


    ~


    Half of Zayza¡¯s face was now wet from the raindrops passing through the rip in the ceiling. Disgruntled, Lammy pulled the sleeve of his shirt over his hand and wiped Zayza¡¯s cheek dry. He would have simply moved her to the side, but he feared Najinzu would detect it with his heightened senses and assume they were trying to escape.


    He returned his attention to the roof. Lammy guessed it had been a couple hours since he started trying to fix the rip, but there was nothing better to do as he sat in this miserable carriage. The only other option was to sit still and worry, and that had never helped him before. Besides, this distraction gave him an opportunity to strengthen his imagining and potentially give him a better chance against Fewpar and Najinzu.


    Deon would have figured it out by now, Lammy thought. Heck, he would¡¯ve gotten it on the first try.


    Suddenly, Zayza flinched and let out a soft cry, as if she had been struck. Lammy instantly looked down at her¡ªbut he was disheartened to find she was still asleep. Only now, she was faintly frowning.


    What¡¯s happening to her in the Dream World? Lammy wondered, growing concerned.


    After a few minutes, Lammy heard that Fewpar and Najinzu had begun talking again. Lammy hadn¡¯t noticed until now, but they had remained totally silent since that last conversation Lammy tried to eavesdrop on. He couldn¡¯t read Fewpar¡¯s lips this time, since he was facing ahead to where they were traveling. He also couldn¡¯t hear their voices at all¡ªthey were speaking quietly. Soon enough, they became silent.


    More time passed, and nothing happened. Lammy tried to return to his imagining practice, but could only do it halfheartedly. He began to loathe the silence.


    ¡°Lammy¡­?¡± Zayza uttered groggily beside him. At last, she had awoken. She looked up at him from where she lay, both dazed and concerned.


    Though Zayza appeared troubled, her voice comforted him. He was relieved to see her awake. ¡°Hey,¡± he whispered. He leaned closer and helped her sit up.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Zayza asked quietly, picking up on the fact that Lammy was whispering.


    Lammy¡¯s relief vanished and he grew somber. ¡°They have us,¡± he explained.


    At that moment, the carriage began to slow down. Lammy and Zayza looked nervously to where Fewpar and Najinzu sat.


    Zayza rapidly turned back to Lammy as the daze in her eyes was replaced with worry. ¡°Are you okay? Did they hurt you?¡± she asked quickly.


    Lammy shook his head. ¡°But they want to hurt you,¡± he told her.


    ¡°They already have. Fewpar is a Dreamer,¡± Zayza explained. ¡°He found me in the Dream World and¡ª¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m far from done with you,¡± Fewpar finished. By now the horses had stopped. He stood from the outer bench and stepped inside the carriage, followed closely by Najinzu. ¡°When you were knocked dreamless, you didn¡¯t escape your fate, Zayza. In fact, you¡¯ve only worsened it.¡±


    Najinzu¡¯s eyes gleamed menacingly.


    ¡°¡®Knocked dreamless?¡¯¡± Lammy repeated, looking at Zayza with worry.


    ¡°In the Dream World, a Dreamer can only tolerate pain up to the highest amount they¡¯ve ever felt in reality,¡± Zayza explained soberly. ¡°When they are harmed beyond that amount, they normally wake up in reality. But if their body is not ready to be conscious, they become ¡®dreamless¡¯¡ªunconscious in both the Dream World and reality. And since I don¡¯t remember my most painful experience, my pain tolerance is very low.¡±


    Lammy, Fewpar, and Najinzu all stared at Zayza, dumbstruck by her sudden assertion of knowledge.


    She must have recovered a memory earlier, Lammy realized.


    ¡°So you do remember some things, after all,¡± Fewpar scoffed quietly. ¡°Then perhaps you recall this terminology: Pain Tolerance Training.¡±


    Zayza winced at the sound of those words.


    ¡°Clearly we don¡¯t have an official training clinic with us at the moment,¡± began Fewpar with a smirk. ¡°But lucky for you, Najinzu here is quite the expert on how to make someone feel extreme pain. Soon, Zayza, you won¡¯t be able to escape a beating in the Dream World so easily.¡±


    All of the sudden, Najinzu appeared right beside Zayza¡ªhe had moved too quick for Zayza or Lammy¡¯s eyes to follow. He reached to Zayza¡¯s neck and plucked out the dart that was stuck in it. Then he grabbed Zayza by the arm.


    ¡°Come with me, princess,¡± he said excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s time to play.¡±

 27. Conscious City

    ¡°Uuuuugh¡­¡± Deon sighed.


    He peaked beside him to Skrili, who paid no attention.


    ¡°UUUUUUUUGH,¡± he repeated even louder.


    ¡°Do you mind?¡± Skrili finally said.


    They had been waiting behind countless other consciousness teams on the tan cobblestone bridge at Fantasy Country¡¯s border. While it felt to Deon like an eternity had passed, it had only been several minutes. Now they stood about three-fourths of the way to the station at the end.


    Deon wanted to just rush past everyone and go in. According to Skrili, the registration center was not far beyond the wall, which meant he was moments away from becoming a professional consciousness fighter.


    Not only this, but they were about to step into an entire new world. Deon was already amazed at the ¡°color palate¡± of this place making everything more vibrant, so he couldn¡¯t wait to get in and see what else was in store.


    ¡°Man, this thing is taking forever,¡± Deon complained. ¡°What are we even waiting in line for?¡±


    ¡°The boarder patrol needs to check our bags and make sure we¡¯re not carrying anything illegal,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°And I need to convert my money to the mainland Fantasy Country currency.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    They took a few steps forward as a team got checked through, but stopped again. Deon started whistling to keep himself busy. He looked at the line before him: there were all sorts of people waiting. Most were young, aside from a few veteran-looking teams, and they wore a diverse array of clothing seemingly from many different cultures.


    ¡°Hey Skrili, how many of these teams do you think we could beat?¡± Deon asked.


    The team in front of him glanced back for a moment and then muttered something to each other in annoyance.


    Skrili sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s try to avoid making more enemies,¡± she told him.


    ¡°But there¡¯s no fun in that,¡± Deon said with a laugh.


    Eventually, they arrived at the border patrol station at the end of the bridge. It was under an enormous stone archway within the massive wall that blocked Fantasy Country from view. As it turned out, there were actually two stations: one for incoming consciousnesses, and one for exiting ones.


    On either side of the pathway, two tall guards stood facing both lines. They were covered from head to toe in metallic armor, and each carried a large sword sheathed on their belts.


    Deon followed Skrili¡¯s lead as she unstrapped her travel bag and approached the guards. He prepared to open his bag up, but all Skrili did was hold hers up for the guards to see, so he did the same.


    ¡°You¡¯re both free to go,¡± one of the guards announced after a few seconds of observation. The guards separated from each other and allowed Skrili and Deon to pass.


    Skrili nodded and advanced through the dense archway, followed by the confused Deon.


    ¡°Um¡­how was that a safety check?¡± Deon commented.


    ¡°They¡¯re specialized Sense Enhancers,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°They could see through our bags.¡±


    Next, they came to a window built into the stone wall. Behind it sat another guard. Skrili reached into her bag and pulled out a worn blue wallet, retrieved paper bills from it, and placed them on the table of the window. The guard counted the money, and then focused on it intently. The money then faded into less bills and changed into salmon and green-colored paper.


    ¡°Enjoy our Country,¡± said the guard politely.


    Skrili retrieved her converted money and led Deon out of the rest of the archway. At last, they were officially inside Fantasy Country.


    Deon couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    He and Skrili stood before the grandest, most fanciful place he had ever seen. It was an enormous, circular plaza crowded with stores and people, and shining with lights and colors. Most of the buildings were made of the same cobblestone as the walkway, while others were of different textures and shades.


    There was a massive, round hole in the center of the plaza that took up most of the space, so the walkway and all of the stores ran along the outer rim. It was like a giant circular balcony. In four spaces, the walkway extended into the hole slightly, and at first Deon wondered why they were there. But a second later it became clear:


    These were landing zones.


    ¡°What are those flying¡ª¡± started Deon.


    ¡°Dragons,¡± Skrili quickly answered.


    Dragons flew to and from these platforms, carrying people on their saddles. Their colossal size, matched with their elegance, left Deon in awe. Their glistening scales varied in all shapes and shades, and the flaps of their wings echoed off the buildings around them.


    Deon looked to the sky, to find dragons soaring all across it¡ªsome so high that they were practically specs. Some flew alone, while most carried passengers to and fro.


    ¡°This is¡­amazing!¡± Deon exclaimed. But then he noticed something else odd about the sky: in many spots, colorful and perfectly spherical orbs floated in place. Some were larger and closer, while others were smaller and seemed far away. Around many of them, the normally blue sky was tinted with other colors.


    ¡°Whoa¡­Fantasy Country sure has a lot of moons,¡± observed Deon.


    ¡°Those are Worlds,¡± Skrili said beside him.


    ¡°Worlds?¡± repeated Deon.


    ¡°They look like a single planet from far away, but they¡¯re actually different realities,¡± explained Skrili. ¡°Remember how we walked through a Worldline to get here? Each of those Worlds have their own Worldlines. They¡¯re all different fantasy-typed realities.¡±


    ¡°This is all¡­so much¡­¡± Deon uttered. He was simply amazed. Days ago, all he wanted was to find something besides Tailpiece¡ªanything different than his small, wooded village with nothing to do. Now, here he stood: in a fantastical city, in a fantastical World, within a fantastical set of realities.


    He made it. He found his dreams. They had been waiting for him, all around him, all this time. And there was so much to explore.


    This Multiverse was where he belonged.


    Deon noticed tears building up, so he rushed to wipe them before Skrili would notice. ¡°Um¡­so¡­what¡¯s this place right here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°This is the Fantasy Country Mainland,¡± Skrili said. ¡°We¡¯re in Conscious City right now. It¡¯s the most popular place in the Country for consciousness teams and fans of consciousness fighting.¡±


    ¡°Then this is my kind of city,¡± Deon said with a big smile.


    Skrili nodded plainly. ¡°It is. Let¡¯s get something to eat, and then we¡¯ll head to the Registration Center.¡± She began walking along the road. ¡°I know a place.¡±


    Deon followed her, still in wonder of this new dimension he had entered. Now that there was more to see, the vibrant tint of this reality¡¯s color palate stood out even more. Almost all colors were bold, and everyone¡¯s eyes¡ªespecially Skrili¡¯s¡ªwere very bright and sharp. They even appeared a bit larger.


    Rare eye colors seemed more common here. In Tailpiece, eye colors like brown and hazel were the majority while greens, blues, reds, yellows and purples were less common. But here in Fantasy Country, it seemed to be the opposite.


    As Deon passed by people, he also took note of their clothing. Many of the people seemingly from the area wore clothing like tunics, robes, colorful dresses, and pieces of armor. While some dressed more conservatively like a person in Tailpiece would, others had on very fashionable, flashy outfits filled with color and accessories. Their hairstyles also followed this trend.


    Why did Skrili have to make that dumb ¡®no flirting¡¯ rule? Deon thought disappointedly as he passed by countless stylish, beautiful girls.


    Eventually Skrili led Deon to one of the landing platforms. Some dragons were landing and lifting off around them. These remarkable beasts fascinated Deon; their sheer power caused the ground around them to rumble. He felt insignificant as they towered above him.


    Skrili walked over to an edge of the platform. As Deon joined her, he looked down and noticed that Conscious City was far bigger than he thought: a lower floor existed far below them, identical in form, and featured just as many stores and people. Even still, more floors existed beneath this: Deon counted that this great abyss of a city continued down for at least five or six more sections.


    When Deon looked back at Skrili, she was searching for something in her bag. She pulled out a thin, clear bracelet. Then she tossed her bag back over her shoulder and put the bracelet on her wrist. Skrili looked up at Deon.


    ¡°Hold my hand,¡± she told him.


    Deon was taken off guard. ¡°Skrili, I have to admit, those are probably the last words I ever thought I¡¯d hear you say to me.¡±


    ¡°Just do it, stupid,¡± Skrili demanded.


    With a chuckle, Deon obeyed and grabbed Skrili¡¯s hand. Then all of the sudden, Skrili¡¯s bracelet began to glow purple and they gently levitated into the air. Deon let out a nervous exclamation, fearing he¡¯d lose balance and fall into the enormous pit, but Skrili seemed to be keeping them very stable. They smoothly drifted down the center of the city, towards the platform beneath them. Skrili guided them to its surface and they touched down lightly on the cobblestone.


    She silently removed her hand from Deon¡¯s as the bracelet ceased its glow.


    ¡°That was cool!¡± Deon exclaimed. ¡°You should use that thing more often, like in fights!¡±


    ¡°Levitation bracelets run on magic, which can run out fast if you¡¯re not in Fantasy Country,¡± Skrili explicated. ¡°And they¡¯re illegal to use in professional consciousness fighting.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    They continued walking, turning onto the main walkway. Skrili didn¡¯t lead too far before approaching a specific restaurant. It was a small building, crammed right between two larger, more expensive-looking restaurants. This humble dive was built with faded red bricks. A vintage wooden sign was nailed to the top, reading ¡°The Phoenix,¡± and smaller letters, ¡°Home of the famous Phoenix Float!¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Compared to the traffic going to and from its neighboring competitors, The Phoenix seemed to be receiving much less customers.


    We must have gone by dozens of restaurants already. Why¡¯d she single out this shabby one? Deon wondered as Skrili opened the door and they entered.


    The inside was not very impressive, either. The room was compact, with a few empty round tables and a small, unoccupied bar at the front, where a teenage boy stood waiting for customers. And yet, Deon couldn¡¯t deny that it smelled amazing in here. He didn¡¯t know what was cooking, but it made him twice as hungry as he already was.


    The face of the boy standing behind the bar lit up when he saw Skrili. He was tall, scrawny, and looked to be about fifteen years old. The boy had wavy brown hair and round glasses, and he wore and apron over a faded red shirt.


    ¡°H¡ªHey, Skrili,¡± the boy said kindly with an awkward wave. He sounded like his voice had just lowered, cracking at the end of the sentence.


    Skrili gave him a small, warm smile.


    Happy and seemingly nervous, the boy turned towards the kitchen in the back. ¡°Hey dad, Skrili¡¯s here!¡± he called.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, Peter? Skrili? Who¡¯s Skrili?¡± answered a deep, resonant voice. Soon a man emerged from an old wooden door behind the bar. He was even taller than Peter and very stocky, with a bald head and a thick, dark brown beard. His small blue eyes observed Skrili and Deon and immediately widened with joyful surprise.


    ¡°Blue!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re back! Long time no see, dear!¡±


    Skrili gave another subtle smile as she and Deon approached the bar. ¡°Hi, Rob. Hi, Peter,¡± she greeted.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure when you¡¯d stop by again!¡± said Rob, adjusting his apron. ¡°Where¡¯s Red?¡±


    ¡°She and I ended up parting ways,¡± Skrili explained.


    ¡°What? Oh, well that¡¯s a shame. She¡¯s such a sweetheart. A funny little thing, too,¡± commented Rob. ¡°I¡¯m bummed to hear that. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­different outlooks,¡± said Skrili. ¡°She has a new teammate now.¡±


    Rob nodded with understanding. ¡°Well that¡¯s alright, maybe she¡¯ll come by sometime with the teammate. So what about you? Is this new fellow here a teammate or a boyfriend? Or both? That seems to be common with you kids these days.¡±


    Deon quickly interceded. ¡°I¡¯m Deon, her teammate,¡± he introduced.


    ¡°Nice to meet you lad, I¡¯m Rob.¡± Rob leaned over to Pete with a mischievous look in his eyes. ¡°You hear that, Pete? He¡¯s not her boyfriend. You still have hope.¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Pete shouted, blushing intensely.


    Rob laughed heartily as he made his way back to the kitchen door. ¡°Alright, take these folks¡¯ orders, Pete. I have to get back to work. It¡¯s good to see you, Blue!¡± he said as he entered the kitchen.


    ¡°W¡ªwould you like the¡ªthe usual, Skrili?¡± Pete asked nervously, still blushing.


    ¡°Yes please,¡± she confirmed.


    When Pete looked to Deon to hear his order, Deon noticed the menu at the top of the wall behind the bar. He didn¡¯t recognize any of the foods¡ªthey were all completely foreign to him. ¡°Um¡­I¡¯ll just get what she¡¯s having,¡± he decided.


    Pete nodded, wrote something on a piece of paper, and turned to the back wall. There was a small window that connected the bar to the kitchen, where he placed the slip.


    Skrili and Deon sat down at the bar.


    ¡°So um¡­how¡¯s fighting going?¡± Pete asked Skrili.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re on our way to get my teammate registered.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I hope you guys made an appointment, then,¡± Pete said. ¡°I hear the wait is getting crazy down there. We¡¯ve had customers come in and tell us they¡¯ve been on the waiting list for weeks.¡±


    ¡°Weeks?¡± repeated Deon with dismay.


    Pete nodded. ¡°I guess consciousness fighting is getting even more popular lately.¡±


    As Deon sulked, Skrili looked down in thought.


    ¡°Well¡ªthere is another mainland registration center I¡¯ve heard is way less busy,¡± Pete added, noticing their disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s not as touristy, though¡­or as polite, from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°How far is it by foot?¡± asked Skrili.


    ¡°Oh, by foot it could take you a month,¡± said Pete. ¡°But it¡¯s probably just a few hours by dragon.¡±


    Rob called out to Pete from the back, so he quickly turned to help.


    ¡°So¡­does this mean we¡¯re about to ride a dragon?¡± Deon asked eagerly.


    ¡°It depends,¡± said Skrili. ¡°Renting dragons can be expensive. If I can remember my TeamTrack login, maybe I still have enough saved up in there.¡±


    She retrieved her TeamTrack from her bag and turned it on. Leaning on the counter, Skrili tried typing all kinds of combinations onto the screen. As she typed, Deon leaned closer and closer to see her progress. This was the only thing standing between him and two things: a dragon ride, and a chance to go pro.


    ¡°Any luck?¡± Deon finally asked, now an inch from her face.


    Skrili jumped. ¡°Back up,¡± she shot with aggravation. ¡°And no¡­it¡¯s no use. I can get this fixed at the registration center, but that doesn¡¯t really help us now.¡±


    ¡°Darn.¡±


    Pete and Rob reentered from the kitchen, carrying Deon and Skrili¡¯s meals. They placed two colorful salads and glasses of water before them.


    ¡°I threw in a couple add-ons¡ªthey¡¯re on the house!¡± Rob called, heading back to the kitchen as Pete returned to his station.


    Deon didn¡¯t know what to make of his dish. It looked appetizing, though he didn¡¯t recognize some of the fruits and vegetables in it. Also, there was one problem. ¡°There¡¯s no meat, huh?¡± he noticed.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a vegetarian,¡± Skrili explained.


    They ate, and Deon was immediately blown away: this was the best salad he¡¯d ever had, meat or no meat. This was also the first real food he¡¯d eaten in a while, after being in No Man¡¯s Land for all those days. He found himself digging in rather ravenously as Skrili neatly ate beside him.


    A few minutes into their meal, they heard the front door open. A young woman quietly walked up to the bar, across from Pete. She covered herself in a dark cloak with a large hood, so Deon couldn¡¯t see her face. But some of her hair was still visible: it was a shiny, strawberry blonde color and flowed gracefully.


    ¡°What can I get for you, miss?¡± Pete asked politely.


    ¡°Can I have a medium Phoenix Float, please?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°Sure! That¡¯ll be three scale cards.¡± Pete received the money from her and turned to grab ingredients from a counter. The girl sat down at the bar silently, a few seats away from Deon and Skrili. Deon noticed that the girl wore very expensive-looking red and gold shoes that resembled the flat, thin style of Skrili¡¯s.


    Deon and Skrili eventually finished their meal. After Pete brought the young woman her drink, he made his way over to Deon and Skrili and gave them a slip. Pete took their empty dishes and headed into the kitchen.


    Skrili read the slip. ¡°Twenty-five scale cards,¡± she told Deon. ¡°Even with the discount, that doesn¡¯t leave us enough cash to rent a dragon. We¡¯d need at least two-hundred.¡±


    ¡°Crap! Come on, Skrili¡ªI know you can get the password! I believe in you!!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°I tried everything.¡±


    Deon took a long sigh. ¡°But¡­we¡¯re so close¡­fighting with you on a pro team would be awesome¡­¡± He let out a bitter laugh. ¡°I bet Pang and Phillip have plenty of money for a dragon. Heck, they¡¯re probably almost certified again by now. What the heck.¡± He sulked in his seat. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll have to wait in line forever.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I can help,¡± the hooded girl said kindly from where she sat. Deon and Skrili looked over to her, but the girl still hid her face behind her hood. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, placing it on the table. The girl scribbled something onto it.


    After this, she stood up and walked over to Deon and Skrili with her head down. Now Deon could barely see one of her red eyes as she approached them.


    The young woman placed the piece of paper on the counter in front of Deon. ¡°This might come in handy,¡± she said, looking away. Then she immediately headed back to her seat.


    Deon and Skrili observed the piece of paper she had given them. The name ¡°Kotono Inoue¡± was signed on it.


    ¡°Ko¡­Koto¡­¡± Deon tried to pronounce.


    ¡°Kotono Inoue,¡± Skrili finished in a hushed tone. ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡±


    Skrili quickly looked over to where the young woman sat, and so did Deon¡ªbut the girl was gone, leaving an empty mug. Skrili and Deon looked around the rest of the restaurant, but she had left.


    ¡°She¡¯s who?¡± Deon asked.


    Skrili turned back to him. ¡°Kotono Inoue is one of the top consciousness fighters in the Multiverse¡± she said. ¡°She and her teammate Hiroko Hamasaki are the most successful and famous team from Fantasy Country.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­so is this girl telling us to find Kotono Inoue?¡± guessed Deon.


    ¡°No¡­I think that was Kotono Inoue,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°And if that¡¯s true, then this is her signature, which is worth a lot of money in this Country.¡±


    ¡°What?! So if we sell it, we can rent a dragon!¡± Deon finished. ¡°Dang, talk about a lucky break!¡±


    Skrili nodded.


    Suddenly, Pete and Rob burst through the kitchen door.


    ¡°THAT WAS KOTONO INOUE????!!!!¡± they both screamed.


    Startled, Deon and Skrili nodded.


    ¡°Wanna buy her signature?¡± asked Deon, holding it up.


    Rob and Pete dove onto the counter of the bar, staring closely at the piece of paper in sheer awe. Deon backed up a little bit, alarmed by their excessive enthusiasm.


    ¡°This is almost definitely a legitimate signature,¡± decided Rob.


    Pete nodded. ¡°It¡¯s even got the little swirl at the end¡­none of the fakers can do that right¡­¡± he analyzed.


    ¡°Um¡­these guys seem a little obsessed¡­¡± Deon whispered to Skrili as the father and son continued to study the signature.


    ¡°Like I said, people are really big fans of her around here,¡± Skrili explained.


    Finally, Rob and Pete got themselves under control and stood back behind the bar. ¡°It¡¯s too bad, though¡­¡± said Rob. ¡°There¡¯s no way we could afford that. You¡¯re gonna make a fortune off that piece of paper.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she was actually in our restaurant,¡± added Pete. ¡°And I served her!¡±


    Skrili stood up, preparing to leave. ¡°The next step is to find someone willing to buy this,¡± she decided. Deon stood up next to her. ¡°Though convincing them it¡¯s real might be¡ª¡±


    ¡°GOOD AFTERNOON, FANTASY COUNTRY!!!¡± interrupted the energetic and booming voices of two ladies. Their greeting had come from outside the restaurant, seemingly from a distance. It sounded like they were amplified somehow. Immediately after their introduction, Skrili, Deon, Rob and Pete heard the city erupt into cheers.


    ¡°What in the Multiverse?¡± wondered Rob. They all rushed to the door to find the source of the commotion. The four of them stepped outside, joining an enormous crowd. The circular walkway was packed with people all the way around, who were elatedly looking to the groundless middle of the plaza.


    There floated two young women, appearing to be in their early twenties. They were both dressed in very fashionable, expensive clothing.


    One girl appeared very light, in a sense of both color and charisma. She had pretty strawberry blonde hair that flowed stylishly and didn¡¯t quite reach her shoulders. Her eyes were round, bright red, and full of joy, and she had a smile that immediately welcomed all to feel befriended and cherished. Her makeup only brightened her face even more.


    The girl wore a wavy, short red dress and dark red leggings. Deon noticed that her gold and red shoes were the same as the girl¡¯s from the restaurant. Even still, she seemed far too petite to believably be one of the Multiverse¡¯s top consciousness fighters.


    The young lady beside her appeared just as flashy, but much less dainty. She had smooth dark skin and curly, deep purple hair that was even shorter than her friend¡¯s. It was buzzed on the sides of her head and longer on the top, with her bangs falling to the side of her tough-looking face. Very dark eyeliner shaded her ice blue eyes, bringing out their intimidating yet alluring intensity.


    Her sleeveless purple shirt was similar to the shirts Skrili and Pang wore, but hers seemed pricier and more fitted. She had on tight black pants, and was barefoot. The girl had numerous triangular black tattoos of varying size down her arms, on her feet, and a small one on her cheek.


    Four large security knights stood posted around the girls, facing the crowd. Both of the girls wore glowing levitation bracelets, and Deon assumed the guards wore them underneath their armor. The girls each had a transparent circle of light floating in place in front of their mouths, seemingly meant to amplify their voices.


    ¡°How are you all doing?!¡± the girl in red asked the crowd enthusiastically.


    Conscious City exploded with cheering and applause.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kotono Inoue,¡± she continued.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Hiroko Hamasaki,¡± added her tattooed friend.


    ¡°And we have a super-special announcement for you!¡± Kotono finished.


    ¡°Most of you probably know the National Fantasy Country Conscious Competition is coming up in just a week,¡± said Hiroko. ¡°Well, we would like to officially announce that we¡¯ve entered it!¡±


    The colorful crowd applauded vigorously. Deon heard a young man nearby loudly ask Hiroko if she¡¯d marry him.


    ¡°Now, I realize that¡¯s probably not too big of a shock to you guys,¡± Hiroko admitted. ¡°But this year we¡¯re doing something a little different, and we¡¯re going to need your help. Would you like to explain, Kotono?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡± Kotono accepted with a delicate clap. ¡°This year, we¡¯re proud to announce that we¡¯ve partnered with the Imagine Change Foundation. Imagine Change is an organization that works to create high-end, permanent imagined products meant to serve and benefit communities around Fantasy Country. Here¡¯s the deal: if we win the championship of the National Fantasy Country Conscious Competition again, Imagine Change has agreed to fund the creation of a full lake in the Mainland Desert!


    ¡°For the past four years, there has been a decrease in their water supply. Because of that, the native people and creatures of the Mainland Desert have been suffering. In just this past year, over thirty percent of the natives have passed away, and the legendary sand dragons have become endangered. But if we can put a lake in the desert, it will change everything and save countless lives.¡±


    ¡°So this is where you come in: we need your support,¡± Hiroko announced. ¡°We didn¡¯t become the top team in Fantasy Country on our own: your support helped us to become champions, and you can do it again. So buy tickets to the national Conscious Competition, and cheer us on so we can fund that lake!¡±


    ¡°If we all work together, we can make a beautiful change in this world!¡± declared Kotono with a big, endearing smile. ¡°So let¡¯s do this thing! We¡¯ll see you there!¡±


    Kotono and Hiroko both gave a salute. Then, with a bright flash of gold and purple light, they were suddenly gone.


    The crowd stood in amazement for a few seconds before returning to their usual business, only much more excitedly.


    ¡°You know what this means?¡± Rob said as people passed by.


    ¡°Yeah: Kotono is smoking hot,¡± Deon answered.


    ¡°Not that, I mean the signature you¡¯re holding is legitimate,¡± Rob finished. ¡°It turns out she really was just here. And you¡¯re gonna make a fortune off that thing.¡±


    Deon and Skrili gazed down at Kotono Inoue¡¯s signature.


    After a moment, Skrili took the signature from Deon and put it in her pocket. She uttered a farewell to Rob and Pete and began to walk away. ¡°We have a dragon to rent,¡± she declared.

 28. Gibblezgorv

    Deon followed Skrili along Conscious City¡¯s walkway. They had cleared about half of the vibrant and circular path, so now Deon could see The Phoenix in the distance across the large hole in the center of the floor.


    The whole time, Skrili had simply walked wordlessly, looking around a bit. They had already passed by countless people, but she made no attempt to approach anybody and ask if they would be interested in buying Kotono Inoue¡¯s signature. Deon was confused.


    ¡°Hey um, shouldn¡¯t we be trying to sell that thing?¡± he finally asked.


    ¡°I am,¡± said Skrili as she continued to lead him. ¡°You have to look for the right situation.¡±


    They remained walking, and Skrili kept paying no mind to those she passed by. Soon Deon couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you get the concept of selling things,¡± Deon announced.


    ¡°Oh? And what is that concept?¡± questioned Skrili, unimpressed.


    ¡°This,¡± said Deon. He stopped walking. ¡°HEY EVERYBODY!!!¡± He bellowed to the city street. Many people turned to face him. ¡°WE HAVE KOTONO INOUE¡¯S REAL SIGNATURE OVER HERE, AND¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, the walkway erupted into chaos. People from all directions darted at Deon and Skrili, as if the two of them were Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki. They were all screaming with excitement, obviously wishing to behold their beloved celebrity¡¯s signature.


    ¡°See?¡± Deon said to Skrili as the crowd was closing in. ¡°I bet these people are willing to pay some big money to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Run,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°RUN!¡±


    Skrili grabbed Deon¡¯s arm and darted away from the crowd. Struggling to keep up with Skrili¡¯s intense speed, Deon looked back to see what the problem was. The people seemed more like an angry mob than a group of potential buyers¡ªthey were charging after Skrili and Deon clamorously, pushing each other and struggling to get to the front of the rushing crowd.


    ¡°Give me that signature!!!¡± one man shouted.


    ¡°No! Give it to me!¡± cried a woman. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying forty-five years to get her signature! FORTY-FIVE YEARS!!!¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s only twenty-two! That makes no sense!¡± a young man pointed out.


    ¡°GET BACK HERE, YOU VERMIN!!!¡± roared an old man.


    ¡°Skrili, run faster!¡± Deon shrieked, terrified for their lives. They raced along the street as the crowd followed closely behind.


    ~


    Deon and Skrili sat slumped against a brick wall, panting heavily. They were in a thin alley between two stores. Deon cautiously peaked outside the alley to see if the coast was clear.


    ¡°I think we lost them,¡± he said.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have found them in the first place if you weren¡¯t an imbecile,¡± Skrili muttered.


    ¡°Well how was I supposed to know they¡¯d rush at us like a bunch of rabid animals?!¡± responded Deon defensively.


    ¡°I told you: the people here love Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki. They¡¯ll do pretty much anything to get one of their signatures,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°But not everybody¡¯s going to have two-hundred scale cards they can just spend at a moment¡¯s notice. That¡¯s why you need to wait for the right situation.¡± With that, Skrili stood back to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. We don¡¯t have time for any more problems, so stay here.¡±


    Deon was about to protest, but before he could say anything, Skrili left.


    After a few seconds of solitude, Deon chuckled to himself. She always acts like she knows so much more than me, he thought. Just wait, Skrili. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re always right.


    ~


    A few minutes later, Skrili walked back into the alleyway with no apparent emotion. ¡°Come on,¡± she said to Deon.


    ¡°Did you get two-hundred scale cards?¡± Deon asked her curiously.


    ¡°No. Come on,¡± Skrili answered.


    Deon smirked. He felt he should be upset they couldn¡¯t rent a dragon, but he was currently enjoying the fact that Skrili had to eat her words for once. Deon stood and joined Skrili in the main walkway. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan now?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°To head to the dragon rental place,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Wait¡ªbut¡ªI thought we didn¡¯t get the money.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t get two-hundred scale cards for it,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°We got two-thousand.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?! HOW?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°I found a couple of rich men outside of a high-class restaurant. The bidding ended at two-thousand,¡± Skrili informed him, her expression still completely blank. ¡°Now we have some money to live off of for a while.¡±


    Deon stared at her, flabbergasted. Not only did she make an absurd sum of money in under fifteen minutes, but she was so nonchalant about it, as if her talent was nothing special.


    ¡°What?¡± wondered Skrili.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re just weird.¡±


    Skrili remained emotionless, as if Deon¡¯s statement didn¡¯t compute. ¡°Oh,¡± she said plainly. Then she silently began to lead the way along the street.


    Deon followed. She¡¯s so weird¡­he thought with a smile.


    ~


    After a few minutes of walking, Skrili and Deon approached what was evidently the end of Conscious City. They had used Skrili¡¯s levitation bracelet to ascend back to the top floor, and before them was an arched brick opening, parallel to the entrance Deon and Skrili had come in from. Looking back, Deon briefly noticed how far they traveled, as the gateway back to No Man¡¯s Land appeared very small and far away.


    Beyond the arch they were nearing, Deon observed that the cobblestone road turned from tan to gray, and was surrounded by dark grass. He couldn¡¯t see much else, since the remaining buildings and the archway stood in his view.


    As it turned out, Deon realized they didn¡¯t have to leave the city to rent a dragon. The final store just to the right of the archway read ¡°Fantasy Country Official Dragon Rental System¡± in glowing light blue letters. The building was surprisingly small for a place that was supposed to hold numerous dragons. In fact, it didn¡¯t look big enough to even contain a single one.


    The consciousness duo entered the tiny rental building. It was very clean and neat on the inside, with a wooden floor and light blue walls. Various products were posted throughout the store: accessories like gloves, saddles, and specialized riding cloaks.


    A desk was near the back wall, and behind it sat a short female employee. She was dressed in one of these special cloaks, which were made of some sort of tough leathery texture, probably to fight the harsh winds of flying. The cloak was navy blue and had the dragon rental store¡¯s logo on the front.


    ¡°Hello,¡± the employee greeted pleasantly as Skrili and Deon walked up the desk. ¡°What can I help you with?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d like to rent a dragon for a one-way trip,¡± Skrili told her.


    ¡°Sure thing! How many days will this trip be?¡± asked the employee.


    ¡°Just one.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let me see what I have¡­¡± the woman said. She opened a large book that rested before her on the desk. It appeared ancient. To Deon¡¯s surprise, as she flipped through the pages, a three-dimensional projection of a dragon appeared on each page. Beside it, various statistics were listed in floating text. Eventually, the employee stopped at a page towards the end. The book projected an image of a thin, mint green dragon.


    The woman paused to double-check the information floating above the page. ¡°Alright, it looks like we do have one dragon that doesn¡¯t have any appointments today,¡± she observed. ¡°He¡¯s an old guy, though. How long will you be travelling for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯re going to the nearest mainland registration center outside the city,¡± answered Skrili.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, that¡¯s about four hours. He should be fine then,¡± the employee decided with a confident nod. ¡°If you¡¯re all set, that¡¯ll be two-hundred and three scale cards.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Skrili retrieved their money from her bag, counted the proper amount, and handed it to the worker.


    The woman stored the money away. Then she stood from her chair and exited the desk. ¡°I think you guys will like this dragon. He¡¯s such a sweetheart,¡± she shared. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    As she spoke, an opening materialized in the wall. It led outside, to what appeared to be a field. Deon wondered if this trick had been done using imagining, but he dismissed that thought, since Imaginers can¡¯t wipe real objects from existence. He figured it was another use of Fantasy Country¡¯s magic, like Skrili¡¯s levitation bracelet and the employee¡¯s book.


    Deon and Skrili followed the woman through the opening and into the outdoors. They now stood in a vast yard at the top of a tall hill, marked by a short wooden fence. Within it, four dragons stood around with saddles on their backs. Three of them were muscular, colorful, and majestic, each standing taller than the Conscious City buildings on all fours.


    A fourth dragon stood at the far right corner of the yard, facing outward. This was the one the employee showed them in the book: he was a soft mint green and thin, unlike his tougher, younger peers. The spikes that ran down the center of his head, back and tail were a faded white and were worn-down to a harmless, round shape. While the other dragons¡¯ tails were constantly raised above the ground, his rested limp in the grass. Even his leather saddle seemed rather aged.


    This mint dragon appeared to be gazing over the hilly horizon, before him waited miles and miles of dark green plains and a clear, blue sky.


    ¡°Um¡­not to question you guys, but how is this tiny fence supposed to hold these huge dragons? They can just walk over it,¡± Deon commented. ¡°Wait¡ªI get it: there¡¯s an invisible wall or something, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    The employee let out a good-natured laugh. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re not from Fantasy Country. No, our dragons come here on their own accord. This is their job,¡± she explained to him. ¡°Gibblezgorv!¡± she called to the old dragon.


    Gibblezgorv turned to see the worker. Noticing Deon and Skrili, he leapt into the air. The dragon spread his flimsy-looking wings and flapped his way over. When he was before them, Gibblezgorv flopped onto the grass with a grunt, causing the ground to shake.


    The dragon had round, yellow eyes with wrinkles underneath that gave the impression he spent many years smiling. Every time they blinked his eyes fully closed, as if someone was squirting water in them. Gibblezgorv¡¯s snout was long, and at the end of it he had many lengthy, gray whiskers that dangled down on either side like a moustache. He emitted a very warm and welcoming presence as he stood before them.


    ¡°This is Gibblezgorv,¡± the woman introduced.


    ¡°This is so cool! I can¡¯t believe I get to ride one of these!¡± Deon exclaimed. He reached over and pet Gibblezgorv¡¯s snout. ¡°Hey, buddy, how are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite well, young lad, but to be honest I¡¯m wondering just why you¡¯re petting and talking to me like some sort of domestic pet,¡± Gibblezgorv answered. He had a hoarse but friendly old voice.


    Deon was taken aback. He immediately stopped petting Gibblezgorv. ¡°Oh¡­uh¡­sorry,¡± he said, blushing. ¡°I thought...¡±


    Gibblezgorv and the employee laughed lightheartedly, and Skrili cracked a half smile.


    ¡°Not to worry, boy! Don¡¯t be embarrassed,¡± Gibblezgorv assured.


    ¡°So Gibblezgorv,¡± began the worker, ¡°These two would like a one-way, one day trip. They¡¯ll provide the details, and just make sure you run through our policies with them. You remember them, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my dear!¡± responded Gibblezgorv. He looked at Deon and Skrili. ¡°This little one makes me laugh, making sure I know the policies. She¡¯s been alive for two or three decades. I¡¯ve been doing this for almost fifty decades. I guess it¡¯s just a part of getting old¡­¡± He gazed into the sky with pretense self-pity.


    ¡°Oh Gibble, you¡¯ve still got a few hundred years left in you,¡± the woman told him.


    ¡°I¡¯m only teasing, dear. I¡¯ll take care of these two. Hurry along and make sure nobody¡¯s looking for you in the store,¡± Gibblezgorv suggested gently.


    The employee nodded with a smile and headed back to the building.


    ¡°Well,¡± said Gibblezgorv, ¡°You¡¯ve heard my name. What may I call you two?¡±


    Skrili introduced them politely. She reached into her travel bag and pulled out her TeamTrack, pressing its side button twice. Instantly, it projected a hologram of the Multiverse map. She slid her fingers on the screen to zoom in on Fantasy Country. ¡°We would like to fly to the nearest registration center outside Conscious City,¡± Skrili told Gibblezgorv.


    ¡°Ah, a TeamTrack,¡± the dragon noted enthusiastically. ¡°You young ones are on the quest of a Consciousness Team!¡±


    Skrili nodded.


    ¡°How exciting¡­Smart of you to avoid the line of the Conscious City one,¡± Gibblezgorv commented as he began to study the map. ¡°Ah yes, I know where the closest one is: Crooked Plateau, just by the Mainland Desert. I can get you there in under four hours.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± said Skrili. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No, my dear, thank you for giving me a good trip. They¡¯ve mostly been assigning me short, five minute errands and the like these days. It¡¯s rare that I get to do a longer trip, with all of these younger dragons coming in to cover them,¡± Gibblezgorv explained. ¡°But enough of my ramblings; shall we get going?¡±


    Deon and Skrili nodded.


    Gibblezgorv lay down onto his stomach, so that Deon and Skrili could reach his saddle. Skrili walked over and climbed on gracefully. She grasped the round handle at the front of the saddle. Deon followed, climbing up Gibblezgorv¡¯s smooth scales and hoisting himself into the saddle behind Skrili. He could feel the immense strength and sturdiness of the dragon underneath him¡ªit was both reassuring and intimidating.


    ¡°While you¡¯re getting comfortable, allow me to go over our policies,¡± Gibblezgorv told them. ¡°These days the company has us memorize this long-winded, repetitive list, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll bore you to sleep. Instead, here¡¯s the short version. One: remain sitting in the saddle at all times during the flight, unless I tell you otherwise. Two: follow all the directions I give you. And three: enjoy the ride! If you can handle those three rules, we¡¯ll have a great flight.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± answered Skrili.


    ¡°Got it,¡± affirmed Deon, but something seemed missing. He couldn¡¯t find another handle like the one Skrili was using. ¡°What exactly do I hold on to?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Me,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°And hold on tight, unless you plan on skydiving!¡± added Gibblezgorv.


    ¡°Oh¡­alright,¡± muttered Deon. He looked at Skrili¡¯s back. Figuring she¡¯d launch him off the dragon if he got too close, he barely placed his hands on her waist. ¡°I¡¯m ready, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Okay, like I said, hold on tight!¡± Gibblezgorv exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯re off!¡± He spread his wings out fully, leaned lower than he already was, and with a powerful push, launched into the air.


    They ascended at an immense speed. The wind shot against Deon ruthlessly, and was more thunderous than any wind he had ever heard. His stomach sunk as he felt himself losing his balance. Panicking, Deon slammed his eyes shut, leaned forward, and held onto Skrili with all of his strength.


    Eventually, their ascent stopped. Deon could now hear the slow, rhythmic flapping of Gibblezgorv¡¯s wings. He opened his eyes to witness an amazing view: they were now high in the sky. Deon could see dark green hills for miles, and the silhouettes of mountains in the distance. Clouds were sparse, but the ones he noticed floated not too far beneath Gibblezgorv¡¯s feet. They appeared soft and full enough to jump on as they passed by.


    He also saw numerous other dragons transporting people across this immense terrain. The colorful, moon-like ¡°worlds¡± he had first witnessed in Conscious City still appeared just as distant from them as before.


    Then Deon¡¯s focus on the view was interrupted when he detected an unusual sound and feeling. He could hear someone laughing, and he would have doubted it was Skrili if he couldn¡¯t feel her shaking.


    Skrili was giggling from the rush of their ascension. As opposed to Deon¡¯s terrified reaction, hers was pure amusement. Deon almost didn¡¯t recognize her voice¡ªshe sounded so much more lively and joyful than he was used to.


    ¡°It sounds like somebody¡¯s having fun!¡± Gibblezgorv commented. ¡°Is my friend Deon still up there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Deon responded woozily. Finally, his heartbeat was beginning to slow down. Then he realized how closely he was holding Skrili¡ªhe could feel her laughing voice vibrate against him. Blushing, Deon quickly put some space between them again.


    ¡°Good! Well, keep holding on!¡± Gibblezgorv instructed.


    With that, he darted forward, speeding up very rapidly. Deon felt the wind and inertia pushing him back, so he immediately hugged Skrili again. The sinking feeling returned to his stomach, and at the same time he could feel Skrili¡¯s laughter increase again. Deon tried to see where they were going, but Skrili¡¯s hair flew around wildly, covering his face.


    After about half a minute, the wind died down. Then it completely stopped, yet Gibblezgorv was still moving across the sky. In fact, he was traveling faster than Deon had ever comprehended possible. The surface far beneath them looked as if it were spinning.


    ¡°Sorry, sometimes I forget to use my windshield!¡± Gibblezgorv apologized. ¡°The magicians invented it ages ago, but I¡¯m not used to trips where I have to fly fast enough to need it! At any rate, now you two can relax and chit-chat.¡±


    Deon was grateful for Gibblezgorv¡¯s convenient little trick. He still had to hold on to Skrili for balance, but at least now her hair wasn¡¯t slapping him.


    Skrili¡¯s laughter had finally faded. She looked to the side and beheld the ever-changing view. Now Deon could see her face: she was smiling spiritedly as she looked around with equally delighted eyes. It was a pretty expression, and it reminded him of the destroyed photo of her with her little brother. This was practically a different Skrili, or at least another side of her he hadn¡¯t yet experienced.


    ¡°I take it you like dragon rides,¡± Deon commented.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Skrili said with a nod, still smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve never done this before.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s smile was contagious, so Deon found himself mirroring it. ¡°Yeah¡­this is pretty wild.¡±


    Their rapid flight across the plains of Fantasy Country continued on. Every several minutes, another dragon would cross their path or fly by, some with passengers and some without. Gibblezgorv would often wave to them in passing.


    They also noticed occasional lakes and rivers amidst the plains. Along these, Deon sometimes caught glimpses of unfamiliar creatures¡ªsome birdlike, others furry and large. But due to Gibblezgorv¡¯s elevation and speed, it was difficult to see any details.


    When Deon noticed any curious animals, he pointed them out to Skrili. She often responded with great curiosity, and eventually, she started pointing out creatures to Deon.


    ¡°I think that one¡¯s a whatizit,¡± Skrili said, after they spotted a spec of rainbow fur in a distant tree branch.


    ¡°A ¡®whatizit?¡¯ What is it?¡± Deon asked, squinting to see.


    ¡°Nobody really knows what it is,¡± explained Skrili with a shrug. ¡°That¡¯s why they call it a whatizit.¡±


    ¡°You made that up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m dead serious,¡± Skrili insisted.


    ¡°Nope. You definitely made that up.¡±


    Skrili laughed and continued to deny his accusation.


    While her sudden enthusiasm had initially surprised Deon, he quickly switched to soaking it all up. Finally, she seemed to be loosening up a bit. Soon enough, he found himself just as intrigued by this new side of Skrili as the new world around him.


    Just as Deon was beginning to wonder how close they were to the registration center, he and Skrili noticed the terrain far below beginning to change dramatically. They had been over thick forests and rivers for hours, but now trees were becoming sparser. Next the rivers grew thin, until soon there was no water in sight. Even the grass had died down to occasional, mostly-dead patches.


    ¡°It appears my memory hasn¡¯t failed me yet!¡± Gibblezgorv said. ¡°We¡¯re near our destination!¡±


    Soon they began steadily dropping in altitude. Over the horizon, Deon noticed a series of square, reddish plateaus, with buildings covering many of them. The centermost one stood tallest, but its surface was oddly inconsistent and sloped in random directions. The gray buildings atop it were lopsided, and Deon wondered how they hadn¡¯t fallen over.


    ¡°There it is: Crooked Plateau,¡± announced Gibblezgorv. ¡°Not the prettiest of towns, mind you, but it hosts the registration center you¡¯re looking for!¡±


    As Gibblezgorv grew close, he began to circle the plateau. Deon noticed this place was much less populated than Conscious City. Only a few people walked the streets, and Gibblezgorv was the only dragon in sight.


    ¡°Ever heard of this place?¡± Deon asked Skrili.


    ¡°Not until today, actually,¡± she said. ¡°This will be a new experience for me, too.¡± She paused. ¡°For once, you won¡¯t be the only clueless one.¡±


    ¡°Rude!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    Skrili let out a small laugh, so Deon joined in.


    They were slowing towards a round surface resembling the landing platforms in Conscious City.


    ¡°Hey,¡± started Deon.


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I think we¡¯re gonna be a great team,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to do this with you.¡±


    Skrili turned to look at him. But as soon as their eyes met, her smile retreated. She abruptly turned back around.


    ¡°Me too,¡± she uttered in the same detached tone as before.

 29. Hurt

    Najinzu violently seized Zayza by the back of her neck. ¡°Right this way, dear,¡± he growled.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes widened. Her nervous breath was audibly unsteady.


    Lammy sat on the crude wooden floor, paralyzed with fear for her. For a moment he thought he could hear Zayza¡¯s heart pounding, but he soon realized it was his own.


    ¡°Remember what I said earlier, Najinzu,¡± urged Fewpar.


    ¡°I know, I know, I won¡¯t kill her. I¡¯ll only come close.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I was talking about not getting her blood all over your clothes. It¡¯s just so repulsive. But that too: we need her alive.¡±


    Lammy still couldn¡¯t move. They¡­can¡¯t actually do this¡­he thought.


    Zayza looked to Lammy. Once their eyes met, that instant became frozen in time. Lammy had never seen so much fear in a single expression. Zayza¡¯s enchanting green eyes extended her very soul out to him, as if it was crying for help, desperate for a retreat.


    He knew Zayza wouldn¡¯t actually ask for help, because she felt that would only put him in more danger. But her eyes spoke the truth she tried to repress: she wanted him to make a move. To do something. Anything. This time, no one else could do it for him. His mother wasn¡¯t here to bail them out. Nor were Folel, Foler, or Ryan. He was her absolute only hope to rescue her from torture.


    She needed him.


    Lammy could see it happening: he would stand to his feet, shout ¡°Leave her alone!¡± and the adrenaline of the situation would somehow awaken the Imagining skills he always understood, but could never execute. He would take on Najinzu and Fewpar by himself¡ªat least long enough to hold them off so he could get Zayza. Then they would bust out of the carriage and run for their lives, disappearing into the trees. Maybe someone kind of authority would find and protect them.


    Lammy could envision all of this taking place.


    He knew it was worth a shot. Anything was worth it to save a friend as compassionate as Zayza. And she needed him.


    Lammy didn¡¯t move.


    He watched as Najinzu forcefully escorted Zayza out of the carriage. He just sat there and watched until they were outside, no longer in view. He heard them walk across the dirt path and leave deeper into the woods.


    He did nothing.


    ¡°Hmm, a part of me thought you would try to save her¡­or, at least say something in protest,¡± commented Fewpar nonchalantly. ¡°Instead, you made this quite easy for us. You must not be nearly as powerful as your mother.¡±


    Lammy stared at Fewpar, distraught.


    Why couldn¡¯t I move? He¡¯s right¡ªI didn¡¯t even bother to stick up for her. I just sat here like an idiot! What kind of friend am I?


    What¡­kind of person am I?


    He recalled earlier in College Town College, how he was able to speak up then. He didn¡¯t even know Ryan would step in and fight, yet Lammy was ready to take them on to defend Zayza. What changed?


    He knew exactly what changed.


    Now, he had seen Najinzu¡¯s strength. He had seen him stab Ryan in the stomach without hesitation. Without regard.


    He saw the blood.


    He saw their fate.


    ¡°What nonsense am I speaking of? Of course you¡¯re not as skilled as your mother,¡± Fewpar concluded. ¡°Otherwise, you would have simply teleported yourself and Zayza away from here.¡±


    Once again, he was speaking about Lammy¡¯s mother like she had great power. ¡°¡®Teleported?¡¯¡± Lammy repeated slowly.


    ¡°Yes, boy, ¡®teleported.¡¯ It baffles me that you haven¡¯t the slightest clue about your mother¡¯s special abilities.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because my mom doesn¡¯t have ¡®special abilities,¡¯¡± Lammy insisted. ¡°She¡¯s just a normal mom. She never even uses her powers.¡±


    ¡°You are quite the fool,¡± Fewpar observed emotionlessly. ¡°Your mother is masterful; otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have been able to save you. She somehow managed to teleport you and Zayza away. Before we could attack her, she did the same to us, sending us back to Fantasy Country. That¡¯s not the work of an ordinary consciousness.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s head spun.


    Wait¡ªso my mom¡¯s¡­


    ¡­really alive?


    She¡¯s the one who sent us away? And she¡¯s alive?


    But¡­


    Why did she send us here? Why not into Tailpiece?


    ¡°Enough of this meaningless prattle,¡± Fewpar said. ¡°Najinzu will return with your criminal friend eventually. When that time comes, you may discover her to be rather¡­different.¡±


    He turned around and headed to the front of the wagon. It had stopped raining now, so he stepped outside, onto the driver¡¯s bench. One of the two horses shook its mane.


    Quickly, Lammy¡¯s mind returned to their current peril.


    What is Najinzu doing to her? he wondered with dread. I¡¯m sorry, Zayza. I failed you¡­


    ~


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back with the girl!¡± Lammy heard Fewpar exclaim. ¡°Welcome, good Najinzu. How was it?¡±


    ¡°You were mostly right, Fewpar. She¡¯s quite the pleader and crier. Only, she¡¯s not at all a fighter.¡±


    ¡°Really? Is that so?¡±


    ¡°The girl gave almost no resistance. It seems she¡¯s given up.¡±


    Lammy gasped quietly and he felt tears building up. Zayza¡­


    ¡°Fascinating. Let me see her¡­ah, yes. How does it feel to get what you deserve, Zayza? Well, I do hope she has some spark left in her. I never got my fair chance for revenge.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°At any rate, I¡¯m glad to see you had fun.¡±


    Lammy heard someone approaching. His tears and heartbeat increased.


    ((WARNING: The following seven paragraphs mildly address injuries and trauma that may be disturbing to some readers. Descriptions are not gory or explicit, but since this story hasn''t been very dark thus far, I felt a warning is warranted.))


    Najinzu climbed into the carriage with Zayza slung over his shoulder like a sack. Her clothes were ripped all over, and thin cuts were under the slits. It appeared Najinzu had used a particularly slim knife to do the work.


    Most horrifyingly, however, was the fact that these narrow cuts were in systematic, calculated locations, revealing that Najinzu knew precisely what he wanted to do. There was symmetry¡ªperhaps even art¡ªto these injuries. Lammy also noted several dark bruises where skin was visible.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Zayza¡­


    Najinzu walked up to Lammy, glaring at him with that cold, dark eye. He lifted Zayza from his shoulder and tossed her next to Lammy.


    Before she thudded to the floor, Lammy jumped and caught Zayza. She collapsed into his lap, her face turned towards his. Immediately, he could feel her steadily trembling.


    Tears falling, Lammy reached to Zayza¡¯s face and brushed aside the hair that masked it. He went pale at what he uncovered.


    Zayza¡¯s face was uninjured, yet it was the most accurate depiction of her pain. She was conscious, and her eyes looked ahead, wide open and in a foggy daze. Her skin was pale, save for the dark, weary lines underneath her eyes. The darkness accented her vivid green irises, making them stand out against her otherwise faded face. Her colorless lips were parted slightly, and her chin faintly and inconsistently twitched downward, as if she was trying to speak but had no words.


    ¡°Zayza¡­¡± Lammy muttered chokingly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Zayza remained wordless, staring just beyond him.


    The whole time, Najinzu had been hovering above them.


    ¡°As much as I enjoy beholding the fruits of my labor,¡± he began, ¡°I believe someone is waiting for you.¡±


    He swiftly snatched something from his belt and flicked it at Zayza. The small item poked into the side of her neck: another tranquilization dart.


    ¡°No!¡± Lammy cried.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes wavered and closed. Her body immediately stopped trembling and relaxed against Lammy, and her head drooped down against his shoulder.


    ¡°Zayza¡­no¡­¡± mumbled Lammy.


    By now, Najinzu had already walked away and joined Fewpar out in the front.


    ¡°When will they finally have enough?¡± Lammy wondered. ¡°This is all my fault¡­why can¡¯t I be stronger?¡±


    He cradled Zayza close as he cried softly.


    ~


    (The Dream World)


    Zayza¡¯s eyes opened.


    The cuts were gone. The pain was gone. That unrelenting, all-encompassing pain was finally gone. She felt normal again. She felt the ground underneath her feet.


    Zayza stood in a vast, empty field. The grass was an even mixture of green and blue, and the sky matched it with its dark blue tint and green clouds.


    Zayza wore her default green dress, but for once, she wished not to. But she could only barely wish not to, because she could only barely feel emotion. She didn¡¯t want to feel it, and she didn¡¯t know how.


    One state, however, had remained the same since she entered the Dream World: she still couldn¡¯t speak. Or, rather, she chose not to. She wasn¡¯t sure which was the truth. There was nothing to say¡ªor maybe, there was no way to say it. She heard Lammy when he called to her, but a response was impossible. Or unnecessary. Maybe both. It didn¡¯t matter.


    A light flickered a short walk away, and from it Fewpar emerged. He stood arms crossed, looking at Zayza with a half-smile.


    ¡°There you are,¡± he noted calmly, ¡°At last, we can finish what we barely started. With your Pain Tolerance as high as it is due to your time with Najinzu, you shall be unable to escape the Dream World so easily.¡±


    Zayza said nothing.


    ¡°How do you feel, dear Zayza? You look much better here than in the Real World. I¡¯ll be happy to change that.¡±


    Silence.


    Fewpar looked at Zayza with puzzlement. ¡°You say nothing, and look upon me with such empty, hopeless eyes. Najinzu really did quite the number on you.¡± He slid into a fighting stance. ¡°I shall add to his efforts.¡±


    Lammy didn¡¯t stand up, Zayza thought. He didn¡¯t try to save me. He didn¡¯t even say a word.


    I¡¯m¡­


    I¡¯m glad.


    If Lammy had tried to rescue me, they would have hurt him even more. He doesn¡¯t deserve the pain I know now. I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t stand up for me. It means¡­he must have learned he shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with me. He¡¯s decided I¡¯m not worth more suffering.


    He must be right.


    He is right.


    But¡­


    All the hardships Lammy has experienced since we met are because of me, Zayza thought.


    And that will only continue unless I do something about it.


    ¡°At least show me just a bit of fear,¡± said Fewpar. ¡°It¡¯s only fair¡ªNajinzu can¡¯t have it all to himself.¡±


    A light blue glow appeared in his hand. With a shove, he launched the blast at Zayza.


    Zayza watched the oncoming attack, preparing no defense. These men have some reason to believe I deserve this torment, she thought.


    So be it.


    The blast was arm¡¯s length from her, but then an enormous, glistening green wave of light emanated from Zayza and fired at the blast, completely drowning it. An earth-shaking wall of noise erupted from it, and its power sent a gust at Zayza, causing her hair to blow rapidly in the wind. Regardless, she looked on unflinchingly.


    The green blast soared directly at Fewpar and hammered into him full-force, catapulting him backwards into the air.


    Once the light faded, Zayza took a single step forward.


    She warped to a location far ahead, now on a white cobblestone path between twilight-colored trees.


    Zayza turned around and saw Fewpar falling through the air in her direction. She charged a thick circle of green light into her hands and raised it in front of her. Fewpar collided with this, and the explosion sent him rocketing back into the sky.


    Zayza took another step, and a moment later, she was floating in the dark blue air. Fewpar came spinning up at her. She charged another circle of green energy into her foot. Gravity was beginning to pull Fewpar back down as he reached Zayza¡¯s height, but she kicked him with the green light and launched him spiraling out of the sky.


    Far below in the distance, Fewpar crashed into a silver mountain, just behind the field Zayza had initially appeared in. The impact sent debris in all directions with a cloud of white dust.


    I may deserve this, but Lammy doesn¡¯t, Zayza decided. And right now I¡¯m the only person who can protect him.


    So I will.


    She warped back to the field, not far from the now-punctured wall of the mountain Fewpar had just collided with.


    When the white dust cleared, Fewpar emerged, climbing out of the hole in the mountain. His face was contorted into an ugly frown. He stood at the edge of the hole and quickly noticed Zayza below him.


    ¡°It appears another memory has returned to you,¡± Fewpar grumbled.


    Zayza wordlessly watched him.


    Fewpar smiled bitterly. ¡°Well then, it will be an honor to fight someone of your importance. I shall discover if the rumors are true.¡±


    ~


    Lammy felt the carriage spring to life as the horses began to pull it along the path once more. He wondered what time of day it was; it became hard to tell once it stopped raining.


    He continued to hug Zayza, petting her hair softly and trying to refrain from looking at her injuries. Any time he glanced at them, his heart would sink. No matter what Zayza may or may not have done, she certainly couldn¡¯t deserve all of this.


    And to think, it wasn¡¯t even over: at this very moment, Fewpar was probably beating her up in the Dream World. Lammy had never realized any human being could be this cruel.


    I wish I could use Imagining to heal her, Lammy thought. That¡¯s just another skill I¡¯m no good at¡­If my mom is so ¡°powerful,¡± why didn¡¯t she teach me?


    As Lammy contemplated this, he took comfort in the fact that he finally knew his mother was alive and well. The uncertainty had haunted him since they arrived in Our Snowy Village, and now this burden was lifted.


    At least she was okay, even if he and Zayza were not.


    Lammy heard Najinzu grumble to himself. He listened more intently.


    ¡°At this pace, it will take us the rest of eternity to get to Fantasy Country,¡± his raspy voice complained.


    Everything continued as normal for several seconds, but then Lammy saw a bright, white light from outside. It faded just as quickly as it came, and immediately the carriage stopped as he heard the horses throw a fit.


    ¡°Oh, calm down, you insolent beasts!¡± Najinzu shouted. ¡°I merely used a Warp Orb. You Realistic Fiction horses are idiotic.¡±


    ¡®Warp Orb?¡¯ Isn¡¯t that what they used to catch up to us at College Town College? Lammy wondered.


    Soon enough, the horses began running along the path again. Only this time, the ground underneath their hooves and the wheels sounded a bit more solid and felt flatter. Lammy saw that the sky outside looked clear.


    ¡°There. This is much closer,¡± said Najinzu. ¡°Do you hear me, boy?¡± he snarled back to Lammy. ¡°You and the girl will be in our dungeon soon enough.¡±

 30. What Kind of Person Am I?

    (The Dream World)


    Zayza watched as Fewpar hopped from the damaged silver mountain towering before her. He gracefully glided down, until he landed facing her in the immense field of blue and green grass.


    ¡°So you remember your dream combat training as well, I see,¡± Fewpar noted. ¡°How disgustingly disappointing.¡± His tone had darkened from its usual nonchalance.


    Zayza remained mute, staring at him blankly.


    ¡°I hate you, Zayza.¡±


    A blue glow emanated around Fewpar, and then he raised his hands to the sky. Still glaring at Zayza, he closed his fists.


    An airy sound, almost like a chorus of voices, rang from above. It suddenly grew deafeningly loud. Zayza jumped to the side, maintaining perfect balance, as a blue ray of light came crashing down and exploded violently where she had just stood.


    Looking up, Zayza saw what she had expected: a shimmering blue cloud in the sky, dropping more rays of light like a hailstorm.


    Even still, she didn¡¯t know why she expected it.


    Zayza shot backwards to avoid an incoming explosion. She dodged it just barely enough to grant herself footing and leap out of the way of another light ray. Countless more followed, filling the air with booming, ghostly echoes. Zayza sidestepped every single one, her expression never changing from sheer unconcern.


    Her movements were perfectly calculated, twirling farther and farther away from Fewpar with each dodge. Then, she knew it was time.


    Another light ray came rocketing down, with no time for her to move. She twisted her heels outward, took in a calm breath, and welcomed an increasing numb sensation in her chest. With a flicker of green light, her physical existence vanished.


    The blue light crashed against the ground, leaving a hole, but Zayza¡¯s body was gone. Only her mind remained, and it felt nothing from the impact.


    Knowing this state couldn¡¯t last much longer, Zayza returned. She set her eyes on Fewpar in the distance, and then blinked slowly, like a sleepy cat.


    In the next instant, her face was directly before his.


    ¡°NO¡ª¡± Fewpar started, his eyes widening.


    Zayza¡¯s knee smashed into his stomach and ribs, her eyes still fixed on Fewpar¡¯s as he keeled forward. Then she spun elegantly, green light glittering from her hand, and used the momentum to crash her fist into Fewpar¡¯s temple. A dark green puff of energy shot out, and Fewpar was sent soaring.


    He didn¡¯t touch the ground until he was practically a spec in the distance, grass and dirt shooting up everywhere as he skidded against it face first. When he finally came to a stop, he lay mangled in the Dream World earth.


    Zayza blinked again, and warped to his location. She charged green energy into both of her palms.


    Fewpar stood, the grass and dirt falling off of him unrealistically, leaving no stains. He faced her, his mouth quivering with rage.


    ¡°YOU¡ª¡± he began growlingly, but he caught himself and contained his utter fury. ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes. I shall make more of your tears fall, until you run out. You¡¯ll weep like a lost child. You will¡ª¡±


    Zayza snapped both hands, and the green energy in her palms instantly lunged at Fewpar, exploding with a direct hit. Again, he flipped into the air.


    I¡¯ll protect Lammy, Zayza thought.


    ~


    The horse carriage rocked when it rolled over a bump, causing Zayza to start sliding out of Lammy¡¯s lap. He quickly adjusted, embracing her even more securely as she slept.


    Lammy watched one of his tears land on her cut-up shoulder. He wished he could pretend it was all fake: her torn clothes, the streaks of blood, the bruises¡­


    Najinzu had broken her.


    Then his watery eyes went to the tranquilizer dart stuck in her neck. Now she was stuck in the Dream World, and Fewpar could torture her all he wanted. Lammy thought of removing the dart, but he feared Najinzu would notice.


    He was too afraid for even this slight motion.


    Please, Zayza, don¡¯t give up, Lammy thought. No¡­I have no right to expect that of you. I didn¡¯t even try to help when you needed me¡­


    ¡°Ah, the northern border wall,¡± Najinzu noted aloud from outside the carriage. He mushed the horses and they trotted slightly faster.


    Lammy looked forward. Past Najinzu¡¯s back, he could barely make out the silhouette of an enormous wall towering in the sky, past all the trees.


    ¡°Your time runs short, boy,¡± Najinzu hissed back at him.


    ~


    (The Dream World)


    The instant Fewpar crashed back onto the ground, Zayza warped to his position, floating above him.


    With more snaps, she sent dozens of green energy blasts at him. Fewpar scrambled to avoid them, rolling around frantically, but it was no use.


    ¡°ENOUGH!!!¡± he screamed.


    Tiny specks of light much like stars appeared between Zayza and Fewpar. Then, Zayza felt herself being tugged out of the air. She tried to resist, but was too late¡ªthe miniature stars pulled her down and she bashed against the ground, beside Fewpar.


    Wasting no time, Fewpar pounced onto her and started throwing frenzied punches. He filled each with his blue light. Zayza winced, feeling a pounding throb throughout her whole body with each impact.


    ¡°YES! YOU¡¯LL FEEL MY PAIN, ZAYZA!! ALL OF IT!!¡± Fewpar roared.


    Zayza scrambled to make a defense, and eventually managed to cross her arms in front of her face. A green shield of light flashed into place from her arms. Fewpar¡¯s punches bounced off of it, ineffective. Then she pushed the shield forward, and it lifted Fewpar off of her. With a twirl and a snap, Zayza stood back up and exploded her shield.


    Fewpar tumbled to the ground, but managed to recover quickly. Fuming, he charged straight at Zayza.


    She simply raised a dainty hand and waved it, as if to shoo him away. Glowing blades of grass rose from the ground beside Fewpar and soared past him in a gust. Taken by the wind, Fewpar lost his footing and tumbled clumsily to the ground.


    He lay still for a moment. Then Zayza could hear him laughing softly to himself. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to beat me¡­¡± he mumbled.


    Zayza said nothing.


    ¡°Oh, still the silent treatment, I see¡­still think you¡¯re above me, I see¡­still think you know best, I see¡­still think you¡¯re the hero¡­¡± Fewpar abruptly shot to his feet. ¡°YOU DON¡¯T DESERVE TO WIN!!! YOU DESERVE PAIN! YOU DESERVE TORTURE! LET ME TORTURE YOU! LET ME HURT YOU! I HATE YOU, ZAYZA!!!¡±


    Tears poured from his eyes. They, too, were glowing blue.


    Zayza wanted this to make her feel something, but she didn¡¯t care. She couldn¡¯t.


    Then suddenly, Fewpar stopped. ¡°Oh,¡± he said plainly. ¡°Oh, of course¡­of course¡­¡±


    Zayza took a single step back.


    Fewpar stood tall, now smiling. If not for the shining tears, his face would have appeared back to its usual, composed expression. ¡°I know precisely how to hurt you, Zayza.¡±


    Zayza charged another green blast into her hand.


    The sight made Fewpar¡¯s smile grow. ¡°I don¡¯t recommend that,¡± he said. He pointed at Zayza slowly. ¡°Allow me to torment you now, or I¡¯ll return to the Real World and hurt your weak little friend, instead.¡±


    The light in Zayza¡¯s palm immediately vanished.


    ¡°That¡¯s better. You¡¯ll let me hurt you, or you won¡¯t be able to protect him,¡± Fewpar purred. He started walking slowly towards her. ¡°If you resist, I¡¯ll disappear to the Real World, and have Najinzu give the boy the same treatment he gave you. You¡¯re trapped here in the Dream World until the sedation wears off, so there¡¯s nothing you¡¯d be able to do about it¡­¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Zayza didn¡¯t move as Fewpar drew closer.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said as he faced her. ¡°Now, be a good girl, you scum.¡±


    He raised a fist, and launched it across her cheek. As Zayza spun from the impact, he kicked her in the back and sent her stumbling over. Fewpar lit his hands with blue energy.


    As his merciless attacks rained down on Zayza, she curled into a ball on the ground and took all of it directly. Even after Najinzu¡¯s torture, the physical pain was immense.


    But she felt disconnected from it.


    No, something else was far, far more painful. It drowned out Fewpar¡¯s onslaught.


    She could feel emotion again.


    As she thought of Lammy, the boy she was fighting to protect, and the friend who finally accepted he was better off without her, she felt emotion flood in.


    But only one emotion:


    I¡¯m so alone, she thought.


    ~


    Zayza had begun whimpering, barely loud enough for Lammy to hear. While his heart had already sunk hours ago, it found a way to go deeper.


    But he couldn¡¯t cry. He was finally out of tears.


    ¡°Aw, how precious,¡± Najinzu said mockingly from where he sat. ¡°Poor, poor Zayza¡­It seems Fewpar is taking his sweet time. I knew we were friends for a reason.¡±


    Lammy hated Najinzu¡¯s heightened senses. But more than that: he hated his own weakness.


    He was useless. Powerless. Scared.


    If Zayza had met Deon instead of me, she would be safe now. He would protect her.


    He thought of Zayza back in Our Snowy Village, just before the village meeting. She had promised to help him get back to Tailpiece, when she barely even knew him. And since then, he had promised to help her find all of her memories¡­to help her remember who she was. But now that Fewpar and Najinzu had brought her so much hatred, he wanted to prove something else:


    They¡¯re wrong about her.


    He despised the physical torture they put her through, but he could tell they had crossed a line much farther than that. He first noticed it right after the fight in College Town College, and could see it in her eyes unceasingly since then:


    They were making her hate herself.


    They¡¯re dead wrong about her.


    He felt a strange heat in his eyes.


    I want to help¡­I want to help you, Zayza, he thought. But I¡¯m useless¡­


    No.


    Deon said without my coaching, he¡¯d be screwed. And I saved Our Snowy Village from Felix¡¯s attack. I¡¯m not useless¡­but¡­can I even do anything in this situation?


    I want to help you¡­I WANT TO HELP YOU!


    He shut his eyes and hugged Zayza tightly, still careful of her wounds, and brought his head against hers.


    ~


    Where¡­am I?


    The sky was dark blue, with green clouds floating motionlessly. The grass was white. There was a small, rocky cave built into a hill far below, and an orange stream ran calmly before it. As it trickled, the sounds occasionally dipped lower in pitch.


    Lammy looked around. He noticed he had no body. He was only his senses.


    Then he glanced at the cave again. It had the essence of something familiar¡­it felt safe. Even more so, it felt like a person.


    Zayza?


    After thinking of her, he felt Zayza¡¯s essence even stronger, coming from far away. He looked forward, over the strange horizon.


    Zayza¡­


    The world underneath him began moving¡ªor perhaps he was the one moving. The landscape started changing in color, but eventually it all looked like a blur. Then, after a moment, it slowed back down.


    Now he was above an extensive field of blue and green grass. Patches of orange faded into view here and there.


    In the center of it all, there she was.


    Far beneath him, Zayza lay with her knees pulled to her chin, in the green dress she wore when they first met. Fewpar stood above her, viciously throwing some sort of blue light against her. Every time the light made impact, Zayza shook.


    He could hear her whimpering again, but it sounded like she was directly next to his ear. Actually, he could still feel himself hugging her closely, as he had been before he ended up here.


    Both sadness and courage encompassed him.


    ¡°NO!!¡± he screamed.


    In the air above Zayza and Fewpar, a colossal, cartoonish tree appeared. It came swinging down and slapped into Fewpar¡¯s entire body. Fewpar bounced off the ground once, and then face-planted back onto it.


    Wait¡­how did I just¡­I did that? Lammy wondered. But¡­I usually struggle to imagine things that affect reality¡­


    Then it came to him: this must be the Dream World.


    This wasn¡¯t reality.


    His powers were limitless.


    Wait¡ªhow the heck am I even here?!?! he thought.


    L¡ªLammy? came a voice. But it was coming from inside his head. Lammy? she repeated.


    Zayza! he answered back. Zayza, I¡¯m here! How the heck am I here?!


    ¡°YOU BROKE THE AGREEMENT!!¡± Fewpar howled, now pointing at Zayza and rushing at her. ¡°LET ME ATTACK YOU, OR THE BOY WILL SUFFER!!¡±


    Fewpar was closing back in on her, fast. Lammy imagined the first thing that came to his head.


    Out of the sky, Lammy¡¯s entire house freefell and landed directly on Fewpar. A sketch-like depiction of his father stepped out of the house to see what all the commotion was about, before Lammy imagined it all out of existence.


    Fewpar¡¯s head stuck out of the dirt where the house had landed. He looked around furiously.


    ¡°That was no Dream World combat¡­¡± he growled. ¡°What in the Multiverse is going on?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you hurt my friend anymore, that¡¯s what!¡± Lammy exclaimed, his confidence now growing. Not having a physical body in this world certainly eased his mind a bit.


    ¡°What?! The boy?!¡± Fewpar shouted, wriggling around to dig himself out of the dirt.


    Suddenly, a hand appeared in front of Fewpar and slapped him several times across the cheek.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m thirteen, you know. I¡¯m kind of a man,¡± Lammy interjected as he commanded the slaps.


    Blue light shone around Fewpar¡¯s head, and then with a blast he set himself free, floating above his former trap. ¡°I see¡­the boy must be some variant of a Dreamer¡­¡±


    ¡°Um¡­no,¡± said Lammy.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t think so¡ª¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP, YOU FOOL!¡± Fewpar roared. Then a smile grew on his face. ¡°You idiots think this will help you? This changes nothing¡­¡±


    Lammy, you must go¡­Zayza uttered in his thoughts.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve already threatened, I shall leave the Dream World, and have Najinzu torture the boy,¡± Fewpar said, his voice calm once again. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll throw in a few punches, myself. You had your chance to comply, Zayza, but now your mind will remain here, as we tear your little friend apart.¡±


    As easily as it departed, dread once again returned to Lammy. Now they were coming for him.


    When he looked back to Zayza, he noticed a dull purple light flash once around her head.


    Don¡¯t be afraid, Lammy. I remember how to end this now, she said in his mind. But her voice sounded unusually calloused.


    No¡­it sounded empty.


    Clearly pleased with himself, Fewpar stood tall and took a deep sigh. He brought his hands together and closed his eyes.


    ¡°Prepare yourself, boy,¡± he sneered.


    Then there was a green flash directly behind him. Lammy looked to see Zayza was no longer lying where she had been. As the green flash faded, she was now directly behind Fewpar.


    The sky instantly turned black, and all sound vanished.


    Zayza softly yet rapidly slipped her arm around Fewpar¡¯s neck. She brought her free hand around him and placed a finger gently against his chest, as if to caress him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave if you¡¯re dead,¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°So die now.¡±


    Her delicate, sweet voice cut through the silence like a sharpened knife through Lammy¡¯s heart.


    It was utterly distressing.


    Fewpar¡¯s eyes widened, his pupils seeming to shrink. He froze, aside from a quivering lip and a single, shining tear.


    ¡°No¡­please¡­please don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Even though Lammy was bodiless here, he felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes and stance were unwavering.


    ¡°Then, this is it¡­¡± Fewpar realized. ¡°No¡­FOR VAYVA!!!¡±


    Zayza¡¯s eyes widened just as Fewpar¡¯s had. She stalled whatever she was about to do, and Lammy could feel her confusion.


    Then Fewpar became a blue flash of light, and he was gone.


    Lammy, listen: you have to go back right now, Zayza urged in Lammy¡¯s mind. Go back now, and run.


    I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll get us out of there¡­Lammy stuttered.


    No, leave me behind, Zayza instructed. Even in his head, her voice turned shaky.


    NO! Lammy refused.


    GO NOW!! RUN!!


    Lammy felt himself getting pushed away from Zayza. It quickly turned into more of a pulling sensation, like he was being tugged up from underwater.


    ~


    Then, somehow, he was back.


    He still held Zayza in his arms, his vision now foggy.


    RUN!! Zayza had demanded.


    Lammy looked up and immediately saw Najinzu and Fewpar throwing themselves into the carriage, their hands outstretched towards him. Najinzu wielded a thin, black knife.


    No¡­I¡­


    I want to help Zayza¡­


    I¡­


    ¡­Don¡¯t want us to be here¡­


    His eyes now felt like they were practically burning. Everything in his sight was turning orange.


    His only thoughts were of escape¡­of leaving¡­


    ¡­Stepping beyond Tailpiece¡­


    ¡­Teleporting to Our Snowy Village¡­


    ¡­Getting catapulted into the mountains¡­


    Lammy shut his eyes.


    He felt himself and Zayza get scooped up in a round, frozen surface. It flung them straight through the roof of the carriage with a crash. A white light briefly filled his mind.


    Then, they were falling. Lammy weakly opened his eyes, his head pounding from the impact with the carriage roof. It was nighttime, it was much warmer, and the air felt¡­


    Different.


    They crashed through what felt like tree branches, before slamming into a body of water.


    Even as Lammy floated, too dazed to swim, he didn¡¯t let Zayza go.

 31. Outsiders

    ¡°Here we are: welcome to Crooked Plateau!¡± Gibblezgorv said as they lowered to the ground. He landed with a rumbling thump, and folded his wings.


    Deon eagerly hopped out of the saddle, but his foot caught a scale and he tumbled down to the ground. He quickly stood and brushed himself off as Skrili climbed down neatly to join him.


    ¡°Should you ever like to do business again¡­¡± began Gibblezgorv. He reached for a scale on his neck and pulled off a top layer. Then he handed the mint-colored scale to Skrili. ¡°You can contact me and schedule an appointment with this. Simply follow the directions on the inside of the scale.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll definitely be in contact with you,¡± Skrili assured with a small smile.


    Gibblezgorv nodded as he crouched low to the ground. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, friends: I¡¯ll make sure they give you a great discount.¡± He winked, and immediately after, launched back into the sky. A gust of wind shot past Deon and Skrili as they watched the old dragon leave.


    ¡°We definitely need to do that again,¡± Deon said.


    Skrili nodded. She looked at Deon emotionlessly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Just like that, the excitement and joy she expressed only minutes ago was completely gone. Deon shrugged to himself as they left the landing platform and entered the town.


    Besides the platform, nothing on this plateau was entirely flat. It didn¡¯t seem like the ideal place for tall buildings, yet most of the gray, clay-like structures stood high with multiple stories. Deon and Skrili stepped onto a road that ran downhill, leaned sideways, and then curved upward. The ground was a dusty mixture of sand and clay.


    The air was incredibly dry and warm around here, and the town was extremely quiet¡ªespecially compared to the bustle of Conscious City. Occasionally a local would pass by, dressed in mostly gray. They had the same colorful hair and eyes as the majority of the people Deon saw in Conscious City, but seemed much less enthusiastic.


    If anything, they seemed rather irritated, avoiding eye contact as Deon and Skrili walked by.


    ¡°So how do we find the registration center?¡± Deon asked.


    ¡°We keep walking,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Why not ask for directions?¡±


    ¡°So far, this doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of place where that¡¯s the best idea.¡±


    They turned onto a long, narrow road that curved uphill towards the center of the town. Here, they saw several people sitting along the sides of the street and between the lopsided buildings.


    These people didn¡¯t look much like the rest of the locals, however: some wore faded purple and black rags. They had dark skin and thin, ice blue eyes. The others wore much longer, tan and brown cloaks and dresses that seemed equally damaged, with different combinations of large hoods and scarves. While their bodies were mostly covered, their faces showed an olive complexion and round, dark eyes.


    These two peoples kept to themselves, sitting in groups of families quietly in the shade. No one smiled.


    What happened to them? Deon wondered.


    As Deon and Skrili walked up the road, practically everyone glanced at them for a moment before looking away. Deon realized the other, better-dressed locals were nowhere in sight on this street.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Deon noticed a tiny hand reach out and tug Skrili¡¯s sleeve lightly. They turned and saw a little girl standing alone, looking up at them with ice blue eyes that practically sparkled with awe. She was clearly of the people dressed in black and purple.


    Skrili reached into her bag and calmly pulled out her wallet.


    ¡°Um¡ªno thank you, miss¡­Mommy says it¡¯s disrespectful to beg for money,¡± the little girl stammered. ¡°I just wanted to know¡­um¡­are you guys¡­Hiroko Hamasaki¡¯s friend?¡± Her eyes sparkled even more as she smiled.


    Skrili gave her a subtle, warm smile. ¡°We¡¯ve never met her, but I respect her fighting very much. Why?¡±


    The girl grew bashful, looking down. ¡°Um¡­well¡­you dress like her, so I thought maybe¡­¡± she trailed off, before suddenly perking back up. ¡°Hiroko and Kotono Inoue are gonna win the whole Fantasy Country tournament for us!¡± she beamed. ¡°Hiroko is from my clan, so she¡¯s gonna win for us and save our home!¡±


    Deon recalled when Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki appeared in Conscious City to make that announcement. They had partnered with an organization that promised to fund a lake in the Fantasy Country Mainland Desert if they won.


    So this girl¡­these people¡­are from the Mainland Desert, Deon realized.


    ¡°Daddy says we can¡¯t go to the tournament, but that¡¯s okay because I know they¡¯re gonna win!¡± the girl exclaimed.


    Her innocent certainty reminded Deon of Savannah when they were kids. He couldn¡¯t help but share her sentiment.


    ¡°They definitely will!¡± he agreed with a thumbs-up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for them,¡± added Skrili. Then she leaned down and looked the girl softly in the eyes. ¡°I insist,¡± she said, taking several scale cards from her wallet and placing it in the girl¡¯s palm.


    A man and woman called to the girl from a nearby alleyway.


    ¡°¡­Thank you, miss,¡± she uttered, before turning and rushing to her parents. Deon noticed the man had the same black, triangular tattoos on his arms that Hiroko had all over her body.


    As Skrili began walking again, Deon followed. Nobody else approached them for the rest of the street.


    Deon found himself growing uneasy as the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows on the roads.


    ¡°This place seems kind of rough,¡± he said to Skrili. ¡°You don¡¯t seem uncomfortable at all, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­just seen this kind of thing before,¡± she shared.


    Deon¡¯s mind returned to Skrili¡¯s ruined photo with her brother. They were both dressed in rags. He wondered just how similar her childhood was to the people they had passed by.


    While he considered asking her about it, he figured it was still too soon. After everything Pang said and did to her in their last faceoff, he didn¡¯t want to throw salt on the wound.


    More time passed, and they still saw no indication of a registration center. Even if they wanted to ask for directions, even fewer people walked the streets now. They found themselves on a wide, curvy road.


    Soon Deon could hear footsteps behind them, moving at the same pace. After a minute, two more sets of footsteps joined them.


    ¡°Uh¡­Skrili¡­¡± Deon mumbled.


    ¡°I know. Keep walking.¡±


    Another minute passed, and they grew closer. Deon clenched his fists, mentally preparing imagining attacks.


    ¡°Hey you two,¡± one of their stalkers finally said. ¡°We already have enough outsiders taking up our streets.¡±


    Deon looked to Skrili, but she simply kept walking, unfazed.


    ¡°Hey!¡± the man shouted again. ¡°Think you¡¯re too special?¡±


    One of the other stalkers whistled. ¡°Eh, maybe we¡¯ll just leave them be. I could watch the blue-haired broad walk all day. What¡¯s your name, gorgeous?¡±


    Still not looking behind her, Skrili waved a hand to shoo them away.


    ¡°Hey, hey!¡± the three men all shouted.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works around here, girl,¡± the first one warned.


    Deon had it. He spun around to face them. ¡°Oh, and how does it work? You prefer your bones broken?¡±


    Skrili sighed and turned with him. ¡°I guess we¡¯re doing this, now¡­¡± she uttered.


    ¡°What? They¡¯re harassing you,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks. But I was fine.¡±


    The three goons glared at them with smug smiles. They all dressed in sophisticated, gray button-up shirts and dark shorts. Two had spikey green hair and yellow eyes, while the third had short, pink hair and brown eyes.


    ¡°How about we have some fun,¡± snickered the middle one.


    ¡°Even for a thug, that was a pathetic line,¡± Skrili said plainly.


    ¡°Thug? We¡¯re just average guys,¡± the man said. ¡°And we¡¯re sick of outsiders stomping around and taking up all our space.¡±


    ¡°Wow, how heartbreaking,¡± said Skrili. ¡°No one cares.¡±


    Here they come, thought Deon. On the bright side, I¡¯ve been itching for a good fight.


    On cue, the goons started approaching Deon and Skrili, knuckles cracking.


    ¡°I really wouldn¡¯t recommend that,¡± someone said from the side of the street.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    They all looked over to find a short young man leaning against a building. His muscles were very toned, showing off through his sleeveless deep red tank top and knee-length black shorts. His hair was a deep, grayish-purple with spikes of red, and it swooped across his face coolly. Strangely, one of his confident eyes was green and the other red, and they seemed to have many pupils, like a bug. His light brown complexion and unusual eyes made it clear he wasn¡¯t from this area or the Mainland Desert.


    ¡°Huh?¡± one of the goons pried, raising a hand to his ear in annoyance.


    ¡°They¡¯re obviously consciousness fighters. You¡¯re not gonna want to mess with them,¡± the young man continued.


    ¡°Yeah, so?! You don¡¯t even know if they¡¯re strong. Stay out of our business!¡±


    Soundlessly, someone else dropped from the sky and landed on the other side of the street, facing them. For a split second, Deon could have sworn it was a bird, but as they stood up straight, he realized it was a young woman.


    She stood wrapped in a wavy black cloak with long feathers around the opening. She was tall, extremely thin, and had hair that was white on one side and brown on the other. Her bangs covered one eye, and the visible one was large, round, and yellow.


    ¡°I can see it in the girl¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s defeated countless like you before,¡± she crooned. Her voice sounded like an owl¡¯s song.


    ¡°Trust us, we¡¯re saving you a broken back,¡± the young man added.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± exclaimed Deon. ¡°And¡ªshe must not have looked into my eyes, because I¡¯m super tough, too!¡±


    ¡°THEN WE¡¯LL TAKE ALL OF YOU ON!!!¡± the main thug yelled.


    The bug-eyed young man laughed. ¡°Wow, how many awful decisions do we have to save you from?¡± he said, standing up straight. ¡°Again, terrible idea. Maybe we should¡¯ve introduced ourselves.¡±


    He pointed his thumb to his chest. ¡°The name¡¯s Alex Malachi.¡±


    ¡°Ving Paw Nee,¡± the young woman sang with a subtle bow.


    Fear immediately struck the three locals. They whispered to each other.


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s them?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re so screwed!¡±


    ¡°Um¡­uh¡­¡± stuttered the main thug. Then abruptly, he turned around and booked it down the road. His friends were eager to join him, and they vanished over the hill.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Deon!!!¡± Deon yelled after them.


    Skrili sighed.


    ¡°I like your attitude, bro,¡± Alex said to Deon with a laid-back chuckle. He and Ving approached Deon and Skrili. Again, Ving gave a small bow¡ªthis time with a tiny smile.


    ¡°Ving Paw Nee and Alex Malachi,¡± Skrili repeated. ¡°You won the last Fiction Country Conscious Competition in that big upset.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s us!¡± Alex said with a big smile.


    Whoa¡­these guys are champions?! Deon thought. Awesome!!


    ¡°I¡¯m Skrili. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks. I mean, we totally could¡¯ve taken them,¡± Deon added with a wave of dismissal. ¡°But still.¡±


    Again, Alex laughed. ¡°We just wanted to spare you the trouble. You two must be just as busy as us.¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the registration center to get my teammate registered.¡±


    Deon noticed the level of respect in her tone.


    ¡°Oh, well you¡¯re going the complete wrong way, guys!¡± exclaimed Alex.


    ¡°We will show you,¡± uttered Ving serenely.


    ~


    As the sun continued to decline, the air rapidly dropped in temperature. Deon hoped they¡¯d find the indoors soon. Then he thought of all the Mainland Dessert people¡ªwere they going to sleep outside all night?


    ¡°What brings you two all the way to the Crooked Plateau registration center?¡± Alex asked as he and Ving led the way. ¡°Long wait in Conscious City?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°The League has become quite popular¡­¡± Ving hummed.


    Deon watched both of them with increasing curiosity¡ªthey were the best of the best, the top of their game. They were everything he was aiming for. And yet, they seemed surprisingly humble.


    ¡°I gotta know,¡± started Deon. ¡°How did you guys become champions?¡±


    ¡°We fought,¡± said Ving simply. ¡°Together.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her basic response.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Alex insisted. ¡°We just keep going. That¡¯s why we came all the way out here: to train for the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition. Every day we¡¯ve been heading into the desert, and staying on Crooked Plateau overnight. The harsh weather really kicks your butt, you know?¡±


    They passed by a family from Hiroko Hamasaki¡¯s clan that was huddled together in an alley. Alex waited until they were a good distance away before continuing.


    ¡°No wonder all these people had to leave their sacred home,¡± he added. ¡°It sucks. They lost everything and traveled so far, only for the locals here to hate them. It¡¯s not like they had a choice.¡±


    Deon noticed Skrili turn to glance at the family one more time. She returned her focus and looked away quickly when she noticed Deon was watching.


    ¡°Wait¡­so you guys are gonna be fighting Kotono and Hiroko in the Competition,¡± Deon realized.


    ¡°Yeah, if we make it that far...which we will,¡± said Alex. ¡°That¡¯ll be the fight of our lives!¡±


    Out of nowhere, Alex and Ving came to a stop in the road. They turned and faced one of the many unremarkable clay buildings. It only had one floor.


    ¡°We are here,¡± declared Ving.


    ¡°This looks exactly like every other building, but lamer!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s why we¡¯ve had to help dozens of consciousnesses find it,¡± explained Alex. ¡°It¡¯s kinda fun meeting so many teams.¡±


    ¡°They will close shortly¡­¡± Ving urged.


    ¡°Sorry, I talk too much,¡± said Alex. ¡°Alright, Deon and Skrili: I better see you guys at a Conscious Competition next year! And you better give me a good fight! In the meantime, add us on TeamTrack and we¡¯ll keep in touch!¡±


    Alex gave Deon a high-five, and shook Skrili¡¯s hand. Ving bowed to each of them.


    Then with a sudden gust of wind, they somehow shot into the sky, and Deon and Skrili were alone.


    Deon smirked at Skrili. ¡°You were awfully quiet. Even for you.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re¡ªthey¡¯re famous champions,¡± Skrili said, blushing. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Deon took a deep sigh. It was time. Time to begin the career he never knew that he always wanted. It was time to fight all kinds of consciousnesses, and travel all over the Multiverse to do it.


    It was time to get registered.


    They walked up to the building and Deon swung open the door.


    Inside, was a boring office.


    There was a single desk behind a wide window at the end of the room, with roped posts leading up to it to enforce a line. Only, that didn¡¯t seem very necessary, because Deon and Skrili were the only two people in there.


    The gray clay walls had some cracks in them, and a fly circled around a glowing lantern in one of the corners.


    Well, Rob and Pete did say this place wasn¡¯t as flashy¡­Deon noted.


    ¡°Get registered, and then I¡¯ll have them fix my password,¡± said Skrili.


    They walked up to the window, ducking under the unneeded line ropes. At first Deon still thought they were alone, until he noticed a tiny old lady sitting just behind the window. On a shelf behind her, there was a display of TeamTracks in all kinds of colors.


    Deon waved to the lady.


    ¡°What?¡± came her scratchy voice.


    ¡°Um¡­well¡­I¡¯d like to¡ª¡±


    ¡°You registering as a fighter?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªum, yes ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Ever killed anyone?¡±


    ¡°What?! No!¡± Deon insisted.


    ¡°Ever do any other bad stuff?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s vague, but no, I guess.¡±


    The lady nodded affirmatively and slid a book in front of her on the desk. She opened it and grabbed a pen. A light projection of a blank page appeared between her and Deon.


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Deon.¡±


    ¡°Last name?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± Deon thought about it. His family didn¡¯t actually have an official last name, like Savannah and her father did. Sometimes though, her father would refer to them in passing as the ¡°Stutter family,¡± for some reason.


    ¡°Stutter,¡± Deon said.


    ¡°Deon Stutter?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah.¡±


    ¡°Works for me,¡± said the lady. ¡°Age?¡±


    ¡°Eighteen.¡±


    ¡°Country?¡±


    Again, it was another question he couldn¡¯t easily answer. He was from Tailpiece¡ªit wasn¡¯t in a Country. All he knew was that when he left, he showed up in what they call No Man¡¯s Land, the place bridging all of the Countries of the Multiverse.


    ¡°Uh¡­No Man¡¯s Land?¡± he said unconfidently.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a Country. Fantasy? Normal? Fiction? Horror? Science Fiction? Realistic Fiction?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not from any of those.¡±


    ¡°What, did you grow up in No Man¡¯s Land, like some kind of jungle kid raised by wild animals?¡±


    Deon looked around uncomfortably. ¡°Sure,¡± he decided.


    The lady paused and stared at him for a moment. Then, she shrugged. ¡°Whatever. Wouldn¡¯t be the first time,¡± she said, filling out the book.


    All of the information Deon gave appeared on the holographic page above the book.


    ¡°One more: type?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I like all kinds of girls¡­I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m a ¡®type¡¯ kinda guy¡ª¡±


    ¡°We close soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Imaginer.¡±


    She added this last piece of information, and then flipped the page and crossed something off.


    ¡°What color TeamTrack you want?¡±


    Deon checked the shelf briefly. ¡°Um¡­orange seems cool.¡±


    The lady tossed an orange device onto the desk, and it slid to the edge in front of Deon. The TeamTrack looked very similar to Skrili¡¯s, but perhaps a bit bulkier.


    ¡°Registration fee. Sixty scale cards,¡± the lady spat.


    Skrili stepped up and handed her the money. She counted it and gave Skrili change.


    ¡°Congrats. You¡¯re a pro consciousness fighter.¡±


    Deon picked up the TeamTrack. Well that was anti-climactic, he thought.


    ¡°Anything else? You, miss?¡± the lady called.


    Skrili looked to Deon. ¡°I¡¯ll fix my password, and then I¡¯ll help you log in since you don¡¯t know how to do anything,¡± she said.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to point that out¡­¡± mumbled Deon.


    ¡°After that, we can use our TeamTracks to register as a t¡ª¡±


    Skrili was cut off when something began ringing and vibrating in her bag. She pulled out her TeamTrack. The screen was on, displaying an image of her and Pang. In the picture, Pang was sticking her tongue out and trying to lick Skrili¡¯s neck with a mischievous look in her eye, while Skrili was leaning away and laughing.


    Skrili stared at the TeamTrack for several seconds, unmoving. ¡°Pang¡¯s calling me,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°On that thing? How?¡± wondered Deon.


    ¡°I¡¯m not explaining basic technology to you,¡± muttered Skrili. She took a few steps away from the desk, and with a great deal of reluctance, she pressed the screen.


    ¡°Hey beautiful,¡± came Pang¡¯s wooing voice.


    Deon walked over. A live projection of Pang¡¯s face lifted off the screen in front of Skrili. Somehow, her golden eyes were just as intimidating through this medium.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Skrili asked flatly.


    ¡°Okay, definitely still mad,¡± Pang noted. ¡°I get it.¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was just wondering how your team with Deon is going, that¡¯s all¡­Any luck¡­logging in to your TeamTrack account?¡± Her ominous smile spread wider.


    ¡°What did you change my password to?¡± Skrili pressed.


    ¡°Not so fast, dearest Skrili,¡± Pang said. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you¡­after you fight with me in the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Deon yelled. ¡°Do that with your own teammate!¡±


    ¡°Oh hey, Deon. Looking scrumptious as ever,¡± Pang said, raising an eyebrow flirtatiously. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, huh? Skrili is my teammate. We¡¯re still registered as a team right now. And we¡¯re certified for tournaments, because Phillip and I got to a hundred wins under my team with her.¡±


    ¡°As if Skrili would want to fight with you ever again, after what you pulled,¡± Deon grumbled.


    Pang laughed, as if rejecting an awkward confession of love. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t want to fight with Skrili either, trust me. The plan was to have Phillip impersonate her...But then you grew a pair and took back Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack for her. Nice fighting, by the way.¡±


    Deon noticed a strange fire in her eyes after she said this. It wasn¡¯t anger, though. It was a craving¡­a deep, unsettling lust.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of this?¡± Skrili demanded.


    ¡°Relax, cutie-pie,¡± Pang hushed. ¡°Now, listen: fight with me in the Conscious Competition. If we win the championship, I¡¯ll give you your password, and then you can team up with your hunk of a boyfriend. You in?¡±


    Win the whole championship?! Deon thought.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m literally at a registration center right now. I¡¯m just gonna have them change my password,¡± Skrili said plainly.


    ¡°And hurry up¡ªwe¡¯re closing soon!!¡± the old lady chimed in.


    Immediately, Pang¡¯s smooth demeanor started melting. ¡°Wait¡ªthey can do that?¡± she asked unsteadily.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot. Bye,¡± said Skrili, about to press her TeamTrack.


    ¡°WAIT!¡± Pang insisted.


    Her expression had gone completely desperate as she brought her TeamTrack closer to her face. ¡°Wait, wait, wait, Skrili!¡±


    Deon figured Skrili had never seen this side of Pang either, because she didn¡¯t end the call.


    Pang paused, taking in several deep breaths. ¡°Okay, okay. I really need your help, Skrili. I need you to help me win the Competition.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± Skrili asked. Her cold tone had warmed a bit as she tried to keep her defense up.


    ¡°Phillip,¡± said Pang, her voice choking. ¡°Phillip is dying.¡±

 32. Change in Plans

    Deon and Skrili stared at Pang through the TeamTrack, unsure of what to say.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Skrili finally asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it again¡­¡± Pang uttered, her usual energy now totally deflated. ¡°Phillip is dying. He has been for a long time.¡±


    ¡°You two need anything else, or what? We¡¯re closing!¡± barked the old lady from behind her desk.


    Skrili and Deon made their way to the door and stepped outside into the evening chill, their eyes still set on the TeamTrack.


    Pang took a long sigh. ¡°He¡¯s from Horror Country, and they have this rare disease there called Bryotellosis that, like, makes your veins shrink over time and weakens your heart. There¡¯s no cure for it, just a treatment. And the treatment is insanely expensive.¡±


    Skrili leaned against the wall of the building, so Deon joined her. ¡°How much is it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°90,000 ghost notes, which is around 30,000 scale cards¡ªand that¡¯s per dose. And the doses only last a couple months.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened. They had just earned two thousand scale cards from Kotono Inoue¡¯s signature, and Skrili said that was enough to live off of for a while. But this treatment cost many times that.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to get that kind of money, but it¡¯s just too much, and we¡¯re running out of time,¡± continued Pang. ¡°That¡¯s why we used your TeamTrack, Skrili, instead of starting a new team. We could get certified sooner and get into tournaments, as long as Phillip could use illusions to disguise himself as you. And that¡¯s why we¡¯ve been stealing people¡¯s cash after fights along the way. It¡¯s our only shot¡ªwe can¡¯t get this kind of money anywhere else. Not as fast as we need it.¡±


    So this whole time, they weren¡¯t just stealing for the heck of it, Deon thought. While he wasn¡¯t convinced it justified their actions, it certainly painted them in a different light.


    ¡°But since you got your TeamTrack back, I¡­need your help,¡± Pang explained, barely forcing the last part out. ¡°Skrili, if you help me win the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition, we can save Phillip. Then you won¡¯t ever have to fight with me again, I promise. Phillip and I will have time to get certified on our own after his first couple doses, and we¡¯ll enter more Conscious Competitions to pay for more treatment.¡±


    As Pang laid out her proposal, Deon began wondering if Skrili would ask what was in it for her. But instead, she kept listening quietly.


    ¡°We can split the prize money fifty-fifty,¡± Pang added quickly. ¡°You know how much the winning team gets this year, right?¡±


    ¡°300,000 scale cards,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Yeah¡ªand 150,000 is plenty to get me and Phillip on the right track¡ªand you and Deon will be loaded as a brand new team.¡± She gazed even closer into the TeamTrack, her large golden eyes glistening with desperation. ¡°So¡­what do you say, Skrili? Fight with me one last time? Please?¡±


    In this moment, Deon realized she really did have feelings other than sheer superiority.


    ¡°I think¡­¡± Skrili started, ¡°that I have to think about it. I¡¯ll let you know in the morning.¡±


    Pang looked down, growing silent for a moment. ¡°Okay¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Message me?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Love you, honeybunch.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    The TeamTrack¡¯s screen went dark, and Skrili put it back in her bag wordlessly. They stood in silence for almost a minute.


    ¡°So¡­¡± began Deon awkwardly. ¡°You gonna do it?¡±


    ¡°Let me make one thing perfectly clear,¡± said Skrili, her eyes meeting Deon¡¯s intensely. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re my teammate now, not Pang.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but smile at that.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Skrili continued. ¡°I know the right thing to do. I can¡¯t let someone die when there¡¯s something I can do about it. I just¡­can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­I couldn¡¯t either,¡± agreed Deon, though his heart began to drop. ¡°As much as I can¡¯t stand Pang, I think you should go do it.¡±


    Skrili broke her eye contact and looked away. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for me,¡± she said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Conscious Competitions last for days. I can¡¯t expect you to wait all that time just to team up with me. It¡¯s not fair to you. If you¡­want to find a new teammate¡­I won¡¯t blame you.¡±


    She remained averting her eyes, until a sound caught her attention.


    It was Deon¡¯s laughter.


    He couldn¡¯t hold it in, though he felt a bit guilty when Skrili was being so earnest. ¡°Wait¡ªyou kidding?¡± he managed to get out.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± wondered Skrili, growing annoyed.


    Deon calmed himself down. ¡°Sorry, sorry. You were just being so intense. Like, do you really think I¡¯d ditch you because you have to go save someone¡¯s life for a few days?¡± He put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°When I said I wanted you to be my teammate, I meant it. This doesn¡¯t change that at all.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes widened for a split second, before she recovered her emotionless expression. She grabbed his wrist and removed his hand from her shoulder. ¡°Alright, then you¡¯re coming with me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! For real?!¡±


    ¡°If Pang and I manage to make it past the preliminary rounds, the top sixteen teams get free hotel rooms and are allowed one guest per-fighter. Usually that¡¯s for personal trainers and managers, but I¡¯d use mine for you.¡±


    Again, Skrili looked away, repelled by the utter elation on Deon¡¯s face.


    ¡°I get to go with you?! I get to go watch the best teams in the Multiverse fight in a huge tournament?!¡±


    ¡°Hopefully.¡±


    ¡°THIS IS AMAZING!!! I CAN¡¯T WAIT!!!¡±


    ¡°Okay, but bring it down¡­it¡¯s getting late, and this city isn¡¯t all that friendly.¡± She turned and began walking. ¡°Speaking of that, let¡¯s go find a place to set up my tent. I don¡¯t trust the hotels here, judging by how this place feels about outsiders.¡±


    Deon followed her with a giddy spring in his step. ¡°You know, you¡¯re kinda sweet when you want to be.¡±


    ¡°No I¡¯m not.¡±


    ~


    Skrili placed a rolled-up blue blanket on the ground. She pulled a string at the end of it, and it abruptly began unfolding. Within moments, it had transformed into a round tent.


    ¡°Cool¡­¡± uttered Deon. It seemed to use the same technology as the tree hammock she also carried.


    They were on the outskirts of the city now, a few paces from the edge of the plateau. They had managed to pick a relatively level spot to set up their camp. Beyond them lay the beginning of the Mainland Desert: an empty, lifeless plain of sand. Under the bluish moon, it looked like the end of creation.


    The sky, however, was filled with life. Stars glistened everywhere, and the distant, multicolored orbs of other Worlds loomed with dull glows. If it weren¡¯t for how freezing the plateau had gotten, Deon would have wanted to stay out here and gaze at the view all night.


    He followed Skrili into the tent and they sat down on the thin padding. They both fell awkwardly silent, because they had no choice but to practically sit on each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s meant for one person,¡± explained Skrili before Deon even got the chance to comment.


    Deon nodded, beginning to get back up. ¡°I get it, my bad. I¡¯ll give you some space.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Skrili. ¡°It¡¯s freezing out there. We¡¯ll just make it work. If we¡¯re gonna be a team, we might as well get used to it.¡±


    Deon sat back down. ¡°What, you¡¯re not gonna say ¡®Don¡¯t try anything?¡¯¡± he asked. ¡°Seems like something you¡¯d tell me next.¡±


    ¡°I assumed I didn¡¯t have to, since I figured you prefer living.¡±


    Deon laughed. ¡°There it is.¡±


    Skrili briefly checked her TeamTrack, and then put it back away. That reminded Deon of his own fancy new device. He pulled it from his pocket and held it uncertainly, wondering how Skrili got hers to do¡­well, anything.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Here,¡± said Skrili.


    She took Deon¡¯s TeamTrack and pushed a button on the side. It lit up, revealing the ¡°TeamTrack¡± logo on a white screen. From here, Skrili began walking him through all of the setup steps and functions.


    ¡°Can you read this text?¡± Skrili asked as she pressed through the setup windows.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not that dumb. Why?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even know what the Multiverse or consciousnesses were until I told you,¡± said Skrili. ¡°So I was just checking.¡±


    After the system setup was complete, Skrili briefly introduced Deon to the TeamTrack¡¯s main features. The first was TeamChat, an application for communicating with your teammate and other pros. It allowed messaging and calls.


    Next there was TeamStats, where he could enter and find data on his wins and losses. With an upgrade, as Skrili explained, it could observe its owner¡¯s fights and record extensive data.


    Then there was CashTrack, which handled all collecting and transferring of digital money. It used a currency unique to the League, which could easily transfer to other Countries¡¯ currencies.


    When Skrili opened the Healer function, Deon quickly recognized it: this was how Phillip healed the severe wounds Deon had given Pang.


    Once she was sure Deon was keeping up, Skrili opened up his Profile. This displayed all of the personal information he had told the old lady while registering, underneath a blank circle titled ¡°Deon Stutter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where your profile picture goes,¡± said Skrili. She pressed the circle, and then Deon saw a live image of himself and Skrili on the screen. ¡°Press the square at the bottom to take a photo.¡±


    Deon took his TeamTrack. He leaned closer to Skrili and gave a big grin, taking the picture. There was a flash, and he beheld the image: he was smiling boomingly, while most of Skrili¡¯s face was in the shot, staring blankly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to put other people in your profile photo,¡± Skrili muttered.


    Deon shrugged. ¡°Why not? We¡¯re a team!¡±


    Skrili took the TeamTrack back for a moment, opening one last application: the Map of the Multiverse. Just like when Skrili used it on her TeamTrack, a blue light rose from the screen, projecting a colorful map just within the round walls of the tent. But this time, it began zooming in on an area of Fantasy Country until it displayed a sky-view image of Crooked Plateau. The plateau, along with the neighboring areas and the Mainland Desert, were all labeled with floating text.


    Oh, right¡ªwhen you¡¯re logged in to the TeamTrack, the map has additional features, Deon recalled from when they had first used Skrili¡¯s locked one.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± said Skrili, pointing to an orange dot on the northern edge of Crooked Plateau. ¡°And every year, the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition happens here¡­¡±


    She typed something in his TeamTrack, and the map zoomed back out a bit. It panned west of Crooked Plateau for a few seconds, and then focused in on a circular region color-coded with silver.


    In the center of this seemingly flat area was another circle, popping out a bit from the surrounding map. The map loaded in more details, until Deon realized they were looking at the colossal, dome-shaped roof of a building. The text above it read ¡°Gloat Center.¡±


    ¡°I cannot wait to see this place in person,¡± said Deon.


    Skrili read some of the small text at the bottom of the Map. ¡°Looks like half a day¡¯s trip from here by dragon.¡±


    ¡°Dragon, huh? Time to call up your pal Gibblezgorv again!¡± Deon declared, nudging Skrili playfully.


    Skrili smirked in spite of herself. ¡°Yeah. The Conscious Competition starts in four days. I¡¯ll use that scale he gave us to contact him.¡±


    ¡°We should probably train in the meantime, huh?¡± Deon thought aloud. ¡°Maybe head into the desert, like Alex and Ving? They¡¯re preparing for the same thing as you, after all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking,¡± said Skrili. ¡°Let¡¯s start in the morning, after I get my password fixed.¡±


    ¡°Look at us¡ªbeing all team-like and agreeing on stuff,¡± Deon commented.


    While Skrili grabbed a blanket and pillow from her bag and got comfortable, Deon pulled a pillow from his own, and then imagined a blanket out of the same material he¡¯d memorized for his tunics (that way, it wouldn¡¯t disappear once he stopped thinking of it). He lay down, trying to give Skrili as much space as possible, but they were still practically back-to-back.


    Still too alert to sleep now, Deon opened his TeamTrack once more and began flipping through the apps.


    He managed to request Alex and Ving as friends on TeamChat, and then opened his Profile. Deon observed the photo of himself and Skrili¡ªtheir polar-opposite expressions made him smirk. Underneath, he noticed it said ¡°Available¡± for his team status. The only option provided was to ¡°Add teammate.¡±


    He thought of the image on Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack when Pang had called. The two of them looked so close, like him and Lammy. He wondered if there was anything left of the bond the girls once had.


    They were teammates for a year¡ªundefeated, at that, Deon recalled. And both of them seem pretty confident about entering this major tournament together¡­but the stakes are pretty high, if it¡¯s all to save Phillip¡¯s life¡­


    He realized Skrili had been oddly restless since she lay down¡ªit didn¡¯t sound like she had fallen asleep yet.


    ¡°Hey,¡± started Deon softly. ¡°You¡¯re up still, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± came her response.


    ¡°Are you¡­ready for this?¡± asked Deon carefully. ¡°Like, you¡¯re about to fight for someone¡¯s life, against some big-timers. Alex and Ving are gonna be in this tournament, and they just won a championship. And then there¡¯s Kotono and Hiroko¡ªthey¡¯re the best in Fantasy Country. And isn¡¯t this your first tournament?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Skrili asked detachedly.


    ¡°Sorry. What I mean is¡­you¡¯ve gotta be pretty nervous, huh?¡± Deon asked.


    ¡°No¡­I¡¯m¡­¡± Skrili stammered. ¡°¡­Yes. Extremely.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t expect to hear her transparency that easily. He shrugged under his blanket. ¡°Well, you guys are gonna bring the whole place down. I just know it,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s kick butt in our training tomorrow.¡±


    Skrili was silent for a while.


    ¡°¡­Yeah¡­¡± she finally uttered.


    Deon closed his eyes, satisfied with his attempt to ease Skrili¡¯s mind.


    ¡°You better not whine about the heat¡­¡± she added in a low mumble.


    ~


    Deon wanted very badly to whine about the heat.


    He stood in the whitish sand of the Mainland Desert, the blistering sun pounding down on him. Crooked Plateau and its surrounding highlands stood as a towering wavy background far behind.


    That morning, after Skrili went back to the registration center and got her password squared away, she had accepted a request from Pang on her TeamTrack to enter them in the Conscious Competition. Then, she and Deon headed for the desert to begin their training. They had been at it for hours, now.


    Deon imagined away his shirt, and turned his pants into shorts. Drenched in sweat, he slid into a defensive fighting stance for the thousandth time today. He smiled: despite the harsh environment, he wouldn¡¯t want to be doing anything else right now.


    Skrili stood a few paces away in a blue tank top and shorts, preparing her own offensive stance. She leaned low, and then darted at Deon, running unevenly to throw off his aim.


    ¡°Alright, I got it this time,¡± Deon told himself. ¡°GO, MY CHILDREN!!¡± he cried. Just then, four sharp-toothed squirrel monsters about the size of his head appeared before him, floating in place. One by one, he launched them headfirst at Skrili.


    Ever since he imagined that giant squirrel beast, Twitchy, as an illusion to defeat Phillip, Deon had wanted to turn it into a real attack. This training created the perfect opportunity to refine and control it¡ªgetting the squirrels to a point where they could influence reality, and eventually, advancing them to a level where they could fight by his side.


    For now, all they could do was fly in one direction and pack a punch, similar to his leather ball attack. But at this rate, he was pleased with the progress.


    When the first squirrel monster zoomed at Skrili, it missed entirely. But the second came straight for her stomach. With a jump and flip, she avoided it. The third, however, grazed her shoulder and threw off her balance.


    Deon was certain the fourth would get her. But as it closed in to head butt her, Skrili regained footing. She managed to grab it, and with a spin, launch it back at Deon.


    The squirrel slammed into Deon¡¯s gut and disappeared as he splashed into the sand.


    ¡°That¡¯s for trying to cuddle me last night,¡± Skrili gasped.


    ¡°For the last time, it was in my sleep!¡± exclaimed Deon.


    Skrili walked up to him and offered her hand, lifting him to his feet. ¡°Stop pulling punches,¡± she said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If you were able to knock Pang out, you should be having an easier time against me,¡± explained Skrili. ¡°I want to see that strength.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t¡ªtrust me,¡± Deon urged. ¡°It was freaky¡ªsomething just came over me¡­it¡¯s hard to explain. I got super angry, and then all the sudden I could imagine without any limits¡ªit¡¯s like I unlocked something. But¡­I had no control. All I wanted was to hurt Pang. I almost didn¡¯t stop myself in time.¡±


    ¡°So your anger heightened your powers,¡± Skrili noted. ¡°That¡¯s odd¡ªthat¡¯s not how Imaginers¡¯ powers usually work.¡±


    ¡°I want to tap into that strength again, but be able to control it,¡± Deon said. ¡°But not with you¡ªit¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°We have time to figure it out.¡±


    Something occurred to Deon during their discussion. ¡°Wait a second¡ªaren¡¯t I supposed to be the one helping you train?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in this together,¡± Skrili said. ¡°It¡¯s a clich¨¦ teammates say a lot, but it¡¯s true.¡±


    Deon felt his TeamTrack vibrate in his shorts pocket. He checked it to find a notification that Alex and Ving had accepted his friend requests.


    Then abruptly, a gust of air shot up to the side of them, sending sand everywhere. When it settled, Alex and Ving stood before them.


    Ving calmly covered herself in her dark cloak, and then bowed to them with a disarming smile.


    ¡°We thought we saw a couple familiar faces in the distance!¡± Alex greeted. ¡°You guys getting in some desert training?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªI guess we stole your idea,¡± Deon said with a laugh.


    Alex waved a hand of dismissal. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s a smart move. This place will toughen you up,¡± he said. ¡°Everything work out at the registration center?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­I suppose¡­¡± Skrili uttered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­complicated¡­¡±


    Deon smiled at Skrili¡¯s shyness. Once again, interacting with a team she admired altered her demeanor. He nudged her shoulder. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m helping Skrili prepare. She¡¯s got one more big fight with her old teammate.¡±


    ¡°Really? Against who?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Deon exclaimed. ¡°They¡¯re gonna be in the Conscious Competition!¡±


    Skrili averted her eyes uncomfortably.


    Then Alex¡¯s smile, which had seemed like a permanent feature up until this point, vanished as he glared at Skrili.


    Deon gulped.


    ¡°So you¡¯re our opponent, huh?¡± Alex asked darkly. ¡°No¡­our enemy? Think you got what it takes, huh?!¡±


    Ving looked back and forth between Alex and Skrili quickly. She brought her hand to her mouth. ¡°Please Alex, they do not realize you are joking¡­¡± she hummed.


    Alex keeled forward with a hearty laugh. ¡°Sorry, sorry! I¡¯m just messing!¡± he insisted. Then, he shot Skrili a thumbs-up. ¡°That¡¯s great! I wanna see you in the finals, okay? We¡¯ll be there!¡±


    Skrili smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll see you there.¡±


    ¡°Anyways, why did we come over here again?¡± wondered Alex.


    ¡°To offer hydration,¡± Ving sang.


    ¡°Oh¡ªright!¡±


    Alex closed his eyes for a moment. Then a cluster of sand shot up with a burst of air in the distance, and Deon barely noticed two dark specs launch into the sky. After several seconds, the two objects landed perfectly in Alex and Ving hands: they were bulky, metallic bottles. They each tossed the bottles to Deon and Skrili.


    ¡°We always carry a few extra of these with us, just in case,¡± Alex explained. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe how many teams come out here unprepared.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­who would do that¡­?¡± Deon muttered awkwardly. He and Skrili had been sharing Skrili¡¯s cheap water bottle all day, and its warm water had run out hours ago.


    ¡°Again, thank you,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°We¡¯re just trying to look out for the other pros,¡± Alex replied with a shrug. ¡°That¡¯s always been a mission statement of ours.¡±


    Ving gave each of them a bow again.


    ¡°Well, if we don¡¯t see you before the Competition, then uh¡­see you at the Competition!¡± Alex said with a wave. ¡°Oh, and Deon¡ªthanks for adding us on TeamTrack. It¡¯s always great to connect with another Imaginer.¡±


    The air around them shot up suddenly, sending sand everywhere. Once it cleared, Alex and Ving were gone.


    How the heck do they keep doing that? Deon wondered.


    ¡°If Pang and I end up fighting them in the Competition,¡± started Skrili, ¡°I have no idea how we¡¯ll be able to win.¡±


    ¡°So optimistic,¡± Deon noticed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know what I mean once you see them fight.¡±


    Deon took a lengthy sip from his new canister. ¡°Well, we¡¯d better get back to training, then!¡± he declared. ¡°I¡¯m not going all the way there with you just to see you lose. And besides¡ªyou gotta give me my fill of fights before you run off and have all that fun without me!¡±


    Skrili drank from her bottle, and then tossed it into the sand. ¡°Fine,¡± she agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡±

 33. The Sages Hut

    Lammy felt peace. Wherever he was, it was quiet. And warm. All of his pain was completely gone.


    He opened his eyes to see the wooden roof of a hut, made of countless firm branches woven together. A large torch burned in the corner, giving the room a soothing dull light. Through an uncovered window on the wall, Lammy could see it was dark outside.


    He looked down and realized he was lying in a bed, under a thin tan blanket. Aside from his underwear, all of his clothes were gone. He heard someone¡¯s slow, rhythmic breath beside him.


    Lammy turned to see Zayza was right next to him under her own blanket, fast asleep. He blushed intensely once he realized she seemed to lack clothing under her covers, as well.


    ¡°Uh¡­um¡­¡± Lammy stammered nervously.


    Somehow, she looked slightly different, like an alternate depiction of the same person. Lammy couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on what it was. Actually, something about the whole hut¡¯s atmosphere appeared equally peculiar.


    Zayza seemed relaxed and back to her normal self, but the darkness around her eyes hadn¡¯t faded. They looked incredibly jaded and distressed, despite her otherwise peaceful expression.


    She mumbled something in her sleep, and then fell silent again.


    ¡°Zayza¡­?¡± whispered Lammy.


    ¡°She required much more healing than you,¡± came a hoarse voice from the entrance of the hut.


    A small old lady walked in slowly, leaning heavily on her elegant wooden cane as her colorful hooded robe dragged behind her. She had very long gray hair, tied up in a frizzy mess on top of her head. Her small eyes were black and very defined as she looked upon Lammy with a diffusing calmness.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Lammy asked, sitting up. ¡°And¡­how did we get here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in my haven,¡± the old lady explained. ¡°As for ¡®how,¡¯ now that¡¯s a trickier question. Last evening, I saw a flash in the sky, and then you two fell out of it and crashed into my pond.¡±


    It started coming back to Lammy: that desire to get Zayza away from Fewpar and Najinzu¡­the feeling of catapulting out of the carriage¡­a white flash¡­and then falling into the water. He remembered the burning in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡­did all of that¡­?¡± Lammy uttered. ¡°I teleported us?¡±


    ¡°I assume that¡¯s a rhetorical question, because heck if I¡¯d know,¡± the old lady commented. ¡°Oh¡ªwhat lovely eyes¡­¡± She was looking at Zayza now.


    Lammy turned to see Zayza had come to. She lay there, staring back at Lammy with a hint of confusion. Her green eyes seemed slightly larger, and their color was even more brilliant than normal. The darkness around them only heightened their intensity.


    ¡°Zayza, you¡¯re alright now,¡± Lammy said. ¡°I think¡­I actually don¡¯t really get what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Zayza shot up and leaned away from him with a shout of fear. Noticing most of her clothes were gone, she quickly pulled her blanket up. But her back and arms were exposed, and there were black, thin markings all over her skin: the scars from Najinzu¡¯s torture.


    However, the lines appeared much more like tattoos than scars. In a disturbing way, they were beautiful, forming intricate shapes and designs all over her body. While all of the markings on her arms were bold, about half of the ones on her back seemed faded, like they were older.


    Zayza looked down at her scars and shuddered, trying to cover them up.


    ¡°I managed to heal all of your wounds,¡± said the old lady. ¡°But unfortunately the fresh injuries will remain as scars, just like the ones you already had.¡± Her face flooded with utter pity. ¡°You poor child¡­what have you been through all these years?¡±


    Lammy leaned forward a bit to comfort her.


    ¡°NO! Stay away from me!¡± Zayza cried, shrinking back.


    ¡°Zayza¡­it¡¯s just me, I¡¯d never hurt you,¡± Lammy urged.


    Zayza shook her head repeatedly, like a child refusing a bandage. ¡°No¡­no¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    Lammy stopped. ¡°But¡­you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I remembered how to kill someone in the Dream World¡­why do I know that?¡± Zayza asked, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°Why would I know how to do that?! And who is Vayva? Why am I so scared of that name? Those men keep saying I¡¯m dangerous¡­what did I do to them?!¡±


    ¡°They¡­they don¡¯t know the real you,¡± Lammy urged. ¡°I know you¡¯d never hurt me. I know you.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s glare cut right through Lammy. It was one of both terror and deflection. She was trying to push him away with everything in her being.


    ¡°No you don¡¯t¡ªhow can you? I don¡¯t even know me,¡± she shot. ¡°You should stay away from me.¡±


    ¡°Zayza¡­¡± Lammy muttered.


    ¡°I believe you should give the girl some time alone¡ªshe¡¯s clearly been through quite a lot,¡± the old lady cautioned tranquilly. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll give you some clothes.¡±


    Reluctantly, Lammy stood from the bed and followed the old lady. She reached into a nearby basket and handed him clothing. Then she led him outside into the night.


    Before Lammy left the hut, he looked back at Zayza one more time. She held her head in both hands, shaking as tears fell.


    She¡¯s falling apart¡­Lammy thought.


    Lammy took a minute to get dressed behind the hut. The old lady had given him a white undershirt and a hooded black tunic, made of the same woven material as her robe. He also wore white pants and soft, thin slippers. The clothing breathed nicely in the warm air.


    He stepped out from behind the hut, noticing this lady¡¯s ¡°haven¡± was small and encased in thin, black trees. Torches lit the area all around. There was a pond across from the hut, and oddly, it was glowing with ever-changing colors. That must have been where he and Zayza landed after they teleported.


    The old lady was sitting on a log in front of a campfire, so Lammy joined her. He sat quietly for a moment, but he had too many questions to let this last.


    ¡°Where is this place?¡± he asked.


    ¡°As I said, this is my haven,¡± the old lady repeated. ¡°But, since you¡¯re asking again, you must not be from this area. We¡¯re in the Great Black Forest¡ªpart of the Northern Woodlands of Fantasy Country.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªwe¡¯re in Fantasy Country? We were in Realistic Fiction Country before.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± noted the old lady. ¡°Tell me child, why did you come here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know¡­we were in trouble, and I wanted to get us out,¡± Lammy shared. ¡°I just wanted to be somewhere safe¡­to take Zayza somewhere safe.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, that explains it,¡± the old lady concluded. Satisfied with his answer, she said nothing more.


    ¡°Um¡­why does that explain it?¡± Lammy pressed.


    ¡°The charms I¡¯ve placed around my haven allows anyone seeking reprieve to find it,¡± said the old lady. ¡°That is, if they can get here. It seems, child, that when you teleported from your dangers, your desires drew you to my magic.¡±


    Charms? Magic? Lammy thought. Fantasy Country seems really different from Realistic Fiction Country¡­


    ¡°However, I¡¯m not a consciousness; my power doesn¡¯t reach beyond this reality,¡± the old lady explained. ¡°You must have teleported here on your own, and then your wishes connected with my charms.¡±


    Lammy touched his eyes, recalling the heat he felt. I did what my mom did, he realized. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, just who are you?¡±


    ¡°An Ancient Sage,¡± she responded plainly. ¡°Like all of the Sages, I am nameless, to preserve our purpose. We provide help to those who seek it¡ªbut can only give it to those who deserve it.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Lammy stared at her in wonder. That sounds really intense¡­


    ¡°You¡¯ll find Fantasy Country is full of overdramatic systems such as this,¡± the Sage said with a warm smile.


    ¡°But¡­you don¡¯t even know who we are,¡± Lammy said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never known who any of my guests are, and I never will,¡± said the Sage. ¡°I only know what they deserve.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you for healing us.¡±


    ¡°Do not thank me yet, my boy. My job is not done, because you are still here,¡± the Sage said, looking into his eyes closely.


    Suddenly, the campfire¡¯s flame shot up higher, reaching towards the top of the trees. The glowing colors in the pond intensified.


    ¡°Now, I need to ask you something: are you sure?¡± the Sage questioned.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    The Sage smiled. ¡°You know precisely what, but I¡¯ll elaborate, nonetheless.¡± Her gaze grew even more powerful. ¡°Are you sure you want to help her?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Zayza¡¯s my friend!¡±


    The Sage sighed. ¡°My child, two paths lay before you: one where your suffering ends here, and one where it continues.¡± She leaned forward. ¡°If you choose to help your friend from this point on, you have chosen the path that inevitably ends in pain, for both of you. I have sensed it.¡±


    Lammy fell silent.


    ¡°If you choose not to help the girl, suffering will only come to her, and you will be spared. You must decide.¡±


    The Ancient Sage stood, and slowly started walking towards the hut.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided,¡± said Lammy. He thought of his family: Deon, his mother, father, aunt and uncle, and even Savannah. He was always the sensitive one, never able to use his powers right, or help his father with farming, but not one of them ever judged him for it. Instead, they pulled him closer. If he was down, they were down there with him.


    What Zayza was going through was infinitely worse than anything he¡¯d experienced, but he knew how it felt for someone to pick him back up and wipe his tears. Now, for the first time ever, he had the power to do that for someone else. Especially with these strange new abilities developing, he had what it took. He had already saved Zayza before, and he wasn¡¯t about to give up now.


    ¡°Zayza is my friend,¡± Lammy said soberly. ¡°If she has to suffer either way, then I pick the option where she doesn¡¯t have to do it alone.¡±


    The campfire¡¯s flame weakened to its original height, and the pond¡¯s colors faded back to normal.


    The Sage kept walking. ¡°You are strong, child. Tragic, and strong,¡± she said.


    ¡°So um¡­what should I do now?¡± asked Lammy. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly think Zayza wants my help right now.¡±


    ¡°You know why she pushes you away.¡±


    Lammy nodded, even though the Sage wasn¡¯t facing him. To protect me, he thought.


    ¡°Wait here¡ªI must now speak with the girl,¡± the Sage said. ¡°It¡¯s in the job description.¡±


    ~


    Lammy sat staring at the campfire, lost in thought. He wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed. As soon as the Sage had entered the hut, he had taken the chance to cry. He needed to let it out again¡ªfor Ryan, for Zayza, and for himself. Even though he thought he had run out of tears in the carriage, his fear of Fewpar and Najinzu crept up on him.


    But they only lasted for a moment, and a new feeling replaced this: he was over it all. He had enough of this peril. He didn¡¯t want to see Zayza like that ever again. If Fewpar and Najinzu ever found them¡­


    ¡­He would protect his friend.


    Lammy wiped his eyes as he felt the burning sensation return for a moment, and then vanish. What even are my powers? he wondered. I can barely imagine on one hand, but on the other I can teleport? And now I can go into the Dream World?


    It was all so much. It was scary, but empowering.


    He was so lost in thought that he didn¡¯t notice the approaching footsteps until they were close. When Lammy looked, his heart skipped a beat: Zayza stood beside him, staring into the fire.


    She had changed into new clothes from the Ancient Sage. Her hooded tunic was similar to his, but it was a faded light blue. The sleeves were short, so her tattoo-like black scars were visible all over her arms and hands. Her white pants and slippers concealed the scars on her legs.


    Zayza looked stunning in front of the fire. Even the darkness around her vivid eyes contributed, giving her a tragic beauty.


    She glanced at Lammy with a small frown, and then returned her eyes to the flames.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t smile at you,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°When we first met, I noticed any time I would smile at you, your eyes would fill up with joy. So when everything got scary, I decided I¡¯d smile as much as I could around you. I knew you were so scared being far from home, so I wanted to comfort you. But also¡­¡±


    Lammy watched her quietly. He could tell she was trying to pick her words carefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m realizing now,¡± she continued, ¡°I was also trying to comfort myself this whole time. I don¡¯t know how much of it was really me¡ªthe cheerful attitude, the positive outlook, the smiles¡­I can¡¯t tell how much of it was just to ease my mind, and how much was my true personality.¡±


    She ran her hand through her hair. ¡°Some of my memories are starting to come back on their own, and it¡¯s scaring me,¡± she shared. ¡°After you left the Dream World, they were coming in fragments, like they couldn¡¯t wait any longer. I¡¯m getting glimpses of my past self, walking down a dark hall, drinking from a goblet with strangers, attending some sort of event¡­and in none of them, I¡¯m smiling.¡±


    Zayza looked up to the sky and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not truly saying what I came out here to say¡­¡±


    She faced Lammy and gazed at him seriously. Everything around her radiant face went foggy, just as when Lammy had first met her. Only now, it was all dark.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯m trying to push you away, Lammy,¡± she said with watery eyes. ¡°I¡¯m becoming someone other than the friend you made back in No Man¡¯s Land, and I¡¯m scared of her. I don¡¯t want whoever I really am to hurt you.¡±


    At first, Lammy didn¡¯t know what to say. But one thing was clear¡ªstill, all Zayza wanted was to keep him safe. She may not have been able to see it now, but he could tell her caring, empathetic personality was still there. That was still the Zayza he knew. She was a bit different now, but so far, it was still her.


    Lammy wanted to convince her of this, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was the right time. Nonetheless, with nothing else to fill the silence, he opened his mouth anyway. ¡°Zayza¡ª¡±


    ¡°You two have the eyes of those who wish to hide,¡± the Sage suddenly interjected. She now stood across from Lammy and Zayza, though they never saw her walk up to them.


    She winked at Lammy, and somehow he knew she was saving him from saying something stupid.


    ¡°My sister can help you hide from those who wish you harm,¡± the Ancient Sage said. ¡°If you travel to her together with my blessing, she can grant you a gift. But it will only help one of you protect the other.¡±


    ¡°Will it keep Lammy safe?¡± Zayza asked.


    ¡°That depends entirely on the nature of your friendship with each other,¡± said the Sage slowly.


    Lammy wished this wise old lady didn¡¯t have to speak so vaguely. ¡°Well¡­where do we go? How far is it?¡±


    ¡°A little over a day¡¯s journey,¡± the Ancient Sage said. ¡°I will call on a friend, who can guide you. But you must wait until the daylight, so rest here for one more evening.¡± She began to walk away.


    ¡°Thank you. Um¡­where do you want us to sleep?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not sending you off to bed right now, unless that¡¯s what you want,¡± said the Sage. ¡°Do you two like hot chocolate?¡±


    ~


    Lammy had never had hot chocolate until now. But he definitely liked it. A lot.


    After the Sage took their mugs and put out the campfire, she led them to the hut. Picking up on Lammy¡¯s discomfort about sharing the one healing bed with Zayza, she set up some extra blankets and pillows on the floor for him beside the bed.


    ¡°Meet me by the pond in the morning,¡± the Sage instructed.


    Just when Lammy was wondering where the Sage planned on sleeping, when she blew out the torch, she disappeared with the smoke.


    What the¡­wondered Lammy.


    He hadn¡¯t realized how tired he still was until he lay back down. His whole body was fatigued, perhaps from whatever healing treatment the Ancient Sage had given him. Despite all of his worries, his tiredness and the soothing feeling emanating from the hut gently lulled him to sleep.


    ~


    Zayza¡¯s eyes shot open.


    ¡°No¡­no, no, no,¡± she stammered. ¡°No, I fell asleep¡­I don¡¯t want to be here¡­¡±


    Everything was pitch black.


    She tried to remember how to leave the Dream World on command. As she thought hard, a purple orb faded into existence a short pace away. Desperate, Zayza started running towards it.


    But just as she did, another purple light shot straight through it, sending it in fragments everywhere. The offending light was the shard of another memory.


    Zayza dove to the invisible ground and narrowly dodged it as it zipped over her. The shard stopped, turned, and then came back after her. But this time, more shards appeared around it and followed.


    ¡°Stay away!¡± Zayza yelled, running once more.


    ¡°Oh¡ªit¡¯s you, scum¡­¡± came a voice in the distance. ¡°Tell me where you are in the Real World, immediately.¡±


    The shards froze in mid-air. Zayza looked into the beyond, to find the blue silhouette of Fewpar peering to try and see her.


    ¡°Just as you can¡¯t escape from your memories,¡± began Fewpar, ¡°you won¡¯t escape from me.¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± Zayza cried.


    A monstrous explosion of green light shot out from in front of her and headed straight for Fewpar.


    ¡°We¡¯re too far apart in the Real World; there¡¯s no way you can actually hit¡ª¡± began Fewpar, but then he turned and started sprinting. ¡°Oh, for the love of¡ªHOW?!¡±


    The blast reached him, and he was launched away, nowhere to be seen.


    As soon as he was gone, Zayza heard the glimmering shards shoot at her again. Frantic, she kept running, but they continued to close in.


    One zoomed right past her ear.


    ¡°Vayva¡­¡± she heard it whisper.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°You can trust me with everything¡­¡± whispered another.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I know I can trust you¡­¡±


    ¡°Vayva¡­¡±


    ¡°Vayva¡­¡±


    ¡°You can trust Vayva¡­¡±


    ¡°NO!!!¡± Zayza screamed, falling to the ground. In response, all of the shards stopped. Then they retreated faster than they had arrived.


    ¡°Wake up¡­wake up¡­¡± Zayza pleaded as she lay alone.

 34. The Other Sages Hut

    The Ancient Sage stood with Lammy and Zayza by the pond in the damp, cool air of the morning. The black trees all around the haven looked just as shadowy as the night before, despite the budding daylight.


    Lammy noticed the darkness around Zayza¡¯s eyes was even worse than last night. She appeared less rested than before she went to sleep, glaring ahead with a jaded expression. Lammy wondered what she must have gone through in the Dream World.


    He felt a bit guilty, since meanwhile, he felt incredibly rejuvenated. He had never slept so well in his life; the hut¡¯s aura certainly put him at peace.


    ¡°Your clothes and travel gear should be dry by now,¡± said the Ancient Sage. ¡°Be sure to claim them before you begin your journey.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªwe didn¡¯t lose those?¡± asked Lammy. He had assumed he left it all behind when he escaped with Zayza, but it seemed he had taken these along for the ride.


    ¡°I found them in the pond not far from where you landed,¡± the Sage explained. ¡°Now, your guide should be arriving momentarily¡­¡±


    An instant later, a small, furry creature fell from the trees and landed expertly atop the Sage¡¯s head. Its fur was rainbow-colored, and it had three perfectly round, red eyes. The funny creature smiled at them, revealing a single sharp tooth, as its long tail wagged in an endless spiral.


    ¡°This is Wobble,¡± the Sage introduced.


    ¡°What is it?¡± wondered Lammy with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, exactly,¡± said the Sage.


    ¡°Huh? No, like what is it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± repeated the Sage.


    ¡°This creature is a whatizit,¡± Zayza clarified. ¡°Not much is known about their kind. I suppose I never lost my memory of them.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± uttered Lammy. ¡°Yeah, that name¡¯s not confusing at all¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s good, my new acquaintances?!¡± greeted Wobble. Its voice was high-pitched and charming. ¡°I¡¯m stoked that I shall guideth you on thine journey! It¡¯ll be groovy!¡±


    What¡¯s with the inconsistent dialect?! Lammy wondered.


    ¡°Wobble likes to pick up language from travelers it has guided,¡± the Sage said. ¡°Now, Wobble, please lead these two to my sister. Tell her to grant them the earrings.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, the earrings¡­¡± the Wobble seemed to recall. ¡°Come with me! Verily, It shall be a totes fun quest!¡±


    The Sage led Lammy and Zayza to a branch where their belongings were hanging. After they repacked their bags, they followed Wobble to a slim path just beyond the pond. The creature hopped the whole way there with its stubby legs, occasionally using its spiral tail to rebalance. Every time it landed, glitter shot out from under its feet.


    When they reached the entrance to the path, they turned and faced the Ancient Sage once more.


    ¡°Children, stay together for this journey,¡± she urged. ¡°Whether you continue to do so or separate after you arrive depends on the earrings, but for now, you must stay together. And be prepared¡ªthis may be the last day of your friendship.¡±


    Lammy didn¡¯t like the sound of that. But when he glanced at Zayza, she seemed intrigued by the idea.


    She must still want to push me away¡­for my own good, he thought. Even considering her self-sacrificing intentions, it still hurt.


    He was already beginning to miss her smile and encouragement.


    ¡°Now, off you go,¡± said the Sage.


    Wobble let out a laugh, and began hopping from branch to branch along the path. With a nod, Zayza followed.


    ¡°Thank you for all of this¡­I wish I could repay you,¡± Lammy said to the Sage.


    ¡°You can, by holding true to your convictions,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°Farewell.¡±


    With some reluctance, Lammy turned and followed their guide.


    ~


    ¡°The power of friendship!¡± Wobble cried joyfully. ¡°But love is blind!¡±


    Wobble had been proclaiming random phrases like these every few minutes, for the past several hours, as Lammy and Zayza followed it along the bumpy path. Lammy couldn¡¯t decide if he appreciated the breaking from silence, or if it was incredibly annoying. Wobble was the only one to speak at all since their travels began.


    Zayza¡¯s utter wordlessness was so different. She simply walked, never averting her stare from the path ahead as the darkness around her eyes remained. Her tattoo-like scars blended seamlessly with the pitch-black trees all around. Lammy struggled to accept this new version of her.


    It was crushing.


    ¡°You can¡¯t handle the truth!¡± Wobble quoted cheerfully. ¡°A bloke from Normal Country taught me that one,¡± it said back to them as it bounced from branch to branch.


    ¡°Do they¡­hurt?¡± Lammy decided to ask Zayza. He felt like he was testing boiling water with his bare hand. ¡°The¡­markings?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± muttered Zayza.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± said Lammy. ¡°How¡¯s your energy? Did you get your full strength back?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Lammy felt he had tested the water enough. He fell silent again, wondering if this was how things would be from now on. Would this journey to the Sage¡¯s sister really be their last day together?


    And if it was, this was how it had to end?


    ¡°Love is patient, love is kind!¡± sang Wobble. ¡°It is¡­it does¡­uh¡­aw, butter biscuits, I remembereth not the next part!¡±


    ~


    When darkness befell the Black Forest, it came quickly. Lammy guessed this was due to the terrain¡¯s already dim appearance. He could barely see Wobble by now, so he relied on the glitter twinkling off the creature¡¯s feet, along with the many random phrases it would share.


    The Sage had sent them off with some unfamiliar vegetables, since the water had spoiled their food from Our Snowy Village. They ate the (oddly bitter) vegetables as they walked earlier, and Lammy was thankful to find it filled and energized him quite a bit. But now it was wearing off, and he was beginning to wonder when they¡¯d call it a night.


    ¡°Dark! The absence of light!¡± observed Wobble. It abruptly hopped down onto the ground in front of them. ¡°You two good? I¡¯ve been literally talking to myself for the entire day¡ªI usually only do that on my days off, no cap.¡± It snickered.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Lammy. ¡°We¡ªthere¡¯s just a lot going on.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be! The Sage smiles upon you, so I think you¡¯re dope, too!¡± Wobble turned back around. ¡°Let¡¯s hit the hay. We¡¯re close, but lo¡ªthe darkness shrouds us. It¡¯s kinda hard to see and stuff.¡±


    Wobble led them off the path and climbed high up into a branch. Lammy wondered if it expected them to do the same, but then a pink light poured down around them and encompassed them. It scooped Lammy and Zayza off their feet, and when they sat, they realized the ground felt unnaturally soft.


    Lammy and Zayza looked into the branches to see Wobble hanging there with its mouth wide open, letting a constant, soft ¡°Aaaaah¡­¡± ring out. The pink light was pouring from its mouth, and its three eyes were spiraling in sync with its tail.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be safe under this,¡± Wobble assured between ¡®ahs.¡¯ ¡°And yes, I¡¯m about to just hang here and do this the entire night. I¡¯m weird as heck, no?¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh. But he was too scared to see if Zayza would smile, because he knew she wouldn¡¯t.


    They unstrapped their bags and lay down. While this force field of light was relaxing, its brightness did make it a bit hard to fall asleep. But on top of that, something else kept Lammy up for a bit:


    The day was over, just like that. The Sage said this could be his last day as Zayza¡¯s friend, and it was already over. They had one exchange, and nothing else. He felt a pain in his chest as he thought about it.


    Don¡¯t shut me out¡­he pleaded in his head.


    ~


    ¡°No¡­please, no.¡±


    Those words awoke Lammy with a jump. It was still dark out beyond the pink light¡¯s protection. Zayza was asleep beside him, tossing and turning.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡±


    In his groggy state, Lammy assumed it was a nightmare. But as his mind cleared, he remembered Zayza was in the Dream World. Something was happening to her in there¡­something dreadful.


    He quickly crawled over to her. ¡°Zayza,¡± he said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t¡­stay away¡­I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone¡­¡± she begged, shivering.


    Lammy touched her shoulder lightly and said her name again, but she didn¡¯t wake.


    Should I do it? he wondered. Should I try to go into the Dream World again? There was the strong chance she¡¯d try and push him back out as soon as she noticed him, but¡­as her friend, wasn¡¯t it worth the try?


    Heart beating fast, he leaned down closer. My head was touching hers¡­he recalled. He placed his hand on her shoulder again and prepared to connect.


    As soon as his hand touched her, Zayza shot upright, her eyes bursting open. She let out a brief cry. Gasping for breath, she looked and saw Lammy beside her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, you¡¯re back,¡± Lammy said quickly.


    Zayza finally caught her breath. There was a softness in her eyes as she looked at Lammy¡ªthe same softness that was always present until Najinzu had tortured her.


    ¡°Thank you, Lammy,¡± she uttered. ¡°Thank you for waking me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Lammy. ¡°You¡­seemed pretty scared.¡±


    ¡°My memories¡­some of them have still been attacking me,¡± shared Zayza. ¡°They¡¯re unrelenting. All I know is that they¡¯re memories I don¡¯t want back¡­I can feel it. But they keep coming.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­horrible,¡± said Lammy.


    ¡°And I can hear him, too¡­Fewpar¡­he¡¯s trying to find me,¡± Zayza added. ¡°He feels far from us, but he¡¯s trying to figure out my location.¡± She looked at Lammy again, but something seemed to click in her head suddenly. Zayza inched away a bit as her expression grew cold. ¡°Don¡¯t, Lammy.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­I shouldn¡¯t have said that¡­don¡¯t concern yourself with it, okay? Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very worried.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m not safe.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me less worried.¡±


    For a second Lammy thought Zayza was about to snap at him, but she kept quiet, turning her shoulders from him. ¡°Just¡­go back to sleep,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay up for the rest of the night. I can¡¯t go back in there.¡±


    Lammy nodded confidently. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m staying up with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the opposite of what I said¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Please, Lammy¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing it, and you¡¯re not gonna stop me,¡± Lammy insisted. He realized his tone felt uncharacteristic. Rather, he sounded like he was reciprocating someone else¡¯s words. Then he smirked when he realized who he resembled.


    It was Deon. He couldn¡¯t count the nights he¡¯d be crying in his room over something silly, and then Deon would barge in through the window. Regardless of how many times Lammy insisted he was fine and strong, Deon would stubbornly spend the whole night with him, until he was able to sleep¡ªeven if that meant pulling an all-nighter.


    A tear fell from Lammy¡¯s eye. He wiped it before Zayza could notice, and then he crawled over and sat right next to her.


    Zayza sulked, refusing to make eye contact. Eventually, she hugged her legs and dug her face into her knees.


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± she mumbled reluctantly.


    For hours, they sat together in complete silence (aside from Wobble¡¯s continued soft note). Lammy checked on Zayza many times, but she caught herself any time she began nodding off. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was better to let her fall asleep and join her in the Dream World, or to try and keep her awake. It seemed either way she would be suffering.


    ¡°How did you do it?¡± Zayza asked.


    Her question filled Lammy with hope. He didn¡¯t even have to prompt her to speak to him this time.


    ¡°How did I do what?¡±


    ¡°Enter the Dream World. Only Dreamers can do that.¡±


    Lammy shrugged. ¡°I really have no idea¡­I was just scared, and I felt like I failed you. I just wanted to help. I put my head against yours and my eyes felt really hot, and then, I was just there.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how it happened¡­the whole teleporting thing, either,¡± continued Lammy. ¡°I just¡­felt strongly. I think I imagined a catapult somehow, which whipped us out of the carriage. And then I teleported us, just like my mom.¡±


    ¡°Your mother?¡± Zayza repeated.


    Lammy realized he hadn¡¯t even filled her in on what he learned from Fewpar. ¡°My mom is safe,¡± he said. ¡°Fewpar said she somehow sent all of us far away. She protected us. It doesn¡¯t make any sense, though¡­my mom has barely ever used her powers, and she never told me she could do anything like that¡­or that I could¡­And why didn¡¯t she teleport us into Tailpiece? Why so far away?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she wanted to, but couldn¡¯t,¡± Zayza suggested. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all make sense someday, Lammy. I¡¯m relieved your mother is safe.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Lammy said. Then he looked at her accusingly. ¡°Hey wait¡ªI¡¯m supposed to be comforting you, not the other way around! Stop being the better friend,¡± he joked.


    Zayza didn¡¯t quite react to this, but Lammy knew it was just her exhaustion. As he spoke, she looked like she was barely holding her eyelids up.


    They became quiet again, and Zayza struggled to stay awake as the forest gradually started to brighten with the sunrise. The clearer the view around Lammy became, the more nervous he grew. He hoped this new day wouldn¡¯t prove to be the end of their friendship.


    What are those special earrings supposed to do, anyway? he wondered.


    By the time it was light out again, Wobble¡¯s pink rays disappeared. The ground¡¯s softness returned to its natural texture, as well. Lammy shifted, preparing to get ready. He checked on Zayza once more.


    Her arms were beginning to slip from around her legs, and her eyes had closed. He was about to nudge her awake, but then Wobble plopped onto the ground right in front of them.


    Zayza sluggishly reopened her eyes and lifted her head in response.


    ¡°How did everyone sleep?¡± Wobble asked. ¡°Terribly, of course! You both stayed up all night, and I hung above you shooting a light out of my mouth, because I don¡¯t sleep! What a dumb question!¡±


    Wobble wiggled its behind, and then leaped into a nearby branch. ¡°Anyways, we¡¯re almost there! Move it or lose it! Onward, comrades!¡±


    Lammy and Zayza climbed to their feet and strapped on their travel bags. Lammy felt a bit tired, but the extra energy from spending time at the hut seemed to help. He knew it wouldn¡¯t be the same for Zayza, though, as she dragged herself along. In fact, he noticed the darkness around her drooping eyes had intensified even further.


    ¡°You gonna be okay?¡± Lammy asked as they followed the now much hillier thin path.


    ¡°No,¡± Zayza snapped. She turned from him and gazed ahead, wincing with irritation. ¡°I said don¡¯t worry about me. So¡­back off.¡±


    We¡¯re back to this again¡­but worse, Lammy noticed. While it stung quite a bit, he tried not to take it personally. He couldn¡¯t fathom everything she was processing through.


    They traveled for only another couple hours before Wobble said something about being close. Zayza stumbled along a bit behind them. Every time Lammy turned to check on her, his heart sunk. She had become opposite to her usual self, looking on with such emptiness and annoyance. It was obvious the sleep deprivation was getting to her, on top of the identity crisis waiting for her in the Dream World.


    ¡°This forest is hideous,¡± Zayza grumbled.


    Wobble took a grandiose leap, flipping and sending glitter into the air. It stuck its landing on the path and posed triumphantly. ¡°Yes!¡± it agreed simply. ¡°Also, we¡¯re here!¡± It hopped off the path, into the trees, so Lammy and Zayza followed.


    Soon the forest opened up into a small clearing, and immediately, Lammy¡¯s head spun with confusion.


    Did we just walk in a huge circle this whole time?!!


    Before him was a haven identical to the one they had just travelled from. The multicolored pond, the hut, and the firewood were all there. Even the Ancient Sage stood there, greeting them with the same kind, black eyes.


    But after a moment, Lammy realized the layout was slightly different. This hut was black, matching the trees all around, and looked a bit bigger. Meanwhile, the pond was smaller.


    ¡°Greetings, Wobble,¡± this nearly identical Ancient Sage said. ¡°And greetings, youthful strangers.¡±


    ¡°Yo, Ancient Sage!¡± exclaimed Wobble. ¡°I have travelled with these two youth from your sister¡¯s haven. She requests that you please grant these two¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Earrings,¡± the Sage finished. ¡°I can sense their needs¡­their expressions make it clear.¡±


    ¡°You guessed it, O wise one,¡± Wobble confirmed. ¡°Welp, peace out!¡±


    It leaped into the trees, and just like that, Wobble was gone.


    The Ancient Sage stared into their eyes quietly. As Lammy looked back, he felt uneasy. While this Sage looked almost exactly like the other, even down to her warm face, he felt a looming fear as he looked at her. She held the key to a future he was scared to find.


    ¡°They say I¡¯m more intimidating than my sister, but I don¡¯t get it,¡± the Sage said dismissively.


    ¡°What¡­are the earrings?¡± asked Lammy cautiously.


    The Sage sighed. ¡°Come with me.¡± She led them towards the black hut, and Lammy noticed she had a much less difficult time walking than her sister. Once they reached the entrance, she turned and faced them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t waste as much time as the other Sages, so let¡¯s get right to it,¡± she began. ¡°Looking at you, my sister was right to send you to me. I can sense your future pain. You¡¯re trying to run, and hide. You¡¯re each trying to protect the other, but you have opposing methods for doing so.¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t fathom how both Sages could understand so much about them while barely knowing who they were.


    ¡°My earrings are charmed with a special enchantment,¡± continued the Sage. ¡°If you wear them, your true identity becomes hidden. Even if you keep the same name, they wipe clean any previous memories of your life from those you¡¯ve encountered thus far. You will start over with mostly everyone.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mostly?¡± Zayza asked.


    ¡°The only ones my earrings will not affect,¡± said the Sage, ¡°are those who know your true self.¡±


    Lammy felt his fear increase. ¡°True self?¡± he repeated


    ¡°For most, this means no one. For others, it means the few who fully accept who you really are. But you will only know when I give them to you.¡±


    The Sage stared at them seriously, seeming to gather further understanding in the process. ¡°You are both worthy of my help, so I offer this gift to both of you. But I will give you time to think about it. Come in when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    She turned and entered the hut, leaving Lammy and Zayza alone outside. Both needing to rest their legs and backs, they unstrapped their bags and sat against the hut. Zayza seemed to keep her distance on purpose.


    ¡°So if we take these earrings, we can hide from Fewpar and Najinzu,¡± Lammy said. ¡°We can hide in plain sight from anyone who wants to hurt us.¡±


    ¡°Not if the person they hate is the real me,¡± Zayza pointed out darkly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    Lammy decided to let it go¡ªhe wasn¡¯t about to convince her of anything. ¡°Wait¡­but¡­if we get the earrings, won¡¯t we¡­forget each other?¡±


    His heart pounded harder, the longer Zayza didn¡¯t reply. She knew it was true, too. If this worked, it meant they could hide. But the cost was to forfeit each other¡ªto forget their friendship.


    If Lammy forgot Zayza, especially in her current state, he knew he would be afraid of her. And she would immediately go off alone, not wanting to let anyone get close. It would be impossible for anything to be the same again.


    Now, he understood. He knew what the first Sage meant when she said the earrings would only help one of them protect the other. If Zayza accepted the earring, she would get exactly what she wanted: Lammy would forget her, and so he wouldn¡¯t be able to worry about her anymore. She could protect him by removing him from her life, and he would never even know.


    Lammy¡¯s anxiety skyrocketed when Zayza stood up.


    ¡°I just want to ask her a question,¡± she said, walking towards the entrance.


    Once she reached it, she paused and gazed at Lammy. She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it, and entered the hut.


    Waiting had never felt so stressful. Lammy tried and failed to calm his breath, as he wondered what Zayza could be asking the Sage.


    Wait¡­


    Oh, no.


    ¡°NO, ZAYZA!¡±


    Lammy sprung to his feet and ran inside the hut, but he was too late.


    ¡­What was he too late for, again?


    The Ancient Sage stood behind a beautiful young woman with dazzling green eyes and brown hair. She sat on a stool holding her hair back, and the Sage¡¯s hand was on her ear. The Sage removed it, revealing a thin, black earring.


    The young woman stared at Lammy with tears falling from her dark eyes. She appeared completely heartbroken.


    But he didn¡¯t understand why.

 35. A Departure and Arrival

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the beautiful young woman said to Lammy as her tears fell. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    The Sage looked at each of them with a frown of deep empathy.


    Lammy didn¡¯t get it. It seemed this woman was talking to him, but he had never met her before. He¡¯d been traveling alone for a while now. The last friendly face he¡¯d seen¡ªbesides the Sages and Wobble¡ªwas Ryan in College Town College, when he laid down his life to help Lammy get away.


    He took note of the strange and elegant black markings all over her arms. What¡¯s going on? he wondered.


    ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m sorry, but¡ª¡± he began.


    And then a veil began to lift from his mind.


    Suddenly, he cared deeply about this young woman. He wanted to make her feel better.


    She was his friend.


    She was Zayza, his friend.


    It all came back to him.


    ¡°Zayza,¡± Lammy said simply as a smile grew. ¡°Zayza! I still know you!¡± he exclaimed.


    Zayza¡¯s crying stopped for a moment. ¡°Wha¡­? How?¡± she asked in utter shock.


    The Sage smiled warmly. ¡°There is only one explanation,¡± she said. ¡°He knows your true self.¡±


    Beaming, Lammy walked up to Zayza and took both of her hands, as she had in Our Snowy Village after the villagers vowed to help them.


    ¡°I knew it! I know the real you, Zayza!¡± he proclaimed. ¡°I don¡¯t care what Fewpar and Najinzu say, you¡¯re not the horrible person they think. You¡¯re incredibly caring, encouraging, fun, and brave!¡±


    Lammy felt his own tears building.


    ¡°Even if this all changes you, I know that all those good things about you will stay the same,¡± he continued. ¡°You¡¯re still my friend. Heck, you saved my life! That¡¯s the kind of person you really are¡ªthe earring proves it!¡±


    Zayza began crying again, this time much harder. But Lammy knew it wasn¡¯t out of sadness this time.


    ¡°You¡¯re my friend, Zayza. I love you!¡± Lammy concluded¡ªthen instantly, his entire face flushed bright red. ¡°Um¡ªlike, in the friend kind of way¡ªI love you as my friend, you know? I mean, you¡¯re a lot older than me and stuff and I¡¯m just a kid, so that would be weird¡ªbut I mean you are really pretty, though¡ªcrap, I made this awkward¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can stop child, she gets it,¡± the Sage whispered with a smirk.


    Zayza shot up from the stool and embraced Lammy in a big hug, still crying. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to put up with all of this¡­or with me¡­¡± she managed to mutter.


    ¡°I choose to,¡± Lammy insisted. ¡°We got in this mess together. I¡¯m not letting you face all of this by yourself.¡±


    ¡°What if I can¡¯t protect you?¡± Zayza sniffed.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    ¡°Stop it with all of the clever comebacks, Lammy,¡± muttered Zayza. When she released her embrace, he was relieved to see her smiling. She still appeared totally exhausted, and her cheeks were wet with tears, but at least she was finally smiling.


    Lammy knew it: even with the darkness around her bright eyes, the markings all over her body, and the pain she was feeling inside, this was still the same Zayza he met outside of Tailpiece. He was confident that if all of her memories returned one day, this would still hold true.


    ¡°So¡­can we keep traveling together?¡± he decided to ask.


    He could tell Zayza felt the weight of his question¡¯s implications. She would need to stop pushing him away, and accept that any harm coming for her would probably be awaiting him, as well.


    But it meant she wouldn¡¯t have to be alone.


    Zayza nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± she said. ¡°I want to help you make it home.¡±


    Lammy matched her smile. ¡°Good,¡± he replied. ¡°So uh¡­what do we do from here?¡±


    ¡°For starters, I have another earring,¡± the Sage pointed out beside them.


    ¡°Oh, right¡­I guess Fewpar and Najinzu are after me, too, and that organization Ryan and Felix were a part of,¡± Lammy realized. ¡°But¡­will Zayza remember me?¡±


    ¡°They can come off, you know,¡± answered the Sage. ¡°You¡¯d have to rip them out, but if you¡¯re that worried about it¡­¡±


    This Sage sure is sassier than the other one, Lammy noticed.


    The Ancient Sage instructed Lammy to sit on the stool. Zayza watched as the Sage retrieved another earring from the back of the hut. Just like Zayza¡¯s, it was simple: a tiny black ring with two small loops.


    As the Sage raised it to Lammy¡¯s lobe, he expected her to pierce it in. Instead, a black fog emerged from around her hand for a moment, and then she touched his ear. When she stepped back, it was on.


    Lammy immediately looked to Zayza. For a couple seconds, she appeared confused and a bit indifferent, but then her eyes widened.


    ¡°Lammy,¡± she said. ¡°It seems I understand your true self, as well.¡±


    ¡°Lovely. Spare us the monologue this time,¡± uttered the Sage. But again, she gave them a kindhearted smile.


    She walked over to the hut¡¯s entrance, and then turned to them, her expression now somber. ¡°Young ones, this is the path you have chosen...I¡¯m sure my sister also warned you of this, but this is a path that leads to darkness. You must stay true to your convictions.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza exchanged uneasy glances.


    ¡°Next, I advise you to journey southbound,¡± she continued. ¡°Head inland, towards the more populous regions of Fantasy Country.


    ¡°But¡­if we¡¯re on the run, shouldn¡¯t we avoid places with a lot of people?¡± Lammy questioned.


    ¡°That¡¯s what the earrings are for,¡± said the Sage. ¡°If your hearts are pure, the only people who will recognize you are friends who would wish you no harm.¡±


    True¡­thought Lammy, but he still felt unconvinced.


    His expression must have given his feelings away, because the Sage continued. ¡°Tell me, young one, do you have any money?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­no.¡±


    ¡°Do you have access to resources, other than what little you¡¯re traveling with?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Survival skills?¡±


    ¡°Big no for that,¡± Lammy admitted. ¡°At least, not any I know how to use.¡±


    ¡°You two must find employment, so you can accumulate the resources and skills you need to complete your quests,¡± urged the Sage. ¡°Jobs are extremely rare to come by in such uninhabited regions as Northern Fantasy Country, so you must travel inland.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza nodded to show they understood, but their unease still remained.


    The Sage sighed. ¡°As a friendly reminder, they do refer to me as an ¡®Ancient Sage.¡¯¡±


    At last, Zayza nodded more decisively. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll follow your guidance.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of ¡®guides,¡¯ I presume you¡¯ll need one¡­¡± the Sage remarked. She peered outside the hut. ¡°Were you listening?¡± she called.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Always am, captain!¡± Wobble replied, hopping into the hut with a flip and a dramatic landing. ¡°Sometimes I wish I wasn¡¯t!¡± it added.


    ¡°Good. If you¡¯re up to it, this next task will be a longer one,¡± the Sage told it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s no biggie¡ªmy heart and soul are always prepared to accept any challenge, rigorous as it may be, yo!¡± Wobble declared before waving to Lammy and Zayza. ¡°Howdy, again! Been a while, y¡¯all¡ªlike, eleven minutes.¡±


    Again, Lammy couldn¡¯t decide if he was happy or annoyed that Wobble would be leading them. But aside from that, he was worried about Zayza: she was still very obviously in rough shape.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re already good to keep traveling?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think we have a choice,¡± she said seriously. ¡°If Fewpar can still connect with me in the Dream World, I think that means he isn¡¯t that far. It would be best to keep moving.¡±


    Lammy tried not to stare too long at the weariness in her eyes. ¡°Alright¡­¡± he uttered.


    ¡°So, ¡®more inland,¡¯ eh? That¡¯s super broad,¡± Wobble noted. ¡°Where to, specifically?¡±


    The Sage thought about it for a moment, seeming to search her mind for something beyond common understanding. ¡°Take them to Conscious City,¡± she instructed.


    ¡°Conscious City, it is!¡± bellowed Wobble with a sprightly flip. ¡°Grab your travel packs and let¡¯s skedaddle, my new homies! For behold: a weeklong journey awaits!¡±


    ~~~


    Days later, in the streets of Crooked Plateau¡­


    Deon and Skrili walked along the clay road, heading for the landing pad where Gibblezgorv had dropped them off four days earlier. They had just come from a fitness building where they had been showering after their daily training, and now they passed through the side streets where the desert refugees dwelled.


    During their days on the plateau, they realized they felt much more comfortable amongst fellow outsiders. Before long, they had developed a mutual trust. People from either clan occasionally waved and greeted them as they walked.


    ¡°So this is it,¡± Deon said. ¡°It¡¯s the big day! You ready?¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°The training definitely helped,¡± she said. ¡°And you didn¡¯t snore last night, so I was actually able to get enough sleep.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, you didn¡¯t kick me for once, so I did too,¡± Deon retorted.


    ¡°I had my fill of kicking you every time I defeated you in the desert,¡± came Skrili¡¯s retaliation.


    Deon laughed, and Skrili smiled briefly. Between all of their training together and spending each night in such close quarters, they had grown more comfortable with each other. Deon realized he was right to ask Skrili to be his teammate¡ªnot only was she a better fighter, constantly beating him and stretching him to get stronger, but he found he enjoyed her very mellow company.


    It was still hard to read her at times, but he guessed she appreciated him as well. At the very least, she hadn¡¯t told him otherwise.


    ¡°Hey! Are you guys going to the tournament today?¡± a girl¡¯s voice called.


    Deon and Skrili turned to see the little girl from Hiroko¡¯s clan, the same one they had met the day they arrived. She stood a block away with her parents.


    ¡°You bet we are!¡± Deon said back. ¡°Well¡ªI¡¯m not fighting, but Skrili here is!¡±


    The little girl pointed at Skrili defiantly. ¡°Well, you¡¯re going down!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Hiroko and Kotono are gonna win and rebuild my village!¡±


    Skrili smiled kindly at her.


    ¡°I hope you win all your other fights, though¡­¡± the girl added a bit more shyly. Her parents began walking towards another street, so the girl followed. ¡°See ya!¡± she added.


    Deon and Skrili waved, before continuing on their way.


    ¡°Kotono and Hiroko put a lot on the line for this Conscious Competition, with that partnership thing they¡¯re doing,¡± Deon thought aloud. ¡°They have to win it all for it to happen, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the agreement,¡± said Skrili. ¡°But they know they can do it. That¡¯s how good they are: I¡¯ll be shocked if they don¡¯t make it all the way to the championship.¡±


    It was only another few minutes before they arrived at the outskirts of Crooked Plateau. They walked onto the wide, circular landing pad at the very edge of the city.


    Skrili reached into her bag and pulled out the mint green dragon scale Gibblezgorv had given her. The day before, she used it to schedule their trip to Gloat Center. The simplicity of the process surprised Deon: all she did was use her finger to write out the details, under the instructions glowing on the inside of the scale. She said it accepted payment through her TeamTrack information.


    Now, it displayed a dragon-shaped dot following a line, which led to another dot towards the bottom. The dragon icon was most of the way to the end.


    ¡°We¡¯re a bit early¡ªhe should be here soon,¡± said Skrili.


    Sure enough, after only a short while, they heard the flapping of massive wings. Soon Gibblezgorv came into view in the sky above. He swooped towards the landing pad gracefully, giving them a wave. Once he was above it, he plopped down with a grunt. The impact shook the ground.


    ¡°My little friends Skrili and Deon!¡± Gibblezgorv greeted. ¡°Thank you for giving me something to do¡ªI haven¡¯t had a trip since our last one!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Gibblezgorv!¡± Deon said as he approached the elderly dragon.


    ¡°So¡­we¡¯re headed to Gloat Center, are we?¡± noted Gibblezgorv as he crouched low to allow them to mount his saddle. ¡°Are you two attendees, or participants?¡±


    ¡°Both,¡± answered Skrili as she climbed up. ¡°I¡¯m fighting one last time with my old teammate.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then this is quite the final fight, indeed,¡± noted Gibblezgorv. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll buy a ticket.¡±


    Once Deon was settled behind Skrili, he put his arms around her to prepare for their takeoff. He hoped now that he had done it once, it wouldn¡¯t be quite as terrifying.


    ¡°Well friends, we¡¯ll be there in a few short hours,¡± Gibblezgorv said back to them. ¡°I¡¯ll have to mind the traffic, but I know a few shortcuts. Now¡ªunfortunately, I¡¯m required to say all this again: please remain sitting in the saddle at all times¡­¡±


    As Gibblezgorv finished reciting the instructions, Deon braced himself.


    ¡°¡­And lastly, enjoy yourself! We¡¯re off!¡±


    Gibblezgorv shot straight up into the sky with even less forewarning than last time. Again, Deon felt a sinking in his stomach as he tried to scream, and he could hear Skrili burst out laughing like before.


    Luckily for Deon, Gibblezgorv didn¡¯t ascend for as long as their first takeoff. With several strong flaps of his wings, they were on their way to Gloat Center. Deon watched the plateaus disappear behind him as Gibblezgorv activated his magical windshield.


    As they flew across the clear sky, Skrili took out her TeamTrack and logged in. Deon looked on while she messaged Pang to say they were on their way.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit envious: he had to merely watch while Skrili and Pang fought in a massive consciousness tournament. But he knew his heart was set on doing this too, one day.


    What bothered him even more was that right when he and Skrili were officially about to begin their career together, Pang swooped in to interrupt it. She put his exciting future with her on hold.


    It¡¯s to save Phillip¡­Deon had to remind himself. He seems like an alright guy¡­and I shouldn¡¯t resent Skrili for trying to save someone¡¯s life.


    ¡°Hey, you got this,¡± he decided to say to Skrili. ¡°You¡¯re gonna kick butt.¡±


    She looked a bit flustered, but he noticed a small smile as she turned away. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said.


    ~


    After a few hours, Deon noticed something strange in the sky. He was about to ask if they were here, but he didn¡¯t bother: this had to be Gloat Center.


    Once they had pulled away from the desert area, most of the land up until now was grassy with small rivers. But now, near the horizon, the rivers all led to a vast and perfectly round body of water. This wasn¡¯t the amazing part, however.


    Above the water, countless white buildings and structures floated in the sky. Small dots of colorful lights twinkled on all of them, especially at their bases. At the very center floated the largest of them all: a round, dome-covered stadium. As they neared, Deon could read the words ¡°Gloat Stadium¡± shining across it.


    Many of the other buildings looked like smaller versions of Gloat Stadium¡ªthey were clearly smaller arenas to host more fights.


    He could see the specks of people all around this floating center. Some were floating, themselves, probably using the same levitation bracelet Skrili had, some rode dragons, and others bustled about in the courts and walkways. There were festivities everywhere: food stands, games, and booths selling all kinds of merchandise.


    Deon had never been so excited in is life. The only thing that could increase his utter bliss was if he was fighting in this Conscious Competition himself.


    ¡°This is gonna be insane!¡± Deon shouted as they neared Gloat Center.


    As Gibblezgorv drew close to the buildings, he began to swoop and turn in all kinds of directions. There were other dragons all around, but he appeared to be following a different path, avoiding much of the air traffic.


    ¡°You know,¡± Gibblezgorv started as he twisted past a building. ¡°Back in my slightly younger days, I flew Scoknee Mitchegrin and Ghoul Spencer to a few Conscious Competitions here.¡±


    Skrili seemed just as unfamiliar with these names as Deon.


    ¡°You know, the famous consciousness team?¡± he tried. ¡°Well, they were a little before your time¡­this was about two hundred years ago, after all. But I flew for them during several of the Competitions they won.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± Deon commented.


    ¡°Now, I wonder¡­am I carrying another future champion on my back?¡± he pondered joyfully.


    Skrili didn¡¯t say anything.


    Deon patted her shoulder. ¡°You absolutely are!¡± he declared. ¡°Actually two, if you give me a while.¡±


    ¡°Ah, youthful spirit!¡± Gibblezgorv laughed.


    Soon he took a much-unexpected swoop straight up. Once he flew above the surface of the nearest structure, Deon looked over: they were right beside the floating ground hosting Gloat Stadium. With one more flap, Gibblezgorv dropped onto the white stone pavement. People nearby stepped away respectfully to give him space.


    Deon hurried out of the saddle and hopped straight down, managing not to land flat on his face this time. Skrili followed quietly.


    ¡°As always, my friends, you may use the scale to contact me for another flight!¡± Gibblezgorv reminded them. ¡°And thank you for the generous tip, Skrili. Perhaps I¡¯ll use it to buy a ticket if you make it to the Gloat Stadium fights!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Skrili confirmed.


    ¡°Have a good one, old-timer!¡± added Deon with a big wave.


    Gibblezgorv leaped back into the sky as he waved back, and then he whirled away.


    ¡°Alright! Where do we go?! When does the fighting start?!¡± Deon asked, filled with eagerness.


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Skrili explained composedly. ¡°We have to meet up with Pang so we can sign in. They shouldn¡¯t be far¡­¡± She took out her TeamTrack to send Pang a message.


    Deon looked around, still in awe of everything. There was so much activity¡ªso many consciousnesses. It was like leaving Tailpiece meant discovering paradise.


    ¡°Oh my God, you two are too cute!¡± he heard a familiar voice exclaim. Pang and Phillip emerged from the crowd, heading towards them. ¡°Flying in together like that, with your nice tans and everything¡­I can¡¯t!¡± Pang added.


    As they met midway, Deon noticed Phillip was glaring into his eyes very intensely.


    ¡°Um¡­hey, man,¡± Deon said.


    Phillip continued to glare unblinkingly, his fists clenched.


    Okay then¡­thought Deon.


    ¡°Goodie, the gang¡¯s all hear!¡± Pang exclaimed. ¡°Alright guys, the Preliminary Rounds start tomorrow. Let¡¯s get this party started!¡±

 36. The Preliminary Rounds

    Deon and Skrili walked with Pang and Phillip along one of the many Gloat Center platforms floating high above the lake. Their destination: Skrili and Pang¡¯s assigned arena for the Preliminary Rounds.


    After they had joined up the day before, the group hurried to the welcome center so Skrili and Pang could sign in. There, Deon had noticed several specialized guards similar to the ones at the Fantasy Country border. He realized even if Pang had gone with her original plan (to have Phillip impersonate Skrili with illusions) it probably wouldn¡¯t have gone over so well.


    The viewing tickets for the Preliminary Rounds were surprisingly cheap, at only sixty scale cards, as Deon and Phillip discovered.


    From there, upon Pang¡¯s insistence, they explored the festivities going on all across Gloat Center. It felt strange spending so much casual time with the two people he considered flat-out enemies only a couple weeks ago, but Deon tried to conceal his discomfort.


    Pang was utterly delighted the whole time, practically dragging the other three to every booth and store she wanted to see. It was like she forgot everything she did to Skrili.


    Then there was Phillip, who Deon kept catching glaring at him silently. It gave him the creeps.


    Awkwardness aside, Deon absorbed everything around him that day. He wished he could spend hours at every booth, talk to every consciousness, and buy every gadget available. Even in the tiny hotel room Deon and Skrili rented that night, the use of magic to light and power everything amazed him.


    But today was the most exciting part.


    Today, the fighting began. He was itching to see all the consciousness types and fighting techniques these pros from across the whole Multiverse had to offer.


    On their way, the group walked by a bookstore they hadn¡¯t visited the day before. There were some books on display outside the building, floating in place above a dull yellow glow on the ground.


    As Pang passed by, she briefly stopped to take note of one. ¡°Oh!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Hey, Phillip and Skrili! This one¡¯s called ¡®The Consciousness League: A Survival Guide for Introverts in an Extroverted Career.¡±


    Instantly Skrili and Phillip each held a copy in their hands, reading the back cover with intense intrigue.


    With them distracted, Pang spun around nonchalantly and faced Deon, standing close. ¡°So you listened to my advice, huh?¡± she said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Remember? The first time we fought, I told you to use that temper of yours to your advantage,¡± she reminded him. ¡°I¡¯d say that worked out nicely¡ªyou wrecked me the other day with that nifty power-up.¡±


    Deon looked down guiltily. ¡°Oh¡­yeah, I¡¯m sorry about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. I never lost until that fight, and¡­losing is good, sometimes, you know?¡± She shifted, noticing Skrili and Phillip had headed inside to buy the book.


    ¡°But¡­I didn¡¯t exactly do all that on purpose,¡± Deon tried to explain. ¡°It kind of just¡­came out. I can¡¯t control it. It hasn¡¯t happened since.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± started Pang, her eyes practically piercing through him. ¡°If you wanna, I¡¯m sure I can get it out of you again. We¡¯ll both be around for a while. If you¡¯re scared to try tapping into it with Skrili, you can practice on me.¡±


    Deon swallowed hard, not really sure what to say.


    ¡°Just let me know,¡± Pang finished. She backed up as Skrili and Phillip returned with their new books. ¡°Okay cuties, let¡¯s get on over to that arena!¡±


    As the four fighters resumed walking, Skrili edged close to Deon.


    ¡°Whatever Pang told you, just ignore her,¡± she uttered without looking at him. ¡°Don¡¯t entertain it.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªsure,¡± Deon agreed.


    As they approached the edge of this floating platform, Deon smiled: it was once again time to use the new levitation bracelet he bought the day before. While it was initially tricky (Skrili had to push him along on his first use), he quickly got the hang of it and¡ªquite literally¡ªjumped at every chance to use it.


    Bracelets lighting up, they all stepped off the platform and ascended into the air. Other consciousnesses flew around everywhere, and Deon still couldn¡¯t count just how many platforms hovered before him.


    Their destination was just ahead, higher than the platform they came from. A round building similar to the colossal Gloat Stadium took up most of the surface, and many other teams were approaching it to participate in the fight.


    ¡°So, exactly how many teams fight in this thing?¡± Deon asked Skrili as they floated.


    ¡°Two-hundred,¡± said Skrili. ¡°That¡¯s just for this arena. There are sixteen arenas for the Preliminary Rounds, and the winning team from each one goes on to the main event in Gloat Stadium.¡±


    ¡°So¡­two-hundred teams at all sixteen arenas¡­¡± Deon thought aloud. ¡°There are 3,200 teams at this thing?! So, 6,400 fighters?!¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°This is one of the biggest Conscious Competitions every year.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±


    Soon they touched down on their target platform. Despite this stadium being purposed for the less-significant part of the Competition, it was still immense. The center of the round white building had no roof, unlike Gloat Stadium¡¯s dome-shaped covering.


    The four fighters headed towards the entrance, which had a floating sign above it reading ¡°Preliminary Arena 14.¡± Hundreds of consciousnesses headed the same way, mostly in pairs of two. Deon could almost feel the anticipation and nerves all around him.


    As they neared the entrance and waited in line, Skrili stepped past Deon to stand beside Pang. A worker in metallic armor sat at a booth, rapidly checking people in and directing them. The line moved quickly.


    ¡°Names?¡± the employee requested.


    ¡°Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay,¡± Pang said with confidence.


    The employee found them in a hardcover book projecting a list of names, and checked them off with her finger. Then she glanced at them again for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re so young, and you¡¯re already entering one of the toughest Conscious Competitions?¡± she questioned. ¡°Follow the hall to the right. Be careful, you two, okay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll try our very best,¡± Pang said playfully.


    The worker turned to Deon and Phillip. ¡°Names, guys?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªwe¡¯re just watching,¡± Deon explained.


    The employee took their tickets and put them to the side. ¡°Oh, the boyfriends,¡± she noted. ¡°Follow the hall to the left. Seating options are first come, first serve.¡±


    They all headed inside, turning their separate ways.


    ¡°Enjoy your guy time, fellas!¡± Pang called as Skrili followed her down the hall.


    ¡°Hey Skrili¡ªYou guys are gonna crush it!¡± Deon exclaimed with a fist in the air. ¡°We¡¯ll be cheering!¡±


    Pang mumbled something to Skrili with a mischievous smile as they walked. Whatever it was made Skrili blush and hurry her pace, not looking back.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Deon wondered aloud, before shrugging it off. ¡°Alright Phillip, let¡¯s find a good spot to¡ªHEY!¡±


    When Deon turned back around, Phillip had already walked away without him, almost halfway down the hall already. With a start, Deon hurried to catch up.


    The hallway was long and curved to the shape of the arena. Unlike the outside of all the buildings at Gloat Center, the walls were black. There were many impressive art pieces of consciousness fighters¡ªprobably past champions¡ªprinted all along the walls in white.


    Strangely, the hall led to what seemed like a dead-end. But when Phillip activated his levitation bracelet and floated upward, Deon realized it was an exit. Still a bit behind Phillip, Deon¡¯s bracelet glowed orange and he rose up high, into the outdoors.


    As he landed, he saw no trace of Phillip. But what he did find was the largest fighting area he had ever seen.


    Deon figured he could fit at least four Tailpieces in this place. A rectangular, white platform rose above the oval shaped floor below, with two large arcs in the walls on each far side of the arena. There were ads for levitation bracelets, TeamTrack apps, and more all over the walls. Soft, white bleachers stood three floors high all around.


    Taking it all in, Deon headed for the second floor of the bleachers since he didn¡¯t see Phillip on the first. It didn¡¯t take long to find him, because to Deon¡¯s surprise, there weren¡¯t many other spectators. Some people sat here and there, but it would be a stretch to call it a crowd.


    Also, it turned out humans weren¡¯t the only fans of consciousness fighting. There were also some non-human observers: a man with a horse¡¯s body from the waist down, a woman with reptile skin, and a brown dragon leaning on the outer rim of the arena high above.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Deon tried not to stare at these fascinating people, but it was hard to resist. Fantasy Country was full of marvels.


    Phillip sat alone in the center of the second floor, so Deon joined him.


    After a while, Phillip sighed. ¡°Of all the available seats, you had to choose the one directly next to me,¡± he muttered in his deep voice.


    ¡°Oh come on, what¡¯s your deal, man? You still mad about me beating Pang or something?¡± pressed Deon. ¡°¡¯Cuz Pang definitely seems over it¡­to say the least.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s part of the problem,¡± mumbled Phillip. ¡°Forget it.¡±


    Deon shrugged, but still didn¡¯t move to another seat¡ªthat would be like admitting defeat. ¡°What¡¯s with this turnout, though?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Usually only managers, talent scouts, and hardcore fanatics attend the Preliminaries,¡± Phillip explained. ¡°Besides, Pang told me no big stars got assigned to this arena.¡±


    Nice¡­that means they have a better shot of making it to the main thing, Deon thought.


    ¡°So¡­are you and Pang just teammates, or, like¡­?¡± Deon started.


    ¡°Please stop talking to me.¡±


    Deon reluctantly complied. After what felt like an eternity of sitting in silence, a projected voice echoed across the entire arena:


    ¡°Arena 14 Preliminaries will now begin. Orange Team, please enter the arena.¡±


    A few people clapped as a mass of fighters began pouring in from the right archway. They all wore bright orange ribbons tied around their arms. Deon had a tough time trying to pick Skrili and Pang out from the crowd, but then he spotted blue and bright red hair towards the back of the pack: there they were.


    ¡°Blue Team, please enter the arena.¡±


    Now an equally large crowd began entering from the opposite archway. Their ribbons were bright blue. A few teams towards the front hopped up and down on their way in, hyping themselves up.


    Both swarms of consciousness fighters stepped up to the elevated platform, staying on their respective sides. A red line appeared on the floor before each group, allowing a large middle ground between them.


    ¡°Preliminary Round One: Battlefield Elimination, is about to commence. The remaining fighters in the winning group will advance to Round Two, along with their individual teammates. Any fighter who exits the platform, becomes unconscious, or becomes otherwise unable to fight will be disqualified from this round. Any team with both members defeated will be disqualified from this year¡¯s Conscious Competition. Friendly-fire and killing are strictly prohibited.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Whoa, wait¡ªthey¡¯re all gonna fight at once?!¡±


    ¡°You may begin Round One in Three¡­Two¡­One¡­Begin.¡±


    A beep resounded, and the red lines on the fighting platform vanished. The arena filled with the rumble of roars and footsteps as the two massive groups stampeded at each other.


    Some fighters stayed behind, running slower and discussing strategy with their fellow Orange and Blue Team members.


    As the two crowds neared, Deon noticed all kinds of objects appearing in the air and firing down into each group. Must be plenty of Imaginers here, he realized.            Fighters scrambled to dodge while continuing their charge, but some of them took some heavy hits from the air strikes.


    Deon could barely see Pang and Skrili, now running low towards the middle of the Orange Team. But then the two groups collided, and immediately they were lost in the frenzy of battle.


    ¡°This is chaos!¡± Deon exclaimed. ¡°How the heck are they supposed to make it past this?!¡±


    ¡°They need to make sure the Orange Team wins,¡± explained Phillip. ¡°If they do, and either one of them is still standing, they both advance.¡±


    ¡°¡®Still standing?!¡¯ More like ¡®still alive!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Do you not have any faith in your future teammate?¡± questioned Phillip. ¡°I believe Pang has what it takes.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªthat¡¯s not really what I meant¡­¡± stuttered Deon.


    Come on, Skrili, hang in there¡­he thought worriedly.


    Already, dozens of consciousnesses were falling out of the ring or lying incapacitated. Deon noticed flat, rectangular lights would appear and scoop up anyone who had been lying still for a short while. People in black and purple robes were standing along the outskirts of the arena, following¡ªor rather, guiding the lights with their eyes.


    Once they placed the fallen fighter out of harm¡¯s way, more robed individuals in green would approach the fighter. They used a device that looked similar to a TeamTrack to shine a green ray across the consciousness¡¯s body.


    Oh good, so they have healers¡­that¡¯s a little encouraging, Deon thought.


    As the war raged on, Deon could hardly keep track.


    An explosion of yellow erupted to the right side of the platform, and countless fighters went flying out of bounds. Deon quickly searched for Skrili and Pang among the defeated, but they weren¡¯t there.


    Towards the mid-left of the battlefield, about thirty Blue Team members surrounded a thin man from the Orange Team. Unconcerned, he took out some sort of wooden flute and began playing a tune. Gradually, all of them collapsed, fast asleep.


    Then a woman from the Blue Team came lunging through the air at him, and kicked the musician right off of the platform. But instantly after, a bulky man ran up and lifted her, throwing her at another Blue fighter and knocking them both out. His efforts meant little, however, because a woman even bigger than him nailed him from behind, sending him straight into the wall of the arena.


    Still, Deon found no trace of Skrili or Pang.


    ¡°Whoa, who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Look at them go!¡±


    A couple of spectators from the floor above spotted something exciting. Deon scanned the arena, and then found a trail of Blue Team fighters collapsing or falling out of the ring, one by one. The trail was cutting all the way across the platform.


    Deon squinted until he could make out a red and blue blur zooming past fighters, taking them down with ease. When it reached the other side and slowed, he realized this blur was Pang and Skrili. They stood for a moment, and Pang gave Skrili a high-five.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s just a couple of girls! They¡¯re incredible!¡± exclaimed a spectator.


    ¡°They¡¯re so young! Cute little things!¡±


    ¡°Uh-oh¡ªwatch out!¡±


    Deon caught sight of a man in a straw hat sneaking up behind them. ¡°Skrili, behind you!¡± he yelled, but he was much too far away for her to hear.


    When the man got close he stood tall. Then to their surprise, Pang and Skrili began walking towards the edge of the platform, seemingly against their will.


    ¡°A Controller¡­¡± Phillip muttered nervously. ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡±


    Deon glanced at Phillip and noticed his deep worry. He had almost forgotten all of this was for Phillip: his health¡ªprobably even his life¡ªdepended on their victory. Deon hadn¡¯t noticed before, but up close he could see the dark, sickly thin veins through his pale skin.


    Deon quickly turned back to the fight. ¡°Come on, guys¡­¡± he uttered.


    Pang and Skrili were now only a couple steps from the edge, despite their feeble attempts to resist.


    But then, Pang managed to turn her head around and look at him.


    As soon as she did, they broke free. Skrili almost lost her balance and fell out, but she managed to recover. Now Pang fully faced the Controller in the straw hat with her arms crossed. She said something to him tauntingly, and Deon could make out her smug smile even from where he sat.


    Immediately, as Pang watched him, the Controller turned and skipped to the edge of the ring. With a dainty twirl, he hopped out of bounds. Pang had taken control of his powers.


    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s what you get for trying to control a Manipulator, ya bum!¡± Deon shouted. ¡°Wow, it feels weird cheering for Pang¡­¡± he added under his breath.


    Phillip breathed a sigh of relief, though he tried to conceal it.


    As the fighting continued on, it was clear that the Orange Team had gained the upper hand. Now that they had more than twice the numbers, it was only a matter of time before the Blue Team would fall. Skrili and Pang kept fighting on the outskirts, but it seemed they were trying to pace themselves.


    Within minutes, the fighting was over. The Blue Team had one more rush in them, which overcame a large crowd of the Orange Team, but then they were quickly overwhelmed. Fifteen Orange Team fighters stood victorious, with Skrili and Pang both among them.


    ¡°Round One has concluded. All remaining members of the Orange Team and their teammates will advance. This includes the following contestants¡­¡±


    As the amplified voice listed off names, Deon stood and cheered. ¡°Yes! That was awesome!¡± he boomed. ¡°How many rounds are left?¡± he asked back to Phillip.


    ¡°Just one.¡±


    The winning members of the Orange Team cleared the platform, each removing their ribbons. A group of gray-robed workers approached the platform, and then several giant cleaning supplies appeared. Seemingly on their command, the giant appliances wiped and dried the area¡ªDeon figured these workers must be Imaginers, along with the ones who had been transporting defeated fighters.


    An intermission followed, and Deon sat quietly beside Phillip. He was growing tempted to just go make a new friend, but he still didn¡¯t want to admit defeat. If they were going to spend this whole Conscious Competition around each other, he figured they might as well accept it.


    After a few more minutes, it was time to continue.


    ¡°Preliminary Qualifiers, please re-enter the fighting platform.¡±


    The fifteen fighters who won stepped back up to fight, some returning from inside the building. There were also a few more fighters: the contestants who were defeated, but whose teammates made it to the end. Many of the disqualified fighters, now healed, had entered the bleachers to watch the rest of the preliminary.


    As the ten teams arrived, they stood in a large circle and kept a good distance from each other. Three fighters stood alone¡ªtheir defeated teammates must have been unable to keep going.


    Skrili and Pang stayed close, analyzing their opponents and whispering to each other.


    ¡°Man, this is tense,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°Preliminary Round Two: Teammate Free-For-All, is about to commence. The final remaining team will advance to the Main Event. At least one member of a team must remain to earn the victory. Any fighter who exits the platform will be disqualified from this round. Any team with both members out of bounds, unconscious, or otherwise unable to fight will be disqualified from this year¡¯s Conscious Competition. Killing is strictly prohibited.¡±


    ¡°The rules sound a bit different this time,¡± Deon noticed.


    ¡°They are,¡± said Phillip. ¡°Technically, as long as someone doesn¡¯t fall out of bounds they can get back into the fight, if their teammate is still in. It goes back to the standard rules for consciousness fights from this point on.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Deon confirmed. ¡°See? We can have a conversation,¡± he teased.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get used to it.¡±


    ¡°You may begin Round Two in Three¡­Two¡­One¡­Begin.¡±


    The same beep from before went off, and the contestants all sprung into fighting stances. One was an Imaginer, who surrounded himself and his teammate with large metal shields.


    ¡°This is about to be tough,¡± Deon commented. ¡°I really hope they can pull it off again.¡±


    ¡°If you still underestimate Pang, you must be stupid,¡± Phillip grumbled. ¡°Beating her up with a power-up you can¡¯t control doesn¡¯t make you a real fighter, just a coward.¡±


    Steaming, Deon turned to face Phillip. ¡°Alright, will you just chill out?!¡± he shouted. ¡°At least I don¡¯t haunt peoples¡¯ minds as my final attack, like some kind of overemotional ghoul¡ª¡±


    Phillip¡¯s eyes widened, still on the fight. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± he said with surprise.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Deon paused his verbal onslaught and looked over to the fighting platform as people gasped around the arena.


    All but two fighters either lay incapacitated, or had fallen out of bounds.


    Pang and Skrili stood unharmed in the center of the platform.


    ¡°HUH?!?!?!?!¡± Deon repeated.


    As Pang smirked and crossed her arms, Skrili leaned over a nearby contestant to check on him. The fighter smiled, shaking her hand.


    ¡°Um¡­well¡­Round Two has concluded. The winners of the Area 14 Preliminaries are¡­¡±


    The voiceover paused, clearly scrambling for their names.


    ¡°First-time contestants Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay¡­? Congratulations, you will advance to the Main Event.¡±


    ¡°Who the heck are they¡­?¡± everyone heard the announcer ask someone nearby before the amplification turned off.


    The confused and impressed spectators gradually began clapping and cheering.


    ¡°You two are fantastic!¡± someone exclaimed.


    ¡°Flawless execution!¡±


    ¡°You know who they remind me of?¡±


    ¡°YES¡ªI thought the same thing!¡±


    Deon and Phillip sat bewildered. Finally, as the cheering died down, Deon stood up.


    ¡°WAIT, DO IT AGAIN! I DIDN¡¯T SEE!!¡± he bellowed.

 37. Hotel of Champions

    Once again Deon hurried to catch up to Phillip, who had started leaving the preliminary arena without him. They stopped just outside the main entrance; Phillip had mumbled something earlier about Pang messaging him to meet them outside.


    As they stood waiting, hundreds of disqualified contestants poured out of the building. Many of them dragged their feet in disappointment: they wouldn¡¯t be participating in the Main Event at one of the biggest Conscious Competitions in the Multiverse. Others seemed in good spirits, patting their teammates on the back with optimistic smiles.


    Soon Skrili and Pang emerged from the crowd. With a big smile, Pang ran over to Phillip and practically tackled him with a hug.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the Main Event, Phyllis! Yay!¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d do it,¡± uttered Phillip with an embarrassed smile as he returned her hug.


    Skrili walked up to Deon and looked away in awkward silence as Pang and Phillip shared their moment.


    ¡°Hey, you were incredible!¡± Deon told her. ¡°Like, you just outdid 199 teams! That¡¯s insane!¡±


    Skrili returned eye contact, appearing a bit more comfortable. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°Pang and I fought together for a long time.¡±


    ¡°I can tell,¡± replied Deon. ¡°Though¡­I gotta admit, I missed the last part. How did you guys win so fast?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± said Skrili, her eyebrow lifting slightly.


    ¡°Phillip distracted me!¡±


    ¡°I find that hard to believe,¡± she retorted, crossing her arms. ¡°If you had been paying attention, you¡¯d know. I guess now you¡¯ll just have to wait for the Main Event to find out.¡±


    ¡°No fair!¡± cried Deon.


    But he noticed a sly smile in Skrili¡¯s eyes, and laughed.


    ¡°Hey, amazing fighting, you two!¡± a young consciousness said as he passed by them. His teammate gave a thumbs-up.


    Deon and Skrili noticed practically every contestant¡¯s eyes were on Skrili and Pang as they passed by. Several offered congratulations, while many just looked on in admiration.


    Pang and Phillip were too immersed in their own conversation to take notice.


    A smile spread on Deon¡¯s face as he watched them all walk by. Then, he put his arm around Skrili. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! Skrili¡¯s the best!¡± he proclaimed loudly. ¡°And you know what?! After she wins this whole freaking Conscious Competition, she¡¯s gonna be my teammate! Yeah¡ªjealous, much?!¡±


    ¡°Please stop¡­¡± Skrili mumbled, barely audibly.


    Deon turned and realized she was looking down, hiding her face behind her bangs.


    ¡°Oh¡ªyou alright? Too much?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Why do you think I just bought a book called ¡®A Survival Guide for Introverts,¡¯ you buffoon?¡± she muttered.


    Deon laughed apologetically. ¡°Oh¡ªI¡¯m sorry¡­my cousin gets like that, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Very smooth,¡± Pang teased as she and Phillip joined them. ¡°Hey, we have until tomorrow before the Main event starts. How about we ditch this place and grab some food to celebrate? Deon¡¯s buying!¡±


    ¡°Wait what?!¡±


    ~


    Deon still had a hard time accepting that he and Skrili were spending all of this downtime with the very people who had stolen Skrili¡¯s belongings¡ªand identity¡ªfairly recently. He got that Skrili and Pang had to fight together, but it still didn¡¯t feel right. Did Pang really think they were still friends?


    Were they still friends?


    His thoughts shifted from this to downright hunger as he sat with Skrili, Pang, and Phillip in a packed restaurant, waiting for their meals. The air was full of rich aromas and vigorous conversations. People sat along every dark wooden wall of the place, eager for the festivities to continue.


    As Pang talked Phillip¡¯s ear off about the first round of the Preliminaries, Skrili sat beside Deon in silence. She seemed uncomfortable¡ªnot with him, necessarily, but with the whole situation. Now that she didn¡¯t have any updates for what their next move should be as a team, it seemed there wasn¡¯t much else to talk about. Or perhaps it was the culmination of everything going on: fighting alongside her rival, preparing to fight some of the best in the Multiverse, trying to save Phillip¡­


    Whatever it was, Deon wasn¡¯t about to let her sit there trapped in her own thoughts. He wondered if he should he ask about where she was from, or maybe about her time with Pang.


    No¡ªthose both seemed like sensitive topics. Anything about her past did.


    ¡°So, you think Gibblezgorv will buy a ticket?¡± he decided to ask. ¡°He said if you make it to the Main Event, he might!¡±


    Skrili gave a quick, soft smile. ¡°That would be nice¡­¡± she said. ¡°Maybe we should tell him¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey there, you two won the Preliminaries at Arena 14, correct?¡± came a rumbling voice.


    The four consciousnesses turned from their conversations to find a man with a bull¡¯s head greeting them. ¡°Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay, was it?¡± he recalled.


    ¡°That¡¯s us, pal,¡± confirmed Pang, flashing a quick peace sign.


    ¡°So sorry to bother you kids. I just wanted to say I¡¯ve been to many, many tournaments¡ªit¡¯s a bit of a hobby of mine¡ªand I¡¯ve rarely seen such quality fighting before,¡± shared the bull-man. ¡°You two are truly special. And not just individually¡ªthe way you fight as a unit was simply spectacular. The execution, that team combo¡­truly impressive.¡±


    ¡°Well thanks!¡± said Pang


    The man waved a finger at them ponderingly. ¡°Now¡­I don¡¯t go around saying this to just any new teams¡­but the way you fight really reminds me of Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki. I saw many of their first tournaments, and the similarity is impeccable¡ªeven down to that color scheme you¡¯ve got going on!¡± He laughed heartily. ¡°I assure you, coming from a former manager: you two younglings are about to get a lot of attention. No matter what happens at this tournament, you¡¯re going places if you stick together.¡±


    With a wave, the bull-man walked away and returned to his table.


    If they stick together? Deon repeated in his mind. Skrili and I can go places, too, right? Besides, they¡¯d never stay together after this¡­


    ¡­Right?


    ¡°Wow, Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki, huh?¡± Pang uttered, tapping her chin. She caught Skrili¡¯s eyes, and they appeared to share a mental connection Deon didn¡¯t quite understand.


    Deon shrugged and leaned back. ¡°Well, if you need to keep that ¡®color scheme¡¯ going after our teams go back to normal, I guess Phillip and I better change our looks!¡± he joked.


    Pang glanced at Phillip, and then suddenly burst out laughing. She fell over onto the table, giggling uncontrollably.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± wondered Phillip.


    Pang wheezed, hardly able to control herself. ¡°Sorry¡­I¡­I just¡­¡± she forced out. ¡°I just pictured you in Skrili¡¯s clothes and¡­¡± she fell back into a fit of laughter.


    Deon joined in with Pang, and Skrili gave Phillip a sympathetic smile.


    Then they all heard the chatter throughout the restaurant die down. Some people gasped or let out a cheer.


    Looking towards the middle of the restaurant, they saw a large, holographic projection floating on display. It read: ¡°Fantasy Country Conscious Competition: Main Event Contestants!¡±


    The image changed, revealing a massive, colorful tourney chart. Sixteen teams¡¯ names and photos flashed into place at the beginning rounds.


    Deon scanned the chart and quickly found the names he was looking for: Alex and Ving had made it to the Main Event, as did Kotono and Hiroko. But they, along with Skrili and Pang, were all in separate brackets fighting teams he was unfamiliar with.


    Skrili and Pang were pitted against contestants named Cauli Rhyme and Reginald Glass. From their profile images, they didn¡¯t look too intimidating, both wearing calm smiles¡ªbut then again, Skrili didn¡¯t seem very threatening either until Deon had to fight her.


    ¡°Reginald and Cauli¡­ever heard of ¡®em, Skrili?¡± Pang asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Looks like we have homework tonight,¡± decided Pang. ¡°Let¡¯s do some research and get our practice in, after we move our stuff to our rooms.¡±


    ¡°¡®Move our stuff?¡¯¡± wondered Deon. ¡°Oh yeah¡ªthe top sixteen get their own hotel rooms!¡± he remembered.


    ¡°Welcome to the high life, tunic-boy,¡± Pang said with a wink.


    ~


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    With stomachs now filled and bags on their backs, Deon and the gang floated in the cool air. After acquiring their things, they set off towards the hotel designated for the sixteen Main Event teams. The tournament had messaged Pang and Skrili directions, which they used to navigate.


    They¡¯d been flying for several minutes already, so Deon was grateful levitation bracelets didn¡¯t lose their magical charge here¡ªSkrili had explained that the center was designed to keep them powered. According to the map on Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack, this hotel was on the very outskirts of Gloat Center.


    Pang signaled for them to rise upward, so the rest followed. They ascended higher than any other platform at Gloat Center until they saw a floating, cloud-colored building not too far ahead. It was huge, with sixteen round towers rising high on the outer corners. The two back towers were much larger, overseeing the entire platform.


    A long, green courtyard lay before the hotel, which featured two white bridges on either side. The left bridge led to a mostly empty platform, while the right led to a floating pond, encased in hovering ground filled with glowing lights.


    As they neared, Deon noticed there weren¡¯t many other contestants walking or floating about. Actually, there were only two: a team sat at a bench near the main entrance, talking to each other. One was sitting in the grass, while the other was upside-down on the bench.


    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°Training for tomorrow, probably,¡± said Skrili as the four fighters touched down. ¡°Pang and I will have to do the same. It¡¯s best to work on techniques where other teams won¡¯t be able to see you.¡±


    Deon nodded his head in the direction of the two visible contestants. ¡°What¡¯s with them, then?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all of the answers, you know,¡± Skrili told him.


    They passed through the beautiful courtyard, admiring the statues of dragons, swords, and past champions. Pang danced her way down the path, nudging Phillip to join in (which he didn¡¯t).


    As they grew closer to the tall doors, the other team kept to their discussion, still not noticing them approaching. Soon, Deon was close enough to recognize them: it was the team Pang and Skrili were set to fight tomorrow, Cauli and Reginald.


    Cauli sat in the grass, her wavy dark blonde hair shivering in the breeze. She seemed quite comfortable in her pale pink hooded sweatshirt and a long, baby blue skirt, as she held a pen and ponderingly stared at the notepad in her hand.


    Reginald was still upside-down on the bench, fidgeting his feet back and forth in his green-blue shoes. He too, held a notepad and pen in his sleeve-covered hands. Reginald¡¯s unzipped black hoodie drooped lazily around him, and his round hat pressed some of his curly brown hair against his face. He and Cauli both appeared around Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s age: early to mid-twenties.


    About to pass by, Deon found himself listening in on their conversation.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± thought Reginald aloud.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± muttered Cauli.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, this is your forte,¡± acknowledged Reginald with an upside-down shrug. ¡°I keep drawing a blank.¡±


    ¡°You should try painting a blank, that might help,¡± said Cauli.


    ¡°OH!¡± Reginald exclaimed. ¡°I really feel that one, write that one down!¡±


    They both immediately scribbled onto their notepads with eager smiles.


    ¡°What else?¡± Reginald wondered. ¡°There has to be something¡­maybe draw from something we went through recently?¡±


    ¡°Well, that camping trip we did was pretty intents,¡± Cauli shared.


    ¡°SO BAD!¡± exclaimed Reginald gleefully as they both jotted in their notepads once more. ¡°We have to try these two out in the training room!¡± he decided.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Cauli agreed with a laugh. ¡°Oh, how about¡ªoh.¡±


    She stopped short, noticing Pang, Skrili, Deon, and Phillip walk by. Reginald saw them too, and awkwardly rolled himself upright.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted pleasantly, though a bit shy.


    Deon and Skrili both greeted back, while Pang slowed her walk to a stop. She looked both of them up and down, until Reginald and Cauli¡¯s friendly smiles grew a bit crooked.


    ¡°I, uh¡­think we¡¯re fighting each other tomorrow,¡± Reginald said, still trying to remain pleasant.


    ¡°What are you two doing?¡± pressed Pang.


    ¡°Oh¡ªnothing¡­much¡­¡± stuttered Cauli. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Good luck tomorrow! It¡¯ll be fun,¡± added Reginald, a thumbs-up emerging from his overly long sleeve.


    Pang kept her eyes on them for a couple more moments. Then, she shrugged. ¡°Alright, well yeah, see you guys tomorrow,¡± she said, beginning to walk away. ¡°I like your hat, Reginald,¡± she added in a kindlier tone.


    ¡°Th¡ªthanks.¡±


    Skrili gave them a quick wave, as if to make up for Pang¡¯s attitude, and she, Deon, and Phillip followed Pang across the rest of the courtyard.


    Weird¡­thought Deon. Whatever they¡¯re up to, they obviously don¡¯t want Pang and Skrili to know about it.


    When they reached the massive, metallic doors of the hotel, the doors simply faded from existence. They stepped into the building, noticing the doors reappear behind them.


    The main foyer was actually fairly small, which seemed odd for such a massive building. A single, fancily dressed employee stood in the center of the red-carpeted room behind a single wooden desk. All along the walls, wavy blue lights shone up from the floor, and there were no doorways.


    To Deon, if it weren¡¯t for the receptionist¡¯s smile, this place would seem a little creepy.


    ¡°Ms. Pereo and Ms. Kay¡ªand your two guests,¡± greeted the receptionist. ¡°Congratulations, and welcome to our Hotel of Champions. You may contact us on your TeamTrack with anything you need. Please enjoy your stay, and fight well.¡±


    Another blue, wavy light rose from the floor underneath them. Deon felt like something was pulling him away from himself.


    Then, the light blinded him.


    With a blink, Deon looked around. He still stood with Skrili, Pang, and Phillip, but now they were in a different location: a small hallway between two rooms. Deon walked up to a circular window at the end of the short hall, looking outward to find they were in one of the sixteen towers; he could see their neighboring two towers, along with the rest of the building far below.


    Even farther ahead, he could see countless floating, glowing platforms lower in the sky, beneath the minimal clouds. This hotel overlooked all of Gloat Center¡ªit was a beautiful sight.


    ¡°Talk about fast service¡ªgood old Fantasy Country warp magic,¡± Pang said. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get our guys nice and cozy, and then meet me at the Training Rooms. The instructions said we can warp there from our rooms.¡±


    Skrili nodded. She approached the door with floating letters reading: ¡°Ms. Skrili Kay and her guest, Deon Stutter.¡± She held her TeamTrack up to the knob-less door, and it vanished, similar to the main door to the hotel.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she said to Deon.


    This hotel room was much bigger, and nicer, than the one they had rented the night before (though Deon thought that one was pretty cool, too). Its walls formed a semicircle, with two beds on opposite sides. The beds curved with the shape of the walls, and were each large enough for two people, covered in pillows and extravagant blankets.


    There was a black desk at the end of the room, with multiple notepads, ancient-looking books, and a floating green torch. To the right of this, a round opening in the wall led to a bathroom.


    In the very center of the room, countless little Fantasy Country snacks and drinks sat atop a tiny table on display, decorated with blue ribbons. Several miniature white lights floated about along the ceiling, illuminating the room.


    ¡°This is a bit much,¡± said Skrili plainly.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s awesome!¡± Deon exclaimed. He ran over to the bed on the left and dove into the mountain of pillows. ¡°This is heaven¡­¡± he mumbled through the fluffiness.


    He heard Skrili toss her bag onto the other bed. ¡°Alright, I have to go train with Pang,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back here later tonight.¡±


    Deon rolled over to face her. ¡°It¡¯s cool. You think we¡¯ll have any time to get some practice in while we¡¯re here?¡± he asked.


    Skrili looked away and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    As much as Deon wished he could fight in this tournament, he tried to suppress his jealousy. ¡°No, you¡¯re right¡ªthat¡¯s asking a bit too much,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh, also¡­¡± Skrili recalled, opening her bag. ¡°When I got my book, I also saw one that¡¯s perfect for you. This could be a good time for it.¡±


    She tossed him a thick, hardcover book. It must have contained almost a thousand pages.


    Deon read the title. In fancy letters, it said: The Multiverse: A Complete Guide for Complete Idiots.


    Okay, rude¡­Deon thought as he glared at the book. He looked back at Skrili. ¡°Thanks¡­I think¡­¡±


    Skrili was working hard to maintain her emotionless composure, but he could tell she was trying not to laugh.


    ¡°You punk,¡± Deon snickered.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a useful way to pass the time,¡± Skrili reasoned. She checked her TeamTrack, following its guide to a corner of the room. Then, a red glow rose from the floor underneath her.


    ¡°See you tonight,¡± she said.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Deon told her.


    With a flash, Skrili vanished from the hotel room.


    ~~~


    A few hours earlier¡­


    Lammy bumped into someone on the crowded walkway, and both apologized as they hurried by.


    ¡°Conscious City sure is busy,¡± Lammy commented, still amazed by all the diverse outfits, buildings, and especially the giant flying reptiles.


    ¡°It is,¡± Zayza agreed beside him. ¡°I hope the Ancient Sage¡¯s guidance was true.¡±


    Lammy glanced at her, and noticed the darkness around her eyes had faded again since yesterday. By now, it was hardly noticeable, while the black markings all over her body were still vivid on her bare arms.


    For days, they had followed Wobble¡¯s lead through the forests and fields of Fantasy Country, before he saw them off at Conscious City. It was a rigorous journey, but Wobble¡¯s evening light powers assured them a safe chance to rest each night.


    Lammy had quickly gotten into the habit of joining Zayza in the Dream World to help ward off her nightmares. At first, his head needed to be touching hers, but after a couple nights he found he could sink into the Dream World from a distance, as long as he felt for her presence.


    The only thing he still didn¡¯t understand was why he was even able to do it.


    Whenever he was there, it seemed Zayza¡¯s sharp, aggressive memories would give up sooner and flee. On top of that, the farther they travelled in the Real World, the less they could hear Fewpar¡¯s voice calling to Zayza in the Dream World distance.


    It seemed like finally, things were going to get better.


    ¡°Have we tried that place yet?¡± Zayza asked, pointing to a store built out of the same yellowish cobblestone as the Conscious City walkways.


    ¡°Yeah¡­they¡¯re not interested,¡± Lammy reminded her.


    They had been popping into stores and inquiring about work for hours now, but it seemed nobody was hiring. At the very least, Lammy was grateful nobody had recognized Zayza or himself yet. He wondered if this was the Sage¡¯s magic earrings doing their work, or if it was just because nobody here would recognize them in the first place.


    ¡°What about there?¡± tried Zayza.


    Now she was pointing to a small, run-down looking building crammed between two elegant eateries.


    ¡°I think that place is a restaurant¡­I thought we were trying to avoid that at all costs,¡± Lammy pointed out, shivering at the memory of Food Town.


    ¡°At this point, perhaps we¡¯ll need to make a compromise,¡± Zayza suggested.


    ¡°But¡­it looks a little sketchy¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just take a look,¡± insisted Zayza, already walking towards the place.


    The cracked, wooden sign nailed to the top of the building was dangling a bit. It read ¡°The Phoenix,¡± and in smaller letters, ¡°Home of the famous Phoenix Float!¡±


    Lammy took a long sigh as he followed Zayza. ¡°Here we go again¡­¡± he mumbled.


    As they stepped inside, Lammy immediately hoped they could earn a bite to eat from this place¡ªits incredible scent was even richer than Food Town¡¯s. The humble interior, however, looked like they hadn¡¯t seen customers in weeks.


    It seemed nobody was there, until a tall teenage boy, probably a couple years older than Lammy, rose up from behind the bar with a stack of menus. He noticed them with a jump.


    ¡°Oh! Hi, there,¡± his cracking voice greeted.


    ¡°Hello,¡± said Zayza. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you¡­we were wondering if you might be hiring?¡±


    The boy froze. Lammy thought it might have been out of fear, and his heart raced.


    Oh no¡­is he one of them?! he thought.


    But then, a huge smile grew on the boy¡¯s face. ¡°DAD!¡± he called, running to the back room. ¡°Dad! We actually have a couple applicants!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°Peter, I took the sign down hours ago. We¡¯re gonna have to make do with just us,¡± a deep, gruffly voice insisted.


    ¡°No¡ªdad, I mean we have two applicants, right now!¡±


    ¡°WHAT?! WHO??¡±


    The scrawny boy came rushing out of the back room, with a massive bearded man behind him.


    ¡°Oh, well hello there, lady and lad! Who do we have here?¡± the man asked cheerfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m Zayza, and this is Lammy,¡± said Zayza, feeling for her earring for reassurance.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Rob, and this is my son, Pete!¡± he greeted, patting Pete on the back so hard that he almost stumbled over. ¡°Looking for a job, are ya?¡±


    Zayza and Lammy nodded.


    ¡°Got any experience in food service?¡±


    Lammy and Zayza glanced at each other, trying not to visibly cringe at the memory. They nodded again.


    ¡°Well I gotta say, this is a miracle!¡± Rob laughed. ¡°We landed a spot at a huge event tomorrow, but we haven¡¯t been able to find the help we¡¯ll need! No interview necessary¡ªwe¡¯ll take ya!¡±


    ¡°Wow¡ªthank you so much,¡± said Zayza.


    ¡°Alright Pete, I¡¯m gonna trust you to get our new friends Zayza and Lancy here trained up today,¡± Rob instructed, already hurrying to the back room again. ¡°Tonight, we¡¯re off to the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition!¡±

 38. Pun-Believable

    Deon raced into Gloat Stadium¡¯s enormous main hall, twisting around people as he hurried along.


    Crap¡ªwhy does that bed have to be so comfy?! I¡¯m gonna miss it! he thought frantically.


    He never saw Skrili come back the night before, despite how late he stayed up reading The Multiverse: A Complete Guide for Complete Idiots. Her training with Pang must have dragged on pretty long.


    And when he awoke today, he didn¡¯t even see Skrili in the morning. Instead, he was left with a message from her on his TeamTrack:


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I got back so late. And we¡¯re fighting first, so we have to get there early. Pang said she¡¯d make Phillip wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right¡ªthe guy hates me,¡± Deon grumbled to himself. Phillip was already long gone by the time Deon was up.


    He double-checked the digital pass on his TeamTrack: Section E, Balcony 7. Deon read the floating signs along the wall of the circular hall: he was almost there. He passed by countless food stands and stores, wishing he¡¯d gotten up early enough to explore this place. Extravagant posters and projections of Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki were everywhere.


    Soon he approached a levitation platform for Section E. After showing a worker his digital pass, he rushed towards it. The platform was packed with fans levitating up towards the seating, but he managed to squeeze in. As he floated, markings along the glistening black wall revealed the balcony levels: 1, 2, 3¡­and within a few seconds, Deon reached the landing platform for Balcony 7.


    He hurried through the short tunnel leading to the balcony, hearing booming music and voices all around. When he reached the inside, despite his rush, Deon paused to behold the extravagant view.


    This stadium was about ten times bigger than Preliminary Arena 14, and it was absolutely packed. Deon couldn¡¯t find an empty seat in sight; thousands of people of all types and species sat in anticipation of the Main Event. Thanks to his evening reading, he now recognized many of the non-human species, spotting minotaurs, elves, and goblins amongst the crowds.


    Large platforms floated just below the outskirts of the tall roof, and Deon caught glimpses of dragons peering down from them. There were openings in the high wall behind them, allowing an easy entrance and exit point.


    He could feel the raw excitement reverberating all over the stadium. It gave him goose bumps.


    Snapping back into his sense of urgency, Deon rushed up the staircase to his balcony. His row was just as packed as the rest of the place, but he spotted his empty seat halfway through. Phillip sat beside it quietly, staring at the empty fighting platform below.


    Deon used his levitation bracelet to float above all the other spectators in his row, until he reached his seat and plopped into it.


    ¡°Thanks for waiting for me, really appreciate it,¡± he spat to Phillip.


    ¡°Of course they would assign us seats next to each other¡­¡± Phillip mumbled in annoyance.


    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯d sit anywhere else, too.¡±


    Their view was just about perfect: they were high up enough to easily see the entire fighting platform, but close enough to follow the fight in detail. The platform looked similar to the preliminary one, but it was about half the size. A red watermark in the shape of a dragon¡¯s head was in the center.


    Ads filled the walls around the outside of the arena like in the other stadium, but there were many more, and these were animated. Several of them included Kotono Inoue or Hiroko Hamasaki (or both) endorsing a particular brand, wearing alluring smiles and poses.


    Along these walls, the same kinds of robed league workers from before stood and waited in purple, green, and gray.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not too late, right?¡± Deon cautiously asked Phillip.


    Before Phillip decided whether or not he felt like answering, a massive screen of light appeared in the air high above the fighting platform. It had four identical sides so everyone in the stadium could see equally. The bright, flashy words, ¡°WELCOME!¡± popped onto the screen.


    The stadium erupted into cheers. Deon could feel the whole balcony shaking with energy.


    ¡°YO!!¡±  an energized voice echoed across the stadium. ¡°Coming at you with a washed-up fighting career and way too much bewitched coffee, it¡¯s me: Soot!¡±


    The crowd screamed even louder.


    ¡°Actually though, that¡¯s his fourth cup this morning. He has a problem,¡± shared another, more levelheaded speaker.


    ¡°That judgmental voice you hear is the League aficionado and geezer himself: Talonvorp!¡±


    ¡°You know, not every dragon can say they¡¯ve been commentating for four-hundred and fifty years¡­¡± uttered Talonvorp.


    Dragons high above let out deep, resonant laughs as people continued to cheer all around.


    ¡°Point taken, point taken¡­well then! Let¡¯s just get right to it¡ªwe¡¯ve got a lot in store today!¡± announced Soot. ¡°Kicking off the first fight of the Main Event, we have two fairly new, young, but promising teams!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already eager to start following their careers. This one will be a fun matchup for sure, Soot.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it will, Talonvorp! Now: who¡¯s ready for the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition?!!¡±


    The audience got so loud that Deon had to cover his ears for a second. His legs shook with anticipation as he watched on.


    ¡°Dang, Skrili and Pang get to fight in front of all of this?! I¡¯m so jealous!¡± he exclaimed with a smile, though he wasn¡¯t sure Phillip could hear him over the cheering.


    ¡°My oh my, everyone¡¯s wide-awake this morning!¡± commented Soot. ¡°Well, we won¡¯t hold you up any longer: let¡¯s begin! Entering from the north end of the stadium, it¡¯s the eccentric and surprisingly laid-back duo who stole the show at Preliminary Arena 5: Reginald Glass and Cauli Rhyme!!¡±


    A massive, elegantly decorated gate on the left side of the stadium vanished from the wall, and Reginald and Cauli emerged from it, floating on a moving stage of light. It was very much like the ones used in the Preliminary Rounds to remove defeated contestants. Reginald waved nervously to the cheering crowd, while Cauli seemed to be reciting something to herself.


    ¡°Probably the most important trait of a strong team is good chemistry, and that¡¯s something these two have certainly displayed,¡± Talonvorp commentated. ¡°While this is the farthest they¡¯ve ever made in a major Conscious Competition, they took fourth and tenth place in two smaller competitions in their home country, Realistic Fiction. It¡¯s quite a treat to see how well their consciousness types go together.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, they have no clue what they¡¯re getting themselves into,¡± Deon muttered.


    ¡°And from the south end of the stadium, here come their contestants: total newcomers, Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay!¡±


    ¡°WOOOOOO!!!! HECK YEAH!!!!¡± Deon screamed, standing to his feet as the rest of the crowd clapped politely.


    The right side¡¯s gate vanished, and a light surface carried Pang and Skrili towards the fighting platform. Pang checked out the crowd, while Skrili kept her eyes on her opponents warily.


    ¡°Now, we really don¡¯t know much about these two,¡± explained Talonvorp, ¡°but what we do know is very impressive. Pang and Skrili teamed up about a year ago as rookies, and went completely undefeated in their pre-certified career¡ªat only sixteen and seventeen years old.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s unheard of nowadays!¡± Soot noted.


    ¡°Not only that, but they shocked Preliminary Arena 14 with an instant victory in the second round. This is absolutely a team to watch. They¡¯re both very rare types¡ªa Manipulator and a Power Rebound¡ªso we¡¯re about to see some interesting fighting.¡±


    ¡°They kind of have a Kotono and Hiroko look going on, huh?¡± realized Soot.


    Deon watched on with wide eyes as the two teams stepped onto the fighting platform. Keeping a distance on either end, they bowed to each other.


    Down on the platform, Skrili felt her heart pounding much harder than she thought it would.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Pang said over to her. ¡°Just like we planned, right?¡±


    Skrili nodded. She briefly tried to find Deon and Phillip in the crowd, but there were far too many faces.


    Just like we planned, she thought.


    ¡°Alright, then! Here we go,¡± began Soot. ¡°You may begin in Three¡­Two¡­One¡­¡±


    ¡°FIGHT!!!¡± almost everyone in the stadium roared together.


    As practiced, Skrili immediately darted forward with Pang. They stayed close as they zipped towards their single target: Cauli.


    However, it seemed Cauli and Reginald had a similar plan: they raced straight at them, leaning their aim towards Pang. Their speed was equal.


    ¡°Changeup: Block the target!¡± Pang shouted quickly. She shifted, focusing all her momentum on Reginald.


    Skrili pushed herself to run even faster, reaching Cauli just in time to lock arms. They slid for a moment, but Skrili was able to hold her in place.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    As she did, Pang reached Reginald. She ducked low, and with ease, grabbed his leg. She used her momentum to spin, tossing him away. Reginald almost slid off the platform, stopping just before its edge.


    Wasting no time, Pang shot forward towards Skrili and Cauli. ¡°Back to the plan!¡± she called.


    ¡°Whoa! Neither team is wasting any time, and now Cauli¡¯s got two fighters on her hands!¡± Soot announced.


    ¡°It looks like both teams wanted to double-team one of their opponents,¡± explained Talonvorp. ¡°It¡¯s a smart technique: take out the fighter you think is the biggest threat first, then finish it early. Pang and Skrili were able to seize the opportunity.¡±


    Breaking hold of Cauli, Skrili sidestepped to let Pang close in. Together, they began their attack.


    Strangely, Cauli seemed unfazed as she went on the defense. If anything, she looked confident.


    Skrili and Pang both sent endless arrays of punches and kicks¡ªbut none of them landed. With a small smile, Cauli managed to dodge every single blow. Even with their lightning-speed, Skrili and Pang couldn¡¯t touch her.


    ¡°How the heck?!¡± Deon exclaimed up in the balcony. ¡°Is that her consciousness type, or something?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just her raw ability¡ªshe hasn¡¯t used her powers yet,¡± uttered Phillip.


    Down on the platform, Reginald was making his way back to the fight. He ran up behind Pang, but she spun and easily kicked him away.


    ¡°Well at least that Reginald guy seems weak,¡± noted Deon.


    ¡°This team hasn¡¯t even gotten started¡ªdidn¡¯t you do any research on them last night?¡± Phillip asked. ¡°They haven¡¯t even begun their main technique.¡±


    ¡°¡®Main technique?¡¯¡±


    Skrili went in for another punch, but Cauli caught her arm and kicked her in the stomach, launching her to the floor. She hurried back to her feet.


    Crap¡ªshe¡¯s faster than we planned for, Skrili thought. We can¡¯t even push her back.


    Meanwhile, Pang managed to trip Cauli up and kick her down. She quickly recovered.


    No¡ªwe can do this, Skrili realized, using the chance to close back in and continue the double-team.


    But Cauli¡¯s smile grew. While she expertly blocked and avoided Skrili and Pang¡¯s attacks, she opened her mouth to speak:


    ¡°Okay, maybe it¡¯s time we kick this up a notch,¡± she said.


    Deon and Phillip heard it from where they sat; the sounds from the fighting arena were being amplified for the audience to listen in.


    ¡°Here it comes,¡± Phillip said.


    ¡°Here what comes?¡± wondered Deon.


    ¡°We¡¯re too late¡ªbackup plan!¡± Pang warned, and Skrili¡¯s eyes widened as she turned to face her new main focus: Reginald.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time!!¡± exclaimed Reginald. Immediately, a blue and green hue began emanating around his body, and his eyes lit up in the same way. ¡°That was pretty bad, by the way,¡± he said to Cauli.


    ¡°Good,¡± Cauli replied.


    ¡°Aaaand THERE IT IS, folks!¡± Soot declared. ¡°It¡¯s the first pun of the fight, and Reginald is pumping with a power boost! Things are really cooking, now!¡±


    ¡°It appears Cauli has decided to get serious,¡± noted Talonvorp. ¡°Like I said earlier, this team¡¯s types couldn¡¯t be a better combination: since Reginald is a Pun Power, any time he hears a pun, he gets a power boost. And with Cauli being a Wordsmith with an emphasis on puns, she can power him up and really overwhelm their opponents!¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes locked onto Reginald. We were too slow, she thought. Now I guess we¡¯ll see how long I can last against him.


    She pounced forward, trying to initiate the faceoff on her terms. But Reginald zipped right at her like a blur. Skrili expected direct contact, but instead he shoved her shoulder and sent her spinning to the floor.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m gonna have to avoid your Power Rebound,¡± Reginald said to her. ¡°We power-up types can be a handful.¡±


    He zoomed at her again, this time grabbing her arm and tugging her off her feet. With his whole body, he tossed Skrili into the air.


    As she spun, she managed to notice the edge of the platform¡ªshe was on track to fall off. Twisting herself, Skrili turned upside down and brushed her hands against the nearing floor. This created just enough friction to slow her fall and send her crashing onto the very edge.


    In a hurry, she shot back to her feet. The impact sent a small surge of energy through her body.


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing a very good job so far,¡± she told Reginald.


    ¡°WHOA¡ªSkrili managed to escape a swift defeat!¡± Soot¡¯s voice echoed. The crowd cheered.


    ¡°So close¡­¡± Reginald uttered. ¡°Hey Cauli, I¡¯m gonna need more power than just this!¡±


    ¡°A little busy¡­¡± Cauli replied.


    Meanwhile she was engaged in a rapid-fire matchup with Pang. Both threw swift punches and kicks, matching each other¡¯s speed and strength.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s enough puns out of you,¡± Pang grumbled as she struggled to gain any advantage.


    ¡°But is it D-nough puns out of me?¡± Cauli retorted.


    The crowd booed and groaned in response.


    ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t even make sense¡ª¡±


    A burst of thunder resounded from Reginald. Now he stood tall, surrounded by an even brighter hue of energy.


    ¡°Alright, that one was painfully bad,¡± Reginald called over, shifting into a confident fighting stance. ¡°But I¡¯ll take it!¡±


    ¡°Uh-oh! Things aren¡¯t looking so good for Skrili, now! Reginald¡¯s power just increased way more!¡± Soot exclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably more than doubled,¡± analyzed Talonvorp. ¡°The lamer the pun, the greater a power-up Pun Powers get.¡±


    Up in the balcony, Deon threw his hands up in frustration. ¡°WHAT?! That¡¯s such a stupid power!!¡± he protested.


    In a blink, Reginald appeared right in front of Skrili.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said sincerely. Then, he lifted her by the waist and once again leaned forward to throw her out of the ring.


    Just as he launched her with his incredible strength, Skrili grabbed hold of his sleeve, anchoring herself. Instead of freefalling, she slammed hard against the platform, losing her grip on Reginald.


    ¡°OH!¡± the crowed shouted.


    ¡°Youch! Skrili takes a brutal fall!¡± Soot announced.


    But Skrili immediately stood back up, ready to keep fighting.


    Now we¡¯re talking, she thought. She felt a massive rush of power pump through her body.


    Reginald tried to throw a palm at Skrili¡¯s stomach to push her back, but she caught it. She slid a step back, but used her newfound strength to deflect the blow.


    With a shrug, Reginald smiled. ¡°Dangit. Well, I was trying to avoid this kind of situation¡­¡± he shared. ¡°If I can¡¯t send you out of the ring, it looks like I¡¯ll have to face your powers.¡±


    They ran at each other and began exchanging powerful blows. Skrili¡¯s Power Rebound gave her just enough energy and strength to keep up, but she knew this couldn¡¯t last.


    Time to take a couple hits¡­I have to give myself more power than him¡­she thought, bracing herself.


    Analyzing Reginald¡¯s movements, she subtly gave him an opening to her shoulder. He sent a kick, which sent her spiraling backwards. After tumbling to the floor, Skrili shot back to her feet.


    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± uttered Reginald, eyes widening.


    Before he could even think of his next move, Skrili kicked him square in the chest, launching him across half the platform. Now she felt like she could lift a house, as her Rebound had increased even further.


    Reginald was slow to stand back up, and Skrili noticed the colors emanating around him were beginning to fade.


    Good, she thought. I need to time this right before Cauli says another¡ª


    ¡°This fight is like our camping trip the other day, Reggie!¡± she said as she dodged countless punches from Pang.


    ¡°Oh, for the love of¡ª¡± started Pang.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty intents!¡±


    Again, the crowd groaned.


    ¡°AHA!¡± yelled Reginald. The hue around him returned, just as before. He launched himself back at Skrili, even faster this time. Easily, he landed several hard hits on her.


    Skrili winced, shifting into defense. She knew her Rebound-induced speed gave her the ability to dodge him, but that wasn¡¯t the objective¡ªshe needed to keep increasing her power-up. That meant having to face his hits head-on.


    ¡°While Pang and Cauli seem to be at a standstill, Skrili and Reginald are in a back-and-forth punch fest!¡± Soot narrated.


    ¡°This could really go either way,¡± Talonvorp added.


    Deon shifted in his seat, watching intensely. ¡°They need some kind of technique¡­Skrili can¡¯t keep letting herself get pounded on forever,¡± he said.


    Phillip nodded in agreement. ¡°Wait¡­is that what they¡¯re doing¡­?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Skrili noticed Reginald¡¯s power-up was wearing off again as they exchanged blows. Meanwhile, hers was increasing with every hit.


    If I can just time it right this time¡­she thought.


    Reginald sent a swift kick to her side, and she stumbled a bit as the pain spiked through her.


    ¡°Cauli! It¡¯s time again!¡± yelled Reginald.


    That last hit raised Skrili¡¯s power boost so high, she felt her body shaking. Meanwhile, it was clear Reginald¡¯s power-up was near-depleted. She knew this was the right moment.


    Seizing the chance, she jumped forward and wrapped herself around Reginald in a tight hold, pulling him to the floor with her weight. Reginald struggled, to no avail.


    ¡°Any time now would be great!¡± Reginald called anxiously.


    ¡°PANG, NOW!¡± Skrili shouted.


    Abruptly, Pang hopped back from her duel with Cauli. ¡°Finally,¡± she said with a wink.


    ¡°Huh?¡± uttered Cauli.


    Pang turned from her, and started running at Reginald and Skrili.


    ¡°UM, CAULI!! PUN ME!!!¡± Reginald screamed while Pang closed in. Still, Skrili held him perfectly pinned.


    ¡°Um¡­um¡­it needs to be really bad¡­¡± Cauli uttered. ¡°This fight is taking forever¡ªno¡ªit¡¯s taking longer than forever¡­¡± she started worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s taking FIVE-EVER!!!¡±


    This time, the crowd went silent.


    ¡°That was dumb!¡± a single goblin yelled in the distance.


    By now, Pang was right in front of Reginald as Skrili kept him in place. She had come to a halt, watching him closely.


    ¡°Sorry, too late,¡± Reginald warned.


    Pang smirked, placing her hand on her hip. ¡°Am I?¡± she teased.


    Reginald looked back at her with concern as his green and blue power-up energy reappeared. Skrili immediately started struggling to hold him.


    ¡°We only have one chance,¡± Skrili let out.


    ¡°Hush-hush, Skrili-dear, I¡¯m busy,¡± said Pang, gazing closely into Reginald¡¯s eyes. Then, a wide smirk formed on her face. ¡°Looks like one chance was plenty.¡±


    Suddenly, the same hue circling Reginald began emanating around Pang, as well.


    ¡°Ah, this feels kind of cool,¡± Pang noted.


    ¡°You know how to manipulate Pun Power?!¡± Reginald exclaimed, beginning to break free from Skrili.


    ¡°Nope¡ªfirst try,¡± Pang tranquilly explained. ¡°Wasn¡¯t even that hard to sense it.¡±


    Meanwhile, Cauli was rushing their way.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± Skrili demanded.


    ¡°Alright, alright, gosh¡­¡± Pang sighed.


    The instant Reginald broke free, Skrili and Pang grabbed him by the arms and legs. Both having enhanced strength, they tossed him high into the air. He freefell for a moment, before crashing outside the bounds of the fighting platform.


    ¡°OH!! Reginald is defeated by ring-out!¡± yelled Soot.


    The crowd burst into applause.


    Cauli came to a skidding stop, and took a few steps back as Skrili and Pang faced her.


    ¡°Now, how about we try that double-team again?¡± Pang said, checking out the glow around her body.


    ¡°Nice¡­¡± Cauli admitted. ¡°So your backup plan was to let Reggie power Skrili up, so she could trap him and let you copy his powers¡­¡± She gave them a friendly smile. ¡°Very crafty of you. Consider me a fan.¡±


    ¡°Likewise¡ªyou took us both on so easily,¡± Skrili shared.


    ¡°Thanks for the challenge, girl,¡± Pang said. ¡°That¡¯s not something I¡¯m used to saying¡ªbut you two deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Such good, wholesome sportsmanship!!¡± Soot proclaimed, as the crowd also voiced their appreciation.


    ¡°But no more stalling¡ªThese power boosts don¡¯t last,¡± Pang insisted, preparing to attack. Skrili followed suit.


    Cauli shrugged. ¡°It was worth a shot¡ªI hate quitting,¡± she laughed.


    Skrili and Pang charged at Cauli like lightning, and the fight resumed. From Deon¡¯s view up above, Skrili and Pang looked like they were mere flashes, appearing for an instant in one spot, then reappearing in another. Despite Cauli¡¯s impressive speed, there was no way she could keep up with both of them anymore.


    Even still, she was quick enough to closely evade Skrili and Pang¡¯s biggest attempts to finish her off. They shifted their approach to out-speeding Cauli, forcing her closer and closer to the edge of the platform. All the while, the crowd cheered both sides on.


    Soon enough, while Pang distracted Cauli with a false head-on attack, Skrili dove past her with a sliding kick, knocking her feet out from under her. Cauli tripped and tumbled off of the platform.


    The crowd went wild.


    ¡°YES!! LET¡¯S GO!!!¡± Deon cheered.


    Phillip sighed. ¡°Well done,¡± he said softly.


    Down in the arena, Skrili and Pang approached the edge of the platform across from where Cauli had landed. She sat with a calm smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest¡ªI thought you guys might suck when I realized what your types were,¡± said Pang. ¡°But that was pretty fun!¡±


    ¡°You two deserved to make it farther,¡± added Skrili.


    Reginald approached them as a green-robed worker followed him, moving their healing device around him. ¡°This is the farthest we¡¯ve ever made it in a huge Competition like this¡ªfeels like a win to me!¡± he said. ¡°Besides, as long as we¡¯re still best friends by the end of it, I¡¯m happy!¡±


    Cauli nodded.


    Skrili and Pang glanced at each other in response, but quickly broke eye contact.


    ¡°Sorry Reggie; I lost my footing at the end there,¡± Cauli added. ¡°I guess you could say I was defeet-ed.¡±


    ¡°Give me a break¡­¡± Pang said under her breath. They realized their audio was still being amplified, because the audience booed one last time.


    But suddenly, Skrili brought her hand to her mouth. She tried to hide her face as she started shaking.


    ¡°You alright there?¡± wondered Pang.


    Unable to contain it, Skrili burst out laughing.


    ¡°It was funny¡­!¡± she managed. ¡°Because, like, defeat, and tripping¡­¡±


    Amongst the crowd, Deon slapped his hand against his face. ¡°Really? She thought that was funny?¡± he complained. ¡°Why do I even try¡­?¡±


    As Soot formally announced Skrili and Pang as the winners, the air filled with applause. They were off to the next round.

 39. Motivation

    Lammy stared at the floating screen in the corner of the room as audio of applause buzzed from it. He could also hear the muffled, real-life applause in the distance.


    In the magical moving picture, two fighters stood victorious on a fighting platform as their defeated opponents stood off to the side clapping respectfully. The massive crowd around the arena went wild. Lights flashed everywhere. Music blasted. He could feel the reverberations against the floor under his feet.


    ¡°And we have our winners of the opening fight: fresh faces Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay! What a show!¡± an energetic voice declared.


    ¡°Indeed it was, Soot. I can¡¯t wait to see who they¡¯ll face next,¡± another agreed.


    Lammy was simply amazed. The Multiverse had an established, massively popular fighting league for consciousnesses. This was like the after-school showdowns he would watch back in Tailpiece, times a million¡ªonly here, they fought in teams of two.


    He loved it¡ªthe potential for different power combinations, special techniques, creativity¡­his mind spun at the possibilities. He wondered if they had coaches and trainers out here like he had always been for Deon. Coaching in a league like this would be absolutely incredible.


    Lammy smiled to himself, hoping Deon had found this league, too. This was Deon¡¯s dream come true.


    ¡°Oh¡ªLammy! Careful, lad!¡± Rob exclaimed.


    Lammy jolted back to what he was doing¡ªor, supposed to be doing. Realizing the meat patties he was grilling had almost burned, he frantically scooped them off the grill and placed them in bread buns to the side.


    He was in the back kitchen with Rob, cooking up orders. After he and Zayza helped Rob and Pete pack up the night before, they set out early in the morning for the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition. They traveled in a giant magical carriage with many other restaurants and exhibitors, and once they arrived at Gloat Stadium, they rushed to find their rented space and set up their gear. It was a lot of lifting, so Lammy was glad all he needed to do now was help Rob cook.


    So far, working here was much less terrifying than working in Food Town¡ªactually, he found it pretty relaxing. Rob projected the ongoing tournament on the screen in their kitchen, so they were even able to follow the first fight.


    ¡°Good for them!¡± Rob exclaimed, raising a fist to the screen as he simultaneously helped Lammy top off the burgers. ¡°Love those two kids.¡±


    ¡°You know them?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°Used to serve ¡®em salads all the time!¡± said Rob. ¡°They used to come by whenever they were in Conscious City. I had no idea they got back together! Last I saw Blue, she was with another lad.¡±


    Lammy looked back at the screen, which had panned closer to the victors. The two girls appeared close to Deon¡¯s age. After watching what he could of their fight, he realized they¡¯d even be a challenge for Deon. Their speed and cohesion was downright impressive.


    Skrili and Pang, huh? he noted, reading the names on the bottom of the screen.


    As another hour passed, Lammy continued to make food with Rob while they awaited the next round of the tournament.


    Occasionally Zayza would drop by to pick up food and place it in a heated box. It was her responsibility to walk around in the seating and sell food and drinks to the spectators. Initially, Lammy tried to switch places with her, but she assured him that the Ancient Sage¡¯s earrings were working¡ªnobody knew who she was.


    Noticing tiny bits of her cheerful personality had returned every time she came to pick up food, Lammy decided to leave her be.


    While Lammy and Rob worked, Pete entered from the front of the restaurant space.


    ¡°Can I get two Rebirth Salads working?¡± he asked his father. ¡°It¡¯s for Skrili¡¯s friend¡ªI told him it¡¯s on us.¡±


    ¡°What was that lad¡¯s name again¡­?¡± Rob tried to recall.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember, to be honest,¡± admitted Pete. ¡°I was scared to ask again.¡± He glanced at Lammy. ¡°Actually, he looks a little bit like you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Lammy asked hopefully. He wondered if it could be Deon, but quickly brushed it off with a chuckle¡ªthere was no way Deon would order salads, especially meatless ones. Not even in a fantasy world.


    ¡°Well anyway, we¡¯ll make it!¡± approved Rob.


    As Lammy grabbed ingredients from the back refrigerator and began putting the salads together, he thought about Deon once more.


    Wherever you are, Deon, I hope it¡¯s at a place like this¡­he thought.


    ~


    Deon waited outside the Phoenix setup in Gloat Stadium¡¯s large, round hall. He figured now would be the best time to grab food; he didn¡¯t want to miss Alex and Ving¡¯s first fight.


    Soon Pete reemerged, carrying two of the same salad Deon and Skrili had ordered weeks ago in Conscious City.


    ¡°Two Rebirth Salads, on the house!¡± said Pete cheerfully.


    ¡°Thanks, man! I appreciate it!¡± Deon said. ¡°I¡¯m glad I noticed you guys when I walked by.¡±


    Pete nodded. ¡°Anytime. Oh, and congrats to Skrili!¡± he added. ¡°Um¡­you guys are still friends, right?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Deon affirmed.


    ¡°Good!¡± Pete said. ¡°A lot of times former teammates don¡¯t stay friends, you know?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± wondered Deon. ¡°No¡ªwe¡¯re still together.¡±


    Panic struck over Pete¡¯s face. ¡°W¡ªwait¡­like, you¡¯re dating her¡­?¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± Deon immediately answered. ¡°I mean we¡¯re still gonna be a team, right after this Conscious Competition. She¡¯s just helping out a friend.¡±


    Pete stared at him, trying to conceal his doubt. ¡°Oh¡­after the Conscious Competition, sure,¡± he said awkwardly.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Deon pressed.


    Pete took a step back in defense. ¡°Oh, nothing, nothing! It¡¯s just¡­I don¡¯t know, they¡¯re doing really well right now¡ªit looks like their career is taking off. It would be weird for Skrili to leave that behind all the sudden and start over, that¡¯s all¡­¡±


    Deon glared at him.


    ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m really sorry¡­that was pretty rude,¡± Pete realized, handing him the free salads.


    Taking a second, Deon cooled down. After all, Pete was just a kid with a crush. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, really,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Thanks again for these salads! Skrili¡¯s gonna love the surprise.¡±


    Pete returned his smile. ¡°Absolutely! Tell her I said hi!¡± he said with a blush. He was about to head to the back again, before pausing. ¡°You know, my coworker kind of looks like you,¡± he added.


    ¡°Really?¡± said Deon. ¡°Weird.¡±


    With that, Pete went back to work, and Deon began walking down the busy hall. According to the schedule the second round fights didn¡¯t start until tomorrow, so Deon figured he¡¯d congratulate Skrili with her favorite salad from the Phoenix. Maybe she¡¯d be willing to watch the rest of the first round fights with him¡ªshe would certainly be better company than Phillip.


    Deon passed by countless people and placed the salads on a nearby bench, reaching for his TeamTrack to send her a message:


    ¡°Congrats on the big win! I wanna hear all about the strategy. Where are you? Let¡¯s meet up and catch the next fight.¡±


    It took him quite a while to navigate the touchpad, but he managed to get it down. He was grateful the written language was the same as Tailpiece¡¯s.


    Only moments later, Skrili¡¯s response came:


    ¡°Sorry, Pang really wants to analyze the next fight together since we fight the winner. Then we need to go train. I¡¯ll see you in the room tonight, though.¡±


    Deon sulked. He sank onto the bench with a sigh. Fair enough¡­they¡¯re trying to save Phillip¡¯s life, after all, he thought.


    At the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but consider Pete¡¯s words. Things were going extremely well for Skrili and Pang. Placing this far in the Competition was no small feat¡ªhundreds of other pros could only dream of it. They hit it big.


    So was she¡­avoiding him?


    No¡­she¡¯d never stay with Pang, Deon tried to tell himself.


    ¡°Man, you look like you¡¯re at a Registration Center instead of a Conscious Competition,¡± a familiar voice commented nearby. Deon shook himself out of his inner-thoughts to see Alex Malachi approaching him from the crowd. Several fans stared at him in awe as he passed by.


    ¡°Oh, hey man!¡± greeted Deon.


    ¡°No offense, but you have a serious ¡®I just got stood up¡¯ vibe going on,¡± Alex shared. ¡°You good?¡±


    Deon shrugged. ¡°Yeah¡­just overthinking some stuff.¡±


    After watching Deon for a moment with his multiple irises, Alex sat beside him. ¡°You bummed that Skrili won?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªI¡¯m happy for her, really!¡± Deon assured. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    ¡°Scared she¡¯ll ditch you for her current teammate?¡± Alex guessed. ¡°I mean, let¡¯s be real: there¡¯s a good chance she will.¡±


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


    ¡°Thanks for the encouragement,¡± Deon said despondently.


    Alex laughed. ¡°Hey man, I¡¯m just being honest. Take it from me¡ªwhen success comes your way in this career, it gets hard to pass it up. It¡¯s a sweet deal,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t really know Skrili, so who knows? I could be wrong.¡±


    Deon shrugged. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°The thing is, regardless of what Skrili does, you have to be ready. The League won¡¯t wait up for you,¡± Alex continued. ¡°I got lucky with my teammate¡ªVing and I have been buddies our whole lives. We always wanted to be a team together, since we were little. But that taught me how important it is to pick someone you really gel with. Do you really gel with Skrili?¡±


    ¡°I¡­think so¡­¡± Deon replied.


    Alex smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know yet, you just need to know what you want,¡± he told Deon. ¡°And like I said, you have to be ready: Think Skrili might ditch you? Go train right now, and become better than that Pang girl. Prove you¡¯re the best choice. Think she¡¯ll leave you anyway? Well, you¡¯re at Gloat Stadium during one of the biggest Conscious Competitions in the Multiverse. You¡¯re surrounded by other consciousnesses trying to join the League. Heck, if you want, I have a few names I could hit up.¡±


    Deon smiled back. ¡°Thanks man,¡± he said. He glanced up at one of the many floating screens, noting the updated tourney chart with Skrili and Pang advanced to the second round. He noticed Alex and Ving¡¯s fight was the one after the next.


    ¡°Um¡­don¡¯t you have a fight coming up?¡± Deon asked. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I appreciate it¡ªbut why are you spending all this time talking to me?¡±


    Alex stood. ¡°Well, Ving and I like to keep things chill before we fight,¡± he explained. ¡°Also, you remind me of myself when I first went pro: bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and ready to punch everyone in sight¡ªin a consensual fight, of course.¡±


    Deon laughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, though¡ªI really should go find Ving,¡± he said. ¡°Go train or something!¡±


    ¡°No thanks¡ªif I do, I¡¯ll miss your first round!¡± Deon pointed out.


    Alex¡¯s energetic face morphed into a bittersweet expression. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that¡ªno way we¡¯re losing in the first round,¡± he said. ¡°This is mine and Ving¡¯s last Competition together.¡±


    Deon hadn¡¯t expected that. ¡°Wait¡­really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t tell the press yet,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°Ving really wants to move on from the League. She keeps saying ¡®something smells wrong,¡¯ whatever that¡¯s supposed to mean. So I guess you and I are in a similar boat.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± said Deon.


    Alex shrugged and waved. ¡°That¡¯s life. And I love her too much not to respect it. Anyways, see you around!¡±


    As Alex headed off and quickly waved to dozens of awestruck fans, Deon looked over to the two salads resting beside him.


    Well, I guess there¡¯s someone else I can give this to, he thought.


    ~


    ¡°Salad?¡± Deon offered.


    ¡°Please get lost,¡± said Phillip.


    Deon shrugged. But then he detected Phillip¡¯s stomach rumbling even over the arena¡¯s packed crowd.


    ¡°I think you want the salad.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up.¡±


    Within the minute, Deon and Phillip were digging into their meals in their assigned stadium seats. As Phillip ate begrudgingly, Deon checked out the screen above the arena: it looked like the next round was about to start.


    ¡°Alllllright, ladies, gents, and friends!¡± Soot¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°It¡¯s time for the second fight of the day!¡±


    The crowd was as vigorous as before, if not even more so.


    ¡°Entering from the west end of the arena, please welcome the Fiction Country powerhouses¡ªthe ten-time qualifiers¡ªthe lovely couple: Darla and Benny Stewarts!!!¡±


    Deon spat bits of lettuce and unknown fruits out of his mouth, almost sprinkling the audience member beneath him.


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only person surprised by this¡ªdid you not look at all the tourney charts?¡± Phillip grumbled.


    ¡°I did, but I didn¡¯t realize¡­I know those two!¡±


    Floating towards the fighting arena on a glowing platform, hand-in-hand, stood Darla and Benny: the married couple he got in trouble with back in No Man¡¯s Land weeks ago. Benny looked smug and macho as ever in his overly tight red hoodie and shorts, while Darla had removed her glasses from her pink eyes for the fight.


    ¡°I uh¡­hit on Darla, so Benny and I got in a fight,¡± Deon explained uncomfortably.


    Phillip nodded. ¡°That sounds right. I took you for a player.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ªI didn¡¯t know she was married!¡± insisted Deon. ¡°But man¡­that Benny dude is tough¡­and a jerk. I hope their opponents put him in his place.¡±


    By now, Soot and Talonvorp had announced the other team: a pair of cloaked individuals named Armoless and Gottem. According to Talonvorp, they were both Odorverts: a type that could convert their sense of smell into raw energy.


    The two teams met on the platform, and bowed in the same manner Pang and Skrili had with Reginald and Cauli.


    ¡°Three! Two! One!¡±


    ¡°FIGHT!!!¡± the stadium boomed.


    Immediately, Armoless and Gottem aggressively inhaled through their noses, giving it everything they had. Deon chuckled¡ªit kind of looked ridiculous. Their eyes went wide, and they shifted, prepared to fight.


    ¡°The scents have fueled us. Companion, let us now conquereth our foes,¡± muttered Armoless.


    Gottem sniffed and nodded.


    ¡°Uh¡­nope¡ªthat¡¯s not how this is gonna work,¡± Benny laughed confidently, stretching and flexing his muscles. He walked forward. ¡°We have a dream honeymoon to plan. You wimps aren¡¯t getting in the way of that. Take this: FIST FLINGER!!!¡±


    ¡°Such a dumb name¡­¡± Deon muttered.


    Just like the time he used this attack on Deon, dozens and dozens of fists appeared around Benny, ready for him to launch.


    ¡°Oh! Benny¡¯s jumping right into it with his famous ¡®Fist Flinger¡¯ attack!¡± Soot exclaimed.


    The crowd cheered as Benny began punching the air. With each punch, a fist shot rapidly at Armoless and Gottem. They immediately went on the defense while Benny sped up. After each imagined fist either hit them or missed, it vanished. But Benny kept imagining more, never running out of ammunition.


    Armoless and Gottem weren¡¯t faring much better than Deon had against this attack. Soon, they were on the run.


    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s right, losers!¡± Benny taunted.


    ¡°Uh-oh! It looks like Armoless and Gottem are already overwhelmed! What an attack!¡± noted Soot.


    ¡°Babe, hey!¡± Darla called over to Benny. ¡°Are you gonna let me fight this time?¡±


    ¡°Just step back and keep looking gorgeous, Darla! I don¡¯t want them trying to mess up your cute face!¡± he called back.


    Darla crossed her arms. ¡°Oh, come on. I¡¯m fighting next time, whether you like it or not.¡±


    ¡°I guess we still won¡¯t be seeing any of Darla¡¯s Power Rebound in this one¡ªI don¡¯t think she¡¯s thrown a single punch in this Conscious Competition,¡± Talonvorp shared.


    Soot laughed. ¡°Hey, if my teammate was that good of an Imaginer, I¡¯d take it easy, too,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe next time¡ªI¡¯d love to see how their types work together. The Imaginer and a Power Rebound combo is quite the uncommon pair.¡±


    ¡°Please, they¡¯re not that unique,¡± Deon remarked. ¡°I bet Skrili and I could do better.¡±


    But as Benny¡¯s onslaught of imagined fists only intensified, he knew he was wrong.


    Benny was leagues better than him.


    Who am I kidding? If Benny¡¯s what a certified-level Imaginer looks like, I have a lot of work to do, Deon realized. Sure, I beat Phillip, but I can¡¯t stay comfortable. The only reason I beat Pang was by triggering that power up I don¡¯t even know how to use¡­


    And if Skrili¡¯s already good enough for this Competition, I can¡¯t fall behind. Not if I want to prove I¡¯d be the better teammate.


    He thought again about Alex¡¯s advice.


    He¡¯s right¡ªif I¡¯m that worried Skrili might stay with Pang, why am I sitting here being lazy? I need to do something about it. I need to get better than Pang.


    Deon nodded to himself decidedly, standing to his feet. This fight¡¯s outcome was already clear, and he had a more important task at hand.


    ¡°See you later,¡± he said to Phillip. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go train.¡±


    ~


    Deon splashed into the brisk water.


    Not good enough, he thought. Imagining a ladder, Deon climbed his way out of the pond.


    He was in the center of the floating body of water beside the Hotel of Champions. The water had grown chillier with each hour, especially now that the sky was dark.


    It had been hours since he left Gloat Stadium to come train. Deon missed Alex and Ving¡¯s first fight, and Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s, as well. Earlier he had paused to check for updates on his TeamTrack, to find that they both advanced. By now, he figured the first day of the tournament was probably almost over.


    But it felt like a fair trade: he needed the time to get better. Nobody had come back to the hotel besides him so far, giving him the privacy and focus to really push his limits.


    Again¡­Deon commanded himself.


    He imagined a wooden platform suspended high above the water, and stood on it. Focusing intensely, Deon began imagining the leather balls he normally used for his rapid-fire attacks. The wooden floor shifted slightly, so Deon tried to divide his focus better. Then, he continued to imagine more leather balls, until there were thirty hovering around him.


    The more things I can Imagine at once, the stronger I¡¯ll be, he thought. Now¡­


    Taking a deep breath, Deon began commanding the leather balls to circle around him slowly. They rotated in a spiral, some faster and more easily than others. He tried hard to keep the floor beneath his feet in mind¡ªone missing detail from it, and it would vanish.


    Now, it was time to add the last phase of complexity. Staring ahead, Deon tried to place a miniature version of his squirrel monster, Twitchy, between him and the spiraling balls. Twitchy flickered, appearing inconsistently and with missing features.


    Come on¡­Deon thought, sweat mixing with the drips of water on his forehead.


    Abruptly, the wooden floor vanished. Deon tried to recover it and keep everything else in tact, but it was too much to imagine at once; he plummeted back into the icy water.


    As he recovered, Deon sent a fist into the rippling waves.


    No! This isn¡¯t good enough! he told himself. I need something more¡­


    ¡­I need that power-up. But¡­how?


    When he tried to summon it against Benny during their skirmish, he didn¡¯t even know where to begin. It originally came to him on its own, for no reason.


    No¡­there was a reason.


    ¡°Pang¡­¡±


    It was the way she made him feel when they fought. That feeling of uselessness¡ªthat boiling anger took him over the edge. It was the way she mocked and toyed with him, the way she expected nothing¡­and more than that¡ªthe way she had treated Skrili.


    She destroyed the only thing important to Skrili: her photo of her little brother.


    Why does Skrili put up with her¡­? Deon wondered. He felt his heartbeat intensifying. Looking at his reflection in the water, he saw an orange glow in his eyes.


    ¡°Wait¡ªit¡¯s happening, this is it!¡± he exclaimed to himself.


    But as soon as his excitement grew, the light in his eyes faded. His heartbeat began calming down.


    Deon shook his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough¡­I need to feel more,¡± he realized.


    A tempting, but dangerous idea popped into his head, and he knew Skrili wouldn¡¯t like it.


    Pang was clearly the key to unlocking this power-up. And yesterday, she offered to let him ¡®practice it on her.¡¯ If he wanted to get strong enough to prove he was the better option than Pang, he knew one thing:


    He needed Pang¡¯s help.


    ~~~


    The chilled air of the hotel bedroom replaced the steam from Phillip¡¯s shower as he exited the bathroom. The room was peacefully silent, and a single magical lamp was still aglow.


    Pang was fast asleep at the desk by the window, in her pajamas. Her head rested against the paper she had been writing on to map out fighting strategies. The lamp and moonlight illuminated her softly.


    Phillip smiled. He walked over to her, but found himself pausing as he looked at her. There was something worth cherishing about those rare moments when she wasn¡¯t putting up her larger-than-life front. He always found her attractive, but there was a special beauty to her now.


    What am I doing? Phillip thought. She¡¯ll be sore tomorrow sleeping like this. He nudged her shoulder gently, but she didn¡¯t stir. After today¡¯s fight and all the training afterwards, it didn¡¯t surprise him she was this spent.


    ¡°Pang,¡± he uttered. She just grimaced and mumbled something unintelligible.


    With a sigh, Phillip lifted her up from under her arms.


    ¡°Do I have to fight again already, Daddy?¡± Pang muttered in her sleep.


    Phillip hesitated as a wave of grief struck him. It was the nightmare again. He carefully brought her to her feet, assuming this would wake her up, but her eyelids barely lifted. Taking her by the hand, he began guiding her to her bed. Her leg brushed against Phillip¡¯s mattress, which was closer to the desk than hers, and she stopped walking.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to fight right now¡­¡± moaned Pang.


    Phillip faced her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to fight. You¡¯re just going to bed,¡± he assured tenderly.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± said Pang. Suddenly she fell back, and crawled into Phillip¡¯s bed.


    He blushed. I guess we can just trade for the night, he figured. He turned to head for Pang¡¯s bed, but she grabbed his hand.


    ¡°No¡­don¡¯t go, Mommy. Daddy will make me come after you¡­¡±


    Phillip¡¯s heart sunk for her. Heart pounding, he turned and sat on the bed. But Pang kept pulling at him, so he awkwardly gave in and lay down beside her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave,¡± Pang said sleepily. She inched closer and snuggled up to him. Almost immediately, she sunk back into a deeper sleep.


    To Phillip¡¯s own surprise, his heartbeat gradually eased up. He placed his arm around Pang, and felt a peaceful comfort holding her. It soothed the constant, spiking pain coursing through his veins.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you,¡± he whispered. He felt a bit silly still talking to her while she slept, but in a strange way, it gave him courage.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for my sake, even though I don¡¯t deserve it,¡± he said softly. ¡°You¡¯re incredible¡­I wish everyone saw that side of you. Someday I want you to let yourself feel weak when you need to¡­and I¡¯ll be strong for you.¡± He felt his heartbeat speed back up for a moment. ¡°I love you.¡±


    Phillip closed his eyes. He felt Pang lightly squeeze his arm.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± she whispered back.

 40. Sparks and Glimpses

    Deon plopped into his assigned arena seat beside Phillip. He dragged his hands over his face slowly and sighed, his eyes heavy. All around, the crowd was gathering for the first fight of the afternoon.


    After a couple minutes of silence, Phillip looked at Deon.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to talk my ear off for once?¡± he inquired.


    Deon wiped his eyes once more. ¡°So now you¡¯re gonna complain that I¡¯m not talking?¡±


    ¡°Fair point.¡±


    ¡°I was up super late last night training,¡± explained Deon. He yawned. ¡°I probably should have stopped sooner.¡±


    Phillip shrugged, and returned to his own thoughts. It seemed all his attention was on the west gate of the arena, where Pang and Skrili would be entering from, as he stared on eagerly.


    Deon noticed he seemed oddly sprightly today. Usually Phillip was crouched over himself with a brooding glare at all times. But now he sat up straight, and despite his deathly pale complexion, he had a glow in his face.


    ¡°You seem chipper¡ªfor you,¡± Deon commented.


    Suddenly, Phillip blushed. ¡°Oh, really? No¡ªno reason,¡± he quickly replied.


    ~


    Skrili and Pang could hear the chatting crowd grow beyond the gate they waited behind. A countdown on a nearby wall indicated it was almost time for their second round fight.


    ¡°Did you get to spend time with your guy last night?¡± Pang suddenly asked with a sly twinkle in her eye.


    Skrili hesitated irritably at Pang¡¯s choice of words. Thankfully for her, the fight introductions had begun, interrupting them.


    But Skrili hadn¡¯t seen Deon last night; she fell asleep before he got back. Whatever he was doing, he stayed up extremely late. She awoke in the morning to find him snoring, sprawled out on his bed in his day clothes. She wondered if he got up early enough to get to the fight on time.


    Her thoughts shifted back to their impending challenge, as the gate before them vanished. A light platform appeared underneath them, raising them up and into the arena. Applause flooded their ears.


    ¡°¡­Please welcome: Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay!¡± finished Soot.


    Their opponents, Benny and Darla, had already been announced and were waiting for them on the platform. Benny was punching the air and exerting manly grunts, but Skrili focused on Darla: the Power Rebound. She stood relaxed, staring back at Skrili with keen pink eyes.


    ¡°This is the matchup I¡¯m most excited for today,¡± shared Talonvorp, his voice projecting all around. ¡°Power Rebounds are an extremely rare type, and because of that, this fight is actually making history. This will be the first time two Power Rebounds face off in the Main Event of a Fantasy Country Conscious Competition.¡±


    ¡°Oooh, I can¡¯t wait! I¡¯m literally shaking!¡± Soot exclaimed.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the bewitched coffee again,¡± Talonvorp pointed out.


    Soon Skrili and Pang touched down on the fighting platform. The two teams bowed to each other.


    Benny sized Skrili and Pang up. ¡°Man, it¡¯s gonna feel wrong beating up a couple little girls,¡± he said. ¡°Nothing personal¡ªbut that honeymoon in the West Mountains is calling us. Right, babe?!¡±


    Darla rolled her eyes, but nodded.


    ¡°Alright, just like yesterday, leave it to me,¡± Benny instructed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna¡ª¡±


    Darla placed a hand on his shoulder slowly. ¡°Wait, hun,¡± she said, her eyes still on Skrili. ¡°I knew it¡ªso you are that Power Rebound girl I met back in No Man¡¯s Land,¡± she confirmed with a friendly smile.


    Skrili nodded.


    ¡°What¡¯s your point, babe?¡± Benny asked impatiently.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna fight this girl,¡± Darla told him. ¡°You worry about the Manipulator.¡±


    Pang chuckled. ¡°Works for me.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± shouted Benny. ¡°That makes no sense. I can take¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fighting Skrili,¡± Darla decided. ¡°I¡¯ve never fought another Power Rebound.¡±


    Skrili gave a small smile. ¡°Me either,¡± she said.


    ¡°Looks like sparks are ready to fly, folks!¡± declared Soot. ¡°You know what that means:¡±


    ¡°Three¡­Two¡­One¡­¡±


    ¡°FIGHT!!!¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­I¡¯ll take the little red girl,¡± Benny reluctantly agreed, punching his fist into his palm. ¡°Sorry, kid, but this probably won¡¯t be very fun for¡ª¡±


    Instantly, a gigantic fist appeared in front of Benny and slammed into him. The impact sent him flipping and rolling to the floor.


    Pang commanded the fist to vanish. ¡°I¡¯m really gonna enjoy shutting this idiot up,¡± she scowled, running after him.


    ¡°And Pang opens up the fight with a direct hit on Benny, using his own attack!¡± announced Soot.


    ¡°With Pang¡¯s Manipulator ability, this may as well be an Imaginer fighting an Imaginer,¡± observed Talonvorp.


    Meanwhile, Darla remained relaxed, watching Skrili.


    How do I approach this? I know nothing about her strategy, thought Skrili. In every fight we researched, she let Benny do everything.


    Darla shifted slightly.


    I guess I¡¯ll handle this like I would if I were fighting myself, Skrili planned. I have to either push her out of bounds, or pin her.


    ¡°Your move,¡± insisted Darla. ¡°Let¡¯s have a good fight, okay?¡±


    Skrili nodded. She focused on her target, and with a push, launched forward.


    First, she attempted a sliding kick to trip Darla. As expected, Darla easily avoided it with a casual leap, so Skrili jumped back up and tried to grab her arm. Darla spun perfectly out of her reach, offering no counter-attack.


    Skrili paused for a second. Clearly, Darla was too quick for basic techniques. But still, her best bet was to pin her before she had any Power Rebound strength to resist.


    Yet as a fellow Power Rebound, Darla probably knew that was her strategy. Skrili needed to find a way to subvert her expectations.


    I need to go for a direct hit¡ªshe won¡¯t see that coming this early, Skrili prepared. I¡¯ll miss on purpose and position myself to trip her.


    Skrili jumped forward and prepared a powerful punch.


    Darla stood relaxed as Skrili swung her fist. Skrili knew she wouldn¡¯t dodge¡ªshe would try to take the hit and activate a Power Rebound. As planned, Skrili threw her aim off just enough to miss.


    But her heart skipped a beat when she felt her fist slam into Darla¡¯s undefended stomach. With a painful grunt, Darla stumbled to the floor.


    Somehow, Darla read her perfectly¡ªshe had shifted back into Skrili¡¯s path at the last instant.


    She knew?! Skrili thought.


    ¡°Wow¡­you have a good punch¡ªeven when you¡¯re trying to miss,¡± Darla shared from the floor. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you know: we Power Rebounds have to get good at reading which hits to take.¡±


    Skrili took several cautious steps back. She knew what was coming.


    Darla darted at Skrili with enhanced speed. Now it was her turn to try and pin or launch Skrili, and her Power Rebound boost gave her a much better advantage.


    Skrili barely dodged Darla¡¯s first attempt to grab her, and managed to deflect the next two tries. But there was no way she could keep up with Darla¡¯s speed now¡ªnot without her own Power Rebound.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, and I can¡¯t let it happen,¡± Darla cautioned her as she gained closer to trapping Skrili with each attempt.


    ¡°You might have to,¡± Skrili replied.


    ¡°As interesting as that would be¡­¡± Darla thought aloud. Then, she shifted unexpectedly, throwing off Skrili¡¯s gravity just enough to grab her by the arms.


    Skrili steadied her stance, expecting Darla to pick her up and throw her like Reginald did. But instead, Darla began pushing¡ªsliding Skrili backwards as she pressed forward. Skrili tried hard to break Darla¡¯s grip, but she wouldn¡¯t budge.


    At this rate, Darla would push her right out of the ring.


    No¡­Skrili thought. She glanced up into the enormous crowd. I can¡¯t mess this up¡­I can¡¯t let someone die because I failed¡­


    ¡­Not again.


    As they neared the corner, Skrili thought up an escape. It felt risky and cheap, but she decided it would have to do.


    She managed to catch the floor tightly with her foot, and with a combination of Darla¡¯s force and her own, she thrust herself down, back-first to the floor.


    As Darla struggled to stay afoot, Skrili slammed against the floor, almost banging her head. Her breath shot out and pain shot through her back. She rushed to stand back up, despite the throbbing across her shoulders and spine.


    Good¡­nothing¡¯s broken, she noted.


    Even better: she felt a Power Rebound rushing through her. Turning to Darla, she slid into her fighting stance.


    ¡°Excellent work from Skrili,¡± Talonvorp proclaimed. ¡°You have to be one tough cookie to be a Power Rebound in this League. It appears we have two tough cookies before us today.¡±


    ¡°Great, now I want cookies,¡± complained Soot.


    Darla seemed both disappointed and intrigued. She smiled. ¡°Here we go, then.¡±


    ¡°Here we go,¡± agreed Skrili. They both knew what this meant:


    The power boost race had begun.


    The two fighters charged at each other.


    ¡°WHOA¡ªlet¡¯s not forget about Pang and Benny¡ªwhat a hit!¡± Soot commented.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Meanwhile, Benny had just taken yet another giant fist straight to the face. He slammed the ground furiously before getting back up and shaking his head.


    ¡°QUIT STEALING MY MOVES!!!¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Aw, but I don¡¯t wanna¡­¡± Pang whined teasingly. ¡°Come on, tough guy. Your wife¡¯s gonna think she married a loser. And she¡¯d be right.¡±


    Benny roared at her. ¡°YOU FREAKIN¡¯ TWERP!! TAKE THIS: FIST FLINGER!!!!!¡±


    Even faster than usual, Benny¡¯s barrage of fake fists popped into the air all around him. In a fit of rage, he started throwing the punches as fast and hard as he could.


    ¡°Oh, goodie,¡± Pang said with a clap. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d find the chance to bust that out.¡±


    Completely unfazed, she began expertly hopping out of the way of each attack. All the while, she kept an eye on Benny¡¯s motions. While his rapid attacks were much more powerful than what Deon had pulled off in his powered-up state, they weren¡¯t as frequent.


    Eventually Benny had to take a break, bending over and taking grunt-like gasps. He glared at his target.


    ¡°They all¡­missed?!¡± he realized.


    Pang shrugged with a menacing glean in her eyes. ¡°Okay, so it was something like this¡­¡± She puffed her chest out, trying to look as big as she could, only to appear just as tiny. ¡°FiSt fLiNgEr!!!¡± she shouted in as deep and condescending a voice as possible.


    The same fists Benny had imagined appeared all around her, now, ready for her command.


    ¡°Oh¡ªyou¡¯re a good Imaginer! This is easy to maintain,¡± Pang told him. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not gonna do the actual punching thing, that¡¯s tacky¡ªI¡¯ll just send them at you.¡±


    The fists soared towards Benny, who ducked for cover as they bombed down onto him.


    ¡°SCREW THIS!!¡± he screamed.


    Even more fists appeared around him, heading for Pang. Now that Benny wasn¡¯t physically punching the air as he fired them, they moved a bit slower. Nonetheless, half the fighting arena was now filled with flying fists.


    ¡°Well¡­this is¡­something,¡± uttered Soot.


    Up in the balcony seating, Deon and Phillip watched closely.


    ¡°Pang sure likes playing with her prey¡­¡± Deon mentioned derisively.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± mumbled Phillip. ¡°As long as she wins.¡±


    Deon returned his attention to Skrili and Darla as they went at it on the other side of the arena. Now that they both had Power Rebounds, it was tricky to keep up with their movements. At first, both were clearly trying to trap or push the other out of the arena, but soon it was clear this method was now vain¡ªSkrili and Darla had both become too strong and fast.


    Their fight had evolved into a supercharged version of a normal faceoff, filled with masterful punches, kicks, and blocks.


    It¡¯s only gonna get more intense the longer they go, thought Deon. They¡¯re both giving each other bigger and bigger Power Rebounds¡­


    ¡­Will Skrili have to do it?


    ¡°Phoenix Floats!¡± an amiable voice called out from elsewhere on the balcony. ¡°Enjoy the fight with a refreshing Phoenix Float! It goes great with our burgers!¡±


    Deon felt his stomach call out in response¡ªhe didn¡¯t get the chance to eat yet today. Despite his concern with the ongoing fight, he looked away to try and find the source. If the Phoenix¡¯s salads were that amazing, he figured their burgers must be heavenly.


    A few rows down, a pretty girl with long, brown hair and green eyes was strolling along, trying to sell food out of a special box strapped around her with the Phoenix¡¯s logo on it. She appeared around Deon¡¯s age.


    ¡°Want anything?¡± Deon asked Phillip.


    ¡°You¡¯re really thinking about food at a time like this?¡± he shot.


    ¡°Hmm¡­call it stress eating, then,¡± Deon decided.


    He waved down the girl. When she noticed, she began her way up the steps, constantly apologizing to anyone whose vision she obstructed. She was stunning¡ªwhich made Deon question if Skrili¡¯s ¡®no flirting¡¯ rule still held up while she was technically with Pang.


    Then again, flirting while Skrili and Pang were currently fighting for Phillip¡¯s life felt pretty disrespectful.


    ¡°Hello! What can I get for you?¡± the girl asked pleasantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a burger, and¡­well, I haven¡¯t tried a Phoenix Float yet,¡± Deon realized. ¡°Want one, Phillip?¡±


    ¡°Bite me.¡±


    ¡°And two Phoenix Floats!¡± Deon requested.


    After the girl walked him through the payment process on his TeamTrack, she handed him their order. The dark, creamy Phoenix Floats were in thick mugs, and their bubbles dripped off the corners.


    But something else fascinated Deon: as the girl gave them their food, he noticed elegant, thin black patterns and shapes all over her arms.


    ¡°Whoa, cool markings,¡± he said.


    Suddenly, the girl shrunk back a bit. Her bubbly energy faded as she looked away. ¡°Oh¡­¡± she uttered uncertainly. She reached up and felt her ear, seeming slightly reassured by what she touched. ¡°Enjoy,¡± she managed with a weak smile.


    With that, the girl walked off and returned to work.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± wondered Deon, taking a sip from his float. ¡°WHOA¡ªTHIS IS AWESOME!¡±


    ¡°Pay attention to the fight!¡± Phillip snapped. He angrily gulped from his mug. ¡°Though, you¡¯re right¡ªthis is weirdly delicious.¡±


    By now, Pang and Benny¡¯s endless fist missiles had intensified to ridiculous levels. They were launching fists at each other half the size of dragons. Pang had only taken a few hits earlier on, while Benny had acquired several bumps and bruises.


    ¡°STOP COPYING MY ATTACKS!!!¡± Benny bellowed.


    ¡°Okay, here¡¯s a variation,¡± called Pang.


    She sent another giant hand at him, but this one shot him a thumbs-down as he dove to the floor, barely avoiding its impact.


    ¡°YOU BRAT!!!!!¡± hollered Benny.


    Skrili and Darla paid no attention, too locked into their fight. Their moves had become like a dance as they sped around the fighting arena together. Skrili noticed Darla¡¯s style was remarkably similar to hers, only with more emphasis on punches than kicks.


    Skrili¡¯s Power Rebound had grown to a level almost as high as the last time she fought Pang in No Man¡¯s Land, when she had reached that stage just before Concussion. Her reflexes had heightened so much that she almost felt weightless.


    Fighting against any other opponent, this would probably be her chance to dominate. But against Darla, it meant nothing: Darla¡¯s Power Rebound had increased just as much. On top of that, she was even more skilled than Skrili. If Skrili couldn¡¯t step it up soon, she knew Darla would pull ahead.


    She needed something else.


    ¡°Hey, whatever happened to that other guy you were with?¡± Darla asked as they blocked each other and locked arms. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a team?¡±


    Skrili was surprised Darla could still strike up conversation during the heat of the fight. ¡°We will be,¡± she answered simply. ¡°After this tournament.¡±


    She broke from Darla and swung a mighty kick, but Darla ducked in time.


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll end this now,¡± Darla shared as she blocked several of Skrili¡¯s punches. ¡°Guys don¡¯t wait around forever, you know.¡±


    She caught another one of Skrili¡¯s attacks, twisted, and then kicked Skrili in the stomach, launching her sliding against the floor. As Skrili shot to her feet, she noticed Darla glance over at Benny and Pang.


    Immediately, Skrili knew that meant something: this whole time, Darla hadn¡¯t paid any attention to the other fight. But now that it was clear Benny was struggling, she was shifting her strategy. She knew Benny would need her help.


    But what was her new plan? Had she thought of a way to finish Skrili off?


    If she had, it meant one thing: Skrili had to stop Darla first, and act fast.


    She knew what to do, and it was risky.


    ¡°This has been so refreshing, Skrili,¡± Darla said earnestly. ¡°Let¡¯s talk fighting strategies sometime, Rebound-to-Rebound. But for now, that honeymoon won¡¯t pay for itself.¡±


    She shifted low, preparing to charge head-on.


    ¡°Sorry, I have more important things to pay for,¡± Skrili said. She took many steps back, allowing plenty of distance between them, and then matched Darla¡¯s stance.


    I have no choice: I have to go for a knockout, Skrili decided. Then I¡¯ll have to help Pang beat Benny fast; if Darla can control Concussion and recovers too soon, she can finish us in seconds.


    I just hope she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯ll take the risk.


    ¡°Uh-oh, something BIG looks like it¡¯s about to unfold with Darla and Skrili!¡± Soot noticed.


    Darla winked at Skrili.


    Then, they charged at each other once more, so fast they barely touched the ground. Skrili and Darla both clenched a fist. They swung a fierce punch¡­


    And nailed each other in the head.


    Skrili and Darla both twisted from the impact, and immediately collapsed. The audience gasped as they lay motionless.


    ¡°They BOTH landed a clean hit!! Skrili and Darla are down!!¡± Soot shouted.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if their teammates dismiss them from the fight or not,¡± Talonvorp reported. ¡°As Power Rebounds, they could still pose quite a threat if they recover. So if their teammates choose, they can stay in.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°They knocked each other out?!¡± he exclaimed.


    Phillip nodded solemnly. ¡°Pang needs to finish this now, or there¡¯s no chance. It¡¯s likely Darla has mastered Concussion. She can use this injury to her advantage.¡±


    Deon glanced at Phillip and noticed the sickly dark veins in his neck bulging. This is really stressing him out, he noted.


    ¡°Hey man, take it easy. They got this,¡± Deon assured.


    ¡°What do you know? Your teammate is defeated,¡± Phillip replied. ¡°Judging by Pang¡¯s stories, Skrili hasn¡¯t mastered Concussion. She¡¯s out of the fight.¡±


    In between dodges, Pang caught a glimpse of Skrili and Darla lying still. ¡°Great¡­¡± she grumbled to herself.


    Benny had noticed too, and stopped shooting his imaginary fists. ¡°Darla!¡± he cried. ¡°This is why you should let me do the fighting!¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut it,¡± Pang spat. Using Benny¡¯s powers, she imagined a giant net over him, and let it drop.


    But Benny was too quick, and imagined large, muscular hands to grab it and rip it out of existence.


    ¡°It¡¯s down to you and me!¡± Benny declared. ¡°FIST FLINGER!!!¡±


    Pang was quick to match his attack, and their fist firefight continued. One of Benny¡¯s attacks managed to swoop in and bash Pang in the stomach, but she stayed focused.


    ¡°Looks like neither Pang nor Benny are excusing their teammates from the fight! Skrili and Darla are still technically in!¡± explained Soot.


    ¡°They must have a lot of faith in their teammates,¡± Talonvorp noticed.


    Pang and Benny¡¯s back-and-forth aerial strikes continued for minutes. Still, neither Skrili nor Darla stirred. Deon hoped the tournament¡¯s healers could restore them to normal afterwards.


    ¡°Oh¡ªwhat¡¯s this?¡± Soot noticed.


    The crowd began to clap and cheer, but Deon¡¯s heart dropped: Darla was getting up.


    She stood dizzily, holding her head. ¡°Ow¡­nice hit,¡± she said to Skrili, noticing she still lay unconscious. ¡°This is it, though.¡±


    As she stood unsteadily, a pink hue of light began glowing around her. It quickly brightened, and then intensified into bursting flares of energy, creating a gust that blew through Skrili¡¯s hair. Darla rose off the ground, no longer disoriented. Looking over to Benny and Pang¡¯s fight, her eyes flashed with pink light.


    ¡°Here it finally is, folks! Darla has unlocked Concussion!!¡± Soot announced.


    The crowd looked on, amazed at the transformation.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Phillip mumbled. ¡°We lose.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me to have more faith in my teammate?¡± Deon questioned. ¡°Now you¡¯re giving up.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand: it¡¯s impossible now,¡± argued Phillip. ¡°Manipulators can¡¯t take Power Rebounds¡¯ powers. Our only chance would be a power up equal to Concussion, and Skrili can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Deon smirked knowingly as he took one last sip from his Phoenix Float. ¡°Who says she can¡¯t?¡±


    Darla flew towards Pang, pink energy shooting all around her.


    Pang had just narrowly dodged one of Benny¡¯s attacks, and now she looked up to see Darla closing in.


    ¡°Crap,¡± she uttered, with no time to prepare a defense.


    But then a light flashed, blinding everyone. After Pang blinked and adjusted her eyes, everything seemed weirdly purple.


    In an instant, she knew why.


    Right in front of Darla, blocking off her path, floated Skrili. Just like Darla, flares and flashes of light energy sparked all around her, but hers were purple. Her eyes radiated the same intense power.


    The crowd went wild, along with Soot and Talonvorp, in sheer astonishment.


    ¡°BOTH FIGHTERS HAVE AWAKENED CONCUSSION!!!!¡± Soot squealed.


    Darla let out a laugh. ¡°I guess we both took the same risk, huh?¡± she pointed out.


    Skrili nodded.


    ¡°Babe¡ªstay down, you¡¯re hurt!¡± Benny shouted over the hum of their powers. ¡°I¡¯ll do this!¡±


    Darla rolled her eyes. ¡°Benny, stop being ridiculous. Let the big girls handle this.¡± She winked at Skrili.


    With another jarring flash, Skrili and Darla vanished, and reappeared flying high above the fighting platform. They resumed their fight, which had evolved into what appeared as a series of sparks and glimpses: it was too fast and intense for the human eye.


    Phillip looked on in amazement. ¡°Skrili¡­can control Concussion now?¡±


    Deon¡¯s smile grew. ¡°Yeah she can. We did some intense training in the Mainland Desert leading up to this. Skrili insisted I help her activate and practice Concussion. It felt wrong at first, but she¡¯s tough as nails.¡± He laughed. ¡°I thought I was gonna die a few times, but she figured out how to take control of the powers. She wanted to be as ready as possible for this.¡±


    Phillip continued to look on in awe.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is just a favor to her,¡± Deon shared. ¡°She¡¯s fighting for a life, and that matters to her.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I owe her,¡± Phillip decided.


    Deon leaned back in his seat. ¡°Yep¡­when Skrili and I regroup after this, we¡¯ll be the two most noble fighters in the League, on the same team!¡±


    ¡°You just had to add that and ruin it.¡±


    As fists crashed all along the arena floor, sparks flew high above. Neither team had let up just yet.


    However, soon, Darla and Skrili became fully visible again. Their attacks had begun to slow. Gradually, they both returned to the floor, continuing their battle with less tenacity.


    Skrili could feel the Concussion boost wearing off fast.


    After avoiding a jumping kick from Darla, Skrili hopped a few steps away. They stood near the edge of the platform, so she kept an eye on her footing.


    ¡°We¡¯re an even match,¡± Darla said. ¡°This is gonna come down to who punched the hardest.¡±


    Skrili knew she was right: at this point, whoever received the larger Concussion boost would outlast the other. All she could hope for now, ironically, was that Darla had punched her harder when they knocked each other out.


    ¡°I know I said you have a nice punch, but I think it¡¯s over for you,¡± Darla shared. ¡°Keep at it¡ªyou¡¯re gonna do well¡­in this¡­League¡­¡±


    Suddenly, her pink energy faded out. Her eyes closed as she fell, collapsing out of the arena.


    Skrili sighed as she observed her now sleeping opponent with respect. ¡°Thanks for this fight,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Darla is down and out!¡± Soot announced.


    Meanwhile, Benny paused in shock of the announcement. While the audience applauded, he looked over to his wife. ¡°BABE!!!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°You moron,¡± Pang muttered. Now was her chance: Benny was totally distracted. Drawing from his powers, Pang launched one last gigantic fist at him from his blindside.


    It whacked into him straight-on, launching him right out of the arena. Benny crashed violently into the wall and drooped to the floor, out of bounds.


    ¡°Oof¡­well, by both ring-out and knockout, Benny and Darla are defeated!¡± Soot commentated. ¡°The incredible Skrili and Pang will advance to the semi-finals!!¡±


    The arena shook with applause. Deon could hear countless fans shouting their praise.


    As Pang waved to the crowd, Skrili swayed, and then fainted beside Darla. Light platforms appeared underneath both of them, as well as Benny, and began carrying them all away.


    ¡°She¡¯s okay¡ªshe¡¯ll just need rest and healing,¡± Deon told Phillip. ¡°The officials will take care of that, right?¡±


    Phillip nodded, then stood. ¡°Let¡¯s meet Pang and go wait for Skrili to recover.¡±


    Deon was surprised Phillip was actually inviting him to join. He made sure not to point it out, before Phillip changed his mind.


    As he and Phillip climbed down the steps, he smiled to himself about Skrili¡¯s victory. Thanks to their training together, she stood up to a more experienced Power Rebound.


    But it also reminded him: Skrili was still that far ahead of him. She had mastered her power-up, while he wasn¡¯t close. Soon, she could be strong and experienced enough to slip out of his reach. It only persuaded him further:


    Perhaps he needed to take Pang¡¯s offer to practice together. He just couldn¡¯t let Skrili find out.

 41. Do You Know Her?

    Apparently, the Conscious Competition healers didn¡¯t allow visitors into their rooms¡ªat least, not freely. A floating sign above the Healing Center¡¯s entrance read:


    ¡°IMPORTANT: Healing is a very arduous and delicate process. To ensure the full recovery of all injured fighters, please wait outside the room until your associate or loved one is ready for pickup or visitation.¡±


    Due to this, Deon had been sitting in the waiting room for a while now. Phillip sat across from him on a padded bench, while Pang had wandered off somewhere out of boredom. The room was white and well lit under the shine of several glowing orbs, just like the ones in their hotel rooms.


    Weirdly enough, Deon wished Pang would come back. She would keep a conversation going, as opposed to the silent, glum Phillip.


    A floating flat screen was against one of the walls, but since the next fight hadn¡¯t yet begun, it showed countless commercials¡ªmore than half of which featured Kotono Inoue, Hiroko Hamasaki, or both. Everything about them was alluring, no matter how trivial the advertised product was. The young women were flawlessly beautiful and strong.


    Pang finally made her way back over to the waiting room, carrying three bags of some sort of sweet snack. She tossed one to Deon, and then sat close to Phillip and handed him another.


    ¡°They have stuff down the hall,¡± she said.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Deon replied uncomfortably. Hanging around with these two only felt stranger without Skrili.


    Pang shrugged. ¡°Gosh, can Skrili hurry up and heal? She¡¯s gonna miss the next fight,¡± she said, eyeing the door with little expectation.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna take a long time,¡± Deon explained. ¡°After Concussion, she needs at least half a day to feel back to normal. That¡¯s with the TeamTrack healing thing, at least.¡±


    Pang shook her head with a laugh. ¡°That Skrili¡­she didn¡¯t even bother to tell me she could do Concussion now.¡±


    ¡°I guess you underestimated her,¡± Deon suggested. After all, both times they crossed paths in No Man¡¯s Land, Pang wouldn¡¯t stop talking down to her. As far as Deon was concerned, she only changed her attitude once she needed Skrili for this tournament.


    It bothered him.


    ¡°Oh, and you must understand Skrili so much better than me, huh?¡± Pang challenged. Now her golden eyes were on him, and he couldn¡¯t tell if she was entertained or aggravated by his statement.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± shrugged Deon.


    ¡°Oh, okay. Tell me about her, then,¡± insisted Pang. ¡°Why do you think she teamed up with you?¡±


    Deon hesitated. If he was honest, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure.


    ¡°I know her, because she¡¯s just like me,¡± Pang told him. ¡°You need to make sure you really know what you¡¯re getting yourself into with her, or you¡¯re gonna end up in a bad spot. I tried warning you before.¡±


    She¡¯s nothing like you¡­Deon wanted to say. He felt his face grow warm with anger, so he tried to suppress it.


    Pang must have noticed his eyes glowing, because she leaned forward with an excited smile. ¡°You¡¯re too much fun to pick on, Deon,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°How¡¯s that cool power-up, by the way? Need help?¡±


    Thankfully, energetic music coming from the floating screen interrupted their conversation. They all looked to find a broadcast of the next fight was about to begin.


    Deon watched eagerly. At last, he¡¯d get to see Alex and Ving compete.


    ¡°Welllllcome back!!¡± Soot¡¯s voice greeted. He sounded much more up-front, as opposed to the usual echoed projection inside the arena.


    Deon could feel the rumble of applause and shouts, even from the waiting room deep in the halls of Gloat Stadium.


    ¡°We have quite the matchup next, between two true powerhouse teams. It could go either way,¡± Talonvorp chimed in.


    ¡°Right. First, please welcome the ever-elegant, ever electric: Lozu and Richvon Gorgasti!!¡±


    Two very light, stuck-up looking fighters emerged from the west gate and floated on a platform into the arena. They dressed in fashionable button-up clothes that seemed designed just as much for a formal gathering as they were for exercise. The duo didn¡¯t acknowledge the screaming audience as they focused ahead with confidence.


    ¡°Hailing from the beautiful Archdove Kingdom here in Fantasy Country, this cousin duo has been quickly ascending the Consciousness League ranks,¡± Talonvorp shared. ¡°Lozu¡¯s Mismatch abilities can confuse even her most experienced competition, while Richvon can use another teams¡¯ chemistry to their own detriment. On top of that, they¡¯re great fighters: their kingdom¡¯s Consciousness Academy taught them well.¡±


    Lozu flipped her mint-green hair flauntingly as she and her cousin stepped onto the fighting platform.


    ¡°And now for their opponents, whose background is pretty much the opposite¡ªbut that doesn¡¯t hold back their potential,¡± Soot began. ¡°From two tiny habitations in Fiction Country, you know ¡®em, you love ¡®em: it¡¯s your most recent Fiction Country Conscious Competition champions: Alex Malachi and Ving Paw Nee!!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think these two need any introduction,¡± added Talonvorp with a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to see this team give it their all.¡±


    Alex and Ving emerged from their gate and floated in. The audience went even wilder for them. While Ving bowed peacefully to each corner of the stadium, Alex gave a big, excited smile.


    In a moment, the two teams faced each other on the fighting platform.


    Pang ripped open her snack and tossed a piece into her mouth. ¡°They¡¯re announcing this like it¡¯s evenly matched,¡± she criticized. ¡°Alex and Ving have this, easily.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± questioned Deon.


    ¡°Just watch.¡±


    After the audience¡¯s ritualistic countdown, the teams sprung into action.


    ¡°We got this, Ving,¡± Alex declared. ¡°Feel good?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± came Ving¡¯s reply.


    Richvon let out a single laugh. ¡°Simpletons. Your bond will only lead to your defeat,¡± he warned. ¡°Ah, I can feel it already¡­so potent¡­¡± he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. When he reopened them, though, they had gone from sharp and focused to hazy and reddish. ¡°The good stuff¡­¡± he said slowly.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Lozu inquired.


    ¡°Great vibes, man¡­.¡± Richvon slurred, leaning lazily. ¡°I feel the love¡­¡±


    What the heck am I watching? Deon wondered.


    ¡°As expected, Richvon used his Vibefeeder powers to increase his fighting ability!¡± Soot narrated.


    ¡°Facing a team like Alex and Ving, he must be getting all sorts of positive vibes from their great chemistry,¡± Talonvorp added. ¡°His fighting reflexes could be at an all-time high now.¡±


    ¡°I see what you did there.¡±


    ¡°Onto the plan, Richvon,¡± Lozu instructed intensely.


    ¡°Sure¡­¡± he mumbled back.


    The duo charged at Alex and Ving, who waited in patient defensive positions. Ving grabbed hold of her long feathered robe and spread it wide like wings.


    A mischievous smile appeared on Lozu¡¯s face. ¡°Champions or not, you can¡¯t fight if you can¡¯t control your body properly,¡± she said as they closed in.


    Ving¡¯s arm moved backwards awkwardly. She looked at her leg, seemingly wanting it to shift, but her arm had moved instead. ¡°She¡¯s done it,¡± Ving noted calmly.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Alex seemed to be facing the same issue.


    ¡°It looks like Lozu has already activated her Mismatch abilities! Now Alex and Ving won¡¯t be able to control their limbs properly!¡± Soot announced.


    ¡°She affected both of them at once¡ªthat¡¯s extremely difficult even among certified Mismatches. Lozu is quite the contender,¡± Talonvorp noted.


    With only seconds before their enemies would be upon them, and unable to command their bodies correctly, Alex and Ving looked on.


    Alex smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t move, Ving.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened as he watched the screen. ¡°Alex wants to just let them close in? They¡¯re not even gonna defend themselves?¡± he worried.


    ¡°Just keep watching,¡± said Pang.


    Lozu and Richvon were upon them now, about to strike.


    But then, a gust of air erupted up from underneath Ving. Her outstretched cloak took to the wind, and she soared into the air. The gust also shoved Lozu and Richvon, causing them to stumble backwards.


    ¡°NO!¡± Lozu steamed. ¡°Richvon, hit her out of the sky! She¡¯s still mismatched: she can¡¯t defend herself!¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, man¡­¡± Richvon said lazily. ¡°I¡¯m lovin¡¯ these vibes¡­¡±


    Once more, Lozu began charging at Alex. He waited unmoving.


    Meanwhile, Ving waited suspended in the air, wind still shooting all around her. Richvon targeted her, and then with a great and confident leap, darted up after her. His precision was perfect¡ªhe was about to punch her right out of the sky.


    But Ving¡¯s tiny smile remained. As he drew close, the wind pushed her body out of harm¡¯s way. Then as Richvon passed by her, the air positioned Ving sideways and launched her feet-first into Richvon¡¯s back. He plummeted out of the air, and then crashed outside the platform.


    Lozu paused her advance to see her teammate lying out of bounds, still smiling to himself blissfully. She gritted her teeth.


    ¡°This is ridiculous. I¡¯m ending this!¡± Lozu growled, pouncing at Alex.


    He still stood undefended. ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re great with your Mismatch ability and all, but we don¡¯t need to move our bodies to win,¡± he said.


    Lozu swung a fist¡ªbut despite standing directly in front of Alex, she missed. In fact, she punched so slow, it looked like she had merely tried to tap him with her fist.


    Then the wind rapidly swooped Ving down out of the sky, right towards Lozu. Once again positioned legs-first, Ving kicked her directly. The impact sent her sliding across the platform until she fell right off the edge.


    Just like that, it was over.


    ¡°With one hit each, Lozu and Richvon are already defeated by ring-out!! Alex and Ving have done it!!¡± Soot exclaimed as the audience roared.


    ¡°Incredible¡­they¡¯ve simply waltzed right into the semi-finals,¡± said Talonvorp. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow to see if the young Pang and Skrili have what it takes to face them. I can¡¯t wait!¡±


    ¡°Oh, we have what it takes,¡± Pang said cockily.


    ¡°Okay¡ªI¡¯m totally lost,¡± Deon admitted. ¡°So¡­Ving¡¯s powers let her fly¡­and Lozu¡¯s just terrible at punching for some reason?¡±


    ¡°Fair guesses, but no,¡± Pang told him. ¡°Ving and Alex fight as one unit¡ªeven down to using their powers. That¡¯s why they¡¯re such a strong team. Alex is an Imaginer who specializes in air and wind. He was carrying Ving through the air that whole time, and she trusted him to protect her and use her as a weapon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why they didn¡¯t have to actually move,¡± Deon noted. ¡°But¡ªwhy wasn¡¯t Lozu able to punch Alex?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where Ving¡¯s type came in,¡± Pang explained. ¡°She¡¯s a Perceiver. She can change the speed people perceive things at. So she used that to totally throw off Lozu¡¯s timing, and then BOOM! She was too late.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­that¡¯s some crafty fighting,¡± uttered Deon. It was no wonder Alex and Ving were champions.


    ¡°Lozu and Richvon have decent types if you ask me, but they¡¯re no match for Alex and Ving¡¯s chemistry,¡± added Pang. ¡°Good teams depends on each other; that¡¯s why you gotta do some soul-searching if you really think you can be Skrili¡¯s teammate. If you don¡¯t even know each other, you can¡¯t trust each other. And if you can¡¯t trust each other, you can¡¯t depend on each other. Simple as that.¡±


    Deon glared at her, again at a loss for a witty retort. She had a point.


    ¡°What are you even after, anyway?¡± Pang pressed. ¡°Why Skrili? What, just trying to get stronger? To be the strongest? Most famous? Huh?¡±


    Deon was silent. His face felt warm.


    ¡°That¡¯s not gonna cut it,¡± said Pang bitingly.


    ¡°Why?¡± Deon finally shot.


    ¡°I already told you. Because I know Skrili. She¡¯s like me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that even supposed to mean, though?!¡±


    ¡°It means I know what she wants!¡± Pang exclaimed. ¡°She¡ª¡±


    The Healing Center¡¯s door vanished, and Skrili entered quietly followed by a white-cloaked doctor.


    Pang regained her composure. ¡°Hey girl,¡± she greeted. ¡°You crushed it today.¡±


    She¡¯s acting all nice again like nothing even happened back in No Man¡¯s Land, Deon thought begrudgingly. But he tried to let it go for now¡ªit wasn¡¯t the time. After all, this was the first time he¡¯d seen Skrili in a couple days, aside from watching her compete.


    ¡°Skrili, that was awesome fighting!¡± he decided to say. ¡°All that training paid off.¡±


    Skrili nodded, seeming slightly confused and out of it.


    ¡°She recovered perfectly,¡± the doctor shared to Pang. ¡°The healing magic¡¯s effect will take a while to wear off, so she might seem a little groggy. No more fighting or training for her today. Just make sure you let her rest, and she¡¯ll be safe to fight again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks doc!¡± called Pang as he reentered the healing center, the door reappearing behind him.


    Skrili stood before them in silence, looking around like the room was spinning.


    ¡°You gonna help her back to the hotel, or what?¡±


    Deon realized Pang was talking to him.


    ¡°I thought she was your teammate now,¡± she added.


    ¡°¡­Right,¡± Deon uttered, trying again to swallow his frustration with her. He began to stand.


    But suddenly, Phillip stirred. He stood up first.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all help her back together,¡± he insisted simply. He walked over to Skrili as Deon and Pang fell silent at his words. Phillip looked at Skrili earnestly. ¡°Thank you¡­for fighting for my life,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± replied Skrili, looking slightly beyond him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll thank you again when your wits are back,¡± he decided.


    Pang chuckled. ¡°Okay, Phyllis. You¡¯re right. Deon was just being petty, anyways.¡±


    ¡°I was?!¡± Deon spat.


    Pang¡¯s laughter increased. The two of them joined Phillip and Skrili as they began their way through the white halls.


    Deon kept an eye on Skrili as they walked. She seemed like she was in her own world, like his Uncle Adon when he drank too much. While he was glad the healing worked, he wished he could at least have a conversation with her. Once again, this Conscious Competition had kept them distant.


    Phillip stepped aside to check a map floating along the wall to make sure they were headed the right way. Once he did, Pang subtly drew close to Deon.


    ¡°My offer still stands, by the way,¡± she murmured.


    Deon knew exactly what she meant, but he pretended he¡¯d forgotten. ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Your power-up, silly. I wanna see it again. I¡¯ll let you practice it on me.¡±


    Deon hesitated. He knew Pang was exactly who he needed to awaken it again. But then he looked at Skrili. She had specifically told him not to listen to Pang the other day.


    Why?


    By now, Phillip was returning to them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­let you know,¡± Deon muttered back.


    ~~~


    Lammy stood humming to himself at the front counter of the Phoenix¡¯s Gloat Stadium setup. Pete had offered to give him a break from grilling in the back, so they agreed to switch places for a bit.


    At first he was nervous about helping customers directly, but these Conscious Competition attendees were much more polite than Food Town¡¯s clientele.


    Usually there was more of a rush in between fights, but business was slow. He overheard that some famous musical group was performing before the next faceoff, so he figured that was why.


    Just when he was about to go check on things in the back, a slender figure in a hooded black cloak slipped up to the counter. Her face was hidden, but Lammy noticed some strawberry blonde curls flowing out of her hood.


    ¡°Hello, what can I get for you?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°One Phoenix Float, please,¡± she requested very softly. She seemed uneasy about speaking with him.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he said. After glancing at the cloaked girl with concern, he stepped over to the drink station and began acquiring the proper ingredients.


    But as he put the drink together, he couldn¡¯t help glancing back over to this mysterious girl. She repeatedly looked behind her, keeping her head down.


    Soon, the beverage was complete. Lammy hoped he¡¯d made it right, and that maybe it would ease this girl¡¯s apprehension.


    ¡°Hi again, Lammy!¡± came Zayza¡¯s voice. She emerged from the crowd, carrying the Phoenix food box with a big smile as she approached the restaurant.


    ¡°Still having fun?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly keeping me busy!¡±


    She passed by the cloaked girl, making her way towards the kitchen to restock.


    But oddly, the cloaked girl gave a double-take when she noticed Zayza. Lammy watched as the girl¡¯s gaze followed Zayza with surprise. It was like¡­


    ¡­She recognized her.


    ¡°Hey!¡± someone exclaimed from the crowd.


    Abruptly, several extremely tall and muscular men in matching dark attire forced their way through the foot traffic and hurriedly approached the restaurant counter. They stood close behind the cloaked girl in a semicircle, their arms spread out seemingly to guard her.


    The girl jumped, startled.


    ¡°Ms. Inoue, what are you doing over here?¡± one of the men asked urgently.


    ¡°You can¡¯t keep trying to wander off. Stay with us,¡± another commanded. ¡°We were worried sick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­s¡ªsorry,¡± she stammered.


    ¡°No you¡¯re not. Come on, come with us.¡±


    The young woman turned towards Lammy, looking to the newly prepared Phoenix Float with longing. Finally, he could see her face: it really was Kotono Inoue, the famous consciousness fighter plastered all over this stadium in their decorations and advertisements. Rob and Pete were obsessed¡ªthey said she and her teammate Hiroko were the best in the business.


    However, she seemed very different from all her professional appearances on the walls and screens. Instead of giving off a confident, flashy aura, she was extremely timid. There was an intense blush on her nose and cheeks. This girl didn¡¯t look like a champion at all.


    Kotono¡¯s round red eyes switched quickly between the float and Lammy, as if begging him to bring it to her while she still had the chance. Lammy thought it best to help her out¡ªit was clear she wasn¡¯t having a great day.


    But one of the guards abruptly lowered her hood over her eyes and stepped in front of Lammy¡¯s view to hide her.


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t, Ms. Inoue,¡± he said. ¡°You know you can¡¯t put something like that in your body. You¡¯re fighting today; you should know better.¡±


    The guards guided her away from the Phoenix. Kotono tried to look back one more time, but they blocked her view and pushed her along gently. Soon, they were all out of sight.


    Lammy stared on, wishing he could have intervened.


    But¡­what was the Kotono Inoue, from the most famous team in Fantasy Country, doing at their humble little burger joint?


    Then Lammy¡¯s heart skipped as he pondered a much more alarming question:


    The way she looked at Zayza¡­Lammy thought. Kotono Inoue¡­knows her?


    Wait¡­she knows Zayza¡­even with the magical earrings?!

 42. To Feel Again

    Deon sat in his exceedingly comfortable bed in his and Skrili¡¯s hotel room, watching his TeamTrack closely. The two teams in the final fight of the night had been going at it for hours now, and he followed nearly every second.


    After he, Pang, and Phillip brought Skrili back to the hotel together, Pang showed him how to access the tournament broadcast on his TeamTrack. That way he could still follow the event, while keeping an eye on Skrili as she recovered from the healing process.


    He tried watching Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki¡¯s fight earlier, but there had been some sort of technical interference. All he saw was a gold light shine around Kotono, and then signal went dark. By the time it came back mere minutes later, Kotono and Hiroko had already emerged victorious, and the crowd was losing their minds in excitement.


    Deon resolved not to miss their next round. He needed to see the source of all the hype for himself.


    As the current fight raged on, Deon found himself increasingly fascinated at all the contestants¡¯ abilities. They must have put in years of endless work to get to this point. Three of the four current participants were Imaginers, and each used their powers in unique ways he¡¯d never thought of: manipulating light with reflections, customizing the fighting platform to their advantage, and more.


    It all amazed Deon. But it also made him question himself.


    The longer he couldn¡¯t awaken his new power-up on command, the longer he was stuck at the same skill level he¡¯d been in.


    He glanced over at Skrili, who was sleeping in her bed across the room. He missed training with her in the desert. It felt like they were a team then, but now she was far too busy with the Conscious Competition.


    But it wasn¡¯t the tournament itself, and certainly not Skrili¡¯s determination to help Phillip afford treatment for his sickness, that bothered him. It was the fear that in all of this, she¡¯d grow distant from him again¡ªand grow closer to Pang.


    And worse: that she¡¯d get too good for him.


    Eventually, one of the competing teams emerged victorious by imagining a series of structures to trap and confuse their foes, before sneaking up and tripping them out of the arena. While it wasn¡¯t quite grandiose enough to make up for how long the fight had gone on, Deon was still impressed.


    He was determined: soon, he¡¯d be just as good of an Imaginer as them, Benny, and all the other certified pros.


    No¡ªhe wanted to be even better.


    For now, though, there was only so much he could accomplish training by himself. He needed a challenge, and Skrili certainly wasn¡¯t in a position to help.


    There was Pang¡¯s offer, however. But while that was tempting, Skrili clearly didn¡¯t want him to trust her.


    Deon sighed. I¡¯ll just forget it, he decided. Maybe there¡¯s another way¡­


    Still too alert to go to bed, and with little else to do, he opened up The Multiverse: A Complete Guide for Complete Idiots again, turning to the Fantasy Country section.


    After about an hour, his TeamTrack vibrated.


    Deon picked it back up and noticed he¡¯d received a message.


    It was from Pang.


    ¡°I¡¯m bored. Can¡¯t sleep :(¡± it read plainly.


    Deon stared at the screen for a moment¡ªhe didn¡¯t think Pang would message him, especially not this late. But he knew what she wanted. Unsure of what else to say, Deon simply replied:


    ¡°That sucks.¡±


    After a minute or two with no response, Deon figured that was that. But then he received one more message:


    ¡°Meet me at the training rooms?¡±


    His attempt at playing dumb had failed. Pang was pushing hard to get him to fight her again. Why did she want so badly to help him activate his power-up? Deon hardly knew her. Something didn¡¯t sit right.


    Another message came:


    ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna get stronger?¡±


    Followed by another:


    ¡°Skrili doesn¡¯t have to know.¡±


    Deon glanced over at Skrili again. As much as he wanted nothing more than to re-awaken his newly found abilities, was it really worth going behind her back? And clearly, Pang knew this was something Skrili wouldn¡¯t like. Why was she so willing to knowingly disrespect Skrili, who was doing her a massive favor by fighting in this tournament?


    It pissed Deon off.


    It might be worth it just to give Pang a piece of my mind, he thought angrily. Skrili shouldn¡¯t have to put up with her.


    No¡ªthat alone couldn¡¯t justify it.


    But¡­if I don¡¯t figure out how to tap into these powers soon¡­Deon thought. ...and if Skrili keeps improving and getting more successful here¡­


    ¡­She¡¯ll have every reason to leave me behind.


    Deon felt his heart begin to pound as he began typing his reply.


    ¡°Be there in five minutes,¡± he sent.


    ~


    Instructions for warping to the hotel¡¯s training rooms had automatically downloaded to Deon¡¯s TeamTrack when they first checked in, so he opened the application. Following its guidance, he walked over to a corner of the room and pressed an icon on the screen.


    A red light enveloped him from below, and after a flash, he found himself in a new place.


    He was in a long, black hallway illuminated by floating orbs near the ceiling. Large doors with red numbers on them were along the wall, likely entrances to the various training rooms. Deon figured the rooms must have been quite large, because all the doors were a short walk from each other.


    The hall curved around a corner at the end, indicating more training rooms farther down.


    Deon stood alone in dead silence. It felt wrong to be here this late. He was probably the only soul in the whole area.


    He shifted uncomfortably. We¡¯ll make this quick¡­I¡¯ll head back up to my room as soon as we¡¯re done, he planned.


    Deon heard light footsteps coming from around the corner. Pang emerged, walking quietly with a pink hoodie over her usual fighting clothes. She noticed Deon and smiled.


    It wasn¡¯t her menacing smile, though. It was a friendly one.


    Deon gave an awkward wave and waited for her to reach him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Pang said, her voice quiet. She seemed nervous, still smiling.


    What¡¯s with the personality shift? Deon wondered. ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted back. ¡°Um¡­what do we do¡­?¡±


    ¡°I think all the rooms are open,¡± Pang shared. ¡°Come on.¡±


    She led him to the nearest one, and then held her TeamTrack up to it. The number on the door turned green before the door vanished. Together Pang and Deon entered the training room, the door reappearing behind them.


    The room was just as large as Deon suspected, around the size of the fighting platform in Gloat Stadium. The floor and walls were all padded in red and black, and several padded shapes and mats lay randomly across the floor, likely left that way by whoever had previously trained in here. It smelled clean, and the air was still and cool.


    Pang removed her hoodie and tossed it to the side, walking to the middle of the training room. She turned to Deon. ¡°Ready to have fun?¡± she asked.


    Deon looked around uncomfortably. ¡°Uh¡­I mean, sure.¡±


    ¡°What, feeling guilty?¡± figured Pang with a smirk. ¡°Me too, I guess. I didn¡¯t tell Phillip I was doing this. He worries about me, since I¡ªwell, I¡¯m over-sharing¡­¡±


    Deon joined her at a distance, in the middle of the room. ¡°Well, thanks for wanting to help me. I¡¯m just here to try and awaken those powers again, and then we can be done.¡±


    Pang broke eye contact with him suddenly, with a slight pout. ¡°Okay¡­¡± she uttered. Then, she shifted into her fighting position. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back, though.¡±


    Deon nodded, though uncertainly. Pang¡¯s mannerisms were odd. Something really wasn¡¯t right.


    Nonetheless, he shifted into his stance.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it,¡± said Pang.


    Before Deon could even prepare a defense, Pang had already shot forward and kicked him in the chest. He flew back, crashing against the padded wall and falling forward. Even with the padding, the impact still knocked the air out of him.


    ¡°Cheap¡­shot¡­¡± Deon struggled to say, standing back up.


    ¡°If I remember right, I need to piss you off for this to work,¡± Pang explained calmly.


    ¡°Fair en¡ª¡± started Deon.


    But again, he felt a sharp impact and tumbled partway across the room; Pang had speedily attacked him once more.


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


    ¡°Do you mind?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°You can do better than that, Deon,¡± said Pang. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it. Let¡¯s see it again.¡±


    She zipped at him again, but this time, he had expected it. As Pang jumped to kick him, Deon imagined a stone wall directly in front of himself. Her foot crashed into this instead, so she hopped off with a flip.


    As she did, Deon imagined and shot a flying fist at her. It collided with her in mid-air and sent her tumbling onto the padding. He charged her, but Pang quickly recovered. Suddenly, he felt something grab him from behind and casually toss him across the room.


    Deon landed unsteadily, and turned just in time to see a giant hand she had used his powers to imagine. She wished it out of existence.


    ¡°Remember that one?¡± Pang reminded him. ¡°Bring back any memories?¡±


    It did: he thought of their last fight in No Man¡¯s Land. She had trapped him with a giant hand against a tree as she ridiculed Skrili and ripped up her precious photo.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad at all?¡± Deon shot. ¡°Especially now that you need Skrili¡¯s help?¡±


    Pang shrugged. ¡°A little. But I¡¯ve done worse. I¡¯m a bad person.¡±


    Her nonchalance annoyed him, on top of the memories of how she broke Skrili down to tears. She didn¡¯t deserve Skrili¡¯s help. Sure, Phillip didn¡¯t deserve to die from his illness, but Pang was just¡­something else.


    Deon¡¯s face felt familiarly warm, especially in his eyes.


    Pang¡¯s eyes widened with anticipation and excitement¡ªDeon¡¯s must have begun glowing. ¡°Yes! There it is,¡± she noticed with a smile. ¡°Alright, come on.¡±


    As wrong as it felt, Deon tried to hold on to his growing anger. He stared at Pang, the source of his rage. But even still, this new energy was fading already. He could feel himself holding it back for some reason.


    Pang seemed to catch on. ¡°Gosh, seriously?¡± she asked. Her default, condescending attitude was beginning to show again. ¡°What¡¯s the big holdup?¡±


    Deon gritted his teeth. ¡°What¡¯s in this for you, anyway? Are you gonna manipulate the power-up and get revenge or something?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t keep up last time,¡± Pang answered ponderingly as she put her fists on her hips. ¡°And revenge? I don¡¯t want that, silly.¡±


    ¡°Then why are¡ª¡±


    He fell silent when a series of solid, black objects appeared, floating around Pang. They all took the shapes of cartoon hearts. Pang mentally drew smiley faces on them simultaneously.


    She sighed like she had taken a refreshing sip of water. ¡°Man, you¡¯re super creative. It makes it easy to imagine cooler stuff,¡± she told him. ¡°Big Benny¡¯s more naturally detailed, but he didn¡¯t give me much to go off of.¡±


    All the hearts shivered for an instant, and then with a point, Pang launched them at Deon.


    Alarmed, Deon imagined another stone wall. But as he feared, the hearts broke straight through it: since Pang had used his powers, she could let her creations affect his however she wanted.


    Deon managed to imagine the first couple black hearts out of existence, but there was no dodging the others as they all pounded into him. The several blows tackled him further back each time, until he was up against the padded wall. He tasted blood after the last one punched him across the cheek.


    ¡°Come on, the stone wall again? You have so much more to offer me, Deon¡ªI can feel it,¡± Pang called over.


    Deon spat as he regained his composure.


    ¡°Because I mean, look at what I can do with your powers,¡± Pang said.


    To Deon¡¯s shock, a massive, shadowy structure began filling the room, as if Pang was painting it in the air. It took on a shape that vaguely resembled the small canoes Deon¡¯s mother used to imagine for him and Lammy in the pond, but it grew more complex. Soon, this floating vessel was much more robust and angular. Deon was unsure what kind of boat it was.


    ¡°If I can do this, what¡¯s stopping you?¡± questioned Pang. ¡°I know the answer of course, but I wanna hear it from you.¡±


    Deon said nothing. If Pang could imagine faster and smarter than him without his power-up, he had no defense.


    Pang sighed.


    The giant boat darted forward, pounding into Deon. For a split second he thought it would crush him, but Pang had purposely made it light¡ªit felt like three of the black hearts hitting him at once, which was still quite a hit.


    Deon almost fell over, but another impact from the boat sent him back into the wall. He cursed to himself.


    ¡°You¡¯re holding back,¡± Pang said.


    Another blow.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of it.¡±


    Yet another.


    ¡°Let it out.¡±


    One more.


    Finally, Pang gave it a break, and the boat vanished. Deon was keeled over, clutching his stomach and gasping from the throbbing pain all over.


    Pang tilted her head. Her face had fully returned to its usual intimidating and larger-than-life expression. ¡°You¡¯re scared of the rage taking you over again,¡± she said soberly. ¡°But if you want this power-up, you need rage. For some reason, your powers heighten with your anger. You have to let it out.¡±


    ¡°You¡­don¡¯t want that,¡± Deon warned.


    ¡°Yes I do. Try to beat me,¡± Pang instructed. ¡°If you can¡¯t, you won¡¯t be anybody special out here. Just someone to forget.¡±


    Instantly, the heat in Deon¡¯s face returned. He glared at Pang as she stared back, unfazed. From the day they met, she¡¯d been doing practically nothing but making him and Skrili feel small, tactically picking at their deepest insecurities. Not even his last brutal victory against her put her in her place.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you do anything but tear people down?!¡± he exclaimed. Now there was an orange hue in his vision. ¡°Fine¡ªyou deserve this.¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyes lit up with anticipation.


    Or¡­was it longing?


    Either way, the storm had arrived.


    Rage enveloped all of Deon¡¯s being, and just as swiftly as it poured in, he felt his limitations vanish. He knew it¡ªnow he could imagine anything he wanted.


    Guess it¡¯s time I test out my finisher, he thought bloodthirstily. Go, Twitchy.


    Just before Pang appeared a being even larger than the boat she had imagined. It was Twitchy: the squirrel-monster Deon had used as an illusion against Phillip, and the attack he had been working towards during his training with Skrili.


    But with this power-up, now he could imagine it¡ªas a real object¡ªflawlessly.


    Pang looked up at it in fear, but there was still an uncomfortably eager gleam in her eyes.


    Under Deon¡¯s control, the sharp-toothed giant squirrel swung a paw at Pang. It hit her fully, slamming her against the mats as she let out a cry. Twitchy followed with two more swings, which were just as devastating.


    Even as Pang let out cries of pain, and as her arms shook when she tried to push herself back up, it didn¡¯t faze Deon. His anger had overwritten all other emotions, and it felt perfect.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get what I want,¡± Deon said darkly. ¡°And that¡¯s to be stronger. Than you. Than everyone. To be the strongest.¡±


    Pang looked on, defenseless and oddly wide-eyed. ¡°Do it, Deon,¡± she uttered.


    Deon brought back Twitchy¡¯s arm one more time¡ª


    ¡ªBut as he commanded it to slash, it stopped. Confused, Deon tried again, but Twitchy didn¡¯t budge.


    Somehow, Deon had lost control of him.


    Pang appeared just as perplexed¡ªclearly, it wasn¡¯t her.


    Then, Twitchy turned around.


    On his own.


    The giant squirrel faced him, seemingly out of its own will, and looked down at Deon. Its usually beady eyes were now orange, just like his and Lammy¡¯s.


    And they were full of sorrow.


    ¡°Is¡­is that what you want?¡± Twitchy asked.


    Deon gasped. The squirrel¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t its own: it was a female¡¯s.


    It sounded exactly like Savannah, his childhood friend and recent ex.


    ¡°What¡­how¡­¡± stammered Deon. ¡°What¡­do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Is that really all you want?¡± Twitchy asked again in Savannah¡¯s voice. ¡°To be stronger than everyone else? To be better than everyone?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± challenged Deon uneasily.


    Twitchy shrugged, just like Savannah would have. ¡°You already accomplished that back home, and it wasn¡¯t enough,¡± the squirrel replied. ¡°But now you¡¯re willing to harm this girl just to feel that again.¡±


    Then it turned to face Deon fully, and continued. ¡°And¡­well, that¡¯s not what we want for you.¡±


    Again Deon¡¯s heart skipped, because now it was speaking with his mother¡¯s voice.


    ¡°We know you can be so much more than that,¡± it continued as his mother.


    Deon felt beside himself. ¡°Mom¡­? What¡­do you guys want for me¡­?¡±


    Twitchy smiled. ¡°It¡¯s something we know you can be, because it¡¯s something you¡¯ve already given us, over and over again.¡±


    Now it used Lammy¡¯s voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s the best part about you, even though you can get a little too distracted to remember it,¡± Twitchy said. ¡°We want you to be love.¡±


    Deon froze. Immediately, all the rage coursing through him felt incredibly foolish. While it was still there, it felt like wearing someone else¡¯s clothes. He still wanted it badly¡ªand the power that came along with it¡ªbut it was beginning to embarrass him.


    What the heck am I doing? Deon wondered.


    On top of that, he had another pressing question.


    ¡°Wait¡­how is this happening?¡± Deon asked. ¡°Who¡¯s making you say all this?¡±


    Twitchy¡¯s smile remained. ¡°Well, I¡¯m your creation,¡± he said¡ªmatching Deon¡¯s voice identically. ¡°I¡¯m from your imagination, your thoughts. This is all in you. This is you. And what you wanna do with that? Well, I guess that¡¯s up to you.¡±


    Deon looked back and forth between Pang and Twitchy several times. All those memories of Savannah, his mother, and Lammy¡­were they right? Was ¡°being the best¡± just trivial?


    Pang¡¯s eyes were still wide, now with uncertainty. ¡°No¡­you¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re kidding, right?¡± she asked with a fake, uncommitted laugh. ¡°You¡¯re talking yourself out of this. Don¡¯t be scared¡­please¡­¡±


    Is that what this is? Deon thought. Is this my mind¡¯s way of trying to psych myself out, like a last-ditch effort?


    If he stopped now, he¡¯d be in the same place as before¡ªinadequate in this world. Unable to keep up.


    He¡¯d fall farther behind. He¡¯d lose Skrili, buried underneath her growing success. Pang was probably right:


    He¡¯d be a nobody.


    ¡°NO!¡± Deon barked, banging his hand against his head. ¡°TWITCHY, ATTACK!!!¡±


    Twitchy stood, defiant and sorrowful.


    ¡°I SAID ATTACK!!!¡± The glow in Deon¡¯s eyes increased, as the floodgates caved in once more to his rage.


    But still, Twitchy didn¡¯t obey. Instead, he began fading from existence.


    ¡°NO!!!¡± screamed Deon.


    But it was too late: Twitchy was gone.


    ¡°Fine! I don¡¯t need imagining to do this!¡± Deon decided furiously. He sprinted at Pang with all of his might, fists fully clenched.


    The closer he got, the more hopeful Pang¡¯s expression became.


    ¡°There you go, that¡¯s it, Deon,¡± she encouraged. With each step, her overconfidence was giving way to her earlier, kinder demeanor.


    Deon was almost upon her. But he heard her utter three more words with an expectant yet fearful smile, and they stopped him dead in his tracks:


    ¡°Please hurt me.¡±


    Deon almost tripped when he caught himself. He stood there, staring at Pang in bewilderment.


    ¡°Wh¡ªWhat?¡± he asked.


    Pang looked around worriedly, trying to mask whatever it was she was feeling. ¡°Um¡­nothing,¡± she said. ¡°Just¡­just finish this. Try to win.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what you said,¡± Deon pointed out.


    Shifting uncomfortably, Pang tried to avoid eye contact. ¡°Come on¡­Just keep the fight going, will you?¡± she said weakly.


    Deon felt his anger evaporating. His vision grew clearer.


    When Pang finally looked back at him, she immediately panicked. ¡°No! Your eyes¡ªdon¡¯t stop now! You can¡¯t stop now!¡± she pleaded. ¡°Not when we¡¯re this close¡­¡±


    The reason for Deon¡¯s pounding heart had transitioned from boiling anger to increasing worry. Pang looked like she was on the brink of losing her mind.


    ¡°Pang¡­why did you insist on helping me train?¡± Deon asked slowly. ¡°Are you¡­okay?¡±


    Something in his tone set Pang off.


    She lunged to her feet, eyes bright with desperation and frustration. ¡°NO! Don¡¯t do that! Don¡¯t look at me like that!!¡± she cried.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Pang shoved him. ¡°Stop! Stop with that! Keep fighting me!¡± she pushed him again, but Deon didn¡¯t retaliate. ¡°Keep fighting! You can do it! You can overpower me! You can defeat me! You¡¯ve done it before!¡±


    The shoves continued, but Deon didn¡¯t block or fight back. Tears formed in her eyes.


    ¡°Come on, you said I deserve it, right?! I¡¯m a bad girl, aren¡¯t I?! Defeat me! Make me feel that again, PLEASE!!¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Deon pressed.


    ¡°I JUST WANT IT TO FEEL LIKE HE¡¯S HERE AGAIN!!!!¡± Pang screamed.


    She finally paused to catch her shaky breath, as Deon watched wordlessly.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Pang mumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t do that¡­don¡¯t give me that sympathetic look¡­Forget you heard anything. Why did you have to stop¡­?¡±


    She raised a fist and halfheartedly bumped it against Deon¡¯s chest.


    In that moment, feeling equal parts worried and uncomfortable, Deon had an unexpected surge of clarity:


    He knew he¡¯d been wrong since the second he stepped outside Tailpiece.


    Those thoughts Twitchy recited¡ªhis thoughts¡ªwere right. He¡¯d been distracted with the goal of becoming the best, yet that was the very same goal that led to his dissatisfaction in Tailpiece. Continuing down that path could lead to the same, discontented end in the greater Multiverse.


    Besides, being better than everyone wasn¡¯t the reason his mother was proud, or the reason Savannah had loved him¡­and now he realized, it probably wasn¡¯t why Lammy looked up to him.


    He knew the reason. He knew the kind of person he should choose to be.


    ¡°Pang¡­¡± he started earnestly. ¡°Who did this to you?¡±


    Pang¡¯s golden eyes now filled with distress.


    ¡°No¡­Why did you have to stop¡­? Why did you have to stop¡­?¡± she kept repeating over and over again. She was growing more distraught each time.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Deon noticed the lights on the door turn from red to green again. Then, it vanished.


    Skrili and Phillip entered in a panicked rush.

 43. Pang (and) the Sinking Ship

    ¡°No¡­no¡­why?? WHY?!¡±


    Pang¡¯s utterances quickly intensified into exclamations of desolation and fear.


    Phillip and Skrili, still in their nightclothes, both came to aggressive halts at the doorway as they witnessed the unfolding situation. Deon stared back at them, frozen.


    ¡°WHY DID YOU HAVE TO STOP?! NO¡­I HATE THIS!!¡± Pang shouted, her voice labored and choky. Her eyes widened as she stared through Deon at something unseen.


    Deon reached out a cautious hand. ¡°Pang, you okay¡­?¡±


    Pang screamed. She began gasping uncontrollably, cursing to herself in between.


    Immediately, Phillip sprung back into action. He approached Pang from an angle, seemingly to avoid startling her from behind. The look he shot Deon made it clear he should back away.


    Deon quickly complied, still looking on with worry at whatever he had just helped trigger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± Pang begged to someone invisible, still struggling for air.


    Phillip stood close, but made sure not to touch her. ¡°It¡¯s me, Pang. It¡¯s Phillip. I¡¯m right at your side. I¡¯ll never leave you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sinking¡­it¡¯s sinking, I¡¯m sinking, I¡¯m sinking, I¡¯m sinking like Mommy, oh God I¡¯m sinking¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right here with me. You¡¯re safe,¡± assured Phillip softly. ¡°You never have to go back there again. I know this feels horrible, but it won¡¯t last long.¡±


    Deon noticed Skrili was still standing at the door, watching with a knowing concern. Her hair was still somewhat pressed against her head on one side; she had clearly raced down here straight from bed.


    When her eyes fell on Deon,       he wanted to evaporate.


    I blew it¡­I should have listened to her, he realized.


    Pang¡¯s gasps and sobs continued for minutes, until eventually, her eyes softened a bit. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. By now, Phillip had managed to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Why does it have to be so freaking cold in here?¡± she grumbled shakily.


    Phillip smirked at the slight return of her usual attitude. ¡°It is rather chilly.¡±


    Skrili caught Deon¡¯s eye again, and she cocked her head towards the open doorway for him to follow her. He couldn¡¯t read her expression.


    Concealing an anxious gulp, he began his way towards the exit. But then he noticed Pang¡¯s pink hoodie lying on the padded floor nearby. He paused to retrieve it, and then turned back towards Pang and Phillip.


    ¡°Um¡­here you go,¡± he offered tenderly.


    Pang either didn¡¯t notice him or tried to ignore his presence, wiping her wet cheeks, so Phillip reached out to take the hoodie.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Deon said.


    Phillip¡¯s cold glare warmed slightly as he gave Deon a single nod. Then he returned his attention to Pang, and wrapped the sweatshirt around her shoulders slowly.


    Feeling out of place, Deon turned once more to join Skrili. She stared at him blankly before leading him out of the training room. Even as they entered the dimly lit hallway, she said nothing.


    The door rematerialized behind them, leaving Pang and Phillip to themselves.


    Deon couldn¡¯t waste any time. ¡°Skrili, I¡¯m an idiot. I should have just listened when you told me not to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the room,¡± Skrili said unemotionally.


    Deon nodded, guilt¡¯s unrelenting weight pressing down on him. ¡°Right.¡±


    Skrili lifted her TeamTrack. She aimed it at herself and Deon until a red light enveloped both of them.


    Then, instantaneously, they were back in the low glow of their round room.


    Deon wanted to apologize again, but Skrili still offered no hint that she¡¯d receive it.


    ¡°You should heal up. You look awful,¡± she uttered. Then she simply turned to crawl back into bed.


    ¡°Wait, I shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Deon told her. ¡°Pang wanted to fight, so I went behind your back. I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Skrili interrupted, stopping in place.


    ¡°Wait¡ªyou¡¯re sorry?¡±


    She refaced him. ¡°This is my fault,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°But¡ªhow?¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯ve been forcing you to wait on the sidelines since we got here,¡± explained Skrili. ¡°That¡¯s not fair to you as my actual teammate.¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­sure¡­¡± admitted Deon. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, I told you not to listen to Pang, but I never said why,¡± continued Skrili. ¡°I promised her I wouldn¡¯t tell anyone¡­but that¡¯s not fair to you, either.¡±


    Deon still wanted to advocate for his own guilt in the matter, but his curiosity held him back.


    ¡°So then¡­what exactly just happened?¡± he asked. ¡°Like, what was that?¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t answer for several seconds. Then she sighed and sat down on her bed, so Deon sat on his own.


    ¡°Pang is¡­complicated,¡± she explained. ¡°She¡¯s from a really distant reality in Fiction Country called Artifex. Its only planet with life had the same name, and it was extremely isolated.¡±


    ¡°¡®Planet?¡¯¡± inquired Deon.


    ¡°A giant, floating sphere of stuff with things on it,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    ¡°From how Pang explained it, civilization on Artifex was almost over before she was born,¡± said Skrili. ¡°The whole planet had flooded, so the people lived on massive ships that could house thousands. But over the decades they started running out of resources and their ships failed. Pang was born on the last remaining ship: it was the biggest one, and the last place on Artifex with human life.¡±


    Deon recalled the giant, shadowy vessel Pang had imagined in their fight. It must have been on her mind.


    ¡°But her ship was also on its way out,¡± Skrili continued. ¡°It was sinking gradually. The people managed to slow the process, but every year or so, another floor of the ship would drown. So the richest and most powerful people of Artifex claimed the highest floors. The less money and influence you had, the sooner you would drown. I forget how many floors Pang said there were¡ªthe ship was enormous¡ªbut Pang¡¯s family lived at the bottom when she was a baby.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t someone come help?¡± Deon wondered. ¡°This is a Multiverse, right? Why didn¡¯t someone from some other reality come get them?¡±


    ¡°They did¡ªbut you had to be rich, and lucky,¡± Skrili told him. ¡°Some explorers from Science Fiction Country found them and set up a rescue. But the reality was so far on the outskirts of Fiction Country that it would take a long time to travel there. On top of that, the planet was extremely secluded and the gravitational pull around it made time pass much slower.¡±


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


    She noticed she was starting to lose Deon with this terminology.


    ¡°Basically, it took a lot of time and resources to get there,¡± she simplified. ¡°They could only show up a year at a time. And the only vessel that could handle the trip couldn¡¯t fit more than one passenger at once. They would always take someone from the top.¡±


    ¡°Only one person got rescued a year?!¡± Deon repeated. ¡°This place was torture¡­no wonder Pang was scarred. At least they got to her, but still¡­¡±


    Skrili shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Well¡­it gets a lot more messed up than that,¡± she admitted with reluctance.


    ¡°How? That¡¯s already terrible.¡±


    Skrili took another sigh. ¡°Like you assumed, the rescue vessel eventually got to her. But¡­she had to do certain things to get to that point.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t have any money or power on Artifex, there were other ways to climb towards the top of the ship. The rich in their society had a favorite form of entertainment similar to the Consciousness League. So they allowed fighters from lower floors to challenge the ones above them. If they won, they would get to switch with the loser, moving farther away from the submerging parts of the ship.¡±


    ¡°So Pang had to fight her way to the top? That explains why she¡¯s so strong.¡±


    Skrili averted her eyes. ¡°These weren¡¯t just normal fights like the Conscious Competition, though¡­they were death matches. Pang had to kill her way to the top.¡±


    Deon fell speechless.


    ¡°She never told me how many lives she had to take¡­it used to give her nightmares¡ªI¡¯m sure it still does.¡±


    Deon would have never guessed she wore the burden of taking another¡¯s life on her back. She carried herself with such self-assurance and energy. Was that all a show?


    But even still, this didn¡¯t quite tie into why she wanted to fight Deon again so badly. For some reason, she wanted Deon to beat her.


    ¡°The reason Pang is so strong, and why she made it from the bottom of the ship to the top, was because of her father,¡± Skrili shared. ¡°He was the only person to ever beat her¡­until you. He was a fighter, but didn¡¯t have consciousness powers¡ªthat was from her mother¡¯s side.


    ¡°But since he didn¡¯t have powers like the strongest fighters,¡± she continued, ¡°he knew he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance as the challenger. So he decided his best hope was to train Pang to fight. He started when she was just a little girl, and¡­well, judging by the stuff Pang used to say in her sleep¡­he didn¡¯t go easy on her. Actually, I think he hurt her really badly¡ªespecially when she couldn¡¯t follow his instructions.¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart sank. His father was a bit naggy, but he couldn¡¯t imagine him ever laying a single finger on him to harm him. In Tailpiece, parents were supposed to pick you up and encourage you to grow. This sounded like a perversion of parenting. He felt his stomach turn.


    She was just a little girl, he thought.


    ¡°But the harsh training worked¡ªeventually she could defeat her father,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°She won her first death match when she was seven, and her family was allowed to move higher up. But her mother refused to stand by it. She stayed behind, and drowned probably not long after. Then Pang spent her whole upbringing fighting for her and her father¡¯s survival. She kept getting stronger, so they kept moving higher up on the ship. By the time they made it to the top, it was one of the only floors left.¡±


    Deon let out a sigh. ¡°Man¡­was her father able to get rescued, too?¡±


    Skrili nodded, her eyes on the floor. ¡°He¡­did what fathers do.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Pang told me whenever the Science Fiction Country ship flew to them, chaos would break out. People would fight and toss each other overboard; whatever they could do to get to the highest point to be rescued. She really only mentioned this part to me once, and she tried to laugh it off: her father told her to clear a way, and said he¡¯d give her cover so she could make it to the rescue ship. They made it all the way there, and at the last second¡­he pushed her aside and climbed in.¡±


    ¡°So¡­he used her,¡± Deon realized, clenching his fists. He felt sick. His rage began to swirl back to life within, but he immediately pushed it back.


    ¡°He did. Either just in that moment, or for her whole life, he used her,¡± said Skrili. ¡°I don¡¯t know which¡ªand I don¡¯t think Pang does, either. She probably never will.¡±


    They both sat in dead silence for a moment.


    ¡°Pang never told me what happened in her last year on Artifex,¡± Skrili uttered. ¡°She¡¯s made off-handed comments about being the last survivor, though. I don¡¯t know what she had to do to make that possible. All I know is that the only affection she earned growing up was from fighting and killing. And the only way her father showed her love was by training and beating her.¡±


    Just as Skrili said this, Deon realized how much Pang still meant to her. Skrili¡¯s eyes had gone watery, and her expression was one of subtle, passionate fury as her lip quivered. Even after everything Pang did to her in No Man¡¯s Land, Skrili refused to hate her. It was probably too late to consider them friends, but perhaps their bond as teammates had turned into something inextricable: family.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s why she wanted to fight me again,¡± Deon recognized. ¡°Because when I beat her the first time, it reminded her of¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t let himself finish.


    Skrili sniffed, and then crawled back into her bed. ¡°It¡¯s late. I¡¯m gonna need to get more rest before we fight¡­um¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re up against Alex and Ving,¡± Deon revealed, remembering she had missed the whole fight.


    ¡°Oh. Great.¡±


    Deon reached for his TeamTrack again to heal the injuries he sustained against Pang. But something Pang had told him flashed in his mind. Despite the poor timing, he needed to ask Skrili about it¡ªespecially after everything he had just learned.


    ¡°When we were in the waiting room, Pang insisted you were ¡®just like her,¡¯¡± Deon said. ¡°What did she mean?¡±


    By now Skrili was under her blanket, turned towards the wall. Deon wondered if she¡¯d respond at all.


    ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m sorry, you don¡¯t have to share,¡± he decided.


    ¡°If you really want to know,¡± said Skrili, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you¡­in time.¡±


    Deon nodded, even though she couldn¡¯t see. The fact that she said ¡®in time¡¯ eased his mind¡ªperhaps he hadn¡¯t pushed her away with his actions, after all.


    But the guilt still loomed: he thought about Pang¡¯s episode, and how his personal goals enabled it. If he hadn¡¯t stopped himself when his powers rebelled against him, if he had given in to his selfish ambitions instead of acknowledging something was wrong, this evening could have ended much worse.


    He closed his eyes and recalled the words Twitchy had said through the voices of his loved ones. ¡°We want you to be love.¡±


    Trying to look at all of this from the outside, it quickly became clear to Deon. Skrili, Pang, and Phillip¡­everyone around him was much more broken than him. If he couldn¡¯t learn to respect that, he would never understand his teammate. Skrili would have no reason to trust him.


    It was decided: if he wanted to be a good teammate, it was no longer about being the strongest. He wasn¡¯t even a participant in this tournament¡ªtraining and punching things could wait. If he wanted to be a good teammate right now, it didn¡¯t mean being a fighter.


    It meant being a friend.


    ¡°Skrili, all my bets are on you guys tomorrow, no question,¡± he assured. ¡°If you need anything at all, just let me know!¡±


    His sudden enthusiasm must have repelled Skrili a bit, because she didn¡¯t respond.


    Okay¡­that was a bit much, Deon realized.


    ¡°I appreciate you,¡± Skrili finally said.


    Deon smiled.


    ¡°And you can start by letting me sleep,¡± she finished.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªsorry.¡±


    ~


    The next day, Deon wasn¡¯t so confident about Skrili and Pang¡¯s chances.


    He managed to wake up while Skrili was still getting ready, so finally, he was able to join her on her way to Gloat Stadium. But as they exited the room, he couldn¡¯t help but notice Skrili¡¯s baggy eyes; waking up in the middle of the night to deal with him and Pang clearly hadn¡¯t helped her re-energize after healing.


    Deon decided not to point it out, figuring that would do no good.


    But it wasn¡¯t just Skrili¡ªPang seemed just as unprepared for this semi-finals match against champions.


    They met up with Pang and Phillip in the hotel¡¯s large courtyard. Pang didn¡¯t give them some grandiose greeting, or say anything about ¡°crushing¡± the next fight. She just waited for Skrili, avoided eye-contact with Deon entirely, and proceeded walking with the group, rather slowly.


    Last night must have left her even more exhausted than Skrili, Deon figured. The fact that he played a part in both of their conditions hung above him. He kept glancing between the two of them as they walked.


    Pang must have noticed, because abruptly, she turned and looked at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, alright? I¡¯m here now. Sorry I freaked you out last night,¡± she said overconfidently, quickly turning away again. Deon read right through it¡ªshe sounded like she was impersonating herself.


    ¡°Well¡­I really am sorry,¡± Deon said. ¡°If I had known¡­¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m fine,¡± she called back.


    The four fighters fell silent once more, even as they took to the skies with their levitation bracelets. Soon, Deon couldn¡¯t take it anymore: this downtrodden attitude, though understandable, wasn¡¯t a way to go into their biggest fight ever. If they lost, they made it this far for nothing. He couldn¡¯t imagine what Phillip was feeling, betting everything on this.


    Besides, this was partially his own fault. He couldn¡¯t watch it go on like this.


    ¡°Alright, I know everyone¡¯s a bit shaken up,¡± Deon started as they glided along. ¡°And I¡¯m probably not the right person to talk, but I¡¯m gonna say something anyways: winning this Competition means a lot to you guys, so you can¡¯t stop here. You¡¯ve been tearing the place up, so you can do it again.¡±


    No one responded, aside from Phillip, who simply looked at him briefly.


    Deon tried again. ¡°I¡¯ll just leave it at this: after watching Alex and Ving win their last fight, Pang made a good point: it¡¯s because they know and trust each other more than anyone. I know stuff has happened between you two, but now I also know now how much you two understand each other. Honestly, it¡¯s pretty obvious you still care about each other. So if you wanna win, if there¡¯s ever a time to try and trust each other again, it¡¯s gonna have to be now. You guys can win this.¡±


    He waited again for some kind of response. At this point, even a negative reaction would have eased his mind a bit.


    After a while, Skrili and Pang glanced at each other briefly. They looked away at the same time as they flew.


    Deon tensed. Skrili and Pang were moments away from facing their strongest opponents yet, and they couldn¡¯t be less prepared.

 44. Not in Tune

    ¡°So then: two Early Burgers and two Phoenix Floats?¡± the gorgeous green-eyed worker confirmed over the chatter humming across the arena.


    Deon nodded, but when he leaned in his seat to obtain his TeamTrack, he noticed Phillip had already done the same beside him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy this time,¡± Phillip said simply.


    While he and the young lady processed the transaction, Deon took another glimpse at the girl¡¯s marked arms. The black, swirly tattoos even covered her hands. Last time he assumed they were fashion statements, but considering her uneasy reaction, he wondered what they really were.


    Already feeling apologetic after last night, Deon figured he¡¯d try and make up for their previous interaction.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry if I made you uncomfortable yesterday when I brought up your markings,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯m Deon, by the way.¡±


    The girl looked up from her device after accepting the payment. She gave a sweet smile. ¡°Oh, you did nothing wrong,¡± she assured. Then she brushed a finger across her ear briefly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­Zayza.¡±


    Another spectator called over to Zayza, so after confirming the transaction with Phillip, she headed off.


    As people waited eagerly across Gloat Stadium for the first of the two semi-finals rounds, Deon glanced again at Phillip.


    ¡°Thanks for paying, man,¡± he said. ¡°But honestly, I¡¯m confused. I don¡¯t deserve it¡ªPang and I went behind your back last night.¡±


    ¡°Pang coaxed you into it¡ªyou didn¡¯t know her motives,¡± Phillip reasoned. ¡°And¡­I owe you my thanks.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You do?¡±


    ¡°I awoke to find Pang gone, so I contacted Skrili. I was sure you¡¯d give Pang what she wanted and use your powers to crush her. But by the time we found your training room, you had refused to keep fighting. You could tell something wasn¡¯t right with her.¡±


    Deon shrugged. ¡°I mean¡­it was pretty worrying.¡±


    ¡°My point is, you showed restraint. And care. The first time you fought Pang, you had no self-control. You were like a violent animal,¡± explained Phillip. ¡°But I suppose you¡¯ve changed, and that made a difference last night. I was wrong about you.¡±


    Deon smiled.


    ¡°Only very slightly wrong about you, though,¡± added Phillip.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    They fell silent, both leaning forward in their seats as they ate anxiously. Neither wanted to admit it, but Deon knew: this fight was going to be the worst yet. There was no fire in Skrili or Pang¡¯s eyes on their way to the stadium¡ªjust jaded gazes. Last night had resurfaced past emotions at the worst possible time.


    Phillip winced as a black vein in his neck twitched. Deon pretended not to notice.


    They need to pull it together¡­he thought.


    Abruptly, Zayza rushed back down to their row, seeking them out. She caught Deon¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Pardon me¡ªdo you know someone named¡ª¡±


    ¡°THE TIME HAS COME, FELLOW FIGHTING FANS!!!!!!!!¡± Soot¡¯s voice boomed across the stadium, even louder than in past fights. The lighting and music went berserk, completely drowning out whatever Zayza was about to say.


    Now totally immersed the unfolding event, Deon kept all his attention on the arena. The seats shook from the audience¡¯s roar.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made it to the Semi-Finals, Soot,¡± chimed in Talonvorp. ¡°And might I add: this is turning out to be the most electric Fantasy Country Conscious Competition in quite a few years.¡±


    ¡°All the twists and turns!! My heart hasn¡¯t stopped pounding since day one!¡± Soot agreed.


    ¡°Again: that¡¯s the bewitched coffee. But anyway, one of the culprits behind these unexpected twists is about to enter the arena!¡± Talonvorp declared. ¡°These two young ones came out of nowhere, and despite this being their first ever Conscious Competition, they¡¯ve been dominating¡ªeven besting Darla and Benny Stewarts!¡±


    ¡°But will they be able to wow us all again today, pitted up against the Fiction Country Conscious Competition champions?!¡± Soot pondered. ¡°Let¡¯s see what else they got: please welcome Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay!!¡±


    The audience¡¯s thunderous response was much more intense than Deon had expected as Skrili and Pang floated into the arena. Clearly, they had won the hearts of thousands here.


    But this time, Pang wasn¡¯t waving back to the crowd. She simply stared ahead emptily, while Skrili looked around with unease visible even from Deon¡¯s seat.


    ¡°And like you said, Talonvorp, their opponents couldn¡¯t be more difficult. These two¡­¡±


    Gradually, the entire stadium began filling with a deep, unanimous cheer:


    ¡°ALEX...! VING¡­! ALEX¡­! VING¡­!¡±


    It grew more and more powerful, soon drowning out the rest of Soot¡¯s hype speech. The flashing lights in the stadium matched suit. Eventually Soot let out a laugh and gave up, and Deon could hardly hear him announce ¡°the amazing Alex and Ving!¡±


    Deon had to block his hears. He noticed Phillip maintained a dead stare on the fighting arena while Alex and Ving were met with the ultimate greeting.


    Suddenly, Deon didn¡¯t have much of an appetite.


    Down on the platform, Skrili wiped a hand across her face. But it didn¡¯t undo the heaviness in her eyes, or increase her focus. Getting up in the middle of the night threw off her recovery from the healing process.


    Pang sighed beside her, and Skrili knew her exhaustion wasn¡¯t their only problem. She was certain Pang couldn¡¯t rest last night after her panic attack. She was haunted¡ªshe always had been¡ªand now, of all times, it was surfacing.


    Skrili almost opened her mouth to speak. She almost checked on Pang. But her torn photo of her brother blinked into the forefront of her thoughts. Somehow, bitterly, her memory of Pang destroying Akri¡¯s smile before her eyes had become much more vivid than her memory of his smile itself.


    Why should she offer a hand to the person who did this to her?


    Across the platform, Alex and Ving greeted them with disarming smiles.


    ¡°Well Skrili, I did say we should meet in the finals,¡± began Alex, ¡°but this is close enough! Congrats on getting this far!¡±


    Ving bowed to each of them. ¡°It will be a pleasure.¡±


    Skrili couldn¡¯t find it in herself to reply, even to two of her favorite pro stars. She felt queasy¡ªa particular sort, of which she hadn¡¯t felt in years:


    The kind just before a fight she knew she couldn¡¯t win.


    Alex watched their weary eyes with concern. ¡°Hey now, I¡¯ve seen what you ladies can do. You better give us your best!¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Skrili and Pang both promised.


    Alex appeared oddly dissatisfied with their answers, as Ving looked off like she had just discovered a gaping, unfortunate weak spot.


    With the entire crowd about to burst out of their seats in anticipation, the semi-finals couldn¡¯t hold off any longer.


    ¡°Get ready for a wild ride!!¡± shouted Soot.  ¡°Count it with me:¡±


    ¡°THREE¡­¡±


    Pang rapidly turned to Skrili. ¡°Sneak Bounce!¡± she called urgently.


    ¡°TWO¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?!¡± Skrili shot in a panic.


    ¡°ONE¡­¡±


    ¡°No time to plan¡ªjust do it!!¡±


    ¡°FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!¡±


    Skrili immediately felt a spongy surface launch her straight into the air, and in an instant she crashed sloppily against another. It was their surprise attack¡ªbut it surprised Skrili just as much as anyone.


    In accordance with the technique, she was now positioned behind Alex, so she did her best to aim a kick in midair. But the attack was meant to happen in a blink¡ªany marginally different timing, and it was compromised. Instead, she toppled to the floor just past Alex, who stood completely unharmed.


    Pang was supposed to use Alex¡¯s imagining to launch her again at Ving, but the surprise attack was already ruined. They failed miserably.


    ¡°Oh no! What a slip-up!¡± Soot exclaimed.


    ¡°It appears Skrili and Pang attempted the same surprise technique that won them an instant victory in the Preliminaries,¡± Talonvorp observed. ¡°Pang used an Imaginer¡¯s powers to launch Skrili with springs, in a ricochet effect meant to take down their opponents right out the gate¡ªSolid choice here, but frankly, this was plain sloppy execution.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what went wrong?¡± added Soot.


    In the balcony seating, Phillip clenched his fists.


    Deon¡¯s foot tapped endlessly. ¡°So that¡¯s what I missed in the Preliminaries¡­they were way off this time¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not in tune,¡± Phillip noticed despairingly.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Skrili leaped to her feet, in a race to distance herself from Alex and Ving as they watched unalarmed. They effectively had her surrounded.


    Great¡ªnow what?! she thought.


    Pang cursed. ¡°Um¡ªMATCHUPS!! Take Ving, take Ving!!¡± she demanded, now darting towards Alex.


    With no time to consider the call, Skrili complied, turning to face the unruffled Ving. Skrili hesitated when the tall, feathery robe-covered girl again gave a warm smile.


    ¡°I shall do my best, Skrili,¡± she sang, accepting the faceoff.


    Alex¡¯s imagined wind encircled Ving, and as soon as she raised her wavy sleeves, she took to the air. Skrili waited below, unable to prevent her ascent.


    Meanwhile Pang neared Alex, tapping into his imagining to create the same black-heart attack she used against Deon the night prior. They hovered around her, ready to fire.


    ¡°Interesting call, Pang¡­didn¡¯t you catch our last fight?¡± Alex asked.


    He was right; Lozu and Richvon had tried the same offensive: attempting to separate them. But Pang knew they relied on each other¡¯s powers, and considering her lack of preparation for today, she had to roll with what little she knew.


    ¡°I can be a little more distracting,¡± Pang uttered. She rapid-fired the hearts at him.


    Alex flipped, hopped, and skirted out of the way masterfully, avoiding each attack.


    ¡°Assistance?¡± Ving queried from up in the air.


    ¡°I¡¯m good!¡± Alex replied as Pang tried her best to fire more heart attacks.


    Ving nodded confidently. Then, the wind sent her swooping down at Skrili. She glided and balanced using her feathered robe. Ving stretched out her hands, revealing her long, claw-like black fingernails.


    Just in time, Skrili dove out of her reach and Ving returned to the air. Ving plunged back down again, and again, only to the same effect.


    Skrili tried to loosen up. Ving had gotten so close each time, the gust of Alex¡¯s wind itself almost knocked her over. Tired as she was, she needed to stay sharp.


    The accuracy of these attacks¡­Skrili analyzed. Alex is completely dodging Pang, but at the same time he¡¯s able to aim Ving straight at me with his wind¡­


    The air dives continued, even increasing speed, and Skrili feared she could only last so long.


    ¡°Okay then¡­¡± Pang grumbled after her onslaught continued to fail. She scrapped the black heart idea and imagined a series of black clouds high above Alex.


    He observed the miniature storm curiously. ¡°Very cool¡­you know I can just imagine this away, right?¡±


    ¡°Not if I don¡¯t give you time to,¡± Pang retorted.


    A pitch black bolt of lightning cackled from the cloud to where Alex stood in less than a blink. Alex must have sensed the use of his powers coming, because he sidestepped it just in time.


    ¡°WHOA! Awesome!¡± he complimented.


    But Pang didn¡¯t have time for pleasantries: she jolted as many lightning bolts into existence as possible, grateful for Alex¡¯s level of imagining.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­pretty good at¡­imagining¡­for not being¡­an Imaginer!¡± Alex shouted in between frantic dodges.


    It was clear Pang¡¯s plan was working: not only couldn¡¯t he imagine the attack away, he couldn¡¯t keep commanding the wind for Ving: she now floated in place above Skrili.


    Ving¡¯s owlish eyes peered over to her teammate with a hint of concern. ¡°Impressive¡­I¡¯ll offer alleviation,¡± she decided.


    Suddenly Pang¡¯s lightning bolts grew farther away from their target, until they were striking nowhere close. Soon, they began slowing.


    ¡°Can¡¯t¡­time it¡­¡± Pang groaned.


    ¡°In a smart defensive move, Ving has activated her Perceiver powers on Pang!¡± Soot commentated.


    Alex shot Ving a thumbs-up. Within seconds, he forced Pang¡¯s artificial storm to vanish.


    ¡°Skrili is very quick¡ªI can¡¯t toss her,¡± Ving shared. ¡°I¡¯d like to request Combustion Claws.¡±


    ¡°Coming right up!¡± exclaimed Alex.


    Ving held out her hands, and spirals of wind began whirling around her long nails. Then strands of fire weaved into the air, until she had circles of flames around each finger.


    ¡°Great¡­¡± Skrili muttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªthe fire is mostly aesthetic,¡± Ving explained melodiously. ¡°Alex likes to put on a show; it won¡¯t burn you. However, this might still hurt quite a bit.¡±


    With that, the wind gusts tossed her back downward, and she glided at Skrili with dazzlingly bright hands. The crowd cheered at the glorious sight.


    Skrili dove to the side again, but a POP resounded as Ving swiped a hand near her. An instantaneous explosion of air pounded into Skrili and sent her tumbling hard against the arena floor. She stood back up, disheveled, as a minor Power Rebound boost welled up within.


    Looking around frenziedly, Skrili couldn¡¯t see where Ving had gone. She found out too late, as another explosion burst dead-on to her back. The hit sent her airborne for a moment before crashing near the center of the platform.


    Skrili stood slower this time, her Power Rebound increasing¡ªbut with it, her nausea also increased. The ground seemed to shift under her for an instant before she caught her footing.


    I never finished recovering last night¡ªmy body can¡¯t handle a Power Rebound, she noticed. We¡¯re in trouble.


    Her bleak outlook only worsened as Ving¡¯s Combustion Claw attacks raged on.


    Only steps away, Pang stood in aggravation. No matter how hard she focused on Alex, she kept taking unusually long to imagine an attack. He imagined each away with ease.


    Clearly, Ving was still throwing off Pang¡¯s perception of time and space with her Perceiver powers¡ªeven as she fought Skrili. Her concentration was impeccable.


    ¡°Now for probably my least favorite part, though I guess it¡¯s necessary,¡± Alex declared.


    He started towards Pang, ready for close-combat.


    As he swung his first fist, Pang tried to block. But again, her timing was delayed, and he landed a direct hit on her stomach. It was like he had punched two times faster than Pang witnessed it. This pattern only continued, unfolding into a fully one-sided fight. Pang took more and more damage, managing only to hold her ground.


    Deon groaned as he and Phillip watched their companions get proficiently pummeled. He wanted to dive into the arena and help.


    This can¡¯t be it¡­he thought.


    Skrili gasped for air, her body shaking as she barely reached her feet this time. Her Power Rebound was exploding within, but it only added to her discomfort¡ªher body wasn¡¯t fit to use this extra strength.


    It was clear Pang¡¯s haphazard plan had failed just as their surprise attack: separating Alex and Ving meant nothing. They were both able to support each other with their consciousness abilities, even while immersed in their own fight. Their communication and dependency was unbreakable.


    If Skrili and Pang had only been able to prepare for this fight, maybe they would¡¯ve stood a slight chance. Even if they had strategized this morning, they wouldn¡¯t have flopped so easily.


    But after last night, their communication had broken. Pang hadn¡¯t said a word to her until the fight began. Now there were invisible, impenetrable walls between them.


    ¡°It is time,¡± Ving declared, floating in place.


    As Alex kicked Pang down one more time, he sighed. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. I still felt like these two had more to offer.¡±


    Pang forced herself to at least stand, grasping her stomach.


    ¡°As did I,¡± agreed Ving. ¡°Combustion Orbs, please.¡±


    Alex complied with her request, imagining another special attack. As Ving held out her hands, Alex placed compressed, spherical gusts of air into them, and added in the sparks of fake fire like before.


    ¡°I will try not to make this last long,¡± Ving assured Skrili.


    Then, she tossed one of the wind orbs at her from above. As she did, another reformed in the hand she had just emptied.


    Skrili made a break for it, but the attack exploded against the arena right behind her, tossing her like she was weightless. By the time she landed, another was on its way and gave the same impact.


    Slamming onto her back, Skrili coughed. She¡¯s forcing me off the platform with these, she realized. And I¡¯m already running out of strength¡­What do I do?


    As soon as Ving had sprung into action, Alex did the same. His offensive against Pang grew even more intense. With Ving¡¯s powers still influencing her, Pang could do little other than take the hits and back further towards the edge of the platform.


    ¡°Well folks, not to call it, but it looks like Alex and Ving have our breakout stars on their way out!¡± Soot announced.


    Another spectacular blast sent Skrili flying and left her lying mere steps from the edge. She heard Pang let out a grunt and crash right beside her¡ªAlex had kicked her back with great force.


    The girls¡¯ eyes met as they lay together, nearly incapacitated. A wave of mixed emotions flooded Skrili as she wearily gazed into Pang¡¯s golden, now hopeless eyes. This girl was once her best friend, then her worst enemy.


    But who was Pang to her now?


    The fight was all but over¡­but staring into Pang¡¯s eyes, why did Skrili so desperately want to keep fighting? Why couldn¡¯t she give up, even when the outcome felt inevitable?


    She wanted to save Phillip. She couldn¡¯t let someone else die because of her¡­but glancing at Pang, she knew that wasn¡¯t all.


    So why was Skrili really here?


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± Pang shot weakly.


    ¡°What look?¡±


    ¡°You know what look.¡±


    The emotions flowing through Skrili began to manifest into something familiar. Finally, she understood.


    She knew what Pang meant. And it caused her to realize an unexpected truth; something that rarely ever occurred:


    Deon was right.


    His words played back in her head:


    ¡®I know stuff has happened between you two, but now I also know now how much you two understand each other. Honestly, it¡¯s pretty obvious you still care about each other.¡¯


    After everything Pang did: leaving her behind, stealing her belongings, and destroying her photograph¡­after all of that, Skrili still cared for her. She knew why Pang did all of those things:


    It was never about Skrili¡¯s feelings. It was about her own.


    ¡®Alex and Ving won their last fight, because they know and trust each other more than anyone¡­¡¯ Deon had said.


    ¡®¡­If there¡¯s ever a time to try and trust each other again, it¡¯s gonna have to be now.¡¯


    There was still a way to win.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t have to happen like this,¡± Skrili told Pang soberly.


    ¡°If this is about last night, just forget¡ª¡±


    ¡°None of it had to happen like this,¡± continued Skrili. ¡°When we first teamed up, we shouldn¡¯t have promised each other to forget our pasts. I couldn¡¯t do it, and that scared you¡ªbecause admit it: you couldn¡¯t, either.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­drop it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Folks, I think this is just about over!¡± announced Soot.


    Skrili and Pang broke their gaze to find Alex and Ving standing a few paces away. Wind was shooting around Alex, as Ving watched on with an odd hint of sadness.


    ¡°Be gentle, they are about finished,¡± Ving advised.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°Sorry guys, this is it!¡±


    Alex forced a powerful wave of air their way.


    ¡°No!¡± exclaimed Pang. Wincing, she glared at the oncoming attack. Then, a gust equal in size collided with it, holding it in place: Pang used Alex¡¯s Imagining to block it. Straining, she returned her attention to Skrili.


    ¡°Forget the lecture! It¡¯s over¡ªI can¡¯t hold this!¡± she shouted over the rumbling wind.


    But Skrili refused. ¡°Listen to me, Pang! We lost our friendship because you shut me out when you needed me. Now we¡¯re losing this fight because you¡¯re doing it again.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?!¡±


    ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re going through, that¡¯s what! Like it or not, we need each other, because we¡¯re the only ones who understand each other.¡±


    Pang paused, still struggling to match Alex¡¯s wind with her own as she stared at Skrili.


    Skrili brought herself to her knees slowly, the gusts pulling at her. ¡°I know how much winning this means to you!¡± she said. ¡°Believe me, I know! So this isn¡¯t just about saving Philip to me. I¡¯m realizing it never was just that¡ªIt¡¯s about making sure you never have to feel the pain of losing someone you love again¡­because we both know what that feels like, and I can¡¯t let that happen to you anymore!¡±


    Finally, both bursts of wind sucked into each other and swooped out of existence. Pang had managed to cancel out Alex¡¯s attack.


    The crowd gasped, but Pang was already beyond this. Her focus was now on Skrili.


    ¡°Where is all this coming from? I¡¯m terrible; you should hate me,¡± Pang told her, her words now crystal clear with the gusts gone. ¡°After everything¡­you should just hate me.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes¡­I wish I could,¡± Skrili admitted. ¡°But I guess I just don¡¯t. I understand you. And I¡¯m willing to stop shutting you out, if you can do the same for me. If we do that, we have a chance.¡±


    She reached for Pang¡¯s hand. Pang glanced at their untouched opponents, then back at Skrili with shiny eyes. Finally she accepted, and the two battered fighters supported each other to their feet.


    Applause began slow, until the shocked crowd filled the air with admiration.


    ¡°They¡¯re¡ªthey¡¯re somehow still in this?!¡± Soot shouted.


    Skrili noticed Pang still didn¡¯t release her hand, even after they stood. She avoided eye contact, staring their opponents down instead. Her hand was trembling.


    ¡°You¡¯re super corny, Skrili,¡± Pang muttered. Then she clutched Skrili¡¯s hand even tighter. ¡°But¡­I¡¯m listening. Okay, let¡¯s do this together.¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what got us this far.¡±


    Pang smiled weakly. ¡°Alright. How about you call it this time.¡±


    ¡°No Matchups. We take them both on at once. Straight on.¡±


    The crowd erupted with excitement. For a moment, Skrili had forgotten the tournament amplified their voices.


    ¡°YES!! THAT¡¯S what I¡¯m talking about!!¡± Deon exclaimed up in the balcony. ¡°FREAKING WIN!!!!¡±


    Phillip smirked. ¡°It seems they¡¯ve taken to your advice from this morning.¡±


    Alex and Ving appeared just as elated, both smiling with fire in their eyes.


    ¡°Alright! Now this looks like the team I wanted to fight!¡± Alex proclaimed.


    Skrili and Pang watched on nervously. Their bodies were shaken, their minds nearly spent. But they were a unit again, at least right now.


    ¡°Hey¡­Skrili,¡± started Pang softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorr¡ª¡±


    ¡°Save it until after we win,¡± Skrili interrupted.


    They released each other¡¯s hands and shifted into identical fighting stances. A new adrenaline had awakened:


    Their second chance had begun.

 45. Reconnection

    ¡°Astoundingly, Pang and Skrili have caught a second wind! This fight is still on!!¡± Soot shouted enthusiastically as the crowd¡¯s eruption continued.


    ¡°Catching the end of their little discussion there, it seems they settled a grudge of some sort¡­¡± noted Talonvorp.


    Deon clasped his hands together in front of his mouth, his legs bouncing up and down, as Phillip watched in silent anticipation.


    ¡°They¡¯re still in this¡­they can do this¡­¡± Deon uttered.


    But he thought of his conversation with Alex the other day. It wasn¡¯t public yet, but this was Alex and Ving¡¯s final competition together. Their legacy was riding on this championship. Which meant:


    They wouldn¡¯t pull any punches.


    The two teams stood frozen, waiting for the right moment to pounce.


    ¡°Fight them both at once, huh?¡± Pang repeated beside Skrili.


    ¡°Yes. We stick with team attacks, like the Preliminaries,¡± muttered Skrili. ¡°We watch each other¡¯s backs.¡±


    Pang smirked. ¡°This is gonna take me back to the good old days. Alright, I¡¯ll trust you on this.¡±


    The crowd started chanting ¡°FIGHT!! FIGHT!! FIGHT!!¡± as the teams faced off.


    Alex and Ving¡¯s smiles remained.


    In a flash, act two of their duel began.


    Skrili and Pang lunged forward at the same pace. Alex stood his ground, but created a gust of wind to launch Ving into the air.


    ¡°Blocking!¡± Skrili called. She leaped at Alex and they locked powerful arms.


    Pang immediately read which combo Skrili was going for. Tapping into Alex¡¯s imagining, she again created her own wind¡ªthis time, around Ving. Taken by surprise, Ving began spiraling, struggling to stay in the air.


    Skrili and Alex remained locked, as Alex focused his bug-like eyes towards Ving.


    ¡°Smart¡ªshe can¡¯t use her powers on you if she¡¯s stuck dealing with that,¡± he commented. ¡°But sorry: you can¡¯t hold me off.¡±


    With a mighty shove, Alex forced Skrili backwards.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said plainly.


    As she fell back, Pang rushed up from behind and grabbed her under her arms. Pang spun, funneling more imagined air from her to the struggling Ving, until she tossed Skrili right into the wind current. Skrili shot at Ving with a pointed kick.


    Ving did her best to avoid the midair attack, but Skrili still kicked her on the shoulder, spinning her out towards the floor.


    ¡°Bounce!¡± Pang shouted as Skrili descended.


    Then a padded, spiraling spring appeared right where Skrili was about to land. Skrili twisted into position, and then bounced off it, back towards Ving like an arrow.


    But Alex managed to catch up to their onslaught. He imagined another wind gust underneath Ving, lifting her back up and out of harm¡¯s way. Skrili sped by underneath, and then rolled to a smooth landing near Pang.


    ¡°What a combo from Pang and Skrili!¡± Soot exclaimed over the roaring audience. ¡°Good thing Alex and Ving broke it up, or Ving would¡¯ve taken quite the hit!¡±


    ¡°Again, you sure know how to imagine,¡± Alex complimented Pang as the four fighters eyed each other closely. ¡°You caught on to my wind imagining like nothing.¡±


    Pang shrugged. ¡°Once I got the hang of it, it was cake.¡±


    Skrili smiled. For once, she was grateful to hear Pang¡¯s overconfidence return.


    ¡°Then our next move should be obvious,¡± announced Alex.


    Ving glided closer to Alex, and then the two champions charged forward. This time, Skrili and Pang stood on the defense.


    Pang squinted, seeming to attempt something in her mind. ¡°Uh-oh. Ving¡¯s messing with my manipulating. It¡¯s taking forever to imagine,¡± she warned quickly. ¡°That¡¯s a no-go.¡±


    ¡°Brace yourself,¡± Skrili uttered.


    Alex and Ving were upon them, and began a barrage of punches and kicks. Despite Skrili and Pang¡¯s preparation to defend, they couldn¡¯t dodge or block a single blow.


    Skrili grunted when Alex kicked her in the stomach. Everything seemed totally off: a punch appeared in slow motion, but hit her immediately. She tried to avert a kick, but would jump too soon and provide her opponents another opening to strike.


    Ving locked on to both of us, she realized, rapidly losing strength.


    Pang faced the same problem, trying her best to study Ving as she took hit after hit.


    ¡°Alex and Ving quickly reclaim the advantage!¡±  announced Soot.


    ¡°This is another reason they¡¯re such a dominating force,¡± said Talonvorp. ¡°With Ving able to activate her Perceiver abilities on multiple opponents at once, they can leave their targets literally defenseless.¡±


    The struggle continued on for a few more moments, until Skrili and Pang were almost out of breath.


    ¡°Got it!!¡± Pang suddenly exclaimed, regaining her composure and dodging a kick from Ving.


    All at once, Skrili¡¯s perception shifted back to normal.


    ¡°I¡ªincredible,¡± Ving stammered. ¡°She¡¯s canceling it out¡­¡±


    Seizing the moment, Skrili and Pang pushed back, now throwing their own attacks. The powerful teams came to an evenly-matched battle.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Skrili called in between kicks.


    ¡°I¡¯m manipulating Ving¡¯s Perceiver!¡± answered Pang breathily. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use it¡­but I can hold it off!¡±


    Their faceoff raged on, the crowd¡¯s enthusiasm growing even higher. Dragons in the highest balconies of the stadium let out thunderous roars.


    Skrili and Pang breathed heavily, sweat dripping onto the fighting platform, but they still kept their opponents from overcoming them. Skrili knew she was near her limit, but they couldn¡¯t stop now.


    They had to do this.


    Then abruptly, Alex and Ving both hopped straight back. Alex imagined a wind current to pull them away and place them safely towards the other side of the platform.


    Pang and Skrili waited cautiously.


    ¡°Man, I haven¡¯t needed to use this one in a while,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°Thanks for giving me a reason! This is a blast!¡±


    ¡°Pang is still blocking me,¡± Ving noted.


    ¡°No worries¡ªthey¡¯re tired; they¡¯ll have a hard time dodging this!¡± assured Alex.


    He crouched forward a bit, focusing all his attention on the floor between them. A gust began blowing there in one direction, and then another misty one did the same in the opposite. They breezed by and pushed against each other, until a massive spiral started forming.


    Gradually the spiral intensified, until morphing into a full-on tornado. It grew taller and wider, towering high above the fighters. Skrili and Pang felt the wind tugging at them, sucking them towards the storm. The tornado¡¯s roar practically drowned out the audience.


    Even from where Deon sat, the wind whooshed through his hair. He watched on in both amazement and fear at Alex¡¯s complex attack, as streaks of fiery light weaved into the tornado in a dazzlingly terrifying display.


    ¡°Crap¡­¡± he uttered simply.


    ¡°Look alive!¡± Pang shouted over the raging gusts.


    The tornado leaned forward, and then began plowing its way across the arena, right towards them. Skrili and Pang struggled to keep their footing.


    ¡°Can you imagine it away?!¡± Skrili called.


    Pang shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t block Ving and manipulate Alex¡¯s powers at the same time! We need to dodge!¡±


    Skrili understood: if Pang switched over to manipulating Alex, Ving would immediately be able to disorient them again. They would be sitting ducks in front of an incoming tornado.


    ¡°RUN!!¡± Pang shouted.


    They both made a break for it, splitting up in two directions. Skrili tried to tap into her Power Rebound strength, but again instead of power, she was met with nausea. She gritted her teeth and sprinted with the little energy she had left.


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    Skrili could barely see now, the wind blowing her hair against her face and making her eyes water. Pang was totally invisible in the frenzy. All she could do was run, shoving herself against the pounding wind.


    Within a few moments, the wind began decreasing. Skrili lost her footing and stumbled to her knees, panting. She raised her head to find Pang not far beside her, leaning over and equally out of breath.


    Turning around, Skrili saw the tornado fizzling out just beyond the edge of the arena.


    They evaded it.


    ¡°INCREDIBLE!!! SKRILI AND PANG OUTRAN ALEX¡¯S SPECIAL!!!!!¡± Soot screamed. Thousands in the crowd shot to their feet, shouting in disbelief, elation, frustration, or a combination of all.


    Ving¡¯s tranquil smile returned when Alex broke out laughing.


    ¡°You guys are something else! I love this!¡± Alex exclaimed, applauding them.


    ¡°Prepare yourselves,¡± warned Ving.


    Skrili forced herself to her feet, and she exchanged a weary gaze with Pang.


    Pang chuckled. ¡°Endurance training, right?¡±


    Skrili nodded. But Pang¡¯s words didn¡¯t bring her back to their training days together. Instead, she recalled the endurance training she put Deon through in No Man¡¯s Land.


    After countless tries, with nothing left, he finally managed to defeat her¡­but it wasn¡¯t because of Pang and Skrili¡¯s ¡®ignore the pain¡¯ approach. He lasted because he chose to feel all of the pain, and to remember what it was for.


    Skrili¡¯s legs shook, barely able to hold her up.


    She recognized Pang¡¯s endurance drills probably came from her father¡¯s harsh training. It was all Pang knew to survive.


    But with practically nothing left, Skrili couldn¡¯t rely on pretending to be untouchable anymore. She stared at Pang: her past friend, then enemy¡­


    ¡­But she was still like a sister, who was a few punches from possibly losing everything.


    Don¡¯t ignore the pain anymore, Skrili told herself. Use it to fight.


    To fight for her.


    Across the platform, Alex was summoning his powerful Combustion Orbs into his hands and Ving¡¯s. The teammates stood in place, wielding their windy weapons confidently.


    ¡°Got enough fight left in you to do Scatter?¡± Pang asked Skrili.


    She took a deep breath. Then she nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The duo sprung back into action. They zipped forward, crossing over each other several times, and then running in all kinds of unpredictable zigzag directions.


    Simultaneously, Alex and Ving unleashed their barrage of Combustion Orbs. The light-laced balls of wind fired at their opponents, but due to Skrili and Pang¡¯s erratic running patters and sheer speed, each attack missed as it popped against the platform.


    Skrili tried to keep her breath steady. Any wrong move, and it was probably over.


    ¡°Again, Skrili and Pang are managing to best Alex and Ving¡¯s techniques. Truly outstanding,¡± Talonvorp commented.


    In the balcony, Deon noticed Phillip raise his posture a bit, his demeanor shifting away from sheer worry.


    ¡°They have Alex and Ving stumped!¡± Deon exclaimed. ¡°They can really do it!¡±


    A hopeful smile formed on Phillip¡¯s face.


    After over a minute of laborious dodging, the Combustion Orbs finally stopped coming. Skrili and Pang met in the center of the fighting platform, leaning on each other to catch their breath.


    ¡°You guys have some serious resolve,¡± Alex noted, his enthusiasm ever-present.


    ¡°Well¡­we¡¯re¡­going to the championship,¡± breathed Pang.


    Alex and Ving exchanged gazes. For the first time, their carefree joy had vanished from their eyes entirely. Skrili didn¡¯t know what to make of this; it almost looked like sadness.


    ¡°About that¡­¡± began Alex. ¡°Sorry, but there¡¯s no way we¡¯re letting you get past us. We¡¯ve got a lot hinging on this. ¡®Cuz it¡¯s¡­¡± he stopped himself.


    Ving put a soft hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°This is our final Conscious Competition together,¡± she finished delicately.


    Alex nodded, managing a smile of acceptance.


    The audience however, didn¡¯t respond quite as calmly. After a second of sheer shock, Skrili heard the chilling sound of thousands of people gasping. Then, it morphed into all kinds of reactions: exclamations of protest, confusion, mourning, rage, and hushed discussions. A few spectators shouted their respect and admiration.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± said Ving. ¡°It is time for me to move on from the League. It feels¡­necessary somehow.¡±


    ¡°You two are awesome and you deserve the championship too,¡± started Alex, ¡°but we won¡¯t lose this one.¡±


    He watched them closely, and then closed his eyes to focus.


    ¡°We were hoping to save this next one for the championship, but I guess we¡¯ll need to do it here,¡± explained Alex. ¡°Congrats, this is a debut: Black Hole!¡±


    Several brief breezes passed by Skrili and Pang¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Not feeling great about this,¡± muttered Pang. ¡°If you have any Power Rebound energy, now¡¯s a good time.¡±


    Skrili shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve had one building up this whole fight, but I never finished healing. My body can¡¯t handle it.¡±


    ¡°Lovely.¡±


    The breezes increased, their chill sending a shiver down Skrili¡¯s spine. Oddly, as they dragged by, the air felt slow. Time itself felt slower.


    Skrili watched Ving, who was focusing intently on the air around them.


    It¡¯s a team special, she realized.


    Skrili and Pang both tried to move away, but they were far too late: preparations were already in place. Behind them, they found an immense and perfect circle of air. It blew in slow motion, obscuring the space around it. Before Skrili and Pang could take a step, an invisible force sucked them into the air towards the transparent hole.


    They couldn¡¯t move. Or rather, each movement took far too long. Even Skrili¡¯s thoughts grew sluggish.


    Within what felt like an instant, they were trapped, suspended side-by-side in this time-bending air.


    ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s this?! Alex and Ving are revealing a new special attack?!¡± exclaimed Soot. ¡°If this is really their last tournament, they¡¯re pulling out all the stops!¡±


    ¡°Guess the cat¡¯s out of the bag¡ªthis is our failsafe, Black Hole,¡± explained Alex. His speaking sounded unnaturally rushed and high-pitched inside the vortex. ¡°It¡¯s the ultimate combination of my powers with Ving¡¯s.¡±


    Skrili tried to move, but it was useless: everything was slowed down. And even if she could return to her normal speed, this strange and powerful air wouldn¡¯t let her budge.


    Ving nodded to each of them respectfully, and oddly fast from Skrili and Pang¡¯s perspective.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you worked out your stuff with each other and gave us a great fight!¡± Alex said. ¡°Thanks for this.¡±


    Skrili strained against the Black Hole¡¯s forces to think, but no escape came to mind. All of their options were exhausted. If any solutions remained, it was because they were impossible.


    She looked beside her to Pang, who had turned to her at that exact instant.


    ¡°Do you concede, friends?¡± Ving¡¯s obscured voice cooed.


    ¡°H¡­HECK NO!!¡± Pang managed, her fiery eyes still locked on Skrili¡¯s. But Skrili could tell her resolve and stubbornness were all she had left¡ªno escape plans.


    Wait¡­no possible ideas¡­left¡­Skrili thought. We need¡­something impossible¡­


    Alex and Ving accepted Pang¡¯s refusal to surrender with a nod. They prepared to charge.


    ¡°We¡­have to¡­try that again¡­¡± Skrili pushed to say.


    Pang¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That? But¡­it¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°We have to¡­¡± Skrili repeated as sternly as possible in their slowed circumstance.


    Alex and Ving were almost upon them.


    ¡°Rely on me, Pang¡­¡± she pressed. ¡°Take it!¡±


    ¡°Here comes the finishing blow!¡± Soot announced.


    ¡°Look at that perfect form,¡± added Talonvorp.


    Alex and Ving leaped at them.


    ¡°Try!¡± Shouted Skrili, briefly cutting through the time warp. ¡°We can still¡ª¡±


    Alex¡¯s foot cleanly met Skrili¡¯s stomach, ejecting her out of the wind trap. She felt time instantly catch back up, only an instant before crashing onto a slightly-cushioned floor and rolling to a stop.


    Facedown, she couldn¡¯t bear to lift her head. She didn¡¯t want to find out where she had landed¡ªwhere Pang had landed.


    But she found out swiftly enough:


    ¡°SKRILI IS DEFEATED BY RING OUT!!!¡± Soot shouted.


    The audience, however, shouted with utter surprise. Her defeat shouldn¡¯t have been a shock, at this point.


    So what was it?


    ¡°¡­But somehow, Pang has DEFLECTED THE ATTACK!!!!¡± Soot finished even more hysterically.


    Skrili weakly lifted her head. From her angle on the ground off the platform, all she could see was exactly what she was hoping for:


    Pang stood, hands on hips, unaffected on the platform. Skrili couldn¡¯t see her face from here, but she knew exactly the smug and excited smile Pang now wore.


    ¡°Huh¡­after all this time¡­¡± Pang noted playfully. ¡°So this is what a Power Rebound feels like¡­¡±


    ¡°HUH?!?!¡± Soot and Talonvorp both yelled.


    ¡°LET¡¯S GO!!!¡± Deon shouted.


    Phillip shot to his feet. ¡°What?! But that¡¯s not even¡­that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Impossible!! It¡¯s CRAZY!! It¡¯s HISTORIC!!!!¡± screamed Soot, his amplified voice clipping.


    Alex and Ving stood for a moment, stunned. Then, Alex laughed.


    ¡°Man, you two¡­you¡¯re something special,¡± he said.


    He and Ving pounced right back into action, but their next attack missed like it had never happened: Pang practically vanished before their eyes, reappearing behind them.


    ¡°Never in the known history of Consciousness powers has a Manipulator been able to manipulate a Power Rebound,¡± Talonvorp commentated, adrenaline fueling his quick speaking.


    Alex and Ving tried to throw Combustion Orbs at Pang. She imagined half away, and easily evaded the others.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Or rather: it used to be!¡± finished Talonvorp.


    ¡°Hmm¡­she is blocking my powers again,¡± noticed Ving, still entirely calm.


    ¡°Yet she¡¯s imagining away my attacks¡­¡± added Alex.


    Pang¡¯s devious smile grew. ¡°I guess when I manipulate Power Rebound, the power rush makes my manipulating stronger,¡± she realized. ¡°Bottom line is: Skrili believed in me, and we did it. So yeah, I¡¯m glad we worked our stuff out, too.¡±


    She dodged more attacks, still blocking out Ving¡¯s Perceiver powers. Then, she stopped with arms crossed.


    ¡°And Alex: you guys may have a lot hinging on the championship,¡± she started, ¡°But I have more.¡±


    Without moving a muscle, Pang easily imagined one of Alex¡¯s wind tunnels beginning just above her two targets, and ending out of bounds. There was nothing they could do to escape its sudden force: both champions were sucked up in the storm, soared through the air, and the current spat them out neatly on the floor outside the platform.


    It was over.


    Deafened by the thunderous crowd, Skrili let her head fall back to the floor. The only strength she had left was enough to crack a small smile. A green hue appeared around her, as a few of the tournament¡¯s healers now stood above her to begin their initial treatment.


    This time, Deon didn¡¯t care to protect his ears from the sound-splitting screams and shouts all around him. Instead he took part, hopping up and down from elation. Then, he couldn¡¯t help it: he grabbed Phillip by the shoulders and gave him a hearty, celebratory shake, Uncle Adon-style.


    ¡°YEAAAH!!!¡± Deon screamed in his face. ¡°CHAMPIONSHIP TIME!!!¡±


    As anticipated, Phillip glared at him blankly. Deon was quick to remove his hands after brushing off Phillip¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Uh¡­my bad.¡±


    But then Phillip smiled back. ¡°You don¡¯t realize it, do you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You were a part of their team this time,¡± he elaborated. ¡°You inspired them. You pushed them to reconnect.¡±


    They both turned to observe their friends. Pang stood, staring back into the crowd as a couple healers approached her. Soon, her eyes fell on Skrili. The blue-haired fighter now sat up, still under her own healing rays.


    They smiled at each other.


    ¡°Oh, come on¡­I didn¡¯t say much, just what was on my mind,¡± denied Deon.


    Phillip shrugged. ¡°True. Perhaps it was just them.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­okay, I mean¡­that was pretty wise of me,¡± Deon backtracked.


    ¡°Just stick with the humble response.¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°¡­And after the biggest upset of this tournament yet, Skrili Kay and Pang Pereo will advance to the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition Championship!!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± murmured Kotono, the light from her TeamTrack glowing in her round, red eyes.


    Her teammate sat down close beside her, sinking onto the couch. Her warmth felt calming. Hiroko rested her dark, triangular tattoo-covered arm on Kotono¡¯s petite shoulder, pointing at the girls on the screen.


    ¡°So this is the team we¡¯ll fight if we get to the championship,¡± she noted, her voice naturally hoarse and firm, yet equally tender.


    Kotono¡¯s eyes were fixated on the screen absently. ¡°Mm-hm. You mean ¡®when.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right: ¡®when,¡¯ not if,¡± Hiroko agreed. ¡°We¡¯re saving my village.¡±


    Kotono nodded. After she fell quiet for a few seconds, Hiroko turned to meet her eyes, some of her purple bangs interweaving with Kotono¡¯s wavy locks.


    ¡°I know those eyes. What¡¯s bothering you? The fight?¡±


    Kotono shrugged.


    ¡°You¡¯re still bummed out about yesterday, huh?¡± Hiroko figured. ¡°I¡¯ll sneak you up all the Phoenix Floats you want tonight. I know which guards I can get to look the other way.¡±


    Kotono puffed a single laugh. ¡°Thanks, but¡­¡± she paused. ¡°It¡¯s not just the float. Something else happened at the Phoenix yesterday. Something¡­really weird.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? what?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI saw Zayza there.¡±

 46. Approaching the Truth

    ¡°WE¡¯RE GONNA MISS IT AGAIN!!!¡± Deon bellowed.


    ¡°Keep it down, will ya?¡± retorted Pang irritably.


    ¡°The fight is about to commence,¡± Phillip calmly pointed out.


    Skrili sighed, half paying attention.


    The four consciousness fighters walked down the long Gloat Stadium hall, which bridged the way to an exclusive balcony for competing Consciousness teams. Originally Skrili and Pang figured other guests weren¡¯t allowed, but they had recently noticed teams invite a friend or two to join them with no issue.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready for perhaps the biggest fight yet!!!¡± they all heard Soot¡¯s voice bounce against the walls.


    Deon hurried his pace from a fast walk to a jog, doing his best to skirt other attendees and workers along the way. He¡¯d managed to miss both of Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s fights so far, and he wasn¡¯t about to let it happen again. They were the best in Fantasy Country, and one of the best in the entire Multiverse: he needed to see them in action.


    Not only that, but if they won, they were Skrili and Pang¡¯s next opponents.


    ¡°Come on, guys!¡± he called back.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try fighting Alex and Ving, getting healed, and then instantly having to be on the move? Good grief,¡± Pang grumbled. ¡°We¡¯re a little tired, here.¡±


    Thankfully, since body fatigue was their worst injury, the process at the healing center didn¡¯t take as long as last time or put them out of commission.


    But it sure made them cranky.


    ¡°Who will it be?! Normal Country powerhouses John Brown and Matt Jones, or our beloved homegrown champions, Kotono and Hiroko?!¡±


    ¡°GUYS HURRY!!¡±


    Phillip was right behind Deon, and he could only hope Pang and Skrili had picked up the pace.


    ¡°THREE!! TWO!! ONE!! FIGHT!!!!¡± the crowed cheered.


    By now, Deon could see the end of the hallway, where the arena began. He sighed: they were going to make it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take careful notes,¡± Phillip decided.


    ¡°Right,¡± agreed Deon.


    ¡°And don¡¯t get foolishly distracted with food or women this time.¡±


    ¡°But¡ªokay, fair enough.¡±


    ¡°And Pang: wait¡ªwhat?¡± Phillip stammered, abruptly coming to a stop.


    Reluctantly, Deon spun around to join him.


    Pang was lying stomach-down on the floor down the hall, like she had been trudging in a desert for days. Skrili sat leaning against the wall with her head in her hands dizzily.


    ¡°GUYS!!!!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go on¡­just leave my poor soul behind¡­¡± Pang moaned dramatically, her cheek against the floor.


    ¡°Just watch it without us¡­¡± mumbled Skrili slowly.


    ¡°DO YOU HEAR YOURSELVES?!?!¡±


    They all winced as a red light flashed, blinding them for an instant. A ground-shaking explosion immediately followed. Then, similarly, the crowd exploded into ecstatic applause.


    ¡°IT¡¯S ALREADY OVER!!!¡± Soot squealed. ¡°THEY¡¯RE GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!! THEY¡¯RE GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!¡±


    ¡°It seems the stronger their opponents, somehow the faster they win! Astounding,¡± added Talonvorp. ¡°So the Fantasy Country Championship is set: Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki versus Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so poetic!¡± Soot noted. ¡°I see a lot of Kotono and Hiroko in Pang and Skrili¡¯s fighting. This is gonna be one for the records in an already history-making Conscious Competition!¡±


    Deon¡¯s head dropped. ¡°Dangit¡­¡± he cursed.


    After finally convincing Skrili and Pang to get up, the quartet made their way to the balcony to catch whatever was left to see, which as Deon figured, was basically nothing.


    The defeated team sat, seemingly in shock, at the corner of the arena while green-robed workers healed them from behind. Kotono and Hiroko were already floating away on a platform towards one of the gates, as the massive audience flooded them with affection.


    Hiroko was leaning close to Kotono with an arm around her, as if to comfort her, while Kotono kept her head down, nodding repeatedly. It looked almost as if they had lost, as well.


    ¡°Oh, hey guys!¡± a friendly voice greeted. Deon and the rest turned to see Alex and Ving approaching them, smiling as always. ¡°Did you miss it?¡±


    Deon shrugged. ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Aw, man¡ªit was crazy! I¡¯m jealous! That championship¡¯s gonna be the challenge of a lifetime,¡± said Alex.


    Ving nodded. ¡°Friends, congratulations on your hard-earned v¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alex and Ving! Alex and Ving! A quick question for you!!¡± someone interrupted, stepping right into the middle of the group of fighters. Several other people with silver badges dangling from their necks rudely stepped between them, bumping Deon, Phillip, Skrili, and Pang out of the way. They all held floating circular lights in their hands, which they vigorously shoved in Alex and Ving¡¯s faces.


    Alex sighed. ¡°I thought the press wasn¡¯t allowed up here¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you two really splitting up?!¡±


    ¡°Why?! Is there inner conflict?!¡±


    ¡°Ving¡ªis it true you¡¯re retiring?!¡±


    Deon watched on in annoyance. ¡°Jeez, aggressive much?¡± he mumbled to Skrili.


    ¡°That¡¯s the press for you,¡± she said, still holding her head.


    Their questions raged on, until Alex lifted a hand.


    ¡°Alright, alright, one at a time, guys,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah, our team is ending.¡±


    ¡°Why?! What about your fans? Your career?¡±


    ¡°I have decided to retire. Something just¡­doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Ving explained patiently.


    ¡°You¡¯re really gonna just up and quit after such a disappointing loss against rookies?¡±


    Alex¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. For once, he seemed genuinely bothered. ¡°Disappointing?¡± he repeated. ¡°What about that fight was disappointing? That was one of the best fights we¡¯ve ever had. Skrili and Pang won because they fought hard and worked together. Who cares if they¡¯re newbies? They deserve the championship opportunity.¡±


    ¡°You really think they can beat Kotono and Hiroko, though? Really?¡±


    Pang rolled her eyes. Deon figured if she was up to it, she would have spoken up for herself. Skrili remained expressionless, watching on.


    ¡°They have what it takes. They have our full support and respect,¡± Ving sang, her eyes falling to Skrili and Pang with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your time,¡± she told the press gently.


    Immediately, one of the reporters turned and approached Pang and Skrili, and the rest quickly swarmed them, as well.


    ¡°What¡¯s your strategy for the championship?!¡±


    ¡°How did you two get so strong so young?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have a look and style so similar to Hiroko and Kotono? Are they your inspiration?¡±


    ¡°A statement for Kotono and Hiroko?!¡±


    The reporter with that last request shoved their glowing circle directly in Skrili¡¯s face. The rest of the press fell silent, eager to hear a response.


    Skrili stared back at them unevenly for several seconds, still a bit out of it from the healing. Then she turned, located the nearest trash bin, and threw up into it.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    With a start, Deon walked over to check on her.


    The reporters all stared on in confusion. Then, they turned fully to Pang and continued their barrage.


    They inundated her with countless overlapping questions until a nearby security guard finally closed in to shoo them away like houseflies. The obnoxious crowd unwillingly dispersed.


    ¡°Yeah keep walking, ya rabid animals!¡± Deon called after them, patting Skrili¡¯s back as she hunched over.


    Pang chuckled. ¡°You finally get the chance to say something to the Kotono and Hiroko, and that¡¯s gonna be their first impression of you. Nice.¡± She kept laughing.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Skrili groaned.


    ~~~


    Lammy flipped a row of burgers, the grill¡¯s unrelenting heat pressing against his face. After hours of cooking, it was beginning to make him wonder if his head would catch fire.


    He stepped back and glanced up at Rob¡¯s floating screen in the corner. The two fights of the day had concluded hours ago, so the broadcast featured various experts and veteran pros discussing the impending championship.


    ¡°There they go!¡± Rob pointed out from the prep station. ¡°To think, little Blue and Red making it all the way to the championship to face Kotono and Hiroko. What a world.¡±


    Lammy smiled as images of Skrili Kay and Pang Pereo flashed on the screen. With Rob¡¯s connection to them, he wondered if he¡¯d ever get to meet this incredible duo.


    Then the commentators transitioned to discussing Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki once again. Much like them, Lammy¡¯s mind had been on Kotono Inoue all day¡ªbut for entirely different reasons.


    Ever since she had visited the Phoenix, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it:


    Did Kotono really recognize Zayza?


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to mention the incident to Zayza yesterday. Ever since they arrived at Gloat Stadium with Rob and Pete, she¡¯d been loving life again: she was back to the cheerful girl before Najinzu and Fewpar kidnapped them. Bringing this up would snatch away this brief reprieve from her reality.


    But¡­the implications were impossible to ignore.


    Their enchanted earrings were supposed to disguise them from anyone who had previously known them. According to the Ancient Sage, the only people it wouldn¡¯t work on¡­


    ¡­Would be people who knew their ¡®true selves.¡¯


    So¡­if I wasn¡¯t just seeing things¡­Lammy pondered. ¡­Then Kotono doesn¡¯t just know Zayza¡­she knows her deeply.


    This was either a ray of hope, or extremely dangerous.


    He needed to tell her.


    Hours later, Lammy heard Zayza greet Peter out front: she had returned to restock. His heart skipped a beat: it was time.


    Zayza skipped into the back kitchen, humming all along.


    ¡°Hi Lammy!¡± she said, joy glistening all around her as she strolled by the grill.


    ¡°Uh-hey¡­¡± Lammy stuttered.


    Zayza stopped, her head tilting to the side. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± began Lammy, ¡°I need to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Lammy swallowed. ¡°Yesterday¡­someone came by to order¡­and when they saw you walk by, it really seemed like they knew¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh! That reminds me!¡± Zayza interrupted quickly with a nervous laugh.


    Huh? thought Lammy. Zayza never interrupts me¡­


    He noticed her subconsciously hide her marked arms behind the food box she carried as she clung to her bright expression intensely, like she was desperate to protect it.


    Was she trying to avoid the problem?


    ¡°Do you know anyone named¡ª¡± started Zayza.


    The doorway to the front burst open, slamming against the wall. Peter stood there, his eyes shining like stars.


    ¡°GUYS!!!!¡± he shouted. ¡°We just got an incredible delivery request!!¡±


    ¡°What? Pete, I thought I told you to turn off delivery orders. Between the store and balcony concessions, we just don¡¯t have the people,¡± Rob explained soberly.


    ¡°But Dad: this delivery request,¡± insisted Peter, ¡°is to the Hotel of Champions.¡±


    Once again, Lammy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Wait¡­isn¡¯t that where all the Main Event fighters are staying?¡±


    Peter nodded a million times. ¡°Yes!! We have to take it!¡±


    ¡°The Hotel of Champions, huh?¡± repeated Rob. ¡°What name¡¯s it under?¡±


    ¡°It just said ¡®guest,¡¯ and the payment information wasn¡¯t under any of the fighters¡¯ names,¡± Peter elaborated. ¡°But¡ªthat could just be someone¡¯s manager or something! There¡¯s a chance it¡¯s for one of the teams!¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, it could be for Kotono Inoue, Lammy thought. To protect Zayza, I just have to make sure she isn¡¯t the one to¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯d love to deliver it!¡± Zayza declared.


    Crap.


    ¡°Well hold on now, I never said we¡¯d take the order,¡± Rob said. ¡°But¡­alright, fine. This is too special to pass up.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Zayza,¡± Peter said, ¡°in the order notes, they specifically requested that the ¡®green-eyed, brown haired girl¡¯ deliver the food. Weird, right?¡±


    I was right, then, Lammy noticed. This must be Kotono¡¯s order¡ªand she wants to talk to Zayza.


    ¡°Dad, can I go too?!¡± Peter begged. ¡°Kotono Inoue already ordered from us once; what if it¡¯s for her? I could meet her!¡±


    Uh-oh, I¡¯d better act now, Lammy realized.


    ¡°Actually Zayza, could we talk for a second?¡± he asked.


    Zayza looked back at him, stunned for a moment. He could tell from her unsteady eyes: whatever it was Lammy had been trying to tell her, she was afraid to find out.


    She was trying to maintain this fantasy, as if everything they were running from would never come back.


    ¡°Oh¡­of course, Lammy,¡± she said with a weakening smile.


    ~


    Puffs of nervous air evaporated from Lammy and Zayza as they stepped into the walk-in fridge at the back of the rented restaurant space. The door closed behind them, leaving the two in silence.


    Lammy looked at Zayza, fearing anything he¡¯d say would destroy the peace she had finally found working here, away from all their troubles. He figured it best to just get straight to the point.


    ¡°I think Kotono Inoue knows you,¡± he revealed plainly.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Huh? The famous girl in the championship?¡±


    Lammy nodded. ¡°She came by the store to order, and when you walked by it really seemed like she recognized you. She looked pretty surprised. I think she placed this order so she could talk to you in private.¡±


    ¡°But¡­considering our earrings¡­¡± Zayza pondered aloud, ¡°she would only recognize me if she knew my true self.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Zayza closed her eyes in thought, her face growing serious. For the first time in days, she was allowing real life to sink back in. Lammy glanced at her markings for an instant, but looked away so she wouldn¡¯t notice.


    He could hear Fewpar and Najinzu¡¯s voices tormenting them.


    When Zayza opened her eyes, they were focused on his. Whatever she was about to say, she was resolved in her decision to say it.


    ¡°I¡¯m still going to deliver the order,¡± she told him. ¡°I want to meet her.¡±


    ¡°Wait, but¡­what if¡­¡±


    ¡°If Kotono truly recognized me, then she must know something about my past,¡± Zayza shared. ¡°Besides: you recognize my true self, and we¡¯ve been nothing but friends. So maybe¡­she¡¯s someone we can trust, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­possible¡­¡± Lammy agreed reluctantly.


    ¡°And maybe,¡± continued Zayza, ¡°She can prove I¡¯m not the monster Fewpar and Najinzu say I am¡­¡±


    Lammy watched her as she bit her quivering lip.


    She deserves the truth¡­he thought. But is it worth the risk? What if Kotono¡¯s not a friend? What if it¡¯s a trap?


    And what if the truth¡­hurts her?


    ¡°I¡¯ll come with you,¡± Lammy decided. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you face this alone.¡±


    After a moment, a sad smile grew on Zayza¡¯s face. It was no longer the fake, defensive one from earlier to deflect her problems away. It was genuine.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she agreed.


    ~


    Peter wasn¡¯t quite as content with their proposition.


    ¡°Aw man¡­¡± he moaned. ¡°I wanna meet a celebrity¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I insist on going,¡± Lammy said apologetically.


    ¡°We made an agreement,¡± explained Zayza, ¡°to keep each other safe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just doing a delivery, I don¡¯t really get it¡­¡± mumbled Peter. But he shrugged and gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°But¡­alright. My heart belongs to Skrili, anyway,¡± he added quietly.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°UH¡ªNOTHING!!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s decided then,¡± confirmed Rob, analyzing the order on a floating ticket. ¡°Sure looks like a lot of Phoenix Floats for just one team¡­these people are in for a feast!¡±


    ~


    Lammy and Zayza carried two large delivery boxes in the chilly evening air. They passed by countless fans and festivities on the Gloat Stadium platform, delighted chatter and activities all around them. Even though the semi-finals fights had concluded hours ago, attendees were as lively as ever.


    A couple young girls scurried past Lammy and Zayza, dressed up as Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki. A third followed close behind in no particular costume.


    Lammy sighed apprehensively. What are we doing? What if we¡¯re being set up?


    Perhaps Zayza had a point: if he was able to remember her with the earring on, and saw her as harmless, maybe Kotono did, too. But he couldn¡¯t shake the fear that they were walking straight back into the peril they had narrowly escaped.


    Eventually, the duo reached the edge of the floating platform. They activated the levitation bracelets Rob had supplied, which were linked to more levitation strands attached under their delivery boxes. Lammy was relieved as his box became weightless; he carried all the beverages, and they had already been bending his back out of shape.


    They floated into the starry sky, following a magical navigation chart just before Zayza. After several minutes, the clamor of nightlife grew distant as they ascended forward, farther and farther away from the central platforms.


    Lammy¡¯s nerves grew while they flew in dark silence. This hotel was much higher and more secluded than the rest of Gloat Center.


    This really could be a set up, he realized.


    So far, Zayza said nothing the entire trip. Lammy knew she must have been nervous too, potentially this close to the truth¡­or something worse.


    ¡°It¡¯s there,¡± Zayza called to Lammy, pointing ahead.


    At the very least, this Hotel of Champions was well-lit, its many towers and walkways shining in the distance. That was reassuring, even if this place was rather far from all the activity.


    Lammy and Zayza reached the Hotel of Champions¡¯ platform within minutes. They stepped along its stone path, passing by its intricate statues and fanciful fountains. A couple teams chatted over drinks on a nearby bench: Main Event fighters who had been eliminated.


    Other than this, it was peacefully quiet.


    But still, the quiet worried Lammy.


    They reached the towering door, which vanished before them and led to a surprisingly small, dim red room. A single hotel employee sat behind a desk.


    This is a little creepy¡­Lammy noted, trying to estimate how many steps it would take to get back outside.


    ¡°Hello, can I help you?¡± the receptionist asked pleasantly.


    ¡°Um¡­we have a delivery for¡­¡± started Zayza, observing their floating guide. ¡°Well, it¡¯s under ¡®Guest,¡¯ but the payment was made by a Fenn Crashings.¡±


    The receptionist¡¯s eyes narrowed curiously. ¡°Huh? Why would their bodyguards be ordering dinner right now?¡± he wondered. Then, a knowing and oddly sly smile curled on his lips. ¡°Ah, I get it. I¡¯ll warp you right there.¡±


    This has to be a trap, Lammy decided. ¡°Zayza¡ª¡± he started.


    But a blue light encompassed them from below, cutting him off.


    ¡°Be sure to avoid any team managers,¡± the receptionist advised with a smirk like he was hiding a joke.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lammy and Zayza asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re allowed to be where you¡¯re going.¡±


    The blue light blinded them. When it faded, they stood in a different space, just before the fancy wooden door of a hotel room. There were other doors along the round wall, but they were far apart¡ªindicating these hotel rooms were quite large.


    ¡°Zayza¡­¡± Lammy whispered. ¡°You sure about this? Because I am: sure that this was not a good idea.¡±


    Zayza glanced at him, and then back at the door. ¡°I have¡­a very strange feeling about this,¡± she admitted.


    Then, she knocked.


    The several seconds of waiting felt like an eternity of torture to Lammy. He braced himself, hoping his strange powers would return if things got messy¡ªwhich he was fairly certain was about to be the case.


    At last, the door opened.


    The person standing before them wasn¡¯t Kotono Inoue.


    It was her teammate, Hiroko Hamasaki. Her icy blue eyes gazed back at them fixedly with a natural intensity against her stern, dark face.


    But instantly, upon looking at Zayza, her eyes widened. Her mouth fell open in shock.


    Then, her expression completely softened.


    ¡°Oh my Gods¡­¡± she whispered, tears building. ¡°Zayza¡­it really is you.¡±

 47. Care

    Lammy and Zayza stared back at Hiroko in uncertain silence.


    In person, the young woman was just as intense and alluring as she seemed in all the ads and replays¡ªif not more. But instead of her usual purple and black fighting clothes, she dressed in a casual black t-shirt and shorts.


    Even still, she was naturally larger than life. Her toned build left no doubt in Lammy or Zayza¡¯s minds that she was one of the two toughest in the Country.


    But in contrast, her light blue eyes were filled with love.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s really you¡­¡± Hiroko whispered to Zayza. She stepped back and opened the door wider for them. ¡°Quick¡ªyou should probably come in,¡± she added, checking past them.


    Lammy exchanged glances with Zayza. He could see a wary glint of hope in her eyes. Lammy shrugged; so far, this didn¡¯t seem like the behavior of someone trying to trap them.


    They followed Hiroko into the hotel room, which was easily the most luxurious place Lammy had ever seen. It was probably bigger than the entire first floor of his house, its glossy white walls shimmering from the light orbs drifting about in the air. From the elegant black couches to the silvery full kitchen on the side, everything was impeccable.


    ¡°This is quite a remarkable room,¡± Zayza noted.


    Hiroko seemed rather unattached to the place as she guided them towards the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s pretty weird hearing that from you,¡± she said. ¡°Here, let me help you with all that stuff.¡±


    She took each of the boxes from Zayza and Lammy, and together the three arranged all the items on the long counter. All the while, Lammy couldn¡¯t help but watch Hiroko closely. Her eyes hardly left Zayza, seemingly prying for answers.


    On top of that, he began wondering if Hiroko was really about to eat all of this food herself. She was the only one here, but before them lay the complete order on display: several sandwiches, countless sides¡­and not to mention a dozen large Phoenix Floats.


    ¡°Well, looks like everything¡¯s here,¡± Hiroko confirmed. Then, with a patient smile, she let out a sigh. ¡°Kotono, you¡¯re right: it¡¯s definitely her,¡± she called across the room. ¡°It¡¯s Zayza.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza both turned in response. After a few moments, a door to the bedroom at the other side of the hotel room slowly vanished. Eventually, a dainty figure poked her head into the room with wide red eyes and a deep blush.


    ¡°Zayza¡­I knew it,¡± Kotono uttered. Suddenly, she flinched when her gaze landed on Lammy. She fell totally silent.


    Lammy could physically feel her wary stare pushing against him. ¡°Oh¡ªum¡­I¡¯m Zayza¡¯s friend, Lammy. We¡¯ve been traveling together. I made your drink yesterday,¡± he explained quickly. ¡°Sorry to intrude.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­h¡ªhi,¡± Kotono mumbled, barely audibly.


    This is what Kotono Inoue is really like? She¡¯s nothing like all the ads, Lammy realized. She makes ME look outgoing.


    ¡°I¡¯m just gonna get right to the point,¡± Hiroko declared. ¡°Zayza, you¡¯ve been missing for weeks. And then you suddenly turn up working for a vendor at this Conscious Competition? What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°A¡ªAnd¡­we¡¯re the only ones who recognize you somehow¡­¡± Kotono nervously chimed in.


    ¡°Right,¡± agreed Hiroko soberly. ¡°We have so many questions. We have to know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heartbeat intensified.


    ¡°And so¡­¡± started Hiroko. Then, abruptly, she turned to all the food on the counter, ¡°Care to join us for dinner?¡± she requested plainly. ¡°It¡¯s been way too long.¡±


    That¡¯s what all this food is for?! Lammy thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­truly sorry, but¡­I have many questions for you, as well,¡± Zayza shared. She met their gazes with heaviness in her eyes. ¡°How¡­do we know each other again?¡± she asked.


    The entire room went quiet for a moment. Kotono and Hiroko glanced at each other, communicating an unspoken thought.


    ¡°Huh? But¡­Zayza¡­¡± stammered Kotono softly.


    ¡°It looks like we have a lot more to talk about then I thought,¡± Hiroko said. She paused, clearly still shaken by Zayza¡¯s words. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all get comfortable? I¡¯ll bring over the food.¡±


    With seemingly a great deal of willpower, Kotono managed to slip into the main room and make her way towards the couches. She dressed in fluffy slippers and a loose white t-shirt too big for her¡ªLammy figured it was Hiroko¡¯s. Zayza cautiously made her way to the couch across from Kotono as Hiroko began gathering their feast.


    Lammy stood stiffly as he watched the three young women get settled, since technically he wasn¡¯t part of whatever was unfolding. Alone in a room with just Zayza and two beloved celebrities, he felt incredibly out of place.


    Eventually, their eyes all fell on him with curiosity. Lammy¡¯s face flushed.


    ¡°Lammy has been my companion for quite some time now,¡± Zayza explained. ¡°He¡¯s even saved my life. May he join us?¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s glare grew icy, like a mother guarding a child.


    Lammy gulped.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± started Kotono, ¡°he did try to give me a Phoenix Float the other day, Hiroko¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡ªGiving you a beverage doesn¡¯t make someone automatically trustworthy,¡± Hiroko countered. ¡°But¡­he saved Zayza¡¯s life, huh? Alright¡­Lampy, was it?¡±


    ¡°Lammy¡ªthough I¡¯ve heard worse guesses,¡± Lammy said timidly.


    Hiroko shrugged. ¡°Okay, join us for dinner. I¡¯d like to hear your part in all of this, too.¡± Her eyes stayed set on Lammy for an extra moment as she returned to bringing the food over.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡­¡± Lammy muttered, sheepishly making his way over to Zayza¡¯s couch. Intimidating as Hiroko was, her behavior was reassuring: it seemed her interest was in protecting Zayza.


    If that was the case, they shared the same goal.


    Soon, everyone sat with a sandwich, potato wedges, and a Phoenix Float before them on the low table between the couches.


    Kotono bypassed the food entirely and immediately began sipping her Phoenix Float. She snuggled up to Hiroko, glowing like she found heaven.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Hiroko¡­¡± she sighed blissfully.


    Hiroko wrapped her arm around her teammate. ¡°You¡¯re too cute¡ªTold you I¡¯d get you all the Phoenix Floats you want,¡± she said.


    Then, abruptly, they both focused on Zayza and Lammy.


    They¡¯re staring hard¡­thought Lammy. We must come off more suspicious than I thought¡­


    ¡°So¡­you really don¡¯t remember us?¡± Hiroko asked Zayza slowly.


    Zayza shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­I misplaced my memories, and only some have come back. I don¡¯t recognize either of you. Were we close?¡±


    Kotono set aside her Phoenix Float for a moment. ¡°Zayza¡­you¡¯re our best friend,¡± she shared. ¡°You¡¯ve known us since our very first Conscious Competition.¡±


    Lammy felt a weight begin to lift. Did we¡­just find allies?


    Hiroko leaned forward. ¡°What¡¯s your earliest memory right now?¡± she questioned calmly.


    Zayza sighed. ¡°Aside from vague glimpses of places and scents I¡¯ve been getting recently, the first thing I remember is waking up in the woods of No Man¡¯s Land. I wandered there for days, trying to find my memories in the Dream World. And then, I met Lammy.¡±


    ¡°And where did you come from?¡± Hiroko asked Lammy quickly.


    ¡°Uh¡ªum¡ªmy home, Tailpiece, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Kotono and I have been across the entire Multiverse several times, and I¡¯ve never heard of a ¡®Tailpiece.¡¯¡±


    Lammy swallowed hard. ¡°Well¡ªthe thing is, I don¡¯t exactly know how I ended up in No Man¡¯s Land, either. I spent my whole life in Tailpiece, and then somehow I just¡­fell into No Man¡¯s Land. I don¡¯t really get it, honestly¡­¡±


    ¡°Strange¡­¡± Kotono noted.


    Zayza and Lammy did their best to recount the events of their first encounter with each other: the invisible wall blocking Lammy from re-entering Tailpiece, their brief separation, and worst of all¡­


    ¡°¡­They tried to kidnap Zayza,¡± Lammy finished.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Lammy and Zayza¡¯s eyes met instinctively.


    ¡°Their names¡­are Fewpar and Najinzu,¡± Zayza said with a shudder.


    Like a harsh flash, Lammy practically saw the two bloodthirsty men climbing into the carriage to hurt them. He could smell the forest rain and hear the horses¡¯ trots.


    For an instant, he felt cold.


    Kotono immediately turned to Hiroko. ¡°Them?¡± she whispered.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Hiroko grit her teeth. Then she observed the marks all over Zayza¡¯s arms, and grit them even harder. ¡°So that¡¯s who they assigned to your case¡­¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­what do you mean?¡± Zayza asked. ¡°You know them?¡±


    ¡°Vaguely¡­th¡ªthrough you,¡± replied Kotono.


    ¡°You grew up with Fewpar and Najinzu. They¡¯re your colleagues,¡± Hiroko explained. ¡°They never seemed like the cream of the crop, based on how you used to talk about them. Fewpar studied the Dreamer Arts with you, and Najinzu¡¯s his childhood friend. He ended up becoming a Pain Tolerance Trainer.¡±


    Najinzu¡¯s peculiar thin knives, which left Zayza permanently scarred, intruded Lammy¡¯s memory. He wondered if the mental scars Najinzu left behind in her were just as complex as the black tattoos.


    While his torture granted her the ability to withstand great levels of pain before being ejected from the Dream World, it was all merely so Fewpar could brutalize her even further.


    How were men this evil were once Zayza¡¯s colleagues?


    ¡°They¡¯re making it personal, assigning Fewpar and Najinzu,¡± Kotono uttered to Hiroko with disgust. ¡°Especially Fewpar, since he was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, Kotono,¡± Hiroko interjected. ¡°There are some things I¡¯m not so sure I want Zayza to hear yet.¡±


    Kotono looked away, nodding sadly. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡±


    ¡°So, they failed to kidnap you?¡± Hiroko prompted Zayza.


    Again, Zayza did her best to retell their adventures thus far, starting with the apparent ability Lammy¡¯s mother had to teleport them to safety near Our Snowy Village. After Felix and Snowdust, and Ryan¡¯s sacrifice for them by betraying Fewpar and Najinzu in the caves, she reached the point where her former colleagues finally captured them.


    The gaps between her sentences increased, and Lammy realized if he didn¡¯t chime in, Zayza would make herself cry. If he was being honest to himself, he was holding back tears, too.


    Without the bright, busy reprieve they found here in Gloat Center, Lammy didn¡¯t know how they could have held it together. He found he wasn¡¯t ready to rip off the bandage and watch it bleed again.


    No more feeling that way¡­If we ever see those two monsters again, it¡¯ll go different next time, Lammy swore.


    With a deep breath, he did his best to take over for Zayza and describe their encounter. But when he was about to explain Zayza¡¯s scars, the looks on Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s faces told him there was no need.


    They clearly knew exactly what Najinzu had done to her.


    ¡°Again¡­¡± Kotono uttered shiveringly. ¡°They made you do that again¡­¡±


    Carefully, Lammy attempted to explain their escape, thanks to Zayza¡¯s returned Dreamer fighting abilities, and to his odd new powers. The champion team¡¯s intrigue was unwavering.


    ¡°But¡­some things still don¡¯t add up,¡± Hiroko brainstormed aloud. ¡°What are you doing working here? And why is it just us who recognize you?¡±


    ¡°These earrings,¡± Lammy said. ¡°After we escaped, we ended up at an Ancient Sage¡¯s Hut¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡ªyou met an Ancient Sage?! Those are real?!¡± Kotono exclaimed.


    ¡°Well¡ªwe met two,¡± Lammy clarified. ¡°One healed us.¡±


    ¡°The other granted us these enchanted earrings,¡± Zayza shared, brushing back her long hair to show them. ¡°Because of these, the only people who remember us from our pasts, are those who know our true selves.¡±


    After a moment of silent thought, Hiroko¡¯s eyes fell back on Lammy. ¡°So that means¡­¡± she started lowly.


    Lammy jumped. ¡°M¡ªma¡¯am?¡± he stammered.


    But a warm smile grew on her face. ¡°Just ¡®Hiroko¡¯ is fine,¡± she said. ¡°Alright, if you still remembered our Zayza after she put on the earrings, you really know her like we do. I think that means we can trust you.¡±


    Kotono gave an endearing smile, as well. ¡°Told you, Hiroko,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡­I can say the same to you both,¡± Lammy replied, the weight of worry now fully lifted. ¡°And honestly, that¡¯s why we came here tonight.¡±


    ¡°That is why we came here¡­¡± Zayza agreed nervously. She gripped the couch tightly with both hands, her head hanging forward. ¡°Please¡­you both know my true self¡­you know my past¡­you¡¯re my best friends¡­¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Kotono confirmed. ¡°We thought we lost you.¡±


    ¡°Then please¡­I must know¡­¡± She rapidly stood to her feet. ¡°What horrific things did I do? What did I do to make Fewpar and Najinzu hunt us down and hurt us? Are they right about me? Am I truly an evil person?!¡±


    Her tears dropped onto the table around her uneaten food.


    ¡°Zayza¡­¡± began Hiroko slowly. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of what you did. It¡¯s a matter of what most of Fantasy Country accuses you of doing,¡± she said. ¡°Something absolutely horrible happened to your home kingdom, but¡­Kotono and I¡­we believe you¡¯re innocent.¡±


    ¡°Innocent¡­of what?¡± Zayza asked chokingly.


    Kotono tried to speak several times, before taking a pause. ¡°Of murder,¡± she finally uttered.


    Zayza let out a cry of shock. She fell back onto the couch beside Lammy, her mouth quivering. ¡°¡­Who?¡± she managed.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­delicate¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, who?¡±


    Kotono tugged Hiroko¡¯s sleeve. ¡°She should know,¡± she said solemnly.


    Hiroko sighed. ¡°Zayza, you have to understand, I want nothing more than to protect you. There are extremely dangerous people after you, and they want all the evidence they can find to use against you,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you lost your memories, but¡­the less you know right now, maybe the safer you¡¯ll be.¡±


    After a moment, Kotono nodded.


    ¡°But¡­my memories might come back anyway,¡± said Zayza shakily. ¡°My darkest memories have been trying to hunt me down in the Dream World every night¡ªLammy helps me scare them off. But whenever they get close¡­they make me feel dirty. What could that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°What it doesn¡¯t mean, is that you¡¯re the culprit,¡± Kotono insisted. ¡°You got caught up in something horrific; it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°Someone is trying to place all of this on you,¡± said Hiroko. ¡°Think about it: you¡¯re with three people right now who, according to the enchanted earring, know your true, inner self. And none of us think you¡¯re guilty.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lammy agreed.


    ¡°And I swear,¡± added Kotono, ¡°we¡¯ll do whatever we can to hide you from Fewpar and Najinzu.¡±


    Lammy smiled as a warmth welled up in his heart. He could see their love for Zayza¡ªand their long history of it¡ªall over their faces. He and Zayza didn¡¯t have to continue this journey all alone. And not only were two more people on their side: they were the two strongest consciousnesses in all of Fantasy Country.


    The tables had turned. Fewpar and Najinzu¡ªand that mysterious organization Proscious¡ªcouldn¡¯t step all over them anymore. Plus, with Lammy¡¯s powers somehow evolving, and Zayza¡¯s Dreamer abilities returned¡­


    They were a force.


    Zayza gazed back at Kotono and Hiroko for a while, her tears finally ceasing. Then, she turned to Lammy.


    ¡°So¡­perhaps you¡¯re right,¡± she said softly. ¡°Maybe I can be a good person¡­and that¡¯s all I want.¡±


    ¡°¡®Can be?¡¯ After everything we¡¯ve been through¡ªof course you¡¯re a good person!¡± Lammy assured.


    ¡°You already have been, Zayza,¡± said Kotono. ¡°Since the day we met you at our very first Conscious Competition, you¡¯ve loved us more than anyone. You may not remember, but you used to come to all of our Conscious Competitions in Fantasy Country.¡±


    Hiroko smiled. ¡°You did.¡±


    ¡°The first time, you were just a spectator. We met you at some boring after party a rich manager guy invited us to,¡± Kotono recalled. ¡°He wanted us to hire him.¡±


    ¡°That party was the worst,¡± Hiroko recalled with a chuckle. ¡°You looked bored out of your mind too, so we hit it off with you.¡±


    ¡°Then we ditched the party together!¡± Kotono laughed.


    ¡°Your family made you go to those kinds of parties all the time, and eventually so did our manager. So we saw each other a lot,¡± explained Hiroko. ¡°We¡¯d always come find you and sneak out.¡±


    ¡°We got in so much trouble, Zayza¡­¡± added Kotono. ¡°Hiroko, remember the shoe statue? And the guy¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah¡­we were awful!¡± laughed Hiroko. ¡°The marshmallows¡­?¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± Kotono exclaimed, falling back on the couch in a fit of embarrassed merriment. ¡°Zayza¡¯s hair¡­it took me hours to get it all out!¡±


    ¡°You never got it all¡ªshe found more the next day, after a date.¡±


    ¡°HUH?! ZAYZA I¡¯M SO SORRY!!¡±


    A sense of peace wrapped around Lammy like a hug as Kotono and Hiroko continued recollecting all their antics with Zayza. It turned out her past wasn¡¯t only shrouded in darkness. These were two, genuine friends.


    His heart only warmed further when he saw Zayza¡¯s bright smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± she said, ¡°to remember all our time together.¡±


    Hiroko nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll come to you.¡±


    ¡°A¡ªand¡­It¡¯s not just silly stuff that make you such a great friend,¡± Kotono said. Her tone had softened. ¡°You¡¯ve always accepted us. And¡­you¡¯ve always kept our secret.¡±


    ¡°Secret?¡± repeated Zayza.


    Hiroko¡¯s hand found Kotono¡¯s on the couch, and grasped it tenderly.


    ¡°Management doesn¡¯t allow us to be in relationships¡ªI guess it¡¯s bad for the fanbase¡¯s hopes and dreams or something,¡± Kotono elaborated.


    ¡°And my clan wouldn¡¯t approve if they found out about me and Kotono,¡± Hiroko continued.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows,¡± finished Kotono.


    Lammy glanced between them for a second before it clicked. Oh¡­they¡¯re that kind of together, he realized.


    Suddenly, he noticed Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s eyes fall on him fixedly.


    Again with the staring! he noted.


    ¡°Oh¡ªhe¡¯s here,¡± Kotono realized.


    They forgot?!?!


    ¡°Mind keeping that to yourself, Lammy?¡± Hiroko requested with an unreadable expression.


    Lammy almost flinched. ¡°Uh¡ªum¡­I won¡¯t tell anyone, I swear, ma¡¯am! I mean¡ªMs. Hamasaki¡ªI mean Hiroko¡­¡±


    Kotono giggled, and Zayza let out a laugh.


    ¡°Likewise: now that I know again,¡± said Zayza, ¡°your secret is safe with me.¡±


    ¡°And yours is with us,¡± Kotono assured. ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever we can to protect you. Come to think of it, Hiroko¡­what should we do?¡±


    Hiroko thought for a moment, before an answer evidently became clear. ¡°Well first¡­we have to win the Championship,¡± she declared.


    ¡°We have to do that, anyway, though.¡±


    ¡°Right, but not only for my people¡ªif we win and Imagine Change restores my homeland, Zayza and Lammy can hide there. After the press coverage dies down and the changes are finished, it¡¯s remote enough that they won¡¯t be able to find them.¡±


    ¡°But¡­if they know you¡¯re her friend¡­¡± pointed out Kotono.


    ¡°They can¡¯t just barge in,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°It¡¯s sacred land. That will buy my clan time to hide Zayza and Lammy. Plus, they¡¯re maybe the only people in Fantasy Country who would side with her, because they trust me. They¡¯re good people¡ªthey¡¯ll protect them, for however long we need.¡±


    She ran a hand through her short purple hair. ¡°I wish I could keep you both with us, but¡­Kotono and I are too high-profile. It¡¯s too risky.¡±


    ¡°So then¡­¡± Kotono nodded definitively. ¡°We¡¯ll win the Championship. For Hiroko¡¯s people, and for you. I promise we will. And also¡ªare you guys gonna finish your Phoenix Floats? If not, I¡¯ll take them.¡±


    Hiroko nudged Kotono. ¡°Focus!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find some way to repay you both,¡± Zayza promised.


    ¡°Nope¡ªthat¡¯s not how best friends operate,¡± denied Hiroko. ¡°We got you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I wouldn¡¯t say ¡®no¡¯ to more Phoenix Floats¡­¡± muttered Kotono.


    ¡°YOU HAVE SIX MORE IN THE FRIDGE!!¡±


    Kotono shrugged, and ultimately surrendered.


    ¡°Um¡­If I may¡­¡± started Zayza slowly. ¡°I know you¡¯re omitting things about my past to protect me, but¡­I wish to know what happened. Where am I from? And¡­if I wasn¡¯t the killer, why can¡¯t I know who was murdered? I just¡­need to know the truth. I need to hear it from friends¡ªnot from my own dark memories.¡±


    The silence that followed quickly deflated the joy that had begun filling the room. Lammy knew Hiroko and Kotono were avoiding the subject, overjoyed to reunite with their best friend, but too many questions still remained: questions that Zayza would likely find answers to one way or another.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Lammy uttered. ¡°I think she should know.¡±


    After exchanging glances, Hiroko and Kotono sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s only right,¡± Hiroko finally decided. ¡°Zayza¡ª¡±


    A device vibrated on a table beside the couches.


    ¡°Your TeamTrack,¡± Kotono said.


    Hiroko stood to pick up the device. After she activated the screen and read its contents, her eyes went wide.


    ¡°Our manager¡¯s coming by,¡± she said rapidly. ¡°Quick Kotono, hide the food! Wait¡ª¡±


    She froze.


    ¡°HIDE THE ZAYZA!!!¡± she exclaimed, her calm demeanor melting into panic.


    ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m sorry, but you guys need to get out of here,¡± Kotono urged awkwardly, hurrying to pick up as much food as possible.


    Hiroko helped her. ¡°You have the earrings, but we have to play it safe,¡± she explained. ¡°Plus¡­we¡¯re not exactly allowed to have guests this close to the championship fight.¡±


    ¡°Or sweets,¡± added Kotono, taking a massive sip from her Phoenix Float.


    ¡°Or fried food,¡± said Hiroko with a potato wedge in her mouth, running to the kitchen and shoving what she could into cupboards.


    ¡°We don¡¯t really follow rules around here¡­¡± finished Kotono.


    Zayza was frozen with reluctance for a moment, but then she nodded. ¡°Understood. Lammy, let¡¯s be quick.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªright!¡±


    As they stood and made their way to the door, Lammy¡¯s legs couldn¡¯t help but grow heavy with hesitation. Finally, they¡¯d found someone from Zayza¡¯s past who were on her side. He was certain she felt the same way¡ªespecially when they had gotten this close to the truth.


    ¡°Z¡ªZayza,¡± Kotono called from behind the open fridge. Her big, determined eyes peered above its door. ¡°We¡¯ll win the Conscious Competition. It¡¯ll all work out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it had to happen like this¡ªwe¡¯ll find a way to speak again,¡± Hiroko promised. She pressed her TeamTrack and a red light rose from the ground in front of the door, beneath Lammy and Zayza. ¡°As soon as I find a way¡ªsomething untraceable¡ªyou¡¯ll hear from us again. For now, look out for each other.¡±


    Zayza smiled, fighting back tears. ¡°Thank you¡­I¡¯ll remember you again, I swear.¡±


    Caught in the moment, Lammy felt the need to offer his gratitude, as well.


    But before he could find the right words, the light overtook them. As the magic transported them from the hotel room and back to the lobby, a single thought filled his mind. He figured it was what he probably could have said:


    I¡¯ll be rooting for you, Hiroko and Kotono.

 48. Determination

    ¡°Hey, do you know how to imagine explosions?¡± Pang asked Deon, nudging him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Explosions? Uh¡ªno, not really.¡±


    ¡°How about energy beams?¡±


    Deon wasn¡¯t even sure what that meant. ¡°Um¡­probably not¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? Lame.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    They stepped into the cool-aired training room with the silent Skrili and Phillip. After yesterday¡¯s round against Alex and Ving, Deon assumed Pang and Skrili would continue like they had been: disappearing to practice endlessly on their own. But to his surprise, they asked Deon and Phillip for help.


    The Conscious Competition provided an entire break day in between the rest of the tournament and the championship fight, so both teams had plenty of time to recuperate and prepare. Pang and Skrili planned on wasting none of this, inviting Deon and Phillip to the training rooms first thing in the morning.


    ¡°Unlike Deon, I can create explosions and energy beams,¡± Phillip offered confidently. He placed his and Pang¡¯s packs by the wall on the blue cushioned floor.


    ¡°How?!¡± challenged Deon. ¡°You¡¯re an Illusionist!¡±


    ¡°I can create the illusion of explosions.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t count, or help!¡± denied Deon as the four of them began stretching. ¡°Anyway, why do we even need explosions for this practice? That seems super risky.¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s what we¡¯ll be fighting tomorrow,¡± Skrili responded simply, sliding into a full split.


    ¡°Man, you were right Skrili¡ªDeon¡¯s clueless,¡± Pang noticed. ¡°Kotono Inoue is an Emovert, which means she can convert all of her emotions into raw energy. So she can literally blow us up if she feels strongly about anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how nice,¡± Deon commented.


    ¡°She¡¯s also the strongest Emovert, but nobody¡ªbesides probably Hiroko¡ªreally knows what emotion she draws from,¡± added Skrili. ¡°That¡¯s what makes her so dangerous.¡±


    Deon stretched forward to touch his toes. ¡°Well, do you guys have a good guess? Seems like you¡¯re pretty huge fans.¡±


    ¡°Determination,¡± Skrili and Pang both answered quickly.


    Pang signaled to let Skrili elaborate. ¡°It was your idea,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°She¡¯s more motivated than most,¡± Skrili continued. ¡°That¡¯s why our first strategy is to pit Pang against her. Pang can manipulate her powers and stand a chance.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but recall how easily Kotono and Hiroko won their fights up to now. When he tried watching the broadcast of their second round on his TeamTrack, their power knocked out the signal. Then, they defeated their semi-finals opponents before Deon could even get to the balcony to watch.


    ¡°You sure that strategy¡¯s enough?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It is,¡± Pang said flatly. ¡°Her determination fuels her powers, but¡­¡± she looked over to Phillip, who was listening intently. ¡°I¡¯m more determined. So when I use her powers, my energy will be stronger.¡±


    Pang and Phillip¡¯s eyes stayed locked on each other for a moment. Eventually, a confident smile overtook Pang¡¯s serious expression.


    ¡°We¡¯ll win, Phyllis,¡± she promised.


    Phillip nodded.


    Deon stood, completing his stretch. ¡°Well, what about Hiroko? What¡¯s her type and everything?¡±


    ¡°Predictor,¡± Phillip replied. ¡°She can see multiple outcomes of any given action moments before they happen, and can plan accordingly.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a master at close-range fighting,¡± said Skrili. ¡°I¡¯ll face off against her to start. Pang and I modeled our entire fighting style around Hiroko, so I know exactly how she moves.¡±


    Deon chuckled. ¡°Skrili, you act like you don¡¯t care that much about the League, but it sounds like you¡¯re her biggest fan.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡± Skrili started quickly, but she blushed and looked away. ¡°She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s just incredible, that¡¯s all¡­¡±


    ¡°And Kotono¡¯s powers are the best¡ªnot to mention her gorgeous fighting outfits!¡± Pang added, springing up from the mat. She skipped over to Skrili and pulled her to her feet, hopping up and down. ¡°Skrili, we¡¯re really about to fight our heroes! This is a dream come true!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait¡­¡± Skrili muttered, finally cracking a smile.


    Is now really the time to be star-struck? wondered Deon. But he couldn¡¯t help absorbing their enthusiasm. On top of that, he¡¯d never seen Pang and Skrili get along so well; something really did change between them since their last fight.


    For some reason, though, it made his heart heavy.


    ~


    The first couple hours of training mostly involved Skrili and Pang sparring head-to-head. Since they both fought like Hiroko in close-combat, this was their surefire approach for preparing to face her.


    Meanwhile, Deon and Phillip broke off to another corner of the large room. Pang and Skrili instructed them to work together and find some sort of way to emulate Kotono¡¯s energy attacks.


    For a while, it went about as well as Deon expected.


    ¡°A rat¡¯s fart would produce a stronger gust than your attack,¡± Phillip muttered.


    ¡°Well¡ªyour fake explosions just look like clouds and fire!¡± Deon retorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­what an explosion is.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Deon muttered.


    Due to the complexity, their plan was for Deon to create the explosion¡¯s physical effects, while Phillip would place an image representation of it in the same spot to give the full experience. But Deon had never seen Kotono actually fight, so he was left to guess blindly.


    ¡°Well I¡¯m no Alex, so imagining wind isn¡¯t exactly my specialty,¡± admitted Deon.


    ¡°What is then?¡±


    ¡°Remember Twitchy, my squirrel monster?¡±


    Phillip rolled his eyes.


    Eventually, they had an attack ready (ridiculous as it was): Deon would imagine a small Twitchy that expanded and grew rapidly, while Phillip did his best to mask it in the illusion of an explosion. At least this way, Skrili and Pang would still have to avoid it or they¡¯d get hit¡ªthough Deon figured Kotono¡¯s explosions would probably feel much less furry.


    Their replacement for Kotono¡¯s energy blasts came more easily, though not without its share of bickering. Deon imagined his leather ball attacks, and Phillip covered them in the illusion of golden light, creating a beam.


    After a brief break, Skrili and Pang were ready to begin their practice against Deon and Phillip¡¯s ¡°Kotono.¡±


    The first ten minutes went to waste, as Pang spent most of it rolling on the mat, laughing uncontrollably at how goofy Deon and Phillip¡¯s attempt at an explosion was. But soon after, the rigorous training resumed.


    Deon did his best to imagine as many expanding Twitchy¡¯s as possible. Thanks to all his recent training using Twitchy as a special move, he found he was able to give Skrili and Pang a real challenge¡ªPhillip even had trouble keeping up forming his illusions over them.


    When they switched over to shooting their faux energy blasts, Deon watched Skrili and Pang closely. Since yesterday, he never noticed Pang come across contrived or demeaning when she spoke to Skrili anymore. And Skrili never made herself small or tried to respond defiantly. Instead, they listened to each other.


    A connection, one Deon figured they once had a long time ago, was reforming.


    It reflected clearly in the training: they were totally in-sync. Their movements were identical, modeled after their shared idol and impending opponent. They both made sure the other was safe in their blind spots, and instead of assuming command like in their first few rounds, Pang allowed Skrili the chance to call some shots.


    They really are the perfect team, Deon realized.


    So why did this feel like sinking?


    Miraculously, Skrili and Pang were finding a way forward. They were getting along. And the way this training was going, Deon was confident: they would take home this Conscious Competition victory.


    But Alex¡¯s warning played in his mind:


    ¡°When success comes your way in this career, it gets hard to pass it up. It¡¯s a sweet deal.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pick someone you really gel with. Do you really gel with Skrili?¡±


    Deon felt he did, or at least probably could. But even after all this time, he couldn¡¯t determine if Skrili felt the same way. There was still so much to learn about her.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    If anything, based on what he was witnessing before him, Skrili seemed to ¡®really gel¡¯ with Pang, now. He tried to get stronger to impress Skrili, but that only turned into a selfish¡ªand dangerous¡ªambition. Now he knew the wiser approach was to be a friend, and stay supportive throughout this tournament.


    But even in the mindset of a friend, he saw it plainly: if Skrili thrived with Pang, perhaps he should just let her run with it. If that¡¯s what brought her joy, it only seemed right.


    Maybe, like how Lammy learned to let him go when he wanted to leave Tailpiece, he would have to do the same for Skrili.


    After a flip and duck away from a couple of Deon and Phillip¡¯s ¡®energy blasts,¡¯ Skrili rebalanced, her eyes falling on Deon.


    ¡°Hey, nice aiming,¡± she uttered between heavy gasps, sweat trickling down her forehead.


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected compliment. ¡°Oh¡­thanks!¡±


    Then they all heard someone scream¡ªDeon was certain it was a voice he¡¯d never heard before.


    But when he looked to his side, Phillip was crouched over on the floor, grasping his chest and neck. All of his veins were visible through his skin.


    And they were all pitch-black.


    ¡°Phillip!¡± Pang shouted.


    They all hurried over to him. While Deon and Skrili stood close, Pang practically dove to the floor and wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back.


    His shouts only continued.


    ¡°He¡¯s having a flare-up!¡± Pang cried. ¡°This one¡¯s really bad¡­Skrili, please get his water bottle!¡±


    Within an instant, Skrili retrieved it. Pang took it and set it aside.


    ¡°Hey bro, are you gonna be alright?¡± Deon asked carefully.


    Phillip couldn¡¯t reply, still groaning and shouting from the pain coursing throughout his body.


    ¡°It¡¯s never lasted this long¡­¡± Pang uttered shakily, her breath growing shallow. ¡°But¡­it¡¯s gonna go away, just like the other times¡­okay, Phillip? You¡¯re gonna be okay¡­¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t¡­know that¡­¡± Phillip managed to grunt between gritted teeth.


    ¡°What can we do?¡± Skrili pressed urgently.


    Pang shook her head, tears building. ¡°Nothing¡­he needs that medicine¡­we don¡¯t have any¡­¡±


    They all fell silent, hopeless, and helpless, watching this fit surge through Phillip¡¯s pale body. He quivered as sweat dripped onto the mat.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be okay¡­you¡¯ll be okay¡­¡± Pang mumbled, unable to hold back a sob. Deon was certain she was trying to convince herself, too.


    Hang in there, man¡­Deon thought. Come on¡­


    Pang¡¯s hand slipped atop Phillip¡¯s, her head pressed against his shaky shoulder.


    ¡°The¡­the veins,¡± Deon noted after minutes of wordlessness. ¡°That¡¯s gotta be good, right?¡±


    Pang lifted her head to see, and Skrili leaned closer. Phillip¡¯s veins were less visible now, and the sickly black color had faded. Finally, he had stopped screaming.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­going away,¡± Phillip gasped, his face drenched in sweat.


    In a rush, Pang swiped Phillip¡¯s water bottle. She shifted him into a sitting position and offered it to him. After a lengthy sip, Phillip grasped Pang¡¯s hand back.


    ¡°Please breathe, Pang,¡± he muttered simply.


    Pang smiled, her cheeks still wet, as she let herself exhale. ¡°See¡­? That was no big deal¡­¡± she said softly.


    ¡°These attacks are getting worse,¡± said Phillip. ¡°I probably don¡¯t have much¡ª¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± Pang exclaimed. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡±


    Phillip looked away, but Pang pulled his face back to her.


    ¡°Listen: I¡¯m gonna save you. We¡¯re gonna win the Championship and buy that medicine, I swear,¡± she affirmed. Pang turned and caught Skrili¡¯s eye, before returning her gaze to Phillip. ¡°Skrili and I can do this. We can do this.¡±


    Deon noticed Skrili¡¯s fists clench, though her face remained unchanged.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± he said to her. ¡°You can totally win.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Skrili declared flatly. ¡°Phillip, you won¡¯t die.¡±


    Deon smirked at her tenacity.


    She¡¯s unstoppable now, he thought.


    ~


    For the remainder of the day, Phillip mostly sat out of the training. He took on more of an observational role, offering suggestions and analysis. Deon was impressed with his overall knowledge of fighting.


    Other than this, aside from a couple food runs for the group, he rested. Pang¡¯s eyes turned to him often, but thankfully, no other flare-ups occurred.


    In the final portion of the session, the championship competitors focused on their newfound, unprecedented technique: transferring Skrili¡¯s Power Rebound to Pang. They were careful to avoid any serious injuries, assigning Deon to immediately heal Skrili with his TeamTrack.


    As they discovered, Pang could manipulate Skrili¡¯s powers whenever Skrili opened her mind to it. A few times, Skrili was even able to pull it off in the opposite way: by inviting Pang¡¯s powers to automatically take the Power Rebound.


    It was mysterious, unknown territory, but Deon was just glad to see it working. A new move long believed to be impossible only heightened their chances against the champions.


    After a final cool-down stretch, the group gathered their things and prepared to leave for the night. As Skrili pointed out: adequate rest was just as important as proper training.


    Pang used her TeamTrack to deactivate the door, and the foursome passed into the dimly-lit hallway.


    ¡°...So a messenger dragon is a no-go?¡± they all heard a delicate, hushed voice ask not far away.


    Their footsteps approached from down the hall, alongside what sounded like a set of bare feet.


    ¡°Charms don¡¯t affect dragons, so the earrings wouldn¡¯t protect them,¡± replied another scratchier voice. ¡°If the dragon recognizes her or the kid, it¡¯s trouble. Plus, it needs to be untrace¡ª¡±


    The hushed conversation stopped short, as did the footsteps. Squinting a bit, Deon managed to make out who their company was.


    Down the hall, Kotono and Hiroko stood staring right back at them. Kotono shifted back automatically, almost hiding behind Hiroko.


    ¡°Be more careful,¡± Hiroko whispered to Kotono.


    ¡°Me??¡± shot Kotono accusingly. ¡°B¡ªbut look¡­it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Skrili Kay and Pang Pereo, right?¡± Hiroko greeted with a calm smile, now calling down the hall. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met yet.¡±


    Deon glanced at Pang and Skrili, but they both stood frozen.


    ¡°Psst, Skrili. Say hi for us,¡± Pang whispered. ¡°It¡¯s them¡ªdon¡¯t blow it.¡±


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t¡­you¡­¡±


    Deon sighed impatiently. ¡°Hey guys!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m Deon, but yeah: these two are Skrili and Pang. Right now they¡¯re too busy drooling over you¡ª¡±


    WHAM!!!!


    Deon keeled over. He¡¯d never wondered how much it would hurt if both Skrili and Pang nailed him in the stomach, but now he knew.


    ¡°Um¡­hi¡­big fan¡­¡± Pang stuttered.


    ¡°Same¡­¡± muttered Skrili.


    Hiroko made her way over, so Kotono followed close behind, her eyes shifting between them and the floor. Kotono¡¯s unease surprised Deon, especially after being force-fed ads starring a much more buoyant, assured version of her.


    Once they were close and easier to see in the low light, Deon couldn¡¯t help being caught up in their glow. They really did ooze charisma and splendor, even in their slightly ruffled training clothing. But they seemed oblivious to their own glory, standing casually before the group with inviting smiles.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s down to us, huh?¡± Hiroko said simply.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Skrili replied, and Pang shrugged.


    Hiroko¡¯s eyebrows curled up as she let out a flattered laugh, and Kotono¡¯s eyes returned to them gently. Despite himself, Deon wanted to bask in their charm like sunlight¡ªno wonder everyone was so obsessed.


    Hiroko continued nonchalantly, like she was speaking with equals instead of diehard fans.


    ¡°The press has this whole thing going lately about how much you guys are like us, or something,¡± she shared. ¡°I think it¡¯s silly. We¡¯ve been following your fights, and I love what I¡¯ve seen from you two. Sure, a lot of your moves are like mine, but you¡¯ve got your own thing going on.¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªyou¡¯re v¡ªvery good,¡± Kotono added, blushing.


    But Skrili and Pang¡¯s entire faces were beat red. Deon smirked at their inability to reply. Their minds must have been spinning out of control.


    ¡°I¡­I guess we¡¯ll see what happens,¡± Pang finally managed.


    Hiroko shrugged unconcernedly. ¡°Oh, I know what will happen,¡± she announced. ¡°Kotono and I are gonna win, hands-down.¡±


    If Deon hadn¡¯t paid attention, he would have missed the gravity of her declaration. There was no ego, or even competitiveness, to her tone. It was just sheer confidence. She was certain.


    ¡°This is to save my village, so we have no choice. Sorry,¡± she said, still totally non-combative.


    Kotono nodded vigorously, her strawberry-blonde hair bouncing up and down. ¡°And it¡¯s for our friends,¡± she added.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    Pang¡¯s shoulder¡¯s straightened out, and she stood tall. Now, she looked at them squarely, no longer drunk from the presence of her heroes.


    ¡°What, you think you¡¯re the only ones fighting for someone else?¡± she asked, her voice deep, clear, and assertive once more.


    Deon recognized her tone from their first few encounters in No Man¡¯s Land: she was sizing up her opponents. It was borderline mockery.


    She¡¯s really doing this with these two?! he thought. But¡­they¡¯re being so nice!


    ¡°I have someone to save, too,¡± Pang continued. ¡°You¡¯re not the only ones with a sob story. Right, Skrili?¡±


    Don¡¯t rope her into this¡­you sound like the bad guy¡­thought Deon uncomfortably.


    But Skrili spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ve learned so much from you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°And now, it looks like we¡¯ll have to use that to beat you. We just¡­need this.¡±


    Deon could feel the energy in the air between the two teams as they gazed at each other, wordless¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t tell if it was tension, or some sort of mutual admiration. They were either about to pounce at each other and start the fight right here and now, or exchange high fives and go grab dinner together.


    But there was time for neither, because echoes of rapid footsteps flooded the hall.


    ¡°Kotono! Hiroko! Get back here!!¡±


    ¡°How many times have we said not to sneak off?!¡±


    A cluster of burly bodyguards turned the corner, and began racing their way towards the group of fighters.


    Hiroko took a long sigh. ¡°Ugh¡­well, I guess our time¡¯s up,¡± she told the group, heading towards her disgruntled security team. ¡°It was nice chatting.¡±


    Kotono follow close behind, seeming eager to open up a bit more with her new acquaintances. ¡°S¡ªsee you tomorrow!¡± she said with a wave.


    Within seconds, their bodyguards encased them entirely, shielding them from view. They shuffled off as a unit in quite a hurry, disappearing around the corner.


    Skrili and Pang watched on in silence, long after Hiroko, Kotono, and their bodyguards departed. Deon couldn¡¯t fathom the amount of pressure they must have been feeling.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Deon started. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ª¡±


    ¡°THEY ACTUALLY SPOKE TO US!!!!¡± Pang exclaimed, her arms shaking uncontrollably.


    Huh?


    ¡°They were so nice,¡± added Skrili with stars in her eyes.


    ¡°Hiroko literally said she loves our fighting!!¡± shrieked Pang. ¡°Oh my God¡­I can die now¡­¡±


    And here I thought they were stressed¡­thought Deon.


    Skrili and Pang¡¯s giddy recount of their monumental interaction continued. Eventually Deon heard Phillip let out a chuckle. It morphed into a full laugh: the first Deon had ever heard from him. It was deep and inconsistent, like a rusty tool that hadn¡¯t been used in a while.


    Right, Deon realized. If that¡¯s all they¡¯re worked up about right now, they must be super confident.


    He joined in with Phillip, watching their teammates practically explode with joy.


    They know they¡¯ll win this.


    ~


    Deon jolted awake when someone shoved his shoulder. He opened his eyes groggily to find Skrili¡¯s silhouette standing right beside his bed, under the darkness of their hotel room.


    He wiped his eyes and sat up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.


    She didn¡¯t immediately reply.


    ¡°Nervous about tomorrow, and need some advice from your super-knowledgeable teammate?¡± he guessed.


    ¡°No. You were just snoring really loud,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Skrili turned and made her way back over to her bed. Deon  shrugged and lay back down, as he heard Skrili do the same.


    Man¡­imagine if Skrili and Pang really win it all¡­he thought. I hope they do, but¡­what will happen to us?


    The sinking feeling from earlier returned. Deon tried to get it off his mind, focusing instead on all the incredible things he¡¯d witnessed here at Gloat Center: the food, the magical devices, and especially their new friends, Alex and Ving. He hoped the rest of the Multiverse would prove to be just as vibrant.


    Not to mention, his understanding of fighting had forever evolved: there was an entire other level of mastery to explore, and much more imagining to be learned. He pondered the possibilities for minutes, until finally he began drifting back off.


    ¡°Can¡­can I tell you something?¡± uttered Skrili. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about it, and I just¡­need someone else to know.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes reopened. ¡°Huh? Yeah, of course.¡±


    Skrili struggled to speak, until finally, laboriously letting it out.


    But her fragile words made Deon¡¯s heart skip. Silence filled the air, tormenting them both, because he had no idea what to say.

 49. Mirrors (Part 1 of 3)

    The cheers roared on continuously, like an unending splash of water, as Soot¡¯s voice announced the final contestants in the slight distance.


    ¡°You sure about this, dad?¡± Peter asked, struggling to keep pace. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M SURE, PETE!!¡± Rob exclaimed. ¡°This tournament has already more than quadrupled our usual sales! SCREW MAKING MORE MONEY!!¡± He laughed heartily, activating his levitation bracelet at a platform.


    ¡°This is gonna be so awesome¡­¡± cooed Peter.


    Lammy and Zayza followed close behind, and the group floated up, leaving their restaurant space behind in the Gloat Center main hall. They ascended past countless floors, and soon Lammy found it best not to look down¡ªthe very top balcony was the only viewing space available for vendors.


    ¡°This is unbelievable: Blue and Red are fighting our favorite champions, Kotono and Hiroko?! No way we¡¯re missing this fight! I don¡¯t even know who to root for!¡± exclaimed Rob giddily.


    I do¡­thought Lammy. He¡¯d admired Skrili Kay and Pang Pereo¡¯s fighting throughout the tournament, and certainly hoped to see more of it someday, but his loyalty was decided: Hiroko and Kotono were Zayza¡¯s friends. They promised to keep them safe after restoring Hiroko¡¯s homeland.


    On top of that, especially after all the support they showed, Lammy wanted nothing more than to see Hiroko¡¯s people thrive.


    And there was only one way to make these goals possible:


    By winning.


    Zayza caught Lammy¡¯s eye and gave him an encouraging smile.


    ¡°They¡¯ll do it,¡± she assured. ¡°We have hope.¡±


    Lammy nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll win the championship.¡±


    ~


    Deon hadn¡¯t eaten all day, and the audience¡¯s incessant roar only made him queasier. This wasn¡¯t even his fight, but he couldn¡¯t watch Skrili and Pang fail after giving everything to make it this far. They had overcome champions, defied the known laws of their own powers, and somehow, began rekindling their friendship. But regardless, it all came down to this single fight.


    He felt his heart punching his chest, swallowing hard as he watched Skrili and Pang stand off against Kotono and Hiroko down on the platform. The two teams bowed.


    They have to do this, Deon thought. Irritating as Phillip was, he couldn¡¯t fathom him succumbing to his disease if they lost. He checked on Phillip worriedly.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡± stammered Deon.


    In the seat beside him, Phillip was downing the rest of his third Phoenix Float, his head all the way back. He sighed as he placed the fancy glass by his feet.


    ¡°While you¡¯re usually wrong, you and Pang were right about the Phoenix; they¡¯re a great restaurant,¡± said Phillip. ¡°They live up to the hype.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so uncharacteristic?!¡± exclaimed Deon.


    ¡°Hm? I¡¯m not sure what you mean,¡± uttered Phillip. Then he leaned under his seat and pulled out a massive, colorful sign. It looked haphazardly drawn, featuring cartoonish renditions of Pang and Skrili, and simple text: ¡®The Best.¡¯


    He held the sign above his head, his expression still somehow serious.


    ¡°I¡¯m so lost¡­¡± sighed Deon.


    ¡°You must see it by now,¡± Phillip said soberly. ¡°Pang and Skrili will win this. There¡¯s no reason to worry.¡±


    Deon smiled. He agreed¡ªthey didn¡¯t come this far just to fall. Especially after noticing Skrili and Pang¡¯s confidence and solidarity last night, it was clear they could do it.


    But that wasn¡¯t what made up Deon¡¯s mind.


    After what Skrili told him last night, he simply knew she wouldn¡¯t lose.


    Because saving Phillip meant more to her than he¡¯d realized.


    Filled with fire, Deon grabbed hold of the sign with Phillip. He shot to his feet, and Phillip reluctantly followed.


    ¡°SKRILI AND PANG ARE GONNA WIN THIS THING!!!!!!¡± he proclaimed, briefly overpowering even the loudest of fans.


    ~


    Skrili never thought that one day, she¡¯d be standing face-to-face with her heroes, about to fight them in the championship round of a Fantasy Country Conscious Competition.


    Life sure was bizarre.


    It didn¡¯t seem real¡ªshe couldn¡¯t feel the ground.


    ¡°Skrili-dear¡­¡± Pang uttered beside her. ¡°You ready?¡±


    Trying not to tense, Skrili nodded.


    ¡°And uh¡­I just need to say¡­I¡¯m¡­¡± started Pang. Skrili glanced over and could see the effort in her face. ¡°Well¡ªnever mind. You said save it until after we win, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s save Phillip.¡±


    Hiroko and Kotono stood staring alertly. Hiroko¡¯s loose yet focused demeanor made it obvious she had experienced a championship many times before.


    But if Skrili hadn¡¯t already watched countless of Kotono¡¯s fights, she would have assumed Kotono was a rookie like her. The top fighter clutched her arm tightly, cradling herself as her eyes switched between Skrili and Pang with apparent unease.


    As Skrili theorized, it was Kotono¡¯s classic technique: come across timid and unprepared, and once the fight starts, catch her opponents unawares.


    ¡°For the record, we like you two already,¡± Hiroko said to them calmly. ¡°But we won¡¯t hold back on you.¡±


    The crowd¡¯s roar in reply made Skrili¡¯s legs turn to jelly.


    I can¡¯t be scared now¡­not when it counts the most¡­she thought.


    ¡°THE TIME HAS COME, FOLKS!!!¡± shouted Soot.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to see an explosive fight tonight,¡± added Talonvorp. ¡°It¡¯s either gonna be the breakout rookies Pang and Skrili, or the decorated young champions, Kotono and Hiroko. Here we go¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s kick off the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition Championship!!¡± Soot continued. ¡°Count it with me one last time!¡±


    ¡°THREE!¡±


    It¡¯s happening¡­don¡¯t fail¡­ Skrili¡¯s mind raced.


    ¡°TWO!!¡±


    Don¡¯t fail¡­don¡¯t fail¡­


    ¡°ONE!!!¡±


    Don¡¯t fail again¡­


    ¡°F¡ª¡±


    A deafening sound bounced all over the walls of Gloat Stadium, completely drowning out the entire audience.


    It was a roar¡ªa single, rumbling roar, with a strange bit of rasp to it.


    Everyone turned their gaze from the arena, and up to the large, floating platforms above the highest balconies. It was so startling, even Kotono and Hiroko turned to see.


    Skrili looked, and then let out a laugh.


    All the way up, close to the ceiling, Gibblezgorv flapped his massive mint wings, letting out the rest of his ferocious snarl.


    ¡°SKRILI!!¡± he called down, his voice shaking the platform. ¡°FIGHT WELL!¡±


    Her face flushed, but the weakness in her legs vanished. She sprung into her fighting stance, and Pang followed.


    Oh¡­so that¡¯s why Deon suddenly asked me for Gibblezgorv¡¯s scale last night¡­she realized. One more chuckle escaped her.


    That goofball.


    Up in the stands, Deon shot a fist into the air, laughing. ¡°He actually did it!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°YEAH!¡±


    Both teams returned to each other, fire in all of their eyes.


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    ¡°The fight is on!!¡± shouted Soot.


    The teams sprung into action.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting a long time for this,¡± Pang said. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Kotono!¡±


    She zipped at her opponent.


    Kotono let out a cry, like someone had crept up behind her. ¡°Oh! Okay¡­¡± she stammered. ¡°H¡ªHiroko, please watch out.¡±


    A golden glow suddenly burst all around her, the aftershock halting Pang in her tracks and launching her onto her back.


    Meanwhile, Hiroko nodded confidently. She eyed Skrili for a split second, and then darted away from her teammate. Skrili rushed to follow her.


    Hiroko came to an instant stop and faced Skrili in the same fighting stance she¡¯d adopted as her own. Now, they were a good distance from Pang and Kotono, on the opposite side of the arena.


    This was exactly according to Skrili and Pang¡¯s strategy.


    But¡­


    That was too easy, thought Skrili. They walked right into our plan on purpose? They must have figured we¡¯d do this.


    There was no time to think over it: Hiroko pounced forward. Automatically, Skrili recognized her move: the low run, sudden curve to the right, and spinning kick¡­


    Skrili ducked, barely skirting an attack that would have knocked her out in an instant.


    ¡°You really do pay attention,¡± Hiroko commented. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll both know each other¡¯s moves.¡±


    Skrili sprung into an offensive, and Hiroko joined her midway. Skrili had never fought a Predictor, but it was going just as she figured: Hiroko foresaw every punch and kick she dished out, and blocked flawlessly.


    But on top of that, Hiroko had clearly done her homework, too: out of all the possible actions her powers pre-visualized, she deduced which ones Skrili would pick in an instant, without fail.


    This would likely become a test of endurance.


    Across the arena, Pang eyed her idol warily. Kotono¡¯s golden glow lit the air all around her.


    ¡°Here I come,¡± Kotono warned softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that,¡± uttered Pang.


    Kotono pointed her hand and fired a harsh beam of light from it. Pang pivoted, feeling the intense heat as the beam whizzed by, exploding near the arena walls.


    ¡°Then again, you are one of the best,¡± Pang figured. She hopped out of the way as another light beam flew past her.


    More beams and blasts came her way, but Pang managed to barely avoid them, sweat already building from the heat. It was difficult to stay ahead, but she almost felt like it should be more challenging¡ªespecially after not a single attack landed.


    ¡°What, are you not as determined anymore or something?¡± Pang eventually asked outright.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Kotono wondered.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to save your teammate¡¯s people,¡± elaborated Pang. ¡°So, determination: that¡¯s gotta be the emotion feeding your powers, right?¡±


    Kotono¡¯s eyes bounced around quickly. ¡°Oh¡ªum¡ªright¡­¡± she muttered.


    Pang shrugged. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s time to see,¡± she started, peering into Kotono¡¯s eyes closely, ¡°how much more determined I am.¡±


    A golden glow flashed into existence all around Pang now, too, and then it gradually morphed into the same bright red as Kotono¡¯s eyes and Pang¡¯s hair.


    ¡°This should be fun,¡± Pang said. Mimicking Kotono¡¯s technique, she aimed her hand and fired a piercing red energy blast at her.


    But a round wall of golden energy formed in front of Kotono, protecting her from the explosion. Pang could have sworn she heard Kotono scream underneath the booming blast.


    Pang tried once more. She thought of Phillip, and felt the red energy intensify around her. Then she fired another, more powerful beam.


    This time Kotono leaped out of its way, and with both hands lifted up, blasted a massive orb of steaming light straight at Pang. It looked like it had fired before Kotono even finished aiming, but due to its size it was still headed straight for her.


    Pang dove, but it flew too fast: the explosion pounded against her legs, spinning her to the ground. She crashed several times before coming to a stop, remnants of smoke rising off of her.


    Wincing, Pang checked her legs. As she¡¯d hoped and appreciated, her skin and clothes weren¡¯t burned: Kotono always used energy that didn¡¯t scorch her opponents, out of respect for them.


    But it still hurt like they were on fire.


    Tapping back into Kotono¡¯s powers, Pang summoned back her red energy. Black sparks were mixed in now, probably drawing from her frustration.


    She hopped to her feet and eyed her powerful opponent. To her confusion, Kotono stood with a worried hand to her mouth, leaning forward a bit as if to make sure Pang was okay.


    Pang spat. ¡°The ¡®fake-shy¡¯ thing doesn¡¯t work on me,¡± she shot. ¡°I know your techniques.¡±


    Kotono took a step back. ¡°F¡ªFake?¡± she repeated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    This didn¡¯t seem correct: in all the fights Pang had watched and re-watched, Kotono utilized this soft demeanor like a weapon. But now, in person, it seemed too¡­


    Genuine.


    Was this really the Kotono Inoue Pang had been admiring since starting her own career?


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Pang dismissed. ¡°I just need to beat you. And as long as I¡¯m more determined than you, I will.¡±


    Kotono winced, and then the golden light around her intensified even further.


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± she said.


    They both fired blasts, which met directly in the middle. But Kotono¡¯s golden energy easily overwhelmed Pang¡¯s and continued to rage forward.


    Cursing, Pang tried to create a shield of energy like Kotono did earlier. But it only barely dulled the attack, and the audience shouted as the fiery blow still bashed into her.


    Pang slid against the ground before struggling to stand again. Now her energy¡¯s color was almost equal parts red and black.


    ¡°No¡­I won¡¯t lose this!¡± she exclaimed. The light radiated even more intensely around her, forming jagged sparks on the edge, in contrast to Kotono¡¯s round golden glow.


    Pang blasted another beam. It rapidly jolted Kotono¡¯s way in a ferocious, unsteady line.


    But once again, her attempt meant nothing: a gold burst erupted from Kotono¡¯s body, enveloping and wiping away the attack. Then the light compressed into a single, dense orb in front of her. With a contactless slap, she sent it spinning at Pang.


    The crowd¡¯s reaction was even livelier this time as Pang was launched airborne. She crashed hard, unable to recover quite as quickly.


    ¡°There we go¡ªshe¡¯s really cooking now!¡± Soot commentated.


    ¡°This is the usual intensity we see from Kotono¡¯s powers right from the start of a fight,¡± analyzed Talonvorp. ¡°It took a moment, but here¡¯s the Kotono we¡¯re used to.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile, it looks like Skrili is managing to keep up with Hiroko! Wow!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like watching a mirror,¡± noted Talonvorp.


    Skrili tried to block out the narration and crowd noise as she matched Hiroko¡¯s blocks and attacks. She needed to focus with everything she had.


    But they were right; she and Hiroko were more than evenly matched so far: they were identical. Skrili read all of Hiroko¡¯s attacks accurately, and Hiroko foresaw hers each time. Skrili was beginning to regret modeling her style so much after her current opponent. On top of envisioning all of Skrili¡¯s potential actions with her powers, Hiroko could simply base her guesses on what she would do in Skrili¡¯s position.


    Each had taken several hits by now, but only when they both simultaneously dropped their defenses to take a chance. Skrili¡¯s Power Rebound increased steadily from the pain, but Hiroko still matched her power with raw ability.


    After their spinning kicks cancelled each other out, Hiroko hopped back.


    ¡°You don¡¯t fight like most of the pros I¡¯m used to these days,¡± she shared.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like me,¡± she explained further. ¡°There¡¯s a difference in the urgency between someone who fights for success, and someone who grew up fighting for their lives.¡±


    Skrili pounced forward, but Hiroko did the same. Their kicks once again matched, pushing them both backwards.


    ¡°I guess the press is kind of right,¡± Hiroko admitted. ¡°We¡¯re a lot more alike than I thought. There¡¯s just one thing setting me apart: the reason I¡¯ll beat you¡­¡±


    Skrili recognized Hiroko¡¯s footing: she was about to dart forward, cut to the side, and slip right behind Skrili for a fist to the back. Skrili was quick to turn and block the attack.


    But Hiroko was a blur. She came up behind Skrili, exactly where she expected¡ªbut faster than she could follow. Hiroko¡¯s fist jolted her forward.


    ¡°Experience,¡± Hiroko finished.


    Skrili stumbled, almost falling as she recovered her footing. But Hiroko was upon her again, and landed more direct hits than she could comprehend. This time Skrili fell back, pain shooting all over.


    Energy quickly coursed through her, giving her the strength to shoot back to her feet.


    But as a more experienced fighter, Hiroko should know better than to trigger my Power Rebound so directly, Skrili thought. Why is she walking right into my advantage?


    It was just like the beginning of the fight: when Skrili and Pang initiated matchups, Hiroko and Kotono just let it happen, seemingly unconcerned with the implications.


    Skrili immediately realized her brief moment of contemplation was a mistake when fighting the best of the best: Hiroko seized the opportunity to score another frenzy of perfect punches and kicks, sending Skrili on the defense.


    High above, in the standing room of the highest balcony, Lammy and Zayza watched on with peering eyes. The fight was practically a spec, but it was clear who had the lead. While Kotono kept overpowering Pang¡¯s energy blasts with her own reactionary attacks, Hiroko had seized control, knocking Skrili to her back over and over.


    Rob and Pete muttered endlessly to each other about the ongoing battle so fast, even Lammy didn¡¯t bother listening.


    He looked to Zayza and smiled. ¡°At this rate, they can really do it,¡± he said.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes¡­but if this is anything like Dreamer combat, it¡¯s still too soon to tell,¡± she cautioned.


    Skrili slammed against the ground once more, breath fleeing her lungs. Hiroko was about to be in pursuit again, but for some reason, she stopped short.


    ¡°Oh crap...¡± Hiroko started.


    A ground-shaking burst rang in Skrili¡¯s ears, and the accompanying light blinded her for an instant. She heard a grunt as Pang smacked against the ground beside her.


    After shaking her head, Skrili saw Pang, surrounded by mostly black waves of hot energy. Her eyes flared as she forced her battered body back up.


    Kotono stood a short distance away, still completely unscathed, her eyes wide with apparent surprise. ¡°Um¡ªI¡¯m s¡ªsorry,¡± she uttered.


    The crowd filled the air with ¡°aw¡¯s¡± and fanatic cheers.


    ¡°So sweet¡ªeven when she¡¯s pounding her opponent!¡± gushed Soot.


    But Pang wasn¡¯t having any of it. ¡°IT¡¯S NOT HAPPENING LIKE THIS!¡± she shouted, her energy escalating. ¡°Kotono: I¡¯m taking you down, just like everyone else I¡¯ve fought!¡±


    The black and red energy surged high and wide, its shockwave tossing Skrili to the side and causing Hiroko to retreat further back.


    Much of the audience applauded, wooed by Pang¡¯s ferocity. But even more of the crowed cheered Kotono on.


    ¡°Yeah right¡ªyou got this!¡± someone bellowed.


    ¡°Show her you¡¯re the strongest! For the Mainland Desert!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re counting on you!!¡±


    Only an instant after Pang¡¯s emotion energy heightened, Kotono¡¯s followed form¡ªits round illumination practically washing Pang¡¯s light out. A sweltering heat overcame the fighting platform, wind shooting out from Kotono like a vicious storm. It increased with every second.


    After a delay, Kotono mustered a flushed smile. ¡°I¡­won¡¯t let you down!¡± she promised.


    Barely able to adjust her eyes against the light, Skrili watched Kotono closely. Something about her smile wasn¡¯t right.


    The hesitation before her smile wasn¡¯t right.


    The edges of her mouth were crooked, hardly able to uphold her cheery expression.


    This wasn¡¯t the face of a confident champion. But it was a face so familiar to her, so nostalgic in the most discomforting way, that her heart briefly forsook its purpose.


    We were wrong, Skrili realized. This whole time¡­all this time, we were completely wrong about her.


    Everyone is.


    How could I be so ignorant?


    Pushing against the destruction rising from Kotono, Skrili turned to her fiery teammate.


    ¡°Pang! We need to switch the matchup!¡± she demanded.


    ¡°I give you room to call a shot or two, and now you¡¯re in charge?¡± retorted Pang.


    ¡°Just listen! We were wrong¡ªI need to take Kotono!¡±


    Pang¡¯s raging gaze suddenly eased when her eyes met Skrili¡¯s. She glanced warily at her opponents. ¡°You¡­sure look dead-set on this,¡± she noticed.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    With a sigh, Pang renounced the energy flowing around her. As it faded, she turned slid into a fighting stance, this time facing Hiroko as the wind tugged at her flaming hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­counting on you¡­¡± uttered Pang to Skrili. ¡°This better work.¡±


    Skrili nodded, and then climbed to her feet, her focus on her new main opponent, Kotono.


    She still couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d never realized it. But now, standing across from Kotono, Skrili understood her true source of power.


    She had seen this crooked, fragile smile before. It was all-too familiar, and now it was blatantly clear how wrong everyone was.


    Determination wasn¡¯t the emotion powering Kotono Inoue¡¯s endless, boundless stream of Emovert strength.


    It was fear.


    Absolute fear.

 50. Mirrors (Part 2 of 3)

    The audience murmured with confusion.


    ¡°OH¡ªWhat¡¯s this??¡± Soot commentated. ¡°An unexpected change-up?!¡±


    ¡°Very, very interesting decision by Skrili here,¡± Talonvorp evaluated. ¡°Pitting Pang against Kotono seems like the obvious choice, but something made her rethink their strategy¡­¡±


    Deon ripped off the nail he¡¯d been chewing away at subconsciously as his eyes remained locked on the fighting platform. He wished he could read Skrili¡¯s mind, or borrow Lammy¡¯s analytical prowess to decipher what Skrili was thinking.


    They had never discussed this during the training yesterday, yet Skrili seemed so certain.


    ¡°Did she find a new weakness?¡± Phillip wondered beside him.


    Skrili squinted against the warm wind rushing past her from Kotono. She slowly shifted into her fighting stance.


    Kotono stared on intensely, her crooked smile twitching as it began to lose its strength. She couldn¡¯t keep the guise up much longer, despite the incessant support pouring in from most of the audience.


    Testing the waters, Skrili took a step towards her. Immediately, the golden energy around Kotono intensified in brightness and size, shoving a stronger gust in all directions.


    Skrili took another step, to the same effect. She faintly heard Kotono let out a whimper, while forcing herself to maintain her positive composure.


    But it was too clear now:


    She¡¯s terrified, Skrili concluded. No wonder she always has a never-ending surge of power: she¡¯s horrified of fighting. Her fear literally gives her the energy to win, and she¡¯s been hiding it all along.


    Skrili took a cautious step back.


    If we want any shot at weakening her powers, she thought, I need to ease her mind.


    Taking a deep sigh, Skrili relinquished her fighting stance and instead stood quietly.


    Only a few steps away, Pang faced the opposite direction, glaring at Hiroko.


    ¡°You better know what you¡¯re doing, Skrili,¡± she muttered under her breath, brushing away the hair that kept flapping in front of her face in the wind.


    Hiroko¡¯s eyes shifted between Pang and Kotono with a hint of concern. But she refocused, waiting for Pang with an unintimidated, icy gaze.


    Pang analyzed Hiroko, sensing for her powers. It was only moments before she identified and locked onto her Predictor abilities. Imaginary arrows appeared in Pang¡¯s vision going in all directions, carrying transparent outlines of Hiroko: these were all of her possible next movements.


    Two of the arrows were bolder, depicting Hiroko either running straight at Pang or jumping back and cutting to the right in a flank.


    ¡°Your powers really give you an edge, huh?¡± Pang commented, observing the invisible predictions.


    ¡°That¡¯s what everyone assumes, but no,¡± dismissed Hiroko. ¡°It¡¯s about what you do with the predictions.¡±


    Pang laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t train your opponent in the middle of a fight.¡±


    They both shot forward. In Pang¡¯s predictor-vision, the flank attack and several others faded, leaving the head-on possibility and a move where Hiroko would curve to the left. Literally thinking on her toes, she prepared for the head-on attack.


    Thankfully, she predicted correctly: the two fighters met in the middle and blocked each other¡¯s initial punches. This immediately erupted into a bombardment of rapid close-range attacks.


    Gritting her teeth, Pang struggled to keep pace. The predictions appeared and vanished so swiftly that she couldn¡¯t keep track enough to use them.


    But then, came an opening: Hiroko briefly checked past her, over to her teammate. Pang seized the opportunity like she¡¯d never get it again, launching a fist into Hiroko¡¯s stomach. The crowd let out a collective ¡°ooh,¡± practically feeling the pain themselves, as Hiroko crouched over.


    Pang was quick to follow this with a kick to her head¡ªbut somehow, her foot met Hiroko¡¯s firm palm: she had already managed to recover, her toned arm bringing Pang¡¯s kick to an instant halt like it was a mere nudge.


    Hiroko spun back and returned to her feet gracefully, her expression oddly somber and urgent.


    ¡°Listen, Pang,¡± she started. ¡°I may have to ask you and Skrili to evacuate the arena. If I do, I need you to listen to me.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Pang in utter protest. ¡°Like heck I will!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for your safety,¡± Hiroko insisted, unwavering. ¡°If I say the word, you need to listen. We can test our strength another day.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how much I have riding on this fight? And how much you do, too? This is everything!¡± countered Pang.


    Something in Pang¡¯s tone warmed Hiroko¡¯s hard expression. She sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s continue for now,¡± she decided, ¡°but it may get too dangerous soon.¡±


    Skrili tried hard to soften her demeanor, standing unguarded only paces from her opponent. So far, her new strategy was working: the wind had died down a bit.


    Kotono¡¯s eyes barely left her, though they occasionally darted to the side in nervous uncertainty. Her golden glow was beginning to dull.


    Skrili took a breath in. ¡°Kotono, I want to resolve this without hurting you,¡± she said softly.


    After standing frozen for a moment, Kotono¡¯s eyebrows furrowed weakly. ¡°Wh¡ªwhy?¡± she uttered.


    ¡°In all your fights I¡¯ve seen, your powers never let your opponent even get close to you,¡± shared Skrili. ¡°You¡¯re scared of fighting, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°N¡ªno!¡± Kotono stammered. ¡°This is my career!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared of being hurt,¡± Skrili pressed on gently.


    ¡°I¡¯m NOT!¡± shouted Kotono, shaking her head as if to ward off Skrili¡¯s voice. Her golden energy once again blasted all around her, the force almost knocking Skrili off her feet.


    But Skrili stood her ground, still not putting up a defense or fighting stance.


    ¡°I can tell,¡± she said simply. ¡°I know what it looks like.¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªyou¡¯re¡­you¡¯re¡­¡± Kotono tried, the brilliant energy echoing her voice. Then, tears welled up and trickled down her blushing cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m scared¡­of hurting you, too¡­¡± she finally admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t like hurting people¡­¡±


    Skrili did her best to give a calm smile. ¡°Then let¡¯s find a way to settle this without a fight,¡± she offered. ¡°No violence, no powers¡­but still fair. We can figure something out.¡±


    Stretching out her hand, Skrili took one more step forward. Kotono¡¯s energy began weakening once more, and soon, the light and wind gusts died down almost entirely.


    This is really gonna work, Skrili realized. I can take her powers out of the equation, and give her peace of mind. This could actually end without a fight, and give us a chance.


    Two simple phrases murdered her hope.


    ¡°SHE¡¯S TRICKING YOU, KOTONO!!!¡± screamed a fan from the seating.


    ¡°YOU HAVE TO TAKE HER DOWN!! SHE¡¯S GONNA ATTACK!!¡± warned another.


    A jarring golden light exploded around Kotono, singeing the air around her. Skrili was blinded and deafened for a moment.


    When she recovered, she knew her chances were over: Kotono¡¯s red eyes blazed like fire.


    Her fear had returned even stronger than before, and with it, her storm.


    ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t¡­afford to trust you¡­¡± Kotono shared chokingly. ¡°I want to, but¡­everyone¡¯s counting on me. I need to save Hiroko¡¯s people¡­I need to protect my friend. I promised.¡±


    Skrili squinted, barely able to see through Kotono¡¯s illumination. Her heart sunk.


    ¡°Skrili, y¡ªyou¡¯re right about me,¡± continued Kotono. ¡°I¡¯m horrified of fighting. I hate it. I don¡¯t want anyone to hit me, but because of that, my powers hurt them instead. It¡¯s what makes me strong, and it all terrifies me¡­But the thing that scares me the most is¡­¡±


    Somehow, Skrili already knew exactly what she would say:


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°...failing everyone who needs me.¡±


    Just as Kotono¡¯s tears intensified, her golden energy erupted even further outward, almost reaching Skrili. The entire crowd gasped, and the blast launched Skrili to the ground.


    ¡°Holy Horsefish!!¡± cried Soot. ¡°Kotono¡¯s powers are skyrocketing!!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re receiving word that our broadcasting systems have been knocked out,¡± said Talonvorp. ¡°This is about to be substantial¡­I¡¯m grateful our healers are standing by.¡±


    Skrili tried to stand back up, but the energy¡¯s sheer force quickly tossed her back over.


    Kotono¡¯s breath fell unsteady and shallow, turning more into involuntary gasps. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°Skrili¡­please run! I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    After a vicious flash, thunder boomed from Kotono, shaking the platform. Another gust shot Skrili even further back.


    ¡°KOTONO!¡± she heard shouted from behind. Skrili struggled to turn and see Hiroko barely able to hold her ground, on all-fours against the wind. Pang was lying flat beside her, gripping the arena floor with all of her might.


    ¡°Kotono, that¡¯s enough!¡± Hiroko urged. ¡°You¡¯ve done great! Remember what we promised: you can quit if it¡¯s too much! I¡¯ll handle this!¡±


    ¡°No! You need me! Everyone needs me!!¡± cried Kotono.


    ¡°All I need you to do is keep our promise!¡± exclaimed Hiroko, her usually pointed, raspy voice now breaking up. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way, but right now it¡¯s too dangerous!¡±


    Kotono tensed in a vain effort to regain control of herself. She let out a sob. ¡°I can¡¯t! I¡¯m too scared!! It¡¯s too late¡ªI ¨CI CAN¡¯T CONTROL IT!!¡± she screamed. ¡°HIROKO, HELP ME!!!¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh my Gods¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°Pang¡­Skrili: run.¡±


    An agonized scream rose from Kotono and echoed across Gloat Stadium. Countless golden flashes glistened, accompanied by monstrous bangs of thunder.


    Hiroko struggled to lift her head to the sky. ¡°EVERYONE! GET OUT OF HERE!!¡± she demanded.


    Several light beams shot out haphazardly from Kotono, exploding against the arena walls and leaving behind nothing but rubble. One of them collided directly into an ad featuring a smiling, perfect Kotono. Her smile obscured as the magically fueled ad melted into the air and vanished.


    One of the beams shot upward, bursting right through the ceiling and leaving an enormous hole behind. The building filled with screams.


    All around Deon and Phillip, spectators jumped out of their seats and made a break for the exits, many using levitation bracelets to fly over the rows as the wind tossed them around.


    Deon clutched the seat in front of him, the hot gusts pounding against him. A golden hue covered everything. He peaked over to Phillip, who stood beside him shielding his eyes with his arm.


    ¡°You heard Hiroko, right?!¡± Deon exclaimed. ¡°Get out of here!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see you moving,¡± retorted Phillip.


    ¡°As long as they¡¯re down there in that mess, I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡± shouted Deon decidedly.


    ¡°Well neither am I!¡±


    The floor rumbled incessantly. Deon noticed a few small cracks beginning to spread near his feet. All the while, the wind locked them in place. Deon knew no matter how badly he and Phillip wanted to go down there and help, there was nothing they could do.


    If he tried to intervene with an imagining move, he knew it would get tossed aside in the sheer force of Kotono¡¯s storm. She was more powerful than anyone he¡¯d ever seen.


    Even from his view, Kotono¡¯s shining, fiery eyes were perfectly visible through the spectacular destruction all around her. Somehow, he knew what that heat in her face felt like. It looked familiar¡­


    ¡­Just like the orange glow he saw in his own reflection during his training in the Hotel of Champions pond, when he briefly awoke his anger-fueled power-up.


    He thought once again of how badly he had beaten Pang. Twice now, because of this power-up, he could have killed her.


    Why is Kotono¡¯s type so much like my power-up? Deon wondered.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received official word: all audience members and non-healing personnel, please evacuate immediately,¡± ordered Talonvorp.


    ¡°Get to safety, everyone!¡± emphasized Soot. ¡°It¡¯s about to get¡ª¡±


    The sound cut off.


    Lammy and Zayza clutched the railing at the edge of the highest balcony, huddled close.


    ¡°You heard the men, let¡¯s get out of here!!¡± Rob shouted.


    ¡°Come on, guys! We have to go!¡± they heard Peter urge, his voice fading as the father and son retreated towards the exits.


    ¡°Go on, Lammy,¡± Zayza said. ¡°If these are my friends, I can¡¯t leave them behind.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­by that logic, I can¡¯t leave you behind,¡± Lammy replied. ¡°I¡¯m sta¡ª¡±


    A metal railing came loose below, flinging straight for them. Terror arose in Lammy, and he felt a faint heat in his eyes.


    Wait¡­USE IT! he thought to himself hastily.


    Welcoming the heat, he felt his eyes light up. Then, focusing on the incoming rail, he imagined an invisible barrier around Zayza and himself.


    Wait, what am I thinking?! he thought despairingly. My imagining moves hardly ever¡ª


    CLUNK!


    The railing bounced off his barrier and went swinging in another direction.


    Huh? I did it?!


    ¡°I¡ªImpressive!¡± stammered Zayza, beside herself for a moment.


    Lammy blushed, his heart still racing. ¡°Well¡­uh¡­I try, I guess¡­?¡±


    Despite the stiff, anxious sensation, Lammy held onto this feeling: it was sustaining his increase in imagining ability, allowing him to keep the protective barrier around them.


    ¡°EVERYONE, YOUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER!!¡± Hiroko yelled once more. ¡°PLEASE RUN!!¡±


    Beside her, Pang forcefully lifted her head against the wind, flinching when a beam shot right past them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see you going anywhere!¡± she pointed out.


    Hiroko turned and looked at her intensely. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can calm her down!¡± she explained.


    Another brutal gust came, knocking Hiroko onto her back.


    ¡°Oh, sure. And just how do you plan on doing that?¡± pressed Pang.


    Hiroko grit her teeth and looked away, unable to give an answer.


    Across from them, Skrili looked around the stadium. Many people had fled, but countless others either stayed out of curiosity, or their paths of escape had been destroyed and cut off. There were still hundreds remaining, and they were all in harm¡¯s way.


    The situation grew even direr when she spotted Deon and Phillip in the distance, still watching loyally.


    Those idiots! They¡¯ll get killed!  she thought. She glanced over to the hurricane that was Kotono, and then back to Pang and Hiroko, who by now, were sitting ducks. Nobody else could stop Kotono.


    The surge of Power Rebound strength continued to escalate throughout Skrili¡¯s body. It had been since the onset of the fight. She knew:


    She had to be the one to try.


    Searching back into the stands, she caught Deon¡¯s eyes. He fought against the gusts and flashes, refusing to budge from his seat.


    Immediately, their conversation last night replayed in her mind. She remembered Deon¡¯s words, and knew what she had to do.


    Peering with a great deal of effort, Deon noticed Skrili¡¯s faraway gaze. Somehow, he could see the decisiveness in her eyes. Skrili fought against the wind to stand up, and then faced Kotono.


    ¡°What is she doing?!¡± wondered Phillip. ¡°At this point, getting any closer is suicide!¡±


    Deon felt his hope deplete. ¡°She¡¯s¡­going for it,¡± he realized. ¡°She¡¯s gonna try to save everyone.¡±


    Her mind was made. Even if he could somehow make it down there, he knew he couldn¡¯t talk her out of it.


    She needed this more than anything.


    ~


    The night before¡­


    ¡°Can¡­can I tell you something?¡± uttered Skrili. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about it, and I just¡­need someone else to know.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes reopened. He had almost drifted back to sleep, lying comfortably in his soft hotel bed across from Skrili¡¯s.


    ¡°Huh? Yeah, of course.¡±


    Skrili struggled to speak, shifting in her sheets. Finally, she laboriously let it out:


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault my brother is dead.¡±


    Her abrupt, fragile words made Deon¡¯s heart skip. Silence filled the air, tormenting them both, because he had no idea what to say.


    Eventually, Skrili stirred again. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry¡­I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± said Deon. But still, he couldn¡¯t find any more words.


    ¡°I¡­I always promised I¡¯d protect him,¡± she continued. ¡°I used to whisper a song to him every night to make him feel safe¡­but when it mattered, I couldn¡¯t back up the words. And it¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡±


    Deon sat up, regretting his inability to fill the silent void with comforting words.


    ¡°Is that making you worry about tomorrow?¡± he decided to ask.


    Skrili¡¯s silhouette nodded slowly in the darkness.


    ¡°If¡­I can¡¯t save Phillip either¡­if I fail again for the same reason I lost my brother¡­¡± she started, ¡°How will I live with myself? What kind of person does that make me?¡±


    Suddenly, Skrili shifted, turning away in her sheets. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I don¡¯t know why I told you all of that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re teammates,¡± Deon said. ¡°That¡¯s how it works, right?¡±


    Skrili said nothing.


    Deon wished he could find something¡ªanything¡ªto ease her mind even in the slightest. To him, not being strong enough didn¡¯t make it her fault, but he knew saying that wouldn¡¯t accomplish anything. He couldn¡¯t fathom the darkness and shame shrouding her thoughts.


    But then, the right words felt obvious. He took a deep sigh, and for the first time since setting foot outside Tailpiece, felt a bit homesick.


    ¡°My mom had this thing she used to say all the time,¡± he shared. ¡°It never really mattered to me because nothing bad really happens in Tailpiece, so I wasn¡¯t sure why she bothered. But¡­all the sudden, it makes sense¡­¡±


    ~


    Standing before Kotono, surrounded by her uncontrollable destruction, Skrili heard Deon¡¯s words from last night over and over in her mind:


    ¡°A good person fights when they know they can save someone. But a loving person fights even when they know they can¡¯t.¡±


    Skrili took a deep breath, and allowed her Power Rebound to unleash.


    She looked up one more time at Deon, his figure obscured by wavy heat. Then, she turned and glanced at Pang, who watched in sheer confusion.


    Skrili turned back to Kotono.


    With everything she had, she forced herself forward against the pounding wind and heat. Light beams burst past her, one so close it scorched the very edge of her shirt.


    ¡°SKRILI, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!¡± Pang screamed. ¡°DON¡¯T BE AN IDIOT!¡±


    ¡°YOU HAVE TO STOP! YOU¡¯LL DIE!!¡± Hiroko shouted.


    But she pressed forward, tapping further into her Power Rebound. Her eyes watered and her skin stung in protest. As the pain transferred into more energy, she relied even more on her increasing power boost.


    Soon she entered the frantic spiral of golden light, steps away from Kotono. The energy zapped through her countless times, shooting searing pain through her whole body until it felt endless.


    Skrili bit her lip hard, and continued forward.


    Through her foggy vision, she could see Kotono¡¯s glowing red eyes staring back at her in sheer shock. Kotono recoiled, tucking away in fear.


    ¡°N¡ªno¡­please¡­¡± she muttered, her voice echoing.


    ¡°Kotono, I¡¯m¡­gonna try to help you,¡± Skrili struggled to let out.


    ¡°Skrili, please stop! My powers are killing you! I can¡¯t stop it!¡±


    Finally, Skrili was face-to-face with Kotono. Now was her only chance. She channeled more Power Rebound strength for one final move¡ªthe only technique she knew might make a difference¡­


    Skrili leaned forward, and embraced Kotono in a hug.


    She held on with all of her might, but as tenderly as possible. Skrili smiled¡ªeven now, with Kotono¡¯s deadly energy ripping at her, embracing one of her heroes like this felt surreal.


    Now that she was in direct contact with Kotono, the power was truly immense. The pain was so high that her whole body went numb.


    But then, the intensity decreased a bit.


    ¡°H¡ªhuh?¡± uttered Kotono.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± said Skrili softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to fight anymore.¡±


    ¡°Skrili¡­stop, you¡¯ll¡ªyou¡¯ll die¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­and you¡¯re okay, too¡­you¡¯re doing great. You¡¯ll save the people you care about.¡±


    The energy weakened once more.


    ¡°But¡­I can¡¯t stop it¡­¡± Kotono whimpered.


    Skrili closed her eyes, leaning her head against Kotono¡¯s shoulder. She knew didn¡¯t have much left. Opening her mouth, she whispered a song into Kotono¡¯s ear:


    ¡°Even in the night,


    The sun will hear your cries,


    For now, just stay with me


    One day we¡¯ll close our eyes,


    And feel the warmth of life


    For now, you¡¯re safe with me


    Forever safe with me¡±


    Kotono¡¯s tears dripped onto Skrili¡¯s cheek, and it was the only thing she could feel anymore.


    The wind hushed, lulled to rest. The golden storm ceased, leaving a dull afterglow.


    At last, Kotono sighed.


    Skrili weakly opened her eyes, but everything was too hazy. She managed to smile one more time.


    I hope you saw that, Akri, she thought. Now¡­maybe we can still finish this and save¡­


    Her thoughts slipped away into nothing.


    Kotono gasped as Skrili¡¯s arms dropped. She wrapped her own arms around Skrili as she fell against her, limp. The sudden deadweight pulled Kotono down to her knees.


    The entire stadium was still.


    In his seat, Deon watched unblinkingly and breathlessly, as his teammate lay lifeless in Kotono¡¯s arms.

 51. Mirrors (Part 3 of 3)

    ¡°¡­Skrili?¡± Deon muttered.


    Kotono cradled the motionless Skrili closely, her lip quivering. ¡°No¡­oh, no¡­¡± she whispered breathlessly.


    Skrili¡¯s skin was blotched with gold-tinged burn marks and black ash all over, her clothes frayed. Her eyes were closed peacefully.


    Across the platform, Hiroko and Pang finally returned to their feet. Hiroko stared on with a ghostly, knowing expression.


    Aside from Kotono¡¯s forlorn whimpers, nobody made a sound.


    But after a moment, laughter broke the silence.


    Hiroko turned to find Pang snickering to herself. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? You¡¯re kidding¡­Come on, Skrili,¡± she said. But immediately, her laughs grew hollow.


    She stopped when Hiroko approached her softly, and wrapped her firm, comforting arm around her.


    ¡°No¡­she¡¯s fine, just wait¡­¡± Pang insisted shakily. When Hiroko didn¡¯t reply, she shook her head again and again, before finally tensing. ¡°SKRILI!!!¡± she screamed.


    Hiroko held her closer.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat¡¯s going on¡­?¡± Deon asked. ¡°She isn¡¯t¡­is she?¡±


    ¡°You were right: she protected us,¡± Phillip replied monotonously. But when he turned and met Deon¡¯s eyes, his face was full of sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Deon felt weightless.


    In the upper balcony, Lammy and Zayza stood unharmed, the forcefield Lammy conjured still guarding them.


    Zayza suddenly clutched Lammy¡¯s arm.


    ¡°That poor girl¡­¡± she uttered.


    Lammy¡¯s mind filled with thoughts of Ryan, and how he sacrificed himself for their escape. Now this girl he¡¯d never met, Skrili, had done the same.


    Tears returned to Kotono¡¯s eyes after she felt for a pulse.


    ¡°Her heart¡­it¡¯s not¡­¡±


    Pang gasped, while Hiroko still maintained her composure.


    ¡°Okay¡­Kotono, take deep breaths, alright?¡± she instructed calmly. ¡°Just keep taking deep breaths. I¡¯m right here, okay?¡±


    Kotono tried to nod.


    ¡°Are there any healers left in here?¡± Hiroko called out. ¡°Healers?!¡±


    Eventually, three green-robed workers emerged from behind a broken wall they had been using for shelter. They cautiously approached the arena, like it could explode at any instant.


    But abruptly, they all stopped, as if obeying a voice in their heads.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat are you all doing?!¡± Kotono shot, hugging Skrili tenderly. A red and gold light awoke around her.


    Hiroko cursed under her breath. ¡°Kotono¡ªI¡¯m here,¡± she reminded softly. ¡°Breathe.¡±


    The light weakened to a faint glow.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Hiroko demanded to the healers, her tone stern.


    The three robed workers looked at each other uneasily, clearly just as afraid of Hiroko as her teammate¡¯s unstable powers.


    ¡°Um¡­Ms. Kay is still¡­technically¡­¡± one began.


    ¡°¡­an eligible opponent,¡± explained another. ¡°Her teammate hasn¡¯t dismissed her.¡±


    Again Hiroko cursed, this time loud enough for everyone to hear, as she threw up her hands in disbelief.


    ¡°Are you freaking kidding me?!?!¡± Pang shouted fiercely. ¡°She obviously can¡¯t fight, you morons!!¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªyou still haven¡¯t¡ª¡± noted one of the healers.


    ¡°FINE!!! I DISMISS SKRILI!!! THIS IS IDIOTIC!!!¡± Pang roared.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time!¡± exclaimed Kotono. ¡°She¡¯s not breathing! You have to do something now!¡±


    The three workers all looked at each other again. After one shrugged nervously, they all began approaching the platform again.


    But once more, they came to a halt.


    ¡°PLEASE HURRY!¡± Kotono cried.


    ¡°We¡­just received word,¡± shared one healer, ¡°that we can¡¯t enter an ongoing fight when there¡¯s a life-threatening hazard on the platform.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s fighting!¡± Pang yelled. ¡°Where¡¯s the hazard?!¡±


    The healers all looked at Kotono, who averted her eyes in distraught guilt.


    ¡°Then¡­then lift Skrili away if you¡¯re that scared,¡± Hiroko pressed.


    ¡°Our Imaginers fled.¡±


    Deon shot to his feet. ¡°Screw this,¡± he spat.


    Though it was farther away than he¡¯d ever tried to imagine, Deon focused his attention on the space below Skrili. He envisioned a wooden platform under her, and tried his best to place it into existence.


    But nothing happened.


    ¡°Huh?! Why can¡¯t I imagine?!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°The League hires Dampeners for every Conscious Competition,¡± Phillip explained morosely. ¡°They use their powers to effectively make a barrier around the arena, which cancels out any outside consciousness powers, to keep people from interfering. I would have thought when they called on an evacuation, they¡¯d let the Dampeners go, too¡­so why did they instruct them to stay¡­?¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t have used the Dampeners or whatever to stop Kotono?!¡± Deon challenged.


    ¡°They probably tried. She¡¯s too powerful.¡±


    ¡°Forget it¡ªnow what?!¡± Deon asked despairingly. ¡°Skrili can¡¯t¡­really be gone¡­¡±


    Phillip found nothing more to say.


    ¡°PLEASE! You have to help her!¡± Kotono cried.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been told we cannot intervene.¡±


    ¡°WHY?!¡±


    Pang released Hiroko¡¯s arms and stepped forward. ¡°DO SOMETHING!!¡± she commanded. ¡°You need to save her!! I still haven¡¯t¡­I still have to¡­¡± she collapsed to her knees emptily.


    ¡°I NEVER GOT TO TELL HER I¡¯M SORRY!!¡± she sobbed.


    Instead of responding any further, the trio stoically ignored Pang¡¯s cries, Kotono¡¯s weak whimpers, and Hiroko¡¯s glare. They took a few cautious steps backwards, turned, and hurried away.


    ¡°But¡­you have to¡­¡± muttered Kotono. ¡°Someone has to¡­this is all because of me¡­¡±


    Another glow sparked around Kotono.


    But this was a different color: green.


    ¡°Um¡­Kotono¡­?¡± Hiroko called over, her confident composure dwindling a bit. ¡°You¡­feeling okay?¡±


    But Kotono didn¡¯t listen, her eyes shut tightly as she held Skrili and cried.


    ¡°What does green mean?¡± Pang asked, her eyes widening.


    ¡°I¡­actually have no idea,¡± admitted Hiroko. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her do this before.¡±


    Kotono sheepishly opened her eyes and looked at Skrili once more, a green tinge in her irises. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m so sorry, Skrili,¡± she whispered.


    The green energy evolved, bursting into a bright sparkle all around both of them. This energy looked nothing like her usual golden powers¡ªit wasn¡¯t fiery or unpredictable. Instead it floated lightly in the air, sparkles glistening all around beautifully.


    Phillip abruptly leaned forward, peering closely.


    ¡°What?¡± Deon asked vainly.


    ¡°That green light¡­¡± Phillip started carefully. ¡°It¡¯s almost exactly like¡­¡±


    ¡°No freaking way¡­¡± Pang said slowly, her tears ceasing.


    Now the green energy was shining even brighter around Skrili than Kotono. The golden burns all over Skrili¡¯s skin began turning into white light, as the ash trickled off of her body like dark snowflakes.


    Then, one by one, the burns began to vanish.


    ¡°Kotono, whatever you¡¯re doing,¡± encouraged Hiroko, ¡°keep doing it!¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡­huh?¡± Kotono looked around more soberly, breaking out of her cloud of despair. She scanned Skrili, noticing her body¡¯s many injuries gradually reversing themselves. ¡°H¡ªhow is this happening?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your emotions!¡± Hiroko exclaimed, a smile emerging. ¡°You can heal people!¡±


    ¡°I can?¡±


    ¡°Kotono, don¡¯t stop!¡± Pang shouted.


    ¡°Okay¡­I¡­I don¡¯t even know how to stop¡­¡±


    Deon shot out of his seat again, almost missing the floor when he stood.


    ¡°Her Emovert powers can heal?!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Kotono, keep feeling sad and guilty!!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that basic¡­¡± Phillip muttered.


    All around them, for the first time in what felt like an era of somberness, the remaining crowd members began cheering Kotono on, just as Hiroko, Pang, and Deon were. After a roar resounded, Deon peered up to find Gibblezgorv still watching from above¡ªthe only dragon left in the stadium.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The green light flowing from Kotono to Skrili brightened, developing countless more shades. Many more wounds remained, but slowly, they were all reversing.


    Kotono brought her ear against Skrili, checking for a pulse once more.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Pang uttered softly.


    Kotono raised her head, her eyes wider than ever as they met Hiroko¡¯s.


    ¡°She¡­has a heartbeat again¡­¡± she stammered. ¡°And she¡¯s breathing!!¡±


    ¡°YES!¡± shouted Hiroko.


    Pang laughed breathily, still on her knees. ¡°Jeez¡­way to go scaring me half to death,¡± she said. ¡°Skrili¡­everything¡¯s always so dramatic with you, huh?¡±


    Deon and Phillip simultaneously fell into their seats, both sighing with sheer relief.


    ¡°She¡¯ll make it¡­¡± Phillip said.


    Deon leaned back and crossed his arms with a big smirk. ¡°Yeah¡­I knew she¡¯d end up fine,¡± he said. ¡°We have that true-teammate bond, you know? I could tell the whole time.¡±


    ¡°Stop making stuff up.¡±


    All around, the much smaller audience voiced their relief, celebrating and embracing each other.


    ¡°Um¡­*ahem*¡­testing¡­¡± a voice suddenly projected across the stadium.


    ¡°I believe we¡¯re back¡­¡± realized another.


    ¡°Well¡­it seems we¡¯ve missed quite a lot!¡± Soot noticed. ¡°Somehow, Kotono¡¯s powers got under control¡­¡±


    ¡°And now it seems she¡¯s healing an unconscious Skrili¡­with an ability we knew nothing about. I¡¯m quite perplexed¡­¡± Talonvorp continued. ¡°Though I¡¯m now receiving word from the healers: Pang has indeed dismissed Skrili from the fight.¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s down to Kotono and Hiroko vs. Pang! Not great odds for the rookie!¡±


    ¡°What¡ªthey¡¯re still here?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    Hiroko crossed her arms and looked up in no particular direction. ¡°What the heck are you guys doing?¡± she asked firmly.


    ¡°Um¡­just our jobs, Ms. Hamasaki,¡± replied Soot¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Technically, the Championship still isn¡¯t decided,¡± Talonvorp explained. ¡°The officials haven¡¯t called it off, and to our knowledge, neither team has forfeited.¡±


    ¡°Do you guys all quit?¡±


    Pang, Hiroko, and Kotono fell silent. They all briefly glanced at each other.


    ¡°To be clear: if both teams forfeit, nobody wins the Championship,¡± elaborated Talonvorp. ¡°This applies to the prize money and possibly any related agreements.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a logistical nightmare,¡± muttered Soot. ¡°But¡ªyour call!¡±


    Again, the three remaining fighters exchanged glances.


    Pang stood, rolling her shoulders. ¡°Well, I know my answer,¡± she said confidently. ¡°I need that prize money.¡±


    ¡°Hiroko, w¡ªwill Imagine Change still honor their partnership?¡± Kotono wondered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± said Hiroko seriously. ¡°But my people are on the line. And our best friend.¡± She faced Pang, standing tall. ¡°Looks like we have a Championship to finish.¡±


    ¡°WE¡¯RE STILL IN THIS, FOLKS!!!!¡± Soot proclaimed, elated.


    The audience didn¡¯t respond immediately, clearly still confused. But after a moment, cheers swelled from the remaining patches of the balconies and seating.


    ¡°Hiroko, Skrili¡¯s still not fully healed,¡± Kotono noticed, still handling Skrili with care. The green light around her remained, mostly lighter shades glistening now. ¡°I¡¯m gonna keep at it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her go. Those jerks won¡¯t help her until after we finish,¡± Hiroko agreed. The intensity in her icy eyes increased. ¡°Pang and I will decide this fight.¡±


    Pang smiled menacingly. ¡°Works for me,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°There must be a lot on the line for these teams, because even after everyone¡¯s lives were in danger¡ªand the stadium nearly destroyed¡ªthe championship continues,¡± Talonvorp said, returning to his narration.


    ¡°Well, we did kinda egg them on,¡± admitted Soot.


    A trickle of sweat ran down Lammy¡¯s forehead. Figuring it was finally safe enough, he commanded the forcefield to vanish.


    ¡°Goodness, I¡¯m relieved that girl will be okay,¡± sighed Zayza.


    ¡°And Hiroko¡¯s people still have a chance¡­¡± Lammy realized. ¡°We still have a chance.¡±


    ¡°Hiroko will win,¡± Zayza said with certainty. ¡°Lammy, soon we¡¯ll have a safe haven. You won¡¯t have to be afraid anymore. I may not have any solid memories of Hiroko and Kotono right now, but somehow¡­I believe in her.¡±


    ¡°Bro¡­¡± started Deon to Phillip, practically shaking with anticipation. ¡°You know what this means, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your bro,¡± muttered Phillip.


    Deon chuckled. ¡°Pang can still do this,¡± he said. ¡°No¡ªshe will do this. She¡¯s gonna win, and get that medicine for you!¡±


    A small smile curled on Phillip¡¯s pale face, a subtle blush accompanying it. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°I believe in her.¡±


    ¡°I guess the best way to get the ball rolling again is to kick it off one final time!¡± declared Soot. ¡°Everyone left: count with me!¡±


    ¡°THREE!¡±


    ¡°TWO!!¡±


    ¡°ONE!!!¡±


    ¡°FIGHT!!!!¡±


    Pang and Hiroko hopped away from each other in an instant, pouncing into identical fighting stances at opposite ends of the tattered platform.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± uttered Pang.


    She threw a couple lightning-fast punches into the air, and then observed her hands in bewilderment.


    Her menacing smile grew even wider.


    ¡°Man¡­full of all kinds of surprises today, huh, Skrili?¡± she said with a laugh. She looked over to her resting teammate. ¡°Nice one.¡±


    If Hiroko was puzzled, she hid it well, maintaining her ready-stance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± said Pang.


    The two fighters zipped straight at each other¡ªbut Pang moved far quicker than Hiroko¡ªquicker than she could ever move naturally.


    Taking her off guard, Pang sent a powerful kick into Hiroko¡¯s side, nailing her perfectly. With a grunt, Hiroko rolled to the floor.


    She stood up quickly. ¡°What?¡± she wondered. ¡°Is that a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yep: a Power Rebound,¡± Pang confirmed. ¡°I guess Skrili really thought this one through. Turns out, she must¡¯ve been sending me a portion of the Power Rebound energy she was getting while she tried to force her way through Kotono¡¯s powers. That must have killed, because this feels great!¡±


    ¡°That impossible technique you two pulled off against Ving and Alex,¡± Hiroko recalled.


    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± agreed Pang. ¡°Good thing we worked out the kinks. I was too distracted to notice she¡¯d transferred it to me until now. This is about to be fun.¡±


    Hiroko shrugged. ¡°Now that I know, my Predictor powers will correct for it.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t matter,¡± Pang decided. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to keep up.¡±


    Pang launched at her again, and Hiroko narrowly dodged. But with her enhanced strength, Pang easily caught back up and forced Hiroko onto the defense, unleashing swift, mighty punches and kicks.


    A few direct hits sent Hiroko stumbling back, which offered only a brief reprieve before Pang was upon her again.


    ¡°Pang immediately takes control!¡± commentated Soot.


    ¡°Skrili wisely took advantage of their newfound ability, making Pang the only Manipulator to utilize Power Rebound! This could be what tips the scales!¡± said Talonvorp.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± disagreed Hiroko.


    As another spinning kick came flying her way at an incomprehensible speed, Hiroko leaned forward into it. Twisting masterfully, she caught Pang¡¯s leg, spun it further, and then jumped up. Leaning her shoulder in, she bashed Pang directly in the back.


    Pang¡¯s air puffed out all at once. Not wasting an instant, Hiroko jumped and whipped her own spinning kick into Pang¡¯s side, sending her crashing against the floor.


    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s still not enough,¡± said Hiroko after landing flawlessly. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re still hurt from fighting Kotono.¡±


    Pang climbed to her feet. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she spat. ¡°I¡¯m going to win this. I have to.¡±


    ¡°So do I,¡± Hiroko said calmly.


    ¡°I get that you¡¯re trying to save your home and everything,¡± said Pang. ¡°But if I don¡¯t win, Phillip will die. He needs that medicine.¡±


    A patient tenderness appeared in Hiroko¡¯s eyes. Pang tried to look away, but she couldn¡¯t. It was too understanding.


    ¡°I wish it didn¡¯t have to come down to this, then,¡± Hiroko sighed. ¡°But it does. So come at me with everything you have.¡±


    Pang charged her, but abruptly cut to the side. Reading it perfectly, Hiroko turned and blocked Pang¡¯s flank. They dove into an all-out duel.


    But this time, Hiroko kept pace with Pang. Her normally unruffled expression tensed as she poured a more labored effort into her movements. Now, they were equally matched.


    ¡°No¡­how are you keeping up?!¡± grumbled Pang.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± started Hiroko. She dodged an onslaught of punches and hopped over a low kick. ¡°The Power Rebound won¡¯t be enough. I became one of the strongest because¡­¡± she sent her own punches, which Pang barely avoided. ¡°¡­I needed to.¡±


    ¡°But¡­this is too strong!¡± Pang shouted after taking a hard hit to the side and turning as a fist breezed past her cheek. ¡°I can¡¯t lose to you!!¡±


    Locking into a distinct prediction, Hiroko twisted and landed a perfect kick into Pang¡¯s stomach. Pang fell back, but pushed off the ground and immediately returned the favor.


    The opponents continued on. Darting all over the fighting platform, neither Pang nor Hiroko let up. The fight remained even as Hiroko used nothing but her natural strength and speed to match Pang¡¯s Power Rebound-induced abilities.


    Deon noticed Phillip wince as a black vein in his neck twitched briefly.


    You can finish this, Pang, he thought.


    Lammy felt Zayza grip his arm even harder.


    ¡°They¡¯re both fighting to save someone,¡± she said softly. Then, she released Lammy¡¯s arm and suddenly turned the other way. ¡°Oh¡­I can¡¯t watch!¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyes stayed fixed. What¡¯s about to happen¡­? he wondered.


    After both landing devastating attacks on each other, Pang and Hiroko fled to opposite corners.


    Voices around the stadium cheered them on evenly, now even more passionate than ever. Kotono watched closely, her eyes bouncing between them, as her glow continued working its effect on Skrili.


    Hiroko gasped for air, wiping sweat from her face.


    Opposite to her, Pang forced herself to catch her breath, her face red with heat. She clenched her fists so hard, streaks of blood emerged from them.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± she said. ¡°Phillip needs me.¡±


    Hiroko nodded. ¡°But my people need me.¡±


    ¡°Folks, I think this could be¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M TAKING YOU DOWN!!!¡± Pang roared, her ferocity cutting Soot off entirely.


    The two contenders charged at each other with equal speed, attacks ready. About to meet squarely in the center of the arena, they both shot forward into the air.


    Their technique of choice was identical: hands stretched out straight, they both brought their arms back, and swung fierce chops into each other¡¯s necks.


    Pang and Hiroko both continued past each other in the air, now falling. They collided with the arena floor stomach-down.


    Once more, the stadium fell totally silent.


    Deon¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    Lammy held his breath.


    Is¡­that it? they both thought.


    After only a couple seconds, Kotono was the one to break the silence:


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± she said simply.


    Only one fighter stirred. She stood to her feet, still full of strength.


    A few audience members clapped. Then, after a collective gasp, the remaining crowd joined in, before ascending into full, hearty applause.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S THE FIGHT!!!¡± Soot called.


    ¡°It¡¯s over: they¡¯ve done it again,¡± proclaimed Talonvorp. ¡°Pang is defeated by knockout! Which means¡ªonce again¡ªHiroko Hamasaki and Kotono Inoue are the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition Champions!!¡±


    ¡°Man¡ªthat¡¯s always a mouthful,¡± Soot added with a laugh.


    Hiroko turned to her fallen opponent with a peaceful smile. Across from her, Pang lay unmoving on the arena floor, her eyelids closed. Her outstretched hand was lightly cupped in a fist, as if the fight was raging on in her mind.


    ¡°You missed by just a tiny bit,¡± Hiroko shared softly. ¡°Like I told Skrili: the only difference between us is experience.¡±


    Ignoring the adoration from the fans, Hiroko walked quietly over to Pang. She crouched down and placed a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°You fought so well for your loved one,¡± she said. ¡°Now you can rest¡ªboth of you.¡± She looked over to Skrili with the same kind gaze.


    Kotono observed Skrili once more. ¡°I¡­I think she¡¯s gonna be okay, Hiroko,¡± she said, a smile finally forming.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± Hiroko told her.


    In the seating, Deon and Phillip sat speechless.


    Deon was too scared to look over at Phillip. At this rate, there was no way he and Pang would have time to scrounge up enough funding for the treatment.


    Deon had never felt so stiff in his life.


    ¡°There you have it, ladies, gents, and friends,¡± Soot narrated, bouncing his voice and clearly savoring the moment. ¡°Our beloved Kotono and Hiroko have secured another Championship.¡±


    ¡°And this one¡¯s special, because it means the Imagine Change Foundation will fund the creation of a full lake in the Mainland Desert. They¡¯ve saved so many lives,¡± continued Talonvorp. ¡°Only time will tell what other incredible things this duo will¡ª¡±


    Hiroko raised her hand to the air. ¡°Wait,¡± she said plainly, her face stern again.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    After watching Pang tranquilly for another moment, Hiroko stood back up. The crowd hushed out of respect.


    ¡°People sign up for these Conscious Competitions for all kinds of reasons¡ªusually, selfish ones: money, fame, the need to prove themselves¡­¡± Hiroko started seriously. ¡°Pang and Skrili are here because they wanted to save a sick loved one. These two girls¡ªthese rookies¡ªworked hard, outdid all kinds of celebrated pros, and made it all the way to the championship in the hardest Conscious Competition. All for someone else.¡±


    Everyone listened fixedly as Hiroko paused to find the words.


    ¡°Honestly, if there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve learned from our career so far, it¡¯s that this League only cares about pitting consciousnesses against each other, and turning over a profit from that,¡± she shared. ¡°I know management¡¯s gonna hate me saying that, but I don¡¯t care. Because when you¡¯re wrapped up in the League, it makes it so easy to forget how important it is¡ªhow necessary it is¡ªfor consciousnesses to help each other.¡±


    She took a sigh.


    ¡°Thank you, Skrili and Pang, for reminding me of that.¡±


    Hiroko looked over to Kotono, seemingly requesting approval for whatever came next. Without hesitation, Kotono gave her a big nod and a beaming smile.


    ¡°And so¡­¡± started Hiroko, ¡°Kotono and I are gonna set that example now. With the Imagine Change agreement, the Mainland Desert project is funded. So we don¡¯t want the prize money. After fulfilling royalties to our management and staff, Kotono and I will be giving the rest of the prize money to Pang and Skrili, to help their sick friend.¡±


    Deon shot his fists into the air, pouncing out of his seat.


    ¡°YES!!!¡± he barked. His head whipped to Phillip. ¡°Did you hear that, man?! I guess they really did do it!¡±


    Phillip still sat in the same position as he was the moment Pang was announced defeated. For a moment, Deon wondered if Phillip actually didn¡¯t hear Hiroko.


    ¡°I¡­suppose they did¡­¡± he sniffed, hiding his face as a tear fell.


    Deon couldn¡¯t stop smiling as the rest of the audience joined in his enthusiasm, almost making up in volume for all the attendees who had evacuated.


    He observed Kotono and Hiroko¡ªthe most powerful team he¡¯d ever seen, and Skrili and Pang¡ªsimply the boldest two people he¡¯d ever met. All four of them got to this point to stand up for someone, giving it everything. And even after the fight, the support continued. They didn¡¯t simply use their strength: they lent it.


    But above all, he admired his teammate the most. Skrili put her very life on the line for what she believed in, and in an unexpected way, met that goal tenfold. She saved an entire stadium with her sacrifice, as well as Phillip, through all her hard work.


    A warm feeling filled his heart as he looked at the four fighters. For the first time since his encounter with Pang in the training rooms, he felt an unquenchable passion again.


    If that¡¯s what it looks like to be the best, he thought, then I want to be just like them.

 52. Moving On, Moving Forward

    ¡°Please, come in,¡± called the doctor.


    Deon followed Phillip into the Gloat Stadium Healing Center. They walked down a bright hall for a moment before turning and entering a specific room with the same white walls and glowing orbs as the waiting area.


    Phillip immediately veered to the left and approached the bed where Pang lay, sound asleep and snoring. He sat by her side.


    ¡°She¡¯s a small one, so the treatment packed quite a punch,¡± explained the doctor. ¡°She¡¯s fully recovered and stable, but we¡¯ll have to keep her here overnight. You¡¯re welcome to accompany her.¡±


    On the opposite side, Skrili sat in the other bed, finally awake again. Her long blue hair flowed down, falling around her still-frayed clothes. But thankfully, all the burn marks were totally gone. Deon gave her a smile as he walked over.


    To his surprise, she gave a friendly, however drowsy, wave.


    ¡°Skrili is fully healed, as well. Ms. Inoue¡¯s strange powers did most of the work,¡± the doctor added. ¡°Ms. Inoue¡¯s new healing abilities are evidently extremely potent¡ªand we provided our own treatment to be extra safe¡ªso for the time being, the effects have left Skrili a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­I feel amazing¡­¡± Skrili slurred as her hazy eyes gazed around the room.


    ¡°¡­Out of it?¡± Deon finished.


    The doctor nodded. ¡°She may return to her hotel room, but only if you escort her closely. We¡¯ll provide discrete transportation for her privacy.¡±


    Deon returned his nod, relieved that these healing doctors were actually helping, unlike the green-robed healers during the championship. Kotono¡¯s uncontrollable power had truly spooked them¡ªand whoever was calling the shots. He was just glad it wasn¡¯t too late.


    He returned his attention to Skrili, and then tried not to laugh as he noticed her swaying back and forth blissfully.


    ¡°Well, you did it,¡± he said. ¡°I know you guys lost, but technically you still saved Phillip. Heck¡ªyou saved all of us. That was seriously awesome.¡±


    ¡°I like soft socks,¡± replied Skrili.


    ¡°Uh¡­right¡­¡± uttered Deon. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to the room.¡±


    He offered his hand, but ultimately had to reach for Skrili¡¯s when she wasn¡¯t picking up on his cue. She loyally followed him to her feet but almost lost balance immediately, leaning against him for a moment.


    She¡¯s even worse than the last couple times, Deon noticed. Then again, she did almost die¡­


    ¡°Wuh-oh¡ªthat was close,¡± Skrili giggled after she regained her footing.


    Deon laughed. He had to admit, this goofier side of her was kind of cute.


    Still holding her hand with gentle caution, Deon decided to slowly guide her over to Pang¡¯s bed before departing.


    Phillip sat by Pang¡¯s side, both hands placed over one of hers as he watched her. Deon couldn¡¯t quite fathom the emotional depth in Phillip¡¯s expression¡ªespecially with his long and spikey bangs masking most of it.


    ¡°Never thought I¡¯d say this, but that¡¯s one heck of a friend you have there,¡± Deon told him. ¡°Make sure you keep her around.¡±


    Phillip¡¯s face reddened slightly as he smiled and managed a single, slow nod.


    ¡°And hey¡ªI¡¯m glad you¡¯re gonna be able to get the treatment. Really,¡± added Deon. ¡°It¡¯s been fun watching all these fights together, man.¡±


    ¡°It was¡­bearable at times,¡± muttered Phillip.


    Deon chuckled.


    ¡°Bye, teammate¡­¡± Skrili mumbled, waving to Pang. ¡°See you tomorrow¡­¡±


    Inadvertently, Deon¡¯s chuckle deflated.


    ¡®Teammate,¡¯ huh? he repeated in his head.


    He recalled Peter¡¯s honest words from days before, after Skrili and Pang¡¯s first round victory. With all the success and attention they were seeing, a bigger and better future was right before their feet.


    I guess it only makes sense¡­ why shouldn¡¯t Skrili and Pang keep their team going? he contemplated. On top of that, they¡¯re starting to be friends again. I guess there¡¯s no reason not to.


    Maybe¡­Skrili just hasn¡¯t broken it to me yet.


    His chest twisted a bit as he tried to force his smile to remain. Waving goodnight, he led Skrili towards the exit.


    ¡°Oh¡ªI almost forgot,¡± called the doctor, approaching Deon and Skrili once more. For some reason, he carried a large, droopy sunhat and big circular sunglasses. ¡°You¡¯ll probably want to have her wear these.¡±


    Deon observed the unfashionable accessories as the doctor handed them to him. ¡°Uh¡­why?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re probably new to this, given Skrili is a rookie,¡± realized the doctor. ¡°She just competed in a major championship, and made quite a name for herself. The media and fans will flock to her if she passes by undisguised, and she¡¯s in no state to deal with that.¡±


    ¡°Rainbows,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Oh¡ªshe¡¯s up there with the big names now,¡± realized Deon. ¡°So these clothes must be magical like the levitation bracelets, right? Do they make her invisible or something?¡±


    ¡°No. They¡¯re just a regular hat and sunglasses.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Every budget runs out eventually,¡± admitted the doctor with a shrug. ¡°Your transport will meet you at the edge of the platform. We¡¯ve added the location to your TeamTrack. Good luck!¡±


    With that, the healing doctor walked away, leaving Deon to wonder how a goofy hat and sunglasses were supposed to disguise Skrili in the slightest.


    He led Skrili out of the room, shaking his head. Doing his best to navigate the long, white hallways within this secluded area of Gloat Stadium, Deon slowly worked his way towards the location on his TeamTrack. After a while he reached the outer area of the colossal building, and found a small dark hallway that led to a back exit.


    Deon followed this hall, adamant to avoid the annoying press people that pestered his friends last time. The door at the end wasn¡¯t magical¡ªhe had to open it manually. As they stepped outside, Deon was surprised to find a dark evening sky. He¡¯d lost track of how much time had passed since the championship fight had begun. A cool, moderate mist rained down gently.


    The duo stood on a bare, remote part of the Gloat Stadium platform, far beneath the arched roof. Thankfully, nobody else was in sight. When Deon checked his TeamTrack, the transport was only a minute or two¡¯s walk away.


    Skrili shuddered beside him, and he looked to find her shivering intensely, hugging herself. Clearly, her light fighting outfit wouldn¡¯t cut it for a nighttime walk in the rain.


    ¡°Oh¡ªI guess it is pretty chilly now, huh?¡± Deon said. ¡°Here; I¡¯ll imagine you one of my tunics. Actually¡ªtake this one, it¡¯s already warm. I promise it¡¯s not sweaty.¡±


    Deon took off his black tunic, feeling the crisp air against his skin. Stepping close, he lifted it over Skrili¡¯s head to drape it around her shoulders.


    Suddenly, a sensation made him freeze in place.


    ¡°Uh¡­Skrili, what are you¡­doing¡­?¡± he wondered.


    Skrili had placed her hand on his chest softly. She stood even closer now, her sluggish eyes drifting up to his with an unreadable expression. There was a subtle pink hue on her cheeks.


    ¡°I dunno¡­I just wanted to¡­¡± she whispered.


    Deon stiffened even further. He¡¯d never gazed so closely into her deep purple eyes. Realizing how hard his heart had started pounding, Deon hastily finished wrapping his tunic around Skrili and backed away.


    ¡°Well¡ªuh¡ªoh¡ªum¡ª¡± Deon stammered, imagining a new tunic onto himself. ¡°Why¡ªwhy don¡¯t we get going?¡±


    He took Skrili¡¯s hand again and continued leading their way towards the transport.


    Whoa¡­Deon thought. What was that? I never get flustered. Man, this is gonna be awkward when she¡¯s back to normal¡­


    They only passed by a few people as they walked, and most were preoccupied employees. For Skrili¡¯s dignity, Deon put off giving her the ¡®disguise¡¯ for now. He imagined a floating umbrella above them to protect them from the drizzle.


    Soon, they neared the indicated destination. At the edge of the platform floated a horse carriage illuminated with levitation magic on the bottom. A fancily-dressed employee in a top hat sat in the outer front seat, holding the reigns for two white, winged horses. He gave a polite wave.


    What single thing about this transport is discrete?! wondered Deon. Flying horses pulling a light-up carriage?!


    Nonetheless, Deon waved back as he guided Skrili to the transport. The door opened on its own as they approached. After helping Skrili in, Deon crouched into the roofed carriage.


    ¡°Comfortable back there?¡± called the driver.


    ¡°We¡¯re good, thanks.¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Deon felt the gentle inertia as the horses flapped their wings, carrying the carriage away from the Gloat Stadium platform. He was grateful it was a much more graceful takeoff than Gibblezgorv¡¯s. Skrili hugged Deon¡¯s tunic close as she looked out the window, the misty rain increasing outside.


    Soon, Gloat Stadium was far beneath them in the distance.


    For minutes, the soft hiss of the mist against the carriage was the only sound. Despite Deon¡¯s attempts to focus on anything else, he couldn¡¯t stop hearing Skrili call Pang her ¡®teammate¡¯ back in the Healing Center.


    ¡°So uh¡­you and Pang, huh?¡± he said, trying to hide any emotion.


    Skrili lazily turned away from the window to face him with a sleepy smile. ¡°We¡¯re a pretty good team, aren¡¯t we? I think we¡¯re gonna be friends again¡­¡±


    Heart sinking, Deon broke eye contact and stared at his hands. ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s really great.¡±


    Silence befell the carriage once more.


    Why¡­is it such a big deal? Deon thought. Like Alex told me, there are so many other consciousnesses looking for teammates. So who cares¡­right?


    But¡­I still want it to be Skrili. I just do.


    ¡°Hey,¡± started Deon, his eyes still stuck to his hands. ¡°Like¡­do you think you¡¯ll stay with Pang, now? I mean, I get it, but I was hoping¡ª¡±


    Skrili suddenly slumped against him. Finally looking back, he found her fast asleep.


    Deon sighed. Now wasn¡¯t the time to seek an answer.


    But he felt he didn¡¯t need to hear it from her: it was obvious.


    Skrili began drooping further when the carriage took a descending turn, so Deon placed his arm around her to keep her in place comfortably. Her warmth felt soothing.


    He didn¡¯t want the carriage to ever land.


    He wanted to know her more. To see how her life would unfold after this tournament. To see her someday find contentment despite her past he still had so many questions about. He wanted to be a part of that.


    This girl, who taught him everything he knew about this strange Multiverse, who constantly challenged him since the day they met, had just single-handedly saved him and thousands of people by risking her life. And now she rested soundly in his arms, her blue hair running along the tunic he gave to her.


    Deon had always wanted to be the strongest. Now he wanted to get strong enough to protect her in the same way she¡¯d done for him.


    He¡¯d never felt this way before.


    But¡­if you¡¯ll be happy with Pang instead, thought Deon, I guess I¡¯ll just have to accept that.


    He felt a subtle shake and rumble as the carriage touched down on a solid surface. Looking out the window, he saw the Hotel of Champions towering high in the misty air. They had landed at the edge of the platform, just before the long, elegant walkway.


    But a much less appealing view immediately blocked his sight: countless press and media workers flocked the carriage like hungry flies. Immediately, their rabid questions filled the air¡ªdespite Skrili having not even set foot outside yet.


    ¡°Crap¡­¡± Deon muttered. ¡°Well, we¡¯re here. This will be fun,¡± he said, nudging Skrili. He shifted to open the door, but Skrili remained in place against the seat.


    She lifted her head groggily. ¡°I don¡¯t feel very good¡­¡± she moaned.


    Deon shrugged. ¡°I got you. We¡¯re gonna need to be quick to fight off all these crazies.¡±


    Stepping outside, he helped Skrili to the edge of the seat. Instantly, the crowd pressed closer, spewing questions and comments endlessly. Deon was quick to stand in their way, blocking their view of Skrili.


    ¡°PANG?! Is that Pang Pereo?!¡±


    ¡°It might be Skrili Kay!! Skrili, tell me about¡­¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s probably Hiroko!! Ms. Hamasaki, how does it feel to win?!¡±


    Deon rolled his eyes. ¡°Sorry, but I guess you should wear these, after all,¡± he said to Skrili, breaking out the goofy hat and sunglasses. He placed them on her as Skrili clutched her stomach woozily. While they covered most of her face, it was still pretty obvious who she was.


    ¡°Here¡ªlet¡¯s go,¡± Deon said, picking her up out of the carriage and into his arms.


    Rapid lights flashed all around them, practically blinding Deon as he tried to move forward. Wincing, he prepared to hear endless questions about the championship loss.


    But none of the reporters seemed remotely interested in that.


    No¡ªsomething was apparently far more intriguing:


    ¡°Ms. Kay!! Who is this man?!¡±


    ¡°Is this a boyfriend?! What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Did you just meet at an afterparty?! Is this a hookup?!¡±


    ¡°Sir, did Skrili have too much to drink?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s definitely drunk! Look at her!¡±


    ¡°How long have you two¡ª¡±


    ¡°DO YOU MIND?!?!?!?!?!¡± Deon bellowed. Pressing forward, he forced his way through the crowd.


    Despite his aggression, the mob followed close behind as Deon hurried Skrili towards the hotel.


    For frick¡¯s sake¡­Deon thought. He imagined a thick, round wall around himself and Skrili, commanding it to follow them as they continued onward. At last, he¡¯d warded them off, their voices muffled on the outside.


    His frustration fizzled when they finally made it inside the hotel. The receptionist happily summoned the blue warp energy beneath them, sending them off to their tower.


    Deon carried Skrili into their room and let out a big, long sigh.


    ¡°What a day,¡± he uttered with a smirk.


    Skrili had gone silent once more, her eyes hidden behind the large sunglasses. Deon carefully lowered her into her bed, and within seconds, she was back to sleep.


    Deon lifted off the hat and sunglasses, leaving his tunic to keep her warm. After bringing her blankets up to her shoulders, he turned away.


    You and Pang, huh? he repeated in his head. The sinking feeling spread down to his gut.


    Makes sense.


    He wanted to look back one more time, but didn¡¯t.


    His next move felt obvious¡ªhe knew exactly what to do. Unlike in Tailpiece, out here in the Multiverse, things changed rapidly. Now he realized that meant people came and went rapidly, too.


    Life wouldn¡¯t slow down for him. Since he was too late to keep Skrili around, he needed to act now, before he¡¯d miss another chance.


    But he knew he¡¯d need help.


    Deon retrieved his TeamTrack from his pocket, and shot Alex a message.


    ~


    The award ceremony was, as Deon had come to expect, grandiose. Already, the stadium was totally back to normal¡ªthanks most likely to imaginers and magic users working for the event.


    Similarly, the audience had recovered its usual numbers, the seats and balconies packed with cheering fans.


    The fighting platform was no longer a place for heated, explosive battles. Today, for the past couple hours, it had been a performance stage: musical groups, dancers, and past consciousness celebrities took turns filling the stadium with celebration and life.


    Now, however, it was mostly cleared off¡ªsave for a set of smaller platforms perfectly in the center. Here stood the four final teams. Ving and Alex stood on a lower, outer step, with the other semi-finalists John and Matt on the opposite end. Between them, raised higher, stood Skrili and Pang.


    And of course in the center, highest of all, stood the champions.


    ¡°We are proud to declare, once again, Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki as the winners of the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition!¡± Soot and Talonvorp said together.


    Miniature, glistening stars burst into existence all around, slowly descending onto all the observers. Gloat Stadium shook with applause.


    Much more magnificent versions of the stars appeared around Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s necks, but they paid no attention, turning and embracing each other tightly.


    Beside them, Skrili stood calmly, seemingly back to her senses. Pang looked off to the side in attempted indifference, though she clapped politely nonetheless. But when Hiroko and Kotono turned to them with endearing smiles, she couldn¡¯t resist returning her admiration. The four fighters drew close, exchanging pleasantries and laughter, soon joined by Alex and Ving.


    Deon wondered how Alex was so lively, especially after how late they¡¯d stayed up hanging out last night.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± uttered Phillip beside Deon, standing before his assigned seat.


    Deon chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re weird when you¡¯re in a good mood¡­or just always, honestly,¡± he teased. ¡°But¡­you¡¯re right.¡±


    He watched on as Pang abruptly wrapped her arm around Skrili, practically toppling her with joy. Skrili finally cracked a big smile.


    Deon lifted his TeamTrack, rereading the message he¡¯d received from Skrili that morning, after he awoke late to find himself alone:


    ¡°Meet me on the small white bridge after the ceremony,¡± she¡¯d said. ¡°We should talk.¡±


    Ignoring the flickering lights and endless elation all around, Deon sighed. He knew what this would be about.


    At least I was able to figure things out with Alex, he thought. When she breaks it to me, I¡¯ll be ready.


    ~


    Deon was certain he¡¯d located the smallest of the white bridges. At an outer section of the Gloat Stadium platform, there ran an icy blue river, floating magically in the sky evenly with the ground. Throughout the tournament he¡¯d noticed some fans and fighters sitting by it to soak their feet, while most others passed over it on the several pearly white bridges along its path.


    Looking into the crowds, Deon stood alone on the littlest bridge. He¡¯d been waiting for quite a while, beginning to feel foolish. Most likely, Skrili had gotten held up with new fans and crazed reporters.


    Or worse: she¡¯d forgotten.


    ¡°Oh¡ªoh look! It¡¯s her¡­¡± a hushed voice said to their companion.


    ¡°Skrili¡­she¡¯s so cool¡­¡± uttered another.


    Skrili approached the bridge, offering an uncomfortable yet warm smile to her admirers as she passed them by. She stepped onto the bridge, facing Deon with an unclear, plain expression.


    ¡°Hey,¡± said Deon.


    Skrili looked off to the side. ¡°Hey,¡± she said.


    Silence.


    Skrili shifted, before finally returning eye contact. ¡°Um¡ªI¡¯m¡ª¡± she started.


    ¡°Look¡ªI know where this is going, Skrili,¡± Deon said with a soft smile. ¡°And, it¡¯s okay. Really. Actually, if it¡¯s okay with you, there¡¯s something I want you to see.¡±


    Skrili paused. Deon could practically see her mind trying to grasp where he was going with this. ¡°Um¡­sure,¡± she said.


    ¡°So¡­there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been working on for a while now,¡± started Deon. ¡°Like, since back in No Man¡¯s Land, after we fought Pang and Phillip the second time. I made a lot of progress, but it wasn¡¯t coming out quite right. But after last night, I realized I should really get it done. Since¡ªyou know¡ªwe probably won¡¯t be seeing much of each other after this¡­¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in further confusion.


    ¡°I know this mattered a lot to you,¡± said Deon. ¡°I really wanted you to have this again.¡±


    He reached into his tunic and pulled out a photograph.


    Skrili looked as if she stopped breathing once she beheld the image.


    Then finally, she let in a massive gasp. Tears built up right after as she brought her hands to her mouth.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± she asked chokingly. ¡°Akri¡­?¡±


    Deon smiled boomingly, holding the restored photo of Skrili and her little brother up for her to see. ¡°I feel like it came out alright, what do you think?¡±


    He stepped forward and placed the photograph in her now tear-filled hand. Skrili¡¯s wide eyes stayed fixated on the image.


    ¡°H¡ªhow?¡± she stammered. ¡°Pang tore it to shreds¡­¡±


    ¡°After that fight, I went to grab your things because it was starting to rain,¡± Deon explained. ¡°I picked up as many ripped pieces as I could find off the ground¡ªI think I got them all.¡±


    ¡°But¡­it looks totally new¡­¡± Skrili muttered.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been staying up or sneaking away most nights to work on recreating it ever since we decided to team up,¡± Deon shared. ¡°It was really tough¡­I¡¯m not good enough at imagining yet for that kind of detail. But since you¡¯ll be moving on, I wanted to get this to you now. So I hit up Alex last night for help, and he was nice enough to meet with me. The dude¡¯s an insane imaginer¡ªI definitely couldn¡¯t have done it without him. We worked on it for hours, and now it¡¯s done!¡±


    Skrili held the photo delicately, like it might vanish in the breeze.


    ¡°Keep it¡ªit¡¯s yours for good,¡± Deon said. ¡°Alex helped me make sure it will stay in existence as a real object. It¡¯s not going anywhere.¡±


    Finally, Skrili looked back at him. For the first time ever, he felt like he could see into her soul.


    ¡°This is¡­the most special thing anyone¡¯s ever done for me¡­¡± she said.


    Deon blushed, despite himself, scratching his head. ¡°Well¡­just remember me when you and Pang win all your tournaments, alright?¡±


    Again, Skrili¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­last night, you kinda talked like you and Pang were gonna¡­¡± started Deon, but he fell short when Skrili¡¯s look silenced him. ¡°Wait¡ªyou¡¯re not staying with Pang?¡±


    ¡°No. I literally never planned on that,¡± she said plainly.


    ¡°Wait¡ªreally?!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°But¡­last night¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even remember last night,¡± said Skrili. ¡°I wanted to pick up where you and I left off.¡±


    Deon let out a massive sigh of relief, practically falling forward. ¡°Man¡­I really shouldn¡¯t read into things¡­¡± he realized. ¡°So¡­we¡¯re still a team then?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still a team,¡± Skrili insisted. ¡°I¡¯d like to¡­¡± she glanced away. ¡°I¡¯d like to keep fighting with you¡­¡± she muttered practically inaudibly.


    ¡°ALRIGHT!¡± boomed Deon. ¡°Wait, so¡­what was it you wanted to talk about, then?¡±


    ¡°Logistics.¡±


    ¡°JUST LOGISTICS?!?!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Skrili seriously. She crossed her arms, now in full get-to-work mode. ¡°I assume you like these kinds of things, right? The Conscious Competition?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°Heck yeah¡ªI¡¯d die do fight in one of these with you!¡± exclaimed Deon. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­an opportunity came up,¡± she started. ¡°We might be able to make that happen¡ªa lot sooner than you¡¯d think.¡±

 53. Plans

    Deon stared at Skrili on the pearly white bridge, about to burst from anticipation.


    ¡°Fight in Conscious Competitions? Without being certified?¡± he repeated. ¡°How?!¡±


    Despite noticing his excitement, Skrili still kept her cool, taking her time to elaborate. ¡°Well, a Legend Trainer reached out to Pang and I after our fight with Alex and Ving,¡± she revealed.


    ¡°A what now?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you read that book I got you?¡± pressed Skrili. ¡°A Legend Trainer¡ªthere are only a few of them in hidden places all over the Multiverse. Once a month, they¡¯re allowed to invite one certified team to join them for infamously intense training. It¡¯s a big deal; most teams go their whole careers without getting invited. But it¡¯s supposed to be the ultimate experience for a consciousness team¡¯s growth.¡±


    Deon nodded fervently as he listened. ¡°Sounds great and all, but you said ¡®certified team,¡¯ right?¡± he noticed. ¡°You¡¯re the only one certified out of the two of us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m bringing this up,¡± said Skrili. ¡°I was looking into it, and there¡¯s an interesting rule about this. If a certified fighter is invited but they have a new teammate, that teammate is still welcome¡ªcertified or not. And Legend Trainers have the unique right to certify any pro they want.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡ªso this guy can get me into tournaments?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°Well, we have to earn it,¡± explained Skrili. ¡°The only way is to pass the Legend Trainer¡¯s month-long training first. If we do, you can fight with me in Conscious Competitions.¡±


    Deon shot his fists into the air. ¡°YES!! I¡¯m so in! Let¡¯s do it!!¡± he shouted. He briefly imagined a mini Twitchy into existence, and they shared a high-five.


    But Skrili remained serious. ¡°There¡¯s another catch, though,¡± she said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The Legend Trainer invited me and Pang,¡± said Skrili. ¡°So either of us are eligible, but if we¡¯re on different teams, only one can pass each month. On top of that, these Trainers rarely pass more than one team a year.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­and I bet Pang and Phillip want this opportunity, too,¡± Deon realized. ¡°Which means¡­¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°We have to get to the Trainer first.¡±


    Deon smiled with tenacity. It had been an intense several days here at Gloat Stadium, but he¡¯d hardly fought or used his powers the whole time. He was itching to dive into their next undertaking¡ªespecially if it meant earning the right to fight in Conscious Competitions.


    ¡°Alright, then, looks like it¡¯s a race!¡± He spun around, hurrying towards the end of the bridge. ¡°Come on! No time to waste, Skrili!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªright. Where to?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere in Fiction Country,¡± Skrili replied, as he kept walking away. ¡°It¡¯s a secret location the Trainer sent to me and Pang in our Teamtracks.¡±


    ¡°Got it. To Fiction Country!!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    But Skrili didn¡¯t follow.


    ¡°W¡ªwait¡­¡± she stuttered.


    Confused, Deon turned back around. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Averting eye contact, Skrili blushed. ¡°Um¡­from what you said earlier, it sounds like I was in a weird state last night¡­¡± she said uncomfortably. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­do anything¡­weird, did I?¡±¡±


    Instantly, Deon recalled how nice it felt when she placed her soft hand against his chest and gazed into his eyes last night. Heart pounding, he whipped back around and continued his way off the bridge.


    ¡°N¡ªno, not at all! Of course not! Ha ha!¡± he said too loudly, increasing his pace unintentionally. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­alright,¡± uttered Skrili.


    After checking to make sure Deon wasn¡¯t looking, she brought the newly revived photograph of her brother back to her face, and bit her lip to conceal a smile. Then, she followed Deon off the bridge and onto their next adventure.


    ~~~


    Lammy felt the chilly breeze he¡¯d grown accustomed to as he and Zayza stepped outside Gloat Stadium. He¡¯d never seen the outer platform so empty: aside from a few lingering fans, there were only a few other vendors packing up and transporting their equipment.


    Most of them did so in much more efficient ways than Lammy and Zayza, who lugged bulky boxes along the walkway in a constant state of almost tripping.


    ¡°I must admit, I wish Rob had remembered to replenish the levitation devices¡­¡± Zayza uttered gruntingly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± agreed Lammy. ¡°You¡¯d think these things would be easier to carry with less food in them now¡­¡±


    Despite the hard labor, Zayza smiled. ¡°They¡¯re truly amazing, aren¡¯t they?¡± she said. ¡°Hiroko and Kotono¡­they saved the desert villages, us, and helped those other girls. I¡¯m so happy they¡¯re my friends.¡±


    Lammy nodded. Their power was so immense it was almost terrifying, but these young women were on their team. He wished their time together hadn¡¯t been cut so short.


    ¡°How do you think they¡¯ll get back in touch with us?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°They¡¯ll figure it out. I just know,¡± Zayza assured. ¡°In the meantime, we¡¯ll have to find somewhere to wait¡­somewhere safe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­and since people think you¡¯re a criminal, probably a place without so many people this time,¡± added Lammy.


    He wondered just where that could be. Tailpiece was too far away, and while they lucked out here at the Conscious Competition, continuing to work for Rob and Pete in the bustling Conscious City would probably push their luck too far.


    Lammy tried not to picture the possibility of Fewpar and Najinzu finding them again before Hiroko and Kotono were able to get them to a reconstructed Mainland Desert.


    ¡°I wish there was someone else we knew,¡± he said.


    Suddenly, Zayza perked up. ¡°Oh! That reminds me, Lammy: I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you something,¡± she started.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I met someone who resembles you quite a bit a couple days ago,¡± she said. ¡°He has the same hair and eyes. Out of curiosity, would you happen to know someone named Deon?¡±


    Lammy froze.


    His box dropped from his hands and slammed against the floor.


    ¡°WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!¡± he screamed. ¡°DEON?!¡±


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    ¡°Um¡­¡± Zayza stammered worriedly. ¡°Well¡ªthat¡¯s how he introduced himself, yes.¡±


    ¡°DEON?!¡± Lammy repeated.


    ¡°Yes¡­is¡ªis that a bad thing, or¡­¡±


    ¡°THAT¡¯S MY COUSIN!!!¡± Lammy declared. ¡°He left our home right before me, and¡ªand I tried to stop him but then I supported him, and¡­and then he left and I fell through the thing and ended up in No Man¡¯s Land but he was gone and WAIT YOU MET HIM?! HE WAS HERE?! WHEN? WHERE???¡±


    He¡¯d already begun searching all around before Zayza could reply.


    ¡°Um¡ªum¡ªoh, dear¡­in the seating¡­he ordered a few times¡­¡± Zayza recalled hurriedly.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something sooner?!!¡±


    ¡°There was so much going on! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Zayza wailed, dropping her own load of equipment.


    ¡°No¡ªdon¡¯t be! This is amazing!! He¡¯s my best friend, and he¡¯s super strong! He¡¯ll be there for us!¡± exclaimed Lammy. ¡°Zayza, we have to find him again! He has to know!¡±


    ¡°R¡ªright!¡± Zayza said with a big nod. ¡°But¡­where do we start¡­?¡±


    They looked around carefully, but the event was very much over, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the floating platform. Lammy doubted Deon would still be here.


    Eventually, he sighed. ¡°Maybe we¡¯re too¡ª¡±


    All of the sudden, a circle of space just before them began rippling like a pebble falling into still water. As the ripple settled, they both saw two icy blue and two round, red eyes peering back at them.


    Zayza shrieked and Lammy took a startled step back.


    ¡°Can you guys here us?¡± came an echoing voice.


    Around the eyes, Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s faces took form. Their somewhat transparent heads floated close together before them, with some sort of building in the background.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah, we can,¡± Lammy said, managing to calm down.


    ¡°Kotono and Hiroko?¡± realized Zayza.


    ¡°Hi! Sorry about my powers almost killing you guys yesterday!¡± Kotono greeted cheerily.


    ¡°I told you to ease into that part¡­¡± mumbled Hiroko.


    ¡°How are you doing this?¡± Zayza wondered in a hushed tone, looking around carefully.


    ¡°No need to keep it down. This is magic¡ªa rare, kind of expensive form of magic,¡± Hiroko explained. ¡°We did some research and know some people. This magic can¡¯t be traced, so it¡¯s just between you and us. Only you two can see us. And while we¡¯re talking, nobody else around you can hear anything any of us are saying.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll just look like you¡¯re moving your mouths like crazy people,¡± added Kotono. ¡°S¡ªso, how are you two doing?¡±


    Zayza glanced at the mess she and Lammy had made on the ground after they dropped the restaurant boxes. ¡°Um¡­we¡¯re managing,¡± she said.


    ¡°Good. We mostly just wanted to make sure this magic works,¡± Hiroko shared. ¡°This is how we¡¯ll keep in touch while we¡¯re waiting for my village to be habitable again. We met with Imagine Change¡ªthe organization we partnered with to fund a lake in my homeland¡ªand they estimate the process will take about a month.¡±


    ¡°Do you have somewhere you can go before then?¡± asked Kotono.


    ¡°Well actually,¡± Lammy started, ¡°we just found out Zayza saw my cousin here. We just don¡¯t know where he is now¡­have you two met Deon?¡±


    His high hopes lowered as he saw Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s faces look back with uncertainty. They turned to each other.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we know a Deon, do we?¡± Hiroko asked.


    ¡°No¡­oh, wait!¡± Kotono peered closely at Lammy. ¡°There was that one kid with Pang and Skrili¡­he looked kind of like you.¡±


    Hiroko was looking beyond Lammy and Zayza now, watching something behind them. ¡°Oh yeah¡­you mean that guy?¡± she asked, cocking her head.


    Lammy and Zayza turned around to find what she observed: a large, floating screen against the outer wall of Gloat Stadium. On it, some sort of entertainment news program was broadcasting, flashing various images of the tournament¡¯s competitors and more.


    The words ¡®The Latest with the Stars¡¯ appeared on the screen.


    ¡°Runner-up and rising star Skrili Kay had quite a night after the championship,¡± a commentator said snarkily. ¡°In this photo, reporters caught her totally drunk on the way back to her hotel, carried by who appears to be a mysterious boyfriend!¡±


    ¡°THAT¡¯S HIM!!¡± Lammy shouted. ¡°That¡¯s my cousin Deon!!¡±


    In the photo, Deon was walking by coolly with a dizzy Skrili Kay in his arms. Lammy felt transported back to Tailpiece and forward in time all at once upon seeing his cousin again. Deon looked just as confident and driven as ever, despite being in a whole new, infinitely larger world now.


    ¡°Just what in the Multiverse is Skrili wearing? And who is this secret lover??¡± the commentator continued.


    ¡°He¡¯s dating that tough Skrili girl?¡± Zayza repeated.


    Lammy smirked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me at all,¡± he said with a chuckle.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be investigating this more, trust me,¡± promised the commentator. ¡°But for now, I guess we only know one thing for sure about Skrili Kay: she parties HARD!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please!¡± Kotono denied.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t drunk, the poor girl just got healed. Those idiots try to scrape a scandal out of everything,¡± Hiroko defended. She returned her attention to Lammy and Zayza. ¡°So, you¡¯re related to that guy? He¡¯s trustworthy?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the person I trust most in the whole Multiverse,¡± Lammy answered immediately. ¡°And he¡¯s strong.¡±


    ¡°Even stronger if he¡¯s with Skrili,¡± realized Zayza.


    Hiroko and Kotono exchanged glances, and then nodded.


    ¡°Well, after hearing what you did for Zayza, Lammy, and after watching what Skrili pulled, he hangs around the right crowd,¡± Hiroko decided. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word.¡±


    Lammy smiled.


    ¡°Should we reach out to Skrili? We have her on TeamTrack,¡± Kotono suggested.


    Hiroko shook her head. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t use anything traceable when we¡¯re talking about Zayza in any way. And as far as her kingdom¡¯s concerned, they¡¯ll see Lammy as an accomplice in her escape,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯m not taking any chances.¡±


    ¡°Then how about using this magic again?¡± Zayza proposed.


    But again, Hiroko dismissed the approach. ¡°The magician we got this from said it¡¯s easier to detect if we use it for too many different contacts. It¡¯s most disguised when we only use it to speak to you. And besides¡­there¡¯s the side-effect he warned us about.¡±


    ¡°Constipation,¡± Kotono clarified. ¡°Like, insane constipation.¡±


    ¡°So our best bet,¡± said Hiroko, ¡°is to find out where they¡¯re going next, and send you there.¡±


    Kotono brought her finger to her chin in thought. ¡°Pang and Skrili did mention they got an invite from a Legend Trainer¡­I think in Fiction Country¡­¡±


    Hiroko let out a chuckle. ¡°They let it slip, huh? Teams usually keep that to themselves.¡±


    ¡°Th¡ªthey must really like us,¡± smiled Kotono.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Hiroko said with closure. ¡°That means wherever they¡¯re going in Fiction Country, they¡¯ll have to be there for at least a month. So that¡¯s perfect: it gives you plenty of time to travel there on foot.¡±


    ¡°On foot?¡± Lammy and Zayza repeated.


    ¡°Normally, the smartest way to the Fantasy and Fiction Country border is by dragon,¡± said Hiroko, ¡°but their minds are too powerful for enchantments. The earrings wouldn¡¯t work. If any dragon recognizes Zayza¡ªwhich is likely¡ªit¡¯s trouble.¡±


    Man, feels like everything is working against us, thought Lammy. But if this plan really gets us to Deon, I don¡¯t care how far we need to walk.


    ¡°So here¡¯s the deal: we¡¯ll reach out to Skrili and try to figure out where she and Deon are headed,¡± planned Hiroko. ¡°We¡¯ll be casual about it¡ªwe can¡¯t let anything slip over TeamTrack,¡± she added clearly, glaring at Kotono.


    ¡°W-Why are you looking at me?¡± Kotono wondered.


    ¡°In the meantime, start heading for the Fiction Country border as soon as you finish with your jobs. We¡¯ll give you directions.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza nodded.


    ¡°Oh¡ªthere you two are!¡± they heard vaguely, coming from Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s magic. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see my messages? You have the interview in ten, the photo shoot in twenty, and the podcast in an hour!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªtime¡¯s up,¡± realized Hiroko in a mumble. ¡°We¡¯ll reach out soon.¡±


    The couple¡¯s faces began fading again until only their eyes remained.


    ¡°G¡ªgood luck, guys!¡± whispered Kotono.


    Then, the champions were gone again. Lammy and Zayza stood alone in the pile of their spilled food boxes.


    Zayza sighed. ¡°I suppose our journey continues,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah¡­but now we have awesome people supporting us,¡± Lammy pointed out. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you to meet my cousin¡ªand I can¡¯t wait to see him again.¡±


    A smile formed on Zayza¡¯s face. ¡°And I¡¯ll work hard to regain my memories of Kotono and Hiroko,¡± she said. ¡°I promise I will.¡±


    For once, Lammy felt nothing but hopeful for the future awaiting them. After weeks of fear and uncertainty, he was overcome with optimism: things were going to work out.


    In the meantime, his mission remained: to keep Zayza safe at all costs.


    ¡°Oh¡ªyou two alright? We were wondering what was taking so long! Let¡¯s clean that up.¡±


    They looked forward to find Peter jogging their way. In all the excitement and plotting, Lammy almost forgot they still had a job to complete.


    Zayza placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lammy,¡± she said with a confident smile.


    He briefly noted the black markings all over her hand, and remembered just how vicious their hunters were. But looking into Zayza¡¯s eyes, he saw a glimpse of the liveliness she had lost for so long resurfacing, if only subtly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡±


    ~~~


    In a dark, rainy alleyway, two hooded figures stood huddled close.


    The taller one, a slender, well-postured man, observed the magical projection in the girl¡¯s cupped hands beside him.


    ¡°Are you sure, my Lady?¡± he inquired, his voice low and gruffly.


    The young girl nodded underneath her hood. ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± she said. ¡°For some reason, she was working at our Country¡¯s Conscious Competition.¡±


    ¡°But¡­why don¡¯t I recognize her? I¡¯ve never seen this woman before.¡±


    ¡°She must be using an enchantment,¡± the girl theorized. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t work on me. I know her too well¡­I know her more than anyone in the Multiverse.¡±


    The man watched the projection for another moment, before nodding. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Your Sense-Enhancing is even more powerful than your brother¡¯s, Raznizu, so I must count on you,¡± said the girl. ¡°Your mission is simple: follow Zayza¡¯s trail, find her, and bring her to me.¡±


    They heard a cluster of horse hooves hurry past the alley against the concrete road, so they instinctually separated.


    Raznizu turned his back to the girl, stepping away.


    ¡°I understand,¡± he said. ¡°My loyalty is to you and you alone, my Lady.¡±


    Silently yet rapidly, he vanished.

 Concept Conscientious: The Music

    Conscious, Conscientious is more than just a story.


    ¡­Alright that came across way too pretentious. Allow me to elaborate: I just mean that literally, not as some vague, self-indulgent humble brag.


    While it is just a story, there¡¯s a whole other half to the project, and to me, it¡¯s just as important: the soundtrack.


    If you haven¡¯t glanced at one of the many times I¡¯ve attempted to hype this in the Author¡¯s Notes, Conscious Conscientious features accompanying theme music. Now that we¡¯re in between the conclusion of Volume 2 and on the heels of Volume 3, I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about these songs.


    As I briefly shared in the first ¡°Concept Conscientious¡± post, music and writing fiction have both been huge passions of mine since I was little, though for years, they never intersected. I started writing and (badly) recording my own music in middle and high school, before sharpening my skills by getting way too involved in music at college.


    Then, equipped with the experience and past failures to hopefully not suck, I created my music project Circlebrooke¡ªwell before I had any serious plans to start posting Conscious, Conscientious. Inspired by alternative bands like Switchfoot and Anberlin, as well as heavier acts like Emery, Fallstar, and Underoath, I self-produced an album and a couple EP¡¯s, featuring good friends on a track here and there.


    During that time, my housemates and I grew more and more in love with J-rock and other Japanese artists, thanks to our many anime and YouTube binges (we were real party animals). That definitely began shaping my style and musical aspirations.


    While I was finally living out my super-adulty dream of working in the day and filling my time with music at night, I was leaving my other passion to the wayside.


    But not long after, the stars aligned in the strangest way possible: my other band at the time broke up, I got dumped a few months later, and the pandemic started.


    Suddenly, I had a lot more time on my hands, and a strong desire to fill those sudden voids. Combining the two things I loved doing most seemed like it could do just that. As I¡¯m sure any fellow creators reading this can relate to, diving into Conscious, Conscientious was therapeutic for me. And now, it¡¯s become a part of who I am.


    I knew it could be done, and if done well, could be very cool. My biggest source of encouragement came from the absolutely genius way the rock band Falling Up used to combine science fiction with music¡ªespecially on Hours (which accompanies a sci-fi horror audio novel) and their final, untitled album.


    And so, I just needed a formula. Rigorous work as it would be, I landed on releasing one EP per volume of Conscious, Conscientious. If you¡¯ve been following the music, you¡¯ve probably noticed each lyrically focuses on the volume¡¯s themes and characters.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    While I don¡¯t have the means, personnel, or skill to make an anime, this formula also gave me the ultimate excuse to try my hand at making OP¡¯s and ED¡¯s. The first track is, so to speak, the volume¡¯s ¡°opening,¡± while the final track serves as an ¡°ending theme.¡± This really challenged me to write in the specific formulas heavily followed in this style.


    A couple quick examples from the second EP: while ¡°The Flame We Share¡± has that standard ¡°starting with a guitar and vocal half-chorus, and then the RIFF¡± approach, on ¡°Gloat Stadium¡± I went for that 90¡¯s anime R&B style.


    In between the first and last song on the tracklists, I wanted to give myself the freedom to experiment outside of the anime-style boundaries. So, inspired by games like Sonic Adventures, I aimed to write theme anthems for specific main characters. Sonically, they¡¯re meant to sound like something I think that character would listen to. From a lyrical approach, they¡¯re an exploration of that character¡¯s mind.


    Often times (in the OP/ED¡¯s and character themes alike), I try to reference specific plot moments and exposition straight from the story, like in Pang¡¯s theme, where we¡¯re shown how her past trauma influences her motivation in Volume 2:


    ¡°I just want to feel like someone cares at all


    The wood is rotting out, the wood is rotting out again


    When this ship sinks, you won¡¯t fade


    I¡¯ll make my heart a blade and I won¡¯t stop ¡®till you breathe the air¡±


    And other times¡ªas I anticipate will happen more often moving forward¡ªthe opposite happens: the lyrics in the song influence or make appearances in the story.


    This happened for the first time during the Conscious Competition Championship in Chapter 50, when Deon shares his mother¡¯s saying with Skrili. Her words that ¡®a loving person fights even when they know they can¡¯t [save someone]¡± comes directly from the chorus I had recently written in ¡°The Flame We Share.¡±


    (I don¡¯t see this as particularly witty, by the way. If anything, I was scrambling to think of something worth saying, and those lyrics I had just recorded a million takes of in my basement happened to fit oddly well.)


    We see this again in Chapter 51, when Skrili practically sacrifices herself to calm Kotono down. The song she sings, which she¡¯d grown up singing to her brother, draws heavily from the bridge of her theme song:


    ¡°One day we¡¯ll close our eyes


    And feel the warmth of life


    For now, just stay with me¡±


    While the project is incredibly self-referential by nature, my other aim is for the music to mean something real to anyone listening¡ªjust like my goal for the story, because fiction can speak truth. So I try to avoid being overly discrete in the words, providing some room for personal interpretation. This comes naturally, as the songs tend to gain inspiration from my own life, anyway.


    For instance, I wrote ¡°Gloat Stadium¡± in the midst of many intense, personal conversations with a close friend about society and the poison of politics. Those emotions certainly oozed into the song¡¯s overall feel.


    And ¡°The Flame We Share¡± is just as much an anthem for a loved one who was fighting cancer as it is an anime-fueled theme track about Volume 2.


    With the new year and a new volume around the corner in a couple weeks, I¡¯m excited to dive back into demoing the next four songs for ¡°Conscious, Conscientious 3.¡± Even though the last EP just dropped, this outlet for creativity simply keeps me going every day, and hearing from anyone who reads or listens keeps motivating me further (So thank you!!).


    For now, the newest theme EP, ¡°Conscious, Conscientious 2¡± is available wherever you stream or buy songs. If you¡¯re as much a nerd about music as me, please give it a listen! I hope it enhances your experience of this ongoing story.

 Character Profiles

    <u>Character Profiles</u><u></u>


    <u>Deon</u>


    Country: Tailpiece (not actually a Country¡ªTailpiece is a lone village blocked off with an invisible barrier. When Deon somehow slipped through the barrier, he ended up in central No Man¡¯s Land).


    Age: 18


    Appearance: Lean and athletic, with white hair and sunset orange eyes. He always wears his traditional black family tunic.


    Type: Imaginer


    Background: Raised in the closed-off village of Tailpiece by his parents Meiv and Deren. Here, he spent most of his time training with help from his younger cousin Lammy, and fighting recreationally with other village kids after school. After having more and more vivid dreams of an outside world, he began to suspect there was something beyond Tailpiece. Finally, one evening, he stumbled into the Multiverse.


    Personality: Very competitive, and always determined to test his abilities against others. He can get rather hot-headed and full of himself, but he¡¯s also extremely loyal and protective of those who care about him. After seeing Skrili in the Conscious Competition championship, he¡¯s determined to use his strength to protect others like she did.


    Likes: Competitive fighting (What else did you expect?)


    Skills: Deon is the best Imaginer in Tailpiece, and he has a natural ability that gives him a lot of potential to become a great consciousness. However, as he realized shortly after leaving Tailpiece, he still has a LOT to learn.


    He can easily imagine average inanimate objects into existence, and is cunning when it comes to how he uses them. His ability to form more complex creations such as houses or fake living beings, however, is a level he¡¯s still working towards. Signature techniques include: bug wing contraption, rapid-fire leather ball attack, and Twitchy: a squirrel monster varying from normal sized to a towering, giant beast.


    As he¡¯s recently discovered in fights against rival (and now friend) Pang, Deon¡¯s imagining powers heighten drastically when he becomes angry, giving him a massive power-boost he barely understands.


    Fun Fact: Despite his father¡¯s protests, his mother Meiv constantly taught him new Imagining techniques and approaches throughout his childhood.


    <u>Lammy</u>


    Country: Tailpiece (not actually a Country¡ªTailpiece is a lone village blocked off with an invisible barrier. When Lammy accidentally slipped through the barrier, he ended up in central No Man¡¯s Land).


    Age: 13


    Appearance: Short and stout, with a round face, longish white hair, and sunset orange eyes. His typical clothes are his traditional black family tunic, but lately he wears the handmade tunic he received from an Ancient Sage in Fantasy Country.


    Type: Imaginer


    Background: Raised in Tailpiece by his parents Ergi and Adon. While he struggled in most aspects of daily life besides school, he quickly discovered a talent for training others. He used his quick thinking and minimal powers to help his older cousin Deon improve his powers and fighting skills. Then one night, after a vivid dream, he found himself falling into a greater world beyond Tailpiece: the Multiverse.


    Personality: Timid and very anxious around others he doesn¡¯t know, and overall pretty introverted. Despite his intelligence, he doesn¡¯t see himself as particularly gifted like his cousin. He¡¯s naturally empathetic and always determined to defend those he loves.


    Likes: Casual strolls with his cousin on their way to family dinner, just before sunset


    Skills: While Lammy isn¡¯t a very strong Imaginer, his understanding of fighting techniques and training skills make up for it. He can occasionally make objects appear in reality under urgent circumstances, and can manipulate the creations of other Imaginers. Since his Imagining powers usually are limited, he relies on his ability to analyze the combat situation at hand.


    However, in particularly stressful or dangerous predicaments, Lammy¡¯s imagining abilities can increase and advance. He¡¯s also found he can somehow tap into his companion Zayza¡¯s Dreamer powers to enter the Dream World as a bodiless being. Here, in this unrealistic realm, he can use his imagining boundlessly.


    Fun Fact: He secretly hoped and expected Deon to marry their lifelong friend Savannah one day. But¡­then she dumped him.


    <u>Skrili</u>


    Country: Fiction


    Age: 17


    Appearance: Thin but athletic build, with long dark blue hair tied up, an ever-unemotional face, and vivid purple eyes. She wears a loose sleeveless blue shirt with a black design on it, tight black pants, and thin shoes.


    Type: Power-Rebound


    Background: Skrili has revealed very little about her origins. Based on what Deon has gathered, she appears to come from a very impoverished upbringing. After the death of her five-year-old brother Akri, she left her home behind to start a new life. Soon she met Pang, and they started a pro consciousness team together. They went undefeated for about a year until Pang decided they should part ways, claiming Skrili was holding her back. But as Skrili unveiled in the tournament, it was their matching traumas holding them back from each other, and she inspired Pang to mend their friendship.


    Personality: Skrili rarely shows emotion, often maintaining the same blank expression, but she¡¯s unafraid to put people in their place when they have it coming. In a fight, she¡¯s levelheaded and slow to give up, taking hits better than most. She¡¯s very unspoken about herself and her past, and prefers to avoid the subject.


    Likes: Peace and quiet


    Skills: As a Power Rebound¡ªwhich is a particularly rare type¡ªshe receives boosts in energy and strength from any physical pain. While this can give her quite an advantage (especially against an unsuspecting opponent), she tends to rely on her sheer fighting skill first before depending on power boosts. She¡¯s light on her feet and extremely quick, utilizing swift, precise kicks. When necessary, she¡¯ll allow her opponent to injure her just enough to trigger a Power Rebound, and then use this extra strength to gain the upper hand.


    When Power Rebounds receive a harsh enough head injury, it can trigger a second power-up called Concussion, which transcends normal Power Rebound boosts. While Concussion is awakened, Skrili can use the energy to fly, move at a pace too fast for the human eye, and fight with strength surpassing her normal abilities tenfold. This state only lasts for a short time, and leaves Skrili unable to fight for a while afterward.


    Fun Fact: Despite saying she¡¯s not passionate about participating in the Consciousness League herself, she looks up to certain celebrity teams quite a bit: namely, Kotono Inoue and Hiroko Hamasaki, as well as Alex Malachi and Ving Paw Nee.


    <u>Zayza</u>


    Country: Fantasy


    Age: 19


    Appearance: Medium height and build with long brown hair, a very beautiful face featuring large green eyes, and a calming smile. She wears a fancy green dress and jewelry around her neck and wrists in the Dream World. In reality, she currently dresses in hand-sewn clothing she received from an Ancient Sage.


    Type: Dreamer


    Background: She suffers from amnesia, originally remembering only her name and powers when Lammy met her. Recently, she¡¯s recovered haunting thoughts and memory fragments about her past, many of which revolve around someone named ¡°Vayva.¡± Soon afterwards, Hiroko Hamasaki and Kotono Inoue revealed that before her memory loss, they were best friends.


    Personality: Extremely kind, polite, and bubbly. She is easy to excite and get along with, but her optimism can occasionally cause her to downplay dangerous situations in an attempt to encourage those around her.


    Likes: Oranges


    Skills: Being a Dreamer, she enters into the Dream World whenever she¡¯s asleep. While in this abstract place, she travels around in search for her memories, which appear as floating orbs of light. Once she regains a memory, it returns to a cave that serves as her Dream World abode.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    While in combat with a hostile Dreamer in the Dream World, Zayza can charge green energy beams into her limbs to create blasts and shields. She can also fly and warp to other Dream World locations. After recovering these memories, she realized she¡¯s quite a master of these techniques.


    Fun Fact: Her Dream World cave is beside a calm stream that changes colors. If you listen closely, the trickling of the running water lowers in pitch with each drop


    <u>Pang</u>


    Country: Fiction


    Age: 16


    Appearance: Short stature, with cherry-red hair, large golden eyes, and a confident demeanor. She wears a sleeveless blood-red t-shirt with a black design, tight black pants, and thin gray shoes


    Type: Manipulator


    Background: Pang is from the incredibly remote planet of Artifex, within a Fiction Country reality of the same name. From a very young age, her father brutally trained her to fight and kill, in order for them to move up in the social ranks and gain the means to escape their sinking home. Ultimately her father used her strength to attain this goal for himself, leaving her behind. Pang eventually found her way off the planet, and moved on to begin a new life.


    She started a team with Skrili and they shared an undefeated career for a year, before their inner demons caused a rift and Pang suddenly cut ties. They eventually regrouped for one Conscious Competition to save Pang¡¯s new teammate, Phillip. While they lost in the championship to Kotono and Hiroko, the victors deferred the prize money to them and they achieved their goal.


    Personality: Confident, laid-back, and fun-loving. She¡¯s never intimidated, and tends to say whatever is on her mind about someone to their face¡ªoften times making her rather offensive and harsh. She looks down on certain types of consciousnesses and gets bored with unimpressive competition.


    Likes: Keeping one-sided conversations going with Phillip


    Skills: Pang has the powerful ability to manipulate people¡¯s consciousness powers: after sensing that a consciousness is preparing or using their skill, she can control the skill and use it as her own. Pang is also a lightning-fast and well-trained fighter, making for a very challenging opponent. She is particularly fond of fighting Imaginers, because she can manipulate anything an Imaginer creates, imagine her own attacks, and even imagine their creations back out of existence at her will.


    Fun fact: The similar outfits she and Skrili wear originally served as their team uniform, modeled after their favorite consciousness team Kotono and Hiroko.


    <u>Phillip</u>


    Country: Horror


    Age: 17


    Appearance: Tall, thin, and ghostly pale. He wears a black hooded jacket over a black and white striped T, tight black jeans, and thin shoes (one black and one white). His long and spiky hair usually masks his eyes.


    Type: Illusionist


    Background: Became Pang¡¯s teammate after Pang parted ways with Skrili. After Pang recovered Skrili¡¯s stolen TeamTrack from a couple thugs, they decided to use it as their own, with Phillip faking Skrili¡¯s identity so they could keep Pang and Skrili¡¯s winning record. After Deon defeated Phillip and Pang, Phillip ultimately decided this lifestyle was unfair, and allowed Deon to take Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack back. He forged an appreciation for and friendship with Skrili and (begrudgingly) Deon during the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition.


    Personality: Very soft-spoken and reserved, and always seems melancholy. He usually keeps his opinions and feelings private, but if he feels strongly enough, he¡¯ll speak up.


    Likes: Allowing Pang to carry an entire conversation, because he knows he won¡¯t have to say anything


    Skills: Phillip can conjure images and sounds to trick his opponents, allowing him to base his fighting style around the art of surprise. His most common illusion is one or many phony versions of himself, which move and speak as he would, based on his command.


    Phillip has a rare and devastating last-resort technique: he uses illusions of himself to distract his opponent(s) while hiding elsewhere and preparing a much more complicated illusion¡ªone that causes his opponents to see and hear horrifying images so intense that their minds eventually give out and they lose consciousness.


    Fun Fact: In the early versions of this story, Phillip was only going to be in a couple chapters as a side character. But after a couple of my friends told me he was their favorite, I reworked the story to keep him around. Now, I think the current plot is much stronger for it!


    <u>Hiroko</u>


    Country: Fantasy


    Age: 22


    Appearance: Smooth dark skin with triangular black tattoos all along her arms, legs, and on one cheek, short and curly purple hair, intimidating yet alluring ice-blue eyes, and a toned, tough build. She dresses in a fitted sleeveless purple shirt, tight black pants, and is always barefoot.


    Type: Predictor


    Background: From an ancient, sacred village deep within the Mainland Desert in Fantasy Country. She became a pro consciousness and teamed up with Kotono Inoue, and the two were quickly a powerhouse, becoming massive stars. They also developed a romantic relationship, keeping this private from everyone but their best friend Zayza (and, by accident, Lammy). The team often partners with charities, most recently winning a championship to fund the restoration of Hiroko¡¯s home region.


    After reuniting with Zayza, she forged a plan to keep her and Lammy safe and now guides them behind-the-scenes to Deon and Skrili, with hopes to transport them to take refuge in her home village.


    Personality: Tough and unfazed by adversity. Though she¡¯s often stoic, her warmness and love peeks through while she¡¯s around Kotono and Zayza. She sees rules as general suggestions, often playing by her own code and (much to her management¡¯s dismay) is unafraid of calling out the flaws within the Consciousness League.


    Likes: Skipping formal consciousness after-parties with Kotono to go make their own fun elsewhere


    Skills: Her Predictor powers give her the ability to visualize and analyze all possible outcomes of an event in an instant, and plan her moves accordingly. She uses this against her opponents to uphold an unbeatable defense, and relies on her unprecedented, masterful strength and speed to dominate the fight offensively. Being from the harsh desert, her resilience surpasses practically everyone else in the League.


    Fun Fact: Her home village neighbors another sacred tribe, and despite their history of sporadic rivalry, she ensured the restoration project she fought for will also restore this tribe¡¯s land, as well.


    <u>Kotono</u>


    Country: Fantasy


    Age: 22


    Appearance: Very petite and dainty frame, shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair, bright red round eyes full of joy, artful makeup, and an overall light demeanor. In public, she commonly dresses in wavy, short red dresses, dark red leggings, and gold and/or red shoes. At home or in hotels, she often throws on one of Hiroko¡¯s t-shirts


    Type: Emovert


    Background: Caught up in the world of the Consciousness League circumstantially (which will be explored later), Kotono met Hiroko and they immediately clicked, rising in fame and success while falling in love. She and Hiroko met Zayza at a mandatory after-party, and the trio were seemingly inseparable from that night on, until Zayza¡¯s disappearance.


    Kotono recognized Zayza at the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition, and made arrangements with Hiroko to help her stay hidden from bounty hunters Fewpar and Najinzu. Now she supports Zayza and Lammy from afar, doing her best not to make their secret efforts known.


    Personality: Soft-natured and giving, though also a bit gullible at times. She¡¯s addicted to sweets, finds pleasure in sneakily averting rules, and ironically, hates fighting. While she hides it well from the public eye, Kotono suffers from severe social and general anxiety. She only feels comfortable holding conversations if Hiroko is present, though sometimes her sheer determination can nudge her outside of her bubble for an instant. Since her anxiety constantly keeps her on-edge, she relies on Hiroko heavily for a sense of security. Kotono knows she can count on Hiroko to calm her down and keep her powers at bay.


    Likes: Drinking a questionable amount of Phoenix Floats with Hiroko, far away from crowds and the press


    Skills: Kotono is possibly the most powerful consciousness in the League. As an Emovert, her emotions turn into energy, which she can use to shoot blasts, block attacks, and even create storms. Kotono is terrified of fighting, which in turn, makes her dauntingly powerful: her raw fear fuels an unending well of energy so strong that sometimes she can¡¯t control it, which overwhelms just about all of her opponents.


    As she discovered during the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition, her emotions of remorse and sorrow trigger a green energy she can use to heal others.


    Fun Fact: Kotono holds the record for the most business sponsorships in the entire Consciousness League. But if she had it her way, she would just partner with The Phoenix and get unlimited access to Phoenix Floats


    <u>Fewpar</u>


    Country: Fantasy


    Age: Mid 20¡¯s


    Appearance: Tall, very thin, well-poised demeanor, intricately styled pale blonde hair, long face. Wears fashionable formal clothing, usually featuring light blue


    Type: Dreamer


    Background: Originally one of Zayza¡¯s colleagues in their homeland, he used to study the Dreamer Arts with her. Now, he¡¯s working with their kingdom to hunt down and capture Zayza, believing she¡¯s guilty of murder.


    Personality: Extremely confident with an eerily soothing voice, and usually unperturbed. But if things escalate out of his control and don¡¯t go how he wants, he¡¯s quick to lose temper, exploding with rage and approaching insanity.


    Likes: Being the smartest and wittiest in the room


    Skills: As a trained Dreamer, Fewpar is knowledgeable in one-on-one combat. He relies mostly on close-range attacks, charging his blue energy into his fists to deliver devastating, supercharged punches. Like Zayza, he can also fire beams of light. Though as he¡¯d hate to admit, his mastery of Dream World combat is far inferior to Zayza¡¯s.


    When outclassed, Fewpar taps into his cunning nature to trap his opponents into situations where they must surrender, often using threats.


    Fun fact: Don¡¯t ever touch Fewpar¡¯s flawless hair. Nothing makes him angrier.


    <u>Najinzu</u>


    Country: Fantasy


    Age: Mid 20¡¯s


    Appearance: Moderately toned build, terrible posture, and disorderly pitch-black hair that hides most of his face except for one thin, dark eye. A gray bandana covers his mouth. He wears all black and slightly ripped clothes, with thin boots


    Type: Sense-Enhancer


    Background: A childhood friend of Fewpar and formerly Zayza¡¯s colleague, Najinzu studied and became a Pain Tolerance Trainer. Now, he works alongside Fewpar as a bounty hunter for their kingdom in Fantasy Country. Their current mission is to hunt down and capture Zayza, a task they¡¯re both particularly passionate about.


    Personality: Overall unapproachable, though he gets along well with Fewpar. Najinzu is very impatient and often sporadic. He takes pleasure in punishing his targets with violence.


    Likes: Using his disturbingly thin knives for everything from cutting fruit, to tormenting bounties and Pain Tolerance clients


    Skills: Najinzu¡¯s Sense-Enhancer abilities allow him to increase the intensity of whichever sense he pleases, granting himself heightened sight, hearing, smell, touch, or taste. He is also well trained in tools and weapons such as throwing knives and blow darts. Combined with his remarkable speed, these traits make him highly stealthy and dangerous.


    As a Pain Tolerance Trainer, he artfully uses his weapons to give individuals the most pain possible. When initiating this practice on Dreamer clients, it heightens their Pain Tolerance in the Dream World, allowing them to fight in the alternate realm longer. But consequently, his knives leave behind disturbingly beautiful scars.


    Fun fact: Fewpar wishes Najinzu would buy at least one change of clothes.

 54. Race to the Trainer!

    Just like the day Deon and Skrili arrived at Gloat Center, the sky was clear and bright: perfect conditions for a dragon flight.


    Gibblezgorv carried the duo speedily past the poofy clouds, twisting around in the crisp air just for the fun of it. Deon was grateful for the elderly dragon¡¯s speed. They¡¯d departed Gloat Center not long after the award ceremony: with any wasted time, they risked passing up the opportunity of a lifetime.


    A Legend Trainer¡¯s month-long coaching awaited them at the end of their rapid travels: Deon¡¯s ticket to potentially fighting in future Conscious Competitions with Skrili.


    That is, if they could get there before the other invitees, Pang and Phillip.


    ¡°Young Skrili, I must say, I am utterly relieved to see you in good health again,¡± Gibblezgorv called back after swooping past another slower-flying dragon. ¡°You gave us all quite the scare yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­I feel better now,¡± Skrili replied.


    ¡°In all my days¡ªwhich are many, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed¡ªI¡¯ve never seen anything like that in a consciousness fight,¡± Gibblezgorv encouraged. ¡°You are truly special. You may not have won the championship, but you¡¯re a champion in my book.¡±


    Skrili simply shrugged, but Deon couldn¡¯t agree more. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking of Skrili¡¯s sacrifice, using every fiber of her strength and powers to calm down Kotono¡¯s accidental storm. She could have died¡ªand she should have, had it not been for Kotono awakening her new healing abilities.


    Everyone he¡¯d encountered in the tournament: Pang, Kotono, Hiroko, Alex, and Ving¡­they were all inspiringly powerful, fighting for something that mattered. But Skrili inspired him the most. What she¡¯d done stirred something within him.


    He wanted to get stronger, and use that strength the same way she did. He wanted to be like her.


    And now, he was finally her teammate.


    ¡°Skrili, just face it: you¡¯re the best,¡± he laughed. ¡°I lucked out teaming up with you. This Multiverse isn¡¯t ready for us!¡±


    ¡°That is, if you can keep up with her,¡± Gibblezgorv pointed out.


    Facing away, Skrili let a chuckle escape her.


    ¡°Hey¡ªyou¡¯ve never even seen me fight, old-timer!!¡± Deon protested.


    ¡°I only jest, my boy!¡±


    But Deon knew there was some truth there. After watching the Conscious Competition, if there was anything he realized now, it¡¯s that there was a lot of work to do.


    Maybe this Legend Trainer guy will be the key, he thought.


    He noticed Skrili had been practically wordless for the whole ride so far. While that in itself wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary, he¡¯d hoped she¡¯d open up more now that their plans together had recommenced. But then again, why she picked him over guaranteed fame and fortune with Pang in the first place was still just as unclear.


    Deon sighed. This girl was still such a mystery, but one that he hoped to solve.


    Skrili briefly fiddled on her TeamTrack before putting it away.


    I wonder if she¡¯s second guessing herself, Deon thought. I mean, after almost winning one of the biggest Conscious Competitions, I don¡¯t blame¡ª


    He felt his TeamTrack vibrate in his pants pocket, and took it out.


    ¡°New Teammate Request: Skrili Kay,¡± the notification read.


    Deon laughed. ¡°I thought we already established this,¡± he said to her.


    ¡°Just accept it,¡± Skrili said unemotionally. ¡°It¡¯s how we make it official.¡±


    ¡°Like saying vows?¡± he teased, wondering if they did that out here in the Multiverse.


    ¡°No. More like a contract.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s more boring, but I¡¯ll accept it,¡± said Deon.


    With the touch of a screen, at last, Deon and Skrili were an official team.


    ~


    The remaining couple hours of their flight were uneventful, consisting mostly of Gibblezgorv recounting his favorite travel stories across Fantasy Country. Deon didn¡¯t mind the lull, given the nonstop action and activity at Gloat Center.


    Skrili seemed content as well as she took in the ever-shifting view below. However, a couple messages on her TeamTrack interrupted her peace for a moment.


    She shook her head. ¡°Just Pang messing with me,¡± she explained. ¡°Oh, and Kotono¡¯s checking in on us.¡±


    Deon realized he¡¯d received a message from Pang, as well. He opened it to find a moving image of some imaginer using his powers to mine stone.


    ¡°See? This guy can imagine explosions. What¡¯s your excuse? ;P¡± the text read beneath.


    ¡°So she¡¯s even like this to her friends, huh?¡± he realized.


    But he found himself relieved she was comfortable picking on him like this, despite everything that happened back in the training rooms. He sent back a simple ¡®Haha, I¡¯ll work at it,¡¯ and wondered where she and Phillip were now.


    ¡°You think we¡¯ll get there before them?¡± he asked Skrili. ¡°I mean, they have to go get Phillip¡¯s treatment first, right? Not to be insensitive, but that could give us a lead.¡±


    ¡°They might have paid to have it sent to him¡ªthey can afford that with Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s gift,¡± Skrili shared. ¡°We probably won¡¯t know if we beat them there until we¡¯re there.¡±


    A massive wall appeared over the clear horizon, similarly colossal to the Fantasy Country border at the edge of No Man¡¯s Land. But as Gibblezgorv speedily neared, Deon realized it wasn¡¯t a wall, but a giant, wooden picket fence. It spread for as wide as he could see in both directions, and was tall enough for clouds to brush the very top. He couldn¡¯t fathom how many trees they needed to construct such a structure.


    ¡°We¡¯ve almost arrived, friends!¡± announced Gibblezgorv.


    More details became decipherable as they closed in. There was a great, round opening in the center of the giant fence, filled with infinite colors. Deon immediately recognized it from last time: this was a Worldline.


    Two smaller fences ran from this in a straight line, creating a long path in two rows within the simple wooded terrain all around. Consciousnesses passed through on both sides steadily, mostly in pairs.


    Gibblezgorv began descending after he spotted a clearing in the woods.


    ¡°You sure you can¡¯t just fly us over the fence and straight to the Trainer?¡± Deon asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I am a dragon; Fantasy Country is my only world,¡± Gibblezgorv explained. ¡°Passing between different realities is an ability unique to consciousnesses like yourself.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Gibblezgorv lowered above a small field, and then thumped lazily onto the ground after folding his wings. As usual, Skrili wasted no time continuing their adventure, immediately strapping on her travel bag and hopping out of the saddle.


    Deon secured his backpack and followed her. ¡°Alright: Fiction Country time!¡± he declared. ¡°Oh¡ªthis is the Country you and Pang are from, huh?¡±


    Skrili nodded.


    After Gibblezgorv offered Skrili further congratulations and granted warm wishes on their quest, the mint-green dragon took to the sky. Deon watched him fly off, realizing it may be a while before he¡¯d see a dragon again.


    When he looked back, Skrili was already on her way to the long line. He rushed to catch up.


    Much like the walkway towards the Fantasy Country Worldline, this one moved quickly. Deon wondered how different Fiction Country would prove to be as they neared the infinite lights. He¡¯d read up plenty about Fantasy Country in the book Skrili gave him, but their new plans had formed so fast that he didn¡¯t have the time to prepare for this new world.


    Soon enough, the Worldline was upon them. Deon hyped himself up, and then together, they passed through.


    Immediately, the air felt warmer and damper. As Deon¡¯s eyes adjusted, he noticed the weather had shifted drastically, now with a gray late afternoon sky. Then looking forward, he saw what he¡¯d come to expect at this point: another, slower moving line filled with consciousnesses from across the Multiverse, moving towards and away from a couple of border patrol guards at the very end. The same fence at the end of Fantasy Country stood tall behind the guards, with a large and rather plain gate leading into this new land.


    At first, Deon kept squinting his eyes to readjust them. Everything seemed dimmer, and colors were less defined¡ªalmost like an aged painting. Even the people all around seemed less spectacular, their eyes somewhat smaller and less highlighted, and their hairstyles and color a bit tamer. All the vibrancy and ever-present glow from Fantasy Country was totally missing.


    But then he remembered what Skrili taught him: each Country had its own unique color palate. This must have been Fiction Country¡¯s.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    With nothing more to do than look around as they waited in line, Deon observed the fence walls. All the way down, they were totally plain.


    ¡°Fiction Country isn¡¯t nearly as flashy, huh?¡± he realized, his eyes falling to Skrili. ¡°Whoa¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± wondered Skrili, returning his gaze.


    But when their eyes met, they both looked away quickly.


    What the¡­? wondered Deon. There was a certain, strange intensity to Skrili now. In accordance to the color palate here, her appearance had returned closer to how she looked in No Man¡¯s Land, though her blue hair and purple eyes were now even darker than then. But there was something else Deon couldn¡¯t quite understand. When he¡¯d looked at her, he sensed some sort of powerful, unfamiliar essence.


    It was alluring.


    ¡°Um¡­anyway¡­¡± Deon tried to restart, but his sentence fell apart.


    The two walked on in silence, until eventually reaching the two border guards. Instead of adorning metallic armor head-to-toe, they simply dressed in bluish gowns and carried black metallic staffs.


    After eyeing them briefly (Deon assumed with the same specialized Sense-Enhancer powers as the Fantasy Country guards) they let them pass through.


    Even the money exchanging process was almost identical, though less decorative, to Fantasy Country¡¯s: Skrili approached a simple window opening in the fence wall, and an imaginer turned the scale cards from her wallet into ¡°parchment points.¡±


    Then, it was time to enter Fiction Country.


    The new team passed through the large gateway, and Deon realized the structural similarity continued even still: a vast city lay before them.


    While Fantasy Country¡¯s was round and continued downward into an endless pit, this city seemed much less organized. Buildings of all colors, sizes, and materials stood randomly for as far as he could see, with smooth stone roads weaving in and out of them. The city was packed with busy consciousnesses everywhere, though it wasn¡¯t quite as bustling or energetic.


    A lamp nearby flickered endlessly as Deon and Skrili entered the city. They had to hop backwards for a moment when a metallic four-wheeled vehicle zoomed right past them. A horse carriage followed not far behind, abruptly turning when it almost collided with a pair of teens speeding along on wheeled boards of wood.


    ¡°Conscious City¡¯s a bit nicer than this place,¡± Deon noticed.


    ¡°This is Conscious City,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Every Country has its own Conscious City as a central place for consciousness travel,¡± she explained. ¡°Fiction Country¡¯s is on the Fantasy Country border because that¡¯s where most of its traffic comes from. It¡¯s just not as touristy as Fantasy Country¡¯s.¡±


    She checked her TeamTrack. ¡°The location¡¯s not far past the city. We might be able to get there today if we get a taxi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Skrili Kay?!¡± a voice exclaimed from across the street. They turned to find a group of girls hurrying towards them, their rain jackets swishing and their eyes starry.


    ¡°Um¡­Hello,¡± said Skrili when they arrived.


    ¡°Oh my gosh¡­C¡ªcan we get a picture with you?!¡± one pleaded.


    ¡°Oh¡ªsure.¡±


    The girls glanced at Deon for a moment, until he realized he was supposed to step out of the way. He watched on as the young group bunched around Skrili, one holding up a device similar to a TeamTrack. Skrili uncomfortably attempted to smile as they all posed for a picture.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my favorite!¡±


    The girls ran off, leaving Skrili standing in awkward silence.


    Deon laughed. ¡°Out of your element, huh?¡±


    ¡°Anyways¡­¡± continued Skrili. ¡°If we can get a ride through¡ª¡±


    ¡°SKRILI KAY!¡±


    ¡°LOOK OVER HERE!¡±


    Even more abruptly than the group of girls, out of nowhere, a crowd of adults practically surrounded them, taking pictures and shouting obnoxious questions.


    ¡°The press followed us all the way here?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°They¡¯re everywhere,¡± sighed Skrili.


    They tried to back away, but in every direction, a reporter held a recording device in their faces.


    ¡°Skrili, I see you¡¯re alone with this young man again!¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be training?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Pang?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Skrili answered flatly. ¡°Now if you don¡¯t mind, please¡ª¡±


    ¡°How about you introduce us to this boyfriend of yours. What¡¯s his name?!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªguys,¡± started Deon, fighting to keep his cool. ¡°I think you have the wrong¡ª¡±


    ¡°How about a kiss for the headlines?!¡±


    Deon almost fell over when Skrili seized his arm and yanked him back, forcing her way through the rowdy crowd.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this,¡± she grumbled as they broke through. Then, she stopped and faced the press once more. ¡°This is my new teammate,¡± she told them sternly.


    Probably predicting what would come next, Skrili resumed stomping off, tugging Deon down the street. After a moment of sheer shock, the press erupted into an explosion of baffled questions behind them, now jogging their way.


    ¡°That definitely made it worse,¡± realized Deon.


    ¡°I know. We¡¯ll need to find another way past the city,¡± Skrili admitted. Her eyes fell on something down the sidewalk. ¡°And I think I just found one.¡±


    Deon traced her gaze. They were hurrying by several raggedy wooden buildings. A few down, some white flowers with long, flowing pedals stood proudly in the middle of the sidewalk in front of a thin alleyway. There were no other plants as far as Deon could see¡ªjust these, somehow poking through the stone in this oddly particular spot.


    Skrili led him right up to the flowers, and then peered down the alleyway. It was dark and a bit muddy, curving away out of sight farther down. Even more of the white flowers were in the alley, on the ground and along the shabby walls for as far as they could see.


    ¡°Good,¡± Skrili uttered. She entered the alley with haste.


    Deon followed uncertainly. ¡°We¡¯re following the flowers?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because they¡¯ll probably lead us to where we want to be.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Skrili stopped answering questions, leading the way between the buildings. After the corner, the alley continued even further, and so did the path of white flowers. The path intersected with another alley, then another, and they continued their pace for minutes as the vehicles and bustle from the city grew more distant.


    Finally, the alley spat them out into a simple grassy field. They were now on the outskirts of the city, with the press nowhere to be seen.


    However, they weren¡¯t alone: directly in the center of the field rested a rusty dark blue vehicle, much like the one that had zoomed by them when they first entered the city. A stout man in a gray cap sat patiently, smoke puffing out the open window from his cigar. The vehicle, which had the word ¡°Taxi¡± painted across, hummed as it sat in place.


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened in further confusion when he realized the white flowers continued in a line, stopping right before the taxi.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Skrili said. She proceeded towards the vehicle.


    Knew what?? Deon wondered, accompanying her.


    The driver gave a wave, taking his cigar in his hand. ¡°I knew it,¡± he said. ¡°Something about this field reminds me a¡¯ home¡ªreminds me not to give up. Couldn¡¯t get any customers in the city today, so I came here. And now: I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re looking for a ride?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Skrili said, opening the door. She entered the taxi and made room for Deon.


    Deon hesitated as Skrili stared at him, waiting for him to follow.


    ¡°Um¡­alright then,¡± he uttered.


    The taxi smelled strongly of smoke and other odors foreign to Deon as he sat inside and closed the door. He tried not to notice the multiple stains on the seat.


    ¡°Where to?¡± the driver inquired.


    ¡°I only have coordinates,¡± Skrili shared, awakening her TeamTrack. ¡°But putting them in on the map, it¡¯s in the middle of an area called Nightwood Valley.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªthat¡¯s quite the trek from here! You two have the money?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have enough,¡± Skrili assured.


    ¡°Then buckle up!¡±


    The taxi zipped forward, skidding in the grass for a moment. Deon braced himself as it seemed they were heading straight for a line of trees at the end of the field, but abruptly, the driver veered to the side where several dirt roads branched off. Two large rocks sat just before one of them, one white and the other pitch black. This road continued straight over green plains and small hills for as far as Deon could see through the worn windows.


    The taxi hurried onto this dirt road, its mysterious machinery puttering and grumbling as it carried them along.


    Deon looked around as the sky began clearing up. An orange and pinkish hue from the late sun tinted the sky. Now accustomed to Fantasy Country, he was surprised to find much fewer Worlds floating in the distance¡ªand they were much farther away, practically dots.


    Other than that, this area seemed more akin to Tailpiece and No Man¡¯s Land. But while it looked ordinary, it certainly felt quite strange.


    ¡°Mind explaining what happened back there?¡± Deon asked Skrili. ¡°What¡¯s with the flowers and everything?¡±


    Skrili kept her gaze out her window. ¡°Those were omniflowers,¡± she said. ¡°They also grow where I come from. They¡¯re everywhere in Fiction Country, but in my culture, they represent journeying¡ªand finding your future.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­so it just gave you a hunch?¡± Deon guessed.


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that. In Fiction Country, symbols like that have real meaning,¡± Skrili said. ¡°Your perceptions of everything you see, hear, or sense here, and what it means to you, can affect reality in an actual, physical way.¡±


    Deon squinted, struggling to keep up. ¡°So¡­kind of like Fiction Country¡¯s own version of magic?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± said Skrili. ¡°It¡¯s not something we have control over. It just happens.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so that¡¯s why the flowers led us to the driver: they represent exactly what you were trying to accomplish?¡± tried Deon.


    Skrili nodded. ¡°And that field is nostalgic and motivational to the driver, so from his perspective, it led him to his next clients.¡±


    ¡°Newbie, eh?¡± the driver called back. ¡°You¡¯ll get the hang of it. Welcome to the quirkiest Country in the Multiverse!¡±


    Deon glanced at Skrili once more.


    So everything I experience takes on some sort of deeper meaning¡­he pondered. Then this weird feeling I get whenever I look at Skrili now¡­what does that mean?


    ~


    The taxi rocked and rumbled as it trudged along the now slimmer, muddier dirt road. Thanks in part to the trees overlooking their path, the sun¡¯s late beams were now much dimmer. On top of that, they had entered a low, flat land in between two rising wooded slopes.


    After the past hour of bumpy travel and occasional cigar smoke, Deon already missed Gibblezgorv¡¯s dragon rides.


    Skrili awoke her TeamTrack and observed the map, so Deon leaned closer to see. This time it had zoomed in much closer, and the point that indicated their location was gradually nearing the Trainer¡¯s.


    ¡°Well, my memory hasn¡¯t failed me yet!¡± the driver said with a laugh.


    Deon¡¯s heart began to race: this was really happening. They were really about to start their training and possibly fight in Conscious Competitions.


    Or¡­were they too late? What if Pang and Phillip had already flown a dragon over and beat them there? Were they training right now?


    He was so wrapped up in this mixture of anticipation and uncertainty that he hadn¡¯t noticed they were slowing down until the taxi came to an uneven halt. Deon looked around to find utterly bizarre trees all around. They were all sorts of weird shapes; a single trunk varied from extreme thickness to thinner than a finger in no particular pattern, and its many branches also followed this form.


    Even stranger, these trees didn¡¯t stand straight up. They all ultimately pointed to the sky, but first their trunks turned sideways, downward, around each other, and in all kinds of loops.


    ¡°Here we are: Nightwood Valley!¡± the driver announced.


    ¡°The Trainer is just ahead,¡± noticed Skrili, checking the map again. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She retrieved her newly exchanged parchment points, and handed the driver the amount he requested.


    ¡°Keep following those flowers when you need a ride! I could use the work,¡± he insisted.


    Deon and Skrili exited the vehicle, and it skidded before hurrying off back towards Conscious City.


    ¡°Well¡­here we go,¡± said Deon.


    He followed Skrili as her digital map guided them into this peculiar woods. Now with a closer look, Deon noticed the bark on these trees seemed incredibly smooth. Large boulders in sizes competing with the trees also filled the landscape, and all of them were either jet black or pure white like the stones at the very beginning of their trip. Deon could hear a roaring waterfall in the distance.


    After a few minutes, they saw a log cabin¡ªor just the front half of one, at least. It was built into two conjoined boulders, one black and the other white. All the disproportioned trees near it leaned away, allowing for a clear, open front yard. The map clearly indicated this was the place.


    They cautiously approached the front door. The distant waterfall was the only sound.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Deon said to Skrili with a deep, nervous sigh.


    Skrili knocked on the door.


    They waited for a moment. And then another moment. And another.


    Were the coordinates wrong?


    Or was the Trainer busy training another team?


    Then the doorknob turned. The door opened.


    Before them stood a man in his late twenties, thirty at most. He gave off no legendary aura, or even a hint of incredible strength. He was just an average-looking guy, only around the same height as Skrili, maybe shorter. He had somewhat long brown hair, with bangs parted to the side coolly.


    The man dressed in simple professional clothing¡ªa far cry from the fashion in Fantasy Country. He wore a button-up dress shirt, black suit jacket, and bowtie, with gray dress pants and leather shoes. He stood, slouching and casual, staring at them for several seconds.


    We definitely have the wrong house, Deon decided.


    ¡°Man, you guys have perfect timing,¡± the man finally said. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started, shall we?¡±

 55. Challenge

    The man kept his calm gaze on Deon and Skrili for an extra moment when they didn¡¯t know how to react.


    Is he really the guy? thought Deon.


    Letting out a laugh, the stranger stepped forward to join them in the outdoors. Deon and Skrili moved out of the way as he slowly walked past them, hands in pocket. It seemed he was simply about to disappear into the woods, before he abruptly stopped in the middle of the cabin¡¯s yard.


    ¡°What, you guys don¡¯t think I¡¯m the Legend Trainer?¡± he asked with a teasing air of disappointment. ¡°That¡¯s sad¡­ah, well. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    He spun around to face them, his relaxed and confident smile still in place. ¡°I¡¯m Skip,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m the guy who invited you here after watching the semi-finals. Well¡ªI invited you, Ms. Skrili Kay¡ªI don¡¯t know this dude.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m¡ª¡± started Deon.


    ¡°Oops: not yet, we¡¯ll get to that part,¡± interrupted Skip. ¡°Man, Skrili. I had this whole training plan set up and everything. Then you and Pang went and pulled a 180 on me and started new teams. What gives?¡±


    ¡°We just¡ª¡± began Skrili.


    ¡°Don¡¯t actually answer that¡ªI hate spoilers,¡± Skip intervened again. ¡°By the way, have you kept up with the news and social media? Everyone¡¯s going nuts about it¡ªyou and Pang breaking up. I mean, they should: it¡¯s literally the worst professional decision you could make. You¡¯re stars now! What are you doing?!¡±


    Laughing, he pulled out a sleek TeamTrack and began flipping through screens. ¡°¡®Shocking: New Fan Favorites Pang and Skrili quietly end budding career together,¡¯¡± he read aloud dramatically. ¡°¡®This just in: Skrili Kay ditches Pang, starts team with unknown boyfriend.¡¯¡±


    Skip tucked his TeamTrack away, shaking his head. ¡°Teasing aside though, I love this. I¡¯m all for it. This is a good sign.¡±


    Why? What¡¯s the point of going on about it? Deon wondered irritably. But he kept quiet¡ªhe couldn¡¯t dream of blowing their chance to train.


    Walking slowly, Skip moved closer to Deon and Skrili. They took an uncomfortable step back as he analyzed the two of them extremely closely. Finally, he stood before them in silence for a moment, arms crossed.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°This is a different team. Let¡¯s pretend I don¡¯t know Skrili, either. Please, introduce yourselves.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m D¡ª¡±


    Skip cut him off once more, and Deon clenched his teeth to keep himself from lashing out in annoyance.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, sorry: I misspoke,¡± Skip said. ¡°What I meant was, introduce each other.¡±


    Deon and Skrili glanced at each other wordlessly.


    ¡°Well, go on,¡± urged Skip. ¡°Skrili¡ªI mean¡ªblue-haired stranger, you first.¡±


    Why is he enjoying this so much? Deon begrudged.


    Skrili shifted uncomfortably, looking down. ¡°This is¡­my new teammate,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Oh¡ªhe doesn¡¯t have a name?¡± pressed Skip, his eyes sparkling with amusement. ¡°Start over.¡±


    Skrili blushed. ¡°This¡­this is¡­Deon,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Deon who?¡±


    ¡°Deon¡­Stutter.¡±


    Something sounded oddly forced in Skrili¡¯s voice¡ªDeon wasn¡¯t sure why.


    Then he realized it: she¡¯d never said his name before. After all this time together, not once had she ever called or referred to him by name.


    Somehow Skip read right through it, and for whatever reason, hopped on this realization with utter intrigue.


    ¡°Alright¡­and?¡± Skip guided her on. ¡°Tell me about him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡ªwho?¡±


    Skrili sighed. ¡°D¡ªDeon is¡­an Imaginer¡­from um¡­Tailcheese¡­¡±


    ¡°Tailpiece,¡± Deon coughed.


    ¡°Right,¡± finished Skrili. ¡°And¡­he¡¯s¡­kind of a pain in the butt, but not always.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    Skip chuckled. After a pause from Skrili, his eyes widened. ¡°Oh¡ªthat¡¯s it? Really? That¡¯s all you have to say about this guy?¡±


    Skrili shrugged.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± he said, his eyes falling on Deon. ¡°Your turn. Who is this young lady?¡±


    Determined not to let Skip embarrass him too, Deon took a confident breath in. ¡°This is my teammate, Skrili Kay. She¡¯s the best Power Rebound out there¡ªshe and Pang almost beat Kotono and Hiroko in the championship!¡±


    ¡°So obviously that¡¯s why you wanted to team up with her, right?¡± Skip chimed in. ¡°Because she¡¯s strong?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s not exactly why,¡± Deon denied. ¡°She never gives up and knows who she is. She sacrificed herself and almost died saving everyone in the stadium during the championship¡ªincluding me.¡±


    Skrili glanced at him briefly.


    ¡°After that, I realized that¡¯s how I wanna use my strength,¡± Deon continued. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to be on a team with Skrili.¡±


    Skip¡¯s eyes sparkled even further, his intrigue written all over his face. ¡°Very interesting answers,¡± he said slowly.


    Deon smirked. He couldn¡¯t stump me, he thought.


    ¡°But like¡­who is she?¡± Skip asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s she from? What was her life like before you two met? Why did she ditch Pang for a rookie like you?¡±


    Deon stammered before freezing up¡ªhe didn¡¯t know any of the answers to these rather basic questions.


    Skip shook his head, and began pacing around the clearing. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s review: you two have never been a certified team and don¡¯t even have a fighting record together, you kind of just have this awkward dynamic going on standing in front of me, and most alarmingly: you don¡¯t even know anything about each other¡¯s lives¡­but, for some reason, you want me to accept you for legend training? You want me to certify someone with no fighting record at all to fight with a near-champion? For some reason, you thought this was a good idea??¡±


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    Deon and Skrili exchanged rapid glances before staring at Skip in silence. Deon had to admit: hearing it back, this all seemed ridiculous. Why did he think it would go any differently?


    ¡°We¡­thought it was worth a try,¡± Skrili muttered.


    ¡°Clearly. Well, if you couldn¡¯t tell by now, this was a test,¡± explained Skip, still pacing around. ¡°This is how I always decide if I¡¯ll accept a team¡ªnot very fancy, I know. But yeah: you two failed. Miserably.¡±


    Deon sulked.


    ¡°So miserably, in fact,¡± continued Skip, ¡°that I¡¯m fascinated. I¡¯ve never seen a team do worse.¡± He finally stopped in place and faced them again. ¡°Lucky for you¡­I love a challenge.¡±


    Heart skipping, Deon lifted his head again. Wait¡­what?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever wanted to train a team more,¡± shared Skip. ¡°So, I¡¯d love to train you, Skrili Kay and Deon Stutter.¡±


    Life flooded back into Deon. He shot a fist into the air. ¡°YES!!!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because we did so poorly,¡± Skrili noted beside him.


    ¡°I¡¯LL TAKE IT!!¡±


    He turned to give Skrili a high-five. His hand froze in place when she stared back at it emotionlessly. But in the end, she lifted a hand and dispassionately tapped it against his.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna have too much fun with this¡­¡± Skip observed. ¡°Unless, that is, you guys beat me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± questioned Deon.


    ¡°The Challenge,¡± said Skrili.


    ¡°Since I accepted you, you two can challenge me to a fight right here and now,¡± Skip elaborated. ¡°If you win, you¡¯ll automatically pass my training. It¡¯s a time-saver for you, but a fun-killer for me.¡±


    ¡°You never tell me things before I need to know¡­¡± Deon mumbled to Skrili.


    ¡°Because you know so little, I can¡¯t keep track,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°So, you in?¡± Skip asked. ¡°I get it if the rookie¡¯s a little squeamish.¡±


    Deon clenched his fists and watched Skip closely. He seemed so unassuming and unguarded¡ªthough that could have been a front. But in his formal attire, he wasn¡¯t even dressed properly for a fight. On top of that, it was two-on-one.


    ¡°He underestimates us¡ªhe¡¯s never seen me in action,¡± Deon said to Skrili. ¡°I say we do it.¡±


    ¡°I was already assuming you¡¯d want to,¡± shrugged Skrili. ¡°Just don¡¯t get cocky.¡±


    Entirely unconcerned with the impending challenge, Skip allowed the team to put their belongings to the side, and invited them to stand across from him at the opposite side of the clearing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep this simple: this will be a boundaries fight,¡± declared Skip. ¡°See the line of trees all around? All you have to do is push me past that, or up against my house. Nothing too hard, right?¡±


    Deon looked around at their fighting grounds. The yard was small; if they only had to force Skip back, backing him into a corner seemed possible enough between the two of them.


    But Skip seemed too confident.


    ¡°Wait¡­what¡¯s his type?¡± Deon whispered to Skrili.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not sure anybody does.¡±


    ¡°Extra credit if you can figure it out, though!¡± Skip called over cheerfully.


    ¡°So¡­what¡¯s our strategy, then??¡± wondered Deon.


    ¡°We play into our strengths. Stay back and shoot projectiles¡ªjust don¡¯t hit me. I¡¯ll close in and try to force him back in close combat. We have to overwhelm him.¡±


    Deon nodded, and stretched a bit before sinking into his ready stance. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    I¡¯ll prove I¡¯m more than a rookie, he planned.


    Skip still kept his hands in his pocket. ¡°Welp, I¡¯m the host. I suppose I¡¯ll count it off,¡± he said nonchalantly. ¡°Three¡­Two¡­One¡­Go!¡±


    As Deon expected, Skip launched forward towards the center, distancing himself from the natural boundary line. Despite his seemingly restricting clothing, he matched Skrili¡¯s speed while she darted straight for him.


    But even still, he didn¡¯t appear as a powerful fighter¡ªjust a normal, unbothered guy moving almost unnaturally fast.


    What is his type¡­? Deon wondered. Oh¡ªwait! He shook himself back into the situation as Skrili and Skip locked into a close-combat brawl.


    He placed several of his leather ball attack around Skip and Skrili. Aiming carefully, he fired the first one at Skip from behind. But without even looking, Skip ducked, dodging Deon¡¯s attack and a kick from Skrili simultaneously.


    ¡°Lucky¡­¡± Deon grumbled.


    He fired another, but it got too close to Skrili, so he curved it back out of the way. Skip sidestepped the next few just as easily as the first, all while blocking every attack Skrili dished out.


    He¡¯s impossibly good¡­it¡¯s got to be his consciousness powers, Deon thought. What is he? A Predictor like Hiroko? But¡­he hasn¡¯t even looked my way to see my attacks coming.


    Dismissing the leather balls from existence, Deon replaced them with five mini-Twitchy¡¯s. If he could get any of them to claw onto Skip, maybe he could control them to help pull him out of bounds. It wasn¡¯t a technique he¡¯d practiced much, but it was worth a shot.


    After the floating squirrel monsters formed, he commanded them to charge forward together. Skrili flipped out of the way just in time, and the beasts all crashed into Skip. Deon struggled commanding all of them to grab, so instead he made them all push their target.


    Just when it seemed it might work, Skip spun effortlessly, kicking them all away. The Twitchy¡¯s vanished in response.


    ¡°Crap!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    Wasting no time, Skrili closed back in on Skip, but he only continued to perfectly block and evade, returning no attacks of his own.


    Maybe he really has been seeing my attacks coming out of the corner of his eye, pondered Deon.


    He imagined another larger leather ball attack, but he placed this one high in the air above the trees. He waited for Skip¡¯s back to turn to him, but still at an angle where the attack would miss Skrili. Once the moment was right, Deon sent the ball swooping down.


    But in that moment, Skip abruptly switched to an offense. He swiftly grabbed Skrili¡¯s defending arm, tugged her towards him while switching places, and then tossed her into the air in a fraction of a second¡ªright in the path of Deon¡¯s attack.


    ¡°Wait!¡± shouted Deon¡ªbut it was too late to imagine the leather ball way. It slammed right into Skrili¡¯s gut, blasting her backwards.


    Right towards the large black boulder beside Skip¡¯s house.


    In a panic, Deon tried imagining a giant pillow against the boulder. To his utter relief, it appeared a mere instant before Skrili crashed into it. The pillow caught her as she sank down to the ground, unharmed.


    ¡°That¡¯s one out of bounds,¡± came Skip¡¯s voice calmly.


    Deon returned his attention to the ongoing fight, but he was far too late¡ªin the moment he¡¯d shifted his focus to saving Skrili, Skip had darted straight for him. Skip¡¯s face was directly in front of Deon¡¯s, his expression still unbothered.


    He hadn¡¯t broken a single sweat.


    The fight was over before Deon had even realized it. He would have tried to defend, but it was simply impossible to follow Skip¡¯s moves. He felt himself trip, then spin, and then suddenly he went airborne. Deon¡¯s tunic caught a branch high up, and he dangled there, out of bounds.


    Skip casually walked over to the tree where Deon hung, hands once again in pocket.


    ¡°That was easy,¡± he said. ¡°You mostly made the right call protecting Skrili, but it cost you the fight.¡±


    ¡°What was I supposed to let her die?!¡± Deon countered.


    ¡°No. You were supposed to attack in a way that wouldn¡¯t have put her in harm¡¯s way,¡± explained Skip immediately. ¡°I knew you¡¯d have no choice but to let your guard down and save her. I¡¯m just glad you weren¡¯t kidding when you said you want to use your powers to protect, or this could have gone badly. And it would have been your fault.¡±


    Deon clenched his teeth.


    ¡°You did the right thing to correct your mistake,¡± continued Skip. ¡°But that¡¯s not how certified fighters do it. They¡¯re prepared to rescue their teammates, and have a plan in place to win anyway. Skrili knows that¡ªshe forfeited to save Kotono and everyone in the stadium, but she gave Pang her Power Rebound in case there was still a chance. That¡¯s a legendary move. Yours was rookie.¡±


    After a pause of sheer humility, Deon nodded.


    ¡°But you¡­¡± started Skip. He turned around to look at Skrili, who sat against the boulder now that the pillow had vanished. ¡°You¡¯re just as much to blame for this loss.¡±


    She is? I¡¯m the one who blew it, thought Deon.


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust your own teammate¡¯s ability,¡± Skip said pointedly. ¡°You can¡¯t beat a Legend Trainer by sidelining your teammate for background support while you try and do it all yourself. A team relies on each other¡ªyou should know that, Ms. Conscious Competition Runner-Up. Come on.¡±


    Skrili stared silently.


    ¡°If you worked more closely with Deon¡¯s style, the two of you could have fought in so many more creative ways against me. All the combos and special attacks you should have¡­it¡¯s disappointing.¡± Skip exchanged glances with both of them. ¡°A team fights as one unit. We¡¯ll be working on that, for sure.¡±


    Despite the pathetic outcome of their faceoff, and how silly he now felt, Deon smiled. There was no question in his mind anymore: this guy was the real deal. He was the Legend Trainer.


    And they were about to get so much stronger.


    Skip turned and carelessly made his way back to his front door. ¡°Crash up in the trees tonight¡ªthey¡¯re weirdly comfortable. We¡¯ll start tomorrow.¡± He gave a cool wave. ¡°Skrili, meet me here first thing in the morning. Deon, come a bit later.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why separately?¡± Deon inquired.


    ¡°No spoilers,¡± was all Skip said as he closed the front door, returning inside.

 56. Set in Motion

    Here they come again, Lammy thought.


    He tried to run to Zayza, but couldn¡¯t. Once again he forgot that here, he had no body¡ªhe was only his senses.


    Right¡ªimagining only! he recalled. Zayza, behind you!


    Down on the black grass flatland, Zayza aimed both hands at the ground. Green energy popped out from them, rocketing her into the air just in time. Sharp, purple memory shards zipped just underneath her at a menacing pace.


    She remained floating in the air in her fancy green dress, her hands still sparkling with energy as she watched for another attack.


    Thank you, came Zayza¡¯s voice in Lammy¡¯s mind.


    With an aerial view, Lammy followed the flock of dark memories. They ascended high above Zayza, before splitting into three smaller groups. Then, they came swooping down straight for her, at opposite angles.


    If Lammy had a heart here, it would have skipped. Three groups this time! Three groups! he warned frantically.


    But Zayza remained stoic¡ªafter all these nights of fighting her own ominous past, Lammy noticed her grow more assured in her recently-recovered skills, and less afraid of these dark memories. By now, she was more confident here in the Dream World than out in reality.


    I¡¯ll take two groups. Can you handle one? she said.


    Two at once? Lammy repeated in his mind, unsure if she heard that doubtful thought. But there was no time. On it! he confirmed.


    The shards closed in, their high-pitched shrieks filling the air. With no choice but to turn her back to one of the groups, Zayza aimed two identical green blasts at the others, and fired with masterful precision.


    In the same moment, Lammy imagined a giant bug net to guard Zayza¡¯s back, once again grateful that his powers worked much more seamlessly in the Dream World.


    While Zayza¡¯s blasts sent memory shards catapulting backwards, the remaining third sunk directly into Lammy¡¯s net. He reversed it with a mental flick, launching the shards spinning out over the horizon.


    They surveyed the dark, dreamy landscape for a few moments. All the violent memories had finally retreated.


    Zayza sighed. I think that¡¯s all for tonight, she decided, descending to the ground.


    Lammy kept an eye on her surroundings. Just as he was about to agree, a weak, purple light began glowing at a distance behind Zayza. His alarm faded once it finally mustered its full form: a quiet, glistening purple orb¡ªa normal memory.


    Hey¡­behind you, Lammy signaled.


    Zayza turned to behold the orb. But the moment she did, it quivered, hopping farther back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± she called to it.


    She took a step closer, but frantically, the orb darted away. They watched it vanish over the distant hills.


    But¡­that was a good memory, Lammy noticed. Why didn¡¯t it just come to you like normal?


    I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not sure, uttered Zayza, her eyes still on the horizon where the orb had fled.


    Before they could continue their conversation, Lammy felt a sinking feeling. He knew Zayza was experiencing the same thing: it was time.


    Everything reversed into a calm silence and darkness.


    ~


    Lammy¡¯s eyes opened. He sat up slowly in the short grass, the shade of the large tree above him protecting him from the early morning sun. Zayza was stirring beside him, as well.


    ¡°I must figure out how to keep those dark memories away,¡± shared Zayza as she shuffled through her travel pack from Our Snowy Village. ¡°If they keep scaring off the safe memories, I fear I¡¯ll never get the full picture.¡±


    Lammy nodded. ¡°I still think you need to hear it from Kotono and Hiroko.¡±


    ¡°It seems they¡¯re still avoiding it,¡± uttered Zayza with a tired sigh.


    The last time Hiroko and Kotono reached out to them using the untraceable spell, they spent the majority of it giving detailed directions for Lammy and Zayza¡¯s new journey towards the Fiction Country border. When Zayza tried prying at the details of her murder accusation, the couple skipped around it timidly.


    ¡°One way or another, I¡¯ll have to find out,¡± Zayza added, handing Lammy one of the bread loafs Rob and Pete sent them off with.


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty as he ripped off a chunk and took a bite. While the father and son were understanding of their awkward explanation for quitting the Phoenix so suddenly, he wished he could elaborate. After all, without realizing it, they¡¯d brought he and Zayza one immense step closer to salvation. Now Kotono and Hiroko had their backs, and were guiding them right to Deon.


    All they had to do was keep walking. Soon, they¡¯d find Deon. Soon, he would journey with them to Hiroko¡¯s village. They were so close.


    Lammy simply couldn¡¯t wait to tell Deon everything. He couldn¡¯t wait to reveal his strange new abilities, and how much stronger he¡¯d become, and see the expression on Deon¡¯s face.


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    With a vigorous push, Lammy abruptly leapt to his feet.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re one day closer!¡± he exclaimed, his finger pointing ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s keep at it!¡±


    Zayza looked at him in puzzlement for a moment, before a smile spread. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªlet¡¯s save the Dream World troubles for the night,¡± she decided. ¡°Your cousin must be quite remarkable¡ªI¡¯ve never seen you this eager.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see when you meet him, Zayza,¡± said Lammy. ¡°No one¡¯s going to mess with you anymore.¡±


    After gathering their things and strapping their bags, Lammy and Zayza departed from the tree they¡¯d stayed under for the night. It was beside a long and wide dirt road in a lightly forested area that, according to Kotono and Hiroko, was a straight shot towards the Fiction Country border.


    Lammy and Zayza had taken a different transport than Rob and Pete off Gloat Center, and requested the farthest dropoff on this road (as Hiroko recommended). Now, their path waited before them. Lammy hoped the landscape would change at some point, or this would become quite a mundane week or so of travel.


    Zayza felt for her earring, as she habitually did, so Lammy did the same. Further assurance swept over him: with this enchantment, their chances of finding trouble again were even slimmer.


    ¡°You know¡­I¡¯ve been wondering,¡± thought Lammy aloud as they walked. ¡°When Wobble escorted us to Conscious City, he still recognized us. Does he somehow know our true selves?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­well, Hiroko did say enchantments don¡¯t affect certain magical creatures,¡± pondered Zayza. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°IT IS!!¡± came a high, energetic voice.


    Lammy and Zayza returned their attention forward. Somehow, directly before them stood Wobble, balancing on its springy tail with a goofy smile.


    The duo paused for a moment in silence.


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡± they both uttered in response.


    ¡°What?! That¡¯s the only reaction I get when I make my surprise, grand reappearance??¡± he shot. ¡°Kids these days, I swear¡­My heart twists as expectations of jubilance are met with sheer, despondent¡ª¡±


    ¡°Good to see you, Wobble, but¡­what are you doing here?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°And how did you know where we are?¡± added Zayza.


    ¡°Wonderful questions! Basically: I don¡¯t know!¡± Wobble answered cheerily with a glittery backflip. ¡°I jest: the Sages sensed that you¡¯re soon to travel beyond Fantasy Country, and they wanted you to know a pretty important detail about the earrings first. So I ran here!¡±


    You¡­what?? Lammy¡¯s head spun.


    ¡°You ran all the way from the Sage¡¯s hut?!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°That should take weeks!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really fast!¡± Wobble explained bluntly. ¡°I may hop on my tail usually, but when I¡¯ve got the need for speed¡­you better watch out for these six stubby legs!¡±


    Lammy and Zayza stared at it, question marks floating in their minds. They sighed, surrendering their attempt to understand this creature.


    ¡°So then¡­¡± Zayza started slowly, ¡°¡­what did she want us to know about the earrings?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I forget¡­My bad,¡± said Wobble.


    Lammy and Zayza stared at the rainbow-furred being, their eyelids dropping halfway.


    ¡°Oh wait¡ªthat¡¯s right!¡± Wobble recalled. ¡°Where you¡¯re going, they won¡¯t work!¡±


    ¡°HUH?!¡± Lammy and Zayza exclaimed.


    That¡¯s kind of an important detail¡­thought Lammy.


    ¡°Well, allow me to clarify,¡± began Wobble. He shot glitter from one of his fluffy paws to his side, and pointed to it. ¡°Here in Fantasy Country, magic thrives with ease. It¡¯s designed for this reality. However¡­¡± he pointed to his other side, with no glitter. ¡°Magic like, ain¡¯t cut out for other realities. Once you peace it from Fantasy Country, the enchantment will quickly lose its strength, and then it¡¯ll be gone. Make sense, yo?¡±


    I¡¯m not sure the visual aid was necessary, thought Lammy, ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied.


    Zayza sighed. ¡°So people may start recognizing us once we get into Fiction Country,¡± she realized. ¡°We¡¯ll need to find Deon and Skrili as fast as possible.¡±


    ¡°Bingo!¡± Wobble confirmed.


    Zayza and Lammy glanced at each other. The looming danger was now one step closer to a sinister return.


    But Zayza clenched her fists. ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll still make it,¡± she assured Lammy.


    ¡°I was about to say the same thing,¡± he said with a courageous smile.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t!¡± Wobble chimed in.


    They glared at him.


    ¡°But¡­that¡¯s just because I don¡¯t know the context,¡± he backtracked. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re trying to accomplish, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll succeed!¡±


    Zayza shook her head with a light laugh. ¡°Wobble, you and the Sages have been so helpful to us¡­even when I was hurting too much to notice¡­and for nothing in return. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great to see you again,¡± Lammy agreed. Odd and occasionally overbearing as Wobble was in their previous travels, he knew Zayza was right.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s definitely for something in return,¡± countered Wobble. ¡°I can¡¯t survive very long without friendship. Like, literally: if I¡¯m not around or experiencing friendship for more than a couple days, I¡¯ll straight-up die.¡±


    ¡°Oh goodness!¡± Zayza gasped.


    Oh¡­well¡­that¡¯s depressing, Lammy thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I help out the Sages!¡± finished Wobble. ¡°And speaking of which, they¡¯re helping another traveler right now. I¡¯d better hurry back! Farewell, friends!¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you¡ª¡± started Lammy.


    In less than a blink, Wobble was already gone. Lammy and Zayza felt a gust rush past them, and noticed a vague trail of glitter hurrying off the path and over the horizon.


    ¡°Well¡­nice of him to fill us in,¡± Lammy said with a shrug.


    Zayza let out a laugh. ¡°Indeed. But let¡¯s not let this new development bring us down.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find Deon,¡± added Lammy.


    And we¡¯ll find out the truth the right way¡­we¡¯ll prove you¡¯re innocent, he added in his mind.


    But the dark memory shards occupied his thoughts, along with Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s continued hesitation to explain what murder took place.


    If she was truly unrelated to such a terrible crime, why were these dark memories behaving so much more aggressively than her normal memory orbs? What were they trying to reveal to her?


    It had started soon after Najinzu and Fewpar¡¯s abuse¡ªand soon after she recovered her Dreamer Combat Training memories. Were these instances the triggers?


    What if, in some way¡­she used to know what really happened?


    Lammy scrambled his mind in a desperate attempt to ward off the idea.


    No¡­there¡¯s no way, he thought. Just like Hiroko and Kotono said, someone put this on her. And we¡¯ll find out why.


    Determination rekindling in his heart, Lammy took an eager step forward. Together, he and Zayza continued their journey down the long, flat trail.


    ~~~


    In a faraway reality within Fantasy Country¡­


    A man sipped from a steamy, pearl mug, and then immediately spat it out onto the intricate stone ground.


    ¡°Why does our kingdom have the worst bewitched coffee?¡± he groaned. He placed the mug to the side and repositioned his metallic head armor.


    ¡°You¡¯ve no choice but to put up with it¡ªwho knows when we¡¯ll open the Worldline back up,¡± replied a fellow guard a few steps away.


    They both stared at the wide, glowing platform they were tasked with blocking off, its infinitely-colored glow illuminating the night around them. It was large enough to fit up to a hundred travelling consciousnesses at once, but for weeks now, it went completely unused.


    ¡°Bloody politics and crimes,¡± the first guard cursed. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll let a consciousness sneak by if they agree to smuggle me back some real coffee from the Mainland. Heck¡ªI¡¯d do it myself, if I was a consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Only if coffee is worth the execution,¡± his coworker noted.


    ¡°It very well may be. Haven¡¯t had a proper¡ª¡±


    ¡°SH!¡± the other guard suddenly hushed. He placed a hand on the weapon sheathed at his waist.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Faintly, they heard the clanking of armor crashing against the stone floor.


    ¡°That came from the other side,¡± the second guard noted wearily.


    ¡°So someone dropped their armor. What¡¯s the big¡ª¡±


    They heard the same sound again, but this time it was closer.


    Then they heard another one fall.


    And another.


    Exchanging wide-eyed glances, both guards unsheathed their weapons. Their bladeless swords crackled with magical blue light, ready to electrocute at a moment¡¯s notice.


    The guards looked around frantically, their breath now heavy. The longer they waited, the heavier their arms grew.


    But nothing came.


    ¡°WHO¡¯S THERE?!¡± the second guard finally shouted. ¡°SHOW YOURSELF NOW! THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA!!¡±


    The first guard¡¯s eyes caught a blur towards another end of the Wordline.


    ¡°DOWN THERE!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°HE¡¯S¡ª¡±


    Armor clanked against the floor once more.


    But this time, it was his own.


    His body felt warm, then cold, as he noticed blood running out from under himself.


    Across from him, the guard he¡¯d been conversing with collapsed just as swiftly.


    Impossibly¡­fast¡­he thought laboriously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, old comrades,¡± came a low and gruffly voice. ¡°I cannot afford witnesses¡ªnot on a mission this significant.¡±


    A pair of thin, dark boots walked past the guard¡¯s vision noiselessly. With the only strength his body had left, the guard raised his head to witness the culprit.


    His vision had faded significantly, but even still he knew the tall man who stood before them, about to trespass onto the Worldline.


    ¡°Raznizu¡­you fool¡­what are you doing?¡± the guard choked. ¡°What are your allegiances?¡±


    Raznizu stared at him for a moment, and then at the other guard across from him. He sighed: a long, tired, sorry sigh.


    ¡°That is the question I have for you,¡± he replied. ¡°For all of you soldiers.¡±


    The guard coughed harshly. He felt icy.


    Raznizu shifted, and the guard noticed the abandoned coffee mug was now in his hand. Calmly, Raznizu took a sip.


    ¡°Our coffee isn¡¯t so bad,¡± he said. ¡°In fact, I quite like it the way it is.¡±


    Raznizu stepped back, into the Worldline light.


    The guard watched, unable to move, as the Worldline brightened and ascended Raznizu into the heavens.


    It was the last spectacle he ever saw.

 57. A New Monster

    Clouds cast a subtle shade on the long path towards Fiction Country. Lammy and Zayza continued their steady pace, sighing jealously every time a dragon soared by high above.


    ¡°So¡­you talked with Deon at the tournament?¡± Lammy asked his companion. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°It was only briefly, while he and his friend ordered food,¡± she recalled. ¡°The first time, actually, he complimented my scars¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­sorry about that¡­¡± Lammy stammered in discomfort.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t know any better,¡± Zayza reasoned. ¡°But I withdrew a bit when he did that, so I feel bad. He must have noticed, because he apologized to me the next time he ordered. He seems like a genuinely kind person¡ªa lot like you.¡±


    Lammy blushed. ¡°Well¡­he¡¯s an awesome friend,¡± he said. ¡°Also, uh¡­I¡¯m sorry if he hit on you. He does that with pretty much any girl he meets.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± wondered Zayza. ¡°I don¡¯t believe he did with me.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªhe was amicable, but not quite flirtatious.¡±


    Lammy felt like his mind ran straight into an unforeseen wall. Hitting on girls was an inextricable part of Deon. Lammy doubted he wouldn¡¯t flirt with or try and impress a woman as gorgeous as Zayza. In fact¡ªshe was almost exactly the kind of person Lammy thought Deon would go for.


    Then again, he is dating again, Lammy recalled. Man¡­this Skrili girl must really mean something to him¡­


    Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the clouds were gradually darkening. Lammy felt a few light raindrops on his head and hands. He tried imagining an umbrella over Zayza and himself, but it appeared opaque, and the sprinkles simply passed through.


    Zayza pretended not to notice his failed attempt. ¡°Perhaps we should stop to let the storm pass,¡± she suggested patiently.


    ~


    It didn¡¯t take long for the wet weather to roll in. Soon, the pathway and the grass around it were soaking in the shower. Lammy and Zayza sat mostly dry underneath a bulky tree, the rain hissing soothingly against the wide leaves above them.


    ¡°I¡¯d¡­¡± Zayza started carefully.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d¡­like to try and find that memory again, while we¡¯re waiting,¡± she finished, her tone serious.


    ¡°The one that flew away from you last night?¡± Lammy assumed.


    Zayza nodded. ¡°I think it may tell me how to exit the Dream World on command,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it¡­With many of the memories I¡¯ve found so far, after I try to remember something, they appear and end up providing the answer.¡±


    ¡°As if they¡¯re trying to help you,¡± Lammy theorized.


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    Lammy watched the rain serenely. ¡°I¡¯ll go in, too. Those violent memories will probably come for you again,¡± he warned.


    ¡°We can handle them,¡± Zayza said. ¡°I only want to hear their secrets when Kotono and Hiroko think it¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°You¡­you think those memories are about that?¡±


    ¡°I can sense it sometimes,¡± she shared. ¡°When they get close.¡±


    Lammy fell silent.


    ¡°They won¡¯t get to me,¡± Zayza assured. ¡°I just want to find that one normal memory, and then hopefully I¡¯ll wake up.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I¡¯ll sure as heck keep them from getting to you,¡± promised Lammy.


    Zayza smiled. ¡°I shall see you in there, then.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lammy closed his eyes, trying to relax. The continuous song of the rain made this particularly easy, on top of his fatigue from their hours of walking.


    After a few minutes, he could sense Zayza¡¯s presence floating in his mind. He knew it was time.


    Sighing, Lammy mentally reached for this essence of Zayza, and allowed himself to drift off.


    ~


    A black sky with deep red clouds filled Lammy¡¯s vision. He¡¯d made it into the Dream World successfully¡ªthough it looked even eerier than usual.


    Peering down in his bodiless, aerial form, he saw the flat grassland was gray this time, with the distant mountains matching the bloodshot clouds.


    In the center of this terrain stood Zayza in her Dream World dress, waiting and watching carefully.


    I¡¯m in, Lammy thought in her direction.


    Good, she replied. There¡¯s nothing yet¡­wait!


    Straight-ahead, just as before in their last encounter, a memory orb weakly fluttered into view. It seemed less shy this time as it slowly began floating in Zayza¡¯s direction.


    This is turning out much easier than I thought, Zayza realized.


    Vaguely, Lammy noticed a purple twinkle far in the distance, near the mountains.


    What¡¯s that¡­? he wondered.


    What¡¯s what? ¡°OH!¡± Zayza suddenly exclaimed.


    It happened so fast: Zayza ducked to the side as a streak of purple light zipped past her shoulder. She turned, expecting another attack, but she was far too slow: it returned just as fast, this time shooting right into her head.


    Zayza stumbled back for a second, blinking to recover her vision.


    Are you okay?! Lammy exclaimed.


    She placed a hand on her head slowly. Yes¡­but¡­I¡¯m remembering something.


    What¡­is it? Lammy asked, fear sinking in. Judging by its rapid, aggressive movements, that was one of the dark memories.


    It¡¯s¡­foggy¡­Zayza said. But I see¡­a blue dress¡­a girl¡­no¡ªa young woman¡­


    Is it you? wondered Lammy.


    No¡­but that¡¯s all I know¡­


    Their conversation came to an abrupt halt when glassy shrieks filled the dreamy air. Lammy and Zayza recognized them all too well now: more dark memory shards.


    Coming from the same direction as the first piece, a fleet of purple shards flew straight for Zayza¡ªthankfully, much slower this time, but still at quite a rapid pace.


    Zayza¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as she turned to face them fully. She lit her fists with green energy.


    No more of this¡­I have to trust Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s timing, she said flatly.


    The memories darted straight past the harmless memory orb, which by now had ceased its progression towards Zayza. A few of them slashed right through it, taking chunks of light with them. With a shiver, the orb slowly regenerated its lost parts.


    Zayza aimed her hands, ready to launch her counterattack.


    Wait¡ªabove!! Lammy warned despairingly. There¡¯s so many more¡ªthis was a diversion!!


    Allowing almost no time for Lammy to detect them, countless more shards had spawned in the sky and dive-bombed down at Zayza.


    I can¡¯t hit them all¡­Zayza responded, struggling to remain calm.


    Me either¡­um¡­alright: I got this! Lammy assured, conjuring a last-instant plan. He focused on the space all around Zayza, from all angles. In a hurry, he imagined an invisible shield around her¡ªthe same one he¡¯d conjured to protect them during Kotono¡¯s mishap at the championship fight.


    Lammy mentally sighed with relief. He was just in time: all of the shards crashed into his shield and spun out in all directions. He and Zayza watched closely as they floated in place.


    A single shard pounced forward one more time, but to the same result. Then, they all waited.


    Should I just keep this up until you wake up? Lammy asked.


    We¡¯ll have failed our reason for coming here. Being able to leave on command¡ªif that¡¯s what the normal memory orb knows¡ªwill give me more protection here, said Zayza soberly. She sighed. However¡­perhaps we¡¯ll just have to try another time.


    Lammy sent a mental nod. He wished Zayza could have achieved her goal, but it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. He was just glad his barrier ended the onslaught.


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


    But that relief didn¡¯t last very long.


    Again, they heard a long shriek in the distance.


    There are more?! Lammy thought.


    This time, there were much fewer memory shards making their way to the scene. But oddly, they didn¡¯t seem to be in a rush. Instead, they joined their kind quietly.


    I just got a sick feeling, Zayza admitted.


    All at once, the dark shards began moving closer to each other, just outside the invisible shield. They began spinning as one, compressing into a tall, oval shape about Zayza¡¯s height.


    No¡ªexactly Zayza¡¯s height.


    Within moments, the shards began taking on more specific forms and dimensions. Lammy¡¯s thoughts filled with dread as he began noticing the shape of a head, a torso, and legs.


    What¡­is this¡­? Zayza wondered, taking a step back.


    Soon, the transformation was complete. Before them stood a faceless figure, formed entirely out of the shards, in the exact shape of Zayza.


    While it didn¡¯t have eyes, Zayza could feel its furious stare.


    The Zayza-shaped being lifted its hand¡ªits mannerisms matching Zayza¡¯s¡ªand touched the invisible shield. It paused for several seconds.


    Then, it spoke.


    ¡°Outsider¡­you don¡¯t belong in this realm¡­¡±


    Its voice wasn¡¯t human; it matched the glassy, searing sound the shards made when they darted through the sky.


    Lammy had to fight the urge to flee when the being suddenly cocked its head to the sky. He realized it was talking to him.


    ¡°Stop interfering,¡± it continued. ¡°This is between us.¡±


    ¡°Who¡ªwhat are you?¡± Zayza asked, her voice shaking.


    The being returned its gaze to her.


    ¡°Are you¡­that name I keep hearing when your pieces attack me¡­?¡± Zayza asked tremblingly. ¡°Are you¡­Vayva?¡±


    The shards screamed. Ragingly, they banged their fists against the barrier. Lammy struggled to make sure it didn¡¯t vanish.


    ¡°OUTSIDER! DO NOT INTERFERE!!!¡± it cried.


    All of the being¡¯s shards began glowing brightly. It lunged forward, its light crackling against the shield.


    Lammy tried reinforcing it, but amazingly, the being was still breaking through.


    Crap¡­Lammy thought. Zayza!


    He didn¡¯t need to explain further: Zayza lit her green energy even more intensely into her arms. Only a blink after, a POP resounded, and the dark being barged through.


    ¡°Go away!¡± Zayza shouted, blasting a massive beam into it point-blank.


    The shards exploded backwards, still remaining in Zayza¡¯s form as they flipped through the air. They strained to slow their momentum, finally bringing themselves to a stop just above the gray grass.


    Paces behind them, Zayza noticed the timid, round memory still waited quietly. It quivered, floating close to the ground as if to hide.


    That memory¡ªit¡¯s my only chance to get away, Zayza told Lammy. I can¡¯t let this monster touch me¡­not yet.


    But¡­what if it¡¯s not the right one you need? worried Lammy.


    Then¡­I suppose we¡¯ll learn the truth¡­she replied faintly.


    Touching onto the ground, the being took a step forward.


    I¡¯ll cover you! Lammy declared. GO!


    Zayza instantly summoned and fired a green beam at her adversary, and in the same movement, launched into the air. This time, the being separated into pieces to allow the blast to pass, and then reformed.


    Then it jumped up after Zayza. She tried flying past it, but it simply matched her speed.


    ¡°REMEMBER!¡± the dark being shrieked.


    It swiped a memory-filled hand at her, but Zayza fired a blast upwards, launching herself at the ground and dodging the attempt. She crashed against the grass, but stood up immediately. Looking forward, she spotted the harmless memory again.


    Now! Zayza decided. She leaped forward, now flying right for it.


    But from Lammy¡¯s view, he knew she¡¯d never make it in time: the being was closing in too fast. Lammy imagined a giant, Snowdust-inspired snowball and sent it slamming into the monster. It shrieked as it tumbled onto the ground.


    Great! Zayza sent, checking behind her as she raced towards the memory.


    But the being screamed even louder when it stood back up, its harsh light brightening further.


    I uh¡­think I just made it mad! Lammy cautioned.


    The being lunged into the air after Zayza, moving twice her speed.


    I think I¡¯ll make it¡­Zayza said.


    Now the orb was just ahead. But as she neared, it suddenly flinched. Then, it began backing away, gradually speeding up.


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t run!¡± Zayza exclaimed.


    At this rate, Lammy knew he¡¯d only have one more chance to divert the attacker. But so far, it merely brushed off both of his imagining techniques¡ªit was stronger now that it took on Zayza¡¯s form.


    Wait¡­instead of targeting the monster¡­Lammy thought. Pardon me, Zayza!


    This time, he imagined a hand: an enormous one. But rather than using it to attack the being, he placed it in Zayza¡¯s path. Right as she reached it, Lammy commanded the hand to catch her, and then with a great toss, he made it throw Zayza even faster towards her fleeing target.


    Zayza squealed as she went barreling towards the memory orb, closing in fast while pulling away from the monster. She plummeted head-first into the orb and then slid against the grass, clawing at it to catch herself.


    A purple glow resonated around her for a moment. In a hurry, she stood.


    I was right!! she proclaimed.


    Great¡ªnow WATCH OUT!! Lammy screamed.


    The being was practically upon her. But Zayza straightened her posture, managed a deep sigh, and brought her hands together in front of her chest. Then, she closed her eyes and raised her head.


    Why does it have to have so many steps?! Lammy lamented.


    The being was now directly before her. It desperately reached out a hand.


    ¡°Now, we can finally be¡ª¡± it started.


    But Zayza vanished from the Dream World.


    Lammy felt the weight of the Multiverse lift off of him. She made it, he sighed.


    Lammy¡­he heard in his mind. Lammy¡­come out¡­


    ~


    ¡°LAMMY!!! LAMMY WAKE UP! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT!!!¡± Zayza screamed, shaking him frantically.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes shot open and he shouted even louder, taken by surprise. He was back under the tree along the path, and Zayza was leaning over him.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, I¡¯m back!¡± he assured.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness¡­¡± Zayza sighed.


    ¡°Um¡­you know I¡¯ve always been able to leave on my own, right?¡± Lammy pointed out. ¡°It was just you in danger.¡±


    Zayza paused, and then let out an embarrassed laugh. ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s right¡­I was just a little worked up¡­¡±


    ¡°But still¡­¡± Lammy started. ¡°That was¡­pretty freaky¡­¡±


    Zayza nodded.


    ¡°You think it was really that name you¡¯ve mentioned? Vayva?¡±


    Zayza shifted, leaning against the tree trunk again. ¡°It grew incredibly agitated when I said that name,¡± she recalled. ¡°It¡¯s¡­hard to say why.¡±


    She lifted her sleeve and observed some of her tattoo-like scars, growing quiet.


    Lammy looked around. The rain had let up, and the sun was peaking through the sky again onto the path.


    ¡°Hey¡­maybe we¡¯d better get going again,¡± he suggested softly.


    He and Zayza stood, stretched, and made their way back onto the path to continue their long walk towards Fiction Country.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­let¡¯s not take extra trips into the Dream World anymore¡­¡± Zayza uttered.


    Lammy could hear the haunted fear in her tone. He expressed his agreement, trying not to bring attention to it.


    Despite the inevitability, he wasn¡¯t looking forward to their next Dream World visit, either.


    ~~~


    Gibblezgorv let out a deep, rumbling sigh.


    Sitting in his favorite spot, he stared beyond the fence at the gorgeous hills and plains over the horizon. The other dragons across the yard chatted, stretched, and prepared for another busy season of trips.


    It almost felt like a dream¡ªhis lovely adventures carrying the ambitious Skrili and Deon to Crooked Plateau, then to Gloat Center, and finally to the Fiction Country border. He¡¯d had more excitement in the past few days than the previous hundred years.


    But now the fun was over. It was back to the usual day-to-day: sitting around for hours, not getting any jobs besides the occasional five-minute trip to the lower floors of Conscious City.


    Gibblezgorv sighed again.


    I hope young Skrili and Deon are having a grand time, but¡­when will they come back to Fantasy Country? he thought. No one else wants to fly an old fart like me around these days¡­


    ¡°Hey Gibble!¡± a young woman called to him.


    Yawning, Gibblezgorv turned to find the small Dragon Rental employee, Quioy, standing before him with a big smile.


    But his eyes widened with alarm when he observed the man standing beside her.


    He was tall for a human, and just as slender as he was muscular, dressed in tight, dark clothing with thin rips all over. His black boots seemed light and quiet, ideal for hasty but silent movement. The man had silvery, spiky hair, and a black mask that covered all but his dark, thin eyes. Various sheathed, small weapons hung from his belt.


    But peculiarly, so did a pearly white coffee mug.


    The man looked up at him expressionlessly, offering no greeting.


    ¡°Gibble, this traveler was looking for a dragon with no war or battle history on record,¡± Quioy told him cheerily. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be the perfect fit! You¡¯ve never involved yourself in conflict-related jobs. Plus, I know you¡¯re looking for longer trips again, and he¡¯s going on a multiple-stop trip!¡±


    Gibblezgorv kept his eyes on the man. ¡°What, may I ask, is your name?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t tell you,¡± the man said plainly.


    After a pause, Gibblezgorv returned his attention to Quioy, ¡°Young one, I¡¯ve lived many, many years¡­even for a dragon,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been to many places, and¡­I¡¯ve met many humans. When you¡¯re like me, after a while, you start to know a lot about a human just by looking at them.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­okay,¡± Quioy said uncertainly.


    The man remained silent.


    ¡°Looking at this man, I know what kind of person he is,¡± continued Gibblezgorv. ¡°I know what kinds of things he does¡ªor perhaps, must do. And I do not wish to involve myself in his activities. I decline.¡±


    Quioy was beside herself.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± she finally uttered. ¡°You never decline¡­I¡¯m sorry, I thought¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, little one,¡± Gibblezgorv assured.


    A deep, booming laugh shook the ground. They all turned to find another dragon standing nearby. Gibblezgorv¡¯s heart sunk. He was young¡ªstill smaller than Gibblezgorv, though likely to grow considerably larger in a couple hundred years. His black scales glistened in the sun as he flapped his sharp, lively wings.


    ¡°So be it, you old lizard,¡± the dragon jeered, its pink eyes glaring. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly take the job. I have no history of war, and I¡¯m not so picky.¡±


    ¡°Think before you immerse yourself in this kind of work, young one,¡± Gibblezgorv advised. ¡°This human is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Humans aren¡¯t dangerous to us,¡± the youthful dragon scoffed.


    ¡°But they are to other humans.¡±


    The man stepped between them calmly. ¡°It seems I have a willing dragon,¡± he said.


    Quioy looked between all of them nervously, before perking back up. ¡°Oh¡ªsure! Of course! Let me go redo the data¡­His fee is smaller¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s best we make haste,¡± said the man.


    ¡°Oh¡­okay¡­¡±


    Gibblezgorv gave one more glare to the man, before returning to his peaceful view.


    ¡°Where to, human?¡± he overheard the young dragon ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m searching for a particular individual,¡± the man uttered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to retrace her steps. First, we¡¯ll head to Gloat Center.¡±

 58. Nightwood Village

    A buzz from Deon¡¯s TeamTrack nudged him awake. He sat up slowly, high within one of the strange, curvy trees on the outskirts of Skip¡¯s yard.


    ¡®Nightwood Valley¡¯ was an accurate name for this place. Skip was right: these large branches were incredibly comfortable, even rivaling the mattress from Deon and Skrili¡¯s hotel room at Gloat Center. When Deon began climbing into this tree last night, it felt firm as any tree. But once he made himself comfortable on his branch of choice, the wood miraculously softened into a pillow-like substance.


    It somehow grew even cozier as soon as Skrili had claimed and crawled into a branch a few above his.


    While the magic in Fantasy Country was primarily harnessed and controlled, these Fiction Country phenomenon seemed to act on their own¡ªas if they, themselves, were a living entity.


    Deon snagged his bag, which hung on a branch beside him, and obtained his TeamTrack.


    The message he¡¯d received was from Skip:


    ¡°Howdy, it¡¯s your Trainer! Got your contact from Skrili. You can come by the cabin now.¡±


    Deon stretched, still unsure why Skip specifically instructed Skrili to arrive separately for their first day of Training. Maybe he wanted to focus one-on-one with her to strengthen her specific fighting style? Deon hoped he¡¯d get the same treatment.


    Despite his questions, eagerness fueled him. He rushed to get dressed and ready, and then hopped down to the ground of the wooded valley.


    With each step he took through the trees and towards the cabin, his heart raced faster in anticipation. What legendary secrets of consciousness fighting was he about to learn today? Would Skip help him finally master his Twitchy technique? Would he start by guiding them to come up with masterful team attacks?


    Before he knew it, he was past the small yard and at Skip¡¯s door. He knocked, and after a quick ¡°Come in!¡± from inside, he entered the cabin.


    The living room he stepped into was simple and quaint enough, with cozy furniture and warm lamps along the walls. A candle on the coffee table gave off a calming cinnamon scent.


    Skip stood in the middle, in a similar suit jacket outfit to yesterday¡¯s.


    But oddly, Skrili was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°You wasted no time,¡± noted Skip. ¡°Welcome to Day One!¡±


    Deon glanced around again, but now he was certain: his teammate was missing.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah, I¡¯m excited to start,¡± he said distractedly. ¡°Where¡¯s Skrili, though?¡±


    Skip¡¯s eyes glistened menacingly.


    Wait¡­did he do something to her?! Deon thought.


    ¡°Whoa, relax,¡± Skip laughed, reading Deon¡¯s worry. ¡°She headed down to the nearby village. She¡¯s waiting for you there.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Deon sighed. ¡°So is that where we¡¯re practicing today?¡±


    Skip analyzed him for a moment, before beginning to pace slowly. ¡°You know, we could just get into the training and stuff¡­do a bunch of sparring, drills¡­start making team attacks and such¡­but¡­¡±


    ¡®But¡­?¡¯ Deon repeated in his head.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Skip said casually. ¡°I figured today I¡¯d give you guys a breather.¡±


    Deon felt his excitement dwindling. ¡°But¡­we haven¡¯t done anything yet,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°Sure, but¡­here¡¯s where we¡¯re at: I told Skrili to go wait for you in the village,¡± said Skip. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two go on a date today?¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡±


    ¡°A date,¡± Skip repeated, his unruffled expression unwavering. ¡°Like, go out with each other. Have a time on the town.¡±


    Deon waved his hand with a laugh. ¡°Oh¡­no, I think you got the wrong idea from the press and everything,¡± he said. ¡°Skrili and I aren¡¯t dating. We¡¯re just a team.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know,¡± Skip said simply. ¡°So, are you gonna keep her waiting? Don¡¯t tell me I have to make her walk all the way back here. She probably just arrived.¡±


    Wait¡ªwhat the heck does Skrili think of this?! Deon thought. Is she really waiting for me to go on a date with her?? I can¡¯t picture that¡­


    ¡°How about I put it this way,¡± started Skip, stopping his pace abruptly. ¡°I refuse to start all the fighting and drills until you go do this first.¡±


    His confident stare burned through Deon.


    This guy¡¯s ridiculous¡­Deon grumbled mentally. Wait¡­unless¡­


    He smirked.


    ¡°Okay¡­I think I¡¯m following¡­¡± Deon said inquisitively, waving a finger at Skip. ¡°This is some sort of setup for your real training plan today, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Skip matched his knowing smile. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to head to the village to find out,¡± he said. ¡°Follow the sound of the waterfall.¡±


    Deon nodded slyly, backing towards the door. ¡°Alright, Teacher¡­I¡¯m catching on, and I¡¯ll be ready.¡±


    Skip winked as Deon stepped back outside and closed the door.


    ¡°Alright: Training Day One!¡± Deon exclaimed to himself. He listened for the distant waterfall, whose roar came from somewhere beyond Skip¡¯s house. With a spring in his step, Deon hurried onward.


    He found a thin path in the woods beside Skip¡¯s house, and realized his quest would probably be quite easy. With each minute, the waterfall sounded nearer.


    Occasionally, he noticed a black or white squirrel hurry past the trail. They were much smaller and cuter than the spastic Tailpiece ones. Above him among the branches, he also spotted birds¡ªand these were either black or white, as well, just like the boulders resting all around the landscape.


    I wonder what kind of test we¡¯re up against once I get there, Deon pondered. Maybe we have to fight someone¡­or each other? But why would we do that in a village?


    After about an hour of travel, the hills and slopes surrounding the flat trail had grown much steeper around him. Beyond a few of these, he found a slightly distant, towering cliff. It consisted mostly of pure white and black stones and boulders, with long, reaching branches weaving in and out on the way up.


    By now, there was no mistaking: the roaring water was descending from there. Straight ahead, the trees opened up to a wide clearing, and Deon spotted wooden buildings within it. He¡¯d reached his destination.


    Deon broke into a jog, his mind once again racing with predictions of Skip¡¯s sneaky plan. He stepped into the sun, and beheld a quiet little village before him.


    The buildings, spread out spaciously along the trimmed grass, were cabin-like and made from the same wooden materials as Skip¡¯s. Even here, long and smooth boulders occupied the valley, children running along and hopping off of some of them behind a house. They all dressed in silky, colorful robes.


    Smoke puffed out of a few chimneys across the village, and people in similar robes walked about tranquilly in the centermost area, which contained a series of little shops. Some were entirely outdoors, and others in cabins.


    A few of these people carried travel bags, and judging by their curious nature, seemed to be from beyond the village like Deon.


    Much like the waterfall beside him, mountainous white and black rocky hills surrounded the village, creating a flat valley. Deon observed the powerful waterfall. It plummeted a steady flow into a round pond, which stretched out to form a river that ran calmly but steadily all the way around the village.


    He couldn¡¯t help but pause and take in the paradise.


    ¡°Welcome, visitor,¡± came a soft voice. Deon had been too distracted to notice the middle-aged woman in a purple robe approaching him. She joined him at the entrance of the village, pushing a wooden coat rack of sorts that carried countless robes in unique designs.


    ¡°Hi! This place is gorgeous!¡± Deon greeted.


    The woman smiled serenely while combing through her robe collection. After little effort, she picked one out and brought it to him. ¡°Please, accept and wear this robe as you enjoy our land. This is our traditional way of honoring and celebrating our valley.¡±


    Deon took the clothing. His robe was mostly black, with small orange dots spread across evenly. It felt incredibly smooth, its sheen glowing in the sunlight.


    ¡°Well, thank you!¡± Deon said as he carefully put it on over his tunic. It was large enough to wear over his clothes, and somehow, made a perfect fit.


    The woman seemed just as pleased with her selection. She bowed and began making her way back towards a cabin off to the side.


    ¡°Alright then¡­now, to find Skrili,¡± Deon told himself.


    Making his way into the busier part of the village, Deon was surprised at how much more relaxed this place was than the rather hectic environments he¡¯d visited so far, between the Conscious Cities and Gloat Stadium. Nobody was in a rush. In fact, many greeted him in passing, locals and visitors alike.


    After quite a few minutes, Deon still couldn¡¯t spot Skrili. A sweet scent caught his attention as he passed by a small building, and he found himself outside a little caf¨¦. His stomach rumbled¡ªhe¡¯d forgotten to eat before starting the day.


    I¡¯ll just send her a TeamTrack message and grab something quick, he decided.


    He typed his inquiry of her whereabouts, hit send, and stepped inside. Just like back in the Phoenix, the decorative wooden menu didn¡¯t make much sense to him. He ultimately pointed at a pastry and did his best to pronounce a drink he¡¯d heard the customer before him request, and hoped for the best.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°That¡¯ll just be six parchment points,¡± the employee said.


    Deon glanced down at his TeamTrack. ¡°Uh¡­can I pay with this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ªwe only accept cash.¡±


    Deon blushed. Skrili had all of their physical money.


    ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s okay. Never mind¡ª¡±


    Deon stopped short when a hand reached past him from behind and placed the parchment points before the cashier. He turned around to find Skrili there, her purple eyes expressionless as usual.


    Instead of greeting and thanking her, Deon found himself rather frozen. For one, that same weird sensation coursed through his brain as every other time he¡¯d laid eyes on her since entering Fiction Country. It was intense yet calming, and all the while captivating. He couldn¡¯t quite fathom the elusive feeling.


    But even after shaking himself out of it, he was again beside himself. Like him and everyone else in the village, Skrili wore a silky robe. Hers featured magnificent shades of dark blue, black, and purple, in all sorts of round and abstract shapes. It fit flawlessly, falling along her slender yet athletic build. It was hard to look away.


    Skrili¡¯s eyes abruptly averted from side to side.


    ¡°You owe me six parchment points,¡± she uttered plainly.


    ¡°Wait¡ªteams don¡¯t share money?!¡± Deon commented.


    ¡°I guess, but I earned all of it so far.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t refute that. ¡°Fair enough¡ªbut where were you? Didn¡¯t Skip tell you I was coming to meet you?¡±


    ¡°You took too long. I got bored,¡± said Skrili. ¡°Anyway, did he say what we¡¯re supposed to do here?¡±


    ¡°He¡ªhe didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Deon realized, his face reddening a bit again.


    Skrili shook her head.


    By then, Deon¡¯s order was complete. After he retrieved it they stepped outside to escape the increasing crowdedness in the caf¨¦. Deon split the sugary pastry and offered half to Skrili, which she silently accepted.


    After Skrili inquired again, a nervous laugh escaped Deon.


    ¡°Well uh¡­¡± Deon started slowly, scratching his head. ¡°Skip¡¯s words, not mine: he said he wants us to go on a date today.¡±


    He immediately took a huge sip from his beverage with forced coolness, hiding his uncomfortable expression behind the cup.


    Skrili¡¯s eyes widened instantly, but she hurriedly brought herself back under control. ¡°What?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said!¡±


    Skrili turned to the side, bringing her hand to her chin in deep, analytical thought. ¡°No¡­no, there has to be some sort of ulterior motive. This is probably a front for his real training, to catch us off-guard¡­¡± she theorized.


    ¡°Also what I said!¡±


    ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure why he thought a date with you would be enough to fool or distract me¡­¡± Skrili continued.


    ¡°A little harsh, but fair enough I guess!¡±


    Skrili took an unnecessarily intense bite from her pastry half. ¡°Okay, so I think our first move is to keep our eyes peeled for whatever Skip has planned,¡± she said.


    Deon nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­there¡¯s gotta be some sort of clue around here.¡±


    They set off from the caf¨¦, perusing every corner of the village shopping area for any hint of their true training for the day. Deon hurried to finish his pastry and drink, realizing some sort of ambush or surprise could spring on them at any second.


    Eventually, the ever-content villagers started glancing at their strange behavior in confusion as they scurried along from building to building. But even after checking everywhere they could, nothing came of it.


    Giving up, they sat on a black boulder on the outskirts. A few black and white dragonflies zipped past them as they sat in silence.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Deon sighed. ¡°What¡¯s this guy up to?¡±


    ¡°This could be a test of patience,¡± suggested Skrili. ¡°Maybe we should just wait.¡±


    Deon sighed. He looked around one more time at the calm yet vibrant village. ¡°Want to do something while we wait?¡±


    Skrili shrugged. ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a whole town in front of us.¡±


    Something over at the river surrounding the valley caught his eye: a little wooden raft, guided by a local in a long straw hat, gently carrying a couple of visitors down the stream.


    Deon tilted his head in its direction. ¡°How about that? That seems fun,¡± he said.


    Skrili shifted. ¡°We¡¯re¡­not here to play around¡­¡± she reasoned.


    ¡°According to Skip, we are,¡± Deon said with a laugh. ¡°What do you do for fun? Prefer something more exciting?¡±


    Skrili shook her head. ¡°I like to relax.¡±


    ¡°Well I don¡¯t know; that raft ride seems pretty relaxing,¡± insisted Deon. He stood and hopped off the boulder. ¡°Come on, take it easy for a change.¡±


    After a pause, Skrili stood and followed him. There was a simple sign at a humble dock made of logs at the other corner of the village. The last participants had just landed, returning to the smooth grass with big smiles. The tall guide waited beside the sign, holding his long row.


    Skrili read the pricing and pulled out a couple bills from her bag. She handed them to the man as they approached.


    ¡°Shall we begin our little journey?¡± he greeted. ¡°Please, step right along and take a seat.¡±


    As Deon walked onto the dock, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia enveloped him. It was more than just a feeling or memory¡ªit was alive. The simple wooden raft, the lightly flowing water, the smell of the grass¡­it all felt like home.


    Balancing carefully, he and Skrili sat in the center of the raft. As they did it suddenly grew soft and comfortable, exactly like the trees outside Skip¡¯s yard. The guide quietly joined them and stood at the front, submerging the end of his row.


    ¡°Please enjoy with all of your senses,¡± he said. Then he released the rope holding the raft to the dock, and they steadily drifted forward.


    Deon smiled, feeling even more at peace as this mysterious, potent feeling grew even stronger.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Skrili wondered.


    ¡°Oh¡ªI¡¯m just thinking of home,¡± Deon said. ¡°My mom used to imagine canoes and rafts like this for my cousin and I when we were little. We¡¯d float around in the pond and splash each other.¡±


    ¡°Is your home¡­like this place?¡± Skrili asked, glancing at a few laughing children as the raft passed them by.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a lot like this place, now that I think of it,¡± Deon said. ¡°The similarity¡¯s kind of crazy. It¡¯s quiet, small, the weather¡¯s always nice¡­it¡¯s perfect. Honestly, it¡¯s a bit too perfect. That¡¯s why I snuck out: nothing happened there.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°You left even though it¡¯s perfect? Even though you still have family there?¡±


    Deon shrugged guiltily. ¡°Yeah¡­they must be worried sick¡­¡± he realized. ¡°I¡¯ll go back someday, though! I owe it to them.¡±


    Skrili looked away, her expression unreadable. ¡°This place makes me feel jealous,¡± she uttered. Then, she fell silent.


    Deon paused awkwardly. ¡°What¡­was your home like?¡± he finally asked.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want to bother you with it,¡± she said. ¡°Trust me, you wouldn¡¯t want to know.¡±


    Deon let out a soft laugh. ¡°You¡¯re not very used to dates, huh?¡± he pointed out.


    Skrili returned eye contact sharply. ¡°What? But this isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, that¡¯s just how it works: we ask each other questions and talk about ourselves,¡± Deon explained. ¡°We get an idea of each other and stuff.¡±


    Skrili glared at him. ¡°I¡¯ve been on dates¡­¡± she grumbled defensively. ¡°For your information, I¡¯ve had two boyfriends.¡±


    Deon tried not to look shocked, but he must have failed because Skrili appeared even more irate. He hadn¡¯t seen that coming at all: she seemed far too detached and withdrawn for him to think she¡¯d have a dating history.


    ¡°Um¡ªoh, sorry,¡± Deon stammered, waving his hands nervously. ¡°Well¡­what happened?¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work out.¡±


    Again, the two fell silent. Clearly, prying about it further would yield no results at this point.


    But Skrili spoke again. ¡°I met the first boy by accident, when we were both fifteen. He was Arnlekan¡ªthe more common ethnicity in my homeland,¡± she started. ¡°He saw me in the market area and started a conversation. After that, he kept finding excuses to cross paths and talk, and it grew from there. We were playing with fire.¡±


    ¡°Why? Seems harmless enough,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°My ethnicity¡ªthe Shfi¡ªare the minority in the region,¡± explained Skrili. ¡°Arnlekans have hated us for over a century, ever since my people lost a war against them for our land. They don¡¯t see us as equals. So an Arnlekan boy dating a Shfi girl was extremely frowned upon. And Shfi are really easy to identify, since we¡¯re known for our purple eyes and blue hair, so we had to date secretly.¡±


    ¡°And¡­I¡¯m guessing you were caught?¡± figured Deon.


    Skrili nodded. ¡°The next day, he came to me with a finger cut off of both hands. He told me it was my fault for seducing him and that he could never really love me. Then I never saw him again,¡± she finished.


    Deon swallowed hard. ¡°Whoa¡­I¡¯m¡­so sorry,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s life,¡± said Skrili.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel curious about her next relationship, especially after hearing something horrid as that, but he kept silent. Now it seemed foolish to even have complained about Tailpiece¡ªcompared to what little he knew about Skrili, he¡¯d had it made.


    They both looked up as they passed underneath a stone slope. A thin waterfall trickled down it from above, creating a small tunnel for a moment.


    When they returned to the sunlight, Skrili¡¯s eyes moved back over to the village.


    ¡°My second boyfriend was Shfi like me, though,¡± she said at last. ¡°We dated when I was sixteen, and it lasted almost a year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, was it pretty serious, then?¡± Deon asked.


    ¡°We were planning on getting married, once he was the proper age in our culture,¡± she said. ¡°My only condition was that he quit the Shfi gangs by that same time. He turned eighteen and quit like he promised, but it didn¡¯t last long. He chose to go on one more mission, and he was one of the few who didn¡¯t come back.¡±


    Deon took a long sigh. ¡°Wow,¡± he uttered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve¡­you¡¯ve just been through so much already,¡± Deon tried to explain. ¡°You¡¯ve had all these serious life experiences, and you¡¯re only seventeen.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­from the way you talk, you¡¯ve had plenty of relationship experiences,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± he stopped himself, picking up on Skrili¡¯s cue to move the focus off herself. He could see the deflection in her eyes.


    Taking the hint, Deon shifted his thoughts. He leaned back with a smug smile. ¡°Yeah it¡¯s true¡­I¡¯ve had quite a few relationships in my day¡­¡± he said overconfidently.


    ¡°Oh. And they all failed,¡± Skrili emphasized immediately.


    ¡°Hey!!¡±


    ¡°Want to give an explanation as to why your many relationships didn¡¯t work out, since I had to?¡± offered Skrili.


    Deon chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a punk,¡± he said. ¡°Well¡ªmost of them didn¡¯t really go anywhere. The only really serious one was my last relationship, with a girl named Savannah. She¡­well, she meant a lot to me.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s teasing demeanor softened. ¡°Did you break up with her when you decided to run away?¡± she guessed.


    ¡°Nah¡ªshe broke up with me,¡± answered Deon. ¡°I still don¡¯t really get why.¡± He sighed. It hadn¡¯t been that long, but with all the vast changes in his life, he hadn¡¯t needed to confront these emotions again until now.


    That dull ache he¡¯d felt back in Tailpiece returned. He remembered his mother pestering him about his engagement plans, though he knew he¡¯d been way off that mindset.


    At least, until it was too late.


    Deon noticed Skrili had increased her attention on him, seeming oddly determined.


    ¡°Well¡­maybe when you go back home, she¡¯ll change her mind and want you back,¡± she suggested earnestly. ¡°You should tell her you still feel that way.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but smile. He¡¯d never heard Skrili speak in such an open, encouraging tone to him.


    It was sweet.


    ¡°Eh, who knows?¡± he said simply. ¡°I haven¡¯t even thought about going back there yet.¡±


    The guide hummed softly, expertly swerving the raft around a white rock that stuck out from the river floor.


    ¡°Can I guess?¡± Skrili requested.


    ¡°Huh? Guess what?¡±


    ¡°Why she broke up with you.¡±


    Deon frowned in confusion. ¡°Uh¡­you think you know¡­?¡± he asked despondently.


    Skrili shrugged. ¡°Well, after all this time together, your snoring problem does get pretty annoying,¡± she said, dead-panned.


    Deon glared at her until her eyes glistened, and a chuckle escaped.


    ¡°You know what?! YOU¡¯RE BRUTAL TODAY!!¡± he shouted.


    Skrili broke into full laughter, for the first time since they last took off on Gibblezgorv. It was still infectious, and Deon joined in¡ªdespite being the brunt of the joke.


    With a menacing smirk, he leaned over and splashed some river water at Skrili in retaliation. But being agile as always, she masterfully dodged the attack.


    ¡°Nope¡ªI¡¯m not letting this robe get wet,¡± she said, still calming down. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to wash it properly yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair. You do look great in it,¡± Deon said.


    He hadn¡¯t noticed the slight pink hues on her robe¡¯s design until they emphasized the shade that appeared on her cheeks.


    ¡°Um¡­yours¡­works for you,¡± she mumbled, hiding behind her bangs.


    Deon laughed.


    Only a minute or two remained of their raft ride. Soon, the guide slowed and docked the raft. Deon and Skrili offered their thanks as they returned to the soil.


    They both paused their progression back to the main part of the village when their TeamTracks simultaneously vibrated. It was Skip:


    ¡°Alright, that should be enough time for today¡¯s exercise. Why don¡¯t you two head on back? We¡¯ll debrief over a meal¡ªmy treat.¡±


    ¡°Same message?¡± Deon checked.


    Skrili nodded.


    ¡°I wonder how mad he¡¯ll be when we say we couldn¡¯t figure out what the training was,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°It is what it is,¡± Skrili replied with a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    After sending replies of affirmation to Skip, they made their way back towards the same wooded path they¡¯d separately come from.


    ¡°Oh¡­thank you again,¡± Skrili suddenly said.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°The photo,¡± she clarified. ¡°Sometimes¡­or a lot of times¡­I forget why I¡¯m out here doing this.¡±


    Deon looked at her, noticing a glow in her face he¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°But being able to see Akri again¡­I remember,¡± she finished. ¡°I¡­remember to keep living.¡±


    After a moment, Deon nudged Skrili¡¯s shoulder with his arm.


    ¡°Hey. Let¡¯s become the best consciousness team ever,¡± he said.


    Skrili puffed a single laugh.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±

 59. Fog

    Deon and Skrili stepped up to Skip¡¯s door in their Nightwood Village robes, the surrounding trees protecting them from the afternoon sun. They both sighed.


    ¡°Well, time to let down our Trainer on the first day,¡± Deon uttered.


    Skrili opened the door.


    ¡°Oh, good! You¡¯re back! Come on in¡ªI¡¯m in the dining room!¡± Skip called from the next door past the living room. ¡°Hope you¡¯re hungry!¡±


    The cinnamon scent from the candles returned to Deon¡¯s nostrils as he and Skrili entered the cozy cabin house. When they neared the next room, the smell blended with a variety of other savory, roasted aromas.


    Skip sat atop a thin cushion on the floor at a low, glossy wooden table. Smiling and humming, he wore a goofy chef¡¯s hat and spotted red apron over his usual suit jacket¡ªa sight that prompted Deon to double take. Bowls of rice, veggie mixes, sauces, and chicken filled the center of the table, steam rising from them. Three empty plates were ready, with pairs of some sort of stick utensils beside them.


    ¡°Hey, they picked out great robes for you two! You look fabulous,¡± Skip noticed. ¡°Well, sit down already! The best thing about having company is the excuse to cook all this food!¡±


    Deon was grateful Skip had messaged them before they bought a meal in the village. Eating out at Gloat Center was incredible, but he couldn¡¯t wait to dig into home-cooked food again.


    But¡­do I really deserve this treatment when we totally missed the first training activity? he wondered.


    Two matching cushions were close beside each other on the opposite end of the table to Skip, so Deon and Skrili took their place there. Skip insisted they fill their plates first, before he loaded a pile onto his own with stars in his eyes.


    But once they were all ready, Skip abruptly leaned forward and peered at his pupils closely.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start,¡± he announced, the subject of his excitement instantly shifting to them. ¡°I¡¯m curious to hear: how did it go?¡±


    Deon and Skrili glanced at each other for a split second nervously.


    ¡°Oh¡­it was uh¡­fine,¡± Deon said. ¡°Actually yeah, it was¡­great. Went well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, awesome! So you two got the point of the lesson and everything, then!¡± Skip noted. ¡°Wonderful! Good work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± said Deon with a forced smile. ¡°The point of the lesson. What a great lesson we learned, thanks for that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just stop,¡± Skrili intervened, unable to touch her food.


    ¡°Hm?¡± uttered Skip.


    Skrili looked at him seriously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Teacher. We weren¡¯t even able to find your training for us in the village,¡± she admitted. ¡°By the time you messaged us to return, we hadn¡¯t done anything.¡±


    Skip sighed dramatically. He picked up his sticks and twirled them, looking off to the distance. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Skrili repeated.


    ¡°Nothing at all?¡± continued Skip. ¡°What, you just stood there staring off into space for a couple hours and then walked back?¡±


    Deon chimed in. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find what you wanted us to¡­so we just ended up taking a raft ride and talking.¡±


    Skip¡¯s eyebrows lifted. ¡°About what?¡±


    Deon shrugged. ¡°Uh¡­life, I guess,¡± he said.


    ¡°Do you feel like you know a little more about each other now?¡± asked Skip. ¡°Do you have a better¡ªeven slightly better¡ªunderstanding of your teammate?¡±


    Again, Deon and Skrili exchanged glances. As that strange Fiction Country phenomenon returned to Deon¡¯s mind again, he thought of everything Skrili had shared with him.


    ¡°Yeah¡­I learned a few things, actually,¡± Deon said, and Skrili nodded.


    Skip leaned back with a smile. ¡°Alright, sounds like the training went great, then!¡± he decided. ¡°You didn¡¯t miss the point at all.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­there was no hidden trial?¡± asked Skrili.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t supposed to fight someone?¡± Deon questioned.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°You¡­just wanted us to¡­talk?¡±


    Skip laughed again, shaking his head. ¡°I was being totally literal: your training today was just to go on a date,¡± he explained. ¡°I could tell right away: you two have never spent time together just for the sake of it. As a team, your relationship needs to be strong. You need to be a part of each other. So I wanted to see what would happen in a situation where all you had to do was be together: without any fighting, without working towards any sort of achievement. The teams that can do that¡ªthat want to do that¡ªare the teams that last.¡±


    Deon and Skrili stared at him silently, realizing they¡¯d scurried across the entire village in search of nothing. They¡¯d settled on the raft ride together after giving up¡­but all along, that was exactly the kind of activity Skip wanted them to do.


    ¡°You guys came to me in a pretty pathetic state,¡± Skip admitted. ¡°But after hearing that you got it right and just hung out, I have a lot of hope. Even just looking at you two sitting together right now, I can see a slight difference. There¡¯s the potential for a connection there. Our main priority this month will be to cultivate and tap into that.¡±


    The way Skip spoke reminded Deon of the connection he watched rekindle between Skrili and Pang during the Conscious Competition. By the end of their fight against Alex and Ving, they¡¯d become a single unit. It became noticeable not only in their fighting, but in how they interacted in general. They¡¯d recreated a bond.


    That¡¯s what Skrili and I need to have, Deon realized. Will she be up for it?


    ¡°Since you got through the morning¡¯s training just fine, I have plenty more in store for you today,¡± Skip said. ¡°Almost as important as your invisible bond, is your physical ability.¡±


    Deon liked the sound of that. It meant fighting practice was on the way.


    ¡°But first: EAT UP!¡± Skip exclaimed. Not waiting for them, he brought his plate to his face and dug into his meal. ¡°Delicious!¡± he muffed.


    Deon and Skrili tried to ignore his ongoing praise of his own cooking as they joined in.


    ~


    After eating, Skip allowed the duo a couple hours to let their stomachs rest before initiating whatever awaited them next. Then, he instructed them to change out of their nice robes and into something more fitting for exercise.


    When Deon and Skrili met him back in his yard with water bottles in hand, they found Skip had changed into athletic wear, as well¡ªor, mostly: aside from light gym shorts, sneakers, and a t-shirt, he still wore his suit jacket and bowtie. Deon wondered if he knew how ridiculous he looked.


    Skip crossed his arms. ¡°Alright, then: day one continues,¡± he declared. ¡°You¡¯re lucky: I always start out easy, compared to what¡¯s coming later this month. But you¡¯ll probably still find what we¡¯re about to do pretty daunting.¡±


    Deon clutched his fists and smiled. He was ready.


    Just show me our opponent. I¡¯ll give it my all, he promised.


    Skrili retained her emotionless demeanor.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to¡­¡± started Skip dramatically. He spun, and then pointed at them. ¡°Go for a jog!¡±


    ¡°W¡ªWHAT?!!? THAT¡¯S IT?!?!¡± Deon bellowed. ¡°What¡¯s ¡®daunting¡¯ about that?!¡±


    But Skip ignored him. ¡°Follow me, alright? Try to keep pace!¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    With a sprightly hop, he broke into a light jog past his students. Deon and Skrili simply watched him for a moment.


    When Deon looked to Skrili for her reaction, she simply shrugged.


    ¡°He has this position for a reason,¡± she said. Then she tossed aside her water bottle and moved to follow Skip.


    Deon sighed to himself before finally hurrying after them.


    Skip led the team into the odd woods, following a winding dirt path. While he¡¯d warned them to ¡®keep pace,¡¯ he didn¡¯t seem to be in much of a rush, jogging steadily and easily. Even an amateur¡ªor a non-athlete, for that matter¡ªcould keep up.


    After about half an hour of uneventful running, however, Deon found himself the first to start feeling winded. He was at the back of the pack, but he grit his teeth and refused to slow, sweat trickling from his forehead. While Skrili¡¯s fighting style called for constant movement, his imagining capabilities incentivized him to be stationary more often.


    Maybe this will be good for me after all, Deon realized. Being in better physical shape will round out my skillset.


    He laughed to himself, realizing Lammy had been telling him that very thing every day back in Tailpiece.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so funny, but you probably won¡¯t feel like laughing soon,¡± Skip said back to him.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡ªOh look, we¡¯re almost at the cliff!¡±


    Up ahead, on one side of the path, the trees came to an abrupt end. They all ran up a slight incline before reaching the point Skip referred to.


    An incredibly immense, seemingly bottomless cliff followed the end of the tree line on their right. It spanned roughly the length of Gloat Stadium before reaching an identical cliff on the opposite side. The dirt path they followed continued on, trapped between a steep wall of trees on one side and a deadly drop just a step away on the other.


    The yellow sunlight blared down on them. But strangely, this area felt cold.


    Much colder than where they had just come from.


    Despite the peril and weather oddity, Skip continued on jogging, waving for them to keep following.


    Deon kept a close eye on his footing.


    Seems like he could¡¯ve picked a better route, he observed warily.


    Then, the chilly nature of the air protruded Deon¡¯s face as he breathed in. He could suddenly feel the moisture increase.


    Next, came the fog.


    He somehow hadn¡¯t noticed it descending upon them all. Or maybe, it had somehow appeared all at once.


    A misty fog engulfed Deon and everything around him. At first he could barely still see the narrow path. But within seconds, he couldn¡¯t even see below his knees.


    Looking ahead, Skrili and Skip had become mere shadows.


    Then, they were gone.


    Deon heard whispers.


    Slow, long whispers were echoing towards him, coming from over the cliff.


    Almost too spooked to turn his head, Deon convinced himself to check.


    Immediately, Deon knew he must have been asleep all along.


    He was in a nightmare.


    Floating in the foggy space between the two cliffs were four ghostly, colorless figures. Their eyes were entirely black, and they had no mouths. But Deon recognized these individuals right away: it was his parents, Aunt Ergi, and Uncle Adon.


    A fifth figure sunk into view behind them, at a hauntingly slow rate. This one was Savannah, wearing the dress his mother had hand-sewn for her. While everything and everyone else were shades of gray and black like fog and clouds, her dress was still its normal faded yellow.


    Everyone¡¯s dark eyes were staring into his except Savannah¡¯s. She was looking off into the distance with her arms crossed impatiently.


    ¡°Uh¡­everyone?¡± Deon called cautiously. ¡°This¡­this can¡¯t be real¡­¡±


    ¡°You really wanted to do something special, but you were special enough to us,¡± came his father¡¯s mouthless voice.


    ¡°Was home not enough for you?¡± asked his mother.


    ¡°What?¡± Deon uttered.


    ¡°Deon, sweetie,¡± started Aunt Ergi. ¡°You belonged here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, kiddo,¡± agreed Uncle Adon¡¯s gruffly voice.


    They all breathed in simultaneously, until all their voices spoke:


    ¡°Why do you think we didn¡¯t want you to leave Tailpiece?¡±


    Oddly, after this, everyone turned their heads to Savannah. She looked back, only to shrug apathetically and turn away once more, crossing her arms even tighter.


    ¡°You don¡¯t belong out there,¡± they all said. ¡°You don¡¯t have what it takes. But now, you don¡¯t belong home either.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡± Deon retorted. ¡°Why are you saying all this?!¡±


    But all of the apparitions began vanishing into the fog. The only words left came in just a whisper, from a voice he¡¯d never heard.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see¡­¡± she promised.


    Deon blinked a few times, shook his head, and then slapped his face. But the dreary environment remained.


    ¡°Alright¡­this is messed up¡­¡± he told himself.


    His reprieve from the haunting figures was brief. Only seconds later, he noticed two more shadowy individuals appear where his family and Savannah had left.


    He quickly realized he¡¯d take the last set of apparitions over this one.


    Now Skrili floated before him on her knees, cradling a still, lifeless body in her lap. After a moment, Deon realized it was the little boy from her picture: her little brother, Akri.


    Just as the presences from before, their eyes were black and void.


    But when Skrili looked up from her brother to Deon, a mouth appeared and shaped into a smile.


    ¡°Do you want to be just like me?¡± she asked. ¡°Back in the championship, did I inspire you to be just like me?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah,¡± Deon replied timidly. ¡°The way you used your strength to protect and save everyone around you¡­if I ever need to¡­I want to do that.¡±


    ¡°You want to be just like me,¡± Skrili confirmed softly. ¡°But¡­you¡¯re not ready.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ll get stronger¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue,¡± Skrili denied. ¡°It¡¯s like your mother said: a loving person fights even if they can¡¯t save someone. Sometimes, you won¡¯t be able to save someone. And you won¡¯t be ready for it.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s smile unnaturally vanished, as did her mouth entirely. A tear fell from her black eye. She returned her attention to the dead boy she cradled in her lap.


    But it wasn¡¯t Akri anymore.


    It was Lammy.


    Deon screamed.


    Skrili brushed Lammy¡¯s hair with her fingers gently as her tears fell on his pale face. ¡°You¡¯ll never be ready¡­.¡± she whimpered.


    ¡°LAMMY!!¡± Deon shouted.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± whispered Skrili. ¡°Soon enough¡­¡±


    Then after Deon blinked, Skrili and Lammy were gone.


    Deon needed to get out of here¡ªwherever ¡°here¡± was. He leaned forward to hurry his pace.


    That was when he realized: he¡¯d never stopped jogging this whole time. Somehow, as if his body had taken over on its own, he¡¯d kept running.


    Just as he noticed this, the fog began to dissipate. It cleared up within moments, and suddenly everything he¡¯d seen and heard before came back to life. The now late afternoon sun shone down on the cliff. He could see and feel his feet against the thin dirt path, and there were no more creepy images hovering nearby.


    He let out a deep sigh.


    Skip and Skrili were still running ahead of him as before, and Skrili was looking around at the abrupt return in setting just like him.


    Hey¡ªwait a second, Deon thought.


    Everything wasn¡¯t entirely back to normal. Now, the tree line and cliff had switched sides. Everything was backwards.


    It took Deon until they were about to exit the cliff to realize: at some point, somehow, all three of them had turned around and headed back in the way they came. Considering how thin the cliff was, it should have been impossible for them to change directions while remaining in the same formation¡ªDeon should have been in the front now.


    But mysteriously, Deon and Skrili still followed Skip.


    Deon felt waves of relief and warmer air as they descended back into the deeper, shadier woods. He just needed this nightmare jog to be over.


    Thankfully for him, the way back felt much shorter. Eventually he could see Skip¡¯s cabin and yard behind a wall of trees.


    Once they gaspingly arrived and Skip came to a sprightly stop, Deon and Skrili collapsed into the grass, reaching for their bottles. They sat catching their breath for a minute, while Skip did a few quick stretches.


    ¡°That path always feels a lot longer than I think it will,¡± Skip said. ¡°What do you guys think?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was relaxing...¡± Deon muttered.


    ¡°Really? You think so?¡±


    ¡°NO!! What the heck just happened?!¡± he snapped.


    Skip brought a finger to his chin. ¡°What do you mean? Oh¡ªI guess there are a few tripping hazards, if you¡¯re not paying a¡ª¡± he cut himself off. ¡°Oh¡­you mean the whole creepy fog thing¡­¡±


    Deon and Skrili both nodded slowly.


    ¡°Right¡­yeah, that happens every time on that route,¡± explained Skip casually. ¡°Something about that cliff¡­it demonstrates your deepest fears and insecurities. Oh, and it also interprets your future. Weird, right?¡±


    His students glared at him in stupefied silence.


    ¡°Alright, next I need you two to get hydrated, get some post-workout stretches in, and meet me back in the cabin in an hour or so,¡± Skip instructed, already heading for the door. ¡°I¡¯m gonna start whipping up dinner! Then we¡¯ll be done for the day.¡±


    Just after opening the door, however, he paused. ¡°Oh¡ªand why don¡¯t you two share with each other what you saw at the cliff?¡± he added. ¡°See you in a bit!¡±


    Once Skip closed the door behind him, Deon glanced at Skrili. Her eyes were fixed on the ground.


    ¡°You think he¡¯s actually that weird, or is it some kind of bit?¡± Deon wondered.


    Skrili shrugged.


    They sat silently for a short while as the shadows around grew longer.


    ¡°What¡­did you see?¡± Skrili asked quietly.


    Deon had been hoping he could avoid discussing it altogether. He shook his head, still unsettled.


    ¡°My family. They were insisting I should have never left Tailpiece¡­and that I¡¯ll never be cut out for this place,¡± he said. ¡°But they also told me I didn¡¯t belong back home anymore, either. I¡¯ve never heard them talk like that before. It just¡­made me feel lost. But¡­honestly¡­part of me can see it really panning out that way.¡±


    Skrili looked back at him, listening closely. ¡°Was there anything else?¡± she asked.


    ¡°There was¡ª¡± Deon caught himself. The way Skrili was sitting flashed his mind back to seeing her pale ghost cry over Akri and Lammy in the fog. It stopped his heart for a moment. ¡°There was nothing else after that¡­the fog went away,¡± he decided. ¡°Um¡­what did you see?¡±


    Skrili took a deep breath, her eyes again returning to the ground. ¡°Myself,¡± she finally uttered.


    ¡°Just yourself?¡±


    ¡°For a moment, yes,¡± she replied. ¡°I was lying down, hurt. Then Pang and Phillip were lying there, and you, too. We all helped each other stand up, and then we laughed. But all the sudden, you all disappeared and I was alone. I fell back to my knees.¡±


    ¡°Man¡­why did Skip have to take us somewhere so depressing?¡± Deon questioned.


    ¡°Then there was something else,¡± Skrili continued.


    ¡°There¡­was?¡±


    Skrili nodded. She attempted to speak several times before finally managing it. ¡°Because¡­I watched my brother showed up in my lap. And¡­I knew he was gone,¡± she said emptily.


    Again, Deon¡¯s heart almost stopped. Wait. No¡­.no, no¡­


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t take it, so I looked away,¡± said Skrili. ¡°Then I heard a strange whisper, so I ended up looking back. But when I did¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Deon prompted.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t really know what to make of this part,¡± she admitted. ¡°It¡¯s¡­not easy to tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Skrili finally returned her eyes to him. ¡°When I looked back, the dead body wasn¡¯t Akri anymore. It was a boy who looked a lot like you, but younger,¡± she shared. ¡°I¡­I think it was your cousin.¡±

 60. Dark Memories

    Lammy couldn¡¯t get tired of Fantasy Country¡¯s starry night sky and its many colorful moons¡ªor, as Rob and Pete had explained to him, Worlds. He wondered if it was possible to visit all of them in a lifetime.


    He and Zayza lay on a grassy slope, one of many among these hilly plains a short walk away from the road they¡¯d been following. Glowing bugs occasionally drifted by, as did the silhouettes of dragons much higher above.


    Lammy and Zayza were both silent, yet wide awake. They knew what probably awaited them in the Dream World, and neither was quite ready to return.


    ¡°What are your parents like?¡± Zayza suddenly asked.


    Lammy turned to look at her. She was focused on the stars, her expression somber.


    ¡°Um¡­they¡¯re really sweet,¡± Lammy said. ¡°My mom is always calm, but also a little strict, and my dad is big, loud, and tough. But he¡¯s pretty funny sometimes.¡±


    Zayza smiled. ¡°I wonder what mine are like,¡± she said. ¡°The Consciousness League¡­it¡¯s rather peculiar, no?¡±


    Lammy chuckled. ¡°I think it¡¯s really exciting. But why the sudden change in subject?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Zayza denied. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­curious. Kotono and Hiroko said my family used to make me attend special parties with them at Conscious Competitions. I wonder why they were so present at those? Who are they?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out,¡± promised Lammy. ¡°Just¡­hopefully not from the creepy memory monster that wants to kill us.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Hopefully not.¡±


    Their light, occasional conversations continued on in the peaceful night air for hours. While neither said it aloud, they both knew why: falling asleep meant returning to their dangers. The longer they kept each other awake with chatter, the longer they could put it off.


    But feeling spent from a full day¡¯s travel, and having another long day of journeying ahead, sleep came to both soon enough.


    ~


    Lammy jolted awake when he felt a nudge. It was still dark out.


    ¡°Lammy!¡±


    He turned to find Zayza leaning beside him, rather worked up over something.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. Then, returning fully to his senses, he sat up. ¡°I let you fall into the Dream World alone! I¡¯m so sorry¡ªdid that thing attack?!¡±


    ¡°No, no that¡¯s not it,¡± Zayza said quickly. ¡°I found memories! Good ones!¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªcome on in! There¡¯s a whole field of them!¡± she shared, lying back down comfortably. ¡°I already claimed one¡ªnow I can enter the Dream World on command, too! Meet me in there!¡± She took a long breath, and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s awesome!¡± Lammy exclaimed. ¡°How quickly can you¡­huh?¡±


    He stopped himself, realizing Zayza was already asleep.


    ¡°Oh¡­that was fast,¡± he said with a shrug, lying back down. After a minute or so, he sensed Zayza¡¯s presence, and managed to drift back off.


    ~


    Lammy opened his eyes, now high above a pinkish red, hilly landscape, not too different from the one on which he and Zayza rested in reality. This time the clouds were gray and black, and they covered the sky.


    Zayza stood perkily atop the tallest hill in her green dress, and she was right: countless round, purple orbs floated all around her. It was spectacular, and considering how scarce they usually were, incredibly encouraging.


    Lammy checked around warily: there was no sign of the dark memory shards, or their Zayza-shaped form. Zayza was alone with positive, harmless memories.


    This is amazing, Lammy remarked.


    I know! exclaimed Zayza. She reached forward, and an orb leaped into her forehead with a flash. There¡¯s a type of cinnamon tea at Honest Stadium in Realistic Fiction Country, and it¡¯s splendid! I must take you someday! Hiroko loves it, she revealed.


    With a laugh, she hurried over to another memory, which joined her just as eagerly. This one says¡­Oh! If you ever need a scarf or sweater, I just remembered how to crochet! I¡¯m quite good, too!


    Lammy joined in her laughter. But even still, he observed their environment cautiously. Compared to every other visit to the Dream World, so far, this was going too well.


    Oh goodness¡ªdon¡¯t wander the streets in Horror Country cities¡­it¡¯s unsafe¡ªKotono and I found that out fast, Zayza advised after taking in another memory. Why would we ever visit a reality called ¡®Horror Country?¡¯


    Beats me, said Lammy. Hey¡ªmaybe we should just be¡ª


    Huh? This one isn¡¯t working, Zayza realized. She tried touching the memory before her, but her hand went through with no result.


    Then, the orb changed shape.


    Into a shard.


    What?! Zayza and Lammy both exclaimed.


    They were far too slow: the shard stabbed straight into Zayza¡¯s head, its force sending her toppling into the rosy grass. She crawled to her knees, looking ahead in terror.


    ¡°No¡­get out¡­¡± she begged.


    Zayza! called Lammy. What do you see?


    A ground¡­made entirely of spikes and sharp edges¡­Zayza uttered. Someone falling into it¡­


    Zayza¡ªwatch out!! Lammy warned.


    While she sat stunned, all of the remaining orbs in the field had transformed into shards, as well. They glowed brightly, and then all at once, sprung straight for Zayza.


    NO! Lammy cried. In a panic, he imagined his invisible barrier around her.


    But he wasn¡¯t quick enough: several of the memory shards, at least ten, collided with Zayza and rejoined her thoughts. She shrieked and shook, with no other choice but to remember.


    The remaining countless other memories collided with Lammy¡¯s barrier, and then floated around it closely as if peering in.


    Zayza¡­? Lammy checked slowly.


    Lammy¡­maybe you¡¯d better stay back, she warned.


    What do you mean?


    I¡­I don¡¯t know what to make of this, Zayza said shakily. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to interpret this¡­


    The memory shards outside the barrier stirred. They circled close together, and within a moment, took on the shape of Zayza once more.


    ¡°You won¡¯t know how until you accept all of me,¡± it¡¯s jarring, screechy voice pressed.


    ¡°Go away,¡± said Zayza.


    ¡°You refused to become one with me, despite the inevitability,¡± said the monster. ¡°So I had no choice but to fool you. I lured many of your other memories in to cooperate with me. Do you know why they agreed?¡±


    Zayza didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Because we are all the same,¡± it finished. ¡°Together, we make up the rest of you. Accept us, or you¡¯ll never be you again. You¡¯ll never be Zayza again.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Zayza demanded. She charged her green energy into her hands.


    ¡°Oh? But you can¡¯t blast me away with this outsider¡¯s shield between us,¡± the being pointed out. ¡°Tell the outsider to leave us. He doesn¡¯t belong in here, and these are our matters to sort.¡±


    ¡°Lammy stays. He¡¯s my friend; I¡¯m helping him make it home once it¡¯s safe,¡± Zayza said flatly. ¡°If you were really me, you¡¯d support that. But you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°If you were your whole self, you would never do something like that again,¡± countered the being. ¡°If you remembered, you would understand that the world doesn¡¯t really want our help, even if we can help it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­wrong¡­¡± insisted Zayza.


    ¡°You only believe so because you lack the context. You forget what happened to us¡­the things we were forced to do. You forget¡­why we chose to cast away our own memory.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    What? That can¡¯t be right¡­Lammy uttered. ¡­Is it?


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Zayza said soberly. ¡°That¡¯s one of the memories I just recovered from the shards. I erased my own memory.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know why. Don¡¯t you wish to?¡± asked the shard being. ¡°The only way is to accept the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the only way,¡± countered Zayza. ¡°I¡¯ll hear it from someone I trust.¡±


    ¡°But I am you,¡± the being argued.


    ¡°Even if you are, that¡¯s a problem. Because I don¡¯t trust myself,¡± said Zayza. She charged even more light energy into her arms and legs. ¡°Lammy, please release the shield.¡±


    What?!


    ¡°I¡¯m going to destroy these memories,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s an impossible task,¡± the being sneered.


    Please, just do it¡­I cannot look at this monster anymore, came Zayza¡¯s thoughts in Lammy¡¯s mind.


    Um¡­alright, I¡¯ll try to back you, obeyed Lammy reluctantly. Here it goes¡­NOW!


    On Lammy¡¯s signal, Zayza blasted two tremendous beams directly at the being. It collided, sending the shards twisting into the air. But only a moment later, they reconvened in Zayza¡¯s shape and drew close once more.


    ¡°Do not deny yourself,¡± it urged.


    But Zayza ignored it, and fired another several attacks. The shards skirted these this time. Gritting her teeth, Zayza shot more and more attacks, but the memories responded naturally, expecting every move.


    ¡°So be it,¡± the being decided. It broke into its own attack, lunging at Zayza and attempting to make contact with her. Zayza narrowly dodged each move, growing closer to failure each time. The being was alarmingly fast, its glistening shriek filling the Dream World air.


    Shield again? Lammy suggested hurriedly.


    No¡ªit¡¯s fighting too close now, it¡¯ll make it inside, said Zayza, still struggling to avoid the being¡¯s touch. If I can¡¯t fight it, then¡­perhaps a retreat is necessary.


    Looks like we¡¯ll be pulling an all-nighter, Lammy realized.


    Not necessarily¡ªwe need rest to complete our journey, Zayza explained. Feel for my presence. Or¡ªwhatever it is you do.


    The shard beast floated back, repositioned, and darted at Zayza head-on. This time, it would achieve its goal.


    But then, with a light flash, Zayza vanished.


    The being paused, looked around, and then quickly realized its chance was over. It let out some sort of sigh, before dissolving into individual memory shards again.


    Even Lammy couldn¡¯t spot where Zayza had gone to from his aerial view¡ªshe had left the region entirely. He reached out mentally, searching for her essence. After several moments, he began wondering if she¡¯d left the Dream World, after all.


    But then, he faintly sensed her far ahead.


    There, he thought.


    He called out to the weak feeling with his mind, and soon, it began pulling his awareness forward. The landscape and sky all around obscured as he weaved through the fabric of dream space. Then he slowed, and came to a stop on the side of a silvery, stone plateau. There, Zayza sat in hiding, a small row of orange trees concealing her even further.


    I forgot you could do that, Lammy remarked.


    Zayza said nothing.


    This place feels kind of familiar, noticed Lammy, noting the green and white-blotched field beyond the plateau.


    It¡¯s near the area where I¡ªwhere we fought Fewpar, Zayza answered distantly.


    He considered prying about the other dark memories she¡¯ just received against her will, but he could tell it wasn¡¯t the time. You okay? I mean like¡ªgiven everything?


    Zayza ran her hands through the otherworldly grass. I just want to get you to safety¡­to your family. You¡¯ve already done enough for me, she said. And then I just want to hide from everything.


    Well¡­as far as I¡¯m concerned, you are family, Lammy said. Things will get better, I¡¯ll make sure. And so will Deon, and Kotono, and Hiroko.


    Aren¡¯t you scared we¡¯ll fail?


    Yeah, terrified, Lammy admitted. But I won¡¯t be if we get to Deon. That¡¯s where it¡¯ll all turn around. You¡¯ll see.


    I promise you¡¯ll make it to him, said Zayza.


    Lammy smiled¡ªor, if he had a body here, he would.


    But for the time being, we¡¯ll have to tactfully stay in hiding, Zayza expressed. If I can¡¯t destroy those memories, they¡¯ll always be able to find me in here. It¡¯s probably best I keep warping to different areas until it¡¯s time to wake up.


    Lammy sent a nod of agreement. I¡¯ll follow your lead.


    For the remainder of the night, every few minutes or so, Zayza warped to a new location to throw off her trail. Lammy grew better at sensing for her new displacement each time. While he regretted needing to be in constant movement in the Dream World now, too, at least here he didn¡¯t expend any energy.


    With each new area of this realm, Lammy marveled in just how odd the Dream World was. Discolored landscapes, reverse raindrops, unnatural sounds, and even mystical creatures appeared wherever they moved to. Thankfully, Zayza¡¯s technique worked: while she sometimes sensed a looming, dark presence approaching, it was never able to hunt them down.


    Before they knew it, Lammy and Zayza¡¯s bodies were ready to awaken, summoning them back to the real world morning.


    ~


    It was comfortably warm out today. Lammy and Zayza got up quickly and once again trekked along the wide, straight trail in direct sunlight. Lammy figured he¡¯d get sweaty after a while, but it still beat walking in the rain and mud.


    His unease from the past two Dream World visits only increased the longer he walked with Zayza in total silence. It had been a few hours now, and Zayza hadn¡¯t uttered a single word.


    He wondered again about new memories she¡¯d recovered in the ambush, but he was too afraid to find out.


    ¡°If we manage to get through all of this,¡± Zayza finally started, ¡°I really must take you to try that cinnamon tea at Honest Stadium.¡±


    Lammy let out a laugh.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just¡­glad you¡¯re still you.¡±


    Zayza took a moment to prepare her reply. She abruptly faced him. ¡°Lammy, there¡¯s something I remem¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hi!¡±


    Lammy and Zayza both jumped from surprise, and Lammy tripped backwards onto the ground. The voice had come from directly in front of them.


    Two red eyes, and two icy blue ones faded into existence before them. Then, the transparent faces of Kotono and Hiroko fully appeared, peering at them through this magical window.


    Zayza brought a hand to her chest and took a deep breath as her heart restarted. ¡°Goodness¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a less¡­sudden way to do that¡­?¡± Lammy asked as he returned to his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± said Hiroko.


    ¡°Oh, s¡ªsorry¡­¡± Kotono added.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. It¡¯s wonderful to see you. You both look lovely,¡± said Zayza. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No. Or, I hope not,¡± said Hiroko. ¡°We just want to say hi and see how the hike is going.¡±


    ¡°And give an update,¡± said Kotono.


    ¡°Well¡­out here, our travels have been uneventful,¡± Zayza shared. ¡°But¡­in the Dream World¡­it¡¯s been getting harder to avoid my dark memories. I¡¯ve accidentally recovered some.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kotono and Hiroko muttered.


    But Zayza didn¡¯t elaborate, and the champions didn¡¯t even urge her to.


    I guess we¡¯re all scared of the truth, Lammy realized. ¡°Um¡­what was that update you mentioned?¡± he prompted.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been in contact with Skrili, coming across like we¡¯re just chatting,¡± Hiroko revealed. ¡°She¡¯s so cute. They¡¯re supposed to keep any information about Legend Training private, but she couldn¡¯t help telling us anyway. All we had to do was ask. She and Deon are training a few days¡¯ walk to the west of Conscious City.¡±


    ¡°The Fiction Country one, of course,¡± clarified Kotono.


    ¡°And honestly, that couldn¡¯t be more perfect,¡± Hiroko continued. ¡°There¡¯s a decent chance you won¡¯t get to them before their training ends, so we have a great backup plan: there¡¯s a Conscious Conference happening a few hours from there. Kotono and I have to go, so we¡¯re going to invite Skrili and Deon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re taking a hiatus from Conscious Competitions,¡± Kotono explained. ¡°The only way to convince our managers to let us was to do this event.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make meet-up plans just outside of the conference with them, in a subtle location,¡± Hiroko expounded, ¡°but instead of meeting with us, you¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°And you can tell them everything,¡± finished Kotono.


    ¡°We want to be there physically, but our guards are always breathing down our necks¡ªespecially at events,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°We¡¯ll try to help from a distance. And, especially since this communication magic won¡¯t work very well in Fiction Country, we¡¯ll try to see you all at least for a moment.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± asked Kotono. ¡°Pretty smart, huh?¡±


    Lammy and Zayza smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful plan,¡± said Zayza.


    ¡°Well¡­honestly, it was all Hiroko¡­¡± Kotono admitted. ¡°You just have to make it there safe, okay?¡±


    Lammy and Zayza nodded.


    ¡°No one¡¯s come to interrupt you guys yet,¡± Lammy noticed. ¡°Are you less busy?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªwe¡¯re blowing off an interview,¡± Hiroko said plainly.


    ¡°We¡¯re hiding in a one-person bathroom. No one¡¯s onto us,¡± shared Kotono with a devious grin. ¡°We have time. What else do you guys wanna talk about?¡±


    Lammy laughed. ¡°Uh¡­what¡¯s it like being big-time champ¡ª¡±


    ¡°What happened to Oflenur?¡± Zayza suddenly burst out. She gazed into Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s eyes intensely.


    A pause came over the four consciousnesses.


    The couple exchanges worrying glances. ¡°You¡­remember him now?¡± Hiroko noted, trying to mask hear utter concern.


    ¡°Yes. But I don¡¯t remember everything.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªwho¡¯s Oflenur?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°Someone very important to me,¡± explained Zayza. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry Hiroko and Kotono. I know you don¡¯t want to tell me certain things just yet for my protection, but I¡¯m finding out anyway. Please, I must know¡­from someone I trust. What happened to him?¡±


    Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s confident, eager demeanor from before was now entirely gone. They stared back somberly.


    ¡°Oflenur was¡­Zayza¡¯s lover,¡± Kotono told Lammy. ¡°Her secret lover.¡±


    ¡°Was?¡± repeated Zayza urgently.


    ¡°Zayza,¡± Hiroko started. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Your kingdom executed him.¡±


    ~~~


    An employee wiped his forehead with a glove-covered hand, and then proceeded on sweeping the white-tiled floor. He wished there were at least one or two clouds in the sky today.


    I can¡¯t complain¡ªsure is nice they hire normies like me to maintain the space when there are no tournaments, he thought, inspiring himself to sweep more thoroughly. But still¡­it would be kind of nice if there were at least one consciousness to help¡­maybe an imaginer or something. Then this would be a lot easier.


    He looked outward, beyond the wide Gloat Stadium platform. Most of the other platforms across here in Gloat Center the sky were equally bare, save for a few other maintenance workers. For the most part, it was like every other day of the gig so far.


    But then¡­there¡¯s those two¡­the worker thought.


    For some reason, for the past hour or so, a spiky black dragon had been gliding from platform to platform. It carried a silver-haired man in ominous, tight clothing, who hopped off after each landing to inspect the area for a few minutes.


    Sketchy¡­the worker thought. He shrugged, and returned to his task.


    But after a few more minutes, he heard the dragon¡¯s ferocious wing flaps grow closer. Suddenly, he was under a shade from the sun.


    The worker looked up and shrieked: the dragon carried the man just above him, and with a vicious drop, they landed directly next to him. The vibrations knocked the worker onto his back.


    Shaking violently, the worker reached for his broom to defend himself. But when the silver-haired man dismounted from the dragon, he didn¡¯t reach for one of his sheathed weapons. In fact, he paid no attention at all.


    While the man walked away, the worker couldn¡¯t help but notice a pearly white mug attached to his belt.


    ¡°Uh¡ªum¡­you guys know this place is, uh, closed right now, right?¡± the worker stammered.


    The man turned to face him, his thin eyes piercing through his soul.


    I¡¯m gonna die, the worker realized. Don¡¯t talk to strangers: It¡¯s rule number one! I¡¯m an idiot!


    ¡°My apologies, we¡¯re just searching for someone,¡± the man replied calmly. He reached into one of his slim pockets and pulled out a shiny, glistening necklace. Its brilliance reflected against the ground.


    The man brought it close, and then took a long, careful sniff. He put it away and took another identical smell of the air.


    ¡°And now, we know precisely where they went from here,¡± he added. ¡°We¡¯ll be on our way now. Xinderzin, our pursuit begins.¡±


    The dragon let out a powerful roar, spreading out its wings as the man expertly hopped into its saddle.


    ¡°Time for the fun part!¡± the dragon growled.


    Then with a gust, they took to the sky, a spec in the distance in mere moments.

 61. Bite Back

    Lammy glanced back and forth between Zayza and the magical projections of Kotono and Hiroko.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­what?¡± muttered Zayza.


    ¡°They captured Oflenur, held a trial, and then executed him,¡± Hiroko repeated. ¡°I¡­really am sorry, Zayza.¡±


    ¡°W¡ªwhat do you remember about him now?¡± asked Kotono carefully.


    ¡°Just¡­pieces,¡± said Zayza, her voice distant. ¡°When the shards rejoined my memories, I saw many different things¡­mostly glimpses. We were often together, but when we were, there was no one else with us. We shared meals¡­life¡­planned for a future¡­¡±


    ¡°Anything specific?¡± Hiroko asked.


    Lammy watched their demeanor carefully. They were clearly probing for some sort of exact event. Something felt uneasy, even fragile, about their questions.


    ¡°No¡­I just remember his name, and his face,¡± said Zayza. ¡°I started feeling safe, and in love, and¡­a great deal of nervousness. If he was someone special in my life, then why is he a part of my dark memories?¡±


    Hiroko and Kotono exchanged glances again worriedly.


    ¡°Why do you keep doing that¡­?¡± Zayza pressed weakly.


    ¡°The kingdom executed Oflenur because they believe he was your accomplice in the murders,¡± said Hiroko. From her stern demeanor, Lammy could tell death was a topic she knew all too familiarly.


    For him, however, the unfolding discussion made his knees quiver.


    ¡°But¡ªthey¡¯re wrong!¡± exclaimed Kotono.


    ¡°Was he innocent like Zayza?¡± assumed Lammy.


    Kotono shook her head intensely.


    ¡°If you ask us,¡± started Hiroko, ¡°he was the killer. And he either framed Zayza, or tricked her into involvement. As far as we¡¯re concerned, everything you¡¯re going through is because of him.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªso Zayza¡¯s being hunted for no reason?!¡± realized Lammy. ¡°Isn¡¯t there some way we can prove she¡¯s innocent?!¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen about the investigation, his trail is too perfect,¡± explained Hiroko. ¡°It leads straight to Zayza.¡±


    Zayza stared off, away from everyone. ¡°But¡­all those emotions and visions I recovered¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°I was used¡­?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s between him and you, I¡¯ll never believe you were the killer,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°So, that¡¯s what we believe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Kotono.


    ¡°But¡­why¡­?¡±


    Kotono¡¯s mouth trembled as she watched Zayza. Lammy thought she was about to cry, but instead, her eyes filled with fiery rage. Red light suddenly burst out around her.


    ¡°It was all a power grab!¡± she shouted. ¡°He killed them and took everything from you, all for a power grab! I knew I should have said something when he seemed weird!¡±


    ¡°Kotono, breathe,¡± Hiroko urged immediately.


    ¡°Killed who?¡±


    Kotono opened her mouth again to speak, red energy sparking everywhere, but Hiroko covered her mouth. She placed a hand on Kotono¡¯s shoulder tenderly.


    ¡°You need to breathe,¡± she repeated. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time or place, okay?¡±


    The red energy surrounding Kotono flickered one more time, before dulling to a purple, and fading out as a weak blue glow.


    ¡°But¡­when is?¡± she asked sadly when Hiroko removed her hand.


    ¡°Once she¡¯s somewhere safe, where she can be properly taken care of. Once Skrili and Deon hide her with my clan. Then, she can know,¡± said Hiroko. She looked into Zayza¡¯s eyes. It was a hard gaze, yet Lammy could feel the loving, protective intent, even through the magical window.


    ¡°Zayza, I know you don¡¯t fully remember me right now, but I need to ask you to trust me on this,¡± she said. ¡°I promise you¡¯ll know. But right now you need to keep going, alright?¡±


    Zayza was wordless. After a moment, she gave a single nod.


    A series of muffled thuds resounded through the magic, coming from the door behind Hiroko and Kotono.


    ¡°We know you¡¯re in there! Come on out, ladies. The interview was fifteen minutes ago!¡± came an irritated voice.


    ¡°Ugh. They found us,¡± Kotono said was a shudder.


    ¡°We gotta go, okay?¡± said Hiroko.


    Zayza nodded once more.


    Hiroko¡¯s eyes turned to Lammy. She cocked her head in Zayza¡¯s direction. ¡°Keep an eye on her, alright?¡± she said.


    Then, the two champions were gone.


    Lammy couldn¡¯t bring himself to look at Zayza as they stood there in the middle of the path. Her situation only grew heavier with each new revelation.


    And consequently, though he didn¡¯t hold it against her, so did his.


    ¡°Lammy,¡± started Zayza.


    ¡°Y¡ªyeah?¡±


    ¡°I really hoped to tell them of another memory I discovered, just before I came to invite you into the Dream World last night,¡± she told him.


    ¡°What was it?¡± he asked warily.


    ¡°I remembered,¡± Zayza started softly, ¡°how deeply I love them.¡±


    She abruptly marched forward, stomping resolutely down the seemingly infinite dirt road.


    ¡°I may not have all the memories that led to this love, but regardless, I can feel it,¡± she said back to him. ¡°Let¡¯s follow their plan. And let¡¯s not let anyone else get in our way.¡±


    Lammy stood there for a moment in awe and confusion.


    Well¡­that¡¯s the opposite reaction I was expecting, he thought. She was biting back, and getting stronger.


    He clenched his fists.


    It¡¯s time I do, too. Deon, I¡¯ll make you proud.


    ~


    In the hours following their conversation, Lammy withdrew into his mind while he travelled alongside Zayza. Occasional journeyers passing by were the only incidents to break him out of his thoughts. He found himself watching them warily, until he remembered the earrings still protected them from any dangerous recognition.


    But that won¡¯t be the case for long, thought Lammy. Once we¡¯re in Fiction Country, the magic will wear off¡­and we¡¯ll be vulnerable again.


    No. He wasn¡¯t ready to be vulnerable again¡ªto feel like a target, or a prized catch.


    After their encounter with Fewpar and Najinzu, he was done with that role. And by the way Zayza had been strutting determinedly this whole time, he could tell she was, as well.


    He, too, needed to bite back.


    I¡¯ve made myself pretty useful in the Dream World, but that won¡¯t be enough soon, Lammy told himself. If something happens out here¡ªespecially in Fiction Country¡ªhow will we defend ourselves?


    It had to be him.


    He¡¯d spent all his sleeping hours helping Zayza in the Dream World, and all his waking hours either working or walking, for countless days now. But he hadn¡¯t poured any time into strengthening his Imagining combat.


    However...was there any point?


    Except for odd instances where his powers caught him off guard, Lammy could barely make his imagining work in the first place.


    No¡ªthat wasn¡¯t entirely true: back when Kotono¡¯s powers were tearing Gloat Stadium to pieces, he felt his abilities heightening within as his feelings grew. He harnessed the emotions, and his imagining worked better because of it.


    Now that I think of it, isn¡¯t that how Kotono¡¯s powers work, too? Lammy realized. He decided to ask her next time he got the chance. It was intriguingly similar.


    But either way, he knew: once they crossed into Fiction Country, the dangers before the earrings were likely to return. And once again, he wouldn¡¯t have Deon to step in and make it all better like in Tailpiece. He had to be the defender. He had to¡ª


    ¡°What is that sound?¡± Zayza wondered.


    It broke Lammy out of his intense contemplation. She was looking around at the sky, but nothing was there.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°What sound?¡±


    ¡°Do you hear it? I think they¡¯re dragon wings, but they sound closer than usual,¡± she said.


    Now he could pick it out¡ªthe deep, flapping gusts echoing in the air. It was hard to pinpoint the exact direction of the source.


    Curious, Lammy turned around¡ªand if he hadn¡¯t, their journey would have come to an end in seconds.


    The silhouette of a black dragon faced them high above, appearing as a shadow. It took Lammy a moment to realize not only did it face them: it was heading straight for them.


    ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s friendly¡­¡± Lammy muttered.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to find out¡ªRun!¡± Zayza exclaimed, grasping his hand.


    Lammy knew she was right as he stumbled forward in an attempt to keep up. His blood quivered when the nearing dragon let out an earth-rattling roar. Looking back once more, he saw it was closing in far too fast for their measly legs to outrun.


    ¡°We don¡¯t stand a chance!¡± Lammy shouted.


    His thoughts returned to what he¡¯d been mulling over before:


    It had to be him.


    ¡°Zayza, wait!¡± he urged, pulling her to a stop.


    ¡°Why?! What are you doing?!¡± she cried.


    ¡°THIS!¡± he declared. ¡°¡­I HOPE!¡±


    Of all the obstacles and dangers Lammy thought he might encounter in their journey, staring a dragon down as it plummeted straight for them was not exactly something he¡¯d considered. In fact, it was far worse. But here he stood, his heart exploding with terror, as he awaited its violent arrival.


    The closer the dragon got, the warmer the feeling in Lammy¡¯s eyes grew. It was time to try.


    Is it fear? Lammy thought, probing for the exact emotion he¡¯d felt when he successfully tapped into his increased ability in Gloat Stadium. Resolve¡­?


    He felt a great deal of both of these emotions, but nothing clicked when he tried focusing on them. He still couldn¡¯t detect the seamless connection between his feelings and his powers.


    ¡°Lammy!¡± Zayza shouted.


    Wait¡ªthat¡¯s it! Lammy realized.


    It was stress.


    He was stressed out of his mind.


    And for some reason, that was precisely what awakened his imagining.


    The dragon¡¯s sharp claws reached out. It was upon them.


    But then it pounded against an invisible mass, spinning off to the side clumsily and leaving Lammy and Zayza untouched.


    ¡°Yes! I did it again!!¡± Lammy exclaimed. ¡°I imagined my shield in the real world, and it actually worked!¡±


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± cheered Zayza. ¡°That¡¯s splendid, but¡­it still wants to kill us!¡±


    Immediately, the dragon rammed its sharp claws against Lammy¡¯s invisible shield once more. He yelped, but thankfully, his barrier kept it at bay. The dragon snarled and performed a flip to back away.


    That was when Lammy realized: the dragon wasn¡¯t alone. It had a rider.


    As the dragon landed gracefully, albeit furiously, Lammy and Zayza stared at the dark figure in its saddle. Lammy¡¯s heart thumped even harder: for a second, he appeared to be Najinzu. But this was a new face: one with similar tight, ripped clothing, and shorter silvery hair.


    When he gracefully flipped out of the dragon¡¯s saddle and onto the dirt road, Lammy realized the man was slightly taller than Najinzu, as well¡ªor, at least, he didn¡¯t hunch over.


    The man had a collection of sheathed weapons at his belt, and for some reason, a pearly white mug. But he didn¡¯t reach for any of them, instead standing tall and staring at the frightened duo quietly.


    ¡°Ah,¡± came the dragon¡¯s sneer. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me we were hunting royalty.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t appear so shocked, human. Of course I know you¡ªthe whole world does, especially now that you¡¯re a murderer,¡± spat the dragon.


    ¡°First of all, Xinderzin, we¡¯re not hunting. We¡¯re collecting,¡± said the man, his voice pointed and weathered. ¡°And I didn¡¯t tell you because I wasn¡¯t entirely certain. They¡¯re using charms to mask their identities. However¡­¡±


    He reached into a pocket on his torso and revealed a glistening necklace. The man brought it close and inhaled, his eyes on Zayza the whole time.


    ¡°It¡¯s a perfect match. She¡¯s Zayza, after all,¡± he concluded.


    ¡°And¡­just who are you?¡± Zayza challenged, struggling to come across strong.


    ¡°It seems the information we acquired of your amnesia is accurate, as well,¡± the man realized. ¡°You¡¯ll benefit from knowing soon, anyway. My name is Raznizu, and I¡¯m here to retrieve you.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s whole body felt stiff with fear. He tried to calm his raging anxiety, and picture how Deon would handle the situation.


    ¡°As if!¡± he shouted. ¡°Go ahead and try!¡±


    It felt good in the moment, until he realized he had no plan to back it up. This man¡¯s similarity to Najinzu sent shivers down his spine¡ªclearly, he was just as much a threat. Lammy had been trying to conjure an escape since Xinderzin¡¯s feet touched the ground, but nothing seemed feasible.


    He¡¯d have to risk trying his imagining abilities again.


    ¡°Now this boy¡­I¡¯ve received no information on him¡­¡± uttered Raznizu. ¡°Child, free Zayza from your custody, or this will develop in a way you won¡¯t prefer.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! Zayza¡¯s not in¡ª¡± started Lammy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch Lammy!¡± Zayza demanded. ¡°You won¡¯t be taking me anywhere!¡± She instinctively pumped her arms down, like she would to summon her green energy in the Dream World. But of course, nothing happened. Disgruntled, she took a step back.


    It¡¯s up to me, Lammy once again told himself.


    Raznizu sighed. ¡°Xinderzin, can you carry one more? I¡¯ll need to transport the boy, as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a young dragon, not a weak one.¡±


    Lammy braced himself¡ªbut then he remembered he was keeping the invisible shield intact. They still had time to figure out their getaway plan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zayza,¡± said Lammy. ¡°I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    A sudden, constant crackling sound deafened them. It was all around the shield, coupled with flashing white lights.


    What?! panicked Lammy. Squinting, he noticed small, round holes: one set surrounding the outside of the shield, and a matching set on the inside. Small, round blades emerged from the inner holes, emitting some sort of lightning surge.


    He sent them under the ground?! Lammy realized. When?! We had eyes on him the whole time¡­he¡¯s too fast!


    He and Zayza recoiled towards each other as the shocks continued on. Lammy hurried to try reinforcing the shield¡¯s strength. But he¡¯d only anticipated blunt-force objects colliding with it¡ªhe hadn¡¯t created it to deflect this kind of attack, especially not from the inside.


    They both heard a crack spreading above: their time was almost up.


    Channeling Deon¡¯s bigheaded attitude had its place, but now, Lammy needed to think tactically. If Raznizu could ambush them that fast in plain view and go completely undetected, they needed to act now. They couldn¡¯t wait for the shield to break and make another run for it.


    He came to a quick decision: he had to destroy the shield on his own terms.


    Then, he¡¯d need to try a surprise-attack. Or better yet¡­


    ¡°Zayza, start running back!¡± Lammy instructed.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please!¡±


    She obeyed, flinching as she made a break for it towards the flickering electricity.


    In that same instant, Lammy imagined the barrier away and followed her. The electric shocks ceased once the shield was gone, which only made his plan easier.


    Eyes glowing, Lammy again called upon his stress. He recalled the wooden carriages he¡¯d seen across his Fantasy Country travels here and there, and rushed to imagine one into existence.


    Normally for something this complex, an imaginer¡ªespecially a weak one like him¡ªwould need to know specific details of the materials and functions in order to summon one into existence successfully. And normally, even if he had this information, his powers would fail him.


    But once again, Lammy¡¯s powers fed on his stress and came through for him. A wooden carriage popped into existence just before them a split second after the shield disappeared.


    ¡°Go! It¡¯s ours!¡± Lammy called.


    They dove into the carriage bed, and its unmanned wheels spun to life, thrusting them forward along the path. Lammy¡¯s method went exactly as he¡¯d hoped.


    But unfortunately, that meant nothing.


    When Lammy turned over on his back to see their progress from their attackers, he only saw Xinderzin waiting in the same spot, unconcerned.


    Then, the carriage thudded to the side. Two of its wheels, now severed, spun off before fading from existence.


    A blink later, the other side dropped and the carriage, now without wheels, skidded against the dirt.


    Lammy and Zayza raised their heads forward after the carriage came to a halt. Raznizu stood just before its stopping point, a black blade in hand.


    Too fast¡­Lammy repeated. No¡­we can¡¯t fail this easily¡­


    Crouching beside Zayza in the carriage, it seemed far too similar to their previous capture. His breathing fell shallow.


    He could see Najinzu and Fewpar in Raznizu¡¯s place.


    He could hear their threats again.


    He could see Zayza¡¯s wounds, soon to become her lifelong scars.


    I can¡¯t let us go through that EVER AGAIN! he cried in his head.


    ¡°An imaginer with glowing eyes,¡± noted Raznizu. ¡°You¡¯re no ordinary boy. Now, you¡¯ll both need to come with¡ª¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± Lammy shouted.


    This time, there was no plan. There was no time for a plan¡ªonly time to feel, and act.


    He felt something scoop him up from under his legs. Zayza let out a shout, and he felt her lean against him from behind. The first thing he could process next was Raznizu¡ªand the ground¡ªgrowing farther and farther away at a rapid pace.


    They were ascending. And accelerating.


    Zayza shrieked again once she realized what was happening, and she wrapped her arms around Lammy so tight he almost couldn¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°Oh dear¡ªI loathe heights!¡± Zayza wailed. ¡°But keep going!!¡±


    Gathering himself, Lammy finally got a handle on the current development: they were riding a dragon.


    It was a spectacular mixture of rainbow colors, bearing a keen resemblance to Wobble¡¯s fur. Actually, it seemed exactly the same: instead of scales, this dragon was fuzzy. Its size and build, however, were proportionate to Xinderzin.


    The dragon inhaled to unleash a fierce roar. Instead, it sounded just like Pete attempting a terrible interpretation:


    ¡°ARRRRRGGGH!!!!¡± its cracking voice let out across the sky.


    ¡°I¡ªI shouldn¡¯t be able to do this!¡± Lammy stammered. ¡°My powers are weak!¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t tell them that! Keep us flying!¡± urged Zayza.


    The wind pressed against them, and mist soon joined in as they approached the clouds. Afraid to mess anything up, Lammy tapped into his imagining. In seconds, he found he could steer the beast himself: indeed, it was his creation. He commanded the dragon to accelerate faster.


    He¡¯d need to do so again, because they heard a dragon¡¯s roar¡ªa real one¡ªreverberate behind them.


    They turned their heads to find Xinderzin speeding at them, with Raznizu in his saddle. And they were gaining fast.


    ¡°Go, go, go!¡± Lammy urged his imagined dragon.


    With another oddly human roar, the dragon lunged forward. But even still, they couldn¡¯t shake off Xinderzin¡¯s pursuit. Lammy tried steering the dragon in all kinds of directions, but despite its magnificence, it was no match for the real thing.


    In less than a minute, Xinderzin and Raznizu were just behind the furry dragon¡¯s tail. Desperate, Lammy heaved it upward and into the thicker clouds. They were drenched in moisture immediately, and they couldn¡¯t see a thing, but at least now they were invisible to their foes.


    Lammy steered a hard cut to the right, he and Zayza holding on for dear life. Then, he sighed: at this rate, they could shake free.


    ¡°Brilliant!¡± exclaimed Zayza. ¡°I think we¡¯re¡ª¡±


    Another roar rumbled, this time even closer.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes widened as she noticed a black, sharp-toothed snout piercing through the clouds directly behind them.


    ¡°THEY¡¯RE STILL THERE!!!¡± she screamed.


    I¡¯m an idiot! Lammy thought. This man seemed to have tracked us with the smell of that necklace, and he dresses like Najinzu. He must have the same powers, a Sense-Enhancer! No wonder we can¡¯t shake them off!


    He felt Zayza reposition and start shuffling through her travel pack in a frenzy.


    ¡°You have something in mind?¡± Lammy called back.


    ¡°Yes¡ªsome of this bread will spoil soon, anyway!¡± she called back.


    ¡°Wait¡ªhuh?¡±


    Decisively, Zayza unsheathed one of their loafs of bread from the Phoenix. She turned to face Xinderzin and Raznizu, holding it high.


    Bread¡­? Lammy thought hopelessly. That¡¯s it, we lose.


    ¡°TAKE THIS!!¡± Zayza shouted, lunging the bread at them with all her strength.


    It bounced off of Xinderzin¡¯s forehead, who didn¡¯t even react. He may not have even noticed.


    ¡°It failed!¡± Zayza told Lammy.


    Of course it did¡­he thought. ¡°Uh¡ªthat¡¯s okay! Just hold on¡ª¡±


    ¡°WHY?!¡± Xinderzin exclaimed. ¡°We have them!!¡±


    After a moment, Lammy realized he must have been talking to Raznizu. He peered back once more.


    Xinderzin let out an aggravated growl, and abruptly, he pulled away to fly elsewhere.


    ¡°Did¡­did they retreat?¡± asked Zayza.


    Lammy waited warily for a while; if this was an attempted ambush, they wouldn¡¯t see it coming in the clouds.


    But their attackers never returned. He cautiously lowered his dragon out of the clouds and into the open air. Now soaked, Lammy and Zayza investigated the sky in all directions. Finally, they saw Xinderzin as nothing but a spec far behind them, disappearing behind a hill of trees.


    ¡°They retreated,¡± Lammy confirmed with confusion. ¡°But why? They were about to get us.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been our bread,¡± Zayza dismissed. ¡°Unless...perhaps they¡¯re allergic?¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t tell if she was joking, so he kept quiet.


    ¡°We¡¯d better keep going,¡± said Zayza. ¡°This¡­changes our whole situation.¡±


    He could hear the somberness in her voice, and his feelings matched.


    Once again, they were being hunted. But this time, by a new, unknown enemy.


    And even though they hadn¡¯t yet reached Fiction Country, their earrings could no longer protect them.

 62. Theres Two of You

    Deon hopped from the lowest of the softwood branches and touched down on the ground. Skrili landed beside him, having jumped from much higher up in the tree.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Deon greeted as they began their way towards Skip¡¯s hut. ¡°How¡¯d you sleep?¡±


    She shrugged.


    ¡°Let me guess: my snoring?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Skrili said plainly.


    Even given the open invitation to pick on him, she didn¡¯t take it.


    Deon took a deep breath. He gave up on the pretense of his usual energetic demeanor. There was no way around what they¡¯d just experienced the day before.


    ¡°Yeah¡­I didn¡¯t sleep super well, either,¡± he said honestly. ¡°I was up thinking about¡­you know.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡±


    After Skrili had shared her visions at the cliff the day before, neither knew what to say. Still, even when Skrili¡¯s second vision matched Deon¡¯s almost exactly, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell her he¡¯d seen it, too.


    He didn¡¯t even want to comprehend it: Skrili holding a lifeless Lammy in her tear-covered arms.


    Why?


    Instead, they had remained mostly silent until Skip had come to giddily announce dinner was ready. It was even more delicious than their lunch, this time a build-your-own sandwich arrangement. But even this didn¡¯t raise their morale.


    All the while, Skip kept acting like everything was fine. Deon knew Skip had noticed their ghostly demeanor¡ªso why didn¡¯t he address it? Wasn¡¯t he their mentor?


    Deon and Skrili approached the clearing to Skip¡¯s humble yard, practically dragging their feet.


    ¡°When Skip said the cliff ¡®interprets our future¡­¡¯¡± started Deon. ¡°¡­He had to be messing with us, right? That¡¯s not a thing¡­right?¡±


    ¡°I hope not,¡± came Skrili¡¯s somewhat distant reply. ¡°But interpretation and deeper meanings are what define Fiction Country. So¡­it¡¯s definitely possible.¡±


    Deon tried to block the images out of his mind, but   they just wouldn¡¯t go away. It was like a mental stain. He had to distract himself, and he hoped whatever Skip had in store today would be able to accomplish that.


    ¡°Well¡ªlet¡¯s try not to dwell on it today, alright?¡± he decided, in another attempt to return to his cheerier self. ¡°Today, I want you to teach me how the heck you kick so fast!¡±


    Skrili glanced at him, but returned her eyes to the ground. ¡°Okay,¡± she finally agreed.


    Stepping into Skip¡¯s yard, they found him standing directly in the center, as laid-back as ever. He dressed exactly like the afternoon before¡ªonly in different colored gym shorts.


    ¡°Welcome! Nice and early, just like we agreed: that¡¯s what I like to see,¡± Skip said.


    Deon and Skrili both attempted to greet him back, but it came out more like dronish groans.


    Skip seemed to either not notice or ignore their lack of enthusiasm. ¡°Alright, day three! I hope you¡¯re ready to be put to work. But first¡­¡± he flipped two thumbs up. ¡°Who would like to go for a nice morning jog?¡±


    ¡°NOT US!!!!!!¡± Deon immediately bellowed.


    ¡°Aw, come on, now,¡± said Skip. ¡°It¡¯ll be the exact same route we did yesterday, so it¡¯ll be easy!¡±


    Deon and Skrili stared at him unblinkingly.


    But Skip had already moved into his first pre-run stretches. ¡°Come on, guys¡ªwe can¡¯t get to the rest of the day until we get a good jog in.¡±


    Will the rest of the day also involve heartbreaking, nightmare-giving visions, too? Deon thought dismally.


    But within minutes, the trio was stretched and embarking on their run. Deon and Skrili reluctantly followed Skip back into the woods, along the same exact trail as before.


    The team kept falling behind their teacher in a vain attempt to put off their arrival to the cliff. But every time they did, Skip would turn and encourage them along. The crisp air gradually welcomed more sunlight, warming up their path.


    With every step, Deon hoped Skip would for some reason veer off on another path or tell them it was time to head back. Instead, they grew closer and closer to their fears.


    And a short while into their jog, they returned to the dreaded cliff. They ran up the slight incline, and onto the narrow trail between a tree-covered hill and an endless pit.


    The temperature cliff seemed uninfluenced by the time of day. It was equally as cold as the day before, and felt just as lifeless.


    Please no weird fog this time, PLEASE no weird fog this time¡­Deon begged.


    But the cliff didn¡¯t adhere to his prayers. He felt an icy humidity fill the air, and then, the fog encompassed them all once more.


    Deon felt his heart drop as Skrili and Skip vanished into the gray mist.


    Then, the whispers returned.


    When Deon fearfully looked back over the cliff, there they were again: the mouthless, gray versions of his mother, father, Uncle Adon, and Aunt Ergi. Savannah took form behind them just as gradually as last time, her faded yellow dress being the only source of color in the group.


    ¡°Not this again¡­¡± Deon moaned.


    ¡°You really wanted to do something special, but you were special enough for us,¡± said his father in the exact same delivery.


    ¡°Was home not enough for you?¡± his mother asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but we already went over this!¡± Deon told them.


    ¡°Deon, sweetie, you belonged here,¡± said Aunt Ergi.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, kiddo,¡± Uncle Adon added.


    ¡°Guys, stop!¡± pleaded Deon. ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do you think we didn¡¯t want you to leave Tailpiece?¡± everyone repeated. Then, yet again, the group turned and glanced at Savannah for a moment, before returning their attention to him.


    Savannah shrugged and twisted away from them.


    Deon shook his head, blinked a thousand times, and did whatever he could think of to escape this dark dream. But regardless, his family and loved ones were still there.


    ¡°You don¡¯t belong out there. You don¡¯t have what it takes. But now, you don¡¯t belong home either,¡± they recited.


    ¡°Just STOP! Enough! I don¡¯t want to deal with this!¡± Deon shouted.


    At last, they all began to vanish. He was left alone, and that same unfamiliar utterance filled the air all around:


    ¡°You¡¯ll see¡­¡±


    Deon tried speeding up. The faster he got out of the fog, maybe the sooner the visions would end. Maybe he could avoid the second one altogether: the one Skrili shared. The most dreadful thing he¡¯d ever seen.


    But his legs felt like nothing. It was like his body was operating automatically, in the same steady jog as when he¡¯d entered. He had no control over his speed or direction.


    Deon avoided returning his eyes to the cliff. But out of the corner of his vision, he saw two apparitions fade into existence. He slammed his eyes shut.


    We¡¯re not doing this, he thought, heart pumping.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Do you want to be just like me?¡± came Skrili¡¯s voice nonetheless.


    Once he heard her, the exact same image appeared despite his closed eyes. It had invaded his mind. He couldn¡¯t escape it.


    The black-eyed, smiling Skrili cradled her dead brother in her arms.


    ¡°Stop!¡± shouted Deon. ¡°Leave me alone!¡±


    ¡°You want to be just like me. But¡­you¡¯re not ready.¡±


    ¡°STOP!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like your mother said: a loving person fights even if they can¡¯t save someone. Sometimes, you won¡¯t be able to save someone. And you won¡¯t be ready for¡ª¡±


    ¡°STOP!!¡±


    But Deon couldn¡¯t escape it. In his mind¡¯s eye, Skrili¡¯s smile and mouth disappeared, and she began crying. Now, a lifeless, pale Lammy was in her arms.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be ready,¡± she shared chokingly.


    ¡°I DON¡¯T WANT TO BE!!¡± cried Deon.


    Finally, the visions yielded to his pleas. The mental images went dark, so cautiously, Deon reopened his eyes. He was still in the fog, but the apparitions were gone at last.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see¡­soon enough,¡± came Skrili¡¯s lingering whisper.


    Deon felt his whole body relax as soon as he saw the fog letting up. He regained control of his body and saw Skip and Skrili running ahead of him again.


    It was the exact same thing as last time, Deon noted, gritting his teeth. Why is he putting us through this again?


    Skip jogged, unbothered, as Deon followed him and Skrili back into the woods. All the while, Skrili kept her focus forward.


    Neither of the two teammates spoke for the remainder of their run.


    ~


    Deon crashed to his knees in the grassy front yard, and Skrili sat gasping across from him.


    ¡°It¡¯s always a little tougher getting through that run in the morning¡ªthe cold air just makes me stiff!¡± shared Skip, still on his feet and full of life. ¡°But now we¡¯re warmed up for a great training day, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you,¡± Deon mumbled.


    Skip laughed. ¡°What¡¯s with the attitude?¡±


    ¡°Why did you make us go through that again?¡± Deon pressed. ¡°What¡¯s the point of forcing us to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Anyways, make sure you guys hydrate and stretch again. I¡¯m gonna go whip up some smoothies to energize us for what I have next,¡± instructed Skip, completely ignoring Deon¡¯s complaint as he turned to walk away.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Deon called.


    But before Deon could even continue, Skip was already at the front door.


    ¡°Oh, and discuss what you saw again with each other,¡± he added without looking back. He closed the door behind him.


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes met. Deon tried not to show it when he felt that strange aura from her reappear.


    ¡°Same visions as last time?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡±


    Deon assumed Skip wanted them to discuss it further than that, but there didn¡¯t seem to be much else to address.


    I should just tell her about my second vision, he thought. It was just like hers¡ªthat just seems¡­odd.


    But still, he couldn¡¯t do it.


    If he acknowledged it, that made it more real. And he didn¡¯t want to face it.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t get what he¡¯s up to. This just feels like torture,¡± Deon said.


    Instead of responding, Skrili suddenly stood. She took a sip from her bottle and tossed it to the side. Then, she aimed at the air and jabbed a lightning-fast kick.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°You said you wanted to learn how I kick,¡± she said. ¡°Stand up. I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    Deon joined, confused at first, until he realized he wasn¡¯t the only one trying to block the visions out of his mind.


    Skrili took her instructions step-by-step, first with the starting position. Already, while she slowly demonstrated the graceful, whip-like movement of her leg in slow motion, Deon faced a challenge. Her balance was unyielding, while he kept stumbling. But soon, he was able to mirror this introductory form.


    Then, the real practice began as Skrili sped up her movement. Deon was surprised: it was so simple, yet as he¡¯d seen in her fights, so precise and consistent that the result was devastating.


    As they soon realized, much of Skrili¡¯s technique for this attack relied on her body type and size. While Deon was slender like her, it wasn¡¯t enough to simply mirror her exact style.


    They spent the rest of this miniature session gradually altering Skrili¡¯s kick to work for him through trial and error of different, precise motions. By the time Skip reemerged with soft pink smoothies in hand, Deon felt they¡¯d gotten it to a point he could start building upon.


    ¡°Already back to work,¡± Skip noted with a laugh. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t keep you waiting any longer.¡±


    Honestly, I¡¯m fine with putting off whatever you have in mind at this point¡­Deon thought begrudgingly.


    ¡°After smoothies, let¡¯s get back to it,¡± said Skip. ¡°How about we tackle some team techniques?¡±


    ¡°FINALLY!!¡± Deon bellowed before he could stop himself. ¡°I mean¡ªcool, sounds good.¡±


    ~


    Fueled by the fruity¡ªyet oddly spicy¡ªhomemade smoothies, the group stood in the center of Skip¡¯s yard. He instructed Deon and Skrili to stand facing each other, with about twenty footsteps between them. Skip stood off to the side between them to observe.


    ¡°So like I said after we fought,¡± started Skip, ¡°I noticed you two fight completely independently. Despite your shared goal, you split up and rely on your own solo skills¡ªno communication, no collaboration. And the result: really sloppy.¡±


    Despite the blunt honesty, Deon welcomed the criticism like long-awaited sunlight. Finally, they were actually going to work on their fighting. This was the part he¡¯d been expecting the whole time.


    ¡°You¡¯re a team, guys. There¡¯s two of you,¡± said Skip. ¡°So today, we¡¯re gonna run some drills to get your collaborative combat going. And I¡¯ve seen enough to know we¡¯re gonna need to start at square one. Skrili, hold out your hands.¡±


    She did so.


    ¡°Deon, you¡¯re big on imagining projectiles and small objects, right? Imagine something into Skrili¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªsure.¡±


    Deon focused on Skrili while she waited for him.


    Well I can¡¯t make something lame and easy¡ªthe Legend Trainer¡¯s watching, he figured.


    Recalling as many intricate details as he could, Deon imagined the mini version of Twitchy. Then, he brought the squirrel monster into existence just above Skrili¡¯s arms, and dropped it smoothly into her hands. She caught it with no trouble.


    For extra detail, Deon made the squirrel¡¯s beady eyes glance up at her and blink.


    Skrili¡¯s face reddened slightly as she met its gaze, unsure how to react.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­really fluffy,¡± she finally uttered.


    Deon laughed.


    ¡°Okay, so we can handle that, at least¡ªDeon¡¯s not a total noob,¡± Skip evaluated. ¡°Good, let¡¯s jump a few steps, then.¡±


    From there, Skip ordered them to each move back a few steps. He made Deon imagine the same Twitchy again, only in front of himself, and to mentally toss it to Skrili. Deon knew this would be a problem: he¡¯d only ever launched attacks in an effort to hit a target¡ªnot to pass something to one.


    He tried starting slow, and the Twitchy hovered forward almost unnoticeably. Deon attempted to accelerate it¡ªbut, still so used to projectile attacks, his mind sent Twitchy lunging at Skrili. She ducked, avoiding it just in time.


    ¡°Uh¡­whoops. Sorry¡­¡± Deon called over.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was expecting,¡± said Skip. ¡°Again.¡±


    The second time started out better, only to end in Skrili diving to the side when Twitchy darted forward at the last second.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Deon stayed confident: he was getting better each time. After eleven more tries, he pulled it off. It was still a fast one, so Skrili had to clutch it tight and slid back from the force, but they did it. Their efforts only smoothened each time after that.


    Skip advanced the training. Next, he instructed Deon to aim at different points for Skrili to run to and catch the Twitchy. Deon had to call it out, and then fire. With an already tight aim thanks to Lammy¡¯s training, and now with his speed under control, this next tier came much quicker. Meanwhile, Skrili had no trouble keeping up, sprinting, flipping, and sliding as needed.


    Then, Skip told him to stop calling out the catching points. And after that, Skrili needed to not only catch the Twitchy¡¯s, but throw them back in the same motion.


    Basic and repetitive as this drilling felt, it was already yielding clear results. Deon was starting to see how this could unfold into a whole variety of team attacks. His mind raced with ideas.


    Skip kept them on this stage the longest: the duo played catch with an imagining attack, continuously, for over an hour. Skip allowed them a water break, and then they were right back at it.


    Deon slid stomach first against the grass near Skip, just missing the Twitchy Skrili had thrown.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said.


    Deon had launched a high toss, so Skrili had attempted to jump straight up, perform a backflip, and use the momentum to pass the Twitchy right back to him in a swift movement.


    They were both stretching each other, diving right into complex techniques.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get it,¡± Deon said, shoving off the ground and back to his feet energetically.


    Skrili nodded in agreement, prepared to continue.


    ¡°To answer your question,¡± Skip suddenly said to Deon, ¡°there¡¯s a purpose for going back to the cliff.¡±


    Deon paused to look at him. They¡¯d left that topic alone since morning, and he¡¯d hoped it would stay that way.


    But maybe it was time for answers.


    ¡°Really? Doesn¡¯t feel like it so far,¡± he said, wiping his sweaty forehead.


    ¡°Facing your worst fears is something everyone needs to do in order to grow,¡± said Skip. ¡°Most people go through something that personal on their own. But the best consciousness teams are different¡ªthey have to be.¡±


    Skrili shifted out of her ready-stance, now listening closely.


    ¡°You have to face your fears together. Skrili¡¯s fears are yours now, Deon, and vice-verse. I told you to share what you saw with each other for that reason. You need to understand each other, and you need to help one another. It¡¯s the farthest thing from easy, but the process will make you grow so much closer. And that¡¯s infinitely more valuable than cool fighting moves.¡±


    Deon and Skrili glanced at each other quick, and guilt set in. Today, they¡¯d done the opposite of Skip¡¯s instruction: they completely avoided the topic.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be jogging back to the cliff every single day, for the rest of our training,¡± Skip told them. ¡°Your task is to help each other overcome your fears. Be there for each other. In a sense, it¡¯s the exact same exercise as the drills we¡¯re running right now: it takes communication, and collaboration.¡±


    In the silence that followed, Deon could hear the distant waterfall.


    ¡°Sound like a plan?¡± Skip asked with a reassuring smile.


    They both nodded.


    ¡°Perfect. Alright, back to the drills.¡±


    Deon and Skrili tried shaking themselves back into their former intensity. They started small, those ghostly visions once again staining their thoughts. When Deon caught Skrili¡¯s eye, he could feel that same strange essence around her, only several times stronger now.


    After a few more minutes, a curiosity dawned on Deon. He jumped to catch a Twitchy Skrili had rapidly returned to him, and then turned to Skip again.


    ¡°Teacher,¡± Deon began.


    ¡°Skip is fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Skip: can I ask you something?¡±


    Skip shrugged. ¡°Sure thing. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°What do you see when we go to the cliff?¡± Deon asked.


    For the first time, Skip¡¯s carefree demeanor faded for just a second. He put his hands in his suit pocket.


    ¡°How about we save that for another time,¡± was all he said.

 63. The Caves of Insecurity

    The whispery hiss of rain filled Nightwood Valley today. Sitting comfortably on one of Skip¡¯s living room couches, Deon sipped hot tea as he stared out the window and observed the heavy storm. He was relieved he wasn¡¯t caught in it anymore.


    As Skip had promised during their hours of team coordination practice the day before, he made Deon and Skrili jog back to the dreaded cliff with him this morning¡ªeven despite the atrocious weather. Deon felt they were lucky to have made it back with no other ailments but wetness; he¡¯d almost slipped countless times, and very well could have fallen off the cliff.


    He owed it to the automatic state his body had once again entered once the fog had closed in.


    As expected by now, his visions were the same: one where his family condemned and disowned him for leaving Tailpiece, and the other where he had no choice but to witness Skrili holding her dead brother, then a dead Lammy.


    Despite the predictability, it didn¡¯t make the experience any easier.


    Skrili emerged from the bathroom down the hall wrapped in a thick robe matching the one Skip had lent Deon. When she entered the living room and their eyes met, they both looked off and Deon tried to pretend nothing had just happened.


    That weird feeling had grown even stronger since yesterday. Every time Deon looked at her, that mysterious¡ªand oddly mesmeric¡ªaura returned.


    Playing it off, Deon raised her cup of tea from Skip. Skrili joined him on the couch and accepted the steaming drink. They both gazed out the window.


    ¡°That sucked,¡± Deon said.


    Skrili puffed a single laugh.


    ¡°So,¡± she started after a while, ¡°we¡¯re supposed to talk about our visions.¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°And¡­help each other figure them out,¡± she added.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Skrili turned to face him. ¡°Your family shunned you,¡± she recalled. ¡°What exactly did they say? What did you feel?¡±


    Deon saw the intent in her focused purple eyes.


    Huh¡­she¡¯s actually trying, he noticed. She¡¯s trying to connect. I guess we¡¯re doing this, then. Better not let it go to waste.


    He recounted his first vision for her again, this time, in much more vivid detail. Having experienced it three times now, everything was fresh on his mind.


    But even still, he found himself leaving out his second vision¡ªthe one that matched hers.


    He simply couldn¡¯t address it.


    Or accept it.


    After completing his explanation, he watched Skrili ponder to herself. When she appeared to muster a follow-up question, it wasn¡¯t at all what Deon was expecting. In fact, it seemed completely trivial.


    ¡°What does Savannah mean to you in all of this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Huh? My ex?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Deon scratched his head in uncertainty. ¡°Uh¡­I mean, she was there, but she wasn¡¯t really involved in it.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think she was there, then?¡±


    ¡°No offense, but do we really need to focus on¡­¡± Deon stopped himself when his mind ran through the vision¡¯s events once more.


    Why was she there? he realized.


    ¡°Well¡­she was the only person who knew I wanted to run away from Tailpiece, until Lammy found out,¡± he said. ¡°Actually, Savannah and I found the edge of the village together. Our original plan, when we were still dating, was to run away together.¡±


    ¡°So she was supportive of that choice,¡± Skrili said.


    Deon nodded. ¡°Even after she dumped me, I still got the vibe that she thought I should go for it. Until Lammy caught me trying to leave, she was the only one who would¡¯ve encouraged it. So then¡­in my vision, why is she there with everyone, calling me out for it? That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    They both sipped their tea ponderingly.


    ¡°What made you focus on Savannah, anyway?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°You said she¡¯s always distant and looking away when she appears, while everyone else is staring at you,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°And, her yellow dress is the only color in the vision. She stands out.¡±


    ¡°You think there¡¯s a reason?¡±


    ¡°I think next time, you should focus on her,¡± Skrili suggested. ¡°Try talking to her. Maybe she¡¯s there to teach you something.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± uttered Deon. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re good at this.¡±


    Skrili shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve had a lot of fears,¡± she said quietly.


    Deon recalled the way Skrili explained her first vision the other day: she saw herself lying down injured, and then he, Pang, and Phillip were lying there, too. But they all helped each other stand and laughed together.


    Then everyone disappeared but Skrili, and she watched herself fall back down.


    Deon realized it was now his turn to help her.


    ¡°In your vision, why do you think you end up all alone?¡± he asked her. ¡°Why do me, Pang, and Phillip vanish?¡±


    Skrili returned her gaze out the window. ¡°Because that¡¯s how life is,¡± she uttered. ¡°Everyone leaves eventually.¡±


    ¡°Really? I don¡¯t plan on going anywhere¡ªyou can take that as a good or bad thing,¡± Deon said with a laugh. ¡°And it seems like you won Pang back into your life.¡±


    But Skrili¡¯s somber stare was unwavering. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change how life works,¡± she said. ¡°One way or another, even if they don¡¯t want to, people disappear from our lives. Our differences make us either chase each other away, or repel each other. And if our differences don¡¯t, something else does. That¡¯s just reality.¡±


    Dang¡­that¡¯s a downer, Deon thought. But given the small peeks Skrili had offered into her past so far, he could see why she¡¯d say that. Between her past relationships, her brother, and Pang for a while, loss seemed commonplace in her life so far.


    ¡°So losing people, or repelling them away¡­that¡¯s what you¡¯re afraid of?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just what I know,¡± Skrili said back.


    ¡°But¡­these visions are about our fears, so¡­¡±


    When Skrili stopped responding, Deon realized he wasn¡¯t nearly as good at this as her. He simply didn¡¯t know how to relate, despite trying to. All his life, he¡¯d never truly been alone. Nobody close to him had ever really left, disappeared, or even died. He didn¡¯t know loss.


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out,¡± Deon promised. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not going anywhere. I know you¡¯ve been through a lot of things, but that won¡¯t scare me away. Do you believe me?¡±


    Skrili remained silent, and Deon felt is handle on the conversation continuing to slip away.


    ¡°Look,¡± he tried as a last resort, ¡°I really mean it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey guys! Can you come help me with something?¡± came Skip¡¯s muffled voice.


    They both checked around the house, but didn¡¯t see Skip. Then, Skrili caught sight of him out in the yard, once again getting soaked.


    ¡°He¡¯s outside?! Why?¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°We¡¯d better go out there,¡± Skrili figured.


    While she hurried to the bathroom to get dressed, Deon imagined fresh clothes on, plus a hooded jacket. He imagined another for Skrili¡ªadjusting the size so it wouldn¡¯t be as terrible as his past attempt¡ªand handed it to her as she returned.


    The instant they opened the door, the harsh winds forced a splash of rain into the entrance. The duo rushed to step outside, with vain attempts to shield their faces in their hoods.


    Skip stood over by the side of the house, observing a tree bent out of shape¡ªeven for the strange trees in this area. It was buckling underneath the increasing wind, one of its largest branches leaning right over his house. While much of the cabin was encased safely within the rocky hill, at this angle, the branch could crash through the front wall if it snapped.


    ¡°Deon: imagine something to saw the branch off, and then Skrili and I can kick it out of the way!¡± Skip planned over the growling storm.


    ¡°Right!¡± called Deon.


    But then an intense gust swooped down, almost knocking them all over.


    Skip looked to the sky. ¡°Okay¡­that might not work out,¡± he realized. ¡°On the bright side, this will be a perfect training exercise! I don¡¯t run into this with teams very often.¡±


    ¡°What? Moving a branch?¡± Deon questioned.


    ¡°No,¡± said Skip, still observing the air. ¡°This.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The sheer pressure made Deon¡¯s hearing go dull. A blast of air pounded into him, scooping him right off his feet and into the air. Everything was too dark and frantic to process as he flipped uncontrollably.


    ¡°WHAT THE HECK?!?!¡± Deon bellowed.


    He slammed his eyes shut as he plowed through thin branches, spinning through the air. Every time he thought the gust was over, he would feel it violently suck him higher.


    The wind current was taking him away.


    After what must have been minutes, the wind ceased instantaneously: all sound returned, and even the rain was totally gone. The pull of gravity overcame Deon as he freefell towards an unknown surface, from an unknown height.


    What a lame way to die, he figured would be his final thoughts.


    With a grunt, he thudded facedown onto a strangely padded surface. An earthy scent filled his nostrils. He waited a moment for his head to stop spinning, and then mustered the courage to open his eyes.


    A smooth, green texture was before his vision. Deon lifted his head to find he¡¯d landed on some sort of leaf¡ªone large enough to fit him. He rolled over, confused to find the sun peering through the high trunks and branches above.


    Huh? he wondered.


    Deon sat up. He was all alone now, deep within the Nightwood forest. The trees and branches dominated all corners of the area: they were much more populated here, to the point that he couldn¡¯t find the ground. Oddly shaped, curvy branches circled and weaved around each other tightly all around him, even beneath the leaf where he stood.


    This area wasn¡¯t quite a forest: it was more of a cave.


    Deon stood slowly, still shaking off the dizziness from his unwelcome trip.


    ¡°Well, now I know what it¡¯s probably like to fight Alex,¡± he said to himself.


    He stepped off the spongy leaf and onto the uneven floor of roots and branches carefully. While they looked exactly like the soft branches he and Skrili had been sleeping in, these were hard like normal bark.


    Deon observed his surroundings. There was no sound besides his own steps. A short walk ahead, he saw that this tree cave came to an abrupt end: the wall curved up. Wherever he was, he was trapped.


    ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± Deon uttered, hurrying forward. He thought maybe he could try flying through the top with his bug wing contraption, but the branches were too thickly interwoven. If they weren¡¯t soft, he probably couldn¡¯t fit through.


    Well I had to get in here somehow, he noted.


    Once he neared the end of the tree cave, his worry weakened. However, his curiosity peaked: the branches before him started shrinking out of the way for him, creating a path. With each step, they continued to make room.


    ¡°Man, this Country is weird,¡± Deon said.


    He continued forward, unable to tell where he was headed. But going anywhere seemed a better choice than waiting to die.


    The path curved and turned occasionally¡ªit seemed to be guiding him somewhere specific. He tripped twice on a few clingy branches, and quickly made sure to watch his step more carefully.


    Then, he heard the cracking of wood from above. When he tried to find the source, he spotted it and ducked just in time: a blurry black branch came swinging right at him, and then vanished back into the tree wall.


    Whoa¡­must be a loose branch from a dead tree, he figured. But¡­why was it black?


    He continued on walking, but then felt his heart pound once. Deon came to a dead stop.


    Disloyalty.


    The essence of that word pulsed through his entire body once, and then it was gone.


    His worry returning, Deon uneasily continued forward.


    Then, another crack. A black branch whipped at him low, from the wall of the tree cave. Deon jumped over it, the bark only grazing his toe. Losing balance, he fell to his knees.


    Jealousy.


    Deon clutched his chest as the feeling pounded through him.


    ¡°What is this?¡± he gasped. ¡°I need to get out of¡ª¡±


    This time, the sound that cut him off wasn¡¯t a quick snap of wood. It was an ongoing creak, coming from behind. Deon slowly turned to face where he¡¯d just come from.


    An entire wall of sickly black branches were in their final motions of closing off the path behind him, wrapping around each other like a spider weaving a web around a new catch.


    Once the dark wall was complete, the cave was dead silent.


    Somehow, Deon knew it was time to run.


    He pounced to his feet, stumbling as he raced forward. The healthy branches ahead continued to knit a trail for him, matching his increased speed.


    But now the black branches launched after him, toppling over each other as they reached desperately for their prey.


    One of them drew close enough to swipe at him. It scratched his arm, almost knocking him over.


    Unrelatable.


    Deon pushed to catch his breath when his heart pounded once more. The word¡ªor rather, its meaning¡ªfelt alive in his mind.


    Another branch almost latched onto his foot. Deon shook it off and kept running.


    Too broken.


    Another clawed at his back.


    Too depressed.


    Deon stumbled as a thick branch caught him on the shoulder.


    Too hard to love.


    He pleaded for the healthy branches ahead to open up to somewhere safe, but the uncertain path continued on, weaving and winding.


    Finally, two branches wrapped around both of his ankles and tugged. He couldn¡¯t do much more than fall, feeling the dark trees pull him backwards.


    The branches began to surround him slowly.


    But to his confusion, his emotions didn¡¯t quite match the situation.


    While he was afraid, that wasn¡¯t the primary feeling. For some reason, he felt sad. Incredibly sad. An impending truth was sinking in and he had no choice but to accept it, yet he couldn¡¯t even decipher what it was.


    This time, the words came to his mind layered over each other, like a chorus:


    You¡¯ll give up on me, you¡¯ll get tired of me, you¡¯ll give up on me, you¡¯ll abandon me, you¡¯ll give up on me, I shouldn¡¯t even try, you¡¯ll give up on me¡­


    Crouched over and unable to move, Deon realized:


    These weren¡¯t his own feelings.


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­I¡¯ve heard enough!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    Frustration building, Deon imagined a long, sharp knife. He sent it soaring all around him, slaying as many surrounding black branches as possible. But to his surprise, they all immediately started growing back into form.


    Deon imagined a second knife, focusing hard to control both simultaneously. Even faster now, he mentally swung them at his hunters. They couldn¡¯t keep up with his strikes this time. As soon as he carved a path out, he made a break for it.


    He felt panic set in when he realized the healthy branches before him were no longer opening up a trail. Gritting his teeth, he ran straight at the wall of trees in a last ditch attempt to plow through.


    But all at once, the trees opened up.


    With all of Deon¡¯s weight forward, he clumsily rolled into a much more open space, landing on plain soil.


    At last, he¡¯d reached the end of the tree cave.


    The creaking sound ceased, so hastily, Deon turned around. The trail he¡¯d just sprinted from was closed off behind the same trees that had made a path for him. The black branches were trapped inside.


    Deon lay there gasping as his breath steadily returned. His clothes were dirtied and ripped all over.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± a familiar voice inquired unemotionally.


    He lifted his head to find Skrili standing across from him. She was completely unscathed.


    ¡°Trees tried to kill me,¡± he attempted to explain. ¡°Where the heck are we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Seems like the wind took both of us.¡±


    Deon and Skrili observed their new surroundings. They were in a dirt clearing, enclosed within a circular wall of Nightwood trees. However, these weren¡¯t nearly as compact as the tree cave, but more akin to the area just beyond Skip¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°To be exact, the wind took all of us,¡± came Skip¡¯s voice from above.


    They turned to find a dead, black tree along the wall of the clearing. Deon tensed for a moment, before realizing it wasn¡¯t moving. On top of that, Skip was sitting casually within its branches high above.


    ¡°I was right: it was that kind of storm,¡± Skip shared. ¡°They don¡¯t happen too often¡ªI¡¯m glad we got caught in one!¡±


    ¡°WHY?!¡± Deon demanded, climbing to his feet.


    Skip looked back and forth between Deon and Skrili. Whatever he found made a smile grow, and filled his eyes with intrigue. ¡°So Skrili came out just fine, but Deon¡¯s covered in scrapes. Interesting¡­¡± he said to himself. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I chose to do my Legend Training in Nightwood Valley. It¡¯s full of great Fiction Country phenomenon to learn from!¡±


    He shifted his weight to another branch when the one he¡¯d been using cracked. ¡°Sometimes, when a group gets caught in a rainstorm around here, the wind will suck them up into what¡¯s known as ¡®Caves of Insecurity.¡¯ Spooky, right?¡±


    And annoying, Deon thought, wiping off his sleeve.


    ¡°The good trees guide you back to the people you got separated from, as long as you want to find them again,¡± Skip explained. ¡°But the bad trees¡­the dead ones¡­they try to stop you. And the other peoples¡¯ insecurities about you empower them.¡±


    ¡°The other peoples¡¯ insecurities¡­¡± repeated Deon. ¡°Wait¡­so those feelings I heard¡­¡±


    He looked into Skrili¡¯s eyes. He could hear all the words again.


    ¡°Looks like you had one heck of a trip. What did you hear in there?¡± Skip asked him.


    Deon¡¯s eyes stayed on Skrili. ¡°All kinds of things¡­about being too depressed¡­too hard to love or relate to¡­and not being worth my time.¡±


    ¡°Well, those aren¡¯t my insecurities,¡± said Skip. ¡°That¡¯s what Skrili¡¯s worried you¡¯ll think about her.¡±


    Skrili looked away and hid her eyes behind her bangs.


    ¡°It matches your vision from the cliff,¡± Deon realized. ¡°You think I¡¯ll get sick of you. You think I¡¯ll leave¡ªthat everyone will.¡±


    Skrili bit her lip silently.


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­used to it,¡± she uttered, hardly audibly. ¡°I¡­I know I can be a lot.¡±


    Before Deon could come up with some sort of reassuring rebuttal, Skip broke out in a laugh.


    ¡°Really? By the looks of it, Deon definitely doesn¡¯t think so,¡± he pointed out. ¡°What happened in your cave, Skrili?¡±


    She paused abruptly and stared off in thought, possibly even holding her breath. Despite her stoic face, Deon could see her mind spinning as something significant occurred to her.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she finally said. Her eyes slowly fell back to Deon, and something behind them had changed with her realization. ¡°Absolutely nothing,¡± she repeated louder. ¡°I just followed the trail, and it led me here.¡±


    ¡°So while you¡¯ve been projecting all these worries onto Deon, while you¡¯ve been assuming he¡¯ll eventually bail on you, this guy has literally no insecurities about being your teammate,¡± Skip explained. ¡°I¡¯ve never, ever, seen anyone come out of a tree cave without a single scratch.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean¡­?¡± asked Skrili.


    ¡°Basically, you found a real keeper,¡± said Skip simply. ¡°Whatever you¡¯ve been through before, I guess he¡¯s different. And he has a lot of faith in you. Maybe you should try and put a little faith in him.¡±


    Deon felt that odd sensation increase stronger than ever before as he exchanged gazes with Skrili. But this time, neither looked away.


    ¡°So uh¡­do you believe me now?¡± Deon asked. His tone wasn¡¯t correctional or condescending, but hopeful. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on ditching you. I¡¯d be an idiot. Everywhere we¡¯ve gone, you¡¯ve helped me grow. You¡¯re the most interesting¡ªand honestly the weirdest¡ªbut mainly the most interesting person I¡¯ve ever met, Skrili.¡±


    Her widened eyes moved to his torn clothes and scrapes across his skin.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Oh, this? This is nothing!¡± Deon promised with a laugh.


    ¡°No¡­¡± said Skrili. ¡°I mean¡­to be honest, I¡¯ve tried pushing you away several times. When we first met¡­when you told me about your cousin¡­after you returned my TeamTrack and asked me to be your teammate¡­I kept being cold to you. Part of me wanted to scare you away. But¡­it¡¯s because I was afraid¡­¡±


    ¡°Afraid of what? What will she say?¡± Skip called down dramatically. Deon jumped, almost forgetting he was still there.


    ¡°¡­Of trying again,¡± she finished. ¡°But now¡­I¡¯m willing. I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll do my best. Okay?¡±


    The words forced themselves out laboriously. Clearly, she was trying hard.


    Deon¡¯s smile spread as wide as possible.


    ¡°So then, what say you, O Deon?¡± questioned Skip playfully, with a false elderly rasp.


    ¡°I could do without the random commentary!¡± Deon spat. ¡°But¡­what I say is,¡± he started confidently.


    Skrili watched him in wait, fidgeting nervously with the hoodie he imagined for her. She bit her lip again, clearly unsure what expression to give in this situation. It was obvious this hadn¡¯t been a conversation she was prepared for.


    But her eyes were filled with anticipation. Finally, she¡¯d laid out her vulnerabilities with him, and her desire to pursue their team. Now he felt it was his turn to say something meaningful and grand.


    But he¡¯d never seen her like this before. Combined with the enchanting essence around her, she was mesmeric.


    ¡°Uh¡­c¡ªcool,¡± he muttered pathetically, offering a shaky thumbs-up.


    NO! I totally blew it!! he thought despairingly. Why?! I¡¯m never this lame!


    While Skip broke out laughing from above, a familiar, sly smile grew on Skrili¡¯s face. It eased Deon¡¯s embarrassment.


    ¡°You better not screw up, though,¡± she warned.


    Deon chuckled. ¡°You punk.¡±


    Skip let out a long grunt as he stretched up in the tree. ¡°Well, though I totally didn¡¯t plan it, I¡¯d say this was another successful training session!¡± he declared. ¡°All that¡¯s left is to try and get out of here and find our way back to the cabin.¡±


    Deon and Skrili nodded. Then, they stared impatiently when for some reason, Skip made no effort to climb down.


    ¡°Uh¡­are you coming, or¡­?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°Oh¡ªyeah I¡¯m not up here by choice,¡± he explained casually. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m trapped. This tree has been pinning me down the entire time.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­this is really, really bad,¡± Skip added, still entirely chipper.


    With cracks and tired creaks, the tree branches suddenly came to life. The trunk sprung up from the ground, its roots protruding from the dirt. Then, the branches around Skip tightened, squeezing him against the harsh black bark.


    ¡°Wait, this is just one of your little tests, right?¡± Deon asked, trying to keep his cool.


    Skip shook his head calmly. ¡°Oh, no. Not at all,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m being totally serious. I¡¯m in immediate, definitely lethal danger. Please help.¡±

 64. Looming Statue

    The tree branch continued bending steadily under an unwelcome weight.


    ¡°I suppose we can climb down from here,¡± said Zayza, brushing aside her long, cloud-dampened hair. She eyed their distance from the grassy ground with reluctance.


    ¡°Sorry¡ªthe dragon disappeared on its own,¡± Lammy explained.


    Thankfully, when Lammy¡¯s imagined dragon had vanished, they weren¡¯t far above the ground of a tree-covered hill. Just as his relief that they escaped Raznizu and Xinderzin set in, and just as they neared the safety of the grass, the colorful dragon had dismissed itself. The warmth and glow in Lammy¡¯s eyes had vanished, as well.


    Lammy made his way to the ground quickly, having climbed many a tree in Tailpiece with Deon. He waited patiently for the wary Zayza, providing guidance along the way. Finally, she touched down, almost pulled off her feet from her travel bag¡¯s momentum.


    Zayza straightened up and let out a decisive sigh. ¡°Alright, well, we should probably summon the dragon once more. Our pursuers can¡¯t have gone far.¡±


    She waited expectantly.


    ¡°Yeah¡­so about that¡­¡± started Lammy. ¡°I have no idea how I did that. I¡¯m starting to figure out a connection between my imagining abilities and my stress, so I think I have to be really stressed for it to work again.¡±


    Zayza brought a hand to her chin ponderingly. ¡°Ah, what if I told you that Raznizu and Xinderzin are probably going to try kidnapping us again at any second?¡±


    Lammy searched deep for that power surge he¡¯d felt. But it was nowhere. While Zayza¡¯s reminder was certainly stressful, it didn¡¯t reignite his heightened state.


    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡±


    After a moment, Zayza nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s be off, then,¡± she said.


    Lammy¡¯s feet dragged as he followed her hasty pace. Just like that, he went from transcending anything he thought he could ever imagine, to being useless and scared again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Zayza,¡± he uttered.


    But she laughed, warmly and tenderly. Zayza turned to show a smile, and slowed her walk until the glum Lammy caught up.


    ¡°What?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Zayza thought aloud, looking towards the cloudy sky. ¡°How many times are we at, now?¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°First, there was the time I almost froze in that storm outside Our Snowy Village¡­¡± she recalled.


    ¡°I mean¡ªthe wall I imagined almost fell on us¡­¡± Lammy pointed out dismissively.


    ¡°Then there was Felix and Snowdust,¡± continued Zayza. ¡°Then all of those dreadful customers in Food Town¡­and then you escaped us from Fewpar and Najinzu. You crossed over into the Dream World, and then teleported us to safety.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­for some of those I didn¡¯t really know what I was doing¡ª¡±


    ¡°And then you protected us in the championship, and just now, you imagined a revered creature and flew us from our enemies. So that makes¡­six times so far.¡±


    Blushing, Lammy didn¡¯t know what else to do but shrug in silence. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, if I can do all that, I can make the dragon come back?¡± he tried.


    Again, Zayza let out a short, patient laugh. It was as weathered and weary as it was warmhearted.


    ¡°No, silly,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re allowed to be weak every once in a while.¡±


    She placed a hand on his shoulder. In that instant, Lammy could feel tears well up all at once. He adamantly held them in.


    ¡°Sometimes¡­given all you¡¯ve done, and how courageous you¡¯ve been in our travels, I forget how young you are,¡± Zayza added gently. ¡°It reminds me of something¡­or someone¡­but I can¡¯t remember exactly who.¡±


    A soft wind chilled them as their still-drying clothes fluttered against their skin.


    ¡°None of this should be happening to you,¡± said Zayza. ¡°So please, don¡¯t ask too much of yourself.¡±


    Lammy sniffed, no longer able to hold back his tears. Zayza paused their walk to embrace him as he cried reluctantly.


    ¡°I promise we¡¯ll make it to Deon,¡± she whispered, her own tears now falling.


    ~


    The next several days of travel were uneventful.


    Entirely contradictory to their expectations, Raznizu and Xinderzin had never returned that day. Actually, Lammy and Zayza never traced a hint of their presence anywhere, despite staying on high alert day and night.


    While the lack of danger was welcome, its cost was an unceasing unease that they could be ambushed at any given second. Lammy and Zayza moved hastily all day, and developed a rotating schedule at night for scouting duty. Zayza kept watch for roughly two hours as Lammy slept, then they switched repeatedly until the earliest sign of dawn.


    After that, it was feet to the road.


    Aside from the diminished rest, this approach came with a worse complication: this way, Lammy could no longer accompany Zayza in the Dream World at night. If that treacherous memory monster was to find her, and she couldn¡¯t get out in time, there was no way Lammy could help.


    Thankfully, as she shared, her newfound approach of warping to various discreet locations across the Dream World was still working.


    But how long could this keep up?


    They evaded hunters in their waking and their sleep, and Lammy feared eventually, one was bound to catch them.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Kotono and Hiroko kept in touch each day as often as possible¡ªespecially after learning of Lammy and Zayza¡¯s near capture. They always stayed to talk for what little time they had, before their professional obligations forced them to leave.


    According to them, Raznizu had been a colleague of Zayza¡¯s¡ªthough it was unclear if she him as well as Fewpar and Najinzu, since they had no more insight than that. All they could conclude was that he was likely serving the same mission.


    But Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s further observations gave Lammy and Zayza hope¡ªwhich at this point, was their most crucial resource. Judging by Zayza¡¯s descriptions of their current surroundings, Hiroko estimated the dragon chase had pushed them much farther along the trail to Fiction Country: by roughly a full day.


    It was day eleven now, and as long as the champions¡¯ estimates were correct, they would reach Fiction Country soon¡ªperhaps even by dusk.


    Lammy swung his travel bag to his front and shuffled through it as they kept their steady pace. What his hand felt only made his stomach grumble louder than before.


    ¡°Almost out,¡± he uttered.


    ¡°I am, as well,¡± said Zayza. ¡°We should have just enough leftovers to get us to Fiction Country if we¡¯re vigilant. Then we¡¯ll have to restock in town.¡±


    ¡°But our earrings won¡¯t work anymore,¡± Lammy reminded her.


    ¡°Oh¡ªthat¡¯s right.¡±


    They both sighed, their hunger fatigue fighting against their rushed speed. Lammy scanned the sky and the ground around them for Raznizu and Xinderzin as he¡¯d been doing habitually for the past several days. But still, they were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°I remember now,¡± said Zayza softly.


    Those three words sent a chill down Lammy¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Wait¡ªseriously? Everything?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªI just mean, I remember why your courage reminded me of someone¡­well, sort of,¡± she clarified. ¡°As I mentioned the other day.¡±


    Lammy felt air return to his lungs in utter relief. He wasn¡¯t prepared to learn the truth of Zayza¡¯s past so suddenly.


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± he said. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure¡­it wasn¡¯t a full memory I gained,¡± shared Zayza. ¡°But I used to know a young girl. I don¡¯t have details¡­but I know she was tenacious, and bold. She didn¡¯t realize her own brilliance, but she was unafraid to pit herself against the adults. Not unlike you, Lammy.¡±


    Lammy failed to conceal his returning blush.


    ¡°I wish I could remember her face¡­¡± Zayza uttered.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good sign that you remember someone like that from a positive memory,¡± Lammy realized. ¡°Between Kotono, Hiroko, and this girl, it seems like you have a lot of good people in your life¡ªwhich says a lot about who you were in the past.¡±


    But Zayza looked around oddly. ¡°Oh¡ªyes. From a positive memory,¡± she repeated.


    As she returned her attention to the trail silently, Lammy kept his eyes on her a while longer.


    Huh? What¡¯s with that reaction? he wondered.


    ~


    Despite their grandest efforts, their hunger had overcome their ambition that day, and they didn¡¯t see the Fiction Country border before nightfall.


    But only a few hours into the next sunny morning, their checkpoint was clear over the horizon: a towering, picket fence-shaped wall that stretched as far as they could see. Its massive stature dominated the sky, and specks of distant dragons lowered to the ground before it to drop off their passengers.


    In the very center at the end of the Fantasy Country trail, Lammy observed what he deduced was the Worldline Kotono had explained to him. Its colorful glow was distinct, even under the sunlight from this far away.


    Lammy and Zayza had passed by many more travelers today than any other. The foot traffic and sky traffic alike were increasing the closer they got. While it reassured them of how near they were at last, it also made scouting for Raznizu and Xinderzin that much trickier.


    While having a destination in sight inspired them to increase their rush, it wasn¡¯t without reluctance: once they stepped past that Worldline, their earrings would become useless. Anyone who remembered Zayza would recognize her.


    It kept crossing Lammy¡¯s mind: Xinderzin referred to Zayza as ¡®royalty,¡¯ condescending as his tone was.


    Could it be true?


    Lammy kept eyeing his companion, who had grown progressively more withdrawn into her thoughts with each day.


    He¡¯d travelled long enough with her now to know something was up.


    ¡°So uh¡­is the Dream World still going okay?¡± he checked, once they weren¡¯t nearby any other travellers.


    Zayza hesitated. ¡°Oh¡ªum¡ªyes, it¡¯s been fine,¡± she ultimately stammered.


    ¡°No run-ins with the dark memories?¡±


    ¡°N¡ªno, not at all.¡±


    He knew this was going nowhere, and besides, they had approached another cluster of consciousnesses moving at a slower pace. To be extra cautious, Lammy dropped it for now.


    By late afternoon, they finally reached the border. They neared the Worldline within the fence steadily, and Lammy watched as consciousnesses before them disappeared into its light.


    He felt for his earring, bidding its power one last goodbye.


    All the while, Zayza was still silent. There were travellers before and behind them, so Lammy spoke lowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but¡­you¡¯re really bad at lying,¡± he told her.


    Her green eyes met his with hesitancy.


    ¡°So¡­the memory shards found you?¡± Lammy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry, Lammy¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°That memory about the girl¡­it was from one of the dark memory shards. But that was the only one, I promise.¡±


    Lammy sighed. ¡°You can always ask if you need backup next time. We decided we¡¯re in this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Together,¡± Zayza finished, nodding to remind herself. ¡°I know¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    There were only a dozen people between them and the Worldline, now. Lammy felt this discussion was far from over, his concern very much unquenched. But now simply wasn¡¯t the time.


    Within moments, the duo stepped through the immersive colors. Lammy was surprised to feel nothing as they passed into Fiction Country, leaving their magical disguises behind.


    They both lifted their hoods, covering their faces as much as possible.


    While he was begrudged to find yet another line leading to another giant fence, this instantaneous new setting dominated Lammy¡¯s attention. Between the time-hop to later in the warm afternoon, to the darker, less bold or vibrant colors here, everything was different. This transition was initially jarring, similar to when they¡¯d fallen into Fantasy Country from Realistic Fiction Country weeks ago.


    He was sure not to let his eyes drift for too long, however, keeping his head low. There were much more people in line here. His heart raced, the reality of their constant danger now sinking in even more tangibly.


    Zayza tapped his hand subtly, catching his uneasy eyes with hers. She gave a brief nod, not uttering a word.


    Somehow, Lammy felt a peculiar essence of assurance and comfort emitting from her. It wasn¡¯t the nod or eye contact alone¡ªthere was something deeper, something alive.


    They could do this.


    His slight boost in confidence wavered once he realized where this line was headed: two guards stood analyzing each incoming and outgoing traveler, group by group. Soon it was Lammy and Zayza¡¯s turn, and Lammy¡¯s heart pounded into his throat. They both hid their eyes behind their hoods.


    The two tall guards stared at them intently, seemingly veering through them. Their grips on their black metallic staffs remained tight and ready.


    Lammy gulped.


    ¡°No weapons or illegal items,¡± one guard declared. ¡°You¡¯re free to enter.¡±


    With a start, Lammy followed Zayza forward. But the other guard¡¯s gaze remained set on them as they passed through the giant fence¡¯s plain gate.


    ¡°She must be a famous pro or something,¡± he overheard the guard mutter to his peer.


    ¡°Mm. They¡¯re always trying to avoid recognition. That reminds me¡ªI saw Skrili Kay a few shifts ago.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t follow the League enough to know names.¡±


    The rest of their discussion faded as Lammy and Zayza continued on. But Lammy smiled under his hood¡ªnot only did they get through, but if that guard saw Skrili, then that meant Deon was with her. And that meant Hiroko and Kotono had them on the right track.


    The next station would prove to be less than a challenge. Lammy gathered the scale cards they¡¯d earned from the Phoenix and exchanged them for Fiction Country¡¯s parchment points at the designated booth, as Hiroko had recommended. With Lammy doing it, Zayza could avoid another interaction altogether.


    As they stepped beyond the archway and onto the cracked sidewalk of Fiction Country¡¯s Conscious City, Lammy felt his whole body ease up. Perhaps he¡¯d been worrying far too much about this portion of their journey.


    He pounced when Zayza suddenly clutched his shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he wondered.


    Her eyes were fixated on the sidewalk across the road. Lammy looked forward, having to peak past bulky, loud four-wheeled vehicles and flocks of pedestrians.


    ¡°Run,¡± Zayza whispered, her face pale.


    In the exact instant, his eyes fell on the object of her terror. Amongst the bustling crowd, still as a looming statue, stood Raznizu.


    And he was gazing right back at them.

 65. City Chase

    Lammy and Zayza couldn¡¯t afford a single second of hesitation. They had seen¡ªor rather, not seen¡ªhow impossibly fast Raznizu could move.


    But they also knew they couldn¡¯t turn back into Fantasy Country. Their only salvation lay ahead.


    Zayza grasped Lammy¡¯s hand and tugged him along the old sidewalk. They sprinted together, barely slipping past confused pedestrians.


    Through all the people and vehicles, Lammy spotted Raznizu beginning his pursuit. He only walked at first, before breaking into a steady jog that would come across innocent to any onlooker.


    He¡¯s trying not to make a scene, Lammy noted, already heaving from the sudden exercise. We can use that to our advantage and get away.


    At the end of the sidewalk, he spotted a crowd gathering around some sort of pickup spot for transportation, under a blue sign. That was it: maybe if they could stay around a cluster of witnesses, Raznizu would be unable to act.


    He attempted to match Zayza¡¯s speed and steer them, but she was simply more agile.


    ¡°The¡­the crowd!¡± he gasped.


    Zayza seemed to catch onto his intentions and veered towards the impatient group. Raznizu followed across from them at a distance, his eyes never shifting away.


    They hurried to a stop in the middle of the crowd, earning a few irritated grumbles from those they bumped into.


    Razinzu¡¯s pace slowed: it worked.


    If he can¡¯t be caught attacking us, we¡¯ll just stay around people, planned Lammy. That should be easy enough in a city like this.


    But once he looked at Zayza, he realized he¡¯d overlooked a massive risk. While they¡¯d barged through the group of city folk, Zayza¡¯s hood had slipped off.


    Their earrings meant nothing now, and she was exposed.


    Keep your cool, Lammy¡­he cautioned himself. Those guards didn¡¯t recognize her. She might not be that well-known.


    He nudged her arm.


    ¡°Your hood,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Hm? Oh.¡±


    She hurried to raise it back up.


    ¡°Hey, wait a second¡­¡± came a voice at the edge of the group.


    ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re right!¡± agreed another.


    Lammy and Zayza whipped around to see an elderly couple staring at them. The woman was pointing right at Zayza.


    A third individual picked up on the commotion and followed their eyes. ¡°Whoa¡­that girl looks just like Princess¡ª¡±


    ¡°GO!¡± Zayza shouted.


    They plowed through the rest of the crowd before anyone else would catch on.


    ¡°P¡ª¡®Princess?!¡¯¡± Lammy repeated.


    ¡°I suppose!¡± came Zayza¡¯s anxious reply.


    Thoughts fired off in Lammy¡¯s mind. Back in Tailpiece, Savannah¡¯s father used to tell him and Deon old fairytales about princess and princesses who ruled over kingdoms.


    Zayza was like that?


    A screech pounded their ears¡ª in their rush, they¡¯d run straight onto one of the bumpy roads. They turned to find one of the bulky, wheeled vehicles had almost collided with them and came to a messy stop. A long, angry honk blared from the machine.


    Lammy and Zayza darted to the next sidewalk. They turned to find Raznizu¡¯s progress¡­


    But he was gone.


    Lammy held his breath. Had Raznizu retreated yet again?


    ¡°I would much prefer to do this the simple way,¡± came a low voice from behind.


    Lammy and Zayza went pale, zipping around to find Raznizu right behind them, leaning against a brick building.


    ¡°No¡­¡± gasped Zayza.


    ¡°That dragon technique was outstanding, boy,¡± Raznizu admitted. ¡°But now, it is imperative that you both come with¡ª¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyes glowed. Before he could even command his own powers, he felt a powerful weight scoop him up from underneath.


    His dragon had returned.


    Lammy and Zayza watched the ground leave their feet as the rainbow-colored dragon flashed into existence. They grasped onto it for dear life.


    ¡°This again¡­¡± Raznizu muttered from below. He sounded much more inconvenienced than enraged, watching them take off.


    People on the streets shouted and pointed at Lammy¡¯s soaring dragon. Soon it neared the height of the lower buildings.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Zayza exclaimed.


    Lammy nodded, but they both realized this was far from over: curving past the rooftops in their ascent, they spotted Raznizu once more. He zipped straight up a wall, and began chasing them from atop the buildings.


    The dragon sped up on Lammy¡¯s command, but they watched in fear as Raznizu gained on them. He hopped from roof to roof in a display of sheer athleticism, closing in after each leap.


    But there was hope ahead: the dragon was fast approaching a park within the city, centering around a large pond. Raznizu would have no roofs to hop between, and the dragon would have adequate space to ascend into the sky safely.


    As soon as they reached the park, Lammy commanded the dragon to pull up.


    But suddenly they shook, and the dragon let out a pained, oddly human roar.


    While the dragon spun in the air unevenly, Lammy caught a glimpse of the cause: Raznizu stood at the edge of the final building, with circular knives in hand.


    ¡°Keep your head down!¡± Lammy screamed to Zayza.


    Another knife came spinning their way¡ªbut this one slashed through the dragon, as well, leaving behind a cartoonish and unrealistic hole in its wing.


    The rainbow beast shook again, coming close to spinning out of the air. Lammy almost lost his grip as it whirled around unsteadily.


    If he could do that this whole time, why didn¡¯t he take us out when they were right on our tail in Fantasy Country? Lammy wondered. He had a clear shot!


    He checked their descending height above the pond, and then the two holes in his dragon. So far, everything Raznizu had done seemed calculated. These knife attacks appeared too precise.


    He¡¯s¡­not aiming for us? Lammy realized.


    Another knife came, and despite their increased distance from Raznizu, it still met its mark: straight through the dragon¡¯s other wing.


    This time, they began falling steadily towards the water.


    ¡°I can¡¯t reimagine the dragon¡¯s wings!¡± Lammy warned Zayza. ¡°It¡¯s too complex to do quickly¡ªwe¡¯re gonna go down!¡±


    With all of his willpower, he steered the weakened dragon towards the grassy edge of the pond, evening it out once they closed in. The people below darted in all directions to avoid this strange crash landing.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    As soon as the dragon skidded against the ground, it vanished from existence. Lammy and Zayza braced themselves before sliding and rolling against the grass. Lammy lost all sense of direction, jamming his eyes shut until he felt his body stop.


    Hearing hushed concerns all around, Lammy cautiously opened his eyes. He felt himself pulled into a sitting position, and found Zayza crouched beside him.


    ¡°You¡¯re alright, Lammy,¡± she gasped quickly, clearly in an attempt to assure herself of it more than him.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he said dizzily. Everything spun for a moment.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Are you two okay? I¡¯m a nurse!¡± came a woman¡¯s voice. She rushed over to them. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t imagine such dangerous things in the city¡ªare you okay?¡±


    Lammy and Zayza nodded. His vision improving, Lammy knew they still had no time: Raznizu emerged from the streets down at the entrance to the park. He broke into a hurried jog once more.


    ¡°Zayza, we gotta go!¡± Lammy shouted, lunging back to his feet and grabbing her hand.


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡®Zayza?¡¯¡± the nurse repeated. ¡°Like, the princess? Are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thank you! Farewell!¡± Zayza exclaimed, quickly matching and surpassing Lammy¡¯s pace.


    Crap¡ªI¡¯m already blowing it! Lammy realized.


    ¡°Where do we go?!¡± cried Zayza.


    They both turned to find Raznizu had accelerated into a full-on sprint along the outside of the pond. They had mere seconds.


    ¡°WHERE DO WE GO?!¡± she wailed again.


    Lammy considered trying to summon his dragon once more, but now he knew Raznizu could just shoot them back out of the sky. Desperate, he tugged Zayza towards the outskirts of the park. They plowed through a row of bushes and back into the streets.


    Parked just before them rested an old, rusty blue vehicle along the side of the road. Smoke puffed from the driver¡¯s seat, where a bulky man in a gray cap sat smoking his cigar.


    It crossed Lammy¡¯s mind to plead for a lift. Maybe this driver knew where Nightwood Valley was.


    As soon as that thought emerged, Lammy felt something. Beholding the ugly vehicle, somehow, he felt at home. He could hear Deon¡¯s laugh, like they were walking home together under the late afternoon sun.


    ¡°I think he can help us,¡± Lammy said, uncertain why he even believed that.


    ¡°Oh? The taxi?¡± Zayza asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s a taxi?¡±


    With no time for explanation, Zayza darted forward and knocked on the blue car door frantically.


    Startled, the man removed his cigar and leaned over to roll down the passenger seat¡¯s window. ¡°Relax, relax missy. Where to?¡±


    ¡°ANYWHERE! A SCARY MAN IS CHASING US!!¡±


    ¡°Good Lord Almighty¡ªget in, get in!!¡± the man shouted, stretching hurriedly to flip the lock on the back seat.


    Zayza waved Lammy forward, opening the door for him. Even in their frightfully urgent circumstances, she held the door open for him to go first.


    Lammy lunged into the back seat, immediately grimacing at the taxi¡¯s smoky and musty odor. He crawled into the far seat so Zayza could tumble inside, slamming the door behind her.


    The rubber back wheels screeched against the street, and the taxi zoomed straight into the busy road.


    The driver steered frenziedly with one hand, still clutching his cigar in the other.


    ¡°Who¡¯s after you two?! What am I driving you from?!¡± he called back.


    ¡°It¡¯s a silver-haired man with¡ª¡± Lammy started.


    ¡°HIM!!!¡± Zayza shrieked.


    Just beside her, matching the car¡¯s speed, ran Raznizu.


    ¡°YIKES!!¡± yelped the driver. He chucked his cigar out the window and grasped the steering wheel with both hands. ¡°Hold on!¡±


    They heard the tires screech again as the taxi revved forward even faster, narrowly avoiding another vehicle at an intersection. The speed pushed Lammy and Zayza against the back cushion of their seat.


    In the mirrors, Lammy could still see Raznizu tailing them. But now he was falling behind, either unable to contend with the machine¡¯s speed, or fatigued from sprinting across half of Conscious City.


    Then the daylight reflected against something¡ªmultiple somethings¡ªthat emerged into Raznizu¡¯s hands.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna throw more knives!¡± Lammy warned.


    ¡°This guy throws knives?!¡± repeated the driver. ¡°What in the Multiverse did you do to piss him off that bad?!¡±


    They all heard a clank against the street, right beside the car¡¯s tire. Soon came another, and sparks flickered from the road.


    The taxi was coming up on another intersection fast. Instead of pushing through it like all the others, the driver waited until they were just before it, and then the tires screamed as he skidded the vehicle and flung the steering wheel in a spinning frenzy. Lammy and Zayza screamed in panic as they almost took out a line of pedestrians.


    The taxi straightened out around the corner just in time. It powered forward up a steep hill, creaking and croaking all along the way.


    ¡°She¡¯s still got it,¡± the driver commented, patting his ancient machine.


    Lammy checked what he could see of the mirrors again: this time, Raznizu wasn¡¯t in view. No more knives came their way.


    ¡°Did¡­we finally lose him?¡± Zayza wondered.


    ¡°Knife-throwing ninja or not, he¡¯s still just a human,¡± the driver said. ¡°He¡¯s gotta catch his breath eventually.¡±


    The hill eventually evened out, and the taxi hurried along with much less effort. Whatever street they¡¯d ended up on, it was much less busy.


    ¡°So uh¡­what¡¯s this guy¡¯s beef with you kids?¡± he asked again. ¡°You say his pants were too tight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­a long story,¡± Zayza answered carefully. ¡°One that we don¡¯t even understand.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna guess the coast is clear for¡­¡±


    They all heard another rumbling vehicle join the road from behind. Lammy and Zayza dared to peer out the back window.


    Climbing to the top of the hill, a similar black vehicle rose up behind them and blasted forward. The spiky, silver hair in the driver¡¯s seat was unmistakable.


    The taxi driver caught sight of it from his mirrors.


    ¡°Knife-throwing ninja guy in spandex stole a car¡­¡± he observed. ¡°Of course he did.¡±


    The engine revved up once again, and they breezed past buildings like a blur. But they couldn¡¯t shake off Raznizu¡¯s black car. It seemed newer, and consequently much more agile.


    ¡°Any safe place I can take you guys to?! This isn¡¯t gonna work out much longer,¡± the driver said. ¡°Not to mention: I don¡¯t exactly have a death wish!¡±


    Lammy knew there was only one ¡®safe place¡¯ at this point¡ªprecisely where they were headed all along.


    ¡°Can you take us to Nightwood Valley?¡± he asked.


    ¡°¡®Nightwood Valley?! That¡¯s over an hour from here at full speed!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the only place we have a chance!¡± urged Zayza.


    ¡°My cousin is there, and he can help us!¡± Lammy added, noticing the black vehicle grow bigger in the mirrors. ¡°Please.¡±


    The driver hesitated. They all flinched when a knife scraped the edge of the car and spun off the road.


    ¡°Alright, fine! I¡¯ll do my best¡ªno promises!¡± the driver said. ¡°Here goes nothing!¡±


    The taxi skidded off the main road abruptly, hopping over the edge of the sidewalk. The driver took them straight down an extremely narrow road between two buildings. Raznizu struggled to follow.


    ¡°My car may not be the fastest, but I bet it¡¯s been down a lot more back roads than this guy!¡± exclaimed the driver.


    He weaved them in and out of random streets Lammy hadn¡¯t even spotted until they were on them. The driver endlessly honked his horn, and people dove out of the way in terror. An oncoming car spun out and almost took out a building as it slid off the street.


    All the while, Raznizu kept on their trail. Though now that they were in a much denser, more populated area, he ceased throwing knives. Lammy hoped he¡¯d finally run out.


    ¡°YES! Told you I know the back roads!¡± shouted the driver.


    After seemingly infinite minutes of racing through the city streets, the taxi burst onto a grassy field with a fence of trees at the other end. It hurried towards a wide dirt road that began between two boulders: one bright white and the other pitch black.


    Dust shot up everywhere while the taxi cruised past the boulders and trees, and accelerated down the open road. Small hills and green plains were all around, a stark contrast to the bustling city they had just fled seconds ago.


    But the peaceful view was the least of their interests: to everyone¡¯s dismay and expectation, the dreaded black vehicle emerged from the dust and joined them far behind. The taxi driver had shaken Raznizu off his tail, but not off his path.


    And as they¡¯d seen on the city streets, his car was faster.


    The driver checked his mirrors, and then shook his head in defeat.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving her everything she¡¯s got¡­but this old thing ain¡¯t gonna hold him off,¡± he uttered. His hand searched for his cigar nervously, before recalling he¡¯d thrown it out the window.


    It was mere moments before Raznizu had caught back up. The taxi rattled, barely able to keep up its current speed. They all watched in fearful silence as Raznizu¡¯s knife-wielding hand emerged from his window.


    Then they all heard a pop.


    Lammy and Zayza shook in the back seat as the taxi leaned to one side and began sliding all over the road.


    ¡°He hit the tire!¡± the driver shouted. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡±


    They were losing speed fast. Lammy¡¯s heart pounded and his breath went shallow. Raznizu had them now, with no crowds to hide behind and no thin side streets to maneuver in and out of.


    Wait¡­no buildings¡­which means no obstacles¡­he realized.


    ¡°Lammy, your eyes are glowing again!¡± Zayza exclaimed rapidly. ¡°Your powers!¡±


    ¡°Right!!¡±


    Before Lammy could even try, the car shook even more.


    ¡°WHOA!¡± yelled the driver.


    Their view of the road disappeared before their eyes¡ªnow all they could see was the sky as the upward momentum pushed them against their seats.


    An oddly human roar resounded from beneath.


    Just like the previous two times, the dragon had appeared before Lammy could even consciously imagine it. But this time, it lifted the entire taxi on its back.


    As the driver continued shouting, Lammy and Zayza turned to the rear window. Raznizu¡¯s stolen car still followed, the distance between them growing by the second. The dragon ascended much slower with its much heavier load, unable to rise straight towards the clouds like Lammy had hoped.


    Again, Raznizu¡¯s hand emerged from the window.


    ¡°DUCK!¡± cried Zayza.


    They knew he¡¯d hit his mark: the dragon bellowed and the car rocked back and forth upon its back.


    This couldn¡¯t go on. Running from Raznizu got them nowhere all this time, and Lammy knew what that meant.


    We have to get him before he gets us, he thought.


    His eyes were still glowing from the stress. He could do this.


    Lammy took a long, labored sigh, pressed up low against the seat. Then, he rose and locked onto his target.


    Please work again, powers¡­he prayed.


    ¡°LET¡¯S SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT, JERK!!¡± he bellowed, his voice cracking in the process.


    He imagined one of Raznizu¡¯s own knives in his head¡ªat least, how it appeared while it would be spinning at them. The details were sparse, and Lammy knew nothing about the materials¡ªa recipe for an Imaginer¡¯s failure.


    However this was his only chance, so he continued regardless. Lammy tried imagining the spinning knife into existence. It appeared¡ªpotentially as a mere illusion¡ªfloating just behind the dragon¡¯s tail.


    But in a moment, the sunlight began reflecting against its silver blades naturally.


    It was real.


    Lammy sent the knife swooping down at Raznizu¡¯s car. He pulled it up just in time to avoid the ground, it and sunk straight into the vehicle¡¯s lower front. A burst of fire rose and the car started swerving.


    ¡°You¡¯ve saved us!¡± Zayza exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s time number seven!¡±


    Lammy blushed.


    Then immediately, he went pale.


    It happened too fast to react: another glistening knife spun into the sky like a shooting star, straight into the dragon¡¯s left wing. Raznizu¡¯s now flaming car spun out of control immediately after, spiraling off the dirt road and flipping down a grassy hill


    Unable to withstand more destruction, Lammy¡¯s fake dragon vanished. Immediately, they began falling out of the air.


    Lammy felt his gut rise into his chest, and then all he could hear was a deep, metallic bang.

 66. New Connection

    Something had changed.


    Maybe Skip¡¯s lessons, roundabout and random as they seemed, were far more calculated than Deon previously thought.


    He jogged behind Skip and Skrili once more in the early daylight, trotting down the slope that led to the dreaded cliff. But this time, his mind wasn¡¯t stuck on the haunting visions he was moments from experiencing. This time, he was still transfixed on what had happened yesterday after they were swept up in the rainstorm.


    He and Skrili finally connected.


    ~


    One day earlier¡­


    With cracks and tired creaks, the black tree branches holding Skip suddenly came to life. The trunk sprung up from the ground, its roots protruding from the dirt. Then, the branches around Skip tightened, squeezing him against the harsh black bark.


    ¡°Wait, this is just one of your little tests, right?¡± Deon asked, trying to keep his cool.


    Skip shook his head calmly. ¡°Oh, no. Not at all,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m being totally serious. I¡¯m in immediate, definitely lethal danger. Please help.¡±


    Roots stomped against the ground in a fury, and the dark tree unleashed a piercing scream with its creaking limbs. The sharp tips of each branch fractured themselves into new positions, now pointing straight down at Deon and Skrili like dozens of swords.


    ¡°Just so you know, this tree will absolutely try to kill you if you try getting to me¡ªthat¡¯s how these things work,¡± warned Skip, his voice growing choky as a branch wrapped around his neck. ¡°But you know, do your best,¡± he squeezed composedly.


    ¡°Skip!¡± Deon shouted. Unnerved, he took a slow step forward.


    Then one of the branches stabbed downward at him and Skrili, increasing in length. They pounced to opposite sides and tumbled against the dirt.


    Skrili shot to her feet first, taking on a defensive stance.


    ¡°We have to hurry!¡± she urged. ¡°Let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Skrili, duck!!¡± cried Deon.


    Another branch had come swooping down at her from the side, in a blind spot. She sunk low just in time to avoid a deadly impact, but the branch still scraped her back and sent her spinning back to the ground.


    She stood again just as swiftly, appearing unharmed. If anything, Deon realized, she probably gained a minor Power Rebound from the impact.


    Deon rose in a hurry, analyzing the tree with imagining techniques in mind. Skip watched on with a small, seemingly unbothered smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s attack at the same time,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°Good idea,¡± agreed Deon. ¡°Here!¡±


    He imagined an oversized knife just before Skrili: the same one he¡¯d used against the black branches in the tree cave. She grabbed hold.


    Then, he imagined a second one for himself. ¡°Got the branches on the left?¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°On my mark.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, this is exciting!¡± Skip choked above them.


    ¡°GO!¡±


    After Skrili¡¯s signal, they both charged forward, wielding their weapons tightly. The tree immediately returned the aggression, jabbing several of its branches their way. Deon and Skrili swung forcefully, and sticks and bark fell to the ground around them in the heat of their battle.


    But the branches were durable, and at the speed they moved, incredibly difficult to destroy. The jabs kept coming, stopping Deon and Skrili in their progress towards Skip. Deon took blow after blow while he tried to keep up with their unpredictable aim.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Skrili exclaimed. Something clanked against the ground.


    Deon turned in the midst of endless swinging, and barely made out that the tree had knocked Skrili¡¯s knife out of her hands.


    ¡°Deon!¡± she shouted warningly.


    Hearing her say his name caught him off-guard¡ªhe still wasn¡¯t quite used to it. Consequently, his reaction was too delayed when he tried to find the subject of her alarm.


    Several more branches swooped in towards him: the ones that had been fighting Skrili. They clashed with the others as they all attacked. Now it was impossible for Deon to hold his ground. Within moments, they slapped him to the dirt. He lost his grip on his knife along the way.


    But once he landed, vulnerable to even worse punishment, the trees stopped in place.


    Seizing the moment, Deon dove for his knife. He grasped it and turned to guard himself. The instant he did, the branches snapped back into hostility.


    ¡°Wait¡ªdrop the knife!¡± Skrili called over quickly.


    ¡°Huh?! Why?!¡± demanded Deon, slashing away.


    ¡°Just do it!¡±


    Reluctantly, Deon let his weapon fall to the side. Again, the branches stopped.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with this?¡± Deon wondered.


    Across from him, Skrili tiptoed over to the knife she¡¯d dropped. She crouched down and picked it up slowly. Frenziedly, all of the branches screeched to life and darted towards her. Then, when she dropped it again, they froze inches from her face.


    ¡°They only attack when they¡¯re being attacked,¡± Skrili revealed.


    ¡°Whoa...wait¡ªthat¡¯s it!¡± Deon exclaimed with a clap. ¡°The drills from yesterday! That¡¯s what we have to do!¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡±


    Reinvigorated with an attack plan, Deon took on a ready stance. ¡°Alright, me first! When it comes your way, make sure you grab the handle!¡±


    He imagined both knives out of existence, and then recreated just one, placing it in his hands.


    ¡°LET¡¯S GO, TREE!¡± he bellowed.


    The branches didn¡¯t waste an instant as they cracked away from Skrili¡¯s head and zoomed towards Deon. He ducked under the first one, and then swung fiercely at the next, chopping clean through it.


    But more branches stabbed forward at an angle he couldn¡¯t defend.


    ¡°ALL YOU!¡± he called to Skrili. Deon imagined his knife out of existence and immediately pictured another, ready to create. Surrounded by branches, he couldn¡¯t aim it into Skrili¡¯s hands. Instead, he placed it high in the air and let it fall freely.


    Skrili sprung into action, pouncing into the air and catching the knife with a flip. The branches abandoned Deon to target her. Using the same midair momentum, Skrili spun and sliced two branches at once.


    ¡°YOURS!¡± she shouted the instant she landed. With a twist, she flung the knife Deon¡¯s way.


    His whole body tingled as he realized the danger spinning at him¡ªknife blades weren¡¯t quite as soft as the Twitchy attacks they¡¯d used in their drills. But the training proved fruitful, as he caught the handle with surprising ease.


    It was just in time to deflect a branch¡¯s attack, and then chop another down. He had his way with a couple more branches before a third one struck him.


    ¡°In!¡± Skrili called to him.


    Deon de-imagined his knife to make the branches stop. Though he couldn¡¯t see, he knew Skrili¡¯s general displacement based on her call. Skip had them run this yesterday.


    He imagined another knife into the air behind the lifeless branches. The sound of Skrili¡¯s swift footsteps stopped as she leaped up. Then, several of the branches before Deon fell to Skrili¡¯s knife.


    Before she landed in a roll, Skrili tossed the knife back to Deon. No verbal cue was needed this time¡ªthey¡¯d fallen into a groove. The remaining branches had been trailing her, but once the knife left her hand, they stopped wide open to Deon¡¯s oncoming blow.


    Clutching the knife, Deon was too close for the branches to stir and react in time. With a shout, he slew them to the ground.


    ¡°Good work!¡± croaked Skip. ¡°When you have a second, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll last much longer in this¡­¡±


    The tree was now bare of branches, besides the ones squeezing Skip. But the trunk shook in a rumble, and more suddenly shot out.


    ¡°We need to be faster,¡± Skrili realized. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They pounced forward, and the fight continued. But now, with a clear and proven strategy, Deon and Skrili claimed the advantage over the deadly plant. They dove back into their rapid turn-taking tossing technique, with twists, flips, and midair catches, chopping branch after branch as they closed in.


    Deon had never fought so fluidly in his life. His partnership with Skrili was invigorating, like he¡¯d instantly become twice the fighter with twice the capability. This was much more effective, and encouraging, than splitting up or assisting while Skrili took the heat.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    So this is what it¡¯s like to be a team, Deon realized.


    Soon the quarrel was nearly over. Without having to plan it, they broke into a combined move they hadn¡¯t even practiced in their training. Deon dove to slice one of the final branches while Skrili jumped up towards the tree. Picking up on her intent, Deon de-imagined his knife to freeze the last branch, allowing Skrili to land on it.


    Then it was time for the finishing blow: Deon imagined the knife into Skrili¡¯s hands, and the moment it appeared she swung down to take out their opponent.


    The thick branch dropped unevenly, so Skrili fell at an awkward angle. Deon was quick to imagine a pillow beneath her, which she sunk into safely.


    They waited for the tree to stir again while Skrili stood from the cushion.


    But this time, its only movements were the loosening of its hold on Skip. He dropped down from high in the tree and landed elegantly.


    Skip brushed off his scratched-up suit jacket, and then broke into spirited applause.


    ¡°YES! Excellent work!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Well, I¡¯d better come clean. I absolutely knew that rainstorm was coming. I knew there was a good chance we¡¯d get caught in all this if we went outside.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s called a weather forecast,¡± laughed Skip. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think the drills I had you run yesterday were a little too convenient for this tree fight?¡±


    ¡°And those ¡®Caves of Insanity¡ª¡¯ those were part of your little plan, too?¡± pressed Deon.


    ¡°¡®Caves of Insecurity,¡¯ but yep.¡±


    Deon grumbled to himself irately, and Skrili said nothing.


    ¡°Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I really was gonna die if you guys didn¡¯t fight well,¡± Skip promised. ¡°What you displayed today was perfect. It¡¯s safe to say, now you¡¯re a real team.¡±


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes met.


    ¡°I guess we are,¡± said Skrili. A smile curled at the corner of her mouth.


    In that moment, Deon knew it was more than the technique from yesterday¡¯s drills. Skrili¡¯s whole demeanor towards him was transforming before his eyes. Sharing each other¡¯s fears, learning of each other¡¯s insecurities¡­perhaps it was all playing a part. Skrili was willing to work with him just now, not simply at the same time as him.


    She was placing trust in him.


    Maybe Skip¡¯s training wasn¡¯t so ridiculous, after all.


    ¡°Okay, I think that¡¯s enough excitement for today,¡± Skip decided. He began walking past them into the woods. ¡°I say we head back for a nice meal. While I was stuck up there choking to death, I came up with a new recipe! Come on!¡±


    Unsure how Skip even knew where in the forest they were, Deon and Skrili joined him within the dense trees.


    ~


    Deon felt a familiar, yet still unsettling chill as the air grew gray around him. It snapped his mind back to the present as he set foot on the beginning of the foggy cliff.


    Skip and Skrili disappeared into the haze before him. He knew it was time once again to revisit his deepest fears.


    Up first: his fear of not belonging in the Multiverse or in Tailpiece¡ªof belonging nowhere.


    But this time, coming off of their victory yesterday, he felt ready.


    Skrili¡¯s advice from the morning before played back in his head: that he should try talking to Savannah (or rather, this ghostly representation of her). Skrili seemed certain: Savannah¡¯s behavior stood out from the rest in his vision, and her inclusion alone was inconsistent with the overall message. While the rest of his loved ones didn¡¯t want him to leave Tailpiece, Savannah had always been in on it.


    Deon could follow Skrili¡¯s logic, but he wasn¡¯t so sure her plan would work. Would speaking to a vision even accomplish anything? So far in previous visits, it hadn¡¯t. They just persisted, reminding him of his worst horrors. If they responded, it was only to instill further fear.


    But then again¡­thought Deon. His mind returned to their experiences with the rainstorm, the Caves of Insecurity, and the black tree.


    Skrili was beginning to trust him now. And Skip had emphasized over and over again how important trust is for this training.


    Now wasn¡¯t the time to start having doubts in her.


    If she¡¯s gonna start putting faith in me, the least I can do is trust her idea and give it a shot, he decided.


    As soon as he came to this conclusion, the whispers resounded from the cliff.


    The transparent, colorless figures of his parents, Aunt Ergi, and Uncle Adon appeared. Savannah followed, fading in much more slowly in her faded yellow dress.


    She always comes in last¡­Deon realized.


    ¡°You really wanted to do something special,¡± began his father yet again, ¡°but you were¡ª¡±


    ¡°Special enough to us. Yeah, yeah, I know, Dad,¡± interjected Deon.


    ¡°Was home not enough for you?¡± asked his mother.


    Deon sighed and waited impatiently as the rest recited their lines for what felt like the millionth time. If anything, this portion of the vision had become more annoying than frightening.


    But he made another observation: Savannah was the only one who didn¡¯t have her own statement to tell him.


    Then, it came time for the eerie group question:


    ¡°Why do you think we didn¡¯t want you to leave Tailpiece?¡±


    Instead of focusing on the contents of their words, Deon listened for anything else odd. His eyes widened once he caught it: Savannah¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t among the rest. He¡¯d noticed before that she spent most of the vision looking off in the distance, but now, he found she never took part in the question at all.


    Skrili really is on to something, he thought.


    As always, the other four figures turned their heads to Savannah. She looked back and shrugged apathetically, before crossing her arms and beginning to look away again.


    But she paused in place when Deon spoke up.


    ¡°Hey wait a second! Savannah!¡±


    Her ghostly gray eyes rolled, and then fell to him reluctantly.


    To his surprise, the rest of the vision paused: his family didn¡¯t continue on to recite their next phrase.


    He¡¯d successfully disrupted the vision.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you playing along?¡± Deon asked Savannah. ¡°Everyone¡¯s over here guilting me for leaving Tailpiece, but you don¡¯t even look like you want to be here.¡±


    Savannah stared at him unwaveringly. It brought back unwanted memories of when he¡¯d done something stupid back home: she used to give the same disappointed glare. After too long of this, he realized his attempt was likely unfruitful.


    ¡°You know why,¡± came her clear voice.


    For a moment, he felt like he was in Tailpiece again, alone with her in the woods where they weren¡¯t allowed. It had been so long since they last spoke¡ªalmost months, now. Her voice tugged at his heart and flooded him with nostalgia, despite her current aloofness.


    It sent his mind back to sneaking out of the schoolhouse together during lunch break, and disappearing together after school whenever there was time before a fight session in the field. They¡¯d explore the forbidden trees, laugh, and long for a bigger world together.


    It was the first time he actually had to try to win over a girl¡¯s heart. It was the first time he felt love during a kiss.


    Savannah was the only one who knew his secret. His family knew him. Lammy looked up to him. But Savannah¡ªshe was the only one who knew everything about him¡­


    ¡­about his desire to leave Tailpiece behind.


    ¡°Wait¡­why would you be against this?¡± Deon asked the apparition of his former lover. ¡°For as long as you knew, you encouraged me to run away and see what¡¯s out here!¡±


    Savannah¡¯s focus was unyielding.


    ¡°Heck, you wanted to come with me! We were supposed do this together, remember?¡± he continued.


    ¡°Yes, I remember.¡±


    ¡°You always said if anyone could make it out here, it would be me!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I said that.¡±


    ¡°You believed in me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°So what are you doing here? It doesn¡¯t make any sense for you to be in this vision,¡± Deon concluded. ¡°I told you how deep down, I feel like my family will hate me for running away, but you believed that would never happen. You always said I need to do what¡¯s right for me¡ªwhich is what I did. I know I have what it takes¡­I know this is where I¡¯m meant to be¡­because of you.¡±


    Savannah listened quietly as his words poured out.


    ¡°So it doesn¡¯t make sense for you to be in a vision where everyone¡¯s telling me the opposite. And you know what? You said it a million times, and I always brushed it off. But you¡¯re probably right: my family would never really reject me, would they? They love me as much as you did, and my leaving wouldn¡¯t change that. So none of this makes any sense! So¡­so¡­¡±


    He paused and caught his breath.


    ¡°So¡­what am I so afraid of, then?¡± he finally uttered.


    The ghostly beings all stared at him in complete silence.


    Then, all together, they faded into the fog. Soon these colorless, lifeless, utterly fake versions of his father, his mother, Aunt Ergi, and Uncle Adon were gone.


    But for a moment, Savannah remained. She hovered there alone in her faded yellow dress.


    She smiled at Deon. Then she, too, vanished.


    Deon¡¯s body felt much lighter as he automatically jogged along. No: he quickly realized the weight hadn¡¯t been lifted from his body, but from his mind. He¡¯d casted aside baggage he was hardly aware had been weighing him down all this time.


    He¡¯d overcome this fear.


    Skrili was right.


    ~


    Deon and Skrili flopped down into Skip¡¯s grassy yard, grateful their daily fear-jog was behind them. While they reached for hydration, Skip made his sprightly way over to his cabin¡¯s door¡ªnot a sweat on his forehead or a gasp in his breathing.


    ¡°Lunch will be ready soon!¡± he declared before closing the door.


    Deon turned to Skrili, catching his breath. It was debriefing time again, but unlike previous mornings, he had a lot to share this time. ¡°Okay¡ª¡±


    The door swung open again.


    ¡°You know the drill! Share your experiences from the cliff!¡± Skip called over. He slammed the door shut once more.


    Deon rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he restarted, ¡°are you some kind of genius or something?! How did you know?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°My vision! You were right: Savannah was the key to it all!¡± Deon elaborated. ¡°Talking to her brought up all kinds of thoughts and memories, and¡­it really just helped me see why I had nothing to be afraid of. How did you know?¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes lifted in thought, and then she simply shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a good guesser,¡± she supposed.


    Deon smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you are. Thank you,¡± he said. ¡°I wish I could be more useful helping with your fears.¡±


    ¡°You were,¡± Skrili uttered.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°My first vision didn¡¯t even happen this time,¡± she explained. ¡°I never saw myself standing there, or you, Pang, and Phillip leaving me behind in tears. The fog just skipped it entirely.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good! Why, though?¡±


    ¡°Skip said the cliff shows us our worst fears. I guess that¡¯s not one of my worst fears anymore,¡± Skrili said.


    Deon shifted his posture as his energy replenished from their run. ¡°Wait¡­why did I have anything to do with that?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°Well¡­because¡­¡± Skrili stiffened, suddenly fidgeting with her hands. ¡°Do I really have to spell it out for you¡­?¡± she grumbled. ¡°The¡ªthe Caves of Insecurity. They showed me you don¡¯t have any problems with me¡ªor any doubts in our partnership¡ªor whatever¡­¡±


    Deon listened closely as Skrili¡¯s face reddened.


    ¡°So¡­like¡­I guess who I am doesn¡¯t chase everyone away,¡± she admitted. ¡°I guess¡­some people are different¡ªyou¡¯re different, I mean. So¡­maybe I shouldn¡¯t be so afraid that opening up to you will scare you away. I should give some people¡ªgive you¡ªa chance.¡±


    She abruptly dug her face into her hands.


    ¡°Ugh¡­I hate vocalizing all of this. It¡¯s making me nauseous¡­¡±


    Deon chuckled. ¡°Well today¡¯s another huge win. For both of us.¡±


    Skrili eventually nodded, and mustered the courage to lift her face. ¡°But thanks to me, we¡¯ll probably keep having to do these jogs for a while. Sorry.¡±


    Initially, Deon didn¡¯t follow. But he quickly realized what she meant: there was still that second vision¡ªthe even more nightmarish one.


    The one he still hadn¡¯t found the strength to admit he also experienced.


    It appeared again this morning, too. He may have conquered the first vision, this one was always far worse. It hadn¡¯t stopped flashing into his mind since their first jog.


    ¡°I feel like this is mostly my problem,¡± said Skrili, ¡°but we¡¯re a team. So if you have any ideas on how to shake it, I¡¯ll try them¡­well, unless they¡¯re awful.¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart pounded. They¡¯d spent all this time, shared all these words, and practiced all these drills about trust and openness. The transparency was already transforming them both.


    Yet here he was, keeping the truth from her.


    ¡°Skrili,¡± Deon said suddenly. ¡°I um¡­I haven¡¯t been totally honest with you.¡±


    A breeze hissed between them.


    ¡°I have that second vision, too. The exact same one,¡± he admitted. ¡°I see you holding your brother after he passed. I see his body turn into Lammy¡¯s. It¡­it just¡­I don¡¯t know, Skip said the cliff interprets our future too, so it freaked me out. I didn¡¯t want you to get even more scared. I didn¡¯t want to be scared, either¡­I¡­I¡­¡±


    ¡°You saw it too?¡± Skrili asked hollowly, her face going pale.


    Deon gathered himself, and nodded.


    ¡°¡­What does that mean¡­?¡±


    The silence that followed her question was deafening.


    After another breeze passed them by, Skrili stirred.


    ¡°Tonight,¡± she said.


    ¡°T¡ªtonight?¡± replied Deon.


    ¡°You should know. So tonight, I¡¯ll tell you,¡± came Skrili¡¯s sober, careful words, ¡°how Akri died.¡±

 67. Skrili Kay (Part 1 of 2)

    Deon couldn¡¯t be more relieved when the next item on Skip¡¯s training itinerary was simply team combat drills. He desperately needed a break from all of the deep, dark, and vulnerable lessons, as valuable as they had proven to be.


    ¡°Keep focused, Deon!¡± Skip urged, leaning against the boulders where his cabin was built. ¡°Skrili, you¡¯ll have to trust that it¡¯ll appear!¡±


    High above, surpassing even the height of the tallest trees, Skrili balanced atop a single floating wooden plank. She leaned forward, preparing to jump.


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened as he grimaced from effort. His timing and aim had to be perfect, or Skrili would freefall.


    Once Skrili took a brave, steady leap into the open air, Deon tried to follow her eyes and position to determine where she was hoping to land. In a split second, he imagined another floating plank. Skrili¡¯s toes barely reached it, but she stepped forward and caught herself atop the platform.


    Deon let out a massive sigh. ¡°Nice one!¡± he shouted up to her.


    Still balancing out, Skrili sent a single nod his way.


    ¡°Boooooooo¡­¡±


    They both turned to glare at Skip in confusion.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong this time?! Skrili didn¡¯t fall!¡± Deon protested.


    ¡°No good. Do it again,¡± said Skip flatly.


    ¡°But why?!¡±


    ¡°Why do you think?¡±


    Deon and Skrili took a second to ponder. Then Skrili checked behind her.


    ¡°The other plank,¡± she noted.


    Skip pointed to her in affirmation. ¡°There it is. Nice thinking, Skrili.¡±


    Deon tensed. Now he was the only one who didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What¡¯s so wrong about that?¡±


    ¡°You left the other unneeded plank in existence. In a tournament fight, a mistake like that can be critical,¡± Skip explained. ¡°As an Imaginer, leaving behind anything you make creates an opening for your opponent, which they can use against your teammate. Another Imaginer could intercept it as a weapon. A Manipulator could turn it into something else. If you leave a trail behind, any skilled fighter could follow it and attack Skrili.¡±


    Deon grit his teeth.


    ¡°My instructions were specific for a reason: when Skrili jumps, create a new stepping point for her, but remove the previous one at the same time,¡± ordered Skip. ¡°Do it again.¡±


    These drills ate up the rest of the afternoon. They saw improvements little by little. By the final few hours, Skrili was practically jogging through the air, stepping on the planks Deon imagined while the ones she left vanished close behind her. Deon had to imagine pillows on the ground to catch her countless times, but as the hours passed, the falls and drops decreased.


    Skip seemed rather pleased with their steady progress, already beginning to list off recipe ideas while the woods grew tired and shadowy around them.


    This was precisely the training Deon was hungry for, but he found himself less invested than normal. Instead, for hours, all he could truly focus on was his talk with Skrili this morning.


    That shared vision weighed down on them constantly, looming in the shadows of their thoughts.


    Was it their greatest fear, or was it the future?


    Skrili¡¯s promise that she¡¯d tell him about her brother¡¯s death tonight was her last mention of the situation. In general, she¡¯d fallen particularly silent since then¡ªeven for her.


    He wondered if she¡¯d still follow through with it.


    After winding down from training, and partaking in Skip¡¯s latest concoction¡ªa surprisingly rich, relaxing salad bar¡ªDeon and Skrili departed from the cabin and entered the chilled night air.


    Their shoes brushing against the grass and dirt were the only sounds, all the way back to their tree.


    They paused in silence for a moment when they reached its winding trunk.


    ¡°Well¡­great work today,¡± Deon uttered.


    ¡°¡­You too.¡±


    Then, with a graceful series of hops, Skrili ascended high into the tree, towards her branch. Deon watched her leave wordlessly.


    I guess she changed her mind, he figured.


    Deon climbed up, his stuffed post-dinner stomach weighing him down a bit. While Skrili¡¯s branch was near the very top, his was only partway. It was thick and curved off from the rest of the tree¡¯s peculiar shape, forming a perfect natural hammock.


    He lay down, but grunted as his back banged against the rough bark.


    For the first time since they¡¯d arrived, the tree¡¯s wood didn¡¯t transform into a soft and pillowy substance tonight. Instead, it stayed firm and far from comfortable.


    Frick¡¯s sake¡­what¡¯s this tree¡¯s deal? he thought. This is gonna be a long night¡­


    Within minutes, he was already convinced this location wouldn¡¯t do¡ªthere was no way he¡¯d get any meaningful sleep. Even the trees in No Man¡¯s Land were more cozy. He sat up to pick a spot on the ground.


    A vibration in his pocket interrupted his progress. Deon reached for his TeamTrack.


    ¡°Come up to my branch. I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡±


    It was from Skrili. Deon peaked up, barely able to make out the glow from Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack screen high above. It faded out a second later.


    The vision of Skrili holding her dead brother, and then Lammy, protruded his thoughts once more.


    He could feel his heart beating.


    Deon took a long sigh, and then began the climb higher into the branches. They became thinner and more crowded as he ascended, making his path much easier. Soon he reached a hole that lead up to a blanket of interwoven branches, almost at the very top. They formed a circle around the trunk, curving up like a reversed umbrella. A few more branches dangled above this area like a ceiling, open enough to provide a gorgeous view of the starry Fiction Country sky.


    Deon whistled as he stepped into Skrili¡¯s domain. She sat against the trunk, staring at her hands.


    ¡°You picked a way better spot than me,¡± Deon noted. ¡°Must be amazing when the bark is soft like usual.¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t have to confirm, because he found out for himself: as soon as he sat down next to her, the wood abruptly transformed, giving way to its familiar, fluffy texture. Deon and Skrili sunk into it clumsily.


    They felt the occasional breeze, but nothing else stirred in Nightwood Valley.


    Deon could hear Skrili breathe in shakily, preparing to finally speak.


    ¡°You might not see me the same way after tonight,¡± she practically whispered.


    ¡°That¡¯s um¡­a little dramatic, isn¡¯t it?¡± commented Deon.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    Deon reeled in his attempt to weaken the tension. Skrili was fidgeting with her fingers, staring into something unseen. This wasn¡¯t easy for her.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Deon softly. ¡°So then¡­what happened¡­to your brother?¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°Akri, dear, I told you to wait for your sister!¡±


    ¡°Aw, but I¡¯ll starve! She¡¯s taking too long.¡±


    Skrili ducked under the drooping, ripped gray fabric and stepped inside the tent. A fishy, musty odor met her immediately. It was hardly appetizing, but her stomach rumbled anyway: it meant food. Bread and rodent meat were one meal more than she¡¯d managed yesterday.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let him eat, Mamma. He has more growing to do,¡± she said.


    Her Mamma¡¯s thin blue hair wrinkled more than usual beside the smoke of their fire. Her purple eyes glared steadfastly.


    ¡°Tradition is tradition,¡± she urged. ¡°We eat together. Are you Shfi, or not?¡±


    ¡°I wish we weren¡¯t! Then we could really eat!¡± exclaimed Akri, lunging for the first wooden bowl of food.


    But with minimal effort, Mamma placed her palm on his forehead and ceased his feeble attempt.


    ¡°Have some pride, Akri,¡± she ordered. ¡°And wait for your sister¡ªshe¡¯s the only reason you have this food, after all.¡±


    Skrili sat between her brother and Mamma around the humble flame.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry this was all I could find,¡± she said. ¡°The only Shfi-friendly shops in the market didn¡¯t have anything to spare.¡±


    Besides, she thought, they all still see me as that girl who ¡®seduced¡¯ an Arnlekan. But she didn¡¯t dare bring that up¡ªMamma had lectured her enough about that.


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


    ¡°You¡¯ve done what you can, Skrili,¡± assured Mamma, handing out the bowls. ¡°Providing for the family isn¡¯t a task meant for a young girl.¡±


    Akri snatched a bowl, his mouth watering. But he paused and looked up at his sister, then handed it to her first.


    ¡°But Skrili¡¯s the best!¡± he exclaimed while stuffing his mouth full of bread and roasted rat meat. ¡°She always finds us food! Where did you get this?¡±


    ¡°Not always,¡± Skrili denied. ¡°And¡­that¡¯s my little secret.¡±


    She stared down at her bowl, but she could feel Mamma¡¯s eyes pressing onto her both somberly and worriedly. Dodging a five-year-old¡¯s curiosity was easy enough, but she knew there was no fooling her grandmother.


    Skrili ate slowly, trying not to grimace as she brought the flesh to her mouth. While it was cooked now, she could still see the living being she trapped and killed hours ago. She longed for a day where she wouldn¡¯t have to steal a life for food.


    Her eyes drifted to Akri and Mamma, who had already almost emptied their bowls. This repugnant meal wouldn¡¯t be nearly enough to fill them, but she knew they¡¯d never complain. They would starve before they would ever admit she was letting them down.


    Skrili sucked in air to try and keep tears from building. They needed so much more.


    And there was no use in convincing herself she¡¯d accomplished anything for them.


    Mamma took Akri¡¯s dirt-smudged rags in her hand lightly, brushing as much dust off as she could.


    ¡°You have a rip here. I¡¯ll patch it up tonight if I have any fabric left.¡±


    Skrili knew there was no fabric. Mamma would tear off a piece of the tent when no one was looking.


    Suddenly, Akri perked up. ¡°When Mommy and Daddy come back, Mommy can do that, Mamma! Then you can get more sleep!¡± his head spun to Skrili, his purple eyes big and glowing. ¡°And Daddy will get us food! Then you won¡¯t have to, Skrili!¡±


    Skrili winced and rose to her feet. Dust settled around the tent as she rushed out.


    ~


    It was too dark for Skrili to see anything but the vapor exiting her mouth. She shivered, hugging her knees as she sat just outside the tent.


    She wished she could remember her parents¡¯ faces, so it would feel more real when she pictured herself telling them off. To leave her and Akri to Mamma once they could no longer provide for everyone¡ªit was to leave them all to die.


    Mamma was too old and weak. All the responsibility they left, Skrili had to pick up.


    But it was too much. She needed to be stronger.


    Two tiny arms wrapped around Skrili¡¯s shoulders. Akri jumped on her from behind, almost toppling her over.


    Skrili felt her sorrow retreat as she broke out laughing, failing to fend off Akri¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting too big for that, you goofball!¡± she said.


    But his hug persisted. ¡°Mamma said you¡¯d be cold out here,¡± he explained. ¡°Thanks for the food, sis!¡±


    ¡°It was trash.¡±


    ¡°It was from you, so no it wasn¡¯t!¡±


    He hugged tighter, so Skrili reached up and grasped his hands. She heard his stomach rumble, just as it had yesterday when she returned home empty-handed.


    ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll find something even better,¡± Skrili promised. ¡°I¡¯ll bring something home every day, no matter what, for the rest of our lives.¡±


    ¡°You mean, until Mommy and Daddy come back?¡±


    Skrili knew that meant the same thing.


    ¡°Y¡ªyeah,¡± she said.


    When Akri released his hold, he paused and stared at his arm. ¡°Skrili¡­what¡¯s all over me?¡±


    He kneeled beside her, revealing red smudges on his skin. Before Skrili could try and mask it, he reached for her rags and found the source.


    ¡°Skrili, this is blood! What happened?!¡±


    She recoiled the instant his hand grazed the gash oozing into her clothes, but bit her tongue to avoid letting out a cry.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­this is nothing,¡± she insisted. ¡°I¡­just tripped while I was looking for food.¡±


    Akri tried to clean up her bloodied rags with his own, but it was no use. She¡¯d been bleeding slowly for hours. Thankfully, by now, it was beginning to scab up¡ªbut that only increased her discomfort whenever she moved.


    She was surprised Mamma hadn¡¯t noticed. Her vision must have gotten even worse.


    ¡°Take me with you next time you look for food!¡± Akri insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you and make sure you don¡¯t trip or hurt yourself.¡±


    ¡°What? No, Akri.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    The deep, crackling bang from the landowner¡¯s blaster gun rang in her mind.


    ¡°Because¡­I¡¯m a big girl. So I¡¯m supposed to do it. You¡¯re a little boy,¡± she said.


    Akri kneeled closer. ¡°No! I¡¯m almost six! Come on, we¡¯ll be a team!¡±


    Skrili wrapped her arm around him. ¡°You stay here and grow big and strong. Do that for me, and I¡¯ll make sure you always have something to eat.¡±


    Akri¡¯s attempts to convince her continued on for a few minutes, until they heard Mamma call them back inside. It was the dead of night: not a safe time to be out and rambunctious. An encounter with a Shfi or Arnlekan gang¡ªor both¡ªwas the last thing this family needed tonight.


    As always, they all huddled close in the center of the tent to ward off the unrelenting cold.


    But still, Skrili could hardly sleep.


    ~


    Thankfully, the morning found her with a light fog and a drizzle. This already increased Skrili¡¯s chances for today¡¯s search. She snuck out when it was still dark, making sure Akri and Mamma didn¡¯t stir, and neared her destination just as the first daylight was beginning its steady arrival.


    Everything was falling into place: less people would be outside, and Akri and Mamma didn¡¯t see where she was going.


    They couldn¡¯t find out what she¡¯d been doing all this time¡ªwhat she had to do.


    Her feet moved soundlessly and swiftly against the dirt. She ran low. Soon she reached the tall metal fence, and leaned up behind the same pole as yesterday. Peering into the farm, she found exactly what she¡¯d hoped for: nothing but the dewy dark green grass, several cows at the far end of the field leagues away, and silence.


    ¡­And a guard. And the dog.


    Her path wasn¡¯t exactly clear. The guard made his rounds slowly around the outskirts, wielding an electric rod. He was closer to the cows, facing away. The dog lay asleep in front of the newly-refurbished red barn.


    Skrili was grateful she waited before rushing in; while the fog masked her presence, it also made it harder to detect her obstacles.


    But there was only one guard this morning. And the landowner was nowhere to be seen. She was right: they were laxer on rainy days.


    She had a chance.


    Skrili breathed in once slowly, then out. She leaped up onto the fence, darting up its wire as soundlessly as possible. That was always the easy part¡ªgetting over the top was the main challenge.


    To skirt the barbed wire, Skrili pushed off the fenced and swung up in a flip. A spiking pain seared through her arm briefly, but this slight impact didn¡¯t impede her motion. She reached and gripped onto the other side of the fence. It rattled lightly for an instant.


    Skrili surveyed the farmland once more, frozen in place against the fencing. Nothing stirred.


    She hopped down, her constantly sore feet welcoming the soothing grass¡¯s embrace. The cut on her arm bled slowly, but it wasn¡¯t deep. She was clear to proceed.


    It was always easier to run soundlessly within the farm, thanks to the grass. But her proximity to both the risk and reward heightened her nerves nonetheless. Unfortunately, the barn wouldn¡¯t do this time with the dog sleeping just by the entrance. Instead she worked her way closer to a shed behind the barn, her eyes hardly leaving the preoccupied faraway guard.


    Soon she found herself up against the shed¡¯s wooden wall. The dog hadn¡¯t detected her, which allowed a window of opportunity to slip inside. She cracked open the door steadily¡ªany faster or slower, as she¡¯d learned, and it would creak. Pleading mentally to nobody in particular, she peered inside.


    As far as she was concerned, her luck couldn¡¯t have been any better.


    A hefty, cracked barrel was toppled over on its side, with oats poured all over the floor. One of the landowner¡¯s sons must have been transporting barrels to the grain bins and hid one to finish work earlier.


    Whatever the reason, it meant Skrili had found something worth bringing home. She didn¡¯t have to try and cradle eggs only to feel them crack along the way this time, or settle for hunting in the barn for curious rats like yesterday.


    She pulled out her cloth bag and slid into the shed. The intent to steal hadn¡¯t held her back in a long time.


    According to Shfi legend, Arnlekans like these farmers stole their sacred land and destroyed their way of life. So to many Shfis like her, they were only stealing what should be theirs.


    But this justification was hardly on Skrili¡¯s mind as she filled her bag with Arnlekan oats. She didn¡¯t care. Without this food, her family would starve. It was simple as that.


    She reemerged, but froze in place.


    Two eyes stared right back at her.


    And a fluffy tail wagged in delight.


    The barn dog lunged forward in a familiar onslaught of licks and sniffs.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± she whispered, patting his head gently. ¡°Sorry¡ªnow¡¯s not a good time. Stay.¡±


    With a disappointed whimper, the dog obeyed.


    Skrili pressed onward, her bag full. She darted towards the barn wall first. After this, it would take making a break for the fence and climbing it once more. She was almost in the clear.


    She stepped forward¡ªthen stopped, her heart skipping.


    The guard had made his way back around. His back was to her, but if she¡¯d been a second faster, it would all be over.


    Skrili waited for him to fully pass by the barn. She pounced forward behind him, stabbing her palm into his back, and then chopping his neck. He grunted and collapsed limply.


    That was it. All her obstacles were behind her, and nothing but a swift escape ahead.


    She ran for the fence.


    Had it not been for the flickering yellow light against the fog, or the distant sizzling, Skrili would have died right then. She dove to the side just before a crackling explosion blasted a gaping hole into the perfect field.


    ¡°SCUM! GET OFF MY LAND!!¡± a man boomed.


    The landowner. She spotted his shadowy, booming figure nearing from another corner of the field. His bulky metallic weapon rested against the silhouette of his equally rugged shoulder.


    Skrili grit her teeth and hurried back to her feet. She assumed the fog gave him the same limited vision as her, veiling her identity¡ªbut it meant he could still follow her movements. She needed to get out now.


    ¡°BOYS!! WE GOT ONE! GET YOUR BUTTS OUT HERE!¡±


    Another sizzle and crackle.


    Skrili ducked, but it was useless.


    Electricity coursed through her body and burned her leg, jolting her right off her feet. She was airborne for a second and toppled into the grass with a cry.


    ¡°That¡¯s a high voice for a thief,¡± the landowner observed. ¡°So they¡¯ve been sending little boys to steal from me? Pathetic. But I¡¯m not surprised.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s vision blurred. She bit her hand to keep from passing out. But once her senses improved, she lifted her hand to her face.


    Her bag was gone.


    It lay not far ahead, in the direction of the landowner. The oats were spilled everywhere.


    Skrili felt her soul deflate.


    She had to run. Her family¡¯s source of life was only steps away, but she had to run. To try and salvage the food now would cost her life.


    Despite her promise to Akri, he and Mamma would go hungry again tonight.


    Tears welling from both the physical and mental pain, Skrili made one more break for the fence. Her Power Rebound energy flickered to life and forced her forward.


    A blast zoomed past her head and exploded against the ground.


    ¡°DIE, SHFI SWINE!!¡±


    Another whizzed overhead. This one slammed into the metal fence with a deafening POP, leaving a hole behind towards the bottom.


    In a split decision, Skrili didn¡¯t jump through it. That would have been an obvious move. Channeling the strength from her Power Rebound, she launched into the air, this time clearing the barbed wire by a longshot.


    She saw one more blast plow into the fence, widening the hole into a gate-like shape. Skrili landed unevenly but sped off, her bare feet scraping the rocks and coarse dirt beyond the farm.


    ¡°COME BACK AGAIN, AND I¡¯LL INTRODUCE YOU TO MY SONS!!¡± roared the landowner. ¡°IT¡¯LL BE YOUR LAST MISTAKE!! YOU HEAR ME, SHFI SWINE?! YOU¡¯RE DEAD!!¡±


    Once the farm fence was out of sight behind her, shrouded in the fog, Skrili finally let herself fall. She dropped into the dirt with wheezing gasps. Her senses almost faded, but the sound of her pumping heart in her head jolted her awake again.


    Her Power Rebound was the only reason she could stand and keep walking after she caught her breath. Her mind wanted nothing more than to hide¡ªit had to be better than returning broken and empty handed.


    But a trail of white flowers sprouted before her through the lifeless dirt.


    They were omniflowers: here to lead her to where her heart needed to go. Following their path with her eyes, she knew they¡¯d lead right back to the tent.


    Skrili was too jaded to resist. Her feet dragged slowly through the depravity-tainted dirt, all the way home.


    ~


    ¡°Skrili!¡± called Akri¡¯s voice.


    Her eyes stared past him emptily. She couldn¡¯t bear to see his face now.


    ¡°Skrili¡ªoh! You tripped again?¡±


    She tried to nod, but couldn¡¯t tell if she succeeded. Everything was numb. Somehow, Akri hadn¡¯t mentioned her obvious lack of food yet.


    Instead, he hurried into the tent just before Skrili.


    ¡°Mamma! Mamma, Skrili¡¯s all scratched up! Help her!¡±


    Skrili entered the tent.


    ¡°Skrili! Oh¡ªmy dear, you¡¯re shaking!¡±


    She heard gasps from both of them as she let herself fall hard against the ground. Her blue bangs drooped over her eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t the injuries, or the comedown from her Power Rebound, that kept her down and still.


    It was the failure.


    Failure for the thousandth time.


    When Mamma¡¯s hand met her quivering shoulder tenderly, she couldn¡¯t hold back the sobs any longer.


    ¡°My sweet girl. You ask too much of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Mamma, tomorrow I¡¯ll get us food!¡± declared Akri. ¡°I¡¯ll do it for her!¡±


    ¡°No, Akri.¡±


    ¡°But Mamma! I can do it! Now I know where¡ª¡±


    ¡°YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THIS TENT TOMORROW.¡±


    Akri paused. It had been years since Mamma¡¯s voice had strengthened to that intensity.


    ¡°Sis, please?¡± he begged softly. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll find you the best food ever.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t muster a response anymore. She couldn¡¯t stop the tears and act tough.


    ¡°Sis, please stop crying¡­¡±


    Nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you smile. Count on me.¡±


    The weight of hopelessness was too much. Too much to speak, and too much to look into her brother¡¯s determined eyes.


    But if only she could, she would have been able to detect the sheer intent in his words, and realize what he was about to do.

 68. Skrili Kay (Part 2 of 2)

    Skrili¡¯s eyes shot open.


    In her sleep, she must have sensed the unusual lack of warmth. Only Mamma slept beside her.


    Akri was gone.


    She lunged to her feet, the early morning darkness shrouding the tent.


    ¡°Akri! Akri!¡±


    Silence.


    She whipped through the tent opening and tried to search outside.


    ¡°AKRI?! Get back in here!¡±


    The air was too still.


    Despite circling the tent and even daring to check around the ones nearby, her little brother was nowhere to be found.


    She rushed back. The world was slipping away, and her body grew more weightless with every desperate footstep.


    Skrili paused at the tent entrance when her foot landed on something cool and soft. She looked down to find a white flower crumpled into the dirt.


    Peering outward once more, only one thing had changed. But it was enough to fill her heart with utter despair.


    Omniflowers had sprouted in a clear, straight line under the sleepy blue sky.


    And they led in the exact direction of the Arnlekan farm.


    No¡­Skrili¡¯s mind prayed.


    ¡°No¡­¡± she mumbled.


    She couldn¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°AKRI, PLEASE¡ª¡°


    ¡°He¡¯s always wanted to be just like you,¡± came Mamma¡¯s voice. It sounded incredibly distant, and yet, she was right behind her.


    Skrili whirled around in a panic to face her Mamma.


    ¡°Mamma! You don¡¯t understand¡ªhe¡¯s in danger! You don¡¯t understand where he¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always suspected what you¡¯ve had to do to keep us alive,¡± said Mamma. ¡°And a life like that simply does not come consequence-free.¡±


    Skrili couldn¡¯t find words.


    ¡°And still, what other option is there for people like us?¡± Mamma continued. Her eyes fell to her hand, which concealed something. ¡°Our tradition calls for this gift to be passed down from a Shfi mother to her daughter, once she is of adult age. But even as I can acknowledge, some traditions need bending. I am not your mother, and you are a year away from adulthood. But times are pressings, so I bestow this to you now.¡±


    Her palm opened to reveal what appeared to be a simple black hair tie. But Skrili knew what it truly was.


    Mamma stepped closer to her as hastily as her frail frame could allow, and placed it into Skrili¡¯s hand. Her purple eyes met Skrili¡¯s intensely.


    ¡°Now, go save our Akri, Skrili.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t leave her Mamma. Hands shaking, she tugged out the frayed fabric holding her midnight blue hair up, and used her new gift to tie it back in place.


    Her anxious heartbeat fused with a passion-fueled adrenaline.


    ¡°I will,¡± she promised.


    Skrili turned from her Mamma, and dashed away along the omniflower path.


    ~


    The sky brightened faster today. With no clouds or fog, she and her surroundings would be completely visible this time.


    Skrili neared the massive fence, where the omniflowers stopped. The hole from the landowner¡¯s blast was still there. She could only hope Akri hadn¡¯t gone all the way inside.


    But then she heard the scream.


    Skrili dove through the hole, straight into the farm. She didn¡¯t have to run long before she spotted five bulky men in the field. They huddled over Akri¡¯s small frame, who lie in the grass with his hands to his knees.


    Skrili¡¯s speed increased.


    ¡°AKRI!¡±


    The men all turned towards her. Somehow, they appeared even more monstrous now that they faced her directly. Despite her motivation, their size stopped her in her tracks a pace away.


    Their clothing was without tear or fraying, despite the dirty work their job entailed. All of their bearded, groomed faces were healthy and unblemished. She couldn¡¯t determine their ages¡ªthey were all much larger than even the toughest Shfi men in every way. They towered over Skrili¡¯s stature like gods.


    They were everything she wasn¡¯t.


    One of them was the landowner. She¡¯d never seen his face clearly until now, but she knew by the metallic weapon he slung over his burly shoulder. His brown beard accentuated his frown as his hairy hand tapped the trigger on his gun.


    Akri trembled violently beneath the man¡¯s enormous boot, his face buried in his knees.


    ¡°This is what you get for sending little boys to do your thieving!¡± the landowner growled.


    ¡°N¡ªno! Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± Skrili pleaded.


    ¡°Do you know how many problems this kid has been causing us for months, stupid Shfi?!¡± roared the landlord.


    Finally, Akri lifted his head cautiously. Tears covered his cheeks. ¡°Skrili¡­¡± he whimpered.


    ¡°Akri! Don¡¯t move, okay? Everything¡¯s gonna be okay,¡± Skrili swore tenderly.


    ¡°Quite the claim,¡± chuckled one of the men.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t him! He¡¯s only five, please let him go!¡± cried Skrili. ¡°It was me! I¡¯ve been stealing from your farm! He had no idea!¡±


    The landowner nodded slowly, but repetitively. The longer he continued, the more Skrili felt a shiver in her bones. He cocked his head to his sons.


    ¡°What do you think, boys?¡±


    The shortest of them puffed air out of his nose. ¡°They always said a Shfi girl¡¯s face is prettiest when she¡¯s crying.¡±


    ¡°Heh. I¡¯d like to see it,¡± said another, and the third cracked his knuckles.


    The landowner¡¯s cold, dark eyes fell on her once more. No emotion. No contemplation.


    She wasn¡¯t human to him.


    ¡°Interesting. I wanna see if that¡¯s true,¡± he uttered. ¡°Watch closely. And make sure when we¡¯re done, you go tell all your dirty Shfi friends what you saw.¡±


    His foot lifted off Akri¡¯s back, and plowed into it with a thud.


    Akri screamed again, and devolved into tears.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Skrili begged.


    After the men all finished soaking in Skrili¡¯s reaction, the landowner yielded to his sons. One stepped forward, ready to deliver a kick of equal force.


    ¡°No, STOP!¡±


    ¡°You should have stopped stealing from us, huh?¡± the landowner sneered.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t! He¡¯s just a little boy! He¡¯s my baby brother!¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯re doing him a favor. Let him grow up, and he¡¯ll end up just like you.¡±


    The third, largest son stepped forward next while the second was distracted by their exchange.


    Everything inside Skrili screamed in protest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch him again!!¡± she threatened.


    The son¡¯s eyebrow raised at Skrili in apparent disappointment. ¡°She¡¯s not crying yet? That sucks. I guess we¡¯ll have to try harder.¡±


    His fists clenched hard as he looked down at his tiny, feeble prey.


    ¡°Shfi swine,¡± he muttered.


    He pulled back his fist.


    Without the slightest hint of a second thought, Skrili reached into her hair and ripped out her black hair tie. She pulled it back as far as her arms would allow, and with one closed eye, aimed squarely at the man.


    It whipped forward, cutting through the air both gracefully and violently.


    She¡¯d only practiced this a few times with Mamma¡¯s tie months ago. But that training, and her resolve, was all she needed now.


    It sliced clean through the son¡¯s wrist, completely severing his hand. When he punched forward, he found nothing but a stub spouting blood everywhere.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    He howled endlessly and toppled to his knees, cradling his messy wound.


    Skrili¡¯s straight hair fell around her face gracefully. She glared at the rest of the men with hate in her gaze, and leaned forward.


    Now, there was no turning back.


    Before giving the other men a chance to fully comprehend what just happened, Skrili launched forward at them. Surprise was her only window of success.


    The landowner¡¯s hand gripped his weapon tighter, about to lift it off his shoulder.


    Him first, she decided.


    Skrili came to him like a gust, and jumped forward full-force. Her knee plowed into his ribcage.


    While the landowner collapsed in a heap of pain, Skrili turned to the remaining three brothers. By now they¡¯d finally abandoned Akri, horror and rage on their faces, and turned to chase her.


    But though they were big and strong, they were slow.


    Skrili targeted the nearest one and met him midway. She jumped straight up, and with a twirl, whacked him in the temple with her heel. She ran underneath him before he collapsed and charged at the next son.


    Planning another kick, Skrili launched up at him.


    But a force like a hundred men plowed into her and she slammed against the ground, her shoulder twisted out of place. She struggled to get to her knees, but a heavy boot kicked her hip and she fell back over. The two men stood over her, their faces hot red.


    Though they were slow, they outnumbered her.


    ¡°Skrili!¡± Akri cried.


    Through the burly legs, she could see his wide purple eyes watching the beating unfold.


    She couldn¡¯t let him see her like this.


    Skrili grasped her shoulder and shoved it, popping it back into place. Her body sparked with Power Rebound energy.


    ¡°It¡¯s over now, you little demon,¡± one son growled.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in for it, now.¡±


    Grunting, Skrili pounced at the nearest son. But despite her heightened strength, he simply caught her by the arms and held her in place. In his massive hands, she felt as small as the rat she¡¯d trapped and killed on this farm yesterday.


    He lifted her up effortlessly. All she could do was twist and kick the air.


    ¡°Go back to Hell,¡± he said.


    He took a huge step, raised Skrili higher, and then bashed her against the ground as hard as he could.


    All the air left Skrili¡¯s lungs. She lay unable to move, her vision blackening.


    ¡°Ah¡­there it is,¡± she heard above her.


    Skrili¡¯s breath came back in a sudden gasp, which immediately morphed into a shaky sob.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s true. So pretty,¡± the son said. ¡°Probably because you¡¯re meant for nothing else. Just pain.¡±


    Her vision recovered just in time. With a desperate shout, Skrili rolled out of the way of another stomping boot. She stumbled as far away as possible, and forced herself to her feet.


    Both brothers walked towards her slowly. The one she¡¯d kicked to the ground stood, shaking his head, and joined them with cracking knuckles.


    Skrili¡¯s Power Rebound ascended even higher. But if they could stop her last attempt so easily, she knew this still wouldn¡¯t be enough strength.


    She glanced at Akri, whose eyes followed her every motion unblinkingly.


    She needed more power.


    Skrili brought her arm to her face and sunk her teeth in as hard as possible, screaming breathily from the self-inflicted pain. The sons paused in confusion. After she could taste blood, she released her arm. A red streak dripped steadily into the perfect grass.


    It was a disgraceful technique amongst Shfi Power Rebounds. But it flooded her with more energy, and that was all she cared about.


    The men all grimaced in disgust.


    ¡°You¡¯re a freak¡ªa monster,¡± the largest one said.


    ¡°They all are,¡± added his brother.


    ¡°Not all of us,¡± Skrili denied gaspingly, a drop of blood falling from her lip. ¡°But¡­I am.¡±


    She ran at them again, even faster than before. But all three men stood shoulder to shoulder. They knew what to expect now, and speed had no advantage anymore. Her Power Rebound was her only hope.


    She punched at the middle son¡¯s chest, but the other two pressed into her before she could make contact. She struggled with all of their hefty arms, but even still, this power up simply wasn¡¯t enough. Within moments she lost footing, and then they shoved her back to the ground.


    ¡°NO!¡± screamed Akri.


    The beating was merciless. She was pinned, her face pressed into the grass. Boots and fists destroyed her body one by one.


    ¡°Sis, get up! You¡¯re the strongest! Get up, Skrili!¡±


    Finally, she was convinced it would never stop. Was this retribution? Was this punishment for everything she¡¯d taken from others to sustain her broken family?


    She couldn¡¯t help but reach her conclusion: this was penance for trying to accomplish something she could never really do: replace her parents. When they left, she thought, that should have been it. She, Akri, and Mamma were destined to starve and fade away, leaving nobody to grieve them.


    Why did she think it could be different?


    This must have been punishment for believing her own lie, and for not accepting her circumstance.


    This was punishment for her existence.


    No longer able to move, and quickly losing the capacity to think, Skrili accepted the Arnlekans¡¯ beating without resistance.


    A boot bashed her head countless times. She never learned how long it went on for, because suddenly, her consciousness blackened to nothing.


    ~


    Silence.


    Skrili¡¯s eyes opened slowly. Everything hurt. All she could see was the dirt ground against her face. The air was cold and dark.


    I¡¯m dead, she decided. This is Hell.


    She didn¡¯t want to move. Instead, she waited, hoped, for her consciousness to fail again. But for some reason, it didn¡¯t.


    For some reason, she tried to get up.


    Akri¡­she remembered. AKRI!!


    Skrili coughed up dirt and tasted a hint of blood. Gasping, she clung to the ground and shoved herself to her hands and knees, her limbs shaking and pleading for rest.


    It was almost nighttime now. Anything could have happened to her brother between the fight and now. She needed to stand, find him, and get him as far away from the Arnlekans as possible. It wasn¡¯t too late yet¡ªit couldn¡¯t be.


    She shifted to push herself up, relying entirely on Power Rebound energy as it began flowing through her body freely. Finally, her vision improved.


    And in that moment, she saw Akri¡¯s body.


    He lay completely still on his back, directly beside her. His empty eyes were open, and his skin was gray.


    Akri¡¯s entire stomach, and the bottom of his ribs, were completely missing. There was a gaping, cauterized hole through the center of his body, and Skrili could see the ground through it. Flies and insects were already gathering.


    She¡¯d seen death before many times. Shfi starved along the dirt roads every day, and gangs left broken bodies out in the open regularly.


    But if she had anything in her stomach, she would have lost it.


    Her baby brother was gone.


    The landowner didn¡¯t have to shoot him. He just wanted to.


    Despite her rapidly intensifying Power Rebound, Skrili no longer felt anything. She ignored the purple light beginning to illuminate from her body. She just crawled helplessly to Akri, and cradled his destroyed body in her arms. She made no sound, and she shed no tears.


    There was nothing to live for anymore.


    This was where she, too, would die.


    Then someone let out of shout of pure horror. Skrili looked up, a purple hue coloring everything around her.


    The Arnlekan fence was only steps away¡ªthe men had simply discarded them like feces just outside their property. Through the fence a guard stood within the field staring back at Skrili.


    He dropped his electric rod and ran away, almost stumbling over himself.


    ¡°A GHOST!!! A GHOST!!!!¡± he screamed.


    Only moments later, the landowner came booming out of the barn, his trusty murder weapon in hand.


    ¡°Come on!! What the heck am I even paying you for?!¡± he shouted.


    But the guard continued fleeing.


    The landowner laid eyes on the source of his terror. Then, he froze. Skrili and the landowner watched each other in total silence, the sky darkening above.


    ¡°You¡­you freak¡­¡± the landowner uttered. ¡°You should be dead. What is this?¡±


    Skrili said nothing.


    The landowner cursed. ¡°I knew I should have shot you too, while I was at it.¡±


    He took Akri from me, Skrili thought emptily.


    That was all she needed: the realization, and the intent. Physical effort was nonexistent. Time and space were irrelevant.


    Before the landowner could blink, Skrili was face-to-face with him inside the farm. Her hand was straight through his chest.


    His shocked face was bright and clear under Skrili¡¯s glowing purple energy. When she tore her arm out of his body, her face expressionless, he dropped dead into his perfect grass.


    Skrili¡¯s heart stung. Now, she had become everything Mamma raised her not to be.


    It hurt so much.


    Skrili¡¯s feet left the ground, and she floated above the dead landowner.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    Skrili¡¯s luminous purple eyes turned. One of the sons had exited the nearby house on the property and stared at her from the porch, his eyes wide.


    ¡°You really are¡­¡± he murmured. ¡°It¡¯s true¡­you really are a demon¡­¡±


    He hurriedly reached for something behind him, and tugged up a smaller, but similar weapon to the one the landowner used.


    Skrili glanced at the dead landowner, and Akri¡¯s body stabbed into her thoughts. She hated everything. She hated herself.


    She turned and faced the son¡¯s weapon fully, dropping her guard.


    This, Skrili decided. Now, I can die.


    For a moment, the pain dampened.


    Shouting, the man pulled the trigger and a burning wave of yellow light raced towards her. His aim was perfect.


    But once the blast reach Skrili¡¯s radiance of light, it ricocheted off and darted backwards, colliding with the son. He fell with a scream, and rolled against the porch, writhing as smoke rose from his body.


    Skrili felt stuck in time for an instant. She watched on in hopeless awe.


    A tear fell. Then another. Everything welled up: the loss, the rage, the emptiness¡­nothing made sense anymore.


    She screamed.


    In a fit of tears, Skrili flashed back to the landowner¡¯s body. She lifted his bulky metallic weapon with only a few fingers. It was weightless in her grasp.


    Then she screamed again, and threw the weapon at the house.


    The explosion left nothing behind but flames and rubble. The massive, crackling fire lit the sky all around the farm.


    Skrili floated there, and watched the fire until night fell.


    Then, empty, she let her feet touch the ground and walked away.


    She didn¡¯t know where she was going, or why. Little made sense before today, but without Akri, none of it did.


    Her foot stepped on some sort of small fabric.


    Skrili looked to find her Shfi hair tie. She brought the gift into her hands¡ªthe weapon Mamma had entrusted her with to protect Akri.


    It was all she had left now: the symbol of her failure.


    Skrili lifted it and tied her hair up.


    As she finished the process, she heard feet trotting in the grass towards her. Skrili noticed the farm dog scurrying her way nervously, whimpering as he neared her.


    Startled by all the fire and violence, he stopped and gazed up at her¡ªhis little friend¡ªrelieved to have tracked her down. His tail wagged lightly.


    Skrili sniffed, her tears obstructing her vision. She shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she uttered chokingly. ¡°Stay.¡±


    Skrili averted her gaze, and turned to leave the farm behind forever.


    ~


    Deon listened silently. The entire forest was in a hush, as if to give Skrili a platform to speak. She stared ahead, her eyes just as void and hopeless as they must have been when this all happened.


    ¡°I never spoke to my Mamma again,¡± Skrili uttered.


    Deon¡¯s chest twisted.


    ¡°So¡­that¡¯s when you ran away?¡± he asked, the first time he¡¯d spoken since her story began.


    Skrili shook her head once. ¡°For weeks, I scrounged up whatever food I could find, and left it at my Mamma¡¯s tent before she could see me. I just¡­couldn¡¯t face her again,¡± she explained. ¡°Eventually she passed away in her sleep. She was already declining, but I think after that day¡­the grief¡­and the loneliness¡­¡±


    Her voice choked.


    ¡°She was holding the photo of me and Akri when I found her,¡± Skrili¡¯s voice shook out. ¡°We¡¯d taken it with an Arnlekan camera I found near a dumpster, and we were gonna take one of her, too, but it broke.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s mouth quivered.


    ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s hard to remember her face¡­¡± she whimpered.


    Finally, Skrili couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. Tears burst out all at once. She tried to hide her face from Deon.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone because of me,¡± she mumbled between sobs. ¡°They¡¯re gone. And now you know how much of a monster¡­and a failure I really am¡­¡±


    Deon felt a tear down his own cheek.


    What? he thought.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not who you thought¡­I shouldn¡¯t have hid that from you¡­¡± Skrili muttered. ¡°I think I just¡­I just wanted¡­¡±


    Deon leaned close to her, and embraced her in a hug. He didn¡¯t think about it. It wasn¡¯t a decision, or stem from his loss for words. It was an impulse.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Deon whispered, his own tears falling. He regretted his inability to find anything else to say. He could barely grasp the sheer depth of her grief and pain. As much as he wanted to fix her suffering or cheer her up, like he used to for Lammy on late nights like these, he realized this was a wound much deeper¡ªsomething she had to accept.


    Something he had to accept.


    Skrili¡¯s fears are yours now, Skip had told him.


    Deon knew that meant her pain was his now, too. Being a team meant more than he¡¯d ever realized.


    He had no idea how late it was at this point. He just held Skrili tighter as her shaking sobs continued.


    Finally accepting his embrace, Skrili let herself lean against him. Her tears soaked his tunic, while his fell into her hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to know what this feels like,¡± Skrili whispered.


    Deon knew exactly why she said that. The vision, he thought.


    It only felt more real to him now. Though he had no reason to believe Lammy was in any danger all the way back in Tailpiece, it lingered over them like an omen. Clearly, they shared the same exact vision for a reason.


    He could only hope it would never find them in reality.


    But for now, Skrili was the one hurting. All he knew to do was be there with her in the quiet. The Nightwood branches softened even further around them, and as the night passed on, Deon didn¡¯t let her go.

 69. Belief

    ¡°Kid! Hey, kid! You alive?!¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyes opened unsteadily. He was hunched over in a strange position and everything was sore. Lifting his head, he saw the taxi driver leaning over the driver¡¯s seat in a panic. A bloody scrape was on his chin.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Lammy muttered, his senses slowly returning.


    Everything around the driver was foggy at first, until Lammy made out the dented in metal of the car¡¯s destroyed frame, and the shards of glass everywhere.


    ¡°Miss! MISS! Can you hear me?!¡±


    Lammy realized the taxi driver must have shifted his attention to Zayza.


    He jolted alert and turned to her instantly.


    ¡°ZAYZA!¡± Lammy cried.


    She was slumped over against the shattered window, unconscious. A thin streak of blood ran down one side of her head.


    ~


    Zayza¡¯s eyes refocused slowly.


    Then she came to with a start when her leg slipped, but felt nothing beneath it.


    She was sitting on black, jagged stone. Beneath her lay an endless, dark abyss, encompassed within steep walls of rock that narrowed closer each other the farther down she looked.


    Above her, the natural walls reached so far she couldn¡¯t see the tops, obstructing her view of the pale red sky. Rocks stuck out like spikes at random, including the one she¡¯d found herself on. The patterns in her green dress were vivid against the stone.


    Her mind tried to gather itself.


    ¡°We crashed¡­¡± she realized aloud. ¡°But if I¡¯m here, I¡¯m alive.¡±


    But¡­what about Lammy and the driver?


    Zayza rushed to begin her ritual for exiting the Dream World, closing her eyes.


    Then, though she heard nothing, she felt a familiar presence.


    Zayza paused. She opened her eyes to find the dark memories staring back at her, floating above the abyss. The sharp, triangular light shards came together gracefully, forming a faceless, glowing version of her own image.


    ¡°We survived,¡± its unnatural, glassy voice noted.


    ¡°We did,¡± said Zayza. She didn¡¯t prepare a defense, or attempt to warp away to safety. She knew her dark self wouldn¡¯t attack anymore.


    Things had changed days before.


    ¡°The situation is more severe now. Raznizu could still be close. I fear only our full self is equipped for the attack we¡¯re under now,¡± the shards urged. ¡°Do you¡­wish to know more?¡±


    Zayza stared back at this being¡ªthe rest of her true self¡ªunable to form a decision. ¡°But¡­¡± she started.


    ¡°Kotono and Hiroko say they¡¯re putting off telling you what they know, because it¡¯s best to wait until you¡¯re safe,¡± the shards said. ¡°But they¡¯re just scared. They¡¯re afraid to watch us suffer again, and not be able to help us.¡±


    Zayza¡­!


    Lammy¡¯s voice rang distantly in her head.


    The shards must have read her expression and figured it out, because they slowly hovered a bit closer.


    ¡°The outsider¡­he loves you very much,¡± they observed.


    Zayza realized the shards didn¡¯t use ¡®we¡¯ this time. It wasn¡¯t referring to both of them as a single unit, and Zayza understood why: Lammy loved what he knew of Zayza; the person she was without her past. But she couldn¡¯t deny it any longer: she was an incomplete version of herself, and that was the person Lammy loved.


    When she recovered her true, full identity, would he still accept her?


    ¡°If you truly wish to protect him, we must become one again,¡± the shards said. ¡°Only then, will you understand why he¡¯ll be much better off without us. As will we, without helping him.¡±


    Zayza, say something¡­! Lammy¡¯s voice echoed.


    Zayza¡¯s hesitant glare strengthened, filling with resolve. ¡°I want to uphold our new agreement,¡± she told the shards. ¡°Only give me a few more memories, and I won¡¯t resist.¡±


    The being¡¯s posture eased, seeming satisfied. It nodded, and then a small collection of shards broke off its shoulder and floated glisteningly to Zayza.


    ~


    Lammy unclipped his seatbelt and crawled over to Zayza desperately. He shook her shoulder.


    ¡°Zayza! Hey!¡± he pleaded.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes blinked open. Pushing against the taxi door, she sat up quickly, however somewhat unevenly.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m alright¡­¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Now¡­hold up,¡± the taxi driver let out. ¡°Z¡ªZayza?¡± he repeated slowly.


    Lammy and Zayza¡¯s eyes fell on him. His face had gone ghostly.


    ¡°As in¡­Princess Zayza, right?¡± he continued, beside himself. He pushed farther back from them slowly. ¡°Heh¡­I thought you looked familiar, but¡­I didn¡¯t think...¡± He suddenly cursed, his speech growing more erratic. ¡°This uh¡­this doesn¡¯t look good for me¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lammy asked uneasily.


    ¡°Get out of my car right now.¡±


    The words came bluntly, slamming against their ears in total contrast to his previous tone. Maybe it was the crash, but Lammy struggled to keep up. Even with no knowledge about this wheeled machine they sat in, he knew it couldn¡¯t go anywhere in this condition, anyway.


    But the driver¡¯s decision was final.


    ¡°GET OUT! Especially her!¡±


    ¡°But¡ªwe¡¯re not anyone to be scared of¡ª¡±


    Zayza grasped Lammy¡¯s shoulder both swiftly and tenderly. Her face was solemn.


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    ¡°We should listen,¡± she said plainly.


    Her tone was even more alarming than the driver¡¯s. In fact, Lammy barely recognized her voice. There was a totally unfamiliar certainty, and stoicism. Even her green eyes gazed with a knowing stillness.


    ¡°We understand,¡± Zayza said. ¡°And we¡¯re sorry for all the trouble.¡±


    She turned to open the crooked door, which didn¡¯t give way until a forceful shove, and stepped outside.


    Perplexed, Lammy rushed to his own broken door to catch up. He stumbled out of the car and onto the dirt road.


    Standing up, soreness throbbed throughout his body. But his eyes fell on the vehicle, and he realized things could have gone much worse. It was crumbled all around, with glass surrounding the tilted tires across the ground. Smoke rose steadily from the front of the car. Even if it wasn¡¯t totally destroyed, it was certainly useless at the moment.


    As far as he could see, nobody was around them. The wide road was between two steep slopes that curved into a collection of bumpy hills.


    Lammy¡¯s memory awakened: Raznizu¡¯s car had flipped down the left slope after Lammy struck it with a desperate attack. If Raznizu survived the crash, it was unlikely he¡¯d close back in on them any time soon.


    The driver placed a grieving hand on his trusty machine, his face grim.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­so sorry this¡ª¡± Lammy tried.


    ¡°GO! Get out of here!¡± the driver shouted. He slammed his fist against the crumpled metal. ¡°It¡¯s not the car, alright? I just can¡¯t be seen with you two, got it?! If anyone finds out I was helping Princess Zayza¡­I¡¯m¡­it¡¯s over for me, you understand?!¡±


    Lammy felt frozen.


    ¡°GET AWAY FROM ME!¡± he repeated louder. ¡°She gets it, why don¡¯t you?!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lammy spun around to find Zayza was nowhere in sight¡ªshe¡¯d already run away without him.


    Panic set in. His only guess was that she must have hurried down the steep slope beside the car, opposite to the one Raznizu had fallen down.


    ¡°Wait! Zayza!¡±


    He ignored his pain and raced past the vehicle towards the hills. Staring down their grassy slopes, he realized if she hurried down as fast as he assumed, she could have easily fallen to her death.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry, kid,¡± uttered the driver.


    Lammy looked back to him one more time.


    ¡°Best of luck,¡± the driver added solemnly.


    Lammy turned and hurried after his companion. With all the twists and turns in the hills, there was no way to know which way she went. His feet slid as he tried to balance urgency with caution.


    ¡°Zayza!¡±


    What was she thinking? Without him, she had no way to defend herself in the real world. Was she trying to protect him by pushing him away again? They¡¯d already been through this back with the Ancient Sages, and vowed to stay together no matter what. He had her back.


    But he couldn¡¯t deny: Zayza had been acting strange for the past several days of travel. Ever since they had to take rotating shifts for sleeping and being on the lookout from Raznizu, she kept conversations to a minimum¡­especially whenever Lammy asked about the Dream World.


    Oh no¡­something happened in there, he realized.


    Did the monster get to her? Did it all of her memories return?


    Lammy¡¯s downward climb, and rising heartbeat, continued as the sky aged above. But his findings yielded no results. After motivating himself to overrule his aching body, Lammy turned back around and climbed up the nearest slope. It was time to try a different route.


    ¡°Zayza!¡± he cried out as he neared its top. ¡°Zay¡ª¡±


    His foot slipped, and suddenly he found himself sliding down the grass on his back. Just when he thought it would never end, the hill evened out and he halted right before a smaller drop.


    He lay still for a moment. The incredibly distant Worlds up in the now orange and pink sky seemed to watch over him, awaiting his next move.


    Lammy heard a shuffling, and then a warm hand grasped his. Zayza, her long hair in a frenzy and covered in grass, had come to him.


    ¡°I slipped in the same spot,¡± she muttered quietly. ¡°Here.¡±


    Zayza helped Lammy sit up, and sat beside him. But her back turned mostly away from him, as if she were repelled.


    ¡°I¡­I became overwhelmed,¡± she said.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lammy replied. He tried to catch her eyes, but she stayed faced away. ¡°I don¡¯t care what the driver said,¡± he started, ¡°we¡¯re in this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± pleaded Zayza.


    Lammy¡¯s heart sunk.


    ¡°I know we promised each other, but the longer this all plays out, the more danger I¡¯ll cause you,¡± she urged. ¡°I need to get you somewhere safe, and then distance myself as soon as possible. I don¡¯t want it, but that¡¯s what¡¯s probably best¡­for both of us.¡±


    That stoic tone from earlier was back again¡ªand while it was foreign to Lammy, it somehow came across natural, like she¡¯d spoken this way many, many times before.


    But still, none of this made sense. And simply, it hurt.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡± It was all Lammy could think to say. While it was the least helpful, it was the most honest.


    At last, Zayza turned to face him. He¡¯d expected tears in her green eyes, but while sorrow flooded them, they were dry and focused.


    ¡°You¡¯re my dear friend, Lammy. As are Kotono and Hiroko,¡± she assured. ¡°But I haven¡¯t been honest with any of you the past few days.¡±


    Her fingers gripped the ground.


    ¡°I made a deal with my dark memories,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°A¡­deal? With the monster?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not a monster. They¡¯re me,¡± Zayza said flatly.


    Lammy wished he could reverse his gut response. Zayza¡¯s anger was a rare sight. However, they had been referring to it in this way since its appearance. Clearly, a lot changed since he¡¯d last visited the Dream World.


    Zayza calmed herself when she noticed his reaction. But she didn¡¯t apologize this time.


    ¡°Those memories carry the rest of who I am,¡± she continued. ¡°They were desperate¡ªthat¡¯s why they were so aggressive. It¡¯s in their nature to be one with me, so they forced themselves at me at first. By fighting back, it was like communicating with another side of me. They¡¯ve learned, and changed their approach: first, by winning over the remaining good memories to their goal, and now, by their willingness to work with me. They¡¯ve learned from the side of me they didn¡¯t have anymore.¡±


    Zayza stared at the grass.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I apologize for hiding that from you,¡± she said. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t approve, nor would Hiroko and Kotono, but I couldn¡¯t keep resisting¡ªkeep fighting myself¡ªanymore.¡±


    ¡°So¡­what was the agreement?¡± Lammy asked slowly.


    Zayza sighed. ¡°The shards would stop attacking, as long as I agree to receive a few dark memories at a time. And I won¡¯t resist as long as they honor that,¡± she explained. ¡°I know it defies Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s wishes¡­and even my own, but¡­I can¡¯t keep hiding from myself. And this¡­¡±


    ¡°This gives you the power to remember when you want,¡± Lammy understood. ¡°Like, it puts the process back in your control?¡±


    Zayza paused, noting his attempt to accept it. She nodded.


    Given Hiroko and Kotono have been waiting to tell her everything for a reason, it¡¯s risky, Lammy pondered. But¡­it makes sense. Why didn¡¯t she tell me?


    ¡°But¡­you have to understand, Lammy,¡± started Zayza, ¡°the more dark memories I recall, the more I realize how much danger you¡¯re in by staying with me.¡±


    ¡°Because of the people after you?¡± Lammy guessed. ¡°Because I¡¯ll keep fighting them no matter¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because of me,¡± Zayza clarified, cutting him off. ¡°The better way to say it is: I realize how dangerous I am.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s mind spun as he watched her sitting stiffly, struggling in her own skin.


    Her? Dangerous? he doubted.


    He almost didn¡¯t want to ask. ¡°What¡­do you remember now?¡±


    Again, Zayza averted her gaze. ¡°I was there,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I was there¡­for the murders. For all three murders.¡±


    Lammy felt like all of Fiction Country froze in time. Suddenly, it was hard to breathe.


    ¡°Three?¡± he repeated weakly.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t see their faces, or remember who they were¡ªonly Oflenur,¡± Zayza elaborated. ¡°He was there with me each time. I followed him into a room. I recall some sort of concoction pouring into an expensive glass. Then, I was in the Dream World. Each time it happened, I was in the Dream World.¡±


    ¡°Did you see Oflenur¡­do it?¡± Lammy muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s still too foggy,¡± said Zayza. ¡°I just¡­hear cries of pain, and for the two Dreamers,  I remember their bodies fading out from the Dream World. Somehow, I knew they hadn¡¯t awoken or become dreamless¡ªthey were dying. Then, they were gone.¡±


    Lammy thought it over. It was horrific, and probably quite traumatizing for Zayza, but her conclusions still didn¡¯t add up.


    ¡°But¡­you only witnessed the murders. Why would that make you a danger to me?¡± he pressed.


    ¡°Lammy, I was there with the killer. I was there for the premeditation and preparation, and I watched all of them die¡ªall three times,¡± Zayza stressed. ¡°I don¡¯t have a clear picture yet, but¡­this is beginning to look more and more like¡­I was involved.¡±


    Lammy had only ever heard their adversaries claim this. Hiroko said all of Fantasy Country believed it, and clearly, the possibility spooked the people of Fiction Country, as well. He¡¯d been running from the thought, dismissing it, at all costs.


    But now, Zayza herself was saying it.


    ¡°NO!¡± Lammy shouted. ¡°I refuse to believe that!¡±


    He stood up defiantly, and turned to face her. ¡°You¡¯re not a killer, Zayza. I¡¯ll never believe that, and you shouldn¡¯t, either.¡±


    ¡°But¡­my memories¡­¡± Zayza urged.


    ¡°All they show is that Oflenur kept you around for it. He could have done that to frame you¡ªwhich is what Hiroko and Kotono are already saying,¡± he said. ¡°And even if that¡¯s not true, he could have tricked or manipulated you into helping. I can¡¯t accept that you would be involved in murder on purpose.¡±


    ¡°He¡­loved me,¡± uttered Zayza. ¡°I believe that.¡±


    Lammy held off his passionate rant. He could practically see Zayza¡¯s world crumbling as she sat there.


    ¡°You¡¯re the kindest person I know,¡± he finally muttered. ¡°You¡¯re not a killer, Zayza.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± came her hollow reply. ¡°You don¡¯t know if any of those explanations are true.¡±


    ¡°Then I choose to believe them,¡± Lammy said. ¡°We don¡¯t know the whole story yet, so that¡¯s what I believe. And after we get to Deon, after we make it to Hiroko¡¯s people, if you decide it¡¯s best for us to go separate ways, I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll respect that. But it¡¯s too soon to give up now.¡±


    He offered her his hand.


    Zayza stared back at him. Jadedness had come over her face since awakening in the crashed car. Whether Lammy wanted to accept it or not, her returning memories were changing her again.


    But still, she reached out and took his hand.


    The travelling duo stood, their clothes grass-stained and their skin scratched and slightly bloodied. They gazed out into the vast hills and fields, their patterns much more random, and vaster, than the Fantasy Country trails. A dark cluster far ahead indicated the start of a forest¡ªlikely where Hiroko and Kotono were guiding them. It seemed impossibly far, threatening Lammy¡¯s hopes of ever reaching Deon.


    But at this point, everything they¡¯d done so far had seemed impossible.


    Lammy and Zayza took their first step forward simultaneously. They felt incredibly light.


    Reaching to check his back, Lammy felt nothing: their travel bags were long gone. The last he remembered carrying it was back in Conscious City, when their dragon crashed in the park. Zayza¡¯s was missing too¡ªthey both must have broken free in the fall.


    While they were physically closer to their goal, he couldn¡¯t feel farther away. This last stretch would likely prove the most challenging.


    ¡°Lammy,¡± said Zayza.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Whatever happens between us when this is all over,¡± she told him, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get to try that cinnamon tea from Honest Stadium.¡±


    Lammy let out a single laugh. ¡°That again?¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± she added, ¡°¡­I¡¯ll never forget you.¡±

 70. Protection

    ¡°Now go towards that tree,¡± instructed Hiroko. ¡°That must be west.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°That one. The big one.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza shifted in opposite ways for a moment, until they silently agreed on which tree was the ¡°big one.¡± Transparent projections of Kotono and Hiroko floated beside their heads, their eyes surveying the vast forest.


    After a moment, Kotono sighed hopelessly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the right way, Hiroko,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s the tree with the spot on it.¡±


    ¡°But they all look the same!¡± Hiroko countered.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the one from an hour ago! See? It has that spot that looks just like the birthmark on my aunt¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°OKAY, OKAY! Please stop bringing that up!¡±


    ¡°Not to be rude¡­¡± Lammy interrupted shyly, ¡°but you guys have no idea where we are, do you?¡±


    Kotono and Hiroko glanced at each other.


    ¡°Well¡­I was counting on you two sticking to the main roads,¡± admitted Hiroko.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about those woods,¡± Kotono bemoaned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Zayza stopped walking. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± she assured, her voice oddly quick and her face unreadable as she looked around. She started walking in the opposite direction. ¡°Come, Lammy. We¡¯ll make it there.¡±


    Lammy watched as Zayza hurried ahead. He wished he could understand her behavior¡ªit seemed the longer time went on, the less he knew his companion. With the possibility for more danger, they¡¯d continued their rotating sleep schedule at night, so he was still totally uninvolved in Dream World developments. He could only guess how many more memories she¡¯d recovered by now, aside from the few she¡¯d mention here and there.


    Lammy jogged for a moment to catch back up, wincing from the soreness, while Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s floating heads followed along steadily.


    He could no longer keep track of how many days had passed since their encounter with Raznizu and the crash¡ªat this point, it was all blurring together. They reached the forest with almost nothing left some time ago, lucky enough to happen upon fruit and a stream of water.


    Had they not, Lammy was certain they would have starved.


    Traveling without their packs from Our Snowy Village, with no food or change in clothes, added nothing but complications and suffering to their long travels. Their spirit had become almost as frail as their aching bodies. Talking became minimal.


    Their new main source of support came in the form of Hiroko and Kotono¡¯s much more frequent visits. While the pair¡¯s navigation skills proved utterly useless, their company alone kept Lammy and Zayza moving.


    Even this, however, would vanish soon: they were using powerful magic to communicate, but Lammy and Zayza were in Fiction Country now. It was only a matter of time until the magic would fail.


    Lammy figured that was why they¡¯d been finding time to reach out as often as possible lately.


    That, and the unsettling developments in Lammy and Zayza¡¯s quest.


    ¡°Well, we suck at this,¡± Hiroko admitted, ¡°but good news: we¡¯ve been chipping away, and finally found a few details about that punk Raznizu. He¡¯s not a very public person, so it took some deep research.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s definitely bad news,¡± decided Kotono. ¡°I¡¯m sure you already figured that, though.¡±


    Lammy tripped on a root, but Zayza helped him rebalance. ¡°What did you find?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not much,¡± explained Hiroko, ¡°just some documents online proving he¡¯s employed by the government from Zayza¡¯s kingdom¡ª¡±


    ¡°Azvaylen,¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°That¡¯s the kingdom I¡¯m from¡ªwhere I was a princess. I remember that now.¡±


    Hiroko paused in discomfort. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she said.


    Zayza turned to Lammy. ¡°It¡¯s part of a reality high up in the mainland Fantasy Country sky. The earth where Azvaylen rests is also home to several other, much smaller kingdoms, but Azvaylen is dominant.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­that agreement with your memories,¡± mentioned Hiroko. ¡°That came back to you, huh?¡±


    Lammy could see the concern in her face. With each passing day, Zayza would bring up more and more small details as her past returned. And Hiroko and Kotono watched on in fear¡ªtheir hope of breaking the truth to her at the right time was steadily crumbling.


    Uneasy about it himself, Lammy tried to steer the conversation back on track. ¡°Is there anything else you learned?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nothing useful,¡± said Kotono with a sigh.


    ¡°But based on his employment, and his similarity to Najinzu, we can assume he¡¯s a part of the same mission as Fewpar and Najinzu,¡± concluded Hiroko. ¡°I¡¯m guessing he must be their replacement, since they failed to capture you the first time. So you have to stay away from him at all costs.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming he survived the crash,¡± Zayza pointed out.


    They all nodded, but Lammy felt queasy. If Raznizu died because of his counterattack, did that make him a murderer? Even if it was to defend himself and Zayza, he couldn¡¯t live with that reality.


    Despite everything, he found himself hoping their attacker had survived, and merely retreated.


    ¡°Hey kid,¡± came Hiroko¡¯s voice.


    Lammy realized Hiroko was looking squarely at him, her eyes intense and full of hidden wisdom.


    ¡°You did what you had to. I get it, trust me,¡± she assured. ¡°Protecting what matters to you always takes risk.¡±


    An encouraging smile formed on her face.


    After a moment, Lammy nodded. Her continued steadfastness impressed him¡ªonce again, it seemed she was more than equipped to face a situation like this.


    Their seemingly aimless travels continued on, the shadows around growing longer until they gave way to a cloudy sky. Once Hiroko and Kotono were convinced they were generally headed west (based on a river they crossed which supposedly matched their map), they gave up assisting in navigation and focused more on simply keeping an eye on Lammy and Zayza.


    Lammy wished they weren¡¯t separated by an entire Country¡ªhis weary mind would feel much more at ease if two of the most powerful consciousnesses in the Multiverse were by their side right now.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    But soon, he hoped, they would reach Deon and Skrili. If they could just keep pressing forward, salvation was drawing near.


    Kotono whispered something to Hiroko. She nodded in response.


    ¡°What is it?¡± wondered Zayza.


    ¡°Kotono¡¯s right: you¡¯re both doing great, but at this pace, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re getting to Nightwood Valley before Deon and Skrili finish their training,¡± shared Hiroko. ¡°So I was right: you¡¯ll have to meet them outside the Conscious Conference.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll message Skrili right now!¡± announced Kotono.


    ¡°Make sure you invite them to meet up with us, okay?¡± Hiroko reminded her. ¡°We can¡¯t have any evidence about Zayza in the TeamTrack.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± A glow appeared on Kotono¡¯s face as she began typing on her device.


    ¡°But how will we know where to meet?¡± asked Lammy.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been to this Conscious Conference before. Zayza, too,¡± said Hiroko. ¡°We have a secret spot on a cliff.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask my memories for the location, then,¡± Zayza said decidedly. ¡°They¡¯ll cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­smart,¡± Hiroko agreed. ¡°Until then, keep heading west.¡±


    ¡°Although¡­¡± continued Zayza. ¡°I¡¯ve had many talks with those memories¡­with the other half of me. And they¡¯re insisting it¡¯s urgent that I know more about the three murders¡­about¡­who was killed. They say it¡¯s dangerous to wait any longer.¡±


    Hiroko and Kotono fell silent.


    ¡°I keep refusing to hear it from myself. I¡¯m afraid of myself,¡± Zayza struggled out. ¡°So¡­please¡­can¡¯t you tell me? Why must you put it off?¡±


    Lammy expected Hiroko to speak up again, as she always had when Zayza brought this up. But instead, it was Kotono.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to,¡± she muttered. ¡°We just¡­can¡¯t afford to break your spirit yet.¡±


    The utter sorrow on Kotono¡¯s face made chills spike through Lammy. It made him wish he could freeze this whole conflict, and never find out.


    A deep blue glow emitted from all around Kotono as she fought back tears.


    Beside her, Hiroko appeared to be in deep contemplation. ¡°But¡­maybe we¡¯re wrong,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe¡­it¡¯s time you know. But Zayza, you have to understand: no matter what everyone is saying, we know you. We know you¡¯re innocent. So¡ª¡±


    Her words were cut up and muffled, and suddenly the magic image of Hiroko and Kotono flickered several times. The champions seemed to notice it on their end, as well.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zayza pressed, trying to reach out to the projection. She and Lammy stopped walking.


    ¡°It¡¯s happening,¡± realized Hiroko. ¡°The magic can only work so long in another reality until it runs¡­¡± her words slurred unnaturally while the image faded in and out again.


    ¡°Not already¡­¡± pleaded Kotono.


    It was as if she was speaking Lammy¡¯s mind. Their only support left right now¡ªthe only thing keeping their weak, hurting bodies moving during these endless travels couldn¡¯t vanish now.


    He wasn¡¯t ready to try and be strong again.


    ¡°Zayza¡­Skrili and Deon ¡­meet you at the secret spot¡­¡± Hiroko promised quickly. ¡°We¡¯ll try to¡­come see you¡­and¡­I promise we¡¯ll tell you¡ª¡±


    The image blinked and faded away.


    But suddenly, it popped back in.


    ¡°Zayza,¡± Kotono whispered. ¡°We love you. Stay strong. We love you with all of our¡ª¡±


    With another flash, they were gone. This time, they didn¡¯t reappear.


    The hushed sounds of the deep forest replaced their voices. Lammy and Zayza stood quietly for a moment.


    They took a step forward¡ªbut that was all they managed.


    ¡°So there are allies,¡± came a low, weathered voice from behind.


    Lammy¡¯s whole body went stiff and cold. He and Zayza didn¡¯t dare move a muscle¡ªthe voice sounded much too close, and assuming it belonged to whom they thought, they would have little chance of breaking away this time.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Zayza whispered. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to breathe back in after the utterance left her.


    Lammy felt her hand touch his wrist.


    ¡°Go. It¡¯s me he wants,¡± she urged softly.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s best if I take both of you with me,¡± said Raznizu.


    Finally, Lammy and Zayza mustered the courage to turn and face him. His tight clothes appeared slightly torn and burned, but otherwise, he was unscathed. It was as if the crash did nothing to his body.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Lammy muttered.


    ¡°Healing magic, not unlike the technology utilized in the Consciousness League,¡± he told them simply. ¡°It¡¯s not quite as powerful in Fiction Country, otherwise I would have caught back up much sooner. I didn¡¯t originally plan to use it on myself.¡±


    Lammy hadn¡¯t expected an actual explanation out of him. Raznizu¡¯s demeanor was far too calm, considering their previous exchanges with each other. But his masked face was stern and jaded.


    Just like Najinzu¡¯s, before he seized and tortured Zayza.


    Lammy¡¯s heart twisted. Everything in him needed to escape. He felt a familiar warmth increasing in his eyes.


    My powers¡­he recalled. It¡¯s time again.


    Zayza¡¯s hand was still on his wrist, and it was trembling. But her touch blanketed his fear with an aura of comfort, keeping the panic from reaching unbearable levels.


    I can do this.


    ¡°The glowing eyes again¡­¡± Raznizu noted, his expression unwavering. ¡°Interesting.¡±


    ¡°LEAVE US ALONE!!¡± Lammy shouted. With their tree-crowded surroundings, he knew the normal dragon move wouldn¡¯t work here. He¡¯d need to make it smaller, and then perhaps increase its wingspan once they reached the sky.


    He braced himself. They only had one shot.


    The dragon¡¯s rainbow fur began forming behind Lammy and Zayza.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± said Raznizu plainly.


    Then, a white flash blinded Lammy and Zayza, and a crackle practically deafened them. The woods all around lit up with a harsh, blinking white light. Lammy winced, struggling to adjust his eyes. A fence of blazing electricity surrounded them all.


    No¡­not this again! Lammy thought. It was the same multi-knife device Raznizu had used in their first encounter to destroy Lammy¡¯s shield. Only now, it served as a shield, or barrier, of its own. Even above the trees, the lightning streaks met sporadically to create a ceiling.


    Raznizu stood before them unmoving, becoming a shadowy silhouette with each flicker of light as he watched them.


    There was no escape this time.


    Lammy¡¯s forming dragon faded away.


    ¡°Now, since you won¡¯t be running away for once,¡± he said, ¡°it¡¯s about time we talk. Then, you¡¯ll be coming with me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about, attacker,¡± Zayza said, her voice cutting through the air like a dagger. ¡°We know your motives.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t,¡± denied Raznizu. Then, he lifted his nose to the air. His eyes sharpened. ¡°I understand you¡¯re weary and confused, but there¡¯s not much time before¡ª¡±


    ¡°Actually, it seems there¡¯s no time at all, Raznizu.¡±


    Zayza immediately stumbled several steps backwards. Lammy stayed close. They both recognized that raspy voice immediately.


    A figure in black dropped from the branches above and landed just within the electrical fence.


    Najinzu stood before them, thin black knives in hand.


    Raznizu closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°Brother,¡± he uttered. ¡°You¡¯re marginally quicker than when we last met.¡±


    ¡°Ha. Marginally?¡± spat Najinzu. ¡°Meanwhile, you¡¯ve only grown old.¡±


    Just when Lammy was certain he couldn¡¯t feel any more degree of dread, one more figure fell from the trees and touched down beside Najinzu, his arms crossed.


    ¡°Zayza, Zayza, Zayza¡­Oh, how I¡¯ve longed to approach your insufferable soul once more¡­¡±


    Lammy didn¡¯t even recognize Fewpar until he spoke. He dressed the same, and stood with the same posture, but something was drastically different. His pale blonde hair, usually neat and sensible, was unkempt and uneven. There was a strange darkness in the skin underneath his eyes, and he was endlessly scratching at his neck.


    That¡¯s when Lammy noticed it: the black scars. They were just like the ones all over Zayza¡¯s body. The artistic curves and designs crawled up from under his shirt and reached the top of his neck, and the hand scratching them also features its own markings.


    Najinzu¡¯s Pain Tolerance Training¡­Lammy remembered. The torture he gave Zayza so she would withstand pain longer in the Dream World¡­Fewpar went through that? By his own choice?


    Suddenly, he felt nauseous.


    ¡°Oh, to see pain and suffering in your eyes again¡­¡± Fewpar continued, his usually pointed voice practically slurring in a ramble. ¡°I just want to tear you apart, Zayza¡­it¡¯s all I¡¯ve been thinking of¡­since you escaped our grasp¡­¡±


    Zayza tried to hide the markings on her arms, but she stared back at Fewpar defiantly. Though scarred and cautious, she was stronger than before. Clearly, a part of her Lammy had never seen was surfacing¡­


    Or resurfacing.


    ¡°Raznizu, what gives you the audacity to intrude on our mission?¡± Najinzu demanded. ¡°We have this under control¡ªwhen were you assigned?!¡±


    Still with his back turned to them, a smile appeared in Raznizu¡¯s eyes. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve had quite a bit of trouble with these two. It¡¯s my turn, now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken¡­Zayza is ours,¡± Fewpar grumbled.


    ¡°And the boy now, too,¡± Najinzu added.


    Raznizu casually placed his hands on his hips, the pearly white coffee mug on his belt dangling beside his fingers.


    Najinzu took a step forward. His eyes seemed to search for something that wasn¡¯t visible.


    ¡°Who¡­assigned you to this mission?¡± Najinzu¡¯s scratchy voice pressed slowly. ¡°Elder brother¡­with whom do your allegiances lie?¡±


    The smile in Raznizu¡¯s black eyes increased. ¡°Now you¡¯re asking the right questions,¡± he said.


    At last, Raznizu whirled around to face Najinzu and Fewpar under the flickering white light, two long, black knives in hand.


    ¡°Zayza and the boy are coming with me,¡± he warned them, ¡°and I will not allow either of you to lay a single hand on them again. Even if it means taking my own brother¡¯s life.¡±

 71. Well Prove You Wrong

    The sunlight moved dancingly on Deon¡¯s face, the lightly waving branches high above warping the shade¡¯s shape. He watched the woods in silence as he leaned against the tree trunk.


    While peace and relaxation were hardly ever his first choice of a pastime, moments like this were exceptions.


    Savannah¡¯s cinnamon hair was soft against his neck. His eyes fell to her as she dreamed soundly against him in her faded yellow dress.


    He couldn¡¯t seem to remember how long ago she¡¯d nodded off, or what they were even doing before. He couldn¡¯t even recall how long they¡¯d been out here in the forbidden Tailpiece woods. Every other time they lost track, it meant coming back to the schoolhouse late or hearing an earful from his father. But for some reason, today, Deon didn¡¯t care. This felt right, and that was all that mattered.


    He¡¯d missed this. Right now, this was exactly where he wanted to be.


    But¡­while it felt right, it also felt¡­off.


    The character of Savannah¡¯s steady breathing was different. And with his arm around her, the shape of the curve in her back was unfamiliar.


    How?


    Deon¡¯s hazy mind began regrouping, and more questions surfaced: why would Savannah even be with him right now? Why and how was he back in Tailpiece again?


    ~


    The shifting shade moved the sunlight over Deon¡¯s closed eyes for a moment, welcoming him awake. He was far too cozy to begin the day, so he resisted and remained still.


    But he felt breath against his neck.


    Wait¡­I¡¯m still dreaming? he wondered.


    Deon lazily opened his eyes, to find Skrili¡¯s face directly before him. She lay against him, deeply asleep.


    For a second he thought the sudden state of his heart was loud enough to wake her.


    Gaining a sense of himself, he realized his arm was still wrapped around her, even more so, from last night: at some point, they¡¯d both fallen asleep after he held her and let her cry.


    All around, he found the pillowy branches they¡¯d camped up in had reshaped. They curved upward on both sides like a giant hammock, practically encircling Deon and Skrili and pushing them closer together.


    But for a moment, just like in his dream, everything felt right.


    Until he thought about it.


    Wait¡­WHAT AM I DOING?! Deon panicked. Crap¡ªif she wakes up, I¡¯m dead! She¡¯ll throw me right out of the tree! How did I let this happen?!


    Just when Deon was about to try wiggling away gently, Skrili¡¯s arm and leg lifted, and she wrapped around him further in her sleep.


    Deon¡¯s face heated up.


    I¡¯m trapped, he thought. I¡¯m dead. She¡¯ll be ticked.


    Past Skrili¡¯s head, Deon noticed her TeamTrack¡¯s screen turn itself on to display a list of notifications. He read the heading at the top:


    Unread messages from:


    Kotono (3)


    Skip (17)


    Missed calls:


    Skip (5)


    Hold on¡­HOW LATE IS IT?! Deon thought frantically. Come to think of it, the daylight was much brighter than when they usually left the tree to begin their training.


    His own TeamTrack vibrated in his pocket. Deon steadily reached for it, attempting minimal motion. He¡¯d received just as many messages from Skip, including the most recent:


    ¡°Trying again¡­You guys up? Everything ok?¡±


    We really have to get over there, Deon thought. He looked at Skrili again. But¡­maybe I should still sneak away before she¡ª


    ¡°YOOOOO! YOOHOOOOOO!!!!¡±


    Deon gulped. The bark beneath and around him hardened gradually, as if the tree itself was stirring awake.


    ¡°This is the tree you guys stay in, right?! You up there?!¡± called up Skip¡¯s voice.


    Deon froze as he watched Skrili¡¯s eyelids lift. Her deep purple eyes fell on his groggily. Then, abruptly, they bolted all the way open.


    Skrili pounced off of him faster than he¡¯d ever seen her move in a fight.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorr¡ª¡± they both started.


    Her head bonked against the firm bark and she grabbed it wincingly.


    On impulse, Deon sat up and reached for her head. ¡°Oh! You alright? Uh¡­get a Power Rebound, at least?¡± he stammered.


    What am I doing¡­? he thought underneath his own speech.


    He halted his advance when Skrili reopened her eyes. It seemed she was about to retry an apology, but then, it happened again:


    Their eyes met, and Deon was flooded with a mystical sense he could hardly fathom. It was inescapable this time¡ªpowerful, and captivating. He found his mind filled with who she was: her strength and resolve, her quiet presence, her stubbornness, and her tragic past all blended together. But this essence went beyond that: he felt connected to it in a way beyond human senses.


    It was a similar sense as what he felt in all their other Fiction Country encounters thus far, between the cliff and the black branches. But this was the inverse¡ªa positive version.


    ¡°Do you¡­also feel that¡­?¡± Skrili muttered, her face reddening behind her disheveled hair.


    Deon¡¯s head nodded seriously on its own, his eyes still locked on hers.


    Yes¡­I do feel that¡­he thought soberly.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± was all Skrili could say. Her alert eyes bounced off of him and back on couple times.


    Then, her mouth curled into a tiny smile. She puffed out a single laugh.


    ¡°What?¡± Deon wondered.


    But he didn¡¯t need an answer. He simply broke into a quick laugh, too. The duo shifted awkwardly, trying to find somewhere else to lay their eyes.


    This was all so confusing, and strange, but¡­it was alright. After everything Skrili shared last night, there was nothing left to hide¡ªyet here they both were. They still sat close, and Deon found himself reassured when Skrili didn¡¯t try to create any more space between them.


    Maybe this distance was okay.


    ¡°Uh¡­sorry¡­¡± Skrili uttered. ¡°I guess I fell asleep¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. This is your spot. And uh¡­I did too¡­and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I TAKE IT YOU GUYS DIED?!¡± Skip called up. ¡°Nah¡­they probably quit. It must have been the spicy smoothies¡ªthat¡¯s what did it last time¡­Welp, this sucks.¡±


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes widened. Hurriedly, they crawled over to the edge of the high branches and peered down. Skip had turned from the tree and was already heading away.


    ¡°WAIT! WE¡¯RE UP, WE¡¯RE UP!!¡± Deon shouted down.


    Skip refaced the tree and looked back up at them, straightening out his inevitable suit jacket.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Skip uttered. Deon and Skrili waited in silence for his condemnation of their tardiness, but it never came. He crossed his arms as he observed them. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m pretty good at helping you guys get closer, huh? Maybe a little too good.¡±


    He whirled back around energetically and recommenced his stride away.


    After a moment, Deon let out a nervous laugh in spite of himself. Skrili¡¯s face beat red beside him.


    ¡°No¡­that¡¯s¡­¡± Skrili muttered weakly.


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


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± tried Deon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna know! See you back in the yard!¡± called Skip.


    Deon and Skrili glanced at each other as he walked away.


    ¡°Your face is like, bright red,¡± Deon pointed out.


    ¡°Shut up. Yours is worse.¡±


    ~


    Deon couldn¡¯t tell if Skip was more relieved that there was still ample time for training, or that his new smoothie concoction didn¡¯t go to waste. He giddily shared it with them¡ªthis one a new coconut and berry mixture¡ªbefore leading them back outside for their delayed start.


    Apparently, Deon and Skrili had slept almost into the afternoon, so they realized they were up much later than they thought. Yet Skip still didn¡¯t reprimand them as Deon assumed a Legend Trainer would¡ªand should do.


    In fact, he even seemed pleased.


    To further Deon¡¯s confusion, their training today kicked off without the usual jog to the cliff. Skip made no mention of it.


    And after everything Skrili forced herself to relive last night, Deon thought it best not to remind him.


    Instead, after some warm-up stretches and workouts, Skip had them dive straight into Deon¡¯s favorite part: team-fighting techniques.


    They didn¡¯t start slow. Within moments, Skrili raised back up into the air, matching the height of the tallest trees, atop one of Deon¡¯s imagined wooden platforms. They picked up where they¡¯d left off at the end of yesterday¡¯s training; Skrili jumped trustingly into the open air, while Deon worked to keep up, imagining more planks for her to safely land on.


    As Skip wasted no time pointing out, it was considered a failure if Deon forgot to remove the platforms behind her from existence.


    ¡°Faster,¡± Skrili called down.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°We can go faster,¡± she repeated, confidence radiating from her face.


    Skip clapped. ¡°Yes! What leads you to think that?¡±


    ¡°Deon¡¯s getting better already. I can tell,¡± she said decidedly. She turned to face her teammate. ¡°You¡¯ve imagined more than this. I trust you¡ªyou won¡¯t drop me.¡±


    The aura between them heightened. But instead of being taken aback, Deon leaned into it. She was encouraging him, intentionally, and openly. It lit a fire underneath him.


    After last night, their connection had grown truer.


    Deon smiled. Neither had to say a thing about it.


    They just knew.


    ¡°Alright, here it goes, then!¡± Deon warned. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll keep up.¡±


    Skip pumped a fist heartily. ¡°YES! That¡¯s the right mindset! That¡¯s team communication! Come on now; I wanna be impressed!¡±


    Vitalized, Deon pushed himself to think faster, imagining and de-imagining platforms rapidly to keep up with Skrili¡¯s heightened pace. Eventually, it looked as if she was walking on air. Deon even began imagining vertical platforms for her to jump off of and change directions with a flip. It made Deon want to go up there and try it himself.


    But while Skip seemed moderately pleased, he clearly wasn¡¯t yet impressed.


    ¡°But can you handle an offensive team attack at the same time?¡± he challenged. ¡°Let¡¯s combine this with our catch drills.¡±


    Wary of the complexity and level of focus, Deon opted to imagine his leather ball attack instead of the usual mini Twitchy¡¯s for now. Then, the next level of difficulty began: Deon had to launch the attack at Skrili, who would jump towards it, catch it in midair, and then land on another platform while Deon caught it back.


    This proved to be quite a step up from before.


    After almost letting Skrili slip out of the air and barely catching her with another platform, he needed to slow his pace for a while. But an hour of the drill passed, and they rediscovered their rhythm. And within another hour, they¡¯d practically mastered it.


    Deon tossed Skrili¡¯s water bottle up to her when Skip offered them a short break. She caught it casually, sitting on one of his platforms high above.


    Skip caught Deon¡¯s eye after he got his own drink and caught Skrili¡¯s bottle. He nodded his head towards the sky instructively.


    ¡°You want me up there, too?¡± Deon asked, firing up even more.


    ¡°Skrili¡¯s the more agile, and the faster of you two, while you¡¯re the Imaginer. So it makes sense for your joint technique to mainly have her up there,¡± Skip explained. ¡°But say you¡¯re fighting an on-the-ground type of opponent¡ªlike a Hiroko Hamasaki. A team aerial formation could instantly give you an advantage.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t need any further convincing¡ªhe¡¯d been waiting to get in on more physical activity. Plus, he¡¯d yet to attempt the midair steps for himself. He imagined a series of floating stairs, and within seconds stood high above the yard with Skrili.


    ¡°Remember¡ªif you¡¯re up there too, it puts Skrili in more risk,¡± Skip called up.


    Deon sent a thumbs-up. ¡°I won¡¯t drop you,¡± he told Skrili.


    ¡°You better not.¡±


    Again, as with any other technique Skip called for, they had to start slow. They spent the remainder of the session up in the air, taking synchronized steps to imagined platforms, then hopping, then running. Deon had never multitasked his imagining so much. But after their previous drills and lessons, it was coming to him quicker.


    This training was truly stretching his imagining to new levels.


    They still had a lot of ground (or air) to cover by the time Skip signaled the end of the session. But Deon could feel the dynamism between them. His mind spun with potential ideas to take it further, and he knew Skrili would be up to the challenge.


    They really could become a force to be reckoned with.


    Deon and Skrili descended back to the ground, and Deon imagined his platforms away. Still jubilated, Deon offered his teammate a high-five, which she quietly accepted.


    ¡°Nice work,¡± Skrili told him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of growth from you two in just a short time,¡± Skip said. ¡°For once, it¡¯s making me start to believe you have a slight chance of passing the training!¡±


    ¡°Huh?! ¡®SLIGHT?!?!¡¯¡± Deon repeated.


    ¡°We still have a ways to go. Just keep it up, and at this rate, you two can impress me,¡± Skip assured. He broke into a series of quick stretches. ¡°Well, that just leaves what we didn¡¯t have time for this morning. Take a breather, stretch, and then meet me right here to start our cliff run.¡±


    Deon immediately glanced at Skrili, who had looked away in silence.


    Wait¡­he thought.


    He¡¯d hoped¡ªand then, assumed, Skip decided to put it off until tomorrow. But while the shadows from the trees were long, it was still light enough to run to the cliff and back.


    But¡­Skrili¡­he pondered. She cried for so long last night¡­it¡¯s too soon.


    ¡°Hey uh, Skip.¡±


    ¡°Something wrong, Deon?¡±


    Deon shrugged, staring at the ground in thought. ¡°Well um¡­not to go against your teaching or anything, but¡­Skrili had a rough night. I think going there right now would be really¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± said Skrili.


    Her expression accentuated the stern certainty in her voice.


    ¡°Are¡ªare you sure?¡± Deon checked.


    ¡°Thank you, but¡­let¡¯s still go.¡±


    ~


    The jog towards the cliff seemed to fly by, much to Deon¡¯s disappointment. Despite their daily visits, he always felt if he could put it off forever, he probably would.


    Skip guided them along just as cheerfully as always, occasionally muttering recipe ideas to himself.


    As they closed in on the cliff, Skrili slowed her pace ahead of Deon, and began jogging beside him.


    ¡°I appreciated that,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Earlier.¡±


    Deon tried not to smile too proudly, but he was still new to winning her approval. ¡°Oh, well, of course. You know, I just figured¡­with everything¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sabotage yourself. Leave it at that,¡± Skrili interrupted.


    ¡°Ah¡ªsorry.¡±


    The hill began, leading to the beginning of the cliff.


    Perhaps it was the sheer amount of time they¡¯d spent together, but despite Skrili¡¯s unchanged, plain expression, he could swear he noticed her reluctance set in.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay for this, though?¡± he checked soberly.


    They stepped onto the thin, flat path beside the misty drop.


    ¡°Either way, I have no choice¡ªI have to face it,¡± she said. ¡°But¡­are you sure you are?¡±


    Before he could answer, the fog began surrounding them both.


    Well¡­here I go again¡­Deon thought. Skip quickly vanished into the haze ahead of them, and he knew Skrili would, too.


    But¡­she didn¡¯t.


    As they ran beside each other, he could still see her clearly, and by the slight confusion on her face, he could tell she saw him, as well.


    ¡°Hey¡­this is new¡­¡± Deon commented, his voice reverberating over the cliff. Skrili nodded.


    Even as the whispers arrived, they were still together. Their bodies jogged on their own.


    ¡°You said last time you got your first vision to go away, right? You solved it?¡± Skrili inquired.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then that means¡­¡± she started.


    The hisses and whispers began coming from a more central position over the cliff. Then, the all too familiar shadowy apparition of Skrili faded into view on her knees, with her dead brother in her lap.


    Deon recoiled¡ªbut he knew trying to look away was pointless. The vision would follow his mind wherever he turned, as it always did.


    The ghostly Skrili stared at them with its empty black eyes and unsettling smile. They waited anxiously.


    ¡°You¡¯ll both fail,¡± she said.


    Deon¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. That wasn¡¯t the usual first line. Was the fact that Skrili was present¡ªthe real one¡ªchanging its message?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not up to you,¡± Skrili told her flatly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not. It¡¯s up to you,¡± the ghostly Skrili agreed. ¡°But I am your fears realized. I represent the experiences you haven¡¯t had yet. The future waiting for you both¡ªI see it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Well, how¡¯s a cliff supposed to see the future, huh?! How am I supposed to believe that?¡± Deon barked. ¡°Right, Skrili?!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­sure?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll both fail,¡± the vision simply repeated. ¡°Deon will fail to be the protector he sees in you, Skrili, and you will fail to keep him from suffering the way you did.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong!!¡± Deon shouted.


    The apparition¡¯s voice choked at the end, and a black tear fell down her face. She looked down to where it had fallen: onto Lammy¡¯s cheek. He¡¯d replaced Akri once again, before Deon and Skrili could even notice.


    But this time, his eyes were open. His pale hand reached up to her, shaking.


    Dying.


    The gray Skrili¡¯s mouth vanished as she cradled him, comforting him in what was most likely his final moments.


    ¡°STOP IT!!¡± the real Skrili demanded, her voice echoing to the other side of the cliff. ¡°HE SHOULDN¡¯T HAVE TO SEE THIS!! GO AWAY!¡±


    Deon had never seen her so fiery¡ªeven after the many times he¡¯d gotten on her nerves.


    But the vision remained.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see¡­¡± it promised slowly.


    Deon almost jumped when he felt Skrili seize his hand. She held on tightly. A tear forced its way out against her will as she shot her apparition a defiant glare.


    The vision was unyielding. Deon had no choice but to stare and watch his cousin dying. Normally, this part made him want to dissolve. Normally it filled his heart with unquenchable dread.


    But this time, with Skrili beside him, it just made him mad.


    He squeezed her hand back.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± he promised.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Deon and Skrili exchanged glances. He could see the reflection of his glowing orange eyes within her purple irises.


    Simultaneously, they refaced the vision.


    ¡°WE¡¯LL PROVE YOU WRONG!!¡± they both swore.


    But before the vision could react in a tangible way, it began melting, rejoining the fog and mist all around. With a hiss, it vanished.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see¡­¡± was the last whisper they heard from it.


    ~


    When the team caught up to Skip in the early evening light and met him back in his front yard, he stood calmly, waiting for them to crash beside their water bottles as usual.


    But Deon and Skrili came to a stop just before him and stood, unfazed by the long run.


    ¡°Alright guys, get rehydrated, take a second to catch your breath, and¡­uh¡­guys?¡± Skip trailed off.


    Deon and Skrili stared at him, tenacity in their gaze.


    ¡°Uh¡­you two good?¡± Skip wondered, taking a cautious step back.


    ¡°We¡¯re not done training today,¡± Skrili told him flatly. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! Isn¡¯t that¡­like¡­my decision?¡± Skip pointed out.


    ¡°Please,¡± Deon urged. He clenched his fists. ¡°We want to get stronger. We need to.¡±


    Skip¡¯s eyes bounced between the two of them both analytically and concernedly. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you two¡­?¡± he wondered. Then, an eager smile spread. ¡°Man, it¡¯s true¡ªI must be getting a little too good at my job¡­Alright, then! A late-nighter, it is!¡±

 72. Whats Your Type?

    A mini-Twitchy soared straight up into the air on Deon¡¯s command. Skrili, high above atop one of his floating platforms, leaned forward and dove. She caught the imagined being at just the right angle so the momentum would make her spin.


    Deon was already moving to his next position: a plank he¡¯d imagined just above the ground. He pounced onto it, controlling it to thrust upward in that very moment, catapulting him high into the air.


    His next moves needed to happen at just the right time, in just the right order: without being able to aim, he imagined a pillow on the ground where Skrili was supposed to be falling. Then, he reached his hands out in preparation to receive the Twitchy Skrili had caught and redirected.


    He felt fur skim his finger, and the Twitchy almost escaped his grasp as he seized it in midair. Slightly delayed from the near miss, he clumsily threw the Twitchy at their target: the largest tree at the edge of the yard. It merely nudged the side of the trunk with a stubby kick before fading away.


    ¡°Crap!¡± Deon shouted as he fell, imagining another landing pillow. He sunk safely into it and quickly climbed to his feet.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the only screw-up,¡± Skip said off to the side, near Skrili¡¯s targeted landing spot.


    Deon turned to find she wasn¡¯t in the pillow he¡¯d imagined for her. Instead, she was in Skip¡¯s arms just next to it.


    ¡°You missed her landing point,¡± explained Skip as he let Skrili return to her feet.


    Deon grit his teeth. From the height she¡¯d fallen, that could have been nasty had Skip not caught her. His precision was crucial in this new team attack.


    ¡°I ruined it, too,¡± Skrili noted. ¡°I threw Twitchy to your catching point too fast. That messed with your aim.¡±


    Skip gave a thumbs-up. ¡°Good analysis. Now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± Deon inquired to his teammate intensely.


    Skrili nodded.


    Skip let whatever he was about to instruct deflate as he watched them race back to their starting positions.


    ¡°Gotta memorize the landing point,¡± Deon reminded himself.


    ¡°I just have to throw it a little slower¡­¡± Skrili muttered.


    Before Skip could even give the okay, they were at it again. This time, Deon didn¡¯t launch himself high enough and they aborted the attack.


    ¡°AGAIN!¡±


    ¡°Guys¡­¡±


    They got closer than the first time, but Skrili threw Twitchy a bit too low and Deon missed it.


    ¡°AGAIN!!¡±


    ¡°H¡ªhey, guys¡­¡±


    Skip¡¯s calm smile gradually turned crooked as he watched his pupils rage on without him. They attempted the attack on repeat, each time almost succeeding if not for one intricate detail.


    Deon and Skrili landed in their pillows and rushed to their feet, gaspingly rushing back to their positions again.


    Then, out of the corner of his eye, Deon noticed Skip¡¯s hand shoot up. He and Skrili finally stopped themselves, and found Skip standing there with a raised hand like a schoolboy.


    ¡°Uh¡­yes, Skip?¡± Deon called. ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Guys¡­just pause for one second,¡± Skip urged. ¡°Look¡­I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re both determined to improve and get into Conscious Competitions, but¡­this is a very advanced attack. I didn¡¯t introduce it today to have you master it today.¡±


    The Conscious Competitions¡­right¡­Deon thought.


    It finally occurred to him: in the past few days since the first time Deon and Skrili faced the cliff vision together, the Conscious Competitions hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind.


    He doubted it crossed Skrili¡¯s mind, either. He saw it in her eyes as they stood there, gasping from their overexertion:


    Just like him, all she could think about was that vision¡ªthat omen.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve been going nonstop the past four or five days¡­I think it¡¯s time we slow down a little,¡± decided Skip. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break; I¡¯ll whip up some lunch. Something is going on with you two, and I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s good or bad. But either way, we need to talk about it.¡±


    This was the most uncertainty Deon had ever heard in Skip¡¯s voice. He was usually twelve steps ahead of them at all times. But right now, he was stumped.


    It gave Deon an uncomfortable feeling.


    He and Skrili hadn¡¯t allowed themselves to stop and think since that day they saw the vision together¡ªor perhaps it was since the night before, when Skrili unveiled her trauma. All they knew, as some sort of unspoken rule, was that they had to keep going.


    But now, forced to finally take a breather, they would have to face their behavior. And as Deon and Skrili followed Skip into his cabin, Deon had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t love what their teacher had to say.


    ~


    ¡°So it¡¯s like, your ankle does this¡­?¡± guessed Deon.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s more of a flick,¡± Skrili corrected calmly.


    ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that.¡±


    ¡°UGH!¡±


    They sat at the low table in Skip¡¯s dining room, having already waited for nearly an hour as clings and clangs resounded from the kitchen. Skip insisted he didn¡¯t need help, so they sat together after washing up from their first session.


    Skrili reached down and grabbed Deon¡¯s foot, guiding the motion along.


    ¡°That¡¯s how I kick,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s how you kick?! How does your foot move like that?!¡±


    Skip whistled to himself in the next room over as he tended to a sizzling ingredient. But unlike usual, he didn¡¯t yell over to them to brag about how good their meal was about to be.


    Though forever laid back, he seemed just a tad solemner. Clearly, he was concerned.


    Did Deon and Skrili do something wrong?


    ¡°This is like waiting for the schoolhouse¡¯s headmaster whenever Savannah and I got caught skipping,¡± Deon shared. ¡°You know?¡±


    ¡°I never went to school.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Deon realized. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been wondering: if you never went to school, why are you so freaking smart?¡±


    A hint of pink appeared on Skrili¡¯s face. She bit her cheek to hide it, and shrugged. ¡°You went to school, so why aren¡¯t you?¡± she muttered evenly.


    Deon shoved her as they both cracked into a laugh. He had to admit: without Skrili, he would have known nothing about the Multiverse in which he now spent all his days. How did Tailpiece have a schoolhouse, but they seemed to know nothing more than farming and basic life?


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    One day when he returned, perhaps he would ask. But for now, he was enjoying this simple downtime with Skrili. Perhaps Skip was right: they needed a break.


    But the more time they put off getting stronger, the less prepared they¡¯d be if¡­


    No.


    Deon and Skrili pounced in shock when Skip exploded into the room, the door flying open. He carried plates filled with thin, grilled sandwiches.


    ¡°Sorry. Had to kick¡ªmy hands were full,¡± he explained casually. ¡°Okay: meeting time.¡±


    After placing their meal on the table in a neat presentation, Skip sat across from them. His silent, unreadable gaze lasted long enough to repel Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m confused,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°Uh¡­why?¡± uttered Deon.


    ¡°I love what I¡¯m seeing from you two lately. You¡¯re bonding¡ªit¡¯s obvious you¡¯re developing a real relationship, which as I always say, is the most important part of a consciousness team. And not to mention your fighting: you¡¯re working harder than ever before, cooperating and communicating very healthily, and honestly, improving faster than any other team I¡¯ve trained.¡±


    Deon looked on in confusion. So far, these all sounded like good things.


    ¡°So what¡¯s wrong, then?¡± wondered Skrili.


    Skip claimed one of his flatbread sandwiches, but hesitated to take a bite.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen people working towards a goal. I know what a team looks like when they¡¯re trying to pass my training, or when they¡¯re practicing before a championship. What you¡¯re doing doesn¡¯t look like that at all,¡± he told them, his usual calmness diminished. ¡°It looks less like you¡¯re working towards a goal, and more like you¡¯re working to avoid something.¡±


    Deon and Skrili glanced at each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s more like you¡¯re preparing for war,¡± he finished. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t do things like other Legend Trainers. They want to become the third team member, and need to know every intricate detail about your lives and inner thoughts. I never roll like that: a team is the two people, and I¡¯m guiding them along. But¡­I do care. So I¡¯m gonna need to break my own rule.¡±


    He leaned forward.


    ¡°I want you to tell me what you¡¯re so afraid of. I¡¯m getting worried about you two.¡±


    Deon felt his heart skip for a moment. He noticed Skrili clutch the table tightly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Deon started, ¡°that whole ¡®face your fears¡¯ thing every day can get a little old¡­¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t overcome our vision,¡± Skrili said quietly. ¡°We helped each other work through the first one, but¡­now we see the second one together, and it won¡¯t go away.¡±


    Skip listened closely. His eyes narrowed in puzzlement. ¡°You had two visions?¡± he checked. ¡°Both of you?¡±


    Deon and Skrili nodded.


    ¡°The second one¡¯s the same,¡± Skrili added.


    ¡°Is¡­is that wrong or something?¡± asked Deon.


    Skip shook his head. ¡°No¡­it¡¯s not wrong, just¡­unique¡­¡± He put his uneaten sandwich back down. ¡°Okay, so¡­what happens in this second vision you both have?¡±


    Skrili sighed slowly.


    ¡°We see Skrili holding her little brother Akri¡­he was killed a year ago,¡± answered Deon carefully. ¡°He¡¯s dead in the vision, and then¡­his body turns into my younger cousin¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°The vision keeps telling us this is the future,¡± Skrili said grimly. ¡°That¡­we¡¯ll fail. I know your lesson is for us to work together to overcome this, but¡­we can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re trying to prevent it,¡± Skip concluded.


    Deon and Skrili exchanged glances again. They never verbally decided on it, but they both knew it was true.


    ¡°No wonder you¡¯re working your butts off lately¡­jeez¡­¡± said Skip, wiping his face.


    ¡°You said¡­¡± Deon started, his fists clenching, ¡°that those visions tell us our deepest fears, but they also can predict the future. Is that¡­for real?¡±


    He didn¡¯t find the reassurance he was seeking in Skip¡¯s expression. It only grew more serious.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he admitted plainly.


    Deon slammed his fist against the table. ¡°So something¡¯s gonna happen to Lammy?! No! I can¡¯t let that come true!¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but maybe not,¡± explained Skip. ¡°The cliff¡¯s visions are peculiar. They can see into these things, but their purpose is to reveal your own mind¡ªeven things that you didn¡¯t know were in there. So you can¡¯t take it at face value.¡±


    ¡°I know what that vision feels like¡ªI¡¯ve lived it,¡± Skrili muttered. She stared at the table. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t do that again. I can¡¯t let Deon go through that.¡±


    Deon watched his teammate. He knew she meant exactly what she said, and it filled his heart.


    ¡°So¡­what else are we supposed to do about it?¡± she finished.


    Skip¡¯s usually analytical eyes softened. ¡°I can tell you exactly what you shouldn¡¯t do,¡± he said. ¡°You can¡¯t let the fear of loss control your life. Trust me¡ªand I¡¯m not telling you that as your Legend Trainer. I¡¯m telling you that as a person.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­we do nothing?!¡± question Deon. ¡°So what happens if we don¡¯t make the vision go away? It comes true?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works,¡± Skip dismissed patiently. ¡°The cliff training isn¡¯t about removing all of your worst fears. It¡¯s about learning to be there for each other. From what I¡¯m seeing, it looks like you already learned that lesson.¡±


    Finally, he took a bite of his sandwich.


    ¡°You can¡¯t realistically destroy all your worst fears over the course of a month. It¡¯s about learning what you¡¯ll need to do for the rest of your lives as a team together. You¡¯ll probably have to face that fear together for a long time, and it won¡¯t be as simple as eliminating its existence. We all carry these things with us. Are you ready to accept that?¡±


    Again, Deon and Skrili exchanged glances. As her aura surrounded him once more, he realized: despite the horrific possibility it threatened, this vision had brought them closer than he¡¯d ever expected.


    The darkness Skrili knew, and Deon feared, had connected them.


    No¡­it was more than that: it was the care within them both.


    Skip suddenly laughed, and they could practically hear his worry weakening. ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t have to say it. I can tell you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Suddenly, he reached over and tossed a couple sandwiches at them.


    ¡°Eat up, will ya?! And ease up, too,¡± he pressed. ¡°So you want to be ready in case anything were to happen to Deon¡¯s cousin? Good. Use that as inspiration. But don¡¯t let the fear of loss take you over. If you keep up at the pace you¡¯ve been going, it¡¯ll destroy you both.¡±


    Finally, Deon felt at least slightly encouraged. Even with Lammy all the way back in Tailpiece, where nothing bad ever happened, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. But he could tell Skip spoke with conviction¡ªhis words were born from a past filled with experience, so Deon felt they were trustworthy.


    Deon¡¯s family had spoken the same way to him his whole life¡ªespecially his mother and Aunt Ergi. Though they would never elaborate, he could tell their wisdom had to come from something.


    Skip¡¯s words brought with them the same mystery. They¡¯d spent weeks with him now, and he¡¯d guided them to new heights so quickly, yet they knew nothing about him.


    Why did he often understand their situation so well?


    Deon decided to leave it at that so they could all enjoy their cooling meal, but his curiosity lingered. When they were done, Skip led them towards the front door to resume their training. By then, Deon couldn¡¯t put it off any longer:


    ¡°Hey Skip,¡± he started.


    Skip stopped just short of opening the door to return outside. He turned to face his students. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Last time I tried asking, you said to save it for another time,¡± he said. ¡°And well, we¡¯ve told you our vision now. So¡­when we go to the cliff, what vision do you see?¡±


    Skrili watched on quizzically.


    ¡°And,¡± added Deon, ¡°what was with the tree we had to save you from in the Caves of Insecurity? Didn¡¯t that have a meaning, too?¡±


    Skip shifted his weight, his cool expression wrinkling seemingly against his wishes, as if he¡¯d convinced himself Deon had forgotten all about these questions. But his discomfort¡ªobvious as it was¡ªgave way to his typical confidence after he mulled over something for a moment. He lifted a declarative finger.


    ¡°Here¡¯s what: we¡¯ve only got a week or so left in the training,¡± he started, opening the front door.


    Deon¡¯s eyebrows raised, his mind shaken with the abrupt realization. Wow¡­we¡¯re really almost at the end, huh?


    ¡°¡­So I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Skip promised, ¡°if you can figure out my consciousness type before you leave. Deal?¡±


    Deon hesitated to respond, and Skip twirled back around to step into the daylight, hands in pocket and whistling. When Deon looked to Skrili, she simply shrugged.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Deal, I guess.¡±


    ~


    As Deon quickly realized, determining one¡¯s consciousness type was particularly challenging when they had no reason to use it.


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s drills continued on for the rest of the day, and Skip merely watched and coached as usual. If this was the plan for the rest of their time in Nightwood Valley, his chances of guessing Skip¡¯s powers were more than slim.


    But on the bright side, he and Skrili continued to strengthen. By the time the cool evening breeze swooped in, they¡¯d successfully completed today¡¯s team attack three times. Their progress even allowed room for running techniques from previous days. Skip applauded them all along.


    Deon knew their technical end goal was to pass and get approved for Conscious Competitions¡ªsomething he still itched for, now that he allowed his mind room for it again. But whenever he met Skrili¡¯s eyes, he saw the exact same tenacity as his¡ªand he knew what they were really fighting for now.


    Even more trying than the drills, Deon and Skrili were learning a new lesson: the delicate balance between passion, and fear.


    The air chilled against Deon¡¯s still drying skin when he and Skrili exited Skip¡¯s cabin for the night. They¡¯d dined and showered, and now all that was left was rest.


    The night was silent¡ªtoo silent for Deon, filled with only their footsteps against the grass. He bumped Skrili¡¯s shoulder playfully.


    ¡°Good stuff today,¡± he said.


    Skrili¡¯s face appeared emotionless, but somehow Deon could detect her air of concern when she looked at him.


    ¡°Is it still on your mind?¡± she asked.


    Deon smiled, as if to reassure them both. ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Mine too.¡±


    ¡°No way it¡¯s coming true, though,¡± Deon said, his voice growing vibrant. ¡°Cuz we¡¯re gonna become the best consciousness team of all time, remember?¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Not with¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡®Not with the way you¡¯re kicking,¡¯¡± Deon finished, mimicking her monotone. ¡°That¡¯s what you were gonna say.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s cheeks puffed as she pouted and looked away. ¡°No,¡± she denied, refusing to let a guilty smile break through.


    ¡°It so was!!¡± Deon insisted.


    ¡°¡­Maybe¡­¡± she finally caved.


    Deon barked a victorious laugh when she swatted him on the chest, cracking a smile at last.


    When they reached their tree, Deon noticed Skrili hesitate at the bottom for a peculiarly long time.


    Abruptly, she turned to him.


    ¡°There¡¯s probably a good view of the stars up in my spot tonight¡­¡± she uttered, eyes on the ground. ¡°You can come see¡­if you want.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t quite describe the warmth he felt as he watched her stand there for a quick moment, and then awkwardly turn to climb up the tree. This time, it wasn¡¯t just the Fiction Country aura to blame.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± he said.


    But as he followed her, he couldn¡¯t help but notice:


    It was cloudy out tonight. There were no stars.


    A smirk spread across his face.


    Cute, he thought.

 73. Nightmare (Part 1 of 3)

    The flickering lightning barrier around the trees continued to cast a rhythmic shadow over everything around, its harshness matching the erupting tension Lammy sensed.


    His eyes bounced between Raznizu, Najinzu, and Fewpar in a frenzy. He thought maybe he misheard Raznizu¡¯s words.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re defending us?¡± Zayza uttered, putting that theory to rest.


    The knife-wielding brothers faced each other with tightened grips, and bloody intent in their stances.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no time to explain,¡± Raznizu responded without looking back. ¡°This is precisely what I needed to avoid. Had I not smelled their presence when we first found you, perhaps you¡¯d understand by now.¡±


    Lammy thought back to the first dragon chase in Fantasy Country. So that¡¯s why he retreated, he realized. Then we were way off: they¡¯re not working together¡­they¡¯re enemies?


    ¡°It seems the only way to complete the mission now,¡± said Raznizu evenly, ¡°is to eliminate my old friends.¡±


    ¡°Ha. Fool,¡± Fewpar scoffed, still scratching at his scarred neck.


    ¡°So you¡¯re a traitor, brother,¡± spat Najinzu. ¡°You protect a cold-blooded murderer.¡±


    Within their frustration, Lammy could see the plain confusion on their faces. Whatever role they once believed Raznizu filled, clearly, was a front. Fewpar was wrong: they¡¯d been made the fools.


    But¡­why?


    ¡°I¡¯ve chosen to keep my promises,¡± argued Raznizu. ¡°Not to become a thug serving a false ruler.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time, then,¡± Najinzu started slowly. ¡°Where do your allegiances lie?¡±


    Lammy and Zayza awaited a response just as curiously.


    Raznizu swung his knife in the air, so rapidly Lammy didn¡¯t see his arm move.


    ¡°In a force that will bring your downfall,¡± he swore.


    Again, Fewpar cackled. Whatever composed persona he carried before seemed to have perished completely after Lammy and Zayza¡¯s previous escape.


    ¡°Well, if a fight is upon us¡­¡± he sneered, his eyes falling to Zayza with a deadly craving. ¡°Najinzu, a dart for the girl.¡±


    ¡°Spare it.¡±


    Lammy turned to find Zayza¡¯s hardened gaze, her green eyes knowing and unafraid. She¡¯d spoken with authority.


    ¡°I¡¯ll enter willingly. I accept of my own accord,¡± Zayza finalized.


    She lowered to the ground, sitting up straight in a proper position. Gracefully, she folded her hands on her lap.


    ¡°Zayza¡­?¡± Lammy checked.


    ¡°I must face him, Lammy,¡± she said.


    Fewpar¡¯s eyebrows lifted, his bloodthirst practically bursting from his ruffled body.


    ¡°Ah. A proper duel it is, then, my fallen princess.¡±


    Before Lammy could protest, or even keep up, Fewpar crouched to the ground behind Najinzu, mirroring Zayza¡¯s position. He closed his eyes and released a sigh.


    Still staring unwaveringly at Raznizu, Najinzu raised a knife and spun it between his fingers effortlessly.


    The situation was slipping out of Lammy¡¯s hands fast. Violence was inevitable, from all angles and in two realms, and everyone but him was more than ready for it.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, Lammy,¡± Zayza promised.


    He didn¡¯t think she¡¯d have anything more to say to him, but the meaning of her words sprung to life, surrounding him with protective intent. He watched on, hands shaking, as Zayza closed her eyes and swiftly entered the Dream World.


    What¡­what do I do¡­? Lammy¡¯s mind raced.


    Raznizu and Najinzu crouched forward into identical stances, knives high in the flickering light.


    ¡°You won¡¯t get past me,¡± stressed Raznizu. ¡°Not once will you touch Zayza or the boy. If you proceed, this is your end.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m the stronger fighter,¡± Najinzu growled as a final warning. ¡°Just know: I¡¯ll take no pleasure in killing¡ª¡±


    Sparks suddenly shot out in front of him, a metallic clank accompanying them.


    Raznizu stood just before him now, knives pressing a fingernail¡¯s length from severing Najinzu¡¯s head. Najinzu¡¯s own knives were the only barriers keeping him alive.


    Najinzu twirled and vanished, reappearing just before the entranced Fewpar.


    ¡°And my Sense-Enhancing is more powerful now,¡± he added. ¡°All of your tricks will be clear as day.¡±


    ¡°But I see you haven¡¯t yet learned humility.¡±


    Somewhere in the middle of Lammy¡¯s blink, Najinzu darted back at Raznizu and attempted a stab. But Raznizu¡ªseemingly defying all sense of time and space¡ªshifted appropriately for the block.


    Awe and helpless fear weighed onto Lammy. This was a different language of fighting entirely¡ªone that, without the Sense-Enhancer type, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to process.


    The onset of the battle shocked Lammy¡¯s mind back into action. They couldn¡¯t run this time: they had to defeat Fewpar and Najinzu to survive. It was time to be brave again¡ªnow more than ever before.


    His knees shook, but his eyes grew warm.


    He needed to join the fight.


    He turned to the only strength he knew to lean on: strategy and analysis. The battle had begun on two fronts¡ªZayza versus Fewpar, and Raznizu verses Najinzu. He could only join one, but in doing so, he could help overwhelm one of their enemies.


    But which one?


    Looking on as Raznizu and Najinzu parried each other¡¯s sparking blows with seemingly no reaction time, Lammy knew it was a fight he¡¯d only worsen. The answer was obvious: he¡¯d already assisted Zayza in the Dream World, and without a body there, Fewpar wouldn¡¯t be able to target him.


    But this meant leaving his and Zayza¡¯s physical bodies vulnerable, in the care of a knife-throwing man he only recently found out hadn¡¯t been trying to kill them.


    No option felt particularly appealing.


    But I have no choice, Lammy thought. If I¡¯m gonna help at all, it needs to be in there.


    He backed closer to Zayza and kneeled beside her, the hair on his arms standing up as he hardly followed the clanking knives. One successful move past Raznizu, and Najinzu¡¯s knives would meet his and Zayza¡¯s flesh.


    There was no better time than now for Lammy to tap into his powers: they fed off of stress, and at the moment, their meal was infinite. His eyes continued glowing orange, brighter than before as he focused on bringing them forth.


    Lammy placed a hand on Zayza¡¯s shoulder and closed his eyes. Hundreds of times more seamlessly than normal, he sunk straight in.


    ~


    The battle in the Dream World was already well underway.


    Lammy¡¯s vision faded in, and he found himself above hills and plains of grass, equal parts green and blue¡ªit was an identical landscape to the first time Zayza and Fewpar faced off.


    But the sky was black, and for the first time he¡¯d seen, cloudless.


    Green and blue blasts of light burst against the hills all over. It would have been a beautiful display, if not for the reason. Eventually, Lammy spotted Zayza in her dress far below. She fired a green beam, and then vanished again, reappearing many hills away.


    Then, he pinpointed Fewpar. Both Dreamers were shooting blasts, teleporting, and shooting again repeatedly. It was almost dancelike.


    ¡°THIS IS THE DAY!!¡± Fewpar screamed, his voice bouncing all over the field as he moved. ¡°THIS IS THE DAY I DEFEAT THE REVERED ZAYZA!!¡±


    Neither was gaining the upper hand, but then, Lammy noticed Fewpar appearing closer and closer behind wherever Zayza warped.


    He¡¯s figuring out her pattern! Lammy observed. It¡¯s only a matter of time¡ªI need to attack!


    Zayza blinked up to the highest slope, and Fewpar flashed just behind her, hand raised. A blue energy blast exploded from his palm.


    Lammy raced to imagine an ambush, but he knew he was too late.


    Then Zayza waved her arms rapidly, and a green field of light encompassed her. The blue blast exploded off of it, leaving Zayza untouched as she reemerged.


    Next came Lammy¡¯s attack: a gigantic fist, which rammed into Fewpar¡¯s blind spot full-force. He barreled through the air and slammed against the next highest hill.


    Uh¡­hi, Lammy sent Zayza.


    He felt a warm sense of relief from her.


    Welcome, she sent. Will you be joining us?


    Lammy smiled mentally. Let¡¯s take this bully down this time.


    Zayza sent a nod. Together.


    Yeah. Together.


    Watching down on her from an invisible above, he felt a surge of reassurance from their confidence. The Zayza standing atop the hill had the commanding stature of a princess, and the bravery she¡¯d earned in their long journey. Even he¡ªscared as he was¡ªfelt more ready for this than ever.


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    Their suffering made them stronger. This time, it would go down differently.


    ¡°BOY!!!!!!!¡±


    Fewpar¡¯s voice rang across seemingly all of the Dream World, its echo rising in pitch each time. He¡¯d stood by now, searching the sky frantically.


    ¡°HOW?! WHY?! This is a proper duel! GET OUT!!!¡±


    He began firing light beams into the sky at random. Guarded by a lack of a body, Lammy simply cringed as he watched the tantrum unfold. One of the blasts came straight towards his vision, but passed through harmlessly.


    Zayza winced, just as disturbed by Fewpar¡¯s outrage. But then she focused decidedly, and flashed away in a green flicker.


    She reappeared just in front of Fewpar.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    A green light began glowing in front of her dress around the legs, and she forced her knee into her adversary.


    Once more, Fewpar shot into the sky, but he caught himself midair and floated above her.


    Now Lammy could see his face better: even in the Dream World, where his clothes were tidy again and his scars nonexistent, there were dark rings under his hateful eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t play by an abuser¡¯s rules,¡± Zayza shot.


    An ugly grin formed on Fewpar¡¯s face. ¡°¡®An abuser.¡¯ I¡¯m the abuser, am I? Is that so? This is rich¡­¡± he muttered, his chin shaking.


    Zayza suddenly stepped back, triggering alarm in Lammy; she¡¯d sensed something coming.


    In the air around Fewpar, stars began manifesting and twinkling lightly like snowflakes. They increased with every second. All the while, a blue glow intensified around his body.


    ¡°Zayza, calling me an abuser. Calling anyone else an abuser. Sure, sure¡­¡± Fewpar rambled. His empty eyes locked onto hers. ¡°You know, I already miss last time, when you were scared, innocent, and confused. It made torturing you feel so¡­cathartic.¡±


    ¡°I¡­still don¡¯t know what I did,¡± Zayza revealed carefully.


    Fewpar puffed a laugh. ¡°Oh, my apologies. Let me help: it was probably something like¡­THIS!¡±


    The sky all around him lit up blue, and his stars now appeared black against it. He raised his fingers at Zayza, and once he did, they all began raining down¡ªlike a storm from a nightmare.


    Run! Lammy pleaded.


    Zayza warped far backwards, but their range was too widespread: the stars shot straight for her, even faster than the dark memory shards. She teleported again, but there they were, with more falling from the sky.


    Zayza dove out of the way as a black explosion decimated the ground beside her. Even in this peril, she moved elegantly, twirling just out of reach of each attack.


    Do I make her the shield? Lammy thought. Wait, no¡ªthey¡¯re getting too close. Which means¡­


    He brought his focus to Fewpar, who was gritting his teeth so hard they were likely cracking as he commanded his strike.


    Lammy imagined the biggest tree on the outskirts of Tailpiece, and launched it spinning straight for Fewpar¡¯s back.


    But as it neared the light surrounding Fewpar, it slowed to a midair stop.


    What?!


    Lammy tried forcing it forward with all of his mind¡¯s might, but it didn¡¯t budge. Its leaves touching Fewpar¡¯s energy caught fire, and soon the whole tree was burning blue.


    By now, Fewpar had noticed the attempt as he kept his own attack coming for Zayza. He smiled menacingly. ¡°It¡¯s no use. Not when pitted against this sheer amount of energy,¡± he taunted.


    Lammy watched in panic as his imagined tree disintegrated into ash. He returned his attention to Zayza.


    I can¡¯t hold him back! Get away! he warned frantically.


    It¡¯s alright, stressed Zayza.


    But immediately, the opposite seemed true: at last, several of the black stars successfully reached her and pressed into her stomach, before exploding just as violently as the others.


    ZAYZA!!!


    ¡°YES! FEEL IT!¡± Fewpar roared. ¡°FEEL ALL OF IT!!¡±


    Zayza smacked brutally against the hill and tumbled all the way down, arms and legs flailing. She fell just out of Lammy¡¯s view.


    ¡°Now, then,¡± Fewpar said, his composedness returning for just a moment.


    Under his command, all of the remaining stars showered down to where she¡¯d fallen.


    Zayza¡­no¡­please¡­Lammy tried, not expecting a response from his battered friend.


    Now, Lammy! came her voice, just as confidently as before.


    H¡ªhuh?


    A brilliant green glow emitted from behind the hill where Zayza crashed, and as soon as the black stars reached it, they combusted in the air.


    He can¡¯t maintain this magnitude of energy for long! Dreamers have limits. It¡¯s time to counter! Zayza declared.


    Several green beams ascended straight for Fewpar, who had clearly assumed his onslaught succeeded. They exploded against their unsuspecting target, pushing him back in the sky as he tried and failed to deflect them.


    Zayza rose into the air in a brilliant display of green radiance, still firing beams, as energetic as she was at the onset of the battle.


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but pause in wonderment.


    She¡¯s¡­


    Now!! Zayza stressed, her counterstrike continuing tenaciously. If we can overwhelm and weaken him enough, I can keep him pinned in here and we can force their surrender!


    ¡°Right¡ªsorry!¡± Lammy stammered. He quickly grasped her plan: once Zayza had Fewpar captured, Lammy could return to the real world and threaten Najinzu to stop, or else.


    It was a dark technique, but at a time like this, darkness was necessary.


    He hurried to start imagining more giant objects to lunge at their enemy. Thinking off the top of his head, they came as a blend of more Tailpiece trees, and tools and appliances from their work at Gloat Center. The random items faded into view high in the sky, and swooped down at Fewpar relentlessly.


    All the while, Zayza¡¯s beams and blasts kept plowing into him. Fewpar roared from both pain and frustration.


    In the midst of their offensive, Lammy kept glancing at the determined, focused Zayza.


    If Dreamer energy has its limits, she doesn¡¯t seem to be anywhere close to reaching hers, he noticed. And when Dreamers get hurt enough, they can get forced out of the Dream World¡­but she seems fine, even after taking that huge hit. She¡¯s¡­


    She¡¯s way stronger than I thought. She¡¯s incredible.


    After a cartoonish version of the grill from the Phoenix whacked Fewpar from behind, a green beam shot down from above and forced his downward spiral to the ground. Dust shot up everywhere as he crashed with a thud, creating a small crater in the ground.


    They waited as Fewpar lie twisted in the dirt.


    That¡­was kind of brutal, Lammy admitted. But given the torment they¡¯d received from this man, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel guilt.


    Now then, said Zayza. She stepped forward, and then warped closer to Fewpar. Carefully, she hovered down and stood just before him.


    Lammy, once I restrain him, go tell Najinzu we have his comrade at our mercy, she instructed.


    O¡ªokay¡­Lammy would have swallowed hard if he could. While Zayza¡¯s assertiveness was comforting, it was a bit scary how poised she was. It had to be her returning memories.


    But the instant Zayza inched closer to Fewpar, blue energy burst around him. He pounced up and rammed himself into her with a chilling cackle.


    Zayza tumbled backwards against the ground, but swiftly regained her footing and stood in defense.


    Fewpar¡¯s jarring laughter continued. ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less from the former Azvaylen Princess¡­spectacular¡­¡± he growled. ¡°But that won¡¯t be enough anymore, you see.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s eyes narrowed inquiringly, her green dress blowing in the wind from Fewpar¡¯s rising energy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never stopped training since our last little get-together,¡± Fewpar revealed. ¡°But more than that: no matter how badly you damage me, you won¡¯t be able to kick me out of the Dream World, or even weaken me.¡±


    He raised his hands out to the side, as if giving an elaborate speech.


    ¡°Did you not see my beautiful new scars all over my real-world body?! Thanks to Najinzu, I¡¯ve increased my Pain Tolerance to a level so high, there¡¯s nothing you¡¯ll be able to do to overpower me!¡± he announced, bursting into more laughter. His eyes shot wide open and his head shook. ¡°He tried to deter me, saying if he went too far, I¡¯d lose my sanity! The IDIOT!! I demanded him to keep going, as far as he possibly could!! And he was wrong: I¡¯ve never felt better in my LIFE!!¡±


    His cackles filled the air, seemingly distorted through his blinding blue energy.


    Disgusting, Lammy heard Zayza think. He couldn¡¯t tell if she meant for him to hear it. But he knew her next thought was intended for him: This isn¡¯t good.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand, Zayza?!¡± Fewpar continued, practically screaming. ¡°I will stop at NOTHING to destroy you! To humiliate you! To torment you! I¡¯ll give everything within my authority to bring upon you, until we drag your worthless body to your overdo death! Because that is my heart¡¯s deepest longing. I will stand for Vayva!!¡±


    Zayza¡­now what? Lammy asked anxiously.


    Unfortunately, Lammy, I was about to ask you, she admitted. We¡¯ll have to¡ª


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    It took Lammy a delayed moment to notice she¡¯d let out a cry in her physical voice. He hurriedly checked Fewpar, but he hadn¡¯t continued the fight just yet. In fact, Fewpar seemed just as surprised.


    Zayza raised a hand to her shoulder, and brought it to her eyes to find a streak of blood.


    Then, Lammy felt a sharp pain swipe across part of his non-existent arm.


    What¡¯s that?! he asked.


    The real world! Zayza urged quickly. Something¡¯s happened! Come on, we have to get out of here¡­


    She rushed to begin her stance to exit the Dream World¡ªbut it was short-lived.


    With a flash, Fewpar teleported right in front of her, his blue energy erupting into a personal storm around them.


    ¡°What a development¡­it seems your friend is failing,¡± Fewpar said. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let you get out of here, Zayza. Our fight continues.¡±


    Lammy, I¡¯m stuck, Zayza urged. Please, go.


    But¡ª


    PLEASE!


    Lammy hesitated. He couldn¡¯t just leave her behind.


    And yet, by leaving, perhaps he could do the opposite.


    I¡¯ll protect your body! he swore. And I¡¯ll come back!


    He couldn¡¯t waste any more time. Lammy let his Dream World vision blacken, and he felt himself begin to sink away. It started slow, and then reality pulled rapidly at his mind.


    ~


    Lammy opened his eyes, and his very first view was Najinzu¡¯s deadly black knife swinging right at him.

 74. Nightmare (Part 2 of 3)

    The black blur that was Najinzu¡¯s knife came straight for Lammy¡¯s shoulder. He didn¡¯t even have a split moment to process it.


    Then a harsh scream¡ªthe piercing sound of metal against metal¡ªoverloaded Lammy¡¯s ears.


    Just before his eyes, another slightly lighter blade manifested and caught the attack firmly in place. Lammy could feel the wind from the weapon¡¯s sudden movement against his face.


    His whole body went numb, so he turned his eyes.


    Raznizu stood just before Lammy, stretched so wide in a way that seemed to defy balance. Despite the rushed rescue, he wasn¡¯t gasping for breath. His eyes weren¡¯t wide. He was simply attentive.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t to kill these two,¡± his low voice rumbled, eyes on the competing blades.


    Finally, Lammy¡¯s mind processed Najinzu crouching before him, failing to force his knife past Raznizu¡¯s. The two brothers towered over him and Zayza,


    ¡°Who said my intent was to kill?¡± Najinzu sneered. ¡°You swore you could keep me from touching Zayza and the boy even once. Now I¡¯ve proven you wrong¡ªand I figured I¡¯d go for two.¡±


    The stinging Lammy felt in the Dream World returned. There was a thin, shallow red cut on his forearm¡ªthe one he held up to keep a hand on Zayza. A similar cut slightly severed the sleeve on Zayza¡¯s shoulder, but it seemed just as minor. She continued to sit up entranced and focused, her mind in the Dream World.


    ¡°Your competitive nature is an obstruction to your goal,¡± Raznizu observed, managing to shove Najinzu¡¯s knife away.


    Najinzu slid back rapidly, whipping out more knives from seemingly thin air and wielding them between his fingers.


    ¡°There¡¯s always time to impress big brother,¡± he argued. ¡°Consider that a warning. You cannot win this fight¡ªinevitably, they will both end up in my grasp. Yield.¡±


    He abruptly pounced and rolled out of the way, and at first Lammy couldn¡¯t figure out why. Then he spotted Raznizu¡¯s throwing knives¡ªthe same he¡¯d used to try and capture them¡ªstuck in the earth exactly where Najinzu had just stood.


    The two launched into another bout of their lightning-fast faceoff. Again, Lammy couldn¡¯t keep pace with their speed. The flickering and flashing of Raznizu¡¯s lightning barrier around them only made following their movements more disorienting. At random, they would meet for a blink and their knives would collide, only to do so again at the opposite end of the magical fence.


    Eventually, Lammy had to shield his eyes from the flashes.


    It¡¯s gotta be their Sense-Enhancer powers, he decided. That must be how they keep pinpointing each other¡¯s locations. So whoever has the sharper powers, also has the upper hand.


    The clanks came close again for an instant, so Lammy reopened his eyes. But the combatants shifted away as fast as they came. He eyed Zayza, his hand still on her shoulder.


    I promised her, he thought.


    But how was he supposed to protect her, when he couldn¡¯t see any attacks coming in time? As it stood now, he was just as capable to defend her from their real-world dangers as she was.


    Zayza¡¯s upright posture and calm face were a dramatic contrast to everything around her. But for an instant, Lammy noticed her eyebrows furrow twitchingly.


    What had transpired in her duel with Fewpar since he left the Dream World? His mind could only muster the worst possible scenarios.


    A thump resounded before him, and Lammy turned to find Raznizu slide to a stop with his back against the dirt. He immediately rolled to his feet, and when he hopped back into the air, he only barely missed Najinzu¡¯s incoming blade. With a deadly gleam, Najinzu reclaimed the weapon and continued his pursuit: Raznizu had fallen on the defense.


    There has to be something I can do to support him¡­Lammy thought, heart thumping. But what?


    ~


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do! You¡¯re merely putting off the inevitable!!¡± Fewpar shouted.


    His blue energy struggled as it forced itself against Zayza¡¯s resisting green light. Their hands pressed against each other, desperately attempting to shove the other back.


    Eventually, an explosion burst out between them, and both Dreamers were thrown back, spiraling into the many hills.


    Zayza caught herself and stood, but Fewpar blinked into the space just before her face.


    ¡°Escape the Dream World, and you¡¯ll find no reprieve,¡± he teased.


    Zayza shot a green blast, but Fewpar flashed away again.


    ¡°Remain here and face me, but you¡¯ll never be able to boot me out,¡± he continued, now directly behind her.


    Zayza spun, glittering light appearing around her arm as she swung an elbow. But again, it was a miss¡ªFewpar was gone again.


    ¡°ABOVE!!¡± his voice declared from the sky.


    Zayza summoned an energy shield just in time¡ªa ferocious blast rained down and pressed against her. The force pushed her to her knees as she held the green light above her, until it caved with a pop. But Fewpar¡¯s blast had nearly reached its end, and it only partially met its target. Zayza let out a grunt as the power slammed her against the green and blue grass.


    ¡°Telling me exactly where you¡¯re ambushing from? Sloppy,¡± she admonished, dusting off her dress as she stood once more.


    ¡°Oh? How exactly does your amnesia work, anyway? You seem to remember Dreamer Combat after I pummeled you, but you still don¡¯t recall your life?¡± Fewpar pointed out. ¡°That seems terribly¡­convenient!¡±


    He fired another blast, but Zayza sidestepped it.


    ¡°I removed my own memories,¡± she explained. ¡°And I don¡¯t want those back¡­yet.¡±


    ¡°Yet¡­?¡± Fewpar repeated, the word sour in his mouth. ¡°Yet? What is this? We may be Dreamers, but we¡¯re just like everyone else: we don¡¯t get to choose when we face our trauma, Zayza. It just happens. And as it turns out, you were mine.¡±


    Zayza charged more energy into her hands and arms warily.


    ¡°Enough of this game,¡± Fewpar decided, his face wrinkling up. ¡°It¡¯s time for your trauma. It¡¯s time you meet the monster you really are.¡±


    He lowered from above, slow and ominous, allowing plenty of distance from Zayza. Then, he stopped just above the grass, straightened his fingers, and raised them near his temples.


    ¡°You should recall by now: it¡¯s traditional conduct for Dreamers to hide their most powerful techniques until deep in the duel,¡± he said, his eyes on hers unblinkingly. ¡°I¡¯ve finally mastered it¡ªspecifically for you, princess.¡±


    Fewpar¡¯s fingers touched his temples lightly. His eyes glowed blue.


    ¡°Nightmare,¡± he uttered.


    A shiver shot through Zayza¡¯s whole body. Only days ago, she¡¯d remembered exactly what this was: the ultimate technique¡ªa Dreamer¡¯s forbidden, heightened form.


    She watched on with frightful knowingness as the Dream World landscape around them transformed. The grassy hills vanished, replaced with a flat, endless dark surface. She recognized the phenomenon as the sky shifted colors rapidly, clouds pulling away as the day reversed to morning, then night, and cycled increasingly until it blackened to a starry midnight. The void floor underneath her blinked blue when she took a wary step back.


    Fewpar¡¯s feet finally touched down, the floor twinkling underneath him as well, like small splashes of water. His eyes shone a blistering blue.


    ¡°Welcome to my hell,¡± he practically whispered.


    Zayza called upon more energy and ignited it around her body, but she knew it would be of little use.


    ¡°You¡¯re in my dominion now,¡± Fewpar sneered. ¡°You know that, don¡¯t you? There¡¯s no escaping to the real world while Nightmare is active. This only ends when I¡¯m through with you.¡±


    Zayza said nothing, but she knew he was right. Her only options were to fight, or endure it.


    Fewpar¡¯s face contorted, and Zayza couldn¡¯t tell if he formed a disgusted frown or smirk.


    ¡°It¡¯s time at last, Zayza,¡± he declared, ¡°to remember who you truly are: a heartless murderer.¡±


    All across the sky high above, small orbs of light began fading into existence. They were the same royal blue as Fewpar¡¯s Dream World clothes.


    Memory orbs, Zayza noted.


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    Gradually, more appeared lower in the air, reaching hundreds as they began surrounding Zayza and Fewpar. Zayza stayed firmly in place: she knew any wrong movement could bring unbearable pain.


    Then, the memory orbs all glowed increasingly brighter, and airy notes sung from each of them. Their eerie, droning songs carried out louder and louder across the Dream World until Zayza didn¡¯t think she could bear it any longer.


    But she could still hear Fewpar¡¯s voice clearly:


    ¡°HEARTLESS!!!¡± he screamed.


    Alarmingly fast, one of the nearby orbs above them grew twenty times larger. It jolted forward without warning, and crashed directly into Zayza.


    All her senses vanished for a moment.


    Or rather, they were replaced.


    In a haze, she could see two of herself sitting at what seemed to be a massive dinner table.


    No¡­there was only one of her. The other was a different young woman. She had the same fair complexion, same exact small mouth and curve in her nose, and dressed in an almost identical adorned dress¡ªonly Zayza¡¯s was green, and this woman¡¯s blue.


    But Zayza quickly noticed her distinct features: this woman¡¯s hair, though similar in length and style, was a deeper brown. Her eyes were a bit narrower, and dressed in an intense black makeup that accentuated their deep blue color, and her face, which was just a bit wider, was stern and hard¡ªcontrasting Zayza¡¯s naturally calm demeanor beside her. It featured two black freckles mirroring each other on each cheek.


    Despite her seemingly instinctive anger, and even partially because of it, she was beautiful. Zayza even felt a hint of envy.


    The Zayza in the vision glanced ahead for an instant, looking into the present Zayza¡¯s eyes, and then turned to whisper something in the woman¡¯s ear. The woman faced her quickly, and her elegant eyebrows lowered as she smiled¡ªforming a mischievous expression that was intimidating as it was inviting.


    Zayza felt a warm, melting sensation within¡ªbut she knew it wasn¡¯t her own.


    The woman whispered something back, but everything went foggy.


    Zayza gasped as she jumped back to her true surroundings. She lay on the empty black ground of Fewpar¡¯s nightmare, pain spiking all over. Judging by the receding splash of light underneath her, it had only been a second since the orb struck her.


    ¡°Anything to say?¡± called Fewpar.


    Zayza stood slowly, her legs shaking. She kept silent as she summoned more green energy.


    Fewpar¡¯s face twitched. ¡°Not enough, then? Very well.¡±


    Another orb blew up in size above him, and raced her way. But Zayza was more prepared this time: she shot energy out of her feet and thrust herself out of harm¡¯s way.


    Clearly, Fewpar was far from impressed or surprised. Another orb instantly followed suit, and this one met its target.


    Zayza¡¯s mind shifted against her will once more.


    This time, she stood in a crowd inside an elaborate stone hall. Chandeliers hung high above, and flags with insignias were draped evenly along the towering walls.


    At the end of the ballroom rested a brilliant red-carpeted stage. In the very center, standing behind a golden podium, stood the same young woman as before. She spoke to the crowd with authority¡ªnot a single attendee¡¯s attention wavered. Zayza¡¯s sight seemed to nod in vigorous agreement, as if someone else were in control of it.


    Then it peered off to the side of the stage, where several individuals were seated in massive golden chairs. The countless people obstructed her view of the occupants, but her eyes still caught that one chair was empty. She glanced over, and stopped at the shady corner of the room, just beside the stage.


    Zayza¡¯s past self leaned against the wall there, and while she was just as transfixed on the young woman as the rest of the audience, she glared on with clear indignation, arms crossed. Then swiftly, to the confusion of everyone around, she turned her back to the stage and hurried off, vanishing into the crowd.


    ¡°Seem familiar?¡±


    Fewpar¡¯s dark domain returned to Zayza¡¯s senses. The same pain coursed through her like a crushing weight as she forced herself up to her hands and knees. Raising her head, she found Fewpar still standing in the same position, his luminous eyes unblinking.


    ¡°Stop this,¡± she forced out. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re showing me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t understand? Or you don¡¯t want to?¡± shot Fewpar. ¡°Who was that in my memories, hm?¡±


    Zayza was wordless.


    Fewpar flashed blue energy into his arm and threw it viciously at her. The explosion forced her back with a shout.


    ¡°Hm? Who was that, Zayza?¡± he repeated. ¡°I want to hear you say it.¡±


    She sat up laboriously, but had to stop to catch her breath.


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Zayza admitted slowly. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°HOW COULD YOU FORGET HER?!?!¡± Fewpar roared, his chin quivering after. ¡°Killing her wasn¡¯t enough¡ªno, you had to wipe your memory of her existence entirely?! She was your elder sister!! And you took her life, and now convince yourself she never existed?!¡±


    ¡°Please¡­I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Zayza tried.


    ¡°You killed Vayva!! My sweet Vayva! You took her from me forever!!¡±


    Zayza couldn¡¯t tell if the memory orbs were under his control anymore. Several of them amplified and came for her at an inevitable pace. She braced herself.


    Several blue lights flashed in her vision.


    This time, the visions came rapidly. First, Zayza stood only inches from the woman¡ªfrom Vayva¡ªin a courtyard garden. Vayva confidently took Zayza¡¯s hand into her own. No, it was Fewpar¡¯s hand¡ªall of this was through his senses.


    The princess¡¯s face was radiant, her voice pointed, as she went on about their future together.


    Then instantly, it was nighttime. They stood together in the rain, in nearly the same place.


    Now, Vayva¡¯s voice was low. She looked around warily as she disclosed her secret apprehensions, her eyes tired and her face sunken¡ªfull of utter heartache.


    Zayza felt the worry in Fewpar¡¯s heart like it was her own.


    Another blue flash.


    Zayza watched on through Fewpar¡¯s eyes as he walked down a hall. He stopped short at a room with a cracked open, heavy door. Shouts echoed from within.


    He peaked through the crack. Zayza and Vayva stood squaring off, both of their faces red as they argued furiously. Zayza had never seen herself so livid.


    But something about Vayva was different¡ªher words were precise and persistent, but her presence¡­it lacked the charisma from before, replaced with nervous, urgent protectiveness. She was a small animal backed into a corner, and Zayza was the provoker.


    Fewpar¡¯s hand lifted to shove open the door, but the memory faded.


    Now, Zayza saw a quiet room. A bedroom.


    It was early morning, and Fewpar was stepping in to awaken his overworked, oversleeping love. Vayva lay still on her bed.


    Too still.


    And gray.


    Zayza felt Fewpar¡¯s heart pound and everything within him sink as he ran desperately to her side, trying to shake Vayva awake.


    But his queen was dead.


    ¡°NOW DO YOU REMEMBER?!?!¡± came Fewpar¡¯s voice from Zayza¡¯s true setting.


    He must have begun pounding her with countless more memory blasts, because they flashed into her senses overwhelmingly. Her mind felt invaded¡ªinfected with Fewpar¡¯s most broken emotions.


    She saw him race into another bedroom panicking, only to find it empty and the green window left wide open.


    She saw soldiers flood the halls and quarters, magically-lit swords at the ready.


    Chaos erupted in her head, and she couldn¡¯t escape.


    Then abruptly, it slowed.


    Now she could see a man. He appeared restrained to a pole in a dark, windowless room. Fewpar stood beside Najinzu and Raznizu, and several other individuals surrounded him.


    The man¡¯s face was chiseled and strong, yet tender. His short black beard only slightly succeeded at concealing his youth. Fire from a nearby torch reflected in his wide brown eyes, which shifted endlessly between the clamoring men and women.


    Zayza recognized him immediately: it was Oflenur.


    But she felt no affection for her secret lover in this memory¡ªshe only felt Fewpar¡¯s mind. And it was full of pain, loss, and hate.


    Reluctantly, Oflenur opened his mouth to speak. The people around him hushed immediately.


    His words came loud and clear:


    ¡°It was ZAYZA!! It was her plan! She killed them all!¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH!!!!¡± Zayza screamed.


    Through sheer willpower, she forced herself back to her own body, crouched with her face on the floor and writhing in a throbbing pain.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± she gasped. ¡°Please, just make it stop¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, at last, we¡¯re where I want us to be.¡±


    Fewpar¡¯s tone was empty and cold, much like his voice when he first captured her in No Man¡¯s Land.


    Zayza raised her head, but it was all she could manage now. She expected to meet his heartless gaze.


    Instead, she found tears.


    Glowing blue streaks ran down Fewpar¡¯s face. He gritted his teeth as he cried.


    ¡°You took my love from me. You¡¯ve tortured me all this time,¡± he pressed. ¡°So I¡¯ll continue this for as long as I please. You want it to stop? You know what you¡¯ll have to do.¡±


    Zayza knew indeed. There was only one way.


    I¡¯d have to activate Nightmare, she thought.


    As the realization set in, she knew either way, it was all over. Fewpar won.


    I can¡¯t awaken it unless I know my whole self, she remembered. I¡¯ll need¡­to accept the rest of my memories.


    With Fewpar¡¯s orbs of light floating over her in the infinite midnight sky, and as his tearful eyes stared into her with pure hate, Zayza pondered her ultimate plight. If she did nothing, she was trapped here, living out his traumas until he was satisfied¡ªwhich was likely never.


    And Lammy would be stuck alone out there, tasked with defending her vulnerable body.


    There was only one choice left to make.


    It¡¯s time, she decided. Time to remember.


    Everything.

 75. Nightmare (Part 3 of 3)

    A constant, harsh sizzle rang out all around Raznizu¡¯s electric cage. Lammy looked up: it had begun raining in the forest. But he didn¡¯t feel a single drop break through the force field.


    Clanks and clangs brought Lammy¡¯s attention back down. Raznizu and Najinzu¡¯s knife fight raged on, their speed and acrobatics still leaving Lammy in a terrible awe.


    His heart sunk when Raznizu forced out a painful grunt. He narrowly blocked Najinzu¡¯s following swing, but a streak of blood began flowing down the side of his leg.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Najinzu uttered, repositioning. ¡°You¡¯re weakened now, brother. Yield, and perhaps I¡¯ll make your death swift.¡±


    ¡°You always assume victory too¡ª¡± started Raznizu.


    But Najinzu pounced forward again, continuing the duel with increased vigor.


    While Lammy could hardly follow their movements, he understood the situation immediately. It was true: Raznizu was weakening. By now, he was practically always on the defense¡ªand his new injury would only slow him further.


    ¡°This is the end, traitor!¡± Najinzu¡¯s voice bounced all around the enclosed space as he jumped and sprinted after his prey.


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but wonder: what could possibly lead two brothers to such opposing sides, that they were willing to kill each other for their cause? He could never dream of falling out that drastically with Deon.


    Knowing Zayza was at the center of this all¡ªprobably the reason, one way or another¡ªonly made his heart heavier.


    But now wasn¡¯t the time to sulk: their only line of defense was failing before his still-glowing eyes. Lammy knew he couldn¡¯t join the fight.


    But there had to be a way to interfere. He had to shift the advantage, and fast.


    He pondered his assisting role for Zayza in the Dream World¡ªbut there was no way he could target Najinzu at the speed he was moving.


    Lammy needed to fill a similar role, but it had to be discrete.


    Raznizu evaded another swing, jumped forward, and flipped off of the trunk of a tree. It was the same form he used when he¡¯d leapt from Xinderzin¡¯s saddle in their first encounter.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes widened.


    That¡¯s it!


    A plan weaved together rapidly in his mind. It would take everything in his power to pull it off.


    But if he did, they could win this.


    Raznizu sidestepped Najinzu once more, and then parried a swarm of attempted strikes. But as the blood continued to drip from his leg, his movements grew slower. Lammy could even follow his speed now.


    But there was another injury: at some point, Najinzu had slit his arm.


    Najinzu suddenly hopped back, allowing a distance between the two.


    ¡°Tell me who you serve,¡± Najinzu offered, knives pointed forward, ¡°and I¡¯ll end this quickly.¡±


    ¡°I already told you, foolish brother,¡± grunted Raznizu between heavy breaths. ¡°I serve the one who will bring about your downfall. The one who will cure our land¡¯s corruption.¡±


    ¡°¡®Corruption¡­¡¯¡± Najinzu spat. ¡°Not good enough. Very well: it¡¯s time to¡ª¡±


    His words trailed off slowly, as if to mirror the unwelcome discombobulation in his brain. Lammy would have chuckled, if not for the dire stakes of the situation. Najinzu¡¯s eyes squinted in utter confusion at what had suddenly appeared above him.


    Raznizu¡¯s expression was almost the same.


    Clearly, neither had anticipated the manifestation of a rusted, blue taxi in the air just below the electric force field. Yet there it floated, freezing their rapid duel through its randomness alone.


    Lammy focused carefully, preparing his next act. He didn¡¯t need to tap very deeply into his stress to strengthen his imagining this time¡ªthis was the easy part.


    He wished the taxi away. Next, his furry rainbow dragon faded into existence in the same position. It came out two-dimensional and the details were rough around the edges, but it didn¡¯t need to be pretty¡ªas long as it got the idea across.


    Irritated, Najinzu flung one of his knives up at the beast. But it flew straight through, proving its illusionary status. He only grew more annoyed.


    ¡°Boy!¡± he exclaimed, turning and pointing at Lammy. ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡±


    But Lammy tried to ignore his attacker¡¯s demand. There were still more steps to cover before it was time to start. Keeping his attention above them, he wished the dragon away, and replaced it with the image of a wooden carriage.


    ¡°Boy¡­¡± Raznizu uttered, catching Lammy¡¯s eye. ¡°I know not what you¡¯re attempting, but leave this to us.¡±


    Lammy glanced at him, but was quick to return his focus on the illusionary object, raising a quick eyebrow. He hoped he was subtle enough.


    In a hurry, he displayed the carriage, dragon, and taxi again side-by-side.


    Then, he focused carefully on the landscape of the battlefield. Tapping into his current stress, he felt his eyes glow¡ªthis step was a bit more complex.


    Raznizu and Najinzu watched in befuddlement as ground on one third of the entrapped area¡ªthe section closest to Lammy and Zayza¡ªlit up white like it had been painted. A single, simple dot floated above it in the same instance. It only lasted for a moment.


    Lammy followed suit with the middle section, and then the farthest from him, close to where Fewpar sat in meditation. The middle featured two dots above, and the far one displayed three.


    The flashing stopped, and Lammy took an uneasy, intense sigh.


    All things were ready.


    ¡°Cease these fruitless distractions!¡± Najinzu commanded. ¡°You cannot put off your fate!¡±


    Lammy said nothing.


    Raznizu glanced at him one more uncertain time, but returned his eyes to his opponent and raised his knives higher.


    It was time.


    The brothers both charged, flanked to the side, and charged again in nearly identical fashion, only to block each other¡¯s attacks. The duel recommenced with equal tenacity.


    Lammy observed carefully. Realizing there was no ideal time to begin, he swallowed hard, and unraveled his plan.


    He imagined his dragon¡ªor, an illusion of it¡ªabove the fighters once more, allowing it to linger for only a few seconds.


    Raznizu and Najinzu kept on fighting, seemingly paying little mind.


    Come on, Raznizu¡­Lammy hoped.


    But he had to follow through, or this simply wouldn¡¯t work from here on out. Bracing himself for lethal repercussion the best he could, he lit up the middle section of the area again¡ªthe space in which the brothers were fighting.


    But this time, the white glow was more than just a light. Lammy¡¯s eyes burst bright orange as he called upon deeper strength. He gave the light an energy to it¡ªa burning, forceful one, inspired by Zayza¡¯s green blasts.


    Raznizu and Najinzu both shouted¡ªout of surprise and pain¡ªas they hurried to exit the affected zone.


    They paused, gasping, and then shot Lammy a ferocious glare.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, boy!¡± Raznizu pressed.


    Lammy had no choice. His unexpected ally needed a hint. ¡°Trust me!¡± he stressed, hoping he wasn¡¯t giving everything away. ¡°Trust me¡­¡± he said quieter.


    Raznizu seemed to try reading his intentions, his eyebrows furrowing. But when Najinzu snapped back into the offense¡ªonly more agitated now¡ªhe had to return to his losing battle.


    Lammy waited for several moments. He could only hope Raznizu was still trying to piece it together.


    But there was no time to waste.


    Lammy studied their ever-changing displacement. Now, they were speeding along all three sections Lammy had highlighted¡ªbut it seemed Najinzu was avoiding the middle one a bit now.


    That left two ideal options, so Lammy went with the one farthest from him.


    He imagined the image of the taxi again. Riskily, he held off summoning the energy over the farthest zone, and waited for Raznizu to hopefully take note.


    Najinzu scoffed to himself as he caught the image in the corner of his eye. ¡°Ridiculous¡­¡± he growled.


    Then, to Lammy¡¯s dismay, it seemed Raznizu was trying to center the fighting close to the third zone. Still very much on the defense, he guided Najinzu closer to the area with each labored dodge.


    He doesn¡¯t get it, Lammy bemoaned.


    But then, Raznizu shifted unexpectedly. He pushed off a tree and sprang back at Najinzu as if to attack, but instead, zipped right past him. It appeared to be a foolish move, considering Najinzu could easily tail him and stab from behind.


    There was only one reason Lammy thought he might go for that.


    Oh! NOW!!


    Lammy summoned the white energy over the third zone, just before Najinzu was about to hurry after Raznizu. But he was too late: while Raznizu was now safely out of range, the energy encompassed and scorched Najinzu again.


    Najinzu roared, crouching over. Despite his reluctance, Lammy pushed himself to prolong the energy as long as he could. After Najinzu crawled his way out, Lammy imagined it away.


    Climbing to his feet, Najinzu spat and recovered his grip on his knives.


    ¡°They may want you alive,¡± he said darkly, ¡°but perhaps I don¡¯t.¡±


    Raznizu shot Lammy another quick glance¡ªbut though his mask covered most of his face, Lammy could see it: this expression was different this time.


    He figured out Lammy¡¯s strategy.


    It was time to step it up.


    This time, Raznizu moved onto the offense, charging straight for his brother with his black knives twirling. He¡¯d caught a second wind. But despite the damage he took, Najinzu blocked with ease and met him with the same intensity.


    Raznizu resumed his earlier movements, but quicker: cleverly dodging and allowing more distance between him and his foe. This only further convinced Lammy they were on precisely the same page.


    Lammy projected two images this time: the carriage and the taxi. Swiftly, Raznizu repositioned to the center of the area. Najinzu fled to the zone nearest Lammy, only to be met immediately with the brilliant energy.


    Raznizu waited until it settled, and then struck at Najinzu¡ªalmost getting him this time as he struggled to recover.


    This continued on several more times: Lammy alerted with one or two of the three images, Raznizu systematically moved, and Najinzu howled as he got caught in the danger zone.


    It¡¯s¡­actually working! Lammy realized.


    By assigning a number of dots¡ªone, two, and three¡ªabove each zone of the fighting ground before he began, Lammy had introduced a sequence. But in order for Raznizu to know which zone he was about to attack, and just as importantly: for Najinzu not to know, he had to communicate in code.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    So the taxi, the dragon, and the carriage represented a chronology: one that only he and Raznizu would understand. Based on the order of their encounters with each other¡ªthe carriage indicating zone one, the dragon representing zone two, and the taxi meaning the third zone¡ªhe could warn Raznizu where he would strike, while it seemed like a series of random attacks to Najinzu.


    But having already used these codes several times by now, Lammy needed to be quicker. He knew this wasn¡¯t fit for a long-term strategy, just a surprise one. Soon enough, Najinzu would understand the pattern.


    Lammy imagined the taxi again this time, and Raznizu prepared to make his way farther from the area of attack.


    ¡°Enough of your tricks! You¡¯ll attack near Fewpar!¡± Najinzu called out.


    Time was already up: Najinzu had figured it out. He had to adjust.


    Here it goes, Lammy thought quickly.


    He added the dragon and taxi beside the carriage.


    Seizing the opportunity, Raznizu dashed forward and kicked Najinzu to the ground, before flipping back and shooting high into the trees.


    Then, Lammy lit up all three zones.


    Najinzu writhed as he tried to climb out of the energy, but it was everywhere. Raznizu¡¯s face was bright against the light as he watched on, dangling from a branch.


    This was likely their last chance. Lammy held on to the attack as long as possible, all the while regretting his need for it.


    But suddenly, Najinzu¡¯s screaming ceased.


    His shaking did, as well.


    He stood tall within the raging energy.


    ¡°IDIOTS,¡± he began, heaving. ¡°I¡¯m a master of inflicting the most pain possible in a living being. You should know that after my finest work, on Zayza.¡±


    He took a heavy step forward.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I can handle the pain when it¡¯s inflicted on me?!¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart skipped.


    I misjudged, were the hollow words in his head.


    ¡°Raznizu!¡± Lammy tried.


    But before anyone could react, Najinzu ripped a long knife from his belt and flung it up faster than an arrow.


    It sunk cleanly into Raznizu. Lammy couldn¡¯t quite see where, but at this point, it didn¡¯t matter.


    Raznizu fell from the tree, and Lammy hurried to imagine away his attack on the ground. He found the slightest bit of relief when Raznizu managed to land on his feet.


    But regardless, this duel was at its end.


    Panic sank into Lammy immediately. For a moment, he was back in the caves in Realistic Fiction Country, and Raznizu was Ryan.


    It was the same as then: with Lammy and Zayza not strong enough to defend themselves, a stranger had stepped up to risk his life and protect them. He was sacrificing everything to give them a chance.


    How many more people had to die for them?


    Raznizu stood unevenly, keeping the knife lodged in his lower abdomen¡ªprobably to prevent bleeding out. He breathed heavily.


    ¡°At last,¡± Najinzu rasped. ¡°I shall remove the disgrace of treason from our family name.¡±


    ¡°You¡­stole the words from my mouth¡­¡± grunted Raznizu. He turned to Lammy. ¡°Listen, boy. Somehow, you can communicate with Zayza in the Dream World, no?¡±


    Lammy nodded uneasily.


    ¡°Now¡¯s the time. You have to get her out of there, and run.¡±


    Najinzu cackled at his instruction. ¡°You¡¯re much too late for¡ª¡±


    He fell completely silent. More precisely: everything did. The crackling of Raznizu¡¯s electric barrier, the sizzling of the rain hitting it, and even Lammy¡¯s breath no longer had sound.


    Everything around them lost color, fading into gray, black, or white. Lammy glanced around frantically, eyes wide. The trees were slowly withering all around.


    ¡°Boy¡­¡± Najinzu started, his voice cutting clean through the silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s not him,¡± Raznizu denied. He looked to Zayza. ¡°Whatever¡¯s happening in their realm¡­the Fiction Country nature is reacting to the emotions.¡±


    Watching Zayza more closely, Lammy noticed her eyebrows furrow. She flinched slightly.


    ¡°Boy, go now,¡± Raznizu ordered.


    Lammy didn¡¯t need convincing. An orange tint covered the grayness around him, and he realized his own powers were cutting through the Fiction Country phenomenon.


    He heard metal rip from a sheath.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be dead before you return,¡± Najinzu promised.


    Attempting to shut him out, Lammy hurried to place his hand back on Zayza¡¯s shoulder. He closed his eyes, and sensed for her presence.


    Hang on, Zayza¡­he pleaded.


    ~


    Wherever Lammy had ended up, it couldn¡¯t have been the Dream World.


    No¡ªit seemed more like an underworld.


    Everything was pitch black, except the hundreds of floating blue orbs filling the void sky. Underneath, Fewpar stood tall, his face covered in light blue, glittering tears.


    Lammy followed Fewpar¡¯s eyes, and there, he found Zayza.


    She lay several paces away, her head raised warily. He could see her trembling, even from where he bodilessly floated high above.


    He wanted to reach out, but something about this disturbed, distorted setting, and the eerie notes ringing out from the blue orbs, told him it wasn¡¯t his place.


    This was between them, and them alone.


    ¡°You know, Zayza. You know what you have to do,¡± Fewpar pressed through a shaky voice. He was neither calm nor crazed as he spoke¡ªthis was a side Lammy had yet to see: Fewpar was simply hurt.


    Zayza struggled to make her way to her feet. She was a wide open target like this, yet Fewpar didn¡¯t take the opportunity to attack. He simply waited in anticipation.


    What did he trap her into? Lammy wondered. Even still, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to send his thoughts to her.


    Zayza finally stood, and stared back at her rival. She inhaled to speak several times, a horrified frown forming, but kept failing.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Fewpar practically pleaded. ¡°Do it.¡±


    In that instant, Lammy realized exactly what was about to happen.


    WAIT, ZAYZA DON¡¯T¡ª


    But her words reverberated endlessly across the Dream World:


    ¡°I want to remember.¡±


    A glassy, screaming sound pierced through the orbs¡¯ constant notes, coming from all directions. It grew louder, and louder¡­


    Then, the horizon turned purple.


    Zayza¡¯s memory shards¡ªthousands of them¡ªshot through the sky towards her. Fewpar gazed around, both fear and expectation filling his teary eyes.


    Zayza, wait! What about what Kotono and Hiroko said? Lammy tried.


    But it seemed Zayza wasn¡¯t listening. She simply stood in place, and awaited the memories.


    Within moments, they surrounded her in a glorious swarm, their purple light illuminating her body. The blue orbs nearest to them back away abruptly, as if intimidated.


    The swarm of memory shards gradually grew smaller, centering in front of Zayza. Soon enough, they assumed the familiar shape Lammy had learned to dread: a faceless, otherworldly version of Zayza, facing her directly.


    The blue orbs fell silent, as did all of the Dream World. Lammy and Fewpar could do nothing but watch on.


    ¡°Is it time?¡± the purple being¡¯s jarring, inhuman voice inquired.


    No¡­Lammy begged.


    But Zayza nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± she uttered. ¡°I accept you back to myself. I want to remember everything.¡±


    The shards didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Then let us finally become one again.¡±


    The being brightened to blinding levels, and reached a hand out to Zayza. Mirroring its motion, Zayza raised her own hand.


    And the moment their hands touched, the shards vanished entirely.


    There was no grandiose explosion, deafening sound, or gusts of wind.


    Just like that, the shards were gone.


    In the silence that followed, it left Lammy to wonder if anything had even happened. Perhaps, by some miracle, it failed? Or maybe¡­


    Her memories weren¡¯t as tragic as they thought this whole time?


    But then Zayza fell to her knees. She let out a whimper¡ªone that marked the onset of returning pain.


    Then, hiding her face in her hands, she wept.


    Lammy and Fewpar continued to watch on. It seemed Fewpar hadn¡¯t yet gauged what he should feel.


    But though Zayza hadn¡¯t said a thing about the truth, Lammy knew precisely how he felt.


    His own tears fell as he helplessly watched his friend wail in agony. With no body here, he could only assume he was crying in the real world.


    This was too much.


    ¡°Your own mother¡­the Queen¡­¡± Fewpar uttered.


    Moaning and clutching her stomach, Zayza looked to him.


    ¡°Your own father, the King¡­¡±


    Her tears were green and glowing.


    ¡°And your own sister, my Vayva¡­¡± Fewpar finished. ¡°All dead. You killed them. You know that now, don¡¯t you?¡±


    No¡ªthat can¡¯t be it, Lammy denied to himself. She remembers it differently. She MUST.


    At last, Zayza returned to her feet. Her brilliant tears still fell, but her face had calmed. All Lammy could see was the loss, the mourning, in her eyes.


    She¡¯s a victim in this, just like him, Lammy understood.


    Zayza opened her mouth slowly. ¡°You have no idea what I endured¡­and what they endured¡­¡± she started, ¡°when I took their lives.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s world stopped.


    Wait¡­what?


    ¡°Nightmare,¡± Zayza uttered.


    Within seconds, the purple horizon spread, and completely enveloped the previously black sky. The blue orbs shook in terror, and then darted to Fewpar¡¯s head, where one by one, they vanished with a blink. The ground all around Zayza and Fewpar morphed and shifted.


    The Dream World landscape submitted to this new shifting reality, the flat black ground transforming into infinite mountainous slopes and cliffs. The many stars in the dense sky were black, and a black moon loomed in the distance.


    Again, Lammy found himself speechless. Zayza was creating this horrific place?


    Seemingly replacing the positions of the former blue orbs, hundreds of new images appeared. And they only made Lammy feel sicker.


    They were people¡ªfaceless, and featureless, more like shadows and silhouettes. And they were all dangling by a ghostly black ropes tied to their wrists, which hung from an invisible atmosphere high above. The silhouette people didn¡¯t move, aside from turning their heads from side to side, slowly, and hopelessly.


    They all let out slow, low moans.


    If the previous domain was the underworld to Lammy, this was a layer much farther down.


    Zayza stood atop the tallest mountain, her eyes bright, across from Fewpar on a lower slope not far away. He¡¯d gone completely pale.


    ¡°So¡­I was right¡­¡± Fewpar said hollowly.


    ¡°Your accusations were correct,¡± Zayza confirmed soberly. ¡°But I¡¯m not what you thought.¡±


    A green hue surrounded her.


    ¡°I¡¯m far more dangerous.¡±


    The surface of Fewpar¡¯s mountain erupted violently, green energy spewing out of it. Then, it completely exploded. Black rocks darted everywhere.


    Fewpar was nowhere.


    Come on, came Zayza¡¯s voice.


    Lammy jumped, startled. She was speaking in his mind again, at last.


    But for the first time, he wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted that.


    Regardless, he felt himself fading from the Dream World. This hellish domain rapidly went dark before his senses.


    ~


    When Lammy opened his eyes, he was already getting yanked to his feet.


    Everything was practically a blur. Zayza¡¯s hand was grasping and pulling his tightly as he stumbled up. The white electric barrier was gone now.


    ¡°GO, PRINCESS!!¡± came a forced, desperate roar from behind.


    Lammy turned to look back, but he only had an instant.


    Raznizu stood only steps away, serving as the only obstacle between them and a raging Najinzu, knife still wedged in his flesh. And yet, by his blades and body, he refused to let Najinzu pass.


    Najinzu screamed in pure, unrestrained fury.


    The last thing Lammy noticed before having to turn his head to regain balance, was how deeply red and damp the ground was around Raznizu.


    ¡°Run, Lammy! Don¡¯t look!¡± Zayza called back, her loyal grip on his hand tightening.


    He turned and struggled to follow her familiar frame, her brown hair waving in the stormy air.


    But who was she?


    No matter how many times Lammy kept trying to remind his brain that this was Zayza, there was a dissonance¡ªhe could hardly recognize her.


    He realized the hand holding his, guiding him from harm, belonged to a woman who had killed her own family.


    Suddenly, he felt just as unsafe running away with her as he did sitting across from a deadly knife fight.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll get you to safety!¡± her voice puffed desperately.


    This is Zayza¡­Lammy tried to think.


    This¡­is¡­Zayza?


    Zayza¡­what have you done?


    As clangs rang out in the increasing distance behind them, the duo disappeared into the cold, wet night.

 76. The Final Test

    Vivid flowers, of all possible colors and shapes, surrounded Deon and Skrili.


    They stood together in silent awe, in the center of a spacious, silvery cave. Deon couldn¡¯t grasp how bright it was, or how this dazzling display of flowers thrived, despite the lack of sunlight.


    The distant sounds of the quiet yet busy Nightwood villagers had vanished once they set foot in the cave.


    After they asked a local for directions to this place earlier, it seemed all eyes were on them the whole way there. Their task sounded simple enough before that moment¡ªbut now, Deon had grown a bit nervous.


    Pick a flower, Deon remembered as they stood there quietly. THIS is Skip¡¯s final test?


    ~


    Skip¡¯s training had gone opposite to Deon¡¯s prediction for their final week together. By now, he figured he shouldn¡¯t be surprised.


    It was, by far, their most straightforward¡ªand perhaps even easiest¡ªweek of them all. At least, that was the case on a mental level: aside from their daily visits to the cliff, Skip had no more Fiction Country shenanigans or mind games left for them.


    Though to Deon and Skrili¡¯s grievance, the vision never went away, or changed, since that first day they saw it together.


    It kept promising their failure, and Lammy¡¯s demise as a result.


    But it had become a powerful reminder¡ªperhaps even strangely therapeutic¡ªto stand side by side and face down their shared fear together.


    As far as Deon was concerned, they¡¯d never let it come true. Not when he knew Skrili had his back, and he had hers.


    But the rest of Skip¡¯s final week for them mostly entailed physical training and team techniques. Every day, they spent grueling hours working out, drilling team attacks, discussing strategies, and honing their consciousness abilities.


    Deon¡¯s favorite of these was Skip¡¯s penultimate assignment: for Deon and Skrili to come up with their own team special, without any guidance.


    In fact, Skip didn¡¯t even allow himself to be present whenever they worked on it over the final few days. He wanted it to remain secret to the world, until its debut, to everyone¡ªincluding him.


    Deon couldn¡¯t stop obsessing over what he and Skrili had ended up crafting.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to unveil it.


    While he felt they were succeeding on that end, there was still a major task they weren¡¯t even close to achieving, with time rapidly running out:


    Skip¡¯s deal.


    Deon had no leads: he couldn¡¯t possibly figure out what Skip¡¯s type was. The cunning trainer always seemed extra careful to never rely on powers, even when his teachings involved his own physical efforts.


    It kept Deon¡¯s mind spinning. They had to figure it out. Something seemed mysterious about Skip¡ªor rather, everything did. He needed to find out what Skip saw at the cliff, and what the largest tree at the Caves of Insecurity meant.


    And per their agreement, guessing Skip¡¯s type was the only key to this knowledge.


    Every night up in their tree, Deon and Skrili had fallen into the habit of sitting back and spending at least an hour scrolling through the full list of known consciousness types on their TeamTrack, debating if any seemed suspiciously close.


    But even still, Skip had left not a single hint. Oddly, they couldn¡¯t even find any history of him in the Consciousness League.


    However, while at least an hour of each night in the soft tree branches went to waste with their fruitless wonderings, the remainder was always the most calming, refreshing part of the day.


    Instead of splitting up after their investigative research, Deon tended to stay up in Skrili¡¯s area of the tree.


    Sometimes, they would talk into the night, trading teases, before drifting off. But most other times, they were largely silent¡ªstaring into the brilliant starry sky, and simply sharing each other¡¯s company.


    As each day came to a close, bringing them closer and closer to Skip¡¯s final assessment, Deon felt all his emotions heighten; the anticipation of whether they could pass, the curiosity of their future as a team¡­


    ¡­And most of all: the gratitude that he was able to learn so much about Skrili, and himself, in this strange little place he¡¯d never forget.


    Before he knew it, the final morning of Legend Training greeted them, finding the duo together in the pillowy treetop. Deon felt they could take on the whole Multiverse.


    They awoke ready for whatever test awaited, one last time, and headed for Skip¡¯s cabin.


    ~


    ¡°No fighting or trials, or anything strenuous today, really,¡± declared Skip, a glow in his smile. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a super easy one!¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!?! BUT IT¡¯S THE LAST DAY!!!¡± Deon protested.


    ¡°That it is, Deon!¡±


    ¡°Are¡­are you plotting something?¡± probed Skrili.


    ¡°That I¡¯m not, Skrili!¡±


    ¡°Wait a second¡ªwhat about our secret team special?¡± Deon reminded him. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to, like, approve that?¡±


    ¡°Nope! It¡¯s your secret!¡±


    Deon and Skrili exchanged annoyed glances.


    ¡°Alright, here me out,¡± Skip insisted, raising a pointed finger. ¡°Regardless of the team I¡¯m training, when we reach the last day, I always have them do the same thing. It¡¯s your turn now. It¡¯s time¡­for your final test.¡±


    Deon¡¯s ears perked.


    ¡°Everything we¡¯ve done together has led you to this task. And depending on how you handle it, that will communicate to me whether or not you¡¯ve learned this month¡¯s crucial lessons,¡± Skip elaborated. ¡°If you succeed, you pass my Legend Training.¡±


    It all comes down to this, Deon thought with a gulp.


    ¡°Your final task of my training,¡± Skip told them, ¡°is to pick a flower.¡±


    Deon slapped his hand against his face. ¡°I knew it. I knew it was gonna be something weird again¡­What, is the flower gonna try to eat us if we don¡¯t learn the power of friendship?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± denied Skrili evenly. ¡°It¡¯ll probably make us heighten our deepest desires or something in order to pick it. Gross.¡±


    They both groaned.


    ¡°Alright¡ªyou guys are pupils, not critics!¡± Skip snapped. ¡°And no¡ªit¡¯s not gonna be anything wild or complex. I want you two to walk to Nightwood Village. When you get there, ask a local about the Flower Cavern; they¡¯ll show you the way. Inside, there will be hundreds of flowers¡ªall totally unique.¡±


    His eyes peered at them seriously. ¡°Your mission is to find the one that symbolizes what it means to be a consciousness team,¡± he shared. ¡°You both have to agree on one flower.¡±


    One in hundreds, huh? Not great chances¡­Deon realized.


    ¡°Bring back your choice. If you pick the right flower, you pass the Legend Training.¡±


    Deon and Skrili stood tensely after Skip laid it out for them and fell silent. After all of this, it seemed so simple¡­too simple¡ªespecially given his usual antics.


    ¡°The instructions are pretty straightforward,¡± Skip noted. ¡°I don¡¯t have to say it again, do I? Get going, guys! Oh¡ªand don¡¯t forget to wear your Nightwood Village robes!¡±


    ~


    No matter how many times Deon stared at the brilliant natural assortment all around him, none of the flowers stood out for any particular, symbolic reason.


    He figured he¡¯d sense some sort of powerful sensation, especially considering how Fiction Country usually worked. But these were just ordinary, pretty flowers.


    The only aura he felt came from Skrili¡ªthe usual radiance she emitted, potent with the complexity of who she was: all the strength, heartache, and tenderness.


    Between that and her graceful appearance, adorned in her silky robe, Deon had a hard time focusing on the flowers more than her. He watched as she approached a particular blossom rising up from the silver, glittery wall.


    ¡°Wait¡­this one has two stems,¡± she observed, ¡°but only one bud.¡±


    ¡°Could that be it?¡± Deon wondered. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s like a ¡®team is one unit¡¯ sort of thing, like Skip always talks about.¡±


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


    ¡°Oh¡­no¡­they all have two stems¡­¡± Skrili realized.


    Deon quickly found it was true when he stepped closer to the wall. While some flowers had one bud, some two, and others even more, they all had that the same feature in common: their roots rose into two defined stems.


    He tried peering deeper as his eyes perused the cave wall. Clearly, the defining feature of the correct flower had to be something else.


    ¡°Oh hey¡ªthis one kinda looks like that fish I was talking about last night,¡± Deon pointed out. ¡°The one Lammy and I found while we were canoeing one time.¡±


    ¡°Right. The fish. Definitely¡­¡± came Skrili¡¯s obviously forced reply.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even. You fell asleep like a minute into that story,¡± Deon accused.


    ¡°It was boring.¡±


    ¡°Ouch¡­could¡¯ve told me to stop, then¡­¡± Deon grumbled.


    Skrili paused. ¡°But¡­I didn¡¯t want you to stop¡­¡± she muttered, her eyes set on the flowers.


    Huh? thought Deon.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Skrili started. But abruptly, she raised her hand to another seemingly random flower. ¡°Um¡­maybe this is the one? No, probably not¡­¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t tell if she¡¯d even looked at the flower at all. Her eyes were hidden behind her blue bangs, and her words sounded uneven, like she hadn¡¯t thought before speaking¡ªprobably for the first time in her life, he was willing to bet.


    She bit her lip. For some reason, Deon felt the urge to step closer and start searching the same area as her. He watched as she fell silent, choosing instead to begin brushing her hand through the flowers.


    ¡°Yeah¡­that probably isn¡¯t it,¡± Deon agreed, despite not knowing which flower she¡¯d even pointed out.


    He began combing through the many pedals as well, now by her side. While his eyes blankly scanned through all the colors and shapes, his mind seemed to retain none of it.


    Briefly, their hands brushed against each other. Her skin felt soft.


    But it always was, wasn¡¯t it?


    When he carried her out of the rain in Tailpiece after their fight with Pang and Phillip, when she, loopy from the healing process, touched his chest in Gloat Center, and when they woke up together in the tree several days ago¡­


    ¡­And then again a couple days after¡­


    And wait¡­that happened again last night, too.


    It always felt this way, didn¡¯t it? Was that why he was standing so close to her now?


    No¡­it¡¯s because it¡¯ll be easier to pick out a flower together this way, he told himself.


    Their hands brushed each other again in their search.


    Suddenly, Skrili¡¯s lingered on his. Or his did on hers.


    ¡°Listen¡­¡± Skrili uttered, turning her head away, ¡°I¡­I really thought I would wake up alone the next morning, after that night I told you everything.¡±


    Her hand pulsed.


    ¡°Hearing your voice¡­helps me fall asleep lately,¡± she let out.


    Deon felt weightless.


    ¡°Useful for something, huh?¡± he mustered with a quick laugh.


    Suddenly Skrili turned to him, leaned forward, and pressed her forehead against his chest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s¡­never split up, alright?¡±


    He¡¯d never needed to think less for the right reply. But even still, he remained wordless for a moment, with Skrili¡¯s face buried against him. When he finally uttered his agreement, it came softly, but definitively:


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°Also¡­your robe smells kind of weird,¡± Skrili added.


    ¡°Then get your nose out of it, you punk.¡±


    When Skrili lifted her head and met his eyes, all remaining clarity faded. A sudden thought crossed his mind:


    What would happen if he pulled her just a little closer?


    Her eyes widened a bit. He felt the air between them move when she took in a surprised breath.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the one,¡± said Skrili.


    As Deon¡¯s foggy vision improved, he realized her eyes were focused just past him, now.


    He turned to follow her gaze, and instantly, he knew she was right:


    They found the flower. That one had to be it.


    ~


    ¡°This one has to be it, huh?¡± Skip repeated back to them curiously. ¡°And uh¡­exactly how long did it take to get that thing out of there?¡±


    Deon and Skrili stood before him in his front yard, each carefully cradling a heap of roots mixed in with a massive grayish stem. Dirt was still trickling off the plant onto their spectacular but now slightly mucky robes, even after their long walk all the way back from Nightwood Village.


    Between them, the gray stems from each pile met in the middle and blended together in a tight twist, which fused entirely at the bud. At the top, they presented a combination of two styles of pedals: thin, sharp, purple ones, and between each of those, wider, bright orange ones.


    Similar purple pedals dangled from the stem Skrili held, while orange ones hung from Deon¡¯s.


    Deon and Skrili struggled to hold it up for proper display. The plant as a whole was awkward and messy. It was far from the daintiest, prettiest flower in the cave. But the big mixed bloom between the teammates demanded attention to its odd, wild beauty.


    ¡°It took a while,¡± Skrili admitted simply.


    Skip nodded slowly as he analyzed it. ¡°Alright, alright¡­¡± he emitted. ¡°It¡¯s a weird one, for sure.¡±


    ¡°But¡­this is totally it, right?¡± Deon asked confidently.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°NOPE?!?!!?¡±


    Deon took a hasty step forward. ¡°Wait¡ªdo we get another chance? Do we at least have until the end of the day, or something?¡±


    ¡°That was your only chance.¡±


    ¡°YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!! AFTER ALL THAT!!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, guys. But¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is the one.¡±


    Skip stopped, and he and Deon looked to Skrili. There was fire in her gaze.


    ¡°This is what it means to be a team.¡±


    ¡°But I just said¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. This is the right flower.¡±


    When Skrili¡¯s eyes turned to Deon¡¯s intensely, her self-assurance flooded into him. They¡¯d talked about it. They knew this was it.


    ¡°She¡¯s right, Skip,¡± Deon said flatly.


    Skip let out a sigh and placed his hands in his suit jacket. ¡°What makes you think that?¡± he entertained them reluctantly. ¡°It¡¯s just a weird flower.¡±


    ¡°This past month, we learned becoming a strong team isn¡¯t always pretty,¡± Skrili shared. ¡°It¡¯s¡­weird, like you said.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªyou made us hang out with our worst fears, and then talk about them constantly¡­not to mention taking us where trees tried to eat me because of Skrili¡¯s insecurities!¡± Deon added accusingly. ¡°That was whack, you know!¡±


    ¡°But it was what we needed,¡± Skrili chimed in.


    ¡°Yeah¡­that changed everything,¡± Deon admitted. ¡°And these two stems are kinda ugly, so¡­it made us think of that. Then there are the roots¡­¡±


    ¡°The flower was hanging from the ceiling. When we followed the two stems, they each led to completely opposite sides of the cave, where they went into the ground,¡± Skrili elaborated.


    ¡°And?¡± inquired Skip.


    Skrili glanced at her teammate. ¡°Deon and I come from completely different worlds. Our roots are totally opposite, just like the flower. But even though the stems come from all the way across the cave, they manage to meet in the middle and twist together into one display.¡±


    ¡°Just like us,¡± Deon said. ¡°We wanted to make it work, so we did. Like, we¡¯re learning from our differences, and that helps us create something totally unique. And I mean¡ªlook at this thing! It looks like it¡¯s supposed to be two separate flowers, but it¡¯s way cooler as one!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost wrong, but that¡¯s what makes it work,¡± Skrili agreed. ¡°Through commitment, and exposing itself to the other half, it became something special.¡±


    ¡°You taught us that, Skip,¡± Deon guaranteed. ¡°So¡­come on, man. Can¡¯t you change your mind? I mean, you¡¯re right: it¡¯s a weird flower. But¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a weird flower,¡± he and Skrili both said emphatically.


    Skip stared at them. Deon thought he¡¯d gotten used to this methodical gaze, but it made him as uncertain as always. Skip stared at them the exact same way when he was deciding whether or not to train them on day one.


    ¡°What do you think¡­?¡± Deon asked queasily.


    ¡°That was a nice Ted Talk,¡± Skip replied. ¡°Sorry¡ªNormal Country joke.¡±


    But the desperation and insistence in his pupils¡¯ eyes seemed to soften him. He let out another sigh, but this time with a smile. Skip cocked his head.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± he said.


    When they began walking, Deon was certain he was taking them into his house. But instead, he led them past the wooden building, and past the white and black boulders it was built into. He stepped beyond a tree, just behind the towering stones, and waved for them to follow.


    They¡¯d never been back here before.


    Deon and Skrili joined Skip in a quaint yet plentiful garden, bursting with just as many colors as the Flower Cavern. In the slightly shadowy sunlight, they were even more radiant here.


    Skip stood at the end of one of the rows, where a bit of empty soil lay.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­all this?¡± Deon wondered.


    Skip raised his hand to the display. ¡°These,¡± he said, ¡°are the right flowers.¡±


    ¡°WHAT THE¡ªTHEN WHY DID YOU SEND US ALL THE WAY TO NIGHTWOOD VILLAGE?!?!¡± Deon boomed.


    ¡°Because these are the right flowers for all the other teams I¡¯ve trained and passed,¡± Skip revealed. ¡°Yours was waiting for you in the that cave, just like these were for them.¡±


    He stepped towards them, and beckoned for their large flower with his fingers. Deon and Skrili let him take it, and watched as he struggled to lug it over to the patch of empty soil.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t care about which flower you came back with¡ªalthough, you could¡¯ve picked a nicer one for my garden,¡± Skip told them. ¡°It¡¯s what you had to say about your flower¡ªwhy you thought it symbolized being a team¡ªthat¡¯s what proved to me what you learned from the training.¡±


    Crouching down, he began digging a small hole with his bare hands, unconcerned about his suit jacket.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Deon slowly realized.


    ¡°So¡­so we pass?¡± Skrili inquired carefully.


    Skip raised his head to them. ¡°With flying, orange and purple colors,¡± he said, ¡°you pass my Legend Training.¡±


    ¡°YEAAAHHH!!!!!!!¡±


    Automatically, Deon dove at Skrili and squeezed her in a hug. She was startled at first, but ultimately wrapped her arms around him, too, and even let a laugh escape.


    ¡°¡­Is what I would say.¡±


    Immediately, Deon and Skrili released each other.


    ¡°EH?!¡±


    ¡°WHAT COULD IT POSSIBLY BE THIS TIME?!¡± Deon demanded, and though it took minimal effort, Skrili had to hold him back from charging Skip full-on.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah¡­I guess it¡¯s finally time to come clean,¡± Skip muttered to himself. He stood and faced them squarely, before raising a hand to the back of his reddening head. ¡°To be honest, I already passed a team this month.¡±


    ¡°YOU WHAT?!?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­it was just before you guys got here, actually,¡± admitted Skip. ¡°Pang and Phillip showed up. Just like you guys, they challenged me outright. But they won.¡±


    He turned to present the flower standing strong beside theirs. ¡°I let them go pick a flower to celebrate! Nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    It was small and sharp, with deep red and black pedals. Deon would have expected no different.


    ¡°But¡­Pang never messaged me about it¡­¡± Skrili pointed out. ¡°She would brag.¡±


    ¡°I uh¡­sorta asked them not to tell you guys,¡± Skip said.


    ¡°WHY?! We just spent a whole month on this for no reason!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°I was curious. I¡¯d never invited a team before, only to have them split into two new teams that still wanted to train with me. That was intriguing. If you guys knew Pang and Phillip beat you here, you¡¯d have no reason to come. I wanted to see how it would play out. Besides¡ªI wanted something to do this month. No one¡¯s ever beat me in the challenge before, so I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡±


    Deon gritted his teeth. So he was just playing around with us this whole time, out of curiosity and boredom?!


    ¡°Hey, if it makes you feel any better, you guys didn¡¯t disappoint,¡± Skip added. ¡°This was one of my favorite months of training. I¡¯m so proud of you two.¡±


    But his students didn¡¯t have anything to say. They simply stood there in shock, as he casually returned to planting their flower in his garden of successful teams.


    After a while, Deon tapped Skrili¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Uh¡­so¡­what do we do now?¡±


    In that moment, Skip stood, having completed his task. He slapped his hands together to brush them off the best he could.


    ¡°If you get another invite from a Legend Trainer, take it,¡± he said simply.


    Then, they watched as he walked off and calmly left them alone in the garden.


    Again, Deon and Skrili stood in sheer silence.


    But then they both felt a buzz in their pockets. They obtained their TeamTracks to read the message.


    ¡°Hey there, Skrili Kay and Deon Stutter! Skip, here. I¡¯d like to formally invite you to my Legend Training! The new month starts tomorrow and it¡¯s first-come-first-serve, so get here early! I hope to see you here. I¡¯ll send coordinates to my cabin!¡±


    ¡°What kind of game does he think he¡¯s playing¡­?¡± Deon grumbled. ¡°Is he really expecting us to start the training all over again like it never happened?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Skrili uttered, her eyes hyper focused on her screen. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want us to go through the training again.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? He just sent¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another way to pass without starting over,¡± Skrili expounded.


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened upon the realization. ¡°Oh¡­then he wants¡­¡±


    Skrili nodded. ¡°He wants us to challenge him to a fight again.¡±

 77. Challenge...Again

    The morning dew dampened the grass in Skip¡¯s yard, and fog escaped Deon and Skrili¡¯s mouths as they walked over to his cabin.


    The sun had only barely begun rising¡ªit was still almost as dark as the night before. Tree fogs soothed the air all around with their songs. Most likely, Skip was still comfortably asleep in his warm abode.


    Taking that into careful consideration, Deon and Skrili banged on his front door as hard and rudely as possible.


    ¡°WAKE UP AND FACE US, JERK!!!¡± Deon bellowed.


    Skrili kicked the door.


    Deon summoned several Twitchy¡¯s and commanded them all to scream as loud as they could, hopping up and down around the cabin.


    Eventually, the door slowly creaked open. A baggy-eyed Skip emerged in pajamas underneath a suit jacket.


    He even wears one to bed?! Deon observed in horror.


    ¡°Ugh¡­you guys waste no time, huh?¡± Skip slurred.


    ¡°You wasted a month of ours,¡± Skrili shot, arms crossed indignantly as Deon nodded furiously beside her.


    ¡°Did I?¡± muttered Skip. ¡°I take it you want to challenge me. The outcome will show if I wasted your time or not, won¡¯t it?¡±


    Deon and Skrili ran out of rebellious comebacks. They exchanged glances.


    They knew he was right.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this thing going, then,¡± Skip agreed with a yawn. ¡°But first¡­¡±


    He spun in place rapidly and faced them again, alert and awake all the sudden.


    ¡°Who¡¯s ready for a nice little jog?¡±


    ¡°NO!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°Kidding, kidding.¡±


    ~


    By the time Skip reemerged from his home in his usual formal attire, the sun had just about risen to awake the rest of Nightwood Valley. It was slightly cool, but bright and clear.


    Perfect conditions for a faceoff.


    Deon and Skrili completed the last of their warm-up stretches at the opposite side of the yard, and took note of their teacher¡ªno¡ªtheir opponent.


    After this long month together, Deon thought he¡¯d gained a better grasp on Skrili¡¯s subtle mannerisms. But right now, he couldn¡¯t quite read her quiet demeanor.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± she asked lowly.


    Deon smiled¡ªboth out of genuine confidence, and the desire to raise her morale. ¡°Oh, yeah. You?¡±


    ¡°He defeated us so quickly a month ago¡ªwe were nothing to him,¡± Skrili reminisced. ¡°But still¡­I¡¯ve never felt more ready for a fight in my life. We¡¯re a real team now, and I don¡¯t think even he¡¯s ready for us.¡±


    Thanks to her natural nonchalance, it took Deon a moment to detect her sheer tenacity in this moment. He thought he had to provide the inspiration¡ªbut her words fired him up even more.


    Deon turned to Skrili and raise a hand towards her. ¡°Bring it in,¡± he invited.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat are you doing¡­?¡± questioned Skrili, judgment setting into her eyes.


    ¡°I saw some of the teams at the Conscious Competition do this! I thought it was a cool way to get us hyped up!¡±


    ¡°We have to be one of those kinds of teams, now¡­?¡± bemoaned Skrili.


    Deon reached forward and tugged her closer. Giving in with reddening cheeks, Skrili matched his grip.


    ¡°You¡¯re incredible,¡± Deon told her.


    Skrili squirmed a bit, averting her eyes as her face flushed further. ¡°Y¡ªyou¡¯re such a dork¡­What, am I supposed to give you a compliment, too?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­I guess not, if you can¡¯t think of¡ª¡±


    ¡°The fighter you were when I met you, compared to who you are now¡­you¡¯ve improved at impossible levels,¡± Skrili told him, returning eye-contact. ¡°You¡¯re¡­something special.¡±


    Deon wished he could freeze that moment and replay it over again. Months ago, he was a pitiful, annoying newbie she felt she had to begrudgingly take under her wing. Now, he could see it in her gaze: they were equals.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s thanks to you,¡± Deon insisted. ¡°Jeez, Skrili¡­your compliment was way better than mine¡­¡±


    He squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s kick our teacher¡¯s butt.¡±


    Skrili nodded.


    ¡°Man¡­no reverence for me, huh?¡± Skip noted from across the yard. ¡°I take it you guys are ready?¡±


    The team turned, and together, walked towards the center of the clearing. Skip met them there, hands in pocket.


    ¡°Same rules as last time, kids,¡± started Skip. ¡°This is a boundaries match. All you have to do is push me past the tree line of the yard, or up against my house. Fair?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­you make it sound so easy,¡± Deon noted.


    ¡°Fair,¡± came Skrili¡¯s reply.


    ¡°Alright, then¡­it¡¯s time to see if you¡¯ll be stuck with me for another month, quit and start from scratch, or¡­¡±


    He paused to take several steps back from them, hands still in pocket.


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯ll become legends.¡±


    Deon heard Skrili tap the ground twice. It was the right call: immediately, he followed her back a couple paces.


    They shifted into their fighting stances, in back-to-back formation.


    ¡°Three¡­¡± started Skip.


    ¡°¡­Two¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­One¡­Go.¡±


    Just as Deon and Skrili expected from last time, Skip remained in place. But so did they, posing like statues.


    ¡°A defensive formation, huh? No¡­¡± Skip observed.


    In unison, Deon and Skrili darted in opposite directions. They sprinted in a crisscrossing circle around Skip.


    ¡°So you were paying attention that session¡­¡± noted Skip, preparing no defense. ¡°But let¡¯s see¡­I think I know what comes next.¡±


    Probably, Deon admitted to himself.


    Assuming he counted his laps correctly, it was time to start. He raised his hand, and on his next pass he and Skrili exchanged a high-five. Then came the second on the next lap, and the most important one: the third.


    His heart skipped when his hand slapped the backside of Skrili¡¯s this time.


    Wait¡­really? he questioned.


    But in an instant, he understood.


    As planned, they both stopped¡ªDeon facing Skip¡¯s front and Skrili to his back¡ªand redirected their sprints straight at him.


    Skip watched closely. ¡°Yep¡­this trick. Whomever will I have to block?¡± he recognized as they closed in. Confidently, he turned his back to Deon and prepared for Skrili¡¯s strike.


    Deon smirked.


    He rapidly imagined a wooden plank in the grass before Skrili¡¯s path. She stepped onto it knowingly, and jumped as Deon commanded it to spring her high into the air, away from Skip.


    In that moment, Deon jumped and launched a stabbing kick at Skip.


    Flick your ankle¡­he remembered desperately.


    With reflexes quick as ever, Skip had already begun turning back to Deon once Skrili shot into the air. But it was too late: they had him fooled. He only slightly caught Deon¡¯s foot as it plowed into his side, sending him sliding across the grass.


    Had he not figured it out in the last second, it may have been enough force to hit him out of bounds. But Skip caught a grip and pushed back to his feet.


    It was the first time Deon had ever seen him the slightest bit flustered.


    ¡°Alright¡­when did you learn to kick like that?¡± Skip pressed with a smile.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Deon grinned. Looking above, where Skrili balanced atop another plank he¡¯d imagined, he shot a thumbs-up.


    Skrili replied with a quick peace sign.


    The success of Skrili¡¯s first call filled Deon with adrenaline. As the one who taught them this trick, it would have made sense for Skip to assume they¡¯d pick Skrili¡ªthe stronger hitter¡ªto follow through with the kick while Deon served as the diversion.


    So picking Deon to be the real attacker was the ticket to catching him off-guard, especially when Skrili spent much of their downtime away from Skip teaching Deon how to kick.


    ¡°Not bad, but there¡¯s an issue with that move,¡± Skip uttered.


    Deon blinked, and within that time a palm slammed against his chest. He slid back, almost out of bounds.


    He sidestepped blindly, and just in time: Skip reappeared, narrowly missing Deon with his own kick. Skip pressed forward and continued his masterful offensive, leaving Deon no choice but to block head-on and steadily slip back closer to the boundary line.


    ¡°If you leave your faster teammate all the way up there,¡± Skip explained while launching rapid punches, ¡°I can capitalize on the mismatch and take you¡ª¡±


    ¡°SWAP!¡± urged Deon. He heard Skrili start to call it herself.


    He needed to get out of there, or this was over.


    With Skip blocking his view of Skrili¡¯s whereabouts above, he had no angle to imagine a quick way down for her. He simply imagined away the plank on which she stood, trusting her ability to land and dart forward.


    An instant later, he imagined another wooden plank below himself and rapidly commanded it to ascend. He escaped into the air just in time, barely shaking off Skip¡¯s hand when he tried to pull him back.


    The cool breeze met his face as Deon slowed the flying plank to a stop. He checked below immediately, to find Skrili already closing in on Skip to take his place.


    That was too close, Deon thought. We can¡¯t forget about his speed.


    Skrili and Skip clashed, but she was a much more balanced match for him. They broke out into a duel as ferocious as the day Deon watched Skrili face off against Pang. Skip was quick to reposition and lure Skrili away from the trees¡ªa successful effort to keep her from pushing him out.


    Deon braced his mind¡ªit was time to jump back into it.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± he warned Skrili.


    ¡°Really? I hope you¡¯re not going for the same tactic that lost you the first challenge,¡± Skip commented, the physical demands of his attacks and defenses having no effect on his breath.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Deon said plainly. ¡°BLITZ: FOUR!¡± he announced.


    A gleam appeared in Skrili¡¯s alert eyes.


    Deon imagined six miniature Twitchy¡¯s floating around himself. The scraggly monsters sneered, their beady glares beaming.


    After counting five seconds, as rehearsed, Deon sent down the first Twitchy straight towards Skrili¡¯s back.


    Thankfully, her timing was in sync with his: at the exact right moment, she flipped into the air, separating from Skip, as the Twitchy zipped underneath her and head-butted Skip in the gut.


    Skip caught the squirrel in place with a deep grunt, the force sliding him back several paces. He tossed it to the side and almost failed to block Skrili¡¯s kick as she immediately closed back in on him.


    Then, it was time for the next attack. Deon fired the second Twitchy, curving it to Skrili¡¯s right. She spun suddenly to the side, jumped and caught it with a twirl, and redirected the creature at her target.


    This time, the impact was more precise: the Twitchy caught Skip¡¯s shoulder and sent him spinning down. Skrili followed it up with a kick, and Skip found himself mere steps from the tree line.


    This is it! Deon realized. He commanded the remaining four Twitchy¡¯s in proper order.


    But Skip spun on his back, and somehow, aimed a kick to perfectly swat it aside. He gracefully twirled to his feet, sidestepping the next one effortlessly. Skrili paused her pursuit.


    ¡°¡®Blitz Four?¡¯¡± Skip repeated with a smile. ¡°I only taught you three patterns for that move.¡±


    Skrili shrugged. ¡°We added one last night, just for you.¡±


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    With dust now on his formerly spotless suit jacket, Skip punched and punted the last two Twitchy¡¯s away.


    ¡°You have more tricks though, right?¡± he pressed, shifting low.


    You bet, Deon promised from above, his confident smirk returning. Before Skip had the chance to launch forward at Skrili, Deon made his next move:


    All around the yard, the six displaced Twitchy¡¯s let out battle squeals. Deon increased their size to roughly Skrili¡¯s height, and buffed up their limbs. Skip hesitated, which was Deon¡¯s chance: he sent them all stampeding at him.


    Skrili knew it was coming: in unison with the furry beasts, she rushed forwards. Then, they all jumped Skip from seven angles.


    Deon couldn¡¯t even see Skip within the fist-throwing crowd below. He could only hope this was enough to wear him down.


    ¡°You altered the squirrels instead of imagining them away, Deon?!¡± noted Skip from within the horde. ¡°I taught you better. What if I¡¯m a Manipulator, or another Imaginer?¡±


    He¡¯s still coaching at a time like this? Deon realized.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, are you?!¡± he retorted. ¡°Stop hiding your powers!¡±


    Abruptly, two of the Twitchy¡¯s hurtled backwards, crashing against the trees. Deon couldn¡¯t afford to divide his focus now, so they faded away. But just as swiftly, the remaining four went spinning out of the yard, as well. Skrili let out a grunt, and she too, slid back, catching her footing unsteadily.


    With the attack compromised, Deon imagined away the remaining Twitchy¡¯s. Skip stood in place practically unaffected, palms raised preparedly. Their assault failed.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even needed my powers in this fight,¡± Skip said. ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to do a lot better if that¡¯s what you wanna see.¡±


    Deon clenched his fists. He and Skrili hoped combining the skills Skip taught with variations he knew nothing about would give them an early edge, but they¡¯d done nothing more than slightly slow his reaction time. They¡¯d blown through almost all of the surprises they¡¯d planned last night.


    Almost all of them.


    There was still one.


    ¡°I was hoping this would last a little longer,¡± Skip uttered with a sigh. ¡°Though, I¡¯ll admit you¡¯re onto something: knowing your opponent¡¯s type definitely has its pluses.¡±


    He ran at Skrili, and she braced for a punch or kick. But instead, Deon¡¯s eyes widened as he watched Skip shift like a snake¡ªhe¡¯d never seen the human body move so fluidly. Skip¡¯s limbs slithered as he repositioned behind Skrili and swiped his foot against hers.


    While she quickly lost balance and fell, Skip caught her under the arms, spun, and tossed her farther towards the front of the yard, close to his cabin. He was upon her again before she could recover, and moving just as lithely to dodge her defensive kick, he grabbed hold once more and tossed her further.


    ¡°Crap!¡± Deon watched in a panic as Skip expertly pushed, pulled, and used his own weight to shift Skrili closer and closer to the edge of the boundary. He threw no more strikes of any kind, even when Skrili tried to retaliate with her own.


    He¡¯s focusing on avoiding her Power Rebound, Deon recognized. If she doesn¡¯t take hits, she won¡¯t get stronger¡ªhe¡¯ll just push her out!


    That means we might have no choice.


    It was time to step it up. Perhaps, it was time to debut their secret Team Special.


    ~


    Days before¡­


    ¡°Nope. That¡¯s all you guys. I don¡¯t wanna know anything about it,¡± Skip stressed for what must have been the hundredth time.


    ¡°Come on, Skip!¡± Deon pleaded.


    ¡°Your Team Special is your last resort¡ªyour trump card. You should only show it when you absolutely have to.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have anything to show!¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t come up with anything yet,¡± Skrili stressed. ¡°We just have a question, to help us know if we¡¯re on the right track.¡±


    Skip glared at them as they stood in his quaint dining room, stuffed from a meal. They were all just about ready to call it a night, but this simply couldn¡¯t wait.


    Deon and Skrili had been trying to invent an ingenious Team Attack, but so far, all the most promising paths led to a major concern.


    Eventually, Skip let out a sigh. ¡°Alright, what is it?¡± he uttered with reluctance, practically out the door.


    ¡°We want to create a technique that uses both of our consciousness abilities as powerfully as possible,¡± Skrili started. ¡°But my Concussion power up is too risky, because I can¡¯t fight after it wears off¡ªleaving Deon by himself if I can¡¯t finish our opponents off. And then there¡¯s¡­well¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I have this weird power up, too,¡± Deon revealed.


    Skip¡¯s eyes narrowed, his posture shifting slightly away from the door and towards them.


    ¡°You have a power up?¡±


    Deon nodded with a confessing shrug.


    ¡°As an Imaginer?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s the thing¡­¡± started Deon. ¡°It¡¯s kind of¡­an extra power.¡±


    The way Skip¡¯s entire expression changed froze Deon in place. The Legend Trainer¡¯s face went pale. Everything suddenly fell unsettlingly quiet.


    ¡°You¡­what?¡± Skip urged seriously, turning to them fully. ¡°And you¡¯ve seen this?¡± he asked Skrili quickly.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it myself¡­but¡­it¡¯s happened twice, when he fought Pang,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s almost like a variation of Emovert powers.¡±


    ¡°When I get mad¡­like¡ªsuper mad,¡± explained Deon, ¡°my eyes glow. And then somehow, all my Imaginer powers get insanely strong, and I can do things I have no idea how to do with them. The first time, I lost control over myself completely¡­it was bad. The second time, I was able to force it to turn off.¡±


    Skip¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t blink. He¡¯d never appeared so ghostly.


    ¡°So like, we were wondering,¡± said Deon, ¡°if it was worth me trying to master, or if it¡¯s too dangerous. Cuz we were thinking it might be worth using as part our Team Sp¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who else knows about this power up?¡±


    Skip¡¯s voice was low and shaky.


    ¡°Just¡­me, Pang, and Phillip,¡± answered Skrili slowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anybody else what you just told me,¡± said Skip pointedly, ¡°and make sure nobody¡ªnobody¡ªelse ever finds out.¡±


    Deon and Skrili stared wordlessly at their teacher. For once they could tell: this wasn¡¯t one of his sly hidden schemes, or some sort of interpretive lesson. He was literal, and he was dead serious.


    ¡°Wait¡­what? What¡¯s up with that?¡± urged Deon. ¡°Is there something wrong with having a combination of powers?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible, so yes. If the wrong people find out¡­¡± Skip caught himself. He turned back to the door. ¡°Honestly, what I¡¯ve learned, is that people with no powers are better off.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that coming from all the sudden?¡± wondered Deon. ¡°Why would you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Point is: make sure nobody else knows about it!¡± Skip suddenly concluded, snapping back into his cheery tone as he whirled around with his finger up informatively. ¡°What were we even talking about again¡­? Oh, right: just the Team Special!¡±


    He pressed his ears to his head like a young child, turned, and exited the dining room.


    ¡°Lalalalala¡­I don¡¯t wanna know anything else!¡±


    ~


    Deon tried focusing on Skrili¡¯s ongoing struggle as Skip continued to play her and redirect her closer and closer out of bounds.


    But still, that conversation from the other day plagued his thoughts. Something went seriously off with Skip as soon as they brought up Deon¡¯s ability.


    He could still hear Skip¡¯s hesitant words vividly.


    With them, however, came a realization.


    There was no doubt left: it was time to unleash it.


    ¡°SKRILI! LET¡¯S DO¡­THAT!¡±


    Skip locked onto Skrili¡¯s punching arm, twisted it, and flipped her with ease. He tossed and slid her against the grass, but she was quick to shoot back up.


    She flipped her bangs. ¡°NO!¡± she refused.


    ¡°WE HAVE TO! IT¡¯S OUR ONLY CHANCE!¡±


    ¡°NO!! IT¡¯S SUCH A PAIN!¡±


    ¡°Please?!¡± Deon cried. Given the nature of the attack, he fully expected her reluctance. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated this much resistance, especially when they both knew how this fight was playing out. ¡°Um¡­I¡¯ll do all your laundry and carry your bag for a week!!¡± he tried.


    ¡°NO!¡±


    ¡°TWO WEEKS! No¡ªTHREE!!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­FINE!¡± Skrili conceded. ¡°Do it!!¡±


    With Skrili¡¯s reluctant blessing, Deon closed his eyes to set his side of the technique in motion. It had to be exact¡ªbut with the amount of times they¡¯d practiced, he knew he¡¯d nail it.


    ¡°Ooh¡­is that a Team Special I smell?¡± came Skip¡¯s voice. ¡°You sure it¡¯s the right time? Remember what I warned you about when you should break it out¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Skrili urged, watching their opponent closely.


    Deon reopened his eyes¡ªbut his resolve was unwavering. In fact, Skip¡¯s utterance only pushed him further.


    He knew he was right about this one.


    ¡°I remember, Skip,¡± he called down. ¡°You said to only reveal your Team Special after you know all about your opponent¡¯s powers. If we¡¯re not careful, they could take advantage of it in a way we don¡¯t see coming.¡±


    Skip nodded. ¡°Exactly. And you two still don¡¯t know mine.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s where¡ªfor once¡ªyou¡¯re wrong.¡±


    Deon¡¯s words were baffling enough to avert Skrili¡¯s attention from Skip. She turned and looked up at him, eyes squinting curiously.


    ¡°Oh? You figured it out, huh?¡± came Skip¡¯s sly utterance. His lips curled into a knowing, anticipatory smile. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it, then: what¡¯s my type?¡±


    Deon smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t have a type. You¡¯re not a consciousness.¡±

 78. What it Means to be a Team

    ¡°What? No,¡± Skrili denied. ¡°That¡¯s not right. He¡¯s a Legend Trainer. He has to have powers.¡±


    But Deon¡¯s confidence only boosted when Skip was slow to respond. Their teacher stood in place, a clever smile still spread across his face.


    Then, he raised his shoulders into a guilty shrug.


    ¡°Very good, Deon. You got me,¡± he admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t have consciousness powers.¡±


    Deon could practically see Skrili¡¯s mind spinning to grasp the reality as her eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°But¡ªas a Trainer, you had to be a pro first,¡± she stressed. ¡°Only consciousnesses can be in the League.¡±


    ¡°Everything you just said is totally true,¡± Skip validated. ¡°And I was a pro. I was in the League.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­how?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get that part, either,¡± confessed Deon, ¡°but when we talked the other day about my power up, you said something weird about how it¡¯s better not to have powers. That got me thinking: all this time, we thought you were avoiding using your powers. But it¡¯s just like you to hide the truth in plain sight.¡±


    ¡°That is a go-to of mine,¡± confirmed Skip.


    ¡°But it still doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± added Deon, pointing down at him from up on his floating plank. ¡°I wanna know what¡¯s up with all that. Plus, a deal¡¯s a deal: we figured it out, so now you have to tell us about yourself.¡±


    Skip laughed and shook his head. ¡°Man¡­I was really hoping you wouldn¡¯t get it¡­¡± he said lightheartedly.


    Yet there was a shift¡ªan uncomfortable weight in his expression.


    ¡°¡­But don¡¯t we still have a fight to finish?¡± he added.


    Skrili¡¯s eyes widened, and she immediately rushed a dodge to the side.


    But even someone speedy as her was too slow: Skip flashed forward and seized her arms, shoving with all his strength. Skrili¡¯s thin shoes skidded against the grass, sending dirt and dust into the air as she slid towards defeat.


    ¡°Deon!¡± she shouted.


    He was already on it. Deon closed his eyes once more, and mentally prepared the rest of their most complex technique yet: their Team Special. He¡¯d split all required imagining into three phases, and memorized each of their contents. Any inaccuracies, and its debut would be a dud.


    Phase One was ready within seconds.


    Deon shot his eyes open and focused on the battleground below.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± cried Skrili. ¡°Start the¡ªAH!!¡±


    She yelped as her sliding feet reached a padded black platform on the ground. It bounced her straight into the air, ripping her free of Skip¡¯s grasp. He had no choice but to watch now.


    And what he watched, he couldn¡¯t quite explain.


    ¡°Prepare yourself, Skip!!¡± Deon taunted. ¡°This is our strongest move: THE SKRILI AND DEON ULTIMATE TEAM ATTA¡ª¡±


    ¡°We nEvEr AgReEd On ThAt StUpId nAaAaAaAaAame!!!¡± Skrili¡¯s voiced vibrated in the air.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± uttered Skip plainly, blinking in sheer bafflement.


    Above him, Skrili bounced back and forth endlessly in the air. She was between two vertical, orange pads, which ricocheted her like a bouncing ball into each other.


    ¡°Why¡­did we¡­have to¡­pick this one¡­?¡± Skrili grumbled.


    Deon¡¯s face flushed with remorse. ¡°Um¡­hang in there, Skrili! You¡¯re doing so great!¡±


    ¡°Lunatic¡­¡±


    He realized he¡¯d have to make up for it later¡ªshe might murder him tonight if this didn¡¯t pay off.


    But it would work. They¡¯d mastered it together.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Skrili announced a bit pleadingly.


    Phase One was complete.


    Deon focused on one of the two floating pads, and mentally transformed it into one of his giant pillows. The squishy substance caught Skrili in place and dropped her steadily. She landed neatly on the ground.


    Skrili threw a couple quick jabs¡ªthey were several times faster than she was punching before. Then, she gave Deon a subtle nod.


    ¡°Ah, very clever,¡± Skip noted. ¡°I was avoiding her Power Rebound, so you have a failsafe to give her one on your own.¡±


    Deon smirked. He knew Skip would pick up on it instantly. While Skrili usually relied on taking damage throughout a fight in order to power up, this new strategy would put her strength in their control. It took days to convince her of the idea, but when all their other Team Attack drafts failed miserably, they gave it a shot.


    Thanks to Skrili¡¯s tweaks, it came to life with trial and error: the texture of these pads had to be soft enough not to hurt her, but hard enough to stimulate her pain receptors subtly with each bounce. Deon found the right balance by starting with pillows, and intensifying it from there. So the longer she bounced between them, the higher it steadily, and safely, charged her Rebound.


    ¡°I have good ideas sometimes,¡± Deon laughed bigheadedly.


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± emphasized Skrili with a half-smile.


    But there was still an expectant glint in Skip¡¯s eyes. ¡°Alright, but where¡¯s the rest of the show? I know that¡¯s not all you came up with for your Team Special¡ªI taught you better.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no fooling you,¡± Deon laughed.


    It was time for Phase Two.


    Deon removed the pads from existence and then, one-by-one, placed several more all along the outside of the yard just before the agreed boundary line.


    While the process unfolded, Skrili sprung back into action¡ªnow with much more tenacity. Skip immediately fell to the defense, struggling to hold his ground against Skrili¡¯s enhanced state.


    But after a shift in his weight, Skip pushed forward and met her with nearly equal force. Deon wished he could rush his setup process¡ªthere was still a chance Skip could eliminate Skrili before it was all ready. But he remained steadfast: precision was the key right now.


    Trust your teammate, Deon remembered. She can hold him off.


    Within seconds, the final pad appeared. Deon lined them all up with watchful eyes, adjusting their heights and angles down to the most miniscule detail. Then at last, Phase Two was in place.


    Hurriedly, Deon placed a tiny Twitchy a few paces behind Skip, within Skrili¡¯s line of vision. He commanded it to sneak her a thumbs-up before fading away.


    Skrili wasted no time.


    She pounced backwards to escape from Skip, landing near one of the floating orange pads. Using that same momentum, Skrili threw herself into the air straight at the pad.


    Her feet bounced against it, and with a low, resonant spring, she whizzed through the air. In a fraction of a second, she bounced against another one at the opposite end of the yard, and then continued to ricochet through the air in all varying directions.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Deon couldn¡¯t help but exclaim as he watched his vision come to life. His positioning for the pads was perfect, allowing Skrili to aim and execute the secret pattern they agreed on. He could tell her Power Rebound provided even sharper reflexes¡ªher movements were swift and graceful.


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    Skip was extra attentive now, though not necessarily intimidated, as the blur of Skrili zoomed past him repeatedly. Every few bounces¡ªafter a different amount each time¡ªhe had to duck or sidestep while Skrili aimed a foot or fist right at him. But despite the unpredictability and increased speed, he was still able to avoid impact.


    ¡°Cool,¡± Skip complimented after ducking again. ¡°Nice combination of both of your powers. But wait¡ªthere¡¯s more! Or¡­I hope so, right?¡±


    Again, Skip read right through it. Skrili stressed beforehand that this part of the attack wouldn¡¯t be enough to challenge him, and now Deon saw she was right.


    Onto Phase Three.


    In a way, he¡¯d been hoping to need the full extent of this attack. He wanted to win. He longed to earn the right to fight in Conscious Competitions with Skrili, and walk away knowing they truly could take on their worst fears.


    But right in this moment, he wanted to prove everything Skip had taught them, and put it to action. He wanted to show off and celebrate the team he and Skrili were able to become¡ªafter all the odd symbolic adventures and endless drills.


    To put it simply: he wanted to make Skip, their weird and wise teacher, proud.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± announced Deon. ¡°Get ready, Skip. Here¡¯s our real final move. GO!¡±


    Deon eyed Skrili¡¯s one-girl swarm the best he could, relying on his memorization of her pattern. He had to match her speed, and all they needed was to push Skip out of bounds.


    Simplicity was key. He knew his weapon of choice.


    Once Skrili completed a rotation of her bouncing pattern, Deon imagined a leather ball opposite to her path. Nodding to feel the right timing, he launched it into motion. It bounced against the pads in a pattern mirroring Skrili¡¯s movements, slightly behind her to avoid a collision.


    Nailed it, Deon observed.


    Then, he added another, and shot it into its own unique pattern.


    At last, Skip didn¡¯t seem so casual anymore. Realizing the increased threat, he crouched low, keeping a keen eye to try and study the patterns.


    You¡¯ll figure it out in no time, Deon thought. But thanks to you, Skip, we know a way around that.


    Skip pivoted constantly, attempting to keep up. He knew another kick from Skrili was coming.


    But he was wrong.


    For one brief moment, Skrili and one of the leather balls were about to cross paths off to the side, away from Skip. That was the true opening: Skrili snatched the leather ball in midair, spun, and redirected it straight at Skip.


    This time, they got him.


    The attack nailed him in the side, launching him backwards. Skip thumped against the grass but hastily climbed to his feet. Realizing their true offensive approach now, he stood instead of crouching¡ªclearly, they could still hit him even if he stayed low.


    Skrili touched down on the ground just once, and immediately hopped back against the nearest pad, bursting back into rapid motion. Meanwhile, Deon mentally retrieved the leather ball attack, aimed, and restarted its pattern against the pads.


    ¡°There it is,¡± Skip grunted. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡±


    The technique continued: after only a moment, Skrili caught the other leather ball¡ªreaching to match its different pattern¡ªand with a flip, used its momentum to chuck it at Skip. With everything going on now, even he couldn¡¯t know when to expect a strike. He jumped, but it belted his shoulder and spun him around.


    With Skip on his heels, Deon knew he needed to act now. He let out a sigh of preparation.


    It was working. The ¡®Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack¡¯ was working.


    Okay she¡¯s right¡­that name sucks, Deon admitted to himself.


    He squatted and readied himself.


    ¡°Communication¡­openness¡­understanding, and¡­a lot of practice,¡± Deon listed. ¡°That¡¯s what it means to be a team.¡±


    ¡°Also the key to a successful marriage,¡± Skip chimed in after recovering from another hit.


    ¡°Here¡¯s proof that we¡¯re ready!¡± declared Deon.


    ¡°For being a team¡ªnot marriage,¡± Skrili clarified as she whooshed by.


    Deon hopped up and down repeatedly against his floating plank. Sucking in air one more time, he jumped in: he imagined away the plank holding him up, and fell into the yard. Deon successfully slipped between the storming Skrili and the two leather balls and touched down into the grass.


    His eyes glistened with adrenaline.


    He ran into action, circling Skip. Deon knew his opponent wouldn¡¯t be able to take the offense now¡ªnot when Skrili could redirect another leather ball at any time. They had him.


    After counting to seven, Deon reached out his arms. In that exact instant, a leather ball came spinning his way: Skrili, still hopping around like lightning, sent one right at him. With its dangerous velocity, he hadn¡¯t the time to aim his catch. But he didn¡¯t need aim: the ball flew straight into his arms.


    Smiling, Deon spun and released it straight at Skip. The precise collision forced him back countless steps, but he managed to catch it.


    Deon de-imagined that leather ball before Skip could use it. They wouldn¡¯t need it anymore, now. All they had to do was follow through.


    He cut into another run, this time zigzagging closer to Skip. Deon jumped up and faked a catch, only to land and skirt to the side.


    This time, the attack came from Skrili again: the second leather ball bounced against a pad, met Skrili¡¯s arms as she flew by, and went whirling at Skip.


    Another perfect hit. Skip fell back, sliding to a stop just within the yard before the tree line, while Deon imagined away the ball. Skip climbed back up frantically. His eyes shifted between Deon and Skrili for a moment, until he realized the leather balls were gone now.


    Then, his eyes locked onto Skrili, guarding for her final attack.


    With a shout of pure energy, Deon charged at Skip.


    Skrili bounced against the pad opposite to them, but this time, redirected herself to the ground. Dirt and grass flew everywhere as she ran straight at Skip, her Power Rebound strength and momentum from the pads shooting her forward.


    They were about to reach Skip at the same time¡ªhe¡¯d have to guess their approach, just as before. In a last-second decision, Skip turned to block Skrili again.


    This time, he guessed right. Deon stopped in his tracks.


    But that was exactly what they were hoping for.


    Once Skip turned, Skrili dropped into a slide. She stopped just before him, pushed up with her hands, and kicked Skip from below. He blocked it, but the impact slightly lifted him off his feet¡ªsubtle enough to seem insignificant.


    Subtle enough for their true intentions.


    Deon pounced forward in that instant, aiming a kick with all of his mind and might.


    ¡°Skrili-Style Finishing Kick!¡± he proclaimed.


    In his rush, Deon¡¯s form was sloppier this time. His foot very lightly pressed Skip. But that was all they needed: losing balance, Skip stumbled back, landing in a sitting position just out of bounds.


    He remained there quietly for a moment. Eventually, shaking off the initial shock, a smile formed.


    ¡°Outstanding,¡± Skip uttered.


    Deon bolted to Skrili, arms wide, and swooped her off her feet.


    ¡°YES!!!!¡± he bellowed, spinning her around.


    Skrili fought to remain expressionless, but patiently waited out his rambunctious embrace. When he lowered her, Skrili turned away a bit with her arms crossed.


    ¡°See? I knew we¡¯d win this time,¡± she said plainly. ¡°You were great.¡±


    ¡°Both of you were, but I agree,¡± said Skip, who for some reason, still remained seated. ¡°Now you pass¡ªofficially, this time. Deon, with my blessing, consider yourself a certified pro. Can¡¯t wait to see you two together in Conscious Competitions.¡±


    ¡°Skip¡­Thank you, really¡ª¡± Deon started humbly.


    ¡°¡­If you guys can complete one more task,¡± added Skip.


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened like a hawk.


    ¡°Can you grab one of your TeamTracks and heal me? I think I pulled a butt muscle just now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Of all the hits you took¡­¡± Skrili mumbled.


    Deon shook his head and laughed. ¡°Sure thing, Skip.¡±


    ~


    After a few minutes spent with Deon hovering his TeamTrack around Skip¡¯s rear end, the group reconvened in Skip¡¯s cabin. Newly recovered, and promising he¡¯d saved the best for last, he scurried straight into his kitchen for one last celebratory feast.


    The usual sounds¡ªclangs, crashes, and Skip¡¯s incessant self-bragging as he cooked¡ªresounded from the cabin while Deon and Skrili sat on his living room couch.


    Deon realized he¡¯d miss these familiar sounds. Constantly focusing so hard on their training and growth, he¡¯d taken for granted all the cozy tea, warm showers, and home-cooked meals. A light pressure of sadness filled his chest¡ªto his own surprise, the sheer jubilation of becoming a certified fighter hadn¡¯t fully sunken in yet.


    Anticipation would return soon enough, he knew, but for now he and Skrili could finally take a full breather. There was nothing to work on for the time being, nor a fight to overcome. With the relief from this victory, even their underlying fears¡ªthat vision¡ªcould hide away for a moment.


    But still, Deon couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡± he asked Skrili openly.


    For the first time since they¡¯d reached Crooked Plateau to get him registered, they could do anything: fight in whatever Conscious Competition, wherever in the Multiverse, and whenever.


    ¡°The Conscious Conference in Fiction Country starts today, but we¡¯ll just get there a day late,¡± Skrili answered casually.


    ¡°The¡ªthe what?¡±


    ¡°Our next stop, the Conscious Conference.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second¡ªyou already went ahead and decided our plans without me?!¡± exclaimed Deon.


    Skrili looked up in brief thought. ¡°Oh. I may have forgotten to mention it,¡± she realized nonchalantly. ¡°There¡¯s an annual convention for consciousness pros in each Country. Kotono messaged me and said we should meet up to hang out at the Fiction Country one tomorrow.¡±


    Deon smirked. ¡°Oh, I get it now. It¡¯s your new buddies¡ªthe Kotono and Hiroko. No way you¡¯re passing that up.¡±


    Skrili blushed. ¡°W¡ªwell, Pang and Phillip will probably be there, too¡­we should catch up with them¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, I was already in,¡± Deon assured with a laugh. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    While it wasn¡¯t the fast-paced fighting marathon he was expecting to dive into, Deon welcomed this laidback new adventure. He looked at Skrili while she whipped out her Teamtrack and began confirming details with Kotono, unaware of the giddiness in her own eyes giving away her excitement. A softness fell into Deon¡¯s gaze.


    As long as they were doing it together, he didn¡¯t care what came next.


    ~


    Skip wasn¡¯t exaggerating when he called it a feast: complete with savory rice bowls, flatbread sandwiches, salad, and two different smoothie options, this was easily the most food Deon had ever eaten this early in the afternoon.


    Stuffed and merry, they all stepped outside Skip¡¯s cabin for what Deon and Skrili realized would be the last time.


    There was only one thing left to do. Deon had figured out Skip¡¯s powers¡ªor lack thereof¡ªso it was time for Skip to keep up his end of the deal.


    It was time to reveal his secrets.


    They all stood silently, Skip hovering close to the open door.


    ¡°So¡­¡± started Deon uncomfortably.


    ¡°So yeah, great month of training! Congrats on passing! Enjoy the Conscious Competitions!¡± Skip let out rapidly. He whipped around and started heading back inside.


    ¡°NOPE¡ªHOLD UP,¡± Deon demanded, and Skrili seized the Trainer¡¯s collar.


    Skip sighed. ¡°Alright.¡± He paused for a moment, seemingly retreating into his thoughts as he averted his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t we¡­head over to the garden? Let¡¯s talk about it there.¡±

 79. In Almost an Instant

    A dead branch snapped off to the ground as Deon and Skrili shuffled past the small trees and boulders behind Skip¡¯s cabin. They joined him quietly in his humble, extravagant garden.


    All the colors and shapes surrounded them¨Cthe flowers celebrating all of the teams Skip trained and passed. They could only guess why he decided this was the perfect spot to open up about the vision and the tree.


    Last time, standing back here filled Deon with peace and life. But now, despite the still serene beauty, Deon sensed an air of discomfort. Considering the topic at hand, he couldn¡¯t help but relive the dreaded vision he and Skrili shared.


    ¡°You¡¯ll both fail,¡± the ghostly illusion of Skrili had promised.


    Deon glanced down at their massive purple and orange flower, wild and messy, yet beautiful. He remembered their counter-promise:


    To prove it wrong.


    ¡°So¡­my vision at the cliff.¡±


    Deon readily returned his attention to Skip, eager to shake his mind free of the thought and quench his curiosity instead. Everything around¡ªthe forest life, and even the wind, fell into a hush.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Deon, ¡°and don¡¯t forget the whole thing with that big tree in the Caves of Information.¡±


    ¡°Insecurity,¡± corrected Skrili.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    Skip¡¯s eyes perused the garden once more. Something about his expression and bright eyes reminded Deon how young their trainer was¡ªhe couldn¡¯t have been older than his early thirties, yet he always spoke with such wisdom.


    ¡°So many flowers. Man, I¡¯ve trained a lot of teams, huh? Pretty soon I¡¯m gonna need a bigger garden,¡± Skip uttered. His eyes returned to Deon and Skrili with a warm, oddly tired smile. ¡°In my vision, I always see my students.¡±


    His head dropped forward a bit. Hands inevitably in pocket, he began pacing in and out of the flower displays.


    ¡°I¡¯m there too. It¡¯s like a time lapse¡ªI watch myself start from the beginning, with whatever team I have that month, and show them everything I know.¡±


    ¡°What happens?¡± prompted Skrili.


    An empty laugh escaped Skip. ¡°They master it, and they use it,¡± he answered, brushing his hand through some pink pedals. ¡°They take it to heart, and¡­they end up just like me and my teammate.¡±


    ¡°Your teammate?¡± Deon repeated.


    ¡°She¡¯s seriously amazing. It was an honor just to be around her. Traveling¡­talking¡­fighting¡ªshe¡¯s an unbelievable fighter,¡± Skip reminisced. ¡°She would have whipped you two into shape way faster than I did.¡±


    His fingers fell steadily from the pedals, but lingered just underneath.


    ¡°We would have blown up. We kept winning small Conscious Competitions¡ªwe were on track to hit it big. Man, it brings me back¡­I was a Substitutor, and she was¡­well, whatever she was¡­¡±


    He trailed off, but his nostalgia seemed to continue in his head.


    ¡°What¡­went wrong, then?¡± came Skrili¡¯s soft question.


    Skip¡¯s gaze returned to them. He took a long, thoughtful sigh. ¡°I¡¯m about to say too much¡­I know I am,¡± he muttered. But with his eyes still on them, resolve set in. ¡°She had¡­unique powers. They didn¡¯t match a known consciousness type.¡±


    ¡°Kinda like me,¡± Deon connected.


    Skip didn¡¯t acknowledge him¡ªas if to pretend he didn¡¯t hear anything. ¡°After a while, when we started gaining traction, certain people started taking an interest in her abilities. Certain¡­weird people,¡± he continued. ¡°Eventually I barely ever saw her¡ªshe¡¯d keep having to run off and meet with them. She¡¯d say it was ¡®classified.¡¯ But keeping something from me wasn¡¯t like her at all.¡±


    He shook his head slowly.


    ¡°So I started getting curious, and I worried about her. Without telling her, I started investigating what was really going on. And well¡­I found out.¡± He took a long pause. ¡°And¡­now I¡¯m just here, without powers, training teams. And she¡¯s¡­somewhere¡­still with them, probably. I know I¡¯ll never see her again.¡±


    ¡°But like¡­what did you find out?¡± Deon pressed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. Just as much for your sake as mine,¡± Skip immediately replied.


    ¡°So¡­that¡¯s why you kinda freaked out when I told you about my other power¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve already said too much,¡± Skip snapped. ¡°You¡¯re just an Imaginer. Got it?¡±


    Deon gulped. He stood no chance against Skip¡¯s unwavering sternness. ¡°Uh¡­sure, yeah.¡±


    Skip¡¯s gaze softened back up quickly. ¡°Well¡­with all that out of the way, it makes the tree thing easier to explain,¡± he said. ¡°The trees in the Caves of Insecurity attack when the person you¡¯re trying to get to has insecurities about you, remember?¡±


    Deon and Skrili nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried what I know will be a danger to myself¡ªthat¡¯s why the tree was trying to kill me. And¡­I don¡¯t want my teachings to lead you into the same situation as me¡ªit ties in with my vision,¡± Skip elaborated. ¡°The more success you find, the more eyes on you. And with more eyes on you, there¡¯s a greater chance the wrong eyes will find you. And you don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t¡ªwant those eyes to find you. Because once they do, it¡¯s already too late. Okay?¡±


    Deon and Skrili exchanged uncertain glances. Reluctantly, they nodded again.


    ¡°But¡­you¡¯re not a danger to us,¡± Skrili denied. ¡°We owe you everything.¡±


    ¡°Ha. Thanks. That¡¯s sweet.¡±


    ¡°Seriously though!¡± Deon agreed vigorously. ¡°Skrili almost tolerates me now. Heck, once every few days, she even smiles!¡±


    Skrili rolled her eyes. ¡°The point is, we¡¯ll only use your teachings for the right reasons,¡± she assured.


    A smile grew on Skip¡¯s face as he nodded. ¡°I know,¡± he said decidedly. ¡°Alright, bring it in, you two.¡±


    Skip walked up to them and placed a hand on both of their shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna do incredible things together¡ªI¡¯ve trained plenty of teams, and I can already tell,¡± he told them. ¡°Our training¡¯s over. And I don¡¯t say this to every team, but don¡¯t be afraid to reach out if you ever need guidance.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± said Deon.


    ¡°Okay¡­I lied¡ªI totally say that to every team. But with you guys I actually mean it! You¡¯re fun. Most teams are way too serious and have protagonist complexes,¡± Skip clarified.


    Deon wasn¡¯t quite sure what he meant, but he felt the sentiment nonetheless.


    ¡°Keep in touch. I¡¯m here if you have any questions¡ªanything at all.¡±


    He released them, a glow of pride replacing his usual cunning demeanor. ¡°Alright, Training¡¯s over. I did the sappy speech, so make sure you give me a five-star review on your TeamTracks.¡±


    Deon and Skrili laughed lightly. ¡°Sure,¡± they said.


    The team paused for a second.


    ¡°Shoo. Get out of here,¡± Skip said with a smile.


    Finally, they turned to leave the garden.


    ¡°Thank you, Skip,¡± Skrili said one more time.


    As they walked in silence, Deon couldn¡¯t help but glance back at Skip. He simply stood there alone, observing the beautiful flowers of his many teams. Deon couldn¡¯t tell if he was looking on in admiration, or sadness.


    ¡°I mean it, though,¡± Skip suddenly called.


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    Deon and Skrili stopped and looked back.


    ¡°If anything goes wrong, reach out about it,¡± he said. ¡°Especially if¡­those wrong eyes find you.¡±


    ~~~


    Between the fairly plain wooded paths of this new terrain, and the hours of hiking on them, Deon felt like he and Skrili were back in No Man¡¯s Land again.


    Yet at the same time, it felt nothing like that at all. For one, to uphold his end of the deal for putting Skrili through the Team Special, Deon lugged both his and her travel bags along.


    But much more than that: now they walked side-by-side, while back in No Man¡¯s Land Skrili had often been paces ahead as she rushed him along. They occasionally discussed team techniques and their plans for the Conscious Conference now, but mostly, they traveled quietly. Yet the silence didn¡¯t make Deon uncomfortable anymore. It didn¡¯t seem wrong; that was just Skrili. He felt right at home.


    Truly, now, they were a team.


    Spoiled by the bustle of Conscious City and Gloat Stadium, and the quirks of Nightwood Valley, this new and utterly normal path left nothing to catch Deon¡¯s attention. He had little choice but to linger in his thoughts.


    And while he¡¯d said regrettable things before thinking many times before, he¡¯d never mulled over his words as much as right now.


    ¡°Ugh¡­why did I blurt that out?¡± he moaned.


    ¡°Skip knew you meant well,¡± Skrili assured.


    He replayed it in his mind once more: just before they turned to leave the garden, and Skip, behind, Deon whirled back around one more time.


    ¡°Someday, we¡¯ll find your teammate, Skip! You¡¯ll see her again!¡±


    He cringed as he remembered Skip¡¯s reaction. It wasn¡¯t grateful, or admonishing. He just smiled.


    And it was the saddest smile Deon had ever seen.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t try,¡± he urged.


    Deon slapped his hand against his face. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot. That only made him feel worse¡­I just¡­felt really sorry for him, though.¡±


    ¡°You say dumber things than that regularly,¡± said Skrili with a shrug.


    ¡°Wow. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°And¡­I¡¯m with you in that,¡± Skrili finished.


    Deon looked at her, and saw a decisive confidence in her face as they traveled along.


    ¡°I want to find her, too,¡± she said.


    Deon smiled. But the likelihood of their success led him to shake his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­so confusing. He really didn¡¯t explain much,¡± he said. ¡°Like, who were those sketchy guys? What about her powers made her a target? Also: Skip used to have powers?! Can those just, go away?¡±


    ¡°No. If you¡¯re born with consciousness powers, they¡¯re a part of you. For life,¡± Skrili shared. ¡°So that seemed¡­off. There¡¯s something strange going on with that.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± uttered Deon. ¡°Well, when we make it big, let¡¯s keep our eyes peeled for those whackjobs.¡±


    Skrili nodded.


    ¡°What did he say his type used to be again?¡±


    ¡°Substitutor.¡±


    Deon retrieved his TeamTrack and opened the Type Guide application. He figured he should only bother Skrili with so many questions a day.


    Scrolling into the ¡®S¡¯ section, he quickly located it:


    Substitutor: The power to trade perspectives¡ªusing any and all senses¡ªwith another person. This is usually performed with a willing subject (such as a teammate), but can sometimes be achieved forcefully.


    Oh¡­pretty cool, Deon thought. So on top of all his fighting skills, he used to do that, too? Man¡­Skip was probably unstoppable.


    His TeamTrack buzzed briefly, and a message popped up. He heard Skrili¡¯s go off beside him, as well.


    Pang:


    ¡°You losers better be coming to the Fiction Country Conscious Conference. It started yesterday, you know. Message me when you¡¯re here. Dinner¡¯s on Deon!


    Deon chuckled. ¡°What a nut,¡± he said.


    Skrili smiled. ¡°Well Kotono wants to meet us as soon as we get there, which will be early evening, so that works out. I already registered us online.¡±


    ¡°Right. ¡®Online.¡¯ I know what ¡®online¡¯ is,¡± Deon said uncertainly.


    ¡°Though¡­it¡¯s weird¡­¡± started Skrili.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For some reason, she wants to meet up just outside the Conscious Conference, in a really specific spot,¡± she explained. ¡°It¡¯s up on a hill. She even sent me the coordinates.¡±


    ¡°That is kinda weird,¡± Deon agreed. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure,¡± Skrili said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a bad thing. I guess we¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡±


    ~


    Deon peered upward, careful to balance as he stepped up a long, steep hill. A few more hours passed, and sheets of graying clouds were beginning to shroud the sky.


    ¡°This thing is inside, right?¡± he checked.


    ¡°Some of it. But not our meeting spot.¡±


    Man¡­this seems so roundabout, Deon thought to himself. Then again, they are super famous. I guess they need the privacy.


    ¡°When we get big like Kotono and Hiroko, would you want bodyguards?¡± Deon asked his teammate, hopping over a long root. ¡°I feel like they¡¯re stronger than their own bodyguards, right? So what¡¯s the point?¡±


    Thunder rumbled, but it sounded distant still.


    ¡°It¡¯s just up ahead,¡± Skrili updated. ¡°Kotono says they¡¯re there.¡±


    They hurried their pace a bit.


    Strangely, with every step towards the top of the hill, Deon noticed a peculiar sense of familiarity. But nothing around looked memorable¡ªit was just a series of rocky, tree-covered hills.


    Why would Fiction Country phenomena be kicking in again now?


    To his own confusion, everything suddenly seemed¡­simpler. Lighthearted, even. It was different than when he looked at Skrili.


    It felt like Tailpiece.


    He didn¡¯t expect an explanation for the sensation any time soon. But he got it, nonetheless.


    Deon and Skrili scaled the hill, and stood scanning what lay ahead. There was another series of slopes before them, shrouded under a natural wall of tall, pointed stones. Beyond that, Deon spotted the roof of a massive gray building in the short distance.


    ¡°Alright, where are they?¡± Deon asked, squinting his eyes as he browsed the many hills. ¡°Look for purple and reddish-blonde hair.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­do I see white hair¡­?¡± Skrili muttered slowly.


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± said Deon. ¡°Wait¡ªhuh?¡±


    ¡°Deon¡­isn¡¯t that¡­¡±


    Skrili pointed off to a slight angle, towards a hill Deon must have missed.


    He had to blink. And blink again.


    ¡°LAMMY?!?!?!?!¡±


    There was no mistake¡ªwhile he was dressed in very worn, unfamiliar clothing instead of his black family tunic, his shaggy white hair (a bit shaggier now) was unquestionable.


    Deon¡¯s little cousin Lammy sat atop a nearby hill against the rocks.


    And he wasn¡¯t alone: a young woman with long brown hair sat beside him.


    They both must have heard Deon scream his name, because Lammy immediately perked up. Looking forward, he shot to his feet, joined by the woman.


    ¡°DEON!!!! DEON!!!!!!¡± Lammy cried, waving with a huge smile visible even from their distance.


    Deon darted forward at full-speed, having to catch himself a bit as he ran down the opposite side of the hill. Skrili followed close behind.


    ¡°LAMMY!!! I¡¯m so confused!!¡± Deon puffed. ¡°Like¡ªWHAT?! HOW?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a really, REALLY long story!¡±


    Lammy¡¯s voice filled Deon¡¯s heart. He wanted to cry¡ªbut he had to hold it back so he could run as fast as possible. But as he could tell by now, tears were streaming down Lammy¡¯s face.


    ¡°Did¡ªdid Kotono set this up?¡± Skrili wondered.


    ¡°No idea! Ha Ha!!!¡± Deon felt weightless. The lack of sense this made didn¡¯t set in yet¡ªhe had no time for it. He hadn¡¯t seen his cousin¡ªhis best friend in the world¡ªin months.


    All he could think about was tackling him into a hug.


    The last they¡¯d spoken was right before Deon fell into this whole Multiverse. They never even got to properly finish their conversation. It was cut short while Lammy was putting his own desires aside, and giving Deon his full support for going away¡ªdespite Deon¡¯s inability to even try saying goodbye.


    There was so much to tell him. There was so much Lammy deserved to know before anyone else. Deon had kept his word: he was on track to achieve exactly what Lammy knew he could.


    ¡°DEON!!!¡± Lammy exclaimed again with an ecstatic laugh.


    As they neared the bottom of their hill, which bridged a way towards the hill where Lammy waited, Deon observed the woman again, able to see her more clearly. Her dazzling green eyes watched him and Skrili with an anticipation he didn¡¯t quite understand.


    Wait¡­haven¡¯t I seen her before¡­? Deon pondered.


    Then, he noticed the elegant markings all over her arms.


    The concessions lady?!?!


    It was her, indeed: the pretty Phoenix employee who sold him and Phillip food several times throughout the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition.


    What did she say her name was again¡­?


    Zayza¡­? Deon tried to recall.


    ¡°Uh¡­Zayza?!¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªyes!¡± came her reply.


    His mind spun even faster now. What was Lammy doing with her? And¡­why was Lammy all the way out here in Fiction Country, in the first place?


    Finally, the questions began flowing in.


    Meanwhile, a low hum resounded from high above¡ªprobably another rumble of thunder, distorted in Deon¡¯s now racing mind.


    He soon found he had to quickly set these questions aside once more. Though this time, it wasn¡¯t because of his utter jubilation.


    It was because of terror.


    Zayza was the first to collapse. Her eyes widened in shock, then went hazy and rolled as she toppled over. Lammy was too slow to catch her. But only a moment later, he wavered and fell beside her.


    The shadowy figure swung in from seemingly nowhere. He was unimaginably quick as he lifted the slumped Lammy and Zayza in each arm.


    A black rope fell from the sky.


    The shadowy man grabbed hold by the teeth, and the rope yanked him into the air.


    All before Deon or Skrili could say a single thing more.


    The man¡¯s eye caught theirs¡ªa slim, dead black eye.


    Deon felt cold.


    But the feeling only lasted an instant¡ªDeon¡¯s face went burning hot, as his orange eyes flashed to life.


    ¡°LAMMY!!!!¡± he screamed. ¡°COME BACK HERE WITH HIM!!!¡±


    He instantly imagined a series of planks along the rising hill. Deon and Skrili pounced onto them, and Deon sprung each plank to launch them flying up the slope in mere seconds.


    Soon, they came crashing onto the top of the hill, where Lammy and Zayza had just stood¡ªjust a single moment ago¡ªwaiting for them.


    But they weren¡¯t soon enough.


    The man was almost a spec in the cloudy sky. The rope from which he somehow managed to hang began tugging him up towards its source: a metallic flying vehicle with rapidly spinning blades.


    The heads of several more figures peered out the side of it, the front one a man with disheveled, light blonde hair and markings¡ªmuch like Zayza¡¯s¡ªall over his neck. Their hands worked quickly as they pulled Lammy and Zayza¡¯s kidnapper up.


    They were totally gone in almost an instant.


    Silence.


    A drizzle began.


    Deon couldn¡¯t breathe. He bashed his fist against the grass over and over.


    He felt Skrili¡¯s hand touch his shoulder.


    ¡°WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?!?!¡± he wailed.


    Skrili¡¯s fingers clutched tighter. ¡°Deon¡­¡± she whispered.


    Eyes still bright and glowing, he spun to face her with rage and confusion in his heart.


    But as he found her face before his, her eyes wide with trauma, her cheeks drenched in aching tears.


    She knew precisely what he felt right now.


    Their vision invaded his mind.


    Deon felt ghostly as he realized: it was unfolding before their very eyes.

 (Bonus) The Lyrics, Pt. 1

    Track 1: ¡°Imaginer¡±


    (A fiery introductory theme to the world of Conscious, Conscientious and the diverse ambitions therein.)


    LYRICS:


    We knew the footprints in the ground


    We saw the shadows from the sun


    We felt it all, but it just never was enough for us


    So if you think they''re gonna talk us down, think again


    We felt their pressure, but it never was too much for us


    This is the part where we wake up


    With knuckles cracked, the gloves are off


    I hope you think you''re tough


    Only takes the two of us


    Time to let it show


    (Right now)


    Let''s move fast if you''ll stay with me when the sun sets


    (Stay proud)


    Lost now, but the life we find is worth it


    Hear it, spirits lifted if I know you''ve got my back


    Imagine that


    I can''t remember yesterday


    What does it matter, anyway


    If they close in to seal our fates?


    I dragged you into all of this!


    I know you still don''t know me well


    I''ve got secrets I''ll never tell


    But since you''ll stick around


    Let''s give ''em something to shout about


    This is the part where we get up


    The ground was made for taking off


    This still isn''t enough


    Only takes the two of us


    Time to let it show


    (Right now)


    Let''s move fast if you''ll stay with me when the sun sets


    (Stay proud)


    Lost now, but the life we find is worth it


    Hear it, spirits lifted if I know you''ve got my back


    Imagine that!


    Victory, I can feel it like a rampage


    Throw us down, we rebound, they ain''t ready for us, yeah


    Bravery, I can feel it like a rampage


    Throw us down, we rebound, they ain''t ready for us, yeah!


    Let''s move fast if you''ll stay with me when the sun sets


    Lost now, but the life we find is worth it


    Hear it, spirits lifted if I know you''ve got my back


    (Imagine that!)


    (Right now)


    Let''s move fast if you''ll stay with me when the sun sets


    (Stay proud)


    Lost now, but the life we find is worth it


    Hear it, spirits lifted if I know you''ve got my back


    Imagine that!


    Track 2: ¡°Skrili¡±


    (The reserved yet warmhearted Power Rebound¡¯s character theme)


    LYRICS:


    I kick and punch my way out


    It''s die or fight to stay alive


    It''s not right, so I''ll try


    I won''t talk too loud


    And I won''t feel the loss of love


    If I don''t think too much


    ''Cuz it takes motion to find


    If I can make it by without you


    Say you''re safe with me


    (In this face, in these shreds, all the love I''ll send)


    ''Cuz I can''t even sleep


    This smile''s haunting my head


    (Say you''re safe with me)


    And we''ll keep moving if you say you''re safe with me


    They can''t make me bleed


    See this decay


    I''ll plant a seed


    A kiss, hug, and laugh


    I''ve got a lot to say, but won''t,


    Can you imagine that?


    Guess time will tell, but time never comes back


    So when I''m ready you''ll see


    A person you can trust hidden underneath


    Fall fast, walk along the dirt path


    Hold fast, follow the dirt path


    Remember, live for us


    We''ll make it far if you just


    Say you''re safe with me


    (In this face, in these shreds, all the love I''ll send)


    ''Cuz I can''t even sleep


    This smile''s haunting my head


    Say you''re safe with me


    And we''ll keep moving if you say you''re safe with me


    They can''t make me bleed


    One day we''ll close our eyes


    And feel the warmth of life


    For now, just stay with me


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Just stand behind me


    And when your storm comes around, I won''t turn away


    Like the people who left me


    ''Cuz if you can''t face yourself, you''ll


    Always be empty


    And when your storm comes around, I won''t turn away


    Like the people who left me


    ''Cuz if you can''t face yourself, you''ll


    Always be empty


    Say you''re safe with me


    (In this face, in these shreds, all the love I''ll send)


    ''Cuz I can''t even sleep


    This smile''s haunting my head


    (Say you''re safe with me)


    And we''ll keep moving if you say you''re safe with me


    They can''t make me bleed


    Track 3: ¡°Porch¡±


    (A glimpse into Deon and Lammy''s lives before they ever set foot outside Tailpiece. In it, Lammy worries about Deon and how he treats his relationships. Consider it a bonus scene to the main storyline!)


    LYRICS:


    You said you''d hang out with me


    But you''re meeting her beneath the tree


    I''ll cover for you this time


    I''ll cover for you


    Every time


    You said you''d hang out with me (again)


    But you''re making out behind the tree (again)


    I bet all you did was tell her she is so magnificent


    I bet all she did was smile and you know she bought into it


    I hope you learn this time


    I really hope you do, you see this time


    What you''re doing to your mind


    I hope you learn this time


    I really hope you see, you realize


    What you''re doing to her mind


    There''s something different about this one


    She soothes you like the warm sun


    And I can tell that this time you are telling the truth


    ''Cuz I can tell that this time there is something different about you


    I hope you learn this time


    I really hope you do, you see this time


    What you''re doing to your mind


    I hope you learn this time


    I really hope you see, you realize


    What you''re doing to her mind


    And if you see her again


    When you''re at last a new man,


    What if you reach for her skies,


    And find it''s too late to fly?


    I hope you learn this time


    I really hope you do, you see this time


    What you''re doing to your mind


    I hope you learn this time


    I really hope you see, you realize


    What you''re doing to her mind


    Track 4: ¡°Dear Hero¡±


    (A coming-of-age anthem to send off Deon and Lammy into the Multiverse, where ultimately their lives and purpose will change forever¡­)


    LYRICS:


    If you''re gonna leave


    Then do so, already


    And if you ever come back


    Don''t be the same man you were when you left


    And here comes all of the life you''ve never had


    And here comes all of the love you''ve never said


    Let your heart burn up


    But don''t let it get to your head,


    Dear hero


    So go get all you want


    But you''ll find just what you need


    I won''t give you all you want


    That would be too unfair


    Of me


    So here comes all of the life you''ve never had (Let it go)


    And here comes all of the love you''ve never said (Here we go)


    Let your heart burn up


    But don''t let it get to your head,


    Dear hero


    Below the caverns


    I wait so softly


    Below the caverns


    I wait so softly


    Look back no more, we''re chasing the sacred


    Not another late hit, live it out or fake it


    Will you make it? Not by yourself there, big shot


    Gonna need another soul by your side when things get hot


    And she''s got it, everything you never wanted


    But you need it and you knew it when the fight started


    Misfits mixing it on the trees of dead


    Picture''s worth a thousand words, but now it''s ripped to shreds!


    Cousin, caught in the crossfire, everything is dire when the devil is a liar


    And you''re starting to perspire when the altitude''s higher


    But her smile? That''ll leave you fine for a while


    Is anyone a sinner when they can''t recall the sin?


    Is anyone a winner when the victory''s within?


    You may think you''re strong, but it''s all pretentious


    So it''s going down now, Conscious, Conscientious


    And here comes all of the life you''ve never had (Let it go)


    And here comes all of the love you''ve never said (Here we go)


    And here comes all of the life you''ve never had (Let it go)


    And here comes all of the love you''ve never said (Here we go)


    Let your heart burn up


    But don''t let it get to your head


    Let your heart burn up


    But don''t let it get to your head,


    Dear hero

 (Bonus) The Lyrics, Pt. 2

    Track 1: "The Flame We Share"


    (Exploring the foreboding crossroads facing each main character in this arc, this is a theme about defying the odds¨Cand perhaps, fate itself.)


    LYRICS:


    Flash in your mind, now I''m bursting alive


    And I''ll fight even if I can''t save you


    Know you light the flame we share


    Out of breath, there''s nothing left


    To save us from the past


    The shadows are extending, their fingers reaching, bending


    And my heart''s beating too fast


    (Don''t pull away)


    Blood is thin, this state you''re in


    Was never meant to last


    I''m owning all our choices


    I''m blocking out the voices you can put in all their heads


    So please don''t push me away


    No matter what they say


    I know the brilliant person you can be


    There''s no more time to stay


    And so, look for me when you''re lonely


    Flash in your mind, now I''m bursting alive


    And I''ll fight even if I can''t save you


    Up in the sky, you can take back your life


    If you feel the love you have, it''s in there


    Scraping my knees, ''cuz I know what I need


    And I''ll bleed if it means I can see you


    Glow in our eyes, feels like nothing is right


    But this might be our last chance to face it


    So look for me when you''re lonely


    Know you light the flame we share


    Tooth and nail, and fight, and fail


    You push me to be strong


    Our future was before us, now it''s you they all adore


    Was this my fiction all along


    (I''ll keep on waiting for you)


    I don''t know what''s inside of me


    This heat and rage is building up


    Can''t let them take you away


    We can''t let this destroy our trust


    I''ll hold you


    If you want me to, I''m here


    This is just for now


    We''ll get this through, fly off, and persevere


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    And I don''t care what they say


    I know your heart and you can come to me


    You don''t have to be okay


    You can look for me when you''re lonely


    Flash in your mind, now I''m bursting alive


    And I''ll fight even if I can''t save you


    Up in the sky, you can take back your life


    If you feel the love you have, it''s in there


    Scraping my knees, ''cuz I know what I need


    And I''ll bleed if it means I can see you


    Glow in our eyes, feels like nothing is right


    But this might be our last chance to face it


    So look for me when you''re lonely


    Know you light the flame we share


    You light the flame we share


    If this is our last moment


    I hope you know I care


    It''s all so contradicting, but there''s meaning everywhere


    We''ll move along the mountains


    We''ll trek across the trees


    We''ll find meaning in the darkness, and find comfort in the breeze


    And I hope you can forgive me


    ''Cuz this is what I want


    For you to live and breathe, this is my love for all you''ve done


    We''ll make it all the way home


    Just like we wanted to


    And honestly, I''m terrified, but I''ll do this for you


    (Fight the lies inside, I''ll fight for you)


    Flash in your mind, now I''m bursting alive


    And I''ll fight even if I can''t save you


    Up in the sky, you can take back your life


    If you feel the love you have, it''s in there


    Give ''em a show, now just look at you go


    And I know it''s okay when I see you


    Smiling again, ''cuz I''m always your friend


    Now let''s take this final chance to face it


    So look for me when you''re lonely


    Know you light the flame we share


    Track 2: "Pang"


    (The unhinged character theme for this story''s main Manipulator)


    LYRICS:


    Is this the party? Cuz I''m already bored out my mind


    Surrounded by fakers and has-beens with over-baked tag lines


    Still dirty as I was back then


    Undefeated, but I wouldn''t mind a loss just to feel again


    No one needs to know my mind


    Get too close, I''ll give you a show you won''t forget


    Cut me up, my blood runs cold


    Can''t kill a soul when I know it''s already dead


    I''m your invincible friend


    Catch me up in the highest tier


    My success is their highest fear


    Manipulate when it''s masterful


    Oh, I just can''t help, it''s only natural


    I can''t


    Watch you


    Drown


    Good grief, do I really have to spell it out?


    Give me everything, I''ll give you back some second doubts


    But that''s cute, yeah, I guess you''ve never been to Hell


    I just need a little help trying to destroy myself


    But I''m a freak in the fight ring


    At the end of the day, I can try to do the right thing


    Comping cash to sustain you


    But if you bail in the night, I can''t say that I would blame you


    I just want to feel like someone cares at all


    The wood is rotting out, the wood is rotting out again


    When this ship sinks, you won''t fade


    I''ll make my heart a blade and I won''t stop ''till you breathe the air


    Catch me up in the highest tier


    My success is their highest fear


    Manipulate when it''s masterful


    Oh, I just can''t help, it''s only natural


    And I tried to bury all my pain


    But it never really died


    Now it claws its way back towards the surface


    Claws its way back towards the surface


    I tried to murder all my pain


    But it knew just where to hide


    Now it''s living on inside my bruises


    Living on inside


    Who am I?


    It''s living on in my bruises


    So use me all you want, any way that he chooses


    Oh, back off


    Get out of my head


    Her hand is warm


    I know I can be more than this


    So catch me up in the highest tier


    My success is their highest fear


    Manipulate when it''s masterful


    Oh, I just can''t help, it''s only natural


    Track 3: "Gloat Stadium"


    (Where secrets and loyalties strengthen, and hopes compete: Gloat Stadium)


    LYRICS:


    Celebrate, symphony, elevate everything


    Let''s see how this all plays out


    Standing, watching, waiting from afar


    Spare me the empathy


    I''ll believe anything


    If you can make me believe


    Glowing particles of who we are


    (We''re so the same)


    I''ve never met someone more different than you


    (Magnetic or hate?)


    Is this common ground, or breaking in two?


    Late conversations keep us up at night


    Is it spinning in your mind?


    Is it spinning in your sick mind?


    Deep breaths and whispers, don''t go freaking out


    On all the faces in the crowd


    All the voices in the stadium


    Secrets accounted for


    I couldn''t count all your


    Quirks that can bring me the sun


    Come and light my eyes


    But phantoms cling on us


    The ghosts of dead concepts


    Will whistle their undying dread


    Retrogression in its best disguise


    Obliterate


    Every lonely thought can mobilize


    Late conversations keep us up at night


    Is it spinning in your mind?


    Is it spinning in your sick mind?


    Deep breaths and whispers, don''t go freaking out


    On all the faces in the crowd


    All the voices in the stadium


    And every iteration brings another fright


    Is it spinning in your mind?


    ''Cuz it''s spinning in my sick mind


    And you''re two seconds from just shutting out


    All the faces in the crowd


    All the voices in the stadium


    Are singing their praises


    Familiar phrases can make a new believer out of anyone


    But if you think for yourself, I''ll come for help


    And I''ll restart my heart to earn your trust


    Everything''s hollow


    Watching you wallow


    Wonder what follows


    Are we here all alone?


    Down in the hotel


    Right where your hope fell


    Personal home Hell


    He''ll never have to atone


    In the fear fest


    Friends can bring you rest


    Hide in the safe nest, way high above


    They call themselves blessers


    It doesn''t impress us


    Don''t side with oppressors and call it love


    Late conversations keep us up at night


    Is it spinning in your mind?


    Is it spinning in your great mind?


    Deep breaths and whispers, don''t go freaking out


    On all the faces in the crowd


    All the voices in Gloat Stadium

 (Final Bonus) The Lyrics, Pt. 3

    Track 1: ¡°Colors Crashing¡±


    (Everything is about to change for Deon, Lammy, and their dear companions. But though darkness lurks, hope is not lost...)


    LYRICS:


    I see you in the wind


    I hear you in the colors


    Colors crashing, calling me to come alive


    Falling into a new era, but I¡¯m human just the same


    Doubts and victories too tangible to turn and tuck away


    Am I to blame


    For this impending rain?


    In my head, you¡¯re by my side


    So just convince my eyes


    Can we run forever


    Share tears and tremors


    To chase embracing life?


    I see you in the wind


    I hear you in the colors


    Colors crashing, calling me to come alive


    Salvation in the sky


    I hear you in the colors


    Colors crashing, calling me to come alive


    Fade out, nobody asked for it, but we get it anyway


    Is there meaning in loss?


    Cuz I¡¯m at a loss for words when I feel your pain


    No time for blame


    Just help me pass through this storm


    Hope¡¯s the timbre of your voice


    And purpose is a choice


    Higher than these towers


    In darkest hours


    Come meet me in the clouds


    I see you in the wind


    I hear you in the colors


    Colors crashing, calling me to come alive


    Salvation in the sky


    I hear you in the colors


    Colors crashing, calling me to come alive


    I can still believe


    If you meet me where I am


    I¡¯ll find your peace


    If you meet me where


    I see you in the wind


    I hear you in the colors


    Colors crashing, calling me to come alive


    Salvation in the sky


    I hear you in the colors


    Colors crashing, calling me to come alive


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    Track 2: ¡°Deon¡±


    (The character theme for our hotheaded, passionate protagonist)


    LYRICS:


    When I woke up I was in dullness


    Were all these dreams just visions I made up, or promises?


    Spinning it always comes back around


    To the part where I move forward while my love is backing out


    So I break down these walls


    Why does change come at the cost of abandoning all? No


    Expressionless all the while


    But with time I can tell you¡¯re trying to hold back a smile, oh


    Can I find my place in this essence all around us?


    (Holding on to this single moment)


    (Never quit and I¡¯ll never change my mind)


    When you meet my gaze, and my feet can¡¯t feel the ground, guess


    (Piecing back all these shreds)


    It¡¯s safe to say


    I¡¯m not going anywhere


    I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find I¡¯ve got a way of never backing down even when I probably should


    And I probably should


    So if you¡¯re in, it¡¯s a perfect mix, we can


    Tear it down


    (Look at us, what a beautiful balance to)


    Tear it down


    I think we¡¯re ready for this


    My fears face up in the fog looking like yours


    And no one seems to know if it¡¯s the future or a metaphor


    But maybe that¡¯s the trick


    To overcoming it


    Cuz you keep swirling through my mind, but I don¡¯t mind it


    Can I find my place in this essence all around us?


    (Holding on to this single moment)


    (Never quit and I¡¯ll never change my mind)


    When you meet my gaze, and my feet can¡¯t feel the ground, guess


    (Piecing back all these shreds)


    It¡¯s safe to say


    We¡¯re all alone


    And I¡¯m running on adrenaline, yeah


    I¡¯m running on


    So just let me know


    When you need me to cave it in


    With all this love and this rage in the same place


    They try to touch you, I don¡¯t know when to stop


    With all this love and this rage in the same place


    They try to touch you, I don¡¯t know when to stop


    (Stop now)


    Square up all you cowards


    (Back out)


    Who¡¯s the tough one, now?


    (Shut up)


    Eat your hate, all you cowards


    (Back out)


    Exit stage, count them out


    Can I find my place in this essence all around us?


    To say


    When you meet my gaze, and my feet can¡¯t feel the ground, guess


    It¡¯s safe to say you¡¯re safe with me


    Track 3: ¡°Lammy¡±


    (The character theme for our other protagonist, the timid yet courageous Lammy)


    LYRICS:


    Your universe changed all at once


    And now I know you hate surprises


    Can''t say I blame you


    When the life you had


    Was the warmth of sun


    But now it''s freezing cold out here


    Everyone around says we''re the hope


    But the way you sigh says you deny it


    You don''t know who you are


    But now it''s shifting into the ambition you sought


    Cuz you are not what you thought


    Open up and find it


    The heart you hold is quiet


    But it''s the reason we survive our fears


    The reason I''m still standing here


    Your bravery is endless


    But when it leaves you breathless


    Just rest


    And wait


    And I''ll say


    It''s all


    Okay


    Heavy eyes, unsteady


    I thought I should push you away


    I thought I should hide all my pain


    So I could save you from me


    I know you''re still afraid


    But you spoke up anyway


    And now we''re floating from the fear and loathing we fought


    Because you are not what you thought


    And my friend, months have passed us and still I forget you''re so young


    Though you''re small and soft-spoken, well, you leave a grand impression


    Now it''s shifting into the ambition you sought and


    And we''re floating from the fear and loathing we fought it''s


    A mess but a blessing with lessons it taught


    And I''m still grateful whether we make it or not


    Just remember in shadows when you''re feeling caught, that


    You are not what you thought


    I won¡¯t forget


    I won¡¯t forget you


    Open up and find it


    The heart you hold is quiet


    But it''s the reason we survive our fears


    The reason I''m still standing here


    Your bravery is endless


    But when it leaves you breathless


    Just rest


    And wait


    And I''ll say


    It''s all


    Okay


    (I won¡¯t forget you)


    Track 4: ¡°Dream World¡±


    (An exploration into Zayza and Skrili¡¯s dark pasts and regrets, how they¡¯ve come back to haunt them, and what they must do now to overcome them)


    LYRICS:


    Enter


    Waning while I watch my memories fading


    Washed out, extra black in the shading


    Gonna need a mirror if we''re gonna be blaming


    Gonna need a sword for the peace they''re proclaiming


    Wait


    Could''ve sworn I was the good guy


    Mug shot, make sure you get my good side


    I''m not a threat, just saying that you could die


    One look, six words: hope you have a good night


    No one I know knows me, and that''s okay


    Maybe it''s not, hey, tell me if I scare you


    I''m gonna sail this sea till I drown out


    You wanna meet me here, then I dare you


    Please


    I don''t wanna be alone


    If I''m the target I might cast the first stone


    And crawl away slow while they fight for the throne


    If I created this, it''s time I atone, but


    Colors crash and cast a different light


    Open up, the heartbeat''s deep inside


    It''s a dream, but I know I''m alive


    It''s a dream, but it''s where the secret hides


    Who I am is not who I thought


    Tried to keep you safe, overshot


    Everything we feared is just what we got


    And all this time we bought, will it get us home?


    I just wanna make you smile, no strings attached


    Kick the monsters out, while I close the hatch


    Dragon swing down quick, got a ride to catch


    If I remember how to hope, will it get us home?


    It''s a trick, they''re right behind us, the truth will find us, it''ll snag and gag and bind us


    Remind us how to live in a fire


    I''m a killer, they thought I was a crumbling crier


    Pull me by the collar and tug me higher


    I lost all the facts but I''m not a liar


    Wonder what they fear, maybe I''ll inquire


    Nightmare: watch them expire


    Can''t wake up, we''re stuck here, so fight back, the memory attack and fresh tears


    I''m right here. They wanted me to feel it, well I''m right here


    This is what they asked for, so I''m right here


    Oh God, blood on my hands


    They''re not prepared for who I really am, oh God


    Who will understand? Oh God, this is my burden


    I am the light and darkness, oh God!


    Hiding heart and closing eyes


    Will I fall away?


    Will I fall away?


    Hiding heart and closing eyes


    Will I fall away?


    Will I fall away?


    Flying shards through redding skies


    I will end your pain


    I will end your pain


    I¡¯ll end your pain


    Open your eyes

 80. Found and Lost

    As if to empathize with Deon and Skrili¡ªor perhaps mock them¡ªthe drizzle over the Fiction Country hills grew steadier. A deep, rolling rumble of thunder shook the dampened ground.


    The grass was still flattened where Lammy and Zayza had just been sitting moments ago. Tall and sharp, the rocks on the hilltop fenced in Deon and Skrili¡¯s new misery from the ongoings of the Conscious Conference not far below.


    Lammy had been right in front of them. The instant shift from elation to utter despair and horror left Deon nauseous.


    Skrili still hadn¡¯t released her hand from his shoulder. Nor did their eyes leave each other.


    ¡°Skrili,¡± Deon started, ¡°I have to go after him¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± she said immediately. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll bring him home alive. I swear.¡±


    Deon recalled her tears on his shoulder from the night she opened up about her little brother¡¯s death. A small tear escaped to her cheek now. He knew she meant it.


    She would give everything.


    Skrili averted her eyes for just a moment, realizing her phrasing.


    ¡°That vision¡­it won¡¯t come true. It can¡¯t.¡±


    Deon was talking to himself just as much as his teammate. For all he knew, it could have just come true before their eyes.


    But he refused to accept that.


    Just after another boom of thunder faded, they heard Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack go off. Shaking, Skrili was swift to retrieve it.


    ¡°Kotono¡­¡± she whispered.


    Deon dared to look at the screen.


    ¡°SURPRISE!!! :-) Be there in a sec. We¡¯ll explain everything!¡±


    Deon clutched his head in both hands. ¡°What the heck is going on? What is going on?!¡±


    For once, Skrili had no explanation.


    Only moments later, they heard careful steps shuffling through the grass.


    ¡°Come on. Hey¡ªcareful! Come on, Fang promised us five minutes. He can only distract the other guards for so long.¡±


    It was Hiroko¡¯s leathery voice.


    ¡°Sh! I know.¡±


    Kotono.


    ¡°Um¡­T-TA-DA!!!¡± Kotono proclaimed rather shyly, her voice now coming from above them.


    Deon and Skrili turned to find her standing atop the tall rocks, her face flushed but excited. But once she observed her new surroundings, her sunny complexion immediately went pale.


    ¡°Wait¡­where are¡­?¡±


    Hiroko emerged with a flip, and landed expertly beside her. Her stoic face remained unchanged, but her eyes fell to Deon and Skrili intensely.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S WHAT WE¡¯D LIKE TO KNOW!!¡± Deon shouted. He shot to his feet. ¡°EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!!¡±


    Kotono gasped with a flinch. Red energy automatically burst out around her.


    Hiroko was quick to clutch her hand. ¡°Breathe,¡± she said. ¡°Were they here? Did you see Zayza and Lammy?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they WERE here!!¡± Deon shot.


    ¡°Someone took them,¡± Skrili stressed, standing to join him. ¡°We need to do something, please.¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s free hand tightened into a fist, and her toned muscles showed clearly. She cursed under her breath several times, shaking her head.


    ¡°No¡­no¡­¡± she growled. ¡°Then there¡¯s no time to waste.¡±


    She hopped down from the stones and met the duo. Kotono joined her, her mouth quivering.


    ¡°Where are they taking my cousin and that Phoenix worker?¡± Deon demanded. ¡°Where?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything. Listen closely¡ªthis is about to be a lot,¡± Hiroko said soberly. ¡°That girl isn¡¯t just a Phoenix employee. That¡¯s Zayza, an Azvaylen princess from Fantasy Country. Her kingdom convicted her of murdering her own royal family to take the throne.¡±


    ¡°WHAT THE¡ªWhy is my little cousin with a crazy killer?!¡± pressed Deon.


    ¡°Sh¡ªshe didn¡¯t really do it! She¡¯s innocent!¡± Kotono anxiously assured.


    ¡°Zayza met Lammy in No Man¡¯s Land months ago, and he¡¯s been helping her escape her hunters ever since,¡± continued Hiroko. ¡°Zayza¡¯s like a sister to us. And your ¡®little¡¯ cousin has saved her life multiple times over. We owe him everything for that.¡±


    Deon¡¯s hands shook endlessly. This couldn¡¯t all be real. Why would Lammy set foot outside Tailpiece? Why would he get caught up in something like this?


    And¡­he saved that girl Zayza multiple times? Someone as timid and gentle as Lammy?


    ¡°We found them at the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition, and we made a plan to get them in hiding. We¡¯re too high-profile, but Lammy spoke highly of you. So we tried to get them to you discretely, then have you and Skrili guide them to my home tribe.¡±


    Deon grit his teeth. ¡°Discretely?¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Wait¡­just listen,¡± Skrili urged.


    But Deon stomped forward. Hiroko didn¡¯t flinch, or even blink, as she found herself face-to-face with him.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us sooner?¡± Deon demanded darkly.


    By Hiroko¡¯s unwavering, urgent glare, he knew he hadn¡¯t intimidated her in the slightest. He may as well have been an insect.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t. We didn¡¯t know about your relation to Lammy, and he didn¡¯t even realize you were nearby until after you¡¯d left Gloat Center,¡± she said. ¡°Zayza is a famous wanted convict. Half the Multiverse has heard about her case.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true¡­I¡¯ve seen headlines,¡± Skrili confirmed quietly.


    ¡°So we couldn¡¯t risk communicating in an easily traceable way like a TeamTrack. We had to get creative, so we led you both here,¡± finished Hiroko. Her icy eyes narrowed the slightest bit. ¡°I¡¯ve placed all of my trust in Lammy with our Zayza, and he showed nothing but courage and strength. I hope you can learn to return that level of trust to me.¡±


    She broke off from Deon to face everyone else.


    Deon went silent¡ªhe didn¡¯t regret his aggressive concern or questioning for the sake of his cousin. Yet¡­this seemed so foreign.


    Lammy¡­¡¯strong and courageous?¡¯ Last I saw him, he was still too scared to walk home in the dark, he pondered. His heart tightened with pride and desperation. Hang in there, buddy. Keep fighting¡­


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re going after them,¡± Hiroko inquired to the young team.


    Deon and Skrili nodded instantly.


    ¡°Good. We just have to figure out how to shake our security team.¡±


    ¡°S¡ªscrew this Conscious Conference!¡± Kotono puffed defiantly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get past them,¡± Hiroko assured. ¡°Then we¡¯ll lead the way to Azvaylen. I don¡¯t care what it takes¡ªwe¡¯ll save them both.¡±


    Deon squirmed a bit, quelling his still subtly glowing eyes. ¡°Hey uh¡­sorry for getting all¡­you know.¡±


    Hiroko simply nodded once. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry it happened like this. Just understand, you two: the world is against us. Nobody believes Zayza is innocent. Nobody will help¡ªit¡¯s just you two, Kotono, and me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all we need,¡± Skrili said. She stepped closer to join Deon¡¯s side.


    Despite his spiraling emotions, Deon mustered a smirk. ¡°Heck, we¡¯re the strongest two teams combined. That¡¯s more than enough.¡±


    Hiroko welcomed Kotono closer. The four fighters stood together in the increasing rain.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s save¡ª¡± Kotono started.


    All four of their TeamTracks vibrated.


    ¡°Who¡¯s¡­?¡± Hiroko wondered.


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    Their screens illuminated their faces under the gray sky.


    Phillip:


    ¡°Hello. Can you please tell me if you¡¯ve seen Pang? She stepped away for a moment and still hasn¡¯t come back. I can¡¯t find her anywhere. It¡¯s been an hour and I haven¡¯t gotten a call or message.


    She just¡­vanished.¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°Deon¡­? Why did you do¡­Ugh¡­Why am I¡­Huh? Hey¡ªwait a second¡­you¡¯re not¡­¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyelids lifted in response. At first, in a haze, all he could see was red, with gold in the middle.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    It was a woman¡¯s voice¡ªfull and mature, but slurred.


    But when his eyes finally focused, Lammy didn¡¯t find a woman lying directly before him. It was a teenage girl, just a bit younger than Deon.


    More than that¡ªshe was the recently famous Conscious Competition runner-up.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­Pang Pereo,¡± Lammy uttered.


    ¡°Yeah thanks, I noticed. I asked who you are, kid,¡± Pang said, her recovering golden eyes landing on him. Up close, her frame was much smaller than he¡¯d perceived while watching her dominate most of the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition. But despite her size, the way she glared at him made him feel tiny.


    ¡°Uh¡­I¡¯m Lammy. Where are we¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Lammy? That¡¯s dumb. Man, what did your parents have against you?¡± Pang continued on. ¡°You look just like this guy I know¡ª¡±


    ¡°Deon?¡± he immediately guessed. ¡°That¡¯s my cousin. And my best friend.¡±


    Finally, it all came back. He¡¯d just seen Deon running towards him and Zayza, with Skrili close behind. He¡¯d never seen such shock and joy on Deon¡¯s face. They were so close. They were right there.


    What happened?


    He¡¯d felt a pinch in his neck. Zayza suddenly fainted. His mind spun.


    That was all he remembered.


    Again, Lammy realized, heart aching.


    ¡°They got us again¡­¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°¡¯They?¡¯ ¡®Again?¡¯ What the heck are you talking about?¡± Pang demanded. ¡°Also¡­is that chick alright? She¡¯s still out.¡±


    Head throbbing, Lammy rolled off his side and onto his back. It wasn¡¯t until then that he noticed his hands and ankles were tightly bound. He looked over to find Zayza lying on the other side of him. With her hair brushed to the side, he noticed a dried red drip down her ear.


    Suddenly, his own ears stung. He reached to find new scabs.


    The magic earrings are gone.


    The ground¡ªno, floor¡ªwas cold and hard, and rocking a bit. He finally felt the pushes and pulls with each turn¡ªthey were in some sort of transport, speeding across a road. He recognized the fluctuating rumbles from the blue taxi back in Conscious City: it was a vehicle like that, but much larger.


    The light was dim, only bright enough to see Pang and Zayza, who were just as bound up as him. Other objects rocked and creaked around them.


    ¡°Wait¡­no way¡­she looks just like that murder girl¡­¡± Pang observed in fascination. ¡°Is she that one girl¡­Princess Zayza?¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t leave his companion.


    But¡­could he even see her as a companion, anymore?


    She finally recovered all of her lost memories, before completely annihilating Fewpar¡¯s Dream World body. And once she remembered, the ultimate question found an answer at last¡ªan answer Lammy could never have fathomed to be true:


    Fewpar and Najinzu were right. Zayza murdered her own family.


    Her sister, her father, and her mother.


    She said it herself.


    Her words shattered the stability of their long friendship almost instantaneously. Even as Zayza pulled Lammy out of the Dream World and guided him away from Najinzu to safety, his trust was rattled.


    Who even was she? How could she do that?


    Their final few days of travel towards Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s planned meeting point were quiet and uncomfortable. Lammy couldn¡¯t sleep. He couldn¡¯t even look Zayza in the eye.


    Even when he built the courage to finally ask, in a desperate attempt for clarity, it changed nothing.


    ¡°Why, Zayza¡­why did you kill them?¡±


    Her careful response came after a long silence.


    ¡°Lammy¡­please understand¡­I wish with everything in me that I didn¡¯t have to,¡± she¡¯d said. ¡°But¡­if I didn¡¯t¡­do what I did¡­if I let them stay alive¡­Well¡ªwe¡¯d better keep hurrying.¡±


    And that was that. She¡¯d never brought it up again, and Lammy couldn¡¯t either.


    But if she couldn¡¯t tell him why, how could he trust her again? How did he know he was safe?


    Even still, for some reason, Lammy remained traveling with her for the rest of the journey. Perhaps he should have snuck away. Perhaps he still subconsciously hoped all of this would undo itself, and Zayza could go back to the innocent companion he knew.


    But if he had to guess why he didn¡¯t leave her, the only explanation that made sense right now was his utter terror of having no one to protect or comfort him. Remaining with Zayza¡ªeven after everything he learned¡ªstill somehow felt safer.


    I¡¯m pathetic, he thought.


    Blinking, he realized Pang was still awaiting confirmation.


    ¡°So uh¡­that is her, right? The murder princess?¡±


    Lammy glanced at Zayza one more time. He recalled all the times he stood up for her, defying anyone accusing her of such monstrous acts.


    This time, he nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s her.¡±


    When he returned his attention to Pang, she simply raised her eyebrows briefly and nodded. ¡°Hm,¡± she said casually. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t wake her up then, huh?¡±


    Despite her subtle concern, her sheer lack of fear took Lammy aback. She had just discovered there was a killer right across from her, and she was merely intrigued.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Lammy found himself agreeing.


    ¡°Hey. You know her or something?¡±


    He looked away. His heart twisted as he tried to find the words.


    ¡°I¡­I thought I did.¡±


    ~~~


    It wasn¡¯t long before Deon, Skrili, Kotono, and Hiroko heard footsteps rapidly sweeping against the grassy hill in the steady rain. Deon had almost forgotten how fast Phillip was¡ªand given the current emergency, he probably didn¡¯t hold back.


    He arrived to the top of their secret spot, drenched and panting. His long, spiky black hair and black and white attire presented him as quite an eerie figure.


    ¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± he quickly found. ¡°Where is Pang?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a demand, as Deon had spurted before, but a patient, expectant question. Just then, Deon noticed Phillip¡¯s skin wasn¡¯t quite as pale anymore¡ªclearly the new treatment was working. Phillip eyed Hiroko and Kotono not in confusion, but hopeful expectation.


    It made sense: after all, it was only because Kotono and Hiroko donated their championship earnings to him and Pang¡ªafter defeating them¡ªthat he was even able to receive his treatment.


    His trust and respect came through clearly in his demeanor.


    ¡°Why did you send me these coordinates?¡±


    ¡°To bring you to us. We need to talk,¡± Hiroko started swiftly and solemnly. ¡°When was the last time you saw Pang?¡±


    ¡°We were walking to one of the convention¡¯s panels an hour ago. But she remembered she wanted to visit out a particular shop¡ªsomething about seeing the perfect birthday gift for me,¡± Phillip shared. ¡°She cut through an alleyway between two buildings¡­but she never came back. I couldn¡¯t find or get a hold of her.¡±


    His eyes shifted to Deon and Skrili, registering their presence for the first time. Phillip gave a quick, subtle nod to each of them, but his worrying eyebrows furrowed further.


    ¡°Wait¡­what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Something,¡± Hiroko replied. ¡°Only a few minutes ago, Azvaylen officials kidnapped our closest friend and Deon¡¯s cousin. Skrili and Deon saw it happen.¡±


    ¡°They were gone before we could even act,¡± Skrili uttered.


    Phillip¡¯s face hardened, his gaze intensifying. ¡°And you think this is connected?¡±


    ¡°It might be. Would you and Pang have any reason for Azvaylen to target you?¡± questioned Hiroko.


    Phillip shook his head.


    ¡°Hmm¡­Have you two encountered anyone who might have a motive to take Pang?¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but admire Hiroko as she pressed forward her investigation without hesitation. If she had any sense of panic, she wasn¡¯t showing it. Somehow, she knew exactly what to do, and how to act.


    He expected Phillip to shake his head once more, but instead, he shifted uncomfortably.


    ¡°There were¡­these odd men,¡± he said. ¡°Just after the award ceremony at the Conscious Competition.¡±


    Deon¡¯s ears perked up.


    ¡°Odd in what way?¡± probed Hiroko.


    ¡°When the ceremony wrapped up I headed down to the fighting platform to meet her, and someone started interviewing me about her,¡± Phillip recalled. ¡°I was a bit distracted with that, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed these men. I didn¡¯t see them down near the platform with the rest of the press before. They merely¡­appeared. And they took Pang aside for a moment to talk. It didn¡¯t look like an interview.¡±


    ¡°Did Pang tell you what they said?¡±


    ¡°She shrugged it off, and said they were just a bunch of creeps with a stupid offer,¡± explained Phillip.


    Definitely something she¡¯d say, Deon thought.


    ¡°But they tried talking to her again later that day,¡± Phillip continued. ¡°And after we left, Pang kept getting messages from them asking to set up a meeting. It seemed harmless enough, just persistent. So Pang ignored them. I only started worrying¡­when they showed up at our Legend Training.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°Skip¡¯s home is in a secret location¡ªall Legend Trainers¡¯ are,¡± Skrili noted. ¡°How did they find out where¡­?¡±


    ¡°We were in his cabin after winning the Challenge, and I saw them approaching through the window. Skip saw them too, and he demanded that we hide in the kitchen. We listened through the door while they talked. Skip swore to them that we were off on a trial, and if we returned, it wouldn¡¯t be for days. Eventually they left.¡±


    Phillip shook himself out of the unsettling memory and returned his full, anxious attention to Hiroko. ¡°We never ran into them again¡­unless they¡¯re the reason Pang¡¯s gone.¡±


    So Skip knows something about those guys¡­Deon noted.


    He remembered his teacher¡¯s vague story¡ªthe peculiar disappearance of his teammate.


    His whole body felt heavy as he remembered Skip¡¯s warning:


    ¡°The more success you find, the more eyes on you. And with more eyes on you, there¡¯s a greater chance the wrong eyes will find you. And you don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t¡ªwant those eyes to find you. Because once they do, it¡¯s already too late.¡±


    ¡°Could¡­could this all be related?¡± wondered Kotono. ¡°Why would the Azvaylen kingdom want Pang?¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s head shook back and forth in deep contemplation. ¡°This doesn¡¯t give us enough to know why,¡± she said. ¡°But we know several things: Zayza, Lammy, and Pang all disappeared within an hour of each other, in the same exact place. We know who took Zayza and Lammy. So it¡¯s highly likely they also took Pang.¡±


    Deon¡¯s fists clenched. They felt warm. His heartbeat pounded.


    He stepped forward, into the middle of the group.


    ¡°Listen up, Phil,¡± he began.


    ¡°Phillip.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. The four of us are going after those dirtbags. We¡¯re saving my little cousin, and Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s best friend. And if Pang¡¯s with them, you better believe we¡¯re saving her, too,¡± Deon told his ghostly peer. ¡°You in?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee Pang is with them,¡± Hiroko reminded him. ¡°But this is our only lead.¡±


    Phillip nodded. ¡°You four are the very people I¡¯d want helping me find her,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°Aw, even me? Thanks, bud,¡± Deon butted in.


    Phillip tried to ignore him. ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Where do we start?¡±


    ¡°First, we alert the Conscious Conference and report Pang as a missing person,¡± Hiroko planned immediately.


    ¡°Not Deon¡¯s cousin and your friend?¡± questioned Phillip.


    ¡°Well¡­considering the murder charges¡­¡± Skrili uttered.


    ¡°Murder charges? Wait¡ªit¡¯s that Zayza??¡± Phillip¡¯s deep voice broke up a bit.


    Kotono waved her hands in desperate dismissal. ¡°I¡ªIt¡¯s complicated! Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll explain!¡± she struggled out.


    ¡°Then, with that covered,¡± Hiroko continued, ¡°We go back to Fantasy Country. But we¡¯ll need to figure out a way to fly to Azvaylen¡¯s reality¡ªand fast. So it can¡¯t be helped: we need someone else we can trust.¡±


    While Hiroko, Kotono, and Phillip stood brainstorming hastily, Deon and Skrili turned to each other. Skrili¡¯s eyes seemed to glisten a bit.


    ¡°We have someone,¡± they both said.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± said Hiroko. She turned and looked towards the rainy sky¡ªcoincidentally, in the same direction Deon and Skrili had helplessly watched Lammy and Zayza vanish over the horizon.


    But now it was their move.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about to be the Conscious Competitions. This is real life,¡± Hiroko warned everyone. ¡°Like I said, the Multiverse will be against us.¡±


    The four fighters all followed Hiroko¡¯s gaze into the sky, standing side-by-side.


    Deon¡¯s heart pumped, heavy with both desperation and adrenaline. He didn¡¯t even need to see Skrili right now to sense her aura beside him. Somehow, with Fiction Country¡¯s odd ways, he knew she felt just as alive¡ªjust as vital.


    Hiroko rolled her shoulders.


    ¡°Here we go, then. It¡¯s about to get dangerous.¡±

 81. Schemes Unfold

    The burly vehicle¡¯s tire bumped against something, briefly rocking Lammy, Pang, and the sleeping Zayza in the process. The chill from the unknown air outside was beginning to set in.


    ¡°¡­Alright, just so I¡¯m clear on this,¡± checked Pang, ¡°You fell into No Man¡¯s Land trying to find Deon, met Princess Zayza¡ªwho had amnesia and didn¡¯t remember the whole triple-murder detail¡ªgot hunted all the way to Fantasy Country, found out Kotono and Hiroko are her friends, and they led you to the conference to find Deon and Skrili, and then you got caught anyways, so now you¡¯re here?¡±


    Lammy thought about it for a moment. ¡°Yeah¡­well¡­there were a few other details, but¡­yeah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s freaking ridiculous. You have bad luck, kid.¡±


    For someone so standoffish and superior, Pang sure seemed talkative. And considering their current plight, bound in the back of a dark vehicle, Lammy found her overwhelmingly unconcerned.


    In a strange way, it was comforting for someone like her to hear him out. Nobody on the outside of their conflict could know, so to finally lay it out there¡ªto someone who, as he quickly found, wouldn¡¯t hold back her reactions¡ªfelt surprisingly cathartic.


    He¡¯d almost forgotten: all he wanted was to make sure Deon was okay when he disappeared from Tailpiece. He never asked for any of this.


    Pang tugged at the tight black bindings on her wrists and ankles for probably the hundredth time now, still to no result. Her eye narrowed as she reached a conclusion in her head.


    ¡°Wait a sec¡ªsince you¡¯ve been helping her stay on the run, this kingdom sees you as an accomplice,¡± Pang realized. ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t know you were helping a murderer.¡±


    Dismally, Lammy nodded.


    ¡°That sucks hard.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry, Lammy. So sorry¡­¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart skipped.


    Pang¡¯s eyes checked past him, and Lammy¡¯s head whipped towards Zayza.


    ¡°Oh, welcome to the party,¡± greeted Pang.


    Zayza kept her eyes on the shaky floor, her hair falling over her face. ¡°Admittedly¡­I¡¯ve been awake for a while,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Oh. You heard all that, then? Awkward.¡±


    Lammy didn¡¯t know what to do now that he knew she was present. Even if he could stand and distance himself, which was his initial impulse, he felt a war inside him that raged against it.


    Zayza was dangerous. Could she really be trusted, after turning out to be everything Lammy swore she wasn¡¯t?


    It twisted his heart.


    But still¡­the familiar sound of her smooth voice, though somber and wise now, still sounded like her.


    Why did this all have to happen?


    ¡°Zayza¡­¡± Lammy started uncomfortably.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Lammy. Everything you told her is true,¡± Zayza assured. ¡°I am a killer. I watched them fade away forever¡­ my own family...by my hand. But I had no other options. I had to.¡±


    A fire flickered in Lammy¡¯s mind. ¡°How could you have no other options¡ª¡± he began.


    But Pang sighed over him. ¡°Yep. Tell me about it, girl. Been there, done that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Lammy and Zayza both uttered, their full attention now on her.


    Pang shrugged. ¡°What? I¡¯m just saying I relate. You sound like my kind of girl, Zayza,¡± she defended. Her golden eyes fell to Lammy. ¡°Trust me, you should hear the princess out. Life gets real complicated¡ªI had to kill a bunch of people in death battles growing up, but if I didn¡¯t, my dad and me would have drowned like my mom. It¡¯s just like that, sometimes.¡±


    Lammy and Zayza paused in astonishment.


    ¡°Wait¡ªis that¡­why they captured you, too?¡± asked Lammy.


    ¡°Ha. Doubt it. That¡¯s just how Artifex was. I don¡¯t know these people or their deal,¡± dismissed Pang. ¡°But the point is, kid: give the girl a chance. It sounds like you two got really close, like a consciousness team. Don¡¯t just jump to conclusions and give that up¡ªI¡¯ve made that mistake before, too.¡±


    Receiving Pang¡¯s insistent words, Lammy tried to look Zayza in the eyes. His fear was messy and loud, yet still, he could see her¡ªthe Zayza he knew¡ªthrough it.


    Maybe his attachment wasn¡¯t trying to fool him. Maybe Pang was right¡ªhe¡¯d begun giving up too soon.


    But¡­could there really be a justifiable reason for something so horrific?


    ¡°Th¡ªthank you,¡± Zayza whispered to Pang, her voice choking up. ¡°I¡­I needed to hear that.¡±


    ¡°Eh. Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    A tear falling slowly, Zayza returned her heavy gaze to Lammy and flipped away some of her hair to stop hiding her face.


    Her eyes repelled his at first. But he couldn¡¯t truly avoid them.


    Everything we¡¯ve been through, he thought.


    ¡°Lammy¡­I know this is hard to accept, because I¡¯ve heard how much you love your family. And I love mine dearly, too,¡± said Zayza. ¡°But¡­I had to make that choice. For their own good¡­and for the entire kingdom. Nobody believes me, but something truly terrible has come over Azvaylen, and I thought I could stop it. But¡­I failed¡­¡±


    Her chin trembled as Lammy and Pang listened closely.


    ¡°And now¡­so many more have suffered because of my failure,¡± she added in a frail whisper. ¡°You¡¯re in the deepest danger imaginable¡­and Ryan, and Raznizu¡­they died defending my innocence when I didn¡¯t deserve it¡­¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t necessarily say ¡®died.¡¯ Not yet, at least.¡±


    Lammy, Zayza, and even Pang pounced in fright at the sudden deep, weathered voice. They traced the sound across the dark back of the vehicle. At first, it seemed to have come from nowhere. But when they peered more carefully, they could make out the outline of a slender, spiky-haired individual leaning against the opposite wall.


    He was bound up in similar fashion, and hunched slightly as if his body wasn¡¯t fully functioning.


    ¡°Holy¡ªhow long have you been sitting there?!¡± Pang exclaimed.


    ¡°Apologies. I never immediately trust my company,¡± Raznizu explained with a cough.


    Lammy could still picture him back in the forest vividly, standing defiantly in a puddle of his own blood as Najinzu slashed away, trying to get past. They would have been captured much sooner if not for him.


    ¡°Wait¡­you¡¯re still¡­?¡± Lammy uttered.


    ¡°They kept me alive for questioning,¡± Raznizu said. ¡°Zayza, listen to me carefully.¡±


    She lifted her weary head further, still in slight disbelief to find him alive¡ªor at least, hanging on to life.


    ¡°You said nobody believes you about Azvaylen,¡± Raznizu began. ¡°But I assure you: that is not the truth. You¡¯re not alone, and your cause is not yet dead.¡±


    Raznizu¡¯s optimistic certainty, even while tied and heavily wounded, sent shivers down Lammy¡¯s spine. He listened as closely as possible over the road rumblings; if there was any inkling of hope¡ªany at all¡ªhe longed to hear it now.


    ¡°Zayza, my princess: since your disappearance, I¡¯ve served a secret task force with the specific purpose of finding you, and keeping you alive. But not only that,¡± he said, ¡°We exist to complete the mission you started. I swear to you: you¡¯re not alone.¡±


    ¡°Raznizu¡­¡± Zayza uttered.


    She sounded unexpectedly familiar, and even warm, with him. But then Lammy realized: Zayza had recovered all of her memories, now. Clearly from this brief exchange, he could already tell they¡¯d known each other for a long time.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°But¡­should you really be disclosing all this to me,¡± started Zayza warily, ¡°when Najinzu is likely in this vehicle listening in?¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyes jumped to the wall at the front of their compartment. It pained him to know Najinzu was probably just behind it. It was a perceptive observation on Zayza¡¯s part, one that Lammy had been too rattled to reach: with Najinzu¡¯s Sense-Enhancer powers, he probably knew everything they¡¯d said thus far.


    But Raznizu seemed past this already. ¡°They¡¯ve already learned everything I just told you,¡± he revealed. ¡°It was interrogation magic. But since we¡¯re in Fiction Country, and due to my stubbornness, I was able to repel it. They don¡¯t know anything else.¡±


    He shifted, grunting from the pain.


    ¡°But that won¡¯t be the case when we arrive in Azvaylen,¡± Raznizu cautioned. ¡°Your predictions proved right: as you¡¯ll soon see¡­Azvaylen has changed.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Then just like me, you guys probably don¡¯t wanna stick around.¡±


    A devious grin formed on Pang¡¯s face as she said this unabashedly. Lammy had to force himself not to squirm¡ªher expression was even more menacing than Najinzu¡¯s cold eyes.


    Zayza shook her head in refusal. ¡°We can¡¯t try¡ªthey would already know it¡¯s coming. They can hear you,¡± she reminded her.


    ¡°So what? The only reason they kidnapped me was ¡®cuz it was an ambush. I bet we can take these losers,¡± Pang sneered. ¡°I¡¯m no slouch, you know. We have two killers in here between you and me. I take it the creepy spy guy over here is one too, right?¡±


    Raznizu didn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°See? And not to mention¡­¡± she turned to Lammy. ¡°Kid, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re also an Imaginer? Got any weird bonus powers like your cousin?¡±


    ¡°Like¡­my cousin?¡±


    ¡°Huh? You didn¡¯t know?¡± she noticed. ¡°When Deon gets pissed, his imagining gets insanely strong. It¡¯s freaking terrifying. But it¡¯s awesome. Got any of that?¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyes widened.


    So¡­it¡¯s not just me¡­he thought. Deon¡¯s been awakening new abilities, too?


    For a moment, he almost forgot to reply. ¡°Well¡­for me, it happens when I get stressed¡­but yeah,¡± he confirmed. ¡°And I can enter the Dream World, too.¡±


    ¡°Man, you¡¯ve got three powers going on, huh? Not sure how that last one would help, but the first is just what we need.¡±


    Pang¡¯s foreboding smile spread even wider.


    ¡°So what do you say, guys? Let¡¯s bust the heck out of here.¡±


    ~~~


    Deon¡¯s foot tapped endlessly as he and Skrili waited outside a small building. The stark contrast between their current feelings and everything around only unnerved him further.


    Countless consciousness teams passed by all around, giddy and boisterous as they headed to endless panels, stores, and events. The rain had mostly died out, and everyone took full advantage to continue their spirited plans. Lights from buildings and stands flashed everywhere, reflecting against Deon and Skrili¡¯s faces.


    It was like they¡¯d stepped into their own unknown world, dark and urgent, lurking within the joy.


    Skrili happened to glance at him briefly. Her face was impassive as usual to any onlooker, but he saw the anxiousness and determination underneath.


    The vision, Deon thought.


    ¡°Skrili Kay! WOO!!!¡± came a lively shout from across the walkways. A consciousness in light-up merchandise pointed at her, and a small crowd cheered along.


    Skrili ignored the admiration and turned to the door. ¡°He¡¯s back,¡± she told Deon.


    Phillip emerged from the building and joined them somberly, yet quickly.


    ¡°They filed a report and alerted officials,¡± he filled them in.


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s head to the spot,¡± Skrili said.


    They hurried off, weaving through the crowd with haste. Every second, Lammy, Zayza, and possibly Pang were farther and farther away, in more and more danger.


    Abruptly, a reddish light befell the entire area from above. The group looked up to see a projection in the sky.


    It was a professional profile of Pang, with her full name, teammate¡¯s name, type, and Country listed underneath. The top of the light image read ¡°MISSING¡± in massive bold letters.


    In that instant, all of their TeamTracks vibrated sharply. They quickly found the same image in a notification on their screens.


    All around, consciousnesses looked up at the sky or opened their TeamTracks, muttering to each other.


    ¡°They moved quickly,¡± Phillip noted.


    Deon patted his shoulder as they walked. ¡°Yeah. Pang will turn up in no time, you¡¯ll see. If we don¡¯t find her first, they will.¡±


    They scurried along, shifting past the last few buildings and tents at the front of the convention to meet back up with Kotono and Hiroko.


    Deon glanced around as they reached the colorful entrance, hoping not to spot any of the champions¡¯ bodyguards. He wondered how many times the famous team could manage sneaking away undetected, considering their poor luck back at Gloat Stadium.


    The group passed under a large stone archway decorated in noisy signs. Beyond the entrance he found a wide sidewalk that met a curved, busy street. Taxis and transports of all sizes dropped off or picked up consciousnesses here¡ªit reminded Deon of the dragon landing platforms in Fantasy Country, but for ground vehicles.


    They walked off to the side and stood in wait, checking around carefully for Kotono and Hiroko, but not so obviously that it would raise suspicion.


    ¡°Seems like the wrong kind of place for celebrities to sneak out,¡± Deon noted.


    ¡°It¡¯s the fastest way to get a transport before anyone catches on,¡± said Skrili. ¡°And I¡¯m sure Kotono and Hiroko have a thought-out way to go undetected¡ª¡±


    ¡°Psst! You got¡­the ¡®stuff?¡¯¡± came a feathery voice.


    The consciousnesses turned to find Kotono and Hiroko¡ªor rather, hunched, hooded versions of them. Despite their black hooded sweatshirts, big sunglasses, and unmarked travel bags, Deon immediately recognized them.


    Kotono slyly removed her sunglasses. ¡°D¡ªdon¡¯t worry, guys. It¡¯s us!¡± she assured in a hush.


    Deon facepalmed, and Skrili looked around guardedly.


    ¡°We know,¡± said Phillip.


    ¡°See? I tried telling her the ¡®fake drug dealers¡¯ disguise never works,¡± Hiroko grumbled. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ll have to move fast.¡±


    Hiroko took a step towards the end of the sidewalk, but Skrili stepped out first.


    ¡°Uh¡­maybe I should get the taxi¡­¡± she suggested.


    The rest watched on while Skrili hurried over to seek out an available driver. Her lesser fame, thankfully, allowed her to search undeterred as she neared the vehicles.


    Deon smirked: if he¡¯d been the one with the terrible disguise, she probably would have reprimanded him, and rightly so. Clearly, being Skrili¡¯s idols got Hiroko and Kotono off the hook.


    After a moment, Skrili turned and observed some of the grass at the very end of the sidewalk. Something caught her eye, and she headed over to the taxi nearest to it. Following a quick discussion through the window, she opened her TeamTrack.


    Everyone¡¯s TeamTracks vibrated:


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The rest of the group shuffled their way over. Kotono and Hiroko stayed between Deon and Phillip, probably a habitual response to walking in crowds with their bodyguards. Phillip peered around several times.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re clear,¡± he muttered.


    They joined Skrili at the taxi. It was a slick black vehicle, and unlike the rusty, faded blue one Deon and Skrili had traveled in last time, this one had a fresh sheen. Deon didn¡¯t have to be familiar with cars to know it was brand new.


    Something in the grass by the edge of the sidewalk caught Deon¡¯s eye: a few white, flowing pedals, just across from the taxi.


    Omniflowers, he remembered. Nice catch, Skrili.


    The driver¡¯s door opened, and out came the exact same man who had taken them to Nightwood Valley.


    ¡°Hey¡ªWhoa, wait a second! How many of you are there?¡± he asked. ¡°I thought it was just gonna be you and the boyfriend again!¡±


    Hiroko checked behind them hastily. ¡°We¡¯ll pay extra,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if I can fit five people in here without¡­ah, whatever,¡± he conceded, reading their eager faces. ¡°At least you¡¯re not runaway killers, or nothin¡¯. You wouldn¡¯t believe it: few days back, I accidentally helped a wanted princess escape. They even got my trusty old car totaled! But eh¡ªforget you heard that.¡±


    Shaking his head and grumbling to himself about paying the new car off, he made his way back into the driver¡¯s seat and started the engine.


    The five fighters exchanged lightning-fast glances.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah¡­good thing we have nothing to do with that,¡± Deon laughed nervously.


    ¡°Uh-oh.¡±


    It had come from Kotono: she was staring at her TeamTrack, wide-eyed.


    ¡°Hiroko,¡± she said hastily. ¡°W¡ªw¡ªwe uh¡­really need to go!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re onto us?¡± Hiroko shot.


    Kotono nodded rapidly.


    ¡°Are they close?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Inoue!!! Ms. Hamasaki!!! WAIT!!!¡±


    Bursting from the conference entrance, an entire flock of massive men in black came stampeding onto the sidewalk. A few of them shoved bystanders out of their way.


    Hiroko dove to the taxi¡¯s back door and swung it open.


    ¡°GO! GO! GO!¡±


    Phillip shoved Deon forward, and he wasted no time diving straight into the back. Skrili and Phillip immediately followed.


    ¡°Wait, hold up! What¡¯s going on here?!¡± the driver demanded fearfully.


    Hiroko lifted Kotono off her feet and pounced in with her, closing the door.


    Within a moment, they were all crammed on each other in the back.


    ¡°DRIVE!!¡± Hiroko shouted.


    ¡°Hold on¡ªwhat are you running from?! I¡¯m not getting caught up in any more dangerous¡ª¡±


    ¡°WE¡¯LL PAY OFF YOUR CAR!!! GO!!!!¡±


    ¡°Oh, for the love of¡­¡± the driver grunted, slamming his foot down and barreling the taxi forward with a screech.


    As he sped down the road, everyone attempted to shift into more reasonable positions. Eventually, Skrili had to settle with Deon¡¯s lap, while Kotono moved to Hiroko¡¯s, and Phillip sat stuffed in the middle.


    It was far from comfortable, but that was the least of their concerns.


    Deon noticed the driver eyeing him through the mirror.


    ¡°Hey¡­you look kinda like that kid who was with the princess¡­¡± he uttered. ¡°Aw, no¡­please, no¡­¡±


    Deon gulped.


    ¡°Alright, what the heck is going on here?! I¡¯m not getting caught up in whatever mess this is!¡± he roared. ¡°Give me one reason not to stop this taxi and kick you all out right now!¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡± started Kotono. Again, she removed her sunglasses dramatically. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m Kotono Inoue!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re famous. So what? I¡¯m not going to jail!¡±


    ¡°So it means she can beat you up, and we can just drive your car ourselves,¡± Hiroko told him darkly.


    It even scared Deon a bit, and she was on his side.


    ¡°I probably won¡¯t, though¡­I¡ªI¡¯m scared of violence,¡± Kotono clarified kindly.


    Again, Deon slapped his face, as did the rest of the bunch.


    ¡°Listen man,¡± Deon tried. ¡°We¡¯re just trying to save the people we love.¡±


    The driver kept glancing at them through the mirror as he sped along, not yet offering a response. He looked past them, too, fear setting in.


    ¡°They¡¯re behind us,¡± said Skrili.


    Deon couldn¡¯t turn to look with her on his lap, but her eyes locked onto something in the distance: the same view as the driver.


    ¡°What¡¯s with ridiculously fast dudes chasing me on foot these days?!¡± the driver lamented.


    ¡°They were hired because they¡¯re the best,¡± Hiroko replied. ¡°You¡¯ll have to punch it.¡±


    At first, they didn¡¯t speed up. Deon figured the driver had given up.


    But then he let out the longest sigh¡ªuneven and uncertain.


    ¡°Why does this keep happening to me?¡± he grumbled. ¡°Fantasy Country border, was it?¡±


    They all fell back against the seat a bit as the engine revved up, and the driver forced the taxi forward full-speed down the long, straight road.


    The Conscious Conference, and the desperate bodyguards, disappeared behind them as they sped off to start their rescue.

 82. Wrong Eyes

    ¡°You ready?¡± Pang asked. ¡°Or are you gonna need a whole ritual like Deon?¡±


    Lammy wasn¡¯t sure what she meant by ¡®ritual,¡¯ and on top of that, he was anything but ready. He¡¯d seen Najinzu at work enough to know what they were about to pit themselves against in this escape¡ªthe man could shred them to pieces with those thin, dark knives in seconds.


    But then again: he¡¯d also seen Pang in action at the Conscious Competition. She had it all, and plentifully so: immeasurable speed, toughness, resolve, and masterful use of her Manipulator powers. Factoring in Raznizu, despite the unknown severity of his injuries, and Lammy¡¯s own newfound powers, they were loaded with strength.


    Even if their adversaries were to force Zayza back into the Dream World, she could fight her way to safety with ease. Lammy recalled how instantly she¡¯d exploded Fewpar¡¯s Dream World body after she remembered all her memories.


    Perhaps they really did have a chance.


    But in order to do what Pang was asking of him (rather impatiently), Lammy didn¡¯t need assurance. To tap into his power up, he needed stress.


    So again, he focused on their current entrapment, along with the sheer danger they were about to invite with their next move.


    His chest tightened, constricting his breath. He just wanted to run.


    Lammy reluctantly welcomed the anxiety, and called upon his imagining abilities.


    As he¡¯d hoped, a familiar warmth filled his head. An orange glow lit up Pang¡¯s eager face, illuminating from his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use,¡± Raznizu muttered, still barely visible in the shadows across from them.


    ¡°Good grief, man. Have a little faith, will ya?¡± Pang retorted. She returned her attention to Lammy. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to manipulate something like this for so long¡­Ready now?¡±


    Hesitantly, Lammy nodded, as did Zayza beside him.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s kick some a¡ªHey!¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and she stared at Lammy strenuously. ¡°Why is it so hard to¡­Huh? Now my manipulating¡¯s totally gone!¡±


    ¡°As I cautioned, it¡¯s no use,¡± Raznizu urged once more, this time more pointedly.


    Suddenly, the heat in Lammy¡¯s face sucked away. The light from his eyes died out slowly.


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t turn it off¡­¡± Lammy stressed. ¡°Why can¡¯t I feel my imagining at all?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s at least one Dampener among them,¡± Raznizu explained emptily, cocking his head towards the front of the vehicle.


    ¡°Great. Of course there is,¡± Pang spat. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have mentioned that before we went through all this?!¡±


    ¡°A¡­Dampener?¡± Lammy repeated.


    ¡°It¡¯s a consciousness type that suppresses other consciousness types,¡± Zayza elaborated, the bleakness audibly setting in with each word. ¡°If skilled enough, Dampeners can even cancel out consciousness types entirely. Which explains why I went dreamless until I awoke here, instead of staying in the Dream World.¡±


    ¡°So you knew, too?!¡± Pang puffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I should have known better,¡± said Zayza softly. ¡°I suppose I just¡­had hope.¡±


    ¡°Well you know what? I still do,¡± Pang declared, yanking at her bindings seemingly for little more than emphasis. ¡°Come on; you¡¯re a princess! Have some spine. We¡¯ll get out of here.¡±


    But nobody replied. Instead their eyes all fell away, their silence saying all. Even though hope was all Lammy wanted, he couldn¡¯t seem to grab at it now.


    ¡°We will,¡± Pang asserted. ¡°Kid, your cousin watched them snatch you up. I know Deon a bit, and I know his teammate as well as myself. No way they¡¯re not headed straight for us as fast as they can, right this second.¡±


    Her words instantly flooded Lammy¡¯s dried-up heart. How could he have forgotten? Deon and Skrili chasing towards them was the last thing he¡¯d seen before going under.


    All thirteen years of Lammy¡¯s life, Deon was there, standing him back up, walking him home safely, lifting his spirits.


    And when Deon was focused, he was unstoppable.


    Pang¡¯s right¡ªhe¡¯s coming for us, he thought.


    ¡°And my teammate¡ªhe¡¯s probably freaking out right now,¡± Pang said. To Lammy¡¯s surprise, her voice softened to a sweet laugh, a dear fondness in her tone. ¡°Those three don¡¯t mess around. These idiots have no idea what they¡¯re in for.¡±


    ¡°Kotono¡­Hiroko¡­¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°They¡¯re just the same¡­¡±


    ¡°See? We¡¯re still in this game,¡± Pang urged them. ¡°All we need is an opening¡ªone opening¡ªto break loose. If we can fend these guys off long enough, our friends will find us. Mark my words.¡±


    In that moment, they all felt the vehicle come to a quick, uneven stop. They slid against the floor awkwardly as a result.


    Then, several thuds resounded as doors opened and closed.


    ¡°Here they come,¡± warned Raznizu. ¡°Stay strong, Zayza. I¡¯m sorry I can do little to protect you at the moment. I¡¯ll accept any consequences for my weakness.¡±


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not how I operate,¡± Zayza replied, trying to calm her nervous breath.


    ¡°I¡­I know, my princess,¡± he said. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, it¡¯s wonderful to have you back¡ªthe real you.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s wary gaze fell to Lammy, and her green eyes softened. She tried to smile through the clear fear and regret.


    ¡°Lammy, I¡¯m s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Raznizu¡¯s right. Stay strong,¡± Lammy repeated soberly, but warmly.


    He had yet to know for sure if Zayza¡¯s reasoning for her actions were true and justified. But for now, he had to hope they were. She was a different Zayza now, but all of their experiences together, all she¡¯d done for him, were still a part of her. He wasn¡¯t ready to let that go just yet.


    And so, he chose to try and believe.


    Zayza could hear that effort and intent in his voice. A tear fell as she still tried to smile, and she gave a single nod.


    ¡°Just one opening¡­¡± Pang whispered to them. ¡°If anyone sees one, go for it.¡±


    Lammy gulped.


    With a clamoring, metallic creak, bright light flooded in and blinded them all.


    ¡°Hey, folks. Hope you enjoyed ¡®yer ride,¡± called in an unfamiliar, booming voice. Though the words came quietly, their deep resonance cut through the air clear and loud.


    When Lammy¡¯s eyes adjusted, he squinted towards the end of the opened vehicle to find an enormous man standing there. He was perfectly bald and, for some reason, shirtless, showing off his massive chiseled form. His arm muscles were likely larger than Lammy¡¯s head.


    The man¡¯s complexion was oddly grayish and sickly, despite his healthy physical form. Two strange and angled red scars curved down from the top of his head to just under his small dark eyes.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t all day,¡± came a much more familiar rasp.


    Najinzu shoved his way in front of the man, peering in with eyes somehow more hateful than usual.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­welp, come on out a¡¯ the van, everyone,¡± the man sighed.


    Najinzu hopped cleanly into the vehicle and seized Zayza by the arm, and then grabbed Lammy. With little to do to fight back, they simply winced as he dragged them outside.


    Lammy grunted as Najinzu dropped both of them into the dirt carelessly. Immediately, several flies buzzed past his ears in retreat. Lammy freed his face from the plant it had landed in and looked around: they were somewhere deep within a thick, overgrown forest.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be at least a little happy you finally caught them?¡± a woman inquired mockingly.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    She was standing with arms crossed just beside the bulky dark vehicle¡ªa tall, fit woman glaring down at Lammy and Zayza with teasing eyes, one pink and one yellow. Big, white sunglasses rested atop her head, pushing back her colorful bangs. Her hair¡ªan even mixture of light green, yellow, pink, and black flowed down to her mid back behind her white t-shirt.


    Noticing her neon shorts and thin black sandals, Lammy thought she¡¯d fit in much more with Gloat Center attendees than she did with her current colleagues.


    ¡°Silence, prosciousness scum,¡± Najinzu sneered. ¡°If they thought you were the best fit for the mission, they would have assigned you two.¡±


    ¡°Sure. But here we are, adding an extra stop because you couldn¡¯t handle it on your own.¡±


    The giant man emerged from the vehicle with a manly ¡°huff,¡± carrying both Raznizu and a flailing, fiery Pang on his shoulders.


    Watching him exit, Lammy finally noticed the towering wooden wall just beyond the van. It ascended higher than he could see, well beyond the treetops, its design the exact same as the giant walls at the border of Fiction and Fantasy Country.


    ¡°She bit me! Left a mark and everything,¡± the bulky man complained, tossing Raznizu beside Lammy and Zayza but keeping Pang in his grasp.


    The woman flung her hands up in frustration at him. ¡°Well maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re treating her like a freaking prisoner! She¡¯s not a convict like these two. She¡¯s our guest, Benton. Let the poor thing stand, at least.¡±


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯a kept avoidin¡¯ us all those times then,¡± defended Benton as Pang¡¯s tied-up legs kept kicking at him full-force. ¡°Ah, well. Here you go, girlie. Sorry ¡®bout all this.¡±


    He lowered Pang to the ground and lifted a tiny dark device to her hands, then ankles. Instantly, her bindings untied.


    Uh¡­I know we were supposed to look for an opening, Lammy thought, heart racing with anticipation, but that was way too easy.


    They¡¯d just unleashed one of the most powerful consciousness fighters he¡¯d ever seen.


    Just as he expected, Pang immediately pounced up from the ground and kneed Benton straight in his many toned abs. He had no time to block.


    But it didn¡¯t matter: Benton barely reacted. He simply caught Pang by the shoulders and held her there while she kicked and grumbled.


    ¡°How about I bind you up and throw you in a river?!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°Aw, come on now, miss. I¡¯m tryin¡¯ to be nice,¡± Benton said casually.


    He tossed her back to the ground. Pang immediately shot back up and looked around at her enemies.


    ¡°I¡¯m busting all of us out of here!¡± she announced violently. ¡°Which one of you morons is the Dampener?!¡±


    Benton cracked a smile, born from the rush of knowing something she didn¡¯t. He glanced at the woman. ¡°Hear that, Irma? She wants to know ¡®which one.¡¯¡±


    Irma¡¯s initial frustration with him diminished, and she let out a chuckle.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for your tomfooleries,¡± Najinzu hissed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just be a sec, little Naji,¡± Irma promised. ¡°Okay, Ms. Pereo. Why don¡¯t you take a guess? Think you can take us on? We¡¯ll even stop dampening your powers for a bit.¡±


    They¡¯re really asking for it, Lammy thought. He recalled how viciously Pang stood up against opponents much bigger than her. It took Hiroko to take her down, and that was a long, grueling battle.


    Pang eyed both of them, seemingly prying for a hint with her Manipulator powers.


    Then, having sensed and caught on to her target, she turned and zipped at Irma.


    But strangely, Irma didn¡¯t move. Instead, her eyes suddenly rolled back and returned.


    As soon as she did this, Pang let out a harsh cry and fell crashing to the ground, clutching her head.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Zayza uttered beside Lammy.


    ¡°What happened?!¡± Lammy asked in a panic.


    ¡°Nice work, Pang, it¡¯s me,¡± complimented Irma. ¡°But¡­huh? Something¡¯s super weird now, isn¡¯t it? What did happen?¡±


    Lammy gasped when he realized Irma¡¯s eyes had changed colors. Now instead of pink and yellow, they were green and black.


    She smiled, and two red sketches faded into existence floating on both sides of her. They were cartoonish faces, sticking their tongues out at Pang.


    Pang stood slowly, taking in the sight. ¡°Wait¡­you¡¯re an Illusionist? But¡­I know I sensed Dampener powers from you! What the heck¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°Crazy, right?¡± Irma laughed. ¡°Where do you sense the Dampener powers coming from, now?¡±


    Again, Pang keeled over with a pained cry, squeezing her forehead. Benton caught Lammy¡¯s attention¡ªhe had just pressed shut his eyes and reopened them.


    Huffing, Pang stood back up unsteadily. She turned to Benton.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s¡­you?¡± she gasped. ¡°What is this? Quit messing around!¡±


    She charged Benton once more, disoriented from the pain in her head. He waited playfully for a moment.


    ¡°Aaaaaaand, too slow,¡± he joked, blinking hard again.


    With a scream, Pang toppled to the ground, sending dirt and branches into the air. Lammy and Zayza watched on in horror, as Raznizu looked away knowingly.


    Pang happened to lock eyes with Lammy and Zayza for a moment. Something like a mixture of determination and embarrassment sunk into her face. Enraged, she forced herself to her hands and knees, shaking.


    ¡°Get the idea, yet? It hurts when we switch, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Benton inquired, stepping close. ¡°It¡¯s probably best you don¡¯t try an¡¯ manipulate our powers.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m taking you out, I swear¡­¡± promised Pang.


    ¡°Sorry, girlie,¡± Benton said. He crouched down to her eye level and lifted her chin with his enormous finger, like a bear toying with a mouse. ¡°Guess what type I am, now?¡±


    Pang glared at him in sheer defiance, but her eyes began wavering and her grimacing face relaxed.


    ¡°Night-night, kid,¡± Benton hushed.


    Giving no resistance, Pang slumped over, falling into an instant slumber.


    Just like that, they defeated the tenacious Pang with almost no effort.


    ¡°You¡¯re a spunky one, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± Benton said, standing back up. ¡°But this ain¡¯t no Consciousness League.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not just a pro¡ªshe has history,¡± Irma corrected. ¡°Let¡¯s not mess around with her anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on. She¡¯s not even close to a match for either of us,¡± Benton argued.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. She¡¯s an important asset,¡± Irma reminded him. ¡°They need her in good shape.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Are you two finally done?¡± Najinzu growled. ¡°Let¡¯s get on with this. We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Jeesh, what¡¯s your deal?¡± Irma retorted, arms still crossed. ¡°This mission of yours really messed you two up, you know that? What, you couldn¡¯t handle a princess and a little boy? I mean, just look at him.¡±


    She cocked her head towards the giant fence where the van rested. Lammy hadn¡¯t realized it until now, but someone had been sitting there against the fence this whole time.


    Curled up to his knees and staring emptily into nothing, Fewpar sat quietly. He was shivering, scratching away at his black scar-covered neck as it became increasingly red. His hair and clothes, usually tidy, were in disarray, yet he didn¡¯t seem to care anymore.


    Fewpar was muttering something to himself repeatedly, but Lammy couldn¡¯t make out what it was.


    So she didn¡¯t kill him, Lammy thought. She only kicked him out of the Dream World.


    Zayza¡¯s final attack had been so devastating and instantaneous that Lammy had been wondering ever since. Especially after learning the truth about her family, he couldn¡¯t help but assume she may have taken Fewpar¡¯s life, as well.


    But obviously, a great damage had still been done.


    Najinzu shot Zayza a glare and spat on the ground. She averted her eyes for just a moment, but forced herself to look back with certainty, and little remorse.


    ¡°Your execution awaits, girl,¡± Najinzu threatened. He turned to Benton and Irma. ¡°Enough toying around. Let¡¯s be off.¡±


    Lammy watched hopelessly as Benton leaned down and scooped up the motionless Pang, tossing her on his shoulder both swiftly and gently. He spotted Lammy¡¯s worrying gaze and paused.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry ¡®bout her. She¡¯s just nappin¡¯,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll wake her up when we¡¯re done with y¡¯all.¡±


    He stepped over and lifted Raznizu, who grunted from his wounds, while Najinzu once again retrieved Lammy and Zayza. Dangling from his arms, they exchanged wordless glances.


    Was it finally over?


    Najinzu abruptly spat in disgust after a fly nearly zipped into his mouth.


    ¡°Will you hurry up? I¡¯m sick of this hideous Country,¡± he demanded.


    Irma shook her head with a brief laugh. She approached the endless fence and pulled something out from her shorts: a slim dark handle.


    ¡°Watch out, Few-Few,¡± she warned.


    But Fewpar didn¡¯t move or respond.


    Shrugging, Irma pressed something on the handle. A short blade sprung from it¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t metal. In fact, Lammy had no idea what material it could be. But he knew he¡¯d seen something just like it before.


    Its infinite colors were brilliant even under the daylight, identical to the Worldline they passed through to get from Fantasy Country to Fiction Country. But unlike the flowing nature of the Worldline glow, the light and shape of this blade was still and sharp¡ªlike it had been captured, frozen in time.


    Irma raised the knife to the fence. The blade passed straight through the wood as if it weren¡¯t there, making no sound. With ease, she cut open a tall and round hole.


    She stepped out of the way while the severed wood fell flat onto the forest ground, thumping just beside the unfazed Fewpar. Pure darkness waited just beyond the door Irma had created¡ªbut then the endless, mystical Worldline colors flooded in, filling the void.


    ¡°You¡­created a Worldline?¡± Raznizu muttered.


    ¡°I just cut through the border. So I guess you can say that,¡± Irma confirmed. ¡°See? Proscious can do some cool things¡ªI don¡¯t get why you guys don¡¯t trust us. Anyway¡­¡±


    She stepped forward into the light, and vanished.


    At last, Fewpar stirred. He stood silently, turned, and entered behind her.


    Najinzu and Benton followed, and Lammy felt nothing as the massless light enveloped him.


    Now, suddenly, the air was colder. Lammy struggled to observe his new surroundings while hunched over in Najinzu¡¯s arm, but he found they now stood in a grassy field¡ªan incredibly familiar one. The fence was in place just as before, and just as endless, on the opposite side now.


    Colors were bolder, brighter, and more vivid here. Everyone¡¯s appearances followed suit: their eyes seemed larger, and their hair was sharper. Lammy had to blink to allow the sudden shift in intensity to adjust.


    Between the hilly grand field, the towering fence, and the change in this reality¡¯s color palette, he recognized exactly where they were now: back in Fantasy Country, just outside the Fantasy-Fiction Country border.


    But the grand entrance and line of consciousnesses to the true Worldline were nowhere in sight. In fact, there was no path, and no travelers as far as he could see. Clearly, this was far off of the main trail.


    Lammy flinched in discomfort when Irma rolled her eyes into her head again, bringing them back rapidly. Now, her eyes were blue and orange. She blinked, and her pupils vanished as she looked around at something that wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Oh hey, looks like we¡¯ve got good timing,¡± she observed. She nodded in response to something. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Blinking again, her pupils returned, along with her focus on her present surroundings.


    ¡°We have to report to the main balcony with Zayza and the kid,¡± she shared with her cohorts. ¡°The Queen is requesting us. Your turn, normies.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Najinzu said. ¡°Fewpar.¡±


    Fewpar seemed not to need prompting: he¡¯d already retrieved a glowing blue stone from his pocket. ¡°Stand close,¡± he muttered lowly in between utterances to himself.


    Najinzu, Benton, and Irma gathered nearer. Now Lammy and Zayza could see Pang¡¯s dangling arms and red hair, and just past her, the grimacing Raznizu.


    To both of their surprise, a smile shaped Raznizu¡¯s tired eye.


    ¡°Fear not,¡± he whispered to them. ¡°There¡¯s still hope.¡±


    Something about his tone gave Lammy shivers once more. It wasn¡¯t an empty encouragement or consolation¡­it was simple honesty.


    He knew something they didn¡¯t.


    Ignoring Raznizu, Fewpar lifted the stone to the sky.


    ¡°Finally,¡± he said, ¡°it ends.¡±


    Blue light overtook everything, and they all disappeared from the field.

 83. An Old Friend with Older Friends

    Deon stretched, sustaining a grunt as he followed the rushing group across the grassy plains.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to feel my legs again,¡± he commented.


    Skrili shot him a glare.


    ¡°Uh¡­not that you were too heavy or anything. It was just crammed!¡± he tried to clarify.


    Deon looked around at the fairly barren yet familiar landscape. Now that they were back in Fantasy Country, the effect of this reality¡¯s lively color palette transported his mind back to the Conscious Competition for a moment.


    It had only been a month since then, but it felt much longer. He could hardly believe Lammy had been there, so close, that whole time.


    Deon tried not to picture what his cousin was facing at this moment. It would only feed the panic he was barely keeping at bay.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised we got past the border guards without problems,¡± he said, mostly to get his own mind off the subject. ¡°I thought they would¡¯ve recognized Kotono and Hiroko for sure.¡±


    ¡°They probably did,¡± Hiroko explained, leading the pack. ¡°I¡¯m sure our management reached out to all the Fiction Country borders, so the border workers probably notified them.¡±


    ¡°Oh. So now we¡¯re being chased, too?¡± Deon assumed.


    Hiroko shrugged dismissively. ¡°Kind of,¡± she said. ¡°But Kotono and I are adults who make our own decisions, and they¡¯re gonna have to figure that out. Which reminds me¡­¡±


    She paused her rushed steps, so everyone gathered around her.


    ¡°TeamTracks off,¡± she instructed.


    Kotono was already pressing her screen before Hiroko had even finished the words. ¡°Thank goodness¡­this thing won¡¯t stop going off. Management¡¯s freaking out.¡±


    Skrili followed. ¡°It¡¯s so they can¡¯t trace us to Azvaylen,¡± she explained to Deon.


    ¡°They know where we are because of these things?¡± he learned, turning his off.


    ¡°Yep. And Azvaylen¡¯s reality is restricted right now,¡± Hiroko told him. ¡°If they know we tried to get there, Kotono and I will get a slap on the wrist¡ªbut you guys could all lose your careers.¡±


    ¡°That serious, huh?¡± Deon asked hollowly.


    ¡°There¡¯s been unrest since Zayza¡¯s family¡ªthe royalty, that is¡ªwas murdered. So they closed off the Worldline during this political transition,¡± Hiroko told him. ¡°Ever since Zayza disappeared and they accused her publicly, all the news around the kingdom stopped. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re walking into.¡±


    ¡°Technically, Zayza¡¯s next in line to rule¡­she¡¯d be the Queen of Azvaylen now, if they didn¡¯t blame her for the murders,¡± Kotono shared. ¡°So that means¡­¡±


    Hiroko nodded. ¡°I know,¡± she said solemnly.


    Deon and Skrili looked on, out of the loop.


    You know what? Deon wanted to ask, but Hiroko¡¯s restrained worry kept him silent.


    Instead, Phillip caught his eye. While everyone else had turned off their devices without issue, he stood frozen, staring at his glowing screen.


    ¡°It¡¯s the button on the side,¡± Kotono tried to help.


    But Phillip didn¡¯t move a finger, seemingly waiting for something.


    ¡°If Pang¡¯s with them, they probably took her TeamTrack,¡± Hiroko said tenderly. ¡°I know she¡¯d message you if she could, but¡­we have to move.¡±


    After a few more silent moments, Phillip nodded. His device went dark and he returned his ghostly expression to the rest of the group.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find her. All of them,¡± he muttered.


    Hiroko surveyed their surroundings: the main path to the border was too far out of sight by now, and nobody was around.


    ¡°This should be far enough,¡± she decided. ¡°Skrili and Deon: you said you have someone trustworthy to get us there? This is your cue. Magicians should be fine, but we should probably avoid large transports like flying carriages or drag¡ª¡±


    She cut herself short, and Deon and Skrili stared back at her like guilty children¡ªSkrili had already pulled out a mint green dragon scale from her bag.


    ¡°¡­ons.¡± Hiroko finished, deflated.


    ¡°Um¡­He¡¯s a friend of ours,¡± Skrili assured.


    Hiroko sighed doubtfully. ¡°Is he¡­fast, at least?¡±


    ¡°Well he¡¯s a geezer,¡± started Deon, ¡°but don¡¯t worry: the guy is defintely FAST. Not that I¡¯ve been on any other dragon before.¡±


    Again, Hiroko took a long, deep breath. ¡°Whatever¡­if that¡¯s our only lead, we¡¯ll have to go for it.¡±


    The assortment of anxious consciousness pros waited while Skrili used her finger to write a request into Gibblezgorv¡¯s scale. Hiroko assisted with the more specific instructions, regarding the nature of approaching the reality, and the potential danger of the mission.


    Deon wondered if Gibblezgorv would agree to such a controversial gig.


    But only a few minutes later, the scale flashed in response.


    Skrili observed the inside of it. ¡°He accepted,¡± she confirmed. ¡°He¡¯s in Conscious City right now.¡±


    ¡°B¡ªbut isn¡¯t that too far away?¡± Kotono pointed out.


    ¡°He¡¯s estimating he¡¯ll be here in an hour and a half,¡± read Skrili.


    Hiroko¡¯s eyebrows raised, seeming impressed for possibly the first time Deon had ever witnessed. ¡°Huh. That is fast,¡± she realized. ¡°For now¡­¡±


    She turned, dropped her travel bag, and removed her hoodie to reveal her signature purple and black fighting clothes. Her black triangle tattoos were vivid under the Fantasy Country daylight.


    Hiroko dropped smoothly into a plank, and then began a series of effortless one-handed pushups.


    This girl never takes breaks, huh? Deon noted, observing her perfect form and rock-hard muscles.


    Skrili dropped her things and stepped over to her, but hesitated with a blush.


    ¡°Come on, come on! Join in!¡± Hiroko encouraged warmly.


    Skrili¡¯s suddenly enamored eyes caught Deon¡¯s smirking, knowing face. She shot him a look, so he kept his teasing to himself as he watched her crouch down and join her hero¡¯s exercise.


    ~


    What felt like over an hour passed by, and Deon eventually ran out of ways to look busy while Hiroko and Skrili powered on. If they invited him to join, he knew he¡¯d immediately be put to shame next to their superior physical strength.


    At least Phillip and Kotono aren¡¯t doing it, either, he noticed as he looked around.


    Phillip sat in the grass and pulled out a reddish device with a black needle. Rolling up his sleeve, he administered a dose of his treatment¡ªa source of life made possible only by Hiroko¡¯s charitable decision in the tournament. He observed her unwavering workout quietly.


    Kotono was admiring her fondly, as well. Even in impending, unknown peril, Hiroko was focused. He could feel her stoic charisma boosting his own confidence, easing his own mind.


    No wonder everyone looks up to her, he thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Deon? You¡¯re not gonna hop in?¡± Hiroko invited coyly. ¡°Your teammate¡¯s fired up! Get in on this!¡±


    Crap¡­called out, Deon noticed.


    ¡°Oh, uh¡ªmaybe in a bit¡­¡± he stuttered, met with laughter.


    Deon glanced around in a frantic attempt for a believable excuse. Instead, he found something of genuine interest when his eyes fell back to Kotono.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    There was a hue of light emitting softly around her¡ªsome red, and some blue. She was oblivious to it at first, but when she noticed it, she jumped and the red increased. Kotono sat down, took a few deep breaths, and stared even closer at Hiroko.


    ¡°G¡ªgreat job, guys¡­¡± she said. And as she did, the light around her vanished.


    Her powers¡­Emovert, Deon pondered. They¡¯re so much like my weird power-up. But she just calmed hers down; no way I could do that with mine as they are now.


    He shuffled over to the dainty, fashionable fighter and sat beside her.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted. ¡°Uh¡­your powers¡­How do you, like, control them?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kotono started shyly, ¡°if I¡¯m being honest¡ª¡±


    A deep, resounding whoosh of wings in the slight distance caught her and Deon¡¯s ear, and she fell silent. They faced the sky.


    Gibblezgorv¡¯s silhouette appeared.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s time,¡± Deon declared. Skrili and Hiroko cut their workout short and observed, while Phillip stepped closer. But his dark gaze was even more scrutinizing than usual.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he started. ¡°Why¡­are there more?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Deon tried to peer more closely. Soon three more dragons faded into view, approaching at high speed as they closed in on his familiar mint-green friend.


    ¡°Yeah, wait¡­what¡¯s up with that?¡±


    Skrili hurried to check her scale again, but it didn¡¯t appease her confusion. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure¡­¡±


    Hiroko had already shifted into a fighting stance, eyeing the massive beasts. ¡°This could be a trap. Someone could already be onto us,¡± she stressed. ¡°Get ready!¡±


    Harsh red light burst from Kotono as she stumbled a step back, and Phillip clenched his fists.


    Deon hurried over to stand by Skrili¡ªhe knew they¡¯d be more powerful together. But still, neither could bring themselves to prepare for a fight.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see Gibblezgorv tricking us,¡± Deon whispered.


    ¡°The other three could be chasing him,¡± she replied.


    ¡°True¡­which technique do we prepare, then?¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    The majestic beings raced even closer.


    ¡°YOUNG SKRILI AND DEON! GREETINGS!¡± came Gibblezgorv¡¯s warm, hoarse voice. ¡°I brought some help; I hope you don¡¯t mind!¡±


    Deon and Skrili let out a joint sigh of relief. Immediately, Kotono¡¯s energy softened in response. Hiroko and Phillip remained cautious, but lowered their guards a bit.


    Gibblezgorv soon circled them and landed with a grunt. The ground quaked as the three other dragons joined him. Two of them were even larger than Gibblezgorv, their heads towering slightly higher than his as they peered down at the bunch curiously. The other dragon stood smaller, yet with equal grandeur and strength.


    ¡°I leapt into quite the rush when I received your request, Skrili,¡± Gibblezgorv said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about your current emergency. Considering the amount of passengers, I knew I¡¯d need a few extra wings. So I contacted some very old friends.¡±


    Deon figured he meant ¡®old¡¯ in a sense that they¡¯d known each other for hundreds of years, but it was still a particularly fitting word choice: aside from the smaller dragon, Gibblezgorv¡¯s friends appeared even more ancient than him. One tried stretching its back with a labored grunt.


    It¡¯s a flock of dragon geezers, he realized.


    The nearest dragon took a booming step forward and nodded, its pearly white scales reflecting the sun brilliantly. ¡°Gibblezgorv doesn¡¯t involve himself in serious human affairs,¡± she said, her soft, elderly blue eyes blinking slowly. ¡°So when he contacted me, I knew you tiny ones must be special.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Horblezgorz,¡± Gibblezgorv introduced. He tilted his head to the dragon on his other side, a hefty one with long, beardlike green whiskers and deep pink scales. ¡°This is Fabinwaf.¡±


    ¡°You liberated my dear Gibblezgorv from a century-long depression by choosing him for all your trips, you know,¡± Fabinwaf shared. Despite his colossal, muscular stature compared to his peers, his voice was nearly gone. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this ole¡¯ mountain so sprightly in quite some time. I¡¯m honored to aid someone who aided my friend.¡±


    ¡°Goodness. You¡¯re too kind, Fabinwaf. You too, Horblezgorz,¡± said Gibblezgorv. ¡°Oh, and of course¡­this here is our other friend, Dylan.¡±


    The smallest dragon, brown and rather plain in contrast to the others, gave a simple wave.


    ¡°¡¯Sup guys,¡± said Dylan.


    ¡°He¡¯s from another region,¡± Gibblezgorv explained.


    At last, Hiroko and Phillip let their tension evaporate, and Kotono¡¯s energy dissipated fully.


    ¡°You went all-out. Thanks, old-timer,¡± Deon said. ¡°Seriously.¡±


    Hiroko approached them, her ever-stern eyes analyzing the mostly elderly bunch.


    ¡°E¡ªeverything okay, Hiroko?¡± Kotono checked.


    But Hiroko¡¯s face morphed into more of a tender frown, like a worried parent, as she brought a hand to her face. ¡°Honestly¡­I feel kind of guilty asking this much of them,¡± she said. ¡°I mean, they¡¯re so¡ª¡±


    ¡°We may be old, small one, but we¡¯re¡ª¡± started Fabinwaf in a croak, but he stopped and let out a violent hack. ¡°Pardon.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but squirm a bit when Hiroko deflated even further. After all, this was his and Skrili¡¯s idea.


    ¡°Do you work in hostile flying situations normally?¡± she tried.


    ¡°Much like Gibblezgorv, we¡¯re all pacifists,¡± Horblezgorz clarified.


    Hiroko sighed. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not waste time,¡± she said, shifting to retrieve her belongings.


    Deon glanced at Skrili to find the same hint of guilt in her eyes. But despite Hiroko¡¯s obvious reluctance to approve, Gibblezgorv seemed far from offended.


    In fact, he snuck Deon and Skrili a sly wink.


    ¡°She¡¯s right. Let¡¯s be off and retrieve your little friends,¡± he said cheerfully.


    His easy optimism filled Deon¡¯s heart, like when Uncle Adon used to scoop him and Lammy up into warm embraces.


    The wait was over. The mission had begun. They would find Lammy, alive and well, and the two cousins would feel Uncle Adon¡¯s hug again. Deon promised himself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Skrili said to him, sheer intensity in her stride towards Gibblezgorv.


    Soon they sat mounted in his familiar saddle. Hiroko and Kotono climbed up onto Horblezgorz, while Phillip made his way up Fabinwap¡¯s pink scales and secured his belongings.


    Deon held tight onto Skrili¡¯s waist in preparation for his least favorite part: the liftoff.


    ¡°Hey wait a second, what¡¯s the brown dragon¡­Dylan¡­here for?¡± he wondered.


    Gibblezgorv puffed a single, confident laugh, and Deon realized the answer was quite obvious. Regardless, Skrili spoke up.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have three more passengers,¡± she said, ¡°on our way back, won¡¯t we?¡±


    A smile crept onto Deon¡¯s face. ¡°Oh yeah. We will.¡±


    Suddenly, Skrili¡¯s hand squeezed Deon¡¯s.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get Lammy back.¡±


    His bones shook when Gibblezgorv unleashed a hearty roar, and his old friends responded just the same.


    ¡°WE¡¯RE OFF!¡± he announced. ¡°LANMURAARCH WORLDLINE: PREPARE YOURSELF!!¡±


    With rapid wings, Gibblezgorv, Horvlezgorz, Fabinwaf, and Dylan took to the sky.


    ~~~


    Lammy blinked once, then again. For a moment, he wondered if he¡¯d somehow moved backwards in time. While his vision had yet to recover, he could hear muffled voices¡ªhundreds, if not thousands of them, in the distance.


    Gloat Stadium? he wondered.


    But he could feel he was still hanging tightly in Najinzu¡¯s unforgiving grasp. And this place had an unfamiliar, pure scent.


    Wherever they were now, it was cold.


    ¡°Oh¡ªyou¡¯re here. I¡¯ll alert our superiors,¡± someone said. His voice echoed far against the walls.


    ¡°By that, you mean the Queen, right?¡± Irma¡¯s voice corrected slowly.


    ¡°R¡ªright. The Queen.¡±


    At last, Lammy¡¯s vision returned. First he saw Zayza underneath the mellow, oddly pinkish glow of torches, still in Najinzu¡¯s other arm. Everyone else was there, too, together in the same circle as before.


    But again, it seemed, the color palette had transformed. Everyone¡¯s faces were more angular, and unlike the vibrant colors of Fantasy Country¡¯s Mainland, all shades were tame¡ªperhaps even somber. A slight graininess defined everything he saw, and browns and blacks assumed dominance.


    If they were a painting, this artist was portraying a much drearier, more solemn story.


    Somehow, as Zayza also observed her surroundings, Lammy knew this was how she was meant to look: her default, original state. It highlighted her beauty. Zayza didn¡¯t take long to grasp where they were now; her eyes flooded with reluctant familiarity.


    Lamentably, she was home.


    This was Azvaylen.


    ¡°Hey, you guys got an open room somewhere I can leave this girl for a bit?¡± Benton inquired, raising the sleeping Pang on his enormous shoulder.


    Lammy looked to the man who had greeted them. Though he dressed head to toe in dark metal armor, it didn¡¯t quell his obvious intimidation as he stared back at Benton and Irma¡ªhe practically shivered as he tried to stand tall.


    ¡°O¡ªoh, yes. The first office down the hall,¡± the guard stammered. ¡°Shall I take her for you, g¡ªgeneral?¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Benton brushed off. He¡¯d already dropped Raznizu on the stone floor and began strutting away. ¡°And don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°Right, sir.¡±


    ¡°Or that.¡±


    ¡°Apologies.¡± He turned to Irma, Najinzu, and Fewpar. ¡°Come with me, pl¡ª¡±


    Still itching his red neck, Fewpar stepped past him and led the way.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with and get her executed,¡± he grumbled.


    Benton returned quickly, scooping Raznizu back up and following them. Lammy couldn¡¯t see Raznizu¡¯s face at this uncomfortable angle anymore, but he wished he could. Heart pounding, he clung to Raznizu¡¯s strange assurance he offered just before they teleported.


    Was it true? Was there really still hope?


    The endless voices were growing closer with each step.


    ¡°Stay strong,¡± Zayza whispered beside him.


    Najinzu scoffed.


    ¡°You move quickly,¡± the guard said, arching his neck to meet Benton and Irma¡¯s much taller gazes. ¡°Thank you for finally bringing justice to our kingdom.¡±


    Again, Najinzu scoffed.


    ¡°Well we were kinda busy, so you¡¯re lucky Proscious even called on us,¡± Irma said.


    Lammy noticed a natural light adding illumination to the hall. He strained to see it led to an arched opening. Silhouettes of guards stood there facing outward, and behind them, nothing but gray clouds. All of the voices were coming from outside.


    Once they neared the opening, the guard signaled the group to wait just before it.


    Some sort of jarring horn sang through the air, silencing the crowd.


    ¡°And now: an important address from our Queen of Azvaylen!¡± a man declared quite fancily, his voice somehow amplified¡ªlikely through magic, Lammy supposed.


    Applause and reverence rang out.


    ¡°Citizens of Azvaylen: long have I promised justice for you, and for our royal family,¡± a woman said in a surprisingly high and soft, yet authoritative voice.


    ¡°It pains me to accept that months have passed since their lives were heartlessly stolen. But I must, and will continue to, bear this responsibility brought upon by this unforgivable darkness. I will, as your Queen, lead us through this tribulation, and continue the royal family¡¯s mission towards prosperity for all of us. Please accept this offering as proof of my undying loyalty to our sovereign nation.¡±


    She paused.


    ¡°Bring them in,¡± she instructed to the guards for all to hear.


    Lammy¡¯s body fought to breathe heavily, but Najinzu held him too tight as he stepped into the outdoors alongside Fewpar, Irma, and Benton. Misty rain brushed their skin.


    They stood high up in an elaborately sculpted stone balcony, and far below, thousands of spectators stared up at them. And while Lammy couldn¡¯t count the faces in this crowded courtyard, he could still read the hurt, and blood thirst, on every single one.


    ¡°Not you, too¡­¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°Please¡­¡±


    Lammy followed her tearful eyes to the front of the balcony. Between two guards with enormous, drawn swords of wavy light, the floor raised an extra couple steps. A further wooden block had also been added on top, and looking above it, Lammy understood why.


    The speaker, the Queen, couldn¡¯t have been any taller than him. She faced her audience, dressed in an elegant pink and white dress with golden shoulder plates and an array of glittering jewelry. It was almost the same as Zayza¡¯s Dream World attire. But though she stood as tall and domineering as possible, her tiny stature was still obvious.


    Her pale blonde hair waved as she turned to face them, and her gray eyes met Lammy¡¯s.


    Suddenly, he went from heavy breathing to a lack of breath entirely.


    The Queen was a young girl¡ªprobably only his age.


    And aside from her hair and eye color, she looked exactly like Zayza.

 84. Show Them Whats Up

    The girl¡¯s glare rested on Lammy for an uncomfortably long moment. Her similarity to Zayza baffled him: she truly was a younger, blonde version of his friend. But her hard stare wasn¡¯t nearly as welcoming.


    A guard raised an ornamental umbrella over her as the misty rain picked up.


    ¡°Layla¡­don¡¯t do this,¡± Zayza pleaded from within Najinzu¡¯s clutch. Her fear was outward: her concern focused more on this girl than her own impending peril. ¡°You have to believe me.¡±


    But when Layla¡¯s eyes jumped to Zayza, they remained just as cold. She stayed wordless. A painfully silent moment passed, and she offered nothing more than a hardhearted frown.


    ¡°Layla¡­?¡± Lammy repeated quietly.


    ¡°This is my younger sister,¡± Zayza responded in contrast to his muted tone, instead speaking clearly for Layla to hear. But heartbreak shook her voice. ¡°She¡¯s¡­my only family left.¡±


    Clearly unmoved, Layla turned back to the people of Azvaylen far below.


    ¡°Behold: as I swore to you, I¡¯ve captured Princess Zayza as well as those who took part in her escape,¡± she declared.


    The citizens exploded into cheers, and it took another blast of the horn to hush them.


    ¡°Princess Zayza is charged with the murder of King Zed, Queen Violet, and successor Queen Vayva, as well as treason. With my authority, I add this charge of treason to Raznizu Duriz. Finally, this boy¡­¡±


    She pointed a hand back towards Lammy.


    ¡°¡­was quintessential in Zayza¡¯s evasion of arrest,¡± Layla revealed.


    Her next words came without a single hesitation, or even a blink:


    ¡°I condemn all three of them to death, by public execution.¡±


    ~~~


    Gibblezgorv, Horblezgorz, Fabinwaf, and Dylan cut through the air, ascending higher and higher into the sky.


    Deon watched the ground gradually appear more like a painting than reality as they distanced themselves from it. Gibblezgorv had never flown this high up before.


    Then the ground vanished underneath a sheet of clouds, so Deon turned his attention upward. The daylight was darkening now somehow, and stars grew more visible. Some of the glowing orbs in the air¡ªother Fantasy Country realities¡ªwere getting larger by the second.


    Again, he found himself grateful for Gibblezgorv¡¯s wind-blocking magic. He didn¡¯t want to picture falling from this high up. But the inertia was still powerful, so he grasped Skrili¡¯s waist tightly.


    ¡°I need to breathe,¡± she said plainly.


    ¡°My bad,¡± said Deon, loosening up a bit.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right¡­you¡¯re stressed.¡± Her voice softened. ¡°Me too.¡±


    Deon faked a lighthearted laugh. ¡°Oh, me? It¡¯s all good, I¡¯m not really¡­that¡­¡± he trailed off. With each word, a greater fear sunk in. ¡°Hey¡­do you think Lammy is¡­still¡­¡±


    ¡°He has to be,¡± Skrili said immediately. ¡°That vision was just a warning, not a prophecy. It¡­it needs to be. I can¡¯t let that happen¡­not again¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right,¡± Deon assured. ¡°He¡¯s alive. I know it.¡±


    He ended up holding on tighter to her anyway when Gibblezgorv, along with the other dragons, abruptly cut even steeper into the air. He could feel Skrili¡¯s increasing heartbeat, and it was just as fast as his own.


    As long as she was there, he knew they could do this.


    Horblezgorz and Fabinwaf reached Gibblezgorv¡¯s displacement, soaring on either side with Dylan not far behind. Deon looked out to them. Atop Fabinwaf¡¯s wide saddle, Phillip sat with small, indecipherable dark images floating around him.


    Illusion practice, Deon recognized. He¡¯s preparing himself.


    On Horblezgorz, Kotono hugged Hiroko from behind even tighter than Deon was clutching onto Skrili. While Hiroko looked on coolly, a reddish hue once again surrounded Kotono. She rested her head on Hiroko¡¯s back, and the energy faded. Then, her even redder eyes caught Deon¡¯s.


    ¡°Oh, I never finished answering your question, did I?¡± came Kotono¡¯s voice in Deon¡¯s head.


    ¡°WHOA!¡± he exclaimed, causing Skrili to jump. ¡°What the¡ªwhy can I hear Kotono?¡±


    Gibblezgorv eased his puzzlement. ¡°We dragons provide communication magic so our passengers can speak, my lad,¡± he explained. ¡°Simply think in her direction!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Deon sighed. He looked back over to Kotono¡¯s now apologetic face.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry to startle you!¡± she said quickly. ¡°But¡­you wanted to know about my powers¡­about how I control them.¡±


    He¡¯d nearly forgotten after Gibblezgorv and friends arrived, but his curiosity immediately returned. With all of their similarities, perhaps an understanding of her powers could help him take better control of his own.


    Considering what they were walking¡ªor flying¡ªinto, he couldn¡¯t risk letting his anger take over. And maybe, if it came down to it, he could even harness it to their benefit.


    ¡°Right,¡± he thought, hoping Kotono heard him.


    ¡°Well¡­I can¡¯t really control them at all, to be honest,¡± she admitted, averting her gaze shyly. ¡°Not on my own, at least. I¡¯m sure you noticed that in the championship¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­that was wild,¡± Deon recalled. The sheer pressure of expectation from the thousands of onlookers and, as Skrili had deciphered, her very fear of fighting, had transformed her into a storm of pure destruction¡ªthe most power he¡¯d ever seen. Skrili nearly died attempting to calm her down.


    ¡°I¡¯ve met with all the best Emovert pros before me and all the top consciousness experts¡ªI¡¯ve lost count,¡± she said. ¡°But none of them figured it out. They all say I¡¯m too afraid and anxious, and that makes my powers get out of control.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But that¡¯s what makes me so hard to beat, I guess. So management¡¯s fine with it.¡±


    Sadly, Deon found that easy to believe. Contrary to Hiroko, whose Predictor powers merely helped her make fighting decisions, Kotono¡¯s Emovert seemed to do all the fighting for her in the championship. Hiroko had to strengthen her body, mind, and techniques to achieve the level she was at.


    But Kotono was petite, even fragile; she probably couldn¡¯t even manage a fraction of her teammate¡¯s athletic ability.


    It was uncomfortably ironic: her biggest fear was fighting itself, and that was exactly what made her unbeatable.


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she even did it.


    ¡°But¡­you can control your powers to some capacity, right?¡± he pointed out. ¡°Just now, I saw you make them go away.¡±


    Kotono smiled shyly. ¡°That¡¯s not really me doing it, though,¡± she shared. She looked at her teammate, her eyes practically sparkling.


    ¡°It¡¯s only because Hiroko¡¯s here. She¡¯s the only one who can calm me down. Just reminding myself I¡¯m near her right now helped me feel better.¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Deon wasn¡¯t sure why, but it made him glance at his own teammate.


    ¡°Well¡­I thought she was the only one who could calm me down,¡± Kotono corrected herself. ¡°Then¡­somehow¡­Skrili saved me¡ªand all of us. She knew just what to say.¡± She smiled and turned back to Deon. ¡°She¡¯s really special, you know.¡±


    Deon laughed lightly out loud. ¡°Oh, I know. I seriously lucked out ending up with her. She¡¯s the reason I made it this far.¡±


    Risking an elbow to the stomach, he patted Skrili on the head. Whatever expression she made caused Kotono to burst out laughing, catching Hiroko¡¯s attention. She looked around at everyone.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny? Secrets are no fun,¡± she said lightheartedly, her voice joining Kotono¡¯s in Deon¡¯s head.


    ¡°S¡ªsorry,¡± Kotono giggled, both verbally and through the magic communication. ¡°Deon was just asking about my powers, because¡­uh¡­¡±


    She brought a quizzical finger to her chin.


    ¡°Um¡­why did you ask me about that, anyway?¡± she inquired softly.


    Deon realized how out-of-context his curiosity must have seemed. Kotono and Hiroko had no idea about his additional ability.


    But he recalled the stark warning he received from Skip, after talking with him about it:


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anybody else what you just told me, and make sure nobody¡ªNOBODY¡ªelse ever finds out.¡±


    The instructions were straightforward enough, and rather foreboding. It had to remain secret.


    But at the same time, how was Deon supposed to learn to harness it if he could never acknowledge its existence? He doubted this power-up would fade away on its own.


    If anyone could help him understand it, it was probably Kotono. Not to mention: they were likely about to fight side-by-side against deadly enemies soon. It seemed only right that they should all be aware.


    But¡­the way Skip spoke, and what he said about his teammate with weird powers disappearing¡­he thought. I think I should respect his wishes.


    He tried to come up with the best workaround explanation.


    ¡°It¡¯s likely because of the similarity between your powers,¡± came Phillip¡¯s unexpected contribution, ¡°and Deon¡¯s special ability.¡±


    Wait¡ªeveryone¡¯s listening in now?! Deon thought. But that¡¯s right¡­Phillip was there the first time it ever happened with Pang. He already knows.


    ¡°Ooh, special ability? Do tell,¡± insisted Hiroko.


    Well¡­guess the cat¡¯s out of the bag, Deon figured. And yet, he felt relieved: perhaps it was for the best that they knew.


    Kotono and Hiroko listened inquisitively as Deon went into detail, revealing his power-up¡¯s connection to his anger, and how it got out of his control both times it surfaced against Pang. He only ever managed to stop it at the last second, just before it was too late.


    Even his glowing eyes resembled what always happened with Kotono¡¯s.


    ¡°Strange¡­I¡¯ve never heard of anything like that,¡± Kotono uttered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how Hiroko and I can help, but¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Of course we can help,¡± Hiroko assured. ¡°Just make sure to rely on your teammate, there, too.¡±


    ¡°He already does, too much,¡± Skrili finally chimed in plainly, and Deon heard everyone laugh. But, feeling confidently fluent in Skrili-talk now, he knew she meant ¡®Let¡¯s figure it out together.¡¯


    Despite Kotono¡¯s uncertainty, Deon felt she and Hiroko had perhaps already pointed him in the right direction.


    So Kotono depends on Hiroko to keep her powers in check, Deon reviewed to himself. Maybe¡­


    He watched Skrili as she fought to maintain her deadpanned expression, despite giving everyone a good chuckle.


    She¡¯s never been there when my extra powers kick in, he brainstormed. And after all our training together¡­maybe¡­she could make the difference?


    The revelation was promising, but also frightening. He remembered watching her collapse lifelessly, covered in burns, after managing to calm down Kotono in the championship. The last thing he wanted was to put her through something like that again.


    There had to be a safer way.


    I¡¯ll have to keep paying attention to how Kotono and Hiroko interact, he planned.


    ¡°You remember all our formations?¡± Skrili checked back to him.


    ¡°Yeah, why?¡±


    ¡°Because I think we¡¯re almost at Azvaylen¡¯s reality,¡± she said, ¡°and we¡¯re probably gonna need them.¡±


    Deon searched past her: during their conversation, they¡¯d grown closer to one particular orb¡ªor World¡ªin the sky.


    It was mostly brown with a purplish hue, and compared to everywhere else he¡¯d been in Fantasy Country, was by far the least inviting. The World didn¡¯t glow as extravagantly as others in the distance around it.


    ¡°You¡¯re correct, Skrili,¡± Gibblezgorv confirmed, ¡°and it seems we already have company.¡±


    Several dots emerged in front of the World¡­but gradually, they took on familiar shapes: dragons. Deon counted twelve, all with dark scales, challenging their visibility against the darkening sky.


    ¡°They hired dragons to do their dirty work?¡± Fabinwaf grumbled in disgust.


    ¡°They must be getting immense compensation to participate in such contentious human affairs,¡± noted Horblezgorz.


    As they neared, Deon realized none carried riders.


    ¡°HALT!¡± the closest one demanded. Within moments, they surrounded the group, circling them slowly.


    But Gibblezgorv continued on his route, however slower, while his friends followed.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a restricted area, my good dragon,¡± the leading dragon guard urged. ¡°The Lanmuraarch Reality is off-limits. Aren¡¯t you aware of the human turmoil in Azvaylen?¡±


    Gibblezgorv squinted, seeming uncertain. ¡°Lanmuraarch Reality, you say¡­? Eh¡­we¡¯re on a trip to¡­what was it¡­Gonloft, I believe? Is that right, my fellows?¡±


    Fabinwaf coughed a long, dramatic cough, and Horblezgorz nodded tiredly.


    The leading dragon¡¯s yellow eyes softened. ¡°Ah. My elders, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re very much off course! Gonloft is in the Blader Reality, far south of here.¡±


    ¡°Is that right¡­?¡± Gibblezgorv said slowly.


    ¡°Yo, I told you, gramps! We flew by the Blader Reality hours ago!¡± Dylan exclaimed from behind. ¡°Y¡¯all are always trippin¡¯, I swear¡­Hey, I¡¯m sorry about these guys.¡±


    So their strategy is just¡­to play dumb, Deon thought uneasily. He glanced at Hiroko, to find her just as uninspired as he expected.


    But the twelve dragons let out sighs and forgiving laughs.


    ¡°Ah, a misunderstanding,¡± the leader acknowledged. ¡°We¡¯ll be seeing you off, then. Safe flying!¡±


    Gibblezgorv nodded. ¡°Dylan, perhaps you should lead the way.¡±


    ¡°I gotchu homes.¡±


    Deon could have used a warning for what came next, but there was no time. Within an instant, he felt a rapid sinking in his gut when Gibblezgorv forcefully plummeted below the twelve guards. Deon¡¯s eyes happened to be focused upwards as he screamed, noticing Dylan had remained above them.


    The small brown dragon twirled rapidly countless times, blasting air at all of the guard dragons and throwing them off balance.


    Hold on, Deon heard Gibblezgorv say calmly in his mind.


    They thrust forward, and Deon and Skrili held tight with all they had. Horblezgorz and Fabinwaf met Gibblezgorv¡¯s velocity and they all powered ahead towards the dreary Lanmuraarch Reality.


    Roars resounded behind them. Struggling to check past him, Deon found Dylan was catching back up, but the twelve guards were now recovering their balance and beginning their pursuit.


    ¡°Ah, Dylan is a natural!¡± Gibblezgorv beamed. ¡°I only taught him that move a decade ago, and he¡¯s already¡ª¡±


    ¡°WATCH OUT!¡± Deon and Skrili cried.


    An additional guard dragon swooped down from seemingly nowhere, fangs wide and ready.


    ¡°Oops. Right, then,¡± said Gibblezgorv.


    With a powerful flap, he forced himself higher, leaned back, and Deon and Skrili felt a thud as his tail perfectly slapped the attacking dragon. It spun out of the air, growling in frustration and disorientation.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± Hiroko called over.


    Gibblezgorv laughed heartily. ¡°We may be pacifists NOW, my little one¡­but that wasn¡¯t always the case,¡± he revealed wisely. ¡°Well¡ªexcept for Dylan. He¡¯s always been nonviolent. He was raised in a warless era, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°FOCUS!¡± Horblezgorz stressed.


    ¡°Right, right. Very well.¡±


    Deon almost fell back when Gibblezgorv blasted forward even faster, joined by his peers. The guard dragons kept a steady distance behind¡ªthey hadn¡¯t quite shaken them.


    But the World known as Lanmuraarch was nearly upon them now. The astoundingly large orb now occupied all of Deon¡¯s vision. On top of the purplish, smoggy hue, a thin layer of rainbow light appeared like a reflection.


    ¡°I should warn you all,¡± Gibblezgorv sent to each consciousness, ¡°I know not what sort of environment this Worldline will bring you to.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Hiroko said quickly. ¡°Everyone, be ready to fight.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Phillip replied.


    ¡°Got it,¡± confirmed Skrili.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Kotono groaned, red light forming around her once more.


    Deon breathed in and tensed his muscles. ¡°Let¡¯s get our friends back!¡± he exclaimed.


    Gibblezgorv and the rest of his crew turned sideways, flying parallel to the wall of rainbow colors: the Worldline.


    But the dragon guards were closing in, and fast. And they certainly didn¡¯t look as understanding anymore.


    ¡°Little ones: jump on my mark, and the Worldline will suck you in,¡± Gibblezgorv instructed calmly.


    ¡°But¡­Gibblezgorv,¡± started Skrili. ¡°They¡¯re about to catch you. What will you do?¡±


    The guards roared deafeningly.


    ¡°Ha. It appears we¡¯ll need to have an old-fashioned dragon duel, won¡¯t we?¡± he decided.


    Deon¡¯s heart sunk. They¡¯d proven their speed and wit, but it was still three elderly dragons, and one small one, against twelve young, angry guards.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be doing this again. Here we go!¡± said Fabinwaf confidently in between coughs.


    ¡°Let¡¯s prove we¡¯ve still got it, yes?¡± called Horblezgorz.


    The consciousnesses were wordless for a moment.


    ¡°Th¡­thank you, Gibblezgorv,¡± Skrili said unevenly. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that sad tone, my friend!¡± pleaded Gibblezgorv with a laugh. He switched back to mental communication. ¡°Go find your friends, and make it back to the Worldline. We¡¯ll be waiting right here for you, I promise.¡±


    The dragon guards swooped even closer behind, riding along the Worldline just as Gibblezgorv and his friends.


    ¡°We¡¯re out of time. Now,¡± ordered Gibblezgorv.


    Deon and Skrili stood up carefully on Gibblezgorv¡¯s saddle, while Phillip, Hiroko, and Kotono did the same on their dragons. Gibblezgorv leaned, facing them towards the mixture of colorful light and bleak fog. It looked endless, like they would fall forever.


    Skrili caught Deon¡¯s eye and gave him a subtle, yet tenacious nod. He returned the sentiment, adrenaline shooting through him. They grasped each other¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Go show them what¡¯s up!!¡± came Dylan¡¯s voice.


    ¡°JUMP!!¡± Gibblezgorv exclaimed.


    The five consciousnesses pounced forward into the infinite air. An invisible force pulled at them, sucking them towards the vast sheet of Wordline shades.


    The colors overtook them, and they plunged into the Lanmuraarch Reality.

 85. Shrouded

    Deon felt himself falling.


    But it was slow, even graceful¡ªand it only lasted for a moment.


    His feet touched down perfectly onto a stone floor, and he could still feel Skrili¡¯s hand in his. Quickly, the veil of light left his eyes.


    Kotono, Hiroko, and Phillip all stood close by them on some sort of large, perfectly round platform. The rainbow Worldline light still shone everywhere atop the platform¡¯s surface, but not enough to blind them anymore. Peering up, Deon found it climbed all the way into the sky, likely through the melancholy clouds above.


    Subtle misty rain brushed against his face.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go¡ªwe¡¯re unwanted visitors,¡± Hiroko reminded them, stepping forward. The purple in her hair had lost a hint of brilliance, and her face had subtly morphed: evidence of this reality¡¯s new color palette.


    The group followed her towards the edge of the platform until suddenly, she paused.


    ¡°Crap.¡±


    Her cause of concern seemed far worse than she¡¯d let off, because it came in the form of dozens of armor-clad soldiers waiting for them at the step. They all raised swords with blue shaky blades of light, surrounding the platform.


    Immediately Hiroko pounced into a fighting stance, and Deon and Skrili rushed to do the same while Kotono stood frozen, hands to her mouth as red light beamed ragingly around her.


    The guards all stared straight through them, ready to strike.


    Wait¡­why are they staring through us? Deon thought.


    ¡°WE KNOW YOU¡¯RE THERE!! SHOW YOURSELF!¡± one of the closest boomed.


    While Deon, Skrili, and Hiroko stood ready, anticipating the onset of a fierce battle at any moment, Phillip slowly brushed past their shoulders, hands in pocket.


    He stepped casually down the edge of the platform, his face right before one of the soldiers.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Deon exclaimed.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Phillip called back, beckoning with a tilt of his head. ¡°They can¡¯t see or hear us right now.¡±


    Deon took a closer look: none of them had turned or repositioned to face Phillip. They had no idea he was right there.


    Hiroko sighed. ¡°Gotta love Illusionists,¡± she said, standing tall again. After finally managing to persuade Kotono, guiding her by the hand, the two champions followed Phillip while the soldiers continued looking for them.


    ¡°M¡­maybe we¡¯re seeing things?¡± one of the men suggested.


    ¡°It definitely flashed! Someone arrived!¡±


    ¡°Or left.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªwe had eyes everywhere! Why do you think there are so many of us here now?! We can¡¯t afford another failure after that traitor Raznizu got out.¡±


    ¡°I was supposed to work that night¡­I¡¯d be dead, now.¡±


    Phillip weaved passed the first row of soldiers undetected, so Deon and Skrili moved forward.


    ¡°Is it invisibility potion?¡± one guard wondered alertly. ¡°Can anyone smell them?!¡±


    Kotono flinched. ¡°My perfume¡­¡±


    Phillip waved off the concern, slipping past another row of soldiers. ¡°They can¡¯t smell us, either.¡±


    When Deon hopped down and neared his first guard, he stepped close. Amazed, he waved his hands right in front of the tense man¡¯s face to find no reaction whatsoever.


    ¡°Whoa¡­you¡¯ve learned some cool stuff since last time, huh, Phillip?¡± he observed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use this on the dragon guards?¡±


    ¡°Masking four flying dragons is far too complex,¡± Phillip said. ¡°I can manage a few people much more easily. But stop fooling around¡ªit¡¯ll start losing its effect eventually.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Kotono became the one pulling Hiroko forward in a near panic. Deon shook his head. Out of all of them, Kotono could probably take out the most soldiers¡ªand do it in a blink.


    Skrili yanked Deon along, so he refocused and sped his pace. He could finally see their new location after sneaking away from the last of the magically-armed guards.


    This lower level featured an equally round and intricate stone floor, which continued for another several paces. It was vast, yet empty aside from the soldiers. At the end where Phillip had just passed between two towering pearly pillars began a wide road consisting of the same smooth stone pattern. It was clearly designed to host hundreds of travelers at once, but nobody else was in sight.


    Considering this reality was blocked off to the rest of the Multiverse, Deon wasn¡¯t surprised.


    The path continued on straight for what would likely be an hour¡¯s walk, with flat land of perfectly short, dark green grass on either side. At its end in the distance waited a city partially shrouded in fog.


    The rest of the group caught up to Phillip.


    ¡°Azvaylen¡¯s capital,¡± Hiroko identified.


    Several gray and black towers dominated the city¡¯s sky, the four tallest coming from a colossal building the farthest away from them. Each major structure matched or even exceeded the splendor of the Hotel of Champions back in Gloat Center, while any smaller buildings hid tucked behind a powerful, gated stone wall.


    Under the gray weather, Azvaylen appeared grim and tired.


    They couldn¡¯t see any people or activity from here, given the distance. But that didn¡¯t stop Deon from scanning the skyline as closely as his eyes would allow.


    Lammy was somewhere within that gloomy city. And he needed them.


    ~~~


    Lammy yelped as he crashed against the hard, cold floor.


    Najinzu ripped the scratchy bag off his head that they¡¯d forced on him minutes ago.


    No¡ªit wasn¡¯t Najinzu. It was some Azvaylen soldier.


    ¡°Enjoy your interrogations,¡± the man warned with a scowl admittedly less terrifying than Najinzu¡¯s.


    He must have handed me over at some point¡ªNajinzu¡¯s mission is over, Lammy realized, heart still pounding.


    Somehow the bindings on his wrists and ankles felt tighter than before as he watched the guard step through the only opening in this crammed new room. The man reached for a bulky door of crude metal bars.


    No¡­wait! Lammy thought. He hurried to summon his heightened imagining abilities, but only found fret when they didn¡¯t respond. Just like back in the van, someone was suppressing his consciousness powers.


    The door slammed shut, and the soldier walked away into the torch-lit, cave-like hallway. Lammy tried again when the man left, but clearly he wasn¡¯t the source of the dampening¡ªsomething else was suppressing it.


    The dusty, dark cell was large enough to fit at least four or five more people in its square entrapment, yet Lammy was alone. Zayza, Raznizu, and Pang were nowhere to be seen or heard. As soon as they placed that bag over Lammy¡¯s head, he lost track of his allies.


    The intent was obvious: with all of them separated, they had no chance to try and coordinate an escape.


    Lammy¡¯s whole body felt heavy. He was utterly alone.


    Even back when Zayza had first revealed she¡¯d murdered her family, afraid of her as he was, he decided to keep running away with her. Even that felt better than wandering all alone in the woods.


    But now, he no longer had the option. All he could do was lie there in the dark, and await his public execution.


    His chest hurt. Tears began falling.


    This was it.


    ¡°Zayza, boy, make sure you¡¯re alone. Then, reply if you can hear me.¡±


    Suddenly, Raznizu¡¯s voice was in his head.


    ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m here,¡± said Zayza.


    Reinvigorated even just slightly, Lammy examined the space outside his cell one more time.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m here,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°Good. Then it¡¯s just as I¡¯d hoped,¡± Raznizu said decidedly. ¡°I¡¯m opening up our connection.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s eyes widened as Raznizu and Zayza appeared, sitting across from him in his cell. They were still bound like him, and oddly transparent.


    ¡°But¡­how is this possible? These cells block magic,¡± Zayza pressed, her mouth not moving.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve assured you, you¡¯re not alone. I¡¯m part of a resistance meant to save you and our kingdom, and they¡¯ve planned farther ahead than the enemy,¡± answered Raznizu. ¡°They placed Azvaylen enchantments in each cell to cancel out the curse.¡±


    ¡°To do that¡­would take expert knowledge even I don¡¯t possess,¡± uttered Zayza.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    A knowing smile appeared in Raznizu¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± noticed Lammy, searching around. ¡°Where¡¯s Pang¡­?¡±


    ¡°She may have been taken elsewhere¡­perhaps another dungeon,¡± Raznizu thought aloud.


    Lammy¡¯s heart sunk. When Benton removed her bindings, she could have made a break for it¡ªand with her speed, perhaps even gotten away. But she stayed and tried to free the rest of them.


    ¡°If we get out of here, we have to find her, too,¡± Lammy decided.


    Raznizu seemed unconvinced, until he noticed Zayza nod in agreement. He obediently returned the motion.


    ¡°But the escape itself won¡¯t be simple,¡± he urged. ¡°And before that, we must prepare for our impending interrogations. Locate the loose brick in the back right corner of your cell. Behind it, if our allies succeeded, you should find a glowing pill. I¡¯ve retrieved mine.¡±


    Lammy watched as Zayza struggled to shift towards a wall in her cell.


    ¡°A mindreading blocker?¡± she assumed.


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    ¡°Then Lammy: I advise you not to take it,¡± she said quickly, turning to him. ¡°You have nothing to hide; you were only aiding my escape, as they already know. When they can¡¯t read your mind, they may resort to torture.¡±


    Lammy didn¡¯t need to hear it twice; he stayed put. Though the thought of someone far more ill intentioned than Foler reading his mind didn¡¯t sound very appealing, either.


    Zayza kicked at a wall, unseen from Lammy¡¯s view, and appeared to have located the loose brick. She rolled over to it and with her hands tied, grimaced as she used her tongue to claim the apparent pill. Lammy tried not to consider how dirty it must have been, buried within this forsaken wall.


    ¡°Horrid,¡± she muttered, swallowing reluctantly. ¡°But thank you.¡±


    ¡°It was not me; I merely knew of the plan,¡± Raznizu reminded her.


    ¡°Then who else sides with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when it¡¯s safe for you to know.¡±


    Zayza hurried back into a sitting position, her eyes sharp on what Lammy could only assume was the door to her cage. The transparent figure of a soldier appeared, patrolling and briefly glancing at her. She eased up when he passed.


    ¡°So¡­how long until¡­you know¡­¡± Lammy tried to ask, the very words making him queasy.


    ¡°Until our executions?¡± Raznizu figured callously, and Lammy squirmed in response. ¡°They¡¯ll wait until Proscious gets as much information out of us as possible first. They may also have plans for Zayza, which is why it¡¯s vital that we prepare an escape.¡±


    Proscious, Lammy remembered. Until today when Najinzu and Irma bickered about it, he hadn¡¯t heard that word in months.


    Ryan had claimed to secretly serve them; they¡¯d given him Mastermind powers, and assigned him to help hunt Zayza down. And considering how Folel and Foler¡¯s triplet Felix had hinted at receiving powers while trying to kidnap Zayza, Lammy could conclude he was a part of Proscious, as well.


    Then there were Irma and Benton, who seemed to somehow sport multiple consciousness abilities.


    If it meant avoiding more encounters with Proscious, the need for escape suddenly felt even more urgent.


    ¡°But what can we do? This dungeon is too deep under the castle. The paths are intentionally challenging to navigate, and we¡¯re all isolated,¡± Zayza said.


    ¡°Please bear with me, my princess. There will be a signal from the outside, from our support. But the timing is uncertain.¡±


    The two Azvaylens fell silent. Lammy noticed a repetitive drip somewhere down the echoing hall. He couldn¡¯t help but continue watching Zayza. Since recovering her memories, everything she did and said came with more confidence and authority than he¡¯d ever seen from her.


    But the way she kept tearing up upon sight of his terror and confusion, and the way she was looking out for him first even now¡­that had never changed.


    And still, he didn¡¯t know why:


    Why did she take their lives?


    ¡°Maybe¡­now¡¯s a good time to explain,¡± Lammy said slowly, filling the silence. ¡°Zayza¡­what is all of this? Why¡­what led you to do it?¡±


    Zayza didn¡¯t blink as she looked back at him.


    ¡°Only if you fully trust him,¡± Raznizu stressed.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Zayza said immediately, even practically offended by the notion.


    Raznizu fell apologetically silent, remembering his place.


    Despite their physical separation, her response made Lammy feel closer to her than ever before.


    ¡°Lammy¡­to think an innocent boy like you could be wrapped up in this horror¡­¡± she started. ¡°This kingdom has been secretly overtaken. Proscious seized control over a year ago, and have been using my family as puppets to rule our people ever since.¡±


    ¡°Why would they do that?¡±


    ¡°It started years before, with diplomacy,¡± Zayza explained. ¡°With our relations to Huksd¨¹r¡ªthe neighboring kingdom¡ªfailing, our economy began falling rapidly, and our resources diminished. Azvaylen rarely took part in relations beyond our reality, but my father and mother grew desperate for a partnership with someone¡ªwith anyone.¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but feel odd hearing Zayza fluently speak in such formal, governmental terms. But he tried to listen closely.


    ¡°We began building a presence beyond this reality, in other areas of Fantasy Country. My father dragged my sisters and me to endless high-profile events: meetings, celebrations, and Conscious Competitions to build inter-reality relations. That was when Proscious approached them.¡±


    She sighed shakily. ¡°Proscious promised, and followed through with, seemingly unrestrained access to any resource we possibly needed. I still don¡¯t understand how they had so much to offer, or where it came from. But in exchange¡­they wanted access to our powers.¡±


    ¡°Your consciousness powers?¡± guessed Lammy.


    Zayza nodded. ¡°The Dreamer type is unique only to Azvaylens. They wished to study and test it,¡± she said. ¡°But as time went on¡­my parents grew wary of their studies¡ªor rather, the intentions behind them. My parents knew they were using us, stealing from us to grow dangerously powerful, and tried to break the partnership off. But then¡­¡±


    She took a deep breath.


    ¡°Then¡­I watched my parents change. They became totally compliant to Proscious¡¯ wishes. Eventually, I discovered Proscious had taken control of their minds. They seized full control of our kingdom, and only I knew. Then they did the same to Vayva, and now¡­to Layla, my baby sister. My only family. They¡¯re using her.¡±


    Lammy recalled Layla¡¯s cold glare as she sentenced them to death, even after Zayza pleaded for compassion. It was no wonder she¡¯d remained so heartless to her own sister, without the bat of an eye.


    Proscious was using her as a tool.


    ¡°I¡­I tried to save them all. Truly,¡± stressed Zayza. ¡°With Oflenur¡¯s help, I tried everything to free their minds. But once Proscious infected them, however they did, it was irreversible. And it was eating away at them on the inside, destroying them. So I had no choice but to¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t finish.


    ¡°One day, Azvaylen will know the truth,¡± Raznizu assured.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I just want them back,¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°And now¡­they have Layla.¡±


    Lammy felt his remaining doubts and fears about her die. Fewpar and Najinzu were right about what she did, but they were still wrong: she wasn¡¯t a monster.


    It seemed Raznizu had no other words of comfort as he averted his eyes from Zayza regretfully. If that was his only reaction, and given Zayza¡¯s account, Lammy feared there was little they could do for Zayza¡¯s little sister.


    But that didn¡¯t stop his new longing to free her.


    ¡°You Azvaylens go hard with your dungeons, don¡¯t you?¡± said a woman.


    Lammy, Zayza, and Raznizu all darted their eyes to their respective cell gates. But it turned out the voice had come from Raznizu¡¯s area.


    Appearing in Lammy¡¯s view, thanks to the magic, he saw Irma casually step up to Raznizu¡¯s cell. This time her eyes were pink and yellow, like the first time they met. She sported a pristine zip-up jacket to ward off the cave¡¯s chill.


    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t you consider this a little bit overkill?¡± she continued, looking around. ¡°Then again: considering what you guys do for your public executions, it¡¯s pretty on-brand.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Raznizu demanded.


    ¡°Just for you to rat out your friends, that¡¯s all,¡± she explained honestly. ¡°I already know there are more Zayza stans running around from when Naji used that magic on you. Proscious just need to know who.¡±


    Raznizu spat. ¡°What they were able to get was all you¡¯ll ever find out.¡±


    ¡°Really? ¡®Cuz I¡¯m pretty sure that same magic works much better here in its homeland,¡± said Irma.


    She reached into her coat pocket, and unveiled a black stone. Oddly, the stone glowed black with darkness instead of light, dulling everything around it.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s meet your little buddies¡­¡± Irma insisted. She focused on Raznizu intensely, her eyes widening.


    But Raznizu stared back at her, stoic and unmoved.


    After a few more seconds of trying, Irma finally gasped. ¡°Huh?! Why isn¡¯t it working?!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Wait¡­just what are you pulling?!¡±


    The pill is working, Lammy observed.


    But then Irma smirked. She let out a chuckle. ¡°Just messing,¡± she said. ¡°Did I fool you?¡±


    Raznizu¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡°I totally fooled you!¡± Irma laughed. ¡°Which is weird, ¡®cuz like, why would we come down here to interrogate you guys and have NO backup plan? Like, what? You thought we¡¯d just rely on your kingdom¡¯s stupid magic?¡±


    She tossed the mystical stone over her shoulder carelessly. It cracked against the wall somewhere unseen.


    ¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d try and pull something slick,¡± she said. Then her head turned to the side, looking beyond Raznizu¡¯s cell. ¡°See? Told you I wasn¡¯t wasting your time. Your turn, don¡¯t be shy.¡±


    A small shadow flowed into view beside Irma.


    No¡ªit wasn¡¯t a shadow: it was a young woman in a long, dark cloak.


    Her bluish-green bangs fell from her oversized hood and hid practically her entire face. Lammy could hardly see a sliver of her cheek through it, and her skin was as pale as his hair.


    ¡°We made sure consciousness powers don¡¯t work in those cells,¡± Irma told Raznizu. ¡°But they sure work from right here.¡±


    Raznizu tensed further.


    ¡°Go for it, Aoi,¡± Irma encouraged the phantom-like girl.


    Aoi nodded.


    Raznizu grunted as he slammed his eyes shut. ¡°NO! STOP!¡± he snarled. ¡°STOP THIS!!¡±


    ¡°See? Must be working!¡± Irma noted. ¡°Like, why would we depend on your magic when we have cute little Aoi?¡±


    His head trembling, Raznizu roared.


    Abruptly, Aoi jumped in surprise. Her shoulders tensed.


    As she did, it seemed she released her pursuit of Raznizu¡¯s mind. He gasped, leaning to the side.


    But Aoi was still worked up, her hidden eyes facing the cell.


    ¡°What? Come on¡ªdon¡¯t leave me out, I wanna know now!¡± Irma pressed. ¡°Ugh, FINE!¡±


    She bolted down the hall, returning quickly with the magic stone back in her hand. Irma brushed it off delicately as if to apologize, and then pointed it at Aoi.


    Her mouth dropped. ¡°WHAT?!?!¡± she shrieked. ¡°LET¡¯S MOVE!!¡±


    She made a break for it out of view, and Aoi struggled to match her urgent pace.


    Fuming, Raznizu bashed his fist against the concrete floor.


    ¡°What happened?!¡± Lammy and Zayza probed.


    ¡°They know,¡± was all he grunted.


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ~~~


    Layla strutted, back perfectly straight, as a crowd of armed guards escorted her down the massive and illustrious hall. Their armor reflected against her face, yet she didn¡¯t wince.


    ¡°Pointless pleasantries¡­¡± grumbled Najinzu behind her. ¡°Give the Queen a break.¡±


    ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ wrong will celebrating a job well-done,¡± Benton¡¯s voice droned. ¡°Right, Fewpar? You had a little help, but you did it.¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Right, sorry.¡±


    Finally, the entourage reached the massive golden doors. Without announcement, they slowly opened to the sparkling throne room.


    Layla followed the guards in, stepping atop the red carpet and reaching the center under crystal chandeliers high above. She and the guards stopped and bowed low, along with Najinzu, Fewpar, and Benton behind them.


    There were two golden thrones at the end of the magically-illuminated room, but only one was occupied. A man sat, legs crisscrossed like a child studying bugs in the dirt, as he stared smilingly at his visitors. His pitch-black eyes filled with jubilation. He brushed back some of his wavy hair, icy blue in shade.


    ¡°Wei, your requested guests,¡± introduced one of the guards.


    The man clapped, the sound echoing beautifully across the room.


    ¡°Fewpar, Najinzu, Benton¡­amazing,¡± he congratulated. ¡°But of course, most important of all¡­¡±


    He slowly raised a hand, his slender yet powerful muscles clear even through his black button-up shirt. The man beckoned.


    ¡°Come here, little Layla.¡±


    Without hesitation, Layla stood and began her way over. Wei¡¯s eyes never left hers, and his perfect, chiseled smile never ceased. A golden medallion dangled before his chest between his partially unbuttoned shirt.


    ¡°Your speech was, once again, perfect. You condemned them to death so easily. It¡¯s really having its effect on you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Wei,¡± Layla said instinctively.


    ¡°Oh¡­I just love seeing Proscious¡¯s inventions at play,¡± Wei continued. ¡°The citizens worship you. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Happy, Master Wei.¡±


    ¡°Good. Well, Irma and Aoi are doing interrogations as we speak. It¡¯s all working out.¡±


    Layla reached Wei¡¯s thrown and looked at him expectantly.


    He crouched forward and patted her head, then beckoned her onto his seat. Layla climbed up beside Wei as he wrapped a massive arm around her tiny frame. She smiled tranquilly.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna make this Multiverse such a¡­correct place, and I couldn¡¯t do it without you,¡± Wei said. ¡°You know that?¡±


    Layla nodded. ¡°I will do everything in my power to serve Proscious¡¯s will.¡±


    ¡°I know you w¡ª¡±


    He cut himself off, abruptly grabbing a black dot on his earlobe.


    ¡°What, Irma?! I said not to call unless it¡¯s an emergency!¡± he bellowed, eyebrow twitching.


    But then, he went pale.


    And then, beat red.


    ¡°WHAT?! LAYLA?! Zayza¡¯s ally is LAYLA?!?!¡± he shouted. His eyes shot back to her, wide and enraged. ¡°YOU SNEAK! YOU LITTLE PIECE OF TRASH!!¡±


    Layla felt his grip tighten from tender to violent. Her heart skipped.


    She tugged at a particular fabric that hung from her dress, and in response, every wall of the throne room exploded.

 86. Smoke

    The air chilled. Normally, Deon would imagine more fabric onto his tunic in response.


    But his blood was pumping too hot.


    He walked beside Skrili, still lugging both of their travel bags, as they followed Hiroko, Kotono, and Phillip down the straight pathway towards Azvaylen¡¯s capital. They only seemed marginally closer to the dreary city than when they first set foot on the trail.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Skrili asked him lowly.


    Deon nodded. ¡°I think. I need to be.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Kotono visibly shuddered before them, red energy shaking off of her like pollen off a flower.


    Hiroko clutched her hand. ¡°You sure you¡¯re up for this?¡± she checked gently. ¡°We can hide you somewhere until we come back, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. I want to help,¡± Kotono said immediately, shaking her head. She squeezed Hiroko¡¯s hand tight. ¡°I have to try and save Zayza. If I don¡¯t¡­what kind of friend would I be?¡±


    The hue around her turned golden and remained for several moments. Hiroko smiled, but the concern lingered in her eyes.


    She¡¯s like a fire in the woods waiting to start, and Hiroko¡¯s the only thing keeping it from spreading, Deon observed.


    He watched them power forward, hand-in-hand. Their sheer trust was unmistakable, even if it seemed Kotono needed it most.


    Deon abruptly felt Skrili lift her bag off of his back. She silently strapped it around herself.


    ¡°Huh? But it hasn¡¯t been three weeks,¡± Deon said. ¡°That¡¯s what I owed you for the whole Team Special ordeal, right?¡±


    Skrili shrugged. ¡°Close enough. Just keep doing the laundry part.¡±


    Deon chuckled at her sudden change of heart.


    ¡°If you ever get worried about your power-up when we¡¯re fighting,¡± Skrili uttered, ¡°count on me, okay?¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart warmed. Clearly, Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s interaction had put the thought back in her mind, too. But despite her insistence, Deon hesitated. He kept picturing a battered Pang after his power-up awoke and he unleashed it on her. All he could hope was that it wouldn¡¯t resurface in their impending dangers.


    ¡°Okay?¡± Skrili repeated.


    Deon blinked back to the present. Skrili¡¯s gaze was adamant, finally encouraging a nod from him.


    ¡°You got it.¡±


    Kotono and Hiroko glanced back at them with soft eyes, still holding hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°N¡ªnothing,¡± said Kotono.


    ¡°We were just saying you two are cute together,¡± Hiroko explained.


    Skrili¡¯s nose reddened as she abruptly became transfixed with the ground. Normally, Deon would expect her to dismiss the notion immediately. And maybe it was because her two heroes said it, but this time, she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Deon uttered, scratching his head.


    Even still, the Azvaylen towers appeared disappointingly distant; the group hadn¡¯t gained much more ground despite their rushed stride. Deon was almost keen on trying to imagine five of his bug-wing contraptions to fly them all along, if not for the obvious spectacle it would cause or the sheer difficulty it would require.


    For now, he had to keep believing Lammy was okay. It was the only thought preventing his urgency from transforming to uncontrollable rage.


    He could feel it festering, burning within, waiting.


    And only time would tell if his bond with Skrili had grown strong, like Kotono and Hiroko, enough to keep it from destroying everything in its path.


    ~


    ¡°Is it just me,¡± started Deon, ¡°or is the city getting cloudier?¡±


    He guessed about forty minutes had passed, though wasn¡¯t able to confirm with all of their TeamTracks switched off. And at last, the capital was practically upon them. It wouldn¡¯t be much longer.


    But a blackish fog had been emerging slowly from the far side of the city for the past few minutes, hovering over the nearby buildings and gradually dispersing.


    ¡°Huh¡­it does look that way, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Hiroko agreed. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    Too far away to uncover the cause, Deon focused ahead on their immediate situation.


    A black gate marked the only entrance into the walled city, wide and tall enough for Gibblezgorv (though probably not Fabinwaf) to pass through comfortably. Several armored men stood before it wielding bladeless swords Deon figured were the same as the magical ones from before.


    ¡°So what¡¯s our attack plan?¡± he asked everyone.


    ¡°Well first, we figure out our way in,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°Can those guards see us right now, Phillip?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re hidden,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to be swift.¡±


    Setting the new pace, Hiroko increased her march.


    A set of hooves clamored against the path behind them. The consciousnesses turned to find a guard on horseback speeding along. Unaware of their presence, he passed by and continued towards the gate.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably from the Worldline,¡± Skrili warned. ¡°He¡¯s telling them what happened.¡±


    ¡°Then they¡¯ll be on guard. We¡¯ll have to steer clear of the gate; they¡¯ll be looking for something off,¡± Hiroko advised.


    Deon eyed the dark brick walls enclosing the capital. Their height exceeded the trees in Nightwood Valley, but not by much.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get us in, no problem,¡± he assured. ¡°Phillip, can you hold the illusion for a little while longer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give my best effort.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s head off to the side,¡± Deon said.


    They trekked through the short grass for the remaining few minutes of travel, which proved easier on their feet than the path they¡¯d been following. Soon the wall towered staunchly before them: the newest obstacle between them and their loved ones.


    Deon smirked, unintimidated. ¡°Alright, here it goes.¡±


    He imagined five planks of wood on the ground before each fighter and stepped onto the one before him.


    ¡°Hop on,¡± he instructed. ¡°Phil, just keep us invisible and stuff, until I land us on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Phillip.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Skrili stepped forward confidently¡ªshe¡¯d done this enough times by now not to give it a second thought. Once the rest were in place, Deon commanded the planks to raise them all into the air.


    He set his plank slightly behind the others to keep everyone in his sight, allowing for easier focus on imagining. But after a month of training in this style, it came easy.


    He eyed the guards at the gate. They simply stood there while the messenger on the horse turned to head back to his post. Phillip still had them duped.


    They ascended above the wall, and the capital only seemed more dismal up close. But the dark fog at the end of the city dominated their attention as they flew. It rose from an unseen middle point of the towering, looming black castle in the distance.


    It wasn¡¯t fog, but smoke.


    ¡°Something just happened,¡± Hiroko noted calmly yet cautiously.


    Kotono whimpered, her eyes on the dark spectacle and her arms out in a dramatic attempt to balance. Red light began flickering around her.


    ¡°No sparkles, please,¡± Phillip requested. ¡°It¡¯s harder to mask that.¡±


    ¡°S¡ªsorry¡­I¡¯ll d¡ªdo my best¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to wait much longer, because Deon floated them all gently past the wall and into the city. Thankfully, they happened to arrive above a plain back street behind a series of stout stone buildings. He lowered them steadily, and with light clanks, they touched down into the capital.


    Kotono sighed.


    ¡°Easy. Nice work, Deon and Phillip,¡± Hiroko said, crossing her arms. ¡°Now: we¡¯re gonna need to get some information so we can figure out where they might be keeping Zayza, Lammy, and Pang. That means walking around and doing some investigation.¡±


    ¡°I mean, the smoke rising from the castle seems like a giveaway. Shouldn¡¯t we just go where the action is?¡± Deon suggested urgently.


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    ¡°This country¡¯s in a fragile state. That could be anything,¡± Hiroko stressed. ¡°I¡¯d rather have a solid lead, and a plan, before we run into the place with the highest security and risk blowing our chances right out the gate. We don¡¯t know everything we¡¯re up against.¡±


    Deon gritted his teeth, but he understood. That blur of a man and his team had captured Lammy and Zayza so swiftly. If their efforts became suspicious, he wondered if they¡¯d get stopped in their tracks just as instantly.


    It seemed like the worst time to be patient, and yet, he forced himself to nod.


    ¡°Zayza never invited us here¡ªand I get why¡ªso we¡¯ll have to depend on what we can learn from the locals,¡± Hiroko added.


    ¡°Should we split up to cover more ground?¡± suggested Skrili.


    ¡°Good thinking. Let¡¯s divide up by consciousness team.¡±


    Deon, Skrili, and Kotono nodded in agreement.


    Gloom suddenly loomed around Phillip. He shifted awkwardly.


    ¡°Oops¡­sorry, Phillip.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­you can come with us,¡± Kotono invited softly. ¡°Welcome to the team!¡±


    The five consciousnesses moved quietly towards the end of the alley, about to enter a main street. Hiroko faced them all once more.


    ¡°The royal family was really involved in the Consciousness League, so there¡¯s a good chance it¡¯s popular with the citizens,¡± she warned. ¡°We should disguise ourselves and try to fit in.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­I know just the thing¡­¡± Kotono said slyly. ¡°Phillip, we have an extra pair of¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not doing the drug dealer disguises,¡± he interrupted. ¡°How are you two so good at fighting, yet so terrible at being discrete?! Here.¡±


    He focused on the champions for a brief moment.


    ¡°Now you look different to everybody but the five of us. I can sustain it as long as we stay together.¡±


    ¡°I guess that works better,¡± Hiroko realized. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what we can find out.¡±


    ~


    Deon and Skrili hurried along a neat central road, hoods just above their brows. Deon had imagined larger, cloak-like versions of his tunic for both of them to help shield their hair and faces from any suspicious onlookers.


    They agreed to reconvene with the rest in roughly an hour back in the same alley. A pointed tower sat central to the city with a round display that could only resemble a clock, so they had all decided to use that as reference.


    ¡°Where should we start?¡± Deon wondered.


    ¡°The others headed west. So let¡¯s take the east side.¡±


    Very few people roamed the narrow and curvy stone streets, and they all seemed to have somewhere to go¡ªmost on foot, and some on horseback. While their clothes reminded Deon of Fantasy Country¡¯s Conscious City, this place was far from being as bright or lively.


    But that wasn¡¯t the only difference: there were no dragons. In fact, any trace of the magic that fueled the Fantasy Country Mainland was absent.


    Deon and Skrili wandered beyond the series of stone structures that had been surrounding them, into a new area of smaller, humbler wooden buildings. Signs they couldn¡¯t read hung in front of buildings and promoted apparent shops, but their patrons were nowhere in sight.


    Peering all around, Deon sighed. ¡°How are we supposed to get information if we can¡¯t find any¡ª¡±


    ¡°WATCH IT!!¡±


    Thick metal crashed against Deon¡¯s face, and he stumbled a step back. A soldier had emerged from an intersecting street, almost tripping after their collision.


    Deon fumed. ¡°You watch it!¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯ll be watching is your backs as you return to your abode, citizen!¡± the soldier barked. ¡°What are you two doing out here? There¡¯s an active advisory!¡±


    Suddenly, Deon felt Skrili wrap herself clingingly around his arm.


    What the? he wondered.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re very sorry, good sir. We hadn¡¯t heard of the advisory,¡± she said, trying to match his exquisite speech. ¡°Come now, my dear. We¡¯ve had too much to drink again. Let¡¯s be off to our home.¡±


    Still draped on Deon, she guided him with pretense clumsiness away from the guard, whose stance eased up. Catching on, Deon tried to match her behavior and grumbled to himself about manners like a bitter old man.


    ¡°Well then¡­please be more attentive next time, you two,¡± the soldier said, undoing his harsh tone.


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± said Skrili.


    Once they were a good distance from him, Skrili took a turn onto a random side street. She steadied her walk, but kept her arm wrapped around Deon¡¯s.


    ¡°So our disguise is a drunk married couple, now?¡± Deon questioned.


    ¡°I had to improvise. Don¡¯t be so hot-headed next time,¡± shot Skrili. She checked his face. ¡°You¡¯re blushing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to look drunk!¡± Deon made up. ¡°Anyway, it sounds like we need to get inside for now or we¡¯ll deal with guys like him again.¡±


    They continued down the lonely road in search for some sort of public building, or even a hiding spot. But nothing seemed promising. At the very least, now the lack of Azvaylens outside had somewhat of an explanation.


    ¡°Look,¡± Skrili said, her eyes forward. ¡°There.¡±


    At last they found an old door propped open, connected to the shortest store on the street. As they neared, Deon could see a short old woman pacing around through the window.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bar,¡± Skrili noticed.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s perfect for us, then.¡±


    They wandered inside, but stopped just within the doorway when a glare of sheer annoyance met them. The old woman, in a half-maintained dress seemingly just as old and clearly meant for work clothes, paused from sweeping the floor. Every bar stool was empty and nobody stood behind the counter.


    ¡°Obviously, we¡¯re closed,¡± the lady croaked, her sophisticated accent making up a bit for her rasp. ¡°Just like everywhere else.¡±


    ¡°The door was open,¡± Skrili pointed out calmly. ¡°We¡¯re just looking for a place to wait inside during the advisory.¡±


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re homeless. There¡¯s no excuse anymore,¡± the woman argued. ¡°Queen Layla picked up where her parents left off; there are plenty of opportunities. Go stock for the Multiverse Resource Buildings, or work for the Worldline¡ªthey provide housing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d have to go back outside to get there,¡± Skrili emphasized.


    The woman tensed, unable to contrive a new excuse. She let out a sigh. ¡°Very well¡­just until the advisory lifts. But I¡¯m not making drinks.¡±


    Deon and Skrili nodded their thanks and stepped further inside. The woman was quick to close the door behind them.


    ¡°Why is there an advisory to stay indoors, anyway?¡± Deon asked.


    ¡°Is that a serious question? A chunk of the castle exploded moments ago. Do you think perhaps that¡¯s it?¡± the woman said. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear the monstrous boom at all? Nothing?¡±


    ¡°We¡­were drunk,¡± Skrili tried.


    ¡°Clearly you must have been. There¡¯s been an attack on our kingdom,¡± shared the old lady. ¡°It¡¯s yet another one of Princess Zayza¡¯s terrorist acts. As soon as they brought her back here, she struck again. I knew they should have killed her the second they found that little wretch instead of waiting around to execute her. She¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    They¡¯re¡­they¡¯re gonna execute her? Deon thought in horror.


    ¡°First she kills her own parents, then her sister, just for the throne,¡± the lady rambled on, ¡°and now this. Azvaylen has done nothing but thrive since the late King and Queen made friends in the Multiverse. But she doesn¡¯t care about that. She doesn¡¯t care about you and I. She wants control, and she¡¯ll stop at nothing.¡±


    Deon remembered Kotono¡¯s insistence of Zayza¡¯s innocence, but as she and Hiroko stressed, they were in the extreme minority. It was likely dangerous to question her involvement.


    ¡°Rumor has it, they keep the worst criminals in a dungeon deep beneath the castle,¡± the woman said. ¡°So she¡¯s already there as it is. It had to be her.¡±


    Deon¡¯s ears perked up. He and Skrili exchanged subtle glances.


    ¡°Beneath the castle?¡± Skrili repeated.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor: the underground dungeon. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t heard it,¡± the woman said with a shrug. ¡°However¡­my nephew is a royal guard in the castle, and when I asked him if it was true, he hushed right up.¡±


    So I was close¡­Lammy, Zayza, and Pang might be under the castle, not in it, Deon thought.


    He was grateful this lady chattered a lot for someone who didn¡¯t seem to want company. Now, they had something to go off of.


    ¡°All citizens of the Capital, report to the courtyard for a message from our Queen¡­All citizens of the Capital, report to the courtyard for a message from our Queen¡­¡±


    The voice echoed unnaturally through the entire street. Deon and Skrili could hear the amplification clearly, even through the closed door. As it turned out, some sort of magic was present in this reality besides the glowing swords.


    The instructions continued on endlessly. Deon turned to find the street already flooding with people, filling the city with life it seemed devoid of minutes ago.


    ¡°Oh, thank the Dreamers¡ªQueen Layla is alright,¡± the old lady gasped, her voice now full of reverence that was totally missing when she spoke of Zayza. ¡°I must find my coat at once¡­¡±


    Skrili nodded to Deon. Recalibrating their hoods, they opened the door and returned outside.


    The duo bumped shoulders with scurrying citizens, having to match their pace to maintain their herd-like flow. Deon scanned for more soldiers, but only noted the one he ran into and another farther down the street. Neither appeared on-edge. They barely guided the people along, their weapons sheathed.


    These people were rushing to the courtyard of their own volition. They wanted to be there.


    ¡°Found everyone,¡± Deon uttered to Skrili.


    ¡°Speaking of that, we should try and find the others,¡± Skrili planned. ¡°Now we have a lead.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    The walk proved much longer than Deon had expected. Eventually they reached a wide central street and met even more citizens. In a straight-shot, though still minutes away, waited the castle: their apparent destination. The smoke had totally dispersed by now.


    With every step, Deon felt he was closer to Lammy. If not for all the spectators, he would dash straight there and find the door to this secret dungeon.


    Soon few streets remained before the massive black archway to the castle. It, along with the wall stretching all around the area, matched the powerful stones fencing in the entrance to the capital. At the very top, a statue of a woman remarkably similar to Zayza towered above the hundreds of attendees, seemingly welcoming and warning them all at once.


    Deon and Skrili reached the wide archway where dozens of soldiers ushered people in. They, unlike the others, kept their light swords activated and flickering.


    The team lowered their hoods a bit as they passed.


    The archway opened back up into the castle¡¯s courtyard, wide and long enough to fit most attendees snuggly. Its pure, pearly floor was bare aside from a glorious blue fountain in the very center. It featured yet another statue of a woman in a dress with her hands pressed together before her chest.


    Deon and Skrili piled into a spot towards the back and stood in wait. The black castle loomed before the crowd in eerie silence, its stage-like central balcony overlooking the courtyard from high above. All eyes were focused there, where several guards¡ªeasily the largest Deon had seen so far¡ªstood ready at each corner.


    Just when Deon remembered to try and find the others, a giant black arrow faded into existence in the air before the balcony. Nobody seemed to pay any mind.


    ¡°You see that?¡± Deon whispered to Skrili.


    It pointed off to the left, and she was already following its trail with her eyes. Deon did the same while the arrow stretched farther over the oblivious citizens, curving until it pointed down towards the rear left corner of the courtyard.


    There, much taller than most of the people around him, stood Phillip gazing back at them intently. He gave a quick nod.


    Oh¡ªnice use of illusions, Deon realized.


    He and Skrili struggled to squeeze their way through the packed crowd. As they reunited with Phillip, they finally noticed Kotono and Hiroko beside him.


    ¡°Silence please. The Queen of Azvaylen will now share an important message.¡±


    The voice powered across the courtyard. Deon and the rest returned their attention to the balcony, where the soldier who had just spoken returned to his position.


    Then Deon¡¯s mouth almost dropped when a girl likely Lammy¡¯s age stepped forward in a gold-adorned, pale pink dress. She disappeared behind the railing for a moment, not quite tall enough to see over it, but then her light blonde hair waved lightly in the wind as she reemerged, stepping up onto an additional platform.


    Her gray eyes observed her citizens with a sharp seriousness that, given her youth, came across more like a pout.


    ¡°Layla¡­¡± Kotono whispered breathlessly, and Hiroko frowned.


    Deon eyed them for clarification.


    ¡°That¡¯s Zayza¡¯s little sister. She was next in line to take the throne,¡± Hiroko muttered lowly. ¡°She¡¯s only fourteen.¡±


    Just a year older than Lammy, Deon thought in bafflement.


    But the audience greeted this young Queen with heartfelt cheers, comforted and encouraged to see her alive and well.


    The guards hushed the crowd.


    ¡°My beloved Azvaylens, as you are aware, there was a surprise attack on our castle,¡± the girl began eloquently. ¡°From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your cooperation in our efforts to keep you safe until we neutralized the threat. Likewise, I¡¯m forever grateful to our Capital personnel and soldiers, who risked their lives to protect their Queen.


    ¡°And now,¡± she continued, ¡°I stand before you for two crucial purposes. First: to assure you that your leader is alive and well. And second: to affirm that I will not be intimidated by cowardly acts of senseless violence.¡±


    Phillip suddenly took a small step forward, eyeing the Queen with a peculiar squint.


    What¡¯s with him? Deon wondered.


    ¡°As I am sure you suspected, my people, this assassination attempt came from secret supporters of former Princess Zayza,¡± Layla revealed.


    ¡°Something isn¡¯t right¡­¡± Phillip uttered.


    Deon and the rest turned to him cautiously. His eyes stayed fixed on Layla.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat do you mean?¡± Kotono pressed.


    Certainty flooded into Phillip¡¯s stare. ¡°That isn¡¯t Layla,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s an illusion.¡±

 87. The Woman in the Balcony

    No matter how many times Lammy tried to encourage an explanation out of Raznizu, his magical projection continued to sit there, void and wordless.


    Many minutes passed since Irma suddenly darted away, yanking the silent Aoi along. Whatever they had discovered after penetrating Raznizu''s mind clearly sent them into a frantic state.


    Lammy¡¯s alarm only heightened when moments after, a low boom resonated throughout the dungeon, shaking dust free from the walls of his cell.


    But despite all that, Raznizu didn''t speak. Even Zayza''s urgent questions didn''t get through to him, despite the esteem and value he usually placed in everything she did.


    Pure silence dominated the cells for longer than Lammy could tell.


    Then at last, Raznizu stirred¨Cbut only to lower his head even further than it already hung. He clutched the ground.


    "I failed her," he finally uttered in their heads. "First, I failed my mission to protect you from Najinzu and Fewpar. Now, I failed to conceal her secret."


    "Who?" begged Zayza.


    Raznizu sighed. "I didn''t tell you, so that her true intentions might remain hidden from the interrogations," he said. "Queen Layla is the one behind your attempted rescue. She sent me out to find you. She''s the leader of the resistance."


    Zayza''s mouth dropped. "Layla¡­sent for me¡­?"


    "But because of my failure¡­" Raznizu continued.


    "Raznizu, please cease this wallowing. It''s rather unbecoming of you¡­Ow."


    The voice hadn''t come from any of them. But Lammy had heard it before, and recently.


    Zayza gasped, and Raznizu sprung back up.


    Lying stomach-down between Zayza and Raznizu''s transparent figures, a projection of Queen Layla appeared¨Cor, as Lammy knew her, the pretty blonde girl who had just sentenced them all to public execution hardly an hour ago.


    She sat up shakily with a wince, clearly on an unforgiving cell floor just like the rest or theirs. There were numerous fresh scratches and small burns on her face and arms, as well as tears in her pale pink dress. Layla straightened her posture, shaking off dust and ash with a lofty frown.


    ¡°My Layla¡­my dear, are you okay?¡± Zayza choked as tears fell.


    ¡°Greetings, sister,¡± she said quickly, observing her new surroundings with astounding collectedness. "Right, then. It seems the communication enchantment I placed on these cells is functioning. Good."


    Lammy blinked hard. She went straight to business so fast, he almost missed it entirely.


    "Layla¡­you tried to save me¡­?" Zayza asked. "You¡­believed me?"


    Layla glared ahead indignantly. "I always did. But I couldn''t let Proscious know that, if we ever wanted a chance," she said seriously. "They may have deceived Vayva, but I heeded your warnings. And as I always thought, you were right about them."


    Her eyes finally fell to her sister''s.


    "You know, if you hadn''t run away," she admonished, "we could have worked to¡­to¡­"


    Abruptly, her eyes grew watery. Her frown quivered.


    "¡­I miss you so much, Zayza¡­" she sniffed, as the child she truly was emerged at last.


    Zayza and Layla tried to near each other, the last of their family. But their magical projections simply passed through like the air.


    "Can I please have a hug when we exit these cages?" Layla begged.


    A laugh escaped through Zayza''s tears. She nodded.


    Abruptly, Lammy seemed to catch Layla¡¯s eye. She rushed one last sniff, as if attempting to speed through the rest of her emotions. Then she turned to him, immediately shifting back to her majestic demeanor as if nobody would notice.


    "You,¡± she said, her Queenly tone suddenly returning.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You''re the boy who protected my sister all this time. I eavesdropped on Fewpar and Najinzu''s reports to Proscious, and heard all about your bravery."


    "O¨Coh," Lammy stammered.


    "This is Lammy. He''s become a dear friend," Zayza introduced.


    Here comes the laugh¡­or the mispronunciation¡­Lammy prepared himself.


    "What a pleasant name," Layla noted instead.


    ¡°Wait¡­really?¡±


    Suddenly Layla leaned forward into a deep bow. Raznizu''s eyes widened while Zayza let out a nervous laugh.


    "You saved my beloved sister''s life. I owe you everything, Lammy." she pledged. "Even my very being."


    Lammy beat red. "Uh¡­no it''s fine, really," he waved off.


    With Layla still in her bow, Zayza snuck him a smile that clearly stated ''I''m sorry about her.''


    Lammy couldn¡¯t bear to let this last. "So um¡­that whole mind-control thing didn¡¯t work, then?" he prompted desperately.


    Layla sprung back up. "Yes. Proscious never gained control of my mind,¡± she confirmed. ¡°After they used and destroyed our eldest sister, with Zayza missing, my time came to be their puppet.¡±


    She recalled the events with a pensive frown. ¡°I suspected they were slipping concoctions into the daily meals we shared, so I had no choice but to regurgitate everything after meetings. I would sneak food elsewhere when I could, but my chances came days at a time."


    Man, she''s tougher than she looks, thought Lammy.


    "All the while, I acted as if I were under their influence. I mimicked the regression I saw in my fallen family," she said. "I befriended the Proscious members and won their hearts the best I could. They still assigned one, Aoi, to read my mind. But for some reason¡­nothing came of it. I''m unsure if she ever truly did, though I don''t know why."


    "So you had no choice but to sentence us to death, or Proscious would''ve found out," Lammy connected, finding himself burying the fear in his tone to match Layla''s impressive composedness.


    Layla nodded. "I did as they instructed," she confirmed. "However, that¨Cand all of this¨Cis exactly according to my plans."


    "Plans?" Lammy repeated.


    "You mean¡­including our current predicament?" Zayza inquired, glancing around at the cold darkness.


    Even Raznizu appeared shocked. "My Queen, clearly you didn''t mean to allow even yourself to be trapped in this dungeon?"


    Layla was unfazed by their confusion. "My original objective was for Raznizu to find Zayza and bring her home without Proscious'' knowledge. That would have placed us in the best circumstances to reclaim Azvaylen," she explained. "However, if he were to fail, I knew they would place her and perhaps Raznizu in this dungeon. So I wrote enchantments into every cell over the past several nights. Then of course, I had to anticipate they could discover my true loyalties if they interrogated Raznizu. And so¡­"


    "The explosion," Raznizu caught on.


    Layla nodded to him. "I enchanted the primary meeting areas in the castle. With the pull of my dress, I could explode the walls of any of them and try to make an escape."


    Man¡­here I thought I was strategic¡­Lammy thought.


    "You blew up a section of the castle?!" Zayza exclaimed.


    "Merely the Throne Room. You always said it needed remodeling," Layla defended dismissively. "However, Proscious is too strong. They still captured me."


    "Which leads us to now," Zayza completed.


    "Yes. This is the final layer of my backup plans," Layla revealed. "It is also the least ideal, as I won''t be able to time when our next move will occur."


    "What would that be?" Lammy asked, and Raznizu steadied himself to await orders.


    "The second enchantment on these cells," Layla said. "I''d hoped to activate them from the outside when your chances seemed safest. But knowing I''d potentially end up here, I wrote them to trigger automatically after some time."


    "Layla, I''m afraid you need to be more clear," Zayza requested.


    "I''m unsure exactly when, but soon," Layla told them, "the cell doors will unlock."


    ~~~


    Deon''s eyes shot back up to the balcony. Clearly, Layla was standing right there; nothing about her seemed to give away evidence of unreality.


    "You sure, Phillip?" he asked.


    "I''m certain. That''s not their Queen," he said immediately. "Whoever it is, they''re using illusions to appear as her to all of us."


    As this faux Layla continued her speech, poetically urging the importance of loyalty and community in these dark times, the group huddled closer together.


    "It''s the same technique I''m using to disguise Hiroko and Kotono right now," Phillip shared, "but¡­it''s far more complex. This Illusionist is highly skilled. It took me a moment to detect it."


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    "Then someone else is calling the shots here," Hiroko muttered.


    The crowd broke into a hearty cheer after something the false Layla promised.


    "My dear Azvaylens, we are strong, and we will keep you safe," she said. "We will snuff out the rest of this terrorist rebellion to protect this kingdom. Though they try to resist our interrogations, we will find the truth."


    She paused. Another chilling wind blew past.


    "In fact," she added, "we''ve already begun."


    Then, Deon''s eyes met a sight that would never leave his memory.


    Sharp, black spikes faded into existence underneath the shadow of the balcony. They stood tall from the stone floor, high enough for the entire courtyard''s crowd to witness clearly.


    And at the top, a man''s mangled body was lodged through them, gray and motionless.


    "They used illusions to camouflage it until now," Phillip analyzed, eyes widened. "It must have been here the whole time."


    Deon had to avert his eyes before his mind could absorb the details. He''d never witnessed human death before¨Cit simply didn''t happen in Tailpiece. It was a reality he''d only heard of and never faced.


    Until this day.


    He felt sick.


    The air filled with the Azvaylen peoples'' screams. Hiroko hurried to cover Kotono¡¯s eyes, until she realized she was too late.


    "Nordin Faez," the false Layla declared over their cries. "The Royal Family''s Master Enchanter. Zayza''s terrorists used enchantments to attack the throne room, so we can assume he was involved."


    "Nordin?!" a woman shrieked.


    "He was a staunch supporter of Queen Layla! I thought he despised Princess Zayza?!" a man expressed to his wife.


    "Even he was a traitor?!" lamented another.


    Unlike Deon, Skrili focused on the sight unblinkingly. "Intimidation tactics," she observed.


    Hiroko nodded. "Zayza told us this is how they traditionally execute criminals," she revealed. "But Zayza''s not a terrorist, and that''s not Layla. I bet this man was innocent."


    Kotono hid her face from the sight with a moan.


    A fire lit within Deon.


    They''re willing to kill innocent people? he raged, his eyes growing hot.


    "Guys, let''s mess these monsters up," he growled.


    Skrili lightly seized his arm.


    "Not yet," she whispered.


    When he turned to her, he could see the orange light from his eyes reflecting in hers. He saw her own rage, but it was restrained: armed and ready to unleash.


    Taking everything in his being, he nodded to her. The light in his eyes weakened. He practically shook: the discomfort of fighting within himself, resisting his very nature, tensed every muscle.


    "Rubia Wozen," the illusionary Layla said next. "One of the Royal Family''s longtime maids."


    "Another one?" Skrili whispered.


    After much inner deliberation, Deon forced himself to look back to the deadly spikes.


    But no other bodies dangled there aside from the Master Enchanter.


    An explanation came quickly, in the form of a pleading woman up in the balcony. Two guards forced her beside Layla and held her in place overlooking the spikes below.


    "P¡ªPlease, my Queen! I knew nothing about the explosion!" she begged, tears drenching her face and clothes. "I never assisted Zayza in her crimes! Your forces read my mind just as all the others in the murder investigations!"


    "Enough," the fake Queen dismissed simply.


    "MAMA!!" two children wailed towards the front of the crowd.


    The woman broke down, the guards'' harsh grips the only reason she remained on her feet. "My babies¡­!" she wept.


    "Guys¡­we can''t let this happen¡­" Deon whispered.


    "Behold closely, my people," the false Layla said as the woman whimpered. "For this the very same fate Zayza, Raznizu Duriz, and the boy known as Lammy will soon meet. And anyone else who opposes us¡ªour kingdom, that is¡ªwill die just the same."


    Time froze. For a moment, all Deon could perceive was that last statement.


    "Hey, what did she just say¡­?" he asked lowly. "They''re gonna kill Lammy, huh?"


    Immediately, the fire within reignited.


    "Do it," ordered the false Layla.


    "Skrili," Deon muttered, fists shaking, "not yet, still?"


    "Actually, I change my mind," she said.


    Hiroko cracked her knuckles. "Time to blow our cover. Let''s make a scene."


    The guards lifted the woman in the balcony effortlessly, and tossed her over. She plummeted towards the spikes screaming.


    Focusing on the air above them, Deon raced to imagine a giant pillow. It appeared just in time, and he sighed as the woman sunk into it.


    Everyone around gasped.


    The illusionary Layla''s eyes shot wide.


    "Phillip, you got it?" checked Hiroko.


    "Already working on it."


    He squinted at the false Queen with a grimace, pulling back his spiky bangs to gain the clearest view possible.


    "There. Locked on."


    Before every citizen of Azvaylen''s capital, clear as day, Layla''s form morphed. The air around her waved as her transformation began. She grew much taller and her dress turned into a t-shirt, jacket, and running shorts.


    Finally, her hair converted into a variety of colors and tied itself into a ponytail while her face matured into that of a woman''s, whose shocked eyes were each different colors: one green and one black.


    She seemed not to notice the transformation until the crowd''s uproar redirected towards her. Deon almost had to cover his ears from the heightened screams.


    "WHO''S THAT?!"


    "WHERE¡¯S QUEEN LAYLA?!"


    The woman observed her hands and clothes. She scowled subtly as if she''d found a fly.


    "Ah, come on. There''s an Imaginer and an Illusionist here?" she complained, her voice still amplified. "I knew I shouldn''t have stayed to help. Ugh, this is gonna be such a pain."


    The nearest guards on the balcony rushed to her, seemingly awaiting urgent orders despite her true identity.


    "Well what do you think I want?" she replied to one. "Find them. Like, obviously."


    Skrili nudged Deon. "Hurry," she muttered.


    "Oh yeah!"


    The woman he''d just rescued still lay clutching onto his floating pillow for dear life, barely above the death spikes. Guards were already starting to gather below.


    Focusing hard, he flew the pillow away and descended her towards the frantic crowd. All the while, her head spun back and forth in confusion, unable to locate her savior.


    As she neared her fellow citizens, several hands reached out to retrieve her. Deon decided it safe to remove the pillow from existence, and she vanished into the sea of people before the guards could act.


    The woman in the balcony''s frown increased, but only slightly. "Will you guys just find them?" she moaned as if her dinner was late. "They''re making me look bad¡­"


    Saved her, Deon thought in relief. The realization filled his whole being with adrenaline. And they didn''t even catch on to me.


    "HEY! This lad! I think this lad just used powers!!"


    Apparently he''d assumed too quickly. A man nearby was pointing right at him.


    "He ratted me out?!" Deon whispered, muscles tensing.


    "He''s scared of them," Skrili reasoned. "Well, here we go."


    The crowd around them hesitated, until guards stepped forward from their surroundings posts at every wall and corner of the courtyard. The blue magic powering their blades rose high and shined on those closest. In that moment, everyone dashed for the exit.


    "Don''t run!¡± Hiroko commanded her friends. ¡°It''ll take the fight too close to the people! We have to take them head-on."


    "Oh¡­" moaned Kotono queasily, red light igniting all around her.


    With the crowd quickly dissipating, little stood between them and the incoming guards. The five consciousnesses shifted into a circle.


    While Hiroko and Phillip took on fighting stances and Kotono broke into a shiver behind her teammate, Deon felt Skrili press her back to his.


    He immediately understood.


    "Defense two?" he assumed.


    "Defense two."


    Skip designed this technique specifically for a surrounded situation like this. It was the natural choice.


    The teammates watched their attackers close in, their opposite views accounting for every angle of the incoming offensive.


    As per the strategy, Deon needed to imagine their line of defense. He placed giant knives all around them in a spinning circle, widening their usual rotation to protect Kotono, Hiroko, and Phillip, as well.


    "What¨Cknives?! We''re not here to kill them! They''re just following orders!" Skrili shot. "Do the leather balls."


    The onslaught of guards were mere steps away.


    "Slice them to bits!!" the closest one roared.


    Hiroko lunged forward at him in a blur. By the time Deon turned to follow her strike, she stood back in position holding the soldier''s sword while he lay incapacitated, a dent in his helmet.


    "I think that guy wanted to slice us to bits, Skrili," Deon pointed out.


    "Okay, okay. Just nothing lethal."


    ¡°Good point,¡± Deon agreed. Though the danger of the situation led him to think up the most violent imagining possible, he knew he wasn¡¯t ready to take a life. Focusing all around, he reimagined the knives into balls of rock: easier to control, but dense enough to damage metal armor.


    The soldiers hesitated just before his rotating shield. But nonetheless, they charged forward and raised their shields.


    The first immediately took a circular stone in the side, launching him through the air and into one of the courtyard walls.


    Another managed to evade Deon¡¯s defense near Hiroko and Kotono and prepared to swing his sword. But in a blink he was facedown, mangled, and disarmed¡ªnow Hiroko wielded two of the Azvaylen light blades.


    ¡°My left,¡± called Skrili.


    Without aiming, hoping he could manage to put Skip¡¯s drills to good use, Deon commanded a rock to swing down in front of Skrili. Confidence poured in when he heard the clank as yet another soldier fell to his technique.


    ¡°Nice,¡± Skrili uttered.


    The tall guards up in the balcony leapt down, clearing the spikes with synchronous flips, and charged forward. Another line of soldiers emerged from the corners and joined.


    But between Deon and Skrili¡¯s defense and Hiroko¡¯s swift movements, the reinforcements only met the same abrupt defeats. Deon observed as Hiroko parried two soldiers at once, and then kicked them each powerfully enough to slide them halfway across the stone floor. He felt Skrili leave his back and heard her jump, then turned to witness her redirect a sword one soldier had desperately thrown at them. It sliced the side of his leg and he crawled away in shock.


    ¡°¡®Nothing lethal, huh?¡± Deon muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Skrili said. ¡°And look, he¡¯s not dead, is he?¡±


    Deon¡¯s blood pumped heavy, but no longer with anxiety. Now it was with pure determination. What he thought was about to be a fight for their lives had quickly unfolded into a one-sided brawl: they were literally wiping the floor with Azvaylen soldiers.


    He checked up to the balcony and eyed the strange woman, curious of her response to their sheer strength.


    If Deon had seen her like this without context, he¡¯d guess she was stuck listening to a mind-numbing lecture. She checked a device on her wrist, and let her hand fall back down limply. Then she leaned her elbows against the balcony railing and observed them, her multicolored eyes so lethargic Deon thought she might nod off.


    What¡¯s her deal? Shouldn¡¯t she be pissed? Deon wondered.


    When his attention returned to their quarrel, he found the remaining soldiers abruptly turning away, startled. Seeming to locate a new target, they all ran at an empty corner of the courtyard and began swinging at the air.


    ¡°Uh¡­why?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°They think we¡¯re over there now,¡± Phillip said.


    ¡°You know, I always thought the Illusionist type was just a lame version of Imaginers,¡± Deon told him as the group watched the soldiers fight nobody. ¡°But you can do stuff like this, and make other people¡¯s illusions go away. You know what, I was wrong, Phil.¡±


    ¡°Phillip. And speaking of that¡­¡±


    The soldiers stopped their empty swinging. After a moment of confusion, they realized the deception and refaced the group.


    ¡°Her,¡± Hiroko uttered.


    The woman in the balcony rolled her black and green eyes, mumbling something likely derogatory about the soldiers.


    ¡°She undid it,¡± Phillip confirmed.


    The dozens of able soldiers once again raised their weapons and with shouts, charged at them once more.


    ¡°I¡ªI got it, everyone¡­¡± came a timid voice.


    Kotono stepped forward towards the stampede, red energy surging so powerfully Deon broke into a sweat from its heat. Skrili took several steps back, and considering she¡¯d experienced Kotono¡¯s full power firsthand, he didn¡¯t blame her.


    Still shaking, Kotono raised her hands at the soldiers.


    All of this must be scaring the crap out of her, Deon thought. Which means¡­


    ¡°S¡ªSORRY!¡± Kotono cried.


    The red energy burst forward from her in an immense blast. She lowered her aim at the last instant, sending the beam exploding just before the soldiers¡¯ feet. With shouts of pure fear and pain, the explosion launched all of them into the air, over the courtyard walls.


    ¡°G¡ªgot them¡­¡± Kotono sniveled, and Hiroko rushed to wrap an arm around her in comfort.


    ¡°Ugh¡­useless. Fine,¡± came the woman¡¯s voice from the balcony.


    The five consciousnesses watched carefully as she forced herself upright. With a bothered sigh, she jumped from the balcony and landed perfectly on the courtyard floor, only a few paces before them.


    They all hesitated as she stood there, staring at them dispassionately. Nobody came to her aid¡ªeven the soldiers who seemed only minimally injured, watching from the floor.


    Do we¡­attack her? Deon wondered.


    She finally stirred with a lazy breath in. ¡°Oh no, how like, infuriating or something¡­how dare you foil our executions, etc. etc. ¡­How dare you reveal our deception to the Azvaylens, blah, blah blah¡­¡± she recited uninspiringly. ¡°I shall destroy you now, or whatever.¡±


    ¡°You think one Illusionist is enough,¡± Hiroko inquired, ¡°against all five of us?¡±


    The woman took no more than a second to size them all up. ¡°Yup,¡± she said plainly. ¡°But get it right: it¡¯s one Illusionist¡­¡±


    She rolled her eyes up and brought them back. They returned pink and yellow.


    ¡°¡­One Dampener¡­¡±


    She rolled them again. They turned blue and orange.


    ¡°¡­One Substitutor¡­¡±


    And again. Red and gray.


    ¡°¡­And one Thoughtfeeder,¡± she finished. ¡°And don¡¯t go all anime-mode on me and start asking questions about it. I¡¯m just gonna kill all five of you, and that¡¯s that.¡±

 88. Ruination

    Everyone shifted from their defensive circle to face this lone challenger. She seemed to be waiting for them to make a move, hands on hips with an inconvenienced frown.


    "She has¡­multiple consciousness powers?" Deon uttered to Skrili.


    "I''m just as confused as you," she said.


    "That shouldn''t be biologically possible," Phillip chimed in lowly.


    The woman groaned. "Didn''t I just say not to start asking questions about it? They always do that. I''m not telling."


    "Either way, the type she ended on is Thoughtfeeder," Hiroko warned, readying her new dual blades. "The longer we hesitate, the more time it gives her to¨Cah!"


    Hiroko grasped her head for a moment. Only a second later, an unsettling sensation filled Deon''s mind¨Cas if something unseen was sucking on his brain from the inside. Everyone else winced just as he and Hiroko had.


    "Too late," Skrili said quickly. "Let''s¨C"


    Deon must have blinked. With a sudden thud, Skrili was no longer beside him. He heard a crash far behind him against the stone courtyard wall.


    Now the woman stood in Skrili¡¯s place, landing from a kick. Her red and gray eyes fell to him calmly.


    Anger and urgency setting in, Deon began shifting in defense.


    He only got as far as a single step.


    Deon''s stomach practically caved in on itself. He lost all sense of displacement as the force of the blow plowed him through the air. Concrete slammed against his body until he slid into the wall with a harsh, instantaneous stop.


    There was nothing he could have done to avoid her attack. He didn''t even see how she hit him. But whether it was a punch or kick hardly mattered: it felt ten times more powerful than either.


    Pain spiking all over, Deon lifted his head. He was alive.


    Skrili! he thought immediately, heart pounding.


    He hadn''t landed far from her. Skrili lay where the floor met the wall only steps away, her bangs over her eyes.


    Deon forced himself into a crawl, casting aside his own unknown injuries.


    "Skrili?! Say something!"


    "Ow," was the word she decided on.


    When he reached his teammate she began sitting up, clutching her stomach. Deon helped lift her and kept an arm around her shoulder, though it hurt to do so.


    "You okay?" Deon checked.


    "Nothing''s broken¡­I think," she said with a grimace. She eyed him up and down urgently. "You?"


    "Same," he said, though he wasn''t sure if that was too optimistic. "Thoughtfeeder¡­that''s the type that can charge up energy from other people''s thoughts, right?"


    "So you''re finally doing your own research," Skrili noted. "That''s right."


    While he was impressed Skrili had time for snide remarks even now, it eased his mind the slightest bit. She was still alert and sharp¨Ca blow like that could have caused much worse.


    They returned their attention to the fight across the courtyard. In a blink, the woman had reduced the mismatch to three-on-one. Now she stood composedly across from Hiroko, Kotono, and Phillip, who had all taken several steps back.


    "Figured I''d go for the least experienced first," the woman reasoned. "Just guessing, though."


    Her eyes darted to something unseen above the remaining fighters, but quickly returned with a smile.


    "Come on. Trying to use illusions on an Illusionist? You''re desperate," she said to Phillip. Her eyes rolled back, and returned green and black.


    Phillip gritted his teeth. "She blocked it."


    "Not falling for that, kid. You''re next," the woman decided.


    She pounced at him, this time notably slower than when she''d attacked Deon and Skrili. But Deon could still hardly follow her movement¨Cher speed nearly matched Skip''s.


    The woman came to an abrupt stop just before Phillip: Hiroko had dashed between them with equal quickness, dual blades forward. Grabbing at the swords'' handles, the woman tried to push the blades away. But Hiroko fought unwaveringly, arms shaking.


    "Shouldn''t Kotono help¡­?" Deon wondered breathlessly.


    "Too close-range. Her power''s uncontainable, so she''d hit Hiroko too," Skrili said. Her eyebrows furrowed in worry. "But¡­this woman¡­she''s matching Hiroko in raw strength. Who¡­who is she?"


    "Hey, Phillip!" Hiroko called back in a grunt as she fended off her foe. "Stay back for now! Wait for an opening! This lady¡­she isn''t like the pros!"


    "How kind of you to notice," the woman said, still unable to break Hiroko''s block. "I thought that was obvious, though."


    Conceding, the woman released her grip and flipped back gracefully.


    "You know, speaking of that¡­I thought you two ladies looked familiar," she noted. "I don''t give a crap about the League, so I don''t know pros usually, but¡­Hiroko Hamasaki and Kotono Inoue, right? The top team in the entire Multiverse?"


    The star duo exchanged uneven glances. Clearly, Phillip''s disguise for them had expired.


    "Knew it. Everyone knows you guys. Leaguers are usually a joke, but you two are legit," the woman continued. "Guess this might actually be a close call."


    Hiroko and Kotono watched her uneasily, ready to fight. The woman raised a device on her wrist to her mouth.


    "Hey. It''s me. These aren''t just some rebels. The top two pros are here for some reason, and they brought friends," she said into it. "...Yes, I''m requesting backup. This is your project, you lazy slob. I have better places to be!"


    She groaned and lowered her wrist.  But her multicolored eyes widened for just a moment as she barely blocked an incoming blade. Hiroko had sped forward in attack.


    "I won''t give you the chance for backup," Hiroko growled. "We want our friends back."


    "That so?" the woman sneered. "Alright, let''s go, Ms. Famous."


    She shot a fist, but Hiroko ducked out of the way. They launched into a rage of punches, kicks, and sword swings, neither flinching or breaking a sweat.


    As the duel unfolded, Kotono scurried over to the side of them at a distance. She raised her hands in aim, panic still all over her face.


    "It''s one of their techniques," Skrili muttered to Deon. "Just like Hiroko told Phillip to do, Kotono''s waiting for an opening. Once Hiroko pushes that woman back, Kotono will fire."


    "Whoa¡­they didn''t even need to communicate it to each other," Deon noted.


    "That''s how it is when you''re the best in the Multiverse."


    The masterful faceoff raged on, but Hiroko hadn''t yet managed to push the woman away.


    "That''s it. I''m getting back in on this," Deon decided.


    "If she sees we''re still conscious, she might target us," Skrili stressed. "We can''t fight her like this¨Cwe couldn''t even fight her before our injuries."


    "Then she won''t find out," said Deon.


    He prepared to imagine a wooden plank just behind her to trip her up, giving Hiroko a free shot.


    But as he was about to place it into existence, it became unnecessary.


    The woman attempted another punch, but Hiroko tossed her blades into the air and slapped it aside. While the woman was distracted with swinging blades, preparing to dodge them, Hiroko spun low. She fired a kick perfectly into the woman''s gut, lunging her into the air.


    That was Kotono¡¯s opening: fiery red energy filled her arms and she aimed, letting a cry escape her mouth.


    "HELP''S ON THE WAY, DARLIN''!" boomed a mighty voice from above.


    Seemingly out of nowhere, an enormous shirtless man came flying out the balcony door. He leaped into the air above them all.


    Startled, Kotono fired the blast¨Cbut her arms shook and her red energy rushed just past the woman as she rolled to the floor.


    The man cleared half the courtyard in his single jump, and the ground¨Ceven where Deon and Skrili sat¨Crumbled when he landed.


    He towered over everyone else, even Phillip, before he even stood tall. His skin was practically gray, save for two red lines from his bald head to his eyes.


    "Howdy Irma," he greeted.


    Masking any sign of relief, the woman stood and recomposed herself.


    "I didn''t think Wei would send you over, Benton," Irma said. "You''re already back from headquarters? Ugh, I wish I got to go¡­"


    "Yeah, well Wei hates the dirty work, don''t he now? I had to come back early," Benton explained. "Oh¨Cbrought you this."


    His massive hand tossed her a branded bottle with blue liquid in it.


    "Aw, thanks buddy! I love these!" she beamed.


    Red light reflected on their faces, and they both sidestepped as another one of Kotono¡¯s blasts came their way. The energy destroyed the elaborate stone flooring.


    "Give us o¨Cour f¨Cfriends," Kotono attempted, face hard and adamant.


    "Alright, what are we dealin'' with today?" Benton inspected. "Huh, it''s really them, ain''t it? The little celebrity girls. Now I don''t wanna hurt you, missy''s. I''m a bit of a fan, myself."


    "You won''t be much longer," grumbled Hiroko.


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    She pounced at the man, blades swinging. But after an exaggerated blink, he took the slashes head on and stared at her blankly. The magical blades swiped through him, shocking his exposed skin, but he didn''t budge.


    "You''re doing Withstander? Good pick," Irma noticed. "I''m blocking the Illusionist kid, so I''m on green and black."


    Upon hearing Irma''s words, Hiroko backed off and put distance between them.


    "You''re blockin'' his illusions as an Illusionist?" Benton chuckled. "Coulda just went to Dampener. Guess you don¡¯t look up to me anymore, huh?"


    Deon''s head spun, rushing to keep up with all the types and terms like the class before an exam.


    Withstander¡­Right: that''s the type where they can turn off any of their senses, even pain, he remembered. No wonder Hiroko backed off: he doesn''t feel those magic sword things.


    Dark, charred lines remained where Hiroko had struck Benton, but his skin didn''t appear damaged. Deon wondered if the swords were designed to shock instead of slice.


    Adjusting quickly, Hiroko dropped the magic swords to the ground. The light from them flickered out. She scanned Benton for a split second, and then powered back at him without hesitation.


    Predictor: she used her powers to predict his movements before attacking, Deon recognized.


    Hiroko bashed a masterful kick straight into his core, but she ricocheted off as Benton merely stared back at her.


    "Let me guess," said Benton. "''I can''t make him hurt, but I sure can bash up his body, still.'' That''s what yer thinkin, right? Well good luck. I''m built hard as stone, y''see."


    Without response, Hiroko tried again. This time Benton let out a startled huff, and this kick forced him a couple steps backwards.


    "Golly. I guess if any Leaguer could do it, it would be you," he added. "There goes a rib, I reckon. Good thing I can''t feel¨C"


    "Shut up!" Hiroko roared. She continued her offensive, and Benton merely took the hits¡ªhe didn''t attempt a single block. Deon could hear the thumps of Hiroko''s unfathomable force even from where he looked on.


    "He''s just testing her out," Skrili noticed. "This isn''t serious to him. He''s just curious."


    "Who the heck are these two?!" Deon grumbled.


    While Hiroko''s desperate attempts continued, they realized Phillip was faring even worse.


    Irma had targeted him, and just as Deon and the group wiped the floor with the soldiers, she was doing the same to him.


    Phillip toppled to the ground and hurried to his feet, only to find another punch from Irma. Barely fast enough to catch it, he slid back against the stone. But he winced: clearly Irma''s fist had still broken through.


    He tried returning the blow with countless of his own, but Irma brushed them all aside.


    "I''m stuck blocking your illusions, so it looks like this comes down to whoever the better fighter is without powers," Irma shared. "If you really wanted a shot at saving your friends, fighting like a typical Leaguer seriously doesn''t cut it."


    Phillip hacked as she sent a spinning kick into his side. He tumbled partway across the courtyard, then stood slowly.


    "This is looking really bad¡­" Deon muttered.


    Dread loomed over him like the dreary Azvaylen clouds above. This wasn''t a consciousness fight like he was used to: if they lost, they would probably all die.


    And they wouldn''t save Lammy or the others from the same fate.


    He tried to sit taller, but a stabbing pain coursed through him instantly.


    "Wait, look," Skrili said.


    Returning his attention to the losing battle, Deon found Kotono had changed positions. While Hiroko kept kicking at Benton, she stood steps from his back, hands out towards him. Red energy burst around her.


    "Ope¨Cthat''s another rib, I think," Benton informed Hiroko as he stumbled another step back. "Keep trying! You might break Irma''s record!"


    Hiroko kicked again, and Benton tripped back even further: getting closer and closer to Kotono''s increasing energy.


    Another silent technique, Deon thought. They''re playing into his little game to use it against him!


    The pattern continued until finally, Benton smirked.


    "Oh wait. I get it."


    Hiroko dashed at him¨Cbut this time she zipped right past him and slid to a stop behind Kotono, whose eyes lit up like stars.


    Benton began turning around to face them. "Real clever, girlies. Alright, give me your best¨CYIKES!"


    Kotono screamed as she fired a thunderous blast at him, point-blank.


    In the luminescence, Deon could vividly see Benton''s face shift from casual curiosity to shock. He''d planned on taking even this attack head-on.


    But Kotono¡¯s power was far too immense, even for him.


    Benton leaped, but Deon couldn¡¯t tell if he''d escaped. The red blast washed out everything in its raging path. The silhouettes of Irma and Phillip broke off from their duel and dove to the ground as the energy coursed between them. Then it burst straight through the front courtyard wall, and smoke and dust shot everywhere.


    When the smoke cleared, only black rubble remained. The entire front wall, including the gate the group had passed through to enter the courtyard, was completely destroyed. The ground sizzled along the diminished blast''s path.


    All fighting ceased for a moment. Everyone simply stared at the utter ruination.


    Its source, the shivering Kotono, brought her hands to her mouth. Deon doubted she''d meant to release that much power.


    Benton stood from the ground, smoke rising from his now-red shoulder. It appeared smaller than the other, now: the blast had disintegrated the very edge of it.


    Blood dripped down his arm as he turned to Kotono slowly. His carefree attitude was no longer written anywhere in his expression.


    "Looks like they''ve actually got some muscle, Irma. And guts," he called over to his accomplice. "We''d better wrap this up quick."


    "Yeah. This is a bit much," Irma agreed, hopping back to her feet. "Give me a sec to take care of this weak kid¨C"


    Phillip came flying through some of the lingering smoke and tried landing a kick. But Irma effortlessly deflected it and tripped him off his feet.


    As their fight resumed, Benton barreled towards Kotono. She stumbled back in fear while her red energy replenished around her.


    But Benton''s burly body only managed a few heavy steps before Hiroko blocked his path. She caught him by the arms, shoving with all her might to keep him in place.


    "Don''t you dare touch Kotono!" she threatened.


    Benton''s eyes were still stuck on his new main target, her energy lighting his eyes. "Just how much of that stuff does she got?" he marveled.


    "As much as she needs!"


    Hiroko''s whole body shook: Benton kneed her in the stomach.


    "Hiroko!" Kotono screamed. Her energy brightened, traces of green now flickering within it. The ground around her began decaying.


    Yet Hiroko stood firm, still holding Benton back. She coughed and spat up red, then huffed a single laugh.


    "See? She''s gonna blow us all to smithereens if you keep upsetting her. She can''t help it," Hiroko grunted.


    Another knee plowed into her nonetheless. Benton pressed a step forward.


    "Real sorry. Got a job to do," he said. "Nothing personal."


    Deon couldn''t watch Phillip and Hiroko get kicked around any longer. And he knew it was true: Kotono was a timebomb for them all.


    "I gotta butt in again," he alerted Skrili. "If they find out it''s me, I''ll make something to protect you."


    "A sneak attack will need to be smooth and decisive," Skrili immediately replied. "Use me."


    He glanced at her.


    "Power Rebound?"


    "Yeah. A big one."


    Skrili stood, relying almost entirely on her enhanced Rebound strength. She limped several paces forward from the wall.


    "You sure?"


    "Yeah. Pattern 13. Send me at the big one first."


    Deon focused on the former courtyard, now a tattered battlefield. He sighed to calm himself, to little avail.


    "Alright. Let''s do it," he agreed. "Don''t worry, I got your back."


    "I know you do."


    Dust rose from where Skrili had just stood¡ªher powers propelled her forward. Following the cue, Deon prepared a wooden platform in her path. Once she reached it, he mentally controlled it to thrust upward, catapulting her high into the air.


    Deon hurriedly imagined the rest of their technique: he placed his springy orange pads in the sky at precise angles, staying true to Skrili''s proposed pattern. It was an aspect of their Team Special, simplified for easier, quicker use.


    And if Deon had to bail her back out, with less imagining to keep track of, he could manage it at a moment''s notice.


    This was their best shot.


    Skrili ascended, and with a well-practiced flip, repositioned to bounce against the first pad. It sprung her towards another near the outskirts of the fight, which she bounced off to redirect her right at Benton.


    Between the extreme momentum, the positioning from Deon''s springs, and Skrili''s Power Rebound mixed with her sheer accuracy, the surprise attack couldn''t have been more perfect. Her kick slammed straight into an unsuspecting Benton''s chest, just above the struggling Hiroko.


    Benton went midair for two full seconds, his hands ripping free of Hiroko''s. Before he even crash landed, Skrili had already touched down. She hopped back up to meet another one of Deon''s springs.


    "Whoa!" Hiroko exclaimed, and Kotono gasped.


    Next, thought Deon.


    Skrili bounced off the pad and soared at Irma, graceful as a hawk and vicious as a wasp.


    But she didn''t make contact this time.


    In fact, she never reached Irma.


    "Okay, okay, I think I''ve seen enough," a floaty voice decided from above. "I get it now."


    Deon had to blink to grasp it: Skrili had come to an instant stop, suspended in the air just before Irma and Phillip. With a great deal of effort, she managed to turn her head to the balcony.


    Only by that, Deon realized where the voice had come from.


    "There you are, Wei. Finally," Irma sighed.


    A man peered down on the brawl he''d evidently just paused, with eyes even darker than his clothes. One set of black nails pushed back his icy blue hair, while the other fiddled with the gold medallion hanging at his partially exposed chest.


    Benton coughed, pulling himself back to his feet. After giving a quick nod to the balcony, he shot Irma a sideways look.


    "Now that was a kick. Irma didn''t warn me about this blue-haired girlie, y''know ," he called to the man above.


    "I thought she was out! I was gonna finish her off later!" Irma countered.


    Wei laughed at their bickering, his smile far too perfect for the occasion.


    "I was wondering what was taking so long," he crooned. "I''m impressed: this bunch was actually a little challenge for you two. Finishing them off would''ve taken you a few more minutes."


    "Not if you just dealt with it yourself in the first place," Irma snapped. "I have other things to do, you know. Benton even got to go to headquarters without me! This is your project! So¨C"


    Skrili''s sudden screams interrupted Irma¡¯s frustration. Her limbs were twisting and contorting. She bit her lip hard to hold back more cries of agony, but her eyes went watery.


    Deon forced himself up in terror, his own pain meaning nothing now.


    "See? Look, I''m helping now," Wei reasoned. "I''m killing this one. Happy?"


    "Kotono!" Hiroko shouted, "blast that guy before he¨C"


    "PUT HER DOWN RIGHT NOW!!!" Deon roared.


    All of his vision turned orange. Heat flooded him inside.


    All eyes were on him now, and they squinted at the brilliance of the orange energy now erupting around his body.


    Benton and Irma prepared to fight, but in the balcony, Wei simply turned to him. He stared for a moment, his smile still just as present.


    Then, curiosity sinking in, it curled even more.


    Skrili''s screams stopped. She gasped laboriously as her crooked limbs eased up.


    "Oh, hey there. Is this yours?" Wei asked Deon. "Sorry about that."


    Skrili''s body slammed against the concrete, then floated back up. Wei checked Deon''s reaction unblinkingly. Then he slammed her again, and again.


    "Here, you can have her back."


    Skrili plummeted towards him limply, spinning straight at the wall. In a panic, Deon imagined a giant pillow. She sunk into it, avoiding impact, and then dropped down. Deon dove to catch her.


    Skrili landed in his lap, motionless. Blood streaked down her forehead.


    "Hey! Skrili!" Deon pleaded.


    Her eyes simply fluttered closed.


    Deon knew there would be no Power Rebound from her pain this time. This man, Wei, had wrecked her.


    He pulled Skrili closer. Her hair whipped in the orange wind now spiraling out from him.


    Wei needed to die.


    "Skrili¡­!" Kotono gasped weakly, her own array of colors intensifying. She tried running their way, but Hiroko stopped her with a tender hug, her eyes still sharp on their enemies.


    "You two can''t get near each other right now," Hiroko urged, her tone apologetic. "It''s way too much power in one place."


    Deon lay Skrili behind him carefully, and then stood to face Wei. His teeth practically crushed through his jaw and his fists shook.


    Only one thing mattered right now.


    "Die," Deon grumbled.


    Thunder roared and the wind flounced towards the crowd of fighters, almost sweeping them off the ground. Wei continued watching in sheer interest.


    A monster appeared just before the balcony, its razor-sharp teeth high above the roof of the castle. Twitchy, the giant squirrel, unleashed a roar.


    "Fascinating¡­you have Emovert energy, yet you can imagine, too?" Wei observed. "Your Emovert anger is powering your imagining ability. Which means¡­you have a blend of types¡­naturally?"


    Deon didn''t care. He knew his one and only ambition in this moment.


    Twitchy''s mouth opened even wider, and the beast brought its head down towards Wei.


    But it slammed against an invisible surface, and all of its fangs shattered like glass.


    An immense blade pierced through the monster''s core. It sliced down, then up, tearing it perfectly in two. Twitchy vanished from existence.


    "Hey kid," Wei said, "wanna join Proscious?"


    Deon ragingly tried imagining again, but his powers felt foggy. Nothing came to form in reality.


    He was being blocked.


    "You look like that kid we caught, Lammy, so I assume you''re all here for him, right? And maybe the princess and the others," Wei figured. "Tell you what: just join Proscious, and I''ll give them all back. We''ll fake their executions and everything to make the Azvaylens happy. Sound good?"


    "I''ll get them back by taking you down," Deon swore. He darted forward, but an invisible pressure held him in place.


    Wei shrugged. "Know what? I''ll give you some time to think on it. Come back in say¡­two days with an answer. I''ll postpone the executions ''till then."


    Deon shouted, but his body still wouldn''t budge. It seemed the others were in the same predicament: they floated just above the ground, limbs pressed straight.


    This man was ruining everything. He destroyed Skrili.


    A nearly inhuman shout burst from Deon, and the orange light in his eyes blinded all his vision.


    He pushed, and successfully forced a step forward.


    "Holy cow! He still moved!" exclaimed Benton.


    "You gotta be kidding!" came Irma''s shock.


    Then a crushing pressure overcame Deon''s whole body. Something pounded into his stomach, and only blackness followed.

 89. Deeper Motives

    Warmth. Comfort.


    An airy softness surrounded Deon. He was numb, but blissfully so. His body was relaxed, his mind filling endlessly with love¨Cwhich seemed to flow in from an external source.


    Clearly, this was heaven. He must have died, but he hadn''t the ability to worry about it.


    Deon''s senses lazily surfacing from the fuzziness, he recognized someone was wrapped around him in a soft embrace. Her heartbeat''s steady rhythm thumped in his head.


    He smiled.


    "Skrili¡­you know¡­we should do stuff like this more often¡­" he mumbled.


    The lightest-hearted of giggles tickled his ear. The embrace lifted off of him, but a soft hand remained on his shoulder.


    That voice wasn''t Skrili''s.


    Confusion finally inspired Deon''s eyelids to lift. The blur took a moment to subside.


    He indeed found a cute face peering down at him, but it wasn''t the one he was expecting.


    Her round red eyes sparkled with a hint of green mixed in. Kotono¡¯s mouth curled into an amused but mostly vindicated smile, as if he''d just confirmed a personal suspicion.


    "You should really tell her that," she encouraged meltingly.


    "Uh¡­what?" Deon mumbled. "Kotono? What are you doing?"


    "Healing you. You could have died if I didn''t," she replied as if it were obvious.


    Her words shocked Deon back to reality.


    That man¡­Wei¡­


    How was he that powerful with such little effort?


    Not to mention Irma and Benton¡­How were they all that powerful?


    The last thing he felt was his entire stomach crushing in. Wei had done something to defeat him so swiftly, with such ease while Deon was at his strongest, and he didn''t even understand what it was.


    His senses improving, Deon finally noticed the green hue glowing from Kotono''s body to his continuously. The dark fabric of a tent was above her.


    He looked at her hand on his shoulder for a moment, and then back to her as she squatted over him closely. Deon tried to hold back a blush.


    But apparently his reaction wasn''t very subtle.


    "I¨Cuh¡­I have to hug or touch you to heal you best. Or at least I think so¡­I''ve only done this a couple times since the championship¡­it happens when I feel scared for someone else, and guilty and¡­" Kotono stuttered rushingly. "Well¡­P¨Cplease don''t get the wrong idea. I don''t even go that way¡­"


    Heart growing warm, Deon smiled to dispel her concern. "Thank you, Kotono," he said. "Now I owe you big."


    Kotono returned an endearing smile. "No you don''t¡­I''m just happy you made it," she said. "Skrili took a lot longer. She was even worse off¡­she a¨Calmost did die."


    Deon''s mind replayed his teammate''s body bashing repeatedly against the concrete, and then falling motionless into his arms.


    There had been blood dripping from her head.


    "Wait¨CSkrili!" he cried, now too frantic for even the healing powers to quell. Kotono almost lost grip and balance as he turned to search for her.


    "C¨Ccareful!" Kotono requested.


    "But is she¨C"


    Just beside him, Deon found the relief to his anxiety.


    Skrili slept soundly on the grass floor, her body and face towards him as if she''d been watching him carefully before drifting off. Aside from frayed clothes, she no longer showed a single sign of injury.


    "I healed her before everyone. It was the biggest emergency," Kotono said, her voice soothing as she repositioned her healing touch. "She woke up pretty healing-drunk and went outside to chat with Hiroko."


    Again, Deon smiled as he watched her rest. "Yeah. The whole healing thing really does that to her¡­" he chuckled.


    "Hiroko gave her some snacks to help sober her up. Then she came back in to make sure you were gonna be okay," continued Kotono. "She refused to leave you alone. But she''s still recovering too, so I''m glad she fell back asleep."


    Deon placed a hand on Skrili¡¯s head gently. His serene smile gradually sunk away.


    I didn''t keep my promise, he recalled. I didn''t protect her.


    "I''ll kill this one. See? I''m participating," Wei had said.


    She was just a minor nuisance to him.


    They all were.


    "Wait¡­what happened? How did we get away? How long has it been?" Deon pressed.


    Kotono shuddered, her green aura flickering red for just an instant. Deon felt the healing cut off briefly and then resume.


    "We''re outside the capital walls again, somewhere back in the field," she explained. "That man, Wei, brought everything to a pause after he stopped you. None of us could move¡­he had us all pinned in place with some sort of power. Then he just¡­made us all float away. We landed in the field a few minutes later. My powers went green, so I rushed to start healing. It''s been almost a full day, I think."


    "What?! Why did he just let us off the hook?" Deon wondered.


    "W¨Cwell¡­it seems like he''s serious about his offer to you," Kotono said.


    "Offer?"


    "Hey, kid. Wanna join Proscious?"


    In his heightened fit of rage, Deon had dismissed those words as a passing tease. He''d only cared about killing Wei for what he''d done to Skrili, and to keep him from doing it to anyone else.


    But apparently, Wei meant it. He wanted Deon to join his overpowered group of bullies, ''Proscious¡­'' whatever that entailed. He was even willing to abandon their entire purpose in Azvaylen, and fake Zayza and Lammy''s deaths to give them back safely.


    Just what about Deon joining his group was so significant that it overrode whatever they were trying to accomplish here?


    Deon had way too many questions for a still-foggy mind, but he already had at least one answer:


    "Ha. Yeah, right. Why the heck would I join them? They''re the ones hurting everyone we love!"


    He eyed the slim opening in the tent.


    "Speaking of that¡­" he growled.


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    Against Kotono''s insistence, Deon rushed to his feet. But instantly, everything spun and contorted in his vision and ears. The ground seemed to rise up and meet him.


    Recovering woozily, he found himself on the ground again, back in Kotono''s arms.


    "S¨Csorry Deon, you have to wait," she pleaded. "The healing effects take time to wear off."


    Deon gritted his teeth, but he couldn''t protest as Kotono guided him back into a lying position.


    "It''s just like the TeamTrack healing app, so it affects everyone differently," Kotono shared. "Hiroko gets really grumpy. She says I get all philosophical for some reason. You just have to give it time before you try going back to face him."


    "We don''t have time," Deon stressed.


    Kotono''s face alone said all he needed to hear. He fell silent and didn''t try to move again.


    He could tell she wanted to storm back to the castle just as badly as him, but it was an impossible ambition right now. Deon and Skrili were in no position to put up the fight of their lives.


    Even powered up, they were no match for Wei. And Kotono, Hiroko, and Phillip were barely a match for Irma and Benton.


    Despite their sheer passion and strength, this group¨CProscious¨Chad humiliated them.


    The healing sensation vanished from Deon''s body as Kotono removed her hand and stood. The numbness subsiding, he felt intact from head to toe.


    "P¨CPlease, try to rest for now," Kotono urged. "Wei told you to come back to him in two days with your choice. That buys us a little time."


    Right¡­two days, Deon remembered. Does he really think I''ll change my mind by then? He must seriously believe our odds against him are that hopeless.


    Wei''s casual smile haunted Deon''s mind as he tried to block out more returning memories of Skrili''s twisted and battered body.


    Maybe he''s right.


    But screw him.


    Regardless of Wei''s reasoning, this window of reprieve gave them a free opportunity to recalibrate before death would threaten their friends again. Even if Deon''s confidence was uncertain at best, they had to take this chance.


    "O¨Cokay, Deon?"


    He observed Kotono as she stood there checking on him for a moment. He couldn''t help but admire her. Despite being so dainty and gentle, when pressured enough, she had the ability to entirely destroy, or entirely restore. It was wrath and creation wrapped in one.


    Her power was almost godlike.


    "Fine, yeah, I''ll wait¡­" Deon agreed, "only on one condition, though."


    "Hm?"


    "You have to go rest, too," he insisted. "You said it''s been a full day? That means you spent this whole time saving our butts. Go take care of yourself, too."


    A weak smile pushed her dimples. "I''ll try," she said. "And¡­we''ll find a way¡­t¨Cto beat them."


    With that, Kotono exited the tent. Deon caught a glimpse of the evening sky outside, which looked drearier in this reality than any other he''d seen.


    Then, he and Skrili were alone.


    He turned his head to her again.


    Our first fight after Skip''s training, and we almost get killed, he thought.


    Everything felt heavy.


    What would Skip say? How do we beat a bunch of murderers with impossibly strong consciousness powers¨Cand with multiple consciousness powers?


    Wait¡­


    Unusually strong consciousness powers. Multiple types in one person.


    Skip.


    Suddenly, Deon felt even heavier.


    It''s them.


    Those ''wrong eyes.''


    Not even a day after leaving, Deon and Skrili found the very people Skip warned them to stay away from at all costs.


    And now they were threatening Deon, with the blood of his cousin, to join them.


    ~~~


    Lammy stared at the bulky chains wrapped around the gate to his cell. He doubted even Raznizu''s sharpest knife could carve through them.


    Then there was the even deadlier problem just beyond the cells. If Layla''s magic worked, they''d still have to somehow slip past every member of Proscious, and every royal guard. Was this escape really possible?


    "The gates will just¡­unlock?" Lammy checked.


    Layla''s projection nodded. "All of our cell doors will open at some point. I enchanted them so even if I ended up locked in here with you, we could still escape without exterior assistance."


    Lammy''s attempt at wrapping his mind around this foreign ability must have been written all over his face.


    "The enchantments are based in manipulation of the written-word," Layla clarified, taking on an informative tone odd for someone their age. "Our native language holds innate magical ability within the Lanmuraarch reality. But it''s ever-evolving."


    This girl really thought of everything, thought Lammy, appreciating her patience with his inexperience. And I thought I was a good strategist¡­maybe there really is a chance.


    The separated group all glanced at their own cell doors, awaiting the slightest hint of them opening, but nothing changed. All Lammy could hope was that nobody would come back to interrogate them when it happened¨Cespecially if the unlocking process proved obvious whenever it were to occur.


    If timing was on their side, this could work.


    But if they failed, Deon and Skrili were still on the way. He knew it.


    He watched them give everything to try and reach him and Zayza before Najinzu snatched them in Fiction Country. They wouldn''t simply give up; Deon was far too stubborn, and far too protective.


    Lammy could only guess how much stronger Deon was by now after all this time in the Multiverse. Surely his ability would be an even match for Proscious, especially with a finalist like Skrili on his side.


    Perhaps Hiroko and Kotono were still doing all they could to save them, too.


    Help was coming. And it was the best help Lammy could hope for.


    "When did you learn all of this complex enchanting?" Zayza asked her sister in amazement. "I couldn''t manage anything nearly this complex."


    "Once you started telling me about your suspicions of Proscious," Layla said. "I studied with the Master Enchanter, but didn''t tell him my reasonings. Now that I¡¯ve unveiled my intents¡­I''m sure Proscious will kill him to weaken my resolve."


    Her fingers squeezed at her dress as a shaky frown formed, full of mourning and fury.


    "That''s who Proscious really is," she murmured unsteadily. "And there will be others¡­innocent people who have assisted me without knowing¡­They will die as punishment for my resistance."


    "Layla¡­you can''t save everyone, no matter how hard you try," came Zayza''s voice softly. Her eyes stared into something unseen. "Believe me."


    The others fell silent. They knew the tragic truth backing her words.


    Eventually, Raznizu shifted.


    "Zayza is right, my Queen," he assured. "You''ve done unbelievably well, bringing nothing but honor to your royal bloodline. You''ve prepared our next move, so now, we wait."


    Everyone nodded. But Lammy noticed Layla''s gaze linger on Zayza after her last words, eyes practically reaching out. There was a reluctance keeping her from speaking whatever she clearly wanted to say.


    Thanks to months of traveling alone with Zayza, he was certain Layla was holding back a question. Her face was remarkably similar to her sister''s, even down to the slightest mannerisms.


    But he turned away, realizing he''d probably been staring too long. This was between them.


    "So¡­you really did do it, then," Layla''s voice finally echoed.


    She didn''t elaborate, but she didn''t need to. And while Zayza didn''t respond, her eyes now fixated on the filthy cell floor, Layla knew the answer.


    "Did¡­did they suffer?" came Layla''s voice. "Daddy, Mommy, and Vayva¡­did they suffer long?"


    Her sister couldn''t bear to return eye contact. A sigh escaped her, but it turned into more of an empty sob. Tears forced their way down Zayza''s cheeks.


    ¡°I wish I could say ¡®no,¡¯¡± Zayza muttered, ¡°without lying.¡±


    Layla''s own sobs began. Raznizu leaned toward both of their projections, as if to embrace them, until he remembered they were all in entirely different places.


    "Ever since my memories returned, I haven''t stopped hearing their screams and their begging for death. Now¡­I understand why I tried to forget it all," Zayza struggled out. "When I saw you in the balcony, Layla, and thought Proscious had claimed you too, it crushed everything left in me. Because¡­I knew what was going to happen to you. I''ve seen it."


    Lammy¡¯s fists clenched so hard he thought his skin might split. He didn¡¯t want to speak or react¡ªthis was between two sisters who had lost their entire family. But he couldn¡¯t hold it back. His love for his companion made it impossible.


    He was disgusted.


    ¡°How¡­¡± he uttered, his head shaking as if in attempt to ward off their suffering. ¡°How could Proscious do this? WHY? They¡¯ve hurt and taken everyone from you¡­just to get your Dreamer powers??¡±


    "They seek access, and authority, over our powers," Layla confirmed solemnly.


    ¡°That can¡¯t justify all they¡¯ve done,¡± denied Lammy, his head still shaking. ¡°It just¡­can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Layla agreed quietly, ¡°But¡­we don¡¯t know anything beyond that.¡±


    ¡°Actually, we do. I do.¡±


    Everyone looked to Zayza. Her expression was pointed yet contemplative, about to elaborate to her now curious listeners.


    Then abruptly, her eyes jumped to what Lammy assumed was her cell''s gate.


    Is¡­is something happening over there? he worried.


    But the Princess¡¯s focus returned to the projections of her three companions, now even more determined than before.


    Her mouth opened.


    "I discovered evidence of Proscious''s deeper motives just before I tried one more time to save our family," Zayza revealed out loud.


    "Zayza, princess," Raznizu quickly intervened. "You''re speaking with your mouth now, not just through the magic¡­"


    "I don''t care if someone hears me. They need to understand," Zayza said flatly, defiance in her eyes. "I''m not running away from this anymore."


    She glanced over at her cell gate again, as if she''d addressed everyone beyond it.


    Layla shifted her weight, her eyes widening. "You¡­uncovered their purpose?" Layla repeated. "Then¡­what is it?"


    "They don''t merely want our powers," said Zayza. "They want to use them¡­to create something far worse."

 90. Fall of Azvaylen (Part 1 of 3)

    "Use them to create something¡­far worse?" Layla repeated pensively.


    Lammy couldn''t help but find affirmation noticing he wasn''t the only one confused. Zayza''s precise phrasing gave him a shudder.


    What was Proscious creating?


    Zayza took a long pause, glancing at all three of them, and then at her cell gate again.


    "Azvaylen may not only be where the destruction happens," she said, "but instead, where it begins¡­"


    ~~~


    (Months before¡­)


    Zayza didn''t want to ever be Queen.


    She had no thirst for authority, and even lacked the appetite for the little influence she had over Azvaylen now. As the second child, she always figured she wouldn''t have to trouble herself with such lofty responsibilities. Vayva would one day succeed her parents, marry Fewpar, and they would rule the kingdom. They would see to the safety and wellbeing of the nation.


    And yet here Zayza was, warping across the Dream World to meddle in these very affairs.


    But it wasn''t a call to duty that led her to these reddening skies and black grassy plains.


    On the contrary, it was rebellion.


    It seemed at every turn of her life, her family rose up to oppose her motivations in favor of their own. They held expectations for her that she never wanted to achieve. They were always right.


    It instilled a constant rebellion within her.


    And now, that rebellion towards them was the very reason she could sense they needed her help.


    For once, she knew she was right: something was severely wrong.


    But she feared perhaps she was already too late.


    The closer she warped to her father''s presence, the clearer she could hear the moans and cries. It was worse than she''d thought: Proscious wasn''t simply tampering with his mind: they were eating at it.


    She had to hurry.


    Blinking to a new displacement high in the brittle air, Zayza brought her pursuit to a dead halt.


    A Dreamer Guard.


    But¡­this far away from where she could sense her father?


    Their grayish purple robe proved it was undeniably a guard, and not another Dreamer within the castle. The hood covered their entire head and face, save two eyeholes, and flowed down to their ankles with Azvaylen''s insigna on the front, just as every Dreamer Guard¡¯s attire.


    Thankfully they hadn''t spotted her above.


    Zayza warped backwards several paces and ascended higher. She peered down below:


    Two¡­three¡­


    Spread out evenly across the hills and plains, Dreamer Guards were everywhere. Some even floated in the sky like dark stars.


    This many¡­? Zayza observed. Her father would never assign this many guards for himself unless there was some sort of immediate threat.


    So he wasn''t the one who assigned them.


    Proscious was hiding something about her father that they couldn''t afford to be uncovered.


    There were too many guards for Zayza to sneak past totally undetected. And the way security operated in the castle now, wrapped around Proscious''s filthy finger, even she wouldn''t be welcome in this area. If she wanted to get through to her father, she needed to fight.


    But these were fellow Azvaylens¨Cfriends and colleagues of hers in the Dreamer Arts.


    Her father''s wailing soared faintly across the sky once more.


    She had no choice.


    Zayza searched deep within her mind, and then spread the probing sensation throughout her body. Commencing a meditative technique one of her instructors¡ªwho was likely among these guards¡ªtaught her, she forced a shift in the nature of her powers to taint it.


    Her energy would now shine yellowish instead of the familiar green she was known for. The resulting cognitive sensation was dissonant: it felt just like lying.


    Zayza sighed. She summoned the energy, creating a skin of light all around her to mask her identity.


    She was ready.


    But¡­they were her friends. So perhaps¡­


    She eyed a position in the air, equidistant from the first Dreamer Guard and the next. Zayza warped there, aiming to blink forward again immediately and put off being detected as long as possible.


    "Halt!"


    How foolish of her.


    These were some of the highest-skilled Dreamers in the Multiverse. Of course they would sense her instantly.


    She knew that voice: an old classmate.


    How foolish of her to hope.


    Zayza spun to face him and immediately fired a yellow blast of energy, sharp and pointed. Top Academy graduates had Pain Tolerances like fortresses¨Cto eject him out of the Dream World, this had to hurt.


    Her false-colored energy ripped through his own orange blast like nothing and stabbed into him. Screaming, the young man disappeared.


    I''m sorry, Zuenik, Zayza''s mind ached.


    She soon found there would be no more time for mental apologies. Within a moment, dozens more guards were upon her.


    Zayza tried her best not to internalize their cries. Even now, they were no match for her. With every blast she fired, every teleportation and dodge, and every redirected attack, another Dreamer Guard succumbed to the pain and vanished from the Dream World.


    Several of them defended one particular direction, which matched Zayza''s senses: her father was that way.


    "STOP!"


    "This Dreamer is too strong! Who is he?!"


    Her father''s voice bellowed in the distance again underneath the guards'' increasing worries.


    Praying she could maintain the false shade of energy with her next technique, Zayza prepared herself.


    The true extent of her power and skill was meant to remain secret at all costs. But if there was ever a time to risk unveiling it, that was now.


    Energy flickered all around her like heat lightning, encompassing the increasing flocks of guards. With a single step forward, she darted through the air, energy blasting out from her.


    She didn''t look back. If any guards'' Pain Tolerance survived the blow, this move communicated further attempts against her stood no chance. She''d taken out the majority of their forces.


    This granted her a window of time before reinforcements would come, and before Dreamers she defeated could recover and return.


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    It was her only chance to get through to her father.


    She continued forward towards his presence.


    The King¡¯s voice became clearer as she zoomed over the white plains. It transformed from empty cries to words:


    "Enough¡­!"


    "...Why¡­?"


    "...There''s no end¡­!!"


    "I am a lie!!"


    Zayza touched down onto a circle of hills. Perfectly in the center, within a minor valley, hunched a sorry figure.


    His once-glorious purple armor dangled loosely around his shaking limbs, which all barely kept the rest of him above the grass. Black weeds weaved in and out of his sunken clothing like he''d been there for decades.


    The king''s hair, normally silvery and full like a traditional blade, was frail here in the Dream World.


    His moans continued on as Zayza could barely stand to watch, his tears purple and bloodlike in texture, blotching the pure ground.


    "Father¡­"


    He recoiled. "The voices¡­get out of my head¡­"


    Zayza dismissed the energy around her body. "Father, I''m here."


    Her voice shook, though she tried to prevent it. She and her sisters were to exude strength in his presence at all times. Even now, in the King''s condition, she fell naturally into this notion.


    But when the King finally lifted his head to her, all formal discipline was absent.


    For the first time, she saw his love for her written on his face. She didn''t have to hear it or guess.


    "My Zayza¡­?" he gasped. "My daughter?"


    Zayza rushed down to him, arms reaching out and tears glistening. It was something she hadn¡¯t done this since she was a little girl, after having scraped her knees playing or losing an argument against Vayva. And each time, royal guards would seize her by the hands and tug her away: her father couldn''t be bothered with her trivial matters.


    Zayza practically expected to feel their rough hands yank at hers again. But this time, there was nothing keeping her from her father.


    She fell over him in a tearful hug.


    "I knew if anyone would try to find me here, and succeed, it would be you," the King remarked, still wincing from a hidden, constant pain. "You''re powerful. And too much like your mother: a stubborn contrarian."


    "What has become of you, Father?" Zayza sniffed. "What have they done to you?"


    "You were right¡­I should have never partnered with them¡­once your mother began voicing suspicions, they¡­affected us," he said. "Everything we say and do in the real world is according to their will. They control our minds somehow. But because of it, on the inside¡­the pain¡­it¡¯s unbearable¡­"


    He coughed up something black and tarry.


    "You can only see its true effects because we''re in the Dream World: a mind''s realm," he grunted. "This is what I¡¯ve really felt¡­for months¡­endlessly¡­and this is what your mother feels, too. I''m sure of it¡­Sleep is our minds¡¯ only freedom, but it only brings more agony¡­"


    Zayza recalled her mother''s tossing and turning when she and Oflenur snuck into their bedroom minutes ago. She was moaning, crying, stuck in a nightmare.


    Her father shook violently, and let out another scream. His face felt cold.


    "Months of this¡­months of horror¡­" he muttered.


    Then, he wept. Zayza could do little but watch on¡ªshe hardly recognized him.


    "What should I do? How do I help you?" Zayza pleaded.


    For the first time in perhaps years, the King smiled. But his eyes remained empty.


    "Zayza, it is too late for me and your mother," he said. "You cannot save¡ª"


    "I can! Why have you never believed in me like you do in Vayva and Layla?" Zayza shot.


    Her regret was immediate. But it was too late.


    "Please¡­let me try and save¡ª" she restarted softer.


    "Zayza, just this once, please trust your Father," the King croaked. He stumbled onto his side, and Zayza rushed to catch him. "I do not deserve it¡­but I''m begging you."


    Mouth quivering, Zayza tried to listen.


    "The ways I''ve treated and raised you have not always been fair, my daughter; such is the life of a princess. But¡­it was all calculated¡­" he promised in between harsh coughs. "I know you feel I''ve taken more pride in your sisters'' accomplishments than yours. But Vayva, you, and Layla are all magnificent, and in very different ways. Your way is so special, and so important¡­that it needed to be kept secret."


    His sudden shout jolted Zayza back into fear. Purple light began glowing weakly around the King, especially in his eyes. His exclamations only grew more violent as he collapsed, generating sounds Zayza didn''t know a human could produce.


    "FATHER!"


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­it''s ripping my mind apart¡­" he choked. "Zayza¡­I didn''t keep your abilities private out of shame. Your power¡ªthe incredible power you''ve cultivated¡ªis Azvaylen''s most precious hidden weapon¡­"


    Zayza had no choice but to release her grasp on him: his body had grown scorchingly hot.


    "What¡­?" she uttered.


    "You''ve become the most powerful Dreamer in Azvaylen¡­perhaps in all of history. You know this," he gasped. "But any knowledge of this outside our family would have made you a target for adversaries. And now, a time such as this is precisely what you were meant for. Proscious knows nothing of your true Dreamer power¡ªif they did, they would have tried to recreate it from you instead of me¡­"


    "R¡­recreate it?"


    The King nodded weakly. "Proscious¡­is trying to build something that will destroy the way of the Multiverse forever¡­They need full access to our powers to do it, so they earned¡ªand then forced¡ªour trust¡­"


    He stopped and screamed again, the dull light flickering.


    "They believe I am the strongest Dreamer¡­but it''s you¡­and as long as they''re ignorant to that, you''ll have the final advantage to stop them¡­it has to be you, Zayza¡­" the King told her. "Vayva has been deceived by their ways; she believes Proscious will restore us to our former glory. And Layla is too young to fathom what is happening. But you understand, and you have the power. Only you can stop Proscious before it''s too late."


    Suddenly, Zayza couldn''t feel anything.


    This was what he truly thought of her?


    This was who she was?


    She was supposed to be the least remarkable sister, at least in the eyes of the nation. She was the least fit to become a queen, even if she wanted it.


    Too na?ve¡­


    Too idealistic¡­


    Her only pride was her powers, and she was forced her to keep quiet about them. She had to hide them away.


    But it was all for a purpose?


    "But¡­father¡­how do I stop them?"


    The smile that curled his lips now was hollow. It was decisive, heartbroken, and final.


    His oozing eyes looked forward into the ongoing Dream World, but what he saw was the end.


    "In the Dreamer Chamber¡­they''ve almost completed their experiments using my powers. They''ve almost taken what they need, but they rely on me," he uttered. "Zayza¡­ I need you to kill me."


    ¡°NO!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the only way to sabotage their mission,¡± he asserted. ¡°And¡­frankly¡­I can¡¯t do this any longer. Neither of us can.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll find a way to free your minds!¡±


    The King shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no undoing this decay. It¡¯s something mysterious they took time to develop, specifically to influence us. I can feel it in my head¡ªtrying to reverse this would likely kill us, anyway. The pain is unending, Zayza. And your mother¡ªshe¡¯s merely an empty shell now. Her mind has no Dream World to hide in. She¡¯s just a vessel serving their will, in silent torment, and she¡¯ll never be able to tell anyone. This is no way to live, my love. We¡¯re in Hell.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°But you can set us free.¡±


    ¡°Father¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just for the good of Azvaylen, Zayza. I¡¯m begging you¡­bring us relief. I¡¯ve prayed for nothing more than this every conscious moment in the Dream World. And now, my brilliant, powerful daughter has come as an answer. Please, Zayza. For me, and for your mother.¡±


    Zayza couldn¡¯t verbalize protest anymore. It only came out as sobs, soaking into her hair and clothes.


    ¡°And then¡­please¡­protect Vayva. Win her back,¡± her father said. ¡°With me gone, she¡¯ll become Queen. So they¡¯ll come for her powers instead. They¡¯ll try to control her mind, and she¡¯ll meet the same fate. Tell her what I revealed to you. Together, you can end this: with your powers, you can defend the Dream World. And with Azvaylen under Vayva and Fewpar¡¯s rule, you can work together to reclaim our¡ª¡±


    He tensed and writhed, screaming once more. Zayza had never felt so helpless. She could only kneel there before him and watch his despair rage on.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t say these things, Father¡­I can¡¯t do it¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Her sobs deepened.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°¡­I sat there for probably hours,¡± Zayza said, ¡°watching him scream.¡±


    The dungeon hadn¡¯t been this silent the entire time Lammy had been trapped in it¡ªeven before the magic connected him to Zayza and Raznizu.


    ¡°Daddy¡­Mommy¡­¡±


    It was Layla¡¯s voice. Lammy couldn¡¯t bring himself to see her face. He could hear it all in her words.


    ¡°The anguish never let up. At some point, I gave in to his pleas. I¡­used the Dreamer Death Ritual,¡± Zayza uttered, her gaze distant and haunted. She still spoke out loud, ignoring their current telepathic capabilities. ¡°And Oflenur kept a Huksd¨¹r poison on him at all times. If anyone found him with me, he¡¯d planned to use it on himself to escape execution.¡±


    Secret lover, Lammy recalled from Kotono¡¯s explanation. They were from enemy nations.


    ¡°It¡¯s made to be painless. So I¡­I used that poison on Mother, and she finally stopped crying. She passed in her sleep.¡± Zayza paused, her whole body shaking. ¡°My heart is tainted, Layla. I¡­I killed our own¡­¡±


    ¡°You did your duty,¡± Layla whispered. She wiped her face, and did her best to sit tall. ¡°This isn¡¯t over yet, Zayza. We can avenge them, as well as Vayva. We can defeat Proscious and make them proud.¡±


    Lammy could feel the force of her resolve. It pulled at him, fishing out inspiration. He needed to keep fighting. He wanted to follow her lead.


    Truly, she was meant to be a Queen.


    ¡°Did you learn anything else?¡± she asked. ¡°About their experiments?¡±


    Zayza clenched her fists, and then nodded. ¡°I was foolish: I knew Vayva wouldn¡¯t believe me, so I thought Oflenur and I could sabotage the experiments before they would realize what happened and come for her,¡± she shared. ¡°We headed for the Dreamer Chamber¡­and we saw those experiments for ourselves.¡±

 91. Fall of Azvaylen (Part 2 of 3)

    ~~~


    (Months before¡­)


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡­¡±


    Oflenur¡¯s utterances behind Zayza wouldn¡¯t stop as they weaved through the dim castle hallways. While his low, tender voice usually brought comfort, right now it simply raised their risk of capture.


    ¡°Zayza¡­please say something, my love¡­¡±


    She wanted to. But it was unsafe.


    No¡ªshe knew that wasn¡¯t why. She felt sick.


    If she tried speaking now, the pained sobs would only continue. It would make her actions feel real again, and right now, it was simply too horrifying to feel real.


    Everything hurt so much.


    ¡°Zayza, please¡­¡±


    She sped her pace.


    Oflenur seized her by the arm, both firmly and gently.


    Finally, she stopped and turned to him. Even in utter turmoil, his brown eyes lured her attention. He gritted his teeth behind his trimmed black beard, struggling to remain strong.


    ¡°We have to get to the Dreamer Chamber,¡± Zayza insisted.


    ¡°Zayza, what are we even doing? You need to stop and grieve¡ªyou¡¯re not okay,¡± he whispered insistently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡±


    Oflenur sighed, looking around into the darkness as if it were closing in on them. ¡°I thought we would never involve ourselves in these politics. I¡¯m from Huksd¨¹r, Zayza. If they find out what we just did, they¡¯ll see it as an act of war,¡± he stressed. ¡°We were supposed to run away together. We were supposed to help your parents out of their troubles, and then start a new life: no Azvaylen, no Huksd¨¹r. Just us.¡±


    ¡°That was before Proscious forced me into no choice but to kill my own¡­¡± Zayza tried.


    The sobs resurfaced. It was real again.


    She felt Oflenur¡¯s big arms wrap around her much lighter frame and pull her against him. His heartbeat boomed. His smell reminded her of their many nights of promises¡ªtheir future together.


    Oflenur weaved his hand through her hair. ¡°You should have never had to make that choice,¡± he whispered directly into her ear. ¡°You should go to Vayva and tell her what just happened.¡±


    Zayza shoved against his chest, distancing herself from him. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°She needs to know. Perhaps she can stop them.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think she¡¯d believe me?¡± Zayza fought. ¡°If I tell her what I just did, she¡¯d never believe why. She would have us killed immediately, and Proscious would win. She¡¯s never trusted my decisions.¡±


    Oflenur¡¯s weakening gaze revealed her point was a strong one.


    ¡°This is how we save her,¡± Zayza said flatly. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Dream Chamber to try and stop the experiments myself, before they even have the chance to come for her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll take on all of Proscious?¡±


    ¡°Vayva might hate me¡ªespecially now¡ªbut she¡¯s just misguided. She¡¯s still my elder sister,¡± she stressed. ¡°And the future of my family¡¯s home¡ªeven the Multiverse¡ªis at hand. So¡­are you coming or not?¡±


    Her question didn¡¯t come out quite as stern and challenging as she intended. Even now, she couldn¡¯t overshadow the natural gentleness that set her apart from her family, especially while speaking to her love.


    But nonetheless, she didn¡¯t wait for him. Zayza released his arms and continuing her mission down the long hall.


    She heard Oflenur curse to himself after a moment. Then, his footsteps followed.


    ~


    Though their apprehension didn¡¯t settle, Zayza and Oflenur never encountered a guard on their journey through the castle. They¡¯d prepared for this night incidentally, memorizing each patrol position and pattern months ago so Oflenur could sneak to Zayza¡¯s quarters undetected.


    Tonight, it came into much more urgent use when they planned to reach the King and Queen¡¯s bedroom and attempt to free their minds.


    But they never predicted it would turn out like this.


    Zayza clenched her chest as she snuck through an old backdoor into the evening air. It led to a hilly garden at the castle¡¯s rear: a concealed shortcut towards the Dreamer Chamber at the bottom of the slopes.


    Oflenur joined her, and they sifted through the elegantly trimmed bushes and tall pink flowers. This was the way Zayza used to take whenever she ran late for Dreamer Arts classes¡ªwhich was quite often. And so, she had this makeshift trail memorized.


    She recalled the scolding she received from her armored escorts for slipping away, then from her instructor for her tardiness, and then from her parents and Vayva for both. The sideways looks only worsened when she¡¯d barely pass a trial, welcoming judgment from her peers.


    Until today, Zayza never understood why her father demanded she hide her true ability and knowledge. If she gave it her all, she would have surpassed all of the students¡ªand eventually her instructor.


    Vayva was the only classmate who knew. She always despised the logic behind it¡ªbut since she couldn¡¯t question the King, the judgment often fell on Zayza¡¯s ears.


    ¡°You may be incredible, my sister¡­but Dreamer skills alone don¡¯t run nations,¡± she¡¯d often mutter.


    ¡°Then I suppose it¡¯s good that I don¡¯t want to rule,¡± was Zayza¡¯s retort.


    Yet tonight, Dreamer powers were perhaps the key to Azvaylen¡¯s fate.


    A shadowy silhouette of the Dreamer Chamber emerged from behind the foliage as Zayza and Oflenur neared their destination. While not nearly as towering as the castle, the building stood just as transcendent. It simply felt wrong to come to such a place on a disastrous night like this: the chamber¡¯s symmetry, and its quiet isolation far away from all other activity in the kingdom, emanated order. It exuded peace.


    But now the sheer chaos dominating Azvaylen had penetrated even its sacred gates.


    Zayza stopped dead in her advance. Oflenur bumped into her from behind.


    Through the pedals and stems in the remainder of the garden, Zayza made out motion before the circular stone wall that concealed the chamber from the wandering eyes of outsiders. A guard repositioned his stance, staring out into the surrounding area.


    She leaned for a clearer view, and soon spotted another¡­and another. At all angles, guards stood in wait. There must have been dozens.


    This many at this hour? Zayza thought¡ªbut it made sense quickly. Proscious, through their control of her father, likely ordered these guards to the chamber to help conceal their secrets.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯re getting in there,¡± Oflenur muttered.


    Zayza said nothing. She knew he was right.


    Then, a rumble shook the ground. Zayza mistook it for thunder, until it grew in force and its source became clear.


    ¡°They¡¯re in the Chamber right now,¡± Zayza realized. ¡°Proscious is doing something in there.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to cease this endeavor and go alert your sister,¡± Oflenur practically pleaded.


    Zayza turned and brushed past his shoulder, heading further back uphill.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­actually heading my advice?¡± Oflenur checked.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get in there¡­but there¡¯s still a way to see in,¡± Zayza whispered back. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    She ignored his increased sighs and Huksd¨¹r swears as she relocated to their new target.


    Zayza hurried across the hill using the shrubbery to mask herself, her eyes down towards the blacktrees. Naturally weed-like in growth and notoriously hard to chop down, a cluster of them stood unevenly at the very base of the garden and continued past the farthest wall of the Dreamer Chamber. Their roots fed from the shoreline just behind them: the beginning of the ocean separating Azvaylen from Huksd¨¹r.


    One tree was particularly impossible to kill, despite a war the groundkeepers declared on it before Zayza was even born. Its height nearly matched the Dreamer Chamber roof, and its branches were strong.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t climb the tree, Zayza¡­¡± Oflenur insisted behind her. ¡°You¡¯re not very coordinated. We¡¯ll get caught.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m climbing the tree.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me your biggest fear is falling to your death?¡±


    ¡°My classmates used to climb it to spy on others¡¯ private assessments at the end of every year,¡± argued Zayza.


    ¡°Did you, though?¡±


    By now, they¡¯d reached the trunk without detection. Zayza opted not to answer, instead beginning her clumsy ascent. She knew she could scale it much more cleanly had they been in the Dream World right now, but out here, she had to move slow.


    The branches didn¡¯t bend in the slightest under her weight, or even under Oflenur¡¯s as he joined.


    Zayza stopped near the top of the tree, realizing if she went any further she may as well have announced her presence to the guards. She hugged the trunk from behind and didn¡¯t look down.


    Though at the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but think: dying here like this couldn¡¯t be worse than dying like her parents.


    The vivid memory was burning into her mind faster than she could resist it.


    Shaking her head, Zayza tried to focus on the present. From here, the ocean between Azvaylen and Huksd¨¹r had never looked so vast. If only their civilizations had begun as one, if only this natural divide wasn¡¯t in place forcing their rivalry, perhaps Azvaylen would have never resorted to Proscious¡¯s help. Perhaps this tragedy would have never come to life.


    Fearfully, she turned her gaze back to the Dreamer Chamber.


    Zayza had never seen the top of the outer wall like this, but had been told its meaning: the circular stone fence represented the infinite, constantly reincarnating space of the Dream World. Then, the gracefully smooth lines of light stone spiraling in and out of the chamber wall at the top symbolized Dreamers: their unique ability to enter, leave, and manipulate this secret, infinite realm.


    Within it rested a much more familiar structure to her: the chamber itself. Made equally from pearly white and purple bricks, it was perfectly square and stood as a beacon of Azvaylen¡¯s pride: its presence and beauty obvious to the non-Dreamer, but its true power concealed within.


    Zayza recalled the words her father had shared about her purpose as she gazed at it. Her eyes fell to the Great Window: it was time to learn the truth.


    The massive arched window overlooked the sea, barely higher than the outer wall. It was designed to welcome in the setting sun at the onset of dusk: the only time a new Dreamer could be initiated into the Arts, and the only time a master could be christened. Its green tint would recolor the entire chamber.


    But tonight, well past midnight, only Zayza and Oflenur¡¯s sight entered through it.


    An artificial light, pale white and clearly not native to this reality, lit the inside of the building unceremoniously.


    What was sacred to Azvaylen was little more than a lab to Proscious.


    A square stage rose high above the floor, where Dreamers would traditionally meet to enter their realm and engage in Dreamer Combat Training. But tonight it was covered in thick black wires, with only one individual in the center.


    Covered from head to toe in a dark, wavy cloak, and with blue-green hair hiding her face, a young woman lay shivering against the concrete and cords.


    ¡°It¡¯s that girl, Aoi¡­¡± Zayza remembered in a hush.


    ¡°You know her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s one of Proscious¡¯ members. I don¡¯t truly know her¡­we¡¯ve never spoken,¡± Zayza said. ¡°Or, rather¡­I¡¯ve never heard her speak.¡±


    Aoi continued to lie there, and through the bottom of the window Zayza spotted several people walking around in white coats. Some of them seemed to be configuring something, checking the wires and observing the square platform.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± muttered Oflenur.


    Zayza shuffled through her robe and quickly felt a small, rubbery cube. She almost hadn¡¯t brought it with her tonight, but after it caught her eye on the desk near her bedroom door, she figured it might prove valuable. Now, she realized how correct she was.


    She pulled out the dark cube and aimed carefully.


    ¡°A¡­a jelly cube? Alright, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°We need to hear them,¡± Zayza said.


    Giving her best throw without sacrificing her grip on the tree, Zayza watched the bouncy cube of jelly plummet towards the Chamber. She immediately regretted her lack of planning¡ªOflenur had a much better throw. But the cube made contact with the Chamber wall, just barely above the ground, and stuck to the white and black bricks silently. The guards didn¡¯t stir.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes shot back to the Great Window, pleading to herself.


    Then, the machine hums and conversations from within the Chamber filled her ears. It worked.


    ¡°Layla¡¯s been playing around with enchantments lately. She made that for me,¡± Zayza explained. ¡°I can hear everything in that room now. And it will dissolve later.¡±


    ¡°Layla? She¡¯s been helping you spy on Proscious?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve vented to her about my suspicions, but she¡¯s only fourteen. I don¡¯t think she grasps what¡¯s truly happening,¡± said Zayza. ¡°Besides, she¡¯s much more like Vayva. She probably wouldn¡¯t believe me if Vayva told her not to.¡±


    ¡°That said, it¡¯s still quite odd that was her gift to you,¡± Oflenur noted. ¡°It seems to me like she¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Zayza whispered. While she always valued Oflenur¡¯s knack for insight, now wasn¡¯t the time: something was happening in the Chamber.


    Zayza arched forward against the tree as much as possible, her eyes wide with curiosity as the Chamber¡¯s sounds echoed in her mind.


    ¡°Transferal cables inspected. Status: secure.¡±


    ¡°Subject¡¯s vitals are stable.¡±


    ¡°Intensity increased to ninety percent.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, whoa¡­Didn¡¯t I say ninety-five? What¡¯s up with that?¡±


    The last voice was smooth¡ªeven beautiful. It was much louder than the others, and Zayza knew it wasn¡¯t because of the enchantment.


    The speaker stepped into view, appearing slowly from the top of the Great Window. Between his height, icy blue hair, and eyes somehow just as black as his clothes, he was unmistakable.


    Wei, Proscious¡¯s leader, walked towards the center platform, disregarding and even stepping on the countless thick wires.


    ¡°Well? Ninety-five percent, everyone,¡± he instructed, whirling a black-nailed finger around. ¡°Come on, do your tech thing. You¡¯re professionals, I believe in you.¡±


    Only his footsteps sounded across the room for a moment.


    ¡°See? You¡¯re making that face. You know, that face I always say you make when you¡¯re uncomfortable but don¡¯t want to show it. You¡¯re doing that right now,¡± he told a worker outside of Zayza¡¯s view.


    ¡°Wei¡­infusion at ninety-five percent for a type like this drastically raises chances of trauma¡ªboth bodily and mentally.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve successfully done this kind of thing¡­how many times, now?¡± Wei countered.


    Again, uncomfortable silence.


    ¡°What, am I being a bully? You guys can be honest with me. It¡¯s not my intent to be a bully.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± a different worker muttered. ¡°The subject is too rare to risk losing.¡±


    ¡°¡®The ¡®subject¡¯s¡¯ name is Aoi, alright?¡± Wei snipped. ¡°She has a name. She¡¯s a real person with a body and a soul. That ¡®subject¡¯ jargon is downright demeaning, you got that?¡±


    By now, he reached beginning of the platform. Wei stopped, staring unblinkingly at the still shivering Aoi on the hard, wiry ground.


    ¡°You guys aren¡¯t really concerned, are you? Not about her, at least. You¡¯re only concerned about our mission¡¯s success,¡± he challenged. ¡°You don¡¯t care about Aoi at all. About how she feels. That never crosses your mind, does it? You never asked her how she feels about going to ninety-five percent instead of ninety, did you?¡±


    In a single, one-legged jump, he lifted himself up onto the platform and stood above Aoi.


    ¡°Because I can tell you right now, I¡¯ve asked her. Every time, with every type, I used to ask her,¡± Wei told them. ¡°And I can tell you exactly why I¡¯m fine with risking her life right now: it¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t care about it.¡±


    He stepped closer to her.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t care about how we use her body,¡± he continued. ¡°I used to give her every opportunity to speak up for herself. She never did. I used to try motivating her, try giving her a sense of purpose. I treated her with respect. It didn¡¯t matter. She lets us do whatever we want. You¡¯re all geniuses, but pardon me as I put this bluntly for you: she has no self-value.¡±


    Aside from the shivers, Aoi remained still like an old doll left under the clutter of a child¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°So when you try to preserve her, you¡¯re being selfish, not compassionate. And I get it: you want to succeed. This is the closest we¡¯ve ever gotten to recreating the Element. This may be the one,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m a real friend. Because I listened, and I understand her. Just as much as our Mission matters to me, what Aoi really wants matters to me, too. And that¡¯s for her to be used, abused until there¡¯s nothing left, discarded, and forgotten. Got it?¡±


    His black eyes fell to Aoi, somehow filled with warmth. He gave a smile, and Zayza only detected love in it.


    But while maintaining that very expression, he reached down and yanked Aoi to her feet. She crashed against him weakly and almost toppled back over, barely managing to catch her trembling balance.


    ¡°So I won¡¯t say it again: set the infusion to ninety-five percent,¡± he ordered.


    Zayza felt cold. She watched as Wei exited the platform, leaving Aoi standing unevenly.


    The workers continued their status updates and preparations for several minutes¡ªmostly using terms Zayza had never heard before, and couldn¡¯t begin to understand. Then low, resounding hums filled the room and flickered the artificial lights.


    All the while, Aoi didn¡¯t move.


    Though Zayza didn¡¯t know this young woman well, she now felt an unquenchable urge to rush into the Chamber and embrace her in a hug.


    The hums gradually increased, and their tone morphed.


    They sounded like moans¡­


    ¡­Then cries¡­


    ¡­Then screams.


    They were her father¡¯s screams.


    Thousands of them.


    Zayza almost broke off the enchantment right then. This was too much.


    But she couldn¡¯t stop now.


    The deathly shouts coursed through the black wires, which began lifting of the ground as if possessed. The ones closest to the platform rose in a perfect circle around Aoi, pointing towards her head.


    Purple beams blast out of the cables at Aoi, igniting her body with energy. She shook violently, gritting her teeth¡ªbut still, she didn¡¯t make a sound all the while.


    It lasted almost a minute. The King¡¯s ghostly screams faded along with the energy, and the wires fell limp. Aoi collapsed to her knees. All Zayza could hear was her shallow, labored panting. She looked so pale, and Zayza couldn¡¯t remember if she always had.


    ¡°Well¡­?¡± Wei inquired from out of view.


    ¡°Synchronization complete and stable. The subject¡¯s¡ªI mean¡ªAoi¡¯s body accepted it,¡± a worker revealed. ¡°She¡¯s now a Dreamer.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Zayza couldn¡¯t help but utter.


    ¡°What happened?¡± wondered Oflenur.


    ¡°They turned her into a¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­synchronization reversing. Compatibility failing.¡±


    Zayza returned her attention to the Great Window.


    ¡°Infusion rejected. Operation unsuccessful.¡±


    Aoi let out a weak, reluctant heave. A drip of blood fell from the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Ah, come on. So close!¡± Wei exclaimed. ¡°Alright, one-hundred percent infusion.¡±


    ¡°We¡­we would need to distill a pure source again to accomplish that,¡± said a scientist. ¡°We¡¯ve run out.¡±


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll need to bring the King back tomorrow, then,¡± Wei decided. ¡°He was in rough shape last time, though. So if it kills him, plan to restart the whole project with Princess Vayva as our source. High power thresholds tend to be genetic.¡±


    Father was right¡­Zayza thought. She¡¯s next.


    But the now unsacred Chamber once again fell silent aside from ambient hums and low beeps. Zayza could feel the workers¡¯ hesitation under her own skin.


    ¡°You guys are doing that again,¡± Wei grumbled. ¡°And you over there: you¡¯re making that face again.¡±


    ¡°But¡­as you know¡­s¡ªsetting the infusion to one-hundred percent could cause¡ª¡± a worker tried.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than what doing NOTHING would cause,¡± Wei retorted. He reappeared into Zayza¡¯s view, pacing with a finger to his chin. ¡°We are INCREDIBLY close. Gaining full access to the Dream World is crucial¡ªonce we¡¯re in, the Dreamers will be ours to use. Our secrets will become untraceable. That¡¯s VITAL to the Mission.¡±


    He glanced at Aoi.


    ¡°We will reshape the Multiverse to our will. We¡¯ll make it what it should have always been: separated¡­a place where the very concept of a consciousness can¡¯t exist.¡±

 92. Fall of Azvaylen (Part 3 of 3)

    ~~~


    Zayza would never see her parents¡¯ burials. She would only become the cause of more.


    Vayva stabbed into her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Her eldest sister¡¯s bold blue eyes focused on Zayza¡¯s dress as she attempted to fasten a black flower to it with trembling hands. For now, this was all they could do to mourn their parents¡¯ death.


    Such was the way of the royal family: stability of the nation came first. Vayva¡¯s immediate coronation waited on the other side of these extravagant walls. Guards found the King and Queen deceased in their bed this morning. Vayva was the Queen now. Once that was formally declared, investigations would follow. Then, the weeklong funeral ritual could ensue.


    But for now, these black flowers were all the three sisters had.


    ¡°Is it painful like this?¡± Vayva checked.


    Zayza heard her father weeping. She saw her mother¡¯s breath stop.


    She did it.


    ¡°Zayza?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­rather irritating on my skin,¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°But I¡¯ll live with it.¡±


    Vayva¡¯s matching black freckles raised on each cheek with her attempted smile. It froze Zayza once their eyes met. Zayza always admired her sister¡¯s beauty, despite everyone¡¯s constant claims of their striking resemblance. But it wasn¡¯t just physical beauty: barely a year older than Zayza, Vayva¡¯s poise and assurance drew every eye. Her words swayed every mind.


    She was born to rule Azvaylen.


    But not like this. Not if her faith in Proscious continued.


    She had to know.


    ¡°Let me know if I pinch you, alright?¡± Vayva said softly to her side. She had moved over to assist Layla.


    ¡°It hurts, Vayva,¡± Layla muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try another spot. How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    Vayva leaned forward and scooped her youngest sister into a hug. Layla immediately reciprocated, tears falling from them both.


    Zayza took a step towards them, but caught herself.


    What right do I have?


    But Layla and Vayva¡¯s dampened faces turned to her expectantly. While Layla often came to her in times of stress, Vayva hadn¡¯t looked at her like this in years. It felt like they were destined to be at odds forever. But none of that mattered now: what they¡¯d lost together could only be mourned together.


    Zayza continued forward and embraced her sisters. She wept with them, alone in the dressing room.


    But she just wanted to run.


    She¡¯d caused all of this suffering. No¡ªProscious forced her to. She destroyed her own family, and for what?


    ¡°We will reshape the Multiverse to our will.¡±


    Wei¡¯s words echoed within her. This wasn¡¯t for nothing¡ªbut it would be if Zayza stopped here. Her father¡¯s warnings proved true. Her parents sacrifices¡ªher sacrifices¡ªweren¡¯t only to reduce their torment and expedite their inevitable deaths. They were to fight back against a brewing force that threatened reality itself.


    And Vayva was about to become their next pawn.


    Zayza had to keep going. She had to cut them off before they could grow any stronger.


    Most of all, she had to save her sister.


    Vayva wouldn¡¯t understand. She would never forgive her. A confession would lead to the end of Zayza¡¯s life as she knew it.


    But she had to try.


    ¡°Who would do this to us¡­?¡± Layla whispered. ¡°Who¡­?¡±


    Vayva hugged them both tighter.


    Despite her resolve, Zayza could no longer bring herself to speak.


    ~


    The coronation was quiet.


    Once commenced, it lasted for what felt like mere minutes. All royal personnel stood in even lines under glistening chandeliers, but the throne room felt gray. Every mouth recited their undying allegiance to Queen Vayva, but the air was lifeless.


    This wasn¡¯t the spectacular ceremony Zayza knew her sister had been dreaming of since they were little girls. Under emergency measures, it was swift and to the point. Mourning overshadowed what should have been the highlight of Vayva¡¯s life.


    She stood alone before the King¡¯s former throne, poised, powerful, and utterly beautiful. Her illustrious blue dress and somber dark makeup should have been on display outside on the balcony for all of Azvaylen¡¯s capital to see, years and years from now. Not today, isolated in the Throne Room.


    Vayva¡¯s speech was flawless: precisely what Zayza would expect even under these circumstances.


    ¡°I vow to you: I will continue the work my father and mother started,¡± she said in conclusion. ¡°Working together closely with Proscious, I will see to the continuation of growth and prosperity for all of Azvaylen.¡±


    Zayza tried not to recoil at her words.


    The new Queen¡¯s strong gaze landed close to Zayza and warmed. Zayza and Layla stood just before the throne, and right beside them was Fewpar.


    For now, Vayva would rule alone until their marriage. But everyone in Azvaylen knew Fewpar would become the next king.


    Zayza watched him for a moment. He stood tall and confident, a proud glimmer in his eyes as he stared at his Queen. Empathy flooded from the smile he subtly sent her way.


    Just like Vayva, he was meant for this life.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find them, my love,¡± Fewpar whispered. But standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Zayza and Layla, only they heard.


    Vayva shifted with increased assurance, returning her attention to the royal spectators.


    ¡°As the first and most imperative act of my reign, I will immediately oversee investigations into my parents¡¯ deaths,¡± she announced. ¡°I call upon Proscious to provide their mightiest support in collaboration with our forces. Together, we will obtain not only justice¡­but vengeance of the highest order.¡±


    The throne room filled with applause, marking an unofficial end to the coronation. Zayza knew Wei and other Proscious members were mixed into the crowd.


    She found herself with no other choice but to clap along with what was likely the onset of her own demise¡ªand that of her sister.


    Her heart almost gave when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned. Fewpar¡¯s comforting smile now directed towards her.


    ¡°You¡¯re in good, strong hands, Zayza,¡± he assured. His fingers squeezed lightly as he leaned closer to speak over the crowd. ¡°We¡¯ll find the killer. I swear to you.¡±


    Vayva finally sat atop the throne, a tenured maid placing a silver crown atop her head. Only thanks to last night, Zayza recognized its design: a miniature replica of the spiraling Dreamer Chamber roof.


    The King¡¯s thousands of moans and howls mixed into the cheers, but Zayza realized it was only in her head.


    Unless she could make her move fast, Vayva¡¯s coronation was merely a death sentence.


    ~


    ¡°Don¡¯t run off, sister,¡± Layla pleaded, her attempt at composure weaker than usual. ¡°We must stick together.¡±


    Her hand squeezed Zayza¡¯s even tighter than before.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, love. Please trust me; these are important matters,¡± Zayza uttered. She refaced a wall of armor. ¡°Guards: a word with V¡ªthe Queen, immediately,¡± she requested once more.


    ¡°Yes, Princess. Please pardon the delay.¡±


    While Zayza and Layla had walked these castle halls completely surrounded by armed soldiers more often than they hadn¡¯t, Zayza still struggled to detect who was around them right now¡ªor even where they were at the moment. Vayva¡¯s order to transport them to their quarters with extreme security was only logical, but it hindered Zayza¡¯s more urgent goal.


    With every second, Proscious was closer to claiming Vayva¡¯s mind.


    Several moments passed before the walking fortress of metal came to a sudden halt.


    ¡°Princess Zayza requests a word with the Queen.¡±


    ¡°The Queen¡¯s direct orders are to escort them as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Correct, sir. But the princess¡¯s authority trumps mine. I¡¯m obligated to at least inquire on her behalf¡ª¡±


    ¡°Zayza, do not mess this one up for me,¡± came Vayva¡¯s voice.


    Her ornamented hands pried between two guards, who shuffled out of her path awkwardly as she approached her sister, face red.


    ¡°Vayva¡­we really should talk,¡± Zayza tried.


    ¡°Of all times, Zayza. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± fumed her sister. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to be waltzing about the castle and chatting. I need to protect us. I¡¯m¡­not losing you, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I need to talk to you,¡± Zayza implored. ¡°I¡­I have to tell you something.¡±


    Their quarrel shifted to their stares alone. Finally, Vayva accepted the determination in her sister¡¯s eyes. She sighed, raising an impatient eyebrow.


    ¡°Well? I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s eyes darted around at the guards everywhere, and then down to the attentive Layla.


    ¡°Not here¡­¡± she decided. ¡°It needs to be private. Perhaps in the Dream World¡­¡±


    ¡°Zayza, it needs to be now or never.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­miladies¡­maybe¡ª¡±


    Zayza seized Vayva¡¯s hand while releasing Layla¡¯s. She rushed forward through the new opening in the wall of guards and located the first door of the hall: a conference room.


    ¡°Continue escorting Layla,¡± Vayva ordered back to the guards as she followed Zayza into the large room. Half remained outside the door, while the others rushed the reluctant Layla away and reformed their human barricade around her.


    Zayza hurried Vayva inside, and then turned back to the heavy wooden door.


    ¡°Leave it open,¡± Vayva ordered.


    Zayza paused. Vayva¡¯s tone was the slightest bit shaky.


    ¡°Vayva¡­do you not trust me?¡±


    She immediately questioned her own words. Considering what she¡¯d done, and what she was about to admit to Vayva, did she even have the right to expect trust?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Every possibility is on the table right now,¡± Vayva shared pointedly. ¡°With the updates I¡¯ve already received, I can confirm Mother¡¯s death was by an unknown poison. But Father¡¯s took place in the Dream World.¡±


    Reluctantly, Zayza lowered her hand from the door. She tried to ignore the twisting and throbbing in her chest, and hide her shallowing breath. Cautiously, she stepped closer to her sister.


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


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­what I need to discuss,¡± she said lowly, praying the guards outside the door couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Vayva, there¡¯s something you need to know.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you may know who the killer is?¡± whispered Vayva, drawing close.


    The killer.


    The killer¡­I killed them. With my own hands, I took their lives¡­right? thought Zayza.


    Am I guilty?


    Her father begged her. Her mother was in silent agony. Proscious had begun them down a path that deteriorated their minds. Proscious was using them as a vehicle for their destructive ambitions.


    I made the only choice they left me to make. They forced me into a corner where the only right decision was to destroy the people who loved me most.


    My hands killed, but¡­I¡¯m not the killer.


    ¡°Vayva¡­please¡­¡± She could already feel the pushback about to explode in her face. ¡°You need to cease your trust in Proscious. You need to break off the agreement immediately¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t, Zayza. Just don¡¯t do this to me now. I cannot believe you¡¯re bringing this up again at a time like this. Our parents¡­they were just murdered. And you¡¯re spinning even this to spout your conspiracies¡­¡±


    ¡°But Vayva, I know¡ª¡±


    ¡°You DON¡¯T know! You can never just support my actions, or trust my wisdom like a normal sister. You¡¯ve decided this Proscious partnership is your hill to die on. You¡¯ve let it destroy our friendship, Zayza. You¡¯ve let it become the final wall between us. The one we¡¯ll never break down. We could have been¡­¡±


    Her voice choked. The black makeup around her eyes began running.


    ¡°We could have been a team.¡±


    Zayza clutched her sister¡¯s arm. ¡°We can. I¡¯m trying right now.¡±


    ¡°Then please, honor my decisions.¡±


    ¡°I cannot.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    Zayza had always been the first to choke up in their quarrels. But now Vayva fought back tears.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never tried to understand our nation, or what it means to be the royal family¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°You¡¯ve never tried to prepare for the event that you¡¯d become the Queen. You¡¯ve never cared about the burden. You just run. So how could you ever understand my choices?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t envy your position, Vayva. Or your call to rule. But¡ª¡±


    ¡°WELL I WISH YOU DID!¡±


    Her shout bounced against the conference room walls, the vacant seats serving as their ghostly audience.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I wish you did envy me!¡± Vayva repeated. ¡°I wish you had even the slightest ambition to be a better fit for Queen than I. We could have helped each other.¡±


    Vayva inched back towards the door.


    ¡°I¡­I wish you looked up to me,¡± she muttered. ¡°But no. All you want is to blame Proscious for everything, and instead of facing your duties to our home, you avoid them. I¡¯m ashamed of you, Zayza. You say you care, but¡­you¡¯ve become selfish.¡±


    Zayza seized up. Her blood felt hot.


    ¡°¡­Selfish?¡±


    She powered forward until her face was just before her sister¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to SAVE you, Vayva!¡± she screamed. ¡°I¡¯m trying to save ALL of us! Everything! Perhaps even the entire Multiverse¡ªbut more than anything, I¡¯m trying to protect YOU! And you¡¯re going to call me selfish?! You haven¡¯t the slightest what I¡¯ve already sacrificed. All you do¡ªall you¡¯ve ever done¡ªis judge me for being different from you! Are you so stubborn that you¡¯d trust Proscious over your own sister?!¡±


    She always hated Vayva¡¯s expression when they argued. It was like staring into a mirror that revealed who she was supposed to be in the eyes of others, instead of who she was.


    But her shaking rage weakened peering into her sister¡¯s blue eyes. For once, she saw fear. Uncertainty. And even now, Vayva couldn¡¯t admit it.


    As Vayva started turning towards the door once more, Zayza realized this could become the last time she ever looked into those eyes.


    ¡°Please, Vayva,¡± she whispered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to always be right. You can be scared, like me. Just¡­put some faith in me, and we can make it. I¡¯ve seen Proscious¡¯ secret experiments. I¡¯ve seen what they¡¯re really trying to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I would always place my faith in Proscious before I ever placed any in you,¡± came Vayva¡¯s words.


    They cut through Zayza¡¯s chest. Somehow, they were louder than anything else either had shouted in this conference room.


    Vayva turned to the door and pulled it open. Guards waited dutifully, anxious to continue the escort for the Queen and princess.


    But to the side of them, Zayza noticed another face peering in with hard concern: Fewpar.


    His gaze rested on her speculatively.


    Before Vayva finished exiting the room, she paused.


    ¡°And¡­¡± she uttered, arms shaking. She turned to her sister one more time, her naturally sharp face now soft and grimacing. ¡°I am scared.¡±


    Fewpar welcomed her into the hall with an arm wrapped around her tenderly. But even as their guards began surrounding them, his prying eyes remained on Zayza.


    Then, Zayza couldn¡¯t see anymore. Her tears clouded her vision. More guards came urgently to usher her to her quarters, and she wept alone.


    ~


    Zayza¡¯s sheets soaked against her face. A warm hand held her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Oflenur reminded her.


    By the time they¡¯d returned from their investigation last night, it had become far too risky for him to try and leave the castle before dawn. And so he remained hiding out in her royal bedroom for the day. Considering the ensuing investigations, this posed its own deadly risk¡ªbut either way, Zayza couldn¡¯t bear him going away. Not now¡ªshe needed his love.


    Hours had passed since Zayza¡¯s attempted conversation with her elder sister. It was probably evening now. And yet, she hadn¡¯t moved from where she¡¯d collapsed onto her bed.


    Just when she was certain there were no tears left, several wooden knocks on the door shook her into a shock, forcing out more lingering sobs.


    She could hear low mumbles beyond the thick, towering door.


    Oflenur¡¯s hand flinched just slightly, then lifted from her. ¡°I¡¯ll hide for now. If danger befalls you, they¡¯ll have my wrath,¡± he whispered before scurrying to the closets.


    Zayza didn¡¯t react. If the investigation had made its way to her, nothing mattered now. It meant they¡¯d arrived before she could figure out how to get through to Vayva.


    The door opened with a hesitant creak.


    ¡°A guest,¡± a guard muttered.


    Guest?


    ¡°Zayza¡­?¡± came Layla¡¯s small voice.


    Finally, Zayza lifted her weary head. Layla stood alone in her nightgown as a guard¡¯s hand closed the door gently.


    ¡°Layla?¡± Zayza greeted airily.


    ¡°You¡¯re still in your dress,¡± her younger sister noticed. She invited herself closer, approaching the bed and sitting beside Zayza. As always, Layla¡¯s face read as a determined attempt at strength and maturity, but her still-red cheeks and puffy eyes betrayed her.


    Zayza sat up and wrapped her arm around her. ¡°You need someone?¡±


    ¡°You do,¡± Layla clarified flatly. ¡°But¡­yes.¡±


    They sat together in silence.


    ¡°What¡­were you trying to tell Vayva?¡± Layla asked at last.


    Zayza couldn¡¯t hide from her sister¡¯s gaze. The truth choked her; she knew soon, it would all come to an end. Proscious would take over Vayva and empty her dry. It was only a matter of time until they traced her parents¡¯ murders back to her and Oflenur. And then¡­Layla would be all alone, left with the weight of a crumbling Azvaylen on her young shoulders.


    She didn¡¯t deserve any of this. She was just an innocent girl.


    Zayza took in a long, shallow breath, and spoke.


    ¡°Proscious¡­they trapped me with no choice¡­I¡¯ve¡­I¡¯ve killed Mother and Father, Layla.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why it poured out. Maybe she hoped the truth would somehow protect Layla. Maybe she felt she deserved to know. Maybe she simply couldn¡¯t withstand the pain of secrecy any longer, and needed to come clean for her own sake.


    ¡°Proscious was poisoning their minds¡­tormenting and controlling them¡­so Father begged me to¡­I¡ªI tried to tell Vayva¡­¡±


    The information surfaced as jumbles and waves, blended by her brokenness. She managed to recount her conversation with Vayva, but her throat choked her words before she could muster any deeper details.


    Layla hardly blinked. She was haunted. But when Zayza couldn¡¯t speak any longer, Layla¡¯s careful words were not at all what she could have anticipated:


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± she denied flatly.


    ¡°What¡­what do you mean?¡± wondered Zayza.


    ¡°The argument with Vayva,¡± Layla said. ¡°She told you ¡®I would always place my faith in Proscious before I ever placed any in you?¡¯ Vayva would never tell you that.¡±


    ¡°I wish that were true, but¡­she did,¡± Zayza promised.


    ¡°Believe me, sister: she¡¯s told me hundreds of times about how she was disappointed in you. Especially when you two had just argued. But even still¡­she would always tell me it was because of how much potential she sees in you. She believes greatness can come from you, Zayza,¡± Layla stressed. ¡°She believes in you more than anyone. Don¡¯t you realize that?¡±


    Zayza¡¯s heart twisted. She knew.


    ¡°Then¡­why did she say¡­?¡± Zayza tried.


    ¡°What if¡­it¡¯s already too late for her, too?¡± Layla could only manage to whisper.


    A dread like no other pressed down on Zayza.


    It was heavy. Quiet.


    ¡°I¡¯m going in,¡± she declared.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±


    ¡°No, Layla. It will be too dangerous for you. You won¡¯t be able to handle the Dreamer Guards,¡± Zayza insisted. ¡°The closer you get to this, the more danger you¡¯ll be in, and I cannot allow that. Return to your quarters.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Return to your quarters. It can¡¯t wait,¡± Zayza ordered. ¡°If there¡¯s still a chance, I need to get through to Vayva.¡±


    She embraced her sister tightly, and then pushed her to her feet.


    Even still, Layla fought to maintain her attempt at a strong demeanor as she stared back at her sister, afraid of the inevitable next course of action.


    ¡°I¡¯m begging you, love: go now,¡± Zayza pleaded. ¡°And no matter what happens in there, when I return, I swear I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    ¡°¡­And Azvaylen?¡±


    ¡°And Azvaylen.¡±


    At last, Layla turned her back to hurry towards the door.


    Zayza didn¡¯t wait to watch her leave the bedroom¡ªshe couldn¡¯t. Closing her eyes and sitting tall, she hurried into the traditional Dreamer position.


    As she entered, all her racing mind had the capacity for were two hopes. One: that it was late enough for Vayva to be in the Dream World now.


    And two: that for once, Layla¡¯s sharp intuition was wrong.


    ~


    Violence was immediate.


    She should have known: Dreamer Guards were everywhere. They knew where the perpetrator had struck last. With hardly a second to spare, she once again tainted her energy with yellow and encompassed herself in it.


    Zayza didn¡¯t waste any time. There was no room for remorse now: it had to wait for hindsight. Rarely had any of these Dreamers felt this level of unforgiving destruction in the Dream World: Zayza unleashed powers only her family knew she wielded.


    She tried not to see faces as her disguised energy blasts wiped them from the Dream World. Attack preemptively. Move. Those were the only actions she focused on.


    But she couldn¡¯t block her ears from their confused cries of pain. Her only solace was that despite her ferocity, she was merely ejecting them back to the real world or rendering them dreamless.


    The grassy plains were blue, but blotched with the same blood red that spread across the sky.


    Zayza didn¡¯t know how she located Vayva so easily. The sense of her presence was like breathing; she simply had to reach her sister. There was no other possible outcome.


    And the lack of droning screams across the Dream World this time signaled perhaps it wasn¡¯t too late.


    The hope that she could turn this around finally felt tangible.


    So when she reached her sister at last, the contrasting reality crushed her.


    As opposed to the valley she¡¯d found her father in, Vayva was up on a high hill like a stage. But she offered no speech this time. Her throne was the grass, where she sat still on her knees staring ahead emptily. Her legs barely touched the tip of the hill, as instead of adorning her new crown, she wore a black rope tight around her neck. It dangled her in place, hanging from the infinite bloody sky above.


    Zayza had nothing left. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to warp or fly. Instead, she dismissed her energy, fell to her hands and knees, and crawled up the hill to her elder sister.


    When she reached Vayva, the young woman¡¯s eyes remained frozen as if she was already gone. Zayza had to crawl directly before her face before Vayva¡¯s eyes locked on.


    Both sisters were wordless.


    Black, tarry tears forced their way down Vayva¡¯s expressionless face.


    Zayza raised her hands to her sister¡¯s cheeks. They felt almost hot as fire.


    ¡°It must have been this morning. I met with them for an emergency meeting when our parents were found,¡± Vayva explained hollowly, her voice hoarse and almost unrecognizable.


    Zayza couldn¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°You were right, Zayza,¡± Vayva admitted. ¡°I already knew when you tried to warn me today. But I had no control. I could only watch myself reject you. Even though I knew you were right¡­I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Zayza fell forward and embraced her sister. Her whole body was as scorching as her face, but Zayza ignored the burning pain. She hugged Vayva tight. Still, Vayva simply dangled.


    ¡°I just wanted to be a good Queen one day.¡±


    Zayza squeezed her even harder, sobs erupting. Finally, Vayva¡¯s hand lifted and caressed her head tenderly.


    ¡°So this is what you had to do for Father¡­¡± Vayva realized.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening. Don¡¯t make me¡­Don¡¯t make me¡­¡±


    She felt Vayva¡¯s cheeks curl up into a smile against her face. ¡°More Dreamers are coming. I know you sense them. They can¡¯t find out about you.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Proscious will retrieve me shortly for their experiments. If they succeed¡­¡± she paused. ¡°We can¡¯t give them the chance. You need to do it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this! I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You can, Zayza,¡± Vayva whispered. ¡°I always knew you were meant for incredible things. I always believed in you.¡±


    She huffed a soft laugh.


    ¡°I won¡¯t scold you this time. I promise. Just make me proud.¡±


    Dreamers were flooding in. Zayza could feel it. If she left Vayva now, there was no coming back for her. If she stayed, even she couldn¡¯t fight forever.


    There was only one way to bring Vayva relief. There was only one way to resist Proscious.


    Shaking, sick, and weak, Zayza raised her fingers to the back of Vayva¡¯s neck. Vayva flinched lightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s okay for a Queen to be scared of dying, right?¡± she checked in a hush.


    Crying, Zayza brought herself to nod. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Vayva. It¡¯s okay...¡±


    ¡°Good. Then I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Vayva, I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you even more.¡±


    Trembling, Zayza released the energy into her fingertips.


    Her sister¡¯s warmth vanished from her embrace.

 93. A Small Chance

    ~~~


    ¡°I found my window wide open when I returned to the real world," recounted Zayza. "Oflenur was gone.¡±


    At last, Lammy noticed Raznizu had given up on encouraging her to speak only through the communication magic. He simply watched and listened.


    Lammy did the same, his body numb from such a long time stationary on the harsh stone floor of his cell. He couldn¡¯t avert his attention enough to even shift his weight as his companion poured out the trauma she¡¯d kept hidden all this time.


    But despite the heartache of her words, Zayza spoke with acceptance. They¡¯d spent months running from these consequences together, fending off the reality of it. At times, Lammy had even hoped she wouldn¡¯t recover all of her memories.


    But while her fear and pain were still real, now even more than ever, resolve dominated her voice.


    ¡°I was going to confess to Oflenur what I¡¯d done, but he must have pieced it together. I never saw him again,¡± she said. ¡°I promised my family I¡¯d stay strong. Layla, I promised you I¡¯d come back and save you¡­¡±


    ¡°Zayza¡­¡± Layla uttered.


    ¡°¡­But when Oflenur left me behind, when he finally gave up on me as he should have long before, it was my final breaking point. I lost nearly everything, and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I snapped. I remember ripping the black flower out of my dress, and then everything after was a blur,¡± Zayza shared.


    ¡°I must have found a warp orb in my room with enough magic left in it. I left the Lanmuraarch Reality, then Fantasy Country altogether. All I wanted was to get away from everything, to forget it all,¡± she said. ¡°I warped for days until there was no magic left. I remember collapsing from exhaustion somewhere in No Man¡¯s Land¡­then in the Dream World, in a fit, I cast away all of my memories.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°But I awoke confused. So I returned to the Dream World and immediately began trying to rediscover them. Days blended together in No Man¡¯s Land¡­I wandered aimlessly¡­until eventually, one day¡­¡±


    Her eyes fell to Lammy.


    ¡°I found you there,¡± he finished for her.


    Zayza nodded.


    At last, her two worlds: that of a tragic princess, and that of a mysterious adventurer with Lammy, had connected.


    There was no mystery anymore: this was who Zayza was.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°To all of you.¡±


    Lammy stiffened uneasily. Clearly, Zayza¡¯s last words had been directed to someone other than just them. Her head turned to the bars of her cell door.


    I knew there must be a reason she spoke out loud, Lammy thought. Someone¡¯s been listening.


    ¡°I admit¡­I thought coming here to watch you rot in a cage would make me feel closure,¡± came an eerily smooth voice. ¡°I thought¡­seeing your pain would solve mine. But now, it just hurts more.¡±


    Through the communication magic, Lammy could faintly see a face approach Zayza¡¯s cell door. Hands clutched onto the bars.


    Fewpar.


    He was no longer clawing at his neck, covered in decorative scars from Najinzu to elevate his Dreamer strength against Zayza. He simply stared at the ground, hands on the cell door loosely.


    ¡°This was all I ever wanted: for you to end up here¡ªfor me to help put you here. And then, for you to die,¡± he told Zayza. ¡°You were my only way to mourn Vayva. I thought killing you, making you suffer, would fill my emptiness from losing her. I obsessed over it. I thought that was justice. I thought that was closure. But as I chased you across half the Multiverse, as I tortured you, it just stung more.¡±


    He finally lifted his head to meet her eyes.


    ¡°And now here you are, right where I wanted you,¡± he said. ¡°And it turns out the very woman I¡¯ve been hating all this time¡­had only been trying to save my Vayva?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t bring her back, Fewpar,¡± muttered Zayza.


    He released his grasp on the door and stood, backing away from the cell.


    ¡°I thought I finally avenged her. All I did was disgrace her, even after death, and hurt those she loved,¡± Fewpar choked. ¡°But she was right about you, Zayza. You''re devoted, just like her. And I am a failure for not seeing that until now.¡±


    The frayed Dreamer turned his back, and began his way down the hall.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to attempt escape,¡± Zayza called to him.


    ¡°Zayza, don¡¯t!¡± Raznizu warned.


    ¡°No¡ªwhat are you doing, sister?!¡± cried Layla.


    But the words were already out. Fewpar stopped in place, but didn¡¯t turn back around.


    ¡°At some point, these cell doors are enchanted to open on their own,¡± Zayza revealed. ¡°We¡¯ll begin our escape then. And we plan to bring Proscious¡¯s treachery to an end.¡±


    ¡°Zayza¡­Proscious has full power now. He serves them; we don¡¯t know if we can trust him,¡± Layla stressed.


    ¡°We can,¡± Zayza sent immediately.


    Fewpar remained there for several more moments.


    ¡°I see,¡± was all he uttered. It was low, as if to himself.


    Then he resumed his departure down the dark hall, leaving her in silence.


    Zayza refaced the projection of her sister, quickly shifting from self-assurance to sheepishness.


    ¡°That was quite a bad idea,¡± Layla said, her head hanging.


    Zayza shrugged and nodded. ¡°Probably,¡± she admitted.


    A man who had done nothing but attempt to capture and kill them now knew their most precious secret.


    Lammy didn''t even want to think about it.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He flinched when something echoed from outside his own cell. But it turned out to be merely a drip of water: nobody was in sight.


    ¡°Well¡­speaking of that,¡± he started, ¡°just when will the enchantment kick in? It''s been a pretty long time¡­¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I still can¡¯t say,¡± came Layla¡¯s reply. ¡°But remain ready to move.¡±


    Come to think of it, not a single member of Proscious had revisited them like Irma and Aoi since the Throne Room explosion. What exactly were they waiting for? If enough of them survived the blast enough to capture and imprison Layla, couldn¡¯t they have resumed their interrogations and goals by now?


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but wonder if something else¡ªor even someone else¡ªhad gotten in their way and disrupted their plans yet again. Anything could be taking place outside this dungeon.


    Could it be Deon? Or Hiroko and Kotono?


    While tempting, he tried not to keep letting his hopes up too high. They couldn''t afford to wait and hope for someone else to save them.


    And while a delay in Proscious''s reappearance put off further harm, it also increased the likelihood of their return happening at the same time as the cell gate enchantment kicking in: a worst-case scenario.


    Lammy listened to the sound of his own breath. They were alive right now. He had to focus on that, as it was all he had.


    He glanced over at Zayza¡¯s projection again. Her story lingered in his thoughts: both the loss she endured, and the discoveries she found about Proscious¡¯s murky ambitions.


    They wanted to ¡®rewrite the Multiverse,¡¯ whatever that meant. And they clearly didn''t care what lines they needed to cross.


    "Those experiments¡­" he recalled. "Why haven''t they tried to use Layla next?"


    "From how it sounds," said Layla, "they will."


    Zayza nodded. "They won''t execute you, Layla¡­not yet. The process seems to take months to configure for a particular Dreamer. They haven¡¯t completed it yet."


    "So then, if my cell enchantment occurs soon enough¡­" Layla thought aloud.


    "Then there''s still a chance to save you¡­and stop their plans," finished Zayza with a nod.


    Somehow, Lammy couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°I guess the Ancient Sages were right about you, Zayza¡± he said.


    She nodded solemnly, her stature sinking a bit in response. ¡°Yes¡­They warned that staying with me would only lead you to darkness,¡± she recalled.


    ¡°Not that,¡± denied Lammy. ¡°The earrings. Your true self has always been the same, even before you lost all your memories. You''ve always tried to protect the people you care about, even before we met."


    "Though¡­every time thus far," Zayza said soberly, "I''ve failed."


    Layla looked between them in puzzlement. ¡°Ancient¡­what?¡± But she dismissed it decidedly, knowing an elaboration could wait. She could at least follow Lammy''s sentiment, and she had a point to make clear: ¡°No, sister. It''s not over yet. You haven''t failed us: Proscious hasn¡¯t won, and that''s all because of you."


    All eyes turned to the young Queen. Zayza''s shimmered.


    "You''re not alone in this anymore," Layla said. "So let''s finish what you started. Let''s rise against them.¡±


    ~~~


    Deon''s eyes opened softly. Again, he felt at peace. Not a single trace of pain or soreness ailed his body anymore.


    Wait.


    Deon lunged to his feet, his head briefly swiping the top of this portable tent. Checking to the side, he found Skrili wasn''t resting there anymore.


    Morose daylight peered in from the thin tent opening.


    Grumbling, Deon shoved forward and flung open the tent flap.


    "WHY DIDN''T ANYONE WAKE¨C" he started.


    Deon bumped into a familiar, much quieter figure. Skrili stood frozen in place, her hand still raised towards the tent as if she were about to open it.


    "I was getting to that," she said plainly.


    "Oh."


    "A¨Cactually," came Kotono¡¯s voice slyly from behind, "she wanted to come make sure you were gonna be alright, even though I insisted you were healed."


    Deon looked past Skrili to find Kotono, Hiroko, and Phillip sitting in a circle in the dark grass between two more tents (one he recognized as Skrili''s). The gloomy Azvaylen skyline was in the distance, its castle looming like a ghost listening in.


    "This is like the fifth time she''s gone to check on you and sit by your side, whispering thing like¨C" Kotono rushed out before Hiroko inevitably covered her mouth.


    "Alright, we met our picking-on-them quota for now. Land the plane," Hiroko chuckled.


    Skrili''s nose reddened. She lowered her hand from the tent awkwardly.


    For a split moment, Deon''s memory of their defeat replaced her. He saw her blood, and her twisted limbs against the unforgiving concrete.


    But she stood before him now, perfectly alive.


    "Um¡­I just¡­" Skrili struggled.


    Deon reached out and pulled her into an embrace. She buried her face against him.


    "Don''t scare me," she whispered.


    "What?! Look who''s talking," Deon laughed. "Can you stop almost-dying so much?"


    Sadness stabbed at his heart.


    "Actually¡­" he said.


    They separated, and Deon looked his teammate in the eyes.


    "I should have had your back. That''s my job. But¡­I let you down," he said. "I''m not powerful enough."


    Before Skrili could reply, Hiroko stood intently.


    "That''s not your fault, Deon," she said pointedly. "These people¡­Proscious¡­their powers aren''t right. They''re stronger than anyone even Kotono and I have fought in Championships. What they do should be impossible¨Cespecially that man Wei."


    "We don''t even stand a chance like this," muttered Phillip, his eyes on the ground.


    Deon returned his gaze to Hiroko for a sense of hope. As one of the two strongest among them, she would deny that statement if it weren''t true.


    But his heart sunk when she simply nodded.


    "We don''t," she said. "Not without a strategy."


    Wrong eyes, Deon thought. While Skip''s warnings seemed odd and vague at the time, now, they were blatantly obvious.


    He was talking about Proscious.


    He knew something.


    ¡°If anything goes wrong, reach out about it. Especially if¡­those wrong eyes find you," he''d said.


    Deon immediately scanned across their humble campsite.


    "What are you doing?" Skrili wondered.


    There it was: all of their travel bags were bunched together before one of the tents.


    "Ah," he said, beginning his way over. "Sorry Hiroko, but I''m gonna need to break your rule. I need to use my TeamTrack."


    Now before his bag, Deon reached down.


    He yelped when a quick hand came from nowhere and slapped his away.


    Hiroko appeared before him and blocked him off.


    "What gives?!" he bellowed.


    "You can''t do that."


    "But Skip can help us!"


    "If you even just turn on your TeamTrack while we''re here, the League can find out you''re in Azvaylen," Hiroko said flatly. "And since my bodyguards¨Cand the Fantasy Country Worldline¨Csaw us leaving with you back in Fiction Country, they''ll be able to deduce we''re here, too. Then we''ll all be screwed, and we won''t be saving anyone."


    Deon tensed. "Yeah, I get all that, but¡­Skip knows about Proscious. Without outright saying it, he was trying to warn us about them. I know it."


    Hiroko crossed her arms. "Really? How can you be sure?"


    "He got super worried when we told him about my extra powers," said Deon. "He made me swear nobody else would ever find out. Which I''m doing a lousy job with, because I told you guys¡­and now I think Proscious knows¡­"


    "Then there was his teammate," Skrili added, stepping their way. "Skip said she kept getting attention from strange people until she suddenly disappeared years ago. She had unusual powers, too."


    "This sounds like¡­" started Hiroko, turning back to Phillip. "...the way you said Pang disappeared."


    Haunted by the thought, Phillip nodded. He finally stood to join them. "Skip reacted instantly when those strange men showed up at our Legend Training looking for us¡­His eyes went large¨Cusually, nothing bothers him. He made us hide in his cabin, and he lied to them until they left. Deon''s right: Skip knows about Proscious."


    "I believe him, and any information or support would be incredible right now," Hiroko assured. "But¡­that''s not the issue. It''s that we can''t afford to give away our location to the League. We''re so close; we can''t jeopardize our one chance."


    The five consciousnesses stood in silence, their answers potentially just beyond arm''s reach. But they couldn''t step any closer.


    Deon sighed and, fighting everything within him, backed down.


    "Then¡­what do we do? They''re way too strong," he said.


    Hiroko began stretching her arms. "Nobody is too strong," she assured.


    "The guy literally stopped the entire fight without moving," Deon reminded her. "And that''s just him. Let''s not even mention the two with multiple consciousness types. I kinda feel like they''re too¨C"


    "Trust me: nobody is too strong," Hiroko said pointedly. She turned from him and abruptly dropped to her hands and feet, beginning a series of one-handed push-ups.


    "I''m a Predictor," she said. "My powers don''t give me huge attacks or the ability to mess with physics. They just give me a head-start on reaction time. Fighting smart is what got me this far. It''s the reason I can keep up with Kotono, and it''s the reason we still have a chance. A small one, but¡­"


    "But still a chance," Skrili agreed.


    "Wei gave us two days to answer before he''ll move forward with his plan," Hiroko reminded them, shifting to the other hand with a jump. "We used one to heal. We''ll use the other to prepare."


    Without a breath, she pushed up into a handstand, and then rolled forward flexibly to her feet. The tattooed fighter turned to face everyone.


    "If you can give me your trust," she said, "I''ll turn us into a five-person consciousnesses team."

 94. Just Anger

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s review,¡± Hiroko said decidedly.


    She stood tall before Deon, Skrili, Kotono, and Phillip, who all sat between their tent setup listening closely.


    ¡°Review?¡± repeated Deon. ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m back in the schoolhouse all the sudden?¡±


    Looking beside him, he noticed Skrili open up a notepad and click a pen.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t go to school!¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t consider everything we know about Proscious, we could miss out on the best strategy,¡± she argued evenly.


    ¡°Exactly, so listen up,¡± Hiroko confirmed. ¡°Thanks for being the minute-taker, Skrili.¡±


    Skrili shot her hero a starry-eyed thumbs-up.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s start with the member we know the most about: that woman, Irma.¡±


    ¡°She cheap-shot me and Skrili¡­¡± Deon grumbled.


    ¡°That¡¯s called ¡®being fast,¡¯¡± chimed in Phillip.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you, Doom-and-Gloom!¡±


    Hiroko stepped closer to cut off their bickering. ¡°It¡¯s true, she¡¯s both tough and smart. Not to mention all of her powers. But lucky for us, she flat-out told us what they are.¡±


    Skrili readied her empty page.


    ¡°Irma has four consciousness types¡ªthough I have no idea how,¡± Hiroko recalled. ¡°She¡¯s an Illusionist, a Substitutor, a Dampener, and a Thoughtfeeder.¡±


    ¡°Sh¡ªshe shares a type with Phillip,¡± Kotono emphasized.


    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s the first thing to keep in mind,¡± agreed Hiroko, pointing at her teammate.


    Deon recognized two of the other types from past experiences: the Conscious Competition used Dampeners to protect the audience from potential hazards¡ªthough their ability folded against Kotono¡¯s fullest energy outburst. And Skip mentioned his former type was a Substitutor: he could swap perspectives with someone else, trading all senses.


    Thoughtfeeder was the only type fresh to him, though he¡¯d skimmed past it a few times in the Types Pocket List on his TeamTrack. But now he¡¯d also seen it in action. Just before Irma attacked them with enhanced speed and strength, he felt like something was sucking on his mind. Clearly, she drew strength similar to a Power Rebound from other people¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°The Thoughtfeeder part will be impossible to avoid, unless any of us are literally stupid,¡± Hiroko admitted.


    ¡°Deon should fight her,¡± Skrili said immediately.


    Phillip chuckled as Deon elbowed her on the side.


    ¡°The same goes for the Dampener side of her. There¡¯s a good chance we¡¯ll need strong fighting skills without powers,¡± Hiroko pondered aloud. ¡°But as for a proper matchup, let¡¯s focus on Illusionist and Substitutor. If we can get her to think she needs those two types the most, we can find an open door towards an advantage.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s pen continued to scribble across the page.


    ¡°Anyone got anything else on her?¡± prompted Hiroko.


    Phillip raised his hand.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°Right. While I fought Irma one-on-one, I observed something significant,¡± he said. ¡°She may have four types, but unlike Deon whose powers blend two, she can only use one at a time.¡±


    ¡°Her eye colors...¡± Kotono reflected. ¡°They change with her type.¡±


    Phillip nodded. ¡°She talked about being ¡®stuck¡¯ blocking my illusions,¡± he said. ¡°So she can¡¯t do that while using another ability.¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s huge! And I think that might go for the big shirtless guy, too,¡± Hiroko exclaimed. ¡°Which leads us to him.¡±


    Skrili turned the page.


    ¡°Benton,¡± Kotono remembered. ¡°I a¡ªalmost blew his arm off,¡± she added timidly.


    ¡°I kinda wish you did,¡± Hiroko shrugged. ¡°We know a lot less about him: he¡¯s huge, and he used Withstander to turn off pain¡­but if he has any other abilities, we don¡¯t know about them.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± muttered Skrili, ¡°we might.¡±


    All heads turned to her.


    Deon tried rummaging his memory for anything he may have noticed during the fight, but he was certain: Benton only used Withstander the whole time. He fended off Hiroko¡¯s punishing blows with hardly a wince until Kotono¡¯s blast came his way, but he never pulled out any more tricks.


    ¡°When he first showed up, he joked with Irma about her using Illusionist to block Phillip¡¯s illusions instead of Dampener,¡± Skrili shared. ¡°He said: ¡®I guess you don¡¯t look up to me anymore.¡¯¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Hiroko realized. ¡°So he must be a Dampener, too.¡±


    ¡°You remembered that?!¡± Deon exclaimed to his companion.


    Skrili shrugged, busy with her note-keeping. ¡°I pay attention.¡±


    ¡°Great: then we know two of his types,¡± established Hiroko. ¡°But considering Irma has four, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there are more. We¡¯ll have to be careful against him.¡±


    ¡°Then that leaves one more¡­¡± Kotono shuddered.


    Everyone fell silent. When he arrived, he passively ceased the entire battle. He crushed Skrili in a matter of seconds, and then took it further just to see Deon¡¯s reaction. Nobody could move besides Deon, when at the peak of his powers, he managed only a single step before everything went to black.


    Deon, Skrili, Kotono, Hiroko, and Phillip¡­


    None of them even remotely approached his strength.


    Deon remembered his unbothered, perfect smile.


    ¡°Wei,¡± he uttered.


    ¡°Their leader,¡± said Hiroko pensively. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who came close to fighting him, Deon. Any thoughts?¡±


    Deon stood, clenching his fists tight. ¡°Yeah, just a few,¡± he growled. ¡°He¡¯s a monster, he almost killed Skrili, he¡¯s holding Lammy hostage, and I¡¯m gonna crush him for that no matter what it takes.¡±


    Heat filled his eyes. He expected one of the fighters to try calming him down, but right now, this rage was all he could be.


    Instead, Hiroko stepped up to him. ¡°We all will,¡± she affirmed.


    ¡°How did he even do all of that?¡± Kotono wondered. ¡°What could his type be?¡±


    ¡°The way he was able to influence Deon¡¯s imagining points to Imaginer,¡± said Phillip. ¡°I would also suggest Manipulator, but the sheer magnitude of his ability seemed independent from Deon¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­it was probably imagining,¡± Deon confirmed. ¡°It was like my powerup¡­but constant. He didn¡¯t need emotions. It was¡­¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Hiroko finished.


    Deon was grateful he didn¡¯t need to say it.


    As a fighter, Wei seemed to be the perfect version of him.


    Suddenly, the Azvaylen skyline over the horizon felt like a weight pressing down on them all.


    ¡°With the nature of our powers¡­¡± stammered Kotono hesitantly, ¡°should¡­Deon and I face him?¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing we can do but avoid him,¡± muttered Phillip. ¡°We can¡¯t beat him in a fight.¡±


    ¡°We can, and there¡¯s only one way,¡± Hiroko declared. ¡°Kotono, you¡¯re onto something: you and Deon should collaborate. But only as the fists.¡±


    ¡°Only as the¡­huh?¡± wondered Deon.


    ¡°Skrili: you and I will be the feet,¡± Hiroko continued, ¡°and Phillip: we need you to be the brain. Here¡¯s the only way we can beat Wei. We get him alone, and we take him on as one cohesive unit¡ªall five of us, versus him.¡±


    Everyone exchanged glances, before all nodding in agreement.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Which means we need to take out Irma and Benton first,¡± Skrili realized.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hiroko said. She reached out her hand. ¡°Alright, Skrili. Let¡¯s look over those notes. It¡¯s time to start putting together our attack plan.¡±


    ~


    Deon glanced over his shoulder. Farther down the plain field, Skrili and Phillip practiced countless hand-to-hand combat techniques, avoiding any real contact.


    Skrili briefly turned and met his gaze. She nodded, and returned to her drills.


    Returning his focus, Deon looked down uncertainly at the cubical stone object floating above his hands.


    ¡°Uh¡­is this what you wanted me to imagine?¡± he checked.


    Hiroko stood not far away, counseling Kotono as she focused on her own task. She eyed Deon¡¯s progress.


    ¡°Yeah, something like that,¡± she confirmed.


    The vagueness only heightened Deon¡¯s doubts. ¡°You sure this will work?¡± he asked.


    Instead of answering, Hiroko simply gestured to Kotono to proceed.


    ¡°Um¡­shouldn¡¯t you guys s¡ªstep away¡­?¡± wondered Kotono warningly.


    ¡°You got this. We trust you,¡± Hiroko said, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel everything at once. These are your emotions. They¡¯re real, but they belong to you¡ªnot the other way around. Remember: you¡¯ve done it in training before.¡±


    ¡°Like once¡­¡± Kotono mumbled. ¡°Well, here I go¡­¡±


    Tensing, she bit her lip and pressed her eyes shut. A red glow illuminated around her form, with gold flickering throughout. She winced, and the energy abruptly heightened.


    Hiroko lifted her hand from Kotono quickly as if she¡¯d touched fire. She shook it for a moment, careful to avoid an exclamation so Kotono wouldn¡¯t notice.


    Deon took a startled step back.


    ¡°Think about why we¡¯re here: what we¡¯re here to do,¡± Hiroko coached her patiently. ¡°Picture how it¡¯s gonna turn out in the end. Envision us coming home with all of them. We¡¯ll take them back to safety.¡±


    It seemed Kotono was listening, as the energy calmed and lessened itself gradually. Deon marveled as the gold overtook the red as the dominant color.


    ¡°Now just¡­focus,¡± Hiroko said.


    ¡°Focus,¡± repeated Kotono.


    Keeping her eyes closed, she raised both hands out in front of her. Still wincing a bit, allowing herself to accept the feelings, she let out a long breath.


    The energy slowly began disappearing from her body. No¡ªit was moving. Migrating from all over to the tips of her outspread fingers, the energy exited.


    Then, with a light flick of her fingers, it floated forward into the air like a leaf in the light breeze. The fluttering energy fascinated Deon: it acted in the complete opposite to its usual nature as a force of rapid, catastrophic destruction.


    Kotono opened her eyes, and the energy came to a stop between her and Deon.


    ¡°Perfect, Kotono! You¡¯re amazing!¡± Hiroko beamed. ¡°Just hold it there for now. Deon: you¡¯re up.¡±


    Deon readied himself. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what one false move around Kotono¡¯s powers might trigger. Carefully, he used his mind to move the cube-shaped stone towards the small concentration of energy.


    The stone lacked one of its sides, creating a hole meant to encase the glowing light. Realizing he¡¯d imagined it a bit too small, Deon expanded its size while Hiroko and Kotono watched closely.


    ¡°Go for it,¡± insisted Hiroko.


    Deon inched the floating cage towards the energy steadily. Soon the light was trapped within it.


    ¡°Alright, here it goes¡­¡± he uttered.


    He imagined another piece of stone: the final wall to fully enclose the case. But the measurements didn¡¯t quite fit, so he attempted to reshape it. The wall briefly scraped up against the rest of the case, nudging it off-center.


    ¡°Crap!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong?!¡± worried Kotono.


    Suddenly, a red explosion decimated Deon¡¯s creation with a pop. The three consciousnesses dove to the ground.


    After a moment, they peered back up. Kotono¡¯s energy had detonated, leaving no trace of Deon¡¯s creation behind.


    Skrili and Phillip ceased their training for a moment, eyeing the spectacle with concern.


    ¡°We¡¯re good!¡± Hiroko called over.


    ¡°Like I said¡­¡± Deon started as they all stood, ¡°are you really sure this will work? Won¡¯t Kotono¡¯s energy automatically explode?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily¡­if I can get myself together¡­¡± Kotono said sheepishly.


    ¡°Once Kotono¡¯s able to stabilize it and separate it from herself, it won¡¯t explode unless it¡¯s agitated,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°And it can continue existing, even when it¡¯s separated from her¡ªkind of like Imaginers when they make permanent creations.¡±


    Like what I do with my clothes, Deon connected. Finally, Hiroko¡¯s plan was starting to make sense.


    This trick up their sleeves could actually work.


    ¡°It exploded this time because your concern startled Kotono. The energy was still tied to her to a degree, so it responded,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°Try to trust each other¡¯s skill. You¡¯ll get it!¡±


    Back in the Conscious Competition, Deon never would have guessed he¡¯d be training alongside Kotono like teammates. But even if he¡¯d known, her sheer humility and imperfection was far more prevalent than he¡¯d expect from a Champion¡ªespecially considering how bigheaded he¡¯d been as the best fighter in Tailpiece.


    But she was human and made mistakes, just like everyone else.


    Hiroko stood behind Kotono and massaged her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry: first tries are never perfect,¡± she said.


    Without Hiroko, Deon doubted Kotono would have ever gotten this far. But if they were to all act as a team now, he knew he¡¯d need to channel everything he¡¯d learned and pitch in, too.


    ¡°You pretty much brought Skrili and I back from the dead,¡± he said to her. ¡°Figuring this out will be a breeze for you! Besides, I was sloppy. We¡¯ll get it down!¡±


    Taking in Deon and Hiroko¡¯s words, Kotono managed a still timid, yet genuine smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± she uttered. ¡°We...we can do this. Let¡¯s keep trying.¡±


    Their efforts continued on with their next several attempts ultimately leading to similar results. Whether it was poor aim on Deon¡¯s side or overthinking on Kotono¡¯s, each try ended in a small energy explosion. Eventually Skrili and Phillip stopped checking on them from afar.


    But while progress was slow, it was obvious: they were getting closer every time. Deon was sure to incorporate the reinforcing communication he and Skrili developed during their Legend Training, and Kotono reciprocated. At this rate, they knew they would get this down.


    If this worked, Proscious would have no idea what was coming.


    ¡°You know, your cousin Lammy¡¯s a remarkable kid,¡± Hiroko said.


    She sat in the grass, effortlessly performing sit-ups as she overlooked Deon¡¯s progress. Kotono had shyly dismissed herself to the tents to workshop a part of the process on her own, leaving Deon the sole subject under Hiroko¡¯s sagacious eyes.


    ¡°Heck yeah he is,¡± Deon affirmed. ¡°One of the best people I know.¡±


    ¡°And you two are nothing alike,¡± Hiroko pointed out.


    ¡°Huh?! What the heck¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡±


    Hiroko laughed without pausing her sit-ups. ¡°That came out wrong,¡± she chuckled. ¡°I just mean your personalities. And while he seems pretty strategic and cognitive, you¡¯re all punching and powering through.¡±


    Deon shrugged as he reviewed the shape and size of the stone case he just imagined. ¡°Yeah¡­I guess you¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing: both of those are important qualities,¡± Hiroko stressed. ¡°But what I find most interesting from meeting you two, is that when you strip all of that away, it¡¯s no surprise you and Lammy are cousins. At the core, you¡¯re exactly the same.¡±


    ¡°Alright, which one is it?!¡± wondered Deon.


    Hiroko simply continued. ¡°We kept in touch with Zayza and Lammy after the Conscious Competition with magic, while we were trying to guide them to you. I could see Lammy¡¯s eyes,¡± she said. ¡°And right now, I feel like I¡¯m looking at those same orange eyes. I see the exact same passion¡­fire¡­protectiveness. I¡¯m not really sure what it is¡ªyou two just don¡¯t give up when you care about someone.¡±


    Deon thought of his cousin, as he had been since their mission began. While Lammy was kind and smart, he never quite exemplified back in Tailpiece what Hiroko was describing now.


    It seemed after falling into the Multiverse, he was awakening.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s just¡­where we come from, how we were raised,¡± Deon figured. ¡°Our moms always had a lot to say about love, and looking out for each other.¡±


    ¡°Back in that place nobody else in the Multiverse has ever heard of,¡± Hiroko emphasized.


    ¡°Yeah¡­there¡¯s that.¡±


    Hiroko rose up from one last sit-up, and came to a stop. She watched Deon closely as he continued tweaking his stone case design.


    ¡°My home tribe is very religious¡ªsometimes to a fault. We have a lot of ancient traditions, customs, and philosophical beliefs,¡± she shared. ¡°One of the biggest ones is destiny.¡±


    Deon paused his work to listen more closely. ¡°Destiny?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t buy into all of that stuff anymore, but¡­honestly, I think it¡¯s a blessing that Lammy happened to be the person who found Zayza first,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe¡­this is the kind of thing you and Lammy are meant to do. Maybe you¡¯re meant to help us save Zayza.¡±


    Deon looked over to the distant castle and towers within Azvaylen.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m pretty sure I just tripped and fell into this place,¡± he shrugged off. ¡°You really think that¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? My tribe could be full of baloney,¡± said Hiroko simply. ¡°All I know is that after hearing about Lammy outdoing professional assassins, and after seeing your power almost challenge Wei¡¯s, we can win.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­my power¡­¡± Deon said lowly. He stared at his hands. ¡°But I still have no control over it. It¡¯s only rage.¡±


    ¡°Anger has a purpose. It can be just. Sometimes, it¡¯s exactly the right thing to feel,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°At a time like this, don¡¯t run from it. That¡¯s why you have a teammate. She wants to help you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hurt her,¡± countered Deon immediately. He turned to watch Skrili spar with Phillip. She expertly ducked, spun, and kicked, her motions lively as ever.


    She¡¯d promised multiple times now to help him figure this out. And he knew she meant it. But he still couldn¡¯t ignore what felt inevitable.


    ¡°These powers will hurt her,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Yeah, probably.¡±


    Hiroko didn¡¯t even hesitate, or blink, as she replied.


    ¡°Wait¡ªthen why is it worth trying?¡± questioned Deon.


    Hiroko smiled. ¡°The press tends to ask Kotono and I repetitive questions in interviews,¡± she said. ¡°They always want to know why I¡¯m the only one who can help Kotono control her powers¡ªthough apparently, Skrili¡¯s done it now, too. We make up some bogus answer about technique every time.¡±


    ¡°So¡­what¡¯s the real reason, then?¡± asked Deon. ¡°Because you¡¯re so close?¡±


    ¡°Almost,¡± said Hiroko. ¡°That¡¯s where it starts. But the truth is, it¡¯s actually all Kotono. It¡¯s because she understands: in order to really open up to someone and let them get close, you have to accept that you¡¯ll hurt them. And they¡¯ll hurt you. Even if neither of you wants to. It¡¯s the cost of love.¡±


    Deon remembered Hiroko lifting her hand off of Kotono¡¯s igniting shoulder earlier. Now he noticed a small burn mark on her palm.


    ¡°Skrili understands the risk, but she¡¯s committed. That¡¯s the last hurdle you have to get over,¡± Hiroko told him.


    They heard a light shuffling in the grass. Kotono approached with a knowing, teasing glare.


    ¡°Is she getting all profound on you?¡± she asked Deon as if to shield him from more.


    Deon laughed. ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. But take it as a compliment,¡± Kotono insisted, rejoining them for further attempts. ¡°It just means she likes you¡ªand that¡¯s saying a lot.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Skrili¡¯s teammate. I have to look out for my girl,¡± Hiroko defended. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get back to it.¡±


    Deon and Kotono faced each other and exchanged nods. With the start of another attempt, they continued their preparation for the fight of their lives.


    Less than a day remained.


    ~~~


    Footsteps echoed.


    Lammy stiffened.


    He turned his head from the projections of Zayza, Layla, and Raznizu towards the cell door.


    A silvery shadow passed by, a sheathed light sword reflecting the torch-lit hall.


    ¡°Just a guard,¡± Lammy told the others. He could feel them ease up a bit in response.


    ¡°They¡¯ve still yet to return,¡± Raznizu noted.


    ¡°Is there a reason?¡± pondered Zayza.


    Layla nodded, her focus on her own cell door. ¡°They must be playing a game, just as we are. Time will tell what that is. For now, it seems the spell will dictate what comes first: Proscious¡¯s next move, or¡ª¡±


    A light, metallic jingle on Lammy¡¯s gate sent his heart for a massive leap. By their widened eyes, he could tell everyone else heard it, too:


    The locks released.


    Layla shifted decidedly. ¡°Ours,¡± she finished.

 95. Unbreakable

    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Layla asserted.


    Raznizu shifted to his knees with stealthy haste. If it weren¡¯t for the bindings they all wore, Lammy figured he would have stood fully.


    ¡°What are your orders, my Queen?¡± he inquired.


    Lammy had been wondering the same thing. So far, she¡¯d only stressed that the gates would eventually unlock. But considering all of the measures she¡¯d already taken thus far, he expected there must be more in store.


    ¡°First: we¡¯ll need to do our best to find each other before we escape the dungeon,¡± planned Layla. She turned to her elder sister. ¡°Zayza, this is where our Castle Breach Defense Training comes in. You still have the dungeon¡¯s layout memorized, yes?¡±


    Whoa¡­that sounds intense, Lammy thought. Zayza memorized the whole dungeon? Impressive¡­


    ¡°Ah, yes. The¡­the Castle Breach Defense Training¡­trusty CBDT¡­¡± Zayza uttered weakly. ¡°Um¡­we were supposed to memorize that?¡±


    ¡°You daydreamed through those classes, didn¡¯t you?¡± Layla veered. ¡°Very well. There are two patterns: one to locate the nearest cell, and one to exit back into the castle. I¡¯ll remind you: the first is simply right, right, right, left, left, right, left, straight, middle right, hard left, hard right, left, straight, straight then middle, right, right, left, hard left, slight left, medium left, right, straight¡ª¡±


    ¡°Um¡ªPerhaps you and I should navigate,¡± Raznizu interrupted carefully. ¡°I know the patterns.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I approve of that,¡± the young Queen said loftily. ¡°Zayza and Lammy: stay put for now. We¡¯ll come to you. And remember, Raznizu: this dungeon is broken up into two labyrinths. So if you complete a cycle and don¡¯t find either of them, you¡¯re the only one on that side. In that case, hurry towards the castle. If neither of us find either Lammy or Zayza, we¡¯ll need to return.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lady,¡± Raznizu uttered.


    ¡°Lastly, everyone: as part of my enchantment, your bindings will dissolve when you pass through your gates,¡± Layla revealed. ¡°But keep in mind: I was unable to enchant the entire dungeon. So our communication magic will cease beyond these cells. We¡¯ll have to trust each other¡¯s determination.¡±


    Everyone nodded. Lammy¡¯s heart pounded in anticipation, but he found himself just as impressed as he was scared: this girl really had thought of everything.


    ¡°Are there any questions?¡± the Queen checked.


    Lammy propped himself upwards in place of raising a hand. ¡°Will we meet up with the rest of the resistance once we get out of the dungeon?¡± he asked. While he safely assumed the answer was ¡®yes,¡¯ any confirmation of that fact would be a welcome encouragement.


    ¡°¡®The rest?¡¯¡± Layla and Raznizu repeated back simultaneously.


    Color left Lammy¡¯s face. ¡°Uh¡­Raznizu, didn¡¯t you say you serve a resistance that¡¯s here to help Zayza¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was talking about Queen Layla,¡± said Raznizu bluntly. ¡°We¡¯re the resistance.¡±


    IT¡¯S JUST THE TWO OF THEM?!?! Lammy despaired. He forced a sigh to shield the others from his skyrocketing anxiety. ¡°Oh¡­that makes sense,¡± he struggled out thinly.


    Layla had already moved on. ¡°Any other concerns, then?¡±


    ¡°Layla¡­¡± Zayza muttered.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I didn¡¯t know you had all of this in you,¡± she admired. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much in just a few months.¡±


    Layla¡¯s face lit up like a small child watching their parent come home, but it was fleeting, giving way to tired gray eyes too wise for her age.


    ¡°Since that night, I¡¯ve done nothing but strive towards this very moment,¡± she said. Blinking, she tried to bury her true expression under another haughty frown¡ªbut even Lammy could see right through it.


    She was suffering¡ªyet her will was unbreakable.


    ¡°Raznizu: let¡¯s be off,¡± she ordered as powerfully as her high voice could allow.


    ¡°Layla, please watch out for guards, and don¡¯t do anything too¡ª¡±


    Before Zayza could finish, Layla and Raznizu¡¯s projections faded from view. Lammy and Zayza, the two travelling companions, were alone once more.


    ¡°She gets like that. That hasn¡¯t changed,¡± Zayza noticed.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­really strong,¡± said Lammy.


    Zayza¡¯s gaze turned coy. ¡°Reminds me of someone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Who?¡±


    Her smirk persisted insistently.


    ¡°Wait¡ªme?!¡± Lammy exclaimed.


    ¡°You¡¯re just like each other.¡±


    Lammy shook his head protest. ¡°But she¡¯s like¡ªshe is-¡ªa queen! She made all those enchantments and tricked Proscious, and did a bunch of stuff I could never do and¡ª¡±


    ¡°And whenever she¡¯s afraid, like right now, she puts on a brave front and powers through against all odds,¡± Zayza interrupted evenly. ¡°With my memories back now, I realize you two are so similar it¡¯s amusing. Trust me, you¡¯ll notice in time.¡±


    For now, Lammy just couldn¡¯t see it. He shrugged. ¡°If you say so¡­¡±


    Zayza laughed lightly.


    They waited in silence for a while, left only to wonder about Layla and Raznizu¡¯s progress¡ªand their wellbeing.


    ¡°Lammy,¡± Zayza started. ¡°I just want to say¡ª¡±


    By her tone, he already anticipated her next words. ¡°Seriously, Zayza: don¡¯t apologize for all of this. I meant what I told the Sages. You¡¯re my friend, and I would do all of this over again even if I knew it would¡ª¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to apologize. Not anymore,¡± Zayza promised. ¡°Finally¡­I¡¯ve chosen to accept it. This is our battle now: mine and yours. So I just wanted to say¡­let¡¯s fight well.¡±


    Hard determination flooded into Zayza¡¯s posture. Watching her, Lammy could feel a connection closer even than times when ancient walls and gloomy cave hallways weren¡¯t keeping them apart. His feeling was hers.


    Lammy nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You know¡­sitting here and reflecting, I came to a realization,¡± Zayza said. ¡°We¡¯ve become a sort of consciousness team of our own, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    A laugh escaped Lammy. ¡°Good point. I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to visit Honest Stadium for that cinnamon tea,¡± Zayza added.


    This time, a harder laugh burst from Lammy. He tried to tame it at first, fearing the chance of alarming any nearby guards. But when he saw Zayza had caught his case of giggles, he couldn¡¯t help letting it all out.


    Then suddenly, Zayza¡¯s chuckling faded. Startled, her face shot to her cell gate.


    ¡°Zayza, my Princess,¡± came Raznizu¡¯s hushed voice.


    Lammy felt his heart cease from fear and revive with relief all in one dizzying motion. Raznizu¡¯s projection stood outside Zayza¡¯s cell, already opening the door.


    ¡°Raznizu¡ªthat was alarmingly hasty,¡± whispered Zayza.


    The stealth warrior entered the cell and cordially assisted Zayza to her feet.


    ¡°The five guards I encountered are now incapacitated. They knew not of my presence. Allow me to guide us,¡± he said swiftly.


    Lammy recalled Raznizu¡¯s uncanny speed when he¡¯d chased them down and fought Najinzu. He¡¯d almost forgotten their ally¡¯s ability¡ªand clearly, his injuries couldn¡¯t even slow him down.


    But as Raznizu guided Zayza towards the cell door, Lammy noticed a slight limp. He continued to clutch his rib, as well.


    Zayza was only a moment from shuffling beyond the gate, still in her bindings for now. Her face had grown stern and anxious, but then, one more smile suddenly broke through.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    She turned to face Lammy through the magical projection one last time.


    ¡°Whatever is about to happen, Lammy,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m so glad we met.¡±


    As Raznizu guided her beyond the cell door, Zayza¡¯s projection disappeared.


    ~


    Without question, this was the worst part. Once again, Lammy was totally alone in his cell.


    He sighed unevenly. Why did she have to make that sound like a goodbye? he lamented.


    Another guard had passed by minutes earlier, challenging Lammy¡¯s hopes once more. Raznizu could likely handle him, but there was no way to tell if Layla was still safe.


    Considering Raznizu¡¯s speed, Lammy wondered if he and Zayza would find him first. Though, since it likely depended on their displacement within this apparent maze of a dungeon, he tried to prepare for anything.


    Closing his eyes, he brainstormed defensive and stealth-based imagining techniques¡ªpartially to be ready, and partially to distract himself from the impending peril.


    A resistance of four against an entire nation run by Proscious¡­he thought. This will be something.


    Footsteps suddenly tapped just outside his cell; they were so hushed Lammy didn¡¯t notice until the last few.


    He opened his eyes. Layla stood before the gate, checking around carefully.


    The small Queen¡¯s cuts and scrapes were far more severe than her magical projection had originally let off. They were still red in places, with blotches staining small parts of her torn dress.


    But nonetheless, she stood just as straight as when Lammy had first seen her in the balcony.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be off. We haven¡¯t much time,¡± she urged in a whisper.


    As Lammy struggled to overcome the challenge of climbing to his feet while tied up, Layla slipped into the cell. Gently, she helped raise him up and guide him through the gate.


    He¡¯d never felt such utter relief as when the bindings dissolved around his wrists and ankles and faded into nothing. Blood flowed through him freely once more.


    And yet simultaneously, a new tension took its place: their escape had begun.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lammy uttered.


    ¡°You kept my sister alive all this time. Your nobility warrants it,¡± Layla said. ¡°Truly, you are a gift of hope to our nation.¡±


    Lammy tried not to smirk at her grandiose formality. She may have looked incredibly like Zayza, even standing this close, but she certainly carried herself quite differently.


    Even still, thanks to her facial familiarity, Lammy couldn¡¯t help but feel his guard soften.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably overstating it¡­but thanks,¡± he smiled.


    Maintaining a seemingly forced intensity, Layla moved on to business, eyeing the dark hall once more.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see Zayza¡¯s projections in your cell,¡± she noted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Raznizu got to her.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± whispered Layla. ¡°Right, then. I¡¯ll guide us.¡±


    Lammy awaited her first step so he could follow her lead. But for some reason, she remained in place.


    ¡°Uh¡­which way do we go?¡± he checked.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    With increased assurance, Lammy began walking. But a few steps in, he was certain no footsteps followed.


    He turned to find Layla still standing there, offering a slight pout as if he was supposed to know why.


    ¡°Um¡­aren¡¯t you coming? I thought you were gonna lead the way.¡±


    Layla¡¯s eyebrow raised with sheer judgment. She crossed her arms and flipped her hair dramatically. ¡°I am an injured Queen, you know,¡± she said flatly.


    ¡°Oh, true,¡± Lammy realized. ¡°You holding up alright?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    Lammy felt his mind spin. The following silence between them only added to his discomfort.


    ¡°So¡­shouldn¡¯t we get going?¡± he tried.


    Layla¡¯s pout increased. ¡°I said you¡¯re a noble hero, didn¡¯t I?¡± she reminded him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to offer to carry me?¡±


    Huh?!


    Face red, Lammy pried for any hint that she might be joking with him. But Layla didn¡¯t blink.


    I was supposed to just assume that on my own?! he thought. Man¡­she¡¯s way different than her sister.


    But a subtle motion caught his eye: revealed behind the tattered bottom of her ripped skirt, Layla¡¯s ankle was shaking. Dried blood streaked from it onto the bottom of her shoe. Regardless, she stubbornly continued to stand tall and confident.


    Lammy smiled as empathy set in. Oh¡­why didn¡¯t she just say so?


    ¡°Well¡­no matter. I can just walk,¡± Layla decided, her proud tone weakening against her wishes. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    She started forward towards Lammy, her limp now obvious.


    ¡°No, w¡ªwait a second,¡± Lammy urged.


    Blushingly, he turned his back to her and lowered, reaching his arms back.


    ¡°Hop on.¡±


    Layla paused before him, her gaze unreadable. ¡°Alright, only because you insist,¡± she ultimately agreed.


    YOU insisted, thought Lammy.


    Despite the added weight on his back, Lammy moved forward with relative ease. Layla was light¡ªalarmingly so. He remembered avoiding meals was the only way she¡¯d successfully resisted Proscious¡¯s mind control. The cost of her sacrifice was now obvious. Lammy felt shaky having been deprived access to any meals since their capture; he couldn¡¯t fathom barely eating for months.


    ¡°Turn right,¡± Layla whispered, her breath against his ear as they reached an intersection of the mazelike halls.


    Lammy followed her instruction. ¡°Hey¡­you must be starving, huh?¡± he asked.


    Layla didn¡¯t immediately respond. He felt her shift.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find you food¡­somehow,¡± Lammy decided.


    ¡°Th¡ªthank you,¡± she murmured. ¡°¡­.noble hero,¡± she added formally.


    Her directions continued, and Lammy snuck throughout the damp path. These black, chipped bricks used to construct this dungeon seemed older than time itself, and the occasional torches provided little help for navigation. He owed it all to Layla¡¯s impressive memory for the slightest sliver of hope in ever getting out.


    The young teens passed a silent cell. Lammy expected to find it vacant, until he almost collapsed in horror.


    Human bones.


    Layla seemed to note his alarm. ¡°A captured Huksd¨¹r soldier from an old war,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Harsh,¡± Lammy gulped.


    ¡°War is harsh,¡± came Layla¡¯s reply. ¡°We¡¯re not meant for it. Left.¡±


    Lammy tried to picture growing up here in Azvaylen compared to Tailpiece. But at its very core, this was an entirely different world. Even attempting to understand Zayza and Layla¡¯s upbringing birthed a headache.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    They only caught a glimpse of the next hall before instantly ducking back.


    A guard.


    The immediate pounding in Lammy¡¯s chest made him queasy. The guard was facing the other way, and likely didn¡¯t notice them. But he was only a few steps¡¯ distance, and like all the other soldiers, metallic armor protected him from head to toe.


    Lammy didn¡¯t have time to see, but it was safe to assume this guard wielded a magic sword.


    He backed away from the corner, keeping close to the wall and trying to control his heavy breath.


    ¡°I may be asking too much of you,¡± Layla started as hushed and close as possible, ¡°but please don¡¯t kill him.¡±


    ¡°W¡ªwhy did you think I¡¯d kill him?¡±


    ¡°How else did you protect Zayza all this time¡­?¡± questioned Layla.


    ¡°Not with murder!¡± Lammy whispered.


    ¡°Good, then. They may be confused right now, but they¡¯re still my soldiers,¡± reasoned Layla. ¡°And that one is Yuzvirel Zon¡ªhis family is kind.¡±


    ¡°You recognized him from just that split second?¡±


    ¡°I get to know all of my personnel. Yuzvirel has an unmistakable type of walk where¡ª¡±


    Their fruitless conversation fell short when clanks against the ground grew closer from the hall.


    ¡°Prepare to apprehend him, hero,¡± Layla ordered nervously.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Lammy stormed his mind in a panic. Imagining was his only chance. While it had been dead all this time in the cell, he remembered Irma and Aoi using consciousness abilities to interrogate Raznizu: powers were effective out here.


    The steps were closer.


    His face felt hot and the wall directly before him glowed orange from the light in his eyes. He needed to form a plan, and now.


    ¡®Apprehend.¡¯


    A single armored shoe emerged where the two halls met. There was no time to waste: fueled with extra focus and strength from his stress, Lammy imagined the first vaguely reasonable idea to pop into his mind.


    A great round fish, the height and width of the hall, blinked into existence before the soldier¡¯s appearing leg. Spreading wide its substantial circular mouth, the fish flopped forward and engulfed the soldier within its fictional belly.


    Layla let out a brief utterance of shock.


    Muffled shouts arose from within the slippery beast. While the guard shoved and rolled, he couldn¡¯t break free.


    Seizing their opportunity, Lammy pounced forward and hurried around the corner, reshaping the fish for a moment to allow them room to pass. He felt Layla turn to look back as he put everything into his sprint.


    ¡°Why did you¡­?¡± she tried.


    ¡°We had to capture him secretly, so that made me think of fishing back in Tailpiece,¡± Lammy shared in a huff.


    I¡¯m lucky my powers actually worked¡­maybe stress is good sometimes, he added in his head.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Layla repositioned, holding on tighter. ¡°A well-executed strategy, noble Lammy. Left.¡±


    When they turned the next corner and found it unguarded, Lammy allowed himself to slow. The fish would eventually fade once it was off his mind¡ªor once the light in his eyes dissipated, whichever came first. But for now, they were safe to collect themselves.


    ¡°It seems I was wrong,¡± Layla whispered. ¡°That was Juziew, not Yuzvirel. His shoes are older.¡±


    Lammy continued down the halls, Layla¡¯s whispers guiding him. Minutes passed, then probably more than minutes.


    After catching another guard by relying on Lammy¡¯s new fishing reaction, it turned from a gut response to a tactic. They climbed a tall set of stairs. Three more soldiers met the same aquatic entrapment and Layla¡¯s instructions continued, her voice growing more confident with each step.


    But at the same time, Lammy knew he needed to move faster. Once his fishes faded, those guards would be on the hunt. He tried to ignore his tiring knees and pushed forward.


    ¡°Straight.¡±


    Lammy balanced Layla carefully as they approached another even steeper set of stairs. A thick metallic door sealed the way at the top.


    ¡°This is the end of the dungeon,¡± Layla uttered. ¡°The castle awaits beyond that door. We¡¯ll find Zayza and Raznizu there.¡±


    Part of Lammy hoped Layla would offer to walk the rest of the way¡ªher slight weight was finally getting to him¡ªbut the accompanying guilt pushed the idea away. He stepped forward and began climbing the steps towards their solace.


    ¡°Those bricks we passed at the base of the stairs,¡± Layla told him, ¡°are where I prepared the enchantments for the dungeon. I loosened weak points and inscribed them on the inside.¡±


    ¡°Inscribed?¡± Lammy repeated.


    ¡°The magic in our reality is based in an ancient written language,¡± Layla reminded him. ¡°The closer to its oldest forms you can write, the more powerful its influence. Even if someone finds what I made, the most ancient of enchantments can take weeks to undo.¡±


    ¡°So this is all panning out in a way you were ready for,¡± Lammy noted, ¡°even down to the last failsafe. That¡¯s good strategizing.¡±


    By now they were only several steps from the door. Lammy powered forward with increased certainty. As he reached the final step, Layla stretched out her hand.


    The enchantment must apply to this door, as well, Lammy realized. She actually outsmarted these guys.


    The inspiration he felt surged even stronger than his fear for a moment. Assisting Layla with a shove, they pushed the burly door open.


    The glow from a vast, open room lit their faces. Lammy had to squint after all this time in the darkness. This new area, clearly no longer underground, matched the extravagant d¨¦cor of the inner castle he¡¯d seen when they first arrived. The floors, walls, and pearly ceiling high above glimmered.


    Its only difference were pointed, swirling black letters interwoven on every surface, only adding to the beauty.


    Despite its decorative importance, this room seemed little more than to serve as an entrance and exit into the dungeon. Far across, parallel to them at the opposite wall, a door identical to theirs stood as wide as the one they just opened.


    But Zayza and Raznizu weren¡¯t present.


    Lammy¡¯s heart sunk. If he and Layla were alone in here, what did that mean for Zayza and Raznizu?


    He started another step forward. The only way to know was to keep moving.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Layla shouted, the contrast from her former whispers making Lammy pounce.


    Something told him not to even let his foot fall down. He gazed at the floor before him: even here, the black-lettered inscriptions continued.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take another step forward!¡± Layla demanded.


    Even without her fearful words, Lammy pieced it together.


    An enchantment.


    ¡°This is a Dreamer Trap,¡± Layla observed rapidly. ¡°If we move any closer, we lose.¡±


    ¡°But¡­how?¡± Lammy asked. ¡°Who knew we were trying to¡ª¡±


    His throat tightened. A torturous realization set in and made his knees all the weaker.


    This time, for once, Zayza¡¯s optimism was their detriment.


    ¡°I told her it was a bad idea,¡± Layla shuddered. ¡°Fewpar chose his side.¡±

 96. Dodging Dreams

    As carefully as possible, Lammy backed up his elevated foot and lowered it just before the word-riddled floor.


    ¡°So¡­what would have happened if we kept going?¡± he asked Layla, his throat still tight.


    ¡°Nothing would happen to you; this is an enchantment written specifically for Dreamers,¡± she replied. ¡°If I step over these words I¡¯ll instantly fall into the Dream World, leaving my real world body vulnerable."


    After one more search of the lavish room, Lammy¡¯s heart only sunk further. The words covered every single travelable surface.


    ¡°Wait¡­what if I just keep carrying you?¡± he suggested.


    Layla¡¯s eyes scanned the ancient letters closely in response. But she shook her head.


    ¡°The command is written wisely: given the word they chose for ¡®walk,¡¯ and the way it¡¯s iterated, any process of walking associated with a Dreamer¡¯s movements will trigger the enchantment,¡± she revealed, her careful analysis continuing. ¡°And even if I succumb and you pull me away from the zone, it appears I¡¯ll be unable to reawaken for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°Great¡­¡± Lammy uttered.


    ¡°Also, if I¡¯m reading this correctly¡­yes: the enchanter will sense exactly when, and where, the enchantment sets off. Proscious will know precisely where we were caught,¡± Layla added quickly. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect trap. He crafted this masterfully.¡±


    A pain stabbed at Lammy¡¯s chest. ¡°Fewpar¡­¡± he grumbled.


    Layla nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Even after everything Zayza told him¡­¡±


    ¡°Proscious is mighty and fearsome,¡± Layla reasoned. ¡°If he values self-preservation, sharing our intent with them was his only option. Yet still¡­¡±


    Lammy felt her muscles tense on his back.


    ¡°¡­I¡­had some hope.¡±


    The revelation twisted Lammy¡¯s mind and gut alike. Though at odds with her misguided values, Zayza had done nothing but try to save Fewpar¡¯s betrothed. Her failure to do so crushed her very existence and drove her to throw her own life away.


    And despite all of this, despite her sacrificing everything for Vayva, Fewpar still chose to stand against her.


    Lammy¡¯s parents taught him never to hate, but now he wondered if he¡¯d found an exception.


    ¡°They¡¯re likely on high alert, waiting for us now,¡± the Queen warned.


    Lammy turned to look back down the dark stairs they had just emerged from.


    ¡°And those guards are probably headed this way by now, too,¡± he added.


    ¡°So then¡­have I failed us all?¡± pondered Layla fragilely.


    ¡°No¡ªdon¡¯t go there. We can¡¯t do that.¡± Lammy returned his attention to the room, this time his focus landing on the identical metal door at the opposite wall. ¡°That door¡¯s open, too¡ªdoesn¡¯t that mean Zayza and Raznizu got this far? And if they¡¯re not in this room¡­they got past this somehow, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­that¡¯s true,¡± Layla realized, strength returning to her tone.


    ¡°There has to be a way,¡± Lammy stressed as he searched for it in the very same breath. ¡°What did you say would activate this enchantment? You can¡¯t walk over it, and I can¡¯t carry you, right? Then¡­what if we run?¡±


    Layla shook her head adamantly. ¡°It would yield the same result.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­how about jumping?¡± Lammy tried. He eyed the exit into a long hallway all the way at the far end of the room. ¡°Uh¡­like¡­a lot of jumping?¡±


    Layla considered it. ¡°No,¡± she ultimately denied.


    ¡°Skipping?¡± pleaded Lammy.


    The Queen reread a particular section of the ominous text. ¡°Surprisingly, no.¡±


    ¡°Crap.¡±


    That only left one option, and it was Lammy¡¯s least surefire one.


    ¡°Okay¡­do powers work in here?¡± he checked.


    ¡°Dampening enchantments for all consciousness types are extremely complex¡ªnot even our current masters could forge them today. The dungeon is one of our oldest structures, and the dampening enchantment on those cells are from centuries ago,¡± Layla explained. ¡°The rest of the castle is free of them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lammy uttered, his hopes rising.


    ¡°But even with powers, any form of walking will trigger this trap,¡± Layla urged.


    ¡°Then what if,¡± Lammy said, ¡°we fly?¡±


    ¡°Your powers permit you to fly?!¡± Layla learned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you attempt that in the first place?!¡±


    Lammy hesitated, bracing for her overly positive opinion of him to crumble. ¡°Well¡­uh¡­I never really know if it¡¯ll work,¡± he admitted. ¡°It usually just¡­happens.¡±


    ¡°But you must try,¡± insisted Layla. ¡°You are a noble hero for a reason.¡±


    Am I a noble hero, though? Lammy doubted in his head. While wit and courage had indeed helped him and Zayza out of many situations, so did luck: his imagined dragon only spawned in specific instances of immediate peril.


    Wait¡­that¡¯s not true.


    When Raznizu tracked them down in Fiction Country, Lammy summoned his dragon on command. It was a situation much like this: a moment of impending danger, and it didn¡¯t appear on its own: Lammy imagined it on purpose.


    While he¡¯d been unable to finish summoning the beast that time, it still worked. And this time, there was no barrier to stop him.


    Focus on my stress¡­Lammy reminded himself. Don¡¯t resist¡­tap into it¡­


    His eyes glowed.


    Lammy tried to remember as many details of the dragon as he could¡ªbut he quickly cast that aside. He hadn¡¯t created the monster manually: his stress did subconsciously.


    He just needed to channel it, and with a goal in mind.


    Go, thought Lammy.


    A flash blinded them for a moment, and the familiar rainbow fur emerged from it within the enchanted room. Forming together smoothly, Lammy¡¯s imagined dragon soared just below the ceiling and circled within the walls.


    ¡°Magnificent¡­¡± Layla admired.


    The dragon let out a humanlike roar, still merely sounding like his former coworker Peter.


    ¡°¡­Expect for that,¡± the Queen added.


    The dragon swooped down towards them, extending its fluffy claw. Before Lammy could brace himself, it scooped him and Layla up. Dizzyingly, they found themselves settling in atop its saddle.


    Layla squeezed Lammy¡¯s waist tight, restricting his breath as they flew towards the hallway. But despite the discomfort, it was a good sign: the enchantment didn¡¯t activate on her.


    The pressure in his chest lifted. He¡¯d done it.


    Then, they began falling.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?!¡± Layla exclaimed.


    The dragon¡¯s weight underneath them suddenly grew faint. Startled back to their urgency, Lammy tried to refocus on the existence of the imagined dragon. But it was no use: he¡¯d never crafted the being himself, so he barely understood how to reinforce its contents.


    ¡°I lost focus!¡± Lammy warned. ¡°Hold on!¡±


    His eyes brightened once more, but by now they were fast approaching the floor. They would crash either way.


    The fading dragon barely slipped through the archway to the hall, and what was left of it slid smoothly against the floor before vanishing. Lammy and Layla tumbled the rest of the way.


    After climbing to his feet with mere bumps and a couple scratches, Lammy rushed over to Layla.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I still have to work out the kinks in the process and uh¡­¡± Lammy started.


    He paused when Layla grasped his hand with both of hers.


    ¡°Another splendid strategy, noble Lammy,¡± she said, sitting up. Thankfully, it seemed she¡¯d received no further injuries in their fall.


    A moment passed before Lammy realized she expected him to pull her up on his own. With his best effort, he tugged and raised the feathery girl back to her feet.


    ¡°Off we go,¡± Layla decided, remaining in place.


    Oh¡ªright, Lammy realized.


    He turned and lowered himself, allowing Layla to climb onto his back once more.


    While she did, Lammy¡¯s attention shifted to what awaited. He quickly found this hallway wasn¡¯t empty.


    Guards lay incapacitated all the way down¡ªeight of them total.


    Layla noticed too. ¡°Raznizu¡¯s work,¡± she recognized, faith building in her voice. ¡°He and Zayza surpassed this point safely.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they wait for us?¡± Lammy wondered.


    ¡°These guards are defeated¡­but there must be others after them now,¡± Layla concluded. ¡°It¡¯s a sign that it¡¯s unsafe here. They want us to follow their trail.¡±


    Lammy turned briefly to check behind them. None of the guards from the dungeon had emerged yet, but he knew they were likely getting close; his fish traps had certainly expired by now.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Layla was right: this hallway wouldn¡¯t be safe much longer.


    Weaving between the first few fallen guards as he traversed, Lammy noticed only a single dent in each of their helmets. Raznizu¡¯s efforts were swift and precise. Reconvening with him would increase their odds of escape tenfold.


    ¡°If I may ask,¡± started Layla, ¡°what is your fearsome beast¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°¡®Fearsome beast?¡¯¡± Lammy repeated. ¡°Oh¡­that dragon? Well¡­it¡¯s not a real living thing, it¡¯s just an imagining move. So it doesn¡¯t really have a name.¡±


    ¡°Then it needs one,¡± Layla decided. She paused to think as they neared the other end of the hall. ¡°Loozooloozeux.¡±


    ¡°Loo¡­what??¡±


    ¡°Loozooloozeux,¡± insisted Layla. ¡°It combines an Azvaylen pet name with a Fantasy Country Mainland dragon name. It¡¯s perfect, so it¡¯s your steed¡¯s name now.¡±


    Lammy shrugged. ¡°Uh¡­okay.¡±


    ¡°Noble Lammy, I don¡¯t sense much enthusiasm in your¡­¡±


    Layla abruptly fell silent. Lammy felt her grip around him go limp and she slipped off of his back.


    ¡°Layla!¡±


    While he couldn¡¯t react in time enough to stop her fall, he at least managed to turn and catch the Queen¡¯s head from smacking the hard floor. It seemed instantly, she¡¯d fallen into a slumber.


    ¡°Layla! Hey!¡± Lammy tried again, tapping her cheek, but it was to no avail.


    How?? he wondered. We did everything right to avoid the spell!


    His head darted around warily for any looming or incoming enemies, but they were still alone. Nobody had attacked Layla from a distance, unless they¡¯d retreated immediately after the strike.


    As he was about to check Layla again for any signs of Najinzu¡¯s darts, his eyes caught the answer.


    Right behind them, where Lammy had just walked, a thin ring of ancient text looped around the floor, walls, and ceiling.


    Another Dreamer trap.


    Lammy slammed his hand into his head. We got careless¡­he realized. His sinking feeling only increased as he recalled the further implications of their failure:


    Now Fewpar knew exactly where they were.


    I need to get us out of here NOW, Lammy knew. Shaking, he began shifting Layla into his arms. But without her ability to grasp onto him, he realized his movements would be too slow.


    The dragon, he planned. Wait¡­but if I drop us again, or if I can¡¯t keep her in the saddle, she might get hurt this time. So maybe¡­


    As he observed the young Queen again, he noticed an orange hue on her face. His eyes had ignited once more.


    I¡¯ve only ever done this with Zayza, he acknowledged, but I have to try. Maybe¡­I can help her get out of there¡­


    He laid his hand on Layla¡¯s head and closed his eyes. After a moment of doubt, the familiar sinking feeling began. Everything swirled into darkness.


    ~


    Lammy¡¯s senses returned. He was bodiless in the pale pink sky, his vision peering down on the orange and black grassy plains far below.


    He¡¯d made it to the Dream World.


    Nobody was around¡ªjust a silvery river flowing between two hills. It encircled a singular, stout white tower and then continued into the endless beyond.


    Lammy fixated on the seemingly random tower. It emitted a vaguely familiar essence¡ªcourage, wit, strength, and somehow, frailty as well.


    Layla, Lammy recognized. Much like Zayza¡¯s cave, this must have been where all of Layla¡¯s thoughts and memories were stored. But the Queen herself was nowhere in sight.


    Focusing harder, Lammy felt a stronger sense of this same essence over the horizon. He latched onto it, and the ground beneath him spun into a blur.


    It slowed to a stop within moments. Below him, alone in a vast, flat plain of black and orange, stood Layla. Her frayed dress and wounds were now restored in this alternate realm.


    Layla, Lammy sent.


    The girl pounced, her head zipping in all directions to try and locate the source of the voice.


    It¡¯s Lammy. I¡¯m here¡­uh¡­kind of, he tried to explain. My mind is, at least.


    ¡°Noble Lammy?!¡± Layla called into the air.


    Yeah¡­we can talk by sending each other thoughts, he revealed.


    In¡­in this manner? came Layla¡¯s voice in his mind.


    Lammy smiled at how quickly she figured it out. He sent a feeling of confirmation.


    Wait¡­but aren¡¯t you an Imaginer?


    Uh¡­kind of¡­?


    Then how is this even possible?


    I uh¡­I¡¯m still working on figuring that out, Lammy admitted. But I can imagine in here, too¡ªeven better than on the outside.


    Fascinating¡­Layla beamed. You truly are incredible.


    Lammy found himself glad he didn¡¯t have the body to blush in the Dream World.


    So¡­is there any way I can help you get out of here? Lammy inquired.


    Layla sent a sentiment of negativity. The enchantment traps Dreamers here. Even still, I¡¯ve already tried, she denied. I can only become dreamless or die here until the enchantment lifts.


    Both of those options sounded far from appealing to Lammy.


    Layla must have sensed his desire to brainstorm further. You have to return and get us to safety, she said. It seems I¡¯ll need to defend myself here. Besides, you can feel that, correct?


    Feel what? wondered Lammy.


    We¡¯re not alone. Zayza¡¯s in the Dream World right now, Layla revealed. She¡¯s far, and many others around her are muddying her aura, but she¡¯s here.


    Lammy reached again for any sense of her presence, but nothing came up. He wondered if it was the nature of his abilities¡ªperhaps he could only sense the presence of the Dreamer he connected with in order to enter this realm.


    It seems she was unable to evade the enchantments as well, Layla observed collectedly. If I can find her here, we¡¯ll be strong enough to fend off any attacks. Then we can create a plan for all four of us to reconvene.


    Reluctantly, Lammy sent a nod in agreement. He tried to hide his thoughts from reaching the Queen, as now, they were full of fear: this new plan meant returning to the real world alone, where countless soldiers were likely closing in on their exact location. And he had to not only keep Layla alive, but also himself, against such a threat.


    These had turned into the worst circumstances possible, as far as Lammy was concerned.


    Nonetheless, he forced himself to begin fading from this realm.


    Incoming¡­Layla muttered.


    Lammy paused for a moment, allowing his senses to reconfigure. In the sky over the horizon, several white lights blinked into existence like stars.


    But then those stars grew larger¡­and they took on the shape of soaring, robed individuals.


    From what Lammy could tell, they numbered nearly fifty.


    Dreamer guards, Layla identified. Pumping both tiny arms down aggressively, she summoned a sparkle of pink energy around her fists. Then they¡¯re ambushing us from both realms.


    Smart¡­Lammy admitted reluctantly.


    He watched the unfolding battle for a moment, before realizing he had to hold up his own part of their escape efforts.


    You can do this. Good luck, he sent soberly.


    WHAT?! Wait, where are you going, Noble Lammy?!


    Layla¡¯s voice in his head was almost deafening.


    Huh? I thought you wanted me to go back and take you somewhere safe? Lammy reminded her.


    Not anymore! Halt!


    Lammy observed the incoming barrage of Dreamers. He remembered Zayza¡¯s godlike ability against Fewpar once she¡¯d recovered all of her memories. He recalled her sheer overwhelming strength in her recount of trying to save her family in the Dream World. As Zayza¡¯s sister, Lammy had assumed Layla must be at least relatively powerful.


    Wait¡­you can¡¯t take these guys? Lammy realized.


    Well¡­Zayza is an extreme exception, you know. She said it herself, Layla said feebly, her fingers fidgeting as her pink energy continued to sparkle. And¡­how do I say this¡­Dreamer Combat isn¡¯t exactly my¡­strongest quality¡­


    SHE¡¯S WEAK?! Lammy translated.


    Layla must have sensed a speck of his sentiment, despite his attempt to keep it to himself. Her pout deepened. Just¡­help me fight, alright?


    Okay. But¡­what about Zayza?


    She¡¯s still too far away. She must be fending off her own ambush, Layla stressed, her composure weakening with every word.


    Lammy prepared to imagine as the force of Dreamers neared the Queen. Layla tightened her fists. They had to make this quick if Lammy wanted any chance of avoiding the threat on the outside, but he was beginning to wonder if they even stood a chance in here, as well.


    Still soaring closer and closer to Layla, several of the guards unleashed beams of light her way. They rained down like the end of the world.


    We definitely don¡¯t stand a chance, Lammy decided. We need Zayza.


    Then a thunderous blast dominated his ears, and light and smoke shrouded the sky.


    Wonderful defense, Noble Lammy, Layla thanked him.


    That¡­wasn¡¯t me¡­


    Then who¡­?


    When the sky gradually cleared, not only were the incoming energy blasts gone, but several of the Dreamer guards were now missing. The rest came to a dead stop in the sky, their arms raised defensively.


    Urgently, Lammy checked down to Layla.


    She no longer stood alone¡ªbut her defender wasn¡¯t the Dreamer Lammy was about to guess.


    ¡°How distasteful.¡±


    Fewpar slowly neatened his perfect hair, his back to Layla several steps ahead, and his eyes calmly set on the floating robed guards.


    ¡°¡­Fewpar¡­?¡± Layla said breathlessly.


    Disregarding the threat for a moment, he turned to her. His face was stern as always, yet for the first time Lammy had ever seen, his eyes were warm.


    But¡­the traps¡­Lammy thought, his mind whirling. He¡¯s not¡­?


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be the only one good at surprises,¡± Fewpar said to Layla, a sly smile breaking through.


    ¡°General Fewpar! Wh¡ªwhat is this?!¡± a guard shouted.


    ¡°We¡¯re following your exact orders! Proscious won¡¯t permit this!¡± another¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°What are you doing, General?!¡±


    Without turning to face them again, Fewpar¡¯s smile grew somber. He approached Layla with slow steps full of pensive resolve.


    Layla took a wary step back, but caught herself.


    ¡°What I¡¯m doing now,¡± Fewpar called back, ¡°is what I thought I¡¯d been doing all along, until I learned the truth.¡±


    He reached Layla, turned to face the legion of guards, and took the small Queen¡¯s hand softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m standing up for everything Vayva believed in,¡± he declared, ¡°and I¡¯m protecting the people she loved.

 97. In Mere Hours

    Lammy watched on, frozen despite his bodiless state, as Fewpar¡ªthe very man who tortured and humiliated Zayza while she was at her most vulnerable¡ªnow stood with Layla¡¯s hand in his.


    The Queen lifted her head to see the eyes of her much taller rescuer, her youth poking through her demeanor for just a moment.


    ¡°I believed the deception, Queen Layla. Blaming Zayza gave me a conquerable enemy,¡± Fewpar uttered unevenly. ¡°It¡¯s far too late to correct the pain I¡¯ve caused you. I thought our kingdom¡¯s hope for justice¡ªno¡ªmy hope for justice¡ªlay in my vengeance. But I¡¯ve heard the truth, and now, I know where this justice resides: in the sisters of my only beloved.¡±


    Fewpar turned his head from the sky filled with robed Dreamer guards, and down to Layla.


    ¡°My Queen, if you¡¯ll accept me again, even just this once¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fewpar!! What are these utterances?!¡± the nearest guard demanded, his voice reverberating below the increasing clouds. ¡°Stand down!¡±


    Another guard flickered into view just beside him. Lammy hadn¡¯t even noticed one had left in all the commotion.


    ¡°Officer, his real world body is gone now!¡± she urged. ¡°He¡¯s hiding!¡±


    Fewpar returned his eyes to them, his cunning smirk returning even wider than before. He muttered something to Layla lowly. Her eyes widened.


    Fewpar created the Dreamer traps, she confirmed in Lammy¡¯s head.


    Huh?! Why?! I thought he just said he¡¯s Team Zayza now?!


    ¡°Stand down, Fewpar!¡± the leading guard ordered once more. ¡°This is a warning!¡±


    He¡¯s hoping to speak with you, Layla added. So I told him you¡¯re here.


    Me?!


    Lammy knew Fewpar had seen his ability to participate in the Dream World first hand. But why was he counting on it now?


    Wait¡­let me attempt something¡­Layla uttered broodingly, ignoring Lammy¡¯s accelerative bewilderment.


    Within a moment, Fewpar¡¯s hushed words suddenly started flowing into Lammy¡¯s mind. They sounded oddly distant, as if he was hearing thoughts inside of thoughts.


    Layla was relaying Fewpar¡¯s words¡ªas her own thoughts¡ªdirectly to Lammy.


    ¡°Boy: I knew not if you¡¯d use your strange ability to follow the Queen here,¡± came Fewpar¡¯s faraway whisper. ¡°I could only pray you would. Your decision has granted us precious time.¡±


    ¡°General Fewpar, we WILL take aggressive action if necessary!¡± the guards continued. ¡°Stand down! We must seize the Queen!¡±


    ¡°And alas, we still don¡¯t have much of it,¡± Fewpar realized, his murmurs speeding. ¡°Both of you: listen closely. And do exactly as I say.¡±


    His next words poured out as eloquently as they did urgently. And by the end of it, Lammy felt as if reality itself had flipped.


    First came an elaboration. Next, a reason to hope.


    And finally, a daring plan.


    Fewpar was¡ªquite easily¡ªone of the only people whose guidance Lammy was certain he¡¯d never willingly follow. And more than that, tied only with Najinzu, he was the last person Lammy thought could ever instill a sense of optimism in him.


    So as he listened to a strategy that involved relying on both of these men, and as it filled Lammy with that exact feeling, he didn¡¯t know what to make of it.


    All he could fathom was that it was time to move.


    ¡°I hereby declare General Fewpar guilty of treason and a threat to our objective,¡± the main officer proclaimed back to his forces. ¡°Target them both.¡±


    ¡°Boy: go now,¡± Fewpar urged. ¡°Make haste.¡±


    Blue energy flashed to life around his body.


    Layla! Lammy called.


    I know, came Layla¡¯s voice wisely. I shall reprimand Fewpar for referring to you in such a demeaning manner, Noble Lammy.


    W¡ªwhat? No¡ªI was gonna say, shouldn¡¯t we get you out of here?


    But he could sense a hint of her impatience before she even replied. That¡¯s not how the enchantment was written. You must carry me until I awaken. Until then, I¡¯ve no choice but to fight here.


    Lammy glanced repeatedly between the nearly fifty robed warriors and Layla. And according to Fewpar, a similar threat was closing in from the real world¡ªperhaps it was there already.


    But if Fewpar¡¯s words were true, this could work.


    There was hardly a choice: they had to trust him.


    Right¡­Lammy ultimately uttered.


    Besides, if what Fewpar said is true, Layla added ponderingly, this battle might be exactly what we need to cripple Proscious¡¯s new objectives¡­


    Lammy could see her mind working rapidly, yet he couldn¡¯t interpret what it had just begun building.


    ¡°My Queen, I regretfully caution you to prepare your abilities,¡± Fewpar said, this time loud enough for Lammy to hear on his own. ¡°Stay close to me. I¡¯m ashamed to say it, but you¡¯ll need to get your hands a bit dirty.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    A tugging and sinking overwhelmed Lammy¡¯s senses: just as Zayza had before, Layla was pushing him back out to the real world.


    I will return to you, the Queen promised quietly.


    Darkness shrouded Lammy¡¯s sight, but he heard the roars of the guards. Blasts resounded in his head, and he couldn¡¯t decipher their origins or outcomes.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    But as he sunk, only a few final words cut through clearer than anything. While most were directed at Layla, somehow Lammy could tell they were meant for him, as well:


    ¡°You¡¯ve shown me what your stubborn courage can accomplish,¡± Fewpar¡¯s voice resounded. ¡°There¡¯s never been a more critical time for it than now.¡±


    And then, one last word¡ªclearly directed at their Dreamer enemies:


    ¡°Nightmare.¡±


    ~


    As Lammy reluctantly expected, his return to the real world was far from a welcome one.


    The defining factor came in the form of dozens of royal guards storming down the hall straight for him, light swords blazing against the walls.


    Armor clanked from behind as well: they were closing in on both sides.


    Letting a shriek slip out, Lammy fell forward and covered the sleeping Layla with his own body. His head tightened, but his eyes continued to glow with heat.


    It seemed his heightened powers had remained active in response to his stress. It felt automatic¡ªlike a muscle strengthening from continued use.


    Perhaps these abilities were maturing in such a manner.


    ¡°Explain yourself, terrorist!¡± growled a guard, sword high and feet running past the spot where Layla had christened Lammy¡¯s dragon technique.


    Lammy pulled Layla close. His eyes brightened.


    ¡°LOOZOOLOOZEUX!!!!¡± he hollered.


    ¡°Loozoo¡­come again?¡±


    Faster than Lammy could process, a powerful yet fuzzy force pushed up from underneath and swooped them into the air. His dragon emerged from nothing, rising just in time to evade incoming sword strikes.


    Turn right to head west¡­Lammy recalled from Fewpar¡¯s rushed instructions. The dragon swerved as he wished, leaving the unsuccessful, yet still clamorous, royal guards behind.


    It turns out putting a name to the technique helped my mind conjure it faster, Lammy noted. ¡­Even if it¡¯s a weird name.


    Loozooloozeux roared unintimidatingly.


    Thanks, Layla-AH!!


    With Loozooloozeux¡¯s uneven flight, the Queen¡¯s body began to slip. Lammy clutched onto her even tighter and pulled her back up with everything he had.


    When she¡¯d succumbed to the enchantment, this was precisely why Lammy chose to follow her into the Dream World instead of attempting to fly again: he hardly knew what he was doing.


    Yet as Fewpar had said, choosing to enter the Dream World then may have bought them just enough time. They¡¯d fallen right into his trap¡­


    ¡­A trap that, as it turned out, he repurposed to help them.


    Mind still spinning, Lammy did his best to try and organize all the details of Fewpar¡¯s revelation:


    ¡°Your escape was destined to fail without outside aid¡ªbut Proscious couldn¡¯t know I intended to aid you. So I needed to fool you both, and go along with their wishes. Knowing they could read my thoughts if I seemed suspicious, I chose to tell them outright of your intent to break free. As a General, I offered to ensure your failure with my own resources. And so I created the Dreamer traps.


    ¡°To Proscious, they were fences to sabotage and block your escape. But I knew I could use them to locate you immediately and communicate with you with a more thorough escape plan. I had to design the enchantment to hold Dreamers for a short while¡ªthey needed to be convincing. But it also gave me enough time to locate and speak to you.


    I¡¯m here to protect you from the Dreamer guards I¡¯ve sent here, Queen Layla, but more than that: I have crucial information. There have been developments that could turn the tide to your rebellion.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s hair stood up as he replayed Fewpar¡¯s next words over and over:


    ¡°Listen closely, both of you: a resistance of outsiders¡ªa group of professional consciousness fighters¡ªhas come to rescue you. From what I could gather, Proscious offered them some sort of deal. They have until tomorrow to respond. And if they don¡¯t accept, Proscious will have its hands full with another battle outside the castle. That will be the perfect time for us to strike.¡±


    A group of pro consciousnesses¡­Lammy repeated, his heart filling.


    ¡°So, boy: you must hurry the Queen safely to the western tower. Najinzu waits there, guarding my real world body. Once I can, I¡¯ll relay the same information to Zayza. Together, under Queen Layla, we can forge another resistance from the inside of the castle.¡±


    A sinking inertia jolted Lammy back to reality. Loozooloozeux was fading and falling.


    In a panic, Lammy steered the beast back upwards. Thankfully, its vibrancy recovered and the dragon flew steadily once more. But Lammy knew he¡¯d need to pay more attention: if he stopped channeling his stress into power, they¡¯d crash just as before.


    Jolted back to the present, he observed their new surroundings. They flew along another much longer and darker hall. Elaborate diamond shaped windows were spread evenly all the way down the left wall, revealing a deep night sky. It was far too dark to pick out anything else.


    A resistance from the outside¡­Lammy thought as he observed the dull stars.


    All this time, he¡¯d never stopped believing. But now, hearing confirmation that it was actually happening, Lammy had never felt more hope.


    Deon¡¯s coming for us.


    They just had to hold on. They had to make it to tomorrow.


    He had to get to the western tower.


    Carefully repositioning Layla again, Lammy focused forward. Fewpar¡¯s brief directions seemed unbelievably specific: from this point, he was supposed to just keep going straight until he reached the opposite end.


    But it meant clearing the entire castle, in one night, without capture.


    He prayed Layla would not only survive her now-raging battle, but be able to return soon. As Queen, she would know exactly how to make it there. But for now, Lammy was on his own.


    And as if this mission didn¡¯t feel unrealistic enough, he was rushing towards Najinzu, of all people, for solace.


    He¡¯d seen Fewpar¡¯s transformation and intent to support them, but all he knew of Najinzu¡¯s stance was based on Fewpar¡¯s word. Lammy had to trust that Najinzu¡¯s loyalty to Fewpar was enough to change him, too.


    Just hold on¡­he kept telling himself. Keep moving¡­


    He peered around the massive hallway for any sign of more guards. For now, they traveled alone¡­but he knew that wouldn¡¯t stay the case.


    Deon will show them what real strength is, he thought. I just have to be strong, too¡­


    ~~~


    The night sky was so dark, Deon could barely make out the castle¡¯s distant towers.


    He wanted nothing more than to get up and charge straight towards them right now, imagine his giant Twitchy, and burst his way through the walls to scoop up Lammy, Pang, and Zayza.


    But he had to follow the plan. He had to wait until morning.


    They only had one chance.


    He didn¡¯t even bother to pretend he¡¯d be getting any form of sleep tonight, so instead, he sat alone in the grass several paces from their campsite.


    His eyes didn¡¯t leave the castle.


    Deon ran their strategy over and over again in his mind. He knew every detail and every contingency they could predict off what little they understood of their enemy. They¡¯d trained together all day under Hiroko¡¯s coaching.


    They were prepared. But they wouldn¡¯t truly know if they were prepared enough until the fight began.


    And there was still one looming question¡ªone factor that was most likely to bring about their failure:


    How is he so powerful? Deon wondered.


    Wei¡¯s smile plagued his head, as did the images of Skrili¡¯s mangled body.


    There was nothing he could have done to stop it.


    The grass shuffled in a whisper, and suddenly Deon found himself no longer sitting alone.


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep either?¡± he asked Skrili.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I tried.¡±


    The two sat in silence for a while, as still as the entire the Lanmuraarch reality felt around them.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen again,¡± Deon uttered, clenching his fists.


    ¡°Let what happen?¡±


    ¡°What Wei did to you,¡± he explained. ¡°I won¡¯t let him even touch you. We¡¯ll get in there, kick his butt, and get out¡­with everyone.¡±


    Skrili glanced away from the castle, staring off into the darkness. ¡°That¡¯s not how these types of fights work,¡± she cautioned. ¡°Some of us might¡­get hurt.¡±


    ¡°You seemed a lot more confident about this when we were practicing,¡± Deon noted.


    ¡°I¡¯m just realistic. I still know we¡¯ll win,¡± assured Skrili solemnly. ¡°I¡­I promise I¡¯ll save them this time.¡±


    Deon turned his gaze from the castle to her. He didn¡¯t need her to elaborate: her brother¡¯s ghost was in her eyes.


    Shifting closer, Deon wrapped his arm around Skrili.


    ¡°Hey¡­it doesn¡¯t all fall on you. You¡¯re not alone this time,¡± he said softly. ¡°It¡¯s up to all of us. And because of that, we¡¯ll save them.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s stare into the dark void finally broke off. She turned as if to reface Deon, but ultimately shifted her eyes to the ground before them. Quietly, she nodded.


    With his arm around her, Deon realized how equally genuine and hypocritical his own encouragement felt. He meant everything he¡¯d told her, yet at the same time, he¡¯d just spent at least an hour sitting and pondering how tomorrow would really play out.


    His heart was set on it more than anything before. There was no other option: he would save Lammy and the rest, and he would protect Skrili while doing it.


    But did he really believe he had what it took to uphold that promise?


    Skrili¡¯s weight pushed in as she leaned up against him. Deon sighed as her warmth warded off the midnight chill and her hair tickled his face. He held her even tighter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid tomorrow,¡± Skrili murmured.


    A chuckle burst from Deon. ¡°Way to kill the mood.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a mood?¡±


    Deon initially assumed her comment was sardonic, until her head rose from his shoulder. Her face was just before his, and her eyes seemed to beam straight through him.


    He tilted his head forward.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± came a low, forced cough not too far to the side.


    Deon and Skrili jolted.


    ¡°PHILLIP?!¡± Deon exclaimed, squinting to pick his dark form out from his shadowy surroundings.


    ¡°We get it. You like each other.¡±


    ¡°What the¡ªhow long have you been standing there?!¡± Deon demanded. ¡°That¡¯s creepy, man!¡±


    ¡°I came over here hours before you sat down,¡± Phillip defended evenly.


    Deon was about to search for a worthy rebuttal, but a more sobering realization sunk in.


    He¡¯s only here because he¡¯s just as stressed about tomorrow, Deon reasoned. Of course he is.


    ¡°Hey¡­Pang¡¯s gonna be¡ª¡± he started.


    ¡°Pang is the strongest person I¡¯ve ever met,¡± Phillip uttered. ¡°She¡¯s holding on. We¡¯ll win, and I¡¯ll save her. I don¡¯t need anyone to convince me she¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    Deon hesitated at his intensity.


    Phillip turned his head to them. ¡°But¡­thank you for wanting to convince me, nonetheless.¡±


    A patient smile spread on Deon¡¯s face. ¡°Anytime, Phil,¡± he said. ¡°Sorry¡ªPhillip.¡±


    ¡°I thought I heard talking,¡± came yet another voice.


    From the opposite side, two more figures emerged out of the gloom of night and stepped close. Hiroko and Kotono joined them in their nightclothes, hand-in-hand.


    ¡°Sorry¡ªdid we wake you guys?¡± Deon checked.


    ¡°W¡ªwe¡¯ve been up,¡± Kotono said. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°So we went for a little walk,¡± Hiroko finished.


    ¡°And here I thought it was just me,¡± Deon commented.


    The five consciousnesses fell into a cohesive silence. Their eyes all found the looming Azvaylen capital skyline once more.


    This means everything to all of us, thought Deon.


    ¡°We¡¯re all part of three separate teams,¡± Hiroko started pensively. ¡°But for tomorrow, that won¡¯t be the case anymore. Everyone¡¯s work today convinced me: tomorrow, we¡¯ll be one team.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll win, ¡± Deon added.


    Hiroko paused. ¡°You know¡­speaking of that,¡± she uttered. ¡°Clearly none of us are getting much sleep tonight. And if we¡¯re all a team, I feel like I should introduce you to how I do things a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªI know where this is going,¡± Kotono realized.


    ¡°You know what, everyone?¡± Hiroko said. ¡°I think there¡¯s one more thing we need to do before tomorrow.¡±

 98. Light Tomorrows Fate

    For a moment, the crisp crackles of wood were the only sounds in the field.


    The humble fire between the five fighters was strong enough to at least illuminate their faces. Everyone¡¯s eyes bounced around to each other a bit awkwardly, mostly lingering on Hiroko. For some reason, she insisted that Deon and Kotono create this flame.


    The process was easy enough: Deon imagined a circle of rocks, and a heap of wooden sticks between it. Then Kotono¡ªafter insisting everybody take many steps back¡ªsummoned a quick, startling spark of energy to combust the campfire to life.


    She seemed to be the only one familiar with whatever Hiroko was about to unveil, leaning against her teammate and allowing her eyes to meditate on the flames.


    ¡°Skrili, Deon, Phillip: you¡¯re just as much my teammates as Kotono, now,¡± Hiroko began, her voice lingering in the smoke. ¡°So I¡¯d like to let you in on our little pre-fight ritual. Welcome to your first ever Dauflofla.¡±


    While the word was clearly unfamiliar to the newly initiated¡ªand even a bit silly-sounding¡ªDeon noticed Skrili and Phillip watching on intensely, their expressions stoic and their reverence obvious.


    ¡°Uh¡­anyone got a Koz on them? Or what did Miranda call it¡­a guitar?¡± Deon asked playfully. ¡°Feels like we¡¯re about to break into a campfire song.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re close,¡± Hiroko said.


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡±


    Immediately, Hiroko¡¯s sandy voice opened up into a slow, bouncing melody. Kotono provided accompaniment, tapping on her lap to keep rhythm while Hiroko sang the words from perfect memory:


    ¡°Gods below, to whom Sand Dragons bow


    Surround us in your mercy now


    Our darkness harbors crippling weight


    From days of past to days of late


    So burn up all remaining hate


    And light tomorrow¡¯s fate for¡­¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s icy, and usually stoic eyes now fell to Deon with a sly sparkle.


    ¡°Deon!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Deon stammered as all four consciousnesses turned to him.


    A smirk grew on Hiroko¡¯s face. ¡°Tell us something you hate. Be honest.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. What the heck is this? he wondered. Some sort of training? This is Hiroko we¡¯re talking about: she probably wouldn¡¯t waste our time¡­Does she have magic on her that¡¯s supposed to get rid of hate or something?


    He tried to think of an answer. ¡°Wei,¡± he replied grimly. ¡°Because he took Lammy and almost killed¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold up, hold up,¡± Hiroko interrupted. ¡°Keep it light.¡±


    ¡°Light?¡±


    ¡°Light.¡±


    Her face was more relaxed than Deon had ever seen. Clearly this was some sort of game.


    But why? Tomorrow, they would risk their very lives to save those most precious to them. Why was now, of all times, the time for Hiroko to stop taking it all seriously?


    Deon shrugged. ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°Milking cows. I¡¯m sorry, that stuff¡¯s just nasty.¡±


    ¡°Milking cows?¡± Hiroko repeated in puzzlement. ¡°That¡¯s the first thing on your mind? How many times have you had to do that?¡±


    ¡°More than I want to think about,¡± Deon shared, shaking his head.


    Skrili chuckled beside him. ¡°You look so haunted right now.¡±


    The rest let out a laugh at the expense of his cow-based trauma.


    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s gross!¡± Deon defended, waving his arms. ¡°And Savannah¡ªmy ex¡ªknew I hated it. So every time she milked a cow, she would try to get all handsy with me. She had me booking it across the entire village!¡±


    ¡°Alright guys: no cow-milking around Deon. Got that?¡± Hiroko instructed with the wave of a finger. ¡°Okay Deon, now sing it with me¡­¡±


    ¡°Gods below, to whom Sand Dragons bow,


    Surround us in your mercy now


    Deon hates milking cows¡­¡±


    She continued into the rest of the chorus, insisting Deon join with the raise of an eyebrow.


    Seriously¡­what¡¯s gotten into her? he wondered. But nonetheless, with everyone¡¯s smirking attention on him, he felt the pressure to do his best keeping up.


    ¡°And light tomorrow¡¯s fate for¡­¡± they sang slightly out of sync.


    ¡°Pick someone,¡± Hiroko guided Deon.


    ¡°Uh¡­You¡¯re up, Phil. Phillip, I mean.¡±


    The brooding, shadowy young man gazed thoughtfully at the fire, as if deciding what to cast away into it. He nodded.


    ¡°Chewing,¡± he decided flatly.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, like, people chewing with their mouth open, right?¡± Deon figured.


    ¡°No. Chewing in general,¡± Phillip clarified. ¡°This world would be more pleasant if every chewing species just swallowed things whole instead. If I could, I would.¡±


    Everyone burst into laughter, this time even louder.


    ¡°Bro, WHAT?!¡± Deon bellowed. ¡°What are you even saying?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so particular!¡± Kotono giggled.


    ¡°AND!¡± Hiroko guided Deon and Phillip, leading them back into the song as a trio this time:


    ¡°Gods below, to whom Sand Dragons bow,


    Surround us in your mercy now


    Deon hates milking cows


    Phillip hates¡­chewing¡­?¡±


    Deon watched on, forgetting his confusion for a moment¡ªor at least, dismissing it¡ªas this little game persisted. It was Phillip¡¯s turn to pick, and he chose Kotono to go next.


    Laughter and playful judgment persisted with the following fighter¡¯s takes: Kotono hated the word ¡®partake,¡¯ and Skrili hated cloudiness unless it was raining.


    The energy had shifted entirely from before Deon and Kotono casted the flame. Sheer minutes after Deon was stuck in a cycle wondering if they¡¯d even live beyond tomorrow, they were filling the night with laughter.


    They were alive, present, at peace.


    They were out of their own heads.


    Deon fell over in a howling fit as he witnessed everyone gain up in a shouting match against Hiroko: she had just admitted she hated peanut butter. Even Kotono¡¯s mouth dropped.


    Phillip stood defiantly, his fists shaking. ¡°I¡¯ll have no more of this foolishness,¡± he announced. ¡°Hiroko, I challenge you. I will stand to defend the most supreme delicacy this Multiverse has to offer.¡±


    ¡°Skrili, stop him! That¡¯s your hero!¡± Deon laughed.


    But Skrili stood to join him, her bad acting obvious as she tried not to smile through her improvised antics. They stepped forward.


    Deon dove and tugged at their arms. ¡°NO YOU GUYS!! DON¡¯T LET PEANUT BUTTER TEAR US APART!!¡±


    ¡°DON¡¯T HOLD US BACK, ANTI-MILKER!¡±


    Kotono begged for relief with what little words she could muster between wheezes and snorts. Bright yellow glitters of energy shook off of her and faded into the grass.


    ¡°AAAAND!¡± Hiroko conducted.


    One last time, the group broke into the chorus, doing their best to recall everyone¡¯s subject of hatred. Hiroko dramatically waved her arms up at the conclusion as if to cast it all away into the smoke, and the five consciousnesses fell back to their seats, their laughter finally winding down.


    The crackling firewood once again filled the returning silence.


    ¡°In Hidakala¡ªmy home tribe¡ªhunting and gathering resources can be extremely difficult and dangerous,¡± Hiroko shared. ¡°We¡¯ve also had years of conflict defending our land from opportunistic outsiders in the past. So our hunters and warriors are strong, and we¡¯ve built traditions to keep us that way.¡±


    Her eyes rested on each consciousness individually.


    ¡°One of those is what we¡¯re doing right now: a Dauflafla. My tribe believes the Gods deep beneath the Mainland Desert created us, and so the ground is sacred¡ªgravity itself pulls us back down towards it no matter what. The night before a hunt or a battle, we would start a Dauflafla by casting our negative feelings into the fire, and watch the smoke pull it to the sky while we stay beckoned towards the earth. It¡¯s a purification of our hearts.¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°Whoa¡­that¡¯s what we just did?¡±


    Hiroko smiled. ¡°Who knows? Maybe. But it was fun, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kotono shifted, clearly mustering the courage to elaborate. ¡°I¡­well¡­I used to get really bad panic attacks before fights¡­debilitating ones,¡± she admitted to her friends. ¡°So Hiroko started doing these with me¡­and we kind of turned it into our own fun version.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Hiroko shrugged. ¡°I just went with what I knew,¡± she added unassumingly. ¡°But yeah¡­it¡¯s definitely a lot sillier than the real one.¡±


    Deon sighed. Somehow, breathing had become easier than it had been in days¡ªever since he watched Lammy and Zayza disappear. He hadn¡¯t even realized how hard his heart had been beating this whole time.


    But right now, it was slow.


    He looked beside him to Skrili: she still had a lingering smile from their little game. Even Phillip leaned back as he sat across from them.


    Hiroko knows exactly what she¡¯s doing, Deon realized.


    His attention fell to the black, triangular tattoos all over Hiroko¡¯s body¡ªthe countless markings all over her arms, hands, and feet, and the single one just underneath her eye like a teardrop.


    Considering her tribe was rich with traditions and symbolism, he wondered what those were for.


    ¡°Well¡­there¡¯s a lot more to a Dauflafla than that¡ªespecially a Hiroko and Kotono one,¡± she said, reaching back to retrieve her travel bag from the darkness.


    ¡°Wait¡ªdid you bring Phoenix Floats?!¡± Kotono beamed, peering in as Hiroko opened her bag.


    ¡°Huh? When would I have gone all the way to the Phoenix, and how would I have fit them in here?¡± Hiroko laughed.


    ¡°A girl can dream¡­¡± pouted Kotono.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to make do,¡± Hiroko shrugged, pulling out bags of sweet treats. ¡°It¡¯s not a Hiroko-Kotono Dauflafla without candy.¡±


    She tossed bags around the fire to Deon, Skrili, and Phillip, and the relaxed ritual resumed.


    Storytelling¡ªas Hiroko shared¡ªwas another major staple of a traditional Dauflafla. Normally, warriors and hunters would take turns exchanging folk legends and battle stories alike. Deon prepared to pick out his and Skrili¡¯s wildest fighting story yet; perhaps the Fullmetal Consciousnest and Xavier would garner a chuckle.


    But instead, Hiroko unveiled yet another alteration: they were to make up a story together, on the spot, each providing a singular word at a time.


    Despite a slow, shy start, their collective tale grew until it spanned hours into the night. Eventually Deon found himself invested: Duck and Buck¡¯s aspirations to win every Conscious Competition exclusively by ducking kept him on the edge of his seat, and he¡¯d never forgive their Uncle Diddlebob for betraying their trust and disrespecting their joint cucumber allergy.


    By the conclusion of their largely nonsensical epic, Deon¡¯s stomach was sore from laughter. The sheer lack of sleep only encouraged giggles further, clearly getting to everyone else, as well.


    As the fire died down to glowing embers, Deon noticed Skrili had nodded off against him soundly. He wrapped her in his arm and observed the rest of his teammates.


    Phillip remained staring into the campfire¡¯s final luminance, his eyes hidden. But the frown he usually wore was absent. He wasn¡¯t afraid anymore¡ªhis mind was clear. He was ready.


    Across the glow, Kotono¡¯s head lay on Hiroko¡¯s lap. Deon couldn¡¯t hear their soft words to each other as Hiroko ran her hand through her teammate¡¯s strawberry blonde waves, but he could only describe the warmth in their eyes as adoration.


    Deon¡¯s mind slurred and he caught his now-heavy eyelids drooping. The restlessness was gone.


    The fear of tomorrow still lingered, but for now, it couldn¡¯t hold him captive. For now, he could finally get the rest he¡¯d need before his most fateful day.


    He imagined a pillow on the ground behind himself and Skrili. But before laying her down and making himself comfortable, he glanced over the faded fire one more time.


    ¡°Thanks, Hiroko,¡± he whispered.


    Her eyes, filled with a depth of understanding, lifted from Kotono¡¯s to meet his. The embers added further brightness to their icy shade. With a smile, she gave a simple wink.


    ~~~


    Lammy knew he should have expected it, but his heart still practically stopped when he spotted a cluster of armored guards.


    While it was a wild guess, he¡¯d hoped trekking through this seemingly insignificant back hall would have provided better cover than flying freely through the castle on a large rainbow-furred beast. Now, several minutes into the path, he realized how wrong he was¡ªand how badly he needed navigation.


    The narrow hallway lit blue as the countless guards ignited their magical swords. Paintings of past kings and queens appeared ghostly under the flickering shadows.


    Threats and shouts echoed Lammy¡¯s way.


    This was bad. He¡¯d trapped himself; even the ceiling was much lower here. Summoning Loozooloozeux was no longer an option¡ªperhaps he shouldn¡¯t have dismissed the dragon and instead opted to forgo concealment entirely.


    But it was too late to reflect.


    I have to fight, he thought.


    He shifted Layla¡¯s resting body on his back. Her arms dangled over his shoulders.


    She¡¯s counting on me¡ªeveryone is, he reminded himself, throat restricting. I¡­


    I can¡¯t let Zayza lose her only family left.


    Deon¡¯s beaming smile flashed into his mind. His mother, father, Aunt Meiv, Uncle Dien, Savannah¡­all of their faces swam through his thoughts, eyes full of love.


    ¡°We¡¯ve become sort of a consciousness team of our own, haven¡¯t we?¡± Zayza had said hours ago.


    Lammy blinked away the dampness in his eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let my teammate down.¡±


    The guards charged, a few of them in the front even chuckling. Lammy hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d spoken out loud until then.


    ¡°FOR AZVAYLEN!!¡± came their roars.


    Lammy stared them down. This time, fear wouldn¡¯t dominate him. This time, he was just as ready as he was determined. He¡¯d done this before. He searched within to call upon his heightened imagining powers.


    But nothing happened.


    Huh?!


    Their onslaught was a moment away. Lammy desperately felt for any hint of his power up. Thanks mostly to the urgency of the situation, his realization came quick:


    His heart wasn¡¯t racing. His head didn¡¯t hurt.


    He wasn¡¯t stressed enough.


    He¡¯d become confident¡ªbut confidence didn¡¯t fuel his powers. In fact, it was now hindering his true power source: stress.


    Seriously?! I canceled myself out?! Lammy deduced.


    The realization itself returned his heartbeat into a frenzied state. Doom awaited him, and that overwhelming possibility set a fire to his eyes. Energy spiraled within him.


    But he was far too late now: the guards were upon him. There was no more time to summon a defense.


    This was the end.


    Wind and heat slammed his whole body backwards. He felt Layla¡¯s weight vanish, replaced with the unforgiving stone of the floor. But he couldn¡¯t seem to hear as he crashed and slid against it.


    On top of that, he couldn¡¯t see, either: billows of dust and smoke burned his eyes. After a moment, he could pick out the sound of his own coughs.


    And in that moment, he realized the guards¡¯ coughs and shouts of pain blended with his.


    Two soft hands grasped his.


    ¡°Rise, Noble Lammy.¡±


    The smoke cleared enough for Lammy to at least recognize the face right before his. Layla kneeled over him, her pale blonde hair blown in all directions and her face now smudged with dust.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?!¡± Lammy observed. ¡°What just happened?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    She attempted to yank him upwards with minimal success. Lammy followed her lead, crawling to his knees. Only steps away, all the guards lay buried under stones and debris. The hallway was entirely cut-off.


    Finally, it clicked: Lammy remembered the Throne Room explosion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make haste,¡± Layla urged.


    ¡°HALT!!¡±


    Their heads whipped to the other end of the hall. Dozens more guards charged their way, the sight of their defeated brethren heightening their tenacity.


    ¡°I wish not to harm any of you any further,¡± Layla insisted. She climbed to her feet with a sharp limp, balancing on her one good leg.


    The guards persisted.


    ¡°But if I must¡­¡± she lamented. The Queen¡¯s hand brushed along the side of her dress in a clearly rehearsed pattern, reaching for something particular. She attempted to tug on part of the fabric, but missed. Alarmed, she peered down to her dress to find ripped material.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lammy checked breathlessly.


    ¡°This enchantment¡­it¡¯s damaged.¡±


    The guards closed in.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes lit even brighter in sync with his anxious breath. This time, it was his chance.


    The front two guards found themselves consumed within the wide mouth of an oversized fish: Lammy had placed it into existence just in time. Metal and violent threats alike piled up behind the beast¡ªits flubbery body blocked them off from the rest of the hallway.


    But the fish rocked and slid against their unrelenting shoves.


    ¡°It won¡¯t hold,¡± Lammy warned Layla. His head shot back and forth: between the wall of debris and the wall of piled-up soldiers, there were no more exits. Even with all that effort, it seemed they¡¯d done little more than put off their capture for a moment.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± Layla uttered coolly.


    She again slid her hand along the skirt of her dress. This time, she clutched a small dangling fabric in another area, her eyes fixed on the inner wall.


    Layla tugged the fabric. Only steps away, a section of gray bricks crumbled to nearly nothing. They left behind a circular, gaping hole into the darkness.


    ¡°Another enchantment?¡± marveled Lammy.


    ¡°I prepared for this for quite some time,¡± Layla reminded him. ¡°I have enchantments across practically the entire castle written on the inside of my dress. Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    She inched forward towards this new doorway, her hair bouncing with her labored step.


    This girl¡¯s brilliant, Lammy thought.


    With a start, he hurried to overtake her. Lammy squatted down.


    ¡°Here, Layla,¡± he urged, reaching his hands back. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t walk.¡±


    ¡°Hm. You remembered this time,¡± she noted as she climbed onto his back once more. ¡°However¡­I am a Queen¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Sorry, Queen Layla.¡±


    She fell oddly silent as Lammy rushed her towards their escape.


    ¡°Well¡­you¡¯re allowed to be informal with me, Noble Lammy¡­¡± she muttered.


    Alright, which one is it?! spun Lammy¡¯s mind.


    He raced into the dark, dusty hole, the soldiers¡¯ bellows of protest dulling behind the layers of stone. Another hole of equal size awaited them straight ahead, only steps away. Lammy stumbled over the rubble for a moment before shifting Layla¡¯s weight and pressing forward.


    ¡°Good work back there,¡± Layla uttered. ¡°Though¡­why didn¡¯t you defend us from the first wave of guards?¡± she added, her tone seemingly trying to hold in her disappointment.


    Lammy hesitated. Clearly, she¡¯d expected more extravagance from him. ¡°Well¡­um¡­I was too confident I would win¡­?¡± he attempted. ¡°My powers are weird¡­Anyway, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake. I could really use a navigator in this place¡ªand your enchantments. I have no idea if I¡¯m on the right track.¡±


    Layla turned to observe the hall they¡¯d come from. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­that hopelessly off-course¡­¡±


    That¡¯s not very reassuring¡­thought Lammy.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. Fewpar urgently needed to reach out to us, and the Dreamer Traps were the only clever way under Proscious¡¯s watch,¡± she reasoned. ¡°The information he provided is the key to our victory.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Lammy agreed. Deon and his friends were on the way. Tomorrow, they wouldn¡¯t fight alone.


    Lammy reached the opposite opening in the wall. He and Layla poked their heads into the next room just enough to see: the ceilings were high once more, and the room ran as long as the hallway they¡¯d just come from. Rows of unoccupied armor glistened subtly under the low glow of lanterns on the wall. As far as they could see, Lammy and Layla were alone.


    ¡°Step forward,¡± Layla whispered.


    Lammy cautiously entered the supply room. He felt Layla¡¯s hand leave his shoulder and reach for her dress once more. As she returned her grip on him, the sound of brushing and shifting rocks caught his hear. Lammy turned to find the wall reconstructing itself back to its original form, leaving no trace of tampering.


    ¡°Nice¡­¡± he uttered.


    Layla studied the room. ¡°Move towards the opposite wall. We¡¯ll be back on the best route to the western tower momentarily.¡±


    Lammy sighed; at least he hadn¡¯t completely hindered their chances.


    ¡°What ended up happening in the Dream World?¡± he checked as they passed by countless armor displays. ¡°Did you get kicked back out into reality?¡±


    He felt Layla¡¯s hair as she shook her head. ¡°Because of the Dreamer Trap, I would have been knocked dreamless. The enchantment lifted, so I returned,¡± she explained. ¡°What happened¡­was Zayza.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart lifted. ¡°You found her?¡±


    ¡°She found us. She single-handedly defeated the Dreamer guards who attacked her when she fell into Fewpar¡¯s Dreamer Trap,¡± said Layla. ¡°Fewpar fought a good fight with what little assistance I could provide, but we were failing. Zayza warped to us just in time and immediately turned the tide.¡±


    She¡­really must be the most powerful Dreamer¡­Lammy realized.


    ¡°We sensed the Dreamer Trap expire, so they told me to return to you,¡± added Layla. ¡°It seems I returned just in time.¡±


    Lammy nodded. ¡°So that means Zayza can return to the real world, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But I instructed her and Fewpar to remain.¡±


    Lammy thought he¡¯d misheard her for a moment. ¡°Wait¡­why?¡±


    They reached the opposite wall, so Layla advised him to wait. She searched her dress skirt for a moment, and then decidedly tugged on another section of fabric. As before, a circular section of the wall crumbled.


    To Lammy¡¯s surprise, a soft light shone from it into the room. It wasn¡¯t a lantern this time¡ªit was natural.


    He stepped into the hole, and after a few steps, discovered the next section of the castle featured a decorated wall with tall windows¡ªsimilar to the ones he¡¯d seen early in this escape.


    But now, instead of a night sky, Lammy saw budding sunlight beginning to welcome morning onto the kingdom¡¯s rooftops.


    It¡¯s already been that long? he noticed.


    Lammy had travelled throughout the castle away from windows for a while now, but in his heightened state of adrenaline, he hadn¡¯t realized just how many hours had already passed.


    The day had come.


    Layla didn¡¯t seem to mind that he paused to take in the unexpected sight.


    ¡°Given Zayza¡¯s account of Proscious¡¯ experiments, and with Fewpar¡¯s new information about the resistance,¡± Layla said, ¡°I think I know exactly what Proscious will attempt today. So I launched Zayza and Fewpar into a Dream World counteroffensive: to lure in Azvaylen Dreamers, and incapacitate as many of them as possible.¡±


    Though Lammy couldn¡¯t see her face, he knew she was gazing into the early morning sky just as him. Even as a strategist himself, he could hardly follow her thought process.


    ¡°You know Proscious¡¯ next move?¡± he finally asked.


    Layla tightened her grasp on him, her arms trembling. But her voice remained poised: ¡°Keep moving, Noble Lammy. I¡¯ll explain,¡± she uttered. ¡°The Battle for Azvaylen¡­has begun.¡±

 99. Battle

    Wei leaned back and let out a yawn.


    ¡°Huh¡­maybe I should have told them what time to get back here,¡± he realized to himself. ¡°I might be here a while.¡±


    He stretched, wiggling his feet as he stared forward into the early morning sky and dewy plains. The breeze was a bit brisker than he¡¯d planned for, up here atop the front gate of Azvaylen¡¯s capital. But at the very least, the sunlight was increasing.


    Wei yawned again¡ªbut not from tiredness; in fact, he slept soundly the evening before, especially after switching off his communication watch and ordering his team and Azvaylen Generals alike to leave him alone.


    ¡®They escaped¡¯ this and ¡®they¡¯re defeating our forces¡¯ that¡­


    Wei had scoffed at it before returning to bed.


    Of course Layla and her loyal buddies would attempt escape. They were desperate to save the day¡ªand half of them were frightened children with their lives on the line. Wei couldn¡¯t blame them.


    But as he had insisted to Benton before reuniting with his luxurious royal-grade pillow: no matter how hard they fought back, it didn¡¯t really matter.


    He always had his last resort, if it would even come to that. Proscious would prevail and come one leap closer to their rise¡ªand most importantly, it was thanks to his leadership.


    No¡­¡®leadership¡¯ was a gross word. It was thanks to his power.


    He¡¯d earned this day for himself. Even with these slight setbacks, victory would be his. He¡¯d done everything right.


    Speaking of those setbacks¡­well, a few of them¡­Wei observed.


    Five distant figures emerged from the horizon. Wei raised an eyebrow.


    Looks like none of them chickened out, he noticed. Commendable. Oh, and they even managed to save that blue-haired girl, huh? Good on them.


    Wei smiled as he picked out his favorite: his prisoner¡¯s relative, the white-haired Imaginer.


    What will you choose, kid?


    Until now, he¡¯d all but convinced himself the Imaginer would concede and agree to join Proscious in exchange for his friends. After catching a glimpse Wei¡¯s powers, the young man had no choice¡ªassuming he believed the terms were legitimate.


    And Wei meant precisely what he said: if the Imaginer joined, Wei would simply fake the executions instead to please the population of Azvaylen. With some creative misinformation, that could mend the peoples¡¯ trust after witnessing Irma¡¯s disguise as Layla fall apart before their eyes.


    Then, as promised, he would return the Imaginer¡¯s loved ones to him. Simple.


    Although, the little Queen probably wouldn¡¯t survive to make the cut. Wei had to complete the experiment with her in the Dreamer Chamber first, after all.


    He failed to recall if he¡¯d mentioned that little detail.


    But given the presence of the Imaginer¡¯s other four friends, Wei began doubting this would end peacefully. And if that was the case, then they all needed to die.


    Regardless, he couldn¡¯t wait for them to get closer. There was something special about that Imaginer kid.


    A born-consciousness with a natural blend of powers¡­he thought fondly.


    It was a win either way in his book: if the Imaginer agreed to join Proscious, Wei would provide one more monumental addition to their mission. If he resisted, Wei would still get a glimpse of his impossible, yet natural, abilities one more time.


    Heck, maybe I can make him join regardless, he pondered. After all, he needs¡­he deserves to know¡­just how unbelievably strong he can become.


    Returning from his spiral of inner inspiration, Wei noticed the small fight squad had gained much more ground towards him. They stared almost unblinkingly as they neared.


    Yawning once more, Wei gave a wave. No matter what happened next, his boredom would end here.


    They all ignored his casual greeting, as expected. The group came to a stop on the stone path far below, and the white-haired Imaginer stood front and center.


    Crackles of energy burst out on the ground far below, in front of the gate.


    ¡°The Azvaylen Capital is off-limits,¡± a burly guard warned.


    ¡°What is your business here?¡± demanded the other.


    Right¡­those guys¡­Wei remembered. Managing a kingdom is kind of a pain¡­


    ¡°Hey! Go find some drunks to arrest or something,¡± he called down. ¡°I¡¯ll handle these guys. They¡¯re my guests.¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    He heard the gate open and close as the guards wandered off. All the while, the five fighters didn¡¯t avert their stare from him.


    Yep¡­they¡¯re definitely gonna try to fight again, he detected. It¡¯s all in the eyes.


    While the Imaginer remained his main focus, he analyzed the others for a moment. After all: this was the bunch of Leaguers that made Irma and Benton actually have to try.


    The lanky, emo Illusionist wasn¡¯t much to write home about, though. It was safe to say he was no more different than the typical pro. Wei moved on to the consciousness beside him.


    The beloved Predictor, Hiroko Hamasaki¡­he observed. Now she¡¯s a little more like it¡ªa high potential, and she¡¯s actually reached it. But¡­that¡¯s the problem: her power ceiling caps out too low to mean anything here.


    Her teammate, however¡­


    He eyed the dainty Kotono Inoue.


    She might not even HAVE a power ceiling, he pondered, recalling the decimated courtyard she left in her wake without even intending to. Actually¡­she could prove to be quite fun. If I can push her limits to their end, maybe I can finally test my own¡­


    The blue-haired girl he¡¯d almost killed stood beside Ms. Inoue, now without injury. She seemed to be a Power Rebound¡ªan agile one, too¡­


    ¡­but certainly nothing special.


    No¡ªher importance lay elsewhere.


    Wei¡¯s eyes finally landed back on the white-haired Imaginer.


    She¡¯s the one who makes you tick, he remembered.


    The way the Imaginer¡¯s eyes ignited orange when Wei had tossed him the girl¡¯s mangled body sent shivers down his spine.


    It clearly wasn¡¯t intentional; it was automatic. It was an emotional response, exactly like Kotono¡¯s Emovert energy.


    But instead of generating that same energy, it enabled this young man to imagine what only a master with decades of training could attempt¡ªand do it instantly.


    He was more than a consciousness: he was an anomaly.


    Proscious needed to study him. They needed to find out why. And for that, the blue-haired girl was the trigger Wei needed to pull.


    Wei smiled.


    I love this life.


    ¡°Hey, good morning,¡± he called down. ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t chicken out.¡±


    No response.


    ¡°I get it. I won¡¯t waste any more of your time, kid. Let¡¯s just get right to it: do you agree to my terms?¡± Wei offered, extending a hand. ¡°Let me guess: ¡®I¡¯d never¡ª¡®¡±


    ¡°I agree to join Proscious.¡±


    Wei paused, his hand still hanging in place. ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Deon¡¯s face was hard and adamant. ¡°I agree to join Proscious,¡± he repeated. ¡°Just give Lammy and everyone else back to us.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Wei¡¯s eyes narrowed, bringing a hand to his chin in contemplation. ¡°Well then¡­that¡¯s not what I was expecting¡­¡± he admitted.


    He analyzed the five consciousnesses even closer, and they continued to stare back, unmoving.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said.


    A laugh escaped him. There was no other proper reaction. Cursing to himself, he turned to look behind him. But he knew it would be too late.


    In a split instant, the morning chill shifted to scorching heat.


    ~~~


    An explosion rattled the ground under Phillip¡¯s racing steps.


    He came to a quick stop, skidding for a moment against the Azvaylen capital¡¯s stone walkway, and checked the sky behind him.


    Smoke and dust emerged from behind the city¡¯s buildings, rising in the distance exactly where he¡¯d hoped to find it: above the main gate.


    Or at least, what was left of it now.


    Locals on their morning commute also paused to take in the ominous sight. With fearful exclamations, they lowered their heads and rushed for the nearest shelter.


    Phillip turned and continued his pursuit, his eyes now fixed on the castle. Another blast resounded, and then silence.


    Did it work? he asked himself.


    He¡¯d checked his work countless times before they set out for the capital at the onset of sunrise. And now, he played it over and over in his mind.


    Creating the illusion of himself was the easy part¡ªbut crafting walking, blinking versions of Skrili, Deon, Hiroko, and Kotono¡ªand automating all five of them to head for the main gate didn¡¯t come easy.


    He hadn¡¯t anticipated Wei would wait for them atop the entrance to the city. So when they caught sight of his silhouette from far across the field, he needed to think fast for this to work.


    In a way, Wei¡¯s position made animating the illusions easier, giving less obstacles to navigate. But Phillip needed to add a new command last-second so they would look up high enough at Wei to come across realistic.


    Then of course, there were Deon¡¯s lines: ¡°I agree to join Proscious,¡± and ¡°Just give Lammy and everyone else back to us.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t remember how many times he¡¯d asked Deon to repeat those phrases to him yesterday, but last night, it was enough to make him dream it actually happened.


    Hopefully, subjecting himself to the most boisterous, bigmouthed voice he¡¯d ever heard yielded a believable result. Hopefully, it bought Kotono just enough time to get into position and set her aim.


    More explosions rumbled from the front gate.


    Her energy is boundless¡­he admired. Keep it up, Kotono. Keep holding him back.


    Phillip sped his pace, zooming past buildings. He needed to make her efforts count.


    ¡°Heyhey¡­¡±


    Again Phillip slid to a stop, this time a bit sloppier. He¡¯d navigated to a series of alleys on the far outer rim of the city, its towering western wall only a few buildings to his side. And now that Kotono¡¯s blasts indicated phase one was complete, he¡¯d dismissed his illusions by the gate and shrouded himself in a disguise.


    But it appeared none of his elusive efforts mattered. His disguise faded against his will.


    Irma stood before him.


    With a relaxed smile, she brought her watch close to her face.


    ¡°Found one on the west end. I told you I could do it without Naji¡¯s help,¡± she said into it. ¡°It¡¯s just the illusionist. I got it.¡±


    Despite his determination to stay strong, Phillip reflexively took a step back when Irma¡¯s unconcerned eyes returned to him. Her smile opened up.


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re the one I found. Now I can just get this over with easily and go back to headquarters,¡± she celebrated.


    Phillip strengthened his stance.


    In a way, this is what we wanted, he reminded himself. Our next objective is to take out Irma and Benton while Kotono holds back Wei. With them out of the picture, we can all face Wei together.


    He prepared his mind.


    I can do this. We planned for this scenario, he thought. His heartbeat steadily calmed. Hold on just a little longer, Pang. I¡¯m almost there.


    I¡¯ll be the one ¡®getting this over with.¡¯


    ¡°Okay¡­you set a trap for Wei so you could flank us and storm the castle?¡± Irma guessed. ¡°That¡¯s your big plan?¡±


    Phillip didn¡¯t respond. She was close. But the longer she believed he hadn¡¯t hoped to encounter her, the better.


    He checked her eyes: one pink, and one yellow.


    She¡¯s a Dampener right now, he noticed, recalling his team¡¯s thorough notes from their first encounter with her. No wonder my illusionary mask vanished.


    Irma cracked her knuckles.


    That means¡­I have to fight without my powers.


    ¡°Okay, end of the road, kid. I wanna make a lasagna tonight but I need time to get my groceries,¡± said Irma.


    Phillip prepared a defensive stance. Hiroko had helped him formulate a strategy for this precise situation; he had to trust and remember that. He briefly reached for his pocket.


    No¡­not yet, he decided. It¡¯s too soon.


    Irma leaned forward lazily, but in an instant, she was upon him.


    A fist rammed into his gut. The force launched Phillip back immediately: his feet left the ground and he soared through the air before rolling unevenly against the street.


    He dug his heels in and launched himself back upwards. With a heaving cough, he returned air to his lungs.


    There was nothing he could have done to dodge the blow.


    ¡°Still standing? Come one¡­I was hoping that would be it,¡± sulked Irma.


    Her voice came from behind. Phillip began turning, arms raised protectively, but he kept a fraction of his attention forward: there was a chance she¡¯d switched to Illusionist while he wasn¡¯t looking and threw her voice.


    But just as devastatingly as from the first punch, Phillip¡¯s stomach jolted and his body burst back into the air. He crashed onto his back, this time unable to regain his footing.


    Irma hadn¡¯t tried to deceive him. She didn¡¯t need to play games.


    Phillip spat and raised his head from the stone. Irma stood undefended and impatient, her eyes still pink and yellow.


    She¡¯s not going to switch from Dampener on her own, he understood. She wants this over quick, so the less options I have, the better for her. I need to make her believe switching types is her best move.


    Phillip sighed to try and calm his already aching body. He looked around: buildings were only a few steps in all directions. The Azvaylen citizens had mostly run for cover after Kotono¡¯s explosions began, but many were likely in these buildings.


    Not here, he thought. I need to survive these hits just a little bit longer¡­


    ¡°You can just surrender, you know,¡± Irma said. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to prove here. We can just get on with our lives as usual¡ªwell, I can.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Irma smiled. ¡°He finally speaks,¡± she announced. ¡°Fine then, don¡¯t blame me for what happens to you. You chose this fight.¡±


    Phillip stepped backwards once more, reaching an intersection between this back road and another larger one. At the end of the wider street, a father and mother ushered their three children in a hurry. One child turned to gape at the rising smoke in the distance.


    Not here, Phillip repeated to himself.


    Catching his footing, he turned and dashed further down the back road, away from Irma.


    ¡°Huh? You like, just said you don¡¯t surrender!¡± Irma called after him. Her voice grew distant: she wasn¡¯t following. And yet, her long, sluggish groan was loud enough to echo clearly against the walls. ¡°UGH¡­I¡¯m super not in the mood for this right now¡­¡±


    As Phillip quickly realized, her laziness had no influence on her ability. He transitioned streets just in time to find her flying kick swinging right past his head: in seconds, she¡¯d already closed in on him.


    Phillip attempted to speed his pace, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. He needed to get to a better spot faster. With a jump, he sent all his weight towards the nearest wall. He pushed off towards another, and then used the momentum to force himself higher into the air.


    He flipped masterfully before touching down atop a roof. A gathering of birds flapped and retreated in protest.


    Thanks to the cluster of buildings in this area of the city, the collection of roofs practically created a second floor. And without any taller structures nearby aside from the kingdom¡¯s outer wall, this new space was open.


    This is my chance, he thought.


    A blur ascended straight up from the ground below. Irma touched down effortlessly on a roof only a couple houses away. She crossed her arms.


    ¡°Are we fighting or playing tag?¡± she complained. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle me, just accept the inevitable and give up.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Phillip promised.


    His stubbornness elicited another groan from Irma. As he hoped, she assumed the offensive again.


    She soared across the buildings towards him, requiring only a single step on each roof. Phillip waited until she was midair just before his building, and then he took a leap towards another. Irma redirected with ease and continued her rapid hunt.


    The pattern continued: any time she grew close enough, Phillip waited until she was airborne and shifted directions. She still gained with every second, but it took much longer than down on the street.


    ¡°You¡¯re being such a punk! You know it¡¯s over!¡± Irma exclaimed.


    Phillip kept moving. He just had to find the right spot.


    There: only three more roofs away, a wider street separated a row of buildings by more than a quick jump.


    That was it.


    He sped towards his new goal, and thrust himself into a desperate leap. The large street passed by far underneath him: a miscalculation from this high could mean his death.


    But he touched down on the opposite roof and rolled to a safe stop, gasping for air.


    There was no time to recover, however: Phillip turned, and found Irma about to attempt the same daring leap.


    No fear haunted her eyes as she took to the air, her attention unyieldingly on him.


    Now.


    Phillip dug into his pocket and pulled out a cube made of stone.


    Deon¡­Kotono¡­Hiroko¡­I¡¯m counting on you, he prayed.


    He lifted the cube back, aimed, and threw it with all his might at Irma.


    Unable to redirect herself in midair, all she could do was twist to the side. But the cube still bumped her arm.


    That was all Phillip needed.


    Gold light burst out in beams from all corners of the cube. It spun rapidly. Then, with Irma still close, it burst into a booming explosion.


    The blast launched Irma whirling out of the air with a shout. She fell out of Phillip¡¯s view, but he knew with that momentum she¡¯d crashed hard against the solid road.


    He hurried to his feet and beheld the aftermath from the corner of the roof.


    Irma lay scratched up against the front of a building, soot staining her clothes on the side where the cube had combusted. But she propped herself upwards by the arms, completely alert.


    In fact, her eyes were wide.


    She suddenly ignored Phillip¡¯s existence, reaching desperately for her legs.


    ¡°No, no, please¡­¡± she muttered.


    Her hand landed tenderly on one leg, then the other. Color returned to her face as she made them both move.


    Then all at once, her poise resurfaced and she raised her pink and yellow eyes up to Phillip. Remnants of gold light trickled down from the sky around them both.


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡®the heck was that?!¡± Irma demanded. ¡°I¡¯m totally blocking your powers right now, I know it! And¡ªI thought you were an Illusionist!¡±


    Finally, Phillip¡¯s patience had begun paying off. Hiroko¡¯s plan was working.


    For the first time since the fight began, he felt the advantage shift in his favor.


    He clenched his fists, glaring down at Irma unafraid.


    ¡°Return Pang back to me,¡± he threatened. ¡°Now.¡±


    His confidence seemed to yield the opposite effect he¡¯d expected: Irma¡¯s expression relaxed, now distracted with a new revelation. Then, her smile returned.


    ¡°Oh¡­right¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°Pang Pereo¡¯s your teammate. You followed us here specifically for her, huh?¡±


    Irma stood, stretching her limbs and neck as if to resume a workout. ¡°Well this is pretty awkward now,¡± she added.


    Phillip¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°What¡­what are you talking about?¡± he demanded. ¡°Bring me Pang now!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I really can¡¯t,¡± Irma said with a shrug. ¡°You¡¯re way too late: Pang¡¯s not here anymore.¡±

 100. Master of Four

    Phillip felt life itself leave his body.


    ¡°W¡­what?¡± he managed out.


    Irma¡¯s teasing smirk softened a bit. ¡°Sorry. Your determination to save her is sweet; any girl would want that,¡± she said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how else to say it: Pang¡¯s not here. She hasn¡¯t been for a while.¡±


    She dusted off her clothes and stepped away from the wall of the building, ignoring her new scratches and bruises.


    ¡°Honestly, she was never even supposed to be here. They called Benton and me back for this Azvaylen crap while we were in the middle of our mission to get her,¡± Irma elaborated. ¡°We had to drag her with us while we caught Zayza and the others¡ªit was such a pain. So she was only here for a few minutes, until Benton had time to drop her off. You¡¯re two days late.¡±


    Drop her off?? Phillip repeated in his head. None of this made sense: if they didn¡¯t keep her here in Azvaylen like the others¡­


    ¡­Then what did they need her for?


    ¡°Where did you take her?!¡± Phillip roared. ¡°What did you do to her?!¡±


    Irma raised her hands as if to insist innocence. ¡°So like, I can¡¯t tell you any of that. I¡¯m not allowed. Blame it on the job description,¡± she replied calmly. ¡°Just relax; she¡¯s alive. But just so you know, we won¡¯t be giving her back. Like, ever.¡±


    Fuming, Phillip jammed his hand back into his pocket. His finger brushed another stone cube.


    ¡°You know,¡± continued Irma thoughtfully, ¡°I always think it¡¯s funny when I see people talking up these top Leaguers in the media like they¡¯re gods¡ªknow what I mean? ¡®Cuz like, when Pang tried to fight back, Benton and I had her down in seconds. She didn¡¯t even come close to landing a hit. Let¡¯s be real: it¡¯s all a joke. Maybe her life before the League was better for her.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± growled Phillip.


    ¡°I have to say, though¡­she¡¯s a little firecracker, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s got attitude. I like Pang,¡± Irma admired. ¡°I bet she and I are gonna be besties. I¡¯m so glad we get to keep her.¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP!!¡± Phillip shouted. He ripped another stone cube from his pocket and chucked it.


    But mid-motion, his sense returned: an explosion too close to the buildings would annihilate them, along with anyone inside. With the very tip of his fingers at the last of his grip, he redirected the throw.


    The cube descended towards the center of the street. Irma darted out of the way as it burst into a fiery golden display, leaving a smoky crater behind. The buildings only suffered minor cracks and busted windows.


    Phillip grit his teeth. I can¡¯t be reckless! he thought. And I can¡¯t afford to waste any more of these!


    He felt his pocket: only four of six left.


    If I can¡¯t get to Pang now, he contemplated, then I still have to win to make Irma talk.


    His heart hurt.


    Phillip jolted when Irma flipped up from the walls of nearby buildings and joined him, only roofs away. She patted down a small flame that had caught on her shoulder from the attack.


    ¡°I knew it¡­that¡¯s definitely Emovert energy,¡± she confirmed, observing the new burn. ¡°What the heck is going on? You¡¯re an Illusionist.¡±


    ¡°I have multiple powers, like you,¡± Phillip lied.


    Taking a powerful step, he launched another cube. His eyes locked onto Irma¡¯s feet: they turned to the right in a split second before zipping into motion.


    Aiming carefully, Phillip threw the cube in her path. But her speed surpassed the force of his throw: the cube only nudged her hand as she passed by, bouncing higher into the air. Its explosion was delayed compared to the first two, but it carried enough force to catapult her forward. Irma lost footing and spun over two roofs, then crashed onto another building. Its steeper slant than the surrounding structures slowed her to a stop.


    Phillip didn¡¯t waste a moment: he¡¯d already begun charging her way. He pounced from building to building, and then once again in range, prepared to throw.


    Irma recovered a bit slower but jolted back into action with a curse.


    She¡¯s weakening¡ªshe can¡¯t take much more of this, Phillip knew.


    Irma bolted to the side of her roof and jumped towards another in attempt to dodge once more.


    But this was precisely what Phillip was waiting for. The damage to the roofs would be minor if he didn¡¯t have to aim their way. And in midair, as with the first bomb, Irma couldn¡¯t change directions.


    Phillip launched his fourth cube of energy between the two buildings.


    This time, however, Irma leapt into a spin. She caught the cube, and as she turned, redirected it back in Phillip¡¯s direction.


    But streaks of gold light had already begun piercing through it as it left her fingers. The cube burst, sending Irma slamming against her targeted rooftop. The impact bounced her off the building, and she collapsed onto the one behind it.


    Phillip touched down onto the roof across from his injured opponent and watched. Perhaps now he could convince her to spill information.


    Irma moved slowly against the unforgiving slated surface. She reached out and felt both legs again, and then brushed multicolored locks away from her face.


    ¡°You little punk¡­how are you doing that?¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°As I said, I¡¯m not just an Illusionist. I have multiple types.¡±


    He regretted playing his hand so heavily when Irma shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not falling for that. My dampening isn¡¯t able to cancel out your attacks, or even weaken them. If they were your powers, you wouldn¡¯t be able to use them right now.¡±


    She figured it out, Phillip noticed.


    Initially, he¡¯d been just as confused when Hiroko proposed the plan: create Emovert bombs using Deon¡¯s imagining for the encasing, and Kotono¡¯s energy for the blast.


    First, there was the question of whether or not it would work. But Deon could imagine stone into permanent existence in small quantities, and it turned out Kotono found the right balance of power: not so much that they would become unstable and explode in everyone¡¯s pockets, but powerful enough to generate a devastating detonation.


    But it still took Hiroko¡¯s tactical mind¡ªand persuasiveness¡ªto get Phillip fully on board. The plan was simple: if Irma or Benton relied on Dampener to cancel out the use of consciousness powers, the bombs would still work. And not only that, but their destruction could force Irma and Benton to switch to another type to fight back¡­


    ¡­Thus opening up the opportunity to use actual consciousness powers against them.


    Now, it was time to find if Irma would take the bait.


    ¡°How many of those stupid things do you have?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°A lot more.¡±


    He only felt two in his pocket.


    Irma moaned. ¡°Screw this. All I want is to go make my lasagna. You¡¯re in my way.¡±


    So she¡¯s not giving up, Phillip noted. Then she won¡¯t answer my questions yet.


    But the next best outcome unfolded before him: Irma stubbornly rolled her eyes back. They returned one red and one gray.


    Thoughtfeeder.


    Phillip grasped his head as a pressure suddenly befell him, briefly obscuring his vision: Irma was drawing from his mind for heightened power.


    Despite the increased threat, confidence flooded Phillip: Hiroko¡¯s plan worked. Irma couldn¡¯t use more than one consciousness type at once¡ªwhich meant at last, he could now fight using illusions.


    Irma stood lazily, but her eyes locked onto her target like a predator.


    ¡°I¡¯m over this,¡± she uttered.


    But Irma¡¯s true target was now plummeting off the roof: Phillip had acted quickly, as he knew he¡¯d have even less time to dodge her speed than before. He rolled roughly against the ground and ran: the more distance he could create, the better.


    Phillip heard Irma groan in annoyance from the rooftops: she¡¯d just tried to attack the illusionary copy of himself he¡¯d left behind.


    It makes sense that she¡¯d switch to Thoughtfeeder next, he analyzed. After taking damage from the explosions, she probably needs extra strength to keep moving. I¡¯ll just stay out of her vision with illusions so she can¡¯t draw power from me.


    But in that moment, an unsettling pressure returned to his head. He stumbled to a stop to let it pass.


    She can still feed on my thoughts when she can¡¯t see me?! he realized. Then as long as I¡¯m in proximity, there¡¯s no resisting it¡­This complicates things¡­


    After almost eighteen years trying to understand and master his own singular power type, he¡¯d assumed someone with four couldn¡¯t possibly excel at all of them.


    But he¡¯d already seen her ability as an Illusionist, and now he¡¯d experienced her Thoughtfeeder skills. Somehow, she was a master of both.


    ¡°Seriously, get back here!¡± Irma¡¯s voice echoed against the many walls. ¡°There you are!¡±


    Phillip broke back into a run, immediately regretting his hesitation. He forged another illusion and cut onto a swerving side street. Five other false Phillips emerged from his body and all dashed in different directions.


    He didn¡¯t look anywhere but straight ahead as he dashed down the winding road and reached another main street. Right now, all he could do was buy time.


    ¡°Stupid fake!¡± cursed Irma far behind. Phillip could barely make out her voice: she fell for the deception farthest from him.


    ¡°This one, too?!¡±


    She¡¯d chased the next farthest one.


    ¡°Ugh, another one?!¡±


    Phillip almost lost his footing as his heart skipped. This time, her voice was closer.


    Much closer.


    She cleared all of that space THAT instantly?! he worried. Then she¡¯s moving so fast it¡¯s practically teleportation! Her Thoughtfeeder powers¡­they¡¯re too strong. I have to¡ª


    His vision went white. Spiking pain began in his ribs and surged through the rest of his body. He didn¡¯t even realize he¡¯d crashed and scraped against the road until his senses woozily recovered.


    The plain gray sky was above him.


    Phillip desperately rose from his back, but sucked in air¡ªthe pain shot through his ribs.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Found you, finally. Your self-illusions are pretty darn good.¡±


    Irma stood many paces away in the center of the road, arms crossed.


    Judging by the source of Phillip¡¯s pain, Irma had hit him from the front. And yet, he couldn¡¯t even see her coming¡ªall he remembered was a vague blur.


    He winced and clutched his core. He couldn¡¯t keep fighting like this.


    Phillip reached into his pocket.


    He still had two left. And this street was just wide enough.


    Lunging to his feet, Phillip ripped out his penultimate Emovert bomb and chucked it at Irma with all his remaining might. His aim was flawless.


    ¡°Enough of that crap.¡±


    In a blink, Irma zipped straight towards the flying stone cube. She kicked it into the air with unnatural force.


    Phillip watched, hope depleting, as the cube took to the sky. It had begun glowing gold from the impact, but it was too late¡ªor rather, Irma was too fast this time.


    The Emovert bomb exploded high above the city like a firework, leaving Irma entirely unscathed.


    Her red and gray eyes landed back on Phillip as her first foot touched down. He knew she wouldn¡¯t give him another chance.


    There was no time to plan. She was coming straight for him the instant her other foot found the ground.


    He needed to do it: the only move she wouldn¡¯t expect him to make.


    Phillip grasped the final Emovert bomb and said a prayer to whoever might be listening. As he pulled the weapon out, Irma¡¯s feet planted. She pounced.


    Phillip slammed his palm against the cube and turned his face away, tossing it forward.


    Sound vanished instantly. He kept his eyes jammed shut. Everything came to an abrupt, silent pause.


    Then came the heat.


    Then the searing pain all over.


    Finally, the faint Azvaylen breeze returned to his ears. Phillip opened his eyes. Smoke stung them immediately, rising from both the ground and his clothes. It seemed some of the fabric had melted to his arm.


    Phillip lifted his face from the coarse stone of the street. He climbed to his hands and knees, all of which shook violently.


    I survived.


    He still couldn¡¯t determine the extent of his injuries, but at the very minimum, he was conscious. He could move. He¡¯d managed to toss the cube far enough away that he avoided point-blank impact.


    It was no question why Skrili almost perished trying to tame Kotono¡¯s energy in the championship. This power was devastating.


    Had he been too reckless?


    ¡°Ow¡­ow¡­ow¡­please, God¡­please don¡¯t, God¡­¡±


    Irma¡¯s hushed utterances were close. Phillip¡¯s legs gave out, but he caught himself into a kneeling position. Most of the smoke lifted, revealing Irma mere steps away. A small crater in the street was all that separated the two fighters.


    Irma lay on her side, her face buried in her hands. It appeared she¡¯d received the lesser of the outward damage, with less fresh burn marks and cuts than Phillip felt on himself. But the sudden impact from the blast, combined with her injuries from before, had clearly taken its toll. She remained still, aside from the rapid rising and falling of every breath.


    Only her continued mutterings proved she was still cognizant.


    ¡°No¡­please, God¡­¡±


    One hand lifted from her face and felt for her leg, just as before. She massaged it, and then the other.


    Irma let out a long, relieved sigh.


    Then she swore up a storm.


    ¡°Ugh¡­Will you just RELAX?!¡± she shouted across the crater, her breathlessness gone as she suddenly shot Phillip a jeering gaze.


    He couldn¡¯t help but recoil.


    Irma sat up unevenly, cursing all along the way. ¡°Aren¡¯t you after info? What makes you think trying to blow my limbs off will get you anywhere with that?!¡± she criticized. ¡°And what good is blowing yourself up in the process gonna do?!¡±


    Phillip winced as he discovered a new cut on his shoulder. He couldn¡¯t think of any other method in time: she was too fast to defend from. But she wouldn¡¯t expect him to detonate the blast with himself in range. It was the only way to counter her.


    It was sloppy¡ªperhaps even shameful¡ªbut it was the only reason she hadn¡¯t defeated him right then and there.


    ¡°Tell me where Pang is,¡± he replied plainly.


    Irma spat into the crater between them. ¡°Shut up, kid. You keep acting like you have me on my heels,¡± she retorted. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to stop and go home, unfortunately for both of us, this won¡¯t be over until I kill you.¡±


    Phillip¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. The severity of her declaration didn¡¯t nearly match the dispassion in her voice as she said it. He had to believe her: his intent to ruin Proscious¡¯s plans didn¡¯t seem to matter to her¡ªnot nearly as much as the simple fact that he was keeping her from her personal time.


    Either way, it didn¡¯t change the daunting reality: Irma wasn¡¯t done yet. Despite barely being able to move, intent remained on her face.


    Phillip felt the same. He couldn¡¯t stop yet¡ªnot until he found out where they took Pang.


    So even still, the fight wasn¡¯t over.


    Irma reached for her big white sunglasses and pulled them over her eyes. Phillip immediately understood: she was aiming to conceal any type changes. Both combatants waited in silence for many moments.


    Then, the environment all around Phillip began to transform before his eyes.


    The streets turned from stone to short, light green grass. Phillip could even feel its softness comfort his scratched-up hands. Then the buildings exploded¡ªbut not violently¡ªrather, into thousands of tiny bubbles, with towering sets of bleachers taking their place.


    Irma¡¯s next consciousness type had become all too clear. This new domain appeared and felt remarkably real¡ªPhillip could even smell the grass¡ªbut this was his specialty. Irma had switched to Illusionist.


    He watched, mostly out of alarm but partially out of appreciation for her craft, as the world shifted. Streetlamps popped and became towering tennis rackets. The sky above was no longer plain: it had darkened, and objects floated aimlessly as far as he could see: hearts, bills of money, golden medallions, and countless tennis balls.


    It was a classic Illusionist technique: drawing from deep within one¡¯s own heart to yield the most believable complex illusions. It took minimal time for such advanced results.


    But¡­tennis? Phillip wondered. Why is this her theme?


    He¡¯d already begun shifting and attempting to stand. Irma had disappeared, shrouded behind the illusion, as he expected. This grandiose disguise granted her the ability to take her time approaching him, and do it entirely undetected. Considering her injuries, it was a wise choice.


    Phillip had to move.


    He climbed to his feet, hunching over. But it would mean little if he couldn¡¯t stumble away any faster than her. It was time to fight illusions with illusions.


    Phillip dug within his mind and summoned memories of his home city. As he¡¯d trained, he released their essence into the outside world.


    He trudged forward even faster, knowing Irma was now trapped in a false realm of pitch-black midnight and heavy rain. He¡¯d considered creating something more complex like Irma, but needed to conserve his focus for yet another move.


    There were likely no other options left: it was time to prepare his final offensive.


    Phillip turned towards what appeared to be an alleyway disguised as grass between two sets of bleachers. But he bumped into an invisible brick wall instead.


    She crafted the illusion to confuse me from the city¡¯s true layout, he realized.


    Urgently, he tried to cancel out Irma¡¯s false images. A small hole of reality opened up, but it caved back in just as swiftly. Irma was skilled¡ªshe was reinforcing the illusion to protect from such attempts.


    To ward off the panic, Phillip reminded himself she was equally disoriented: just as her, he continued to strengthen his illusion of darkness.


    ¡°Not bad¡­but not good enough,¡± Irma¡¯s voice bounced all over, thrown to hide her location. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember last time?¡±


    He remembered the courtyard faceoff.


    Then she¡¯s still able to cancel it out! Phillip¡¯s mind raced.


    He felt through the false bleachers against the true structures they masked, brushing everywhere until he felt the corner of the building: the start of the actual alleyway. Phillip practically dove forward, passing through massless metal and images of tennis rackets. He jogged deeper into the alley, his strength subtly returning if only due to adrenaline.


    In that moment, he sensed his illusionary domain disappear.


    ¡°There,¡± Irma¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°Crap¡ªbut where¡¯d he go?¡±


    To Phillip¡¯s surprise, the grass, floating tennis balls, and bleachers all faded and gave way to reality. He could finally see the narrow alleyway he¡¯d struggled to hide within.


    She¡¯s abandoning her camouflage? Did she switch powers? he contemplated. It can¡¯t be Thoughtfeeder¡ªher injuries can¡¯t handle the energy anymore, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have switched from it in the first place. Then¡­


    He grit his teeth. He should have thought of it quicker.


    In a blink, Phillip was no longer in his own body.


    He stood back in the main street, not far from where he¡¯d just dragged his feet. He saw through eyes that didn¡¯t obey his command. Long, soft hair brushed against his neck.


    No¡ªnot his neck. Irma¡¯s.


    Substitutor¡ªher fourth type, Phillip recognized.


    He let out a pained gasp, but couldn¡¯t hear or feel himself make it. All he felt was the pain he¡¯d inflicted on Irma throughout the fight. Her injuries were far more severe than his, stinging and exhausting. Yet somehow, she stood tall.


    That wasn¡¯t the only surprise: occupying a foreign body was a strange enough sensation already, but something was particularly odd about her legs. He was certain he¡¯d seen cuts and burns on them before, but right now, he could barely feel them. The pain everywhere else was sharp, but all the way up her legs, it was nothing more than a dull ache.


    ¡°Thank God. Looks like you didn¡¯t get very far,¡± he felt himself say in Irma¡¯s voice.


    Though Phillip couldn¡¯t feel his heart, he was certain it sank.


    It was the nature of the Substitutor type: just as he now sensed all of Irma¡¯s senses, she¡¯d gained access to all of his.


    And that meant she saw exactly where Phillip¡¯s body was hiding. She was there within it.


    ¡°Alright. This is it, finally. You were supposed to be the weak one,¡± Phillip said¡ªor rather, Irma said to him with through the mouth he occupied.


    Then, the steps began. Irma¡¯s body was in motion, and there was nothing Phillip¡¯s mind could do about it. Still, it almost felt like floating: the sensation of Irma¡¯s legs and feet walking was even duller than the subtle wind against her hands.


    ¡°Hey, me! This way! Warmer! Warmer¡ªwait, colder¡­Warmer!¡± Irma¡¯s voice shouted.


    She can hear herself from my perspective and use it to guide herself, Phillip realized. So she can control her own body remotely from mine, even without being able to feel it?


    Then maybe¡­


    He took his own steps, with no way to know if they were successful. But he found out quickly enough: he felt Irma¡¯s smile spread.


    ¡°Nice. You¡¯re just walking straight into a wall,¡± she chuckled. ¡°It takes a lot of training to do what I¡¯m doing, kid.¡±


    Phillip cursed in his head. Irma¡¯s body was getting closer and closer to the exact alley he¡¯d snuck away to. In moments, she would be standing before him. And there was no way he could take her on in direct hand-to-hand combat¡ªespecially not now.


    He had to abandon all other efforts. Reluctance casted a shadow on his mind: it was time to focus solely on Disambiguation, his final technique. Nothing else stood the slightest chance.


    I haven¡¯t used this since defeating Skrili months ago. And even then¡­I was holding back.


    It was hard to think about. He¡¯d unleashed such devastation on Skrili when she was only trying to get back what was rightfully hers. Then despite that, she went on to fight for his life. He''d even almost relied on it against Deon.


    Now every time he saw them, he wished he could take that brutality back. He promised himself he¡¯d never use Disambiguation again.


    But right now was different.


    He wasn¡¯t acting out of selfish preservation¡ªhe was saving the most important person in his life.


    The window to release the attack would be slim. He had to strike the instant she reached the alley, before she could potentially switch back to Dampener.


    Phillip had been preparing this illusionary storm since beginning this attempt to sneak away; with years of training, he¡¯d taught his mind to ready it automatically as he managed other techniques. Now, as Irma¡¯s body forced him forward, he poured all of his attention into finishing it.


    ¡°Warmer¡­Oh. It¡¯s totally this one,¡± Irma¡¯s voice discovered.


    Her eyes were on the corner leading to the exact alley where Phillip hid himself.


    ¡°Your heart¡¯s, like, going nuts,¡± she added, moving her body closer.


    I¡¯m ready, Phillip knew. I just have to time it¡­


    Irma¡¯s body entered the alleyway. He saw himself standing at the end, a wounded, defiant creature.


    Now. Disambiguation.


    Irma screamed. He could no longer feel her voice¡ªnow, it came from across from him. Blinking, Phillip found himself back in his own body.


    She switched back on reflex, he noticed. She¡¯s trying to escape the pain.


    But he knew she¡¯d quickly realize it was in vain: illusions couldn¡¯t attack the senses. They merely deceived the mind¡¯s perception of reality.


    Undoing her Substitution couldn¡¯t free her from the agony Phillip cast upon her.


    Phillip saw nothing of his attack; only Irma as her legs buckled and her hands squeezed her head. But he knew exactly what she was experiencing: the darkest of blackness and the whitest of light blinking viciously in her vision. Flashing images of blood, graves, guillotines¡­and endless, deafening screams, roars, and crashes.


    ¡°STOP!!! MAKE IT STOP!!¡± Irma screamed.


    He watched in disgust at his own doing. No mind could withstand this for long.


    But then, he felt its illusionary energy weaken. It was being suppressed¡ªIrma had switched to Dampener.


    No¡­


    ¡°Come on¡­why won¡¯t it go away?!¡± Irma hissed.


    By her clearer speech, Phillip could tell its effect had lessened. If he tried a physical attack now, she could potentially cut through due to his divided focus. He had to keep pushing.


    Sweat trickled down his neck.


    Then the nature of the suppression changed: instead of dulling, Phillip felt his energy reversing.


    She¡¯s cancelling it out with Illusionist powers now?! he worried.


    He tried to keep fighting it, but Irma¡¯s defense was masterful. After having weakened Disambiguation with Dampener, now, it became easier to undo as an Illusionist.


    She¡¯d bested him.


    Despite his grandest effort, Phillip felt his attack vanish into nothing.


    He gasped and took a weary step to catch himself.


    Irma stood silently across from him, her hands no longer pressing her head. Now, they hung from sheer fatigue. Her sunglasses continued to mask her eyes.


    With no fight left, Phillip leaned against the brick wall.


    I¡¯m sorry, Pang, he thought.


    ¡°You¡¯re the first to resist Disambiguation,¡± he told Irma breathily. ¡°And you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s remained standing after it. It seems¡­I truly can¡¯t defeat¡ª¡±


    Irma swayed, and with a thud, collapsed facedown.


    The city was soundless.


    Phillip waited, but Irma didn¡¯t stir. Then as he walked closer, he noticed her run her hand sluggishly against the ground.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± she moaned in repugnance.


    Phillip crouched before her. She made no attempt to defend herself, so he reached down and lifted her into a sitting position, propping her up against the wall.


    Irma¡¯s sunglasses had slipped down. Her green and black eyes stared hazily back at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask¡ª¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Where is Pang?¡±


    ¡°So he asks.¡± She tried to reposition herself, but lacked the strength. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. And I don¡¯t really want to, either.¡±


    ¡°Where¡­is¡­Pang?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time, kid,¡± she fought. ¡°You¡¯re gonna stand here and keep asking the same thing, and it¡¯s not gonna go anywhere. Meanwhile, all your other friends are gonna die. Are you really okay with that?¡±


    Phillip stiffened. They still had to face Wei, or nobody would be saved. Skrili, Hiroko, Kotono, and Deon couldn¡¯t win without his help. They needed him, or they couldn¡¯t rescue their loved ones.


    His heart twisted. He¡¯d come this far. Irma was directly in front of him. His answers were right here.


    But it had to wait.


    He reached behind Irma¡¯s neck and performed a series of pinches and twists. With a brief grunt, Irma¡¯s body relaxed. Then he straightened his hand and chopped her neck. Her eyes closed as she sunk to the ground.


    Even if she regained consciousness from the strike, his pressure points would keep her paralyzed for hours. And considering the mental fatigue of Disambiguation combined with her physical injuries, she likely wasn¡¯t moving for quite some time.


    Phillip stood slowly, unable to ignore the pain all over. For a moment, he observed the most formidable opponent he¡¯d ever encountered.


    ¡°Dream of your lasagna for now,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. And I will get my answers.¡±


    With everything he had left, Phillip dashed away, leaving Irma in the alley.

 101. The War in His Head

    An explosion rattled the path under Skrili¡¯s racing steps. She rebalanced and powered forward.


    Deon, however, was unaffected. He surfed through the air behind her, atop a floating plank he imagined and commanded to glide along her trail. He¡¯d quickly found he couldn¡¯t keep up with Skrili¡¯s effortless speed on foot, even with all this adrenaline pumping through his veins.


    But though he¡¯d been spared the force of the blast physically, he still heard its astounding magnitude.


    He turned his head to see behind them. They raced along the top of the capital¡¯s towering outer wall, which overshadowed the city¡¯s highest roofs and pillars. Once Skrili had noticed the thick stone railings all the way along the top, they agreed it would be the fastest path towards the castle¡ªespecially if they ran low and evaded notice.


    And at its very beginning, where Wei had just been sitting atop the city¡¯s main gate, now billowed a thick plume of smoke and debris.


    Kotono and Phillip had done it. The sneak-attack worked.


    Deon returned his attention forward. The castle awaited them in the distance, with Lammy, Pang, and Zayza within it.


    ¡°According to plan, right?¡± he checked.


    Skrili uttered a quick confirmation. ¡°As long as Kotono hit him.¡±


    Another explosion followed moments later, displaying equal force. Even with Kotono as his ally, it still shook Deon¡¯s bones.


    ¡°Judging by Wei¡¯s power, she likely won¡¯t be able to contain him forever,¡± Skrili called back, her tone impressively calm. ¡°We have to find the other Proscious members and be quick.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    They sped along the high path, eyes sharp and fists ready.


    Just when Deon was beginning to think they might be alone on this wall, he spotted a burly figure farther down. He wore no armor¡ªand not even a shirt, displaying massive muscles clearly defined even from this distance. As they advanced closer, Deon could make out the man¡¯s sickly gray skin and red markings along his bald head.


    This guy.


    ¡°Benton,¡± Skrili identified. ¡°They must have planned for an ambush.¡±


    The bear-sized Proscious member stood still in the center of the path, facing them in wait.


    Deon smirked. ¡°Just makes our life easier. Ready?¡±


    Skrili nodded.


    They increased their pace towards their opponent.


    Benton didn¡¯t move as they approached. He didn¡¯t bother to prepare a defense or match their charge. Instead, he gave a simply wave.


    ¡°Mornin¡¯.¡±


    Deon dismissed his flying plank and landed into a run. He and Skrili came to a stop, allowing themselves a comfortable distance to protect from any attacks. Side-by-side, they immediately shifted into fighting stances.


    ¡°So I got you two, then, huh?¡± Benton greeted. ¡°Guess I was smart to tell the soldiers under me t¡¯just keep their eyes peeled and reach out if they spotted any of you kids. The two of y¡¯all woulda beat ¡®em all into next week if I made ¡®em fight.¡±


    Now that Benton mentioned it, Deon had found it odd they didn¡¯t run into a single guard up here. Skrili was right: Proscious anticipated the possibility of an offensive from them and planned for it¡ªeven if they hadn¡¯t seen that sneak attack coming.


    Benton shook a finger at Skrili. ¡°I remember that kick of yours in the courtyard, girly. You pack a way bigger punch than I woulda thought,¡± he said. His smiling eyes moved to Deon. ¡°And you, my friend, your power don¡¯t even make sense. Wei won¡¯t stop ravin¡¯ about it.¡±


    He cracked his oversized knuckles.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯m ¡®bouta have my hands full with you two.¡±


    The consciousness team waited cautiously as Benton finally clenched his fists and stood ready to fight.


    Alright, so he¡¯s a Withstander, which means dishing out painful attacks won¡¯t affect him much, Deon remembered, trying his best to recall their notes from yesterday¡¯s preparations. But he¡¯s also probably a Dampener, so he can take out our powers and come after us with those huge muscles. Then he¡¯s got insane defense AND offense¡­this won¡¯t be easy¡­


    ¡°Offense One, still?¡± he muttered to Skrili.


    She shook her head. ¡°We can¡¯t here. This path is too narrow.¡±


    ¡°Just skip to One B, then?¡±


    ¡°One of us might fall off the wall if we make a single mistake.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t even want to picture that.


    Man¡­then what do we do? he pondered as the standoff continued. It seems like he wants us to make the first move, which doesn¡¯t make me feel any better¡­How should we attack?


    Oh wait¡ªI mean, how do I attack? I know how fast she can be, and any hits will give her a Power Rebound.


    Oh yeah, that¡¯s right¡­I¡¯m not fighting Benton¡­


    I¡¯m fighting Skrili. How did I almost mix that up?


    Skrili¡¯s the enemy here. I gotta help my guy Benton out.


    Why am I helping Benton again?


    Deon shook his head. There was no use trying to pick it all apart with the fight upon him. He knew what was real.


    Turning, he sent a fist into Skrili¡¯s gut.


    She had no defense planned, so his punch met no resistance. For some reason, she hadn¡¯t seen it coming. Skrili let out an exclamation half from pain and half from surprise.


    Deon had to be faster than her while he still could¡ªall without triggering too much of her Power Rebound at once. He jumped and landed a kick on her shoulder before she could fully recover.


    It was the very kick she¡¯d taught him during their training with Skip, and he¡¯d executed it perfectly.


    Skrili tumbled back onto the wall¡¯s stone path but leapt back to her feet, her eyes wider than he¡¯d ever seen from the typically expressionless fighter.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± she shouted.


    I have to beat her, Deon reminded himself. No matter what.


    Now with more distance between them, Deon could really step it up. He summoned five miniature Twitchy¡¯s and sent the first one flying her way.


    ¡°Deon!¡± Skrili tried.


    The squirrel monster rammed into her and sent her crashing against the wall. Tough as Deon always knew she was, she stood right back up.


    Why didn¡¯t she dodge? he wondered. That one was just supposed to set her up for the next one to hit. She could¡¯ve dodged it with no problem.


    Regardless, Deon kept the furry flurry coming. He sent the next two head-butting straight towards her. A reluctant acceptance of the situation seemed to come over Skrili as she jumped into action, evading both with a spin and a flip.


    ¡°Hey! Stop!!¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    He fired two more Twitchy¡¯s and prepared a defense. Skrili managed to dodge both, her mild Power Rebound evident from his earlier attacks. But she didn¡¯t charge at him as he¡¯d anticipated.


    It didn¡¯t make any sense. Why wasn¡¯t she fighting back?


    Skrili shot a deadly glare over to Benton, who simply stood observing the spectacle.


    ¡°What are you doing to him?!¡± she growled.


    Benton looked behind him and returned as if she was speaking to someone else. ¡°Huh? What are you talkin¡¯ about? I¡¯m not doin¡¯ nothin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll rip your arms off, you gorilla,¡± seethed Skrili.


    Benton raised his hands innocently. ¡°Whoa, now! Don¡¯t get all hostile with me, girly.¡± His eyes narrowed and glistened like flickering flames. ¡°You don¡¯t wanna have to fight both of us, do ya?¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Gritting her teeth, Skrili shifted her focus back to Deon. Her eyes reached out. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    Deon imagined a heavy rock and launched it at her. Skrili dove just out of the way as it took out a chunk of the railing behind her and plummeted far below.


    ¡°Deon, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing!¡± cried Skrili.


    ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯m fighting you.¡±


    ¡°Well I won¡¯t fight you back!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no fun.¡±


    But it least it means I¡¯ll win¡ªexactly what Benton needs, Deon thought.


    Next, he summoned a plank of wood to scoop her to her feet and push her back towards the new gaping hole. In the same moment, he imagined a long wooden rod above his head. Tilting it forward, he made it spin rapidly as he moved towards Skrili.


    Now she had nowhere to escape but backwards: given the rod¡¯s range, Deon knew she couldn¡¯t rely on her Power Rebound strength to jump over him and clear it. She would simply get knocked back towards the very edge with no railing to catch her.


    It seemed studying with Skrili so closely, and for so long, gave Deon a bigger chance at victory than he¡¯d expected.


    With little other choice, she took a single step back and her foot almost slipped into the drop. Her eyes didn¡¯t leave Deon¡¯s.


    ¡°You have to snap out of it,¡± she begged. ¡°Please.¡±


    He powered forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this!!¡¯


    Despite his confidence in his current actions, heaviness weighed on Deon¡¯s heart watching desperation set into Skrili¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t want to make her suffer. He only made it here, and had a chance to save Lammy, thanks to her. She¡¯d become one of the most important people in his life; he couldn¡¯t ever let her hurt.


    So¡­why was he doing this to her?


    No.


    There was no use in questioning it. That wasn¡¯t an option. His mind understood no other alternative: he had to attack her.


    Right?


    Not quite. That wasn¡¯t enough. He had to kill her.


    I have to¡­I have to kill her?


    Right.


    I do have to kill her.


    I¡­I have to¡­kill her? But¡­but she¡¯s¡­


    ¡°DEON!!!¡±


    Her forlorn scream jolted Deon back into focus. In his moment of confusion, Deon hadn¡¯t noticed how far he allowed his spiraling rod to force Skrili backwards.


    Hand stretched towards him, and eyes wet, Skrili fell through the opening in the rail.


    He watched her disappear behind the wall.


    Everything went foggy around the final spot he¡¯d seen her. Deon stumbled backwards, dismissing the rod as he fell down, unable to feel the ground¡ªor anything.


    ¡°What¡­what did I just¡­¡± he breathed.


    Even still, his actions seemed inevitable. Over and over, his mind reminded him it was the only thing to do¡ªthe right thing to do.


    He killed his own teammate.


    ¡°Worked like a dream,¡± Benton congratulated himself. ¡°Might as well keep this goin¡¯. Come on, guy. We gotta stop your other friends before¡ª¡±


    A low, echoing buzz distracted him and caught Deon¡¯s ear. But they looked around, neither able to pinpoint its source.


    I know that sound¡­Deon realized. That¡¯s my¡ª


    He didn¡¯t need to finish the thought: a pair of tree branch-sized bug wings rose slowly from behind the hole in the railing. Flapping veraciously, they sent dust and debris flying all over the path around Deon and Benton. The intertwined vines connected to the wings came into view as the contraption continued to ascend.


    Then finally, grasping tightly to the vine handles, Skrili emerged from where she had just fallen.


    ¡°HO NOW, WHAT THE HECK?!¡± Benton boomed. ¡°WHO?!¡±


    He searched around for another contender, the mysterious person behind this, but they were alone on the wall.


    Deon was just as puzzled. There was no questioning it: that was his technique. Those were his powers. Now with his senses returning, he could even feel his mind sustaining it.


    He caught Skrili.


    But¡­I thought I have to kill her! Deon wondered. Why am I saving her?


    Skrili smirked so subtly, Deon doubted Benton could notice from where he stood.


    ¡°Your hypnosis isn¡¯t good enough for my teammate¡¯s thick skull,¡± she shot as she dangled in the air.


    Benton spat. ¡°You sure about that, girly?¡±


    Clarity swept back over Deon once more:


    Whatever¡¯s going on, I have to finish her off, he understood.


    He tried taking control of the bug wing contraption, but couldn¡¯t seem to mentally latch on. Something was blocking him.


    Something within.


    Instead, Deon summoned one more miniature Twitchy. The squirrel lunged at the unprotected Skrili with a snarl.


    But just in time, another Twitchy popped into existence just before her. It jumped forward and bit the incoming beast, and both vanished into nothing.


    Automatically, Deon tried again. This time, he summoned four.


    But only an instant later, four additional Twitchy¡¯s appeared before Skrili and the bug wing contraption.


    The two opposing squirrel armies growled at each other, showing their teeth and lifting their claws.


    Then, with squeaky roars, they charged.


    The squirrels met in the middle and their fierce battle unleashed. Deon simply sat there, watching on in befuddlement as the head-butts, scratches, and biting raged on between him and Skrili. He¡¯d trained enough to automate Twitchy¡¯s for basic fighting moves without having to control each one, but he never thought he¡¯d have to watch his own technique fight itself.


    ¡°Kid, what¡¯s wrong with you?!¡± Benton demanded.


    ¡°He must be subconsciously trying to reject the hypnosis¡ªhe¡¯s at war with himself,¡± Skrili observed. But she sighed tensely as the combat continued unresolved. ¡°Deon¡­you¡¯re really gonna make me do this?¡±


    With the four amicable Twitchy¡¯s continuing to shield her, Skrili swung from the bug wings and landed back on the path. The contraption disappeared behind her as she sprung back into action.


    Here she comes¡ªshe¡¯s fighting back! Deon realized. He strained to summon three more Twitchy¡¯s and his squad of aggressors overwhelmed their foe. The Skrili-loyal Twitchy¡¯s fell back, two of them fading away in defeat.


    Skrili skirted the first couple head-butts and advanced closer to Deon, but a third pummeled her to the ground. They all sprang on her at once, her couple remaining guards valiantly diving before her. They faded, having sacrificed themselves to weaken the impending blow¡ªbut it was far from enough.


    Got her, Deon thought.


    But a mere instant before the Twitchy¡¯s crashed down on her from all angles, a much larger mound of fur suddenly spawned at her side. Standing even taller than Benton, a hefty squirrel monster appeared with a roar.


    It more closely resembled Deon¡¯s giant Twitchy¡ªhis ultimate attack. But Deon had never conjured this medium-sized version before.


    And yet, he could feel that his powers created it just now. This was him fighting for Skrili, but a side of him he couldn¡¯t consciously control.


    The much burlier Twitchy reached down and scooped Skrili up by the waist, lifting her from harm. He swatted all the other squirrels away, and Skrili¡¯s eyes widened once more as she watched.


    ¡°This has gotta be the dumbest thing I¡¯ve ever seen¡­¡± Benton muttered.


    In one grandiose motion, Medium Twitchy turned and tossed Skrili straight towards Deon. She stumbled before him, and everything seemed to spin as he felt her weight sink into his. Instinctually, he caught his enemy-teammate in his arms.


    After the surprise subsided, Deon realized he could only see dark blue bangs and closed eyes. He felt a soft warmth pressing his lips.


    He assumed it must have been some sort of coincidence from the way she fell. But as her momentum pushed him onto his back, Skrili let her body land fully on top of his.


    Then she repositioned her face, and her lips met his even more tenderly than before.


    Deon¡¯s mind went into a haze. His thoughts swirled and meant nothing for a moment.


    Skrili¡­was the first one that made any sense.


    Then, the distortion in his head¡ªthe extra voice he¡¯d thought was his all this time¡ªvanished into silence all at once.


    Skrili¡¯s hair brushed his face as she lifted from the kiss. Her purple eyes seemed to probe into his mind.


    Whoa.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°Wait a second¡­Why was I just trying to kill you?!¡±


    Skrili pushed off of him in a rush. He grunted as her knee dug into his stomach in the process. Then she stood and turned away from him so rapidly, her hair whipped around.


    ¡°Benton¡¯s a Hypnotizer,¡± she said factually.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even seem to do anything¡ªit just started happening, Deon realized. And I almost¡­


    ¡°I hurt you. I¡¯m sorry, Skrili.¡±


    ¡°That was Benton¡¯s influence. You saved me,¡± Skrili reasoned.


    But even despite her quick forgiveness, she still didn¡¯t meet his eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± pressed Deon. He tensed, reevaluating the kiss in his mind. That brief moment had swept his full attention away from the fight. It was the aura he¡¯d constantly sensed from her in Fiction Country, all concentrated into a single physical connection.


    Did she not feel the same way?


    ¡°I¡­¡± Skrili uttered. Arms shaking in frustration, she turned back to face him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you made that our first time!¡± she criticized.


    ¡°What?!!¡± Deon sat back up. ¡°I did? That was all you!¡±


    Skrili crossed her arms, chin raised indignantly. ¡°I can tell you¡¯ve been wanting that for a while now. That¡¯s why I knew it would work.¡±


    Deon fell wordless. He couldn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°And now, because I had to snap you out of it,¡± Skrili complained, ¡°our first kiss was right in front of some weird old guy.¡±


    Deon rubbed his face, noticing how warm it felt as he tried to gather himself again. While their timing for such a moment couldn¡¯t have been any stranger, neither was it time to bicker about that. They were still right in the middle of a fight. Benton was still there.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, Skrili, you¡¯re a good kisser,¡± Deon tacked on as he prepared himself.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she dismissed. With pink cheeks, Skrili reached down and helped Deon to his feet.


    Together, they turned to reface Benton.


    ¡°Pay close attention to your thoughts, in case he tries again,¡± Skrili said lowly.


    ¡°Right. I won¡¯t let him¡ªhuh?¡±


    They found their enemy standing there completely deflated. His head hung a bit and his mighty arms simply dangled as he stared at the ground.


    ¡°Uh¡­what got into him?¡± Deon whispered to Skrili.


    She shook her head in puzzlement. ¡°I was wondering why he hadn¡¯t tried attacking again¡­he had every chance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother¡­I don¡¯t wanna use that dumb technique anymore¡­¡± Benton whined. ¡°Not if it means I¡¯ll have to watch two lovebirds get all cute and touchy in front of me¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Benton lifted a heavy foot and kicked a pebble from the debris like a grumpy child. ¡°The power of love, huh? ¡®Course that would do the trick. There must be a God, and he must hate me,¡± his complaints continued. Standing taller once more, he met their eyes. ¡°Listen here, kids. Enjoy that warm n¡¯ fuzzy affection while y¡¯all can. It don¡¯t last as long as you¡¯d think. It dies like everything else. Got that?¡±


    Deon and Skrili exchanged glances, each to find their companion just as lost.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Deon said.


    Benton rolled his shoulders and finally recovered a sense of his earlier demeanor. But now, his cocky, unbothered smile was gone. ¡°Y¡¯all just reminded me why I can¡¯t be messin¡¯ around. So I¡¯m not testin¡¯ the waters anymore,¡± he declared, knuckles cracking. ¡°I¡¯m gonna absolutely pummel the both of ya. It¡¯s nothin¡¯ personal¡ªI got somethin¡¯ to fight for.¡±


    After a surprisingly long silence, Deon and Skrili glanced at each other again. But Benton continued to stand there, staring at them with a slow, contemplative nod.


    Deon shifted in discomfort. Even his schoolhouse teacher wouldn¡¯t wait this long to pry an answer out of him in front of the class.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothin¡¯ personal. But I got somethin¡¯ to fight for,¡± Benton repeated even more dramatically than the first time.


    ¡°Okay¡­?¡± Deon uttered.


    ¡°Good for you,¡± said Skrili.


    Benton¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what that somethin¡¯ is?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re good.¡±


    Benton¡¯s cheek twitched. ¡°Whatever. The point is, I was hopin¡¯ to conserve my energy against y¡¯all. I still gotta deal with your other friends once I¡¯m through with you.¡±


    So he tried to make us beat each other on our own, Deon concluded. And it almost worked...


    ¡°But now I know pacing myself won¡¯t fly,¡± Benton decided. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m goin¡¯ all out."

 102. Nothing Personal

    Cracking his knuckles, Benton broke into a charge. Deon braced himself; he could feel the massive fighter¡¯s steps shaking the stone path.


    But they were slow.


    Right: Hiroko¡¯s notes¡­Deon revisited.


    Hiroko had fought Benton the most during their near-deadly courtyard squabble, so their preparations for this matchup came mostly from her analysis.


    ¡°He moves slower than even an average consciousness pro¡ªbut he puts everything into muscle to make up for it,¡± she¡¯d said.


    ¡°Defense One!¡±


    Out of habit, Deon¡¯s body moved to follow Skrili¡¯s call. Once Benton neared, the duo pounced backward and created an equal distance from him as before. Their opponent came to a stop, too slow to attempt a strike.


    ¡°Defense One, huh? Does that mean we¡¯re going for that idea, then?¡± Deon checked under his breath.


    Skrili eyed their narrow battleground. Only a set of railings on each side of the wall protected them from plummeting all the way down onto either the city streets or the outer field. And Deon had already put a hole in part of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the only one that will work in a place like this,¡± she said.


    ¡°Then here we go.¡±


    Again, Benton broke into a run. Deon and Skrili waited until he was nearly in range, and then darted backwards once more. Benton¡¯s fist missed by a long shot.


    But he didn¡¯t hesitate this time, anticipating their next move. He charged after them with larger steps and then took to the air with a pounding leap¡ªjust as they¡¯d seen him jump from the balcony in their first encounter.


    Crap¡­he can do that, Deon remembered.


    ¡°Keep moving!¡± Skrili warned as the beast of a man descended down towards them. They turned and ran, and the path shook as Benton¡¯s fist plowed into it just behind them.


    After a moment, Deon and Skrili came to a stop and turned. Benton seemed unperturbed as he stood before a small, newly formed crater in the path. For now, his pursuit halted.


    Just keep this up as long as we can¡­Deon remembered from their brainstorm with Hiroko. Wear him out, then weaken him, and then move in for the finish¡­


    ¡­And watch out for raining fists of death falling from the sky¡­he added with a gulp.


    ¡°Ah, y¡¯all are fighting with a clear, preplanned strategy,¡± Benton noticed. ¡°You two ain¡¯t rookies to the League, then. Let¡¯s see¡­callin¡¯ out a defensive formation¡­whisperin¡¯ to each other¡­I¡¯d say you¡¯re pretty freshly certified. And let me guess: y¡¯all just finished up Legend Training, right?¡±


    Deon¡¯s eyes widened, giving away the answer to Benton¡¯s assumptions.


    He figured all of that out perfectly, just from a few moves? he observed.


    Benton laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right, I may still look pretty as a peach, but I¡¯ve been around. Y¡¯see, I know a thing or two ¡®bout the League. In fact, I know more about pro consciousness teams than anyone here, guaranteed. Boy, do I know¡­¡±


    He trailed off, but continued staring at them.


    ¡°¡­Yesiree¡­I¡¯m mighty acquainted with that League of yours¡­¡±


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes found each other again.


    ¡°Yeah, we heard you,¡± Skrili said.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­cool?¡± shrugged Deon.


    Benton sighed. ¡°Come on¡ªaren¡¯t y¡¯all dyin¡¯ to know why?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Well I used to be in the League, alright?! There, I toldya anyways,¡± Benton boomed. ¡°Bottom line is, I¡¯ve seen this before. I know exactly what y¡¯all are attempting, and trust me¡ªit ain¡¯t gonna work.¡±


    ¡°Trust the shirtless guy who kidnaps minors¡­yeah okay,¡± Skrili muttered only loud enough for Deon to hear.


    Despite everything, Deon couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Great¡­they¡¯re bein¡¯ all cute and flirty again¡­¡± Benton assumed in a whine.


    With fewer steps and lesser forewarning than before, he shot back into the air towards them. Deon and Skrili reacted as one, simultaneously pouncing backward.


    The chase resumed. Benton came for them once more, hunting them further down the wall¡¯s long, curving path. He gained no ground with each forceful jump, but neither did Deon and Skrili create more distance.


    ¡°Nobody knows¡­¡± sang Benton upon landing and missing a punch.


    ¡°¡­the trouble I¡¯ve seen¡­¡± he continued with the next, leaving another crater in his trail.


    ¡°Nobody cares, either,¡± Skrili added under her breath. She nudged Deon between dodges. ¡°Can you imagine right now?¡±


    Deon pictured a rock floating behind them to hide its view from Benton. He felt it emerge into existence and then dismissed it just as quickly.


    ¡°Yeah. You think it¡¯s already time?¡±


    Skrili¡¯s reply had to wait, as Benton leaped and rained down on them once more. Clearly, Hiroko was right: his style required close combat¡ªotherwise he would have tried anything else by now. His attempt proved just as futile as Deon and Skrili rushed back.


    ¡°Look at him,¡± Skrili said.


    Benton cracked his neck and let out an easy sigh.


    He¡¯s not winded at all, Deon thought, noticing his own heavy breath from their evasion. We haven¡¯t even started wearing him out.


    ¡°Should we just move to the next phase?¡± he asked his teammate.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    Deon focused on his attacker¡ªnow his target.


    The fact that he could imagine right now meant Benton wasn¡¯t using Dampening powers. So currently, he was either a Withstander or a Hypnotizer. And he was very much over the hypnosis technique now, leaving Withstander as his most likely type.


    That was perfect for their plan.


    Yesterday, Deon had assumed there was no point in attacking a Withstander; after all, they could completely turn off the ability to feel it. But the more experienced consciousnesses of his ensemble¡ªnamely, all four of them¡ªstressed that was far from the case. While a Withstander couldn¡¯t feel the damage, they still received it.


    So, as Hiroko and Skrili had pieced together, attacking Benton while he was in Withstander mode could gradually break him down. They just needed to stay out of his range and attack from a distance.


    And if his powers followed the same laws as Irma¡¯s, that approach would be simple: Benton couldn¡¯t use Dampener powers while he was on Withstander. So Deon could attack by imagining projectiles.


    Deon opted for rocks this time instead of his default mini-Twitchys: they weren¡¯t as resilient or controllable, but their hard surface would do more damage.


    He imagined a swarm of them in the air all around Benton, and then fired them down while he and Skrili continued backing away. To Deon¡¯s shock, Benton managed to catch the first two bare-fisted¡ªbut the others collided against him all around. Their shards crumbled on impact before disappearing.


    ¡°Wait¡­they cracked against him?¡± Deon worried. ¡°But they were rocks!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t slow down!¡± Skrili warned.


    Benton paid absolutely no attention to the remaining stoning, as if it weren¡¯t happening at all. He¡¯d already begun crouching down to jump after them again. Deon called off the rest of his offensive and turned to focus on getting away.


    The boom against the wall¡¯s path signified Benton had landed, and thankfully, they¡¯d avoided him once more. Deon and Skrili slid to a stop.


    Then alarm spiked through as Deon as he returned sight to their enemy.


    From what Deon and Skrili could see, there was nothing more than a few minor scratches all around his skin. Not only had his body shattered the rocks, but it barely took any damage from them.


    It was obvious his Withstander powers were in play from his lack of reaction, but there was something far more unusual than that going on.


    Benton simply laughed¡ªnot antagonistically, but rather, as if he were an old friend revealing a secret talent.


    ¡°Yup¡­if you¡¯re gonna use imagining attacks on me, you¡¯re gonna wanna fortify ¡®em to be a lot more resilient than that,¡± he explained. ¡°These muscles ain¡¯t for show¡ªI built this body up so it wouldn¡¯t break down. Like I said, I know what you¡¯re tryna do. Your little team plan won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°It will. We just have to go bigger,¡± Skrili whispered to Deon. ¡°Give him everything you can. If that doesn¡¯t work, power me up and send me in.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you get close to that freak,¡± Deon refused immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not watching you fall off this wall a second time.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s all on your imagining,¡± Skrili concluded. ¡°Keeping distance is the most important¡ª¡±


    An explosion rattled their bones. The low blast nearly deafened them¡ªbut not so much that they couldn¡¯t tell it came from behind.


    Still remaining wary of Benton, Deon and Skrili turned to find the source.


    In all of their dodging and retreating backwards, they hadn¡¯t realized how far they¡¯d moved¡ªor in which direction.


    Dark smoke rose a couple minutes¡¯ run from where they stood. Though that entire section of the monumental structure was destroyed, they still recognized what it once was: the front gate to the city.


    ¡°Crap¡ªwe moved that far back?!¡± Deon whispered to his teammate.


    Skrili¡¯s gaze was up into the sky. ¡°Kotono,¡± she noticed.


    Glowing red and gold, the timid champion hovered behind the worst of the billowing smoke and dust. Deon couldn¡¯t make out her expression from here, but she kept her hands pointed towards the space before her in clear aim.


    Then, a blast of red energy lit up the morning sky as it beamed from her hands.


    ¡°If she¡¯s still shooting at Wei,¡± Skrili analyzed quickly, ¡°that means the surprise attack didn¡¯t fully contain him. He must be trying to break out.¡±


    ¡°Then Kotono and Hiroko are still fighting to buy us time,¡± Deon realized, his heartbeat speeding. ¡°Crap¡ªif Wei gets out¡­¡±


    Skrili¡¯s mangled body intruded his thoughts again.


    ¡°Now there¡¯s an ideal consciousness team,¡± came Benton¡¯s words from behind. They returned their focus to find him observing the smoke just the same. ¡°No need for callin¡¯ out formations¡­they just know, and they go. That¡¯s experience.¡±


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Another blast interrupted him.


    In that moment, Skrili drew close to Deon again.


    ¡°We need to stop falling back this way. If this guy gets too close to Wei, he can help him break free,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡±


    They stared down their towering opponent. It was time to face him head-on.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, it¡¯s a shame those girls have to fight Wei,¡± added Benton as the booming echo faded. ¡°They were a real treat. The Multiverse is gonna miss ¡®em.¡±


    Deon grit his teeth. In one fluid motion, he and Skrili burst forward.


    All we have to do is get past him, Deon told himself.


    Skrili sped ahead slightly and positioned her run directly in front of him.


    Defense thirteen, Deon recognized instantly. It was the formation he¡¯d assumed they would take. Without the need to speak it, they were already on the same page.


    This guy thinks he knows everything. We¡¯ll prove just how much he underestimated us.


    They¡¯d drilled this time and time again with Skip: once Skrili neared the opponent they planned to skirt, Deon would aim from behind and imagine a plank of wood in her path. She¡¯d step on it and he would jolt it upwards as a spring, launching her straight over their threat to land on the other side.


    Meanwhile, when the opponent was occupied with the airborne Skrili, Deon would slide under their legs.


    It was the precise move for this situation, and Deon¡¯s assurance strengthened when Skrili¡¯s movements indicated she thought the same.


    But it didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°SKRILI! DAMPENING!!¡± he warned.


    She caught on barely in time, breaking into a desperate roll to avoid Benton¡¯s deadly fist. Skrili stumbled from a crawl back to a run, turning in back in horror.


    ¡°DEON!¡±


    It was too late. Deon knew he shouldn¡¯t have attempted imagining again once he felt his powers fail to function. He tried to sidestep, but his forward momentum betrayed him. Barely able to change course, Deon took a pounding swat to the shoulder.


    Perhaps it was his failure to tense before the blow that protected him. Deon spun, the hit reversing him backwards, and crashed against the stone path. But as he hurried back to his feet, everything seemed intact.


    Acknowledging the pain would have to wait.


    ¡°Now we¡¯re talkin,¡¯¡± Benton uttered.


    He towered over Deon, blocking the sunlight. Now very much in-range, Deon was in the most dangerous spot possible.


    Benton¡¯s fists came like swarming boulders. Deon felt the air blow by his face as he narrowly dodged several punches, his improved reflexes from Legend Training keeping him alive.


    On instinct, Deon kept trying to imagine defenses and counter-attacks. But with Benton¡¯s dampening activated, he knew there was no chance. Dodging was his only hope, and that was failing quickly.


    Benton let out a chuckle as a dull thud came against his back. From behind, Skrili desperately unleashed her best kicks.


    Crap¡ªshe just put herself in his range, too! Deon worried. While he appreciated the protectiveness, at this point she was only adding herself to the possible casualties.


    Again, Benton laughed dismissively at Skrili¡¯s continued efforts. ¡°What happened to that big ¡®ole kick last time we met? This hurts and all, but it ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ like that. You must depend on power-ups.¡±


    Against you, she does, Deon agreed to himself. But they had no hope of creating one¡ªwithout consciousness abilities, there was no way to trigger her Power Rebound.


    Just as Deon was approaching a loss for any way out of this, he noticed his dodge had come easier than all the others.


    The next did, as well. He¡¯d begun avoiding each fist by a wider margin.


    He caught another glimpse of Skrili¡¯s relentless kicks. They were calculated, aimed in a precise pattern against Benton¡¯s body.


    While they weren¡¯t yielding much damage, that wasn¡¯t their purpose.


    She¡¯s slowing him down! Deon realized. She¡¯s giving me a better chance to break away!


    Emboldened, Deon jumped even farther back with the next dodge. Setting his footing just right, he broke into a run. In the same moment, Skrili pulled back and darted the other way.


    Benton watched both of them with a blink. ¡°Ah¡­guess that was smart,¡± he admitted.


    Deon¡¯s heart raced. I know she was just trying to save my butt¡­but this could be our chance!


    ¡°Skrili, throw it!¡± he shouted back.


    ¡°You¡¯re too close!¡± she protested.


    ¡°THROW IT!!¡±


    ¡°Throw it?¡± wondered Benton.


    Trustingly, Deon dove and closed his eyes. But as the POP resounded right behind him and tossed him through the air even further, he could still see the quick flash of gold energy.


    He toppled to a stop. Crumbling stone rumbled behind him, but the path where he landed remained secure. Deeming it safe to stand, Deon lifted himself and turned to look.


    His idea to unveil their first Emovert Bomb had proved even riskier than he¡¯d imagined. Paces away, Benton lay atop a newly-formed island: the explosion had caused a partial collapse of the wall on both sides of him. Deon couldn¡¯t see how far down it ran. But judging by its brief sound, the blast wasn¡¯t enough to dismantle the full structure.


    Nonetheless, Benton was now trapped, surrounded by a deadly drop at all angles.


    Though to Deon¡¯s dismay, he¡¯d already begun moving again. Lingering smoke rose from Benton¡¯s charring skin as he climbed to his feet.


    ¡°Emovert energy, huh?¡± he huffed. ¡°Y¡¯all are real tricksters. Felt that one for a second.¡±


    While his body moved slowly, drooping to one side with shallow burns all over, his face showed no grimace.


    It didn¡¯t take him out¡ªbut it forced him to switch back to Withstander to ignore the pain, Deon noted.


    Wait a second¡­


    On the opposite side of the concrete island, Skrili stood ready. There was a glimmer in her eyes as they caught Deon¡¯s.


    She removed another Emovert bomb from the waist of her tights.


    Deon¡¯s mind sparked. With her look alone, he understood her new idea.


    Originally, considering Proscious had at least one more Dampener in their ranks, Deon and Skrili had hoped to save their Emovert bombs as long as possible. Of the eight functioning ones Deon and Kotono had created, they only claimed two; they decided Phillip needed them most as the only solo fighter in their plan.


    And since Skrili had less long-distance attack options than Deon, she carried them both.


    But now, already clutching their second and final Emovert bomb in her hand, Deon knew what Skrili aimed to achieve.


    Benton was weakened from the first blast. Now, it was time for him to play their game.


    ¡°Got another one of them things?¡± Benton observed as he watched Skrili warily. ¡°Lucky for me, I¡¯ve got a mean catch. And it won¡¯t hurt this time.¡±


    Deon smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t get too sure of yourself,¡± he warned.


    His powers once again awake, Deon summoned a medium-sized Twitchy beside himself, matching Benton¡¯s height and brawn. With the right movements, this monster could shove Benton straight off of his tiny platform.


    Head spinning back to Deon, Benton seemed to get the implication. He blinked hard. Quickly, he cancelled Deon¡¯s powers back out. Medium Twitchy vanished.


    ¡°You sure you can take this without Withstander?¡± Skrili threatened, raising the Emovert Bomb higher.


    Again, Benton turned. His head swung back and forth.


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s smirking eyes caught each other.


    Got him.


    If he wanted to catch and contain the Emovert bomb, he¡¯d need Withstander to resist the pain. But switching off from Dampener would allow Deon¡¯s powers to work, and Deon could defeat him just as swiftly.


    Either way, he was pinned.


    ¡°Give up now. It¡¯s a long fall down,¡± Skrili demanded.


    ¡°Man¡­¡± uttered Benton. ¡°So y¡¯all figured out I have more than one type, and you even went and figured out which ones. Alright, not bad¡­¡±


    Then, he laughed.


    Now what?! steamed Deon.


    Skrili doubled down, holding the Emovert bomb tighter. ¡°Give up,¡± she repeated.


    ¡°No need,¡± Benton dismissed. ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on somethin¡¯: I¡¯m a little different than my buddies. I may not have as many types as Irma, or have ¡®em all mastered as good as her, but¡­I¡¯m pretty special in my own way.¡±


    Crouching forward, Benton flexed every muscle in his body. One pant leg ripped from the pressure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know how this¡¯ll go¡­but I guess I gotta do it,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Guess I need my trump card!¡±


    He broke into a roar, still flexing with increasing intensity. Then, the red markings on his face and head began spreading. They emerged on his neck, and then spread down all across his skin in a series of raised, jagged lines.


    Whatever was happening, it appeared as unnatural as it did painful.


    Alarmed, Skrili took a step and threw the Emovert bomb.


    Even as his transformation continued, Benton lifted a hand and caught the cubed stone. He squeezed it tightly in his palm. The golden energy illuminated through his hand and the weapon burst¡ªbut it was muffled.


    Its shards trickled out from the mangled remains of what no longer resembled a hand. Yet Benton didn¡¯t flinch at the obliteration¡ªhe felt nothing of it.


    ¡°Stop him!¡± Skrili cried.


    Deon didn¡¯t even know what they might be stopping, and yet, he fully agreed.


    ¡°Power up!¡± he shouted back to her.


    He hoped the rushed heads-up would prove sufficient as he imagined a plank beneath Skrili feet to fling her into the air. His two orange-padded springs appeared, and she got swept up into a blurry bounce between them.


    But his heart skipped when he felt his powers fading once more.


    In a panic, Deon rushed to complete the technique, transforming one of the pads into a pillow to drop Skrili safely back to her feet. His imagined creations disappeared faster than a blink.


    Had he let it go one a second longer, Skrili would have flown straight off the wall to her death.


    He already switched back to Dampener again?! Deon worried.


    But Benton stood tall once more, harsh red lines now all over his body and veins bulging over his gray skin. And despite his new severe injury, he didn¡¯t bat an eye.


    No¡­he¡¯s still¡­thought Deon. Does that mean he can use¡­


    ¡­Both??


    After recovering from a brief bout of dizziness, Skrili shook her head and focused forward. Drawing from her new, albeit minor Power Rebound, she charged at Benton.


    ¡°WAIT, SKRILI!!¡± screamed Deon.


    The attack he¡¯d initiated for her was already in motion. Skrili leaped, clearing the destroyed gap in the wall, and landed to confront Benton head-on.


    But she landed unevenly, catching herself with a tired gasp.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± she uttered.


    Benton¡¯s punch was nearly direct¡ªbut even while weakened, Skrili managed to sidestep its full force, taking a swipe to her side and tumbling near the edge of the path.


    ¡°Cool, ain¡¯t it?¡± Benton said. ¡°It¡¯s experimental and takes a toll on your body¡ªthat¡¯s why most everyone else Proscious tried it on croaked.¡±


    He kicked Skrili, but she rolled just enough out of the way to avoid being knocked into a freefall. She winced as her body shook.


    ¡°But I guess it¡¯s the way I¡¯m built; I can handle it for a little,¡± continued Benton. ¡°That is, I can use two consciousness types at once.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t know what else to do¡ªthey had no powers, Skrili had no Emovert bombs left, and they had no more plans.


    He simply ran to her.


    ¡°Power Rebound, is it? Your guy gave you one a¡¯ them?¡± Benton deciphered. ¡°Sorry. Just dampened it.¡±


    He reached down and snatched Skrili by the neck with his remaining hand, lifting her off the ground with ease.


    ¡°NO!!¡± Deon belted.


    He didn¡¯t dare look down when he reached the gap in the path. Shouting, he lunged through the air and tumbled onto the island with Benton and Skrili. Wasting no time, he lunged forward and punched at Benton with all his might.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t y¡¯hear me? I won¡¯t feel none of that,¡± Benton said. ¡°Now, listen: I am tryna get that bonus pay outta this mission. So nothing personal, but¡­¡±


    Ignoring Deon¡¯s fruitless efforts, Benton held Skrili above the open air.


    ¡°Wei really wants you to join Proscious,¡± he calmly explained. ¡°Just say you¡¯ll do it, alright? If not, I¡¯m gonna have to drop the girlie.¡±


    Deon froze.


    ¡°I swear I don¡¯t want to kill her. ¡®Could really use that bonus, is all.¡±


    Deon tried to meet Skrili¡¯s eyes, but she deflected and looked away, choking to breathe.


    He couldn¡¯t let her die¡ªher or Lammy.


    In the end, was this the only way?


    The next words Deon heard, uncharacteristically silly as they were, proved that was not the case.


    They had just one more tool at their disposal.


    Just one.


    ¡°This is¡­a hairy situation¡­¡± Skrili forced out.


    Benton¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± said Deon. ¡°And it was bad.¡±


    He jumped up, not at Benton, but at Skrili. Reading it as an attempt to free her, Benton shifted his hand to the side.


    But that wasn¡¯t Deon¡¯s target.


    Stretching even higher, Deon slipped his fingers into Skrili¡¯s hair and yanked out her Shfi hair tie. He landed with a spin to aim his fire, pulled back the traditional weapon, and released it at Benton¡¯s wrist.


    The slap shook his whole arm. Regardless of his inability to feel the blow, it stunned his muscles and Skrili slipped from his grasp.


    It all happened in a moment: Deon reached out to pull Skrili to a safe landing. She tumbled and caught her hair tie before it even touched the ground. Then, with an aim much crisper than Deon¡¯s, she fired it at Benton¡¯s still-bewildered face.


    The tie smacked directly between his eyes, blinding them, and Skrili was already onto her next attack: kicking him squarely in the back of his knee.


    Deon wasted no time reading the opportunity. He pounced forward and capitalized on Benton¡¯s slight balance shift, shoving him back. The monstrous fighter fell over the edge of the damaged wall.


    Panic almost set in as Deon realized this man was about to die by their hands. But he felt an odd, reluctant relief when Benton¡¯s burly fingers caught the very corner of the cliff.


    Skrili stepped over to his trembling, desperate fingers and stood above him, so Deon joined her.


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± she said down to their enemy.


    Still squinting from the hairtie¡¯s sting, Benton tried to peer down into his impending death. Somehow, he managed one more laugh¡ªthis one empty.


    ¡°I used to be like you. One mistake, and I lost it all¡­¡± he reflected. ¡°Hit one pro just a little too hard few years back, killed¡¯m. Lost my career¡­my wife¡­can¡¯t see my baby girls.¡±


    He paused when another of Kotono¡¯s explosions erupted in the background.


    ¡°Their mom ain¡¯t gonna provide for them¡ªshe can¡¯t work,¡± Benton continued. ¡°It¡¯s all on me. And pro fightin¡¯s all I knew. But nobody would give me a chance after that screwup¡­nobody but Proscious.¡±


    Benton looked up and met Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t wanna hurt your friends. I had to,¡± he said. ¡°I gotta give my girls a life¡­even if I can never see ¡®em a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nobody asked.¡±


    Shock froze Deon as he watched Skrili press her foot against Benton¡¯s fingers. He began to lose grip.


    ¡°Skrili! Don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Turn off your dampening,¡± Skrili commanded Benton.


    ¡°Alright, alright! It¡¯s off!!¡±


    ¡°SKRILI!¡± Deon yelled.


    ¡°Catch him,¡± she instructed calmly.


    Deon noticed the area beneath Benton, and relief swept over him as he understood: Benton was hanging above the broken part of the wall. The damage continued down only partway before evening out onto a jagged surface that survived the blast.


    Benton¡¯s fingers lost hold and he fell with a shout. But as promised, Deon¡¯s imagining returned. He placed a pillow at the base of the indentation, and Benton sunk into it.


    Deon imagined it away, leaving Benton atop the stone. That far down on the destroyed wall, there was no way to climb back up in either direction¡ªespecially given all the damage he¡¯d sustained from the Emovert bombs.


    He was stuck to sit there.


    Skrili peered down to him with one last glare, her purple eyes cutting.


    ¡°Stop fishing for pity from us. Everyone has a reason for the people they hurt,¡± she told him. ¡°But circumstances and choices are two different things.¡±


    Deon watched in silence as she turned and picked up her hairtie. She didn¡¯t notice his stare until she¡¯d finish wrapping her hair back up.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    He simply stepped close to his teammate gave a light shove.


    ¡°Stop almost dying,¡± he reminded her.


    Skrili shrugged.


    Their eyes found the Azvaylen castle in the distance. Kotono¡¯s blast rumbled from behind like an approaching thunderstorm: time was running out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 103. If You Want to Stop

    An explosion rattled everything before Kotono¡¯s eyes.


    Wei hadn¡¯t seen it coming in the slightest: not until it was far too late. Kotono¡¯s unrestrained red energy barreled straight into him and he vanished underneath a plume of smoke and decimated stone. She watched, hovering in the air, as the entire front gate of the capital began to collapse.


    Kotono moved her hands out of her line of vision¡ªshe loathed the thought of their association with the unfolding destruction.


    But there was no fooling herself. This devastation came from her. These were her powers.


    And right now, she had no choice¡ªnot if she wanted to save Zayza and the others.


    Everyone was counting on her.


    Kotono thought she might get sick. The energy overflowed from her body endlessly, painting everything in a red light.


    We¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re okay¡­we¡¯ll save them¡­we¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t have to hurt anymore¡­


    Streaks of gold mixed in as she recited these reminders in her head over and over.


    But the breathlessness and nausea wouldn¡¯t fade. Neither would her energy.


    It was about to release, and she had no hope of containing it.


    Lifting her hands again, Kotono aimed back towards the ground where Wei had likely fallen, underneath piles of still-settling rubble.


    If I have to let it out, she thought, I might as well use it for something!


    Channeling all of the surging power around her body, Kotono fired another deafening beam of red light. It exploded against the ground, now mixing dirt into the flying debris.


    If the first blast hadn¡¯t defeated Wei, perhaps this one accomplished it. Perhaps her overwhelming energy was enough, and her friends no longer had to worry about him.


    The thought slowed Kotono¡¯s sore heart just a little.


    Immediately after the attack, she felt herself begin to descend. With all the built-up energy released, there wasn¡¯t enough to keep her body elevated. It meant for a worse view for investigating the aftermath, but it calmed her breath even further.


    After years of associating levitation with panic attacks, descent had become a comfort. She¡¯d be okay.


    Kotono steered back to the outside of the former gate, where the illusions of her teammates stood moments ago. Delicately, her feet met the dark Azvaylen grass. Her eyes stung a bit from the now hazy air.


    ¡°Sorry Zayza¡¯s home¡­¡± she muttered feebly.


    Perhaps when all of this was over, she could convince her finance team to donate towards the repairs. If Hiroko gave the pitch, it could be convincing.


    No¡­they can¡¯t ever find out about this, she knew. EVER.


    Running away from their security, skipping paid events¡­she and Hiroko had already done that endless times as it was. Management was already livid.


    But trespassing into a restricted reality? Secretly combating an unknown evil organization? Launching a city-wide offensive to revolt and overthrow a corrupted government??


    On second thought, Kotono wasn¡¯t so sure ¡®It was to save our friends¡¯ would satisfy them.


    She and Hiroko were in it deep, now.


    But there was no turning back. Nothing had ever mattered more in Kotono¡¯s life.


    They need us, Kotono thought. She¡¯d never apologize for this¡ªno matter what was about to happen.


    At the very least, she was grateful Wei had dismissed the two guards under the gate before she struck. Without realizing it, he¡¯d spared them from her harm.


    Kotono looked down at her shaking hands again. Her parents¡¯ voices began echoing in her head.


    ¡°You nailed it,¡± came a sandy voice instead, casting them away.


    Kotono lifted her eyes to her love, who came jogging from beside the capital¡¯s wall. She sighed¡ªat a time like this, she couldn¡¯t take another moment without Hiroko. Kotono watched as she steered clear of the smoking mounds and slowed to a walk.


    ¡°That guy had it coming,¡± Hiroko excused.


    Kotono¡¯s contemplation of regret must have snuck onto her face. The glow from her energy hadn¡¯t reemerged, but Hiroko didn¡¯t need that to decode her feelings. She hadn¡¯t for years, now.


    ¡°T¡ªtrue¡­¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s firm arm wrapped around her. It was always so warm. Kotono finally remembered to breathe.


    ¡°Feel okay?¡±


    ¡°Not ex¡ªexactly¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm. Phoenix Float?¡±


    Kotono¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Seriously?! You have one?!¡±


    ¡°What?! No!¡± Hiroko laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d fall for that!¡±


    Pouting, Kotono reached up and pinched Hiroko¡¯s nose.


    A rustling in the pile of debris reclaimed their attention. Startled, they turned to find a section of broken bricks had shifted and tumbled loosely. The duo waited, but nothing else stirred.


    ¡°Y¡ªyou think that was enough?¡± Kotono asked, her stare still on the rubble. ¡°You think he¡¯s¡­well, defeated?¡±


    Hiroko tightened her embrace, her icy eyes narrowing. That was never the expression Kotono wanted to see.


    ¡°So he¡¯s really that powerful?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I was hoping not,¡± Hiroko said. ¡°But¡­I can feel something. He¡¯s in there.¡±


    Kotono observed Hiroko¡¯s bare, tattooed feet in the grass. While she felt no rumblings under her own feet, Hiroko¡¯s drew from generations of knowledge. After all, her people had been navigating and hunting in the Mainland Desert for longer than recorded history.


    ¡°Vibrations?¡± Kotono guessed.


    Hiroko nodded. ¡°More intense than a burrowing Sand Dragon.¡±


    Even without knowing the comparison, Kotono shuddered. Her hope proved to be nothing more than wishful optimism.


    ¡°You did exactly what we asked of you, Kotono,¡± Hiroko assured, her watch still wary. ¡°Now we wait, and stay ready.¡±


    Kotono nodded unevenly. So far, everything had gone to plan.


    But they still had a job to do.


    We don¡¯t have to beat him¡ªnot yet, Kotono reminded herself. Just contain him for as long as we can; hold him back to let Skrili, Deon, and Phillip take out the other members¡­


    Then we can all fight him as a unit.


    Hiroko guided Kotono backwards steadily, yet swiftly. She waited to stop until they were several paces from the site of the blasts.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­?¡± Kotono dared to inquire.


    ¡°The energy is increasing.¡±


    Finally, Kotono sensed it too.


    The ground shook steadily. A low rumble resonated all around, so deep Kotono could feel it in her bones more than hear it. More fragments from the wreckage of the gate came loose and tumbled to the ground as if in attempt to escape.


    ¡°Breathe,¡± Hiroko reminded Kotono, her composure in direct contrast to the unfolding terror.


    It didn¡¯t matter. Kotono couldn¡¯t. Her mind spun, unable to grasp onto any form of preparation.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    He was rising.


    It was up to her again¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t move.


    Jagged red heat ignited around her. Hiroko had removed her arm just in time, but she remained by her side¡ªdespite the likely unbearable heat.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just pour all that energy towards keeping him contained,¡± Hiroko advised.


    But it wasn¡¯t alright. This wasn¡¯t a normal fight.


    He was going to really hurt them.


    Or worse.


    Flashes of lightning flickered from her body. Her feet lifted gradually off the ground.


    Levitation. Panic.


    Kotono gasped for air, but lost it just as swiftly.


    ¡°Hiroko¡­¡± she pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just aim and let it go,¡± said Hiroko, as if she were merely giving instructions on how to build a chair. ¡°Just aim¡­¡±


    Her voice sounded a little uneven that time.


    Wei wasn¡¯t the most immediate danger to them anymore. Now Kotono realized it was herself.


    If she couldn¡¯t get this under control, Hiroko would be first in the path of destruction.


    Kotono gasped even harder, again and again. The realization only tightened the pressure in her chest. It only fueled her raging storm.


    But by now, everything was too hazy for her to see. The world was red. The wind gusting from her started sucking away what little breath she managed.


    ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t¡­Hir¡­I¡­¡± she barely exhaled.


    ¡°Just aim, it¡¯s alright!¡± insisted Hiroko over the wind. ¡°Just aim so you don¡¯t¡­Kotono! Hey! Just aim! YOU HAVE TO AIM, OKAY?!¡±


    Kotono forced her hands to raise and point forward¡ªor at least, that was her intent: she couldn¡¯t feel a thing, just a cold tingle in her fingertips.


    Panic. Danger. Panic. Fault. Panic. Destruction.


    Everything is ending.


    Kotono screamed, but it made no sound.


    ¡°There you go! You¡¯re doing so great! Now release it!¡±


    Where am I?


    ¡°Great, Kotono!¡±


    Where am I? What am I doing?


    ¡°Hey¡­how about you leave the rest to me? If you want to stop, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Warm¡­


    Why is Hiroko¡¯s voice so close to me again?


    ~~~


    ¡°Hey Kotono! Good morning. How¡¯d you sleep?¡±


    There she was¡ªearly as always, and already so awake. Hiroko marched over to the luxurious seat across from Kotono and joined her in the waiting area by the conference room.


    It was always too cold in here, and too bright. The nearly aerial view of the city was admittedly nice, but she¡¯d already observed it many times over waiting for countless other meetings like today¡¯s, and waiting on nearly countless past teammates.


    Hiroko was the only one to have lasted this many meetings. Kotono still couldn¡¯t fathom why, but she didn¡¯t question it, either. Hiroko was different than the others. There was something magnetic about her from day one.


    But¡­why was she sitting so far away? Why so formal?


    And¡­Kotono hadn¡¯t seen her wear her Hidakalan robe and scarf in ages¡ªshe didn¡¯t even realize Hiroko still had one. Having stolen practically all of her t-shirts for pajamas by now, Kotono was certain she had Hiroko¡¯s miniscule wardrobe memorized.


    Come to think of it, somehow, Hiroko¡¯s hair was a little longer now, too¡­


    Oh¡­I¡¯m in the past, Kotono finally understood.


    The waiting area¡­the too-familiar skyline¡­early morning drowsiness¡­formal Hiroko in religious garbs¡­combining all the clues, Kotono knew precisely how far back she was.


    This was the agency meeting after their very first championship win, when they¡¯d only been a team for about two months. That explained why Kotono felt so relieved right now¡ªthey¡¯d just come off of a week of scheduled rest and time with family, and they hadn¡¯t seen each other for days.


    Before, Kotono would have never thought she¡¯d be dying for the time away from fighting to be over. But it wasn¡¯t the fighting; coming back to business meant she got to be around Hiroko again.


    Wait¡­it was this meeting, wasn¡¯t it?


    The receptionist got up and stepped away to retrieve her coffee.


    Kotono remembered: she had something to tell Hiroko.


    ¡°H¡ªhey¡­¡± she stammered. ¡°Um¡­I¡­Hiroko, there¡¯s something you really should know¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm? About what?¡±


    ¡°A¡ªabout¡­me¡­¡± said Kotono. She spun her head around to ensure they were still alone before leaning closer. ¡°I¡¯ve never admitted it to anyone¡­b¡ªbut¡­with everything going so well between us¡­I feel like I can tell you.¡±


    A last-second reluctance set in. But then, Hiroko¡¯s smile empowered her.


    Fiddling with her skirt, Kotono pressed her eyes shut. ¡°U¡ªum¡­I¡­I seriously hate consciousness fighting!¡±


    Before she even finished reopening her eyes, Hiroko¡¯s easy reply already came out.


    ¡°Oh. You should quit, then,¡± she suggested plainly.


    Kotono was beside herself. ¡°Huh? But¡­NO!¡±


    ¡°I mean, if you hate it¡­¡± Hiroko tried to explain.


    ¡°I c¡ªcan¡¯t just quit!¡±


    ¡°Sure you can. I really love being a team, but I feel like we¡¯re friends now, too. And I¡¯d rather my friend be happy,¡± insisted Hiroko. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a guest to all of my tournaments if you want, and we can keep in touch. So if you want to stop, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Kotono shook her head, but she didn¡¯t know what to say. Maybe Hiroko didn¡¯t get it.


    ¡°I want to keep doing this,¡± she managed.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªyes.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you why?¡±


    Kotono couldn¡¯t remember the answer she gave in that original moment. It most likely involved the idea of finishing what she started, or not wanting to let her family down.


    But even back then, she knew neither of those were true.


    Now, immersed in this moment from years ago, she could revise her response. She could be honest with the person who would prove her right in becoming the most important part of her life.


    Kotono knew why she refused to quit consciousness fighting.


    ¡°Because I wouldn¡¯t get to spend my life with you anymore.¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Hiroko laughed patiently.


    Kotono blinked. She found herself sitting in the grass where she had just been floating. She could feel everything again, once again wrapped in Hiroko¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯m right here with you, you goof,¡± Hiroko promised. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    Finally registering her surroundings, Kotono observed the even more intense plumes of smoke rising from where she had initially launched her attack. Now, a massive, gaping hole was in the ground where the wreckage had been resting. She could feel the heat even sitting from this distance.


    Twinkles of red light drifted through the air all around.


    ¡°What¡­happened?¡± Kotono asked.


    ¡°Oh, you must have blacked out a little,¡± realized Hiroko. ¡°You fired a ton of energy blasts just now. They were some of the biggest I¡¯ve ever seen from you. I¡¯d be shocked if that didn¡¯t stop Wei. Now he¡¯s buried under wreckage, and buried deeper underground.¡±


    Kotono stared at the catastrophe bit dazed, her body relaxed from the fatigue of how tense she must have been.


    ¡°Did I...kill him?¡±


    Energy swirled from within.


    Hiroko pulled her even closer. ¡°No. If he died, it¡¯s his own doing. He brought this war on himself.¡±


    The energy slowed, and didn¡¯t manifest outside of her body. Kotono tried to sigh, but it came out shaky.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Hiroko started quietly. ¡°Like I was saying before, how about you leave the rest of this to me?¡±


    Kotono shook her head. ¡°Hiroko, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine! You can just sit back if you want. All that¡¯s left now is to stay here and make sure Wei stays down¡ªI can do that.¡±


    She stood and took a few steps forward, hands on her hips.


    ¡°Even if he climbs his way out, he¡¯ll probably be weakened. I can probably take him on alone,¡± Hiroko encouraged. ¡°So it¡¯s okay if you want to stop.¡±


    ¡°NO! You always do that, Hiroko!¡± Kotono protested. ¡°That¡¯s the same thing you said back then!¡±


    Startled, Hiroko turned to reface her. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Finally, Kotono¡¯s breath began stabilizing. ¡°When I blacked out just now, I went back to that time I told you my secret. You said the same exact thing back then.¡±


    Her strength returning, Kotono stood up. ¡°You¡¯re always looking out for me first before everything¡ªeven yourself. You always try to make sure I¡¯m okay first¡­but sometimes that blinds you,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Sometimes, you¡¯re willing to make me feel better, even if it would make everything else worse.¡±


    For the first time Kotono had ever seen, Hiroko was at a loss for words.


    No¡ªshe was simply choosing to listen, instead.


    ¡°Hiroko¡­if I listened to you back then and quit the League, we wouldn¡¯t have each other like we do now. That¡¯s why I stuck with it. I had a feeling¡ªI hoped it would bring us closer, make us inseparable. I knew you felt it, too,¡± Kotono shared. ¡°And now, if I stop fighting with you, saving them will be so much harder. I believe we can do this. But you need me to help, just like you wanted me back then.¡±


    She stepped closer, raising a fist to her chest.


    ¡°So I refuse to quit,¡± she promised. ¡°I¡¯m fighting with you¡ªeven if it terrifies me.¡±


    Hiroko took her free hand and stood in silence. After a while, she nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± she uttered. ¡°Hey¡­you¡¯re something else.¡±


    Kotono let out a small laugh.


    She could see it plainly in Hiroko¡¯s eyes: the reluctance, the concern. Her attempts to mask it were futile after all these years together.


    But she honored Kotono¡¯s choice, nonetheless. And that filled Kotono¡¯s heart.


    She knew she could help make a difference today despite her crippling fears. As long as it was Hiroko she fought beside, she could do anything.


    ¡°You know, back then when you told me you had a secret,¡± Hiroko revealed, ¡°I thought you were gonna say you were gay.¡±


    Kotono giggled. ¡°I guess that would¡¯ve gone well, too.¡±


    Suddenly, a new rumble in the ground interrupted their brief moment of peace. The duo darted their attention to the massive hole¡ªthis time, they¡¯d felt it simultaneously.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­still active?¡± Hiroko exclaimed.


    ¡°I¡ªI thought you said there was a chance he could make it out¡­?¡± recalled Kotono.


    ¡°Yeah, technically¡­but I didn¡¯t really think so after those last few attacks you fired,¡± explained Hiroko. ¡°How could anyone survive¡ª¡±


    The ground shook violently. Kotono almost stumbled off her feet until Hiroko caught her.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Kotono cried.


    ¡°He¡¯s powering his way out!¡±


    ¡°How?!¡±


    Another quake intensified the earth¡¯s roar. Particles of ground and stone began floating slowly out of the hole Kotono¡¯s powers had created. At this rate, his escape felt practically inevitable.


    Kotono couldn¡¯t hear her accelerating breath over the sound. But she felt the rapid tightening in her chest.


    Her red energy ignited once more, her eyes hot.


    ¡°I¡¯m right here, Kotono, okay?¡± Hiroko reminded her as the gust tugged at her hair.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Golden bursts of light flashed into the mix.


    ¡°Just aim and get ready to fire.¡±


    Kotono raised her hands.


    She didn¡¯t need further elaboration: she knew Hiroko had already activated Predictor. If Wei emerged, Hiroko could foresee every motion he might take next.


    ¡°Remember, he¡¯ll be pretty beaten up after all your attacks,¡± Hiroko pointed out. ¡°Let¡¯s use that to our advantage!¡±


    That¡¯s right¡­Kotono recalled.


    They could do this.


    All at once, a heap of heavy debris shot into the air in every direction. Kotono and Hiroko sidestepped a crashing chunk of bricks and came back together.


    Remains of the ruined gate burst against the ground all around them. Even still, the rumbling didn¡¯t cease.


    Something in the air wasn¡¯t right.


    Then, they caught a glimpse of light blue hair lifting from the hole.


    ¡°Kotono, fire¡ª¡± Hiroko began, but her words died immediately.


    There was no question why. They both watched, unable to comprehend as Wei rose into the air smoothly and steadily. He floated above the hole, arms crossed and black eyes finding them calmly.


    The hair on Kotono¡¯s neck stood straight.


    Not a single scratch¡ªnot even the slightest blemish¡ªwas on him.

 104. Emotional Support

    Hiroko shifted in front of Kotono, her arm stretched out protectively.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡ªhe¡¯s untouched?¡± she muttered.


    Utter disbelief was not an emotion Kotono thought Hiroko was capable of expressing. If even she was baffled, the situation truly was dire.


    Kotono shuddered. Unable to hold it back, she felt a jolt of harsh red energy spike all around her.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± was all she could let out.


    Floating in place above the now-erupted hole, so still it seemed he was standing on the air, Wei smiled. There wasn¡¯t a hint of malace in his expression¡ªjust a courteous greeting. Particles of stone and dirt still lingered in the air. Many steadily descended as if they were falling in slow motion.


    ¡°Good idea,¡± he said simply. ¡°Skip the pleasantries. Go straight for the head. I like the way you think. With the strong one out of the way, you thought your rescue might have a chance.¡±


    Wrong, Kotono wanted to say. We¡¯re just here to hold you back until it¡¯s time.


    Even still, she¡¯d almost convinced herself he was done for good. The powers she couldn¡¯t restrain should have decimated his entire body with their direct impact. And even if they didn¡¯t, the tons of weight piled on top of him from the wreckage should have crushed him.


    She thought she¡¯d killed a man. And yet here he was, unblemished and unbothered, just like before their ambush.


    But the relief that she¡¯d avoided becoming a killer didn¡¯t outweigh her new unraveling dread.


    Who was he?


    ¡°It¡¯s a decent strategy. But honestly, strategy doesn¡¯t mean anything here,¡± Wei continued. ¡°Not in a faceoff between you and I.¡±


    Kotono¡¯s eyes darted to Hiroko.


    Wei laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about her. I¡¯m speaking only to you of course, Ms. Kotono Inoue.¡±


    Another crackling spark ignited around Kotono¡¯s body, in sync with her skipping heart. Hiroko had no choice but to take a step away.


    ¡°See? Don¡¯t you realize it? In a fight with potentials as high as ours, strategy becomes meaningless. All that matters is sheer, overwhelming force,¡± Wei said to Kotono. ¡°Step forward. You¡¯re my muse in this little encounter.¡±


    With a jump, Hiroko didn¡¯t hesitate to return close, ignoring the raging heat emitting from her companion. She raised her arm back out in protection.


    But again, Wei laughed. ¡°You think you have to protect her? Really?¡± he observed. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s the one who needs to keep you safe? Step aside.¡±


    Hiroko spat in his direction.


    Wei ignored her decidedly, his shallowly warm stare remaining on Kotono.


    ¡°I¡¯m so intrigued¡­I¡¯ve achieved my full potential, and I did it through fully artificial means,¡± he shared. ¡°You, Ms. Inoue-¡ªyour powers are natural, and evolutionary normative. And yet, I feel you haven¡¯t even begun to scrape the surface of your full potential.¡±


    He brought his hands together before his smiling mouth, his eyes lighting up. ¡°This will be a wonderful study: do you want to discover how far your powers can go? Do you want to see how long your potential can stand up to the best of the synthetic? I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m dying to find out.¡±


    Hiroko turned back to Kotono.


    ¡°Wow. This guy¡¯s a freaking nerd.¡±


    Wei offered his hand cordially, once again ignoring her. ¡°Now, my lovely glowing muse,¡± he said, ¡°shall we dance?¡±


    ¡°We come as a package deal, weirdo,¡± Hiroko shot. ¡°Like it or not, you¡¯re gonna have to fight both of us.¡±


    The slight decline of Wei¡¯s smile was his only initial response. Then subtly, he waved his hand to the side once.


    Hiroko jerked off the ground, shooting into the air in the same direction he signaled. She spun violently into the distance.


    ¡°HIROKO!¡±


    Kotono¡¯s energy shifted with a burst, igniting blue. She raised her hands in a hurry and launched a wave of light.


    Unlike her usual red beams, the blue light tumbled airily like a cloud in a windstorm. She pushed it hard as Hiroko began to plummet towards the ground.


    Just in time, the blue cloud enveloped Hiroko and caught her in place, turning purple upon contact. Hiroko slowed to a smooth, floating stop within its embrace until Kotono allowed it to lower her back to her feet.


    Kotono sighed, dismissing the power. She was grateful her worry for others yielded a different nature of energy than raw fear or anger.


    Wei¡¯s power, however, she still had yet to fathom.


    Deon was right¡ªthat was like imagining. Plenty of top-ranking Imaginers have mastered making particles to influence the air around people, she thought quickly.


    That explained his levitation, and the way he threw Hiroko.


    But it still didn¡¯t answer how he survived her blasts.


    The pressure¡­the reaction time¡­it doesn¡¯t make sense!


    ¡°Do you actually want the extra burden of keeping her from harm?¡± Wei called to Kotono in annoyance. ¡°I was trying to give you a fair playing field. Whatever; let¡¯s start.¡±


    Hiroko darted back their way, already drawing near as grass shot out behind her blurry feet.


    ¡°Kotono! No read!¡±


    With a flinch, Kotono drew from her powers to launch herself backward. They reverted back to a fiery red, singeing the ground as she flew.


    A ¡®no read¡¯ was a worst-case scenario: if Hiroko¡¯s powers couldn¡¯t predict Wei¡¯s next move, there was no way to prepare a strong defense.


    But Kotono¡¯s attempt to fall back came to a jarring halt. She blinked from the disorienting whiplash¡ªshe¡¯d met an instant stop in the air.


    Even her limbs could hardly move as she remained in place: an invisible pressure was pushing on her from all angles.


    Kotono recognized the sensation immediately: she¡¯d felt this before.


    After Wei emerged during their courtyard brawl against Benton and Irma and took down Deon and Skrili, he¡¯d used this same pressure to trap the rest of them in place. Then with that same ability, he flew the five of them all the way to the outskirts of the city.


    She couldn¡¯t manage to shake it then. But she needed to now, or this was already over.


    Drawing from the raging energy fueled by her pounding heart, Kotono slammed her red light against the invisible weight. The energy brightened, quickly blinding her, but it didn¡¯t make a difference¡ªshe was still just as trapped.


    ¡°Show me more power than that,¡± Wei demanded from a distance.


    Kotono pushed again, letting out a cry. Still, nothing.


    ¡°Come on. I know you have it,¡± Wei said. ¡°I want to see it. I need to compare.¡±


    Against her wishes, Kotono felt her breath turn shallow. There was no way out. This was her doom.


    No¡­don¡¯t panic¡­don¡¯t panic¡­Kotono tried to recite.


    She gave up quickly. That never worked.


    Once again, she was about to lose control. Her powers were skyrocketing and she had no say. It would likely break her free, but it would put Hiroko in danger once more.


    ¡°YES! Show me again!¡± Wei cheered.


    No¡­


    Her eyes couldn¡¯t burn any brighter. She gasped what felt like her last breath.


    No, please¡­


    ¡°HIROKO, RUN!!¡±


    Just as she screamed, an explosion erupted from around her body. It ripped through the air, and immediately, her body broke free of her bondage.


    Kotono fell into the grass and tried to fight the new sting in her eyes. But she couldn¡¯t see if Hiroko had been able to change course in time¡ªshe couldn¡¯t see anything through this light and smoke.


    No¡­I lost control again¡­


    Her despair only deepened when Wei was the first sight she could make out through the vanishing smoke. Like a phantom, he still floated in place. But now, his smile was from ear-to-ear. He clapped at her like a child at a clown.


    ¡°AWESOME! FEARSOME!¡± he cheered. ¡°Good: it seems I didn¡¯t put enough strength into it to match yours. That means I can really test my limits against you. Can you push yourself harder for me?¡±


    ¡°Psycho,¡± came Hiroko¡¯s voice.


    The smoke subsided, and she stood unharmed at Kotono¡¯s side.


    The sight brought breath back to Kotono¡¯s lungs. Her already reemerging energy returned purple. ¡°I¡ªI told you to run¡­¡± she gasped.


    ¡°I did. Then I came back.¡±


    Kotono mustered a smile. Of course: Hiroko knew everything about the nature of her Emovert powers¡ªincluding when they got out of control. Kotono had once again let panic cloud her reasoning.


    Shaking, she found the courage to stand. Red light gradually overtook the purple hue surrounding her body.


    ¡°Hiroko¡­he¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. He¡¯s trying to get everything out of you,¡± Hiroko finished. ¡°But besides keeping him trapped underground, this is the best-case scenario.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Huh?! Are you crazy?!¡± whisper-shouted Kotono.


    ¡°He¡¯s preoccupied with his curiosity. All we have to do is keep his attention until the others are ready to come back,¡± explained Hiroko. ¡°We have to stay worthy of his time. And we can do that without¡ª¡±


    ¡°Panic for me more, Ms. Inoue!¡± Wei demanded from the air. ¡°Don¡¯t you see your anxiety is your greatest gift?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­without that,¡± Hiroko finished.


    Kotono¡¯s wavering gaze gave away her reluctance. The blaze intensified around her body.


    ¡°How?¡± she pleaded.


    Hiroko¡¯s slight nod and raise of the eyebrow communicated her wishes far faster than words could have.


    ¡°THAT?!¡± whispered Kotono.


    ¡°That.¡±


    ¡°B¡ªbut¡­we can¡¯t do that¡­¡± Kotono insisted. ¡°Not yet. We haven¡¯t even gotten it cleared to use in fights¡­it¡¯s not ready.¡±


    ¡°Eh, screw the advisors. It¡¯s close enough.¡±


    Kotono tried to ease her breath as she nodded. Hiroko¡¯s calls had gotten them through every tournament so far¡ªeven the calls their advisors didn¡¯t approve.


    But it was more than that¡­


    Kotono watched Hiroko as she turned, took a few steps to the side into position, and eyed their deadly opponent without a shred of fear. All those sleepless nights before fights, all of their makeshift Daufloflas¡ªmany with Zayza¡ªflashed in Kotono¡¯s head.


    To every prior teammate the agency selected, in every previous friendship, Kotono was a burden. But Hiroko never complained. Not once.


    Hiroko¡¯s love was the reason she got through every tournament.


    And it was the reason they could get through this, too.


    Kotono¡¯s energy turned gold.


    They¡¯d only rehearsed the technique a handful of times; it was still very much new. Not a single pro had laid eyes on it. But Hiroko was right: if there was ever a time to be bold, it was now, against an enemy of unknown ability.


    As Kotono raised a hand towards Hiroko, she recalled its working title:


    Emotional Support.


    Raging energy shot out from Kotono¡¯s hand towards Hiroko. Thankfully, as they¡¯d theorized, Kotono¡¯s concern for Hiroko¡¯s safety transformed the nature of her power. It shifted to blue as it slowed around her. Kotono closed her fist, and the energy took form around Hiroko¡¯s body just as it did around her own.


    For once, she¡¯d done it on the first try.


    At the very least, it was an easier technique than the Emovert Bombs she and Deon created yesterday. With this, she didn¡¯t have to separate the power from her own mind.


    As long as she could remain stable, it would, too.


    But that very condition was the reason she feared it most.


    ¡°Sticking to your guns,¡± Wei noticed. ¡°I tried to warn you. You may be one of the best in your world, Hiroko, but by joining this fight, you¡¯ve entered a place you don¡¯t belong: the world of the impossible.¡±


    The glowing Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s eyes widened as chunks of the destroyed front gate rose from the ground beneath Wei. With the flick of his finger, they all came barreling.


    Terror set in. Kotono¡¯s light began returning to red, and as a result, so did Hiroko¡¯s.


    ¡°NO!¡± Kotono cried.


    But Hiroko simply smiled. ¡°What? This is nothing.¡±


    Kotono knew she was lying. But her heart calmed, nonetheless. Focusing on Hiroko¡¯s patience, the energy reverted to blue.


    While her body naturally withstood the pain of her own energy, as with every Emovert, that wasn¡¯t the case for Hiroko. They¡¯d quickly learned anything harsher than purple could be deadly.


    I HAVE to control myself¡­


    The masses of stone closed in. She trusted Hiroko¡ªbut now, Hiroko was relying on her.


    The blue light intensified. Kotono jumped.


    She took to the air, and a chunk of wall destroyed the earth just beneath her feet. She felt her powers heighten.


    Keep her safe¡­keep her safe¡­


    The blue warded off a quick spark of gold. Kotono spun to avoid another incoming mass and flew farther to the side. A third, smaller chunk whirled her way¡ªbut there was no time to evade.


    Keep her safe¡­


    Kotono lifted her hands. She could handle this. She didn¡¯t need to fear for herself¡ªonly for her love.


    She had to release this fear.


    Kotono blasted a golden beam out of her palms, though the energy around her body managed to remain blue. The mass of stone disintegrated instantly.


    Before the strike was even complete, Kotono¡¯s head already whipped to Hiroko¡¯s location.


    She wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    ¡°YES!¡± came a cheer from higher above.


    Hiroko floated not far away, just as her. She threw a couple air punches and observed the light around her.


    ¡°You did it, Kotono! This feels so interesting,¡± she said, eyes bright. ¡°It¡¯s almost like I¡¯m cosplaying as you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kotono smiled. Their interconnected energy heightened to a purple shade.


    ¡°More Leaguer games¡­¡± muttered Wei.


    ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re a package deal,¡± Hiroko reminded him. ¡°And you took our third from us. So we¡¯re not playing games. We¡¯re gonna blow that smile off your face.¡±


    She turned her sharp gaze to Kotono.


    ¡°Remember the second Science Fiction Country Conscious Competition? The semi-finals?¡±


    At first, it didn¡¯t land: what attack from that fight would be applicable here?


    Wait¡ªnot an attack, Kotono thought rapidly. A defense.


    It clicked.


    That could actually work!  she realized.


    Hiroko didn¡¯t clarify. She trusted her teammate would get it and returned her focus to Wei, arms spread out in preparation.


    Clearly, she¡¯d been thinking about it too: they couldn¡¯t see Wei¡¯s means of controlling objects. But if this was indeed particle imagining, they had just one way to detect it.


    Kotono stretched out her arms like Hiroko and drew out more purple energy. The light sparkled around both of their bodies.


    Isolate the fear¡­Kotono told herself. Give it meaning, and release¡­


    Red appeared near her palms and Hiroko¡¯s. Then with spins, they both pushed it outward.


    The red light spread wide as it parted from each fighter. At first, it seemed the effort was in vain.


    Then, the energy burst with popping explosions¡ªcountless of them, small, and all around the duo.


    Hiroko¡¯s prediction was right: Wei was attempting to trap them once more, and he was doing it with microscopic imagining. Though her enhanced foresight was limited to what few moves she¡¯d seen him make thus far, she picked correctly.


    And now, they had a way to see it coming.


    Wei''s trick was just like that semi-finals fight, back when they faced an Imaginer who specialized in creating invisible objects. Their victory came that day when they realized a dusting of Kotono¡¯s energy could burst against the objects, identifying their precise positions.


    And now, the strategy¡¯s application proved successful here, too.


    Kotono and Hiroko ascended quickly, avoiding the danger zone.


    ¡°So it is particle imagining,¡± Hiroko muttered.


    They knew they couldn¡¯t remain strictly on the defensive. Kotono glared at Wei, contemplating all the hurt he¡¯d caused so far. He¡¯d only continue to hurt Zayza and the rest the longer this went on.


    It was time he felt some fear.


    She focused more energy around her hands and Hiroko¡¯s, and this time, it emerged red and gold.


    Hiroko moved first: she needed to avoid its burn. Kotono followed her lead as they flew farther apart, casting more waves of light around their paths. The air crackled with smoke like fireworks.


    Particles all around¡­keep moving, Kotono knew. He has to run out and replenish at some point. No imaginer can keep up something this complicated forever.


    ¡°I took your ¡®third,¡¯ huh? You must mean the killer princess,¡± Wei acknowledged as he watched them. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to fit with you two. Those with small potentials resort to cowardly, deceptive acts to reach their goals, and that¡¯s precisely the behavior she¡¯s shown.¡±


    ¡°Ha. You have no idea, guy,¡± Hiroko scoffed.


    He¡¯d probably shut right up if he did, agreed Kotono silently.


    The champions flew through the air, continually releasing more trails of light. But the small explosions continued to reveal more particles. No matter how fast they moved, or how many blasts they fired, Wei¡¯s particles seemed to replenish wherever they went.


    How? How is he doing this?!


    Kotono brought herself to a midair halt when Hiroko swooped in under her.


    Right¡ªthis is the only way now, she recognized. She¡¯s covering so I can attack.


    She channeled red energy into their hands again, though it flickered and intensified against her wishes, reflecting her weakening composure.


    Hiroko didn¡¯t let out a sound as she twirled and unleashed their widest sprinkle of energy yet, but Kotono knew it probably hurt. As the light detonated against particles about to surround them, Kotono aimed.


    They¡¯d only practiced the offensive variation of this technique once.


    She fired a hot red beam at Wei, and the duo shifted into evasive motion in the same breath. As they avoided capture from his newly unveiled particles, the pointed beam plowed straight into Wei.


    The resulting smoke masked him from view. But Kotono had seen the impact with her own eyes: this time, her attack landed.


    ¡°Creative,¡± admitted a voice, ¡°but not impressive.¡±


    The haze cleared. Wei still floated before their eyes, completely untouched.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± gasped Kotono.


    ¡°Keep moving!¡± Hiroko called.


    They continued their flight above the field. With another several releases of energy, they found Wei¡¯s particles had never stopped appearing around them. He hadn¡¯t paused his hunt, even while somehow withstanding an attack like that.


    Eventually Hiroko returned beneath Kotono again. Holding her breath, Kotono tried her best to control the energy as they repeated their offensive. She fired another beam, this time with gold mixed in.


    It made impact, just as the first. And after the smoke, Wei remained unharmed once more.


    Fruitless as this attempt was, there was no use in stopping¡ªnot until they could detect another option. As soon as they slowed, he could capture them in place. Kotono and Hiroko continued for what felt like an eternity, and fired several more successful blasts.


    And yet, somehow, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re struggling to understand,¡± Wei called to them. ¡°Let¡¯s see: Imaginer powers¡­Multitasker...a decent dose of Levelhead¡­Emovert, actually¡ªjust the energy without the emotions¡­some Mastermind¡­and a sprinkle of a few others that may or may not make a difference¡­are all coursing through these veins right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all of those types?!¡± Hiroko demanded, narrowly avoiding a cluster of particles she¡¯d fired at.


    ¡°I¡¯m none of them,¡± Wei dismissed. ¡°We blended them all together¡ªall of the ones my body could receive. So don¡¯t worry if you don¡¯t know how to classify my powers.¡±


    He smiled.


    ¡°Because neither do I.¡±


    He¡¯s a monster¡­Kotono shuddered.


    ¡°Now, stop fidgeting around,¡± said Wei. ¡°I¡¯m getting impatient.¡±


    Once his words left his mouth, Kotono and Hiroko stopped hearing the air pop against their energy waves.


    No more particles¡­noted Kotono


    They came to a stop beside each other.


    ¡°I figured trapping you would give me what I want,¡± Wei said. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to make this something you can¡¯t dodge, instead.¡±


    As his first major motion in this entire fight, Wei raised his hands above his head.


    What appeared made Kotono¡¯s entire body go cold¡ªdespite the heat radiating from it.


    A massive orb of multicolored light, bright like the sun, blinked into existence in the sky above Wei¡¯s palms. Its size rivaled the front gate Kotono had decimated, though its spiral of heat eclipsed the devastating blasts she¡¯d used to do it.


    Wind ripped against Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s faces, spinning them out of the air. They landed unsteadily on the whipping grass and struggled to remain looking forward.


    The howling in the air welcomed them to their new hell.


    ¡°Now listen, Ms. Inoue. I don¡¯t have all day for you,¡± Wei¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°To be clear: you¡¯re both going to die when I release this. Will you die resisting who you can be? Or will you die with a spark, unleashing your full power?¡±


    Hiroko drew close. ¡°Don¡¯t listen! We can figure something out¡­¡±


    But Kotono was already shaking her head.


    ¡°No. We can¡¯t.¡±


    Clenching her fist, she released the energy from Hiroko.


    Wei stretched his fingers. ¡°Feed into your fear and anxiety, Kotono. At last, discover your limits.¡±


    With a thrust, he launched the small sun their way.


    ¡°COME ON!!¡± Hiroko shouted. ¡°We can¡­¡±


    The orb descended closer, its expanse more obvious.


    They couldn¡¯t dodge it.


    ¡°He¡¯s right about me, Hiroko,¡± Kotono choked out. ¡°I guess this is w¡ªwho I am¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± Hiroko protested.


    A hot tear rolled from Kotono¡¯s cheek. Even in the face of death, Hiroko was refusing to let her lose hope.


    ¡°We finally got there. I finally controlled my powers today¡­but it still came down to this¡­¡± Kotono muttered, her eyes unblinking on the light. ¡°Hiroko¡­I seriously hate fighting.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want her fear to save Zayza and the others. She wanted to save them.


    But it seemed she¡¯d been wishing for too much.


    Kotono stopped separating the feeling of her rapid heartbeat from her mind. She stopped trying to control her shallow breath and shaky arms.


    She returned to the way she started: feeling everything at once.


    Kotono raised her trembling hands to the orb. Her body burst gold.


    She screamed, and everything around her faded.


    ~


    Kotono blinked, then blinked again. Once more, she sat in the dark grass.


    The natural daylight had returned.


    She heard a sniffle, and realized her shoulder was a bit wet. She didn¡¯t understand how her own tears could have fallen at that angle.


    Hiroko¡¯s hand massaged her back tenderly. Kotono looked up, still blinking, to see her face.


    With a slightly wet cheek but a strong gaze, Hiroko¡¯s icy eyes were focused ahead. Kotono followed them to the source of her attention.


    Behind the ditch at the start of the capital, now on the ground, stood Wei.


    While she spotted no physical damage, this time, he didn¡¯t come away untouched.


    His face was pale and stunned. His eyes didn¡¯t blink. Still numb to her own feelings now, Kotono couldn¡¯t interpret if it was awe or terror in his stare.


    Then, in a rush, he began to raise his hands to the sky just as before.


    Hiroko pulled Kotono close to shield her.


    But a second orb never appeared. Instead, they heard the vague buzz of a voice through a small speaker.


    Reluctant, Wei paused and brought his watch to his face. He muttered something into it, and a brief conversation followed. Then, composed once more, he returned his eyes to the couple.


    ¡°It seems we¡¯re out of time,¡± he said. ¡°This has been¡­revealing.¡±


    Before Kotono and Hiroko could attempt to restrain him, Wei took to the sky and flew off into the city.

 105. Before Sunset

    A muffled explosion rattled the floor under Lammy¡¯s rushed steps.


    He peered around, determined not to grow frantic. The long castle hall¡¯s structure was unaffected.


    ¡°The city¡¯s front gate,¡± Layla uttered on his back. ¡°The fight has already started.¡±


    Lammy turned to the tall windows all along the wall. Smoke rose into the sky, far behind the city¡¯s many rooftops.


    ¡°I pray this resistance is strong,¡± added Layla lowly.


    ¡°If they¡¯re the people I think they are,¡± said Lammy, ¡°then yeah¡ªthey¡¯re really strong.¡±


    Another rumble shook the walls.


    ¡°Good. Proscious won¡¯t waste time. We have to stop them before sunset begins.¡±


    Just as Lammy was about to ask why, they heard the clatter of metal emerging from the next intersecting hall.


    More guards.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do. We¡¯ll have to utilize a less direct path towards the western tower,¡± decided Layla quickly.


    She guided Lammy further down the hall as he broke into a jog. But the hair on his neck stood as he realized they were moving closer to the sound of the guards.


    ¡°Uh¡­Layla¡­¡±


    ¡°There. To the right of that painting.¡±


    She¡¯d pointed to the one nearest the next corner. Heart racing, Lammy rushed to reach it. He felt Layla begin to release her grip, so he helped her drop to her feet.


    Layla limped closer to the wall and inspected it with an unexpectedly laborious squint.


    ¡°This is it,¡± she confirmed. The Queen reached for a section of her skirt that would have been hard to access from Lammy¡¯s back. After retrieving the necessary fabric, she began to pull.


    But her movement slowed. Suddenly, Layla began swaying to the side. She failed to catch her balance.


    ¡°Whoa!¡±


    Lammy jumped forward with a start and caught her in place. Layla fought to stay on her feet, but she was shaking even more visibly than before.


    ¡°What is the meaning¡­of this?¡± she said airily. ¡°I¡­I did not approve of installing floors that tilt and spin¡­¡±


    ¡°Um¡­before anything else,¡± Lammy suggested, ¡°maybe we should try and find you something to eat?¡±


    ~


    The surprisingly humble kitchen smelled much less appetizing than the Phoenix, or Lammy¡¯s family dinner back home. The only vaguely familiar scent was bread. All he saw besides the wooden counters were heavy barrels and piles of sacks. He set Layla down carefully in the back corner of the cramped, dark room.


    ¡°Another wise decision, Noble Lammy¡­¡±


    The small Queen¡¯s usually sharp voice had gone queasy. He was grateful she¡¯d remained alert enough to activate enchantments in the walls and weave their way through dozens of minor rooms to reach this area.


    Lammy wondered how long she¡¯d been keeping up this fa?ade of resilience, but he could certainly relate: he tried to hide it, but he¡¯d been growing a bit dizzy himself from the lack of food.


    ¡°Is it safe for us to stop here?¡± Lammy checked.


    ¡°Not for too long. But they won¡¯t think to search in here,¡± Layla assured. ¡°This is a minor kitchen for the castle¡¯s overnight guards and workers. A young royal like myself wouldn¡¯t typically have reason to know about it.¡±


    Following Layla¡¯s tired instructions, Lammy rummaged through some of the barrels. He managed to fish out a sack of bread that seemed fresh enough. It appeared nothing else had been prepared yet for the day¡ªlikely due to the ongoing emergency he and his friends were responsible for¡ªbut considering the circumstances, this was more than he could expect.


    He joined the Queen in the back corner farthest from the door and handed her the majority of the bread buns.


    ¡°The wall we¡¯re leaning against is enchanted, as well,¡± Layla explained as she received them.


    ¡°You even enchanted this room ahead of time? That¡¯s really impressive.¡±


    Layla seemed to bite her cheek to mask her reaction. ¡°Let¡¯s remain in this spot as we eat. We can escape promptly if we see the door open. And regardless, we need to move quickly to prevent their next move.¡±


    She took an elegant, rehearsed bite, but quickly gave in to her starvation and ate with little concern for loftiness.


    ¡°You know, we didn¡¯t have time to get into it,¡± Lammy started, ¡°but what is Proscious¡¯ next move?¡±


    On top of that, he couldn¡¯t grasp why she was so sure about it. He¡¯d watched something click in her head after hearing Fewpar¡¯s news in the Dream World. But the details alone didn¡¯t seem sufficient enough to decipher the enemy¡¯s entire strategy.


    Clearly, there was more he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°What I¡¯m about to tell you has been a secret of the Dreamer Arts since the earliest days of civilization in this reality,¡± Layla started seriously. She took a hearty bite of bread. ¡°So as Queen of Azvaylen, I now dub you an honorary member of the Royal Castle,¡± she muffled out through bread-filled cheeks.


    ¡°Wait¡ªjust like that?!¡± exclaimed Lammy.


    ¡°The Dreamer Chamber¡¯s location isn¡¯t for aesthetics or convenience¡ªmy ancestors constructed it there for a reason,¡± she continued. ¡°In that precise place by the shore, Dreamer powers transform. It only lasts less than an hour, but at sunset there every day, Dreamers can use their powers in the real world.¡±


    Lammy paused his rushed eating as his eyebrows rose. He reflected on everything he¡¯d seen Zayza and Fewpar do in the Dream World¡ªthe light energy, the flying, teleportation, transforming the entire landscape into a new domain¡­


    ¡­There was a place they could do all of that in the real world?


    Even if it was only possible for such a brief period of time, the possibility shot a shiver through his body.


    ¡°The Chamber¡¯s Great Window was built to mark the onset of this phenomenon, which we call ¡®Dreamwake.¡¯ When the setting sun shines through the Great Window and lights the entire chamber green, Dreamwake has begun,¡± Layla revealed.


    Lammy recalled Zayza¡¯s mention of this window in her account. She¡¯d gazed through it to spy on Proscious¡¯ experiments.


    ¡°¡­And you believe Proscious is planning to do something during Dreamwake,¡± Lammy pieced together.


    ¡°It depends on the outcomes of these battles,¡± said Layla. ¡°I¡¯m certain they know of Dreamwake now that they¡¯ve taken over the Chamber for their own uses. But Dreamer powers, in nature, are abstract. They¡¯re unquantifiable in the real world, and frankly, unscientific. So trying harness Dreamer energy¡ªas Zayza has witnessed them attempting¡ªwould likely be a severe risk during Dreamwake. I doubt they¡¯ve attempted it yet.¡±


    Layla¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked into an unspecific distance. ¡°However, if they¡¯re unable to squash our new allies, I believe they¡¯ll take that risk. It¡¯s obvious they don¡¯t want the Multiverse to know what they¡¯re doing here. But several of us now know the truth. So they¡¯ll expedite their mission by trying to take my powers during Dreamwake. They¡¯ll need me in their clutches before sunset.¡±


    Lammy blinked. ¡°You¡­figured out all of that just from what Zayza and Fewpar told us?¡± he uttered slowly.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Whoa. You¡¯re amazing, Layla,¡± Lammy admired. ¡°I need to get my strategizing to your level.¡±


    Again, Layla bit her reddening cheek as her eyes met his intensely. ¡°No. From all I¡¯ve heard and seen of you, we are equals, Noble Lammy.¡±


    He shrugged, remembering to eat. After finishing a roll, Lammy granted control back to his desire to understand. ¡°So this all has to do with why you told Zayza and Fewpar to stay in the Dream World,¡± he assumed.


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    ¡°Indeed. Sadly, as you saw, my Dreamer Guards now answer to Proscious. They will be indispensable to him during Dreamwake. He can order them all to defend the Dreamer Chamber from any attempted rescue as he carries out his experiment with me. With their combined powers at his disposal in the real world, he can truly create an impenetrable force.¡±


    She paused to finish her last roll of bread. But all the while, there was a glimmer in her eye¡ªa determination.


    ¡°But if we act preemptively,¡± she said, ¡°we can prevent that force from even forming.¡±


    Finally, Lammy began to catch on.


    ¡°So Zayza and Fewpar are a trap,¡± he understood.


    Layla nodded. ¡°Precisely, Noble Lammy. Since the Dreamer Guards are on the hunt for us, it will be easy to lure them in. But they don¡¯t realize it¡¯s them being hunted,¡± she shared. ¡°Our enemy has a major blind spot: one my father forged and maintained even until his end for this very purpose.¡±


    Her gleaming gray eyes became contagious. Layla¡¯s tenacious hope filled Lammy as, for once, he knew exactly what she was about to say:


    ¡°They have no idea how powerful Zayza really is.¡±


    ~


    A squad of ten robed fighters evaporated within a beam of green light, clearing the Dream World sky. Just the same, their cries of aggression vanished.


    ¡°There was a rumor about you when we were young, you know.¡±


    Zayza turned to Fewpar as he joined her atop the light blue hill. Despite the harmless nature of his speech, he still avoided her eyes.


    ¡°Some said you were merely feigning inadequacy in the Dreamer Arts to avoid responsibility, when you¡¯d actually mastered each technique,¡± he remembered. ¡°Now, I see those rumors were completely underselling it.¡±


    Zayza glanced at her hands. By now, she¡¯d used them to defeat over a hundred Dreamer Guards¡ªeven more than that when factoring in Fewpar¡¯s help.


    She frowned.


    ¡°I had no choice but to pursue this strength,¡± she uttered. ¡°It was the only path.¡±


    Zayza stepped forward, sensing for the presence of any more Dreamers in the area. After an uncomfortable moment, Fewpar followed.


    ¡°We¡¯re only ejecting them and knocking them dreamless. They¡¯ll be alive and well when this is all over,¡± Fewpar tried to reassure.


    Zayza didn¡¯t know how to reply, so she remained walking. She couldn¡¯t understand the blend of emotions building as she listened to Fewpar¡¯s encouraging tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that I picked up on the guilt in your voice,¡± explained Fewpar. ¡°It¡­it very much resembled Vayva¡¯s¡­¡±


    His voice cut out the instant Zayza¡¯s shoulders tensed.


    ¡°I¡­I apologize, Princess.¡±


    Zayza almost sped her pace, but caught herself. She wasn¡¯t here to reconstruct the rift between them. This was everything she¡¯d been hoping for once she noticed him outside of her cell and revealed the truth. It was exactly what Vayva would have wanted them to do: honor her love for them. Come together as one.


    Celebrate her legacy and fight for her kingdom.


    Fewpar was misguided, Zayza reminded herself. He was misguided when he hurt me.


    But he was still her torturer.


    The same loss that chased Zayza away from everything was the loss that broke him. Their mourning for the same deaths had turned them into bitter enemies.


    But now, he understood. Now Zayza wished she¡¯d fought harder to maintain Vayva and Fewpar¡¯s respect before it was far too late. Perhaps they could have all worked together.


    Regardless, circumstances and wishes couldn¡¯t undo what happened.


    Fewpar tortured her. That pain would never go away.


    Zayza knew she didn¡¯t hate him. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to love him as family again, either.


    She turned back to Fewpar and finally managed to catch his eyes after they darted around in uncertainty. In spite of herself, Zayza gave him a soft smile.


    It was the only reaction she ever knew to give, despite the lack of sense it often made. Even as she didn¡¯t know what she was feeling, even despite her reluctance, her smile came naturally.


    Perhaps my family was right, she thought. Perhaps I¡¯m just friendly to a fault.


    She tried to ignore the confusion of her own thoughts and focus on what she could grasp. Despite the mutual discomfort that came from them, Fewpar¡¯s words of encouragement were accurate: they weren¡¯t deeply harming any of the Dreamer Guards.


    Zayza had been unleashing attacks powerful enough to eject them from the Dream World quickly, and knock out their powers. If they tried to return too soon, they would find themselves only able to sleep as a normal person. It required an immense amount of strength and precision, so Fewpar mainly focused on defense and standard ejection as Zayza led the offensive.


    On top of that, any Dreamer Guards whose bodies were unable to awaken would simply fall dreamless until they could.


    Zayza¡¯s mind eased the slightest bit. After all, these were her colleagues and former classmates. At least she knew she wasn¡¯t causing them life-threatening harm.


    Though it hurt her too, they had to keep fighting. If Layla was right about Proscious¡¯ plans, they had no other option.


    ¡°Above us,¡± Fewpar alerted lowly.


    ¡°I feel it.¡±


    Fewpar had already begun constructing the shield, so Zayza charged her arms with green light. An umbrella of transparent blue energy unraveled in the air just above them, Fewpar¡¯s hands guiding its shape.


    Within the moment, a dozen robed guards flashed into their presence above the shield. Blasts of beams in various colors immediately rained down, but they all burst against the blue barrier.


    Zayza stood at the ready and awaited the opening in their onslaught. The thought that she¡¯d been so unrehearsed, so frightened and clumsy in the Dream World before she recovered her memories felt like another life entirely.


    She watched Fewpar as he focused everything on their defense, his stance nearly perfect. Right now felt much more like their years of classes in the Dreamer Chamber.


    No¡ªnot quite.


    Now, she had no reason to hold back or hide.


    ¡°Almost¡­.¡± Fewpar called over to her.


    His signal came a second after Zayza knew to be ready. But she appreciated his effort, nonetheless.


    The beams of energy were coming slower.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Zayza raised a single hand. The shield vanished, and she fired straight into the air. Their timing was flawless: only two blasts were in descent, and they provided no challenge to Zayza¡¯s energy as it scooped them both into its radiance.


    There was nothing the guards could do. The burst of light enveloped all of them and tinted the sky above. They were gone when it faded, just as the ten guards moments before¡ªand just as the countless others who¡¯d challenged them.


    Zayza caught Fewpar staring. She averted her gaze, unable to accept his admiration for her abilities. Not when she had to use them to fight their own people.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand¡­how?¡± Fewpar marveled. ¡°Is it innate? Did you always know this potential was within you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°DUCK!¡± Zayza pleaded.


    Thankfully, his reflexes were quick. Zayza¡¯s beam of light zoomed just over his head and met a hidden guard crouched not far behind him. The damage ejected the guard instantly.


    Fewpar rose back up slowly, correcting his hair. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to save me,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡­I certainly deserve the opposite.¡±


    Zayza paused to sense for any other lingering attackers. Then, she stepped closer. ¡°Perhaps let¡¯s navigate where we stand with each other another day,¡± she said carefully. ¡°Today, let¡¯s just keep fighting.¡±


    She turned and gazed over the multicolored horizon to prevent herself from catching his expression.


    ¡°I meant it when I said these powers were my only path,¡± Zayza shared. ¡°Vayva¡­she was sharp, and perfect in every other avenue of our duties¡ªleadership¡­diplomacy¡­strategy¡­magic¡­and Layla was already proving to turn out just the same. But I couldn¡¯t grasp any of that. Even back when I really cared¡ªwhen I used to try so hard for my family¡¯s sake.¡±


    She observed her hands once more. ¡°The Dreamer Arts were all I had. It was the only study I understood, and so I poured my everything into it. It came naturally¡ªI suppose in this way alone, I took after my father¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­So when he ordered me to keep my abilities a secret, to hide them from the entire world, I¡­felt so unvalued. I let it create a distance between us,¡± she explained. ¡°But now¡­I see why it needed to be that way. Now, I know what my powers are meant for. The day has come, and I don¡¯t have to hide them anymore.¡±


    She stepped forward, a confidence in her strut she hadn¡¯t had since she was a small girl. Fewpar followed her along the hill, this time without hesitation.


    ¡°These powers will protect my sister. They will protect my teammate.¡±


    ¡°They will rescue Azvaylen,¡± Fewpar added.


    Zayza nodded. ¡°I promise,¡± she said clearly, ¡°At Dreamwake, I will take on Wei myself. And I will bring him to his knees.¡±

 106. Power Through

    ¡°Seize them, Noble Lammy.¡±


    Eyes hot, Lammy gazed behind himself and summoned his giant fish technique. The aquatic beast rose from the floor like a phantom and scooped up several of the guards down the hall. The rest found themselves trapped behind a wall of fins.


    Lammy carried Layla in a dash towards the next hall. He could no longer count the hours they¡¯d been on the move since leaving the kitchen.


    ¡°Noble Lammy, summon Loozooloozeux.¡±


    He¡¯d already begun before she got the words out. Around the corner, another league of armored men met them with light swords raised high. The rainbow dragon made its appearance and scooped up the young consciousnesses just in time to avoid a sparkling swipe to their heads.


    Loozooloozeux tossed the escaping duo from its furry claws onto its back. Lammy held on tightly to the saddle as Layla continued holding on to him.


    ¡°Excellent work,¡± the Queen honored, clearly fighting just as hard to maintain her composure as the soldiers were to chase them down.


    Lammy nodded, trying to slow his breathing as they flew just below a crystal chandelier. While he didn¡¯t necessarily need all of Layla¡¯s commands, he wasn¡¯t about to brush them off. In fact, her unquestioning dependence on him sharpened his every move.


    It was oddly comforting.


    This was a new sensation¡ªto be relied on so readily. He¡¯d always been the one on the opposite end: Deon would take his hand and help him up. His mother would wipe his tears. His father would pat his back (a little too hard, retrospectively).


    Zayza was the first person¡ªthe only person¡ªto watch him grow into the strength he had now.


    And today, all Layla knew of him was the person he¡¯d become.


    She¡¯s never seen all the crying or pleading, Lammy recognized.


    But Zayza had.


    And she still believed in him, regardless. No¡ªit was a deeper belief: she knew the courage it took.


    I¡¯m no ¡®noble hero¡¯ like Layla thinks, Lammy thought, but I can try to be. Now I know I can.


    ¡°You can count on me,¡± he finally replied a bit shyer than he¡¯d heard in his head.


    She fell unusually quiet all the sudden, so Lammy checked back.


    Layla wore a warm smile, and she resembled Zayza more now than he¡¯d ever seen. Behind her, however, was a sight in stark contrast: dozens of men practically fell over each other in failed attempts to catch the dragon. A few even threw their swords, which sparked against the ceiling violently, illuminating the Queen¡¯s face.


    Lammy whipped back around to steer Loozooloozeux before she could see his cheeks beat red.


    Well¡­with all of her own soldiers turning on her, she must be pretty glad to have someone obeying her orders again, he quickly reasoned.


    Her grip tightened around his waist.


    ¡°I know I can count on you¡­¡± she uttered, her voice shaking. ¡°And¡­I¡¯m so happy¡­that I have people I can say that to again.¡±


    They leaned as Loozooloozeux took another sharp turn down a hall.


    Something in her voice made it clear to Lammy. His heart twisted.


    Whether it was much needed guidance, or an order to do something he was about to do anyway, he resolved he¡¯d treat everything Layla had to say like the most important words in the world.


    ~


    ¡°Straight ahead. Towards the opposite end,¡± Layla directed.


    Lammy set foot outside the hole in another one of Layla¡¯s many enchanted walls, once again carrying her on his back. He¡¯d dismissed Loozooloozeux around an hour ago after the guards¡¯ numbers kept increasing, flooding the halls with their light swords. He¡¯d only barely managed to break Loozooloozeux free of them this time.


    Come to think of it, their forces had been rising gradually throughout the course of their the escape. It was almost as if Lammy and Layla¡¯s efforts were having the opposite effect.


    Then again¡­I¡¯ve only been trapping and holding them back temporarily this whole time, Lammy thought. And Layla hasn¡¯t been aiming her explosion enchantments to kill¡ªthey¡¯re her own warriors.


    So all we¡¯ve been doing is slowing them down, and giving them an idea of where we are, he concluded.


    ¡°All of their forces are condensing into this portion of the castle. We don¡¯t have much time before our capture becomes inevitable,¡± Layla agreed after Lammy brought it up.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°We¡¯ve nearly reached the western tower,¡± Layla revealed. ¡°So we power through.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re¡ªwe¡¯re close?


    He was beginning to think he¡¯d never hear those words.


    Layla shifted her balance in his arms with a spark of liveliness. ¡°We are,¡± she promised. ¡°And this sudden increase in royal soldiers may actually be a positive sign. It may indicate¡ª¡±


    ¡°Zayza and Raznizu are close, too,¡± Lammy finished, his own excitement getting ahead of him.


    ¡°Quite possibly. They may have been spotted nearby,¡± Layla confirmed.


    Then they made it this far¡­the thought sped Lammy¡¯s steps through this low-lit, unusually long room.


    Finally observing their new surroundings, he found this room¡¯s shape wasn¡¯t its only uncharacteristic feature.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Lammy wondered.


    Long and slim white banners hung proudly all along the walls, each featuring a simply insignia: one quick stroke of a black line in between two similar, smaller ones. Its simplicity was elegant, yet the sharpness of the lines emitted a simultaneous ferociousness that Lammy found oddly familiar.


    Actually, he could have sworn he¡¯d seen this very insignia on clothing before¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t remember where.


    The banners¡¯ design didn¡¯t at all match the glamorous aesthetic of the rest of the castle. Nothing of this room¡¯s decorations did, in fact. In the section they walked past now, dark articles of clothing rested on display behind plaques written in a language clearly different than the magic one Layla used for enchantments. A series of ancient scrolls and artifacts were spread out on a platform barely higher than the pearly black-tiled floor.


    Three simple torches were all that illuminated the room, spread out evenly across the floor¡¯s center.


    Somehow, everything was quieter here than all of the other places they¡¯d scurried through in the castle. Lammy couldn¡¯t decide if it was an actual lack of sound, or simply a feeling.


    ¡°This is one of the rooms my parents dedicated to the Zinn¡ªRaznizu and Najinzu¡¯s people,¡± Layla told him. ¡°They wanted to honor the Zinn culture; it was one of the first orders they gave upon becoming King and Queen. This place serves as a shrine and sanctuary for them.¡±


    Lammy observed the items on the long table. One appeared to be some sort of intricate drum¡ªthough he couldn¡¯t quite picture Najinzu or Raznizu breaking into song with it.


    ¡°So¡­with Zayza staying in the Dream World all this time,¡± Lammy started, ¡°you think Raznizu was able to keep her safe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain of it,¡± Layla replied without hesitation. ¡°Raznizu has been looking after me and my sisters our entire lives¡ªthat¡¯s always been his role. He¡¯s spent more time with us, watching us grow up, than our own father.¡±


    Then clearly, he was much more than a particularly loyal soldier like Lammy had believed. While Layla¡¯s words spoke only of Raznizu¡¯s duty, Lammy could hear the love behind them.


    ¡°He¡¯s like family,¡± he acknowledged.


    Layla paused, seeming to take in their surroundings just as Lammy, but with a much deeper understanding.


    ¡°The Zinn have been the protectors of the Royal Family since nearly the inception of the Azvaylen kingdom,¡± she explained. ¡°Legend says their people descended from the clouds of Lanmuraarch long ago. Others even believe they are indigenous to our reality¡¯s moon. Those may just be tales¡­but what is historically documented is the alliance between Azvaylen and Zinn people that began when they appeared, which has continued for over a thousand years.¡±


    Whoa¡­that¡¯s a lot of years, noted Lammy.


    ¡°In the old wars, the people who would eventually form Huksd¨¹r outnumbered and nearly annihilated the Zinn in their quest for dominion. But when the Azvaylens came to the Zinn¡¯s aid, their joint forces successfully warded off the conquest, preserving their existence. The Zinn vowed to protect and uphold our kingdom ever since, and that partnership has remained to this day.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Even despite Proscious,¡± Lammy pointed out. ¡°Raznizu stayed loyal to you and Zayza when literally nobody else did. Najinzu now, too¡­that¡¯s a powerful bond.¡±


    Nearing the opposite end of the room, Lammy carried Layla past a tall display of tools he finally recognized: a series of small, black knives, some almost invisibly thin, and a collection of darts¡ªall weapons he¡¯d seen the brothers use.


    ¡°Raznizu and Najinzu are the only two left of the Zinn¡ªat least, that anyone can trace back,¡± Layla revealed. ¡°Raznizu brings pride to the Zinn legacy as our protector. And not simply for tradition¡¯s sake¡ªbut because, as you said, he is family.¡±


    She sighed, her muscles easing a bit against Lammy.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I know Zayza is safe in his arms right now.¡±


    Lammy allowed silence to reclaim the Zinn sanctuary for a moment. But he still had unanswered questions¡ªones he wasn¡¯t sure Layla would be able resolve.


    She¡¯d spoken so highly of Raznizu, who¡¯d proven his loyalty before Lammy¡¯s eyes several times over now.


    But what about Najinzu?


    Had he really changed like Fewpar and returned to the Queen¡¯s side?


    His assistance in their capture, alongside members of Proscious, was the last Lammy had seen of him. And he certainly emitted nothing but hatred towards them then.


    However, now that Lammy thought of it, Zayza wasn¡¯t the only source of his rage that day. Najinzu¡¯s words towards Proscious members were almost as demeaning. In fact, he¡¯d always seemed to mock them¡ªeven dating back to Ryan in the North Mountains of Realistic Fiction Country.


    ¡®Prosciousness scum,¡¯ Lammy remembered. That¡¯s what he called all of them.


    Considering Najinzu¡¯s involvement in their escape, it was safe to assume Fewpar had revealed Zayza¡¯s truth to him. Could that, combined with his pre-existing resentment for Proscious, have been enough to win him over?


    As Lammy and Layla passed by one final display of gorgeous black art¡ªakin to the scars Najinzu had given to Zayza all over her body¡ªhe found himself doubtful.


    And considering he still felt that way when they were nearly at the end of their mission to reach him for support, that doubt became especially disconcerting.


    But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to believe Najinzu yet. Not until he¡¯d seen the actions to prove it, like Fewpar.


    Layla released one arm when they reached the wall. She reached down to pull a fabric on the skirt of her dress, and once more, a circular hole opened before them.


    They both jolted¡ªsuddenly the heavy doors to the sanctuary burst open.


    ¡°GO!¡± exclaimed Layla.


    Lammy didn¡¯t waste time to see how many guards had begun piling in. He broke into a sprint, or at least his best attempt at one.


    He dashed through the next room, ignoring all of his surroundings but the next wall Layla pointed towards as she closed the hole behind them. They just had to get to a more open space again¡ªthen they could fly away and break free just as before.


    Almost there, Lammy reminded himself.


    He didn¡¯t stop this time as Layla began her next enchantment. They were leaping through the hole the instant it formed, catching dust on their heads.


    ¡°Prepare to summon¡ª¡± Layla started.


    Lammy stopped dead in his tracks, Layla¡¯s sudden shift in weight almost toppling them over.


    They¡¯d returned to the main hallways as planned.


    But this time, they found an endless sea of royal soldiers facing them. And more urgent than that: a flurry of light swords were swinging straight towards their bodies.


    Layla squeezed onto Lammy hard and buried her head. Somehow, perhaps because of that, Lammy didn¡¯t scream.


    Then a blur swept between them. Lammy¡¯s eyes went wide as the light swords fell to the ground and deactivated.


    The first row of soldiers before them collapsed.


    Before the next line of guards could close in, the blur returned from where Lammy had barely seen it go. It became a man, tall and slender, facing the legion of swords with two small, thin black knives.


    Raznizu.


    And wide awake, balancing safely on his back just as Layla was on Lammy, was Zayza.


    Her bright green eyes met theirs as she turned to them with a smile of sheer relief. An unquenchable comfort overcame Lammy.


    ¡°My dears¡­¡± Zayza greeted. ¡°Goodness¡­I am incredibly happy to see¡ªOH!¡±


    Raznizu suddenly pounced at their enemies once more, knives high. But the silver-haired warrior didn¡¯t seem to use them, as the dozens of soldiers that fell to his swift strike only featured dents in their armor.


    Even now, he continued to honor Layla¡¯s wishes not to kill her men.


    ¡°My heart is full to see you alive, my Queen,¡± he said calmly as he returned to their defense. ¡°But we must keep it that way.¡±


    ¡°The tower is just ahead. We must reach the others,¡± Layla declared. ¡°We¡¯ll take flight. Raznizu, can you cover us from the ground?¡±


    Nodding, he lowered Zayza to her feet.


    With increased resolve, the crowd of soldiers charged forward.


    ¡°Noble Lammy!¡± Layla cued.


    ¡°Right: Loozooloozeux!!¡±


    The dragon¡¯s humanlike roar filled the halls even before its body fully formed in the air before them. As Raznizu launched forward at the guards, Loozooloozeux swooped down and took hold of Lammy, Layla, and Zayza. Lammy worried three people might not fit in its saddle, but thankfully, they all sank into it without trouble.


    ¡°Loozoo¡­loozeux?¡± Zayza struggled to repeat.


    ¡°Correct. I christened Noble Lammy¡¯s steed with a proper name,¡± Layla defended haughtily.


    ¡°Noble Lammy?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­yes! Is there a problem, sister?¡±


    But Zayza let out a quick laugh. ¡°None. It¡¯s perfect,¡± she decided. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about her,¡± she whispered over Layla¡¯s shoulder to Lammy.


    ¡°ZAYZA!¡±


    Unfortunately, Lammy didn¡¯t have the time to soak in this reunion quite yet. Eyes glowing bright, he steered Loozooloozeux ahead, just below the ceiling. He nearly asked Layla where they were headed, but it quickly became unnecessary: their destination was obvious.


    Less than a minute of flight away at the end of this particularly wide hall, the wall was curved inward and perfectly rounded¡ªclearly the entrance to the kind of tower Fewpar had briefly described. A massive gate stood at its center as its only entryway.


    There, Lammy knew.


    Clangs and buzzes resounded from below as Raznizu¡¯s fearless efforts continued.


    ¡°I smell Najinzu, but where is he?¡± he called up. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there are too many to keep this up!¡±


    By the location of his voice, Raznizu was only slightly behind them from the ground. Lammy was impressed he¡¯d been able to manage that alone, given how grossly outnumbered he remained.


    ¡°You old fool. All these years and just now, you ask for help.¡±


    The unmistakably raspy reply came from the entrance to the tower. Looking back over, Lammy realized the gate was cracked open.


    Finally, he detected even more clanks and metallic swipes coming from that very area. Guards were dropping just as swiftly as the ones that challenged Raznizu.


    With a flip, a black figure rose from the sea of men and dove back in, taking more soldiers down.


    Najinzu.


    ¡°He¡¯s holding the tower,¡± Layla beheld.


    ¡°Fewpar remained in the Dream World to scout when Raznizu woke me,¡± Zayza revealed. ¡°Najinzu is his only line of defense out here.¡±


    Lammy commanded his dragon forward with even more force. ¡°Well we¡¯re almost there!¡± he promised.


    Loozooloozeux roared as they closed in on the metallic gate.


    ¡°Najinzu: prepare to fall back!¡± Layla commanded from above.


    Raznizu met his brother just before the tower. Together, they pushed forward and forced the soldiers back from the door with a ferocity Lammy had never comprehended before.


    Fighting as one, they were unstoppable.


    The dragon swooped down into the small, unstable clearing the brothers had managed to open up.


    ¡°Hold on!!¡± Lammy shouted to his royal passengers.


    He dismissed Loozooloozeux once they were close enough to the ground. The three consciousnesses stumbled just before the door. In a frenzy, Lammy rushed to lift Layla onto his back. They all slipped through the small opening in the gate.


    Lammy quickly learned picking Layla back up had been a life and death decision: before them awaited a stone staircase that circled up the outer wall higher than he could see. There was no way she¡¯d have made it farther than a step with her injury.


    ¡°Move! Move!¡± barked Raznizu. Had it not been to save their lives, his reverberating voice would have shaken Lammy to the core.


    ¡°Up to the top!¡± Layla ordered.


    Zayza led the charge as they began their rushed climb. The gate slammed shut, its boom vibrating the steps beneath them and filling the tower. Lammy dared not look back, but he could hear more clanking metal and crackling light swords not far behind: some of the guards had made it inside. Raznizu and Najinzu¡¯s battle continued.


    He felt Layla once again lift her grip for a moment to tug on her dress.


    ¡°The tower¡¯s gate is now sealed!¡± she declared. ¡°We can do this!¡±


    ¡°Permission to use lethal force, my Queen!¡± came Najinzu¡¯s hissing request from below.


    ¡°NO! These are our fellow Azvaylens! Incapacitate only!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Queen!¡±


    While Najinzu¡¯s willingness to kill was quite unsurprising, his immediate obedience raised Lammy¡¯s eyebrows. Encouraged even the slightest bit, he trudged forward up the stairs.


    The tower had gone almost entirely dark when the gate closed, illuminated only by the waving blue from the light swords and Lammy¡¯s glowing eyes.


    Soon, he had no sense of how long they¡¯d been running. But he ignored his own shaking legs and kept moving. Lammy could only attribute his speed to sheer adrenaline¡ªhe knew if he slowed, Zayza would turn and offer to take Layla for him. They couldn¡¯t afford to stop and make that transfer.


    It was time to be strong.


    The last of the metallic clamoring faded out behind them. In an instant, Raznizu and Najinzu appeared¡ªone before them and one behind to escort them to the top.


    At last, Lammy heard the front of the group slow. Their steps evened out onto a flat surface.


    Lammy opened his eyes¡ªhe hadn¡¯t even realized he¡¯d been running with them slammed shut.


    Only one torch by one of the thick, fortified windows lit the top room of the tower. Though the afternoon sky assisted, the area was still surprisingly grim¡ªnothing but several large wooden barrels were strewn about the gray brick floor.


    They converted it into a makeshift hiding spot, Lammy figured.


    He lowered Layla and let her sit by the wall. Lammy and Zayza joined by her side, desperate to catch their breath.


    Then abruptly, Lammy found himself in a tight embrace.


    Zayza had wrapped him and Layla into her arms.


    ¡°Zayza¡­I¡­I missed you¡­¡± came Layla¡¯s mumble. For once, she made no attempt to mask herself in loftiness. She sniveled, tears finally falling again.


    ¡°I can breathe again¡­you¡¯re both okay¡­¡± whispered Zayza in a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re both so strong¡­¡±


    ¡°I should be saying that to you,¡± Lammy said with a tired laugh. ¡°I have the best teammate.¡±


    ¡°Fewpar,¡± rasped Najinzu.


    The trio released, finding the Zinn brothers still standing without a single gasp for breath or trickle of sweat. Najinzu had made his way over to a particular barrel.


    Its lid rattled and then toppled to the ground. Fewpar rose from within it, already neatening his hair.


    ¡°Ah,¡± he noticed. ¡°I¡¯ve returned just in time.¡±


    ¡°If you knew how to fight anywhere besides the Dream World, perhaps this wouldn¡¯t have been such a nuisance,¡± spat Najinzu.


    Fewpar chuckled it off. ¡°Thank you for protecting me, old friend,¡± he said. ¡°Zayza: I only found a few more Dreamer Guards in my time alone. They should now be neutralized.¡±


    The princess nodded. ¡°Then Layla¡ªQueen Layla,¡± she reported, ¡°we¡¯ve fulfilled your task for us.¡±


    Layla began to stand, wincing at her ankle. Quickly, Lammy and Zayza rose and helped her to her feet. Fewpar and the others drew closer in a circle, and all eyes were on the small Queen.


    ¡°You have all fought valiantly. Our team has come together; all that remains is to join forces with our new allies,¡± she announced. ¡°It is time to fight back and reclaim Azvaylen.¡±


    All eyes glimmered as the group nodded.


    With a sigh, Najinzu averted his gaze in contemplation.


    ¡°Right, then,¡± he decided under his breath.


    It happened faster than Lammy could process. Knives scraped together just beside him. He turned to find Raznizu balancing just before Zayza¡¯s now pale face, his weapons raised and shaking as they held back a blade only an inch from her eyes.


    Najinzu¡¯s cold gaze fixed on Zayza. Had his brother not moved swiftly, his attack would have pierced straight through her head.

 107. The Last of the Zinn

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Fewpar shot.


    ¡°Najinzu: stand down immediately!¡± commanded Layla.


    But his knife remained one short thrust away from Zayza¡¯s wide eyes. Raznizu¡¯s dual blades barely held it back, scraping as he fought for a more stable angle.


    ¡°I am sorry, my Queen. I cannot obey this time,¡± grumbled Najinzu. ¡°None of you seem to understand: Zayza still must die.¡±


    Cautiously, Fewpar took a single step forward. ¡°I told you the truth of the King and Queens¡¯ deaths! Proscious is to blame!¡± His lip quivered before he gritted his teeth. ¡°Najinzu¡­are you saying you don¡¯t believe me? After everything?!¡±


    Najinzu¡¯s eyes peered in his partner¡¯s direction behind his unruly dark hair, but almost as quickly, he returned his cold stare to Zayza.


    ¡°I believe you, old friend,¡± he muttered. ¡°I would only believe such a thing if it came from your mouth.¡±


    Lammy clenched his shaky fists, mustering up the courage. ¡°Then why¡ª¡± he started.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not that simple, boy!¡± snapped Najinzu. ¡°Even if Zayza did it to save them from Proscious, she still killed Azvaylen¡¯s King, Queen, and successor. We may understand the nuance, but how are we to convince the entire nation that was truly the only option? How are we to persuade them that the blood isn¡¯t on her hands, when we¡¯ve already told them it is?! They despise her!¡±


    He tried to force his knife forward, but met Raznizu¡¯s increased, desperate resistance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll find a way,¡± Layla promised. ¡°They¡¯ll know the truth.¡±


    ¡°No. There will be chaos¡­if not a unified rebellion, then a civil war,¡± Najinzu urged. ¡°There¡¯s already so much uncertainty around the state of the kingdom with the battle that¡¯s unfolded today. The only way to quell the unrest¡ªthe only way to restore the stability of our kingdom¡ªis to give the people of Azvaylen what they perceive as justice. And that is Princess Zayza¡¯s execution.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone mad?!¡± seethed Raznizu, his voice rasping almost as much as his brother¡¯s.


    Layla tried to stomp towards the wrestling knives, but Zayza immediately grabbed hold of her shoulder and shoved her back. Tripping on her weak ankle, she fell over. Lammy dove to catch her from crashing against the wall.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Layla! Don¡¯t¡­¡± Zayza pleaded.


    The young Queen¡¯s composure remained as she sat up. ¡°Proscious is the one we need to destroy, not each other! As your Queen, I order you to stand down this instant!¡±


    ¡°Proscious is synthetic scum¡­they¡¯re cheats¡­they fooled nearly all of us,¡± Najinzu agreed. ¡°But though they caused our nation¡¯s state, they¡¯ve become the only thing holding it together. I hate it, but we must let them run their course, and we must appease our citizens. It is the only option left to preserve Azvaylen.¡±


    ¡°You are a disgrace to the Zinn,¡± Raznizu said before Najinzu¡¯s speech even ended.


    Though his words came lowly, somehow, they reverberated across the tower¡¯s walls more than anything his brother had said.


    He pushed back even harder, forcing Najinzu a step back. His eyes went cold.


    ¡°It is our sworn duty to protect the Royal Family at all costs,¡± he growled. ¡°And now you wish to murder one of them?¡±


    He gained another step.


    ¡°You defy the Queen¡¯s direct orders for your own contorted conclusion.¡±


    Another step.


    ¡°HAVEN¡¯T THESE POOR GIRLS SUFFERED ENOUGH?!?!¡±


    Lammy felt a shiver. That sounded nothing like Raznizu. The formal speech was totally absent. There was a tremble. His voice rose and fell like a man with everything to lose.


    Only his heavy breaths filled the room with sound. Lammy noticed a clear drop fall from his face and splash against his boot.


    ¡°My brother¡­you seem to forget what the Zinn Promise is,¡± Najinzu muttered.


    He shifted, and forced Raznizu a step back.


    ¡°It is not allegiance to the Royalty, but to the nation itself,¡± he corrected. ¡°This is our home, too. And I am willing to do what is required to keep our home alive¡ªeven if it means sacrificing the Princess.¡±


    This time, Raznizu grew unnervingly still. His heavy breathing stopped.


    ¡°I won¡¯t miss this time,¡± he swore.


    Najinzu vanished, reappearing against the wall far behind him. He pushed against it for momentum and charged straight at his opponent.


    Their knives met and exploded into a fury.


    Heart sinking into his stomach, Lammy lunged back up and tugged Zayza away with all of his might. They stumbled beside Layla, and the three crawled away from the unfolding duel.


    ¡°Najinzu, listen to me!!¡± Fewpar begged.


    The Zinn brothers only sped their swings and attempted stabs.


    ¡°We¡¯ll forge another way! TRUST ME!¡±


    His pleas continued unheard. Fewpar seemed to hesitate, and then shoved his hand towards his belt. He ripped out a weapon Lammy had become all-too familiar with: the bladeless hilt of a light sword.


    But his hand shook. Cursing, he returned the sword to its concealed sheath and he, too, backed as far away as he could.


    When Lammy and the royal sisters reached the wall, he found himself rallying them close together and then turning to shield them from the fight with his own body.


    He hadn¡¯t remembered developing that instinct.


    Eyes still glowing orange¡ªby now, for a longer time than they ever had¡ªhe observed the deadly duel and stormed his mind for some sort of strategy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    Lammy found Fewpar watching him stiffly.


    ¡°This needs to be between them,¡± he stressed.


    Lammy couldn¡¯t read if he¡¯d meant it on a symbolic level¡ªthat this fight was theirs and theirs alone¡ªor more simply, that there was no use in trying to interfere.


    But the latter certainly made sense: the last time Lammy tried to help Raznizu fight Najinzu, they were unable to maintain the upper hand for long. Raznizu forced him to retreat with Zayza as he sacrificed his own body to buy them time.


    Yet with Najinzu¡¯s speed, one mistake could be all it took for his blades to find Zayza¡¯s head. Doing nothing would be just as hopeless.


    Of course! Lammy decided. If I can remember how I imagined¡ª


    A knife clanged against the ground towards the opposite end of the room.


    There was no time to remember.


    Najinzu appeared just before them in a blink¡ªbut his knives, and then the rest of him, thudded to a stop against an unseen surface. He quickly recovered and swung again to find the same result.


    Made it just in time¡­realized Lammy, frozen at the sight.


    ¡°Boy!¡± Najinzu hissed.


    His newfound source of frustration was short-lived when he turned to narrowly to block a jab from the returning Raznizu. With his weapon recovered, their defender fended off Najinzu from the invisible barrier and resumed their faceoff.


    ¡°Excellent, Lammy!¡± Raznizu called back. ¡°Keep the girls safe. Can you do that for me?¡±


    For a brief moment, Raznizu¡¯s question transported Lammy¡¯s mind back to Tailpiece. He felt small.


    Though their voices were nothing alike, somehow, Raznizu had sounded exactly like his father. Any time he tasked Lammy with something in the farm or garden, he would ask that question in that very manner.


    Though the circumstances were entirely different now, somehow, Raznizu managed to instill that same warm encouragement. It was dependence and comfort all in one, delivered in a single question.


    How did he share such a strange skill with a man in an entirely different reality?


    Lammy refocused. He could hardly ever fulfill such menial tasks in Tailpiece without Deon¡¯s help. Yet, he knew this was something he could handle.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    He had to.


    ¡°I promise they¡¯re safe with me!¡± he declared.


    His reply had come much too late: by now, Raznizu and Najinzu had skirmished their way towards the start of the winding stairwell. A fierce kick from Najinzu launched Raznizu down the stairs, toppling out of sight.


    ¡°RAZNIZU!!¡± Zayza cried.


    Najinzu followed in pursuit, leaving them alone in the top of the tower. The knives and rapid footsteps sang against the walls, echoing further and further.


    ¡°He won¡¯t be beaten that easily, sister,¡± Layla huffed. ¡°He won¡¯t be beaten at all.¡±


    But her motions immediately contradicted the assuredness in her words. Lammy felt her grab onto his shoulder as she tried to stand.


    Similarly, Zayza shuffled to her feet behind Lammy.


    ¡°Huh?! Where are you guys going?¡± he challenged.


    ¡°Queen, Princess¡ªyou must stay back!¡± Fewpar agreed.


    ¡°Noble Lammy, follow me with your barrier,¡± Layla instructed as she stood. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that this meaningless infighting comes to an end.¡±


    When Lammy didn¡¯t budge, the pressure of her expectant glare weighed down on him.


    ¡°Noble Lammy!¡±


    ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t. I just promised him I¡¯d keep you two safe,¡± Lammy refuted, recoiling from her anger.


    His words seemed to soften her as she stood with her hand on the invisible surface protecting them. Then her frown shifted from one of sternness to increasing sorrow when Zayza approached and took her other hand.


    ¡°Lammy¡¯s right. He¡¯s doing this to protect us,¡± she said softly. ¡°To try and interfere would be to jeopardize everything he¡¯s stood for all these years. If something were to happen to us¡­¡±


    ¡°His duty is to defend the Royalty,¡± Layla argued. ¡°As the Royalty, I will assist him¡ªhe has no right to override my wishes.¡±


    ¡°Layla¡­he¡¯s not doing this to fulfill a duty,¡± Zayza uttered, her voice breaking into a whisper as she offered a sad smile. ¡°I think you know that.¡±


    The Queen¡¯s hand shook against the invisible wall. At last, she lowered it, her eyes watery.


    ¡°But Zayza¡­¡± she muttered, her youth cutting through. ¡°He¡¯s already hurt¡­he won¡¯t be able to keep this up¡­¡±


    Zayza embraced her sister. Stiff, Lammy simply stared emptily at the floor and did his best to maintain the shield around them as he listened to them cry.


    ¡°Raznizu is strong,¡± Zayza assured. ¡°We won¡¯t lose him, too.¡±


    Then somehow, she managed a brief laugh.


    ¡°What?¡± wondered Layla.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­it¡¯s just¡­¡®the girls¡ª¡¯ Raznizu called us that instead of ¡®the Queen and Princess,¡¯¡± she observed. ¡°He hasn¡¯t called us that since we were little.¡±


    Lammy heard Fewpar let out a frustrated, tight sigh. Like Lammy, he stood staring downward, gritting his teeth. His tall hair had fallen a bit uneven, but for once, he didn¡¯t try to fix it.


    ¡°Najinzu¡­you fool¡­¡± he grunted to himself.


    Strangely, Lammy could have sworn he heard someone reply from far away. The faint echo had come from the window.


    No¡­it wasn¡¯t a reply¡­


    But someone was out there.


    Fewpar noticed it, too. Alarmed, he hurried over to the window.


    He went pale.


    ¡°GET DOWN!!!¡± Fewpar shouted.


    Just as he dove to the floor, a chunk of the wall behind him burst. Dust filled the round room, and hadn¡¯t even begun dissipating before another blast shot stone all around and shook the tower.


    The dust and debris stopped at Lammy¡¯s barrier, unveiling its full, orb-like shape. Zayza and Layla drew closer.


    The room cleared just enough for them to find two massive holes in the wall, revealing the gloomy Azvaylen sky and the roofs of the castle far below them¡ªa drop that would undoubtedly prove fatal.


    Another blast decimated parts of the wall opposite to them.


    ¡°Fewpar! Get in Lammy¡¯s shield!¡± Zayza screamed.


    He¡¯d been laying flat with his head covered, but the Dreamer shot to his feet.


    With no true grasp on how his own shield worked, Lammy could only hope Fewpar would be able to pass through. It seemed that was all he needed, however, as Fewpar crashed to his hands and knees and joined them within the barrier.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t deserve your concern for my life, or your protection¡­¡± he uttered to all of them.


    ¡°Now is not the time for that!¡± dismissed Zayza. ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    Yet another blast deafened them. This time, they found a hole where the wall met the floor only steps away. Large pieces of the floor collapsed deeper into the tower.


    ¡°The soldiers are firing projectiles from the ground outside!¡± Fewpar exclaimed over the rumbling.


    ¡°They can¡¯t enter with my enchantment in place, so they¡¯re trying to force us out,¡± Layla understood. She rose from Zayza¡¯s embrace, standing tall again as her poise reappeared. ¡°Then we¡¯ve no option but to retreat closer to the duel.¡±


    Another chunk of the floor burst into nothing. There was no time to consider it: the group leapt into action. Zayza helped Layla onto her back, and the group made a break for the stairwell.


    ¡°S¡ªstay close to me, guys!¡± Lammy reminded them. He assumed his barrier would keep them inside as long as he willed it, but he wasn¡¯t about to take any chances¡ªnot with shards of rock shooting around them in all directions.


    As they began their steep descent, metallic clashing resonated against the narrow walls and returned to their ears. The fight was still very much underway.


    Combined with the continued blasts from above, Lammy wished they could be anywhere but here.


    If the soldiers forced their way through or blasted them out of the tower, there was no way Lammy and the rest could handle them¡ªnot with their full force now concentrated into one area. They needed Raznizu and Najinzu¡¯s power to survive this. It was the only way they¡¯d managed to reach this tower in the first place.


    ¡°Is there any way Raznizu can get through to him?¡± Lammy wondered, fishing for hope over the endless clamor.


    Fewpar shook his head immediately. ¡°That man is the most stubborn imbecile I know,¡± he said of his partner. ¡°The only way he trusts is the swipe of his knives.¡±


    ¡°That is why he was assigned as the Pain Tolerance Trainer for the Royal Family,¡± explained Layla. ¡°Violence is his most fluent language. He yielded the strongest results.¡±


    Lammy tried to recall if he¡¯d noticed any swirling, artistic scars on Layla¡¯s body. But he was certain there were none¡ªit seemed they were all hidden under her clothing, just as the ones Zayza originally received.


    The knowledge that Najinzu had inflicted the same type of torment on Layla made him queasy¡ªthough not as much as the realization that it was a customary practice here.


    But if they hadn¡¯t, Lammy acknowledged, they wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as prepared for today¡­


    Another rumble almost shook Lammy off of his speeding feet.


    ¡°There!¡± Zayza exclaimed.


    They¡¯d just reached an opening on the inside wall of the stairwell. It was a small entryway leading to a storage room. While similar to the top floor, it housed many more wooden barrels and boxes Lammy could only guess contained weaponry¡ªperhaps like the ones the soldiers were unleashing on them now.


    But within that storage room, knives flew.


    Raznizu and Najinzu exchanged strikes just as tenaciously as before. Some black daggers were lodged into the barrels the fighters weaved between and hopped over.


    Abruptly, Zayza tugged Lammy backwards. A dagger spun their way and ricocheted off of his barrier. Immediately, he felt foolish for having stood right in the center of the doorway.


    But although it was unsettling to accept, the Zinn brothers¡¯ duel was utterly mesmerizing. If not for their efforts to tear each other¡¯s bodies apart, it would seem more like a choreographed dance.


    Aside from their equal physical skill, he knew their Sense-Enhancer abilities must have been a major cause: no subtle movement from either fighter went undetected by the other.


    As Lammy struggled to accept he could find something this violent so beautiful, he and the others backed closer to the corner of the opening and observed the duel.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive and well,¡± Zayza whispered to her sister. ¡°He can do this.¡±


    Fewpar remained silent, gripping the edge of the doorway harder than he likely realized.


    While Layla muttered her nervous agreement, Lammy¡¯s heart sunk.


    Blood was appearing all throughout the room.


    He tried to lock onto Najinzu, but failed to spot any sign of injury. It was the same when he shifted to Raznizu.


    But, however slightly, Raznizu¡¯s movements were slowing.


    Lammy prayed the sisters wouldn¡¯t notice.


    Another explosion pounded against the tower from the floor above. Unlike all the other times, a low creaking began.


    It grew louder until suddenly, the ceiling above Raznizu and Najinzu caved in. Parts of the wall and floor from above came piling down and plowed straight through the floor. Lammy and the rest screamed as they watched storage boxes and pieces of the tower avalanche through the center of the tower.


    Lammy could hear the decimation continue all the way down to the bottom floor, where the debris finally found its resting place.


    Immediately, Zayza and Layla cried for Raznizu. But dust masked the now floorless room before them.


    Then, the clashing of knives continued.


    Through the billowing dirt and lingering bricks that tumbled from above, Lammy spotted brief sparks in the air with every strike of metal.


    They survived¡­and they¡¯re using sound and smell alone to find each other! he observed. But¡­how are they still fighting with nothing to stand on?


    His answer arrived as the dust slowly settled. At first, he could have sworn the brothers were flying. But his mind managed to catch up: Raznizu and Najinzu were practically blurs once more, hopping from wall to wall and exchanging swings whenever their paths aligned.


    Using a continued momentum, they both kept themselves suspended above the wreckage far below.


    Lammy¡¯s amazement made way for fear once more: as before, blood was staining the walls¡ªthis time more rapidly than before.


    ¡°You¡¯re too weak to continue, old man.¡± Najinzu¡¯s voice darted all throughout the room like a ghostly echo. ¡°But this time, I cannot find an excuse to spare you. Azvaylen must survive.¡±


    ¡°It will, and not because of you,¡± came Raznizu¡¯s labored promise.


    Their airborne flurries continued for a moment until Najinzu came to a stop, grasping onto a dented brick in the wall. Raznizu was quick to reposition, finding an outer window of the tower and hanging from it by one arm. Its glass was shattered, and its originally thin shape was blown ajar by the damage in the collapse.


    The two fighters watched each other, their long knives still ready. Raznizu gasped for breath.


    ¡°Ha. Don¡¯t pretend you¡¯re still fighting for Azvaylen,¡± Najinzu countered. ¡°Your role has made you too biased to see what the nation truly needs. You¡¯ve become soft and selfish, not noble.¡±


    Raznizu¡¯s eyes brightened as he smiled underneath his mask. ¡°I admit: you are partially correct, brother,¡± he said. ¡°I choose to fight, and to be loyal, for personal reasons alone. The girls will restore Azvaylen¡ªI know it. But that is not why I will stop you. I will do it simply because I want them to find joy again someday.¡±


    He winced and sucked in air. Blood poured from his abdomen and dripped from his clothing.


    ¡°RAZINZU!!¡± Layla cried. Fewpar attempted to hush and conceal her, but he knew there was no use anymore.


    Instead, he opened his own mouth.


    ¡°Old friend, STOP THIS!¡±


    Najinzu seemed to pretend they weren¡¯t there. He twirled his knife slowly.


    ¡°It appears I shall be the last of the Zinn,¡± he decided.


    ¡°No. This is how the Zinn legacy ends,¡± Raznizu replied lowly. Without turning his head towards them, he raised his voice to the door. ¡°Girls: do you remember that silly board game we used to play? And that loophole I discovered, so that any time I knew I was to lose I would throw the game for us all?¡±


    As Layla gripped Zayza even tighter, her sister shook her head repeatedly. They both burst into tears.


    ¡°No¡­Razinzu, you can¡¯t¡­¡± Zayza tried.


    ¡°All three of you would laugh so hard¡­those are my fondest memories,¡± Raznizu continued. ¡°Zayza, Layla, please pardon my lack of professionalism for one more moment so I can say this: I am so proud of you both. I love you.¡±


    Najinzu readied his blade. ¡°Enough.¡±


    He lunged through the air. Fewpar desperately jumped forward to cover Layla and Zayza¡¯s eyes.


    But Lammy couldn¡¯t look away.


    Raznizu waited unguarded, and Najinzu stabbed his knife straight through the right of his chest. The blood immediately covered Najinzu¡¯s twisting glove as he pushed it further in and held onto the window.


    But Raznizu didn¡¯t fall¡ªinstead, he seemed to rely on this brief moment. Lifting his free arm, he plowed his own blade into Najinzu. It pierced through his back, having cleanly torn his heart.


    They both grew weak in an instant. Najinzu¡¯s weight pushed Raznizu back, and the brothers toppled through the window, disappearing behind the wall.


    As Lammy dropped to his knees, the last of the Zinn fell to their fate.

 108. So Someone Else Can Smile

    Nobody uttered a word as they lingered before the doorway to nothing.


    Eventually, Fewpar turned and slammed his fist against the wall. He fell against it, hands in his face.


    Lammy simply didn''t know what to do. What could he do? He couldn''t fathom what Zayza and Layla were thinking right now. He couldn''t even bring himself to look at them as he kneeled there, numb.


    And despite his constant effort, he couldn''t stop his mind from replaying the bloody deaths he''d just witnessed over and over again.


    Another blast resounded from above, yet nobody stirred.


    But after a time far too hazy for Lammy to measure, they heard footsteps and shuffling armor raining in from the top of the tower.


    Finally, the soldiers had breached it.


    Fewpar stood once more, his gaze unreadable. He drew his light sword and ignited it, turning to face the ascending stairs.


    The magical blue glow illuminated his face as he looked back to meet Lammy''s eyes. Now with more visible detail, he wore a smile that was somehow sad and tenacious at the same time. He emanated a tenderness Lammy would have never believed he possessed.


    "Boy¡­I mean, Lammy, I ask that you find a way to lend me your trust for a while longer," he uttered. "It is now down to us to protect the Queen and Princess."


    Still trembling, Lammy stood. With a deep breath, he finally broke his attention off from the bloody windowsill and faced Zayza and Layla.


    For a split moment, he almost couldn''t tell them apart. The way their frowns curved and eyebrows wrinkled as they tried to fight back the tears that hadn''t yet left was identical.


    Zayza sucked in air and stood taller, rising her sister on her back.


    "I''ll fight, too. We''re all making it out of this," Zayza insisted, her voice still unsteady.


    Trying to hide an obvious sniffle, Layla nodded. "I haven''t any more enchantments in this tower¡­but I¨CI shall do whatever I can to assist in combat¨C"


    "Guys¡­" breathed out Lammy. Streaks of warmth ran down his cheeks¨Che''d found himself to be the next one with tears. "Stop¡­stop trying to be so strong right now."


    "Neither of you are in a position to be fighting¨Cnot here in the real world," Fewpar added quickly over the increasing sound of steps from above. "Regrettably, I''m not much better¡­but please leave this to us."


    Lammy stepped up to join Fewpar. Against the wishes of his pounding heart, he stood his ground and clenched his fists.


    "I promised Raznizu I''d keep you two safe," he said. "You should run. We''ll hold them back."


    Zayza hesitated. She couldn''t seem to find words, but her protest was clear in her face alone.


    For a moment Lammy didn''t blink, and neither did his companion. Their debate continued through their locked gazes.


    Lammy knew they''d finally met a disagreement they couldn''t overcome: neither was willing to sacrifice the other.


    The soldiers'' steps tumbled closer.


    "I''m afraid there is no other choice left," stressed Fewpar.


    "Retreat with us to the bottom, at least," Layla proposed. "These stairs are no place for a battle."


    Exchanging quick, decisive glances, Lammy and Fewpar nodded at her compromise.


    After being certain they were really following, Zayza began her descent. Layla held on tighter.


    Lammy relied on the glow from Fewpar''s magical sword to distinguish the steps as he dashed after his friends.


    "HALT!" came an echo.


    It seemed their shuffling had given away their location.


    Zayza and Fewpar sped up and Lammy struggled to follow. He couldn''t even feel his feet against the steps.


    But the metallic rustlings didn''t weaken behind them. Rather, they increased.


    If they really hoped to get away at this point, it would take something drastic.


    Lammy''s thoughts sharpened.


    That one time in the horse carriage, he relived. Somehow, I warped us from Realistic Fiction Country to the Ancient Sage in Fantasy Country.


    Then maybe¡­


    He focused on everyone. But aside from trying to picture them all somewhere else, he didn''t know where to start.


    His eyes remained just as bright. But moments of running passed, and nothing happened.


    Back then, it was a total accident. It was like a blur, he recalled. And these heightened powers have been going for longer than ever now with all this stress¡­have I relied too much on them to pull something like that off?


    "HALT!!"


    The hunt was closer.


    This is probably it¡­Lammy thought.


    The fact came barreling into his mind before he could even attempt to resist it any longer.


    He never knew acceptance could taste so sour.


    Deon¡­I tried to hang on for you. Please don''t think this is your fault. Mom, Dad, everyone, I''m sorry¡­


    But the sourness passed as swiftly as it befell him.


    Actually¡­he realized, no I''m not.


    He watched the backs of Zayza and Layla''s bouncing heads as they raced further towards the bottom. Again, Zayza peered back to make sure he was still following. In a failed attempt at subtlety, Layla did the same.


    I''m not sorry, Lammy decided. Because I know I''m doing what I should do.


    I''m doing what all of you would do, he knew.


    "YOU CANNOT FLEE! WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED!"


    They sounded even closer. And thanks to this past day of narrow evasion, Lammy saw right through this apparent attempt to reason: these soldiers wouldn''t stop until they were dead¨Cor at least recaptured for execution.


    We''ll follow Zayza to the bottom¡­just to keep her running, Lammy planned. Then, maybe I can split up this shield to force her and Layla away from the fight.


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    And then, I guess, me and Fewpar will hold these guys off as long as possible¡­long enough for Zayza and Layla to break away and find Deon, or for Deon to find them.


    He couldn''t help but laugh under his breath: his final strategy was his worst one yet.


    The stairs evened out below, meeting an uneven surface of shattered stone and wood that enveloped the tower''s bottom floor. Zayza set foot into the wide, circular room and did her best to keep her balance atop the rubble as she hurried towards the farthest point with her sister.


    That was his chance to try it: Lammy drew from his still-heightened Imagining to separate himself and Fewpar from the shield. They followed in near-stumbles like Zayza, but stopped in the center of the ground floor instead.


    Lammy imagined a new, separate shield before Fewpar and himself. He spread it to both walls to prevent the soldiers from flanking and charging the sisters, so they''d have no choice but to fight them first¨Cbut it was anyone''s guess how long the shield could withstand such a constant force.


    Lammy and Fewpar turned to face the ancient stairs and waited for them to usher in their demise.


    "You escaped my grasp all those times," Fewpar muttered. "This time, your efforts will be no different."


    Lammy nodded, but he knew it was probably meant for nothing more than comfort. On top of the approaching leagues of footsteps, he could hear a constant banging against the enchanted gate. Truly, they were surrounded.


    He wasn''t getting out of this one. The only hope he had left was that, because of their deterrence, Zayza and Layla would get away.


    "Lammy!!"


    "Noble Lammy, Fewpar, I forbid this!!"


    They''d finally noticed the shield''s separation. Lammy could hear them in the back corner, banging on its invisible surface once they realized they were cut off and unable to help.


    Lammy nodded again, this time more confidently and only to himself.


    At this point, after everything the sisters had been put through, hoping for their survival alone was enough.


    The first armored boots emerged on the steps.


    Deon¡­I just hope you don''t get too mad at me¡­I hope you understand, he thought while his chest pressed tight. I''m finally like you. I get to set myself aside for a bit, so I can make sure someone else gets to smile.


    Dozens of light swords lit up the damaged room.


    I guess that''s what I''ve been trying to do this whole time, huh? Ever since I told you it was okay to leave Tailpiece behind¡­


    ¡­I''ve been trying to be like you.


    Weapons raised high, the soldiers poured in. Lammy couldn''t count them.


    His orange eyes nearly outshined their swords as the crowd approached. Fewpar prepared his own weapon.


    It was time. Lammy spun around for just a moment, meeting Zayza and Layla''s pleading gazes intensely.


    He did his best to shoot them a smile.


    "My cousin will protect you guys!" he promised. "If the shield disappears, run!"


    In other words¡­after I die, he knew.


    "Deon will find you!!"


    Zayza''s screams and pleads for him had gone frantic. Lammy turned back to the enemy before he could watch any longer: If tears blocked his vision, he wouldn''t be able to fight.


    At least, that was the reason he told himself.


    Several of the soldiers charged straight up to Lammy and Fewpar, while the majority attempted a flank to target the sisters. But their swords crashed the hidden shield and many piled up sloppily against it.


    Fewpar held his ground and didn''t blink as he waited. Lammy stood as tall as he could and tried to do the same.


    The seemingly superior guards of the assault shouted orders, and many of the troops backed off. Some remained and continued hacking away, but to no avail.


    The tallest soldier before Lammy and Fewpar stood still, his helmet hiding his expression. Then he shifted, and before Lammy could react, dove to the floor.


    Lammy instantly understood: in a room like this, his defense harbored one gaping flaw.


    "From underneath!!" he warned Fewpar.


    The soldier''s sword plunged through the piles of debris, and reached up on the inside of the barrier. Fewpar roared and pounced forward, slamming his sword down to parry it against the rubble.


    Lammy raced to observe every possible hole the uneven piles created beneath the shield. He tried filling them in as fast as he could.


    I''m too late¡­he found. No¨CI never would have had enough time.


    There was no winning this.


    Blue light swords powered through the debris and surfaced beyond the shield as the other soldiers followed suit. They swam through the wreckage and emerged to face Lammy and Fewpar without hindrance.


    "For Vayva."


    Fewpar smiled through gritting teeth. He''d failed to fend off the clearly elite first soldier, and stumbled back as the warrior''s sword shoved his.


    But as the soldier rose from the debris and towered over them, and as dozens more closed in, Fewpar twirled his sword fearlessly.


    "FOR VAYVA!"


    Lammy surged his mind for options in the few seconds he had.


    Loozooloozeux?


    I''ve never used him for fighting, and there''s no room to fly.


    Fish traps?


    There are way too many of them.


    In a split second, he opted for a technique much less-rehearsed: the ability he''d used to help fight Najinzu in Fiction Country.


    Lammy looked around fiercely and imagined a white ray of Dreamer-inspired energy over as much of the uneven ground as he could, save where he and Fewpar stood.


    It ignited in a silvery sparkle. All the soldiers in its domain toppled over. But while some failed to recover, most sprung back to their feet.


    It wasn''t strong enough.


    He''d had no time to prepare it fully this time. And just like his inability to teleport, he must have used too much of his heightened energy to make it as powerful.


    That was it¨Che''d played his final move. It came and went like a passing breeze.


    It was all over now.


    Merely for the sake of trying until the end, Lammy imagined a knife into his hand.


    The closest guard stepped up and pulled back his sword.


    "NO!!!"


    Zayza''s final scream for her teammate pierced through the entire room.


    Then, the guard dodged. It was sudden and particularly odd, considering Lammy didn''t even attack. The guard jerked to the side and swung at the air.


    "WHAT?!" he exasperated, breaking into a duel against nobody.


    Lammy stood and watched in puzzlement. So did Fewpar, as none of the other soldiers were charging at him, either.


    "What are you doing?! I require backup!" demanded the closest one to his troops.


    But they all remained in place just as him. If this was Tailpiece, Lammy would have assumed they''d struck a beehive: some swung all around themselves desperately. Others even cowered on the floor or ran away screaming.


    Lammy was certain of it, though: nothing was there.


    At least, not at first.


    A shadow swooped in behind the guard nearest to Lammy. It plowed into the small of the soldier''s back, launching him hard against the punishing floor with a dent in his armor.


    He hasn''t seen it coming from his blindside. He was too preoccupied with his nonexistent foe.


    The shadow vanished as fast as it came. Then Lammy heard a shout of pain off to the side. He looked only in time to find another guard dropping limply.


    "HE WENT RIGHT!! HE WENT RIGHT!"


    "GET HIM!!"


    Huh¡­? But the shadow¡­Lammy thought, it definitely just went left.


    The instant the cluster of soldiers turned, they collapsed one after the other.


    Then several paces away, another cluster dropped. Thuds resounded as their dented armor collided with the wood and stone. A light sword toppled from its owner''s grasp.


    The shadow was quick to retrieve it. And as he reignited its magical glow, Lammy finally caught a glimpse of his long black bangs, and towering, thin stature.


    The fighter''s all black-and-white clothing returned to a blur as he pounced back into action. Now thanks to the light sword, Lammy could follow his movements.


    One after another, soldiers collapsed or were launched airborne, crashing into the walls when his swings struck them. His speed nearly matched Raznizu and Najinzu.


    And even now, none of the soldiers could seem to pinpoint his movements. They continued uselessly combating the empty air.


    Fewpar simply struck down a nearby soldier who''d been stabbing at the ground. As they fell, he returned to his silent, awestruck observation.


    "D¨Cdo you know this guy?" Lammy checked.


    "I planned to ask you the same thing."


    Eventually, not a single soldier remained standing. Leagues of armor were strewn about the round room. Some lay in agony, while others were motionless.


    Finally standing still, the man turned out to be a teenage boy. His bangs hid his eyes as he looked around briefly, clutching his stomach. Then his shoulders relaxed, and he walked calmly towards Lammy and Fewpar.


    An additional pile of defeated soldiers tumbled down from the stairs behind him as his long steps approached.


    Fewpar lowered his sword, but kept it ignited.


    The boy appeared to begin speaking, but a nearby soldier suddenly sprung back up in a screaming dash towards him. Unbothered, the young man kicked his enemy square in the chest and sent him banging against the ground. Then, with a small frown, he tossed his light sword away and didn''t look as it zapped the soldier into silence.


    "Thank you, but¡­" Fewpar started. "Who are you? One of the resistance?"


    "OH!" Zayza suddenly exclaimed from behind. "Now I remember you!"


    Zayza knows him, but I don''t? Must be from before we met, then¡­Lammy decided.


    "You''re Deon''s friend!" she recalled. "You sat with him for the whole Conscious Competition, cheering on Skrili and Pang! I sold you a burger!"


    Her eyes sparkled with hope. Her vigor infected Lammy almost instantly once he looked back to her.


    "SERIOUSLY?!" he shouted, spinning back around. He took a step closer to their ally. "You''re Deon''s friend?!"


    The young man seemed to hesitate his response, as if contemplating the implication.


    But ultimately, he gave a smile.


    "You must be Lammy," his deep, subtle voice detected. "That''s correct: I''m Deon''s friend. He helped save my life. My name is Phillip."


    The new twisting in Lammy''s chest felt somehow comforting. His tears welled back up, and having been a blink from violent death only seconds earlier, Phillip''s next words only strengthened them further:


    "I''m here with him, and others, to rescue you. You''re going to be okay."

 109. One Last Option

    Aside from the continued dull banging against the door, the tower had finally gone quiet.


    "You must be terrified," Phillip observed in a deep utter barely loud enough to hear.


    Lammy sniffled, but broke into a smile. "Well¡­yeah, but¡­I knew Deon would come for us."


    He no longer had to keep reigning in his heart to keep his hopes from getting too high¨Chis highest hopes were now their reality.


    No, it was more than hope: it was expectation. And once again, even when tossed into different parts of an entire Multiverse, Deon didn''t let him down.


    His lungs finally filled again.


    He let out a sigh, and the burning glow in his eyes dissipated.


    Once they did, he turned to find Zayza approaching them with Layla on their back. Now that his heightened powers had expired, the invisible walls he''d imagined vanished just the same.


    "Queen, Princess," Phillip greeted with a respectful nod. "And¡­"


    "Fewpar. A servant of the Queen," the Dreamer said as he sheathed his magic sword. "A¡­a reformed one, I suppose."


    Phillip nodded his way as well.


    "Good Phillip, I cannot honor you and your resistance enough. We already owe you an unpayable debt for saving us just now," Layla told him loftily from over her sister''s shoulder. "Though lamentably, we still have much of a fight left to overcome."


    Her words sparked a quick realization in Lammy.


    "That''s right¨Cwe still have to find Pang!" Lammy realized. "She''s your friend, right? We''ll help you save her, too!"


    But Phillip''s reaction was far from what he''d expected. His small smile vanished, and he looked off towards nothing in particular. Then, seemingly hesitant to accept the words he was about to share, he shook his head.


    "Pang isn''t here anymore. They took her away," he revealed. "Proscious admitted it themselves."


    Lammy stiffened.


    Then we already failed her, he knew. We couldn''t return the favor.


    "So you''ve met her, then," Phillip learned.


    Lammy caught Zayza''s eyes. They both nodded, heads hanging low.


    "We were all kidnapped at the same time. She¡­she tried to free us," Zayza said. "She had the perfect opportunity to run away, but she didn''t. Instead, she tried to fight Proscious so we could all escape."


    Her mouth quivered as she raised her head and allowed her gaze to reach Phillip.


    "Back there, Pang and Raznizu were the only ones who still believed we could make it¨Cthey promised us help was on the way," she continued. "If not for their faith¡­I know we wouldn''t be alive right now."


    Lammy clenched his fists. "I''m standing by it," he vowed. "We''ll save Pang, too. I swear."


    He averted his attention briefly as the banging on the door intensified for a moment.


    "Did you hear Proscious say anything about where they''re taking her?" checked Phillip. "Did they say what they want with her?"


    Once again softening, Lammy and Zayza shook their heads.


    Phillip let out a slight, resolute sigh. "Then right now, my main objective is to protect the three of you. My friends care about all of you very deeply. And¡­I owe it to them."


    Despite his lanky stature, Phillip''s presence dominated the room. Even standing still, he appeared like a shadow¨Cbut now, he was more the kind whose shade could offer shelter than the kind that would keep Lammy up at night.


    But as he stood there, with incapacitated soldiers all around, Lammy could feel his disappointment. Clearly, Pang was the main reason he''d come on this quest.


    "You''ve said you and Noble Lammy''s cousin have arrived with friends. Who else is in your ranks?" inquired Layla. "What abilities do they possess?"


    "There are five of us total," Phillip revealed. "Deon''s teammate Skrili, a highly skilled Power Rebound, is here with us. But our strongest are our League seniors, Hiroko and Ko¨C"


    He couldn''t even finish; Zayza''s exclamation burst out. It was a sigh and a brief sob all in one. While her eyes welled up, Layla''s widened as a young child''s.


    "They really came here for us¡­don''t they know what they''re risking?" Zayza breathed.


    "Of course they do. And you''re worth it," Layla said rather bluntly before Lammy got the chance to struggle through a similar reply.


    Phillip smiled subtly, noticing he didn''t need to give any further elaboration.


    "We will win. We''ll stop Proscious¨CNow I''m sure of it," Zayza declared.


    "We''ll need to be able to defeat their leader," emphasized Phillip. "We''ve been operating as a five-person team, but we split up to weaken theirs. I''ve only defeated one so far, and I''m unsure if Deon and Skrili have encountered the other. But Kotono and Hiroko can''t restrain their leader for long."


    "Wei is powerful," Layla agreed. "We''ve been working towards that same goal. I believe your rebellion''s presence has forced his hand, so I''ve set a strategy in motion. Allow me to catch you up to speed:"


    She took in a deep breath, even as the banging on the door persisted.


    Wait¡­she''s gonna go through all of it right now? Lammy worried.


    "Proscious'' secret objective is to steal our Dreamer powers. They''ve constructed an incomplete technology for doing so, and right now, they''re in the process of configuring it for me as their source. But with your rebel team here to challenge them, and with the secret known, I believe they''ll attempt to rush their experiment, take what they want, and leave us in ruin. Their best chance at success would be to commence during Dreamwake."


    The door rattled in response to what sounded like an explosion. But even still, it remained as if untouched.


    "Uh¡­do we have the time?" Lammy timidly intervened.


    "Fear not, Noble Lammy: my enchantment will hold¡­for now," the Queen assured. "They will require much more power on that gate than Azvaylen soldiers possess."


    While her magical prowess continued to impress him, ''for now'' were the words that lingered in Lammy''s head.


    Nonetheless, she continued¨Cthough she spoke a bit quicker:


    "Dreamwake is a phenomenon that occurs in our Dreamer Chamber, which Proscious has converted into a lab," Layla explicated. "From sunset to nightfall, Dreamer powers become active in the real world¨Cmaking them more tangible. I believe Proscious will take advantage of that, despite the severe and catastrophic risks it carries."


    The next few booms on the door even shook the floor. Lammy, Zayza, and Fewpar exchanged increasingly impatient glances while Phillip remained engaged with the Queen''s briefing.


    Seemingly fighting not to look over to the door, Layla paused. Then, her speech poured out even faster.


    Words practically overlapping, she raced through every remaining detail: Zayza and Fewpar''s successful efforts to wipe out Dreamers so Wei couldn''t use them during Dreamwake, Zayza''s secretly superior powers, and their bottom line¨Cfor Zayza to face Wei during Dreamwake with strength he wouldn''t see coming.


    Layla took a labored, hearty gasp, but blinked instantly back into her Queenly demeanor.


    "Do you understand?" she reviewed collectedly.


    NO HE DIDN''T UNDERSTAND!! Lammy wanted to blurt. I already know the plan and I almost didn''t get half of that!


    "Yes," said Phillip.


    HE UNDERSTOOD?!?!?!


    "And if my team has defeated the other Proscious member, there will be nothing between us and Wei. Our plans compliment each other well," Phillip added.


    "So it seems," said the Queen.


    As Fewpar visibly struggled to keep up and Zayza obviously pretended to, Lammy shrugged to himself. He figured it was better to be grateful for Phillip''s apparent intellect than to stay confused by its convenience.


    Then Lammy pounced¨Canother blast resounded through the tower.


    But this time, it left a tall crack in the door.


    "It appears they''ve gathered the power they need. We''re out of time," Layla observed quickly. "Phillip, you said your team hunted the other Proscious members?"


    He nodded. "I''ve only defeated one. But I haven''t spoken with everyone since the attack began, so that''s all I know."


    "Then that still leaves them plenty of power to overwhelm my enchantment with force," Layla derived. "Proscious is on the other side of that gate. They''ll want me for their experiment, and the others for execution."


    The crack spread drastically with an even more ferocious blast. A streak of light from the castle bled in.


    Immediately, Fewpar ripped out his light sword and raised it at the ready.


    "Then here we go again," he grumbled.


    "Wait," hushed Phillip. "There''s a better way to approach this."


    Layla nodded fervently, already on the same page. "By your fighting style, I assume you''re an Illusionist?"


    Lammy''s mind lit up, and everyone looked to him as he visibly jolted into excitement. Back during the Conscious Competition, he and Rob had watched an Illusionist compete on the small screen in the kitchen. Finally, Phillip''s abilities made perfect sense.


    And now he knew precisely where Layla and Phillip were going with this.


    "Here''s what we''ll do¨C" started Phillip.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "I have an idea," Lammy accidentally interrupted.


    "As do I," noted the Queen.


    Stunned for a moment, Phillip stared back at the even younger consciousnesses.


    All with matching glimmers in their eyes, Lammy and Phillip drew close to Layla. Thoughts fired off of each other like lightning as their joint strategy began to take form.


    ~


    Lammy couldn''t help but squirm. Somehow, he''d expected being invisible to look and feel completely different.


    But as they all stood huddled in the corner farthest from the door, his body appeared just as intact. Everyone''s did, for that matter.


    He resolved he''d simply have to trust Phillip''s word that only they could see and hear each other right now.


    After all, he was Deon''s friend. There was no better reason to count on him.


    "Here they come¡­" Zayza muttered.


    The blasts and bangs had grown more frequent, until escalating into a steady thunder. Loose broken planks tumbled from above and crashed against some of the incapacitated soldiers.


    "With this strength, it is most likely Wei!" Layla warned over the eruption. "Stay strong, everyone!"


    "But don''t move," added Phillip.


    At last, an otherworldly crack resounded all around. Lammy marveled at the ensuing spectacle: white light ejected from spots all over the door and shot into the air. They lingered, matching some of the foreign shapes Lammy had seen in the magical inscriptions for the Dreamer traps.


    Then they fizzled into nothing, and as they did, the towering door tilted. It collapsed with a slow, creaking fall, and deafened Lammy for an instant as it met the already-damaged floor.


    "MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"


    Azvaylen soldiers piled into the room immediately. Many tripped over their fallen comrades and paused to observe the destruction all around them.


    Their silvery armor flooded most of the room, evening out a little over midway through. Lammy sighed: this provided plenty of distance to help conceal their presence.


    But his eyebrows furrowed the longer they analyzed these adversaries.


    "How did they¡­" Layla whispered.


    For once, her estimation proved incorrect. While Lammy had never seen Proscious''s leader, he assumed he''d stand out in some obvious way. But Lammy''s eyes only saw regular soldiers.


    Wei was nowhere in sight.


    "They did it without him?" uttered Zayza.


    Phillip simply watched, jaw tightening.


    "Where are they?!"


    "They''re gone!"


    The soldiers scrambled in a fruitless search. Some ascended up the stairs, returning moments later to report similar bewilderment.


    "How?"


    "There was nowhere to run to!"


    Layla''s eyes found Lammy. She gave a small nod.


    So far, the most ideal form of their plan was playing out. They just had to wait until the soldiers gave up and exited.


    A cough echoed from the ground within the cluster of soldiers.


    "They''re¡­still in here¡­" came a weak grumble from one of the injured.


    The group of disguised consciousnesses didn''t stir. It was still too early to panic.


    As Layla had expressed, the defeated soldiers might speak up. But Phillip revealed he had been obscuring everyone''s voices since the end of his counterattack.


    If the soldiers knew they were hiding, but didn''t know how or where, an advantage remained intact.


    It just meant shifting to the next form of their plan: waiting for the right moment to strike.


    The soldiers seemingly failed to gather coherent details from their semi-conscious ally. One of them, clearly a leader with his gold-plated shoulder armor, emerged from the troops and stood before them in the center of the room.


    "Still no sign of Proscious¡­" Layla noticed.


    "Remain on guard! This is some sort of magic or trickery!" the elite warrior proclaimed.


    "They had an Illusionist working for them in the courtyard!" a soldier recalled.


    "Illusions! Contact General Irma!" the leader bellowed immediately. "Where is General Aoi?"


    A hand raised up and pointed down next to itself deep in the crowd.


    "Well BRING her here, you oafs!!" the commander demanded.


    Layla pouted. "Reminder to self: re-enroll Commander Tayper in Respectful Communication Training¨C"


    "You''re worried about that right now?!" huffed Zayza.


    The sea of armor shuffled around as a soldier seemed to nudge someone through it. Finally, they surfaced at the front¨Cbut it was not at all the type of person Lammy was expecting.


    He thought he''d misheard the commander, but this was indeed that Aoi: the small-framed young woman Irma had used to interrogate Raznizu. Her blue-green hair and the hood of her oversized cloak hid her face as she stood there with no apparent emotion.


    "Aoi¡­" Zayza whispered.


    "Who is this¡­?" wondered Phillip.


    "She''s Proscious''s fourth member," Layla shared. "She''s the one they''re trying to give our Dreamer powers to."


    Phillip gritted his teeth. "There''s a fourth one¡­? My team was foolish to assume there couldn''t be more¡­"


    "Unlike the other three, she doesn''t participate in combat," Layla assured. "So this still doesn''t explain how they destroyed my enchantment¡­"


    Lammy thought back to her brief appearance in the dungeon.


    His heart dropped.


    "Wait a second¡­can''t she read minds?!" he realized in a shouting whisper.


    Phillip analyzed her for a moment. "Perhaps not if she doesn''t realize we''re here."


    "General Aoi, contact General Irma immediately," the commander told the small woman.


    Aoi lifted her arm and let her large sleeve fall back to reveal an alarmingly pale hand with black fingernails. She touched the device on her wrist.


    But when she did nothing else after that, the commander shifted impatiently.


    "Well?!"


    Aoi simply lifted her head to look up at him mutely.


    "Right¡­" the commander seemed to remember. He grabbed her wrist and tugged it up close to his face. Aoi''s hand dangled like a doll''s.


    Weird¡­Lammy noted, they refer to her as a superior, but they kind of boss her around¡­


    "General Irma!" the commander called into the device.


    No response.


    "General Irma, are you there? We request your assistance! General Irma?!"


    "She''s unconscious in an alleyway deep in the city," Phillip muttered to his cohorts. "She won''t be able to help them."


    Lammy almost shivered at his nonchalance. It was just as eerie as it was impressive.


    "General Benton, then!" the commander exclaimed, returning Aoi''s arm for a moment as she pressed the device again in silence.


    "General B¨CI mean¨CBenton, sir! We require¨C"


    "Ah, leave me alone, will ya?" came a despondent voice. "Unless y''all can get me down from way up on the outer wall and heal me up in record time, I ain''t any help."


    The soldiers muttered nervously amongst each other.


    "Those kids are real good. I''ll give ''em that," Benton added. "Welp, good luck. Y''all need it."


    The signal went quiet.


    A dark smile grew on Phillip. "Good work, Skrili and Deon."


    Lammy''s heart warmed. Even as his situation felt like it was only growing direr, it turned out Deon and his friends had been weakening the enemy all along.


    If they could just get away now, all that remained was one final push.


    The commander paced in a circle, cursing to himself.


    "Master Wei¡­?" a guard suggested.


    "He''s occupied with¡­whatever they''re doing in the Dreamer Chamber!" the commander spat. "He gave us clear orders. And if we even try to bother him, there will be punishment! This is our objective!"


    "But¡­"


    Ignoring him, the leader returned to Aoi.


    "General, isn''t there anything else you can do?!"


    She only stared back at him.


    "If you have any way to locate them, do it quickly!"


    This time, Aoi stirred. She took a single step forward and instantly looked towards the back corner.


    Precisely where Lammy and the others were standing.


    "What?!" gasped Fewpar.


    "Brace yourselves," Phillip grunted as he grasped his head. "She''s canceling the illusion!"


    Lammy didn''t know what to do other than step in front of Zayza and Layla. Fewpar narrowly beat him to the position.


    Then, every eye in the tower turned to them.


    Magical swords ignited everywhere.


    Lammy''s eyes went hot.


    "THIS WHOLE TIME?!" the commander boomed. "You could do that this whole time?!"


    He pushed Aoi several steps closer to them as if counting on her to remove a beehive.


    "You''re the one with powers like them! Go! Seize them!" he cried, fear emerging in his tone.


    Aoi stumbled for a moment, but stood still again. Her gaze returned to Lammy and the rest.


    "We''ve no other options! We must fight!" Fewpar urged.


    But in a blink, even that option became impossible.


    Lammy felt his whole body seize up. An indescribable pressure overcame him. Then, his body lifted weightlessly into the air. Only able to turn his neck, he could barely see the others floating around him just the same.


    They all touched down in a row just before Aoi. Even up close, Lammy couldn''t read the cloaked young woman''s blank demeanor.


    The soldiers remained in place, gasping at her abilities.


    Puffing his chest out once more, the commander strutted closer and stood behind Aoi.


    "At last," he said proudly.


    "You''ve all been deceived, Commander!" Layla cried.


    "You, my impressionable young Queen, have been deceived," he argued. "By your wretched terrorist sister."


    "Execute her!!"


    "Take her to the courtyard!!"


    The soldiers'' shouts filled the room.


    "Watch your mouths¡­" growled Fewpar.


    But Zayza remained silent, staring back at them with nothing more than a grim frown. Lammy couldn''t imagine what she was feeling.


    "At ease! That isn''t Master Wei''s plan anymore¨Che needs them alive!" the commander roared.


    Wait¡­he does? thought Lammy.


    "But there is unrest, sir!"


    "A brewing uprising!"


    "We need justice!"


    "That is why we follow the plan!" the Commander seethed. He returned his attention to his captees. "...And without Irma, we''ll need an Illusionist to complete it."


    He ignited his sword and pointed it at all of them.


    "Whichever one of you that is, create copies of Zayza and the stout boy, now!"


    Lammy caught Layla''s eyes to the left of him, and Phillip''s to the right. They both shared the same pensive stare.


    They''re gonna fake the executions, he deciphered. He could tell they knew it, too.


    But why? What will he do with us instead?


    Whatever it was, he knew it couldn''t be much better. And they couldn''t risk returning to captivity now¨Cnot after everything it took just to get this far.


    There was no time left to brainstorm. They couldn''t communicate.


    So their only chance now was to stick to their plan.


    And with their current entrapment, that left only one last iteration: their endgame.


    Lammy glanced at Phillip one more time. He prayed he''d understand, despite their minimal encounter thus far.


    We have to do it, Lammy tried to say through his eyes alone.


    "Hurry up!!" barked the commander.


    Then came Layla''s voice.


    "It is over, good Phillip," she said. "Obey his demands."


    Lammy tried not to express it, but courage poured in: she was on the same page as him again. Yet, she found a way to vocalize it subtly.


    She''s brilliant.


    Finally, Phillip nodded.


    "NOW!"


    "It takes time," Phillip muttered. Only barely able to turn his head, he studied Zayza. Then, he turned to Lammy.


    There was no way to tell if he''d caught on. Lammy couldn''t read his stoic face.


    Within a minute, Phillip sighed.


    "It''s done."


    Lammy''s heart skipped when suddenly, a copy of his body stepped forward as if emerging from within him. The illusion stood identically like a mirror reflection with its back turned to him.


    Just the same, an exact copy of Zayza emerged before her.


    The commander stared in an uncomfortably sustained pause. Though his helmet hid most of his face, his frown gave away his attempt to hide uncertainty with intimidation.


    "You don''t see any more trickery in these illusions, correct?" he demanded of Aoi.


    She shook her head once.


    "Then off you go! Take the Queen to Wei in the Dreamer Chamber immediately."


    He turned and signaled to two apparent subsections of the armored crowd.


    As Aoi shuffled towards Layla, several soldiers rushed over. Lammy recoiled at the sudden heat: he, Zayza, and Fewpar found themselves each with a light sword glowing right around their necks. Phillip had two, and the guards eyed him unblinkingly.


    Now in the soldiers'' custody, Lammy felt Aoi''s invisible pressure dissipate. He watched as she took Layla''s hand in her oversized sleeve without the slightest hint of force.


    "Aoi¡­" Layla tried. "Why?"


    The pale young woman seemed to stare back into Layla''s longing eyes, pausing for just a moment.


    Then she turned and began guiding Layla away.


    The Queen let out a sudden cry as she struggled to limp after her captor. Aoi stopped abruptly and observed her shaking, bloodied ankle.


    Then Layla began floating. Wide eyes replaced her painful grimace. She looked down to find that while her ankle was still damaged, it was no longer shaking.


    Aoi floated up to reach her height. Even more gently, she reclaimed Layla''s hand. Together they hovered across the room, over all the soldiers.


    Lammy tried to catch Layla''s eyes before she disappeared beyond the destroyed gate. Even one quick glance, just to assure each other that this wasn''t over, would comfort his heart. He was sure Zayza had attempted the same.


    But as they looked towards her, something far different, and far more urgent caught their eyes.


    Words.


    Duck and step forward NOW.


    Thin, giant letters hovered over the soldiers, and nobody but them seemed to notice.


    An illusion? Lammy thought. Phillip?


    His heart skipped, and then pounded. It dawned on him.


    Phillip got the hint!


    More words faded in underneath.


    Don''t hesitate. Now!


    Lammy caught Zayza''s eye for less than a second. That was all he needed to recognize her intent.


    Sucking in air and hoping it wasn''t his final breath, Lammy dove into a squat. The light sword nearly burned his skin.


    But the guard didn''t move in the slightest.


    Lammy pounced up and shuffled over to his illusionary copy. Just as he did, the illusion had already begun obscuring: it was there, and yet simultaneously, it was shifting backwards to take his place.


    Once Lammy stood, praying he''d managed to take over his illusion''s exact position, he and Zayza stood dead still.


    He could have sworn his heart was pounding loud enough for everyone to hear.


    Didn''t they notice? Did I follow Phillip''s instructions right?


    But the commander, and all the soldiers, didn''t stir in the slightest.


    The text in the air disappeared.


    The commander pointed at the illusionary Lammy and Zayza.


    "Now, take the princess and the boy back to the dungeon!" he ordered. "And bring this Illusionist and Fewpar to the courtyard balcony immediately. If they do anything to these illusions¨Cor anything suspicious at all¨Ckill them."


    The soldiers sprung into motion behind Lammy''s sight.


    They heard Phillip grunt after armor slammed against him.


    "No foolishness! Make the illusions move!"


    With a start, Lammy and Zayza realized they had to start walking. They needed to operate as if under Phillip''s control.


    Lammy tried to stare ahead mindlessly, but his mind couldn''t race any faster as he followed behind the leagues of soldiers.


    Though they nearly missed the opportunity, they''d come down to the very last version of their escape plan¨Cthe one that only existed if all other hope was lost.


    Everyone mostly doubted the plan, yet they couldn''t dismiss it. And though it was Lammy''s initial idea, he regretted its simplicity the most.


    It wasn''t truly a plan, but a gamble. It meant abandoning logic to rely solely on a hunch.


    And now, consequently, it meant marching straight to their execution.

 110. Above Demise

    Two guards collapsed in silence as Skrili landed from her double-kick.


    "Ouch," Deon uttered on their behalf.


    His teammate shot him a quick glare to hush up. Then, after readjusting the hood of the cloak he''d imagined for her, she sprung back into motion.


    Deon followed close behind, securing his own hood. They darted past the street and pressed up against the wall of the nearest stone building.


    "Those guys are everywhere, now¡­" Deon whispered.


    "Benton must have alerted someone," figured Skrili. "They''re hunting us down."


    From here, Deon could no longer see the section of the city wall they''d destroyed far back, where they left Benton trapped. Rows of buildings and structures blocked his view.


    They''d decided to exit the top of the outer wall once the guards started popping up too frequently. While they proved to be easy opponents, they certainly slowed Deon and Skrili''s progress. The duo spotted a tower where some of them had been emerging, battled their way down, and reached the city streets.


    Deon stretched his legs. That had been at least a couple hours ago¨Cwhile the outer wall had initially seemed like the most direct path to the castle, it may have been too roundabout.


    But now, sneaking from building to building within a suburb of the city didn''t seem much better; especially now that they still had constant run-ins with guards to worry about.


    Skrili peered around the corner. The coast was clear, so they zipped forward until they reached the next building.


    Deon stopped to analyze Skrili''s purple gaze. Months ago, it would have appeared no different to him than her usual nonexpressions. But clearly, she was contemplating something.


    "What?"


    "It''s just strange," Skrili uttered. "If Benton communicated that we beat him, you''d think they would send another member of Proscious after us¨Cnot a bunch of weak guards."


    "True¡­"


    Now that Deon thought about it, there was no way of knowing Phillip''s progress so far.


    "You think Phil managed to beat that lady Irma, then?"


    "I hope so¡­but there''s no way of knowing," contemplated Skrili. "She could just be using the guards to locate us faster."


    Deon stretched his fingers and pressed them into a fist. If that was the case, their next battle with a Proscious member was likely drawing near.


    But it also meant Phillip''s wellbeing remained a mystery. And that only reminded him of another thought¨Cone he''d been trying to block out of his mind.


    Kotono and Hiroko¡­that last explosion¡­


    ¡­or whatever it was.


    They''d seen it from atop the wall. After all, it was impossible to miss. The whole city must have witnessed it.


    The morning sky had darkened a bit over them. When Deon and Skrili turned to witness the phenomenon, they found the darkness only intensified the closer it was to its apparent source: a massive, multicolored floating orb just beyond the destroyed city gate.


    Even from where Deon and Skrili had watched, they felt a subtle warm breeze.


    But when the orb moved, they saw a much more familiar energy arise to challenge it: Kotono¡¯s¨Cthough it immediately grew too bright to lay eyes upon.


    Blinded, Deon and Skrili had expected an explosion. Instead, they heard a constant, high tearing in the distant air like two metal tools endlessly scraping together.


    And then, after moments, nothing.


    They''d opened their eyes to find nothing in the sky anymore.


    Deon''s fists squeezed even tighter.


    How could Kotono and Hiroko possibly walk away from something like that?


    They¡­they must be¡­


    "Hiroko and Kotono are alive," Skrili said adamantly.


    Deon snapped back to the present. His ponderings must have been all over his face.


    "But Skrili¡­I''ve never seen power that insane before¨C"


    "They''re alive," Skrili repeated. "Wei can''t beat them. They''re the best in the Multiverse¨Cnobody can beat them."


    Deon welcomed her certainty, desperate and biased as it was. But he couldn''t ignore that the fight had ended after that: there were no more energy blasts.


    Did that mean Wei was defeated? Had they won?


    Or¡­was he coming for them next?


    He looked back to Skrili as she peaked past the building, and his mind shot back to her contorted, nearly lifeless body in the courtyard two days before.


    "Come on," Skrili signaled.


    Deon blinked hard and hurried forward.


    "HALT! RETURN TO YOUR QUARTERS!"


    They broke into a sprint and slid against the next building''s wall. Deon swallowed hard.


    He''d seen it out of the corner of his eye: the row of guards down the street blazed their swords.


    "DO NOT RESIST!"


    This bark had echoed from the opposite direction.


    "We''re surrounded?" whispered Deon.


    "Wait."


    Skrili snatched his hand and pulled him to the corner of the building. They turned and planted themselves against the side wall.


    Deon followed his teammate''s sharp eyes, which peered over towards where they''d just run from.


    Another guard emerged, rushing down the street with his weapon drawn. But he didn''t seem to notice them. Instead, he continued past the building entirely and hurried to where they''d seen the other guards.


    "I SAID DO NOT RESIST!"


    "WE NEED MORE BACKUP!"


    "WE HAVE NONE!!"


    Shouts burst from the street in clear opposition to the soldiers, their voices bouncing off the city walls. Deon and Skrili inched closer to the front of the building until they could witness the unfolding situation.


    Farther down the road, the four soldiers engaged in a skirmish with nearly a dozen citizens.


    "The city is under attack! We demand you all remain indoors during an active battle!"


    "You''ll have a much worse battle on your hands if you keep withholding the truth!"


    The civilian was met with seething cheers from his colleagues, some of whom were restrained on the ground.


    "Where is Queen Layla?!"


    "Who is running our Kingdom? We saw the Queen morph into that woman with our own eyes!"


    One of them unsheathed a standard sword.


    "We won''t fall for your deception!" he proclaimed. "Zayza killed the Queen, didn''t she? Zayza is behind this!"


    He raised his head to the heavens.


    "Zayza has overtaken Azvalyen!! Zayza¨C"


    With the shocking swipe of a light sword, he collapsed.


    "Stun!" a guard bellowed.


    Breaking into combat, the guards quickly incapacitated the rest of the rioting civilians.


    "We cannot keep doing this," a soldier gasped, deactivating his sword. "Between the invaders and these brewing riots, we''re spread too thin!"


    "Protesters have already ransacked and occupied the Multiverse Resource Buildings. The castle will be their next goal," another agreed. "We can''t wait any longer for this¡­"


    "It won''t be long. They''ve been located. That will calm everyone back down."


    Deon lowered to Skrili''s ear. "Wait¡­who''s been located? Don''t they already have Lammy, Zayza, and Pang?"


    Skrili''s eyes darted around speculatively, but she offered no theories. "Let''s get out of here," she decided.


    ~


    Deon caught his breath for a moment, but forced himself to stand tall. They''d just darted from one building to another for what must have been the thousandth time.


    He''d considered hovering atop imagined planks again, but that would just make him blatantly suspicious. They had to find and fight Proscious members only; they couldn''t waste time or energy shaking off the whole of Azvaylen''s army in the process.


    From behind a wall, Deon and Skrili searched towards their destination. At least by now, after a couple more hours of sneaking down streets, they could see the castle''s towers more vividly.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    But they knew they still wouldn''t get there for a while¨Cnot at this pace.


    "There are even more of them now," Skrili observed.


    Deon was about to point it out, himself: as far as they could see, a guard stood stationed at practically every other road.


    They slipped back into the darkness of the thin alley they''d found.


    "Now what?" Deon uttered.


    Before Skrili could reply, a voice in the air seemed to answer his question instead:


    "All citizens of the Capital, the threat is neutralized. Report to the courtyard for the formal execution of former princess Zayza and her conspirers¡­All citizens of the Capital, the threat is neutralized. Report to the courtyard for the formal execution of former princess Zayza and her conspirers¡­"


    Deon and Skrili froze.


    Gradually, doors creaked open all around, followed by footsteps. The air filled with an uneasy mixture of hushed and vigorous voices. Guards began commanding directions.


    Then Deon caught the quickest glimpse of a foot stepping across the end of the alley.


    Skrili tapped Deon''s chest.


    He didn''t hesitate: Deon imagined two wooden planks onto the ground. The duo stepped onto them and jumped as the planks sprung them upward. With the assisted momentum, Deon and Skrili cleared the height of the roof and touched down on top of it.


    Deon followed Skrili''s lead as she flung towards a chimney at the corner of the uneven roof. They leaned flat against it, masking themselves from any soldiers high above on the city wall.


    "All citizens of the Capital, the threat is neutralized. Report to the courtyard for the formal execution of former princess Zayza and her conspirers¡­"


    Deon cursed. "Are we too late?"


    "It seems like they''re making it a spectacle to calm the rioters," Skrili analyzed. "As long as they''re waiting for an audience, there''s still time."


    The announcement repeated. By now, the streets were full of residents. Deon and Skrili lowered.


    "Wait¨Cwhy are they saying ''the threat is neutralized'' when they know they haven''t beat us yet?" wondered Deon. "They''re pulling something¡­"


    Skrili nodded. "This could be a trap to draw us out."


    Fire building inside, Deon stood.


    "Well I don''t care if it is. I''m not letting this happen."


    "I was about to say the same thing."


    Eyes on the still distant castle, they raced forward and jumped from this roof to the next. They kept low, hushing their steps as they powered across the buildings.


    Deon did his best to model his run after Skrili''s, realizing he was not nearly as built for stealth. But the farther they raced into the city, the wider the gaps became between roofs and the less consistent their heights and shapes were. Eventually they opted for the floating planks after all, surfing across the air as close to the roofs as possible.


    But Deon almost lost balance and plummeted into a chimney when something spawned in the corner of his eye.


    Up in the sky, above the castle, a long red arrow appeared. It pointed down to a precise location within the courtyard, where the attempted execution occurred two days before.


    Then beside the arrow, letters began fading in like new clouds.


    "Skrili," Deon alerted.


    "I see it."


    They stepped down onto the nearest rooftop, their eyes glued to the sky.


    "Four of us captured¡­


    ¡­Guards everywhere, but no Proscious members¡­


    ¡­Help."


    Deon observed the scores of citizens below, but none of them paid any mind to the giant floating message.


    "Phillip," he knew.


    Yet another arrow stretched from the words, and pointed towards the far left of the location the first arrow highlighted.


    "Best angle," it added.


    "It could also be Irma," Skrili cautioned. "If Phillip is captured, this could be another attempt to trick us."


    But even as she expressed her theory, more words appeared underneath:


    "Chewing is overrated."


    "It''s Phillip," Skrili agreed.


    "Guess he knew you''d be skeptical," noted Deon. "Let''s go."


    ~~~


    Lammy stumbled forward and bumped against Zayza. Retaining her ruse of mindlessness, she subtly leaned to help him regain his balance.


    "Wow. I must say, your illusions are impressively believable," admitted one of the guards to Phillip behind them. "They even feel real."


    This time, he nudged Zayza.


    "Perhaps you can make me a girlfriend that looks like her," laughed another.


    "To be fair, even an illusion of a woman would reject you," Phillip uttered.


    "WHAT?!"


    Lammy tried to hide his wince as a shock rung out behind him. Phillip let out no cry.


    "It''s almost time. Make them look chained up NOW!"


    Lammy and Zayza caught on quick, raising their hands back in false bondage. Feeling nothing, Lammy had to trust Phillip followed through with the illusion.


    Thankfully, the guards seemed satisfied.


    "Now walk them closer."


    A breeze brushed Lammy''s disheveled hair as he and Zayza reluctantly inched closer to the edge of the pearly balcony. They''d stood in this very spot only days before, under Layla''s pretense scrutinizing glare.


    And now, all of their joint escape efforts led them back here once more, likely to fulfill the execution Layla had been forced to promise.


    Don''t look down¡­Lammy knew.


    He''d caught a glimpse of it. Though he tried to avert his eyes, he couldn''t tear them away from the tall, black spikes below the balcony.


    It was the mangled body decaying within them that finally forced him to look anywhere else, though he could barely make it out through the balcony''s elaborate fence. It must have been lodged there for days.


    That was his fate.


    No¡­


    His eyes found Zayza''s. Somehow, despite it all, she gave him a smile.


    Her shivers were visible, and her eyes watery as she forced herself not to react too noticeably. But she still gave him a smile¨Cthe same one she''d given when he first agreed to help her in No Man''s Land.


    That''s right¡­I''m the one who suggested this plan, Lammy remembered. Zayza believed me. She trusted me¨Ceveryone did.


    I won''t let them all down. We had to avoid getting thrown back in that dungeon no matter what¨CDeon would never find us in there. This was the only move. I need to trust myself on this one.


    It''ll work. I know Deon.


    He WILL get here in time.


    His own smile must have emerged, because Zayza''s eyes seemed to warm.


    He wished they didn''t have to remain silent.


    Abruptly, Phillip stumbled forward and stood beside them, magic swords still pointed at him from multiple angles.


    "We don''t appreciate your attitude, so your turn will come next," a guard declared.


    Phillip simply breathed in deeply, then out, and kept his eyes to the sky.


    Unfazed¡­Lammy noticed. Deon''s friends are incredible.


    We''re still in this.


    "Heave!"


    The courtyard filled with a deep roll. Wood creaked off to the side, out of Lammy''s vision. But he saw the source of the noise soon enough.


    For a kingdom so elegant, the contraption before him seemed horrifically out of place. A bar of crude wood rolled towards the balcony, soldiers pushing its wheeled legs on either side. It arrived just above their heads.


    And dangling from it, perfectly in place for Lammy and Zayza''s wrists, were four knotted ropes.


    Zayza slammed her eyes shut, unable to turn away without raising suspicion. She fought to keep her breath steady.


    I''ve seen this before¡­Lammy realized. Why have I seen this before¡­?


    It came to him all at once, along with another sweep of dread:


    The Dream World. When Zayza defeated Fewpar.


    She''d uttered the word ''nightmare,'' and shifted the entire world around them into another realm.


    Faceless shadows hung all across the sky. They dangled by their wrists from rope¨Cjust like the ones before him now.


    As he stared at the knots awaiting him, the same quiet heaviness he''d felt in the Dream World returned.


    For a split moment, he wanted to break into a run¨Csummon Loozooloozeux, snatch up everyone he could, and fly away.


    But logic stepped in and held its ground. Any questionable motion at all, and the ruse was up: Phillip would be dead immediately¨CFewpar too, and even Zayza if she didn''t catch on in time.


    Lammy kept himself still. Fear wasn''t their plan.


    "Everything is in position," came a voice from below.


    "Good."


    Someone stepped closer behind them on the balcony. If Lammy remembered this over-eager voice correctly, it was the same commander from the western tower.


    "Make the Illusionist create a Queen Layla," he ordered.


    The guards jerked their swords closer to Phillip''s neck.


    "Do it!"


    "I''m¡­not well acquainted with her," he hesitated. "You may need the real Queen. My illusion may not be realistic¨C"


    "You made these two realistic!" argued a soldier.


    It was worth a shot, Lammy recognized. If he convinced them to get Layla here and everything goes to plan, she could escape with us.


    But also¡­


    He caught a glimpse at Phillip''s frown.


    He might also be telling the truth¡­and, if Illusionist powers are like imagining, is he worried about maintaining the copies he fooled the soldiers with? By now, they must be pretty far away¡­


    Would adding one more illusion be too much and blow our cover?


    The commander stepped even closer. "Do it, or die a slower death than we''ve already prepared."


    Eventually, Phillip nodded. He had to play along; this was their very last chance. He had to keep the endgame alive.


    "Very well."


    ~~~


    Deon dismissed the floating planks. He and Skrili touched down into a dark alley.


    But this time, there were no more buildings to weave between. Only a wide-open street lay before the courtyard, and it was currently flooded with Azvalyen citizens.


    Soldiers shouted directions even more harshly than the first courtyard summoning, herding everybody towards a makeshift path in the center of the former front wall''s rubble.


    "All citizens of the Capital, the threat is neutralized. Report to the courtyard for the formal execution of former princess Zayza and her conspirers¡­"


    Even with the front wall decimated, Deon couldn''t see deep enough into the courtyard to spot the balcony from here.


    "There," whispered Skrili. "That''s roughly where Phillip said to go."


    Deon followed her finger to the far left of the courtyard, nearly a straight-shot from the alley. Its side walls had survived Kotono''s blast from the other day. Foliage and small statues rested in the grass on its outer side.


    Deon nodded. "Guess we''ll have to blend in for a second."


    He took a deep breath. Then as leaves drifting into a stream, they slipped into the moving crowd.


    They eyed their destination, hoods low. Deon mirrored Skrili''s subtlety as she gradually shifted towards the back¨Cclearly, keeping a low profile was a skill she''d inherited a long time ago.


    Then, as the crowd evened out at the corner where the wall met the rubble, Deon and Skrili slipped away amongst the trees and statues. They vanished behind the wall while the citizens piled towards the entrance.


    Deon let out a sigh. "Almost there¨C"


    Skrili pounced ahead. By the time Deon followed her motions, he found a guard collapsing at her feet.


    He stiffened:


    Two more!


    The rocks he imagined flew in and met their marks. Two guards fell in defeat¨Cone towards the middle of the wall, and another at the farthest end where it met the castle.


    Again, Deon sighed¨Cthis time after ensuring they were truly alone. Keeping close to the wall, he rejoined Skrili and they inched to the corner.


    The team reached their destination and huddled close. As Deon''s shoulder pressed Skrili''s, he noticed how warm she felt¨Ceven through her cloak.


    "You ready for this?"


    After a start, she nodded. His question seemed to nudge her back into the present.


    "Then let''s do it."


    Reimagining two wooden planks, Deon set foot on one and began floating upward. His muscles tightened.


    But Skrili seized his arms, yanking him back down.


    "What?!" he whispered impatiently.


    "We can''t just waltz in there and punch everyone. We need to see what we''re dealing with and plan our attack."


    "Oh. Right."


    Even more gradually, they resumed their ascent.


    The booming voice of a girl almost froze them for a moment, until they realized it echoed from the other side of the wall:


    "My citizens¡­long have you waited for justice. Chaos and deception have befallen our beautiful Azaylen¡­"


    Deon peered around. No more guards were nearby.


    Almost there¡­


    "But now, because of our unrelenting strength, I stand before you¨Cthe TRUE Queen Layla¨Cto mark the end of this treason against the Royal Family. I stand before you to bring about the end of not only this traitor, but also the team of terrorists she recruited to threaten the Throne¡­"


    Deon and Skrili cleared the highest branch of the nearest tree.


    Just a little further¡­


    "My citizens, with the death of my fallen sister, I promise to you¨Cto all of Azvaylen¨Ca renewed era of stability¡­"


    The top was within arm''s reach. Deon and Skrili clutched the thick, coarse edge of the wall. Maintaining their balance atop the planks, they peaked over.


    "Now, before you all as witnesses, I commence the execution of former Princess Zayza and her allies."


    Deon immediately bounced his eyes from the sea of people when the corner of his vision caught the spectacle they all stared at.


    "Hey¡­what is this?" he muttered. "That can''t be right. Nah, this isn''t real."


    "Deon¡­it is."


    Skrili''s words stabbed into him. But their bluntness forced him to reckon with the sight before him.


    Just before the balcony, his cousin dangled by the wrists from the rope of a wooden contraption. He hung on the farther side, while his companion, the princess Zayza hung closer to them.


    The same spikes from days before awaited them on the ground below, harboring the same torn corpse.


    Deon automatically reached his hand out, but Lammy was much too far away.


    But if they dropped now, it was over.


    No.


    The vision from the fog returned.


    It''s wrong. It''s not allowed to be right. I don''t allow it.


    Orange enveloped his vision. The last thing he could detect was that Lammy''s eyes seemed to be glowing.


    ¡­Or is that from me?


    Just the same, he could no longer distinguish the sharp heat now coursing all around his body from his rage.


    This couldn''t happen. Their failure couldn''t happen. His senses blurred, and nothing was about to stop him.


    Because he would kill everyone between him and Lammy.


    And if he proved too late, he would annihilate them all, anyway.

 111. Dear Hero

    The orange hue ignited brighter in Deon¡¯s eyes. It was time to move.


    Everyone in his path would perish.


    But his first obstacle already arrived: once again, Skrili seized his arm.


    ¡°Wait!¡± she urged.


    Deon tried to shake her off. With his vision blurred in an orange haze, all he could see was what was on his mind: saving Lammy, or unleashing revenge in the worst way possible.


    ¡°Former Princess Zayza: we find you guilty of treason, of the murder of King Zed, Queen Violet, and Queen Vayva, of the attempted murder of Queen Layla, of attempting insurrection, and of terrorism against the Kingdom of Azvaylen.¡±


    Skrili wrapped herself around Deon desperately, grasping even tighter.


    ¡°Not like this! Stop, Deon!¡±


    Her uncharacteristically frenzied tone perturbed him, but not as much as the fact that she was holding him back.


    Releasing only a fraction of the fury he felt, his mind conjured a hand that snatched Skrili from behind and yanked her towards the ground. Barely able to catch herself, she tumbled against the grass beside the wall.


    ¡°Are you stupid? Get out of the way!¡± Deon spat.


    ¡°We have to be smart about this!¡± Skrili insisted.


    ¡°Screw strategy, I¡¯m going in!¡± insisted Deon. ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯m feeling right n¡ª¡±


    He froze.


    Suddenly, the heat in his eyes cooled. He could finally see Skrili¡¯s face as she lay on the ground from his lashing out, her cheeks wetting.


    Her fingers dug into the grass.


    Frantic, Deon plunged towards the ground and landed beside her.


    Of course she knows¡­


    ¡­She knows exactly what this feels like¡­


    I¡¯m the stupid one. I¡¯m an idiot.


    He crouched low and hurried to help Skrili stand back up, apologies spilling out endlessly. Thankfully, she seemed unhurt.


    Then before she¡¯d even gained her balance, Skrili grit her teeth and bashed her fists into Deon¡¯s chest. Deon didn¡¯t wince: if she¡¯d wanted to really hurt him, he knew what her real punch looked like.


    ¡­Though this stung almost as much, and he knew he deserved it.


    Skrili grabbed him by the shoulders and tugged him close, so all he could see was her cutting purple eyes. The tears welling within them didn¡¯t make them any less lethal.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you screw this up! Get a hold of yourself!¡± she shot. ¡°If you fail and let Akri die¡­that weight¡­it never goes away. Never.¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t bother correcting her on Lammy¡¯s name. He softened.


    ¡°If they suspect any threat, they might drop Lammy and Zayza before we can act. We only have one window to do this, and that¡¯s right when they¡¯re falling,¡± Skrili pressed. ¡°Phillip was behind them on the balcony. He¡¯s expecting us¡ªhe can use that moment of shock to his advantage. We can¡¯t have any pauses.¡±


    Deon¡¯s welling rage finally met a ceiling. Blinking to cut back through his foggy vision, he mentally kicked himself:


    Once again, he¡¯d let his powers bring him an instant from ruining everything.


    But there was no time to waste on regret now. He could tell Skrili had already shifted to formulating their plan. He needed to meet her there¡ªto match her precision.


    Deon brainstormed. He tried to picture Skip huddling there with them.


    Just catching Lammy and Zayza with pillows won¡¯t cut it this time. Like Skrili said: no pauses. We can¡¯t give anyone a chance to react or fight back.


    It¡¯s gotta be our main team technique, then. And my flying plank.


    I¡¯ve got Lammy. Skrili¡¯s got Zayza.


    In and out in a second.


    He didn¡¯t need to vocalize any of it: he could see Skrili had reached the same decision through her subtle expression.


    ¡°We got this,¡± Deon tried to convince himself just as much as her, reaching up to grab Skrili¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Though the timing¡¯s gonna have to be completely¡ª¡±


    ¡°The conspirer known as Lammy: we find you guilty of assisting in the escape of former Princess Zayza, of conspiracy to overthrow the Royalty, of conspiracy to murder Queen Layla, and of terrorism against the Kingdom of Azvaylen.¡±


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s eyes widened equally as the charges reverberated against the wall.


    They couldn¡¯t prepare any further. It was already time.


    As the Queen¡¯s voice was pouring out the convictions, Deon and Skrili hopped back onto imagined wooden planks and ascended up the wall once again.


    ¡°On account of the severity of your atrocities, we have decided not to grant either of you moments for final words.¡±


    Deon cursed. If he hadn¡¯t wasted time almost ruining their chance and forcing Skrili to quell his rage, they would have had more of an opportunity to ready and aim the attack. Now, they were on their heels.


    But he couldn¡¯t focus on that. Everything had to go perfectly.


    This was about to be a split-second attempt.


    Deon began picturing the necessary objects in his mind: the springs, the planks, the pillows¡­He tried remembering the layout of the execution, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to position everything with precision¡ªnot until the moment he could lay eyes on it again.


    Wait a second¡­NO!


    He reviewed his memory again. He was almost certain:


    This wouldn¡¯t work.


    ¡°Now I, as Queen of Azvaylen, order the execution of former princess Zayza and Lammy.


    Kill them.¡±


    Deon and Skrili rose from behind the wall. In the single second he had to aim, Deon knew he was probably right:


    They planned it wrong. This wouldn¡¯t work.


    It was too late to shout the necessary adjustment to Skrili.


    They both heard the ropes snap.


    ~~~


    Zayza¡¯s restrained cry was the last sound Lammy heard before the pressure around his wrists vanished.


    His gut crawled upward, and they freefell to the spikes.


    Slamming his eyes shut, Lammy found unexpected respite in his final contemplation:


    I know he tried. We both did.


    The spikes didn¡¯t feel quite like the piercing he¡¯d dreaded. Instead of sharpness, it was a blunt, pounding sensation. He¡¯d felt as if he¡¯d totally changed directions.


    Wait¡­I did.


    It happened again. The inertia pulled him forward. But this time, even the pain he could only compare to crashing into someone was absent. This time, it felt as if they¡¯d merely bounced against a mattress.


    Why are we¡­


    Why¡­are WE??


    A presence was with him.


    It was wrapped around him.


    A person.


    A person was squeezing onto him so much he couldn¡¯t move or see.


    Wind blew through his hair.


    It blew through theirs, too. This person¡¯s hair brushed against his face.


    Are we flying?


    No¡­


    They¡¯d ricocheted off of multiple more soft surfaces, which all seemed to propel them further.


    Were they going up or down?


    A softness greeted and enveloped Lammy¡¯s back, and the person landed on top of him. He finally remembered what stillness felt like.


    Lammy tried opening his eyes once more, only to find dark fabric covering his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re okay, you¡¯re safe with me¡­¡±


    The person finally released their tight clutch and climbed up from him.


    Considering the words she¡¯d just uttered to him repeatedly, she appeared surprisingly upset. Tears trickled down her cheeks and dampened parts of her midnight blue bangs.


    Lammy sat up slowly, struggling to balance¡ªthey were atop some sort of gigantic pillow. Checking his arms and legs, he found she was right: he was okay.


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    But for some reason, her tears continued. And her eyes stayed totally fixated on him.


    Maybe she¡¯s not convinced? wondered Lammy. Or is something else wrong?


    Scrambling, he resolved to try consoling her. ¡°Uh¡ªum¡­You don¡¯t have to cry anymore. It¡¯s alright¡­¡±


    The young woman fell forward and embraced him once again, crying even harder.


    Crap¡­that actually made it worse.


    He opted to hug her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re okay, Lammy.¡±


    When she released, the warmth of her smile turned Lammy into the one who needed to fight back his own tears of relief. Everything welled up at once.


    Then he blinked.


    She knows me?


    Finally coming to the rest of his senses, it clicked. Though she hadn¡¯t appeared nearly as expressive the few times he¡¯d watched her at Gloat Center, there was no questioning it.


    Obviously she¡¯d know who he was.


    ¡°Hey¡­you¡¯re Deon¡¯s girlfriend!¡± Lammy exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re Skrili!¡±


    For some reason, her eyes darted around for a moment. She shrugged.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Skrili leaned closer and helped Lammy make his way towards the corner of the giant pillow. Together they stepped off of it onto the grass. But even as they stood and Lammy gathered himself, Skrili didn¡¯t release his hand from hers.


    She held on unyieldingly, as if he might float away at any moment.


    Finally, Lammy¡¯s mind had stopped racing enough to pause and observe exactly where they¡¯d landed. Flower displays and statues were spaced out artfully all around them, and nobody was in sight.


    The increasing roar of a crowd finally caught his attention. He and Skrili turned to find the long wall at the opposite end of this garden, dulling the outrage: the courtyard was on the other side.


    ¡°He managed to get us out of there, and even estimated where we¡¯d land without being able to see it,¡± Skrili learned.


    Lammy¡¯s heart leaped. ¡°Deon sent you, then?¡±


    ¡°It was our team technique,¡± she clarified. ¡°But¡­I was convinced he¡¯d try to catch you himself, while I went for Zayza. He must have found something wrong and made a last-second change.¡±


    She squeezed his hand a bit tighter.


    ¡°He decided he trusted me with your life.¡±


    Whoa¡­Deon? Strategizing on his own? pondered Lammy. Clearly, he¡¯d grown quite a bit spending all these months with pros like Skrili.


    But she searched around, each turn of her head only growing more anxious.


    Lammy almost didn¡¯t even want to ask.


    ¡°Then¡­where are they?¡±


    ~~~


    Moments before¡­


    The snapping ropes were the only indicator Deon had to go off of. Altering Skrili¡¯s planned course at the last second, he launched his creations into existence.


    Two seconds.


    At the height they¡¯d just begun falling, that was the most time he guessed he and Skrili had to get there.


    He heard his teammate bounce against the first pad and zip into action. Simultaneously, he landed atop a new, wider wooden plank and used his mind to propel it forward.


    Deon darted through the air at a slight curve and incline, cursing in his head all the way.


    This better work.


    He had no doubt that, as long as he aimed his bouncing pads for Skrili correctly, she would catch Lammy. He knew he could count on her¡ªeven when he didn¡¯t communicate the abrupt change in plan.


    The real question was his own speed and precision.


    If there was anything new his sparring with Skrili, his fights with Pang, and especially their training with Skip taught to him over the course of his time in the Multiverse, it was how to recognize his own weaknesses.


    And today, he picked up on it.


    In that split moment he laid eyes on the courtyard, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to fly to Lammy in time on his floating plank¡ªhe hadn¡¯t focused enough practice into the amount of speed he would need from this distance. And his bouncing pads were designed only for Skrili¡¯s anatomy. He hadn¡¯t even begun designing a version safe enough to attempt on himself.


    Only their team technique had a shot at bouncing Skrili to Lammy in time.


    Zayza, however, was falling closer to them. If he was saving anyone right now, it would have to be her.


    But am I fast enough?


    He¡¯d propelled many an imagined object forward. But he¡¯d only begun floating on top of them in Legend Training.


    The only answer was to keep plowing forward.


    I swear, if they kill this girl¡­


    His eyes ignited, and he ignored everything around himself¡ªthe hundreds of spectators, the castle, the guards¡ªnothing else mattered as he focused in on the falling, wide-eyed girl.


    He burst faster.


    But then, in a brief glance, one more person caught his hyper-focused eyes¡ªmaybe because of his immediate familiarity.


    Up on the balcony he was fast approaching, Phillip and another man stood erect at sword point.


    It felt like a suspended moment, but it must have been a blink. Praying his currently-heightened power would provide the strength, he took a chance and imagined two hands to shove the guards back.


    He could only begin to see Phillip spring into action before he had to refocus.


    Deon was close¡ªbut Zayza was nearing the spikes.


    All he could hear was her scream increase.


    COME ON! COME ON!!!


    He reached out.


    Colliding with her in the air, Deon immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed with everything. His heart skipped as he fought to correct his balance and keep the plank from descending from the weight.


    He felt its very bottom scrape the spikes.


    But then, recovering, he sped forward.


    What had felt like an infinite moment immediately shifted. With Zayza now in his grasp, time accelerated.


    Deon remembered the route he¡¯d planned for Skrili, so he swerved to avoid any potential impact. He observed the sea of wide eyes before him as he made a soaring break for the opposite courtyard wall.


    Phillip returned to his mind, but there was no time to look back yet: he had to trust the Illusionist¡¯s instincts.


    All at once, Zayza let out a long gasp. She pressed against him, holding on for dear life with her eyes slammed shut. She tried to gain her footing on the plank with him, but slipped and rocked to the side.


    ¡°Whoa! Hold on!¡± Deon cried.


    They narrowly cleared the courtyard wall, but his balance had finally been knocked loose. Struggling to stay atop the plank would probably lead to a crash.


    Instead, Deon de-imagined the plank. Holding tight to the concessions-lady-princess, he fell with her towards the grass below.


    ¡°I got you!¡±


    He felt his anger-fueled power fading. But by now, Skrili¡¯s attempt would have run its course. He deemed it safe to risk imagining one more object: a pillow on the ground beneath them.


    Zayza almost began another scream, but it turned into a startled grunt instead: they sunk into the pillow and came to a stop.


    Deon could feel her whole body shaking. But her frantic gasps began easing up.


    He helped the princess sit up gradually. She rocked backwards for a second, seemingly in a daze, but managed to catch herself.


    ¡°Hey, you okay? Are you hurt?¡±


    Zayza blinked several times until her eyes finally focused on him. ¡°Deon,¡± she breathed.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Deon laughed, offering his hand. ¡°Here. Can you stand?¡±


    Deon escorted her towards the edge of the cushion. Zayza¡¯s composure seemed to recover as the paleness in her face subsided.


    ¡°He never stopped believing you would reach us,¡± she shared.


    Even in such an urgent setting, her voice was just as calming as he¡¯d remembered from back in Gloat Stadium.


    ¡°We bet everything on that belief, and now: here you are,¡± she added as they set foot on the grass. ¡°Deon, Lammy was right about you¡ªand knowing him, I cannot say I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    Deon¡¯s smile beamed, but Zayza didn¡¯t notice. Her gaze began darting around with the same urgency as an older sibling.


    ¡°Where¡­?¡± she started.


    Looking around as well, Deon found they¡¯d landed in the opposite garden to the courtyard, just as he¡¯d hoped. But they were near its end: the stone road began only steps away, just past a row of trees.


    He turned around and peered farther into the garden.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; he¡¯s with my teammate,¡± Deon promised, her protective panic only warming his heart further. ¡°Come on¡ªthey should have landed this way. Stay close!¡±


    Zayza nodded. Linking arms, they hurried across the decorated garden. Deon imagined the pillow away, along with every other object from their strategy. But the uproar and confusion just on the other side of the courtyard wall continued billowing¡ªclearly, Lammy and Zayza weren¡¯t out of danger yet.


    His heart pounded¡ªevery additional second he was away from Lammy meant all of their efforts could still fall apart.


    He tried tracing back Lammy and Skrili¡¯s location based on the landing he¡¯d mapped out for them moments ago. But since it was out of his view at the time, he hadn¡¯t been able to see where he¡¯d actually positioned their pillow¡ªhe¡¯d only aimed it using the angle of his final bouncing pad. Visuals proved nearly useless, now.


    But then, ironically, his guidance came in the form of the enemy.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Two Azvaylen guards emerged from behind a statue, but their backs were turned: they were charging away at an angle, after someone else.


    Deon felt weightless.


    ¡°Ha. Thanks.¡±


    Zayza slowed for a moment, but Deon kept her running. There was no need to worry.


    He imagined two rocks, which swooped from the sky and nailed both guards on the helmet. Rushing past them as they fell, he followed their intended path with his eyes.


    The world stopped just beyond a few more bushes.


    There, hand in hand, stood his two favorite people in the entire Multiverse.


    ¡°DEON!!¡±


    Lammy¡¯s voice sang through his head. There was no hill between them to scale this time. There was no shadowy figure creeping up from behind to take him away again.


    He was right there. Steps in front of him.


    ¡°LAMMY!!¡±


    The cousins released from Zayza and Skrili and darted forward. They practically tumbled into an embrace.


    At last, everything was right.


    ¡°Lammy¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, Deon.¡±


    ¡°Lammy¡ªwhat the heck are you doing way out here?!¡± Deon bellowed.


    His sudden bewilderment froze Lammy¡¯s welling tears. At first, he wasn¡¯t quite sure what he meant: wasn¡¯t Deon the one who set it up for them to land here?


    Oh¡ªlike, why am I out HERE¡­he realized. Like, the Multiverse¡­


    ¡°Uh¡­I tripped,¡± Lammy said. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Deon¡¯s booming laughter reverberated against him, so he couldn¡¯t help but join in. This was the sound he¡¯d yearned for since the moment he toppled into No Man¡¯s Land.


    Besides, that single misstep had somehow led to evading powerful hunters, traversing magical lands, and standing up against a corrupted kingdom, all before Deon found him again.


    Upon reflection, it was pretty ridiculous.


    Just past them, Deon noticed Skrili approach Zayza both softly and swiftly.


    ¡°Skrili Kay,¡± came Zayza¡¯s warm greeting.


    Skrili nodded. ¡°Princess. I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t have a lot of time. We¡¯ll need to find the others and get you all out of here as fast as possible.¡±


    Deon and Lammy released each other and faced their companions.


    ¡°Right¡ªwe still don¡¯t know if Pang¡¯s here, too,¡± Deon remembered.


    Lammy and Zayza caught each other¡¯s sorrowful eyes.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not¡­¡± Lammy revealed. ¡°Phillip told us Proscious took her somewhere completely different. He found out when he defeated Irma.¡±


    Deon noticed Skrili¡¯s eyebrows furrow just the slightest. He could see her mind racing even before she met his stare.


    This isn¡¯t over yet, he knew. Not until we save her, too.


    ¡°For now¡­let¡¯s regroup with the rest,¡± Skrili decided, her tone a bit hollow. ¡°And let¡¯s get you two far away from here.¡±


    But as Deon and Skrili began leading the way, Lammy and Zayza stayed put.


    ¡°Wait¡ªI can¡¯t leave yet,¡± Lammy pressed.


    Deon spun back around. ¡°Why? We kinda need to make this fast.¡±


    ¡°I have to help save Layla. She¡¯s counting on us,¡± his cousin insisted.


    ¡°The Queen?¡± Skrili recalled. ¡°She¡¯s alive?¡±


    ¡°Proscious took her to the Dreamer Chamber to steal her powers, but the process will kill her,¡± Zayza explained. ¡°If we hurry, we might make it in time.¡±


    Her normally gentle composure hardened.


    ¡°I must stop Wei.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a team. I¡¯m gonna help,¡± Lammy said immediately.


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but hesitate to behold his cousin¡¯s sudden bravery. Without even a blink, little Lammy was ready to run over and challenge Wei¡ªof all people¡ªto a fight?


    Where did this come from?


    The princess was almost the same: her confidence appeared out of place. Had she not seen Wei¡¯s strength? What did she plan to do?


    Deon and Skrili wordlessly reached a joint conclusion. They nodded to each other.


    ¡°Show us the way,¡± Deon requested.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take him on,¡± added Skrili.


    Before they could plan any further or begin their pursuit, a metallic stampede resounded from the front of the garden.


    The four consciousnesses turned to find a river of soldiers darting their way: they¡¯d finally pushed past the confused crowd of citizens to begin their chase.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes narrowed. At the front stood the commander who had seized them in the tower.


    ¡°A TRICK! A TRICK! SEIZE THEM!!¡± he roared.


    A blue arrow zipped through the air. Skrili sidestepped it with ease as it sank before her toes.


    Deon pounced into action, imagining four planks of wood before each of them.


    ¡°Come on! he directed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to balance, so be careful!¡±


    He cursed himself for not mastering an approach that could fly them away more securely. But this would have to do.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± stammered Lammy. ¡°N¡ªno offense, but I might have a better idea¡­¡±


    Deon¡¯s mouth dropped as his young cousin¡¯s eyes burst bright.


    ¡°Loozooloozeux!¡± he cried.


    ¡°Loo¡ªhuh?!¡±


    The air before them filled with rainbow colors, which took the form of fur, and finally, morphed into a dragon.


    Loozooloozeux flapped its magnificently strange wings and touched down onto the grass in wait.


    While Deon¡¯s mouth dropped even wider, Skrili probed towards him expressionlessly.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your furry dragon?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°What¡ªsomething like this is super complex! It¡¯s not that easy to¡ªto¡ªLammy, what the heck did I miss since I left?!?!¡±


    ¡°A lot! Hurry!¡± Lammy cried. He and Zayza were already nearing Loozooloozeux¡¯s saddle, and Skrili raced behind them.


    Steadying his spinning mind, Deon leaped and joined the others. He secured his grip around Skrili just in time before the dragon took to the air, narrowly evading another blue arrow.


    To his relief, Lammy¡¯s imaginary dragon ascended at a much less nauseating speed than the real deal. The courtyard, increasing troops, and scores of bewildered citizens shrank behind them while they gradually joined the Azvaylen sky.


    Deon only wished he could remain blissfully focused on his pride in Lammy¡¯s new ability. But their impending encounter kept his mind grounded, and his breath unsteady.


    Wei.


    ¡°I¡¯ll navigate us there,¡± Zayza said.


    ¡°Right,¡± muttered Lammy. His chest tightened, but he refused to let it slow his steering. ¡°Hold on, Layla¡­¡±


    Loozooloozeux raced across the wind, and the newly-united friends braced themselves for the worst.

 112. Pride and Terror

    Loozooloozeux swerved, orbiting past the castle¡¯s towers.


    ¡°Great, Lammy. Now continue this way,¡± guided Zayza, her long hair waving behind her.


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Deon found himself blinking hard, as if that would help this all finally make sense. His cousin¡¯s composure and, much more notably, his apparent mastery of imagining were completely opposite to when they had last spoken in Tailpiece.


    While it felt like forever, it hadn¡¯t really been that long.


    Loozooloozeux took a slightly sharper turn, and Deon caught a glimpse of Lammy¡¯s glowing eyes. They were just like his.


    ¡°So you, too,¡± Deon realized. ¡°Hey Lammy, when did this become a thing?¡±


    Lammy smiled shyly. ¡°Well¡­it only kicks in when I get really stressed. It started when Zayza and I were running away from the people hunting us. All the sudden¡­I can imagine without trying sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Same here. But¡­it only happens when I¡¯m pissed,¡± Deon shared.


    Lammy spun his head back to see him. ¡°You have it, too?!¡± he exclaimed, his face lighting up. ¡°I knew it: you are you, after all. So then, your mind can enter the Dream World, too?!¡±


    Enter the¡ªwait what?! wondered Deon. He has even more powers than me?!


    ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t think so,¡± he replied, burying his shock. He sucked air into his chest. ¡°And I don¡¯t know about the whole dragon thing, but I can make a mean giant squirrel monster!¡±


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s cool too, Deon.¡±


    Deon deflated behind Skrili. Somehow, his cousin¡¯s forced encouragement only squashed his ego further.


    ¡°Interesting¡­so we both awakened heightened powers triggered by emotions¡­¡± pondered Lammy. ¡°Why? Mom and Aunt Meiv don¡¯t have these kinds of abilities¡­¡±


    ¡°Good question, bud¡­¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m glad you do have those powers,¡± Skrili said seriously. ¡°We¡¯ll need everything about them to face someone as strong as Wei.¡±


    She turned to meet Deon¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°That means yours, too.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but repel her stare, looking away towards the passing castle.


    I can¡¯t.


    All he could think of were the times he hurt Pang. And even moments ago, he drew from that power to push Skrili down and almost jeopardized their rescue. Lammy and Zayza would both be dead if he hadn¡¯t snapped out of it.


    I¡¯d put them all in danger. I¡¯ll have to come up with another way, he decided.


    By Skrili¡¯s lingering gaze, he could tell she wasn¡¯t buying whatever she saw going on in his head.


    ¡°We have another advantage, too: Wei doesn¡¯t expect all four of us,¡± Zayza shared after providing another direction. ¡°He intended the execution to be staged. Thanks to Phillip¡¯s illusions, they believe we¡¯re now back in the castle¡¯s dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, wait a sec¡ªso you guys went to be executed ON PURPOSE?!?!¡± Deon shouted.


    ¡°It was Lammy¡¯s plan. He believed you would rescue us,¡± Zayza revealed.


    Once again Lammy turned from his steering to face Deon, and a huge smile spread.


    ¡°And I was right,¡± he beamed. ¡°This was the only way we could move fast enough to save Layla too, so it needed to work. I knew I could count on you.¡±


    Deon mirrored his smile, his tension easing. Even with Lammy¡¯s new strength and courage, he clearly still saw Deon as the bigger cousin he could always call out to.


    It strengthened his resolve.


    ¡°Well even out here, it looks like your crazy strategies always work out,¡± Deon applauded. ¡°So what¡¯s the next move, coach?¡±


    ¡°Actually, this next phase was all Layla¡¯s idea,¡± Lammy admitted. ¡°We have to get to the Dreamer Chamber before sunset starts¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­And then I¡¯ll defeat Wei,¡± finished Zayza.


    Deon¡¯s eyebrows raised high.


    Is she serious?


    ¡°Alright, hold up,¡± he started cautiously. ¡°No offense, Zayza, but¡­I really don¡¯t think that will cut it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need everyone,¡± Skrili agreed quickly. ¡°We have to find Hiroko, Kotono, and Phillip.¡±


    This time, Zayza was the one to spin away from her task at hand, her eyes big as they met Skrili¡¯s.


    ¡°Then Kotono and Hiroko are alright?!¡± she pressed in a gasp.


    Deon felt his heart weigh him down.


    They were the last ones to fight Wei alone¡­he recalled. That last explosion¡­


    ¡°To be honest, we don¡¯t kn¡ª¡± he began.


    ¡°They are,¡± Skrili promised flatly. ¡°I know they¡¯re alive.¡±


    Deon fell silent. He didn¡¯t dare challenge her belief, even with the evidence to question it.


    Zayza refocused on their surroundings, centering on something ahead. ¡°But we¡¯re nearly there¡­¡± she noticed quietly. Then, she observed the tired daylight. ¡°And we haven¡¯t much time left.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to hope they find us,¡± Lammy figured reluctantly. He turned back to Deon and Skrili once more. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a long story, but when it hits sunset, Dreamer powers will work in the real world. But that¡¯s also when we think Wei will make his move.¡±


    He hesitated for a shallow sigh.


    ¡°¡­If we miss that moment, it¡¯ll be too late to save her. We have to try, Deon.¡±


    ¡°Layla¡­¡± Zayza muttered to herself.


    Deon wasn¡¯t about to try and understand the intricacies of Azvaylen phenomena, or of Proscious¡¯s method for snagging the small Queen¡¯s powers. But more than that¡ªhe wasn¡¯t about to challenge Lammy and Zayza¡¯s urgency to rescue someone dear to them. Not after he¡¯d just narrowly saved Lammy¡¯s life.


    When Zayza muttered her sister¡¯s name, he knew exactly how she felt.


    Skrili¡¯s muscles tensed against his wrapped arms.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go in. I¡¯ll give him everything I have,¡± she declared. ¡°We¡¯ll get your little sister out of there, Zayza.¡±


    Deon found Skrili¡¯s hand and squeezed it. She returned with even more strength. Somehow, the impossible power Wei had displayed days before didn¡¯t shake his mind right now. The intrusive thoughts of Skrili¡¯s mangled body in the aftermath didn¡¯t reappear for once.


    Perhaps it was the confidence and euphoria that they¡¯d overcome the vision from their training: they worked together to save Lammy and Zayza, and stood up against fate itself. Perhaps it was Lammy¡¯s presence, safe with them in this moment at last.


    Or perhaps, it was just adrenaline.


    ¡°We¡¯ll give everything right back to him, and worse,¡± Deon told his teammate.


    ¡°Y¡ªyeah,¡± Lammy stammered bravely. ¡°Deon, you better show me all the cool new techniques you learned with Skrili.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll reveal a few of our own¡­¡± Zayza chimed in, her voice unusually dark. She pointed over Lammy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There. That structure ahead by the sea.¡±


    Deon assumed Lammy wouldn¡¯t know where to look, as ¡®structure¡¯ seemed too vague of a description. But within an instant, he could tell where this Dreamer Chamber was.


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    For one, it was the sole building at the base of the flowery slopes behind the castle. It rested just before the shore of a wide-open sea, where the sun¡¯s glow was nearly touching the horizon.


    But even if several other structures had been built around it, Deon would have been able to distinguish it by its magnificence alone. The purple and white-bricked monument brought a stillness to the atmosphere, encased within its perfectly circular concrete fence. He didn¡¯t need Azvaylen knowledge to recognize they were descending upon a representation of the sacred.


    It was hard to believe something so perverse was taking place within its pearly walls.


    Lammy took in a deep, shaky breath, and let it out.


    So this is the Dreamer Chamber, he beheld.


    But its uncanny stillness came to a bone-shaking end: a muffled blast resounded from within the chamber, sending a heap of crumpled bricks diving into the sea.


    Lammy jolted, gripping Loozooloozeux¡¯s saddle harder.


    ¡°Hey¡­isn¡¯t that¡ª¡± Deon started from behind.


    ¡°Kotono!¡± Zayza and Skrili both exclaimed.


    Lammy tried searching for the dainty champion fighter, but her glitters were nowhere in sight. He quickly caught on: his companions recognized her by the nature of the explosion alone.


    She was inside the Dreamer Chamber.


    ¡°Then they¡¯re here!¡± Zayza learned. ¡°It¡¯s already begun! Hurry!¡±


    Upon Lammy¡¯s command, Loozooloozeux began swooping down towards the ground before the Chamber, his heart racing and eyes brightening even more.


    Here we go¡­his mind stormed.


    ¡°Look!¡±


    Zayza had been the first to notice: all along the outer wall, guards lay motionless.


    A blue flash suddenly flickered before the narrow entrance. In its place appeared a familiar shadowy figure: Phillip.


    At first, Lammy assumed Phillip had been the one to take out the surrounding guards. But he glanced around at the scene with just as much bafflement as them, until peering up to find Loozooloozeux lowering close.


    ¡°Ha. Knew he¡¯d slither his way outta that balcony,¡± Deon said, relief cutting through his confidence.


    The rainbow dragon touched down smoothly, and Lammy felt the others already racing out of its saddle. He imagined Loozooloozeux away once they set foot and touched down beside them.


    Phillip jogged up to his allies, his eyes mostly hidden behind dark bangs. He held a small, clear blue crystal.


    ¡°What, so you teleport now?¡± wondered Deon.


    ¡°Fewpar¡ªan ally of ours¡ªsent me here with this,¡± Phillip explained hurriedly. His focus turned to Zayza and Lammy. ¡°We were trying to break away and get here, and he stole it off a commander I took down. But we let our guards down and got ambushed. He activated it, handed it to me while he fended them off¡­and now¡­I¡¯m here alone.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s head dropped.


    ¡°Fewpar¡­¡± uttered Zayza.


    To Lammy¡¯s surprise, Phillip planted his hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°But your plan was still a success. Deon and Skrili, excellent work,¡± he rumbled. ¡°Fewpar counted on us to finish this. Now, it¡¯s time for Layla¡¯s strategy.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s too soon,¡± Zayza cautioned, eyeing the sky. ¡°And the fight has already started¡­¡±


    Another explosion from within the Chamber shook the ground. Zayza had to catch herself on Phillip.


    ¡°Kotono?¡± he recognized from the blast.


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t get this whole ¡®make Zayza fight him¡¯ thing,¡± Deon said, ¡°but we have to get in there now!¡±


    Skrili was the first to move, leading the way.


    ¡°They need us.¡±


    Deon reached her side and met her speed, darting towards the thin entrance.


    ¡°Lammy, stay behind us at the back! Alright?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even need to suggest it: Phillip followed next, and Lammy trailed behind Zayza. She kept a wary hand on his shoulder as the group charged forward.


    The opening in the outer concrete wall was slim, barely wide enough to fit two people at a time. They passed through and entered the brief open space before the Chamber building itself.


    Lammy took a quick glance around. Every blade of grass was an unnatural shade of either white or purple at the tip. Chrome statues of symbols he didn¡¯t understand stood before each corner.


    Wait¡­is this still the real world?


    It has to be¡­everyone¡¯s still here in front of me¡­


    But somehow, he could recognize it: the pure air, the uncanny sunlight¡­


    This wasn¡¯t the Dream World. But it was certainly beginning to feel like it.


    The lustrous bricks reflected the five consciousnesses as they powered forward. One by one, Lammy watched his friends disappear under the shade of the perfectly square entrance.


    Then with Zayza, it was his turn.


    Another blast reverberated all over the dim hallway. Lammy winced.


    ¡°You stalked me all the way here, huh? You didn¡¯t learn?¡± challenged an only slightly-bothered voice. ¡°And here I assumed you¡¯d actually care to save that third piece of your little trio from execution.¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and die.¡±


    Hiroko.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who crashed my private meeting, you know. And it doesn¡¯t help anything¡ªnow you¡¯ll die next, like the pesky little Queen, and I¡¯ll still get what I want.¡±


    Lammy almost tripped.


    Are we¡­


    Breathless, Zayza sped up in desperation.


    We¡¯re too late?!!


    ¡°WEI!!!!!!¡± Deon roared.


    His voice alone rivaled Kotono¡¯s explosion.


    The hallway had felt eternal listening blindly to Wei and Hiroko¡¯s voices, but at last, it opened up. Deon, Skrili, and Phillip slid to a stop at the beginning of the room.


    Lammy and Zayza reached them promptly. But Deon stretched his hand back to halt them, maintaining his attention at what lay ahead. They stopped behind the fighters and beheld the atrocities within.


    He was certain the Chamber had once been beautiful and serene, before the massive wires covering much of the floor, the cold machinery, and the subtle bitter odor. The device-ridden walls were pale against the artificial lighting, leaving only the arching window at the back untouched.


    The Great Window, Lammy remembered. That¡¯s what signals the start of Dreamwake¡­


    Its extravagant glass only welcomed a hint of indirect light from outside¡ªthe sun¡¯s setting rays weren¡¯t yet shining through.


    There was still time.


    For now, the artificial lighting dominated. But though it was lifeless, it painted the hallowed room with an excess of clarity. Lammy could see every corner.


    He could see all the tears and frays in Hiroko¡¯s clothing, and the gashes within them.


    The champion floated in the air only paces ahead, side-by-side with the unblemished Kotono. And though Hiroko¡¯s several wounds proved their unsuccessful efforts thus far, they still failed to diminish the team¡¯s glory.


    To Lammy¡¯s surprise, they both glowed with Kotono¡¯s energy, which flickered rapidly between blue and red. They faced their target with equal splendor as any of the opponents they fought in the Conscious Competition.


    ¡­No: with more.


    The man Lammy had to assume was Wei stood on thin air across the room, hands in pockets. With his head cocked back a bit, his nonchalance matched Zayza¡¯s recollection back in the dungeon.


    Evenly between the combatants rested a dark square platform: the destination for the heaps of heavy cables. And unmoving, totally unfazed by¡ªor perhaps, oblivious to the ongoing violence, stood Aoi.


    Her cloak waved in the warm wind shooting from Kotono and Hiroko¡¯s energy, but her hidden eyes didn¡¯t even glance their way.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaand, great. Now the whole fan club is here. Because why not?¡± came Wei¡¯s perturbed acknowledgement. ¡°I swear, those Azvaylen soldiers can¡¯t comprehend the simplest orders. Not to be mean¡ªlike, that¡¯s a pretty fair criticism, right? That¡¯s fair game?¡±


    He seemed to be speaking to Aoi, who did nothing more than lethargically look his way as if she just noticed he was there.


    ¡°I mean really¡ªI told them to use you, didn¡¯t I?¡± he continued.


    Nothing.


    ¡°Well again¡ªit just comes back to understanding instructions, like I said. Obviously they didn¡¯t use you right, because now the entourage is here,¡± Wei shared with her. ¡°I feel like that¡¯s on them, I really do.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s stomach twisted. This man was responsible for the torture and death of Zayza¡¯s loved ones, and he had the audacity to feel slightly inconvenienced by their resistance?


    Did he really think his aims transcended human life? That Proscious¡¯ mission justified death for the innocent?


    The thought turned Lammy pale:


    Layla.


    As he tried searching around the Chamber, he knew Wei¡¯s disregard had found another prey:


    He couldn¡¯t find Layla.


    He couldn¡¯t breathe.


    They were too late.


    ¡°Sister! Noble Lammy!¡±


    Her young voice broke through tears of pride and terror.


    Lammy whirled around almost in sync with Zayza: the Queen stood far in the back corner, a crowded ensemble of pipes and wires from the wall all angled at her head. Her hands pressed and pounded against an invisible surface in the air.


    The wave of relief dropped Lammy to his knees. His eyes locked with Layla¡¯s.


    To his bafflement, she smiled through her tears¡ªa smile she hadn¡¯t shown him before, yet he¡¯d seen countless times on her sister.


    ¡°Magnificent, Noble Lammy. Your plan was magnificent.¡±


    Zayza brushed passed him in a dash towards the Queen. But a seemingly automatic sensation slowed her run and tossed her backwards off her feet. She crashed beside Lammy, rolling to a recovery.


    ¡°Nope,¡± denied Wei.


    ¡°Zayza!¡± shot Hiroko¡¯s sandy voice.


    Her head and Kotono¡¯s only slightly turned back, but not nearly enough to look at their friends¡ªeven despite all this time apart from their dearest friend.


    They¡¯re not letting Wei leave their line of vision, Lammy identified. Then he really is that dangerous¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to do anything,¡± Hiroko continued, her tone harder than she likely wished it needed to be. ¡°Not yet¡­¡±


    That last part sparked Lammy¡¯s mind. If he was reading her right, she¡¯d spoken with concealed intentionality.


    Is she familiar with Dreamwake, then?


    It was possible: her best friend was perhaps the most powerful Dreamer.


    Then¡­did she figure out Layla¡¯s idea?


    Unable to restrain herself any longer, Kotono finally turned to behold Zayza. Lammy only got a glimpse of her longing eyes before they pressed shut in a flinch.


    A zap just before her triggered a burst of red energy, which lunged her backwards towards the group. Hiroko winced as the energy around her glinted red in the same moment. She flew back after Kotono, her eyes still glued to Wei.


    They both stopped in the air, now within arm¡¯s reach of Deon, Skrili, and Phillip. Thankfully, Kotono still appeared untouched: it seemed her powers automatically deflected whatever powers Wei had used to attack her.


    ¡°Hey! Cheap shot, much?!¡± Deon barked.


    ¡°I thought you came here for Round Two, Ms. Inoue,¡± Wei cooed. ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted, now.¡±


    Skrili grit her teeth. ¡°We¡¯re here, guys. All of us,¡± she whispered to her seniors.


    ¡°Just as we planned. Benton and Irma are down,¡± Phillip added lowly.


    Still facing Wei, Hiroko rolled her shoulders ominously slow.


    ¡°Cool. Kotono: you can disengage Emotional Support,¡± she instructed.


    Something about her quiet collectedness gave Lammy a shiver.


    ¡°Y¡ªyou got it, Hiroko.¡±


    The light energy around Hiroko departed from her. She touched onto the floor neatly as it became one with Kotono¡¯s rays.


    ¡°Hey guys, Zayza and Lammy have been putting up with this little pest for quite a while now, huh?¡± Hiroko uttered. ¡°Let¡¯s cut them a break and exterminate it for them¡­the way we said we would.¡±


    With their backs to Lammy, Zayza, and Layla, the five consciousness pros took on a joint stance.


    Deon turned back to catch Lammy¡¯s eye with a mischievous grin¡ªthe same one he¡¯d often give back in Tailpiece¡­


    ¡­Whenever he had a secret new fighting move to show off.


    And when his grin opened up, he snarled the same exact words he would say back then:


    ¡°Hey Lammy¡ªcheck this one out.¡±

 113. Chasing the Sacred

    Wei still didn¡¯t remove his hands from his pockets, suspended in the air at the back of the Chamber.


    If anything, he appeared more bored than before.


    ¡°Incoming,¡± Hiroko warned.


    Kotono waved her arm immediately, sending a mist of red in front of the five fighters. A million sparks ignited against it. Her energy brightening, she kept the translucent wall in place.


    ¡°Nice, Kotono!¡± Deon shouted. ¡°Little particles or something, huh? So that¡¯s how he trapped us back in the courtyard!¡±


    Hiroko read that attack?! I didn¡¯t even see anything! Lammy marveled. Right¡­she¡¯s a Predictor¡­her powers must be starting to pick up on his patterns!


    While the last few bursts crackled, Hiroko neared Phillip and whispered into his ear. The Illusionist nodded once.


    At first, Lammy almost couldn¡¯t stop himself from jumping forward to join, or trying to imagine anything remotely helpful. But with the amount of cohesion unfolding between them already, it was clear:


    They had something very specific, very precise, in store for Wei.


    Finally, their enemy stirred. He abruptly removed his hands from his pockets and crossed them instead. Life had returned to him.


    ¡°Okay. Alright, I¡¯m a little intrigued,¡± he said, a smile spreading. ¡°All five of your potentials stacked up against mine? I¡¯m interested in how this plays out. What did you think up for me?¡±


    Without a word spoken between them, the group shifted: Deon and Kotono stepped forward, Skrili and Hiroko lined up behind them, and at the back remained Phillip.


    ¡°Retribution,¡± Phillip muttered.


    Deon imagined a plank before his feet and hopped onto it. He ascended high in perfect synchronization with Kotono, both of them nearly reaching the ceiling at opposite walls.


    Skrili and Hiroko crouched low into identical stances, ready to pounce forward.


    Then came a chorus of low whispers.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes widened: just as the group¡¯s swift motions were unfolding, a dark, foggy presence began fading into existence between all of them. Its gloominess was somehow signature¡ªquickly, Lammy knew where to look for its source:


    Phillip concentrated on his four allies as he summoned his new illusion.


    The fog, in several shades from black to gray, stretched out four separate, wavy limbs. Lammy couldn¡¯t help but grimace as they each reached for Deon, Skrili, Kotono, and Hiroko. The gray enveloped them, whispering all the while.


    Lammy assumed the transformation was complete, until another billow of fog puffed forward. From it morphed a giant, pale face.


    Immediately, Lammy understood exactly what Phillip thought of Wei¡ªand all of Proscious. He could now see what Pang¡¯s kidnapping had done to his mind.


    The eyes were nothing more than voids: round, pitch-black holes, their wrinkles of smoke underneath heavy and sleepless. With this ghoul¡¯s dominating stare on Wei, it formed a crooked frown of either sorrow, or quiet, insatiable blood thirst.


    Either way, it was clear: those empty eyes longed to see Wei in pieces.


    But while this being was haunting, Lammy couldn¡¯t pinpoint its function.


    What is this?


    Phillip clearly wasn¡¯t trying to hide the others in the fog¡ªLammy could still distinctly see each of them within it. Was he causing Wei to see something else?


    Their floating adversary didn¡¯t give off any new confusion or concern.


    ¡°Freaky,¡± Wei noted. ¡°But that¡¯s your big idea?¡±


    Another countless sparks flickered before the group, meeting the same end against Kotono¡¯s energy wall¡ªagain, her powers prevented another of Wei¡¯s sneak-attacks.


    Lammy brought his hand to his chin in contemplation.


    For someone supposedly so powerful, he¡¯s dishing out pretty minor attacks¡­he observed.


    He glanced around again at the machine-tainted Chamber.


    Is he trying to avoid destroying all that stuff?


    He felt Zayza grab his arm and pull him closer behind Phillip, their only line of defense before whatever was about to unfold.


    In that moment, the fighting quintet¡¯s pursuit initiated: the being¡¯s long, foggy legs began stepping forward. Right along with them, Skrili and Hiroko dashed. They remained within the ends of the clouds as if part of the limbs, themselves.


    And above, keeping within the arms, Deon and Kotono advanced forward just the same.


    As the ghostly face drew closer, Wei raised a single eyebrow.


    Are their movements controlling Phillip¡¯s monster? Lammy struggled to decipher. No¡­that wouldn¡¯t make sense¡­not with their power types.


    Then¡­what IS this??


    The body of fog drifted past the central platform of the Chamber where Aoi stood. She watched unmoving as it passed her by, and didn¡¯t turn to follow its charge.


    They closed in on Wei.


    Subtly, Hiroko waved a hand behind her back at Phillip.


    In response the monster¡¯s the left arm¡ªKotono¡¯s, shifted down as if in protection, and Kotono flew with it. Her red energy sparked again and she flicked another mist of light forward. Again, Wei¡¯s invisible particles flickered and failed against it. The beast powered ahead.


    Zayza rattled Lammy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Look!¡± she whispered.


    She pointed up to practically the ceiling: just as Kotono¡¯s energy fought off the particles, Deon¡¯s fog limb suddenly reached high above. He matched its position atop his flying plank.


    Then, the fog swung down violently towards Wei, and Deon with it¡ªbut only for a moment. He stopped in place, and following the rapid trail of fog, a human-sized squirrel flashed into existence.


    Fangs sharp and spread wide, it plowed into Wei¡¯s head full-force¡ªbut once its teeth made impact, they cracked and the squirrel vanished, leaving Wei unscathed.


    But it wasn¡¯t over: the left leg, Hiroko, had begun lifting up. Pouncing into the air, she pointed a perfect kick at Wei from below.


    Oddly, Lammy noticed the beast¡¯s right arm had continued swinging down past Wei, now close to Hiroko. Quickly, he realized that was intentional:


    One of Deon¡¯s planks of wood appeared into existence at the arm¡¯s end. Instead of finishing her kick, Hiroko repositioned and pushed off the plank back towards the floor.


    A diversion! Lammy¡¯s mind raced.


    The true attack came from the left arm: Kotono glistened gold. Barely any distance from Wei, she unleashed a blinding beam of energy from her hands.


    Lammy and Zayza ducked behind Phillip as the blast deafened them. Smoke shot out from the back corner of the Chamber.


    Finally, deeming it safe¡ªat least, within the realms of the circumstances¡ªLammy and Zayza peered out from behind Phillip¡¯s back.


    Deon, Kotono, Skrili, and Hiroko were close to them again: they¡¯d regrouped back to their initial position. Still, the fog enveloped them all.


    At the back corner, Wei appeared from the lingering smoke. He was pressed up against the wall, which now featured a series of cracks spanning to the floor and ceiling.


    A few bricks tumbled to the floor. While they did, Wei cracked his neck. His smile still present, and his black eyes still inquisitive, he walked calmly back into the air to the same spot he¡¯d started in.


    ¡°Aw, come on! What is this guy?!¡± Deon steamed.


    ¡°No¡ªthis is good,¡± Hiroko uttered. ¡°That was way more than Kotono and I had been able to pull off by ourselves.¡±


    She caught Phillip¡¯s eye, and the two nodded.


    Once more, Phillip¡¯s glum creation launched forward.


    This time, Lammy kept an even more analytical eye on the four consciousnesses as they moved within the foggy limbs. Unless he was overthinking it, their motions were less than an instant behind the fog.


    Finally, he caught on.


    He couldn¡¯t help but smile in appreciation.


    ¡°I was right: you¡¯re not following them with your illusion,¡± he uttered to Phillip. ¡°You¡¯re the one directing them.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­really?¡± wondered Zayza.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± came Phillip¡¯s low reply.


    Hiroko shot back another hand signal, this one slightly different.


    Phillip¡¯s monster curled its two arms in. On cue, Deon imagined two tall walls: one before himself and Skrili beneath him, and one behind. They followed his movements.


    Simultaneously, Kotono¡¯s energy spread out into a shield around herself and Hiroko.


    Both barriers arrived just in time: a flurry of blades appeared all around and began raining straight at them.


    ¡°Phillip¡¯s staying back to get a view of the entire fight, and deciding what the best offensive should be,¡± Lammy explained to Zayza. ¡°Then he¡¯s using the fog to guide all of their movements and call those attacks. And with Hiroko¡¯s Predictor powers, she can warn him if she thinks Wei is up to something. It¡¯s amazing¡­they¡¯re a five-person consciousness team!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± muttered Phillip. ¡°We¡¯re one single fighter.¡±


    The unit continued pushing forward despite Wei¡¯s ongoing counteroffensive.


    ¡°Hiroko and Skrili are the feet,¡± Phillip elaborated, ¡°Kotono and Deon are the fists¡­and I am the brain.¡±


    Pieces of Deon¡¯s walls began shattering from the onslaught. Blades pouring in, Skrili broke into a series of dodges while Deon tried reinforcing their defense.


    But the fog increased its speed, so the four fighters rushed faster.


    Defending with an attack¡­Lammy recognized.


    Phillip released a shallow sigh.


    This time, his creation¡¯s ghostly face stirred like a breeze in the dead of night. Its mouth opened wide, and tiny white pupils appeared in its eyes.


    It jerked close to Wei abruptly. With a wince, he started covering his ears.


    But while the face appeared to be screaming in some fashion, Lammy heard nothing new.


    A quick realization found Wei and he caught himself. He lowered his hands, though his wince remained.


    It¡¯s only in his head, and he knows it, Lammy identified. Phillip must be making him hear something.


    With this distraction, the rest of the team successfully closed in for the kill. Deon¡¯s walls vanished and Kotono¡¯s energy returned to her.


    A kick came first: the fog¡¯s long left leg rose high.


    But Lammy furrowed his eyebrows: again, his expectations were subverted.


    Instead of Hiroko jumping up within the left leg to attack, Skrili left the fog behind and moved in for a strike. Running up towards the wall, jumping, and then using the momentum to pounce off of it, she mirrored the left leg¡¯s trajectory.


    Seemingly disoriented from the silent scream¡ªor at the very least, highly perturbed by it¡ªWei grit his teeth and turned to block.


    But he turned towards the empty left leg.


    Skrili¡¯s kick met his side flawlessly. Wei barely moved from the impact, however, and as he turned back he summoned an unseen force that swatted Skrili out of the air.


    Phillip directed Deon¡¯s fog arm downward as if to catch her. But his instruction wasn¡¯t necessary: Deon had already aimed with wide eyes and desperately imagined a pillow on the floor. Skrili rolled into it and raced back to her feet.


    So that¡¯s the other function of this technique¡­Lammy analyzed quickly. Phillip can use the fog to make Wei see a different attack than what¡¯s actually happening!


    He instinctually reached for his pocket, until remembering his fighting strategy notebook was still far away in Tailpiece.


    Even as Skrili¡¯s safe landing was occurring, the rest of the offensive was still underway: before Wei could make another move, a blistering golden light demanded his attention from the left.


    Kotono aimed a scorching energy beam from within her fog limb, off in the corner.


    Stretching out his hand, Wei conjured an energy equally ferocious: a multicolored orb of infinite colors.


    The Chamber grew warm.


    ¡°Kotono!¡± Zayza gasped.


    Despite the overwhelming glow, Lammy couldn¡¯t look away. Both beams blasted forward and met in the center with an otherworldly zap. Kotono and Wei both held their places in the air as their attacks fought for dominance.


    ¡°Payback!¡± came Deon¡¯s shout.


    A series of squeals, equal in determination, backed up his proclamation: the right fog arm punched forward from the center, and within it soared several ravenous squirrel monsters.


    Locked in his faceoff with Kotono, Wei couldn¡¯t withdraw to defend himself¡ªeven if he¡¯d seen it coming.


    It turned out Kotono was just another diversion.


    The true attack slammed into Wei¡¯s stomach with each squirrel¡¯s arrow-fast headbutt. Perhaps due to channeling his powers at Kotono, this time, the squirrels rocked him backwards. But it wasn¡¯t until the final, much larger squirrel clumsily billowed into him that he let out a grunt and shot backwards.


    He crashed into the already-cracked wall in nearly the same place. As his energy beam disappeared, Kotono¡¯s raged forward and barely passed him by, exploding against the opposite corner of the Chamber. Lammy could hear bricks tumbling beyond the smoke.


    Wei grasped the wall he¡¯d just been lodged into.


    But it wasn¡¯t over.


    ¡°OH!¡± Lammy couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.


    Within all the commotion, the fog¡¯s left arm had repositioned to its most unnatural form yet: reaching through the monster¡¯s own face from behind.


    Kotono was within it, already in position before Deon¡¯s attack had even ended. Screaming, she soared straight through the empty void of the mouth, her golden hand stretched all the way back and ready to fire.


    From Wei¡¯s angle, Lammy knew it must have been a terrible sight.


    Kotono hurled her blast from almost point-blank distance.


    Zayza grasped Lammy and they both dove to the floor as the whole Chamber quaked. Hot wind surged past them, and they didn¡¯t dare move again until it stopped.


    The pale ceiling lights blinked once, then twice, and finally died altogether.


    Lammy finally climbed to his knees after there were no further sounds besides a few toppling bricks. The Chamber had gone dim and shadowy, but somehow Lammy could still see clearly.


    Under a natural light that cast long, tired shadows on everything in the room, the sacred space no longer felt lifeless. In fact, its bricks carried a hint of vibrancy behind the wires¡ªlikely a small taste of the beauty the Dreamers intended.


    Lammy quickly found the source of this natural illumination when he looked back to the fight.


    Much of the far wall was completely gone. The Great Window had narrowly survived the blasts, but everything just to the right of it was reduced to a gaping hole. Smoke lingered, rising from the blackened edges. Lammy could even see the outer wall past the Chamber had faced an identical end. Beyond it, the late sun¡¯s rays poured in, along with the hushed whispers from the shore.


    The damage even spread further: Lammy turned to find much of the right wall missing just the same, and above that area, the ceiling was slowly raining bricks.


    Thankfully, no other section showed signs of deterioration. For now, they were safe from total collapse.


    ¡°Kotono¡­everyone¡­excellent,¡± Zayza muttered.


    But Lammy knew her friends couldn¡¯t hear: the four fighters had disappeared beyond the new opening, likely to continue their pursuit.


    ¡°Well¡­we were due for renovation, anyway¡­¡± came Layla¡¯s justification from the corner.


    Lammy hid a quick chuckle. Though they couldn¡¯t see the other fighters anymore, his heart filled: it was really happening. They were saving Layla.


    Their days of running, hiding, and fighting were almost over. This nightmare was about to end. And somehow, even when tangled up in a darkness he never would have fathomed before, one consistency remained intact across realities:


    Deon had his back.


    ¡°They can really do it¡­¡± he practically whispered, as if saying it too loud would undo everything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down,¡± Phillip warned.


    He¡¯d held his position, standing before them with his eyes unyieldingly on the other end of the Chamber. He stretched his fingers before curling them into fists.


    At first Lammy wondered why Phillip hadn¡¯t advanced forward to join the others¡ªif he couldn¡¯t see them, their technique couldn¡¯t function. But he played it out in his head: if Phillip left, Lammy would become the only line of the defense left for Zayza.


    He¡¯s protecting us.


    Zayza stood and helped Lammy to his feet. Their eager gazes fell back to the opening where the sun shined through.


    Even up on the central platform, Aoi turned to observe.


    All any of them could do was wait.


    ~


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    Deon waved off the lingering smoke around his face. Lowering towards the rubble, he hovered atop his plank closer to where Skrili stood just outside the Chamber, her fight stance ready.


    Their stares didn¡¯t avert from their enemy, even to blink.


    ¡°Nice,¡± Wei said again. ¡°You guys are fun.¡±


    He sat up laboriously from the sand, his head just before the start of the wide shoreline. Deon almost couldn¡¯t see his face with the glare from the sun against the calm waves behind him.


    Its beauty painted Wei like a dark smear on a painting¡ªa shadow without a reason.


    ¡°Well you wanted to be able to test your limits,¡± Hiroko shot.


    Across from Deon, she and Kotono inched closer, their feet reaching the start of the beach. Deon and Skrili matched their motion, cornering Wei against the ocean.


    ¡°So this is what you get,¡± the champion finished.


    Kotono nodded, golden energy igniting around her body.


    Wei paused to glance at each one of them. Deon tensed when his black eyes lingered on him, but then they returned to Hiroko.


    ¡°Surround yourself with incredible power potentials, talk big, and everyone thinks you¡¯re the leader¡­¡± Wei scoffed lowly. ¡°That¡¯s not how it should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who cares? Your ideals won¡¯t matter if you¡¯re dead,¡± she interrupted.


    Wei shrugged, dusting off the now tattered front of his shirt. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­now that we¡¯re out here, I don¡¯t need to hold back¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not near our friends. Neither do we,¡± Hiroko threatened. ¡°You want it? Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Out of the corner of his eye, Deon caught Skrili lowering her stance even more. He prepared his mind for as many attacks as he could: it was time to end this.


    Again, Wei¡¯s eyes lingered. But after a moment, his smile increased.


    He¡¯s not giving up, Deon knew.


    ¡°Wait, actually¡ªyou¡¯re right,¡± said Wei with a comfortable sigh.


    Huh??


    ¡°I really wanted to see where this would go, but now it¡¯s a little too dicey,¡± he decided. ¡°I was just curious. But it¡¯s best I just get on with what I¡¯m here for instead¡ªthanks for talking me out of that.¡±


    The four fighters flinched when Wei hopped to his feet with a huff. He brought his hand beside his mouth.


    ¡°Hey! Just go ahead with it!¡± he shouted past them. ¡°Forget Dreamwake¡ªwe need to run it now! One-hundred percent infusion and whatnot!¡±


    Deon felt his blood go icy.


    ¡°Wait¡­what?¡±


    Skrili grabbed his arm. ¡°We need to move. NOW.¡±


    They turned and darted towards the Chamber walls.


    ¡°LAYLA!!¡±


    Kotono¡¯s scream travelled as she immediately overtook them, leaving golden traces as she zipped through the air and back inside. Hiroko trailed close behind, her sprint exceeding Skrili¡¯s speed.


    Behind them, Wei let out a single laugh.


    Deon cursed.


    ~


    Lammy turned in confusion: all of the sudden, a low, steady rumble began throughout the Chamber.


    ¡°What is¡­¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s happening!¡± Zayza screamed. ¡°Layla!¡±


    Motion in the farthest, darkest corner caught Lammy¡¯s attention: three people in white coats had emerged behind a series of complex contraptions. They were pressing buttons, pulling levers, and uttering to each other.


    They¡¯re trying it before Dreamwake! he realized.


    Within her invisible confine, Layla went pale. She tried backing away from the increasing buzzes of the wires pointed towards her head, and her eyes darted all around¡ªuntil they found Lammy and Zayza.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes brightened.


    ¡°We¡¯re coming!!¡± he promised.


    His vision blurred around everything but the small Queen, whose cheeks were wetting with tears. But she didn¡¯t scream or sob. Instead, it seemed she accepted the fate that already befell much of her family, as if it was inevitable all along.


    NO! Lammy refused.


    By Zayza¡¯s shoulder brushing against his, he could tell she was racing forward right beside him.


    Then a force he couldn¡¯t see made him remember how futile his efforts were.


    He imagined countless objects¡ªanything he could think of¡ªand once they reached the barrier around Layla, they shot back and disappeared. He understood what would follow next.


    The same force yanked him and Zayza off their feet and tossed them back towards the opposite wall. They crashed and rolled to a stop.


    The rumbling heightened. It shook the floor.


    ¡°MY LITTLE SISTER!!¡± Zayza sobbed.


    A golden flash demanded Lammy¡¯s attention: through the opening in the destroyed Chamber wall, Kotono bolted in like a shooting star. Hiroko hopped in and broke into a sprint, falling behind, while Deon and Skrili trailed after her.


    ¡°Layla! W¡ªwatch out, okay?!¡±


    Kotono hardly gave her the chance after her warning: she paused in the air to aim, and a golden blast of energy shot from her palms towards the Queen.


    It lingered around Layla like lightning flashes, revealing the barrier¡¯s shape, before erupting. A shatter filled the air.


    Kotono managed to destroy it.


    But the hums intensified to droning roars. Heat waved around the wires surrounding Layla before she could dive forward.


    Kotono threw herself at the young Queen, her desperate hands reaching.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ve got you, sweetie!¡±


    But she didn¡¯t make it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Kotono!!¡±


    Just before the stunned Layla, Hiroko emerged as a blur and rammed her lover to the ground.


    White light awoke at the ends of the wires.


    Remaining on foot, in her next motion, Hiroko pounced at Layla. She grabbed her around the waist and lunged her away like she was weightless.


    Then the wires came to life.


    Pure white beams surged from them in perfectly straight lines, and every single one of them now pointed at Hiroko instead of Layla.


    The light encased her body without a sound.


    For several seconds, she became like a star.


    And when the rumbling finally ceased, and the star burned with one final flash, Hiroko was gone.

 114. Dreamwake (Part 1 of 5)

    Deon had never experienced silence like this before.


    The only lingering sounds in the Chamber were Skrili¡¯s hurried footsteps, and then his own as he dismissed his floating plank and ran by her side.


    He blinked, wiped his eyes, and then blinked again.


    But somehow it couldn¡¯t correct his clearly faulty eyesight, because Hiroko still wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    Oh, wait a second¡ªa sneak attack, he recognized. Hiroko¡¯s always ahead of things.


    He searched around everywhere for where she might strike from. She was as fast as Skrili, after all. Perhaps she was targeting the workers manning the machine in the back corner; that seemed like a smart move.


    Nothing. Hiroko was absent from the Chamber.


    Deon and Skrili came to an unsteady stop before the platform when they noticed Aoi take a single step. But she ultimately did nothing else.


    Eventually, Deon let a nervous laugh slip out.


    ¡°Come on, Hiroko, what are you pulling?¡± he called into the air. ¡°Phillip¡ªyou in on her plan or something? Fill a guy in! Hey, why are you on your knees like that¡ª?¡±


    Skrili wrapped her arm tightly around his.


    He turned to find her head low, her blue bangs concealing her face. Shaking, she let out a sob and shook her head.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She fell closer and let her face sink into his chest, her head still shaking back and forth. Her single sob spiraled into a constant weep.


    ¡°Huh¡­? Guys¡­?¡±


    He found Zayza at the far end of the Chamber, on her knees just as Phillip. Her eyes were wide and stuck to the wired zone Hiroko had thrown Layla from. Trembling, all she could do was cover her pale mouth.


    It wasn¡¯t until Deon¡¯s gaze fell to Lammy that he could accept it. His cousin lifted himself from where he had fallen beside Zayza and immediately wrapped her in an embrace.


    Lammy¡¯s aching gaze met his. The tears fell.


    His face curled into something of a hopeless plea. And as they did, Deon forgot how to breathe.


    ¡°Aw, come on. We really have to run it again?¡± came a moan from behind.


    Wei floated in from the opening in the walls, observing the scene like he forgot to take his bread out of the oven.


    ¡°Man, her body completely disintegrated,¡± Wei noticed. He shrugged. ¡°Well, that checks out. She wasn¡¯t a Dreamer; her body wasn¡¯t compatible with that type of exposure.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t move, or even think. He noticed a subtle green tint beginning to shine in from the window behind Wei.


    But his focus quickly averted:


    ¡°Hiroko.¡±


    Kotono¡¯s utterance was soft, but it demanded the attention of everyone in the room.


    She sat on the floor where she¡¯d been thrown, Layla right behind her. There was a long scrape across her cheek and a cut on the hand she used to hold herself up¡ªbut she seemed oblivious to both.


    Soundlessly, Kotono stood.


    Her steps were light and slow. She approached the collection of wires, and came to a stop precisely where Hiroko had vanished.


    Her hand lifted, reached into nothing, and then fell.


    No tears came.


    The green in the air intensified, removing her shadow from the floor.


    Deon forced himself to take a shallow breath. Even with Skrili¡¯s tears soaking into his cloak, his skin was cold. A faint hint of orange illuminated from his eyes.


    But through its dull hue, he could still see the increasing green overtake the Chamber. Shadows disappeared. Small specks floated throughout the air, but Deon didn¡¯t remember seeing them before.


    Wei floated as a silhouette in the uncanny air. Behind him, much of the setting sun¡¯s rays had begun shining through the Chamber¡¯s massive green window.


    Deon couldn¡¯t see Wei¡¯s face against the light. He had no idea their eyes had been locked on each other until his voice came like a phantom.


    ¡°What? Come on kid, don¡¯t give me that look,¡± he said coolly. ¡°She didn¡¯t have to die. You could have prevented that, remember?¡±


    Deon didn¡¯t react. He couldn¡¯t even bring himself to open his mouth. The anger he wanted right now¡ªhe needed right now, failed to well up. It only formed faintly, deep within¡ªbut it reached a wall he couldn¡¯t seem to control. He couldn¡¯t feel it.


    He could barely feel anything.


    ¡­Only the tears beginning to trickle down his cheeks.


    ¡°This is your fault. I gave you the option days ago,¡± Wei reminded him. ¡°All you had to say was that you¡¯d join Proscious. It was simple, really.¡±


    Deon tried to clench his shaking hands.


    But it wasn¡¯t supposed to happen like this¡­we were all supposed to make it out...


    Hiroko said so.


    ¡°Well with that little ordeal out of the way, it looks like it¡¯s just about that time,¡± acknowledged Wei, observing the blanket of green over the Chamber. ¡°Fire it back up! Same settings as before!¡±


    No¡­this isn¡¯t right¡­


    Though his body remained heavy and his mind numb, he forced himself a step towards Wei.


    We were supposed to save them together¡­


    Skrili tugged his arm and kept him in place. Her face wet, all she could manage was to shake her head one more time.


    He knew what she meant: they couldn¡¯t take Wei like this. Not without Hiroko. And one glance was all it took to understand Kotono was no longer in this fight.


    This can¡¯t be happening¡­it¡¯s not right¡­


    Wei didn¡¯t seem to pay any mind to his brief advance, or at least, he didn¡¯t deem it to be a threat. Instead, his focus was on Kotono.


    But strangely, he paused.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    He allowed another pause as the machinery rumbled.


    ¡°Hm¡­hey Aoi,¡± he ultimately said. His voice was oddly hesitant, his throat tight. ¡°Put the Queen back for me.¡±


    Wordless, Aoi stepped over to the edge of the platform nearest the contraption where Hiroko had disappeared, and where Kotono now stood with her face to the wall.


    Aoi focused on Layla. A moment passed, but nothing happened.


    ¡°A¡ªAoi?¡± Wei checked.


    She took a strained step, pressing her stare even harder.


    Then Deon noticed it: the air around Kotono and Layla had gone wavy, like a horizon in the heat. Tiny dots of pure white and empty black emerged up against it, increasing by the second.


    ¡°Aoi! Get her!¡±


    Then slowly, Kotono turned her head to Aoi and showed her face.


    Deon froze.


    Until now, it never occurred to him that she could be anything other than radiant¡ªeven her fear was vivacious, thanks largely to the colors it would create around her body.


    But he¡¯d never seen her this colorless.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    He¡¯d never seen this on anyone.


    Her eyes were the first part he noticed. At first, he couldn¡¯t free his stare from them¡ªeven when he immediately longed to do so. Round and big as always, their bubbly red shade was absent now. Even the light energy they now emitted wasn¡¯t the same.


    But could he even consider it light anymore?


    It was more like the inverse: it sucked away color and created a cold gray all around her body.


    It was strangling the light.


    One of her irises was white with a black pupil. The other was the reverse. And neither blinked as they stared Aoi¡¯s way.


    Their wide gaze was the only sign of a surviving expression on her normally emotive face. The rest was void.


    Kotono stood unmoving, shrouded in the physical manifestation of her emptiness.


    ¡°Layla.¡±


    The small Queen looked up at her with a nervous start, color withering from her dress and hair. Deon envied her angle¡ªshe didn¡¯t have to see Kotono¡¯s face.


    ¡°Stay right behind me, sweetheart.¡±


    Again Aoi shoved another step forward, forcing some sort of unseen phenomenon their way.


    A tone resounded so low, Deon could only feel it through his body as he watched Layla dive closer and hug Kotono¡¯s ankle. She hid her face and braced herself.


    An otherworldly buzz ripped at the greening air between Kotono and Aoi, and ricocheted endlessly against the remaining Chamber walls. Deon couldn¡¯t help but recoil several steps backwards. Skrili did the same.


    There was no use in trying anything to help. Whatever was unfolding between these two, it was something so transcendent that Deon couldn¡¯t even formulate the thought of participating. It was nonsensical.


    Not even Wei moved to interfere.


    Wind burst out from between the two unwavering women. The force sent Phillip, Lammy, and Zayza rolling against the ground until they could recover their grip. Deon and Skrili almost fell backwards.


    Completely drowning out Proscious¡¯ machinery, the tearing and buzzing intensified. The floor vibrated under Deon¡¯s feet with each fluctuation.


    ¡°Aoi!! This shouldn¡¯t be¡­how?!¡± growled Wei.


    ¡°You can¡¯t have her.¡±


    Kotono¡¯s soulless words drifted throughout the room, carried within the wind.


    With one more burst, the air seemed to condense. A single, heavy gust passed through the Chamber. Everything blinked into pure silence for less than an instant.


    Then, the entire Chamber¡¯s structure erupted outward. Deon and Skrili ducked low, vaguely hearing the cries of their companions underneath the near-deafening roar.


    But no wreckage fell down onto them, or even around them.


    Lammy¡¯s location was the first place Deon turned to. But he and Zayza crouched there just as unhurt. Phillip was recovering his footing paces away.


    The only harm the surge created, he found, was to the Chamber itself.


    They were no longer indoors.


    The walls and ceiling had been blown away. Now the orange sky, beach, and the hills leading to the castle were their surroundings beyond the tattered shell left behind. Remnants of sparking wires dangled, and only a single piece of the wall remained: the section that held the arching window welcoming in the sunlight.


    By now, the sun¡¯s rays reflected into every corner of the glass. The glittering green increased, and the natural sky¡¯s shade mixed in.


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the Chamber had in fact caved in on them after all, and he was now in a dream.


    But everything was too vivid. This wasn¡¯t reality anymore¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t a dream, either.


    They had slipped into a realm in between.


    The first person to stir was the last he expected: Layla lifted her head from behind Kotono, the gray energy still emptying her colors.


    Fear no longer defined her face.


    ¡°Wei,¡± she uttered. ¡°You have lost.¡±


    Wei scoffed, though his teeth remained clenched as he watched Kotono and Aoi. Neither backed down from their stances, and the haunting rumbles of energy continued between them at a lower volume. Clearly, they remained at a standstill.


    He didn¡¯t break his agitated stare until a single set of footsteps resounded.


    Zayza had risen from the floor, and walked gradually towards the middle of the Chamber. Her long hair hid everything but a simple, small frown.


    Deon cursed. ¡°What is she thinking?¡± he muttered to Skrili.


    ¡°Kotono may have that Proscious girl locked, but that doesn¡¯t make our offense any stronger¡­¡± his teammate agreed under her breath, her speech still uneven with lingering tears.


    Deon prepared to shout a protest and wave Zayza away¡ªno¡ªjust imagining something to pull her to safety would be best at this point.


    But then he noticed Lammy. Just like Layla, his demeanor had shifted immediately. In fact, his face practically glowed in hopeful anticipation as he watched his companion march towards certain death.


    It was illogical.


    No¡­if Lammy had faith in what he was witnessing, it had to be logical.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª!¡± Skrili started.


    Deon covered her mouth.


    ¡°Wait a sec.¡±


    Wei¡¯s scoff became a sick smirk when the princess stopped only steps away.


    ¡°This was the strategy, then?¡± he laughed. ¡°Wait until Dreamwake and then send your only loyal Dreamer at me? I appreciate the patriotism here¡ªor maybe this is family pride at play¡ªbut at the end of the day, your plans fall flat when you don¡¯t have the muscle to back them up.¡±


    ¡°That is precisely why I said you have lost,¡± came Layla¡¯s quick deflection.


    ¡°Hm. I think we have a misunderstanding. Let me show you a bit more of what I mean,¡± Wei said. ¡°Show yourselves!¡±


    A light flashed into the air around the desolate Chamber, followed by a few more beside it. In their places appeared purple-robed men and women floating on the outskirts.


    As more sparked into place one by one, Wei opened his mouth again.


    ¡°I was more than attuned to your impressive efforts in the Dream World, so I ordered a retreat: their work fighting you there was insignificant compared to my use for them at Dreamwake. You didn¡¯t really believe Zayza scared them all off, did you? And now, do you think one somewhat strong Dreamer can face me, plus hundreds¡­of¡­¡±


    Wei trailed off. His eyes darted around the Chamber in pure bewilderment.


    ¡°HEY! Where the heck are the rest of them?!¡±


    Deon searched around. The sky was far from filled with ¡®hundreds¡¯ of these Dreamers he spoke of. Instead, merely a dozen surrounded the Chamber with their hands aimed pointedly.


    ¡°Goodness¡­I suppose they couldn¡¯t retreat fast enough,¡± Zayza commented, a sass in her tone Deon would have never guessed someone so lighthearted could possess.


    ¡°Wait, hold on a second¡­that makes no sense¡­seriously? One Dreamer took out hundreds?¡± Wei doubted. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that one traitor Fewpar helped you out, but come on¡­you¡¯re that powerful?!¡±


    Deon caught another glimpse at one of Wei¡¯s Dreamers. His jaw was clenched tight. His aiming hands shook.


    They¡¯re terrified¡­but not of Wei.


    Of her.


    ¡°Just as my baby sister told you,¡± Zayza said, ¡°you¡¯ve lost.¡±


    But Wei¡¯s disappointment didn¡¯t appear to indicate impending defeat. Rather, he shook his head at what Deon could only interpret as a missed opportunity.


    ¡°No¡­this will only be beneficial to me. And you still have a problem: you¡¯re about to be a little distracted,¡± Wei said.


    He signaled to the Dreamers.


    ¡°You guys here to fight, or what? Target her friends!¡±


    Zayza tensed.


    The air filled with mystical sound. Deon and Skrili whipped around into fighting stances, to witness round glows of energy emitting around all of the Dreamers. Each color was unique.


    Lammy and Phillip braced themselves steps away, while Kotono remained fully immersed in her struggle with Aoi.


    Crap! Zayza¡¯s gonna need us against Wei¡­but we can¡¯t ignore these guys! Deon¡¯s mind stormed. But we¡¯re outnumbered! And how do you even fight a Dreamer? What are their powers?!


    A blue flash blinded the Chamber.


    When Deon¡¯s vision recovered, two of the Dreamers were freefalling to the ground.


    Another man he¡¯d never seen now floated where the Chamber¡¯s entrance used to be. Deep blue energy emanated from him with the same nature as the Dreamers¡¯ while he observed his surroundings, gasping. His clothes appeared burned and ripped all over, and his face was hard.


    To Deon¡¯s confusion, he paused to reach up and tidy his pale blonde hair.


    ¡°I made it in time¡­¡± the man observed between breaths.


    ¡°Fewpar!¡± Lammy exclaimed.


    Fewpar lowered to the ground between Lammy and Phillip, his energy-loaded hands pointing between all the Dreamers in the air. Somehow, his clothes transformed: shifting into a clean, unblemished version of what he already wore. Even his injuries vanished.


    Without hesitation, Phillip sprung to life and zipped to Fewpar¡¯s side, preparing his fighting stance.


    ¡°Greetings. So Dreamwake has ensued,¡± Fewpar knew. ¡°If you still have fight in you, good Phillip and Lammy, we can handle these guards. Zayza: your time has come!¡±


    ¡°Fewpar¡­¡± breathed Zayza. Her composure recovering, she hardened her glare on Wei.


    Her eyes illuminated with the same green as the light all throughout the Chamber. Then her long hair drifted upward and flowed gracefully, as if she¡¯d just submerged underwater. Star-like dots awoke around her body until she outshone all the energy and light around.


    Like a spectacle of countless shooting stars, the light began to encircle her, speeding up until she was hidden behind it.


    Then Deon¡¯s mouth dropped: when the light dispersed all at once, Zayza reappeared in a flawless, glistening green dress adorned in pearly jewelry. All the smudges and scrapes on her now-radiant skin were gone, and her hair fluttered back down around her head perfectly.


    She was utterly gorgeous.


    Her eyes still sparkling in a manner somehow more mystical than what Deon had seen on himself, Kotono, or Lammy, she rose into the air and brought herself to a stop only an arm¡¯s reach from Wei.


    ¡°Beautiful¡­after hearing of your ambush, I thought you might be useful,¡± Wei remarked. ¡°I was more than right to try faking your execution. The Queen can be the backup instead; you¡¯re the key Proscious really needs.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be awarded the chance,¡± uttered Zayza. ¡°This is the moment I was made for.¡±


    Wei smirked. He nodded, as if to give credit where it was due. ¡°Your family hid your true power this whole time, then,¡± he accepted. ¡°That¡¯s smart, I¡¯ll admit it. But I hate to break it to you: while beating hundreds of Dreamers is pretty darn impressive...it¡¯s still not nearly the same as beating me.¡±


    Behind them, beams of all colors began raining down from the Dreamer guards. Deon and Skrili turned to defend themselves¡ªuntil they realized none were coming their way: Fewpar¡¯s much stronger blue blasts blocked the majority of them, while the others exploded on the floor nowhere near their intended targets.


    Phillip¡¯s masking all of our true positions¡­Deon recognized.


    Zayza remained unfazed by the battle, somehow composed even while floating just before the face of the most vicious power Deon had ever witnessed.


    Lammy¡­you sure about what she¡¯s doing¡­? he wondered.


    Wei shrugged. ¡°Even now that you¡¯ve revealed yourself as your nation¡¯s secret weapon, it doesn¡¯t matter. If you can¡¯t match my power, Proscious will grow yet another step closer to our¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not just a secret weapon.¡±


    A green orb suddenly emerged from Zayza¡¯s chest, and launched itself directly into Wei¡¯s.


    If Deon blinked, he would have missed it.


    But nobody could miss what followed: the immediate sound from the blast was somehow musical. Its single chord sang just as the green energy spun out from Wei too beautifully to be an explosion, yet too violently to be anything but.


    The only way Deon understood the damage Wei took was by the shattering of glass at the end of the Chamber: a hole now existed in the center of the green window, and the blur of Wei¡¯s figure spiraled away over the ocean.


    Zayza shot down her fists, and glitters of green awoke around her arms.


    ¡°Father. Mother. Vayva. Raznizu. Ryan¡­Hiroko.¡± she uttered, her eyes brightening. ¡°You thought you could silence the voices against you, Wei¡ªthe beautiful voices you stole from me. But you have failed¡­because I am their final word.¡±


    Her eyes rested on the ocean. Zayza flashed away to her enemy, leaving behind only twinkles of green to blend into the air.

 115. Dreamwake (Part 2 of 5)

    Lammy divided his attention just long enough to see Deon and Skrili''s mouths hanging open at the subtle glittering aftermath.


    A Wei-sized hole was in the Great Window. Given the familiarly ethereal sound of Zayza''s energy blast, he knew she was the cause.


    But now, Zayza was gone.


    She went after him, he knew. Considering he could withstand Kotono¡¯s attacks earlier, he might not be done yet¡­


    So it was indeed time: Zayza''s powers were awake in reality.


    Dreamwake had truly begun, and with it, the ultimate phase of Layla''s plan.


    Fewpar''s sudden shift in footing jolted Lammy back to their other immediate predicament. A blue beam ascended from Fewpar''s palm and struck one of the dozen Dreamer Guards. Then he shoved Lammy, and the two rolled out of the way as the Dreamer''s own beam narrowly missed them.


    Beside them Phillip peered up, switching from guard to guard in preparation to sabotage any of their attacks.


    "Go!" he shouted, his deep tone unusually clear.


    Lammy nearly asked ''where,'' until he realized the urgent instruction wasn''t for him.


    "Go help the princess! This is our chance¨Cshe''s our chance!"


    Phillip turned his head towards Deon and Skrili only briefly, until he had no choice but to refocus on their attackers.


    The duo seemed to hesitate, their eyes on Lammy. Even when they broke off to dodge a beam, their concern didn''t waver from him.


    Phillip is right¡­Lammy believed. If Deon and Skrili are there to help Zayza, with all of their added strength, we really could end this!


    He gave his cousin a definitive nod.


    "You''ll stay here?" Skrili inquired of Phillip.


    The Illusionist clutched his ribcage. "At this point, there isn''t much I can add against Wei. I''ll help hold these fighters off."


    Deon and Skrili exchanged glances. Finally convinced, they began their charge away¨Cbut not before Deon''s gaze locked with Lammy one more time.


    "Hey Phillip, and random-other-guy: keep my cousin safe!" he shouted, turning away. "And that girl he likes!"


    Lammy beat red. His eyes found Layla.


    But thankfully she didn''t seem to hear, too preoccupied between Kotono and Aoi''s standstill and the Dreamer blasts raining down around her.


    With motions appearing a far cry from Zayza or Fewpar''s mastery, Layla aimed a hand to the sky and fired her own feeble, uneven pink energy beams. Only a few of the Dreamer Guard attacks towards her managed to survive Fewpar and Phillip''s defense¨Cbut they simply evaporated once they reached Kotono¡¯s colorless aura.


    Lammy couldn''t help but pause to observe Kotono, even though it only made him feel cold.


    Aside from her cutting black and white eyes, which remained unaverted from Aoi, she appeared as a lifeless statue. The deep ripples in the air persisted between the two women.


    Layla hugged Kotono¡¯s leg tighter for a moment, recoiling from a beam that ultimately dissipated like all the others.


    Nothing had even come close to penetrating Kotono¡¯s gray energy.


    Her powers come from her emotions¡­Lammy contemplated.


    His throat tightened. Thick tears pushed their way out.


    Hiroko.


    But right now, he couldn''t tell if his pain was for his own loss, or the loss he was witnessing in Kotono.


    Why did all of this have to happen¡­? What do I do now¡­?


    At least for now, it was clear Layla was safe from both Aoi and the Dreamer Guards with Kotono.


    Fewpar and Phillip continued their hard-fought defense on either side of him. Another Dreamer fell to Fewpar''s blue blast.


    And ahead, Deon and Skrili had almost reached the end of the Chamber. They ran close, discussing a hushed plan of attack to assist Zayza.


    What do I do?


    A flash of Kotono¡¯s rays brought his eyes back to where she stood, and where Hiroko had just sacrificed her own body to save her and Layla moments before.


    For some reason, Lammy remembered a particular moment from days ago¨Cone he''d completely forgotten about.


    Since he met her, Hiroko had offered all kinds of brief wisdom and encouragement. But somehow, it was this fleeting moment that revisited his mind.


    He and Zayza had been traveling from Gloat Center, and Hiroko and Kotono were speaking with them through magic. Zayza had recovered some memories of Oflenur, so they reluctantly detailed his fate.


    But when their time for discussion was cut short, Hiroko only had time to utter one last thing¨Cand surprisingly, she reserved her words for Lammy:


    "Keep an eye on her, alright?"


    It seemed little more than a passing statement at the time, intended only for Zayza''s emotional state in that moment.


    And maybe that''s all it was.


    But Lammy could recall it vividly: Hiroko¡¯s assertive tone, the way she cocked her head in Zayza''s direction as she kept her icy eyes on him.


    Now, it was like she''d transcended time¨Clike she''d found a way to answer his current uncertainty.


    Just as much as back then, those words were meant for this moment.


    Hiroko had just spoken to him.


    Lammy felt more tears soak his cheeks. He remembered his promise to Raznizu.


    There was only one role for him to fill right now.


    Lammy refaced Phillip and Fewpar.


    "H¨Chey guys¨C"


    "Go with them," said Fewpar.


    Lammy paused. "Are you¡­sure?"


    "Every time I look at her, I see Vayva," Fewpar told him. "Whenever Vayva wanted me there for her, but knew it would put me in a rough situation, she wouldn''t say anything. She wouldn''t even acknowledge me. Zayza just did that to you."


    Lammy thought about it. Since the moment Dreamwake had started¨Ceven before that, when Hiroko disappeared¨CZayza hadn''t uttered a single word to him.


    "She doesn''t want you to get any more hurt, but she still wants you with her. She needs you right now," Fewpar said. "Phillip and I can take these fools ourselves, can we not?"


    Phillip nodded. "I''ve had worse fights."


    "So go with them, Lammy," Fewpar insisted. "Go to her."


    Taking a deep breath, Lammy nodded.


    "You guys can do this," he encouraged them.


    A tiny smile appeared on both of their faces.


    Lammy whirled back around decisively, his eyes lighting up even more than before. He noticed Deon and Skrili had reached the end of the Chamber. They nodded to each other, seeming to agree on an approach.


    We''re on our way, Zayza, Lammy promised.


    Then, he broke into a run.


    "LOOZOOLOOZEUX!!"


    "Remember, Lammy: it is Dreamwake," Fewpar called back to him as the rainbow dragon began taking form. "The strange abilities you possess in the Dream World will now work here."


    That''s right! Lammy realized. I can imagine almost anything!


    "Give Wei a taste of the force you unleashed on me!"


    The fully-formed Loozooloozeux released a humanlike roar. It lowered beside Lammy as he ran, and scooped him up.


    Sinking into the saddle, Lammy found wooden planks had appeared before Deon and Skrili: they were about to take off. But they turned to find his furry dragon swooping their way.


    Lammy landed Loozooloozeux at the edge of the Chamber. Harsh crackles and blasts echoed over the ocean in the distance.


    The fight had already resumed.


    "Come on," Lammy instructed.


    "Lammy¨Cwhat are you doing, bud?" demanded Deon.


    "Zayza needs me. And so do you guys," insisted Lammy.


    "But it''s gonna be too¨C"


    "I''m going with you."


    His assertion seemed to shock Deon. He realized he''d never spoken to his cousin this way.


    But Deon''s surprise took the form of a proud, tenacious smile.


    "I don''t know everything you''ve been through, Lammy," he said, "but I like this new side of you."


    He and Skrili hurried up to Loozooloozeux and joined Lammy in the saddle.


    "Lammy: keep to long-range attacks and defense only," said Skrili.


    "Sorry. She can be a little bossy," Deon explained.


    "Shut up. I''m trying to protect him."


    "I know. It''s cute."


    Loozooloozeux launched into the air and everyone clutched tight. Debris gusted away as they departed the Chamber, ascended above the beach, and began soaring over the sea.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Lammy struggled to scan the vast ocean for any sign of Zayza and Wei. The sun''s reflection cast everything into near-obscurity.


    "Where are they?" Deon wondered.


    More violent crackles and blasts resounded. Lammy picked out Zayza''s energy within the furious ensemble.


    "There," Skrili pointed out.


    Lammy squinted and shielded his eyes from the setting sun. Finally, he picked out miniscule bursts of light dancing across the ocean in the distance.


    "That''s them?!" Deon exclaimed. "We''re still that far away?!"


    "And they''re moving around fast," Skrili noted. "Barging into this fight won''t be easy."


    Following the flashes the best he could, Lammy tried to keep his heart from sinking. This was beyond anything he could fathom.


    Come to think of it, he still had yet to witness Zayza''s full power after her memories returned. She''d defeated Fewpar so swiftly, he nearly missed what even happened.


    Now, it was finally on display before him. Now he fully understood why Layla placed all remaining hope in her sister.


    But even against Deon, Skrili, Hiroko, Kotono, and Phillip all at once, Wei had managed to outlast their onslaught.


    "Just¡­how strong is Wei?" he checked.


    Deon and Skrili remained silent much longer than he would have liked.


    "We still don''t know," Skrili admitted.


    "But¡­we can win this," Deon promised.


    "We will...for Hiroko," added Skrili lowly.


    Lammy chose to absorb their words and ignore the hint of uncertainty beneath them.


    Yeah. Zayza will be okay, he told himself. Especially now that we''re here.


    The sparks and explosions heightened in both frequency and intensity as Loozooloozeux carried them closer to the battle.


    "So Proscious caused all this, just to somehow steal Dreamer powers?" Skrili contemplated. "Why?"


    Lammy shook his head. "Zayza could only figure some of it out," he shared. "She told me when she spied on them, Wei said something about ''separating'' the Multiverse and making it so ''the concept of a consciousness can''t exist.''"


    "Whoa," remarked Deon. "Well that sounds kinda seriou¨CAH!!"


    Everyone fell forward and squeezed onto Loozooloozeux: the dragon suddenly spun out of control, whirling off to the side.


    Lammy fought to reclaim their balance in the air. He knew he hadn''t caused that: he''d been keeping a part of his mind on Loozooloozeux at all times so he wouldn''t accidentally imagine it away.


    Another wave of air barreled into them. Loozooloozeux flipped backward for a moment and almost descended into the water, but recovered just in time to regain a steady flight.


    Lammy peered ahead to the fight, and he found what generated those gusts.


    "It''s that again!" Deon warned. "Wei''s attack!"


    A section of the sky darkened around a terrifyingly spectacular orb of light that rivaled the sun''s rays. Its infinite colors reflected on the water, and Lammy felt its heat even from here.


    The orb plowed forward through the air, creating stormy waves beneath its path.


    But green energy ignited around Wei''s apparent target. Equally as bright, a perfectly straight beam matching the orb''s height rushed to challenge it in the midpoint.


    The green energy sang.


    Zayza.


    Sound vanished for a second, and then the entire world seemed to tremble from the aerial eruption.


    "She blocked it!" Skrili''s voice barely cut through.


    "YES!!!" cheered Deon.


    "Hold on!!"


    Lammy hoped his warning came in time. He commanded Loozooloozeux to pull up, and he braced himself for a gust he didn''t think he could protect them from this time.


    He pressed his eyes shut.


    But when the wind arrived, it was muffled. In fact, he didn''t even feel it.


    Lammy opened his eyes to find a massive, levitating stone wall before them. Loozooloozeux had swerved to avoid crashing into it.


    Once the wind passed by, the wall disappeared.


    Deon sighed. "Close one!"


    Releasing an even larger sigh, Lammy reached back and they shared a high-five.


    "Nice thinking," he told his cousin.


    Right¡­imagining, Lammy thought to himself. I''m stressed, AND I''m basically in the Dream World¡­I can imagine like that right now, too! I have to start reacting as fast as him, or I''ll be useless¡­


    Loozooloozeux powered forward, and Lammy kept his attention sharp.


    "Man¡­how are we supposed to follow this fight?" Deon bemoaned. "They''re blinking all over the place!"


    "Zayza is the green, right?" Skrili guessed. "Then right now, she''s on her heels. Wei must have acted quickly after the blast."


    Lammy grit his teeth. He could hardly process their rapid motions, so he had to trust Skrili''s eyes.


    "Crap. Alright, projectile attacks, then?" Deon decided. "Lammy: when we get close, help me light him up!"


    "Wait. They keep moving. You don''t want to hit Zayza by accident," Skrili urged.


    "Then how do we help?" wondered Lammy.


    Gradually, the sparks began to take the vague shapes of Zayza and Wei''s bodies.


    It could have been too far to spot for sure, but in an instant, Lammy could have sworn Zayza''s head spun their way.


    She warped away, appearing higher in the sky¨Cand closer to Wei.


    Then, her voice rang out across the ocean:


    "Nightmare."


    "Oh¡­" Lammy gasped.


    "What?" wondered Deon.


    But he didn''t need Lammy''s answer: the transformation began. Beneath Zayza and Wei, the waves began turning from water into solid, black earth. The rest of the ocean caught the same instant plague; hills began taking shape far below Loozooloozeux''s feet.


    Everything darkened around them into a deep shade. The sunset sky faded purple, with pitch black stars replacing the clouds.


    It''s happening again¡­Lammy recognized.


    He was returning to Hell.


    "What is this?" Even Skrili''s collected tone wavered as her eyes shot around. "Did she say ''nightmare?''"


    "Yeah¡­" Lammy uttered. "Zayza''s nightmare."


    By now, nothing of their previous setting remained. The sound and scent of the waves, and the fresh wind¨Cit had all succumbed to this new realm. Hills and mountains rose soundlessly from the former ocean towards the repainted purple sky.


    Lammy followed the higher peaks with his eyes, and they led him to a gruesome sight before he had the chance to pull away.


    The infinite shadows of people dangling by rope, awaiting execution, were not present this time.


    New shadows took their places.


    Thick wires stretched down from the unseen sky above like decrepit, prying fingers. The floating shadows all cowered from them, as the wires all pointed at their heads in a series of angles too fresh in Lammy''s mind.


    It was like watching Layla trapped inside Proscious''s device all over again.


    "This is¡­awful¡­" Deon managed.


    In varying patterns, the shadows exploded into black light, destroyed¡­only to reappear again and relive their demise.


    Lammy could see Hiroko giving her life in each silent destruction.


    But the shadows were not anonymous this time: many of them had silhouettes Lammy could recognize.


    Layla¡­Hiroko¡­Kotono¡­Raznizu¡­himself.


    The long, droning moans of voices he knew filled the sky in an endless chorus.


    He wanted to pull away and fly off as fast as possible.


    No. This is Zayza''s pain, he knew. This is her fear.


    He forced himself to watch the shadows once more, and he began to understand his impulse to run and hide.


    It wasn''t because he saw Zayza''s nightmare unfolding around him.


    It was because he realized it may as well have been representing his own.


    This is our fight, now more than ever, he thought.


    He remembered her innocent smile back in No Man''s Land, the day he fell out of Tailpiece.


    He looked towards her now, a green star atop a mountain just before the gloomy horizon.


    I have to get to her.


    Loozooloozeux darted forward even faster.


    "This is a Dreamer power-up¨Cat least, that''s my understanding of it," Lammy called back to Deon and Skrili. "She''s trying to finish this now!"


    "Now?! Will it be enough?" wondered Deon.


    "If we can get there in time to help her, it might be," Skrili insisted.


    Lammy felt his arms shaking. Zayza faced Wei atop the highest, blackest mountain. But while Zayza stood tensely, her energy steadily disintegrating the peak, Wei appeared to be laughing.


    Even when plunged into the darkness of someone else''s trauma, he was laughing.


    He clapped, taking in the domain.


    This wasn''t laughter of mockery, but of sheer admiration.


    Or worse: anticipation.


    But Zayza held her ground.


    "That''s the thing, Skrili," Lammy said. "She''s trying to make it so we don''t have to help her. She wants to save us."


    He grunted under his breath.


    I thought you said you''d stop doing that¡­Lammy contemplated, his heart softening.


    He filled his lungs.


    "ZAYZA!!!"


    He couldn''t know if she heard. In that very instant, Zayza''s energy combusted in all directions, destroying the mountain. She and Wei vanished from view.


    "Incoming!!" Skrili alerted.


    Lammy felt her hand grab at his arm in an attempt to help him steer. His heart plummeted into his stomach: some chunks of the mountain were now soaring towards them.


    Loozooloozeux ducked harshly. Lammy nearly lost grip. But before he could pull up, the dragon''s belly crashed against the tip of a mountain that had finished forming beneath them.


    The trio spun out of control.


    "HOLD¡­" Lammy tried.


    But his own hands slipped away, and he spun through the sky.


    Not like this!! was all he could think.


    Struggling to fight the increasing wind of his descent, Lammy squinted his watery, burning eyes towards the place they''d crashed.


    Deon and Skrili had lost hold, as well.


    "LAMMY!!" Deon''s voice rang out just before they disappeared behind the mountain''s peak.


    NOT LIKE THIS!


    But another eruption rang out, and within moments, a hot gust sent him spiraling even faster.


    He couldn''t focus now, so he was sure Loozooloozeux disappeared from existence. And he couldn''t aim anything new to catch anyone¨Cnot when he didn''t even know his own displacement.


    But above all else, he could barely think.


    Catch¡­CATCH¡­


    Deon''s rescue returned to his mind.


    GIANT PILLOWS!!


    Lammy could only hope his mind had accurately guessed where the ground might be when he imagined his desperate attempt.


    He couldn''t even tell how close he''d come to the ground.


    But apparently, it was close.


    Lammy sunk safely into a cushion so dense, it almost swallowed him entirely. Gathering his senses, he swam his way back to the surface of the softness.


    Fewpar was right. My Dream World imagining works during Dreamwake.


    He reached the top to find the sea of pillow material he''d created. It appeared to span even around the mountain where they''d crashed¨Cperhaps behind it.


    Did I catch them? he prayed.


    But hope kept his breath steady: even if his pillow landscape didn''t reach them, he''d seen Deon''s new skills. He knew his cousin would be able to save himself and Skrili.


    Steadying, Lammy gazed ahead.


    Even with the wind no longer cutting at his ears, Zayza''s nightmare was still far from silent. Partially drowning out the moans of the infinite shadows, thunder dominated the sky ahead.


    Lammy focused on the distant flashes. Though they seemed to scale impossible distances in less than a blink, he knew it wasn''t a lightning storm, but the ongoing duel.


    Lammy¡­


    He perked up, but didn''t look around to find the source of the voice. It was in his head.


    Zayza! he replied immediately. We came to help you!


    She went silent for several seconds.


    Zayza¡­?


    I know, she replied. I didn''t want to revisit this place¡­but when I saw you all coming to join me, I thought¡­with Nightmare, I could probably end this before anyone else would have to get hurt.


    But Zayza, we''ll help you win! pleaded Lammy. I thought you promised to stop doing this¡­Don''t push me away again when you need¨C


    I need you, Lammy. I know I do, Zayza agreed. I felt such hope when I saw you flying my way¡­but at the same time, I couldn''t bear the thought of losing you, too¡­


    Her voice vanished for an even longer while. The battle continued to light the sky, just beneath a looming black moon.


    Something is wrong, Lammy detected.


    He sensed her feeling of reluctant confirmation.


    Lammy, she said, I''m afraid even with Nightmare, and even with your help, we may not be able to defeat him. And that''s precisely why I need you¡­


    A wave of deep, heavy sorrow came to him from Zayza, mixed in with an odd sense of finality.


    Please listen to me, she begged. Let''s fight him together. But¡­if you stop hearing my voice, or if I tell you it''s time, I need you all to hurry back to Layla, Kotono, and the others, okay? Don''t hesitate¡­


    Wait¨Cwhy are you saying that? Stop talking like that, Zayza!


    ¡­If that happens, Lammy, gather everyone, protect them, and run as far away from here as you can.

 116. Dreamwake (Part 3 of 5)

    Heat nearly numbed Phillip''s foot. He''d pounced forward just in time to avoid a Dreamer beam he hadn''t seen coming.


    He turned to look up towards its source¨Cbut he could have sworn he''d just refueled the mirage he''d placed in that particular Dreamer''s mind.


    He saw through my illusion? Phillip pondered. No¡­


    The robed warrior turned away from him and fired blasts in all directions.


    He''s just shooting at random.


    To his side, Fewpar rushed to form a shield of blue light. He barely managed to ward off the impact of an attack he''d only caught out of the corner of his eye.


    Phillip analyzed the battlefield. It wasn''t just that Dreamer: most of them had begun firing without any clear target in mind.


    They figured out I''m tricking their eyes, Phillip discovered. I need to restrategize, or they''ll gain the upper-hand through pure force¡­


    He counted their numbers the best he could under the pressure of rapid fire. Eight Dreamer Guards still remained; Fewpar had managed to incapacitate three.


    They were fighting well, but he knew it wouldn''t be enough to last.


    Disambiguation won''t be effective here¡­there are too many targets to release it on effectively, he knew. And¡­


    His eyes found the colorless aura in the corner of the destroyed Chamber, where Layla took unyielding shelter at Kotono¡¯s feet.


    Kotono hadn''t moved a single step. Phillip wasn''t even sure if her haunting eyes had blinked. Her energy remained steadfast, keeping Aoi''s invisible force at bay.


    I can''t risk hurting them, or disrupting Kotono''s focus, if I fail to keep Disambiguation''s threshold out of their range, he analyzed. With this many enemies, it would be harder to control.


    He abandoned the idea entirely.


    We''ll need some other boost of power¡­


    For now, he weakened his mirage on the enemies'' eyes to add focus for new illusions: bats and giant spiders began popping in front of their vision. Not only did it continue to impede their aim, but if he controlled the technique well, it served as a false new adversary.


    Most of the Dreamers began dodging and swatting through the air.


    Phillip was certain to make the creatures visible to Fewpar, too: with him in the loop, they could capitalize on the shock.


    His Dreamer ally caught on: taking the slightest opening, Fewpar fired beams at the closest few. One fell, while two others shook it off to regroup with the rest.


    But a Dreamer that Phillip must have missed flew high up behind Fewpar, and prepared a bright ray around her body.


    He had no chance to alert his ally.


    A thin pink streak zoomed through the air, slower than all the other blasts, and managed to swat the Dreamer Guard''s aim away just in time.


    Phillip recognized the trajectory: he turned and met Layla''s wide eyes.


    Failing to mask her obvious diffidence with a frown, the Queen sent them a nod.


    After Fewpar returned the gesture in appreciation, he dodged his way closer to Phillip.


    "You''ve upped your fight," he noticed. "Brilliant work¡­but I fear we''ll need¡­"


    He sidestepped a blast and fired a counter.


    "...More."


    "Any hidden strategies you''d like to unveil?" Phillip probed between dodges.


    Fewpar''s delayed reply was barely audible. "...Just one."


    "I''m listening."


    But instead of simply speaking, Fewpar tilted his head towards the Great Window.


    "Something quite like that."


    Phillip couldn''t believe he hadn''t noticed it; high perceptiveness was one of his core fighting values. But it seemed he was far too preoccupied with their plight to notice the space beyond the Great Window had completely transformed.


    The ocean was no longer there: instead, like a mirage, the start of a dark purple realm occupied its place. It waved subtley in the air like it was weightless. But oddly, Phillip could still hear the ocean''s hushed waves and feel the deepening sunset on his skin.


    He''d assumed long ago that he''d never have to learn much about Dreamers¨Cafter all, he thought their powers only existed in their sleep. So for once, he lacked any proper explanation for the looming phenomenon.


    "What is it?"


    Fewpar deflected another beam. "Nightmare," he said. "A secret, highly forbidden Dreamer ability. Of the few Dreamers who learn of the power, fewer survive the training it takes to master it."


    So this is the princess''s doing, Phillip pieced together.


    The two paused to fend off an increase in the Dreamer''s strikes before reconveining the best they could, their attention forcibly split.


    "When a Dreamer uses Nightmare, they transform the Dream World around them into a realm formed by all of their deepest trauma. For their combatant, there''s no escape until the user deactivates it. They can only summon Nightmare themselves, or dare an attempt at outlasting it," Fewpar explained over the blasts. "It provides a temporary but significant increase in power."


    The attacks were gaining accuracy. Phillip paused to intensify his illusions. "Why bother explaining it all to me? If you can do it, we need that power."


    A tired smile spread on Fewpar''s face. He briefly eyed Zayza''s Nightmare once more. "Because if a Dreamer keeps Nightmare active for too long, or uses too much of its energy," he said, "they''ll trap themselves in their own hellish realm forever. Only their real bodies'' eventual deaths will free them."


    He managed to target and repel one more Dreamer Guard''s fire.


    "I''m just making you aware," he uttered, "that you may need to finish this fight alone."


    Phillip contemplated their odds, but there was too much he didn''t fully understand.


    He shrugged. "This just sounds like something from my home Country," he said. "I''ll let you weigh the risk."


    "I''ve already decided," Fewpar said.


    The shootout continued on for a moment, featuring occasional, feeble attacks from Layla.


    "This is for my people," Fewpar declared. "My Nightmare realm forces my targets to experience my worst memories firsthand. Perhaps¡­this is the only way for my colleagues to see a glimpse of the truth."


    After waiting for the slightest opening in the downpour of energy beams, Fewpar brought his fingers near his temples.


    And when he pressed them lightly against his head, his eyes glowed blue.


    "Nightmare."


    ~~~


    Deeming it safe to dismiss the plain of pillows along the blackened realm, Lammy broke into a sprint.


    Zayza, what are you talking about? What do you mean ''if you stop hearing my voice?'' he pressed. Why would I have to leave you behind?


    But Zayza''s words stopped flowing into his thoughts.


    Hey! I''m already not hearing your voice right now! Zayza?!


    I''m here, she finally answered, stopping and reviving Lammy''s heartbeat all at once. I''m sorry¡­please, trust me. We may run out of time. Promise me, Lammy.


    He couldn''t bring himself to simply accept it. If he couldn''t get a hold of Zayza anymore, or if she said the word, he was supposed to just up and run? Even if he wanted to, how would he convince the others they needed to retreat? How could he tell them to give up?


    How could he face them if something happened to Zayza, too?


    She''d already said it herself: even now, she questioned if they could really beat Wei. And as her battle raged on just above the horizon, her tone was only growing more uncertain.


    But her stern instructions seemed to indicate something deeper; a detail she was potentially keeping from Lammy.


    Why?


    Lammy? she repeated. Promise me.


    Without the information she concealed from him, this command sounded about as unreasonable as her request to hit her on the head with a coconut all that time ago.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    But as far as he could remember, Zayza had never demanded anything of him. The fact that this was the first time had to mean something.


    He sighed.


    Alright¡­I promise.


    He could feel her relief within his own head.


    But it felt¡­cold, somehow. Bittersweet.


    Lonely.


    It won''t even come to that, Lammy swore. I''m on my way. I got split up from Deon and Skrili, but I bet they''re on their way, too. We''re gonna win this!


    The entire sky flickered in an array of colors. The corresponding pound rattled Zayza''s domain a second later, nearly deafening Lammy.


    The flashing in the distance ceased for a moment.


    Zayza?!


    I''m¡­I''m alright, came her assurance. Yes. Let''s fight well, teammate.


    Despite her encouragement, Lammy could read her rising apprehension.


    Lifting his face to the haunted sky, Lammy squeezed his eyes shut and belted with his whole self.


    "LOOZOOLOOZEUX!!!"


    His flying rainbow steed manifested faster than ever before. He heard its Pete-like roar far behind him.


    Why did it appear so far away? he wondered.


    But even as the thought formed, he heard a burst of wind.


    "WHOA!"


    Instantly, he was swept up in his dragon''s furry claws. Loozooloozeux shifted him neatly into its saddle, and Lammy took control.


    He could feel his imagining operating practically on its own. Loozooloozeux was flying more than double its normal top speed.


    My Dream World powers¡­I''m the strongest I can be.


    Glaring forward, Lammy steered Loozooloozeux straight towards the distant duel.


    Wind tore at his face and cut out all sound, silencing the unbearable moans from above. His eyes watered until he imagined a quick pair of glass goggles strapped around his head. Though crude and uneven, he managed to shape them to at least remain around his eyes.


    It was time to join the fight.


    The storm increased in intensity as he raced towards it, but Lammy kept his steer steady.


    Hiroko¡­Raznizu¡­Ryan¡­


    Their sacrifices only had meaning if he finished the fight. He refused to let them down.


    Zayza¡­I''m here for you.


    He meant it as a personal declaration, but he realized Zayza heard him when she sent a quick sense of confirmation, interpreting it as an update that he''d arrived.


    Lammy realized he''d nearly come close enough for it to be true: the flashes were now more than flashes. He could see the silhouettes of Zayza within the green, and Wei within the infinite light.


    He couldn''t help but shudder. Their power was godlike.


    They continued warping across the dim purple air, energy firing at each other before a rising black moon. Truly, this was a nightmare.


    Lammy steered Loozooloozeux to fly parallel to the ongoing struggle, keeping the best distance he could, as he''d promised the adamant Skrili.


    Even if he wanted to jump straight in, he knew it would lead to his end before he would even see it coming. They moved so fast, he doubted Zayza would be able to avoid friendly fire.


    He couldn''t get in the way. But both fighters were dodging, firing, and taking on blasts at an equal rate. And Zayza couldn''t seem to gain an advantage, even in her current state.


    He had to do something.


    Lammy tried not to scream when Zayza''s shoulder caught one of Wei''s energy orbs. She spun out for a moment, but with a surge of green, recovered her balance in the air and resumed with the same ferocity as before.


    Zayza! How can I help?! he sent.


    Her rushed answer wasn''t all that clarifying.


    Anything would be splendid!!


    Lammy almost slapped himself. Obviously, she didn''t have time to analyze the situation and report a game plan. This was the fastest, most deadly conflict Lammy had ever witnessed. She had to focus on each singular move, one at a time. Lammy didn''t know much about their powers, but he understood this much: one false move would likely mean her end.


    It was up to him to strategize the big picture.


    Lammy surged his mind and fought not to let the panic take over. They could do this.


    After all, strategy was what he did best.


    Lammy swerved Loozooloozeux to remain right on the outskirts of the fight.


    Okay, okay¡­he begun.


    The primary issue, of course, was Wei''s diverse magnitude of power. That wasn''t something Lammy could control¨Cat least, not without any further knowledge.


    He had to focus beneath that to the next most obvious threat: Wei''s speed. He was matching Zayza at the peak of her strength.


    If Lammy could somehow manage to slow him down¡­


    That''s it! he planned.


    With a quick scan of their surroundings, he pinned down a fitting landmark.


    Zayza: on my mark, avoid that mountain behind you!


    She sent a sense of agreement.


    The two impossibly powerful combatants continued flickering through the air. Lammy was left with a feeble hope that this would actually work.


    But he shook it off the best he could and mustered up confidence.


    NOW!!


    Lammy poured all his attention towards the space above the mountain he''d indicated to Zayza. There, he imagined a floating lake of water. Borrowing from his most potent memories, the water appeared to glow in a rainbow of shades¨Cjust like the pond by the Ancient Sage''s hut.


    But aesthetics aside, its effectiveness was all that mattered. And the split second Lammy waited for a result felt like hours.


    Then, it happened.


    Wei zipped out of sight, but reappeared right within the middle of the hovering lake. Finding himself suddenly underwater, he tried to move again¨Cbut all he could do was swim.


    I knew it! He can''t really teleport like Zayza! It''s just speed! Lammy deduced.


    But it was too soon to celebrate. Lammy rushed to conjure a surge of energy, just like the kind he''d used to zap Najinzu in Fiction Country.


    He didn''t have to hold back: this was the Dream World. Despite all the imagining he was already balancing, it emerged like it was his only focus.


    The white light flashed within the water. Wei writhed for a brief moment, but immediately returned his focus to escaping.


    It wasn''t enough power.


    But there was no time for regret¨CLammy moved on to the main purpose of his strategy:


    Now, Zayza!!


    She warped parallel to the lake, arms glaringly green.


    As soon as she was about to fire a blast, Lammy formed an opening in the water around Wei, allowing her a clear shot.


    Her aim was masterful: Zayza''s energy blared straight towards the lake, through the new opening, and it exploded against Wei.


    He whirled backwards within the water. Zayza nearly fired again¨Cbut Wei regained his composure, and with a forceful wave of his arms, the water splashed out all around him.


    Crap!


    Before Lammy could hope to reposition his trap, Wei broke free.


    He wasn''t visible again until he was just before Zayza, fist launching forward. Sparks flashed against her as he landed the impact, sending her backwards through the sky.


    ZAYZA!!


    But Lammy learned he had his own problem now: in that same moment, a flurry of multicolored orbs came flying his way.


    Loozooloozeux whirled into motion. Lammy barely had to steer as the dragon spun downward and took evasive action.


    After the attacks passed them by, Lammy evened out in the air. His eyes shot back to the fight: Wei''s offensive was still very much underway.


    Zayza took another hard hit from Wei''s energy, barely recovering in time to create a shield of light to deflect his ensuing kick. But the impact still jolted her further back, her eyes squinted shut.


    Something''s off, Lammy recognized.


    Before their successful team attack, she matched Wei in speed and strength. But now he watched in horror as she received blow after blow, and it was obvious her intensity had lessened.


    Zayza! Hang in there! he sent. What''s wrong?!


    She warped high above Wei, and fired rapid energy beams to fend him off. But they were much smaller than her previous attacks.


    Lammy checked the sky. In this alternate realm, he couldn''t see the true sunset.


    Is it Dreamwake? Is Dreamwake almost over?!


    We''re approaching its final minutes, Zayza confirmed. But that''s not why. I just¡­need to start being selective with my output¡­


    Wei shot an orb that cut straight through Zayza''s defense. She narrowly skirted it.


    But why?! You need all your power against him!


    Zayza''s same somberness from before filled his mind.


    It''s almost that time, was all she said. Remember our promise?


    Stop! Don''t talk like that!


    He grit his teeth. Where were Deon and Skrili? If they could just make it here, the fight might turn back in their favor.


    Did something happen to them after all?


    With fear and frustration blending together, Lammy rushed to forge a new plan. Wei repositioned, and Zayza blinked farther away from him, her light much dimmer.


    I''m not leaving you!! Lammy boomed.


    Imagining more than he''d ever tried before, Lammy watched as all kinds of objects began filling the sky and levitating around the three of them. They were all distinctly familiar: stoves like the one he''d cooked on with Rob and Pete, campfires like the Sage''s, igloos and snowballs from Our Snowy Village, and even bagged orders from Food Town.


    Remnants from their journey to Azvaylen surrounded them all, drifting slowly.


    Zayza and Wei came to a standstill.


    Without the space to fly, at least now he can''t keep speeding around, Lammy planned.


    Wei bumped a stove that had drifted near him and watched it spin gradually the other way.


    "I thought you might be as special as the other white-haired kid," he called over with a grin. "This settles it: we''ll have to keep you around for testing, too."


    "What''s your deal?!?!"


    The words shot out of Lammy before he could fully process them. But he stood by his unfiltered demand.


    With all the floating objects between them, Lammy only caught a brief glimpse of Wei as his head turned his way.


    "Seriously, You consciousnesses always act so entitled," Wei laughed calmly. "You all think you deserve what you have, don''t you? The Multiverse needs a history lesson. That''s all Proscious is doing."


    Lammy turned briefly in the slightest hope that Deon and Skrili were closing in. But he couldn''t spot them through the crowded sky.


    "If you meant what my deal is, though¨Clike, personally," added Wei, "I''d have to say I''m living it out right now. To think¡­I was a scrawny Normal Country boy from Hangka, nothing to my name. Now I''ve come this far, and I thought I''d finally reached my strongest self. I feared it, honestly. But thanks to you, Zayza, I know my potential reaches even higher."


    "Nonsense," Zayza rebuked. "We''ve remained evenly matched."


    "Have we?" Wei challenged quickly. "Are you sure? And, is it¡­even me you''re fighting right now?"


    Lammy froze. "What?!"


    What does he mean?! he sent immediately to Zayza.


    I¡­I don''t¡­


    Lammy felt his stomach sink when a massive cluster of his creations disintegrated within a blinding light. A low buzz flooded his ears.


    Three massive, infinite orbs of energy appeared above the silhouette of Wei''s raised hand.


    It seemed Lammy''s effort to buy time only provided Wei preparation for a more devastating blow.


    And¨Cfor reasons she still refused to disclose¨CZayza was limiting her energy flow. Would she be able to deflect it this time?


    "Well, I got what I wanted out of this. So I''m gonna go ahead and ask that you two surrender now," Wei''s voice echoed over the buzzing. "To be honest, it makes it way easier to run studies on you if you''re not dead or barely clinging onto life."


    Despite the warm rush of wind, Lammy''s skin went icy. He caught a quick, fleeting glance at Zayza as she watched the orb before her.


    He felt her resolve sink in, and he wanted to cry.


    Lammy¡­you promised, came her soft voice. It''s time. Run.

 117. Dreamwake (Part 4 of 5)

    ~~~


    Minutes before¡­


    Deon tried, and failed, to slow his rapid descent towards the ground. Skrili plummeted not far beside him.


    They''d been ripped from Loozooloozeux so swiftly, he didn''t even fully process this new sinking phenomenon until he heard Lammy''s screaming voice fade behind the other side of the mountain.


    "...Well?!" Skrili inquired over the wind.


    "On it! GIANT¨C"


    In his uncontrolled spin, Deon caught a glimpse of the fast-approaching ground.


    It was already covered in a seemingly endless cushion.


    "...Oh. Pillow."


    The bed features he half-heartedly summoned appeared just above the cushion lake nonetheless, and the team bounced into them first. Then the surviving momentum sent them rolling lazily down onto the feathery surface.


    Deon observed the fabric. It matched the kind from Tailpiece that he''d mimicked for his own creations.


    "Man¡­Lammy''s gotten scary good at imagining," Deon noted as he and Skrili climbed to their feet. "Did he get stronger than me? Now that would be embarrassing ¡­"


    While he laughed, Skrili didn''t appear amused at all¨Cand it was deeper than her default stoic expression.


    "...What''s going on with you?" she muttered.


    For some reason, her question made Deon''s heart skip. Her voice was tender, but fragile.


    Deon chuckled. "What?"


    "Look around, Deon. Think about what we''re doing right now," Skrili pressed. "You''re acting¡­off. Not like yourself."


    Hiroko.


    Wei''s smirk.


    Deon blinked hard. He smiled again.


    "What are you talking about, Skrili? I always kid around."


    "But at a time like this?" Skrili denied. Her eyes cut through him as she struggled across the cushions to step closer. "I know it''s hard¡­but right now, we need you to feel."


    She hesitated. Her eyes dampened.


    "Deon¡­Hiroko is¨C"


    They stumbled against each other as suddenly, the pillowy surface faded beneath their feet. Standing each other back up, they found themselves atop the Dream World''s rocky black terrain.


    Lammy dismissed it, Deon figured. If something had happened to him in the fall, it would have vanished much earlier. Taking that relief into account, he imagined two floating planks before himself and Skrili.


    "Welp, we''d better keep moving!" he decided. "Can''t let Zayza have all the fun!"


    As he hopped onto his plank, he could feel that Skrili''s probing eyes didn''t leave him. Even as she followed, her concern remained.


    Deon flew them forward along the base of the mountain they''d fallen from.


    The chorus of moans continued on from the shadows high up in the sky. Deon didn''t dare look back up.


    He refused to see that again.


    But he couldn''t ignore the even more prevalent phenomenon coming from their desired destination. The flashes and deep rumblings continued just before the purple horizon, evidence of Zayza and Wei''s ongoing battle. Deon and Skrili watched as an entire mountain crumbled from the blasts.


    Our team special¡­that should be enough to turn the tables on him, Deon tried telling himself. Zayza''s insanely strong. If she can hold on until we get there, we''ll finally outmatch him.


    Yeah¡­no need for anything crazy. No one else has to get hurt.


    ¡­NO one else.


    Hiroko.


    He blinked again. For a moment, his face had gone warm. He shook it off.


    "Deon¡­" came Skrili¡¯s outreaching voice. "I¡­I know what it''s like to lose control and go too far before I could stop myself. That doesn''t have to be the outcome. I think I can help you control it¡­"


    What is she going on about now?


    "You have to stop bottling it up. That''s not how Deon does things," she insisted. "Let''s use everything we have against him. Let''s make Hiroko proud of¨C"


    Her voice vanished with a deep thud. Skrili''s body shot backwards in an instant, leaving her plank unattended.


    Deon''s insides twisted.


    "SKRILI!!!"


    He halted his flight. His teammate plunged through the air at an unnatural speed, disappearing from view in the distance.


    Deon dismissed the planks and touched down onto the ground. Skrili was gone¨Cbut how could the impact have launched her so impossibly far?


    "SKRILI!!"


    "And here I thought I missed my chance to get around to this," someone commented to his side.


    Deon spun to where the impact must have come from.


    Wei.


    He stood in the air steps away, with the same exact grin he''d worn in the Dreamer Chamber.


    What?!


    Deon''s eyes immediately darted to the horizon, where clearly, the battle had only intensified. Flashes of infinite color intermingled with Zayza''s green sparks.


    Fumbling several steps back, Deon returned his focus.


    "How are you here?!" he demanded.


    "I might not be. Or maybe I am¡­I don''t even know," Wei said casually. "You have an unusually powerful circle of friends, you know that? Especially the princess and Ms. Inoue. Honestly, I feel blessed to be a part of this."


    An explosion from the distant duel shook the ground.


    "The princess managed to find it: the highest point of my abilities so far," he revealed. "Because of her, for the first time in years, I needed to see if I could push myself farther¡­to see if I had anything more to offer, or if I finally reached my ceiling."


    His smile grew like a boy''s with a sinister secret.


    "And I hadn''t," he finished. "Forced to step things up, my powers managed to imagine another me¡­and even I am unsure which is the copy, and which is the original."


    Deon backed away farther.


    No way¡­there''s no way I can take him alone¡­this guy is impossible¡­


    "So now, what better opportunity to kill two birds with one stone?" Wei beamed. "I can finally study your strange powers¡­and discover my new limits."


    There was no escape. Deon turned one last time to where Skrili had been launched away. She was still nowhere in sight.


    His eyes burned low. But he squinted and held it back in.


    I can''t¡­


    "Well, Deon? I just took out your girlfriend. Get angry," Wei encouraged. "Show me that natural blend of consciousness abilities."


    The pressure increased. Deon pressed his hand against his head.


    No¡­if Skrili is still in range of me, she''ll get hurt¡­I can''t control it enough¡­


    Eyes aching, Deon shook his head decidedly and took on a fighting stance.


    He imagined a squad of squirrel monsters and made them charge. But when Wei rolled his eyes, he knew that wouldn''t even come close to cutting it: they all burst into nothing one-by-one, as soon as Wei''s eyes fell on them.


    Desperate, Deon imagined the next move up: Medium Twitchy. The even larger squirrel appeared right behind Wei with its fangs already out.


    But Wei turned swiftly, hand raised out. As he spun the same invisible force ripped Medium Twitchy into non-existence.


    Particle imagining¡­Deon recalled. If he can still imagine, does that mean he''s not the copy?! Then I have to think¨C


    Wei''s face suddenly appeared before his. A fist slammed into his gut and launched him up into the air.


    Somehow, the force sent him much higher than seemed logical: he found himself almost spinning into the sky. Then the crackling burst of countless invisible explosions stung him all over, and bashed him back towards the earth.


    Wincing, Deon gathered himself just in time to imagine a pillow on the ground. He bounced against it, but then crashed hard onto the uneven rocks.


    That hit sent me way too high¡­that shouldn''t make sense, Deon realized. It was the same as the way Skrili had vanished over the distant hills.


    So the physics of fighting in the Dream World are different, then, he derived.


    Grasping his shoulder through his now torn tunic, Deon struggled back to his feet.


    He was both grateful and irritated that Wei allowed him the opportunity to recover. The monster of a man stood in the air paces away, shaking his head like an unsatisfied teacher.


    "Come on¡­" he groaned. "Let''s put it this way: if you let me get past you, I''ll make sure the girl is dead."


    "She''s tougher than you think!" Deon shot.


    "Eh."


    Wei darted forward. If Deon blinked, he would''ve been too slow.


    "STOP!!"


    He couldn''t restrain his heart this time. The orange flooded his vision.


    A wall formed in Wei''s path, and he crashed into it. Deon felt the attack pour from his mind even though he hadn''t yet thought of it.


    His heightened abilities were surfacing.


    The wall burst to pieces, and Wei tried advancing forward.


    This time, Deon¡¯s mind summoned a billowing gust of wind. It slammed into Wei and resisted his pursuit.


    "Stay away from her!!" Deon roared.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    But as Wei slowed to a standstill in the air, his mouth opened wide into a hearty laugh.


    "YES! YES! SHOW ME MORE!!"


    Deon felt a chill.


    "Don''t you want to be strong enough to beat me?! This is how!!"


    "SHUT UP!"


    The gust strengthened until it finally swept Wei backwards. He managed to land on his feet and skidded to an eventual stop.


    Deon noticed the heat had risen around him in that instant.


    No¡­don''t give in¡­


    He pushed at his mind. His eyes dimmed again.


    Wei pointed a finger, his face glowing with liveliness. "Hey¡­no, don''t do that. You''re suppressing it, aren''t you?" he acknowledged. "Don''t. Your anger is the source of your potential."


    He stood tall and spread his arms to the sides.


    "Between the hundreds of procedures¡­injections¡­experimental tests¡­my tenacity is the source of mine," he shared. "And look where it''s led me: to the top. Don''t you want to find out if you can be like me? Will you become unbeatable? Your rage has the answer."


    Lammy would bury this guy in notes for talking so freaking much¡­Deon grumbled to himself.


    No¡­that wasn''t why he found this man so unspeakably irritating. And it was thanks to Lammy''s carefully-scribbled critiques back home that he was able to comprehend it:


    Wei was him.


    The overconfidence to a point of offering advice¡­the poking and egging on just to fish out a more exciting fight, regardless of potential consequences¡­


    As he glared at Wei, he saw nothing but himself from months ago, back in Tailpiece.


    Is he what happens to me, Deon wondered, in another world where I never met people like Skrili or Pang¡­?


    Is Wei¡­what I would have become?


    The Proscious leader''s grin didn''t waver. He began taking slow steps closer.


    "You know you need it," he stressed. "I''ll really do it: I''ll finish off the Power Rebound girl. And then the rest of you will belong to Proscious. You gonna try to stop that, or what?"


    Deon''s heart rammed against his chest. He fought to slow his breathing and resist the glow in his eyes.


    He held his ground.


    Some other way¡­he repeated. I have to keep control¡­


    Wei came to a stop. "Nothing, huh?" he noted. "Then I guess her death will be just like your buddy Hiroko Hamasaki''s: pointless. Preventable."


    Hiroko.


    Hiroko is¡­


    He tried to block it out. It wasn''t real.


    But for a split moment, his vision was replaced with her icy eyes behind their campfire last night. He saw her wink.


    Deon''s world went hot. And this time, there was no stopping it.


    Hiroko is gone.


    Wei''s eyes widened in excitement at the orange spectacle. "Just a fair reminder: again, all you had to do was join Proscious. Their deaths are your fault."


    Now Skrili is next¡­or she''s gone already¡­


    Thunder roared¨Cbut it didn''t come from the battle on the horizon. It rumbled just above them.


    Blistering, orange wind burst out endlessly around Deon''s body. The shine in his eyes spread as a hue surrounding him.


    "Let that sink in," Wei continued.


    "I''m not stupid. It''s your fault," Deon growled. "All of this is your fault."


    His resistance was gone; all inhibitions had fled the incoming storm within Deon''s mind.


    "It''s your turn to die."


    Wei eased up. "There it is."


    As Deon roared, his scorching gusts ripped forward. Giant Twitchy formed in the center of the storm, its earth-shaking paws charging straight for Wei.


    The onslaught met an equal resistance: sparks popped in a wall of miniature explosions, halting the attack in place. Giant Twitchy struggled to shield itself from the particle energy.


    Deon felt a cold burst of wind in response to his own: Wei was fending it off with his own imagining.


    "COME ON!!" Deon bellowed.


    Giant Twitchy roared and attempted one more shove forward, but the swipe of its claws fell short of Wei.


    Then, the infinitely-colored orbs appeared. Spheres of energy rained from Wei''s body and pounded against both Giant Twitchy and Deon''s wind.


    The screeching squirrel beast began tumbling backwards. Some of the orbs zipped beyond it and exploded only steps around Deon.


    "It looks like I''ve learned what I needed," Wei analyzed. "Your natural blend of types is fascinating; Proscious will have plenty to study. And now I know my new power ceiling totally eclipses it. This was a good use of time."


    Covering his head from the downpour of energy spheres, Deon cursed.


    Rage was his only strategy. Without conscious consent, his mind conjured a flurry of knives.


    They endlessly darted forward from all angles¨Cbut even as they continued, they all crumbled to either Wei''s own attacks, or his particle shield.


    "Thanks for finally indulging me," Wei said, "but this fight is¨C"


    He stopped himself short when a purple ray breached his invisible defense.


    Not just breached¨Cit completely shattered through.


    And faster than he could react, a blur of a foot swooped in and perfectly met his head.


    Deon''s heart leaped.


    This time, Wei''s voice was the one left to linger as he spiraled backwards and slammed into the base of a mountain. The structure crumbled to pieces around the impact.


    In Wei''s place, illuminated within a vibrant purple, Skrili floated.


    She''s using her Concussion power up! Deon recognized. The pain from that hit must have triggered it!


    Skrili turned to Deon, her hair blowing in the wind from a blend of her energy and Deon''s ongoing gusts.


    "As I was trying to say," she restarted, "let''s make Hiroko proud."


    But Deon''s utter relief was short-lived, replaced by a new terror:


    He couldn''t dismiss his raging mind''s attack¨Cand Skrili was now squarely in-range.


    "No, Skrili! Watch out!!"


    She refused to move, arms crossing. "No. You can control it."


    "I can''t!"


    "You''re already trying. Look at me."


    Deon fought to focus through his hazy vision. The knives had been continually firing this whole time¨Cbut as many of them reached Skrili, they simply vanished into nothing. Giant Twitchy stood still, and it seemed even the hot wind wasn''t burning her.


    I''m¡­protecting her from myself?? he marveled.


    Skrili touched her shoulder and observed a blotch of red. "I caught one hit when I flew in," she said, "but it seems like once you noticed me, your attacks couldn''t hurt me anymore. You can control this."


    Their shining eyes remained fixated on each other. Thunder growled from above.


    She risked her life to trust me, Deon thought.


    "Skrili understands the risk, but she''s committed. That''s the last hurdle you have to get over."


    Hiroko''s words returned to him.


    "She wants to help you."


    "You can differentiate that I''m not your enemy," Skrili told him. She turned to face the destroyed mountain. "And that he is."


    Wei''s silhouette rose gradually, hauntingly, from the debris. He watched them from the sky.


    "Proscious killed Hiroko, Deon, and they''ll do more," Skrili said. Her eyes locked onto him again. "Your power isn''t a curse; it''s a gift for times just like this. I know you''re as pissed as I am¡­so let it out."


    The world seemed to slow as Deon allowed her words to sink in.


    Finally, he embraced the still-mounting rage. He let the thoughts of his fallen friend flood in.


    "Anger has a purpose. It can be just. Sometimes, it¡¯s exactly the right thing to feel."


    "At a time like this, don¡¯t run from it."


    Even now, I''m learning from you, Deon reminisced. Thank you, Hiroko.


    This one''s for you.


    He dismissed all remaining resistance in his mind. A vivid image of Hiroko''s sacrifice re-emerged in his memory, and he refused to bury it.


    Everything she''d done to help them get this far¡­


    Everything Proscious had done to hurt Lammy and his friends¡­


    Wei''s careless smirk.


    The orange wind gusted from Deon many times harder. Even still, its effects bypassed Skrili.


    His breath seethed through pressed teeth. His body shook.


    The orange light in his eyes didn''t blind him anymore. This time, it enhanced his vision. Hot tears blotched his cheeks.


    "SKRILI!!" he roared. "LET''S END THIS!!!"


    A plank formed under his feet, and he launched full-speed towards Wei, wind cutting at his hair. Skrili burst into flight just before him.


    A subtle streak of tears mixed into the purple light that trailed behind her.


    Floating in place as if to welcome their offensive, Wei raised a single hand.


    An orb of multicolored light, nearing the size of the mountain he''d crashed into, appeared all at once.


    Deon ignored its blistering heat. He didn''t care how strong Wei was anymore.


    And when he noticed Skrili refuse to cease her pursuit, it heightened his resolve further.


    You don''t scare me anymore, Wei, he wanted to shout. Besides, you didn''t even challenge me at my strongest.


    My strongest is with her.


    Wei flicked his hand forward, and the orb began billowing their way.


    But Deon could feel it¨Chis imagining capabilities were practically limitless. And this time, he chose the rage coursing through him.


    Now he had full control over every move.


    Upon his summoning, a Giant Twitchy reappeared¨Cthis time even larger. Its size overshadowed the sun-like orb approaching them.


    The squirrel giant dove forward, arms spread wide¡­ .


    ¡­and caught Wei''s attack.


    Twitchy''s paws slid backwards through the earth, leaving long craters. But it came to a stop and hugged the orb in place. Sparks flickered all around it¨Clikely Wei''s attempt at shaking it loose¨Cbut Twitchy remained steadfast.


    Deon and Skrili zipped underneath the squirrel beast''s legs. Once they passed through, Twitchy shifted its weight and managed to toss the orb off into the air.


    That proved to be the right command: they heard the energy detonate behind them, its magnificent flash jolting Zayza''s realm into daylight for a split moment.


    The duo powered forward. Now nothing stood in their path.


    It was their turn.


    Deon knew he could never normally pull off his next series of creations. But as anger fueled his imagining power, adrenaline fueled his precision.


    All at once, his padlike springs took form as a symmetrical crowd surrounding Wei¨Cbut unlike previous iterations, they numbered more than fifty.


    It was their Team Special¨Cbut in a form far enhanced.


    Deon barely analyzed the pads'' positions: he knew they were precise. And Skrili''s trust was equal as she curved upward and flew straight towards the starting pad of their ultimate attack.


    In all their time preparing to defeat Skip in their training, they never knew they were preparing for this moment.


    Skrili shot from the first spring faster than an arrow. She appeared more like purple lightning as she darted from pad to pad, increasing in speed with each bounce.


    She''s making herself move even faster with her Concussion energy! Deon observed.


    Following his designed path, Skrili surrounded Wei as a one-person swarm. Though he tried, he simply couldn''t follow her rapid movement or her constantly-altering trajectory.


    The offensive began.


    Deon imagined rocks matching the size of his League-friendly leather ball attack. He placed them in the necessary firing positions.


    But when Skrili retrieved and redirected the first one at Wei, it broke against an invisible field around him.


    Something stronger.


    Thinking fast, Deon transformed the rocks into mini-Twitchys¨Ca technique he''d spent many more hours refining.


    Skrili''s next throw came less than an instant later. This time it was enough speed and power: Deon''s creation slammed into Wei''s gut.


    He''s not invincible! Deon finally believed.


    The rampaging strikes continued on, and despite Wei''s efforts to predict and dodge, Skrili didn''t miss a single time. The squirrel monsters pounded against him in an incessant downpour.


    But if they wanted to finish this before he found a chance to deflect or pull away, Deon knew they''d need even more speedy strikes. It would put Skrili in further danger, but with Wei strictly on the defense, there was no better opportunity.


    "SHIFT!" he called.


    Deon redirected the angles of the pads. They all curved further in.


    Skrili was ready: the Twitchys vanished around her, and instead, her own flyby kicks became the source of damage. Wei flopped and twisted as her fury unfolded against him.


    Several cycles in, Deon narrowed his stare.


    Now.


    Deon shifted the pads'' angle to shoot Skrili away. In the same thought, he reimagined Giant Twitchy just before Wei, casting a deep shadow. The beast grabbed him, and with all the strength Deon could enforce, hurled him straight into the ground.


    But given Wei''s particle shield ability, they had to be thorough. He placed one final spring high up above the indentation where his enemy crashed.


    Skrili shot through the air towards the pad. Bouncing against it full-force, she rained down at Wei with her foot aimed straight.


    Her finishing kick met his chest, and the realm around them fell silent as she stood above him.


    Wei didn''t move.


    Deon dismissed all but his hovering plank of wood. The distant rumblings over the horizon returned to his ears as he hurried over to Skrili.


    His heart sank when he saw Wei smile from the cracked ground.


    "Watch out!" he warned his teammate.


    Skrili sharpened. But even still, Wei didn''t move.


    When Deon reached them and touched onto the ground, Wei simply let out a single, choked laugh.


    Then, just like an Imaginer''s creation, he faded away.


    Skrili''s eyes shot wide. She began searching around.


    "What?!"


    Deon frowned. "So that was the copy, then," he accepted grimly. "Wei said he figured out how to imagine a duplicate of himself¡­he''s inhuman."


    Skrili''s focus turned to the flashing horizon. Her energy remained flowing.


    "Then he can probably do it again," she acknowledged. "We have to get to Zayza now."


    Deon nodded. Her energy intermingled with his orange-tinted vision, creating an amber tint to all he saw.


    "How much time do you have left like that?" he checked.


    "Not much," she said. "But¡­maybe enough."


    She floated into the air, her intense gaze on Deon.


    "I can hold Concussion a little longer, you have your power up, and Zayza is using Nightmare. This is the best, and probably last chance we''ll get to beat him."


    Deon''s fury coursed through him, blending with resolve. He conjured another plank and ascended to join her.


    A deafening series of blasts illuminated their next destination.


    "Let''s go."

 118. Dreamwake (Part 5 of 5)

    Deon soared through the sky so fast he thought he might slip straight off of his plank.


    It was too early to assume he''d mastered the speed of the technique, so he knew it was mostly his heightened state of imagining.


    His muscles remained tense with impatient aggravation¨Call of that effort to avenge Hiroko and protect Lammy, all of that power from deep within, only for it to turn out they were fighting a copy.


    They gave it everything. Now they had to try again.


    But the knowledge only fueled his raging fire. He''d had it with Wei''s trickery¨Cwith all of Proscious.


    Nobody else was getting hurt. Nobody but Wei.


    Skrili cut through the sky at a pace only slightly faster than Deon''s. With her as a reference, he knew at least they were moving as hastily as they possibly could.


    But as he trailed behind his tenacious teammate, further worry set in.


    Soon, her light would burn out.


    It was the nature of her power up: once her Concussion energy ran out, she would faint. She would be unable to fight, let alone move, for hours.


    They needed to beat Wei before her energy depleted, or this was hopeless¨Cand she would end up more vulnerable than all of them.


    But Deon knew better than to check in on her again. She already said she could hold out, and she meant it. Doubting her would only show disrespect.


    He chose to trust her, just as she trusted him earlier.


    Something about this dreary realm seemed to shift as they flew. Deon glanced around.


    It wasn''t just in his head: Zayza''s domain was getting darker, gradually losing what little light it started with.


    But his stomach turned. Up in the sky, the amount of shadowy figures only increased. The silhouettes of friends and strangers continued their endless cycles, cowering from the wires around them, and then flashing into oblivion.


    That can''t be a good sign¡­Deon noted.


    He blinked hard and refocused on their pursuit.


    What was once their horizon was now getting closer by the second. The constant flashes and blasts nearly blinded Deon''s eyes.


    He started feeling a new wave of heat, even through the wind pulling at his body.


    "Zayza''s losing!" Skrili called back.


    Watching closer, Deon tried to achieve her analytical capabilities. The best he could derive was that the green light seemed dimmer and less frequent than he remembered before.


    That''s her energy¡­he remembered. Then the situation''s even worse now.


    Soon they could pick out the specks of Zayza and Wei''s figures. Skrili was spot on: Wei was on a devastating offensive, and when Zayza wasn''t taking a direct hit, she was retreating through the air.


    Then within all the darkness, Deon''s heart filled. He caught sight of a rainbow creature and its young rider revolving cautiously around the duel.


    He''s still okay!


    "Lammy!" Deon exclaimed.


    They were still too far to hear, especially behind the unrelenting explosions. But his shout seemed to give Skrili an extra spark. She sped up even faster.


    Then out of nowhere, the duo watched as the battle took a turn for the stranger.


    Objects of all kinds, seemingly unrelated to each other aside from their simultaneous arrivals, popped into the sky all around Wei, Zayza, and Lammy. From Tailpiece trees to banners Deon recognized from Gloat Stadium, there was no clear pattern. They simply drifted in an orbit like they were weightless.


    "Is that Lammy''s imagining?" Deon guessed.


    "He must be cluttering the sky to obstruct Wei''s speed and aim!" Skrili marveled. "That''s a brilliant move."


    "That''s Lammy for you!" Deon beamed. "Come on!"


    His cousin''s plan appeared to be working: he could hardly see them through the objects anymore, but the fighting had clearly come to a pause. No more energy blasts lit the sky, and he spotted no movement.


    There was something tense about the stillness¨Cespecially without the ability to keep an eye on Wei. But Deon still held on to this inkling of hope.


    Keep stalling him, Lammy, he thought. We''re almost there¡­


    The objects were getting clearer by the second.


    But at the same time, the sky continued dimming. The black moon far behind the halted fight had grown larger, looming like a wordless final warning.


    "What''s our plan?" Deon checked, fighting to keep his nerves at bay.


    "We stay out of view as long as possible," Skrili called back, "and then¨C"


    "Right: we use the Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack again," Deon finished. "But since we''re both powered up right now, it''s more like the Mega-Strong Skrili and Deon Ult¨C"


    "We''re not calling it any of that," Skrili refused. She focused back towards the crowded sky, and Deon knew his assumption was right. "We can''t let him see this coming. If he can make another copy of himself, we can''t let him realize he needs to," she added.


    Something that insanely complicated would take time, Deon knew. It seems like he takes a second to imagine his giant light-ball thing, which means a full copy of himself''s gotta take even longer. So if we act fast¡­


    He nodded. Skrili was spot-on: an ambush was the only way forward.


    Deon sighed hard and matched her level of focus. They were almost in range.


    All that was left was timing and aim.


    But Lammy''s imagined objects all throughout the air added a complication. Deon would somehow have to push them away in order to place his springs for Skrili¨Call before Wei caught on to their surprise attack.


    He blinked and felt the ongoing heat in his face. He pictured Hiroko.


    Confidence sparked through him like fire.


    Easy, he thought. I can do this.


    For her.


    For everyone.


    Seeking one final dose of fire, Deon glanced at Skrili, who didn''t show a hint of hesitation. In fact, she''d managed to speed up her charge.


    Then he caught a quick glimpse of an orange shine from within the hovering objects: Lammy''s eyes were glowing just as his.


    It''s time Wei finds out how it feels to¨C


    His peaking adrenaline finally hit a wall. A deep, heavy uncertainty seeped in as a new sunlike shine collided with his eyes.


    It totally washed out Skrili''s purple hue, and even the orange light emanating in Deon''s own vision.


    Another one or Wei''s orbs¨Cno, three of them¨Cappeared, and each was even larger than the one he''d blocked before.


    They asserted their dominance in the air, immediately disintegrating all of Lammy''s objects within its newly occupied space. Their shine nearly blocking out the black moon aside from a thin, ominous outline.


    The howling wind ripped at Deon and Skrili.


    "NOW WHAT?!" Deon cried.


    "I DON''T KNOW ANYMORE! JUST MOVE!!"


    Skrili''s rare uncertainty only deepened his panic. Squinting to peer ahead, they watched as the massive cluster of pure heat began tumbling forward.


    The wind tore the remaining floating objects away, and Deon finally spotted Lammy and Zayza: they were directly in the orbs'' path. Green ignited around Zayza again.


    Had her strength from before returned?


    Maybe it was the deadly aura in the sky, or the discoloring from his own powers¡­but as Deon forced himself against the wind with all he had, he could have sworn Zayza''s energy¨Ceven her very appearance¨Cnow seemed different.


    Darker.


    She raised her hands towards their incoming doom, and neither she nor Lammy attempted to flee.


    "Don''t!!" Skrili tried to scream, but the gusts sucked her breath.


    The orbs were nearly upon their friends, a moment from swallowing them whole.


    Deon tried and failed several times to speak, before he finally caught his breath for a fleeting instant.


    "NO!!!!"


    ~


    All Lammy could hear was the menacing wind, and the flaps of Loozooloozeux''s wings at it battled to remain in place.


    But he could sense Zayza''s sharp protest loud and clear.


    Lammy! You HAVE to go!


    The light from the rumbling orb was now all he could see before them. It illuminated Zayza, who remained unwavering in its path. She checked towards him once more, her eyes wide and sharp.


    Please, Lammy!!


    But¨C


    Dreamwake is almost over, she pressed. I may have one last way to end this¡­but if it fails, I need you to get far away.


    WHY? Tell me what''s going to happen, Zayza! Lammy cried.


    She silenced her thoughts. But Lammy could still feel an impending, deep agony in her heart.


    Then, blotches of black began spreading on parts of her dress like spilled ink. It gradually began overtaking the green.


    Lammy altered his question.


    Is¡­that because Dreamwake is ending?


    She didn''t answer.


    The orbs'' steady rumble intensified before them. In a few seconds, there would be no hope of pulling away from it.


    There''s no more time, Zayza said instead.


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    Somehow, Lammy could tell she wasn''t only referring to Dreamwake and the orb.


    No! If you don''t get to make it out of this, Lammy protested, then neither do¨C


    You''ve saved me so many times. Now let me be the one to save you, said Zayza. Her voice in his head became tender again. And please¡­ look after Layla and Kotono for me.


    She turned to him one last time, and despite it all, a smile spread on her face just like the first one she''d ever given him.


    Thank you, Lammy. I know I can count on you. I always could.


    Lammy clutched Loozooloozeux''s saddle so hard he couldn''t feel his hands. He couldn''t breathe, so tears escaped instead.


    It wasn''t fair.


    Why did he have to make this choice?


    The orbs screeched and flickered. For an instant, Lammy assumed he''d taken too long, and their time was up.


    But a cross between piercing squeaks and roars challenged its sound.


    Lammy returned his squinting eyes to the orb. But now, there were equally gigantic, furry silhouettes pressed up against them, their claws and feet pushing the blast to a near-halt.


    Three Giant Twitchy''s unleashed another chorus of ferocious squeals.


    DEON! Lammy knew.


    His hope immediately reignited.


    Come on!


    Zayza watched the struggle motionlessly for a moment. Whatever she had resolved to do, the rapid shift to this sudden new chance left her stunned.


    Lammy swooped Loozooloozeux closer.


    Zayza, let''s go! Help is here!!


    R¨Cright!


    Snapping back into action, Zayza trailed behind Loozooloozeux''s swirling tail as the two pulled away from the blast. Behind them, the Giant Twitchys'' bodies were fading. But just before the power conquered them, they flipped backwards and lunged the orbs off track.


    The eventual explosions almost shook Lammy off his saddle, but he hardly noticed. His focus was entirely ahead.


    Deon stood atop a floating plank not far away.


    "Deon! Nice¨C"


    He quickly found it was far from time to celebrate their rescue. Deon''s attention was away from them, his glowing eyes watching in desperate focus.


    Because it was a sight so rare on his cousin, Lammy immediately recognized the urgent worry in his face.


    He didn''t have to trace Deon''s gaze to find his source of concern. Across from them in the sky, a ziggzagging purple glow darted around against pads in the air.


    And faster than Lammy could keep track, the light collided with Wei.


    Only when he caught a quick glimpse of a kick did he recognize the light was Skrili.


    Her power up! he remembered from the Conscious Competition.


    But Deon''s worry appeared only clearer as Lammy and Zayza reached him.


    "How can we help?!" Zayza requested before Lammy even got the chance.


    "Her Concussion energy is almost out!" he stressed, his eyes still stuck to the fight to maintain his end of the attack.


    Lammy looked back. The purple was beginning to flicker sporadically. Skrili''s movements slowed.


    Then, Wei burst into motion. With a flickering punch, he managed to deflect Skrili back against the pad she''d bounced from.


    No!! thought Deon.


    In a split reaction, he managed to shift the pad''s angle and bounce her away. She reset to their original pattern.


    But now with her decreased speed, the assault had evolved into a two-way duel. Wei''s counters began landing just as frequently as Skrili''s flyby kicks.


    "Looks like we''re only able to keep him at bay until the rest of her power runs out," Deon warned his friends. "We need something more, like¨Cfast!"


    His eyes darted to Zayza for a quick second.


    "Sorry, but¡­any chance you have anything left to give?"


    "I do," she confirmed. "But it''s at its limit. If I use too much¡­I won''t be able to help any further¡­"


    She glanced at Lammy.


    "I''ll¡­vanish forever."


    Lammy observed her dress again. By now, it had gone almost entirely black.


    Then that''s what she was trying to warn me about¡­


    Again, Wei slammed Skrili backwards against a pad. She bounced back towards him in a tumble, only to meet another direct hit.


    "Skrili!" Deon cried.


    "Keep sending me in!!" came her immediate, fiery demand.


    Deon grit his teeth, but reluctantly, he obeyed her insistence. With a flash of purple, Skrili plowed through a thin wall of sparks and sweeped another kick across Wei''s chest.


    She''s keeping him from having time to fully retaliate, Lammy observed. But¡­


    "She can''t hold it much longer!" cried Deon, confirming his fear.


    Wei''s voice was the next to ring out. But in contrast, despite his struggle, it was smooth¨Cfrustratingly beautiful.


    "You all lasted so long!" he congratulated them. "But I guess fighting me spent up everything you''re worth. Your strength equaling mine only ended up making me stronger¡­which must mean¡­"


    He let a single, blissful laugh escape.


    "I''ve finally answered my question."


    "It''s true. My power potential¡­really is ENDLESS!!!"


    Lammy glared in defiance.


    His mind sparked. It flashed to the initial fight in the Dreamer Chamber.


    "He''s wrong. It''s not." He analyzed Wei for one more quick moment. "And we can do this without using all of Zayza''s power."


    Deon''s better judgment wanted to reject the notion. This man had tapped into so much ability, he''d imagined a second him. Everything screamed they were utterly outmatched.


    But he knew his cousin''s tone.


    "What do you got, coach?" he asked quickly.


    "Retribution¡­you guys already found his weakness with your group attack," Lammy told him. "It was why you almost won: he can stop any attack¡­but not if he has to divide his strength."


    Memories of the fight surged through Deon.


    The quick diversions.


    Kotono¡¯s attacks, timed with his own.


    They''d managed to blast Wei back.


    Lammy was right.


    Then that means when we got to the ocean, Wei was keeping a closer eye on us than I thought¡­Deon concluded. He sent his copy to keep us separated from Zayza.


    We showed him his weakness.


    Zayza spun around to face them. "Whatever we do, we must hurry! I can sense it¡­Dreamwake is nearly over!"


    Behind her, Skrili''s light flickered even more.


    ¡­And her Concussion is almost up! Deon noticed.


    They were all at their strongest.


    But they only had time for one try.


    The cousins'' equally vibrant eyes locked. At this point, neither could tell whose determination was inspiring the other.


    The anxiety and rage remained burning. But an old confidence revisited them both.


    Just like back in Tailpiece, they both thought.


    Lammy''s strategy came just as swiftly and precisely as Deon had come to know. He nodded, tensing his muscles.


    As always, it was the right call.


    Zayza summoned an aura of green light, a tainted blackness mixing into it.


    "On your mark, Lammy," she said sharply. "My friends: let''s finally bring this to an end."


    Skrili let a shout of pain escape, but she kept powering back at Wei with all she had left.


    "I''ve got her!" Deon promised. "Call it!"


    "NOW!!!" Lammy cried.


    The initial moment was likely the most crucial. Several moving parts needed to come to life at once, with no room for mistakes.


    Even as Deon strained to launch his end of the attack, the only proper name for it surfaced in his head.


    "Retribution II," he uttered.


    He dismissed all but one of his launching pads around Wei, and as Skrili neared the remaining one, he redirected its trajectory. She bounced away from her enemy, flipping through the air until Deon caught her within a floating pillow below the fight.


    In practically the same instant, even as the pads were still fading, Deon launched the next phase.


    His heightened powers once again didn''t fail him: as clear and ferocious as Deon had intended, a Giant Twitchy popped into existence lunging straight at Wei from his right.


    And it wasn''t alone: simultaneously from Wei''s left, Lammy imagined a larger, burlier Loozooloozeux to flash into view and surged forward headfirst.


    The two beasts nearly pressed into Wei. But they met an invisible force inches from his flesh: he''d managed to raise his hands towards them within the instant. The monsters collided against millions of small, popping sparks, and pushed against them to try and break through.


    But Deon and Lammy didn''t waver. They were fulfilling their roles successfully.


    Just as their offensives had been unfolding, Zayza had swooped in closer and matched Wei''s height in the air. Within a half-second after Twitchy and Loozooloozeux appeared¨Ctiming as perfect as Lammy could have hoped¨CZayza blasted a smooth beam of energy at Wei''s core.


    Bogged down by Deon and Lammy''s attacks, there was no dodging it. The green and black beam slammed into him.


    No¨Cit was halted immediately before his chest. Pressing against yet another wall of sparks, the beam glowed and sang in place.


    "Keep it coming!" Lammy stressed.


    Twitchy roared, the second Loozooloozeux let out a humanlike shout, and both plowed forward harder. Zayza held her beam steadily in place, wincing as more black seeped into it.


    None of the attacks had yet broken through. But Lammy had never felt more fire in his heart.


    He could see it for the first time: Wei was straining.


    He had nothing to say¨Cor rather, he couldn''t afford breaking his focus to say it.


    It''s working, Lammy knew.


    But seconds passed, and still, nobody managed to break through. The black moon behind the struggle darkened into a soulless void.


    Wei finally lifted his head towards them. Still grimacing, his smooth smile once again broke through.


    "NOT¡­ENOUGH¡­" he strained.


    But as if in reply, a purple streak of energy shot up from below.


    Just beside Zayza''s beam, Skrili appeared and slammed her knee into the shield of sparks. Shouting and surrounded in the last of her energy, she forced her knee harder and harder against it.


    A crackle resounded. Wei jerked back once, now gritting his teeth from the increased pressure.


    Deon couldn''t help but let a dark smile spread. He would have taunted out loud, but he remembered Lammy''s constant admonishments for doing so and bit his tongue.


    "We got him this time," he encouraged everyone instead.


    Watching all the simultaneous, heated attacks from a distance, Deon focused on Wei.


    He shook his head, a strange sorrow welling within him. But he quickly realized it wasn''t pity he felt: it was a touch of embarrassment.


    So this guy''s just an idiot, like I was.


    Wei was supposed to be the strongest. He was, unquestionably, more powerful than all four of them.


    But Deon had to face it: if not for Wei''s mindset, Proscious very well could have defeated them all.


    It came to Deon as a somewhat bitter, but ultimately sweet realization:


    Being the strongest fighter didn''t truly make you the strongest.


    If Wei chose to fight alongside his cohorts from the beginning, if he had learned to operate with Irma, Benton, and Aoi as one constant unit like Deon and his friends had done, this could have turned out very differently. Proscious very well could have defeated them all outright.


    But Wei was so enveloped within his fascination and curiosity for his own power, it trumped Proscious''s mission in his mind. He practically paved the way for Hiroko''s plan to isolate his other members, defeat them first, and face him alone.


    He wanted to accomplish Proscious''s dark deeds. But above all else: he wanted a good challenge.


    Deon could feel that grin Wei always wore. He understood. After all, he ran away from Tailpiece in search of the same exact thing as Wei¨Cbut his own discontentment had pushed Savannah, and nearly Lammy, away.


    Had Deon not been humbled so immediately into his journey, had he not met Skrili, Pang, and the others and simply remained the best fighter he knew, he could have remained on the same path as Wei. And he would have been weaker for it.


    But ultimately Deon realized he was, in fact, stronger than Wei.


    Now he could see: true strength took humiliation, failure, and a lot of help. It didn''t come strictly from superior power, but from the people he chose to surround himself with. It meant learning to support them, upholding their strong points, and allowing himself to be supported.


    He thought he''d left Tailpiece to further test his power. Now he was about to help defeat perhaps the most powerful person he''d ever fight, he was about to help save everyone, because he''d learned something quite different instead:


    Real strength wasn''t about being the best. It was about bringing out the best in each other.


    That, Wei, Deon thought, is why we win.


    But a shift in the air jolted his fear back into place.


    He could smell the ocean waves again.


    Deon glanced around, still focusing his powers on the attack.


    The deepening purple atmosphere was giving way to a more natural, starry sky. The black moon was fading, and a silvery one was beginning to appear farther away.


    "Dreamwake is ending!" Lammy cried.


    Wei''s sparks pushed harder against the four attacks. Zayza''s beam retreated slightly backwards, its shade almost entirely black.


    Skrili''s energy now blinked endlessly beside it, about to burn out any second.


    But while the cousins shuddered at the sight, Zayza didn''t falter. She eyed the sky, and then returned with a new, urgent resolve.


    Zayza pushed forward, and no longer holding back, she burst out all of her energy at once.


    The shadowy beam rammed against Wei''s blaring defense. A crack rang out.


    Then another.


    Giant Twitchy and Loozooloozeux pressed with deafening roars.


    Zayza pushed even harder.


    After one last shove Skrili''s light finally blinked out, and she began falling limply out of the shifting sky.


    Then, the black beam burst through.


    Zayza''s energy reached Wei.


    The explosion rang out for only a second, and then oddly, its sound vanished all at once.


    As Deon dismissed his attack and raced to catch Skrili, he found she wasn''t falling towards black mountains anymore. Now the open sea was beneath her.


    They had returned to the real world.


    Skrili sank safely into his imagined floating pillow, but Deon''s eyes caught Zayza falling through the sky next.


    Before he needed to act, however, she landed within a similar hovering pillow. Lammy let out a sigh at his successful catch from within Loozooloozeux''s saddle. His other dragon had vanished with the Dream World, but his eyes remained subtly glowing.


    The princess looked up to them, her hair frazzled again and her clothing having reverted back to their form before Dreamwake. With a sigh, she sent them a tired smile.


    Wei was nowhere to be seen.


    At last, the air was peaceful.


    It was over.

 119. The Shores Hush

    Lammy wiped his eyes. A misty breeze swept past his face. He gazed around at the new starry sky and the evening waves below, dazed as if he''d just awoken in the middle of the night.


    But there was no terror in his heart like the other times he''d escaped from a nightmare. Just as the heat in his face had dissipated at last, a peace from long ago returned to him.


    Was¡­that all real? he found himself questioning. Was all of that really¡­me?


    "It''s alright," came a whisper to his side.


    He barely heard it over the hushing waves. Zayza floated beside him, sitting atop a hovering wooden plank. Her hair waved gently in the wind.


    Lammy finally realized Loozooloozeux was gone: at some point, he''d switched over to a plank himself, and the breeze through his own hair was equally steady. They were in motion.


    He quickly deduced the planks weren''t his own creations. All he knew was that after he saw Wei vanish in the explosion, his mind went numb. He was alert, but passive, operating without thought until just now.


    Deon led the way before them, steering his own floating plank across the ocean and balancing Skrili in his arms, her limbs dangling loosely. Judging by Deon''s calm demeanor and steady flight, Lammy''s glint of worry subsided: she was just in a deep sleep.


    "You should get some rest when we return," Zayza insisted softly.


    When Lammy''s attention returned to her, he could tell she must have noticed his shock subsiding. Her tired smile warmed under the moonlight.


    Though worn down and stained in spots, Lammy found himself utterly relieved to see her real-world clothes again instead of the blackening dress. But the longer her smile lingered towards him, the more he felt a pressure tighten in his chest.


    All at once, the tears burst out.


    "Lammy¨C?!" Zayza worried, her arm reaching out.


    "So¡­when you said I might have to run away with everyone else¡­" he struggled out, "...when you said I might stop hearing your voice¡­it was because you knew you were gonna¡­"


    He hesitated, his own words only choking his heart further.


    "I almost lost you¡­didn''t I?" he managed.


    Zayza''s softening eyes gave away the answer before she even spoke. His tears only intensified.


    "If a Dreamer uses too much of their Nightmare energy," the princess explained fragilely, "they''ll trap themselves alone in their Nightmare¡­forever. I was prepared to risk it, but¡­together, we found another way."


    Lammy sniffled. "Then¡­right before Dreamwake ended¡­that last extra push you gave¡­"


    Zayza nodded solemnly. "If Dreamwake hadn''t ended when it did, that would have killed me. I wasn''t sure if my timing would work, but¡­I tried it anyway," she said. "I¡­couldn''t let anyone else die."


    "Zayza!" Lammy boomed.


    She flinched, her green eyes shooting wide.


    Lammy wiped his cheeks, though the tears continued. "You couldn''t let anyone else die¡­" he repeated. "You need to include yourself in that."


    Within the ensuing silence between them, Zayza''s cheeks streaked with quiet tears.


    "I''m so happy," Lammy breathed out, "¡­you''re still here."


    Finally, her tears poured out as fully as his. Mustering a smile, she nodded.


    Barely paces before them, Deon felt a grin spread as he listened in.


    Lammy''s really growing up, he thought.


    He peaked down at Skrili''s face resting against his shoulder. She hadn''t stirred despite her environment, but he knew she wouldn''t for quite a while.


    Deon resolved that once they were back in a secure place, he''d imagine the most comfortable bed he could possibly conceive for her.


    I guess I''ve grown up a bit, too, all thanks to you, he noted. We really did it. We proved that vision wrong. Lammy''s safe.


    But¡­


    He caught sight of the steadily approaching shore.


    As they''d all suspected, the battle in the Chamber had come to an end. He didn''t know how they could tell¨Cbut after Wei fell and Dreamwake ended, the air had simply become too still for the fight to remain raging on.


    And with every second they drew closer, no more bursts of light in the sky or distant explosions persisted. Silence was all that remained at the other end of the waves.


    Soon he could spot the shadowy outline of the one remaining Chamber wall just past the shore. The moonlight reflected against its steadfast window.


    Three individuals stood waiting for them in the sand. Once Deon could make out their figures, the remaining pressure in his chest eased:


    Phillip, Kotono, and Layla.


    But heaviness replaced that pressure immediately, because even though his mind recalled what had transpired, his heart couldn''t help but cling onto denial until the very end.


    Hiroko''s sharp, fearless stance was missing from the group.


    We saved them. We won¡­but¡­we lost, too, Deon contemplated.


    His mind replayed her last moments. She didn''t even hesitate.


    She really is gone.


    Though he felt weightless, unable to process his senses properly, he kept himself centered enough to ease his floating planks towards the shore. The wet sand welcomed them within minutes.


    Deon stepped down, careful to cradle Skrili for a steady landing. Even before he''d dismissed the planks, and before his feet had even finished sinking into the sand, he heard a shallow splash behind him.


    Zayza rushed towards Kotono, who was the first to draw close. Reunited at last, the friends embraced tightly and wordlessly.


    Lammy dismounted his vanishing plank and joined Deon to watch in equal silence. Likewise, Layla neared from behind Kotono.


    Her eyes caught Lammy''s for a fleeting moment, but when she looked away abruptly, he noticed the wet shine within them. She sniffed and fought to steady her shaking chin.


    Phillip loomed close by, his eyes hidden and his arms wrapped around himself.


    It was Kotono¡¯s face Lammy was most afraid to behold. He wasn''t ready.


    "Kotono¡­" Zayza whispered, "I''m...I''m so sorr¨C"


    Kotono''s head suddenly lifted from Zayza''s shoulders with intent, and Lammy was shocked to find her eyes had reverted back to their familiar soft red.


    There wasn''t even a hint of glowing light from them. Her face was utterly normal again.


    Kotono''s attention shot to Deon. Noticing Skrili in his arms, she released from Zayza''s embrace before the princess could even finish speaking.


    Urgent purpose flooded her gaze.


    "Skrili," she uttered breathlessly, hurrying their way. Her hyper-focused eyes lit up green.


    "She unlocked Concussion. So she probably took a hard hit to the head," Deon explained quietly. "Um¡­I''m sorry to ask, Kotono, but do you think you could help heal¨C"


    The Emovert''s now green-lit arms were already wrapping around Skrili to retrieve her. Startled, Deon helped lower his teammate onto the sand. He watched as Kotono placed her hands on Skrili''s head and immediately began the healing process.


    Everyone observed in uncomfortable silence. Kotono avoided their eyes, attentive only to her task at hand with an unnatural focus.


    Lammy didn''t get it. Her soft face was dry of tears.


    While he admired her urgency to help Skrili, her demeanor wasn''t real.


    "Uh¡­Kotono?" he checked.


    But someone''s hand landed gently on his shoulder. Lammy turned to find the sniffling Layla, who simply shook her head to silence him.


    They continued looking on together. The silence guided Lammy into his thoughts, but for once, that was the last place he wanted to be right now.


    What is she supposed to do now? was all he could ponder.


    When he met her, Kotono could barely enter the room¨Cor even speak¨Cwithout her lover''s presence.


    A piece of her probably died with Hiroko. As far as Lammy knew, it could have been all of her.


    So who was she supposed to be now?


    This happened because they wanted to save us, Lammy contemplated. But¡­was it worth what she lost?


    He felt his own tears fall in place of Kotono¡¯s.


    When Zayza stepped close next, Layla mirrored Lammy''s exact instinct. They both leaned forward to embrace her. He could feel her trembling as she leaned down and sunk her face between their shoulders.


    Deon remained kneeling stiffly beside Kotono. Somehow, her inappropriately calm demeanor haunted him just as much as her black and white transformation from before.


    It gave off the same essence.


    He tried multiple times to speak up, only to close his mouth again. What could he possibly say to her? To any of them?


    He found himself relieved at the first sign of a distraction. It came in the form of new footsteps emerging from the edge of the beach, and when Phillip, Layla, and Kotono seemed unconcerned at the sound, he decided there was nothing to fear.


    He gradually recognized the tall blonde man under the moonlight: it was their Dreamer ally from before.


    Lammy and Zayza turned to observe Fewpar, as well. He carried one of the robed Dreamer Guards towards a spot where he''d apparently placed several more of them in the sand already. Some sat seemingly in a daze, while others lay unconscious beside them.


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    "Your memories, Fewpar¡­Zayza''s account¡­" muttered the guard he carried. "I was a fool. An utter fool¡­"


    "We all were," Fewpar said. "We fell for a lie."


    "I deserve execution¡­"


    Fewpar lay him down carefully. "The Queen will decide our fates," he said, though his unworried tone turned the statement into more of a comfort than an omen.


    He refaced the royal sisters with a bow and approached the group.


    "My Queen, I''m afraid there is still much to do. The nation is unstable," he said.


    Lammy nearly attacked his immediate call back into action¨Chadn''t Layla braved enough of a storm already?


    Hadn''t all of them?


    But he suppressed the notion when Layla straightened up and stood tall beside him, her eyes hardening. She nodded and looked up to her sister.


    "It will take time until they understand the truth," she said. "Azvaylen will remain unsafe for you throughout this transition, sister."


    "Is there anywhere trustworthy we can hide her until we''ve eased the climate here?" inquired Fewpar.


    "Hidakala," Zayza said immediately. "...Hiroko''s home. She originally tried to send us there to hide from you. It''s a remote tribe in the Mainland Desert."


    Fewpar awaited Layla''s show of approval before he nodded, as well.


    "Very well. However¡­" he pondered, "is that not sacred land? Will they permit you to¨C"


    "They''ll let us in," Kotono uttered quietly.


    All heads turned to her, but she didn''t avert her stoic attention from healing Skrili.


    "I''m going too," she said. "I¡­have to tell them myself. They''ll recognize the two of us."


    A pause befell the beach once more.


    "I''ll attend, as well," Layla declared, breaking the silence.


    Fewpar''s eyebrows furrowed. "But¨Cmy Queen¨C"


    "Hiroko is gone because she saved my life," Layla stressed. "I must see her family."


    "I¡­understand," Fewpar yielded. "But during that time, there will be nobody to oversee the capital and prepare reparations."


    Layla''s gaze remained on him. After a moment, Fewpar''s eyes widened. His jaw clenched in preparation as he realized her answer.


    "Long have you been prepared for such a burden. Vayva made sure of it," Layla confirmed. "I''ll be brief, and I''ll resume my duties once I return. But I''ll need your continued support even after that."


    Lammy could hardly tell in the limited silvery lighting, but he thought he saw Fewpar''s eyes dampen. Fewpar looked to Zayza, seemingly for further approval, and when she nodded to her former adversary the dampness only increased.


    "My¡­my Ladies¡­" he uttered, his head hanging in a deep bow.


    "All that''s left is to secure a team of consciousness body guards to escort me and Zayza," Layla declared, looking at nobody in particular.


    After a moment, she glanced at Lammy expectantly.


    Finally, he caught the hint. "Oh¡­uh¨C"


    "We''ll be there. Lammy can look after you," Deon promised on his behalf. "We''ll all go¡­right, Phillip?"


    The Illusionist reemerged from the shadows enough to confirm with a nod.


    "They may not let you all enter," Zayza cautioned.


    "That''s alright," said Deon quietly. His eyes reached past them all, finding the remains of the destroyed Chamber.


    His heart twisted.


    "Whatever we''re able to do, we owe it to her."


    All heads but Kotono''s and Skrili''s turned to the silhouette of the torn walls. Only the shore''s whispers filled the chilling air around them.


    "I''ll secure a stable place to rest tonight. I know of areas our soldiers won''t think to search," decided Layla. "At dawn, we shall depart."


    ~~~


    "Little ones! I am quite a bit relieved to see you return!"


    Deon blinked. Then he blinked again.


    Standing on what looked like nothing but thin air above an entire reality was already discombobulating enough on its own. The sisters tried to warn him that crossing over the Lanmuraarch Worldline back into the Fantasy Country Mainland might feel a little ''peculiar'' the first time, but he realized now how drastically they''d undersold it.


    It was more like being sucked into the air through a straw, then eaten by the sky, and finally burped out into the dark beyond. The colossal orb-like mass that was Zayza''s dim world was beneath his feet, precisely where he dove in three days ago.


    But even still, what Deon saw before him now managed to top his previous confusion.


    "Huh? Gibblez¨C"


    "Gibblezgorv!" gasped Skrili beside him. Her eyes filled with tears. "You''re okay¡­?"


    Considering she''d only just awoken and sobered up from the healing this morning, her body and mind were still spent. But Deon knew that even if she was back to her full self, her emotions would have welled up just as swiftly at this sight.


    The mint green dragon tilted his head around, checking his ancient scales as if trying to figure out her source of concern. He rebalanced himself within the sky.


    "Well, I am a bit ruffled these days, but there''s not much you can do about old age," he replied.


    "Ah, they''re back! With new ones!"


    "Indeed!"


    "Oh, for real? Sick!"


    Three more familiar beasts swooped in to join the reunion. Gibblezgorv¡¯s companions, the brilliant Horblezgorz and Fabinwaf and the rather plain Dylan steadied themselves behind him.


    Deon blinked a third time. They seemed awfully sprightly for a group that was, when he''d last seen them, about to engage in ferocious combat with a flock of dragon guards.


    "Um¡­how are you guys completely fine¡­?"


    Fabinwaf huffed out a laugh, which evolved into a series of rumbling coughs.


    "Well, after we all had a chance to cool our heads," explained Gibblezgorv, "we simply talked. When you live as long as us, you learn that most matters aren''t worth dueling a fellow dragon over."


    In the slight distance, Deon noticed the dragon guards soar by on watch. They casually waved when they spotted the gathering, and continued their patrol.


    "Human lives are so fleeting and fragile," Horblezgorz explained gently. "So when a dragon has favorites, we make the most of that brief time together. The guards didn''t dare dishonor that for you, did they, old friend?"


    Gibblezgorv looked off with a shy smile. "Oh, don''t bother them with that part," he teased. "Though I will reiterate just how thankful I am to see that all of you¡­returned¡­safe and¡­"


    As his old eyes scanned the group of consciousnesses again, this time more carefully.


    His smile faded.


    "Oh¡­oh dear¡­" he uttered. "I am so sorry, my small ones¡­"


    Kotono shifted abruptly, leaning down to Layla and muttering something seemingly unrelated to Gibblezgorv''s condolences. The Queen visibly hesitated at her stoic demeanor, but nodded at her words.


    "Understood. Then we shall proceed with the more favorable plan," she told the others.


    Deon figured that much. Layla had originally prepared to win the dragon guards to their aid by revealing she''d overthrown their clients. But with Gibblezgorv and the rest unhurt, their transportation became much simpler.


    And to Deon, after what they''d already lost, the dragons'' safety was an utter relief.


    Skrili clutched her travel bag probably tighter than she realized as she reached into it. "Gibblezgorv," she said. "We need to travel to the Mainland Desert¡­to Hiroko''s home. I know that wasn''t the original agreement¡­so can I hire you to fly us there?"


    "No need to take out that dragon scale, Skrili," Gibblezgorv assured tenderly. "I will take you wherever you need today."


    The other dragons expressed their solemn willingness behind him.


    Deon couldn''t seem to shake the ongoing twist in his chest as he observed everyone. It wasn''t supposed to turn out like this.


    But even as Hiroko''s absence weighed down his heart, the sight of Lammy beside him lifted his hopes just above full despair.


    Even now, it still felt surreal.


    He''d traveled so long with Skrili at his side. Now, with Lammy on the other, it was like he''d obtained the whole world.


    The cousins caught each other''s mixed gazes. Though neither felt the need to put it to words, Lammy understood.


    Standing between Zayza and Deon at last, he felt exactly the same.


    He watched in amazement as Deon''s majestic dragon friends swooped closer to retrieve them all for the trip. Their presence made it that much more obvious how much Deon and the others poured into ensuring his rescue.


    And as he reflected on that, all he could focus on¨Call he could wish¨Cwas that Kotono could have walked away with the same comfort.


    And she wasn''t the only one.


    His eyes lingered on Phillip while the Illusionist climbed into the smallest dragon''s saddle wordlessly. He''d only spoken once earlier this morning.


    The group had left the shore last night to acquire belongings from a camp Deon and the rest set up beyond the capital. Thanks to Fewpar acquiring warp orbs from the defeated Dreamer Guards, their late-night travel only took moments.


    But before they embarked, Phillip broke off on his own.


    Nobody needed to ask. They knew he''d gone to question Irma, and he resolved to do it alone.


    They didn''t see him again until morning. When he convened with them at Layla''s indicated location, with a ghostly frown, he uttered six words:


    "I searched everywhere. She was gone."


    Lammy snapped back to attention when Skrili guided him gently towards the dragons. Kotono had already mounted the white-scaled one with Zayza. Remembering he''d been volunteered to bodyguard Layla, he decided to head over to the pink one where she was beginning her climb.


    But despite his unfolding first experience with a true dragon, his mind circled over the same thoughts:


    If Irma was gone, so was Phillip''s only answer to Pang''s whereabouts.


    She tried to save us when she was in just as much danger. And when Phillip found out she wasn''t here, he still stayed to save our lives, he thought. We can''t stop yet. We HAVE to find Pang.


    Layla clung around Lammy''s waist from behind, just as she''d done on Loozooloozeux throughout the castle. Feeling the immense power underneath them, he couldn''t decide if the lack of control on a real dragon would prove reassuring or terrifying.


    But he quickly landed on an odd blend of both when they shot upwards and joined the greater Fantasy Country sky. Gibblezgorv and the other two dragons led the way, their tails swirling behind.


    As the gloomy Lanmuraarch reality gradually shrunk behind them, Lammy''s eyes were focused ahead. The seemingly endless sky was littered with hundreds of other realities, glowing like multicolored stars in the distance.


    And Pang was still out there, somewhere in this Multiverse.


    Atop Gibblezgorv''s saddle, Lammy noticed Deon taking in the atmosphere just as him. But even though he couldn''t see his cousin''s face from here, he knew: that wasn''t simple sightseeing.


    It was searching.


    Wherever you are, Pang, Lammy promised into the infinite horizon, hold on. We''re on our way.


    ~~~~


    The voices finally died out.


    There were blue flashes, and then nothing.


    Just the ocean waves.


    Aoi stepped out from the bushes. The sand barely spread under her light feet. A breeze swept her hood over her face for a moment, but it wasn''t much more obstructing than her blue-green bangs hanging over her eyes.


    Wei''s energy had flickered out. She felt it. There was nobody to use her right now, so there was nothing to do.


    After all, when a warrior''s fight is lost, his tools don''t continue fighting on their own. They fall into the grass. They belong to whomever he served.


    But there was still a trace. A weak remnant lingered in the air, and it came from the sea.


    Aoi stopped where the trickling shore thinned. She focused her mind outward. Grasping on to the familiar essence, she pulled.


    Minutes passed¨Cperhaps it was much longer.


    A sluggish figure rolled through the remaining waves. Wei finally washed up on the shore, his face to the sky. He was either dead, or stargazing.


    Wei coughed and spat up water, and in the same breath, muttered out a laugh.


    "I figured that was you," he confirmed.


    Aoi drew closer until her feet were just above his head, and she stood above him. Wei''s black eyes peered up into hers, his tired smile warming.


    Aoi understood that smile as she loomed above him in silence. She was his highest pride.


    Wei paid no mind to her lack of reciprocation. Rather, he treated it as such.


    "I finally found my answer," he shared. "For a second there, I thought my potential would keep growing. But I finally found out where it stops."


    Aoi watched him wordlessly.


    "Well, I''ve done what I needed to do. There''s not anything left to stick around for. And I''ve gotta say, I''m pretty satisfied."


    Aoi didn''t stir.


    "Don''t play dumb. You know what that means, Aoi."


    She hesitated still.


    Wei sighed. "We made a pact, remember? And haven''t I held up my end of it?"


    Aoi nodded.


    "So now it''s your turn," Wei said. "This is what I want."


    The shoreline stretched further, wetting Aoi''s feet. Soon it reached well past her as she stood above him.


    "Aoi," Wei insisted quietly.


    At last, she nodded again.


    His smile returning, Wei looked past her to the stars again. "I guess the only thing I wish I could know is who the uppers will pick to take my place," he contemplated. "Maybe someone already on the team? Not Irma¨Cshe''s way too lazy. Maybe Benton, then¡­yeah, I could see Benton being good¡­"


    Aoi didn''t divert from his eyes.


    "Also, honestly, it would''ve been kind of nice to make you see more of the Multiverse with me," he added.


    He returned his gaze, and forced himself to regain focus.


    "Sorry, sorry. I''m ready," he insisted, closing his eyes.


    Aoi watched him. The tide rose further.


    "Come on," Wei pushed. He sighed again. "Fine¡­Aoi: I order you to do it now."


    Aoi shifted. She focused on his body closely.


    "Hmm¡­You know what, actually¨C"


    Wei''s body ignited in an instant spark that vanished as soon as it appeared.


    Only a lingering shadow of ashes remained in his place. And immediately, the waves washed them away.


    Aoi stood for another moment, alone on the beach.


    Then she turned, took a step, and disappeared in a blink.

 120. Never the Same

    Gibblezgorv swooped beneath a thin sheet of clouds. The chill of the moisture immediately yielded to the pounding sunlight.


    Deon couldn''t feel all of the warmth just yet, but it was still enough to make him dismiss his imagined cloak. A familiar dryness in the air flooded his breath.


    He and Skrili peered below to find Crooked Plateau nearly beneath them. Deon couldn''t help but try and pick out the Registration Center where their worlds changed¨Cwhere Skrili decided she''d fight with Pang one last time, and where they learned she''d probably have to face Hiroko and Kotono.


    Despite his efforts, the oddly-angled buildings were all as bare and unassuming as Deon remembered¨Ctoo much to pinpoint the Registration Center from this height.


    But before they flew past, they were low enough to spot a noticeable difference between the city''s walls: the side streets and alleys were clear. Hiroko''s people, and the other clan, were nowhere to be found.


    Then they really did it, Deon observed. Hiroko really saved her homeland.


    Not to mention saving Phillip while they were at it.


    ¡­And now Layla, too.


    Hiroko and Kotono¡­they''re something else. It''s like they''re a blessing, he contemplated.


    His heart twisted harder.


    Were, he corrected himself.


    By now they glided above nothing but the plains of sand that followed the city, entering the Mainland Desert. With the heat increasing, Deon de-imagined Skrili''s cloak as well, revealing her blue and black fighting attire.


    After having spent days with the championship duo, the similarity in its design to Hiroko''s fighting clothes had only grown more uncanny.


    "Hey," Deon uttered over her shoulder. "I''m¡­I''m sorry. I know you really looked up to her."


    He''d almost decided to keep quiet, but he figured that couldn''t do any good for this pain. He tried not to fret when Skrili didn''t reply.


    But then Deon felt her hand fill his. It grasped both firmly and fragilely.


    Deon returned the motion, and he too, fell silent.


    "Kotono¡­" Skrili finally said. "We have to make sure we look after her. We have to¡­she''ll need it¡­"


    Deon was all too aware he was listening to a voice that spoke from experience.


    "Yeah. We will."


    Gibblezgorv sped along, with his three companions carrying the others not far behind. An hour passed and still not a soul appeared down on the desert hills.


    Atop the burly Fabinwaf, Lammy shifted his weight to avoid stiffening too much.


    "If we''re to trust Gibblezgorv''s memory¨Cwhich is certainly more reliable than mine," came the dragon''s croak, "we should arrive shortly."


    "Thank you, sir," replied Layla.


    Sure enough, the first sign of life came into view as they passed over a sandy slope. A single man sat atop it staring up at them all. Judging by his purple hair and deep complexion, it was clear he came from Hidakala.


    When the man shot to his bare feet, Lammy braced himself and brainstormed some sort of defense to protect Layla as he''d promised.


    But the man turned his back to them, and as they passed over, he brought some sort of cone-shaped tube to his mouth. A droning, woody note rang out when he blew into it, loud enough to hear even from the sky.


    The land flattened out from this point forward, and only moments later, Lammy noticed ten more men standing in a perfect file. They were spread out many paces apart, spanning much of the terrain, and all wielded tall, pointed staffs.


    These men were all towering, each at least Phillip''s height. And though their skin was mostly covered underneath thin black and purple clothing, their sturdy forms indicated they were likely just as built as Hiroko.


    "We should land," Layla insisted.


    It seemed Gibblezgorv and Horblezgorz had already derived the same notion, swerving gracefully to begin their descent. The three elder dragons made their way towards the sand, and Dylan followed suit behind them.


    The four central patrols hurried forward to meet them as the dragons'' feet sent tremors through the ground.


    Layla released from Lammy and started her climb. Remembering his role, Lammy did his best to watch her step as he followed.


    They touched down into the sand, and Lammy instinctually tried to lift his feet at first¨Cthe heat felt like it might burn through his shoes.


    He stepped forward to follow Layla, but she raised a hand to him.


    "Wait here, Noble Lammy."


    As the little Queen approached the men, Lammy noticed Kotono and Zayza stepping forward as well.


    The guards'' stoic expressions seemed to soften a bit with familiarity when their watch shifted from Layla to Kotono and Zayza. Lowering their rods to the ground, they stepped closer and met their visitors midway.


    Kotono took the forefront. As she began to speak, eyes to the ground and hands clasped together uneasily, the men lowered themselves to listen more intently.


    Lammy couldn''t hear her words from here, but it was clear she was struggling to let them out. Color began dimming in the space around her.


    One of the men reached forward and tenderly clasped her hands in his. He nodded and his icy blue eyes widened.


    Lammy didn''t have to hear to know she''d finally managed to tell them.


    After the hue around her shifted blue and her elaboration continued, the men''s eyes fell to Zayza. The lead patrol nodded, and one of his companions stepped forward to stand by her side, rod in hand.


    Her expression was oddly distant as she allowed him to take her hand and begin escorting her.


    Kotono turned and signaled to Layla, and the patrolmen all bowed her way. The lead whistled off to the others, and another man hurried over to guide her.


    Finally, both sorrow and purpose in his gaze, the lead man seemed to check if Kotono was injured. She shook her head, so with a tender arm around her, he began leading her with the others.


    Layla turned back to Lammy briefly and sent a single, hard nod as she stepped away.


    He shifted uneasily while the group departed deeper into the desert.


    Now what do we do? he wondered.


    Lammy caught Fabinwaf''s comforting smile. Just past him, Deon and Skrili climbed down to join Lammy in the sand.


    A shadow cast upon the ground to his side while Deon and Skrili approached.


    "We''ll hear from Kotono," said Phillip behind him.


    The grim Illusionist came closer to stand with the group, a rectangular device with a screen in his hand.


    "For now, we''ll wait."


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ~


    Though the sun''s rays were beginning to weaken, the sky''s blue growing pale with a hint of yellow, the sand remained just as hot in the couple hours that passed.


    Deon stood just to stretch his legs, and then with nothing else to do, simply sat back down with his quiet companions.


    A while ago, they''d migrated to the deepening shadows the dragons casted on the ground. The shade alone made an immense difference.


    And though Skrili had apologized multiple times, Gibblezgorv and his friends made it clear they would continue waiting.


    ''Human lives are so fleeting and fragile.'' Horblezgorz''s earlier words returned to Deon''s mind. He couldn''t fully comprehend the wisdom gained from hundreds of years, but he valued their commitment, nonetheless.


    Besides, he was beginning to feel just how true that statement was.


    Lammy, Skrili, and Phillip remained largely wordless. Knowing each of them, he could sense they needed things to stay that way for now.


    When Phillip checked his TeamTrack again, Deon decided he''d do the same.


    He still hadn''t turned it back on since Hiroko instructed them all to deactivate them. So when the initial greeting message switched to the home screen, he nearly dropped the device into the sand with a jump.


    It began vibrating like crazy. By the time it settled, Deon noticed dozens of missed messages, and dozens upon dozens of missed calls.


    Several messages were from Alex:


    "Hey man, I heard Pang''s missing. I''m so sorry. If I can help, let me know."


    "Haven''t heard from you or Skrili¡­Everything okay?"


    "Hey¡­Deon? Getting a little worried¡­"


    It continued on twice more, with the earliest one from Ving instead:


    "The wind feels very strange today¡­are you well?"


    The majority of the messages and calls, however, were an onslaught of increasingly uneasy attempts from Skip.


    The last one was a group message to him, Skrili, Pang, and Phillip.


    "GUYS. SOMEONE CALL ME. I''M WORRIED SICK OVER HERE."


    Crap¡­sorry, Skip, Deon thought, flinching as if the scolding was happening in real time.


    Now that he thought of it, multiple days had passed since they silenced all of their TeamTracks, and they did it immediately after Pang vanished. It was no wonder their friends were freaking out.


    Still, it warmed his heart to see just how desperately they cared.


    But Deon remembered Skip''s story about his former teammate. She''d disappeared just as mysteriously as Pang, and the people who took her were obsessed with her unusual abilities.


    Wei''s fascination with Deon came to mind.


    He knew there was a direct connection. They''d fought the very people Skip urged them to avoid at all costs.


    And now, though he was using his TeamTrack again, though he was reconnected with the incredible world of Conscious fighting once more, a new weight pressed down on him.


    They could never go back to how things were before.


    Hiroko¡­


    He shook his head. He knew their friends were awaiting a call, but the very thought was overwhelming. So much happened. Everything changed. There was so much to explain.


    Too much.


    Deciding a call would have to wait, and regretting his inability to do so, Deon mustered the strength to at least send a couple quick replies.


    "Hey. Skrili and I are okay."


    And to Skip, he added:


    "I''ll call you soon. We really need to talk."


    Deon took a long sigh. He was about to tuck his TeamTrack away, but it rattled in his hand as a new message appeared.


    Had he not already been looking at the screen, he would have assumed it was Skip or Alex and put it off until he had the energy for it. But instead, it was the update they''d been waiting for:


    "Patrols are on their way to bring you here. The clan is holding a mourning ritual, and they want us all to participate."


    Phillip looked up from his TeamTrack and nodded to Deon. He''d also received Kotono''s message.


    The waiting resumed, but at least now they had confirmation. Deon struggled to distract his mind in the meantime; his usual solutions of physical activity or joking around had no place right now.


    At least he would get to thank Hiroko''s family directly.


    ¡­or apologize.


    If I had been faster¡­as strong as her¡­


    An hour had passed, and these were his final contemplations before he finally saw their Hidakalan escorts approach. He welcomed the end to this spiraling introspection.


    But he knew where they were headed now would only remind him more deeply.


    I have to get better. To honor Hiroko.


    And so that never happens again.


    ~


    The terrain under Lammy''s shuffling feet was beginning to feel different. He looked down as he traveled amongst the group between two rows of quiet escorts.


    His steps weren''t sinking in nearly as much as where they first arrived, and the ground''s shade was darkening.


    Just the same, the air itself was transforming. By the time they''d reached this point, dusk was beginning to fall over the desert. The retreating heat, swift as it was, gave him just enough relief to keep powering forward.


    The thuds behind them increased in volume a bit as they reached the start of a long slope. Gibblezgorv and the other dragons were close behind, traveling on foot seemingly out of respect for the region.


    When the slope grew even steeper, Skrili turned back to Lammy in one of Deon''s cloaks again, and gently took his hand. Apparently he''d been slowing down more than he thought he was letting off.


    They climbed together the rest of the way up, his balance much more secure. And as they reached the top, his muscles relaxed at the sight.


    Their journey was nearly over: a village rested at the base of the hill, partially blanketed in shade from another slope diagonal to where Lammy stood.


    Considering Hiroko, he''d unconsciously been expecting her home to reflect the same might as her¨Csomething fortified and undeniable, much like Azvaylen''s castle. Instead, he observed something quite the opposite.


    Hidakala was mostly a collection of humble tan tents. The dozens he counted were spaced out neatly yet without pattern, and though the layout was pleasant, he couldn''t decide if it was intentional or a result of their recent return to this land. Small clusters of thin sticks for campfires accompanied most of the tents.


    The largest stack, however, was growing in the very center of the village. Men, women, and children were walking back and forth between tents and this soon-to-be massive campfire, adding sticks and brush in a rehearsed order. The burliest men worked together to build a fence of stones on the outer corners.


    Gradually, the structure took the shape of a triangle.


    "Whoa¡­" Deon admired beside his cousin.


    The village''s land reached out to the edge of this pocket between the hills, and at the end it met a quiet shore: the source of Deon''s fascination.


    A glistening lake broke up the leagues of endless sand they''d seen up until this point. The slowly departing sun''s glow reflected against its waves, illuminating it with an orange tint that shone against the village in specs.


    It was the most beautiful part of Hidakala, yet Lammy understood it wasn''t natural. But that was why he and Deon found themselves so impressed.


    Imaginers created this¡­an entire lake, he thought. Amazing.


    He spotted a few individuals kneeling close to the water by the shore, and others rowing a boat towards land as they watched every drop of water along the way. All dressed in the same white outfit, these workers for the Imagine Change Foundation appeared to be winding down their day of intricate tweaks to their work.


    So they''re near the end of the whole process, Lammy figured.


    Something about the sight brought tears to his eyes as the group resumed the final leg of their travels. He''d been using and witnessing imagining for battle for so long. But these imaginers were using their mastery to rebuild¡­create¡­heal.


    As it refreshed his heart, his mother''s voice came to mind.


    ''That''s what our powers are for.''


    They reached the bottom within minutes, the downhill angle increasing their pace. A small group of Hidakalan women met them where the land flattened out, but Zayza, Kotono, and Layla were out of sight.


    With the triangular fire pit nearly complete, Lammy noticed a quiet crowd beginning to gather at its nearest tip. He assumed his friends were there.


    The women greeted them with a wordless tenderness. One caught the escorts'' eyes, and tears finally escaped their stoic faces.


    "Hirokyauta''s friends," the woman uttered, her dark accent long and beautiful. A sad smile grew. "There are so many of you."


    She signaled them to follow and turned around, her plain purple dress dragging across the sand.


    Hirokyauta? Lammy wondered.


    As they walked, Lammy realized the woman had no triangular tattoos on her skin like Hiroko or the Hidakalan men. In fact, none of the women with her did, either.


    They passed by empty tents, the dragons shuffling into a single file to fit, and neared the gathering in silence.


    In front of Lammy, Deon pulled out his rectangular device and read a message on it. He drew closer to Skrili.


    "Hey, who''s Credo Covewalk?" he asked lowly to avoid disrupting the quiet. "Kotono''s warning us that someone named Credo Covewalk is¨C"


    He and Skriki bumped into Phillip, who had come to a full stop just before them. He was staring off to the side, so they followed his gaze.


    Lammy noticed his frown deepen and his face go pale. Skrili froze.


    When Lammy looked as well, he found a man standing off away from the crowd, his arms crossed and his pensive eyes studying the fire pit. While he was dressed in Hidakalan clothing, and barefoot just as them, he certainly wasn''t native: his long, bright green beard and light skin gave that away. And despite his wrinkles and wise focus, his full head of hair was combed up to the side for a very modern look.


    Lammy couldn''t pinpoint it: his stature was lofty, but perhaps not intentionally so. And his stare was hard, but not cold. This man understood precisely what was unfolding before him, who it was for, and the loss that came with it.


    "He''s here¡­?" Phillip muttered.


    "That''s who she''s talking about?" Deon whispered. "Who is he?"


    "Credo Covewalk¡­" Skrili let out, "...is the head of the entire Consciousness League."

 121. Triangle Tattoos

    When Credo Covewalk''s stare turned to them, Deon couldn''t help but freeze as well.


    The Leader of the entire League? Deon repeated. And he''s here?


    His mind raced with questions he couldn''t answer himself.


    Why?


    If he''s here, then does that mean he knows what happened?


    Does he know we trespassed somewhere pros aren''t allowed to go?


    Does he know why?


    There was only one certainty he could grasp when Credo''s eyes lingered on them all and he gave them a simple nod.


    We''re screwed.


    At this point, he had to accept expulsion from the Consciousness League. After all, Hiroko and Kotono had warned them it was possible if they got caught.


    Still, he regretted nothing: it was more than worth what he''d saved.


    But he wasn''t sure what kinds of other punishments or setbacks the League could cause over this. If it hindered their ability to find Pang, this could prove devastating.


    They had to rescue her. Fast.


    He wasn''t about to lose her to Proscious, too.


    The women guiding them turned and signaled to keep following, so Deon and the others caught back up. Credo''s face disappeared as they joined the beginning point of the hushed crowd.


    Lammy kept his eyes on the ground before him. He could feel the curious gazes of all the Hidakalans they passed. The dragons stopped at the outskirts, but for some reason the guides ushered the rest of them closer and closer to the triangular fire pit.


    Soon they ended up at one of the very front rows, off to the side. After they were positioned into a single file, Lammy found himself right next to someone he hadn''t been walking with.


    Finally mustering up the courage, he looked up to find Zayza greeting him with a weak smile, now wearing a Hidakalan dress. Layla and Kotono stood on her opposite end.


    Lammy felt a hand land on his shoulder. Deon stood beside him, letting out a tense sigh, with Skrili and Phillip on the other side.


    It seemed they''d arrived just in time: a man approached the pit and lowered a blazing stick into it. The ritual began.


    Minutes passed as everyone watched the flames spread across the sticks and brush, embers forming underneath. Nobody spoke. The only sounds were the increasing crackles and sizzles, until sniffs and muffled sobs from the crowd gradually joined into the chorus.


    Lammy glanced up at Zayza again. Her eyes were on the ground before the fire, deep in thought. Somehow, she hadn''t yet shed a tear.


    And just past her, he saw Kotono. She hadn''t cried since the moment Hiroko vanished before her, and that remained true even now.


    But her lack of tears was different.


    Her expression, her entire being, was hollow.


    Her eyes were far too tired, too dead, to cry.


    As her dry gaze rested unblinkingly on the rising flames, their light beginning to reflect against her under the slowly declining sunlight, Lammy realized he was looking at a vacant shell.


    It was a sight infinitely more uncomfortable than the weeping Hidakalans around them.


    The flames rose higher, and Lammy noticed a man had been crouching near it on the far side. He held some sort of long tool, which propped two bowls up directly within the fire.


    Behind him, another figure emerged from somewhere within the village. His face entering the light, he proved to be an elderly man in dragging purple and black rags.


    Lammy could tell his skin had originally been the same complexion as the other Hidakalans, but now that was barely the case: white triangle markings covered nearly all his exposed body on his arms, legs, feet, and hairless head. He walked with a swirling staff bearing similar carved symbols as he slowly neared the crowd.


    When he reached the front corner of the flames and came to a stop, the community attempted to hush their weeping. A little girl loudly asked her mother what was wrong.


    The younger man with the tool stirred. Removing the bowls from the fire, he joined his elder. In one simultaneous motion, he placed the bowls on the ground before the older man''s toes and lowered himself to his hands and knees. Bowing deep, he brought his forehead to the sand.


    In response, the elder shrunk to the sand just the same. Shuffling of clothes joined the fire''s chorus, and Lammy realized all the Hidakalans were bowing, too. An obvious beat behind, he and his Consciousness companions joined in.


    The sand no longer felt scorching, mirroring the declining sun''s heat as Lammy pressed his forehead against it. He could have sworn he sensed a tremor deep underneath.


    For a moment, it made the ground seem infinite.


    Once again following the clan''s lead, Lammy stood with his friends. They found the elder had already returned to his feet, but his gaze remained fixed on the sand.


    The younger man rose with one of the bowls in hand.


    "Hirokyauta Hidakalhalimat," he projected, met with a sudden sob from the row across from Lammy''s.


    After he spoke, the man reached his finger into the bowl and stepped even closer to his elder. When he removed it, Lammy finally noticed how long the nail on his pointer finger was. It was filed to a point, and its tip was now drenched in a steaming pure white substance.


    The elder didn''t flinch, or even blink, as his counterpart raised his fingernail towards his head. Steadily, the younger man painted another white triangle onto him in the limited space by his temple. Steam rose from his skin.


    "Hirokyauta Hidakalhalimat."


    This time, the elder had spoken.


    Zayza leaned close to Lammy.


    "Hiroko''s real name," she whispered. "Her management shortened her fighting name to something more familiar."


    Lammy''s eyebrows rose.


    And she had no problem with that? he wondered.


    Once more, the crowd joined the elder in a cohesive bow. Lammy touched his head onto the sand until he heard everyone around him stand back up.


    The elder finally broke his stare from the ground. His eyes combed over the crowd, his face unchanging and unreadable.


    At last, he spoke again.


    "I will not pretend to fathom the will of the Gods below," he said. "A mere man, I cannot decipher their perfect minds in the moments they create us. These limits apply to us all."


    He briefly scanned the crowd again in a pause.


    "But I can observe a mortal life. And from that, I can glimpse traces of meaning," he shared. "Hirokyauta always deviated¨Ceven since the day she was born."


    Lammy stiffened.


    Deviated? Isn''t this ritual meant to honor her?


    "The rainy day her parents brought her into this world, I remember clearly, she didn''t shed a tear," continued the elder. "Then growing up a girl¨Cinclined to learn and serve the roles of a woman, as in the traditions bestowed by the Gods, instead, little Hirokyauta strengthened her body. She wanted to hunt and fight with the men."


    The elder''s grip tightened on his staff.


    "Only after she fought to provide for us in our darkest age, only after she rescued fellow warriors and witnessed the deaths of many others, did we finally begin to acknowledge her blessing to this clan," he said. "Now, I mourn because it is too late to see: Hirokyauta has always deviated. But that is what she was born to do."


    He stepped forward, prompting his assistant to shuffle out of the way.


    "She came into this world to teach us," he proclaimed. "Our land was dying. She left Hidakala to find a remedy on the Outside, defying our ways. And our response? We denounced her as a Hidakalan warrior."


    Some villagers shifted uneasily.


    "So she accepted a new name, setting aside her clan identity just as we rejected her. But still¡­she never forgot us. She never forgot her mission," he said. "We rejected Hirokyauta''s attempts at financial support from the Outside, and labeled it as sinful. We rejected her donations of food. We rejected ourselves all the way into self-exile. And yet¡­"


    He sunk his staff deeper into the sand, and without turning to look, raised his hand out behind himself. Lammy followed its angle, which pointed through the fire towards the brand new lake.


    The elder''s voice shook and broke up. Tears flooded over his triangle markings.


    "Hirokyauta''s life, her actions, were the mercy of the Gods on us all," he declared. "She brought us home."


    He allowed his words to linger in the dry air.


    "She was even the Gods'' mercy for the Outside¡­to many who knew her as ''Hiroko,''" he added.


    Lammy and the others straightened up when the elder turned his teary attention to them.


    "...even to the point of forgoing a Holy Death on this sand, so that others could keep living."


    More weeps broke out throughout the crowd. Evidently a ''Holy Death'' was something vital to this clan, as few attempted to calm themselves this time.


    But it was Layla''s choking tears on the other side of Zayza that incited Lammy''s own. She hid her face in Zayza''s embrace, her shoulders shaking as she dropped her Queenly composure.


    Lammy clutched his chest, and Deon''s hand lightly squeezed his shoulder.


    They both gazed into the fire. Just like the Hidakalans, they knew none of them would still be here if not for Hiroko.


    And right now, they felt it all.


    The elder lifted his staff, and then sunk it even deeper into the sand. He kneeled, his head downward as if the ground was his new audience.


    "You taught us just how far forgiveness can reach," he uttered, but Lammy doubted anyone past his own row could hear it.


    Then the elder stood tall again, his eyes closed.


    "Hirokyauta Hidakalhalimat," his voice reverberated, "you have fulfilled your purpose."


    He reopened his eyes, and though his continued words were equally impassioned, from this point on they sounded much more rehearsed.


    "Hirokyauta passed before becoming betrothed or engaged, and so she leaves no male companion behind to receive the first triangle," he announced.


    Lammy''s focus couldn''t help but turn to Kotono. She remained staring into the fire, lost in unknown thoughts.


    He clenched his fists and tried not to shake his head.


    It should be her.


    Even if he had the courage to speak up, he knew it wouldn''t do any good. Only he and Zayza knew of their relationship. And Hiroko made it clear that her clan wouldn''t approve of them being together.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    But still, especially now, Kotono deserved that acknowledgement.


    It just¡­isn''t fair.


    "We now move to the next highest honor: the¨C"


    "Wait."


    The voice came from the row facing Lammy''s from across the crowd: the next nearest section to the fire.


    Four individuals stood solemnly, but one had taken a step forward. Lammy could immediately tell these were Hiroko''s family members: two parents, a tall, toned young man, and an elderly woman. All but her father shared her same slim eyes, while her default hard expression unmistakably came from her father.


    It was the mother who had stepped forward to halt the proceedings, her hand reaching forward. She was nodding subtly to herself, as if still contemplating the words of the elder''s speech.


    "Wait," she repeated, her voice scratchy like her daughter''s. "I''m realizing¡­I assigned Kotono to the wrong position."


    At last, Kotono stirred from her cold trance. Her head turned to Hiroko''s mother, her eyes darting in uncertainty.


    Hiroko''s mother beckoned. "Come forward, love. It''s alright."


    Behind her, Hiroko''s family all exchanged glances. The young man''s eyes widened as he seemed to catch on.


    Stepping forward, he approached Kotono and took her hand softly. She followed his guidance towards the elder, still in a hesitant haze.


    They came to a soft stop.


    "Hirokyauta''s love," the young man introduced. His utterance came out confidently, but following a prolonged silence from the elder, his face turned as if to prepare for rebuke.


    The village fell even more silent than before.


    But at last, the elder gave a single, slow nod.


    "And who from Hirokyauta''s family will provide the sacred marking?"


    The young man looked to his family. Hiroko''s mother nodded to him.


    "I will," he confirmed.


    Lammy watched Hiroko''s mother as the elder and his assistant repositioned Kotono and the young man to face the crowd.


    Then¡­I guess she knew this whole time? Or maybe she just had a feeling, he learned.


    He remembered his Aunt Meiv''s knack for detecting whenever Deon had a new girlfriend days before he planned on mentioning it.


    Moms can have that weird sense, he noted.


    As he watched the ritual resume, for the first time since they arrived, his heart warmed.


    In spite of himself, Lammy winced: the young man reached his finger into one of the still-steaming bowls. Without a long nail like the other man, the black liquid he retrieved was likely burning the flesh on the tip of his finger. But he held strong as he brought it close to Kotono''s face.


    Then with careful precision, he traced a triangle onto her cheek, starting just below her grimacing eye. It was much larger than the one Lammy remembered on Hiroko''s face, nearly reaching her jawline.


    In the moments that passed as the young man filled in its black shade onto her skin, Kotono''s chin increasingly quivered. Her eyebrows furrowing, she struggled not to move.


    It wasn''t from the physical pain.


    "Hirokyauta''s love, Kotono," the elder called out once the process was complete.


    Kotono crumbled onto the sand and let out a broken wail. Blue energy sparked out from her body all at once, a ray of it shooting endlessly into the sky like a beacon. Her whole body shook as, finally, the numbness of shock subsided, and the pained cries buried within came to the surface of reality.


    Through Lammy''s own tears, she became a foggy, glistening glare.


    Zayza stumbled forward and fell onto Kotono in an embrace. Kotono''s hands found hers, and her cries poured out longer.


    The elder allowed a moment for the wave of emotions. Soon, he gently proceeded.


    "We will now move to the next highest honor: the warriors who fought alongside Hirokyauta in her final battle. Together with her, they fought to rescue and protect, and so they will each receive the marking of a Guardian."


    Lammy and Deon exchanged glances, and then looked out into the crowd of admiring eyes.


    Wait¡­we''re getting triangles, too? Lammy realized.


    When the elder signaled them forward, Layla, Skrili, and Phillip moved without hesitation. Lammy''s heart skipped when he noticed the same quiet spark, the same acceptance in all of their demeanors.


    Deon patted him on the back. With an encouraging nod, he guided him forward with them.


    Lammy''s mind shifted.


    Of course¡­of course we''re getting those markings, he resolved. And I''ll wear it proudly. For Hiroko.


    The title the elder bestowed on them rang in his head again:


    ''Guardian.''


    The sting burned much more sharply than Lammy could have predicted. But he didn''t wince when the man''s nail drew the small triangle permanently into the skin just beneath his left eye.


    It was in the same position as the one on Hiroko''s cheek.


    One by one, he and all his companions accepted the black triangle. When prompted, Zayza had risen from Kotono to receive hers.


    The elder learned and proclaimed each of their names as soon as each marking was complete.


    "Princess Zayza."


    "Queen Layla."


    "Skrili."


    "Deon."


    "Lammy."


    "Phillip."


    They faced the clan of Hidakala for a moment together, the fire comforting their backs.


    Then the ritual continued on. Family members received large triangles in different positions, and then other village members followed.


    But as the remainder of the ritual played out before Lammy, a single observation occupied his mind.


    All of the Hidakalans, even small children, wore varying amounts of these triangle tattoos.


    But none of them had as many of them on their body as Hiroko did.


    And now, gaining some understanding of their meaning, Lammy realized just how many people Hiroko''s life impacted.


    He raised his hand to his new marking and closed his eyes.


    Hiroko¡­we''ll keep being Guardians¡­we''ll keep ''deviating¡­'' just like you.


    ~


    After the mourning ritual, the flames continued on. The shade of night was beginning to take over from the still lingering sunset, allowing the Worlds of other realities to grow more visible above.


    Lammy found himself sitting alone in the sand, steps away from where they''d all been standing for the session. It didn''t make sense to him to do anything else. His mind swamed through recent memories and ponderings of the near future.


    Murmurs of conversation rose throughout the steadily dispersing crowd. The dragons'' voices stood out, vibrating clearly despite their attempts at low volume. Lammy glanced over to Gibblezgorv and the others at the back of the village.


    His attention sparked when he noticed the mint green dragon was speaking casually to a slight lump in the sand beside him. Lammy could have sworn he spotted two black, beady eyes blinking just above the surface of the ground.


    Then, with another blink, they sunk soundlessly back into the sand.


    Weird¡­Lammy noted.


    "N¡­Noble Lammy."


    Layla''s dress appeared, blocking his vision of the curious sight. He looked up to find her face even more lofty and determined than usual.


    "Yeah?" he asked, standing up.


    She merely stared at him, whatever words she wanted to say frozen in her head. Layla glanced away for a moment.


    "My time here has reached its end, so I must take my leave. My kingdom needs me," she finally announced.


    "Oh," Lammy uttered. "Uh¡­you want me to keep bodyguarding, then?"


    Layla shook her head. "I had Fewpar warp to my quarters last night. He was able to recover my most powerful warp orb¨Cbut he could only find one," she explained. "You have your own fight to finish, Noble Lammy. You must find her."


    Under the Queen''s unwavering stare, Lammy nodded.


    "And Fewpar¡­also recovered something else for me¡­" she added.


    Suddenly avoiding his eyes, she shuffled through her dress and retrieved a piece of jewelry. Its chain had a silvery twinkle, with a pale pink jem in the middle.


    "Noble Lammy¡­you protected my sister, and then me, from the most ruthless of foes. You helped rescue my nation out of its deepest turmoil¡­"


    "Uh¡­I guess so¡­" Lammy stammered, cheeks warming.


    "...And so¡­if you''ll accept¡­I would like to grant you this gift."


    She paused until Lammy realized she wanted a response.


    "Oh. Thanks Layla," he said. "It''s really pr¨C"


    Layla stepped forward and rose the necklace over his head. Quickly, she closed the chain behind his neck.


    Lammy''s cheeks got warmer.


    But it didn''t compare to Layla''s, whose entire face had flushed bright red all of the sudden. She turned away, fidgeting with her dress.


    "Um¡­if you need anything¡­" she mumbled, "...j¨Cjust let me know¡­"


    Instantly, she twirled around and darted away from him.


    "Huh?! Layla?!"


    In her dash, the Queen bumped shoulders with her sister. Zayza faced her in bewilderment. Layla simply grabbed her in a rushed hug, uttered heartfelt words, and then released and ran even further.


    Finally, her face still visibly flushed, she halted and turned back around to face them, sand tossing from her feet. A glowing crystal was in her hand.


    "F¨Cfarewell for now!" she exclaimed.


    With a flash that startled the villagers, Layla disappeared.


    Lammy blinked. Ultimately he sighed and shook his head, sitting back down in the sand.


    What a weird girl.


    His solitude met another welcome interruption as Zayza approached, checking back to where Layla had warped from in puzzlement.


    "Goodness. All that time apart, and she left with hardly a goodbye," she bemoaned.


    Shrugging, she sat and joined Lammy. But her eyes shot wide when she noticed the new adornment around his neck.


    "Lammy¡­did she¡­just give that to you?"


    "Oh, this? Yeah. Why?"


    Zayza slapped her palm onto her face and let out a groan.


    "That girl¡­" she grumbled.


    "What, Zayza? What?"


    "That''s her royal engagement necklace."


    Color left Lammy''s face.


    "Her WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"


    By now Zayza''s face was buried in both hands.


    "Don''t worry¡­neither of you are adults, so it doesn''t have to mean anything¡­yet," Zayza elaborated. "And you''re not Azvaylen. But technically¡­she just selected you as her husband-to-be."


    Lammy froze in place.


    Zayza let out another droning sigh. "I''m sorry about her," she said.


    She remained like that for a moment, but eventually, her shoulders shook. She erupted into soft laughter.


    Despite it all, Lammy smiled at the sound. They''d spent so much time together, across so much of the Multiverse¨Cbut constantly in a state of peril. He''d only heard her laugh a handful of times.


    Besides, what even just happened?


    He found himself joining in with a chuckle.


    Zayza lifted her face and sat back up. "Things are about to feel very strange," she uttered with a distant smile.


    Lammy didn''t need to ask what she meant. Though he didn''t want to, he knew.


    He looked over to the fire. Deon and the others all stood together before it with their matching tattoos, staring into it in silence. He noticed the Consciousness League man, Credo Covewalk, approaching them.


    "Are you sure you don''t wanna stick with us?" Lammy asked Zayza.


    Her smile softened as she shook her head. "Layla needs me safe until it''s time for me to return and help her," she said.


    "Then¡­I can stay here with you," Lammy resolved.


    "Lammy¡­you need to be with your cousin," she said. "And you need to find Pang."


    He knew it well, but he could hardly accept what it meant.


    There was no way around it: this was where their paths finally diverged.


    Lammy and Zayza''s eyes locked. In the same instant, they reached forward and embraced each other tight.


    "I know you''ll find her," Zayza affirmed. "You''re not what you thought you were when we met back in No Man''s Land. You''re so much more."


    Lammy nodded, tears pushing out.


    "And¡­so am I¡­you taught me that," Zayza added.


    She paused for a moment.


    "Lammy¡­there''s something else."


    They lifted from each other. Zayza looked off into the sand, with the same gaze as when they first arrived in the desert.


    "When Hiroko''s body vanished¡­" she started, her voice hushed, "I felt something in the Dream Chamber¡­and now that we''re here, I can feel it again."


    Lammy checked around, but he couldn''t spot or feel anything unusual. Something about her tone made him realize he needed to quiet his speech, as well.


    "What¡­do you mean?" he nearly whispered. "What do you think it is?"


    "I simply don''t know," she admitted. "But I''m going to spend my time here figuring it out. Just¡­please¡­"


    Her stare shot through to Lammy''s soul.


    "Please don''t tell Kotono anything about it."


    Her insistence cutting through any hesitation in his mind, Lammy promised her.


    "You''ll figure out what it is," he assured. "I know you can."


    Falling silent, the duo embraced one more time.


    "When this is all over¡­" Zayza started.


    "I know. Cinammon tea at Honest Stadium," completed Lammy.


    Zayza breathed out a laugh. "Precisely."


    ~


    The warmth lessened against Deon''s face as the fire began withering at last. He and the others remained silent, transfixed on the flames.


    Deon wrapped his arm around Skrili.


    I swear we''ll make you proud, Hiroko.


    Though he couldn''t hear the steps in the sand, he could sense the new presence beside them.


    "I hope I didn''t startle you earlier. I''m told I can give such an impression."


    His speech was crisp, his words brighter than the Hidakalan tone.


    Credo Covewalk.


    Though Skrili, Kotono, and Phillip were clearly more familiar with him than Deon, they offered no reply.


    Head of the whole League, huh? That''s not so scary¡­


    Deon took it upon himself. He finally detached his eyes from the fire.


    "Look: I don''t know how you found out. But if you''re gonna ban us from the League, just go ahead and¨C"


    "Kotono filled me in shortly before the rest of you arrived," Credo said.


    Deon dropped his preemptive verbal assault. He noticed the dampness in Credo''s eyes.


    "I''ve been here in Hidakala for the past week to oversee the final stages of Lake Hirokyauta. I¡­promised Hiroko I would."


    Finally, Skrili, Kotono, and Phillip gave their quiet attention.


    "I come from a big family. And when I became Head of the League, as far as I''m concerned, my family got much bigger¡­so I hold myself personally responsible for the safety of all of my fighters," he told them.


    He gazed into the fire, his jaw clenched.


    "The Consciousness League will pour all of our resources into finding this ''Proscious'' group, and take them down. We''ll bring Pang Pereo back," he declared. "But¡­to win this, there''s something I need to ask of you. All four of you."


    Skrili shifted in Deon''s arms. "What is it?"


    Credo stepped closer. His damp eyes filled with the vengeance of a desperate parent.


    Then, a glint appeared within them.


    "To be the best Consciousness Team the Multiverse has ever seen."

 The Lyrics (Part 4)

    Conscious, Conscientious 4: The Lyrics


    1. Enter


    (In this song I aimed to capture the hopelessness and fear we find in the main cast at the start of Volume 4. Lammy and Zayza are kidnapped before Deon and Skrili''s eyes, and Zayza is left to confront how her past has amounted to this moment)


    LYRICS:


    Grass is in my hair just like the day when we both tumbled down the hill


    All these scrapes like in the garden, mind the rocks and pebbles


    Overcast is over us but everyone says it''s not gonna rain


    And I hope they''re wrong, I''d like to wear my hood over my face


    (Ooh) Everything I know is crumbling, everything I know is crumbling


    (Ooh) Everything I know is crumbling, everything I know is crumbling in my hands


    Two cups of cinnamon tea go cold, at least the smell is pleasant


    Even all alone I mean it every time I say I--


    Coronation balcony today, the spikes are right below it


    Tied behind my back, they mean it every time they say they--


    (Ooh) Everything I know is crumbling, everything I know is crumbling


    (Ooh) Everything I know is crumbling, everything I know is crumbling in my hands


    (Ooh) Everything I know is crumbling, everything I know is crumbling in my hands


    It was just a shallow dream to belong here


    But I shifted from day to night too quickly


    Alone and away


    It''s too cold


    I''m afraid and that terror is keeping me warm


    This is the storm I''ve been sheltering from


    It stalked me and flooded out more of the ones I love


    And this smile''s still haunting my head


    But it''s changed faces


    Subverting the grave just to whisper that I might be cursed to be


    Alone


    (Ooh) Everything I know is crumbling, everything I know is crumbling


    (Ooh) Everything I know is crumbling, everything I know is crumbling in my hands


    2. Battle of Azvaylen


    (As the title suggests, this song retells the events of the fight between the consciousness friends and Proscious. Beginning with Lammy and Zayza''s kidnapping and running through the final fight in the Dreamer Chamber, I took a much more narrative approach to these lyrics while using the shifting instrumentation to capture each movement.)


    LYRICS:


    Just over the hills we find your faces peering back


    Reaching to our racing hearts to know your love again


    Helicopter rumble, drizzle, call out my name


    (Pinch on my neck, it''s sinking in)


    We tumble where you stood, and watch them steal you away


    What is this place?


    Golden eyes, and red hair, I know I''ve seen you before


    Rolling away


    How can she say she''ll end my pain when she created this war?


    Wait, it''s too soon to assume


    Did you already forget the bond you''ve constructed?


    And I''m over this watching you whine


    For goodness sake, you¡¯re a princess, so have some spine


    Open up and find all you hide


    ''Cuz I''m busting us out


    How can this power be real?


    If I abandon them I''ll get away


    No, I won''t be my father


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    If I fail, I''ll regret nothing


    (Go


    Skidmarks on the road


    Cut holes through the sky


    Just keep holding on, we''re coming for you


    One unit, we fly


    One purpose, we fight


    If they die we''re left with nothing)


    Justice for our nation


    Your execution


    Begins


    Hang high above your demise


    Fall


    And you''ll kill no more


    (You liars


    I''ll reconstruct the bones you broke


    We''ll take on your challenge


    And you''ll kill no more)


    Say


    I''ve been thinking


    We''ve become quite a team


    Don''t you think?


    With these ugly vines intwined


    With your earring scar and mine


    No matter what happens next


    I''m glad we met


    So when the Window tints the Chamber green


    I''ll take on Wei myself


    And I will bring him to his knees


    All across the castle there rings a sound


    A song of reckoning barreling towards you


    The system dies


    Though you try, you''ll wither


    Empty, colorless cold light will guard her life


    I am justice, I¡¯m your worst Nightmare


    And I exist to bring you to your end


    3. Zayza


    (Zayza''s theme, beginning with the words from her adversaries (especially Fewpar), and evolving into her anthem as she learns to silence the lies and live out who she knows she can be. Fun fact: this was the first song I ever wrote for the story.)


    LYRICS:


    Better run faster, ''cuz they''re gonna catch you


    Better run faster ''cuz they''re gonna kill you


    Better run faster, Zayza


    Better remember ''cuz they''ll show no mercy


    Better remember ''cuz they''ll show no mercy


    Better remember, Zayza


    You are not what you thought


    You are not what you thought


    Maybe next time you''ll think twice before you


    Maybe next time you''ll think twice before


    Maybe next time you will think twice


    Maybe next time there won''t be a next time


    Maybe next time there won''t be a next


    Maybe next time, there won''t be a Zayza


    You are not what you thought (I''m sorry, Zayza)


    You are not


    I had to recover what I casted away. It was the only way I could defend you from the darkness and danger surrounding me. And now I know why I ran and hid. I feel it again the same as before. I lost nearly everyone¡­but I couldn''t see that I hadn''t yet lost you. My pain blinded me. But now I can believe again, because of you. There''s still a reason to rise up and face them.


    So rest your head on my shoulder and wait. I promise you it''ll be alright...Because I know who I''m meant to be now, and I''ll run away no longer.


    You are not what you thought (I''m sorry, Zayza)


    You are not what you thought


    When they said I was a monster, did it make their hearts cold?


    ''Cuz I don''t feel cold at all


    No, I''m not running anymore


    Now that I''ve found myself


    So as the room sparkles green


    And you keep believing in me


    I''ll save you now


    I will save you now


    4. Hiroko


    (Hiroko''s theme, written from her perspective before the battle and in those final moments within the Dreamer Chamber...)


    LYRICS:


    Spark the flame beneath the night sky


    Gather our hate


    Cast it away


    And we''ll watch it leave with the smoke into the dark


    Maybe we can feel gravity''s healing start


    Everything repeats over time


    Stories of old, and stories unfold,


    So we''ll make our own


    Calm our hearts as one tonight


    And when tomorrow comes, mine will keep yours beating through the fight


    I''ll cover your head


    When the words are attacking


    And pressure builds around


    My melody will silence all of the sound


    Your precious eyes and golden light


    Will not ever flicker out


    Every breath I take is yours


    Every day with you is my sanctuary


    Heroes aren''t born in the light


    They come from shadows and blood


    And shine cuz they can still love


    That''s what I see in you now


    Keep an eye on them, alright?


    Cuz when I''m chasing the sacred they''ll need your sight


    I''ll cover your head


    When the lies are all stabbing


    And hatred builds around


    My melody will silence all of the sound


    Your precious eyes and emerald light


    Will not ever flicker out


    Take my haven as your own


    Every day with you is our perfect harmony


    I wanna build a whole world


    Where you would never be scared


    And we could laugh with the stars


    But if I''m all I can give, just know


    Everything I did was for our love


    Now nothing can destroy you


    I''ll cover your head


    When the sun is descending


    And towers tumble down


    My melody will silence all of the sound


    Your mind is where I''ll bury mine


    Cuz I know you won''t forget


    Every breath I took was yours


    Every memory is our eternity


    Your faces vanish behind the blinding beam


    Flesh fades, mind polarizes


    As it bursts into fragments, shards materialize in the abstract


    And every last one will sustain this transcendence to hear your voice

 Character Powers/Fighting Guide (Updated)

    Deon


    Country: None


    Type: Imaginer(+)


    Style:


    Specials:


    Team Specials: Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack (name subject to change): Deon creates a series of bouncy rubber pads and sets them up at intricate angles. Skrili bounces between these in a predetermined pattern that appears random to their enemies. As she darts around their opponent, Deon places objects around her path for Skrili to redirect at their target. When victory is near, Deon repositions the pads to send Skrili right at their target for the finishing kick.


    - Mega-Strong Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack (name also subject to change): When Deon is in his heightened state and Skrili has unlocked Concussion, the duo can unleash a version of their Team Special even faster and more punishing than the original.


    - Retribution: a group attack designed for use against Wei that included Phillip, Hiroko, Kotono, Deon, and Skrili. Phillip created an illusionary beast with long, translucent limbs. The other fighters remained within the ends of each limb as Phillip used the monster''s motions to direct the whole team, taking hand-signal hints from Hiroko''s power-induced predictions of their enemy''s next move. As one body, the team moved together to attack and defend against Wei.


    Retribution II: a group attack Lammy spearheaded to defeat Wei, involving Deon, Lammy, Zayza, and Skrili''s power-ups all at once. Deon''s Giant Twitchy and Lammy''s Loozooloozeux pinned Wei from both sides, jamming him in place. Then, Zayza fired the last of her Nightmare-fueled energy as a beam of light straight towards his chest. Skrili plowed her knee into the same area of Wei''s barrier, pushing with the remainder of her Power Rebound energy. Through the sheer joint force, they broke through and Zayza''s blast reached Wei to finish him off.


    Lammy


    Country: None


    Type: Imaginer(+)


    Style:


    Specials:


    - Loozooloozeux: a furry rainbow-colored dragon Lammy can imagine while in his heightened state of stress. Named by Queen Layla of Azvaylen.


    Team Specials: Retribution II (see Deon''s profile)


    Skrili


    Country: Fiction


    Type: Power Rebound


    Style:


    Specials: Concussion: when a Power Rebound takes enough damage to the head, it triggers a short-term ascended form. With Deon''s help, Skrili has mastered control over this power-up and can use it to devastating effects. When Concussion wears off, she becomes incapacitated but can recover fully after rest and healing.


    Team Specials: Sneak Bounce: a surprise team attack comprising of Skrili and Pang, which went on to inspire the Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack. In the split first second of a fight against an Imaginer, Pang manipulates the Imaginer''s powers to create springs that launch Skrili at their enemies with lightning-speed, catching them off-guard and possibly even ending the fight immediately.


    Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack (see Deon''s profile)


    Mega-Strong Deon and Skrili Ultimate Team Attack (see Deon''s profile)


    Retribution (see Deon''s profile)


    Retribution II (see Deon''s profile)


    Zayza:


    Country: Fantasy


    Type: Dreamer


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Style:


    Specials: Nightmare: a highly forbidden Dreamer technique. By awakening her deepest traumas, Zayza can summon a realm that temporarily reshapes the Dream World into a manifestation of her pain. This also converts into power, making her practically invincible to almost all adversaries. However, if a Dreamer allows Nightmare to last for too long, or uses too much of its energy, they will permanently trap themselves and their opponent in their dark world forever.


    Team Specials: Retribution II (see Deon''s profile)


    Pang


    Country: Fiction


    Type: Manipulator


    Style:


    Specials: Yet t


    Team Specials: Sneak Bounce (see Skrili''s profile)


    Phillip


    Country: Horror


    Type: Illusionist


    Style:


    Specials: Disambiguation: Phillip''s finishing move, though he is incredibly reluctant to use it. He bombards his opponent''s mind with flashing images and horrific sounds so intense, it eventually implodes their thoughts. The technique takes time to prepare, but Phillip has trained his mind to automate the process so he can use basic illusions to distract his opponent until it''s ready. (Author fun-fact: the name is a reference to the band Underoath''s 7th album.)


    Team Specials: Retribution (See Deon''s profile)


    Kotono


    Country: Fantasy


    Type: Emovert


    Style:


    Red: caused by anxiety, fear, and anger. This energy is fiery and explosive, serving primarily for offensive use.


    Gold: the most powerful color. While it can be caused by feelings like passion, love, resolve, and courage, it also appears when her anxiety spikes even higher than red. Her golden energy can be offensive and defensive, and is one of the most devastating forces in all of consciousness fighting--enough to decimate entire buildings.


    Green: a fairly new form that appears when Kotono feels remorse and/or empathy for another person. The energy allows her to heal anyone she''s in contact with, to degrees even more effective than the TeamTrack healing feature.


    Blue: an energy close to green, which appears when Kotono is sad or worried. Its soft nature allows her to envelop a friend and protect them inside it. When blended with other intense feelings, it can turn purple and grows stronger.


    White: a new, unnerving energy that appeared after Hiroko sacrificed herself for Kotono and Layla. Reflecting Kotono''s emptiness, it removes color from everything around and within it. Not much is known about its form, but it was enough to ward of Aoi''s abilities...


    Specials: Yet to be seen...


    Team Specials: Emotional Support: a team technique that involved Kotono and Hiroko. Relying on trust and concern for her loved one, Kotono transfered some of her energy to envelop Hiroko. This allowed them both to use its power to fly and fire beams, while Hiroko relied on her Predictor abilities to forsee their opponents'' options and guide them accordingly.


    Retribution (see Deon''s profile)


    Layla


    Country: Fantasy


    Type: Dreamer


    Style:


    Specials: Yet to be seen...


    Team Specials: Yet to be seen...


    Fewpar


    Country: Fantasy


    Type: Dreamer


    Style:


    Specials: Nightmare: Fewpar''s Nightmare powerup manifests in the form of his own traumatic memories. Large blue orbs appear within his domain and attack his enemy, forcing them to live out his memories from his perspective.


    Team Specials: Yet to be seen...


    Irma


    Country: ???


    Type: Illusionist, Thoughtfeeder, Substitutor, Dampener


    Style:


    Specials: ???: As seen against Phillip, when Irma is an Illusionist she can reshape her opponent''s environment into a false realm of tennis and money, completely masking her enemy from their true displacement as well as hers.


    Team Specials: Yet to be seen...


    Benton


    Country: ???


    Type: Withstander, Hypnotizer, Dampener


    Style:


    Specials: ???: For a short time, Benton can use two of his consciousness types at once. Activation requires a period of strenuous powering up and takes a physical toll, creating red markings on his body. It also carries great risk: Proscious has "tried it on" others as well, but they all perished in the process.


    Team Specials: Yet to be seen...


    Aoi


    Country: ???


    Type: Unknown


    Style:


    Specials: Yet to be seen...


    Team Specials: Yet to be seen...

 Consciousness Types: A Pocket List

    CC Types: A Pocket List (First Edition)


    Analyzer


    Description: Can detect the power type of another consciousness, as well as their experience level and strengths, through sight alone


    Characters: Xavier (Ch. 10)


    Controller


    Description: Can use their own mind to send instructions to another person''s body, effectively controlling them like a puppet


    Characters: fighter in Fantasy Country Conscious Competition Preliminary Round One (ch. 36)


    Dampener


    Description: Can suppress the consciousness powers of another person or multiple people, either weakening them or canceling them out entirely


    Characters: Conscious Competition workers during the Fantasy Country championship (ch. 50), Irma, Benton


    Dreamer


    Description: Enters an alternate, abstract realm called the Dream World whenever they are asleep or unconscious. Within this world, they can summon powers and operate their Dream World forms in ways that are impossible in reality. Concepts, feelings, and memories can take physical forms in this realm


    Characters: Zayza, Fewpar, Layla, King Zed, Vayva


    Emovert


    Description: Emotions manifest into a variety of physical energy forms. The nature of the energy varies based on the emotion


    Characters: Kotono Inoue


    Feelreader


    Description: Can read a person''s feelings by focusing on them


    Characters: Folel


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


    Hypnotizer


    Description: Has a natural ability to hypnotize others


    Characters: Ashley (ch. 6), Benton


    Illusionist


    Description: Can trick a target''s mind into witnessing phenomenon that are not really there, or cause them perceive reality incorrectly.


    Characters: Phillip, Irma


    Imaginer


    Description: Can use their imagination to place objects into reality


    Characters: Deon, Lammy, Aunt Meiv, the boss (ch. 3, 24), the Fullmetal Consciousness(t) (ch. 10), Benny Stewart, Alex Malachi


    Manipulator


    Description: Has the ability to detect and then use other people''s consciousness abilities as their own


    Characters: Pang Pereo


    Mastermind


    Description: Has the propensity for super-intelligence far above even the smartest people, but only in one focused field


    Characters: Ryan (ch. 25)


    Mismatch


    Description: Can make a person''s mind confuse the instructions it sends to the body, causing the target to move the wrong limbs in the wrong directions


    Characters: Lozu Gorgasti (ch. 41)


    Odorvert


    Description: Any exposure to smells creates an increase in power


    Characters: Armoless, Gottem (ch. 39)


    Persuader/Influencer


    Description: An unusually heightened charisma to convince or entice others


    Characters: (Pang briefly recalls a fight against a Persuader in ch. 24)


    Power Rebound


    Description: Gains a power boost from pain. The greater the damage, the more intense the power increase


    Characters: Skrili Kay, Darla Stewart


    Predictor


    Description: Can visualize multiple potential outcomes of an event a few moments before it occurs


    Characters: Hiroko Hamasaki (a.k.a. Hirokyauta Hidakalhalimat)


    Pun Power


    Description: Receives a power boost from hearing a pun. The worse they interpret the pun to be, the greater their power increases


    Characters: Reginald Glass (ch. 38)


    Sense-Enhancer


    Description: Has extremely heightened senses, and when trained, can focus on and emphasize specific ones


    Characters: Najinzu, Raznizu


    Substitutor


    Description: Can trade perspectives and all senses with another person temporarily


    Characters: Skip (formerly), Irma


    Thoughtfeeder


    Description: Gains heightened energy through the thought activity around them


    Characters: Irma


    Thoughtreader


    Description: Can read the thoughts of another person when focusing on them


    Characters: Foler


    Vibefeeder


    Description: Gains an energy boost when in the presence of a particular vibe between people. It can be positive or negative, as long as the interpersonal chemistry is strong


    Characters: Richvon Gorgasti (ch. 41)


    Wordsmith


    Description: Has a natural knack for wordplay and prose


    Characters: Cauli Rhyme (ch. 38)

 Forward to Volume 5

    After quite a long break, I''m excited to say Volume 5 will start updating next week! Though I''ve been away longer than I planned, I promise it was for good reason. I spent much of my time fleshing out what''s in store next for our consciousness friends, and also beginning the process for more theme music.


    Volume 5 has a lot going on¨Cmore than I initially realized¨Cso the writing process has been quite an undertaking. The story evolves quite a bit from this point forward, with a lot of new aspects, places, and yes: powers.


    But the heart of the story remains in the characters: how this crazy Multiverse shapes them, how they grieve and grow together.


    I tried to get a little more ambitious with the premises unfolding in Volume 5, especially considering where the story left off last. We''d just witnessed Deon, Lammy, and friends'' hard-fought victory in Azvaylen, and a deeply wounded Proscious.


    But it came at an unpayable price: in a swift effort to rescue Queen Layla, and to keep Kotono from dying as she tried to do the same, Hiroko sacrificed herself before the eyes of her friends.


    Now, the newly-united team is left just as broken as they are vitalized by their resulting success. They remember her strength both in their hearts and on their faces: in Hiroko''s homeland of Hidakala, they each received a triangle tattoo to commemorate her role in their lives.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    And yet, the fight is anything but over: they may have saved each other from Proscious''s mysterious grasp, but they never recovered Pang.


    The enemy had stolen her away.


    However, with the Head of the Consciousness League present at Hiroko''s ceremony, their next move is clear. A new rescue mission is about to unfold¨Cone much larger-scale than they could have imagined¡­


    Deon, Lammy, Skrili, Kotono, and Phillip prepare to initiate round two. But not all of the group will take part this time.


    Determined to help her sister restore their kingdom to health, Zayza stays behind in Hidakala, where she will live in hiding until her name is cleared enough for her return.


    At last, Lammy and Zayza''s stories diverge.


    A new, unpredictable season of life awaits them all¡­


    ¡­Even their foes:


    After the Battle of Azvaylen, Wei washed up alive on the shore. But Aoi, his ever-silent underling, seemed to honor an agreement with him. She vaporized his body, ending his life.


    As the new team of consciousness must grow from their loss to save Pang, it seems those hiding her must now adapt just the same¡­


    The new journeys begin in Volume 5.

 122. Lazy Strut

    ¡°Hit me harder! If I¡¯m not bleeding, you¡¯re not trying! We¡¯ll both drown! We¡¯ll drown just like your Mom, got it?! HARDER!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°No?¡­Alright then, I¡¯ll show you. I¡¯ll make YOU bleed. Come here.¡±


    It hurts¡­


    The walls shook. Water reached her ankles.


    No¡­I don¡¯t want Daddy to die. I don¡¯t want to die¡­I have to get better.


    Red blotched her hands.


    I just have to kill.


    They¡¯re still breathing. I¡¯ll kill faster. More. MORE!


    Good. I¡¯m good at this. I¡¯m saving us.


    ¡°Are you happy with me, Daddy? Are you proud of me?¡±


    A floating vessel.


    ¡°One spot! Only one!!¡±


    An outstretched hand.


    ¡°Daddy¡­why are you pushing me away¡­?¡±


    ¡°DADDY?!?! COME BACK!!¡±


    Come back for me¡­


    ~


    Everything spun.


    Nonsensical murmurs were muffled behind a droning hum.


    Cold¡­


    Her sight was close to useless: all colors warped and blurred into each other. And the colors were already dim to begin with.


    Pang tried to open her eyes wider. They drifted upward for a moment, then finally hovered forward enough to make sense of her immediate, foggy surroundings.


    A face.


    Loose blue-green hair, and a pale, delicate frown were before her. All she could see of this young woman¡¯s eyes were how their blinks would move the bangs covering them.


    The glass between the two of them only became evident when the woman raised a sleeve-covered hand to it and pressed gently while her stare deepened. Her attention was practically trancelike¡ªapparently, Pang was the candlelight to which this moth was drawn.


    Who the heck¡­are you?


    Pang could only ask it in her mind. Her mouth wouldn¡¯t move, or rather, she couldn¡¯t seem to find the right command to open it.


    Her next processed moment seemed illogical, because next, her eyelids were drifting open again. Fighting to keep her brain at work, she only managed one last sight.


    There was a doorway at the end of this dark space. The young woman was passing through it now, her arm stretched back as someone unseen was guiding her away by the hand.


    But before she disappeared beyond the room, the young woman¡¯s head turned back to Pang. Her hood flopped and she nearly tripped.


    Then as she vanished from Pang¡¯s view, all awareness melted once more.


    ~~~


    ¡°And that¡¯s what measures the median rate of the trace reader,¡± a man explained.


    ¡°Ooh¡­neat¡­¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyelids lifted open again. This time, with a blink, she shook away the fogginess and focused forward, attributing her success to her sheer willpower alone.


    Alright, I¡¯m over this. Who¡¯s screwing with me?


    Fists clenching, Pang tried to move. But though some of her strength was back, her wrists and ankles pressed up against metal. She couldn¡¯t even look down to investigate: her head and waist were stuck against the surface behind her.


    It seemed, for now, only her eyes and ears could help her.


    Nothing stood directly before her besides a black tiled floor, but reflections from computer screens illuminated it in even patches. And the steady hum from within this odd container had lessened a bit, so the voices in the room reached her clearly.


    She followed the voices to the right wall of the room.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how you¡¯re able to figure out her elemental compatibility?¡±


    ¡°Ha, not quite. This is just to get an idea of the trace reader functionality before we pull new readings.¡±


    A long series of screens and desks covered the wall. Several people in long white coats were analyzing them as they turned knobs and pressed buttons. Pang¡¯s frown deepened when she noticed diagrams of herself on some of the screens amongst the swarms of symbols and scrolling data.


    A chair rolled closer to the screens out from behind another worker, and Pang noticed a woman dressed much more casually than the others within it. Instead of a lab coat, she sat wrapped in a sweater that matched her loosely tied deep green hair. The woman crossed her legs on the chair and stared on, mouth hanging open with the computer data reflecting on her wooden-framed glasses.


    ¡°Okay, I think I understand,¡± she said slowly. Between the subtle lisp and the way her airy words descended in pitch towards the end of her sentence, she matched one of the voices Pang heard when she awoke.


    ¡°I uh¡­designed that part myself, you know,¡± touted the worker beside her. ¡°No big deal.¡±


    ¡°Really? Good job, Mike!¡±


    Pang cringed at the man¡¯s ensuing blush, and cringed even further when a couple other lab workers flocked over to show her more.


    Gross. Guys think everything is flirting¡­Pang lamented. Why are they all drooling over this dorky chick?


    Wait a second¡ªwhy is THAT what I¡¯m hung up on right now?!


    She gave another tug at her bindings, but it was still useless.


    ¡°Oh. Well, hello.¡±


    Pang was about to try moving again, but she locked eyes with the woman from across the room and realized the greeting was for her. It appeared her squirming had caught the woman¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Hi there,¡± came another greeting attempt.


    ¡°Bite me.¡±


    The lab workers turned to find the newly-awake Pang. One of them hurried to a particular set of knobs, but his counterpart stopped him.


    ¡°We¡¯re done with her for today. We still have to finish reconfiguration,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s not be wasteful. We can send her to solitary for now.¡±


    ¡°Well good luck getting her there. You saw how it played out when Benton woke her up the first time.¡±


    Pang¡¯s memory jolted.


    Oh yeah¡­Baldy.


    She could see Deon¡¯s cousin and his princess friend¡¯s desperate faces again above the overgrown grass. She¡¯d tried to get them all out of there.


    It should¡¯ve been easy.


    But whatever that bulky gray guy and the tall woman did to her mind had brought her to her knees in seconds.


    The last thing she remembered was becoming fixated with the bald man¡¯s eyes and growing drowsy¡­


    And then, when his voice told her to, she awoke all at once.


    But the unnatural lighting hurt her eyes. She¡¯d ended up in an entirely different place. Lammy, the princess, and their friend were gone.


    She had no idea who all the weird new strangers were. But within moments, they all felt her wrath.


    She¡¯d shoved one through a window. She was pretty sure she broke another¡¯s wrist, if she was remembering right.


    But then, that man Benton¡¯s face had returned to her. And once again, it was the last sight she¡¯d remembered before falling asleep.


    With her memories pieced back together, Pang reevaluated her current environment.


    The Benton guy¡¯s not here this time. I can take them.


    But the lab worker waved off his cohort¡¯s concern. ¡°The boosted sedative will take a while to totally wear off,¡± he said. ¡°If we move her now, we should be fine.¡±


    The green-haired woman stood from her chair, retrieving a mug from the desk.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Do you want me to help?¡± she offered.


    But before she could receive an answer, a man stormed into the open doorway. His yellow spiked hair stood out harshly against the room.


    ¡°Oh, there you are! Could you come with me? We have that meeting!¡±


    The woman bonked her hand against her head. ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªI forgot!¡± She took a hurried sip from her mug as she rushed towards the door, waving back. ¡°It was a pleasure! See you all later!¡±


    She disappeared with the man, but their voices still echoed back as they departed further down the hall.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what happened to Wei?¡± the man huffed.


    ¡°No¡­I know his team had a mission. Why? Is that what this is gonna be about¡­?¡±


    The sliding and slamming of a door muted their conversation behind it. Then, the lab workers all returned their gazes to Pang.


    She stared back at them unwaveringly. ¡°What am I, a zoo animal?¡±


    The two main engineers deliberated for a little while longer, until finally, the more apprehensive one conceded.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡±


    Pang studied their every move, though she couldn¡¯t derive any sense from all of the typing, lever pulling, and screen checking.


    But at last, with a hiss from beneath her, she felt her body lower to the floor level. The glass slid away and the ambience from the tech around her increased.


    The lab members drew close. Pang felt the bindings on her wrists withdraw¡ªbut before she could act, something tied her wrists and yanked her hands behind her back, just like when she¡¯d been captured with Lammy and the others.


    This crap again¡­


    She knew she should have reacted faster. In that moment when the bindings were changing over, she should have been able to pull free. But her mind didn¡¯t act as quickly as usual.


    Two lab workers timidly grabbed her arms and guided her out of the capsule. Everything felt too fast. Her vision lost focus from the motion, despite her best attempts to control it.


    The nerd was right: whatever they juiced me up with still hasn¡¯t worn off¡­she knew. Still¡­I might be able to handle these guys if¡­


    Her sluggish thought cut short. As the lab workers guided her forward, a surge of individuals in black rushed in.


    The workers wasted no time leaving her in their care. Pang did her best to glance around: eight total. And their tight black armor made it clear they were built to handle resistance.


    One of them grabbed her tight by the shoulder, not nearly as worried as the lab workers.


    I can still take them¡­Pang tried.


    They pushed her forward through the door, and the world spun again.


    Jeez¡­alright. Maybe just wait for the right moment.


    The hallway was even plainer than the lab they¡¯d just exited. But Pang squinted under the increased lighting¡ªbetween the glossy white walls and long ceiling bulbs, everything was much brighter here.


    She peeked over the shoulders of the guards in front. Another perpendicular hall awaited them at the end, and windows leading to the outdoors appeared to span the length of it.


    Pang¡¯s eyes twinkled.


    There.


    A guard shoved her from behind. With a stumble, she tried to speed her pace. The walls were still swerving in her sight, but not quite as harshly as when she exited the capsule.


    Her senses were recovering, however slightly. If she could just manage to get to that window¡­


    ¡°So what is this place?¡± she asked her escorts.


    No response.


    ¡°Got it. A secret lab for doing illegal experiments,¡± Pang answered for them. ¡°That¡¯s all over your faces. Honestly, it was obvious already. They pay you alright, at least?¡±


    Nothing.


    She eyed their progress again. They¡¯d guided her past all remaining doors in the hall. All that was left was the next hall.


    Almost there.


    ¡°Which zone?¡± a guard uttered.


    ¡°Z.¡±


    ¡°Z?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess she already caused a ton of commotion.¡±


    Pang tried not to smirk.


    They reached the hall and veered left.


    ¡°I sure hope they pay you guys well,¡± she said.


    She braced herself.


    ¡°¡¯Cuz it¡¯s gonna have to be worth all that prison time when I rat this place out.¡±


    Her spinning kick swung slower than she was used to, but it was enough: her heel met the face of the guard nearest the window. As he launched back, she began ducking to avoid the hands she knew was coming.


    ¡°GET HER!!¡±


    Half of them slammed against each other in their attempt as Pang descended just in time.


    Using the momentum from her motions thus far, Pang pushed off and pounced at her new clear-shot for the window. Spinning to position her feet first, she bashed a double-kick through the glass.


    As she freefell within the shards, she glanced back at her former captors one last time.


    ¡°Piss off, normies!¡±


    But her next problem came immediately: her descent sped up, and she realized she just dove out of one of the top floors of a multi-story building.


    Cursing, Pang jerked herself to spin the other way. With her hands bound, her legwork was her only hope.


    She lucked out: the lower part of the building was wider, so her feet would be able to reach its wall. Pang skidded her shoes against it and leaned up, heading straight for the unforgiving pavement.


    Through her blowing hair, she noticed a strip of bushes and soil just past the walkway she was yet to collide with.


    She just had to make it that far.


    The friction slowed her only marginally, but it was just enough: nearing the ground, Pang pushed off the wall with all of her strength. She pressed her eyes shut and broke into a much-practiced roll.


    However, she didn¡¯t quite clear the street: Pang¡¯s shoulder skidded against pavement for a fleeting moment. But then, she rolled fully through the garden strip.


    The sheer force of her speed launched her back to her feet, and she almost failed to regain her balance as she broke into a sprint. Her shoulder¡¯s new scrape only stung a bit, though she finally noticed a few cuts from the glass she¡¯d shattered.


    Pang shook it off and powered forward. Considering what she pulled off, she could live with minor injuries.


    ¡°BEEEEEP!!! BEEEEEP!!!¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    She winced as the piercing alarm announced her escape across the sky. She¡¯d figured something like that would probably sound within the building itself, but not the entire city.


    So where even was she?


    Pang could only spare a few quick looks around as she raced ahead. Tall, white buildings surrounded the walkway, with plenty of trees neatly interspersed. A park was in the distance.


    But if the alarm was blaring everywhere, then clearly, the building she¡¯d fled wasn¡¯t the entire facility.


    All of this was.


    It was a campus.


    ¡°STOP!¡±


    Pang sprinted faster. Her strength was nearly all the way back. Just ahead, the collection of buildings opened up to an empty, open area of paved ground. Only the foggy horizon was beyond it.


    Perfect. Just keep running this way.


    Phillip and everyone are coming. I just have to get somewhere visible.


    Memories of desperate roars and crowded, clawing nails stabbed into her head.


    No¡­


    ¡°THERE¡¯S NOWHERE TO RUN! STOP!¡±


    Within the whitish sky she¡¯d set her sights on, Pang could see her own, younger hand reaching out in vain.


    ¡°Daddy!! Come back!! Please don¡¯t leave me!!¡±


    She saw the aircraft speeding away. Then the reaching hands of others blocked it from view.


    Pang shook her head, and the images vanished.


    No! Not this time! Not¡­


    She brought herself to a sliding stop, and nearly fell forward. If she had, it would have been the last mistake she ever made.


    Somehow she¡¯d noticed it moments before. But her mind refused to accept it: the pavement didn¡¯t continue on endlessly towards the horizon.


    It came to an abrupt end.


    Just past her toes lay the edge of the ground, and beneath it, an endless drop into nothing but white air.


    What¡­? No¡­


    Her head darted to both sides. The ground completely ended for as far as she could see.


    Pang¡¯s hands trembled until she clenched them into fists to make them stop. She tensed.


    All right, then¡­I¡¯ll play for a little bit longer.


    She spun around in a fighting stance, aside from her bound arms. As anticipated, another horde of black-armored people were closing in¡ªsome on foot, and others riding sleek, hovering scooters.


    The first pack of scooter-riding guards reached her. Their rides vanished from existence, and they formed a wide semi-circle around Pang to block off any option for retreat.


    Those scooters were imagined, she recognized. That means at least one of these guys is an Imaginer. But last time I tried using my powers on these people¡­


    She could practically still feel the slicing pain in her head as she played back her failed fight against Benton and Irma.


    Are any of these guys like those two?


    The guards all took a step and lifted their arms as if holding a large gun. Pang¡¯s eyes furrowed: nothing was in their hands.


    ¡­At least, not yet. All at once, black rifles faded into their grips, similar in material to the scooters.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Red clusters of light zipped Pang¡¯s way. She launched into an array of spins and evasive flips. It should have been easy enough¡ªbut with her hands tied behind her back and her speed not all the way there, she knew this was destined to end badly.


    She had no other choice. Pang let her senses reach out towards them.


    Immediately, she locked on:


    Far right. He¡¯s the imaginer.


    She probed his powers. Without a doubt, he was the one who imagined all the scooters and the guns. Pang tried to sink deeper into his imagination¡­


    ¡­But to her utter bafflement, only two options emerged: the scooters, and the guns.


    That¡¯s ALL this loser knows how to make?! she lamented.


    Sighing and dodging simultaneously, Pang knew there was no use manipulating his powers to imagine something of her own. His creativity was astoundingly dull.


    She¡¯d have to go with one of his two techniques.


    On her command, three of the Imaginer guard¡¯s rifles appeared before her enemies. She fired them rapidly, swerving their aim to shower the entire group. The guards shouted as they all toppled to the ground, sparks shooting out from their armor.


    Pang wasted no time in continuing her escape. She zipped along the edge of the ground before the bottomless pit, desperate to find any kind of way off. But the edge curved inward, indicating a circular shape to this floating place, and the abyss remained the only sight beyond it.


    Shouts and buzzing blasts continued behind her from near the buildings. She found the flood of her pursuers struggling to close in, accomplishing little more than keeping pace.


    Pang observed the campus once more. The towering buildings were everywhere. Everything was eerily tidy.


    Lammy, the princess, and that older guy¡­she pondered. Are they all here, too? Shouldn¡¯t I try busting them out first?


    But she remembered the way her original capturers spoke. Benton and Irma seemed inconvenienced, like Lammy and Princess Zayza were a side task.


    They were helping those bad guys from Princess Zayza¡¯s reality¡­Pang recalled. So they probably took them there.


    Either way, she knew: even if her short-lived allies were here, she couldn¡¯t be much help to them right now. She¡¯d have to get away and recuperate before pulling off a rescue.


    So she had to keep running.


    The outer abyss, however, only continued.


    One of the red blasts popped just behind her heel. She sensed several more consciousness powers closing in. Pang pushed harder.


    I can keep this up way longer than them¡­they have no idea what I¡¯ve had to do.


    ¡°DON¡¯T RESIST!!¡±


    ¡°STOP!!¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yeah, I figured it would be you.¡±


    That third voice was much closer. And it was one she¡¯d heard before.


    Suddenly, something stabbed into her mind.


    It wasn¡¯t physical, but that didn¡¯t make it any less excruciating. Pang screamed, white flashing in her eyes as she lost all sense of her surroundings for a split moment. She felt the pavement as she toppled onto it and rolled to a harsh stop.


    Pang squeezed her eyes shut and cursed over and over.


    Not this again!


    Her senses recovering, she heard casual, dragging footsteps come to a stop near her side.


    ¡°Sorry. Believe me, that was to save you from a bigger headache later,¡± the woman said. ¡°These guys have no people skills.¡±


    Pang lifted her head from the concrete. First she saw the flip-flops and long legs. Then the neon runner shorts and the long, multicolored hair behind a plain t-shirt. When she raised her gaze high enough, she found the exact eyes she expected.


    One was yellow and the other pink. The woman adjusted the big white sunglasses atop her head, peering down at Pang like a patient babysitter to a rambunctious child.


    Her¡­


    ¡°Thank you, Irma! She¡¯s a fast one,¡± came a gasping guard. ¡°We¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    He lifted his rifle, but without looking, Irma placed her hand on it and pushed it back down.


    ¡°Nah. I think I will.¡±


    ¡°But¡­Irma¡­we have specific instructions to take her to confinement and¡ª¡±


    ¡°They told me we could have her if she behaves,¡± Irma interrupted. ¡°This is the most someone like her is gonna behave when you treat her like a lab rat. So tell them I¡¯m taking her.¡±


    ¡°Irma¡­you c¡ªcan¡¯t just undermine¡ª¡±


    ¡°What? Are you guys gonna do something about it? Are you guys gonna stop me?¡±


    The guard bit his tongue. When her gaze fell to him, he inched away.


    ¡°S¡ªsorry, Irma.¡±


    She placed her hand out. ¡°Bondage remote?¡±


    The guard hesitated. But he had no trouble locating it on his belt when Irma raised her eyebrow.


    She retrieved the small device and pressed a button. Immediately, Pang felt her wrists fall free from her back.


    Irma turned to her. ¡°Come on. You can clean up at my place.¡±


    She dropped the remote and began walking away, the rest of the guards displaying the same frozen stupor as the one she¡¯d spoken to.


    Pang sat in silence. All she could manage was to watch Irma¡¯s lazy strut.


    Immediately, she understood her obstacles were far grander than knowing no way off of this place. Between Irma and Benton, she was stranded with two people who could drop her in less than a blink if she tried anything.


    If I wanna last long enough for someone to find me, she thought, I have to get strong enough to take them both out on my own¡­


    Her memories surged back.


    The sinking floors of the ship. The pools of blood.


    Then this really is the same as back then.


    It¡¯s happening again.


    Irma turned back to her once more.


    ¡°Hm? You coming, or what?¡± she called back. ¡°I have a lasagna in the oven. I need someone to try my new recipe.¡±


    Her glare unwavering like a hawk, Pang finally stood. Stepping forward, she began following Irma back towards the campus.

 123. What Do You Want?

    Pang didn¡¯t speak as she followed behind the rhythmic scraping of Irma¡¯s flip-flops against the concrete. They reached a walkway between two series of multistoried buildings, and her eyes spied every last corner.


    But nothing about this place pointed to any clues for an escape, or gave away even the slightest hint of where in the Multiverse they were. It wasn¡¯t much more than a quiet urban area, tidier than even the fanciest sections of Gloat Center.


    Within the silence, Pang realized the alarm she¡¯d sprung had come to a stop.


    No large vehicles were in sight, only adding to the unusual serenity. Most people hurrying about their days were dressed formally, with some in the same white lab coats she¡¯d seen when she awoke in the facility.


    ¡°Irma,¡± a man greeted in passing.


    ¡°Hello Irma,¡± said a woman rushing along.


    It repeated practically every time they walked by someone. Pang studied each person, and found friendliness didn¡¯t seem to be their motivation to speak. For some, it appeared to be a degree of respect. But for all of them, it was obviously intimidation.


    Irma only offered slight waves and either didn¡¯t know their names, or simply chose not to say them.


    Even more consistent than their greetings, however, were their reactions upon noticing Pang. Nearly every passerby shot the same displeasured stare as they watched her trail behind Irma like a rescued mutt.


    Sure, Pang probably looked like a frazzled, slightly bloodied mess, but it still pissed her off.


    ¡°Here we are¡­¡± Irma sang, leading her towards the front doors of a towering hotel. ¡°My place is near the top. I hope you don¡¯t mind elevators.¡±


    Pang¡¯s eye twitched.


    First the lasagna comment, and now this.


    Am I your captive, or your guest? It¡¯s starting to feel like you don¡¯t know the difference.


    She sighed to herself.


    Whatever. For now, it beats her pushing me around.


    Irma placed her hand on a screen by the door for a second, and then it opened up. Given the lack of a lobby, Pang realized this was more likely a housing complex than a hotel: meaning however much time Irma spent on this campus, it was enough reason to settle down here.


    The main floor was mostly plain aside from the series of elevators. A couple residents walked by, greeted Irma, and probably stared at Pang like the others¡ªbut she looked away first and kept her head down to spare the annoyance this time.


    The elevator was basic enough, as well, though it was oddly silent as they began ascending through the floors. But considering the lab she woke up in, and Irma¡¯s impossible powers, this sudden air of normalcy hardly made sense.


    Her thoughts returned to her failed escape with Lammy and the others.


    I sensed Dampener powers from her. I know I did, she pondered. But then¡­she started using Illusionist powers? It shouldn¡¯t be able to happen¡­and I¡¯m thinking this place has something to do with it¡­


    I need to find out. Maybe that¡¯ll show me how to kick her a¡ª


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any allergies, right?¡± Irma checked, finally breaking their silence. ¡°Like, are dairy and gluten fine?¡±


    Pang paused her brainstorming for a moment, but she didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®yeah.¡¯¡±


    Why is she being so nice to me? Pang questioned. Is it a trap? But¡­even back then¡­


    ¡°She¡¯s our guest. Let the poor thing stand, at least,¡± she¡¯d said to Benton in the Fiction Country woods.


    Pang tried not to physically shake her head in front of Irma.


    None of this adds up¡­


    When they reached the top floor, Irma¡¯s door was the closest to the elevator. They arrived at it before the elevator¡¯s ding had faded behind them. Like before, Irma brought her hand to a pad beside it.


    ¡°Welcome to my apartment, Pang! Make yourself at home.¡±


    Pang couldn¡¯t help but freeze in place for a moment. The plainness of the hallway, along with everything else on the block so far, had totally misled her expectations.


    This was more than a mere apartment; this was luxury.


    The outside light shone in from the many floor-to-ceiling windows spanning the outer walls. But once Irma set foot inside, some sort of tint overcame them and turned the white sky into a gorgeous early sunset of purples and pinks. It subtly shaded everything inside, only furthering the flat¡¯s glory.


    Several articles of clothing and appliances lay about the room randomly, but they didn¡¯t take away from the sleek presentation. The pearly kitchen was closest to the door and was raised a level higher than the rest of the flooring, featuring more than a single person could ever need¡ªincluding a high-tech stovetop on its central island.


    Then came the almost overwhelmingly modern dining area (complete with a bar by the window), and an entertainment area with a holographic screen so large they may as well have been in a theater.


    Maybe it was the unknown span of time Pang spent propped up in a rumbling capsule, but the series of rounded, lavender couches nearly made her dart forward and fall into their pillows.


    Focus. I probably need to kill her, not have a sleepover with her.


    Irma checked the watch on her wrist. With a start, she jogged over to the oven.


    ¡°Whoops! I¡¯m a minute late. It should be fine still¡­¡±


    The savory aroma that hit them the instant Irma opened the door strengthened as she grabbed a mitt and lifted her dinner out onto the counter. Her eyeballs might as well have turned into hearts as she admired her own work.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s beautiful!!¡±


    Pang remained in the doorway, staring.


    ¡°Oh, feel free to wash up in the shower. It¡¯s all the way down on the right,¡± Irma told her. ¡°I¡¯ll grab you some clothes, and some bandages for all those scrapes. Or you can use the healing station if you want.¡±


    Pang stepped slowly into the apartment. Instead of accepting the invitation, she made her cautious way over to the nearest seat in the dining area and sat, her glare never leaving Irma.


    She has to have a reason for all of this. I¡¯m not doing anything until I know what it is.


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± Irma observed. Shrugging, she brought her prized pan over to the dining room table and laid it in the center, atop a decorated mat. ¡°I guess all of that can wait until after dinner,¡± she supposed.


    Humming to herself, and clearly unperturbed by Pang¡¯s endless glare, Irma retrieved a special knife and began cutting two squares. One glistening plate and fork was already ready at the seat across from Pang, so Irma set up a matching set for her.


    Within seconds, a generous glob of lasagna lay before her. The sauce oozed out of the edges a bit, still steaming.


    ¡°Bon appetite!¡± Irma exclaimed, fork already in hand across from Pang. ¡°I know you¡¯ve gotta be starving by now. Don¡¯t be shy¡ª¡±


    ¡°What is this place? Where am I? What reality is this in? What Country? How long was I out? What was that lab for? What were they doing to me? What do you guys want with me? Why are you being so nice? How do I get out of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, alright¡­¡± Irma hushed her. She blew on her fork, unsatisfied with the heat emanating from her yet-to-be first bite. ¡°Well¡­this is gonna take a few to cool down. I got too excited. So I guess I can play twenty-questions with you until then.¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Pang didn¡¯t blink. ¡°Good. Well, you heard me.¡±


    Irma let out a long sigh, her head drooping forward into her palm against the table. ¡°Ugh¡­I¡¯m not sure where to start,¡± she moaned. ¡°I guess at the top. First off: you¡¯re at Proscious¡¯s headquarters.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Proscious. Like ¡®conscious,¡¯ but ¡®pro¡¯ because¡­I don¡¯t know, opposites or something.¡±


    ¡°And who is Proscious?¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°Who specifically?¡± Pang shot.


    ¡°We are,¡± repeated Irma. She tested her bite again but recoiled her tongue. ¡°You and me. And everyone else here. And a bunch of people, like, out on missions.¡±


    Pang immediately shook her head. ¡°Yeah¡ªno. I¡¯m not with you psychos.¡±


    Irma let out a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re cute. That¡¯s not up to you, kiddo,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re part of Proscious now. There¡¯s really no way around it: you have no way out of this place. This is your life now. Honestly, it could be worse.¡±


    ¡°Worse than getting kidnapped and shoved in a tube?!¡±


    Irma waved her hands. ¡°I mean, you didn¡¯t have to get kidnapped. I didn¡¯t. If you¡¯d just listened to those guys who first reached out to you, they wouldn¡¯t have sent Benton and me. That one¡¯s on you.¡±


    It took everything in Pang to keep from lunging over the table at her.


    I can¡¯t beat her. Not yet.


    But Irma noticed Pang¡¯s fingers now clawing at the edge of the table. Still, she paid no mind, bringing her fork closer for her much-awaited bite.


    ¡°Stop! You didn¡¯t answer everything yet,¡± Pang shot. ¡°If I can¡¯t ever leave, then there¡¯s no point in keeping stuff from me. So spill it: what were they doing to me in that lab?¡±


    Irma waved a dismissive hand again, the lasagna nearly in her mouth. ¡°Just some tests,¡± she said.


    ¡°Tests?! For what?!¡±


    Pouting, Irma paused her wide-open bite. She begrudgingly lowered her fork back to her plate again. ¡°To see if your powers are anomalous, or unusually potent,¡± she said. ¡°You did something impossible in your conscious-tournament-thing and it caught Proscious¡¯s attention. They weren¡¯t able to get enough data on you then, so they brought you in.¡±


    Something ¡®impossible¡­?¡¯ Pang tried to remember.


    The closest thing that came to mind was what she and Skrili pulled off in the semi-finals and championship. On the brink of defeat against Alex and Ving, Pang managed to manipulate Skrili¡¯s Power Rebound. And then thanks to their training session, they learned how to do it on purpose against Kotono and Hiroko.


    Technically, nobody had manipulated Power Rebound before in the history of the League.


    Was that what Irma was referring to?


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Pang dismissed. ¡°That was just me getting better than everyone¡ªSkrili too. We worked together and made history. I wasn¡¯t born with special powers, I¡¯m just that good.¡±


    Her confidence didn¡¯t seem to repel or confuse Irma, as Pang had grown accustomed to when speaking to someone she hadn¡¯t yet pummeled. Irma simply shrugged, apathetic doubt glazing over her multicolored eyes.


    ¡°If you say so. It was enough for them to get you here though,¡± she said. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out when they test you more and get their results. Don¡¯t worry¡ªyou¡¯re still in the part that doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°And what will they do if they find something¡¯s up with my powers?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll copy them from you into my friend,¡± Irma explained. ¡°Then they¡¯ll probably try to give you more power types, too.¡±


    Copy them into someone else? Give me more types? Pang¡¯s mind rattled. Is this lady nuts? And even if they can do that¡­


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked aloud. ¡°What¡¯s their point for doing all of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mmm!!¡±


    At last, Irma had taken her first bite.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    But her cheeks were completely filled. ¡°Try it!¡± Irma eventually muffed out.


    Pang grumbled. She thought her grip might crack the table at this point. Never could she have imagined lasagna would prove to be such a staunch challenge to her willpower.


    Managing to pause for just a moment, Irma nodded towards Pang¡¯s lasagna again. ¡°Please! Try it!¡± she invited. ¡°Hey, if you eat your slice and give me your honest opinion, I¡¯ll answer one more Proscious question.¡±


    Sighing, Pang glared at her obstacle of a meal.


    This is stupid.


    ¡°And be picky about it. Hurt my feelings, okay?¡± Irma encouraged. ¡°I wanna make this the best it can be.¡±


    Shaking her head, Pang finally reached for her fork. She would have loved to take Irma¡¯s request too seriously and break her spirit with a list of critiques. But much to her displeasure, the sweet and savory blend melted in her mouth too impeccably to pull off a harsh enough lie. Even the texture was a smooth, mocking flaunt of beauty.


    ¡°Needs black pepper or something,¡± she said plainly. ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s this place¡¯s point?! Why are they doing all of these¡ª¡±


    ¡°THAT¡¯S IT!! Pang, you¡¯re so right! Thank you!¡±


    Irma sprang up and shuffled towards the kitchen cupboards. ¡°I think I still have some lying around¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t just¡ª¡±


    Pang bit her tongue.


    She said she¡¯d only answer one more question, she realized. Obviously she¡¯s dodging that one. I shouldn¡¯t blow it on something she won¡¯t tell me yet.


    Irma walked back over empty-handed, but with spirits still high. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you actually critiqued me. Most people are too nice for some reason,¡± she shared. ¡°And you¡¯re totally right. Next time after I head to the market, we¡¯ll try it with black pepper.¡±


    ¡®We¡¯ll?¡¯ noted Pang.


    But even if Irma noticed her puzzlement, she didn¡¯t feel the need to clarify. She sat again and chowed down on the lasagna, her anticipation of the next batch already written all over her face.


    Pang stared at the slice before her. Her arms and legs were shaking. Moderately confident the lasagna wasn¡¯t poisonous by now, she caved into her body¡¯s needs and began eating the rest. But while the minutes passed, she could hardly enjoy it as blissfully as her host¡ªher mind stormed for the right final question.


    Something that can give me an edge¡­


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m so excited to have a feedback buddy for once!¡± Irma exclaimed, clapping her hands together as they sat over empty plates. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be great roomies.¡±


    Irma once again appeared to pardon Pang¡¯s stiff silence while she grabbed their dishes and stored the leftovers in the neon fridge. Either Irma¡¯s defensive reflex was so trained and hidden that it was undetectable within her lethargic demeanor, or she didn¡¯t have one prepared at all.


    Pang realized her own silent observation wasn¡¯t just due to wariness, but sheer shock. Why was everything Irma doing a direct contradiction to how the rest of Proscious was treating her?


    Was Irma trying to win her trust? If so, Pang wasn¡¯t buying in.


    But regardless, it still piqued her curiosity.


    She knew what she wanted to ask. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t the question that would lead to her ticket out of here, or to a clue to take Irma down, but in this very moment it was simply the most irritating.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Pang asked.


    With the table cleared and the dishes within the fluorescent washer, Irma was dragging her feet towards the living room area. But when Pang spoke, she stopped. Her eyes landed on Pang with a softer smile than before.


    ¡°Why did you help me out of that situation?¡± Pang continued. ¡°Nobody¡¯s nice for no reason.¡±


    The unnatural tint of the window behind Irma reflected its sunset colors onto her. The sky deepened outside, a true sunset likely underway.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re part of my group now,¡± she said. ¡°I told the uppers so. I have your back now, and so does the rest of the team. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°You expect me to be part of your little kidnapper club?¡± scoffed Pang. ¡°After all this, do you honestly think I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ope! Those are Proscious questions!¡± Irma teased. ¡°I only said one more.¡±


    Irma resumed her slothful walk into the living room area, leaving Pang to merely clench her jaw in impatience.


    I can¡¯t force answers out of her yet. She¡¯s way too strong, Pang knew. So this is a game of patience¡­


    Yuck. I hate patience.


    But a new intrigue distracted her cycling thoughts: Irma had stepped over to a black device Pang didn¡¯t notice when they stepped in. It was chair-shaped, with a base that reached out to two foot holes. Irma flicked off her flip flops and sunk into the seat with a strained huff, her feet entering the holes.


    Immediately, the slots lit up bright green underneath her. Then Pang¡¯s mouth nearly dropped: while Irma waited, a deep line formed around the skin of each leg just beneath her thighs. Then, the skin beneath the lines began to pull away.


    No¡ªit wasn¡¯t just the skin: her legs were separating from her body entirely. There was no sign of tearing or tugging; it was as if her flesh around the lines had turned to marshmallow, pulling away cleanly. The detached legs stood themselves straight within the foot holes, an identical green glow coming from the round chrome connections at their tops. Pang noticed the same metallic plugs at the ends of Irma¡¯s thighs, though these emitted no glow.


    With no sign of pain, she pressed something on the armrest of the seat. The entire chair section floated upward soundlessly, a light blue ray shining on the floor beneath her. Irma floated away from the station and continued about her night as before.


    ¡°The heck happened to you?¡± Pang asked.


    Irma laughed at her bluntness. ¡°Sometimes life picks on us for no good reason,¡± she said. ¡°I read our file on your history. I know at least that¡¯s an answer you¡¯ll accept.¡±


    She floated over to the kitchen and acquired a jar of kernels.


    ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re still not gonna wash up, I might as well show you how to use the TV.¡±


    Soon Pang found herself herded over to the living area, sharing the central couch with Irma and the bowl of popcorn between them. She remained barely sitting at the corner of the cushion, feet still planted and eyes keen.


    The TV setup seemed simple enough, its holographic controls rising up from the table before them. Pang tuned out her unwanted host¡¯s brief tutorial.


    A Conscious Competition appeared on the screen, but Irma grew bored instantly and opened up some sort of murder mystery.


    ¡°I¡¯m halfway through, but you¡¯ll catch on as it goes,¡± she assured as if that was Pang¡¯s primary concern.


    As the hour passed, Pang retained nothing of the daring adventures before her. Irma eventually noticed the dent in the popcorn bowl was entirely on her own side. She evened it back out with a shake and, eyes fixated back on the screen, inched it closer to Pang.


    Dimness gradually befalling the apartment, Pang turned her stare to Irma. She eyed the stubs where Irma¡¯s fake legs had been.


    She can¡¯t move quickly right now¡ªespecially lounging all cozied up like that, she knew.


    An old nature shrouded her thoughts, creeping out of hiding from long ago.


    It would be so easy.


    Irma barely blinked, the hypnotic flashes from the screen in her eyes as she absently placed more popcorn in her mouth.


    I just have to get behind her and choke her out. Then there are definitely sharp knives in here¡­Pang¡¯s mind raced. I can do it quick, before she does that awful power thing in my head¡­


    Irma¡¯s eyelids drifted for a moment, but she fluttered back awake.


    She¡¯s so helpless.


    The episode ended on the screen. The next started automatically.


    And yet, Pang couldn¡¯t move.


    I don¡¯t know enough to get out of here yet, though. And she¡¯s willing to talk¡ªat least, more than I could ever hope for. If she¡¯s dead, I¡¯m running blind, Pang contemplated.


    Irma finally noticed Pang¡¯s stare. She gave a drowsy smile.


    ¡°This show¡¯s good, right?¡±


    Resolve setting in, Pang gave a casual shrug. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not bad.¡±


    Pang leaned back deeper into the couch, allowing her muscles to ease at least a bit. She forced herself to start following the plot.


    She¡¯s trying to win me over as it is. So I¡¯ll get her to trust me for real, she planned. Her and the rest of her dumb group. I¡¯ll play along and learn as much as I can from all of them¡­


    ¡­And then I¡¯ll use it to take them all out.

 124. The Costume

    A storm was closing in.


    The rhythmic thumping on the other side of the wall was its thunder, and the hundreds of muffled voices its rainfall.


    At least, that was how it felt to Deon.


    ¡°On in three minutes!¡±


    Only catching a brief sight of the worker¡¯s dangling badge before she rushed off, he nodded his thanks in her general direction. But her update meant little: there was nothing more he could do to prepare.


    Right now, the hardest job belonged to Kotono.


    And that was why his heart pounded harder.


    We¡¯re not ready for this, he knew.


    Deon figured every added glance towards the back of this dimly lit room risked wearing his concern too obviously, but he took the chance anyway.


    Kotono still sat on the floor alone, hugging her knees to her chest and staring off at nothing.


    They can¡¯t seriously make her do this right now, he thought.


    But he knew his inner protests didn¡¯t matter:


    It had to be her. It was unfair, but it was the only way.


    The ¡®mask to our costume¡­¡¯ he remembered. That¡¯s her¡­


    Whatever that means.


    Kotono didn¡¯t blink as a woman kneeled down with a brush to even out her makeup. She shook her head subtly when another assistant asked if she needed anything.


    Someone¡¯s shoulder brushed Deon¡¯s arm, and when it lingered there he knew who had to be.


    He turned to meet Skrili¡¯s ever-cutting eyes. Determination festered within their purple irises, burning straight through him perhaps more intensely than she even realized.


    But the sharpness softened him.


    With her this close, Deon found himself wishing they could stumble upon just one quick moment alone. He was grateful the whole group had stuck together for practically every waking moment since Hiroko¡¯s ceremony¡ªthey all needed it. But there was still so much to process with his true teammate.


    Especially before¡­whatever it was they were about to do here.


    He had so many feelings to let out about Azvaylen¡ªthings he knew only Skrili could receive. He longed to hear her thoughts, her grief, to take it in. If he couldn¡¯t find the chance, none of his own emotions felt tangible. This spiraling blend of loss, relief, and fear would keep living solely in a void¡ªnearly separate from reality.


    It was becoming chaos in his head, and he feared the same for Skrili. It was too much.


    Just a few moments¡­.


    To remember Hiroko.


    To celebrate saving Lammy.


    To cry.


    To kiss Skrili back.


    He felt her kisses again in his mind. But the dissonance of their context overwhelmed him¡ªthey had served as a means in the middle of a fight. He needed to confirm how real he hoped they were.


    But that fight still had yet to end. It had grown far beyond the Worldline containing Azvaylen.


    Pang.


    Rescuing her was the last step. And the beginning of that step was now underway.


    Hang in there for us.


    ¡°One minute! Everyone please get in position!¡±


    Deon caught Lammy¡¯s eyes watching from the far wall as Phillip and Kotono drew near. Despite his attempt at a confident smirk, he knew his cousin sensed his apprehension immediately. It seemed Lammy¡¯s resemblance to Aunt Ergi had only grown more uncanny in the time they¡¯d been apart¡ªhis empathy was written all over his face just the same, even despite his own nerves. Deon felt home in his gaze.


    Mustering a smile, Lammy reached up and pointed to the new triangle tattoo on his cheek.


    Right¡­we¡¯re Pang¡¯s guardians, Deon reminded himself, feeling his own triangle. We¡¯re her protectors.


    I have no idea what we¡¯re about to do¡­but let¡¯s do it.


    This is how we save her.


    ¡°You¡¯re on!¡±


    In sync with the stagehand¡¯s cue, the large black wall before them began to rise. Immediately, cheers flooded in from the other side. Skrili nudged Deon again, and he remembered to begin stepping forward.


    Twenty-three steps. Posture straight, shoulders back.


    He hoped the number of steps were accurate, because within a moment, he couldn¡¯t see a thing. The wall ascended above his eye level and a blinding light masked everything before him.


    She isn¡¯t ready for this¡­


    Deon turned to Kotono once more, who was still standing in place behind them. ¡°Hey, if you need any help¡ª¡±


    His words froze in his mouth. The blinding light obscured what lay ahead, but it illuminated Kotono¡¯s face clearly. And she shifted so drastically, he wondered if he¡¯d just moved backwards in time.


    Her face glowed, her makeup-accentuated eyes now glimmering with life. All of her attention was on what lay before them as her smile pushed up her glittered dimples.


    In an instant, right before his eyes, she ceased being Kotono and became the Kotono Inoue from all the commercials, posters, and public appearances.


    The transformation would have stopped Deon in his tracks, if not for another guiding nudge from Skrili.


    If backstage had been an impending storm, they¡¯d now stepped straight into the downpour. The sweeping applause saturated him from all angles and the booming music intensified.


    But even still, beyond what he could only somewhat make out as the edge of the stage, he couldn¡¯t see any faces in the theater¡ªonly the shadows of a collective wave.


    Was this all a dream?


    Five subtle circles of light appeared towards the front of the stage¡¯s floor, spread evenly across its width to mark everyone¡¯s positions. Deon separated a bit from Skrili, reaching his spot beside hers on his twenty-third step.


    Finally, he could see faces in the crowd¡ªjust a few in the very front row of the seating. Many were around his age or even Lammy¡¯s, their eyes wide and hopeful. But a few adults were mixed in, some with keen analytical glares.


    Still heavily blinded, Deon couldn¡¯t derive the size of this room. But he certainly got a better idea of its vastness when the cheers erupted even louder: in a rehearsed delay, Kotono emerged. She marched daintily between Deon and Skrili on one side and Phillip on the other, and took center stage atop a raised platform.


    She allowed the applause to resume for a moment, her warm gaze meeting each corner of the theater like an answered prayer. Her dress settled around her in radiance, its shades of red serving as the crowd¡¯s long-awaited sunlight.


    Then the music faded, and soon after, so did the voices.


    A transparent circle appeared before Kotono¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Friends, fans, and members of the Consciousness League,¡± she began, ¡°it¡¯s me: your Kotono Inoue.¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t help but stare at her, just like Skrili, Phillip, and every single person in the room. But his amazement, and that of his companions around him, ran much deeper than the crowd¡¯s fanatical awe.


    They knew much more tangibly than the crowd what she¡¯d just lost. They saw it happen. Yet now, despite Deon¡¯s deepening gaze, he couldn¡¯t spot even the slightest hint of the trauma she¡¯d just endured.


    What is happening?


    ¡°From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all for being here. The League has always been grounded in community, in relationship, so I wanted to share this with you in the most personal way I could think,¡± Kotono began. With her usual stutter entirely absent, Deon could hardly place the voice with the mouth it came from.


    It turned out he had no reason to worry earlier; she was nailing this to perfection.


    And yet, it only replaced his uncertainty with a new one: would this really be enough?


    Would the plan work?


    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you all know, our fellow pro and dear friend Pang Pereo has gone missing, and¡­¡± Kotono hesitated. ¡°¡­Giving up her life to try and stop Pang¡¯s kidnappers¡­we lost my dearest friend of all: my incredible teammate, Hiroko Hamasaki.¡±


    Despite the endless voices from before, not a soul made a sound.


    Kotono fell silent for a moment. At last, her brightness faded a bit while her eyes grew distant, looking past the hundreds of people towards unseen ghosts beyond. Deon noticed a thin outline of a gray aura surround her body¡ªbut he doubted the spectators could see it from their distance.


    Kotono blinked, and her spirit returned to the room. Her face flooded with a hard resolve.


    ¡°She gave up everything to try saving Pang,¡± Kotono uttered. ¡°And that¡¯s why we¡¯ve all decided to stand before you today. That¡¯s why I refused to postpone this announcement: because this is what Hiroko would want. This is our move¡ªhow we make a change.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She took a strong step forward, her hands on her heart.


    ¡°So on behalf of the Consciousness League, and in Hiroko¡¯s name, it is my honor to announce the launching of its brand-new division: the Special League,¡± she declared, the liveliness from her introduction returning to her speech. ¡°In the Special League, new teams of all-Certified fighters will compete in events at the most prominent arenas across the Multiverse, pushing the boundaries of what consciousness fighting can be.¡±


    She took a calculated pause, meeting Skrili¡¯s, Phillip¡¯s, and Deon¡¯s eyes one-by-one.


    ¡°Because instead of the traditional teams of two members,¡± she revealed, ¡°these Special Teams will have five.¡±


    Hushed exclamations rose at once, and immediately gave way to a new surge of energy.


    Deon could feel it reaching him from the masses: what started as surprise grew into a steady electricity coursing through the air.


    ¡°Allow me to introduce you to the first Special Team ever announced: my own,¡± Kotono said over the simmering hype. She spread her arms out to her companions. ¡°There¡¯s nobody else I could think to b¡ªbegin this chapter with.¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart warmed at the sound of her familiar stutter. Despite the spectacle, he had no doubt that sentence was genuine.


    ¡°This is our chance to fight back. Because one-hundred percent of our team¡¯s contribution will fund the League¡¯s full-scale investigation into this tragedy,¡± Kotono said. ¡°So with your support of this new division, we can do this. Together, we will find Pang. We will avenge my teammate. We are Team Hiroko.¡±


    The audience erupted.


    Deon stared on, offering a smile and a wave to the infinite strangers.


    But he felt no connection to the motion. Something was blocking him off¡ªsomething in his head.


    This couldn¡¯t be real.


    Here they stood, receiving a shower of applause under dazzling lights, while Hiroko was gone and Pang was with Proscious somewhere in unimaginable danger.


    Was that right? Was this really the way?


    He shot a subtle gaze towards the fifth circular marker on the stage¡ªit was still vacant.


    Deon tried to shake out of it. He was there for the plan¡¯s inception. It all added up.


    And yet, leaping from impossible powers and death straight into a world of raving jubilation left his mind spinning.


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask himself:


    How the heck did we end up here?


    ~~~


    The entire room was white¡ªthe floor, the walls, and even the floating, glowing orbs at the ceiling that illuminated the space.


    Deon sat between Lammy and Skrili on the only furniture in the room. The bench-like couch spanned each wall like a border, without an opening even for a door. But such accessibility wasn¡¯t necessary, because as Deon watched Kotono and Phillip sit opposite to them, he realized this place didn¡¯t even have a door.


    He supposed it made sense, given how they arrived. Credo told them they would know precisely how to meet him when they checked their TeamTracks.


    And sure enough, there was a new app on all of their screens: a simple white square.


    When they opened it, a light briefly encompassed them. And in an instant, they ended up here.


    Deon was grateful Credo gave them a chance to say their thanks to Hiroko¡¯s family, and their goodbyes to Gibblezgorv and the other dragons before leaving Hidakala. Because based on Credo¡¯s words and this strange new atmosphere, he was beginning to realize they weren¡¯t returning anytime soon.


    He noticed Lammy fidgeting with his hands, his eyes absently glued to the cold floor. He had taken just as long as Kotono to say his goodbyes to Zayza; Deon had watched on from a distance as he and the princess embraced several times, tears streaming from both of their faces.


    I guess he met a teammate of his own out here, Deon realized.


    He imagined a blanket onto Lammy¡¯s lap, knowing no elaboration was needed.


    The stillness came to an end with a white flash between the five consciousnesses. Credo appeared, having left his Hidakalan clothing behind. Deon figured it probably wasn¡¯t meant to exit the sacred land.


    His current outfit seemed much more fitting to his modern hair and sheened light green beard, its sleekness matching the room.


    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you all enough for choosing to join me here,¡± he uttered, adjusting his coat. Its pearly fabric and square black buttons rivaled the elegance Deon and Lammy had seen on many of Kotono¡¯s outfits, but its angular nature clearly wasn¡¯t native to Fantasy Country fashion¡ªor any reality Deon and Lammy had traveled through so far.


    As he turned to greet each of them, Deon couldn¡¯t help but notice how much his attire matched his face: refined, yet electric and vital just the same. The wrinkles under his eyes displayed prior years, yet the light in his stare revealed a new desperation.


    ¡°Deon, Lammy, and Phillip¡­we¡¯re essentially strangers to each other,¡± he said warmly. ¡°And Skrili, I¡¯ve only been a spectator of your great work. I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re all meeting under these circumstances. But we¡¯re about to become a lot more familiar with each other, believe me.¡±


    His gaze returned to Kotono, their mutual familiarity palpable in the air. As he watched her try to contrive a smile, his own only weakened under watering, knowing eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± he whispered to her.


    Kotono pretended to check her nails, letting a sniff slip out.


    Credo faced the whole group once more. ¡°I promise you¡¯ll get a chance to rest and recharge very soon. But right now, after hearing what you all took the time to share with me, we need to set this in motion.¡±


    ¡°What are we doing? Set what in motion?¡± Deon pressed. Skrili shot him a glare to show a little respect¡ªor perhaps just patience¡ªbut he shrugged it off.


    Credo seemed unbothered. If anything, he was eager to answer. ¡°Our rescue operation,¡± he said.


    Everyone¡¯s attention sharpened on him.


    At last, Deon felt a fire forming in his heart, challenging his uncertainty, as he picked up on the agency in Credo¡¯s tone. It finally occurred to him: this man called the shots for the entire League.


    He rubbed his hands together.


    ¡°Alright, well this will be a breeze if you¡¯re the head League guy,¡± Deon said. ¡°You can probably just get all the thousands of consciousnesses to help us fight, huh?¡±


    ¡°Billions,¡± Skrili corrected.


    ¡°Billions?!¡±


    Phillip shifted in his seat, leaning forward pensively. ¡°No¡ªthat would be far too reckless,¡± came his deep, certain dismissal.


    ¡°Huh? But why?¡±


    Deon¡¯s puzzlement only deepened when Credo offered a nod to the gloomy Illusionist. ¡°You¡¯re exactly right, Phillip,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Based on all of your accounts, it seems like this group¡ªProscious¡ªtheir presence may permeate the League itself. So technically, most of the only consciousnesses I can trust right now¡­are you five.¡±


    The revelation sunk in as Deon thought back before the battle. According to Phillip, the group who took Pang first approached her at the Conscious Competition ceremony.


    Then, they managed to find out where she and Phillip were privately training with Skip.


    ¡­And then, they tracked her down again and finally snatched her at the Conscious Conference in Fiction Country.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Lammy uttered. He faced his cousin. ¡°The first Proscious members who tried to catch Zayza were in Realistic Fiction Country. One was a villager in the middle of nowhere, and the other guy was a student. The villager only found us by chance.¡±


    Deon felt a chill.


    Not only did their enemies know how to stalk League members¡ªtheir presence quietly reached across the Multiverse.


    It really was up to Deon and his friends alone¡ªto those with the triangle tattoo.


    He smirked. In spite of this realization¡ªor rather, because of it, his tenacity brewed.


    ¡°Just us, huh? Sounds like we have everyone we need, then,¡± Deon declared. He leaned back, locking eyes with each of his companions until he could see the same fiery drive in each of them. ¡°We beat Wei and his buddies. We can do it again.¡±


    Credo watched them all for a moment, a smile growing under his beard as this new joint energy reached him.


    Deon crossed his arms. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan, Pops?¡±


    ¡°Step one: don¡¯t refer to the owner of your career as ¡®Pops,¡¯¡± muttered Phillip.


    Dismissing the wording, Credo let out a contemplative sigh. ¡°Kotono,¡± he began. ¡°I¡¯m sure you remember: we¡¯re scheduled to have you announce the Special League at the event in two days.¡±


    Kotono¡¯s eyes darted from side to side. She nodded unconvincingly.


    ¡°Well¡­your people remember, I¡¯m sure¡­¡± Credo uttered. ¡°Now listen closely: we¡¯re not going to cancel or postpone it. I¡¯ll be contacting your people tonight to have them call off all arrangements with your three Special Team members. Skrili, Phillip, and Deon¡­they¡¯ll be your teammates now.¡±


    ¡®Special League?¡¯ ¡®Special Team members? wondered Deon. What is he going on about now?


    He noticed Lammy and Skrili¡¯s eyes narrow in equal curiosity.


    But Kotono seemed to comprehend all of these terms just fine, nodding slowly as she listened for where this was heading.


    ¡°The Special League¡¯s first phase will go live next month, just as planned,¡± Credo continued. ¡°But this team will be our weapon against Proscious. Officially, as you compete, all of your team earnings will fund my investigation into Pang¡¯s kidnapping.¡±


    Wait¡­as we ¡®compete??¡¯ repeated Deon in his head. His neck jolted as he spun his head around to everyone in bewilderment.


    ¡°Uh¡­did I miss something?¡± he let out.


    But Lammy, Skrili, and Phillip all kept their focus glued to Credo. He could see they¡¯d arrived at an interpretation he hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to just¡­do pro fights and raise money¡­?¡± Deon objected. ¡°Guys, he¡¯s gotta be kidding.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­I think he is,¡± said Lammy.


    Skrili nodded. ¡°Mr. Covewalk¡­what do you mean that¡¯s what we¡¯re doing ¡®officially?¡¯¡±


    Credo¡¯s eyes glinted. ¡°Proscious members could be anywhere within the League¡­the only way to keep them from targeting and silencing you would be to put you in the public eye at all times...and to convince them that you don¡¯t have the spirit to challenge them anymore,¡± he said carefully.


    He paced, walking by each consciousness with a hand stroking his beard.


    ¡°To them¡ªto everyone¡ªit¡¯ll seem like you¡¯re scarred, trying to reintegrate into normal life again and only offering help from a safe distance,¡± he said. ¡°So, your professional fights will be funding an investigation¡­but what Proscious won¡¯t know¡­is that you are that investigation.¡±


    Credo¡¯s pacing stopped back in the center of the room where he¡¯d started. His crafty smirk found Deon.


    ¡°You see: the Special Team will be your costume,¡± he revealed. ¡°And in two days, at the announcement, Kotono will be the mask. But under the outfit¡­you¡¯ll be Proscious¡¯ reckoning.¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°¡­And last but far from least: introducing Deon Stutter!¡± Kotono exclaimed, her hand reaching out towards him.


    With the warm applause now booming towards him, Deon shook out of his memory. Ever since the Conscious Competition, he¡¯d hoped this many eyes would be on him someday¡ªbut he never anticipated it would be this paralyzing.


    He waved again, even more stiffly than the first time.


    ¡°You may be shocked to hear he¡¯s a newcomer to the League¡­especially once you see what he¡¯s got!¡± Kotono advertised. ¡°And now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering¡­where will you be able to catch these exclusive fights? Well that¡¯s the best part¡­¡±


    Her details poured out, but Deon couldn¡¯t help but hear Credo¡¯s words continue over them:


    ¡°The Special League will take us all across the Multiverse. It¡¯ll give us the perfect cover to explore everywhere for any sign of Proscious.¡±


    Kotono¡¯s speech had moved on to discussing something about ¡®VIP signings¡¯ at the events.


    ¡°You¡¯ll go about your professional business,¡± Credo had said. ¡°But once we detect anything suspicious¡ªor anything that could point us to Pang¡¯s whereabouts¡ªI¡¯m sending you right in.¡±


    Despite the exhaustion in Deon¡¯s muscles and mind alike, remembering those words pulsed a rush of adrenaline through him.


    Kotono¡¯s announcement was the launching point.


    Pang¡¯s true rescue had begun under a guise, and only they knew.


    He could see it in everyone. Skrili, her chosen family. Phillip, her beloved companion. Lammy, the stranger she sacrificed her own escape to try and free. And Kotono, her idol.


    All of their fists were clenched, ready for a faceoff much different than the ones their spectators were cheering on.


    But Deon eyed the fifth position on the stage. It was still unclaimed.


    "As much as it pains me to say¡­without Hiroko, you will be down one Special Team member," Credo had added lightly. "But there is one more certified pro I can rely on¡­"


    Deon picked up on Kotono''s speech slowing, almost as if to drag out her concluding presentation.


    Where is this guy? Deon wondered.


    As if in response, the audience''s attention shifted abruptly to the side of the stage. Then, their elated shrieks forced Kotono to pause her smooth delivery.


    "Not only is he more than powerful enough¡­" was Credo¡¯s insistence, "I''m confident he''ll be hell-bent on pulling this off with us."


    At last, a pair of sleek magenta shoes stepped into the fifth glowing circle of the stage.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, everybody.¡±


    The ensuing screams nearly ripped Deon¡¯s ears apart.


    ¡°There you are,¡± sighed Kotono. ¡°That¡¯s right everyone, you¡¯re not dreaming. Here¡¯s the fifth member of our team: multi-time champion Otogi!!¡±


    If Otogi was any degree athletic, he hid it well under his classy suit jacket. But his pose made it clear he belonged in the limelight much more than all besides Kotono, with one heel raised forward, hands in his dress pants pockets, and head cocked to the side at just the right angle.


    He remained in this position like a still painting while the crowd noise raged on.


    Then, flipping his pink bangs, he raised a cool hand up into the air, his finger pointing towards the ceiling.


    He waited for the audience to finally catch their breaths before speaking again:


    ¡°This one¡¯s for you, Hiroko.¡±


    The screams returned harder, but his dedication only made Deon nauseous.


    What does this guy know? he lamented.


    But Otogi¡¯s head turned towards his new teammates. His eyes, fully black aside from thin white lines tracing his irises and pupils, landed on Deon¡¯s uncertain stare.


    Then, it happened again: almost as drastically as when he saw Kotono shift from her true self into star-mode, Deon witnessed the inverse in Otogi. His expression hardly changed, and yet, it was a complete transformation.


    Deon could see a man with a desperate goal in mind.


    He could see the vitality. The fierce resolve.


    In less than an instant, Deon understood Otogi knew exactly what they were all here to do...


    ¡­What they were really here to do.


    And he was all-in.


    Otogi spoke once more, this time to his teammates:


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a scene.¡±

 125. Sendoff

    "Suck that gut in, Mr. Stutter! SUCK, I say!! There¨Cmuch better."


    Deon jerked his head back. The woman''s face rose so close he could count her fake freckles. Like a fly trying to pick the juiciest part of someone''s leftovers, her jarring eyes bounced to every corner of his face.


    "Hmm¡­yep," she puffed, her warm mint breath plowing into his nostrils.


    She finally backed away, so Deon sucked for clean air. "Great, so are we done here already?" he pleaded.


    She shook her head, her towering puff of orange hair flopping. "Far from it, Mr. Stutter. Just as I thought, your build is too lean for the macho look," she revealed, "but you''re too much of a musclebrain for the pretty boy¡­we''ll have to try out a few things¡­"


    "No we won''t! They told me you were just our Fashion Consultant!" spat Deon. "Isn''t what I''m wearing fine enough?"


    The woman fell dead silent for a moment, only for her long mouth to drop into a hollering laugh.


    "Silly boy. Welcome to the real fighting industry!"


    Her fingers curled towards him in a way Deon very much didn''t prefer.


    "Now get over here, forest child. I will make you."


    ~


    Deon''s scream rang clear, even through the glossy wall.


    Lammy looked to the still-closed door of the office. He sat at on a padded bench across the hall from it, a glowing plant to one side of the bench and a miniature looping waterfall on the other.


    "Has he never gotten measurements done?" came a thin voice.


    Lammy''s ears perked. Immediately, his focus migrated to the subdued figure beside him on the bench.


    He knew Kotono had been sitting with him the whole time¨Cher appointment was scheduled just after Deon''s¨Cbut he''d hardly expected to hear her voice.


    She hadn''t spoken a word since the Special League announcement yesterday, and not before it, either; not unless someone had explicitly spoken to her first.


    Sitting bundled in an oversized hoodie, she looked so light she could float away. Lammy still wasn''t quite used to seeing her without the glittery makeup or the fitted short dress. Her sun-like vibrancy was absent without it, but in its place was what he could only compare to a quiet morning.


    With her hair and skin both fairer than usual, he couldn''t decide if their softness spoke to that of her demeanor, or if it was the other way around. Somehow it made the thought of speaking to her, and even just sitting in her presence, feel much more tangible.


    Lammy found himself so caught up in the hope that he''d be able to encourage a conversation, that he nearly forgot to do so.


    "He¡¯s been fitted before¡­but only by my Aunt Meiv¨Chis mom," Lammy shared.


    "Alright, Mr. Stutter. De-imagine your uninspiring tunic. You won''t be needing it anymore."


    "BACK OFF, LADY!! I DON''T KNOW YOU!!"


    Kotono glanced back at the door.


    "He''s actually toning it down a bit for this woman¡­" Lammy clarified.


    A smile appeared on Kotono, but only in her mouth. Her distant eyes remained unchanged.


    Lammy turned when a subtle sigh came from up the hall. Skrili was walking their way, fidgeting with her clothes and re-loosening the tie in her hair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Deon¡¯s being overdramatic,¡± she commented as she joined them. ¡°But that lady¡­¡±


    Reliving her appointment, Skrili¡¯s shudder said it all.


    ¡°Yeah¡­Volona c¡ªcan be a handful¡­¡± Kotono gently agreed. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve gotten used to it over the years.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes caught Lammy¡¯s. He could tell she shared the same realization as him:


    Kotono was finally opening up, even the slightest bit. This could be their chance.


    ¡°So¡­have you worked with her for a while?¡± Skrili asked.


    Kotono nodded. ¡°She¡¯s been with me since the start. And everyone else you¡¯ll meet, too¡ªit¡¯s been the same crew since I was registered,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful the League has us working with your same management,¡± noted Skrili. ¡°That must make this all a lot simpler for you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­Hiroko and I come here to Volona¡¯s office before every tournament or tour,¡± Kotono shared. ¡°Hiroko always hates it¡­¡±


    She fell silent, eyes to the floor.


    ¡°¡­S¡ªsorry¡­I mean¡­¡±


    When words failed and she bit her lip, Skrili quietly drew closer. She sat beside Kotono on the bench.


    Lammy felt a tugging in his chest.


    ¡°Kotono,¡± he started, ¡°I¡­I just want to make sure you know: we¡¯re all here for ¨C¡±


    ¡°Ms. Inoue!¡±


    Lammy nearly jumped. He was so zoned in on his words he didn¡¯t even notice the four neatly dressed men and women appear before them. One of Kotono¡¯s massive bodyguards accompanied from a few steps back.


    Kotono kept her stare on the floor like they weren¡¯t there.


    ¡°Ms. Inoue, before your appointment starts: we noticed you forgot to sign the updated sponsorship contracts,¡± one woman noted.


    ¡°We also just need you to review and approve our letter to the fan club,¡± added a man.


    Kotono nodded in silence, bringing herself to her feet. Deflated, Lammy and Skrili watched as the group began escorting their fragile friend down the hall.


    The bodyguard paused for a moment, however, hovering by the bench. He turned to them and opened his mouth. But instead of finding words, he offered a weak smile and a wink before he trailed behind.


    ¡°This will just be a moment,¡± one of the professionals promised Kotono as they departed. ¡°We know usually Ms. Hamasaki would remind you to take care of these things¡­¡±


    When they disappeared around the corner, Skrili turned back to Lammy. Though largely inexpressive as usual, Lammy again saw what he felt reflected in her melancholy eyes.


    They both let out a sigh.


    So close¡­


    The silence was brief, as the door across from the bench vanished and a familiar voice burst into the air.


    ¡°MY BUTT LOOKS ROUND ENOUGH IN THE PANTS I¡¯M WEARING!!!¡± Deon bellowed, an imagined tunic still reforming around him.


    ¡°THIS ISN¡¯T OVER, DEON STUTTER!! I¡¯LL FIX YOU!!¡± came Volona¡¯s warning.


    Deon stood indignantly as the door reformed behind him, until he noticed his company.


    ¡°Oh hey! My two favorite people!¡± he greeted, walking over. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to send Kotono in now. Did she go somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Some people from her management¡ªour management, I guess¡ªtook her aside to do paperwork,¡± Skrili explained.


    ¡°Oh. Well that sucks. Then again, at least she gets to put off dealing with the psycho in there,¡± Deon figured.


    Lammy and Skrili fell silent to Deon¡¯s lighthearted demeanor. Lammy wished he could muster a chuckle, but now all he could envision was the gray aura that had surrounded Kotono in the Dreamer Chamber¡ªan emptiness he could see.


    Was she just holding it in now?


    ¡°Now what do I do?¡± wondered Deon. ¡°I have to send someone in next¡­¡±


    His eyes glinted when they landed mischievously on Lammy.


    The insinuation managed to jolt Lammy from his thoughts. ¡°Huh?! Me?!¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to,¡± Skrili stressed.


    Lammy nodded fervently. But while dodging a fashion session was more than relieving, he wished it could have been for a different reason.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a part of the team, remember?¡± he uttered.


    Deon and Skrili looked around uncomfortably.


    He wished he hadn¡¯t let the negativity in his tone slip out¡ªafter all, he was grateful Credo allowed him to tag along for this journey, especially since it meant being with Deon again. But he couldn¡¯t help venting his frustration.


    Officially, he couldn¡¯t be a part of Team Hiroko.


    It¡¯s not like I want to fight¡­Lammy reminded himself. I definitely don¡¯t want to compete in the tournaments¡­


    Yeah¡­and besides, I¡¯m a kid.


    And yet, because of these past couple months in the Multiverse, because of Zayza and Layla, he knew:


    Still, I have so much to offer. There¡¯s so much I could do to help save Pang.


    ¡°Ugh¡­it¡¯s so dumb!¡± Deon protested, his chipper attitude giving way. ¡°You are a part of the team, Lammy. You are in Team Hiroko.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. He is to us,¡± Skrili agreed, ¡°but¡­Credo can¡¯t add him in. He¡¯s too young. Plus, even if he was old enough, he¡¯s not even registered. And if you count what we¡¯re really here to do¡­¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A worker passed down the hall, so Skrili trailed off warily. But she knew her companions could fill in the blanks: there was no way the Head of the League would involve a thirteen-year-old in a secret, deadly rescue mission.


    Deon took a long sigh. ¡°Ah, I know¡­¡± he yielded, ¡°but we¡¯ve seen you in action, Lammy, not him. We know what you¡¯re capable of. You have the triangle just like the rest of us. You should be working with us, not that random Otogi guy they roped in¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®Random Otogi guy?¡¯ Seems like a nice dude to me,¡± came a voice right behind him.


    Deon practically fell over. Lammy tried to warn him someone was closing in, but he couldn¡¯t find a moment to interject. Thankfully Skrili had quieted down about their true mission before he¡¯d gotten too close.


    Collecting himself, Deon turned to face him. ¡°Uh, no offense or anything, Otogi, it¡¯s just that the rest of us¡ªAH!!¡±


    Again, Deon almost lost balance. The man before him looked nothing like Otogi, except perhaps his height. He was probably about Kotono¡¯s age, but he may as well have seen decades pass by already. His brown eyes were sunken in, with dark circles around both of them, and flecked skin with uneven whiskers for facial hair surrounded his smile.


    The young man swept aside his unkempt dirty blonde bangs and offered a wave, his big sweater sleeve drooping to his forearm.


    ¡°Sorry¡­I thought you were someone else,¡± Deon explained.


    Someone a lot less¡­well, ugly¡­his uncensored thoughts chimed in.


    The young man laughed patiently. He nodded towards Volona¡¯s door. ¡°Kotono still in her meeting?¡± he asked.


    Oh, so he knows Kotono¡¯s schedule, Lammy noted. He must be part of her crew.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t started yet,¡± Skrili shared. ¡°Are you with Kotono¡¯s management? I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Skrili Kay, obviously. Guess the fame hasn¡¯t hit you yet,¡± the man laughed. ¡°And you¡¯re Deon Stutter, and Lanny Stutter.¡±


    Every time¡­Lammy groaned to himself. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lammy! Sorry, I really should know that by now,¡± the young man corrected. ¡°So let me guess: Kotono got scooped up for something?¡±


    The three consciousnesses nodded.


    ¡°Typical¡­and we have to get going soon, too¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°Anyway, I feel like I walked in on something important. Not to impose, but I¡¯d like to chime in.¡±


    Abruptly, his attention shifted to Lammy.


    ¡°I agree with these guys. From what I¡¯ve heard about Azvaylen, it would be insane to overlook what you could bring to the table. We can¡¯t make you a pro, but when it comes to facing Proscious¡­I think you¡¯ll be invaluable.¡±


    Lammy, Deon, and Skrili¡¯s eyes all shot wide.


    Wait¡­he knows why we¡¯re really here? Lammy¡¯s mind stormed. Then he can¡¯t be from Kotono¡¯s management; they¡¯re not in the loop. If he knows something like that, he must be with Credo¡­


    ¡°I say we all do whatever it takes to convince him, Lammy, as long as that¡¯s what you want,¡± the young man concluded. ¡°Right guys?¡±


    Deon and Skrili exchanged puzzled glances. Of course he was right, but¡­who was he?


    Deon nearly asked, but again, a worker passed them by. He bit his tongue.


    The man pulled out a sleek silver TeamTrack and checked the screen.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally talk to you guys a bit,¡± he said, ¡°but we¡¯ve gotta get going soon. We¡¯ll hang out more on the ship.¡±


    Finally, Deon saw at least the semblance of an understanding spark in Skrili¡¯s face. ¡°Oh¡ªare you here to lead us there or something?¡± she checked.


    But again, the young man laughed. ¡°Uh, no. I¡¯m happy to do so, though! Come on¡ªKotono¡¯s guards are gonna want to escort her, anyway. She¡¯ll meet up with us there.¡±


    He turned and began his departure. Trading uncertain gazes, Lammy, Deon, and Skrili followed.


    But Lammy¡¯s feet dragged, a force in his mind tugging back at him as he walked. He looked over his shoulder, back to where Kotono had been ushered off.


    Just as he did, an exclamation from Volona came muffled through the wall:


    ¡°Oh, THERE you are, my angelic little doll! Why are you using the back door?¡±


    It assured Lammy¡¯s mind a bit to know that Kotono¡¯s paperwork was behind her now, but with every step, his heart thumped heavier.


    That smile she¡¯d given him was so forced.


    ¡°I know, bud, I¡¯m hung up on it, too,¡± Deon said gently beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a plan.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the team thing on my mind¡­¡± Lammy dismissed. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kotono,¡± Deon finished. ¡°That¡¯s what I was talking about.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­wait¡­you have a plan?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so wrong with that? I can be smart too,¡± Deon retorted. ¡°I won¡¯t give away too much yet. But¡­it¡¯s already in the works.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­alright, I trust you,¡± Lammy decided. ¡°But hey¡­are you okay?¡±


    Still relaxed, Deon¡¯s mouth curled in thought. ¡°Me? Sure.¡±


    While Deon didn¡¯t notice, Lammy caught Skrili¡¯s purple gaze studying her partner. In that moment, he understood just how close the two really were: she sensed it, too.


    He was far from okay.


    I¡¯m one to talk, though¡­Lammy knew.


    It persisted in his memory like a scar: the flashing white lights that decimated Hiroko¡¯s body. He couldn¡¯t get it out.


    ¡°You guys didn¡¯t request any bodyguards from management yet?¡± came their guide¡¯s observation. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got my personal ones here, anyway. Borrow mine.¡±


    Lammy remembered the walking fortress of men that surrounded Kotono back in the halls of Gloat Stadium. The one he¡¯d just seen moments ago must have been even taller than Phillip.


    Why would we need that here? Seems a little over the top for a bunch of offices, he thought.


    As they neared the towering, clear front doors of the office building, four men nearly as large emerged from the corners to meet the young man, all dressed in white suit jackets. He simply gestured back to Lammy and the rest, and two of the guards repositioned to walk on either side of them.


    ¡°Alan,¡± the lead guard greeted, ¡°they¡¯re already out there expecting to see you¡ªthe other you. Press must have trailed our transport.¡±


    Alan shrugged. ¡°Oh, well. They already put in the effort; I¡¯ll indulge them a bit.¡±


    The guard nodded, pressing his ear. ¡°He¡¯s switching,¡± he sent to an unseen recipient.


    Another guard checked all around the hall. ¡°You¡¯re clear,¡± he signaled.


    As they all continued walking, Alan removed a small mirror from his pocket. When he brought it to eye-level, Lammy could see his face from behind.


    His sunken eyes found Lammy¡¯s, and he winked.


    Wait a second¡­realized Lammy.


    The mirror glowed, and Lammy, Deon, and Skrili bumped into each other as they stopped to shield their eyes from the increasing light. After one last flash he could see even through pressed eyelids, Lammy blinked his vision back.


    Alan was no longer there¡ªor rather, he was¡ªbut nothing aside from his height and smile remained. In place of his loose clothes were a sleek black outfit, magenta shoes, and a hat tilted coolly to the side. His hair had gone from a shaggy dirty blonde to straight and pink.


    He returned the mirror to his pocket and posed, removing his sunglasses to reveal a spotless face glowing with the perfection of a painting. His brown eyes had turned into a distinct black with white lining.


    ¡°RANDOM OTOGI GUY?!¡± Deon shouted.


    ¡°You can try to get a little more personal,¡± Otogi laughed. ¡°But yeah, I guess I hadn¡¯t shown you guys my secret yet. Right now I¡¯m the star known across the Multiverse¡­but that was my real identity a second ago.¡±


    As they neared the door, Lammy noticed a cluster of people crowding it and holding a variety of devices. Two more guards in white stood before them, waiting to widen the path.


    ¡°The truth is, I¡¯m really just an everyday, down-to-earth guy with a dream,¡± Otogi explained. ¡°This persona helps me distance myself from the crazy fame that comes with the gig. It keeps me humble.¡±


    He turned to his guards.


    ¡°Hey, they have the toast ready on the ship, right?¡± he checked calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check with your cooks,¡± the head guard replied. ¡°Wheat bread, right?¡±


    ¡°Multi-grain, Brendan,¡± said Otogi. ¡°It¡¯s Tuesday, remember?¡±


    ¡°Right, right. Sorry. On it.¡±


    Deon leaned in close to Lammy¡¯s ear. ¡°You think his personal cooks are just as down-to-earth?¡± he muttered.


    Skrili elbowed his side, so he shot up straight before his sly grin could muster a laugh out of Lammy.


    But while Lammy was reluctant to judge the man who seemed on board for getting him involved in the mission, he had to agree with Deon. If Kotono¡¯s management came built-in with a team of bodyguards for all of them, did Otogi really need to bring his own around, too?


    Was he that big of a deal?


    ¡°So¡­Alan, then?¡± Skrili clarified.


    ¡°Otogi¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s keep it simple.¡±


    When they reached the doors, the bodyguards urged them to stay close. The guards on the other side pushed forward, forcing the crowd backwards.


    And only when the doors opened did Lammy realize just how many people were waiting there.


    The screams and cheers hit him even before the chill of the open air. He could hardly look where they were walking, but peering between the outspread arms of the bodyguards, he witnessed bright eyes, signs, and waving hands as far as he could see.


    He couldn¡¯t have anticipated this many people¡ªafter all, much like Gloat Center, this subtle office building levitated high in the sky. He wondered if its location was meant to be a deterrence¡ªbut if so, today, it wasn¡¯t working. Clearly, the trip into the air was worth it to all these people for this brief moment.


    ¡°MAKE WAY!¡± a bodyguard repeated, clearly the ten-thousandth time he¡¯d needed to do so in his career.


    ¡°OTOGI!! OTOGI!!!¡±


    ¡°LOOK AT ME, PLEASE!!!¡±


    ¡°IS KOTONO WITH YOU?! ARE YOU GUYS REALLY DATING?!¡±


    The people with devices Lammy had noticed earlier flocked as close as they could, fighting the unwavering fence of guards while bumping against fans.


    ¡°OTOGI! Just one quick word, please!!¡±


    ¡°A comment on Hiroko, Otogi!¡±


    As they walked through the storm of voices, Lammy knew he¡¯d found his answer tenfold: Otogi was most definitely that big of a deal.


    But his fascination came from a much more unexpected realization:


    Apparently, so were the three of them.


    ¡°SKRILI KAY! I LOVE YOU!!¡±


    ¡°Skrili: any thoughts on Pang¡¯s whereabouts?¡±


    ¡°DEON! Is this your little brother?! He¡¯s so adorable!!¡±


    Deon wrapped his arm around Lammy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ladies, ladies¡ªhe¡¯s taken!¡± he declared proudly. ¡°By a Queen!¡±


    ¡°HUH?!¡±


    Lammy beat red and shielded his face behind the guards. Please shut up, Deon¡­


    They paused for a moment when Otogi spotted a child and agreed to sign a poster of himself. Then, thankfully, they approached what Lammy knew must be their ride.


    Though upon first glance, he was at a loss for understanding how it had been able to get here.


    The vessel almost didn¡¯t even fit on the landing pad where it rested. In fact, it was nearly the size of the ten-floor building they¡¯d just exited. It was an equal mystery how it balanced there, as well: the ship was oval-shaped, like an elongated egg, sitting in perfectly in place. Light from the Fantasy Country sky reflected against the circular windows all over its cloud-colored outer surface.


    As far as Lammy could tell, it was quite a feat of ingenuity¡ªand most likely magic. But if he recalled correctly, weren¡¯t they about to leave to another Country? Why would they need a vessel so extravagant only to get to the Worldline?


    When the shade of the ship¡¯s shadow befell them all, the bodyguards finally opened up their tight circle of protection. Lammy noticed a metal barricade form behind them to keep the still-chirping crowd at bay.


    Credo stood waiting for them just before the ship, along with several other adults Lammy didn¡¯t recognize. Emerging from off to the side of the shaded ground¡ªmuch like a shadow, himself¡ªPhillip stepped forward to join them.


    But his gloom was somehow different now. If a shadow could be decorated and prettied, it would better match his current appearance.


    ¡°Bro, why are you still wearing your outfit from your fashion meeting?¡± Deon laughed.


    Phillip¡¯s black and white theme remained intact, only now with a few more bells and whistles: his shirt featured some sort of designer logo, fitting his long build perfectly, and the spikes in his hair were angled in a manner much less random than usual. A silver chain hung around his neck, and another from his jean belt.


    ¡°Am I not allowed to appreciate high fashion?¡± he retorted, the light makeup on his face accentuating his annoyance.


    Everybody did little more than stand around for a minute or two. But then with a sudden blink of blue light, a circle of guards in black appeared, including the one who snuck a wink at Lammy and Skrili earlier. Kotono emerged from within their cover as the guards¡¯ backs concealed her from the spectators¡¯ view.


    Now SHE knows how to avoid a crowd¡­Lammy noted.


    Credo stepped forward, a smile of pride beneath his green beard as he observed the new team and all of their present crew.


    ¡°Well, here we are. It looks like all of your pre-tour matters are squared away,¡± he said to them. ¡°I¡¯ll need to travel separately so I can properly oversee the main League, as well. But since this team was my conception, I thought it necessary that I at least send you off.¡±


    Lammy knew some of that was a lie for Kotono¡¯s management: he was sure Credo did have to oversee the League, but as he told them in private, his separate travel wasn¡¯t for that.


    It was to begin the hunt.


    ¡°Step forward,¡± Credo beckoned.


    Deon, Skrili, Otogi, Phillip, and Kotono approached. But remembering his current place in the group, Lammy decided it best to stay put.


    That was, until Deon¡¯s hand returned to tug him forward. With a smile, he pointed to the triangle tattoo under his eye.


    Lammy found his footing. Confidently, he followed his cousin and joined the rest of the team.


    Credo¡¯s eyes befell each of them.


    ¡°What started as a celebration and furtherance of our League¡¯s success, has now taken on a meaning that lives up to its name even more,¡± he said. ¡°Plenty of folks urged me to postpone. But by launching the Special League, we prove that we will not be intimidated by hate¡ªthat we will stand together.¡±


    His eyes shined. ¡°And you, Team Hiroko, are our symbol. You¡¯re the proof that we will not let a single pro fall away. I know that none of you take that lightly.¡±


    The group of consciousnesses nodded, both to him and each other.


    Credo turned and raised his hand out to the ship behind them.


    ¡°So as you enter this Special Team ship, make it your home,¡± he said. ¡°Wherever it takes you, hold your heads high and smile. Wear those triangles proudly. And I¡¯ll see you all, our beacon of hope, at the first tournament.¡±


    Otogi gave a fond smirk. ¡°Yep¡­the plainest Country, but the quirkiest place to host an event,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± confirmed Credo. ¡°Next stop: Normal Country.¡±

 126. Aura

    The chill of the sand enwrapping Zayza''s toes had become just as unforgiving as the night air. Yet its softness was still comforting as she stood, letting the smoke brush her face.


    She didn''t measure how long it had been since Hiroko''s ceremony concluded. Almost everyone had dispersed, and even the two men who led the ritual had put the flames to rest and disappeared to their tents by now.


    She was in solitude, the world silent around her. But it just didn''t feel right to leave.


    This dying smoke was her last physical trace of Hiroko''s life.


    Zayza knew her tears were empty now. But her chest still tightened in an attempt to cry.


    She looked towards the sky where she''d watched the white light take Lammy, Kotono, and the rest away. Their goodbyes were long. But the warmth of her dear friends'' embraces gave way to the brisk air far too quickly.


    Zayza felt her fists tighten. She wished she could have joined them. The fight against Proscious was far from over. Just the same, she wished she could return to Azvaylen now and be with her sister.


    But neither was her place.


    Right now, her only role was to remain hidden in the mourning sanctuary of her fallen companion.


    The time would come to return to Layla and try to restore what Proscious had taken from their home. But when an entire nation had been convinced she was the culprit, undoing that misconception would be no short process.


    With that job of undoing in the hands of Layla and Fewpar, she felt confident. And she believed in nobody more than Lammy, Kotono, and the rest to stop Proscious.


    But the cost of that faith was her loneliness.


    And worse than that: her utter helplessness to honor Hiroko.


    Her eyes dropped back down to the smoke. But on their way, they caught a figure she hadn''t noticed before when the haze was stronger.


    A young man, tall and still, stared into the smoke just like her. Though the darkness obscured her vision, his familiarly toned build¨Cperhaps even moreso than his sister''s¨Cmade his identity obvious.


    Hiroko''s brother turned and found Zayza''s eyes. His face didn''t change, strength and brokenness alike written onto it.


    At first Zayza nearly recoiled. She felt so small under his gaze. But somehow, that same feeling eased her body.


    Chiwawo¡­


    His name came back to her from her brief previous visit with Hiroko and Kotono.


    For a moment, and for the first time in years, her guard lowered.


    A shuffling against the sand behind her broke Zayza''s focus. She turned to find Hiroko''s mother Hirochota, and a couple other village women.


    "You can follow me, love," said Hirochota. "We prepared a tent for you. We should all try to get some rest."


    Finally releasing from her private realm of contemplation, the cold hit her senses much harder. She shivered as she followed them through the sand.


    But as she made her way through the village, passing by their simple, rugged tents, a sensation filled her head again.


    That sensation.


    It wasn''t physical, yet it was more present than physical senses. It was both familiar and unknown.


    But most peculiarly, she knew it wasn''t coming from here.


    This was a Dream World sensation.


    It shouldn''t have been possible: the only time and place the Dream World intersected with the real world was at the Dreamer Chamber, and only during Dreamwake. And yet, this aura was undeniable.


    She relived Hiroko''s final moments, shoving Layla and Kotono to the side and vanishing with the light. Though Zayza was in Hidakala, she breathed Dreamwake''s air right now.


    But why?


    Tonight, she decided. I''ll find my answers in there.


    The Hidakalan women came to a soft stop before a tent. A few others like it were several paces away in an uneven circle, as if to watch over it.


    The tent''s utter simplicity only contributed to its beauty. It consisted merely of rugged, patterned cloths like blankets, tied and arranged into a loose, curved cone by a long branch and stone pegs. The designs on the fabric closely matched Zayza''s dress, as well as many of the dresses she''d seen on villagers tonight.


    A gentle orange hue emitted from the inside, though there was no fire.


    "This is for you," said Hirochota. The natural rasp in her voice still made Zayza''s heart flutter¨Cit was nearly identical to Hiroko''s. "Our family''s tents are all around you, and our village is guarded through the night. You can finally feel safe."


    In spite of herself, Zayza reached forward to embrace Hiroko''s mother. She nearly hesitated, remembering how little they''d interacted thus far, but all worries that she''d overstepped were quelled when Hirochota''s hug enveloped her first.


    "Hirokyauta loved you so much. We love you too," came her whisper in Zayza''s ear. "Now we should all try to rest tonight. Sleep well, my child."


    The somehow unwavering strength in her voice, and in her demeanor as she and Zayza released, encouraged one more tear down Zayza''s cheek.


    "Thank you," Zayza managed to breathe out.


    The heat from the tent soothed Zayza''s body nearly instantly as she lifted the fabric to step inside, gently melting the rigidness in her bones. She couldn''t help but sigh from the relief. A small circle of stones rested perfectly on the sand in her abode''s center, and it proved to be the source of the tent''s orange luminance¨Cas well as its heat.


    Unfamiliar, oval pebbles glowed within it, brought to life by silently thriving embers underneath them. Zayza made a mental note not to step in that area by accident¨Cthe burns would likely prove punishing.


    Burns¡­she thought again.


    She remembered the steam rising from Chiwawo''s fingers when he dipped them in the black ink and drew the triangle tattoo onto Kotono''s cheek.


    Zayza felt the sting of her own smaller tattoo, though the pain had dulled rapidly since she''d received it.


    Then the otherworldly essence flooded her mind again.


    As if automatically, Zayza''s eyes reached to a thin sheet and a pillow along the wall of the tent.


    The end of her mystery waited there.


    Before laying down, Zayza spotted more clothes folded atop another sheet near the bed. While her Hidakalan dress was a bit scratchy on the skin, she didn''t bother changing into the softer garments at the top of the pile. Physically, after all that transpired, she had nothing left¨Cespecially factoring in the unforgiving sun''s rays today.


    But even more than that: her curiosity had grown too strong. She dared not hesitate to enter the Dream World¨Cnot while this odd sensation was so potent.


    As she laid down atop the thin sheet and noticed another to cover herself with, the sand settling around her form was almost enough to lull her to the other realm.


    Yet in protest, her mind raced faster with thoughts of today¡­of the days prior in Azvaylen¡­of the months before.


    At the forefront of all of it, though, were Hiroko and Raznizu''s faces. All the moments she''d ever shared with them.


    If Zayza didn''t intervene with her own mind, her heartache would never let her sleep tonight.


    And if she didn''t, perhaps she would never uncover the reason for this phenomenon existing invisibly around her right now.


    Zayza sighed and closed her eyes. She had to do this manually.


    Repositioning into the proper form on her back, hands folded over her stomach, Zayza began the process to reach for the other side.


    Within seconds, the Dream World pulled her consciousness in.


    ~~~


    Zayza opened her eyes reluctantly.


    Nothing.


    Despite hours spent flying across multicolored terrains, warping to and from the mountains, combing the ever-shifting clouds, and even eventually swimming in many of the rivers¡­


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Utterly nothing.


    Zayza felt she should have known her efforts would prove vain the instant she arrived in the Dream World, as once she did, the phenomenon had vanished.


    She couldn''t sense a thing from it, and that never changed for the rest of her visit.


    Zayza sat up, noticing a new heat had taken over the tent. The embers no longer burned in the center, so she knew it was from the morning sun.


    By the tent''s flap, two bowls of water and one of an unknown food sat waiting for her. Zayza stood and stretched, figuring it best not to isolate from her precious hosts.


    She used the first bowl of water to wash up, and drank from the second. It had already gone as warm as the air, but she paid no mind.


    As she changed into a new dress, Zayza marveled at her own nature. Not long ago, a living situation like this would have seemed so crude¡­even unimaginably so. It seemed her journeys with Lammy, especially with no memories at the time, must have adapted her in ways she hadn''t had time to notice.


    Because now, this felt just as right as her noble upbringing.


    Zayza approached the flap of the tent. A sour smell reached her, so she glanced at the untouched bowl of mystery food.


    Its oddly dry brown substances didn''t repel her. She even felt a bit shaky as she passed it by.


    But as her mind gradually awoke to the new day, so did the reality surrounding it.


    Her heart was heavy. Her stomach turned.


    Zayza obeyed her lack of appetite and lifted the tent flap to step outside.


    "Oh!"


    Her hand pressed to her heart for a moment as she gathered herself from the surprise. Like a wall, a toned, dark back blocked her path.


    The shirtless man turned to face her, stepping back to give her space. It was Chiwawo, who simply nodded as he stood tall, a staff-like spear in hand against the ground.


    "Good morning," Zayza greeted uncertainly.


    To her relief, his icy eyes softened just like his sister''s would before a smile. Then that smile came with his words.


    "Morning? It''s well past noon, Miss Princess," he teased, his speech long and nearly rhythmic¨Can accent Hiroko''s agency had taught her to forget. "You must have been wiped out after everything you''ve endured," he added more tenderly.


    Zayza was sure he was right, but she knew her failed expedition through the Dream World was the real reason she''d slept so long. Only when she''d finally given up her search did she decide to awaken herself.


    And all of that for nothing¡­


    "How are you feeling now?" Chiwawo checked.


    Zayza blinked and returned her attention.


    "I''m¡­better¡­I suppose. Thank you."


    I can''t tell him, she resolved immediately. I can''t tell any Hidakalans what I felt¡­if this is what I think it is, I refuse to make their mourning any worse.


    Chiwawo cocked his head down a bit to her eye level, eyes furrowed. He waved towards her face as if to search for signs of life.


    Zayza shook herself. "S¨Csorry¡­"


    If nothing more than to break down the awkwardness she''d fostered, she stormed her mind for anything worthwhile to say.


    But the most obvious was a question just as uncomfortable: what was he doing standing directly in front of her tent like that? And how long had he been there?


    Thankfully, she avoided the need to inquire. Behind them, Hirochota and a few women carried baskets. Hirochota broke off from the group to approach them.


    "Oh good, you''ve awoken. We were getting worried," she said. "I''d planned to introduce you to the Tribe Father, but that can wait. Is Chiwawo taking care of your needs?"


    "She''s fine, Mother¡­" her son chimed in.


    "Did you ask? Look at her skin. A girl like her will burn bright red in this sunlight. Get her some skin cream."


    Zayza stood stiffly, watching the familial bickering in silence.


    Hirochota seemed to sense her confusion. "Oh. Chiwawo has been assigned to watch over you," she explained. "Hidakala is very well-guarded and surveilled under sun and moon. But given your circumstances, we chose to be thorough. He will make sure you''re safe."


    Zayza and Chiwawo''s eyes found each other. Again, he gave a single nod.


    "So he will stay with you," Hirochota began slowly, her glare turning deadly as she turned to her son, "wherever you go."


    Zayza noticed Chiwawo swallow once he realized those words had turned into a threat.


    "I know, Mother. I understand."


    "Mhm."


    She smiled at Zayza again, her resemblance to Hiroko''s mannerisms causing another flutter in Zayza''s heart, before she returned to her business.


    Zayza and Chiwawo stood in silence for a moment again, until Zayza found herself staring towards the ground.


    "Are you hungry?" Chiwawo checked.


    "I''m alright, thank you."


    And just like that, she thought, I''ve become somebody''s problem again.


    "Chiwawo¡­" she started. "I''m¡­I''m sorry to burden you like this. All of you."


    He didn''t immediately reply, until letting out a single huff of air.


    "Hirokyauta had such strange friends, huh?" he remarked. "You''re with us now. So you need to learn how to live in our village. Come with me."


    Finally, Zayza managed to look back up to Chiwawo.


    "First, there''s a place I want to show you."


    Within a moment, Zayza found herself following Chiwawo between tents. Given her complexion and entirely straight hair, she passed by not a single villager without catching their attention. Most smiled to some degree, but some¨Cespecially small children¨Csimply stared.


    They paused at a tent where Chiwawo reemerged with a staff, a hood, and what Zayza assumed was the ''skin cream'' his mother pressed him about. Its tan, gooey substance proved to function much like lotion as she followed instructions to apply it to any exposed skin. The sweet scent lingered, likely to stay with her for a while.


    After securing her new hood and steadying her staff, Zayza stepped forward to join Chiwawo.


    He tossed a pair of sand-toned slippers to her feet, though he remained barefoot.


    "An outsider can''t last where we''re going without some support," he insisted.


    As Zayza slipped them on, she couldn''t help but notice his gaze remaining fixed on her.


    "Are you sure you''re not hungry? It''s a long way."


    "I''m¡­alright."


    He only managed one step before turning back around.


    "This is a difficult trek uphill. Do you think you can handle that, Princess?"


    Stabbing her staff into the sand, Zayza shoved forward.


    Chiwawo shrugged before finally leading the way.


    ~


    It didn''t take long for Zayza to realize the magnitude of the word ''uphill'' in his warning.


    Now that they''d hiked through the sand for an hour or so, the slope had increased to a much sharper incline. She guessed they were heading to the very tip of this powdery mountain based on their progress. Unlike the other inclines around it, the path curved in until the top pointed back towards the village.


    Zayza followed its trajectory back down with her eyes. The Hidakalan tents and people were nearly specks, and Lake Hirokyauta glittered white from the sun.


    Gritting her teeth, Zayza pushed harder. The sky remained cloudless, so the rays pounded unrelentingly.


    She only felt a few lines of sweat across her body.


    Perhaps I didn''t hydrate enough¡­she feared.


    Peering ahead, Chiwawo powered forward several paces away. He''d checked on her multiple times at the start of the trip, but her agility must have eventually quelled his concerns.


    No¡­I''ll be fine, she decided, recalling his ''Princess'' remark.


    But her limbs trembled with her next few steps.


    Begrudgingly, Zayza forced herself forward even harder¡­until the sand began waning like ocean waves all around her.


    Alarmed, she squinted after Chiwawo. But oddly, his form was wavering just the same.


    It wasn''t the sand. It was her.


    I should have tried¡­to eat¡­


    Her heartbeat came sluggishly. Suddenly, she realized she couldn''t recall her past several steps.


    The sand had begun spiraling in her vision. Then, the clear sky replaced it.


    She couldn''t feel her body. Only sinking.


    But before she collapsed, a familiar presence faded in to join her failing senses.


    That sensation.


    Just as it arrived, new, uneven sights replaced her view of the sky. She could no longer follow if these were visions of her eyes or mind.


    They were all in motion, shifting rapidly.


    A voice¡­


    ¡­A dark cave¡­


    ¡­Drawings of figures on stone¡­


    ¡­A tearful girl''s wound reversing itself to health¡­


    "Princess?"


    ¡­Loving waves of farewell¡­


    ¡­a chain of tan squares surfing through sand¡­


    "Princess?! Hey!!"


    ¡­the black eyes of a colossal being¡­


    "...Zayza."


    ~


    Zayza gasped.


    She caught her footing, fully alert again. Finally, her balance had recovered.


    Wait¡­oh dear.


    Her bare feet stood in a field of gentle purple pedals. The sky was white, the air cool and still.


    She was back in the Dream World.


    On instinct, Zayza began to assume formation to awaken herself. But she stopped midway. She could already sense it: her real world body was far from ready for her consciousness to return.


    Zayza shook her head.


    I''m a fool, she chastised herself. I should have¡­


    An increasing feeling interrupted her frustration.


    That phenomenon¡­she sensed. It''s here this time?


    The concentration increased all around her. Quickly, she detected its familiarity was twofold: it was a Dream World energy, and yet¡­


    ¡­It was also potent with another presence.


    One just as undeniable.


    The feeling seemed to gradually focus into a more contained space. Zayza sensed it gathering stronger just before her.


    And then, icy blue lights emerged.


    Like fireflies, they danced in a spiral before her eyes. They increased in numbers and speed, until finally, merging into one form:


    A small, floating triangle.


    Zayza hesitated. But soon enough, she inched closer. The feeling heightened.


    She paused again. Her chest pressed in on itself. She knew this presence too well, and that alarmed her more than anything.


    This was impossible.


    When she failed to proceed any further, the triangle hovered towards her on its own.


    Zayza shook her head. Her tears glowed green¡­but not from sadness or fear.


    Only utter bafflement.


    How¡­? Why¡­?


    She raised her hand towards the triangle. She had to.


    And as she received it, with a flash, it darted at her head and joined her mind.


    Zayza gasped again, both hands to her chest. She nearly lost her balance once more.


    ¡­What?


    A phrase spoke in her mind, loud and clear:


    "...If anything, I still think love can carry on after we die. What do you think?"


    Hiroko''s voice.


    These were words she''d spoken to Zayza years ago.


    And without a doubt, Zayza immediately knew: this wasn''t her own memory of the conversation.


    It was Hiroko¡¯s.

 127. New Team

    "Burn this into your memory, Pang: if anybody gets in the way of your survival¡­their lives don''t matter anymore."


    "Okay, Daddy."


    ~~~


    Pang''s eyes drifted open. Finding her body cradled within lavender cushions underneath a weightless blanket, she thought she may as well have been floating. The morning light shone in to greet her from the wide windows behind the TV, which had been switched off at some point.


    As she sat up, she immediately found her mind sharper than yesterday. Her muscles worked with just as much ease; the effects from the lab must have finally worn off after her apparently deep rest.


    When Pang noticed she was turning to look behind herself, she realized a sound must have stirred her awake.


    "Morning, sleepyhead. You snore a bit, you know that?"


    Irma stood near the apartment door in a clean new outfit, her multicolored hair still damp from a shower. Her clothes were just as neon and athletic as before, but now she carried a small purse at her hip.


    Pang tried not to envy her form, which Irma was clearly confident showing off. But her eyes lingered on those long legs.


    Even though they were artificial, now that they were reattached there was no way to tell.


    "I''m glad you''re up. Now you don''t have to bother with that letter I left on the fridge," Irma said. "I have a bunch of boring stuff to do this morning, so I won''t be around. And you''ve got a busy day, too."


    "Yeah? Says who?" wondered Pang.


    "Proscious. Your new organization. Didn''t we go over this?"


    Irma checked her purse for something, and slid her feet over to the kitchen when she couldn''t find it.


    "They have more tests to do on you," she elaborated.


    "Tell them I''m calling out sick."


    Irma placed her hands on her hips. "Listen, I convinced the uppers¨Cour bosses¨C that you''d play nice from now on since I was nice to you," she pressed. "That wasn''t easy, so I suggest you try to cooperate. Don''t screw it up for yourself."


    Pang pouted, already predicting the discomfort and delirium she was about to subject herself to in that lab. Plus, the amount of credit Irma was paying herself made her want to puke.


    But she knew she had to listen.


    Though she never asked for Irma''s help, at least it got her here: in a cozy environment where she could probe for all the information she wanted. All she had to do was keep playing along, and Irma''s generosity would lead to her own downfall.


    At least she''s not waiting for a ''thank you,'' Pang figured. She''s not getting one.


    This wasn''t where she belonged.


    Phillip''s murmuring voice wasn''t here to wish her good morning. She couldn''t reach for her TeamTrack to remind Skrili of an old joke or pick on Deon.


    Her life was stolen.


    Pang''s glare burned through Irma as she watched her walk obliviously back to the door.


    You''re all going up in flames, Pang swore.


    "Alright whatever, where do I have to go?" she inquired aloud.


    "The same building you escaped from. Just head back that way and look for the one with the windows you smashed up."


    Pang tried to hold back her menacing smirk of pride. "Got it," she said.


    "Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I put a towel and some clothes out for you next to the shower," Irma told her. "I''ll take you shopping for more clothes later. Oh¨Cthat reminds me¡­"


    She retrieved a notepad from her purse and scribbled something. Within a moment, Pang found herself observing rough directions in bubbly letters.


    "What''s this?"


    "Where we all meet for lunch," Irma explained. "The food court''s on the second floor. Meet us there on your lunchbreak!"


    Yesterday I''m a lab rat, and today I get a lunchbreak¡­? Pang thought.


    "Okay¡­but who''s we?"


    "The rest of our team!" Irma said, checking her watch. "Alright, gotta go. Can''t wait to see you at lunch, Pang!"


    The way Irma''s pink and yellow eyes lit up with her smile repelled Pang''s scowl a bit. It was too genuine not to feel.


    In fact, it was an energy Pang recognized in herself: the same eager friendliness she''d felt towards Skrili and Phillip when their teams first started.


    Pang blocked it out before her heart could soften even the slightest bit.


    "Sure. See ya."


    Irma departed, and the apartment door closed.


    At last, Pang was alone. The notion of sheer freedom befalling her nearly compelled her kick through Irma''s window and take another break for it.


    But she had to play the slow game.


    This sketchy campus was too powerful for her, thanks largely to her new roommate¡­


    ¡­for now.


    Fueled by the thought of gathering more details to feed her escape, plus the faith that Phillip and the others were on their way, Pang convinced herself to stand up. A dreadful day awaited.


    She tried to guess what was supposed to be happening right now. Perhaps today she and Phillip would have been leaving the Conscious Conference to travel to their first Conscious Competition together. But she had no real idea how many days had passed.


    Between the Fiction Country woods and the lab, everything had blended into a haze.


    Pang forced herself not to dwell on it as she located and entered the fruit-scented bathroom. Any thoughts that couldn''t help her situation now were only a waste of energy.


    The steam from the shower reminded Pang of her injuries, the water stinging each cut and scrape awake. But afterwards she discovered a box of bandages beside her change of clothes¨CIrma must have left them out for her.


    The gesture turned Pang''s stomach. Instead of fighting her primary enemy, she was sharing her shower, nursing her wounds with her bandages, and now, about to dress in her clothes.


    She had a lot of ground to cover.


    The outfit was cute enough, but certainly too frilly for her taste. She was pretty sure the pink blouse was, in Irma''s size, a belly shirt. But it reached down nearly to her waist.


    Pulling up the leggings until she could finally see her ankles, Pang nearly cursed her small size¨Cbut she''d always known better than that. As her father drilled into her: smallness was her crucial first weapon in any scenario.


    Nobody would expect such power and tenacity from someone so little.


    Now that her mind was clear and her body strong again, Proscious had no clue what sort of monster they''d just set free in their cage.


    But they were going to find out soon.


    Though she barely filled these clothes, Pang exited the bathroom with nothing but confidence. She stopped by the kitchen to down a banana and then rolled her shoulders.


    Let''s get these ''tests'' over with¡­she decided.


    ~


    "We''ll see you back here after lunch, then. Enjoy your break."


    "Uh¡­sure. You too, I guess."


    The second Pang exited the lab room, she heard a chorus of sighs behind her.


    "Wow. Irma must have really whipped her into shape¡­"


    "Scary¡­but good for us."


    She rolled her eyes, the workers'' relieved conversation fading behind her when the door slid closed. The lab personnel had tried to remain level-headed all morning, but Pang could tell they were holding their breath the whole time.


    Something about the dozen armed guards in black armor they''d assigned to watch her every move gave it away.


    Pang congratulated herself as she retraced her steps from this morning to exit the facility. She''d managed to keep her cool the whole time, and as a result, these tests were much less taxing. In fact, she''d spent most of her time just sitting there in the container while they collected data with wires and lights.


    More than anything else, it was a bore. She noticed the green-haired lady with wooden-framed glasses was absent this time, and seemingly as a result, the lab workers were much less conversational. In her place, Pang ended up fishing for chances to see what she could learn.


    Any questions she had were met with tight lips, however, so she was grateful she had Irma to spill the beans¨Cor, most of them, at least.


    All of this nerdy crap just to copy my powers into someone else? she contemplated. How about they just work for it and get good themselves?


    The open air met her face as she stepped outside the facility from the front entrance. Hearing a series of clanking and buzzing, she looked high up to find workers replacing the windows she''d destroyed.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    I guess there''s a shortage of good Imaginers around here, Pang figured, remembering how minimal the Imaginer guard''s techniques were yesterday.


    From the ground, the drop looked even more deadly than she''d realized in the moment.


    Man, I amaze myself sometimes¡­she thought.


    Resuming her walk, she noted how the sky above''s empty white color matched that of the abyss surrounding the campus. It seemed more like endless nothingness than a proper sky, as if this place was suspended in oblivion.


    But if these Proscious people came and went, there had to be some way out. Once she could surpass Irma and Benton, figuring that out came next.


    Irma''s neat handwritten directions were informative enough, and after passing several smooth streets of office buildings and busy people, she reached the location of her unwanted lunch date.


    "Evil Island has a mall, huh?" she noted out loud, earning a glare from a passerby.


    Almost blending into the spacious, gridded layout of this city, a particularly long building waited before her. Its many windows were larger than the testing facility''s, and through them Pang observed an array of shops with clothes and devices on display.


    Second floor, she remembered.


    Her stomach groaned. Apparently, sitting strapped up to a bunch of data systems worked up more of an appetite than she''d expected. Maybe lunch would be worthwhile, after all.


    Despite existing in a hidden illegal base, nothing odd stood out on the inside of the mall. It even featured an outlet selling devices clearly meant to mimic TeamTracks. If not for the circumstances, Pang could see herself shopping here.


    Once she ascended to the second floor, her nose guided her successfully to the food court. None of the options looked familiar. However, many were obvious knockoffs of places she''d seen at Gloat Stadium and Conscious City.


    Towards the far end of the bustling seating area, she spotted big white sunglasses atop a head of multicolored hair. But beside her, barely fitting in his seat, was a bald gray man.


    Benton.


    Aw, come on¡­this guy''s on the team? she lamented. She''d suspected it, considering he helped Irma kidnap her, but she''d hoped that was a coincidence.


    That made two people that could finish her in a blink with whom she''d be spending all her days.


    Yeah¡­screw this.


    The thought crossed her mind to sneak over to a nearby food option and hurry out with a meal to go. But there was a glaring problem:


    No money.


    Wait, what am I thinking?


    Pang straightened her back and began her stride towards the table.


    I don''t wimp out for anything.


    "She made it!"


    Irma was the first to notice her. Pang reached the table covered in food and stood wordlessly at the end of it, her stare shifting between the two of them.


    "Howdy. Uh¡­remember me?" Benton tried, his mighty hand raised in an awkward wave.


    Pang let her stare linger on this living headache of a person for one more moment before speaking. "I''ll hang out, but only if this creep swears not to screw with my mind."


    "Yeah¡­she remembers me, alright¡­" Benton sulked. ¡°Hey, sorry ¡®bout all that before. Just doin¡¯ my job¡­¡±


    Pang ignored his words, but her glare only broke once she realized there was a third member sitting across from them. She''d been so still Pang''s thoughts must have registered her as a statue.


    Oh¡­it''s her. That weird chick.


    The blue-green hair with overgrown bangs hiding her face was unmistakable. This was the young woman she''d first awoken to in the lab, finding her concealed face inches from her own. Until now, Pang had convinced herself that was just a weird dream.


    The girl''s sleeve-covered hands had been pressed up against the glass.


    What did she want back then?


    Even now, when the girl''s head turned to face her like an apparition, she appeared transfixed.


    "Hey¡­do you guys already know each other, or something?" Irma wondered.


    Pang blinked, breaking free. "Uh¡­not exactly¡­"


    Irma shrugged and pulled herself up. "Well anyway, let''s get you some food!"


    "Take the lil'' missy to the barbecue place," Benton suggested.


    "Ew, no. I''m getting her sushi. Right, Pang?"


    She didn''t bother confirming, because Irma already had her hand and was guiding her away with sparkling eyes.


    They returned with food in hand much later than Pang would have liked, having endured Irma''s thorough lecture on the history of proper Normal Country sushi all the way to the restaurant and back. Pang observed the available chairs, and sat decidedly next to the quiet young woman.


    After all, she was the only one who hadn''t kidnapped her yet. Though the bar was low, that made her Pang''s favorite.


    "So Aoi, this is Pang. She''s our new teammate," Irma introduced. "Pang, Aoi."


    Pang motioned to shake her hand, but Aoi sat blankly.


    "Shake Pang''s hand," Irma commanded.


    On cue, Aoi stirred. Her sleeve fell back to reveal nearly white pale skin and black fingernails. Her hand felt soft in Pang''s, but it was ice cold and trembling.


    Pang''s eyebrows furrowed. She leaned close to Aoi''s ear.


    "Hey, these crazies kidnap you, too? If you''re scared, nod twice," Pang whispered. "Maybe we can team up to bust out of here."


    She may as well have said nothing. When their hands released, Aoi''s simply fell like a doll''s.


    Pang''s eyebrow twitched. She turned towards Irma and Benton, thumb pointed at her mute new teammate.


    "Uh¡­is she, like, okay?"


    "Physically: yes," Irma said.


    "Mentally: no idea," added Benton.


    Shouldn''t that be something they should be concerned about¡­? Pang''s mind spun.


    "She''s weird, but she''s our cute Aoi," said Irma. "Right?"


    Aoi nodded once.


    "Depending on how your tests go, she''s the one they''re gonna copy your powers into first," Irma added.


    "They''re gonna make her into a Manipulator?"


    "Not exactly," Benton said. "That''s how it works for the rest of us, but Aoi''s kinda special. They give her a lot of the powers we bring here, and she''s the only one whose body can take it all. But it don''t come out exactly like it goes in. Never knew why."


    "You''ll see what we mean," promised Irma. "After all your lab stuff is over with, you''ll start working with us."


    Working with you to force people to share their powers with normies? Pang doubted. As if.


    But a part of Benton''s explanation stuck out to her:


    "Wait¡­then you guys have hand-me-down powers, too," she realized.


    "Most of us fighters here do," said Benton. "Dampener and Hypnotizer were the ones that worked on me. Hurt like a brick. I was born a Withstander, though, so I still got that, too."


    Pang¡¯s surprise must have shown on her face, because her expression fed more enthusiasm into Benton. He leaned forward, a chicken wing dangling in his finger.


    "If you like that, well Irma here ain''t even a consciousness," he said. "But they were able to give her Thoughtfeeder, Substitutor, Illusionist, and Dampener¨Cthat''s more than anyone in Proscious besides Aoi. And now she''s an expert in all of ''em."


    Irma played with her food and took a long bite, her dismissive gaze off into empty space.


    "She won''t tell ya, but the kid''s brilliant," Benton added.


    "Kid?" Irma pressed, taking the bait back into the conversation.


    As Pang watched on, her captor-teammates seemed to tower over her even more than before. Between them alone, there were seven consciousness types sitting across from her.


    And she was afraid to ask how many more were right beside her in Aoi.


    These people were monsters.


    But despite the insanity of it, Pang felt a devious intent fostering within from this new information. Now she knew exactly what powers Irma and Benton had; that alone was progress.


    Even further than that, though, it dawned on her:


    Perhaps they weren''t undefeatable. Perhaps, if she was guessing right, she was much closer to beating them than she thought.


    "So then¡­those splitting headaches you guys kept giving me¡­" she started carefully.


    "Yep. That''s what happens to Manipulators when we switch types," Irma said.


    That''s IT. That¡¯s all it was!


    Pang tried to hold back the glint in her eye. She mustered a smile. "Well, since we''re teammates now," she said, "I guess we''d better find out how to stop that from happening whenever you switch."


    With a sprightly nod, Benton rushed to finish chewing his last chicken wing. "Hey, look at that. She''s already getting the right mindset," he celebrated. "I wasn''t so sure about it at first, Irma, but you were right askin'' them to have Pang fill the spot."


    Pang''s smile widened.


    Idiot.


    Just like that, the main obstacle keeping her at their whim was set to be removed, and they were going to help her figure out how.


    Without the disabling pain they caused with their power switches, they were no worse than regular enemies.


    Too easy.


    "So I''m replacing someone, huh?" Pang asked. "What happened to them?"


    "Finally managed to get himself killed," said Benton plainly.


    Irma shook her head. "That moron."


    While their words were underwhelming, the silence after them was much more telling. Pang could practically picture the history of disagreement, of frustration, with this stranger written on their suddenly sullen faces.


    But that disappointment didn''t appear to come from a place of resentment¡ªrather, of love.


    Even Aoi had stopped eating, her head lowering.


    Benton observed his teammates for a moment. Wisdom seemed to emit from his sigh. "Alright, girls¡­" he started.


    Irma''s hand squeezed her cup, spilling juice onto the table and cutting him short.


    "We should have won that," she cursed.


    Benton nodded patiently. "You''re right."


    "From now on, this team is gonna be different. I vote no egos¨Cwe only fight together," Irma spouted, not a trace of her usual lethargy in her voice. "We told Wei that would happen someday. We told him¡­"


    Benton''s oversized hand reached up to pat her shoulder.


    "It will be different, Irma. Nobody else''s gotta die." He turned his head to Pang. ¡°We¡¯ve got your new buddy here now. It¡¯s a fresh start.¡±


    Pang tensed under his soft gaze. She would have preferred it was as cold as the feelings she harbored for him¡ªfor all of them. But she supposed if they didn¡¯t hate her back, it only made tricking them easier.


    Whatever happened to their friend, pretending to fill his place for a while seemed straightforward enough.


    ¡°Welcome to the group, Pang,¡± Benton smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t like me yet¡ªit was a bumpy ride¡ªbut you¡¯re with us now. So I promise we¡¯ll treat ¡®ya good.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­thanks, gramps,¡± Pang managed.


    I already found people who ¡®treat me good,¡¯ thank you very much, she defied in her head. And once they make it here, you¡¯re all toast.


    ¡°Speaking of that, meet me back here after your lab stuff is done,¡± Irma told her. ¡°We need to get you toiletries, whatever snacks you like, and definitely clothes¡ªthere¡¯s a spot with fighting outfits that¡¯ll look so cute on you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, boy. Just don¡¯t let her pick up your¡­uh, tendencies,¡± Benton chimed in.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothin¡¯, just¡­modesty goes a long way, is all,¡± Benton defended slowly, hands raised in defense. ¡°I know how guys can be, alright? You¡¯re a very pretty young lady, and when you¡¯re always dressin¡¯ all revealin¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m thirty. We are not having this conversation.¡±


    Pang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the irony. She needed to butt in. ¡°This is literally the first time I¡¯ve seen you wearing a shirt, my guy.¡±


    ¡°SEE?! THANK YOU!¡±


    Irma stretched over the table to exchange a high-five with her.


    ¡°HA! Pang¡¯s on my side!¡± Irma cheered. ¡°I knew we needed more girls on the team; this is gonna be amazing!¡±


    Benton looked around the table. Finally realizing just how outnumbered he¡¯d become, surrounded by young women, he brought a hand to his tired forehead. ¡°Oh, brother¡­¡±


    By the time Pang¡¯s lunch break felt like it should be about over, Benton and Irma¡¯s ¡®modesty¡¯ debate had fizzled out. Benton¡¯s surrender came in the form of stepping away to take everyone¡¯s empty dishes.


    Pang stood, finding Aoi remaining entirely in place. She didn¡¯t even stir when Irma got up.


    ¡°Uh¡­see you later,¡± Pang tried.


    Aoi looked her way, but that was all.


    ¡°Say bye, Aoi.¡±


    Loyally, she raised a single sleeve in a slow wave.


    Alright¡­that was kinda cute, Pang admitted to herself.


    ¡°I think she likes you,¡± Irma noted. ¡°That¡¯s the most you¡¯ll get from her, though. Nothing personal.¡±


    Then why did I wake up to her staring at me all intensely? wondered Pang. I thought she was about to bust me out of there for a second.


    A new potential avenue to victory opened up in her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get more out of her, just watch,¡± she resolved. She thought of Skrili and Phillip. ¡°I have a pretty solid track record with this kinda thing.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Irma huffed.


    When Pang began her way out of the food court, she noticed Irma decided to walk along with her.


    ¡°I know my way back,¡± Pang insisted.


    But Irma simply looked behind her and remained close. She stared back until Benton acquired Aoi and they walked away in the other direction together.


    ¡°Everyone seems pretty nice¡ª¡± Pang restarted.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend when it¡¯s just me,¡± Irma interrupted.


    Pang¡¯s heart skipped. ¡°That obvious, huh?¡±


    ¡°Benton¡¯s gullible. He wants to trust everyone,¡± Irma said tenderly. ¡°But you¡¯re not gonna fool me. I know you hate us. I know you still don¡¯t want to be here, and I don¡¯t blame you. So when it¡¯s just us, you don¡¯t have to act like you do. Just be you.¡±


    Pang crossed her arms. ¡°What, scared I¡¯ll pull something?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­you¡¯re just that desperate to win me over to your weird cause?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± said Irma. ¡°Because I know it¡¯s all you have now.¡±


    ¡°That crap again¡ªno it¡¯s not,¡± Pang denied. A cocky smile grew. ¡°Just wait. Once my friends find me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nobody¡¯s coming for you. Nobody¡¯s looking for any of us.¡±


    Her words were flat. Heavy.


    Pang stopped walking.


    Reaching up, she seized Irma¡¯s collar and yanked her close.


    ¡°Say that again,¡± she threatened. ¡°What do you know? What do you know about what Phillip would do¡ªwhat Skrili would do¡ªto help me?¡±


    Irma didn¡¯t flinch, and her focused eyes didn¡¯t blink. No sign of rage, or even annoyance, filled them.


    Instead, Pang only saw sorrow.


    ¡°Apparently, a little more than you do right now,¡± she uttered hollowly.


    Pang¡¯s grip weakened all at once. For a split second, her vision was replaced with a ship flying away, and her hand stretched out after it.


    Her hand fell from Irma¡¯s collar. Irma softly nudged her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet you back here tonight for shopping,¡± she said, her speech gentle. ¡°But if you don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll make sure they add your fingerprint to my apartment lock. See you later.¡±


    Irma broke away. Though her pace was lazy as usual, she still left before Pang could manage to find the words to ask what she meant.


    Was that just a bluff?


    But as Pang¡¯s eyes followed her still, she could hear the words echoing over and over.


    Why did they seem so honest? And worse: why did they sound so broken?


    Wait¡­what¡­does she know?

 128. What I Deserve

    "Fun, fun! Test results are in, Pang!"


    Pang looked up from her bowl of granola and fruits at the dining room table.


    Still in her pajamas, Irma hurried in from the hall¨Cor at least, her version of hurrying, which was little more than a steady pace. The watch on her wrist was raised to her face, and her eyes were glued to it.


    "Time to find out how many days they''ll spend zapping you," Irma teased. "Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it¡­I hope."


    "They sent the data to you?" wondered Pang.


    "Yeah. Oh that''s right¨Cyou don''t have communications yet," Irma noted while she scrolled through text on a hologram screen above her watch. "They''ll get you set up with one of these once your lab stuff is over and they clear you to¡­huh?"


    Irma fell silent, her eyes bouncing over the words again.


    "What?" demanded Pang.


    "''Not compatible¡­?''"


    Pang laughed. "So they can''t copy my powers into other people after all?" she derived. "Oh no, what a shame. Oh gee, oh shucks¡­"


    "''0% Anomalous,''" Irma read. "Then yeah, that means your powers are completely normal. They can''t use you if you''re just a normal Manipulator¡­but¡­then how did you¡­?"


    "Told you," Pang rubbed in. She kicked back and leaned her feet on the table, arms behind her head. "I didn''t need special powers to make history in the Conscious Competition. Skrili and I are just that amazing."


    She readied herself to bask in Irma''s embarrassment. Even if this wasn''t a fight, Pang had managed to beat her this time around.


    But Irma simply looked to her and gave a smile.


    "Hey. You''re supposed to be pissed," Pang argued. "You act like you know everything, but I proved you were dead wrong."


    "No, this is good," Irma said calmly. "Now we know you won''t die."


    "DIE?!"


    "Some people don''t survive the process," Irma revealed. "Not saying it happens every time, but it does happen. Depends on the type. So like, you may have dodged a bullet."


    Pang fought to hide her shock.


    Good grief¡­shout-out to my genetics, I guess. This place is nuts.


    She watched as Irma began swerving about the kitchen freely, humming to herself as she prepared a coffee.


    "So uh¡­now what?" Pang asked.


    "That''s the best part," sang Irma. Her swerving routine brought her back to the dining room, her multicolored eyes twinkling. "No more lab for you, girl. Now that they don''t need you, you get to start rolling with us."


    ''Get to,'' Pang mocked in her head.


    Irma twirled her way back towards the kitchen. "It''s bring-your-roomie to work day! And, like, every day from now on!"


    After taking her dishes to the kitchen (Irma insisted on handling them), Pang figured she may as well head off to get ready. At the very least, she was glad she didn''t have to spend the whole day getting stared at while sitting in a tube. Last night''s testing had drawn out for so long, she''d ended up accepting Irma''s shopping date afterwards just so she could stretch her legs.


    That, and to keep Irma from picking out any bad outfits on her behalf.


    Only some of the fighting clothes Pang chose matched the quality of her usual red and black outfits, but the rest exceeded it. It made her start to wonder just how much Irma was made of. Was Proscious paying her all that money?


    Unable to find her exact old style, Pang settled for similar tank tops and leggings in a wider variety of colors.


    Then, before they''d left to pick up toiletries, Irma even bought a black jean jacket that happened to catch Pang''s eye.


    She''s trying way too hard, thought Pang.


    Irma''s generosity had remained steadfast the rest of that night¨Craised up a notch, even. Pang felt like she was being guided to her last supper.


    "Nobody''s coming for you."


    She still couldn''t get those words out of her head. The way it hit her felt like a far shot from a lie.


    So why was Irma so certain about that?


    For the rest of the night, Irma never brought it up again, favoring conversations about snacks and clothing deals. Her behavior alone almost seemed like an apology for saying it in the first place.


    Pang wanted to brush it off as Irma''s insistence that this campus was too difficult to find. But Irma only said it when Pang warned that her friends were coming for her.


    I know it, though. They are coming for me¡­


    ¡­aren''t they?


    "Um, cuuute," Irma admired when Pang returned to the living room in her new fighting outfit. "You rock the navy blue-pink combo. Alright, let''s head out!"


    When Irma and Pang stepped through the door, they immediately had to brake; two people were about to pass by.


    "...and so, theoretically, initiating a transfer of a low-anomalous power¨Csay, five to ten percent¨Cimmediately after a highly anomalous power should increase the success rate of both transfers," explained an enthusiastic older woman in a lab coat.


    "Oooh¡­that''s interesting. So that''s what that report was saying¡­" noted the green-haired woman beside her, her airy pitch rising and falling.


    Oh, it''s that dork again, Pang recognized.


    The green-haired lady pushed up her wooden-framed glasses. She was about to take a sip from her mug when she noticed Irma and Pang.


    Her nose scrunched with a sweet smile. "Hi guys," she greeted in passing.


    Irma only had time for a casual wave. The duo continued on, their conversation resuming immediately.


    "Say something disrupts the transfer, though. Like a sabotage. Would that undo both powers?" probed the green-haired woman.


    "Hypothetically, it''s possible. But the likelihood of such a disturbance¡­"


    Their voices faded around the corner. Irma and Pang made their way to the elevator across the hall.


    That chick sure asks a lot of questions, Pang noticed, recalling her identical behavior back in the lab.


    As the elevator door closed, the lab woman''s heap of jargon brought her mind back to the apparently deadly process Pang had avoided.


    "So if they found that my powers were weird or whatever," she asked Irma, "they''d be copying them into Aoi today?"


    "Yep."


    "But doesn''t she already have a ton of power types in her?"


    Irma sighed. "The whole point is to give her as many power types as they can," she said.


    "Why?"


    When Irma didn''t immediately respond, Pang realized she''d run into the same wall as before.


    Last time I asked her that, she didn''t answer either, she recalled in regret. So I was right: she''s avoiding that question¨C


    "Tonight we''re having lo mein," Irma said suddenly.


    "Um¡­alright?"


    Irma peered down to her with an inquisitive glance. "Are you gonna give me honest feedback again?" she checked.


    Pang nearly slapped her hand against her head.


    Nope, I was wrong. My questions are just leverage to her. What''s with this lady and food?


    "Yeah, whatever. I''ll be honest," Pang agreed.


    "Proscious''s goal is to give someone literally every consciousness type. That''s why it exists."


    A slight pressure pushed up against Pang as the elevator slowed towards the ground floor.


    "Good grief, you guys need to get hobbies," she scoffed. "No way that''s worth kidnapping people and killing them in experiments."


    "Apparently, it is," Irma said. "Cuz if they pull it off, Aoi will be able to reset the Multiverse."


    ¡­Huh?


    ''Reset?''


    The elevator came to a halt and opened, so Irma stepped forward.


    "Aoi''s like, super special. She''s the closest they''ve ever been to reaching that goal," she said back. "You''ll see it today."


    ~


    Pang couldn''t see it.


    In fact, the longer she watched Aoi beside her, she was beginning to believe the opposite. Aoi stood in place, body totally still and mind absent.


    On top of that, Pang couldn''t even sense any consciousness energy she could latch onto. If there was nothing to manipulate, was there really anything there?


    Pang poked Aoi''s shoulder.


    She did nothing more than slowly turn to notice Pang, possibly for the first time since the session began, her eyes hidden as always.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Gonna be an interestin'' one," came Benton''s forecast. He stepped onto the platform, rolling his shoulders.


    They were all gathered under pale lights from high above, which made every inch of this open, well-ventilated facility vivid. The area wasn''t unlike the training rooms in the Hotel of Champions at Gloat Center, actually, though this place was easily twice the size.


    Weights, a small running track, and even a rest station complete with benches and a drink-filled refrigerator were at the back end of the gray room, but the Proscious team all convened on the raised fighting platform towards the front.


    Pang finally caved and broke her probing glare from Aoi.


    "So uh¡­she''s supposed to be your chosen one for this whole evil plan?" Pang doubted. "Really?"


    "Well, ''evil'' is a bit of a strong word¡­" Benton pushed back in defense.


    Irma shrugged. "Nah, be real. What we''re doing is kinda evil."


    Benton sulked. "Anyhow¡­"


    He made a fist and bent down. With one comet of a punch, he cracked a massive dent in the flooring.


    The impact shook Pang''s knees. She maintained her composure, but her muscles naturally braced in response.


    Then Benton stood with a huge chunk of the floor in a single hand, and he chucked it into the air¨Cright towards Irma.


    "Aoi: save Irma, will ya?" Benton ordered casually.


    The chunk of stone came spiraling within arm''s length of Irma''s face, its weight undoubtedly enough to crush her entire body.


    But then, it stopped.


    Rivets had formed in the air around the suspended mass as if it had become a mirage. Then its shape twisted unnaturally, and sometime between the beginning and end of Pang''s blink, it vanished.


    Pang froze, watching a trace of ashes flutter to the floor.


    For the first time since she was a little girl, she fell speechless.


    "She don''t look strong. She don''t act strong. And she ain''t strong," Benton said, "unless you tell her to be."


    "Aoi can do pretty much anything," Irma added. "But she needs someone to make her do it. Also¡­"


    She spun abruptly to face Benton.


    "Why did you have to use me as a prop in your little demonstration?!" she fired.


    "You were being a brat," reasoned Benton.


    "''BRAT?!'' I''M A FULL-GROWN WOMAN!!"


    In the midst of their bickering, something occurred to Pang.


    She grew an insidious grin.


    "Hey, Aoi."


    The quiet young woman looked towards her again.


    Pang pointed at Benton. "He messed with my head a bunch. Take him out."


    Aoi looked at Benton. She took a step forward.


    "NO, WAIT, WAIT, STOP!!!!!"


    His pleas continued even as his face bowed to the floor in surrender.


    "I''m sorry!! I was just doing my job!! I have three little girls!! STOP!"


    Benton was the last to notice Aoi had already canceled whatever doom she''d begun for him, standing emptily again.


    Irma''s laughter echoed against the walls. "You asked for that one," she told Benton. "Man, I''m glad Pang is here now."


    Their training session unfolded in earnest soon enough, focusing mainly on Pang''s integration into the quartet. To start: Benton and Irma walked through each of their many types again, making sure Pang understood each ability.


    While Pang was tempted to expedite this initiation, already understanding and having manipulated all of these types before (besides Aoi''s), she challenged herself to keep quiet and listen: any detail, no matter how trivial, could widen the window to defeating them all.


    Her reluctant discipline proved fruitful. For instance, she wouldn''t have guessed Benton had a power up¨Cphysically daunting as it was¨Cthat enabled him to use two of his types at once. Also, learning Irma''s eye colors changed with each of her four types meant she could eventually prepare to use that against her.


    Pang would need more time to put each color combination to memory, but given how open her false teammates were acting with her, that would come easy.


    That left only two insurmountable threats: Aoi, and the splitting pain in her head whenever Irma or Benton switched powers.


    Aoi was a complete mystery for now. So she focused her energy on the power switching. After all, Irma and Benton were already intent on helping her solve it so they could work together.


    "Ow!"


    Pang grasped her head for probably the fiftieth time.


    "Still no luck?"


    Irma and Benton paused and watched her. Even after a few hours of on-and-off attempts, Pang''s stabbing headache persisted whenever either of them switched.


    "It''s no good¡­" Pang grunted. "And if we keep doing this, my head feels like it''ll¨COW!! HEY!"


    She shot a deadly jeer at Irma.


    Benton shrugged. "Hey, you picked up that she''s the one who switched," he noticed.


    "That''s pretty promising," said Irma.


    Blinking to recover her whited-out vision, Pang at least knew they were right. Until now, she only felt the same stabbing sensation regardless of who switched. Now it seemed, like a callus, her mind was growing familiar with the feeling¨Cso she was starting to sense past it.


    Thankfully, that progress was enough to satisfy Irma and Benton for the day. They revisited the same food court for lunch, returned for an extended workout session, and called it a night.


    ~


    "Hmm-hmm~dessert time!"


    Irma placed a chilly bowl in Pang''s lap, filled with generous scoops of topping-drenched ice cream and a golden spoon.


    "This stuff is just store-bought. But this is definitely on my bucket list to make from scratch," Irma shared as her hovering chair carried her to the other side of the couch.


    Before Pang could weigh the implications of giving Irma help into her seat, she maneuvered gracefully from her chair to the cushions on her own, her hefty bowl of ice cream in her lap. Pang fought not to look too much at the metallic stubs in place of Irma¡¯s legs while she made herself comfortable and content.


    Irma switched the TV on, its initially harsh glow reflecting against the dimness of night throughout the apartment.


    But once Pang''s eyes recovered, her heart stopped.


    "Boring¡­"


    Irma had already switched pages to her beloved murder mystery.


    But Pang knew it. She''d just seen Kotono on a stage, standing front and center.


    And Phillip, Skrili, and Deon were all by her side.


    What were they all doing up there? What was that broadcast for?


    If Irma''s attention span for the League was the authority in this matter, Pang worried she''d never find out.


    "Oh that''s right! That guy was totally about to get strangled. He''s so dead," Irma recalled as she kicked off the next episode in their queue.


    "Wait, go back for a sec," said Pang


    Irma glanced between her, the episode, and her ice cream, the latter two luring her eyes back even more. She returned to her viewing session as if Pang hadn''t said anything.


    "Hey!"


    "Hm?"


    "Go back. Those guys are my friends."


    This time, Irma didn''t return any attention.


    "I¡­don''t think they are¡­" she muttered.


    Pang squeezed her ice cream bowl.


    Imagine being so obsessed with a stupid show that you''d do anything not to pause it¡­she judged in silence.


    There was no question. It was them.


    The ice cream helped tame her aggravation as she suffered through the fictional tale on the screen. Perhaps she''d get another chance to fish for the broadcast when Irma wasn''t around.


    But about three episodes in, Pang realized her opportunity was already presenting itself. She happened to glance over at Irma and found that she had dozed off, her head slowly slipping down the pillow.


    Perfect.


    Pang summoned the holographic controls on the table and navigated her way out of the episode. Thankfully, the sudden shift to silence didn''t stir Irma. Soon enough she located the default channel. The news broadcast was ongoing¨Ceven after all this time.


    But by now it had moved onto a new focus.


    "...could ever happen to someone as strong as her."


    "She, by far, has given back most to the Consciousness League community and other communities in need. So at the same time, it makes perfect sense that this was how she would say goodbye."


    Images of Hiroko faded in and out, highlighting all kinds of moments from throughout her career.


    ¡­''Say goodbye?'' Pang wondered.


    "Hiroko was truly a blessing. And truly, one of the greatest Consciousness pros the League has ever known."


    Heart racing, Pang rewound the channel. Hours of footage flashed in reverse, and yet, it never deviated from the same themes: Hiroko''s life, and the speech Kotono gave with Phillip and the others standing by her.


    No way¡­


    Soon she reached what appeared to be a full replay of the original broadcast, with Kotono, Phillip, Skrili, and Deon all standing tall.


    The first words she heard turned Pang''s body cold.


    "Giving up her life to try and stop Pang''s kidnappers, we lost my dearest friend of all: my incredible teammate, Hiroko Hamasaki."


    Pang lost her breath.


    "Actually¡­she was trying to save someone else at that point¡­" a voice cut through the ensuing silence.


    Pang turned to find Irma''s eyes open, watching along with a somber, knowing focus.


    That sight, along with the careful composure in her tone, turned Pang''s stomach.


    "She jumped at one of our machines to save a young girl," Irma added even quieter. "I wasn''t there when it happened¡­but that''s what I heard¨C"


    Pang dove. The ice cream bowls tumbled, some of their melted leftovers splattering the floor and smudging their skin as Pang tackled Irma and pinned her against the couch. She gained dominance immediately: without legs to kick or brace herself, Irma''s longer frame did nothing to ward Pang off.


    Using her knees to pin her in place, Pang''s hands reached Irma''s throat and squeezed relentlessly. Irma''s efforts to tug at her locked grasp were in vain.


    Pang had gone from breathlessness to seething gasps, pushing as hard as she could into Irma''s neck and praying she would feel it snap.


    "YOU GUYS KILLED HER!!!" she shrieked.


    In a flash, a vision replaced the present before Pang''s eyes. She saw a bloodied face in place of Irma''s.


    One of the challengers she''d killed on Artifex.


    "You''re¡­right¡­" Irma barely choked out.


    Pang snapped back, realizing her grip had weakened. She shook her head.


    Irma''s eyes were locked with hers only inches away. But they didn''t wince, or even blink.


    "Do¡­you¡­want to know¡­" Irma gasped, "who killed my friend?"


    "SHUT UP! I DON''T CARE!"


    But Irma released one of her hands and pointed at the TV.


    Phillip and the others were still there, receiving a shower of applause.


    "Like I''d ever believe that!" Pang rejected. "They''re¡­better people than me!"


    "I don''t hate them. I can''t. Wei would agree¡­he had it coming." Irma''s reddening eyes returned back to Pang, and despite it all, she gave a sad smile. "And I had this coming, too."


    "Of course you do!" Pang growled. She forced her grip tighter again. Irma coughed, offering no further resistance. "You thought you could hide this from me?!"


    "I''m sorry¡­I wanted¡­to break it¡­to you slow¡­" Irma croaked.


    "That you guys murdered my friend?!"


    "That¡­they''re leaving you behind."


    Again, it happened: Pang''s grip weakened at those words.


    The ship.


    Daddy.


    "Y¨Cyou''re wrong¡­" she mustered. She motioned to the TV. "See? They''re trying to save me right now."


    "They''re not even looking for you."


    Irma reached for the table controls and rewound the screen.


    Nothing visually had changed; it was her same friends, with Kotono giving more of the same ongoing speech.


    And yet, it was like entering another frame of reality.


    Kotono''s focus had shifted entirely. For a while, she didn''t mention Pang, or even Hiroko.


    ''Special League¡­''


    ''Teams of five¡­''


    ''Events¡­''


    "What¡­is she talking about¡­?" muttered Pang unblinkingly.


    Irma simply let the broadcast speak for itself.


    "...because one-hundred percent of our team''s contribution will fund a full-scale investigation into this¡­"


    "''Fund.'' The League is loaded. Like, how much ''funding'' would they really need to look for you?" Irma questioned. "What is playing a sport supposed to do to help you?"


    Her voice, while still scratchy, came out with much less struggling now that Pang was preoccupied.


    But even when Pang retried, her fingers only trembled instead of tightening.


    "But Phillip¡­Skrili¡­all of them¡­they wouldn''t just¡­"


    "They fought us directly. But they don''t tell the public anything about that part," Irma pointed out. "If they said what they really know all while doing this ''event'' stuff¡­it would make them look bad, right?"


    "Shut up¡­you''re wrong¡­"


    "Their friend is missing, so they launch the shiny new career path of their dreams?"


    "S¨Cstop lying¡­"


    "They saw people die and they can''t handle it, Pang," Irma persisted. "So they''re giving up and trying to move on like everything is normal again."


    She placed her hand back on Pang''s wrist.


    Only, tenderly this time.


    "Pang¡­there is no ''investigation.'' I think they''re just leaving you behind quietly. I''m¡­I''m sorry."


    Irma''s cheeks were growing wet. But Pang realized it was from her own tears falling onto them.


    The pressure in her chest ached.


    Everything ached.


    Again¡­


    It''s happening again¡­this can''t be happening again¡­God, no¡­


    Her eyes found the screen again. The cameras were focusing on Skrili for a moment.


    You promised we could rely on each other. We''re the only ones who understand each other, Pang wanted to call to her. Out of everyone¡­after everything you''ve already seen¡­even you?


    Skrili¡­how could you?


    How could you leave me, too?


    "If anyone gets in the way of your survival, their lives don''t matter anymore."


    Daddy¡­please shut up¡­


    "I didn''t ask to end up here."


    Pang refocused. Irma wore a shaky smile, but now her tears were mixing with Pang''s.


    "Most of us didn''t have a choice, either," Irma murmured. "Proscious made me and Benton take you. So I¡­figured I''d show you how to survive here¡­how to find a second chance at living."


    Her gaze fell to the side.


    "But now I know I''m just delusional. I know what I did to you." She lowered to a whisper. "I''m part of the reason your friend is dead, because I only know how to preserve myself."


    Irma''s soft touch tightened on Pang''s wrists.


    Then, she pushed in.


    "So¡­just give me what I deserve."


    Her words barely finished making it out before Pang''s hands closed her throat with her own guiding force.


    By the shades of purple and blue reflecting from the TV onto Irma''s straining face, Pang knew the broadcast had returned to commemorations of Hiroko.


    I''ll never feel bad for you, Pang''s thoughts fired out as if to reach Irma''s mind.


    The scent of blood invaded her head. In flashes, she could see her younger hands breaking the bones of desperate opponents so she and her father could stay alive.


    You''re just as much a selfish little demon as me.


    Irma''s skin was turning purple, her eyes glazing. She released her hands. Pang''s force alone choked her now.


    So you''re right. If I have to die all alone, Pang decided, then so do you.


    Irma still didn''t resist. And even with the ability to instantly disorient Pang''s mind, from the moment this began, she''d yielded.


    But the tighter Pang squeezed, the hazier her own senses grew.


    She smelled the sea instead of melted ice cream. She heard the croaks of failing metal instead of the TV.


    Instead of Irma''s face, she saw a vacant sinking deck where she sat waiting to die.


    All alone.


    Pang''s strength left all at once.


    No¡­her willpower.


    She collapsed onto Irma. As she felt Irma''s arms eventually wrapped around her, all she could do was sob into her gasping chest.


    Then, when Irma''s weeps blended into hers, she finally returned her embrace.

 129. Airborne

    Deon couldn''t feel a sinking in his gut like he''d grown accustomed to from previous ascents into the sky. Unlike rides on Gibblezgorv, this colossal vessel''s liftoff was much more gradual¨Cnot to mention graceful¨Cso all he felt was the pressure of inertia pushing his feet harder against the pristine bronze floor.


    Skrili stepped closer to join him as he gazed out of the nearest circular window into the Fantasy Country sky, and together, they watched clouds and traveling dragons grow smaller below them.


    The Worlds above seemed practically touchable like dangling ornaments, and the sun shone brighter. Gazing back downward, the ground had become the more fantastical frontier of the two. Its flatlands, lakes, and mountains were mere strokes of a brush, and its buildings subtle dots.


    When the flying facility evened out and began a steady acceleration forward, Deon and Skrili deemed their environment comfortable enough to resume walking.


    "I guess this is it," Deon commented. "Weird¡­you think our rooms will be as nice as the Gloat Center ones?"


    Skrili shrugged. It was to be expected¨Cshe hadn''t been particularly moved by their previous luxury.


    "I wonder if Lammy found his room alright," Deon added. "I told him where our hall is, so he''ll catch up later."


    His eyes remained fixed on the sky every time they passed by a window. Slowly but surely, they were making their way towards their first Special League event''s host reality: Normal Country.


    A place he''d yet to experience.


    Off the top of his head, he remembered old opponents Ashley, Miranda, Xavier, and that ''Fullmetal Consciousnesst'' guy all mentioned being from that Country. But the diverse vibes between them didn''t exactly paint an idea of what to expect.


    He was getting ahead of himself, though.


    First, we still have to get through two weeks of training on this ship thing, he reminded himself.


    Given the steady speed at which they were traveling, the timing made sense. And the day they''d spent traveling from Hidakala to the announcement, and then to their initial meetings, had taken them even deeper into the Fantasy Country Mainland. So they still had much of the Mainland to cover before crossing the Worldline.


    At least, he figured, that would grant them time to mesh as a unit¨Cespecially with Otogi thrown into the mix.


    Then¡­it''s fighting time.


    But he sighed, thinking back on their initiation just before the takeoff.


    The Multiverse has always been weird¡­Deon thought, his attention falling on Skrili. THIS whole deal, though, has to be the weirdest¡­


    ~~~


    (Less than an hour before¡­)


    "Now, we have quite a few freshly-certified pros on this team," a woman said. "If you''ve worked with an agency before, raise your hand."


    Looking around the golden conference room, Deon noticed only Otogi''s hand lift up between two of his bodyguards. Then Kotono''s emerged from her bundled hoodie beside him, uncertain if she needed to state the obvious.


    Deon, Lammy, Skrili, and Phillip stood like awkward statues.


    "Okay, that''s what I remembered. Then, sorry Kotono and Otogi; I''ll need to start with the basics. Here''s how we do things in the Inoue Agency¡­"


    It''s named after Kotono? Deon questioned. He and his cousin exchanged equally uncertain glances.


    He tried not to lose attention on the group of astoundingly plain individuals before them. All ten of the executives were smiling, aside from the woman speaking, but Deon wondered if it was because their faces were stuck that way. Their stiff suits contrasted their relaxed demeanor, emanating a contentment Deon couldn''t quite interpret.


    "Don''t get too scared; this is a family. And you''ve made it. This is the big leagues," the woman continued. "That''s why, if you remember our private meetings, we''re dedicated to reflect that in your paychecks."


    Deon remembered, alright. The number they''d told him in their one-on-one was so large, it didn''t matter that it was in a currency he barely knew¨Cit made his head spin.


    He was grateful, then, that it was going towards Pang''s investigation.


    "So let''s be sure to honor Hiroko¡¯s legacy the best we can by leaning into that virtue," the woman preached. "I''m sure you all read the contracts, but here''s a crash course of the important stuff. First: always present your best self. That''s why Volona is here to help."


    "That''s why WHAT?!" Deon blurted out before he could catch himself.


    A drooping puff of orange hair poked out from behind a few of the executives. Volona emerged, already in a different dress than before, her howling laugh filling the room.


    "Silly forest boy. I always try to travel with my clients!" she declared. "Phillip, you looked dazzling! I already have a favorite!"


    Phillip simply nodded, his skull medallion dangling amongst his dreary designer clothing.


    "Everyone follow Phillip''s example." Volona ordered. "How else will I convince Otogi to fire his fashion team and come to me?"


    Deon glanced over to Kotono, who sat hugging her hoodie with her hair uneven and her baggy-eyed attention anywhere but here. She looked like she might doze off.


    "Thanks, Volona," said the agency woman. "Second: always act like your best self. Your fans are the reason this League can exist. Treat them the best you can. And please, avoid speaking negatively about the League or the Inoue Agency. We''re all here to build each other up."


    Hiroko and Kotono have ignored that one a lot, Deon thought to himself, especially recalling Hiroko''s speech at the end of the championship.


    "And here''s the last thing I''ll mention now, because I have faith you''re all professional enough to uphold the rest," the agent told them. "This is the most important one: no dating. ESPECIALLY not your fellow teammates."


    ~~~


    As the duo continued down the hall, Deon couldn''t get that last rule off of his mind.


    ''No dating teammates¡­'' he mocked in his head.


    That made three-for-three of rules Kotono and Hiroko completely ignored, but that was the least of his focus.


    He watched Skrili walk with him in silence.


    "I hope Lammy''s room situation is okay," she uttered. "They should have put him with you."


    "Yeah¡­let''s all hang out once we get settled in," Deon decided.


    Skrili nodded.


    They neared an inward curve in the wall, which led to a narrower hallway. According to the map the agency added to their TeamTracks, this was where all the team members would be staying.


    Sure enough, Deon''s room came first: his name was engraved on a knobless black door.


    "It''s a common rule for League agencies," Skrili suddenly said.


    "Huh?"


    "The ''no dating'' thing."


    She knows I''m thinking about that, huh? Deon noted.


    We really have spent a lot of time together.


    He watched her cool pace as she slowed before his new room, and for the first time, he pondered how they''d gone from a lost guy and a loner, to an unlikely team, to¡­whatever they were now.


    He could still picture the girl who begrudgingly taught him what the Multiverse was. After all, it wasn''t that long ago.


    But through risking her life to save his, and then overcoming her failures to help save Lammy, too, she became the girl who taught him how to live.


    Deon realized his stubbornness to encourage her out of her shell was his greatest triumph. Because what she opened up to show him was a more beautiful soul than he could have ever fathomed.


    That rule couldn''t have shown up at a worse time.


    Skrili entered a number on the screen beside Deon''s door. They''d already exchanged codes for each other''s rooms.


    The door opened. With only the windows providing natural light from far across the space, the entryway was much dimmer than the hall.


    "So¡­does that rule¡­mean anything to us?" Skrili checked.


    She stopped and faced him, her purple eyes expressionless.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    But Deon knew precisely what she was asking. His heart skipped.


    Instead of answering with words, he closed their distance and guided her backwards against the wall. The notion came without thought. Skrili''s mouth followed his as he leaned forward into a kiss.


    There was no other possible motive this time. Her affection was all that kept her lips in place, and it was even more tender than before.


    "Wait."


    Deon felt the world sink. He released at her demand.


    I screwed up.


    But Skrili didn''t attempt to make space. Instead, she reached her arm out to the switch beside the open doorway.


    "Moron¡­" she whispered. "You forgot to close the¡­"


    Their lips brushed each other''s, and she never finished. While the door slid to a close beside them, Skrili pressed her body against him to receive the outpour of his kisses.


    Deon closed his eyes. This warmth, though physical, was everything he''d felt whenever his gaze found her in Fiction Country. Her quiet essence, her secret beauty unfolded against his body just as it already had in his mind. Deon''s hands slipped to her waist, cradling her there to keep her this perfectly close.


    Their travel bags crashed and spilled to the floor by their feet, one after the other. But Deon and Skrili were oblivious to it as they shared their passion.


    ~~~


    Lammy sighed.


    He didn''t exactly mind having to bunk with some of the ship facility workers¨Cthe dorms were cozy enough¨Cbut he''d assumed he would stay with Deon and the others.


    Or at least, near them, instead of several floors away at the bottom of the ship.


    The agency''s confusion made a little sense: they knew nothing about the team''s hidden purpose, and his relationship to it. As far as they knew, Lammy was a snotty kid mooching off of his cousin''s success to catch a free trip.


    He took solace in the fact that Credo sounded even more perturbed by the choice. He''d only found out shortly before Lammy and made sure to apologize. Not only that, but he commanded the pilots to add another ''VIP'' bedroom near the rest of Team Hiroko.


    Lammy wasn''t sure how they were supposed to accomplish that construction while airborne, but after everything he''d seen these past couple months, he figured everything was possible.


    Nonetheless, trapped in a spiral of discomfort, he found himself insisting they didn''t need to bother.


    Anyway, I might as well see what Deon and Skrili are up to, he figured.


    He eventually made his way to the highest level, thankful there were floating pillars of flooring to carry him through the levels in place of stairs. Every corner of this ship so far glimmered with similarly sleek¨Cand probably expensive¨Cquirks, as if to flaunt its builders'' enginuity. He was curious to discover what else this ship encased.


    Lammy headed towards the curve in the hall where the team bedrooms started, guessing his friends were either getting things settled in Deon''s room or Skrili''s.


    With Deon''s room coming first, he started his search there. Remembering the code Deon shared with him earlier, he let himself in like he would back in Tailpiece.


    When the door slid open, he found Deon and Skrili shifting to face him shoulder-to-shoulder only steps away, surrounded by a pile of their spilled belongings.


    "Hey! What''s up, Lammy!" Deon greeted.


    Skrili evened out her ruffled clothes, some of her hair dangling loose from its tie.


    Lammy stared at them blankly.


    So obvious¡­he sighed to himself. Well, I guess there''s no woods for them to sneak off to like back home.


    They welcomed him in, seeming to notice for the first time that the lights had been off. Skrili found a series of knobs on the wall and flipped the room to life.


    "This is one bedroom?" Deon double-checked.


    Lammy was nearly as surprised, given they were on a traveling vessel, but he made some sense of it: this space was nearly as big as Kotono and Hiroko''s place in the Hotel of Champions. And just like that setup, it featured every accommodation they could possibly hope for.


    The round bed at the back, against the window views of the sky, was big enough to fit his father three times over. Beyond that awaited sleek, full furniture around a holographic screen, and some sort of bubbling tub of illuminated water.


    A full kitchen was to the left, leading Lammy to conclude there must be somewhere to get groceries on this ship.


    Skrili simply crossed her arms. "Talk about overkill."


    Touring every corner of the space, Deon couldn''t hide his smile. "Well Credo''s counting on us to stop Proscious," he said. "I guess he wanted to take care of us. Then again, I bet the other teams get all this, too."


    After Lammy helped them recover their pile of belongings, the friends found themselves congregating at the table by the kitchen.


    "So uh¡­how''s your room?" Deon dared to inquire.


    "It''s uh¡­good," Lammy uttered. "The other guys seem laid-back¨C"


    Someone knocked on the door.


    "Hey Lamfrey! You in there? The bunk you claimed is the one Leonardo always gets! Can you come pick out a different one?"


    The three consciousnesses exchanged stiff glances.


    Once again, Lammy sighed.


    "I''ll be back later," he murmured, hopping down from the chair and dragging his feet to the door.


    "Wait! You can just crash up here with me!" Deon called after him.


    "Nah, it''s okay, Deon. Really!"


    Lammy smiled back as the door slid closed behind him.


    Skrili sent Deon a glare that shot straight through him.


    "Yeah, yeah, I know¡­" Deon defended. "I''ll go convince him and help get him settled up here. But¡­why did he even try turning it down?"


    Skrili raised one eyebrow at him. "Really? You really don''t know?


    Deon thought back to his brief moment together with her. Accepting the reality, he leaned his head into his palms.


    "That probably made him uncomfortable," Skrili said.


    "Nah¡­well, yeah, but that''s not why," Deon denied. "He''s trying to make sure me and you can have time alone together, given those rules and everything. He''s thinking of us. That''s just how he is."


    Endeared, a smile spread on Skrili''s face. She breathed out a single laugh.


    "He''s sweet."


    Deon nodded. Even after all this time apart, and in severe danger, and even while watching everyone but him get pampered like royalty, he was putting other people''s feelings first.


    That kid really is just like his mom, Deon laughed to himself.


    "I bet I can change his mind," he assured. "I''ll go talk to him now¨C"


    Both of their TeamTracks rattled on the table. Retrieving them, they saw the same image:


    Skip.


    And underneath:


    "6 missed calls."


    Skrili slapped Deon''s shoulder. "I thought you answered when he called us two days ago!"


    "I meant to, but¡­then we had to rehearse for the announcement¡­" started Deon. "Wait¨CI thought you said you''d answer him yesterday!"


    "I got caught up with those stupid press photos!" Skrili said.


    They both looked back at their screens.


    "Welp, he''s gonna be pissed."


    Skrili answered the call and placed her TeamTrack between them on the table. A small projection of Skip''s face rose in front of them.


    He simply stared at both of them, saying nothing. Soon Deon was convinced that once he was satisfied with their rising discomfort, he would hang up.


    "Uh¡­hey¨C" Deon tried.


    "You know, I have a lot of past students; you''ve seen my garden of team flowers," Skip started calmly. "So I receive the occasional call from time to time, and I''m always sure to answer¡­or at least call back¡­"


    Deon and Skrili gulped. Their distance was too great for him to make them run laps, but somehow it still felt like a possibility.


    "...And I try not to play favorites, but basically admitted to you guys that you were my favorites¡­" Skip continued, his voice darkening. "But no, not a single call. Not one. And even when I''m worried sick about you¡­YOU NEVER PICK UP!! WHAT GIVES, EH?!?!?!!"


    "S¨Csorry, Skip¡­" Deon said, shielding himself from his teacher''s wrath.


    Skrili''s head hung in shame. "We¡­got really busy¡­"


    Skip sighed with as much emphasis as possible. "That''s what all my best students end up saying eventually¡­no time for ol'' Skip," he lamented. "You guys got mixed up with the people I warned you about. Now we''ve both lost friends to them. And now¡­you joined a team that''s funding something to help lure them back out? Guys, listen:"


    Deon and Skrili''s ears perked up. The extra dramatics in his tone were gone, replaced with sober gentleness.


    "It''s a miracle you''re still okay. This is the exact thing I told you guys to come to me about first," Skip said. "So¡­what happened?"


    Throughout the duration of their recount, Skip''s expression never changed. He was keen, but somehow never surprised¨Ceven when they mentioned the most absurd parts like Wei and his silent minion''s unclassifiable abilities, their mission to copy Dreamer powers and ''reset the Multiverse,'' and even their willingness to kill a young girl to do it.


    Now Hiroko was gone in her place, and many others according to Lammy¡­but Skip didn''t flinch in the slightest.


    It seemed the only thing that deepened was his sorrow.


    "I told you not to get their attention at all costs," Skip urged.


    "We didn''t know it was them," countered Skrili. "And even if we did¡­"


    "...We still had to face them," finished Deon. "They took my cousin, Skip. The one from my visions. That was the future we had to overcome. And we did, because of your training. We stopped them."


    "And it cost you Hiroko Hamasaki¡­" Skip uttered.


    Heat sparked into Deon''s eyes. He banged his fists on the table. "What were we supposed to do, then?!" he shouted. "Nothing?!"


    Skip merely shook his head¨Cnot as an answer, but in contemplation alone.


    "I''m glad the kid''s okay, but¡­I don''t like this, guys," he uttered. "I really don''t like this¡­"


    "Skip¡­" said Skrili softly, "that doesn''t sound like you¡­"


    "I''m sorry, guys¡­this group¨CI guess you know their name now, Proscious¨Cthey''re not something you can just snuff out and beat up," he said soberly. "And¡­now¡­"


    Deon could practically feel the weight pressing at Skip''s chest by watching him alone.


    "They know about you, Deon. You and your cousin used your extra powers on them," he said. "So¡­I know for a fact that looking for them doesn''t mean a thing. Now¡­they''re gonna want you two. They''ll come for you next. So by hunting for them on top of that, you may as well be offering your life to them."


    "Fine, let them try. We have to find them," Deon stressed.


    "They have Pang," added Skrili. "And they have your old teammate."


    Skip''s eyebrow twitched.


    "And they''ll have all of you, too, if you keep going like this," he snapped.


    Deon paused. He could see Skip''s heavier breathing even through the hologram.


    "We got this, Skip. We have everything you taught us," he finally said. "You should''ve seen our powered-up team combos. We''ve fought these guys once already, and we won."


    "That was only a small piece of what they''re capable of," Skip said lowly.


    He stared at them, just as before. But his eyes pleaded instead of judging.


    "I can''t tell you guys what to do. That''s not my place anymore," he said slowly. "But please¡­whatever you decide to do, just try to stay safe."


    He didn''t look away even slightly, as if he couldn''t tell whether his students were already ghosts or not.


    "Skip¡­" Deon tried. "What''s your old teammate''s name¨C"


    "Oh! My ravioli is ready!" Skip conveniently realized. "I''ve been on a big pasta kick lately. Talk to you soon!"


    "Hey!" Deon urged.


    "Be sure to call every day!"


    "Answer my¡­" Deon started. "Wait¨Cevery day?!"


    Skip''s hologram faded and the TeamTrack screen went black.


    Deon slapped his hand against his face. "Well he''s just as nutty as ever¡­"


    Skrili exited her seat beside him, suddenly dropping to her hands and toes on the floor.


    "Skrili? What are you¡­?"


    She completed her first pushup. "If they''re even stronger than we saw, I''m not sitting around and waiting for the fight," she said in between three more. "Let''s be even readier this time. That''s how we stay safe for Skip."


    Deon smiled. Hopping out of his own chair, he joined her.


    ~


    The flowing blue and green lights casted a watery effect on the evening ceiling. It was a nice room feature, but it couldn''t relax Deon enough to help him drift to sleep regardless of how many hours he''d already spent staring at it.


    There was no way he could slow his thoughts now¡­not after everything Skip alluded to.


    "That was only a small piece of what they''re capable of."


    Deon raised his hand up and clenched it into a fist.


    We gave it everything we possibly had¡­


    ¡­Fine. We''ll just have to find more to give.


    His hand fell back to the perfect mattress. Deon hoped Lammy was sleeping, at least. Even when he''d tried to offer again over dinner, Lammy insisted on sticking with the bunks.


    He''s too nice sometimes.


    Deon closed his eyes, figuring he''d give it another shot tomorrow.


    But even with his resolutions squared away, he remained wide awake.


    This just¡­didn''t feel right.


    And now, with his mind finally in a clearer place, he knew exactly what was missing.


    Alright. She might get grumpy if I wake her¡­but¡­maybe if I''m quiet¡­


    Deon rolled his way to the edge of the bed and stood. Decidedly, he made his way to the door.


    But before he could open it, it opened on its own.


    Skrili stood as a silhouette before the hallway lights, hugging a pillow to her face with her travel bag loosely strapped and her hair down.


    "I gave Lammy my room."


    She brushed past him into the low light without another word, dropped her belongings beside the bed, and flopped into it.


    Deon chuckled to himself. Clearly, she hadn''t fallen asleep for the very same reason.


    By the time he made his way over, Skrili was already nearly asleep in her new bed. He found her tucked into the exact nook he''d warmed up.


    Accepting his fate, he crawled back in and wrapped himself around her. Within moments, they drifted off.

 130. Wars to Win

    The black door slid to a close behind Lammy as he stepped into the hall. He stretched his arms and a yawn erupted.


    Last night was easily the best rest he''d gotten¨Cperhaps the only real rest¨Csince he and Zayza left Gloat Center.


    That sure was nice of Skrili, he thought.


    He''d assumed the employee bunks wouldn''t be so bad, so he felt it was worth it to grant Deon and Skrili the privacy they wouldn''t get anywhere else. But all the late-night conversing, and eventually, the snoring and farting had kept him wide awake for hours.


    And on top of that, they were as great a distance from the rest of Team Hiroko as possible.


    But Skrili''s room¨Cnow his¨Conly placed him a short walk away. He was even able to prepare himself a little breakfast with some of the food the crew had pre-stocked in the luxurious kitchen.


    Though more than anything else, what warmed Lammy''s heart was the sheer effort Skrili went through to make this possible.


    Just to reach him last night, she had to trek all the way down and across the ship and figure out which room was his¨Call in the dead of night. It must have taken quite a while.


    So when she poked her head in to find him far from asleep, it was the last thing he''d expected to see. She simply began gathering his things and instructed him to follow.


    And now, thanks to her, his head was clear enough to face the day.


    He remembered the warmth of her hand as she firmly, yet tenderly, guided him all the way up to the Team Hiroko hall in the dark¨Ccarrying his things for him the whole way. It mirrored the way she wouldn''t let go after rescuing him from the spikes in Azvaylen.


    Neither uttered a word the whole way up, but the silence was somehow natural¨Ceven calming.


    She may look serious all the time, Lammy noted, but she''s really sweet, huh?


    Oddly, the thought tugged at his heart a bit. If he already liked her so much, if she already fit in so seamlessly with Deon and Lammy''s friendship, why should he feel this hint of sadness?


    Savannah¡­


    When he first saw Deon with Skrili, he was far from surprised he''d already found a new girl. That was typical. But Lammy hadn''t expected Deon to already find love again.


    Perhaps he was just biased. Savannah had been there for their entire lives. She was an inextricable part of them even before she and Deon dated.


    And though he never said it, Lammy was really pulling for them to make it final. The entire town was.


    "He needs something that makes him grow up."


    Lammy remembered Savannah''s words just before he followed after Deon and fell into the Multiverse. That was the closest she''d ever gotten to explaining why she''d abruptly dumped his cousin.


    Was she right¡­? Lammy wondered. Is Skrili that ''something'' he needed?


    Now that he met her, he could certainly believe it.


    Perhaps that explained how Deon was already able to move on from Savannah¡­even while Lammy had still been quietly holding on to hope.


    Lammy sighed to ward off the oncoming headache. He decided he''d spent way too much time trying to grasp such otherworldly emotions unfit for a thirteen-year-old.


    I don''t get romance, he concluded.


    ~


    Thankfully, his wandering mind didn''t cause his steps to wander in the same manner. Repeating the directions to himself that Skrili had given him last night, he was on track to meet up with the others.


    It was time to and observe their first day of training.


    Despite the underlying circumstances for their real reason to train, a natural excitement coursed through Lammy. He was about to witness something spectacular, based on the last time he saw his friends unleash their abilities.


    All of the power between their types¡­all of the possibilities for unique team combos¡­


    And he still had yet to discover Otogi''s consciousness abilities and fighting skills.


    Lammy was already beginning to feel bad for the other Special Teams¨Cbut definitely not for Proscious.


    He reached a long, windowless hall of gold and began to wonder if he''d strolled too far to a random back area of the ship. But then he found a simple sliding door, no bigger than the one for his bedroom.


    Lammy entered the code Deon wrote down for him. Skids, footsteps, and voices echoed their way to his ears, and Lammy''s eyes shot wide.


    This had to be the biggest room in the ship, spanning probably its entire length.


    Motion caught Lammy''s attention towards the center of the room, and he watched as Phillip landed intensely from some sort of flip beside Deon. The Illusionist nearly fell, but Lammy noticed that would have caused no issue: they stood atop a cushioned red mat that stretched through the majority of the room''s middle.


    The rest of the team was spread out across the mat, with Skrili and Otogi discussing something on top of the customized "TH" logo in the middle, and Kotono receiving hydration from a group of three workers in black.


    In fact, those workers seemed to be everywhere. A line of them, at least a dozen, watched closely along the side of the mat, towels and bottles ready in many of their hands. Others were tinkering with unknown exercise machines at the far right of the room. They all wore identical caps.


    However, across from Otogi on the opposite side of the mat, several similar workers in white followed his every motion. They whispered and nodded to each other.


    Then he spotted a fourth analyzing a row of five machines along the left wall. The contraptions were like simple metallic closets, with a clear door through which a green light shone¨Ca shade identical to Kotono''s healing energy.


    A lot sure goes into this¡­Lammy realized.


    "Oh I''m sorry, champ, the complimentary breakfast is a floor above this one," came a hollow voice beside him.


    Lammy nearly jumped¨Capparently, he''d stepped right beside someone, but his enthrallment had blinded him from his immediate surroundings.


    The man''s pointed chin still faced the mat along with all of his focus, even as he spoke to Lammy. His arms were crossed seemingly by default, the balding in his yellow and blue hair speaking volumes to the nature of his work.


    "Oh¨CI''m actually where I want to be," Lammy explained.


    "That so?" The man''s almond eyes glanced down at him for only a split moment. "So you''re Deon''s little brother, then."


    "Uh¡­well, cousin."


    "It doesn''t matter. Maybe he''ll have time to play video games with you later. Right now, and for the rest of the day, he''s busy. Run along."


    The man still didn''t move in the slightest. As far as he was concerned, that was that.


    Over on the mat, Lammy noticed Phillip break into a sprint and launch into the air. A miniature wooden wall appeared in his path¨Cone of Deon''s creations. He touched off of it with one foot, and then used a swing of the other to spin backwards into a flip.


    But Phillip came down too horizontally, and he tumbled onto the mat.


    "Huh. Well that''s the angle Skrili likes," Deon explained, offering his hand and helping Phillip up.


    "We''ll try again," his dreary teammate assured.


    "Deon, imagine the wall two points lower, and one back. Phillip, do exactly what you did," instructed the man beside Lammy.


    "Sure, coach!"


    "It''s Mr. Truj."


    "Sure, Mr. Truj."


    Mr. Truj sneered at Deon''s exact copy of his monotone.


    But beside him, Lammy beamed.


    "Wait¨Cyou''re the team coach?" he asked, his intrigue cracking him from his discomfort.


    "Mhm."


    Suddenly, Lammy could practically see stars around the otherwise dull Mr. Truj.


    "Whoa¡­so there are coaches in this League?"


    "Clearly."


    "So you oversee all the team techniques, and strategies, and how they¨C"


    "Yes, yes! You''re not even supposed to be in here, kid. Shoo," Mr. Truj spat.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Back on the mat, Phillip jumped into the air again. Deon''s wall appeared at an altered angle, and this time, Phillip nailed the landing. He accepted a hearty high-five from Deon.


    Whoa¡­Mr. Truj was spot on, Lammy marveled.


    But as he scanned the length of the mats again and watched the rest of the team, he made a glaringly peculiar observation.


    "Wait¡­why don''t you have Deon and Skrili drilling together?" he asked.


    In the distance, Skrili glanced over her shoulder towards Deon. But Otogi''s ongoing words forced her to return her attention.


    "Simple. Their types aren''t very compatible," Mr. Truj said flatly. "The Imaginer/Illusionist combo is a very much tried-and-true pairing. So Deon with Phillip is the most logical call."


    "But¡­Deon and Skrili have been fighting together for a while," Lammy stressed. "I''ve seen a bit of their stuff in action, and it''s honestly really impress¨C"


    "I''m sure you''re more than familiar with the thousands of tweakable attack and defense possibilities between an Imaginer and Illusionist when pitted against decorated veteran fighters, then?" Mr. Truj interrupted. "Are my nearly three decades of coaching top-twenties teams not enough to convince you that, perhaps, I know what I''m doing?"


    He let out an exasperated puff of air, his crossed arms tightening.


    "Sorry, champ. The League is a different level than what you know. It''s not your mommy''s backyard. Run along."


    Lammy gulped. Given all he''d faced, this man was far from scary. But he couldn''t risk making things harder on Deon.


    So he clenched his jaw and stayed quiet.


    This coach is right¡­this stuff is a different level than what I know¨Cthan what we all know, he thought.


    The faces of the Proscious members, and their dreadful machine, returned to the front of his mind.


    This is a level way lower.


    He noticed a man jog up to Mr. Truj from the corner of the mats. He cocked his ear as the man muttered something, using a plethora of decorative hand gestures. Then, Mr Truj simply nodded.


    "Deon, try it again. But can you imagine something a little more eyecatching?" he inquired. "And Phillip: pose bigger on the landing."


    The consciousnesses glanced at each other and shrugged.


    "Uh¡­sure?" Deon said. "I''ll try."


    Huh? ''Eyecatching?'' Lammy pondered.


    He tried not to shake his head too obviously.


    Perhaps he could understand the desire for flair when these fights were about money and entertainment. But unlike Mr. Truj, he knew the real stakes.


    And if this was the extent of their approach with Pang''s life at risk, it felt like begging for another disaster.


    He turned his attention towards the other half of the mat, hoping he''d find enough assurance to offset his doubt.


    Kotono simply stood just as before, her eyes cloudy. But in the center of the mat, Skrili readied herself while Otogi focused between her and Kotono.


    Then, somehow, golden light began glowing around Skrili''s arms. And as it increased, Lammy realized it wasn''t just light:


    It looked like the exact same energy as Kotono''s powers.


    Skrili moved her arms around in careful observation, and then threw a few quick punches. There was no mistake now: that was Kotono¡¯s power.


    "Huh?!" Lammy gasped. "How?!"


    "That has you stumped? Otogi is a Sharer, obviously," Mr. Truj grumbled. "If you didn''t even know that, you really don''t belong in this room with us¡­"


    If Mr. Truj had told him to ''shoo'' again, Lammy was too captivated to notice.


    Skrili focused hard, until she was able to transfer the energy from her arms to her legs and feet. Beside her, Otogi simply smiled.


    So he''s like a Manipulator¡­Lammy analyzed, but instead of copying a person''s powers for himself, he can give them to someone else?


    Doorways burst open in Lammy''s mind left and right, and behind them were nothing but sparkling potential. Calculating all five types before him, he couldn''t even begin to compile all these new ideas popping up in his head.


    Factoring in Otogi''s powers, Team Hiroko''s already tremendous strength had just entered a new world of possibilities.


    He fought hard to spare Mr. Truj from a list of suggestions. But he couldn''t hold all his excitement in.


    "So awesome!!"


    Mr. Truj sneered to himself.


    Skrili turned to notice Lammy and gave a smile. Still glowing gold, she returned to her task and lowered into a running position.


    "Ready, Kotono?" Otogi called over.


    Her gaze seemed to wander emptily, until she noticed her teammates'' sharp attention on her.


    "Um¡­ready?" Skrili double-checked a bit softer.


    Kotono''s nod was almost undetectable.


    With obvious reluctance, Skrili darted her way.


    "Don''t hold back! She can block it!" Mr. Truj insisted.


    After his words, the glowing energy burst brighter around Skrili''s legs. And with it, her speed doubled. The cutting crackles from the sparks forced Deon and Phillip to pause their drills and watch on.


    Skrili shot into the air, and Lammy''s eyes widened still as the energy''s force carried her much farther than gravity alone would allow.


    "Here I come!"


    Nearing Kotono, she positioned into a blazing kick.


    Lammy''s heart skipped. Good thing Kotono''s powers will protect¨C


    His next observation turned his assurance into panic.


    Hardly any energy formed around Kotono to deflect the incoming strike¨Cjust a hint of gray light, like fog, that removed the color from her training outfit.


    And just as Skrili closed in, it dissipated.


    "Wait!" Otogi shouted.


    It seemed Skrili detected the problem just as swiftly. Right before making contact, she managed to rotate. She wrapped her arms around Kotono to prevent a collision, and the teammates tumbled across the mat.


    The entire gym went silent. Black-hatted assistants raced to Kotono and Skrili, but they stopped when both fighters sat up unscathed.


    Skrili and Kotono helped each other to their feet, quiet apologies bouncing off of each other. But after a hushed exchange, it appeared Skrili''s kindness triumphed. She held Kotono around her shoulders and guided her towards the edge of the mats.


    Mr. Truj took a sudden step forward, about to protest. But he bit his lip. "Fine. Kotono, take five."


    Turning his back to the mats, Mr. Truj shook his head. Lammy could almost see a string of hypothetical defeats playing out in the coach''s eyes.


    "What was that¡­?" Mr. Truj muttered to himself. "Gray¡­?"


    "Kotono''s powers¨C" Lammy started.


    "I wasn''t asking you¨C"


    "Kotono''s powers changed," Lammy persisted, "after she lost Hiroko."


    He almost kept silent as he''d planned, but it spilled out. And once it did, he felt no regret¨Ceven when Mr. Truj inched closer, his frown turning from annoyance to anger.


    "Watch your mouth. The whole agency lost Hiroko," he grumbled. "And I''ve worked with Kotono since well before they met. I know how her powers work better than anyone, even her."


    "Not anymore," Lammy said. "They''ve changed."


    He remembered her demeanor outside Volona''s offices.


    "And I think she''s changed."


    At first Lammy wasn''t sure where this combative nature was coming from. He had no doubt Mr. Truj harbored much more consciousness wisdom than him. And clearly, this didn''t seem to be helping to ease the tension as a vein stuck out in Mr. Truj''s forehead.


    But Lammy saw the gaping hole in his understanding. And he couldn''t let that go unacknowledged¨Cnot with what it might cost Pang.


    "Her powers are based on her emotions, right?" Lammy emphasized. "I think you should focus on understanding how they''re different now, and maybe what she needs because of that. However things were when you trained her before, I don''t think it can be the same."


    He kept his words even, hoping his suggestion would come across in good faith instead of argumentative.


    But perhaps that intent had the reverse effect.


    Mr. Truj''s arms finally separated. He raised one hand out and pointed squarely to the door.


    "One more word from you, snotty brat," he seethed, "and I¨C"


    "...need your blessing!!"


    Out of nowhere, a puff of orange hair burst between them. Lammy almost fell over.


    Volona now stood directly before Mr. Truj, a desperate hand on his shoulder and the fabric of her frilly dress brushing Lammy''s face.


    Why does she need to be here¡­? wondered Lammy.


    "No," Mr. Truj said plainly before even entertaining her request.


    "Please! I just want to see how the new skirt flows when she''s hovering!" Volona begged. "Look!"


    She held up a light, breathable dress similar in style to the ones Lammy had seen Kotono wear at the Conscious Competition.


    "Do it later."


    "She''s taking five, right?" Volona pointed out. "Please, Mr. Truj!"


    "Fine, fine! Be fast," he caved. "I already have enough people intruding on my work¡­"


    Volona followed his eyes, and turned to notice Lammy.


    "Ah! Adorable!" she beamed. "Mr. Stutter''s little brother! Danny!"


    "Cousin. Lammy," he said tiredly, wiping cotton off of his tongue.


    She didn''t appear to listen, because all of her attention fell to his attire. "My boy, if you choose to wear jewelry, you should never keep it hidden!"


    Jewelry?


    On his behalf, Volona leaned down and lifted the silvery chain around his neck. In one swift move, she unveiled the rest of the necklace Layla had given him¨Cher ''royal engagement necklace,'' as Zayza later described.


    "Ooh! It''s refined! Elegant! What is this?" Volona inquired.


    Lammy felt his entire face flush.


    "Uh¡­just a gift¡­"


    Volona cupped the pink jewel at the bottom into her hands.


    "This stone is just¡­oh?!"


    To Lammy''s shock, a pink ray burst out from the stone. The light enveloped Volona, lifted her off of her feet, and tossed her back. She thumped onto her behind up against the mats, her hair falling out of shape.


    The rays dissipated, making Lammy''s view of Volona, Mr. Truj, and the nearest assistants staring at him all the more vivid.


    Lammy swallowed hard.


    "Uh¡­I¨C"


    "YOU NEED TO GO," boomed Mr. Truj.


    "That''s what I was gonna say¡­" Lammy stammered, scrambling backwards. He found the door and practically sprinted out of the gym.


    What was THAT about?! Lammy''s mind stormed. He cupped the necklace to prevent more damage as he scurried down the empty hall.


    Layla, what the heck did you give me? A weapon?! Now I really am causing problems¡­


    His body went heavy at the thought.


    Of all times, why did I have to run my mouth for once? Should I have just stayed quiet and watched?


    When he''d walked in to see Deon training back there, for a moment, he felt like they were in the Tailpiece fields again.


    But this place was different. Colder.


    Perhaps he''d overestimated his own importance.


    "Noble Lammy?"


    "AH!"


    Lammy tripped on himself and stumbled to the floor.


    That unmistakable voice came directly into his mind. He looked around, but aligning with logic, the small Queen was nowhere in sight.


    "Uh¡­Layla?"


    "Noble Lammy¡­how pleasant it is to hear your voice again," she said.


    Lammy''s blush immediately returned. Her voice felt so close. And it was just as delighted as it was hushed, unlike her harder formal speech he''d grown used to.


    "You called for me? Are you well?"


    "Called for¡­?" Lammy pondered aloud. "Uh¡­Layla¡­what exactly does this necklace do¡­?"


    "Its magic connects us even when we''re apart," came her poetic reply. "And it guards your heart from the prying will of other maidens."


    The WHAT?!?!


    Lammy slapped his hand to his forehead.


    "Uh¡­I think it might have made a misjudgment¡­" he uttered. "But¡­don''t worry, I''m okay."


    "Good. How I wish I had the time to tap into the enchantment deeper so we could see each other''s faces," Layla lamented, "but I''m afraid my duties beckon. Fewpar has encountered a gang of Proscious loyalists. I must see to it."


    Oh yeah¡­Lammy recalled. There must be so much more for them to work through back there¡­


    "Got it," he said. "Be safe, Layla."


    "You as well, my Noble Lammy. And if your journeys bring you beyond Fantasy Country, please call out again before you cross realities."


    Her voice began to fade.


    "Farewell¡­"


    Lammy sat in place, the heat in his face remaining. Her demeanor was so much more tender than when they''d last spoken.


    Well¡­in her mind, we are engaged now, he figured. Lammy shook his head.


    I don''t get romance.


    But as he sat on the hallway floor, his thoughts returning to his encounter with Mr. Truj, they also never left the Queen.


    Here he was, sulking against a wall when she found him. Meanwhile she was not only ruling an entire turbulent nation, but fighting to recover its former peace.


    Layla was only a year older than him. She didn''t ask for this responsibility, just as he didn''t ask for this life he''d fallen into. And she was more physically fragile than him. But Layla was owning her circumstances, and dishing out everything she had.


    She''d already overcome a nearly unbeatable evil.


    And wait¡­so did I.


    A new fire in his bones, Lammy climbed back to his feet. He touched the triangle tattoo on his cheek.


    It doesn''t matter how young we are. We''re guardians just like the others. So if Layla can do this¡­


    So can I.


    Lammy faced the closed gym door, and pointed to it just like Mr. Truj did to make him leave.


    I''m not caving, he swore to his unseen rival. I know what Team Hiroko can do, and I''ll help make it happen.


    He smiled to himself.


    Thanks, Layla.


    As he stormed off, thoughts of her elder sister flooded his mind, as well, and all they outlasted together.


    Now, Zayza was facing her own trial in the desert of Hidakala. And whatever she was sensing there, it was too dangerous to tell Kotono.


    All three of us have our wars to win, he recognized.


    But none of us are alone.


    Lammy powered ahead. Endless strategies now swirling through his thoughts, he headed for his room to start bringing them to life.

 131. The Edge

    Zayza''s senses faded in slowly. Something soft cooled her forehead.


    Like combing through a dark room, her mind shuffled to recall her whereabouts. Was it morning? What was her most recent recollection?


    That''s right¡­


    The light blue memory orb.


    No¨Cmemory triangle.


    She could replay Hiroko''s words clearly, as if her fallen friend was here with her now:


    "If anything, I still think love can carry on after we die. What do you think?"


    But it sounded like it had come from her own mouth¨Cas if in the memory, she was Hiroko.


    She tried to gather herself again. If that discovery was the last thing she could remember, that last placed her in the Dream World. Which meant now, she was awake.


    But¡­why did I go into the Dream World in the first place¡­?


    All at once, it came back. Zayza''s eyes burst open.


    She gasped, rushing to sit up¨Cbut a coarse hand immediately guided her back down.


    "Not yet, young light-skin," someone insisted with a patient laugh.


    Zayza watched the same hand replace the towel on her forehead with another colder, wetter one. She was grateful this person had stopped her¨Cshe had already grown dizzy from that minor motion alone.


    "She is conscious," she heard her apparent caretaker call over to someone.


    "Thank the Gods¡­"


    Zayza knew that voice. She turned her head to follow it immediately, ignoring the ensuing spin in her vision.


    "Hiro¡­?"


    But when her sight recovered, her heartbeat calmed again.


    "...chota," she finished. "Ma''am¡­"


    Hirochota crouched over her, relief flooding her eyes, and towering over them both sat Chiwawo beside her.


    Right¡­what was I thinking?


    Zayza attempted to sit again, and this time, the caretaking hands supported her up. She met the woman''s face to find an old, nearly toothless smile, with white freckles around her shaking jaw.


    Chiwawo leaned closer. "Princess¡­uh¡­welcome back," he greeted guiltily. He reached over her and retrieved a roll of bread.


    But before he could hand it to her, the old lady''s hand swooped in to snatch it away, replacing it just as smoothly with another softer roll.


    Zayza gazed at them all, awkwardly accepting the nourishment. The fabric of a tent was behind them, featuring a different pattern than the one she''d slept in the night before. Daylight shone brightly from its flap, but they all sat out of its reach within the shade.


    Attempting to gather herself, Zayza opened her mouth to apologize. But somehow, the attempt left her winded.


    Why am I breathing so heavily? she wondered.


    Bringing a hand to her face, her cheeks felt like they were on fire.


    "You frightened us quite a bit," Hirochota said. "You broke into a horrible fever."


    "Mm. It''s finally going down," assured the old woman. "Eat."


    She nudged Zayza''s bread-filled hand closer to her mouth. Arms shaking, Zayza took a bite.


    "Look at the poor thing, Chiwawo," Hirochota chastised. "I told you to give her the skin cream!"


    "I did, Mother."


    "Did you apply it correctly?"


    "Did I apply it?! I''m not going to invade an outsider''s privacy like that!"


    "Silliness¡­a big boulder of a man, but too shy to even touch a beautiful woman¨C"


    "It wasn''t the skin cream, Mother!"


    "He''s right."


    The mother and son finally paused their bickering. They returned their eyes to Zayza.


    "This was my fault. I didn''t take care of myself before the hike," she said. "I''m¡­sorry to cause you this much trouble already."


    Hirochota''s eyebrows furrowed. "Hike?" she repeated. "To where?"


    Chiwawo seemed to squirm. "The princess is mistaken. It wasn''t her fault, it was only mine."


    "To WHERE, Chiwawo?"


    He had already begun inching away bit by bit. "Just¡­to the Curving Peak."


    "WHAT?! THAT FAR?!"


    Faster than Chiwawo could dodge, he found himself drenched in a splash of water from the bowl his mother splattered on him.


    "Are you trying to kill her, boy?! Go away and find your brain!"


    Chiwawo had already broken into a retreat for the tent flap. But he paused and turned back to Zayza for a moment.


    "Princess¡­uh, sor¨C"


    A piece of bread bounced against his face.


    "Let her rest! Go away, my boy!"


    He wandered off, some of the crumbs settling in his purple curls.


    Zayza sat stiffly in the ensuing silence, unsure how to react appropriately.


    "Eat, eat."


    The nurse nudged the bread near her mouth again, only adding to her discomfort. But denying would simply garner more attention, so Zayza took a bite.


    Beside her, Hirochota shook her head.


    "I give him one task. One task: just look after this lovely young woman," she said, seemingly to herself. "And he immediately puts her through the most difficult climb in the region."


    Well¡­I almost made it¡­Zayza told herself a bit begrudgingly. If only I had eaten something, he''d be surprised what an Azvaylen princess can handle.


    She remembered his almost teasing tone when he offered to take her. But then, the sober intent she saw on his face had triggered her intrigue.


    "He said he wanted to show me something up there," Zayza shared. "Do you know what that was supposed to be?"


    Hirochota and the old lady exchanged knowing glances.


    "That Chiwawo¡­" the lady snickered.


    "Softest heart," started Hirochota.


    "But the thickest skull," they finished together, Hirochota''s fond smile finally returning.


    Though they didn''t answer her, Zayza couldn''t help but let out a laugh at their reaction. While the heat in her face was weakening, her heart warmed.


    "If that''s the case, he really is Hiroko''s brother¡­" she commented.


    The women nodded. But though their smiles remained, something in their softening gazes spiked Zayza''s concern. At first she''d wondered if she shouldn''t have mentioned Hiroko again so soon.


    But she could tell that wasn''t the real issue. Their eyes peered straight through Zayza, revealing they''d seen something in her that she wasn''t aware of.


    "Eat, my child."


    Hirochota said it this time, so gentle it was almost a whisper. With those words, Zayza realized their concern wasn''t just for her physical state.


    What¡­happened?


    ~


    Only after she successfully finished two rolls and a bowl of water did Hirochota and the elder woman allow Zayza to wash up and leave the tent.


    She was still a bit shaky as she stepped outside, but nowhere near as unsteady as she''d been when they neared the ''Curving Peak,'' as Chiwawo had called it.


    Zayza could see it from here: the largest hill overlooked Hidakala from a great distance. With the sun still blazing against the sand, she had no idea how much time had passed from the tip of the dune to now.


    "I''m glad you are on your feet, Princess."


    "Oh!"


    Zayza twirled around, hand on her restarting heart as she turned to the face of the tent, where Chiwawo stood tall.


    He scratched his head. "I''m sorry. That''s the second time I''ve startled you now."


    "No, it''s alright¡­" Zayza breathed. "I thought you went away."


    "It is my responsibility to watch over you," Chiwawo explained evenly, but his eyes lowered along with a sigh. "And so far I''ve only failed. Princess¡­I''m sorry I put you through such a challenge so quickly."


    Zayza''s gaze found the Curving Peak again. The village had appeared so tiny from up there.


    "How did I get all the way back here?" she questioned.


    "I carried you, of course," said Chiwawo plainly.


    "All the way back?"


    "Easily," he confirmed. "You are much too light, Princess. If you want to live well in Hidakala, you will have to grow your muscles."


    Zayza pouted. "Well¡­thank you," she mumbled.


    Then, she took a decisive step forward from the tent.


    "Where are you off to?"


    "Building muscle requires exercise, no?" Zayza called back. "Whatever you wanted to show me up there, I accept your challenge again."


    She didn''t get very far before she felt a massive hand rest on her shoulder to keep her in place.


    "Oh, no you don''t. Not today," Chiwawo stressed.


    The village before her rocked around in her vision for a split second. She refused to reply, but she knew he was right.


    Chiwawo stepped around her to face her again. "If you''d like to learn of Hidakala, let me take you somewhere much easier. We''ll start at the edge."


    "Of your borders?" Zayza guessed.


    Chiwawo began leading the way, heading in a direction opposite to all the distant sandy hills.


    "Of our history," he replied.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ~


    Soon enough, it became clear where Chiwawo intended to bring her. And this time, thankfully, it didn''t require any uphill treks. Actually, the ground began lowering into a subtle decline.


    As they passed by the final tent before the lake, the sand flattened and dampened under her feet. The sun''s reflection against the water met Zayza''s face.


    Just the same, it highlighted Chiwawo''s toned form. And he stayed much closer to her this time than their last trip, making it all the more clear.


    He said it was easy, Zayza thought, but carrying someone for such a distance is no simple feat¡­


    The sky tinted the slightest bit orange, only beginning to approach the desert horizon.


    And if it''s still this light out, he must have moved incredibly fast.


    Chiwawo neared the very center of the shore, which spanned beyond the width of the village on both sides. Much like the flock of four-legged ostriches Zayza noticed lingering along the adjacent shore, Chiwawo lowered to the sand and allowed the trickling waves to reach his toes.


    Zayza joined him, eager for the opportunity not to stand for another while. The serenity of Lake Hirokyauta flooded her senses from all around. With nothing more than the occasional splash of fish or the birds hunting them, it managed to hush the busy noises of the village. She watched the water reach her feet and brush away the mud and sand.


    Surrounded by nothing but Mainland Desert, this manufactured body of water hardly looked like it belonged. And yet, that added to its spectacle.


    "It''s¡­just gorgeous," Zayza said, escaping her mesmeric state when she remembered she had company.


    "It''s the only reason this habitat can survive," Chiwawo shared. "When they finished the lake¨Cenough for us to start coming back, I mean¡­it was almost like Hirokyauta had come home to us."


    He stared further into the waves. "So I would spend hours here every day," he said. "Even now. I came and sat here after the Mourning Ritual until sunrise, before Mother found me and asked me to look after you."


    Chiwawo''s icy eyes turned to her, but for a moment, he fell wordless. By the time Zayza noticed, he glanced away.


    "I''m beginning to understand why it took so long for Hirokyauta to connect with us again," he said softly. "She found a new family of outsiders. And, clearly, that family knew how precious she was."


    Zayza wondered if he was reflecting on what he''d seen at the Mourning Ritual. But it happened again: he wore that same expression she''d received from Hirochota and the nurse back in the tent.


    Did I¡­do something?


    "After your fever started earlier," he said, "you kept calling for Hirokyauta in your sleep. Like you were trying to find her."


    Zayza blushed.


    Then in an instant, his words flashed her thoughts to the Dream World.


    Flying from field to field, and mountain to mountain¡­


    Calling across the sky¡­


    She finally remembered: after she received that memory triangle, she''d spent the rest of her time in search of Hiroko.


    It felt illogical now, but¡­after that triangle joined her mind, she could hear Hiroko''s voice. She knew she could.


    And she could replay it over and over, just like one of her own memories¡­even though it was from Hiroko''s perspective.


    How could that have happened?


    And¡­


    She watched the water''s reflection deepen as the day grew older.


    ¡­Are there more?


    "To be honest¡­you made me realize I''m doing the same thing¡­searching in empty air," Chiwawo said. "I think that''s why I spend so much time on this shore. It feels like her soul rests here¡­even though I know it''s gone."


    "It''s not."


    Zayza immediately wished she''d held her tongue. But that must have been all over her face, because Chiwawo only gave a forgiving smile.


    "You have much to learn about the Hidakalan faith, Princess," was all he said.


    She knew that fact alone was true, but she doubted he''d point out her ignorance if he knew what she saw.


    ¡­If he knew of the gift she''d received.


    No. I can''t tell him.


    Chiwawo swiftly wiped his eyes before Zayza could even notice any tears.


    It was the same reason she refused to tell Kotono, or the village, when she felt the initial aura: she still had no grasp on what this was. Its hidden truth had just as much propensity to cause harm as healing.


    Why should she risk giving them empty hope? What if no meaning came from this phenomenon?


    And why should they even believe something so unbelievable?


    No. If I ever plan on telling them what happened, Zayza resolved, I have to investigate deeper first.


    For their sake.


    She allowed herself to hear Hiroko''s memory once more. Her heart fluttered.


    ¡­And for mine.


    "I will admit, though, the course of Hirokyauta''s life makes me wonder what the Gods below have planned," Chiwawo told her. "That is why I see this lake as the edge of our history. It''s just as much a crossroads as a lake."


    "How so?"


    "Hidakala followed custom and denounced Hirokyauta when she left. And yet¡­what she accomplished despite our rejection¡­what she cultivated for us only by leaving our way¡­it''s the only reason our home is still here."


    He raised a hand out to point far across the lake. Vaguely, Zayza could see tan tents much more angular than the Hidakalan ones, and people walking amongst them in light clothing.


    "We now share a crucial resource with a people who have been our enemy many times in the past," he said. "We have welcomed outsiders to work on our sands. And now, one even lives among us. If this is of the Gods¡­then it is territory they''ve never brought us to before. It is against tradition."


    Zayza stiffened, looking down at her body in her second new Hidakalan dress.


    "How¡­do you feel about that?" she decided to ask.


    Chiwawo met her gaze again, his expression a mystery.


    "I think I''ll know soon enough," he said.


    Chiwawo stood, some of the water splashing Zayza''s ankles. "You will need more clothing. And skin cream, so my mother doesn''t throw more bread at me. Let''s head back, Princess."


    She rose to her feet after him, surprised at her returning balance and focus. As they began their way back into the village, Zayza found herself staring at the tip of the Curving Peak in the distance.


    It wasn''t much more than a muffled blur now, but she remembered a glimpse of strange visions from when she was fainting.


    ¡­And only a moment later, she''d found herself before that memory triangle.


    Was that all¡­connected, somehow?


    ~


    Zayza let herself sink onto the blanket of her tent, the sand embracing every corner of her form.


    The night chill still lingered for now, as Chiwawo had only just taught her how to use a special flint to light the embers in the middle of the tent moments ago. She did her best to observe, but had a feeling she''d need to ask for help again tomorrow.


    Unlike his elder sister, he''d seemed so stiff in a confined area with her, even for only a few minutes.


    She thought back to Hirochota''s comment earlier¨Cit was a bit silly that a man like him would be so uneasy near a woman, but she wondered if that was what it really was.


    I am an ''outsider,'' after all, Zayza pointed out to herself.


    While the tent gradually warmed, soothing her tired limbs, her mind wandered back to Lake Hirokyauta. It evaded her how a body of water could maintain harmony between two peoples who had been enemies before.


    She wished it could have been the same for the sea separating Azvaylen and Huksd¨¹r back home. So many fruitless wars could have been prevented.


    But unlike her home reality, the Hidakalans and their rival clan lost everything before gaining the lake. Perhaps that was why Azvaylen and Hukd¨¹r didn''t choose peace¨Cthey were unable to realize the blessing between them, since it had always been there.


    If they had, perhaps the Royal Family would have never turned to Proscious'' hand.


    Her thoughts gradually grew hypothetical, picturing a Lanmuraarch Reality with the gift of Lake Hirokyauta instead of the Azvaylen Sea¡­


    ~


    Zayza opened her eyes, an invisible force gently lowering her feet into the Dream World grass.


    I drifted off, she noted, thankful for the embers'' comfort.


    Her memory cave was behind her, as was normal when she''d fall asleep naturally. But she sensed something different coming from within it.


    Zayza turned to the humble hollow, the purple glow of her memories inside it shining against her. But there was a hint of light blue, as well: matching the shade of Hiroko''s eyes, the memory triangle from before rested at the front.


    Then it really is like a Dreamer''s memory¡­Zayza confirmed.


    Her heart leaped.


    So¡­does that mean there could really be¡­


    Something compelled her to turn back around.


    ¡­More?!


    The river and field that had been before her an instant ago were gone. In their place was rainbowy sand leading to a lake.


    Its water glistened as if it was under the Mainland Desert sun.


    Zayza gasped. She was more than familiar with the Dream World''s tendency to mirror places, thoughts, and phenomenon she''d experienced that day in the waking world. It was mysteriously connected to every Dreamer''s mind, and it always had been.


    Her surprise came not from the lake itself, but from what floated just above it in the very center:


    Another triangle.


    Zayza rose into the air and flew forward, her green dress waving as she accelerated.


    She could feel it more and more, the closer she came.


    She could feel Hiroko.


    But she began noticing her speed decrease. It didn''t add up: she was certain she was emitting enough energy from her Dreamer body.


    Her answer came with an increasing gust of wind. It pulled at her, as if trying to drag her back.


    The waves below intensified.


    Struggling to both look and fly forward, Zayza realized the water had begun shifting below the glowing triangle. It took on a pattern, spiraling faster and faster.


    Within moments, a whirlpool opened up beneath it.


    Its speed increased just as the wind was tugging harder. Zayza watched, nearly at a standstill, as it opened up into an abyss.


    Thunder rumbled above.


    Zayza wasn''t sure how she expected what was about to happen¨Cperhaps it was her experience with her own memory orbs¨Cbut the notion compelled her to summon nearly everything she had.


    And as she did, the triangle began plummeting into the whirlpool''s void.


    "Wait!"


    Zayza fired green energy from her hands and feet, rocketing forward once more. But at this point, the only successful angle she could take would launch her straight into the whirlpool''s mouth.


    She braced herself and dove, arms outreached to the descending triangle. The watery walls cut out the outside light, so its glow became all she could see.


    Almost¡­


    Zayza crashed into the triangle and embraced it in a spin, slowing herself in the air. But above, the thunder increased.


    No¨Cit wasn''t thunder.


    The monstrous eye of the whirlpool began closing. The spinning walls caved in. Zayza braced herself and blinked slowly in preparation to teleport.


    But then, the triangle''s glow intensified within her grasp. It broke free, rising to her head.


    No! Not yet! Zayza pleaded. I can''t afford to pause¨C


    It pounced forward into her forehead, and vanished with a flash.


    "You must seek if your calling is truly of the Gods below."


    The waves crashed into Zayza from all around. A current sucked her in.


    She tossed at the mercy of the lake''s force, her eyes slammed shut. But she couldn''t feel the pressure of its weight.


    ¡­Nor did her body feel wet.


    An unfamiliar presence urged Zayza to reopen her eyes, and she found her vision unhindered.


    She gasped at the shadowy figure before her, and only then, realized she''d been breathing since the whirlpool collapsed.


    A Hidakalan man sat within the waves, their movements obscuring anything definitive about his features or form.


    "But how would I know?"


    She heard Hiroko''s voice like it had come from her own mouth.


    "When the choices affecting your future are uncertain, you must reconcile them with your past¨Cwith OUR past," came the man''s voice.


    Though Zayza couldn''t see his eyes evenly, she could feel his stare.


    "This may be uncharted territory¡­But nonetheless, the truth you seek is in our way. In our history¡­"


    As the man faded before her, Zayza could feel Hiroko''s doubt. But she could no longer tell if his words were meant for Hiroko¡­or for her.


    The lake calmed. Zayza took one more breath and blinked sleepily, welcoming the abrupt sense of nothingness.


    Then, in response, she found herself at the rainbowy shore once more.


    Though she was away from danger now, watching the serene waves, her heart pounded even harder than before.


    Unlike the first triangle, she now hosted a memory she had never even been present for. It was undeniable:


    These were Hiroko''s memories, locked away in the Dream World.


    Zayza sank into the sand, the sky''s ever-changing shade high above.


    Could this mean there were even more to find?


    And¡­what would it mean to find them all?


    She played back this new glimpse into Hiroko''s life.


    "...The truth you seek is in our way. In our history."


    This man was speaking to Hiroko, and yet¡­


    The vague visions at the Curving Peak¡­


    Lake Hirokyauta¡­


    The memory triangles had appeared after both of those encounters.


    That must be it.


    Zayza stood, certainty flooding her every inch. She knew the next move: had to piece Hiroko''s memories together, just as she had done for herself.


    And now, she held the lamp to light her way. The faceless man''s past guidance made it clear:


    If she discovered more about Hidakala, she might summon more memories.


    And perhaps, she prayed, she would summon the answer.

 132. Dont Get It Twisted

    Pang braced herself atop the fighting platform, right around where Benton had punched a crater into the floor yesterday. It had already been repaired overnight¡ªthough Pang had a feeling he was about to create the same exact damage again, or worse.


    And this time, she would be his target.


    ¡°Hey! What the¡­what in God¡¯s good Multiverse is this?¡± he pressed.


    Pang watched, ready to spring into defense, as Benton drew close to Irma and peered at her neck with paralyzing focus. Pang knew the source of his concern would be revealed in a moment.


    A fight she probably couldn¡¯t win was upon her.


    But Irma stood quietly and watched as he observed the blotches of purple and blue on her neck. She winced a bit when he touched one of the bruises.


    ¡°How did you get these, Irma? Who did this?¡±


    Here it comes¡­Pang knew.


    But it seemed Benton had found an answer already. Shaking his head in equal parts disappointment and disapproval, he stepped back a bit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± he pleaded. ¡°Not the tall guy again.¡±


    To Pang¡¯s puzzlement, Irma shrugged in dispassionate confirmation.


    ¡°Irma, I thought you called it off!¡± Benton stressed. ¡°That fella¡¯s bad news! And he clearly don¡¯t respect ¡®ya if y¡¯all are doin¡¯ that sorta stuff.¡±


    ¡°It was just a one-night thing,¡± Irma promised. ¡°I ended it with him for real this time.¡±


    ¡°You swear? I better not spot no more bruises on you.¡±


    ¡°I swear,¡± Irma said calmly. ¡°But my problem with him was that he wasn¡¯t crazy enough.¡±


    ¡°Irma!¡± Benton paced away to gather himself. ¡°I can¡¯t with you, girl¡­¡±


    But she simply laughed. ¡°You¡¯re too old-fashioned, you grandpa.¡±


    What is she doing¡­? Pang wondered. I gave her those.


    While Benton¡¯s back was still turned, Irma snuck a glance at Pang. Her mouth curled into the slightest smile¡ªa soft, relieved one.


    For a split moment, Pang could almost smell the fruity scent in Irma¡¯s hair again like she did when her tears had soaked into its multicolored strands last night.


    She could feel the rising and falling of Irma¡¯s sobs.


    I guess she¡¯s not just a stupid puppet like I thought, Pang thought. It makes sense now: she¡¯s exactly like me.


    We both had to do horrible things, and now we both have to live with it somehow.


    Pang¡¯s eyes lingered on the bruises she caused in her fit of strangulation last night after Irma broke the news.


    Then that¡¯s why she¡¯s saving my skin right now, she knew. She gets it¡­she knows what it feels like¡­


    ¡­That¡¯s why she tried to let me kill her.


    ¡­And that¡¯s why I refused to.


    Before Pang knew what she was doing, she returned a quick smile of thanks. She wasn¡¯t ready for the softness in her chest that ensued with their shared moment.


    It blended with regret to form a dizzying fog in her head.


    Crap¡­I shouldn¡¯t have let her see me like that last night. She shouldn¡¯t have let me see her like that, either.


    This isn¡¯t good¡­


    Now I don¡¯t know if I can hate her.


    Benton herded Aoi, who had been off in the corner staring at them emptily, over so they could begin the session. Pang¡¯s attention remained on Irma as they positioned side-by-side.


    This team helped kill Hiroko¡ªmy idol. And Irma was a part of that, she reminded herself. I don¡¯t care if she wasn¡¯t there when it happened¡­if that¡¯s true. I have to hold onto that fact with everything I have.


    But at the same time¡­maybe it¡¯s not a bad thing if she knows I understand her, she realized. I¡¯m¡­on my own again, after all.


    Skrili. Phillip. Deon. Kotono.


    Their faces flashed in her head.


    They moved on. So I¡¯m gonna need every piece of leverage over these guys I can get to bust out of here, she decided. I¡¯m just making these guys think I¡¯m on their side, and that¡¯s all.


    So¡­it¡¯s okay to feel this.


    ¡°Hey, ready for another chance?¡± Irma asked her. ¡°You know¡­like I promised?¡±


    Again, Pang¡¯s heart fluttered.


    ¡°Definitely.¡±


    She just means another chance at dealing with their power-switching thing, and that¡¯s all, she half-convinced herself. That¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll help me escape.


    ¡­And go where? Escape to who?


    She blinked to shake out of her spiraling thoughts.


    To¡­my life, of course¡­


    ~


    The city walkways were calm under the streetlights that had just flickered to life above Pang and Irma. It was especially quiet along this particular road, on the outskirts of the densest part of the island.


    Pang looked out to the more open land, an area she had yet to visit. There were unmarked facilities spaced out in the distance before the ring of empty flooring at the edge of the floating campus. But before them, just beyond the city area, was a simple park.


    She spotted someone doing yoga in the grass. Like a trigger, it sent her thoughts back to her training today.


    ¡®Calm your mind.¡¯


    It turned out Irma¡¯s idea was right: when Pang was able to hush her thoughts and focus only on either Irma or Benton before they switched powers, the stabbing in her pain wasn¡¯t nearly as harsh. It certainly still hurt, but it seemed they were finally onto something.


    As she tried to celebrate the progress in her head, she couldn¡¯t help thinking of Irma¡¯s two-handed high-five upon uncovering this revelation.


    Pang watched Irma quietly lead the way back towards the apartment, and pity set in.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Don¡¯t get it twisted, she thought. I¡¯m only doing this to beat you.


    A repetitive, nearly rhythmic pattering caught her attention from nearby. Its echo bounced off the wall of the building they¡¯d begun walking along. Pang noticed they were about to pass by a series of fenced in patterns of concrete where two individuals were running back and forth. The sections were all painted the same way, with distinct and symmetrical lines and wide nets perfectly in the center.


    The two people held some sort of stringed bats, with which they were hitting a neon ball back and forth at each other over one of the nets.


    Pang watched their distinct, rehearsed motions. It seemed nearly as much strategy and form went into this sport as fighting.


    ¡°What do you want for dinner tonight?¡± Irma suddenly asked.


    ¡°Huh? I thought you said you were trying the lasagna recipe again.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­oh yeah,¡± replied Irma unevenly.


    Pang watched her with narrowing eyes. Now that they were across the street from the racket sport, Irma¡¯s head had turned away from it. She opted to stare at the building wall instead.


    But given the wall¡¯s distinct lack of features, her sudden interest in it made no sense.


    ¡°Hey, what is that called?¡± Pang decided to ask.


    Irma said nothing, so she tried again.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That over there, obviously,¡± Pang prodded. ¡°What sport are those people playing?¡±


    As if she¡¯d been asked to stare into the sun, she rapidly turned her eyes across the street and then averted them again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said simply.


    Over at the court, the two players met in the middle to touch rackets, and then shake hands, laughing and teasing all the while.


    Pang crossed her arms and watched Irma continue to ignore their existence.


    Weird¡­


    ~~~


    ¡°Y¡¯all hear?¡± Benton checked, his mouth still half-full of a chicken wing. ¡°They¡¯re gonna start figurin¡¯ out who our next team leader will be.¡±


    Pang and Irma stared at him almost as blankly as Aoi over the lunch-covered table. The food court¡¯s cluttered conversations took the place of their silence, until Benton sighed.


    ¡°You check your SquadScreens? They messaged us.¡±


    Pang glanced at the new watch on her wrist. She would have picked out a device that more closely resembled a TeamTrack, but when Irma brought her to the store this morning she insisted on the ¡®SquadScreen¡¯ watch: once they were out on missions, it would be much less of a pain to travel with.


    Considering it came with the job as part of an ¡®A-Rank¡¯ team, Pang shrugged and accepted the free stuff.


    But she only got as far as setting it up and logging into her account¡ªfinding its interface an obvious rip-off of TeamTrack technology¡ªbefore the influx of boring initiation messages repelled her attention. She was sure the one Benton was referring to was buried somewhere within them, and she wasn¡¯t about to go digging for it.


    ¡°So what?¡± Irma dismissed.


    ¡°So we gotta be in good shape!¡± urged Benton. ¡°We can¡¯t be lookin¡¯ like a sack of potatoes in front of a brand new leader. The drills will never end!¡±


    Irma sighed, sinking deeper into her chair. ¡°I wanted a laidback session tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°You want a laidback session always,¡± Benton muttered.


    ¡°And is that too much to ask?¡±


    ¡°YES!¡±


    Irma twirled her chopsticks absently. ¡°Well¡­we are a new team now, with new dynamics we still don¡¯t really know,¡± she pondered. ¡°Maybe we should do some bonding stuff outside of practice, too.¡±


    ¡°Hey, not a bad idea,¡± agreed Benton, his imagination unraveling at the thought. ¡°Yeah¡­Pang here can get to know about us more, we¡¯ll make new ¡®lil inside jokes, play drinking games¡­oh wait¡ªPang¡¯s a minor, so we¡¯ll use pop¡­¡±


    Pang did her best to tune out whatever sappy fantasy Benton thought might come of this. But remembering her walk home last night, the idea relit a certain spark of curiosity.


    Get to know about them¡­


    ¡°Anyhow, I¡¯ve gotta go walk off these chicken wings before the afternoon session,¡± Benton burped. ¡°If anyone¡¯s got any suggestions for bonding time, though, wanna send ¡®em in the group chat?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who checks that. Even Aoi doesn¡¯t,¡± Irma said as Benton gathered everyone¡¯s empty dishes.


    ¡°Actually, Benton¡­¡± Pang started. ¡°Can we talk for a sec? I might have an idea.¡±


    The glow of elation on his face made Pang wish she could somehow dial back her already nonexistent enthusiasm.


    ¡°Why absolutely, Pang! See? It¡¯s already workin¡¯!¡± he beamed.


    Shrugging, Irma stood. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring Aoi to the training center while you guys chat. Wanna fly or warp, Aoi? I say warp.¡±


    ¡°We ain¡¯t supposed to do that¡­¡±


    Irma had already commanded Aoi, and the two flickered out from the food court.


    ¡°¡­in here,¡± Benton finished, shaking his head.


    Pang blinked with wide eyes. Okay¡­so they can even freaking teleport. Noted¡­


    ¡°So Pang, what you got?¡±


    Again giving her best effort not to cringe at Benton¡¯s excitement, Pang crossed her arms. ¡°First off, I want to ask you something¡­¡±


    ~


    I probably should have asked him where the store was, too¡­Pang realized.


    She made her way towards the end of the food court alone, realizing she was about to be wandering aimlessly. Though she wasn¡¯t that worried about it, Pang doubted the few minutes she had before the afternoon session would be enough to comb every corner of this mall for one specific outlet.


    If not for her teammates¡¯ dominating abilities, she would turn this short window of freedom into a chance to ditch them for a personal shopping spree.


    Pang checked the bank app on her SquadScreen, still hating its name as much as the first time she heard it. Just as Irma said, she had 100,000 credits that she could spend on this island, and it replenished every three weeks.


    Every main reality has a cool name for their currency, and all Proscious could come up with was ¡®credits?¡¯ Pang judged.


    But even compared to League standards, this felt far too generous for an evil association. It was like entering a small Conscious Competition every three weeks, but getting the first place prize money no matter what. Maybe that explained why there was no shortage of personnel in this organization.


    ¡°Oh, and since those farms receive funding in the first place, it¡¯s like an infinite cycle?¡±


    Pang looked up from her SquadScreen to trace the sound of that familiarly subtle lisp. Her memory served her right: standing with a man in an apron in front of the last caf¨¦ in the food court, a dark green-haired woman with wooden glasses took a sip of complimentary tea.


    This chick again?


    ¡°That¡¯s right. And that¡¯s why I can get the exact same organic ingredients they get on the outside,¡± confirmed the man.


    The woman nodded after indulging in another sip, her attention magnetic to his every word. ¡°Neat¡­Okay, so how does the transportation work for those ingredients? The system must be pretty intricate for everything to make it here and back without trouble.¡±


    She¡¯s at it again, observed Pang. So many questions.


    Delighted laughter erupted from the caf¨¦ boss. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really interested in this stuff, huh?¡± he noticed. ¡°You trying to put me out of business someday?¡±


    ¡°I could never, Dale!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true: the system is very intricate. The vehicles are designed for¡­¡±


    Pang brushed past them amongst the crowd, their voices eventually blending in behind her. She found herself standing at the edge of the food court, staring at the endless stores with obnoxiously derivative brand names.


    After a miniature eternity passed, Pang sighed.


    I definitely should have asked Benton¡­she reflected. Where am I even supposed to start¡ª


    ¡°Looking for something specific?¡±


    Pang pounced, her instincts zeroing in on the nearest vital point of her surprise attacker. But when she realized her target¡¯s temple was covered in twirly green hair, and their gut within a cozy sweater, she eased up.


    ¡°Oh. Question Lady,¡± Pang greeted in spite of herself.


    The woman¡¯s laugh was as warm as her speaking voice, her nose scrunching with her smile under her glasses. An aroma like scented candles suddenly lulled Pang¡¯s nostrils.


    How does she even SMELL too friendly? Pang wondered.


    ¡°Oh. Angry Laboratory Girl,¡± the woman produced like they were playing a game. ¡°You looked a little lost just now. Can I help?¡±


    Casting aside her pride enough to gain a lead, Pang did her best to explain her intention. She hoped the jargon Benton had left her with wasn¡¯t just a jumble of made up phrases like half of the things he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s on the first floor. I remember since it¡¯s right near my favorite place to get sweaters,¡± the woman said.


    ¡°Uh-huh. Well thanks, Tea Chick.¡±


    ¡°Anytime, Girl Who¡¯s a Lot Sweeter Than She Puts On.¡±


    Pang was already in the middle of breaking away until she heard those words. Her feet stuck to the ground like the woman had casted a spell.


    Her face must have spoken for her bewilderment. The woman smiled at whatever expression she wore.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s gonna mean a lot to Irma,¡± she added.


    Pang¡¯s eyebrow rose. When she asked for directions, she hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about Irma. She¡¯d only used Benton¡¯s words to describe the type of store she was trying to find.


    Then again, she supposed it wasn¡¯t that odd for this woman to know Irma well enough to draw that conclusion. They both worked for Proscious. They greeted each other in the hall the other day.


    But it was the first of the two statements that made Pang¡¯s skin crawl the most.


    Managing to turn and walk away, she laughed to herself.


    ¡®Sweet¡­¡¯ That¡¯s something NOBODY would ever call me¡­she joked. Not even Phillip, and he¡¯s a cornball sometimes.


    Goes to show how little that dorky lady really knows. That¡¯s what happens when you try so hard to be everyone¡¯s friend¡­you start thinking everyone¡¯s a saint.


    So stupid. I¡¯m not doing this to be ¡®sweet.¡¯ I¡¯m doing this to¡­


    Pang¡¯s walk towards the escalator slowed.


    ¡­To do what?


    When her shoulder bumped into someone else¡¯s at the start of the bottom floor, Pang blinked back to her senses.


    To really get in Irma¡¯s head and break her. I may have finally found a weak spot, and now I¡¯m gonna hit it good, she reminded herself. She¡¯s messed up, which will make it easy.


    Like Skrili and I when we met each other.


    ¡­That¡¯s why we had to protect each other.


    She abruptly shook her head, as if all thoughts of Skrili and Phillip would simply fall out.


    They¡¯re gone now. It¡¯s just me.


    That¡¯s why I can¡¯t afford to screw this up.


    This was the prime opportunity to weaken and exact revenge on Irma, one of her captors. She understood that well.


    But what she couldn¡¯t piece together, now closing in on the entrance to a sports store, was how that lust for revenge led her here.

 133. Irma

    Maybe this was a stupid idea.


    Benton and Aoi, the fearsome Rank-A Proscious members, stood before Pang with rackets and sports drinks in hand.


    Clearly Benton was all-in on this, having changed into gym shorts and a headband, and leaping at the opportunity to stay shirtless even after their evening training. But Aoi simply remained in her flowing cloak. She held her racket upside-down, apparently unaware of its handle.


    They both watched Pang in anticipation. She would have broken out laughing, if she weren¡¯t contributing to the ridiculousness herself.


    Pang inspected the jar of ¡°tennis¡± balls in her hand and fiddled with her new racket. These shoes were much bouncier than the type she preferred for fighting.


    Under the bluish glow of the park lights, the three teammates waited in silence.


    Pang glanced through the fence at the vacant tennis courts.


    Yeah. This was a stupid idea.


    ¡°So, uh¡­¡± Benton started, ¡°¡­how was everyone¡¯s day?¡±


    ¡°We spent it together the whole time,¡± Pang retorted. She spat into the grass. ¡°Let¡¯s call it. I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s bailing on us.¡±


    ¡°Aw, come on now,¡± pressed Benton. ¡°She just needs a little nudge. Aoi, can you go grab her for us?¡±


    Dropping her sports gear, Aoi took a step forward.


    Then, she disappeared.


    She reappeared only a second later, now holding the arm of their new and frantic company.


    ¡°AOI?! WHAT THE?! YOU SCARED THE SH¡­¡±


    Irma realized her entirely different surroundings after she shook Aoi off.


    ¡°¡¯Sup,¡± said Pang.


    She¡¯d expected Irma¡¯s reluctance to this sight given her odd behavior two nights ago during their walk home, but her eyebrows furrowed when Irma seemed to freeze entirely. Her multicolored eyes bounced between their rackets and the courts behind them.


    Pang wasn¡¯t one to believe in souls until she could swear she saw Irma¡¯s fading from her body. Her face dimmed like she¡¯d lost days of sleep in the course of seconds.


    Irma let out a single laugh, but her smile with it was empty, magnifying her confusion. She stood stiff like her companions had her backed into a dark alley.


    ¡°W¡ªwhat is this?¡± she asked shakily. ¡°Hey Benton¡­what is this?¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s the park, silly. Just like we said.¡±


    ¡°No. You said we were just going for a walk,¡± Irma fired back.


    Pang noticed the absence of her roomate¡¯s usual flip-flops. Her big sunglasses were missing, too. Obviously, Irma hadn¡¯t been planning to turn up when Pang said to meet them here. Either she¡¯d gotten suspicious, or just the act of walking near the courts had been enough to dissuade her.


    ¡°Benton¡­are you serious?¡± Irma continued, her words growing shallower. She subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself. ¡°You¡­you should know better.¡±


    ¡°I know. It wasn¡¯t my idea,¡± Benton said plainly. He cocked his head at Pang with pride.


    Irma¡¯s widened eyes fell to her roommate. But this knowledge softened them for a moment. As she looked at Pang, she seemed to see something more¡­something beyond her that Pang couldn¡¯t understand.


    Nonetheless, it meant this was their opening. This moment was their best chance.


    ¡°You¡¯re really good at this sport, aren¡¯t you?¡± Pang said. ¡°Wanna teach us how to play?¡±


    The jumble of emotions shifted through Irma faster than Pang could keep up. Then, Irma began shaking her head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You sure? Seems like it would be pretty fun.¡±


    Irma hesitated. ¡°I um¡­like, I don¡¯t even have shoes on. Or a racket or anything¡­¡±


    Pang pointed behind her, stepping to the side so Irma could see. Those exact items, still unopened, rested against the fence waiting for her.


    ¡°Benton knew your shoe size for some reason.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound weird,¡± Benton butted in. ¡°I remember the small stuff!¡±


    But unlike usual, Irma didn¡¯t leap at the chance to help poke fun, or even laugh. Her head remained shaking, and she began stepping back.


    ¡°No.¡± Irma hid her face. ¡°You guys play. I¡¯ll just¡­go for a walk by myself¡­¡±


    ¡°Irma¡­¡±


    Benton let whatever he was about to say deflate. Irma drifted away like a ghost, walking barefoot in the grass beside the park¡¯s paved path.


    The three fighters stood in silence just as before.


    ¡°Well that went as badly as possible,¡± Pang finalized. ¡°You uh¡­gonna go check on your pal, or what?¡±


    Benton shook his head. ¡°She don¡¯t work like that,¡± he said knowingly. ¡°You gotta wait for her to come back on her own. She¡¯ll open up when she wants to.¡±


    Pang shrugged. ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°Sorry Pang, guess I got excited about your idea and egged you on,¡± Benton said. ¡°I was just glad you wanted to bond and all. But it looks like we jumped the gun tonight.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it.¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyes continued following Irma all the while. Now farther down into the park, her head stayed down even when a jogging colleague greeted her in passing. He checked back for a moment before continuing on his way.


    Her feet dragged even more than usual.


    Pang blinked, recovering self-awareness.


    Hey. Eyes on the prize, she reminded herself. I did it.


    This is exactly what I want. It¡¯s perfect. I can¡¯t beat her in a fight yet, so I broke her down mentally. The stuff Benton told me helped without him even realizing it. Now she¡¯s vulnerable, and the team¡¯s divided. They¡¯ll be that much easier to take down.


    One step closer to revenge.


    I did it.


    Something tugged in her chest.


    Then why¡­?


    Why do I feel so freaking horrible right now?


    ¡°Now what?¡± Benton wondered.


    Aoi turned and looked at Pang.


    Blinking again, Pang observed their sports gear. All the courts were still available.


    ¡°Well,¡± she sighed, ¡°I already went through all the trouble of buying this crap¡­¡±


    ~


    Now that she stood on pavement, Pang¡¯s shoes seemed to hug the concrete. Their function was beginning to make more sense. But despite that, raising her red and black racket crookedly, she couldn¡¯t shake the discomfort.


    Seriously, what the heck am I doing?


    ¡°Alrighty¡­so I just hit this ball with this thing?¡± Benton checked from over the net, behind the last line.


    ¡°I guess. That¡¯s what it looked like they were doing the other day,¡± said Pang.


    ¡°Got it. Ready, girls?¡±


    Aoi was in even worse shape standing beside Pang, still gripping her racket upside down. But regardless, she nodded in reply.


    ¡°Okay¡­here goes NOTHIN¡¯!!¡±


    His fighting expertise lent him the accuracy required to hit such a small target. But it proved to be quite the hindrance, as well.


    The only reason Pang and Aoi knew how far the ball had rocketed away was by the sound of it cutting through the air behind them. They both turned around to find a spec plummeting over the farthest rooftops of the campus.


    ¡°Like that?¡±


    Pang turned back around. ¡°Well we¡¯re supposed to hit it back somehow¡­so I¡¯m gonna go with ¡®no.¡¯¡±


    She noticed Aoi was still transfixed on the vanished ball over the empty horizon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Pang insisted. ¡°We have a few extra¡ª¡±


    A yellowish blur whizzed straight past them and over the net. A pop from behind made Pang pounce.


    ¡°Hey!!¡±


    Pang turned back around to find Benton clutching his stomach, though she doubted the impact did any real damage to his stone-like build. The same tennis ball ricocheted from him into the net.


    Aoi simply looked to Pang and nodded in brief celebration.


    ¡°Did you just¡­catch the ball with your mind and¡­?¡±


    Aoi nodded again.


    Pang sighed. ¡°Something tells me that¡¯s not how this works, either.¡±


    They continued to give it their best guess, while Irma¡¯s sluggish laps around the park remained as wide away from the courts as possible. Pang was surprised she hadn¡¯t simply gone home yet.


    But even without Irma¡¯s guidance, Pang could tell they were beginning to piece this strange sport together. If only they could aim better, pegging their opponents with the ball or getting it stuck in the fence would be that much easier.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Soon they derived leverage from sending more balls to the other side at once. And aiming for the net proved to be a valuable way to fake each other out from their true attacks.


    After failing to deflect a tennis ball from Benton by throwing her racket in its path, Pang noticed Irma walking by again. But this time, she was closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m gettin¡¯ kinda good at this, Irma!¡± Benton called over.


    She scoffed and turned away along the park.


    A few more minutes passed, and Pang was convinced she and Aoi had surpassed Benton¡¯s formidable abilities. Aoi stood still, surrounded by a ring of halted tennis balls Benton had tried to whack at them.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky Dampener don¡¯t work on you, ya little stinker¡­¡± jeered Benton.


    Zipping to each ball¡¯s position, Pang used their stationary angles to begin slapping them back his way.


    And while she did, she noticed Irma again. She¡¯d walked even closer. For a moment, it looked like Irma was about to stop¡­until she sped her pace even faster, her frown deepening.


    But Pang could see the fleeting, corrective intent in her eyes.


    Soon Irma¡¯s continued laps conveniently led her right along the other side of the fence, and she reappeared much more frequently. For someone so blatantly slothful at every possible opportunity, Pang felt she sure was taking a long walk.


    And now her stare was sharper every time she passed by.


    Whether it was something about the way Pang was attempting to balance atop the net, or the way Benton was reaching over it to steal a ball¡ªor a culmination of everything so far¡ªIrma finally came to a resounding stop.


    We must be getting good, Pang figured.


    ¡°Benton: you¡¯re not allowed to reach over the net. And Pang: you forfeit the point if you touch the net¡ªespecially like that,¡± Irma snapped. ¡°Aoi: there are NO consciousness powers in tennis! It¡¯s all about good sportsmanship. Like, seriously. Not to mention: if you¡¯re rallying as a two-on-one, the standard agreement is that the doubles team has to get the ball within the singles lines, and the singles player can¡­¡±


    Her lecture withered as she noticed her own words pouring out. Irma averted her eyes, and for a moment, Pang assumed she¡¯d wander off again.


    ¡°Wait¡­we¡¯re supposed to bounce the ball in the court?¡± realized Benton.


    ¡°UGH!¡±


    Irma stomped her way to the fence entrance and into the court. She reached the net, crossed her arms, and began laying the true rules out for them.


    Pang chuckled to herself as she listened. Well we were WAY off¡­


    ¡°Hold on, Irma,¡± said Benton, raising a hand like a student. ¡°Now how are the players always hittin¡¯ these things so goshdarn hard and gettin¡¯ them to bounce where they want all the time?¡±


    Irma sighed. ¡°For once in your life, it¡¯s not all about strength,¡± she told him. ¡°First off, all three of you need to work on your form. Here¡­¡±


    She walked over to the pile of gear in the corner and retrieved the racket Pang had bought for her. As everyone observed closely, she demonstrated the two proper motions for a standard swing. With attack names as basic as ¡®fore-swing¡¯ and ¡®back-swing,¡¯ Pang felt like she could pick up on it fast.


    But her confidence subsided when Irma made them all try. Between the footing, the hip swing, the arm and wrist movements, and the sensitive angle of the racket, this was like learning to spin-kick from scratch.


    Having lobbed another ball over the fence, Benton returned from recovering it in the park. ¡°Alright¡­now show me how to make it fast,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°One thing at a time,¡± said Irma. ¡°But that¡¯s where the spin comes in. Here¡¯s the same thing you just did, but with topspin:¡±


    She tossed a ball, let it bounce, and executed a fluid¡ªeven dancelike¡ªfore-swing. The ball jetted over the net, but an unseen force tugged it down just in time to bounce right within the baseline.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s kinda cool,¡± Pang admitted.


    But Irma didn¡¯t seem to hear. She paused, staring after the ball. Then, as if realizing she was in a dream, she brought her racket to her eyes.


    ¡°Irma?¡± Benton checked tenderly.


    She blinked back to her surroundings. ¡°Um¡­well like, if you guys are gonna be playing this without me,¡± she reasoned, ¡°I should at least make sure you¡¯re good enough to get a rally going¡­¡±


    Within moments, a tennis ball was soaring over the net between the four fighters. Irma, now fastened in her new shoes, guided the exchanges with swings much slower than the one she¡¯d demonstrated while the others mainly lobbed, missed, or hit it into the net.


    But gradually, their rallies grew longer.


    ¡°There you go, Aoi!¡± Irma congratulated. ¡°Pang, try shifting your feet a little more to the side.¡±


    Pang gritted her teeth. I¡¯ll get more powerful, don¡¯t you worry¡­


    ¡°Alright, who wants to learn how to serve?¡± offered Irma. ¡°Then we can get some real points going.¡±


    They all filed up behind her at the baseline to witness another demonstration. Her motions were just as graceful, just as memorized, as her foreswing and backswing. She jumped, and when the ball found perfect contact with her racket in the air, the sheer speed as it zipped barely over the net and swerved away made Pang¡¯s mouth drop.


    ¡°Woowee, Irma!!¡± shouted Benton.


    ¡°That was a little rusty,¡± she admitted, shaking her wrist. ¡°Now here¡¯s that same thing slower¡­¡±


    But Pang was still too held up on the first serve to pay attention. It was a vicious stealth attack, yet with the calmness of a farmer reaching for a fruit on a branch.


    She realized Benton hadn¡¯t been exaggerating, for once, when she¡¯d questioned him after lunch yesterday.


    ¡°Irma never talks about her past,¡± he¡¯d said. ¡°It¡¯s in her file, but I didn¡¯t know the full story ¡®till the poor thing got a little too tipsy over drinks one night. Spilled it all out.¡±


    Irma executed another flawless but simpler serve for them.


    ¡°Just like how you and me use to be pro consciousnesses, she was a pro tennis player,¡± Benton had told Pang. ¡°Darn good one, too. Was on her way to makin¡¯ a fortune doin¡¯ it.¡±


    Aoi¡¯s oversized hood flopped with her serve attempt, which only tapped the ball a few steps away. Laughing patiently, Irma took her arm and steered the motion for her.


    ¡°Thing is¡­one day her buddy¡ªanother pro¡ªtook her for a joyride in a snazzy new sports car. Went way too fast to show it off, and the next thing she remembered was wakin¡¯ up in a hospital,¡± Benton had revealed. ¡°The other gal got off with some bad bruises. But Irma¡¯s legs got totally crushed, and they had to saw ¡®em off to save her. She lost her whole career¡­lost her livelihood¡­everything. Got hooked on pain meds, too. That was how things were when Proscious approached her. Offered her a chance to walk again.¡±


    By now they were lining up on both sides of the court for a mock ¡®doubles match.¡¯ Standing beside Irma, Pang watched her reach down and check both legs before rising confidently into a ready position.


    When the ball eventually made it Irma¡¯s way, she bounced and skirted in for the strike like gravity was hers to control.


    ¡°Those legs of hers are cutting edge, designed by the best in Science Fiction Country. Proscious funded the whole thing,¡± Benton had explained. ¡°And in return, she had to come work for Proscious. That was the agreement.¡±


    ¡®Agreement,¡¯ Pang contemplated. She remembered Irma telling her that not everyone here was kidnapped¡ªimplying things would have gone smoother for Pang if she¡¯d just accepted that initial invitation.


    But this hardly sounded like an ¡®agreement.¡¯


    Irma had even admitted it herself the other night: ¡°I didn¡¯t ask to end up here.¡±


    ¡°She was forced to sell herself to them. These guys own her now,¡± Pang had interpreted in protest.


    ¡°Sometimes, that¡¯s what it takes,¡± was all Benton replied. ¡°She told me she¡¯d never touch a racket again ¡®cuz of the accident. But see¡­I¡¯ve been workin¡¯ with her for years, now. And I think¡­after some of the stuff we¡¯ve had to do¡­it¡¯s ¡®cuz a part of her regrets taking the deal. Not that she had much of a choice.¡±


    ¡°Benton! Good shot!¡± Irma called over the net. She drew close to Pang to touch rackets, vibrancy in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, roomie. We¡¯ll get them on the next point.¡±


    Once Pang found her next position on the court, Benton caught her eyes. He snuck her a wink.


    ¡°Pang¡­I really like this idea of yours,¡± Benton had hushed to her in the cafeteria. ¡°If you can get her to play again¡­golly, I think it¡¯ll mean the world to her.¡±


    Aoi attempted to return a shot¡ªwhich Irma had obviously held back on¡ªbut her foot caught her robe and she almost tripped to the ground. Benton dove forward to catch her. Lifting the dizzied prosciousness back up, he patted her head in comfort.


    Irma burst out laughing, unable to hold back. ¡°Aw, I tripped in my first lesson, too!¡± she reminisced.


    Pang found herself mesmerized. Irma was glowing, just like whenever she was whipping something up in the kitchen and humming a tune to herself¡ªperhaps even more. Her soul had come back to her, and in blissful, glorious form.


    Something twisted in Pang¡¯s warming chest. She blinked away a tear.


    Wait a second¡­this means I blew it, she reminded herself. This was supposed to bring up her trauma and break her spirit, not do the opposite. I totally blew it.


    But then, why did this failure feel so beautiful?


    I did this to hurt her, right?


    She could see herself strangling Irma atop the couch that night.


    That¡¯s why I did all of this¡­right?


    She felt Irma¡¯s embrace again from when she¡¯d given up and crashed on top of her. They¡¯d cried in each other¡¯s arms for hours.


    Wait¡­why¡­


    Why did I do this?


    But watching Irma perform her next serve, her smile beaming as another rally began with her three companions, Pang knew exactly why.


    ¡°Hey guys¡­¡± Irma said after the point ended. ¡°Can we¡­do this every week?¡±


    Fighting back another surge of tears, Pang realized she¡¯d known why the whole time.


    ~


    Pang gulped down the rest of her energy drink, returning a quick wave to Benton and Aoi as they walked into the night.


    ¡°We want a rematch!¡± teased Benton from the distance before they disappeared behind the buildings.


    She turned to begin gathering their gear, hearing Irma¡¯s cheerful laugh in reply. The fence rattled as Irma sat down beside her.


    ¡°So¡­this was your idea, huh?¡± Irma asked softly.


    Pang looked to meet her eyes, but recoiled a bit from their warmth.


    ¡°Well¡­Benton filled me in and told me where to get all this junk¡­¡± Pang said. ¡°But¡­yeah.¡±


    Irma gazed back towards the court, an unseen match carrying out in her reflective eyes. ¡°You know¡­back when I was early on in my career, I taught lessons to make ends meet,¡± she shared. ¡°This brought me back to those days for a little.¡±


    A single laugh escaped her. But her smile weakened. ¡°You know¡­I always downplay our targets¡¯ feelings to try and make all this Proscious stuff easier,¡± she muttered. ¡°But it never helps.¡±


    Pang suddenly felt cold. Instead of an unseen tennis match, it was like Irma¡¯s wetting eyes were now gazing at the gray faces of every opponent Pang slayed on Artifex.


    ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done¡­after everyone I hurt for these legs¡­¡± Irma continued, ¡°I don¡¯t deserve to use them for happy things like this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Obviously! That¡¯s why I¡¯m making sure you do, anyway!¡±


    Pang froze at her own words, just as Irma had. The declaration simply barged out without thought. She realized she¡¯d jumped forward, her hand now on Irma¡¯s shoulder.


    For once, the mutli-powered prosciousness fell speechless. A tear dropped onto her racket.


    ¡°Listen. I don¡¯t deserve to be happy, either,¡± Pang pressed. ¡°So it¡¯s okay if you¡¯re happy because of me. ¡®Cuz¡­¡±


    Because what happened to us isn''t our fault, she thought.


    "...''Cuz¡­"


    Because we''re all we have now, or we have nothing.


    Pang shot to her feet and stood over Irma.


    "...''Cuz¡­I say so!" she declared, extending her hand. "Come on. Let''s head back to the apartment."


    Irma remained frozen, until she blinked and another tear fell.


    Then her smile melted through, and she accepted Pang''s hand.


    "Pang¡­" she uttered. "Thank you."


    The words seemed to surround Pang, but she couldn''t tell if they were cornering her or gathering for an embrace. All she knew was that she couldn''t leave them to linger too long.


    "What''s for dinner tonight, anyway?" she asked in an effort to ward them off.


    "Dinner? You trapped me here for hours! I don''t have time!" Irma retorted within a laugh. "But¡­maybe we could make a pizza, if you wanna help me."


    "Not really," said Pang immediately. "But¡­alright, sure."


    She pulled Irma to her feet. But after they gathered the remaining gear, Pang knew her feelings were far from gathered.


    They were morphing on their own, without her permission.


    She watched the humming Irma, heading for the gate.


    I don''t hate her. Even if I want to, I just¡­don''t.


    I can''t.


    She''s me.


    All her mind could see was a battered Skrili, standing by her side at the edge of the Gloat Stadium fighting platform against Alex and Ving.


    Skrili¡­now I think I know how you felt about me that day, she realized.


    But you taught me that¡­and you still abandoned me.


    "Ugh¡­I can''t wait to fall on the couch and do nothing¡­maybe we should call out tomorrow and eat snacks all day," Irma fantasized.


    Pang chuckled at her much-expected laziness.


    We might be enemies again as soon as I try busting outta here, Pang contemplated. But for now¡­maybe we don''t have to be.


    A sense of ease overcoming her at last, Pang''s natural strut returned.


    But her comfort within the chill of night only lasted a second.


    Someone else was here.


    Irma straightened out stiffly but she continued her way down the path, towards the silhouette that waited for them in the shadow.


    The way the person was leaning against the building, directly across from the tennis court, made it clear they''d been there for quite a while.


    Watching them.


    But Pang''s nerves turned instead to confusion. She recognized the secondhand sweater, then more obviously, the loose green ponytail and wooden glasses.


    "Dorky Tea Chick again?" Pang greeted.


    The woman''s smile was finally clear under the streetlights.


    Irma subtly swatted Pang on the arm. "Hey girl," she said with an extra cheerfulness to counteract Pang. "How''s your night going?"


    "Were you just stalking us? That''s super weird," added Pang.


    This time she felt Irma sneak a kick to the back of her leg.


    But after completing a steamy sip from her mug, the woman merely laughed like before.


    "Now I know I''m really in for a treat tomorrow," she said.


    Irma''s pace came to a stop. "Huh? Tomorrow?"


    The woman rose from the wall turning towards the direction opposite to Pang and Irma. "They just decided. My team members are gonna start meeting with you guys to decide who your new leader will be."


    After another carefree sip, she began walking away.


    "Tootles. I hope you''re as excited as me!"


    Pang and Irma stared on as she disappeared into the dark.


    "The heck was up with that?" Pang questioned.


    "One of the top three will be our leader¡­?" translated Irma.


    The slow uncertainty in her voice made the world around Pang feel heavy.


    "Top three? Wait¡­you and Benton¡­aren''t part of that?"


    Irma shook her head. "That girl''s team¡­is Rank-S."


    "S?! There''s a rank higher than ours?!"


    "They had to add it specifically for their team," Irma revealed. "Pang, that girl you just called a ''dork'' is named Pyper. And¡­besides Aoi, she''s the most powerful member in all of Proscious."

 134. Not-So-Normal

    "Attention all guests: we will be crossing into the Normal Country Worldline momentarily¡­"


    The abrupt light from the hall forced Deon to enter with squinted eyes. He attempted to reach and rub a sore spot on his back, but he bumped Skrili''s forehead instead¨Cand then felt the sting of her hand as she swatted his away.


    "Ope. Sorry. Thought you were still asleep," Deon said. "I was gonna bring back something from the caf¨¦ for you and Lammy."


    "I''m up now."


    She massaged his back for him while they walked towards the end of the hall.


    "Man. I thought they put me and Phillip through the ringer," Deon said. "But Mr. Truj kept you guys at it way late. Do you think we''re ready for tomorrow?"


    "As much as we can be," Skrili said, "considering¡­"


    Her words fizzled, and she checked back down the hall towards Kotono''s door. Thankfully, the star consciousness wasn''t present.


    Deon nodded. He didn''t need her to elaborate.


    Despite two weeks of training, it was almost like Kotono''s powers were getting weaker.


    And somehow, grayer.


    She''s not okay, he knew. I gotta find time to do my plan, and soon¡­


    The calm alert played throughout the ship again, this time with added details.


    "Attention all guests: we will be crossing into the Normal Country Worldline momentarily. You are safe to move freely about the ship, but please anticipate a brief moment of turbulence. Thank you."


    Deon still could hardly grasp that two weeks had already passed. All the training had gradually blended together.


    He could see the open sky through the upcoming windows, and a familiar endless forest far below. They''d crossed into No Man''s Land days ago after hearing a similar notification.


    "How can the ship keep doing this without falling apart and stuff?" Deon wondered. "With all its crazy features, shouldn''t the magic stop working when it leaves Fantasy Country?"


    "Some magic can last for a little while. Maybe it''s mostly made out of that," Skrili figured.


    They heard an endeared laugh.


    "Actually, it''s because there''s no magic on this thing at all."


    Otogi leaned against one of the massive round windows ahead of them, taking in the view outside. But he was in his true, ''Alan'' form¨Chis hair dirty blonde and his clothes dull.


    His eyes turned to them, dark rings underneath, and he nodded a good morning.


    Deon and Skrili joined him at the window and beheld the sight.


    "Wait¡­there''s no magic?" Deon repeated. "Then how did they build this thing?!"


    "You of all people should be able to guess," Otogi teased. "It''s all imagined."


    "Someone imagined this whole thing?!"


    "A team of people did, yeah," said Otogi. "Not all the great Imaginers are pro fighters."


    Deon took in all the extravagant surroundings. His appreciation for this place multiplied tenfold.


    "That''s why all of its functions stay intact," Otogi explained, cocking his head towards the window, "when we do this."


    Deon followed his gaze. His heart nearly stopped for a moment.


    In the slight distance, the woods of No Man''s Land came to a complete, abrupt end¨Cas did even the sky. The cutoff spanned in a perfectly straight line for as far as he could see.


    Nothing but empty whiteness followed. It was like they were flying straight towards the end of existence.


    He would have panicked, but Skrili and Otogi watched on with the calm of previous visitors.


    Is that all Normal Country is? Just¡­nothing? Deon thought.


    They were only seconds from crossing now.


    But first, they heard one of the suite doors slide open. They all turned to find an unusually pale Lammy spring out into the hall and, for some reason, rush his way towards Deon and Skrili''s room. Noticing the group by the window, he redirected and raced their way.


    "Morning, Lammy! Uh¡­what''s wrong?"


    Lammy drew close, practically gasping for air.


    "Deon¡­I¨CI need advice¡­" he stammered. He held the gem of his necklace trapped between his palms, as if to cover its ears.


    "Oh, with that magic thing you mentioned the other day?"


    Lammy nodded a million rapid times. "I totally forgot to contact Layla before we left Fantasy Country, like she asked. Now she''s trying to get a hold of me, but we''re about to be another reality further and it probably won''t work!"


    Deon laughed. He''d been waiting for this fateful day to come.


    "Girlfriend problems," he filled Otogi in, who matched his smirk. "Alright, don''t worry, Lammy. Take it from an expert: you just have to distract her. Say you''ve been busy planning the best date ever and you lost track of¨CAGH!"


    Skrili''s upward slap rattled the back of his head and echoed down the hall. She crossed her arms.


    "Don''t lie to the poor kid," Skrili interjected. "Just be honest with her."


    "Um, Noble Lammy, I can hear all of you¡­"


    Lammy bolted upright, a jolt shooting up his spine. But judging by everyone''s confusion, only he could hear the Queen''s voice in his head.


    Removing his hands from the glowing gem, Lammy brought it closer.


    "Oh, uh¨CLayla? S¨Csorry about¡­"


    Otogi glanced back through the window. "Ope," he uttered plainly.


    Then, the floor shook. The labyrinth of walls and ceilings groaned all around.


    "Are we going down?!" Deon exclaimed.


    The whiteness they''d been approaching now surrounded the vessel, and it shone brighter through all the windows. Deon grabbed Lammy to secure him, and then grasped the wall to secure himself.


    But Skrili and Otogi simply remained watching. Though the shaking had been much more intense than when the ship entered No Man''s Land, it came and went just as swiftly.


    Readily accepting that their doom wasn''t upon them, Deon and Lammy evened out their balance.


    "Welcome to Normal Country."


    Outside had instantly become the opposite of the former white void. Now, it was an open night sky. No¨Ceven darker. Infinitely, in every direction, the ship''s surroundings were black with freckles of stars.


    They all felt the ship''s momentum push forward much faster than before, until evening out into a steady cruise.


    "Layla¡­? Uh, Layla?" Lammy checked. Hearing no response, he sighed and let the gem dangle in defeat around his neck, its glow now gone.


    Deon patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry, bud. If a girlfriend really likes you, one screw-up won''t change that."


    "It''s¨Cit''s not like that¡­" Lammy insisted.


    "Right. Fianc¨¦, not girlfriend. Sorry."


    Lammys face glowed almost as pink as the gem.


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


    But Deon''s teasing faded when they both noticed the changes in each other''s appearances.


    It wasn''t just them¨CSkrili, Otogi, and everything around them had transformed: it was the Normal Country color palette. While most colors appeared similar, the darkest and brightest of shades had become even darker and brighter than No Man''s Land.


    But it was beyond the colors themselves that marked the most distinct difference. Now, oddly, distances appeared clearer. Everything, even the smallest objects, looked vaster, like Deon and Lammy''s depth perception had elongated.


    As a result, everything now seemed rounder than before, including them. But their movements and senses behaved just the same, so somehow, this new existence felt natural.


    "Whoa," the cousins uttered simultaneously.


    "Pretty interesting, right?" Otogi said.


    Skrili shrugged. "This place is alright, I guess."


    "Well, I''m a bit biased," laughed Otogi. "This was one of the first realities I toured to when I started out, so it''s where I made a lot of my first fans. I always make sure to come back and see them. It reminds me of where I started, and how I''m the same simple guy I''ve always been, you know?"


    "Alan, your specialty almond coffee and organic omelet breakfast."


    A man in white approached them with a silver tray, lifting the lid to reveal a steamy meal. Then a second man walked over to place a portable, clothed table beside Otogi.


    The star consciousness accepted the omelet, but lifted his hand to repel the coffee.


    "Actually, I think I''m feeling vanilla today."


    The men in white bowed. "We''ll return with a new drink."


    "Oh, and bring back stuff for my friends here, too!" Otogi ordered with a smile.


    The three consciousnesses attempted to decline, but Otogi waved it off.


    "I insist!" he beamed, a carefree laugh erupting.


    Deon and Lammy exchanged glances.


    Right¡­''simple guy¡­'' they remarked in their heads.


    Their food and coffee arrived with surprising haste, so Deon imagined benches and they all sat together to enjoy the view as they ate. Soon Lammy listened intently as the three pros passed the time reviewing Mr. Truj''s strategies.


    But after an hour or so, the starry sky¨Cor ''space,'' as Otogi referred to it¨Cstill didn''t appear any different. The group wandered off in separate ways.


    With Team Hiroko''s two weeks of training complete, Lammy passed the rest of the morning, and then lunch, with Deon and Skrili before the next notification came:


    "We are now approaching Earth."


    But when Deon checked his TeamTrack, he did a double take.


    According to its homescreen, not a single minute had passed since they''d arrived in Normal Country.


    "Huh?!"


    "It''s the speed we''re traveling," Skrili said. "It''s the only way to get to human civilization in this reality, since it''s so far from the Worldline. When Pang and I came here, we had to pay for a lightspeed transport."


    "So¡­no dragons here, then," Deon figured.


    "None with wings."


    While Lammy scribbled rigorous notes, Deon watched time gradually resume on his TeamTrack.


    "Alright, let''s see what this ''Earth'' place is like," he decided.


    When they returned to the same window down the hall, they found Otogi had arrived just before them. He was still in his Alan form, and still just as enthused to watch the next phase of their travels.


    This time, a golden glow reflected through the window. Deon and Lammy drew close and pressed their faces up against the glass.


    Far behind the ship, a round, glistening orb illuminated the otherwise empty darkness all around.


    "Is that this place''s sun?" Lammy guessed.


    "Yep," said Otogi. "Here, it''s actually a star. Their world can''t exist without it."


    Deon chuckled at Lammy''s swift note-taking.


    "Then it seems only my reality lacks a sun," came a rumble from behind.


    Phillip stepped closer, studying Normal Country''s space.


    "That kinda explains why you''re so creepy," noted Deon.


    Phillip chose to dismiss the jab this time and continued. "I haven''t seen Earth yet. Only in pictures Pang showed me."


    "Well, there it is," signaled Otogi.


    Ahead of the ship''s path, a perfect spear of deep blue and green floated within space. Cotton-like patches of white drifted on its outer layer, and as the ship drew closer, it became clear these were clouds.


    "It''s huge¡­" Lammy remarked. "It''s a lot like the Worlds in Fantasy Country, huh?"


    "It''s similar, but without its own Worldline," Skrili said. "They call it a ''planet.''"


    "There are others all through space, too," added Otogi, "but this is the only one with consciousnesses¨Cor even humans, for that matter."


    With eyes wide, Deon, Lammy, and Phillip anticipated their descent onto this foreign terrain.


    But after yet another warning, they found it didn''t work that way.


    "Jumping through the atmosphere in 3¡­2¡­1¡­"


    Deon felt like he''d blinked without closing his eyelids. Without a sound, or even a sense of motion, they found the ship in an entirely new setting.


    There was a glistening sea far beneath them now, and the sky appeared almost the same as No Man''s Land on a clear day.


    "Welcome to Earth."


    The ship glided forward, peaceful and steady like their flights through the previous two realities. Lammy gawked at a giant, metallic ship he spotted cruising below.


    "We will be arriving in the United States shortly. Please expect a smooth flight for the remainder of¨C"


    Out of nowhere, the floor beneath the group shifted, then tilted. They all tumbled to the floor and raced back to their feet¨Conly to rock around even more.


    "What''s happening?!" Skrili exclaimed.


    A thunderous whoosh swept by, and some sort of giant metal bird soared past the windows.


    Then, the ship jolted backward all at once.


    Pressing his face to the glass, Deon noticed another metal bird pass over them. It struggled to turn, clearly unable to alter directions instantaneously like the ship.


    "Is¨Cis everyone okay¡­?" came a timid voice from down the hall.


    The group found Kotono practically tumbling out of her room in her pajamas. The floor tilted and nearly tossed her off her feet, but a gray glow illuminated around her and she hovered into the air to steady herself.


    But as she drifted her way closer, the energy flickered repeatedly, until finally giving out.


    Kotono slipped out of the air. But like a dark blur, Phillip dove forward and snatched her from the crash.


    "Please stand by."


    The floor shifted again as the ship''s speed increased further. The group rocked forward, backward, and into each other.


    Then, finally, their environment evened out.


    Everyone hesitated for a moment. But the calm motion forward remained consistent, so they helped each other to their feet.


    "We apologize for the turbulence. The proper cloaking mechanisms for Earth were not initially in place.


    ¡­Yeah, I''m looking at YOU, Bastian.


    Everybody thank Bastian for that one.


    Anyway, we are back on track for the United States, with no delay."


    "''Cloaking mechanism?''" wondered Lammy. "Like, a disguise? Is this place like parts of Realistic Fiction Country, then?"


    "Exactly," Otogi confirmed. "The existence of consciousness powers and the Multiverse are a total secret in Normal Country. Only consciousnesses are allowed to know."


    "Then¡­did we just totally blow the secret?" Deon realized.


    "We''re fine," shrugged Skrili. "They''re used to it."


    "People have been seeing weird things in the sky forever here," elaborated Otogi. "Some of it''s a mystery. But most of the time it''s just consciousnesses visiting or leaving."


    Now that it was safe, Team Hiroko gathered around the windows once more. Within minutes, a skyline of towering buildings appeared on the horizon, each varying in size and shade.


    Even more giant metal birds soared above the city, descending and rising in set paths. Noticing windows, Deon and Lammy finally realized these were in fact machines.


    "Seems like a lot more of a hassle than dragons," Deon noted.


    The open ocean came to an end as they neared the city, and instead, winding concrete streets and bridges took its place. But unlike the round paths of Fantasy Country''s Conscious City, or the nearly gridded layout of Fiction Country''s, these roads appeared more like a jumble of ropes dropped carelessly onto each other, interwoven between buildings.


    Vehicles just like the ones they''d seen in Fiction Country filled nearly every speck of most of them, hardly trudging forward on the larger streets towards the city.


    If there are this many people trying so hard to get there, Lammy contemplated, it must really be a special place.


    He wondered just how many of the passengers were consciousness fans, secretly on their way to the event.


    "This place must be Normal Country''s Conscious City, huh?" Deon assumed. "I mean, look at all these people."


    "That''s actually on the other side of Earth," Skrili said.


    "Yeah. Their Conscious City is blended into another city called Tokyo," Otogi said. "A few of the other Special Teams are fighting there in a few days. This city is called¨C"


    "Ladies, gentlemen, and friends: welcome to Boston. We will be landing momentarily."


    "Boston, huh?" learned Deon, eyes still on the streets. "Well, I''m glad I''m a pro consciousness. Waiting around to get places down there looks impossible."


    "If you h¨Chate just looking at it," Kotono pitched in softly, "imagine what driving in Boston would be like."


    Her teammates all turned to her with intrigue. Kotono stiffened at the sudden attention.


    "You''ve driven here?" Skrili derived.


    Kotono flushed. "W¨Cwell¡­we had a bit of a tradition¡­Hiroko liked Normal Country motorcycles, so we''d sneak away and rent them¡­She dared me one time to race her around here¡­"


    Everyone shook their heads with knowing smirks.


    They really did cause trouble whenever they could, Lammy figured.


    "The police chased us. Then I got us lost¡­" Kotono remembered with a giggle.


    She hesitated.


    "Um¡­anyway, I''d better g¨Cgo get ready¡­"


    "Kotono?" Otogi called, but she was already well on her way to her room, her face suddenly hidden from them.


    Deon noticed before she''d even stopped talking: her giggle had turned into a mask for what was welling underneath it.


    Turning gray from the aura emerging weakly around her body, Kotono disappeared into her room.


    The rest of the team exchanged wordless glances.


    We need my plan¡­Deon reminded himself.


    He sighed. "Guys¨C"


    "Now touching down on Hynes Convention Center. The Inoue Agency is requesting that all event-required personnel be prepared to exit.


    Team Hiroko fighters and coaches, please stand by for your separate landing."


    The ship came to a stop, and then began gracefully descending. Deon peaked out the window once more.


    "So this is the place, huh?"


    Bunched between other tall buildings, the gray and gold-bricked center was neat, but certainly not as flashy as Gloat Stadium. It fit in with the rest of Boston as inconspicuously as possible.


    "Makes sense that they would put it here," Deon figured, "since consciousnesses are supposed to be a secret, and all. Hey¡­wait a second¡­"


    Most of the people below roamed and drove along the streets, paying no notice whatsoever to the giant egg-shaped vessel descending on the building. Evidently, the cloaking mechanism was still at work. But on one of the streets, likely where the main entrance was, there was a massive line of people forming.


    And many of them featured the diverse fashion and hairstyles Deon and Lammy had seen across the Multiverse.


    "Huh?!" exclaimed Deon.


    While the city commuters dressed in attire very much toned down from Fantasy Country, and up from Tailpiece, this line was peppered with bright, spiky hair and otherworldly outfits. Some waved around or wore bulky accessories, from weapons to stuffed creatures.


    "They''re not even trying to be subtle at all," Lammy agreed. "They''re all consciousnesses, right?"


    "Some are, some aren''t," Otogi laughed. He watched them for a moment, a sparkle appearing in his otherwise dark eyes as an idea set in. He raised his TeamTrack to his face. "Hey. Tell management some of us are going in with you guys, the old-fashioned way."


    The ship eased to a halt just above the long, rectangular roof of the convention center.


    Otogi smiled at his teammates.


    "Follow me. I''d like to welcome you to the reason we can compete in Boston," he said. "It''s a little thing¡­called Anime Boston."

 135. Hidden Fame

    "''Anime Boston'', huh?" Deon wondered, stepping through the final of many sliding doors.


    A ship worker guided him and the others to the center of the large, dimly-lit room. Now at the bottom of the ship, they joined quite the crowd: Otogi''s white-dressed bodyguards, a couple agency bosses, and all of Mr. Truj''s and Otogi''s training personnel.


    Making sure he remained within the circular indentations of the floor as instructed, Deon inched towards his newest teammate.


    "Hey, what''s anime?"


    "Trust me, you''re about to find out," Otogi promised.


    A round section of the floor separated from the rest with a metallic zing, and the crowd descended into the open air. The cousins'' ears filled with city sounds accompanying the views they''d seen from inside: cars hummed, street signals beeped, some men argued in an accent lacking the use of the "r," and the line of attendees chattered and laughed down below.


    Even as the consciousness group emerged from the cloaked ship, nobody on the streets below noticed their presence.


    Otogi seemed to spot Deon and Lammy''s curiosity. He cocked his head at Phillip.


    "Illusionists," he explained. "They''re stationed all over for these kinds of things."


    Like what Phillip did to make us invisible when we landed in Azvaylen, Deon recalled.


    The platform touched down on the convention center''s roof and everyone promptly dismounted. When Deon and Lammy looked back up to the ship, it was missing¨Ceven a shadow was absent.


    "Next it''s headed for the landing dock a couple roads down, under Charles River," Otogi told them. "The Illusionists on Harvard Bridge have that part covered."


    Under the river?? Lammy wondered.


    Following the crowd, the team worked their way across the roof and neared the back corner. Lammy''s gaze still lingered on the sky, however, where a now-invisible Kotono had quietly stayed behind.


    He felt a hand subtley pat his shoulder.


    "I know," Skrili whispered beside him.


    Deon massaged them both from behind. "The fight''s tonight," he noted over their shoulders. "We gotta check on her before then."


    "We''ll see her in a bit, don''t worry," Otogi called back. "She''s signing in down there. They wanted all of us too, actually, for security."


    Their toes all reached the very tip of the roof.


    "But I thought showing you guys Normal Country this way," Otogi said, "would be way more fun."


    The personnel all stepped off the building, and Otogi and Skrili followed. So warily, Deon, Lammy, and Phillip joined.


    Their hearts eased in unison as they felt an invisible surface beneath them. It curved downward towards the sidewalk below.


    "Imaginers," Otogi filled them in.


    Skrili''s slow sigh caught Deon''s attention. Her walk was almost serene.


    "What''s with the bliss?"


    "It''s nice not to be the one explaining everything for once," she rejoiced, basking in the sunlight.


    Otogi offered her a fist-hump. "Ha. I''ve got you."


    "Hey¨Cwhat''s that supposed to¡­" Deon didn''t bother finishing, as all of their previous travels returned to his mind. "Eh, actually, that''s fair."


    Their feet touched down onto the sidewalk, on a street much less busy than where the line of attendees waited. Two men leaned against the building casually, but unlike everyone else, they could see Deon and the others approach.


    They gave brief nods, so Deon and Lammy guessed they were the Illusionist and Imaginer responsible for their stealth.


    So unassuming¡­Lammy observed. They really have this whole arrangement down.


    Otogi''s bodyguards led the way, with two more at the back. Finally Lammy realized their outfits were a bit different today: though still in white, they all wore simple t-shirts and sweatshirts instead of their suits. Before turning the corner, some even whipped out sunglasses and caps with logos on the front.


    The group reached the street with the line of eager convention-goers, and only took a few steps before arriving at the back of it. But the entrance to Hynes Convention Center wasn''t far, and the line moved steadily¨Cabout as gradual as the Fantasy Country borders.


    After a couple of absent glances from passersbys, Deon realized they were no longer invisible. He observed the diverse crowd again.


    Ahead of them, a teen with pink hair looked their way, then quickly turned. But eyes shining, they looked again¨Ceven leaning a bit past the disguised bodyguards¨Cand sent Skrili a wink.


    A moment later, their companions snuck similar glances before whispering giddily amongst themselves.


    "Consciousnesses," Otogi easily identified. "And big fans of yours, it looks like."


    "Only because you''re not in costume," reasoned Skrili.


    "Nah¡­"


    "I would''ve thought they''d freak out way more, like your other fans," said Deon. "People are really good at keeping a secret here, huh?"


    "Well, there are huge penalties for giving it away," Otogi said. "But I''m sure respect is a part of it."


    They found themselves inside the center within a couple minutes. After stepping through gray arches Otogi called ''metal detectors,'' following the flow of people down a few halls, and checking in for ''Anime Boston'' instead of the Special League Event, the cousins stood with their group just before the main entrance.


    Lammy lifted the new laminate intermingling around his neck with Layla''s necklace. It certainly was odd that all of them¨Ceven him¨Cwere registered in a database for an event they weren''t here to attend.


    "So ''anime'' is the disguise?" he gathered.


    Otogi''s bodyguards followed him through the large, open doors into the lobby. "For us, yes," he said. "But for all the non-consciousnesses here: it''s their life."


    They rode up a row of black moving stairs amongst countless others until it opened up to a long room filled with life.


    As it turned out, all the vibrancy the common citizens of Boston seemed to lack was contained in this building. The same elation they''d seen at Gloat Center was all around them once more.


    People in extravagant outfits stood on display, posing gladly at every request to have their image frozen on devices starkly similar to TeamTracks.


    One of them was a skull-faced man with glowing red eyes. Lammy marveled at how much magic the jewels on his golden staff must contain.


    Wait¡­this is Normal Country, he remembered. So it''s just for looks?


    As they continued along, Lammy observed the schedule he''d received upon signing in. He blinked in puzzlement.


    Wait a second¡­


    On the cover, two individuals wielded swords over a soft-textured background.


    Lammy studied the image. The flat nature of the people and background perfectly matched the laws of reality everywhere else he''d traveled in the Multiverse. Plus, the vibrant, darkly-outlined shading appeared exactly like the color palette of Mainland Fantasy Country.


    Looking at this book cover was like looking through a window to another very real¨Cyet very different place.


    Lammy had to blink to relieve the disorientation.


    "Oh, hey! It''s the Fullmetal Consciousnesst!" Deon noticed beside him.


    "Deon, wait¨C" tried Skrili.


    "Hey! Fullmetal Consciousnesst!"


    Deon jogged away from the group towards his peculiar opponent from months ago, the long red robe and yellow ponytail unmistakable. He knew the Consciousnesst was from this Country, but what were the odds they''d cross paths so quickly?


    "Fullmetal Consciousnesst," Deon greeted as he drew close. "Long time no see. Did you ever end up finding that Imaginer''s Rock thing?"


    When the man turned to face him, however, his face was grimaced in confusion. And not only was it younger, but much more feminine than Deon recalled.


    "Huh? You mean the ''Philosopher''s Stone?" corrected the apparent stranger. "And it''s Fullmetal Alchemist. You''ve never watched it before?"


    Deon froze, color leaving his face.


    Right¡­no Multiverse stuff. Crap. But¡­but she''s dressed just like him!


    "I totally recommend the show if you haven''t. It slaps," the girl said, her voice much friendlier now. "Way better than all the isekai stuff everyone''s obsessed with now. Though No Game No Life and Re:Zero are pretty decent, I''ll give them that."


    Stolen story; please report.


    "Uh¡­right. I definitely understood all of those words," Deon said.


    "Anyway, I love your eye contacts. So lifelike," the girl continued. "Who are you cosplaying?"


    What are all these terms?! Deon panicked. He hunted his mind for what little Normal Country lingo he could confidently state.


    "Uh¡­I''m¡­" he stammered, "the uh¡­Anime¡­Man. The Anime Man."


    "What?!" the girl laughed. "But you don''t look anything like Joey! I love his podcast though¨C"


    Deon felt a familiar yank on his collar.


    For once, he appreciated Skrili''s secondhand embarrassment as she tugged him back to safety within the group.


    "Stay with us, Mr. Stutter," one of Otogi''s bodyguards urged under his breath.


    "Right¡­my bad¡­"


    Otogi and the undercover guards turned left towards an adjacent room¨Cone that proved even bigger and denser than the first. Eyes beaming, Deon wondered how they could expect him not to get any more distracted.


    It was like a crash-course in Gloat Stadium''s festivities, all condensed into a singular place. Booths and tables were set up everywhere, filled to the brim with art and eager buyers.


    Passing by more colorful works on books, t-shirts, and posters, Lammy once again had to steady his mind.


    "Is it me, or¡­is a lot of this stuff¡­familiar?" he asked his cousin.


    "I was thinking the same thing."


    "So do you guys get it yet?" Otogi laughed. "These concepts and aesthetics have become an art form here, and people grew to love it. So many great stories get told through anime¡­but they don''t even realize where it comes from: that it''s all real beyond their Worldline."


    They paused so a small group could pass by and rush towards a booth of figurines.


    "Consciousnesses have existed in Normal Country as long as all the other Countries¨Caround a thousand years¨Cbut they''re actually pretty new to the League," said Otogi.


    They walked past a table where a sequence of art pieces were on display: from old, colorless sketches to the glossy images they''d seen everywhere else in this place. Otogi pointed his thumb towards it.


    "The story goes that almost eighty Earth years back, a consciousness artist returned from his Multiverse travels to his war-torn home in Japan. To make his neighbors smile again without giving the secret away, he ended up combining the evolving art styles of his people with the real adventures he''d secretly had and places he''d seen. Other artists started catching on, the art form grew, and¡­bam. Here we are. Anime, all the way across their planet."


    "So that''s why they started being able to take the League here," Lammy connected. "Anime grew into something that mirrors the Multiverse."


    "They can hide it without hiding it," Skrili confirmed. "Well¡­without hiding some of it."


    Lammy and Deon slowed at Skrili''s words, realizing Otogi had guided them all to a specific booth in the far corner of the room. It appeared no different than all the others, with a humble display of books labeled ''manga'' and a single person on duty.


    But one of the bodyguards stepped close and checked out a copy.


    "I think I''ve read this volume before," he commented.


    The statement lured the vendor closer. "Really? But it just released today," he pointed out."


    "Weird. Well, gee. Maybe it''s a different one," said the guard quickly. "Is this the one where they come from space?"


    "That depends. When would they arrive?"


    "Early," the guard said decidedly. "I just hope they don''t bring the rain with them."


    Deon and Lammy exchanged furrowed eyebrows.


    But the vendor nodded in conclusion. "Eight?"


    "Eight. Three stars."


    He turned and beckoned them all to follow him. Only then did they notice the black curtain at the end of the table. One by one, the vendor ushered them behind it, and the cousins'' anticipation soared high.


    But instead of finding another sneaky Normal Country trick, they simply found the other side of the curtain and the wall.


    "Brilliantly done," Phillip muttered just over their shoulders, admiring their bland new surroundings.


    "I mean, I guess the curtain is pretty symmetrical¡­" manifested Deon.


    "Not that. To the naked eye, this appears equal to the rest of our surroundings," elaborated the Illusionist.


    "It''s¡­not?"


    "Then what is it?" probed Lammy.


    For a split moment, he thought he was sinking into the floor¨Cor perhaps melting. But he realized neither was true, as the floor itself was sinking.


    Much like the platforms in Team Hiroko''s ship that rose from level to level soundlessly, this square of flooring descended from the room around it. They entered a dark abyss.


    But then lights faded on, and this platform''s true form¨Cthe one Phillip could see through the illusion¨Crevealed itself to everyone else. It was a simple square room, and the dark earthy textures beyond its glass walls passed them by as it took them deeper.


    "Well, no need to be subtle anymore," Otogi decided. "I''m sure fans are hoping to get signatures if they run into me. Time to switch."


    He took a mirror from his pocket, just like last time in Volona''s office building. Lammy and the others stepped aside, watching for the extravagant metamorphosis.


    But it never happened. This time his guards noticed the mirror gesture and sprung into action. They surrounded him, some whipping out pieces of sleek clothing.


    "...Eh?" Deon and Lammy uttered.


    They all watched as the much-less glorious transformation occurred, shuffling and zipping filling the silence.


    Then, when the bodyguards stepped back, the pink-haired, suave Otogi had emerged in a cool pose.


    I guess when there''s no magic, you gotta do what you gotta do, Lammy figured.


    Soon sweeping hums and hisses from outside the walls became the next sound to fill the moving room. But they still couldn''t see a thing through the glass.


    "This goes by the underground highways that run right underneath Hyne''s and through the city," Otogi shared. "And all the activity through there helps mask all the stuff we do underneath¡­in here."


    As if on cue, the darkness beyond the sinking room opened up, and they may as well have entered another world.


    A stadium, undeniably for Conscious Competitions, waited beneath the high ceiling they were lowering from. Its seating arrangements were nearly identical to Gloat Stadium, though this place carried an earthier theme of bronzes and browns. The fighting platform was the same as well, and in place of the dragon logo in its center was a simple emblem of Earth.


    There was a dimness¨Cor perhaps warmth¨Cto this stadium compared to its Fantasy Country counterpart. Lammy attributed it to the closed ceiling, as opposed to Gloat Stadium''s open, airy layout. After all, it made sense not to need flying space or elevated viewing for dragons and winged beings here.


    "Hynes Stadium," Otogi introduced. "One of Earth''s secret League attractions."


    "I came here once with Pang," said Skrili. "They''ve upgraded a bit."


    Dozens of consciousnesses of all ages were already filing in and finding their seats, with their cushions, snacks, and signs ready to go.


    Along the other corners of the massive room, several other square capsules were lowering to the bottom floor with their own passengers; clearly, there were several ways to get here from above. Lammy wondered which other sections of Anime Boston were actually secret entryways for this event.


    The capsules disappeared behind the raised seating, and soon, Team Hiroko''s did the same. A wall blocked their view for a moment until they eased to a stop before a hallway leading into the stadium.


    But instead, a hiss resounded behind them. The cousins turned to find the back wall of their capsule sliding open to a separate, green-tinted hallway. Otogi and his guards were already heading that way, so the group followed.


    The chatter of early fans faded behind them. Deon looked back, watching the capsule close and ascend. His body itched to head into the stadium. The utter electricity of the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition had hit him all at once. He needed to feel that life again.


    And this time¨Cfinally¨Che would be a part of the spectacle.


    But it seemed that had to wait for now.


    "Almost there. Our dressing room should be on this side," Otogi assured back to them.


    They all turned the corner, and immediately found company.


    "There he is. The man himself."


    Opposite from the way they were all heading, two tall men leaned against the wall.


    Otogi''s smile grew with familiarity. He halted his guards and met these acquaintances, who rose to exchange fist-bumps.


    Everything about them made Otogi¨Cand all of them, for that matter¨Cappear like children in comparison. They towered over everyone but Phillip and the guards, and their tight, sleeveless outfits showed off tattooed muscles Deon doubted he could ever build.


    Nonetheless, Otogi stood confidently as he arched to look up at them.


    "The Bowler Brothers. Always a pleasure," he greeted.


    By their matching, armor-like black clothes and similarly bony faces, Deon and Lammy had already derived they were related. Besides the color, even their hairstyle was the same: bald besides a single line up the middle.


    "When was the last time we fought each other, huh? Back in Fiction Country?" the brother with pale orange hair reminisced. "You got us good that time, man. Won''t pull one on us tonight!"


    Oh¡­so these are two of the guys we''re up against, noted Deon, their name finally ringing a bell.


    "I don''t know, Bart," snickered Otogi. "My new team''s looking real good, just saying."


    The brothers did little more than scan Deon, Skrili, and Phillip for less than a second. They returned to Otogi before Deon could even attempt a greeting.


    The one with icy-blue hair patted Otogi''s arm. "So tell me, man¡­what''s going on? Like¡­what''s the deal?"


    "Not sure what you''re getting at, Martin," laughed Otogi.


    "Dude. Yes you do."


    The air of friendliness in the hall shuttered for a moment.


    "Pro-to-pro, I gotta ask where your head''s at," Martin elaborated kindly. "I mean¡­you split with your longtime teammate for this. You and Terbius were changing the game for years. I know he''s gotta be hurting."


    "We''re still friendly," Otogi insisted.


    "Good, good. I mean¡­it''s gotta be worth walking away from all of that. So¡­why sign onto this? All these rookies freeing up a bigger bag?"


    Bart laughed. "Nah, it''s cuz he gets to be around Kotono now¡­if you know what I mean."


    He chuckled and nudged Otogi.


    "Those are press rumors, guys," promised Otogi. "And yeah¨Cit''s a hefty sum. But it''s all going towards finding Pang Pereo. 100% of it."


    "That''s so awesome, man. Really," Martin applauded. "''Team Hiroko.'' Honoring what Hiroko would do. It''s incredible. Would''ve loved to be a part of that, you know?"


    Martin and Bart''s faces remained just as smiley. But somehow, the air felt thinner.


    Otogi''s smile finally wavered.


    "Just saying. ''Cuz when we heard about Hiroko, it broke us down," Martin continued. "We thought, ''if we have to do this Special Team without her, we''re gonna do it for her.'' We were talking about trading for a couple old buddies. Could have been you and Terbius!"


    "That was my first choice," Bart chimed in. "Kotono''s management liked it."


    Lammy caught Deon''s increasingly wary eyes.


    Wait¡­these guys were supposed to be part of Hiroko and Kotono''s original Special Team? they both realized.


    "Imagine that, Otogi¡­the five of us would completely dominate this Special League. What better way to honor Hiroko, right?" pressed Martin. "But¡­it''s so weird. Once we lose her, they drop us."


    "And they replace us with all newbies, besides you," Bart added.


    Even still, neither brother looked their way.


    "I mean, don''t you think that''s a little weird¡­?" Martin asked him. "What do these kids know about honoring Hiroko''s legacy compared to us? Weren''t we already the right move?"


    Deon tensed. But he felt Skrili''s hand grab him before he could speak up.


    Otogi remained still and unwavering. But his smile was fully gone.


    "Believe it or not, these ''kids'' know more about honoring Hiroko than me," he uttered. "And more than you guys ever will."


    Otogi backed up to stand amongst his group.


    "This is my team," he said flatly. "And they''re the only right choices for Team Hiroko. I don''t need to explain it to you."


    Finally, Deon could see all the way through the Bowler Brothers.


    Their still-lingering smiles, their friendly speech¡­


    None of it was genuine.


    But Deon''s fire of rage morphed into one of passion as he watched Otogi. His new teammate said everything he was about to spout, but with much more poise and authority.


    And all without giving away their true cause.


    Bart let out a laugh. "Yeah? Okay."


    "A trade''s not off the table," offered Martin. "We''re carrying the team Credo stuck us with."


    "This is my team," Otogi reiterated.


    Exchanging glances full of unspoken frustration, the brothers finally turned away and wandered off down the hall.


    "We''ll see if you say that after the fight," one of them called back before they disappeared into another room.


    Otogi sighed. "Sorry about that, guys. Come on."


    The group resumed their walk, but they all found themselves moving faster than before.


    A natural intensity had awoken between them all.


    Lammly glanced at each of his fighter friends. The hardness in all of their faces were the same, and it was increasing with each step.


    A chill shot through him: he was witnessing the evolution of a new team.


    Whatever I can do to help¡­I have your backs, he promised quietly.


    Oddly, however, the chill remained. In fact, it grew colder.


    Soon Lammy realized it wasn''t just a sensation of his mind: the hallway was literally growing colder.


    All around them, the green-tinted lighting was losing its color. Then, everything weakened to gray.


    The door to their dressing room was just ahead. And there, Lammy saw the source.


    Lifeless fog was emitting through the cracks and starving the hall of color.


    The teammates all looked to each other, but none needed to utter a word. They all knew, and their newfound confidence began dwindling.


    Their jealous opponents weren''t the only challenge before them tonight.


    Behind the door, Kotono was crumbling faster than before.

 136. Sisters Heart

    Zayza burst through the flap of her tent into the pounding sun.


    This time, Chiwawo was the one startled. Standing on guard outside her tent like yesterday, he gripped his staff tighter at her sudden appearance.


    "Oh. Good morning, Princess," he said, easing up. "How did you sl¨C"


    "Guide me to the Tribe Father," Zayza requested.


    "Huh?"


    "Sorry¡­please."


    Chiwawo stared at her, his eyebrows lowering. He let out a chuckle. "Where is this coming from, all of the sudden?"


    Immediately, Zayza wished she''d thought through this step before blurting out her request. She couldn''t tell him of her further findings in the Dream World¨Cof the second Memory Triangle. Not yet.


    "This may be uncharted territory¡­But nonetheless, the truth you seek is in our way. In our history¡­"


    The unknown voice from the past had offered wisdom to Hiroko. And yet, it also set Zayza on this new path.


    It seemed too coincidental not to be related: so far when Zayza experienced Hidakalan history and culture, it triggered the Memory Triangles in the Dream World. All she needed, then, was to put herself in that environment more.


    Hirochota had mentioned introducing her to the ''Tribe Father'' yesterday. If anyone seemed like they''d know the most about Hidakalan history, it would be someone with a title like that.


    Perhaps this man''s knowledge could be the catalyst to the rest of Hiroko''s memories, and help uncover the answer to why this was happening in the first place.


    "Um¡­Princess?"


    Zayza jolted back to her present reality. The pressure of Chiwawo''s icy, curious eyes slowed her ability to contrive an explanation even further.


    If only Lammy or Layla were here to help me plan this out better¡­she lamented. It seems I rely on their wit more than I realized¡­


    "Well, I¡­" she started, "I''m just curious¡­about your tribe?"


    All I could come up with was the watered-down truth?! she despaired.


    "Is that all? Even I can help you with that. I already planned to," Chiwawo assured. "The Tribe Father is extremely busy."


    "Well then¡­when he returns, I would still very much like to meet him," Zayza insisted. "If that''s alright."


    Chiwawo shrugged. "I suppose¡­but it''s not that he''s gone anywhere," he clarified. "Not physically."


    Zayza''s perplexity halted his words.


    Chiwawo sighed. "Come on. Follow me. It is easier to show you."


    After offering her bread at his tent first to save himself from his mother''s fury, Chiwawo led the way. Their walk brought them close to the very center of the village, where the sand was increasingly less pressed by footprints.


    At this point, the only other Hidakalan walking by was a woman carrying a bucket of water and a basket of food. She reached a lonely tent with no neighboring structures around it.


    The tent was smaller than Zayza''s, and unlike any of the others she''d seen, made from all-black fabric. A single guard stood before it, his mostly-exposed skin covered in almost as many triangle tattoos as Hiroko. He wielded a spear with massive black feathers at the end, the same shade as the tent he watched over.


    The woman reached the tent, lowered the nourishment beside its closed flap, and faced the guard. She bent to her knees and bowed down, hands and feet flat with her forehead kissing the sand.


    The guard mirrored the motion and rose back to position. Then, the woman quietly departed.


    She exchanged waves with Chiwawo in passing, now much less formal. Even though both were well within hearing range, they''d remained quiet.


    Taking the hint, Zayza made a note not to speak up. She matched Chiwawo''s steady steps up to the tent.


    Chiwawo faced the guard and began crouching down. He paused and tapped Zayza''s arm, signaling her to do the same.


    She could feel the guard''s stare straight through her as she tried to watch Chiwawo from the ground and awkwardly mimic his form, brushing her hair away to see better. The sand, though soothingly gentle, was nearly warm enough to burn her palms.


    Zayza was finally convinced she''d completed the bow successfully, but Chiwawo didn''t move, and neither did the guard.


    Chiwawo tried to grunt something unintelligible her way.


    "Hm?"


    She felt his hand not-so-subtly find her head and press it against the ground.


    For a moment, she could feel her entire body moving.


    No¨Cit wasn''t her. There were tremors in the ground below. They came and went.


    They felt¡­alive.


    When she realized Chiwawo was almost back to his feet already, Zayza rushed to catch up.


    But instead of returning the bow like before, the guard suddenly raised his staff and stabbed it back into the ground. Zayza pounced.


    Chiwawo nodded to the guard, and then to her too as if this concluded his promised explanation. He gestured towards the closed tent entrance.


    Zayza squinted her eyes. Only a sliver was open, and at first, it appeared nothing was in the tent at all.


    But then she noticed a figure so still, she''d assumed it was a shadow.


    A skeleton¨Cno, a man¨Csat motionless in the very center. His feet and hands were flat against the sand, and his eyes were closed.


    That was all she had time to notice before Chiwawo tapped her shoulder and began walking away.


    The tent''s entrance tugged at Zayza''s wonder. But if staying meant standing alone in the shadow of this inscrutable guard, she quickly found it best to follow Chiwawo.


    She only made it a single step, however.


    "Chiwawo¡­The one you have brought to me cannot see or hear."


    Chiwawo and Zayza paused. The words had come from inside the tent.


    That voice¡­Zayza thought.


    She spun to face the tent again. She''d only spoken to a handful of Hidakalan men so far, yet Zayza was certain she''d heard him before. In fact, his tone had been embedded into her mind since last night.


    It''s the man from Hiroko''s memory, she recognized. That man was the Tribe Father¡­


    But it didn''t quite add up. Why was the same man, who had offered her the very guidance that led her here, so closed-off to her now?


    The reminder set in. It wasn''t me he talked to. It was Hiroko.


    No matter how real it felt, nor how relevant, that memory wasn''t hers. That wisdom wasn''t for her.


    I am an outsider, after all, she tried to accept. Perhaps I just¡­read into it too much.


    "I apologize, Tribe Father," Chiwawo urged beside her. "She was seeking your knowledge."


    Zayza averted her eyes from the tent to him. Despite shrugging off her will to come here earlier, he was defending it¨Cand perhaps her dignity¨Cin front of others.


    More than that: in front of the authority.


    Chiwawo dropped into another bow.


    Zayza stood stiff, unsure if she was supposed to join again¨Cor allowed to, for that matter.


    "Give her feet ears, and I will teach them to hear. Give them eyes, and I will teach them to open."


    Chiwawo lifted his head.


    "Only then can I point her towards the answers she seeks in her new journey."


    Chiwawo and Zayza studied the tent in silence. Even the guard turned its way. But the Tribe Father didn''t speak any further.


    "Yes, Tribe Father," Chiwawo uttered. "Come, Princess."


    They departed, and the extra air of reverence faded with Zayza''s steps as they returned to the populated areas of the village. Zayza watched a crowd of children chase each other between tents, their screams breathing life into their weathered surroundings.


    "He¡­knew it was us," Zayza reflected. "Even though he couldn''t see us, and even though we didn''t say a word."


    "Actually, you did go ''Hm?'' when I tried showing you how to bow," Chiwawo pointed out, attempting to mimic her higher pitch.


    Zayza flushed. "Is that why? Did I interrupt his prayer?"


    Chiwawo''s chest bounced with his laugh. "I am teasing you, Princess. Believe me, he knew it was us well before we reached the tent," he assured.


    "How?"


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "It is the thing you called ''prayer¨C'' though it is a bit different than that," Chiwawo told her. "The Gods Below are not some intangible being that we have to guess about and hope our wishes reach them¨Cthey are very much alive, and they dwell deep underneath our sands. They always have."


    Chiwawo stopped walking, so Zayza joined. He pointed at her feet.


    "Look at the sand holding you up. Feel how it cradles you between your toes," he invited.


    Zayza tried¨Cbut she noticed nothing particularly special about it. It was merely sand, no different than that of the Azvaylen shore back home. It was much hotter, and perhaps a bit softer, but it was sand nonetheless.


    "The first Hidakalans were born from this sand thousands of years ago," Chiwawo taught. "The Gods Below conceived us, and our bodies rose to the surface as celebrations of their glory. Just like the ground we came from, we are meant to be sacred reflections of their holiness."


    He tossed his staff into the air, and watched it sink back into the sand.


    "Gravity is our constant reminder, and our natural encouraging force," he shared. "It guides us back to holiness. The more our feet remain connected to these sacred sands, the more we are able to glorify our Creators."


    Zayza watched him study the village. His eyes lingered on the distant Lake Hirokyauta, and she could see his ponderings intensify on his face.


    But even still, she wasn''t so sure how literally this myth of origin could hold up. After all, gravity existed all over the Multiverse.


    And while she could certainly feel rumblings when she placed her forehead to the sand earlier, deities wouldn''t have been her first logical attribution. If somebody chose to dig deeper and deeper under Hidakala, would they eventually reach the physical bodies of these Gods?


    Regardless, his words lingered in her head like a dreamy song; like when Raznizu would read her and her sisters old legends of the Zinn.


    "That is wonderfully poetic," Zayza sighed. "So¡­when he said I cannot ''see or hear,'' he meant since I''m an outsider, I don''t believe?"


    "He means it literally," Chiwawo insisted. "Hidakalans feel the will of the Gods Below through our feet, and we use it to guide us. Even our children do so."


    He gestured to the little Hidakalans a few tents away, who were now sitting in a circle catching their breath and teasing each other. All of them sat with their feet planted flat on the sand.


    Zayza realized why it seemed so familiar: Hiroko had often sat just like that, despite being far from Hidakala and distancing herself from many of its customs. Perhaps it was an unconscious habit grown from years of tradition.


    "While it is something we all do, it''s the Tribe Father''s role to only do that¨Cto listen to the Gods Below constantly, and allow them to show him their guidance for our tribe as a whole," said Chiwawo.


    "Then," pondered Zayza, "was his instruction¨Cor, the Gods'' instruction, I suppose¨Cfor you to teach me how to gain this sense?"


    "That is how it sounded," Chiwawo uttered, "but it seems wrong. You are not Hidakalan. It is not in your nature."


    "Hey! It''s Chiwawo!"


    "Hi Chiwawo!!"


    The children had finally spotted him standing there, and raised a flurry of waves and beaming smiles his way.


    He grinned and returned their greeting.


    "Hello," Zayza joined in.


    All at once, the entire group of children went silent. Their smiles vanished in place of distant, uncertain stares.


    Zayza lowered her waving hand uncomfortably.


    "Oh, come on, now. She is our friend," Chiwawo challenged them. "Hey, make sure you drink water! It will be hotter soon!"


    Their giddy demeanor gradually returned as they stood and continued their game.


    Zayza watched them run around. "Then what if¡­the Tribe Father means I need to become a Hidakalan¨C"


    Suddenly, Chiwawo''s hand pressed against her mouth. Her heart skipped.


    Chiwawo''s eyes darted around to make sure nobody was close enough to hear. But they seemed to wear the guilt of whatever Zayza''s words had insinuated, as if he''d been the one responsible for the thought.


    "Princess, please do not suggest such an idea¨Cnot out loud," he hushed. "Years of circumstances have conditioned our people not to trust outsiders so easily. Such a suggestion is more than this tribe is ready to approve."


    ''Not out loud?'' Zayza highlighted as Chiwawo removed his hand.


    "Then¡­you do believe it could be what the Tribe Father meant?" she practically whispered.


    Chiwawo watched her for a moment. "I¡­haven''t decided," he said. "I am sorry, Princess. If that is the Gods'' will¡­I wouldn''t even know what achieving that would look like¨C"


    "Oh!"


    Despite their discussion''s intensity, Zayza couldn''t help but look past him. A woman several tents down the village had just fallen to the sand, spilling multiple baskets in every direction.


    Zayza ran to the woman. As she drew closer and joined her, thankfully, the woman sat up and dusted off her dress.


    "Um¡­are you¨C" Zayza tried.


    "STUPID HEAT STONES! Here, how do YOU like it?!"


    The woman grabbed a handful of the spilled pebbles and chucked them against the sand with all her might.


    "Uh¡­"


    "What?!" the woman hissed, spinning to see her. "Oh¡­the cloudskin girl. Greetings."


    Zayza paused, her smile crooked. "Um, are you okay?" she tried again.


    The woman shifted to her knees and began gathering the slightly-buried stones one-by-one.


    "I am fine, of course. But thank you, outsider."


    She returned all attention to her task. Soon, Zayza could only watch in discomfort for so long.


    She lowered to the ground with the woman, retrieving any stones she could find. Zayza recognized their deep gray complexion quickly: they were the same special rocks Chiwawo used to heat up embers in her tent at night. Resting in her palms, they were even softer than some of her old Azvaylen gems.


    Zayza looked up when she finally realized the woman had stopped recovering them. Instead she was still, glaring at Zayza in utter bewilderment.


    "What are you doing?"


    Zayza froze. "Um¡­I''m sorry¡­You looked like you could use some help," she said. "So these are the stones we use to heat our tents?"


    "Clearly. Are those cloudskin eyes as frail as your body?" she pressed. "It is my duty to gather these at the base of the northern dunes and distribute them daily."


    Something about Zayza''s attentive intrigue seemed to disgust her.


    "...If you must know," she added.


    "This seems like a lot to carry," noted Zayza.


    "Well I normally work in a group¡­but Kelekoha has been ill, and Hauwawa and Yakotula are both very pregnant," she groaned. "Isn''t it a bit disrespectful to have a child when you know your team member will, too?!"


    Um¡­I''m not sure that''s a fair critique¡­Zayza kept to herself.


    The woman shook her head. "This will take me triple the time. I''ll have to work into nightfall. Just don''t tell the guards."


    "Perhaps¡­I can help you finish," Zayza offered.


    The woman simply laughed. "Thank you, but what could you do with that feathery form?" she dismissed. "Your offer is cute, but this is not a job an outsider can handle. Besides, I said I''m fine."


    "Oh Nahutala, enough of that," came Chiwawo''s voice from behind.


    He stood over them now, shaking his head with a smirk.


    "Can''t you give the Princess a chance to try?"


    Nahutala rolled her eyes. "Eta vonik buzen fui hirofuen bon," she told him, pointing at Zayza.


    "Bonzen zuifen tal," Chiwawo retorted, a glint in his eye. They both snickered.


    What''s this¡­? I can''t understand this tongue? realized Zayza. How can that be?


    But whatever Chiwawo''s witty retort was, it seemed to soften Nahutala''s adversity a bit.


    "Eh¡­" She shook her head, but this time with a smile. "Fine. I will let you play, cloudskin. I mean¡­Princess Zayza," she said, poking her head out for dramatic emphasis. "But I am sending you home the second you slow me down."


    "O¨Cokay."


    ~


    The initial part of their work proved easy enough, aside from the searing sunlight that Zayza accepted she''d just have to get used to. After collecting all the stones they could find from the spill, they brought them across the village to a pile beside Nahutala''s tent.


    But it appeared the true work had just begun.


    Nahutala guided Zayza beyond the tribe structures, to the outskirts of the village¨Cand then beyond that, too. They eventually cleared the width of the Curving Peak in the distance.


    Zayza, strapped into the same sandals as her failed hike yesterday, powered forward with extra vigor. She clutched her basket and hand shovel tightly.


    I''ll show Chiwawo I''m more than capable this time, she resolved. Then he''ll have no choice but to let me go back up to that cliff.


    The farther they walked, the more Zayza anticipated a journey similarly difficult. But she was properly nourished and hydrated now: nothing could blindside her.


    "Are you a woman?" Nahutala suddenly called behind them.


    Zayza frowned in bafflement.


    "Do I look like one?" came Chiwawo''s retort a few paces behind. "This may be a woman''s task, but it is my duty to watch after the Princess. I must follow you."


    Nahutala rolled her eyes. "Fumen zai f¨¹r gonlen tal ful."


    "It is my mother''s wish," Chiwawo stressed. "And the Princess was Hirokyauta''s companion. So I will honor it."


    There it is again¡­Zayza noted. A spoken language I cannot understand¡­


    "Um¡­not to be rude," she inquired, "but why am I unable to follow some of your speech?"


    "Because Nahutala is being unfair," Chiwawo accused composedly. "She is using our ancient dialect."


    "It is beautiful. Our holy tongue," Nahutala defended. "The ancient Hidakalans spoke only in those words. Our language evolved and simplified over the years, mostly to communicate with other tribes and outsiders. But our elders have passed down our true language since the beginning."


    Zayza nodded politely at her prideful explication, though it didn''t quite answer her question.


    "All consciousnesses are born with the ability to understand spoken languages of all realities, right?" Nahutala led. "That''s what you are taught?"


    Zayza nodded more confidently.


    It''s always been that way¡­that''s just¡­true.


    "Wrong," Nahutala said bluntly. "Not all languages¨Cnot the ones that existed well before consciousnesses did."


    A time before consciousnesses¡­? Zayza pondered, her mind whirling at the concept.


    "It is sacred," Chiwawo concluded. "Or if you''re Nahutala, it is just a way to poke fun at people without them knowing."


    "Oh, cry about it."


    Zayza sulked to herself. YOU were doing it earlier too, Chiwawo¡­she accused silently.


    What must have been over an hour passed before Zayza noticed a sudden dip in the sand they approached, spanning much of what she could see.


    Deciding to consider it a checkpoint, Zayza gritted her teeth and forced her steps harder. Her sweat dripped into the thirsty ground as she followed this seemingly directionless hike.


    Nahutala checked back for the first time in a while. She''d broken ahead by several paces now and left Zayza in the dust, even when Chiwawo urged her to slow. But this time, upon seeing Zayza, she stopped.


    "Huh. So the cloudskin actually made it this far," she noted.


    Zayza simply gasped, too breathless to reply as she joined Nahutala near the start of the hill.


    "You do this daily, huh?" noted Chiwawo close behind, void of any fatigue. He looked around. "Wait, did you get us lost?"


    Please no¡­for the love of all that is good in this Multiverse¡­Zayza begged internally.


    "Don''t be a fool, Chiwawo. I know how to listen." Nahutala pointed at her bare feet. "Come on. We are here."


    They approached the sharp, vast slope and stood at its edge. The bottom was nearly as far as the ground when standing at the top of an Azvaylen tower. At the base the sand appeared denser and darker, but it faded back into the usual landscape as it evened out into an endless continuation of the desert.


    Nahutala turned her toes in the sand. Then, she nodded. "We will dig at the bottom. Take a moment to breathe."


    Zayza studied Nahutala''s feet.


    Those ''Gods Below'' guided her here? she wondered. Couldn''t it just be from memory,  though?


    Despite her doubt, Zayza found herself slipping off her sandals. The pressure from their straps were immediately soothed within the shifting sand.


    She closed her eyes.


    There it was again: undeniably, she felt the faintest tremors in her soles.


    She heard a brief laugh beside her.


    "''Look. She doesn''t have your sister''s might, yet she has her heart.''"


    Zayza opened her eyes to find Nahutala watching her, a smile on her face. This time, there was no trace of teasing in her eyes.


    "That is what I told Chiwawo earlier, when you offered to help me," Nahutala said. "Well¡­that is the basic translation."


    Zayza must have appeared quite frazzled from their trip, because Nahutala''s ensuing laugh was finally one of pity. She could feel the hot red in her cheeks.


    Nahutala looked out into the Mainland Desert. "Years ago, whenever one of my fellow gatherers couldn''t work, Hirokyauta always found out, and always came to do it with me."


    She shook her head fondly. "That girl could not stand performing women''s roles¡­but she never complained to me," she remembered. "Honestly, I preferred those days. It was more work without the others, but time always seemed to go by faster because we would laugh all the way here, and all the way home."


    Zayza''s chest felt soft at the phantom sound of Hiroko''s chalky laughter.


    Nahutala stepped close to her, and brushed one side of Zayza''s hair behind her ear. She touched her finger to the now-visible triangle tattoo on Zayza''s cheek.


    "Remember to wear that proudly, Cloudskin Princess," Nahutala encouraged. "Now, have you finally caught your breath? Let''s climb."


    She turned and began her careful descent without waiting for a reply.


    While Zayza hadn''t caught her breath in the slightest, she braced herself and followed. The hill''s steepness nearly slid her downward before she caught her balance.


    But before resuming, Zayza turned back to Chiwawo. She could only see his head now that he''d sat down to wait and guard.


    "So then¡­what was it you said back to Nahutala earlier?" Zayza pressed.


    He shrugged. "I just warned her you''re proving to be just as stubborn as my sister, too."


    She shot him a jeer. But her soft face betrayed her, as Chiwawo simply laughed like he''d just teased a puppy.


    As Zayza descended, she found herself laughing a bit, as well.


    So these were her people, before me and Kotono¡­she contemplated. And to nobody''s surprise, Hiroko, you blessed their lives just as much as ours.


    Already falling behind Nahutala again, she prepared her hands to dig. But she knew heat stones weren''t all she was mining for.


    Your memories¡­your fate¡­no matter how far I must travel, out here or in the Dream World, I will discover them, she vowed. And I''ll bring them home to us.

 137. Insect

    The stillness at the table, compared to the life all around Pang in the food court, made her start to squirm in her seat. She couldn''t have predicted she''d ever prefer to hear Benton and Irma''s endless debates.


    But they both sat wordless, their minds in another looming place.


    Eventually, hearing nothing but the crunch of chips in her own mouth boiled Pang over. She tossed the bag onto the table.


    "What, are we a team of Aoi''s now?" she barked. "Say something!"


    "We already told you what''s wrong," Irma countered. "Look. Even Aoi is stressing out."


    "Actually, I think she fell asleep," Pang pointed out.


    Aoi''s head drooped a bit over her unfinished salad.


    "Whatever. The point is, this is gonna be a rough day," moaned Irma, flopping onto the table. "I don''t wanna do this."


    "For once, I''m right there with ''ya," added Benton.


    Pang rolled her eyes. Sure, meeting with the Rank-S team sounded more than overwhelming¨Cespecially when she couldn''t even touch Irma and Benton''s level of power yet¨Cbut was it really worth a time of mourning before anything even happened?


    They were set to begin the first joint session after lunch, and the closer they came to that time, the grimmer her teammates had grown.


    "Come on," Pang stressed. "They can''t be that much stronger than you¨C"


    "See you guys in a bit!"


    Irma and Benton nearly pounced out of their chairs, crashing into each other.


    A warm trace of maple brushed Pang''s nose. The dorky tea lady¨Cor Pyper, as Irma called her, was passing them by with a wave.


    Even Aoi popped out of her slumber, turning her head to study Pyper as she walked away.


    The second-strongest in all of Proscious¡­Pang remembered. Her?


    "R¨Cright¡­see you soon¡­" Benton feebly forced out.


    "Dude, she''s already long gone."


    Irma forced herself to take a sip of her drink. "Pang, I don''t think you realize how bad this could be for you, too," she expressed. "You''re the weakest of us all. So whichever of them becomes our new leader¡­if they decide you''re like, holding us back, they could boot you from the team."


    "Boo-hoo."


    Irma''s gaze sharpened. "And since we''re the ones keeping you in-line, that could mean going back to confinement like you were supposed to," she warned. "...Or worse."


    This time, Pang fell silent.


    "I won''t let that happen to you," Irma swore. "So let''s look good in tonight''s session, alright?"


    Finally, Benton seemed to stir from his spell of gloom, if only a little.


    "You know what, Irma? You''re right," he said. "We ain''t losin'' another teammate¨Cespecially not like that. She''s one of us."


    Pang darted her eyes to deflect their warming gazes.


    "Besides," Benton added, "we got that tennis rematch to settle."


    Stirring abruptly, Aoi leaned under the table in search of something. She resurfaced with her tennis racket, wielding it upside-down once again.


    Irma slapped her forehead. "Not right now, Aoi," she explained.


    Pang chuckled.


    ~


    The stale air disappointed Pang as usual as she stepped outside. At this point, she''d rejoice at even the slightest hint of weather on this base.


    But she figured this still beat remaining inside the training facility, where Irma and Benton continued to sit worrying instead of preparing for the joint session like they''d proclaimed.


    Pang leaned against the metallic outer wall. The empty white sky provided nothing for a view, so she sifted mindlessly through the digital pages on her SquadScreen watch.


    ¡°Pyper! You almost walked straight into that pole,¡± echoed a man''s voice from down the street. ¡°Man, what studies do you have your nose in, now?¡±


    Pang glanced up. Still a couple minutes away, Pyper and a tall man were making their way towards the facility.


    Are there only two Rank-S members, then? she wondered.


    The man would have been easy to spot even from much farther away, thanks to the practical glow of the yellow in his hair. It was gelled into large spikes out to each side over his ears, with fewer pitch-black highlights mixed in.


    Oh: it''s that one dude from the lab, Pang managed to recall from her then-groggy mind. He was the same man who had come to retrieve Pyper for an urgent meeting.


    She wondered if that meeting helped lead to the training about to unfold today.


    Pang had been too out-of-it then to notice the man''s peculiar fashion sense, but it was nothing less than jarring now. Countless chains dangled where zippers and metal buttons weren''t present on his long, sleeveless black jacket. Despite his height, it ran all the way past his knees, nearly reaching the tops of his bulky leather boots.


    The dual chrome studs pierced between his eyebrows completed his loudly edgy outfit.


    He nudged Pyper again when she almost veered down the wrong road. Her face was hidden behind a large tablet, and her finger endlessly scrolled against it.


    ¡°Sorry¡­Have you never looked through Proscious'' records?¡± she finally replied. ¡°There''s just so much fascinating info in here¡­I can''t look away!¡±


    Nerd, Pang thought.


    The duo drew closer, and the jingles from the man''s many chains were growing audible. Pang lifted from the wall. Figuring the training would start soon, she headed back inside.


    Guess I''m about to find out what being stronger than Irma and Benton looks like, she thought as she headed down the hall and reached their gym.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± she called in as she entered, ¡°I think it''s about to start¨C¡±


    Her words froze, replaced with a curse.


    It happened like a flash, unfolding before her all at once. But her trained fighting eyes managed to follow just enough to realize what was happening.


    Someone appeared like a blur before Aoi on the fighting platform, seemingly having descended from above. She made no reaction as he stuck something on her head. And even as he plowed a massive boot into her core, Aoi did nothing to defend, flopping backwards through the air like a ragdoll.


    She crashed hard on the outer floor of the room and didn''t move.


    Pang''s heart sank, and things were progressing too rapidly to question this emotion.


    ¡°HEY! WHAT''S YOUR PROBLEM?!?!¡± boomed Benton, already charging at the enemy.


    ¡°Aoi!¡± Irma tried, but she swore up a storm when her teammate didn''t respond.


    Pang couldn''t witness what came next. A violent stab pierced through her mind and her vision went white.


    ¡°Good grief!¡± she cursed.


    Despite the chaos, this sudden pain was no mystery: Benton and Irma both switched consciousness types to begin their fight. And since Pang had no chance to prepare, she couldn''t dull its punishing effect on her powers.


    Holding her head, she regained her senses. But even in just that moment, she found she''d missed quite a lot.


    Benton and Irma both crashed onto opposite sides of the platform, having been lunged somehow by their aggressor. They stood and immediately charged forward again.


    If that''s how Irma''s fighting right now, she''s on Thoughtfeeder, Pang recognized from their previous sessions. Benton''s either on Withstander or Dampener. This guy got lucky, but he''s toast.


    When she finally paused to notice who they fought, however, her prediction crumbled.


    The yellow and black spikes of his hair stood out sharply in the center of the room, just like they had been moments ago when he''d been walking towards her outside.


    The S-Rank guy?!


    ¡°Danek! What''s your deal?!¡± Irma grumbled, sustaining another heavy blow.


    Pang instinctively checked behind her, towards the hall she''d come from. Nobody else had arrived after her.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Are there two of him?! she pondered. But his outfit was undeniably the same. Or maybe¡­he moved fast when I turned my back and ambushed us?


    ¡°You tyrna kill us?!¡± Benton seethed.


    ¡°Well that''s the idea,¡± Danek replied, blocking punches from both of them simultaneously. His razor-sharp voice cut through the noise like heavy machinery. ¡°I thought that was obvious.¡±


    Finally, Pang''s mind acknowledged the ongoing booming that was rattling her chest, and had been since she arrived. It must have blended indistinguishably into the chaos, as its deep pumping and pounding tones were a perfect representation of the unfolding chaos.


    But it wasn''t just her head overloading: the Proscious members were shouting over a very real sound.


    Music was blasting out from the fighting platform. A backpack-sized speaker floated in place above Danek''s head, its cone pulsating as it delivered an onslaught of bassy guitars and drum slams.


    It was the kind of song Pang would often blast with Phillip during their travels. But given her current situation, she could only afford to focus on decoding its purpose here than revel in warm familiarity.


    Benton returned once more with a fist like a meteor. But Danek only used one hand to block it.


    Regardless how strong this man could possibly be, Pang knew no amount of physical strength could parry such force. Something else was at play.


    For a brief instant, Danek''s arm buckled backward from Benton''s force¨Cuntil Danek rammed his boot into his abs.


    The monstrous man huffed, still barely remaining on his feet.


    ¡°Heh. As if, old man.¡±


    The music grew louder. Then, still with one hand on his prey''s fist, Danek yanked Benton into the air and slammed him against the floor.


    Now Pang had no doubts. The cluster of power types in the room made it harder for her senses to detect it on their own, but Benton''s attempt painted the situation clearly.


    Danek was a Soundvert: his mind converted everything he could hear into raw energy.


    That explained his sudden dip in strength: Benton must have attempted to use Dampener abilities to weaken him, thus beginning to weaken the power-boost Danek could get from noise. But the elite Prosciousness was too quick to respond, breaking Benton''s focus with sheer pain.


    Benton retreated back a bit, clutching his core as Irma closed back in to provide relief.


    Suddenly, Pang felt stiff.


    If this dude can make Benton hurt like that, even with his powers a little dampened, she pondered, the strength he must get from his power type is¡­


    ¡­completely insane.


    Irma neared Danek but suddenly shot upward, changing course straight towards the floating speaker. But another fist from Danek sent her flipping back to the floor. She caught herself gracefully, then like a hornet, zoomed in again.


    Of course¡­Pang finally realized. No wonder they keep just running straight at him.


    Danek wasn''t their true target: it was the speaker.


    Silence was the key. Without the music, Danek''s power was gone.


    But Aoi was their only option for long-range attacks.


    Unable to move otherwise, Pang''s eyes darted back to Aoi. She still lay like a doll, lifeless, her hood covering her head.


    Something twisted in Pang''s gut.


    I get that a sneak-attack is the only way to take care of her¡­Pang thought.


    And yet, her disgust only festered.


    But¡­I don''t think even I''d have it in me to hit her so hard. She''s¡­she''s so¡­


    Her gaze remained on Aoi, and the twisting feeling reached her chest.


    ¡­She''s so freaking innocent.


    ¡°You finally lost your marbles, or what, Danek?!¡± Benton roared. ¡°How dare you touch our Aoi?!¡±


    Apparently, it wasn''t only on Pang''s mind.


    ¡°Besides, it''s all over if you kill her!¡± he added in a clear attempt to appeal to his superior''s mind.


    Danek parried another flurry of Irma''s kicks. His greater speed sent her slamming into the back wall.


    She slowly climbed to her feet, checking both legs with her hands. ¡°You might as well, like, end Proscious. Same thing.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, I never said I''m going that far,¡± denied Danek with a laugh. ¡°I''m just gonna kill you three. Then my team won''t be stuck with anyone to train. And you''ll be too dead to need a new leader, so us S-Rankers will get to stay together. Just being logical.¡±


    His hand reached into one of his many pockets, but it released so fast it looked like it had vanished.


    Benton dove in response, letting out a grunt. He clutched his arm, and a streak of blood now streamed from it.


    All the way at the far side of the room, to Benton''s back, Pang noticed a blade now stuck cleanly into the wall. It had soared too fast for her to follow: if Danek''s power boost allowed him to throw something that rapidly, a more conventional killer like a gun was clearly unneeded.


    But it seemed Benton had anticipated the move.


    And so did Irma: while Danek was occupied with his attack, she''d charged again with swiftness rivaling the blade. But she found herself slammed against the floor once more.


    The team''s rapidly failing defense resumed, and Danek seemed to hardly exert himself as he battered them with blow after blow.


    Pang''s feet remained planted. Now, she couldn''t even blink. She wasn''t even sure if she was breathing.


    Irma and Benton kept falling, kept shouting, kept bleeding.


    And yet, they still hadn''t cried for her help.


    Did they not realize she was in the room?


    That was impossible¨Cthey were far too alert of their surroundings in training sessions. If a spider scampered by in the corner, they would probably notice.


    So they were ignoring her on purpose.


    Why? Are they keeping his attention away from me so he doesn''t come my way?


    Are they¡­protecting me?


    Either way, their joint decision spoke to the truth and the gravity of the situation¨Cthe reason she couldn''t even bring herself to move.


    Her involvement would affect nothing.


    She was an insect here.


    ¡®I''m just gonna kill you three.¡¯


    Danek knows I''m standing here, she knew. I''m gonna die.


    Her bones felt cold as she failed to look away, watching the gods face off. Even after all her training, all the abuse¡­for the first time, she stood before a demise she couldn''t fight her way out of.


    A deep-seated nature awoke from deep within her; one she''d never felt before.


    Everyone in this room is a monster, she thought.


    I have to get the HECK out of here.


    At last, she managed a step. But it was only because she felt weightless now. More than that: she''d gone totally numb.


    A single step, however, was all she completed before her sinking heart weighed her back down.


    She forced herself to look one more time.


    Aoi¡­get up, Aoi.


    The cloaked young woman was still.


    Get UP, you weirdo!


    She didn''t stir.


    She''s gonna wake up to her friends being dead¡­Is she even gonna understand what happened?


    Will she even be able to feel sad when she finds out? Pang wondered. Or¡­would she only get to cry if someone TOLD her to?


    Pang''s fists shook.


    She has no say¡­she''s just a puppet.


    She''s innocent.


    It''s not fair.


    She hesitated, but only for a moment.


    Then, she breathed out a shaky sigh.


    ¡°Good grief.¡±


    Cursing all the way, Pang broke into a sprint towards Aoi. The hair on her skin stood up, expecting blades through her flesh or fists to break her skull at any instant.


    She tumbled over her motionless colleague.


    ¡°Aoi! Hey, Aoi! Wake up! Say something! Or¡­whatever! HEY!¡±


    Pang shook her slender shoulders as fast as her own heart was beating. But she immediately found herself in shock.


    Aoi simply turned her head to look her way, as if she''d just noticed Pang.


    ¡°YOU WERE AWAKE THIS WHOLE TIME?!?!?!¡±


    Pang slapped her hand against her face. ¡°Get up, you goofball! We need to get our butts out of¡­here¡­¡±


    Wait¡­


    Aoi remained watching her emptily.


    She''s the strongest member of Proscious¡­


    We can finish this.


    ¡°Aoi! Attack him!¡±


    Aoi didn''t seem to register it, so Pang propped her into a sitting position and pointed at Danek.


    ¡°GET HIM!¡±


    Aoi looked back at Pang. She cocked her head to the side like a confused dog.


    ¡°What do you mean?! GO! Do one of your crazy things!¡±


    But Aoi''s hood slipped off, and Pang discovered an unexpected hurdle.


    For some reason, the quiet prosciousness wore a pair of thick headphones over her ears.


    ¡°When did you put those on?! Why?!¡± Pang cried.


    She tried yanking them off, but all she did was pull Aoi''s head around. Somehow, they were totally sealed to her ears.


    Again, Pang cursed.


    Him¡­


    It must have been during the very start of the ambush, when he struck her. Danek slapped those on, trapping her from the audible world.


    He knew what he was doing.


    It was no wonder Irma and Benton hadn''t attempted to rouse Aoi. If they could, this fight could have ended as soon as it started.


    But they understood she wouldn''t hear their wishes, and so she wouldn''t act.


    Pang swore once more. ¡°Come on, Aoi! Don''t you see what''s happening?! You really can''t do anything?! Are you that dumb?!¡±


    Aoi''s head cocked to the other side.


    ¡°Ugh¡­this would all be over if you would just THINK FOR YOURSELF!!!¡±


    She fired to her feet and tugged Aoi''s arm.


    ¡°Come on. We need to move, or we die.¡±


    Aoi mostly stood, but ended up stumbling against Pang. Abruptly, she coughed up a splatter of blackish blood.


    ¡°Aoi! Hey, don''t start with that!¡± Pang urged. ¡°You gotta hang on!¡±


    As she lifted her into her arms, Aoi gazed at her just the same despite the stain of blood dripping down her neck.


    Pang ran for the door, her passenger''s frail build hardly hindering her speed. She did her best to block out the cries of pain behind her.


    Aoi suddenly turned to look in front of them.


    ¡°Soooo many fascinating files¡­Which one do I read next?¡±


    Pang halted, nearly at the door.


    ¡°Frick.¡±


    At the end of Aoi''s gaze, Pyper sat against the wall not far to the side, her face once again hidden behind her tablet.


    She''s here?! Why isn''t she helping¡­like¡­EITHER side?!


    ¡°Ooh! ¡®Equilibrium of Opposing Forces and their Implications for Base Infrastructure¡­that seems neat!¡± Pyper decided.


    She turned away from the door, and from Pang and Aoi, and began reading.


    Pang shook her head. There was no time to figure out this bizarre new factor.


    She seems super distracted¡­if I''m quick, can I sneak by¡­?


    She jumped when she noticed Aoi''s stare pressing on her again.


    ¡°Oh, don''t give me those eyes,¡± Pang whispered, despite being unable to see them. ¡°If we don''t book it, he''s gonna kill us. Just like our frien¨C¡±


    She caught herself.


    ¡°Just like¡­those two blockheads¡­¡± she attempted hollowly.


    Aoi''s stare remained.


    Pang groaned.


    ¡°FINE!¡±


    She zipped back around.


    Aoi coughed up more blood, some of it splattering on Pang''s clothes, so Pang lowered her to the floor.


    ¡°Here. You probably shouldn''t fight, anyway,¡± she figured.


    Before she could give her mind the chance to process both panic and better judgment, Pang launched herself at the battle.


    Time for the last thing I ever do¡­she decided.


    Atop the platform, Benton could barely stand on one knee. Meanwhile Irma hung in the air by Danek''s tight grip.


    With one hand around her wrist and the other around her ankle, he pulled her in opposite directions.


    ¡°DON''T, Danek!! Wait!!¡± Irma screamed. ¡°Not my legs!!¡±


    ¡°Leave the kid alone!!¡± Benton boomed, his voice cracking into little more than a desperate plea.


    Danek shrugged. ¡°She''s gonna die, anyway.¡±


    Pang sped her pursuit.


    ¡°HEY!! Buzz off, edgelord!!¡± she roared.


    Locking onto Danek''s Soundvert powers, she felt a pumping energy pour into her entire body in sync with the rhythms of the ongoing song.


    She felt invincible¨Cbut she doubted it would prove to be enough against a master of the same type.


    Nonetheless, if this was her fate, Pang charged. If she had to die, at least she could make it as annoying for him as possible.


    ¡°Don''t, Pang!¡±


    ¡°Stay back, kiddo!! We''ll handle it!!¡±


    The wretched stabbing in her head returned: Benton and Irma had both switched types. Pang''s balance staggered.


    You dummies! Of all times, NOT NOW! she screamed internally.


    She didn''t even gain a semblance of what happened next until her eyes refocused.


    Pang blinked. Her arms were spread above her head against the floor. Somehow, she''d crashed backwards and didn''t remember it happening.


    Then, she gasped.


    Her chest was pressed in, but nothing was against it. Her breath was shallow and forced.


    ¡°You too, kid. You''re toast.¡±


    Pang lifted her head. Danek was walking her way.


    The pain set in. He''d done it.


    ¡°Huh? What are you doing?¡±


    Danek''s question rang insincere, like he was speaking rhetorically to an inanimate object or an animal.


    Pang realized his words weren''t directed at her.


    Aoi''s cloak brushed by her cheek. She stumbled forward, her legs shaking. Then, once she was before Pang, blocking Danek''s path, she came to a stop.


    ¡°Aoi¡­?¡± Pang muttered.


    The ghostly young woman stood her ground, her blank stare looking up at Danek as he stepped close.


    Danek smirked, but it was crooked.


    ¡°Uh¡­what''s up with this?¡±


    Aoi was wordless.


    ¡°What? Is she gonna face me?¡± Danek wondered. ¡°Nah¡­she couldn''t have heard anyone tell her to. Go ahead: attack me!¡±


    He waved his hand directly in her face, ultimately wincing like she was an explosive. Utter horror replaced his confidence for just a split second.


    But when Aoi did nothing else, his smirk strengthened.


    ¡°Knew it. There''s nothing going on up there.¡±


    He lifted his arm back, and whipped it straight across Aoi''s head. She spun and collapsed to the floor.


    ¡°That almost scared me,¡± he said. Danek finally reached Pang, towering above her.


    The jingling chains on his clothing rang like death bells.


    ¡°Alright, just give me a sec to pick the right song for this vibe,¡± he said. ¡°Looks like I''m killing the weakest one first.¡±

 138. The Used

    The song blasting from the speaker cut out, replaced with a flurry of cymbal hits. But then this, too, came to a stop and gave way to another track.


    Pang lay there wheezing, hardly able to keep her head up, as Danek stood directly above her and toyed with his metal-studded watch. Countless intros started and stopped at his whim until he landed on his track of choice: one with a droning, sustained distortion.


    His face was unbothered, more like someone about to fold their laundry than someone about to commit murder.


    Pang was more than familiar with this sight, but from the opposite perspective. She knew exactly how pathetic she appeared to him now, because she''d been in his shoes.


    She''d seen what he was looking at. She''d been Danek to her fallen opponents on Artifex more times than she''d dare count.


    A metallic taste scratched her throat. In the face of demise, all Pang knew to do was let out a laugh. Fate had finally come to answer for the things she''d done.


    It''s about time, she thought bitterly. I really had this coming.


    Danek didn''t even bother speaking to her, or offer the chance for final words. He merely unsheathed another blade from his belt.


    In the end, she was a helpless nobody, just like the countless people she slaughtered throughout her childhood.


    ¡°Okie dokie. I think that''s enough,¡± decided a voice with a subtle lisp.


    Danek froze with a scorn. Pang forced her head to turn as Pyper drifted into her peripheral vision.


    ¡°I think they all get the idea¡­¡± the second-strongest prosciousness supposed.


    If ¡®the idea¡¯ is a bunch of broken bones before we get shanked to death, then YEAH, I''d say we got it! Pang wanted to fire back¨Cbut her lungs were too pressed in to speak.


    Danek clicked his tongue, his scorn deepening. But he didn''t budge. His eyes never wandered his teammate''s way.


    ¡°I wasn''t playing around. I was really gonna kill them,¡± he muttered.


    Pyper''s long, flutelike laugh echoed across the room, drowning out the seriousness of his intent. Her smile scrunched her nose.


    ¡°Right. It''s just that I''m telling you not to, though,¡± she replied cutely.


    A chill shot up Pang''s otherwise numb spine. She''d never misread somebody so badly before.


    By those gentle words alone, or rather by the unspoken threat looming within them, Pang found she didn''t need to see Pyper''s powers to be convinced.


    This woman was at the top.


    Whoa, Tea Lady is kinda terrifying¡­


    Danek appeared to know it all the better than her. He shut right up and backed off from Pang.


    ¡°All right. Aoi, Benton, Irma, Pang,¡± Pyper declared, ¡°our first session together is over.¡±


    ~


    The ship was totally quiet. Not one voice was left to speak.


    All that remained was to wait for the rescue shuttle to return this year, and Pang would be free from the hell she''d been born into.


    She survived.


    And yet, her chin remained quivering: what did it matter, when there was nobody left to care?


    Why did she even try?


    ~


    ¡°WHOA!¡±


    Pang jolted upright, nearly launching off of the bench. The fatigue from the healing process retreated from her all at once, and a spark of energy splashed her like ice water from the inside out. She sat with eyes shot wide, more alert than when she''d entered the machine.


    ¡°Oh. Sorry, Aoi,¡± she said beside her. ¡°Wait¡­Aoi?!¡±


    The cloaked prosciousness sat right next to her, but must have pounced backward from surprise at Pang''s explosive awakening. Her constantly blank stare didn''t at all match her recoiled body, though, eliciting a chuckle from Pang.


    ¡°You''re already totally healed?¡± Pang wondered.


    Aoi didn''t bother rebalancing herself, so Pang reached forward and propped her back up. She''d guessed right: Aoi looked totally fine, and what Pang could see of her face was unmarked, despite the massive punch Danek had given her.


    ¡°You should be more surprised about yourself. Your chest blade was almost crushed in and you had broken ribs,¡± came a voice.


    Pang flinched as she realized Pyper was standing there before them, sipping from a mug.


    Having awoken on a cushion, her brain had placed her in Irma''s apartment on the couch. But it turned out she was still in the training gym: a row of silvery healing capsules were behind Pyper at the wall¨Cthe same ones Pang remembered entering before jolting awake.


    Benton and Irma emerged from the automatic doors of the small chambers, a hint of minty green fog exiting with them. Though not as wired as Pang, they walked with ease and alertness, wearing no signs of aftereffects.


    ¡°So these things can fix us up without the healing-hangover?¡± Pang observed. Would''ve been nice if Gloat Center had that.


    ¡°You¡¯ll feel it later, believe me,¡± Irma warned while she and Benton sat down on the bench beside hers. ¡°They¡¯re made to heal us fast and act like a mega-caffeine hit so we can keep training. You¡¯ll crash later tonight.¡±


    ¡°Gets easier to deal with the more ya use it,¡± Benton insisted, rolling his shoulders.


    ¡°Gotcha¡­¡±


    Pang glared around at everyone. Considering what had just transpired, this was way too casual.


    ¡°Okay guys, welcome,¡± began Pyper like she was hosting a Conscious Conference panel. ¡°Let¡¯s¡ªoh, Danek, can you get over here?¡±


    With a monologue of muted grumblings mixing in with his jingling chains, Danek appeared from a far corner of the room and lingered on the outskirts. But Pyper waved him closer, so he dragged his feet to stand beside her.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get orchestrated,¡± Pyper tried again. ¡°As you know by now, we¡¯re gonna be training y¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, so we¡¯re just¡­not gonna address the fact that this dude literally just tried to murder us?¡± spouted Pang.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sorry and I¡¯ll do it again,¡± Danek countered immediately.


    Irma shrugged. ¡°I told you there were plenty of reasons we weren¡¯t looking forward to this,¡± she said, her hand pointing at Danek as Exhibit A.


    ¡°Guy¡¯s psychotic,¡± Benton agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll get him good, don¡¯t you ladies worry.¡±


    Danek snorted. ¡°Keep talking, grandpa,¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright everyone.¡± Pyper raised her mug to reclaim the room, clearing her throat. ¡°We¡¯re here to decide which of us will step in as your new leader. You¡¯ll spend the next few sessions working with one of us, and once they¡¯re satisfied, they¡¯ll pass you on to the next member. At the end, my team will come back together and decide who gets the job.¡±


    ¡°And it better not be me,¡± Danek added.


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing,¡± came the indignant chorus of Pang, Irma, and Benton.


    Pyper pretended she didn¡¯t hear any of it. ¡°This will be a way to see how you mesh with each of us, and study how you handle different types of threats together,¡± she reasoned. ¡°And who knows¡­it may be fun!¡±


    The ensuing silence made it clear her optimism was hers alone.


    ¡°Anyway, we agreed to give each Rank-S member full freedom over their curriculum,¡± she shared. ¡°Danek is training with you first.¡±


    Wonderful. Of course he is, Pang bemoaned.


    He cracked his knuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll sum up my ¡®curriculum¡¯ right now: I¡¯m gonna kill you, unless you can stop me.¡±


    ¡°Real shocker there,¡± mocked Irma.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Pang looked to Pyper for solace, but this time, she didn¡¯t speak up to put Danek in his place. Perhaps she didn¡¯t think she needed to again, but it still made Pang¡¯s stomach turn. This was certainly not a man to leave to his own devices.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s why you attacked before any sorta initiation,¡± Benton figured. ¡°That was the sneaky first session, huh? That¡¯s low.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how my sessions are gonna go,¡± warned Danek. ¡°You won¡¯t know when it¡¯s coming. So you better watch your backs, cuz I¡¯m not joking. I will kill¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, we get it,¡± Pang groaned.


    Despite her dismissal of his threat, Pang thought back to the ambush. He¡¯d crushed her with a single attack and there was nothing she could have done to defend herself. He took on Irma and Benton simultaneously, and won.


    They needed all of their strength if they wanted to live.


    No¡ªmore than that: they needed Aoi.


    If she fights, we win. It¡¯s that simple, Pang was willing to bet. We gotta keep her away from him so we can use her.


    Aoi remained in the exact same position Pang had left her when she sat her up.


    ¡®Use her¡­¡¯ she contemplated again. It¡¯s like she¡¯s a tool or something.


    She found herself unable to keep thinking about it, repelled by a sudden restlessness.


    ¡°Well we have a mission tonight, so good news: you guys get off easy today,¡± Pyper congratulated. ¡°We¡¯ll see you tomorrow for another session! Well¡ªDanek will. Make sure he doesn¡¯t actually murder you when I¡¯m not around!¡±


    She smiled sweetly like she was speaking to a bunch of school children.


    Is everything just daisies and rainbows to this chick?! wondered Pang.


    Pyper waved, Danek crossed his finger over his neck at them, and they left the swiftly defeated team to themselves.


    ~


    ¡°Well¡­that sucked,¡± Pang declared.


    ¡°Told you.¡±


    She sat in the food court across from Irma and beside Aoi like usual¡ªat some point, this had become their unspoken configuration.


    But it felt far from routine tonight. By now, she and Irma would be back in the apartment whipping up one of Irma¡¯s latest recipe fascinations and cuing up their show. Post-training dessert was a Benton and Aoi thing.


    After today, though, Benton had proposed a group ¡®pick-me-up.¡¯ And even Pang agreed.


    ¡°We got our butts handed to us,¡± she lamented.


    ¡°He¡¯s Rank-S. He¡¯s good,¡± Irma shrugged off. ¡°Like, Danek¡¯s been doing this even longer than me and Benton.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? He have a sob story like the rest of us?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Irma denied. ¡°I heard he was a hotshot in the League a while back. He thought he deserved better pay than what the agencies were offering, so when Proscious offered more, he just followed the money. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Loser,¡± Pang jeered. Having taken lives because it was the only way to keep living, she couldn¡¯t imagine just doing it to get rich.


    But in a way, Pang was relieved she could cleanly hate Danek. She wasn¡¯t sure she had the capacity to feel sympathy for any more enemies.


    ¡°Aoi could wipe the floor with him though, right?¡± Pang pointed out.


    ¡°I mean, like, yeah. But not if we can¡¯t tell her to.¡±


    Pang tried to resist the memory that brought up: the way Danek was able to step up to Aoi, and the way she just took it when he slammed her to the ground¡­


    It awakened a new fear deep within.


    And that fear¡¯s very existence terrified her more.


    She knew she couldn¡¯t separate it from herself, but she couldn¡¯t figure out why. All she knew was that it wasn¡¯t directed towards Danek.


    Pang glanced at Aoi, who politely awaited her dessert.


    The feeling festered.


    ¡°That must have hurt a ton when he hit you,¡± she told her.


    Aoi didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Aoi turned to Pang calmly.


    Heart starting to pound, Pang raised her hand back at Aoi, just like Danek did before he struck her. She faked like she was about to strike.


    But Aoi merely watched her, waiting loyally to receive whatever pain Pang intended to inflict on her.


    ¡°Cut it out¡­¡± Irma tried to interject.


    Pang¡¯s chest tightened. ¡°I¡¯m gonna beat you up, Aoi! Got it?!¡± she pushed.


    Aoi only nodded.


    ¡°No! Why are you just nodding at me like that?!¡± Pang growled. ¡°Why would you let me hit you? Why would you let anyone hurt you when you can do something about it? Aoi¡­what¡¯s your deal?¡±


    ¡°We already told you,¡± Irma stressed. ¡°Proscious is using her to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking her,¡± Pang interrupted. She leaned closer to Aoi. ¡°You like Irma and Benton, don¡¯t you? If Danek killed them today, wouldn¡¯t that make you sad? What would you do if they were dead, and we weren¡¯t about to have dessert together?¡±


    Aoi stared on.


    Pang waited. But when nothing changed, she backed off and shook her head. ¡°Let me guess: you¡¯d do exactly what you¡¯re told, like a dog.¡±


    ¡°Give her a break, Pang,¡± Irma said. ¡°It¡¯s not her fault. She doesn¡¯t understand things like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whatever.¡±


    ¡°Irma¡¯s right. That just ain¡¯t how she works,¡± came Benton.


    He reached the table with a tray of cupcakes from one of the food court¡¯s bakeries, placing them between them all as he took his seat.


    ¡°Only Wei knew why she¡¯s like this. He¡¯s the one who found her,¡± Benton shared, ¡°but he never explained it to us.¡±


    ¡°I think that was on purpose,¡± Irma theorized.


    ¡°Maybe. But at the end of the day, this is just how she is,¡± resolved Benton.


    He distributed the flowery cupcakes, one dark chocolate and one strawberry for each fighter. His eyes lit up, while Irma¡¯s immediately went analytical¡ªsizing them up to decide if she could do it better.


    Aoi simply sat there like before.


    ¡°Aoi, start with the chocolate one,¡± Benton insisted. While it could have passed as a recommendation, it made Pang squirm¡ªshe knew it was a command.


    Stirring, Aoi faithfully followed his words and reached for the pastry.


    But just before her pale fingers could retrieve it, Pang snatched both cupcakes away from her.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Irma protested.


    Aoi¡¯s hand remained suspended there, frozen for a moment, until she turned to look at Pang blankly.


    ¡°Pang, what are you doing? Give those back,¡± Benton demanded.


    ¡°No.¡± She held them just beyond Aoi¡¯s reach. ¡°Which one do you want to try most? If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯m not giving you either.¡±


    ¡°Pang!¡± Benton admonished. ¡°You¡¯re not being very nice, missy.¡±


    But Pang¡¯s will was unmoved. ¡°Which one, Aoi?¡±


    ¡°Stop, she can¡¯t respond to things like that,¡± Irma expressed.


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡±


    Slyly, Pang leaned closer with the cupcakes. She brought them up to Aoi¡¯s face, until it was clear her eyes were hooked. Then, just as Aoi brought her longing stare closer, Pang pulled away again.


    ¡°What¡¯ll it be, sweetheart?¡± she toyed.


    Irma shook her head. ¡°Here, Aoi. Just take one of mine¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stay out of this,¡± Pang cut off. ¡°Are you gonna pick one, or not? I love strawberry and chocolate. I¡¯ll just down all four of these if I have to.¡±


    Aoi stared, perhaps the slightest bit more intently than usual. Whether she was aware of it or not, she was leaning towards the cupcakes now, her eyelashes subtly moving her bangs as she most likely looked between the snacks and Pang.


    It was hardly different than when Pang first awoke in the lab to find her gazing from the other side of the glass.


    But nonetheless, Aoi didn¡¯t act.


    ¡°Fine. More for me.¡±


    Pang brought both cupcakes towards her mouth.


    But a pale hand darted forward and snatched at one.


    The cupcake came loose from Pang¡¯s grasp and Aoi¡¯s, and plummeted for the floor. Pang¡¯s quick instincts pounced her into action, and it sunk back into her fingers just in time.


    Some of its pinkish white icing smudged her palm.


    The uneasiness within her began replacing with warmth. Her heart fluttered.


    Yes!


    When she sat back up to face Aoi, she found Irma and Benton¡¯s mouths dropped open. Neither spoke.


    ¡°You knew you wanted the strawberry one,¡± Pang said to Aoi, her voice finally softening. ¡°And when Danek was walking up to kill me, and you got up and stood in his way, you wanted to do that too. Nobody told you to.¡±


    Pang placed the cupcake in Aoi¡¯s hand, a warm smile growing.


    ¡°You¡¯re Aoi, not us. You should do what you want, and reach for the things you want¡­like you just did.¡±


    The way Aoi cupped the prized dessert in her palms, glancing between it and Pang with more life than Pang had ever seen in her, pulled at Pang¡¯s heart. She took a bite, some of the icing sticking to her overgrown bangs.


    Pang blinked and looked away before her feelings could show too obviously. She returned the chocolate one as well, and then retrieved her own strawberry cupcake.


    ¡°Here. I lied; I hate strawberry stuff. If you like that one, you can have mine too.¡±


    Aoi received it quietly¡ªbut not before gifting her chocolate cupcake back to Pang.


    ¡°Aw. Thanks, buddy.¡±


    They indulged. Irma and Benton exchanged identical, awestruck glances. But eventually, they joined too. The voices of surrounding diners filled the silence that came as the two tried to process this uncharted territory.


    Even as satisfied with herself as she was, though, Pang couldn¡¯t stop studying Aoi.


    Why did she think if she looked away, Aoi might vanish like an abducted child?


    ¡°Seriously girl,¡± Pang spoke up. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t just blindly do what someone tells you to all your life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it, Pang! Finish him off!¡±


    ¡°¡¯Cuz one day they¡¯ll get everything they needed out of you,¡± Pang said, ¡°and then you¡¯ll be alone.¡±


    ¡°Just fight one more time, Pang! We¡¯re almost there!¡±


    ¡°I did it, Daddy!¡±


    ¡°¡­Daddy¡­why are you pushing me away¡­?¡±


    ¡°DADDY?!?! COME BACK!!¡±


    Pang¡¯s throat tightened. She dropped the remainder of her cupcake onto the table.


    ¡°Pang?¡± Irma wondered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­be back, guys,¡± Pang forced out. ¡°I uh¡­I need to pull an Irma.¡±


    She didn¡¯t wait to see anyone¡¯s reaction, retreating from the table and hiding her face as she hurried from the food court.


    ¡°Pang? What¡¯s wrong, darlin¡¯?¡± Benton called.


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhy¡¯d you have to word it that way?!¡± Irma snapped.


    Pang only sped up. Her vision fogged as her eyes began filling with tears.


    Daddy¡­I hate you.


    She swallowed, squinted her eyes to hold in the tears, and pressed forward to go get some air.


    Skrili¡­Phillip¡­everyone¡­I¡­I hate¡ª


    A hand grabbed hers and stopped her in place.


    She would have assumed it was Irma¡¯s, but it was unusually cold.


    Pang turned around.


    ¡°Aoi?¡±


    The top prosciousness stood there, still tenderly grasping her hand.


    Pang sniffed and wiped her eyes. ¡°Can I help you? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You should reach for the things you want.¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyes shot wide. It took her a moment to realize Aoi¡¯s words didn¡¯t come from her mouth. They weren¡¯t physical¡ªPang heard them inside her head.


    And they were in Pang¡¯s own voice, resampled from what she¡¯d said moments ago. It was riddled with the fuzziness of static.


    Aoi lifted her other hand and used both to enwrap Pang¡¯s, her oversized sleeve blanketing Pang¡¯s wrist. She took a soft step closer.


    Then, the static returned to Pang¡¯s head.


    ¡°¡­really the best you can do?!¡±


    ¡°Looking at you makes me sick¡­¡±


    Pang had never heard those voices before, and they clearly weren¡¯t speaking to her. The room ambience underneath made it sound like a recording playing in her mind.


    Aoi suddenly turned her head away, as if she hadn¡¯t meant for Pang to hear that.


    Mixing back in, Pang heard her own thoughts from moments ago feed into the static: her tears, her hatred, and that overwhelming tide of isolation. They blended together in a spiral until Pang couldn¡¯t even sense which feelings and memories were her own, and which were Aoi¡¯s.


    But somehow, that didn¡¯t matter. Something seemed to be embracing it all¡ªa gentle warmth, invisible and beyond the physical realm.


    What¡­is this?


    Aoi, how are you doing¡­?


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    Can she feel my thoughts?


    Finally Pang noticed her tears had continued streaking down her cheeks. The release was soothing now.


    ¡°Pang!¡±


    Blinking to recover her vision, Pang found the forms of Irma and Benton rushing to catch up and join them from down the hall. They paused at a slight distance for a moment, watching this encounter unfold between their teammates.


    Eventually, Benton smiled.


    ¡°Listen Pang, I know we ain¡¯t the people you wanna hear this from, since we¡¯re the ones who got you here an¡¯ all¡­¡± Benton stammered, ¡°but¡­we get it. We¡¯re all messed up, too, and that¡¯s why we¡¯re here. So¡­¡±


    ¡°So you can lean on us,¡± Irma finished for him. ¡°We want you to.¡±


    Pang could see her conversation with Irma on the tennis courts written all over Irma¡¯s soft gaze.


    ¡°And I¡¯ve never seen Aoi like this, but¡­I think she¡¯s trying to tell you the same thing now,¡± Irma added. ¡°In¡­her own weird way.¡±


    Pang could do little more than sniffle and stare back at them. She noticed the slight smudge of icing was still in Aoi¡¯s bangs as her cold hands warmed against Pang¡¯s.


    For once, Pang didn¡¯t wish she were anywhere else right now.


    A couple of fleeting notions swept by her mind:


    What if I just¡­don¡¯t try to escape?


    Or what if¡­I can get these knuckleheads to escape WITH me?


    Under her enemies¡¯ fond gazes, Pang smirked to herself. Her heart twisted again.


    Yeah right¡­I must be losing my mind.

 139. Dazzling Lights

    The dressing room was much larger than Deon and Lammy had assumed from the hallway. The luxury of leather couches and fully-stocked drink fridges met them as the group followed Otogi¡¯s bodyguards inside, and a mirror spanned the length of the back wall with an accompanying countertop. It stretched wide enough for a dozen people to use at once, and with ample space.


    But the team¡¯s attention barely had time to take in these amenities, or to notice the mini padded floor, punching bag, and weight station at the far left of the space. The instantaneous briskness, along with the abrupt lack of color, immediately demanded their focus instead.


    It all drew their eyes to its origin in one central spot.


    Kotono sat before the mirror, the sharp lighting around it fighting for prominence against the gray aura oozing from her body. With her back to the team, she was like a phantom. Lammy stood at just the right angle to spot her face in the mirror: one of her naturally rosy eyes was black with a white pupil, and the other was the inverse.


    It was just like when she¡¯d transformed after Hiroko vanished.


    Lammy had to look away. Of everything he¡¯d witnessed in Azvaylen, those eyes had haunted him most.


    Deon, on the other hand, was spared from the view. Three of Volona¡¯s assistants stood closely around Kotono, tweaking curls in her hair and blotting her face with a brush. And unfortunately for Deon, Volona stood by overlooking it all.


    ¡°All right, take a second,¡± she permitted, hugging her unusually poofy fur coat tighter.


    While the Special Team exchanged uneasy glances, the assistants desperately broke away from Kotono and joined them at the front of the room, their jaws vibrating and their joints stiff.


    ¡°I said a second,¡± Volona already called.


    The assistants whimpered, bracing themselves for probably the tenth time.


    ¡°Hold up. Guys, spread your arms out,¡± Deon told them.


    Given he was their client as well, they obeyed, but with confusion.


    Deon imagined thick coats onto each of them, mentally adjusting each to fit their sizes.


    ¡°Mr. Stutter, you¡¯re a gem!¡± one of them breathed, and the rest nodded as their shaking died down. They turned to continue their work.


    Deon crossed his arms. ¡°Well hey, it¡¯s what I do.¡±


    He evened out when he caught Skrili¡¯s glare.


    ¡°That¡¯s great and all,¡± she hushed, ¡°but that¡¯s just a bandage for the real problem here.¡±


    Phillip nodded, stepping close. The team huddled into a circle.


    ¡°We can¡¯t make Kotono fight like this,¡± he affirmed lowly. ¡°We don¡¯t know what could happen.¡±


    Otogi studied their intensity. ¡°I believe you guys¡ªyou¡¯d know more than me at this point,¡± he said. ¡°But the thing is, Truj already has his master plan. You were there for the briefings on this team. Truj wants us out there with the big guns.¡±


    Everyone fell quiet. They¡¯d drilled Mr. Truj¡¯s team techniques for days now, all the way down to the slightest second.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk to him,¡± Skrili decided. ¡°Kotono¡¯s more important than this fight. Maybe¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t just stand there; get up to the mirrors, loves!¡± Volona¡¯s cutting voice beckoned. ¡°We have a lot of work to do, and not much time before the event! You¡¯re not even in your outfits!¡±


    ¡°But¡ªHEY!¡±


    Before Deon could voice his refusal, a few more assistants emerged from behind and began ushering them all into position.


    ¡°Mr. Otogi sir, your personal crew is right this way¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, but¡­uh¡­¡±


    Lammy looked on helplessly as the fighters were swept away by the apparently superior urgency of fashion.


    He tightened his fists.


    Well¡­I guess it¡¯s up to me, he accepted. Don¡¯t worry guys, I¡¯ll¡ª


    Someone grabbed his hand.


    He stumbled after them.


    ¡°You too, my boy!¡± laughed Volona. ¡°If you¡¯ll be seen with us, you¡¯ll be seen looking as marvelous as us!¡±


    HUH?!?!


    He found himself sat in a rotating chair before the mirror, and two assistants immediately began brushing his hair and blotting his face before he could even see himself in the reflection.


    ¡°How are we supposed to do this without seeing color¡­?¡± the artists whispered amongst each other.


    Deon¡¯s fate was just the same as Lammy¡¯s, though he didn¡¯t surrender quite as easily.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t wiggle around, Mr. Stutter,¡± one assistant requested.


    ¡°I look fine! We¡¯re gonna be beating each other up anyways; who cares?!¡± he bellowed.


    ¡°It¡¯ll only be a few minutes¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, spend extra time on Stutter!¡± Volona called over. ¡°That forest boy needs it!¡±


    ¡°ARE YOU CALLING ME UGLY?!¡± retorted Deon. He shifted his focus to the assistant caking him in makeup, realizing she wore one of his imagined jackets.


    That was just the leverage he needed.


    Deon calmed himself. ¡°Hey listen, the thing is, we have a situation on our hands,¡± he explained coolly. ¡°Think you could return the favor and let me sneak away?¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­Volona will make me do cleanup alone if she gets mad¡­¡± she muttered apologetically.


    ¡°Betrayal! I thought I was a gem!!¡±


    The powder and its bitter scent overcame his senses as Volona¡¯s team had their way with his image.


    ~


    ¡°Blegh¡­¡±


    Deon could still taste whatever they¡¯d patted all over his face as he and his teammates followed the guards down the long hall.


    Even after everyone had been properly prettied up, there was no time to spare: the agency had immediately ushered them over to the workout area for warm-up exercises.


    They¡¯d assumed that would have been their chance to talk, but Mr. Truj still wasn¡¯t even present¡ªhis assistant trainers led the exercises instead.


    At the very least, now Deon was loose and charged. All the tense energy spread throughout his body, pumping him with adrenaline to cancel out his nerves.


    The closer they inched towards the stadium, the more the muffled bass of the hype music vibrated the floor. He could feel the energy of the thousands awaiting his team¡¯s arrival.


    By far, this was about to be the biggest moment of his young career.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case for Skrili, and he could tell by her quiet composedness. She walked just before him, her new outfit a grandiose reinterpretation of her usual fighting clothes. Her blue and black sleeveless shirt had sheen to it, and it loosely hugged her form to highlight her frame just right¡ªexactly like Hiroko¡¯s outfits.


    Deon hadn¡¯t realized how worn down her old shoes were until he observed the sleek black ones she sported now, just as thin and subtle but undoubtedly several times the price.


    He stepped beside Skrili, her smoky makeup luring his eyes to hers.


    ¡°Dang¡­you look gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t talk like that here,¡± Skrili reminded him in a whisper. ¡°But¡­thanks. I could do without the glitter and fake freckles, though¡­¡±


    When she didn¡¯t bother bringing up Deon¡¯s outfit, he took no offense. In fact, it only affirmed his annoyance: while Skrili¡¯s transformation simply emphasized her style, Volona had turned Deon into something else entirely.


    He looked down at the sleeveless, swishy green jacket over his new black turtleneck and sulked. These pants were somehow tighter than his underwear, and his combed-over hair was matted to his head.


    ¡°Alright pros, we¡¯ll need you to file into the order we ran over earlier,¡± announced the official towards the front.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Deon refocused on the matter at hand. They were nearing the end of the hall, where a massive, closed bronze gate awaited them. The music had grown louder, and now Deon could hear the bustling audience.


    Guided by an agency assistant and a worker with an Earth emblem on their clothes, Team Hiroko began reorganizing into a single-file line.


    ¡°See you out there,¡± Skrili whispered before moving towards the front.


    Deon nodded. He moved back, recalling that he was second-to-last just before Otogi.


    But on his way, he felt a familiar chill.


    Kotono.


    If we can¡¯t get through to Mr. Truj¡­maybe I can at least comfort her.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he started, turning.


    He¡¯d expected to find her in a fog of gray energy once more. But instead, he bumped shoulders with a very colorful, normal Kotono.


    She paused with a start, the skirt of her illustrious short red dress shivering elegantly at the sudden motion.


    ¡°Whoa, careful buddy,¡± warned her bodyguard, wrapping a massive yet delicate arm around her.


    But Deon hardly noticed, frozen on the fact that his star teammate watched him without a hint of darkness around her anymore.


    No¡­he looked closer.


    Kotono¡¯s ruby red eyes flickered black and white for a moment.


    She¡¯s trying to hold it all in.


    ¡°Hey Kotono, uh¡­are you sure¡­¡± Deon attempted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a great fight, Deon. I can¡¯t wait!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­y¡ªyeah. But¡­¡±


    She sped along before he could recover his point. His eyes happened to catch something in her light steps: slight puffs of gray releasing from her feet.


    The bodyguard looked back to him, patience in his smile, and Deon finally realized who it was: the same one who winked at them back in Volona¡¯s offices.


    The same one he¡¯d privately spoken with.


    I blew it¡­I thought we¡¯d have more time for my plan, Deon thought. I didn¡¯t even get to tell everyone what it was. Guess we¡¯re gonna have to hope for the best for now.


    Good luck, Kotono. I¡¯m sorry.


    ¡°NORMAL COUNTRY, ARE. YOU. READY?!!¡±


    Beyond the thick walls, the stadium exploded into cheers, contrasting the doubt Deon felt to such an extreme that he let out a quiet, bitter laugh.


    Well¡­here we go.


    Team Hiroko stopped just before the gate. A wide monitor was propped just to the side of it, broadcasting the unfolding event for them to see. The screen appeared solid, unlike the magical Fantasy Country ones, but it was equally clear as it displayed the vacant fighting platform.


    ¡°Wwwwwelcome to the first ever Special League Event!! We¡¯re proud to kick off this historic new league right here in Hynes Stadium!¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was just as deep and pounding as the music from earlier. He spoke unnaturally, dragging out key words and leaning into his timbre for the utmost emphasis.


    ¡°Meh. It¡¯s no Akihabara Arena but¡­whatever,¡± a monotone woman added.


    ¡°That''s our guest commentator for the weekend, Lune Loom: multi-time Horror Country champion! And I¡¯ll be your host¡ªyour resident Hynes Stadium announcer, Howard Buck!¡±


    The lights dimmed on everything besides a spotlight on the fighting platform.


    ¡°Now: geeeeeeeet ready to see new teams of five all-star pros face off in a bolder fighting format than the League has ever known!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s uh¡­no telling what could happen¡­or something.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet the first Special Team members of the night!¡± exclaimed Howard. ¡°Please make a round of applause for¡­BART BOWLER!!!¡±


    The commentator¡¯s voice echoed, and the lights flashed in a frenzy, as the muscular pro emerged from the opposite gate and jogged up to the platform, showered in cheers.


    ¡°He¡¯s an Extravert type. His power grows when he¡¯s around a lot of people. Like right now. Next.¡±


    The resident announcer hesitated at Lune¡¯s colorless commentary.


    ¡°Uh¡­that¡¯s right, Lune! NEXT: give a warm welcome to his brother¡­MARTIN BOWLER!!¡±


    The applause was just as strong for Bart¡¯s icy-haired sibling. He powered his way over and they bumped chests atop the Earth logo of the platform.


    ¡°Same thing. Next.¡±


    The introductions continued on in the same manner, and Deon and the others watched two more team members join the platform: a Mastermind named Medea Murfwater and a Predictor named Nel Goodin.


    ¡°Aaaaaand finally, we have the young hotshot: Aidan Caffrin!¡±


    While the cheers were nearly as loud as those for the Bowler Brothers, Deon¡¯s eyebrows rose. What appeared was not a pro fighter.


    It was a box.


    Carted in with the help of four assistants, a large black box rolled its way down the aisle. A couple of nearby workers had to jump in to help them haul it up the ramp, until they wheeled it successfully over to its team.


    Man¡­they weren¡¯t kidding, Deon recalled from their briefing on this bunch.


    ¡°Unlike the Bowler Brothers, who¡­¡± Lune began, obviously reading off of a prompt. But she took a long sigh and gave up again. ¡°Eh, basically he¡¯s an Introvert. Gets stronger from being alone. I can relate¡­¡±


    ¡°No surprise there,¡± mumbled Howard across the stadium. ¡°ANYWAY, here they are! So make some noise for your first Special Team: Team Socio!!¡±


    Deon straightened himself out, though he knew there was nothing he could do to save his appearance. He felt Otogi pat him on the shoulder from behind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get it, man.¡±


    ¡°Heck yeah,¡± uttered Deon.


    Unfortunately, there would be no time for his new pre-fight encouragement ritual with Skrili. Though judging by her blush from last time against Skip, he had a feeling she didn¡¯t mind.


    And with Lammy having been ushered in separately with the coaches, he¡¯d have to wait to see the belief in his cousin¡¯s eyes¡ªthe ultimate fuel for his heart.


    But nonetheless, this was it.


    ¡°Aaaaaand now, for their challengers¡­¡±


    Unsurprisingly, Kotono prompted the most rabid cheers yet, eclipsing both of the Bowler Brothers combined when she made her soft appearance. Skrili found almost equal adoration from her newfound fanbase as she joined Kotono across from Team Socio.


    Phillip turned and nodded at Deon before the Hynes guides signaled him forward. Likely due to his connection to the missing Pang, he entered the stadium to a hearty applause.


    ¡°DEON STUTTER!!¡±


    Perhaps it was everything else going on in his mind dulling his senses, but as Deon stepped into the punishing spotlight of the stadium, the cheers pretty much died out.


    Someone coughed in the distance.


    Everything went numb. He reached the stage, then his teammates, before he¡¯d even processed doing so. The pressure of a thousand stares forced him only to look forward.


    But as a result, all he could see were his opponents across from them.


    The Bowler Brothers snickered at whatever stunned expression he wore.


    ¡°This is literally his first pro fight¡­?¡± learned Lune¡¯s voice from above. ¡°He got certified with Skrili Kay, though. Interesting¡­He must be special if he¡¯s already here. I¡¯m curious what his secret is.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Well-said!¡± Howard bounced off, quick to reward her brief inkling of enthusiasm. ¡°Anything else to add? Like¡­maybe the rest of your line¡­?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Deon blinked, the commentator¡¯s endorsement shaking him free. His vision expanded and the stadium all around was alive again, the pressure transforming into the vibrancy he felt back in Gloat Stadium.


    All eyes were on him.


    All waiting to see what he had to offer.


    Now, Deon couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    This is everything I dreamed. It¡¯s really happening.


    Let¡¯s freaking do this.


    ¡°Aaaaaaand finally¡­You know him. You love him¡­¡±


    Thunder spread in a crescendo all around the stadium as people rumbled their feet against the floor.


    ¡°OTOGI!!¡±


    The pounding applause and lightshow¡ªwhich even matched Otogi¡¯s outfit¡ªonly electrified Deon further while his fifth teammate joined the stage.


    Deon exchanged fist bumps with his teammates, and when he got to Skrili, they kept them in place for a moment.


    Skrili smirked with tenacity. She could see the fire returning to him.


    Deon turned back to Team Socio and pointed directly at the Bowler Brothers, whose snickering faded now that their source of amusement was gone.


    ¡°Hey. Hope you¡¯re ready to get your mind blown,¡± he warned.


    The room filled with ¡®ooooh¡¯s¡¯, and Deon realized his voice was being amplified out into the audience.


    ¡°Sparks are already, uh, flying¡­I guess¡­¡± Lune tried.


    ¡°TRUE! And so it¡¯s my pleasure to announce the team that¡¯s here to honor Hiroko Hamasaki¡­the team whose proceeds go towards finding fellow pro Pang Pereo¡­it¡¯s¡­TEAM HIROKO!!!¡±


    Deon¡¯s view happened to fall on Kotono in that moment.


    That was when he realized overwhelming noise was no different than absolute silence.


    She stood there, smiling and waving. She was the sun around which the room orbited. Kotono was drowning in the love of thousands¡ªand yet to Deon, she looked entirely alone.


    Forgotten.


    ¡°Welcome. I am so happy to see you.¡±


    Deon refocused. He thought he might have heard the commentators announce Credo Covewalk, but he¡¯d been too stimulated to notice the Credo had already made his way to the center of the platform.


    His white coat reflecting the spotlight, the Head of the League took a moment to soak in the audience and let them air out their excitement. They calmed to a respectful hush.


    ¡°Fans, friends, it is finally time for the first Special League Event. We¡¯ve been working towards this for a long time now,¡± he began. Despite quite the different audience, his words were just the same as when he¡¯d spoken to Team Hiroko alone: personal, like he¡¯d known them for decades. ¡°And thanks to you, we¡¯re about to take consciousness fighting to a whole new level. What do you say, shall we begin?¡±


    He paused for applause once more. A cheer brewing for Otogi was eventually quelled.


    Credo nodded. He faced Team Hiroko, then Team Socio, and greeted both.


    ¡°You all understand how this works¡ªI hope,¡± he started, winning a few laughs, ¡°but how about we review for the sake of all our guests?¡±


    A projection of animated diagrams appeared high above Deon and the others for the crowd to see. Without magic here, Deon figured it was the work of Imaginers or Illusionists.


    ¡°Just like the traditional League, each team will put forward two members to fight at a time,¡± Credo shared. ¡°But the first team to defeat three of their opponents will be declared the winner.¡±


    The colors from the projection shifted on all the fighters¡¯ faces.


    ¡°Once a team member is deemed defeated by ringout, knockout, or injury, their coach must send in another fighter of their choice. And they¡¯ll have to do it fast: there will be no pause for transition,¡± explained Credo. ¡°Now, for the fun part¡­the Special Calls.¡±


    Deon jogged his memory. Lammy had memorized the aspects of the next detail immediately, but it took him several tests to get Deon to remember them all.


    ¡°Each coach is granted one Special Call they can make at any point of the fight,¡± Credo said. ¡°They have four options at their disposal:¡±


    ¡°TAG: swapping out one active team member for an inactive one, as long as the inactive fighter has not already been defeated.¡±


    ¡°SUMMON: calling on the consciousness abilities of one inactive fighter. This allows the inactive fighter to use their powers against their opponent from the sidelines, and expires when a team member on either side is defeated.¡±


    ¡°TIMEOUT: this grants both teams a two-minute-break to strategize with their coaches.¡±


    ¡°And¡ªthis was my idea¡ªTEAM SPECIAL: When a coach calls this, all undefeated members may join the platform to unleash a single, joint team attack. But there are a couple catches: the opposing team is allowed to add a third member to try and defend from the attack. Plus, the Team Special must defeat all active opponents. If it fails, the attacking team forfeits the fight.¡±


    Deon nodded to himself. He¡¯d managed to remember at least most of that.


    But based on Mr. Truj¡¯s gameplan, he knew only one Special Call would really matter tonight.


    ¡°And with that,¡± Credo concluded, ¡°I say we get this fight started.¡±


    He once again faced the two teams, the room practically shaking with anticipation.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to see who,¡± he said, his eyes happening to land on Team Hiroko, ¡°has what it takes to do something world changing.¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart skipped. Those words sucked him away from this dream of dazzling lights and fans for a moment. They placed him squarely back into reality: where the godlike powers of Wei and that cloaked woman loomed. Where he saw his friend perish protecting the ones she loved.


    Where a friend still desperately awaited rescue.


    Deon could tell it was no accident Credo¡¯s eyes fell on them in that instant. He had transcended the fa?ade to challenge them alone.


    It was clear. This league served as more than a disguise: it was a test.


    We have what it takes, Deon silently promised. We¡¯ll prove it right now.


    Let¡¯s do this.

 140. Test

    Lammy¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t stop shaking, so he figured he might as well stand up. Most of Team Hiroko would be here to occupy the bench in a moment, anyway. The smaller he could make himself, the better.


    He apologized as a couple of trainers brushed by, discussing something about the quickest access points to the fighting platform. Then another of the team¡¯s personnel bumped him from behind, condensation spattering his neck from the water bottles she was placing evenly across the bench.


    It seemed so far, he wasn¡¯t doing a great job. So many intricate details were pouring into every aspect of this event, and here he was, merely to spectate.


    Lammy gripped his notepad and pen.


    Now¡¯s not the time to be negative, he told himself. What better chance is there to study our team and find ways to make it even stronger against Proscious?


    He readied his gaze on his flawless view of the fighting platform. Compared to squinting from the highest possible balcony level, like he and Zayza were restricted to in Gloat Stadium, this was heaven.


    Lammy stood within in a bronze den designated for Team Hiroko, built into the floor-level of the seating. He could see Team Socio heading to an identical one on the opposite side of the arena. Complete with the padded bench at the back and a doorway for quick entry into the inner workings of the facility, this zone compromised neither accessibility nor privacy.


    Even the audience¡¯s rumblings above and around them were dull, contrary to the acoustics of the design¡ªonce again, consciousness powers¡¯ utility was on full display.


    Unblinking at his undisturbed view, Lammy¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    Yep: this is perfect.


    But a dissonance off to the side challenged his enthusiasm. Mr. Truj stood just beyond the den, where the floor was a step higher. Arms crossed, he studied the vacant platform and waited, just like Lammy.


    No matter how many notes Lammy planned to take for their hidden mission, right now, Mr. Truj called the shots.


    And in this new League, he wielded particular influence. Mr. Truj stood before some sort of control board with four large buttons: most likely the means for making his Special Call.


    Lammy mentally skimmed through Mr. Truj¡¯s strategy for this fight, based on Deon and Skrili¡¯s explanation. He was certain: logically, it added up.


    He is the experienced one, after all, Lammy reminded himself. Plus, I could probably learn a lot from him.


    ¡­That is, if he ever decides to act like I¡¯m here¡­


    Lammy had been near the coach since he¡¯d gotten here, still coughing from the freshly-powdered makeup Volona caked onto his face minutes earlier. And yet, within the hour before the event, Mr. Truj said nothing to acknowledge his existence. He didn¡¯t even look Lammy¡¯s way once.


    Lammy was the spider web in the corner¡ªa nuisance he¡¯d rather not address.


    ¡°LAMMY! Here we go!!¡± came a hyped bellow.


    A smile cracked. He wasn¡¯t a nuisance to everyone.


    Certainly not to them.


    Deon crashed into him from behind in a hearty embrace. ¡°It¡¯s showtime!! Are you pumped like me?!¡±


    Laughing, Lammy patted his cousin on the back. ¡°You serious? Obviously! Deon, you were made for this,¡± he celebrated. ¡°It¡¯ll be no different than all your wins back home! You¡¯ll kill it. Both of you will.¡±


    He turned to Skrili, who had entered the den next. Lammy pointed to his triangle tattoo, and with an elusive smile, Skrili returned the gesture.


    ¡°All of you guys will.¡±


    The rest of the team followed inside from the back door. They huddled with Lammy, fire in their eyes¡ªfor the most part.


    Lammy tried to catch Kotono¡¯s attention for an encouraging thumbs-up. But she deflected his gaze before he got the chance.


    Deeming it best not to pressure her with his worry, Lammy nodded to everyone. ¡°Guys, I can¡¯t wait to see you all¡ª¡±


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Like a gust sweeping leaves away, bodyguards and training personnel alike flocked Lammy¡¯s friends to the other side of the den.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he uttered to himself. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    The group gathered around Mr. Truj, who stepped down to deliver his briefing. Lammy was left to watch, able only to wonder what this seasoned expert could be telling them to prepare their minds.


    Deon glanced back over and snuck a wink.


    ¡°Is that clear, Stutter?¡± Mr. Truj pressed, reeling him back.


    ¡°Sure, my guy.¡±


    Mr. Truj leered at him for a moment, before placing his hand between them all. They stacked hands, and on his count, let out their cheer.


    ¡°Team Hiroko!¡±


    ¡°Alllllright, fighting fans: here we go!¡± Howard¡¯s voice announced, bouncing against all the walls.


    Over on the fighting platform, an official stood with an arm raised high.


    ¡°Time to uh¡­see who the starters are on each team,¡± mumbled Lune.


    Lammy already knew at least half of the answer to that: while the rest of the team withdrew to the bench, Kotono and Skrili prepared to emerge from the den. A trainer stood by with them, watching closely for the official¡¯s signal.


    Skrili¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t entirely on the fight, however. She checked on Kotono multiple times, who simply stared ahead in silence. Skrili leaned close to whisper something.


    But Kotono shook her head with a shallow smile of assurance.


    The official on the platform showed three fingers, and then counted down to one.


    ¡°Go!¡± instructed the trainer.


    Kotono and Skrili stepped into the arena to a flood of praise. As they made their way towards the platform, Skrili took Kotono¡¯s hand in hers.


    The Emovert finally glanced back at her teammate, her face unreadable. Lammy could swear he saw a hint of gold around Kotono, but it vanished as quickly as it came.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s Kotono Inoue and Skrili Kaaaaaay!¡±


    ¡°The last time either of them, uh, fought officially¡­it was against each other in the Fantasy Country championship,¡± read Lune. ¡°Ugh...I was there. I got trapped, all smushed up against some smelly fan when they tried to evacuate us. What a pain¡­¡±


    Howard laughed it off with obvious discomfort. ¡°Well, from Team Socio¡¯s corner: they selected Aidan Caffrin and Medea Murfwater!!¡±


    Team Hiroko¡¯s first two opponents approached from the opposite end. Medea strutted with pride, her robe and the tassel of her cap dancing with her movements.


    But Lammy could hardly take it seriously. Neither could Deon, who chuckled from the bench.


    The same black box from before rolled beside her, guided by Team Socio¡¯s personnel. Medea raised her chin high, as if to pretend such an awkward distraction couldn¡¯t take away from her moment, but her eyebrow twitched.


    The workers once again lugged the box up to the platform, and eventually, even Medea had to turn and help. Skrili and Kotono, having already arrived, watched in uncomfortable silence.


    Eventually the ensemble managed their feat. But this time, one of the assistants knocked on the box. Another appeared to press a button on the back, and on cue, the walls opened up.


    The crowd cheered in response, but the person who emerged from within seemed anything but appreciative. In fact, apparently, this event had interrupted his reading.


    A young man sat in a chair within the unfolded walls, his frowning face lifting from a book with images much like the ones all over Anime Boston. He placed it on the desk beside him, just between an illuminated lamp and laptop, and took one last sip of his canned beverage before tossing it beyond his now-collapsed quiet place.


    He gets pushed around in a full-on office?! Lammy observed.


    ¡°Mr. Caffrin, we¡¯re at the fight,¡± one of his personnel filled him in.


    Aidan sighed. ¡°Already? Well, alright.¡± He rose from his chair, and with a leap, landed on the platform floor with a pose. ¡°I guess I¡¯m charged up enough.¡±


    Lammy hadn¡¯t expected to find Aidan¡¯s build to be much like his own. But the pro¡¯s plumpness and small stature didn¡¯t appear to hinder his confidence.


    That is, until he realized his impending competition.


    Aidan¡¯s eyes practically shot out of their sockets as he gawked at the much calmer Kotono and Skrili.


    He gulped.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Medea crossed her arms and rose her chin high again, pretending his very blatant fear couldn¡¯t influence her.


    But Lammy could feel it just as much as they did. It was in the air: Team Hiroko was about to unleash a massive force.


    ¡°Gee. Wonder how this matchup will go,¡± Lune muttered.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out!¡± led Howard. ¡°Normal Country: count it with me!¡±


    The crowd hardly needed any prompting.


    Lammy¡¯s heart pounded.


    ¡°THREE!¡±


    ¡°TWO!¡±


    ¡°ONE!¡±


    ¡°FIIIIIGHT!!!¡±


    Before anyone took a single step, or managed to move at all, the entire stadium lit light blue.


    Lammy knew why: his eyes darted to Mr. Truj before the splash of gasps could even fill the room.


    The coach had slammed his hand firmly onto the console before him, pressing the second of the four buttons.


    ¡°SUMMON!¡± he called immediately, his voice projecting as clear as the commentators¡¯. ¡°OTOGI!!¡±


    A breeze swept Lammy¡¯s hair across his eyes. Otogi whooshed right by him, his hat somehow staying put atop his pink hair as he flipped out of the den and onto the floor outside the platform. Landing in a pose classier than Aidan¡¯s, a smile spread on his face.


    ¡°Showtime.¡±


    ¡°ALREADY?!¡± Lune shrieked. ¡°Team Hiroko is using up their Special Call RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE?!¡±


    Howard took a moment to recover from her suddenly shrill excitement. ¡°Wwwwow! Coach Truj has summoned Otogi to the sideline!¡±


    The strategy was already well-underway, even as the announcers and audience were only beginning to catch on. Kotono assumed her position, raising her hands out in front of her in aim¡ªand Skrili mirrored her.


    Gold and red energy glowed and then ignited all around Skrili as if she were Kotono. Hot wind blew into the den and swept through Lammy¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Looks like Otogi used his ability to share Kotono¡¯s powers with Skril¡ª¡°


    Lune couldn¡¯t even finish her narration before the blast drowned out every corner of the stadium. Showing perfect form, Skrili fired a monstrous beam at Medea while Kotono focused on Aidan.


    But Aidan was quick to act. Hands above his head, he¡¯d already conjured some sort of rippling, purple energy.


    His Introvert powers, Lammy recalled from his studies. With all that time he spent alone right up until the start, he must be at full strength.


    As Skrili¡¯s attack bolted at Medea, Aidan¡¯s soared straight for Kotono. It was just as Team Hiroko anticipated.


    But Lammy¡¯s heart sunk.


    This wasn¡¯t right.


    Even within the single second this unfolded, he¡ªalong with everybody in the den¡ªrealized the whole strategy had fallen apart.


    Skrili¡¯s beam exploded successfully just before Medea¡¯s feet, and with a wail the Mastermind went spinning off the platform from the impact.


    But Kotono¡¯s attack for Aidan never fired.


    It never even manifested.


    ¡°KOTONO, DODGE!!¡±


    Deon had recognized it just as swiftly as his cousin and shot to his feet once the blasts had fired. But his warning did no good.


    Kotono¡¯s energy didn¡¯t spark to life.


    All that formed around her was a faint haze of white, sucking the color from her dress.


    Aidan¡¯s purple blast pounded directly into the dainty champion, shooting her airborne. Her body flipped multiple times before she crashed hard onto the lightly-padded flooring beyond the platform.


    She and Medea rolled to a simultaneous stop at the opposite ends.


    Aside from Medea¡¯s disappointed sigh, the entire stadium went silent.


    No¡­Lammy regretted. I¡­I knew it.


    ¡°¡­Oh¡­there¡¯s a ringout defeat on both teams,¡± Howard managed slowly. ¡°Medea Murfwater, and¡ªbelieve it or not¡ª¡°


    ¡°KOTONO INOUE?!¡± finished Lune in a screech. ¡°For the first time in years¡­Kotono has been DEFEATED?!?!¡±


    ¡°Kotono!¡± Otogi cried. Murmurs of shock surfaced all around as he began jogging towards his injured teammate. Workers wearing vests in the same green as the Gloat Center healers brushed past him to begin their efforts.


    ¡°Alright¡­well¡­both teams now sit at one point!¡± Howard recovered. ¡°With that, Team Hiroko¡¯s summon of Otogi expires!¡±


    Otogi caught himself. Officials in gray watched him from the corner, pointing him out to each other. Gritting his teeth, he turned back for the den to avoid any penalty as the Normal Country healers surrounded Kotono.


    Lammy heard Otogi curse as he stepped back in. They locked eyes for a moment, and Lammy recognized the exact same frustration he felt inside.


    ¡°Where was her fear? Her defense comes from her fear!¡± Mr. Truj barked to his assistant trainers while they juggled their options.


    Lammy shook his head. You should¡¯ve listened to me. She¡¯s not the same anymore.


    Not with Hiroko gone.


    Thankfully, Kotono was now sitting upright. An invisible platform raised her into the air, and two of the healers ran with it to escort her away. But despite the applause of reassurance, Kotono looked ahead emptily, staring off into nothingness.


    ¡°Heeeere comes Team Socio¡¯s next pick: Bart Bowler!!¡±


    Assured of Kotono¡¯s health, Lammy returned his focus to the fighting platform. It seemed Skrili had just stopped herself from pouncing forward for an attack when she noticed her towering next competitor come barreling into the fight.


    He landed beside Aidan, but didn¡¯t bother acknowledging him.


    Watching Skrili wait alone, her arms and legs spread in defense, Lammy felt like he was being handed the simplest puzzle one could possibly solve. From what he¡¯d read, Aidan¡¯s introvert energy rapidly decreased the longer he was in crowded environments.


    We lost Kotono, but we still got one point. Aidan can be next, Lammy thought.


    The win was still very much within their grasp, and the method to get to it was blatantly obvious.


    Send him in. They can end it right now.


    ¡°Phillip!¡± Mr. Truj commanded. ¡°Get out there!¡±


    Lammy¡¯s mind whirled. ¡°Wait¡ªsend Deon!¡±


    Phillip slid to a stop. He watched for Mr. Truj¡¯s reaction to the notion, clearly favoring the idea himself.


    ¡°Phillip,¡± repeated Mr. Truj darkly. ¡°Get. OUT. THERE.¡±


    ¡°B¡ªbut Deon and Skrili are unstoppable together!¡± Lammy insisted.


    Deon stepped closer. ¡°He¡¯s right, man. Trust me, we got this¡ª¡±


    ¡°NOW!¡±


    The Illusionist nodded and zipped away in a flash. But Mr. Truj¡¯s cutting eyes didn¡¯t follow. Instead they remained squarely on Lammy.


    ¡°If you butt in with your two-cents one more time,¡± he warned, ¡°I¡¯ll have you banned from every fight.¡±


    Lammy froze.


    But despite the rapidly elevating tension, Deon simply patted his back.


    ¡°Jeez, dude¡­¡± he uttered. Then, clapping, he refaced the unfolding faceoff. ¡°Go get ¡®em, guys!! WOOOO!!!¡±


    His unyielding enthusiasm eased Lammy¡¯s tightened shoulders. Deon knew exactly how far to push without causing more trouble this time. After all, it had taken them this long to reunite; he wasn¡¯t about to throw that away.


    All Lammy could do for now was join Deon in encouraging his friends and cooling his head. But this helplessness was like an itch.


    I really hope I¡¯m wrong¡­


    ¡°We need a way to stall so we can calibrate a reliable new strategy,¡± Mr. Truj explained, this time a bit calmer. ¡°Socio¡¯s push starts now. Watch.¡±


    Up on the platform, both teams stood along the perimeters. Aidan¡¯s hands were raised high again, but with Phillip now on the scene, he studied which target should be next.


    ¡°Welp, I one-shot Kotono. That¡¯ll boost my stats,¡± Aidan celebrated. ¡°Alright, time to get ONE MORE!¡±


    The crowd bubbled in anticipation¡ªa blend of excitement and worry.


    But nothing happened.


    Aidan stood empty-handed.


    ¡°We¡¯re waiting, champ,¡± Bart pressed.


    Aidan went pale, his eyes widening like before. ¡°Uh¡­I¡¯m already empty,¡± he muttered. ¡°Must be a bigger turnout here than we thought¡­heh¡­¡±


    Bart rolled his eyes. ¡°Coach!¡±


    The stadium lit orange.


    ¡°Tag: Aidan for Martin!¡± came Team Socio¡¯s call from their den.


    ¡°Much better¡­¡± Bart muttered for all to hear. ¡°Why¡¯d we end up with this guy?¡±


    Sulking, Aidan exited the platform while Martin¡¯s counterpart emerged to a sweep of cheers.


    ¡°Team Socio has used their Special Call! The brothers are united!¡± declared Howard.


    ¡°Them together, huh? That means they¡¯re trying to end it here,¡± Lune noted. ¡°Works for me. Ugh, I¡¯m craving a burger.¡±


    ¡°How are you bored again already?!¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but glance back at Mr. Truj, who watched on unsurprised.


    He saw this coming, Lammy recognized.


    The brothers sprung into action: Bart crouched low and flexed, while Martin sprinted in a curved line towards the middle of the platform.


    Remaining cool, Phillip formed a quick hand sign by his waist. Skrili nodded.


    ¡°Here they go: the famous Bowler Volleyball technique!¡± Howard detected.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they have gone with something ¡®bowling¡¯ themed¡­?¡± yawned Lune.


    A thin outline of bright-orange light surrounded the crouching Bart. Then, he stood tall as an orb of buzzing energy grew between his palms. Roaring, the fighter launched it high into the air.


    Martin was in perfect position: he jumped as it fell close, and with a spike, pounded the energy ball at Phillip.


    But it simply passed through his body and blinked away before it could hit the wall by Team Hiroko¡¯s den.


    ¡°Illusions!¡± Martin warned. Another ball came his way, and he slapped this one at Skrili. But her body was as fake as Phillip¡¯s.


    While the unforeseen phenomenon threw Lammy¡¯s mind for a brief loop, he smiled: Phillip had activated the illusion on not only the Bowler Brothers, but on everyone in the stadium.


    This way, nobody¡¯s reactions could give away the trick up his sleeve.


    Nice work, Phillip, he thought.


    The ¡®volleyball¡¯ attacks continued, this time in all random directions, and still to no avail. Eventually the illusions of Phillip and Skrili vanished. Their forms reappeared, running along the edges, but these proved to be yet another diversion.


    Hynes Stadium filled with a sustained applause as the Bowler Brothers¡¯ hunt for their invisible targets continued on.


    ¡°As you can see¡ªwait¡­do I really have to read this?¡± Lune complained to somebody unseen. ¡°It ¡®fills space?¡¯ Ugh¡­alright. ¡®As you can see, the Bowler Brothers exemplify both types of Intro/Extravert consciousness energy. Martin¡¯s powers manifest physically, while Bart¡¯s are generative. It¡¯s a great display¡­of¡­yeah, I¡¯m not reading all this. Can something happen already?!¡±


    For the first time since the fight began, Mr. Truj uncrossed his arms. He smirked.


    ¡°Do you get it now, kid?¡± he called over to Lammy. ¡°Team Socio suspected correctly that we¡¯d send out Kotono or Otogi first. Aidan¡¯s strong enough at the start of a fight to at least parry their early attacks. But after that, he and Medea were just cannon fodder. They were sacrifices to wear our starters down for the Bowler Brothers.¡±


    The crowd gasped as a blast zapped Skrili and fired her out of bounds¡ªbut she vanished, turning out to be yet another illusion.


    ¡°We may have lost Kotono, but now we can beat them at their own game,¡± Mr. Truj added. ¡°I knew the brothers would come next. Now with Phillip, we can wear them down first¡­and then we¡¯ll send in our champion to finish them off.¡±


    He cocked his head past the cousins. ¡°Otogi: once Phillip or Skrili go down, head in to take out the brothers.¡±


    Otogi shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t look away: he had to admit, the fight appeared to be playing out precisely into Mr. Truj¡¯s hand again, even with Kotono gone.


    ¡°Are you keeping up, kid?¡± said Mr. Truj with finality. ¡°Your ambition is admirable. But I know exactly what I¡¯m do¡ª¡±


    ¡°THERE IT IS!!¡± boomed Howard.


    Lammy¡¯s heart dropped: he saw it, too.


    Bart had collapsed onto his side, so close to the edge of the platform that his head hung over it.


    But he held something unseen tightly within his grasp.


    Phillip appeared, trapped within Bart¡¯s grip. His invisible kick had landed, but Bart was too solid and had acted too quickly. He held Phillip and wrestled him towards the edge.


    ¡°Sorry, Skrili,¡± Phillip muttered.


    With a rolling toss, Bart shoved Phillip off of the fighting platform. The crowd burst into a frenzy.


    ¡°PHILLIP IS DOWN BY RINGOUUUUT!!!¡±


    Once he landed, the true Skrili suddenly appeared running about the platform. As per the rules, Phillip had dismissed his Illusion on her.


    ¡°There we go!¡± Martin praised. ¡°Bart!!¡±


    The energy ball was already soaring on its way.


    Otogi had burst from the den, sprinting for the platform under Mr. Truj¡¯s frantic command.


    But it was far too late.


    Martin spiked the glowing ball, and with a zap, Skrili found herself spinning across the floor until she rolled straight off.


    ¡°Welp. That¡¯s the fight,¡± sighed Lune. ¡°I¡¯m getting a burger.¡±


    ¡°With 3-1 finish, TEAM SOCIO TAKES THE WIIIIIN!!!!¡±


    A mixture of cheers and groans marked the conclusion to the first ever Special League faceoff.


    Inside the den, everything went silent. Mr. Truj brushed past his associates and stormed through the back door.


    Lammy and Deon exchanged glances.


    Nothing needed to be said. They knew they shared the same thought.


    We should¡¯ve won.


    Lammy clenched his fists.


    Mr. Truj¡¯s plan was logical enough on paper. Clearly, he was an expert.


    But he didn¡¯t know Kotono anymore, or understand how she felt. He wasn¡¯t there.


    But Lammy was.


    He didn¡¯t know Team Hiroko.


    Not like Lammy did.


    We should¡¯ve won this.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Deon uttered. His eyes were on the distant Skrili while she sat up to answer the approaching healers¡¯ questions, but his attention was equally present.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Try to get up early tomorrow¡ªlike way before we gotta be back for the next fight. You too, Otogi. All of us,¡± Deon said.


    He glanced over to where they¡¯d all watched Kotono get carried off.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time for my plan.¡±

 141. Open

    Zayza¡¯s steps were heavy, and Chiwawo¡¯s steadfast, as they set foot inside Zayza¡¯s tent.


    Sighing, Zayza dropped her personal bag of heat stones into the sand before her. A dozen of them spilled out, clanging in a percussive chorus.


    ¡°They go over there, Princess,¡± Chiwawo pointed out, cocking his head not five steps to the side where the pit waited. It became clearer under an orange glow as he lit her torch.


    ¡°I know¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± groaned Zayza. ¡°My arms have turned to jelly.¡±


    Chiwawo only shook his head in a tease as he regathered the stones and posted them by the pit for use. Satisfied, he turned to exit the tent.


    ¡°Well then, rest up for another trip tomorrow.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s ears perked. ¡°Oh¡­but isn¡¯t one of Nahutala¡¯s workmates returning?¡±


    ¡°That is how it seems,¡± Chiwawo confirmed. ¡°But while you were climbing back up the slope, she told me she hopes you will come anyway.¡±


    Speechlessness befell Zayza for a moment. ¡°Really? Me?¡± she mustered.


    Chiwawo juggled a couple of the heat stones that hadn¡¯t quite fit in the basket. ¡°You didn¡¯t notice it, did you?¡±


    ¡°Evidently not, because I don¡¯t know what ¡®it¡¯ is.¡±


    Chiwawo smiled, seamlessly catching one of the heat stones with his foot. ¡°You led us the whole way there, found stones by yourself, and led us the whole way back today,¡± he revealed. ¡°You didn¡¯t notice that Nahutala stayed behind you the entire way?¡±


    Zayza blinked. She did find that rather odd in hindsight¡ªafter all, Nahutala usually moved much faster than her.


    ¡°She was secretly testing you,¡± Chiwawo shared. ¡°You navigated flawlessly without even knowing it. Your feet are learning to listen.¡±


    For a moment, Zayza forgot her fatigue. She stared at her bare feet¡ªshe¡¯d neglected to put on sandals today, and couldn¡¯t remember the last time she remembered.


    Days had past since the first time she helped Nahutala collect heat stones, and she hadn¡¯t missed a day since. Hidakala didn¡¯t break time up into weeks like most of the Multiverse, but Zayza guessed at least a couple had gone by.


    She closed her eyes. Zayza could feel the tremors in the ground, ever shifting. But lately it was no more different than when her eyes were open and her attention was on something else.


    Is it really becoming second nature? she noticed.


    She knew she couldn¡¯t attribute her learning solely to experience: most nights after their all-day journeys, Zayza encountered more Memory Triangles in the Dream World.


    And while not all, many of them were of Hiroko helping Nahutala collect stones.


    Feeling the sand on Hiroko¡¯s feet like they were her own, however briefly, must have helped her mind calibrate the sense for reading the earth. Or at the very least, it improved her memory for their daily travels.


    But she didn¡¯t dare mention that to Chiwawo. There was still too much she didn¡¯t understand.


    It didn¡¯t help that none of the memories lately seemed to point to any explanation for this phenomenon. Though the triangles were plentiful, they were often much smaller. And likewise, their contents lacked the depth she¡¯d found in the first two.


    They were easier to come by, as well: Zayza didn¡¯t have to find a purple field or dive into a whirlpool. Instead, they simply appeared along her path most times.


    And even the ones unrelated to collecting heat stones seemed equally minor¡ªtrivial, even.


    But Zayza savored each and every one.


    Through Hiroko¡¯s eyes, she¡¯d watched Hirochota nudge Hiroko until she danced with her¡ªbadly¡ªby a fire. She¡¯d heard Hiroko¡¯s laugh again while Chiwawo fulfilled a dare to impress her, pranking a row of warriors they were about to hunt with.


    It was like Hiroko was with her again, if only in flashes.


    Sometimes, she awoke to the real world with tears on her cheeks.


    ¡°Are you well, Princess?¡± came Chiwawo¡¯s sudden concern. ¡°What is wrong?¡±


    Wiping fog from her eyes, Zayza realized they¡¯d gone damp again.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she insisted. ¡°Just¡­I¡¯m glad I can be of some use to you all.¡±


    And yet¡­not as useful as I could be, she told herself. I need to know why this is happening. I need to find more triangles¡­and bring us closure.


    Only I can do it.


    ¡°Give her feet ears, and I will teach them to hear. Give them eyes, and I will teach them to open.¡±


    Am I getting closer to the Tribe Father¡¯s meaning? she wondered. Or, rather¡­did he even mean anything to begin with?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is only that you¡¯re useful,¡± Chiwawo disputed. ¡°Nahutala seems to enjoy your company quite a bit.¡±


    Managing to fully emerge from underneath her weight of her ponderings, Zayza smiled. ¡°Well, the feeling is very much mutual.¡±


    Chiwawo nodded. He shifted towards the tent flap. ¡°May the sand bless your dreams tonight, Princess,¡± he farewelled.


    ¡°W¡ªwait¡­¡±


    Chiwawo paused. And by the judgment in his eyes as he turned back to her, she knew he was well aware of the situation.


    ¡°Again, Princess?¡±


    Zayza pushed her fingers together bashfully. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t remember the last few steps to it¡­¡±


    Thankfully, her tender display of guilt once again proved charming, as had been the case countless times in her life. She supposed she owed it to her genes. Sighing, Chiwawo reentered the tent.


    ¡°One last time.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°And pay full attention this time.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Full attention.¡±


    ¡°Alright. So first, you need to¡ªhey! Why are you already sitting down?¡± Chiwawo snapped. ¡°I need to show you.¡±


    ¡°My legs have turned to jelly, too,¡± Zayza reasoned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll watch you from here.¡±


    Chiwawo appeared rather doubtful while he approached the stone pit once more. ¡°Fine. Well, first, you need to find the largest stones and separate them from the rest,¡± he instructed. ¡°Please repeat all of this back to me, Princess. You¡¯ll be the one doing it tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°Find the largest stones. Separate them.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Next, search through your pit for any charred stones,¡± continued Chiwawo, beginning the tasks in conjunction. ¡°Remove the brittle ones. Then, stack in the new. The order should be new large stones at the bottom, used stones in the middle, and new small stones at the top.¡±


    He waited.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    ¡°Remove brittle stones. Stack in¡­new¡­¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, we are ready to begin lighting. You¡¯ll need a torch stick, flint, and a small shovel.¡±


    Chiwawo waited again.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    The tent had gone silent.


    ¡°Princess?¡± he tried again, knowing it was useless. Rolling his eyes, Chiwawo turned and found exactly the sight he¡¯d expected.


    Zayza was sunk cozily into her bed area, already sound asleep.


    ¡°Again,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°You can certainly work hard like us, Princess. But your small body can not keep up with your drive.¡±


    Shaking his head all the while, Chiwawo completed the heating process for her tent alone, for what must have been the dozenth time.


    He stretched, setting aside her tools, and made his way towards the tent flap.


    But this time, Zayza hadn¡¯t even bothered to try covering herself first. He retrieved the blanket by her feet and spread it onto her delicately.


    Where the edge of the blanket ended at the top of her dress, Chiwawo¡¯s eyes happened upon some of the swirling tattoos on her shoulder. Rising and falling slowly with her breath, they matched the ones he¡¯d already seen running down her arms. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder just how far they reached across her, and more curiously¡ªwhy. Perhaps it was related to that ¡®Dream World¡¯ place.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Seeing her now, he could hardly fathom the idea that she was ever-awake, currently in a realm he¡¯d never be able to see or prove. Could Dreamers really traverse their own hidden world? How was that any different than a normal dream?


    But though he didn¡¯t know their meaning, her tattoos were a constant reminder. He glanced at the Hidakalan one on her cheek, and then at a few of his own.


    Perhaps Azvaylens weren¡¯t much different than Hidakalans.


    Sure, she wasn¡¯t born from the Gods Below, but she was absorbing their customs nearly as fast as a Hidakalan child.


    So was she any less sacred?


    Was she truly an ¡®outsider,¡¯ or just a person?


    Heat began enwrapping the tent. Confident with his work, Chiwawo once again made his way to the exit. He put out her torch and stepped into the chilled night air.


    ¡°So when is the ceremony?¡±


    Chiwawo had only gotten a few paces before a voice had stopped him in the dark.


    ¡°Oh shut up,¡± Chiwawo retorted, hushing to respect the nearby tents. ¡°What are you even doing all the way over here? Stalking?¡±


    Nahutala stepped closer into the moonlight. Matter-of-factly, she raised her mostly empty basket of heat stones. ¡°I am finishing up my deliveries,¡± she defended. ¡°You know, for such a hesitant bachelor as yourself, you seem to spend a lot of time in a certain maiden¡¯s tent.¡±


    ¡°¡®Hesitant?¡¯ I am principled,¡± countered Chiwawo. ¡°I told you, I am assigned to watch over her.¡±


    Nahutala smirked. ¡°Oh? And tucking her in every night is part of that assignment?¡±


    She¡¯d already begun bracing herself before Chiwawo gave her a shove. They both chuckled.


    ¡°You are nosy as ever. And wrong,¡± Chiwawo grumbled.


    Nahutala raised her hands in innocence. ¡°Hey, I am just hopeful,¡± she told him, her teasing tone dropping. ¡°Do you not realize how many young ladies your mother has tried setting you up with? Why do you think she was so insistent on making this your responsibility? Eh?¡±


    ¡°Nahutala, listen to yourself. Do you really think Hidakala would be okay with that?¡± Chiwawo challenged. ¡°Me and an outsider?¡±


    ¡°Ah. So the thought has crossed your mind, then,¡± she derived. ¡°Even a little.¡±


    Chiwawo glared at her in pause. Finally, he shook his head.


    ¡°You are crazy. I am fulfilling my duty. And eventually, I will have a new one,¡± he dismissed. ¡°If the Princess didn¡¯t keep falling asleep when I try giving her instructions, I wouldn¡¯t need to spend so much time in there.¡±


    Nahutala laughed. Finally, she surrendered. ¡°That Zayza is too funny. I have no question why she and Hirokyauta became close.¡±


    ¡°Ha. You are right about that.¡±


    They let the desert silence have its way for a moment.


    ¡°So Yakotula and Hauwawa are pregnant, huh?¡± Chiwawo reflected. ¡°When are you and Hakarwo starting your family?¡±


    Again, Nahutala lifted her basket. ¡°Not while most of my group is gone, I can tell you that.¡± She turned to resume her walk. ¡°And speaking of it, I have one more delivery. Go warm up your tent for the night.¡±


    ¡°No need. I haven¡¯t spent a night there in moons,¡± Chiwawo shared. ¡°I should head back to the Princess, though. I have been sleeping there just in case.¡±


    The smirk returned on Nahutala¡¯s face.


    ¡°OUTSIDE HER TENT,¡± Chiwawo pressed, kicking sand her way.


    ¡°Mhm. Goodnight, Chi.¡±


    ~


    A breeze began steadily, shivering the pink and orange leaves of the trees.


    Zayza couldn¡¯t feel it from where she walked, but that didn¡¯t diminish the tranquility of her stroll along the white-sanded path. At some point in recent nights, she¡¯d noticed her Dream World outfit had transformed to omit shoes. And so, she could feel the sand within her toes just like the bed area of her tent.


    Now that she thought of it, much of the Dream World ground had taken form as sand lately. This particular path was wide, between two fields of red grass as rosy as Kotono¡¯s eyes where the trees all stood overlooking her from afar.


    Zayza let out a smiling sigh; even after nineteen years, this realm¡¯s beauty found new ways to amaze her.


    There was still one thing quietly challenging her peace, however: no Memory Triangles had appeared all night, not even the small, insignificant ones. Having only ever found herself in their presence by accident or spotting them in passing, Zayza wondered if a more thorough search was necessary from now on.


    But then again¡­how could she be certain there were any more to find?


    Zayza shook her head. She couldn¡¯t go there.


    If there were no more, then there was no meaning. This was just a prolonged scar from the debris of Proscious¡¯s affliction.


    Giving up was simply giving them satisfaction in Hiroko¡¯s death.


    No.


    Zayza kept a keener eye on her wondrous surroundings. She was likely reaching the end of the night, meaning her body would awaken soon. But that didn¡¯t keep her from trying.


    And yet, once again, she hardly had to try.


    Light blue sparkles shimmered ahead of her, in the distance of her sandy path.


    ¡°There you are,¡± she said.


    But despite Zayza¡¯s continued approach, she didn¡¯t seem to get any closer. Another minute passed, and the lights were equally distant.


    Peering closer, Zayza uncovered why the lights seemed particularly brilliant this time: it was an entire flock of floating triangles, at least a couple dozen. The realization sped up Zayza¡¯s pace.


    ¡°This many?!¡±


    Soon, she was jogging. Then running.


    Yet all the while, she gained no progress.


    ¡°Enough of this.¡±


    Zayza ignited a burst of green energy around her body. She soared into the air and called upon all of her power to charge forward.


    The ground and trees around her turned into a blur, but the Memory Triangles remained the same.


    ¡°Princess¡­¡±


    She felt a light tap on her shoulder.


    ¡°Hey, Zayza¡­¡±


    Please¡­not yet, she begged.


    Zayza stretched her hand out to the triangles, knowing it would do no good.


    But she felt so close.


    ¡°Princess¡­?¡±


    ~


    ¡°Princess! Wake up!¡±


    Zayza¡¯s head sprung upward in a gasp. Two faces stared down at her from above.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± she moaned.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to wake you up all day!¡± Chiwawo told her.


    ¡°It¡¯s already getting dark!¡± added Nahutala. ¡°We¡¯ll have to work through the night to get the stones!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Zayza launched to her knees, her vision and balance struggling to awaken with her. Indeed, her tent was dim. Chiwawo and Nahutala¡¯s concern was all over their faces.


    ¡°Oh no! I slept in that long?! I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    With no regard for her tousled hair or unchanged clothes, she rushed to her feet. Sand flung everywhere as she stumbled her way to the tent flap.


    But she came to a sudden, dumbfounded halt.


    It was still bright enough to see outside, just unusually gray. Heavy rain patted down the sand all around the village, where some Hidakalans still went about their days with added coverings. The tent hummed with the constant tapping of raindrops.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    She turned to her companions.


    Now more awake, her eyes could spot their crooked smirks before they cracked all at once.


    ¡°Just kidding. It¡¯s morning,¡± said Chiwawo.


    ¡°Apparently it will rain all day,¡± revealed Nahutala collectedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I checked earlier. We have built up just enough stones in reserve for everyone tonight.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s ensuing pout made them both burst out laughing.


    She crossed her arms in defiance. ¡°Fumenzen z¨¹ren bui,¡± she fired back, leaning fully into the royal eloquence of a princess.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®fumenzen bu z¨¹r,¡± Nahutala corrected. ¡°You just said ¡®when we poop, it is unfriendly.¡±


    This time, Zayza laughed with them. ¡°I suppose I have much to learn.¡±


    ¡°Well, we are all trapped here for today,¡± figured Nahutala. ¡°It is a better time than any to help you practice your Hidakalan.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Chiwawo agreed. ¡°I will fetch some bread and¡ªum¡­Princess?¡±


    Zayza blinked. Wherever her senses had just gone for a moment, they returned to the tent.


    ¡°Sorry, um¡­¡± Zayza tried distantly.


    ¡°Did you just go back to your Dream World or something?¡±


    But Zayza had stopped listening¡ªto them, at least.


    Something was rumbling, shifting, deep beneath her feet. She could feel it in her bones.


    And she couldn¡¯t focus on anything else.


    Zayza didn¡¯t remember if she closed her eyes, but she no longer saw the tent. Now, she could see a shape: thousands of little dots, drifting as one within the endless darkness.


    Then the shape began migrating.


    Zayza turned around and took a step forward.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Nahutala wondered in an echo behind her. ¡°Wait¡­do you feel that?¡±


    ¡°I do¡­¡± came Chiwawo¡¯s sober reply.


    Zayza left their voices behind. She didn¡¯t know why, but somehow she knew this shape was here to guide her.


    Its shape turned murky for a moment when the sand felt soaking and firm beneath her, like a thin film had covered her senses. But it was still more than enough to see the direction it was traveling. Her feet followed, mimicking the shape¡¯s shifts and turns often before she even thought to do so.


    And still, it was all she could see.


    ¡°...Zayza¡­wait a moment¡­¡±


    ¡°Princess¡­¡±


    She came to a stop. But it wasn¡¯t because of her friends¡ªthe shape had stopped first, and somehow she knew she was in the right place.


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    Zayza jolted. All at once, she could see her true surroundings once more. Nahutala had her hand, placing it in a sleeve as she covered her in a hooded coat much like her own.


    Drenched, Zayza¡¯s hair stuck to her face. She was standing outside in the middle of the village, and the rain was pouring perhaps even harder than before.


    ¡°Seriously. You¡¯ll get sick again,¡± Chiwawo hushed.


    Why was he speaking so quietly?


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Zayza asked.


    Chiwawo stepped out of her view. Behind him, only a dozen steps away, waited the Tribe Father¡¯s tent. His guard stood tall just as before, ignoring the rainfall.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± muttered Zayza. ¡°I¡­for some reason, I felt like I was supposed to¡­¡±


    ¡°We sensed it, too,¡± Nahutala assured.


    ¡°The Gods Below,¡± uttered Chiwawo. ¡°We¡¯ve been called here.¡±


    The guiding vibrations faded gracefully from Zayza¡¯s feet. With it her vision reverted to the darkness, where she witnessed the shape descend until it was gone.


    ¡°Give her feet ears, and I will teach them to hear. Give them eyes, and I will teach them to open.¡±


    Zayza blinked and recovered her view of the tent, where the Tribe Father¡¯s voice had just come from.


    Chiwawo and Nahutala dropped into a bow, so Zayza rushed to join.


    ¡°Chiwawo¡­Nahutala¡­you have given her feet ears, so I taught them to hear. You have given them eyes. So now¡­I will teach them to open.¡±


    The Tribe Father fell silent for a moment.


    Zayza glanced at Chiwawo and Nahutala. ¡°The Tribe Father will teach me?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Not the Tribe Father. He is the voice,¡± expressed Chiwawo, his jaw tight. ¡°What he says¡­is from the Gods Below.¡±


    ¡°Rise.¡±


    Zayza awaited her companions¡¯ motion before she joined them to their feet. She noticed the guard was standing from a bow, as well.


    Maybe it was the rain intensifying, or Chiwawo and Nahutala¡¯s stiffness. But Zayza¡¯s heartbeat increased in the silence.


    ¡°It is already time,¡± declared the Tribe Father, ¡°for the next stage of your journey.¡±

 142. Shade Angel

    Despite the four people occupying it, the training room was dead quiet.


    Pang sat lounging on one of the benches off to the side.


    ¡°Ooh¡­beluga caviar sounds so good right now,¡± echoed Irma¡¯s voice from all the way across the room. She paced back and forth aimlessly, scrolling through her SquadScreen. ¡°Or we could go Horror Country with demon-bison stew¡­what do you think, Pang? Craving anything for tonight?¡±


    ¡°Ssh!¡±


    Benton¡¯s hush came from the other far corner. The weights he lifted clinked as he placed them down.


    ¡°He could strike at any second,¡± he urged. ¡°We¡¯re like a herd a¡¯ doe gettin¡¯ a sip in the clearin¡¯, and he¡¯s lurkin¡¯ with the barrel on our butts.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you just said,¡± retorted Irma.


    Pang shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s right, though,¡± she admitted, stretching her arms.


    She lifted her head to glance over at the fighting platform. Aoi stood in the center, perfectly in position.


    Any second¡­


    Then, it started¡ªbut not in a way Pang could have anticipated.


    A jarring buzz suddenly shattered the silence. Head vibrating and ears ringing, Pang sprung up unevenly and did her best to prepare a defense.


    But she found no enemy¡ªinstead, a round device was stuck in the floor by her feet. Its speaker blared the noise, and persisted even when Pang gave it a hearty stomp. She slammed her hands against her ears.


    Is this really necessary?!


    Struggling to gather herself, Pang darted her attention to the others. Benton and Irma were in identical predicaments, slow to regain their footing. But their focus seemed just as unsteady as hers.


    He¡¯s going for her.


    Pang forced her squinting eyes to turn to the fighting platform where Aoi remained standing. Sure enough, the music started, and he appeared.


    Danek swooped in, hands ready to strike. Pang could hear his booming laughter of self-satisfaction even through the noisemakers. In fact, it was the main reason she could follow his movement: he¡¯d closed in almost faster than her eyes could follow.


    Pang understood immediately: he¡¯d cut the rest of them off with his tech. Now, he could attack the uninstructed Aoi without issue.


    But as Pang understood just as well: it didn¡¯t matter.


    Not anymore.


    Heh. He¡¯s screwed.


    Just as fast as he¡¯d appeared, Danek stopped. His whole body smashed against an unseen wall mere steps from Aoi.


    Then, she watched on completely unfazed, as another force yanked him high into the ai, and rocketed him straight into the floor just beyond the fighting platform.


    ¡°WHY?!¡± he boomed hoarsely. ¡°HOW ARE YOU¡ª¡°


    He floated back up, and then slammed against the floor again and again.


    Aoi watched blankly for a moment.


    She slammed him three more times before leaving him twisted on the ground.


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Danek pleaded. ¡°I¡¯ll stop. I¡¯m done. You win again.¡±


    Aoi searched around until she spotted a teammate. This time, it happened to be Pang. She lifted her hand and sent her a sleeve-covered thumbs-up.


    Pang burst out laughing, which rang louder as Danek¡¯s devices turned off.


    ¡°Nice one, Aoi!¡± she cheered.


    ¡°Atta girl!¡±


    ¡°You so showed him who¡¯s boss!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± groaned Danek from the floor. He forced his sorry form to sit up. ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­since my blocking Aoi¡¯s hearing stopped working yesterday, I figured you were sneaking her sign language or something. So how come when I isolated you guys from her instead, she still attacked?! Are you guys telling her in advance to fight me, or what? That¡¯s against my training rules!¡±


    He checked his bent leg, confirming it was broken. Pang predicted he¡¯d need a few extra minutes in the healing chamber after this one.


    ¡°Oh, we ain¡¯t cheatin¡¯,¡± Benton denied. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be against it though, since you keep tryna kill us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s just that Aoi really doesn¡¯t like you,¡± Pang said plainly. ¡°It¡¯s that simple.¡±


    Danek spat. ¡°Come on. That¡¯s not possible. This freak never acts on things like that.¡±


    ¡°That was true a couple days ago, but like, not anymore,¡± said Irma, her eyes already glued on holograms of recipes again. ¡°You can thank Pang for that.¡±


    ¡°And she¡¯s not a freak,¡± added Pang flatly. ¡°¡­Alright, she is, but you don¡¯t get to call her that.¡±


    ¡°Big mouth for a noob¡­¡± muttered Danek.


    ¡°Sore loser for a Rank-S. And you can¡¯t beat us anymore, so I¡¯ll say what I want.¡±


    Danek mumbled retorts to himself that he must not have felt confident enough to say out loud, given his lingering threat on the fighting platform.


    Pang stood from the bench and stretched her back, satisfied with another instant victory against Danek. She would never have guessed they¡¯d gain an edge during his assaults so soon¡ªor at all, for that matter, considering he almost killed them two days ago.


    But something clearly clicked in Aoi¡¯s mysterious head.


    When Danek attacked for his second session yesterday, he¡¯d used nearly the same method as the first time: aiming to take her out of the equation first. But Aoi had him dented in the wall before he could swing his first fist, and without anybody prompting her to strike.


    It was so quick, in fact, that he added an unannounced third ¡®session¡¯ while the team was walking back from lunch. Aoi sent him flipping over the distant buildings without as much as a glance his way, and his quest for redemption fell apart.


    Pang and the others hadn¡¯t had to move a single muscle since the first ambush, and she lost no sleep over it: after all, she¡¯d managed to get through to Aoi. She earned their right to survive.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re done here,¡± Irma declared. ¡°Tennis, anyone?¡±


    Her teammates expressed their agreement.


    A laugh emerged from the middle of the room. As it increased, everyone turned to find Danek with a booming smile despite his mangled state.


    ¡°Excellent, guys. Excellent,¡± he said. Though his smile was a bit crooked, the bloodlust on his face was absent for once. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m done here. No more sessions with me.¡±


    ¡°Finally had enough?¡± teased Pang.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s that you guys finished the curriculum,¡± he explained. ¡°I¡¯m sure you missed it, so I¡¯ll explain: this outcome was the whole point. A guy stronger than your whole team was trying to kill you, so you had to find a way to overcome if you wanted to live. Out on missions, there might be times where you¡¯ll face this exact thing. You¡¯ll need to find a way to get stronger in the moment.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Everyone paused to listen.


    ¡°And you figured it out. You got Aoi to improve, and that saved your whole team,¡± finished Danek. ¡°That was why my course was designed this way, guys. And congrats: you actually got through it. We¡¯re done here.¡±


    For a moment, the training room fell silent once more.


    Pang exchanged glances with Irma and Benton, and she knew they all took away the same insight:


    ¡°Yeah right,¡± Irma chuckled. ¡°Sounds like you just made that up right now.¡±


    Danek stiffened. ¡°Uh¡­no, really¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yep. He did,¡± confirmed a voice from the entrance.


    Pang would have suspected Pyper¡ªbut this tone was a bit lower, and much coarser.


    The man set foot into the gym, his footsteps almost as hushed as his words. And yet, both demanded everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Gage? You know Pyper said I¡¯d tell you when it¡¯s your turn, right?¡± Danek checked.


    ¡°I know. I got curious.¡±


    Gage? Pang thought. So there¡¯s a third Rank-S?


    His movements were like a stream. Gage sunk his hands into the pockets of his cloudy denim jacket as he stepped closer to the center of the room to join them all.


    At the cost of her self-awareness, Pang¡¯s eyes surrendered to his every step.


    His stature was like Deon¡¯s¡ªlean, solid¡ªbut the overcast of grays and blacks in his jacket and ripped jeans were much more akin to Phillip¡¯s style. While his hair was a deep gray, it was healthy and full, perfectly sculpted around his face to compliment the smoke rising from his cigarette.


    The only real color he emitted was from the maroon hood hanging out from underneath his jacket.


    But there was something else to him.


    Though colorless, he radiated under Pang¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyes darted away even as his greeting rang out. Apparently, his gaze was on her, too.


    Finally associating with her memory, like remembering a dream, Pang realized it had been on her since the moment he stepped in the room.


    Her cheeks flushed.


    Unbothered by her silence, Gage stopped in the middle of the gym. He faced Aoi and simply raised his chin at her to beckon her.


    Dutifully, she exited the platform to greet him, her oversized hood bobbing up and down. Irma and Benton followed, so Pang did, as well.


    Gage raised his arms out once Aoi was close, and she sunk into them for a hug.


    ¡°Hey kid,¡± Gage uttered. ¡°Missed you.¡±


    When they released, Gage ruffled her bangs and smiled. ¡°They¡¯re still treating you okay in this team, right?¡±


    Aoi nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    At first Pang found it odd hearing him call Aoi ¡®kid¡¯¡ªshe assumed he couldn¡¯t be much older than his early twenties like her. His smile was electric and full of life.


    But now that Pang was closer, she could see his eyes: bold and maroon like his hood. They were filled with a deeper maturity; he was likely closer to Irma and Pyper¡¯s age than Aoi¡¯s.


    Gage retrieved his cigarette and let out a puff of smoke. When it cleared, Pang found those eyes back on her.


    This time, she didn¡¯t glance away.


    Or couldn¡¯t.


    He was an angel in the shade.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Gage drew closer to her. And while Pang typically preferred her personal space, she found she couldn¡¯t move an inch. His dispersing cigarette plume wasn¡¯t smoky, but bitter and sweet against her nose.


    Still smiling, Gage¡¯s fingers lifted to her hair and brushed through it.


    ¡°Look at this red¡­so bright, and¡­intense¡­¡± he enjoyed.


    Pang could practically see the thousands of unspoken thoughts and intentions coursing through him by her reflection in his stare. But she couldn¡¯t possibly fathom them. They were deeper, blacker, than mere admiration.


    ¡°And combined with your golden eyes¡­like two suns¡­¡±


    Irma butted between them, shooing Gage¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°Come on. She¡¯s sixteen, buddy,¡± she defended, hands on her hips.


    ¡°Seventeen in a few weeks, if you check her file,¡± Gage pointed out. ¡°Right, Pang Pereo?¡±


    ¡°That obviously don¡¯t make it any better,¡± Benton snapped. ¡°Now back on up.¡±


    Gage didn¡¯t hesitate to oblige, laughing all the while. ¡°You guys have some weird imaginations,¡± he remarked. ¡°I¡¯m just saying hi to the newbie. She¡¯s filling Wei¡¯s spot, after all. That¡¯s a¡­well, a big deal.¡±


    When everyone fell silent, Pang was surprised to find Gage¡¯s expression just as somber as the others¡¯.


    ¡°Gotta make sure you¡¯ll live up to that,¡± Gage finally uttered. He breathed out another puff of smoke. ¡°That goes for all of you, by the way. Whether I become your new leader or not, I¡¯m gonna make sure your flame never fades. I won¡¯t take this chance for granted.¡±


    With a cool wave, he turned his back to take his leave.


    ¡°Hey wait, man¡­¡± Danek called after him. ¡°Mind getting me over to a healing capsule first?¡±


    ¡°We start tomorrow,¡± Gage announced as if he didn¡¯t hear. ¡°I have a real curriculum in mind¡ªnot just intent to kill¡ªso I think I¡¯ll be a little more up your alley. But be ready.¡±


    He disappeared from the room, his last few words echoing from the hall. The Proscious team stood in silence once more.


    Pang watched the empty doorway for an extra moment. This strange, invisible pressure faded from her with his departure. She felt like she could move again¡ªthink clearly again.


    But why didn¡¯t she even notice it was there until now?


    There¡¯s something to him¡­she thought once more. What?


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll have to ¡®be ready,¡¯ gang,¡± Benton reiterated. ¡°Whatever that means.¡±


    ¡°Well when it¡¯s coming from Gage, I don¡¯t really wanna know,¡± Irma commented.


    ¡°Hey, uh¡­¡±


    The team turned to Danek, who watched them a bit sheepishly from the floor.


    ¡°So¡­I was totally just kidding around with the whole ¡®killing you guys¡¯ thing. You know, for effect,¡± he insisted in a wince. ¡°Think you could get me over to the healing capsule?¡±


    Nobody replied. Without hesitation, they all began their way to the exit.


    ~


    The ball dropped lazily within the lines before Pang.


    ¡°He¡¯s a Colorist,¡± Irma uttered beside her.


    Pang frowned. She stored away this sudden fact and swung to return Aoi¡¯s lob of a serve back over the net.


    ¡°As in, he gets different powers from seein¡¯ different colors,¡± Benton defined for her, diving to launch the ball her way again just in time.


    Irma closed in. She could¡¯ve used the ball¡¯s ensuing displacement to end the point with her speed and precision, but she opted to tap it back and continue their volley.


    ¡°That¡¯s why he looks at you and me so much,¡± Irma continued, her multicolored hair twirling. ¡°It charges him up.¡±


    ¡°I know what a Colorist is¡­¡± Pang muttered. ¡°And I could sense that.¡±


    ¡°Now Irma, you know that¡¯s not the only reason he¡¯s got his eyes glued on you girls¡­¡± Benton hinted in discomfort.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she agreed. ¡°Oh also, his cigarettes are all special, too. They¡¯re not just for smokes; they¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did I ask?¡± spat Pang at last. Her swing shot crooked, and the ball zipped straight into the net to end the point.


    Irma shrugged, walking over to retrieve it. ¡°No,¡± she admitted, ¡°but it¡¯s pretty obviously on your mind.¡±


    She tossed the ball to Pang for the next serve.


    Pang rolled her eyes.


    As if...she wanted to argue¡ªbut, hating how transparent she apparently was right now, she knew her roommate was spot-on.


    She couldn¡¯t get this man out of her head.


    What is it about him¡­? she pondered still.


    Realizing her guise was useless now, Pang caved. After all, she¡¯d need to know more about Gage regardless. Their training with him was less than a day away.


    And as long as the others still couldn¡¯t tell what she felt right now, she could play it up as pure curiosity for their looming sessions.


    That was for the best, because she wasn¡¯t sure what she felt right now, either.


    ¡°So¡­his cigarettes?¡± Pang prompted before launching her serve.


    ¡°They¡¯re specially-designed by Proscious,¡± elaborated Benton. ¡°He huffs ¡®em, and it makes him a Tolerator type, too.¡±


    The ball came his way, so he paused to swing.


    ¡°It¡¯s a prototype, I reckon. Only way they got extra powers to work for him,¡± he finished.


    ¡°Nothing gets to him, just like any Tolerator,¡± Irma said.


    She and Pang won the point, and a new one started. But when nobody bothered to add anything else to this briefing, Pang¡¯s head spun.


    That¡¯s it? she wondered. No way that¡¯s it¡­


    Then what is this feeling?


    ¡°But¡­he¡¯s a Persuader too, right?¡± Pang guessed.


    She returned the ball over the net in an uneven swing.


    ¡°Nope,¡± denied Benton, returning it.


    ¡°Or¡­an Emotionizer?¡± she tried again.


    Irma played nice, once again tapping the ball back so Aoi could reach it even with her lack of coordination.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any powers to affect people¡¯s feelings,¡± Irma established. ¡°Why?¡±


    The ball eventually made it¡¯s way back near Pang. But though it should¡¯ve been easy, she flubbed her swing and it went plummeting from the court.


    She shook her head. ¡°Never mind,¡± she uttered as it bounced away and came to a rest against the far fence.


    The rest of their evening concluded with a proper match, and luckily for Pang, the lure of competition drew everyone¡¯s minds off of Gage. She even managed to enjoy herself, though her tennis skills were still a far cry from her pro fighting abilities.


    And to top it off: Irma¡¯s dinner and dessert would follow once they got back to the apartment. Having finished with Danek so early, they¡¯d have an extra couple hours to whip up something exquisite.


    What started as a bleak attempt at survival days ago had ended in celebration, and it was all thanks to Aoi.


    So it was only fitting when the night resolved with Aoi¡¯s most glorious serve: a miracle of an ace to win the point against Pang. Everyone dropped their rackets and rushed to surround their unreactive companion in cheers, hopping up and down until she realized she was supposed to join in.


    The group dispersed across the courts to collect stray tennis balls and bottles of water. Pang shook her head with a laugh¡ªthere was no way Benton and Aoi would¡¯ve made a comeback had they all remembered to finish the match, but she wouldn¡¯t have had it any other way.


    These guys are supposed to be horrible killers, she reminded herself. What a bunch of goofballs.


    ¡°Hey kiddo.¡±


    Pang turned from the ball she¡¯d just crouched down to retrieve¡ªthe one her clouded thoughts caused her to flank earlier.


    Benton stood close by, his red-marked face unusually sober.


    ¡°Uh¡­hey. ¡®Sup?¡±


    His eyes fell on the general direction of their training facility in the distance, before returning to her.


    ¡°If you got anything you wanna talk out¡­especially about that Gage fella,¡± he uttered, ¡°well, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Pang¡¯s ears tensed at his offer.


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± was what blurted out.


    She didn¡¯t think up those words, they simply emerged. Benton¡¯s tone, his demeanor right now, was foreign to her. It was a visceral response.


    A defense.


    Somehow Benton¡¯s pause, and then his gradual sigh, only made it worse.


    ¡°I know y¡¯can,¡± he said. ¡°My offer stands. Great playin¡¯ tonight!¡±


    Pang was stiff, unable to look back after him while he walked away.


    Now, she harbored two feelings she couldn¡¯t understand.


    A light vibration on her wrist broke her from her frozen mental state. Confused, Pang checked her SquadScreen. All of her teammates were here, so why would anybody need to message her?


    A name blinked onto the screen.


    Gage.


    ¡°Hey Pang, looking forward to the training.


    You should wear more red tomorrow, like your hair color. That¡¯s something I¡¯d really like to see.¡±

 143. Golden

    Pang made a point not to wear red today.


    It wasn¡¯t her first decision. This morning, she found herself seeking out any red in her wardrobe¡ªthat is, until clarity reached her then-groggy mind.


    Wait. I wear what I want.


    Still, she contemplated why it had been her initial impulse. Perhaps she¡¯d planned to observe how the extra red would affect Gage¡¯s Colorist powers?


    No. She knew why.


    She wanted to see how it would draw his maroon eyes to her¡ªto see the face he would make when she followed through for him.


    ¡°Yes, girl. You own that gold and black,¡± Irma complimented while they hung their jackets up in the corner of the training room. ¡°I forgot we bought you that outfit.¡±


    Their shopping spree days ago, when Pang had first moved in, made it easy to go out of her way to avoid what was typically her go-to color.


    She glanced over to the fighting platform where Gage was already waiting for them.


    He simply smiled back at her and lit one of his special cigarettes.


    Either his Tolerator powers were already kicking in, or he was naturally unbothered to find his private request ignored.


    Regardless, his utter lack of reaction left Pang unsatisfied. Somehow, even a scoff of displeasure would have been better than simply¡­.nothing.


    Gage¡¯s smooth smile curled again at her lingering silence.


    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the plan today, boss?¡± came Benton¡¯s greeting. He led Aoi through the entrance to join the group, stretching his mountainous arms. ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re the guy for the job?¡±


    A laugh escape Gage¡¯s lips with a puff of smoke. ¡°This isn¡¯t an interview for the position,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m evaluating you. So team: up on the platform, please.¡±


    They joined together, standing in a file before their interim leader. Gage¡¯s smoke turned the air sweet and bitter, his stare relaxed.


    Suddenly, Pang didn¡¯t know where to place her eyes. She ultimately glued them to the floor before everyone¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Listen: you¡¯ll see I am the ¡®guy for the job,¡¯¡± he preached. ¡°Because I¡¯m here for one reason, and one reason only.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s answering the interview question anyway¡­¡± Irma muttered.


    Gage brushed it off to continue. ¡°¡­And that¡¯s to make sure from now on, every single one of us¡ªmyself included¡ªmakes it home after every mission.¡±


    The team fell silent.


    Still staring down, Pang caught Aoi stiffen beside her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let what happened to Wei happen to you. We won¡¯t grieve anymore. If I got to see him one more time, that would¡¯ve been the promise I made to him,¡± he insisted. ¡°So I¡¯m making it to you. And, if you¡¯ll all trust me, I have the power to keep that promise.¡±


    Pang glanced up only long enough to confirm that, even though he was referring to a loved one only the others knew, his focus was hovering on her.


    ¡°From now on,¡± Gage concluded, ¡°none of your friends are going away.¡±


    Pang¡¯s heart skipped.


    Finally, Benton shifted. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± he said.


    ¡°Good. Then we¡¯ll start these sessions with a question.¡±


    Gage paced, savoring his cigarette for a moment.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Wei come home from Azvaylen?¡± he pressed.


    Pang managed to lift her head again at least to search her teammates.


    Isn¡¯t bringing that up a little out-of-line? It wasn¡¯t that long ago¡­she thought. Is he trying to piss them off?


    But nobody stirred. They simply stood in contemplation, faces forlorn but unoffended.


    So Gage was pretty close to that guy, too, Pang guessed.


    Only her teammates¡¯ reactions could give the hint, as Gage offered no signs of his own grief. With small plumes of smoke still rising from his breath, he simply awaited their reply in patient tranquility.


    ¡°Nothing? Alright, then. Let¡¯s see a team attack. Anything goes, as long as you¡¯re all part of it,¡± Gage invited. ¡°Ready¡­set¡­go.¡±


    The team shifted¡ªbut merely looked to each other in wait.


    ¡°Yep,¡± he confirmed. ¡°See, that¡¯s why¡ª¡±


    ¡°We get it.¡±


    Irma¡¯s hot stare burned through the ground, peering into the past. Her frown curled tight. ¡°You don¡¯t have to, like, turn it into a whole freaking lesson. We obviously know why Wei isn¡¯t here anymore. We know why we aren¡¯t the only other Rank-S team. And it¡¯s his fault.¡±


    ¡°Irma¡­¡± Benton cautioned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Irma¡¯ me. I¡¯m saying it,¡± she shot. ¡°You want to be our leader, Gage? Here are some tips: don¡¯t treat us like tack-ons like he did. Don¡¯t act like your power is more important than your friends. We¡¯re a completely different team now. A better one. So¡ª¡±


    Benton¡¯s hand landed on her shoulder, startling her tight throat into silence.


    ¡°So how about we come up with one a¡¯ them team attacks,¡± he suggested tenderly, ¡°and prove it?¡±


    After a moment of hesitation, Irma crossed her arms. She shrugged.


    ¡°I like it,¡± said Gage. ¡°Benton, Irma: sounds like you¡¯re on the exact same page as me.¡±


    Gage lit a fresh cigarette in unison with his reply. He strode over towards the edge of the platform, turned back around to face them, and sat legs-crossed.


    ¡°Do that. Make some team attacks,¡± he prodded. ¡°I might have some missions to patch up with my old team before they pick my replacement. So I want you to be strong on your own first.¡±


    He¡¯s talking like he already got the gig, noted Pang.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry: I¡¯m here to guide you along.¡±


    Pang felt her shoulders relax. Compared to defying death from Danek¡¯s unannounced attacks, this training was playing out as something genuinely beneficial¡ªand certainly less horrific.


    Gage really wants this, she learned.


    She turned to her teammates, who all faced each other in a circle.


    ¡°So, uh¡­.¡± started Irma. ¡°Anyone got ideas?¡±


    ¡°If anyone¡¯s mean to us, Aoi happens,¡± Pang said plainly. ¡°Boom. We just figured out every fight ever. Right?¡±


    Aoi nodded.


    But Benton shook his head. ¡°Not if she ain¡¯t fightin¡¯,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°Right. She¡¯s the centerpiece of all of Proscious,¡± agreed Gage from the corner. ¡°There are times she¡¯ll need to be in a non-combat or assisting role, unless things get really bad.¡±


    Crap.


    Pang sighed. Ideally, she would be long gone from this glorified jailhouse before the team got assigned to any new missions. But she knew she couldn¡¯t rely on that slim chance.


    And, now that she couldn¡¯t rely on Aoi to handle it all, either, she mustered the will to brainstorm.


    But there was so much at their disposal between the four of them¡ªalmost too much¡ªthat the potential starting points seemed infinite. Fishing out the best ones might take her whole life. Plus, with only a handful of days under her belt here, there was still so little she knew about her teammates¡¯ fighting styles.


    They¡¯d spent most of their time trying to figure out the spiking pain in Pang¡¯s head whenever they switched types, and had only neared a solution.


    This mound of work was only piling higher.


    Gage cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m sure you guys know about that new ¡®Special League¡¯ they kicked off. If those Leaguers can pull off moves that smart, surely you real fighters can do it,¡± he hinted. ¡°I mean heck, you have two ex-Leaguers right here on your team.¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°Wait¡­two?¡±


    She scanned the fighting platform, and found Benton rubbing his head with a shy shrug.


    ¡°Well¡­I used to dabble¡­¡± he brushed off.


    ¡°Come on. You usually go on about it at every chance,¡± Irma commented with rolling eyes. ¡°He was legit. He won a few of those smaller championships,¡± she revealed to Pang.


    ¡°Hold on¡­seriously?¡±


    Her eyes must have glowed even brighter than the gold in her outfit. Benton¡¯s shrug lowered, his dismissive smirk shifting to one of pride after a double-take confirmed Pang¡¯s interest was real.


    ¡°You did, gramps? Which ones?!¡± she pressed, taking a subconscious step forward.


    ¡°Ah, you probably never heard of ¡®em¡­just Bermergen Station, and the Button Masher¡­indie stuff, really. Oh, and Muscle Bowl.¡±


    Pang¡¯s mind froze for a moment.


    Then, she sprung forward.


    ¡°WHAT THE HECK?!!¡± Pang screamed. ¡°You fought in Muscle Bowl?! You won Muscle Bowl?! That place is legendary!¡±


    Benton laughed, and Pang was too star-struck to catch his smiling glance at Irma.


    ¡°Look at this kiddo,¡± he chuckled lowly. ¡°Last time I tried tellin¡¯ a couple a¡¯ youngster Leaguers, they couldn¡¯t care less.¡±


    ¡°Probably ¡®cuz they were sidetracked. You know, with you trying to kill them,¡± she muttered.


    Pang remained oblivious to their reactions. Suddenly¡ªand somehow¡ªthis shirtless, nosy weirdo was a lot cooler than she thought.


    ¡°¡­And Button Masher, too?! You fought there before it closed?!¡± her ramble of fandom continued.


    ¡°Won the last one in the ¡®ole building,¡± Benton confirmed. ¡°New one ain¡¯t the same. Too pretty.¡±


    ¡°But like¡­you won Muscle Bowl. Like. What?!¡±


    ¡°Comin¡¯ from the little girl who almost took home the Gloat Stadium championship in her first tournament,¡± laughed Benton. ¡°Yep, I watched that.¡±


    ¡°So¡­is it clear to you, now?¡± came Gage¡¯s knowing voice.


    Pang and Benton¡¯s starry eyes locked.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Finally¡­someone who speaks my language in here, Pang celebrated.


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy what you kids are doin¡¯ these days,¡± said Benton, ¡°but I¡¯m sure you can help me keep up.¡±


    Pang¡¯s smile was tenacious. ¡°And I could learn a thing or two from an old-schooler.¡±


    All of the tangled methods and jumbled ideas began organizing in Pang¡¯s head. Now, their angle was obvious:


    Alright. We¡¯re gonna run this thing like a real consciousness team.


    ~


    Irma took a long, labored sigh. ¡°So you want me to¡­do what?¡±


    ¡°Just go stand over there and look pretty for now,¡± simplified Pang, pointing to a corner of the fighting platform.


    Scraping up any remaining ounce of will, Irma sighed again and shuffled her flip-flops across the platform like she¡¯d just been asked to hike the Mainland Desert.


    ¡°Stupid leaguer lingo¡­it¡¯s just a bunch of unnecessary fluff¡­¡±


    Benton chuckled beside Pang, waving their teammate off. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. This sport ain¡¯t her thing¡­to say the least.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t all be pros,¡± Pang shrugged. She lifted the newly acquired clipboard she¡¯d asked Aoi to warp off and buy. Benton drew close over her shoulder, and the two reviewed their map.


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe kids are still writin¡¯ this stuff on paper,¡± Benton admired.


    ¡°Most don¡¯t anymore; they use the app. I just like the retro feel.¡±


    ¡°¡®Retro¡­¡¯¡± Benton noted in a sulk. His massive hand reached over her to point to the corner of the diagram. ¡°Hold on, what if we swap these¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sniper on the inside? Not the scout?¡± wondered Pang.


    ¡°This was a classic ¡®lil trick in my day, ¡®cuz it¡¯s unexpected,¡± he insisted. ¡°You need a fast scout and sniper to pull it off, and well, we got you and Irma. And don¡¯t forget: there are more than two of us now. You¡¯ll have way more toys to play with from now on.¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡±


    Pang tried to envision it. She tore off the page and began scribbling out a new one.


    ¡°Oh¡­right! In that case, you can stay as guard on the inside the whole time, and Aoi can hold clutch¡­¡± She swirled the pencil to complete her sketch. ¡°Dude, this is perfect!¡±


    Pang turned to Benton to exchange a fist bump.


    ¡°Great. Am I looking pretty enough yet?¡± came Irma¡¯s nudge.


    ¡°Like a little flower,¡± teased Benton. ¡°Keep doin¡¯ that, but over there. I wanna see how this looks in real life.¡±


    Irma¡¯s groan was twice as long this time.


    ¡°I mean¡­do we really need to?¡± Pang asked him lowly.


    ¡°Nah. I¡¯m just messin¡¯ with her now,¡± he whispered.


    The two tried to contain their chuckles. Once she was satisfied with her notes, Pang set the clipboard aside.


    ¡°Alright. We might as well run the whole series,¡± she figured. ¡°How about we start with this, and then defense?¡±


    While everyone got into position, Pang found her eyes bouncing over to Gage across the platform.


    Once again, his serene smile was locked on her.


    Then, her SquadScreen vibrated. She opened the message.


    ¡°This is a joy to watch. You¡¯re blossoming, Pang.¡±


    Pang could tell her cheeks looked as flushed as they felt when she glanced back over to him. Gage¡¯s eyes glimmered at her.


    Then, like slipping a mask on, he stood and pivoted to face all of them as if their exchange never happened. ¡°Great work, everyone! If these formations feel good, I¡¯ll go grab some resources so you can test them out in drills.¡±


    ~


    After several meticulous walkthroughs of each formation, Pang was certain: this was it.


    Benton¡¯s smile towards her proved his equal satisfaction. The two nodded.


    ¡°Alright, Gage. Fire ¡®em up.¡±


    Their temporary trainer was happy to oblige. Buzzes and beeps filled the air all around, as metallic cubes unfolded into humanoid opponents on the outskirts of the platform and stood surrounding the team.


    Gage¡¯s ¡®resources¡¯ were a little more advanced than Pang had anticipated.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think you ordered a little too many?¡± Irma observed, counting them in the dozens.


    Gage shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re Rank-A. You know how it goes¡ªit¡¯s hard to hold back when you have the world at your fingertips,¡± he said. ¡°I almost had them send some of our test subjects, too¡ªones with powers¡ªbut we shouldn¡¯t waste human life.¡±


    ¡°How noble¡­¡± Irma muttered.


    In a single, united clank, the training robots took identical fighting stances.


    Pang braced herself. But she felt Benton¡¯s hand land on her shoulder, and looked up to see his wink.


    ¡°We got this, kiddo.¡±


    He assumed his starting position in the center of the group, just like they¡¯d planned. Reinvigorated, Pang stepped forward and lowered into her ready stance.


    ¡°Always remember: don¡¯t rely on Aoi as a catch-all,¡± Gage¡¯s voice reminded them from behind the bots. ¡°You all need to be strong.¡±


    The single lenses on all of the machines glowed red.


    ¡°And like I said, you¡¯re Rank-A. So here comes a Rank-A challenge.¡±


    The robots stormed the platform.


    Pang scanned as much of the incoming storm of metal as she could¡ªas the scout, remaining calm was especially vital. The robots¡¯ speed rivaled that of an intermediate pro, but with their numbers, it posed a much higher threat.


    She zoned in on one and shot forward, landing a perfect kick. It toppled back, tucking back into a cube form as it turned off. Pang darted backwards to her original position¡ªthe outer layer of her team¡¯s bubble¡ªand crouched again.


    She smirked. The right call was obvious.


    This time, she charged at the row of robots, and instead sprung above them, flipping to clear their fists and observe the unfolding fight from above.


    ¡°Irma: rear flank!¡± she called before even touching back down.


    After brief hesitation, the multi-powered woman zipped at twice Pang¡¯s speed and took out a row of fighter bots heading for Benton and Aoi¡¯s blind spot.


    ¡°Ugh¡­tennis terms make more sense,¡± she complained even as her efforts continued. ¡°And they, like, sound so much nicer.¡±


    While Pang couldn¡¯t disagree more, now wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°Fine, then¡­Baseline¡­Uh¡­Backswing!¡±


    ¡°Much better.¡±


    Pang took out a few more robots from behind. But with that distraction, a few more had slipped beyond her reach than she¡¯d planned.


    Still, it was no matter.


    Irma was sweeping the floor with robots on the other side, leaving Benton plenty of space to focus on the breach.


    This is too easy.


    Their mindless opponents left the team with limited combat options: Irma¡¯s only useful type now was Thoughtfeeder, and Benton¡¯s Withstander. But it also simplified the drill overall; they didn¡¯t have to worry about the enemy¡¯s consciousness types.


    Irma¡¯s power boost, and Benton¡¯s ability to resist pain, was more than enough advantage.


    Benton bashed two of the breaching bots away, and after a third failed to yield any damage kicking his side, he defeated it next. Aoi gave a mere glance at the others, and they all collapsed around Benton''s feet.


    The trend continued with Pang and Irma taking down the outer line, Benton facing any who slipped through, and Aoi finishing off what remained.


    This may be a ¡®Rank-A challenge,¡¯ Pang noted, but it''s got nothing on us.


    Especially now that we have this system down.


    Gage''s singular applause bounced against the walls after Irma struck down the final training bot.


    ¡°Seems like it''s already time to schedule an exhibition with another Rank-A group,¡± he observed. ¡°But for now: let''s step it up with some role-playing.¡±


    He set foot on the platform, and his quiet, gradual steps didn''t stop until he stood beside Aoi.


    Irma crossed her arms in wary curiosity.


    ¡°Let''s say you''re on a mission. You''re hunting a prospect,¡± painted Gage. ¡°You run into a team of consciousnesses, and¡­¡±


    He took Aoi''s hand.


    ¡°...One of them can match Aoi''s powers.¡±


    Pang chuckled. ¡°Good one. As if.¡±


    But she found no company in her assurance. Benton and Irma stayed silent, their faces sober.


    ¡°Wait¡­you''re for real?¡±


    ¡°The Azvaylen report¡¯s words, not mine,¡± Gage said. ¡°Instead of looking for you, your ¡®friends¡¯ attacked us to liberate the kingdom. And one of them was able to keep Aoi at bay. If not for that, it would''ve been over.¡±


    Pang gave her mind no time to reflect on her abandonment right now. The wound was too tender.


    Instead, she focused on this nonsensical revelation.


    There''s no way¡­


    She had a thorough understanding of all of their abilities, besides Deon''s. But even what she''d seen of his mysterious anger-fueled power up couldn''t touch Aoi.


    The closest fighter to Aoi, unmistakably, was Kotono.


    And even still, she was leagues away from Aoi''s anomalous power¨Cway less leagues than everyone else in the Multiverse, but leagues nonetheless.


    Gage seemed unconcerned with convincing Pang for now. ¡°Irma and Benton weren''t active by that point, but that''s not how we operate anymore,¡± he declared. ¡°Never again. This team fights as one. So let''s play out a scenario¡­¡±


    The cubed robots beeped all around. They unfolded to their feet, their red lenses glowing.


    ¡°One where you have to fight the enemy, and help Aoi,¡± he said. ¡°Aoi: don''t help fight unless someone frees you. Don''t worry, it''s just practice.¡±


    Aoi nodded.


    ¡°All you guys have to do is break my grip.¡±


    The robots stirred, attacking once more from the various places they''d collapsed.


    With a start, Pang rushed to find her place at the front of the group again. This time, she had no chance to scope out the best course of action; they simply had to act.


    But her co-fighters were quick like her, already tightening back into the defensive formation they''d rehearsed.


    The combat resumed with the group on their heels, until they reclaimed their rhythm and pushed back as hard as before.


    Pang struck two robots down simultaneously.


    They''re only enough to keep us busy, she recognized. Once we kick their metal butts, we''ll just gain up on Gage.


    It was safe to assume her teammates had reached the same conclusion. Benton certainly did, bearing a pro''s mind like hers.


    When another robot fell to her kick, Gage and Aoi came back into her view. Gage simply smiled from behind his cigarette.


    Immediately, Pang knew that plan couldn''t work.


    The dude just helped us train for hours. He straight-up knows our offensive formation¨Che''ll see it coming, she emphasized to herself. Plus he''s Rank-S. If Danek could take all three of us at once, so can he.


    We gotta make something up. Something fast.


    A little more than half of the bots remained. If they attacked now, Gage wouldn''t expect it.


    But was there anything they could pull out of nowhere, having never properly fought in this lineup?


    ¡°Guys¡­after all this, I might be too tired for tennis¡­¡± groaned Irma between dodges and punches that were somehow as precise as they were sluggish.


    ¡°Tennis is tomorrow, Irma!¡± Benton called over.


    ¡°...Oh yeah.¡±


    Pang''s eyes glistened with her menacing smirk.


    ¡°Actually guys,¡± she said, ¡°let''s play now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Their joint confusion almost dissuaded Pang from trying, but it was too late not to commit: she''d already begun her sprint towards Benton.


    ¡°Serve up!!¡± she told him.


    Benton searched around in uncertainty. ¡°Huh? With what?¡±


    ¡°Me!¡±


    She plowed past enough robots to get close enough. Pang pounced towards him, hoping he''d catch on in the split second he had.


    To her relief, Pang found herself caught stably in Benton''s arms. She could feel the sheer power in their rocklike steadiness. But despite their coarseness, he''d retrieved her as tenderly as if he were cradling an infant.


    ¡°I get it. You''re one cool kid, Pang,¡± Benton muttered in that quick moment.


    He wasted no time: relying on their lessons with Irma, Benton tossed Pang straight up into the air.


    Flipping, Pang began positioning her aim.


    ¡°Irma! You''re the racket!¡± she declared.


    All remaining doubt melted: once her upward ascent evened out, Irma rocketed into the air and snatched her around the waist.


    ¡°Make this one¡­¡± Irma said, spinning to build momentum, ¡°an ace!!¡±


    Pang almost forgot how strong her lazy roommate''s arms could be until they launched her. Her stomach sunk as she cut through the air, heading straight for Gage and Aoi''s joined hands.


    Her improvised strategy had actually worked. And she was moving so fast, she doubted Gage could properly dodge even if he''d managed to figure it out.


    Once again, her small size was an advantage¡ªeven more so now that it could be coupled with Benton and Irma¡¯s strength.


    She braced herself to plow through Gage¡¯s grip.


    But instead, Pang came to a complete stop.


    She blinked to ward off the ensuing dizziness. Her heart skipped when Gage''s serene eyes were the next things she could see.


    Somehow, Pang couldn''t power forward any further. She managed to land on her feet, but her fist was at a standstill against some sort of forcefield before her.


    No¨Cit wasn''t a forcefield. It was just Gage''s other hand.


    He''d stopped her momentum, all at once, with a single palm.


    ¡°I meant to mention earlier,¡± he said quietly, ¡°you look great in gold, too. It brings out your eyes.¡±


    Despite her blush, Pang cursed in her head.


    Colorist, she knew.


    ¡°So gold gives you strength?¡± she grunted within her struggle.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He seemed to brush through her hair again in his mind. ¡°And red is my attack color. Especially a shade so bright¡­¡±


    Pang rushed to latch onto his powers. But once they filled her head, she felt no notable change in her own strength.


    Gage could tell. ¡°My gray hair¡­my maroon eyes¡­my clothes¡­none of that does much for my powers.¡±


    ¡°A defense against Manipulators¡­¡± Pang derived.


    Gage shrugged. ¡°And just my fashion sense.¡±


    He pushed with minimal effort, and yet, it was more than enough to toss Pang backwards.


    When she fell onto her back, it was somehow cushioned and painless¨CAoi must have slowed her fall with her powers.


    ¡°Hey. Nice try, everyone,¡± Gage encouraged.


    But sitting up, and watching Gage tower over her, Pang felt at a loss.


    Behind her, she could hear the robots deactivate around Benton and Irma.


    ¡°You guys are really flying through this,¡± Gage noted. ¡°I think I''m happy with today. Let''s call it so I can go rework some plans. It''s clear you guys need bigger mountains to climb than this.¡±


    With a wave just like the first time Pang met him, Gage turned and began his departure.


    ¡°Be proud,¡± he added. ¡°I think Wei would be, too.¡±


    Pang sat in the sudden silence. It had ended so abruptly, her mind hadn''t stopped storming with countermeasures.


    I''ll get more practice manipulating his powers next time, she resolved. Yeah. Then maybe I can¨C


    Out of nowhere, she was yanked airborne.


    ¡°Hey! What the¨C?!¡±


    ¡°Pang! That was incredible, kiddo!!¡±


    She found herself suspended high above the floor, within Benton''s arms.


    He held her up like a prized treasure.


    ¡°You came up with that on the spot? Golly, you''re a real pro,¡± he congratulated. ¡°Boy, is it fun to have you here!¡±


    ¡°You''re welcome,¡± Irma chimed in from behind.


    Pang tried to avert her eyes, but she couldn''t.


    It didn''t make sense. Benton''s face was grayish as usual, and yet, it was glowing with¡­


    ¡­With something she couldn''t seem to register.


    Pride? Why?


    ¡°We still lost,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°I''m not talkin¡¯ about winnin¡¯ and losin¡¯,¡± he denied. ¡°It''s just fun seein¡¯ you give your all and growin¡¯!¡±


    Pang stiffened within his grasp. Was something wrong with him? Why should he care if they could get just as strong with someone else?


    ¡°Well¡­you helped, gramps,¡± she let out awkwardly. ¡°Now put me down, already. Good grief.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Sorry.¡±


    ~


    The team shuffled down the hall. Having cleaned up and gathered their things, they figured they could still catch a late lunch in the cafeteria.


    But Pang''s SquadScreen vibrated.


    ¡°You really impressed me today,¡± was the first message.


    ¡°Meet me in the lab sometime tonight,¡± came next.


    The words lingered on her screen, as if in place of Gage''s soft maroon gaze.


    Pang looked up to her teammates. Irma and Benton were preoccupied, bickering about whether or not Aoi needed a wardrobe overhaul. She slowed to the back of the group.


    ¡°Why? What''s up?¡± she sent.


    The reply only took a moment, despite its much longer nature.


    ¡°Because I think it''s time I tell you something about your purpose here in Proscious,¡± it read. ¡°Something only I know.¡±

 144. Worth

    The door to the lab slid open when Pang raised her SquadScreen to the scanner. She hugged her jean jacket closer¡ªit was chillier in here than she remembered.


    The main lobby was empty, aside from a single worker at the front desk. It came as no surprise¡ªafter all, it was getting late. The outside dimness caused the few active lights in this room to cast long shadows.


    Pang wondered what her teammates had chosen to do with the rest of their evening. Sneaking away from them was easy enough: all she had to say was that she was going for a walk, and nobody questioned it.


    Then again, perhaps Aoi did. She appeared to stare at her extra keenly in response, unless Pang was imagining things.


    But that was it. For all they knew, Pang could be attempting another escape. But it seemed that potentiality didn¡¯t concern them anymore.


    It sure made her current situation a lot easier, but it also twisted her gut. Had she really become so obedient? What did that say about her ambition?


    Had she given up on getting out?


    The desk worker seemed just as unconcerned when she approached. Pang checked her SquadScreen again for the directions Gage provided.


    ¡°Uh..Lab GX,¡± she requested.


    ¡°Mhm. 8th level. I¡¯ll clear you.¡±


    Pang approached the door the worker pointed to, attributing their innocent compliance to her status as a Rank-A member.


    She refused to believe she was no longer a risk to these people.


    The door to the elevator opened, and she ascended in silence.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time I tell you something about your purpose here in Proscious. Something only I know.¡±


    Pang opened that message again for the dozenth time.


    ¡®The heck did he mean by that? she wondered.


    The sinking second thoughts crept in that perhaps she shouldn¡¯t have come alone. But by Benton and Irma¡¯s obvious hesitation about him, she knew they would never have let her do this.


    ¡°If you got anything you wanna talk out¡­especially about that Gage fella,¡± Benton had cautioned, ¡°well, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Pang caught herself evening her jacket back out and tidying her hair.


    I must be a moron, she told herself.


    The elevator slowed to a stop. The door buzzed.


    Either way, it¡¯s too late now.


    The room she entered was even darker than the rest of the facility. It was a long hallway, but the only active light was the one above the deep blue tiles where she stood.


    Even still, she could sense there was much more going on here than it appeared. No workers were present¡ªnot even Gage¡ªbut she could hear the constant, low hums and subtle beeps of slumbering machines within this hall, and far beyond it.


    This lab was enormous.


    Pang checked her SquadScreen again, but Gage hadn¡¯t sent any updates.


    ¡°¡­Hello¡­?¡± she called out.


    Silence.


    Uncertain, Pang began gradual steps deeper into the hall. The light above faded as she left it behind, and another welcomed her. This repeated every few steps.


    ¡°Uh¡­Gage?¡±


    She neared the end of the hall, which intersected with three more just like it. Pang observed one of the walls to her side¡ªand then she paused.


    A clear door rested within it, leading to a much smaller, darker room. There was a glowing control panel to its side much like the others in the building. But from what she could tell, this transparent door opened from the bottom up like a gate.


    Pang searched around. Finally, she could see them: more tiny rooms continued all along each wall, with just enough space for the control consoles between them.


    What¡¯s the big evil project in this place?


    She peered closer into the nearest one, the light above her illuminating it slightly better than the others. Something appeared to be on the floor, mostly concealed in the dark against the back wall.


    Then, part of it shifted. Pang froze.


    A leg.


    A person was in there.


    These were cells.


    She nearly pounced at the sound of the elevator door sliding open again behind her.


    ¡°Oh good¡ªyou¡¯re already here.¡±


    Pang turned to find Gage¡¯s calm wave. His face glowed against the brief flame of his lighter as he sparked his Tolerator cigarette to life. He observed the box he¡¯d shaken it from.


    ¡°Whoops. Last one.¡±


    Gage pressed a button beside the elevator, and all of the hallway lights brightened as one to a dull, cozy glow.


    Pang checked the cell again. She could barely make out the rest of the occupant¡¯s frame¡ªa young woman with long hair. But she kept her head turned away and hugged her knees to her chin.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± Gage said to regain Pang¡¯s attention. ¡°I meant to give a little intro on our way in, but maybe this is better. Why don¡¯t I show you around?¡±


    When his quiet steps reached her and passed by to lead the way, though, Pang stayed put. Her glare glued to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She crossed her arms, defensive instinct seeping in as she analyzed the cells all around them. Pang chuckled.


    ¡°Come on. Let me take a wild guess,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re gonna lure me deeper in with this ¡®tour,¡¯ sweet-talk me up a bit¡­and then I¡¯ll end up in one of these cages. Am I right?¡±


    Gage only laughed with her. ¡°Well, I call them ¡®dorms.¡¯ They¡¯re not that bad,¡± he assured. ¡°But no. You won¡¯t spend a second in here. Not anymore. You¡¯re much too special, Pang.¡±


    She hesitated still. But even if she didn¡¯t buy it, what could she do? Gage could stop any attempt at retreat if he wanted to.


    I might as well play along.


    Besides, Gage seemed so confident in his harmless intent, he clearly felt no need to defend it. His excitement to see her, his warmth, was genuine. Perhaps he¡¯d been anticipating this particular moment.


    Pang couldn¡¯t refuse her curiosity. She wanted to know why.


    And on top of that, why choose here of all places, where they were surrounded by prisoners?


    ¡°I have no secrets from you,¡± Gage said. ¡°This is one of the places where we keep a division of our recruits.¡±


    Her eyes still lingering on the cell, Pang finally followed him. They turned at the intersection to begin down a longer hall much like the first.


    Gage¡¯s stroll was familiar. She¡¯d seen it back on Artifex, when Pang won the death matches to ascend with her father higher in the sinking ship. The top few floor keepers showed off their increasingly luxurious levels with that same walk.


    They were all dead, now.


    ¡°This is where you were supposed to stay, too, before you got them dragging you to Zone Z,¡± he continued. ¡°But Irma really saved the day, convincing them to accelerate your rank so she could watch over you. She must see a glimpse of what I see in you.¡±


    She saw herself, Pang knew.


    ¡°Irma actually beat me to the punch,¡± Gage revealed. ¡°I¡¯d never let them stick you in Zone Z, either. That¡¯s the end of the road.¡±


    ¡°You would¡¯ve saved me, too?¡± Pang asked.


    Gage slowed his walk so he could look directly into her eyes, his smile softening. His gaze cradled her, and through them she could see his heart shattering at the fact that she needed to ask that.


    ¡°You really have no idea, do you?¡± he replied, his voice nearly breaking into a whisper. ¡°How special you are? How needed you are?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­no, I guess not.¡±


    Her chest squeezed at the ensuing thoughts of Phillip, Skrili, and the others.


    ¡°That¡¯s been a little hard for me to believe, lately.¡±


    Gage stopped and faced her fully.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I thought it was time to show you this place, after all,¡± he reasoned. ¡°You have purpose in Proscious, Pang. Belonging.¡±


    ¡°¡­And if Irma hadn¡¯t bailed me out, I was supposed to find that in this sketchy lab?¡± challenged Pang. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to rizz me up or something, this is a weird way to do it, Gage.¡±


    Laughing, Gage remained his pace and left a trail of sweet smoke from his mouth. He raised his hand to display the cells they passed. ¡°I mean it. Everyone in here has played a vital part in your purpose¡ªbefore even I knew it.¡±


    In the cell they walked by, someone was sitting much closer to the glass barrier. It was another young woman¡ªno, a girl, close to Pang¡¯s age. She perked up at the sight of Gage, even rising to her knees.


    But when she noticed Pang beside him, color deflated from her as fast as it came.


    She looked Pang up and down, an unspoken acceptance sinking into her clouding eyes.


    Predictor, Pang sensed of the girl¡¯s powers. The sense weakened when they walked away and neared the next cell.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Touchvert, was the type that followed.


    That girl was by the back corner, absently brushing her hand against the wall and floor, her vacant eyes oblivious to Gage and Pang¡¯s presence.


    Reverser, she read of the next. No¡ªAnalyzer. No¡­both.


    Though she could feel it clearly, it was a muddier signal¡ªlike how Irma and Benton¡¯s powers felt. Clearly, one or both of her powers were artificial.


    Pang¡¯s head began to throb. The girl was staring at the ceiling, blinking over and over like doing so would eventually solve all her problems. If Pang hadn¡¯t focused on her powers in time, the pain would have been unbearable: the girl was switching between types infinitely.


    She flinched every time, like each switch sent a stabbing jolt through her own body. The skin around her eyes had gone red.


    Pang tried to block out the girl¡¯s occasional whimpers as they continued further down the hall.


    The next few powers were pure again, followed by a blend of murky Proscious-given abilities. Every occupant had at least one power. Every occupant was young and female.


    They turned down yet another hall.


    ¡°You like your teammates, Pang?¡± Gage inquired.


    ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of goofballs.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Good people. Wei knew exactly who to surround himself with,¡± Gage reminisced. ¡°And Wei was just as good of a man.¡±


    He paused for his cigarette.


    ¡°We joined Proscious on the same day, and we came up together,¡± he said. ¡°When we hit Rank-C, we even tried starting a little band with Danek.¡±


    ¡°Is that why everything you say sounds like a lyric?¡± questioned Pang.


    Gage¡¯s laugh caught the attention of several nearby inmates. ¡°We were always together. Well¡ªuntil the night he found Aoi. Just like that, they became inseparable.¡±


    One of the girls hurried to her door, and her unblinking stare on Gage didn¡¯t cease until they¡¯d passed her by.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t bother me. Actually, it warmed my heart watching Wei and Aoi together,¡± he continued. ¡°It really inspired me. It¡­transformed me. Because¡­¡±


    He let out a puff of smoke.


    ¡°He¡¯d found the one. The girl he¡¯d do anything for.¡±


    ¡°¡­Gage¡­?¡±


    A voice came through the weak speaker on one of the control consoles, perking Pang¡¯s ear. The young woman inside the cell lifted her sleepy head from her cot.


    But with nothing more than a quick wave of acknowledgement, Gage moved along.


    ¡°So Aoi had a guy? Wouldn¡¯t have thought,¡± commented Pang.


    She felt her steps grow mechanical¡ªlike if she didn¡¯t think through each one, she would trip over herself. That stiffness alone had prompted her to fill the silence with her voice.


    Thankfully, it had come out naturally enough: Gage couldn¡¯t sense her now-pounding heart.


    That made it all the easier to convince herself it wasn¡¯t pounding at all.


    And that meant she didn¡¯t have to wonder why.


    ¡°You know, he never said if it was that kind of love,¡± shared Gage. ¡°But¡­it was definitely love. At its rarest. At its most beautiful.¡±


    Suddenly, Pang couldn¡¯t look him in the eye anymore.


    ¡°Your heart is golden, Pang,¡± Gage told her. ¡°You know that?¡±


    A chuckle escaped her. ¡°If you think that, you definitely don¡¯t know me.¡±


    ¡°I know about Artifex. About all the people you were conditioned to kill even as a little girl. About your father. I¡¯ve read it,¡± he persisted. ¡°But when you got out, what did you do? You travelled everywhere and fought with everything to save your friend Phillip. It¡¯s golden, Pang. As gold as your eyes.¡±


    She almost jolted when his tender fingers reached her to raise her chin.


    ¡°So don¡¯t hide them,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve looked towards their sunlight, ever since I saw the footage of your Conscious Competition.¡±


    Hey. Don¡¯t touch me¡­were the words that flashed in her head.


    And yet, she did nothing to stop him.


    ¡°Your heart, Pang, is the same shade as the heart of Proscious,¡± Gage said.


    ¡°Oh, goodie. That¡¯s supposed to be a good thing¡­?¡±


    Next, she nearly shivered. Gage¡¯s arm wrapped loosely around her shoulder, and the other stretched out to display an unseen world.


    ¡°Picture a Multiverse where a place like Artifex didn¡¯t have to happen. Where Phillip immediately had access to the healing he needed,¡± his words painted, ¡°because every reality gets the exact powers they need to sustain themselves, with just the right people to use those powers. That¡¯s the Multiverse you¡¯re helping create now that you¡¯re here in Proscious.¡±


    His arm wrapped her closer.


    ¡°After all you¡¯ve been through, it¡¯s a Multiverse you deserve to see,¡± he added. ¡°And I¡¯ll do anything to make sure that happens.¡±


    All at once, the stiffness in Pang¡¯s walk subsided.


    Her heart slowed.


    And like a wall¡ªlike one of these countless glass cages¡ªa single question blocked her mind from contemplating it any further.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Gage¡¯s smile warmed even further. ¡°Because your heart and story¡ªthey give me my strength. Just like your gorgeous colors, your natural red and gold, strengthen my powers¡ª¡±


    ¡°I mean why do ¡®anything¡¯ for me?¡±


    Embers fell before her from Gage¡¯s cigarette¡ªnow more of a stub than anything. He removed it, disappointed with its quickly deteriorating state.


    ¡°I¡­I thought I just told you,¡± he said.


    Something about the slight shift in lighting made Pang glance forward. At last, they were reaching the end of the lab.


    But instead of finding something along the lines of a main control board, or a team of technicians, it was just a wall. The last few cells were before them, and nothing followed.


    It was simply the end of the halls.


    Gage guided Pang to this wall, and turned around with her to face their endless and silent audience.


    ¡°Four-hundred and thirty-three,¡± Gage uttered.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    He attempted another huff, only to find the cigarette had nothing more to offer him. Gage tossed it into a corner.


    ¡°Four-hundred and thirty-three,¡± he repeated. ¡°That¡¯s how many recruits are in here. We walked by 120.¡±


    For once, Pang didn¡¯t know how to reply. His speech was accelerating. Sharpening.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny; you kept turning down our recruiters. Remember? First, at the Conscious Competition ceremony. Then at your Certification Training with Skip.¡±


    Instinctively, he almost reached for his empty cigarette box. His breath shuddered.


    ¡°You¡¯re good at playing hard-to-get, aren¡¯t you, Pang? And you¡¯re so strong,¡± he continued on. ¡°I knew Wei understood my passion, though. I asked him if he could lend us Benton and Irma. They¡¯re good people¡ªthe Azvaylen mission was burning them out. So when he offered it, they jumped to catch a break from there.¡±


    Either Pang¡¯s shoulder was quivering, or Gage¡¯s hand was trembling against it.


    ¡°I guess I never told them that request came from me.¡±


    When Pang tried to shift, Gage¡¯s arm pulled her closer. The fruity fumes turned chemical up-close.


    ¡°Where are you going, Pang?¡± he asked, his voice rising beyond its velvety tone. ¡°I worked my way up the ranks with Wei. I became a recruitment manager. One by one, I approved the captures and recruitments of 433 girls we flagged as anomalous. Sure, it was for Proscious¡­but to be honest, it was so I could find the one. Like Wei found in Aoi.¡±


    Pang went numb.


    ¡°When my recruiters showed me your file, I knew it was over. I found you: the girl I¡¯d do anything for. And now, you¡¯re finally here,¡± he marveled. ¡°Now your tragedies have meaning. We¡¯ll save the Multiverse together, and I¡¯ll hold you every step of the way.¡±


    Despite her lack of feeling, Pang found herself more than capable enough to slip from his grasp before his arm could clamp down. Pang turned to him, fists tight.


    ¡°You¡¯re the reason¡­¡± she uttered, ¡°I ended up here?¡±


    He let out a harsh cough. In the way his skin wrinkled, the smoothness in his face gave way to years of restlessness.


    ¡°Um, Gage¡­¡±


    A young woman¡¯s voice came amplified thinly through the console at the final cell.


    Her face peaked close, her long hair a shimmering yellow and her eyes emerald. She pressed her hands against the glass gate.


    ¡°Is¡ªis it time to go walk outside? You used to take me walking outside¡­¡± she reminded him like the chance would never come again. ¡°Hey, you¡­you used to let me¡­you, know, see the sky. M¡ªmaybe c¡ªcould I¡­see it again?¡±


    At last, Gage¡¯s smile was dead.


    Everything in Pang went hot.


    ¡°You¡¯re sick,¡± she growled. ¡°You¡¯re sick.¡±


    Gage merely rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on, Pang,¡± he urged, inching closer.


    But Pang took a step back. As much as her instinct screamed to clock him in the head, she stood no chance all alone.


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re mad at me?¡± he pressed with another step. ¡°After I gave you purpose? After I put you before everyone?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, dude.¡±


    ¡°I chose you over 433 others.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a creep.¡±


    Her backwards steps sped up with his increasing advance. Pang braced herself: she could sense a shift in his active powers.


    Something was turning off.


    ¡°You¡¯re in Proscious now. We can make sure Artifex never happens again. We can heal the sick. There¡¯s no getting out, so why not embrace that calling?¡±


    ¡°Who says I need your help to do any of that?¡± shot Pang. ¡°If I¡¯m stuck here, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°NO!!¡±


    Pang winced. She watched Gage¡¯s nose curl into an ugly snarl, and his eyebrows twist in panic. He fought to reel it back.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. There¡¯s a reason they were so bent on giving me Tolerator powers,¡± he tried laughing off. ¡°Only the cigarettes work.¡±


    His hands closed into fists and opened repeatedly. His knuckles cracked.


    ¡°Get away from me,¡± muttered Pang.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Why would you say that?!¡± shouted Gage. ¡°Name it, and I¡¯ll do it. Let¡¯s get revenge all the friends who left you behind! They killed Wei¡ªwe have a common enemy now! A connection! IT¡¯S FATE!!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a freak.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find your father! We¡¯ll kill him!! WE¡¯LL KILL YOUR FATHER TOGETHER!!¡±


    All Pang wanted was to turn and run. But she couldn¡¯t risk turning her back to him. She sped her pace, nearly stumbling.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could leave, Pang!¡± Gage barked. ¡°Be mine!!¡±


    ¡°WHAT IN GOD¡¯S NAME IS GOIN¡¯ ON IN HERE?!¡±


    That roar shook the floor under Pang¡¯s feet. Sheer terror rattled her rapid heart, nearly stopping it. Both she and Gage froze to a halt at the power.


    Several of Gage¡¯s prisoners shuddered and shrieked.


    Pang couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn and find the source. But she saw Gage look past her, and his fear quelled to the twitching frown of an agitated animal.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t clear you for this lab, old man,¡± he jeered. ¡°This is none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Well I heard just about enough t¡¯know I¡¯m makin¡¯ it my business, boy.¡±


    Finally, Pang turned.


    Benton stood wide down the hall, every muscle of his titanic frame flexed solid. His shirt had ripped, his gray skin showing through like it was made of metal.


    But his face was the most hardened. And though Pang was staring right at it, her gaping eyes unable to look away, she couldn¡¯t comprehend this expression.


    It turned her weightless, and that was all she understood.


    ¡°Benton?¡±


    ¡°Come¡¯ere and get behind me, kiddo. This guy¡¯s a bad, bad apple.¡±


    Instantly, he¡¯d shifted to his usual, lulling tone. No¡ªeven softer.


    Maybe it was the nature of his coddling words, or the way his drastically larger stature eclipsed hers as he approached¡ªbut for a moment, Pang¡¯s mind flashed back to a state she¡¯d forgotten: that of a little girl¡¯s.


    The impulse begged her to run and take shelter in his shadow.


    But the terror of that very idea planted her feet.


    Nonetheless, Benton worked his way past her, now a fortress between her and Gage.


    ¡°When I say it,¡± Benton signaled calmly, ¡°I gonna need you to run.¡±


    Finally, Pang jolted back to herself.


    Is he stupid?!


    ¡°WRONG!¡± snapped Gage. ¡°You¡¯re staying with me! You¡¯re here for me! ME!!¡±


    Pang could sense it firing through her mind: Gage¡¯s Colorist powers had leapt to full activity. And his focus¡ªas always¡ªwas squarely on her.


    Red hair, golden eyes.


    Attack. Strength.


    And yet, Benton cracked his knuckles, not a waver in his movements.


    ¡°That so?¡± he dared.


    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat are you doing?!¡± Pang protested.


    ¡°Back in my time, Leaguers used to call one a¡¯ these a ¡®backstage tussle,¡¯¡± he said evenly.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably way stronger than us!¡±


    ¡°Sure is. Even makes Danek look like a wuss,¡± Benton agreed. ¡°But if I can help it, he ain¡¯t ever gettin¡¯ near ¡®ya again.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t help it,¡± damned Gage. ¡°Nothing will keep us apart.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m sure gonna try.¡±


    Pang¡¯s mind spun.


    No, Benton! You idiot! Why?!


    ¡°Pang, darlin¡¯,¡± came his voice in one final plea. ¡°You gotta listen to ¡®ole Benton on this one, alright? Now, go ahead and run to¡ª¡±


    ¡°NO!!¡±


    Pang¡¯s eyes squeezed shut. On its own command, she felt her body wrap around his monstrous arm and latch tight.


    ¡°BENTON, DON¡¯T!!¡±


    His arm was nearly rock-solid against her, and yet, it was warm.


    The men fell silent. A wordless moment passed throughout the lab. All Pang could hear were her own jagged breaths.


    Finally, came a single utterance¡ªhollow, and cold.


    ¡°¡­Fine.¡±


    Pang opened her eyes. She tried to pretend the dampness on her cheeks was in her mind, but Gage¡¯s stare confirmed her tears.


    He was neither serene nor agitated anymore.


    Just empty.


    ¡°I¡¯d do anything for you, Pang. But I upset you,¡± he spilled out. ¡°And it¡¯s obvious: hurting him would only upset you more.¡±


    Coming around to herself, Pang released Benton¡¯s arm.


    ¡°So for now¡­just¡­go. Both of you.¡±


    He said nothing else. Every prisoner in the hall had come close to their gates, their wide stares pressing on Pang. The room seemed to spin. Once again, she couldn¡¯t move.


    Benton let out a long, rumbling sigh.


    ¡°Well¡­come on, kiddo.¡±


    Benton¡¯s hand lifted to lightly guide her by the back.


    His contact didn¡¯t stab. It was gentle. It wouldn¡¯t leave a bruise; it would only comfort her.


    And yet, she shrunk away.


    ¡°Pang?¡±


    She stared back, but couldn¡¯t speak.


    This didn¡¯t make any sense.


    He¡¯d been a second from throwing his life away, and for who? Somebody he¡¯d only known for weeks? Somebody he only met because he was forced to kidnap her?


    How could she be worth that?


    What did he want from her?


    Gage wanted power and romance. Her father wanted rescue. Phillip got healed.


    What would Benton get out of this?


    ¡°It''s just fun seein¡¯ you give your all and growin¡¯!¡±


    Yesterday''s words coddled her mind, just as his hand had attempted to console her.


    Why would he feel that way¡­?


    Why¡­does it make me feel so¡­?


    Benton took a careful step. But like a trigger, Pang backed up again.


    ¡°Pang¡­¡±


    She turned and began storming away without him. The motion came without thought. Whatever was happening in her head was unknown. That made it unsafe.


    And Benton was the source.


    Pang¡¯s eyes were open, and the halls remained lit, but she couldn¡¯t see. Her mind clouded everything. So when she turned the corner, she bumped right into someone¡¯s fragile frame.


    Somehow, the sense of security, of connection, was immediate before she even looked.


    ¡°Aoi?¡±


    Her robed friend stood blankly before her.


    Then that¡¯s how Benton got in here, Pang deduced. They figured me out, after all.


    Static invited itself shyly into her thoughts.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand like Irma and Benton. Pang¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    It came in a collection of others¡¯ past utterances, chopped together into one. But it was more real than simple speech.


    Pang could feel the confusion meet her mind. The mourning.


    She reached and grabbed Aoi¡¯s sleeve-covered hand, shaking her head to dispel the concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s nothing,¡± she muttered. ¡°I just wanna go to bed. Can you get me outta here?¡±


    Aoi nodded.


    With a blink, they left the lab behind.

 145. For the First Time

    ??Deon¡¯s face felt warm despite the crisp morning air.


    All eyes were on him.


    Waiting. Anticipating.


    He¡¯d herded them all this far, standing just outside the doors of Hynes Convention Center. Now it was time to follow through. Now he had to prove that making his whole team wake up early, sneak out of the ship, tiptoe through the tunnel connecting the hidden dock to Hynes Stadium, and slither their way between early Anime Boston workers to get outside was all worthwhile.


    ¡°Uh¡­now what?¡± wondered Lammy, his voice barely audible over a series of cars rushing by.


    By the looks of it, that was the very question on almost everyone else¡¯s mind, too.


    ¡°This better be worth our time,¡± urged Phillip.


    Given Deon had begged him to use illusions so they could sneak out undetected, the pressure was on to make his efforts pay off.


    ¡°And hopefully it¡¯s worth the trouble we¡¯ll probably be in,¡± added Otogi¡ªor Alan, as he was currently dressed.


    But nobody appeared as perplexed as the still-sleepy Kotono. She blinked, then blinked again, as if she¡¯d just realized they were outside. As far as she knew, they¡¯d gotten up for an emergency meeting with management about their loss.


    At least, that was the lie Deon had Skrili tell her. It was the only way he could think to lure her this far.


    Only Skrili knew Deon¡¯s plan. Her purple eyes cut through him and pieced him back together all in one.


    I still think this is a dumb idea. But¡­I have your back, they said without words. Don¡¯t bail out now.


    Man, I lucked out with her¡­Deon knew.


    He shook himself back, realizing his other teammates still needed an answer.


    Deon scanned their surroundings. If his unseen assistant was to be trusted, his next step was close. And given the absent security around Kotono¡¯s room earlier, combined with the ship¡¯s exit gates unlocking on their own, this secret help hadn¡¯t failed him yet.


    His TeamTrack buzzed with a message: a simple ¡®thumbs up.¡¯


    Perfect timing.


    ¡°Should be right around the corner,¡± Deon declared. He marched ahead.


    The others sidestepped to let a biker hurry by, and then warily, they followed.


    Kotono stirred again, checking back to the convention building just before they turned the street corner. She slowed her pace. ¡°Um¡­b¡ªbut¡­what about the¡­?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no meeting, Kotono,¡± Skrili finally admitted.


    ¡°Huh? Th¡ªthen why¡­?¡±


    Deon was the first to reach the intersecting street. And with one glance, he turned electric.


    It was there.


    Chest puffing, he whipped back around to face the others, and he watched their eyes widen when they reached him and shared his view.


    ¡°Because, Kotono,¡± he announced, ¡°we¡¯re doing this!¡±


    Before them, resting in a perfect file on the sidewalk, awaited five gleaming two-wheeled vehicles. Their gloss was dazzling under the rising sun, with helmets to match each finish resting atop their leather seats.


    ¡°Our fight¡¯s not until way later,¡± Deon said. ¡°So let¡¯s ditch this place and see the city!¡±


    All but the expectant Skrili exchanged glances. They had a whole slew of obligations lined up before the fight: warm-ups, a strategy meeting, makeup and clothes, interviews¡­


    So why do this?


    But his cousin was the first to meet his eyes with warm resolve. Lammy nodded, and Deon could tell he¡¯d connected the dots.


    This was for a purpose.


    ¡°We had a bit of a tradition¡­¡± Kotono had shared yesterday. ¡°Hiroko liked Normal Country motorcycles, so we¡¯d sneak away and rent them¡­¡±


    Knowing Deon, Lammy grasped exactly what his plan was now.


    Kotono shifted to speak, so everyone turned to her. But though her voice never emerged, her bafflement was obvious.


    ¡°Two words:¡± Deon said. ¡°Fenn Crashings!¡±


    Her eyes widened. All at once, that single name answered every question she had spinning in her head. ¡°Y¡ªyou¡­talked with Fenn?¡±


    ¡°Yep! He pulled the strings! Who would¡¯ve thought your head bodyguard would be so chill, Kotono?¡± explained Deon.


    Then, perhaps too valiantly, he raised a fist. ¡°Now, who¡¯s ready to leave this place in the dust?!¡±


    Otogi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°On scooters?¡± questioned Phillip.


    Deon¡¯s fist dangled. His battle cry didn¡¯t inspire the hearty cheer he¡¯d envisioned.


    ¡°What? No, these are those motorcycle things! Finn rented them!¡± Deon argued. ¡°I don¡¯t know what a ¡®scooter¡¯ is, but it sounds dorky. We¡¯re gonna tear up the roads on these guys!¡±


    ¡°Not at the speed they go,¡± Otogi broke to him. ¡°They¡¯re definitely scooters, man.¡±


    Deon lowered his now-shaking fist. ¡°Fenn¡­we talked about this! You said you had my back!¡±


    ¡°He probably didn¡¯t want us getting ourselves killed,¡± pressed Skrili evenly. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s Kotono¡¯s main bodyguard. That¡¯s his whole job.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, true¡­¡±


    Deon may as well have melted onto the sidewalk before their eyes. Already, his master plan was falling apart?


    But Lammy stepped forward.


    With a beaming grin, he shot his own fist into the air.


    ¡°Seems fun to me!¡±


    The words paused Deon¡¯s waning hope. And it only became easier to rebuild when Phillip stirred to join him, as well:


    ¡°Alright¡­I agree.¡±


    Otogi glanced between all of his teammates, pausing on Kotono. Deon could sense it: the air was shifting. Perhaps Otogi was feeling it, too.


    ¡°Hey, I never said scooters weren¡¯t cool,¡± he said. ¡°Count me in.¡±


    Deon¡¯s heart pulsed. His teammates were reading between the lines. They got it.


    And despite his fumble, they were willing to trust him on this.


    You guys¡­he celebrated, eyes shining.


    It was time.


    Time to bond as a team, and more importantly:


    Time to lift Kotono¡¯s spirits.


    As Otogi approached the scooters with the others, Skrili waited behind with Kotono.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Skrili invited softly.


    The star consciousness looked small under their careful eyes. She fiddled with her sleeve.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± came her eventual utterance. ¡°A¡ªalright.¡±


    ¡°YES!!¡± boomed Deon. ¡°Then today: WE RIDE!!¡±


    ~


    ¡°Ay, watch it!¡±


    Deon skirted his scooter to the side, its rising buzz soft¡ªeven cute¡ªas he did so. He alerted his companions, and they all maneuvered to allow a much faster few cars zoom past them to beat a traffic light.


    ¡°No, YOU watch it!!¡± retorted Deon.


    ¡°Ha. You already sound Bostonian!¡± congratulated Otogi from the front of the pack. As the most experienced with such machines and driving rules, he and Kotono led the steady way.


    Contrary to the fantasy Deon had played out in his head last night, he learned Team Hiroko weren¡¯t quite dominating the streets. Their chorus of scooter hums and rainbow of colors caught the attention of countless pedestrians on their way to work, eliciting a laugh on one street, and a photo taken on the next.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He had to admit, though, the breeze felt nice. And something about riding with a group of friends made him feel like they could traverse the whole planet.


    Deon prayed Kotono was feeling the same way.


    He steadied his balance on their next turn around the corner. Ahead of him, Lammy checked back from the pillion of Skrili¡¯s bright blue scooter, and then shot him an encouraging thumbs-up. Between Deon¡¯s total lack of experience and¡ªaccording to Skrili¡ªhis tendency for recklessness, she''d refused to trust him with carrying Lammy. She¡¯d immediately opted to do it herself, shepherding Lammy her way.


    But now, smiling at the sight, Deon accepted it. While he was beginning to get a hang of this thing, watching her ride with Lammy was a view he wouldn¡¯t trade.


    They all paused for a moment at a red light, which Deon could only assume meant to stop.


    ¡°Did that Fenn guy make us all fake licenses or something?¡± Skrili asked beside him. ¡°How did this even happen?¡±


    Deon simply shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s a mysterious dude¡­¡±


    To the other side of his scooter, a giggle rang out¡ªone he hadn¡¯t heard since before the fight in Azvaylen.


    Kotono¡¯s.


    ¡°Fenn always has his ways,¡± she shared from her pink scooter. ¡°Like¡ªalways.¡±


    The light turned green before them.


    ¡°Only a few more minutes!¡± announced Otogi.


    With a not-so-grand reprise of thin hums, the team puttered forward to resume their excursion. Otogi had a favorite coffee spot he hadn¡¯t hit up since fame sucked his time away, so they''d picked it as the perfect first destination.


    But even with Kotono pulling ahead, Deon could still hear her giggle ring in his mind.


    It¡¯s working. She¡¯s perking up already.


    Soon, they reached the caf¨¦ safely¡ªthough they orbited around it for a bit to find parking. The group removed their helmets and herded around Otogi, who waited by the ramp of a quaint structure tucked into the corner of a much larger brick complex.


    ¡°Here we are: Gracenote Coffee!¡± he announced. ¡°There¡¯s one rule: you have to try their pastries. Any of them.¡±


    Everyone began filing in. But Lammy paused, inching closer to Deon.


    ¡°¡®Fenn Crashings¡­¡¯ you know, I was trying to figure out why that sounded familiar¡­¡± he uttered. ¡°That was the same name on the order we got working for the Phoenix¡ªthe one Hiroko and Kotono placed so they could see Zayza.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Deon learned. ¡°It¡¯s starting to sound like he¡¯s the reason they always got away with stuff.¡±


    The bitter and sweet scent of gourmet caffeine embraced them the moment they stepped in together, and Deon was quick to find that despite the lack of dragons, the secrecy about consciousnesses, and¡ªespecially¡ªthe grumpy city folk, Boston wasn¡¯t so bad.


    Not with breakfast like this.


    The latte art in his steaming beverage and the pure sugar rush from his pain au chocolat proved that perhaps Normal Country harbored some fantasy of its own.


    But nobody seemed to understand that as much as Kotono. She sat across from him with five different pastries, half of which the petite pro had already plowed through by herself.


    ¡°Uh¡­I h¡ªhave a sweet-tooth,¡± came her timid reasoning.


    ¡°And apparently, a remarkable metabolism,¡± added Phillip.


    Their caffeine-infused teammates filled the caf¨¦ with laughter.


    ~


    The team was back on the road within minutes, their scooter gang garnering even more attention from the awakening city. Otogi, Satisfied with his fulfilled recommendation, had insisted Kotono take the reins of the agenda from there.


    To their shock, she nearly opted for more sweets by picking a bakery they passed. But ultimately, Kotono chose to show them the castle-like architecture of the Trinity Church, where Deon and Lammy almost felt like they were back in Azvaylen. Then she guided them to the city¡¯s dedicated Museum of Fine Arts, and Deon and Phillip debated if a series of white blobs could count as art at all.


    But eventually, the group settled down to a simple walk in the city garden.


    A hint of panic set in every time Deon felt his TeamTrack vibrate¡ªat last, it seemed the agency had realized they were gone, as everyone¡¯s devices were lighting up with messages and calls. But one look at Kotono quelled his concern every time.


    She was glowing¡ªnot due to her powers, and certainly not due to the makeup Volona hadn¡¯t the chance to paint onto her yet. It was a natural, soft glow.


    Life had reemerged from deep within her, as if to peak out its head in curiosity.


    Kotono stopped to admire several of the flowers and fountains, and especially the fat squirrels, even sharing a brief memory they triggered of Hiroko and Zayza.


    Deon was certain: no matter how much trouble they were in now, this made it more than worth it.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± he prompted Kotono. ¡°Do we have time for any more hotspots?¡±


    She shrugged shyly. ¡°Y¡ªyou guys can decide¡­¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± mentioned Otogi, ¡°there¡¯s the Freedom Trail, if you guys are interested in American history.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s America?¡± Deon and Lammy asked.


    Otogi considered it for a moment. ¡°Eh¡­actually, you don¡¯t wanna know.¡±


    ¡°If we want to do lunch soon,¡± offered Skrili, ¡°I heard there¡¯s¡ª¡±


    A harsh buzz cut her off. All of their TeamTracks went off at once, this time louder than usual.


    Deon whipped his out.


    Fenn:


    ¡°MAYDAY.¡±


    ¡°Mayday?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°Uh-oh.¡±


    Everyone turned to Kotono.


    ¡°G¡ªguys,¡± she uttered, ¡°we should p¡ªprobably¡ª¡±


    ¡°FRIENDS! THERE YOU ARE!¡±


    Deon couldn¡¯t think of any ¡®friends¡¯ who would greet him so stiffly. The team turned to find a group of a dozen locals rushing their way.


    No¨Cthey were all tall and burly¡­and the city clothes seemed¡­unnatural on them somehow¡­


    Now that they were a bit closer, Deon finally recognized their faces.


    ¡°Crap.¡±


    ¡°Team, what are you doing out here? We need you back in the ship!¡± the front-running guard whisper-shouted once he was certain no locals were close enough to hear.


    Deon glanced between his teammates, only to receive the same uncertain glances back.


    ¡°Come with us,¡± the guard pressed.


    Then, Deon¡¯s eyes landed on Kotono. The tiniest shiver of red flickered from her body.


    That was all he needed to motivate his next move.


    ¡°Uh, we¡¯ll be back later,¡± he promised the guards. ¡°Guys¡­RUN!!¡±


    ¡°HUH?!¡±


    Even amongst the confusion¡ªor partially because of it¡ªDeon was joined by all five of his companions as their lightning-speed steps tossed grass in their wake.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Deon imagined a wooden plank to scoop up Lammy and fly him behind the much-faster pros, just before a guard was able to reach him.


    There was quite a hole in logic having bodyguards oversee some of the strongest consciousnesses in the Multiverse, as Deon quickly found. They were fast¡ªbut only fast enough to barely keep up.


    ¡°Just go! They won¡¯t attack us!¡± Skrili encouraged the group.


    It made sense: though all the guards had some sort of consciousness abilities (otherwise they couldn¡¯t have traveled here), they wouldn¡¯t use force on their own clients.


    Otogi laughed at the front of the pack. ¡°You guys are a riot! I picked the right team!¡±


    ¡°Otogi! Sir!¡±


    They all skidded to a halt. In similarly awkward disguises, Otogi¡¯s own bodyguards stood waiting for them at the entrance of the garden.


    ¡°Whoops.¡±


    Deon scanned the perimeter. ¡°There! The scooters!¡± he found. ¡°LET¡¯S RIDE!!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re literally faster without them!!¡± protested Skrili.


    ¡°Alright, fine¡­¡±


    She pushed him along, now leading the way towards the bustling city streets.


    But she didn¡¯t hold the lead for long.


    A giggle passed her by, evolving into a full belly-laugh. And with it, came a glorious golden glow.


    Kotono flew at the front of the group, her powers glittering like the sun. Deon figured she¡¯s soar even more gracefully if she wasn¡¯t laughing so hard.


    ¡°Come on!¡± she beamed after a snort. ¡°Th¡ªthis is the best part!¡±


    ¡°THIS IS THE BEST PART?!¡± boomed Deon.


    Her utter glee at their predicament was unwavering, like they¡¯d just pulled off the ultimate prank.


    Man, she¡¯s a lot more mischievous than she looks, Deon realized.


    ¡°Step it up, Stutter!¡± Otogi shouted back at him, sidestepping cars to cross the speeding traffic like it was an afterthought.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. My illusion is in place,¡± declared Phillip not far behind.


    ¡°One of my guards is an Illusionist, though!¡±


    In that case, the chase was still on. Deon snapped himself back into the task at hand and imagined another plank for himself. Flying over the cars, he and Lammy chased after the others towards the towering downtown buildings.


    Soon the exasperated bodyguards¡¯ shouts faded into the city noise behind them. The people they whizzed by went about their business, oblivious to their extravagant forms of travel and speed thanks to Phillip¡¯s quick work.


    ¡°I can only hold an illusion this broad for so long¡­¡± he warned, sprinting down the alley they¡¯d found themselves speeding through.


    Deon checked backwards. ¡°That¡¯s fine! I think we lost them! Where¡¯s a place we can lay low?¡±


    Kotono seemed to be ahead of them in that regard: she shot straight upward along the skyscraper¡¯s wall. Taking the hint, Deon imagined flying platforms for the rest of his team.


    Together, they ascended until they cleared the endless windows and reached the roof. The tops of other buildings passed beneath them as they reached the apex of the surrounding Boston skyline.


    Deon dismissed his imaginings, and the six consciousnesses tumbled to the floor. The high breeze brushing through their hair, they toppled to their knees in heaps of gasps.


    Or, most of them did.


    Kotono¡¯s laughter still hadn¡¯t ceased, though her golden energy lowered to dustings of light.


    ¡°Their faces¡­¡± she wheezed. ¡°That¡­that was¡­¡±


    Phillip was the next to crack. Then, in a chorus, the whole team burst into a clamor.


    ¡°We¡¯re in so much trouble,¡± Otogi predicted without a care.


    They all gradually fell silent, their bliss vastly overshadowing any fear of consequences. The clouds were closer all the way up here, and the aging afternoon sun cast a brilliance on the endless metallic structures shaping this quirky city.


    ¡°So¡­Fenn p¡ªput you up to this?¡±


    Kotono¡¯s wavering voice finally broke the stillness. Her ecstasy had died down, softening back to the smile she¡¯d grown in the garden.


    ¡°It was actually Deon¡¯s idea,¡± Skrili credited.


    ¡°Well¡­yeah,¡± Deon explained. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to do¡­well, something for you, Kotono. Then you told us the story about the motorcycles, and it clicked. But it was weird¡­¡¯cuz once I thought of it, Fenn actually came to me first.¡±


    Kotono watched him knowingly.


    ¡°He said if I wanted, he¡¯d make it happen,¡± Deon recounted. ¡°It was like he already knew. It was crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Kotono said plainly, ¡°h¡ªhe¡¯s a Thoughtreader. So Fenn always knew when Hiroko and I were gonna pull a f¡ªfast one on management. But then he¡¯d help us get away with it every time.¡±


    ¡°So I was right¡­¡± Lammy connected.


    ¡°Whatever he read in your mind, Deon,¡± Kotono added, ¡°it m¡ªmade him trust you with me.¡±


    Her shy smile warmed. And at last, Deon could shed a sigh of sheer relief.


    He had no doubt anymore: it really worked.


    ¡°So¡­¡± he asked, ¡°do you feel at least a little better now?¡±


    A breeze swept through Kotono¡¯s strawberry blonde curls. Her smile remained.


    But then, blending into the subtle gold around her body, grayness spread around her.


    And to Deon¡¯s shock, still smiling, she shook her head.


    ¡°N¡ªno¡­¡± she finally muttered.


    Deon felt himself freeze for a moment. ¡°No?¡± he repeated, beginning to stand so he could approach her. ¡°Then Kotono, what can we do to help¡ª¡±


    Skrili¡¯s hand reached up to his chest. Despite her lack of pressure, it calmed him to a stop.


    With a smile much like Kotono¡¯s¡ªpaper-thin as it was strong¡ªshe shook her head at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works,¡± Skrili uttered gently. ¡°Deon¡­when you lose someone so special to you like that¡­that¡¯s just¡­not how it works. You can¡¯t just feel ¡®better.¡¯ But¡ª¡±


    ¡°B¡ªbut now¡­¡± Kotono concluded, ¡°I¡¯m starting to realize¡­that¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay to not feel better. B¡ªbecause¡­¡±


    A brilliance emanated from her. Everyone¡¯s eyes would have shot wide, if not for its sheer intensity. The energy wasn¡¯t gray, or a pale, lifeless shade that sucked color from everything around her.


    It was white. Pure white.


    And with it, as a perfect companion, came tears. They streamed down Kotono¡¯s face, glistening on her quivering chin.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± she struggled out, ¡°I¡­I have friends who wish they could help. I¡¯m still totally lost. Every day hurts so much without her. I¡¯m so lonely. But¡­I have friends who don¡¯t want me to be. Friends who understand what I lost. What we lost. And¡­what she did for us.¡±


    The pure white swirled against her. With the sky as its backdrop, it framed her like she was a being of the heavens.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± she decided, ¡°for now, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    As one, Deon and his teammates rushed to their feet. Within a moment, Kotono was enveloped in their embrace.


    Her white energy was cool against Deon¡¯s skin and clothes. And from the instant he reached it, whether it was the energy itself or Kotono, he felt the unquenchable need to cry.


    He wasn¡¯t alone: tears flooded from the whole group. They embraced tighter, and Deon could feel Skrili beside him.


    You knew, he realized. That¡¯s why you went along with my dumb plan, isn¡¯t it? I thought I knew what I was doing. I thought I was just cheering her up.


    But Skrili¡­you knew what this would REALLY mean to Kotono, didn¡¯t you?


    He didn¡¯t need her confirmation, just her warmth¡ªeveryone¡¯s warmth¡ªto know it was true.


    Their embrace atop the skyscraper lasted longer than they all cared to count. Deon had no idea how much time remained before tonight¡¯s fight.


    All he knew was that whatever this collective was before, it wasn¡¯t yet a team.


    But today, on this roof, that changed.


    Today, for the first time, they became Team Hiroko.

 146. Arm in Arm

    ¡°Aaaaaaaand we are BACK for another night of top-tier Consciousness fighting!! Welcome to Day Two of the Special League Event, brought to you by Hynes Stadium and Anime Boston!!¡±


    Howard Buck¡¯s announcement boomed across the bronze arena, met with applause even rowdier than last night¡¯s. It seemed Day Two inspired an even bigger turnout than the first.


    Lammy couldn¡¯t see a single empty seat from where he stood in the Team Hiroko den, this time positioning himself off in the corner to attract as little trouble as possible.


    After all, he¡¯d taken part in the forbidden excursion that turned the whole agency livid. By the time Team Hiroko crept back, they had time for no more than a rushed outfit swap and makeup session with Volona before they had to rush off for the start of the fight. Lammy couldn¡¯t imagine making the agency any more furious.


    They all ignored him entirely now. But Lammy didn¡¯t realize there were multiple levels to how deeply a person could be ignored until this moment, feeling it from the source of his primary concern.


    Mr. Truj stood at the front of the den, his fingers tapping his crossed arms. A vein was bulging from his furrowed forehead.


    If I¡¯m not careful, Lammy knew, he really WILL ban me this time¡­


    ¡°Tonight we¡¯re kicking things off with the two losing teams from last night! Only ONE will get a chance to even out their record before hitting the road for the next Event!¡± continued Howard.


    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s watch a bunch of losers,¡± came Lune¡¯s mumbling commentary.


    ¡°Uh¡­YEAH! First we have the Normal Country natives that came SO CLOSE to beating Team Super. Let¡¯s hear it for the first of our hometown heroes: Normal Nate!!¡±


    The cheers rang out to the sight of the fit copper-haired fighter in green and blue.


    But despite their opponent¡¯s grand entrance, Lammy¡¯s interest remained on Mr. Truj.


    It didn¡¯t matter how strong these guys were. If Mr. Truj wasn¡¯t willing to see Team Hiroko for what it was this time, Lammy feared nothing would change.


    What are you planning this time, Truj¡­? he pondered.


    ¡°Science Fiction Sadie!!¡±


    The applause continued. Mr. Truj didn¡¯t shift an inch, not even to talk to his assistant coaches.


    If he could¡¯ve seen us on that rooftop earlier¡­Lammy contemplated. Maybe he¡¯d finally get it: yesterday doesn¡¯t matter now. We¡¯ve got something special here.


    ¡°Horror Hector!!¡±


    Finally, Lammy¡¯s attention shook back to the commencement.


    Wait¡ªwhat kinds of weird names are these?! he finally noticed.


    Oh, right. It¡¯s these guys.


    He vaguely recalled them from the list he¡¯d reviewed on the way to this reality: the team Otogi referred to as ¡®industry plants.¡¯


    ¡°Fiction Fiona!!¡±


    ¡°Fantasy Frank!!¡±


    Soon the whole group was on the platform, greeting their raving fans and pumping each other up. For a team of people from Normal Country, they certainly all dressed like they were from separate realities.


    ¡°Here they are. Brought to you by Milky Way Agency, Normal Country¡¯s premier League agency that¡ªwait a second, I had to read this yesterday too,¡± Lune complained. ¡°They¡¯re just known pros who got paid to take on new aliases and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well they MIGHT seem a LITTLE familiar¡­¡± Howard laughed off. ¡°But let¡¯s hear it for the team celebrating the Multiverse: Team Cosplay!!¡±


    ¡°We have a contract to uphold, Lune¡­¡± Lammy vaguely heard him caution underneath the applause.


    Lammy analyzed the group, gathering little. If not for his adventures through the city earlier today, he would¡¯ve had more time to do his research. Now, he was practically coming into this blind.


    But he knew it was more than worth it.


    He could already feel the electricity, the new life, before his friends had even entered the arena.


    ¡°And now, their competitors. First, let¡¯s hear it for record-breaking champion, Ko¡ª¡°


    The crowd drowned him out before he could finish.


    But it wasn¡¯t just for Kotono: all five consciousnesses came bursting through the gate.


    Team Hiroko powered forward into the stadium as one.


    Arm in arm, Deon, Skrili, Phillip, Kotono, and Otogi marched up to the platform. Finally, the lighting caught on and shifted to a series of flashes and lasers featuring all of the fighters¡¯ colors.


    The beams illuminated the team¡¯s faces, and Lammy immediately felt a chill.


    His teammates all wore the exact same expression: calm, confident, and united.


    ¡°Oh. T¡ªTEAM HIROKO!!¡± Howard proclaimed, the energy overflowing into him just as it had already captivated the crowd.


    ¡°Huh. Cool,¡± admitted Lune. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see if they learned from last time.¡±


    In place of the coronation Credo had provided, an official met both teams atop the Earth symbol in the center of the platform to review the rules. Once confirmed, the competitors jogged off to their respective dens.


    Lammy¡¯s chill subsided, making way for a rushing heart.


    Here we go¡­


    ~


    ¡°Otogi. Phillip.¡±


    Those were the first words Lammy heard Mr. Truj speak. And still, he didn¡¯t even shift from his position, staring at the platform.


    ¡°We won¡¯t lose this time. Got that?¡±


    Ever-unbothered, Otogi loosened his shoulders while he and Phillip stood to approach the edge of the den.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on it,¡± he promised.


    ¡°Understood,¡± agreed Phillip.


    Lammy glanced back to the bench, where Deon and Skrili sat with Kotono. One of Volona¡¯s assistants hovered over them, still tinkering with Kotono¡¯s hair and makeup and blocking her from view.


    But Deon glared forward, a hard focus taking the place of his earlier smile. Lammy didn¡¯t realize how Skrili-like it was until he noticed her matching demeanor.


    The three sat close, but none of them spoke.


    At the front of the den, one of Mr. Truj¡¯s assistants awaited the cue beside Phillip and Otogi. The official on the platform counted down to one, and the fighters marched forward.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see our starters. From Team Hiroko: it¡¯s Otogi and Phillip!!¡±


    ¡°They mixed it up this time,¡± noticed Lune. ¡°Probably for the best, given Kotono¡¯s performance last time. Or, lack of it.¡±


    ¡°And from Team Cosplay¡¯s corner: it¡¯s Horror Hector and Science Fiction Sadie!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re sticking with last night¡¯s plan. That¡¯s smart for this kind of fight,¡± Lune commented.


    The two duos faced each other on the platform. The room¡¯s many lights reflected harshly off of Science Fiction Sadie¡¯s clothing: she wore a metallic, angular outfit, her eyes hidden behind single-lens sunglasses that faded between colors. The dotted wire that stuck straight out of her headband made Lammy wonder what kinds of odd technologies Science Fiction Country must harbor to be worth celebrating in another reality.


    But Horror Hector made him feel the opposite of intrigue. Lammy could only hope his outfit was an exaggeration of Horror Country¡ªPhillip was already eerie enough, but this was another level. Dried blood¡ªfake, Lammy hoped¡ªdripped from the corners of his grin and down to his deep red robe. His eyes looked dead the way his black makeup encircled them.


    Phillip simply rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Horror Country otakus¡­¡± he sighed.


    ¡°Looks like everyone is ready to go!¡± announced Howard. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it, Normal Country:¡±


    ¡°THREE!¡±


    ¡°TWO!¡±


    ¡°ONE!¡±


    ¡°FIGHT!!!¡±


    It began just as instantly as the first fight. But this time, the opening move what not at all what Lammy would¡¯ve expected.


    Phillip was making a break for it straight towards the end of the platform.


    But his run was unnatural and didn¡¯t nearly reach his full speed¡ªas if he were fighting with himself.


    ¡°Welp, Horror Hector¡¯s already putting his Controller powers to use,¡± muttered Lune.


    ¡°Mwahahahahaha!!!¡± came Hector¡¯s taunt. ¡°Succumb to my control!¡±


    Crap¡­observed Lammy. So he¡¯s sending Phillip straight out of bounds!


    But Otogi merely crossed his arms. ¡°Not to sound clich¨¦, but two can play at that game.¡±


    For nothing more than dramatic effect, he snapped.


    ¡°Phillip: you¡¯re on!¡±


    The quick Illusionist knew just what to do. With a confused yelp, Science Fiction Sadie sprung from her position, and she too, started sprinting towards the edge.


    ¡°A counterattack!¡± shouted Howard.


    ¡°Yep. Otogi just used his powers to give Horror Hector¡¯s Controller abilities to Phillip,¡± Lune explained. ¡°Not much Team Cosplay can do about that.¡±


    Lammy had already pieced it together on his own. But it seemed another development was also underway:


    Phillip had stopped running. Now, he simply stood in place.


    ¡°What?! M¡ªmy powers!¡± gasped Hector. ¡°My Control has failed?! Noooooo!¡±


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    ¡°No, it¡¯s Phillip!! It¡¯s an illusion!!¡± Sadie figured out, panic rising as she neared the edge of the fighting area. ¡°KEEP GOING!¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡±


    Hector continued his focus.


    ¡°Heh. Too slow.¡±


    In a flash, Otogi appeared before him.


    And his foot swung perfectly into the distracted fighter¡¯s ghoulish chest.


    Lammy¡¯s eyes widened. Two things followed in unison: the force flung Hector straight out of bounds¡ªbut Sadie came to a sliding stop, her neon-covered toes halting just before the edge of the platform.


    ¡°YES! That¡¯s one down!¡± rumbled Deon from the bench.


    But as Lammy quickly found, his cousin had spoken too soon: bad news came entangled with the good.


    ¡°Horror Hector is defeated by ring-out!¡± declared Howard. ¡°And so is Phillip!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Lammy frowned. Phillip stood from outside the platform, finally regaining control over his body. They hadn¡¯t defeated Hector in time to account for Phillip¡¯s speed, even as he¡¯d tried to hinder it.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯ll admit: that was excellent work from Phillip,¡± commented Lune. ¡°He thought quick enough to control Science Fiction Sadie, and even used his own powers to distract Horror Hector at the same time. He¡¯s not so boring, after all.¡±


    ¡°Apologies,¡± Phillip sent to Otogi as he rushed his way back to the den.


    ¡°No need!¡± encouraged Otogi. ¡°You just kept us in the fight!¡±


    ¡°The score is now tied at 1 to 1!¡±


    Otogi and Sadie had both already sprung into action, charging forward and meeting in the center of the platform with expert kicks and dodges.


    ¡°Watch out: my Memorizer powers helped me master every combat style I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Sadie warned. ¡°It¡¯s time to calculate the win!¡±


    ¡°Heh. You¡¯re a real nerd,¡± answered Otogi with a series of dodges. ¡°I like that.¡±


    Their exchange continued. Then, with a grandiose leap, another fighter erupted from Team Cosplay¡¯s den.


    ¡°It¡¯s Normal Nate!¡± bellowed Howard.


    ¡°They¡¯re getting serious now, I guess.¡±


    His fists rose high, and erratic green orbs lit around them.


    ¡°Remember,¡± he declared, ¡°it¡¯s Normal to FEEL!!¡±


    Another Emovert, Lammy identified.


    ¡°Skrili. Go.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s blur left the den before Mr. Truj¡¯s command had even finished. She zipped onto the arena to a wave of exploding cheers.


    The new matchup was fierce from the start. Skrili attempted to close in on Nate, narrowly skirting the green orbs of energy he threw to slow her down. Otogi¡¯s faceoff with Sadie raged on just as rapidly.


    But after what must have been minutes of this passed, neither side gained the advantage.


    ¡°You know what I just realized?¡± started Lune with a casual yawn. ¡°Where¡¯s the Realistic Fiction Country representation on Team Cosplay?¡±


    ¡°Their coach is from Realistic Fiction,¡± said Howard.


    ¡°Oh. Seems like a copout.¡±


    Inside the den, Lammy¡¯s fists gradually tightened.


    Skrili and Otogi haven¡¯t fought as a duo like this long enough, he contemplated. They don¡¯t have any techniques to get an edge.


    Eventually the fighters traded targets, but the match continued just as evenly as before. Otogi even activated his abilities to share Nate¡¯s powers with Skrili, but the added firepower wasn¡¯t enough. Neither side slowed down.


    Nonetheless, Mr. Truj didn¡¯t waver.


    Come on. We have to figure something out before Team Cosplay does first, Lammy stressed.


    He glanced at the bench, where Deon sat watching with restless legs.


    We need to get him in there. Deon and Skrili together could handle this, no problem.


    We could use Tag or Summon. It would be easy.


    His heart pounded harder. Trying to convince Truj might mean getting kicked out forever.


    But the solution was right there.


    ¡°Um¡­M¡ªMr. Truj, sir¡­Deon could¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even, kid.¡±


    Lammy shut up.


    If Deon wasn¡¯t so focused on following the fight, he might have snuck Lammy a wink of comfort. But for now, Lammy was alone in this.


    At least, that was what he thought.


    As soon as he returned his eyes to the platform, he caught Otogi in a lavish leap to dodge Nate¡¯s Emovert blast.


    And as Otogi flipped midair, Lammy could¡¯ve sworn his eyes were on him.


    They were glimmering.


    Knowing.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?! Normal Nate has Otogi on his heels! He¡¯s headed for the edge!!¡±


    With every blast, Otogi twirled and hopped closer and closer to the corner of the platform.


    Then, sneaking Lammy a wink, he avoided one last explosion¡ªby hopping right out of bounds.


    Everybody gasped.


    ¡°Ope. Bad dodge,¡± he said playfully. ¡°Whoops.¡±


    ¡°WHAT IS HE THINKING?!?!?!¡± came Lune¡¯s shriek, her voice feeding back.


    ¡°It¡¯s 2 to 1 in Team Cosplay¡¯s favor!¡±


    What? spun Lammy¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Uh¡­Otogi¡­?¡± wondered Deon behind him.


    At last, Mr. Truj moved. Instead of tapping his crossed arms, his fingers clamped down on them.


    Then, rapidly, he turned around.


    Lammy learned what being a Thoughtreader must feel like: he could practically see what was going on in Mr. Truj¡¯s head now.


    Before the coach sat his two remaining options: to send in the ace who proved totally useless last time, or the rookie he didn¡¯t trust.


    With time ticking, Mr. Truj¡¯s frown tightened.


    ¡°Deon,¡± he caved. ¡°Go!¡±


    Deon snickered, stretching his arms. ¡°Listening to Lammy, huh? That¡¯s the best choice you¡¯ve ever made.¡±


    ¡°Just GO!¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but smile watching Deon launch into the stadium at last, his smile shining.


    Finally, Otogi¡¯s move made sense.


    The Sharer arrived back in the den, receiving a quick high-five from Phillip. But their coach was far from considering such pleasantries.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± he demanded. ¡°You threw away the point!¡±


    Otogi evened out his pink hair, unfazed. ¡°We were begging for another loss fighting like that. I just kept us in the fight, like Phillip.¡±


    ¡°WE¡¯RE DOWN BY ONE!!¡±


    ¡°Are we?¡±


    Fully confident in his wording, Otogi kept his back to the fight. He pointed a thumb at Lammy. ¡°I believe the kid. And from what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯re about to see why you should¡¯ve believed him yesterday, too.¡±


    ¡°And here comes the rookie Deon from Team Hiro¡ªWAIT WHAT THE?!?!¡±


    ¡°WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!?!¡±


    Everyone in the den twirled back to the fight.


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s strategy had already begun without the slightest hint of a word or sign. And though Lammy hadn¡¯t seen their first moments, he knew it wasn¡¯t because he missed their communication.


    They didn¡¯t need to preplan a thing. They were already locked in.


    Deon¡¯s orange-padded springs appeared all around the platform in a distinct pattern, and Skrili had already leapt into the air to start bouncing between them. She only zipped between the springs in a blurry zigzag for a moment before her kick met the unsuspecting Sadie.


    In one clean blow the collision knocked her straight out of bounds, even bouncing her against the padded wall below the seating.


    ¡°WHOA! Science Fiction Sadie is defeated by ring-out?!?!¡± shouted Howard.


    ¡°WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!¡± repeated Lune.


    ¡°The Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack happened!¡± Deon answered proudly, imagining a quick wall to block one of Nate¡¯s blasts with ease.


    ¡°GUYS! HEEELP!¡±


    The Emovert was now on the move, hands raised in defense. Deon repositioned his attack pads and Skrili once again took flight between them.


    Back in the den, Lammy caught Mr. Truj raise a hand to his chin.


    ¡°Deon and Skrili, huh¡­?¡± he muttered. ¡°Okay, not bad¡­Not bad at all.¡±


    ¡°The score is tied at 2 to 2! It¡¯s sudden death!!¡±


    ¡°Here comes Fiction Fiona for Team Cosplay,¡± spotted Lune.


    Just in time, the agile fighter in tight leather clothes flipped onto the platform. Once she was in bounds, a pearly wall appeared before Nate and shielded him from Skrili¡¯s incoming kick.


    Skrili spun back to the platform and neared Deon to regroup.


    ¡°Like Otogi said: two can play at that game!¡± Fiona exclaimed. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s turn fiction into reality!!¡±


    Bumping aside Deon¡¯s floating pads, a series of furry creatures appeared in the air all around.


    No¡ªit was an entire army of them. More and more popped into existence until there were dozens: all equally cutesy, but varying in color and shape.


    Lammy had to admit, Fiona¡¯s creativity was as diverse as it was cohesive.


    ¡°Hey Skrili, everyone on their team has a cool catchphrase!¡± Deon noticed, paying little mind to the impending attack. ¡°We should¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Deon laughed, preparing his own fur-heavy technique. ¡°Fine.¡±


    A legion of Twitchy¡¯s faded into reality, snarling and ready to pounce.


    ¡°Always fun to fight another Imaginer,¡± Deon commented.


    Fiona concurred. ¡°You took the words from my mouth.¡±


    The many beings charged, forming their own battle between the consciousnesses. While Deon focused on an opening to get to Fiona, Skrili slipped into the chaos and tried to close in on Nate.


    Even with Nate¡¯s energy blasts taking out Twitchy¡¯s one after the other, Deon was quick to reimagine more.


    Once again, the struggle came to a standstill.


    ¡°Hey¡­this is actually proving to be a fun fight!¡± Lune said. ¡°First one all weekend!¡±


    ¡°Or you¡¯re just hard to please¡­¡± mumbled Howard.


    Lammy could hardly stand still. Deon and Skrili had done precisely what he knew they could, but this Fiona proved more than formidable. Anything could happen.


    He felt a hand on his shoulder.


    Otogi.


    ¡°Thoughts?¡± the champion probed.


    H¡ªhe¡¯s asking ME? Lammy marveled.


    Phillip approached, arms crossed. ¡°Of course he has thoughts on this. He¡¯s noticed it just as I,¡± he said. ¡°Haven¡¯t you, Lammy?¡±


    Attempting to set aside his timidity, Lammy nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. Deon and Skrili can do this. But¡­we¡¯re cutting it dangerously close. One bad step, and it¡¯s over,¡± Lammy analyzed. ¡°It¡¯s risky fighting like this, and it doesn¡¯t have to be. We have a surefire way to finish this off.¡±


    He had more to say, but he cut himself short. If Lammy was being honest with himself, he wasn¡¯t certain his next suggestion was the right call.


    It¡¯s probably too soon¡­he worried. She just got her mind in an okay place, at best. I don¡¯t wanna undo that for her.


    Otogi and Phillip stopped themselves from glancing back at the bench. Lammy could tell they¡¯d thought it, too.


    But then, Lammy felt a hand land on his other shoulder.


    A feathery, gentle one.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± came Kotono¡¯s voice beside him.


    Lammy turned to her. No longer hidden behind Volona¡¯s assistant, she stood soft as a breeze¡ªand yet, sharp as a sword.


    ¡°Kotono¡­you¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re sure?¡± Lammy checked.


    Ethereal white mixed into the red in her eyes.


    ¡°A¡ªas far as fights go,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m more sure then I¡¯ve ever been.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but I¡¯M the coach here.¡±


    Everybody faced Mr. Truj. Lammy expected to find his statue-like demeanor from before. But instead, his eyes darted between them and the fight repeatedly.


    Uncertainly.


    Breaking, Mr. Truj sighed. His stare landed on Lammy.


    ¡°You¡¯re confident about this, kid?¡± he pressed. ¡°No mishaps?¡±


    Lammy and Kotono exchanged glances. Her resolve spread to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°SUMMON: Fantasy Frank!!¡±


    The arena lit green, and everybody in the den pounced.


    ¡°There it is, everyone: Team Cosplay has FINALLY used their Special Call!¡± boomed Howard.


    ¡°Fantasy Frank: their Prophet type,¡± Mr. Truj alerted. ¡°They¡¯re trying to fish for a final technique!¡±


    A long, cloaked individual billowed from Team Cosplay¡¯s den like a spiritual being. But then, by the waving of his arms as he walked, Lammy found it hard to take him seriously.


    The crowd, on the other hand, ate it right up with anticipatory ¡®oooh¡¯s¡¯ all around.


    ¡°Only the future knows the correct path¡­¡± he recited dramatically, his face hidden behind his green hood. ¡°Now: I shall SEE BEYOND!¡±


    After a moment of nothing, Fantasy Frank lifted his hood from his head.


    But his beady eyes were full of discomfort.


    ¡°Well?!¡± Fiona pried from within the crowded quarrel. ¡°What did you see?! What do we do?!¡±


    ¡°The light will come to comfort all. It is born from pain, but brings hope. The city stirs with questions¡­¡± he interpreted. ¡°Friends: I am afraid there¡¯s nothing we CAN do.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡±


    Breaking character, Frank shrugged. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re screwed.¡±


    The arena filled with confusion.


    ¡°H¡ªhe¡¯s calling the fight¡­?¡± wondered Lune.


    But in Team Hiroko¡¯s den, certainty only rang truer.


    ¡°Need more confirmation than that, Coach?¡± Otogi joked.


    Lammy and Mr. Truj locked eyes. They both nodded.


    ¡°Tag out Skrili or Deon for Kotono,¡± Lammy insisted.


    ¡°Better yet¡­¡± started Mr. Truj.


    He hurried over to his Special Call console and, confidently, slammed his hand down on a button.


    Again, the stadium lit green.


    ¡°SUMMON: KOTONO!!¡± he roared.


    Oh, of course: summoning her keeps them all in the fight! Lammy understood. Good thinking, Mr. Truj!


    ¡°Team Hiroko¡¯s made their move!!¡±


    ¡°Kotono? They really trust her for this?¡± questioned Lune.


    In stark contrast to the frenzy on the fighting platform, as well as the racket all throughout the stadium seating, Kotono merely stepped out from the den with steady grace.


    The instant her feet reached the sidelines, a whiteness showered everything.


    It was magnificent. Pure.


    Sounds lulled to a gentle hum, like they were coming from far away.


    It brought the fight to a total pause. Deon and Skrili turned to witness the spectacle, just as Nate and Fiona did. All of the imagined attacks vanished.


    Wow¡­thought Lammy.


    Kotono floated into the air, white light sparkling from her body.


    For some reason, Lammy felt his throat tighten. Wetness rolled down his cheeks.


    And yet, he felt¡­safe.


    ¡®I¡¯m still totally lost¡­I¡¯m so lonely. But¡­I have friends who don¡¯t want me to be. Friends who understand what I lost. What we lost. And¡­what she did for us.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe, for now, that¡¯s enough.¡¯


    Kotono didn¡¯t speak at all. But Lammy could feel her words from yesterday repeat in his heart.


    And then, ever-so-gently, Nate and Fiona rose from the platform. They were oblivious, still transfixed on Kotono as they began floating.


    Like a parent¡¯s embrace, the white energy cradled them away from the platform until finally, soundlessly, it placed them out of bounds.


    Kotono sighed.


    Her body descended until she touched back down. And once she did, the white energy vanished.


    In spite of himself, Lammy gasped. It was the only sound in the stadium for a brief moment.


    Then finally, the room reawakened.


    ¡°That¡­that was¡­beautiful¡­¡± praised Lune at last.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Howard¡¯s forced intensity was gone. ¡°That¡¯s the fight, everyone. Team H¡­Team Hiroko wins, 4 to 2.¡±


    The applause started slow. It was as if everybody here had felt exactly what Lammy did from Kotono¡¯s powers, even without the shared experience.


    But eventually, it swelled into a hearty celebration louder than ever before.


    ¡°TEAM HIROKO TAKES THE WIN!!!¡± Howard repeated much more powerfully than before.


    On the platform, Deon swooped Skrili up into a swinging embrace.


    ¡°YEAH!! THAT¡¯S OUR KOTONO!!¡±


    Lammy found himself caught a whirlwind of high-fives with Phillip, Otogi, and even some of the trainers.


    And across the den, Mr. Truj caught his eyes.


    But this time, he winked.


    Lights flickered everywhere and music blared. But even as the festivities raged to life in every corner, Kotono simply turned back around.


    With a calm smile, she returned to the den in silence.


    Lammy tried to break through the sea of partying to reach her. Too awkward to offer a hug, he figured she¡¯d at least appreciate a quick congratulation.


    But instead, all the jumping and dancing bumped him in the opposite direction.


    Lammy stumbled, falling neatly onto the booth at the back.


    Oh¡ªDeon¡¯s TeamTrack, he noticed resting beside him.


    But the screen was on, and particularly bright. It vibrated, so Lammy jumped to catch it from shaking to the floor.


    Deon had just gotten a message.


    No¡ªit looked like all of his teammates were recipients.


    It was Credo:


    ¡°Everyone, this is not a drill. Do NOT read out loud. Do NOT react visibly.


    Proscious has been detected here in Boston.¡±


    Lammy went cold.

 147. Buried Beneath

    Zayza remained stiff between Chiwawo and Nahutala, just as fixated on the Tribe Father¡¯s tent as them. But no further words reached the trio.


    The heavy rainfall began easing up, weakening to a mere drizzle within moments.


    ¡°¡®The next stage of your journey¡­?¡¯¡± Nahutala finally reflected, the first to interpret that their gathering here was complete. ¡°Zayza¡­the Gods below have given you a journey?¡±


    Zayza only stiffened further when Chiwawo turned to await her response, even more speculation in his stare than Nahutala¡¯s.


    ¡°Oh¡ªum¡­I suppose that¡¯s news to me, as well¡­¡± she stammered.


    Chiwawo¡¯s icy eyes softened¡ªperhaps he¡¯d realized the intimidation he¡¯d projected with his first reaction. He crossed his arms in contemplation. ¡°Maybe we are all on this journey...after all, the Tribe Father addressed each of us. The Gods below called all three of us here.¡±


    ¡°True, but it is strange¡­even Zayza?¡± questioned Nahutala. ¡°The Gods below would call to an outsider?¡±


    ¡°Maybe that doesn¡¯t matter. Maybe after this, she will not be an outsider.¡±


    Nahutala¡¯s head darted around to ensure nobody was nearby to overhear. Even before Chiwawo had finished saying it, he¡¯d lowered his tone.


    ¡°Careful of your speech, Chi,¡± Nahutala cautioned.


    ¡°I know. But¡­¡±


    Zayza squirmed, feeling like a pet as their ponderings about her unfolded without her input.


    ¡°If I may,¡± she intervened, ¡°we might understand more if we try to follow this ¡®journey.¡¯¡±


    Would we, though? she wondered immediately. Why did I just say that?


    She didn¡¯t even know who these faceless ¡®Gods below¡¯ were, assuming they even existed. Sure, she was learning to navigate the Mainland Desert like a Hidakalan, as the Tribe Father¡¯s riddle had insinuated, but why should that connect to something deeper?


    Rather, why did she want to believe it would?


    ¡°This may be uncharted territory¡­But nonetheless, the truth you seek is in our way. In our history¡­¡±


    The second memory triangle returned to the front of her mind like an answer.


    But that was Hiroko¡¯s memory. That was from Hiroko¡¯s private conversation with the Tribe Father, not hers.


    No matter how pertinent it felt now, she had to remind herself.


    I¡¯m placing all of my hope in guidance that the Tribe Father meant for somebody else, she thought. And all to help me solve a Dream World mystery¡ªsomething only I could possibly know about¡­


    So am I abusing a religion I don¡¯t understand for my own desires? she feared. Am I just dragging good people into a problem that should never involve them? A problem I might never solve?


    ¡­A problem that might hurt us all...?


    ¡­Just because of a memory that doesn¡¯t even belong to me?


    But with her confident suggestion already out in the air, her caution had come too late. Chiwawo and Nahutala nodded, reassurance flooding them both.


    ¡°You are right, Princess,¡± said Chiwawo. ¡°We should trust the Gods below. What they have revealed so far is what we are meant to know right now. The journey may hold our answers.¡±


    ¡°Well-said to you both,¡± conceded Nahutala. ¡°Hibon, bendon Hidakal.¡±


    For once, Zayza recognized that vocabulary with ease: ¡®glory to the Gods. They forever house my trust.¡¯ Nahutala had uttered it many times on their daily trips to collect heat stones¡ªboth as a celebration when they¡¯d found success, and as a reminder when they were struggling.


    Zayza felt the guilt set in. She allowed more of her hair to slip from her hood to hide her face.


    Maybe I am just selfish.


    With nowhere else to look, Zayza stared at her muddied feet.


    ¡°So then¡­what comes next?¡± she asked thinly.


    ¡°Like a true Hidakalan, you are already on the right track, Princess,¡± Chiwawo affirmed. ¡°Good thinking: let¡¯s all listen for the Gods¡¯ next guidance.¡±


    Zayza wasn¡¯t sure what he meant until she could see Chiwawo and Nahutala close their eyes in her peripheral vision, focusing their attention downward into their soles. They were reading the sand, as they apparently thought she was doing.


    Another misguidance, Zayza accused herself. Even without trying, her posture led them on even further.


    But at this point, it would come across too disrespectful not to keep playing along. She closed her eyes and felt for the unseen world deep beneath her feet, drawing from all she¡¯d learned in their daily trips.


    Who knows¡­? Maybe this really will lead to something¡ª


    A vibration snatched her attention.


    It started subtle, but steadily increased. Zayza would have never been able to tell before, or notice its presence so soon, but with her newfound experience she knew it was rising up directly beneath them.


    Something was ascending from far below.


    It was massive.


    Zayza feared it might shoot straight up and crash into them when it surfaced, but to her relief, that never happened. Instead, the vibration evened out and began traveling away from them in a waning curve beneath the village.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± wondered Chiwawo.


    ¡°The Tribe Father just discussed using one¡¯s feet to see,¡± Nahutala admonished. ¡°Do that. Obviously, it is a Sand Dragon.¡±


    Fear would have swept over Zayza, especially given this ¡®dragon¡¯s¡¯ apparent size, but Nahutala spoke without a trace of alarm.


    ¡°I know that,¡± Chiwawo retorted. ¡°What I mean is: why is it moving in such a strange pattern?¡±


    Nahutala paused to keep sensing, so Zayza did the same. The vibrations journeyed close to the outskirts of the village, towards Lake Hirokyauta and the neighboring tribe, before turning and continuing back to where they all stood.


    Then it continued in the opposite direction, eventually performing the same turn at the other end of the territory where the Curving Peaks began.


    And finally, after cycling back underneath them again, it mimicked the first two loops towards the smaller slopes well past Zayza¡¯s tent¡ªroughly where she and her consciousness friends had first entered when the Hidakalan guards ushered them in.


    ¡°Hm. That is strange burrowing behavior for a Sand Dragon,¡± Nahutala agreed. ¡°It must be another guide.¡±


    ¡°Guide?¡± Zayza repeated.


    ¡°That sensation that led us all here, Princess,¡± explained Chiwawo, ¡°was a young Sand Dragon. For ages, the Gods below have used Sand Dragons to show us the way to our calling.¡±


    With that, the Tribe Father¡¯s poetic terms were beginning to make more sense. When the sensation overcame Zayza back in the tent, all she could see was a dark blur. It was like picking out shadows through closed eyelids.


    If she could ¡®open¡¯ the eyes of her feet, would the young Sand Dragon have appeared?


    ¡°It is unusual for one to show up beneath the tribe, though,¡± contemplated Nahutala. ¡°This adult dragon may be burrowing like this to teach its young where not to wander.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Zayza broke her focus on the sand, looking to her companions in confusion. ¡°But¡­I thought you said the dragons were moving like this to guide us?¡±


    She felt a heavy, calm hand pat her shoulder. Chiwawo gave her a smile and began walking.


    ¡°The Gods below can use anything to create meaning. You¡¯ll soon see they work in mysterious ways,¡± he explained back to her. ¡°Come on.¡±


    Nahutala gave her a nod of certainty. Together, they followed their friend¡¯s steps.


    But Zayza remained quiet. Chiwawo¡¯s explanation sounded pleasant, but did it really make any sense?


    Azvaylen culture was built on order. The laws of Azvaylen magic and the Dream World were founded on generations of intricate study and measurement. Though the fruit they bore was fantastical, specificity was the reason they functioned so reliably.


    This Hidakalan faith in the Gods below seemed to weave between trains of logic. It was beginning to seem like anything could be an act of the Gods below, if interpreted as such.


    Hiroko had even expressed such doubts to Zayza and Kotono before. She, the one who saved Hidakala, seemed to question its ways the most.


    Still, it didn¡¯t stop Zayza from hoping Chiwawo and Nahutala were right. And despite it all, even if there were no gods to thank, learning more about Hidakala kept guiding her to more and more of Hiroko¡¯s memories.


    Even if her intent was different from theirs, she had to keep searching.


    ¡°Can you see it now, Princess?¡± Chiwawo asked. ¡°The Sand Dragon?¡±


    She closed her eyes for a moment, but nothing changed. ¡°I can feel it moving in that repeated pattern¡­but it just appears as a blur in my head.¡±


    Then Zayza suddenly felt stares pressing against her. The trio was passing by a tent, where two men kneeled and tended to its slipping posts. But they paused, eyes squarely on her.


    Though Zayza detected no outward distaste in their weathered faces, she could see their quiet speculation. Clearly, they¡¯d heard Chiwawo¡¯s question and her uncertain response.


    ¡®An outsider is not fit for our ways.¡¯


    They didn¡¯t say it, but Zayza may as well have heard it nonetheless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You will see the dragon soon, Zayza, just like you learned to hear it so quickly,¡± said Nahutala.


    She spoke extra loud, even turning her head to make sure the two men heard. They averted their stares and returned to their work.


    Zayza smiled at Nahutala¡¯s wink.


    But still, this new pseudo-sense didn¡¯t seem to improve with further efforts. All Zayza could see in her mind was a blurred form, and even that was fading in and out with the Sand Dragon¡¯s wavering distance.


    It was only by reading the rumbles of its travels¡ªby ¡®hearing¡¯ through her feet¡ªthat Zayza could tell what Chiwawo was up to. They were following the dragon¡¯s course towards one of its three turning points.


    Soon the sand beneath them grew compact and damper under their steps. They cleared the last few tents before a view of the trickling waves awaited them unobstructed.


    Their first stop: Lake Hirokyauta.


    ¡°Searching at the ends of the dragon¡¯s path¡ªI was thinking the same,¡± Nahutala said to Chiwawo. They both paused to admire the water, like paying respects, before planting their feet deeper into the shore.


    Their exploration into the unseen began.


    Zayza tried pushing herself to follow their lead, only to watch them in utter skepticism.


    Are we truly supposed to find new meaning here, just because a Sand Dragon keeps turning around in this spot¡­?


    ¡°I can hear it¡­¡± Nahutala muttered, her concentration steadfast.


    Can you?


    Zayza couldn¡¯t hear a thing.


    ¡°Yes. A break in the ground pattern,¡± agreed Chiwawo.


    At this point, were they just convincing themselves? Were they forcing their own belief?


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± analyzed Nahutala. ¡°Chi¡­isn¡¯t this a¡­?¡±


    ¡°It is!¡±


    Chiwawo practically dove to the ground, his massive hands sending sand clumps everywhere. Zayza jumped from fright.


    ¡°I can get my shovel, you big fool!¡± judged Nahutala¡ªbut Chiwawo had already dug a sizeable crater. ¡°Thick-skulled warriors¡­just like my husband,¡± she dismissed to Zayza.


    Within only a few moments, Chiwawo stood. Proudly, he displayed his discovery: a triangular peach stone the size of his palm.


    ¡°A stone heart?¡± beheld Nahutala.


    ¡°A stone heart.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s eyes widened: there really was something there. Perhaps the nearby waves had clouded her senses from detecting it. After all, she was still learning.


    Right before she was about to ask of the object¡¯s importance, Chiwawo eagerly turned to her. He was sprightlier than she¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°A stone heart is one of the ways Hidakalans can bring ourselves before the Gods below,¡± he unveiled. ¡°By burying these, we can make ourselves vulnerable before them. We pour out the deepest parts of us¡ªexposing those parts outside our minds, and trusting them in the hands of the Gods. See, Princess?¡±


    He stepped close beside her, sand sprinkling from him onto Zayza¡¯s dress while he held the stone up for both of them to observe. Carvings were engrained into its smooth, claylike properties.


    At first, Zayza averted her eyes. ¡°Is it really okay for us to dig it up and look at it, then?¡± she worried.


    ¡°That is part of its purpose. If the Gods choose, they can reveal these stones to others,¡± Chiwawo assured.


    Again, a rule like that seems a tad convenient¡­Zayza couldn¡¯t help but think.


    ¡°Although¡­I am not skilled in writing or reading our ancient symbols,¡± Chiwawo admitted. ¡°Nahutala?¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡±


    Zayza took one quick glimpse at the stone heart before it was in Nahutala¡¯s care. Though her guess of the symbols¡¯ translation was much worse than Chiwawo¡¯s, somehow, the characteristics in the carving style appeared familiar.


    ¡°Is it an elder¡¯s?¡± assumed Chiwawo.


    But Nahutala¡¯s mouth dropped. She nearly lost hold of the stone heart.


    ¡°It is Hirokyauta¡¯s.¡±


    Zayza felt her heart leap.


    Beside her, Chiwawo¡¯s liveliness morphed into shock.


    ¡°She¡­she never bothered with ancient writings¡­¡± he remarked. ¡°She couldn¡¯t read them any better than me¡­¡±


    ¡°It appears, to make this, she learned.¡±


    Their eyes all found each other. The sprinkling raindrops against the lake replaced their speech for a moment.


    By their silence, Zayza could tell Chiwawo and Nahutala felt the same chill she did¡ªa chill she¡¯d felt many times now. This haunting, soothing sense of wonder befalling her was no different than whenever she found a memory triangle in the Dream World.


    No¡ªthis time, there was quite a difference: Zayza didn¡¯t have to experience it alone. She didn¡¯t have to keep it secret.


    Now, at last, somebody was here to relate.


    It seemed even in death, Hiroko was helping people connect.


    ¡°What¡­does it say¡­?¡± Zayza nearly whispered.


    Nahutala brought it close, running her finger over the lettering to better decipher it. Chiwawo waited unblinking like a statue beside her.


    Finally, Nahutala nodded. She swallowed to even her voice¡ªand perhaps to fight back tears.


    ¡°It reads: If I leave¡­please do not blame or forsake your people.¡±


    Zayza smiled, her own tears welling up. ¡°That would be her first concern¡­it seems she was the same back then, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. This is undoubtedly our Hirokyauta,¡± Nahutala confirmed, bringing the stone heart close to her chest.


    But to Zayza¡¯s surprise, Chiwawo¡¯s response lacked the withdrawn awe she¡¯d expected from him.


    He laughed.


    Chiwawo jogged over to the shoreline and kicked his foot into the water, watching it splatter and even back out. Lifting his arms, he beheld the lake once again.


    ¡°Your leaving didn¡¯t make the Gods below forsake us, sister!¡± he shouted into the waves. His echo carried all the way across the lake, as if he could see her on the other shore listening. ¡°It led them to bless us! You did it, Hirokyauta!¡±


    With watering eyes, Zayza¡¯s imagination filled in the gaps. She could picture it, too: Hiroko standing at the other end, smirking back at them with crossed arms.


    Finally, Zayza cried.


    But it didn¡¯t last long.


    Water crashed against her and Nahutala. Chiwawo had begun splashing them with Hiroko¡¯s lake, his laugh returning.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Nahutala chuckled, backing away to shield herself. ¡°What has come over you?¡±


    ¡°There must be two more at the other ends! The Gods below are offering us Hirokyauta¡¯s words. She is speaking to us one last time!¡± he bellowed, practically skipping back towards the way they came. ¡°You should keep that stone heart, Nahutala. Let¡¯s find the others!¡±


    Zayza suddenly found her hand enwrapped.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Chiwawo pulled her forward, easing up to allow her to gain her footing. His energy spread to her, and Zayza let out a laugh.


    This eagerness, this nearly silly vigor, was a side of Chiwawo she had yet to see emerge. It tugged at her heart, a more-than-welcome surprise.


    Perhaps this was the Chiwawo that Hiroko grew up with. Growing warm inside, Zayza kicked the sand with speeding steps.


    ¡°Right! Onward, then!¡± she cheered.


    Nahutala followed, embracing the stone heart with both hands, as they departed Lake Hirokyauta for their next digging site.


    Zayza¡¯s mind sparked with new life.


    So the Sand Dragon¡¯s trail really did lead us to Hiroko¡­


    Then¡­there really is something tangible happening here. It¡¯s not just in our heads...


    Chiwawo looked back to check on her. Nahutala matched his speed, their smiles wide and glistening. For once, mourning didn¡¯t cast the only shadow on them. They moved with a new purpose.


    It¡¯s not just a phenomenon of the Dream World, then, Zayza learned. Something is happening out here. A force¡­perhaps those ¡®Gods below¡­¡¯ are leading us to something in the real world, too. What awaits at the end¡­?


    And¡­what awaits within Hiroko¡¯s memories in the Dream World?


    Are they connected?


    ¡°Can you see it better now, Princess?¡± Chiwawo inquired.


    Zayza blinked. Though she¡¯d been practicing in their heat stone hikes, she¡¯d almost forgotten the habit of analyzing the sensations in her feet. The vibrations reached her again: the blurry underground figure was continuing its same unending route around the village.


    Trusting Chiwawo¡¯s hand to steer her way, Zayza closed her eyes.


    This time, the figure didn¡¯t remain a blur.


    It was gorgeous.


    Zayza gasped in spite of herself, making her newfound progress clear as day to her companions.


    In her mind¡¯s eye, surrounded by darkness, a glorious tan and brown being swam in motions that perfectly matched the vibrations she was sensing. Indeed, it resembled the anatomy of a dragon. But it was wingless, its mesmerizingly smooth swerves propelling it forward instead.


    Its head was also wide and triangular, lacking a standard dragon¡¯s long snout, and its big eyes peered to its sides. They were black and without pupils, making it impossible to understand which direction they were looking in.


    Despite such an extraordinary¡ªand utterly colossal¡ªcreature, Zayza melted at its cuteness.


    ¡°I¡­I love him,¡± Zayza cherished.


    Chiwawo laughed again. ¡°So you are beginning to see,¡± he noted. ¡°Then that means you are beginning to believe like us. Like a Hidakalan.¡±


    Zayza opened her eyes. Even as she witnessed the world before her¡ªthe tents, the playing children, and the women sorting baskets of ingredients to distribute amongst each other¡ªher mind could still perceive the Sand Dragon¡¯s magnificent frame.


    She was growing. Strengthening.


    In spite of herself, Zayza uttered a praise: the same Hidakalan expression Nahutala had said earlier.


    ¡°Hibon, bendon Hidakal.¡±


    She knew she probably said it wrong, but that evidently didn¡¯t matter: Chiwawo and Nahutala repeated it in soulful reply.


    Zayza had little doubt now. While the first stone heart revealed no secrets or hidden wisdom, the miracle of its discovery alone made it clear: she was on a journey after all.


    A journey towards meaning.


    And she wasn¡¯t on it alone.


    Now, the only mystery that remained was the meaning itself.


    There are two more destinations in the Sand Dragon¡¯s path, she reflected. Chiwawo¡¯s right: two more of Hiroko¡¯s stone hearts must be left, then.


    Hiroko¡­wait for us. We¡¯re coming to find your truth.


    We¡¯re coming to find our calling.

 148. My Blood

    Pang didn¡¯t bother to turn off the light, or even climb far enough onto the bed to let her head reach the pillow. Her feet dangled off the end of the mattress, lifeless and heavy like the rest of her body.


    It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d planned on going to sleep, anyway. All she knew was that she needed to get away from everything. She needed to block out everyone.


    Once she¡¯d seen Aoi in the laboratory¡ªor as she knew it to be now, the prison, she knew she¡¯d found her ticket out. That was that. She could hardly recall what followed, because it hardly mattered. Clearly Aoi had warped her here and she let herself sink onto the bed moments later, but it was a blur.


    Pang moved her face just enough to breathe easier against the pastel sheets. She wished she could just sleep. She wished her mind would turn off and somehow forget today.


    I never realized I was this stupid.


    I knew he was a creep. I knew the whole time.


    And I went, anyway.


    Pang gripped the sheets and watched them wrinkle.


    Why did I care that Gage thinks I¡¯m special? Why should I care if anyone does? So did Phillip, and look at him now.


    I¡¯m not special. I¡¯m just useful.


    That¡¯s why Daddy left me on Artifex. That¡¯s why Phillip didn¡¯t come for me.


    I¡¯m useful, until I¡¯m not. That¡¯s all.


    At least she didn¡¯t have to deal with witnessing the moment Gage found that out, too. There was no way she was interacting with him again. She didn¡¯t want to see his face.


    But in a way, that wasn¡¯t the only twisted benefit in all of this: had she never gone to the lab, she may have never learned the truth: the depraved reason she was here.


    433 girls. Locked up for no reason.


    Gage decided I¡¯m the one he wants. They have no purpose anymore.


    She remembered sensing several of their unique powers and type combinations, and even seeing some on display within those cells. They all had potential out in the Multiverse, and now it was totally squandered¡­for what?


    Red rage swelled in her.


    I¡¯m not worth all that, she thought. I¡¯m not special. Just useful. So I¡¯ll make myself useful:


    I¡¯ll get those girls out of there. When I leave, they¡¯re coming with me.


    No sense of justice or righteousness occupied her emotions. Pang felt pity, but she hardly felt the pull to do the right thing. There was another dominating reason.


    I¡¯ll make you pay for all of them, Gage. Just to spite you.


    Just because you piss me off.


    A knock came from the electronic door. Recognizing that same rhythm, Pang realized it hadn¡¯t been the first attempt. She recalled hearing Irma¡¯s muffled voice a while ago, but she must have blocked it out.


    Pang squirmed.


    This time, the door slid open. Footsteps tiptoed in.


    ¡°Hey roomie¡­¡± Irma practically whispered. ¡°Um¡­I left my flip-flops in here. I¡¯m just grabbing them¡­¡±


    Pang tried not to give any sign of her own discomfort, opting simply not to move as if she¡¯d fallen asleep. After all, Irma had just knocked to enter her own bedroom¡ªin her fit of misery, Pang had essentially taken it hostage.


    Now with the slap of flip-flops striking her heels, Irma¡¯s steps worked their way back towards the door.


    But they slowed, and then stopped.


    ¡°You know¡­if Benton told me what was going on, I would¡¯ve gone there with him too,¡± she said. ¡°And I don¡¯t care how strong he is¡ªI would¡¯ve kicked Gage right in the nuts for you.¡±


    So Benton already filled her in, Pang learned.


    Irma¡¯s fiery words were soft to her ears. For a moment, Pang felt light.


    ¡°Heh¡­thanks.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t surprised a lack of knowledge was the reason Irma hadn¡¯t gone to the lab. Benton probably hid his plan from her to keep her away from harm. But Aoi was his only way inside, and he knew she could hold her own if he asked her to.


    Still, the thought that a fighter like Irma could ever be in grave danger rattled Pang¡¯s head. Rank-S¡¯s power was truly baffling.


    But even more baffling than that¡ªby far¡ªwas the thought that all three of her teammates would put themselves in such danger, just for her.


    ¡°You can have my bed as long as you need, alright?¡± came Irma¡¯s blessing, now back in the doorway. ¡°There¡¯s gonna be dessert soon, if you¡¯re feeling up to it.¡±


    She held off this late to start dessert? Pang thought. She waited up for me?


    The door slid closed, and Pang was alone.


    But in a moment, she could hear Irma again through the wall.


    ¡°Oh! Wait Aoi, it goes in the blender first, remember? No¡ªnot like that¡­Uh, don¡¯t worry! Here, let me show you¡­¡±


    Pang¡¯s ear perked.


    Aoi? She¡¯s still here?


    Despite everything, the very thought of Aoi trying to bake forced a brief chuckle out of her. While she didn¡¯t know what they were making, the act alone was sweet. She couldn¡¯t ignore the fuzzy feeling in her heart.


    And yet¡­


    I still can¡¯t move.


    Though it still stung, and though she still loathed herself for it, she¡¯d accepted the reality of tonight¡¯s events. She¡¯d resolved to exact her revenge on Gage. She¡¯d received the warmth of her teammates¡¯ empathy.


    So, why?


    Why do I still feel so heavy?


    Another knock.


    Pang wondered what Irma had forgotten to grab this time. But it turned out her wonder was misplaced.


    ¡°Kiddo?¡±


    Her whole body tensed.


    Oh. That guy.


    ¡°Pang, it¡¯s me: Benton,¡± he tried again, as if his clarification made any difference. ¡°You uh¡­you wanna talk about it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Silence.


    Pang sighed. She¡¯d spent all this time pretending this man wasn¡¯t the source of her still-spiraling thoughts, and now here he was to squash that fabrication with his big, stupid feet.


    At least he proved easy to turn down.


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    Once again, Pang had guessed wrong.


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Pang¡­¡±


    The door slid open. Pang could feel his massive steps¡ªthough gentle as he meant them to be¡ªshake the mattress. He let out a careful sigh through his nose.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    And with those sounds, Pang¡¯s racing heart returned.


    The feelings resurfaced again¡ªthe ones that sent her running from Benton in the lab.


    The ones she¡¯d been desperately avoiding since then.


    She felt so small again. So¡­starry-eyed.


    It was alien.


    That could only mean it was bad.


    Suddenly, the mattress was on an incline. As if caught in a pillowy landslide, Pang began sinking towards the corner of the bed where Benton had apparently just sat down.


    Pang wordlessly gripped the sheets to stop her plunge, too annoyed to bother expressing it out loud.


    Then, silence.


    Benton eventually opened his mouth, and Pang braced her ears.


    Here it comes.


    She knew exactly what to expect. It was time to hear how dumb she¡¯d been for going to Gage alone without telling them. Now Benton could remind her how he¡¯d warned her, how she didn¡¯t listen, and how he was right all along.


    She agreed with all of that already. She doubted she could hate herself any more than she already did right now, so what was the point of this?


    Just spit it out already and let me move on.


    ¡°Listen, Pang¡­I¡¯m real sorry,¡± Benton said instead.


    Wait¡­what?


    ¡°The way I was talkin¡¯ and actin¡¯ with you back there must¡¯ve made you real uncomfortable, huh?¡±


    The bedroom fell silent again. Pang didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°¡­Uh¡­sorta,¡± her muffled voice finally managed.


    ¡°Based on your file, I¡¯m guessin¡¯ nobody¡¯s ever treated you like that before,¡± Benton uttered. ¡°You looked awful spooked. So I''m sorry.¡±


    Warily, Pang tilted her head and peaked from behind her bangs. Benton wasn¡¯t looking at her though, his eyes staring forward into the empty air.


    ¡°I don''t mean nothin¡¯ by it, but¡­that''s just how I see y''all. Guess I can''t help it.¡±


    Somehow with every word he said, Pang''s understanding of this interaction decreased.


    ¡°I¡­I don''t really get what you''re talking about.¡±


    In spite of her cold reply, Benton let out a quick laugh. He shifted his weight, and the bed''s tilt lessened.


    ¡°I''ll never forget the feeling I had when my first girl came into my world. Nothin¡¯ else mattered. My life was for her now,¡± Benton opened up.


    Wait, since when were we talking about that¡­? wondered Pang.


    She was no stranger to his unprompted probes for pity about his circumstances. Normally, she would roll her eyes.


    But this felt¡­different.


    ¡°I had no clue I could feel like that. Couldn''t imagine anything comin¡¯ close to my love for that little bulb a¡¯ light,¡± continued Benton. ¡°And then¡­my second was born. And I felt it all over again. Then my third. Same thing.¡±


    Benton leaned back, a reminiscent light in his eyes.


    ¡°Funny how that works: you think you can''t make any more room in your heart. It''s too full. But then each time, your life changes all over again. Like it''s the first time ever. Your heart just¡­grows. You know?¡±


    ¡°...No, not really.¡±


    How was she supposed to know?


    Benton shrugged, his smile lines deepening as if to hint that she might get it someday.


    ¡°The oldest is sharp as a switchblade¨Cbut in a subtle sorta way. Picks up anything quick,¡± Benton uttered. ¡°The middle girl is real quiet. A little clumsy, but she''s got a big heart. And the youngest, well¡­¡±


    At last, Benton''s eyes fell on her, a twinkle in both. Pang couldn''t tell if he wanted to laugh or shed tears.


    ¡°She''s a little ball a¡¯ TNT. And it ain''t her fault, but she don''t get how to love herself yet,¡± he finished. ¡°That''s why I had to go to the lab.¡±


    Pang''s eyebrows furrowed behind her hair.


    We''re back on the lab? He changed the subject again?


    ¡°Wait¡­I thought you were talking about your daughters,¡± Pang tried to course-correct.


    ¡°That''s right,¡± Benton confirmed. ¡°I am.¡±


    Suddenly, Pang couldn''t feel her body.


    ¡°Like I said, Pang,¡± Benton said, ¡°I can''t help how I see you three girls. Guess it¡¯s just in my blood.¡±


    He paused when a high-five rang out from across the apartment.


    ¡°We did it, Aoi!! Good job! Wait¨CAH CRAP!!¡±


    Something clanged against the kitchen floor.


    Benton chuckled.


    ¡°Pang, listen¡­I''ve got no right to talk about what your old man did wrong,¡± he said. ¡°But since I''ve caused the same pain before, I''ll say this: Daddys ain''t supposed to be the ones who make your mess. They''re supposed to be the ones who bail you out of ¡®em.¡±


    Irma''s sigh reached them from the kitchen, followed by an expectant laugh.


    ¡°Well¡­don''t worry, Aoi. If it stains the floor, Benton knows how to fix it! He''ll just give us THAT look first.¡±


    Pang''s grip on the sheets trembled and wavered.


    ¡°All I can give my girls¨Cmy biological ones¨Cis Proscious money. All ¡®cuz I blew it with one freak punch that took a guy''s life. So by the time they grow up, I hope they¡¯ll move on,¡± admitted Benton. ¡°You gotta do the same, Pang. Let go of the people who can''t¨Cor won''t¨Ccome back for you. ¡®Cuz you''ll see that this time, I ain''t goin¡¯ anywhere.¡±


    He tensed.


    ¡°I promised myself that. For Irma. For Aoi. And for you, kiddo,¡± Benton swore. ¡°Y¡¯all are my second chance to get it right. So maybe¡­I can be yours, too.¡±


    Suddenly, a memory flashed in Pang¡¯s head again: the rescue craft flying away, her father safely inside.


    Her outreached hand.


    ¡°Daddy!! Come back!! Please don¡¯t leave me!!¡±


    The frantic arms of others blocked the ship from view, until its engine sounds were gone.


    But this time, there was more.


    She remembered the rest¡ªthe part she must have blotted out:


    The moment when finally, her hand fell.


    The moment she knew.


    When the crowd around her had turned violent once more, crammed atop the sinking ship''s final floor, her hand curled into a fist.


    I chose to keep going. Not for Daddy¨Cfor me.


    I hoped I could start over again.


    ¡°If that makes you uncomfortable, Pang, I''ll try to stay outta your hair. I can be subtle,¡± Benton assured.


    His words blinked her back to the present. Pang almost chuckled to herself.


    You can? Since when?


    ¡°But this is just how I''m wired,¡± he continued, as if to ward off her ongoing silence. ¡°So, I mean¡­so¨C¡±


    ¡°It''s fine.¡±


    At last, Pang could feel the warmth of her own body again. Decidedly, she sat up beside him.


    ¡°If¡­if you want to be that¡­for me,¡± she mumbled, folding her knees to her chin, ¡°...then I guess that''s okay¡­¡±


    Though Benton said nothing, she could feel the sheer joy emerging from him.


    ¡°Hey¡­how did you know where to find me?¡± asked Pang quietly.


    ¡°Intuition,¡± said Benton with a finger on his head. ¡°Nah¡­I think Aoi planted some thoughts in my noggin on our way home. You¡¯ve really helped her branch out, you know.¡±


    She heard my mind again, Pang resolved. She got worried.


    ¡°Well¡­thanks, old man.¡±


    But just when she thought she could finally breathe, Benton''s reply froze her again.


    ¡°Pang¡­¡± he started. ¡°We''re bein¡¯ watched.¡±


    Pang blinked.


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    She followed his eyes to the doorway, and it immediately quelled her alarm.


    A pair of multicolored eyes, and another pair hidden behind blue-green bangs, peered in from the side of the door like a couple of cartoon spies.


    ¡°Aoi¡­he''s giving her that ¡®I¡¯ll be your Dad now¡¯ spiel,¡± Irma whispered.


    Aoi nodded.


    Then, Irma''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Uh-oh¡­Are they looking at us? Can they see us?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Pang barked.


    With a start, Irma and Aoi slipped and tumbled onto each other in the doorway.


    Irma stood and propped Aoi up beside her.


    ¡°Well if you''re done already, it''s time for dessert!¡±


    Benton''s gaze narrowed. ¡°Irma¡­what in the blazes happened to Aoi?¡±


    ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡±


    Aoi looked between them all unbothered, her cloak covered in powder and splatters of icing.


    Irma caved with a groan. ¡°I''ll find her another cloak¡­you guys left one here ages ago. Now get off my bed, already!¡±


    While she walked away, Benton turned back to Pang and shot a wink.


    ¡°Come on, kid. Let''s eat.¡±


    ~


    ¡°I did it again!¡± Irma beamed, hands on her hips before the dining room table. ¡°Aoi like, helped a ton too! Bon appetit!¡±


    Sitting amongst her other teammates, Pang beheld their creation: triple chocolate cake with peppermint Ganache.


    Pang''s heart fluttered: this morning, Irma had mentioned making something else entirely for tonight. The last-second switch-up to chocolate wasn''t lost on her.


    This was the only dessert Pang had added to their wishlist on the fridge.


    Irma rushed to serve plates so she could make her own, her cut sizes a bit too generous.


    ¡°All in favor of playing hookie tomorrow and hitting the courts?¡± she inquired.


    Everybody''s hand shot up.


    ¡°Thought so. There''s also this movie I wanna¨C¡±


    The doorbell sang throughout the apartment.


    Everybody''s eyes shot to each other. Nobody took another bite.


    ¡°This¡­late?¡± came Irma¡¯s fragile observation.


    Turning pale, she worked her way towards the door. But more strength poured into her with each step.


    ¡°Irma, careful,¡± Benton stressed, bursting from his seat.


    ¡°I know. And my legs are low on battery,¡± she warned.


    ¡°Go hide in your room,¡± Benton stressed, ¡°Pang, you too.¡±


    But just as Irma didn¡¯t waver, Pang didn¡¯t budge.


    I''m not scared of him. This time, Gage is getting a piece of my mind.


    ¡°Girls¡­¡±


    Irma ignored him, her march reaching the apartment door. She inflated with air.


    ¡°I don''t give a crap how strong you are!¡± she boomed, pressing the button. ¡°Right here, right now, I''m gonna kick your a¨C¡±


    ¡°Hey guys~!¡±


    ¡°AH!¡±


    Irma jolted backwards.


    Their uninvited guest was likely even more powerful than the one they''d expected. Yet, she was certainly a relief in comparison.


    Pyper stood waving at them all, her smile wrinkling her nose against her wooden glasses.


    ¡°I came to talk business,¡± she said as if the concept was akin to a birthday present. ¡°Is it a good time?¡±


    Irma tried with all her might not to frown in front of her superior, but the effort itself made it more obvious.


    ¡°Well¡­it''s kinda late¡­¡± she mumbled, ¡°and, like, we just got through a rough night¨C¡±


    ¡°What is that amazing smell?¡± Pyper gasped. ¡°Did you bake a cake, Irma? I''ve heard so many good things about your desserts!¡±


    Faster than she''d recoiled with surprise a moment ago, Irma made way for Pyper to enter.


    ¡°Well, what can I say¡­?¡± she basked, fanning herself with her serving spatula. ¡°Try it yourself and praise me more!¡±


    Pang sighed. She''s way too easy¡­


    Pyper joined them with soft, polite steps and took the open chair beside Aoi. The cloaked woman''s focus remained locked on her. Irma hummed as she served her a gorgeous slice.


    ¡°Alrighty! Let''s get this out of the way first:¡± commenced Pyper, ¡°You finished Gage''s curriculum! Congrats!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± came the team''s chorus.


    ¡°Today was the last day¡­?¡± doubted Irma.


    ¡°Nah. He''s sick of us,¡± assumed Benton. ¡°Good. He better be.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± said Pyper, ¡°A little birdie filled me in. So few minutes ago, I gave him two options: end his curriculum now, or fight me one-on-one! I guess it was a no-brainer.¡±


    Her ensuing giggle didn''t at all match the magnitude of her words.


    ¡°You won''t be interacting with him much anymore,¡± she explained.


    Her oddly casual words were met with sheer silence. Once again, nobody could manage a bite of their cake.


    Alright¡­thought Pang, a devious grin forming. Maybe I like this dorky chick.


    ¡°Okie-dokie! Next thing on the agenda,¡± Pyper already resumed. ¡°Your next and final curriculum is with me! And it starts right now!¡±


    Wait, what?! Right now??


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, we''re leaving the base. I''m taking you all on your first mission with Pang! Fun, right?¡±


    The team exchanged slow glances.


    ¡°Mmm! Irma, this tastes incredible~!¡±


    They all watched Pyper dig in, totally oblivious to their frozen state, as they tried to process what she''d just said.


    It dawned on Pang all at once.


    We''re leaving the base, she realized. Tomorrow¡­we''re leaving the base.

 149. Lightning

    ¡°Morniiing~!¡±


    Pang and Irma groaned in unison as they entered the still air outside their apartment building. Pyper already stood waiting for them, steaming teacup in hand, with Benton and Aoi behind her.


    ¡°Look who''s finally up,¡± Benton joked. ¡°Y''all are mighty late. We were gettin¡¯ worried.¡±


    Pyper pretended to sulk. ¡°I guess they didn''t want to do breakfast with us¡­¡±


    Pang almost forgot Pyper had invited them last night. But there was no chance it would''ve worked out.


    ¡°We were up so late,¡± moaned Irma. She turned a bit blue as her stomach moaned even louder. ¡°And I think I ate too much cake¡­¡±


    Given her current state, Pang was impressed Irma was even able to spruce up for the day like this. She looked fresher and brighter than usual, clearly prepped for a long mission.


    But it hadn''t come without Pang''s emergency help:


    ¡°Plus,¡± Pang accused, ¡°your girl almost forgot to charge her legs last night. We had to slap those things on last-second.¡±


    ¡°They''re not ¡®those things!¡¯ They''re Roberta and Beatrice!¡±


    ¡°You NAMED them?!¡±


    They hesitated when they realized Pyper had begun leading the group away already. Pang and Irma rushed to follow.


    There wasn''t a shred of annoyance or urgency in Pyper''s walk, but somehow, Pang could sense how much she and Irma must have held everyone up.


    ¡°Hey uh, Pyper, ma''am,¡± detected Benton, ¡°no disrespect to your position, but ain''t it faster to cut through downtown?¡±


    ¡°You''re right, Benton,¡± she affirmed. ¡°But¡­I wanted to show you guys something.¡±


    After a few minutes of walking, Pang''s suspicion grew. Then, she became certain: she knew where they were headed.


    A chorus of chattering voices began filling the air past the buildings.


    ¡°What''s all the commotion? They throwin¡¯ some sorta concert?¡±


    Benton found his answer within moments. They reached the long walkway by the field and recreational area.


    People were everywhere.


    Specifically, young women and girls.


    Some walked or sat together in the field, others jogged around them on the outskirts, while some filled the tennis courts and various sports courts to the side. The base had never seemed so lively.


    ¡°Whoa¡­what the¡­?¡± Irma remarked while they passed by the courts. She analyzed a girl''s swinging form, perhaps subconsciously.


    A Proscious official or two accompanied each group, dressed similarly to the workers Pang had escaped from when she first awoke. But they all merely monitored the crowd like lifeguards.


    ¡°Hey wait¡­these girls are from Gage''s lab!¡± Benton gathered. His face softened, respect emanating as he turned his eyes to Pyper. ¡°Ma''am¡­that sure was sweet of you.¡±


    ¡°What was?¡± wondered Pyper, her head cocking to the side. ¡°I didn''t do anything¡­¡±


    She turned and gazed at Pang, and as a result, so did the rest of the team.


    ¡°Pang¡­?¡± learned Irma.


    ¡°You pulled this off?¡± asked Benton.


    Aoi applauded subtly, her claps dull behind her sleeves.


    Shrugging, Pang let her smirk break through.


    Cat''s already out of the bag, she figured.


    ¡°Gage kept saying he''d do anything to make me happy,¡± she explained. ¡°So last night, I just messaged him with a threat: treat all these girls like royalty from now on, or I''ll never be happy again.¡±


    Down in the center of the field stood a sorry figure, too busy with his mundane new mission to notice the team walking by.


    Gage watched the girls¡¯ field day continue on just like one of the lowly guards. He lugged a bucket of water bottles over to one of the groups.


    ¡°Joke''s on him. It doesn''t change anything between us,¡± Pang added.


    She couldn''t help but crack a smile when Irma gave her a vigorous high-five, pride in her nod like Pang had just scored an ace to win the match.


    ¡°Don''t mess with Pang, that''s for sure!¡± cheered Benton.


    Pyper said nothing more, simply allowing the moment to happen as she continued guiding them along.


    But in a way, her calm admiration of this victory seemed a bit fragile¨Clike she was observing it through more lenses than her physical ones.


    Perhaps she couldn''t help but see it without its true context: after all, these young women were still trapped within this base in the center of a void. A bit of controlled freedom was only a droplet of mercy within their tainted reality.


    And that fact held just as true for everyone on Pang''s team. So maybe, as Pang was beginning to suspect, Pyper''s situation was no different.


    Maybe Pyper was contemplating the same thing on Pang''s mind:


    The irony between what they were celebrating, and what they were about to do.


    ~


    ¡°So Zat, which facility do we build these ships in, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Ha. This again, Ms. Pyper?¡±


    Pang fixed her gaze on the ship in question. Or rather¨Cit demanded her attention, since it had just sprung from under the ground before them.


    The group stood at an edge of the base Pang hadn''t yet visited, beyond the training facilities. It seemed uneventful until this moment, with nothing between them and the empty white sky but a single man in a gray uniform.


    But now, the ship dominated their view. It was chrome and angular, like an oversized arrowhead. Its sleek form was undoubtedly a Science Fiction Country design, or at least an homage to it.


    The hum it emanated was song-like as it levitated just above the floor in wait.


    The man smirked at Pyper before inspecting the vessel.


    ¡°Even if I had the clearance to know the answer to your question, you know I wouldn''t be allowed to tell you,¡± Zat reminded her. ¡°You ask me every time.¡±


    ¡°I do?¡± Pyper pressed a fist against her head playfully. ¡°Sorry, my memory''s not very good.¡±


    Zat laughed. ¡°Somehow, I have a hard time believing that.¡±


    His inspection complete, he exchanged pleasantries with the others and introduced himself to Pang.


    ¡°Bit of a new lineup today, huh?¡± he noticed. ¡°With a group like this, your mission must be a big deal.¡±


    ¡°It''s a training exercise,¡± Pyper shrugged off. ¡°Specifically, we''re headed to Fiction Country.¡±


    The information seemed to splash Zat in the face. He recoiled like he was allergic. ¡°Wait¨CMs. Pyper, I''m not supposed to¨C¡±


    ¡°See? I''m willing to share confidential information with a friend,¡± she teased.


    She patted his shoulder innocently while she walked past him to approach the ship. The wall of its belly opened up as if made of liquid, revealing a cozy white fuselage within.


    ¡°Follow me, ducklings!¡± Pyper sang back.


    ¡®Ducklings?¡¯ She''s already enjoying this too much¡­thought Pang.


    But that wasn''t what caught her ears the most.


    Fiction Country, huh?


    That detail was as new to her as it was to this Proscious worker. Pyper hadn''t revealed much about their mission yet, leaving only speculation to fill in the gaps.


    But Pang certainly hadn''t seen this aspect coming.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Are they sure that''s a good idea?


    Fiction Country was vast and housed a slew of realities, but one of them was her home. The odds were slim, but if they headed to the next reality outside Artifex, or even if they ended up in the Mainland after that, Pang might recognize exactly where they were.


    And that meant she''d know what way to go to make a break for it.


    The team passed by Zat, who struggled to regain his composure. He checked a floating screen above his watch.


    ¡°Well¡­they loaded your route into the ship, so you''re good to go,¡± he said. ¡°And I guess I''ll pretend I didn''t hear where that route is taking you¡­¡±


    ¡°Good idea!¡±


    Pyper''s voice was dulled a bit now that she''d hopped into the ship and claimed her seat.


    ¡°You guys must be itching to get out again,¡± she said while they filed in.


    But when Pang stepped inside, the metal clinking under her shoes, she found Pyper''s attention squarely on her. The reflections briefly cast a glare over her glasses, masking her eyes, but Pang could still feel her pressing focus.


    ¡°Especially you, Pang,¡± Pyper added.


    She tacked it on so nonchalantly, so candidly, Pang found herself shrugging in agreement.


    But like thunder comes after the lightning, it didn''t hit her until she took her seat:


    Something was looming under those words.


    What¡­did she mean?


    Pyper had returned to sipping her tea, eyes closed to take in the sensation. She didn''t spill a drop even when the ship stirred to life and commenced its silent flight.


    Nah, I''m just overthinking it.


    ¡­Aren''t I?


    ~


    The ship''s mechanisms were impressively soundless. And yet, Pang wished some sort of noise could fill the room. She wasn''t one to hate silence¨Cbut something about this particular silence was unbearable.


    Beside her, Irma scrolled mindlessly through her SquadScreen. Even Benton had nothing to say, crouched in the front corner. This was nothing like their daily gatherings in the cafeteria.


    The air was stiff.


    ¡°It''s a retrieval mission,¡± came Pyper''s voice at last.


    She must have been aware of how suddenly she was breaking the silence, because her words eased in gently.


    Or perhaps, it was the subject of her words that steered her careful delivery.


    ¡°I''m sure that''s no surprise to all of you,¡± she added. ¡°They want us back by tonight. A basic retrieve-and-leave.¡±


    She let her sleeve fall back and uncover her SquadScreen watch. By that motion, Irma and Benton finally stirred: the briefing had begun.


    But their shared demeanor didn''t change. Their eyes were cloudy.


    Pyper tapped her screen, and a hologram of a face rose from it.


    ¡°Deanna Artem. A middle-aged Imaginer. She lives off-grid in the northwestern wilderness.¡±


    The image had clearly been taken without Deanna¡¯s permission. The woman''s mouth was in an open frown and her rounded eyebrows furrowed, in the middle of shooing whoever was documenting her.


    Just like her long, swirling hair, her eyes were like coal. And though they were filled with a fire Pang found familiar, she could see right through them:


    This woman was scared.


    ¡°A traveling recruiter happened upon her village and scouted her,¡± Pyper continued. ¡°Obviously, she refused. So we''re on.¡±


    Pang studied the image. ¡°What makes this lady so special?¡±


    She was surprised her teammates hadn''t inquired yet. They simply sat and listened.


    Maybe it didn''t matter.


    Or maybe, knowing less was easier.


    ¡°As usual, it''s her powers,¡± said Pyper. ¡°The report says she can somehow heal from all kinds of poisons and injuries¡­in real time. And as an Imaginer, she can replicate the process her body used to recover, and turn that into potions and cures for other people.¡±


    Pang''s eyebrows rose. Consciousness healing tech already existed, but it wasn''t instantaneous or fit for diseases. It was no question how pivotal a power like that would be in anyone''s hands¨Cbut especially in Proscious''s.


    She found herself glancing at Aoi.


    Her bones chilled.


    Alright¡­this is getting to be overkill, her thoughts staggered. I mean, come on¡­these people are overpowered enough, aren''t they¡­?


    ¡°Proscious hopes to reproduce this healing ability in compatible fighters,¡± continued Pyper. ¡°But most importantly¨Cbased on the studies I''ve checked out¨Cwe haven''t crossed paths with this type of anomaly ¡®till now. So it might be a puzzle piece for Aoi.¡±


    At this point, Pang wasn''t surprised. Aoi could already read minds, disintegrate things instantly, and teleport. Why not throw in some casual invincibility?


    And with Proscious aiming to give her traces of every consciousness type, this seemed to check several boxes at once.


    ¡°Ugh¡­you actually read those essays?¡± sighed Irma, the very thought of it rendering her exhausted.


    ¡°Just for fun. I can''t cook, but I can read fast!¡± tittered Pyper. ¡°And that''s how I learned my favorite part about this mission.¡±


    We''re about to kidnap someone, and she has a ¡®favorite part¡­¡¯ judged Pang. Yep: turns out all three S-Rankers are deranged.


    ¡°If Proscious rewrites the Multiverse,¡± Pyper said, ¡°the plan is to use these powers to make custom cures for all realities. Neat, huh?¡±


    Phillip''s illness immediately came to mind, despite Pang''s urge to block him out. He wouldn''t have to spend his earnings on his rare treatment anymore if this actually succeeded.


    ¡­But why should she care anymore?


    ¡°Doesn''t sound super ¡®evil organization¡¯ if you ask me,¡± she pointed out.


    Pyper''s smile curled slower this time. It disappeared behind her mug as she took a final sip.


    ¡°Maybe ¡®good¡¯ and ¡®evil¡¯ are just the two different sides of change,¡± she uttered. ¡°We don''t always get to pick the side we end up on.¡±


    While it probably wasn''t meant to, her phrase shut Pang back up.


    Between her own life and those of her teammates, Pyper had quite a point.


    But Pyper seemed far from proud of her own wisdom, already moving on.


    ¡°This should be a straightforward one,¡± she said. ¡°They originally had this job lined up for a Rank-C team, but I requested it for us. It''ll be a great way to practice a real-world scenario with this lineup¨Cand show Pang what we do.¡±


    ¡°I think I got the gist when these guys kidnapped me,¡± shrugged Pang, ¡°but sure.¡±


    Her weight shifted as the ship slowed in the air.


    ¡°Prepare for ejection.¡±


    A steady, lingering sigh escaped Benton. Irma uncrossed her arms.


    The cloudiness remained in their eyes.


    Finally parting ways with her mug, Pyper stood.


    ¡°True¡­but there''s a difference between seeing the predators,¡± she uttered casually, ¡°and knowing how it feels to be one.¡±


    Pyper offered her hand.


    ¡°Ready to find out?¡±


    Though she was reluctant at first, Pang was glad she chose to accept Pyper''s gesture.


    As it turned out, her hand wasn''t there to help Pang stand from her seat.


    It was there to brace her.


    The ship''s floor vanished beneath her still-steadying balance. Or rather¨Cthe entire ship vanished. Instantly, they were free falling through the empty white air.


    Pang''s grip squeezed Pyper''s in spite of herself. The fact that Pyper''s hand remained gentle was her only reassurance that all of this was supposed to be happening.


    Her next hint came quick, as an unseen force snatched the group from their descent and tugged them forward.


    Then, for a change, she experienced something familiar: infinite flowing lights.


    Worldline lights.


    They took over her vision for a moment, their familiarity quelling her evasive instinct even before her feet found the ground again.


    Wait¡­there''s ground?


    The swirling colors faded. Pang found herself standing upright, Pyper''s hand steadying her balance.


    Wherever they were, it was too dark to see anything. The still air of the Proscious base was replaced with a chill and a hushed breeze.


    An¡­uneasy breeze.


    Reorientated, Pang released her hand.


    ¡°Alright, so nobody was gonna warn me that was gonna happen?!¡± she barked.


    Her voice echoed in all directions, like this place had been parched for sound until she spoke.


    ¡°Oh. I guess I''ve gotten too used to it,¡± reasoned Irma beside her, mostly concealed within the dark.


    ¡°Same. Sorry, kiddo.¡±


    ¡°Aoi, this is the nearest landmark to where we''re going,¡± Pyper said. Her SquadScreen lit up with a picture, illuminating everyone enough for Pang to find them all huddled in a circle with her. ¡°You''ve been there before, right? Can you take us there?¡±


    Aoi nodded.


    Pang watched everybody touch Aoi''s outstretched sleeve, so she did the same.


    At least this time, she knew what to expect.


    In a blink, daylight found them all. Pang felt grass underneath her, along with a breeze she knew much better than the previous.


    This was the Fiction Country Mainland.


    They stood atop one of many round, soaring hilltops under an overcast sky. Any foreign consciousness could mistake them for the hills just south of the Fiction Country Conscious Conference, but since there was no accompanying woodland in sight, Pang knew better. This was indeed the northwestern Fiction Country Mainland.


    What felt like an eternity ago, the rescue ship had carried her¨CArtifex''s final survivor¨Cabove this terrain and towards the first solid ground she''d ever felt.


    She stared at the sky as if she might catch a glimpse of that ship again.


    Back then, she''d escaped to a better life.


    ¡°Alright. I so don''t want this to take forever,¡± Irma proclaimed. ¡°I need my legs charged for cooking tonight. Mashing guac in my chair is a hassle.¡±


    ¡°Welp, I don''t wanna see you draggin¡¯ your feet then, missy!¡± Benton teased. ¡°Let''s scoop ¡®er up and head on home.¡±


    Pang''s head rattled from her daze. She watched her teammates.


    All of the sudden, their usual liveliness was back. The clouds had cleared from their eyes.


    No¡­not entirely.


    ¡°I sure hope she won''t put up a fight,¡± Benton added.


    ¡°For real.¡±


    Pang had spent enough days and nights with them now. She knew their stories.


    Their hearts.


    She could read right through this.


    We''re about to do what was done to us, Pang thought. We''re about to ruin someone''s life.


    Here I am reminiscing on my escape¡­and I''m about to trap someone else.


    I never really escaped anything, did I?


    She''d only seen the image once, but the woman''s eyes were already burned into her memory.


    This is stupid. I don''t wanna do this crap.


    Pang watched Irma and Benton laugh after asking Aoi a silly question.


    A plastic laugh.


    They don¡¯t wanna do this, either.


    ¡°Notice something?¡±


    Pang''s heart skipped. She snapped back to find Pyper had been studying her.


    About what¡­?


    Oh. I was staring at the sky a second ago. That''s probably all she meant.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Pang uttered decidedly.


    Pyper shrugged. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Casually, she turned to lead the way. But as she did, it happened again:


    The thunder after the lightning.


    Pyper had spoken in that same exact tone as before¡­.like there was further intent hiding underneath her words.


    Like she wanted Pang to find that intent.


    ¡°Actually¨CI did notice something,¡± Pang corrected. ¡°I noticed a huge something.¡±


    Everyone paused at the sharpness of her words. They all turned back to her.


    Pyper smirked.


    ¡°Let''s get real: none of us actually wanna go through with this rodeo, do we?¡± Pang challenged.


    ¡°Uh, did you just say ¡®rodeo?¡¯¡± snickered Irma. ¡°You''ve been spending too much time around Benton¨C¡±


    ¡°I''m being serious!¡± shot Pang. ¡°Think about it: right now, we have the two strongest Proscious members together. And the rest of us are pretty friggin¡¯ strong.¡±


    This time, nobody offered a witty remark. The plastic smiles left Benton and Irma''s faces. Their masks were off again.


    And underneath, was desire.


    ¡°So¡­what if we don''t go kidnap this lady?¡± Pang pitched, a fire building within. ¡°What if we just¡­never go back?¡±


    Irma and Benton didn''t blink. But though Pang''s words seemed to freeze them, Pyper''s smile spread big enough to push on her glasses.


    Her response was immediate. ¡°Alrighty! Well, we''re supposed to go that way. So if we go this way instead¡­¡±


    She began marching off, heading down the start of the hill.


    ¡°...We''ll eventually be off-course!¡±


    Jitters coursed through Pang''s whole body.


    It was happening.


    Come to think of it, she would still have to find some way to liberate all of those girls back on the base. This opportunity came so swiftly, she''d nearly forgotten.


    Baby steps, Pang decided. Escape now, get sweet revenge later. These guys know how to find that place again.


    But still, Irma and Benton stayed put. They were more like statues than even Aoi.


    ¡°Hey girl¡­¡± cautioned Irma. ¡°Uh, you probably shouldn''t¡­¡±


    ¡°Ms. Boss¨Cyou should really turn around!¡± agreed Benton.


    Pang nearly called out their sudden spinelessness, about to step after Pyper herself.


    Then, she learned why that would''ve been her worst idea yet.


    The sound was like metal slicing metal. Pang pounced¨Cit had spawned out of nowhere, scraping her eardrums.


    But the strike was invisible. Its only evidence was by how violently its force pounded Pyper down against the grass, flinging her limbs like a ragdoll''s.


    And as she crashed, blood splattered all around.

 150. Faceless Phantom

    ¡°Everyone, this is not a drill. Do not read out loud. Do NOT react visibly.


    Proscious has been detected here in Boston.¡±


    Deon stood numb. He¡¯d discerned something was horribly wrong even before he read Credo¡¯s message for himself: the moment he¡¯d set foot into their team den, he saw it all over Lammy¡¯s face.


    And now, as celebration continued showering them all around, their ultimate darkness had returned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it one more time for this fight¡¯s victors: TEAM HIROKO!!!¡±


    Deon found an odd comfort knowing he wasn¡¯t the only one struggling to play along. His teammates surrounded him in the center of the Hynes Stadium platform, sending waves and smiles all around.


    But they¡¯d seen the message, too.


    A spotlight blinded the stars, turning their thousands of fans¡ªsome devout, and some new¡ªinto faceless phantoms. All of those eager eyes had been filling Deon with adrenaline. But now they were the team¡¯s biggest obstacle.


    There was a second message, and Deon hoped the others had caught it before their personnel ushered them out to the platform:


    ¡°As soon as you have a chance to sneak away, take it. We need to act.¡±


    The crowd¡¯s adoration continued flooding Deon. It was everything he¡¯d dreamed of¡ªbut now wasn¡¯t the time to receive it.


    Never thought I¡¯d think this, but we need to wrap this up, he knew. This is our chance.


    This could be our ticket to saving Pang.


    Under the guise of a congratulatory high-five, Skrili caught Deon¡¯s eyes. In that instant, he could read right through her: through her exaggerated smile, and her smoky, extravagant makeup.


    ¡®Stay patient,¡¯ she urged without words.


    Behind her, Phillip waved politely to a cluster of newfound fans in the nearest front row. But at his side, he squeezed his free hand so tight it had gone pale. His fist shook.


    Deon¡¯s heart skipped.


    We won¡¯t screw it up this time.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m interested in what this team does next,¡± Lune¡¯s voice echoed all around. ¡°But it¡¯s pretty safe to say they earned those matching tattoos tonight. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll keep making Hiroko proud.¡±


    Deon smirked. You bet we will. Right now.


    With the formalities complete, the team made their way back to their den¡ªforcing themselves not to move too swiftly in the process.


    Otogi led the way, stepping in first. He cocked his head back.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a few minutes to ourselves, then it¡¯s debriefings and press all night,¡± he reminded them.


    Deon nodded. Translation: now¡¯s our only opening to sneak off and find them.


    Lammy leapt from the bench and joined the group. They brushed shoulders with still-giddy personnel as they fought to stay close to each other.


    The back door was steps away.


    ¡°Team! Debrief in five, alright?¡±


    The voice was so bright and lively, Deon didn¡¯t recognize it until he turned around. Mr. Truj was beaming at them.


    ¡°Five¡­give or take!¡± replied Otogi, still inching away with the rest.


    ¡°We uh, might be a little late!¡± stressed Deon.


    ¡°Or really late¡­¡± chimed in Kotono.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Bye!!¡± everyone exclaimed, darting for the exit.


    Mr. Truj froze as he watched them scurry off, but his smile remained. ¡°Well alright, I¡¯ll see you all soon! You too, Lammy¡ªor should I say: Assistant Coach Lammy! Haha!¡±


    His laugh gradually faded as they entered the long hallway and broke into a more urgent dash.


    ¡°Well that wasn¡¯t smooth at all,¡± Skrili remarked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± assured Otogi. ¡°Truj seems cool with it.¡±


    Deon checked back and found nobody tailing them. ¡°Yeah¡­what¡¯s up with that, anyway? One win, and he trusts us?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a coach. He¡¯s results-oriented,¡± said Otogi. ¡°Sneaking away¡­following a kid¡¯s advice¡­if it gets us the win, it gets us the win. As far as he¡¯s concerned, this is just our process.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s pace took the lead. ¡°Well I¡¯ll take whatever reason, as long as it gets us out there fast. Phillip, can you cloak us?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already invisible.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Um, g¡ªguys¡­¡± came Kotono¡¯s utterance from behind. ¡°Call incoming¡­¡±


    Deon and the rest whipped out their TeamTracks.


    ¡°Team Hiroko, are you alone?¡±


    Credo¡¯s voice came to them. He must have opted for audio-only, as a projection of his face didn¡¯t appear over their screens like Deon had grown accustomed to.


    ¡°We¡¯re hidden,¡± Phillip assured once more.


    ¡°Excellent fighting tonight¡ªbut you may need to keep it up now. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have much time to explain,¡± he breathed. ¡°My security department monitors all events for potential threats, and our Thoughtreaders spotted a suspicious individual. He seemed to be using powers to block any intrusions into his mind.¡±


    ¡°Seems sketchy¡­¡± agreed Otogi.


    ¡°Are we sure this is a Proscious thing?¡± Skrili questioned.


    ¡°I doubted it at first, too. But as they surveyed him, he began using illusions to try masking his whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s blocking Thoughtreaders, and he¡¯s an Illusionist¡­¡± Otogi analyzed. ¡°Then that¡¯s two different consciousness types, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Deon found Skrili¡¯s sober gaze. Then Lammy¡¯s and Kotono¡¯s.


    Multiple types: the most blatant sign.


    ¡°It¡¯s them,¡± Lammy nearly whispered.


    Suddenly, Phillip¡¯s run intensified into a near-sprint. He overtook the others. ¡°It¡¯s Proscious. Tell me where he is, NOW!¡±


    Deon felt a chill.


    Credo seemed unperturbed by, or rather, understanding of Phillip¡¯s outburst. He spoke hastily. ¡°My security are monitoring him closely on the first floor of the convention center. It appears he wants to approach the secret entryway to the stadium, but he¡¯s spooked. I¡¯ve told my team to keep a close eye and¡ª¡±


    ¡°LET¡¯S MOVE!!¡± Phillip boomed.


    ¡°Be careful¡ªALL of you,¡± Credo stressed.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­strange¡­¡± came Lammy¡¯s labored observation from the back of the pack.


    Noticing his cousin¡¯s gasps, Deon imagined a flying plank beneath his feet and flew him along.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Coach?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­Proscious knows we¡¯re aware of their goals. But they¡¯re making a move right under our noses, anyway¡ªand during such a high-profile moment,¡± Lammy explained. ¡°This risks bringing attention to themselves¡­unless they¡¯re convinced whatever they¡¯re doing will work.¡±


    ¡°Sharp thinking,¡± affirmed Credo. ¡°You¡¯re right: this move doesn¡¯t add up. Be ready.¡±


    Deon cracked his knuckles. ¡°That¡¯s what you should tell them.¡±


    ¡°Remember: he¡¯s using illusions, so physical descriptions won¡¯t be reliable,¡± Credo stressed. ¡°Try to rely on your powers, and keep an eye on your TeamTracks for updates.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    With a final word of encouragement, Credo ended the call. The team poured all of their energy back into their rush.


    ~


    Phillip and Skrili were the first to burst through the secret elevator¡¯s exit and enter the convention. The others followed suit, the elevator door morphing into the illusion of a simple curtain behind them.


    They immediately struggled to gather together, finding themselves mixed into a crowd that proved oblivious to their sudden arrival.


    ¡°Cool, that¡¯s $26.50.¡±


    The same manga vendor who had checked them in yesterday tended to the booth, feigning the same obliviousness as the others.


    Man, they¡¯re REALLY good at keeping secrets, Deon remarked to himself. Speaking of that¡­


    ¡°Where is this loser?¡±


    Everyone looked to Phillip, but his own eyes darted everywhere in uncertainty.


    ¡°I sense nothing¡ªonly the illusions for the Special League,¡± Phillip cursed. ¡°He must still be in this room.¡±


    Phillip stormed ahead, so the group slipped their way between the flocks of cosplayers and fanatics to follow him.


    Deon strained his eyes, peering all around. Not only was this place massive, it was even more flooded with people than their last visit. ¡°Uh, ¡®in this room¡¯ doesn¡¯t exactly narrow it down,¡± he said.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    But Phillip stormed on, leaving barely any regard for sticking together.


    Even as they reached the themed slot machines and plushy displays in the center, Phillip showed no sign of detecting their target. The longer they wandered to no avail, the quicker he paced ahead.


    Then soon, Deon found it had become easier to navigate the crowd¡ªpeople were stepping out of the way and avoiding their path.


    Otogi lowered his head beside Deon, noticing it, too. ¡°Hey uh¡­we¡¯re still hidden, right?¡± he called to Phillip stiffly. ¡°If not, any consciousnesses up here will recognize us and slow us¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re visible now to get around faster. But I¡¯ve disguised all of our appearances,¡± Phillip shot back. ¡°I¡¯m desperate, not stupid.¡±


    His voice was cutting, even if its sharpness wasn¡¯t intended for them. Deon could see it in his shadowy frown: this was an intensity he hadn¡¯t felt from Phillip since the moment he set out to look for Irma, after they defeated Wei.


    Phillip was not willing to turn up empty-handed this time. That much was clear.


    And that seemed to be the case for everyone, as nobody paid mind to his snapping retort¡ªnot even Otogi, its recipient.


    ¡°Nice,¡± he remarked. ¡°Then let¡¯s find this¡ª¡±


    ¡°They found him,¡± Skrili interrupted.


    Everyone skidded to a stop.


    Deon had barely felt his TeamTrack start to vibrate before she spoke. She¡¯d seen the new message before anyone else had been able to process its existence.


    ¡°Outside. Boylston Street. Move!¡±


    ¡°H¡ªhe went outside?¡± Kotono wondered.


    ¡°That¡¯s the street we¡¯re on! Let¡¯s go!¡± growled Phillip.


    This time they had little concern for keeping a low profile. People shuffled out of the way as their stampede unfolded through the rest of the dealer¡¯s room and into the main hallway. A couple security workers yelled after them to slow down, but made no further efforts.


    ¡°Uh¡ªPhil!¡±


    While the rest were mindful that any added speed would raise dangerous suspicion, Phillip broke away in his sprint.


    Skrili restrained her full speed, keeping pace with Deon, Lammy, and Kotono.


    ¡°This really isn¡¯t ideal,¡± she uttered back. ¡°We need a gameplan.¡±


    ¡°Right, but¡­try¡­telling¡­him that!¡± gasped Lammy.


    Far ahead, Phillip cleared the front stairs in a single leap. People gasped, before applauding as if his stunt were staged. He wasted no time barging through the front doors.


    Skrili watched on with clouded eyes. While they were fixed on the slowly closing doors, Deon knew all she saw was her younger self, rushing into the farm to exact her revenge on her brother¡¯s killers.


    Phillip was making the same rash mistake.


    And having been on the other side of it now, Deon felt the same pressure as his companion. If she hadn¡¯t talked him down from his own rage back in Azvaylen, Lammy would be dead now.


    She was right: this wasn¡¯t the way.


    ¡°Phillip! Hold up, will ¡®ya?!¡± Deon tried.


    With subtlety all but compromised, the team picked up their pace.             Deon, Skrili, and Otogi skipped steps down the stairs, Kotono snuck puffs of energy to float behind them, and Lammy hopped his way down the mechanical moving staircase in the center.


    Deon found himself almost missing a step at the bottom. To his confusion, the adrenaline that had catapulted him all this way from Hynes Stadium was rapidly depleting.


    He could¡¯ve sworn he heard the low, droning moans of the wires in the Dreamer Chamber again¡ªthe machines that took Hiroko¡¯s life.


    It sucked at his drive, draining it. And in its place, came dread.


    The time had already come.


    Diving from Azvaylen into the Special League was supposed to be the next stage of their war on Proscious. But somewhere between the crowds, the glamorous fights, and the luxurious travel, Deon realized it had become more of a respite from the truth.


    Now, reality found him again. Danger caught him¡ªall of them¡ªunaware, with no chance to prepare themselves.


    His loved ones were never truly safe. Pang¡¯s survival was far from guaranteed.


    It was time to return to the nightmare.


    The group reconvened at the bottom of the stairs and dashed through the doors to the city street. All the while, Deon¡¯s bones felt stiff.


    ¡°Phillip!¡± Lammy cried, nearly breathless.


    It was quickly drowned out: beeps and screeches jolted the group to a stop. A cluster of vehicles skidded, their agitated drivers whirring around a ghostly obstacle in the middle of the road.


    Phillip stood firm, unconcerned with the zooming cars as if he were impervious. His head darted all around in his continued hunt.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Skrili stressed to the others. ¡°Careful.¡±


    Once there came a wide enough opening in the street, the group sprinted together to join their teammate.


    ¡°Dude, we said wait up!¡± barked Deon.


    At first, he thought Phillip was ignoring him. But he replied without ceasing his search. ¡°I sensed the person for a second¡ªI know I did!¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± said Skrili. ¡°Now, we need to do this as a team¡ª¡±


    ¡°THERE!¡±


    Phillip¡¯s finger pointed straight down the road. All Deon saw was a simple rock lying between two of the yellow dashes. But as Phillip strained, it eventually transformed.


    The illusion faded, and in its place stood a figure in a gray hoodie. An incoming car spun out of his way just in time¡ªironically, Phillip may have saved this man¡¯s life by cancelling out his illusion.


    Phillip cursed. ¡°It¡¯s not Irma,¡± he spat.


    Deon figured that should¡¯ve already been obvious, given that Credo¡¯s description didn¡¯t fully align with her power types. Clearly, urgency must have clouded Phillip¡¯s judgment and left room for his misplaced hope.


    But it was far from time for disappointment. They were still face to face with the organization that stole their friend.


    The unknown Proscious member didn¡¯t flinch. He remained facing them, head low and fists out.


    ¡°WHERE IS PANG?!¡± Phillip boomed. ¡°I¡¯m giving you one singular chance to tell me!¡±


    The man said nothing. Instead he turned, and made a break for it.


    ¡°HEY!!¡±


    ¡°Phillip,¡± Skrili pushed again, ¡°We need to¡ª¡±


    He launched ahead, leaving the rest in the dust.


    Skrili cursed.


    ¡°Welp,¡± figured Otogi, ¡°let¡¯s move!!¡±


    The chase resumed. Deon checked back to his cousin as they ran¡ªthere was no way he could keep up at this rate. But instead, another spectacle yanked his attention.


    ¡°Hey, get outta the road! There¡¯s people drivin¡¯ ¡®ere!¡±


    A nearby vehicle flashed blue and red. A couple men in navy blue uniforms rushed from it into the street, but they paused where the team had just stood and began yelling at thin air. Even the surrounding cityfolks were transfixed on that spot, as if Deon and the others had never moved from it.


    Nice, Phil! Deon noted. At least you¡¯re still sorta thinking smart!


    ¡°Phillip¡¯s disguising us again!¡± he called to the others. ¡°Go all out!!¡±


    Kotono ignited in a blend of white and gold, quickly matching Skrili and Otogi¡¯s increased dash as she took to the air.


    And in that case¡­Deon thought.


    A wooden plank scooped up Lammy at his command. Lammy struggled to balance before surfing along with them, hair blowing in the wind. Satisfied, Deon conjured his own soaring board and flew them both along.


    While he knew Lammy had his Loozooloozeux technique, he doubted Phillip could mask such a thing so passively. For now, this was their best bet.


    Deon peered ahead. The hooded Proscious member was sprinting further down the road.


    No¡ªhis body vanished, and Deon spotted the real him cutting down another street. The first had been another illusion that Phillip managed to block.


    But the man was quick: he remained paces ahead of Phillip at top speed, dodging traffic and pedestrians with ease.


    Deon swerved after his faster counterparts around an intersection. He slowed to fly parallel with Lammy.


    ¡°Hey, Coach! Gameplan?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s way too late for one!¡± shouted Lammy. ¡°But maybe, we can at least try to¡­¡±


    Huh? thought Deon.


    Though Lammy¡¯s mouth kept moving, his voice disappeared.


    ¡°What, Lammy?¡± Deon tried to say¡ªbut even as he felt the words leave, they were soundless.


    It wasn¡¯t just Lammy: all sound had vanished.


    The city noises, the wind, and their words were all gone.


    The fighters tried communicating. They tried calling after Phillip. But it was all pointless now.


    The Proscious member was getting away. And something about the utter silence of his escape chilled Deon¡¯s body even further.


    No¡­NO!


    Kotono swung above all of them, her desperation seeming to match Deon¡¯s. White and gold energy intensified around her, but it blended into a pale yellow. Nonetheless, Kotono pointed her hands out after their target and released.


    The pale light rolled and waned like a rushing cloud as it traveled ahead of them all. It overtook Phillip, then at the end of the street it successfully enveloped the man in gray.


    NICE!! Deon wished he could remark.


    Much like the white light Kotono had used to end the fight earlier, he¡¯d assumed this yellowish energy would catch the man in a floating halt. But instead, it seemed to merely tug at him and slow his retreat.


    Kotono strained, her arms shaking.


    But at this point, Deon could accept this weaker effect: it was enough for Phillip to finally close in.


    He wound back a tight fist. If Deon could hear a thing, he knew Phillip¡¯s roar would echo against the city buildings.


    But with Phillip mere steps away, the Proscious member raised his hand. Something was in it¡ªsomething glowing mostly white, with infinite colors intermingling.


    Then, the glow enveloped the man. And with a flash, he was gone.


    Phillip¡¯s fist hung in the empty air for a moment. Then, he dropped and slammed it into the sidewalk.


    The group finally reached him. Deon steered himself and Lammy to the ground and dismissed his wooden planks, and as he did, sound returned all at once.


    It was jarring at first¡ªthe zooming cars, chatting pedestrians, and most of all, Phillip¡¯s harsh breaths. People nearby were mindful to walk around the group, conscious of their existence now that Phillip¡¯s illusions expired. A couple of them glanced his way in concern.


    Deon checked around, but no trace of the Proscious member remained. The fact that Phillip had stopped trying altogether was all the more telling.


    ¡°A Fantasy Country warp orb¡­?¡± Lammy muttered in contemplation. ¡°No¡­those colors¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± agreed Skrili. ¡°They looked like Worldline lights. And that white reminds me of how the Normal Country border looks from No Man¡¯s Land. It must have been some sort of Proscious travel tech¡­¡±


    Kotono¡¯s dainty feet inched closer. ¡°I¡¯m s¡ªsorry,¡± she muttered. ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t c¡ªconfident enough in us this time¡­so my powers didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Everyone turned to Phillip, who still didn¡¯t lift his hanging head.


    ¡°It¡¯s mine,¡± he finished.


    Deon chuckled at him. Ignoring the confused glances from all but Skrili, he walked over and gave Phillip a couple pats on the shoulder.


    ¡°Meh, been there,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, man.¡±


    Nodding, Skrili offered her hand. ¡°I know how badly you want to save Pang¡­believe me. This isn¡¯t over, Phillip.¡±


    Though reluctant, he eventually accepted. Phillip hid his face as Skrili helped him back to his feet.


    Otogi admired them like he¡¯d just witnessed the end of a play. ¡°Man, you guys always find the vibe in the end. I love it. I¡¯m glad Credo phoned me in for this. We¡¯re saving Pang, hands-down.¡±


    A buzz shook Deon¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°Speaking of Credo, and phones¡­¡± noticed Otogi, whipping his TeamTrack out. ¡°Sorry, boss. He got away.¡±


    ¡°I saw,¡± the League Leader confirmed. While the disappointment in his tone was tangible, his ensuing sigh was surprisingly patient. ¡°We have no trace of him in the city yet. He likely fled the Country.¡±


    Deon scoffed. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have been very tough if we scared him off that easily,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Though¡­that silencing attack was kinda cool, I¡¯ll give him that¡­¡±


    ¡°That was me,¡± Phillip admitted lowly. ¡°I was trying to disorient his senses. You must have become accidental targets.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    In that case, Phillip had been even more frantic than Deon realized, considering how precise he¡¯d always been with his powers.


    ¡°But¡­¡± started Lammy, ¡°I¡¯m not sure we did scare him off¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Credo concurred. ¡°Hm. Sharp of you again, Lammy. Those are my thoughts, as well.¡± He paused as someone seemed to be passing him by, before continuing quieter. ¡°This may have been their intent all along.¡±


    ¡°What intent?¡±


    Skrili rolled her eyes. ¡°Will you just listen?¡±


    ¡°As Lammy said, they chose to make a move right in front of the only consciousnesses who have tried to stop them before,¡± Credo recounted. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that was no mistake¡ªit may have been to see how you would react.¡±


    ¡°This was a test,¡± Lammy summed up, ¡°and we just took the bait.¡±


    ¡°Right. They¡¯ve confirmed you¡¯re willing to do more than raise funds to find Pang, despite what we told the public,¡± Credo said. ¡°That means they¡¯ll hold you as a threat to any of their nearby schemes. But¡­it may also make you a primary target, if you weren¡¯t one already.¡±


    The team exchanged silent glances.


    ¡°They¡¯ve already figured us out,¡± lamented Phillip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged. I made this strategy with these possibilities in mind,¡± Credo revealed. ¡°They found your true intent. So now, they have to keep a closer eye on you¡ªbut since you¡¯re in the limelight, they can¡¯t come TOO close without revealing themselves to the Multiverse. We have them trapped at arm¡¯s length¡­which will only make it easier for us to investigate them, and eventually, launch the perfect attack.¡±


    Deon looked around again to his teammates, secretly as confused as before. But they all seemed to keep up, keen gleams in their eyes.


    He figured he¡¯d ask Lammy to break it down later. But if Credo¡¯s multi-layered plan was enough for his teammates, it was enough for him, too.


    The only lingering trace of doubt came from his partner. ¡°So we¡¯re in this unspoken game with them now,¡± Skrili concluded. ¡°What¡¯s our next move, then?¡±


    Credo¡¯s answer came with quick confidence. ¡°Our next Special League stop is Realistic Fiction Country,¡± he declared. ¡°You¡¯ll travel there, and fight your next two teams.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Credo must have sensed it somehow, or observed her reaction through his means of surveillance. ¡°As you said, Skrili, this is a game. We just have to play it better than them. The time will come,¡± he assured. ¡°Team Hiroko: I know this isn¡¯t the result we wanted, but hold your heads high. We¡¯ve gained some ground. And we will find Pang Pereo. Great work.¡±


    He signed off, leaving the team to reflect in the middle of the oblivious city.


    Phillip crossed his arms in resolution. ¡°I won¡¯t make that mistake again,¡± he swore. ¡°Don¡¯t let me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep you in line,¡± teased Deon.


    ¡°That¡¯s ironic coming from you¡­¡±


    Holding their TeamTracks ready in case of further sightings, the group began their steady way back towards Hynes Convention Center. Though meetings, interviews, and signings waited within its walls, Deon¡¯s thoughts of their victory intermingled with those of their secret defeat.


    They came so close.


    ¡®A game, huh?¡¯


    Deon smirked to himself amidst his companions. Failure didn¡¯t taste great, but he liked the sound of that.


    Okay Proscious, you made your play, he thought, the convention building falling into view down the street. But these Special League fights are only making us stronger¡­so you¡¯d better get ready for ours.

 151. Conveyance

    ¡°Hey Deon, come in here.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s voice had echoed from their bathroom down the hall. Deon rose from one of the kitchen¡¯s bar stools, surprised to learn Skrili was still in there getting ready¡ªshe typically needed less time than him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Deon grunted in the midst of a stretch.


    ¡°Just get in here.¡±


    He gazed out the round windows along the way, admiring the vastness of the outer space beyond them while he still could. Since the team ship departed Earth overnight, they were likely near the Worldline connecting them back to No Man¡¯s Land.


    ¡°Hey Skrili, wanna help me make my signature look cool after this?¡± Deon asked, passing by the entertainment area and hot tub. ¡°One of my fans in the signing said it looked like ¡®weird ancient writing or something,¡¯ so I¡­uh¡­¡±


    He reached the lavish bathroom, his eyes adjusting to the brightness reflecting off the pearl flooring and walls. But he succumbed to silent perplexity as he observed Skrili.


    She stood facing the mirror, holding her hair above her head. Her expressionless eyes found him in the reflection.


    ¡°Did you forget how to tie your hair up, or something?¡± Deon questioned.


    ¡°Come stand behind me.¡±


    Shrugging, Deon obeyed. A familiar Tailpiece scent, earthy and crisp, met him as he drew close: the soap he¡¯d packed when he left home. It turned out it lasted all this time, probably thanks to the free accommodations both here and at the Hotel of Champions during the tournament.


    In favor of those luxuries, Deon had largely dismissed those homemade toiletries. But it seemed Skrili had taken a liking to them.


    ¡°Here,¡± she said.


    Metal met Deon¡¯s palm, and he found she¡¯d handed him a pair of scissors. Skrili pointed just below the point where her hand held up her hair.


    ¡°Cut through there for me.¡±


    ¡°HUH?!?!¡±


    Skrili didn¡¯t repeat herself. Nor did she blink.


    Deon stood wordless. If he cut at the point she¡¯d indicated, her hair wouldn¡¯t even fall long enough to reach her shoulders.


    ¡°Uh¡­you¡¯re joking, right? Is this some kind of test?¡±


    ¡°Just do it. Please.¡±


    ¡°But¡­uh¡­¡± Deon stammered, regretting that he¡¯d begun speaking before scraping up anything to say. ¡°V¡ªVolona! She¡¯ll be so pissed if we do this without her permission!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll shape it up later and get over it,¡± Skrili countered. ¡°And I thought you didn¡¯t care about her opinion.¡±


    ¡°Well, for me, I don¡¯t,¡± Deon mumbled.


    ¡°Deon. Just cut it.¡±


    He raised the scissors and gazed at them, and then at her midnight blue locks. ¡°You¡­really sure you want me to?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more that I need you to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Deon questioned. ¡°Wait a sec¡­Otogi showed me and Lammy one of those ¡®anime¡¯ last night, and the main girl did the same thing. Skrili¡­are you¡­having a character moment?!¡±


    ¡°Stop being weird!¡± Skrili bellowed. Gathering herself, she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a Shfi custom.¡±


    Finally, Deon eased up.


    ¡°When a Shfi girl turns eighteen, she¡¯s supposed to cut her hair short to signify that she¡¯s become a woman. It symbolizes the start of a new calling,¡± Skrili explained. ¡°Other familial responsibilities come with it if she¡¯s not married yet, but those don¡¯t really apply to me anymore.¡±


    ¡®Familial¡­¡¯ Deon contemplated. Whatever those responsibilities were, his heart twisted at the fact that she would never get to fulfill them.


    But then, the first part struck him even harder.


    ¡°Wait¡­WE MISSED YOUR BIRTHDAY?!¡± he realized in horror. ¡°When was it?! Why didn¡¯t you say anything?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know the exact day,¡± Skrili admitted. ¡°But when I looked at the Multiverse date on my TeamTrack this morning, I realized it¡¯s the start of fall in my reality right around now. So it probably passed a few weeks ago.¡±


    Deon¡¯s mind raced with a new mission. ¡°We have to do something! The grocery room downstairs has a bakery area, right? Give me a sec¡­I¡¯ll get the team together and we¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to stall,¡± Skrili accused.


    Her hand remained in place, her hair ready.


    But when Deon still couldn¡¯t bring himself to move, she sighed again.


    ¡°The mother is supposed to do it,¡± revealed Skrili. ¡°And if she can¡¯t, it¡¯s the oldest sister. So a while back, I decided I¡¯d ask Pang, but¡­well, if that¡¯s not an option¡­¡±


    From the mirror, her gaze enveloped him.


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯m supposed to go with the most positive influence in my life,¡± she finished. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m picking you.¡±


    Deon¡¯s face warmed. If he wasn¡¯t holding scissors, he might wrap his arms around her.


    But that wasn¡¯t what she wanted right now.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you to hesitate,¡± she urged.


    ¡°Sorry¡­it¡¯s just...well, your long hair looks amazing on you, that¡¯s all.¡±


    He finally managed to say it. He stiffened at how trivial it sounded coming out, but it was the truth.


    As far as he was concerned, Skrili didn¡¯t need to change a thing about her. So why should she? This was the girl he wanted.


    ¡°It¡¯s really important to me. Please, Deon.¡±


    His preferences couldn¡¯t possibly hold weight against that. And yet, even as he tried to raise the scissors closer, he froze.


    ¡°Deon¡ª¡±


    A buzz rattled on the countertop. Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack lit up with an incoming call.


    ¡°It¡¯s Skip,¡± Deon noticed, peaking over her.


    Skrili¡¯s shoulders lowered. ¡°Fine.¡± Reluctantly, she released her hair and let it fall down her back. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll talk about this later.¡±


    Guilt set in as Deon realized just how relieved he was to hear that. He placed the scissors aside while Skrili positioned her TeamTrack by the sink and answered.


    ¡°Hey, Skip.¡±


    Their Legend Trainer¡¯s head arose as a small projection. By the slightest view of his bowtie, Deon could tell he once again sported his signature suit.


    ¡°Skrili! Deon! Awesome fight last night!¡± he applauded. ¡°The Team Special is looking so tight¡ªall of you are, for that matter.¡±


    Deon took a moment to bask in his compliment. The countless he¡¯d received from fans and media last night were invigorating, but just one from Skip outweighed them all: Skip knew what it really took them to get here.


    ¡°Thanks, man! You saw it?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I tuned in to the broadcast,¡± said Skip. ¡°Because if I HADN¡¯T, I wouldn¡¯t have known whether or not you two were still SAFE¡­¡±


    He stared. It was the same hard look he¡¯d given them last time, before he¡¯d asked them to call every day.


    Once again, they¡¯d forgotten to reach out a single time.


    Deon and Skrili exchanged sheepish glances through the mirror.


    ¡°Whoops¡­¡± Deon muttered.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Skip,¡± Skrili said earnestly. ¡°We¡ªno, there¡¯s no excuse.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got that right.¡±


    Skip¡¯s frustration softened Deon¡¯s heart this time, brewing an odd blend of guilt and comfort. Skip understood the demons they faced behind the ruse of fame, and only he understood. Now, having faced Proscious again only hours before, this connection to his teacher felt all the more tangible.


    Through a sigh of momentary relief, Skip finally smiled at them. ¡°It¡¯s okay, guys. I¡¯m just glad you haven¡¯t had any more run-ins with them.¡±


    Deon and Skrili¡¯s second exchange of glances must have tipped him off. Skip¡¯s smile collapsed.


    ¡°RIGHT, guys¡­?¡±


    ¡°So um, about that¡ª¡± Deon started.


    ¡°Come on, I begged you!¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Skrili shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± she assured. ¡°They came to us.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Like I said they would,¡± said Skip. ¡°And I¡¯m gonna take a wild guess that you guys didn¡¯t avoid them. Am I right?¡±


    Skrili fell wordless.


    ¡°Nope. You probably confronted them. Didn¡¯t think twice. Am I right?¡±


    The stare returned.


    ¡°Well¡­it was just one guy. He ran away,¡± Deon tried. ¡°We totally would¡¯ve won.¡±


    Clearly, Skip wasn¡¯t impressed.


    With his chances to save this interaction dwindling, Deon raised his arms up in display. ¡°Look, Skip! We¡¯re fine, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. They know you and your cousin have special powers. And the rest of your supergroup is a threat to them. They want your powers, they want your friends dead, and they will not stop until they have those things. Mark my words.¡±


    ¡°Then mark my words: bring it on!¡± Deon huffed. ¡°We¡¯re luring them out so we can figure out where Pang is. That¡¯s the whole plan!¡±


    At least, that was how Lammy broke it down for him after their discussion with Credo. But even the presence of a strategy didn¡¯t move Skip. The Trainer¡¯s frown only grew more somber.


    ¡°Guys. Listen to me carefully,¡± he begged. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can outsmart Proscious. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t get my teammate back. But maybe there¡¯s still time for you, so please¡­just¡­stop.¡±


    His voice softened to a tender plea. It ended broken, barely audible through the speaker.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go through that again.¡±


    Skrili¡¯s grip tightened on the counter, her eyes hard.


    ¡°You taught us our relationships are everything,¡± she said evenly. ¡°Skip¡­you know we have to find her.¡±


    Deon nodded. ¡°Yeah! And we can still save your old teammate!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t, because Pyper doesn¡¯t WANT to be saved!!¡±


    Before the snap of Skip¡¯s transmitted voice finished reverberating through the bathroom, Deon could tell he¡¯d realized what he just said. His face turned red, visible even through the hologram. His eyes darted away.


    ¡°So¡­her name¡¯s Pyper,¡± Deon learned.


    ¡°No, uh¡­¡±


    He failed to piece together a lie, his silence further affirming the revelation.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find her, Skip,¡± Skrili promised tenderly.


    ¡°Anyway¡­I actually just realized¡­¡± their teacher muttered, ¡°I meant to head to the village and buy some tea. Let¡¯s¡­talk later¡­¡±


    ¡°Skip¡ª¡± attempted Deon.


    ¡°A hundred laps.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! Around what?!¡±


    ¡°Figure it out. A hundred laps before I call you back. Bye.¡±


    His image flickered out from the bathroom sink.


    ¡°Uh¡­can he really make us do that?¡± wondered Deon.


    Skrili shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not what matters,¡± she said. ¡°If you think about it, everything he warned us about Proscious has turned out to be true so far. It sounds like he tried to save Pyper before. If we could get him to open up, his information might help us find them both.¡±


    ¡°True¡­but good luck cracking that egg,¡± Deon emphasized.


    Skrili sighed in agreement. ¡°But we have to try.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, we already have a plan,¡± Deon reminded her. ¡°And that plan comes with a giant ship! And a hot tub!¡±


    ¡°You spend way too much time in that hot tub.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good for the soul!¡± Deon preached, basking in the very idea of another dip tonight, perhaps with her in his arms. ¡°Call it my ritual.¡±


    ¡°That reminds me¡­¡± Skrili began.


    Uh-oh.


    To Deon¡¯s hardly-concealed dismay, her hand reached for the scissors on the sink.


    With pressing eyes, she offered them to him.


    It¡¯s still on her mind, huh¡­? Deon lamented.


    ¡°Well¡­you heard the man!¡± he stammered. ¡°A hundred laps!!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Deon propelled for the bathroom door. Guilt nearly slowed his escape¡ªbut the thought of chopping those perfect deep-blue locks only refueled his adrenaline.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Now speeding through the brief hallway, he could hear her much faster steps closing in. Skrili dashed at him, scissors held high like a sword.


    ¡°GAH!! Skrili, it¡¯s impolite to run with scissors!!¡±


    ¡°Just do it, you dummy!!¡±


    ¡°WAIT! Can¡¯t we give this some time?! This is a serious moment for me!¡±


    ¡°For YOU?!! Just get over here!!¡±


    ~~~


    Lammy furrowed his brow. He didn¡¯t expect to be this curious so early into the practice session. After all, they¡¯d all just gotten here a moment ago. But the source of his curiosity was even more unexpected.


    ¡°Deon¡­why are you already so out of breath?¡± Mr. Truj inquired beside him.


    That was the exact question Lammy was about to ask. He watched from the side of the massive training gym as his cousin practically crawled up onto the matted platform in a heap of gasps.


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you get chased all the way down the ship¡­¡± he accused, shooting a glare behind him.


    Perfectly poised, Skrili stepped onto the platform. Her pout was perhaps more defined than usual as she finished tying up her hair.


    ¡°At least you put the WEAPON away¡­¡± Deon shot.


    ¡°For now. I¡¯m not done with you,¡± warned Skrili.


    Lammy gulped on his cousin¡¯s behalf. Maybe it was for the best that Layla was so far away¡ªrelationships out here in the Multiverse seemed dangerous.


    No¡­he couldn¡¯t kid himself.


    In between pondering Proscious¡¯s schemes, focusing on the Special League face-offs, and assimilating to this strange, luxurious life, Lammy found his mind kept orbiting back to the same memory.


    When Layla¡¯s voice had reached him through his magic necklace, it was so close.


    So¡­calming.


    Especially given how abruptly their last call had ended, cutting off as this ship passed into a reality too incompatible for magic, Lammy realized he¡¯d been looking forward to their next call every day.


    But it hit him again.


    Wait¡ªit¡¯s not like that!!


    We¡¯re just ¡®technically¡¯ engaged, that¡¯s all¡­


    Wait¡ªno we¡¯re not, are we?!


    He shook his head so suddenly, Mr. Truj took notice.


    ¡°Is something wrong? Are you struggling to piece a new strategy together?¡± he assumed.


    Lammy wished. At least that was something he could figure out. Though Mr. Truj¡¯s abrupt shift in mindset still felt odd, he welcomed the invitation back into the much more familiar world of competition.


    Mr. Truj leaned closer eagerly, raising what looked to Lammy like a larger, thinner TeamTrack. Some sort of chart was displayed on the screen, with cartoonish drawings of Team Hiroko¡¯s heads in a variety of positions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, champ. I¡¯ll show you the ropes to proper Consciousness League coaching,¡± he assured. ¡°You¡¯ve already got a knack for this, so you¡¯ll catch on. Between your instinct and my expertise, Team Hiroko will be undefeatable from now on.¡±


    Lammy accepted a hearty fist-bump from the coach.


    Man¡­I help him win once, and apparently now I¡¯m an ¡®assistant coach¡¯ instead of a bother, Lammy thought.


    But he wasn¡¯t about to question it.


    Lammy had achieved his goal, defeating Mr. Truj¡¯s doubt much sooner than he expected. Now, it was time to make the most of it.


    A well of top-League wisdom was now at his disposal. Not only was he finally in his element¡ªhe was about to grow even stronger.


    Team Hiroko was about to grow stronger.


    Over on the mats, one of Mr. Truj¡¯s assistants began guiding the team in a series of warm-up stretches and exercises. All five of them moved with the same hard, focused energy. Lammy could feel their electricity.


    Everyone¡¯s giving it their all, he admired.


    He was confident the same went for Zayza back in Hidakala, and Layla in Azvaylen.


    Lammy touched his hand to the triangle tattoo on his cheek.


    Time to do my part.


    ¡°Mr. Truj, would it be alright if I see your stats for their next opponent?¡± he inquired. ¡°I¡¯ve been cooking up some ideas I want to pitch to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to hear,¡± smirked Mr. Truj. ¡°Here, let me pull it up¡­¡±


    While Mr. Truj loaded the data, Lammy flipped through a new notebook he¡¯d already filled with scribbles. The strategies he¡¯d accumulated on this trip whirled past his eyes, only adding more flames to the fire in his mind.


    This League was the perfect way to field-test them all.


    If any of these techniques worked against Special League opponents, they were all the more likely to succeed against Proscious.


    Last time, we fought them with barely any experience as a group, he contemplated. Next time¡­they¡¯ll be fighting a perfected unit.


    The REAL fight is coming. And this time, we¡¯ll come home with EVERYONE.


    ~


    ¡°Welcome to the Fantasy Country skies. You might spot Conscious City below us for the next few moments. We¡¯ll be reaching the Realistic Fiction Country border by evening.¡±


    Lammy yawned, reclaiming his glass of water now that the brief turbulence had subsided. His eyes adjusted to the much more familiar vibrancy of the Fantasy Country color palate.


    It summoned both fondness and anxiety within him, as memories of his travels here with Zayza blended with those of Hiroko¡¯s mourning ceremony.


    Lammy checked out the nearest window of his bedroom. Judging by the pale blue sky, it was earlier here than the No Man¡¯s Land afternoon they¡¯d just left behind. He was relieved the agency went by this reality¡¯s time for today¡¯s schedule¡ªit allowed him a chance to catch up on sleep for once.


    ¡­Not that he made much use of it.


    Once again, Lammy had stayed up late reducing the available pages in his notebook. Every time he thought he could rest, another idea had popped into his mind.


    Such had been the case for the past couple days, ever since his first practice as an assistant coach. No matter how many attacks and formations he thought up, Mr. Truj wanted to hear it all¡ªand Deon was all the more eager to put it to the test.


    It was invigorating.


    But now, with Realistic Fiction Country less than a day away, time was almost up before their next fight.


    Wait a second¡ªit¡¯s gonna take this ship hours to get there, Lammy realized. When I teleported from the bottom of Realistic Fiction to Fantasy Country, how far in did I send us?! It only took a week to walk here!


    On top of that, since they had less time before the next fight (and less training to do), the ship appeared to be flying much faster than the last trip.


    I should really figure out my powers¡­Lammy knew. Especially if I can do THAT.


    He considered flipping to the secret ¡®For Proscious-Only¡¯ section of his notes to factor in that ability, but it was pointless for now. He had to be at the next practice session in an hour¡ªthere was no time to sit figuring out a power he¡¯d only used once, by accident.


    Lammy set his notebook aside, along with his now-empty glass.


    Fantasy Country, huh?


    Reclining in the living room chair, he found himself gazing down at the magical necklace dangling over his chest. He brought it into his palms.


    Should I¡­try talking to her¡­?


    Lammy felt his face turn red.


    Then, perhaps in sync, the pink gem began glowing bright. His heart skipped.


    Wait!! I didn¡¯t think it would actually¡ª


    ¡°Noble Lammy?¡±


    There she was. And an accident though it was, Lammy savored the sound of the young Queen¡¯s voice echoing in his head.


    He blinked to gather himself. ¡°Uh¡­Layla, hey. Um¡­sorry if you¡¯re busy. I didn¡¯t know¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªyou were about to call me, too?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°How lovely¡­Noble Lammy, it¡¯s as if our hearts are connected.¡±


    Lammy was pretty sure he¡¯d been reduced to jelly, until he noticed his body intact.


    Then again, maybe his vision had gone hazy, because a pink-hued form of Layla¡¯s face now floated before his.


    Right¡­Lammy gathered. I¡¯m in a Fantasy Country reality. The magic works more like it¡¯s supposed to.


    Layla¡¯s smile curled wider, and she looked more like her sister than Lammy had ever seen.


    ¡°Uh¡­how¡¯s¡­your day¡­?¡± Lammy attempted.


    Man, I¡¯m bad at this.


    ¡°I fair well¡­You know, Noble Lammy, you should hurry up and defeat Proscious a bit faster. I¡¯m dying to fly on Loozooloozeux again.¡±


    That¡¯s the only reason I should hurry?!


    ¡°Well¡­Okay, I¡¯ll try, Layla.¡±


    ¡°Oh! How silly of me. I forgot I¡¯m calling you for a reason,¡± the Queen recalled. ¡°I received word from Zayza.¡±


    Finally, Lammy surfaced from his dizzied state. ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°I left behind communication magic for her, as well,¡± she revealed. ¡°She had quite the startling news, and she wished for me to relay it to you as soon as possible.¡±


    Why do I have a feeling Zayza found out about the communication magic the same way I did? Lammy supposed.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡®startling?¡¯¡± he repeated. ¡°Is she okay? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°She is well, but¡­are you alone, Noble Lammy?¡± Layla checked. ¡°Only you can hear me, but¡­your reaction¡­I fear it might¡­¡±


    Lammy¡¯s heart sunk. Scared for what it might lead to, he nodded.


    ¡°Very well. Please listen carefully, Noble Lammy,¡± the small Queen began. ¡°Zayza uncovered that¡ª¡±


    An explosion rang out clearly. It must have happened close behind her. Layla winced, but appeared unharmed as her hair blew from the ensuing gust.


    ¡°My Queen! Separatists strike from the North!¡±


    Fewpar¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Layla!¡± Lammy cried.


    ¡°All is well, Noble Lammy.¡±


    Her voice stunned him¡ªinstantly, the sharp, calculated tone he¡¯d heard in their battles together had returned.


    ¡°We will have to discuss this later,¡± she decided. ¡°Regrettably, I have matters to attend to. I shall return.¡±


    ¡°S¡ªstay safe!¡±


    Lammy was unsure if his request reached her, as her face vanished along with the pink glow from his necklace. He was left in the silence with a still-lingering blush.


    She¡¯s pretty incredible, huh?


    Deciding it best to have the same confidence in her that she fought to portray, Lammy trusted she would endure her conflict.


    But a further uncertainty set in: if she couldn¡¯t contact him again before they entered Realistic Fiction Country, would she be able to reach him?


    Had he missed his chance to receive the message?


    Zayza¡­he worried. What happened in Hidakala?

 152. In the Abstract (Part 1 of 3)

    ¡°This time, Chi, just let me get my shovel¡ª¡±


    With the frantic tossing of sand, Nahutala¡¯s plea once again went unheard. She sighed and shook her head.


    Zayza simply laughed. Chiwawo¡¯s gusto was still such an unusual sight¡ªin mere moments, he was neck deep in the crater he formed at the base of the Curving Peak, arms flailing like a baby dragon¡¯s wings.


    But given their success at the first site, Zayza understood his excitement. More than that: she felt it, too.


    After all, the Sand Dragon¡¯s burrowing pattern really did lead them to a discovery at Lake Hirokyauta¡¯s shore. And Zayza could sense it¡ªthe great beast continued its cyclical movements even now. She was confident another stone heart awaited them here, too, at the second turning point.


    The next message from Hiroko was a dig away.


    ¡°If I ever leave¡­please do not blame or forsake your people.¡±


    The words Hiroko had carved into the first stone heart were undoubtedly a prayer¡ªZayza understood that much. That was the whole point of the practice. And yet, she still felt a personal connection to it. The Sand Dragon guided them straight to its hidden location, buried where they¡¯d never find it on accident. And now here they were, about to unearth another.


    She was convinced: it couldn¡¯t be coincidence.


    Zayza had almost pinpointed the second stone heart¡¯s underground location by herself, but Chiwawo beat her to the chance. His excitement must have led him to forget that he¡¯d planned to put her awakening senses to the test this time.


    Regardless, Zayza was satisfied she could see it at all. There was a slight vibrational difference where they stood, so she was able to zero in on where it was buried deep. In her mind, she could picture it: the same type of smooth rock they¡¯d uncovered by the lake.


    Soon Chiwawo resurfaced, and immediately, he tossed the stone heart Nahutala¡¯s way.


    She jolted to catch it. ¡°Hey! Show some reverence, will you? You really are just like my husband,¡± she grumbled. But fondness still cut through her criticism. This was too special of a moment for minor annoyances to keep her down.


    ¡°Well, what does it say?¡± Chiwawo urged. ¡°Is it my sister¡¯s?¡±


    Nahutala nodded.


    Zayza¡¯s body flooded with anticipation. She remembered just how doubtful Hiroko had always been of her peoples¡¯ beliefs. So to leave behind yet another prayer, clearly something had weighed on her heart.


    Perhaps, something the three of them were meant to discover.


    ¡°It says,¡± began Nahutala, ¡¯If I ever leave¡­¡¯¡±


    But she froze, reading the symbols over and over again.


    ¡°What?¡± pressed Chiwawo.


    ¡°Is¡­something wrong?¡± Zayza worried.


    Nahutala still didn¡¯t speak. Her gaze retreated from the stone heart, and then shifted again to avoid Chiwawo¡¯s prying eyes.


    Finally, she continued. ¡°Well, it says¡­¡± Nahutala retried hoarsely, ¡°¡®If I ever leave¡­please do not forsake me.¡±


    She spoke no further, and neither did Chiwawo. They became like ghosts before Zayza¡¯s eyes.


    It came back to her yet again: that soulless beam of white light. The one that evaporated Hiroko¡¯s body in an instant. The one that she took on so Layla and Kotono wouldn¡¯t have to.


    Zayza had managed to block that memory for days. But it spoke a truth that, apparently, Chiwawo and Nahutala needed to hear.


    She shook her head, earning only Nahutala¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± Zayza encouraged. ¡°The way Hiroko lived her life, even in that last moment¡­I¡¯m certain your Gods haven¡¯t forsaken her.¡±


    But Nahutala only sighed. If anything, Zayza¡¯s words seemed to add more weight to her heart.


    Zayza tensed. ¡°Why not?¡± she stressed. ¡°It seems the Gods answered her first prayer. Why should we doubt they would answer this one, as well?¡±


    ¡°Because she didn¡¯t die a Holy Death.¡±


    Though Chiwawo had spoken, he still didn¡¯t turn to face her. He merely stared into the hole he dug.


    ¡°But¡­she sacrificed herself before my very eyes¡­¡± muttered Zayza. ¡°How isn¡¯t that ¡®holy¡­?¡¯¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, Princess, I am afraid you still have much to learn,¡± came Chiwawo¡¯s unusually blunt reply.


    He took a step away.


    ¡°I¡­I am going to take a break. This trial may not be meant for me, after all. You two should still search for the third stone heart if you wish.¡±


    ¡°Chiwawo¡ª¡±


    Nahutala decided her attempt would prove useless. Her jaw clenched as they watched him retire towards the village.


    Zayza could do little more than stare after his long steps. For the first time in weeks, he was separating from her¡ªeven despite his mother¡¯s threats to watch over her at all times.


    The lingering sprinkles of rain between them ceased, and a ray of the sun cut through the departing clouds.


    ¡°A ¡®Holy Death¡­¡¯¡± Zayza uttered to her remaining companion. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it mentioned several times now. But what¡­is it, exactly?¡±


    Nahutala took another long sigh. Cradling both stone hearts, she came closer. ¡°Hidakalans were born from the Gods Below. And so, we must return to them,¡± she said. Kneeling down, she pressed the stones to the earth.


    ¡°When a Hidakalan¡¯s bodily life ends, and our bodies are buried, we believe the Gods below come to retrieve our souls. They carry us down to be one with Them forever. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But Hiroko¡­died far away from Hidakala¡­¡± Zayza finished thinly.


    Nahutala nodded. ¡°There is some disagreement¡­most elders believe a Hidakalan must die on holy ground to earn a Holy Death. Others believe as long as the body is buried here, the Gods will retrieve the soul. But for Hirokyauta¡­¡±


    She lifted the stone hearts away from the sand. ¡°...That debate does not matter. Her body never returned.¡±


    There was no body left, Zayza knew. She couldn¡¯t bear to bring it up.


    ¡°Then in that case¡­what becomes of the soul?¡± she wondered.


    The question felt strange on her lips. Azvaylen had no concept of an afterlife, and historically, it never did. Even the Zinn had no place for it in their tradition. While Oflenur used to teach her about Hudsk¨¹r deities and their heaven, her mind never held much space for the idea. For an Azvaylen, death was death.


    Nahutala seemed to suspect such a view by the way Zayza had asked. She spoke slowly, as if to ensure the burden of her words wouldn¡¯t become lost in the air.


    ¡°It fades away forever,¡± she expressed. ¡°We will never share life with her again on the other side. Hirokyauta¡­has ceased to exist.¡±


    Zayza stiffened. She already lived with that reality for everybody she¡¯d lost.


    And yet, despite that familiar understanding, this still felt wrong. Hiroko was the savior of Hidakala. She was the inspiration to her friends. She grappled with her belief in these faceless Gods, but she still honored them in her own way.


    So why would her supposed creators abandon her?


    That couldn¡¯t be right.


    No, more than that: it wasn¡¯t right.


    The memory triangles¡­Zayza pondered.


    Chiwawo and Nahutala had surrendered to the truth of her fate, as their culture had taught them. But in spite of Zayza¡¯s own beliefs, in spite of what she saw with her own eyes, she refused to reach a conclusion.


    Not until she had answers for the phenomenon in the Dream World.


    ¡°Chiwawo is struggling to come to terms with an eternity without her,¡± Nahutala said, breaking the silence between them. ¡°He was leaning on the stone hearts to bring him closure. I know, because¡­I was doing that, too.¡±


    Nahutala stood. Against all odds, she managed a smile and handed Zayza the second stone heart.


    ¡°I would still like to learn what the third one says,¡± she clarified. ¡°But Chiwawo should be there with us. Let¡¯s give him some time.¡±


    Zayza was about to suggest it herself. If there was any emotion she understood, it was what Chiwawo was feeling right now¡ªalthough the way he saw it, much more than a lifetime without his sister awaited him: an eternity did.


    Allowing her feet to break from the holes they¡¯d dug beneath her, Zayza nodded to Nahutala. Quietly, they retired towards the village.


    ~


    The sand molded to Zayza''s steps, still claylike due to the morning rainstorm. While it made for easier walking, she had grown accustomed to the typical desert terrain.


    Now that she thought of it, though, the storm had come with impeccable timing. The condensed sand must have made Chiwawo''s digging efforts several times easier than it would have been otherwise.


    Perhaps it was more than a coincidence, just like the Sand Dragon''s constant burrowing route.


    Zayza couldn''t sense the dragon¡¯s movements deep beneath the ground anymore. After all, it had been hours since they paused their exploration. She wondered if this trial had expired with the dragon''s departure.


    Had they failed the test?


    The first stone heart had filled them with life, only for the second to deflate it. If there was any meaning to gather from the first two stones collectively, Zayza was at a loss for what it could be.


    The tents all around cast long shadows across her path. Peering at her simple surroundings, she seemed to be in the right place.


    Zayza shuddered a bit to herself as she recalled her inquiry for directions. The Hidakalan men she spoke to, toned and young like Chiwawo, snickered to each other when she asked where to find his tent. Their knowing smirks made their interpretation of her intentions all too obvious.


    At least, she figured, their misconception wasn''t negative. The children always stared like she was a spirit, and sometimes a few of the elders would mutter under their breath when she passed by. If the worst Chiwawo''s peers could do was have the wrong idea about all the time they spent together, she could live with that.


    Besides, they were kind enough to start her on her way. She''d only been to Chiwawo''s tent during her first day here, and that morning was a daze. If their guidance proved accurate, she was about to arrive.


    It was quiet in this part of the village. Every neighboring tribe member seemed to be busy elsewhere, likely catching up on any work the storm had delayed. Zayza approached the purple and white tent before her, and paused at its closed flap.


    ¡°H¡­ha¡¯ sanbarka, Chiwawo,¡± she attempted.


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


    ¡°You said it wrong,¡± came Chiwawo''s calm reply.


    Zayza figured that much¨Cshe''d forced the customary greeting off her tongue just as unnaturally as the first time Nahutala taught her.


    ¡°It was very close, though. Come in, Princess.¡±


    The shade inside immediately cooled her. Only a sliver of the gradually retiring sun shone in through the break in the tent entrance. It was just enough to see Chiwawo, who sat beyond the ray at the back facing the wall.


    ¡°Are¡­¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I apologize. I¡¯ll come join you now,¡± Chiwawo said. ¡°My duty is to watch over you, and I neglected it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Chiwawo didn¡¯t reply, so Zayza figured he guessed that already. He lifted some sand and watched it slip through his fingers.


    Then, suddenly, he let out a breathy laugh.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zayza wondered.


    ¡°Do you remember¡­when my sister brought you and Kotono here the first time?¡± he asked.


    She could practically feel the ornaments of her old dress weighing her down under the Hidakalan sun. Come to think of it, she and Kotono must have been quite the odd spectacle for the Hidakalans that day.


    ¡°Yes. That feels so long ago¡­¡± Zayza remarked. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That was the only time she ever returned home,¡± Chiwawo said. ¡°And to do so with two outsiders, as proudly as she did¡­the tribe had no idea how to react.¡±


    He laughed again, this time more fully, at the memory. It validated Zayza''s experience: though they didn''t stay long, Hiroko introduced them to practically everyone in the tribe besides the busiest members, and while most were friendly, they were awfully baffled. Zayza couldn''t possibly remember everyone''s names.


    ¡°That trip came out of nowhere¡­¡± Zayza reflected. ¡°She canceled several obligations to make it possible, even though we only stayed one night.¡±


    This time when Chiwawo lifted the sand, he let it linger within his palm longer.


    ¡°Over these past few moons, I''ve come to understand why she did that,¡± he said. ¡°It was for the time we''re in now.¡±


    Zayza''s eyebrows furrowed. Hiroko was a Predictor, but she couldn''t have predicted that far into the future¨Cespecially not a future like this.


    But she combed through the countless memory shards she''d earned of her friend, and she smiled.


    No¨Cnot ¡®predicted,¡¯ she knew.


    ¡°The life of a Hidakalan warrior can be fleeting, and Hirokyauta lost enough of our brethren to know that well,¡± Chiwawo said. ¡°She was laying the groundwork for you. She was making sure that if anything ever happened to her¡­you two would be safe with us. That was how important you two were to her.¡±


    A silence befell the tent. But instead of discomfort, Zayza felt peace.


    He''s right.


    She hadn''t picked up on it then: Hiroko''s nuances when she first insisted on the trip. But with Hiroko''s memories now mixed into her own, she recalled something:


    Just before speaking, Hiroko had kept gazing at the triangle tattoos all over her body. Unquestionably, it was on her mind.


    But so was something else.


    ¡°You know, Chiwawo¡­¡± Zayza started, ¡°She was thinking of more than just protecting me and Kotono that day.¡±


    She took a small step deeper into the tent.


    ¡°She was thinking of you, too.¡±


    Finally, Chiwawo shifted to face her. His icy eyes were full of questioning.


    ¡°You believe Hirokyauta wanted you here for my sake?¡± he asked. ¡°What led you to think that?¡±


    Zayza hesitated, her face flushing at how it sounded out loud. ¡°W¨Cwell¡­¡±


    Hiroko''s memories, she knew. So many were focused on him that day.


    She couldn''t hear exactly what was going on in Hiroko''s mind during that time¨Conly the images and senses she''d experienced. And yet, seeing through her eye movements, feeling her chuckles, speaking her words¡­


    Zayza simply knew it: Hiroko was determined that Chiwawo meet her and Kotono that day. Not only for their sake, but for his.


    Even if she couldn''t piece together why.


    ¡°So do Dreamers have a Daydream World, Princess?¡±


    Zayza blinked. She could tell he was growing accustomed to how often she''d burrow into her thoughts mid-conversation.


    But though he awaited her elaboration, there was nothing else Zayza could say.


    Not without giving him the truth.


    She glanced around the tent to dodge Chiwawo''s gaze. But its utter plainness left her no distraction to latch onto.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she evaded, ¡°for starters, this tent could use a bit more decoration.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°But also¡­how else would get to you hear about Hiroko''s adventures beyond Hidakala?¡±


    This reasoning¨Cthough improvised¨Csharpened Chiwawo¡¯s attention much more than the first.


    ¡°True¡­¡± he nodded, ¡°although, she did tell me some stories that night.¡±


    ¡°That''s only the start of it,¡± said Zayza. ¡°And that doesn''t even count all the things she wouldn''t want your parents to hear¡­¡±


    Her mischievous grin rose Chiwawo''s eyebrows.


    ¡°I can tell you all about it,¡± Zayza told him proudly. ¡°See? It''s meant to be.¡±


    Chiwawo shook his head. ¡°You are a little more mischievous than you look, you know.¡±


    ¡°So I''ve been told.¡±


    Stirring suddenly, Chiwawo rose to his feet. ¡°Then let''s do it.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Do what?¡±


    He skirted the heat stone pit to acquire a few nearly-organized appliances.


    ¡°Come. I''ll teach you to prepare a meal,¡± he invited. ¡°Then, you can tell me of Hirokyauta''s life after she left.¡±


    He smirked.


    ¡°And maybe I will tell you her embarrassing childhood stories from before.¡±


    ~


    Zayza''s laughter filled the tent until she covered her mouth, shaking in a fit of snorts.


    ¡°She¡­did she really¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just laugh, Princess, or you''ll explode,¡± urged Chiwawo. ¡°You are allowed to laugh in Hidakala.¡±


    Pulling herself together, Zayza eventually sighed. She placed her straw bowl to the side of the heat stones, where Chiwawo had already rested his.


    ¡°I''m sorry¡­it can be improper during meals where I''m from,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Then I guess we are an improper culture,¡± Chiwawo shrugged.


    ¡°No,¡± Zayza insisted. ¡°You are all lovely. In a way, being here is like being with Hiroko.¡±


    Chiwawo walked over to check on the torch at the front of the tent, its warm glimmer having replaced the sun''s light a while ago. Then he returned beside Zayza, his toes much closer to the glowing heat stones than she had the bravery to attempt.


    ¡°Speaking of that, it is your turn,¡± Chiwawo said.


    Zayza had to take a minute before she could conjure something as silly as Chiwawo''s tale. They''d spent probably hours now going back and forth, and through all the sharing, she realized just how biased memories could be.


    She already knew most of the stories Chiwawo brought up¨Cthey were embedded in her mind now. And yet, Hiroko had seemed much more put-together in the way her memory triangles painted her than what Zayza was hearing now.


    Chiwawo''s perspective provided the real spice.


    She watched him reach over and use a shovel to adjust the heat stones, his broad arm rising just before her. His black triangles, though fewer than his sister''s, were vivid even under the dim light.


    ¡°They''re¡­all for tribe members you''ve lost,¡± Zayza uttered. ¡°Aren''t they?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-one,¡± Chiwawo confirmed. ¡°Mostly hunts. Our tribe requires suffering to keep it alive¡­but it is our home.¡±


    Zayza stared at their empty bowls. She wondered just how much struggle and pain went into retrieving the meat they''d grilled. The cooking took a couple hours alone, but that was a fraction of the whole process¨Cand clearly, it was the easiest part.


    ¡°And what about your markings, Princess?¡±


    Zayza realized his eyes were on her now.


    ¡°Are yours to remember your fallen, as well? I see you have plenty on your arms and legs.¡±


    ¡°Not just there,¡± Zayza corrected. She turned her back to him and loosened her dress to show the interwoven continuation of her markings.


    ¡°Ah. I¨CI understand.¡±


    ¡°No you don''t. You''re not even looking,¡± Zayza accused. ¡°You''re such a shy man.¡±


    ¡°I am not a shy man. I am a virtuous one.¡±


    Zayza found herself watching him perhaps the same way she''d expected him to look at her.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she said, shuffling her dress back up. ¡°But these aren''t actually tattoos. They''re scars. The more pain a Dreamer has experienced in the real world, the more they can withstand in the Dream World. It is customary.¡±


    ¡°Then you must be quite a powerful Dreamer,¡± Chiwawo derived.


    Zayza shrugged in humble agreement. ¡°I wish they were symbols of those who have died, though,¡± she admitted. ¡°I''ve lost many people. My parents, my elder sister, my guardian, friends¡­but we Azvaylens have no afterlife.¡±


    She turned to reface him.


    ¡°I am more like you than you think,¡± she said. ¡°I¡­I know what you''re feeling right now, Chiwawo. That''s why I came to see you.¡±


    His eyes moved from her Azvaylen markings to the Hidakalan one on her cheek.


    ¡°Well then¡­if you yield your turn, Princess,¡± said Chiwawo, ¡°I have many more stories I could tell you¨Ctimes my sister saved my life, or someone else''s, or grew stronger...¡±


    Zayza smiled under the lessening light.


    ¡°It is late, though¡­¡± figured Chiwawo, ¡°so¨C¡±


    ¡°I''d love to hear them,¡± said Zayza. ¡°All of them.¡±


    ~~~


    Just like the breeze, the cave before Zayza felt different this time.


    The humble shape peeking out from the ground, along with its location beside the stream were the same¨Cit was still hers. Although, a light blue was mixed into the usual purple glow emanating from the entrance: Hiroko''s memories now rested there in harmony with Zayza''s.


    In the real world, it was becoming natural enough. The memories were growing to feel like one in the same, like Hiroko''s had always been there.


    But in this realm, she could sense it. This felt¡­off.


    Incomplete, she knew.


    While the memory triangles had no true home, this couldn¡¯t be it, either. They needed to vacate eventually¨Cto regroup with the few that remained outside Zayza''s grasp.


    Right¡­


    She''d wondered why she hadn''t yet continued her search, now that she was here. After all, she could sense it:


    She only needed to look up.


    They floated in the sky above the cave: the remaining cluster of light triangles. This time, they didn''t evade her.


    But it was because they couldn''t. They weren''t alone.


    She couldn''t feel its presence. It was incorrect. It shouldn''t be there. It didn''t belong in the Dream World.


    And yet, it was here.


    A heap of blackness surrounded the remaining memory triangles, ever interweaving and swirling. Limbs stretched out in its center, compressing the triangles.


    Zayza wasted no time. Though she had no idea what this was, she''d faced equal nightmares before.


    But once her green energy ignited around her and she took to the air, the blackness tightened further. The triangles¡¯ twinkling elevated to a constant screech.


    Zayza didn''t risk getting any closer. But she glared as closely as she could.


    Within the center of the triangles, a single blue flame burned.


    A chalky laugh.


    A hard embrace.


    An ancient song.


    Hiroko.


    Zayza summoned more power. And in response, the blackness began morphing into a colossal being.


    ¡°Hiroko!!¡± Zayza cried. ¡°Wait for me! I''ll save¨C¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°Let''s get you to your tent, Princess,¡± Chiwawo''s low tone reverberated against her. ¡°Like I said, it is late.¡±


    Her eyes drifted open. She was warm, nestled against a firm shoulder.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    She couldn''t remember what story Chiwawo had last begun telling. It seemed the night had grown later than she thought.


    Zayza sat back up. ¡°I suppose you''re right.¡±


    Her heart pounded as they stood.


    That flame¡­


    Was it really what she suspected?


    When I go back, will that all happen again? her mind raced. Or did I miss my only chance?


    The night chill forced her to hug herself while they walked. Chiwawo draped a blanket around her from behind, but remained shirtless himself.


    ¡°...Are you well?¡± he eventually asked.


    ¡°Y¨Cyes.¡±


    ¡°Is it the Dream World?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zayza lied. ¡°I''m just¡­tired, is all.¡±


    The blue flame flickered on in her mind.


    Waiting for her.


    Silence befell them for most of the way, and soon, Zayza spotted her tent under the moonlight.


    She could go back to the Dream World as soon as she slipped inside.


    ¡°Princess¡­thank you for tonight.¡±


    Chiwawo''s steps slowed. Reluctantly, Zayza matched him.


    ¡°Hirokyauta is gone forever¡­but we have each other to remember her by,¡± he said. ¡°She lives on within us. Our memories¡­they are her eternity.¡±


    Struggling to contain the nervous tremble those words brought on, Zayza avoided his eyes.


    You don''t realize how true that is¡­


    Stopping fully, Chiwawo placed his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°I am unsure if this pain will go away,¡± he admitted, ¡°but even if it does not¡­thank you for teaching me that tonight.¡±


    Zayza''s heart twisted.


    It doesn¡¯t go away, she knew. Not fully.


    She turned from his face, standing stiff. A narrow sigh escaped her, and the words came forward in her mind.


    This is a bad idea.


    She knew it. And yet, she wasn''t her genius sister. She wasn''t Lammy.


    It was a bad idea, but right now it was the only course of action that felt genuine to her.


    Before she could contain it, the words erupted.


    ¡°Chiwawo¡­¡± she said, voice trembling. ¡°I need to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I believe your sister might still be alive.¡±


    At first, silence.


    Then Chiwawo merely smiled. For a split second, Zayza thought he''d comprehended it much easier than she expected.


    ¡°Right. So you agree,¡± he translated.


    ¡°No. Well¨Cyes, but¡­¡± Zayza stammered. ¡°You should know¡­ever since I joined the tribe, I''ve been finding memories in the Dream World¨Cmemories I''d never experienced before. Because they''re hers.¡±


    Chiwawo''s jaw tightened.


    ¡°I don''t know how to explain it,¡± Zayza poured out. ¡°I realized that whenever I learn more about Hidakala, I find more of Hiroko''s memories. So I''ve been trying to learn as much as I can. Now I think¡­if I can piece the memories together¡­perhaps Hiroko will¨C¡±


    ¡°I cannot do this.¡±


    Zayza froze. His voice was hollow.


    ¡°...Chiwawo?¡±


    ¡°Princess,¡± he stammered, ¡°am I meant to grieve her, or not?¡±


    The tribe''s silence overtook them for a moment.


    Zayza didn''t know what to say. There was no answer to his question¨Cnot yet.


    ¡°I am sorry. It seems I misunderstood. All of this time, I thought we were trying to heal together,¡± Chiwawo said. ¡°But your experiences with me¨Cwith all of us¨Cwere to help you explore something you cannot prove to any of us?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Zayza tried.


    Chiwawo raised his powerful hand above her. Zayza winced, but it came down on her head softly.


    ¡°If you find my sister there inside your head,¡± he asked, ¡°will she come crawling out to see us all again? To live eternally with her people? Or¡­will she only be alive to you?¡±


    ¡°Chiwawo, please¡­¡±


    He released his hand, distancing himself. His icy eyes were particularly enchanting under the moonlight, but only because they''d gone damp.


    ¡°You just helped me accept a world without Hirokyauta,¡± he uttered. ¡°But Princess¡­I fear you are the one in denial.¡±


    He turned to walk away. But this time, he headed away from the tribe, towards the final few tents on the outside.


    ¡°Where are you going¡­?¡±


    ¡°To hunt.¡± He didn''t turn back as he replied.


    ¡°This late?¡±


    ¡°Our yield has been lower these past few weeks,¡± he expounded evenly. ¡°They have not had my help. I will begin making up for that now.¡±


    Chiwawo was already close to invisible, the desert darkness claiming his form.


    ¡°I was wrong, Princess,¡± he added lower. ¡°I hoped maybe, a Hidakalan''s world and an outsider''s world could make sense together¡­.¡±


    His body fully vanished into the blackness.


    ¡°...but I am starting to see I was wrong.¡±

 153. In the Abstract (Part 2 of 3)

    Zayza stood alone in the emptiness of the night, her shivering breath the only sound left to keep her company.


    The hushed No Man¡¯s Land forest revisited her mind from when she¡¯d awoken within it months ago, just as stunned and isolated as she found herself right now. But for once, she envied her past self: at least that Zayza had no recollection¡ªoblivious to the tragedies that led to her sudden loneliness.


    This time, she had to face it head-on.


    She doubted Nahutala or even Hirochota would accept her hope, given Chiwawo¡¯s reaction to it. If she were to continue pursuing this mystery, she had to do it alone.


    Once again, Zayza found herself the only one who understood. Just like Azvaylen.


    But could she really believe she understood this time?


    Ever since she arrived in Hidakala, she¡¯d been experimenting with things she¡¯d never encountered before. The Gods below¡­the memory triangles¡­these were complete unknowns.


    So why should she lean so heavily on them to prove that a trace of Hiroko still remained? The Dream World molded to Dreamers¡¯ thoughts and feelings. And as she was learning, so did the Tribe Father¡¯s wisdom.


    Have I been using all of this as an excuse to validate my wishes? Zayza pondered.


    The cold acceptance loomed, threatening to overcome her:


    Perhaps Chiwawo is right¡­that I¡¯m the one in denial.


    A tremor.


    Shuddering against her planted feet, the sand began vibrating.


    Had this occurred earlier in her residence here, Zayza doubted she would¡¯ve taken notice so quickly. Though it was subtle, her new senses latched on immediately. Her soles alerted her brain.


    Something was stirring.


    Zayza closed her eyes and reached out, just as Chiwawo had taught her. The image came gradually. But she recognized it even before her vision was clear:


    A Sand Dragon.


    It was less than half the size of the one from today, its triangular head not yet as angular as its elder. But its eyes were just as big and black, and they blinked with curiosity as it swam its way deep beneath the surface.


    At first, Zayza¡¯s heart fluttered at the much-needed uplift. Then, it skipped:


    The young Sand Dragon was burrowing a familiar path.


    Zayza moved. She hurried her way past her tent, then past the others surrounding it, as she trailed the creature''s travel. Her eyes were open again, but she could watch it in her mind just the same.


    Then another vibration emerged from behind: a much deeper one. It overtook Zayza within moments, and as it did, its culprit joined her mental vision.


    An adult Sand Dragon¡ªthe same one as before, Zayza presumed¡ªeclipsed its wandering child from above. Wrapping its claylike claw tenderly, it scooped the small dragon and circled around to head back the way they came.


    Zayza came to a stop in the center of their turnaround. As the Sand Dragons departed deeper underground, their vibrations eventually weakening to nothing, she stood in place, mind racing.


    She knew it: Zayza had found herself at the base of the slopes on the outskirts of the tents, where the guards had first escorted her into Hidakala.


    This was the exact spot¡ªthe third loop in the Sand Dragon¡¯s repeated route earlier today.


    The location of the third stone heart.


    Zayza didn¡¯t wait to consider the time of day, nor the scale of the task at hand. At some point within her jog, her drowsiness washed away.


    She dropped into the sand and began digging. The sand was lighter now, the moisture from before nearly evaporated, but she hardly paid any mind¡ªeven as the holes she made partially filled back up.


    She had to find it.


    ¡°If I ever leave, please do not forsake your people.¡±


    Maybe the Sand Dragons guided her here. Or maybe she simply pretended they did.


    But it didn¡¯t matter, because she was here now.


    ¡°If I ever leave, please do not forsake me.¡±


    I need to know, her thoughts raced. Hiroko¡­I¡¯ll only believe if I here it from you.


    But with the last of Hiroko¡¯s memories held hostage in the Dream World, her friend¡¯s only remaining words were right here beneath the sand.


    I need to know what I¡¯m trying to do is right.


    Please, tell me.


    Something like an eternity must have past by in the fog of her determination. Her head just below the surface level, she planted her feet within the hole and reached out through them.


    The stone heart was undeniably below her. But it was still much deeper; she would need twice the effort she¡¯d already given to reach it. Clearly, seasons of wind and weather had buried the stone much farther down than Hiroko had placed it originally.


    Zayza¡¯s arms and legs shook, her breath heavy.


    How did Chiwawo manage this? she bemoaned. I don¡¯t know how I can possibly¡ª


    Something stuck into the sand beside her with a dull slice. She found herself too swamped to be startled, gazing at its crude handle.


    ¡°Oh by the Gods, not you, too,¡± came a voice.


    Zayza lifted her weary head. Nahutala towered above her at the lip of the small crater, her features hardly visible against the night sky. But Zayza didn¡¯t need light to imagine the admonishing expression she probably wore.


    ¡°We are no kingdom, but we do have technology here,¡± Nahutala teased, showing off a second shovel in her grasp. ¡°Just stick to picking up Hirokyauta¡¯s habits¡ªshe was at least a little less blockheaded than her brother.¡±


    Zayza managed a breathy laugh. ¡°You knew I was here¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Sand Dragons¡¯ burrowing awoke me. When I sensed their path, I figured I would find the two of you here,¡± she explained. ¡°You are alone?¡±


    ¡°We spoke,¡± Zayza said feebly, ¡°but then¡­I fear I offended him deeply.¡±


    She paused, fixated on the gifted shovel before her. The dress she wore suddenly felt foreign against her skin.


    ¡°Nahutala¡­this stone isn¡¯t mine to find. I cannot accept your help,¡± she stammered. ¡°I¡¯ve complicated things for all of you¡ª¡±


    The sand shifted. Nahutala hopped forward and entered the hole right beside her. She unearthed the shovel, placing it in Zayza¡¯s hands.


    Then, without a word, she began digging.


    Zayza froze, only able to watch her for a moment. But Nahutala simply continued.


    A splash of new energy engulfed the princess. Finally, she gripped the shovel tighter and joined in.


    ~


    Even the moonlight couldn¡¯t reach the women eventually. Their shovels followed the guidance of their feet alone.


    And the whole time, neither shared a single utterance.


    Zayza had expected to provide an explanation for it all¡ªwhat she¡¯d done to hurt Chiwawo, the true reason she was searching¡­everything. She came to close to pouring it out. But Nahutala never asked.


    More than that: by Nahutala¡¯s easy demeanor, Zayza guessed she didn¡¯t even need to ask.


    She seemed perfectly content with the information she had right now; it was more than enough to earn her help. Her calm smile lingered all the while, as if to accept that she¡¯d understand it all when it was time.


    It was a faith Zayza couldn¡¯t comprehend¡ªbut one she was certainly grateful for.


    ¡°We are close.¡±


    Finally, a break in the silence.


    Zayza could feel it before their toes: Nahutala was spot-on. The stone felt closer to Zayza¡¯s shovel, so she gave one last shove.


    A clank echoed through the village.


    Plucking out the triangular rock was the easy part. But climbing from the hole, especially with hardly any strength left, proved to be the true challenge. Nahutala raised Zayza out on her shoulders, and then expertly navigated the shifting wall to meet her at the surface.


    At last, Zayza cradled the third stone heart and flopped into the sand. Hiroko¡¯s final prayer was in her grasp.


    ¡°So¡­how were you planning on reading that once you found it?¡± Nahutala questioned.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Zayza stiffened. ¡°I suppose I didn¡¯t think that far¡­¡±


    Chuckling, Nahutala took the stone heart. Angling it to get the most moonlight she could, she squinted to read it. Then she ran her fingers over its many grooves, opting to rely more on feel instead.


    Zayza nearly inquired what it said, but her throat had become too tight.


    ¡°If I ever return¡­¡± Nahutala began.


    Zayza¡¯s ears perked. This one already began differently from the others.


    ¡°¡­May it be with a solution.¡±


    Nahutala grew quiet. Silence lingered between them for a moment.


    Zayza felt herself deflate. For a stone that appeared to have more letterings than the others, this message turned out much shorter.


    But she managed a tired smile.


    ¡°Well¡­in the end,¡± she figured, ¡°this prayer was answered, like the first.¡±


    But Nahutala still didn¡¯t reply or react. Her eyes remained examining the stone¡­ until they shot wide all at once.


    ¡°And also¡­¡± Nahutala continued much more steadily.


    ¡°There¡¯s more?¡±


    Nahutala nodded. She scanned over the stone again, confirming what she saw was indeed accurate:


    ¡°¡­If I find the princess out there¡­the one I¡¯ve dreamed and hoped for,¡± she read, ¡°¡­may I return with her.¡±


    This time, the silence lasted much longer. Nahutala¡¯s head darted from the stone heart to Zayza, then back to the stone, and back again.


    ¡°How¡­how could she have foreseen¡­?¡±


    Upon another careful examination, the furrow in her brow loosened.


    ¡°Then again¡­the grammar is a bit off¡­¡± she analyzed. ¡°Without context, I cannot tell if she meant ¡®the¡¯ princess or ¡®my princess.¡±


    ¡®MY princess¡­¡¯ Zayza knew.


    A deeper smile spread on her face. She¡¯d deduced it even before Nahutala¡¯s elaboration.


    ¡°Not me,¡± Zayza asserted. ¡°Kotono.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    She stood, a hand on her heart like it carried her dear friends inside. She thought back to Chiwawo painting the triangle onto Kotono¡¯s cheek¡ªthe largest one anyone had received that night.


    ¡°Hiroko was praying that she¡¯d find her love beyond Hidakala¡­and she did.¡±


    ¡°You are right, my child.¡±


    With a start, Zayza and Nahutala turned. In a purple gown that dragged soundlessly across the sand, Hiroko¡¯s mother approached them.


    ¡°Hirochota?¡± Nahutala greeted in a blend of surprise and concern.


    ¡°Your reading is impressive as ever, Nahutala. My eyes could not have managed it in this darkness,¡± Hirochota praised her. ¡°So¡­my daughter had learned our written language, after all? It is just like her to keep that a secret."


    She laughed, its uncanny match to Hiroko¡¯s once again fluttering Zayza¡¯s heart.


    ¡°And Zayza, my dear: you are right,¡± Hirochota reaffirmed. ¡°But you are also very wrong.¡±


    The gleam in her icy eyes increased.


    ¡°H¡ªhow so?¡±


    ¡°The Gods below understand our prayers¡­but they choose to answer them, to empower them, in more ways than we can expect,¡± she taught. ¡°A new time is coming¡­and you will be part of the solution.¡±


    Hirochota stepped closer and took Zayza¡¯s had.


    ¡°Do not let confusion cloud what you have known from the start, when you fell ill calling out my daughter¡¯s name,¡± she implored. ¡°You have already begun feeling it, haven¡¯t you? The Gods below have something special in store for the three of you.¡±


    Her hand squeezed tenderly.


    ¡°You are the answered prayer, just as Kotono is,¡± Hirochota insisted. ¡°And just like her, I believe you will be an instrument of change. But to become that¡­you must do what only you can do.¡±


    Inside the moon¡¯s reflection on Hirochota¡¯s eyes, Zayza could practically picture the blue flame she¡¯d seen restrained in the Dream World.


    ¡°The memories¡­¡± Zayza uttered aloud.


    ¡°You have believed it all along: my daughter left something behind for you to find,¡± said Hirochota. ¡°Now go where no Hidakalan can. Go and receive it.¡±


    Once more, Zayza¡¯s weariness washed away under Hirochota and Nahutala¡¯s strong, warm gazes. She could feel the years of love they¡¯d poured into Hiroko¡ªand now, they were passing that same support onto her.


    Just like she could lean on Lammy, Layla, and the others, she could lean on Hidakala.


    Zayza gave a small bow to each of them.


    ¡°Hirochota, Nahutala¡­thank you.¡±


    Out of habit, she pumped her arms like she would to summon her green energy in the Dream World. Then she turned, and darted to begin the trek back to her tent.


    If you¡¯re in there, Hiroko¡­hold on.


    With every step, the tribe around her began feeling closer to the Dream World than reality, passing her by as a shadow. All she could truly see was the blue flame burning on in her thoughts, waiting for her return.


    She brushed through her tent flap and slid inside before she knew it. The cool sand hugged her legs.


    Zayza sighed. She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together before her chest¡­


    ~


    ¡­And entered the Dream World.


    A roar rang out immediately. Zayza only heard the end of it, as if her very arrival was the inciting incident. Its sharp threat only echoed once across the sky before decaying completely.


    She opened her eyes and saw her cave steps away. The light blue of Hiroko¡¯s memory triangles remained mixed with the emerald glow of her own orbs.


    Then another roar boomed¡ªthis one louder. But Zayza wasn¡¯t certain she could consider it a ¡®roar.¡¯ Somehow, while it was rabid and animalistic, it was mechanical. Its metallic screeches were familiar in a way that made her skin squirm underneath her Dream World dress.


    That sound¡­I know it.


    And yet, it couldn¡¯t deter her. Instead, when she twirled around in a blaze of green to face it, she did so with ferocity.


    Just as she¡¯d seen before Chiwawo awoke her last time, the entity had morphed. Now, its transformation was complete: its countless mammoth limbs slammed against the ground, but they somehow left the green and purple grass uninfluenced.


    Lacking a face or body of any sort, its core of blackness blocked out much of the sky it occupied. It was jagged and blurry, like a series of rapid motions suspended in time.


    And deep within, the faintest blue glow emanated: the final memory triangles trapped within its stabbing grasp.


    From here, Zayza couldn¡¯t see that strange blue flame between the triangles anymore.


    But she could feel it burning on.


    Hoping.


    She tried a step forward, which immediately triggered another roar.


    ¡°Oh hush, you beast,¡± she retorted.


    Zayza studied the shadowy essence closer. The nature of its blur¡ªits still motion¡ªwas just as chilling as the roar.


    This energy¡­I know it, too.


    Carefully, she risked one more step.


    A dagger of blackness shot from the being, maintaining the shape of its suspended form as it zoomed straight at Zayza. She fired a light beam before herself, bracing for an explosion to launch her backwards.


    Instead, however, the shadow began decaying around the light. Its fading pieces brushed past her successful defense, vanishing all around her body.


    But Zayza recoiled: for a brief instant, their lingering presence pulled at her. It sucked at her Dream World body from every direction, as if to tear her very being apart along with it.


    Then before it could do so, it vanished.


    Zayza caught her breath as she felt herself recover. She nearly thought her mind would come apart.


    Now at last, she understood.


    Proscious.


    The white beam Proscious fired in the Dreamer Chamber¡ªthe one that took Hiroko¡¯s life¡ªthis was the energy from that very same beam.


    It had been intended to take a Dreamer¡¯s powers, killing them in the process, and transfer them to someone else. But since Hiroko wasn¡¯t a Dreamer, it couldn¡¯t work.


    It destroyed her body¡­but the mind is abstract, like the Dream World, Zayza knew. That means these memories¡­


    Deep within, she knew it was a possibility all along. But Zayza couldn¡¯t bring herself to consider it.


    They¡¯re just the shattered remains of the mind Proscious destroyed.


    It was no wonder this dark essence felt like it couldn¡¯t belong in this realm, yet it did. It was artificial, built from her family¡¯s defiled abilities.


    But Zayza had no space to harbor terror for this abomination.


    This was just another way Proscious took a loved one from her, and that was all that mattered.


    She summoned a vicious gust of energy around herself in less than a blink. And even faster than that, she fired.


    The giant shadow swerved its center just in time, but Zayza¡¯s blast still vaporized a chunk of its side. She watched as the new gape in its form slowly began to rebuild. Simultaneously, the glowing and shrieks from Hiroko¡¯s trapped memories increased.


    So then, if its purpose was to steal from the mind, it isn¡¯t trying to destroy Hiroko¡¯s final memories, Zayza learned. It¡¯s designed to latch onto them¡ªit needs them in order to exist.


    Her plan of attack became clear.


    Zayza hadn¡¯t unearthed this technique since before she cast away her memories. Given the level of timing and precision required, it would¡¯ve been too risky against Wei.


    But it was practically made for this.


    Zayza sighed and blinked her eyes slow as a sleepy cat. Preparing to teleport, she felt the numbness grow in her chest.


    But instead of allowing the sensation to overtake her, Zayza fell backwards and summoned an orb of energy in her place.


    It vanished in her stead, appearing exactly where Zayza had envisioned: off to the side, directly behind the shadow being.


    The monster stirred in response to Zayza¡¯s use of energy, but it couldn¡¯t have prepared for the redirection. The blast exploded through the darkness, removing another chunk from the being¡¯s side.


    This was only the start: leaving no time for reprieve, Zayza had already regained her footing and begun the process again.


    ¡­And again, and again, from every direction.


    The beast hardly had a chance to react before a quarter of its essence was blown away. It fired more dark daggers, so Zayza sprung into motion: shifting between teleporting her attacks and warping herself across the grass.


    But soon, the counterattacks came slower. Zayza continued her pattern to remain untouchable, but allowed herself an extra glimpse each time for more precise aim.


    She was close: as planned, she¡¯d dispelled most of the core around the memories. The remaining darkness naturally inched its way towards them like a magnet, but that only made it a more predictable target.


    You¡¯ve done nothing but destroy what¡¯s precious to me, Zayza thought.


    Finally ending her technique, Zayza warped forward to face the remaining cluster head-on.


    Now, at least I can destroy the monstrosity you created.


    Her final two blasts finished the job. Any lingering swirls of shadow unraveled into nothing.


    At last, nothing was between Zayza and Hiroko¡¯s remaining memories.


    And yet, in the end, she no longer felt the drive to receive them¡ªnot with the knowledge of their true nature.


    They were just lifeless shards, remains of a friend who was not really here.


    The proof of Proscious¡¯s destruction.


    Even still, the light blue flame in the center of the triangles continued burning. Zayza watched it, once again feeling her fallen friend¡¯s presence. Perhaps it was the manifestation of Hiroko¡¯s personality¡ªof what made her unique.


    The triangles fluttered after a moment. Their brilliance dimmed a bit, and Zayza spotted blotches of blackness along the edges.


    Then, they began falling.


    Zayza wasn¡¯t sure why she dove to catch them. She had her answer for this phenomenon, and it was the worst one she could imagine. She hadn¡¯t yet received the ¡®truth¡¯ Hirochota believed awaited her here, but what was the point, now? Why should she care?


    She didn¡¯t know why, but she did.


    Suddenly, within their freefall, the memories shivered before Zayza¡¯s outstretched hands.


    In a flash, they pounced forward into Zayza¡¯s head.


    ~~~~~~~~


    I want to give. Why are they stealing from me?


    I want to help. So why are they hurting me?


    Why do I even exist?


    Zayza¡¯s senses had gone blank. But then again, they were back.


    She found herself near the top of the Curving Peak in the afternoon. The sky was transforming before her.


    All at once, she could finally remember the visions she¡¯d seen up here last time¡­because they were appearing once again:


    A dark cave. Drawings of figures on stone.


    A tearful girl¡¯s wound reversing itself to health. Loving waves of farewell.


    A chain of scales surfing through the sand. The black eyes of a colossal being.


    She felt young and old all at once.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong! We can still make everything right again!¡±


    ¡°¡®It¡¯s never too late for anyone, anywhere.¡¯ That¡¯s what you told us! You said we exist to make sure that¡¯s true!¡±


    Where are these voices coming from? Zayza wondered. Which realm am I in?


    ¡°We can do it. We¡¯ll stop Proscious before they can start. We have the power, and that power is never going away.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you believe us?¡±


    A power that¡¯s never going away¡­? Zayza wondered. Stop Proscious¡­BEFORE they start?


    ¡­Huh? What is this¡­? Am¡­am I dead?


    Zayza¡¯s heart nearly stopped. That wasn¡¯t her own thought, but she recognized it instantly.


    Hiroko?


    ~~~~~~~~


    Zayza blinked. Her senses reset yet again.


    She stood just as before, alone in the Dream World with the lingering flame.


    Why¡­why was all of that Hiroko¡¯s memories¡­? she contemplated. Those were her final thoughts¡­?


    Everything felt weightless.


    I¡¯d better awaken and speak with the others, she resolved. There is so much to explain¡­yet I fathom hardly any of it.


    And besides¡­I need to apologize to Chiwawo.


    I was wrong.


    Zayza prepared herself, focusing on her form. But with her mind racing, she was all but oblivious to the new, sparkling activity in her surroundings.


    If she had closed her eyes a second too soon, she would¡¯ve missed it:


    Hundreds of Hiroko¡¯s memory triangles were gathering around her¡ªand one by one, they¡¯d begun combining into a new form.

 154. In the Abstract (Part 3 of 3)

    The shimmering spectacle of light blue halted Zayza from her departure. As she stood frozen, the endless memory triangles drifted around her like lingering snowflakes.


    There was something more relaxed about the way they coasted this time. Their chiming song filled the air.


    But as more and more arrived, having exited her cave where her own memories rested, she realized they were passing her by.


    She wasn¡¯t their destination.


    Zayza¡¯s eyes widened: the chorus of memory triangles began orbiting around the floating blue flame before her.


    No¡­she doubted outright.


    But they drew closer, never speeding up, never wavering.


    Many of the triangles rotated, their unique curves and edges connecting like an intricate puzzle. Even still, they closed in on the flame until Zayza couldn¡¯t see it anymore.


    She couldn¡¯t help it any longer: Zayza¡¯s heart pounded.


    The memories joined and compressed fully around the flame. Zayza shielded her eyes¡ª their brilliance was almost too much.


    Then, with a flash she could see through her pressed eyelids, it was over.


    Silence.


    ¡°Yep. Knew you were here,¡± came a coarse voice. ¡°Weirdly, I could feel it somehow.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s chest went numb. Her gasping mouth dropped wide-open, tears bursting from her eyes before she even beheld the sight before her.


    Hiroko laughed. ¡°Hey, Zayza.¡±


    She stood in place of the flame¡ªor rather, as Zayza understood now: her body no longer was the flame. Head-to-toe, she was her full self, though her icy eyes now glistened with the same brilliance as the memory triangles.


    The top to Hiroko¡¯s signature fighting clothes had spawned in a different design than her typical purple and black stripes, instead featuring a pattern much like Zayza¡¯s new Hidakalan dresses. But they showed off her many tattoos just the same.


    Hiroko smirked. ¡°What?¡±


    Zayza darted forward, nearly blind from her glowing green tears. She wrapped herself around her friend, wailing. Hiroko¡¯s continued laugh felt like home against her.


    It was undeniable, though¡ªshe was still different.


    Her body felt warm, but not in a real-world sense. It was more like sunlight against Zayza¡¯s skin¡ªlike pure energy.


    Like a Dream World body.


    Zayza managed to blink away some of her tears. Against Hiroko¡¯s firm shoulder, she could see the slightest hue of blue light, the same shade as those icy eyes.


    It was Dreamer energy. She was Dreamer energy: formed fresh from her memories and the essence of her existence, this was Hiroko¡¯s Dreamer body. Abnormal as it seemed, Zayza was certain.


    Hiroko¡¯s hand rose to cradle Zayza¡¯s head against her.


    ¡°You pieced me back together, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Zayza sniffed. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but¡­I suppose I did.¡±


    ¡°Ha. Zayza, you really can do anything.¡±


    Zayza lifted her head and met Hiroko¡¯s sparkling new eyes. The vague light¡¯s outline continued across every short purple spike in her hair. Zayza guessed if she stepped back, Hiroko¡¯s hue would hardly be noticeable¡ªlike any Dreamer¡¯s body.


    ¡°But¡­h¡ªhow? How can this be possible¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, I did take direct hit from a beam that¡¯s supposed to steal powers and turn people into Dreamers,¡± Hiroko reasoned, casually observing her new form before gazing around at their surreal surroundings. ¡°So this is the Dream World, huh? You weren¡¯t kidding, it¡¯s pretty strange. I like it.¡±


    Zayza clutched her friend¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Then you¡¯re alive?!¡±


    ¡°Not my body, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Hiroko refuted. ¡°I felt it get completely ripped apart.¡±


    The sheer nonchalance in the recollection of her own destruction left Zayza speechless, only able to blink in bafflement. She always knew Hiroko to brush off injuries¡ªbut to see her do so at this level was downright dizzying.


    Yet Zayza knew the seasoned fighter had to be right. She¡¯d watched it happen; there was no body left.


    ¡°¡­But I guess I am alive¡­just in here,¡± Hiroko concluded.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s possible¡­it was right at the start of Dreamwake¡ªboth worlds were merging¡­¡± Zayza pondered to herself. ¡°Combine that with Proscious¡¯s beam made with my father¡¯s powers¡­which was also possibly beginning to draw from Layla¡­all perhaps coming together to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Think you could show me all of those wild Dreamer attacks you used to tell me about?¡± Hiroko requested.


    ¡°Hey!!¡± Zayza snapped. ¡°How are you taking this so well?!¡±


    ¡°What? This is better than being dead,¡± chuckled Hiroko. ¡°It¡¯s okay now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Zayza¡¯s cheeks puffed in a royal pout. ¡°You don¡¯t know that. I haven¡¯t even briefed you on what¡¯s happened since then,¡± she rebuked matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Well, we obviously won,¡± Hiroko figured.


    ¡°Y¡ªyes, but¡­be more concerned! You didn¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Of course I did.¡± Hiroko¡¯s eyes softened, her confidence unyielding. ¡°I knew you guys would finish them. I believed in you the whole time,¡± she said. ¡°You and Kotono are unbeatable, Zayza. Kotono still has no idea how true that is. Plus, the cousins¡­Skrili¡­your sister¡­Phillip¡­it¡¯s not just strength; it¡¯s heart. We were made to come together and stop those guys.¡±


    Maybe it was the rush of being revived into an otherworldly form, but Hiroko¡¯s encouragement was more spiritual than usual. Zayza smiled.


    ¡°So¡­how is she?¡± Hiroko finally implored.


    The Dream World seemed to hush around them.


    ¡°Okay. Grieving.¡± Zayza knew Hiroko wouldn¡¯t need further elaboration to get it. ¡°She¡¯s with the others. Proscious stole that sweet girl Pang away¡ªit seems they¡¯re much bigger and more ambitious than we realized¡ªso the team is off on a mission to rescue her. The head of the League himself is overseeing it.¡±


    Hiroko crossed her arms in confidence. ¡°Wow. If Kotono¡¯s doing that, she¡¯s doing well,¡± she gathered in a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. She¡¯ll be safe with that group. But¡­you¡¯re not with them?¡±


    Zayza shook her head. ¡°We all agreed to hide me here, while Layla and Fewpar work to clear my name. It¡¯s been weeks.¡±


    ¡°I was about to ask where ¡®here¡¯ was, but¡­¡± started Hiroko, ¡°does this happen a lot?¡±


    She gazed down at the ground. Zayza thought she¡¯d felt its sensation transform beneath her: the green and purple grass underneath them, and as far as she could see, had changed to a new substance.


    ¡°I missed these sands,¡± Hiroko uttered. ¡°Let me guess: my mother is making Chiwawo watch over you out there?¡±


    Zayza laughed in confirmation. ¡°Your brother is about as strong and sweet as you.¡±


    ¡°Eh, he tries to be.¡±


    ¡°He¡­misses you dearly,¡± Zayza told her. ¡°But I¡¯m certain he won¡¯t believe me if I tell him you¡¯re alive in here.¡±


    ¡°I know what you should say¡ªwe¡¯ll sort him out,¡± Hiroko brushed off with a wink.


    Zayza savored the laugh they shared together, as if there was no knowing when they would share it again. But unlike the other souls she lost, Hiroko was here again. It still didn¡¯t feel like it, but she wasn¡¯t fading away. Everything in Zayza¡¯s heart prayed that would remain true.


    ¡°It¡¯s so odd¡­¡± commented her warrior companion.


    ¡°Becoming a Dream World being?¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°No¡ªthis is awesome,¡± chuckled Hiroko. ¡°I just mean¡­when you said the war wasn¡¯t over against Proscious, I¡­already knew that somehow.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s attention sharpened.


    ¡°That white beam hit me, and I felt it for a split second¡ªthen, I felt nothing. I just saw white,¡± Hiroko retraced. ¡°And I heard voices¡­but I can¡¯t remember what they said. The next thing I understood was feeling your presence.¡±


    Zayza thought back to the final memory triangle. ¡°Those voices¡­were they¡­? OH!¡±


    A spark suddenly blocked her vision¡ªsome sort of lights had just popped out from her forehead.


    As they floated away from her, their shape became clear: the final memory triangles she¡¯d received, bright but tainted with hints of blackness. Like a magnetic pull, the memories departed from her head and drew straight towards Hiroko¡¯s, where they flashed away to become one with her mind.


    Zayza could still remember their contents: those unknown, unseen people debating an attempt to stop Proscious¡¯s rise. She remembered the hurt and confusion from the first voice. However, it was no longer a lived experience¡ªit was a simple thought, like somebody had told her about it.


    As instantly as the memory triangles ejected from her, the memories themselves became secondhand.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± Hiroko blinked to recover her vision. A sudden light beneath her caught Zayza¡¯s eye, and she gasped.


    To her shock, she noticed Hiroko¡¯s body had been incomplete this whole time: in a glow of blue, her apparently missing feet began filling in against the sand like a drawing in progress. They glittered with the same glow of the triangles for a moment before matching the rest of her form.


    The final memories returned, Zayza gathered. Now, she¡¯s truly pieced back together.


    ¡°Oh¡ªthere we go. I remember what I saw after the blast,¡± Hiroko noticed calmly. ¡°Okay, this is starting to make sense.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­?¡± doubted Zayza. ¡°I couldn¡¯t gather any logic from those memories.¡±


    ¡°Well, those voices talked about stopping Proscious before they started. That means, for some reason, we saw a vision from a long time ago. Maybe an extremely long time ago,¡± Hiroko expressed. ¡°Because the vision before that was full of images from Hidakala, but¡­¡±


    Zayza watched her eyebrows furrow in perplexity¡ªa rare expression for seasoned Predictors.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never seen those Hidakalan faces before¡­or even some of those places,¡± she explained. ¡°There was a cave with Hidakalan drawings, but I¡¯ve only ever heard of caves like that in stories. They were myths even to my great-great grandparents.¡±


    ¡°The visions are that old?!¡±


    Hiroko nodded in thought. ¡°Zayza¡­I think Proscious might be that old¡ªor at least, the power source they¡¯re drawing from.¡±


    Zayza felt a chill. Finally, it was beginning to click.


    ¡°So if those visions are true, Proscious¡¯ history intersected with Hidakala long ago,¡± she pieced together. ¡°Which means¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly. We might be able to find clues to their secrets right here in the village,¡± concluded Hiroko. ¡°And if that ¡®power to stop them¡¯ still exists, like those voices said, then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then we might find that, too!¡± Zayza finished.


    ¡®The truth you seek is in our way¡­in our history¡­¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s just as the Tribe Father said,¡± Zayza breathed. ¡°The answer has been right under our noses this whole time¡­before we even knew we were seeking it?¡±


    Their tenacious gazes locked to each other. Somehow, a runaway princess and a nonconforming desert warrior had found their lives interwoven¡ªand now, it brought them here: about to unearth a truth perhaps bigger than either of their own realities.


    It seemed the Tribe Father¡¯s words weren¡¯t meant just for Hiroko when she was deciding whether or not to leave Hidakala, or for Zayza to help her find Hiroko¡¯s memories.


    They were¡ªperhaps this whole time¡ªmeant for this moment.


    Hiroko chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re already thinking like a Hidakalan,¡± she noticed.


    Zayza blushed. The realization felt so natural, she¡¯d forgotten Hiroko¡¯s skepticism towards her people¡¯s beliefs.


    ¡°But I think you¡¯re right,¡± Hiroko finished. ¡°I know Hidakala. I can guide you from in here. You¡¯ll have to go do the searching.¡±


    Nahutala will help, too, Zayza knew. And maybe Chiwawo¡­if I can win back his trust¡­.


    ¡°So go back out there, tell my family I say hi, and come back for brainstorming,¡± instructed Hiroko. ¡°But I¡¯ll only help on one condition¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯ll teach you Dreamer combat techniques.¡±


    ¡°Awesome. Thanks.¡±


    Upon Hiroko¡¯s insistence, Zayza began backing away. But she couldn¡¯t quite bring herself to depart, her watery eyes fixated on her newly reborn friend.


    ¡°Hey, stop that. I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± Hiroko said tenderly. ¡°When you get back, I¡¯ll be standing right here.¡±


    Zayza nodded. ¡°Okay¡­Promise.¡±


    ¡°I do, I promise.¡±


    Sighing, Zayza managed to close her eyes. She began centering herself to cross into the other realm.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    This time, it was Hiroko¡¯s hesitation that stopped her. Zayza¡¯s reopening eyes found Hiroko a step closer.


    ¡°Zayza¡­I need you to promise me something, too,¡± she uttered. ¡°Don¡¯t let Kotono know I¡¯m alive yet.¡±


    ¡°What? But why¡­?¡±


    ¡°I know, it sounds crazy. But¡­¡±


    Hiroko¡¯s focus moved from her, and her face warmed with an unspeakable depth as she looked off into the horizon.


    ¡°I think this will be good for her.¡±


    Though no less confused, Zayza couldn¡¯t resist her friend¡¯s hope. ¡°Alright¡­then I suppose I¡¯ll await your permission.¡±


    With that, the time had come once again. Tugging against her urge to simply stay and hold Hiroko close as long as possible, Zayza assumed the formation to leave the Dream World.


    ¡°Oh¡ªand if Chiwawo gives you a hard time and doesn¡¯t want to help,¡± Hiroko recalled, her voice beginning to echo with distance, ¡°just tell him this¡­¡±


    ~


    Once again, Zayza¡¯s steps flung the desert sand behind her like dust clouds.


    It was just like Hiroko to jump straight into the matter at hand. But now that their interaction was over, it finally hit Zayza:


    Hiroko was back.


    She was actually back.


    And endless more conversations, laughter, and life awaited them.


    The sheer elation converted into adrenaline, propelling Zayza from the village and out into the broader Mainland Desert. If anyone had seen her sprinting by, they would have undoubtedly dubbed her insane. She ran with a booming smile, even giggling to herself as she kicked up sand with an occasional skip.


    I must tell him. It can¡¯t wait.


    Zayza cleared the outer slopes and found herself in the vast, open darkness. Had she first visited this terrain at night, she would¡¯ve assumed only the stars and Worlds above existed beyond this point. She continued on, her steps slightly more cautious.


    I can¡¯t leave things the way they are¡ªnot with what I know now.


    ¡°Chiwawo!¡± she called out.


    Many more attempts would follow, until Zayza realized she¡¯d stopped keeping track of her steps. The way back to the tribe was long gone, shrouded in the night.


    But the desert remained silent all the while, and nothing changed besides her gradually depleting stamina. Clearly, beginning this search in such a vigorous sprint wasn¡¯t her wisest decision.


    ¡°¡­Chiwawo!¡±


    Zayza shivered at the increasing chill. Even seeking through her feet, she couldn¡¯t sense any presence out here other than here own.


    No¡ªthere was something.


    A vibration had just begun below the ground, not far ahead of her path. It seemed to swirl as it moved¡ªa pattern nothing like the Sand Dragons she¡¯d sensed before.


    But it was increasing, slowly approaching her.


    Slowly¡­and then all at once.


    Faster than Zayza could prepare, an attack was upon her.


    Sand exploded all around, and a long, shadowy creature sprung out from underground before her feet. The force flung Zayza onto her back.


    The apparent monster unleashed a screech, freezing her in place. Its sulfuric breath gusted through her hair, and its countless teeth reflected just enough of the moonlight to communicate just how cruel her death would be.


    But then, nothing happened.


    Zayza blinked. It took a full moment before she realized the monster¡¯s scream was one of pain. Some sort of spear was lodged deep into its snakelike neck.


    With a thud, the beast crashed onto the sand and tumbled all around. And while she couldn¡¯t make out much of its form under this light, she saw a frame she recognized much better:


    Chiwawo wrestled it across the ground, locking up some of its many limbs. At last, Zayza could make out the spear¡¯s familiar shape. It was Chiwawo¡¯s pointed staff¡ªhe must have thrown it just before the animal could claim Zayza¡¯s life.


    ¡°Chiwawo?!¡±


    Preoccupied as he was, the hunter said nothing. But Zayza¡¯s concern diminished as he made quick work of his prey, rising with his spear to deliver the killing blow to its head. Zayza averted her gaze from the gruesome aftermath. But she peered back when he stood victorious, the tension in his broad shoulders clear due to his now-tattered, dampened shirt.


    She beheld the hardness of his stance. He was as a painting under the stars, a lifetime of tussles like this having sculpted his titanic frame¡ªa beauty born from need.


    ¡°Princess, what are you doing out here?!¡± the titan boomed.


    Zayza blinked.


    ¡°You are lucky I noticed you before any of the guards did,¡± he said. ¡°They would be much more suspicious of your wandering.¡±


    While Zayza caught her breath, Chiwawo turned to the corpse to reap the reward of his labor in silence. His words felt cold, lacking any familiarity as if all their time together had never occurred. She was a na?ve guest he needed to babysit.


    No: she could still see it. He avoided her eyes as he spoke, like he knew his act would let up if he didn¡¯t. Their connection wasn¡¯t yet severed.


    ¡°Thank y¡ª¡± Zayza finally tried.


    ¡°Go back. This place is unfit for you¡­for an¡ªan outsider,¡± Chiwawo interrupted. He hesitated, seeming to assume the same thought Zayza had: even if she could manage to navigate her way back, she wasn¡¯t fit to fend off another ambush.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± he sighed.


    Squatting low, he lifted the dead beast on his shoulder and walked past her like she was a ghost.


    But while Zayza turned, she didn¡¯t take a step.


    ¡°Chiwawo,¡± she called. ¡°She¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    ¡°She is.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    Zayza tensed. She didn¡¯t come all the way out here in the dead of night, and almost perish, just for him to shut her down again.


    ¡°Please¡­you want to believe, don¡¯t you?¡± she persisted. ¡°I know you can¡¯t see her yourself, but is that any different than believing in the Gods below? Have faith, like you already do.¡±


    Chiwawo slowed, but only because he noticed she wasn¡¯t yet following.


    Fine¡­Zayza lamented.


    Huffing in a deep breath, she pointed off into the distance.


    ¡°Then Chiwawo: I challenge you!¡± she declared.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Zayza slammed her eyes shut like a brace for impact, cheeks flushing. ¡°Last one to the Curving Peak has to¡­moon the Tribe Father¡¯s guard!!¡±


    Her voice reverberated for a moment, and nothing but dreadful silence followed.


    Somehow, the phrase sounded even more ludicrous out loud.


    She only dared reopen her eyes when she sensed Chiwawo¡¯s steps returning. He set the beast aside, his face unreadable.


    Then, he simply took hold of Zayza¡¯s still-pointing hand, and redirected it to a further angle.


    ¡°The Curving Peak is that way,¡± he said plainly.


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    Chiwawo still avoided her eyes. ¡°So, that is what she said would convince me?¡±


    Zayza shrugged. ¡°I resisted, but she promised it would¡ª¡±


    She caught herself.


    Wait¡­it worked!


    Zayza would¡¯ve picked essentially any other memory if it were up to her¡ªbut that was probably why it succeeded: it wasn¡¯t up to her.


    Memories were finite on their own, but a sibling¡¯s bond was unmistakable.


    Chiwawo¡¯s hand separated from hers and patted her head.


    ¡°She is truly in there, huh?¡±


    ¡°The blast she took on¡­Dreamer power was blended into it, and that must have preserved her mind. Her memories finally led me to her,¡± Zayza confirmed. ¡°And just like me¡­she is counting on your help.¡±


    ¡°For what, to pull her out of your brain?¡± judged Chiwawo. ¡°I swear¡­she cannot even give me a moment to celebrate the news before putting me to work.¡±


    Zayza tried¡ªand then tried not¡ªto picture what such an attempt would entail. She debated if should explain that wasn¡¯t how the Dream World worked.


    But to her relief, Chiwawo ensuing chuckle proved he was joking. It ascended into a full-bellied laugh, until evening into sigh like a wave on the Azvaylen Sea.


    ¡°Hirokyauta is alive.¡±


    Zayza¡¯s heart fluttered at the warmth of his affirmation.


    ¡°We found strange visions mixed into the powers that caused her Dreamer form,¡± Zayza said. ¡°¡­Visions that hint our enemies¡¯ origin once overlapped with Hidakalan history.¡±


    ¡°So you plan to explore for evidence of that,¡± Chiwawo gathered.


    ¡°Yes. You¡­Nahutala¡­me¡­and Hiroko,¡± uttered Zayza. ¡°I see it now, what your Gods below have called the four of us to do¡ªwhat they have been preparing us for.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Then this is our quest.¡±


    Zayza nodded. ¡°Chiwawo¡­if we succeed, this might help our friends save entire realities.¡±


    Chiwawo¡¯s reply didn¡¯t waste a beat. ¡°Then be sure to do as Nahutala said.¡±


    Zayza felt him brush her locks from her cheek. But his eyes were fixed on what lay ahead of them: utter darkness, and beyond that, the tribe.


    ¡°Princess. Dreamer. Fellow Hidakalan: wear that triangle tattoo proud,¡± he encouraged. ¡°And I will not leave your side again. Tell my sister, ¡®I accept.¡¯¡±

 155. Our Way

    Irma swore up a storm.


    The grass was already deep red around Pyper¡¯s twisted form, and Pang could see it spreading.


    But that didn¡¯t deter her quietest teammate from sinking her feet into it. Aoi was the first to act, teleporting to Pyper¡¯s side and kneeling over her before Pang had even processed the violence she¡¯d just seen.


    Her heart went cold.


    How am I gonna break it to Aoi?


    But her grim assumption proved wrong: Pyper¡¯s hand curled. Then she stirred, recovering from the shock of the impact.


    She was alive¡ªbut given the gruesome sight, Pang doubted that would remain true without serious intervention.


    ¡°Ms. Boss! Can y¡¯hear me?¡± Benton called.


    Pyper¡¯s green locks shifted as she lifted her head. Evening out her glasses, she tried to smile through a wince.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt much, guys,¡± she assured. ¡°That power is numbing me.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­good. Nice work, Aoi.¡±


    Pang wouldn¡¯t have guessed this ¡®numbing¡¯ power had come from Aoi if Benton didn¡¯t say it. Pyper¡¯s head was perfectly turned from her, avoiding her concerned stare. She offered no thanks for Aoi¡¯s contribution, as if the relief came on its own.


    Pyper¡¯s sign of life did little to appease her other teammates. Benton and Irma stood even more stunned than her.


    ¡°What was she thinking?¡± Irma whispered low.


    Benton shook his head. ¡°Aoi, bring ¡®er here, please.¡±


    Loyally, Aoi stood. Pyper floated up from the grass and hovered towards Benton, the side of her sweater blotched in a growing stain.


    Benton caught her, careful to avoid the wound, as Aoi returned to the group. Immediately, Irma¡¯s hand was over Pyper with her SquadScreen glowing green.


    ¡°Stay still. We like, don¡¯t know how bad this is,¡± Irma urged, her composure dwindling.


    But Pyper shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t use the healing app.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Am I supposed to let you die?!¡±


    Pyper shrugged, as if to entertain the thought, but her pensive gaze seemed to indicate another idea. ¡°If I¡¯m stuck with the side-effects, I won¡¯t be able to train you guys on this mission,¡± she said. ¡°Given that, we do have another option.¡±


    She waited, clearly wanting her underlings to reach the conclusion on their own.


    ¡°Our target. That Deanna chick,¡± Pang gathered. ¡°Her powers can probably heal you.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Pyper agreed.


    ¡°Probably?!¡± protested Irma.


    But by Pyper¡¯s unrelenting contentment with the notion, Irma accepted she wouldn¡¯t get anywhere debating her. She sighed, opting instead for a typical roll of gauze in her bag. The group waited until Irma was certain her first-aid had at least slowed the bleeding.


    ¡°Ugh. Come on. This way, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Pang felt like she might keel over from sheer confusion. Although she¡¯d been the one to guess Pyper¡¯s proposed solution, she could hardly fathom the predicament in the first place.


    What the heck just happened?


    Before continuing on his way, Benton caught her eyes. His smile was tired and sad, a failed attempt to comfort her.


    ¡°You got a good heart, kiddo. But¡­it ain¡¯t that we don¡¯t wanna get outta this thing,¡± he explained softly. He cocked his head at Pyper¡¯s wound. ¡°¡­It¡¯s that¡ªeven if we could afford to¡ªwe can¡¯t get out.¡±


    Pang¡¯s face went hot. ¡°Oh, so if we try deserting, we just get sliced by thin air. Got it. That would¡¯ve been nice to know a second ago,¡± she spat. ¡°How do they even pull that off?!¡±


    Benton simply turned to walk. Pyper locked eyes with her, somehow still smiling, before they went on their way.


    Pang shook her head. Bunch of crazies¡­and I thought I was cracked.


    There was no use delaying Pyper¡¯s rescue, so Pang rejoined their travels. But as she took her first steps after the others, Pyper¡¯s fleeting glance danced around in her head.


    Why would she take me up on my suggestion to escape? Pang wondered. Seems like she knew that attack would happen.


    Pyper had so obviously egged Pang on to pitch the idea, and leapt at the invitation to do it.


    I bet she factored in that the Deanna lady could heal her, Pang pointed out to herself. That means she had her bases covered so she could pull off this stunt.


    Clearly, Pyper was trying to tell her something. She couldn¡¯t have led Pang on and maimed herself just for the fun of it.


    Pang watched her as they traversed the hilly greens.


    Her eyes widened in realization:


    ¡®If we want to escape,¡¯ Pang could practically hear, ¡®we have to think bigger.¡¯


    Nothing else made a shred of sense. If Pyper was indeed trying to convey a message, that had to be it.


    She was onto Pang¡¯s intentions, and she was on board.


    So the first strongest is loyal to me, Pang contemplated, and now the second strongest is trying to help me.


    A menacing grin spread.


    Yet just the same, her strut slowed with a festering weakness. The escape plan felt great in the heat of the moment, but there was no way simply leaving would¡¯ve worked¡ªeven without Proscious¡¯ invisible security.


    After all, how would Irma charge her legs? How would Benton support his children without pay?


    There were more factors at stake than she¡¯d been ready to consider. It was true: to pull this off, she had to do a lot more thinking.


    Once more she eyed the oblivious Pyper, who pointed ahead to navigate the team.


    But if I¡¯m picking up what she¡¯d putting down, Pang learned, then I might have just found the perfect person to help me do that¡­


    ~


    ¡°Alrighty, just head up this way.¡±


    Irma didn¡¯t hold back a hint of relief in her exasperated sigh. They¡¯d scaled half a dozen of these hills. But somehow, even without checking a map, Pyper knew this was the last one.


    Pang paused at the hilltop with the others. It met with several more to form a vast crown of grassy earth, and sure enough, a sign of habitation waited in the resulting valley between them.


    ¡°Seems cozy,¡± commented Benton.


    Irma shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re into roughing it, sure.¡±


    Given the lack of solid structures or utilities, and the chilled humidity, Pang was more inclined to agree with Irma. Living down there would be like traveling in a consciousness team, but without any destination or promise of a better life in sight. It looked like limbo.


    Short grass took up about a third of the long valley, where an assortment of travel tents and makeshift huts were the only buildings. At the very least, Pang had to admire their creativity: they¡¯d woven thin sticks together to form the huts, even blending in assortments of pastel flowers to distinguish them from each other.


    The source of those sticks and flowers, and likely all of their other resources, came from the remaining two-thirds of the valley: a natural garden rich with bushes and foliage, kaleidoscopic in its shades. Swamp water lurked in large patches underneath the overgrowth.


    ¡°You¡¯re shakin,¡¯ Ms. Pyper,¡± Benton noticed. ¡°We gotta get you down there quick.¡±


    ¡°Sounds¡­good.¡±


    Even her smile couldn¡¯t hide that she¡¯d turned a bit pale. The group began their descent in haste.


    Pang scanned the perimeter around the valley, and then the tents and huts again. The hair on her arms stood up, her instinct for suspicion kicking in strong: not a soul was present.


    ¡°Something¡¯s off. Where are these people?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°Eh, just an ol¡¯ fashioned ambush incoming,¡± Benton shrugged off.


    ¡°Yeah, remember the episode we watched last night?¡± Irma reminded her. ¡°They got to the town and all the streets were clear¡­¡±


    The ground flattened out underneath the team¡¯s feet as they reached the bottom of the slope.


    ¡°¡­And then, once they were deep enough in¡ª¡±


    Shuffles and muted thuds surrounded them. Just as Irma and Benton casually predicted, dozens of men and women appeared from behind and encapsulated the group, halting their walk.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°Aaaand there it is,¡± sang Irma.


    Pang froze in place, resisting any body language that could give off her method of attack. The ambushers¡¯ fighting stances proved they were clearly pro consciousnesses, and any who weren¡¯t were at least trained fighters of some kind. Their glares were hard and unwavering, perhaps willing to kill.


    But as Pang met some of their stares with her own battle-torn eyes, she wondered if they had what it took. They weren¡¯t cold enough.


    They weren¡¯t like her.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Irma said plainly, arms crossed.


    While Pang feigned a lack of preparedness, she knew her multi-powered friend required no readiness at all. With her speed, she could afford to improvise once the skirmish began.


    But Benton¡¯s hands were full with Pyper. Pang glanced Aoi¡¯s way¡ªto take on this many consciousnesses right now, she might be the only option.


    ¡°Leave this place, NOW!¡± one fighter barked.


    ¡°We know why you¡¯re here. That man sent you!¡± roared another. ¡°She¡¯s not here anymore. Go away!¡±


    If she¡¯s not here, why be so aggressive? Pang immediately distrusted. Good grief, they¡¯re bad at this.


    ¡°Now listen here,¡± tried Benton gently. ¡°We don¡¯t wanna fight anyone. Just doin¡¯ our job.¡±


    ¡°LEAVE, or you¡¯re GETTING a fight¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop, everyone.¡±


    The crowd of heated habitants shuddered.


    ¡°-D¡ªDeanna? No, hide!¡± someone whispered towards the back.


    ¡°You can stop. It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Stunned, the fighters in the front opened up a path, their shuffling hesitant yet obedient. They watched with desperate stares as the woman passed through.


    It was indeed the lady from the photo in the briefing, with eyes like coal and long, spiraling hair that matched. Her steps were subtle as she neared.


    Pang only needed to size Deanna up for a split second, already knowing her powers. She clearly wasn¡¯t built like a fighter, making her defenders the only threat here.


    We¡¯re seriously out here kidnapping a lady who sits around healing people, Pang scoffed to herself. This is lame. At least give us someone easier to dislike.


    ¡°Deanna, please¡­these people¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s hurt,¡± Deanna pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Her loose dress waved in a breeze as she stopped before the team. She observed Pyper¡¯s wound closer.


    ¡°I can heal you,¡± she offered. ¡°But you all have to leave immediately after.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Pyper agreed, the sky¡¯s reflection masking her eyes behind her glasses.


    As simple as that, Deanna turned and led the way.


    ¡°But¡­Deanna!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re hired pros! They probably have healing tech!¡±


    ¡°So you should know why I¡¯m doing this, then,¡± came Deanna¡¯s calm reply. ¡°I¡¯ve heard all of your stories; you know how brutal it can be to travel with the healing side-effects. They¡¯ll be gone sooner this way.¡±


    The protests lessened to a chorus of unconvinced grumbles. With glares still glued to the Prosciousness team, the crowd eased up.


    Pang studied the fighters further while she followed Deanna. Their fashion and appearances varied greatly, spanning realities from across the Multiverse. Many had patched their old, frayed clothing with elements of the garden.


    These people were obviously traveling pros¡ªor at least, they had been before settling here.


    Some of them trailed from a distance.


    We¡¯ll have to watch our backs, Pang noticed.


    Yet even with such a large amount of resistance¡ªone that had been expecting them¡ªthe team had gotten in so seamlessly. In mere seconds, they¡¯d earned time up close with their target.


    It was far too easy.


    ¡°We were admiring your home a minute ago,¡± Pyper told Deanna, her voice a bit thin as she looked around. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty here.¡±


    ¡°Try not to move. You¡¯re still bleeding.¡±


    Just as before, Pang found herself absorbed with Pyper¡¯s behavior.


    Not only had her deliberate injury sent a message to Pang; it got Deanna to welcome them instantly. Having reviewed Proscious¡¯s data, Pyper must have suspected an appeal to empathy would work.


    The hair on Pang¡¯s arms stood up yet again.


    It was calculated, she realized. She had all of this planned out¡ªmaking a point to me, AND getting us in.


    Jeez¡­she¡¯s good.


    Deanna led them to one of the larger huts closest to the start of the garden. Pang swiped away a few persistent gnats, grateful for a reprieve when she filed inside.


    Despite the wider size of the hut compared to many of the others, Pang found herself crammed shoulder-to-shoulder between Irma and Aoi. The threaded shelves all along the walls were covered in repurposed jars, and an overflow took up much of the ground.


    Daylight flooded in from outside, so Deanna forwent lighting the torches. She directed Benton to a bed at the far end, where she helped him lay Pyper down with her wound elevated. Immediately, she went to work.


    ¡°Good job on the bandaging,¡± she noted, her now-gloved hands already covered in red.


    ¡°I¡¯m a woman of many talents,¡± Irma boasted.


    But the hut fell quiet as she proceeded. Her hands were steady and swift, performing a dance so fluent it seemed to hardly require thought. After she¡¯d gotten a close enough look at the gash, Deanna turned to Pang.


    ¡°There should be a flask with light-blue liquid near your feet,¡± she inquired. ¡°How full is it?¡±


    ¡°This? A quarter or so.¡±


    Apparently that wasn¡¯t the answer she¡¯d hoped for. Deanna instead swiped an empty jar on a nearby shelf. She studied the wound one more time, so close Pyper fidgeted.


    ¡°This should take care of it, then.¡±


    Deanna closed her eyes and sat in silence. Nearly a minute passed.


    But just before she reopened her eyes, Pang sensed it: Imaginer energy.


    A light blue liquid began filling the jar at Deanna¡¯s command, emerging from thin air. It took no longer than a simple pour of juice.


    Deanna¡¯s focus was unbreakable. And behind her, Pyper¡¯s was the same¡ªbut she watched without a trace of concern for her own condition.


    She only saw potential.


    Pang could tell: it was the same expression she¡¯d worn herself, when she watched Phillip¡¯s first dose of treatment take effect. She¡¯d gained hope, but not for herself.


    Pyper understood just how monumental this power could be.


    Deanna applied the substance using a sort of brush made from leaves. Despite her slight distance, Pang could already see the wound reversing itself to health.


    Even the TeamTrack healing app couldn¡¯t treat lacerations that instantaneously.


    Deanna sat back. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to travel just fine, now,¡± she said. ¡°Take this jar and apply more if you notice the healing slow down. And to be safe, avoid any fighting or lifting for the next five hours.¡±


    Pyper sat up, beholding what had now been reduced to a line of scar tissue across her side. ¡°Neat¡­thank you so much, Deanna.¡±


    But Deanna¡¯s face was hard. ¡°Now as you agreed,¡± she said, ¡°you and your entourage have to leave immediately.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we will,¡± conceded Pyper. With color returning to her face, her smile was soft.


    But the silence between them seemed to confirm that they both knew what was coming next.


    ¡°¡­We are taking you with us, though.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Deanna immediately protested.


    There it was again: the same furrowed brow from the photo¡ªthe same front of intimidation, yet transparent fear in her frown.


    Pang¡¯s gut twisted.


    ¡°I helped you,¡± Deanna implored. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t have to do that. Show some humanity.¡±


    ¡°I know. But it¡¯s not a choice,¡± came Pyper¡¯s gentle reply. ¡°There never was a choice. Not for any of us, and not for you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Deanna steadily backed up as far as she could against the hut wall. Her hands curled into shaking fists. ¡°Then you¡¯re choosing to fight a whole community of former pros. They won¡¯t let you take me. Are you really prepared for that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s like¡­kinda what we¡¯re used to,¡± Irma cautioned.


    Benton¡¯s sigh cut through the exchange. ¡°Listen¡­you¡¯ll wanna make this easy, trust me.¡±


    ¡°Why should we make this easy for you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for us, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Deanna became like a ghost in the corner. Pyper¡¯s colorlessness had passed on to her. At last, the reality was clear in her eyes as they bounced between each member of the team, who remained unflinching at her warning.


    She was looking at a group of monsters.


    The tightening in Pang¡¯s stomach only worsened. She was one of these monsters. And as Pyper¡¯s stunt proved back in the field, there was nothing she could do about that yet. A happy resolution to this standoff didn¡¯t exist¡ªonly the result Proscious wanted.


    It made her face hot.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you ended up with us. Other teams play dirtier,¡± shared Benton. ¡°If y¡¯all don¡¯t fight, neither will we. You have my word.¡±


    But Deanna still shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t do this. These people need me.¡±


    ¡°Your powers might be able to help people everywhere,¡± Pyper encouraged.


    ¡°No¡ªyou don¡¯t understand! Without me, these people will die!¡±


    Tears soaked her face.


    ¡°I came here as a young girl,¡± Deanna elaborated. ¡°My parents were caught up in trouble, so they were on the run when they found this valley. It¡¯s flooded with poisonous plants and insects, so they knew it was the perfect place to settle: it¡¯s too dangerous for anyone else, but with my powers, I could keep us healthy. My body would heal from any poison, and I¡¯d turn that into antidotes and potions for my parents. So this has been my family¡¯s safe haven ever since.¡±


    ¡°Hey Deanna¡­¡± someone checked in from outside.


    ¡°If you need us to drive ¡®em out, just say the word. We¡¯ve got you,¡± swore another.


    A sorry smile formed on Deanna¡¯s face. ¡°Can you hear that? My family¡¯s grown since then,¡± she emphasized. ¡°These people are like me: wanderers, lost consciousness pros, runaways¡­people who needed shelter, or a new start. Some come and go, and some have nowhere else to go. But without my powers, this community can¡¯t exist. Their home becomes uninhabitable without me.¡±


    Pang noticed Irma toying with her sunglasses in thought.


    ¡°Then¡­can¡¯t you, like, make a lifetime supply of antidotes they can use when you¡¯re gone?¡± her lethargic roommate proposed.


    There. Problem solved, Pang concurred.


    ¡°But that¡¯s the problem,¡± Deanna said. ¡°There are some poisons I still haven¡¯t made antidotes for; just potions that can alleviate the symptoms for a while. The two species of plants at the heart of the gardens are unreachable, and it¡¯s only getting worse. Every year they¡¯re becoming more overrun with warring wolves and coyotes, and both seem to have developed generational immunities to them.¡±


    Great. Another weird caveat.


    ¡°It¡¯s given them strange powers¡­and they¡¯re hostile,¡± Deanna said. ¡°They won¡¯t leave the area, so I can¡¯t get close enough to use my abilities. We¡¯ve tried so many times, but it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    She rose to her feet to near Pyper, and then kneeled at her feet. Her hands came together in a plea, inches from the wound they¡¯d just healed.


    ¡°So please,¡± she persisted, ¡°allow me to stay. Allow this community to survive.¡±


    The light from outside caught Pyper¡¯s glasses, once again hiding her eyes in the reflection. ¡°I wish it were up to me,¡± she uttered.


    Benton nodded and Irma shrugged in agreement. They were like candles at the bottom of their wicks, one flicker from giving away the loathing they truly harbored for themselves.


    Pang remembered her small, bloody hands back on Artifex. She remembered the rookie teams she pummeled and stole from in No Man¡¯s Land.


    I guess nothing ever changes, she learned, fists shaking. No matter what, this is how I end up living my life. Why?


    ¡°Please, do the right thing. I love them all,¡± Deanna cried.


    Nah, screw it. This is so dumb.


    ¡°Sorry ma¡¯am,¡± retried Benton, ¡°it¡¯s just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Everyone shut up!!¡± Pang barked.


    Even Aoi pounced, turning like the others to meet her fiery eyes.


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re all pissing me off¡­¡±


    Pang marched into the center of the hut and pointed a firm finger at Deanna. ¡°Listen, lady: if you can¡¯t catch a hint, none of us wanna kidnap you. We all got abducted, too, and apparently they kill us if we try to leave.¡± She shot a glare at her teammates. ¡°Yeah¡ªdidn¡¯t know that one until today¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­sorry, kid¡­¡± mumbled Benton.


    ¡°So basically, we¡¯re stuck doing this crap whether we like it or not,¡± Pang told Deanna. ¡°And I may be a newbie, but I used to kill to survive. I used to steal money from pros so my friend wouldn¡¯t die. I know what these guys are feeling, and I¡¯m so sick of living like that!¡±


    Someone scraped at the outside of the hut.


    ¡°Hey¡ªwhat¡¯s going on in there, Deanna? Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Shut your trap, I¡¯m making a point in here!¡± Pang roared back. ¡°Lady, here¡¯s what¡¯s gonna happen: we¡¯re gonna take care of those wolves and whatnot, that way you can go in and make the cure. Then, you can take time to imagine all the potions and crap these people will need. We won¡¯t take you with us until that¡¯s done and your little fanclub is taken care of. And maybe one day¡ªno promises, but one day¡ªI¡¯ll bring you back myself. Got it?!¡±


    She didn¡¯t initially realize how much her words must have sounded like a threat. Deanna remained pale.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible¡­you can¡¯t beat them,¡± Deanna reiterated. ¡°We¡¯ve tried.¡±


    ¡°Well you can¡¯t, but we¡¯re not just a bunch of hobos,¡± countered Pang. ¡°This sounds like nothing to us. Right, guys?¡±


    Aoi nodded.


    ¡°Maybe coulda¡¯ worded that a little nicer¡­¡± Benton mumbled.


    Irma hesitated, eyeing her SquadScreen watch for the time. ¡°So¡­when you say ¡®we¡¯re¡¯ gonna go chase a bunch of wolves and coyotes¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. You too.¡±


    Irma groaned. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I have a heart of gold¡­¡±


    Benton¡¯s chuckle bounced through the hut. Shoulders rolling, he gave Deanna a much more convincing smile than before. ¡°Sounds good to me. Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ll tie up all your loose ends right quick.¡±


    Deanna wrapped her arms around herself, perhaps subconsciously. ¡°But¡­if you fail¡­?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± promised Pang. ¡°There¡¯s no way around the fact that we have to take you. But if we¡¯re stuck doing something we hate, we¡¯re gonna do it our way.¡±


    She stood tall as she could, arms crossed as she flooded with confidence.


    Then, a brief giggle resounded from the end of the hut. Pang¡¯s eyes darted back to Pyper¡ªin the heat of her tirade, she realized she¡¯d bypassed the interim leader¡¯s approval entirely.


    Or maybe, based on the events in the field, she knew deep down that Pyper would agree.


    But as the second strongest Proscious member stood from the bed, something was slightly different. Her fluttery energy and blissful smile hadn¡¯t changed since they set foot in this valley, but still¡­something shifted.


    Pyper walked slowly towards the exit, stopping just before Pang for a moment. Her eyes spoke a thousand words Pang couldn¡¯t hear, and only a few emerged from her mouth:


    ¡°Interesting¡­Well, get to work, little ducklings.¡±

 156. Alpha (Part 1 of 2)

    Exiting Deanna¡¯s hut proved even more uncomfortable than entering it, despite the fresher air. The chorus of murmurs buzzed all around.


    Pang and the team followed Pyper¡¯s stride. As she began the way towards the garden, Deanna emerged to update the worried crowd.


    ¡°They¡¯re doing WHAT?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right. That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°It was either that, or they take me now,¡± Deanna explained.


    ¡°Nah, I say we take them OUT¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just give it a chance. I¡­I have a bad feeling about this group. They¡¯re not¡­ordinary fighters¡­¡±


    ¡°Deanna, listen to yourself¡­¡±


    The not-so-subtle protests faded behind the team. Pang shrugged to herself.


    At least that lady¡¯s not stupid, she thought. She wondered how many consciousnesses Deanna had seen come and go over the years for her to be able to detect this team¡¯s strength, and take their warning seriously.


    ¡°Wait¡­are we gonna get poisoned and stuff by going in there?¡± Irma worried behind her.


    The endless weeds and bushes were only a pace away now, and many were so overgrown they¡¯d twisted together into colorful forms taller than the group.


    ¡°Sure hope not,¡± said Benton. ¡°Now will ya¡¯ quit draggin¡¯ your feet?¡±


    He slowed to intercept Aoi, who had unconsciously been matching Irma¡¯s sluggish pace.


    Pang shook her head. But now that they¡¯d all grown distant behind her, she could hear Pyper¡¯s carefree hum just ahead. She could practically see the non-existent teacup in the leader¡¯s hand as she enjoyed the view.


    Her vibe earlier, when I offered this plan to Deanna¡­Pang contemplated. What was up with that¡­?


    What was on her mind?


    Pang sped her pace a bit until she reached her green-haired instructor.


    ¡°Ready to wrangle some canines?¡± Pyper asked her in greeting.


    ¡°Goofy way to say it,¡± commented Pang. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t fight for a few hours? Don¡¯t you have to heal?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s sweet of you to worry. Yeah, I¡¯m sitting this out,¡± she replied. ¡°But I wanted to send you off with some pointers.¡±


    ¡°Once those bozos catch up,¡± muttered Pang.


    Pyper giggled.


    They were nearly at the garden, now. A blend of flowery scents hit their noses like a wall.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering,¡± thought Pang aloud, ¡°why didn¡¯t any of you guys think of this idea? I mean, it seemed pretty obvious: they have a problem that keeps them from letting Deanna leave, but we have to take her¡­so we solve the problem for them. Nobody dies. Everyone¡¯s¡ªwell, not ¡®happy,¡¯ but¡ª¡±


    ¡°But taken care of. Supported,¡± Pyper finished for her.


    ¡°If you wanna make it sound all warm and fuzzy, sure.¡±


    Pyper snickered again, but it evened out quick. ¡°Pang¡­the rest of us have been doing this kind of thing for a while, now,¡± she said. ¡°Making sure the people we affect are ¡®taken care of¡­¡¯ that¡¯s not a luxury we¡¯re used to. Where we go, we have to leave destruction behind. We have to break up families. That¡¯s the usual gig, time and again.¡±


    She paused as they reached the start of the garden and awaited the others. Her eyes were filled with the past.


    ¡°I can tell your teammates are like me: they still want to care. But we¡¯ve done it so long it¡¯s hardened us. We¡¯re so used to how it usually plays out, that we go through the motions now,¡± Pyper said. ¡°That¡¯s why this team needs someone like you.¡±


    Returning to the present, or perhaps seeing the future, her eyes landed on Pang.


    ¡°You have the fresh perspective, the conviction, that we¡¯ve almost forgotten,¡± she told her. ¡°You can still see light. And I have a feeling you¡¯ll be too stubborn to lose that any time soon.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tea Lady. ¡®Need¡¯ is a strong word.¡±


    ¡°It is. But we do need someone like you,¡± Pyper insisted. ¡°Not Proscious the organization¡ªI mean us. We need you so we can stay human.¡±


    ¡®Not Proscious¡­¡¯ Pang repeated in her head. There it is again.


    She wants nothing to do with them. Well, she¡¯s got the know-how, and I¡¯ve got the fresh ideas.


    Irma groaned from behind, her voice much closer now. ¡°Alright¡­ugh, let¡¯s kick some animal butt, I guess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m taking y¡¯all huntin.¡¯ We¡¯re bonding, girls!¡±


    Aoi nodded.


    ¡­And we have these weirdos, Pang finished as they finally caught up. Fine¡­we¡¯ll do this mission. Maybe more, if we have to.


    But we WILL get out.


    The team naturally formed a semicircle around Pyper, awaiting a game plan. But when they heard shuffles approaching through the grass, they opened the circle wider: Deanna rushed to join.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what you¡¯re up against?¡± she judged.


    ¡°Weird evil dogs with powers,¡± Irma shrugged off. ¡°Seems easy enough.¡±


    ¡°But you need to understand what those powers are.¡±


    Pyper perked up even more than before. ¡°I, for one, would love to learn more about them.¡±


    Staring between the group with the disappointment of a jaded teacher, Deanna sighed. ¡°I understand you all must be very strong. But a lack of strength hasn¡¯t been our problem against these species,¡± she explained. ¡°The coyotes live amongst the Alpedal plant. Generational exposure to its toxins have mutated the coyotes, so anyone who gets too close to them will start to forget why they¡¯re there.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating¡­it¡¯s like animals with unintentional Remover powers,¡± Pyper remarked, eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s similar for the wolves,¡± Deanna added. ¡°The toxins from the Obspedal plant they live amongst gave them a mutation causing anyone who approaches them to grow apathetic. Eventually, you¡¯ll stop caring entirely.¡±


    ¡°Ooh¡­then it must be especially dangerous when you encounter both!¡± guessed Pyper. ¡°Exciting¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, easy for you to say when you don¡¯t have to go¡­¡± muttered Irma.


    ¡°Both effects take only a minute of exposure to kick in fully,¡± Deanna warned. ¡°And once you forget why you¡¯re there, and stop caring about it¡­you become easy prey¡ªstanding and waiting to get eaten.¡±


    Her expression had grown so damning, Pang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. If this were Horror Country, thunder and lightning would¡¯ve rumbled for effect.


    ¡°So it¡¯s just gonna take speed and strategy,¡± she brushed off. ¡°Then I think we¡¯ve got the perfect team. Thanks for the tips.¡±


    Deanna nodded stiffly, clearly uncertain if she should be thanking or sneering at them. She turned and began her way back towards her unnerved community, who were probably far from done listing their concerns with this endeavor.


    ¡°One last thing: please avoid killing them if you can. Both are vital parts of our ecosystem,¡± she added as she departed.


    ¡°Easy. I¡¯d hate to see an animal hurt,¡± Benton assured.


    ¡°Says the Barbeque King himself,¡± jabbed Irma. ¡°And you were just cheering about hunting like two seconds ago.¡±


    ¡°That was before I knew! I was lookin¡¯ on the bright side,¡± Benton defended. ¡°Besides, some animals are meant for the hunt. But wolves and coyotes are like dogs, and dogs are man¡¯s best¡ª¡±


    Pyper cleared her throat with the gentlest of coughs, but it was more than enough to command silence.


    The team regrouped around her once more.


    ¡°It seems like the objective is to drive them out of their territory and cut them off¡ªat least until Deanna can do her thing,¡± she briefed. ¡°This is probably more of a Rank-B mission now, but that¡¯s nothing to worry about. Think of all the resources you have between just the four of you.¡±


    She stretched and let out a yawn, wincing a bit as she remembered her still-healing injury. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go learn about this community. Tootles! Have fun!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?!¡± Pang remarked.


    Pyper caught herself, bringing a hand to her chin to improvise further guidance. ¡°Hmm¡­how about this: I read Danek and Gage¡¯s files on your sessions, and there¡¯s still so much more you could be doing in this configuration,¡± she hinted. ¡°And Pang: keep that private conversation of ours in mind¡­¡±


    As if oblivious to the ambiguity she left behind, Pyper resumed her hum from before and took her leave.


    She¡¯s like an old lady in a young body¡­Pang remarked. Come to think of it, Pang wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Proscious had actually pulled off an experiment like that.


    ¡°Well girls,¡± rallied Benton, ¡°here we go!¡±


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ~


    To Pang¡¯s annoyance, the damp, sloshy ground was already beginning to seep through her shoes. The team had been brushing through the endless leaves and vines for long enough, but there was no telling where the swampier patches of the garden would emerge. They redirected twice now, doing their best to continue in the same direction they¡¯d started.


    Pang sneezed¡ªa minty scent overwhelmed her all at once, watering her eyes. A long leg in neon shorts reached before her and stomped down the clingy weeds in her path.


    ¡°Those got me a second ago, too,¡± said Irma.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°So, ¡®private conversation?¡¯¡± Irma brought up. ¡°What did Pyper talk to you about?¡±


    ¡°Good question. Your guess is as good as mine,¡± Pang shrugged. ¡°That chick¡¯s a weird one¡­but I think I like her.¡±


    Irma laughed. ¡°Everyone does. That, and we¡¯re a little terrified of her.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Pang nearly asked why, but it simply seemed too bothersome. It probably had to do with her rank, anyway, so it didn¡¯t really matter.


    ¡°How long until we see one of these things?¡± Irma wondered.


    ¡°Who cares,¡± came Benton¡¯s grumble.


    ¡°I¡¯m with the old man. Who cares,¡± Pang concurred.


    Irma¡¯s multicolored eyes narrowed. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with you guys?¡±


    Benton shrugged, and Pang couldn¡¯t even bring herself to do that. It wasn¡¯t worth it¡ªcommunicating was too much of a bother.


    ¡°Hey¡­are you guys picking on me¡­?¡± Irma pressed, arms crossed. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m like, not that bad. You act like I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Her eyes shot wide.


    ¡°Crap.¡±


    Irma whirled around, eyes like daggers until they evidently hit the target she expected.


    ¡°GUYS!¡±


    Her lightning speed brought her face directly before Pang in a blink, her hair whipping against Pang¡¯s cheeks.


    The heck is her problem? Pang wondered.


    ¡°SWITCH: ILLUSIONIST!¡±


    She rolled her pink and yellow eyes up, and they returned green and black.


    The ensuing sting in Pang¡¯s head was practically nonexistent¡ªapparently, they¡¯d drilled this enough times that she¡¯d conditioned herself to respond, even before she knew or cared about why she should. Her Manipulator senses released from Irma¡¯s Dampener ability, and latched back on to detect Illusionist powers in their place.


    Must faster than Pang felt necessary, Irma spun to reface their apparent stalker: a blue-spotted wolf. Pang yawned as it crept into view, purple goo dripping from its hungry fangs.


    Then, she felt Irma¡¯s ability activating as she made her move. An illusionary black bear appeared before the team at her command, and the wolf barely stood a glance before darting away into the camouflage of flowers and weeds.


    Irma dismissed her defensive mirage and sighed. Normally, Pang would be impressed with her mastery to form such a detailed illusion so fast. But this time, she simply rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Irma said to the group.


    ¡°For what?¡± uttered Benton.


    ¡°Wait for it.¡±


    Pang shrugged. ¡°No idea what you¡¯re talking ab¡ª¡±


    The pounding rush of adrenaline and relief hit all at once. Her eyes shot wide open.


    She was nearly a wolf¡¯s lunch.


    ¡°Oh¡­whoa. Nice save, Irma.¡±


    ¡°Golly¡­that lady wasn¡¯t jokin¡¯: the effect hits strong,¡± Benton realized with the shake of his head. ¡°I almost just stood around and watched. Good job, kid!¡±


    She posed, pressing a finger to her head. ¡°You guys are lucky the wolf didn¡¯t affect me yet. I must have a pretty tough mind!¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Pang dismissed. ¡°Pretty sure it¡¯s cuz you¡¯re always apathetic to start with.¡±


    Irma glared at her, but found herself unable to deny it. ¡°Well¡­you¡¯re welcome,¡± she puffed before storming ahead.


    Reluctant for more muddy travels and looming mental threats, Pang and the others followed close behind.


    ¡°Now Pang, just ¡®cuz you thought it, don¡¯t mean you gotta say it,¡± Benton taught.


    ¡°Fine, my bad¡­Irma: you do have a tough mind.¡±


    A laugh broke Irma¡¯s pout.


    ~~~


    Pyper pulled her sweater closer, retreating her hands into its sleeves as a breeze swept by.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    She pivoted with a twirl not unlike a ballerina¡¯s. Her stroll had brought her to the widest part of the commune¡¯s perimeter, just before the start of the hill.


    She paused to take one more scan of the makeshift village.


    ¡°Alrighty.¡±


    Having taken in the overall layout, Pyper wandered back into the community.


    She yearned for a conversation with one of the inhabitants¡ªthere was probably so much insight to gain from a proper talk, like how they built these huts, or better yet: if there were any non-poisonous leaves they used to make their own tea.


    But a chat seemed understandably unlikely.


    After all, each of the thirty-three fighters from before were still eyeing her every step from all over the commune. They watched her with eyes like the scopes of snipers, some behind huts and tents, and others up on the hilltops.


    Pyper hadn¡¯t yet decided if they were going for subtlety or intimidation, but either way, none seemed particularly keen on a discussion about tea.


    ¡°You¡¯re extremely confident,¡± came a voice.


    Behind her, Deanna stood with arms crossed. She presented an air of busyness, yet nothing was around to prove she actually was. The two of them were utterly alone in the clearing.


    Pyper gave a disarming smile. ¡°Is that a compliment or a critique?¡± she asked, her voice fluttering like fall leaves.


    ¡°An observation,¡± came Deanna¡¯s quick reply. ¡°You seem wise enough to understand what your team promised us might be impossible. But you¡¯re all certain you can do it.¡±


    Her attention wandered to her own crossed arms for a moment, as if picturing them in shackles.


    ¡°If you¡¯re all so powerful, yet you¡¯re here capturing me against your will,¡± she reasoned, ¡°then your captors must be unimaginably strong.¡±


    Pyper¡¯s smile went stiff.


    Her lack of reply left the commune so silent, she could hear Pang barking something in the distance.


    Pyper rubbed her wound and shifted.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it if you saw it,¡± she said. ¡°So I hope you never have to.¡±


    Deanna received the words quietly, but her slight frown failed to conceal the thoughts now coursing through her brain.


    Still, despite her scrutinizing focus, Pyper found her presence gentle. Between that and her healing abilities, Deanna was truly the goddess of this valley¡ªa place she was now doomed to leave behind.


    ¡°Will you ever try to get out?¡± Deanna asked.


    Pyper¡¯s smile widened at her curiosity. She gazed up into the overcast sky, and a laugh escaped her.


    ¡°It might be a little late to be asking that,¡± she shared.


    ~~~


    ¡°Uh¡­you guys, what are we doing again?¡± wondered Irma.


    Pang stopped in her muddy tracks.


    That can¡¯t be good.


    ¡°Wuh-oh,¡± uttered Benton. ¡°Pang: look alive!¡±


    While he hopped over to Irma to guard her, Pang sprung into action, scanning the surrounding plants for danger just like Irma did earlier.


    Given how recently they¡¯d encountered the wolf, Pang had anticipated more of the same. But this time, it seemed a memory-wiping coyote was on the prowl. It made sense, considering the two species were warring for territory.


    However, there was no coyote in sight.


    ¡°Me and Pang must have stronger memories than you¡­don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll explain later!¡± Benton assured. ¡°Just hold on, darlin¡¯¡ª¡±


    ¡°I was joking.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Benton flipped Irma¡¯s sunglasses down over her face and marched away from her with a huff.


    ¡°Little brat.¡±


    They continued on their way, the terrain getting a little more solid underneath them. Pang noticed what appeared to be roots tangled together in the mud, their string-like form padding the earth.


    ¡°Uh¡­guys?¡± said Irma yet again.


    She¡¯d pulled ahead of the group, but had come to a stop before a series of thick, towering bushes. Irma lifted her sunglasses and gazed ahead.


    Then she turned to them, her face relaxing at the sight. ¡°Oh, there you are,¡± she discovered.


    ¡°Come on, we ain¡¯t fallin¡¯ for it twice,¡± griped Benton. ¡°Quit tryna¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Pang stressed. ¡°Irma, back away from there.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Knowing she¡¯d need to be quick, Pang leapt forward and seized Irma¡¯s hand.


    But just as she did, she forgot which direction she¡¯d come from.


    ¡°Oh¡ªyou ain¡¯t kiddin¡¯!¡± came Benton¡¯s realization from behind.


    There. Backwards, Pang relearned.


    Yanking her startled teammate, Pang rushed back to regroup with Benton and Aoi.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Irma demanded. ¡°Where even are¡­oh. Thanks.¡±


    Though grateful her effort wasn¡¯t in vain, Pang shook her head. ¡°This really isn¡¯t working.¡±


    She gazed deeper into the garden, beyond the spot where Irma had started losing her memory. Pang could see it: nearly luminescent, pink pedals were past the leaves. They were huge, each nearly the size of a bush on their own and clustered together in a sphere.


    ¡°Well, at least we found the first mega-toxic plant-home,¡± she detected.


    ¡°But the plant doesn¡¯t cause the memory loss,¡± Irma remembered. ¡°The coyotes do. Which means¡­¡±


    The creatures began appearing like an acceptance to her invitation. Poking through the wall of bushes, a dozen pink-spotted coyotes zeroed in on the team.


    ¡°Is it just me, or do they look sorta hungry¡­?¡± Benton commented.


    ¡°BOOK IT!¡±


    Irma was the fastest to act on Pang¡¯s cry. The two of them launched in the direction their hike had taken them from.


    ¡°Follow us, Aoi!¡± noticed Irma.


    Unable to keep up on foot, she began hovering after them like a ghost.


    Pang pounced off of a branch and ducked under another. This pumping adrenaline was normally her fuel to fight¡ªnot to flee. If they could simply take on their prey, she knew it would practically be over by now.


    But Deanna was right: this task wasn¡¯t about power.


    We¡¯ve gotta do this without getting close, she knew.


    ¡°Girls, I forget: why are we runnin¡¯ again?¡±


    ¡°JUST RUN FASTER, OLD MAN!!¡± shrieked Irma.


    ¡°I¡¯m tryin¡¯ but why¡ªoh yeah¡­¡±


    Thankfully, they were accumulating distance from the coyotes as their escape raged on. But she could still hear their howls loud and clear¡ªand she could¡¯ve sworn a deeper chorus of howls was emerging from ahead.


    This really, REALLY isn¡¯t working, sulked Pang.


    Irma slowed a bit to keep pace with the others, checking to ensure they were all still there.


    ¡°So¡­what happens if we can¡¯t actually do this?¡± she dared ask.


    Benton¡¯s response came heavy and slow, even despite his rush. ¡°I think you know, darlin.¡¯ Back to the ol¡¯ fashioned way.¡±


    Irma looked away. But Pang could feel the weight of the reality pressing down on her.


    ¡°That would suck for these people. But at least we¡¯d get home for dinner,¡± Irma shrugged off.


    ¡°Yup. Is what it is. Gotta feed my girls.¡±


    It was back again: that fake nonchalance. It was enough to convince Pang back when they first captured her, but now it was as obvious¡ªand grating¡ªas glass shards pressed into her ears.


    ¡°Can it with that!¡± Pang shot. ¡°Look: I said if we have to do this, we¡¯re doing it our way. And I¡¯m sticking to my word.¡±


    Though still distant, the howls grew more widespread.


    ¡°Pang¡­this is how the gig is,¡± said Benton.


    ¡°Then why did you all follow me out here?!¡± challenged Pang.


    Nobody spoke.


    ¡°Because you guys aren¡¯t Danek. You¡¯re not Gage,¡± she pressed. ¡°So if you¡¯re sick of pretending to be the bad guys, then let¡¯s get this done!¡±


    Cautiously, like rescued strays, Benton and Irma allowed themselves to meet her fiery gaze again. She could see a hint of that same drive in their eyes.


    ¡°Well¡­I never said I was ready to give up¡­¡± muttered Irma.


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s make it happen,¡± agreed Benton. ¡°So what¡¯s our move?¡±


    Pang¡¯s thoughts froze as both seasoned Proscious members watched her in expectation. Even Aoi peered down at her from the air above.


    What the? They¡¯re the experts here! They have no plan??


    Another chorus of howls made her mind storm again. Pyper was right: they had so many options at their disposal. Even Gage had pointed it out in his training.


    So the first step was to simplify, and do what they did back then.


    Okay: we¡¯ll run it like a consciousness team.


    Pang flipped backwards, landing close to Benton to run alongside him.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve got something, Pops,¡± she declared, ¡°but I need to bounce some ideas off a veteran.¡±


    ¡°Hit me with it, kiddo.¡± His smile went ear-to-ear. ¡°Y¡¯hear that, girls? Pang¡¯s got somethin¡¯ cookin!¡¯ NOW we¡¯re in this!¡±


    ~~~


    Again, Pang¡¯s voice echoed from the garden and tickled Pyper¡¯s ear. Her call to ¡®book it¡¯ sounded awfully desperate.


    The team was on their heels.


    ¡°I take it you¡¯re the leader?¡±


    Deanna still remained nearby. But by now, she¡¯d surrendered any pretense of coincidence. She stayed a few steps off to the side from Pyper, following her as a shadow as she paced the commune.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Pyper confirmed. ¡°Say, do you guys make any special teas here?¡±


    Deanna turned mute¡ªjust like every other time Pyper asked her questions about this place. Understandably, she must have seen it as a threat instead of a thirst for knowledge.


    Pyper sighed. It couldn¡¯t be helped; her research evaded her, and boredom came to take its place.


    This time, Irma¡¯s distant shriek filled the silence as she commanded the ¡®old man¡¯ to run faster.


    ¡°Then if you¡¯re the leader¡­are you sure they¡¯ll be alright in there without you?¡±


    Pyper hoped her smirk didn¡¯t appear condescending. Clearly, even as a captive, Deanna was the one asking the questions around here.


    ¡°This is a pretty good way to find out,¡± said Pyper. She massaged her wound and continued her stroll.


    But when she no longer heard Deanna¡¯s steps behind her, she paused.


    ¡°Will they be able to uphold that girl¡¯s promise¡­?¡±


    Deanna¡¯s now slightly distant voice had gone thin.


    ¡°That I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± Pyper admitted. ¡°But I think it¡¯ll work out.¡±


    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t?¡± Deanna pressed. ¡°If they fail¡­you¡¯ll all take me anyway, won¡¯t you? And you¡¯ll leave my home to die...?¡±


    This time, Pyper was the one to resist a reply. Gently, she turned to face Deanna directly.


    She knew no answer was necessary. Her silence said enough.


    Boots planted into the earth all around her in a flash. At the top of the hills behind Deanna, fighters stood, spears in hand and fighting stances ready.


    Pyper didn¡¯t need to turn around, or even move her head, to understand they had her totally surrounded. All of the commune¡¯s warriors were set to strike as one.


    All thirty-three of them, to be exact.


    ¡°Then this is our only chance,¡± Deanna resolved.


    Once more, Pyper massaged her injury. It twitched, still healing, and the fighters seemed to know it just as well as her. Their grips tightened on their weapons in assuredness: they had the weakened alpha surrounded.


    Pyper nodded, her smile curling her nose as she greeted her many executioners.


    ¡°I understand.¡±

 157. Alpha (Part 2 of 2)

    Deanna uncrossed her arms. Her untrained fists were clenched not for combat, but as a show of sheer determination.


    ¡°As I said, these people are my family,¡± she told Pyper. ¡°They won¡¯t let you take me so easily.¡±


    Pyper spotted a few children poking their heads out of their tents in wonder.


    ¡°¡­Especially when most of this family are retired pros,¡± Deanna added.


    Some of surrounding fighters inched a few steps closer.


    ¡°Neat. I used to be a pro, too,¡± said Pyper.


    ¡°Then you probably understand that the more success you find in the League, the louder and more intrusive it becomes. Many of our people found themselves here because they were trying to get away from that,¡± warned Deanna. ¡°So consequently¡­several of the people facing you right now are Conscious Competition champions.¡±


    Pyper briefly eyed the fighters within her range of vision.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to see if my team succeeds?¡± she checked.


    Howls continued to echo from the garden.


    ¡°You know why we have to do this now,¡± came Deanna¡¯s resolution. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry for your circumstance. But this has become our best chance.¡±


    Pyper waved a hand in polite dismissal. ¡°No no, don¡¯t be sorry,¡± she insisted. ¡°If I were you, I would do the same thing.¡±


    One of the closer fighters, towering at double Pyper¡¯s height, raised a hand of caution at his leader.


    ¡°Please back away now, Deanna.¡±


    She obliged, her thought-filled gaze never leaving Pyper as she backed towards the huts to allow the community field to become a battle zone.


    ¡°Listen, ma¡¯am¡­you¡¯re too hurt to put up a fight, and you¡¯re extremely outnumbered as it is,¡± the front fighter cautioned Pyper. ¡°This is your last chance to surrender.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m all set, thanks!¡± Pyper declined like they¡¯d offer her a sample at a grocery store. ¡°I guess it is what it is, you know?¡±


    A vein protruded from his forehead. ¡°Use your brain, lady.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very good at that.¡±


    The fighters exchanged bewildered glances. Then, resolutely, they sharpened and prepared to pounce.


    ¡°Hey, here¡¯s a fun fact I learned the other day,¡± Pyper said to them. ¡°The two natural gravitational forces where my base is located create an equilibrium that balances out the land mass, thus suspending it in the air. If the base were located any differently, or if that balance was disrupted, theoretically it would spiral out of control, much like a moon breaking from orbit.¡±


    ¡°¡­What the heck is she going on about¡­?¡± a fighter wondered midway through her brief lecture.


    ¡°She¡¯s stalling. ATTACK!!¡±


    All at once, the mob closed in on her.


    ~~~


    ¡°Right there. See them?¡±


    Irma¡¯s low whisper tickled Pang. She nodded, though she couldn¡¯t feel herself doing so.


    In the distance ahead, a cluster of five coyotes weaved between flowers and vines. They were circling in to begin their attack, unaware that these eyes had already spotted them.


    Pang tried to step back out of instinct. But this body didn¡¯t obey her command.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t hers to control.


    ¡°Okay. I see yours.¡±


    Nothing was stranger than inhabiting someone else¡¯s body and feeling their mouth move as they whispered through it. Irma¡¯s Substitutor ability was certainly flawless, but Pang couldn¡¯t wait for this swap to end.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go for it,¡± Pang tried to say. But her own body was too far to hear if she¡¯d managed to make it speak.


    Pang felt Irma¡¯s belly rattle with laughter.


    ¡°What?!¡± Pang pressed.


    ¡°The way your mouth is moving¡­the way you said that¡­¡± Irma struggled out, ¡°it makes me feel like I¡¯m drunk or something!¡±


    ¡°Shut it! The whole point of doing it this way is to be quiet¡ª¡±


    Like fireflies, glimmering eyes appeared one by one: an even wider audience of coyotes now spotted her. But Pang only caught a glimpse of it, because Irma¡¯s body was too busy keeling over in the fit of laughter that drew their attention.


    Crap.


    She could hear the coyotes¡¯ feet rustling through the flowers as the whole pack barged directly for her¡ªor rather, for Irma.


    ¡°Switch back!¡± Pang tried to make her distant body vocalize.


    ¡°Huh? Squid rack?¡± Irma¡¯s still-laughing mouth let out.


    Oh, good grief.


    Abandoning all dependence, Pang reached for a sense of Irma¡¯s powers. If she could manage to latch on, she could manipulate Irma¡¯s Substitutor and attempt to undo the switch herself.


    Thankfully, sensing her ability came even more instantly than usual¡ªprobably because she was in Irma¡¯s senses. She prepared herself to attempt the move.


    But then, she blinked.


    With her own eyes.


    The pattern of flowers had changed before her from pinks to blues. There were no coyotes sprinting her way¡ªjust the same three preoccupied wolves she¡¯d spotted before they swapped perspectives.


    She was back in her body a few paces across the garden. Irma had switched them back, after all.


    But right now, Irma was probably not so delighted to find all of the coyotes she¡¯d summoned towards her body while she was gone. Pang could only hope she wouldn¡¯t be too startled to remember the next move.


    ¡°Switch: Illusionist!!¡±


    There it was: Irma¡¯s signal echoed from far behind, right on cue.


    Pang smirked.


    She¡¯s sharper than she acts.


    Pang let her powers search again, reaching much farther until she locked onto the distant Irma¡¯s abilities once more.


    This time, Illusionist powers filled her mind. And thanks to all of her time with Phillip, she had plenty of experience to take the reigns.


    She placed a false image of Benton ahead of her, animating him to stroll through the grass near the unsuspecting wolves. He was missing the finer details, but it would prove more than enough: once they laid eyes on him, the largest wolf let out a howl.


    Pang spotted the tallest bush she could find and dove to duck behind it. Recovering her view, she sent the fake Benton running her preplanned route: straight towards the coyotes she¡¯d just seen through Irma¡¯s eyes.


    Their swap in perspective had given her just enough of an idea of that spot¡¯s direction. If she could manage to do her job right, and if Irma did hers, this plan could actually work.


    She watched undetected as the stampede of a dozen wolves hunted after the illusion, their paws thumping past her. For a moment, this scheme suddenly felt arduous¡ªlike she was better off waiting it out and accepting failure. But the wolves¡¯ toxic effect of apathy passed her by as fleetingly as it came, and her resolve recovered.


    The coast was clear. Pang sprung to her feet and trailed the chase to keep her illusion intact. Only two more steps remained¡ªshe just had to hope her other teammates would prove as reliable.


    ¡°¡­and so I went ahead and started ramblin¡¯ to her about the time I had to help my ol¡¯ boss¡¯s horse give birth. I dunno, Aoi¡­was I bein¡¯ too obvious?¡±


    Aoi shrugged.


    ¡°I mean, she was smilin¡¯. Thing is, Aoi, at my age you gotta take the chances you get. Know what I mean?¡±


    Aoi shook her head politely.


    ¡°Ah, well, you¡¯re a young gal still. Anyways, the problem¡¯s that when I get ramblin¡¯ like that, ladies get bored ¡®cuz I can¡¯t tell when to shut up. You know¡­?¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°¡­Aoi?¡±


    Benton broke his focus on the uneventful garden before them and checked on his wordless teammate.


    Something else had won her attention: her hooded head was turned to stare behind them, gazing towards the now-distant village.


    ¡°Huh? Somethin¡¯ wrong back there?¡± Benton wondered.


    ¡°Guys, look alive!¡±


    They jolted at Irma¡¯s sudden whisper. She¡¯d arrived beside them so speedily, she may have well materialized in place.


    ¡°Pang¡¯s gonna be all aggro if you¡¯re not paying attention.¡±


    ¡°True. But shouldn¡¯t you be herdin¡¯ the coyotes?¡±


    ¡°I am. If I stay too close, they¡¯ll make me forget. Come on¡ªwe hit the jackpot.¡±


    Pang sped up to leap above a cluster of weeds¡ªthen slowed down again when she felt a hint of apathy threaten her mind.


    Not too close¡­


    At the very least, she was gaining a stronger sense for when the wolves¡¯ influence was taking effect. She wished she could meet back up and alert the others, but that was a role only Irma could fulfill.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    While Pang¡¯s Illusionist skills were strong for a Manipulator, she wasn¡¯t advanced enough to automate an illusion she couldn¡¯t see like Irma could. This false Benton bait needed to remain in her range of vision.


    She¡¯d have to stay near the pack right up until the very last moment for this to work. And that meant there was only one way out¡ªa way totally out of her control.


    The wolves¡¯ howls began again. But this time, a chorus of higher-pitched howls replied from ahead.


    It was happening.


    The same coyotes Pang had seen through Irma¡¯s eyes appeared from behind overgrown patches, closing in on an illusion of Irma.


    At least, Pang hoped it was an illusion. It was far too lifelike to tell, but regardless, it was time to find out.


    Pang aimed her false Benton at the potential projection. With beasts behind both, they ran straight into each other.


    And as planned, her fake teammates vanished.


    Adrenaline shot through Pang: they¡¯d done it. If this Irma was an illusion, it meant the true one followed the strategy and located the others.


    The garden filled with growls. With their baits gone, the enemy species now found themselves paw-to-paw with each other instead. As Pang had suspected, they immediately broke into battle.


    Though Pang attempted to maintain her distance, the crowd spread wide almost immediately. A few wolves at the back took notice of her at last, and with a few more arriving late, she found herself caught within the outskirts of the mess.


    That¡¯s fine, she knew. I just have to wait for it¡­


    A few wolves began circling her, threatening her with snarls.


    Uh¡­wait for it¡­


    For some reason, ¡®it¡¯ wasn¡¯t happening. And Pang could already feel the effects seeping in. It was too risky to run away if she¡¯d quickly lose motivation. Pang needed to act.


    Hey! Where the heck are those losers?!


    Apparently, not far: Pang sensed Benton¡¯s Withstander power off to the side, and it was growing closer. She latched on immediately and activated it.


    Her decision proved vital, because one of the wolves closed in. Its claw only caught Pang¡¯s shin, but she couldn¡¯t feel a thing: her borrowed ability numbed the pain.


    But it could only go so far to protect her¡ªespecially when Pang lacked the capacity to protect herself: perhaps it was the sheer amount of wolves and coyotes around her, but before she knew it, the effects fully claimed her mind.


    She wouldn¡¯t sidestep another attack. All at once, she felt no need. She was standing amidst a beastly war, but had no idea how she got here.


    And now, it appeared some of these beasts decided she was lunch.


    But that was fine.


    Four of the wolves charged, and all Pang knew to do was watch them and innocently wait.


    But sometime before the start and end of a blink, she found herself in another location.


    ¡°Aoi, warp her here quick!¡± boomed Benton.


    ¡°Too late, she already did.¡±


    Pang gasped as the relief hit her all at once. Her hand brushed the side of a long sleeve, and she found herself standing close beside a calm Aoi.


    ¡°You really got Aoi out of her shell a bit, huh, Pang?¡± Benton greeted. ¡°Looks like I didn¡¯t even need to tell ¡®er.¡±


    ¡°You alright?¡± Irma checked. ¡°It took us a second to get in position.¡±


    Pang gave a cool thumbs-up. Though the plan got a little messy, they¡¯d succeeded thus far. Plus, Irma¡¯s position of choice was more than ideal: a safe pace away from the ongoing quarrel, up on a hill sheltered by long grass. The wolves and coyotes fought ruthlessly, too far to affect their minds but close enough to observe with ease.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for it,¡± declared Pang. ¡°Aoi, you¡¯re up.¡±


    Aoi turned her hidden face to her, but did nothing.


    ¡°Remember? The next step,¡± Pang tried. ¡°The forcefield!¡±


    This time Aoi stirred. She faced the battle, her focus nonchalant yet unrelenting. Pang and the others peered forward to watch the show.


    In one smooth scoop, the swarm of coyotes and wolves found themselves floating up into the air.


    ¡°Look at ¡®em go!¡± laughed Benton.


    They attempted to sprint and swim to no avail, each hovering in unique directions. Soon, Pang realized the pattern: Aoi was moving all the coyotes into one cluster, and all the wolves into another.


    Like playing God, she was organizing.


    Man, Aoi really took my words literally, Pang beheld.


    Beforehand, all she¡¯d suggested was to try keeping them from killing each other off, since Deanna seemed worried about that. Clearly, Aoi took the instruction and ran with it.


    The animals all plopped back into the garden. Most immediately attempted retreat, but they found themselves pressing up against air in all directions.


    ¡°You did it, Aoi!¡± Irma beamed.


    The invisible fences¡¯ shapes became clear as the beasts lined the walls. They were two perfectly circular forcefields, and neither wavered to the fierceness they contained.


    Just like that, several dozen wolves and coyotes were trapped.


    Aoi gave Pang a sleeve-covered thumbs-up.


    Benton reached forward and shook Aoi¡¯s shoulders in a congratulatory embrace.


    ¡°Hey, it worked! We did it!¡± laughed Irma.


    Smoothly, Pang turned to them with raised hands, her smirk snarky as she received their high-fives.


    ¡°Obviously it worked,¡± she said. ¡°The best consciousness pros are the smartest ones. Come on; there¡¯s plenty more of these guys running around.¡±


    She calmly adjusted the collar of her jean jacket. Then she led the way with a smug strut, hands on her hips.


    But on the inside, Pang was giddy.


    Not only did this plan work on the first try, it revealed something infinitely more exhilarating:


    This team¡¯s potential was boundless.


    Pang had just manipulated two expert types¡ªalmost a third¡ªwithin a span of minutes, all without having to fish for an opponent¡¯s powers. Her teammates¡¯ many types were a readily-available toolkit to her¡ªespecially now that their communication for switching types was improving.


    On top of that, Aoi, Irma, and Benton all eclipsed championship fighters.


    With the right planning, and a little practice, they could do anything.


    Sure, Irma could get bored or unserious. Sure, Benton could get distracted, and Aoi needed constant guidance.


    But as this goofy mission revealed, those weren¡¯t her teammates¡¯ faults. They were their luxuries.


    They were simply so powerful, they could afford to be themselves at all times.


    Maybe that was why Pang hadn¡¯t stopped smiling yet: working with this team was perhaps more fun than she¡¯d ever had.


    The next couple canine-wranglings only brought more success. As long as they retreated back for a while and picked out a new area, they were able to yield almost as many wolves and coyotes as the first time. The animals¡¯ disdain for each other proved to be the perfect trap.


    The team¡¯s efforts grew smoother each time, as well. With Benton remaining in his role of defense, he realized he could use a slight dose of his Hypnotizer type to snap Pang or Irma out of it if they felt the animals¡¯ effects. Then, he¡¯d switch back to Withstander again for Pang to manipulate, allowing protection until Aoi got the signal to warp her to safety.


    Not a hole remained in their strategy. If this was a fight, Pang didn¡¯t care who their opponent was: they would dominate.


    Pyper was right about them.


    ¡°I think that might be it,¡± Irma noticed. ¡°And no¡ªI¡¯m not just saying that ¡®cuz this is getting old.¡±


    ¡°Is it bad I was ¡®bouta ask?¡± Benton chuckled.


    But it seemed Irma was correct: near-silence had returned now that the wolves and coyotes were trapped in a series of Aoi¡¯s forcefields throughout the garden.


    The team stood before gigantic, luminous green pedals. Some mother wolves and their cubs were safely contained a few steps away. Given this flower¡¯s resemblance, it was likely the counterpart to the plant the coyotes inhabited¡ªthe second of the two Deanna needed to access.


    ¡°Welp, guess we can head back and give ¡®em the good news!¡± declared Benton with a stretch. ¡°Y¡¯know, Pang¡­this was actually real fun.¡±


    ¡°Told you. Now I don¡¯t have to deal with you guys going home all guilty about those villagers,¡± Pang said. ¡°Just trust me, and we can do stuff our way. Alright?¡±


    For once, Benton and Irma were without words. Their warm gazes made Pang¡¯s cheeks flush.


    ¡°D¡ªDon¡¯t get all mushy, though¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Aoi?¡±


    Pang paused at Irma¡¯s question, especially considering it was something they never had to wonder about. Glancing around, they spotted their teammate a few steps away, staring off towards the commune.


    ¡°She¡¯s doin¡¯ that again,¡± noticed Benton.


    ¡°Again?¡± worried Irma. ¡°Why is she¡ªwait, do you guys hear that?¡±


    It was unnoticeable under their conversation. But now, Pang picked it up: distant shouts, clangs, and what seemed to be blasts blended together into a drone of noise. It rang out precisely from the direction transfixing Aoi.


    Something had unfolded in the commune.


    An attack.


    ¡°Crap¡ªPyper!¡± Pang exclaimed. ¡°They ganged up on her!¡±


    Pang¡¯s sprint left a spray of mud and pedals in her wake.


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    Somehow, Aoi was the quickest to catch on this time as she soared into the air behind her. Pang only spotted Benton and Irma trailing after she¡¯d already cleared much of the garden.


    I know we can win against those bums, Pang complained to herself, but don¡¯t take your sweet time! Pyper¡¯s alone AND injured!


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    She¡¯s our ticket out of this. She knows stuff. If she¡¯s dead, it¡¯s back to square one, Pang reminded herself.


    But that wasn¡¯t why her heart was racing. And she knew it, because those weren¡¯t her first thoughts when she realized Pyper was under attack.


    It was her scrunch-nosed smile, and the time she called Pang ¡®sweet,¡¯ full-well knowing Pang¡¯s history. It was how she casually intimidated Gage¡ªher own teammate¡ªinto cancelling his training early.


    Simply, Pang liked her. She didn¡¯t want her to die. That was all the reason she needed.


    Pyper was a part of this weird family now.


    Pang lunged through the final row of weeds and raced through the much-shorter grass of the commune. The ongoing beat-down was much louder, now.


    Her Manipulator senses lit up with readings: all kinds of types were present and currently active, and many were masterful. There were so many powers in use, and in the same spot, that she could hardly pick any out from the blend.


    Clearly, the entire group of fighters struck as one.


    Second-strongest in Proscious or not, Pang knew, that can¡¯t be good. These guys are way tougher than I thought.


    Up ahead, Pang could see the first row of tents and huts. She clenched her fists: it was time.


    But someone crashed down amongst those tents. Then another fell.


    Like hail, people repeatedly rained from above.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Pang peered up into the air, but what waited there made her slide to a muddy stop.


    She lost her breath.


    Instantly, she knew: she stood not a single chance.


    A shadow floated just above the heart of the commune. No¡ªit was a silhouette. With the skylight against this figure, its fluid movements were entrancing¡ªeven as they brought about pure violence.


    All who approached this dark angel¡¯s form fell instantly to its graceful movements. Some were launched backwards like twigs in a hurricane, despite hardly being touched.


    But as Pang gawked at the sky, she realized the figure wasn¡¯t quite floating: it danced atop what appeared to be subtle, grayish-purple clouds. They were hardly visible, and they shimmered under the dark angel¡¯s steps. Their sound alone was captivating, canceling out the curses and desperate shouts all around. Their low song came gently, and a bit muffled, like underwater bells.


    This being was horrifically perfect.


    Terror paralyzed Pang.


    Still, every single fighter failed to lay a single attack on it. Even spears and projectiles evaporated around its form. Imaginers took to summoning towering monsters, then lightning strikes, then sound barrier-breaking planes.


    They all toppled just the same.


    There was no way Pang could take on this god. Nobody could.


    Wait...


    WAIT A SECOND.


    ¡°Oh¡ªhere¡¯s another neat fact I learned!¡± the dark angel recalled with a subtle lisp. ¡°Theoretically, initiating a transfer of low-anomalous power¡ªaround five to ten percent¡ªimmediately after a highly anomalous power should increase the rate of both transfers.¡±


    That¡¯s¡­PYPER?


    The silhouette had undoubtedly matched her form. By now, Pang¡¯s adjusted eyes could even see her sweater and green braid clearly. And yet, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to process the obvious until she heard Pyper¡¯s voice.


    The sheer display of power had encapsulated her every thought, distracting her from comprehending anything else.


    Pyper delivered her unprompted factoid even as fighters continued to pound at her with all kinds of attacks, each one only growing in intensity. But still, she deflected and dodged every single one.


    In fact¡ªher ability seemed to improve while she recited her tidbit of information.


    Then she¡¯s a Brainstorm type, Pang identified. No, wait¡­


    If that was the case, what else was she sensing?


    Recovering awareness of her surroundings, Pang realized Aoi was standing right beside her. She probably had been the whole time.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with this dork¡­?¡± Pang asked her.


    Aoi simply stared on at the spectacle.


    Echoing again from above, Pyper recited yet another piece of research for her two-dozen failing opponents.


    ¡°Stop!! What are you TALKING about?!¡±


    ¡°Shut up! We don¡¯t care!¡±


    The villagers¡¯ protests came in huffs of defeated, hopeless gasps. They pressed on slower, and in lesser numbers, by the second.


    ¡°It¡¯s Brainstorm,¡± Pang confirmed, ¡°but¡­I sense something like Memorizer, too¡­?¡±


    ¡°More like a blend a¡¯ both, I¡¯d say.¡±


    Pang turned to find Benton and Irma approaching from the garden at last. They simply walked up to join her, not a trace of urgency in their knowing steps.


    ¡°You should, like, see her when she¡¯s not hurt,¡± Irma said. ¡°Totally unfair.¡±


    They all fell silent, beholding their interim leader.


    ¡°Brainstorm and Memorizer¡­I guess that makes a lot of sense,¡± Pang decided. ¡°I get why Proscious would pump those two into somebody.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t,¡± Irma denied. ¡°That¡¯s how she was born. They found her that way.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?!¡±


    ¡°Talk about ¡®anomalous powers,¡¯ well¡ªshe¡¯s a goldmine,¡± remarked Benton. ¡°I heard they copied her powers into Aoi real quick. Basically, her Brainstorm type lets ¡®er turn all her knowledge into pure energy, right? And, since she¡¯s got Memorizer in her¡ª¡±


    ¡°She remembers everything she¡¯s ever learned¡­perfectly,¡± Pang finished for him. Her legs quaked at the reality of the matter. ¡°Which means¡­with those two combined, she has an insane amount of energy¡­all the time.¡±


    Pang had finished piecing it together the moment she¡¯d sensed both abilities¡ªthe potential for sheer, infinite domination.


    Pyper wasn¡¯t a ¡®prosciousness¡¯ after all, and she was more than a consciousness.


    Just like Aoi, she was a goddess amongst men.


    ¡°Oh¡ªyou guys can probably give it up if you want. It looks like my friends are done,¡± came Pyper¡¯s voice.


    Once the mob realized she wasn¡¯t lying, their scrambling quelled to a stop all around the commune. Groans filled the air and noncombatants hurried in to aid the fallen.


    As far as Pang could tell, not a single fighter lay deceased. They were all injured and shaken to varying degrees, but Pyper seemed to have spared them all.


    A pale Deanna appeared amongst the crowd. Her eyes went even wider as she beheld the team with their heads held high.


    But Pang hardly paid any more mind. Her focus was drawn back to the sky.


    A breeze brushed through Pyper¡¯s hair. Her smile was expectant as she looked down on the team from above and waved her fingers.


    ¡°Welcome back, ducklings,¡± she greeted. ¡°Nice work.¡±

 158. The Unseen Verge

    The bronze floor beneath Lammy sank. Almost immediately, the Realistic Fiction sunlight shone in through the opening of the team ship. A fresh, fishy breeze immediately met him as the platform finished undocking.


    ¡°Whoa. Seems like a step up from Boston,¡± Deon remarked at their improving view beside him.


    ¡°I¡¯m more of a city guy myself, but I guess this is home,¡± shrugged Otogi. His assistants had just backed away, completing his manual transformation from ¡®Alan¡¯ like they¡¯d done in Normal Country.


    Lammy leaned past the rest of Team Hiroko to catch a better glimpse. Perhaps it was his upbringing in Tailpiece, but he had to agree with his cousin: the open, spacious layout in this new place brought a clarity the bustling Boston had lacked.


    But despite all the time he¡¯d spent in Realistic Fiction Country traveling with Zayza, nothing of this area was familiar.


    For one, instead of forests or icy mountain peaks, the ocean was everywhere. Its water was clearer than glass, and bluer than even the ponds back home, surrounding this perfectly circular island the ship had landed on. It was seemingly dedicated to landings and dropoffs, judging by the fact that no other structures rested here.


    Only a half-dozen ¡®palm trees,¡¯ as Otogi had called them, lined the landing area where the concrete ended and the pearly white sand began. And beyond the shore, several more islands just like this spotted the steady sea in a vast circle, the furthest ones mere dots in Lammy¡¯s vision.


    Once the ship¡¯s platform touched down and the group began shifting to depart it, Lammy could see what was unquestionably their main destination.


    Thanks to his initially obstructed view, he¡¯d registered it as some sort of distant fog or low cloud. Even now it wasn¡¯t quite clear, but it was unavoidable: a round-walled fortress as white as the sand, surrounded by four swirled towers.


    Honest Stadium, Lammy beheld.


    Its curved design might as well have been the shape of a giant dessert. But more than sweets, the sight of these behemoth buildings brought Lammy thoughts of tea¨Cnamely, cinnamon tea.


    He snickered to himself.


    I¡¯m here, Zayza. But it looks like I¡¯ll be coming back someday, Lammy planned. I can¡¯t try that cinnamon tea without you.


    Squinting from the glimmer where the sun reflected against the water, he took his first steps to exit the platform. He wondered: if not for its dreary color palette, could the sea in Zayza¡¯s home reality rival this ocean¡¯s vibrance?


    But those thoughts of Zayza twisted his gut.


    When Layla contacted me, she never finished what she wanted to say, Lammy reflected for what may have been the millionth time since it happened. She mentioned Zayza had a message for me¨Cand ONLY me.


    He tried not to revisit the explosion that caused Layla to cut the magical call short. She¡¯d remained strong, but it was so loud. Then, she never called back.


    Or at least, by the time she may have tried, the team ship had already moved on from Fantasy Country and entered this reality. All of Lammy¡¯s attempts to reach out had since failed; his pink-jeweled necklace would flicker with brief light, but peter out every time.


    Both of you¡­ are you alright?


    ¡°Time to take in the sights!¡± exclaimed Deon, arms out to let the beach breeze welcome him.


    Lammy blinked back to the present, following as agency personnel led the team along the island. They headed away from the shore facing the looming Honest Stadium and made their way towards the other side.


    Peering back, Lammy took one last glance at the colossal structures.


    The event isn¡¯t for another two days. Why did we get here so early? he pondered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any practices or meetings on Truj¡¯s schedule,¡± he mentioned to his starry-eyed cousin. ¡°Is something else happening?¡±


    ¡°Oh¨Cguess I forgot to tell you,¡± Deon realized. ¡°We¡¯re doing famous people stuff.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Like what?¡±


    Overhearing the exchange, Kotono joined them softly from the back of the group. Her hair and summery dress radiated the beach environment like she was an extension of it¨Ca clear sign of Volona¡¯s work.


    ¡°Photoshoots, p¨Cpromo videos, sponsorships¡­the worst parts of this job,¡± she regretted with a brave giggle.


    ¡°Come on¨Cthat¡¯ll be part of the fun!¡± refuted Deon.


    But it seemed Kotono¡¯s list wasn¡¯t complete. Her eyes found something ahead, and they immediately bounced to stare at the sand instead.


    ¡°Plus,¡± she said, ¡°th¨Cthere¡¯s stuff like this.¡±


    The entourage slowed to a stop.


    ¡°There she is: my perfect orchid.¡±


    The personnel before the team opened up to a semi-circle around a man, each taking turns to shake his hand with both of theirs. Their smiles were still stiff, but even wider than usual.


    The man didn¡¯t appear any more significant than them. In fact, he felt much less need to be formal, as his palm-tree patterned shirt and bathing shorts made perfectly clear. He laughed without a care in the world.


    ¡°Must be here to interview us,¡± Deon figured.


    No¨CLammy could tell it was more. The agency staff orbited him like moths. Besides, a whole row of bodyguards watched on from the shore.


    ¡°He¡¯s our boss,¡± Kotono corrected emptily.


    She brushed past the cousins in silence to approach the man. Led by Fenn, her own bodyguards emerged from her periphery to join the other ones with familiar fist-bumps and nods.


    Deon leaned close to Lammy as they watched on. ¡°I thought Credo was our boss¡­?¡±


    His attempt to conceal his confusion failed. Otogi and Phillip joined from behind, Otogi¡¯s patience with his ignorance much more evident than his teammate¡¯s.


    ¡°Credo¡¯s the head of the whole League,¡± he clarified. ¡°This dude owns the ship we travel in, the team and coaches¡­basically, us.¡±


    Ahead of them, Kotono reached the man. His arms were spread wide, but she offered a quiet hand instead. He shook it without missing a beat.


    ¡°He¡¯s the Inoue Agency¡¯s co-owner,¡± Phillip simplified.


    Guiding her by the shoulder, the man directed Kotono¡¯s attention off to the side, where a cluster of reporters waited pointing cameras at them identical to the kinds Team Hiroko had posed before in Normal Country.


    Only then did Kotono lean in and accept an embrace with the man. It wasn¡¯t like one she¡¯d often share with Hiroko¨Cit was stiff, angled perfectly for the reporters to get their shots.


    But the hug pushed his fitted sunhat just enough to reveal a balding line of auburn hair, the same tone as one of the swirling shades in Kotono¡¯s.


    ¡°Also,¡± Phillip added, ¡°he¡¯s Kotono¡¯s father. Her mother is the other owner.¡±


    Lammy couldn¡¯t help but stare. Kotono released from her father the instant the photographers appeared to get their fill, and that didn¡¯t seem to bother him.


    ¡°Kotono, I¡¯m so sorry about Hiroko,¡± Mr. Inoue said. ¡°I know she was a good friend to you.¡±


    ¡®Good friend¡­¡¯ noted Lammy. I know they kept their relationship secret, but¡­


    Back in Hidakala during the mourning ceremony, Hiroko¡¯s mother displayed that she probably knew about them for a long time. She had that parental intuition¨Ca power Lammy assumed every parent had by nature.


    But this man was oblivious even to the depth of their friendship.


    Wait¡­ is this the first time they¡¯re talking about what happened?! Lammy pieced together.


    Still facing the cameras, Kotono smiled. ¡°Thanks, dad.¡±


    That was that.


    Mr. Inoue turned, his arm raising to beckon the others this time.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s meet the new team! Congrats on that great win!¡± he chimed. ¡°Am I gonna see us bring home two more this weekend?¡±


    ¡®Us?¡¯ What does he do? judged Lammy. Then again¡­ I guess he¡¯s the reason we can do any of this in the first place.


    He wondered just what kind of agreement it had taken Credo to convince Mr. Inoue this lineup should be the team¨Cand how hard it must have been to conceal his true reasoning. After all, Skrili and Phillip were new faces, and Deon was brand new. It must have seemed absurd to a big-time owner like this.


    ¡°You bet we¡¯ll win!¡± promised Deon, leading the march to the owner. ¡°Man, this is the life. It would¡¯ve taken me and Skrili forever to travel here when it was just us. Thanks for the sweet ride!¡±


    Mr. Inoue laughed, his heart already won over.


    But as Lammy watched the two exchange particularly manly handshakes beside Kotono, it occurred to him:


    Where was Skrili?


    He¡¯d become so accustomed to her silent presence beside Deon at pretty much all times, he¡¯d assumed she was with them until now.


    She finally shuffled past him from behind, the last of the team to get in line for greetings and photos as she fought to loosen the Volona-given bun in her hair.


    Weird. Maybe she was busy with something, Lammy dismissed.


    Yet even when the team gathered around Mr. Inoue for a group photo, Skrili stood on the opposite side from Deon.


    Nope. Something¡¯s up.


    He groaned to himself. Judging by Deon¡¯s bubbly behavior, he probably didn¡¯t even realize something was up.


    ¡°Well, I believe we have quite a bit on the agenda today,¡± announced Mr. Inoue, earning nods of confirmation from his constituents. ¡°Let me show you around the neighborhood!¡±


    Lammy hurried to regroup with the team for their ensuing stroll. A fortress of bodyguards¨CMr. Inoue¡¯s, Kotono¡¯s, and Otogi¡¯s¨Cencircled them just like they¡¯d done with Kotono in Gloat Stadium. Now he knew how peculiar it felt on the inside: he was walking in a moving room.


    Deon hurried along at the front with Mr. Inoue, still chatting away about the ship, so Lammy settled in the middle of the group amongst the others.


    ¡°You know, I thought your family would be from Fantasy Country,¡± Lammy pointed out to Kotono.


    ¡°My dad is, originally,¡± she said. ¡°H¨Che has a home here, though.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°And in every other reality,¡± Otogi pointed out with a snicker.


    Phillip¡¯s impending judgment was somehow tangible before he¡¯d even spoken. ¡°Don¡¯t you have multiple mansions across realities, too?¡±


    ¡°Only two: one here, one in Fiction Country,¡± Otogi reasoned humbly. ¡°Sold my Horror Country one; it gave me the creeps. Oh¨Cno offense.¡±


    Kotono and Phillip wordlessly shared the same thought. Lammy couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when they rolled their eyes in sync.


    ¡°What? They only have six bathrooms each. I don¡¯t need much.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    They reached what Lammy guessed was a bridge, but he couldn¡¯t be sure with the bodyguards blocking his view of anything but the wooden surface that had replaced the sand beneath them. But since he could hear waves trickling close on both sides, he figured it was a fair assumption.


    Must be a lot of fans where we¡¯re going, Lammy figured. A break from any raving attention was always welcome in his book.


    But even still, he would¡¯ve at least liked to see where this bridge was leading them. For now, his only view was of Deon becoming Mr. Inoue¡¯s favorite team member.


    ¡°He¡¯s a natural at this stuff,¡± Otogi snickered.


    Lammy shrugged. ¡°Always has been. This was his dream before he even knew it existed.¡±


    ¡°Funny how that works, huh?¡±


    A growing unease kept Lammy¡¯s curiosity sharp. This felt as wrong as when Mr. Truj had refused to let Deon and Skrili fight together.


    He checked behind him: Skrili was all the way at the back of the group, separate from the rest. She squinted around, perhaps attempting to see between the bodyguards. Then, she even glared up into the sky.


    But all the while, she paid no mind to Deon¡¯s existence.


    Something is DEFINITELY up.


    Ahead, Deon and Mr. Inoue¡¯s rambunctious ramblings faded: one of the agency employees approached the owner to brief him on something.


    Lammy zeroed in.


    Now¡¯s my chance.


    He sped up to reach his cousin and tugged his sleeve.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, bud? Excited to see the sights?¡±


    Deon¡¯s smile dulled a bit at Lammy¡¯s sober focus.


    ¡°Uh¡­what¡¯s up¡­?¡± he repeated a bit more hollowly.


    ¡°Is everything okay with you and Skrili?¡± Lammy checked, careful not to speak too loud.


    Deon eased up, perhaps relieved that was Lammy¡¯s only concern, and not something Proscious-related. ¡°Oh. Yeah, we¡¯re fine. She¡¯s just mad at me right now.¡±


    ¡°Why? Did you have one of your gassy nights?¡±


    He nearly tripped from Deon¡¯s shove.


    ¡°Nah. Besides, she¡¯s been sleeping on the couch lately,¡± Deon ruled out, lowering to a near-whisper once he remembered how close they were to the agency. ¡°She¡¯s just mad because she wants me to cut her hair, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s uh¡­not what I would¡¯ve guessed.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s this big, serious ritual thing for her people,¡± elaborated Deon. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a mom or grandmother who does it, but since they¡¯re not around, she wants me to. Like, as the most important person in her life.¡±


    He sighed in a heap of self-pity, allowing the beach air to begin refueling his bliss.


    ¡°Puts me in an unfair spot, you know?¡± he lamented. ¡°Like, what am I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Cut her hair probably,¡± Lammy solved without hesitation.


    ¡°What?! I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­why not?¡±


    After spying on Mr. Inoue and the agency members for a moment, Deon deemed the coast was clear. He grabbed Lammy by the shoulders and spun him around.


    ¡°Look at her.¡±


    Skrili simply walked at the back like before, still preoccupied with analyzing her environment. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, besides perhaps the flashier version of her outfit and her smoky makeup, thanks to Volona. But even that was growing normal to his eyes at this point.


    ¡°So?¡± Lammy uttered dispassionately.


    ¡°So she¡¯s a babe, obviously,¡± Deon whispered.


    Their closer teammates waved, unaware the cousins were looking past them. Lammy waved back before Deon spun him back around.


    ¡°Her look is perfect for her, Lammy. Why would I want to change what works?¡± Deon stressed.


    ¡°Because your girlfriend is asking you to, probably,¡± Lammy reasoned without hesitation.


    ¡°Nah, see, you¡¯re young and immature, Lammy,¡± shrugged off Deon. ¡°There are a lot of factors going on here. Like, we¡¯re stars now. Think of Kotono and Otogi: they always look perfect in public. Now we¡¯re on that level. If our faces are gonna be all over the Multiverse, I want us looking great together. You know?¡±


    Lammy pressed his hand to his new headache. He most certainly didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Deon¡­it sounds like it¡¯s important to her. You should just do it.¡±


    Shaking his head, Deon let out a patient laugh. ¡°Like I said, bud, you¡¯re still immature. You have a lot to learn about girls,¡± he insisted. ¡°Trust me, she¡¯ll be over it in a little while.¡±


    ¡°If¡­you say so¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t deny his lack of experience, especially compared to Deon. Lammy could hardly even survive saying ¡®hi¡¯ to Layla after their adventures had ended.


    Yet still, this didn¡¯t feel good.


    ~


    Several more minutes passed before the walking wall finally came to a stop. They¡¯d returned to the sand again, and for now, that was all Lammy could gather of their destination.


    Then thankfully, the guards opened up to free the team.


    Lammy blinked.


    Wait, we didn¡¯t go anywhere?!


    But his agitated amazement faded fast: a beachline much like the first island¡¯s was before the team, and he quickly found it curved inward instead of out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s test the lighting from the first angle again. I think I liked that one.¡±


    Unfamiliar beeps sang by the water, where a group of strangers configured their cameras to follow their director¡¯s instructions. Nearby, a stack of colorful drink cans sat waiting in the sun.


    Lammy turned around, the slight shade compelling his attention. Buildings rested behind a thick line of palm trees steps away. Though made from brick, they were round like peach domes built up from the sand. The chatter of passersby reverberated from the other side of them in a steady blend, much like the ocean waves.


    Compared to all the cities Lammy had visited across the Multiverse, these voices were less of a cluster and their paces seemed much less hectic¨Cbut they matched the same eager, carefree energy he¡¯d encountered at Gloat Center. Clearly, this vicinity outside Honest Stadium was a place for relaxation and recreation. The luring scent of fried fish tempted him from a nearby grill.


    But though there was clearly life and activity beyond his view, this small, enclosed shore hosted nobody else¨Conly Team Hiroko, the Inoue Agency, and these photographers. Thanks to the surrounding trees, it was like their own private beach.


    Most likely, Lammy figured, that was why they¡¯d chosen this location.


    ¡°Kotono Inoue! Always a pleasure to work with you,¡± greeted the plain-dressed director.


    ¡°G¨Cgood to see you again too¡­¡±


    Lammy had traveled with her long enough to recognize that tone: she didn¡¯t remember this man at all.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get started with the seasoned vets so the newbies know what to do,¡± he planned. ¡°We¡¯ll do takes, and then stills.¡±


    Knew it. Another photoshoot, Lammy lamented. It seemed like such a waste to use this secret spot as a backdrop and not explore or soak in its serenity.


    However as it turned out, it was more than a basic photoshoot this time. With her feet in the tide and one of those canned drinks in her hand, Kotono recited a line to the cameras.


    ¡°Come on: get cooler than cool with me!¡±


    Like a switch, she¡¯d turned on the eloquent, charismatic version of herself that the Multiverse adored her for. Her line wrapped up in two tries¨Cdue only to a camera issue¨Cand her poses for pictures were perfect even to the naked eye.


    ¡°That¡¯s my perfect orchid,¡± cooed Mr. Inoue.


    ¡°Haha. Thanks, Dad!¡±


    It was the same sunny tone as her line: endearing, but scripted.


    Otogi¡¯s mastery wasn¡¯t much different, finishing his tasks nearly as fast.


    ¡°Oh! I call next!! I know my lines!¡±


    Deon had leapt like a cat after a fly, gearing up by the cameras before the director even noticed.


    ¡°Hey, catch!¡±


    Lammy turned his focus just in time: a can came spinning from Otogi as he exited the set to join him in the shade. Barely catching the offering, Lammy felt its icy condensation dampen his fingers.


    ¡°Ope, should¡¯ve warned you. Sunlight turns these cans cold. That¡¯s the selling point,¡± Otogi said. ¡°I¡¯m not huge on that flavor anymore. It¡¯s all you.¡±


    He cracked open the other one he¡¯d used as a prop. A vibrant graphic of himself was on the side.


    Lammy observed his own: ¡®Midnight Splash,¡¯ with a design featuring Skrili.


    ¡°Limited run of Team Hiroko cans,¡± Otogi explained after a sip. ¡°They should¡¯ve made one for you!¡±


    Lammy readily dismissed the notion. ¡°I bet Deon¡¯s gonna freak out,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°WHOA!! LAMMY CHECK THESE OUT!!! IT¡¯S ME!!!!¡±


    Once more, a can came flipping his way from the shoot. Otogi blocked it from clobbering him and dropped it into his grasp.


    ¡°Ha. You called it.¡±


    Now Lammy held both Skrili and Deon in his hands¨C¡®Midnight Splash¡¯ and ¡®Sunset Fire.¡¯ With their graphics beside each other, and their colors complimentary, it looked like they were posing together.


    He watched the beach in silence, where the reality of the matter appeared much different. Deon¡¯s shoot lasted longer than the others, the director enthusiastically guiding him through the process while the team looked on¨Cor, most of the team.


    Skrili was the only outlier, even physically. She was all the way off to the side of the beach, arms crossed as she continued studying the environment, and ignoring Deon, in solitude.


    Man¡­ just cut her hair, Deon, Lammy thought hopelessly. It¡¯s that simple.


    Sighing resolutely, he turned and took a step.


    Guess it¡¯s up to me to try cleaning this up. This is like home all over again¡­


    He departed the shade and made his way over to Skrili. Even as he drew close, she didn¡¯t seem to take notice.


    ¡°Want one?¡± Lammy offered, holding up the Deon drink. ¡°I ended up with an extra¨C¡±


    ¡°Hey Lammy. Do you notice anything?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She¡¯d turned to him rapidly, her purple eyes sharp and focused.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for any signs of Proscious activity,¡± she said lowly. ¡°Have you seen anything suspicious?¡±


    ¡°Oh. N¨Cno,¡± he admitted sheepishly, his mind spinning to catch up. That was why she¡¯d been so distant?


    She¡¯s right, though: we really should be keeping our eyes more peeled for anything. After all, they¡¯re keeping an eye on us.


    Skrili¡¯s gaze found the ocean horizon. ¡°Hey¡­can I ask you something serious?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡±


    ¡°How do you really feel about Credo¡¯s plan?¡±


    Lammy pondered it for a moment. Despite her current focus on the matter, it wasn¡¯t necessarily the question he¡¯d expected. But like always, her words were clear and unabashed.


    ¡°Well¡­I guess I still don¡¯t know enough about the Multiverse, or Proscious, to really say,¡± he shared earnestly. ¡°All I know is we have access to lots of resources through him¡­so I¡¯ve been doing my best to take advantage of that. Especially the training with Mr. Truj.¡±


    Somehow without moving, Skrili seemed to grow distant. She shrank into herself.


    ¡°...Right. Sorry, Lammy. Forget I asked you that.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Uh¡­okay.¡±


    They stood for a moment.


    Lammy had never found the frequent silences between them uncomfortable¨Cquite the opposite, actually. Given their reserved natures, he usually took solace in their joint tranquility.


    But right now, this silence left him uneasy.


    ¡°Oh¡­you were going to ask me something,¡± Skrili finally recalled.


    Once more, Lammy found himself studying Deon and Skrili cans in his hand. All at once, he felt foolish.


    This whole time Deon, and he as a result, assumed her aloofness was due to a disagreement over hair.


    But her mindset had moved on so far from that, he hadn¡¯t even detected its depth¨Cand more alarmingly, neither did Deon.


    While Deon was playing famous, readily feeding into this secret game, Skrili was questioning its very worth.


    It wasn¡¯t that they were on different pages about the hair ritual¨Cthey were in completely different books by different authors, and Deon didn¡¯t know it yet.


    Lammy could do little but let that weight sink in.


    Skrili turned to him, and he realized he still hadn¡¯t explained himself.


    ¡°Oh¡­uh¡­it was nothing, just,¡± Lammy stammered, ¡°Deon told me about the haircut thing. I was gonna say, if you want, I might be able to help talk him into it.¡±


    It felt useless bringing it up now. But with nothing else to offer, he settled for the truth.


    Skrili said nothing for a while. She seemed to retreat even further within, the beach breeze blowing her bangs across her eyes as she stared down hollowly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± she said.


    ¡°Wait¡­it is?¡±


    At last, Skrili allowed herself to observe the shoot. Deon was making the crew crack up between takes, his smile permanently beaming.


    ¡°Even newbies know ¡®cool¡¯ when they taste it! Trust me; I¡¯d know!¡±


    ¡°Good, good Deon! You¡¯re a natural! Let¡¯s try it with a little more sarcasm, like you¡¯re joking with the haters.¡±


    ¡°Sure! Coming right up!¡±


    Satisfied with his next attempt, the crew clapped and reconfigured for his photography portion.


    ¡°I realized¡­¡± Skrili said softly, ¡°I may have asked the wrong person to do it.¡±


    Her voice was so fragile, Lammy thought it might get tossed away with the breeze. It made his heart skip.


    Down by the shoreline, the director waved their way. ¡°Alright, Ms. Kay. We¡¯re almost ready for you.¡±


    Skrili patted Lammy¡¯s shoulder gently. Without a word, she walked away, leaving him alone to decipher her desolate revelation.


    Deon was so certain the rift between them would heal on its own. But in reality it had grown so vast so rapidly, even Lammy was shocked.


    He could see it now: he was witnessing a heart begin to break in real time.


    If you don¡¯t wake up, Deon, he thought, she might slip away.


    And while he hardly understood love, he knew this much for sure: they had no shot against Proscious if Deon and Skrili couldn¡¯t act as a unit anymore.


    This was much, much worse than he thought.


    Not just for Deon and Skrili, but for everyone.

 159. Rituals

    ¡°Now speaking of your last fight, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wondering about for a while,¡± the host said into his microphone. He paused to take a sip of his beer. ¡°There¡¯s not a whole lotta info out there, so I¡¯ll just ask the source. Deon and Skrili: what¡¯s your story?¡±


    There it was. They were over a half-hour into the discussion, so Deon had just started doubting he¡¯d get his chance. This ¡®podcast¡¯ format felt quite loose compared to the interview they¡¯d done after the beach shoot, even though the setup was basically the same: metallic cylinders called ¡®mics¡¯ before everyone¡¯s faces, and cameras to capture every angle of the round table where they sat.


    The podcaster had leaned most of his energy towards Kotono and Otogi, who sat closest and worked him like an instrument as they kept him wow-ing his way through the conversation. But finally, it was Deon¡¯s time.


    Finally, he could introduce all their newfound fans to the coolest duo in the League.


    And maybe even do some good for the cause while he was at it.


    ¡°¡®Cuz, I mean¡­¡®The Skrili and Deon Ultimate Team Attack,¡¯¡± the podcaster read off of a screen beside his mic. ¡°Weird name, sure, but¡­wowza that packs a punch!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, man,¡± said Deon extra-coolly.


    In the seat beside him, Skrili simply listened on.


    ¡°To debut that kind of move, especially with a rookie, in your second fight together¡­I mean, you guys shocked the Multiverse with that,¡± the podcaster remarked. ¡°But if I remember right, the first time we saw the two of you together was back at the Fantasy Country Conscious Competition. Right? Those press photos at the Hotel of Champions?¡±


    ¡°She WASN¡¯T drunk, by the way,¡± Kotono interjected, her mouth right against the mic and her eyes on a camera playfully. ¡°Just healing. Got it, you guys?!¡±


    Even after all this press work together, her liveliness kept catching Deon off-guard. He had to remind himself she was in publicity-mode¨Cbut apparently, she was using that power to set the record straight.


    ¡°Uh-oh, better go back and change those headlines. I wouldn¡¯t mess with her!¡± the podcaster joked into the same camera. ¡°Still, though¨Cafter those pics, Deon, everyone saw you as ¡®the boyfriend.¡¯ Now all the sudden you¡¯re on the hottest Special Team together. Where did that chemistry come from? Obviously there¡¯s some history.¡±


    ¡°You guessed it,¡± Deon revealed. ¡°Our story actually goes way back, before the Hotel of Champions. Funny enough, it all started with a fight over some apples. Ha, remember that, Skrili?¡±


    They¡¯d laughed together about how they first met many times now, but this time, Skrili hardly replied. Maybe Deon¡¯s much-practiced ¡®publicity voice¡¯ was throwing her off.


    ¡°Oooh, story time! Do tell, do tell!¡±


    Deon readily humored the podcaster. He recited as much as he could of their origin tale: a faceoff for fruit, a thugs¡¯ ambush, and how a resulting hunt for their rivals turned into a deep friendship while rekindling old friendships alike.


    He found he needed to leave out or reword quite a few details to preserve Pang and Phillip¡¯s reputations. After all, they did steal Skrili¡¯s identity and commit other acts that would undoubtedly get them banned from the League¨Cthings he knew they¡¯d undo if they could.


    But thankfully, Deon had practiced.


    His tale was precisely what he¡¯d rehearsed over and over again in their travels, while waiting for Volona¡¯s team to finish his makeup or while walking here and there. He¡¯d daydreamt this scenario countless times over. Now, the Multiverse would learn how hard they worked and how strong they¡¯d become.


    And that was only the start. Just like Kotono and Hiroko had done, he could use this newfound platform to his advantage.


    ¡°Man, that¡¯s bonkers,¡± remarked the now beer-buzzed podcaster. ¡°Talk about twists and turns¡­and it¡¯s still going.¡±


    There. The foundation was laid, now Deon could take his shot.


    ¡°Yep¡­¡¯cuz it all started with trying to find Pang,¡± he said, ¡°and sadly, that¡¯s what we¡¯re trying to do again now.¡±


    The liveliness in the set gave way to a stillness. Deon¡¯s teammates stiffened around the table, their gazes downward to downplay their fiery ambition.


    Though Deon had practiced this very line, that same energy crept up on him. His chest burned¨Che could suddenly hear Pang¡¯s larger-than-life laugh echoing in his thoughts.


    Deon gripped the mic and brought it against his mouth. ¡°So: everyone out there,¡± he began, staring into one of the cameras. But its operator pointed to another one with a red light on the front, so he moved his gaze. ¡°Everyone: keep your eyes peeled. And if you see anything, or know anything, tell¨C¡±


    ¡°Report it to the League,¡± came Otogi¡¯s smooth interruption. ¡°Absolutely, Deon. Our team funds the League¡¯s investigation. So anything you can tell them helps us find our friend.¡±


    The star consciousness nodded Deon¡¯s way, and Deon returned the gesture¨Cnormally he¡¯d be annoyed at such an interjection, but he realized it quickly: Otogi had just saved their butts.


    Credo had made it clear their involvement in the rescue needed to appear limited to the funding. Though Proscious was more than suspicious now, thanks to the chase in Boston, Team Hiroko couldn¡¯t simply show their hand to the whole Multiverse.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, really,¡± the podcaster gushed after reiterating the search for Pang to his audience. ¡°I mean, you and Skrili started as two super different kids from two different middles-of-nowhere, and now you¡¯re the hot new duo everyone¡¯s talking about, doing great things like Hiroko would. You just seem so in-sync with each other, you know? Tied together like a knot.¡±


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s us! We¡¯ll be a duo for life,¡± Deon assured. ¡°But shout-out to Skip, our Legend Trainer. We wouldn¡¯t be at this point without him.¡±


    ¡°For life, huh¡­?¡± pressed the podcaster. A gleam came to his eyes as he prepared to land the conversation where he¡¯d apparently been heading it. ¡°That begs me to ask what I think is on every fan¡¯s mind¡­is it more than a press rumor that you two are, maybe, more than friends? Could there be¡­a secret relationship here¨C?¡±


    Skrili stirred.


    ¡°No.¡±


    A sword might as well have stabbed through Deon¡¯s heart. Skrili didn¡¯t hesitate, or even blink, as she shot it down. It was the first and only thing she¡¯d said the whole interview.


    Man, I know we can¡¯t reveal that stuff or we get in trouble, he bemoaned to himself, but jeez, Skrili. That was a little TOO convincing!


    He spotted Kotono eyeing the two of them for a moment, a fleeting frown of concern sneaking onto her face before recovering her pretense of bubbliness.


    She even got Kotono with that, Deon noted.


    Skrili returned to absently fiddling her fingers.


    Okay, okay¡­she¡¯s still mad. Maybe we can meet in the middle. Yeah¨Cmaybe I¡¯ll cut her hair, but to a medium length¡­


    ¡°Oof! Welp, that¡¯s bad news for the content farmers¡­but great news for all the single fans out there!¡± the podcaster teased. ¡°Now Deon, you mentioned the legendary Skip. From what I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s no surprise you two worked with that dude¡­¡±


    Just as masterfully as Skrili had squashed the topic, the podcaster deflected to a backup discussion. After turning his focus towards Phillip for a bit, he returned to Kotono and Otogi for some final remarks about the team¡¯s future.


    With handshakes and thank you¡¯s across the set, Deon found it was over well before he would¡¯ve liked. His carefully-crafted origin story and his brief comments about Pang felt like a blip in the overarching experience.


    But as he rose from his chair, he smiled to himself nonetheless. He successfully spread the word for Pang¨Cand this was only one of countless more opportunities.


    After all, they were stars: the whole Multiverse was watching them now, eager for their every utterance.


    Doing the right thing has never felt so cool, he beamed.


    Lammy stood just outside the studio door, waiting with the bodyguards while Team Hiroko filed out into the hallway. He shuffled his way into the group right before the wall of guards enshrouded them.


    ¡°How was it?¡± Lammy inquired.


    ¡°It was cool¨C¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?! Did I just hear you right?!¡±


    ¡°Yep. Alex Malachi. He just retired from the League. The headline¡¯s right here.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Deon spat. He spun back towards the door, as did his teammates, but the bodyguards¡¯ momentum kept them walking away. All they could see was a glimpse of the producer and host coming together.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pack up yet! Get those cameras rolling again: bonus episode!¡±


    The studio voices faded under a chorus of seagulls as the entourage reached the building¡¯s main door and met the beach breeze.


    ¡°Dang¡­Alex quit the League?¡± Deon remarked. ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Otogi crossed his arms in thought. ¡°Weird, even after Ving retired, I assumed he¡¯d stick around,¡± he concurred. ¡°Guy seemed like a lifer through-and-through.¡±


    ¡°H¨Che liked it so much,¡± added Kotono. ¡°Watching him and Ving almost made me enjoy Conscious Competitions¡­¡±


    She wandered off to take in the open air, so Phillip and Otogi did the same. The bodyguards had opened up, allowing the team more freedom along the brick patio behind the studio. Deon figured they must have been ahead of schedule; normally they¡¯d be straight off to the next thing.


    He stretched, noticing Skrili not far behind him and Lammy for once¨Cit was purely circumstantial, though, since she¡¯d been the last to leave the studio.


    But he welcomed the coincidence nonetheless. This was the first time they¡¯d been together (at least, without cameras involved) since before the ship had landed.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that nuts?¡± Deon said to her. ¡°Our guy Alex retiring?¡±


    Skrili seemed preoccupied with something else, arms crossed and eyes scanning their perimeter. But she shrugged, entering the conversation.


    ¡°I knew it was coming,¡± she said. ¡°And I think it makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Sure. His teammate didn¡¯t want to do it anymore, and she¡¯s his best friend,¡± Skrili reasoned. ¡°Maybe that made him rethink what he really wanted.¡±


    ¡°Eh, maybe¡­but why would anyone give all of this up?¡± he doubted.


    At last, Skrili¡¯s distant eyes rose to his. They saw through him, holding captive his attention with that intensity he¡¯d come to love. She was finally engaging with him again.


    ¡°Hey¡­if you were in Alex¡¯s shoes¡­what would you do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No idea, but I definitely wouldn¡¯t quit. This is the dream!¡± came his immediate insistence. ¡°I could never.¡±


    Skrili smiled. ¡°¡­I know you couldn¡¯t.¡±


    She stepped off to the side a bit. Deon half-expected her to distance herself again, but she simply stared out into the ocean in silence for a while.


    ¡°You know, you took some liberties telling our story in the podcast,¡± uttered Skrili.


    Oh, I guess she actually was paying attention, then, Deon learned. ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s a lotta stuff we probably shouldn¡¯t say, right?¡±


    ¡°I mean the part about how we met,¡± she explained. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention how I whooped your butt.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Deon chuckled.


    A breathy laugh escaped Skrili, as well. But her head lowered, her bangs hiding her eyes. She grew quiet once more.


    Seemingly at the sight of laughter between them, Lammy reapproached the couple. Deon noticed him with a start¨Che didn¡¯t even realize Lammy had dismissed himself in the first place.


    How¡¯d it go? Lammy¡¯s expression communicated silently.


    Again, Deon chuckled. Lammy had obviously slipped away to give them a chance to interact.


    He¡¯s taking this way too seriously. We¡¯re just in a little fight. See? It¡¯s already patching itself up.


    Deon watched Skrili for a moment. She¡¯d returned to analyzing the area yet again.


    Well, I guess Lammy and Skrili are pretty important to each other now, too, he understood, his heart warming at the thought. Man: I¡¯ve got the best girlfriend, the best cousin, the best job¡­I¡¯ve really got it all, now.


    That¡¯s why we¡¯ll save Pang. We¡¯re unbreakable like this.


    ¡°Psst¡­h¨Chey guys¡­¡±


    Kotono joined them, with the others close behind. By her whisper and closed shoulders, Deon had a decent guess for what was coming next.


    What was their secretly-mischievous star fighter hoping to pull off this time?


    ¡°I checked what¡¯s n¨Cnext on the itinerary¡­¡± she uttered, streaks of pale red energy falling from her in a demonstration of pure loathing.


    ¡°Yeah, just another video interview, right?¡± Deon had memorized.


    She nodded, some more light shaking free. ¡°Exactly. I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­besides, there¡¯s a s¨Csuper good smoothie place a couple islands over. Anyone wanna¡­play hookie with me?¡±


    Deon melted a bit: Kotono initiated the idea herself, like she probably used to do with Hiroko. Clearly, after the team¡¯s scooter adventures, they became the trusty new companions for her misadventures.


    But while he patted himself on the back for that, Deon knew this time, he¡¯d have to decline.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to another time! I¡¯m having too much fun with this,¡± he explained. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s another chance to get some new fans before the fight!¡±


    Otogi snickered. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll pass this time, too. Deon doesn¡¯t know this next guy¡¯s shtick yet. I wanna catch his reaction. I¡¯ll go tonight if you have the time.¡±


    Kotono remained smiling, but her light energy betrayed her as her hue shifted to a pale blue.


    ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± said Skrili resolutely. She stepped away from Deon to approach her idol. ¡°If¡­if it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve been wanting to chat with you about some things¡­¡±


    The blue around Kotono flipped straight to white and gold.


    ¡°Aw, of course it¡¯s okay, Skrili! Yay, buddy date!¡±


    Now standing beside Kotono, Skrili deflected Deon¡¯s eyes. And despite having become a master in deciphering the differences between her various blank stares, this time, he realized he had no read on her.


    Okay, I¡¯m lost¡­is she mad at me or not?


    Phillip crossed his arms in focus. ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay behind, too. My illusions can make it look like you never left, and I¡¯ll be here to make sure they stay believable until your return. That way I don¡¯t have to worry about someone doing something stupid to mess it up.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Otogi¡¯s not supid,¡± Deon joked.


    The dreary illusionist sighed.


    Some of the bodyguards stirred. Their leader Fenn raised his hand to his ear, receiving a message. It was probably time to start moving soon.


    He winked at Kotono to give his subtle approval: he¡¯d cover for their antics once more.


    Oh yeah¡­he can read our minds, recalled Deon.


    Realizing their window was growing slim, Kotono quickly whispered her warmest ¡®thank you¡¯ to Phillip.


    He nodded, and then nodded again to signal the illusion was intact.


    Kotono took Skrili¡¯s hand and led the way. Together, they headed away from the patio and bypassed the guards without a hitch. Only their teammates and Fenn observed their departure, as they must have become invisible to everyone else.


    When Deon¡¯s focus returned to the remaining group, he found replicas of Skrili and Kotono in the same spot.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good dude, Phillip,¡± he commented.


    ¡°I owe those two my life,¡± Phillip said plainly. ¡°Now as I warned, don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±


    He began walking, which made Deon realize the bodyguards were beckoning them for their next obligation. A couple agency workers stood at the front.


    ¡°Alright guys, one more interview before lunch!¡± they called.


    Lammy sighed as the bodyguards enveloped them again. ¡°I wonder if we¡¯ll actually get to see these islands at some point¡­¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve tagged along with the ladies,¡± Deon pointed out.


    His cousin¡¯s face beat red as he shrugged.


    ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t still be shy around girls after all this!¡± Deon snickered. ¡°They love you out here. Your girlfriend is literally a queen!¡±


    That only worsened his blush.


    Otogi laughed, watching what was still visible of Skrili and Kotono as they ventured deeper into town. Kotono pointed all around, showing her the sights.


    ¡°A girl and her oshi,¡± Otogi beheld. ¡°Skrili must be in heaven right now.¡±


    ¡°Yep. She acts like she doesn¡¯t care about the League,¡± Deon said, ¡°but she can tell me every little thing about Kotono¡¯s career.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Kotono: someone who hates being in the League. It makes perfect sense for her to be Skrili¡¯s favorite, if you think about it,¡± Otogi pointed out. ¡°You, though: you seem to be catching onto this lifestyle real fast. You¡¯re loving this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Deon¡¯s smile nearly glowed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­well, it¡¯s everything I¡¯ve always wanted.¡±


    ¡°Then let me give you some advice from an expert to a newbie, like I¡¯m sure Kotono is doing for Skrili,¡± Otogi offered. ¡°If you wanna make this your life, don¡¯t let it get to your head.¡±


    ¡°Coming from the guy with a house in every Country¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s money stuff. I¡¯m talking about the competition, the fame,¡± explained Otogi. ¡°If you can handle that, you¡¯ll have what it takes to be a lifer. Got it?¡±


    He offered Deon his fist.


    Deon bumped it with his own. ¡°Yeah, of course I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    ¡°Good. ¡®Cuz the longer we can keep this Team Hiroko machine rolling, the better chance we have of saving your buddy,¡± concluded Otogi. ¡°If this is who you are, then don¡¯t let anything take it from you.¡±


    ~


    Deon plopped backwards onto his bed. The usual soft glow of blues and greens flowed across the ceiling, his room in a preprogrammed hush for its ¡°sleep mode.¡±


    While he could hardly get enough of all the new environments, and especially the ocean waves, there was some comfort in returning here each night. He was glad the team could sleep in the ship, reemerging recharged for the beautiful frenzy of their career each day.


    He let out a long, satisfied sigh.


    What a day. That was the most press stuff we¡¯ve ever done at once, Deon reflected. I¡¯m getting good at this.


    Each and every host, photographer, and business person seemed to love him.


    But none of these industry people adored him as much as Mr. Inoue. Over a gourmet taco dinner by the beach, the team owner reinforced the same sentiment Otogi had expressed: Deon was a natural.


    In fact, he was so enamored with Deon¡¯s enthusiasm, he largely forgot to interact with his own daughter¨Cwhich was lucky, considering Kotono wasn¡¯t even there.


    Deon raised his head from the mattress to check the door: still, no sign of Skrili.


    Huh. Good thing Phil¡¯s a solid Illusionist, he remarked. How many smoothies are those two drinking?


    His TeamTrack pinned her location not far, on the outskirts of this series of islands surrounding Honest Stadium. At least he didn¡¯t have to fear for her safety.


    If something went down, we¡¯d hear Kotono¡¯s energy from here, he knew.


    Deon lay his head back down and yawned. It seemed he¡¯d have to hear how it went in the morning, as his eyes were already drifting shut.


    But then with a soft beep, the door slid open.


    Skrili slipped in with naturally silent steps.


    A few groggy blinks pulled Deon back to the waking world. He couldn¡¯t help but grin as his eyes followed Skrili¡¯s form to the kitchen area. She placed a single shopping bag on the counter.


    ¡°You have fun with your best buddy?¡±


    He expected to elicit a blush from her, but couldn¡¯t see it. Maybe it was just the mellow lighting.


    ¡°...Yeah.¡±


    She paused, before leaving the kitchen to quietly take off her shoes and untie her hair.


    ¡°You know, Skrili, I¡¯ve been thinking about that haircut,¡± Deon shared. ¡°Hear me out: what if I cut your hair, but like, to a medium length? I think that would still work with like, our overall team look, and they probably wouldn¡¯t have to redo your merch and stuff¡­¡±


    He thought his compromise was going okay enough, but he trailed off when Skrili breathed out a single, sudden laugh. She wore the same smile she¡¯d given him after the podcast¨Cthat new, strange smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± she practically whispered, as if talking to herself. ¡°I don¡¯t really expect you to, though. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    She brushed past the bed and acquired some night clothes from the luminescent dresser.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    Skrili came to a pensive stop at the end of the bed. ¡°The haircut is a ritual. It¡¯s a part of me nobody can change,¡± she tried to explain. ¡°Like¡­what the League has become for you. It¡¯s in your nature. It¡¯s how you see things, how you need to do things¨Cbecause it¡¯s who you are. Nobody should¡­try to change that about you.¡±


    Steadily, she resumed her quiet walk.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Deon. I¡¯m not mad about the haircut.¡±


    Those words would¡¯ve eased Deon¡¯s mind days ago, but they did quite the opposite. Skrili was walking away from the bed: she obviously planned to sleep on the couch again tonight.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s wrong? If you¡¯re not mad about the haircut anymore, then why are you still mad at me?¡± questioned Deon.


    She stopped once again.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you, it¡¯s alright,¡± she uttered. ¡°I just¡­I really wish I could be.¡±


    Her purple eyes studied him for a moment.


    ¡°You look really sleepy. You should get some rest,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°Uh¡­alright. We¡¯re cool, though?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You sure, Skrili?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she whispered.


    That soft smile returned.


    ¡°Goodnight¡­dummy.¡±


    ~


    Deon¡¯s eyes drifted open.


    No alarm? his slurring mind still noticed. Did Skrili forget to set it?


    He sat up with a stretch. ¡°Hey, looks like we¡¯re gonna be late¡­¡±


    No reply came. When his recovering vision fell on the couch, it was vacant.


    Oh, she¡¯s already up. That¡¯s a surprise.


    But he couldn¡¯t hear the shower running. Nothing was heating up in the kitchen, either.


    ¡°Uh¡­Skrili?¡±


    Her shoes weren¡¯t by the door. Her bag wasn¡¯t resting by the nightstand.


    Deon shuffled his way to the side of the bed. ¡°Skril¨C¡±


    He froze.


    Skrili¡¯s drawers to the dresser were left open, and they were all completely empty.


    Deon sprung to his feet. He scanned all around.


    Nothing¡­? Everything¡¯s gone?


    No: he quickly found two traces of her left. One was the small shopping bag, still in the same place on the kitchen counter.


    But the other one pierced him with the final wound.


    Like an offering, Skrili had placed her TeamTrack neatly at the edge of their bed. And it was switched off.

 160. Two Vines

    For a moment, Deon couldn¡¯t think. It felt like the room was melting.


    Wait¨CI¡¯m assuming the worst WAY too easily.


    He hurried over to the nightstand and snatched his TeamTrack, initiating a group call.


    The Team Hiroko chat was slow to respond, leaving Deon pacing around the room for several laps. Most likely, they were all busy getting ready for their day, unaware just how drastically it was shaping up to change.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Deon jolted his TeamTrack closer to his face. At last, a projection of Phillip¡¯s head hovered above the screen. His default frown immediately deepened.


    ¡°Deon? What happened?¡±


    It must have been all over his face. Phillip recognized a panic he¡¯d felt only weeks ago when Pang vanished from that alleyway.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­have you guys seen Skrili? Or heard from her?¡±


    By now, Otogi¨Cor Alan, as he currently presented¨Chad hopped into the call. They both shook their heads.


    Their holograms shifted to the sides as Kotono¡¯s finally joined in the center. Deon prepared to ask her as well¨Cbut in a shock, he stopped himself.


    He didn¡¯t need to ask. By her sober sigh, he could tell:


    She already knew everything.


    Her rosy eyes evaded contact with her team at first. Then, they focused hard.


    ¡°Guys,¡± she uttered, ¡°Let¡¯s all meet up. We need to talk.¡±


    Phillip and Otogi nodded after stiff hesitation.


    But Deon could do nothing more than stare with prying eyes. And while Kotono noticed, all she did was stare back. Clearly, she refused to elaborate until they were all together¨Cand that only made Deon¡¯s chest tighter.


    ¡°Get here as fast as you can,¡± he urged them all.


    Phillip and Otogi signed off. But Kotono lingered for one more moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there, Deon,¡± she promised.


    Her image hued pale-blue before she ended the call, leaving him in silence.


    ¡®The heck was that? What¡¯s going on¡­?


    He stood frozen for a moment, but managed to at least lower the TeamTrack to his side. That bag Skrili had left behind¨Cthe only evidence of her besides her own TeamTrack¨Cfell into his vision on the kitchen counter.


    It sat perfectly upright, less like a personal item and more like a presentation.


    Like a gift meant for him.


    Deon dared step closer. He didn¡¯t need to open the bag any further to behold its contents: a small box, and underneath, a letter.


    Despite fitting comfortably in his palm, the box was surprisingly weighty. It was simple and pristine, most likely from a jewelry store Skrili and Kotono must have visited yesterday.


    He lifted the cap. Inside rested a glossy orange gem. It was smooth, in the form of a rounded triangle.


    As far as he could think back, this was the first physical gift Skrili had given him. But cherishing would have to wait: right now it provided no answers.


    Deon retrieved the letter. It had no envelope; just a neatly folded, single page of paper. Straight and to-the-point¨Cexactly Skrili¡¯s style.


    While he¡¯d never seen his counterpart¡¯s handwriting, he was able to comprehend the text just fine. It matched the letters and symbols used in their TeamTracks and in many League-based signs, which he¡¯d found he could read just as easily as Tailpiece text.


    There were only a few words:


    ¡°Deon - Thank you for turning my life around.


    I love you. And I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The world came to a graceless halt.


    Skrili¡­?


    He¡¯d rushed to solve this sudden disappearance. Now, it felt like the answer was coming too quickly.


    A beep sang from the door, and he whirled around to look. Maybe this was somehow an elaborate prank after all.


    But it was Lammy, the only other person who knew the room¡¯s code.


    ¡°Uh¡­Deon¡­¡±


    In one hand, he held an orange gem just like Deon¡¯s, and in the other, a piece of paper.


    Upon witnessing each other¡¯s gifts, Lammy knew he didn¡¯t need to elaborate. He quietly unfolded the page.


    ¡°Lammy,¡± he read, ¡°you became family to me before we even met. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be better family to you right now. I guess I never really learned how. Please stay safe.¡±


    He sighed.


    ¡°This was at my door when I got up,¡± Lammy said thinly. ¡°She¡¯s really gone?¡±


    Deon could hardly muster a reply. Before he managed to, Phillip and Otogi (still dressed as Alan) let themselves in through the open entrance. They carried the same gifts: Phillip¡¯s triangle gem was black, and Otogi¡¯s pink. Both held a letter.


    Otogi must have overheard the unfolding conversation. He simply opened up his letter. ¡°Otogi, thank you for taking up our fight.¡±


    Phillip read his own: ¡°I¡¯ll do everything in my power to save Pang. I promise. I trust you to do the same.¡±


    ¡°She must not have slept all night.¡±


    Everyone turned to find Kotono in the doorway. As she stepped further inside, the team gathered with her in a circle.


    ¡°What¡­did yours say?¡± Lammy asked.


    Kotono calmly shook her head. ¡°She didn¡¯t need to write to me. We¡­we talked plenty.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Deon pressed, ¡°Kotono¨Cwhat the heck is going on?¡±


    She fidgeted with her night gown. ¡°We ended up hanging out all day. It started simple¨CI showed her around, we got smoothies¡­but I could tell she h¨Chad a lot on her mind. She was having a hard time bringing it up¡­but when I asked, she opened up. She really wanted my advice¡­¡±


    ¡°About leaving?¡± Deon interjected. ¡°Didn¡¯t you try talking her out of it?¡±


    He bit his tongue. His usual gentleness towards Kotono, given her circumstances, had faded for a split moment.


    Kotono shifted, as if to defend an invisible Skrili beside her. Instead of simply answering, she continued. ¡°It was getting crowded, and I think people were starting to recognize us, so I took her to a quiet island where Hiroko and I used to sneak away. We ended up t¨Ctalking for hours¡­¡±


    Deon hardly noticed before, but there was a subtle white glow outlining Kotono¡¯s form, and it brightened a bit.


    ¡°She¨Cshe said she feels like this whole thing¨Cthis Special Team plan¨Cisn¡¯t getting us any closer to finding Pang. Ever since Boston, she couldn¡¯t stop seeing it that way. To go back to business as usual, after we almost caught that Proscious guy ¡­Skrili couldn¡¯t play along after that. She understands Credo¡¯s strategy¡­but to her, it¡¯s moving too slow. She¡¯s¡­scared for Pang.¡±


    Phillip crossed his arms. ¡°This is a slow-burning strategy. That I certainly understand.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± shrugged Otogi,  ¡°but to throw it all away and try to tackle these guys alone is¡­quite a choice.¡±


    This blunt criticism would normally twist Deon¡¯s patience. But Otogi¡¯s connection to Skrili hadn¡¯t yet grown nearly as tight as the others¡¯. He hadn¡¯t faced death with her like the rest of the team.


    And besides, Deon knew he was right.


    What does she think she can pull off without us?


    ¡­Without ME, her teammate?


    Kotono shrugged slowly. ¡°It seemed like she had some ideas. But she knew we wouldn¡¯t join her,¡± she expressed. Her eyes focused again on Deon. ¡°A¡ªany of us.¡±


    A flame stirred in Deon. ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t even ask me!¡±


    ¡°Would you have gone, though?¡±


    Though tender and patient, Kotono¡¯s question froze him instantly. It was painfully familiar.


    ¡°Hey¡­if you were in Alex¡¯s shoes¡­what would you do?¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    It seemed, in a way, Skrili had already asked him. And he¡¯d already given his answer:


    No.


    He couldn¡¯t have gone.


    He was thriving here. What better way to beat Proscious than by doing what came most naturally?


    ¡®Naturally¡­¡¯ Deon reflected.


    For who?


    Right¡­guess I should¡¯ve seen this coming a long time ago.


    He could practically feel the overgrown vines in his hands again, with those big orange pedals, from the team flower they picked at the end of Skip¡¯s training.


    At his side, Skrili had stood propping up the other half. The pedals on her end were totally different. Purple. Sharp.


    That stark contrast, that unusual blend¨Cthat was why they picked it. The dissimilarity made it better¨Cjust like them.


    At least, that was what they believed.


    Deon¡¯s mouth curled in a bitter smile.


    ¡°Man. Those were just two different flowers stuck together, weren¡¯t they?¡± he realized.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Deon snapped back to his now confused team. ¡°Nothing¡­just, I get it now.¡±


    Lammy¡¯s hands clutched his gem tighter. ¡°I was getting worried something could happen. But I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¨CI should¡¯ve tried to warn you¨C¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s not your fault, bud,¡± Deon assured. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­what she knows, I think. I could¡¯ve seen it coming.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t save her brother because she didn¡¯t get there soon enough, he remembered.


    Plus, her parents¡­her exes¡­even Pang, for a while¡­they all did the same thing she¡¯s doing now.


    Maybe she thought it would hurt less leaving this way.


    He grit his teeth to ward off the fullness building in eyes.


    Man¡­this sucks.


    ¡°Is it too late to track her down?¡± Otogi proposed. ¡°Talk her down from it?¡±


    ¡°By the time she came to my room in the middle of the night, her mind was made,¡± Kotono ruled out. ¡°She asked me to cut her hair for a tradition. We hugged for a while. I could tell when she left my room, she¡¯d be gone from here before m¨Cmorning.¡±


    So she had Kotono do it¡­Deon learned.


    Silently, he turned from his teammates and made his way over to the bed. Deon lifted Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack into his hand. Without this, there was no way to find her anytime soon. And that was clearly her intention.


    ¡°I really am an idiot.¡±


    ¡°I¨CI know everyone probably wishes I changed her mind,¡± stammered Kotono. ¡°I just wanted to help her understand her feelings¡­so she could know what she was choosing. Th¨Cthat¡¯s what Hiroko would do for me¡­¡±


    ¡°You were being a good friend,¡± Phillip assured. ¡°This is Skrili¡¯s choice.¡±


    Though it took everything, Deon nodded in agreement.


    What remained of Team Hiroko fell silent.


    ¡°Then¡­now what?¡± Lammy dared to wonder.


    Phillip read over his letter once more. ¡°I will always respect Skrili as a fighter and a person. Just the same, I understand her decision,¡± he said. ¡°But with this team, we still have the strongest possible fighters for the mission. We have endless resources through Credo. I still believe right now, our best chance at finding Pang is to stick to the plan. Perhaps we can push for faster progress.¡±


    ¡°That would be g¨Cgood,¡± Kotono agreed. ¡°Honestly¡­I wanted to go with Skrili. She knew I couldn¡¯t, though. The agency would dissolve Team Hiroko without me. You¡¯d all be s¨Cstarting over.¡±


    Her modesty continued to astonish Deon. Not to mention, you¡¯re kind of the strongest one. We can¡¯t lose both of you¡­


    Lammy brought a pensive hand to his chin. ¡°In a way¡­it¡¯s possible that having Skrili working on one front while we keep up this strategy, might even increase our chances of success,¡± he theorized.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Otogi said. ¡°Well, you guys know I¡¯m still on board. Credo and the agency are gonna have a conniption, though.¡±


    There was no doubt about that amongst the team. As for the agency, the next Special League fight was tomorrow.


    And much more direly, Credo¡¯s Proscious task force was now one person weaker.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± Deon declared.


    Everyone turned to him. Deon placed Skrili¡¯s TeamTrack down and rejoined them.


    ¡°We keep going, just us. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I like your spirit, but the Special League does require five fighters,¡± Otogi emphasized. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll just get a penalty for tomorrow¡¯s fight, but the agency is gonna recruit a fifth person.¡±


    ¡°Fine! Then we make sure it¡¯s someone insanely strong, and we clue them in. Just like we did with you,¡± Deon pushed. ¡°If Skrili¡¯s doing this without us, then¡­we¡¯ll just have to be stronger without her.¡±


    He bit his tongue. ¡®Strong¡¯ was the word he meant.


    Though stiff, the team nodded.


    ¡°Sounds like we all agree, then,¡± Otogi summed up. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure they pick someone good.¡±


    As the meeting naturally concluded, Phillip and Otogi dispersed to prepare for the day. Offering Deon coffee, Kotono drifted over to the kitchen and worked in silence.


    And as he¡¯d hoped, Lammy lingered beside him. The cousins said nothing more while they stood together, contemplating the unknowns of this new, unwanted phase.


    ~


    ¡°If you¡¯re just getting here, welcome again to HONEST STADIUM! Alright, all you early birds, I hope you¡¯re ready for lots more fighting and fun this evening!¡±


    The applause was tamer than all other stadium events thus far, just like the announcer herself.


    Accepting a chilled beverage from a server, Deon peered around from the team¡¯s padded VIP seating. In the dead center of their section, he had a perfect view of the arena. Its capacity was likely the same as Gloat and Hynes Stadiums, but the pearly seating rose steeper to form a near-complete egg shape. Fans used a sleek elevator system on the outside to reach the more elevated rows.


    On a normal night, like tomorrow, Deon figured a design like this probably channeled deafening energy. But tonight, over half of the seats were vacant.


    ¡°The exclusive Certified Exhibition Rounds will begin shortly! But first: a brief presentation from our sponsor¡­¡±


    Deon sipped his drink, grateful for all the activity around him. They¡¯d finished their obligations for the day, and thankfully, they¡¯d wrapped up just in time to catch this portion of the exhibition event for higher-paying fans. Sitting around in his room would¡¯ve been torture tonight.


    So it was a no-brainer: what better distraction was there than his favorite thing?


    ¡°It sure was easier to get here than Hynes Stadium,¡± Lammy commented in the seat beside him. ¡°Actually, I was expecting something more like Normal Country before we landed here. Last time I was in Realistic Fiction Country, we had to keep consciousness powers and the Multiverse a secret.¡±


    On Deon¡¯s other side, Otogi placed a cherry-topped dessert in his cup holder. ¡°Let me guess: you were far east of here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­think so? The Northern Mountains?¡±


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s northeast,¡± Otogi verified. ¡°The rules in Realistic Fiction are kinda split down the middle. In the east, there are tons of natives. They don¡¯t know about the Multiverse, and we¡¯re supposed to keep it that way. But where we are¨Cthe RF Sea¨Cconsciousness culture is huge. You¡¯re allowed to use powers all up and down the west. Just the way it was colonized, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    Phillip joined them in the fourth seat, leaving just one vacancy in their closed-off section. Kotono had preferred to stay behind, essentially serving as a shield between them and the currently-flailing agency.


    They¡¯d already held their emergency meeting with the team after Kotono broke the news. An emergency nearly all-day practice followed. But even after postponing all their press obligations for the day, there was still plenty to do.


    Uninterested in the fights as always, Kotono offered to stay behind and act on the team¡¯s behalf.


    Guess I owe her one again, Deon thought.


    He knew she probably had no preference either way¨Cto her, it was all League stuff at the end of the day¨Cbut still, this allowed him to finally slow his mind. At least now, all that remained of this disaster of a day was to sit back and enjoy the competition.


    ¡°You know guys, last time I got dumped, I had nothing cool like this to keep me busy,¡± Deon opened up. ¡°My village is a drag. This is way more like it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that,¡± Otogi laughed, offering his glass for a toast. ¡°Though¡­some tea about me: I broke up twice at League events. Keep your guard up!¡±


    He earned a chuckle. ¡°I do wonder sometimes¡­¡± Deon started, turning to his cousin. ¡°What do you think Savannah got up to when we left? It¡¯s gotta be a drag stuck there with no powers, especially without us.¡±


    ¡°Great question,¡± Lammy shrugged.


    ¡°Whoa, careful now,¡± Otogi cautioned, nudging Deon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta know rule number one: don¡¯t start thinking about your exes.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, fair¡­¡± Deon sighed.


    His chest twisted.


    Does the same go for Skrili now, too? Is that really where we¡¯re at?


    In that letter¡­she said she loves me.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it again, aren¡¯t you?¡± Phillip¡¯s low voice rumbled.


    ¡°Enough out of you!¡± Deon teased in deflection. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear it from a dude with a girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s currently abducted by our enemies,¡± Phillip reminded him.


    Deon caught himself. ¡°Not for long,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    ¡°Hate to break it to you, Deon¡­¡± started Otogi. ¡°Keep this between the team, but¡­I¡¯ve got someone I¡¯m sorta seeing, too.¡±


    ¡°Okay, wait¨CI¡¯M THE ONLY SINGLE GUY HERE NOW?!¡± Deon boomed.


    His teammates attempted to hush him. Thankfully, there weren¡¯t too many occupied seats in their vicinity.


    ¡°Eh, whatever,¡± Deon grumbled. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t think about my exes.¡± He took a hearty gulp from his drink.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it again for our uncertified participants today! And thanks again to our sponsors! Next, it¡¯s time for the Certified Exhibition fights!


    These certified teams applied, and were hand-picked by a board of local agencies to fight on our legendary platform. Now, let¡¯s give a warm welcome to our first team: Melanie Vlahos and Savannah¡­!¡±


    Deon spat his sip into the air.


    ¡°HUH?!¡± Lammy shouted.


    ¡°...Pineapple!¡± the announcer finished. ¡°Savannah Pineapple! Sorry, I had to flip the page. First day, heh¡­¡±


    Together, the cousins let out a sigh.


    Their Savannah¡¯s last name was Angelcroft. She and her father were the only two in Tailpiece with a last name; Deon would know it better than any other.


    ¡°Jeez¡­¡± he breathed. ¡°Talk about wild coincidences.¡±


    ¡°Seriously,¡± laughed Lammy.


    The specially-selected team entered the arena under a downpour of colorful, flashing lights. One young woman sported a fighting dress from Kotono¡¯s fashion line, while the other dressed in a metallic getup of black and gold, complete with big golden goggles on the top of her head.


    Her hair, tied in a long ponytail with loose bangs, danced around her face as she jogged towards the platform. With skin-tight, fingerless black gloves that covered her forearms, she waved to the crowd.


    Deon watched as she stepped up with her teammate. The chrome from her boots glistened against the lights. Under her unbuttoned vest, her top and short shorts hugged her form.


    ¡°Really¡­?¡± Phillip groaned.


    ¡°Dude, like, Skrili just left,¡± nudged Otogi.


    Deon blinked. In spite of himself, it felt natural to gaze at this girl. He didn¡¯t even realize he¡¯d been doing it.


    The lights lifted, brightening to their clearer state. Whoever this eccentrically-dressed girl was, they¡¯d never met before.


    Their competitors, whose entrance Deon must have missed, met her and her teammate in the middle of the platform.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Lammy uttered. ¡°WAIT.¡±


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s have a good fight,¡± the girl said.


    Deon and Lammy shot out of their seats.


    ¡°SAVANNAH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!¡±


    Her clothes were so drastically opposite to Tailpiece fashion. But Deon could see it now: the same cinnamon hair, the same way her heels twisted out a bit as she turned to see them¡­


    It made no sense. She had no powers. She had no fighting experience.


    But she faced their way, her chocolate eyes locking directly onto Deon and Lammy, and no doubt remained.


    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s up, guys?¡± Savannah Angelcroft waved.

 161. Poisoned Halos

    ¡°Name of subject?¡±


    ¡°Deanna Artem,¡± said Pyper.


    With guns slinged at their sides, the three inquiring Proscious guards joined the team beside their sleek transport. A maintenance worker began his vehicle inspection behind them.


    ¡°Uh¨Cif you would, ma¡¯am¡­¡± he uttered uncomfortably.


    Pang turned to find Deanna hadn¡¯t yet exited the ship. But when Irma offered her hand, reluctantly, she took the step down onto the paved ground. She silently sheltered behind Pang, arms wrapped around herself.


    Out of the corner of her vision, Pang could see her hands trembling.


    ¡°Over here,¡± the leading guard commanded.


    Deanna didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°No way around it, ma¡¯am. Over here now.¡±


    Pang couldn¡¯t help herself: she scanned for the guard¡¯s powers.


    Imaginer. Gun and scooter are all he can make.


    All talk, like the other ones. What a bunch of losers.


    But his posturing was enough. Deanna, without her dozens of followers to protect her anymore, stepped forward and stood beside Pyper.


    ¡°Bondage remote, please,¡± the guard requested of his counterparts. ¡°Hands behind your back, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Hey!!¡± Pang fumed. ¡°Come on, you don¡¯t need to do that!¡±


    At the sight of the device, she could nearly feel its tightness around her own wrists and ankles again.


    The guard hesitated at her word, eyebrows furrowing.


    ¡°True,¡± Pyper chimed in. ¡°She¡¯s a willing subject.¡±


    ¡°¡®Willing subject?¡¯ That¡¯s not the designation in the file¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re overriding the file, which our team rank gives us the authority to do,¡± explained Pyper. ¡°Right, guys?¡±


    Up until now, Pang realized Benton and Irma had been staring off into space. The same cloudiness had masked them as before the mission began.


    But their attention sparked¨Cas did the light in their eyes.


    ¡°Oh, yeah! She ain¡¯t hurtin¡¯ nobody,¡± Benton assured. ¡°Didn¡¯t give us any trouble. Nope.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re changing her designation,¡± Irma finished.


    Aoi nodded in confirmation.


    Pang wasn¡¯t one for non-League jargon, but she had a feeling she should agree. ¡°Yeah, obviously. What they said.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± the guard stammered. ¡°Whatever. Recommended holding zone?¡±


    Pyper brought a finger to her chin in playful thought. ¡°Hmm¡­what do you think, Pang? Where should these guys put her up?¡±


    Pang found herself glancing at her roommate. Irma had housed, clothed, and fed her even after Pang tried tearing the base to shreds in an attempt to break free.


    The answer was clear.


    ¡°She¡¯s just some sweet lady, and now she has to put up with our crap. At least put her somewhere nice,¡± Pang instructed.


    ¡°Zone A,¡± Pyper translated for the disgruntled guards.


    ¡°Zone A?! That¡¯s for special guests¨C¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re funny, sir. I don¡¯t remember asking for your opinion,¡± Pyper giggled. ¡°Zone A. And she¡¯ll be cooperative, so move her to the next available suite after that.¡±


    Out of both fear and annoyance, the guards finally yielded.


    ¡°Right this way, ma¡¯am¡­¡± the leader invited, clearly taking all of his patience to do so. ¡°If you need anything, let us know.¡±


    ¡°Man, these elite teams get real bossy¡­¡± one of the others muttered.


    Just like that, the guards escorted Deanna much less like a prisoner, and much more like royalty.


    But before she walked away, Deanna turned to the team one last time.


    She remained wordless, just as she had on the entire trip back to the base. Her final spoken words had been to her people, taking her time to say goodbye to them one by one. There was nothing left to say.


    Deanna had turned to them not to speak, but in hopes of hearing what she needed to hear.


    Pang stepped forward. ¡°Lady, I won¡¯t forget what I said. I swear.¡±


    I¡¯ll take you home myself someday, she upheld in silence. Once we figure out how to bust outta here.


    Her gaze fell on Pyper: the second strongest Proscious member.


    And now, her ally.


    She couldn¡¯t focus on anything but the unrestrained power hiding inside that dorky, fruit-scented frame. The way Pyper had skipped across her clouds of energy, cancelling every threat that came her way¡­it wouldn¡¯t leave Pang¡¯s head.


    With her, she schemed, busting outta here might be a lot easier than I thought¡­


    But Deanna couldn¡¯t hear her quiet confidence. She simply turned back around and resumed walking away, leaving Pang to wonder if she believed her at all.


    Pang sighed.


    ¡°Man, what the heck do you guys do with yourselves after stuff like this?¡±


    ¡°Drink,¡± Irma said plainly.


    ¡°Irma and I¡¯ve got a bar we hit after missions to take the edge off for a bit,¡± Benton shared. His expression softened. ¡°But ¡®ya know¡­I don¡¯t really feel like I gotta this time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­this was¡­different,¡± Irma agreed.


    ¡°Playing tough-guy with those guards was kind of fun, too,¡± Pyper snickered.


    Right¡­¡¯playing¡¯ tough, Pang judged. Sure¡­


    ¡°Well, I already said it a thousand times,¡± she told her team. ¡°We do things our way now.¡±


    But still, the heaviness lingered. Guilt clawed at her chest watching Deanna disappear deeper into the base.


    They still upended an innocent person¡¯s life. Regardless of how virtuously they did it, that fact remained true.


    ¡°Alrighty. Well, whatever you guys end up doing,¡± Pyper said, ¡°take it easy and enjoy the night. After all, the training¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Already?¡± Benton checked.


    Pyper shrugged like it was obvious. ¡°Sure. Our mission gave me all I needed to inform my decision. We¡¯ll pick which of us will be your new leader tomorrow night.¡±


    Pang shifted to mask her disappointment. Ripoff. We only got one day with the only good option.


    Stretching her legs to recover from their flight, Irma checked her SquadScreen. ¡°Well, even without going for drinks, there¡¯s no time to cook,¡± she noticed.


    Thanks to the thorough lighting all around the docking zone, Pang nearly missed how late it must be. The base¡¯s pale and empty air didn¡¯t help, either.


    But it made sense: their wolf/coyote hunting must have taken hours. And as promised, they¡¯d allowed Deanna time for her body to develop the two antidotes, bulk her medicine supply for the commune dwellers, and say her farewells.


    If anything, it should have felt substantially later than it was.


    There was clearly some time dilation between the realities they¡¯d crossed through. But without even knowing the reality they were in now, she had no way to tell for sure.


    ¡°Hey roomie, if you order our takeout and go pick it up,¡± Irma offered, ¡°I¡¯ll at least whip up dessert. Lemon curd mousse sound good?¡±


    Suddenly Benton and Aoi loomed close, nearly sparkling.


    ¡°Sounds mighty good¡­¡± Benton yearned.


    Irma recoiled. ¡°Hey¨Cwho said I was inviting guests?!¡± she barked. ¡°Ah, fine¡­but you guys have to go get the extra ingredients.¡±


    With evening plans set, the Proscious team began dispersing from the dock. Pang watched as similar transports came and went along the perimeter, completing their own missions. But the isolated city awaited, where she could at least distract her mind from these evils for a while with her strange companions.


    ¡°Have a great night, guys!¡± their interim leader waved from behind.


    The team paused, realizing she hadn¡¯t been following.


    ¡°Oh. You¡¯re not coming, Pyper?¡± Irma checked. ¡°I meant you, too, obviously.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯re ya doin¡¯ way back there?¡± called Benton.


    For once, Pyper¡¯s face went a bit rosy. Watching her stand there alone, Pang wondered what she must do with her downtime¨Caside from reading Proscious documents and asking staff about the inner workings of their departments.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    After all, her teammates were Gage and Danek¨Cshe doubted Pyper spent any more time with those devils than she needed to.


    This nerd needs a life, Pang concluded.


    ¡°Yeah. Come on, Tea Lady,¡± Pang beckoned. ¡°We¡¯re the fun team.¡±


    Pyper smiled warmly. ¡°Alrighty¡­¡± she said, pushing her glasses up. ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡±


    She scurried her way towards the team like a leaf in the breeze.


    ¡°Oh, shucks. I forgot to ask those guards about the coding system for the holding cells,¡± she realized as she caught up to them. ¡°There¡¯s still so much to learn in that department¡­¡±


    Pang shook her head to herself. She never stops, does she? Well, I guess when your power lets you memorize anything, it¡¯s gotta be hard to find new stuff to learn.


    But then, it hit her.


    Pang nearly stopped walking.


    Wait¡­


    Before they left for the mission, Pyper was prying the vehicle operator for information about the facilities where they built the ships.


    But it was more than that instance.


    Pang¡¯s eyes widened.


    Even before that, she was in the cafeteria asking a worker about how they received their ingredients from the outside.


    She¡¯d walked by Irma¡¯s room chatting with a lab worker how power transferring works.


    She was constantly perusing Proscious documents.


    The very moment Pang had awoken in the lab room, trapped in that glass tube well before she knew anything about where she was, Pyper was there. The lab workers were teaching her about all their fancy Proscious tech.


    Nearly every time she¡¯d seen Pyper, she was trying to gain more info on Proscious.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m just about healed up,¡± Pyper answered beside her when Benton inquired.


    That, too¡­Pang reflected: she even risked killing herself when Pang naively initiated an escape. She allowed that invisible power to slice her open.


    Pang knew it was, in part, to get them easier access to Deanna. But she could¡¯ve simply told the team that was her plan, or done something less drastic.


    It had to be more. Pang could hear the notion louder than ever:


    If we want to escape, we have to think bigger.


    This chick¡¯s been cooking something this whole time, and she¡¯s trying to keep me from screwing it up, Pang deduced.


    She¡¯s already working on an escape.


    ¡°Are you excited?¡±


    Pang blinked. She found Pyper smiling at her. Right now the Rank-S fighter¡¯s mind, filled with a library of Proscious knowledge, was simply anticipating Irma¡¯s lemon curd mousse. Pang understood that.


    And yet, her smile spread wide at a deeper implication.


    ¡°You bet I am.¡±


    ~


    Benton¡¯s spoon clanged into his now-emptied bowl. He leaned back with a burp.


    ¡°Thanks, Irma! So good!¡±


    She approached from behind in her hoverchair to claim his dish, circling her kitchen table to collect the rest.


    ¡°Yeah. The texture was perfectly light; you¡¯re an expert!¡± beamed Pyper as she turned in her bowl. ¡°Have you ever tried pairing this with blueberry scones?¡±


    Pyper¡¯s question turned Irma¡¯s eyes into stars. Unable to contain herself, Irma zoomed closer and patted her interim leader¡¯s head.


    ¡°Great idea! Hey, she¡¯s giving me pointers, like Pang does!¡± Irma cooed. ¡°Can we keep her?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Pyper¡¯s our superior, not a cat,¡± Benton sighed.


    Over at the sink, Pang finished rinsing the plates they¡¯d used for their takeout. ¡°Plus, you make me critique you,¡± she chimed in.


    ¡°Whatever. You know, Pyper, I¡¯m usually kinda scared around you,¡± Irma confessed. ¡°But you¡¯re like, super chill.¡±


    Pyper laughed. ¡°Well thank you guys for inviting me, really,¡± she said. ¡°I haven¡¯t just ¡®hung out¡¯ like this since my League days¡­¡±


    That perked Pang¡¯s ears. Despite having just received the new dishes from Irma, she dropped them in the sink and paused.


    ¡°You were in the League too?¡± she implored.


    Irma groaned. ¡°Great. Now there¡¯s three of them,¡± she realized. She inched close to Aoi at the end of the table. ¡°Hey¨Cyou¡¯re with me, right? Tennis is a way better sport.¡±


    Aoi nodded discretely.


    Pyper shrugged it off. ¡°I was a little before your generation.¡±


    ¡°Hold up¨CI would¡¯ve heard of a pro as insanely strong as you,¡± questioned Pang. ¡°You¡¯re what, thirty-something? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re Benton-old.¡±


    ¡°Ouch,¡± Benton chuckled.


    Smiling, Pyper¡¯s shoulders sunk inward a bit. ¡°My powers were less of a spectacle back then. We¡­we didn¡¯t quite get into the public eye,¡± she opened up. ¡°We¡¯d only won a few small-time Conscious Competitions before I¡­ended up here.¡±


    Huh¡­then Proscious spotted her crazy powers before the industry even could, Pang noted.


    The apartment fell silent. Noticing this, Pyper suddenly laughed and sparked with life.


    ¡°You know, not all of us can earn Legend Training right at the start of our career, young lady,¡± she teased Pang, wiggling a finger at her.


    ¡°Yeah, well, not all of us can stop a jet by waving our pinky at it,¡± came Pang¡¯s counter.


    While the topic summoned memories of Phillip, Pang couldn¡¯t help but reflect on their Legend Training for the first time in what felt like ages. She smirked.


    ¡°Anyway, we only passed because we did the Challenge and barely won,¡± she revealed. ¡°And I mean barely. Our trainer was freakin¡¯ awesome¨Cthis dude named Skip. He didn¡¯t even use his consciousness powers, and he still almost whomped us.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Pyper uttered simply. ¡°Skip.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah¨CSkip! I forgot you worked with him,¡± boomed Benton. ¡°The youngest Legend Trainer, right? That guy¡¯s trained a ton of my favorite teams out there these days. Golly¡­there¡¯s those kiddos Orin an¡¯ Fate, there¡¯s Zoomer an¡¯ Gen-Gen, there¡¯s you, a¡¯ course¡­there¡¯s¨C¡±


    Pyper gently stood from her chair.


    ¡°Thanks again for the dessert.¡±


    Benton halted his recollection, and the apartment came to a dead silence once more. The team watched as Pyper excused herself, heading calmly for the door.


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah, anytime,¡± came Irma¡¯s delayed reply.


    The door slid open, and Pyper looked back to them. Her smile didn¡¯t wrinkle her nose this time.


    ¡°Great job today. See you guys tomorrow night, okay?¡±


    She left too swiftly for them to bother replying. The door slid closed.


    Benton shook his head. ¡°Poor thing. Ain¡¯t easy thinkin¡¯ back on that stuff. Just kinda creeps up on ¡®ya sometimes,¡± he reasoned.


    ¡°Preach,¡± sighed Irma.


    Clearly accustomed to such breakdowns, the two of them soberly moved on. Benton stood to help Irma wipe the table.


    But Aoi caught Pang¡¯s attention.


    Oddly, she kept staring¨Cher focus locked onto Pyper¡¯s unseen departure on the other side of the wall as if it were transparent.


    Pang wouldn¡¯t be shocked to learn Aoi could see through solid objects. But that wasn¡¯t the strange part.


    Huh¡­this girl¡¯s always staring at Pyper, isn¡¯t she? Pang observed. She did the same thing the whole time we were eating cake last night.


    On top of that, Pyper didn¡¯t seem to react. Now that Pang thought of it, she hardly acknowledged Aoi unless it was necessary.


    Even when Aoi had been the one to numb her injury, she didn¡¯t even glance her way.


    Why is everyone here so weird?


    ¡°Okay but like, we¡¯re all on the same page though, right?¡± Irma said to her team. ¡°Pyper better become our team leader tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Pang and Benton said together, and Aoi gave a big nod.


    It was no contest, given Danek trying to kill them, and Gage¡¯s creepy obsession with Pang.


    But even without that, these past couple days proved Pyper was more than the best option¨Cshe was the perfect option.


    She¡¯s just like us.


    Mirroring Aoi, Pang found herself gazing beyond the apartment wall.


    ¡®Part of us,¡¯ she heard in her head.


    She was standing only a few steps away from where Irma told her that same thing, on the day she got adopted into her home.


    ¡®You¡¯re part of my group now. I have your back now, and so does the rest of the team. You¡¯ll see.¡¯


    Against all wishes, Pang choked up.


    Guess she wasn¡¯t just sweet-talking me that day.


    If it weren¡¯t for these goofs, I¡¯d be dead.


    Pang backed away from the dishes.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll finish these in a minute,¡± she assured Irma.


    ¡°Oh. Okay, roomie!¡±


    She hurried to the door and exited the apartment.


    At first, Pang assumed the hallway was already empty. It would¡¯ve made sense, considering the elevator was nearly right across from their room.


    But she heard a sniffle.


    Pyper was leaning against the opposite wall from the elevator, awaiting its arrival.


    ¡°You good?¡±


    She only half-looked Pang¡¯s way, offering a feeble nod.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Pang doubted. ¡°Well, I just wanted to say sorry for bringing up sad memories and stuff. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Pang¡­¡± Pyper finally said, her voice airy. She met Pang¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m really glad I got to spend time with all of you today.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I mean, thanks for being the only trainer that wasn¡¯t a total lunatic.¡±


    They stood in silence for a moment. The soft bell of the elevator rang, and the door opened.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Pyper signed off again.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    She was only a step away from the elevator. Pang eyed the hallway in both directions: nobody was around.


    ¡°Listen,¡± she started, ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do.¡±


    It felt a bit wrong coming out with it now¨CPyper¡¯s cheeks were still damp from whatever memories had festered.


    But Pang couldn¡¯t help it: the more she waited and watched, the longer she¡¯d have to justify ruining peoples¡¯ lives, including her own. It was time to get in the know.


    Pyper didn¡¯t reply. But she didn¡¯t enter the elevator, either.


    Distant voices rumbled from down the hall. But they faded, heading in the opposite direction.


    Pang inched closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Clue me in,¡± she uttered low. ¡°What¡¯s the escape plan?¡±


    Taking another long moment, Pyper simply sighed.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she said.


    ¡°...¡®Oh?¡¯¡±


    Pyper sighed once again, this time in preparation to speak.


    ¡°Hey...here¡¯s a fun fact: that guy Skip, your Legend Trainer,¡± she muttered, ¡°he actually used to be my teammate years ago.¡±


    Pang¡¯s thoughts fumbled. This had swerved in a totally different direction.


    ¡°Whoa¡­for real?¡±


    It didn¡¯t remotely answer Pang¡¯s question, but it was certainly intriguing. She could only imagine sheer stardom for a duo like that, if Proscious hadn¡¯t gotten in the way.


    ¡°This will probably sound mean, but¡­try to be thankful your old friends aren¡¯t coming for you. It¡¯s for the best¨Cfor you, and for them,¡± said Pyper. ¡°Skip tried to save me, so I tried everything to stop him. I even became his enemy. But he didn¡¯t stop. Now, he¡¯s not a consciousness anymore. He can¡¯t cross Worldlines. He can¡¯t use powers¡­¡±


    The elevator door had already closed, but Pyper didn¡¯t summon it again.


    At last, she faced Pang fully.


    That soft smile hadn¡¯t faded despite her dampened cheeks. Her speech was the same, drifting and falling at the end of her phrases.


    Pang realized this wasn¡¯t like her conversations with Irma and Benton about their pasts. Pyper¡¯s mask was off¨Cbut as it turned out, it had been off since the moment they met.


    There was no defensive pretense. This was her.


    ¡°Legend Training is probably all Skip has now,¡± Pyper told her. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised he¡¯s excelling¨Che was always good at helping people reach their own conclusions.¡±


    Studying Pang for a moment, Pyper let out a short laugh.


    ¡°Still a lot better at that than me, it turns out¡­¡±


    Pang tightened. Something about that admission turned the hallway cold.


    ¡°Uh¡­girl, what are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Pang¡­I¡¯m sorry. You don¡¯t know what I¡¯m trying to do,¡± Pyper plainly revealed. ¡°But I¡¯ve known what you¡¯re trying to do for a while, because I used to be like you.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Pang stammered. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not putting together an escape,¡± denied Pyper. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to show you there is no escape.¡±