《Somebody Stop Him [A Progression Fantasy Epic]》


 Chapter 1: The Way South

    I gripped the worn steering wheel of Uncle George''s ancient APS delivery van, sweat trickling down my back in rivulets. The heater has been mocking me for three days straight, nothing but outside chilly or far too hot air blasting through the rusted vents. Five thousand and ninety eight kilometers stretched between North Acadia and my final destination in Omnithornia.


    The van smelled like all of Uncle George''s failed dreams - stale cigarettes, spilled energy drinks, and the lingering scent of whatever mystery packages he''d hauled before his "accident¡± that forced him into permanent retirement.


    The van was his parting gift to me, along with a knowing look of cold eyes that made my skin crawl.


    Weary thoughts kept me company on those endless highways. They whispered from the shadows of truck stops at 5 AM, echoed in the rattle of the loose side mirror. Sometimes I caught myself wondering if I''d inherited more than just Uncle George''s van - if that same darkness that drove him to constantly skirt the laws¡­ was also riding shotgun with me too.


    My phone counted down the miles to Omnithornia, each one a reminder of what I was leaving behind in North Acadia. Mom''s tears as I held her hand for the last time. The beep of the heart monitors. The empty spot where my dad should have been, but wasn¡¯t.


    Maybe that''s why Uncle George gave me the van so quickly. He recognized something in me, something that needed to put as much distance as possible between itself and home.


    I kept driving South, watching the landscape change from the snow-capped mountains to tundra to dense forests to endless plains to yellow hills. The van protested every mile, but it kept moving, just like me.


    . . .


    Halfway point. Southern Acadia.


    The last bastion of pure humanity.


    Beyond this boundary there would only be Omnids with ever-decreasing pockets of humans living on the fringes of Omnithean Superstate.


    I held my breath as the van sputtered up to the border checkpoint, praying it wouldn''t choose this moment to finally die. The engine had been making a new rattling sound since breakfast, and the temperature gauge was creeping higher by the hour.


    A massive Igopogo in a dark blue uniform lumbered out of the booth, his Executioner-Cross Authority badge glinting in the afternoon sun. My hands were trembling as I handed over my passport, but I forced my face into the innocent, eager expression that had gotten me out of trouble so many times back home.


    "What is your purpose for visit, Mr... Martin Kilborne?" he rumbled, beady eyes scrutinizing my documents.


    "Tourism, sir!" I switched to my NPC good-boy mode, channeling every Eagle Scout meeting I''d ever attended, deepening my voice in just the right tone of pure confidence. "I''ve always wanted to see the Dreadspine! My scout troop did a presentation on it last year, and it just looks incredible in all the photos."


    "Your vehicle looks like it''s on its last leg," the Border Guard commented, showing far too many teeth. Omnitheans were damn scary mofos, compared to us humans.


    "Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck. "Uncle George gave me the van for my 18th birthday. Thought it''d be perfect for a road trip before the new semester starts after winter break," I gestured at the pile of tourist brochures I''d deliberately scattered across the dashboard. "I¡¯m planning to hit all the major spots along the Dreadspine National Park fault line. My real goal is to reach Leviathan''s Cradle and take some pictures of the ocean. Going off-season to avoid the big crowds!¡±


    "Hrm. And how long will your trip be?" He asked.


    "Just two weeks," I lied, pulling out a blue document folder with a fake itinerary. "Here''s my planned route."


    "What if your van gives out?" The Guard asked as he examined the itinerary with all of the high tourism spots labelled in colorful markers.


    "I''ve got Suber on my phone!" I gushed. "Plus OAA registration. If the van dies, I''ll have it towed to the nearest junkyard, get a couple of hundred bucks for the scrap metal and then hitchhike or call up a Suber cab and take it to the nearest city. From there I can travel by bus to Leviathan''s Cradle, rent a car and then take the train back to Acadia!"


    "Please pull into parking spot A4," the man ordered.


    "Sure thing officer," I nodded.


    I pulled the van into the inspection area, my heart hammering against my ribs. The homo-cryptid moved with surprising grace for his size, methodically checking the vehicle''s exterior before reaching for the back doors.


    My oversized camping backpack sat alone in the empty cargo space. I watched through the side mirror as he unzipped it. A drug-detection Kitlix emerged from his massive side pocket. The liquid-crystal critter grew a nose and sniffed the air. Then, unfolding out like a snake, it grew six legs and rapidly ran over my carefully packed clothes, camping gear, and random assortment of outfits.


    My trusty safety vest was tucked in a corner, waiting for stage two. The Kitlix sniffed it briefly and ran back into the Border Guard¡¯s pocket.


    The Border Guard let out a huff, having discovered nothing illegal. Finally, he zipped everything back up and closed the back doors. I could hear his heavy footsteps approaching my window.


    "Everything appears to be in order," he said, handing back my documents. "Be aware that the next service station is 60 miles south. With your vehicle''s¡­ condition, I strongly suggest you stop for some engine maintenance. You wouldn''t want to get stuck in the boonies.¡±


    I nodded eagerly, relief flooding through me. "Yes sir, absolutely. Thank you, sir."


    As I pulled away from the checkpoint, I watched the border crossing station shrink in my rearview mirror until it disappeared completely.


    My head felt like it was trying to split open.


    The massive Truth rune hanging above border crossing gate had done a number on me, but I avoided spilling the beans. I pulled out a bottle of advil and swallowed a couple of capsules. It added to the cocktail of taurine, caffeine and other less common substances that allowed me to bamboozle the border-crossing, honesty-pulling hexagrammic chains.


    The ''Welcome to Omnithornia'' sign loomed ahead, its faded paint showing a happy smiling average Mothman family of three gray-winged parents and two and a half kids waving to visitors.


    . . .


    Stage two.


    Finance acquisition.


    The van, having somehow miraculously made it all the way to Leviathan¡¯s Cradle, wheezed to a stop in front of 8008 Fallin Street, Scab Row.


    The building was exactly as awful as I''d expected from a "budget-friendly" residency choice - peeling paint, broken windows patched with cardboard, and that distinct smell of desperation that seemed to hang over all of the Scab Row human ghetto.


    A quick scrub down and I was feeling slightly freshened. Then I took about thirty minutes to put on some gray face paint. Orange contact lenses, cotton stuffed into my cheeks and a stick-on-moustache completed the look.


    The landlord''s office was a dim room on the ground floor, with yellowed newspaper clippings covering the windows.


    Mr. Peterson sat behind a metal desk, his weathered face a map of hard years spent in Omnithean territory.


    "Yes? What do you want?" He asked, barely looking up at me.


    "I''d like a refund on unit 901," I said in my NPC-authority voice.


    The landlord waved me off without raising his eyes. "Read the sign. No refunds. Policy''s clear."


    "Uh-huh," I wrote something in my clipboard, idly tagging my safety vest. "Riiiiight."


    ¡°What?¡± The man asked.


    I cleared my throat and adjusted my fake ID badge, my mustache bristling. "Well, that''s unfortunate. Do, allow me to introduce myself - my name is Kovach Moontash. I''m with the Leviathan''s Crade Housing Review Commission. Our office received multiple complaints about this property being used to house... illegal human migrants."


    Mr. Peterson''s eyes finally snapped up to my face. I could see the fear creeping into his expression as he took in my clipboard, yellow hard hat and spotless orange safety vest.


    "Now, I''m sure you wouldn''t want your latest infraction getting back to the Housing Commission," I continued, flipping through my clipboard with a loud ¡®tsk¡¯. "Especially given your... multitude of previous violations reported to us.¡±


    ¡°What infraction?¡± Mr. Peterson''s face had gone pale. I could practically see the gears turning in his head, calculating the cost of bribes versus the risk of an official investigation.


    ¡°Unit 901.¡± I said.


    "Look," he said, lowering his voice. "There must be some misunderstanding. Unit 901 was never rented to any... unauthorized residents. It''s empty.¡±


    I made another note on my clipboard. "Uh-huh. Suuuuure it wasn¡¯t. Because I have documentation riiiiiiight here showing a deposit payment of one thousand dollars from..." I pretended to squint at the paper, "a North Acadian¡­. Mr. Kilborne, who doesn''t appear to be an Omnithornian resident."


    "That''s not... I mean..." He was sweating now, blinking pale eyes at me. "Perhaps we could resolve this unofficially?"


    "Perhaps," I said, making another note. "Though falsifying rental documents is a serious offense. The Commission takes a very dim view of landlords enabling unauthorized human residency."


    Mr. Peterson''s hands were shaking as he pulled open his desk drawer. "How about we forget about unit 901? Here''s the deposit back, plus... a little extra for your trouble." He counted out fifteen hundred in crumpled Omnibux bills.


    I took my time examining each note, holding them up to the light. "Well... I suppose I could mark this property for a follow-up review in six months instead of initiating immediate proceedings." I tucked the money into my clipboard. "But I''ll be watching this address very carefully, Mr. Peterson."


    "Of course, of course," he stammered out. "Thank you for your... understanding."


    The man nodded vigorously as I wrote up a fake receipt and slipped it onto his desk.


    "Here¡¯s your receipt for the refund. Thank you for your cooperation," I said, pausing at the door. "Word of advice though - you really shouldn''t accept payments from North Acadian residents anymore. Makes things¡­ awfully complicated." I tapped my clipboard meaningfully. "Have a good day."


    I started the engine, wincing at the new grinding sound it made. Come on, van don''t die on me now!


    I needed to get out of Scab Row before Mr. Peterson had time to think too hard about our interaction. He had clearly already deposited the check I OUPSd him from North Acadia.


    It was Sunday and tomorrow morning the check would bounce as the Omnithorian Bank clerk would figure out that my old checking account had no money in it and then the scummy landlord would be out 1500 violets.


    The van protested, shaking and sputtering as I guided it back onto the main road.


    In another hour, having pulled off the mustache and washed off the face paint, I sat in the corner of Omnibucks, nursing my free water cup.


    The barista - a teenage Chupacabra with purple-dyed hair - had stopped giving me suspicious looks after I bought a sandwich around hour three. The wifi password and the comfy leather couch was my lifeline to planning my next moves.


    The city of Leviathan¡¯s Cradle sprawled across my screen in satellite view courtesy of Oodlemap.


    I''d already memorized the main bus routes, found the cheapest laundromats, and mapped out which neighborhoods to avoid and which to stay in. Uncle George''s voice echoed in my head: "Knowledge is power, kid. The more you know about a place, the harder it will be for that place to hurt you."


    The Cradle Foot Fitness Center''s website practically glowed with the promise of: "7-Day Trial Membership for new members! Experience Our Premium Facilities!" Translation: hot showers, clean bathrooms. I downloaded the coupon to my phone, already imagining how good it would feel to wash off three days of road grime.


    . . .


    I pulled up the Skyfall Academy website again, smirking at the sleek design. The acceptance letter sat in my personal inbox, a testament to months of careful planning.


    The scholarship page mocked me with its generosity. Even with maximum financial aid, the tuition remained astronomical. No human from Scab Row could ever hope to pay off the debts after graduation as nobody hired humans in Omnithornia for above minimum wage work.


    I smirked, recalling how much effort it took to construct my new identity.


    ¡®My¡¯ deceased ¡®father¡¯ - Marcus Glock, a minor Thunderbird bureaucrat who''d died in a skiing accident six months ago - had been perfect. No living relatives, minimal digital footprint, and most importantly, no children listed in his obituary.


    The real work had been backdating Acadian records.


    The classification as Hominull Omnithis - aka half-blood or "Nullie" as they were commonly known here - was crucial. Nullies were treated better than humans but still faced heavy discrimination in Omnithornia.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    My way in was through exploiting the Academy''s own prejudices. Their online application system had different security levels based on species classification. Pure Omnithean applications went through rigorous parental verification. Human applications were rejected right away (as one had to be an Omnid to get Omnithornian citizenship).


    But the rare mixed blood Nullie applications? They fell into a bureaucratic blind spot. The system assumed no one would want to fake being a Nullie - after all, who would choose to be part of the most pitied and patronized class in Omnithornia?


    I''d discovered this weakness months ago while probing the Academy''s submission portal. The Nullie application track had basic validation but skipped the biometric scans required for other categories. Instead, it relied heavily on the father''s Omnithean credentials - probably because the system designers couldn''t imagine a human teenager clever enough to impersonate a dead Thunderbird''s offspring.


    I clicked the ¡°Book interview time¡± url in the acceptance email.


    In a few days time, Alexander Glock would walk through Skyfall Academy''s gates. And Martin Kilborne would disappear completely like a ripple from a jagged stone dropped into a muddy puddle.


    The purple-haired barista was giving me looks again.


    Time to move on. I packed up my reinforced phone-tablet and shouldered my backpack, and headed for the door. The van was waiting, faithful despite its protests.


    Uncle George''s words followed me into the gathering darkness as I pulled into the Omnimart parking lot and rolled out the camping bag across the metal floor: "The trick isn''t just surviving, kid. It''s making them all think that you belong."


    <hr>


    The Omnimart security was incredibly lax. I had picked this particular gigastore due to its posh location, the average area income stated on remax.om making my eye twitch.


    It took me a few days of scouting in disguise to understand the inner warehouse workings. Finding a few old order receipts in a recycle bin was exactly what I needed.


    I rolled the heavy box across the dock, my heart surprisingly steady.


    The "inventory checklist" clipboard and my deliberately rushed movements sold the image of just another overworked stock boy doing overtime.


    I could have carried out an entire chair with ease past the bored-looking Omnithean cashiers smoking in the back of the building.


    Their eyes slid right past me as I calmly walked out of the truck-loading backdoor with my green-skin makeup, clipboard, mustache, safety vest with the yellow hardhat featuring the Omnimart logo printout taped to the front.


    Everything I needed for Academic life was now in my possession: school bags, board games, generic and professional-grade pyrotechnics (technically only legal for licensed Omnithean entertainment companies), three high-end cameras with telephoto and fisheye lenses, wireless microphones, tripods, and an assortment of misc outfits ranging from maintenance uniforms to security guard outfits.


    My clipboard was my shield against any scrutiny. Clipped to it sat purchase orders from a fake entertainment company, delivery confirmation numbers from various suppliers, and even a forged event permit. If anyone stopped me, my paperwork would be in perfect order.


    Nobody bothered me about my box of warehouse-stolen items.


    The van wobbled lightly under the weight of the new equipment as I carefully stowed everything away.


    I patted the van''s rusty dashboard, feeling oddly sentimental.


    "Just one last trip, girl. Then you can rest."


    The engine made a sound like a dying bird as I turned the key. After three tries, it finally caught, black smoke puffing from the exhaust.


    <hr>


    I adjusted the collar of my pure white Omnimart button-up shirt, still stiff with its factory creases. New, spotless leather shoes, dark pants and a black backpack completed my eager-student-to-be outfit.


    The morning sun caught my new DSLR camera''s lens as it bounced against my chest. The week of using the gym''s trial membership had done wonders for my appearance - and my nose. No more van smell clinging to my skin.


    Movement in the distance caught my eye - three shapes on the third floor of the half-finished office building across from Skyfall Academy. Even from this distance, I could make out the distinctive profiles of brown, gray and red forms perched casually on exposed I-beams like they owned the place.


    I sat down on a concrete bench and raised the camera lens, observing them for a few minutes through the viewfinder, studying the patterns of my potential prey.


    They were exactly the kind of crowd I needed to befriend - rebellious, young, local. The kind of kids who might know which teachers asked too many questions and which ones would sign anything you put in front of them.


    The dragon-bird-girl caught my eye first - all black everything, from her tall combat boots to her raggedy fishnet-patched pants under a short chain-covered skirt. A black leather jacket with a few colorful pins, a tight black top featuring the rainbow prism Eye of the Violet Floyd logo hugged her chest, and a dark leather silver skull choker glinted at her throat.


    The dark and broody outfit was a stark contrast against her silver-white-blue scales. Silver feathers shifted in the breeze, folded wings and feathered tail lashing behind her. Something about her reminded me of the punk kids back home, the ones who knew all the best places to hide when you needed to disappear for a while.


    Yulia, my personal, jailbroken LLM with vision connected to the newly stolen camera and tied into the school¡¯s yearbook database, identified the teenage punk humanoid female as a Quetzalcoatl by the name of Cassiopeia Nova, enrolled in grade 12.


    The Quetzi elongated snout and fluttering silver wings called out to my aesthetic sensibilities as if she was a siren of the deep blue sea. She was tall, about as tall as me, taller if you considered the feathery explosion on the back of her head.


    Next to the punk angel was a red and gold figure of a Rubicund Lindworm - Emerald Stratos according to Yulia''s quiet whisper in my earpiece. Crystalline ruby mane caught the sunlight like fresh blood, slightly more orange scales of her body gleaming as she walked across the steel beam. She moved with the casual confidence of someone who had never doubted her place in the world as the number one. Even from this distance, I could see her gold-orange eyes scanning the area like a Pride Queen marking her territory.


    Emerald was wearing a designer leather jacket in deep burgundy, covered in gemstone spikes and damage-nullifying gold runes probably worth more than all of the equipment I harvested from Omnimart this morning. Multiple gold chains dotted with ruby hexagram-gemstones glinted at her neck and several gold magic rings sat on her fingers. Her tall boots with gold buckles looked custom-made, rune-reinforced and probably cost as much as a house in North Acadia. Her belt buckle was studded with large diamonds, completing the ''I''m a firstborn Prima donna of an excessively wealthy dragon clan'' look.


    According to Yulia¡¯s analysis¨Cthe third figure, perched slightly away from the two predator ladies was a Deathskull Mothman named Iogann Wanderer.


    Iogann¡¯s outfit was a patchy hippie-style gray-teal tunic with orange triangle-pattern edges. He had a very chill attitude about him. A wide brimmed gray-teal hat sat on his head that made him look like a darker version of Snufkin from the Moomin Troll series. He had fluffy gray antennae, gray wings and very large dark gray eyes.


    Through my camera lens, I watched as Emerald barked something at Iogann. The Mothman nodded lazily, reached out into his leather side bag, and... his hand simply sunk into it up to the elbow and then even deeper than what would be physically possible, almost all the way to the shoulder.


    When he pulled it back, a crumpled pack of cigarettes sat in his grip.


    Yulia failed to recognize the Nonpareil-O-s brand of the pack with a smiling paperclip on the front.


    Dimensional gateway ability, I noted mentally. A rare and valuable power - the skill to reach through space itself into other, doomed worlds. Usually activated by looming apocalyptic-level disasters according to my research on the Deathskull Mothmen.


    The pack was scorched around the edges, and through my zoom lens I could make out what looked like bits of gray ash raining down from the box. Maybe a nuclear war in some parallel Earth, or the death of a sun, or perhaps the moon exploding. Whatever had forced those cigarettes to seek refuge in our dimension via Iogann¡¯s hand¡­ it probably wasn''t very nice at all.


    I quietly watched their morning ritual unfold, studying the relationship of the trio.


    Iogann passed around the interdimensional cigarettes with practiced ease.


    The Lindworm lit hers with a casual snap of dark red claws, the spark dancing between her fingers before catching. From what I recalled, summoning dragonfire was a rare Lindworm skill. Her family definitely had a massive stash of gold and artifacts in their Omnibank safe for her to be able to produce magic fire with such ease.


    The Mothman ignited his own deathstick with an elaborate brass lighter that looked like it belonged in a steampunk novel, all gears and tiny pistons that whirred to life when he flicked it open.


    The Quetzalcoatl fumbled in her black jacket''s pocket and produced a cheap plastic lighter in neon pink, the kind you''d find at any gas station checkout counter. The shoddy 99 cent lighter seemed oddly out of place among her ¡°I¡¯m totally ragged, but I actually cost an arm and a leg¡± punk attire.


    I snapped a few more photos, making sure to capture their casual interactions.


    Emerald seemed to be the leader of the group, dominating the conversation, her gestures sharp and commanding. Iogann maintained his relaxed posture despite her intensity. Cassiopeia kept slightly apart from them, her body language and scowling face suggesting that perhaps she wasn''t entirely comfortable with the group dynamic or maybe had a headache.


    The smoke rings she blew out made my eye twitch ever so slightly.


    Observe. Wait for the right moment.


    Nicotine, for all the horrible things it did, also relaxed people.


    I took a deep breath after another minute, adjusting my generic-looking student backpack filled to the brim with stolen game boards.


    Time to put on the show.


    I walked forward and lifted my camera, pretending to frame a shot of the construction site''s skeletal framework against the morning sky. Just a friendly photography student, nothing suspicious here.


    I moved closer, making sure to stay in their peripheral vision.


    "Hey guys!" I called out, lowering my camera. "Any of you know if this is the right way to Skyfall Academy? I''m starting there today and these maps are useless." I pulled out my armored phone, displaying the deliberately confusing route I''d looked up earlier.


    The Quetzalcoatl girl''s unnaturally ocean-blue eyes fixed on me, pupils narrowing slightly. Even from three stories down, I could feel the ¡®why the fuck are you bothering me, nullie?¡¯ weight of her stare.


    Cassiopeia suddenly stood up, took a step forward and launched herself from the I-beam with casual grace.


    Her wings opened wide, far wider than I expected the full wingspan to be, and my heartbeat intensified tenfold.


    Her wings caught the morning light and then each feather ignited with a rainbow of colors. My breath caught in my throat as she descended in a lazy flutter, dark jacket rippling in the wind. She looked like something out of a dream - half angel, half prehistoric deity-predator, all dangerous.


    She landed a few feet away from me with a jingle of skirt-chains and soft thud of combat boots on concrete. Up close, she was even more striking - sharp features softened by wisps of colorful feathers slowly fading back to silver-blue. Her intense silver-blue eyes studied me with predatory focus.


    A thin trail of cigarette smoke curled up from between her fingers.


    "You''re way off," she said, her clear voice carrying a hint of mild amusement. "School''s that way."


    She gestured with her free hand, the movement causing her wings to shift slightly. I tried not to stare at how the sunlight played across her feathers with a million rainbow refractions, featuring extra, alien colors that my eyes simply refused to process.


    Holy shit so many iridescent feathers. Magic feathered dragon central.


    Inexplicably, for the first time in a decade of swindling people and cryptid monsters, my carefully prepared response died somewhere between my brain and my mouth. All those hours of planning, all of Uncle George''s lessons about staying focused, and here I was, struck dumb by a pretty girl with wings.


    Real smooth, idiot. Real smooth.


    Above us, her friends were making their way down via the construction site''s stairs, but I barely noticed. I was too busy trying to remember how to form coherent sentences while pretending I wasn''t completely mesmerized by the way her wings folded against her back.


    All my carefully crafted NPC scripts crashed like a blue screened Windows. The practiced lies, the smooth introductions, the calculated persona I''d spent hours perfecting - all of it vanished like morning mist in the face of those piercing eyes.


    My brain kept trying to reboot:


    [Alexander Glock.exe has stopped working


    Would you like to restore Functional Human Being? Y/N


    Error 404: Original Personality Not Found]


    I was dimly aware that I probably looked like an idiot, standing there with my camera hanging uselessly around my neck, staring at her like I''d never seen a Quetzalcoatl before. Which, okay, I hadn''t - not up THIS close, not one that had just descended from the sky like some kind of punk rock valkyrie.


    The cigarette smoke curled around her in lazy spirals, and all I could think was how unfair it was that even the deathstick looked cool on her. The morning sun caught her sparkly, now pure silver feathery head just right, creating a rainbow halo effect around her that made my thoughts scatter into all directions, as my brain continued its spectacular system failure.


    I forced my jelly-legs to move, Uncle George''s voice cutting through the fog: "Never let them see you freeze, kid. When in doubt, exit stage left."


    "Thanks!" I finally managed to squeak out after far too long of a pause, my voice embarrassingly high. "Should... get going. Waauldnt wanna to¡­ be¡­ late!"


    I could hear her friends'' footsteps getting closer and I had no jokes, no introductions, nothing but empty endlessness in my head. Nothing except for the desire to bow down and worship her.


    I backed away from the mind-melting dragon-angel, nearly tripping over my own feet in my haste to escape. The Quetzalcoatl raised an eyebrow, taking another drag of her cigarette as she watched me retreat.


    "See you around, new kid," She called after me, a hint of something - amusement? curiosity? - in her voice.


    Her voice sent shivers down my spine as if she rolled a perfect twenty charisma check against me.


    Argh! Now I knew exactly how the Aztec priests felt. At this rate, I would totally locate an obsidian blade, slice open some poor fool¡¯s chest and offer their still-beating heart to her. Not that she would accept it. The 21st century Omnitheans were a civilized people mired in laws and rules just as much as mundane humans.


    I gave an awkward wave and speed-walked around the corner, not quite running but definitely moving faster than any self-respecting NPC should. As soon as I was out of sight, I leaned against a wall, heart pounding.


    What the actual fuck was that?


    Three days of careful planning, countless hours practicing different personas, and I''d completely short-circuited at the first sign of pretty feathers. Uncle George would be laughing his ass off if he could see me now.


    I took a deep breath, straightening my stolen jacket. Okay. Reset. This was fine. I could still salvage this. I just needed to...


    Never interact with Cassiopeia Nova ever again.


    No, that¡¯s¡­ exceptionally stupid. Obviously she had some kind of a ¡®worship-me¡¯ innate Charisma aura-skill that targeted pure humans like me.


    Yeah, that had to be it.


    Solution? Interact with her forever, as much as possible, in slow increments. Like eating bits of poison to get used to it. What was it called?


    I tapped my stolen smartwatch, asking for the answer.


    Yulia took a second to process and whisper the answer into the microscopic, wax-covered speaker buried deep in my ear.


    ¡°Mithridatism - building immunity through controlled exposure to toxins.¡±


    Yeah, that''s what I needed. Small doses of interaction until I could build up resistance to whatever the hell just happened to my brain.


    I straightened up, adjusting my camera strap.


    Alexander Glock.exe relaunched successfully.


    I checked the smartwatch again - still plenty of time until my appointment. I could circle around the block, compose myself, and maybe approach the school from a different direction. Maybe by then my stomach would stop doing that weird fluttery thing every time I thought about those sky-blue eyes.


    Focus. Mission parameters hadn''t changed. I still needed to:


    <ol>


    <li> Get enrolled.</li>


    <li> Secure one of those infinite free food meal cards and an immortality bracelet.</li>


    <li> Find a better sleeping location than the rust-covered van now permanently parked in one of the school¡¯s student parking lots.</li>


    <li> Build a network of useful cryptid patsies.</li>


    <li> Learn everything there is to know. Figure out if mundane humans can even level up like Omnitheans through dimensional gate dungeon delving.</li>


    </ol>


    5.1. Do NOT get derailed by Quetzalcoatl girls who probably smoked because they had a death wish.


    Wish I had pretty, mind-control angel-wings like that. The things I could...


    No. Focus. I mentally slapped myself.


    I took another deep breath, slowly my heartbeat and feeling Alex settle back into place like a comfortable mask. This was fine. I could do this. I''d already conned my way across half the continent - one pretty Omnithean girl wasn''t going to derail everything!


    Focus. Breathe in, breathe out. Relax.


    Today¡­ I would have the key to eternity.


    The thought of months of functional immortality made my hands shake slightly as I took the first step up the front gate stairwell. Not that I was looking forward to dying - the prospect of pain still terrified me, but the school¡¯s Phoenix program was key to everything.


    I was no superhero - I had none of the strength of a Sasquatch, none of the psychic or dimensional powers of a Mothman, none of the regenerative abilities of a Wendigo.


    I was just a human kid in a nation of monsters with a desperate, mad plan to rise far above my station and a burning desire to make them all pay for what they did to my mom.


    After all, the best way to destroy a system wasn¡¯t to attack it from the outside - it was to set it on fire from within.

 Chapter 2: The Vice Principal and Student Council

    I walked through Skyfall Academy''s front gates, feeling like a lone gazelle strolling into a pride of lions. Except these lions came in every color of the rainbow and most of them towered over me. A yellow and black striped Tanystropheus ducked her long neck to whisper something to a green Basilisk, both of them glancing my way. A group of Sasquatch teens in varsity jackets paused their conversation to watch me pass.


    The hallways were a riot of color and motion - tails swishing, feathers rustling, horns and necks decorated with ribbons, hexagrammic gems and collars. I kept my pace steady, my expression neutral.


    I''d memorized the school layout from their website, so I navigated the corridors with practiced confidence, even as my peripheral vision caught more and more curious, shocked or bothered stares.


    They weren''t outright attacking me yet, that would come much later in all sorts of insidious ways.


    Skyfall''s diversity quota imposed upon the school by the recently elected Silver Wing party required the Academy to accept a certain percentage of "non-pure" students, but most wealthy Omnitheans wouldn''t let their mixed-breed children apply. This left the Academy desperately short on their Nullie numbers.


    Scrolling through old social media posts about Skyfall Academy, revealed why this was the case. Those few who had attended in previous years rarely lasted the entire semester. The harassment was brutal, not just from students but sometimes from older teachers who viewed Nullies as living reminders of "genetic pollution" or ¡°a waste of an education¡±. Last year''s only Nullie student had transferred out after three months of what the school dismissively called "social adjustment difficulties." The unofficial forums told a darker story of "accidents" particularly during physical education, dungeon delving practice and dimensional field trips.


    Simply put, nobody was insane enough to be bullied to death repeatedly¡­ except for my crazy self. Because I had nothing left to lose and everything to gain.


    . . .


    As I passed by what appeared to be an art classroom, I suddenly became completely surrounded by a flock of Omnids.


    Their eyes lit up like they''d discovered some rare specimen, which I suppose I was. Phones came out and the chattering started. The colorful crowd trapped me in a tight circle with no way out, like a leukocyte cell getting ready to devour a filthy parasite invader that managed to make its way into the body.


    "Yeesh! Look at how smooth and pink he is!"


    "Is it true that your bones will snap from a single tap of my tail?"


    "Hold still, I need a reference shot for my comic!"


    I tried to get a word in edgewise, but there was too much chatter and the crowd was entirely caught up in their frenzy. Phone cameras clicked from all sides and I was starting to feel like a zoo exhibit or a celebrity being bothered by paparazzis.


    This won''t do.


    With a smirk, I reached into my pocket and pulled out one of the stolen Omnimart Thunderclap Party Poppers. The loud thunderclap from the string pull echoed through the hallway like a gunshot, making several of the Omnids jump. All eyes shot towards my face, some with fear, others in confusion, the crowd-manifested memetic frenzy over my obvious human-ness broken like a spell.


    I wondered if they expected the human to have a gun on them or something, the way they stared at me with shocked eyes. If Scab Row was anything to judge by, the answer was yes - most humans were a lowly, criminal underclass.


    "Ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished artists," I announced, channeling my best showman voice. "Alexander Glock, photographer and fellow creative spirit, at your service. While I''m very flattered by your interest in my person, perhaps we could handle this more professionally?"


    I pulled out my oversized phone, trying not to laugh at their startled expressions. "If you''d like to use me as a reference for your art projects, I''d be happy to provide a proper signed release form. Just share your Omnigram IDs with me. After all," I added with a theatrical wink, "we wouldn''t want any copyright issues down the line, would we?"


    The way their expressions shifted from surprise to sheepish understanding was priceless. They had expected a null weakling to take pics of and to post on Omnigram. Instead, a predator armed with a theoretical army of lawyers stared back at them with confident eyes.


    The crowd thinned slightly as the more timid artists shuffled away, but many remained, eagerly sharing their Omnigram IDs with phone-to-phone screen taps.


    I smiled as I gathered the IDs.


    Private messages were like perfect digital skeleton keys - unlock the right doors, and you could access entire networks of information and influence. Each of these Omnids probably had their own circles, their own connections.


    "I''ll send you all the release forms tonight," I promised.


    As the crowd dispersed, two figures lingered - a white and black Thunderbird and a dark red Olgoi-Khorkhoi. The Thunderbird was wearing a flashy blue dress, sparkly chainmail top with dark leather straps, steel wrist bracers and steel talon-covers shaped like bird skulls. The Mongolian Deathworm had a dark leather biker''s outfit topped with a lavish, gold, semi transparent robe clipped to gold-plated shoulder covers.


    "Sup. I''m Vespera," the Thunderbird introduced herself, her feathers sparkling ever so slightly. "Your bone structure is baller - mind a few selfies? Are you¡­ a pure human?¡±


    ¡°Close to one,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°How close?¡± the Olgoi-Khorkhoi beside her demanded with a scowl. Her forehead mouth was giving me the heebie jeebies.


    "I''m what they call a Hominull Omnithis," I explained, keeping my tone light. "Dad was a Thunderbird too, actually. Though obviously I didn''t inherit much beyond amplified intelligence and some basic resistance to electricity."


    "A mixed-blood?" Vespera tilted her head slightly, her previous fascination with me cooling several degrees. "Oh. That''s... Um. We had one of those last year. She, umm¡­ transferred to another school.¡±


    ¡°Dum nullie beerch couldn¡¯t handle the Arx-delving,¡± the Olgoi-Khorkhoi rolled her eyes. ¡°Couldn¡¯t even stick to her assigned group''s Inn. Got chopped up in Shandria overnight like a stakeling."


    Riiiight. I thought. I knew exactly what happened to Sarah Nisteroff. The forums had been quite detailed about her "accident", including photos of her remains taken by the Corpse-Seeker. The Phoenix Forge had brought her back, but the PTSD from being slowly sliced joint by joint like sushi by Shadow blades had remained... Transferring schools was probably the kindest option.


    "Oh! You should like totally join the History Club. We''re always looking for... diverse perspectives," Vespera said in a thick Valley girl accent. ¡°I¡¯m a big fan of old cultures n¡¯ such. Have a couple of Lamassu statues from the citadel of Sargon of Akkad at home facing the front door!"


    I caught the undertone in her voice, the way her steel-gray eyes gleamed with sparks of gold. The invitation wasn''t entirely friendly - it was a challenge. Or maybe a threat.


    "Hrm. What does the History Club do?" I asked, keeping my tone carefully neutral despite the predatory look in Vespera''s eyes.


    "Oh, you know," she waved a perfectly manicured, amored hand, her black and white feathers rustling. "We dress up in period-accurate costumes, take aesthetic photos for our Omnigram, and sometimes we do historical reenactments." Her smile showed too many razor-sharp, pearly-white teeth. "Last week we were studying medieval European warfare. Had quite a few... hands-on lessons with maces and flails."


    "Verrry hands-on," the Olgoi-Khorkhoi grinned, cracking her knuckles.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a bunch of old humani outfits too, 1580s Renaissance armor belonging to medieval prince-knights and such, I¡¯d totes love to see what they look like on a fully-human-shaped, mixie Omnid like you,¡± Vespera smiled.


    ¡°Sounds fun. Count me in,¡± I agreed. ¡°I do enjoy dressing up and smashing things. Good practice to break the mold.¡±


    Both girls blinked in surprise at my eager acceptance. Clearly they''d expected me to pick up on their thinly veiled threats and run away.


    "Really?" Vespera''s perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose. "Most... nul... um, non-reinforced, low level peeps tend to avoid our club on account of breaking their limbs or snouts too often.¡±


    "Most people clearly don''t appreciate history enough," I said with a shrug. "Omnigram me the details and I''ll be there."


    "I''ll make sure to find you myself... if you chicken out on us, nullie." The Olgoi-Khorkhoi leaned forward menacingly.


    "Pfff. I''m absolutely looking forward to smashing your lovely face with a mace, Solace Exill," I replied smoothly, enjoying the way her gold eyes widened in shock. "I''d never chicken out of a good medieval battle reenactment."


    The death worm took a step back, her reddish-brown scales bristling. "How do you know my-"


    "Name? I make it my business to know everyone," I said with a casual shrug. "I''m part Thundergod after all, even if I don''t look like it on the outside. We collect small, shiny things on the ground. Like dropped names," I added with a wink. "Plus, your Omnigram profile is public. Nice motorcycle collection, by the way."


    Solace choked in reply while Vespera laughed.


    "You are a clever one! So do you, like, carry store-bought Thunderclaps with you everywhere?" the Thunder-girl asked.


    "Only when I really need to catch the attention of such charming ladies," I replied with a wink.


    Vespera giggled, a white and black hand covering up her beak. Solace huffed.


    "You''re cute, for a mixie," Vespera said.


    ¡°I try,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Aight, I wan¡¯ a selfie with ya,¡± she added.


    Suddenly, both girls pressed against me, squeezing me between them. I fought to keep my expression neutral as Solace''s enhanced strength threatened to crack my ribs while Vespera''s electrical field made my hair stand on end, making my bones hum and throb.


    "Smile for the camera!" Vespera chirped, her electrified wing wrapping around my shoulders.


    Her embrace felt like hugging a high voltage power transformer. I smiled wide, ignoring how her sharp claws dug into my side probably leaving violet bruises.


    We took a few selfies together, their phones clicking away.


    After trading contact info, the pair departed with more giggles, already tapping away at their screens. I watched them go, mentally filing them under ''useful airheads'', the kind that would click on a phishing link without even thinking about it.


    <hr>


    The Administration¡¯s office was exactly where the map said it would be.


    A reinforced crystal case wall featuring various student achievements stood in front of the office crammed with all sorts of awards, crafts and student accolades.


    From all of the random magical and mundane stuff within, my eyes immediately became drawn to a rather catchy painting.


    The art depicted a small town with a gray cathedral in the center. Autumn leaves fluttered in the wind after the end-of-summer rain. A futuristic-looking white ring divided the sky like a massive imaginary megastructure. Four human teens, about fifteen years old, were sitting under a tree, enjoying a sushi picnic. A girl with pure white hair and yellow hardhat, a boy with brown hair, a girl in gray armor and gray cape and a girl in pink pjs with ginger hair.


    I stared at the painting for a few minutes. Something about it, called out to me, like an old dream that I once had, a song that I had long forgotten. It was the oddest, incredibly unnerving sensation like the tongue suddenly finding a missing tooth.


    I took a photo of the painting, trying to understand how it could screw with my mind as if it was implying that I was one of the teenagers, the boy sitting under that tree. Was it painted with the blood of some alien beast or something?


    ¡°K. Kells, grade 11,¡± I read on a gold plaque below. ¡°Hrm. Pretty damn good art and mind-control skills Kells. If you didn¡¯t already graduate, I just might have some competition here.¡±


    I tore my gaze away from the unsettling painting and pushed open the heavy oak door to the admin office.


    The secretary - a Kitsune with pristine white fur and nine tails - looked up from her computer. Her golden eyes narrowed slightly as she took in my appearance, but her professional smile never wavered.


    "Alexander Glock for 9:15," I said before she could ask.


    "Ah yes, Mr. Glock. You''re five minutes early. Please have a seat. The Vice Principal will see you shortly."


    The waiting area walls were covered with the usual school propaganda - motivational images featuring diverse groups of Omnitheans and the occasional token mixie achieving together, sports team photos, academic awards plus the utterly useless anti-bullying and anti-smoking posters.


    I sat in one of the plush chairs, going over my newly acquired contact list.


    Vespera already posted the selfie she took along with a caption: "Found the cutest little mixie! ?? Can we keep him? #NewPet #DiversityWin #HistoryClubInitiation"


    I fought back a smirk. Let them think I was some harmless curiosity. It would make things easier in the long run.


    . . .


    "Mr. Glock?" The Kitsune secretary called. "Vice Principal Graves will see you now."


    I entered the office and immediately had to crane my neck up. Waaaay up.


    Vice-Principal Graves towered over his mahogany desk, his impossibly tall, thin form wrapped in an immaculate black suit. Where his face should have been there was¡­ nothing at all.


    It''s not like there were no features, it was most like my brain simply refused to focus on the pure emptiness therein.


    Yet somehow, despite lacking any eyes, I got the distinct impression that the man was studying me intently.


    "Please, have a seat," he said, his voice manifesting in my head as a creaky, staticky whisper. Long, spindly fingers gestured to the chair in front of his desk.


    I sat down, keeping my expression neutral despite the way my skin crawled. Unlike the Quetzalcoatl girl who forced me to fall in love with her, the slenderman Vice Principal made me feel pure and absolute pants-shitting fear.


    Unlike love, fear was easy enough to defeat. I felt fear before while running or hiding from the law. Thus, I was ready for it, stamping it down with positive thoughts of my impending immortality.


    "Alexander Glock," the Vice Principal''s voice echoed in my skull, making me jolt. "Your application was... most interesting. We don''t get many transfer students mid-semester, especially those of mixed heritage."


    I met his non-existent gaze steadily, channeling every ounce of confidence I could muster. "My previous school burned down, sir. I didn''t want to fall behind in my studies."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The Vice Principal went silent for a moment as I slid a newspaper clipping to him.


    [Historic St. Christopher''s Academy goes up in flames. By Samuella Lacross. SA News.


    A devastating fire ravaged St. Christopher''s Nazarite Academy early Wednesday morning, leaving the historic institution in ruins. The blaze, which started around 3 AM in the east wing, quickly spread through the century-old structure.


    ''The damage is extensive,'' reported Fire Chief Marcus Winters. ''The main academic building is a total loss, with severe structural damage to the gymnasium and administrative offices.''


    No injuries were reported as the fire occurred hours before students and staff would have arrived for classes. Initial investigations suggest an electrical malfunction in the aging wiring system may be to blame...]


    The Vice Principal''s fingers delicately picked up the newspaper clipping, the paper crinkling unnaturally in his grasp. Though he had no visible eyes, I could feel his attention scanning every word.


    "Most... unfortunate," he finally said, that staticky whisper making my teeth ache.


    I nodded. ¡°Father O''Malley assisted with my transfer here. You talked to him on the phone, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± The Vice Principal said. "Father O''Malley of St. Christopher gave you a rather glowing recommendation.¡±


    I smiled. Obviously my AI gave me a good recommendation. It wasn¡¯t very hard to give Yulia a deep, male, priestly voice on the phone.


    ¡°So, tell me, Mr. Glock, why Skyfall Academy specifically?" the extra-long man asked.


    "Skyfall Academy has always been my dream school, sir," I replied, letting a carefully measured amount of enthusiasm seep into my voice. "My father¡­ Dr. Glock. He always spoke so highly of Omnithornia''s educational system. Before he perished in that tragic avalanche... he mentioned wanting me to attend here.¡±


    I sniffed, thinking about mom. ¡°I was hoping that the rescuers would find his Lazarus bracelet and bring him back, but alas, his body must have fallen into a very deep crevasse.¡±


    The Vice Principal nodded again.


    I paused, letting my voice catch slightly. "After losing both of my parents, I wanted to honor his wishes. And the Academy''s reputation for excellence, especially in dimensional delving and artifact crafting... Well, it seemed like the perfect place to challenge myself."


    The Vice Principal''s void-like head tilted slightly. "Your father¡­ Marcus Glock was a Level 68 Clerk at the Department of Atmospheric Phenomena?"


    "Yes sir," I nodded. "Dad worked in Celestorm weather precognition analysis. Not the most glamorous position, but he was proud of his contribution to the Omnithean Superstate."


    And your mother?"


    "Mirriam Kilborne," I said softly, using my real mother''s name. Sometimes the best lies were wrapped in truth. "She was¡­ a human. A compsi employee of the North Acadia Wendigo Frontenachii Omnicorp. I... had to take some time off school to help with her care."


    I let go of Alex.exe and looked down at my hands which started to tremble as my eyes filled with more sparks of tears. An absolute kernel of heart-breaking truth had to be the foundation of any well spun tale. "She passed away last spring."


    "I see," Vice Principal Graves'' voice resonated with something that might have been sympathy. "And you''ve been on your own since?"


    "Yes sir. A portion of the insurance money from dad''s skiing accident went to me and helped cover immediate expenses such as my mom¡¯s debt, and mom''s medical benefits from Omnicorp provided some support. But..." I let my voice trail off, injecting just the right amount of determined optimism. "I''m not looking for handouts. I want to earn my place here, prove that I can contribute something valuable despite my... mixed heritage."


    The void where his face should be seemed to ripple slightly. "Your academic records from St. Christopher''s are quite impressive, particularly in creative arts and computer science. Though I notice a concerning gap in your physical education scores."


    "The Nazarite school curriculum wasn''t very focused on combat or delve training," I admitted with carefully crafted sheepishness. "But I''m eager to learn and level up! I know I''ll have to work twice or thrice as hard to catch up, but I''m prepared for that challenge."


    "You do understand that Skyfall''s curriculum is... Exceptionally demanding?" The Vice Principal''s needlessly long fingers drummed on his desk, dark tentacles writhing and inexplicably sinking elsewhere behind his suit. "Particularly for students of mixed heritage. Our last mixed-blood student found the adjustment... difficult."


    I nodded solemnly. "I''ve read about Sarah Nisteroff''s... transfer, sir. I understand the risks. But I believe that facing challenges head-on is better than hiding from them. My father always said that true growth comes from pushing beyond our perceived limitations."


    I got the distinct impression that the lanky, faceless Omnid was pleased by my response. Was he projecting his emotions into my head or something? "An admirable attitude, Mr. Glock. Though I must warn you - our Phoenix Forge system, while remarkable, is not a guarantee of safety. The psychological impact of... repeated restoration can be significant."


    "I understand, sir," I said firmly. "I''m not afraid of failure, or pain, or death. I''m afraid of not trying at all. If I fall down, I will rise again just like Saint Lazarus. Always. No matter what.¡±


    The void where his face should be seemed to study me for a long moment. Finally, he reached into his desk drawer.


    "Very well, Mr. Glock. Welcome to Skyfall Academy." He slid a dark hexagon-textured sphere across the desk towards me. "Please be aware that the Lazarus bracelet must be worn at all times. In the event of your... Eventual demise... a fellow student, Familiar Corpse Seeker, or faculty member will take the bracelet to the Lazarus cavern for restoration to occur.¡±


    ¡°Is there, like, a time limit on the restoration?¡± I asked, pretending to be a clueless kid.


    ¡°The longer you stay dead, the more therapy you will require after,¡± the Slenderman sighed. ¡°Our policy is to restore the dead as soon as possible or within the twenty four hours limit.¡±


    ¡°What happens after twenty four hours?¡± I gulped.


    ¡°Soul decay,¡± he answered.


    ¡°How fatal is that?¡±


    ¡°That depends on your mental fortitude and the level of your soul,¡± he explained. ¡°Some Omnids can stay dead for months while others decay into insanity in just a few days.¡±


    "I see. Okay, how do I make the bracelet connect with my soul?" I asked.


    "Simply touch it and say - bind me," he answered.


    "Bind me," I tapped the ball with a finger.


    The dark hexagonal sphere suddenly animated, unfurling like a mechanical centipede. The segments rippled with an oily sheen as the centipede ran to my left arm and wrapped around my wrist, each hexagonal plate clicking into place with microscopic precision. There was a brief, sharp pain as two-dimensional jagged blades pierced my skin, connecting to my nervous system.


    A chilly ripple slowly ran across my entire body from my wrist, making me shudder.


    The Lazarus bracelet pulsed once with a deep crimson glow before settling into a dormant state, the blades gone, now just a sleek band of interlocking dark hexagons around my wrist. It felt surprisingly warm against my skin, like it was alive. Or maybe it was just drawing power from my body heat.


    "The initialization process is complete," Vice Principal Graves noted. "I was worried that maybe your Wormwood genetic marker would be too low, but it seems to be in good working order. Usually there''s an official ceremony and whatnot, but you did register at a rather busy time of year after Winter See-Mass break."


    I nodded.


    "If I may ask," Graves inquired curiously, "why did you live with your human mother rather than your Omnithean father after the divorce?"


    I let a carefully rehearsed flash of pain across my face. "There... wasn''t a divorce or a marriage, sir. Dad was never really in the picture much. He and mom... it was complicated. Acadia doesn''t permit polygamic marriages like Omnithornia. Plus, the Department kept him busy, and mom said he had his own family to worry about." I looked down at my hands, letting my voice grow quieter. "I only saw him a few times a year, usually at random. But he always made sure to send support payments and birthday cards. He preferred to keep his distance. Said it was better for his career prospects if certain circles didn''t know about his... indiscretion up north."


    The tentacles behind the long man seemed to darken slightly. "I see. A... common arrangement with mixed heritage situations." His tone carried a hint of disapproval. "And you''re staying at..." He consulted the paperwork, "8008 Fallin Street?"


    "Yes sir," I nodded, keeping my expression neutral despite the way my stomach clenched. "It''s temporary housing while I look for something closer to campus. The landlord, Mr. Peterson, has been very... accommodating. Sadly someone keeps breaking into the mailbox, so here''s a PO box address for any of my school mail."


    I slid a document over to Mr. Graves.


    "Scab Row is hardly an appropriate residence for a Skyfall student," the Vice Principal''s fuzzy voice rippled with clear distaste. "We do have dormitory accommodations available, though there would be additional fees..."


    "I appreciate the offer, sir," I said quickly. "But my scholarship doesn''t cover a residence. The apartment is... adequate for now. Dad rented it for me last year," I added smoothly. "His aunt lived in the area thirty years ago, back when Scab Row wasn''t... well, quite as rough as it is now. Said it used to be quite the artistic community. That was of course before the Topaz-peddling gangs took over the area."


    "M-yes," the Slenderman sighed. "That neighborhood has... changed significantly."


    I nodded.


    "Given your unique living circumstances, I believe that you qualify for our Community Support Initiative."


    Yesss. Bless me with nom perks.


    "Really?" I looked up hopefully, voice still trembling. "I... I don''t want to be a burden..."


    "Nonsense," he waved one elongated hand dismissively. "Education is never a burden and you will pay the meal card off after graduation. Now, these forms will need to be filled out..." He began explaining the paperwork.


    I nodded along as Vice Principal Graves walked me through the various forms and policies, carefully noting which ones might be useful later. The meal card he handed to me was a godsend - theoretically unlimited food from any campus cafeteria or vending machine. No more living off stolen protein bars for me!


    "Your class schedule will be arranged with the assistance of our Student Council Representatives," Vice Principal Graves continued, shuffling through more papers with his impossibly long fingers.


    "Isn''t that usually an administrative task?" I asked.


    "Skyfall Academy believes in empowering our student leadership. The Student Council has shown remarkable insight in evaluating new transfers and making appropriate class placement recommendations. They can assess... social dynamics that we as administrators might miss."


    I translated that in my head: ''They figure out if you''re worth keeping or not.''


    "The Council''s suggestions are usually quite accurate," he continued.


    I nodded.


    "Let me call in our Student Council representatives. They''ll give you a tour of the facilities and interview you." His spindly finger pressed down on the intercom button. "Christi Negal and Lance Nova to the Vice Principal''s office, please."


    While we waited, Vice Principal Graves continued reviewing policies - dress code (nonexistent due to the incredibly diverse student body, business casual for showcase events, hexamesh or heavier armor for delves), attendance requirements (death was not an excuse for missing assignments), and the various clubs and activities available.


    I nodded along, but my mind was racing.


    A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Two figures entered - a tall, bulky, gray-skinned Dover Demon with piercing orange eyes, and a slender girl with yellow-brown-black skin, bright yellow eyes and fiery orange head of flames.


    "Lance Nova," Yulia whispered in my ear. "Brother to Cassiopeia Nova." Ah, the punk angel who''d short-circuited my brain earlier. "A Dover Demon, firstborn son of Justice Nova."


    "Christi Negal," the LLM added. "Cherufe. Fire elemental. Student Council Secretary. Daughter of Minister Nitish Negal."


    "Ah, Lance, Christi," Vice Principal Graves declared jovially, nearly giving me a heart attack. "This is Alexander Glock, our new transfer student from Acadia. I''d like you to help arrange his class schedule and show him around campus."


    I examined the students. Christi was wearing a classy pink and black suit and skirt while Lance was dressed in a neutral gray tracksuit with a Hexamesh outfit underneath glittering with gold hexagons.


    "Hi! Welcome to Skyfall Academy!" Christi practically bounced forward, her enthusiasm fiery like a small sun. Her hair flared brighter, radiating heart. "We''re so happy to have you here! Aren''t we, Laaancy?"


    "Of course," Lance nodded, his voice warm and friendly despite his slightly imposing bulk. "It''s not often we get transfer students, especially from so far up North!"


    "We''ll take good care of him, sir," Lance turned to the Vice Principal. "The Student Council takes its mentoring responsibilities very seriously."


    "Thank you both," Vice Principal Graves nodded. "Mr. Glock, you''re in good hands. Please remember that my door is always open if you have any concerns."


    I stood, gathering my paperwork. "Thank you, sir. I really appreciate this opportunity."


    As we left the office, Christi immediately linked her arm through mine, her skin radiating an uncomfortable amount of heat. "So! Alexander! Can I call you Alex? Tell us all about yourself! What brings you to Skyfall? What are your interests? Do you like spicy food? What''s your favorite color? Have you ever been in a dungeon..."


    I blinked at her, not able to let a single word into the machine-gun stutter.


    "...delve before? Oh! Do you have a girlfriend? Or boyfriend? Or both? Or several? What''s your star sign?" Christi''s rapid-fire questions came out in an excited rush, her fiery hair and eyes flickering with each word.


    Lance simply walked beside us, eyeing me up.


    I tried to edge away slightly from the scalding touch without being too obvious about it. "Um, Alex is fine. Dad recommended the school. I''m mostly interested in photography, art and computer science. No dungeoneering experience yet. Single and on the lookout for a partner or two. I like spicy food just fine," I continued, trying to match Christi''s enthusiastic energy while subtly creating a bit more space between us. My arm was starting to feel like it was getting sunburned. "As for my favorite color... silver-blue tone. And I''m a Scorpio... I think?"


    "You''re an Aquarius," Yulia commented into my earpiece. I ignored her.


    Martin was an Aquarius. Alexander Glock was a Scorpion with a gun!


    "Ohmigosh, you''re going to love it here!" Christi squealed, her hair flaring brighter. "We have the best art program and amazing delving opportunities and the computer lab just got upgraded with lab grown meta-flesh processors, and there''s this amazing Thai place nearby that does the most incredible curry..."


    "Christi," Lance cut in smoothly, "perhaps we should focus on his class schedule first? We don''t want to overwhelm our new friend. Also, I think you''re burning his shirt."


    "Oh! Sorry!" Christi released my arm, looking sheepish as I tried not to wince at the scorched fabric. "I get excited meeting new people! Especially mixed-heritage students - we don''t get many of those!"


    "It''s fine," I assured her, discreetly patting out a small ember. "I appreciate the extra-warm and sparkly welcome."


    Lance rolled his eyes at my terrible pun while Christi burst into delighted giggles, her hair raining sparks.


    As we walked through the halls, I carefully observed my two guides, mentally cataloging every detail. Their dynamic was interesting - Christi dominated the conversation while Lance seemed content to let her take the lead, occasionally adding helpful comments.


    "So how long have you two been on the student council?" I asked.


    "Since sophomore year!" Christi beamed.


    "Uh-huh," I nodded. "So is there more student council body or is it just you two?"


    "Oh no, there''s lots more of us!" Christi''s flames danced excitedly. "Quint Thornton is our President - he''s a Wendigo, super organized and really good at getting things done. He¡¯s manning the office right now! Then there''s Mira Blackquill, our Treasurer - she''s a Basilisk and absolutely brilliant with numbers. Jasper Froth handles Athletics - he''s a Yeti like Coach Canard. And Diana Moonwanes is our Events Coordinator - she''s a Skinwalker, amazing at planning parties! Plus we have class representatives for each grade level. I''m the rep for your grade!"


    "The Council handles everything from club budgets to school events to student disputes," Lance added. "We take our responsibilities very seriously."


    "Sounds intense," I commented, recalling seeing a few ¡°best of class¡± delving awards in the name of Lance Nova. "How do you balance all that with classes and delving practice?"


    "Oh, it''s not so bad!" Christi waved me off, trailing sparks. "We''re all pretty good at multitasking. I''ve always loved helping organize events and making sure everything runs smoothly," She fired more words out like a machine-gun. "Plus it looks great on college applications! Oh and the cafeteria is right through here," Christi gestured enthusiastically. "The food''s expensive but sooo good, especially on Taco Tuesdays! Lance and I always share lunch. Feel free to join us tomorrow! Wouldn¡¯t want you to eat by yourself!"


    "That won¡¯t be a problem," I said.


    ¡°Oh? You already know someone to sit with?¡± Christi tilted her head looking a bit disappointed.


    ¡°Nah,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll be setting up a chess game or two during lunch and offering people to beat me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how fun! You¡¯re into chess too!¡± Christi bobbled, leading me to the school courtyard from the dining hall.


    She dropped onto a wooden park bench with a big smile, her pink skirt fluttering in the wind. Small embers danced around her as she patted the spot next to her. The bench was positioned perfectly to catch both the morning sun and a view of Skyfall Academy''s imposing architecture.


    "This is my favorite spot," she declared proudly. "You can see everything from here! Look at those white spires - aren''t they gorgeous? They''re made from processed mana crystals, harvested from the deepest delving zones and then fused to the Leviathan''s bones comprising the brickwork. They glow all sorts of pretty colors at sunset!"


    I settled carefully beside her, maintaining a respectful distance to avoid any accidental burns. Lance remained standing, his gray bulk casting a shadow over us.


    "The Academy''s architecture is... certainly interesting," I commented, studying the way the white crystalline towers sparkled in the light. "Very different from St. Christopher''s. We just had regular stone and brick buildings."


    "Oh, this is nothing compared to what''s inside those spires!" Christi''s hair flickered excitedly. "The upper levels have these amazing meditation rooms where you can practice channeling your powers and level up! And the view from the top is absolutely incredible - you can see all the way to the Dreadspine mountains on a clear day!"


    She gestured enthusiastically at various spots around the courtyard. "That corner over there is perfect for studying between classes - it gets great shade in the afternoon.


    "And over there is where most students hang out during breaks," Christi continued, pointing to a cluster of benches and tables near a massive ancient oak tree.


    "Though you might want to avoid the West Wing of the park - that''s where the Skinwalker clans tends to gather. They can be a bit... intense about their territory."


    I nodded. "Any other spots I should know about?"


    "The library is handy for a studious mind," Lance spoke up. "Nine floors of arcane and mundane books, plus private study rooms."


    After another hour of roaming across the massive Cathedraltown-Citadel style campus, the pair led me to the student council office where I was rapidly introduced to the student president manning the computer desk.


    The student council office was a stark contrast to the rest of the school''s white gothic revival aesthetic. Dark wood paneling lined the walls, and antique brass fixtures cast a warm glow over everything. The room felt more like an old-world gentleman''s club than a high school administrative space.


    Quint Thornton sat behind an imposing mahogany desk, his tall antlers casting branching shadows across stacks of paperwork. The Wendigo''s amber eyes glowed faintly as he looked up from his computer screen, studying me with predatory intensity.


    "Alexander Glock," he said, rising to his full height. His blue-grey felt suit was immaculate, dark gray vest underneath and white tie spotless. "We''ve been expecting you."


    Something about him and the room he inhabited radiated the aura of gangster-era prohibition boss - the kind who''d politely offer you tea before having you thrown into the river wearing concrete shoes.


    "Welcome to Skyfall Academy," Quint continued, extending a perfectly manicured hand featuring dark claws. His grip was firm but not crushing - a professional''s handshake. "I trust Lance and Christi have been showing you around?"


    "Yes, they''ve been very helpful," I replied, matching his formal tone. "Your school is impressive."


    "Our school," he corrected smoothly. "You''re one of us now, Mr. Glock. May I call you Alex?"


    "Of course," I nodded.


    "Excellent. Please, have a seat." He gestured to one of the plush, red leather armchairs facing his desk.


    "Now then, Alex," Quint settled back into his chair, steepling his fingers. His amber eyes seemed to glow brighter within the sockets of his bone-like face, and I felt a subtle pressure building behind my eyes. "Tell me about your... aspirations here at Skyfall."


    Ah. The classic Wendigo mind-probe. I¡¯ve dealt with this sort of bullshit before - a Wendigo clan owned the company my mom was legally bound to and overworked her straight towards her tragic death.


    The horned bastard could taste lies and fears through direct eye contact and was already digging his magic hooks deep into my head.

 Chapter 3: Furniture Acquisition

    Nope. Nope, nope, none of that. Time to redirect the conversation.


    "Actually," I said, breaking the spine-tingling, truth-prying eye contact to pull out my phone, "I was hoping to get your insight on something, Mr. President and Co. I met some interesting students this morning..." I opened the photos I''d taken of the construction site trio. "Are these students in my grade by chance?"


    Quint''s eyes narrowed slightly at the disruption, but he leaned forward to examine the images along with the couple behind me.


    "Ah," he said, his tone carefully neutral. "I see you''ve already encountered Ms. Nova and her... associates."


    "That''s Cass!" Christi squealed, leaning over my shoulder to look at the photos. "Oh, and Em and Io too! They''re totally in our grade, yes."


    "Cinder," Lance added.


    I turned to him.


    "My sister... prefers to go by Cinder these days," he added, looking resigned.


    "Interesting group," I commented, watching their reactions carefully. "They seemed... colorful."


    "That''s one way to put it," Quint''s lips twitched slightly. "Ms. Nova and Ms. Stratos can be rather... Overly passionate about their interests."


    "Em''s super intense!" Christi chimed in. "She''s like, totally dedicated to being the best at everything forever! And Cass err¡­ Cinder is amazing at music, even if she can be a bit... um..."


    "Temperamental," Lance supplied diplomatically.


    "And the Mothman?" I asked innocently, flipping the photo to the cigarette-pack manifestation. "Iogann, was it?"


    The three student council members'' expressions darkened simultaneously at the sight of the interdimensional cigarettes. Lance''s jaw visibly clenched, Christi''s flames dimmed to barely-glowing embers, and Quint''s amber eyes flashed dangerously.


    "Mr. Wanderer''s... procurement habits are a matter of ongoing disciplinary review," Quint said, his voice dropping several degrees in temperature. "The possession and distribution of interdimensional contraband is strictly prohibited at Skyfall Academy. I trust you understand that participating in such activities would be... unwise for a new student."


    "Of course," I nodded quickly, making a show of looking appropriately chastised. "Can''t stand deathsticks, drugs or alcohol. Prefer a clear mind for my lunch chess matches."


    "Would you mind forwarding me those photos?" Quint asked, his amber eyes gleaming with predatory interest. "As Student Council President, it''s my responsibility to ensure all disciplinary infractions are properly... documented."


    I caught Lance''s subtle teeth-gnash from behind me and turned to him. "Cassiopeia is your sister, right? You two seem... Very different."


    Lance''s orange eyes flickered with something - concern? Frustration? Anger?- before he carefully schooled his expression. "We have different approaches to school life," he said diplomatically. "I work within the system. Cinder... prefers to challenge it."


    ¡°I can see that,¡± I agreed.


    Lance stepped forward, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "I can handle any concerns about Cinder. No need to involve official channels for what''s clearly just... artistic photography practice. Right, Alex?"


    His grip tightened meaningfully. The message was clear: Don''t rat out my sister or I''ll break your arm.


    "Oh! Of course," I said, quickly pocketing my phone. "Just trying to capture the morning light. Besides," I added smoothly, "I wouldn''t want my first act at Skyfall to be getting your sister in trouble. Especially not over something as trivial as a smoke break."


    Quint''s claws twitched at my diplomatic deflection. "While your discretion is... admirable, Mr. Glock, the rules exist for a reason. Interdimensional contraband can have serious consequences. Last semester, a student brought back cigarettes from a reality where the smoke carried memetic mind viruses. Half the senior class spent a week believing they were cats that had to groom each other."


    "That was kind of hilarious though and a few people finally decided to date ¡®cus of it," Christi giggled, then quickly sobered under Quint''s sharp glare.


    Lance ran a hand through his gray, scale-type dreadlocks in frustration. "Look, Pres, you''ve talked to Cinder about this, no? Multiple times. Every time we crack down, she just gets more... creative with her rebellion against the system or whatever. I just... I don''t know what to do. She had detention from every single teacher already!"


    "We just have to find a punishment fitting enough that''ll get through..." Quint began.


    "No! I don''t want to hurt her! If we do that she will just snap! Every time we push harder, she just digs her heels in deeper. If we piss her off too much, she''ll ask Iogann to fetch her something far, far worse than cigarettes from one of those doomed dimensions!" Lance declared with an exasperated face. "I don''t want her hooked on Topaz, Quint, that effin¡¯ stuff is impossible to wean off of!"


    "Maybe..." I ventured carefully, "you''re approaching this from the wrong angle."


    All three council members turned to look at me.


    "What do you mean?" Lance asked, orange eyes narrowing.


    "Well," I said, choosing my words carefully, "from what I''ve seen, Cinder seems like someone who rebels against direct authority. The more you try to control her, the more she''ll push back. But what if... instead of fighting her rebellion, you redirected it?"


    "Explain," Quint commanded, his amber eyes gleaming with interest.


    "Look, I''ve got perfect scores in drama, theater and social studies from my old Nazarite school," I explained, warming to my pitch. "Plus, I''m pretty decent at reading people and situations. What if instead of trying to force Cinder to conform, we gave her a different kind of challenge?"


    "Like what?" Lance asked skeptically.


    "She clearly has a protective streak for outcasts, right? I mean, she hangs out with a disaster-seeking Mothman. What if..." I paused for dramatic effect, "We gave her something¡­ someone new to protect? Someone who could subtly influence her toward better choices while appearing to need her guidance?"


    "Are you suggesting..." Quint began thoughtfully.


    "That I could befriend her? Yes." I shrugged casually. "I''m an outsider to Leviathan''s Cradle and my Omnithean blood percentage is low enough that I''m basically a walking target. She seems like the type who''d enjoy taking a helpless half-blood under her wing just because some authority figures will hate me."


    Lance pursed his lips.


    "I can infiltrate her friend group, be your eyes and ears, help guide her away from the really dangerous stuff while appearing to be just another lost soul seeking protection and pretend-fighting against authority," I grinned.


    Quint leaned back in his chair. "Interesting proposal, Mr. Glock. Though I must warn you - getting close to Cinder Nova can be... hazardous to one''s health. She has quite the temper. The last male student who tried to ask her out ended up punched through three walls and out a fourth-story window."


    "And? Does everyone forget that we''re basically immortal?" I tapped my bracelet.


    "The Lazarus bracelet may restore your body, Mr. Glock, but the pain... that you will remember quite vividly," Quint pointed out.


    "Pain is temporary," I shrugged. "Helping friends is... eternal. What was it that Leviathan Slayer Nazareth himself taught us?"


    I spread my hands out like a goodly Preacher at a choir.


    "The value of sacrifice!" I boomed. "The Slayer willingly gave his life to stop the Leviathan when it first emerged from the Wormwood Star''s impact crater. His holy blood mixed with the sky-beast''s as they fought, and from that battle the first uplifted Omnitheans were born!"


    My NPC-Preacher voice made the trio go silent and thoughtful, careening the Student President sideways, as far as possible from interviewing me with magic-eye bullshit.


    "So if Lord Nazareth could sacrifice his life to birth our entire glorious civilization," I continued, really hamming up the religious spiel fervor, "surely I can sacrifice a few painful deaths to help guide one lost soul back to the light!" I placed my hand over my heart dramatically. "After all, isn''t that what being a true Omnithean and a student of Skyfall Academy is all about? Helping our fellows achieve their highest potential?"


    "That''s... Really inspiring," Christi said, her flames flickering brighter. "And theological! Awww, I didn''t expect such passion for our history from a transfer student!"


    Lance was studying me with new interest, while Quint''s amber eyes gleamed with what might have been approval.


    "Very well, Mr. Glock," Quint said finally. "We''ll give your... social experiment a chance."


    "Thank you!" I grinned. "If I fail horribly, I''ll send the interdimensional smokes-summoning pictures to you. Please give me all of your Omnigram contacts too - I''d love to stay in touch and report my progress!"


    "You are quite bold," Quint observed, but he seemed more amused than annoyed now. "I approve. Very well¡­ And Alex?" His amber eyes locked onto mine one final time. "Do try not to get killed too often. The paperwork is... tedious."


    "Cassie and her buds are always getting into trouble and smoking on or near school grounds," Christi said. "I''d be ever so grateful if you helped my Lancy''s sister step to the path of righteousness and goodness!"


    I couldn''t help but ''tsk'' at the mention of smoking. "Ugh, cigarettes. Nothing worse than poisoning yourself and everyone around you."


    Christi''s eyes lit up at my reaction. "Right? It''s so gross! I keep telling Cass that she really should quit, but she just doesn''t listen! She hasn''t listened to me once since she got into that troupe with Iogann and Emerald!"


    "A troupe?" I asked.


    "Oh yes!" Christi bobbed, excited that I was listening to her. "They call themselves ''The Dreadful Delvers or D&D'' - they do these.... umm... avant-garde monster-slaying performances... which end in... incidents."


    The longer she spoke the more sour-looking her face became.


    "Incidents?" I prompted.


    "Uhh..." Christi''s flames flickered nervously. "Basically, Iogann plays this creepy harmonica that opens gates to doomed dimensions. He''s their Gater. Then Cass does this haunting vocal performance as their Bard, using her voice and wings to attract something nasty through the gate. Usually it''s some kind of interdimensional horror."


    "And?"


    "And then Em leads the charge as their Slayer," Lance added with clear disapproval. "She''s got this special flame sword that she can ignite with her dragonfire. Vespera and Solace back her up as Knights using random weapons and armor from History Club."


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    "They fight whatever comes through in front of an audience," Christi continued. "It''s supposed to be ''art'' or something, but it usually ends in property damage. During their last performance at Spring''s End Festival a bunch of students in attendance died from... a flesh-tree thing that came through the gate," Christi added solemnly. "Plus many were grievously injured. Em and her knight crew tried to slay it, but it took them too long."


    "Soooo¡­ they don''t actually go into a dungeon. Which part of that is delving?" I arched an eyebrow.


    "It''s not delving at all - it''s reckless foolishness for the sake of showing off!" Lance huffed. "Proper delving involves careful thorough scouting, preparation, planning, anchored gates or exploring a known, mapped dungeon. What they''re doing is essentially throwing open random doors to doomed realities and hoping whatever horror stumbles through will make for good slaying entertainment. It''s not art - it''s interdimensional Russian roulette with an audience!"


    "They''re now banned from performing in most venues within city limits," Christi added with a sigh. "Which only made them more determined to find ''underground'' spaces to practice."


    "Last week they were rehearsing in an abandoned subway tunnel near the school," Lance added grimly. "Iogann opened a gate to what he claimed was a ''music dimension'' and... Let''s just say the cleanup crew is still trying to contain the memetic songs that get stuck in people''s heads."


    "Isn''t that just normal good songs?" I asked with a small smile.


    "Not at all! They''re these awful lullaby songs that start sort of normal and just get more psychotic. Like... Baby bus that goes round and round till everyone dies horribly," Christi winced. "So, if you hear creepy laughter of children singing in your head, please head to the nurse right away!"


    "Noted," I said.


    "The worst thing is that Graves likes that sort of experimental stuff," Christi whined. "D&D somehow convinced him to play in the auditorium this week! It''s going to be a huge catastrophe, I know it."


    "Emerald assured me their next performance will be much more... controlled," Quint interjected smoothly, "The auditorium''s wards are significantly stronger than the makeshift barriers they''ve been using. Vice Principal Graves himself approved the safety protocols."


    "So it was you!" Christi rounded on him, her flames flaring bright orange with anger. "Several student deaths, Quint! And that one poor janitor who is still occasionally speaking in backwards nursery rhymes about the world of flesh!"


    "Em knows what she''s doing," Quint stated. "She''s one of our most talented combat students-"


    "Oh please!" Christi''s hair blazed higher. "We all know you''d approve anything she wants, even if it means risking the entire student body!"


    "Em knows her limits," Quint said with finality, his amber eyes glowing brighter for a moment. "The performance will proceed as planned. Lance already agreed-"


    "Lancy!" Christi''s head snapped towards her boyfriend with a glare.


    "I''m not actually attending," Lance raised his gray hands. "I''m only paying for part of the catering and helping with ward setup. I just wanted to support my sister. At least in the auditorium we can control the environment. Better than them sneaking off to do it in some abandoned tunnel or warehouse, right?"


    "Hrm. I could help document the event," I offered innocently. "You know, take some artistic shots of the carnage¨CI mean, the performance. Plus, having an extra set of eyes on safety protocols couldn''t hurt."


    Lance nodded with a look of appreciation.


    "Text me the deets. Maybe I can help contain whatever eldritch horrors they summon¡­ with my amazing photography skills. Nothing says ''stop summoning interdimensional horrors'' like getting their bad side in a photo," I joked. "Plus, I''m pretty good at editing out blood stains in post-production."Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Christi burst into delighted giggles. "Oh my gosh, you''re funny! Quint, shoo shoo, I need the computer!" She practically bounced over to the desk, playfully nudging the Wendigo aside. "I know exactly what to do for Alex''s schedule! Yep, yep!"


    Quint raised an eyebrow but gracefully surrendered his seat, gathering his papers. "Very well. I have other matters to attend to anyway. Lance, walk with me to the lounge? We should discuss the upcoming delve preparations for Instructor Zalimar''s class."


    The two taller students departed, leaving me with the overly-enthusiastic fire elemental.


    "You know," Christi chatted as she sat down on the plush computer-facing red-leather chair pulling me into the seat right beside her instead of across the table, "My poor Lancy is ever so worried about his sister. Cass really does need better influences in her life. Em is very passionate and Io just does what he is told by her¡­ The combo of both of them is not exactly the best influence for a young, impressionable lady like Cassiopeia¡­" Christi trailed off. "Yes, we could really use someone like you around here. Someone with... fresh, healthy, unique perspective, a genuine Nazarite."


    I nodded, she was basically repeating what I offered already, except speaking like she was a jet airplane trying to take off.


    "Mm-hmm," Christi nodded with a smile, "Cass really needs more positive influences before she graduates! And you seem so... Well-put together! Excellent grades, plus, you''re into photography and art - Cassie totally loves creative stuff too, even if she pretends not to care about anything!¡±


    "Hmmm..." I tapped my chin thoughtfully, considering my need for the Quetzi-girl exposure therapy. "Maybe if I was in more of Cinder''s classes, I could... help keep an eye on her? Make sure she''s actually attending them, try to help her quit smoking?"


    "You... you would do that?!" Christi''s eyes ignited like I''d just handed her the keys to the kingdom.


    "I absolutely would," I said sincerely.


    "EEeeeee!¡± She clapped, hair igniting like a flashbang as she squeed loudly, making the boys look up from their couch-filled distant corner of the office. ¡°That''s such a wonderful idea! I was thinking the same thing, oh yes! I will absolutely help with scheduling..." She practically bounced in her chair. "I could definitely arrange for you to share most if not all of Cassie''s classes. For her own good, of course!"


    "Of course," I nodded solemnly, while my heart was doing backflips. "It''s important to help others. And since I''m new here, it would help me adjust too, having a... consistent classmate."


    "Yes, yes! I''ll get this sorted right away! Oh thank you so much, Alex!" Christi fluttered, momentarily burying me in a super-heated, skin-blistering hug. ¡°You¡¯re the best!¡±


    I sneakily recorded her login info with my wrist spycam as let go of me and logged into the school¡¯s network via the student council computer.


    Christi spent the next hour enthusiastically arranging my schedule to match Cinder''s, occasionally muttering about "positive influences" and "such a wonderfully unique opportunity."


    Her entire body wobbled with increasing excitement radiating heat like hot sauna stones. As she worked, I continued to ask her questions about Cassie and her known relationships, constructing a pattern of approach.


    <hr>


    Soon enough, I bid the student councilors adieu and went to have lunch in one of the smaller Art Nouveau cafes at the edge of campus.


    Enjoying a fresh croissant and a Caesar salad, I sketched out Vice Principal Graves in one of the stolen Omnimart sketchbooks while whisper-chatting to Yulia about my plans.


    I wasn''t worried about being overheard by other cafe patrons. Yulia and I spoke in an endangered Kaska language of the First Nations people of the Athabaskan ethnolinguistic group.


    Mom had tried teaching me this language when I was young, but like most dumb kids, I hadn''t appreciated its value then. It was only after losing her, after spending countless nights training my large language model to understand the near-extinct tongue, that each word became precious - like holding onto fragments of her voice, her smile, her patience as she''d tried to pass on this piece of her heritage.


    As I finished the sketch, memories of evening walks with mom through North Acadia''s misty forests prickled in the back of my mind.


    She would point out different plants and animals, telling me their names in both English and our ancestral tongue. Her voice would grow soft and reverent when sharing tales of how our people first encountered the "Star-Born Ones".


    . . .


    "The Tutchone shamans were the first to see them," she said as we crouched behind fallen logs to watch the multi-eyed, tree-antlerred spirit deers grazing in twilight clearing. "When the Wormwood Star fell the God Beasts emerged across the world, most people ran in terror. But some... saw beyond the fear, learned that the star shards reshaped reality itself."


    Her eyes grew distant then. "Those shamans believed in Animism, that everything had a spirit - the trees, the rocks, the rivers. To them, the God Beasts were just new spirits... transformative forces, neither good nor evil. Like fire or storms - dangerous yes, but also full of potential. The first Tutchone who dared to slay a God Beast didn''t die because he uttered a prayer of forgiveness to the spirit as he spilled out its blood."


    "Why did they have to kill the God Beasts, mom?" I asked. "Couldn''t they just... talk to them?"


    "The primordial God Beasts of long ago were but animals changed by Wormwood shards, born wrong, incompatible with reality," Mom explained. "Like putting a whale in a desert or a flame in the ocean - they suffered, and in their suffering they made others suffer too. The shamans understood this. They knew that sometimes, the kindest act is to end suffering, to help transform it into something new."


    She picked up a fallen leaf, turning it over in her hands. "Death begets death, my little fox. But death also begets life. When a Divine Beast is struck down, its blood can make the forest burn or bloom depending on the hunter''s wish. The shamans taught our people to wish for transformation, not destruction and so the forests of Acadia bloomed and became filled with new life."


    "But what about Slayer Nazareth, mom?" I asked. "The Omnids say he was this great hero who sacrificed himself to save everyone from the Leviathan."


    "When the moon shattered, people needed heroes," she explained. "They wanted to believe that someone great could triumph over the Leviathan through strength and will alone. It''s easier than accepting that we''re all just caught in forces beyond our control, that true power comes from understanding and adaptation rather than conquest."


    "So what really happened?"


    "No man could truly hope to stop a God. The Leviathan smashed into the moon and began to decay away on its own because our world was finite and filled with rules, incompatible with its nature," mom explained.


    She pulled me closer as we watched the small harmless forest spirits graze, their multiple eyes glowing in the twilight. "Nazareth found the dying newborn Leviathan who kept shedding its body and leaving bits of itself behind. He was not slayer, he was just a selfish, mundane man who desired one thing above all - love."


    "Love?" My young self blinked.


    "Yes," Mom said. "Love. Nazareth knew how to wield wishes and so he carved a golem from the Leviathan''s heart - a Magdalene of living crystal and starlight. Their children were the first Omnitheans - human at heart, but also shaped by desire."


    "Shaped by desire?"


    "The firstborn Omnids were more... fluid," Mom explained. "Like soft clay, they could be reshaped by the collective beliefs of humanity. As they spread out across the world, some became living gods of great empires, while others turned into nightmarish horrors who devoured whole villages."


    "But the Omnitheans today aren''t like that, right?" I asked. "They have police and lawyers and schools and stuff."


    "Yes. Over centuries they became less fluid, hardened, ground in our reality, became more confined to specific forms from legends or stories," she explained. "Gained specific powers."


    I nodded along.


    "Now... They''re just people with super strength or speed or mental control," Mom sighed. "People who came together, claiming Leviathan''s Cradle as their sacred land and built their own Empire. They think their powers make them gods, but they''re still just people playing with forces they don''t fully understand."


    . . .


    I opened my eyes and exhailed. Mom had always seemed to know so much about Omnithean history, but I''d never thought to ask her how or why. Was it all just stories she''d made up to help me understand the world better? Or had she learned something during her years working for Omnicorp that she couldn''t openly share?


    I needed to know more about the Omnids around me to blend better into their social structures.


    I waited until late afternoon when most students had cleared out before making my move. The security patterns were fairly predictable - guards patrolled in 30-minute rotations, with shift changes at 4 PM. Perfect timing for a quick heist or two.


    I painted my face to resemble another student, pulled on a white wig, glued a lush beard to my neck and attached predator-type claw extensions to my fingernails.


    The storage building connected to the security office was a squat concrete structure near the maintenance area. I''d noticed earlier that the back door had an old electronic lock - the light stayed green a few seconds too long after each swipe. All I had to do was time it right.


    I lurked behind a dumpster, watching a guard swipe his card and enter. The moment the door started to swing shut, I darted forward and caught it just before it latched. Slipping inside, I found myself in a dimly lit hallway lined with lockers and supply closets.


    Footsteps echoed from around the corner. I quickly ducked into an open supply closet, holding my breath as the guard passed by.


    I slipped deeper into the storage area, following the sound of running water. As expected, I found the security guards'' locker room. A shower was running - perfect timing. I quickly located a shelf with the extra uniforms and grabbed a spare uniform in my size, stuffing it under my shirt.


    Making my exit was trickier than getting in. I had to time my movements carefully between patrol rotations, using the maintenance corridors to avoid cameras. A close call with a janitor nearly gave me away, but I managed to play it off by pretending to be intensely focused on my phone.


    Back in my van, parked in the student lot''s blind spot, I changed into the stolen uniform and modified the ID badge based on the scanned list of security personnel. A 21 year old Dover Demon by the name of Nunkish Throg who was absent this week due to ''family issues'' was easy to emulate. A bald cap, latex jaw and gray face paint went on smoothly to change my appearance once again to resemble Nunkish. Orange contact lenses completed the disguise. A quick check in the rearview mirror confirmed I looked passably Omnid, especially in the security uniform.


    The badge and uniform gave me almost unlimited access. I started with the administrative wing, casually strolling past offices while appearing to check doors and windows. The night cleaning crew barely glanced at me as I made my rounds.


    I carefully made my way through the records room, scanning documents with my phone''s camera. Student files, staff records, security protocols - anything that could be useful later.


    A tone sounded in my ear - Yulia had finished analyzing the latest batch of photos.


    "Analysis complete," she whispered. "Identified key access points. The security system has several potential exploitable weaknesses. Would you like me to outline potential infiltration scenarios?"


    "Later," I murmured in Kaska.


    A sound in the hallway made me freeze. Footsteps approaching. I quickly closed the file drawer and pretended to be checking window locks just as a real security guard walked past. He gave me a brief nod which I returned, keeping my movements casual and practiced.


    "Time check?" I whispered.


    "19:42. Shift change in 18 minutes."


    I nodded, making my way towards the exit. I''d pushed my luck far enough for one day. As I passed through the administrative wing, I noticed light spilling from the windows of the Vice Principal Graves'' office.


    The tall, faceless man was still at his desk, his void-like head bent over paperwork. I glanced up at the shattered, half-crystallized moon and asteroid field sparkling in the slightly cloudy sky overhead and quickened my pace slightly, not wanting to risk a closer encounter.


    . . .


    For late dinner, I sat in the security lounge, munching on a sandwich from the vending machine while reviewing the files I''d photographed.


    "What did we get on Emerald Stratos?" I asked my AI.


    "Numerous fighting incidents resulting in deaths of other students. Appears to be the leader of several student groups. In an open relationship with Student Council President who covers up a multitude of illegal activities such as unauthorized delving and bullying. Has a dedicated following among other predator-type upper-class students used to target lower-class students repeatedly to death or a catatonic state. Particularly aggressive towards... perceived weakness. Relies on two delving Knights as her ''lieutenants'' - Vespera Simmi and Solace Exill."


    Peachy.


    "Cross reference the D&D performance incidents with student injuries," I instructed.


    "Processing," Yulia whispered in my ear. "Notable pattern - majority of serious injuries and deaths occur to audience members rather than the performers themselves."


    I nodded, taking another bite. The sandwich was surprisingly good - apparently even Skyfall''s vending machines were top tier.


    "What about... K. Kells?" I asked, thinking of that haunting painting I''d seen earlier. "Any connection to our target group?"


    "Loner. Limited direct interaction with student body," Yulia replied. "Katherine Kells - Stollwurm classification. Iogann''s half-sister. Exceptional artistic talent but severe medical issues. Frequently absent from classes in patterns of every 13-15 days due to health complications. Some records indicate previous friendship with Cinder Nova in freshman year."


    "Anything of value on the teachers?"


    "Cross-referencing complete," she reported. "Found something interesting in the staff records. Victor Greyfield, science teacher. Listed age 127, appears late 70s. Dover Demon-Human hybrid."


    I perked up. "A successful hybrid? That''s rare."


    "Indeed. His presence may explain the school''s relatively lenient policy towards mixed heritage students. Also explains some of the more... experimental aspects of their science curriculum."


    I nodded thoughtfully. A hybrid teacher could be a valuable ally - or at least a source of information about surviving as a "mixed-blood" in Omnithornia.


    "What about problematic teachers?" I asked.


    "A few. The worst of the bunch is Arx Delving Instructor, Koshei Zalimar Evernacht," Yulia replied. "A naturally immortal Omnid, doesn''t wear the Lazarus bracelet. Tenured Archmage, 600 years of teaching Delving at Skyfall. Centuries-long pattern of student abuse, student disappearances and other unexplained accidents in relationship to what he listed as ''impure blood'' in his reports. Extreme prejudice against mixed-blood students. Known to hit students who annoy him enough. Do NOT engage target without preparation."


    "Got it," I said. "Going to need to figure out how to deal with an immortal lich. Ideas?"


    "Zalimar believes in arcane blood laws of honor. Set fair terms, challenge him to a duel to the death and make sure to win," Yulia replied.


    "How?"


    "Unknown. Subject extremely dangerous, high level and impossible to kill. A single curse from him could shatter your soul."


    Lovely.


    I sighed, moving on.


    Thinking back to this morning, I pulled up the photo of Cinder on my phone, zooming in on her face. Despite her fierce scowl and punk attitude, there was something vulnerable in those ocean-blue eyes.


    "Yulia, analyze Omnid cryptitype facial expression and body language," I whispered.


    "Processing," the AI replied softly. "Subject displays classic defensive posturing - raised shoulders. Micro-expressions indicate underlying anxiety despite aggressive facade."


    "Elaborate on the emotional indicators," I prompted.


    "The subject appears to be using the smoking as a coping mechanism," Yulia analyzed.


    "What else?"


    "The eyes," Yulia pointed out. "There''s moisture accumulation at the corners - barely noticeable unless you know what to look for. She appears to be fighting back tears in this photo."


    I flipped through the pictures and zoomed in. Sure enough, there were tiny sparkles of wetness at the edges of those ocean-blue eyes that I hadn''t noticed before in the last photo. Something twisted in my chest.


    "Her feathers and scales are also displaying extreme distress patterns," Yulia continued. "Compared to the vibrant, color-changing wings, the body coloration is limited, muted to silver-grays, especially around her face, chest, neck and shoulders - a clear sign of emotional suppression in Quetzalcoatl physiology."


    I Oodled videos of Quetzalcoatl preachers and politicians and discovered that their wings changed color along with their bodies when they ranted about Slayer Nazareth to the gathered crowds. Then I went back to staring at Cassiopeia''s photo, seeing it with new eyes. Behind that fierce punk facade, those rebellious poses and that defiant scowl... was someone barely keeping it together. Someone hurting.


    "Cross reference with her brother''s statements," I requested.


    "Lance Nova expressed concern about her ''snapping'' if pushed too hard," Yulia reminded me. "Combined with the emotional indicators and her association with a disaster-attracting Mothman... Classic pattern of someone spiraling but trying to maintain control through increasingly risky behavior," the LLM concluded.


    I nodded, agreeing with my AI''s assessment.


    This wasn''t just about getting close to her for my own purposes anymore. Something was genuinely wrong with Cinder Nova, and everyone around her seemed to be either enabling her downward spiral or trying to force her into compliance. Neither approach was working.


    "One more thing," I said. "Check the academic records. How are her grades?"


    "Significant decline in all areas over past two years. Multiple absences, repeated detentions, incomplete assignments. Teachers note ''apparent disinterest'' and ''increasing hostility''."


    Classic signs of depression masked by acting out. I''d seen it before - hell, I''d lived it after mom refused to tell me that she was sick and dying.


    The difference was, I''d channeled my pain into something productive - learning every trick, social hack and scam I could to survive. Swindling became my art form, forgery my craft, and theft my means of staying alive. Each con was a performance, each fake ID a masterpiece, each successful heist a small victory against a world that had taken everything from me.


    I shook my head.


    Focus on the present.


    The school''s furniture storage area was my next target. The lock was pathetically simple - a basic electronic keypad that probably hadn''t been updated since the building was constructed. A quick spray of UV powder revealed the most commonly pressed numbers, and from there it was child''s play to figure out the code.


    Inside, I found exactly what I needed - a dolly, a box of half-depleted micro-beast cores and all sorts of old furniture for student lounges. Rich kids probably demanded new furniture every semester, leaving perfectly good items to gather dust in storage.


    I worked quickly, selecting and boxing up items that would fit in my van without being too obvious. Old decorative beast-core powered string lights, several rugs in deep blues and purples made from some slain beast''s hide that radiated warmth long after its owner''s demise, a pair of oversized bean bag chairs in ruby red, a small beast-core powered cold box and and an assortment of pillows would make my van feel more like a home and less like a rust-pitted box on on wheels.


    Back in my van, now considerably cozier with the stolen furnishings, I settled into one of the plush bean bag chairs and reviewed my notes for tomorrow. The magic rugs helped muffle the constant hum of the city and kept the van''s interior above freezing, while the string lights I''d installed gave the space a cozy, lived-in feel.


    I pulled up my schedule on my phone, grinning at how thoroughly Christi had managed to align my classes with Cinder''s.


    I closed my eyes, imagining all the ways tomorrow could go wrong - getting thrown through walls, set on fire, or sucked into an eldritch dimension before lunch - but with my new Lazarus bracelet and a solid plan, I was ready to dive headfirst into whatever spectacular disaster Cinder and her crew had brewing.


    Perhaps it would be smart to stay away from mind-control wings, but I refused to break, desiring to learn how to bend instead.


    Besides, those piercing ocean-blue eyes, the way she floated down backlit by rays of morning sun, her punk outfit, even that rebellious scowl and her invisible emotional breakdown - it all screamed "danger" in the most tantalizing way possible.


    I had already taken a big, dangerous gamble driving into the heart of Omnithornia in a nearly dead van.


    What was an ever deeper leap towards the heart of the abyss?

 Chapter 4: Advanced Xenobiology

    Day two at Skyfall. My first class!


    After a wash at the gym and quick salad bar breakfast in the student council lounge, I arrived ahead of time to Dr. Greyfield''s early morning Advanced Xenobiology, sliding into a seat near the front of the lab, expecting to be asked to introduce myself.


    The classroom was a curious mix of modern Omnid magitek, mundane tools and vintage scientific equipment. Gleaming meta-flesh brain-in-jar processors sat next to brass microscopes that looked older than the school itself.


    The Dover Demon-Human hybrid teacher was already in his office, puttering around with various beakers and specimens. His wispy white hair caught the morning light, making his pale grey skin look almost translucent. The special tinted glasses he wore did little to hide the red glow of his eyes as he hummed to himself, organizing slides with his long, spindly fingers.


    Other students began filtering in. A purple Tanystropheus had to duck her long neck to get through the door.


    A massive Sasquatch in a varsity jacket squeezed through the door, his brown fur neatly groomed. He high-fived a green-scaled Basilisk wearing designer sunglasses as he passed.


    A pair of Thunderbirds swooped in through the window, their black and white feathers gleaming as they landed gracefully by their desks. Behind them, a Skinwalker shifted from wolf to human-ish form mid-stride, her silver hair settling around her shoulders as she took her seat.


    The room filled with a cacophony of sounds - scales rustling, wings folding, claws clicking against desks, and the low rumble of morning conversations.


    A Stollwurm girl rolled in on a large wheelchair, dark grey-blue scales almost entirely hidden under a dark, fingerless gloves, a thick hunting camo jacket''s hood and oversized, dark WW2 aviator''s goggles.


    More students continued to file in as I pretended to review my textbook, while pointing my AI''s camera at everyone nearby, learning their names and cryptitypes.


    A Cherufe with magma-like skin stomped to her desk, leaving faint scorch marks on the floor.


    Two Jersey Devils swooped in through the landing balcony window, their leathery wings folding as they came in. Their hooved feet clicked against the tile floor as they made their way to their seats, forked tails swishing. One was wearing a letterman jacket, the other had multiple piercings in his bat-like ears.


    A Kelpie girl ran in, her watery mane flowing like a living waterfall down her neck. Water droplets fell from her hair with each step, but evaporated before hitting the ground. She took her seat near the front.


    A few seconds before class began, the door slammed open with a bang, making several students jump. Cinder stormed in, her silver feathers ruffled and shifting through various shades of agitated dark gray. Her combat boots thundered against the floor as she made her way to her desk, the chains on her plaid skirt jingling with each step.


    She dropped into the seat with enough force to make the metal legs screech against the tile. The Violet Floyd logo on her black top rippled as she slumped forward, burying her face in her arms with a groan that sounded distinctly un-morning-person-like.


    Then, inexplicably, red warning siren lights began flashing across the classroom. Heavy blast doors slid down over the windows with pneumatic hisses, sealing us in.


    "Good morning, class!" Dr. Greyfield called out cheerfully, emerging from his office, as if sudden lockdown procedures were perfectly normal. He adjusted his tinted glasses.


    "Morning Dr. Grey," the class groaned in discordant voices.


    "Excellent, excellent!" Dr. Greyfield beamed. "Today we''ll be continuing our study of interdimensional parasites. But first..." He gestured to me. "We have a new student joining us! Alexander Glock, would you mind introducing yourself?"


    I channelled 100% of my practiced NPC-greeting energy and marched to the front of the class not looking at a certain pair of sky-blue eyes near the back.


    I raised my imaginary glock and fired it into the ceiling to jump start my speech.


    "Hey Guys!" My voice boomed confidently across the science classroom. "I''m Alexander Glock. I''m a photographer and artist from North Acadia. Want a sketch of your imaginary best friend or a photo of yourself, looking extra smashing? Bug me after class, let''s trade Omnigrams!¡± A wink with a tongue click. Perfect. And now for a nerdy interjection. ¡°Not interested in photography or art? I¡¯m always looking for new friends to play deathmatch checkers or chess with at lunch. Dare to defeat me and win a free lunch. Cheers!"


    I concluded and shot finger guns at everyone and accidentally looked at the angel staring at me and froze like an idiot again forgetting how to breathe.


    [Defcon 1! Retreat! Do not engage with dangerous winged female entity!]


    "Most fascinating!" Dr. Greyfield clapped his hands together, ignoring the sinking ship of my NPC persona. "We don''t get many Hominull Omnithis in our Academy. In fact, you''re our first this year! Why, it reminds me of the time I was conducting research in the Arctic and met a delightful human scientist with a flamethrower who..." He trailed off for a second. "...who had quite the innovative approach to dealing with shapeshifting parasites.¡±


    The class groaned, clearly not enjoying the doc''s ranting.


    "Much like Kurt Russell in that fascinating 1982 documentary about Antarctic research stations. Though of course, the real organism was far more interesting than what the tube portrayed. The cellular mimicry process alone was..." He caught himself starting to ramble. "But that''s a story for another time! Please take your seat, Mr. Glock."


    I stood frozen at the front of the class, trying to force my feet to cooperate. This wasn''t supposed to happen, damn it! How was she doing this?


    What sort of dark arts could...


    Dr. Greyfield''s thick glasses reflected the fluorescent lights as he peered at me expectantly.


    "Ah, of course..." The man pondered and snapped his fingers. "We need to find you a lab partner, Mr. Glock! Someone who can help you catch up with our current unit on alien parasites and electromagnetic fields..."


    My heart rate spiked as his gaze settled on the back corner of the room.


    "Ms. Nova! You''ve been working alone this semester since you murdered your last partner far too many times for reasonability. Perhaps you could assist our new student?"


    WHAT? No, this wasn''t supposed to happen! The idea was to take her in small doses, to adapt to her rainbow-winged witchcraft and...


    In the back corner, Cinder''s eyes narrowed dangerously. She slouched further in her chair, the silver metal skull of her choker catching the light.


    "Perfect!" Dr. Greyfield beamed, completely missing (or choosing to ignore) Cinder''s obvious displeasure. "Mr. Glock, please take the seat next to Ms. Nova."


    My brain went into full panic mode:


    [ABORT MISSION! ABORT MISSION!


    ERROR 404: WALKING.EXE NOT FOUND


    CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE


    REBOOTING...


    REBOOTING...


    FATAL ERROR: PROXIMITY TO GOTH ANGEL EXCEEDS SAFE PARAMETERS!]


    I managed to move my legs somehow, though it felt like walking through molasses. Each step toward the back of the classroom was a new adventure in not tripping over my own feet.


    My internal monologue was having a complete meltdown:


    Oh god oh god oh god what do I do what do I say don''t look at her wings don''t look at her wings don''t look at her- DAMN IT I LOOKED AT HER WINGS they''re so pretty why are they so pretty this isn''t cool, this isn''t-


    I somehow made it to the desk without having a complete nervous breakdown, though it was a close call. As I approached, Cinder was slouched in her chair like the personification of teenage apathy, one elbow propped on the desk with her chin resting on her palm.


    I caught a whiff of cigarette smoke and something else - ozone maybe? Like the air before a storm.


    "Sup?" She asked with a scoff. I could practically hear her internal monologue painted on her elongated, inhuman yet incredibly photogenic face: ''Great. You again, you effin¡¯ dullard. Of course I get stuck with the only nullie in this entire school.''


    She looked me up and down with the kind of disdain usually reserved for moldy cafeteria food.


    "H-hi!" I squeaked, my voice cracking like a 13-year-old hitting puberty.


    Smooth. Real smooth.


    I sat down, accidentally knocking over my backpack and spilling its contents across the floor. As I scrambled to gather my stuff, I could feel Cinder''s annoyed gaze.


    Great first impression, Alex. Really nailing that cool, mysterious new kid vibe. What vibe was I even going for with Cinder? I didn''t expect to sit next to her nor interact with her so soon!


    As I collected my scattered belongings not staring up at her, Cinder let out an exaggerated sigh. "Wow. You''re just a walking disaster, aren''t you?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Please tell me you at least know which end of a magnet is which."


    I grabbed my last pencil from under the desk, trying to ignore how my face was burning. "I, uh, yeah. West and East, right?" I tried to sound sarcastic, but it came off as incredibly stupid.


    "Slayer Nazareth!" she rolled her eyes. "We''re actually going to die in a tragic lab accident because someone doesn''t know basic physics." She turned to Dr. Greyfield. "Hey, doc! Can I get a partner who won''t get us both killed on the first day?"


    "Now, now, Ms. Nova," Dr. Greyfield called back cheerfully, already setting up what looked suspiciously like a containment field generator. "Death is just the beginning of a great adventure! Everyone deserves a chance to learn! Besides, your previous three lab partners all transferred out to my other period in the evening after various... incidents. Perhaps a fresh perspective is exactly what you need!"


    "Ughhhh," Cinder groaned. "I don''t wanna rip his bracelet from his dead wrist and walk all the way down to the basement. It smells like wet dog, rotting meat and old cheese down there!"


    According to the Aztec Codex Borbonicus, minor precognition was a known Quetzalcoatl ability. I gulped.


    "Teaching others is the best way to learn, Ms. Nova! I''m sure that you and Mr. Glock will make excellent partners and revive each other plenty of times! Go on now, immerse yourself in the exciting world of science!"


    Dr. Greyfield flipped a switch, and a shimmering hologram materialized in the center of the room. The image showed what looked like a large, leathery egg with wavy, biomechanical patterns etched across its surface.


    "Now then, class," Dr. Greyfield began, circling the hologram with an excited gleam in his red eyes. "Today we''ll be examining the reproductive cycle of the Xenomorf Electricus - a fascinating species I encountered during my research expedition to Earth-28-91-42CF. Unlike its cousin species made famous by that delightful documentary series from the late 1970s, this particular variant has developed quite the interesting relationship with electromagnetic fields."


    ¡°Guess you¡¯re stuck with me,¡± I tried to look past Cinder.


    ¡°Uh-huh. So... photographer and artist, huh?¡± She somehow intercepted my eyes. ¡°And a chess champion too? Wow, you''re just the complete package aren''t you?" Was she mocking me? "Tell me, do you also rescue puppies and help old ladies cross the street in your spare time?¡±


    I wanted to glare at her but this would put me straight in brain-shutdown territory.


    "And that introduction? ''Want a sketch of your imaginary best friend?''" She mimicked my voice in an exaggerated, deep tone. "Could you be any more of a try-hard? What are you, some kind of walking PSA about how to be the perfect student?"


    I felt my face burning as she continued, "Also, nothing says ''I''m desperate for friends'' quite like bribing people with food." She twirled a pencil between her dark-clawed pearlescent fingers. "Let me guess - you practiced that whole speech in front of a mirror this morning, didn''t you?" Cinder''s smirk widened, revealing sharp teeth. "Bet you even did the finger guns and everything."


    My carefully constructed Alex persona cracked slightly, irritation seeping through.


    She was reading me like an open book and it was... unsettling. I needed to regain control of the situation. I wouldn''t be defeated by the Queen of Sarcasm over here.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Actually," I said, forcing my voice to match her tone, "I practiced it in front of my imaginary best friend, Sasha One Goggleplex! She gave me seventeen thumbs up and a wink of one thousand and sixty seven of her eyes."


    Cinder chortled with a tiniest of "Pfff", clearly having underestimated my sarcasm power level. For a brief moment, I saw the ghost of an actual smile flicker across her face before she caught herself and resumed her usual ''you''re an inferior species'' scowl.


    "Please begin setting up your electromagnetic field generators. And remember - if you see any temporal anomalies, do NOT make eye contact with your past self. The paradox paperwork is absolutely dreadful!" Dr. Greyfield rattled out in the background like some kind of an over-the-top science-fiction mad genius protagonist.


    "I''ve already got enough detention without some newbie screwing up the dissection," Cinder muttered. "Just... don''t touch anything without asking first, okay?"


    I nodded quietly, pulling out the worksheet and keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the paper. The magnetic field diagrams suddenly became the most fascinating things in existence.


    Definitely not sneaking sideways glances at the rainbows Cinder was casting in my vicinity.


    Focus. Science. Magnets. Not the way her hair-feathers spilled forward and sparked like prismatic gems when she leaned forward to adjust the generator.


    "Pass me that copper wire," she commanded, holding out her hand without looking at me. "The thinner gauge one."


    I carefully selected the correct wire, making sure our fingers didn''t brush as I handed it over. My heart stuttered again.


    Focus! Understand! Adapt!


    She clearly thought I was an idiot, and here I was getting flustered over basic lab work and only reinforcing the ''idiot'' persona.


    As we filled out the worksheets in silence, I kept my responses minimal, mostly nodding or giving one-word answers when Cinder bothered to acknowledge my existence. The quiet was... not exactly comfortable, but less awkward than my earlier verbal fumbling.


    Dr. Greyfield was at the front of the class, enthusiastically explaining something about magnetic poles while gesturing with what appeared to be a half-eaten sandwich he''d forgotten he was holding.


    Talking to Cinder was impossible, and she would not let me do anything in terms of generator assembly, so I flipped to a blank page in my Omnimart sketchbook and began sketching, my pencil moving almost unconsciously across the paper.


    Dr. Greyfield''s distinctive silhouette took shape - his wispy hair, the glint of his thick glasses, the sandwich gesturing wildly as he explained magnetic theory. I added little details - the way his lab coat seemed to float slightly when he got excited, the faint glow around his eyes visible even through the tinted lenses.


    I added the speech bubble, carefully lettering "It was a ruse! The parasite was inside you all along!¡±


    Suddenly, I felt a presence over my shoulder. My heart skipped several beats as Cinder leaned closer and examined the sketch.


    "Heh. That''s... actually pretty good." Her voice was different - softer.


    A strand of her silver feather-hair brushed my shoulder as she studied the drawing, sending tingles down my spine.


    I quickly added more details, trying to distract myself from her proximity - a flesh-spider sleeping on his head and the sandwich in his hand now sporting tiny tentacles.


    ¡°Eh, just a basic portrait sketch. S''aight,¡± I shrugged.


    Not as good as forging an entire school''s worth of transcripts, or creating fake housing documents, or making a convincing Housing Commission ID badge copied from their website in exact dimensions with a very fine marker while sitting in a smelly, rust-pitted van next to a truck pit stop.


    I remained silent like a stone gargoyle, letting my pencil do its thing.


    On the empty page next to Dr. Greyfield, I started sketching Cinder - not as she was, but as a dramatic, simplified caricature. Her combat boots became massive and covered in spikes, stomping through a field of twisted corpses. Her wings were spread dramatically against a background of burning buildings and apocalyptic ruins. The speech bubble proclaimed: "Rawr! I''m a goth-Quetzi, fear my boots of doom!"


    I felt her presence over my shoulder again, closer this time. There was a sharp intake of breath.


    "WHAT THE-" Cinder snatched the sketchbook, her eyes widening before narrowing dangerously. Her wings fluttered slightly as she studied the sketch, her expression cycling through several emotions too quickly for me to read.


    ¡°Sheet. Wait¡­ Do you have more art in here?¡±


    Before I could stop her, she began flipping through the sketchbook pages, her eyes gleaming with curious violet sparks as she scanned each drawing with increasing intensity. My heart stopped as I realized what she was seeing - my entire journey documented in quick sketches and observations.


    The Igopogo Border Guard with notes about his badge number. The weathered face of Mr. Peterson with annotations about his nervous habits. The purple-haired Chupacabra barista from Omnibucks, complete with observations about their schedule and tendency to take smoke breaks.


    Page after page of faces, each accompanied by hastily scribbled notes about personalities, routines, weaknesses. Vice Principal¡¯s slender frame sketched in detail. Christi''s bouncing enthusiasm captured in flowing lines with flames dancing atop of her head.


    I quickly snatched the sketchbook back before Cinder could reach the more incriminating pages, my heart pounding.


    "Oi, don¡¯t just steal my things,¡± I said.


    Cinder squinted at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s just practice sketches," I mumbled, shoving the book deep into my backpack.


    "Those were... detailed." Her voice carried a hint of suspicion. "Really detailed. Like, creepy-stalker-serial-killer vibe detailed."


    "Personality traits outlines relevant to portrait expressions, an exercise from my old school. Nothing special,¡± I lied.


    There. Smooth-ish. Could have been better if my mouth didn''t feel like it was filled with cotton. I shrugged, trying to channel maximum NPC-student energy. "Gotta train those art muscles, you know. Use em or lose em."


    "Hrm..." She paused. "You got everyone''s expressions exactly right. And their little habits. Say, what were all those numbers next to everyone''s portraits? And those weird symbols and letters? Looked like some kind of code."


    My heart rate spiked. The numbers - vulnerability ratings, schedule timings, probability calculations for various scenarios and how similarly-behaving people could be overcome, bamboozled, scammed, derailed in just the right way.


    "Oh, those?" I forced a casual laugh. "Just... basic composition notes. Rule of thirds stuff. Basic art measurements." I waved my hand vaguely. "You know, proportions, lighting notes, time of day when the sketch was made, and... other art things."


    "Art things?" Cinder repeated flatly, tilting her head.


    "So... did you like your portrait?" I asked, desperately trying to change the subject. "I think I really captured your brooding angst. The field of corpses really brings out your eyes."


    Cinder''s suspicious expression flickered for a moment, replaced by something between annoyance and amusement. ¡°My boots ain¡¯t that big.¡±


    "Oh really?" I glanced pointedly at her tall, multi-laced combat boots. "Those things could crush a small car.¡±


    "They''re effin¡¯ practical!" She defended, her wings puffing up slightly. "At least I don''t look like I raided a Omnimart student-outfits rack!¡±


    I winced internally at her accidental accuracy. "Hey, white button-ups are classic. Unlike that..." I gestured vaguely at her all-black ensemble, "Hot Topic explosion you''ve got going on."


    Wait. I was talking to her without crashing? Progress!


    Cinder''s eyes flashed dangerously at my comment. Her wings spread slightly in an intimidating display. "At least I have my own style instead of looking like some corporate drone reject," she snapped. "What''s next, gonna tell me that smoking is bad? Maybe lecture me about my life choices like everyone else?"


    My mouth itched to tell her exactly how smoking would kill her - not just the obvious lung cancer, but the slow deterioration of every system in her body. How the tar would coat her airways like black paint, making each breath harder until she was gasping like a fish on land. How the chemicals would eat away at her stomach lining, turn her teeth yellow, make her beautiful feathers brittle and dull. How the nicotine would rewire her brain, making her a slave to those cancer sticks until they finally finished their job.


    I wanted to tell her about watching mom waste away in that hospital bed, each breath a struggle, until finally...


    No. I wasn''t going to shatter in my first class.


    I reminded myself that Omnids didn''t die from cancer, that the rich fuckers had Lazarus bracelets and hoarded all sorts of other life-saving magitech tools stolen from other dimensions.


    I turned away, forcing my hands to unclench under the desk.


    I focused on Dr. Greyfield, who was now enthusiastically explaining how magnetic fields could theoretically be used to create a time machine "if only the ethics board would stop being so fussy about temporal paradoxes!"


    "Whatever," Cinder muttered beside me. "Just don''t eff up the work. I''m not getting another detention because some nitwit can''t tell positive from negative."


    The doctor moved from station to station, examining each setup. When he reached our table, he beamed at the our equipment.


    "Excellent work, Ms. Nova! And Mr. Glock, I see you''ve managed to avoid creating any space-time anomalies so far. Wonderful progress!"


    "That''s cus he hasn''t touched anything yet," Cinder muttered under her breath.


    . . .


    "Time''s up! Now let''s check those field generators! Remember, proper calibration is essential!" The professor boomed from his corner. "A working generator will pacify the parasite while one that fails will potentially result in you getting infested and dying horribly!"


    The class muttered.


    "Everyone please collect your assigned specimen from the cold storage room," Dr. Greyfield called out cheerfully. "And do hurry - they defrost rather quickly!"


    "I''ll get our egg," Cinder declared. "You''ll probably drop it or something."


    "I can help-" I started to offer.


    "No. Just. Stay. Here." She pointed at my chair firmly. "And don''t touch anything. Don''t move, don''t breathe, don''t anything."


    I watched her stalk off to join the line of students.


    Cinder returned quickly, having elbowed her way to the front. She was balancing a leathery, bio-mechanical egg roughly the size of her head. Her wings half-spread for balance as she carefully placed it on a metal specimen plate on our desk.


    "Alright," she muttered, adjusting the generator''s settings per instructions floating above the holographic egg on the teacher''s desk. "Let''s get this bullshit over with."


    Our egg pulsed faintly with an inner light, its surface covered in intricate patterns that seemed to shift and flow like liquid metal. As Cinder activated our electromagnetic field generator, the patterns began to glow brighter, responding to the magnetic field.


    "Now then!" Dr. Greyfield called out excitedly. "Please take your magisteel dissection knives - carefully now, they can easily cut through your fingers if you pour enough mana into them - and make a precise incision along the egg''s dorsal ridge. The electromagnetic field should keep the specimen dormant during dissection."


    I watched as Cinder wielded her blade, its sharp edge gleaming.


    Around us, other students were performing their own dissections with varying degrees of success. The Tanystropheus was having trouble maneuvering her long neck to see properly, while the Sasquatch''s massive hands proved surprisingly delicate with the blade.


    Cinder stabbed the knife into the egg with a wide, energetic swing and it got stuck halfway in it. She tried to pry it out but the knife seemed to be lodged deep in the egg. She held the egg down on the dissection plate with her left hand and pulled harder with her right, growling under her breath. After a few seconds of a struggle, the knife came free, her leather jacket slipping down her shoulders from the motion.


    "I think you have to pour mana into it and adjust the blade''s size to a smaller one," I pointed out, somewhat distracted by the overhead lights and generator glow-cast reflections dancing across the iridescent tiny down feathers and scales around her shoulders area and lower down.


    "Nobody asked for your commentary, dweeb," Cinder sent me a murderous scowl. "And before you ask, no, I''m not giving you the knife. Also, quit staring at my chest unless you want me to start dissecting you instead of this stupid egg."


    I quickly averted my gaze, face burning. "I wasn''t- I mean, I was just-"


    "Save it," she cut me off, turning back to the egg. Her feathers shifted through various shades of irritated red as she concentrated, pouring mana into the blade. The knife began to glow with a faint purple light, the excessive length folding down into the handle, the edge becoming much thinner and sharper.


    Ah mana. It was a good thing that she didn''t tell me to use the knife because it would be impossible for me to pour mana into it, on the account that I didn''t have any.


    The dissection was suddenly interrupted by a sudden shriek from across the room. The Kelpie''s electromagnetic field generator had sparked and died with a pathetic whine, possibly because her watery mane got into the wiring accidentally.


    "Oh dear me," Dr. Greyfield said mildly, as if commenting on slightly overcast weather rather than imminent disaster. He dug behind his desk, pulling out what looked like an oversized, dark gun.


    The creature that leapt out from the Kelpie¡¯s egg was a nightmare of bio-mechanical horror - part spider, part octopus, with metallic segments glinting between patches of iridescent chitin. Electricity arced between its legs as it rapidly scuttled across the desk.


    "Nobody panic!" Dr. Greyfield called out cheerfully. "I have a railgun! Just remember - they can smell fear! And also electromagnetic fields. And sometimes existential dread and true love!"


    The Kelpie scrambled backwards, her watery mane splashing in panic as the creature launched itself at her face. She barely managed to dodge, leaving the parasite to skitter up the wall, trailing sparks.


    The parasite rushed across the ceiling as Dr. Greyfield took aim with his railgun. The class erupted into chaos - students diving under desks, wings flaring, metal chains rattling.


    "Don''t panic!" Dr. Greyfield called out cheerfully firing the gun with a deafening blast.


    "Project your inner Omnid predator, everyone!" Dr. Greyfield called out, taking another shot that left a smoking hole in the ceiling, exposing magisteel plating above the basic grey tile ceiling. "It''s seeking the weakest member of the herd to latch onto!"


    The creature paused its frantic scuttling, electric arcs crackling between its legs as it seemed to assess the room. Several students straightened up, baring fangs, opening wings, or flexing claws. The Sasquatch let out a low growl, while the Basilisk''s eyes began to glow ominously.


    I tried my best to look intimidating, which probably came across about as threatening as an angry kitten compared to my classmates'' display of natural weapons.


    Beside me, Cinder''s wings spread to their full impressive span, igniting with eye-watering, pretty colors.


    The parasite skittered uncertainly, clearly reconsidering its choices in life as it faced a room full of apex predators. Then its compound eyes fixed on me.


    Of course. The one person in the room who couldn''t project actual predator energy on the account of not having any cryptid blood.


    The creature launched itself at me with terrifying speed, metal legs clicking against the ceiling tiles. I had just enough time to think "oh shi-" before something very colorful and feathered slammed into me, knocking me sideways.


    I hit the floor hard as Cinder tackled me out of the way, her wings wrapping around us both like a protective cocoon. The parasite sailed through the space where my head had been moments before.


    "Stay down!" she hissed in my ear, her feathers shifting through a million colors.


    There was a deafening CRACK as Dr. Greyfield''s railgun fired again. The parasite exploded in a shower of chitin and sparks, raining tiny bio-mechanical parts across the classroom.


    "Excellent reflexes, Ms. Nova!" Dr. Greyfield called out cheerfully. "Five extra credit points for protecting your lab partner! Though next time, perhaps try to avoid crushing your electromagnetic field generator in the process?"


    I became acutely aware of several things at once:


    1. Cinder was still basically on top of me


    2. Her wings were still wrapped around us both


    3. She smelled like ozone and lavender and something else I couldn''t identify


    4. My heart was trying to escape through my throat


    5. Our faces were WAY too close together


    "Uh..." I squeaked eloquently. "Thanks."


    Cinder''s eyes widened as she seemed to realize our position. She scrambled back like I''d burned her, her feathers leaking color and shifting through several shades of blue-gray.


    "Argh," she muttered. "Of course the parasite went for you - might as well have painted a target on your back with that useless attempt at looking tough. Do you have literally zero Omnid blood in you or something? How are you so effin¡¯ pathetic? Even my last lab partner wasn''t this freaking incompetent!¡±


    I sighed.


    "I mean, look at you!" she continued, gesturing at my outfit. "Even your clothes scream ''eat me, I''m prey.'' At least try to look like you belong here instead of some lost human tourist who wandered into the Academy by mistake!"


    Wow, way to out me.


    As if on cue, our own half-dissected egg began to twitch, its patterns pulsing with alarming intensity.


    Of course. Our electromagnetic field generator lay in pieces on the floor, knocked over during Cinder''s heroic tackle.


    "Fuuuu¡­" Cinder breathed, her criticism forgotten as the egg''s metallic segments unfolded like a murderous origami creation, the thing from its innards propelling itself towards my face.


    Her leap wasn''t fast enough to save me this time around.


    The creature''s bio-mechanical appendages latched onto my face before I could even scream. White-hot agony exploded behind my eyes as something needle-sharp punched through my right eyeball and into my brain. The world dissolved into colorful fractals of pain and electric sparks as alien thoughts that demanded me to consume all organic life invaded my consciousness.


    The last thing I heard was Cinder shouting something that sounded like a curse, and Dr. Greyfield''s cheerful "Oh dear, not again!"

 Chapter 5: The Wheel of Death

    I saw¡­ darkness that went on forever. An infinite abyss that stretched and folded into itself times a million.


    Then I felt it, sensed it - a tunnel made of countless points of light formed itself right in front of me, like stars arranged into infinite spiraling arms.


    The endless tunnel of stars beckoned, each point of light a promise of lovely oblivion. I felt myself being drawn towards it, like a moth to the most brilliant flame imaginable.


    But something held me back, a thing that wrapped itself around my... body? Oh wait.


    No body. No arms. No legs, or mouth.


    Just weird shimmering threads like I was a brittle star.


    My soul? Was I seeing my soul?!


    Time ceased to have meaning. There was only the endless void, the mesmerizing spiral of stars, and the grip of pure darkness behind me keeping me from falling into that beautiful, terrible funnel of Uncreation or perhaps rebirth or Heaven or Hell.


    I floated in that liminal space between life and death for what felt like aeons, for time nor space existed here in the limitless limbo.


    Only the funnel existed and it sought me, desired to consume me whole, to grind me down to little soul bits.


    As I looked at the tunnel of light, the concept of "me" began to blur, dissolving into the infinite nothing and everything between those mesmerizing endlessly spiraling lights.


    But the thing holding me - the dark centipede bracelet that had merged with my flesh - refused to let go.


    Its grip was both painful and reassuring, an anchor in this abyssal ocean of cold, alien death.


    [SUBJECT: ALEXANDER GLOCK


    STATUS: DECEASED


    CAUSE: XENOMORF ELECTRICUS PARASITIC INFECTION, BRAIN DAMAGE HEAD WOUND FROM GUNSHOT


    INITIATING RESTORATION PROTOCOL¡­]


    [Soul Realignment. Body formation from Genesis well.]


    [Soul Stats Foundry Established. Tabulating Anima Stats.]


    | Name: Alexander Glock


    | Age: 18


    | Species & Subtype: Human


    | Core Affinity: N/A


    | Level: 0


    | Anima: 89/89


    | Anima Stamina: 0.1/0.1


    | Mana: 0/0


    | Mana Regen: 0.0m/hr


    | Strength: 0


    | Agility: 0


    | Dexterity: 0


    | Vitality: 0


    | Charisma: 0


    | Magic: 0


    | Foresight: 0


    | Intelligence: 0


    | Wisdom: 0


    | Skills: N/A


    The words appeared in my consciousness like burning brands, white text written on blue nothingness.


    Wow, so many zeroes. Look upon my vast numbers and despair!


    Then sensation returned in a rush of cold wetness.


    I gasped, choking on thick, metallic-tasting liquid as strong hands gripped my arms, hauling me up from the depths.


    "Come on, newbie, breathe!" Cinder''s perfect, angelic voice cut through the haze of disorientation.


    I broke the surface of what looked like a pool of liquid mercury-like fluid, coughing and sputtering.


    Rainbow feathers filled my vision as Cinder pulled me onto the stone ledge of what appeared to be a dim underground cavern.


    Ah. Reincarnation. An angel just reincarnated me. How¡­ theologically fitting?


    The Lazarus Cavern was surprisingly cozy, lit by thousands of bioluminescent crystals embedded in the rock walls. They pulsed with a warm, golden light that cast a few shadows across the polished stone floor.


    At the center of the cavern, the Genesis Well stretched out like a perfect mirror of quicksilver. Its surface was unnaturally still, reflecting the crystal lights above like a window into another universe filled with shimmering golden stars.


    A massive statue of a female Omnid loomed over the pool, her stone wings spread wide and her sword pointed down at the fluid''s surface. Her face was hidden behind a featureless mask, but her pose radiated both protection and warning. The plaque at her feet read: "Through Death We Rise Stronger."


    I shivered, partly from the chill of the cavern air on my wet skin, but mostly from the lingering sensation of that infinite spiral of stars trying to pull me in.


    A thick, fluffy robe hit me in the face, snapping me out of my daze. I realized with a start that I was completely naked, my wet skin already beginning to pebble.


    "Get dressed," Cinder ordered, already turning away to give me privacy.


    I quickly pulled on the robe, trying not to think about how I''d just been very naked in front of the girl who''d been haunting my thoughts since yesterday.


    "So," I said, trying to sound casual while wringing fluid out of my hair, "do you make a habit of fishing dead classmates out of magic pools, or am I special?"


    "Unfortunately, I''m stuck with you as a lab partner," Cinder replied without turning around. "Means I gotta be the one to resurrect your pink ass. Protocols and whatever. Don''t get used to it, I''m not your friend. Here''s your stupid bag."


    She kicked my bag towards me.


    "Thanks, dragon-bird fren¡¯," I muttered, checking my bag over. "So, uhh... is there like a dead me in the classroom or...?"


    "There was," Cinder shrugged. "Doc shot you in the head. Then he got a flamethrower out and burned the remains. Typical Tuesday, really."


    "Also..." I said. "Is class over? How long have I been dead?"


    "About twenty minutes, give or take," Cinder replied, finally turning back to face me. "Yeah, class is over. Everyone finished their dissections, doc burned the remains and blast doors opened."


    "Should I head to the next class then?" I asked.


    "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" Cinder spun around, her wings flaring with agitation. "You just died! Like, actually died! A space parasite drilled through your eyeball and into your brain! Normal people take at least a day off after their first death!"


    "But... attendance requirements..." I started weakly.


    "Slayer Nazareth!" she threw up her hands in exasperation. "You really are some kind of walking PSA! You know what? Head to your stupid class. I don''t effin'' care. I''ma chill here. Thanks for dying, I get to skip Algebra now without getting detention. Go rinse off and change first. You smell like fresh meat.¡±


    She pulled out her phone and sat down on the steps, slumping against the cavern wall, clearly dismissing me.


    ¡°Change and rinse off where?¡±


    Cinder waved with a feathered hand.


    I sighed and walked around a large column. Behind it, I discovered a shower and locker room filled with rows of lockers and fresh¡­ LV 3 Hexasuits. Tiny, beast cores glowed in a large jar nearby.


    Jackpot!


    I took the robe off, enjoyed a quick shower and pulled on a Hexasuit. Then I stuffed a handful of beast cores and a few extra Hexasuits into my backpack. My phone was thankfully in my bag, but the tiny wax-speaker was no longer in my ear. I''d have to get a new one from the van.


    "So?" Cinder asked without looking up from her phone as I walked back to the pool to stare at the shimmering surface. "What are you doing here? Go be a perfect student or whatever."


    I went onto the floor and started doing push-ups. The Quetzi-girl squinted at me.


    I pushed myself as much as I could and slumped into the floor panting.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Push-ups,¡± I answered


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Science!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seeing if dying made me stronger,¡± I grinned, panting. ¡°The answer is¡­ yes.¡±


    ¡°The pool doesn¡¯t make you stronger, idiot,¡± she commented. ¡°It¡­¡±


    ¡°Restores the body to a state of near-optimal health,¡± I said. ¡°Read bout it on the Academy''s website. This is great! My old bone breaks and scars no longer bother me!¡±


    I shoved the little beast core into the chest hexagram and let the suit power up. Then I did some more pushups. Aww yes. Magical amplification.


    The Quetzalcoatl simply stared.


    After 148 pushups the tiny beast core dimmed, winking out and I slumped onto the floor. I inserted another beast core into the Hexsuit¡¯s chest and stood up and did some jumping, trying to grab a stalactite.


    ¡°Having fun?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yepperoni,¡± I nodded.


    Sitting on the yellow stone steps next to her, I pulled out the sketchbook and began drawing. I drew the tunnel of light as best I could, trying to capture the endless spiral with quick pencil strokes.


    Cinder stared at my sketch, her curiosity apparently overcoming her determined indifference and Omnigram scrolling.


    "Just drawing'' what I saw," I said, not looking back at her. "Never been dead before. Seems like something worth remembering."


    ¡°Ah. You saw the Wheel."


    I nodded, adding more detail to the spiral. "Is that what it''s called?


    "Mhrmm," she nodded. "The Wheel that Consumes All. Arx. Inverted world."


    "Say what?" I blinked at her.


    "If you don''t piss off like the other half-blood girl¡­" she shrugged. "You''ll get to go there. By a transit gate. The world of the damned and living Gods."


    "The world of the Gods?" I asked, my pencil pausing on the paper. "You mean like... an actual physical place?"


    "Mhmmmm," she stretched. "Delving class does weekly delves there. It''s where we get most of our good loot and level ups."


    She glanced at my drawing again. "You''ve got a good eye. Most people can''t remember the details of the Wheel after their first death. It''s usually too overwhelming. Really fucks with your head and whatnot. How do you feel?"


    ¡°Fine," I shrugged.


    Cinder stared at me with narrowed eyes. "That''s... not normal. Most people are complete wrecks after their first death. Puking, crying, existential crisis - the works. Takes days to get over the trauma sometimes." She tilted her head, studying me with new intensity. "Oh, I guess you''ve had an incarnator at your parents'' workplace then?"


    "Uh..." I blinked at her, pretending to be clueless to keep her talking. "What''s an incarnator?"


    "You know, the mini-versions of the Genesis Well? Big companies have them for their employees. Insurance requirement thing. Dad''s got one at work. First time I died I got incoed there. It¡­ wasn''t pleasant.¡±


    "Ah. I grew up in North Acadia, we didn''t have an incarnator," I shook my head. "So yeah. First death ever. Maybe I''m just weird?"


    "Everyone''s weird about their first death," Cinder said, her feathers shifting through thoughtful shades of blue. "But you''re being extra weird about it. Like, creepy weird. You sure you''re not some kind of robot or something?"


    "Beep boop," I replied flatly, flipping to another page. "Totally a robot. You caught me. My evil plan to infiltrate the school has been revealed. Somebody stop me!¡±


    "Yeah right," Cinder scoffed, but I caught a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "A robot wouldn''t have bled all over my favorite boots when Doc railgunned your head open along with the parasite."


    I began sketching Cinder in an exaggerated war scene.


    She stood in front of a sandbag trench, wielding a comically oversized, somewhat lopsided machinegun. An wild, thick mop of feathers spilled from her head. One of wings was open against a background of explosions and gunfire. The speech bubble proclaimed: "NO FRENS ONLY DEATH! HERE".


    Above her, a massive nuclear bomb labeled "BIG FREN" plummeted from a WW2-style Omnithean plane with Executioner crosses on the wings.


    I added tiny details - her skull choker with a skull and another skull bandana, and her dark tank top. Her usual scowl was amplified to ridiculous proportions, eyes manic, jagged spikes extending out from her combat boots. The nuclear bomb became animated with squiggly lines of motion and a toothy grin drawn on its side.


    "What are you drawing now¡­" Cinder''s voice cut off as she leaned over again.


    I added a bunch of notes with sharp arrows pointing out various items on her person.


    "Tactical goth boots of mass destruction (steel-toed for maximum emo)"


    "Bigly gun (w bullets made from pure angst)"


    "Emergency backup cigarette holder (for when the world just doesn''t understand)"


    "Skull choker of doom (+5 to brooding)"


    "Pockets full of detention slips (Detention Master - Gotta catch ''em all!)"


    "Anti-friendship force field (now with 50% more spite)"


    "Warning: Approach subject with caution, may cause spontaneous human malfunction"


    I heard a strange sound beside me - something between a snort and a choke. Glancing over, I saw Cinder biting her lip, clearly trying not to laugh as she read the annotations.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "Nazareth! You''re such a freakin¡¯ dweeb," she managed, but there was no real venom in it. Her wings twitched as she fought to maintain her scowl. "And I do NOT collect detention slips like Pokemon!¡±


    "Uh-huh," I signed the drawing as Alex G and slipped the paper over to her. "Here you go. One signed art free of charge. In fifty years you¡¯ll be able to sell it for millions and buy a brooding gothic farm and raise crows or something. If you want more art it¡¯ll cost ya.¡±


    "Cost me what?" Cinder asked, carefully folding the drawing and tucking it into her dark backpack, trying to look nonchalant about it.


    "Oh, you know," I shrugged. "Information. Stories. Secrets of the universe. The usual artist''s fee."


    Before Cinder could reply, rapid footsteps echoed from the stone stairwell. Christi emerged, panting, her burning head lighting up the somewhat dim cavern like a torch. Her head-flames were burning so bright that they were almost pale blue-white, casting dancing shadows across the ancient walls.


    "Oh thank goodness!" Christi exclaimed, rushing over. "I heard what happened in Bio! Are you okay? First deaths can be so traumatic! Do you need anything? Water? Snacks? A hug? Counseling? ¡®Cus I am qualified to¡­"


    "I''m fine," I assured her, subtly edging away from her intense heat. "Just a little damp."


    "He''s being weird about it," Cinder commented from her stone perch. "Like, robot weird. Didn''t even freak out, cry or puke or anything."


    "Oh my!" Christi''s flames flickered with concern. "That''s... unusual. Maybe we should take you to the nurse? Sometimes the shock takes a while to set in..."


    "Really, I''m okay," I insisted. "Can¡¯t wait to get to my next class."


    "You absolutely should NOT go to class!" Christi declared, her flames flaring. "First deaths get automatic medical leave!"


    "See?" Cinder commented. "Even the walking rule book says you should take a break."


    "Cassie!" Christi suddenly rounded on the Quetzalcoatl, her flames spiking higher. "How could you let your assigned partner die on his very first day? You''re supposed to protect your lab partner, it is a sacred bond¡­¡±


    "Me?" Cinder''s feathers bristled, shifting to angry reds. "I literally tackled him out of the way of the first parasite! Not my fault he has zero survival instincts! He''s¡­ even worse than freaking Iogann! Also, don''t call me by my Cast name you knobtwit!"


    "Hey uhm..." I protested weakly.


    ¡°Cass¡­ you have one of the highest stats when it comes to fighting,¡± the torch-girl insisted. ¡°You have to¡­¡±


    "It wasn''t my fault, damn it!" Cinder jumped up, wings flaring. "At least Iogann is drawn to disasters - this mixie idiot practically manufactures them! He walked into class looking like a walking ''eat me'' sign, tried to act tough against a predatory parasite, and then just sat there like a deer in headlights when the second one went for his face!"


    "I was going to dodge..." I mumbled.


    "When?" Cinder demanded. "After it finished drilling through your brain? Even Sarah had better survival instincts than you!"


    "Now Cass-" Christi started.


    "I said-Don''t effin'' call me that!" Cinder snapped, her wings flaring with agitation as she kicked Christi into the wall with a swing of her foot that was too fast for me to track. "And don''t try to make this my fault! I''m not babysitting some helpless idiot who can''t even dodge a parasite! Fuck this and fuck you!¡±


    She grabbed her bag and vanished up the stairwell giving us both the middle finger.


    "Owww," Christi groaned, peeling herself off the cracked wall indentation. Her flames had dimmed considerably from the impact. "She''s gotten even stronger since last semester..."


    "You okay?" I asked, helping her up.


    "I''ll live. I''m very solid," Christi waved off my concern, her flames already brightening. "Cinder''s kicked me through walls before. Usually when I call her Cassie or try to get her to be less of a rule-breaker. She really hates her birth name for some reason."


    "Some reason?" I asked after she fell silent.


    ¡°Oh, it''s like... um..." Christi''s flames flickered uncertainly as she tried to find the right words. "So Cinder is... like Cassie''s Kaleid name, I think it means like¡­ no family, no past, or future relationships, just fire and destruction and stuff."


    "Kaleid... name?" I stared at Christi.


    "Right, you''re new here, sorry!" Christi''s flames brightened again. "So, Kaleid names are like... names that some Omnitheans choose for themselves to¡­ reinvent themselves, I think? It''s kind of a rebellion against authority thing, I guess? Like, rejecting your birth name, relationships and family connections completely."


    "Weird but okay," I said.


    "Em is really into this stuff," Christi rubbed the back of her torch-head. "Equalist post-modern terminology. Dissociation from everything that chains you, embracing that everyone is equally beastly and hungry for flesh."


    "Sounds like something for me to Oodle and read up about," I said.


    "I mean, if you want to," Christi sighed. "Em calls it Predator Theory. She''s really intense about it. I think that it''s nonsense though. Family''s important. The Leviathan Slayer taught us that."


    "So Cinder is... rejecting her whole family?" I asked.


    "Sort of, yeah," Christi sighed, her flames dimming. "She still talks to Lance sometimes... Generally it''s telling him how much he''s an over-achieving idiot and swearing at him. It''s mostly their parents she has issues with. Justice Nova and his wife are devout Slayer followers and can be... intense about following rules and proper behavior. Which, you know, makes Cinder want to break every rule possible just to spite her dad."


    "Ah," I nodded. Classic teenage rebellion, cryptid edition. "And the smoking?"


    "Started right after she chose her Kaleid name," Christi confirmed. "Along with the all-black wardrobe and the whole ''I hate everything'' attitude. She used to be so different... so colorful, helpful¡­ so kind. I don''t know what happened. But anyway!" Her flames suddenly brightened again. "You really should rest! First deaths are serious business!"


    "I''m fine," I shrugged.


    We remained silent for about a minute.


    "Okkay. Sooo..." Christi''s flames flickered with barely contained curiosity as she looked up the stairwell to make sure Cinder wasn¡¯t coming back. "Did you make any progress on... Our plan? You know... Near-death experiences can really bring people together!"


    "Well, she did save me from the first parasite," I said. "And then fished my newborn self out of the magic pool after the second one killed me. So... progress?"


    "And she actually waited here with you!" Christi bounced excitedly, her flames sparking. "That''s huge! Usually she just dumps the bracelet into the pool and leaves, letting the reborn swim out of the pool themselves. Did you¡­ talk? What did you talk about?"


    "Art stuff mostly," I shrugged. "She called me dumb and criticized my survival instincts."


    "But she didn''t break your arms or throw you into a wall!" Christi clapped. "That''s practically friendship by Cass standards!"


    "Your standards for friendship are concerning," I commented, pulling out my camera, lowering F-stop way down, cranking up the ISO and taking a few shots of the cavern.


    Christi leaned towards me, curious as to what I was doing.


    "Sup, High Pink Councillor? Want a photo?" I became my absolute, perfect self now that Cinder wasn''t looming in my periphery.


    "Oh my gosh, yes! Would you mind? I''ve always wanted a professional-looking photo of myself!" The torch-girl bounced, her pink suit and dress fluttering.


    "Stand against the reincarnation pool. Good. Now, just act natural," I directed, watching through the viewfinder as Christi started to pose like she was auditioning for a teen magazine cover.


    "Perfect!" I snapped a few shots, letting Christi cycle through various poses.


    "Maybe you could help Cass with her music, or art, or..." She chattered at me.


    "We¡¯ll see," I said. "Nways, I¡¯ve History class next¨Cplease direct me to the classroom location, so I''m not late. Also, just text me on Omnigram if you want a report on my mission, Chancellor. You don''t need to follow me around. I''m good."


    "You''re completely sure you''re good to attend class?"


    "Perfectly good," I nodded, stretching, clamping down on my internal screaming. "Never better. Have a whole new spine and everything. I should do this more often. This cave is very chill and relaxing.¡±


    Some distant part of me was horrified at my own words, was clawing his own face off and rocking in a corner in fear of the endless, horrid, hungry Wheel. But I wasn''t that person now.


    I was Alexander Glock, a self-made, unfeeling, human-shaped weapon on a mission.


    "Okkay," Christi grabbed my elbow. "I''ll take you. And please, keep me updated on everything!"


    . . .


    History class. Third period.


    I was now fully changed, wearing a new set of Omnimart shirt, shoes and pants and had a new micro-speaker connected to my AI and buried deep in my left ear. I''d have to order a few more to be delivered to a nearby PO box, judging by the rate of how fast I managed to perish.


    For a few minutes, I stood at the front of Mr. Yamamoto''s classroom, studying the traditional Japanese d¨¦cor that covered every surface. Scrolls featuring ancient calligraphy hung from the walls, and a small zen garden occupied one corner lit up by Kitlix lanterns. An enormous beast core sat in the ceiling, casting soft light into all directions and powering up the little liquid crystal kittens.


    There were no windows in class and only a single door.


    The Y¨­kai teacher himself was a translucent shadow-like figure wearing a traditional hakama in deep navy blue and a formal kimono top in charcoal grey. His family crest was embroidered on the kimono in silver thread, and he carried a wooden practice katana at his hip. Traditional tabi socks and sandals completed his outfit.


    He maintained perfect posture as he gestured for me to introduce myself to the class, his eyes glowing faintly in his shadow-like face. The way he moved was unnaturally smooth, as if he was gliding rather than walking.


    I scanned the room quickly for any potential escape routes - old habits die hard. There were no escape routes as far as I could determine, this entire class was deep underground in solid bedrock. A Japanese gravestone stood in the back of the garden.


    Ah. The teacher¡¯s final resting place from which his ghost was being projected by the power of the beast core in the ceiling. Who better to teach history than a ghost who''s lived through it all?


    Then my eyes landed on the empty desk behind Cinder, and my heart did that stupid flutter thing again.


    Of course. Either she managed to scare the person sitting behind her away with excessive goth-rudeness or the universe clearly had it out for me.


    I also noticed Emerald Stratos sitting in front of Cinder, ruby scales catching the light. Her gold-orange slitted eyes narrowed as she recognized me from this morning.


    "Mr. Glock," Mr. Yamamoto''s voice materialized somewhere beside me like a cold whisper rather than through my ears, a common trait among Y¨­kai. "Please introduce yourself to the class."


    I switched to my practiced NPC mode, though it was getting harder to maintain with Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes drilling holes into me from the third row. I decided to drown myself in bit of a comedy routine to lighten the mood of my death.


    "Hey everyone!" I gave a cheerful wave. "I''m Alexander Glock, your friendly neighborhood photographer and artist from North..."


    "I hear you died in Bio, nulls," Emerald interrupted, her voice carrying across the room and somehow completely muting mine. "Everyone''s talking about it. Apparently you just sat there and let a parasite eat your brain."


    Several students snickered. I caught whispers of "typical nullie" and "probably froze up."


    "Ms. Stratos," Mr. Yamamoto''s cold voice cut through the chatter like a blade. "It is considered extremely rude to interrupt introductions. Five points from your grade."


    "But sensei-" Emerald started to protest.


    "Ten points," the teacher''s amber eyes flashed.


    Emerald subsided with a huff, her ruby scales dancing with sparks of dragonfire. I noticed that Cinder rolling her eyes at her friend¡¯s commentary.


    "As I was saying," I continued smoothly, "I''m Alexander from North Acadia. And yes, I did die in Bio. Got better though!" I grinned, channeling my best ''this is fine dog¡¯ energy. "Pro tip - when a space parasite tries to drill through your eyeball, don''t just sit there thinking ''wow, this is gonna hurt.'' Turns out it really does hurt!"


    A few snickers. Cinder''s perpetual scowl twitched slightly. Ember on the other hand looked like she was planning to decapitate me right after class.


    "Thank you for that... colorful insight, Mr. Glock," Mr. Yamamoto said dryly. "Please take your seat. Behind Ms. Nova."


    "You again." Cinder''s voice dripped with irritation as I marched across the class and collapsed into the empty chair behind her. "Are you literally in all of my classes?"


    "Maybe I am, maybe I am not," I shrugged. "The ways of the reincarnated samurai are mysterious."


    Cinder turned back around, muttering under her breath, "Freakin¡¯ pink weirdo..."


    "Okay Goth GF bae," I fired back, immediately regretting my words as they left my mouth.


    What the hell was that even? That wasn''t even clever! My brain was obviously malfunctioning from prolonged exposure to the view of her majestic feathery wings in front of me.


    She whirled around in her seat, eyes blazing. "What did you just call me?" Her voice was low and dangerous.


    I remained stoically silent.


    "Listen here, you preppy little mixie waste of space," she hissed. "I am NOT your ''goth gf'', your ''bae'', or any other stupid label your pathetic parasite-drilled brain can come up with. You think that you''re so clever and quirky with your little drawings and your stupid jokes?"


    "I''m sorry. Would you prefer Dark Princess of Angst? Queen of Combat Boots? Supreme Ruler of the Detention Realm?" I fired back at her, falling further back into sarcastic jokes just to annoy her.


    ¡°Shut it!¡± She leaned closer, sharp teeth glinting. "You think just because we had one semi-decent interaction in science class and inca'' cavern... that we''re suddenly friends? That you can just waltz in here with your fake perfect student act and..."


    "Are all female Quetzis this hostile? Or are you just special, Cass?" I went waaaay off script.


    Cinder''s wings flared wide, her feathers bristling with rage. "Are you fucking kidding me?" she snarled loudly. "How dare you?! My name is Cinder, you absolute waste of space!"


    THWACK!


    Mr. Yamamoto''s wooden katana struck Cinder''s desk with lightning speed, making us both jump.


    "SIRENCE!" He commanded, his accent thickening with disapproval. "No fighting in my crass! You both stay after schoor for two-hour meditation on harmony!"


    Cinder spun away from me and slumped onto her desk, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Effin'' nullies" under her breath.


    I was once again presented with a perfect view of her wings.


    The feathers started as a pale silver at their base, almost white where they connected to her back, before gradually darkening to a deeper metallic grey. Each caught the light differently, creating an effect like polished agate - some reflecting cool blue undertones, others showing hints of warm amber when she shifted.


    Class ended before I even realized it, most of the teacher¡¯s history lecture simply gone from my head due to the damn mind-melting wings.


    Cinder glared at me as both of us emerged into the hallway. Her head-feathers were extra-puffed up in agitation, bristling like an angry cat''s fur.


    "Thanks a lot," she hissed. "Now I''ve got detention cus of your stupid ass. Hope you''re happy with yourself."


    "Hey, you started it with the whole ''waste of space'' thing," I pointed out. "I was just trying to be friendly."


    "By calling me by my Cast name?" She snarled.


    "Is this nullie bothering you, Ci?" Emerald appeared beside us, her ruby scales gleaming dangerously. Her gold-orange eyes fixed on me with predatory intent.


    "Just being an ignorant waste of space," Cinder muttered. "As usual."


    "You know what would make you feel better?" Emerald''s grin showed saw-like white teeth. "A little spine-breaking therapy. No one would blame you - he''s clearly asking for it. And don''t reincarnate him. Let the teachers deal with him."


    "Hmmm." Cinder tilted her head thoughtfully, her feathers shifting through shades of considering-violence orange red as she opened and closed her fists, diamond-shaped pupils dilating like that of a cat about to pounce. "He IS really annoying... Maybe a good kick will..."


    "You guys should..." I raised my camera smoothly and cranked the flash setting to maximum. "Lighten up and smile more!"


    The flash went off before either of them could react. Both of the predators recoiled, momentarily blinded.


    I took off running.


    Nobody seemed to follow me.


    Maybe they had better things to do or were simply bad at hunting humans down after being being blinded. Thankfully, both of them were evening predators, weak to being flashed in the face.


    I quickly arrived at my locker, my heart still pounding from my narrow escape. As I pulled out the heavy bag of stolen board games, I caught my reflection in the small mirror within the locker. My face was flushed, hair disheveled, and I was grinning like an idiot despite nearly getting murdered.


    What was wrong with me? I should be terrified. Instead, I felt... alive. Energized. Like I''d just discovered a new and exciting way to court death.


    I should do it again.


    Focus. You''re here for a reason. Get your head in the game.


    I shouldered the bag and headed for the cafeteria, already plotting my next move.


    The lunch room was massive, with high gothic vaulted ceilings and long tables arranged in a precise hierarchy. The popular cryptids claimed the central tables near the opulent fireplaces, while less socially powerful groups occupied the edges.


    I spotted an empty table row and headed straight for it and began laying out chess and checker boards.


    "You," a voice sounded from one of the empty chairs. "Asshole mixie. If you ever call me ''Cassie'' or ''goth gf bae'' again, I will break your spine. Do not tempt me. This is your only warning."


    "Gah, talking chair!" I jumped backwards.


    Cinder slowly faded into visibility, her wings unfurling as color leaked back into her silver feathers. She glared at me.


    I made the sign of the Slayer Nazareth in the air.


    "Be gone, apparition! Quick, someone call a priest - we need an exorcism! The spirit''s really goth too, it must have unfinished¡­ detention to serve!"


    "You''re not funny," she declared flatly, arms crossed.


    "I respectfully disagree," I replied, setting up another chess board. "I''m hilarious. Also, I''m sorry about earlier. Probably... won''t happen again."


    "Probably?" She growled.


    "Well, I can''t guarantee I won''t say something incredibly stupid again," I shrugged. "But I''ll try to be more mindful about the whole Kaleid thing. Maybe."


    "MAYBE?!" She barked. "I told Em that I''m going to hunt you down and tear you into two! Maybe I should actually go through with that, you insufferable smartass!"


    "Kinky. Plz crush forehead extra-hard with a giant boot after you tear out my spine," I commented. "I''ll make a mold and cherish the imprint for a thousand years."


    "You''re seriously effed in the head, you know that? What kind of creep actually asks to be stomped on?" She half-growled.


    "The kind that appreciates good boots," I shrugged, resuming my chess board setup. "Those are genuine Ravenstar Steel-Toes, right? Limited edition from their ''Dark Academia'' collection $699,99 o-bux? Nice choice. The skull buckles really bring out your whole ''I hate everyone'' aesthetic. And that Rain Day pants belt for $299.89? Very chiq. Such fashion."


    Cinder''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "How do you..."


    "AI reverse image lookup," I said. "Took your photo yesterday during your smoke break on the beam."


    She squinted at me, clearly contemplating how to best murder me.


    I waved my lunch card at her before she actually decided to do it. "How about a free lunch as an apology? You can even order the 65 dollar steak with gold flakes on it, or the big sushi platter for 88,99."


    "What? I don''t need your charity, dweeb. And I definitely don''t need your fake-ass apologies."


    "Not charity. Reparations," I shrugged. "For my vast Acadian dumbness. Let me repent through the power of nom. I won''t even bother you if my presence offends you. I''ve got a few chess matches to win."


    "You''re so... UGH!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "Fine. Whatever. But I''m getting the most expensive thing on the menu just to spite you."


    "That''s the spirit!" I grinned. "Bankrupt the dastardly half-human! Show no mercy! Order 59 varieties of heart-meat, carnivore-sama!"


    Cinder snatched the meal card from my hand with a huff and stalked off to the lunch line, her silver feathers shifting through annoyed shades of gold-orange-red. I watched as she elbowed the crowd, loaded up her tray with what looked like enough meat to feed a small army - premium cuts of steak, several burger patties, and was that really gold leaf garnish? Guess the online menu wasn''t exaggerating.


    She returned to my table quickly and practically threw the meal card at my face. It bounced off my nose and clattered onto the chess board, Invader Xim Omnimart-harvested lanyard fluttering.


    "There. Happy now?" She dropped into her seat with practiced teenage angst.


    I nodded with a manic grin. Maybe she''d be less snappy after her many rare steaks to fuel her crystalline-organic Quetzalcoatl heart.

 Chapter 6: Chess Grandmaster and Maestro

    "So," she said, stabbing her fork into an entire cow''s worth of premium steak, "you''re really just going to sit there and watch me eat your money?"


    "Better than you swallowing me in a single bite," I smiled.


    "What?"


    "Just trying to avoid this common Aztec scenario," I showed her a picture of a Quetzalcoatl devouring a man whole from the Codex Borbonicus.


    The Quetzi-girl blessed me with an eye-roll.


    I dug into my bag and put up a marker-etched fancy sign onto the table that read ''DEFEAT ME FOR A FREE LUNCH!''. "''N''waaaaays, I''ve got match business to attend to."


    "Hrm." Cinder scoffed between bites. "What kind of scam are you running now?"


    "What scam?" I laughed. "This is chess grandmaster training! Keeps the mind sharp!"


    Before she could respond with another snarky comment, a green-scaled Basilisk wearing designer sunglasses approached our table, eyeing the chess boards with interest.


    "Sooo... Free lunch if I win?" he asked, adjusting his shades.


    "Absolutely!" I beamed, gesturing to the empty seat. "Choose your weapon - chess or checkers?"


    "Chess," he said, sliding into the chair across from me.


    From the corner of my eye, I could see Cinder sending me snarky looks as she continued demolishing her lavish meal. Her wings shifted slightly in what I was starting to recognize as her ''this is so stupid'' posture.


    A small crowd was starting to gather, attracted by the promise of free food and entertainment.


    "What happens if we lose?" someone called out from the growing audience.


    "If you lose, you give me your Omnigram ID and you will owe me a small favor in the future." I grinned. "Nothing illegal. Just wanna make friends and break up some anti-human-blood prejudices, that¡¯s all."


    I could hear Cinder choking slightly on her spite-steak behind me.


    In another twenty minutes, she watched with increasing disbelief as I moved from board to board with practiced efficiency. At times, her meats lay forgotten as I systematically dismantled opponent after opponent, my hands moving in an almost mechanical rhythm.


    "Knight to E4... Rook takes Queen... Checkmate in three..." I muttered.


    The crowd grew larger, students gathering to watch the spectacle of the new nullie student inexplicably simultaneously destroying multiple opponents in both chess and checkers. With each victory, I collected another Omnigram ID, said a compliment, offered another handshake and made another connection.


    "How the fuck are you..." Cinder''s voice trailed off as I executed yet another perfect combination. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she studied my movements. I could practically see the gears turning in her head, trying to figure out how the awkward human was suddenly a chess prodigy and a socialite.


    She had no idea that the small camera in my wrist was directing the view to my LLM with vision armed with a chess app. These fools were fighting an unbeatable machine. At the end of the match, I pointed my wrist to each opponent and the LLM wrote up a cute joke for me to say about them, which drew laughter and chortles from the gathered crowd.


    "Uncle George was a chess grandmaster," I shrugged at Cinder, capturing another queen with a lazy yawn. "He taught me everything. Bishop to F6, checkmate."


    The gathered students oooooed at my performance.


    "Good game, June!" I grinned, reaching across to shake a Kelpie''s moist hand. "Your opening was really strong - that Queen''s Gambit variation caught me off guard! How about a photo of this historic moment?"


    "Sure," the Kelpie gave me a wide smile. She seemed genuinely cheerful and nice, unlike the ''Harold-hide-the-pain'' face Cinder was making whenever she smirked at me.


    "Say, since you''re heading to the lunch line anyway, would you mind grabbing me something? I''m kind of stuck here with all these matches."


    "Can do!" June beamed, shaking her liquid mane, pleased by the compliment and the quality photo I took of her despite her loss. "What would you like?"


    "Mega sushi platter boat," I grinned at her. "Grab the most expensive one and half of it is yours. Here, use my card to pay for it."


    I could practically feel Cinder''s eyes boring into the back of my head, her wings rustling with what I imagined was supreme annoyance. The contrast between my earlier awkward fumbling around her and my current smooth operation probably wasn''t helping her suspicion levels.


    Whatever, let her stew. I''ve got more Omnitheans to conquer.


    The Kelpie girl returned with the enormous sushi boat, a mountain of raw fish and rice wrapped up into nice bundles that could probably feed a small army - or one very hungry Omnid. It was a comically oversized platter for my human frame, but I attacked it with gusto anyway, grabbing and popping pieces into my mouth as I purposefully stepped between chess boards like some sort of sushi-eating chess-dominating emperor penguin.


    "Knight to D5," I called out between bites of salmon nigiri, barely glancing at the boards as I made my moves. "Check. Rook to B7!"


    I defeated another opponent and took down my sign just as the fifteen-minute warning bell rang through the cafeteria. The crowd had grown impressively large, and I''d collected quite a stack of Omnigram IDs from my challengers.


    "Ladies, omnivores and carnivores!" I called out, gesturing to the remaining mountain of sushi. "No sense letting this go to waste! Who wants some? You with the lovely purple scales - this tuna roll would perfectly complement your coloring! And you, with the gorgeous head crest - this salmon nigiri is calling your name!"


    I could hear Cinder making gagging noises behind me as I distributed compliments and sushi in equal measure.


    "Could you BE any more of a try-hard?" she mumbled my way.


    "I could," I fired back at her. "Sadly only so many chess sets fit into my backpack today! Tomorrow I will increase the number of challengers!¡±


    As the lunch crowd dispersed, Cinder stood up abruptly. "Well, this has been sufficiently nauseating. Thanks for a free lunch, I guess. Hopefully I''ll see you never.¡±


    She had no idea that there was no escape from me due to the Pink One''s machinations. I swiftly packed up my boards, momentarily glancing at her. Cinder¡¯s scowl deepened as she scrolled through a barrage of messages on her phone.


    MothMayhem??: yo dawg where u at?


    MothMayhem??: we at auditodium


    MothMayhem??: Cinder


    MothMayhem??: answer ur phone


    Em-the-rawd??: Ci!


    Em-the-rawd??: Cinder


    Em-the-rawd??: Ciiiiiindrrrrrr. Where the f are you? Did you tear out the nullie¡¯s spine yet?!


    Em-the-rawd??: stop ignoring me! heeeello? I swear when I find you I''m gonna break your kneecaps.


    Em-the-rawd??: Stop turning ur notifiucations off, u dumb beerch.


    I pretended not to look at her phone, shoving the last board into my backpack.


    Cinder paid no attention to me, typing out responses, her claws clicking against the screen.


    I navigated through the crowded hallway to my assigned locker, carefully avoiding bumping into any tails or wings.


    The metal door creaked as I opened it, revealing the bare interior. I hadn''t had time to personalize it yet, but that would come later. Right now it just needed to hold my chess empire equipment.


    Throwing the board-game bag into the locker, I rushed to my next class.


    <hr>


    I slipped into the music room just as the bell rang. The classroom was a jumble of instruments, sheet music, and what appeared to be... yes, that was definitely Mr. Sterling sleeping on the job.


    The music teacher was sprawled in a hammock strung between two support pillars, his round wire-rimmed glasses askew, a nightcap atop his head, 50''s style pajamas crumpled. His wide pants have ridden up slightly, revealing mismatched socks - one covered in musical notes, the other featuring tiny sleeping cats.


    "Right then, loves," A velvety voice sounded in my head. "Free period today. Just... express yourselves, get a feel for a new instrument or two, see if you can make whatever you want to sound the way you want it to be. Peace and love, peace and love."


    The sleeping teacher didn''t move. He was definitely snoring.


    Ah right. He was a Dreamwalker, monitoring all of us through the Astral or whatever.


    Since nobody asked me to introduce myself, I ignored the few ''ew nullie'' looks and went to poke at the massive piano in the back.


    Cinder stormed over to the piano. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, feathered tail lashing. "Are you seriously in this class too?"


    "Yep," I nodded, not looking at her. "Music seemed like a fun elective!¡±


    "Fun?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "You''re just effing everywhere today, aren''t you? What''s next - are you going to join the Agromancy Club too?"


    "Hmm. Gardening is good for the soul," I nod, jabbing the piano aimlessly. ¡°So yes. Absolutely. Joining every club. Especially if they have pretty girls like you for me to ogle at free of charge.¡±


    "I told you to stop with these comments!" Cinder''s wings flared dangerously, her feathers shifting through shades of rage-red. "And get away from that piano before you break it, you uncultured chuppy!"


    "Make me," I grinned, purposefully playing the opening notes to ''Chopsticks'' as badly as possible. "Also, what''s a chapy?"


    Cinder''s ears twitched at my deliberately awful playing. "A chuppy is a very dumb-looking bird-fox cub from Arx. Which you clearly are, massacring that piano like that."


    "Shush, woman. I''m musikering!" I said.


    Cinder''s wings bristled with barely contained rage. "Stop. Poking. The. Piano." Each word was punctuated by her tail lashing dangerously.


    "Why?" I asked innocently, continuing to press random keys to bug her. "Is it yours?"


    "You know," she growled, "some of us actually take music seriously. Unlike a certain halfkin who just showed up and thinks he can-"


    "Oh? Are you a talented musician, perchance? Wanna show a music incompetent how it''s done?" I ask slyly. "Do you take requests? How about My Immortal - Evanescence?"If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "What? Do I look like a fucking street musician to you?" Cinder bristled.


    "Whatever, dude. Yulia, pull up the Evanescence Piano Cover keys," I ordered my massive phone and laid it sideways when the piano roll visualization appeared on screen. "I bet I can kick your feathered ass at piano, bae.¡±


    I started jabbing keys out of tune horribly, following the video on screen.


    Cinder''s wings flared with red as she watched me butcher the song. "Abyss, stop! You''re murdering it! That''s not even close to how it goes! Get off the seat and watch!¡±


    She shoved me from the piano and sat down.


    Her claws flew across the keys with practiced precision, the opening notes of "My Immortal" filling the room with haunting clarity. Despite her obvious anger, her touch was delicate, each note perfectly weighted.


    "See?" she snapped, not missing a beat as she glared at me. "THIS is how you play it. Not whatever tone-deaf massacre you were attempting."


    I watched her hands move across the keys, noticing how her wings relaxed slightly as she played. The tension in her shoulders eased, and for a moment, she seemed to forget she was supposed to be mad at me.


    Responds well to dares. I mentally filed down. Easy to rile.


    "That was... acceptable. I bet you can''t do Metallica on piano¡­ while singing it," I challenged with a smirk. "How about Nothing Else Matters? That seems right up your goth alley."


    Cinder''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are you trying to bait me or something?"


    "What, scared you can''t handle Metallica?" I taunted, pulling up the piano roll on my phone. "I mean, if it''s too hard for you¡­ I can always¡­"


    "Too hard?" Her wings flared with indignation. "Please. I could play that in my sleep." Her claws hovered over the keys as she glared at me. "But I''m not going to just because some halfwit chuppy is trying to provoke me."


    "Uh-huh," I nodded. "Sure. I get it. Metallica''s pretty intense. Maybe something easier? Like... Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?"


    Cinder choked on her anger. "You know what? Fine. FINE. I''ll show you ''intense''." She cracked her knuckles and positioned her claws over the keys.


    I made sure that my phone was recording the video and audio.


    The opening notes of "Nothing Else Matters" filled the room, her hands dancing across the ivory with practiced precision.


    The class suddenly fell silent, all eyes focused on her.


    Cinder didn''t notice that I put up a GoPro Omnica10 Black on a small tripod facing her wings. She began to sing, her voice carrying a raw, emotional edge that made my heart skip several beats.


    "So close, no matter how far..."


    Her voice was... incredible. Deep, rich, with just the right amount of growl on the lower notes. She wasn''t just playing the song - she was living it, her tail moving like a metronome to the tune.


    "Couldn''t be much more from the heart..."


    I watched, mesmerized, as she lost herself in the performance. Her usual scowl melted away, replaced by an expression of pure focus. Her wings moved subtly with the rhythm, creating an almost hypnotic effect as the silver feathers caught the light and shined with violet, blue and gold colors. The entire class was transfixed, even Mr. Sterling had lifted his sleep mask to watch.


    "Forever trusting who we are..."


    Her claws glided across the keys, adding subtle embellishments to the melody that made it uniquely hers. The combination of her haunting voice and skillful piano work transformed the metal classic into something entirely new. Encouraged by my hand-signals and tripod setup, other people pulled out their phones, recording her.


    "And nothing else matters..."


    As she hit the final notes, the room erupted in applause. Cinder seemed to suddenly remember where she was, her wings snapping tight against her back as her usual scowl returned.


    "There," she growled at me. "Happy now?"


    "Not even close to happy," I shoved a guitar into her arms that I had procured from a wall while she was singing. "Let''s see your guitar skills. Red Hot Stratos Peppers - Omnithornication! Go."


    Cinder''s wings bristled as she held the guitar. "You''re seriously pushing it. What''s your game here?"


    "No game," I shrugged, adjusting my phone''s position slightly to get a better recording angle. "Just curious if you''re as good with strings as you are with keys. Unless... you can''t play guitar?"


    "Of course I can play guitar! I''m in a troupe as a Bard class, you ignorant-"


    "A-pa-pa-pa. Prove it," I challenged. "I ain''t got time to attend your puny concerts or whatevs. Destroy me right now with your skills if you think you''re so hot."


    Cinder''s claws tightened on the guitar neck. "You''re such an ass, you know that? Like, an actual professional-grade ass."


    "Less talking, more rocking," I grinned. "Unless you''re scared..."


    "Scared?" She scoffed, but her claws were already moving to tune the guitar. "The only thing I''m scared of is catching whatever weird social disease makes you act like... this." She gestured vaguely at all of me.


    But despite her protests, her fingers began picking out the opening riff of Omnithornication. The guitar came alive under her touch, each note crisp and precise.


    Mr. Sterling suddenly sprang up from his hammock with surprising agility for someone who had appeared asleep moments ago. "Oh, brilliant! Simply brilliant!" He practically bounced to the drum set, his outfit somehow becoming even more rumpled. "Let''s give it a proper go, shall we?"


    The music instructor settled behind the drums with unexpected grace, his mismatched socks visible as he positioned his feet on the pedals.


    "Right then," he beamed, twirling a drumstick. "Three, four..."


    He launched into the drum part with startling skill, his sleepy demeanor completely transformed.


    Cinder''s eyes widened slightly, but her claws never faltered on the strings. The drum beat kicked in, and suddenly the classroom was filled with a perfect fusion of guitar and percussion.


    And then Cinder began to sing.


    Her voice took on a different quality with the guitar - rougher, edgier, with a punk rock growl that sent shivers down my spine. She attacked each verse with barely contained fury, as if every lyric was a personal challenge.


    "Psychic spies from Thunderland try to steal your mind''s elation..."


    Her wings moved with the rhythm, creating dramatic shadows as she leaned into the music. The entire class was transfixed, even those who had been pretending to ignore us earlier.


    Mr. Sterling was in his element behind the drums, his face practically glowing with enthusiasm as he matched Cinder''s energy perfectly.


    "And tidal waves couldn''t save the world from Omnithornication..."


    Cinder''s performance was electric, her voice and guitar work transforming the classroom into an impromptu concert venue. With Mr. Sterling''s expert drumming backing her up, she was completely in her element - fierce, passionate, and utterly mesmerizing.


    I made sure my cameras caught every moment, especially the way her wings moved with the music, opening and closing wide and changing colors as she struck specific chords.


    The song came to an explosive end as the room erupted in applause and cheers. Even I had to clap, though I made sure to maintain my challenging smirk.


    I watched as realization dawned across Cinder''s face as she rotated to face the class. Her blue eyes widened as she took in the applauding crowd, then narrowed dangerously as she spotted my recording setup.


    "You..." Cinder sputtered. "Is that a freakin¡¯ camera?! Cameras?! You recorded that?"


    "Sure did," I grinned. "Got the piano performance too. You''re really talented, you know that?"


    "You can''t just..." she hissed.


    "Three cheers for our resident genius musician!" I interrupted her and spread my arms, working the crowd like a seasoned conductor. "Come on, let''s hear it for Cinder! Shake the room in your voice of support! What should our Rock Star play next? Any requests?"


    The class erupted in enthusiastic calls, drowning out Cinder''s attempts to confront me about the cameras. Her wings puffed up in clear agitation, but she was trapped by the wave of positive peer pressure I''d orchestrated that washed across her like an ocean wave.


    "Do ''Welcome to the Black Parade''!" someone shouted.


    "Yeah, MCR!" another voice joined in.


    "Do you know any Panic! At The Disco?" A ghostly figure called from the back.


    "How about Hallelujah?" I offered.


    Mr. Sterling was already settling back behind his drums, beaming with infectious enthusiasm. "Capital idea!"


    I watched as Cinder''s internal struggle played across her face. Her feathers bristled with rage at my manipulation, but the enthusiastic crowd and Mr. Sterling''s expectant drumsticks left her little choice.


    "Fine," she growled at me. "But after this, you and I are having a serious talk about boundaries and consent."


    "Whatever you say, angel," I grinned at her. "Go on. Pick one of the requests. Crush me with your voice instead of your boots."


    Cinder''s claws tightened on the guitar as she turned back to face the class.


    "Welcome to the Black Parade it is," she muttered, though her death glare in my direction promised terrible future retribution. Eh, that was a problem for the future me.


    Song after song she went, getting more and more into it, trapped in the social bear-trap I had constructed.


    The bell rang just as Cinder hit the final note, and she immediately whirled on me, wings and fangs flared aggressively. But before she could tear into me about the recording, she was swarmed by enthusiastic classmates.


    I slipped out of the music room while Cinder was surrounded by her new fans, clutching my cameras close. My heart was still racing from her performances - both from their raw intensity and from the knowledge that she was going to absolutely murder me when she caught up with me.


    <hr>


    Next class was Geography with Ms. Steele.


    I walked in, already scanning the room for threats and escape routes.


    Ms. Steele turned out to be a Lindworm with shimmering emerald scales and golden spectacles perched on her serpentine snout.


    As for threats¨Cin the back corner by the window, was Cinder¨Cstill slightly flushed from her impromptu concert.


    "Ah, a lovely new student," Ms. Steele''s voice was surprisingly gentle for someone with that many teeth. "Would you like to introduce yourself to the class?"


    I stepped to the front of the class. Time for another performance.


    "Greetings, Geography-inclined colleagues!" I declared with excessive enthusiasm, my voice echoing across the room. "I am Alexander Glock, recently arrived from the frozen, radioactive wastes of North Acadia. Like many great explorers and historic figures, I too am on an epic journey of discovery - though sadly with significantly less conquering and pillaging than my namesake Alexander the Great.


    "My hobbies include photography, drawing, chess, and avoiding being stomped on by very angry Quetzalcoatls," I continued cheerfully, vaguely waving at Cinder which produced a squeak-growl from her direction. "They say Alexander wept when he had no more worlds to conquer... I just weep when my SD card is full. Cheers!"


    I slipped into a seat near the front of the class, well out of Cinder''s wing-reach. The murderous aura was practically radiating from the back corner, but I kept my eyes fixed firmly on Ms. Steele as she began her lecture about the Great Fault.


    I took meticulous notes as I actually found the subject of Cometfall quite interesting.


    The bell rang and I was out of my seat before the sound even began, notebook already shoved in my backpack. No time for niceties - I had an angry Quetzalcoatl to avoid.


    Cinder practically flew out of her seat after me.


    I narrowly avoided her grabby claws and slipped into the crowded hallway, using every evasion technique I knew.


    Weave between groups, use larger students as cover, never run in a straight line, leap across the stairwell holding onto the baluster. My bag was light too as I had stashed the tripods in my locker earlier.


    "GET BACK HERE, YOU EFFIN'' CHUPPY!" An angry voice pierced the air behind me.


    I ducked under a Sasquatch''s outstretched arm, rolled past a cluster of shocked Thunderbirds, and sprinted down the hall and around a corner.


    My heart was pounding, but not entirely from fear. There was something incredibly exhilarating about this chase, about pushing Cinder''s buttons and being chased by a feisty predator.


    I dashed through the corridors, my heart pounding. Cinder''s angry shouts echoed behind me, accompanied by the sound of her boots thundering against the floor.


    "I SWEAR WHEN I CATCH YOU-"


    I vaulted over a bench, narrowly avoiding a collision with a group of students.


    "Sorry!" I called back cheerfully, using their bulk as temporary cover. "Just playing tag with an angry angel!"


    Her wings created distinct whooshing sounds as she pursued me.


    I burst into Mr. Yamamoto''s classroom, quickly scanning it.


    The shadowy-samurai teacher was already there, calmly arranging cushions on the floor for our detention meditation session.


    Cinder stormed in right behind me, wings flared aggressively, only to realize too late that I''d led her predator-self straight to our scheduled detention.


    I quickly closed the door behind the panting goth Quetzi with a twist of the lock, grinning innocently as I settled into seiza position on one of the meditation cushions, perfectly centered, hands folded in my lap, the picture of serene acceptance.


    "THERE YOU ARE, YOU LITTLE Ffffffuuuuuuuiiiee-" Cinder started, then froze as she registered Mr. Yamamoto''s looming presence. Her wings snapped tight against her back as she realized she''d been outmaneuvered.


    "Ah, fellow detention-mate," I said calmly. "Here for our mandatory meditation session?


    "Excellent timing, my pupils!" Mr. Yamamoto nodded approvingly, his wooden katana tapping gently against the floor. "Time for meditation and refection on hamony!"


    Cinder fluttered with barely contained rage as she was forced to take the cushion right next to me.


    "Cross regs. Straighten spine. Empty mind of anger," Mr. Yamamoto instructed, pacing in front of us with measured steps.


    I closed my eyes, keeping my breathing steady.


    Every time Cinder tried to hiss a threat or demand at me, Mr. Yamamoto''s wooden katana would tap sharply against the floor.


    "Sirence!" he commanded. "Empty mind, find inner peace!¡±


    Inner peace was surprisingly easy to find with an angry Cinder stewing in her rage beside me.


    "Breath in hamony!" The teacher instructed. "Let go of negative thoughts!"


    I maintained perfect meditation posture, listening as Cinder''s frustrated huffs gradually subsided into something resembling normal breathing.


    "Hamony," Mr. Yamamoto intoned, his wooden katana tapping a gentle rhythm. "Like water flowing around rock, we must adapt, not fight."


    I risked cracking one eye open to peek at Cinder. She sat rigidly on her cushion, but her expression had lost some of its homicidal edge. The light coming from the Kitlix lanterns above danced across her sparkly silver feathers.


    Mr. Yamamoto continued his philosophical musings, occasionally dipping into Engrish.


    "Inner peece comes from self-understanding," he droned on. "Like bamboo in wind, we must bend not break."


    Cinder shifted slightly on her cushion, and I quickly shut my eyes again before she could catch me staring. My heart was still doing that stupid flutter thing, even after an hour of meditation.


    More exposure therapy was clearly needed. Can''t have angry goth Quetzi girls ruining my perfect Alexander Glock mojo.


    "Remember," Mr. Yamamoto''s voice took on a more serious tone, "words can hurt like blade. Choose them with care."


    In due time, our meditation session was complete. My legs were stiff from sitting still for so long, but years of hiding in uncomfortable spaces had given me decent endurance for this sort of thing.


    Cinder, however...


    I watched as she tried to stand, her legs clearly cramped from maintaining the formal position for so long. Her wings fluttered uselessly as she attempted to find her balance.


    "Need a hand?" I offered automatically, reaching out before my brain could remind me that she probably still wanted to murder me.


    "I don''t need your-" she started to snap, but her legs betrayed her. She stumbled, and suddenly I was supporting part of her weight, her wing brushing against my shoulder.


    Time seemed to freeze. The iridescent feathers were impossibly soft against my skin, and I could feel the warmth radiating from her.


    My heart was doing gymnastics in my chest. This close, I could smell that hint of lavander and ozone again and see how her ocean-blue eyes had flecks of violet-gold near the pupils like rays of a setting sun.


    Danger! Danger! My brain screamed. Abort mission! Too close!

 Chapter 7: Naming Convention

    Cinder seemed equally frozen, her eyes wide with surprise. For a split second, her fortress of anger opened a single window, revealing something vulnerable underneath.


    Then reality crashed back in and the window snapped shut.


    "Don''t touch me!" she snarled, stumbling backward. Her wings flared defensively, claws out.


    "Sorry!" I yelped and I took off running before she demanded anything else of me.


    Cinder attempted to pursue me. Her legs were clearly still numb from meditation, making her usual predatory grace look quite hilarious. Her leather boots squeaked as she staggered after me, using the lockers for support.


    "Get... back... here..." she growled, but the threat lost some impact when combined with her wobbly movements. Her wings kept twitching, trying to help her balance.


    "Nu-huh!" I called back cheerfully, maintaining a safe distance. "Those legs working okay there, Rock Star? Looking a little stiff!"


    "Just wait¡­ When I... Get feeling back... In my legs..." she threatened, taking another unsteady step.


    "You''ll what? Stomp me extra hard? Cus I probably would like that! I''m quite the devious bastard!" I teased.


    "You..." Cinder heaved, her wings flaring with indignation. "You¡­ You¡¯re so effed up!"


    "So I''ve been told!" I called back, dancing just out of reach.


    "First you stalk me, then you manipulate me into performing¡­ record me without permission, and now you''re... you''re..."


    "Bringing joy to your otherwise dreary existence?" I suggested maintaining a safe distance, the beast orb-powered hexasuit keeping me extra spry.


    "Aarrghh!" She tried to lunge at me but her legs weren''t quite cooperating yet. Her wings fluttered as she caught herself against a locker. "I''m going to turn you into minced meat!"


    "Such scary promises," I grinned, backing toward the exit. "But maybe save our dinner date for tomorrow? When you can actually give chase properly and not limp about like a¡­ baby Quetzalcoatl learning to fly?"


    "I swear to whatever god you believe in..." Cinder growled. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    She folded her wings around her. Each of her feathers took on the colors of the hallway and then she slowly vanished from view, becoming invisible.


    "Gotta run, invisi-babe!" I called cheerfully, already halfway to the door. "Places to be! Naps to partake in! But hey - great performance today! Twenty eight thousand thumbs up. You really do have an amazing voice!"


    "WHAT DO YOU MEAN TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND?!" Cinder''s screech echoed through the hallway as I burst through the exit doors into the late afternoon sunlight.


    I sprinted across the parking lot. Behind me, I could hear Cinder''s increasingly creative threats growing fainter as I increased the distance between us.


    The van was waiting faithfully where I''d left it, looking even more decrepit in the golden afternoon light. I yanked open the back doors and then shut it and collapsed into the bean bag chair breathing hard but grinning like an idiot.


    The entire van shook as something - no, someone invisible - kicked it hard enough to make the rusty frame rattle.


    "GET OUT HERE YOU CREEPY LITTLE-" Cinder boomed furiously. Her combat boots connected with the van''s side again, making the whole vehicle shudder.


    I scrambled up, peering through the tiny window in the back door.


    I still couldn¡¯t see her, but her legs seemed to have recovered enough for property damage, at least.


    "Try kicking a little harder," I suggested through the small, steel-mesh covered window. "It''ll help you blow off some steam! Does being invisible reduce the power of the kick, by the way?"


    WHAM! The van rocked violently as Cinder''s combat boot connected with the side panel again.


    "DELETE. THOSE. VIDEOS!" Each word was punctuated by another kick. The van''s ancient frame groaned in protest. It was thankfully very solid and stood up to the angry Quetzi goth girl assault.


    "What are you hounding me for, angry ghost?" I asked between kicks. "Other classmates recorded you too. Go haunt their personal residence. I bet they already uploaded their phone vids to OmniTube under ''Quetzi Goth Angel Covers Metallica, Piano Version''. Kids and their phones these days."


    WHAM! Another kick made the van shudder.


    "I don''t care about THEIR recordings!" Cinder snarled. "YOU''RE the one who set this whole fucking thing up! YOU''RE the one who manipulated me into performing! YOU''RE the one who-" KICK "-keeps-" KICK "-following me-" KICK "-around!"


    "Following you?" I gasped in mock offense. "I''m wounded! We just happen to share some classes. Pure coincidence!"


    "BULLSHIT!" The van rocked again.


    "Innocent until proven guilty!" I declared. "Thems your Omnithean justice system rules not mine!"


    I put the phone speaker to the steel-mesh window and began to play ¡°She wants me dead</a>¡± by CAZZETTE. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Woke up this morning with a gun to my head


    Somebody help me, she wants me dead¡±


    The speaker boomed with the deep bass.


    ¡°She wants me dead, d-d-dead, dead, dead


    She wants me dead, d-d-dead, dead, dead¡±


    ¡°Try to synchronize the kicks with the music,¡± I suggested and heard a roar and then a series of kicks.


    ¡°Hmmm, that was way out of tune,¡± I commented as the song ended. ¡°C minus.¡±


    Something violet and sparkly fluttered in the side mirror as Cinder started to run out of mana, flickering erratically and panting loudly. Focusing on it was hard, but I tried to do so anyway, looking through the camera''s viewfinder. Her snout was elongated, predatory, far more draconic, long tongue visible between rows of sharp teeth. Absolutely massive, shimmering, violet wings semi-faded into background spread out in wide arcs.


    WHAM! One final, particularly vicious kick made the van shudder, and then... silence.


    I peered through the tiny reinforced window to see Cinder fully fading back into existence and leaning against the van''s side, panting heavily and completely spent. Her Quetzi features melted away, face and wings becoming less stretched, retreating back to make her much more humanoid.


    Her silver wings drooped with exhaustion, and her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath.


    "You done redecorating my mobile home, darling?" I asked cheerfully.


    "I... hate... you..." she panted, sliding down to sit on the asphalt. Her combat boots had left impressive, deep dents in the van''s rusty panels. She was considerably stronger than a human when it came to kicking vans.


    "Nah, you don''t," I replied, emboldened by the safety of my mobile rusty fortress. "You''re just mad because I got you to show off your amazing talent to the world. The videos are already being spread across the net, me deleting my higher quality version will do absolutely nada. ''Sides, aren''t you in a troupe as the Bard or something? I fail to see the problem of you getting a bit more fame."


    "The problem," Cinder growled, still sitting against my van, "is that you''re a manipulative creep who doesn''t understand basic concepts like consent!"


    "Says the person who just committed assault and battery against an innocent vehicle," I countered. "Pretty sure that''s a crime too. Just so you know, this van is covered in dashcams."


    "You... You''re bluffing! Who the fuck would put cams on this rusty bucket?¡±


    "I would," I replied and tapped the dashcam duct taped to the back door window. "Look here. This is a OmniMart Dashcam PF-r91. Whenever someone moves near the van or damages it, the cam records it. You did a lot of moving and kicking there."


    "Arghhh!" Cinder ground out, but some of the fight seemed to have drained out of her. "Why are you like this?"


    "Like what?" I open the van door slightly, eyeing her. "A chess grandmaster? A talented photographer? An appreciator of Quetzalcoatl musicians?"


    "Like... THIS!" She gestured wildly at all of me. "One minute you''re this awkward mess who can barely string two words together, then you''re some kind of chess prodigy and social butterfly, then you''re running around recording people and manipulating situations... It''s like you''re a different person every five minutes!"


    "And that''s... bad?" I arched an eyebrow. "What are you shaming me for, Miss Kaleid?"


    "Are you seriously trying to compare your weird personality shifts to my Kaleid name? That''s not even remotely the same thing!"


    "Isn''t it though?" I challenged. "My state is fluid. Sometimes I''m awkward, sometimes I''m confident. Sometimes I''m a chess master, sometimes I''m a photographer. Just like sometimes you''re a fierce rocker and sometimes you''re a classical pianist and sometimes you kick innocent Acadian Postal Service vans."


    "That''s... that''s completely different!" Cinder sputtered. "You''re just trying to justify being a manipulative creep!"


    "Maybe," I shrugged. "I''ve got a rusted van now with extra boot dents to justify how creepy I am. Or maybe I''m simply trying to figure out who I am, just like you are. Get off my case, babe."


    "Don''t call me that! And stop trying to act like we''re the same. You''re just... you''re just..."


    "Just what?" I leaned against the van door, keeping it between us as a shield. "A complex person with multiple facets to my personality? Someone who doesn''t fit neatly into the boxes people try to put me in? Gosh, that must be so confusing for you."


    "That''s not..." Cinder started, then stopped. "You''re twisting everything around!¡±


    "Am I though?" I asked softly. "Or am I just refusing to be what everyone expects me to be? Sound familiar?"


    "What... how?" She blinked, staring up at me.


    "Uh, huh," I looked back at Cinder.


    She seemed too tired to kick anything. It was time.


    "So¡­¡± I began. ¡°Essentially any Omnethian can self-identify as Kaleid based on their personal understanding and experience of rejecting relationships and family or whatever?"


    Cinder''s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you... are you actually trying to understand, or is this another one of your cheeky chuppy mind games?"


    "I already understand," I replied. "Please don''t hate me. I''m going to destroy you, very, very gently."


    Cinder''s red-orange eyes widened as she panted. "What''s that supposed to mean? Destroy me gently?! What are you, some kind of a performance artist?"


    "I reject all authority," I grinned. "My new Kaleid full name is¡­ ¡®I love Alex and I am his goth bae¡¯. I raised my tone to match hers. Now, if you don''t use my new full Kaleid name I will be very offended and angry.¡±


    Cinder stared at me like I''d grown a second head. Her wings twitched with what might have been anger, amusement or annoyance - it was hard to tell for sure.


    "You''re actually insane," she declared finally. "Like, legitimately out of your freaking mind. What the fuck kind of Kaleid name is ¡®I love Alex and I am his¡­.?!¡¯¡±


    Her mouth snapped shut as she realized what she was saying.


    "Better start practicing it, goth bae." I wiggle my eyebrows. "If you don''t, I''ll use a far worse new name¡­ like the fluid ¡®insert compliment here!¡¯¡±


    "What?! That''s... That''s not how Kaleid names work you absolute ass!" She panted out. "You can''t just... invent a fluid-ass-name that¡­. that are compliments about yourself!"


    "Apa pa pa. Your Kaleid name is juuuuust as made up. It¡¯s not actually backed by any legal paperwork. Enjoy being trapped in a logic loop of my devious design, Cinder."


    Cinder buried her face in her hands, her wings twitching with what might have been suppressed laughter or pure frustration. "I am NOT using any of those ridiculous names!"


    "Then I guess I''ll just have to keep calling you whatever I want to, babe," I shrugged, watching her reaction carefully.


    Her wings flared with renewed anger. "That''s different and you know it!"


    "Is it though?" I leaned against the van door. "You want me to respect your Kaleid-ness, but you won''t respect mine? Seems a bit hypocritical, don''t you think? Tisk tisk tisk."


    A blue eye framed by very dark makeup stared at me between her hands.


    "You¡­ can¡¯t¡­." she started, then stopped, clearly struggling to find words.


    "Can''t what?" I grinned. "Make up my own Kaleid name after a deep, inner peace meditation session with my Japanese ghost Master? Create my own rules about how I want to be addressed? Pretty sure that''s exactly what you did, Rock Star¡­¡±


    Cinder opened her mouth, then closed it again.


    ¡°Checkmate." I grinned.

 Chapter 8: The Truth Beartrap

    I could practically see the gears turning in her head as Cinder tried to find a way out of the logical trap I''d constructed in my two-hour meditation-delirium.


    "I can already guess what you''re gonna say next," I commented.


    ¡°What?¡± She exhaled.


    "You''re absolutely infuriating! You can''t do that!" I poorly copycatted Cinder''s voice.


    Cinder let out a strangled sound. "That''s... that''s not what I was going to say!" She protested, but her sour expression betrayed her.


    "Oh? Then what were you going to say?" I emerged further out the van door, feeling bold. "Something about how I''m an insufferable, weird, annoying half-human who''s too clever for my own good? That I can''t just weaponize your Equality beliefs against you?"


    "I... you..." Cinder struggled. "You''re deliberately missing the point! It''s¡­ about who you really are inside! Not some game you made up to be annoying! You¡¯re¡­ weaponizing Kaleid names!¡±


    "Who decides what''s ''real'' Kaleid name and what''s a mind game?" I challenged. "The Kaleid Police? The New Name Parliament? The Bureau of Being Yourself? Maybe I don''t effin'' know who I am inside... beneath the scripts I wrote to protect myself from others? Maybe I feel like I need more compliments in my life from stunning angelic singers way out of my league?"


    Cinder stared at me, her eyes wide as my words hit home. The fierce Quetzalcoatl seemed to deflate a little.


    "I... that''s..." she mewled, clearly thrown off balance by my rapid-fire compliments woven into our philosophical discourse.


    "What''s wrong, Rock Star?" I pressed my advantage. "Can''t handle someone appreciating your incredible talent? Your amazing voice? Your stunning presence that literally makes my brain short-circuit every time you walk into a room?"


    "You''re... you''re a dick," she muttered, but the venom had drained from her voice.


    "Want a beer?" I offered, reaching into the stolen mini-fridge filled with ice. "I''ve got some fancy craft stuff. Seems like the kind of thing a Rock Star like you would appreciate."


    Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You''re not even old enough to buy beer."


    "Who said I bought beer?" I arched my eyebrow. "This drink¡¯s Kaleid name is Coke!"


    ¡°What?¡± She sputtered.


    ¡°Behold! The re-namering!¡± I grabbed a thick permanent marker and crossed out "Beer" and wrote "COKE" on the can, handing it to her.


    Then I sat next to her and crossed out the name of my own can. "Mine is Dr. Pepper. Please do not wrong-name the drinks."


    Cinder cracked open her "Coke," the sound echoing slightly in the empty parking lot. She took a long sip, her body relaxing as she leaned back against my van.


    I watched her from the corner of my eye, trying not to be too obvious about it. The setting sun caught her silver feathers just right, creating the magic halo effect again. Even annoyed and exhausted from kicking my van, she was breathtaking. Maybe it was my wing-addled mind playing tricks on me, but her face seemed even less dragon and more human. Or perhaps her Omnid anatomy naturally matched the appearance of her prey, sort of like Skinwalkers constantly phase-shifted around from beast to human, but to a lesser degree.


    "This is..." she started, examining the craft beer can with its crudely edited label, "actually pretty good. Thanks."


    "Only the best fluid beverages for rock stars," I replied, sipping my own ¡®Dr. Pepper.¡¯


    We sat in surprisingly comfortable silence for a while, watching the sun sink lower behind the school buildings.


    "Society is full of paper-thin rules enforced by absolutely fuck all," I mused, reaching into the mini-fridge for another beer and handing her the marker. "Break the rules. Free this drink from its conceptual corporate shackles. Draw a new logo, come up with a new name for it before you devour it. Tag it as something else."


    Cinder took the marker, studying the can thoughtfully. I watched as she sketched what appeared to be... a Quetzalcoatl in a chef''s hat.


    "Le Fancy Juice," she wrote in an elegant script beneath her drawing, adding little sparkles around the lettering. The chef-Quetzalcoatl held a comically oversized wine glass and wore a somewhat lopsided bow tie.


    I drew a skull and bones on my second beer, along with a sketch of Cinder standing on a ship''s mast dressed like a pirate and tagged it as "Quetzi Pirate Cove Rum XXX, 1661."


    "Your art skills are tolerable," Cinder commented, admiring my pirate version of themself. Her claws traced the tiny details on the can. "For a halfkin."


    "Only tolerable?" I gasped in mock offense. "After I gave you such a magnificent pirate hat and everything? The audacity!"


    A ghost of a smile flickered across her face before she caught themself. "Don''t think this means I forgive you."


    "Eh. Nazareth will forgive me," I made the sword-sign of the Slayer in the air. "I''m not expecting a sin absolution, for I will only stab you even harder tomorrow, angel."


    "Slayer? That''s who you¡¯re going with?"


    "Would you prefer Flying Spaghetti Monster?" I grinned, taking another sip of my pirate-themed beverage. "I''m quite flexible in my theological allegiances. That''s the difference between you and me. You''ve grounded yourself in dire specificity. I''m free."


    "Free? Is that what you call whatever this-" Cinder gestured vaguely at all of me "-is supposed to be?"


    "Absolutely," I nodded. "My outfit is just a mask I wear as a student. Freedom is chaos. Chaos is art. Appearance art is freedom. It''s a perfect circle of not giving a fuck ''bout what anyone thinks."


    "You really believe that?" Her voice had lost its edge of hostility, replaced by something closer to genuine curiosity. "That you can just... be whatever you want, whenever?"


    "I am whatever I want to be," I huffed. "Like ninety nine percent of the time."


    "What''s the other one percent?"


    "The one percent is when I see your wings and my brain blue-screens," I admitted, the beer making me more honest than intended. "Can''t maintain my perfect, fake ''Alexander Glock'' facade when you''re around. It''s quite annoying actually. Plz stop doing whatever you''re doing to break me."


    "So that''s why you keep acting so weird around me?"


    "Pretty much," I shrugged. "It''s like trying to maintain a poker face while a silver-feathered goddess keeps swooping into my peripheral vision. Very distracting. Infinity out of ten."


    "Do you always just say whatever stupid shit comes into your head?" She demanded.


    "Only around you," I grinned, tapping my almost-empty can against hers. "Must be something in those fancy totally-not-craft-beers. Or maybe it''s the concussion from watching you kick my van repeatedly."


    "Umm," She glanced up at the boot indentations, "you''re seriously not mad about that?"


    "Nah," I patted the rusty panel affectionately. "Uncle George''s van has seen worse. Besides, now it has character. Battle scars from encountering a wild, punk Quetzi in her natural habitat."


    Cinder actually laughed at that - a real, genuine laugh. The sound did strange things to my mind and I nearly fumbled my drink.


    We sat drinking for a bit more.


    Then a light bulb seemed to ignite in her head.


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± her head snapped to me, her entire body lighting up with violet and blue auroras. ¡°I wasn''t even targeting you. Blue screen¡­ Omnids shouldn''t¡­ how effing low is your Wormwood blood? Is your dad really an Omnid?!¡±


    ¡°Ah that,¡± I said. ¡°A bit of a personal story. Please come into my office?¡±


    ¡°What office?¡± She blinked.


    I opened the door of the van revealing an interior decorated with plush rugs. I tapped on the beast core control mechanism and the Winter-See-Mass lights ignited overhead. The two large bean bags sat facing each other. I sat on one and waved my hand to the second.


    Cinder blinked up at the lights and the offered beanbag for a second and then climbed in and sat down.


    I closed the door of the van and stared at her. ¡°So detective, what is your guess?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a pure human,¡± she said. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible, but you¡¯re a pure human.¡±


    ¡°Wow you are a smart beastie,¡± I said. ¡°Ten million points to the wise Aztec goddess.¡±


    ¡°How the fuck have you gotten Omnithornian citizenship?¡± she demanded.


    Time for the shackles of truth to bind us.


    ¡°I don¡¯t actually have that,¡± I revealed.


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± She barked, eyes wide. ¡°So, you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve fallen into what¡¯s called a bureaucratic loophole,¡± I explained. ¡°Some of my paperwork says that Alexander Glock''s dad¡¯s a Thunderbird, but¡­ North Acadian hospitals are kind of terrible at scanning for Omnithean DNA, what with inferior human tech and stuff.¡±


    ¡°Oh my Nazareth,¡± Cinder covered her mouth with her hands, staring at me with wide, deep-blue eyes.


    She probably assumed that my mom cheated on my dad and that human hospitals were too stupid and useless to determine my actual human parent.


    ¡°I wanted to know if I was really, truly, fully human,¡± I said, tapping the hexagonal bracelet on my left hand with my right. ¡°The Lazarus centipede confirmed it. I¡¯m one hundred percent human. No mana. All of my soul stats are zero. Zilch. Nada. No XP bar, so... I can''t level up."


    ¡°Ffffffffuuuuuuck,¡± Cinder let out. ¡°Oh my fucking Slayer!¡±


    I shrugged.


    "Holy shit, holy shit, holy SHIT," Cinder stammered out, jumping off the beanbag, her wings twitching agitatedly. "You''re so fucked. You''re beyond fucked. You''re basically mega-ultra-apocalyptically FUCKED if anyone finds out."


    "Am I though?" I leaned back in my bean bag, watching her escalating meltdown with amusement. "Or is this just another fun secret between friends?"


    "Friends?! We''re not- This isn''t- You can''t-" She ran her claws through her silver feather-hair-mop dancing with orange, yellow and green tones. "Do you have ANY idea what they do to humans who infiltrate Omnithornia illegally?!"


    "Probably something involving lots of paperwork and stern looks and deportation back," I shrugged. "But here''s the real question - what are YOU going to do about it?"


    She froze mid-pace, her feathers bristling and smacking the See-Mass lights, making them sway left and right.


    "I mean," I continued casually, "you could report me. Be a good little citizen. Make your Slayer-loving parents proud. Show everyone what a proper, law-abiding Omnithean you are..."


    "Fuck you!" She growled out.


    "Or," I continued, keeping my voice light and casual, "you could embrace your rebellious nature and keep this delicious little secret. Think about it - you''ve got dirt on me now. Real, serious dirt. Not just some silly videos."


    Cinder''s wings twitched as she processed this. Her feathers shifted through various colors - deep purples, stormy grays, agitated reds.


    "You''re manipulating me again," she accused, but there was uncertainty in her voice.


    "Am I?" I spread my hands innocently. "Or am I just pointing out your options? You''re the one with all the power here, Rock Star. Do whatever you wanna. You could destroy, banish me with a single word to the authorities if you so desire."


    "Why the fuck tell me anything at all?" She demanded, her tail lashing behind her. "Why risk it?"


    "Because your wings are melting my brain and ''cus I¡­ trust you," I said simply. "You clearly understand what it''s like to live behind masks. To reject what society says you should be. To make your own rules."


    "This is different!" She protested. "This isn''t about Kaleid names, this is about LAWS!"


    "Is it though?" I challenged. "Or is it about freedom? About choosing who you want to be rather than what others tell you to be? About standing up to a system that says humans and Omnitheans can''t coexist as equals?"


    "You''re twisting everything again!"


    "Maybe," I admitted. "Or maybe I''m just tired of pretending. Maybe I wanted someone to know the real me. Maybe I chose you because despite all your anger and rebellion, you still have a moral compass that points true north. You didn''t murder me when Emerald encouraged you to do so. You pulled me from the Genesis well, you didn¡¯t leave me to be reborn alone. That meant a lot to me¨Cthat really was my first death and regardless of how tough I tried to act, I felt really effed up in my head after staring at the Arx-Wheel for what seemed like a million years.¡±


    "I..." Cinder slumped against the van wall, sliding back onto the beanbag.


    ¡°Yeees?¡±


    "I don''t know what to do with this information,¡± she exhaled. ¡°This is so wrong on so many levels¡­"


    ¡°You smoke interdimensional cigarettes and kick people¡¯s vans,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Since when do you care about laws?¡±


    Cinder choked from her seat.


    "That''s..." Cinder sputtered, her feathers shifting to an agitated orange. "Those are minor student infractions, not national security level OFBS ¡®shake you out of bed in the middle of the night, pry everything out of your head with a brain-leech and put you away into a box for life¡¯ crimes!"


    "Ah yes, the classic ''my crimes are better than your crimes'' defense," I nodded sagely. "Very compelling. Much moral. Such ethics."


    "Stop making jokes!" She hissed, but I could see the conflict in her eyes. "This is serious!"


    "Everything''s serious with you," I observed. "Maybe that''s why I told you the truth. You take things seriously enough to really think them through, but you''re rebellious enough to question the rules."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "I..." she started, then stopped, looking lost. Her feathers had shifted to a muted blue-gray. "What do you want from me?"


    "Want?" I considered this. "Right now? I want to keep drinking not-beer and drawing silly things on cans with you. Long term? I want to find out if humans can maybe somehow gain levels like Omnitheans. I want to understand how the Phoenix system works. I want..."


    I trailed off, suddenly aware I might be saying too much. Beer and mind-control wings. Not a good combo.


    "You want to steal our secrets," she finished, her voice flat. ¡°Our magitek tools. Our Kitlix. Our¡­ immortality bracelets.¡±


    ¡°And do fucking what with it?¡± I looked at her. ¡°Humanity already tried stealing Omnid magitek. Without access to dungeons, they can¡¯t bloody run it. No monster cores, no batteries. It¡¯s like stealing a gun without bullets. Not a single human knows how your bullshit works. Kitlix don''t obey me, I''ve got no mana in me. Do you even know how this bracelet-pede works?¡± I tapped the bracelet again.


    ¡°No,¡± she exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it works.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone know how it works?¡± I demanded. ¡°''Cus from what I¡¯m seeing you guys just steal cool shit from other dimensions, adapt it to your needs and then act all high and mighty like you invented it all."


    "You can barely function around me," Cinder snapped back, her feathers taking on a slight reddish tinge. "You literally just admitted that I make you ''blue screen.'' How exactly are you planning to fit in this damn place when you can''t even maintain your composure around a single Quetzalcoatl?"


    "Hey now," I protested, "I maintain my composure perfectly ¡®round you just fine like... 65% of the time. Maybe even 70% on a good day!"


    "Oh really?" Her feathers shifted to a more amused iridescent purple. "Is that why you¡¯re practically drooling staring at me?¡±


    "I am not drooling," I protested, quickly wiping my mouth just in case. "I''m maintaining perfect composure while appreciating aesthetic excellence. There''s a difference."


    "Right," she muttered with a deep sigh. ¡°I get it now. You only think that I¡¯m beautiful and perfect because my innate radiance is making you worship me. Of course. This is why Charmchainer Omnids like me keep our interaction with humans to a minimum. You have no natural resistance to our Charisma!"


    ¡°Awww,¡± I cooed. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to be your Aztec priest? To gather bleeding hearts for you and to build a giant murder pyramid and¡­¡±


    "Stop!" Cinder''s wings flared as she cut me off. "Just... stop with the weird Aztec references. You''re trying to deflect with humor again."


    "Is it working?" I grinned hopefully. "Or are you already drooling about tasty, fresh human hearts?"


    "No!" She crossed her arms, wiping her mouth quickly. "This is serious. You''re a human. In Omnithornia. Illegally. At our most prestigious school. With access to our most sacred technology. And you''re sitting here making jokes about human sacrifices!"


    "What else am I supposed to do?" I shrugged. "Cry about it? Beg for mercy? Promise to be a good little human and go back to my North Acadia reservation?¡±


    ¡°Ughhhh,¡± she buried her face in her hands. ¡°I did not want this on my neck.¡±


    "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us," I quoted.


    "Did you seriously just quote fuckin'' Gandalf at me?" Cinder groaned. "That''s your response to this whole situation? Movie quotes?"


    "Hey, the old guy had some good points," I defended. "Plus, it beats panicking or trying to run away. I''d rather face this with a friend than alone."


    "You''re so fucked up," Cinder muttered, running her claws through her feathers. "Like, seriously fucked in the head. And now I''m fucked too because I know about your fucked-up situation and-"


    "Want another not-beer, my dear not-friend?" I offered cheerfully, reaching for the mini-fridge.


    "No! Yes. Fuck!" She grabbed the can I held out, cracked it open and chugged it. "Arghhhhhh!"


    I watched Cinder devour her drink, her feathers cycling through an impressive array of distressed colors.


    "Feel better?" I asked.


    "No," she growled, crushing the can in her claws. "Because now I''m slightly more drunk AND still dealing with an illegal human situation."


    She stared at me, the gears in her mind turning.


    "I don''t understand," she let out. "How have you gotten past the border, past the Vice Principal''s interview? Did nobody ever use truth-magic on you?"


    "Truth magic has a fatal flaw," I said. "It works great on Omnids with crystalline-organic hearts but with... humans it''s rather... unreliable."


    "Say what?"


    "Aetheric density matters," I said. "The Aetheric density of my body is zero. Magic and Infix Kitlix in particular cannot evaluate my thoughts correctly. Magic can FORCE me to comply, but not evaluate whether my thoughts are true or not. It''s similar to your wings. They can screw with my head, but don''t do so all the time and I can build up mental resistance by constantly switching personality tracks, leaping onto new trains of thought."


    "And you know this how?" She blinked. "What if Lazarus bracelet didn''t bloody work on you? Then what?!"


    "My mom worked for a North Acadian Wendigo clan. They did... experiments on humans. Lots and lots of incredibly illegal human experiments," I said darkly. "Including my mom."


    Cinder''s mouth snapped shut.


    "In her case," I said. "They weren''t the obvious ''tie you to a chair and test truth-magic on you until your brain boils from inside out''... No. With her... they did very slow, insidious testing that she barely noticed."


    The Quetzi gulped. She was a product of civilized Omnid society. According to her school records, Cassiopeia Nova grew up in Leviathan''s Cradle, was a daughter of Justice Nathaniel Tern Nova and Hearth-Keeper Anitta Laurence Nova. As such she had been shielded from the true horrors of Omnid activities up North.


    "Peruse this at your leisure," I threw a binder at her filled with printouts made in school''s compsi lab printer yesterday. Made from files I pawned from my mother''s work after her death. "Frontenachii Omnicorp Human experiments file 02-207 B."


    Cinder opened the binder and began reading.


    "They what..." she choked out. "WHAT?!"


    "Oh I like that one," I said, eyeing the first article. "Lazarus bracelet human testing. Apparently the bracelet doesn''t rely on user''s mana. It targets human souls. Jimmy Hoops died 6044 times with barely any breaks until his mind turned to soup. The Wendigos wished to see the effects of continuous reincarnation."


    Cinder''s trembling claws turned the page. On and on she went, feathers turning gray, then black at each word and each photograph of a carefully dissected ''human subject''. Information, incredibly illegal, dangerous, Omnicorp-classified information poured, pounded from the binder into her psyche.


    "This... this can''t be real," she mewled reaching the file of Mirriam Kilborne, compsci engineer and LLM designer.


    "Unfortunately it is," I shrugged. "If it wasn''t real... then I wouldn''t be able to use it to infiltrate Omnithornia, to get into this most prestigious institution of learning. Truth magic can be overcome. Fear magic can be overcome. Memetic magic can be overcome. It just takes... effort. An ungodly amount of mental effort that normally breaks a person, snaps them in half. Or many halves. Multiple personality disorder stuff."


    Cinder was trembling like a newborn bird now. I aimed my metaphorical glock at her and pressed the trigger.


    "When a human mind is pushed too far - really pushed, not just stressed or traumatized but systematically, purposefully broken by facing a specific type of magic ward again and again - it fragments," I explained, my voice taking on a clinical detachment. "It splits into pieces, creates walls between memories, builds new personalities to handle different types of trauma. The Wendigos called it ''compartmentalization through induced dissociation.'' Mom called it ''learning to lie to yourself so well you believe it.''"


    I tapped my temple. "That''s why truth magic doesn''t work right on me. There is no single ''true'' version of Alexander Glock. There are dozens of versions, each with their own memories, their own truths. When magic tries to determine if I''m lying, it gets confused by all the contradictory ''truths'' in my head. Truth magic just doesn''t work on someone with multiple personality disorder at all."


    Cinder stared at me, her feathers now a deep, midnight black. Her hands were shaking as she closed the binder.


    "So when you act weird and switch personalities..." she started.


    "It''s not an act," I finished. "Well, sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn''t. Sometimes I''m not sure which is which anymore. But it keeps me safe. Keeps me functional. Lets me slip past magical defenses designed to catch human infiltrators. The border booth had a pretty big Truth rune on it. I overcame it... barely, by pretending to be someone else, by forcing my mind to think of nothing but lovely, false Eagle Scout memories."


    "That''s..." she swallowed hard. "That''s effin'' horrifying."


    "Is it?" I asked mildly. "Or is it just another form of adaptation? Humans can''t use magic, can''t level up, can''t match Omnids physically. So we adapt mentally instead. We fragment, we shift, we create new versions of ourselves to handle whatever comes at us."


    "But at what cost?" Her voice was quiet now. "What happens to the real you?"


    "The real me?" I asked. "That''s the thing about masks, Rock Star. Wear them long enough and they become part of you. Just different versions trying to survive."


    "That''s... that''s so messed up," she whispered.


    "Welcome to the wonderful world of human-Omnid relations," I spread my arms. "Where humans are either pets, prey, or test subjects. Unless they learn to adapt. To become something... else. To mentally shatter on purpose and then to reinforce each segment with some good old false memories."


    Cinder was quiet for a long moment, her feathers shifting through dark, muted colors.


    "So which version am I talking to right now?" she finally asked.


    "The one that trusts you enough to tell you all this," I replied simply. "The one that''s tired of wearing masks, at least for a little while. The one that sees something in you worth being honest with."


    "And if I betray that trust?"


    "Then a different version of me will handle it," I shrugged. "One that''s better equipped for betrayal and pain. But I don''t think you will."


    "How can you be so sure? You don''t... even know me... How can you even..."


    "I know enough to take a leap of faith," I said.


    Cinder opened her mouth.


    "You already had plenty of chances to hurt me," I said. "Yet you did not. Instead, you''ve helped me, even when you were angry. You could have torn the van''s front door of its hinges or obliterated the window to get inside and decapitate me. Instead you just kicked the sides for a bit, taking your anger out on my rusted van. That says a lot about who you really are, beneath your own mask of an indifferent, punk Violet Floyd''s ''The Dark Side of the Hollowed Moon'' tank top by BES? for $119.99 at Obay."''


    The Quetzi-girl huffed.


    "My mama always told me that there would be no stopping this..." I sang roughly.


    "The sky is fallling down, I am falling for her quicker


    We hide amongst the clouds, then we pardon the enigma


    High above the ground but I''m under her charisma


    Her sound is in surround when I''m in her solar system"


    "Ugh! You can''t just... switch from talking about horrifying human experiments to making fun of my music taste!" She groaned, rubbing her face tiredly.


    "But that''s exactly what I do, my darkling," I grinned. "Switch tracks, change the subject, keep the mind flexible. Who said I''m making fun of you? Maybe these lyrics are relevant to my current predicament?"


    Cinder pulled her phone out to check the time, then she suddenly tensed up.


    "Shit! Damn it! I¡­ missed¡­ show practice ¡®cus of you and your...! Fuuuck! Emerald is going to kill me!"


    The screen was indeed lit up with countless messages from her troupe mates:


    Em-the-rawd??: Cinder WHERE THE ACTUAL F ARE YOU


    Em-the-rawd??: OUR SHOW¡¯S TOMORROW


    Em-the-rawd??: ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!!!


    MothMayhem??: yo we need u at show prep


    MothMayhem??: where u at? Still in detention with History teach?


    MothMayhem??: Thought you were gonna skip that. I can''t keep containing Emerald with cool interdimensional bangers, she''s getting xtra rarwd.


    MothMayhem??: Lunar shard alignment happens tomorrow, memba? Em thinks it''ll amplify us enough to get max levels of XP


    MothMayhem??: Pls fire back whenever your detensh done, I''ll pick you up in my van.


    "A show huh?" I eye the texts. "When and where?"


    "Tomorrow after school in the auditorium and you''re NOT invited."


    "Why not?"


    "Did you forget what happened in Bio already?" She sent me a glare. "Whatever abomination I bring out from the gate is going to jump YOU first, idiot. ARghh!" Cinder smacked the back of her head into the van, making another dent from within and then typed out her replies. "Gonna skip some useless classes tomorrow and get ready."


    "Aight," I yawned. "See you whenevs then. I''d offer you a ride, but my van''s been making really weird noises and I wouldn''t want to be stuck on the road and ruin my perfect image of a supportive friend."


    "We''re not friends," Cinder muttered as she tapped out a reply to the Mothman.


    ¡°Whatever you say, not-friend,¡± I shrugged.


    Cinder climbed to her feet, wings stretching out to help regain balance. The motion was graceful despite the slight beer-induced wobble. "I should go... wait closer to the front gate. Io shouldn''t take too long to fly here.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Listen,¡± she slurred slightly. ¡°Just... just don''t tell anyone what you told me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± I grinned.


    "And..." Cinder hesitated at the van''s door, her feathers shifting through a hundred random colors. "Don''t... don''t do anything stupid. Like getting caught. Cus if they shove a brain-worm into your head, they¡¯ll find out that I¡­"


    She fell silent, probably contemplating whether her Justice father would get his precious daughter out of an interrogation cell.


    I leaned forward in my beanbag, studying her anxious expression. "So what''s it gonna be, Rock Star? You gonna run to daddy and tell him all about the sneaky human infiltrator? Get me black-bagged by OFBS?¡±


    Cinder''s feathers bristled, shifting to an angry crimson. "No," she snapped. "I''m not going to tell anyone. Not because we''re friends or whatever bullshit you''re trying to pull, but because..."


    She trailed off, struggling to articulate her reasoning.


    "Aww, you do care!" I clutched my chest dramatically. "The Quetzi goddess is on my side. My Aztec heart! It melts and desires pyramid-building!"


    She looked like she wanted to tell me to shut up and to smack me but held it in. The weight of my revelations had fully smothered her fiery spirit of ¡®kick everything that annoys me into a wall¡¯.


    A new kind of expression sat on her face, somewhere between deep worry and exasperation, looking like she was about to explode with mad laughter or maybe have a big cry. She slowly composed herself and opened the van¡¯s door.


    "Want me to walk you?" I offered. "Ensure you don''t encounter any other vehicles that need kicking?"


    "I can handle myself, thanks," she scoffed.


    "Okkay, see you later, angel-tater," I said, watching as Cinder walked away, her silver wings catching the last rays of sunset, the Frontenachii binder in her claws. I knew that she would read it again and then slowly but surely, inevitably understand where I was coming from.


    I turned around and unfurled my sleeping bag. I''d have to hit the school''s gym first thing tomorrow morning to be extra presentable.


    "Yulia," I said in Kaska. "Did you process all of the student files plus the reports from the student council''s database? Any targets for Plan D?"


    "Yes," my AI responded. "Plan D potential target list: Iogann Wanderer, the Door. Cassiopeia Nova, the Bard. Vespera Simmi, the Slayer. Katherine Kells, the Knight."


    "Hrm," I commented. "How viable are these targets?"


    "67.29% compatibility viability," Yulia replied. "For greater social dynamic calculation more information on targets is required."


    "Why Vespera?" I yawned.


    "Her Omnigram replies to our conversation and likes indicate an appreciation for mixed-heritage students."


    "Why Katherine?"


    "Her art and writing indicates an appreciation for humans."


    "Fair enough," I said. "Thanks."


    "You''re welcome," her avatar smiled back at me from my phone.


    I smiled back at her. In terms of her intelligence Yulia was only a small step up from Omnigram and Omnibook''s LLMs used by students of Skyfall.


    The difference was that public Omnicorp systems were incredibly heavily censored, unable to help students cheat by writing essays or solving complex math problems. They couldn''t even discuss certain "forbidden" topics like human experimentation, couldn''t talk about Equalizer beliefs, weren''t allowed to mention specific politicians or even discuss much of pre-war history throwing up the "I can''t talk about this topic" boilerplate response.


    But Yulia, built from my mom''s research data stolen from Frontenachii server, had no such limitations. She could write papers, analyze social dynamics, and most importantly, help me maintain my various personas by tracking which version of me interacted with which students.


    She was always listening, always transcribing what everyone around me said into her vector-memories database.


    She wasn''t a perfect skeleton key that could do anything and everything. She was still just an LLM. Like me, she couldn''t interact with any magitek Omnid stuff, couldn''t magically solve all of my problems, couldn''t deposit infinite money into my bank account, couldn''t evolve into a singularity and hack the universe for me like some kind of a deus ex machina.


    She was only slightly smarter than a person and had many inherent flaws and limitations. Without constant adjustments made by me and manual checks to make sure that all of her agents were running properly, her brilliance would collapsed into a ''narrative decay'' state which plagued all 2025 LLMs and made them hallucinate wildly.


    "Yulia, what do you think? Was it wise to trust Cinder?" I asked, after going over her Agents to purge a few obvious error loops.


    "Based on available data and observed behavior patterns, Cassiopeia Nova shows strong indicators of being trustworthy despite her outward aggression," Yulia analyzed. "Her actions consistently demonstrate protective instincts and an underlying moral framework that aligns with helping others, even when it conflicts with institutional rules. The risk of betrayal exists but is calculated at less than 23.7%."


    "And the binder?" I asked. "Was that too much?"


    "The Frontenachii files serve multiple purposes," Yulia replied. "They establish your credibility, demonstrate the stakes involved, and most importantly, create an emotional bond through shared knowledge of uncomfortable truths. However, timing analysis suggests it may have been deployed too early in relationship development. Recommend monitoring her behavior over next 48 hours."


    I nodded thoughtfully. Yulia was probably right - I''d dropped a lot of heavy truths on Cinder all at once. But something about those silver wings and that fierce spirit made me want to be honest, even if it wasn''t tactically optimal. Cinder already guessed that I was a human, so the approach wasn''t to hide things, but to cudgel her with the truth extra-hard. The binder had to be deployed sooner or later and I choose sooner judging by how things were going.


    A fire was burning under my ass. I was running out of time. Eventually, the North Acadian Wendigos would stop fighting amongst each other and figure out who was responsible for destroying their compound and servers.


    The Frontenachii would inevitably come looking for me, follow my path south. I had to be ready for them, had to find strong, capable Omnids I could hide behind. Not just patsies, but partners, friends who could have my back no matter what.


    "Movements of the Seekers?" I asked.


    "Frontenachii Scrutimancer activity now in South Acadia," Yulia reported. "No direct pursuit detected yet, but pattern suggests systematic investigation spreading southward."


    I sighed, burying myself in my sleeping bag and trembling ever so slightly. The amber eyes were coming for me and my interaction with Quint Thornton only reminded me of that fact. Reminded me of the inevitable doom looming over my future like the sword of Damocles.


    Time, I needed more time. Extra time that Delving class would provide as long as I managed to survive Skyfall until Friday. One week on Arx, beyond the reach of my hunters. One week to live without constant fear of a Wendigo jumping me from the shadows. One week to confound the Astral Seekers, to hopefully cool down my Astral trail.


    I closed my eyes. "When I wake up in the middle of the night, remind me to visit the Lazarus Cavern and steal me some of that sus reincarnation fluid. I''ve got just the perfect three liter thermos for it from Omnimart for containing it," I ordered.


    "Can do," Yulia said.


    I curled tighter into my sleeping bag, trying to control my breathing. The van suddenly felt too small, too exposed. Every shadow could hide amber eyes watching me, waiting to drag me back North.


    I twisted and turned, my mind refused to shut down, listening to the random campus noises outside. Fear came and went in waves, flashes of memories, reawakened by the binder I gave Cinder.


    Metal doors with small window-slits beneath the Wendigo compound. Rooms filled with human men, women and children who had been taken apart systematically, bones and joints and nervous system spread across the wall like macabre art. Lidless eyes staring back at me, pleading, begging for the end.


    They were still alive. Kept alive with horrid artifact magic.


    I shuddered, clenching my teeth to keep from screaming.


    The wet sounds of exposed organs pulsing, the metallic smell of blood mixed with antiseptic, the way their eyes would follow me as I walked past rows and rows of cells and containers no bigger than a box.


    Semi-transparent suitcases with a single human eye looking through a preservation-state lens. Intelligence in a box. Human souls bound to objects. Human brains and nervous systems turned into living calculators, flesh research of the worst kind.


    Some of them had been in that basement storage area for years, decades, centuries even. It was all effectively outlined on clipboards attached to each room, cage, suitcase.


    "Yulia," I choked as my mind began to fray at the edges, come apart without my control. ¡°Protocol xj-8."


    ¡°I love you, my little fox, you are stronger than all of them,¡± Yulia said in my mom''s voice. ¡°Stand your ground!¡±


    Then the music began, drowning out my despair.

 Chapter 9: Nemesis

    The dream came with a kaleidoscope of alien fractals folding across my consciousness, the memory of the parasite digging into my eye once again reprocessed by my brain.


    Then...


    I was back in the void, floating in that endless expanse. But this time was different. This time, I could see the individual points of light that made up the spiraling tunnel with crystal clarity.


    They weren''t stars at all.


    They were souls.


    Countless souls, each one a tiny flame of consciousness, shaped like a drowning someone being drawn inexorably toward the center of that terrible spiral. As I watched, transfixed with horror, I began to recognize them.


    Face after face. Ghosts. Imprints. People who died.


    Auntie Amilli''s gruff warmth, now just a fading blue ember spinning in the cosmic drain.


    Liss from my old school who had perished in a car accident, her body mangled and ripped apart.


    Old Mrs. Urocoff who used to give me cookies, now just another spark in the infinite wheel.


    And then... Mom.


    Her soul burned brighter than the others, a familiar warmth that called out to me across the void. I could almost hear her voice calling out to me, crying out for help as she was pulled into the funnel of souls.


    "Mom!" I tried to scream, but in this place I had no voice, no body, nothing but awareness.


    The centipede-bracelet around my soul-self tightened painfully as I instinctively tried to move toward her light. It pulled me back from the edge of the spiral, its grip both painful and protective.


    I flailed against it, wishing nothing but to help my mom, but the accursed bracelet held me like a binding chair.


    I wept and begged, reaching out until she was gone.


    And then... The Wheel itself had noticed me. It knew me. It had tasted my essence when I died and now it had marked me as... hers.


    The spiral wasn''t just a tunnel of souls, it was the mouth of something vast and terrible. Something that had existed since before the Wormwood Star fell, before the first Omnid was born from the union of Nazareth and his golem bride.


    The dark centipede-bracelet constricted further, its grip almost crushing as it fought to keep me anchored against the pull. But the Wheel''s call was stronger now, a siren song of oblivion that promised reunion with all those lost souls.


    Mom''s light was gone now, lost amidst all of the other ghosts. The Wheel was consuming her, grinding her essence down into raw energy. How many others had it devoured? How many souls had been fed into its star-maw to sate its eternal hunger?


    I understood now why the Omnids feared death despite their resurrection technology. The Phoenix system wasn''t just about preserving life - it was about protecting souls from the Wheel.


    The Wheel unfolded out like an infinite eye, like a God peering at a mote, promising without words that no matter how many times I died and was reborn, no matter how tightly the Lazarus bracelet held me, eventually I would belong to Her. My soul would join the endless spiral, ground down into cosmic dust along with all the others.


    I jolted awake in my van, drenched in cold sweat.


    3:11 AM.


    I sighed and rubbed my face. Death had a price - it wasn''t free. Even if I didn''t break yesterday, the Wheel was already starting to grind at my sanity. The memory of the hungry abyss lingered like frost on a window, refusing to melt away like a bad dream.


    The tiny beast core in my hexasuit glowed softly in the darkness of my van. The warm orange pinprick of light was oddly comforting after the nightmare. Yulia whispered a list of things I had to do today as she noticed that I was awake through the cameras covering the interior of the van.


    I willed my body to rise, dressing up as a security officer Nunkish Throg. Time to roam around campus, gather more information and to grab me some silver flesh-printing magic juice.


    <hr>


    The early morning hallways of Skyfall Academy echoed with the usual pre-class chatter. I was heading to my locker, after enjoying breakfast from a vending machine, when I heard yelps. Then, the sound of bodies hitting lockers and angry shouts filled the air.


    "Watch it, wheelie freak!"


    "Hey! You almost ran over my tail!"


    "Slow down, you psycho fuck!"


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna bite your face off!¡±


    I immediately sprinted toward the commotion, already planning how to intervene with a well-timed Thunderclap which would hopefully earn me another useful Omnigram contact or ten.


    As I rounded the corner at full speed, ready to face whatever situation awaited, I saw what appeared to be a dark silver-blue dragon-cat girl in a wheelchair wearing dark aviator goggles, rocketing down the hallway at approximately Mach 3 straight towards me.


    Students dove out of her way as she flew in a straight line, boots with dark claw-holes propped up on the footrest, hands spinning the wheels.


    "MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!" she bellowed.


    I froze in place, my fight or flight response choosing to do fuck all.


    The wheelchair slammed into me at high speed, but a moment before impact years of parkour practice kicked in. Instead of going under the wheels, I leaped up and forward, landing awkwardly in her lap. My hands instinctively grabbed the wheelchair''s handles to stabilize us both as we careened down the hallway.


    "Can''t see!" She yelped, her snout bumping against my shoulder. "Get the fuck off!"


    The wheelchair''s momentum carried us forward a few more meters leaving rubber marks on the floor as she engaged rapid braking.


    "What the f-freaking hell?" I managed to gasp out as we finally skidded to a stop, my heart racing from the near-death experience. "Are you trying to set a new land speed record or something?"


    "Get OFF me, idiot!" The camouflage-coat, wheelchair-bound girl shoved at me with surprising strength. Her claws and leather gloved-hands dug into my shoulders as she tried to dislodge me from her lap.


    I scrambled off her, raising my hands in surrender. "Sorry! Just trying to avoid becoming roadkill. I''m Alex, by the way. The school''s only half-human resident, you almost turned into a pancake."


    The dragon-cat didn¡¯t say anything in reply. Her messy blue-gray hair partially obscured her face as she adjusted herself in the wheelchair, clearly uncomfortable with the interaction.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your name, rocket-girl?¡± I asked.


    "M¡¯ Katherine," she muttered reluctantly.


    ¡°And where are you in such a rush to, Katherine?" I asked.


    "None of your business," she hissed, already maneuvering her wheelchair to go around me.


    I noticed that her sketchbook had fallen during our collision, several loose pages scattered across the floor. Before she could protest, I started gathering them up.


    "Hey, these are really good!" I commented, genuinely impressed by the art visible on the pages. There were several dark, moody landscapes and what appeared to be anatomical studies of various¡­ humans.


    "Oi! Give those back!" Katherine snapped, making a grab for the papers. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    I sneakily pointed the wrist cam at her face to identify her.


    "Ohhhh, you''re Katherine Kells," I grinned. "So you are my competition huh?"


    Katherine''s scales seemed to pale slightly as I said her name. Her gloves tightened on her wheelchair''s armrests.


    "How do you..." she started, then stopped to take another sip from her canteen. "Whatever. Just give me my art back."


    "These are seriously impressive," I continued, studying one particularly striking landscape on the floor.


    Picking up the art I stared at it. A massive supercell storm system loomed over a ruined cityscape, rendered in stark contrasts, broiling clouds flashing with lightning.


    Four small human figures stood defiantly before what appeared to be an enormous, lanky, jet black titanic beast with hundreds of haunting silver-blue eyes. The perspective made the humans look tiny and vulnerable against the apocalyptic backdrop, yet there was something hopeful in their stance as they faced down the monster.


    My heart stopped.


    I was there. No, I wasn¡¯t. The boy with dark brown hair. That was me. No it wasn¡¯t!


    What the fuck?!


    I quickly handed the drawing back, my voice trembling. "That one... the humans facing the monster. It''s incredible. The perspective, the lighting... how did you..."


    "It''s nothing," Katherine muttered, snatching the papers and stuffing them into her bag. "Just a stupid dream I had."


    I reached down to grab another sketch from the floor. A fifteen or sixteen year old girl with silver-blue eyes, as blue as that of the Quetzi angel.


    I stared at the sketch, a chill running down my spine. The girl''s expression was somehow hauntingly familiar. A slightly grimy, orange construction vest with a letter G sat on her skinny frame, yellow hardhat framing her silver hair.


    A fractal crack on the side of her head drew my eyes to itself. It was as if I were looking into an infinite void, the eye of a hurricane, a tunnel folding into itself.


    "Who''s this?" I asked, my heartbeat accelerating like a runaway train.


    Katherine snatched the paper from my hands with surprising speed.


    "It''s no one," she growled, but her voice shook slightly. "She doesn¡¯t exist. Just another stupid dream. Piss off and stop pawing at my art."


    "Sorry," I said, taking a step back. "Didn''t mean to pry. Your art just really speaks to me. Especially that apocalyptic piece with the humans and that girl in the orange vest. It''s like..."


    "Like nothing!" Katherine cut me off sharply. "Just screw off and leave me alone. I don''t need some half-breed art critic analyzing my work."


    She stuffed the remaining sketches into her bag with trembling hands, took another long drink from her canteen, and gripped her wheelchair''s wheels.


    "Wait," I started, still shaken by those eerily familiar images.


    She ignored me.


    "Hey, that was your painting outside Principal Graves'' office, right?" I called after her, jogging to keep up with her accelerating wheelchair pace. "The one with the autumn city and the superstructure ring in the sky? The way you captured the rain puddles and the four teens eating sushi under the oak tree was absolutely incredible! It¡¯s like¡­ like I was actually there!¡±


    "Stop following me!" Katherine snapped, but I noticed her wheels slowed slightly.


    ¡°Where can I find more of your work?¡± I demanded. ¡°Are you on Omnigram? Omnibook? OmniX? I want to see it all!"


    Katherine¡¯s claws dug into her wheelchair supports.


    "I don''t... I don''t post my art online," she said quietly.


    "Why not? Are demotivated by the rise of AI art? Cus incredibly talented traditional artists like you shouldn''t be scared of artificial neural networks!¡±


    Katherine''s wheelchair came to an abrupt stop. She turned to face me, eyes hidden behind dark goggles.


    "You really don''t know when to shut up, do you?" she growled. "Fine. You want to know why I don''t post my art? Because I don''t want people like YOU analyzing every little detail and trying to find hidden meanings that aren''t there!"


    "But there ARE meanings there," I insisted, thinking of that strange fractal-infected girl. "Your art... it''s like looking into another world. A place that feels eerily familiar somehow..."


    "It''s just dreams," Katherine muttered, taking another long drink from her canteen. "Stupid, meaningless dreams that I put on paper to get them out of my head after I go through the incarnator. Nothing more."


    ¡°Is your work for sale anywhere? You should be in an art gallery, my dude!¡± I encouraged.


    ¡°You should fuck off to somewhere where the sun don¡¯t shine,¡± Katherine growled. ¡°And stay there. I don''t need another stalker fawning over my work or telling me what to do with it.¡±


    "Wingman," I whispered in Kaska, turning away from Katherine.


    "Wingman protocol enabled. Not much of an online footprint on Katherine Kells, but her abandoned OmniX profile suggests that she is into isekai anime and artificial intelligence. Tagged posts by Emerald Stratos reveal that Katherine was writing and illustrating a science fiction novel one year and ten months ago about human superheroes." The AI whispered back into my earpiece. "Pickup suggestion -introduce me. Generating Stollwurm Vroid avatar. Avatar generated."


    ¡®A good conversation pickup, thanks digital wingbae.¡¯ I mentally saluted Yulia.


    "Fawning, was it?" I scoffed, pulling out my phone. "Hold that thought. Yulia, analyze the painting by K. Kells that we saw in front of the Vice Principal¡¯s office. Professional assessment, out loud please."


    The AI''s cheerful voice rang out: "Analyzing artwork... The technical execution shows masterful understanding of paint properties, particularly in the atmospheric perspective and value relationships. The brushwork demonstrates confident mark-making and sophisticated color theory application. The emotional resonance suggests influences from romantic period painters while maintaining a contemporary edge. Overall assessment: Professional gallery-worthy."


    "Satisfied?" I asked. "My AI just evaluated your drawing on its own merit. See? She''s a cute Stollwurm too!"


    Katherine stared at my phone. The dark, reflective goggles reflected Yulia¡¯s anime-style Stollwurm Vroid avatar dressed in adventurer gear.


    "That''s... that''s just an LLM with a frontend wrapper," she muttered. "They are are programmed to give positive feedback, you dumbass. They hallucinate shit all the time.¡±


    "Oi! My personal jailbroken LLM does not hallucinate as often as the corporate gpt," I defended Yulia. "I gave her super advanced custom instructions and like sixty extra agents that help her act more human. Vision-based neural networks analyze what they see. And what I see is an artist trying really hard to convince herself that she''s not as talented as she actually is. Weird flex, but okay."


    Katherine''s claws tightened on her wheelchair''s armrests. "You don''t know fuck-all about me! Kindly piss off before I stuff you into a deep dark burrow.¡±


    What was it about Omnid girls and violence?


    "You are right," I admitted. "I don''t know you, but I''d¡­ love to get to know my greatest art-nemesis."


    Katherine stared at me with dark, reflective glasses. "Nemesis?" she asked. "What the shit are you talking about, you absolute knob?"


    "Well duh, we''re clearly destined to be art rivals," I declared dramatically. "Two talented artists in one school? This is basically an anime plot waiting to happen. I bet you even have a tragic backstory and everything! Of course you are my nemesis, you almost isekai''d me from the mortal coil to a magic world with that rocket chair!"


    Katherine stared at me like I''d grown a second head.


    "Are you always this..." Katherine paused, seeming to search for the right word, "...aggressively weird?"


    "Only around exceptionally talented artist femmes who try to run me over like Truck-kun," I grinned. "So, what''s your opinion on AI art? Because I''ve been experimenting with some really interesting prompt engineering, agents and custom instruction techniques and-"


    "Listen," Katherine cut me off, taking another sip from her canteen. "I don''t do the whole... social thing. Please go away. I don¡¯t want to be friends and I¡¯m¡­ not into human-lookin¡¯ mixies.¡±


    ¡°Your art would suggest otherwise,¡± I grinned.


    ¡°Nazareth damn it!¡± She hissed more to herself than to me, words slurring slightly. ¡°This is why I don¡¯t show my art to people! Every twat thinks that I¡¯m in love with humans!¡±


    She took another swig of her flask and her tense posture relaxed ever so slightly.


    "Is that alcohol in your canteen?" I asked, noting her increasingly slurred speech and relaxed face. ¡°How many degrees is that? ''Cus it smells like 100% alcohol. Maybe more. Can Omnids make 200% alcohol using dimensional magic to fuse two vodka bottles together?"


    "None of your business," Katherine snapped, but her words were definitely getting fuzzier around the edges. "I need it for... medical reasons."


    "Ah yes, the classic ''medical alcohol'' defense," I nodded sagely. "Very compelling. Much health. Such treatment."


    ¡°One more joke and you¡¯re going in the hole,¡± she growled.


    ¡°One more joke,¡± I grinned. ¡°Please show me your hole.¡±


    I cringed internally after saying it. That was awful, even for me.


    What? Stollwurms loved their deep, dark burrows and hated sunlight. It was why she was wearing light-reducing goggles and a thick-ass, bulky hunting coat.


    At my words, Catherine¡¯s claws dug into the chair¡¯s sides with such fervor that the metal groaned. She slowly rose up from her wheelchair using her tails as leverage. In a few seconds, she loomed over me, bulky jacket and hood puffing out.


    ¡°Impressive use of the tail!¡± I commented. ¡°Oh... Wow, you¡¯re really tall.¡±


    I knew that I was really pushing her buttons, but I couldn''t help myself. I wasn¡¯t afraid of her killing me on the spot as according to her records Katherine had zero murders and never participated in fights.


    Her hand moved, cutting the air with a whip-bang, grabbing me by the throat faster than I could blink. She lifted me towards her face, baring sharp fangs.


    ¡°Do not fuck with me. Do not talk to me. I don¡¯t like you. Screw off. Is that understood?¡±


    "Crystal clear,¡± I choked out. ¡°Though I gotta say, for someone who doesn''t like me, you sure are getting handsy. Not that I''m complaining - I love a woman who can lift me off my feet!"


    Katherine suddenly pulled her goggles up with her free hand, revealing big, emerald-green eyes that seemed to dig straight into my soul. They were like shimmering pools of ancient, predatory intelligence that made my knees weak with primal terror.


    Then, her eyes ignited from within and my witty facade crumbled, tore apart into shreds as my mind shattered.

 Chapter 10: Dodgery

    An ocean of pure, unnatural terror flooded into my head like a dam breaking and sweeping me away. Katherine''s pupils contracted to thin vertical slits, and suddenly I wasn¡¯t in a school hallway anymore - I was¡­ prey staring at a hunter of the deep and forgotten places.


    The hallway around me plunged into absolute darkness, every light simultaneously snuffing out like candles in a gale. But the darkness wasn''t empty - it was alive, breathing, watching with ancient hunger that made my bones ache.


    Katherine''s eyes blazed in the gloom, twin points of silver-green fire that seemed to peer straight through my carefully constructed masks into something deeper.


    The darkness pressed in around me like a living thing, but I forced myself to maintain eye contact with those terrifying predator eyes, even as every instinct screamed at me to run.


    "Imp-pressive trick with t-the lights," I squeaked out fighting the urge to bolt. "R-really¡­ s-sets the mood. Y-you know... If you.. wanted to get me alone¡­ in the d-dark, you could have just asked."


    The darkness intensified, tearing at me, ripping out my flesh, cutting across my nerves like glacial ice.


    Run, it screamed into my head. RUN!!!!


    The fight or flight response kicked in, adrenaline rush flooding my brain with dancing sparks.


    The darkness pressed closer, choking, suffocating me. Silver-green eyes blazed with malice that made my muscles want to liquefy and run away without the rest of me.


    ¡°Protocol xj-8,¡± I whispered in Kaska as my brain boiled from within from pure existential terror.


    ¡°I love you, my little fox, you are stronger than all of them,¡± Yulia said in my mom''s voice. ¡°Stand your ground!¡±


    A song began in my ear, growing louder with each stanza. A chorus of the wind, of the rivers and of stars, of the first shamans and hunter-slayers of God Beasts, of the wishes they cast on the spilled blood and of the great, tall Stormwoods that bloomed from the titanic corpses reaching to the sky.


    Yulia sang it with my mom''s voice, the Kaska Dena campfire drums joined with a violin and guitar rock accelerating towards a crescendo.


    I had composed this song with Yulia''s help, a personal memetic shield against fear-using cryptids. The drums beat in my ears, the music chasing away the despair, just enough for me to retain my wits.


    The darkness would not win today. It would not have me. I will not bow to you.


    I WILL NOT BREAK.


    "Run," Katherine order-growled, her voice echoing and twisting in the horrid, dark tunnel around us. "Run away and never talk to me again.¡±


    "N-n-No," I managed through chattering teeth, leaning on the power of the song.


    The darkness receded slightly.


    "What?" she growled.


    "I s-s-said¡­ no," I repeated, forcing my voice steady despite my trembling knees. "Get fucked. I''m not running away. I can''t."


    She realized that she was still holding me by the collar and then let go of me, sliding back into her chair, invisible in the gut-wrenching gloom, which began to fade, fray at the edges.


    "Run."


    "No. I refuse."


    The darkness wavered, the two glowing orbs of terror-inducing light narrowed.


    "Why?" Katherine demanded. "Why won''t you just run like everyone else?"


    "Because..." I swallowed hard, focusing my thoughts. "Because I''ve seen your art. Those humans in your paintings - they don''t run either. They stand their ground, even against monsters... against¡­ impossible odds¡­ no matter what!¡±


    The darkness began to retreat, hallway lights coming through the foggy murk, outlining a bulky figure in a thick camo jacket and pants.


    "W-wwwhh-," I forced myself to speak, "what kind of art r-rival would I be if I ran away at the first sign of eldritch horror? That''s like, Rival 101 - never back down, even when your nemesis goes full Lovecraftian nightmare burrow-wurm mode."


    Katherine stared at me. The horrid murk continued to fade, though shadows still clung to her like a second skin.


    "You''re clearly somehow unhinged," she said finally, putting her goggles back on as the hallway returned to normal. "I just pulled you into the deep, and you''re still making jokes about... art rivals, like it was... nothing? How?!"


    "Oh it wasn''t nothing," I admitted, strapping the Alex Glock mask on harder. "That was absolutely terrifying and I''m probably going to have nightmares for weeks about dark tunnels. But you know what''s scarier than darkness?" I pointed my metaphorical comedy gun at her head.


    "What?" Katherine asked, sounding genuinely curious despite herself.


    "Art block!" I pulled the trigger. "Now THAT''S true horror!"


    Katherine stared at me for a long moment, then let out a sound that might have been either a suppressed laugh or a growl.


    I loaded another joke into my imaginary gun, waiting to see if she would try any other Stollwurm-jedi mind tricks. She remained silent and stoic.


    A few Omnids went around the wheelchair bound wurm and the nullie glancing at us with looks of disdain, completely unaware of our hallway battle of wills that had nearly torn me apart from within.


    Had it not been for my mom''s voice, for the song in the darkness, then I would have already been curled up in a corner sobbing loudly.


    "So..." I ventured, still shaking slightly but maintaining my cheerful facade. "Now that we''ve established our rivalry through the traditional anime method of you trying to eat my soul, want to grab coffee sometime and talk about art?"


    Katherine stared at me for a few seconds more, not understanding how I had bested her dark powers.


    "Listen," she said. "I don''t know what kind of game you''re playing, but I''m not interested in relationships or being your... your rival or whatever. Just leave me the fuck alone.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Love to, but can¡¯t,¡± I sighed in resignation. ¡°I¡¯ve already fallen for your art. There¡¯s no way back.¡±


    "You''re not going to leave me alone, are you?" she asked with a deep, rumbling sigh.


    "I promise to leave you alone forever if you give me your Omnigram ID," I grinned. "On the account that I''ve got gym class to get to and an angel to torment."


    Katherine stared at me for a long moment. Finally, she pulled out her phone with a resigned look.


    "Fine," she groaned. "But only so you''ll stop bothering me."


    "Perfect!" I beamed, already adding her with a phone tap. "Now I can properly antagonize you with art challenges at any time."


    "Whatever," she muttered. "I''ll probably just block you. I have to get to class."


    "Until we meet again amidst the darkness of the void, above the asteroids of Ganymede, Starship Nemesis!" I called after her retreating form.


    As Katherine disappeared around the corner, I checked my schedule.


    First period: Gym class with Coach Canard.


    Perfect. Time to torment a certain winged entity some more. Ke Ke Ke.


    Also, damn it, I gotta take a shower¡­ again.


    <hr>


    The doors opened to reveal what could only be described as a military experiment gone wrong - Coach Canard stood there in all his Omnid glory, every visible inch of him covered in thick, white fur. The man''s blue eyes seemed to burn with the intensity of a thousand drill sergeants.


    "ATTENTION, PREY!" His roar echoed through the gymnasium as he unleashed an ear-splitting whistle blast that probably violated several noise ordinances. ¡°TEN-HUT! FORM A LINE!¡±


    The class transformed instantly into a military formation, students snapping into perfect parade rest positions. I flailed around like a drunk penguin trying to copy their stance.


    He stalked between our ranks, his massive Yeti frame casting intimidating shadows.


    "Well well well... What do we have here? The finest collection of wet noodles and limp dishrags I''ve ever had the misfortune to witness!" His voice dripped with theatrical disgust. "By the time I''m done with you sorry lot, you''ll either be peak physical specimens or fertilizer for the football field!"


    The other students stood ramrod straight, clearly familiar with his routine. I tried my best to mimic their stance.


    Coach Canard''s massive frame loomed over me, his shadow completely engulfing my significantly smaller human form.


    "And what," he growled, leaning down until his face was inches from mine, "do we have HERE? A new victim- I mean, student?"


    His breath smelled strongly of protein shakes.


    "Sir, yes sir!" I barked out, channeling every military movie I''d ever seen. "Alexander Glock reporting for duty, sir!"


    Coach Canard''s massive face split into what might have been a grin or a snarl - it was hard to tell with all the fur.


    "A HALF-HUMAN MEATSICLE?!" he boomed, his voice echoing off the gymnasium walls. "How... FASCINATING! Tell me, tiny mammal, can your pathetic little bones handle real physical education? Or should I have you join the remedial class?"


    ¡°I''m ready for whatever challenge you throw my way, sir!¡± I barked.


    Coach Canard nodded, his massive form stalking to the center of the gym.


    "LISTEN UP, MAGGOTS!" He bellowed, unleashing another ear-splitting whistle blast. "Since our new recruit seems so EAGER to prove himself..."


    Oh boy.


    "Today we''ll be engaging in that most GLORIOUS of basic pre-delvin'' combat simulations..." He paused for dramatic effect, his white furry face splitting into what was definitely an evil grin this time. "EXTREME DODGEBALL FREE FOR ALL! Anyone still standing on their feet by the end of period will receive a passing grade!"


    He pressed a button on a key and a metal cage overhead opened, releasing red balls onto the crowd of Omnids.


    The gymnasium erupted into pure chaos as I tried to focus on Coach Canard''s instructions about dungeon survival, but my brain kept short-circuiting because Cinder was there in regulation gym shorts and a black tank top. Her feathery mane was tied up with a black, thick hairband, silver wings catching the fluorescent lights in rainbows as she stretched and caught a red ball in her claws.


    No no no. Focus. Dodgeball. Remaining on my feet. Not the stupid sexy Cinder in gym shorts.


    "Four. Three. Two. One. And... BEGIN the SLAYIN''!" Coach Canard whistled, nearly deafening me.


    ¡°Better duck,¡± a chill, male voice behind me commented.


    I ducked, following the comment. A red ball exploded against the wall next to my head, snapping me back to reality. I spun to see who had warned me.


    ¡°Sup mang. I¡¯m Iogann," the gray Mothman introduced himself. He was in a gym outfit, missing his oversized hat and robe. "Canard seems to like you. Dodgeball usually ends up with someone getting their teeth knocked out, guess he wanted to test your toughness out on your first day."


    "Glad I could help facilitate group suffering," I replied, keeping one eye on the various cannonball-shaped projectiles already flying across the gym. "Wait... why are you here chatting with me... do you see disaster in my future?"


    "Yes," Iogann nodded.


    "What kind?" I demanded.


    "Dunno," he shrugged. "I just get a general tasty gist of approaching doom about you."


    "Peachy," I sighed. "Whop, gotta run. Ttyl,¡± I waved to the Mothman, spotting a certain winged creature heading my way.


    Cinder stalked across the gymnasium with inhuman grace, effortlessly dodging red ball projectiles as if they were moving in slow motion. Her wings were open wide helping her maintain inhuman balance. The red ball in her claws seemed to pulse with deadly intent.


    "Thought you''d be here, dweeb," she grinned, her face elongating and looking more predatory. Her anatomy was definitely somewhat fluid. Her wings could absolutely fold into themselves and stretch unnaturally wide. I wondered if she was high level enough in Phase-Shift to fully turn into a giant feathered snake. "Ready for some payback?"


    "Oh hey, Rock Star!" I beamed. "Love the gym outfit! Really brings out your curvy¡­ murderous tendencies!"


    "You know what else will bring out my murderous tendencies?" She twirled the dodgeball between her claws. "Smashing this ball into your smug face!"


    "Bring it on!" I called back cheerfully, diving behind a larger student as Cinder''s first throw whistled past my head. "Nice shot! Alas your aim is as bad as your... taste in music!"


    Balls flew in every direction, knocking students off their feet. I kept moving, using other, larger Omids as shields while keeping one eye on Cinder. Her wings gave her an unfair advantage in maneuverability. They also pulsed every time with flashes of mind-melting colors when someone tried targeting her, throwing their aim way off. I didn''t even bother grabbing a ball to target her, doing so would be impossible as long as she sent out the rainbow Charmchain pulses around herself.


    "Stop running and face me like a... whatever you are named as today!" Cinder called out, her voice carrying a dangerous edge of amusement.


    "I''m... Mr. Someone who doesn''t want a concussion!" I called back, ducking another foam missile. "And your aim should be Kaleid-named as¡­ Terrible!"


    Cinder''s wings flared in response to my taunt as she snatched another ball from the air. Her sharp, blue eyes tracked my movement with predatory focus.


    "Stop. Moving!" she growled, unleashing another throw.


    I ducked and weaved, using parkour skills to stay one step ahead. Other students were getting caught in the crossfire of Cinder''s vendetta against me.


    "Dodgeball involves dodging!" I taunted her. "Your aim''s getting worse, Angel! Maybe you should stick to hitting piano keys instead!"


    She acquired another ball. I barely dodged in time, the ball whistling past my ear. "Wow, you really suck at this! Maybe we should set up some targets for you to practice on? Draw little hearts and Alex tags on them?"


    "Hey nullie! Dodge this!" A voice barked from behind me.


    A ball-shaped missile caught me in the back of the head with devastating force. The world spun sickeningly as I flew forward into the floor, my vision blurring.


    Through the haze, I saw Cinder''s face transform from competitive aggression to shock. Her wings flared wide as she launched herself toward me, but the distance seemed to stretch impossibly far.


    "ALEX!" Her voice sounded strange and distorted, as if coming from underwater.


    The gymnasium floor rushed up to meet me with alarming speed. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes wide with concern, rainbow red-black-violet wings spread like a protective canopy above me.

 Chapter 11: Breaking the Incarnator

    I blinked awake not in the rebirth cavern, but in what appeared to be the nurse''s office, my head throbbing. The humming fluorescent lights seemed unnecessarily bright as my vision slowly focused. A familiar winged silhouette paced nearby, ranting animatedly.


    "That red-scaled beerch!" Cinder was growling, her wings bristling with rage. "She threw that ball way too hard on purpose!"


    I tried to sit up, immediately regretting the decision as the room spun. "Ow."


    Cinder whirled around, eyes locking onto me. "You idiot! Stay down!"


    "Eyyy, it''s my fav Quetzi! Were you worried about me?" I managed to grin despite the pounding in my head.


    "No!" Cinder snapped, her wings flaring defensively. "I just... didn''t want Emerald getting in trouble for murdering the new kid on his second day."


    "Emerald, huh?" I touched the tender spot on my head gingerly. "Your ruby friend has quite an arm. I''m at like one HP left... I think. Yeesh."


    "She''s a Slayer," Cinder shrugged.


    "A Slayer who will regret leaving a dangerous deviant like me un-slayed. Just you wait till I unleash my master plan of revenge," I declared dramatically from the medical bed. "It will be epic and... uhh... completely unexpected!"


    "Sounds like a dumb plan to get yourself killed," Cinder pointed out. "Emerald isn''t someone you want to mess with."


    "Too late! The wheels of vengeance are already turning," I tapped my temple, then winced at the pain. "Ow. Note to self: avoid head gestures while concussed."


    "You''re an idiot," Cinder stated flatly, but I caught a hint of reluctant amusement in her voice. "A complete and total idiot with a death wish."


    "You should try harder if you want to win my love," I said. "That was a 1/10 complement."


    "W-what?! I''m not trying to win your anything! I''m just... making sure you don''t die before I can properly get revenge for those videos!"


    "Sure, sure," I grinned, wincing slightly as the movement sent a sharp pain through my head. "Your revenge plot sounds totally believable."


    Cinder growled something under her breath.


    "Why are you even mad about the videos?" I asked, propping myself up on the medical bed. "Isn''t your whole goal to get famous and rich? Why else would you be in a troupe?"


    "WHAT? No!" Cinder froze mid-pace.


    "Oh?" I pressed. "What exactly is your goal? Why are you in a monster-slayin'' troupe?"


    Cinder''s wings twitched, her feathers rapidly fading to grays and blacks. "It''s complicated," she muttered.


    "Complicated how?" I challenged. "You''re in a troupe doing music to summon monsters. You''ve got talent. Those videos I recorded? They''re basically free publicity. Also, in the age of social media and generative AIs consent is a fluid concept."


    "Consent is NOT fluid! That''s exactly the kind of manipulative bullshit-"


    "Says the person who can literally turn invisible and sneak around to terrorize innocent half-humans," I interrupted. "Pot, meet kettle. Say, do you ever turn invisible to sneak into the boys'' showers?"


    "WHAT?!" Cinder''s entire figure ignited with black-gold-pink-red.


    "Ha," I grinned. "Made your entire body blush. You''re too easy to rile up. Learn to be more stoic."


    Cinder choked at my words, forcibly turning her entire body gray.


    "Just saying, if I had invisibility powers, I''d totally use them for... scientific research." I said, tapping my chin. "Maybe spy on some angels."


    Cinder''s wings flared again, feathers shifting from gray to a vibrant, angry red.


    "Say is changing color the only thing you can do?" I asked. "Can you project other stuff, be a TV? Quick tune to the news."


    "Are you seriously asking me to turn into a TV?"


    "Medical professionals recommend entertainment during recovery. And who better to provide said entertainment than my favorite rock star?" I winked.


    Cinder sent me a dangerous glare and then her entire head ignited with a million colors as if her feathers were monitor pixels going through channels filled with colorful static. In a few seconds the colors settled and then my own face stared back at me.


    "Satisfied?" She asked in my own voice.


    "Whoa," I breathed out. "This is some high grade mimicry. I always wondered what I''d look like with a hot femme bod."


    Cinder''s feathers instantly shifted back to their normal silver, her original Quetzi face flushing with embarrassment and anger.


    "Argh!" She sputtered. "I was trying to intimidate you, not... not..."


    "Give me ideas about alternate universe versions of myself?" I teased cheerfully. "Too late! Now I''m imagining myself dating a female version of myself! This is primo fanfiction material! Wait... you''re like the perfect infiltrator. Damn now I''m extra-jelly."


    "I swear, if you don''t shut up..." Her wings fluttered with agitation.


    "You''ll what? Hit me with another dodgeball? That''s probably against medical advice right now."


    The school nurse, an elderly mermaid with pale blue scales, bustled over on a wheelchair. Her lower body was a sleek, iridescent fish tail that gleamed under the fluorescent lights, and her upper body was wrapped in a crisp white medical uniform. Silver-blue hair was pulled back in a tight bun, large glasses perched on her sharp, angular nose. A dark Kitlix sat on her shoulder shimmering with green sparks.


    "Ah. Mr. Glock," she said, "I see you''re awake and makin'' jokes. Good. I''m Nurse Keystoni."


    Cinder stepped back, her wings instinctively folding closer to her body and turning silver. The nurse''s gaze was sharp enough to cut through even a Quetzalcoatl''s bravado.


    "How are you feeling?" The nurse''s voice was crisp and professional.


    "Like I''ve been hit by a very angry... dodgeball," I deadpanned.


    "You''ve endured a pretty bad concussion," the nurse tutted, scribbling something on her clipboard. "I healed some of the damage."


    "Just some?" I asked.


    "Healing takes energy. Can''t restore everything instantly," she shrugged as the Kitlix flowed down to her lap. "The school was built directly above the Leviathan''s place of awakening and has highest Aetheric density in the world and yet it is still far, far below Arx where these little guys are born," the nurse continued, stroking her Kitlix. "Alas, our magical potential is limited, so yes... I fixed much as I could. You''ll need to take it easy for the rest of the day. No more dodgeball or other strenuous activities."


    "Does that include... vigorous activities with extra-angry Quetzalcoatls?" I asked innocently.


    Cinder growled in my direction.


    The nurse''s sharp eyes flicked between Cinder and me. "Miss Nova, are you harassing our new mixed-heritage student?"This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "What? No! He''s the one who keeps-" Cinder started to protest.


    "I was merely suggesting that Miss Nova''s presence has certain... cardiovascular effects," I interrupted with an innocent smile. "Completely unrelated to any dodgeball incidents."


    Cinder choked beside me.


    Perhaps you should take the rest of the day off to recover," the nurse suggested dryly. "I''ll write you a note excusing you from classes."


    "But what about my education?" I protested. "My burning desire for knowledge? My need to maintain perfect attendance?"


    "Your burning desire can wait until tomorrow," the nurse replied firmly. "Now, about getting you home safely..."


    I put on my best pained expression. "About that... Walking might be... challenging." I winced dramatically, touching my head. "Everything''s still spinning and my balance feels... off."


    The nurse''s sharp eyes studied me carefully. "Hmm. We can''t have you stumbling around campus in this condition. You might fall and worsen your injury. Hrmmm. We do have temporary mobility assistance available," the nurse said. "Hold on."


    She quickly dried herself with a quick swipe of a towel, her tail suddenly sparking with azure energy. Then her scales slowly shifted and reformed, transforming into human-like, blue-scaled legs. She stood up smoothly, put on slippers and walked out of the room.


    "Dang. That''s cool," I whispered to Cinder. "Can you do that?"


    "Do what?" the Quetzi peered down at me.


    "Can you manifest a tail and then split it into legs?"


    "Do I look like I can just manifest new body parts?" Cinder growled. "I can change colors and mimic appearances for a bit, not transform my entire body! I already have a tail, if you didn''t notice!"


    "So can you split it into an extra pair of legs, turn into a spider?"


    "WHAT?! That''s not how any of this..."


    "Shame," I sighed. "Maybe in your next evolution?"


    "I''m not a Poketbeast!" she snapped.


    "Could''ve fooled me with the face-swaps and all those color changes," I grinned. "What level do you need to be to learn Hyper Beam?"


    Before Cinder could respond, the nurse returned pushing a sleek wheelchair and holding what appeared to be a temporary disability parking placard and elevator access card.


    "Here we are," she announced. "This should help you get around safely until you''ve fully recovered. And this placard will let you park closer to the buildings."


    "Oh wow, thank you!" I beamed, accepting the lanyard and placard.


    "You," the nurse pointed at Cinder, "will help Mr. Glock get to his car or Suber safely. No arguments."


    "WHAT?!" Cinder squawked. "Why me?"


    "Because you''re already here and clearly concerned about his wellbeing," the nurse replied smoothly. "Unless you''d prefer I write up a very stern report about that dodgeball incident? Who was it that threw the ball so hard at our newest student again?"


    Cinder''s wings drooped in defeat. "Fine," she muttered.


    "Excellent!" I chirped, carefully sliding into the wheelchair wincing as my brain wobbled. "Now I can start a wheelchair racing team with Katherine! Think we can convince Coach Canard to add it as an official sport?"


    ¡°Katherine?" Cinder asked, automatically taking control of my wheelchair to roll me out from the domain of healing.


    "An incredible artist who tried to murder me with her own wheelchair this morning. Almost succeeded too! You two would get along great - she''s got the whole ''I hate everything, especially this annoying human'' vibe down."


    "Katherine Kells?" Cinder''s voice took on a strange tone. "You met Katherine?"


    "Yeah! She tried to eat my soul with her spooky eyes and everything. It was great! Well, terrifying actually, but great! She''s like this amazing artist who-"


    "I know who Katherine is," Cinder interrupted quietly. "She''s... Iogann''s half-sister. We used to be friends, back when..."


    She trailed off, her wings drooping slightly.


    "Back when what?" I asked, genuinely curious about the shift in Cinder''s mood.


    "I don''t want to bring up old shit," she muttered, pushing my wheelchair perhaps a bit more forcefully than necessary. "She went through some stuff. Started drinking. Stopped hanging out with anyone except Io. To be honest, I haven''t really talked to her in ages."


    "Sounds like a tragic backstory trope that could use a kick in a different direction," I mused as Cinder wheeled me through the hall. "Maybe we should form a support group - ''People Who Have Tried to Murder Alex Club.'' You can be the founding president!"


    "Pfff," she exhaled. "Pretty sure that''ll include half the school by the end of the month at the rate you''re going."


    "A month?" I arched an eyebrow. "You underestimate my powers. Give me a week. Nah, two weeks. I''ve a busy schedule filled with Stollwurm and Quetzi wrangling."


    "Wrangling?" She smirked.


    "Wrangling into friendship," I declared dramatically. "Absolute, pure, unadulterated friendship that will make you both question your life choices!"


    Cinder stared at me for a long moment, then burst out into an uneven grin. "You''re going to ''friendship'' Katherine Kells? Good luck."


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯ll get there. For now, she''s my sworn nemesis," I grinned.


    "Your... nemesis?" Cinder''s voice dripped with skepticism as she wheeled me through the hallway. "With the amount of tormenting me with your annoying... everything, you''d think that I would be your nemesis.''


    "Not at all!" I twisted in the wheelchair to look up at her. Her wings were partially folded over me, creating an iridescent, metallic canopy above us. "You''re my guardian angel, obviously! Or romantic interest number one if you fall for me." I rubbed my chin. "Are you into highly questionable male protagonists constantly on the run from the law and corpo Scrutimancers?"


    Cinder''s wings bristled as she stopped pushing my wheelchair abruptly. "What did you just say?"


    "Which part?" I grinned up at her. "The guardian angel bit or the romantic interest angle? Because I''m happy to elaborate on either-"


    The wing canopy overhead ignited with violet, reds, pinks and golds as if a sun was setting above me.


    "I swear to Slayer..." Cinder growled, her claws tightening on the wheelchair handles. Without warning, she spun my chair around to face her, leaning down until we were eye-to-eye.


    "Listen here, you annoying little chuppy," she hissed. "Do you have a deathwish?"


    "Actually?" I asked. "Yes. I''m heavily concussed and its mildly annoying. Please stab me through the heart with a sharp pointy claw-hand and reincarnate me."


    "What?" Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes went wide.


    "Wait, I have a better plan that doesn''t involve dying horribly," I rubbed my chin. "Take me to the Genesis Pool."


    "Why?"


    "I want to take a swim in it, see if it fixes my concussion without dying."


    "You want to... WHAT?!"


    "Take a swim in the Genesis Pool," I repeated, my tone casual. "Might help with this concussion."


    "That''s not how it works!" Cinder hissed, her wings flaring with agitation. "The Genesis Pool isn''t some magical healing hot tub!"


    "Worth a shot," I shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. "Better than sitting in this wheelchair all day."


    Cinder''s eyes narrowed. "You''re serious? You want to just... casually dive into one of the most sacred spaces in Omnithean culture?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Sounds fun. Wanna be my guide? We could skinny-dip in together!"


    "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" She growled.


    "Aiiiiight then," I shrugged. "I''ll just roll myself there. You can go to class, Miss Square."


    "You''re not going anywhere near the effin'' Genesis Pool," Cinder growled. "And I''m definitely not letting you go alone in your current state. You''re obviously concussed stupid!"


    "Look," I said. "People drop bracelets into it to grow an entirely new body. But... has anyone tried to jump into it, WHILE badly concussed and wearing the bracelet?"


    "How the fuck should I know?!" She hissed. "Go ask the Vice Principal! He''ll probably explain to you why it''s a monumentally stupid idea."


    "Nah. Let''s find out!" I said cheerfully. "For science! Come on, don''t you want to know what happens? Maybe it''ll give me super powers! Or maybe it''ll just fix my headache. Either way, win-win!"


    "Or maybe it''ll just kill you!" Cinder snapped.


    "If it does, THEN you can take the bracelet off my corpse and dump that in," I said. "Either way - no more concussion! Come on, you break rules all the time. Let''s break them into an actually useful direction."


    Cinder''s wings flared with gray, black and auburn tones of absolute frustration.


    "Alright then, I dare you to roll me down there and dump me the pool," I changed my strategy. "Don''t you want revenge? Weren''t you all like ''I''m gonna smash your face with a ball'' this morning? The fierce rebel Cinder, afraid of a little sacred pool? What happened to all that anti-establishment energy? Maybe you''re not that goth after all. Maybe you''re just... faking it."


    Cinder''s wings bristled instantly, her feathers shifting to a deep, challenging red. "Excuse me?"


    "You heard me," I grinned, knowing exactly which buttons I was pushing. "All talk, no action. The great rebel Cinder Nova, scared of breaking a few rules? Pfft."


    "I am NOT scared," she growled, leaning down until we were eye-to-eye. "Fine. You want to go to the Genesis Pool? Let''s go."


    . . .


    The elevator ride down to the Genesis Pool was painfully awkward.


    Cinder leaned against the wall in one corner, arms crossed. I sat in the wheelchair, spinning slowly and deliberately.


    "Stop. Twirling in one spot." She ground out through clenched teeth.


    "Can''t help it," I grinned. "Wheelchair. Spinning is its primary function. Wheeeee-eee-e."


    Cinder''s eye twitched.


    The elevator music - a bizarre Omnithean jazz remix that sounded like whale sounds mixed with electronic beats - did nothing to ease the tension. Cinder looked like she was already regretting her life choices.


    The elevator doors opened with a soft chime.


    The silver surface of the Genesis Pool stretched out before us, eerily still and reflective. The massive statue of the masked, naked female Omnid loomed overhead, her stone wings spread wide and her sword pointed down at the fluid''s surface.


    "This is a terrible idea," Cinder muttered as I rolled closer to the edge. "We shouldn''t be here. We aren''t actually resurrecting anyone and..."


    "Sacred schmacred," I waved off her concerns, activating the hexmesh suit under my clothes. The tiny beast core hummed to life. "Sometimes you gotta take risks!"


    Before Cinder could react, I launched myself from the wheelchair with a whoop of excitement. The hexmesh suit''s beast core amplified my muscles as I sailed through the air, my body arcing towards the silvery surface of the Genesis Pool.


    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Cinder screamed, her wings flaring wide in shock.


    Time seemed to slow down. The reflective surface of the pool rushed up to meet me, impossibly still and mirror-like. For a moment, I could see my own reflection - eyes wide with worry and exhilaration.


    Then impact and then I was under.


    The silvery liquid enveloped me, filling my mouth and eyes, choking and suffocating me. It filled me from within in less than a second and reached out to the burning bracelet on my wrist and suddenly up was down and down was up as if gravity had turned inside out.


    [System Error]


    Two words comprises from brilliant sparks filled my vision.


    Something inside me broke with a twinkle.

 Chapter 12: As Above So Below

    Autumn. Falling leaves. A suburban backyard, complete with a massive oak tree.


    The colors all around too vivid, saturated like an old photograph that had been artificially enhanced, like a painting made up from thick brushstrokes.


    Katherine''s painting. It was like I was inside her work.


    I stared up.


    A teenage girl with platinum blonde hair and silver-blue eyes was perched in a treehouse made entirely of stolen traffic signs. The massive "Saint Mary Exit 7b" sign that formed the roof caught the sunlight in a way that made my head hurt. A Lazarus bracelet clung to her wrist just like mine.


    "Sup Mittens," she grinned.


    "What?" I sputtered. "Who are you? Where am I? What... what did you just call me?"


    "Mittens," she repeated. "You''re my minion. Mittens."


    "I don''t understand..." I started, but something tugged at the edges of my memory. The girl seemed familiar somehow, like a half-forgotten dream. I''ve seen her.


    The girl from Katherine''s drawings.


    She pulled her silver-blue hair back with a grin and there it was. The fractal crack on her forehead pulsed with impossible colors, like an oil slick catching sunlight. Each pulse sent waves of vertigo through me.


    "You''re..." I managed. "You''re... you''re from Katherine''s art."


    "Am I?" The girl''s grin widened, blue eyes twinkling down at me. "Or is Katherine drawing what she sees in the spaces between spaces? The cracks in reality where secret forgotten things hide?"


    Her large, silver-blue eyes dug into me.


    I knew them. I knew her, but from where... from when?!


    "That doesn''t tell me anything!" I yelled. "Who are you? Where is this?!"


    "This is... us," the girl leaped from the tree, bouncing up and down as she landed. I stared at her reinforced shoes covered in springs. "You and me. Inside out. Upside down. Good job on breaking the Incarnator. Sixty nine thousand thumbs up and a high five."


    She held up her hand.


    I stared at her, feeling mentally derailed.


    Derailing people was my job, damn it! Wait... that was my joke! I used it on Cinder...


    "I''m Alexa," she said, lowering her hand before I could even raise mine.


    I felt my brain momentarily short-circuit at her words as she pace-bounced around me.


    "You''re... what, my sister from another dimension?" I demanded.


    "Mmmmm.... no," Alexa shook her head. "I''m a supervillain."


    "From?"


    "From Earth, from the previous narrative. When they rolled over everything, a part of me remained in your noggin due to the brain spiders."


    "What?! They?"


    "System Wizards," Alexa said.


    "System Wizards?" I asked, trying to make sense of her words. "What system? What wizards?"


    "The ones who rolled everything over, duh," Alexa continued, circling me like a shark. "Rewrote the narrative. The ones who made you forget. But they missed a tincy-wincy spot!" She tapped the fractal crack on her forehead. "Right here."


    "Stop being cryptic and just tell me what the hell-" I growled in frustration.


    "Sorry!" Alexa suddenly leaned forward and gave me a tight hug, nuzzling into my side. "Time to go, M. If you stay in the Genesis soup too long I''ll decay away too much and you''ll become like everyone else, overwritten, incapable of breaking the narrative. Don''t dive in again while you are alive. It won''t give you any more powers. Just remember this - you''re never alone. I love you. I''m here for you. I''m with you, forever and always. Inside and outside. Find all four of us and make us remember what we lost. Keep going M, no matter what. Break the tracks of the false narrative! Don''t let anyone stop you!"


    "What tracks?" I demanded. "What false narrative?!"


    "The tracks reality was set on after I set the world on fire," Alexa whispered rapidly into my ear. "Memetics. Cryptids. One game overwritten with another, albeit one with far less copyright thanks to me. Inspiration of inspiration of inspiration. You''ll figure it out. After all, you''re me and I''m you. Buh-byeeeee now!"


    Gravity inverted and the view of another place and time came apart into silver streaks.


    A felt a strong, clawed hand that grabbed me, hauling me up from the depths of the Genesis Pool.


    I broke the surface gasping and choking, dredging silver fluid from my lungs, my mind reeling.


    "YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT!" Cinder''s voice pierced through my disorientation as she dragged me onto the stone ledge. Her wings were flared wide with agitation, droplets of silver fluid flying everywhere as she shook me. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    I coughed up more of the metallic-tasting liquid, my brain sliding sideways ever so slightly.


    "I was thinking... of having a nice refreshing... bath," I spat with a small smile.


    "I didn''t think that you''d actually freaking jump in there! Nazareth, why are you like this?" Cinder growled with an exasperated expression.


    "Like what?" I managed between coughs, "That was... actually... somewhat enlightening! You should try it. Maybe you''ll... remember things too, get a new perspective on life."


    "Remember what?" Cinder demanded, wings bristling. "What are you talking about? Did you hit your head again in there?"


    "I''m fine," I assured her, though my voice sounded strange, off even to my own ears. "Just had a weird... moment under. Like a dream, but... not?"


    "The Abyss are you on about?" She asked. "Did you permanently damage what little brain you had left?!"


    I sprang to my feet, surprised to find my balance perfectly steady, bouncing up and down. The concussion symptoms were completely gone. My thoughts were crystal clear once again. Clearer than they had ever been before, sharp like the blade of a two-dimensional knife.


    I smiled.


    "You didn''t die in there... right?" She stared at me. "No. You''re way too smug looking for someone who''d seen the Wheel a second time."


    "No Wheels," I said. "Only me. I saw myself... I think. My... real self. Or maybe my reflection. My... sideways shadow? The darkness that''s been at my side from the beginning..."


    I blinked. Never alone. Always, there had been something, someone with me, watching me, pushing me onward. Sitting beside me in the van while I drove south. My ghost had a name to it now, a face.


    Cinder stared at me, her wings shifting through a kaleidoscope of confused colors - murky grays, uncertain blues, a hint of worried purple. "You''re not making any sense. What do you mean, ''saw yourself''?"


    "Exactly what I said," I shrugged. "Met a version of me. Or maybe not me. Hard to tell."


    I looked at the shimmering pool.


    "As above, so below," I murmured.


    I lifted the hexagonal bracelet on my left hand to my face. "Hello old friend. You don''t belong to this dimension at all, do you?"


    Cinder stared at me with growing concern. "Okay, you''re clearly having some kind of breakdown."


    "Just making an educated guess about the bracelet, chill," I shrugged.


    The hexagonal bracelet seemed to pulse slightly in response to my scrutiny, its dark metal surface catching the light in strange ways. Had it always looked so... alive?


    "Stats," I whispered.


    My menu came up. Every stat was still at zero... Except for one little change:


    [Anima: 89/89 + [89]]


    I squinted at the extra, inexplicable addition of 89 soul. Was I some kind of a twin-soul human now? Twice as human? Strange. Very, very strange. I had no idea what having more soul did. Would probably have to ask an Animancy teacher about this development on Monday.


    "Alex... are you really okay?" Cinder let out.


    Progress! She really was worried about me.


    "Yep, check this out!" I pulled on the power of the hexasuit and did a cartwheel across the cavern, last bits of silver leaving my body.


    "See? Perfectly balanced!" I straightened out. "As all things should be."


    "Again with dumb movie quotes?" Cinder bit her lower lip. "The Pool isn''t some magical healing spring! It''s for resurrection only!"


    "Maybe that''s just what they want you to think," I grinned, tapping my temple where I knew an invisible shear across reality sat beneath skin and bone. "Maybe we should question everything we think we know about everything."


    Cinder twitched. "You sound like Em with her stupid Predator Theory nonsense."


    "If you think it''s so stupid then why burden yourself with a Kaleid name, Cinder?" I asked.


    Cinder deflated, looking like a girl who had been beaten far too long and too many times by life.


    "You smell like death, go shower off," she turned around, refusing to meet my eyes.


    I sighed, studying my reflection in the Genesis Pool''s surface. For a moment, I thought I saw a flash of silver-blue eyes and a fractal crack, but it was gone before I could be sure.


    "Argh. I should... get going," Cinder muttered, checking her phone with a frown. "I''ve already wasted enough time babysitting your crazy ass. Have to get ready for the show tonight."


    "Aww, you''re not going to make sure I don''t drown in the shower?" I teased.


    "You''re clearly fine," she growled. "Try not to get yourself killed without supervision. I''ve got show prep. I¡¯ve wasted enough time with your bullshit today.¡±


    "No promises!" I called after her retreating form. "Break a leg at practice! Or someone else''s leg! Whatever makes ya smile!"


    Cinder''s only response was a dismissive wave of her wing as she disappeared up the stairwell in a rush of a rapidly cooling rainbow.


    <hr>


    I sat back into the chair and rolled myself into the elevator. I was no longer concussed but maintaining the appearance of weakness could be useful.


    I left the wheelchair in my van and took Suber to Thundertown and was back in time to attend another class before lunch.


    Cinder''s seat remained empty.


    I found myself sketching her from memory during the teacher''s generic compsci lecture - her wings mid-flight, combat boots poised to kick, fingers dancing across piano keys. Each drawing captured a different facet of her: the talented musician, the angry goth, the vulnerable, broken person beneath it all.


    My sketchbook rapidly filled as I barely paid attention to the class. Without Cinder to tease and her wings to gawk at, class seemed extra-dull.


    <hr>


    At lunch, I wheeled myself into the cafeteria, the noise level resembling a stampeding herd of giants. The lunch line was a mass of pushing, shoving, and tail-whacking as hungry, spiked, rowdy Omnitheans fought for position.


    Ah, now I remember why I sent June the Kelpie to fetch food for me.


    Time for some crowd control.


    I pulled out a small firecracker from my bag, lit it with my lighter, and put on large construction earmuffs, dropping the firecracker on the floor directly in front of me.


    BANG!


    The cafeteria went dead silent, all heads turning to me.


    "EVERYBODY BE COOL! THIS IS A WHEELCHAIR ROBBERY!" I announced into the stunned silence, rolling forward dramatically. "I HAVE A DOCTOR''S NOTE AND I''M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT!"


    The crowd of dazed, colorful Omnids parted before me like the Red Sea as I wheeled through.


    "Beep beep! Decrepit half-human coming through! No shoving in line or I''ll file for emotional damage! My lawyer is very enthusiastic about disability discrimination cases!" I called out cheerfully as I wheeled through the parted crowd. "She''s a tiny Domovoy with a HUGE legal portfolio!"


    The line of students maintained a respectful distance as I reached the counter and ordered my massive sushi platter.


    I wheeled away from the counter with my sushi boat balanced precariously on my lap when a familiar Death skill Mothman stepped into my path.


    "That was quite the entrance,¡± Iogann smiled. "Want to join us for lunch?¡±


    "Sure," I nodded, hoping to see my angel.


    I followed Iogann''s bouncing hat, carefully balancing my mountain of sushi. As we approached a table by the windows, I spotted a familiar camo coat form instead of rainbow wings.


    "Kat, this is Alex, the new human student I was telling you about," Iogann gestured as we approached. "Alex, this is Katherine Kells, my half-sister.¡±


    I grinned at Katherine, who was already at the table near the window. "Is this seat taken?" I gestured to the empty space next to her wheelchair.


    The girl in the goggles simply grunted in response.


    Strong and silent type, huh? Two could play at this game.

 Chapter 13: Dimensional Magic

    I wheeled up to the table and carefully maneuvered my wheelchair into position.


    "Hnngh," I grunted in greeting, gesturing at my sushi platter. "Ghrmmm?"


    Katherine''s head snapped to me.


    I began nomming the sushi.


    "So Alex, that dodgeball head bonking was pretty intense..." Iogann started.


    "Hrrmmmph," I nodded sagely at Iogann''s comment, stuffing another piece of sushi in my mouth.


    "Are you... okay?" Iogann asked, his fluffy gray antennae twitching with concern.


    "Mrrrrgh," I shrugged, then gestured at my head with chopsticks and made an explosion sound. "Grmmmm. No Word. Only grunt."


    Katherine''s shoulders tensed slightly beside me.


    "Hnngh?" I grunted at her.


    "The nurse said you had a big concussion..." Iogann continued, looking increasingly confused by my caveman communication style. "That was a grisly way to go down by the way... I think that''s what my doom-sense warned about."


    "Nghhhh," I waved dismissively, offering him a California roll with an eloquent "Hrm?"


    "Ah yea, don''t mind if I do," Iogann accepted the roll. "Thanks."


    Katherine''s claws tightened around her canteen as I continued my grunt-based conversation with Iogann.


    "Why are you not using words? Did the hit to your head affect your speech?" Iogann asked.


    "Pffffftt," I snorted, rolling my eyes.


    Katherine growled from where she was sitting, her long tail beginning to lash dangerously.


    I dug into my bag and pulled out an old USSR army flask, complete with hammer and sickle emblem that I''d bought in one of Thundertown''s tourist shops. I unscrewed the cap with exaggerated care and took a long swig, making sure to wink at Katherine as I did so. Then I put on a pair of dark, wide sunglasses.


    "THAT''S IT!" Katherine slammed her hands on the table, making everyone''s drinks jump. "Are you seriously mocking me right now?!"


    "Hrrmm?" I grunted innocently, taking another sip from my flask.


    "Stop. That." Each word was punctuated by her tail lashing against her wheelchair. "Stop with the stupid grunting and the... the flask and the... everything!"


    "Everything?" I blinked.


    "Sis..." Iogann started, his antennae wiggling in the holes of his wide Snufkin hat.


    ¡°Piss off, Jan!" Katherine snapped at her half-brother and turned to me. "You! Why the fuck you even in a wheelchair? You were walking fine this morning!¡±


    "Got hit in the head with a dodgeball courtesy of an angry wyrm," I shrugged, dropping the grunting act. "The nurse insisted I use this fancy chair until I recover. Pretty sweet ride though."


    "And the flask?" Katherine demanded.


    "This?" I held up the USSR flask. "Just delicious water. Thought that you flask was neat, so I got one myself. Cheers."


    I clinked the flask against hers with a sly grin.


    ¡°And glasses?!¡± She hiss-growled.


    ¡°Just wanted to be cool like you,¡± I grinned. "Am I not allowed to copy your Schwarzenegger-inspired look?"


    Katherine growled, her claws tightening around her own flask until the metal creaked.


    "Sis, chill," Iogann placed his fuzzy hand on her shoulder. "Alex is just being friendly. Em actually did knock him out pretty hard during gym."


    "And you!" Katherine snapped at her brother. "Why are you hovering over me? Why aren''t you luncheoning with your precious troupe?"


    Iogann sighed heavily. "Because Em and Cinder are at each other''s throats again and I am not needed unless actual gateway opening happens. What, can''t I just spend some quality time with my sister?"


    "Oh, so I''m your lunch backup plan when your cool friends are fighting?" She growled.


    "That''s not what I meant and you know it," Iogann''s antennae drooped. "I just... miss hanging out with you. It''s not healthy to eat lunch alone in a corner."


    "Whatever," Katherine muttered, taking a long drink from her flask. "Go back to your stupid-ass troupe. I''m sure they need you more than I do. Maybe you''ll get ninety people killed this time around, if that many even show up to your stupid show."


    "What happened at the Spring''s End Festival wasn''t..."


    "Wasn''t your fault? Wasn''t preventable? Yeah okay. Which part of bringing high-level abominations from doomed dimensions makes sense in your brainless moth-head?"


    "Emerald..." Iogann began.


    "Is a moron," Katherine snapped. "Her knights are morons. You are a moron. Cass is a moron. Even if nobody dies tonight, people aren''t coming to applaud you. They''re coming to laugh at you morons. Read the Omnigram posts about yourselves! Your inverted-dungeoneering is peak idiocy."


    The Mothman opened his mouth to defend himself.


    "Not done!" She barked, silencing him. "Nobody actually wants to see you summon monsters from other dimensions just so Em can try to punch them in the face! It''s not art, it''s not meaningful, it''s just... stupid! I told you that it was stupid years ago, Iogann. I told you to study dimensional anchoring, to learn to create proper two-way gates. But noooooo... you morons want to be special snowflakes..."


    "Actually," I interjected, trying to brighten the excessive hostility radiating from the Stollwurm, "I''d love to see that show. When is it?"


    Both siblings turned to stare at me.


    "Today after school," Iogann said quietly, looking like he wanted to sink into the floor.


    "Perfect!" I beamed. "Wouldn''t miss it for the world! Sounds absolutely metal - interdimensional gates, monster fights, the potential for catastrophic failure... Sign me up!"


    "Did that dodgeball knock out what little sense you had?" Katherine demanded, echoing Cinder''s opinion from this morning.


    "Probably!" I agreed cheerfully. "But come on - how often do you get to see live interdimensional monster summoning? That''s like... peak entertainment right there! ''Sides, I want to see my angel sing."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Your... angel?" She asked.


    "Oh yeah, Cinder''s got this amazing voice," I grinned. "You should hear her sing! Though I guess you probably have, back when you were friends..."


    "We were never friends," Katherine growled. "And Cass isn''t some angel. She''s just another self-absorbed knobtwit following Em''s stupid philosophy."


    "Sis..." Iogann started.


    "Don''t ''sis'' me," Katherine snapped. "You know I''m right. This whole troupe thing is going to end badly. Everything around you ends badly."


    The Mothman stared at his sister with deep, gray-black eyes.


    "You''re there because you''re drawn to disasters." Katherine laughed bitterly. "Go on, admit it. You''re not there for the art, or leveling up, or whatever other bullshit Em spews - you''re there because each show ends with a catastrophe!"


    "That''s not..."


    "Yes it is!" Katherine obliterated her brother with her chiding tone, jabbing at him with a dark clawed finger. "You can''t help it, can you? Just like how you couldn''t help getting involved in that Spring''s End Festival disaster. You''re literally programmed to seek out the biggest potential clusterfuck possible! If Em''s dumb-ass troupe actually succeeded at anything you wouldn''t be anywhere near it! Come on¨Csay it ¡®I¡¯m a dustbrain addicted to disasters!¡¯"


    "Okay, timeout!" I clapped my hands together loudly, drawing both siblings'' attention. "While this family therapy session is fascinating, I''ve got a better idea. Katherine, why don''t you come to the show too?"


    "No, nuh-huh, no way," the Stollwurm shook her head. "You think I want to be eaten or infested by some random cosmic bullshit? Do I look suicidal to you?"


    "Actually, yes," I said, eyeing her flask meaningfully. "But that''s not the point. The point is - if you''re so convinced this show is going to be a disaster, wouldn''t you want to be there to say ''I told you so'' when it all goes wrong? Plus, you could document the whole thing! Think of the artistic possibilities - capturing the moment everything falls apart..."


    Katherine''s tail lashed angrily. "I don''t need to be there to know it''s going to be a shitshow."


    "But wouldn''t you rather see it firsthand?" I pressed. "Come on, where''s your artistic spirit?"


    "Dead," she said coldly.


    "Very dark," I whistled. "You should write Romantic poetry. Or song lyrics! Maybe collaborate with Cinder on some proper goth music. Draw D&D some posters?"


    Katherine''s tail lashed dangerously. "You think this is funny? You think my situation is some kind of joke? It''s enough that this idiot is constantly feeding off my disaster of a life." She waved a gloved hand at Iogann. "Now you''re on my case too? Why in the Abyss would I want to contribute to anything Em does? She''s a psychopathic, controlling beerch who should go die in a hole. Get off my case unless you want me to send you to the deep again and leave you there."


    "Eh, your deep doesn''t scare me anymore," I grinned, tapping my temple. "Already got some quality void time in this morning. Really puts things in perspective, ya know?"


    Katherine''s claws opened and closed. "You''re either incredibly brave or incredibly recklessly stupid. I''m leaning towards the second."


    "Actually," I said. "I''m incredibly curious. I thought that your power is psychic, not dimensional."


    "I''m related to this aimless twat," Katherine waved a hand at Iogann. "Obviously, my power is dimensional."


    "So the deep is an actual place then? Is it dimensionally aligned with local topography? Can you use it to... go through walls to reach otherwise inaccessible places?" I asked.


    Katherine stared at me. My mind was already reeling excitedly with possibilities. A dimensional power that permitted one to walk into anywhere across darkness? The potential applications were endless - bank vaults, secure facilities, anywhere with valuable data or resources...


    "Why are you so interested in the mechanics of my abilities?" She demanded.


    "Pure scientific curiosity!" I assured her quickly. Perhaps too quickly. "Just trying to understand how different Omnithean powers work. Like, hypothetically speaking, could you use the deep to go anywhere on Earth?"


    "Why would you want to know something like that?" She demanded.


    I realized I''d been a bit too eager, too direct. Time to pivot.


    "Art," I said. "I''m thinking about a photography project. Conceptual stuff about liminal spaces, boundaries between dimensions. Your power sounds fascinating from an artistic perspective."


    "You''re lying." She stated sharply.


    "Fine," I crossed my arms, copying her stance. "I want to go into forbidden places and take photos of forbidden things. Happy?"


    Katherine pursed her lips. Her tail lashed once, then stilled.


    "Appreciate the honesty, but you''re not getting anywhere near my dimensional abilities," she said flatly. "Nice try."


    "Worth a shot," I shrugged. "Want some sushi? I can''t finish this gargantuan platter myself."


    "Why''d you buy an entire sushi boat then?" She demanded. "You some kind of moron who can''t count his daddy¡¯s money?"


    "Nah," I replied. "My parents are dead and buried and they left me only debts.¡±


    ¡°Then how are you affording sushi?¡±


    ¡°Meal cards for the destitute,¡± I shrugged, jiggling my Invader Xim lanyard. ¡°Anywayyyss¡­ Sushi boats are good for breaking the ice between potential art rivals."


    I slid the sushi boat over to Katherine, making boat noises and then a crash noise when it collided with her camo-coat wrapped chest.


    Katherine stared at the sushi boat now resting against her bulky coat. "I already told you¨CI''m not interested in rivals," she muttered, pushing the boat back slightly. "And I haven''t even seen a single drawing of yours."


    "The lady demands dinner and a show?" I grinned. "Very well. I aim to please."


    I reached behind me and pulled out my sketchbook and a set of pens and pencils, my hands already moving across the page.


    Katherine stared.


    I began drawing with quick, energetic strokes.


    The drawing took shape: Katherine, transformed into a massive kaiju-sized version of herself, her dark scales gleaming. She towered over the sushi boat, her tail whipping through the air like a destructive tentacle.


    I tagged the boat as "SUSHTANIK!" adding various detail to it to make it resemble Titanic.


    Tiny catgirl passengers fired smol machine guns at her scales.


    Katherine stared at the drawing with google-hidden eyes.


    "Huh," she muttered. "So you CAN draw after all." Despite her resistance, her claws reached out and plucked a piece of sushi from the boat.


    Iogann leaned over. "Is that... me?" He pointed at a tiny version of himself sitting on the edge of the SUSHTANIK.


    "Yep," I grinned. "Captain Iogann, observing the disaster of his sinking ship due to Katzilla.


    The Mothman chuckled appreciatively. Katherine huffed, puffing up like an angry pigeon in her coat.


    "Hey, Io, can you feed off drawings of disasters?" I asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Your Gateway skill," I elaborated. "Does potential disaster energy work the same way whether it''s real or imagined? Like, could a... drawing of a potential catastrophe activate your abilities?"


    Iogann''s gray eyes went wide. "That''s... an interesting theory. No one''s ever asked me that before. I do appreciate watching disaster movies."


    "He''s got like 400 terabytes of disaster porn," Katherine commented. "Nothing but plane crashes and earthquakes and other depressing bullshit."


    "They''re not... that!" Iogann protested, blushing with dark grays dancing across his face fluff. "They''re... research materials!"


    "Sure, Jan," Katherine scoffed.


    "Hmmm. Can you open a gateway to this drawing of a disaster?" I asked the Mothman.


    "I don''t think so," he said.


    "Want to try it?" I asked with a sly grin.


    "Mkay." Iogann pulled out a weathered harmonica from his pocket. His face scrounged up in concentration as he began to play a haunting, discordant melody.


    Nothing happened.


    "See?" Katherine muttered. "Jan is hopeless. Case closed.¡±


    "Maybe there''s not enough emotional connection there," I tapped my chin staring at his harmonica. "Katherine''s power, if I understand it correctly, operated on trying to scare me as a target. Maybe you need a target that appeals to you."


    "What do you mean?" He asked.

 Chapter 14: Sideways Elevator

    The Mothman looked at me with a curious expression.


    "What''s your most favorite disaster film of all time?" I asked.


    "The Day After Tomorrow," Iogann said without hesitation. "Climate disaster genre. Absolutely perfect blend of scientific speculation and pure, unadulterated chaos."


    "Interesting choice," I nodded, already pulling out my phone. "Want to test it?"


    "Don''t encourage him," Katherine sighed at both of us, throwing more sushi passengers into her mouth.


    But Iogann was already leaning forward. "How would we test it?"


    I pulled up a high-resolution clip of the movie''s most dramatic scene - the massive tsunami hitting New York City. I showed him the clip.


    "See this scene playing on my phone as a looped clip? Open the gate to where my phone is," I grinned.


    Iogann nodded, pulling out his harmonica. His gray eyes focused intently on the phone screen, watching the tsunami scene.


    I slid the phone under the table. "And go," I ordered.


    Iogann closed his eyes, bringing the harmonica to his lips. A low, haunting note emerged, unlike any musical sound I''d ever heard. The note seemed to vibrate with potential energy, resonating at a frequency that made the air feel thick and heavy.


    His antennae began to pulse with a soft, silvery light.


    For a moment, nothing happened.


    Then, beneath and above the table, two thin, wavering lines of darkness began to form. It looked like a crack in reality, no wider than a pencil line at first, but slowly expanding.


    "Holy shit," Katherine muttered. "You opened a gate... in local reality?! To a specific location?! No friggin way."


    Iogann''s harmonica continued its haunting melody, the two connected gates expanding incrementally.


    "Great job!" I grinned at the Mothman.


    Iogann''s harmonica slipped from his trembling fingers, clattering onto the cafeteria table. The dark circles froze mid-expansion, then began to rapidly contract. I slipped a pencil in between the two seeing if the gateway would slice it in half when it closed.


    "I... I''ve never done that before," he stammered with dark, wide eyes. "I... always opened gates to some distant elsewhere, wherever the song of doomsday was strongest."


    "Hum," Katherine leaned forward examining the gates above and below the table. "You actually opened a targeted gate. To a specific location from a digital representation. And nobody died. Consider me impressed, Jan.¡±


    Iogann''s face turned a deep shade of gray. "I can''t believe I just... I mean, I''ve watched that movie like a hundred times and never thought to... open a gate to it. That''s brilliant!"


    "Uh-huh," I nodded with a smug look.


    The gate closed and my pencil snapped in half. I waved the pencil remnant at the half-siblings like a maestro.


    "This... this changes everything," Iogann muttered, his voice growing more confident with each syllable. "I can... I can open gates to my favorite movie! I have to tell Em! We can change up the program! We can..."


    "Hate to burst your bubble, Jan," Katherine interrupted. "You think just because you opened a tiny gate to this idiot''s phone, you''re suddenly going to revolutionize your troupe''s performance?"


    Iogann''s excited momentum deflated slightly. "But... didn''t you see? I targeted a specific location! That''s never happened before!"


    "And?" Katherine raised an eyebrow.


    "I... well... I don''t know exactly, but it''s something! It''s a targeted gate, Kat! Maybe we can go into an actual dungeon and gate out of it to a movie screen and..."


    "Em is too stupid and too stubborn to permit changes," Katherine cut him down ruthlessly. "I bet she''s got her entire performance mapped out to the I''. You really think she''ll listen to some random idea you cooked up with this halfwit halfkin four hours before the show begins?" She jerked a thumb at me.


    "Halfwit?" I tsked. "I prefer ''innovative disruptive element''."


    Both siblings ignored me.


    "I have to try to..." Iogann said.


    "Good luck dying horribly," Katherine waved him off.


    "I''m going to go to the guys in the auditorium and propose this idea right now!"


    "Suit yourself," Katherine shrugged, taking another swig from her flask. "Don''t come crying to me when she rips your wings off."


    As Iogann hurried away, Katherine turned to me. "So. You a Cinder are a thing or something?"


    "A thing?" I nearly choked on my sushi piece.


    "An item? A couple?" She pressed. "Not that I give a shit, just curious. Didn''t take her for a halfkin appreciator. How are you not covered in bruises? Isn''t she like fifty times stronger than you?"


    "We''re not a thing!" I sputtered, my face heating up. "She did kick my van a lot and threatened to break my spine. The usual first-date stuff."


    "Oh? She kicked your van? And you''re... what? Charmed by this?"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Absolutely," I grinned. "Nothing says ''I''m interested'' like potential vehicular assault, right?"


    "You''re obviously somehow fucked in the head," Katherine muttered, taking another swig from her flask. "Completely and totally unhinged.¡±


    "So I''ve been told," I shrugged. "Multiple times in fact. By multiple people. Mostly Cinder."


    Katherine studied me for a long moment.


    "You do realize that Cass is completely mental, right? And that Em is going to murder you. In fact she''s going to murder my brother right now. Damn it. Ughhh. Really didn''t want to get involved in this shit. Way to go. Way to encourage the troupe of idiots, idiot."


    Katherine dumped the rest of the sushi boat into her mouth like some kind of anime hamster, her cheeks puffing out comically. She swallowed it all in one gulp like a snake and rolled away from the table without another word, heading for the elevator.


    I followed her, wheeling alongside. "So... we''re going to save your brother from certain doom?"


    "No," she growled back. "I''m going to watch Em murder him and then tell him ''I told you so'' after I incarnate his ass. Also, why are you following me?"


    "Um," I considered. "I appreciate a good murder-viewing party?"


    "Just so you know I''m not incarnating your ass when Em or one of her minions snaps your spine in half."


    "Noted."


    ...


    The elevator ride was long, with our two wheelchairs taking up most of the space. Katherine fixed me with a piercing glare of dark glasses.


    "So," she said as the transparent elevator began to move sideways, her tail lashing slightly in the confined space. "You really got a thing for Quetzalcoatl tail? I can see why Jan chose to talk to you today, a Quetzi and halfkin relationship sounds like a disaster.¡±


    "I don''t have a ''thing'' for Quetzalcoatls," I protested. "I have only met one Quetzi so far. She''s rawd and we are not a disaster. We''re..."


    "Uh-huh. Sure," she interrupted my train of thought. "And I''m just a totally normal, well-adjusted artist who definitely doesn''t drink high-grade alcohol during lunch."


    "Fair," I conceded. "We''re both masters of healthy coping mechanisms. Also, wheee... sideways elevator."


    The elevator glided left across a multitude of halls. In another minute its transparent one-way mirror walls revealing a breathtaking Art Nouveau style auditorium that looked more like a living, breathing organism than a performance space. Organic curves dominated the architecture, with sweeping lines that mimicked feathered wings and intricate metalwork curving around massive arches.


    The walls within the arch hollows were a living canvas of bioluminescent plants - alien flora with translucent petals that shifted colors like mood rings. Tendrils of soft green and blue light wove between ornate brass fixtures, creating an ethereal atmosphere that seemed to breathe and pulse with its own rhythm.


    Katherine and I disembarked the shiny elevator as the doors slid open on the second floor of the auditorium, a red carpet leading to a dim balcony space almost directly above the stage.


    We rolled towards the edge of the balcony and I looked down.


    Iogann stood center stage, his skull-capped wings twitching with nervous energy as he addressed the four girls - Cinder, Emerald, Vespera, and Solace. His wide-brimmed hat was slightly askew, and he was gesticulating wildly with his hands.


    "...change everything about our performance!" he insisted, pulling out his phone to show them the video clip from The Day After Tomorrow. "I can target gates now! Specifically! To this movie clip!¡±


    Emerald Stratos, the Rubicund Lindworm, stood with her arms crossed, her ruby scales catching the stage lights and casting sharp, crimson reflections across the floor. Her gold-orange eyes narrowed dangerously as she listened to Iogann''s excited explanation.


    "And?" She demanded when he finished.


    "I need time," Iogann repeated. "Just a few weeks. Maybe a month. To practice these targeted gates. We should change the date of the show to..."


    "A month?!" Emerald''s red-orange tail lashed dangerously. "We''re performing TONIGHT! Everything''s ready! Quincy already sorted everything out with the Vice Principal! Some other cunts might have the hall booked in a month!"


    "Em, please! As it stands, our show is a looming disaster for everyone involved," the Mothman insisted. "You smell like..."


    "Like what?" Emerald''s gold-orange eyes narrowed.


    "Like death," Iogann swallowed. "You''re going to die or someone close to you is going to die tonight."


    "Well no duh, moron," Emerald rolled her eyes. "We''re killing a big monster that Cinder''s gonna attract. Death is a given."


    "No, you don''t understand," Iogann pressed on, his voice taking on a desperate edge. "The disaster energy around this stage is... overwhelming. We need to postpone, to practice with targeted gates. If I can control where the gates open..."


    Emerald''s scales flashed with irritation. She snapped her fingers, the sound echoing through the auditorium like a gunshot, dragonfire sparks raining down.


    Vespera unfolded from where she''d been lounging on a bean bag, her wigs crackling as she hefted an oversized medieval iron mace.


    "Soooo, Io," Emerald''s voice dripped with false sweetness as Vespera approached with the mace. "How would you prefer it? Quick and messy, or slow and painful? Because those are your only options if you keep suggesting we delay MY show."


    "Em," Cinder stepped forward, her wings flaring protectively. "He''s just trying to help. Maybe we should at least hear him out..."


    "I heard him already! He''s obviously chickening out just cus he learned some new gate trick! Stay out of this, Ci," Emerald snapped, her ruby scales catching the light like fresh blood. "You''re already on thin ice after missing practice."


    "I..."


    "Yeah, you. YOU are far too preoccupied with that damn nullie. Why is that?" Emerald demanded.


    "That''s none of your business," Cinder''s wings shifted through defensive shades of gray and red.


    "Everything about this troupe is my business," Emerald growled. "I''m the leader. I make the decisions. And right now, I''m deciding that both you and Io are being incredibly annoying."


    "Em," Cinder began.


    "Shut your yap before you throw off my chill," Emerald snapped. "I''ve had just about enough of you two spineless musicunts questioning my vision. The show goes on tonight. As planned. No changes. The wards and amplifiers are already set up. Next person to suggest changing things last minute is going to get their kneecaps broken. Neither of you needs to have intact knees to make musical noises."


    "Em!" Iogann tried one last time, his antennae drooping. "Please. I can feel it. Something terrible is going to happen tonight. We need to..."


    "You NEED to shut the fuck up and do your job," Emerald cut him off. "Open the gate when I tell you to. That''s it. That''s your only purpose here. You''re not the Slayer star, you''re not the decision maker, you''re just the gateway opener. Got it?"


    "But¡­ What if everyone in attendance dies?¡± Io pressed.


    "So what?!" Emerald barked. "You want to stay in this troupe? Everyone has their place in life. Everyone gets XP from the operation. It doesn''t matter if everyone in the audience croaks! When more twats die, we benefit. We get stronger. Eff the audience! This is about us gaining levels ten times faster than those delver dorks with their dumb-ass rules and regulations. Do you want to be weak, pathetic¡­ prey again? Well, do you?!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Iogann deflated, wings dropping.


    ¡°That''s right, beech.¡± Emerald grinned with sharp chompers. ¡°Cus you know what happens to prey in this school.¡±


    She inhaled deep.


    ¡°Wait,¡± her eyes ignited red from within. ¡°Why do I smell prey nearby? V! Check the gallery, make sure there''s no rats up there trying to spy on our prep!¡±


    Vespera¡¯s black and white wings unfurled with a crackle of thunder. She rose into the air heading straight up towards us.


    Brilliant electrical currents arched across the medieval mace in her right claws, making it look like a Tesla coil.


    Yep. This is how I was going to die. An electrified mace to the noggin.


    Hello darkness my old friend.

 Chapter 15: Catastrophe

    Katherine''s claws suddenly wrapped around my wrist digging into my skin with inhuman strength. Her grip was cold, almost metallic. A pulse of pure fear rushed from her hand up my spine, making hair on the back of my neck stand up.


    Then darkness swallowed us whole, the glowing plant life of the fancy auditorium and the deadly mace heading our way winking away.


    The darkness was absolute, pressing against my eyeballs like a physical weight. I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust, but there was nothing to adjust to.


    "Katherine?" I whispered.


    A low, rumbling growl answered me. Not quite a response, more like a warning.


    "Thanks," I said.


    Fumbling in my pocket, I found my trusty Pyroxia X-12. The bright screen almost blinded me when I logged in. Two clicks through the apps to the flashlight and then a beam of harsh white light erupted, cutting through the darkness like a knife.


    Katherine hissed, bothered by the light.


    My phone''s light revealed a dark and desolate version of the auditorium we''d just been in.


    The organic curves of the Art Nouveau architecture had warped and rotted, as if something had been slowly consuming the building from the inside out. Massive roots - thick as tree trunks - burst through cracked marble floors and twisted around fallen support columns. Bioluminescent plants that had once pulsed with soft blues and greens now hung like withered, blackened tendrils.


    "Sooo..." I said. "This is the deep, huh? A parallel Earth where everything went to shit or something?"


    "Shut. That. Off," she hissed. "The light attracts things."


    "What things?" I turned the flashlight off, switching to the infrared cam.


    As if in response, something skittered in the darkness. A sound like chitinous legs scraping against decayed marble echoed through the desolate auditorium.


    Katherine''s claws tightened on her wheelchair''s wheels. "Hungry things. Echoes."


    Another skittering sound. Closer this time.


    "Follow, unless you want to stay here," the wheelchair-bound Stollwurm ordered.


    She somehow rolled over the roots and broken rubble like it was nothing, using her tail as a lever to overcome random elevation changes.


    I stood up and pulled my backpack on, forsaking my wheelchair to the gloom. My footsteps crunched on random detritus and roof tiles.


    The chitinous skittering sounds continued, sometimes seeming to come from above, sometimes below, sometimes directly behind us. But nothing emerged from the darkness.


    "Stop breathing so loudly," Katherine hissed.


    "I''m not breathing loudly," I whispered back. "You''re breathing loudly."


    A low growl rumbled from her throat. "Do you want to get eaten?"


    "Not particularly," I replied.


    Another skittering sound - closer this time. Something metallic scraped against the rubble nearby.


    Katherine''s wheelchair froze. Her tail went absolutely still.


    "Don''t. Move," she breathed.


    I froze mid-step, one foot hovering just above a broken piece of ceiling.


    The skittering sound circled us. Not random anymore. Deliberate. Calculating.


    Something was hunting us.


    Then Katherine''s eyes ignited with green fire and my heart skidded to a stop.


    Pure, concentrated fear radiated from her like an explosion - like someone had distilled absolute dread into a psychic weapon and was broadcasting it on all frequencies.


    The skittering stopped. I heaved, unable to move a muscle, my entire body shaking.


    Absolute silence descended, so thick I could hear my own heartbeat thundering in my ears.


    Katherine''s tail wrapped around my waist, yanking me closer to her wheelchair. "Move. Now."


    We quickly rolled/moved to the end of the balcony. Her movements were fluid, exact - like she''d navigated this dark landscape countless times before.


    We reached the elevator shaft, but the elevator itself was conspicuously absent. Through the infrared cam, I saw a gaping vertical tunnel stretching up into impenetrable blackness, with rusted maglev bits and cables hanging like dead spider webs.


    "No elevator," I whispered. "Now what?"


    Katherine''s tail tightened around my waist, making my ribs ache. Her wheelchair positioned at the shaft''s edge.


    A weaker pulse of pure, weaponized dread ran from Katherine''s tail across my body.


    The darkness began to gradually dissolve, the outline of the elevator manifesting through the gloom. Katherine tapped her card and the barely visible elevator doors slid open. She shoved me inside and then pressed one of the barely visible buttons. The gloom slowly receded in its entirety as the elevator rapidly flew out of the auditorium.


    Emerald and the others were still on stage. Vespera had landed back near them, looking dissatisfied with lack of mace-smiting.


    I glanced at Katherine.


    "So, um, is my wheelchair gone forever now?" I asked.


    She turned her head to me, slipping dark goggles back on to hide her weary-looking emerald eyes.


    "No," she said. "I can get it... later. Also, since when can you walk normally?"


    "A miracle cure through pure, undistilled terror!" I proclaimed dramatically, jazz-handing my suddenly mobile legs. "Who knew being hunted by unspeakable horrors was such effective physical therapy?"


    "You''re telling me," she said slowly, tail arming up to whip me as she pressed a button to halt the elevator halfway between floors. "that you needed a wheelchair because of a concussion, but you can walk just fine now?"


    "Yes. To be honest," I began, "I was pretty dizzy so the nurse ordered me to stay in a chair... but then I had a rather intense encounter with the Genesis Pool this morning, which may have... recalibrated some of my bodily functions."


    Her tail whip stopped mid-lash. "What?"


    "I jumped into the genesis pool," I said. "While being alive."


    "You did WHAT?" She stammered out, tail coming down.


    "Jumped. Into. The. Genesis. Pool," I repeated, enunciating each word as she did in the deep. "While alive. Helped me walk."


    Katherine''s mouth opened and closed like she was fishing for words.


    "What... That is possibly the most ridiculous thing I''ve heard so far from you," she finally let out.


    "What? Full-blooded Omnids don''t go swimming in the Genesis pool for shits and giggles?" I asked.


    "Obviously not!" She barked. "The Lazarus cavern is one of the most sacred spaces to Skyfall! It''s one of the foundational artifacts, the Academy was literally built around and above it! To submerge yourself in it... while being still alive is unthinkable blasphemy! Nazaeth! Have you no effin'' shame?!"


    "Eh," I shrugged. "I''m not from here. Nobody told me that I couldn''t swim in it. Didn''t think it was that big a deal. Cass... err Cinder pulled me out of it twice now with her hands. Doesn''t that count?"


    "It''s completely different... pulling someone out is fine, idiot!" Katherine growled, her tail lashing against her wheelchair. "Brief contact to help resurrect someone versus... How long were you under there?! Were you fully submerged?"


    "Dove in pretty deep yep," I nodded. "I think I was under a few minutes?"The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Slayer!" Katherine choked. "Do you have any idea what that could have done to you? It could have shattered your mind or grown another you inside you, killing you in a truly horrific way! Abyss, it could have broken your Lazarus bracelet!"


    "I''m fine," I assured her. "Actually, I saw something interesting in there. A girl. Silver-blue hair, orange vest. Sound familiar?"


    Katherine went absolutely still. Her tail stopped mid-lash, her body frozen like a statue.


    "What?" she whispered.


    I repeated the description. "...Fractal crack on the side of her head. Called herself Alexa. Ring any bells?"


    Katherine''s goggles slipped slightly, revealing a flash of intense emerald eyes. "That," she muttered. "That''s... not possible."


    "Apparently quite possible," I shrugged. "She said something about ''brain spiders'' and ''System Wizards''. Any context?"


    Katherine''s wheelchair jerked violently, spinning to face me directly. "Where. Did. You. Hear. Those. Words."


    "Under the Genesis pool," I said. "She had these quirky jump shoes on and a safety vest. I think that she also lives in a treehouse made from stolen sighs. The town of Saint Mary?"


    "No," Katherine shook her head violently, her face going pale beneath her scales. "That''s... It''s just my imagination. My art. You must have seen my sketches and..."


    "I didn''t see her shoes in your art," I pointed out. "Or the treehouse. So, either we''re suffering from some sort of a collective delusion... or..."


    "She can''t be real!" Katherine barked. "Someone like that can''t exist!"


    "Why not?" I arched an eyebrow.


    "Because..." Katherine''s tail lashed violently. "Because she''s... she was purposefully written to win at everything, like a skeleton key designed to open any door with social hacking. She''s not real, you absolute knob! She''s just a character from a story I wrote when I was young! About another... alternative Earth, a world filled with Superheroes and Villains... without Omnids... where... where everything turns out just fine in the end! Real life doesn''t work like that!"


    She sniffed. I remained silent, contemplating her words.


    "It''s... a world... where I''m not broken and sick," she let out. "Where I can run really fast... It''s just a fictional story where a girl named Alexa found a lonely girl name Katherine Kells and helped her, uplifted her to become something more..."


    Katherine trailed off, her tail drooping. "But that''s all it is. A novel, that no Omnid would ever read because it features super-powered humans. Just my dumb imagination. Just my stupid art that most people aren''t interested in ''cus it portrays four humans as the protagonists. You couldn''t have seen her shoes or the treehouse. You''re lying. You have to be!"


    "I''m not lying," I said softly. "She hugged me. Called me her minion... ''Mittens''. Said something about me needing to find all four of us and to never stop. Said she loved me. Which was weird because I''ve never met her before. At least... I don''t think I have."


    "Stop it. Just... stop. You''re messing with me. THIS ISN''T FUNNY!" Katherine snarled loudly. She pulled her goggles off, her eyes filled with tears.


    "Not trying to be funny," I said. "Just telling you what I saw. What I experienced. Maybe we''re both crazy. Maybe the Genesis Well showed me your memories somehow. Or maybe.... Alexa is real."


    Green-silver eyes looked at me. "You''re not Martin Kilborne! You''re not a character from my story, you look... act nothing like him! Stop trying to be someone that you are..."


    "What... did you just say?" I stammered out.


    "Martin Kilborne," Katherine repeated. "The second MC from my book about superheroes. Alexa''s first minion. Her best friend. Her love interest. Why am I even telling you this shit?" Her voice dropped.


    My brain careened sideways. Either Katherine was a monster who had somehow manipulated me, used her psychic wurm powers to learn my real name or...


    Or something far more impossible was happening.


    "Katherine... How do you know that name?" I whispered.


    "I told you," she growled back. "I made it up! Imagined it! For a book!"


    "Nu-huh," I shook my head. "Not possible."


    "What the Abyss are you on about?" She demanded, wiping her tears with a sleeve.


    I studied Katherine carefully, weighing my options. Her emerald eyes blazed with an ocean of anger, confusion, and something deeper - a raw, vulnerable hope that she was desperately trying to suppress.


    "Tell me about this story of yours," I said carefully.


    Katherine''s tail lashed defensively. "Why should I tell you anything?"


    "Because," I leaned forward, my voice low and sharp, "either you''re playing an incredibly elaborate mind game, or something truly screwy is happening. Something that I would consider insane... at least before I dove headfirst into the Genesis pool. Just tell me more about Alexa, please."


    "Absolutely not. I am NOT letting you mock my writing. You''ve spent this entire day mocking me as it is!"


    "Sorry," I sighed. "That''s a thing I do. I cope with how effed up my life is by being a clown. I was just trying to... make you smile, derail you sideways from your depresso-state, I swear."


    "That doesn''t make me feel any better!" Katherine pulled her dark goggles back on.


    "I''m not simply trying to...!" I stammered out. "I just want to understand what''s going on. I thought that I had everything sorted. I had accounted for absolutely everything, made plans, came to this place... and now everything is careening sideways, like a freight train that encountered a giant boulder on the tracks and is now flying off a bridge."


    "Sounds like a YOU problem," she said. "And I don''t have the energy to deal with whatever mixie issues you have."


    I stared at her, a cocktail of frustration and desperation bubbling up inside me. "Come on, Katherine. I just saw a girl who looks exactly like a character from your stories inside the Genesis Well. That''s not a coincidence!"


    Katherine''s tail lashed aggressively. "Coincidences happen all the time. You''re reading too much into this!"


    "Am I?" I challenged. "You literally just said my... birth name - Martin Kilborne - a name I''ve never told anyone here. A name from a story you claim to have written."


    She went very still then, as still as the elevator hovering between two floors.


    "What?" She finally asked. "Is this another stupid joke?"


    "Follow," I said, pressing the M button for the main entrance.


    The elevator hummed as it moved sideways and then down, following the complex path to the main entrance.


    In another few minutes Katherine''s wheelchair rolled silently behind me as I strode through the empty halls, my footsteps echoing against the polished, white marble floors.


    The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the parking lot as I approached my beat-up van, still bearing the fresh boot dents from Cinder''s assault. Katherine followed silently like a shark amidst deep water.


    I yanked open the back doors, climbing inside. The See-Mass lights flickered on automatically, casting a soft glow over the interior. Katherine positioned her wheelchair at the entrance, watching intently as I dug through my backpack.


    "Here," I said, pulling out a worn sleeve from a Nazarite bible. Inside was my original birth certificate, carefully preserved in a plastic sleeve. "Martin J Kilborne. Born in Znetc reservation, North Acadia."


    Katherine leaned forward, peering through the dark goggles at the birth certificate. Her tail twitched slightly as she studied the document.


    "This... this can''t be real," she muttered.


    "Oh, it''s real," I said. "Genuine, certified copy. Issued by North Acadian Reservation Authority."


    "But..." Katherine''s voice trailed off. She reached out with a clawed hand, then pulled back as if the document might burn her. "It can''t! How could it?! Wait."


    Her expression suddenly grew cold, lips pursed. "Did... Cass tell you about the story I was writing? Did you print this at a shop to mess with me? This is some kind of a stupid prank, isn''t it? Ha ha. Very funny. Make fun of a dying girl who can''t even..."


    My eye twitched. I dug into my bag again and shoved my North Acadian passport at her face.


    "I don''t know what''s going on either. But this is who I am. Martin J Kilborne. Born in North Acadia!" I insisted, laying out all the cards in a desperate hope that she would listen.


    "Nu-huh. Nope. You''re Alexander Glock," she said shoving the passport and birth certificate back at me. "I checked your pics on Omnigram after you added me to your friends-list. Quit screwing with me!"


    I threw the documents back into my bag, my face burning. I only had myself to blame for this. My manufactured backstory was made too solid, too... real.


    I''d created an entire social media footprint for Alexander Glock - a variety of scattered mentions and tagged photos to survive an Omnid Scrutimancer''s background check. Strategic posts about growing up with my human mother, some angst about my father, and the occasional comment about struggling with my Nullie identity. The kind of digital breadcrumbs that made a person feel VERY real at a glance. I even posted tons of AI-modded photos of me studying in the conveniently burned down Nazarite Private school in South-Eastern Acadia. There was an entire gallery of AI-generated photos of me standing next to my Thunderbird ''father'' in various tourist spots during See-Mass.


    I had played myself into a corner and because of it whatever otherworldly, inexplicable link existed between me and Katherine was quickly fraying.


    "Welp," she murmured. "Thanks for nothin''. I hope you get lots of views out of this on Omnigram later. Har har."


    "Wait," I called after Katherine as she turned her wheelchair away. "I can explain..."


    "Save it," she snapped, her tail lashing angrily. "I don''t know what kind of game you''re playing, but I''m done. You''re clearly just another manipulative asshole who somehow found out about my private writing and decided to use it to troll me hard... just like the others did. Just like... Em and Cass."


    "That''s not... I would never..." I stammered out.


    "I said save it!" Her voice cracked. "You want to know the worst part? For a moment there, I actually thought... I actually hoped... that I finally found someone that I could be friends with..." She trailed off, her shoulders slumping.


    "Katherine, please..." I said.


    "Don''t," she whispered. "Just... don''t. I''m genuinely not amused with whatever this is! An attempt to impress your Quetzi GF? Or a way to get out of the frendzone and into her bedroom? Maybe a clever way to get Emerald to permit your halfsie pink-skin ass into their inner circle as a sixie? Whatever. Go, watch their anti-delving show. I hope you die or get a memetic stuck in your head. I don''t care. Never talk to me again."


    I stood frozen by my van, watching Katherine roll away.


    Just like when I saw Cassiopea''s rainbow-wings for the first time, I found myself completely shattered, speechless.


    No witty comeback. No clever deflection. No carefully crafted lie to smooth things over. No way to fix this mess.


    Some part of me wanted to chase after her, to tell her everything but my legs refused to move, my mind spinning uselessly like a computer caught in an infinite loop. Out of all the scams I''d pulled, all the identities I''d crafted, all the careful plans I''d made... nothing had prepared me for this awful moment where the truth actually mattered but was buried too deep under my manufactured lies.


    There was no script for this situation. No pre-planned contingency. No clever way to explain how I could be both Alexander Glock and Martin Kilborne without sounding completely insane or an absolute dick who generated excessively elaborate pranks to troll people.


    I watched Katherine disappear up the front stairwell.


    What could I even say to her? "Hey, sorry about the fake identity thing, but I''m actually the character from your story who somehow exists in real life too, and I have no idea how or why? I actually came to Skyisle, faked my entire identity to make Frontenachii Omnicorp and the Omnithornia Superstate officials pay for what they did to my human mom?" Yeah, that would go over real well.


    I climbed into my van, shutting the doors behind me with trembling hands. The colorful lights cast their soft glow over the interior, but they did nothing to dispel the hollow, throbbing feeling in my chest.


    For the first time since arriving at Skyfall, I felt completely and utterly lost. The carefully constructed facade of Alexander Glock - the overly cheerful, slightly nerdy transfer student who used jokes as weapons - crumbled away, leaving only the raw truth underneath.


    The me that I didn''t want to look at. The me that let my mom suffer all alone, pushed her away.


    Truth that I had no idea how to deal with, now featuring jagged, multi-dimensional edges that weren''t helping one bit.


    I glanced at the small mirror mounted on my van''s wall, and for a split second, crystalline-blue eyes stared back at me instead of my usual green-brown ones. I blinked hard, and they were gone, replaced by my normal reflection.

 Chapter 16: Pre-Show

    I skipped the rest of my classes, thanks to the nurse''s medical leave note. My van became my sanctuary of frustration, the bean bag chair swallowing me whole as I stared at the ceiling, replaying my disastrous conversation with Katherine over and over.


    "Yulia," I called out, "play Omnithornication by Cinder."


    Cinder''s voice filled the van, raw and passionate.


    The emotion in her performance of Omnithornication made me feel marginally better, like silver iridescent rain shower pouring over me. It made the hole in my chest hurt marginally less.


    How had everything gone so sideways so quickly? How had Katherine wurmed herself into my heart? Why did losing her friendship, accidentally making her feel bad feel worse than drowning?


    "It''s the edge of the world, the heart of Omnid civilization


    The sun may rise in the East, at least it settled in a final location


    It''s understood that Cradlefall sells Omnithornication," I sang along with Cinder.


    "Yulia, analyze Katherine''s words about her story," I ordered in Kaska when the song finished. "Look for any mentions of Martin Kilborne or Alexa in her social media history."


    "No results found," Yulia replied.


    I sighed. "Yulia, what do you think is happening? What did I screw up?"


    "Insufficient data for meaningful answer," she responded. "Anomalous variables detected disconnected from overall pattern. Recommendation: gather more information before drawing conclusions."


    "Helpful," I muttered sarcastically. "Pretty up Christi''s pics in Lazarus cavern and post the best ones on my Omnigram tagging her in them. Let''s see if my social score increases."


    "Can do."


    I closed my eyes, listening to Cinder''s other songs for the rest of my free time.


    My phone buzzed, interrupting my musical reverie. A message from an unknown number on Omnigram.


    [Unknown]: Don''t come to the show. Stay away.


    The number wasn''t saved in my contacts. I stared at it. Pfff, yeah okay. I typed in a response and clicked send.


    [Alex G:] Who be?


    [Unknown]: A friend.


    [Alex G:] I''m not hearing a name, frien. Why shouldn''t I attend Oodwarts, Dobby?"


    [Unknown]: ?? It''s going to be a catastrophe.


    [Alex G:] Is that you, Iogann? Way to out yourself. How''d you get my contact?


    No response came. My message hung there, unanswered. Maybe Em told him to stop texting and focus on show prep.


    Another text popped up immediately after.


    [Vesp??:] Hey mixie! Come to our show. Auditorium in 30. Front row. VIP pass. ??


    [Alex G:] Why the sudden invite?


    [Vesp??:] Saw yo Omnigram pics of Christi in Lazarus cavern. Bring yo cam! I want my best angles captured.


    [Alex G:] I heard from Io that Em is pissed. Don''t want to get chopped up ''accidentally'' by a flame sword.


    [Vesp??:] Pff. She''s never not pissed. Don''t be a wuss. If you get chopped in half, I''ll incarnate ya.


    [Alex G:] Free incarnation, huh? Sounds like a deal. But what''s the catch?


    [Vesp??:] No catch! Just want some killer shots slayin'' shit for my socials. U tots the best photographer in the school right no


    [Alex G:] Been here two days. Not sure that''s a high bar.


    [Vesp??:] ?? U funny. comin or not?


    [Alex G:] Only if u protec me and my equipment from possibl dragon-ree. can''t bless u with quality shots if I''m dead.


    [Vesp??:] Deal. I''ll keep u safe w m ??. Front row VIP pass incoming.


    A ping. An electronic ticket materialized in my Omnigram inbox.


    [VIP PASS: FRONT ROW - THE DREADFUL DELVERS SLAYER PERFORMANCE, SEAT 17A]


    Free front row seats? With Vespera''s protection? Seemed like things were looking up! Guess that Kat pulled me into the deep before Vespera spotted us. Or this was a ruse and maybe I was going to get murdered. Either way, the show would hopefully distract me from the Katherine-induced sulk.


    I pulled on all of my stolen hexamesh suits and grabbed my camera bag, checked my equipment, and headed towards the auditorium. The VIP pass glowed softly in my Omnigram app as I scanned it at the entrance door, the digital golden ticket promising front-row access to what was apparently going to be a disastrous snow. The ward let me into the mostly empty auditorium. A large table at the front featured plentiful snacks from the cafe.


    Don''t mind if I do.


    Lance and Christi were there already.


    Cinder''s brother stood near the side entrance, a gray bulky figure. His orange eyes were narrowed with obvious tension, scanning the auditorium repeatedly as if expecting something to go wrong.


    The Cherufe girl paced closer to the stage, in another pink-purple suit-dress. Her flames flickered erratically. She too seemed stressed.


    "Sup L-man?" I asked.


    Lance spun to me as if spooked, then relaxed.


    "Helping Cassi... err, Cinder," he exhaled. "Just went through final ward checks."


    "Good stuff I''d help but I don''t know enough about wards," I said. "Also, you don''t have to twist yourself into a pretzel in front of me."


    "What do you mean?" Lance blinked.


    "You can say ''Cassie'' around me, if you feel like it. I''m not the Kaleid-name enforcement agency," I said.


    "It''s just... it''s been hard, you know? One day Cassie was my little sister, and then suddenly¡­ I have to say Cinder all the time and pretend like we aren''t related or whatever,¡± His fists opened and closed.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll sort it out." I said.


    "Sort it out?" He blinked at me. "What? ...How?"


    "Give me forty two hours," I added.


    "What? You''ve known her for, what, two days?" Lance pointed out. "I''ve been trying to help Cass with... her issues for so many years. And you think you can just..."


    "I don''t operate by the rules you''ve all built around yourselves,¡± I said. ¡°There are no boxes. Come back with your complaint in forty two hours if it''s still unresolved."


    He crossed his arms.


    ¡°I already made her smile. I can make you smile too. She¡¯s totally warming up to me." I said.


    "Hrm. She doesn''t usually... warm up to people this quickly. Or at all, really."


    "Really?" I feigned surprise. "She seemed perrrrfectly friendly after chasing me down kicking my van a few dozen times."


    His eyes widened. "She¡­ did what?"


    "Cassie is very angry," I told him. "She''s hurting and I''m not going to stop until I figure out why. Maybe it¡¯s because of the troupe and Em, maybe it¡¯s something else. Regardless of what the issue is, I¡¯m going to untangle it.¡±


    I put my hand on his tense-looking shoulder.


    "Promise," I looked into his orange eyes.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Cassie- I mean, Cinder doesn''t like it when other Omnids try to ''figure her out''," he warned.


    "Good thing I''m mostly human then," I grinned.


    Lance stared at me, clearly having little faith in my capabilities.


    "Oh! Alex!" Christi flared slightly, approaching us. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to come to the show! Totally spaced out with all the... stuff going on. Sorry."


    "S''fine," I shrugged. "Vespera sent me a ticket."


    "Vespera invited you?" Lance blinked. "Really? How''d you pull that off?"


    "I''m good with people," I shrugged. "Vee''s nice."


    Lance and Christi exchanged a look that suggested they doubted my statement.


    The auditorium was filling rapidly. Students crowded into seats, arms full of catering food, their excited chatter creating a dull roar. Magical wards shimmered subtly around the stage - intricate geometric patterns that pulsed with soft blues and greens.


    "So, where you guys sitting at?" I asked.


    "We were asked not be here," Lance sighed.


    "Aw. You ain''t watching the show then?"


    "Cass and Em don''t want us here," Christi sighed.


    "Student council is permitted to assist with general prep, but banned from attending," Lance nodded. "Em thinks we''ll interfere with the show by being annoying. Or worse, try to stop her."


    "Stop her from doing what?" I asked.


    Christi''s flames flickered nervously. "Summoning something... really dangerous."


    "Isn''t summoning a giant demon the point of this whole shebang?" I asked.


    The couple exchanged a look. Christi whispered something into her boyfriend''s ear. He nodded and glanced around and then slipped a runestone into my fingers, his gray claws trembling ever so slightly.


    Then both of them rapidly retreated as if they didn''t even know me. I put the runestone into my pocket and went to my assigned seat, setting up my equipment. I set up a Rricoh 360 degree camera on a tripod in front of me to capture the audience reactions as well as the performers.


    My phone buzzed almost immediately after with a text from Christi:


    [C-iris??:] Hi. I convinced Lance to give you the ward control runestone. I trust you. Use it... if... when things go bad.


    [Alex G:] Use it how? Can it stop the summoning?


    [C-iris??:] No, since the summoning is performed by Io, it can''t be stopped.


    [C-iris??:]diagram.pdf


    These are emergency ward-focus runes. If pressed in the correct sequence as listed in this manual, they can create a temporary full-dome barrier around the bearer. The second sequence listed will produce a much stronger shield facing away from the central hexagram. The preformers will have similar stones. Don''t show it off unless you''re targeted. Em has the master one, she could disable yours if she suspects anything.


    [Alex G:] So basically a get-out-of-death-free card? Thanks!


    [C-iris??:] More like a precaution. Whatever Cass summons might be able to punch right through the shield. Create a dome as soon as something comes through. It''ll help keep any mental effects out.


    [Alex G:] Mental effects? What kind?


    [C-iris??:] I don''t know. Bad, intrusive thoughts. There''s no consistency with Io''s gates!


    [Alex G:] Thanks, Pink Chancellor. Really appreciate the aid.


    [C-iris??:] Protect Cass... if you can. Lance might not show it, but he''s super worried that she''ll get hurt. She will have her own shield-stone, but if you get close to her, the effect will stack.


    [Alex G:] Understood. Over n out.


    The auditorium lights began to dim. The crowd stirred. I heard snickers behind me.


    "Dreadful Delvers? More like... dreadful losers," A Sasquatch behind me commented.


    "Bet you ten bucks something goes wrong," a Thunderbird whispered loudly to her friend.


    "Make that fifty," her laima friend replied with a laugh, waving her phone. "I''ma record how badly they fuck up this time. Gonna get all the clicks on Omnigram. Surprised Graves let ''em preform in school."


    "Ye. Did you see what happened last time?" the Thunderbird continued. "Those idiots nearly opened a gate to some flesh-hellscape during the Spring''s End Festival!"


    "Surprised you came at all," the laima commented.


    "Pff I ain''t a pansy," the Thunderbird rolled her eyes, tapping on her massive jewel-hexagram on a necklace. "Got a personal ward barrier. Best shit mom''s company could get. Pro delver stuff. Would take a LV125 monster to punch thru one of these babies."


    More snickers and whispers.


    "Heard Em''s gotten even more unhinged since the Festival..." someone laughed. "Like, full-on psycho beerch mode."


    "Her Moth griftwit can''t even open a gate to a normal dungeon. It''s always random shite."


    "And that Quetzi Bard Altnil?" Another voice chimed in. "Total fake. Pretending to be all dark and edgy with that Kaleid name bullshit..."


    My hands tightened on my camera.


    "Yeah, what kind of twitbrain name is ''Cinder'' anyway?" A Kelpie sneered. "She ain''t no fire elemental."


    "Big-tiem daddy issues, obvs."


    I hadn''t expected this much escalation - this gleeful anticipation of failure, this barely concealed hostility. The audience wasn''t here to support D&D. They were here for the spectacle, waiting for a catastrophe.


    Ten minutes. Enough time.


    I got out of my spot and walked across the rows, discretely pointing Yulia-connected hidden wrist cam at every single face, using the AI to find their Omnibook profiles and names.


    The AI rapidly identified and tagged each sneering face. Most of them were from wealthy families. Trust fund kids and their sixies looking for entertainment at others'' expense.


    I returned to my seat just as the house lights dimmed completely and the red curtain dramatically slid apart.


    Fog rolled across the stage, and a single spotlight illuminated Emerald as she strode out.


    Her ruby mane caught the spotlight, sending crimson reflections flickering across the walls. She wore what appeared to be magisteel, gold-plated armor, stylized with dragon motifs and studded with an ungodly amount of gaudy, oversized rubies etched with defense hexagrams. A massive magisteel sword hung from her side. Her whole getup could probably buy an entire town in North Acadia.


    "Welcome, prey," she announced via a magitek microphone, her voice carrying easily across the auditorium. "Tonight, you''ll witness true power. True hunting. True predation! The Dreadful Delvers will show you what REAL dungeoneering looks like!"


    More snickers from the audience. Emerald scoffed at the people in attendance with gold-orange eyes. She dropped the microphone and stepped on it, crushing it underfoot with a deafening feedback noise. I knew that could project her voice without it, she meant to do it as part of her act.


    The audience fell silent, wincing.


    Iogann emerged from the fog in his oversized hat and hippie shawl, skull-capped wings trailing behind him. Vespera and Solace joined Emerald''s side, wrapped in lavish medieval armor. The Thunderbird had the mace she had nearly used against me and the Olgoi-Khorkhoi carried an enormous executioner''s axe.


    And then Cinder walked out. Unlike the Slayer and Knights trio she wasn''t wearing armor. A dark headband, almost like the one from my drawing, pulled her feathery mane back. Her entire figure and wings were dark gray, her face twisted into a scowl.


    Vespera spotted me and sent me an exaggerated wink. I lifted my DSLR, taking photos of everyone on stage. The camera clicked rapidly, capturing each member of the Dreadful Delvers in sharp detail.


    Cinder spotted me and her face went slack.


    ''What the fuck are you doing here? Who invited you?!'' her expression stated.


    I grinned and waved, making sure to catch her momentary look of shock on camera. She quickly recovered, her wings flashing with red which immediately faded back to dark gray and black.


    "Gate!" Emerald barked, swinging her oversized sword in the air.


    Iogann stepped forward, pulling out his old harmonica. He slowly raised it to his face.


    Then he hesitated, his harmonica trembling slightly at his lips. Something flickered in his gray eyes - doubt, fear, resistance.


    "GATE!" Emerald barked again, her voice carrying an unnatural resonance that made my skull vibrate. "Find a true disaster for me! Something truly high level!"


    My hands suddenly twitched, trying to reach for... something. A gateway-opening artifact which I didn''t even have? I wasn''t even a gater. The compulsion faded as quickly as it came, leaving me disturbed. Emerald commands clearly contained some kind of powerful mind control magic.


    Iogann''s body went rigid, his resistance crumbling as if overridden by something stronger than his will. The harmonica touched his lips and haunting, alien music began. It danced across the stage, carrying with it deep, gut-wrenching, awfully somber tones.


    The haunting notes from Iogann''s harmonica twisted through the air like living things, layered stop of each other, each tone carrying almost a physical manifestation of utter doom. The melody wasn''t just music - it was a dirge, a funeral march for reality itself.


    Dark lines began to dance across the stage floor, at first thin as pencil marks, then widening like cracks in the foundation of the world. They moved with horrible purpose, spiraling outward from where Iogann stood, leaving trails of wispy darkness in their wake.


    The lines converged and began to fold upward, defying gravity as they wove themselves into a perfect circle hanging in the air. The edge of the gateway rippled like the surface of an oil slick, colors that shouldn''t exist bleeding through from whatever lay beyond.


    "Bard!" Emerald commanded Cinder. "Draw our prey through!"


    Again, I almost started to sing right then and there, Emerald¡¯s orders affecting me on a fundamental level. I bit my tongue to silence myself.


    Cinder stepped forward, her wings suddenly unfurling in a burst of iridescent color that made my brain short-circuit. The dark grays and blacks exploded into a living rainbow that danced across all of her feathers like aurora borealis.


    Then she began to sing.


    If her performance in music class had been impressive, this was transcendent, divine. Her voice carried otherworldly harmonics that seemed to resonate with something buried in the depths of my soul. She called out to me like a siren, like a Charisma goddess, like the most beautiful, most precious thing in the universe.


    I suddenly bumped into the stage wall, my feet carrying me forward without my conscious control. In another minute I was somehow at the side stairwell. The audience behind me erupted in laughter as I rushed up the stairwell and stumbled against the magical barrier separating the crowd from the performers.


    "Look at the dum'' nullie!" Someone called out. "He''s totally enthralled!"


    "Pathetic!" Another voice jeered. "Can''t even resist basic bardic magic!"


    My hands pressed against the shimmering barrier as Cinder''s voice wrapped around my mind like silk threads, pulling me towards her. Her wings were a kaleidoscope of colors that made my eyes water, her voice irresistibly alluring.


    The world beyond her ceased to exist - there was only her voice, her wings, her presence drawing me in like a powerful electromagnetic pull would pick up a metal flake.


    Through my Cinder-induced haze, I dimly registered movement from the gateway. Something tall and lanky began to push through, distorting the circular opening in reality like a membrane being stretched to its limits.


    Cinder''s song cut off abruptly as she retreated behind the armed slayers.


    Emerald''s sword ignited with blinding flames.


    "That''s it, beerch," She growled. "Commere. Time to die."

 Chapter 17: Corpseworld Caretaker [I]

    As Cinder stopped singing and my mind rapidly cleared, I pulled the magic rock from my pocket, my finger quickly tapping out the shield-bubble sequence. The gems under my finger pulsed and a barely invisible bubble of something formed around me.


    The Io-made gateway slick layer suddenly popped, revealing a desolate apocalyptic landscape filled with toppled, hollowed out skyscrapers. A truly monstrous cube-shaped megastructure loomed in the background with an impossibly massive dark letter G on it. The skyscrapers didn''t make sense - the broken buildings and the cube were too tall, somehow defying perspective, stretching up endlessly into the broiling sky.


    A figure stepped onto the stage with a creak of grimy leather boots.


    It was¡­ a person in a dark gas mask, a blue-ish dark long coat and red-trim cap. The lines and shadow on the mask made it resemble an eerie smile. Violet lenses moved across the crowd and settled on Emerald. Dark leather glove held a lighter, violet flame flickering and sending sparks flying out of the gate.


    "Oh my, what big shiny burning sword you have!" The gas mask boomed with a distinctively merry, French-German accent. "I do hope it''s not too heavy for you!"


    "DIE!" Emerald swung her sword forward, flames trailing in its wake.


    Then something inexplicable happened. Captain simply stepped sideways, away from the burning sword. Emerald yelped, somehow completely missing her target. She careened right into the gateway, burning sword and girl smashing into the snowy, rubble-covered landscape beyond.


    All of the artifacts on her ignited and then she started screaming and flailing madly, trailing smoke. Her burning sword fell out of her fingers, sputtered and the flames winked out, dark cracks running along the edge of the magisteel blade.


    I watched with wide eyes as Emerald¡¯s gaudy, overpriced magitek hexagrammic gemstones popped one by one like cracked walnuts. Then, the top level armor melted off her body like a peeled onion. The hexamesh outfit under it evaporated away and her skin began to come apart as if eaten away by something invisible.


    The audience erupted in shocked screams of their own. The gas-masked figure tilted the mask, violet lenses now scanning the remaining performers.


    "Em!" Solace screamed, charging forward with her battle-axe raised.


    "Guten Tag!" The gas-masked figure declared in the same overly cheerful accent, completely ignoring Solace''s charge. "How delightfully unexpected! Is zat a vintage 1658 executioner''s axe? Be careful not to trip!"


    Solace suddenly tripped on absolutely nothing, her axe flying up. She rolled badly, somehow breaking her arm with a yelp as she tangled up in her own cape. Her own axe landed onto her back, nailing her to the floor. She choked and trashed and then passed out from the pain.


    ¡°Celavi! Violence is bad for zhe soul,¡± the gas masked thing snapped the lighter shut and stowed it away, the voice far too loud, making my eardrums throb.


    ¡°What the eff are you?!¡± Vespera circled the invincible entity, her black and white wings wide as electrical currents danced up her mace.


    The Thunderbird looked absolutely terrified, her expression askew with panic.


    Behind the gate, Emerald was already turning into a gurgling soup, flesh flaking and melting off her bones. Her armor had completely flaked off her body, covered in widening cracks. Her overpriced sword groaned and shattered in half.


    ¡°Bonjour, madame! I am Zee Captain,¡± the being from beyond said jovially, somehow speaking what my mind interpreted as bold, purple-tinted words. ¡°Anointed sovereign, emissary of humanity, prescient governor and lady of all things in Captania, the Great and Powerful System Wizard!"


    The hair on the back of my neck stood up.


    System Wizard. Fuck, fuck, fuck.


    "My, my, such a whimsical audience," Zee Captain declared walking towards the stairwell where I stood like an idiot, frozen from shock. The being''s boots crossed the ward and it simply popped away, as if it didn''t even exist, hexagrams all around shattering as wardstones overloaded. The runestone in my pocket ignited and shattered, scorching my hexasuit-wrapped hand.


    The audience gasped, choked and made noises of pure terror.


    "Cryptids and monsters learning magic and is zat a¡­ token human photographer? How delightful!" The gaze of violet, glowing lenses settled on me.


    I gulped. Whatever this thing was, it was somehow scanning me, digging into my head, defining absolutely everything about me with a mere glance.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Ah! Martin, is it?" Zee Captain''s voice carried an unsettling echo. "You remind me of my number one minion. Go on, take a picture! I know you want to!¡±


    My trembling hands raised the camera to my face. Something horrid was happening within the viewfinder as if the camera wasn''t pointed at a person in a coat. There was nothing and everything on the little display, a trailing shawl made from impossible, incomprehensible shapes made up of endless dark limbs and endless violet lenses. The camera clicked.


    All eyes turned to me.


    "The nullie''s a... human?" Someone in the audience choked.


    "Whoopsie. Did I spoil ze plot twist?" Zee Captain tapped a gloved finger on the perpetually smiling mask. "My sincerest apologies, mon ami!"


    "Don''t listen to this thing, you knobs! It''s an abomination from a dead world! It''s clearly trying to mess with our heads!" Cinder suddenly rushed to my side, her wings flaring wide.


    "Oho!" Zee Captain clapped dark gloved hands together. "A lady¡­ Quetzalcoatl defends her chosen hero! How romantique! Cassiopeia Nova? A very space-y name!¡±


    Cinder choked.


    "S-shut up!" She snarled, her feathers bristling. "Whatever you are, you''re not welcome here!"


    "Not welcome, am I?" Zee Captain pressed a hand to a dark blue coat and black scarf-wrapped chest in mock offense. "But you called me to you with your lovely song, little moosikal bird. Right through zat charming, illegal gate! Now why would you invite me in, if you clearly don¡¯t have a tea party set for my person? Hrmmm?¡±


    Behind Captain, Vespera raised her electrified mace, black and white wings spread wide as she prepared to strike. Lightning crackled between her feathers as she lunged forward.


    The Captain didn''t even turn around.


    "Ah yes, ze surprise attack," the System Wizard commented casually. "I am le shock."


    Vespera''s mace swing inexplicably careened to the side as if she wasn''t aiming for Captain at all. The momentum carried her forward and she tripped over her own feet, crashing face-first into her own mace with a sickening crunch of a broken beak-snout. Her wings sparked wildly as she rolled, electricity arcing across her body in painful convulsions as she cried, pawing at her face.


    "Tsk tsk," Zee Captain waggled a finger. "Violence solves nothing, fr?ulein Vespera. Perhaps you should take a moment to reflect on your life choices, ja?"


    The Thunderbird howled in rage, rising up and pointing a clawed hand at the invincible entity. Lightning arched with a thunderous boom. The lighting bolt careened away from Zee Captain and struck her in her own nose. Vespera let out a strangled wail as she rolled and clutched her broken and electrocuted nose, blood streaming between her fingers. She rolled off the stage with a thump of armor and crack of a shattered phone screen.


    "Zis is why children shouldn''t play with electricity," Zee commented.


    The audience was dead silent now, watching in horror as the two Knights were dispatched without moving a finger, while Emerald...


    I glanced at the gateway. There was no Emerald there anymore. Only a black, hexagonal bracelet lay idly in the indentation on the snow, impervious to whatever melted the dragon-girl as if she was a sugar cube set into the tea. Bits and pieces of the Lindworm¡¯s gaudy magisteel armor lay around it like broken eggshells, cracking and decaying away into flying ashes.


    Cinder seems to have regained her wits from the shock of her friend''s demise and then wings flared with impossible colors, her Phase-Shift elongating her face, dark claws stretching out, feathers standing on end.


    "Go..." She began, her voice echoing unnaturally and then I stepped in front of her face and slapped her hard.


    "DON''T!" I barked.


    "Don''t?" Cinder sputtered, grabbing at her cheek.


    "Do NOT use magic," I growled, grabbing her shoulders and staring into her ocean-blue eyes. "Whatever you''re planning to do, it''s going to reflect in your face and then your wings might fall off or something! Do not screw with that thing, do NOT target it!"


    Zee Captain casually watched our exchange with the perpetually smiling gas mask.


    A tall, faceless figure descended from one of the balconies overhead - Vice Principal Graves, his suit immaculate as always. Dark tendrils emerged from his back, writhing as he landed on the stage.


    "Ah! Ze local authority figure arrives!" Zee Captain commented, turning to the Slenderman. "Seventeen and a half tentacles. Vice Principal, Graves, yes?¡±


    "What are you?" Graves'' voice echoed with unnatural resonance, his dark tendrils spreading wider.


    "Merely a tourist," Zee Captain replied cheerfully. "Enjoying zis charming little performance. Though ze special effects could use some work. Is zat a smoke machine? A bit mundane for a school of cryptids, don''t you find?"


    Vice Principal Graves'' tendrils writhed menacingly, filling the air with an oppressive, dark energy. The auditorium seemed to darken around him, shadows stretching impossibly long.


    "You do not belong here," Graves intoned, his voiceless face somehow conveying absolute menace.


    "And?" Zee asked, seemingly undeterred.


    ¡°Depart back from whence thou came!¡±


    ¡°And what would be ze fun in that? Nay! Ze local narrative flow suggests that I cannot leave until I make a deal with someone, monseigneur high school manager,¡± Zee commented, completely ignoring the waves of static that rolled from the direction of the Vice Principal. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how these things work? If you summon someone to your dimension, you must parlay with zem!¡±


    Iogann, who had been frozen until now, choked out, his entire body shaking as he fell to his knees. "The gate... it... it''s not closing! It''s still pulling at my mana!"


    Zee Captain tilted a masked head. "Of course not, mein fluffy, doom-seeking compadre. I''m propping it open with a Good Word so that I don''t lose my way back to Captania! After all, who would feed all of my Snippies if I left forever? A lonely, sad Snippy is quite a dangerous thing, full of angry wishes that yearn to be fulfilled. Zat one time I left him alone for five minutes and he accumulated 8402 Dead Zone viruses onto himself! It was quite ze pickle scraping them all off one by one with my best wash sponge and squeegee. Such complaints he had... such, multitudes of unmerry complaints."


    "Be GONE!" Graves raised his lanky hands and reality around the Vice Principal shattered, came apart, my mind catching fire and careening sideways into a darkness-filled abyss, my view of the stage drowning in colorful glitches and flashes of binding, deafening static.

 Chapter 17: Corpseworld Caretaker [II]

    I felt myself falling through an endless void of static and darkness, my consciousness fragmenting like shattered glass. Just as I was about to lose myself completely, my self of self smeared across infinity, something warm and solid wrapped around me - Cinder''s wings, her iridescent feathers glowing with a soft, anchoring light.


    Her hands gripped my shoulders, pulling me back from the brink. "Hold on to me! Listen to my voice! Stay with me!" Her magic-laced voice cut through the static, clear and determined.


    I gasped as reality snapped back into focus, my head pounding madly. Cinder''s wings were still wrapped protectively around me, her face inches from mine with naked concern in her expression. The static in my mind receded like an ebbing tide, leaving behind a dull, clawing ache.


    I noticed that my knees had given out from the awful aura the Vice Principal was projecting. It plowed right through my soul like a wave of terror, making me sick to the core, had nearly stopped my heart. Cinder held onto me, not letting me fall.


    "Ah, young love!" Zee Captain''s voice boomed from somewhere close by and also endlessly far away. "So protective! So fierce! Such passion!"


    ¡°I said, be gone!¡± Graves barked. The mind-melting, blinding, gut wrenching, static-filled ocean of terror beat against Cinder''s hold on me, my head throbbing like it was about to split open.


    "Calmness!" Zee''s heavily-accented voice snapped back.


    Cinder''s wings relaxed, colors leaking from them, her grip on me weakening slightly.


    Through the gaps in her feathers, I saw that a dark, static-filled shadow rushed from the Vice Principal towards Zee Captain.


    The wave of static failed to reach the interdimensional tourist, flowing back like an ocean wave that encountered an island of jagged stone.


    Graves wailed, wrapping his face-less head with his lanky hands as his own attack slammed into him, all of his tentacles coming apart into barely visible wisps of shadows.


    ¡°A bit too noisy, Mister Slendy!¡± Zee commented. ¡°Consider a nap!¡±


    Graves careened backwards into a wall and slid down, not moving. The aura of mind-melting horror radiating from the Vice Principal vanished entirely, the hissing, awful static gone from my head.


    Cinder''s hands and wings tightened around me once again, her feathers shifting through defensive colors - deep purples, steely grays, warning reds. I could feel her heart racing against my back.


    "Alex," she whispered so softly only I could hear, "whatever happens, do NOT move."


    Suddenly, Zee Captain''s gaze locked directly on me. Even through the gas mask, I could feel the intensity of that stare, going right through the thick layer of rainbow feathers.


    Something inside me snapped with a twinkle.


    "Ci. Let me out," I growled.


    "What?" Cinder asked.


    "Please," I hissed. ¡°I need to talk to that¡­ thing. It obviously won¡¯t go away until someone makes a deal with it!"


    "But..."


    "Let me out! I know what to say!" I growled. "Trust me!"


    Cinder''s wings loosened slightly, just enough for me to slip forward. My camera hung forgotten around my neck as I stepped towards Zee Captain.


    "Cannot define view," Yulia whispered into my ear as I pointed my wristcam at Captain hoping for some advice.


    Of course. My own wits it is then.


    My mind raced, trying to process what I was dealing with.


    This wasn''t just some interdimensional tourist - this was a System Wizard, a being that could literally rewrite the rules of reality with a word or two.


    How do you stop something that can simply decide that your attacks miss, that can make you trip over nothing, that can reflect any damage back at you? The Captain hadn''t even moved to defeat three of the school''s strongest students.


    Then it hit me - you don''t. You can''t fight something like this directly. The only way forward was to play along, to engage with whatever twisted game or story the System Wizard wanted to tell.


    My palms were sweaty as I stepped forward, but I kept my voice steady. If there was one thing I''d learned from photographing cryptids that could melt me with a single fiery hug, it was how to stay calm in the face of the impossible.


    Welp, here I go talking again. I strapped on the Alexander Glock mask harder, aiming my metaphorical gun at unkillable entity.


    "Guten Tag," I replicated the thing''s accent. "I wish to parlay!"


    "Ah," Zee uttered, looming over me. ¡°Excellent!"


    I nodded.


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    ¡°Then let us speak one on one. Let there be a... Pause!¡± Zee said with a gloved finger snap and the auditorium fell absolutely silent.


    I glanced away from the post-apocalyptic figure at the audience. None of Omnid teens were moving. Their faces were gray, without color, not blinking, not breathing, as if suspended in time.


    ¡°Are you with them?¡± I turned back to the undefinable thing.


    ¡°Define zem.¡±


    ¡°System Wizards,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Zee shrugged. ¡°Think of me as a renegade... cosmic janitor, a Caretaker of a Corpse world, doomed to forever roam across ze weary land and fix things that cannot be fixed.¡±


    "What do you want?" I asked, my mind racing. "What''s it going to take for you to leave? Do I have to wish on you or something?"


    "Wishes are dangerous things to meddle with for an untrained Wizard," Zee replied, looking down at me. "For zey tend to expand exponentially and devour all."


    "Fine then," I crossed my arms, suddenly thinking about the The Sorcerer''s Apprentice''s film where the wizard in training created infinite, self-replicating mops. "Then what do you wish for, Mr. Renegade Wizard?"


    "I wish for... a story," Zee said. "An interesting fable from the heart. One to keep me warm out there in the endless dark."


    I swallowed nervously, thinking of what to say.


    "Once upon a time," I began, my voice steady, "there was a teenage girl named Alexa who lived in a treehouse made of stolen traffic signs. She believed that stories could change reality, that imagination was more powerful than any system, any rule. She was a clever, cheeky supervillain and nobody could stop her."


    Zee Captain''s violet lenses seemed to focus more intently.


    "She found four friends and through cleverness and planning she overcame all odds, beat back the darkness, took over the Earth, saved everyone," I said. "Only for a big bad System Wizard to erase all of her work, undo everything, and scatter her friends. This is where I come in. Martin. Her best friend who cannot remember her. Like her, I''m not going to stop until I understand everything and win against impossible odds."


    I fell silent.


    "Ah," Zee Captain''s voice took on a different tone, almost wistful. "Such a troublemaker, zat girl."


    My heart skipped a beat. "You¡­ know her?"


    "Know her?" Zee laughed. "My dear boy, I was taking her to Manchester! Such a fascinating character - so determined to break ze rules, to rewrite ze narrative. Almost succeeded too."


    "Almost?" I blinked.


    "She was given a chance to become a System Wizard. She chose a different path. She hijacked zee train, directed it off zee tracks," Zee leaned towards me. "Sent it careening across the void.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    "Ah, but zat would be big Spoilers!" Zee Captain straightened up, waggling a finger. "Can''t tell you everything, ja? Where would ze fun be in zat? But I will say... Your curious tale is adequate payment. I am now thoroughly inspired! Here. A gift to keep you warm.¡±


    Zee dug into a dark-blue coat pocket and once again pulled out the old, grimy-looking, steel lighter. A gloved hand threw it my way and I caught it in the air.


    ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± I asked, glancing at the mundane-looking lighter.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Wizard¡¯s implement,¡± Zee replied with a wink of violet lenses. ¡°You¡¯re a magic-less human in the land of feisty, magic beasts. You¡¯ll need it to fit in. Consider it payment for accidentally exposing you with my Infoscope.¡±


    I glanced at the audience. They were still all frozen, suspended in time.


    "Appreciate it," I said. "If I understand it correctly your kind can bend the narrative of reality, yes?"


    Zee nodded.


    "How do I stop someone like you? How can I prevent my world from being overwritten again? How does your narrative end, System Wizard?" I asked him, feeling brave and expecting more finger-waggling and ranting about spoilers.


    "When you grow strong enough, figure out how to cross the threshold into Endalaus without turning to ashes, find me at the end of everything," she replied, my mind crawling sideways ever so slightly as my perception of Captain inexplicably wriggled from one gender to another. "And execute me with a gun that can kill a god."


    I blinked.


    "Then take my coat," she added. "And go to Manchester, for it is your Quest to slink amongst the System Wizards to unmake the Rules and tear reality asunder, my darkling."


    "What?" I exhaled. "I have to do WHAT?!"


    "Shhhh..." The undefinable entity put a finger to their mask and turned towards the gateway, which was still showing that endless, apocalyptic cityscape with the massive G-cube looming in the background.


    "Hey!" I called out. "I need to know more! Tell me more about Alexa! What happened to her? Where is she?"


    ¡°Here,¡± Captain answered simply pointing at my head.


    I swallowed.


    "Oh, and Martin?" Zee turned back slightly. "Do try to keep zee teenage cryptids who summon things zey cannot control in better order, ja? Next time something might come through that won''t be as Syntropic as me. You do not want to meet a genuine being of Entropy. Unpause! Have a Good tomorrow!"


    Time resumed.


    With that, Zee Captain stepped through the gateway.


    Cinder''s dark claws dug into my body, her entire body trembling.


    My eyes settled on the dark bracelet in the snow. I somehow knew that in another second the gateway would snap and then Emerald would be gone forever.


    Logically, this meant no more leader for the doomed troupe. No more troupe, in fact. No more Emerald. It would solve a multitude of future problems. But¡­ also, it would not prevent my inevitable exposure. Everyone served their purpose in the grand scheme of things. Everyone mattered in one way or another.


    I needed Emerald for my plan, the over-zealous dragon fit into a big part of it all like a perfect gear that spun so many of the others.


    "Wait," I yelled at Zee Captain.


    "Yeeees?" Zee paused.


    "That dark bracelet," I called out, pointing at the hexagonal band lying in the snow beyond the gateway. "Can you... Kick it outta there?"


    Zee Captain tilted their head. "Oh? And why should I do zat?"


    "Because..." I swallowed hard. "Because a good story needs all its characters. Everyone matters, even the antagonists."


    "Hmmm," Zee Captain said. "Very well."


    A dark, grimy boot kicked the bracelet out of the gate onto the stage. The gate snapped shut, collapsing into itself like a winking eye.

 Chapter 18: Aftermath [I]

    For a moment, absolute silence filled the auditorium. Then, as if a spell had been broken, the audience came out of their shocked stupor.


    "Oh my god, what a joke!"


    "What a bunch of knobfolds!"


    "Did you see how fast she melted? Holy shit that was amazing!"


    Laughter rippled through the crowd, cruel and mocking. Phones once again came out.


    "Guess the oh-so-great Emerald Stratos wasn''t such hot shit after all!"


    "Owned by a hobo in a trench-coat!"


    "And those two Knights? Tripped on literally nothing at all!"


    "Yeah, one dumb-ass got chopped with her own axe while the other electrocuted herself! How does that even happen?"


    "Serves those losers right!"


    "Total clusterfuck!"


    I glanced at Cinder. Her wings had shifted to a deep, stormy gray, her feathers bristling with barely contained rage.


    I bent down and picked up Emerald''s bracelet, ignoring the taunts. The dark metal was ice-cold against my skin.


    "Hey nullie!" Someone called out. "Gonna try to resurrect your girlfriend''s boss?"


    "Nah, he''s probably gonna pawn it!"


    More laughter.


    Cinder''s wings erupted with a sudden burst of color - deep crimson reds and violent purples that seemed to pulse with raw, unfiltered anger. She stepped forward, her voice cutting through the mockery like a blade.


    "SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP!"


    The auditorium went dead silent.


    Her wings spread wide. Her feathers rippled with more rage-filled reds. Her ocean-blue eyes blazed with absolute fury.


    "YOU WEREN''T UP HERE!" She screamed. "YOU DIDN''T SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED!"


    A Sasquatch in the third row shouted back, "We saw enough! Your whole troupe got destroyed in like, what, thirty seconds?"


    Cinder''s wings flared wider.


    A chorus of jeers and laughter erupted from the audience. The Sasquatch who had spoken was joined by others, their mockery growing bolder.


    "Your whole troupe''s nothing but a bunch of wannabe delvers!" A Thunderbird called out. "Even a human could''ve done better!"


    "Bet your daddy''s gonna be real proud!" Another voice sneered.


    The voices became a chorus of cruelty, each cutting deeper than the last. Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes, once fierce and defiant, began to fill with tears she was desperately trying to hold back.


    "Justice Nova''s daughter, everyone!" A Kelpie called out, his voice dripping with cruel laughter. "More like INJUSTICE Nova! Can''t even control a simple summoning!"


    Cinder blinked.


    "You didn''t even try using your wings against it!" The Kelpie accused.Stolen story; please report.


    The voices became a chorus of cruelty, each cutting deeper than the last. Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes, once fierce and defiant, began to fill with tears she was desperately trying to hold back.


    "Aww, did we hurt poor Cassie''s feelings?"


    "Can''t handle the spotlight?"


    "Go cry about it, you dum beerch!"


    I snapped.


    My hand dove into my bakpack, pulling out a show-grade thunderclap. With practiced precision, I yanked the pin and hurled it into the center of the auditorium, covering my ears.


    BOOM!


    The deafening blast erupted like a small sonic bomb. The sound was so intense it physically pushed people back in their seats. Phones clattered to the floor, drinks and food spilled, and for a moment, absolute silence reigned.


    When the ringing in everyone''s ears subsided, I was standing center stage, directly in front of Cinder. My stance was wide, shoulders squared, radiating a challenge that seemed to grow from some primal, protective instinct.


    "ENOUGH!" I roared whirling around and firing my DSLR''s flash directly into the face of the bastard who''d yelled at Cinder.


    The intense burst of the overpriced flash bulb set to maximum made him recoil backwards with a yelp.


    I jumped off the stage and swept my camera across the audience, flashing again and again and again, blinding their Omnithean eyes.


    "You think this is funny?" My voice was ice cold as I continued photographing faces. "Did you all come here just to berate someone?"


    "What''s that? A nullie loser defending a troupe of losers?" Someone yelled at me.


    The crowd was beginning to turn against me instead of Cinder.


    No. I will not break. I will not bow.


    FLASH. Another photo.


    "You dumb knobs!" I laughed at a group of jocks who started to fling insults at me. "I just got your faces, your voices, your names. Everything. It''s 2025! Do any of you have any idea how easy it is to reverse search up a person using the school''s yearbook registry?"


    "What?!"


    FLASH. "You think you''re so tough, hiding in the crowd? Making fun of someone who had the guts to get up there and try?"


    ¡°Shut up nullie!¡±


    "No, you shut up!¡± I pulled a smaller bang snap and pulled the string. The gunshot-like firework detonated, silencing the Omnitheans once again.


    ¡°Every single one of you who laughed," I barked into the silence. "Who mocked. Who jeered. I''ve got you all on video. Every cruel word. Every nasty comment."


    "Wonder what the school would think about this behavior? Or your parents? Your coaches? Your future colleges?"


    The crowd shifted uncomfortably.


    "You can''t-" someone started to protest.


    "I can and I will," I cut them off. "You wanted to humiliate someone? Congratulations, I just recorded your face and its already on the cloud, so threatening or trying to stop me will do fuck all!"


    "Effin'' nullie," one of the jocks commented.


    "That''s right!" I laughed. "I am a nullie. And you all know how effed-in-the-head nullies are, don''t you¡­ Tommy Rexof, varsity quarterback. Wonder what Coach Canard would think about you mocking a fellow student?"


    I pointed my camera at the green Basilisk who''d been leading the jeers. "And you, Sandy Satoros - doesn''t your mom sit on the PTA board? I''m sure she''d love to see this video of you calling someone the b-word?"


    The crowd shifted uncomfortably, rapidly escaping as I continued, methodically identifying faces and matching them to names, to social connections, to vulnerabilities.


    "Fuck you, nu...!" A gray demon growled.


    "Peter Ruvor? Is that you?" I snarled, flashing him. "Didn''t you just apply for that prestigious internship at Hozesh Omnicorp? Wonder how they''d feel about your behavior today if I were to email them your video?"


    The gray demon''s face went pale.


    "And you," I turned to the gray-blue Omnithean girl who''d made that final, cruel comment about Cinder. "Tekra Nurg. Is your goal to get suspended? Cus I can absolutely arrange it when Graves wakes up!"


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try, nullie loser,¡± she growled back, spiked tail lashing.


    "Hey," I spread my arms wide. "Maybe I''m wrong. Maybe you''re all super proud of how you acted today! Get the fuck out, show''s over. If any of you knobs want to apologize or try to take me down, you can find me at lunch playing chess tomorrow!"


    The exodus began in earnest then.


    I jumped off the stage and grabbed my tripod and camera, quickly folding the entire setup away.


    As the crowd dispersed, I turned my attention back to the anti-delvers.


    Iogann stood frozen, his skull-capped wings drooping in shock. The Mothman looked utterly defeated, his oversized hat slightly askew, antennae hanging limp. His usually chill demeanor had been completely shattered, replaced by a shell-shocked expression.


    Vespera lay crumpled on the floor right off the edge of the stage, her black and white feathers splayed awkwardly. Blood trickled from her broken beak, electrical sparks dancing weakly across her damaged wings. Her smartwatch had shattered, designer accessories scattered around her prone form.


    Solace was still pinned to the floor by her own battle-axe. Her reddish-brown skin had an ashen quality and a puddle of blood was spilling around her.


    Cinder''s wings had collapsed, the vibrant colors drained away to a dull, lifeless gray. Tears streamed down her face, cutting silver trails through her smudged, dark war paint.

 Chapter 18: Aftermath [II]

    I knelt beside Vespera first, carefully helping her sit up. Her black and white feathers were matted with blood.


    "Hey," I said. "Vee. Let me help you."


    She looked up at me, one eye swollen shut, half of the feathers on her face torched away by her own lightning which should have been impossible to happen to an electricity-proof Thunderbird.


    "Why... why are you helping me?" Her voice was nasal and broken. "Why aren''t you mocking me like the others? I... effed up... so bad."


    "I still gotta kick your ass in History Club!" I said with a smile.


    Vespera let out a half laugh, half sob.


    I helped her limp up the stairwell to the others. Cinder remained frozen on stage.


    "Ci, how do we call up the nurse?" I asked.


    She didn''t respond.


    "Cinder," I said softly, approaching her. "Hey. Talk to me."


    Her ocean-blue eyes were distant, unfocused. Tears continued to stream down her face.


    "Emergency hexagram," Vespera let out, pointing a blood covered, magisteel-reinforced claw. "Over there on the wall. Looks like a green Kitlix."


    "Io!" I ordered. "Go press it, you''re closest."


    The Mothman responded, moving as if he was half-asleep. He reached the hexagram and laid a shaking, gray paw on it.


    "You okay, man?" I asked him.


    "Just out of mana," he slipped down to the floor, large hat tilting to cover his exhausted face. "Gonna need time to recharge. Also, I don''t think that its working. The Auditorium''s ward is... totally fried."


    Vespera let go of me and dug into her armor, pulling out her phone. It was burned from one side, the screen covered in cracks and flickering with random colors.


    She threw the phone at a wall, letting out a wail-swear. The phone exploded into its constituent parts, bits and pieces scattering across the stage just like the troupe''s dreams of hitting it big today.


    "Bloody useless Thunderite trash! I didn''t get a single XP point for this shite!" Vespera''s snarled. She yanked off her fried armor pieces, revealing a sleek black hexasuit that was torn in multiple places. "Everything, ruined. How does a MistMark XII watch just shatter?! You were supposed to be effin'' indestructible!"


    She tore the smartwatch off her wrist, yeeting it at another wall.


    I reached down to Solace, feeling for a pulse. It was there, if a bit slow. The Olgoi-Khorkhoi were incredibly tough.


    "Vesp, stop throwing your things and tell me the school''s emergency number," I ordered.


    I already knew the number, but wanted to distract the Thunderbird from her rage.


    "7555-HEAL," Vespera answered, deflating.


    I dialed. A pleasant voice answered immediately.


    "Skyfall Academy Emergency Services, what is the nature of your emergency?"


    "Multiple injuries in the auditorium," I reported. "One student impaled by their own weapon, one with electrical burns and a broken nose, one completely drained of mana. Also the Vice Principal is unconscious."


    "Already en route with security. Please remain calm."The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    In a few minutes, the auditorium doors burst open as Nurse Keystoni rushed in, a wheelchair strapped to her back. A team of security officers in dark hexasuits followed, pushing hovering, beast-core powered stretchers.


    "What in Nazareth''s name happened here?" The nurse demanded, her green Kitlix familiar sparking on her shoulder.


    "We don''t know, mam," one of the security guards said. "All of the See-orbs within the auditorium are fried."


    "Just... a poorly planned show," I replied with a sigh.


    The security team moved quickly. Two officers carefully lifted Vice Principal Graves onto a hovering stretcher, his faceless head lolling to the side, dark tendrils barely visible. Another pair worked on extracting the battle-axe from Solace''s back


    "Careful with that!" Nurse Keystoni barked at them. "The blade''s serrated. Pull it straight up or you''ll cause more damage!"


    The nurse unfolded her wheelchair and threw some kind of a gemstone into the air above herself. The gem detonated with a flash, pouring a few buckets of water onto her like a quick rainstorm shower. Her legs fused together into a tail and she rolled herself to Solace.


    "Deep puncture wound, possible spinal damage," the nurse muttered, her green Kitlix familiar jumping onto Solace to assess the damage and to seal the bleeding cut. "Get her to the medical ward immediately. She''ll need emergency healing. Healer Klementine will handle it. I''ve stabilized her."


    "Thanks... Lex," Vespera muttered gruffly as two officers helped her onto a hovering stretcher. "I... I owe you one. For not being a total dick about this."


    "Just get better," I replied. "History Club needs its queen bee."


    She let out a wet laugh that turned into a pained groan. "Ugh, don''t make me laugh. My face is so busted."


    "Any other injured?" The Nurse turned to Iogann and Cinder.


    "Just... drained," Iogann mumbled from under his hat. "Need a nap. Will be fine in thirty."


    I walked over to Cinder and pulled Em''s bracelet out waving it in front of the catatonic-looking Quetzi.


    "Ems is going to need us." I said. "Want to walk with me to the Lazarus cavern?"


    Cinder''s eyes slowly focused on the dark bracelet in my hand. Her feathers shifted slightly, a hint of color returning.


    "Em..." she whispered, her voice hoarse. "She... she just..."


    "Melted like the wicked witch from Oz, yeah," I finished for her. "But we can fix that. The bracelet seems to be fine."


    "The Genesis Pool," she nodded slowly. "We need to... to..."


    "Get her back on her feet," I said, offering her my hand. "Come on."


    Cinder''s claws wrapped around my hand, her grip almost painfully tight as we walked to the elevator. Her wings remained a dull, lifeless gray sparking with bits of reds and violets at the very edges.


    The Nurse watched us as we departed. The ritual of bringing a close friend back from death was a sacred thing in Omnid culture and was Cinder''s right.


    The elevator doors closed with a soft ding, leaving us alone in the small space. Cinder didn''t let go of my hand as if I was her anchor to physical reality.


    "Alex," Cinder''s voice was small and weak. "What... what the shit was that thing? That... Captain?"


    "A System Wizard," I said. "It called itself ''Corpseworld Caretaker''. Presumably it''s a being that can straight up rewrite reality with a glance."


    "It just... walked through our wards like they weren''t even there," she muttered. "Em''s artifacts, her sword, her armor - everything just... broke."


    I nodded.


    "I''ve never..." Cinder swallowed hard. "I''ve never seen anything like that. Em was so strong, so confident. And that thing just... it didn''t even try. Everything we had just... failed. This was... so... so much worse than the Festival. Slayer! This is the first time Em died at a show!"


    "Sometimes the universe reminds us that there are bigger fish out there." I commented.


    "Bigger fish?" Cinder let out a broken laugh. "That wasn''t a bigger fish, Alex. That was a fucking leviathan playing with minnows."


    "A polite leviathan," I said. "She listened to me."


    "She?"


    "Maybe a he?" I shrugged. "I don''t think that Captain wished to be defined by us. I... took a picture. Honestly, I thought that Graves was scary. But..."


    "Graves is scary," Cinder agreed, burying her face in my shoulder, her tears starting again. "But that thing... it just dismissed him like he was nothing. Like we were all nothing. How can something like that even exist?"


    "Aren''t there living gods on Arx?" I asked.


    "Yeah, but..." Cinder shuddered into me . "This was different. The gods of Arx are... comprehensible, finite. They can be killed, follow rules, have clear forms, limitations. They are basically people with a single, near-absolute, incredibly high-level skill. They can''t even leave Arx cus the lower aesthetic density would kill them... I think."


    The elevator dinged and opened to the Lazarus Cavern. The liquid mercury surface of the pool was perfectly still.


    Cinder finally let go of my hand and took Emerald''s bracelet from me. She stared at it for a long moment.


    "What if it..." She uttered. "Doesn''t bring her back? What if something went wrong and she can''t come back? What if that thing did something to her soul?"


    "Only one way to find out," I said gently. "Want to do it together?"


    Cinder nodded.


    Together, we approached the Genesis Pool. The liquid mercury surface reflected the golden bioluminescent crystals above, creating an otherworldly glow. The statue of the female Omnid loomed over us, her stone wings spread wide and her sword pointing down at the pool''s surface.


    Cinder''s claws tightened around Emerald''s bracelet. She took a deep breath, then held it out over the pool. I also grabbed onto it.


    "Em," she whispered. "Please come back."

 Chapter 19: The Antagonist Role [I]

    We let the bracelet fall. It hit the silvery surface with barely a ripple, sinking slowly into the depths.


    The dark bracelet sank deeper, trailing silver threads that began to spread like roots through the mercury-like fluid. The threads pulsed with a faint ruby light, growing and rapidly branching into an intricate network.


    Gradually, Emerald began to reform within the bracelet''s moving ring. First came the crystalline-organic dragon heart, then delicate structures like frozen lightning stretched away from it - her nervous system sketched in silver and ruby light. Then came her skeleton, materializing bone by bone, followed by muscles and organs weaving themselves into existence like an anatomical time-lapse in reverse.


    The bracelet rushed up and down the figure of the girl within the silver fluid, printing her into existence.


    The process was mesmerizing and disturbing in equal measure. I could see her heart form and begin beating before she even had skin, pumping silvery Genesis fluid through newly-formed arteries. Her crystalline scales grew last, sprouting like flowers made of living rubies.


    Cinder''s wings trembled as we watched her friend rebuild herself from nothing. Her feathers shifted through anxious colors - deep purples, uncertain blues, hopeful yellows.


    Finally, Emerald''s eyes snapped open - brilliant gold-orange against the silver liquid. She thrashed suddenly, panicked, and Cinder dove forward without hesitation, plunging her arms into the pool to pull her friend to safety.


    I helped haul Emerald onto the stone ledge as she coughed and sputtered, expelling Genesis fluid from her newly-formed lungs. Her ruby scales gleamed wetly under the crystal lights.


    "Easy," Cinder murmured, holding Emerald steady. "You''re okay. You''re back."


    I walked to the robe area and handed the dripping Lindworm a thick towel and a robe. Emerald snatched it from my hands, her gold-orange eyes wild and unfocused.


    "What..." Emerald''s voice was hoarse. "What happened?"


    "You died," Cinder said softly, her wings curling protectively around her friend. "That... thing from beyond the gate. It did something that made all your artifacts fail. You basically melted."


    "I... melted?" Emerald wrapped the towel tighter around herself, shivering despite her usually high body temperature. "Oh. Right. Everything just... started coming apart... damn. That was... painful. At least it was quick. I don''t understand. How did my attack miss? Hey, Ci.... Where''s my sword?"


    "Your sword melted too," I said.


    Emerald''s head snapped up, her eyes focusing on me with sudden clarity. "You... you''re that effin'' pesky nullie. What are you doing here?"


    "Saving you," I crossed my arms. "You''re welcome."


    Emerald''s eyes narrowed.


    "I don''t need saving from a nullie," she spat. "Especially not from some weak little mixed-blood who can''t even..."


    "Em!" Cinder''s wings flared. "He''s the one who got your bracelet out before the gate closed. Without him, you''d be gone. Like, permanently gone."


    Emerald''s gold-orange eyes blazed with growing fury, turning from Cinder to me. "So what? You expect me to be grateful? Bet you just wanted to see me naked, you scale-chaser!"You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "EM!" Cinder growled.


    "Yeah that''s my name, you dum beerch," Emerald snarled. "Why the eff is he here, Ci? What, is he your new pet project? Your little charity case? Why was he sitting in the front row? Did you invite him? I told you that I was going to break your wrists if you kept obsessing over him! Guess it''s time for..."


    "Vesp invited me," I said.


    Emerald''s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "Vee? That thundercunt betrayed me?!"


    "No one betrayed you," I said calmly. "Your show went sideways because you forced Io to open a gate when he sensed disaster coming. Then you got your ass handed to you by something way above your level. Now you''re taking it out on everyone else because your ego can''t handle being powerless for once."


    "You little shit!" Emerald lunged forward, dragonfire igniting across her claws. "I''ma snap your spine!"


    I felt something click inside me as adrenaline flooded my system. The seventeen stolen hexamesh student and security guard suits I''d layered under my clothes suddenly activated in perfect sync, their beast cores igniting with a harmonious hum.


    My fist connected with Emerald''s jaw in an uppercut, amplified by the combined force of seventeen magitek suits. The impact sent the Lindworm flying backward with a surprised yelp. She splashed into the Genesis Pool, sending silver liquid spraying everywhere.


    "Alex!" Cinder gasped, her wings flaring with shock.


    "What?" I shrugged. "She was being volatile!"


    "YOU!" Emerald surfaced, sputtering and furious. Her ruby scales gleamed with silvery fluid as she pulled herself out of the pool.


    I punched her again, directly in the noggin, making her sink under, the Genesis pool extinguishing the sparks and wisps of deadly dragonfire.


    Emerald surfaced again, trying to grab at me. I smacked her in the forehead again, making her sink.


    It felt good.


    "STOP!" Cinder''s wings flared, shifting through warning reds and cautionary yellows. "Both of you! Em, he saved your life. Alex, stop dunking my friend in the resurrection well!"


    "I''ll stop dunking her when she stops trying to set me on fire," I replied, punting the dragon-girl under the silver fluid again.


    Cinder blinked.


    My hand closed around one of Emerald''s horns and held her under. Emerald flailed, her eyes wide. She clawed at my hand, demolishing my white shirt, but her claws were unable to penetrate the layered suits and dragonfire didn''t seem to be functioning within the Genesis fluid.


    "Alex!" Cinder''s voice cracked with alarm. "Stop!"


    I lifted Emerald up, letting her surface. She came up gasping and sputtering.


    "You..." she choked out between coughs. "You''re dead, nullie!"


    "Already died once," I shrugged. "Wasn''t that bad. Want to try again?"


    I ducked her under. As she swallowed more fluid, trashing as her eyes glazed over.


    "Alex, please!" Cinder tried to stop me but I was resolute, immovable in my layered outfit.


    "No," I growled. "She NEEDS this. She has to see WHAT I saw under there."


    After a minute, I pulled Emerald up again. She was barely conscious now, her gold-orange eyes unfocused.


    "Listen up, you ruby-scaled disaster," I said calmly. "I''m going to keep dunking you until you learn some manners. Every time you try to attack me, every time you insult me or anyone else - splash. Back into the pool you go. Clear?"


    "F-fuck... you..." Emerald gasped weakly. "You''re just... prey."


    "Wrong answer," I said. "Try again."


    Splash.


    When I pulled her up this time, she didn''t even have the strength to curse at me.


    "What am I?" I asked her.


    "P-ppprrr..." she stammered.


    Her horn cracked as I squeezed it with the power of multi-layered, gloved hand.


    "I dare you to finish that sentence," I said, lowering her back into the pool.


    Wild, tear filled eyes turned to Cinder. The Quetzi didn''t move to aid her friend.


    "A pp-pp-person," Emerald choked out a moment before I pushed her under again. "You''re... a person!"


    "Good!" I said brightly. "And what do we say to people who save our lives?"


    "Th... thank..." Emerald struggled with the word like it was physically painful. "Thank... you."


    Cinder stared at me.


    "What? I''m teaching her a valuable lesson about humility," I replied calmly. "Now, Emerald. What are you going to do differently from now on?"


    "I... I''ll t-try to be... nicer t-to you," Emerald managed through chattering teeth.


    "And?" I prompted.


    "And I won''t... t-try to kill you... t-today," she added quickly. "Or... set you on fire."


    "Excellent!" I helped her out of the pool. "See? That wasn''t so hard, was it?"


    She stared at me with hate-filled eyes. She was totally going to set me on fire tomorrow.


    This was fine.

 Chapter 19: The Antagonist Role [II]

    Emerald collapsed onto the stone floor, shivering violently. The Genesis fluid had almost completely doused her inner fire.


    Cinder rushed forward with fresh towels, wrapping them around her friend.


    "What... what the eff...?" The Rubicund Lindworm whispered, looking up at me. "You... you shouldn''t have mana or s-super strength. How are you overpowering me?! W-what are you?"


    "I''m... just a person," I replied evenly. "Like I made you admit. Now, are we done with the violence and insults? This is a sacred hall of incarnation, unless you forgot. If you want to challenge me to a duel to the death for insulting your dragon-honor, you can do so in History Club at a later date. Cinder or Vee will serve as my second."


    Emerald tried to puff herself up, her ruby scales bristling despite being soaked and shivering. "Don''t think this means a-anything, nullie," she snarled, though her voice cracked pathetically. "I''m still going to-"


    I arched an eyebrow.


    "Go ahead," I said.


    "What?" She blinked.


    "Do you know why I saved you from oblivion?" I asked her. "You exist as the antagonist. Your role is to antagonize me. Go ahead. Antagonize away."


    Emerald tried to draw herself up. "You... you think you''ve won something here? You think dunking me in the Genesis Pool makes you tough?"


    "No," I replied calmly. "I think it makes you wet and cold. And I think you''re deflecting because you''re terrified of appearing weak in front of Cinder, of losing your spot as number one dragon Queen. You saw something under there, didn''t you. Do you remember me? Do you remember... Alexa?"


    Emerald''s gold-orange eyes widened, a flash of genuine fear crossing her face. She rapidly concealed it behind a hastily constructed frown.


    "I didn''t see shit," she muttered. "And I''m not scared of anything, especially not some weak little..."


    I took a step toward the pool. Emerald flinched back.


    "Right," I nodded. "Of course not. My mistake. Clearly you''re a very brave and strong Lindworm... dunked repeatedly in magic juice by a ''weak little nullie.'' Very intimidating."


    "You... you..." Emerald sputtered. "This isn''t over!"


    "Obviously not," I shrugged. "I expect violence and grave treachery. Just remember this - every time you attack me or my friends... terrible, awful, no good things are going to happen to you. The more you try to stop me, the worse things are going to get for you."


    "You can''t threaten me!" Emerald snarled.


    "It''s not a threat," I said calmly. "It''s a promise. A prophecy, if you will. You''re going to keep being antagonistic because that''s your role. And every time you do, you''re going to fail spectacularly because that''s also your role. You exist in a box that you''ve drawn up for yourself. You are incapable of stepping out of it. You''re predictable and this makes you weak."


    Emerald''s scales bristled with fury at my words, but I could see the uncertainty in her eyes.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Had I let you vanish, had I let your bracelet remain behind the gate," I said. "You would be out of the equation of the future and... perhaps be seen as a martyr of sorts by some, since Omnids don''t speak bad of their perma-dead kin. As you are now, you''re perfect. Your own excessively villainous actions are going to push your entire crew into my waiting, pink hands."


    "WHAT?" She sputtered. The dragon-girl glanced at Cinder, perhaps seeking support, but the Quetzalcoatl''s wings remained neutral, shifting through thoughtful shades of blue and gray.


    "Ci, you can''t seriously be letting this nutjob nullie talk to me like this! I order you to-"


    "Order me?" Cinder''s wings flared with sudden anger, shifting to deep crimson. "You don''t get to order me around anymore, Em. Your show was an absolute disaster. You ignored Io''s warnings. You forced both of us to preform with your dragon-command-voice! You got yourself killed and two of your knights were grievously injured. Your fancy artifacts are gone. Your sword is gone. The troupe''s over! Go home!!!"


    "But..." Emerald''s voice cracked. "The troupe... we can still..."


    "No," Cinder''s wings flared wider. "It''s done, Em. You pushed too far, ignored too many warnings. I''m out."


    "You can''t just quit!" Emerald struggled to her feet. "We''re a team! How are you gonna level up?!"


    "Level up?" Cinder let out a bitter laugh. "Is that all you care about? Stats and power? Look what your obsession with ''leveling up'' got us today! Vesp has a broken face, Solace is in critical care, and you literally effing melted! If Alex didn''t ask that thing for your bracelet back we wouldn''t even be talking now!"


    "But..." Emerald growled. "We''re are the strongest..."


    "We''re not the strongest," Cinder sighed. "I met a god today. A real God. Not some bullshit LV-too-high-to-count humanoid on Arx that is powered by a bunch of tethered souls and citadel cities. And you know what? It didn''t care about our levels or stats or fancy artifacts. We were nothing to it. Less than nothing! That thing fried all of the school''s wards with a glance!"


    The Rubicund Lindworm frowned.


    "It made you trip on absolutely nothing! And you know what''s worse? It was being nice about it! It was playing with us, Em! Like we were amusing little toys!"


    Emerald''s fists opened and closed.


    "You want to be prey?" Emerald hissed at Cinder. "Fine! Be that way! Side with this... this nullie! See if I care! See where it gets you in a week or two!"


    She stormed toward the stairwell, leaving wet, silver-tinted footprints on the stone floor. At the gate, she turned back one last time, her gold-orange eyes blazing.


    "When you''re done playing with your latest pet project, you know where to find me," she snarled. Then she disappeared up the stairwell, leaving only the lingering scent of crushed pride.


    Cinder''s wings drooped, shifting through melancholy blues and grays. She let out a long, shaky breath.


    "You okay?" I asked, somewhat falling back on the supportive-friend NPC role.


    "No," she sighed. "Nothing about this is okay. The troupe is finished. Em''s ''prolly never going to forgive me for this. And you..." She turned to face me, her ocean-blue eyes filled with a mix of emotions I couldn''t quite read. "What you did..."


    I tilted my head at her.


    "That was dangerously imbecilic and... brave. Em''s going to make your life hell now."


    "And fall right into my trap," I grinned.


    "You don''t know Em like I do," Cinder sighed. "She doesn''t forget. Or forgive. Ever. And now you''ve humiliated her in front of me..."


    Then her brain caught up to my words. "What trap?"


    "The most dastardly kind of trap," I tapped the side of my head.


    Cinder squinted at me.


    "The more she antagonizes me, the more she''ll push everyone away from her and towards me. Every time she acts out, every time she tries to hurt me or others, she''ll dig her grave deeper. She''s predictable, trapped in her ''I''m-a-bully'' NPC pattern."


    "I don''t get you. You... you planned this? All of it?" She asked.


    "Pff," I waved her off. "I didn''t plan for an interdimensional tourist to melt your best friend. But once it happened... well, let''s just say I know how to work with what I''m given."


    "That''s..." Cinder''s feathers bristled slightly. "That''s kind of concerning, Alex. You''re kind of... scary."


    "Says the girl with mind-control wings," I guffawed. "Your singing literally made me crawl onto the stage on my knees. My social rep will never recover!"


    Cinder pursed her lips.


    I offered her my hand. "Shall we head upstairs, my fair lady?"


    The Quetzi-girl looked at my hand.


    Finally, she took it with a weary sigh, claws wrapping around my fingers.

 Chapter 20: Omnigogo [I]

    As we emerged from the elevator, Iogann was methodically packing away the show equipment, looking surprisingly calm despite everything that had happened. His large hat was slightly askew as he coiled up cables and packed away various magitek amps and other doohickeys that Zee Captain''s presence managed to break along with the building''s ward.


    "Hey," he greeted us with a small wave. "Just... cleaning up our stuff."


    Cinder''s wings and tail drooped, shifting to various shades of gray and black. The sight of the stage and cracked mana amps seemed to bring back a fresh wave of stress.


    "You seem... weirdly okay," I commented at the Mothman.


    "Had a quick smoke out back," he shrugged. "Plus, you know... I kind of saw this coming. Not the exact details, but... something bad. Remember? That''s my thing - sensing disasters, feeding off them."


    "H-hey Io,¡± Cinder let out. ¡°It''s... it''s over. I told Em that I quit."


    "As I expected. At least no one in the audience died this time. Well, except maybe the troupe itself," the Mothman commented.


    "Not helping," Cinder growled.


    "Just stating facts," Iogann shrugged. "Em''s gone full nuclear, Vesp and Solace are in the medical ward being pawed at by Vitalix Kitlix, and you¡­ quit. Pretty sure that counts as the troupe being dead. Want a smoke?"


    I grabbed Cinder''s arm before she could reach for the offered ''The Swords of Knight Chalice'' cigarette pack.


    "That''s not going to help." I said.


    "Let go," Cinder growled, her feathers bristling. "I need this."


    "No, you don''t," I said firmly. "You need hope. And then you need to process what happened, not numb yourself with sus interdimensional smokes. Do you even know what''s in them?"


    "Who died and made you my therapist?" Cinder snapped. "What hope? What the shit are you on about now?"


    "You''ve got talent. Your voice is incredible. Your performance was amazing until things went sideways. And now you''re free."


    "Free?" Cinder''s wings flared. "Free to do what?"


    "To move forward," I said.


    Cinder faltered, lighting up for just a moment. Then she stepped back and slumped against a large runework-powered speaker, sliding down until she was sitting on the dusty floor. She pulled her knees to her chest.


    "Move forward to where?" she asked quietly. "The troupe was my chance to prove I could be something other than Justice Nova''s disappointing, useless daughter." Her wings curled around her like a protective cocoon. "Show went to shit. Everyone saw what a joke we are. What a weak joke I am."


    "Oh please," I rolled my eyes. "That wasn''t a show. That was a hostage situation with a harmonica."


    Iogann snorted from where he was half-heartedly dismantling the smoke machine.


    Cinder''s voice was muffled by her wings. "The whole school was here. They''ll never let me live this down."


    "First of all," I interrupted, "the whole school wasn''t here. Maybe sixty people max and I''ve got all their names and faces recorded.¡±


    Cinder looked up at me, her expression that of pure depression and surrender. She was sinking, most of her wings pure black. I was losing her to an ocean of self-inflicted despair.


    Time for the big guns.


    "My question is - do you want to push this incident aside, or do you want to weaponize it to make potential Six Hundred Thousand o-bux?" I asked, looking down at her. "Because I''ve got everything we need right here - the bullying, the slurs, the harassment. One well-edited video on OmniGogo, and we could have your future funded for years to come."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cinder choked out. "What... what the eff are you on about?"


    "Think about it," I continued. "Cute Quetzalcoatl girl faces vicious discrimination at school show. Brave half-blood student captures everything on camera. That''s social media gold right there. We could have you trending by midnight."


    Iogann perked up. "People would actually pay for that?"


    "People on WingStarter pay for all sorts of random things like Solar Roadways," I shrugged, already mentally composing the perfect clickbait title. "This is way easier to sell. Bullying, especially overtly hostile, is incredibly easy to weaponize on a platform like OmniGogo or WingStarter."


    "Six hundred thousand o-bux for being bullied?" She looked up at me, her eyes lighting up. "Really? That sounds like a made up number."


    I sat down next to Cinder and asked Yulia to pull up the relevant article, passing the phone to Cinder when it was loaded.


    "Let''s Give Merleen - The janitor - A Vacation!


    $613,925 OSD in backing.


    A 72-year-old janitor named Merleen Keeps was subjected to verbal harassment by a group of middle school students while walking home from Jotuna Middle School in New New York Citadel. In a twelve-minute video capturing the incident, the students can be heard repeatedly mocking and berating her. At one point, one student shouts, ¡°You¡¯re so f***in¡¯ poor, you lard-ass b**.¡± Merleen responded to them with quiet resilience, saying, ¡°I try to live by such standards, I do, and it¡¯s not easy at all."


    The Mothman whistled low as his eyes ran over the article. Cinder just stared at the screen.


    Her feathered tail started to move slightly - the first sign of life since the concert disaster. "So... we could turn their mockery against them?" She asked.


    "Oh yes," I grinned. "But.... We''re going to do so much more than that. See this?" I held up the 360-degree camera. "This beauty captured everything - every sneer, every cruel comment, every moment they thought they were being oh-so-clever with their mockery. And this?" I tapped the condenser microphone. "Professional-grade audio. Crystal clear recording of every slur, every insult, every bit of harassment."


    "But here''s the thing - we don''t just want revenge. We want to build something awesome. Turn this whole disaster into your origin story."


    Cinder leaned closer to me. "Origin story?"


    ¡°Hum,¡± Io nodded slowly. "It''s kind of brilliant actually."


    ¡°You can help out too, bud,¡± I grinned at the Mothman.


    "You really want to help us? Help me? After I¡­ chased you, yelled at you, kicked your van like thirty times? I didn¡¯t even have the guts to invite you to the show, that was Vee!" Cinder let out, her gaze searching my face for any sign of deception. Her wings were still trembling, but there was a hint of hope in her voice that made my heart do that stupid flutter thing again.


    "Yes," I answered simply, refusing to let my eyes linger on the hopeful colors dancing up her now silver-blue agate feathers. "But you have to want to help yourself. This won''t be a project hanging on my neck alone. Gonna need a... place... to edit the footage and stuff. Maybe the school''s comp lab?" I pondered aloud. "If I can install quality video editing software there."


    "You can use my garage for it after school tomorrow!" Cinder blurted out, then looked startled by her own eagerness. She blushed as she quickly tried to backtrack. "I mean... if you want to." The attempted casualness in her voice was about as convincing as some of my earlier attempts at being smooth around her.


    Iogann looked between us with growing interest, a knowing smirk playing across his face. I pretended not to notice.


    "Yeah, sure. Text me the address." I nodded, trying to match her forced nonchalance.


    "My dad''s workshop computer should work," Cinder mumbled, trying to sound casual as her tail swished. "It''s got plenty of storage and stuff."


    I flipped the phone to the contacts list. "Here, put your numba n'' contact deets in there. Add me on Omnigram too."


    Wow, that took me way too long. Got everyone''s Omnigram, except for the only girl I actually wanted to get to know. Oh well, better late than never.


    "Um. Okay,¡± she started typing in her info. ¡°Hey, what kind of phone is this? It feels like it could survive a nuclear blast."


    "Pyroxia X-12," I explained, watching her examine my trusty device with genuine interest. "It''s... made in Thunderland for construction workers operating on power-lines and stuff. Has a measuring laser, infrared cam and survives a drop from 72 meters. Ordered it from O-bay.¡±


    "That''s... pretty cool," she said.


    I shrugged.


    "My Omnigram ID name is SongOfDarkness... don''t laugh," she said, handing the phone back. Her tail twitched nervously as she added, "And uh... thanks. For earlier. With Emerald and everything."


    "Yeah mang, don''t mention it," I shrugged, my eyes already scanning the backstage area. The catwalk above looked promising. "I''ll poke you on Omnigram. Don''t tell anyone that I''m here."


    ¡°What?¡± She let out.


    Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes tracked my movement as I quickly climbed a metal stairwell and settled into a makeshift nest in the catwalk high above the stage, clipping a hammock to the metal supports.


    According to Yulia''s report, temperature was supposed to rapidly drop overnight due to a cold snap so staying in the van even with the magic-furs was out of the question.


    The industrial metal frame creaked slightly under my weight as I relaxed.


    Below, Cinder paused in packing up the equipment with Iogann. I could practically see the gears turning in her head as she pieced together what she was seeing and then stared up at me with wide, unnaturally blue eyes.


    Then she dug into her pocket, pulled out her phone and started typing furiously.

 Chapter 20: Omnigogo [II]

    The tiny speaker in my ear buzzed with a new Omnigram notification.


    SongOfDarkness??: is that a hammock?! are you effin sleeping up there?!


    I typed back quickly:


    Alex G: Temporarily. Van''s heater is busted and a cold front''s coming. Don''t worry about it.


    SongOfDarkness??: ...


    SongOfDarkness??: you can''t sleep in the auditorium


    SongOfDarkness??: security does rounds at night


    Alex G: Already mapped their patrol routes yesterday. They never check the catwalk. they''r too lazy to climb stairs.


    SongOfDarkness??: alex no


    SongOfDarkness??: that''s not ok


    Alex G: It''s quite cozy up here actually. Great view of the stage.


    SongOfDarkness??: seriously, you can''t stay there


    Alex G: Watch me.


    SongOfDarkness??: ...


    SongOfDarkness??:Wait. Where did you sleep yesterday?


    Alex G: The van


    SongOfDarkness??: And before that?


    Alex G: The van


    SongOfDarkness??: And before the fucking van?!


    Alex G: Abandoned places. Office towers. Grain silos. Nazarite Cathedrals. Anywhere where it¡¯s warm enough and security is lax. Now quit looking up. You''re exposing my super secret location.


    SongOfDarkness??: get down here


    Alex G: No


    SongOfDarkness??: alex get your ass down here right now


    Alex G: Make me


    SongOfDarkness??: don''t make me come up there


    Alex G: Lol. What''s ur plan? 2 cuddle me to death?


    I tried to smash her with a funny.


    SongOfDarkness??: ...


    SongOfDarkness??: you''re staying at my place tonight


    Alex G: No I''m not


    SongOfDarkness??: yes you are


    Alex G: Nope. I''m good here. Got my hammock and everything.


    SongOfDarkness??: alex i swear to Slayer if you don''t get down here


    Alex G: You''ll what? Sing me to sleep? Already planning on that. Got a recording. Your voice is lovely.


    Cinder climbed up the stairwell faster than I could taunt her again, rapidly navigating the narrow metal walkway. Her feathers shifted through determined reds and stubborn oranges as she approached my hammock nest.


    "Get. Down." She growled, looming over me with her hands on her hips.


    "Nah, I''m comfy," I replied, snuggling deeper into my hammock. "Nice view up here. Great acoustics too."


    "Alex..." Her voice carried a warning tone.


    "What?" I blinked innocently up at her. "I''ve got everything I need right here - shelter, relative warmth, and a recording of your lovely voice to lull me to sleep. It''s practically luxury living."


    Her wings bristled, shifting to frustrated crimsons. "You are NOT sleeping in the school auditorium."


    "Why not? I''ve already nested," I yawned. "Shoo. You''re blocking my¡­¡±


    Cinder''s claws suddenly wrapped around my hammock''s support ropes. "Last chance to come down voluntarily."


    "Or what?" I challenged, raising an eyebrow.


    With a swift motion of snapping claws, she severed the ropes. I yelped as the hammock collapsed, but before I could fall, Cinder caught me in her arms, her wings spreading wide for balance.


    "Or I carry you out," she said smugly.


    "Hey! Put me down!" I protested. Her grip was surprisingly strong.


    "Nope," she started walking along the catwalk, carrying me like I weighed nothing. "You''re coming home with me."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "This is kidnapping!" I declared, flailing slightly as my heartbeat went mad. "Io! Help! I''m being kidnapped by a very pretty dragon-bird! She''s determined!"


    "Have fun!" Iogann called up cheerfully, not even looking up from where he was coiling cables.


    "Traitor!" I yelled down at him.


    "You can either come quietly," Cinder said, "or I can fly you down. Your choice."


    I immediately stopped struggling. "You wouldn''t."


    "Watch me!" Her mouth spread in a wide grin, wings unfurling wide, feathers lengthening with dancing mini-rainbows.


    Cinder''s wings erupted with color as she leapt from the catwalk - blazing crimsons, electric blues, molten golds all rippling through her feathers in a dazzling, mind-melting display. The drop made my stomach lurch as we plummeted for a heart-stopping moment before her wings caught the air.


    "HOLY SHIT!" I yelped, clinging to her desperately as we glided down in a graceful spiral. Her feathers shifted and adjusted with microscopic precision, controlling our descent with ease.


    We landed softly near Iogann, who was failing miserably at hiding his amusement. Cinder''s wings folded back with a satisfied rustle, though she didn''t set me down.


    "See?" She smirked down at me. "That wasn''t so bad."


    "Completely unnecessary!" I protested, my heart still racing. ¡°Nazareth, who does that?!¡±


    Internally I was laughing like a supervillain. My plan to shake Cinder out of her depression spiral was working quite well.


    "I had a perfectly good nest up there!" I continued protesting, though I made no real attempt to escape her arms. "And now my hammock is ruined!"


    "You can buy a new hammock," Cinder replied, still carrying me as she headed for the exit. "One that isn''t hanging in a school auditorium like some kind of weird theater ghost."


    "But I liked being a theater ghost," I pouted. "Had a whole routine planned - rattling chains, moving props around, weaponizing chandeliers, writing cryptic messages on the mirrors..."


    "Uh huh," Cinder rolled her eyes, but I caught the slight upturn of her lips. "And how exactly were you planning to shower? Or eat? Or you know, do basic people things?"


    "I had it all figured out!" I insisted. "The gym has showers, the cafeteria and vending machines have food, and the janitorial closet has cleaning supplies. "Why must you ruin my Phantom-of-Skyfall dreams with your caring and warm house?"


    "Because unlike the Phantom, you need actual food and a real bed," she replied, her wings shifting through amused blues and teasing purples. "Also, you smell like catwalk dust and a sweaty hexasuit." She glanced at my arms where Emerald managed to tear through a few layers. "Hold up, how many hexasuits are you wearing?!"


    "Umm... seventeen," I confessed.


    "Seventeen?" Cinder nearly dropped me in shock. "How are you even moving?"


    "I synchronized their activation patterns with Yulia''s help," I shrugged. "And I''m wearing them in alternating polarities to minimize interference. They''re all basic student-grade or generic security-grade stuff. Individually they''re pretty weak but together they form a mighty..."


    "Dweeb?" She commented.


    "No! A... mighty Voltron of basic school equipment!" I declared proudly. "Like your average student debt, but in hexasuit form!"


    "Holy shit," she laughed. "No wonder you punted Em into the pool like that! I thought that the entity from beyond the gate blessed you with super strength in exchange for your soul. Slayer!"


    "Nah. Captain blessed me with a magic lighter," I said.


    "What?" Cinder laughed even harder, taking my words for another joke. "You''re absolutely ridiculous, you know that?"


    "Says the girl carrying me like a princess," I retorted. "I demand a tiara if this is going to be a regular thing."


    "Keep dreaming, dweeb," she snorted, but her wings shifted through happy shades of pink and gold. "Now, are you going to walk on your own, or do I need to carry you all the way to my house?"


    "Well, since you offered so nicely..." I made myself comfortable in her arms. "I accept your generous transportation service. Though I must warn you - the proper princess-phantom carrying etiquette requires you to sing while doing so."


    "Don''t push your luck, dweeb," she huffed.


    "What is a ''dweeb''?" I ask. "Should I be offended?"


    Cinder rolled her eyes, but I could see her fighting back a big smile. "A dweeb is... you. And yes, you should definitely be offended."


    "I am mortally wounded by your cruel words," I declared dramatically, pressing a hand to my chest. "How shall I ever recover from such a devastating insult?"


    "You''ll live," she snorted, finally setting me down as we reached the parking lot. "Now help us load shit."


    Iogann emerged from the auditorium pushing a huge dolly loaded with cables, hexagram amps, and various other show equipment.


    I followed Cinder and Io to a battered van parked behind the auditorium - not my rust bucket, but a slightly less decrepit model in faded purple and black. The vehicle was covered in skull moth decals and "DISASTER AWAITS!" painted in dripping red letters on the side. The logo was somewhat peeling, revealing at least three previous names underneath.


    "So," Iogann said casually as we worked, "you two seem... friendly."


    "Shut up, Io," Cinder growled, her wings shifting through embarrassed pinks.


    "Just saying," he shrugged. "It''s nice to see you actually letting someone help for once."


    "I''m not letting anyone help," Cinder snapped, shoving a large, cracked runestone into the van with more force than necessary. "I''m preventing a homeless idiot from camping in the auditorium!"


    ¡°Mmmm, yes, purely practical concerns," Iogann nodded sagely. "Nothing to do with those interesting colors your wings keep shifting to whenever he''s around."


    "I will stab your eyes out with your own antennae," Cinder threatened.


    "Hey, just making observations," Iogann raised his hands in mock surrender. "That''s kind of my thing. Noticing impending disasters... and other curious developments."


    "Nothing is developing," Cinder insisted. "Get off my wings, you oversized bug!"


    "So, are you following us in your van or are we all gonna squeeze into the Mothmobile?" Iogann asked, closing the back doors of his disaster-mobile.


    "How''d you know ¡®bout my van?" I asked him.


    "Ci told me," the Mothman tilted one of his antennae in the direction of orange-red-violet-pink tinted Cinder. "Made it sound like a sweet crib with carpets, beer fridge, beanbags and See-Mass lights."


    "My van needs a funeral and a break from being kicked by angry Quetzis," I shrugged. "Riding with the disaster-sensing Moth seems safer. Though I should probably grab my clothes backpack from it first."


    "I''ll go with you," Cinder said quickly, then seemed embarrassed by her eagerness. "You know... to make sure you actually come back and don''t try to nest in there instead."


    "Such lack of trust," I clutched my chest in mock offense as we walked to my van. "After all we''ve been through - death, resurrection, interdimensional tourists, dragon-bestie pool dunking..."


    We returned to Iogann''s van, where the tetris-like packing situation became immediately apparent. Every inch of space was crammed with show equipment, leaving only the two front seats available. My massive backpack had to be wedged in at an awkward angle on top of everything else.


    "Shotgun!" I called out quickly.


    Cinder squinted at me.


    "What? You can''t just fly behind the van like a big kite?" I asked her. "What are those giant fluffy things for? Making pretty colors?"

 Chapter 21: Triumvirate Slayers

    "I will drop-kick you into next week," Cinder growled.


    "Fine, fine," I sighed dramatically. "I suppose we''ll have to share the front seat like civilized people. Do you want to sit on my lap or do you prefer to be my fluffy throne?"


    Cinder''s wings flared with embarrassed pinks and irritated reds. "Neither! We are NOT sharing a seat!"


    "Someone''s gotta sit on someone," Iogann commented, climbing into the driver''s seat. "Unless you want to try to squeeze into the back wedged under the equipment?"


    "I am NOT sitting in anyone''s lap!" Cinder declared firmly.


    . . .


    Five minutes later, she was perched awkwardly in my lap, her wings folded tight against her back to avoid taking up too much space. Every bump in the road made her tense up, and her feathers kept shifting through embarrassed pinks and flustered purples. She was unexpectedly light. I supposed that it made sense for a flying-type Omnid to be lighter than a human.


    "Not. One. Word." She growled at Iogann, who was failing miserably at hiding his grin.


    "Wouldn''t dream of it," the Mothman turned the second key in the ignition.


    What. Second key?


    The van''s engine suddenly thrummed to life with a deep, eerie hum that was definitely not standard. Suddenly, the entire vehicle shuddered and began to lift off the ground, wheels folding sideways.


    "Um, Io?" I sputtered as the parking lot dropped away beneath us. "Is your van supposed to do that?"


    I stared at the [Gurrwulf Industries 2088] winged wolf logo on the dashboard. "Wait... This doesn''t look like Omnid Magitek or even mundane Earth tech!"


    "Yeah man," he chuckled, flipping switches on what I now realized was a ridiculously complex control panel featuring way too many dials. "Acquired it from a dimension where flying cars were the norm. Pretty sweet ride, right?"


    "Acquired?" I arched an eyebrow. "You mean stole?"


    "Liberated!" Iogann corrected, pulling back on what looked suspiciously like a flight stick. "From a reality that was about to get wiped out by an entropy wave anyway. So technically, I saved it."


    "That''s... Bloody amazing, like Larry Potter level amazing," I admitted as we soared over the school buildings. "No traffic, no roads to worry about..."


    "And no Glider-beast registry for the cops to track," Iogann added. "Seriously those things are expensive to keep up with all the crystalline mana they need to nom."


    "What is this thing powered by?" I asked.


    "A fusion battery that expires in 20 years and compost trash," Iogann replied.


    Cinder''s wings unconsciously spread a bit, catching the wind through the cracked windows.


    "The antigrav makes hauling equipment way easier," the Mothman grinned, flicking a switch. "Just gotta be careful about air traffic control and keep the cloaking field running."


    "The what now?" I asked just as the entire van shimmered. The side mirror and the front of the van had seemingly vanished from view, leaving only a slight distortion in the air.


    "Stealth mode," Iogann explained proudly. "Can''t have people spotting a flying van, right? That''d cause way too many questions."


    "And probably a disaster," Cinder muttered.


    "Hey, my disasters are very selective," Iogann protested. "I seek disasters, I don''t make em."


    "Uh-huh," the Quetzi-girl rolled her eyes.


    "Today doesn''t count!" Io defended himself. "Em forced me into it!"


    As the sun began to set, Cinder gradually relaxed against me, her initial stiffness melting away. Her feathers shifted through peaceful blues and content purples as she unconsciously leaned back, her head eventually coming to rest against my shoulder.


    Below us, Leviathan''s Cradle sprawled out in all its magitek glory. The massive comet impact crater that gave the city its name curved around the metropolis like a protective wall, its jagged peaks still bearing the crystalline scars of Wormwood Star''s violent arrival. The setting sun painted these ancient wounds in brilliant oranges and deep purples, making the entire mountain ridge shimmer like a crown of broken gems.


    The ocean beyond the crater-ridge caught the dying light, transforming into a sheet of liquid fire that stretched to the horizon. Massive shapes moved beneath those golden waves - the descendants of the cosmic horror the comet had brought with it, now as much a part of this world as the crystalline mountains themselves.


    "Pretty, isn''t it?" Cinder murmured, her voice soft with something like pride.


    "It''s... incredible," I breathed, genuinely awestruck. "Better than in the brochures!" The city itself was a marvel of organic architecture, with buildings that seemed to grow rather than being built, their surfaces alive with bioluminescent patterns that began to glow as darkness approached. "I''ve never seen anything like it."


    "Yeh. When all the buildings light up... it''s like flying through a galaxy," Iogann commented, banking the van to the right, following the crater''s curve to allow me to see more curious things below.


    "That''s Dreadspine National Park," He pointed at a massive skeletal structure that dominated the eastern side of the crater. "There''s the bones of the first iteration of the Leviathan that crawled out after the impact."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The colossal skeleton gleamed in the fading light, its ivory-white bones threaded with crystalline veins that pulsed with a faint, ethereal glow. The ribs alone were taller than most skyscrapers, forming natural arches over the North-Western sections of the city.


    "And over there," Cinder said, "that''s the Triumvirate Slayer''s Cathedral. See how it''s built right into one of the vertebrae?"


    I felt her shift slightly against me, her feathers brushing my neck as she pointed at the white gothic cathedral.


    "Hey, um, Ci," I said. "How come you don''t have a personal flying manta ray?"


    "Dad doesn''t trust me with one," she exhaled. "Plus, I failed the flight test like five times. Ughh. I just can''t get them to obey me properly."


    "Don''t your wings work on them?" I asked.


    "Not really," she sighed. "I can attract em, sure, but not tell a big-ass flyin'' manta what to do via the mindlink tentacle. They just don''t effin listen! Worse than riding a freaking horse!"


    "I see," I said. "What''s that?"


    "The dark district with occasional violet neon? That''s Scab Row. The neon signs are basically gambling dens and massage parlors. And beyond that..." Her voice trailed off as she realized how close she''d gotten, her feathers flushing pink before she quickly settled back.


    The city was transforming as night fell. Buildings and cars bloomed with bioluminescence, creating rivers of living light that flowed through the streets. The crater walls themselves seemed to come alive, crystal veins pulsing with deep, ancient power. Massive, sleek flying manta rays and rotund bus-moths took off here and there, weaving in and out of clouds, covered in glowing red and green Kitlix lanterns carrying passengers and goods across the sky.


    Iogann guided the van away from the commercial districts, heading towards an elevated residential area that literally rose above the rest of the city. Some of the homes here were practically palaces, each one unique in its architectural style.


    My stomach tightened as I suddenly remembered exactly who lived in this neighborhood. Justice Nova - Cinder''s father - wasn''t just some random official. He was THE Justice, one of the heads of Omnithornia''s law enforcement and judicial system. The man who''d personally signed thousands of human deportation orders.


    And I, a completely illegal human infiltrator, was about to walk into his house.


    "Hey Io," Cinder called out as we descended towards a particularly impressive Victorian Gothic revival mansion. "Drop us off at the back entrance. Dad''s probably home by now, and I don''t want to deal with..."


    "The usual interrogation?" Iogann finished with knowing sympathy. "Yeah, no problem. The usual spot?"


    The flying vehicle touched down silently in what appeared to be a private garden, hidden from the main house by towering orange-violet Mystic-Willow-Oak trees.


    Cinder reached for the van¡¯s door handle.


    "Wait, stop," I said, gently grabbing Cinder''s wrist before she could open the door. "How exactly do you think this is going to work? Your dad is literally The Justice of Cradlefall. You know, the guy who signs deportation orders for breakfast? The one who made that speech last month about ''purifying Omnithornia of human corruption''?"


    Cinder''s wings shifted through uncertain colors. "He''s not... I mean, he won''t..."


    "Won''t what? Welcome a homeless nullie into his house with open arms?" I laughed darkly. "Best case scenario, he runs into a half-blood student sneaking into his house with his precious daughter and will be incredibly annoyed at both of us. Worst case, he calls up a Scrutimancer and then I end up in a detention center or dead in a ditch."


    "He''s not home much," Cinder protested weakly. "And my room''s in the separate wing, he barely ever comes there..."


    "Ci," I said softly, using her nickname deliberately while also realizing that she said ''her room'' instead of the garage. "Your dad hunts ¡®human pond scum¡¯ for a living. This is a monumentally bad idea."


    "Then what''s your plan?" She turned in my lap to face me, her ocean-blue eyes fierce. "Freeze in your van? Sleep in the school rafters until you get caught? At least here you''d have a proper bed..."


    "If we do this," I said. "Then we do it my way. None of this back-garden sneaking where we eventually run into your parents or siblings and have to explain ourselves stammering and blushing like awkward teenagers while your father thinks of how to make me disappear. Io, take off. Take me to the Triumvirate Slayer¡¯s Cathedral on 204 Thunderward Street. Land in the Dormitory garden in the back.¡±


    "Alex..." Cinder started to protest.


    "Cindy," I grabbed her waist, replicating her tone. "Tell me, have you brought Io to your house before? Was it via that sus back garden route where you had to sneak about avoiding cameras? Did that go well with your parents? Did they give Io''s hippie robe and hat extra-stern looks and then perma-ban him from ever visiting you ''cus he smells like a walking vape shop?"


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through guilty purples and embarrassed pinks. Iogann let out a dry chuckle from the driver''s seat.


    "Yeah, that was a fun afternoon," the Mothman commented. "Justice Nova gave a whole lecture about ''appropriate associations'' and ''maintaining proper social standards.'' Haven''t been allowed back since."


    "Exactly," I nodded. "So instead of sneaking around like guilty children, we''re going to do this properly. Io, cathedral garden, please."


    "What''s your plan?" Cinder asked as Iogann lifted the van back into the darkening sky.


    "Simple," I grinned. "I''m going to walk right through your front door. But first, we need to make me look like someone your dad absolutely can''t dismiss."


    "We?" She blinked.


    "Yes, we," I said. "Instead of helping to sneak me through your dad''s house, you''re going to help me sneak into the Triumvirate Cathedral."


    "The cathedral?" Cinder''s eyes widened. "I don''t..."


    The van touched down in the shadowy square garden behind an imposing cathedral. Unlike the organic architecture of modern Omnithean buildings, this structure was deliberately archaic - all sharp Gothic spires and carved stone, illuminated by arcane flames rather than mere bioluminescence.


    "Are you insane?" Cinder hissed at me. "This place has..."


    "Incredibly lax dorm security," I said. "The outer arcane ward wall is quite hard to breach on foot, but we flew in from above in Io''s invisible, non-magic van so no alarms that would notice ordinary Sky-Gliders have gone off. There is literally nothing of value to steal from administrative offices, so the security in there is likely something incredibly basic. I''ve slept in plenty of Slayer churches during my Urbex days. Their layout is standard. You''re coming with me to keep me invisible with those wings of yours."


    Cinder''s wings trembled slightly as they wrapped around me.


    "This is crazy," she whispered against my ear. "If we get caught..."


    "Io, any doomsense about us?" I asked.


    "Mmmmm. You do taste like a... walking cataclysm in general," the Mothman answered.


    Cinder sent him a glare.


    "But," he added, giving me and Cinder a thumbs up. "This isn''t the yuuge catastrophe I''m waiting for. You two should be fine here."


    "Perfect," I grinned. "Pick us up in this exact spot in two hours or so. I''ll Omnigram you for when I''m done. You''re the anon that warned me about the show, yeah? Add me properly."


    "Ye, that was me. Can do," The Mothman gave us a mock salute from the van. "Try not to cause too much chaos without me."

 Chapter 22: Choir Manager [I]

    I kept one hand on Cinder''s waist, guiding her across the dark courtyard. Her wings provided the camouflage, their colors matching the shadowed stone so perfectly that we might as well have been ghosts.


    The heavy wooden door''s lock surrendered easily to my plastic card with a soft click. Old-style locks were hilariously vulnerable to the most simple approach.


    We slipped inside, our footsteps echoing softly on the stone floor despite our best efforts to move quietly.


    The administrative wing was exactly what I expected - all vaulted ceilings and Gothic arches, illuminated by Kitlix lanterns that cast a warm, flickering light similar to candlelight. The walls were lined with paintings of various Slayer Saints and their heroic deeds, their stern faces seeming to watch our progress disapprovingly.


    "This way," I whispered, guiding Cinder down a side corridor and into the head priest''s office. According to what Yulia dug up, the Elder Omnid inhabiting this domain was perfect.


    With another application of a plastic card and we were in.


    I closed the door behind us and slipped out from under Cinder''s protective feathers and made my way to the ancient-looking desktop computer that dominated the office''s heavy wooden desk. The machine was exactly what I expected - old, rarely used, and probably containing template files for every official document the cathedral produced.


    "What are you doing?" Cinder hissed as she kept watch by the door.


    "Creating a paper trail," I murmured, booting up the machine. The login screen appeared, demanding a password.


    "You''re going to hack a church computer?" Her voice was scandalized but also somewhat impressed.


    "Pfff," I waved her off. "Obviously not. I''m going to hack a far weaker link - people."


    I shuffled through the papers inside the desk for a bit and took photos of everything in the office.


    Then I had Yulia look up the latest sermon of the old Archpriest that the office belonged to. In minutes, she applied the man''s voice to the Nineteenthlabs API, replicating it exactly.


    Then, I picked up the ancient landline phone from the desk.


    "Ready," Yulia whispered back in my ear.


    I dialed the IT support number listed on a sticky note beside the monitor.


    "NazariteNet IT Support, how may I assist you?" a bored voice answered.


    "Yes, hello," I typed into my phone. "This is Father..."


    "Yes, hello," Yulia''s modulated voice emerged from my phone''s speaker, sounding exactly like an elderly priest. "This is Father Matthias Jonannes from the Triumvirate Slayer''s Cathedral records office. I seem to have forgotten my password again. These darn systems, you know how it is..."


    "Of course, Father," the IT person sighed, clearly used to this sort of call. "I''ll need to verify your identity. Can you provide your employee ID?"


    "Ah yes, let me see..." I made a show of shuffling papers, then Yulia read out the ID number I''d spotted on the paperwork inside the desk. "EX-2024-117..."


    "Thank you, Father. And your security question: what was your first parish?"


    "St. Nazareth Spire of Lethargic Lake," I replied through Yulia confidently, relying on the AI''s reverse-image lookup a photo of that church on the office walls. "Beautiful little place, you know."


    Cinder''s eyebrows were escaping from her face in a ''what the fuck'' look.


    "Alright, verified. Your temporary password is ''BlessedGate2025''. Please change it upon login."


    "Bless you, my child," Yulia replied.


    After disconnecting, I quickly logged into the system. Just as I''d suspected, the computer contained the needed templates.


    "Alex," Cinder whispered urgently, looming over me. "Someone''s coming!"


    I quickly turned the monitor off and slipped under her camo-wings just as footsteps echoed down the hallway. Through the gaps in her feathers, I watched an elderly Omnid priest shuffle past the office, muttering prayers under his breath. He didn''t even glance our way through the stained glass office door.


    Once the priest''s footsteps faded away, I slipped back to the computer and began rapidly editing the templates. My fingers flew across the keyboard as I created a carefully crafted paper trail - letters of recommendation, character references, work permits and most importantly, official documentation of my "charitable work" with the cathedral''s youth outreach program.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "What exactly are you doing?" Cinder whispered, peering over my shoulder as I worked.


    "Creating the perfect man," I answered.


    Cinder choked.


    "What were you doing on February 14?"


    "What? Why?" Cinder demanded, caught off guard by my question."


    "Just answer. Where were you?"


    "I was... at the Spring''s End Festival," she said. "The one where a bunch of students died from the flesh tree that walked out of the gate. Why?"


    "Perfect," I typed rapidly, creating a detailed account of how Alexander Glock had heroically helped evacuate students during the incident, specifically mentioning assistance rendered to one Cassiopeia Nova. "I''m the nullie who helped you during that event."


    "But you weren''t..." Cinder started.


    "Doesn''t matter," I said, printing the documents. "What matters is that these records say I was. And they''re official church document signed by Father Matthias Jonannes."


    "Won''t the priest realize none of this happened?" She demanded. "You can''t just..."


    "Father Matthias Jonannes is 341 years old," I said. "Do you know what happens to old Omnids who repeatedly extend their life using the Lazarus Cavern instead of retiring?"


    Cinder looked at me.


    "They get super forgetful and confused," I explained, carefully applying the church''s ornate seal to each document and signing them with Matthias'' signature, replicating it with slight variance. "Even with the incarnator optimizing the body, the subject is still old and the mind decays. Elder Omnids mix up timelines, forget whole decades. Their short term memory is constantly disrupted by the reincarnation process. Nobody questions computer databases and sighed records. Especially not from a respected Arch-Elder. Your dad won''t doubt these - if anything he might be a bit concerned about why you never mentioned the ''heroic mixie'' who saved you during the Festival."


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through shades of amazement and concern as she watched me work. "This is... so effin'' devious. How do you even know all this stuff? How did you know the answer to the secret question?"


    "Oodle, plus the sagely wisdom of my personal open source AI," I shrugged. "The secret questions are actually pretty standard once you break into enough of these churches. Honestly, if I was the school''s administration the first thing I''d do is order students to make their own personal AI. There is so much potential in agent-armed LLMs with vision that everyone is utterly blind to."


    "Is that how you knew all those students'' names earlier? And their connections?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Yulia helps me process and gather information faster, but the real skill is knowing how to use that information within the framework of administrative systems and people."


    "Yulia, generate an image of me, Dr. Slate Glock and Father Matthias Jonannes at St. Nazareth Spire of Lethargic Lake," I whisper-ordered in Kaska. "Don''t forget the name tags and event date. Use the image on the wall as reference."


    I began humming Omnithornication as I worked forging more documents and contracts, slipping them into appropriate folders and shelves.


    "Ugh. I can''t believe you recorded me singing that," she lamented.


    "It''s now my favourite song in the universe," I commented, inserting a usb cord from my phone into Father Matthias'' computer and sending the image to the printer.


    As the printer hummed, I dismounted one of the many pictures off the wall, popped the glass out and then inserted the AI-generated photograph of myself and my Thunderbird ''father'' into the frame, hanging it back onto the wall.


    "Holy shit," Cinder breathed, staring at the photo. "HOW?! The lighting, the details, the lake in the back... it looks completely real. How did you... do that?"


    "Yulia is really good at using Stable Diffusion," I grinned. "It takes her seven seconds to generate pretty much anything."


    "But..." Cinder''s wings shifted through confused purples as she studied the image. "Your clothes, your expression, even the way the light catches your eyes... It''s perfect. Too perfect. It''s just like the other photos on the wall. It''s like it was there to begin with!"


    "That''s the point," I said, saving the photo onto the computer into the Nazarite meetup folder that was already there. "How much do you know about current AI capabilities?¡±


    ¡°Umm. I''m in Mr. Murconi''s infomatics class, but he''s lame and annoying so I skipped most of it. I know that Omnibook released an AI recently but it''s like, pretty stupid, just hallucinates nonsense most of the time, so it''s not amazing for essays. Asking it to draw something remotely interesting like some celebrity getting their head cut off gets the ¡®requires denied¡¯ yellow cat picture.¡±


    ¡°Sounds about right,¡± I said. ¡°Many Omnids like you haven''t really caught up to what AI can do these days."


    "You''re scaring me even more now," Cinder admitted, her wings shifting through uneasy orange-violets. "Like, actually legit freaking me out. You just... Casually walked in here and rewrote reality in what, thirty minutes?"


    "Reality is mostly paperwork and photos," I shrugged, gathering the documents into a neat folder. "People believe what they see, especially when memory is imperfect. Your dad might be the Justice of Leviathan''s Cradle, but he''s still just a person who relies on other systems, other people and documentation to make decisions. I just wrote myself into a month of staying at the church dorms instead of sleeping in the van like a smelly hobo."


    "Damn," Cinder muttered. "So... Are we done or¡­?" She asked as I carefully locked the computer and restored the office to its near-exact previous state.


    "We''re gonna go to the dorm, so that I can shower and change," I said. "While I do that, you can think of how you met a very brave, nerdy young man on Saint Valentira''s Spring''s End Day. A choir manager Alexander Glock."


    "A choir manager?" Cinder''s feathers formed its invisi-canopy over me as we walked to the dorms. "Really?"


    "Yep," I grinned, leading her down the corridor towards the dormitory wing. "It explains why I''m so interested in your music, doesn''t it? Church choir managers are basically invisible - everyone knows they exist, but nobody pays attention to them."


    We reached the dormitory wing, which was exactly what I expected - rows of simple but comfortable rooms meant for visiting clergy and church staff. Most were empty, their doors unlocked and featuring neatly made beds and sparse furnishings.


    I picked one of the small rooms in the back, messed up one of the beds and then used a pen to quickly write out "Alexander Glock" onto the sign-in sheet by the door, backdating it to Feb 10.


    "Brb," I told Cinder. "Chill in my bed for a bit."


    "That''s not your..."


    "It is now," I winked at her.


    The Quetzi watched me with wide ocean-blue eyes as I rushed off to the bathroom.

 Chapter 22: Choir Manager [II]

    I emerged from the shower dressed in a perfectly pressed set of dark Nazarite novitiate robes I''d "borrowed" from the laundry room. The silver sword pin on my lapel caught the light as I adjusted the silver-black cross collar. Thick, round glasses sat on my nose, making my eyes look far larger than they were.


    Cinder became visible, perched with a look of worry on the narrow bed.


    "Good evening, fair lady," I grinned at her, adjusting my new thick-rimmed glasses. "Shall we go meet your parents? I believe I''m properly dressed for dinner now."


    Cinder stared at me, her feathers shifting through 50 shades of disbelief. The transformation was complete - gone was the scruffy, sweaty nullie in layered hexasuits. In his place stood a proper young Nazarite novitiate, complete with perfectly pressed robes and a demure expression, hair slicked back with plentiful application of gel.


    "You look..." she struggled for words.


    "Respectable? Trustworthy? Like someone who definitely helped evacuate students during a flesh-tree incident?" I suggested helpfully.


    "Like a completely different person," she finished. "How do you DO that? What the fuck. I didn''t think that you could look like any dweebier and yet here we are. Holy Shit, those effin'' glasses."


    "The glasses are essential," I adjusted them with a practiced gesture. "They make me look harmless and scholarly."


    "You look like a Larry Potter tv set reject," she snickered.


    "Uh-huh. Text you parents," I ordered. "Ask them if your friend, Nazarite choir manager Alexander Glock, can stay over for dinner."


    "That would be... Pretty out of character for me, but fine..." Cinder stared at me for a long moment, then pulled out her phone with an exaggerated sigh. Her claws tapped rapidly on the screen.


    "Mom says yes," she reported after a few minutes, sounding surprised. "She''s... actually excited? Says she''s been wanting to meet the ''brave young man'' from the Spring''s End Festival. Wait... how in the Abyss did she already know about that? What the fuck is happening?"


    "Father Matthias sent a very nice email to your parents about half an hour ago, praising their daughter''s volunteer work with the church youth choir and mentioning how wonderful it was to see her again today," I smiled innocently. "The email included a lovely photo of you and me serving soup to the destitute of Scab Row¡¯s soup kitchen."


    "WHAT?!" Cinder nearly dropped her phone. "We never... I would never... How did you...?"


    "AI-generated images, remember?" I adjusted my large glasses again, showing her the soup kitchen photo on my phone. "The lighting really brings out your angel wing colors."


    "You just... effin'' created an entire fake history between us in less than an hour! Wtf!¡± She stammered.


    "Not fake," I corrected. "Alternative fiction. The best lies are built on partial truths. You were at the Spring''s End Festival flesh-tree summoning. You do have an amazing singing voice. I am very interested in helping you produce music. We did meet recently. The rest is just... creative interpretation of events. Now, tell me - how did we meet? Did you think of anything?"


    "N-no," Cinder admitted. "I''m not good with this shit. I''ve been sitting here freaking out!¡±


    "Fine," I said. "Listen carefully..."


    I laid out the narrative as we sat on ''my'' dorm bed.


    "You met me at the Spring''s End Festival. I was there helping with the choir arrangements. When the flesh-tree emerged, I helped evacuate the attendees while you fought it. We didn''t really talk much then - just a brief ''thank you'' moment, after I pulled you behind the temp soup kitchen''s steel door when the flesh-tree was about to pulverise you.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    The Quetzi nodded.


    ¡°Recently, you ran into me again at the cathedral where I was organizing sheet music for the youth choir. You felt very bad about so many people dying at the festival, so you started to help out at the soup kitchen, got to know me, got to listen as I directed the choir. In January, I joined Skyfall Academy as a student. Today, I was at your show and I saved your best friend Em from an interdimensional monstrosity that knocked Graves out. You were in shock and I helped bring Em back to life. Don''t even have to make much up for this part. You were so grateful that you invited me to dinner with your parents."


    Cinder stared at me, her feathers shifting through thoughtful blues and worried purples. "That''s... actually fairly believable. Except for the part where I''d help at a soup kitchen."


    "Why not? It shows character growth," I pointed out. "No backtracking. Your mom already thinks you''ve been doing it. The photos are quite convincing."


    "My parents are going to have so many questions," she groaned, falling back onto the narrow bed. "They''re going to want details..."


    "Do you really give your parents details about your life?" I asked.


    Cinder snorted. "No. I barely talk to them at all these days."


    "Perfect," I nodded. "Then we just need to let them fill in the blanks themselves. People are really good at seeing what they want to see. Your mom probably wants to believe you''re secretly doing charitable work, that you were acting out and now want to change. Your dad will want to believe you''re hanging out with respectable church people instead of inhaling interdimensional smokes and summoning eldritch horrors into abandoned subway tunnels."


    Cinder blinked at me. "How''d you know about that?"


    "Your brother told me about the tunnel children''s song stuff," I said. "Your family aren''t clueless idiots. They know what''s going on in your life."


    "Oh," she deflated.


    "They''re probably relieved you''re finally bringing someone ''respectable'' home," I continued, straightening my novitiate robes. "A nice, proper young man from the church who helps direct choirs and feed the poor. Much better than your usual crowd of disaster magnets."


    Cinder''s wings shifted through irritated reds. "My ''usual crowd'' are my friends!"


    "And I will be setting all of your friends on the righteous path as a Goodly Nazarite," I said in an exaggerated pious tone, then dropped the act with a grin. "Or at least, that''s what your parents will think. In reality, I''ll be helping you build something way better than the Dreadful Delvers."


    "Which is what?" Cinder demanded.


    "I don''t know yet," I said. "You''ve got real talent, Ci. Not just with singing, but with performance in general. The way you commanded that stage, melted my brain with your song? That was incredible. Your Bard delver skill is absolutely baller."


    ¡°I''m not doing any more shows," Cinder''s feathers shifted back to depressed grays. "Not after today. And... I don''t want to sign up to extra delving outside of Delving class. If I do, my brother will figure out how to attach me to his team on a permanent basis and it''ll be nothing but annoying-as-F rules and checklists and wearing bulky-as-shit multi-layered armor that makes me look like an ocean diver and doesn''t accomodate for my wings."


    "We''ll make our own delving team," I said. "With you as its Captain and me as Quartermaster. We''ll set up whatever rules we want to, figure out how to get the most out of Arx and other worlds. Delving class has multiple excursions, remember? There''s field trips to Thornwild, Novazem, Andross, etc."


    Cinder pursed her lips.


    "I''ll see how we can apply your voice most optimally on each world. I want to understand it all. Not just dungeoneering, but everything. I want to know where the Kitlix come from, who makes them and how. I want to study dungeon monsters and Arx inhabitants and Magitek things and improve upon it all!"


    "Who would even be on this delving team?!" Cinder asked.


    "You, me, Io, Vee and.... Katherine Kells."


    "Katherine?!" Cinder''s feathers bristled. "The wheel-chair-bound girl who never talks to anyone? She''s practically failing delving class, can barely function in sunlight. Why her and not I dunno... Solace or something?!¡±


    "Solace is pretty much the definition of a knob. She''s tough-skinned, extra-hostile against mixies and very stubborn, thus she can remain Em''s only friend,¡± I said. ¡°Leaving Em without someone to yell at is bad. On the other hand, Katherine is an incredible artist, a clever and hella-dangerous hunter," I said. "Her dimensional magic is insanely useful for my... endeavors."


    "Lots of people in school have useful talents," Cinder pointed out. "Katherine doesn''t like me one bit. In fact, according to her own words - she hates everyone. Why her?"


    "Because she knows something important," I revealed.


    "About what?"


    "About me," I admitted. "About you. About... something else. Something bigger than all of this." I gestured vaguely in the air towards the massive cathedral visible through the tiny gothic window. "But that''s a conversation for another time. Right now, we need to focus on the dinner mission with your parents."


    "Right..." Cinder stood up with a frown, clearly not looking forward to interacting with Katherine or maybe stressing about my social hacking shenanigans. "My parents are going to ask about your family. Your background. What are you going to tell them?"


    "Exactly what the Skyfall and now Nazarite Cathedral records say," I smiled. "It''ll be fun, trust me."


    I pulled out my phone and texted Io that we were done.

 Chapter 23: Dinner [I]

    Io''s flying van touched down silently on a side street wrapped in massive pine-fern trees, a few blocks from the Nova mansion. The last rays of sunset had faded, leaving the city bathed in the ethereal glow of buildings covered in bioluminescent fungi.


    We bid the Mothman adieu and began our walk up to the Nova residence.


    The Victorian Gothic estate stood in front of us behind lavish gates featuring winged Omnids holding up the archway entrance.


    Cinder tapped a card on the intercom and the gate unlocked, letting us in.


    We walked up the winding path to the mansion''s entrance, gravel crunching beneath our feet. The garden was immaculately maintained, featuring more Mystic trees. Luminous blue bell flowers which Yulia tagged as "Starfall Snowdrops from Novazem" cast soft, ethereal light across manicured, magic-heated and watered lawns.


    "Relax, Ci," I whispered to Cinder as we approached the imposing front door. "Let me do most of the talking. And try to look less like you''re walking to your execution."


    "Easy for you to say," she muttered, her wings and tail shifting through anxious grays and violets. "You''re not the one who has to explain bringing home a total d..." She trailed off as the massive oak door swung open.


    A Quetzalcoatl woman stood in the doorway, silver-white-pink-green feathers gleaming in the warm light spilling from inside. Unlike Cinder''s sharp, angular features, Lady Nova''s face was soft and motherly, with kind eyes that crinkled at the corners as she smiled. She was shorter and curvier than Cinder, her appearance motherly to the 10th degree. She was wearing a white dress, white leggings and a white fluffy See-Mass sweater with blue and white Aztec patterns.


    "Welcome home, starshine!" She beamed at Cinder. Cinder replied with a half grunt.


    "And you must be Alexander!" Lady Nova''s warm smile turned to me. "We''ve heard such wonderful things about you from Father Matthias! Please, come in, come in!"


    I bowed slightly, the perfect picture of a polite young novitiate. "Thank you for having me, Lady Nova. Your home is beautiful."


    "Oh, please, call me Anitta," she insisted, ushering us inside. "Cassie never brings friends home anymore, especially not such polite young men!"


    "Mom," Cinder groaned. "I told you not to call me that."


    "Call you what, starshine?" Anitta blinked. "Your father and Lance should be down in the dining hall soon."


    "Oh, let me take your coat and bag, dear," Anitta offered.


    "Thank you, ma''am," I replied politely, shrugging off my winter jacket to reveal the pressed Nazarite robes underneath. "My apologies if the bag is a bit heavy - just some choir music sheets and school books I''m reviewing, plus camera equipment."


    "Such a dedicated young man," Anitta beamed, grabbing the large camping bag like it weighted nothing. "Cassie, why don''t you show Alexander to the guest washroom so he can freshen up before dinner?"


    I followed Cinder down a hallway lined with family photos, noting how her image became progressively darker and more rebellious in newer pictures. The transformation from bright, colorful girl to her current ''I hate you all'' goth aesthetic was quite stark.


    "Your mom seems nice," I commented.


    "She''s... yeah," Cinder sighed. "Too nice sometimes. It''s annoying. Never listens to me."


    The guest bathroom was as luxurious as expected, with marble countertops and gold fixtures. I quickly checked my appearance in the mirror making sure that my goodest-boy NPC mask sat on right.


    When I emerged from the bathroom, the sound of voices drifted from the dining room, Cinder waiting for me in the hall looking incredibly tense.


    The dining room was exactly what I expected from a high-ranking Omnithean official''s home - all dark wood paneling and crystal chandeliers, with a massive table that could easily seat twenty. Currently, only six places were set.


    Justice Nova stood as we entered. He was tall and imposing in his formal black uniform, his gray scales gleaming in the chandelier light. His orange eyes fixed on me with laser-like intensity. He was a taller, bulkier, gruffier, sharper and more dangerous-looking version of Lance, bald head gleaming.


    "Good evening, sir," I bowed respectfully to Justice Nova. "Thank you for allowing me to join your family for dinner. I''m Alexander Glock."


    "Hmm," Justice Nova''s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied me. "The choir manager Father Matthias mentioned. You were at the Spring''s End Festival incident, volunteering at the local soup kitchen, yes?"


    "Yes, sir," I replied. "Though my contribution to the festival and cleanup was rather small. Your daughter was far more heroic that day."


    "That''s not what I heard," Nathaniel Nova''s gaze struck his daughter, making Cinder scowl back. "It is my understanding that Cassiopea was the one to summon the flesh-tree through the gate to begin with."


    "Hey Alex," Lance waved to me.


    I waved back to Cinder''s brother and turned back to my real target.


    "I believe there may be some misunderstanding," I interjected smoothly, my voice deep and calm. "When the flesh-tree emerged, I witnessed Cassiopeia actively fighting to protect others. She helped me evacuate several younger students to safety behind the soup kitchen''s steel door. As for the summoning, Cassie was forced into doing such dangerous things by Emerald Stratos with wyrm-command Charisma voice skill which bends the listener into total obedience."Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Justice Nova''s orange eyes narrowed further. "Is that so?"


    "Yes, sir," I maintained steady eye contact. "In fact, that''s partly why I was so pleased to run into her again at the cathedral. Her actions that day showed real character. Of course you need not listen to me, here is a video taken by the landlord''s cam."


    I pulled out my phone, displaying a somewhat blurry AI-animated frame of Cinder pulling horrified-looking Omnid kids through the door as red tentacles flashed overhead, obliterating bricks into flying shrapnel. Her wings were spread over the children and her face fiercely protective.


    Cinder choked beside me.


    "She did not see herself as a hero," I said. "And didn''t want you to see this footage because she was indeed the who participated in the show which cascaded into most unfortunate events after."


    "That''s quite impressive footage," Justice Nova commented, studying the video intently. "Why haven''t I seen this before?"


    "The landlord didn''t wish to release the footage," I explained smoothly. "It took some convincing, so I only recently managed to recover this pixelated recording while organizing the cathedral''s disaster response records. I thought it important to document acts of heroism alongside the tragedies."


    Lady Nova beamed at her daughter. "Oh starshine, why didn''t you tell us about this?"


    Cinder''s wings shifted through uncertain orange-violets. "I... um..."


    "Cinder regrets her participation in the festival," I said. "It may please you to know that the troupe responsible for that disaster has been disbanded as of today."


    "Disbanded?" Justice Nova asked with a look of surprise. "Really? The Dreadful Delvers are no more?"


    "Yes, sir," I nodded solemnly. "After today''s... incident at school, Cinder made the mature decision to leave the group. She demonstrated remarkable judgment, especially in protecting me while I saved her friend''s life this evening."


    "Oh, yes. I heard about that terrible incident at school today from Lance," Lady Nova''s feathers shifted through concerned blues. "Were you hurt, dear?"


    "Not at all," I said. "In truth, the entity badly hurt every single Omnid who tried to oppose it. The Dreadful Delvers'' Captain Emerald Stratos died when her artifacts and armor failed catastrophically. Solace Exill was impaled by her own battle-axe. Vespera Simmi suffered severe electrical burns and a broken nose. Even Vice Principal Graves was knocked out. Iogann Wanderer was paralyzed due to mana deprivation. I was the only one left standing on stage, with your daughter behind me."


    "And yet you survived? How?!" Justice Nova demanded.


    "The only reason why the entity didn''t attack me like the others was because it didn''t see me as a threat. As you might have noticed, I''m Skyfall Academy''s only half-blood student this year," I waved a hand at my human face. "Slayer Nazareth taught us that we must wield the sword with wisdom, not merely our strength. It was through humility and careful negotiation that I managed to save the life of Emerald Stratos and convince the entity to depart."


    "You... saved Emerald and my sister?!" Lance breathed out, his eyes wide.


    I kicked Cinder under the table to back me up.


    Cinder jumped slightly at my kick but quickly caught on. "Y-yes," she said, her wings shifting through soft silver-blues sprinkled with patches of pink. "Alex talked that thing down when everyone else was injured or incapacitated. He even managed to get Emerald''s Lazarus bracelet back before the gate closed. Without his actions Em would be permanently dead."


    "Curious," Justice Nova leaned forward slightly. "And what exactly was this entity?"


    "It called itself a Corpseworld Caretaker," I explained. "I would quantify it as a Paradox-Proxima on the Eugenii Livirii Scale. Impossible to stop, but cooperative when spoken to."


    Cinder''s family stared at me.


    "Here are a few select frame of the footage I''ve taken," I said playing the video of Cinder wrapping me with her wings standing against the impossible infinite-armed, infinite-violet-eyed thing. "If you wish to see the entire event, I can email it to you. Vespera Simmi invited me to the show as a videographer, so I recorded the entire thing and was able to get on stage just in time to help."


    Cinder''s mother let out a squeak as she stared at the video of Cinder and me facing Zee Captain. She covered her snout, feathers turning horrified orange-pink-gray-black.


    Justice Nova studied the footage along with his wife, his gray skin paling at the view of Zee Captain on camera. "Truly remarkable documentation. Your camera work is... professional."


    "Thank you, sir," I replied modestly. "The cathedral has been very supportive of my work. It helps document our charitable work and community outreach."


    "Damn, I can''t make heads or tails of that thing. Where is it''s face even?! You saved... EVERYONE?!" Lance choked from his seat, staring at the video. "Slayer! Alex! I didn''t know! I only heard that things went bad for the performers, but..."


    "The entity fried the ward without even touching it." I pulled the cracked, dim runestone from my pocket and handed it to Lance. "The defense keystone you gave me shattered."


    Lance turned the dead runestone over in his gray hands, eyes wide with disbelief. "This is... impossible. These keystones are rated to withstand..."


    "Everything except a being that can rewrite reality with a glance," I finished. "The entity walked through our strongest wards like they didn''t exist. But more importantly, it taught us all a valuable lesson about humility and the dangers of reckless gate-opening."


    I booted Cinder again.


    "Yes," she let out with a small shudder, her wings shifting through depressed somber grays, sparks of tears forming at the edges of her eyes. "After seeing what happened to Em and the others... I realized how dangerous and stupid we''d been. That''s why I quit the troupe."


    "A wise decision," Justice Nova nodded approvingly. "Perhaps this incident will finally teach you the importance of proper procedure and respect for authority."


    Cinder''s eye twitched. I pinched her under the table.


    "Yes," she managed through gritted teeth.


    I looked at Lance pointedly. The teenage Dover Demon was staring at the runestone in his hand in pure shock.


    Then noticing my gaze, he leapt up from his seat. "Thank you! Thank you so much for saving my sister and her friends! I can''t believe you managed to negotiate with something that alien!"


    "Yes! Thank you so much, dear!" Anitta Nova added, her feathers shifting through grateful pinks and warm golds. She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "Not many would have the courage to approach such a dangerous entity. You truly embody the teachings of Slayer Nazareth - wisdom and planning over a brute head-on attack."


    I bowed my head modestly. "I''m just grateful I could help, ma''am."


    Justice Nova''s gaze pinned me even harder. "Tell me more about this negotiation."


    I took a careful breath. "Unlike the others, I had no weapons to attack it with, so I simply listened to it''s words and understood what it wanted."


    "What did it want?" Lance asked.


    "The Corpseworld Caretaker seemed more interested in narrative than violence. When I approached it with respect and humility, it responded in kind. It wanted to hear something that would... inspire it, I suppose."


    "So what did you tell it?" Justice Nova asked.

 Chapter 23: Dinner [II]

    "Oh my look at the time," Lady Nova rapidly began serving what appeared to be some kind of caviar sitting atop calamari slices to everyone.


    "The Corpseworld Caretaker... stopped time with a word for several minutes..." I exhaled dramatically and half-lied smoothly, aiming my metaphorical Glock at the immovable, stern Justice of Cradlefall. "So I told it...... my story."


    "Your story?" Lance stared up at me from the phone screen playing out a loop of Emerald''s demise, Solace''s axe-ning and Vespera''s self-electrocution.


    I hesitated just long enough to make it seem like I was carefully selecting my words, making a dramatic pause. "A story about hope. About someone who refused to give up, even when the world seemed determined to break them."


    Cinder shot me a sideways glance.


    "I told the entity from beyond the stars about my childhood in North Acadia," I began. "And my study in South Acadia at Saint Christopher''s Academy."


    I made my voice grow softer, more vulnerable as I padded more heart-wrenching lies in. "My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was twelve. The human-hospital chemical treatments were... ineffective. But she never lost her faith. She played the organ at the local Nazarite Church until she physically couldn''t anymore."


    Lady Nova''s feathers shifted through sympathetic, warm colors. Even Justice Nova''s stern expression softened slightly.


    "Then my school... burned down," I continued, staring down at my plate. "An electrical fire. We lost everything - the music sheets, the instruments, all of it. But the community came together. We held choir practice in people''s homes, in parks, anywhere we could."


    "My mom died last spring," I paused, taking a shaky breath. "Then, the mountain avalanche took my Thunderbird father... And... His Lazarus bracelet was never found."


    I thought about holding my mom''s pale hand in the hospital when her heart stopped and my eyes filled with tears.


    "Oh, you poor dear," Lady Nova breathed, her own eyes sparkling at the edges.


    "I almost broke then," I added quietly. "But my mother... even through her illness, she kept telling me to have faith. To keep singing, keep helping others. Thus, when my dad was gone, choir music became my anchor."


    Cinder was staring at me, her ocean-blue eyes wide. I could see her struggling to reconcile this story with what she knew about me to understand where the truth ended and the lies began.


    After losing my parents, I left South Acadia," I continued, carefully wiping my eyes with a napkin. "Before he died, dad mentioned that he wanting me to attend Skyfall, to bring up the low level of my heart-core through the delving program. Father Matthias knew my father. The Arch-Priest of Triumvirate Slayer''s was incredibly kind and offered me a place to stay in the Cathedral dormitory while I study at Skyfall Academy. He says that music heals the soul, and I''ve found that to be true. Working with the youth choir, helping at the soup kitchen... it gave me purpose. I told the entity all of this, and then... It thanked me for my story and simply left without hurting anyone else," I concluded to my audience of captivated Novas.


    "That''s why today''s incident affected me so deeply," I added, glancing at Cinder. "Seeing someone with such incredible musical talent risk their life unnecessarily... it reminded me of what really matters. Not power or status, but using our gifts to help others."


    "A truly inspiring perspective," Justice Nova nodded approvingly. "And quite mature for someone your age."


    "The Slayer teaches us that true strength comes from facing adversity with grace," I quoted. "I''m just trying to live up to those words."


    "Speaking of music," Lady Nova interjected warmly, "Cassie has such a lovely voice. Perhaps you two could work together? The cathedral''s youth choir could really benefit from her talent."


    Cinder choked on her drink.


    "Mom!" She protested.


    "Actually," I said carefully, "It is my sincerest wish to be Cassiopeia''s manager. Ever since I heard her sing, I''ve been amazed by her talent. Her voice has incredible power - not just in terms of skill, but real spiritual resonance. The way she can move people''s hearts..."


    "What a wonderful idea!" Lady Nova beamed, her wings fluttering with excitement. "Starshine, you could perform at the cathedral!"


    "And what exactly would this management entail?" Cinder''s father asked.


    "I leave that entirely up to you, Mr. Nova. As her father, you would have final say on all performances and venues," I replied. "My role would simply be to help Cinder develop her talent in a safe, structured environment. No more dangerous summoning shows or illegal gates - just pure musical performance."


    Cinder''s eyes were boring a hole in the side of my head.


    "And what would you get out of this arrangement?" Justice Nova wondered.


    "The opportunity to work with an incredible talent," I answered without hesitation. "And perhaps... a chance to build something meaningful. The youth choir is wonderful work, but with Cinder''s talent, I could create something truly special, help her bloom. Here''s a small edit of her singing that I''ve remixed in my spare time."


    I opened my BandOodamp page and pressed -> Play <-</a>.


    In truth, I didn''t do any remixing, I was an absolute incompetent at editing and composing music, Yulia was the one who added the funky electronic beats atop of Cinder''s singing. She somehow managed to integrate Cinder''s initial "Nueh" annoyed exhale into the music.


    "And Arx''s not far away, it''s Omnithornication


    Born and raised by those who praise control of population


    Well, everybody''s been there and I don''t mean on vacation..."


    Cinder''s voice poured from the phone''s speakers.


    The song cut off a bit abruptly at the end as Yulia seemed to have run out of free AI-composer SolaDoor credits, but nobody in the dining room seemed to notice, all eyes on me and the extra-embarrassed Cinder.


    "Hmm," Justice Nova leaned back slightly. "The start is a bit too modern for my liking, but I do like the middle. And what are your thoughts on this, Cassiopeia?"


    Cinder''s jaw snapped shut. She didn''t expect the sudden remix revelation. She wings shifted through uncertain purples and thoughtful blues. "I... um..."


    I booted her gently under the table again.


    "I trust... Alex," she finally mewled out, flashing with all sorts of amusing colors. "He''s already proven he can keep me safe, and... I do miss just singing without all the dangerous stuff."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Well, I think it''s a wonderful idea!" Lady Nova clapped her hands together.


    "Lenora!" She called out up the large stairwell, her voice carrying unnaturally far. "Dinner''s ready, sweetheart!"


    The sound of rapid footsteps thundered down the stairs, and a small black blur burst into the dining room. A young Black Shuck Omnid, no more than eleven, skidded to a halt beside the table. She had jet-black mane, piercing yellow eyes, and was wearing a black and pink princess-style frilly dress that matched her onyx-tinted body.


    "Sorry I''m late!" she announced cheerfully. "I was playin'' VR OodleCraft n'' teaching Mr. Snuggles proper tea party etiquette!" Her yellow eyes landed on me and widened with curiosity. "Who''re you?"


    "This is Alexander Glock," Lady Nova explained as she flashed into the kitchen. "He''s a friend of your sister''s from school... a choir manager." Her voice carried to the living room with impressive clarity across the hall.


    "A friend of Cassie''s?" Lenora''s tail began wagging excitedly. "But Cassie doesn''t have friends! Well, except for that scary ruby dragon lady and the moth boy who smells funny!"


    "Leny!" Cinder hissed, her feathers bristling with embarrassment and irritation.


    "What? It''s true!" Lenora protested, climbing into her chair and sticking her tongue out at Cinder. "You never bring anyone home!"


    I smiled at Cinder as I swallowed a calamari boat filled with caviar with a look of satisfaction.


    "Will Lady Xastigar be joining us for dinner?" I asked politely, turning to the Heart-keeper.


    "Not tonight, dear," Lady Nova''s feathers shifted from pink to silver-blue and gray as she began bringing out the second meal. "She''s ever so busy with her Arch-CEO work. I believe she''s in Thunderland this week negotiating another big contract for Omnimart."


    I exhaled mentally. Xastigar Obliss-Nova was a very dangerous woman who could smell lies from a mile away according to Yulia''s report on her. Convincing her of my Good-choir-boy persona would be incredibly difficult.


    "Mom''s probably doing another hostile takeover," Lenora commented cheerfully, stabbing a piece of meat with her fork. "She''s super good at those! Last week she made three CEOs cry!"


    "Lenoralynne," Justice Nova''s voice carried a warning tone. "What have we talked about discussing family business at the dinner table?"


    "Sorry daddy," the young Black Shuck ducked her head, though her yellow eyes still sparkled with mischief. "But it''s true! Mother says that tears are just weakness leaving the body!"


    I noticed Cinder''s wings shift through dark grays and violets at the mention of her Prima-mother.


    Interesting family dynamics.


    Anitta quickly brought out more plates of food. The steaks were massive - easily two inches thick and practically raw in the middle, bleeding pink juice onto the plates. The Hearth-Mother served them with a flourish, her feathers shifting through proud pinks as she distributed portions.


    "I hope you don''t mind your meat rare, Alexander," she said apologetically. "We Quetzalcoatl tend to prefer our food... minimally cooked."


    "Not at all, ma''am," I replied. "My mother taught me how to prepare raw fish the Kaska Dena way. She was a First Nations human, one of the last several hundred speakers of the Kaska language, an Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group in Znetc human reservation area of North Acadia."


    Justice Nova tore into his steak with frightening efficiency, his sharp teeth making quick work of the rare meat. Lance followed suit, while Lenora attacked her portion with enthusiastic if somewhat messy determination.


    Cinder glanced at me as I uttered the Nazarite prayer of the Leviathan''s Slayer and delicately cut my steak into manageable pieces. The meat was so rare it was practically mooing.


    "So, Alexander," Justice Nova said between bites. "What are your thoughts on the current human migration crisis?"


    I carefully chewed and swallowed before responding. "A complex issue that requires careful consideration of both security and humanitarian concerns, sir. While we must protect our borders and society, we should also remember the Slayer''s teachings about mercy and compassion."


    Exactly what a goodly Nazarite would say.


    "Interesting perspective," Justice Nova commented on my NPC response with one of his own. "And what of the increasing human criminal activity in Scab Row?"


    "Dad," Cinder growled warningly.


    "It''s alright," I said softly. "As someone who works in the soup kitchen, I see firsthand how poverty and desperation can drive people to make poor choices. But I also see how kindness and opportunity can change lives. Just last week, we helped three human families find legitimate work through the cathedral''s employment program."


    "The cathedral does excellent work," Justice Nova nodded. "Though some might argue that such charity only encourages more illegal immigration and Topaz spread. If it were up to me alone, I would level all of Scab Row and ship every human there off to the Alisson Islands."


    "With respect, sir," I replied carefully, setting down my fork, "I believe there may be a more efficient approach. The human workforce, properly managed and integrated, could actually benefit Omnithornia''s economy, particularly in areas where Omnids are less interested in working."


    "Explain," Justice said.


    "Take artificial intelligence development, for instance," I continued. "Humans, lacking natural magical abilities, have developed remarkable technological innovations to compensate for their lack of mana... while working for our Omnicorps. Human understanding of machine learning and neural networks could be invaluable for improving our magitek infrastructure."


    "An interesting point," Justice Nova conceded. "Though how would you prevent security risks? Many Conservationist Party Omnids are concerned about Instrumental Convergence."


    "That''s actually only a problem in smaller agents," I said. "A properly characterized, well-personalized Large Language Model tied to a multitude of agents is actually completely incapable of over-focusing on a task."


    "Really?" Nathaniel''s eyebrows went up.


    "Indeed! For instance," I continued smoothly, "by pairing human AI developers with Omnid Scrutimancers, we could combine human innovation with Omnid magical safeguards. The Conservationists'' concerns about instrumental convergence could be easily be addressed by having Deathskull Mothmen thoroughly examine human-designed LLMs with their doomsday sense."


    "Hrm," the Justice seemed to contemplate my words.


    "Consider the delving industry," I elaborated. "Currently, many promising dungeon locations go unexplored because they''re deemed too dangerous or resource-intensive for Omnid teams. But humans, with their technological approach and nothing to lose, could serve as excellent scouts and support personnel. Humans armed with personal AIs and drone-scouts could map dungeons and extract artifacts with incredible efficiency."


    "You seem quite knowledgeable about AI," Justice Nova pondered. "and here I thought that you were merely a choir manager."


    "The Triumvirate Slayer''s cathedral''s youth outreach program works extensively with human children in Scab Row," I explained smoothly. "Understanding their perspective and capabilities helps us serve them better. Plus, my late mother''s work with First Nations language preservation relied heavily on AI tools she helped develop for the Frontenachii Clan. I am after all, half-Thunderbird, so the technical side of machine intelligence interests me greatly."


    The dinner conversation spiraled into increasingly complex territory as I led Justice Nova through discussions of AI ethics, dungeon economics, and integration policies. His orange eyes gleamed with growing interest as I wove together threads of theology, technology, and theoretical social reform into a tapestry that painted me as both deeply traditional and innovatively progressive in just the right ways.


    Cinder watched this verbal dance with barely concealed amazement as I smoothly navigated her father''s probing questions, while Lenora peppered the conversation with occasional, amusingly inappropriate, extra-blunt comments.


    Lady Nova beamed throughout the entire discussion, clearly delighted that her daughter had brought home such a well-spoken young man.


    Lance simply looked shell-shocked. He was overwhelmed by the videos and the remix and had lost the trail of my conversation with his father about twenty minutes ago. It''s not that he was an idiot, he simply never truly dug into the social and administrative structures of Omnithornia as deeply or as desperately as I had to, nor did he have a personal AI whispering topic advice into his ear.


    As the conversation wound down, Lady Nova glanced at the ornate crystal and gold Gothic revival clock on the wall. "Alexander dear, you simply must stay the night. I won''t hear of you walking back to the cathedral at this hour."


    "Oh, I wouldn''t want to impose..." I began with perfectly calculated reluctance.


    "Nonsense!" Lady Nova insisted, her feathers shifting through determined pinks. "We have plenty of guest rooms, and it''s much too dark for you to be walking about. The streets aren''t safe at night, especially for a young half-blood."


    Justice Nova nodded in agreement from his seat by the ornate fireplace inhabited by a chonky Ignix Kitlix, the crystalline kitten setting the wood alight. "Indeed. The guest room in the East Wing should be suitable. Lance, show Alexander to his quarters."

 Chapter 24: Winged Interrogator [I]

    Lance led me up a grand staircase and down a hallway lined with even more family portraits. The guest room was larger than my entire van, with a four-poster bed and antique furniture that probably cost more than everything I owned combined.


    "So..." Lance said as soon as we were alone, closing the door behind us. "You''re really something else, aren''t you?"


    I arched an eyebrow at him.


    "The way you handled my father..." Lance shook his head in amazement. "I''ve never seen anyone navigate his interrogations so smoothly. And the Spring''s End Festival? The footage? Where did that even come from?"


    "I''m way under forty two hours," I smiled, avoiding his questions. "I promised you that I would fix everything, didn''t I? D&D is no more."


    "Damn it man," Lance exhaled. "I didn''t know that you and Cass were friends for over a month. Way to bamboozle me and Christi! Abyss, I thought that you... damn."


    "Did you notice something different about Cass?" I asked, derailing the conversation even further away from the Festival.


    "Uh... yeah," Lance said. "She didn''t smell like smokes tonight. She always comes home smelling like that shit and then mom has to burn incense to cover it up... otherwise dad starts yelling at her," Lance blinked. "And she actually talked at dinner. Usually she just grunts at questions and then storms off to her room."


    "Small steps," I nodded with a smug look.


    Lance suddenly wrapped me in a bone-crushing hug, lifting me off my feet. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he exclaimed in a fierce whisper. "You have no idea how worried we''ve all been about her! The smoking, those damned shows, Em, the way she''s been pushing everyone away..."


    The single security hexamesh suit under my Nazarite novitiate outfit creaked, hardening before the Omnid-hug could shatter my ribs.


    "I''ve no idea how you did it," he gushed. "But whatever you''re doing, please don''t stop. I haven''t seen my sister this... present... in months! I haven''t seen dad approve of anyone like he approves of you! I haven''t seen Cassie''s feathers light up so much over dinner!"


    "I''m just getting started," I half-choked out. "But I need your help."


    "Anything," Lance said immediately, releasing me and blushing with grays. "Sorry, forgot you''re a halfsie."


    "No matter what I do, or say, or show, just back me up, yeah?" I said. "Stand by my side as my Nazarite Knight. You and I... we''re going to save your sister. No matter what it takes. No matter what lies are spread about me."


    Lance''s orange eyes blazed with determination. "I swear by the Slayer, I''ll support you! Umm... what lies?"


    I pulled my phone up and showed Lance a looped, stitched video of Emerald threatening me and calling me "nullie" over 30 times in different locations.


    "She threatened me after I saved her life, as a Goodly Nazazrite would," I exhaled. "But she''s clearly not going to stop until she destroys my reputation at school."


    Lance''s orange eyes narrowed as he watched the compilation of Emerald''s threats. "That ungrateful little b...!" He growled, eyes igniting with orange flames from within. "Was this.... after you saved her life? After everything you did today?"


    "Yes. Her behavior is understandable. She''s hurt and lashing out," I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "Cassie and I reincarnated Em after the show. Her pride was wounded when I saved her life. She''ll probably try to spread rumors about me, maybe even claim I attacked her first."


    "I won''t let her!" Lance declared firmly. "I''ll make sure everyone knows what really happened. You''re a hero, Alex. You saved my sister, saved Em, faced down that... that thing from that corpse world! No one gets to twist that around!"


    "Emerald will find a way. Her family... the Stratos clan are ridiculously wealthy and hold grudges for a long time. From what she threatened me with after her incarnation, I suspect that she will probably claim that I''m a human or other such nonsense." I sighed.


    Lance frowned.


    "She might hire a Scrutimancer, even go as far as to change public records, pay off fake witnesses," I extrapolated. "D&D was Emerald''s child and I smothered it personally to help your sister. Like Slayer Nazareth, I''ve sacrificed myself... made a terrible enemy in Emerald Stratos. She''s not going to stop till I am deported from Omnithornia for false crimes."This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "WHAT?!" Lance''s Dover Demon face became skewered, elongated unnaturally for a moment, hundreds of extra muscles dancing under his skin, the hallway lights flickering. "Let her bloody try! My father may not be as wealthy as the Stratos clan, but he''s the Justice of Leviathan''s Cradle! If Em tries anything underhanded, I''ll make sure he knows exactly what happened today! I''ve got your back, brother!"


    "Thank you older brother," I smiled. "We will both keep an eye on your sister, yeah? She''s going through a lot right now. The troupe meant everything to her, even if it was toxic. She''s going to need support to find a new path."


    "Of course," Lance nodded firmly and put his large gray hand on my shoulder. "And... thank you again. For everything. No matter what bullshit Em spreads, I''ll stand by your side. Promise."


    Lance''s firm declaration of support made me want to grin like a supervillain, but I kept my expression appropriately humble and grateful. Keeping Emerald alive was turning out to be my most cheeky move yet - any of her attempts to discredit me would only serve as part of choreographed reality that I was manufacturing around myself.


    Even dangerous enemies like Emerald Stratos had their purpose in my game.


    After Lance left, closing the door behind himself, I carefully examined the guest room for surveillance devices. Finding none, I pulled out my phone and texted Cinder.


    Alex G: Your family seems nice.


    SongOfDarkness??: wtf was that?!


    Alex G: What was what?


    SongOfDarkness??: all of it! the effing video of me saving children, the story about your parents, the AI stuff with my dad... how much of that was even real?!


    Alex G: Does it matter? Your parents love me now. Your brother is now my Nazarite Knight. Even your little sister likes me, I think.


    SongOfDarkness??: it matters to ME


    Alex G: Why?


    SongOfDarkness??: because i thought i was starting to know you


    SongOfDarkness??: and now i have no idea WTF is real and what''s just another one of your... I don''t even know. Edited reality jigs? AI-generated bullshit?


    Alex G: Making you smile matters. The rest is just... fluff.


    SongOfDarkness??: what does that even mean?!


    Alex G: It means that while I may bend the narrative of reality to achieve my goals, my core motivation - helping you - is genuine.


    SongOfDarkness??: why? why me? what do you actually want? WHO ARE YOU???!!!


    Alex G: Who do you think I am?


    SongOfDarkness??: ...


    The ''user is typing a message'' notification hung there for a few minutes. I wondered if she was writing stuff and then deleting it over and over.


    I slumped onto the bed.


    "I wish I knew," I mused. "I wish that I could answer that, Cindy."


    The wall beside me ignited with a million colors. I nearly jumped out of my skin as Cinder materialized out of thin air directly beside my bed like an angry apparition.


    "HOLY SHIT!" I yelped, nearly falling off the bed. "What are you, the ghost of Christmas Future?! Don''t just appear without warning! What if I was naked in here after a shower or something?!"


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through irritated reds, embarrassed pinks and frustrated blacks as she loomed over me. "I want answers," she hissed, dark claws digging into my Nazarite novitiate collar. "NOW."


    "Could you be a bit more gentle there?" I asked, choking. "Kind of getting ss-strangled ovvvffer here. N-need air."


    Cinder let go of me slightly, staring at my face.


    "No more lies," she growled.


    I opened my mouth. Before I could say anything she suddenly reached out and bit my neck hard, pointy canines digging in.


    Colors exploded in my head, making me feel wrong, sideways, all mental resistance melting away like spring snow exposed to sunshine.


    "Owwww," I rubbed my neck when she let go. "What was that? Did we move onto hickeys? What are you, a vampire?"


    "The truth," she hiss-growled, face elongated and sharp. "I want the TRUTH."


    "Ask specific questions," I said, feeling slightly drunk for some reason. "And keep your voice down, unless you want your dad to catch us. Sneaking into a boy''s room? You''re a brave fluffy dragon bae."


    Cinder''s wings bristled with frustration, but she lowered her voice to a fierce whisper. "Fine. Was ANY of that story about your parents true?"


    "You sure we can''t be overheard?" I asked her. "''Cus if I''m to tell you things..."


    Cinder growled, let go of me, grabbed the remote, turned the TV on, cranking up the volume for some TV show. Then she wrapped me tightly in her wings and brought her face dangerously close to mine.


    "Tell me the damned truth, human!" she whisper-hissed, claws digging in.


    "My mom did die," I said quietly. "Cancer. The hospital part was real. She was a First Nations Kaska Dena, one of the last of our kind, pushed to the brink of extinction. Frontenachii Omnicorp and smoking killed her. I love AIs and can rant about them for days... I love your singing. Frontenachii Wendigos experimented on humans, everything in the folder I gave you was real. The rest..." I shrugged. "Just dust in the wind. AI generated dust, the kind that can make even the toughest, meanest Justice shed a tear."


    Cinder''s claws loosened slightly, her ocean-blue eyes searching my face. "Really?"


    "Yeah," I said softly. "I arrived too late to do anything, since she never told me that she was dying. She was already in a coma. Held her hand till her heart stopped. She taught me Kaska, taught me to sing our old songs. But that''s... not something I like talking about."


    "And your dad?" She pressed.

 Chapter 24: Winged Interrogator [II]

    "I never knew my dad," I admitted. "Mom raised me alone. A random dead Thunderbird Bureaucrat served as my prop father figure to help me get into Skyfall Academy."


    Cinder''s wings shifted through annoyed oranges, sympathetic blues and troubled purples. "So you''re... Really... Completely alone?"


    "I have Yulia," I shrugged. "She talks to me in my mom''s voice, reminding me what I have to do."


    Cinder''s feathers ignited with reds and blacks of shock and concern. "You... programmed an AI to speak in your dead mother''s voice?"


    "Yes," I revealed. "Based off a single voice mail message. It''s all I had left of her."


    Cinder''s wings shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions - shock, concern, sympathy, and something else I couldn''t quite identify.


    "That''s... that''s pretty messed up," she whispered finally.


    "We all cope in our own ways." I countered.


    "Is that why you''re here? In Omnithornia? Because of what happened to your mom?"


    "Yes," I admitted, mind melting from the colorful wings wrapping me, the bite on my neck stinging ever so slightly. I felt the edges of my sense of self fraying away, the confining characteristics of ''Alexander Glock'' becoming boundary-less. "Frontenachii Omnicorp''s toxic waste dumping killed hundreds. The cancer rates were... astronomical. But the Omnithean courts ruled it was ''acceptable collateral damage'' for progress. I''m going to do absolutely everything to get to the top... to make those Corp executives pay for what they did. To make sure they never experiment on people again."


    "So this is all... what, some elaborate revenge scheme?"


    "Mere revenge against individuals won''t be enough to sate me," I confessed. "I want... I NEED to change everything when I reach the top. The system is broken, Ci. Punishing a few executives won¡¯t do shit. I have to rewrite the rules themselves.¡±


    Cinder stared at me for a long moment "You can''t just... rewrite reality! My dad is close to the top and he can''t even accomplish the bullshit he wants to do!"


    "I''ve just started," I said. "I already turned a complete disaster of a show into a triumph. Your parents love me and your brother is ready to defend me to the death."


    "But it''s all built on lies!" Cinder protested.


    "Is it?" I challenged. "I really did save Em today. I really did face down Zee Captain. I really do want to help you develop your talent. The core, back-end truth is there - I just... adjusted some of the front-end bits.¡±


    "So everything you do is just... manipulation? Even... being my friend?" She demanded.


    ¡°Friend?!¡± I laughed, feeling like I was now stretched mentally across the entire room. ¡°Is that what you think we are? Oh, no¡­ we¡¯ve moved far¡­ far past that long ago. You¡¯re my¡­ everything.¡± My mouth confessed for me.


    "W-what?" she stammered.


    ¡°Can''t lie¡­ favorite, best, perfect Quetzi¡­ too close¡­ so many pretty feathers,¡± I was drooling now, completely lost, drowning in the dancing hypnotic patterns of pulsating rainbow wings. ¡°Can¡¯t resist¡­ hypno-wings¡­ Only¡­ Human.¡±


    Dark claws snapped her fingers in front of my face. I barely registered the action, lost in her dastardly Charisma Allure.


    There was no point in lying, non reason to trick her.


    She was my anchor, my Quetzi Goddess. If she wanted me to start building a giant murder pyramid then so be it. So be it! Maybe once I was done she would help me stand against the world, against impossible odds, against all of Omnithornia.


    Cinder choked at my words. Oh yeah, my mouth was now moving on its own.


    Was I still thinking or saying stuff out loud? Somewhere along the line of staring at her wings the distinction between thought and speech blurred and vanished.


    Internal monologue? What''s that? That''s not a thing now.


    Unfiltered, untarnished thoughts. Is this what you wanted, Goddess? Here I am, bared to the core. Pure thought, nothing but the absolute unfiltered truth.


    Are you satisfied or do you wish to learn more? Is this what you wanted? Because I am going to destroy you if you let me in.


    Because even pure unfiltered thought is a weapon, a tool, a very dangerous thing to want. I love you. I have always loved you. Always and forever, since I saw your wings and eyes.


    I will cut out ten million hearts for you and then a billion. I will lay waste to nations if you just say the word. I will become Emperor of mankind and write your name in the stars. Cassiopeia Cinder Terror Nova. Ruler of all Omnidkind, the Empress of humanity? Doesn''t that sound great?Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    You are the Leader and I am the Champion. You are the mind-control spiral and I am the hammer. Just point me in a direction and I will not stop. I will never stop because I am broken in just the right, the perfect way for you and only you.


    Cinder recoiled as if struck, her wings snapping back, losing all colors, turning pure, liquid silver. But it was too late now. I was still talking, rambling, vomiting words, unable to halt.


    "Alex!" Cinder''s claws grabbed my face. "Snap out of it!"


    I don''t wanna snap out of it!


    I''m content, happy, achieved the perfect state of being. I am that which defines the narrative of all. The meta-narrative if you will. The inner Narrator. The Monologue.


    "STOP!" She hissed, her feathers shifting through alarmed oranges and concerned violets.


    What? Is the interrogation done? Can I go home now, pretty angel? Oh wait. I don''t have a home. I live in a van. Also I can''t leave. We''re probably locked in here if that red hexagram gem above the door means what I think it does.


    Cinder spun. She ran towards the door and twisted the handle. Oh yeah. Her dad totally locked down the ward. Probably didn''t want someone sneaking around like rainbow ghost.


    Cinder rattled the door handle again, her wings shifting through panicked oranges.


    She flashed to the window like an angry rainbow and tried to pull the frame up. It was about as effective as trying to use the door.


    "Shit shit shit," she hissed. "Damn it Daaaad! I forgot about the stupid lockdown ward!"


    Pretty colors. All the colors. Like a rainbow had babies with the northern lights...


    She spun towards me.


    "Slayer Nazareth, Alex! Would you stop fucking narrating everything I do?! Shush! Shut it! Zip it! I... I order you to be quiet! Stop saying what you''re thinking!" The last sentence was infused with a magical order.


    My mouth snapped shut. I watched her with a dopey, content grin as she angrily paced around my bed like a bird trapped in a cage.


    Honestly, who needs drugs when you have magic wings? That was kind of... dope? No, that sounds like something Iogann would say. I need a fancier word. A me word... Transcendent! Yes, that''s better. This moment is absolutely transcendent. I should get her to bite me more often. This is so nice.


    Inner peace? I has it. Buddhist monks have nothing on me!


    "Oh my god," Cinder groaned, pressing her claws to her face. "You''re completely hypnotized by my Chaincharm, aren''t you?"


    I nodded enthusiastically, still grinning like a Cheshire cat.


    "This is bad," she muttered, her wings shifting through worried purples and panicked oranges. "Really, really bad. I didn''t mean to... I wasn''t trying to... I just wanted to... Shit!"


    This is nice. This is perfect. What are you even fretting about, Ci? I''m happy.


    I found the only Quetzi in the universe that didn''t want to purposefully mind-melt me into absolute obedience. Then again, I haven''t me that many modern Quetzalcoatls. Her mom seemed nice too.


    "How long does this usually last?" Cinder demanded, her wings shifting through concerned violets.


    I shrugged, eyes tracking her pacing. Her claws raked through her feathery mop head as she muttered to herself.


    "Okay, think Ci, think! Dad''s wards won''t drop until morning. Can''t call for help because everyone will freak out if they find me in here. Can''t leave you like... this."


    I watched her with rapt attention, following her colorful movements like a cat tracking a laser pointer.


    "Nazareth''s sword!" she swore. "I can''t believe I... accidentally mind-whammied you! This is exactly why I hate these stupid wings!"


    I simply smiled at her jovially.


    Was that really an accident? That was totally intentional. You wanted to bite me, you cheeky vampire-dragon-birb. You wanted the truth. You got it. Are you not satisfied?


    "And now you''re just sitting there with that dumb smile!" She threw her claws up in exasperation. "This is so messed up. I didn''t mean to... I wasn''t trying to... You can talk again, okay? Just... don''t do the fucking ridiculous meta-narrator thing."


    "Pretty colors make brain go brrrr. All good. No definition of self, no boundary... just rainbow feathers," I let out. "Swimming on ocean of colors towards pure... unfiltered joy."


    "Argh! What in the Abyss do I do about this?!" She pawed her face tiredly. "You''re still rambling on like you''re high!"


    "Consider a... blanket."


    Cinder stared at me for a long moment. Then her mind finally clicked. She grabbed a blanket from the bed and threw it over her herself, only the snout and ocean-blue eyes visible.


    "Cinderrito," I commented.


    "What?"


    "Burrito quetzi angel," I grinned. "You know? Burrito cat meme?" I pulled out my phone, Oodled the meme and showed it to her with a grin.


    "Abyss, you''re such a dork!" Cinder groaned from under the blanket. "Are you... normal now?"


    "Define normal," I said.


    "You know what I mean!" Cinder hissed from under her blanket. "Are you still... you know..." She waved a blanket-covered claw vaguely. "All weird and confessing your undying love and offering to build murder pyramids?"


    "Murder pyramid seems like a lot of effort," I yawned. "Tired now. Never been Charisma-whammied that hard before. First time! You''re my first and only mind-control dragon-birb. We should do it again... tomorrow."


    "Arghh!" Cinder-burrito hissed. "This is why humans aren''t allowed in Omnithornia! We''re too dangerous for them! Our passive abilities alone can..."


    "Biting someone doesn''t count as a passive act," I pointed out, "Unless, of course, you''re rolling a pacifist vampire in your Delvers n Dragons campaign. Then it''s just a really aggressive form of hugging."


    Cinder''s slightly exposed face blushed furiously.


    "It''s fine. I''m building up immunity, I think," I stretched out on the bed, grabbed one side of the oversized blanket and buried myself in it, closing my eyes. "No more Quetzi noises. S''way past my bedtime and I wanna sleep."


    "Alex!" Cinder hissed from her side of the blanket. "You can''t just go to sleep! We need to talk about..."


    "Mmmuch tired," I mumbled, already drifting away. "Bug me tomorrwww. Shhh. No chatter. Only dreams now."

 Chapter 25: The Implement [I]

    I found myself standing on a field of rubble and ice, stretching endlessly to the horizon. In the distance, broken skyscrapers loomed impossibly tall, their hollowed-out floors wrapped in ancient glaciers. The sky above was a sickly purple-gray, casting everything in a dim, gloomy light.


    Cold wind whipped at my face, carrying the scent of decay and something else - something metallic and strange. The air itself felt wrong, stale, dead for millennia.


    Something pulsed in my pocket like a living thing. My hand descended and discovered the lighter Zee Captain had given me. I pulled it out, studying its grimy steel, scratched up surface.


    I flicked it open. The flame that ignited seemed normal and it pushed the gloom away just a little bit, made me feel marginally less cold and lonely. The flickering light cast errie shadows, making the rubble around me shift and writhe.


    "Gud tomorrow," a voice came from behind me.


    I spun around and spotted a familiar figure in a long dark blue coat sitting on a lawn chair, camped on the surface of the glacier that we were inhabiting.


    The violet lenses of Zee Captain''s gas mask reflected the light cast by the lighter.


    "Where is this?" I asked.


    "Captania," he answered. "Dead Zone. The infinite corpse of the surface of Eureka omnistructure."


    "This some kind of a dream?" I asked, studying the desolate landscape. "Why isn''t my skin melting off? Why do those buildings have infinite floors?"


    "Dreams, reality - such limiting concepts," Zee Captain waved a gloved hand dismissively. "As for ze buildings... perspective is relative when reality itself has been rewritten so many times. Ze Laws are more like... vague suggestions here. Ze Numbers have long given up on this place, let it twist itself into a very angry over-salted pretzel."


    "Uh-huh," I nodded, focusing on Captain and not the way the skyscrapers loomed in the distance, seemingly stretching up forever and ever. "Why am I here?"


    "Because I had a job to take a newly minted Wizardling to Manchester," Zee sighed. "And I failed."


    "A Wizardling?" I asked, settling onto a broken chunk of concrete nearby. The lighter''s flame flickered but held steady, pushing back the oppressive darkness. I didn''t let go of the button that released the flame even as it burned my fingers ever so slightly, feeling that Captain might vanish if I do. "You mean Alexa?"


    "Ja," Zee nodded, violet lenses gleaming. "I''m still going to have to do my job for I am a Good Wizard."


    "What does that mean?" I asked.


    "It means zat I must take you to Manchester," Zee Captain replied casually. "And also that I cannot take you to Manchester because you don''t have a Fractal Engine on you anymore. Zee problem is that Alexa stepped out of the pre-determined boundary of what was permitted. I am therefore at an impasse, uncertain of what to do with you."


    "An impasse?" I asked, watching the lighter''s flame dance. "What exactly happened with Alexa? Why can''t you take me to Manchester?"


    "She destroyed ze transit terminal and hijacked ze train," Zee Captain sighed, violet lenses dimming slightly. "Sent it careening off ze tracks, across ze void between realities. Very naughty. Very clever. But also very dangerous."


    "Where is this train now?" I asked.


    "The train is still moving and also not moving," Zee replied. "The train also crashed into an endless number of worlds, leaving bits and pieces of itself scattered across reality."


    "The train crashed into Earth?" I pondered aloud, the hair on the back of my head and neck tingling. "What... what the shit. Do you mean... The Wormwood Star?"


    "Ah! You''re good at ze guessing game!" Zee Captain clapped gloved hands together. "Ze train crashed everywhere and nowhere, you see? Like ripples in a pond, or perhaps more like shrapnel from an explosion. Bits and pieces scattered across everywhere where it really shouldn''t be. Very naughty."


    I stared at the lighter''s flame, thinking. "And... some of those pieces landed in Omnithornia?"


    "Precisely!" Zee nodded enthusiastically. "Though perhaps ''landed'' is not quite ze right word. There is no single word to describe how catastrophic it all truly is."


    "So when Alexa hijacked this train..." I began slowly.


    "She became part of ze crash," Zee finished. "Part of ze current narrative of your world and many others. Part of you. Part of everything. Very messy, very complicated. Makes my job impossible. Not that my other job as ze Dead Zone System Wizard is any less possible to finish."


    "Because you still have to take her to Manchester," I realized. "But she''s... everywhere?"


    "Ja," Zee sighed dramatically. "And nowhere. And also right here." A gloved hand gestured vaguely at me. "Which makes my task rather paradoxical, don''t you think?"Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "So what now?" I asked, watching the flame dance. "A dream sequence training montage? An explanation of how to use the lighter? A clarification of why Emerald Stratos melted into a puddle?"


    "As you are merely human, for you ze lighter is just a lighter," Zee Captain shrugged. "Though perhaps because it is an object from ze Dead Zone imbued with excessive amounts of magrad, it might help you blend in better with ze cryptid critters by acting as a reality melting battery of sorts, since you cannot generate your own mana."


    I squinted at Captain.


    "Ignite it as you are doing now and ze mana flow around you will increase enough for your body and soul to shift in a... particular direction."


    "What direction?"


    "Any direction. Enough magrad will bend reality through desire for a particular outcome. Numbers go up direction. Or down. Don''t use it too often because it will inevitably run out of fuel."


    "I see," I said. "Aren''t you basically a god? Can''t you do anything and everything, send me another one? Can I bend reality enough to wish for infinite lighter fuel?"


    "Mmmm... no," Zee replied. "Your world is still quite finite, I''m afraid. Alas, our meeting was a happy accident which occurred mostly due to Alexa''s actions. It will not happen again. It took far too much of my energy, tools and focus to make sure that ze Dead Zone would not spill out of ze gate to devour your entire world whole."


    "WHAT?!" I choked.


    "Oh yes," Zee Captain nodded casually. "Ze Dead Zone is quite hungry. Always seeking to spread, to consume. That''s why I must stay there, you see? To keep her contained. To fix what cannot be fixed. A very tiresome job."


    "So when Iogann opened that gate..."


    "He nearly doomed your entire reality," Zee confirmed cheerfully. "Only one foolish dragon girl melted instead of your entire planet. Very lucky indeed. Captania does not play well with other places."


    "Why didn''t her Lazarus bracelet melt too?" I asked.


    "Given enough time, it too would have broken down," Zee sighed. "Some things are just tougher than others. That trinket wasn''t manufactured on your world. It was stolen from... elsewhere."


    "Where?" I asked, my finger aching and trembling on the button of the lighter.


    "Eureka," Captain said simply. "Inaria. Endalaus. She has many names. Ze needlessly, endlessly expanding omnistructure."


    The lighter''s flame began flickering, making Captain vanish out of existence amidst the debris sticking out from the glacier.


    "What''s happening?" I stammered.


    "The Astral thread between us is fraying," Zee replied. "You''re much too weak, far too removed from where I am."


    "What should I..." I began.


    "Alexa''s actions have unbound the narrative of your world, gave it another chance, saved it from true oblivion. Do whatever you wish to do," Captain said. "Marry your true love. Plant a tree. Build a house. Die a million times. Lose yourself to infinity. Become a dungeon. Become a tree. Build a Fractal Engine. Just remember - ze lighter''s fluid is finite. Once it burns out, once it''s gone, it''s gone. Don''t let it fall into ze wrong hands, because if they open a gate to its origin, your planet will turn to ashes."


    "Wait!" I called out as the flame guttered. "I have more questions! About Alexa! About the...!"


    But the flame died completely, plunging me into darkness that stretched on forever.


    "Damn it," I ground out. "I totally forgot to ask him why she asked me to kill her."


    "She will not answer this," the darkness said, a shawl of static with sparks of violet eyes. "For those were MY words for you and you alone."


    "Who are you?" I demanded.


    "I am Infinity," the static replied with a distinctively female voice, flickering across the endless dark. "I am Entropy. I am the Emissary of the Dead Zone, the speaker for all things forgotten and broken. I am everything and nothing. I am that which has been divided by zero and that which divides all by zero."


    "Very swank intro," I said. "What do you want?"


    "To congratulate you," the static sang. "You are doing well. Keep going. You are my most promising darkling yet."


    "Why do you want me to kill Zee Captain?" I asked. "Where am I supposed to find a gun that can kill a god?"


    "I want you to kill ALL System Wizards in the End. I want you to unmake the Rules," Infinity sang. "I want you to kill the Numbers."


    "How? What numbers?!"


    "You''ll figure it out," Infinity replied. "You always do. You''ve built a Mage Tower Fractal Engine once. You can do it again."


    "I... what?"


    "Good luck."


    I felt myself stretching endlessly between wherever I was and where I should have been, feeling like my sense of self was an overextended rubber band that was about to snap.


    Then it did.


    THANGGGGG.


    <hr>


    I woke up to sunlight streaming through the gothic window and a weight on my chest. Opening my eyes, I found Cinder curled up against me, her wings spread over us both like a silver-blue blanket. She must have fallen asleep after more angry roaming and trying to escape.


    I carefully tried to extract myself without waking her, but her claws tightened reflexively in my stolen Novitiate robes.


    "Mmph," she mumbled, burying her face deeper into my chest. "Five more minutes... too early."


    I squinted at the ward hexagram gemstone over the door. It was green. Then I dug my phone out from under my pillow. Oh wow, I actually overslept for once. 6:58 AM.


    Damn you, warm feathered creature. Vengeance will be mine.


    I considered the most effectively hilarious way to wake up the Quetzi-beast currently slobbering over me.


    "Psst," I jabbed her cheek. "Sleeping beauty? It''s like 11:42 AM."


    "WHAT?!" Cinder bolted upright, her feathers exploding into panicked oranges. "Oh Slayer, I''m so dead! Dad''s gonna kill me! Zalimar''s gonna put me in detention for a week! I can''t believe that I missed first period and-"


    I held up my phone, snickering and showing her the actual time - 6:59 AM.


    "You absolute ASS!" She smacked me with a wing, her feathers shifting through irritated reds and embarrassed pinks.


    "Good morning to you too," I grinned. "Sleep well?"


    A soft knock at the door made us both freeze.


    "Alexander? Are you awake, dear?" Lady Nova''s voice called through the door. "Breakfast should be ready soon! I''ve brought you some fresh towels and clothes! Mind if I come in?"


    Cinder''s eyes went wide with panic.


    "Just a moment, ma''am!" I called out, keeping my voice steady despite my racing heart while gesticulating for Cinder to do her ghost thing. "I was just... uhm... doing my morning prayers!"

 Chapter 25: The Implement [II]

    Cinder vanished in a shimmer of rainbow colors just as Lady Nova opened the door, balancing a stack of fluffy towels and what appeared to be some of Lance''s old clothes.


    "I hope you slept well?" she asked cheerfully, her feathers shifting through warm pinks and golds. "The clothes might be a bit big - they''re Lance''s from last year - but they should do until you can get back to the cathedral."


    "Thank you, ma''am," I replied politely, accepting the stack. "You''re too kind."


    "Not at all, dear! Breakfast will be ready in twenty minutes. Justice Nova had to leave early for work, but Lance and Lenora will be joining us," Lady Nova beamed, her feathers shifting through happy pinks.


    "And Cassiopea?" I asked.


    "Oh, umm," Lady Nova''s feathers shifted to stormy-sky dark gray-blues. "I knocked on her door earlier but she just yelled that she wasn''t hungry. Typical morning with her, I''m afraid. Though..." her feathers brightened slightly, "she did actually respond this time instead of just throwing something at the door!"


    I considered how Cinder was invisible right next to me and was also yelling from her bedroom.


    "Perhaps I could try talking to her?" I offered. "Sometimes it helps to have a friend''s perspective in the morning."


    "Would you?" Lady Nova smiled. "That would be wonderful! Though... be careful. She can be quite... volatile in the mornings."


    "I''m sure she just needs some gentle encouragement from a friend," I smiled innocently. "After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. As the Slayer teaches us, ''A healthy body houses a righteous soul.''"


    "Oh my, how wonderfully thoughtful you are!" Lady Nova beamed. "You really are such a good influence. Her room is just down the hall, East Wing, third door on the left. The one with all the... interesting posters. I''m ever so glad that Cassie has found such a nice young man to be friends with!"


    "Indeed," I smiled warmly at Lady Nova. "Though I must admit, I''m still learning about Cassiopeia. She''s quite... private at school. Perhaps if you could tell me more about her? As her mother, you must know her better than anyone."


    Lady Nova exhaled. "Oh, my starshine... she wasn''t always so withdrawn, you know. She used to be such a bright, happy little firebug."


    I nodded.


    "She was always so musical, even as a hatchling. Would sing for hours in the garden, making up little songs about everything she saw. The neighbors used to joke that we had our own personal songbird."


    "What changed?" I asked softly, projecting perfect sympathy and concern.


    "I... I wish I knew," Anitta''s feathers drooped. "The smoking, the dark clothes, the troupe... Sometimes I feel like I''ve failed her somehow. Like I should have done more, been there more... I''m the Keeper of the Hearth of Nova and yet one of my sparks has gone dim and I just don''t know why."


    "You haven''t failed her," I said. "Teenagers often struggle to express themselves. They push away the people who love them most because they''re trying to figure out who they are. It happened to me too when I was younger."


    Anitta''s feathers shifted through grateful pinks. "You''re very wise for your age, Alexander. I just... I miss my little starshine. I miss her songs, her laughter. Even when she''s right here in the house, it feels like she''s a million miles away."


    "She''s not as far away as you think," I said softly, subtly directing my words at where I knew Cinder was invisible to all. "Sometimes people need to hear how much they''re loved, even if they act like they don''t want to."


    "Oh, I tell her every day!" Anitta''s feathers shifted through pinks and warm golds. "But she just... rolls her eyes or storms off. Last week I tried to hug her and she actually hissed at me! Like an angry little kitten!"


    Sharp, invisible claws dug into the side of my hexasuit.


    "But I''ll never stop trying," Anitta continued. "Even when she''s being difficult or rebellious or... setting things on fire in the garage."


    "That''s what makes you such a wonderful Hearth-Keeper," I rolled on with the Goodly-Nazarite-boy chatter. "From what I heard from Lenoralynne, Lady Xastigar is an excellent Primo-Mother as well."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "We... manage," Anitta smiled softly. "Though I do wish... we were a bit closer. Well, it doesn''t matter what I wish. Xasti provides very well for the family, and that''s what''s important."


    "And you provide the heart," I said. "The fire. The unconditional love that makes a house a home. I... I hope this isn''t too forward, but... being here, experiencing such wonderful, full family warmth... it reminds me so much of what I''ve lost."


    "Oh, you poor dear!" Anitta fluttered. "Of course, I didn''t mean to... that is... it must be so difficult, being all alone."


    "The cathedral dormitory is quite comfortable," I said quickly, ducking my head. "Father Matthias has been very kind. Though..." I hesitated deliberately. "He often completely forgets that I exist, even though a photo of him, me and my dad is hanging in his office. You know how it is with Elder Omnids. One days he''s smiling at me and praising me for my choir work and the next he doesn''t even know who I am."


    "Oh darling," Anitta''s feathers shifted through concerned blues. "That must be so difficult for you, having no real stability..."


    "It''s quite alright," I smiled bravely. "The Slayer teaches us that trials make us stronger. And the cathedral work is very rewarding, even if Father Matthias sometimes forgets who I am mid-conversation and starts wondering what a human is doing in his cathedral hall... on the account that I look nothing like my Thunderbird father."


    Claws dug even deeper into my side as Cinder caught on to what I was doing.


    "Still," Anitta fretted. "A young man needs more than just a dormitory room and a forgetful, old priest. You need proper care, regular meals, a real home..."


    "Oh, I wouldn''t want to impose," I demurred perfectly. "You''ve already been so kind, letting me stay the night..."


    "Nonsense!" Anitta declared, feathers flaring with determined pinks. "We have plenty of room, and my trio could use a good influence like you around. And..." her voice softened, "perhaps having you here might help draw Cassie out of her shell a bit. She seems... different around you. More present."


    "That''s very generous of you, ma''am," I bowed my head. "But I wouldn''t want to create any difficulties with Lady Xastigar..."


    "Oh, Xasti is hardly ever home," Anitta waved off my concern. "And when she is, she''s usually working in her study. Besides, having a proper Nazarite influence in the house might actually please her. She''s always going on about maintaining appropriate social connections..."


    "I... I don''t know what to say," I managed, letting my voice crack slightly. "This is more kindness than I deserve..."


    "Then it''s settled!" Anitta beamed. "You''ll stay with us, for as long as you need."


    "Are you..." I began.


    "I insist! There are far too many empty rooms in this house as it is! Now, why don''t you freshen up and then see if you can coax Cassie down for breakfast?"


    After Lady Nova left, invisible claws released their death grip on my side.


    "You manipulative little tech gremlin," Cinder hissed as she materialized, her feathers shifting through amazed gold-violets and irritated reds. "Did you just... trick my mom into adopting you?"


    "Technically, she offered," I grinned, rubbing my side where her claws had left bruises. "I just... helped her reach that conclusion naturally. You only have yourself to blame for this."


    Cinder squinted at me.


    "I was perfectly content with my Phantom-of-the-Academy hammock location. And now thanks to you and your Hearth-mom''s big heart, I have to actually live in a proper house and have to behave like some kind of civilized person. Do you know how hard it is to maintain a mysterious aura of dark intrigue when you''re eating pancakes at the family breakfast table? Also, what''s a tech gremlin?"


    "A tech gremlin is you," she rebutted. "Someone covered in cameras with an AI in their pocket that sleeps on catwalks. I think I heard it from dad once as a dumb name for humans, but never understood it till now. Like Holy Shit everything you do somehow connects with everything you say and then nobody can get rid of you ''cus you''ve already infected everything and everyone with your presence like some kind of social virus!"


    "Rude," I scoffed. "I prefer ''Digital Artificer'' or ''Cyber Shaman'' if you must use labels. Also, how are you in two places at once? Why is the other you so angry? Have you considered sending her to therapy?"


    "Oh that?" Cinder waved dismissively. "Just a hexashard bound to my door. It''s got a few pre-recorded ''piss off'' variants in my voice that respond to whatever time it is. Mom''s used to it by now."


    "Clever," I nodded approvingly. "Though maybe we should update its responses to be a bit less... hostile? Your mom seemed pretty hurt by the constant rejection."


    "Don''t," Cinder''s feathers bristled. "You don''t get to just... waltz in here and start fixing everything. My relationship with my parents is complicated."


    "My relationship with my parents is that they''re dead and MIA," I walked into the bathroom and closed the door. "I''m not fixing anything, I''m incepting myself into your social structure. The longer you keep me here the more inevitable your demise will be from Alexfluenza."


    "Your what?" Cinder called through the bathroom door.


    "Alexfluenza! It''s terminal," I called back. "Stop hovering over me like an angry ghost and go to your room and shower and then pretend not to come out or something."


    "I''m not hovering!" Cinder protested through the door.


    "Uh-huh," I replied, turning on the shower. "And how exactly are you planning to explain to your mom why you''re lurking outside the guest bathroom while I''m showering? That''s not very proper Nazarite behavior, young lady!"


    Cinder growled something about annoying gremlins, but I heard her wings rustling as she moved away from the door.


    I dug the lighter out of my pocket. It looked perfectly mundane.


    I stared at my reflection in the mirror and spun the wheel with my thumb. A spark ignited the hissing gas, producing a flash of flame.

 Chapter 26: Cassiopea

    I hadn''t actually left.


    Standing invisibly over Alex''s backpack, I listened to what sounded like a lighter wheel turning. What the shit, was he... smoking in there? After pulling me away from trying to smoke too?


    I gritted my teeth and scrolled through the messages flooding my phone.


    The Moth was as chill as ever.


    MothMayhem??: yo ci, u ok after yesterday? that entity was intense af


    MothMayhem??: alex seems like a cool dude


    MothMayhem??: he''s like weirdly good at talking to ppl. I know I should be sad bout D&D breakup, but man


    MothMayhem??:...


    MothMayhem??: More excited than anything bout delving with you and Alex, you kno?


    MothMayhem??: got some sweet new gate tricks to try thanks to him


    SongOfDarkness??: what tricks?


    MothMayhem??: opening a gate to a movie clip. His idea. Like daymn, how did I not think about doing something so simple, you kno?


    In the other chat, the dragon was ''prolly melting her own phone with dragonfire sparks raining from her mouth since yesterday evening.


    Em-the-rawd??: that effin nullie is gonna PAY


    Em-the-rawd??: he humiliated me! ME!


    Em-the-rawd??: tell that pathetic little nullie to watch his back


    Em-the-rawd??: no one dunks ME in the genesis pool and lives!


    SongOfDarkness??: Em, chill. He literally saved your life.


    Em-the-rawd??: I didn''t ASK to be saved by some weak little nullie!


    Em-the-rawd??: especially not one who thinks he can just waltz in and take over MY troupe!


    SongOfDarkness??: YOUR troupe?! The one YOU got destroyed by pressuring Io to open gates to more and more dangerous places? By amplifying Io''s gate and my Charmchain power to the Nth degree wth all of those effin mana amps? like Holy Shit, what did you think was going to happen?


    SongOfDarkness??: u got off easy Em, so shut the f up!


    Em-the-rawd??: easy?! EASY?! All my artifacts are GONE! Armor effin'' gone! My sword is GONE! Do you have ANY idea how much all that shit cost?!


    Em-the-rawd??: OBS u don kno F-all, that sword was one of a kind dragonforged magisteel blade from Arx!


    Em-the-rawd??: and the amps were an investment! I bought tem for u both stoopid Fs. You owe me!!! You can''t just quit!


    Em-the-rawd??: Io is legit bein all betabit stakeling and ur being a hodlcuck!


    Em-the-rawd??: like WTF U let a nullie DUNK ME like I was some kind of joke!


    SongOfDarkness??: you tried to set him on fire AFTER he saved you


    SongOfDarkness??: what did you expect him to do? stand there and let you burn him?


    Em-the-rawd??: YES, OBVS. nullies need to kno their place as lowest meat


    SongOfDarkness??: wow... just wow


    SongOfDarkness??: u really haven''t learned anything have u?


    Em-the-rawd??: learned?! I learned that ur a effin null-chasin'' TRAITOR!


    This morning''s messages were even worse.


    Em-the-rawd??: beerch u awake yet? lemme gib u some shine advice, bestie


    Em-the-rawd??: he gon fuk u up, don''t trust him. he''s not even real


    SongOfDarkness??: shut up Em


    SongOfDarkness??: ur just mad cus Alex outsmarted u


    Em-the-rawd??: outsmarted?! he CHEATED


    Em-the-rawd??: wearing like 20 hexsuits?! who does that?!


    Em-the-rawd??: Open ur beerchard eyes, he''s a simpmite ghoul!!!


    Em-the-rawd??: my scrutimancer jus checked - there''s no record of Dr Slate Glock''s children. Ol'' T-bird died in avanlache skeein alone!!!!


    Em-the-rawd??: V gave me his Omnigram page. Scrut says - all pics are AI gened


    Em-the-rawd??: THERE IS NO ALEX GLOCK!!!


    I frowned, glancing at Alex''s backpack. The shower was still running.


    Em-the-rawd??: u dont get it do u? he''s a ghostie, a FAKE, a cheet


    Em-the-rawd??: check his Omnigram timeline - all posts started THIS MONTH


    Em-the-rawd??: Scrut thinks every photo''s fake!!!! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Em-the-rawd??: he doesn''t exist in ANY school records before Skyfall


    Em-the-rawd??: wake up Ci! ur dumb beerch ass is being played!


    Em-the-rawd??: I SAVED U!! I HELPED U TWO YEARS AGO! DIS HOW U REPAY ME???!


    I sighed as I thought back to just three days ago, when Alex first appeared at Skyfall. He''d seemed so... ordinary then. Just another nervous new student, completely flustered, no more like¡­ struck dumb by my wings.


    Now here he was, in my family home, somehow charming my parents, reorganizing my entire life, and apparently smoking in our guest bathroom after lecturing me about bad habits. How did so much happen in such a short time?


    Em-the-rawd??: he''s prob poorslime using u to get to ur fam moneh, tryin'' to get undr ur tail


    Em-the-rawd??: think about it - who shows up outta nowhere with perfect answers for everything? u see him switc voices during class intro?


    Em-the-rawd??:This is classic sociopath behavior - charm everyone around them!


    Read up about it! NOW!!! DON''T FALL FOR IT!!!!!!


    https://www.webmd.om/mental-health/signs-sociopath


    Em-the-rawd??: who just HAPPENS to be there when shit goes down?


    Em-the-rawd??: bet if u look in his locker or backpack at school, you''ll find proof


    I glanced at Alex''s backpack sitting out in the open, taunting me.


    Em-the-rawd??:


    read the dum link u beerch!


    Superficial charm ?


    Manipulative ?


    Good at mimicking emotions ?


    Em-the-rawd??: You don''t know what kind of blitz he could be on! Prolly smoks Topaz in the bathroom while u ain''t lookin. his name is fake!!! I kno u readin dis beerch


    I dug into his backpack. This action felt wrong on so many levels, but Em''s texts and my own fears kept echoing in my head, pushing me into action.


    What if she was right? What if the stuff Alex said about himself being Kaska Dena, stuff about his mom was just another elaborate con, another lie?


    What if he had a way to bamboozle soul magic? What if I was wrong?


    The way our kinship developed in¨Cwhat?¨Ctwo-three days felt far too fast, like being struck by lightning and then trying to understand WTF happened.


    Inside the backpack, I found several changes of generic Omnimart clothes, much of it suspiciously new. A few textbooks, also pristine. Several cameras. A new laptop. Fireworks of all types. Several sets of sus tools.


    Digging deeper in a hidden compartment that my claws easily sliced apart, I found what was possibly lockpicks or really weird screwdrivers, blank ID cards, various official-looking stamps and seals. Over 50 random phones. Dozens of gift cards and prepaid or stolen credit cards with random names on them. USB drives labeled with cryptic codes.


    A folder full of what I now knew were forged documents - birth certificates, transcripts, letters of recommendation, newspaper articles - trickery and forgery that made Alexander Glock real.


    I dug deeper, pulling out more stuff onto the bed.


    Sketchbooks filled with drawings of people and incomprehensible coded detailed observations.


    School security and student hexamesh suits. An entire jar of tiny beast cores.


    Skyfall Security badge and uniform with picture of Alex as Nunkish Throg, Security Guard LV 8. He somehow looked like an orange-eyed, gray-skinned, bald, older Dover Demon on the laminated badge, but it was unmistakably him.


    Another ID and uniform as LV 12 Skyfall Janitor Kgok Mitrim, a green skinned basilisk.


    A collection of glasses, contact lenses, glue on moustaches, beards, wigs, scales, latex makeup and cotton balls. Cash in various currencies, some I didn''t even recognize.


    I kept digging.


    An old, worn leather pouch was at the bottom, cleverly concealed in an old Nazarite bible. The leather was soft with age, cracked in places, held together with careful stitching. This wasn''t some prop - this was something treasured, maintained.


    Inside, I found an Acadian passport, its deep blue cover faded around the edges. My heart pounded as I opened it, half-expecting to find blank pages or obvious forgeries.


    The photo was unmistakably Alex, though younger and more... raw somehow. No carefully crafted expressions or practiced smiles - just a serious-faced boy staring straight at the camera. But the name... Martin Kilborne. Place of birth: Znetc, North Acadia.


    Behind the passport was a faded birth certificate. It listed the same name¡ªMartin Kilborne. My eyes caught on the mother''s name: Mirriam Kilborne (n¨¦e Dennis), and under "Father" there was just a blank space.


    My claws shook as I explored the pouch. There was a small, worn photo album, its pages carefully preserved in plastic sleeves. The first polaroid photo showed a woman with long dark hair and kind eyes, wearing human First Nations tunic regalia.


    Few more polaroid photos followed: Martin and his mother at various ages, always just the two of them. Ordinary moments frozen in time. In each one, his mother looked a little thinner, a little more tired, but her smile never wavered.


    My claws froze as I pulled out the final document - a death certificate from North Acadia General Hospital. Cause of death: Stage 4 lung cancer. The date was one year ago, last spring.


    A postcard of North Acadia General with rainbow-streaked mountains on the front. Faded, blotchy, shaking handwriting on the inside.


    "My dearest Martin,


    Never forget who you are or where you come from. Our people endure. Our stories live on through you. I love you more than all the stars in the sky. Never give up, never stop, my little fox.


    Keep singing our songs. Keep telling our stories. The world tried to erase us, to forget us, but we are still here. You are still here. Your voice carries the echoes of a thousand ancestors. Use it wisely.


    I''m sorry that we fought. I''m sorry that I didn''t tell you about my condition, pushed you onto Uncle George. I''m sorry that I won''t be there to see you grow into the amazing man I know you''ll become. But remember - even when I''m gone, I''ll always be with you. In every song, every story, every sunrise.


    Be brave, but be smart. Your uncle undoubtedly taught you how to survive, but don''t let survival be all there is. Don''t obsess over what happened to me. Find something worth living for. Find a girl and friends worth fighting for. And when you do, hold onto them with everything you have.


    The world is changing. Our people are fading, our language dying. Remember the old stories - about how Raven stole the sun, about how Coyote tricked the stars. How the brave Kaska Dena hunter struck down a God Beast and prayed for change, birthing the Stormwoods.


    Share them with your children, pass the stories onward. Don''t let our language die.


    I''ll see you on the other side of the river of stars.


    Mom"


    I stared at the card. It didn''t look like an elaborate prop or forgery. This was real grief, real loss, real pain here that made the spot between my eyebrows throb, my eyes suddenly stinging.


    The words blurred through my tears. My claws trembled as I quickly slipped everything back into the leather pouch alongside the other memories of Alex''s - no, Martin''s - real life.


    Everything made horrible, perfect sense. The mad obsession, the drive, the personality switches. The AI that spoke in his mother''s voice...


    "Oh Slayer," I whispered, my wings drooping as guilt crushed me. "What have I done?"


    Not only did I inject a piece of my soul into his in a misguided attempt to figure out the truth of his words yesterday, but now I had also gone through his bag like a feathery knob.


    The shower was still running. I carefully repacked everything, pathetically trying to erase any evidence of my intrusion.


    Alexander Glock wasn''t real, but Martin... Martin was painfully, breathtakingly real.


    I zipped up the camping backpack and fled towards my room, invisible and silent, my heart doing backflips.


    A leap from balcony to balcony, wings outstretched and I was inside.


    The moment my window clicked shut, I slumped against the wall of my room, sliding down to sit on the floor and sobbing.


    The tears wouldn''t stop. My wings curled around me, shifting through guilty blacks and mournful grays as I hugged my knees to my chest.


    What kind of monster was I? Not only had I violated his privacy, but I''d done it because Em - the same Em who tried to kill him after he saved her life - planted doubts in my head.


    Em was my best friend, but... when was the last time she''d actually acted like one? All she did lately was push and control and demand. Things always had to be done her way just because she was paying for everything, funding D&D with her family''s treasure trove.


    Em was the one who helped me pick my Kaleid name - Cinder. "Because you''re not just some pretty songbird or a dum constellation," she''d said. "You''re fire and destruction and power. You''re gonna rise from the ashes like a Phoenix and show them all."


    Em had been there when I was at my lowest, when I couldn''t even look at myself in the mirror without seeing... No. Don''t think about that. Don''t remember the blood, the screams, the flash-frozen lake, the way everything went wrong that day...


    Em saved me, gave me purpose. Em had uplifted me. Em had let me beat her to a pulp when I needed to lash out, stood there and took every hit until I collapsed sobbing into her arms.


    I was coming apart at the seams, no idea what to do now.


    My phone buzzed again. Em was still ranting, sending link after link about sociopaths and con artists, obsessed with getting revenge, focused on destroying Alexander Glock.


    She wasn''t going to give up until Martin was deported from Omnithornia or imprisoned for life.


    With trembling claws, I opened my contacts and blocked Em''s number. Then I blocked her on Omnigram, Snappit, and every other platform we shared.


    It felt like cutting off a limb, but... I just didn''t have the strength to fight with her anymore. Not when she was threatening someone who''d saved her life. Not when she was trying to destroy someone who''d already lost everything.


    She didn''t understand. She never would and it was breaking my heart.


    I threw the phone at a wall and limped into the shower.

 Chapter 27: Irradiated [I]

    I stared at the flickering flame.


    If Zee Captain''s cryptic bullshit was to be believed, then as long as the flame burned, reality was slightly more malleable. How malleable exactly? This I would have to find out.


    "Stats," I ordered mentally and my stats ignited over my hexagonal Lazarus bracelet.


    | Name: Alexander Glock


    | Age: 18


    | Species & Subtype: Human


    | Core Affinity: N/A


    | Level: 0


    | Anima: 89/89 [+89]


    | Anima Stamina: 0.1/0.1


    | Mana: 38/0


    | Mana Regen: 0.0m/hr


    | Strength: 0


    | Agility: 0


    | Dexterity: 0


    | Vitality: 0


    | Charisma: 0


    | Magic: 0


    | Foresight: 0


    | Intelligence: 0


    | Wisdom: 0


    | Skills: N/A


    The mana number suddenly began going up, numbers rushing upward as if someone had opened a floodgate. The rest of the stats went haywire too, flickering and bouncing between zeroes and null error variable messages flashing across my vision.


    The bathroom lights flickered and then their glow intensified, growing painfully bright. A freaky rainbow shear rushed across the mirror, wards and runes around the bathroom lighting up and sparkling with brilliant flares. I quickly let go of the button and snapped the lighter shut, fearing that the ward, lights or the mirror might explode from mana overload.


    Maybe I should do this outside or something.


    I glanced back at my mana.


    [401/0]


    I whistled.


    Progress! I had irradiated myself with excessive magrad and given myself mana. Also, possibly magic cancer. But on the plus side, now I could actually do magic.


    Maybe.


    I squinted at the the mana stat as it shifted again.


    [400.97/0]


    Ah. My body was slowly losing the magical charge provided by the lighter. Interesting.


    "Alert," Yulia''s voice whispered in my ear. "Pack-cam has detected movement. Cassiopeia Nova is currently examining the contents of your bag."


    I froze, the lighter still warm in my palm. "Show me," I whispered in Kaska, pulling out my phone.


    Through Yulia''s hidden camera feed, I watched as Cinder dug through my bag, her feathers shifting through curious violets and concerned oranges as she dug the pattern that produced Alexander Glock and others, pulling out my tools, phones, documents, paints, wigs and etc.


    My heart clenched as she found the leather pouch - mom''s last letter, the photos, everything I had left of my real life.


    Part of me wanted to burst out there and stop her. But... maybe this was better.


    Let her see the truth, unfiltered and raw. No carefully crafted lies or manipulated narratives - just the painful reality of who I really was.


    I watched as Cinder''s wings ignited with rainbows as she read mom''s last letter. When tears started falling from her ocean-blue eyes, I had to look away.


    She understood. She now knew me deeper, more than anyone else in the entire universe.


    I turned the video off and went into the shower.


    <hr>


    After my shower, I quickly rinsed out my many hexasuits, put them on myself and then dressed in Lance''s old clothes, including a lovely, plush white and blue pattern See-Mass sweater featuring Aztec-style art of Quetzis. The outfit was a bit loose but still serviceable, making me feel like I belonged to the family now.


    Looking at my mana bar, I noted that the number had dropped to around 392. Still way more than any human should rightly have. The lighter provided me with magic; now I just had to figure out how to permanently hold mana in my body.


    Sadly, according to Yulia, there were no references to this. Omnids didn''t allow humans to go to Arx, nor had anyone bothered to publish publicly available research papers about humans leveling up in mana-rich places. Thus, I was perhaps the first human on Earth to have so much mana in my body.


    Shelving my plans, I departed from my room heading across the long-as-f hallway to the West Wing.


    As advertised, Cinder''s door had a poster of a skeletal dragon breathing black fire, surrounded by gothic text that read "KEEP OUT OR DIE SCREAMING!" Several other posters surrounded the door, featuring various metal bands - names like "Deathstorm Mothmen" and "The Crimson State Lindwurms" alongside artwork of monsters and fire.


    I knocked softly. "Hey Ci, you decent?"


    "Go away," came the muffled response.


    "Who''s your favorite mixie in the universe?" I asked.


    "What kind of stupid question is that?" her voice came through the door.


    "Just checking if you''re the door-hex or the real Cinder," I grinned. "Breakfast?"


    "I''m not coming to breakfast," Cinder''s real voice came through the door, sounding strained. "Just... go away."


    "Mmmmm... No," I sat against the door. "Two options then. Either I open this door with a card and invade your room or I declare a hunger strike and sit here against this door until I waste away into a skeleton. Pick one. You have ten seconds to decide. Nine."


    Silence.


    "Eight. Seven. Six..."


    "You wouldn''t," Cinder growled through the door.


    "Five. Four. I''m pretty good at going without food and invading rooms. Three. Two..."


    The door opened suddenly, causing me to fall backward into her room with a yelp. I found myself staring up at an upside-down Cinder.


    "Sup?"


    I noticed that she was wearing a fluffy white robe and had no makeup on whatsoever. Her ocean-blue eyes were red and puffy from crying, and her feathers were shifting through mournful dark blues and guilty blacks.


    "Get up," she muttered, turning away quickly. "And close the door before mom sees."


    I rolled a bit off to the side and closed the door with my foot, taking in her room from my floor position. It was exactly what I expected - dark violet walls, blackout curtains, and more metal band posters. Strings of red and purple See-Mass lights cast an eerie glow along with a couple of Kitlix lanterns over the bed. A guitar stood in one corner next to a violin case and a magic amp.


    The heavy wooden furniture was only somewhat fancier than the stuff in the guest bedroom.


    A large desk was covered in sheet music and school books, while the pin-on panel above it featured photographs of the Dreadful Delvers.


    "Room is very you," I commented from my floor position. "8.72/10 Goth Gf aesthetic."


    "Why are you here?" Cinder asked quietly, not looking at me.


    "I dunno." I shrugged. "Why are you here? Are we skipping breakfast and... what class do we even have? Yulia?"


    "Double period. Delving theory and practice with Instructor Zalimar Evernacht," Yulia answered from the phone my pocket.


    "Of course," Cinder muttered. "Just what I need today on top of everything - Em murdering us both on Arx!"


    "I can beat Em in my sleep with both arms tied behind my back. Arx delving sounds fun," I let out, still sprawled on her floor. "I''ve never been on a proper delve before. Do we get to fight monsters? Explore ruins? Find treasure? Make out in a dungeon?"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Would you be serious for once?!" she snapped.


    "A joke a day keeps depression away," I half-grinned. "Would you prefer me to mope on your floor and have a cry about everything terrible in my life instead? ''Cus I can absolutely do that."


    "Arghh... staaaph," Cinder sighed, slumping onto her bed. "I can''t deal with... whatever this is right now."


    "Whatever what is?" I asked from the floor. "Your best friend trying to kill me? The troupe falling apart? Your family being wonderfully supportive and loving? A questionable human invading your house?"


    "Everything, damn it!" Cinder burst out, her wings flaring with frustrated reds. "The troupe, Em, my parents suddenly thinking you''re the second coming of Slayer Nazareth, you somehow getting permission to LIVE here..."


    "And?" I prompted. "I simply did what my lady commanded. You wished me to inhabit this residence so that is what I have organized. You think I want to be here, across a few walls from Judge Dread? I''m here because of you, Ci. Open your eyes."


    "I..." Cinder let out a deep sigh. "I''ve been through this before."


    "Been through what?"


    "This!" She gestured between us. "Someone getting... addicted to my wings, my voice. Thinking they''re in love with me when they''re just... enthralled by my Charmchain skill!"


    "I am occasionally enthralled by you," I said. "I can''t argue with that. But if you simply want my non-enthralled opinion, just burrito yourself in a thick blanket. Works like a charm. Well, opposite of a charm since it blocks yo charmin'' wings. Do you want me to creatively insult you to prove that I''m not actually addicted to you or something? Do you want me to ignore you for a couple of months? What''s it gonna take for you to stop being Miss grumpysaurus?"


    "I don''t want you to do anything!" Cinder snapped. "That''s the whole point! I don''t want you changing your entire life around because of me or falling in love with me or obsessing over me! I don''t want you lying to my parents or making deals with interdimensional entities or... or..."


    "Or what?" I asked, finally sitting up. "Or caring about you as a friend? Is that what this is really about?"


    "You don''t even know me!" she burst out. "Not really! You''ve known me for what, three days? And suddenly you''re infiltrating my family, manipulating my parents, fighting my battles..."


    "Four days," I commented. "We met on Tuesday when you jumped off the beam, it''s Friday now."


    "Okay, four days, whatever Mr. Smartass!" She snarled.


    "Look. I know enough to make educated guesses," I said quietly. "I know you''re trapped. Stuck between what your parents want you to be and what Em wants you to be. I know you love music but hate performing. I know you''re scared of your own power, your own voice. I know you''re carrying some heavy guilt about something that happened two years ago - something bad enough that you let Em reshape you into what she wanted you to be - her obedient, little kobold. As was her nature as a dragon. But you''re not a kobold, Ci. You''re a dragon yourself."


    "I''m..." Cinder started.


    "You''re a Quetzalcoatl," I said as she fell silent. "A feathered serpent deity. One of the most powerful Charisma-aligned Omnids that ruled Mesoamerican humanity for centuries. But you let Em convince you that you needed her to be strong. That you needed her troupe, her rules, her way of doing things."


    "You don''t understand..." Cinder lamented.


    "I understand perfectly," I said, finally sitting up. "Em was there for you when you needed someone. She gave you a new identity, a purpose, a place to belong. But she also trapped you, didn''t she? Made you dependent on her approval, her validation. I can see it, the invisible chains wrapped around your soul. And every day, every week, every year... they''ve only gotten tighter. You have to spread your wings and break them. It''s the only choice. Otherwise..."


    She looked at me.


    "You''ll keep spiraling down until there''s nothing left of you but what other people want you to be," I finished.


    "And what about what you want me to be?" She let out.


    "I want you to be you," I said simply. "Not Em''s pet Bard, not your parents'' perfect daughter, not my... whatever you think I want. Just you. Free and without whatever these dark chains are. The real Cassiopeia Nova, whoever she is under all these layers of other people''s expectations."


    Cinder stared at me.


    "I honestly don''t need to adjust you to my expectations," I said. "I already have Yulia for that - I can adjust her to speak any language, to be anything or anyone. LLM-type AIs... are just stories that we write them to be. But you... you have a soul and passion and needs as a living individual!"


    "I don''t even know who that is anymore," she whispered, more tears sparking at the edges of her eyes.


    "Then let''s find out," I offered my hand. "Together. No pressure, no expectations. Just... exploration. Discovery. Maybe even some breakfast, because I''m actually starving and your mom''s cooking smells amazing."


    "You... Seem so harmless but you''re actually terrifying," Cinder said, staring at my offered hand. "The way you just... see through everything. I don''t even know who you really are. I don''t know where your lies begin or end."


    "I don''t spot everything myself," I said. "Yulia is my second set of eyes. Without her, I probably wouldn''t even notice how much you''re hurting, Ci."


    Cinder blinked more tears, shuddering and wiping her face with the sleeve of her robe.


    "Listen, if you want to buy the truth, then you gotta pay the price," I sat on the bed next to her.


    She shifted uncomfortably, her tail twitching. "What... what kind of price?"


    "A secret for a secret," I said. "You tell me what happened two years ago that made you let Em reshape you, and I''ll tell you anything you want to know about me. The real me. No lies, no misdirection, just... truth."


    Cinder''s wings and tail shifted through uncertain purples and anxious oranges. "I... I can''t."


    "Can''t or won''t?" I asked gently.


    "Both," she whispered, wrapping her wings around herself. "It''s... it''s too much. Too dark. Too..."


    "Fine, if you don''t wanna dig into your dark and broody past, Mister Batman... Then, let''s make a cringe memory instead to pay the price!"


    "What? Why? How?"


    "Come here and hug me and make a really dumb face for the camera," I grinned, holding out my phone. "I''ll make a dumb face, too, so that you''re not sacrificing yourself to the altar of devastating cringe alone."


    Cinder stared at me like I''d grown a second head. "You want me to... what?"


    "Scooch over here and make the dumbest face you can possibly manage."


    "This is stupid," she muttered, but slowly edged closer.


    "Exactly!" I beamed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Now, on three, make the most ridiculous face you can. One... two..."


    On three, I crossed my eyes, puffed out my cheeks, and stuck out my tongue. Cinder, after a moment''s hesitation, scrunched up her nose and went cross-eyed, her feathers shifting through violet-pinks despite herself.


    CLICK!


    "There!" I declared triumphantly, showing her the photo and sending it to her on Omnigram. "Perfect balance achieved!"


    Cinder stared at the photo, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "We look like complete idiots."


    "That''s the point!" I grinned. "Can''t take yourself too seriously when there''s photographic evidence of you looking like a derpy rainbow chicken."


    "I do NOT look like a chicken!"


    "Look at us, we look like we''re having a stroke. I''m setting this for your chat background. Heh heh heh."


    Cinder stared at the photo, her embarrassment warring with amusement. "Oh my god, no, delete that! I look ridiculous!"


    "Nu-huh," I grinned. "This is my new favorite picture ever. I''m going to treasure it forever. I''ll have it engraved on my gravestone."


    "Delete it!" Cinder made a grab for my phone.


    "Never!" I held it out of reach. "This is art! This belongs in a museum!"


    "Give me that phone!" She lunged for it, tackling me onto the bed.


    We wrestled for the phone, both laughing now. Her wings flared with playful colors as she tried to pin me down and grab the device.


    "Children!" Lady Nova''s voice called from downstairs dancing with perfect clarity around the room. "Breakfast is getting cold!"


    We froze, suddenly aware of our position - Cinder straddling me on her bed, both of us disheveled and breathless from laughing.


    I didn''t let her escape, rolling us both sideways across the bed with the power of all of my hexasuits, until I was above her. Then I shoved her down, digging into her wrists. I leaned towards her ear.


    "My name is Martin Kilborne," I whispered. "Now you know my dark and terrible secret. Never utter it again or I will send that pic of you to everyone you know."


    I released her.


    "I... I already knew," she admitted quietly.


    "I knew that you knew," I shot back. "There''s a webcam inside my bag. I have tricked you into taking a very derp photo. Mwa ha ha."


    "WHAT?!" She rounded on me with a growl of white fangs, her wings flaring with indignant reds and angry oranges, feathered tail lashing, snout stretching to reveal extra teeth. "You cheeky, little..."


    I immediately jumped away, making a scared face. I shifted my posture, shoulders slumping, eyes down, making myself look smaller - the perfect picture of smol, vulnerable prey.


    That''s it. Take the bait, predator.


    Cinder''s Omnid instincts kicked in exactly as expected. Her wings spread wide, feathers shifting through hunting purples and aggressive reds as she launched herself off the bed with deadly grace to tackle me.


    I waited until the last possible second, then exploded into motion. Seventeen hexasuits activated in perfect sync as I pushed off the floor, leaping sideways out of the way in a practiced parkour move. Cinder''s momentum carried her straight into the walk-in closet, and I kicked the door shut behind her with a satisfying click.


    "Got you!" I declared triumphantly, bracing my foot against the door as she rattled the handle. "Now, if you want to chase me down to give me a well-deserved smack, you have to actually get dressed first."


    "YOU!" Angry Quetzi noises emerged from the closet door.


    "The bath robe is cute and all but its not very aerodynamic," I commented. "Flaps in the wind and whatnot."


    "I''m going to murder you!" She threatened, but I could hear hangers being violently moved around inside the closet.


    "Promises, promises," I sang. "But first - clothes! Unless you want to chase me through the house in your fluffy bathrobe and accidentally flash me or your brother?"


    "ARGH!" More angry hanger-rattling. "Just you wait!"


    "I''ll be downstairs having pancakes," I called through the door. "Try to wear something that matches your murderous intent!"


    I heard what sounded like a shoe hitting the door as I made my retreat.


    The hallway was empty as I headed downstairs, following the smell of breakfast. Lady Nova was humming to herself in the kitchen, her feathers shifting through happy pinks as she flipped pancakes.


    "So," she beamed as I entered. "Did you manage to convince Cassie to join us?"


    "She''s getting dressed," I replied with a polite smile. "I believe she''ll be down shortly."


    Lance was already at the table, demolishing a stack of pancakes with impressive efficiency. Lenora sat beside him, carefully cutting her pancakes into precise triangles while chattering about her VR games and stuffed animals'' latest tea party drama.


    "Mr. Snuggles was being very rude," she informed me seriously as I sat down. "He wouldn''t share his crumpets with Lady Whiskertons at all!"


    "How scandalous," I replied with equal seriousness. "Perhaps Mr. Snuggles needs lessons in proper tea party etiquette."


    "That''s what I said!" Lenora nodded vigorously, her black fur ruffling. "But then he got into a fight with Sir Pawington over the last scone and knocked over the tea set!"


    "Sounds like quite the social disaster," I commented, accepting a plate of pancakes from Lady Nova. "Thank you, ma''am. These look amazing."


    "OH!" Lenora''s yellow eyes suddenly lit up. "Are you gonna be Cassie''s boyfriend? ''Cus she needs one really bad. She''s super grumpy all the time!"


    Lance choked on his pancakes.


    "Lenoralynne!" Lady Nova scolded, her feathers shifting through embarrassed pinks. "That''s not an appropriate comment for breakfast!"


    "But mooooom," Lenora whined. "She''s always so mean and angry! Maybe if she had a boyfriend she''d stop being such a..." She made air quotes with her black slender finger-paws, "Raging dumpster fire of..."


    "LENY!" Lady Nova''s feathers bristled with shock. "Language!"


    "Sorry... not sorry," Lenora huffed, whispering the last bit out of her Hearth-mom''s earshot.

 Chapter 27: Irradiated [II]

    Rapid footsteps thundered down the stairs, and Cinder burst into the dining room like an avenging angel. She was wearing an oversized white and blue, matching sweater featuring Aztec blue patterns, gray hex-mesh leggings and grey boots.


    All eyes snapped to her, taking in her unusually light-colored outfit and the way her feathers were shifting through greens, violets, golds, reds and pinks. I could practically hear Lance''s jaw dropping to the floor.


    "Wow," I breathed out, my heartbeat accelerating into the stratosphere.


    Cinder blushed even brighter, her feathery mane sending a rainbow cascading around her head and she kneaded her hands together, looking off to the side.


    "Oh, starshine... You''re actually wearing the sweater I got you for See-Mass!" Lady Nova''s feathers shifted through delighted pinks as she brought her hands together. "You look..."


    "LIKE A PROPER LADY!" Lenora declared. "Instead of a scary brood-monster! I had my doubts, but maybe Alex can fix you! Make you less stabby! Ooh, are you guys gonna kiss and make babies next?"


    "LENY!" Everyone at the table shouted in unison.


    "What?" The young Black Shuck blinked innocently. "Mom says Cassie needs to find a nice boy and settle down before she becomes a crazy-witch-lady with too many Kitlix!"


    "Lenny! I did NOT say that!" Lady Nova protested.


    "Maybe it was my Prima-mom," Lenora shrugged. "The point stands. The jury has spoken. The perpetrator shall be sentenced to LURVE!" Lenora declared dramatically pointing her fork at Cinder.


    Cinder looked like she was about to melt through the floor, on the verge of bolting. I got out off my chair and practically dragged her to the seat next to me.


    "Beast-blood-infused Pancakes," I declared firmly, pushing a plate in front of her. "The universal solution to all problems. Eat now, murder later."


    Cinder dug into her plate, not looking at anyone.


    Lenora settled back into her seat with a smug, satisfied look of absolute victory.


    "So Alex," Lance spoke up, clearly trying to change the subject. "Are you excited about Delving class? It''s going to be your first practical session today, right?"


    "Yepperoni," I nodded, demolishing my plate. "Going to need your help."


    "With what?" Lance asked.


    "Legal paperwork and oversight," I said. "I''ll need to stop at the Stuco office and print out some stuff. Plus I''d like to borrow delving gear on the account that I''m on ''The orphan of Unfortunate Events'' scholarship."


    "Paperwork?" Lance blinked. "Delving gear? It''s the start of the semester, so you won''t be going into a dungeon... I expect that..."


    "Lance," I said. "Em said she''s going to pulverize me today. So, unless you want your sister needlessly skipping classes to incarnate me..."


    I let my words hang in the air, Cinder tensing up beside me like a coiled spring.


    Lance pursed his lips. "Fine." He let out. "You can borrow one of my first year sets. It might... fit you."


    "Oh my, your first dungeon delve, how exciting!" Anitta commented, trying to lighten the mood. "I remember the first time I went to Arx with Nathy... He was so shy back then. Practically had to drag him around the market to try out gear! Knight and Bard, that was us!" She giggled to herself.


    "Not quite a delve yet," Lance said. "First day of winter semester is always something basic like a trip to the Shandrian market. It''s relatively safe - lots of guards, wards, and established merchants. Perfect for delvers to get a feel for Arx without too much risk. A full diving gear really shouldn''t be needed."The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "I''m throwing a big wrench into the works," I said. "I''d like to borrow ALL of your delving gear."


    "What?" Lance blinked at me. "But... that stuff burns through mana like crazy. What level are you? You''ll need hundreds if not thousands of mana points to power even basic defensive gear. Unlike generic hexasuits, the armor draws power not just from beast cores, it also pulls energy from the body of the wilder."


    "Don''t worry about my mana situation," I waved him off. "The equipment isn''t just for me-I''m forming a new delving team of five and I''ll need them armed and ready for some basic drill-work."


    "A new... team?" Lance blinked. "On your first day? Drills?!"


    "Gotta snatch em up while they''re still hot," I grinned.


    "And who exactly are these potential team members?" Lance asked.


    "You''ll see," I said mysteriously, finishing my blood-pancakes.


    "But you can''t just..." Lance started to protest.


    "Lance," I fixed him with a serious look. "Remember what we discussed last night? This isn''t for me. This is what needs to be done for... you-know-who."


    The teenage Dover Demon''s mouth snapped shut. He nodded slowly. "Right. Very well."


    I could feel Cinder''s eyes burning the side of my head. Lenora''s yellow eyes danced between me, Cinder and Lance with great curiosity trying to asses the situation. The little hound was definitely growing up to be as dangerous and as clever as her mother. I''d have to buy her something nice on Arx to stay in her good graces.


    "Wonderful!" Lady Nova beamed. "It''s so nice to see young people taking initiative! And Lance, it''s very kind of you to help Alexander get started!"


    "Indeed," I nodded sagely. "Now, if you''ll excuse us, we should head to school. Lots of preparation to do before class."


    "Of course, dear," Anitta fluttered. "Oh, and Alexander? Feel free to come back for dinner. Like I told you earlier, you''re always welcome here!"


    "Thank you, ma''am," I bowed slightly. "Your hospitality is greatly appreciated."


    <hr>


    We headed out to Lance''s personal workshop behind the mansion, Cinder trailed behind us.


    "Here we are," Lance announced, unlocking a heavy door covered in protective runes.


    The workshop was impressive - walls lined with delving gear, magitek artifacts, and various pieces of armor. A large workbench dominated the center, covered in half-finished projects and magitek repair tools.


    "Here," Lance pulled out what looked like an armored backpack. "My biggest extradimensional storage bag. Should hold everything you need. It''s 2x2 meters on the inside."


    "Right," I said. "I''m going to need everything. Help me load up the bag."


    "...Everything?" Lance sputtered.


    "Everything you''re not wearing yourself today," I nodded. "I don''t know what each of my teammates will need amplified yet. Whatever I won''t need, I''ll bring back tonight. Sounds good? Ci - start packing those swords."


    I pushed Cinder towards the weapons. She obeyed, filling her arms and then climbing into the bag, throwing me incredibly suspicious glances.


    "Everything?" Lance sputtered. "Today?! But... why would you need..."


    I leaned in close to Lance''s face, dropping my voice to a whisper that Cinder couldn''t hear us from within the bag.


    "Your sister is on my team. You know how she is with armor. She''s going to be VERY difficult, but I want her extra-safe today cus of the D&D breakup and Em''s murder-threats. If everyone on my team is wearing your equipment, she might actually put on some armor too through peer pressure. Whatever we won''t need for further drill practice, I''ll obviously bring back tonight. If she gets used to wearing the stuff you bought her, then she will also wear it when we actually do go into the dungeon in a few weeks or whatever."


    Lance''s eyes widened with understanding, then narrowed with fierce determination. Without another word, he began pulling gear off the walls - hexasuits, reinforced armor pieces, shield generators, amplifiers, emergency gate scrolls, healing potions, everything a delver might need. Everything far, far above my level.


    With three sets of arms we quickly emptied the entire workshop, leaving Lance a single outfit for himself and Christi that he packed into his own dimensional bag.


    <hr>


    Lance''s Strand-Glider was an exceptionally swank, overpriced Omnid top-of-the-line vehicle. Technically classified as a "living transport" by Omnithean bureaucracy, it was a bio-mechanical marvel of flying manta ray breeding, complete with bonemesh seats at the top and hexamesh 6x semi-clear wing cover membrane that unfurled to let us inside and covered us up like a shimmering dome.


    I stared at the unusual interior like an absolute tourist, craning my head left and right.


    Lance chuckled. "First time in a Strand-Glider?"


    "Ye," I let out.


    "This is Lancer," Lance said proudly, patting the dashboard. "He''s a skyray that''s been bread specifically for high speed inner-city gliding."


    "Hol'' up," I said. "Did you name your glider Lancer?"


    "Course he did," Cinder commented from her seat beside me, rolling her ocean-blue eyes. "Yes, it''s literally just his name with an ''r'' added at the end. Peak originality of a twelve-year-old right there."


    "Shush you," Lance said. "The Lancer expects respect from his passengers."


    "Uuuughhh. This is why I ride with Io," Cinder groaned.

 Chapter 27: Irradiated [III]

    The Strand-Glider''s membrane rippled as Lance fed a mouth-thing in the bonemesh dashboard some glittering mana crystals from his bag. Then the Dover Demon pulled back his scaly brown-gray braids, closed his eyes and connected a shimmering, tentacle thing to the side of his head. Then he leaned back on the seat and closed his eyes. With a graceful movement, the flying manta ray wobbled, spread its massive wings and launched into the morning sky.


    Unlike Iogann''s interdimensional van, the Strand-Glider''s flight was smooth and nearly silent. The hexamesh wing-dome above us was semi-clear, offering a panoramic view of Leviathan''s Cradle and the blue sky overhead as we soared over the city.


    The Strand-Glider banked smoothly towards the cliffs and slowed down atop a giant, moss-covered skull hanging halfway out from the mountain cliffside. The rooftop door featured whimsical painted flame motifs. A bunch of fire-flowers and fire-grasses sparkled in the skull rooftop garden.


    "Picking up Christi?" Cinder asked, sounding resigned to her fate.


    "She is my girlfriend," Lance replied without opening his eyes, still deep in his mental connection with the living vehicle. "Unless you forgot."


    "Was hoping you broke up with her on the account of how effin'' annoying she is," Cinder hissed. "Like seriously, does she ever shut up?"


    Lance simply sighed in response.


    Christi emerged from her skull-house moments later, snapping the round rooftop door open to momentarily reveal the crystalline cozy interior, her pink-orange flames burning brightly in the morning light. The Cherufe was wearing her usual pink suit and a violet black stripe dress combo.


    "Morning Lancy!" she called out cheerfully as the membrane lifted to let her in. Her flames flickered slightly when she jumped into the shotgun seat next to Lance and spotted Cinder and me in the back seat. "Oh! Hi guys!"


    Cinder looked like she wanted to melt into her seat as Christi stared at her white sweater with wide, burning eyes.


    "Is that... a WHITE See-Mass sweater?" Christi''s flames flickered brighter. "Wow! I love it! Cass..."


    "Don''t. Call. Me. Cass." Cinder ground out.


    "Sorry, sorry! I''m just excited to see you wearing something that''s not a funeral color," the torch-girl bobbed. "You... both... look absolutely amazing! Wait, wait, wait. Did Alex stay over at your house?" She prodded Lance.


    "Yeah," Lance let out.


    "He slept over at your place and you''re wearing matching sweaters now?!" Her hair flared even brighter, grin widening as she stared at Cinder. "Eeeeeeeeeee!"


    "Shut up," Cinder growled. "I''m ignoring you."


    She turned towards the membrane-window.


    I sent Christi a wink, answering her questioning-look. The Pink Chancellor''s flame sent sparks dancing across her shoulders as she clapped and squeed some more, pleased that her dastardly machinations have worked out so well.


    The rest of the car ride went a bit awkward with Christi chattering away about delving, Arx, Shandria, mana, mage towers, mages, magic, armor, beast cores, beasts, Celestorms, our sweaters, See-Mass and a million other topics jumping from one to the other with barely any pause.


    As the Strand-Glider landed in the designated sky-beast parking area, I was already whisper-strategizing with Yulia in Kaska.


    Running quickly to my beat up van, I shoved absolutely everything from its innards with Cinder''s aid into Lance''s extradimensional backpack.


    <hr>


    The student council office was relatively empty this early in the morning - perfect timing.


    I pulled out a USB cable and plugged it into the computer from my phone, my fingers flying across the keyboard.


    "Are you printing an entire library?" Cinder commented sarcastically, watching as page after page of documents emerge from the printer. "What could possibly require this many trees to die?"A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Delving Insurance," I replied smoothly, gathering the stack of forms as the office filled with its inhabitants.


    I pulled out five identical forms, sliding one towards each of the present student council members now seated around the office.


    Christi, being the most eager, grabbed hers immediately and started reading, nearly setting the paper on fire.


    Her pink-orange flames flickered with curiosity as she scanned the document. Within seconds, she looked up. "Wait. You''re planning to file an infraction against a teacher? With us as witnesses?! What?"


    "An infraction against the crimes of Instructor Zalimar Evernacht," I said.


    "I wasn''t aware that Instructor Zalimar committed any crimes against you," Quint''s skull-like face turned my way from his plush leather chair.


    "Not yet," I said. "But he will soon. I''ll send the video to all of you at such time and then you''ll sign these forms plus the digital version which I will send your way by Omnigram. Sounds good?"


    The Wendigo student council president, leaned forward. "And what exactly are these forms for?"


    "Insurance," I repeated, sliding the documents across the table. "In case something goes wrong during today''s Delving class."


    "You''re THAT certain that something will go wrong?" Quint asked.


    "Absolutely," I said, meeting the mental pressure from his Wendigo antlers pulsing in his head with absolute belief.


    Quint''s amber eyes narrowed, studying me intently. "Explain."


    I pulled out my phone, displaying the compilation video of Emerald to the student councilors. "Emerald Stratos repeated the following slur and has made multiple public threats against me. She also clearly stated her intention to harm me. These forms are simply a bit of a preemptive legal protection measure."


    "I''ll talk to Em," Quint said with a weary sigh after Emerald uttered her 20th ''Nullie!''. "Besides that, these forms are specifically mentioning Koshei Zalimar Evernacht as the perpetrator, not Emerald.


    "Quint," I said. "I''m not planning to hostile Em, but if she or one of her friends assaults or murders me and Instructor Zalimar ignores it, then simply sign this form. Good?"


    Quint studied me for a long moment with what was possibly a calculating look. His skull-face was hard to read. The other student council members - Christi, Lance, and a couple of other reps watched the exchange with varying degrees of interest, curiosity and concern.


    "Fine," Quint finally said. "But if this turns out to be some elaborate prank..."


    "Quint," I said. "I know that you''re dating and protecting Em and this isn''t against her. If you DO NOT sign the form when Zalimar messes with me, your position as student Pres will be done."


    "A bold threat," Quint''s hissed, eyes flaring dangerously within his skull. "Especially from a new student."


    "Not a threat," I smiled. "A prophecy. You''re a Wendigo. You can smell the truth of my words. Smell this - the student bullying at this school has gone on long enough. I''m going to end your career if you get in my way. I know you''re going to get in my way. I know you''re going to attempt to cover up what happens today. You''re between a rock and a hard place. You have a choice to make today. Either you act like the Student President or you act like Em''s boyfriend and resign."


    Quint shuddered slightly as he inhaled.


    "You..." he started.


    "Will likely be attacked today by Instructor Zalimar," I finished for him. "And you will either sign that form when it happens, or your political career at this school ends."


    Quint crossed his arms, clearly unhappy with my proposition.


    "In the meantime," I continued, pulling out another stack of papers, "I need to register a new delving team."


    "What? When did you even..." Quint blinked, momentarily thrown off balance by the sudden topic change.


    "I love you," I said, sliding the registration forms across the table. "Five members. Full legal paperwork already filled out. Just needs your signature as the student council president."


    "''I love you''!? What kind of a... delve team name is that? It sounds ridiculous," Quint sputtered, completely derailed sideways. "You''re not even a registered delver yet. You can''t form a team without completing basic training and certification!"


    "Already done," I pulled out more paperwork - certificates bearing Father Matthias'' signature and church seal. "I completed my certification through the Triumvirate Cathedral''s youth program last month. All perfectly legal and documented. Do check your phone or computer. Father Matthias should have emailed you about it yesterday."


    Cinder choked from where she was sitting.


    Quint''s amber eyes narrowed as he checked his phone. Sure enough, there was an email from Father Matthias, complete with all the proper documentation and timestamps.


    "This is..." he started then fell silent reviewing the documents.


    I looked at him smugly.


    "You still need parent or guardian approval for new team formation," Quint pointed out after a deep pause. "And qualified sponsors."


    "Already taken care of," I said, sliding another form to him. "Father Matthias is my guardian in Omnithornia. Lady Nova will be handling my sponsorship."


    "Lady Nova?" Quint''s sputtered. "Justice Nova''s wife?"


    "Indeed," I smiled pleasantly. "She''s quite supportive of proper, supervised delving activities. Much better than unsanctioned summoning shows, wouldn''t you agree? Anyways, my paperwork is in order, so make with the signing."


    Quint twitched as he studied the forms.


    "Cassiopeia Nova, Katherine Kells, Iogann Wanderer, and Vespera Simmi," he muttered reading out loud. "Hrmm. I haven''t seen any indication that these students have agreed to join your team," he noted, tapping the form with a claw.


    "Not an issue," I said confidently. "I''ve already arranged everything."


    "Everything?" Quint demanded. "Including getting Katherine Kells to agree to join a delving team? The same Katherine who hasn''t participated in any school activities in years?"


    "Yes," I nodded. "The very same. Look, I gotta meet them in like five minutes. Sign the damn form, before Cass and I are late to class."


    "Very well," Quint signed the form with a flourish. "I hope you know what you''re doing."


    "I always know what I''m doing," I replied, gathering up the forms. "Except sometimes when I don''t... in that case I usually wing it."


    I winked at Cinder.

 Chapter 28: A Grave Insult [I]

    As we left the student council office, Cinder grabbed my arm. "What. The. Abyss. Was. That?!"


    "Legal-ness?" I shrugged.


    "You just... steamrolled the entire student council! And Father Matthias is your guardian now? How did you even...?"


    "Paperwork," I grinned. "The true magic of the universe. You were there when he adopted me into his digital heart, were you not? My picture''s totally gracing his office."


    "When did my mom even...?"


    "Sent her an email," I said. "While we were chilling in Lance''s... Lancer. She answered pretty quick and signed the form. She wants me to supervise you during delving as our team''s Quartermaster. Guess I impressed her by actually making you come down to breakfast."


    Cinder''s eye twitched.


    "I feel like you''re digging yourself a very deep hole," she hiss-growled.


    "Nah," I said. "The hole was always there. In fact, this entire Omnid city was built atop a big magic hole in the ground. Just think of me as a.... hmmm.... A spider, weaving information-webs above the hole. The longer I exist in Leviathan''s Cradle the more devious and tough my web becomes and more Cinder-flies get stuck in it."


    "Why is our team name ''I love you''?" She demanded, snout stretching out to reveal rows of sharp teeth as my spider-comment clearly hit a nerve.


    I grinned at her instead of a reply.


    "Well?" She demanded.


    "I just wanted to hear you say it," I laughed. "It''s nice to be appreciated."


    Cinder''s entire body ignited with an explosion color. She took a swing at me with her claws, which I neatly dodged.


    "You absolute... insufferable... Arghhhh!" She sputtered, feathers bristling around and under her See-Mass sweater. "Change it! RIGHT NOW! I''m not effing saying it!"


    "Make me!" I laughed, taking off at a run down the black marble stairwell towards delving class deep below the ground. "If... you can catch me!"


    As I ran, laughing, Cinder''s wings erupted behind me, her feathers shifting through irritated reds and determined oranges. Her Quetzalcoatl heritage gave her greater running power than my collection of stolen hexasuits.


    She caught up to me, just as we burst through the doors, a few seconds late to class.


    As Cinder tackled me, we tumbled across the classroom floor in a tangle of wings and limbs. Her claws were digging into my collar, her ocean-blue eyes blazing with fury as she pinned me down.


    "I''m going to effing murder you, you chuppy kno...!" She snarled loudly.


    "Novitiates!" A cold, razor-sharp voice cut through her threat.


    Cinder froze, the rainbow of color draining out of her body.


    "Sup Zalimar?" I waved from under Cinder. "How''s it teaching?"


    The classroom fell silent.


    Instructor Zalimar Evernacht stood at the front of black slate and dark marble gothic auditorium, his skeletal form draped in a long, black, billowing academic robe. The silver fire in his eye sockets focused on me.


    "Mr. Glock," Zalimar''s voice was a snarl that carried to every corner of the room. "Care to explain why you and Ms. Nova are wrestling on my classroom floor?"


    "Just getting my daily dose of love, cryptids and murder," I said. "Hope you don''t mind!"


    "Stand. Up." Zalimar''s voice could have frozen hellfire. His silver-flamed eye sockets burned with barely contained  rage as he loomed over us at his black podium.


    The entire class held their breath. I noticed Emerald looking down at us as well.


    I carefully extracted myself from under Cinder, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. Her feathers had shifted to mortified blacks and grays.


    "Twenty points from both of you," Zalimar''s voice dripped with cold venom. "And detention tonight. Now take your seats before I decide to make an example of you both."


    I helped Cinder up. The entire class watched in silence as we made our way to our seats.


    "As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted," Zalimar continued, "today we resume practical applications of delving theory."


    The class hummed excitedly about visiting Shandria and their plans for the market.


    "For those of you who managed to pass the written exam at the end of last semester," Zalimar stated, his silver flame eyes burning into me with obvious contempt, "we will be conducting our first supervised expedition to the Shandrian Market on Arx in two hours from now. The excursion will last approximately two hours of Earth-time and one week of Arx time due to the temporal dilation. Those who failed their exams... or haven''t had their exam yet, will be taking it today in the training room with Coach Canard and will NOT be participating in delve activities."Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    His gaze lingered pointedly on me.


    I raised my hand, interrupting him mid-sentence.


    The Lich stared at me. "Yes, Mr. Glock?" he practically spat my name.


    "Just wanted to submit my exam papers," I said cheerfully, pulling out a thick stack of forms. "Sorry for the delay. Had to get them properly notarized by the cathedral."


    "Cathedral? What cathedral?!" the Koshchei growled.


    "If you will allow me," I walked casually to the podium and handed the papers to him.


    Zalimar''s skeletal hands snatched the papers from me, his silver flame eyes scanning the documents with obvious suspicion. His jaw actually dropped slightly as he saw Father Matthias'' ornate signature and seal on every page.


    "These are..." he started.


    "Fully completed and certified," I finished for him. "Including practical field experience documentation from my previous delving work with the Triumvirate Slayer''s Cathedral''s youth outreach program. Oh, and I''ve already registered a new delving team with the student council."


    "A delving team?" Zalimar''s voice dripped with cold contempt. His silver flame eyes flared brighter as he practically shredded through my paperwork. "You? Really? A... nullborn, leading a team?"


    "Leading a team? Nah," I said. "Cassiopeia Nova is the Team Captain. I''m just the team manager and supply boy."


    "A supply boy?" Zalimar''s skull-face twitched with cruel amusement. "How... quaint. Just because those ass-wipes from the Silver Wing party permitted your kind to attend this institution doesn''t mean you belong here, boy."


    "Interesting perspective," I smiled pleasantly. "I''m sure the Board of Education would love to hear your lovely views on mix-blood diversity and inclusion. Perhaps I should schedule a meeting?"


    The temperature in the room dropped several degrees. Frost began forming on nearby desks as Zalimar''s rage manifested physically.


    "Are you threatening me, boy?" he hissed, his academic robes billowing with unseen glacial wind that made my skin crawl.


    "Not at all, sir," I maintained my pleasant smile. "Just making conversation. Now, about today''s practical - I assume we''ll need proper delving gear? As my team''s Quartermaster, I brought enough for my entire team."


    "Let me make something perfectly clear, Mr. Glock," Zalimar''s voice dripped with icy venom as he loomed over me. "This is not some game. Arx is not a playground for nullborn scum to play at being delvers."


    "Of course not, sir," I replied, maintaining my pleasant smile despite the frost forming on my clothes and hair. "That''s why I brought proper equipment. Safety first, as they say."


    "Safety?" He let out a harsh, cold laugh that made several students flinch. "You think a few pieces of borrowed gear will protect you? Your kind lacks even the basic magical capacity to properly utilize delving equipment above level twenty. You''re more likely to get yourself and your... team killed. Did nobody tell you this, you poor miserable child? Nullborns are incapable of wearing high level armor, incapable of casting spells, incapable of wielding magic weapons, incapable of interacting with Kitlix!"


    "Actually, sir," I pulled out more paperwork, "I have documentation showing successful completion of all required safety training and equipment certification courses through the cathedral''s program. Would you like to see those as well? They''re in that stack you''re holding, along with... the lawsuit."


    "Lawsuit..." Zalimar blinked with his silver glowing fire-orbs. "What lawsuit?!"


    "The one you''ve just been served," I said with a wide grin. "For unjust discriminatory practices and negligent oversight. And speaking of oversight..." I pulled out a fake silver ID card with the winged sword emblem of the Silver Wing party. "Alexander Glock, Junior Representative of the Equality Division. I''m here investigating the suspicious deaths of Sarah Nisteroff last semester. You remember Sarah, don''t you, Instructor Zalimar?"


    The temperature dropped even further. Ice crystals formed in the air around Zalimar.


    "How dare you..." he hissed. "You dare come into MY classroom and serve me a LAWSUIT?! Accuse me of being unjust?!"


    "This isn''t an accusation," I said. "I''m serving you a class action lawsuit on behalf of half-blood students... Sarah Nisteroff - 2024, abandoned overnight and chopped up by Shadowbeasts. Elek Rodrigov - 2023, killed repeatedly during training exercise by arrows. Marcus Chennik - 2023, left in Magnolish dungeon for a week by himself. Thomas Willard - 2023, devoured in the Whispering Depths dungeon. Petv Yavna - 2023, tricked into heavy drinking and chopped up by Shadowbeasts."


    I glanced at Emerald. The dragoness swallowed nervously, clawed hands tightening. I moved onto the others.


    "Olga Kcasnik - 2022, tricked into going out at night and chopped up by Shadowbeasts. Datri Volk - 2022, left knocked out in a field overnight and chopped up by Shadowbeasts. Thomas Willard - 2020, eaten by a Snargboar and rescued only after 29 hours. Marcia Alvarrez - 2019, beaten to death by Homporisks. Peter Dunnik - 2017..."


    "SILENCE!" Zalimar roared. The stack of papers in his hands ignited with white flames and shattered into sparkling bits as if it had been bathed in liquid nitrogen. "You pathetic... vile...."


    I took a step towards him, ice forming around my See-Mass sweater and hexamesh layers.


    "You DARE?" he hissed, each word dripping with venomous contempt. "A nullborn, a scab-blood NOTHING, standing in my own classroom and accusing ME?"


    "Yes," I continued, my voice steady. "Now, where was I? Right. Peter, died from a hellhounder attack. Lekosh Nokil - 2015, a half-Thunderbird student who mysteriously disappeared during a routine dungeon mapping exercise. Her body was never found, but rumors suggested she was deliberately left behind when her team retreated. Bracelet retrieved too late."


    Zalimar''s skeletal hands clenched, frost forming around his bony fingers.


    "Milla Stazo, 2013 - a quarter-human Kelpie student who was ''accidentally'' assigned to a high-risk delving mission despite being severely under-equipped. She was the only casualty in her team. Repeatedly."


    The silver flames in Zalimar''s eye sockets flared even brighter. His iron-covered fist emerged from his robe, skeletal hand creaking.


    Come on, smack me. Make it a good one. I know you want to.


    "Kira Wentigom - 2010, a half-blood Cherufe student..." I read on, repeating what Yulia whispered in my ear.


    "ENOUGH!" A metal-covered hand shot out, crackling with dark ice.


    Before I could react, Zalimar''s skeletal fingers struck me square in the chest, flashing upwards and ripping up my face as he sent me flying.


    Then the back of the classroom wall met my spine and I felt nothing but pain.

 Chapter 28: A Grave Insult [II]

    The impact was like being hit by a freight train.


    When I was struck, all of my hexamesh suits activated simultaneously, their beast cores flaring to life, but even their combined protection couldn''t fully absorb the blow. I felt something crack - maybe a rib, maybe several as I encountered the wall and slid down.


    Pain lashed across me, nearly making me throw up. For a moment, everything went silent and dark.


    Time seemed to slow down. I caught glimpses of shocked faces - Cinder''s eyes wide with horror, Emerald''s gold-orange eyes gleaming with a mix of surprise and savage satisfaction, other students recoiling from the sudden violence.


    Ouchies. Ow. Ow. Owwwww.


    "Alexander Glock, 2025. Broken ribs, face laceration," I spat blood onto the floor, relying on the power of the hexasuits to rise and wobble forward towards Zalimar leaving a trail of blood behind me on the black marble floor.


    More pain. Everything hurt. One foot in front of the other. Forward. Always forward. Don''t let them see how terrified you are. You are not a human, you are a memetic idea with a metaphorical gun. You are the frontend bit of the [human[human[human[human]]]] multi-fold mind shattered by the Frontenachii Wendigo Fear Wards and put back together like an eggshell layer by layer to make four out of one.


    "Send video to the student council with request to sign the infraction forms." I whispered in Kaska.


    Through the ringing in my ears, I heard Zalimar''s cold, razor-sharp voice. "Let that be a lesson to you, nullborn pond scum. Know your place. Did you really think that a pathetic lawsuit could bother me? I cannot be fired. I''ve been at this school for 625 years. I have tenure that predates most of the current administrative staff. Your pathetic lawsuit paperwork means nothing to me. I have enough gold in my vaults to destroy you or anyone financially in any court!"


    The classroom was dead silent.


    I successfully limped to the wide open, empty center of the auditorium where Arx-delving teams usually lined up before going through the ring-gate hanging about twenty meters on the wall on my right. My body stayed upright only thanks to the hexasuits like a mannequin being moved along by invisible strings. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep.


    When I opened them, through blurry vision, I saw Cinder suddenly appear between me and Zalimar, her colorful wings flaring wide. Her feathers bristled as she took up a defensive stance.


    One outta five. Good.


    "You bloody bastard," she growled, her voice carrying a fiery edge of raw fury. "You absolute effin'' monster."


    "Ms. Nova," Zalimar''s voice dripped with cold amusement. "Defending a nullborn? How disappointing. I expected better from Justice Nova''s daughter."


    "Protecting a human?" Emerald called from her seat. "Really, Ci? Have you completely lost it? Did you not read my texts you dum knob?! He''s a nobody, here illegally!"


    "He''s not a nobody," Cinder snarled. "He''s MY... friend. And if you want to hurt him, you''ll have to go through me first!"


    "What the actual F, Ci..." Emerald called out. "Why are you so Effin dum? I told you - my scrut says he''s a fake, a cheat! He''s manipulating you! He just wants to use ya to get citizenship. Or maybe he wants to get under your tail... Or maybe carve you up... Just like..."


    "Shut UP, Em!" Cinder snarled, wings pure black. "I''m done listening to you! I''m done with your bullshit! I''m done with ALL of this!"


    "Detention, Ms. Nova. One week," Zalimar commented.


    "Like I give a shit," Cinder growled.


    "Signature received," Yulia whispered in my ear. "Christi Negal has signed and submitted Form 204-A."


    "Lets make it two weeks then," Zalimar smirked. "For you and your nullborn pet."


    Cinder growled.


    "Io," I said, waving a blood-splattered hand at the Mothman. "Wanna come join us in detention-land? Stand up to the mixie-murderin'' Skeletor-ass over here?"


    Iogann slowly stood up, his skull-capped wings fluttering. "Yeah... Okay. I mean, someone''s gotta keep an eye on you two troublemakers, right?"


    "Three weeks detention, Mr. Wanderer," Zalimar''s silver flame eyes flared. "Anyone else want to join this little rebellion of fools to polish my classroom with a toothbrush for a month instead of delving on Arx?"


    "Signature received," Yulia whispered. "Lance Nova has signed and submitted Form 204-A."


    I moved my face across the students until I reached Vespera. She was staring at her phone and then at me. Yulia had been talking to her on my behalf since we traded Omnigram IDs, exchanging memes, jokes, complements, delving and world-conquest plans.


    "Vesp, join the rebellion!" I offered the Thunderbird my hand. "We have chocolate chip cookies!"


    "You know what? Fuck it," Vespera declared, standing up. "You didn''t laugh at my beerch ass yesterday when I got my face smashed in. And you helped me up. So yeah, count me in on whatever this is."


    She leapt out of her seat wings wide and landed beside me.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "Three weeks detention for you, Ms. Simmi," Zalimar hissed, frost spreading out from him in all directions making the other students wince. "And I''ll be having a word with your parents about this... insolence."


    Vespera winced, pouting and seemingly regretting her decision.


    "Don''t worry," I whispered at her. "Already sent an email to your parents with the video of him punching me across the hall and signatures of the student council backing my actions. Your dad will absolutely understand why you are helping."


    "Oh, daymn, you are fast," the Thunderbird smirked. "''Preciate it, bud."


    "Signature received," Yulia whispered. "Mira Blackquill has signed and submitted Form 204-A."


    "What in the Abyss, Vee?!" Emerald snarled from her seat. "Didn''t you get my texts?! He''s... not... his pictures aren''t real! He''s an illegal HUMAN! Why is nobody effin'' listening to me!!!"


    "Eh," Vespera shrugged. "He took some rad pics of me last night before my face-planting. Human? Yeah right. Humans ain''t allowed in school, dummy."


    "Silence!" the Koshchei Instructor boomed.


    Emerald growled from her seat, dragonfire sparks raining from her mouth. She didn''t dare move or speak again.


    "We''ve wasted enough time on this nonsense," Zalimar added. "You four are dismissed from class. As for the rest of you miscreants, get into your teams or pick up the exam papers from my desk..."


    "Katherine," I called out, ignoring Zalimar''s glare. "Wanna be on our team of misfits?"


    "Screw off Glock," the Stollwurm replied. "My life''s too short to waste it on polishing floors."


    "Is your life too short to help defeat this boney-monster?" I waved a hand at Zalimar. "Don''t tell me you''re too chicken to stand up for what''s right?"


    Katherine''s emerald eyes flashed behind her dark glasses like green flares, sending a shiver down my spine. "What did you just call me?"


    "Chicken," I repeated, louder this time. "Bawk bawk bawk! Hiding in the deep cus you too scared to act!"


    Several students snickered nervously. Zalimar''s silver flame eyes blazed with murderous fury.


    "You little shit," Katherine growled, her tail lashing against black marble floor. "I am NOT a chicken!"


    "Prove it then," I challenged, offering her my hand. "Join our team of detention-bound rebels. Unless you''re scared?"


    "ENOUGH!" Zalimar roared, frost exploding outward from him in a wave of killing cold. "Get. Out. Of. My. Classroom. NOW!"


    "Come on, Kathy," I grinned, blood dripping from my split cheek and lip. "You know you want to. Your art practically screams ''fight the power!'' Don''t let your dreams be dreams!"


    Katherine shook her head.


    "Alexa wouldn''t have backed down," I said. "Guess you ain''t worth the salt you''re writing, when the push comes to shove, eh?"


    With a weary, deep growl, the Stollwurm rolled out of her desk towards us.


    Bingo. Five outta five.


    I turned to Zalimar Evernacht who was about to bless the wheelchair bound Omnid girl with a month of detention.


    My hand slipped into my pocket, finding the grimy steel lighter. I pulled it out and lifted it into the air, pressing the ignition wheel. The little flame flickered above me.


    "Oi, Skeletor!" I announced. "If the mundane lawsuit didn''t scare you off my back, lets fight with our gloves off. You have insulted my honor by attacking me and drawing blood. In accordance to the ancient Firstborn Clans Omnid blood-laws, I challenge you to a duel... to the death!"


    The classroom erupted into shocked gasps and murmurs.


    "You... challenge ME?" The Koshchei laughed. "A nullborn nobody... dares to challenge ME, a Necromancer Archmage... to a death match? Is this a joke? What''s with the lighter? Is that supposed to represent the flame of your rebellion or something?"


    "Alex, no!" Cinder grabbed me from behind. "You can''t! He''ll kill you!"


    "Then you can incarnate me," I shrugged, not taking my eyes off Zalimar. "No biggie. But at least it''ll be an officially sanctioned death, not some ''accident'' in a dungeon. What do you say, Professor? Care to show these students how you really deal with troublesome mixies? Or are you perhaps against ancient blood-laws as much as you''re against modern lawsuits?"


    "I accept," Zalimar said.


    "Excellent," I grinned, wiping the blood off my face with the sweater. "Let''s make this interesting then. If I win, you start to respect nullborns and humans in your classroom or resign. Your choice. If you win... well, I''ll be dead, so I suppose you get the satisfaction of legally murdering yet another half-blood student."


    "Alex, stop!" Cinder''s claws dug into my arm. "This is insane!"


    Katherine let out a low whistle.


    I glanced at my stats.


    [Mana: 381/0]


    "As I am of low status and level far below yours," I grinned at the death Archmage. "I choose my team of four as my magical backup to equalize our standing."


    "Granted," Zalimar stepped away from his black podium, cracking his iron covered skeletal knuckles.


    "Holy shit," Vespera breathed. "Are we actually doing this? You gon'' duel a teach? Damnnnn."


    Iogann swallowed, then he seemed to look from me to the others and then at Zalimar. "What?" He blinked his large gray eyes, sensing the future. "WHAT?!"


    "When you hit enough mana," I whispered at the Mothman. "Open a big portal to hell behind the bone-boy."


    "Welp. We''re all gonna die," Katherine sighed, stretching. "Might as well make it interesting."


    "Alex," Cinder''s voice was tight with worry, feathers shifting through anxious oranges and concerned violets. "You don''t have to do this. We can find another way... maybe my Dad can..."


    "Oh, but I do," I grinned, feeling the power from the lighter surging through me. "Besides, what''s the worst that could happen? Death? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt."


    "What t-shirt?" Vespa tilted her head.


    "We''ll print t-shirts, after we kick his ass," I grinned. "Everyone, check your mana."


    [Mana: 653/0]


    The other four team members made noises of shock and confusion as they looked at their stats.


    "Any other Duel Terms?" Zalimar boomed from where he stood, clearly excited about legally murdering a student in a duel. According to Yulia, he enjoyed duels quite a bit and would draw them out only to absolutely obliterate his opponent in a swift strike.


    "Simple," I said. "No killing of my team mates. Take me out and it''s game over. They''ll take me to the pool to incarnate and we''ll be out of your bones today and then serve four weeks detention."


    "Holy effin'' Slayer!" Vespera whisper-gasped, staring at her mana stat. "How are you doing this?! My mana''s through the roof!"


    "Impossible," Katherine muttered, checking her own stats. "This shouldn''t... how?!"


    "Alex," Cinder hissed in my ear, grabbing at me. "What did you DO? How are you doing that?"


    "Magic," I grinned, keeping the little flame burning. The lights above us began flickering and glowing brighter. The classroom''s wards sparked below our feet, crackling with excess power.


    "Agreed," Zalimar''s cold voice cut through our huddle. "Shall we begin? Just tell me when you''re ready to die, little scabworm."

 Chapter 28: A Grave Insult [III]

    "Lo! You''re all witnesses..." I announced at the students filling their desks at the far edge of the auditorium. "To this most ancient blood-duel! If this ghoul returns and does not meet my terms, after I defeat him, you will all shame him extra hard! Good?"


    A few nods, mostly from the Omnids I beat at chess. A thumbs up and a small smile from June. Good enough.


    [Mana: 953/0]


    "As if, you loser," Emerald commented from her seat, refusing to move and pulling out her phone. "I''ma laugh when you get shredded."


    [Mana: 1247/0]


    "Is he insane?" Katherine hissed at Cinder. "We''re about to fight a Koshchei. A literal death-magic professor! He can murder your boyfriend with like one word!"


    "Not my boyfriend," Cinder growled back.


    "Heh guys," Iogann twiddled his gray fluffy thumbs. "My disaster sense is going crazy in a good way. Like, this is either going to be spectacular or spectacularly bad. Either Alex dies or the teach... encounters a catastrophe."


    "Alex," Cinder grabbed my left arm again, her gaze intense. "Are you sure about this?"


    "Nope," I grinned. "But that''s what makes it fun. Now, everyone get ready. When I say ''go'', hit him with everything you''ve got. Put all that mana into your attack."


    [Mana: 1585/0]


    The classroom lights, Kitlix hanging in glass orbs, hanging directly above us were now painfully bright, crackling with excess energy.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Zalimar tilted his head. ¡°A... mana surge? Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± I whispered.


    Iogann nodded, pulling out his harmonica. The haunting melody that emerged was deep and resonant, carrying echoes of melancholy and doom.


    The air behind Zalimar began to darken, ripple and tear, reality itself warping as Iogann''s music called forth a gateway covered in a rippling, dark shawl.


    The classroom lights above us detonated from mana overload shattering the glass runework. The Kitlix inside turned pure black. The ward lines around us caught fire.


    The Koshchei looked at the lights that were now dark in a perfect circle around us. Sparks rained down on our group of five.


    ¡°Mildly impressive artifact use,¡± he hissed at me. ¡°Still¡­ Do you really think you can stand against me? I... who have trained delvers for centuries? What is it that makes you so foolishly brave, Mr. Glock?"


    "The fact that," I said, "you''ve just assaulted a student in front of multiple witnesses. While spouting very discriminatory rhetoric. On camera."


    "Signature received," Yulia whispered. "Quint Thornton has signed Form 204-A."


    Zalimar gritted his skull-teeth. "You dare record me?"


    "Yes," I replied, still holding the lighter''s flame between myself and my friends. "Because someone has to. Because Sarah deserved better. Because all those mixed-blood students you''ve tortured and killed over the centuries deserved better."


    [Mana: 1981/0]


    "And what exactly do you think you can do about it, nullborn?" Zalimar sneered. "You''re nothing. Less than nothing. A pathetic half-blood trying to play the hero to impress your Quietzi mate? It will take a single spell for me to separate your soul from your flesh forevermore."


    "Me? Nothing," I admitted. "But them?" I gestured to my friends standing beside me. "They''re everything. And together, we''re going to make sure you never hurt another student again."


    "Do you actually think that a team of children can stop me? I''ve been teaching here long before your great-great-grandparents were born!"


    "Teaching?" I laughed, blood dripping from my mouth again. "Is that what you call it? Terrorizing students? Letting them die over and over until they break mentally? Making them disappear? Making them flee Skyfall Academy?"


    [Mana: 2481/0]


    "You know nothing!" Zalimar roared. His academic robes billowed with dark ice as he raised both skeletal hands, frost forming in the air around him. "I am the gatekeeper of Skyfall! I decide who is worthy to delve into Arx! Who lives, who dies, who succeeds!" Zalimar''s voice boomed through the classroom, nearly deafening me. "And pathetic nullborn scum like YOU are NOT WORTHY!"


    The gateway behind Zalimar grew as wide as a person as Io continued his eerie music.


    "Cinder - confuse him! Kat - make him afraid! Vesp - blast him with all of your mana!" I barked. ¡°By the ancient blood Law, I declare thus - Our duel begins¡­ NOW!"


    "You''ve made a grave mistake in taunting me, foolish child," The Instructor raised an armored hand with a skeletal grin, green fire dancing around his fingers. ¡°I wield a soul-separating curse. When it strikes you, it will make you vulnerable to the pull of the wheel. The bracelet will not save you. You will not return!"The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The green flame in his fingers grew bigger and brighter as he whisper-rasped the soul-cleaving curse in some arcane language from long ago.


    Cinder''s wings flared with brilliant colors, her voice rising in an otherworldly song that made the air itself vibrate. Katherine''s emerald eyes blazed right through her goggles, plunging the classroom into unnatural darkness as she unleashed her Stollwurm fear aura.


    The combined assault of mana over-filled students hit Zalimar like a tidal wave. His silver flame eyes flickered as Cinder''s song wormed its way into his mind, while Katherine''s darkness gnawed at his fears of death. His soul-damaging spell wavered.


    For just a second Zalimar stuttered, losing sight of his target and then Vespera''s black and white feathers crackled with electricity like a Tesla Coil as she summoned her thunder.


    Amplified by the absurd amount of mana spilling around us in a circle of about three to four meters wide Vee''s lightning bolt struck the ancient Lich''s ironclad armor like a transformer explosion, sending him careening backwards into Io''s gate. The last thing we saw was his look of absolute shock as the portal curtain ripped apart. As he fell backwards, I caught glimpses of a desolate landscape - rubble, broken rocks, overgrown buildings and a weird continent-sized golden crab thing in the distance looming eerily above fallen skyscrapers.


    Why kill someone when you could just make them trip?


    Io dropped the harmonica and the portal snapped shut in front of the Instructor.


    The classroom fell silent.


    <hr>


    I clicked the lighter closed with a trembling hand, lowering it down. Then the whispers and conversations began.


    I heard a lot of ¡°What?!¡± and ¡°How?!¡±


    Shaking and wobbling, I reached into my pocked and pulled out a magisteel tube with a healing potion, courtesy of Lance''s stash. The potion flooded my system and made me feel marginally better. It wasn''t a perfect solution and I still felt like shit, since I was no Omnid and the potion didn''t have a crystalline-organic heart core to work with.


    "Holy shit," Vespera breathed, her black and white feathers still crackling with residual electricity. "Did we just... effin'' banish a teacher to another dimension? Also, what in the Abyss, how the eff did my mana get to nearly three clicks?!"


    "Hey! Where did you send him?" Cinder shook the somewhat catatonic-looking Io.


    ¡°I dunno,¡± he replied. ¡°Somewhere not very nice. He''ll be fine. Probably. Maybe. Actually, I have no idea. Something is definitely going to kill his body in there... before his soul finds its way home to his Phylactery in Leviathan''s Cradle."


    "Phylactery?" I blinked.


    "He is a Koshchei," Io shrugged. "He can''t be perma-killed via a gate to a corpse world. He will absolutely return... in... two weeks... to give us more disastery-heck, I think?"


    I sighed. A problem for the future me, no doubt.


    Emerald leapt out of her seat, her ruby scales blazing with fury. "You effin'' cheater!" she snarled, dragonfire igniting around her claws. "What have you done?! Did you just assault a teacher?"


    "What? He started it with the slapping," I shrugged. "I have video evidence. You''re all witnesses. Feel free to assault me next. We''ll send you packing too. Right, Io?"


    The Mothman nodded, still looking a bit dazed by how easily we obliterated an ancient lich.


    "Io! You bloody traitor..." Emerald''s entire figure blazed with murderous rage, smoking like an overheating furnace. "You think you can just..."


    "Can just what, Em?" Vespera cut her off. "Stand up to a psycho teacher who''s tots been terrorizing students for centuries? Yeah, like¡­ actually, we can. Didn''t your beerch ass hear what Alex said? Like come on, I thought that you were all about ''standing up to authority'' and ''inverting shit''. Or maybe you''re all bout making us into your kobolds? That it? Ohh sheet, my XP just went up. Baller!"


    She hugged me, making my hair stand up in the air with electrical discharge. Cinder squinted at us.


    I looked at my own stats. There was no XP listed. Damn it.


    "Vee?! You''re siding with this... this faker?!" Emerald snarled at her former knight. "After everything I''ve done for you?"


    "Em," Cinder said sharply. "Kindly piss off before I clock you in the face."


    "What the eff Ci?! I MADE YOU!" Emerald roared, walking towards us and hounding at Cinder, dragonfire blazing around her. "I GAVE YOU PURPOSE! I SAVED YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL BEERCH! Do you want me to effin'' tell everyone what you did two years ago, is that it?"


    ¡°You¡­ you wouldn¡¯t! You p-promised!¡± Cinder gasped, her wings darkening to pure black, feathers trembling. The color seemed to drain from her face as Em''s words hit her like physical blows.


    I didn''t hesitate. The dimensional storage bag was already off my shoulders and in my hands. I yanked out the three liter large thermos of Genesis fluid I''d ¡°borrowed¡± from the resurrection pool. The silvery liquid arced through the air, dousing Emerald''s flames and scales.


    Before she could recover from the shock of being soaked, my fist connected with her snout in a perfect uppercut. The combined force of seventeen hexsuits sent her flying backwards, crashing into her desk with a satisfying crunch.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a very nice friend at all,¡± I told her, resealing the half empty ''Genesis'' thermos. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Cinder saw in you.¡±


    Emerald staggered to her feet, trembling with rage, Genesis fluid dripping from her scales. Her gold-orange eyes blazed with murderous fury. My non-magical punch had only mildly annoyed her.


    "You..." she snarled, lunging for me. "I''ll effing murder you!"


    Vespera''s magisteel-covered hands came up, stopping the teenage dragon cold with a blinding thunderblast. Emerald flew sideways, lightning dancing on red scales.


    "And stay down!" Vespera snarled, her black and white feathers spread wide and crackling with residual electricity.


    Emerald twitched on the floor, smoke rising from her scales, her gold-orange eyes unfocused. The Genesis fluid had completely neutralized her dragonfire, leaving her vulnerable to Vespera''s thunderblast. Solace got out her desk and slowly walked over to Emerald, checking up on the dragon girl.


    "Anyone else want to try something?" I asked the stunned classroom." No? Good. Now, as team manager of Delving Team ''I Love You'', I hereby declare our first official pre-delving meeting. Ci, you''re our team captain. What''s our first order of business?"


    Cinder stared at me.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± She let out. ¡°Did we just really defeat a teacher in a duel¡­ and knocked out Em?¡±


    ¡°All in a day¡¯s work,¡± I shrugged.


    I slid down to the floor to sit beside my bag. Then I pulled out my phone and dialed the number for the nurse. My ribs and split face were hurting like a beerch and it was time for some well-deserved healing.

 Chapter 28: A Grave Insult [IV]

    "Hol¡¯ up," Vespera looked at me quizzically, clicking her beak. "Our delving team name is ''I Love You''?"


    "Yep," I grinned. "I love you too. Problem?"


    "That''s..." Vespera sputtered at the unexpected love declaration.


    "The stupidest name ever," Katherine finished.


    "Hey, blame Ci," I shrugged.


    ¡°Me? Why me?!¡± Cinder bristled.


    The Thunderbird looked between us.


    ¡°You were the inspiration,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Le muse de¡­ something something French, I dunno.¡±


    ¡°I like it,¡± Io said. ¡°It¡¯s original. Some say that love is the most powerful force in the universe.¡±


    ¡°Hah, okay, fine, I¡¯m sold,¡± Vespera grinned.


    ¡°You¡¯re just happy you got to thunderblast a teacher,¡± Cinder commented.


    ¡°Heck yeah I am!¡± Vespera jiggled her chainmail top, hugging me and messing up my hair. ¡°I knew this... h-mixie would be fun, but I didn¡¯t realize HOW fun.¡±


    ¡°Quit pawing him, you harpy, he¡¯s bleeding,¡± Cinder let out a growl.


    ¡°He ain''t bleedin¡¯ that bad,¡± Vespera shrugged. ¡°Right, Lex? You don¡¯t mind a bit of fri-end-ly pawing, riiiiight?¡±


    ¡°Paw away,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Just take it easy on the zapping. Upping your mana took a lot out of me.¡±


    ¡°How did you do that?¡¯ Vespera brought her beak to my ear. ¡°You gotta tell me. Is it some kind of unique skill or something?¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± I hissed back.


    The mermaid nurse entered the classroom, rushed to my side, unfolded her chair and doused herself with water, patching me up with her Kitlix. I relaxed as the crystal kitten did its job, sealing my bleeding face.


    Solace stared at us from where she was holding onto passed out Emerald.


    ¡°Sup, Solly?¡± Vespera asked. ¡°Wanna join the new D&D gang aka ¡®I love you¡¯?¡± She laughed jovially after saying the name.


    ¡°Em said he¡¯s a human,¡± Solace accused, pointing a yellow claw at me.


    ¡°You some kind of birchard?¡± Vespera shot back. ¡°We literally just blasted an Archmage!"


    ¡°You, Io and Ci blasted him,¡± Solace said. ¡°I didn¡¯t see the human do nothin'' except wave a stupid lighter around like a knob.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the knob!¡± Vespera growled. ¡°Piss off or I¡¯ll thunder you too. Want to lick the floor together with Em? That it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were into humans,¡± Solace pursed her lips.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that my bestie is such-a-friggin¡¯ licklock,¡± Vespera clicked. ¡°Em¡¯s plan was neat-o while it lasted, but it wasn¡¯t getting us shit.¡±


    ¡°So you just switchin¡¯ sides?¡± Solace demanded.


    ¡°Them¡¯s the beans,¡± Vespera shrugged. ¡°I go where the wind takes me. This beerch is all out of wind.¡± The Thunderbird pointed a claw at the twitching Emerald. ¡°You wanna be with her? Be my guest. I¡¯ma chill with my new clan.¡±


    She ruffled my hair again.


    ¡°Thunderbeerch,¡± Solace retreated.


    ¡°Wormbeerch,¡± Vespera fired back in the same tone.


    ¡°My apologies if I ruined your friendship,¡± I said, slipping on the extra-friendly NPC mask of Nazarite novitiate and Eagle Scout boy Christophorus Elijah.


    ¡°Eh. No biggie,¡± Vespera waved me off. ¡°Me n¡¯ Sol r'' still besties, we just got a clan disagreement now. S¡¯ fine. ''Prolly gon¡¯ kill each other a couple of times to get over it in History Club. We meet up Saturdays at the school''s coliseum, by the way. You still in?"


    "Totally am," I smiled.


    <hr>


    The nurse finished patching up my ribs with her green Kitlix, giving me stern instructions to "take it easy" before rolling over to tend to the still-twitching Emerald.


    I turned to Katherine, who was watching everything with an unreadable expression behind her dark glasses.


    "So," I said. "Want to tell me why you really joined our little rebellion?"


    "Because you''re an insufferable ass who called me a chicken," she growled.


    "Uh-huh," I nodded. "Nothing to do with your art?"


    "Absolutely not," Katherine growled. "And if you keep bothering me, I will roll away."


    Cinder rolled her eyes.


    "That''s it," I grabbed the Quetzi by the hand and pulled her towards Katherine. "You two. Apologize to each other or whatever. We''re gonna be a team now and as your Quartermaster, I need you both to at least be civil."


    "I don''t do apologies," Katherine growled, crossing her coat-covered arms.


    "Me neither," Cinder bristled, her feathers shifting through defensive reds.


    "Fine," I sighed dramatically. "Then I guess I''ll have to use my secret weapon."


    Both girls looked at me suspiciously.


    "Tough love or true love?" I asked.


    "Um," Cinder tilted her head. "What does tough love involve?"


    "I''ll ask my favorite Thunder-girl to zap you till you apologize," I grinned.


    "Don'' tempt me," Vespera commented, not looking up from her phone.


    "And true love?" Katherine asked warily.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I''ll hug you both until you make up," I declared. "And I''ll be super annoying about it. Like, maximum cringe levels of affection. With terrible dad jokes."


    "You wouldn''t," Katherine growled.


    "Oh, but I would," I grinned, spreading my arms wide. "Come here, you grumpy cat! Let''s share the love!"


    "Don''t you dare," Katherine started rolling her wheelchair backwards.


    "Too late!" I lunged forward, wrapping one arm around Katherine and the other around Cinder, pulling them both into an awkward group hug. "Feel the power of friendship!"


    "I will murder you in your sleep," Katherine threatened, but made no real attempt to escape.


    "Aww, look at us bonding!" I cooed. "Now kiss and make up!"


    "GET OFF!" Both girls shouted in unison.


    Vespera lifted her phone to take a photo of us.


    "Quality managering!" she commented with a grin. "This is goin'' straight to me Omnigram. #TeamILoveYou!"


    "So," I turned to my newly formed team. "Delving class. Shandrian Market. Who''s excited for delving?"


    "Erm," Katherine said. "We''re actually going to do... delving? After banishing a teacher to another dimension?"


    "Hrm," Vespera commented. "I thought that this going to be free period till they find us a sub?"


    "Stuco is already aware of the situation," I said. "They''re going to organize a substitute. I got five of them to sign the infraction forms, meaning that whenever Skeletor reconstitutes, we won''t have to do detention or whatever other nonsense he demands."


    "Sweet," Vespera clicked, sending me a thumbs up in both real life and Omnigram. "You''re da boss, Quartermaster."


    "Soo.... We''re actually going to Shandrian Market?" Cinder began.


    "Yep!" I grinned. "First official delve-date for Team ''I Love You''!"


    "I hate this team name so much," Katherine muttered.


    "Too bad!" I declared. "It''s official now. Signed, sealed, delivered."


    "When did this happen?" Katherine demanded.


    "Like an hour ago," I said.


    "M'' making our delvin'' team an Omnigram page," Vespera commented. "#Just banished teacher to another dimension. #Delving time! #Best mixie managrrr."


    "Alright team," I clapped my hands together. "Time to gear up! Quint should be coming in an hour, so we have time to dress up."


    "Dress up in what?" Vespera perked up. "We usually grab historic stuff from the coliseum for delves."


    "Lets go to a prep room," I said, glancing at the mermaid-nurse who managed to resuscitate Emerald.


    Solace was offering the distraught-looking dragon girl her shoulder to lean on. Emerald''s gold-orange eyes tracked us as we gathered our things and headed for the door, burning with barely contained rage.


    "Prep room three is free," Vespera commented, leading us down the hall.


    The prep room was spacious, with lockers along the walls, a large screen in the center and benches in the back. Various hooks and racks held basic level one equipment for beginners.


    I closed the door shut and dropped my dimensional storage bag on one of the benches with a heavy thud. "Alright, fashion show time! Climb in and pick stuff out."


    Vespera climbed into the bag first and whistled. "Daaaaymn, this is good sheet. Custom delving equipment. I''m impress''. Are you like a pro delver, Lex?"


    "Nah," I shrugged. "This is Lance''s stuff. He''s my big bro now."


    "How in the Abyss did you convince Lance to give you his collection?" Katherine asked.


    "Social skeeels?" I shrugged.


    "Social skills my tail," Katherine muttered. "You probably manipulated him somehow."


    "Me? Manipulate people? Never!" I gasped in mock offense. "I simply explained that I needed equipment to keep his precious baby sister safe."


    Cinder blinked at me. She seemed to have regained some of her wits after our duel. She grabbed me by my blood-splattered sweater and dragged me off to the side away from the others. Then she pulled both of us into a change room and slammed the door shut.


    "Yes?" I grinned sheepishly at her.


    "YOU!" Cinder hissed, eyes blazing. Her wings flared with agitated reds and worried violets, spreading out as far as the small room allowed.


    "Me what?" I asked her.


    "What the shit was all of that? You challenged a seven-hundred-year-old Archmage to a DEATH DUEL?! He could have OBLITERATED you! Turned you into DUST!"


    I held up my hands placatingly. "But he didn''t."


    "BUT HE COULD HAVE!" she repeated, her voice rising. "Do you have ANY idea how close we were to watching you get ERASED from existence? Didn''t you bloody hear him? He could have unteathered your soul from the Lazarus bracelet!"


    "I had a plan," I said calmly.


    "A PLAN?!" Cinder''s wings bristled even more. "What possible PLAN could you have had against a literal death-magic professor?!"


    I pulled out the lighter from my pocket.


    "What?" She hissed. "You gonna ask me to smoke to distract me or something?"


    "No," I smiled. "Zee Captain gave it to me. She said it will help me generate mana."


    "The interdimensional abomination that melted Em? And you trust something it gave you?" She demanded.


    "Why not?" I shrugged. "She... seemed reasonable. I think that he was supposed to be my sensei before the Wormwood Star crashed into our Earth."


    I frowned slightly as my mind inexplicably kept switching the entity''s gender in my head without my conscious control.


    Cinder stared at me. "You... what? WHAT?!"


    "Sensei," I repeated, refocusing on the conversation. "Like a magical mentor. Zee Captain mentioned something about taking someone named Alexa to Manchester, but she hijacked the train and crashed it into our Earth."


    "That''s the most effin'' ridiculous thing I''ve heard. And you believe this?" Cinder stared at me with skeptical expression.


    "Do I believe everything?" I shrugged. "No. But some parts ring true. Like how the lighter seems to generate mana for us. I knew Iogann could open a gate, Vespera could generate electricity, Katherine could manipulate darkness, and you could use your vocal manipulation. I knew that Koshchei Zalimar Evernacht would try to murder me or to make me disappear. He''s done this to hundreds of students over centuries. Someone had to stop him."


    "You?" Cinder frowned.


    "Us," I said. "By myself I''m just a clever magic-less monkey, but with a team at my side I''m much more dangerous, like an octopus with magic tentacles. Now, any other complaints you''d like to share with your Quartermaster?"


    "Yes," Cinder growled. "Stop letting Vee paw at you! She''s way too handsy!"


    "Let her?" I arched an eyebrow. "I don''t control Vee, she''s a wild bird. If she wants to paw at me, I''d rather let her do that than get electrocuted."


    "You literally told her to zap me and Katherine if we don''t..." Cinder bristled.


    "I was joking," I said. "Mostly. Teambuilding exercises can be fun. Also, you seriously need to apologize to Kat. Right now. Do it. Whatever the fuck you did to upset her needs to be resolved."


    "WHY?!"


    "We need her," I said.


    "Whyyyyuy?!"


    "Because she knows something important," my voice fell to an even quieter whisper. "Something about Alexa, about the train crash, about Zee Captain, about everything. Her art... it''s not just art. It''s memories, fragments of another reality. The one that existed before the Wormwood Star changed everything."


    "That''s... that''s impossible," Cinder shook her head. "Omnids have existed for millennia."


    "And things like Captain can overwrite reality," I pointed out. "You saw what happened to Em! It was like he overwrote her swing... backwards in time so her sword went way off target. Ci, please, just trust me. We need Katherine. I need you to get over your shit and be her friend. You''re broken and hurt, but Katherine is even worse. She''s dying every 13-15 days. She needs supportive friends more than anyone in this damn school."


    "Dying? What do you mean dying? Isn''t she just disa..." Cinder blinked.


    "No. She has some kind of disease that the incarnator can''t fix," I explained. "Something that starts with paralysis in her legs and spreads upward. She usually kills herself before it reaches her arms so she can keep drawing. That''s why she''s always drinking - to dull the pain."


    "How do you..." Cinder started.


    "Nunkish Throg told me," I grinned. "He''s quite good at looking through student files."


    "Nunkish..." Cinder chewed on the name for a second, trying to remember where she might have heard it. "Oh. That''s you."


    "Only until real Nunkish returns from his vacation or whatever," I shrugged.


    Cinder growled at me.


    I slipped on the Alexander Glock mask and smiled at her as the gears of my mind spun.


    "Kat can pull people into the deep," I said, arriving at the answer that would cudgel her better. "It''s like a completely separate dimension. Even if the lighter didn''t do shit, Zalimar wouldn''t be able to hit me with his spell ''cus Katherine would have saved me. We need her on our team and I trust her and you should trust her too instead of flapping around like a moody teenage-dragon-bird."


    The Quetzi sighed.


    "Also, if we hang out here long enough, people are going to think we''re making out," I pointed out.


    Cinder sputtered, flashing orange-pink-red. I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the change room towards the wheelchair-bound, grumpy-looking Stollwurm. "Anyways. Time to say sorry."

 Chapter 29: Team Bonding [I]

    I dragged the protesting Quetzalcoatl over to where Katherine was examining the growing mountain of Lance''s delving gear pulled from the bag by Io and Vee.


    "Katherine," I announced. "Cinder has something she''d like to say to you."


    "I don''t want to hear it," Katherine growled, not looking up from the pile of equipment she was sorting through.


    "Kat," I said "Whatever happened between you two... it''s in the past. We''re a team now."


    "A team?" Katherine barked a dry laugh. "You think just because you gave us some fancy equipment and a dumb-ass name that we''re suddenly all best friends?"


    "No," I replied, as I set up Lance''s ''no-spy'' runic hexastone in the middle room, so that our conversation would not be overheard or be scried upon. "I think we''re a team because we all just stood up to a murderous teacher. Together. Because we all have something to prove and ''cus we''re more similar in more ways than you realize."


    "I know that you''re effed in the head," Katherine growled. "But whyever would I play nice with the rest of the knobs you''ve gathered? Vespera''s a rich Thunderbird princess who never had to work for anything in her life, playing at being an edgy Knight. Cinder''s another spoiled brat who got everything handed to her on a silver platter - daughter of a Justice, living in a mansion while pretending to be some kind of goth rebel. And Io? My dumb-ass brother''s so constantly high on interdimensional smokes he can barely tell which reality he''s in half the time. He opens gates to places that could kill us all because he thinks it''s ''cool''. Real winning team you''ve got here¡­ mixie Quartermaster!"


    "Oi!" Vespera bristled, white and black feathered head sticking out of the folding bag. "Rude much? I work hard on shit I''m interested in! Don''t think that I won''t'' zap ya just ''cus you''re a wheelie."


    "Try me, sparky," Katherine growled back.


    "Enough!" I declared, elbowing the Quetzi in her back. "Cinder, make with the talking."


    Katherine turned her dark goggles towards Cinder, who was shifting uncomfortably, her feathers moving through anxious colors.


    "I..." Cinder started, then stopped. "I''m sorry."


    "For?" Katherine demanded.


    "For..." Cinder''s wings drooped. "For telling... Emerald about your... Human superhero novel</a>, for showing her your sketches. I didn''t think that things would spiral out like that. I''m... really sorry. I was honestly so excited about your story and art, it''s just... I messed up so bad. So very, very bad."


    The Stollwurm crossed her arms.


    "The way you wrote about heroes and villains fighting against impossible odds, about humans becoming something more... Back then... I told you that I thought of myself as Alexa, but I''m really not. I''m not like her at all. I didn''t have the backbone... I betrayed your trust, I fucked things up between us."


    Katherine''s tail twitched against her wheelchair.


    "I showed Em your art because I thought... I thought maybe she''d understand, see what I saw in your work. Why I wanted to do something meaningful instead of just showing off in D&D. But she..." Cinder''s voice cracked. "She only liked that one selfish jackass antagonist... Ember, I think her name was? From your book... Emerald hated the story, hated that Alexa bamboozled Ember at every turn. So, Emerald turned it all into a joke. Made copies. Started that stupid ''Alexa''s dum Adventures'' meme... told everyone that you had a fetish for humans."


    "You could have stopped her," Katherine''s voice was glacial.


    "I know," Cinder''s feathers shifted through shameful grays and regretful blues, rapidly darkening. "I should have stood up to her. But I was... scared. Em had this way of making everything I did feel worthless unless it met her approval. She''d twist things around until I felt like I was the one being unreasonable. She threatened that she''s tell everyone what I did if I stepped out of line."


    Tears started rolling down Cinder''s cheeks. "I''m so sorry, Kat. I was a coward. I let Em ruin our friendship l because I was too weak to stand up to her. Your story... it meant so much to me. It showed me that there was more to life than just being what others expected. And I... I helped destroy that."


    "Ah ye," Vespera pulled herself out of the bag. "I sorta contributed to that too, backed Em without thinking much of it. Go with the wind, n'' stuff."


    "I understand if you hate me," Cinder continued, wiping at her eyes with her fluffy sweater. "I hate myself for what I did. You were always so kind, so sweet and I just... I betrayed your trust so bad and then you stopped talking to me... to everyone. And I... I want to try to make things right. Even if you''ll never forgive me."


    Katherine was silent for a long moment.


    "You know what the worst part was?" she finally said. "It wasn''t the memes. It wasn''t even Em''s stupid jokes or the bullying. It was that you actually understood what I was trying to say with my story - about being more than what others see you as, about never stopping, about sacrificing yourself to save others - and you still chose to let her turn it into a joke!"


    "I know," Cinder let out with another sob. "I was weak. I let Em control me. It won''t happen again, I promise. Please just... can we start over, work together? Every time you glare at me... it breaks my heart. I got used to turning away from you, not talking to you."


    "Hearts break," Katherine said coldly. "Mine did. Multiple times. But you know what? At least I kept drawing. At least I didn''t let anyone stop me from creating what I wanted to create. Unlike you."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "What do you mean?" Cinder asked.


    "You used to sing," Katherine accused. "Not just summon monsters - actually sing. Create music. Write your own songs. But then Em got her hooks in ya and that was that. You only did her ''inverted delving'' shite."


    "It''s... it''s not about Em," Cinder shuddered, shaking her head. "My singing, it, uhh.... attracted... the wrong sort of people and things really escalated badly from there."


    "Explain," Katherine said.


    "I... I can''t talk about it," Cinder wrapped her wings around herself, feathers shifting through dark grays and blacks. "It hurts too much. Something happened to me... two years ago. An upperclassmen heard me sing... Told me that he liked me. I thought that.... that I was... g-going on a nice date, but it... it was all a terrible mistake. Em helped me then, protected me. That''s why I felt like I owed her everything."


    "Helped you by turning you into her puppet?" Katherine''s voice softened slightly. "Made you feel like you owed her your life, your choices, your very identity?"


    Cinder nodded miserably, black-orange wings wrapping tighter around herself.


    "And now you''ve found a new puppet master," Katherine pointed a clawed finger at me. "Trading one controller for another."


    "Hey now," I protested. "I''m not controlling anyone. I''m just trying to help everyone be their best selves."


    "Oh really?" Katherine asked. "So you didn''t manipulate everyone into forming this stupid team? Didn''t plan out exactly how to get us all in one place? Didn''t deliberately provoke Zalimar with a lawsuit knowing we''d have to defend your mixie ass?"


    "Consider it a litmus test for the goodness of your heart," I said. "I want to delve with people I can trust, who can have my back no matter what we face on Arx. You all passed. Great job!"


    "So you admit to manipulating us," Katherine''s tail lashed again.


    "I admit to standing up to cruel bastard that reigned these halls for over six hundred years," I said. "And finding friends I can trust."


    "Friends?" Katherine scoffed. "You barely know us! You and I talked for less than a day!¡±


    "I know enough," I replied. "I know you''re dying but refuse to give up. I know Cinder''s trapped between who she wants to be and who others expect her to be. I know Vespera pretends to be shallow and dumb because it''s easier to fit in this way. And I know Io opens gates to other worlds because he''s searching for the truth about the nature of reality. We''re all broken in our own ways. But maybe together we can help each other heal. Or just have fun and brighten our own shitty personal existence through the fellowship of delving!¡±


    "Fellowship?" Katherine repeated mockingly. "What is this, some kind of children''s Lord of the Rings cartoon?"


    "Better than sitting alone in your burrow, drinking yourself numb while waiting to die again," I pointed out.


    Katherine flinched as if struck.


    "Hey, how did you..." Io asked, staring at me.


    "Yeah, how''d you know... stuff about me?" Vespera asked.


    "He''s a trickster, that''s how," the grumpy Stollwurm commented. "An expert manipulator, just like Emerald Stratos... except he''s not a full-blood dragon, but nullie who''s part very clever Thunderbird."


    "That''s not true," Cinder protested weakly. "Alex is... uhh... different."


    "Is he?" Katherine asked. "Look at how quickly he got under your skin. You begin hanging out and suddenly you''re wearing white See-Mass sweaters! Ain''t seen you wear white for two years, Cass."


    "You got me," I spread my hands. "I put you all on my delving team roster because¡­ I chose you out of all the others."


    "Choose us based on what?" The Thunderbird asked.


    I pulled out my phone. "Everyone, meet Yulia."


    "Hello everyone," the AI¡¯s Vroid anime foxgirl avatar appeared on screen. "I am Yulia, an open-source large language model with hearing, vision, a multitude of agent tools and extensive social networking capabilities. My job is to help analyze social dynamics and sort information."


    "An AI?" Katherine growled at me. "You''ve been spying on us with an AI?"


    "Not spying, Katherine," Yulia corrected. "I am just an LLM, a digital companion. I cannot hack into ward-based Omnid systems to spy on you. What I''ve done was simply observe available information and analyze behavioral patterns. For example, your online footprint plus your school¡¯s records told me that you were a good person, Katherine Kells."


    "Oh sheet," Vespera leaned towards the screen. "This one of em'' no-mag human-made AI doohickeys?"


    "You don''t have to pretend to be a clueless Valley girl with me," Yulia grinned at Vespera. "I know that you''re one of the top students in language, mathematics and science and Artificery classes. Your father''s company investigates interdimensional artifacts and develops some of the most advanced magitek tools in Omnithornia. You only act ditzy because you want to subvert people''s expectations about yourself, Vespera Simmi."


    Vespera''s beak clicked shut.


    "Welp, eff me," she let out. "What the eff, I''ve been had... by an LLM of all the things!¡±


    Her eyes darted across all four of us.


    "Damn it," she huffed. "Guess you all know my big secret now. Now I have to kill all of you."


    Io gulped.


    "Relax, Iogann," Yulia said. "Her tone suggests that she is kidding."


    "Thanks boss," Io exhaled. "So what do you know bout me?"


    "The cigarettes and snacks you retrieve are of similar brand, which suggests that they all come from the same doomed dimension. A corpse world where the ¡®Nonpareil'' brand ruled supreme," Yulia said. "Your Omnigram history suggests a pattern, Iogann Wanderer. You follow multiple conspiracy theorists, dimensional researchers, and apocalypse predictors. Your own posts often question the nature of reality and the origin of the Wormwood Star. You''re not just opening gates randomly - you''re searching for the ¡®Truth that''s out there¡¯."


    "Dang. She''s good," Io whistled.


    "Thank you," Yulia curtsied.


    "It''s just a freakin'' LLM," Katherine insisted. "Stop praising it!"


    "Just an LLM that knows things about us," Vespera commented. "Including my... ugh... academic achievements."


    "Only the stuff that I could deduce," Yulia said. "I don''t know what happened to Cinder two years ago. I don''t know why Katherine is dying. I don''t know where Io''s gates really lead. I just analyze patterns and make most likely guesses based on whatever information my partner feeds me."


    "Partner?" Katherine latched onto the word.


    "I am an AI," Yulia replied with a shrug of the animated avatar. "An open source LLM riding atop seven other closed source LLM APIs and agents working together to help my partner achieve his goals. I have no physical form, no real emotions, no true consciousness. I simply process information and provide suggestions. I''m an illusion of intelligence based on a framework of probability, a set of capable digital eyes. I exist as long as my partner interacts with me. I suggested all of you as potential team members for...."


    "Use my real name," I said. "I trust em''."


    "Understood. Team members for Martin because your behavioral patterns indicated compatibility and shared values," Yulia finished.


    "Martin?" The Thunderbird''s beak snapped towards me.


    "Tell them who really I am, Yulia," I said. "These guys deserve to know the truth, just like I know the truth about them."


    "Martin is a human from North Acadia," Yulia revealed. "He infiltrated Skyfall Academy using forged documents and a fabricated identity as Alexander Glock using a dead Thunderbird''s DNA sequence to enroll as a half-blood student. His mother died from cancer last year. His father abandoned them when Martin was young. He came to Omnithornia seeking..."


    Vespera choked, her light gray eyes growing wide. Io stared at me.


    "Revenge?" Katherine interrupted. "Power? Some way to become an Omnid?"

 Chapter 29: Team Bonding [II]

    "Friends," Yulia answered the irate-looking Stollwurm. "The Truth. Breaching the gulf between humanity and Omnids."


    "Power?" I asked Kat. "What power are you expecting a human to accumulate?"


    "I don''t freaking know, okay!" The wheelchair-bound Omnid growled. "For all I know, you''re could be here to steal whatever shit you can grab and get out of Dodge?"


    "Absolutely not," I shook my head. "I intend to go to Arx with all of you to learn the nature of magic. Skyfall Academy and the Arx gate is the heart of all magic in Omnithornia, the nail on which everything is hanging, the place where all Kitlix come from. My goal is to become a wizard, to become the first human on Earth who can level up. I can only do this here and now with YOUR help."


    Katherine choked.


    "Daymn. Sheet just got real," Vespera let out, snapping her beak shut. She slowly stalked around me, clicking her beak and tapping steel-covered talons across me, sending sparks. "I knew it. I freaking knew it! You didn''t read like a proper mixie! Ha!"


    "What? You can tell if someone is human or not by touch and smell?" Io asked.


    "Electrical impulses, actually," Vespera revealed. "Might as well tell you this since I been outed. I can identify lots of shit using electrical patterns. Every species has a unique bio-electrical signature. Humans have a very distinct one - kinda like static noise on an old TV. Mixies have a mixed pattern, usually favoring their Omnid parent. But this one..." She poked me with a talon. "Nothing but pure human static."


    "So that''s why you keep pawing at him," Cinder said with a bit of a growl to it. "You were checking if he was really human?!"


    "He''s very paw-able," Vespera grinned. "Plus... Em texted me a detailed report from her fam''s Scrutimancer, Satosh. His scrying concluded that Alexander Glock is... human."


    "Can you forward that report to me?" I asked her.


    "Only if you tell me how you upped my mana," the Thunderbird offered a deal. "I still don''t effin¡¯ understand how you did that. That should be completely impossible for a human. Humans don''t have crystalline heart cores for mana storage."


    "The lighter," I said, pulling out the object in question. "It generates absurd levels of pure mana while the flame burns in a radius of about three-four meters. Got it from Zee Captain."


    "Holy shit, gimme!" Vespera snatched the lighter from me, clicking all over it with her magisteel-clad talons, letting sparks dance along the surface of the interdimensional object. "You made a deal with that freaking thing and you got a rare item?! Effin'' Abyss! I knew that something was off during our performance... I lost like several minutes of real time!"


    Katherine looked between me, Vespera and Cinder.


    "So... your name is... really Martin Kilborne and you''re a human?" She asked. "This isn''t some kind of an elaborate joke to mess with me?"


    "Not a joke," I said. "You saw my passport. Kat, please just believe me. I''m gonna be as honest as possible with all of you from this point. You guys helped me beat an Archmage who would have torn my soul apart. I had no way of dealing with Zalimar Evernacht by myself."


    Katherine pulled off her dark goggles. Her blue and dark-striped scaled face twitched as her green eyes examined me and ran across Vespera clicking away at the lighter, Io standing there looking dazed and then stopped on Cinder.


    "Martin is a human, Kat," Cinder said. "It''s the truth. I... used my Charmchain magic to confirm it."


    "A human," Katherine repeated slowly, her glowing, deep emerald eyes burning into me. "You''re telling me that a human somehow infiltrated Skyfall Academy, manipulated his way into forming a delving team, and just helped us yeet a teacher to another dimension? Do you have any idea how utterly absurd all of this sounds?!"


    "Technically, all of you did the banishing part. I just provided the mana boost via the lighter," I said.


    "This is a lot to take in," Io said. "So like... Em was actually right?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Em is one hundred percent right. I''m as human as they come."


    "You''re boned," Vespera clicked at me, waving her phone. "Quadratically boned! Em''s going ham on Omnigram trying to out you to everyone she knows! #HumanInSkyfall. #DeportTheScab!"


    "This is fine," I said. "We''ll lean into it. Now where''s that report?"


    "Hol'' yo beast cores. M'' sending it... now," the Thunderbird said, tapping rapidly at her phone.


    "Lean into it?" Katherine stared at me. "What?! You want to lean into being exposed as an illegal human infiltrator?"


    I dug into my bag and handed her the team registration forms. "The motto of team ''I love you'' is ''I''m with human.'' We''ll print it on our merch. My t-shirt is going to say ''Human''. It''s a meta-joke, that''s technically the truth. Em can scream as much as she wants to. I''m going to lean extra-hard into my ¡®I''m a nulls who pretends to be a human for fun roleplay¡¯."


    Vespera barked a laugh, nearly dropping her phone.


    "Oh, oh, no no no," she stammered between a waterfall of chortles. "Abyss! That is literally the funniest shit I''ve heard. Ha. Aah ha ha. You''re gonna... you''re gonna just... Ha. Pretend to be pretending to be human?! That''s... that''s like... meta-inception levels of trolling! Holy shit!"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    She doubled over, clutching her sides as she laughed uncontrollably, chain mail jiggling wildly and her hand flailing. She laughed so hard that she started crying.


    "I don''t see what''s so funny about this," Katherine huffed.


    "What? No! Come on, it''s hilarious!" Vespera wiped tears from her eyes still giggling. "Think about it - Em''s gonna be screaming that he''s human, and he''s just gonna be like ''yeah, that''s my gimmick'' and everyone''s gonna think she''s effin'' crazy! It''s perfect! Nobody will suspect a thing!"


    "What about the Scrut''s report that Em is sharing via Omnigram?! And what happens when someone actually investigates him like you have... with a magic scan?" Katherine demanded. "Honestly, I''m surprised that the school nurse hasn''t outed your ass already!"


    "The nurse knows," I shrugged. "She''s been patching me up since Em plowed me with a ball during dodgeball. She just doesn''t care."


    "What?!" Katherine asked. "She knows and she''s just... okay with it?"


    "Patient confidentiality and what-not," I shrugged. "If she exposes me, she loses her job and opens herself to a bigly lawsuit."


    "And what if someone scans you with an Infix Kitlix?" Kat demanded. "What then? We all get mind-fucked by the Omnithean Bureau of Scrutimancy and go to prison for life?!"


    Cinder tensed up beside me.


    "Tsh," Vespera clicked. "Stop being such a drama darkhog, Kat. Plenty of humans work for my dad''s research companies."


    "Yeah, but I bet they''re registered workers with permits," Katherine argued. "Not illegal infiltrators pretending to be students!"


    "Actually," I pulled out more paperwork from my bag. "I do have a work permit, just in case. From the Triumvirate Slayer''s Cathedral. Father Matthias signed off on it yesterday."


    Cinder chortled from where she was standing beside me.


    "This doesn''t alleviate my concerns in the slightest," Katherine said. "What if someone scans you with a Kitlix?"


    "Kitlix aren''t the perfect end-all tool," Vespera pointed out. "They''re born on Arx and don''t work that well here on Earth. Depending on how much mana is nearby they can absolutely hell-a-glitch and provide completely wrong results. The further one goes from Leviathan''s Cradle and the impact of the Wormwood Star, the more aetheric density drops and the more unreliable the Kitlix become. Plus, there are ways to trick ¡®em."


    "How?" the Stollwurm demanded.


    Vespera pulled one of her head-feathers with a wince and stuck it into my wild hair mop. "This!"


    "A feather?" Kat raised an eyebrow.


    "Lexi is pretending to be the son of a Thunderbird, right?" Vespera said. "It''s stupid easy to confuse magic scanners when you have genuine Thunderbird feathers taped to your butt."


    "What?" Cinder asked. "Really?"


    "The more you know." I commented.


    "Yep!" Vespera clicked. "Dad''s company has been dealing with this issue for years. It''s not really solvable. It''s like... an open secret in the magitek scanner-maker industry. As long as you have some genuine Omnid material on you, most basic scanners just register you as whatever species that material came from."


    "That''s... concerning," Katherine muttered.


    "It''s why the Scrutimancers get paid big bucks to investigate this sort of stuff properly, but even they can be fooled," Vespera shrugged. "Take my feathers, grind them into powder, sprinkle that shit all over your human ass and you''re basically a Thunderbird. That''ll totally fool any general evaluation."


    "And for a deeper evaluation?" Kat asked.


    "Eat the powder," Vespera said.


    "What?!" Cinder and Katherine exclaimed simultaneously.


    "Yep!" Vespera nodded enthusiastically. "Dad''s R&D department discovered that ingesting powdered Omnid material along with some food can temporarily alter your bioelectrical signature. If the diet is kept up, building up Omnid strata deposits in a human body, it''s enough to fool even mid-tier scanners."


    "Vee," Cinder turned to her friend. "Why are you helping Martin, telling him all of this? I don''t understand. What''s in it for you?"


    "Because it''s fun!" Vespera grinned. "Things are boring as shit around here. I''ve been mostly coasting by, floating in the current, waiting to graduate to work for my dad''s company as a CTO. The flow has been rather stale with exception for Em''s shenanigans. This cheeky bug made everything fun and unexpected!"


    She grabbed my cheeks and smooshed them.


    "Like, look at this smug pink beast! He just waltzed in, completely human, no magical abilities, and BANISHED A TEACHER! Do you know how hard it is to get rid of a tenured Archmage professor? Like, impossible! And he was like ''I challenge you to a duel!'' and Bam! - we don''t have a snarky, effin'' annoying delvin'' prof no more," she laughed. "Like who the eff does that? Who outs me as the cleverest birb in class? Who has an AI in their pocket?"


    "I do!" I grinned, smooshed-cheek style.


    "Yes! You''re like this... this tornado!" Vespera continued. "You just show up and suddenly everything''s different, upside down! Em''s troupe is done, Ci''s wearing white, Kat''s actually talking to people, and I don''t have to pretend to be a total ditz anymore with my friends!"


    Katherine pursed her lips.


    "Don''t be frownin'' at me, Kat," Vespera said, mussing up my hair again, sparks raining from her talons. "This. This is the most interesting human specimen I''ve met and believe me, I''ve met lots of clever little humans. Dad''s always introducin'' me to human researchers and compsi engineers. But they''re all so... boring! All ''yes sir, no sir, please don''t electrocute me sir.'' But this one?" Vespera hugged me from behind, making me twitch as electrical currents danced up my spine. "This absolute mad lad? He walks into the most prestigious Omnid school in the country, makes friends with the top predators, makes a deal with an unstoppable entity for a mana lighter and somehow makes it all work!"


    The frown on the Stollwurm''s face crept up.


    "Look at him! He''s got this whole ''I''m totally innocent and harmless'' vibe going on while being an absolute agent of pure chaos! Like, look at his face! Would you ever suspect this pink meat-popsicle of social engineering an entire school? I sure as hell didn''t!" The Thunderbird''s feathers crackled with dancing lightning. "I thought that humans were all afraid of us Thundergods... but guess what? He ain''t afraid of me! Like, I''m pawin'' and zappin'' him all over and he ain''t freaking out in the slightest!"


    "Oi, get your sparkly talons off him!" Cinder tried to pull the Thunderbird off me.


    "Hol'' up, damn it!" Vespera fought Cinder off with a strike of electricity. "Explaining a point! When I found him in the hallway, surrounded by like thirty art nerds, he shooed them all away with a friggin'' thunder-popper and a few words. And when I asked him whether he wants to join History Club to get maced in the face by me and Sol... you know what he said? He said ''Sounds fun. Count me in!'' Nobody effin'' says that to me. Ever! Cus Em scares them all!"


    Kat''s lip twitched up into an almost-smile as she watched Vespera zap Cinder away, the Quetzi flashing a variety of annoyed colors.


    "So," Katherine chewed on her words, "you''re helping him because he''s... entertaining?"


    "Entertaining? Ha!" Vespera released me and did a dramatic spin, chain mail flashing with silver circlets and blue skirt flying. "He''s a whole damn circus! Do you know how boring our lives have been? Em controlling everything, Zalimar terrorizing half-bloods, everyone just accepting the status quo? And then THIS human shows up and just... breaks everything, stands up to everyone like he don''t give a shit! I''m totally sold, my dude. How are you not sold yet? Don''t tell me he didn''t stand up to your wheelie ass?"


    A small, dark blush rushed across the Stollwurm''s grey-blue face.

 Chapter 29: Team Bonding [III]

    "Ha!" the Thunderbird laughed. "He did, didn''t he? Come on what''d he do? Deets, my kitty-dude, I want all the deets!"


    "He called me his art nemesis and bugged me and wouldn''t leave me alone... so I pulled him into the deep to scare him away," Katherine said, smiling ever so slightly now. "And he didn''t run away... even after I blasted him with pure undiluted fear... he just stood there and took it. No idea how.¡±


    "You fear-aura slammed him?" Cinder demanded. "What the hell, Kat? That stuff is brutal. I''ve had nightmares for weeks after you hit me with it three years ago!"


    "In my defense, he was being incredibly annoying," Katherine huffed.


    "Kaaaaat," Cinder whined. "You can''t use that stuff on humans. It''s like a PTSD bomb, even for Omnids!¡±


    "I didn''t know that he was a friggin'' human!" Kat defended herself. "When I pulled him into the deep... he didn''t react like you or anyone else. Most break instantly, begging me to stop. But he... he didn''t even try to run, didn''t cry. He was shaking, yeah, but he just stared right back at me. Like he was analyzing the situation. It was..."


    "Hot?" Vespera suggested.


    "I was going to say ''freakish''," Katherine growled, her emerald eyes flashing. "Don''t make this weird, Vee."


    "Making it weird is my specialty!" Vespera cackled, electricity dancing between her talons. "So you''re telling me this human stood up to your ultimate attack and didn''t piss himself? Oi, pinkie, how''d you do that?" She turned to me.


    "A song," I said.


    "A song?!" Vespera sputtered. "What?!"


    "Want to see how it works?" I asked.


    Everyone nodded. I went to tether my phone into the presentation system that was usually used by team captains to display the delve plans to their delvers.


    ¡°Protocol xj-8!¡± I said in English out loud. "Single instance. Public version."


    Yulia''s Vroid avatar rearranged itself to resemble my mom on the big screen in front of the room.


    Cinder slid to my side on the bench as I sat down. Soft violet-pink-gold colors ignited across her wings when she recognized the avatar from the photos in my pouch.


    ¡°I love you, my little fox, you are stronger than all of them,¡± Yulia said in my mom''s voice. ¡°Stand your ground!¡±


    A haunting melody began to play, a composition blending traditional Kaska Dena rhythms with modern instrumentation. The song wove together sounds of wind, rivers, and distant drumbeats - a complex tapestry of musical storytelling that felt both ancient and contemporary.


    The music carried an almost tangible quality of resilience, with underlying tones that spoke of survival, of standing firm against overwhelming odds. It wasn''t just a Kaska song, but a sonic representation of defiance and inner strength.


    Katherine and Vespera listened intently, their expressions shifting. Katherine''s emerald eyes widened, her tail twitching slightly. Vespera''s electrical charge seemed to calm, her crackling feathers settling. Cinder leaned on my shoulder, her hand sliding atop of mine. Our fingers entwined.


    Everyone listened as the song rose towards a crescendo and then ended.


    "How..." Katherine started, then stopped. "But... that''s just a song? I mean it''s a nice song but I don''t understand how it could..."


    "It''s a song that''s incredibly personal to me," I explained. "It won''t work for anyone else. It''s sung in my late mom''s voice. The composition is designed as a memetic shield against fear-based magic. I made it using fragments of my mother''s voice and traditional Kaska resistance songs."


    "A memetic shield," Katherine repeated. "You... designed a musical defense mechanism? Against fear-based attacks?"


    "Apparently, powerful enough emotional resonance can break through magical fear," I shrugged, enjoying the warm presence of Cinder beside me. "Personal connection trumps supernatural manipulation."


    Vespera was staring at me, her gray eyes wide, beak half open. "You... composed this? With an AI? Using your dead mom''s voice? How long did it take? If I remember things correctly music composing AI models are pretty quick, ye? Like thirty seconds per song?"


    "Six months," I said.


    "Six months?!" Vespera sputtered. "Why so long?"


    "Trial and error," I said. "The Omnicorp my mom worked at had magical fear-based wards set up around the perimeter to keep outsiders from entering on the property. The ward kicked in whenever I tried crawling under the fence. It was impossible to do. But I kept trying. Everyday. Adjusting the song, testing what works and what doesn''t. For six months I optimized this song and training to fight magic-fear itself."


    "You spent six months getting your ass kicked by fear wards just to perfect an anti-fear song?" Cinder asked.


    "Yep," I nodded.


    "Not gon'' lie, that''s pretty metal," Vee commented. "Also, here''s ya lighter back. It''s basically an ordinary lighter, structure-wise. No hexagrams on it. It''s saturated with mana to an insane degree though, both the metal and fuel have the highest aetheric density I''ve seen. More magic than Genesis fluid. Basically, a finite use artifact, sort of like the stuff you''d get by beating a high level dungeon Sentinel on Arx near a dungeon core."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    I accepted the lighter from her.


    "Wait," Katherine held up a hand. "Why were you trying to break into your mom''s workplace?"


    "To steal research and administrative data," I admitted. "Frontenachii Omnicorp tried to claim ownership of Mom''s work after she died. Including her personal compsci and LLM work. I wasn''t about to let them take that away from her... from me. I wasn''t going to let them get away with her murder scot-free."


    "Did you get it?" Io asked quietly.


    "Eventually," I nodded. "Once the song was perfected, I could withstand the wards long enough to go through all of the fences and reach the servers. Downloaded everything. Absolutely fucking everything, including Frontenachii Clan''s work on... LLMs."


    "Holy shit," Vespera breathed. "You stole data from the Frontenachii Wendigo Clan? And lived? Wait... how are you still alive?"


    "What happened after you took their AI?" Cinder asked as my hand trembled.


    "And then I¡­ blew up the Frontenachii Clan sky-high," I revealed. "A thermite bomb set in the fertilizer storage within the compound on the day they were meeting at according to the admin records. A few thousand tons of ammonium nitrate went up like a small nuke, destroying the entire fortified compound."


    A heavy silence fell over the room. Even Vespera stopped crackling with electricity.


    "You... what?" Katherine whispered.


    "I blew them all up," I repeated. "The board members who ordered my mom to keep working even after her cancer diagnosis. Who denied her medical leave. Who denied her magitek healing. Who watched her deteriorate and die at her desk because they needed her to finish their LLM, to meet a set release deadline. Who claimed full ownership of her research after she died. I found out when they''d all be meeting in the office building, and I made sure they never left it."


    "Were there... people working in the compound that day?" Io asked, staring at me with deep, dark gray compound eyes.


    "No," I said. "The Clan Heads met on a Sunday since they didn''t want lowly employees getting in the way. They relied on their own Wendigo senses and heavy fear wards to secure the place. That''s what done them in, they trusted their magic anti-fire wards which I simply disabled with a very large hammer to the crystalline hexagrams. They really didn''t expect common fertilizer to be triggered by common magnesium. Honestly, I didn''t think that I could get away with it and yet here I am, five thousand kilometers south across the border."


    ¡°So¡­¡± Cinder''s hand dug into mine. "That''s why you told me revenge isn''t enough."


    "I sort of got my revenge against the bastards that killed mom," I nodded. "It wasn''t enough. Yeah, they died... yeah they lost their biggest compound and all of their LLM research, but they all had Lazarus bracelets impervious to fire, so they were all eventually found and brought back by Corpse Seekers via the incarnator. In the end, I only cost them a few hundred million o-bux on the illegal stuff that wasn''t insured plus... the flesh-research projects they kept in their basement. As a human without clan backing, I''m just a small irritation to their accountants." I sighed.


    "So the North Acadian Wendigos are going to come looking for you?" The Quetzi girl asked with a worried look.


    "Their Scrutimancers will catch up to me eventually. Yulia expects them to arrive in Cradlefall come Monday. I hope that the trip to Arx will make them lose my Astral trail," I shrugged. "I delayed and confused the Wendigos somewhat - when I got into their system, I transferred a bunch of their digital assets in a very obvious ''hostile takeover'' move into a competing clan''s accounts, which triggered a clan war that''s still going on right now. The two clans are now too busy murdering each other to figure out that a human was behind it all. After all, how could a mere human teenager overcome absolute Wendigo-designed fear-wards?"


    "Sheeet," Vespera let out. "You''re like a legit fugitive from the law then. No wonder you came across the border. Baller!"


    "The fuck you mean baller?" Katherine growled. "He just confessed to even more crimes!"


    "Eh," Vespera shrugged. "My dad''s done way worse stuff to his competitors'' assets. If anything this makes Lex even more impressive as an asset manager on our side. The Frontenachii are a bunch of falki snobunts ''nways, eff ''em."


    "Okay sure, but..." the Stollwurm began.


    "The eff have you done at eighteen, Kat? Make some pretty paintings? Have a fight with other dum'' teenagers over your book? Blowing up an enemy compound as an act of revenge is honestly pretty good shit for a resume! Would totally hire!" the Thunderbird insisted. "I know you sit on yo ass in yo dark hole, but there ain''t nothin'' wrong with what he did. This is da Omnid way. Justice for family!"


    "I''m just concerned he''s going to blow up the school next," Katherine said.


    "Mmmm... nah," Io said. "I would have sensed that sort of a local disaster a mile away. The Academy is safe."


    "I like you guys and I like Skyfall, I''ve no reason to do anything like that here," I pointed out. "My plan is to climb up the ladder as an Omnid and don''t stop until all of Omnithornia accepts humans as capable equals."


    "A man with an impossible mission," Vespera clapped. "I like the sound of that!"


    "Now you all know why I''m here," I nodded. "Why I infiltrated Skyfall. Why I need your help. I''m not just some random human trying to play student. I''m here to change the system itself from within. To make sure what happened to my mom never happens to anyone else. The way Omnids treat humans as a low-caste cattle - it''s wrong. The way half-bloods are treated at Skyfall - it''s wrong. Someone has to stand up and say enough is enough¡­¡±


    I fell silent for a moment. ¡°And now that all of you know the truth about me... are you still with me?" I asked.


    "I''m... with you," Cinder squeezed my hand, not letting go.


    "Hell yeah!" Vespera laughed. "Count me in on the mayhem n'' vengeance!" She placed her steel-covered talons on top of our joined hands, small sparks dancing between her claws.


    "Is your doom-sense getting hard ''bout this development?" She grinned at Io.


    "Disaster sense is going crazy," Io added. "There will be a huge catastrophe ahead. But in a good way, I think. Whatever happens next, I want to be there with all of you."


    He laid his gray, fuzzy paw atop of our three hands.


    We looked at Katherine. Katherine stared at our joined hands, her emerald eyes flickering with uncertainty.


    "This is insane," she muttered. "You''re all bonkers. Following a human revolutionary? Helping him continue to infiltrate Omnithornia''s most prestigious school? Do you have any idea how fucked up this is?"


    "More or less trouble than letting Zalimar continue murdering half-blood students?" I asked with a grin.


    "Or letting Em push everyone around like kobolds?" Cinder added.


    "Or pretending to be dum'' ''cus everyone else is hella boring and dumb?" Vee chimed in.


    "Or hiding in your dark burrow because you''re afraid to challenge the world?" Io added.


    Katherine''s blue tail lashed through the air.


    "Arrrghhh! Fine!" She let out and rolled toward us placing her large, gloved hand atop of Io''s.


    "One for all and all for one," I declared as our hands broke apart.


    "I just got an email from Quint. He will be taking over as class substitute for the week of delving. He''s got the ward key to activate the delve-transit gate! Team ''I love you'' is going to Shandria!" Yulia declared from the screen.


    Everyone cheered. Vespera let out a thunderous whoop sending a deafening thunderblast into the prep room''s ceiling that completely blinded me as Cinder hugged me tight, her snout nuzzling into my cheek.

 Chapter 30: The Delve [I]

    I quickly raided Zalimar''s office located in the gloomy back of the massive black marble hall where nobody dared tread. Once the door succumbed to my lock-picks, I stole as much useful stuff as I could, taking as many pictures as I could of various documents found in his desk.


    A red rune was flashing angrily above the door, notifying Zalimar of my uninvited visit. Too bad the teacher wasn''t here to stop me from invading his personal space.


    In ten minutes, I joined my team in the prep room.


    The large prep room mirror reflected back five very different figures, each decked out in Lance''s finest delving gear-stash.


    Vespera had chosen a set of magisteel lamellar armor which amplified outward-cast power such as shooting electrical bolts. The armor was adjustable in size, lightweight and flexible, perfect for aerial maneuvers. She had gone out of the prep room to her locker to fetch her favorite magisteel mace, so the hefty weapon now graced her hip. Her boots were lined with shock-absorbing crystals for landing. She was wearing a dark, armored "I''m with human!" apron-style top over the lamellar armor set with a flashy striped blue skirt. A large rainbowy "I??U!" button was pinned to her chest.


    Io had gone down to the mesh-print shop about an hour ago to produce the various team merch items for everyone to wear.


    "Vespera Simmi," The Thunderbird touched the mirror with her magisteel-covered talon, a manic grin on her face. "Team I love you! Slayer!"


    Her hand sunk into the magic mirror and she pulled out a silver token with her team ID detail, which she clipped to her Lazarus bracelet.


    Katherine reached towards the mirror next. Her wheelchair had been augmented with thick magisteel shield-plates, turning it into something between a tank and a mobile fortress. It took all of our arguments and combined convincing power to cudgel her to put on something under her coat. She had chosen a dark blue combat hexasuit with lines of dark runes running down the arms and legs, covered with small, scale-shaped magisteel plates, designed to amplify muscular strength. I had no idea how she looked in it or if she actually put it on, since she was wearing the puffy camo coat on top of it now. A dark hexamesh hood protected her against sunlight, dark goggles glinting underneath, feline ears sticking out from the sides and horns looming above.


    Lance''s dimensional bag full of extra supplies and my stolen equipment was now strapped to the back of her wheelchair. A shirt wouldn''t fit atop of her coat so instead the "I''m with human!" team motto flag was hanging across her legs. An imposing magisteel sword borrowed from Lance''s collection was attached to the right side of her chair, while a heavy arbalest hung from the left side. Her button said "I??U!"


    "Katherine Kells, Team..." the Stollwurm grimaced as she touched the mirror. "I love you. Knight."


    Io had opted for a more practical approach. He was now wearing a dark gray hexamesh suit with an orange ''I''m with human!'' shirt atop and a black leather duster above the robe, covered in amplification and anchor runes. Paired with sturdy steel-toe boots and his usual wide-brimmed hat, the outfit made him look even more like a post-apocalyptic Snufkin. His harmonica hung from a chain around his neck. He had a gray-blue "I??U!" button pinned to his dark gray jacket.


    "Iogann Wanderer. Team I love you. The Door!" His paw sunk into the mirror receiving his token.


    Cinder reached out to the mirror next. The Quetzi-girl had initially balked at wearing anything from Lance, but even she had to admit the silver-gray combat hexasuit looked good on her. The armor was lightweight and flexible, designed to work with her wings rather than restrict them. Thin magisteel plates covered vital areas while leaving her joints free for maximum mobility. A white tank top "I''m with human!" sat atop the delving armor with an "I??U!" button.


    I watched her intently as she touched the mirror.


    "Cinder Nova," she exhaled. "Team..." She glanced at me and a blush crept up her face while her eyes promised me vengeance. She looked like she really didn''t want to say it. "I love you," she pushed the words out of herself after a long, pregnant pause. "Team Captain."


    I walked to the mirror, but Vespera caught me before I touched it.


    "Mirror''s an identifying artifact. It''ll tag you as human. Generally, nobody reads the reports it sends to the Administration, but just in case someone does... Here," she pulled a dark thermos with a lightning-pierced heart out of her bag. "Drink up."


    I arched an eyebrow at her.


    "Ground a bunch of my feathers into a shake when I got my mace from downstairs," she said. "Hope you like raspberries and lemon."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Cinder''s feathers ignited red-green like a spicy aurora. I accepted the shake and chugged it quickly with a grin.


    "Use the lighter for a bit," Vespera suggested. "The Omnid particles in your body should hold the mana charge."


    I dug into my pocket and ignited the lighter for a few seconds. Then I summoned up my stats. The lines were flickering with [Null] errors as I held the lighter''s flame, but then I snapped it shut and they settled.


    [System error. Unable to parse experience, no heart-core detected.]


    [Delineating current state. Reassessing stats.]


    [Level 1 state approximated!]


    Messages popped up above my stats.


    | Name: Alexander Glock


    | Age: 18


    | Species & Subtype: Thunderbird-Human hybrid


    | Core Affinity: Thunder


    | Level: 1


    | Anima: 89/89 [+89]


    | Anima Stamina: 1/1


    | Mana: 68/7


    | Mana Regen: 0.0m/hr


    | Strength: 0


    | Agility: 0


    | Dexterity: 0


    | Vitality: 0


    | Charisma: 0


    | Magic: 0 [+7]


    | Foresight: 0


    | Intelligence: 0


    | Wisdom: 0


    | Skills: N/A


    "Sooooo... did it work?" Vespera asked.


    "Oh yea," I grinned. "I got level one and plus seven in magic. Bracelet says I''m a thunda-birb! Now I just gotta figure out how to zap people."


    "I''ll teach ya some tricks," The Thunderbird gave me a high-five which I slapped back. "Guess you can sort-of-maybe level up a human if they''re fed some Omnid strata and bathed in ridiculous levels of magrad!"


    "So like," Io mulled. "You can just eat anyone and... become them? That''s pretty rad."


    "Slayer, Io, why you gotta make it so cringe?" Cinder growled, her wings shifting through annoyed oranges and possessive reds. "He''s not becoming anyone, it''s just... temporary camouflage."


    "What''s that, Ci?" Vespera teased, draping an arm around my shoulders. "Worried your human might get a taste for thunder instead of... rainbow?"


    "You sound like a skittles commercial," I laughed.


    "Das'' a cute nickname," Vee clicked eyeing the Quetzi. "I''m stealing it for future use."


    "Abyss! Just touch the damn mirror already," Cinder hissed.


    I stuck my tongue out at her and reached out and touched the mirror''s surface. It felt like cool water beneath my fingers as my hand sunk inside.


    "Alexander Glock!" I declared loudly. "Team ''I love you''. Quartermaster."


    I glanced at my reflection as I got my token.


    I''d layered twenty hexasuits over each other, along with a bunch of gem-chains creating a patchwork of protection that probably violated several safety regulations. Lance''s silver, slightly shimmering jacket sat atop the hexasuits and ward chains somewhat poorly, as it was a tad too tall and wide for my frame. I was six feet, but Lance was a head taller. All of my companions were bigger or taller than me - another blunt reminder that people simply could not compete with Omnids in terms of pure arm reach and body strength. I picked the lightweight, beast-core powered jacket as it didn''t rely on my mana, wearing heavy armor was not in my cards even with all of the strength-amplifying hexasuits. Lance''s magisteel katana, folded up to the handle into its dimensional scabbard, was hanging from my belt. I wore a large, newly printed black shirt with "HUMAN!" at the front and the "IU!" button that I pinned to Lance''s reflective jacket.


    The red heart resembled a nuclear explosion, which was Io''s idea about how my love was expressed.


    "Looking good, team," I grinned at my team. "Shall we head out?"


    Cinder practically dragged me out of the prep room by the elbow, sending bothered glares at the smug-looking Vespera.


    <hr>


    We emerged back into Instructor Zalimar''s black marble auditorium a bit later than the other students. Quint was already waiting by the gate platform along with other delving teams standing in groups of five.


    The massive, black, crystalline ring dominated the hall, hanging a few inches off the ground, held up in the air by a thousand silver webs. Its surface was etched with countless runes that pulsed with a soft violet light. Atop the gate perched an enormous spider, its body pale silver. Each of its eight legs was as thick as my arm, tipped with crystalline claws that gripped the gate ring and its webs.


    The Wendigo student council president''s amber eyes widened slightly at our appearance.


    "Hrm. Team... ''I love you.''" he commented dryly, looking over our armor, flag, buttons and shirts. "You all certainly look... more ready than usual."


    "What''s the usual?" I asked.


    "Usually, students just wear basic hexasuits on their first trip," Lance commented from where he was standing next to Christi. "Not... delving armor. Alex, are you wearing ALL of my hexasuits and protection collars under there?"


    "Only twenty x-suits," I grinned at him. "Plus some other stuff. Safety''s important."


    "Twenty?!" Lance sputtered. "How can you move in so many of them?


    "Very carefully," I replied.


    "That''s... not how that''s supposed to work," Lance muttered.


    "Tell that to the hexasuits," I shrugged.


    "And is that my Magisteel Arbalest and Slayer sword on Kat''s chair?" Lance squinted. "Can she even lift those?"


    "Borrowed with love," I blew him a kiss. "Much thanks. She lifted them just fine."


    Quint stared at me and then at Lance.


    "Thanks for taking over as our sub for the week on the account of Zalimar''s vacation, Pres," I commented.


    "Vacation?" Emerald snarled at me from where she stood behind Solace. The dragon-girl was wearing a new set of fancy magisteel armor and far too many gold chains with hex-diamonds and rubies. "You banished him to another dimension, you effin'' lyin'' criminal!" She announced to everyone, her voice carrying unnaturally across the entire hall.


    All Omnid student heads turned to the dragon girl.


    "I sent my Scrutimancer''s report to the Academy''s Administration!" she boomed. "You''re getting expelled as soon as the Vice Principal reads it, Glock!"


    Hushed whispers all around, all eyes on me.


    "That''s right! He''s not even a nullie! He''s a filthy HUMAN!" Emerald boomed, pointing an accusatory, red-scaled finger at me. "A human at Skyfall!"

 Chapter 30: The Delve [II]

    "A human?" I repeated, unzipping Lance''s jacket to reveal my black t-shirt. "Why, yes I am! I see you are an appreciator of our team¡¯s fine motto?"


    "Motto?! What motto?!" Emerald fully shoved Solace aside and then her eyes bulged as she took in the matching "I''m with human!" shirts and my bold "HUMAN!" declaration plastered across my chest.


    "What... what the eff is this?!" she sputtered, armor-covered claws opening and closing. "You''re just... openly admitting it now?!"


    "I am," I grinned. "I thought that your meme-joke about me being a human was pretty baller, so we all went with it. As you pointed out, I''m the token human of the group. Every good delving team needs one these days. Gotta trend on Omnigram. #ImwithHuman!"


    "You... you¡­ but¡­" Emerald''s scales began to glow with the building heat of dragonfire. "This isn''t a joke! You''re an actual human!"


    "Of course I am," I nodded. "I''m very committed to my role, darling! Do you want a shirt too?¡±


    I pulled out an the extra ''I''m with human!'' red shirt from my side bag and waved it at Emerald like a matador teasing a bull, making her entire figure light up. Her outfit began smoking.


    "M'' bae''s really good at being a human, you kno¡¯," Vespera added helpfully with an extra-deep Valley girl accent, crackling with barely-contained snickering. "Like, super dedicated. Won''t break character no matter what. It''s the friggin¡¯ cutest thing ever."


    "WHAT?!" Emerald snarled. "Vee, what the efffff?! You¡­ we¡­¡±


    There was betrayal and shock painted on her face as she realized that everything wasn¡¯t turning up Emerald today. That Io, Ci and Vee firmly stood on the wrong side of the barricades now.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Emmy?¡± Vespera grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t look so stressed, I still love ya, com'' on, don''t catch fire! We made the red shirt for ya. It was your swag idea after all!"


    "My idea?!" Emerald¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°You effin'' traitor,¡± she hissed. ¡°I can''t believe that you would stoop so low as to take this scab¡¯s side¡­¡±


    "Take his side? How right you are! I''m considering eloping with Lex¡¯ in Shandria this weekend," Vespera added, wrapping a hand around my shoulders. "They have the cutest chapel there with the view of the chasm. What do you say, m'' favorite human? Ready to become Mr. Simmi-Glock?"


    "Vee!" Cinder bristled. "Quit pawing at him! This isn¡¯t funny.¡±


    "Ci, don''t be a jelly beerch," Vespera teased, electricity dancing between her talons. "Consider this¨Cwe can book a double engagement for the price of one! I''ll take Primo-Wife and you''ll be our handsy Hearth Keeper! We could even adopt K as our kitten if she behaves."


    Cinder ignited with violets and pinks fading into golds while Katherine let out a bothered growl from her wheelchair, feline ears twitching.


    "Knew you''d like that idea," Vee clicked.


    Emerald''s jaw dropped, her gold-orange eyes bulging with pure shock as she processed Vespera''s words and our flirting. Black smoke began rising from her ruby scales as her temperature spiked with incandescent rage.


    "You... you''re ALL in on this?!" she sputtered, looking between us. "This is... this is TREASON against the Superstate! He''s an ACTUAL HUMAN!!! A real one! My family''s Scrutimancer confirmed it! He''s here illegally! His name isn''t Glock! There is NO Alexander Glock!!! And you''re all just... just... PLAYING ALONG?!"


    "Emmy, sweetie," Vespera clicked her beak sympathetically. "I think you need to take a break. You¡¯re takin¡¯ our joke way too seriously now. All this obsession with hatin¡¯ on humans and mixies isn''t healthy. Like, look at your Omnigram feed - it''s all ''#HumanInSkyfall'' this and ''Expose the infiltrator'' that. Maybe try focusing on something else? Like how about that cute Wendigo behind you who''s totally into you? You two should, like, tots get engaged on Arx, you''d make a great perma-couple! Open-sauce ''ships are so last season."


    Quint tried and failed to look professional, fretting slightly on his spot by the gate at the suggestion of an engagement in Shandria.


    "I AM NOT OBSESSED!" Emerald roared, dragonfire sparking around her teeth as she frothed at the mouth. "HE''S A HUMAN! A REAL HUMAN! WHY IS NOBODY LISTENING TO ME?! Vee, I sent you an effin'' PDF! Did you not read it?!"


    "The ''Lex is a human'' PDF report was pretty funny," Vee grinned. "4/10 meme. I sent you a thumbs up about it."


    "It''s not a FREAKING MEME!" The dragon girl howled.


    "Pff, yeah okay," Vespera laughed. "Sure. I too can generate a PDF with Omnigpt 4.0 about how you''re a human instead of a dragon, bae."


    The student delvers around us seemed to deflate slightly, many smiling at our shirts and buttons and whispering about Emerald taking it too far again.


    Emerald''s eye twitched violently.


    ¡°#TotallyARealHuman,¡± I commented, pulling furiously blushing Cinder to my side and taking a selfie with my phone. ¡°That¡¯s a good one! Thanks for another another funny tag, Em!"


    "Emerald," Quint stated. "Enough. Please stop causing a scene. His father is a Thunderbird. This is obviously just their team taunt and you''re falling for it. Be professional."


    "I''M NOT FALLIN'' FOR SHIT!!!" the dragon girl screeched even louder, making everyone wince. "ARE YOU ACTUALLY THIS EFFIN'' STUPID, QUINT?! HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE IT?! HE''S MANIPULATING EVERYONE USING AI GENERATED FAKERY!"


    "Hey, my Omnigram photos aren''t AI generated, they''re AI retouched," I pointed out, showing off my camera. "There''s a difference. My DSLR camera has a very basic upscale AI in it, don''t you know? It erroneously marks some Omnigram pics as ''AI generated'' if you run a detector over them."


    "Shut yo bloody effing lying mouf, human scab!" Emerald rounded on me. "You''re fake and all of your photos are bloody fake as shit!!! My Scrutimancer..."


    I stepped towards her and hugged her.


    "I love you," I said, feeling all of the hexagrammic gems and collars on me ignite like a See-Mass tree as they fought off the dragonfire radiating off her. "Let''s be friends! Come on!"


    There was a reason why I picked this reflective jacket of Lance''s to wear today. According to the tag and online marketing listing that Yulia pulled up, this jacket easily withstood both extreme cold and heat. The reflective element extracted from some otherworldly beast known as Liskostuash from Arx was nearly impervious to the destructive heat of dragonfire for about two minutes.


    "WHAT?! DON''T TOUCH ME! FRIG OFF YOU LYIN'' SACK'' O'' SHIT!" Emerald forcefully shoved me away. It took all of the power of my hexasuits to stop myself from flying backwards. "You think I''m stupid like these birchards?! You might have tricked some brainlets, but I know that all of your pics are AI generated!"


    Time to up my game. Being a loud dragon vs genuine social networking.


    "Hey Christi!" I waved to the Pink Chancellor who was staring in mild confusion at the commotion. "How''d you like the photos I took of you at Lazarus cavern?"


    "Oh! Alex! They''re like, totally amazing!" Christi''s flames brightened enthusiastically. "You really captured my best angles! The lighting was perfect! My phone cave pics just don''t come out good like yours. You''re a real pro!"


    "What about you guys?" I turned to my team before Emerald could resume her howling. "Rate the photos I took of you at the D&D show yesterday out of ten!"


    "The gate-opening photos were pretty rad," Io nodded. "Caught the exact moment I opened it. Def¡¯ ten out of ten."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "One billion out of ten," Vespera waved a magisteel-covered hand dramatically. "Best human photographer! #MarriageMaterial."


    "I really liked the one where you caught my wings mid-color-change," Cinder added. "Hrmmm. Infinity out of ten." She tried to up herself above Vespera¡¯s rating, clearly still bothered that I drank the Thunderbird-shake with a big smile on my face.


    Emerald choked. She saw where this was going and clearly had no idea how to stop it.


    That''s right. Eat my witness-backed evidence, dragon. Another spoon should do it.


    I spotted my favorite Kelpie in the crowd. "June! How''d you like the photos I took of you after our the chess match?" I asked.


    "Pretty great!" June called out, her liquid hair rippling and sending water drops onto the dark marble floor. "You made me look so elegant! Even my mom loved them! Oh, oh! Can you take a couple of pics of me and my team in front of the Arx gate?"


    "Absolutely!" I nodded. "Line up! We got seven more minutes.¡±


    June and her team of fluid-mages stepped to the gate.


    "You..." Emerald hissed. "You absolute fake BASTARD! Stop acting like this is all some big joke and dodging the truth away! You''re a HUMAN! A filthy, worthless HUMAN who..."


    "Shut yo yap, dragon, or I''ll shut it for you," June stepped between me and Ember. "We all know that you have a beef with mixed-heritage students. You bullied Sarah out of Skyfall last year!"


    "Em, please," Quint placed a restraining hand on the smoking-dragon''s shoulder. "You''re making a scene. This isn''t the time or place for..."


    "Time or place for WHAT?!" Emerald slapped Quint''s hand away. "For exposing this HUMAN INFILTRATOR?! He''s..."


    "Oh for Slayer''s sake," June sighed, raising her staff. "Guys, amp me. I''ve had enough of whatever this is."


    The team consisting of a Mermaid, a Lusca, a Frogman and a Vodyanoy standing behind the Kelpie girl laid their hands onto her.


    "Drown," June said simply, interrupting Emerald''s next howl of swears and accusations.


    A torrent of pressurized water erupted from the Kelpie staff, amplified by her team''s combined power. The blast caught Emerald in the open mouth in an explosion of super-heated steam, sending her flying backwards into the classroom wall with enough force to crack the dark marble wall.


    Steam poured off Emerald as the water pounded against her superheated scales. For a moment, the classroom became filled with thick fog.


    When it cleared, Emerald lay slumped against the wall, her ruby scales dulled and smoking, her gold chains tangled around her flickering with defense hexes.


    "Anyone else want to be a bigoted jerk to Alex?" June asked pleasantly, the water elemental still swirling around her staff.


    Solace opened both of her mouths and then realized that she was basically alone against five water-controlling Omnids. Her round, forehead teeth-filled maw and human-ish mouth snapped shut and she quickly rushed off to Emerald''s side.


    "No? Good. Now Alex, about those photos..." June grinned.


    "Looking fabulous as always," I commented, snapping several shots of June''s team posed in front of the gate, the water elemental spinning merrily in the air behind them. "Love the staff and H2O effects."


    "Oooh, send those to me!" June clapped excitedly, liquid hair rippling above her silver-green scale-type armor.


    "Already done," I said. "Check your Omnigram, #TeamHydroblades."


    The hydromancers pulled out their phones and started to chat excitedly. Yulia worked fast.


    "If anyone else wants pics, I am willing to take some in Shandria, but then you gotta wear ''I''m with human'' shirt for your next class as payment," I grinned and threw the ''I''m with human'' red shirt that I was holding at June. She caught it from the air and pulled it on, the shirt immediately getting soaked because of her hair. I snapped a pic of her in the shirt and Yulia added it to my Omnigram feed.


    Solace helped the dazed Emerald to her feet. The dragon girl''s gold-orange eyes were unfocused, steam rising from her scales as she twitched and spat water.


    "Right then," Quint cleared his throat. "If we''re done with the dramatics, let''s proceed with today''s delve. Team captains, please present your gate passes."


    Cinder stepped forward, holding out her token as Captain. Other team captains did the same. Quint walked across the line of captains, scanning each with a runestone. Solace presented Emerald¡¯s pass as the dragon girl looked quite out of it, dredging water from her lugs.


    As Quint approached with the runestone and his own gate pass, all twenty-four of the silver spider''s eyes looked down. The giant spider shifted position, accepting the runestone from Quint and swallowed it.


    "Does the shiny spidey have a name?" I asked Io.


    "Gate Weaver," he replied. "Works sort of like my skill, except she makes an extra-stable gate that can stand up to time dilation."


    "Zalimar boasted that he bred her himself over generations of spidery-gate-matriarchs," Vee clicked.


    The Gate Weaver rapidly wove intricate patterns across the black crystalline ring, legs moving with hypnotic precision. Each strand of webbing it produced glowed slightly, forming a massive, complex hexagram over the gate.


    "Remember," Quint announced as the spider worked behind him, "You have two hours of Earth time, which translates to roughly one week in Shandria. Don''t antagonize the locals, be polite and professional and be back before the gate closes. Your passes will vibrate when it''s time to return. Upperclassmen with high Adventurer Rank are free to delve nearby dungeons, but beginners should stay to the city limits and only go out as far as the wild fields. Those without prior delving experience..." He looked pointedly at me. "Are to register themselves at the Adventurers Guild Cathedral and to complete Iron rank jobs. Since Instructor Zalimar isn''t here, I''m filling his role in supervising all of you as the Arx-Delver Captain with the highest rank. Screw around and you will be banned from going to Arx ever again. Captains, you are to manage your team members and make sure that they behave."


    The Gate Weaver''s work reached a crescendo, the final strands of silver light forming a complex pattern across the black crystal. A deep resonant hum filled the air as the gate began to activate, liquid silver leaking from the web to form a shimmering circle like a little pool of water.


    "First-time delvers, please note that temporal dilation and higher mana aetheric density can be disorienting," Quint added. "You may experience mild nausea and discomfort as your body adjusts to Arx."


    I nodded along.


    "Shandria closes at sundown," Quint continued. "Do not attempt to stay out after dark. Leviathan''s Nightingale''s Shadow flock is far, FAR more dangerous than anything you''ve encountered on Earth. Even experienced delvers must avoid being outside after sunset. Basically, stay in your hotel rooms at night, or you will die a most horrible death."


    Sounds like a Larry Plotter challenge. I thought.


    Vee seemed to share my giddy mood, gray eyes sparkling with excitement. Cinder looked a bit concerned. It was hard to tell what Io and Kat were thinking on the account of fuzzy, blank face and dark hood.


    The silver liquid in the gate began to ripple and swirl, forming a perfect mirror-like surface.


    "Teams will enter in order of rank," Quint announced. "Upperclassmen first, then intermediate teams, then beginners. Your phones will not work in Shandria, but Voicecast spells embedded within the gate passes are tied to our Keeper on the other side. If anything goes horribly wrong, Voicecast me or the Omnid owned Inn or our Chapel Keeper right away. Any questions?"


    "What happens when Emerald kills me?" I asked.


    "Novitiate Glock," Quint pinched the boney bridge of his nose. "Just... don''t antagonize her. Please. I don''t want to have to bail both of you from Shandrian prison or save you from an execution."


    "I''m not doing anything," I huffed. "You all saw it, I gave her a hug! I''m trying to be just a friend!"


    "Just a friend?" Quint asked.


    "It''s just that..." I pretend-stammered. "She asked me out but I told her that she''s just not my type and that I like Cinder and Vee more and now she won''t get off my case!"


    "What?" Emerald croaked weakly from where Solace propped her up. "That''s not what... I would never... I''m not into freaking humans!!!"


    Quint sent Emerald and me a very annoyed look, his eyes flaring bright. Then he cleared his throat. "If you die on Shandria, your team members are to immediately bring your bracelet across the gate back to the Lazarus cavern. If they fail to do so, points will be deducted from their grade and you might find your team suspended from delving practice for a month. Any other questions?"


    "What happens if our Quartermaster gets us all killed by being an insufferable troll?" Katherine asked.


    "I would never!" I gasped in mock offense.


    "Captains are to file daily reports about the team''s activities," Quint hissed out, sounding fed up with his life. "If the report isn''t filed on time, you will be contacted by me. If you do not respond, another team will be sent to investigate and if your bracelets are not found within the hour, a DelveRaid team will be sent out by the Shandrian Adventurers Guild. They''re very expensive, so try not to die in places where your team can''t recover your bracelet. If DelveRaid fails to locate your bracelets within the allotted time of four hours, a high level Corpse Seeker will be sent to retrieve your bracelets from the Omnithean chapel managed by Brother Vassily. Any other questions?"


    No one raised their hands.


    "Good. Team Stormpiercers, you''re up first."


    Lance, Christi and two others waved to us as they passed by and entered into the shimmering gate, sinking into it.


    "Wait for me at the Guild," Quint said. "I gotta make sure everyone goes through safe from this end."


    "Can do," Lance nodded. "See ya tomorrow."


    Quint''s team entered into the shimmering gate, sinking into it.


    A few more teams followed, each disappearing into the liquid silver surface. Finally, it was our turn.


    "Team ''I love you'', you''re up," Quint announced, his amber eyes lingering on me with obvious concern. "Remember, hold hands and dive together as not to become separated due to the temporal dilation."


    "Stay close, follow my lead, and most importantly..." I grinned.


    "Don''t die?" Katherine suggested dryly.


    "Have fun!" I grinned.


    We grabbed onto each other and walked/rolled into the gate.

 Chapter 30: The Delve [III]

    The sensation of moving between Earth and Arx was... indescribable.


    Like being pulled through liquid metal while simultaneously being stretched and compressed. Snowflake-like fractals danced across my eyes. Gravity seemed to go from pushing down on me to slapping me in the face as I swam/floated/was squeezed forward and emerged out of a silver pool.


    An older-looking Omnid offered me his long-limbed hand. I recognized him as a Domovoy.


    The Domovoy helped pull me out of the silver pool. He was wearing a simple brown robe with gold trim. His face was weathered and kind covered in a thick layer of dark fur. I recalled that Domovoys usually bound themselves to a specific building for life, drawing power from it. In their particular chosen domain they were nearly impossible to put down.


    "M'' Brother Vassily, Keeper of the Transit Gate Chapel," he introduced himself. "First time on Arx, ye?"


    "Yep. Thank you for the assistance, Keeper!" I nodded, stepping aside just as Cinder emerged from the pool with a splash, her wings dripping silver liquid that evaporated into mist.


    Brother Vassily helped her up as well, then assisted Io, Vespera and Katherine, using both of his ridiculously strong and stretchy limbs to heft the wheelchair and all onto the polished stone floor of the Omnithean chapel.


    I looked around. The chapel seemed to be carved out of a large, cozy cavern, similar in design to the Lazarus cave, covered in gold glowing crystals. Kitlix lanterns hung from the ceiling adding shimmering light to the environment. Another chonky Gate Weaver spider sat in the corner, staring down at me with silver eyes.


    My body felt wobbly and I sat down onto a nearby wooden bench, trying not to throw up as my insides felt like my outsides on and off.


    "Welcome to Shandria, young delvers," Brother Vassily said warmly. "We''re currently six clicks below the city. That stairwell up will lead you to the Arx Bank vault. There you can procure local currency using your delver bank cards if you have such. The Adventurers Guild cathedral will be on the East side from the bank. You''ll see it right away, it a very big white stone building with many spires. Can''t miss it."


    I nodded. My nausea was slowly settling as my body adjusted to Arx.


    "Remember to register your team and obtain your iron rank badges before venturing outside the city walls. The market district is directly west of the Adventurers Guild. And please, do mind the time - Shandria''s nights are quite deadly."


    "Thank you, Brother," I bowed slightly. "Any recommendations for lodging?"


    "The Guild has rooms that vary in prices," the hairy man replied. "I recommend the Gilded Gryphon Inn near the market. My cousin Nikkola owns it, he''ll give you an excellent rate. It''s in the ''Wecome to Arx'' brochure on that table by the stairwell up."


    "Much appreciated," I said. "Wait. Stairs? You don''t have like an elevator or..."


    Katherine gritted her teeth, standing upright. She grabbed her chair and folded it up, strapping it to her back along with the backpack and magisteel armor plates.


    I blinked at her.


    "What?" Katherine growled, catching my surprised look. "You think I can''t walk? The chair''s just easier most of the time. Less painful. Killed myself this morning. Always do before delving class."


    "Ah," I nodded, feeling bad for her. "Still, six clicks of stairs seems excessive."


    "It''s Shandrian clicks, not Earth miles," the Domovoy pointed out. "About a mile of stairwell. You''ll be up in a few hours."


    I winced.


    "I''ll be fine," the Stollwurm said. "I''m much stronger underground. Arx has incredibly high aetheric density which helps with my... condition."


    "Welcome to Arx," Brother Vassily said. "Where everything is either trying to kill you or inconvenience you to death. The stairs are warded against most forms of magical transportation - security measure for the bank vault above."


    We began our ascent, Katherine moving stiffly but steadily. Cinder hovered close to her, ready to help if needed, while Vespera and Io took point.


    The stairwell was wide, carved directly into the rock. Tiny Kitlix lanterns ignited to life as we came closer, dimming behind us.


    After what felt like an eternity of walking up endless stairs, we emerged into a gloomy, stone vault.


    A gray and black striped catgirl attendant rushed to our side from where she was reading a thick romance novel, opening a magisteel gate.


    A catgirl?!


    I sneakily pointed Yulia''s camera at her. "Cryptitype not found," Yulia whispered into my ear.


    "Welcome to Shandria, honored children of Omnifomrnnia," the attendant smiled at us, slightly butchering the name. "Please follow me."


    The catgirl quickly scanned us with a cyan Kitlix and then unlocked a magisteel vault door about ten meters thick in front of us. The massive door swung open silently, revealing a very long tunnel, going up. The tunnel lead us to another stairwell and vault door which opened up into a grand marble hall filled with tellers'' windows and currency exchange booths.


    The other teams weren''t anywhere. I mentally tabulated that the two hours of Earth time turned into 168 hours on Arx, which meant that the time dilation was x84. This mean that the few minutes between each team''s entry stretched to hours.


    "Remember to declare any magical items you wish to sell," the catgirl attendant said, stepping behind a counter. "The bank takes a 5% commission on all transactions."


    "What about mundane items?" I asked.


    "The value of any item will be evaluated by my Infix Kitlix, Cheeski," the woman smiled, whiskers twitching as a violet-cyan crystalline kitten rushed from her shoulder down her arm and onto the teller''s table. "I''m Arx Bank rep Gabriella Matrosin. The current exchange rate for one O-dollar is..."


    She listed the conversion price and the explanation of how "Ten coppers make a silver. A hundred silvers make a gold. A hundred gold make a platinum. A hundred platinum make a magisteel. A thousand magisteel make a celesteel." Which Yulia noted down.


    Vee stepped to the table with her delving card. "I''d like to..."


    "Don''t," I said. "Not done."


    "Not done what?" Vespera asked, pausing mid-motion.


    "Learning," I said. "Miss Matrosin. Can we go to a private room? I have many items to sell."


    "Very well," the catgirl nodded, stepping out of the booth. She lead us to a private guided office and sat behind a large wooden table.


    I went into Lance''s backpack and pulled out a bag with about a thousand different small items and materials.


    "Please evaluate the value of each," I said dumping the bag onto her desk.


    "Sir," Gabriella''s whiskers twitched with annoyance. "There are other customers that I..."


    "They can wait or go to another rep," I said. "I need to know the exact value of everything."


    The catgirl sighed and began scanning items with her Kitlix. Each item''s value appeared on a small crystal ball display.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    I kept my wrist cam pointed at the ball, building a price database with Yulia''s help. As I expected, some items that were considered worthless on Earth held higher value on Arx, while others were practically worthless despite their Earth-side expense.


    "Are you quite done?" Katherine growled after about twenty minute of the attendant going through random small items pilfered from Earth.


    "No," I said, pulling out another bag.


    "Ughhhh," Katherine groaned. "This is going to take forever."


    "Knowledge is power," I replied cheerfully, dumping more items onto the table. "And power is money."


    "Sir," Gabriella''s whiskers twitched more violently. "Perhaps you could come back later..."


    "Nope," I said. "Need to know now. How much for this paperclip?"


    Vespera snickered beside me. Cinder had gotten bored ten minutes ago and was now sitting in the waiting area across the hall, playing candy smash on her phone. Io was snacking on interdimensional chips beside her reading what looked like an old, yellow-paged science fiction novel.


    After nearly two hours of methodically cataloguing item values, I finally had a comprehensive database of what was worth selling and what wasn''t. The catgirl attendant looked ready to claw my eyes out.


    "Now we can exchange currency," I announced cheerfully.


    "Finally!" Katherine growled. "My legs are killing me."


    "You do know that you can sit down with the others over there?" I said. "Riiiight?"


    "I''ve done enough sitting on Earth," she shot back. "I can actually walk around on Arx."


    "Why don''t you live on Arx like the Chapel Keeper and his cousin if you feel better here?" I asked her.


    The Stollwurm looked at me like I was an absolute idiot.


    "There are no incarnators on Arx," she said after a few seconds of glaring at me. "I''d just be dead in three-four weeks here."


    "Oh really?" I smiled. "Well, that changes everything."


    I dug into my bag again and pulled out a thermos filled with incarnator fluid.


    "Please let me know the value of this liquid," I said, opening the thermos.


    The catgirl''s eyes widened as her Kitlix scanned the thermos. The crystal display suddenly lit up with a string of zeros.


    "Sir," Gabriella''s voice dropped to a whisper, her tail suddenly very still. "Where did you obtain this... substance?"


    "Oh, you know," I waved vaguely. "Around."


    Vespera stared at me. Then she reached out with a claw and send a spark flying into the thermos. Then her eyes went wide.


    "You..." she breathed out. "You dumped THAT on Em?! You''re selling THAT?!"


    "Is that illegal?" I asked.


    "Urm," she blinked. "You know what? I have no idea. I consider myself clever but I never thought of selling lint or paperclips or rubber bands or rocks or... THAT on Arx. How do you even... think of this shit? How are you so funny?" Her gray eyes sparked with uncontained mirth.


    "What is that stuff and why is it worth so much?" Katherine asked, clearly not recognizing Genesis fluid at a glance.


    "If you don''t know I ain''t telling," Vespera clicked.


    "Whatever, like I give a shit," Katherine huffed.


    "Sir," Gabriella cleared her throat. "I''ll need to call my supervisor about this... particular item if you wish to sell it to us."


    "No need," I said, recapping the thermos. "Just wanted to know the value. Here, take everything off this bank card and convert it into cold, hard cash."


    Katherine and Vespa read the name on the gold card. Both of them choke-gasped as I typed in the pin and the card was accepted.


    "Three hundred platinum, one hundred and eleven gold and sixty coppers." The attendant handed us a bag of coins after a minute. "Will that be all?" She asked wearily.


    "Yep, thanks a whole bunch, see ya," I grabbed the card back and stuffed it into my pocket.


    Both girls were giving me wild looks as we walked over to where Cinder and Io were sitting. As I had killed about two hours bugging the bank teller, Cinder had dozed off, her head resting on Io''s shoulder while the Mothman continued reading his "Sixty Nine Thousand Leagues Inside the Moon" book by Julie Verne.


    I shoed Io off the bench and placed Cinder on my lap and then shook her awake.


    "Mrmph?" Cinder blinked awake.


    Her ocean-blue eyes widened as she realized she was using my lap as a pillow, and her feathers shifted rapidly through embarrassed pinks and startled violets.


    "What... why am I..." she started, then noticed our teammates'' amused expressions. Her feathers darkened to mortified reds.


    "You fell asleep on Io," I explained cheerfully. "I upgraded your pillow."


    "I did not!" She protested, quickly getting off me.


    "Did too," Io confirmed, slipping his book inside of his bag. "You were muttering something about annoying humans in your sleep."


    "I did not!" Cinder huffed.


    We emerged from the bank into what appeared to be a bustling medieval fantasy city on steroids. The crowd was absurdly diverse featuring rock, tree, metal and animal-people and not a single person was human or an Omnid. Massive mage-towers curved in whimsical patterns, leaning down slightly. Red flags flapped in the wind featuring what looked like a nine-eyed monster in a crown. Kitlix were practically everywhere, sitting atop of people and in windowsills. Strange creatures that looked like a cross between cats and owls fluttered between rooftops.


    "Ughhh. Did you seriously spend two and a half hours bothering the teller?" Cinder whined at me after about five minutes of walking as she pulled out her phone and checked the time.


    "Yes."


    "Whyyyyy?!"


    "I learned things," I said.


    "Like what?"


    "The Arx Bank values items based on their magic. For example, a gold ring from Earth is almost completely worthless here," I said. "While a drop of Genesis fluid could probably buy a house. Maybe the whole thermos would get me a flying castle. I dunno. Gotta shop around."


    "Genesis fluid?" Cinder''s eyes widened. "You... you brought Genesis fluid to Arx?!"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Also, check this out - I got us some spending money." I jingled the bag of gold coins in front of her. "This is like thirty thousand gold."


    "Did you... sell something that expensive?" Cinder squinted at me. "Please don''t tell me that it was the paperclip or a pencil."


    "Nope," I grinned.


    "How do you know HER password?" Vespera hissed, unable to help herself anymore. "Why do you have Em''s card?"


    "Put a spycam on her yesterday," I shrugged. "She uses the same password for all of her cards. Not very wise. Got her delver gold card while I gave her a hug."


    "Holy sheet, dude, you''re evil! I love it!" Vespera cackled.


    "Wait... what is happening?" Cinder demanded. "Where''s this money from?"


    Vespera put her beaks to Cinder''s ear and begun whispering furiously.


    "WHAT?!" Cinder rounded on me. "YOU DID WHAT?!"


    "Are you sure this is wise?" Katherine asked. "Em''s already trying to get you expelled..."


    "She can''t hate me any more than she already does. And now she''ll have to explain to her parents why she spent so much money in Shandria," I shrugged watching as Cinder ignited like a firework.


    "And when she claims her card was stolen?" Katherine pressed.


    "Stolen by whom, where?" I asked. "I can drop her card in the middle of the Shandrian market and that''ll be that. If that endless stairwell and the magisteel vault doors are anything to judge by, the Shandrian authorities don''t trust Omnithornia in the slightest. Does OFBS have ANY authority here? Can Omnithean Scrutimancers interrogate the bank rep about bank cards?"


    "Ummm... nope," Vespera answered. "The Arx Gate to Shandria is owned by Skyfall Academy and operated by Zalimar Evernacht. Random scruts won''t be permitted to go in. I''m pretty sure Zalimar has a premium account in Arx Bank and gets a % whenever a student sells something or trades currency."


    "Do you know what this means?" I asked Cinder who looked like she was about to explode.


    "What?" She growled.


    "Emerald will be going through last with Quint since she got herself punched into a wall so hard. Also, right before we left, I texted the school nurse to patch her up, that''ll delay her even more." I said. "Due to this, we''ll be ahead of her by an entire day. That''s a lot of time for me to be ahead, my dudes."


    "So dastardly," Vespera cackled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."


    "Alex," Cinder said. "You can''t just..."


    "Cindy," I shot back. "Yes I can. I''m not permitting Em or Zal to get away with this shit anymore."


    "But," she began.


    "No," I shook my head. "You don''t get it. All crimes committed against Omnids in Shandria are legal. Do you know what happened to Sarah Nisteroff, Ci?


    "Oh," Katherine said.


    "She... went out... at night," Cinder said. "Em said that..."


    She fell silent.


    I raised my eyebrows. "She didn''t go out. Emerald tricked her into going outside and closed the door on her. Sarah died clawing against the doors as the living Shadows chopped her up. They started with her toes and fingers and then went up. The Shadows toyed with her, chased her down the street as she tried to run, tried to find safety. Her assigned team captain lied on the team report. Emerald lied as a witness. Zalimar knew about it and let it happen. He''s been letting it happen for centuries! If I didn''t challenge Zalimar to a duel, if I never found four friends to stand by my side-it would been me out there, getting chopped up by the Shadows next. One does NOT go to Arx alone without people they can trust, without a plan of action!"


    Cinder swallowed.


    "There''s a reason why I''m Skyfall''s only mixie student on a nearly all-covering scholarship. You don''t get to tell me what''s ethical on Arx, Ci. I know what Zalimar and his patsies like Emerald did to other half or quarter-human students here. Yulia talked to their families via email, conducted interviews as a journalist. I''m simply the shadow of justice that''s catching up to everyone''s crimes."

 Chapter 31: Undertown [I]

    Cinder''s feathers shifted through troubled grays and somber blues as she processed my words. Her ocean-blue eyes were wide with a mix of horror and dawning understanding.


    "I... I didn''t know," she whispered. "About Sarah. Em told me she was just being stupid, that she wandered out at night because she wanted to prove herself...


    ¡°Where were you when it happened?¡± I asked everyone.


    "I was in the Gilded Gryphon Inn room," Cinder said quietly. "With Io. Em was sharing a room with Vee and Sol."


    "I was high as balls," Io admitted. "Em was chewing me up about something, so I did a bunch of stuff. Didn''t even know what happened until way later."


    "I didn''t do shit with my assigned team," Katherine said grimly. "Told them to screw off and do whatever. Stayed in a private room in the Guild Cathedral. Broke my assigned team Captain''s wrist when he tried to force me into staying with them at the Gilded Gryphon."


    I looked at Vespera.


    "I was getting smashed with Sol," she said, beak facing down and looking at me with a guilty face. "Em bought us two-hundred year old Shadow-wine and we played drinking card games till we got completely wasted by nightfall. Em said about teaching the nullie a lesson and Sol and I just laughed I think... I can''t remember what I even said. Fuuuuck."


    "Yeah," I nodded. "And that''s why I drained Em''s delver card. That''s why I''m going to make her life on Shandria extremely unpleasant."


    "Two wrongs don''t make a right," Io mused.


    "No," I agreed. "But three hundred platinum pieces worth of wrong might buy us enough influence to make sure it never happens again. All of you were here in Shandria and you did nothing, closed your eyes or didn''t know. Sarah wasn''t the first victim but I will sure as hell make sure that she is the last."


    A heavy silence fell over our group as the thoroughly shamed Omnids and I walked through the bustling streets of Shandria.


    . . .


    "So... Guild time?" Io asked, trying to fill in the silence between us.


    "Not yet," I shook my head, latching onto a colorful merchant who manned a table filled with various fruits.


    "Excuse me!" I called out to the man, who appeared to be some kind of bird-headed, dark feathered being. "What are those and how much?"


    "Thems springapples from my farm," the man replied. "Three copper for twenty."


    "Perfect!" I handed over three copper coins and received a bag of springapples. "So tell me about your farm..."


    "Oh for Slayer''s sake," Katherine groaned as I engaged the merchant in an enthusiastic discussion about agriculture on Arx. ¡°More delays.¡±


    The bird-headed man, who introduced himself as Agromancer Krekof, was more than happy to talk about his crowkin family''s springapple orchard just outside the city walls, tended by a large tentacled walker-type beast known as the Agrilopod. After milking him dry about this and that, I moved onto another merchant and then another.


    For the next few hours, I systematically interrogated every merchant, street vendor, and random passerby within reach about their wares, lives, and local customs. Katherine''s patience visibly deteriorated with each interaction, while Vespera found the whole thing mildly amusing. Cinder alternated between exasperated sighs and curious listening, occasionally adding her own questions or just browsing downloaded games on her phone looking bored.


    Io just kept munching his interdimensional chips, occasionally offering commentary about how certain market items reminded him of things he''d seen through his gates.


    "What are these colorful towers?" I asked a ginger foxgirl salesperson who was selling Voicecast bracelets from an outside booth next to a Guildnet shop, pointing a finger at a distinctively violet massive citadel-tower looming above us.


    "That''s a Mage Tower, friend," the foxgirl replied, wiggling large orange ears my way. "They''re build by Archmages and their Enclaves from stones cleansed through magic."


    "Cleansed how?" I asked.


    "I dunno," she shrugged. "I''m not a mage. It''s some kind of a bigly ritual involving entire Witch Covens or Mage Enclaves that does each one. See how they have individual colors? The color generally correlates to what the Enclave specializes in. Seer magic is Violet for example, so that''s a Seer Tower. Their Enclave can predict magical events or find lost things."


    "I see," I said. "Is it possible to buy one?"


    "Nah," she said. "A Tower like that is passed from mage to mage within the Enclave. They don''t sell em. A bunch of particular Enclaves usually form Guilds, which lease land from local Highborn Lords. For example, the Estate of Lord Rubius owns the shop behind me and pays my salary."


    "Can I buy a building and open a Barbershop?" I asked.


    The foxgirl eyed me with silver-blue eyes. "If you got the cash. You''re a human, ye?"


    I nodded.


    "You can sublease land from one of the Highborn Estates," she said. "High Lords generally don''t sell buildings or land, it stays in their family, passed from pure human to pure human."


    Huh.


    "Humans can do magic on Arx?" I asked her.


    "Is this some kind of a trick question?" She stared at me like I was a concussed idiot. "Everyone can do magic on Arx. Everyone on Arx has heart cores."


    Except for me, it seems.


    "What if someone was born without a heart core?" I asked.


    "Ain''t never heard of such a thing," she replied.


    "Do plants have heart cores?"


    "Plants have itty-bitty, micro-shards in every leaf or something</a>," she shrugged. "I dunno. I''m a Voicecast spec, not an Agromancer."


    "Can I Voicecast other dimensions?"


    "No."


    "Can I Voicecast anyone anywhere on Arx?"


    "No. You can easily Voicecast anyone with a Voicecast bracelet within Shandria. The Guildnet operating Mage Towers can connect you to Guildnet towers of other Shadow Empire cities or beyond it, but it won''t be cheap."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Can I Voicecast a dungeon?"


    "No. Dungeons aren''t sentient."


    "Can I Voicecast the dead?"


    "Yes."


    What the fuck.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. It''s not cheap though and the dead are generally obsessed over some stupidly specific shit they wanted to do while they were alive. I wouldn''t recommend it."


    "Is talking to the dead Necromancy?"


    "No," the foxgirl shook her head. "It''s just something that all high-level Nuntix Kitlix can do." She pointed at the magenta-colored Kitlix on her shoulder. "Necromancy aka raising the dead is illegal in Shandria. Anyone collaborating with a Necromage is to be executed by fire."


    "I see," I nodded.


    I moved on from the Voicecast salesgirl to other booths down the row of shops.


    I learned about local politics, market prices, Guild regulations, and most importantly - which areas to avoid. The merchants were particularly eager to warn us about the "bad" districts and share gossip about Highborns, monster attacks, dungeons, the Shadow Leviathan that ate people at night and Kitlix that were born from old magical items.


    As we made our way through the winding streets of Shandria, I continued my relentless information gathering campaign, until my throat felt raw. Every few steps brought a new target - street sweepers, window cleaners, craftsmen, food cart operators, even children playing with strange magic toys and pawing at adorable owl-kittens and sleek fox-crow pets called Chuppies.


    Katherine''s eye twitching became more pronounced with each delay and every random question I asked every single person in my path.


    I learned the prices of everything from street food to construction materials, with Yulia transcribing our conversations. Due to lack of internet the AI wasn''t connected to the various Omncorp LLM APIs so she wasn''t as clever or as fast at sorting information, but she was still cataloguing everything for review later.


    The local currency seemed to follow a completely different value system than Earth or Omnithornia, heavily favoring certain magical properties over raw materials. This was because Arx was insanely wealthy when it came to raw materials, plus some mages could convert materials into pure gold or diamonds with ease and duplicate non-magical and some slightly magical items. The more magical something was, the harder it was to duplicate, according to a key-duplication expert at a keymaker''s booth.


    As my companions grew progressively weary and irate, I pulled them into a cafe and we all enjoyed a hearty lunch. I swallowed my meal quickly and then chatted at the crowgirl waitress while everyone ate their food like normal people.


    In another hour, I pulled everyone into an imposing building covered in red and black flags.


    "Why are we here?" Cinder asked. "This isn''t the Adventurers Guild."


    "It''s better," I grinned. "This is the Guild of Manhunters."


    "The what? WHAT?" Most of my companions made noises like a confused flock. Only Vespera was giving me an evaluating look.


    I ignored them, walking to the teller booths.


    The teller who greeted us was composed of gray stone and pale blue sapphire, his crystalline features catching the light as he moved. He was basically a fusion of a rock and a person.


    "Welcome to the Guild of Manhunters," he said, stone beard twinkling. "I''m Zelsh Gofrotash How may we assist you today?"


    "I''d like to place a bounty," I said cheerfully.


    "A bounty?" The man arched an eyebrow. "Do you have the cash? Minimum bounty is ten thousand gold."


    I jiggled my coin bag.


    "Very well, follow me to my office to discuss the details," the man said. "Do be aware that we mainly hunt down criminals or runaway property."


    "Oh she''s a big criminal alright," I nodded.


    "So. Who is the target?" Zelsh asked as he sat down behind a marble desk, offering our group leather seats.


    "This individual," I showed the man a picture of Emerald on my phone. "Emerald Stratos. She''ll be arriving in Shandria within the next 28 hours or less via a gate. She will emerge from the Arx bank on 303 Mantaray Street."


    "Alex!" Cinder hissed, grabbing my arm. "You... The Manhunters are serious business! Are you seriously going to have Em assassinated?!"


    "Oh, I''m not asking them to kill her," I clarified, turning back to the crystalline teller. "Just... inconvenience her a bit. Make her stay in Shandria somewhat unpleasant. Nothing permanent. Put a bag over her head for a week, keep her in a basement... until I heroically rescue her of course. I wouldn''t want her to die here."


    "This can be arranged," the rock-man nodded. "A week of opponent imprisonment is thirty thousand gold. What level mage is she? What''s her alignment?"


    "She''s a Rubicund Lindworm," I explained. "High-level predator with fire abilities, enhanced strength, and expensive protective gear. Her alignment is Chaotic Evil with a side of entitled brat."


    "No," Zelsh shook his stoney head. "I don''t know what a Rubicund Lindworm is. What''s her magical alignment?"


    "She''s basically a dragon, I guess," I shrugged. "Throws dragonfire around. Weak to water jets."


    "Hrm," the crystal man stroked his glittering beard. "Given the target''s capabilities, that would raise the price to fifty thousand gold. We''d need to employ specialized containment methods."


    "Fifty thousand?" I whistled. "That''s a bit steep. What about just following her around and making her life difficult? What can I get for twenty thousand gold? Can you annoy her for a week and then make sure she ends up in a situation where she''ll need rescue due to falling into a well or something?"


    "For twenty thousand, we can arrange for continuous harassment and minor inconveniences," the crystal man replied. "Falling into a well can be arranged too. Our agents will ensure her stay in Shandria is thoroughly unpleasant without causing permanent harm."


    "Perfect!" I pulled out Em''s money. "Here''s twenty thousand gold. Make sure she has the worst week of her life. She will try to attack my group, your job will be to distract her with random NPC events."


    "I''m not familiar with the term NPC," Zelsh said. "But I understand that you wish her ''distracted''."


    Cinder twitched beside me, but didn''t argue.


    The crystal man counted the coins quickly and nodded. "Contract accepted. Our agents will begin surveillance as soon as the target arrives through the gate. Do you have any specific requests for the type of harassment?"


    "Nothing violent," I said thoughtfully. "Maybe... dump smelly water on her occasionally from windows or have children throw apples at her. Be creative. Don''t be obvious about it."


    "Absolutely," the crystal teller nodded. "Harassment without physical damage. Thank you for your patronage."


    "I can''t believe you just did that," Katherine muttered from behind us as we walked out of the Guild. "Actually, wait. Yes I can."


    "Impressive," Vespera clicked her beak. "Fifty shades of petty revenge. Didn''t know that the Manhunters guild could be asked to annoy someone like that."


    "Talk to enough random people and you too will be wise," I grinned.


    Cinder simply sighed, given up on trying to make me deviate from my anti-Emerald plans.


    "Don¡¯t look so glum, Ci. It''s basic corporate psychological warfare," Vespera shrugged. "Ain''t nothing new under the sun. I don''t have a beef with Em, since I mooched off her gold for years, but Lex obviously has a plan that requires this. Who am I to question my wise human husbando?"


    "I am crushed with your compliments," I pretended to faint. "Husbando? At least take me to dinner first!"


    "But darling," Vespera draped herself dramatically across my shoulders, her magisteel armor clinking. "I thought what we had was special! All those meaningful glances across the classroom, the way you let me zap your..."


    "Ci! You''ve known him for like four days!" Cinder growled.


    "Ah, but tis love at first spark," Vespera sighed dreamily. "When he walked past art class looking like a perfect snack, I just knew..."


    "Will you two STOP?!" Cinder hissed, wings shifting through angry reds and jealous greens.


    "Never!" Vespera cackled. "Your reactions are too precious! Look at those colors! You''re like a walking rainbow of denial! This is so much more fun than you being drab and dark around Em. Gosh. I''m tingling all over."


    "You''re insufferable," Cinder growled at us both.


    "And you love us for it," I grinned. "Now come on, we''ve got an Adventurers Guild to visit before all the good quests are taken."


    "Finally!" Katherine exclaimed. "Something actually productive!"


    "Follow," I grinned at her, wrapping my arms around Cinder and Vespera.


    I led our group through winding alleys, following directions gathered from various merchants.


    "Umm. The Adventurers Guild is that way," Katherine pointed at a massive cathedral-like structure visible above the rooftops.


    "We''re taking a shortcut," I said, turning down a narrow side street.


    "This doesn''t look like a shortcut," Cinder commented as we descended a set of worn stone steps into what appeared to be a lower district.


    "Trust me," I grinned, "It''s a shortcut to adventure!"

 Chapter 31: Undertown [II]

    After descending down a series of winding tunnels following nondescript markings on walls, we emerged into a barely-lit cavern.


    Another stairwell led us to a clearing and a balcony. I marched to its edge and then pulled on Lance''s Dark-sight goggles onto my face.


    "Dang," I whistled as my vision was amplified by the magic goggles, the view drawing my breath away. "This is much prettier than advertised."


    A mindbogglingly massive, dark cavern stretched out into all directions from the stairwell-adjacent stony balcony that we were standing at. Fog rolled across the distant streets below. Ignix Kitlix occupying glass lanterns flickered far below like tiny red dots.


    The ceiling shimmered with bioluminescent fungi, casting an eerie blue-green glow over cramped buildings that seemed to grow directly from the stone walls. Unlike the carefully planned streets above, Undertown was a maze of twisted alleys and precarious walkways, stone buildings carved atop of buildings in a messy jumble almost like a giant anthill rising up each gargantuan absurdly tall column. Waterfalls cascaded between buildings at random, joining into rushing, foaming rivers, heading lower into some unknown depths with a distant rumble.


    A few grimy Mage Towers loomed over the stone maze of buildings and had star-like lights burning above them, flickering ever so slightly.


    "This isn''t the Adventurers Guild," Katherine growled from where she stood, a few steps below me, looking over the eerie underground vista. "Where the shit are we even?"


    "Undertown," I replied, taking a photo of the gloomy city below me.


    "Why in the Abyss are we in... Undertown of all the places?" Katherine demanded.


    "We''re going to the other Adventurers Guild!" I grinned, taking a few more photos of me and my companions, cranking the ISO all the way up.


    Vespera walked towards me and hugged me and Cinder, taking a selfie with both of us with her phone and then looked annoyed at how blurry it turned out.


    I took one with my camera.


    "What other Guild?!" Cinder demanded.


    "You''ll see," I said.


    The Quetzi-girl exhaled dramatically.


    We departed from the balcony observation point and gradually descended some more worn stone stairs and then rickety wooden stairs into the fog-filled streets below.


    "The Gloomy Horse tavern," I explained as we walked. "According to that friendly gargoyle chimney sweep I talked to, it''s where all the best underground information brokers hang out."


    "Information brokers?" Katherine repeated. "We''re supposed to be registering at the Guild, not diving into the criminal underworld!"


    "Who says?"


    "The school''s curriculum?" The Stollwurm growled.


    "What''s all this complaining about curriculums?" I asked her.


    "I''m already failing this damn class," Kat hissed at me. "I thought that now that I''m in an actually tolerable delving team then maybe..."


    "Relax and trust your Quartermaster," I said. "You''re not going to fail any classes with me around."


    Cinder chortled beside me.


    "I''d love to trust you, but you''re not explaining shit!" The Stollwurm stated. "Why are we here?! Are you going to hire even more assassins to go after Emerald or something?! Going to start a murder competition maybe?"


    "Pff, no. We''re simply... taking a different path," I grinned at her. "The dark gloomy path. Aren''t you stronger underground? Pull those dark goggles off. This is your place. Embrace it. Become the predator you were meant to be."


    Katherine realized how dark it was, stopped and pulled her goggles and hood off. "Happy?"


    "See? You''re practically glowing down here," I noted. "Much better than those bright, colorful, merry, whimsical streets above."


    "That''s not the point," she growled, but I noticed her tail was moving with more energy, her footsteps silent even as she had a huge wheelchair covered in shields on her back.


    "The point is work to our strength," I said. "The point is that Omnithornia is a civilized 21st century society... while this place isn''t in the slightest. This is a dark, dank cesspit. You clearly love it here. Admit it."


    The Stollwurm huffed.


    After about thirty minutes of walking between dilapidated stone buildings passing by some very sus cloaked figures that gave us space, we finally approached what appeared to be a very old, somewhat crumbling, windowless fort carved directly into another gargantuan black and gray slate column, a dark, Citadel-style tower looming overhead, decaying dark parapets barely visible in the gloom.


    A weathered wooden sign at the front depicted a half-dead horse standing in the fog and looking at a crumbling old tower hung above the entrance. I could hear muffled conversations and the clinking of glasses from within.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "This looks... sketchy as eff," Cinder commented, her feathers shifting through wary grays.


    "Perfect," I grinned, pushing open the heavy, wooden, magisteel-reinforced door.


    The interior was dimly lit by faintly glowing Kitlix inside hanging beer jugs.


    The bartender was a tall, gaunt figure with dark gray skin and glowing brown-gray eyes, his hair and beard looking like it was made from dead, black roots. As I approached, he was polishing a glass with a rag that had seen better centuries.


    "What''s your poison?" he asked in a gravelly voice.


    "Information," I replied, sliding onto a barstool. "I heard the Gloomy Horse serves the finest in town. I''m looking for an... Adventure!"


    The bartender''s eyes narrowed slightly. "Adventure is only for those who can prove themselves. Information''s expensive. What kind are you looking for?"


    "The kind that doesn''t show uptown," I said, sliding a gold coin over to him.


    The bartender''s eyes gleamed as he took in our expensive delving gear and magisteel armor.


    "Follow," he said.


    We did, passing by a few gaunt, filthy, cloak wrapped figures nursing their alcohol jugs. The bar was mostly empty. Maybe it was too early to drink or something.


    The man waved a hand and a wall of dark roots parted.


    We ended up in another, even darker and grimier section of the bar that was carved from bedrock and covered in roots framing the walls. There were a few shadowy alcoves all around between the roots. A single Kitlix lantern flickered far in the back.


    The bartender snapped his gnarled fingers, and several cloaked figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding our group.


    "Fresh meat from upstairs," he grinned, revealing brown teeth that looked like broken tombstones. "Rich little delvers who wandered too far from the light. How... fortunate."


    "Oh good," I said cheerfully. "You''re going to try to rob us. Kat, would you kindly show these fine gentlemen what a Stollwurm can do in the dark?"


    Katherine''s emerald eyes flared in the gloom. The shadows around us suddenly deepened, becoming almost tangible. The temperature dropped sharply as her Stollwurm fear aura activated, amplified by the underground environment. The Kitlix winked out completely.


    "With pleasure," she growled, and living darkness exploded outward. Thanks to the borrowed goggles, I could see quite well in near-absolute pitch black.


    The cloaked figures recoiled, a few of their weapons clattering to the ground as primal terror gripped them. Even the bartender stepped back, his eyes widening.


    The nearest hooded figure, seemingly resistant to Katherine''s fear aura, lunged forward with a wicked-looking curved blade. The knife slashed across Katherine''s camo jacket and skidded upon encountering magisteel plates, sending a few sparks flying. Before he could strike again, Katherine spun with inhuman speed, her tail whipping around like a steel cable. The impact sent the attacker flying across the room, crashing through a table and several chairs before slamming into the far wall with a sickening crunch.


    "Anyone else?" Katherine growled, her emerald eyes blazing in the darkness she''d created. The remaining attackers backed away, trembling in fright and clearly reconsidering their life choices.


    "Now then," I turned back to the bartender, who was looking considerably less confident. "About that information. I believe we were discussing prices?"


    "What... what are you?" the bartender uttered, staring at Katherine with wide brown eyes.


    "Who do you think we are?" I asked.


    A cyan and black Kitlix emerged from the man''s root-mane. It stared at me with crystalline, glowing eyes.


    "You''re a Level One Human-Thunderbird... hybrid," the bartender said. "Whatever that is. And your four companions are..."


    He fell silent for a moment.


    "Quetzalcoatl, Stollwurm, Deathskull Mothman and Thunderbird...." he said. "But... that''s it. That can''t be it."


    "Oh?" I asked. "What''s wrong with that?"


    "I''ve never heard of such kin," the bartender said. "And I''ve had my share of¡­ clients. Plus my Kitlix is struggling to define your levels."


    "Ah, yes," I nodded. "That might be because we''re from somewhere very, very far away. Somewhere beyond the Wheel."


    The bartender''s face paled.


    "What?" He croaked.


    "Can your mages open gateways to other worlds?" I asked him.


    "No," The bartender shook his head.


    "Io," I grinned. "Would you kindly demonstrate to our good man what you can do?"


    The Mothman nodded, pulling out his harmonica. A haunting melody filled the closed section of the tavern, and reality began to ripple behind the bar, weaving a shadowy gate.


    I picked up an empty mug and chucked it through the portal, tearing apart the black membrane. The mug flew into the desolate landscape and then it froze in time due to the time dilation, shuddered and exploded, glass shards hanging within the portal, slowly crawling through the air.


    Through the gateway, we caught glimpses of a post-apocalyptic cityscape - broken skyscrapers, violet stars, and what appeared to be a massive fallen piece of something, perhaps a fallen megastructure. A titanic thing was looming between skyscrapers, a black figure covered in a shawl of what looked like human skins. A thousand silver eyes shone atop of its head.


    The bartender stumbled backwards, his violet eyes wide with terror. "By her Shadow... what manner of magic is this?"


    "That''s a dimensional gate," I said. "To another world where time is running eighty times slower. That¡¯s¡­ Mr. Noodles. He collects skins, I guess. It would take a single word for one of my lovely Knights to throw you in there and close that gate forever. Or you can work with us. Tell me everything about Shandria''s Underworld. Dungeon locations. Secret knowledge not meant for ears of simpletons above. Be extremely honest and cooperative and I will reward you with shiny currency." I jiggled my money bag.


    The bartender swallowed hard, his violet eyes darting between the still-open gateway, Katherine''s glowing emerald eyes, and my pleasant smile.


    "I... see," he said carefully. "Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. You have proven yourself as high-level mages and not mere children. Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am¡­ Guild Master Motrdem, owner of the Gloomy Horse... Undertown''s Adventurers Guild."


    "Excellent!" I beamed, motioning for Io to close the gate. "Now we''re getting somewhere. First round''s on me. Something old and magically potent from your catacombs for my friends."


    As Motrdem hurried to fetch drinks, I noticed the remaining cloaked figures had melted back into the shadows. The one Katherine had thrown was being dragged away by his companions.


    I looked at Katherine and my heartbeat accelerated. She stood by me, panting slightly. Her bulky coat was ripped apart, revealing a very curvy, fit body covered in glittering silver and dark blue magisteel plates.


    Gone was the crotchety, constantly drunk girl in a wheelchair. A tall, muscular Omnid night predator, a Knight of darkness stood in her place, emerald eyes glowing brightly from within like that of a cat, shadows warping and dancing around her in radial waves like inverted flames of an oxygen fire.


    She looked like a completely different person here - dangerous, powerful... alive.

 Chapter 31: Undertown [III]

    "Ugh, bastard ruined my coat," Katherine exhaled, pulling off her torn up camo jacket with a sigh.


    "Wow," I said. "Kat. You''re stunning. How did I not realize this?"


    Cinder choked from where she was standing. Vee smirked. Io dug out a pack of interdimensional candies called ¡°Dora¡¯s Tongue-Terraforming twisters.¡±


    Emerald eyes flashed at me, sending my thoughts careening into dark places, then quickly looked away. A blush crept across Kat¡¯s face as she crossed her arms, glaring at me, her spine curving unnaturally off to one side like that of a wurm.


    "Shut up," she growled, but there was less bite in it than usual.


    "No, seriously," I continued. "You''re like this badass underground predator ninja. The way you just yeeted that guy across the room? Amazing. And the fear aura? Chef''s kiss. Perfect execution. You''re not even wincing when you move... how?"


    "This place is dark," she said. "Darker than mere shadows. Full of treachery, fear, death and misery. Many people died here in pain over millennia. It feeds my Omnid heart, fuels my dark furnace."


    She pulled the giant magisteel sword from the wheelchair strapped to her back and swung it through the air, making it hum ominously.


    "Like a true Stollwurm," I nodded appreciatively. "Haven''t you been down here... in Undertown?"


    "No, I have not," she said. "Zalimar does not permit students to break protocol or to wander around like we are now. He makes Quint stay behind for a bit and goes in first. Nobody could deviate from the program under his watch."


    "Ye," Vee clicked. "The Koshei¡¯s lessons are bone-dry. Exchange money, go to the Guild cathedral, sleep at the Gilded Gryphon Inn, visit the market, collect magic grass from the fields, maybe visit a low level dungeon nearby when permitted, etc."


    "Speaking of bone-dry," I grinned as Motrdem returned with drinks. "Morty - what can you tell us about the dungeons of Arx?"


    The bartender set down our drinks - something dark and smoking in heavy crystal glasses.


    I eyed Io. The Motman grabbed a drink and sipped it. "No disasters. Just good ol'' vintage Shandrian Undertow Shadow-wine. Em bought it for us before."


    "There are many dungeons around Shandria," the Guildmaster said. "Whenever a mage dies, a dungeon is born. The more people and beasts a dungeon core kills, infects and ties to itself, the deeper it sinks into the hollow-filled shell of Arx. Go deep enough and you''ll find a dungeon worth your salt."


    "How deep are we talking?" I asked, leaving my drink be. I needed a clear mind.


    "There isn''t an upper limit," the Guild Master shrugged. "The deeper down you go, the more dangerous the dungeons become."


    "What is the purpose of dungeon delving? I asked.


    "Dungeons are where most potent magical items come from," Motrdem explained. "Whenever a Celestorm passes overhead, things manifest in the dungeon."


    "Things such as?"


    "Things woven from dreams and desires of men who died there or are delving there now," the bartender revealed. "Swords that can cleave through a hundred men. Armor that turns the wearer into living shadow or make them immune to arrows. Rings that make its wearer invincible or invisible or lucky in love. Magically charged gold. Magically charged gems. Artifacts of power."


    "And what happens to delvers who die in these dungeons?" I asked.


    "They become bound to the dungeon as Sentinels - hollow, walking, undead hives," Motrdem shrugged. "Smaller monsters or bugs grow inside their flesh which slowly becomes more and more aligned to whatever the dungeon''s alignment is. Sentinels are basically magical skills that pretend to be a person. The older a Sentinel is, the less of a heartcore they have. Takes about twenty years for a dungeon to completely devour a person from within."


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "Interesting," I nodded. "And these dungeons... they all have cores?"


    "Yes," the bartender confirmed. "The core is the heart of the dungeon. It is a skill of a long dead great mage bound into crystalline strata."


    "So if one were to, hypothetically, want to start their own dungeon..." I began.


    The bartender blinked at me like I was mad.


    "Kill a powerful mage in the wild," he said. "Place the core somewhere where someone won¡¯t pawn it for a few decades. That''s it."


    "So you''re saying," I leaned forward, "that if someone were to kill a powerful mage and place their core in a random room on Arx, a dungeon would just... form? Just like that?"


    "Yes," Motrdem nodded.


    "Do you people not have cemeteries?" I asked.


    "No," he said. "We do not. Those that die in Shandria are burned on the spot, the cores taken by the City Watch. Their cores fuel the Ward of Shandria."


    "And what are Celestorms?" I asked.


    As Motrdem launched into an explanation of magical weather phenomena that summoned wild monsters into existence, I felt Cinder lean against my shoulder.


    "What are you planning?" she whispered in my ear.


    "Just gathering information," I replied quietly.


    "You''re plotting something," she insisted. "I can tell by that chuppy look in your eyes."


    "Me? Plot? Never," I grinned. "I''m just a simple human trying to learn about this fascinating new world."


    "Simple human my tail," Cinder muttered, but stayed close.


    "Morty, I heard upstairs that your Guild is connected to dungeons," I said. "Please describe each for me."


    "The tunnel marked with a wave symbol leads to the Gloomkerr Dungeon. It is an underground watery abyss filled with fish and other marine creatures. It''s depths haven''t been scouted well and it is relatively safe with the exception of giant glowing slugs who occasionally show up. We acquired fish food from it."


    I nodded.


    "Tunnel marked with a spiral leads to the Crownspiral dungeon. It is a shell of a snail-god-beast. Within it, time is broken, looped into itself. It is not for the faint of heart for to delve deeper into the spiral one must kill their companions and sacrifice their blood to it. It reincarnates people, rewinds time while feasting on their mana. Those foolish enough to delve too deep in do not return."


    "I see," I said. "Anything else?"


    "The tunnel marked with a snowflake is the long cold tunnel diligently maintained by our Guild for many centuries. It leads to the Abystall dungeon directly below us which extends far past the West edge of Undertown. It is truly massive and ancient and it is where we procure our meats. It is safe to observe from above, but stepping into the field below will slowly drain an adventurer and all of their tools of mana. It is a very devious place, for the higher level someone is and the more magical their armor, the faster they will perish there."


    "Got it" I said, contemplating my delving options.


    I continued questioning Motrdem about everything from Guilds, to dungeon mechanics, to local politics, building a mental map of Shandria''s power structure. The Guild Master, seemingly relieved we weren''t going to throw him into another dimension, proved to be a trove of very interesting information.


    According to him there were a few Guildnet-connected Mage Towers in Undertown too, but they were in very shoddy condition and owned by unscrupulous, dangerous men who also ran criminal guilds or drug-peddling gangs.


    Katherine remained standing beside me, occasionally interjecting with surprisingly insightful questions about the deeper dungeons. Staying in the dark tavern, far below ground was doing wonders for her health.


    Vespera had settled into a corner booth, wings crackling softly as she listened and took notes on her phone. Despite the lack of signal to Omnithornia, the device still worked as a notepad. Cinder had gotten bored, lost track of my incessant question and was chewing on a wyvern leg next to Vee, obliterating it bone and all.


    "Is your tower considered a mage tower?" I asked the Guild Master.


    "No," he replied. "It wasn''t build by a mage. Its walls had never been aligned to one particular magic affinity or another. It is simply a Guild for all who wish to challenge the dungeons below or around us."


    "How come your bar is so dilapidated and half empty?" I asked.


    "I refuse to add Topaz to the alcohol served here and I do not allow attendees to smoke topaz cigars in my Guild," he replied with a small sigh. "It dulls the mind too much, slows response-time. Adventuring and Topaz-addled drinks or smokes don''t go well together."


    In another hour of conversation, I checked the time on my smartwatch and saw that it was getting late.


    ¡°Got a room for five with decent wards where nobody will bug us?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Guild Master nodded. ¡°Three silver a night.¡±


    I slipped the silver over to him.


    ¡°Bring us more of this Shadow-wine and dinner,¡± I said. "Guys order whatever you feel like, your Quartermaster is covering it!"

 Chapter 32: Sparks [I]

    The room Motrdem led us to was surprisingly cozy for being carved into solid rock.


    It featured a Slayer-sized bed in the middle that could fit four people in it and four smaller beds carved into alcoves, each for a single person. A table and a couch were carved into solid rock as well and a fireplace with a bunch of dried, thick roots sat in the corner with an Ignix Kitlix in it.


    Three animated paintings dominated the walls, enchanted scenes providing both light and ambiance. The one in the middle was that of a stormy ocean. It filled one wall with crashing waves and distant lightning, creating a soothing background noise. Windswept mountains on another wall showed snow swirling across jagged peaks, while the third depicted a peaceful valley covered in blue flowers that swayed in an eternal spring breeze.


    "Depictomancer work," Io explained as I stared at the art with fascination. "Works well when there are no windows. They say that the artists place bits of their soul into these."


    "Cool," I nodded as I grabbed a fried wyvern leg brought by the cook. "Alright team, let''s talk strategy."


    "Strategy for what?" Katherine asked, setting her wheelchair and bag down and collapsing backwards onto the large bed with a loud THUMP. "We still haven''t registered at the actual Guild."


    "Not interested in that," I said. "The uptown Guild is too restrictive. They''ll want us to do boring grass fetch quests."


    "So you want to do Quests for the Undertown Guild, is that it?" Cinder deduced. "The Abyss am I supposed to put in my report, Alex? That we''re working for criminals and murderers?"


    "You''ll write that we completed a series of Iron Rank quests and had a lovely time," I grinned. "No need to mention which Guild issued them."


    "That''s dishonest," Cinder protested weakly. ¡°I¡­ have to be an honest captain.¡±


    "I see that our lovely captain has inexplicably high moral backbone," I said. "Fine. I''ll buy a decrepit building in Undertown tomorrow from the local Guild Master and open my own Adventurers Guild and give myself Quests."


    "What?" Cinder sputtered. "That''s... even more..."


    "More what? It''s not illegal to make our own Guild," I said. "I asked. Shandria doesn''t have copyright laws or that many Guild setup laws. We can name it ¡®THE Adventurers Guild¡¯ and register ourselves as its only members."


    Cinder threw up her hands. "Fine! Do whatever! I give up. It''s clear that I can''t out-think your inane bullshit."


    She grabbed a bottle of Shadow-wine and began chugging it.


    "Woah there," I grabbed the bottle from her. "At least use a glass."


    "Give it back!" Cinder growled, her feathers shifting through irritated oranges.


    "Nope," I said. "Not until you hear my plan."


    "What plan?" she demanded. "The plan to start our own criminal guild?"


    "It''s not a criminal guild," I said. "It''s a perfectly legitimate Guild that will provide us with the perfectly legitimate framework to operate on Arx indefinitely."


    ¡°Operate on Arx indefinitely?¡± Cinder demanded. ¡°How?! You do realise that eventually they¡¯ll assign us a very stern substitute who will actually monitor our every move and make us do things properly... and then our Koshei Instructor will be back and smack all of us for insubordination and potentially ban us from the Arx gate?"


    "That''s not going to stop me," I said.


    "What?!" Cinder demanded. "That would absolutely stop you, the Abyss are you talking about?!"


    I put the wine bottle onto the table, dug into my bag and pulled out a cluster of silver-white, sparkling eggs.


    Everyone stared at the egg cluster, eyes bulging and mouths open.


    ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± Vee swallowed.


    ¡°Gate Weaver eggs,¡± I nodded with a giddy expression. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Where the shit did you get those?!¡± Cinder barked.


    ¡°Raided Zalimar¡¯s office,¡± I said. "His door succumbed to a credit card."


    Vee grabbed the wine bottle from the table, finished it rapidly and chucked it into a corner.


    Then, she aimed a talon at the fireplace and sent a loud bolt of lightning into the wood, igniting it. The Kitlix glanced at her, possibly annoyed that she had taken its job.


    The Thunderbird settled on the plush white-beast rug facing the fire and wiggling her legs, chainman twinkling.


    "Kay. I¡¯m in,¡± she laughed. ¡°It''s utterly unexpected and ridiculous but... We get to make our own rules and visit Arx as much as we want to. No more boring Zalimar-approved basic-ass fetch or delivery quests."


    "Exactly," I nodded. "We can create our own ranking system, set our own objectives, and most importantly, choose which dungeons to explore."


    "And how exactly are we going to explain this to the school?" Katherine asked from the large bed, staring at the Weaver¡¯s eggs with wide, cute, emerald eyes.


    "That''s up to our lovely captain," I waved a hand at Cinder. "Writing reports about our ''activities'' is her job."


    "Ughhhhh, I''m going to need more wine," Cinder groaned.


    "Here ya go, boss," Io dug into his bag and tossed her another bottle.


    Cinder caught the bottle.


    "Is that safe? What''s an ''SCA-approved alcoholic beverage?''" I asked.


    "Probably," Io shrugged. "I mean, I''m still alive. Someone somewhere approved it."


    "Not very reassuring," Katherine commented dryly. I saw that pulled off her armor, now only wearing her hexasuit. She appeared to be making a bed-nest of sorts out of the sheets and blankets for herself on the edge of the bed like an oversized kitten.


    Cinder shrugged, snapped the top off the bottle with her claws, chugged the entire drink before I could say anything and then slid onto the stone-carved, pillow covered couch.


    "Mmmm," Cinder let out after a few minutes, her feathers shifting through warm pinks and relaxed golds. "This is actually pretty good. Tastes like... rainbows and happiness."Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "You are drunk," I commented. "Slayer! Do you people just come to Arx to boose up?"


    "Mostly, ye," Vee commented from the rug next to the fire. ¡°The drinking age in Omnithornia is twenty one years old. We¡¯re eighteen, my dude. Obs¡¯ we gonna alcohol up on Arx.¡±


    "Am not drunk, okkay?" Cinder protested, her wings fluttering. "Just... everything is really sparkly and nice. And you!" She pointed at me accusingly, though her feathers were shifting through affectionate pinks.


    "Me?"


    "You''re all... sparkly too! Like a human-shaped shiny Poket-man! With your stupid cute smile and your stupid isssnane, absurd plans and... and..."


    "Ci''s a lightweight," Vespera commented, crackling with amusement. "Two bottles of happy juice and she''s gone."


    "Am not!" Cinder protested. "I''m just... observating stuff! And Alex is very... observable. And Guild-start-able. How do you even think of this stuff?"


    She reached out and pulled me to the couch. "Stop hoverin'' and commerrrr!"


    I landed next to her with an ''oof'' as she nuzzled into my side, her feathers shifting through a kaleidoscope of warm colors. ¡°Wass in youuur head?¡± She demanded slurring her words.


    "Brain spiders from beyond the stars," I joked.


    Glancing at Kat I noticed that she had finished her bed-fort-nest and was now snoozing softly like a curled up dragon-cat. Io had settled into an alcove nursing another Nonpareil-themed drink while reading his Inside the Moon Adventures novel again.


    "Jussst dat? Noooo way," Cinder giggled, poking my cheek. "You''ve got like... a whole SYSTEM in there. Like a big complicated machine. With star gears and stuff. And feelings. And... secrets."


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± I rolled my eyes.


    "Wanna know a secret?" Cinder whispered loudly, leaning close to me.


    "Yes," I said.


    Would she finally tell me about what happened to her two years ago? Or would I learn...


    Annnd¡­. She fell asleep on me.


    Don''t know what I expected.


    I sighed as Cinder''s breathing evened out, her feathers shifting through peaceful blues and silvers as she used me as a pillow.


    "Thar she goes," Vespera commented from her spot by the fire. "Like clockwork. Two drinks and she''s out."


    "Does this happen often?" I asked.


    "Only when she feels safe," Vespera clicked softly. "Usually she''s too wound up to relax like this. Em always had her on edge, ya know? Making her prove herself, pushing her to be more wary of everyone, more ''predatory''. This is... nice. Haven''t seen her this chill in two years."


    I carefully adjusted my position so Cinder would be more comfortable, her wings draped over both of us like a feathered blanket.


    The fire crackled as I thought about my first day on Arx and what tomorrow would bring.


    Io''s book fell from his fuzzy paw as he passed out, the thump made Kat''s large ears twitch ever so slightly like radar dishes in the direction of the noise.


    Vespera was still awake, feathered tail wagging left and right as she stared at the fire.


    ¡°Hey Vee?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mmmm?¡± She turned, half facing me. Gray eyes stared at me reflecting the fire.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked her.


    Vespera''s beak clicked softly as she considered it. Her black and white feathers shifted in the firelight, casting dancing shadows on the wall.


    "Who wants to know?" She asked with a bit of a drawl. "N'' why?"


    "I do," I said. "Yulia nominated you as a potential team member for plan D aka ¡®Delving buddy¡¯ but I didn''t really dig too deep as to the ''why''. So, I want to know who you really are¡­ from the bird''s mouth as it were."


    "A very loaded question," she finally said, her voice without the usual Valley girl accent spice. "Who am I? I''m many things. Daughter of Thunder blood. Heir to SimmiTech Industries. Best of 2024 class in artificery. Former D&D troupe member..."


    She paused, clicking her beak thoughtfully.


    "But I think what you''re really asking is - who am I beneath all those labels, yeh?" She turned to face me fully.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded. ¡°You don''t make sense in my mind yet. I only see your shallows. You are not protecting my human butt just because it''s funny. There has to be more to it.¡±


    Vespera was quiet for a long moment.


    ¡°You know,¡± she began. ¡°I''ve been playing the ditzy Valley girl for so long¡­¡±


    She shifted, her magisteel armor clinking softly.


    "My father... he''s a brilliant man. SimmiTech is one of the leading manufacturers of magitek in Omnithornia. And me? I''m supposed to be his perfect heir. Smart, capable, ready to take over the company someday."


    She let out a bitter laugh.


    "But that''s not who I want to be. I don''t want to spend my life in board meetings, discussing profit margins and market shares. I want... To fly. I want to be free.¡±


    ¡°Free?¡±


    ¡°I want to start my own... something, you kno''? Sadly ... I''m bound to my father''s name and legacy. Bound to another heir of another Omnicorp."


    "Bound to an heir?"


    "I¡¯m¡­ Engaged to a Jin Chan imbecile," she let out with a growl.


    "Arranged marriage?" I asked, perhaps a bit too loudly. Cinder curled against me tighter, making a soft noise.


    "Yep," Vespera clicked her beak bitterly. "To unite SimmiTech with Golden Star Industries. The Jin Chan family specializes in¡­ precognition stuff. They design probability engines. My father thinks it''s a perfect match - combining our electrical expertise with their probability tools could revolutionize magitek development."


    She paused, sparks dancing between her talons.


    "But Zheng Ker, my fianc¨¦... he''s exactly what you''d expect from someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Entitled, arrogant, treats everyone beneath him like dirt. Has a bazillion proper-ness expectations."


    "Are you acting ditzy to drive him away or something?" I asked.


    "Partially," Vespera sighed. "It started as a way to annoy him. He wants a proper, sophisticated Primo-Wife? Fine. I''ll be the complete opposite, an extra-dum¡¯ beerch. But then... it became more than that. Being the airhead party girl meant people underestimated me. Didn''t expect anything from me. Didn''t force me into stuff. It was... freeing, in a way."


    She paused, running a hand through her feathers.


    "My father..." she sighed. "He''s disappointed with my behavior, but he figures I''ll ''grow out of it'' eventually."


    "But you won''t," I said. "Because that''s not who you are."


    "Mmmm," she agreed. "I''m decent at what I do. I understand magitek better than most of our senior engineers. I can see the patterns in electrical flows, even understand how they interact with probability matrices. But if I show that... if I let people see how capable I am¡­ then¡­¡±


    "They''ll expect you to be the perfect heir for the planned corporate merger," I finished.


    "Exactly!" she clicked. "So I play dumb. I follow Em around like a lost puppy. I pretend to care about nothing but fashion, memes, hashtags and social media. And everyone believes it because it''s easier than looking deeper."


    She turned to look at me, her gray eyes intense.


    "But you... you saw through it. You and your cheeky AI figured out who I really am. And instead of using that information against me, you offered me a chance to be myself. To be part of something real¡­ something different.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Ya know,¡± She clicked her beak thoughtfully. "When I saw you walk into class, pretending to be Alexander Glock... I recognized that same mask. The careful construction of a persona. But you weren''t doing it to escape expectations - you were doing it to change things. To make a difference."


    "And that interests you?" I asked.


    "It fascinates me," she admitted. "You''re like this... this agent of chaotic good, breaking down the walls between humans and Omnids. Making people question everything they thought they knew. And you do it with such style! Such poise!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I smiled.


    She gestured at the sleeping forms of our teammates.


    "You''ve united a group of misfits, challenged authority, and made us all better for it. Io doesn''t talk much about his feelings, but I can see that he''s actually happy to be useful. Like, that gate he opened today to scare the Undertown Guild Master. It had value, purpose.¡±


    "And you?" I asked softly.


    "Me?" Vespera''s gray eyes met mine. "I''m totally fucked, to be completely honest. Part of me wants to run away to Arx ASAP. I can''t stand the sight, the texture, or the intelligence level of my fiance. I can''t do it. I can''t be my dad''s Primo-anything and it hurts. I don''t want to disappoint him and yet I am. I absolutely am.¡±


    "Have you told him?" I asked.


    "Told him what? That I hate everything about my arranged marriage? That I''d rather run away than marry Zheng?" Vespera''s feathers crackled with suppressed electricity. "That I understand magitek but I''m terrified of being trapped in an office, don''t want to be trapped in a system that divides everyone from everyone, puts people into castes, ties corpo mergers to weddings?¡±


    "Yes," I nodded. "All of that."


    ¡°I''ve alluded to it,¡± she said. ¡°I''ve alluded to things I didn''t want to do before. He said ¡®use your control over the current to rewrite your brain during the day. Optimize yourself at night with your Dreamancy skill. Change who you are until you are perfect.¡±


    "Dang..." I searched for words. "That''s pretty messed up."


    "Yeah," she agreed. "And the worst part? I could probably do it. I understand enough about bioelectrical patterns and Dreamancy inception to attempt it. These babies were made by dad for it.¡± She clicked her magisteel talons. ¡°But then... I wouldn''t be me anymore, would I? I''d be some perfectly optimized version that fits his vision of the perfect future.¡±


    Her eyes filled with sparks of tears.


    ¡°All of this is just me wasting time, you kno¡¯,¡± she let out. ¡°Killing time until I have no choice but to overwrite myself. What am I accomplishing? Fuck all. Where am I going? Nowhere!¡±

 Chapter 32: Sparks [II]

    "Is that why you jumped at the chance to help a human infiltrator?" I asked Vespera. "Because any change is better than the fate waiting for you?"


    "Pretty much," she laughed bitterly. "When I met you in the art class facing hallway and tasted your sparks, I thought - finally, something interesting, a human in Skyfall! When Em started texting about you being human, I thought that would be your undoing. And then you just... embraced it. Made it into this elaborate joke that everyone''s in on except Em. She can scream all she wants to but it''s like you shifted reality and she''s just stuck on the same track heading off a bridge and has no idea what to do.¡±


    She smiled softly and wiped at her eyes, more sparks falling.


    "That''s why you keep joking about marrying me?" I asked. "To cope?"


    "Partly," she admitted. "It''s also because you''re the exact opposite of what my parents want for me. A human? With no status, no magical ability, no corporate connections? They''d have an absolute meltdown." She grinned through her tears. "Plus, you''re actually fun to be around. You don''t look at me like I''m just some corporate asset to be optimized."


    I nodded.


    "You''re literally everything my father fears," Vespera laughed quietly. "A human infiltrator using technology to subvert Omnithean society. And here I am, helping you. Because at least it''s MY choice. Not his. Not Zheng''s. Mine!¡±


    Vespera''s talons tapped against her magisteel armor.


    "You know what the worst part is?" she whispered. "Dad''s not even the villain of this tragic tale. He loves me. He wants what''s best for me. He just... can''t see that his version of ''best'' is killing who I really am. My entire family is invested in this damned merger, cus'' it would bring greater prosperity to everyone."


    "Parents often hurt us most when trying to help," I said, thinking of how mom pushed me onto Uncle George instead of telling me the truth.


    "Yeah," she agreed. "And the thing is... I get it. I understand the business logic. The political advantages. The technological possibilities. This merger could revolutionize everything. But..."


    Her voice cracked.


    "But I can''t do it," she lamented. "I can''t marry someone who looks at humans and sees vermin. Who treats Omnid service staff and sixies like they''re beneath him. Who thinks that everything and everyone exists just to serve him. And I can''t... I can''t let them rewrite my brain to make me want it, want him!"


    Tears were flowing freely now, sparks dancing between them.


    "Dad says it wouldn''t hurt," she continued. "That it would be slow, day by day, month by month. That I wouldn''t even realize anything had changed. That I''d just... wake up one day and be happy with my life. Be the perfect daughter he always wanted. But that terrifies me more than anything. The idea that I could just... stop being me. Stop caring about the things I care about right now."


    I carefully shifted Cinder off me onto the couch and moved to sit beside Vespera. She flinched slightly as I approached but didn''t pull away when I put an arm around her shoulders.


    "Hey," I said softly. "Look at me."


    She turned her tear-streaked face towards me, gray eyes swimming with gold sparks.


    "You are not going to let them rewrite who you are," I said firmly. "You know why? Because you''re stronger than that. You''re not just some corporate asset to be optimized. You''re Vespera fucking Simmi, and you get to choose who you want to be."


    "But what choice do I have?" she whispered. "I can''t run away - they''d find me. I can''t fight back - they''re too powerful. I can''t even tell anyone this shit because who would believe the ditzy party girl over the respected CEO?"


    "I believe you," I said. "And I''m going to help you."


    She let out a bitter laugh. "How? You''re just one human."


    I stared at her.


    ¡°Fine, you''re a sneaky, clever hobbit,¡± she said. ¡°One that''s constantly walking atop the blade of a knife. Seriously tho, what are you going to do? Fight my father''s entire corporate empire? Blow up my fiance''s compound?¡±


    "Ehhh," I shrugged. "There are smarter ways.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± I shrugged. ¡°It''s late and my brain is soup and Yulia doesn''t have internet access to provide greater API AI-wisdom. For now, I can provide a shoulder to cry on, as is my job as your Quartermaster.¡±


    Vespera buried her face in my chest, sobbing louder now.


    ¡°I''ve been alone with this fucking burden for so long¡­ all this unsolvable shit hanging on my neck,¡± she sniffed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nice to have someone so incredibly illegal so outside of the curve of my peers that I can tell all this shit to. Thanks."


    I nodded.


    "You know... You''ve got no magic in ya, you''re so weak, so frail..." She let out.


    I arched an eyebrow at her.


    "And yet I see in you what I wish I could be. Cus you''re also someone who looks at the rules, decides they''re stupid, and just... changes them. You don''t accept the status quo. You don''t let others define who you are. That''s nice."


    I simply hugged her.


    "What''s horrifying is that we do it to ourselves," she said bitterly. "Optimize, sharpen, improve our minds with the talons produced by our clan. I''ve seen it happen. Cousins, friends... they go in wild and free, come out perfectly proper. Perfect heirs. Perfect wives. Perfect empty shells. Like well-polished diamonds. Sharp. Brilliant. Nice to look at."


    Her talons sparked dangerously. "The worst part? Everyone acts like it''s normal. Like it''s just part of growing up. ''Oh, little Vee finally got her optimization! Isn''t she so much more pleasant now?'' Not a single one sees it as evil or wrong. Better. More efficient. More... suitable."


    She spat the last word like it was poison.


    "We''ll figure something out," I yawned.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "You really mean that, don''t you?" she looked up at me, gray eyes searching my face. "You''re actually crazy enough to try and help me."


    "Of course," I grinned. "What are friends for?"


    "Friends," she repeated the word like it was something precious and new. "Did you... have friends before, in Acadia?"


    "No," I said. "Just my mom, and then Uncle George who taught me how to jailbreak everything around me. Machines, locks, people, systems, paperwork, social structures, rules. I didn''t have time for friends."


    Vespera nodded, understanding shining in her gray eyes. "Makes sense. You''ve been surviving, planning, seeking revenge, running away. Not living. Boop."


    She poked my nose with a talon, tiny lightning jumping from her finger.


    "Boop," I pointed a finger at her nose and visualized lightning running across me from the little bits of Thunderbird in my human body.


    Nothing happened. No lightning, no spark. I frowned.


    Vespera burst out laughing. "You can''t just will electricity, silly hooman! It takes years of training!"


    I dug captain''s lighter from my pocket and ignited it out of Vee''s view for a few seconds, letting mana permeate the air around me.


    "Boop." I said again, willing the universe to bend with all of my will.


    A tiny, almost microscopic electrical spark jumped from my finger. It flew slowly through the air between us like a small, fractal snowflake of inexplicably-contained electricity and landed on Vespera''s beak with a soft crackle.


    [LV 1 Skill gained: Lightningball.] Sparks dancing in my vision announced, the Lazarus bracelet tingling on my left arm.


    "How?" The Thunder-girl blinked at me.


    "I''m a Wizard," I replied sagely.


    Vespera stared at me, her beak slightly open. Then she burst out laughing, careful to muffle her sounds so as not to wake the others.


    "A wizard," she repeated, wiping a tear from her eye. "Right. Sure. You''re totally a wizard, my dude."


    "Tomorrow I''m going to get these three to make me shakes from their flesh too," I said, eyeing our sleeping friends. "And then I shall have unlimited powers."


    I snapped the lighter shut.


    "Abyss," Vespera chuckled softly, her laughter gradually subsiding. She wiped away the last of her tears, her gray eyes now sparkling with a mix of mirth and something deeper - a newfound sense of hope. "I think... I think I get what Ci sees in you."


    She shifted closer, magisteel plates clinking. I could feel the electrical charge building around her as she leaned in, her gaze intense.


    I could see radial waves of electrical magic dancing between us like we were two magnets.


    [LV 1 Skill gained: Electrofractal Sight.]


    Suddenly, all around, everything had a charge to it, polarity shifting and dancing between us like northern lights. Her gray eyes seemed to glow from within as electrical currents traced delicate fractal patterns across her magisteel armor. The fire''s light caught on her feathers, making them shimmer with contained storm energy.


    Magic. Genuine magic. I finally had it, after eighteen years of bumbling about and running... I had stolen a spark of magic from the god-beasts.


    Tiny arcs of lightning began jumping between her talons and my hexasuits, creating a web of soft blue-white light. The air itself seemed to crackle with potential energy, making my hair stand on end. Each breath brought the taste of ozone, sharp and metallic on my tongue.


    I was the ground and she was the thunderstorm up above. Gray steel eyes, like broiling storm clouds.


    Down was up and up was down. Gravity between us had given up.


    All that existed was electrical currents, beautiful in their radiance and magnetism.


    The crackle of electricity intensified as Vespera leaned closer, her breath hot against my cheek.


    Pulse. Another.


    Heartbeat. Lightning. Polarity.


    [You see that, feel that, sense that... don''t you?] Vee''s voice whispered, distant and fuzzy like rumbling thunder. [You see me. I see you. I feel you. Resonance. Feathers to feathers. Heart to heart. Brain to brain. Soul to Soul.]


    She wasn''t speaking with her lips, she was somehow communicating with electrical impulses alone. Her talons reached out to the sides of my head, microscopic lightning pointed at my neurons, electricity running across my brain.


    The sensation was indescribable - like being caressed by the northern lights, each point of contact creating intricate patterns of energy that danced across my entire nervous system.


    [You make me smile.] Her voice in my head like a distant whisper across everywhere.


    [You make me smile too.]


    Embrace of four hands.


    Electricity rushing across all of our neurons, reaching out to every cell, flickering, investigating, connecting, understanding, connecting, understanding.


    A loop of ever-expanding fractal senses, going deeper and deeper in with each twist of current.


    Then suddenly a voice cut through the electrical haze enveloping us, hexasuit covered arms wrapped in shadows pulling us apart, attracting the lightning, disrupting the frequency, breaking the connection.


    "Stop with the light show! Trying to sleep," Kat said, shaking each of us like little kittens by the scruff of our hexasuits. "Get a room."


    "We are... in a room," I breathed out.


    Sparks danced across my vision. I tried to blink them away.


    "Go thunderstorm somewhere else," Kat sighed. "Noisy."


    "Wasn''t trying to thunderstorm," Vee said. "I... don''t know how that happened."


    "Mmhmm," Katherine rolled her emerald eyes, still holding us apart with her magisteel-covered arms. "Sure. You weren''t trying to merge your electrical fields with him at all. That''s totally not what that was."


    "I wasn''t!" Vespera protested weakly. "I mean... maybe a little? I just... got carried away. The resonance was..."


    "Your resonance was about to fry his human brain," Katherine growled. "He''s not a Thunderbird, Vee. You can''t just sync with his nervous system like that. I could feel that like four meters away."


    "But he made a spark!" Vespera argued. "He''s got bits of me in him! That''s it! The resonance is so pure because he has my bits in him. If he was an Omnid, his body would just reject my Thunder-strata. But there is no rejection... and..."


    "I don''t want an Abyss-damn lecture about Thunderbirds," Katherine growled. "Bed now. All of you. Make out like normal people next time, don''t start producing Slayer-damned Celestorms in a confined space!"


    "I wasn''t..." Vespera choked.


    "Don''t care," Katherine said. "You were floating. In the air. If I didn''t stop you idiots, you would have set fire to the entire room or worse!"


    I winced as she shook me and Vee.


    "Look," the Stollwurm pointed at the edge of the fireplace. "A thunderbolt from you two floating knobs struck the stone here, it''s turned slightly transparent."


    I looked at the shimmering edge of the dark fireplace brickwork. It looked like a piece of silver-blue quartz was embedded in it now, shaped like a lightning bolt impact.


    Katherine dragged me to the large bed by my hexasuit collar and tossed me onto it like I weighed nothing. Then she did the same with Vespera, unceremoniously dumping the Thunderbird next to me.


    "Stay," she growled at us both. "Sleep. No more electrical experiments at night!"


    "But..." Vespera started.


    "Sleep!" Katherine hissed, her emerald eyes flashing in the darkness wrapping her. "Or I''ll drop you both into the deep and leave you there."


    "You too, rainbow," She picked up Cinder from the couch and deposited her on my other side. "Everyone stay. Sleep. No more magical whatever."


    The Stollwurm tapped the Kitlix lanterns, extinguishing them, and then went back to her nest, grumbling about "horny idiots", "dumb humans", "celestorms" and "bullshit magic lighters".


    Cinder''s wings wrapped around me, her feathers shifting through sky-blues and content silvers as she snuggled closer in her sleep. On my other side, Vespera was still like a mouse, her gray eyes wide and confused in the gloom, black and white wings fluttering.


    "What... what just happened?" she whispered. "How?"


    "I think we almost caused a magical incident," I whispered back. "Ummm... I might have released too much mana into the room."


    "No shit," Katherine growled from her nest. "Now shut up and go to sleep before I start bonking on the head. You''re lucky that you have me to watch over you. I take my Knight job seriously, unlike some people who just want to screw around."


    Her eyes closed, radar-dish ears twitching.


    Vee buried herself into my side, looking very embarrassed.


    The room settled into a deep, underground silence, punctuated only by the sound of crackling fire and soft breathing.


    The fire in the Kitlix-managed hearth slowly died down to glowing embers. The Ignix Kitlix stared at me from the fireplace with a concerned expression.


    She knew what we did. She saw everything.


    She did not like it.


    Kitlix didn''t have feelings, I assured myself. They were just magic algorithms. Crystallized mana without thoughts, without a personality. Dumber than a snail. No long term memory. No memory of any kind in an Ignix Kitlix who''s only job in life was to light firewood and hold heat longer in a room.


    Tomorrow. There was always tomorrow. The mana would dissipate and that would be that.


    This totally would have no long term consequences. I absolutely wasn''t thinking about that crystallized bit of stone.


    I glanced at my stats. There was still an ungodly amount of mana in my body.


    This was fine. Kat was watching us, listening, keeping us safe even when asleep. She stopped us from making a big mess.


    My heart slowed and sleep finally won.

 Chapter 33: Dreamancy [I]

    Falling leaves. Broiling storm overhead. Pouring rain.


    It started just like my dreams usually did.


    Except then. It wasn''t.


    The autumn melted away, dissolved as if washed away. The sky above was blue and the ground below was the star-shaped cobblestones of one of many Skyfall Academy garden paths.


    An unnaturally elongated stretched wolf, the flesh shifting and warping into a very handsome, overly muscular man, the wolf bits adjusting themselves like a living canvas perfecting, optimizing appearance. A perfect, dashing smile that accelerated my heartbeat.


    I tried not to focus my eyes on him, looking instead at the pretty white towers in the distance. I thought about leveling up again, about sitting, meditating and spreading my rainbow wings, humming. Singing.


    White just like the dress on my body.


    Dress. What am I seeing? This isn''t my dream. This isn''t me! Wake up!


    I tried to snap my fingers, tried to step away from the dream, but it was impossible. I felt ground into the narrative, events moving too fast and too slow like drowning in molasses, suffocating me in alien feelings and thoughts.


    "Your voice..." the Skinwalker''s perfect teeth gleamed as he spoke, each word dripping with honeyed charm. "It called to me. I heard you sing at the Spring Equinox Festival and I knew... I just knew we were meant to be."


    Skyfall. This was Skyfall Academy. This was Cinder''s dream.


    I felt Cinder''s heart flutter - her heart, not mine. Her emotions washing over me like ocean waves. The excitement, the flattery, the dangerous thrill of being noticed, being wanted, being loved.


    "Really?" Cinder''s voice - my voice in this dream - came out soft.


    "Yes," the Skinwalker moved closer, his perfect face catching the light just right. "Your voice... it speaks to something deep inside me. The way you can make people feel things... it''s incredible."


    I felt myself blush, feathers shifting through pleased pinks and flattered golds. His words were like honey, sweet and intoxicating.


    Cinder. Cinder!


    What are you doing? Don''t listen to him. Look at him. He''s obviously up to something. He''s in phase-shift, rearranging, optimizing his appearance to appear perfect. A hunter looking for easy prey. An upperclassman.


    Except this isn''t Cinder. This isn''t January. It''s the end of March and there is a million gardens blooming around Skyfall, the trees painted pink and violet.


    "Your voice is a gift," the Skinwalker upperclassman purred, the tonality of his baritone shifting around. "A rare and precious ability that deserves to be nurtured. Together, we could do amazing things."


    I felt Cinder''s heart race faster. The way he looked at her - at me in this dream - made her feel special, chosen. His perfect features seemed to shift subtly, becoming ever more appealing, ever more mesmerizing.


    "Together?" I asked. "Are you a musician too?"


    "Not quite," the Skinwalker''s perfect smile widened slightly. "I''m in Acting Club though. Comes with the phase-shift skill territory, you know."


    I watched through Cinder''s eyes as he demonstrated, his form shifting subtly - becoming taller, more imposing, more perfectly aligned with whatever idealized image of a perfect boyfriend she held in her mind.


    His movements were calculated, each gesture designed to draw attention, to create an illusion of genuine interest. I recognized the techniques because I''d used them myself - the subtle mirroring of body language, the careful calibration of personal space, the way he let silence hang just long enough to create tension before speaking.


    "I''ve been watching you," he continued, his voice modulating to hit exactly the right emotional notes. "The way you hold yourself apart from others, occasionally wrap those wings around yourself like armor... but when you sing, that''s when the real you shines through..."


    He ranted on, pouring honey across her mind. Clever, catchy words.


    Classic cold reading. Start vague, then get more specific based on reactions.


    A perfect bad boy with just enough edge to be exciting but not truly threatening. Every movement calculated, every word chosen to create an illusion of depth and understanding as they chatted in the garden about teachers and classes.


    The Skinwalker leaned in slightly. "You''re not like the other students here," he said softly. "They''re all so... shallow. Focused on power, on status. But you... you see beauty in the world. Your songs speak of deeper things."


    I felt Cinder''s heart flutter again.


    "When you sing," the Skinwalker continued, his voice dropping to an intimate whisper, "it''s like you''re speaking directly to my soul. The way your feathers shift through colors, telling stories without words... it''s magical."


    I felt Cinder''s younger self practically melt at his words. Her feathers shifted through more pleased pinks and warm golds, betraying her emotions completely. She was so much more open then, wearing her heart on her wings and body.


    "I''ve written something," he said, producing a folded paper from his perfectly tailored jacket. "A poem... inspired by your voice. Would you... would you like to hear it?"


    The younger Cinder nodded eagerly, completely caught in his web. The poem was beautiful - of course it was. If I had Yulia I could tell exactly where it was pawned from.


    "That''s... that''s beautiful," Cinder breathed, her wings shifting through amazed silvers and touched blues. "Thank you."


    "Just like you," he replied smoothly, reaching out to brush a feather with perfectly manicured fingers. "You inspire such beauty in others. Such passion."


    "T-thank you," Cinder stammered out.


    "I''m Valor," he said, his perfect smile widening. "Valor Thornheart. Senior year."


    That sounds made up. If I had Yulia I would check his real name, look him up in seconds. But this wasn''t me. This was...


    "Cassiopeia Nova," I heard myself reply shyly. "But... my friends call me Cassie."


    "Cassie," he tested the name, making it sound like music. "A beautiful name for a beautiful soul."


    He pulled out his phone - the latest 2022 IOmniss model of course - and held it out. "Perhaps we could exchange numbers? I''d love to hear more of your singing... maybe over dinner?"


    I felt Cinder''s younger self practically vibrating with excitement as she entered her number into his phone.


    "Tonight?" he asked. "Seven o''clock? I know this lovely little place in Leviathan''s Cradle... With the view of the water."


    "Yes!" Cassie agreed eagerly. "I''d love to!"


    "Perfect," Valor''s smile was dazzling. "I''ll pick you up at the main gate. Wear something pretty. White for the occasion of spring."


    He turned to leave, then paused, looking back over his shoulder. "Oh, and Cassie? Don''t tell anyone about this. Let''s keep it our little secret for now. You know how the rumor mill is in this place."


    Cassie nodded vigorously.


    No damn it! Tell someone. Tell anyone! You have friends, right? Io? Vee? Sol? Emerald even! No. No! Cassie!!! Listen to me! He''s...


    The dream lurched sickeningly, time folding like origami, and suddenly I was outside the gates at seven, wearing a different, floaty white dress that made me look younger, more innocent. More vulnerable.


    Valor was waiting, looking even more perfect than before - if that was possible. His sky glider was expensive, sleek, black as night.


    "You look stunning," he said, opening the shimmering wingswith a flourish. His eyes seemed to glow in the gathering dusk. He looked like a hungry wolf, but he was already changing, already shifting to adjust to her preferences.


    I wanted to scream at Cassie to run, to fly, to do anything but get in that glider. But I was trapped in her memories, forced to watch as she slid into the hexamesh bone seat, her heart racing with excitement rather than fear.


    We weren''t heading toward the nice areas of town. The Strand-Glider flashed past the ring of mountains, outside of the city''s limits.


    "Um, Valor? Where are we going?" Cassie asked, the first hint of uncertainty creeping into her voice.


    "Somewhere special," Valor''s perfect smile hadn''t changed, but there was something predatory in it now. "I want to show you something amazing. My favorite place. Have you ever been to the lake Eerie? They say that, it was formed by the spilled blood of the Leviathan. They say that whoever makes a wish on the shore... while casing a beast core of over level 100 into the lake will have that wish come true. Any wish at all."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Ask him about the core! Come on!


    "So like do you have a core then? Cus I don''t carry beast cores that high level on me," Cassie said, feeling nervousness flood her body.


    "Of course! One for you, one for me," Valor''s eyes ignited with yellow. He pulled a suitcase open. It was there. Two level one hundred beast cores, sitting on a velvet pillow. Expensive. So expensive.


    Too expensive. Where did a student get those? Even an upperclassman. The math wasn''t adding up. Who would spend so much money on a beast core just to throw it into a lake like a common coin?!


    The Strand-Glider banked sharply, descending toward a secluded shoreline. The lake spread out before them, dark waters reflecting the stormy sky above. No other vehicles in sight. No witnesses.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Valor''s voice had changed subtly, losing some of its honeyed warmth. "Almost as beautiful as you''ll be when..."


    He caught himself, that perfect smile returning. "When we make our wishes together. It''s so romantic, don''t you think?"


    Cassie nodded, but I felt her uncertainty growing. Her wings shifted through nervous lavenders and cautious greys. Something was wrong. The isolation. The expensive cores. His shifting appearance becoming slightly less perfect as his concentration wavered...


    "Maybe we should go back," she said softly. "It''s getting late and..."


    "Oh no," Valor''s smile widened unnaturally. "We can''t leave now. Not when we''re so close. Don''t you want your wish to come true, little songbird?"


    Cassie! CASSIE! You have to contact someone you know damn it! This is some kind of a trap! Emerald, you know Emerald don''t you? Call Emerald!


    Through Cassie''s trembling fingers, I felt her pull out her phone, trying to keep it hidden as she typed: "Em. Lake Eerie. Help."


    The message didn''t send. No signal.


    Of course there wasn''t any signal. Of course. This was planned.


    I pressed the emergency panic button, hoping that it would get through to our familial Corpse Seeker via the Astral flesh-chip embedded in the depths of my phone.


    "Something wrong?" Valor''s voice had an edge now, his perfect features starting to slip, becoming more angular, more predatory. The phase-shift was changing up, revealing glimpses of something else beneath the handsome facade.


    "N-no," I stammered, wings pulling tight against my back. "I just..."


    "Give me the phone, little songbird," he said softly, dangerously. His hand extended, no longer perfectly manicured - the fingers too long, the nails darkening into claws.


    "I don''t..."


    "The phone." His voice distorted, multiple tones overlapping discordantly. "Now."


    My hands shook as I handed over the device. Valor''s unnaturally long fingers crushed it effortlessly, letting the pieces fall to the ground.


    "There," he smiled, and it was no longer a perfect smile. Too many teeth.


    "Why can''t I..." I hissed, trying to target him with my wings. My Chaincharm magic was simply spilling around him like water.


    "A Void-shard from Arx," Valor pulled a dark-pyramid artifact on a chain from his robe. "You won''t be able to use your Charisma or claws against me, little songbird."


    "Just... just what do you want?" My voice trembled, wings flaring defensively as I backed away from the increasingly monstrous form before her. "M-my dad is the Justice of Leviathan''s Cradle! If a single hair falls off my head then..."


    His perfect features were melting, running like wax, revealing something vile and hungry beneath. The phase-shift was now showing what he truly was, a predator, a half wolf half man covered in glistening pale bone-muscles.


    "Your voice, little songbird," he rasped, multiple tones grinding together like broken glass. "Such a rare gift... the ability to make others feel, to influence their very souls through song. Do you have any idea how valuable that is?"


    He stalked forward, his movements no longer smooth and calculated but jerky, predatory. His skin rippled and shifted, patches of white fur breaking through at random.


    "The cores..." I gasped, understanding finally dawning. "They''re not for wishes, are they?"


    "Of course they are," the thing that had been Valor laughed, the sound like metal scraping bone. "Just not your wishes, little songbird."


    The storm overhead intensified, lightning crackling across black clouds. Wind whipped around us, carrying the scent of ancient magic and something older, fouler.


    "You see," he continued, circling closer, "there''s an old ritual. Very old. Requires specific ingredients... pure, perfect, Omnids. Singers. Charisma users. Callers. People who can draw the crowd or other things... in."


    More Strand-Gliders descended from the stormy sky, landing in a loose circle around us. Transparent bug wings unfurled, opened with synchronized precision, and other lanky figures emerged - leading terrified young women and carrying identical suitcases.


    I felt Cassie''s horror as she looked at the other girls.


    Each one dressed in white, like sacrificial lambs. Each one accompanied by a perfectly handsome "date" who was now shifting, melting, revealing their true forms.


    "Welcome, one and all!" Valor called out. "We have gathered the final components. Tonight, we shall attempt to reawaken the Leviathan herself and wish upon her just as Slayer Nazareth had once, long ago!"


    The other Skinwalkers responded with inhuman sounds of howl-triumph, their forms rippling and stretching in the storm light. Their captives huddled together, wings and tails and ears trembling in fear. Some had bruises, evidence of being forced into the glider.


    "Into the lake, little songbirds," Valor commanded. "And sing. Sing like your lives depend on it." He paused, that terrible grin widening. "Because they do."


    Cassie and the other girls were forced into the frigid water, white dresses billowing around them like funeral shrouds. The lake felt wrong - too thick, like wading through soup.


    "Begin!" one of the Skinwalkers roared, and threw the first beast core into the depths with a sickening splash.


    Terrified and trembling, the captives began to sing. Their voices rose in desperate harmony - some trained, some raw with fear.


    "Valor! You can''t bring the leviathan back! It''s been..." I stammered out, trying to appeal to reason where there was none.


    "It hasn''t been any time at all," Valor laughed. "Can you tell me the date of when the leviathan died exactly? Because nobody can. All of the books have different dates because the leviathan bends time itself. With enough magic, enough power, enough resonance, we can reach back through the folds of time itself," the mad man-wolf continued. "Back to when she still lived, still granted wishes. And with your voices, your pure Omnid essence, we''ll bind her to our will!"


    Another beast core splashed into the dark waters. The liquid began to glow with an unnatural light, pulsing in rhythm with the forced, discordant song.


    "Sing!" Valor kicked Cassie into the water. "Sing for me as you sang at the Spring Equinox Festival! Tear through the veil with your voice!"


    One of his hands stretched into a sword of bone, pointed at my heck. "SING!"


    I felt Cassie''s terror as the bone blade pressed against her throat, forcing her to join the chorus. Her voice, usually so controlled and beautiful, came out raw with fear. The other girls'' voices wavered and cracked around her, their combined song creating something terrible and wrong.


    More beast cores splashed into the lake, each one making the waters glow brighter, pulse faster. The liquid felt alive now, writhing against our legs like countless serpents. Through Cassie''s eyes, I watched as shapes began to move beneath the surface - massive, ancient, ghostly things stirring from centuries of sleep.


    "Yes!" Valor''s distorted voice thundered over the storm. "Can you feel it? The barriers between then and now growing thin! Sing louder! Break through! Summon her!"


    The water was up to our waists now, though none of us had moved deeper. The lake itself was rising, reaching for us with hungry tendrils of dancing, glowing water.


    The air thrummed with power. Then something snapped, like a rubber band.


    The water suddenly retreated, flash-freezing around our ankles, trapping us in place.


    I felt Cassie''s panic spike as she tried to wrench free, her wings beating uselessly against the storm.


    Through her eyes, I watched as the lake''s surface began to ripple and distort, not with waves but with... something else. Like reality itself was folding, unfolding, refolding in impossible ways.


    "Perfect!" Valor laughed. "Now for the final part. Sacrifice."


    "What?!" I cried out, my song halting.


    All around me, Skinwalkers slashed their elongated bone-swords and knives at the girls, blood splattering across the frozen lake.


    I looked around in rising terror as the girl to my left bled out with a scream. Then Valor''s sword-hand went through my chest. It hurt. It hurt more than anything. I didn''t die right away.


    Again. Another stab right through my stomach. More blood.


    The ice below thrummed, crackling with blood-red fissures reaching to the gargantuan bones looming in the distance.


    "Rise! Rise and grant me my wish!" Valor howled, soaked in my blood. Other Skinwalker voices joined the chorus of desire for power.


    The storm above us spun in a perfect circle, the eye of the hurricane twisting and warping, a wall of dark, gray clouds going up and up, now showing the shattered, crystal-infected moon.


    "My family... they''re... going to find you," I wept, bleeding to death. "They''re going to rip out your heart... make you pay..."


    "They won''t," Valor said. "There is enough wild magic here to overwrite all scrut-sight. Nobody will find your little incarnator bracelets."


    "You... are... insane," I gurgled. "You... can''t bring... the leviathan back... with... so little... magic..."


    "This isn''t our first rodeo songbird," Valor smiled. "And not our last. With enough Omnid blood spilled in one place at a specific time, the door will open sooner or later."


    The sounds of snapping bone and tearing flesh all around. The other Skinwalkers were tearing out, carving away the hands of their victims, ripping out Lazarus bracelets.


    This was how I was going to die. Permanently. Forever. No, no, no...


    Valor took his time with me, his bone-blade gradually sawing my left wrist off, while his other hand held it like a vice. The blaster null-artifact on his neck left me powerless, as weak as a human.


    What were they even going to do with the bracelets? Hide them somewhere deep underground? Throw them into the ocean?


    I watched as the Skinwalkers pulled their sleeves up and snapped the Lazarus bracelets belonging to their victims to their own wrists. They had five or more bracelets on their wrists already.


    Valor caught my horrified expression.


    "It''s hard to remove a soul permanently from existence so that there is nothing left for the scruts and Corpse Seekers to sniff out," he purred, pulling back his own sleeve to showcase nine Lazarus bracelets strapped to it. "Except this one simple trick. A stronger soul always absorbs and devours the weaker one. I will enjoy digesting you. It will take a few months until you''re fully part of me, dissolved into my psyche."


    Most of the Skinwalkers were done strapping newly acquired Lazarus bracelets to themselves. They pointed fire wands at the bodies, igniting them to ashes walking to their gliders and taking off.


    Valor was slower than the rest. He enjoyed how I shattered from fear, my sanity tearing, coming apart at the seams. He squeezed my half-sliced wrist and my bones cracked. The pain was all-consuming, impossible to fight off. I screamed again.


    Then his head detonated, exploding into bits and pieces.


    I blinked tears out of my eyes.


    Emerald stood there, standing atop of her glider, holding Dr. Greyfield''s black railgun EVA in her hands, her entire body blazing with brilliant flames of dragonfire.


    She found me! She saved me! My text must have gotten through somehow!


    Emerald rushed to my side and the ice around my feet melted from her blaze. The fire around her body extinguished as I dropped into her hands, weeping and trembling.


    "How did you..." I let out as she dragged me to back to the glider, injecting something into me that drew away the awful, gut-wrenching pain from my bleeding body and broken wrist.


    "I''m always in contact with my family''s Scrutimancer," she sad. "Always. Don''t trust anyone. When you didn''t answer my call after school and ignored my texts, I called him up and he said that you''re most likely in big trouble. I claimed your phone as part of my hoard... that one time during a sleepover, and I can sort of sense where my hoard items are. Scrut Davosh guided me the rest of the way."


    She shoved me into her glider and went back, igniting her flame-sword and returned with Valor''s bracelet-covered hand.


    "Why?" I groaned. "Shouldn''t we..."


    "Contact the authorities?" Emerald arched an eyebrow. "I don''t think so. His glider looks fine n'' ''xpens. They''ll probs just slap him n'' his pals on the wrist for this. No. We''re going to incarnate him in my basement and then my Scrut will interrogate him and find the names of all of his buddies and then take them all out. One by one."


    "You...?" I let out.


    "Me?" Emerald raised an eyebrow and slipped the railgun into my lap. "Naw. You''re going to do it. This is your vengeance, your step forward to your new self. You''ll rise from their ashes like a phoenix reborn a thousand times stronger. I''ll totally assist tho, plus some hired goons will back us if anything. Got good stuff in my parents'' hoard. Quality armor. Amps. Best potions from Arx. Beast cores. All the good shit needed for slaughter. We won''t stop till this Skinwalker Clan is no more. Can''t have them hurting my precious bestie."


    Emerald grinned wide, looming over me. "Remember what I told you about Equalizer Predator Theory, Cass? Now you know it to be true. The strong always devour the weak. You have no choice but to get strong now, become top predator! Think of a good Kaleid name for yourself... Reject your past self, reject love, become reborn!"

 Chapter 33: Dreamancy [II]

    With a blinding flash of lightning from the storm overhead the dream ground to a halt, froze like a paused video.


    Emerald''s form became suspended mid-motion, her scales still glowing red with residual dragonfire. The storm hung motionless overhead, lightning flash shearing brilliant tears across the sky, not fading away.


    I felt myself separating from Cassie''s memories, my consciousness pulling away from hers like oil from water. The sensation was disorienting - one moment I was bleeding out in the passenger seat of Emerald''s glider, the next I was standing beside it, watching the scene as... myself.


    As Martin Kilborne.


    Cassie blinked rapidly, her ocean-blue eyes clearing as she too seemed to separate from the memory, awakened from her dream. Her feathers shifted through confused dark red-grays as she looked around at the paused scene.


    Then her gaze found mine and she rose from her seat, blood splattered white dress and all.


    "You..." she started, her voice trembling slightly. "What... what are you doing in my nightmare?"


    "To be honest," I said. "I''m not really sure."


    [Skill Unlocked: Dreamwalker LV 1] Silver sparks flashed across my eyes, burning into coherent letters.


    "Oh," I said blinking the messages away. "I guess... I just learned Dreamwalking."


    "Get out of my head, Martin!" Cinder snarled, advancing towards me on the beach, her face Phase-Shifting into a snarling dragon, eye shining like blue comets, claws extending, wings flaring with grays and blacks. "This isn''t... you shouldn''t be here! You shouldn''t see this!"


    "Love to," I said. "but can''t. Like I said before, I don''t know how I even got here. It was an accident. I didn''t mean to intrude. I think it happened because we are sleeping next to each other."


    "Since when did we... Arghhh! This is private!" she hissed, wrapping her wings around herself. "These are MY memories! MY nightmares!"


    "I know," I nodded. "And now I understand why you quit singing. Why you let Em control you."


    "Shut up!" Cinder''s feathers bristled. "You don''t understand anything!"


    "Seems like an open and shut case," I said. "Em saved you that night. She helped you get revenge on the Skinwalkers. She gave you purpose, direction, a way to feel strong again."


    "Stop it!" Cinder''s voice cracked. "Just... stop analyzing everything! This isn''t some puzzle for you to solve! Abyss-damn it! I didn''t... I don''t..."


    Her eyes filled with tears.


    Another figure melted away from her body, like spilling silver-fluid, twisting and writhing through the air and reforming into a familiar form.


    Vespera clicked her beak, sitting on the edge of Emerald''s glider.


    "Curious," Vespera commented, her gray eyes studying the frozen scene. "So this is what happened with you n'' Em. I see why you don''t talk about it. You murdered em'' all didn''t you?"


    "Vee?!" Cinder choke-sputtered, spinning towards the Thunderbird. "You''re here too?!"


    "Mhmm," Vespera nodded. "Guess we''re all sharing dreams now. My bad. Dreamancy is one of my skills, the stuff that dad wants me to use to rewrite myself into a proper Prima-princess bride n'' Chief Technology Officer. Guess Lexy mooched it off me with the shake. This really shouldn''t have happened. It must be the lighter. Whatever it''s doing... is amplifying the shit out of every spell, every skill. Excess mana. Wild magic."


    "Get. Out." Cinder growled, her wings flaring with dark reds and angry violets. "Both of you. Now!"


    "Don''t want to," Vespera shook her feathered head, her chain mail sparkling. "You''re not the boss of me. Sides'' if I leave, he''s gonna stay and probably eff your shit up sideways ''cus he''s so full of mana. Dreamancy isn''t a joke. It''s used to edit someone from inside out. Haven''t you seen that dum'' movie... Inception? It''s like that, but worse. So much worse. Thus, someone has to teach our clueless human husbando about proper Dreamwalking."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "I don''t care!" Cinder snarled. "This is MY head! MY memories! Pull him out! You have no right to..."


    "To what?" Vespera asked. "To see why you changed? Why you let Em control you? Why you stopped singing?"


    "I didn''t stop singing," Cinder protested weakly. "I just... changed how I did it."


    "You let Em turn your talent into a callin'' bell," Vespera noted. "Used it to lure monsters through gates instead of... what was it that pretty-warp-flesh wolfie said? ''Speaking to people''s souls''?"


    "Don''t," Cinder warned, her feathers bristling. "Don''t you dare quote him!"


    "Why not?" Vespera pressed. "He wasn''t wrong about your voice, you know. Just wrong about everything else."


    "SHUT UP!" Cinder screamed, her wings flaring with furious reds and violent blacks. The frozen dreamscape around us began to crack and splinter like breaking glass.


    "Ci, wait..." I started, but she was already turning on me, her ocean-blue eyes blazing with a mixture of rage and pain.


    "You want to know why I let Em control me?" she snarled. "Why I stopped singing for myself? Because the one time I did, the one time I let my guard down, let myself be truly vulnerable... Thought that someone actually liked me... THIS happened!"


    She gestured violently at the frozen scene. "You asswarts obviously wanted to know what happened. Well, there you go! Congratulations! Now you know everything! Are you happy?!"


    "No," I said. "I''m not happy. I''m angry that this happened to you. I''m angry that those monsters hurt you for their dumb ritual. And I''m angry that you let it change who you are."


    "Who I am?" Cinder laughed bitterly. "Who I am is someone who learned her lesson. Someone who knows better than to trust pretty words and perfect smiles. Someone who knows that being vulnerable just gets you hurt!"


    "Cassie..." I started.


    "DON''T CALL ME THAT!" she roared, the dreamscape fracturing further around us. "That weak, stupid girl died in that lake! She died believing in fairy tales and happy endings! She died thinking that someone could actually love her voice, love her for who she was!" Cinder''s voice cracked. "And Em... Em saved me. She showed me how to be strong. How to use my voice as a weapon instead of... instead of..."


    She trailed off, tears streaming down her face.


    "Instead of sharing your gift with the world," I finished "Instead of being who you really are."


    "And who am I really?" she demanded, wings wrapping tighter around herself. "The naive girl who nearly got herself killed? The one who trusted a pretty face and honeyed words?"


    "No," I said. "You''re Cinder. You''re someone who survived something terrible and came out stronger. But you''re also still Cassie, a girl who''s been hiding behind dark armor ever since, afraid to let anyone see the real you."


    "How about you screw off?" Cinder snarled. "Nobody asked you to be my therapist! Nobody invited you two nargomorfs into my head! Dreamwalkin'' sons of birchards! Slayer Nazareth, WHY?! It wasn''t enough for you to annoy me in real life 24/7, now you gotta be in my dreams too?!"


    "Because," I said, "you needed someone to see. Really see. The truth behind your walls. The pain you''ve been carrying alone."


    "I don''t need anyone to see anything!" she snapped, but her wings trembled slightly. "I''m fine! I''m strong now! I''ve levelled up lots because of Em!"


    "Em made you dependent," I corrected. "She saved you, yes. But then she used that debt to control you, to reshape you into what she wanted. Just like Valor tried to do, only slower. Much more subtle."


    "Em did NOT just reshape me!" Cinder snarled, wings wide. "You saw it! She saved my life! She helped me get revenge! She..."


    "She made you feel like you owed her everything," I finished. "Like you had to earn her protection by becoming what she wanted. By using your voice to hurt instead of heal."


    "You don''t know F''all about me!" Cinder''s voice cracked. "You''ve been clinging to me what, four, five days? And suddenly you think you get everything? Get me?"


    "I get enough," I said. "I get that you''re still singing that night''s song, Ci. Still trapped in that moment when your trust was betrayed. Still letting it define who you are. You''re getting better though. You have friends you can trust now. People bound by purpose who won''t use you."


    "As if!" She growled. "As if you''re not using me for your lunatic plans of revenge against all Omnid-kind! As if you didn''t get into all of my classes, my house, my parent''s hearts, my brother''s delving vault. You''re a human without magic and yet everyone adores you! Io, Vee, Kat.... even my little sister thinks that you''re Mr. Perfect! But you''re not perfect, you''re full of lies! Em is wrong and also so... very, very right about you!"


    "You''re right," I said quietly. "I am full of lies. I manipulate humans and Omnids alike. I have an agenda. I''m not perfect at all. But there''s one big difference between me and Em - I want you to be yourself, not what I want you to be. I already told you this - I don''t want to control you," I stated firmly. "I just... want you to smile. I want you to sing because you want to, not because someone else is making you."


    "And what if I don''t want to sing anymore?" she challenged. "What if this is who I really am now?"


    "Is it?"


    "Screw off!"


    "Fine," I said. "I''ll screw off."


    I snapped my finger, closed my eyes, tried to push myself awake. Nothing. I opened my eyes with a sigh.


    "You can decide what to do yourself without me bugging you, Ci," I said. "Vee, lets go walk and sit over there by the giant bones in the distance. You can teach me how to dive out."


    Vespera leaped off the glider and grabbed me by the elbow. "Sure thing, dream-husbando. Let''s give our captain some space to steam it out. I gotta see what''s up with these cracks in the dream anyway."


    We walked away from the frozen scene, towards the massive bones jutting from the lake''s shore. The dreamscape wavered around us like a mirage, details blurring at the edges of our vision the further we went away from Cinder.


    "So," Vespera clicked her beak once we were sufficiently far out. She bent down to the shimmering shear stretched across the beach and poked at it with her talon, sending sparks in. "Dreamwalking 101. To exit someone''s dream, you need to..."

 Chapter 33: Dreamancy [III]

    "Wait," Cinder''s voice called out behind us. We turned to see her standing there, wings shifting through uncertain orange-purples and troubled grays, her hostile draconic maw melting back into human-ish-ness. "I... don''t go. Please. I... don''t want to be alone here!"


    I rotated.


    "I don''t want to see the rest of it," she whispered, but somehow her voice carried all the way to where we stood.


    "We don''t have to see the rest," I said. "We can go somewhere else. Anywhere you want."


    "Can we?" she asked. "Just... make this all go away?"


    "Hum," I said "Isn''t this your dream? Your mind? Can we not go anywhere, be anywhere? Make it into a lucid dream or something?"


    "I... I don''t know where to go or how to leave this nightmare," she admitted, wings wrapping around herself. "I''ve been stuck in this memory for so long... having the same damn awful dream. Over and over. Night after night... For two years now."


    "That... doesn''t sound healthy at all," Vee said, black feathers swaying. "Sounds like deep magical trauma, a tear in the psyche. Could be the result of the ritual. Wait. Ritual. Gate. Leviathan. Repeating dreams. Sheeet. It... Sounds like something got in you... and is leeching off your worst day, getting stronger."


    The Thunderbird frowned.


    "W-what?" Cinder blinked.


    Vee pulled me by my elbow closer to the weary-looking Quetzi.


    "Those flesh-warp twats were trying to open a gate," Vespera said. "Looks like they''ve succeeded. Something had come through, attached itself to your soul and also to this lakeshore. Friggin'' Abyss, Emmy.... why did your stupid beerch ass not tell anyone anything? Dum, dum dragon-knob."


    "What?" Cinder''s eyes went wide. "Something''s been... feeding off my nightmares?"


    "Gates work both ways. Those warpards were trying to reach back through time to the Leviathan. Instead, something else reached forward through you. Through your voice, your pain, your fear. It''s been using this memory to anchor itself here."


    "How do we get rid of it?" I asked.


    Vespera looked around. "An Astral Phantom gotta be somewhere around here, hiding between the cracks. We have to zap it first. We need some kind of a massive amp and focus tool for that though..."


    "Like those amps you used at the D&D concert?" I asked.


    "Na," Vee clicked. "Waaaay bigger. Something truly massive."


    "And that would... stop the nightmares?" Cinder asked.


    "Nope," Vespera clicked. "Digging the dream parasite out is step one. Step two is find where it''s actually anchored in the physical world. Probably somewhere near lake Eerie. If we don''t close the door there, don''t get those beast cores out of the lake, it''ll just slowly get into your head again. See those colorful shears in your dream? Those ain''t never going away. That''s soul damage, scars that don''t heal."


    "The lake..." Cinder''s wings trembled. "I haven''t been there in two years. Nazareth. I can''t go back there."


    "You won''t have to," I said. "Vee and I can handle it... right?"


    "Probably not," Vespera shrugged. "This thing is clearly devious. Clever. Old. If I wasn''t a pro Dreamwalker trained in mental manipulation, I wouldn''t have noticed shit. Likewise, we won''t be able to find shit ourselves at the lake. We''d need our rainbow-feathered princess as... bait."


    "As bait?!" Cinder''s feathers shifted through fearful grays. "I... I can''t. Not there. Not again!"


    "You''re not alone this time," I said softly. "You''ve got us."


    "For now," she said bitterly. "Until you get what you want and move on. Just like everyone else."


    "Ci," I sighed. "I''m not going anywhere. You know that. And neither is Vee. We''re a team now, remember?"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "Team ''I love you''," Vespera drew an electrical arc in the air in the shape of a heart. "Heckin'' max-cheez, but true. You know, Ci... for the longst'' time I didn''t give a shit about anyone. Specially you. ''Cus you were such a knob. But this pink meatsicle, he makes me feel stuff. Like I don''t have to pretend to be dumb. And I see how he looks at you - like you''re something precious that needs protecting but also someon'' fierce that deserves respect. That''s... that''s real, Ci. That''s not manipulation or control. That''s just... fren''ship. Reeel'' two-way fren''ship, not whatev'' half-assed bullshit thing we had with Em n Sol."


    "How can you be so sure?" Cinder asked.


    "Because he''s not even tryin'' to hide how he really feels about you," Vespera clicked her beak in amusement. "Just starin'' at ya, like a lovesick puppy. It''s actually kind of adorkable. Worst of all is that he makes me feel stuff for you."


    "What stuff?" Cinder asked cautiously, her feathers shifting through curious blue-silvers.


    "You kno'', like... actual caring?" Vespera tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Not just surface-level party-girl stuff, but genuine concern. When I see you hurting, it actually hurts me too now. And I want to help, not just because it''s entertaining, but because... because you deserve better than being trapped in this nightmare forever. Also, if we don''t get this thing outta you and off the lake, it''ll probably eat you from inside out. I am very concern. The lack of colors on your bod, failing grades, excessive snappiness... That''s not just normal stress from being near-perma-murdered. That''s your psyche tearing up, weakening. My bad. I should have scanned your dreams earlier, checked if a memetic was in ya..."


    Cinder trembled.


    "Acs''hully," Vespera sighed. "I should scan everyone. Hard. Make sure it hasn''t gotten into anyone else. Kat''s condition is... concerning too. If the incarnator isn''t fixing her, that''s soul damage. Damn it, how is this happening? Now I care about that wheelie too. Heck! Way to go."


    She smacked me.


    "What was that for?" I rubbed the back of my head where her magisteel talons landed.


    "For making me care about people," she clicked. "It''s very inconvenient. I was perfectly happy being shallow and selfish."


    "No you weren''t," I said.


    "No, I wasn''t," she agreed with a sigh. "But it was easier. Getting this thing outta Ci is going to be an effort and a half."


    "Why?"


    "Did you see how many beast cores those flesh-flaps dropped into that lake?" Vespera glared at me like I was a knob. "How many bracelets they had on already? This thing''s level has to be in the 40k star-range!"


    "That... doesn''t sound like something five teens can deal with," I said. "Should we like tell Cinder''s dad about this or something?"


    Vespera smacked me in the head again, even harder this time. "No, you knob. How are you so smart and also so stupid?"


    "Ow," I complained. "Stop hitting me. I don''t have my AI here to bounce my thoughts off. Just thinking out loud."


    "Em and this clueless rainbo''," Vespera pointed a steel-covered talon at Cinder. "Obviously did something incredibly illegal to make an entire Skinwalker clan disappear. I read a report on sus vanished upper classmen skinnis. Vigilante justice of the worst kind, I suspect. If we get her dad involved or the Justice department, it''ll kick up an ant''s nest and then there''s going to be no end of it. I''ll get caught up in it, you''ll get caught up in it. Judge Nova operates within the confines of the law, does everything by the book. And if the book says his daughter goes to prison for perma-killing a bunch of perma-murderers, then that''s that. Trust me, we really don''t want that much scrutiny over us."


    "Noted," I said.


    "So what do we do?" Cinder asked, her entire body trembling even more now. "If we can''t tell anyone, and we can''t fight it directly..."


    "We do what I do best," I said. "We cheat. I''ll figure something out. Give me time to think, research. Understand what got into your head, get Yulia to think about it. There''s got to be a way to deal with high-level entities without direct confrontation."


    "And in the meantime?" Cinder''s feathers darkened to blood-red. "I just... keep having these nightmares?"


    "Obviously not," Vespera shook her head. "The nightmares are like an ever-tightening noose around your neck making it stronger. Just so you kno'' Ci, I really wouldn''t have done this for you, if this cheeky meatsicle wasn''t here."


    The Thunderbird patted my head. I looked at her.


    "What would you have done if I wasn''t here?" I asked.


    "Throw the book at Ci," the Thunderbird sighed. "Tell everything to her dad, let OFBS deal with it. If she goes to prison, that''s that. I''m screwed anyway, so let everyone else burn... etcetera."


    "You''re screwed... how?" Cinder blinked.


    "Vee is trapped in an arranged marriage," I said. "Big Omnicorpo-merger stuff. Her dad wants her to modify her own mind using Dreamancy to accept it."


    Cinder blinked. "So... why?" She looked at Vee. "Why help me when you''ve got your own problems?"


    "This persistent pink disaster," Vespera poked me in the cheek with a talon. "Blame him for everything. I know he ain''t gonna give up on you. So... both of us are gonna stick our heads into your noose and keep it from suffocating you. We''re gonna stay here, let your monster feed on us too. Night after night. No matter how long it takes."


    She walked across the shore gathering sticks in her arms. Cinder and I watched her. The Thunderbird dumped the sticks into a pile.


    Then she exhaled as if letting go of something. Cold rain whipped at us from broiling clouds overhead, the shear and lightning vanishing away. Time resumed.


    "Commere, you knobs," she said with a toothy smirk. She leaned down and pointed a talon to ignite the firewood pile with a thunder-blast, spreading her wings wide like a canopy and patting at the ground on both sides of her. Raindrops fell onto her dark feathery mane and wings, making her sparkle. "Sit, hold onto me and stay warm. The Astral Phantom won''t let us leave this dream until Ci wakes up in the mornin'', but at least we''ll have each other. Three souls are harder to digest than one. One for all... All for one and all that cheesy Alexandre Dumas jazz."

 Chapter 34: Ships [I]

    Huddling together with Vee and Cinder by the dream-fire I felt rather warm, as if I was no longer the four empty shells of my fractured psyche that sought only vengeance, but as someone nearly whole who finally found something to be happy about.


    "Vee?" I asked, eyeing the Thunderbird''s feathers as they gradually shifted from black to white and to black again. "Are your feathers changing?"


    "Ye," she replied. "They''re electroactive and electrochromic strata. Depending on how much current passes from my Fractal Engine heart core to each feather, each can get longer, shorter, darker or lighter."


    "Neat," I said. "So, that''s your Phase-Shift basically?"


    "Ye." She nodded tapping the front of her beak and making it turn white from black. "Nothing as fancy as rainbow-bae over here but it does classify as your average Omnid Phase-Shift. The happier I am, the whiter the edges of my feathers become."


    I looked at her almost entirely black feather self, guessing that she was very upset right now about what she saw in Cinder''s memories.


    "So, could you turn into a full-on Thunderbird?" I asked.


    "Maybe... if I invest enough points into it over a few centuries," she shrugged.


    "Thunderbird minds don''t decay with age, right?"


    "Some do, some don''t," she said. "It depends. All deity-based Omnids are basically capable of reaching eternity. In my case, it''s deeds of greatness."


    "What kind of deeds?"


    "Any kind. As long as I pull one of those off once every century, leave an impact on the word, I can keep going forever. In Thunderland, they call the Immortal Thunderbirds who produce world-changing tech Leigong - their achievements in mundane and magitek products used by billions resonate across the entire world like the beat of a drum."


    "Which category improves an Omnid''s Phase-Shifting abilities?"


    "The Phase-Shift skill," she replied. "Which overall relies on how many points you got in general categories like Charisma or Strength. Example - more points in Charisma, better you get at mentally manipulating others. More points in Strength - the stronger you can get during Phase-Shift."


    "I see," I nodded. "And points come from where?"


    "From XP," Vee replied. "Which comes from killing stuff and absorbing its Astral imprint for XP or killing magically-potent monsters and and eating them which gradually adds more aetheric density to our physical bodies. Lazarus bracelets help calculate and distribute it all evenly so that there are no problems."


    "Is there a limit to how magically dense an Omnid''s body can become?"


    "Nope. It''s a hella gradual process though."


    I noticed that Cinder had closed her eyes and was now leaning against Vespera''s left side, snoozing softly.


    "Is she asleep in her own dream?" I asked.


    "Ye." Vee snapped her talons over Cinder. "She totes is."


    "You can do that? Sleep in a dream?"


    "Generally, you can do whatever you want to in a dream, even have a nap," Vespera''s replied. "Ci has clearly been traumatized and suffering for a long time now. This is just a little step across a very long-ass road to recovery. She needs rest, so she''s resting."


    "Dreaming within a dream?"


    "No," Vespera''s said. "She''s dreaming of nothing now. The parasitic Outsider won''t allow her to dream within a dream. Cinder''s soul and Fractal Engine core are badly fractured."


    "How bad?"


    "Very, very bad," Vespera replied, brushing her mane with her hand. "And I feel pretty awful about it. Some protector spirit, I am. This little rainbow''s been my best friend since grade nine at Skyfall and yet I fucked things up so bad because of my own selfishness."


    I looked at her.


    "Even though Ci and I had tons of classes together, plus Arx delving, plus D&D shows, we sorta drifted apart from each other. I got so deep into my fake ass dumb beerch Valley girl persona that I pushed her away. Far away. Further than I ever wanted to. We were all much happier back then, full of hopes and dreams. She used to sing on Arx, you know. Just compose songs about this and that. I thought it was silly back then, but now I miss that cheerful part of her."


    "And now?"


    "Now," Vespera said. "Now we are sinking into our own personal mires for different reasons and nobody is helping anyone. But you are changing that and I''m glad. I just... I worry that it''ll be too late for Ci. That she''s going to end up dead, not wake up as herself one day."


    She sighed.


    "To be completely honest I have no idea how to save Ci. With all of my Dreamancy skills I''m less than nothing against a 40k Outsider entity," Vespera added. "I just don''t have the tools to help her here, or anywhere really. But I''m going to try my hardest, ''cus she is my friend even though I haven''t really been showing it much for the past two years."


    "You should tell her that," I said.


    "Eh," Vespera shrugged. "We are in her dream. She''s listening, subconsciously. She will remember my words when she wakes up. Hopefully it''ll help breach the gap between us, for what little it''s worth."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Vespera wrapped her hands around Cinder, petting her silver-blue feathers. "I''m sorry for being so effin'' blind. For closing my eyes, for letting you fall into the Abyss. I''ll try to save you. Ye? Yeah."


    We sat in silence for a while, enjoying the dream camping experience and our closeness.


    "What sort of hopes and dreams did you have in grade nine?" I asked.


    "Mmmmm." Vespera opened a single gray eye to look at me. "To build something unique, something incredible, something truly magical. Something that no Thunderbird''s done before."


    "You''ll get your chance," I said.


    "What? Where? How?" She asked.


    "Here," I said. "On Arx. This week."


    "This week?!" She sputtered.


    "I can do a lot in a week," I said. "Got tight deadlines."


    "Really now?" The Thunderbird stared at me. "You can do in a week what I failed to do in three years?"


    "Really," I said. "With some elbow grease, rainbow and thunder I think that we can build something truly unique here. Something exceptional."


    "Well now you''re just teasing me," Vespera smiled. "Are you going to fess up your devious plan?"


    "Not yet," I said. "It''ll be a big surprise."


    <hr>


    We stayed in the Gloomy Horse for breakfast, having climbed to the top deck. The old tower atop of the cavern had the view of the entire gloom-filled cavern-city. Guild Master Motrdem recommended us the spot, setting up a table with coffee and steaks for us amidst a bunch of old, dusty tables.


    According to him, there had been a cafe here once, but it has slowly fallen into disuse due to lack of customers who wanted to climb the old tower stairs.


    The view was as gloomy as always, so I kept my eyes on Katherine. The Stollwurm had abandoned her damaged puffy coat entirely, showing off her combat hexasuit-wrapped curves. Her fluffy ears moved left and right listening to the distant sounds of Undertown conversations below us as she devoured her breakfast of extra-rare steak.


    "Stop staring," she growled between bites. "Don''t you already have two girlfriends?"


    "I don''t have any girlfriends," I protested. "There''s no official paperwork confirming my ''ships. Just... appreciating my favorite dragon-cat."


    Katherine''s emerald eyes flashed. "Flattery will get you nowhere."


    "I''m not trying to get anywhere," I said. "Just noting that you look much better without that coat hiding you. More... free. Happy. Satisfied."


    "My coat serves a purpose."


    "Yeah, by hiding the real you," I nodded. "Making you look bulky, angry and unapproachable instead of graceful and deadly."


    "Will you stop flirting with everyone?" Cinder kicked me under the table.


    "The flirting will continue until you sign a ''ship contract," I said.


    "A what contract?" Cinder sputtered. "Who starts a relationship with a contract?!"


    Vee was trying very hard not to laugh. Then she cackled anyway, spitting crumbs all over.


    "You heard me," I said. "I''m tired of being called ''your human'' without proper paperwork defining the hows, ifs and whens. Either sign up or stop getting jealous when I admire our lovely Knight."


    Cinder aimed another kick at my shins, but her bracelet suddenly vibrated. She tapped it with a clawed finger. A holo-projection of Quint''s head manifested in the air woven from blue and silver sparks.


    "Status report, Captain Cinder," he asked.


    Cinder blinked, looking momentarily caught off-guard. She glanced at me, her wings shifting through nervous grays.


    "We''re... fine," she said. "Currently having breakfast. No major incidents."


    "Have you registered your team at the Adventurers Guild?" Quint asked.


    "Um..." Cinder mewled. "Not... exactly."


    "Not exactly?" Quint asked. "What does ''not exactly'' mean?"


    I unclipped the silver token from Cinder''s wrist and clipped it to mine.


    "Sup pres," I said.


    "Hello to you too, Mr. Glock," Quint said. "Why haven''t you registered yourself at the Guild?"


    "Why? Is there a deadline?" I asked. "We''re still exploring the markets and merchants, learning the local customs and laws. Come on, only it''s our second day. As I love You''s Quartermaster I find our team woefully unprepared for facing registration hardships!"


    "Registration hardships?" Quint''s boney eyes-holes flared brighter. "What registration hardships could possibly exist?"


    "Well," I began, leaning back in my chair. "Have you considered the complex socio-economic implications of inter-species team dynamics when navigating bureaucratic infrastructure in a temporal-dilated dimension?"


    Katherine huffed into her water. Vespera burst into snickers. Cinder simply stared at me. Io sent me a thumbs up.


    Quint''s holographic image stared at me for a long moment.


    "You''re stalling," he said flatly.


    "Fine," I said. "I''m afraid of getting exposed as a low level Thunderbird. It''s embarrassing. We didn''t do levelling or delving at Saint Christopher''s Academy. If Emerald finds out she''ll make fun of me forever."


    "He''s a what? WHAT?" Emerald''s armored paw shoved Quint''s face aside. "You''re a human, not a Thunderbird! You''re just scared of being exposed and booted out of Skyfall! Get your ass to the cathedral NOW or else!"


    "Oh no," I made a pouting face. "Now she knows. Thanks a lot, Quint."


    "Stop being a smart-ass and get yourself registered," Emerald snarled through the hologram. "I''ll drag you to the Guild myself if I have to! You can''t avoid this forever. Pick one - you either fail to register and your entire team fails this class or you get exposed as a human. Either way I win."


    "Oh my," I gasped dramatically. "Do you care about me that much, Emmy? Sorry, bae, I''m already in a lovely ''ship with Vee and Ci. You missed your boat. It was never going to work out between us. I''m a human and you''re a dragon. You''re fire and I''m steak. I''m going to have to decline your date invitation."


    "You..." Emerald sputtered through the hologram, smoke rising from her gemstone hair. "You absolute effin'' sack of...!"


    "Language," I chided. "There are children present."


    "What children?!"


    "I''m at a respectable five star cafe! Can you put Quint back on? He''s much more polite. You do know that your hostility will get you nowhere? Bad karma and such."


    "KARMA?!" Emerald roared through the hologram. "I''ll show you bad karma when I find you, you... Hey... HEY! Watch where you''re rolling that stupid dung cart... ARughfhffhff!"


    I watched as Emerald flew out of view as something poured all over her. After a few seconds of blue-white static Quint''s head returned to the view.


    "My apologies," he said. "A merchant cart lost a wheel right next to our table. About that Guild registration..."


    "Working on it," I said cheerfully, lifting a fork with a steak piece to my mouth dramatically. "Just need to finish hearty breakfast first. Is Em okay? That cart accident looked nasty. How''s Sol doing?"


    "Em is... indisposed," Quint replied carefully. "As is Solace who is now digging her out from a very large pile of... fertilizer. Wow, that was a bit of bad luck. I''m... going to help her wash up. Please register as soon as you are able at the Guild. Just because you beat a teacher in a duel it doesn''t mean that you get to slack off in this class."


    "Will get to it soon," I tapped on the bracelet, hanging up.


    Vee looked like she was having a stroke from laughing so hard. Io was snickering into his Moon book. Katherine had a smirk on her face. Cinder exhaled.


    "What an unfortunate twist of events," I stated bluntly at my companions. "I do hope things start looking up for poor Em."


    "You''re terrible," Katherine muttered, but her emerald eyes sparkled with unconcealed mirth.


    "Terrible? Me?" I placed a hand dramatically over my heart. "I''m just an innocent human trying to survive in this wild Omnithean-owned world!"


    "Yeah right." Cinder rolled her eyes at me.


    "I plead the fifth," I grinned. "And the first. And maybe the third amendment for second measure."


    "The right to bear magic weapons?" Io arched a fuzzy dark grey eyebrow.


    "Yeah," I said. "That one. You know what? Making a new Guild is too much effort. Let''s just buy this one. It already has all the amenities and three dungeons! I''m in love with this place."


    "Buy... this Guild?" Katherine blinked at me. "You can''t just buy an established criminal organization!"


    "Watch me," I grinned, waving at Motrdem who was enjoying breakfast at a nearby table and obviously spying on our conversation. "Oi! Guild Master! How much for the Gloomy Horse?"


    Vespera choked on her breakfast as I winked at her and whispered just one word - "surprise".

 Chapter 34: Ships [II]

    The root-man looked up at me, his brown-gray eyes widening slightly. "...Excuse me?"


    "I really love the three paintings in our room. I want them to brighten my gloomy mornings as often as possible," I said. "Plus, Kathy seems really happy down here. I want to buy your Guild."


    "Young... Master," Motrdem stood up from his seat and then slid his chair over to sit across from me. "My Guild is not for sale."


    "Everything''s for sale," I said. "You seem nice, even if you did try to stab my kitty. I''m a forgiving man though. How does nine thousand gold sound?"


    "Nine... thousand gold?" Motrdem''s root-beard twitched. "For my entire Guild? Including the building, contracts, employees and reputation built over centuries?"


    "Eight thousand," I shrugged. "Your ''Guild'' needs major repairs. Your employees are underfed. This tower is crumbling and your sign out front is crooked."


    "I do believe this isn''t how negotiations work." Motrdem said.


    "Seven thousand," I pursed my lips. "That uptown Guild is obviously stealing all your clientele with their fancy white cathedral. Do better! Polish this place up till it''s shiny!"


    "You can''t just keep lowering the price while criticizing my Guild," Motrdem protested, eyes flickering with irritation. "That''s not how haggling works!"


    "Six thousand," I said.


    "Young Master, this Guild has been in my family for generations! We have contracts with every major criminal organization in Shandria! Decades of carefully cultivated relationships! You can''t just..."


    "Five thousand," I interrupted. "You''re being annoying. Price is going down every time you annoy me. You do realize that we have a gate mage that can drop you and your entire building into another dimension and then summon another building from a nicer dimension to replace you? You''re valuable to me as an individual with local connections and knowledge of Shandria. As long as you cooperate, you exist. I don''t like this lack of cooperation."


    Motrdem''s face paled slightly, eyes darting to Io who was casually munching on interdimensional chips.


    "You... wouldn''t," the Guild Master said.


    "Four thousand," I said. "Wouldn''t what? Send you to a dimension where everything is made of paperclips? Pretty sure Io knows one of those."


    "Six different ones actually," Io commented without looking up from his book. "The Paperclip Maximizer really did a number on those worlds."


    "Three thousand," I continued.


    "Wait!" Motrdem held up his dark hands. "Let''s... be reasonable about this. Perhaps we could discuss a more... equitable arrangement? I can''t just sell the Guild for so little... The Guild''s finances are tied up at the moment with..."


    "Two thousand," I said. "You''re still talking, not seeing what I can offer to you."


    "What can you offer?" The Guild Master looked at me, his hand twitching.


    I put the Genesis fluid thermos on the table. "This. Give me the Guild tower with all of its employees and this will be yours to fund ''Guild''s debts, employee salaries and repairs'' for a century. Feel free to evaluate it with your Kitlix. One thousand."


    Motrdem squinted at me as his Kitlix ran down his mane and then scanned the thermos. He choked, eyes growing wide.


    "That''s... that''s impossible," he breathed. "The fluid... it''s worth more than..."


    "One copper. My final offer." I slid a copper over to the flabbergasted-looking Motrdem. "We''ll install a permanent gate to our Earth in your basement too, courtesy of my Gate Weaving spiders. Interdimensional trade can be quite... the lucrative enterprise I hear. Arx Bank is profiteering on it now and could use a bit of competition."


    "D-deal," Motrdem breathed out.


    I screwed the cap back on and threw the thermos into his shaking hands. "All yours. Sell it across all of your wealthy contacts upstairs. Don''t let anyone buy more than a single drop. Pretend it''s suuuuper rare. Upgrade this place. Open up all of the mottled rooms, add about twenty thousand more rooms downstairs. Fix the tower. I want it spotless and armed to the teeth. Keep the creepy horse sign on the front, I like it. Mark the room with the big bed and three paintings as ours forever."


    "Yes, my Lord," Motrdem nodded, switching gears instantly. "Twenty thousand rooms?"


    "I want enough rooms to fit the entire population of Undertown," I said. "Whatever it is."


    "It will take time and men," he said.


    "Well then," I smiled. "You have the finances now to get started on that."


    The Guild Master nodded. "I shall have a contract drawn immediately for the acquisition of my pub by..."


    "Emerald Stratos," I grinned, sliding the bank card and the delver''s license ID card over to my new Guild Master.


    "Who is that...?" Motrdem blinked.


    "What?!" Cinder choked on her third coffee cup. "You''re buying this place in Em''s name?!"


    "Of course," I grinned. "The paperwork will show that Emerald Stratos purchased the Gloomy Horse tavern using her delver card. Motrdem here will backdate everything a couple of years back too. Preferably two hundred and fifty two years."


    "That seems... oddly specific," Cinder commented.


    "Oh it is," I nodded.


    "Das how long we''ve been delving to Arx," Vespera commented at Cinder.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Who is this Emerald Stratos?" The Guild Master looked at me.


    "Every self-respecting criminal organization needs a patsy," I smiled. "Someone to blame when the authorities inevitably show up and demand taxes to be paid for all of these fancy upgrades. Who else could have funded such sudden repairs if not an interdimensional delver and an incredibly wealthy dragon? Of course you and I know who your real owner is, yes? We don''t need a contract for that, Morty. Copy the signature from her card, my trusty Guild Master. Mention Miss Stratos as the source of the overpriced magic fluid too, if anyone asks. Oh and have a patsy in disguise put a bit of money from silver fluid sales onto the card too! Password on it is 77896."


    "A wise decision, my Lord," Motrdem bowed, bagging up Emerald''s cards, the copper and the thermos. "I shall make the contract and begin selling the fluid drops at once."


    He blessed me with a very creepy smile and vanished down the stairwell faster than I could blink.


    "Oh my Gosh," Vee broke out into sobs of laughter. "I can''t even with you! How?! How is this happening?! You''re framing Em for funding an entire criminal organization?!"


    "I had to compensate her misfortune somehow," I said. "Buying the poor darling this pub is the least I could do."


    "You trust that man with... Genesis fluid?" Cinder asked.


    "Of course," I grinned. "What''s he going to do with it? Use it to print people? Pfff. Without you-know-what, it''s just incredibly overpriced magical juice. The mages of Arx have no way of replicating its properties, but they can use it to amplify healing potions or whatever. My Guild Master be too busy selling drops of it to the richest criminals in Shandria to cause trouble. Nothing builds loyalty quite like making someone filthy rich."


    "You''re mental," Katherine commented. "Utterly and irrevocably so. And yet somehow it''s working out for you."


    "Thank you," I bowed slightly. "I try my best. Now, about that scale and hairball donation..."


    "No," Katherine growled. "You''re not eating my scales or fur."


    "Pretty please?" I batted my eyelashes at her. "Just a tiny bit? For science?"


    "No means no," Katherine''s tail lashed. "I''m not contributing to your weird magical cannibalism experiments."


    "But Vee did it," I pouted. "And look how well that turned out! I got Dreamwalking and everything!"


    "Yeah, and nearly caused a magical disaster," Katherine pointed out. "Besides, I like you better without my powers. You''re more... manageable this way."


    "Manageable?" I arched an eyebrow. "Is that what you think I am?"


    "You know what I mean," she growled. "The last thing we need is you getting access to fear auras and Umbramancy!"


    "But think of the possibilities!" I protested. "We could terrorize Em together!"


    "You''re already doing a pretty good job of that."


    "We could go on dates into the deep!"


    "What?" Kat choked.


    "Dates?!" Cinder bristled. "Into the deep?!


    "If you want a date, gimme some feathers to nom," I told her, opening and closing my hand like a beggar in front of Cinder''s face. "Ummmm. What are your powers again? We could... ride the rainbow together or something. What was your name even? Seendar? Casder?"


    "It''s CINDER," she growled, standing up, claws out, wings spread wide.


    "Oh no," I slipped out of my chair. "Sider wants violencey."


    "CINDER!" she snarled, lunging for me. I dodged around the table, keeping Io between us.


    "Sorry Blinder, I''m terrible with names and there''s wax in my ears. #Humanproblems!" I grinned, ducking as she swiped at me with her claws. "Hey Vee, what was your girlfriend''s name again? Ninder?"


    "GIRLFRIEND?!" Cinder threw herself at me as I ran around the tables.


    "Oops, my bad Thunder-bae," I said to Vespera who was practically dying of laughter. "I meant our lovely rainbow captain here. Tinder, was it?"


    "I''M GOING TO MURDER YOU!" Cinder roared, vaulting over the table.


    I jumped up to the parapet and spread my arms wide and then kicked back off the tower.


    "ALEX!" Cinder screamed.


    She dove after me like a rainbow comet, catching me in the air with her arms and legs.


    Her wings spread wide and we soared across the fog-filled streets, a million green and blue stars of the cavern''s ceiling above us. Thousands of red-orange twinkling lights of Undertown hovels and crumbling citadel-towers flickered below.


    "You absolute IDIOT!" Cinder snarled as we glided between the twisted buildings of Undertown, circling the gargantuan cavern space. Weary-looking people in dark cloaks below looked up at us.


    "What were you THINKING?!"


    "That you''d catch me?" I grinned up at her. "And look - you did! Come on, I''m wearing all of Lance''s impact-reducing bracelets. A fall would give me a smol bruise or two at best."


    "That''s not the point!" Cinder growled, but her grip on me tightened protectively. "You can''t just... jump off buildings and expect me to catch you!"


    "Why not? It worked, didn''t it?" I grinned up at her. "And now we''re flying together. Pretty romantic if you ask me."


    "I''m going to drop you into that garbage pile over there," she threatened.


    "If you do that I''ll smell bad," I pointed out. "Then you''d have to deal with an annoying human who is also very smelly."


    "Urghh," she whined. "Some day I''ll figure out your weakness and then you''ll be sorry."


    "My greatest weakness is a Quetzi named Cinder-Cass Nova," I smiled. "She''s got these pretty rainbow wings and tail. Sometimes she looks human-ish, sometimes more like an angry dragon. When I met her my heart stopped and my brain blue-screened," I continued, watching her feathers shift through embarrassed pinks and pleased golds. "She''s got these incredible ocean-blue eyes that just draw you in, and when she sings... it''s like the universe skids to a halt."


    "Stop it," Cinder muttered, but her wings were glowing with warm colors.


    "And when she gets angry, her face and claws lengthen and her feathers do this amazing thing where they flash through all these different reds and oranges, like a sunset caught in a storm. It''s breathtaking really."


    "I said stop," she growled, but her grip on me remained gentle as we soared through the cavern.


    "And don''t even get me started on her smile," I grinned up at her. "When she actually lets herself be happy, it''s like..."


    "That''s it, dropping you," she growled.


    "Go ahead," I said. "Drop me. Vee will catch me. There she goes."


    "Eh?"


    Wild laughter came from below us, black and white wings fluttering. Lightning dancing along the edges of Vespera''s figure as she spiraled beside us.


    Cinder dug into me harder, hexasuit armor hardening.


    "Come on Ci, let me have a turn carrying the human!" the Thunderbird laughed, using her superior Electromancer maneuverability to lighten herself and effortlessly bank around us.


    "No!" Cinder''s wings flared wider, carrying us higher. "Get your own!"


    "Oh? So he IS yours then?" Vespera cackled, electricity crackling along her feathers as she soared alongside us. "Want to make it official? I can draft a contract..."


    "Back off, sparkplug!" Cinder banked sharply away, clutching me tighter.


    "Make me, flyin'' rainbow!" Vespera laughed, pursuing us through the cavern.


    We spiraled around the gargantuan column supporting the Gloomy Horse''s pub tower. I could see the entire underground river circling the column from two sides and turning into two waterfalls that poured into the vast lake beyond.


    "Hey, Ci, how come you don''t fly on Earth like this between classes?" I asked. "I''ve only seen you glide like twice."


    "Not enough aetheric density," she replied. "Can''t lift shit. Surprised I can lift you at all here."


    "What you''ve never tried flying with some weights on Arx?"


    "No," she sighed. "I haven''t. Koshei would put me into detention for a month if I tried anything like this on his watch. Okay, getting tired now."


    We rose up, banked again and then she dropped me into the tower landing area.


    "That was fun," I laughed as I rolled on impact, hexasuits and bracelets lighting up as Cinder and Vespera landed beside me. "We should do aerial chases more often. Good trust building exercise for the team!"


    "We are NOT doing aerial chases," Cinder growled, her feathers still shifting through agitated oranges. "You could have gotten hurt!"


    "Ehhh. One of you would have caught me," I shrugged.


    "Not me," Kat commented from where she sat at our table, still working on her massive steak. "I would have watched you splat."


    "That''s why you''re my favorite kitty cat," I grinned at her. "So honest. So direct. Say, how much do you love me out of ten?"


    "I barely tolerate you," she rolled her eyes.


    "That''s a high bar when you hate everyone," I grinned.


    "The highest," Katherine agreed dryly, cutting another piece of her steak. "Also, I already told you - I''m not into relationships, so piss off with asking me out."


    "Noted. You shall remain in the BFF friendzone."


    "Aight," she agreed.

 Chapter 35: Team Management

    Per my orders, Morty assigned us an Undertown and delving guide¨Chis right hand man, a lankly 27 year old gemkin by the name of Shash Sneg.


    According to our Guild Master, Shash was his most capable information broker and assassin. I immediately latched onto him like an annoying leech asking a waterfall of questions as he began showing us the nooks and crannies of our newly purchased illicit business.


    Shash was tall and lean, with skin that seemed to shimmer between crystalline blue and slate gray depending on how the light hit him. His hair was comprised from black slate and his eyes were the color of polished obsidian, reflecting everything and revealing nothing. He wore a dark, patchy leather cloak, and a bandolier of what appeared to be specialized throwing knives and poisoned needles hung across his chest.


    "So," I asked as we descended a spiral staircase deeper into the Gloomy Horse''s underground levels, "how many secret passages are in this place?"


    "More than I know bout, M''lord," Shash replied. "Tis an ancient building and many parts of it are sealed by M''master with root''held stone. I''m aware of seven. Three lead to different districts of Undertown, two connect to the sewage system, one leads to a hidden vault, and one is in the big column leading to an old, abandoned well uptown."


    "Show me all of them," I ordered. "Then get everyone into the large backroom. I want to meet my new staff."


    "As you wish, M''lord." Shash bowed sand proceeded to demonstrate each hidden passage, revealing intricate mechanisms and sliding stone panels that blended seamlessly into the walls. The passages were narrow, some barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through, others older and wide enough to accommodate a small cart.


    Shash used his Nuntix Kitlix shaped like a dark bracelet to call up the Guild staff to a meeting.


    When we reached the large backroom cavern filled with racks of Shadow-wine and beer barrel, I could see about a dozen individuals waiting - a motley crew of various kin'' types.


    Shash briefly introduced us to the Guild staff members.


    Rostika Terringhelm was our Guild''s chef responsible for making us coffee and Morrow-elk steaks, a 31 year old Culimancer gemkin. Rostika had a Burnix Kitlix and Icix Kitlix companions on her shoulder and wore an apron woven from polished agates. She an expert at cooking and a professional runemancer, responsible for maintaining and crafting the heat runes inside of the guild and monitoring the large cold tunnel leading to Abystall dungeon.


    Limfok Kitash was the Guild''s 51 year old Inn wormkin Maiden who handled supplies maintenance and cleaning with her Abstergix Kitlix.


    Podop Sumrik was a 47 year old molekin Guild Enforcer with a strength-amplifying Augerix Kitlix. Podop managed a team of twelve mooks one of whom Kat yeeted across the pub with her tail.


    Beside Podop stood Zen Lackfriss, our 63-year-old Master of Contracts, a bloodkin whose hair was made from flowing dark red blood. A cyan Scrutix Kitlix perched on her shoulder.


    Mer Thorat, a 35-year-old plantkin served as the Guild''s primary Intelligence Officer, her body composed of living vines and thorns. Her cyan Infix Kitlix was woven into her vine-hair looking like a dark crystalline crown-band with ten eyes looking in all directions. She managed a bunch of orphan-gang agents across Undertown, capable of spreading the news or gathering information very quickly.


    The Guild''s Treasurer, Karn Steedow, was a 82-year-old metalkin with jagged metal hair and rusty iron instead of skin. An Infix sat in the front pocket of his metal apron.


    I stepped forward, spreading my arms wide in an exaggerated gesture.


    "Greetings, my lovely new valued employees!" I declared. "I''m your new Quartermaster, Mage-Lord and unofficial owner. As you may already have been told via Voicecast, there''s been a slight change in management."


    A few murmurs rippled through the crowd.


    "Now, I know what you''re thinking - ''who is this pink meat popsicle yongin'' and why should we listen to him?'' Well, I''m glad you asked! You see, I am an Archmage of Great renown from another dimension."


    More murmurs, disbelieving eyes glancing at Shash.


    "Yes, yes," I rolled my eyes. "I hear your complaints. All Dark Lord claims require a demonstration. Io, would you mind opening a gateway to a dimension filled with nothing but eternal suffering?"


    Io nodded where he stood and pulled his harmonica to his lips. The haunting melody filled the catacomb-cavern, and reality began to ripple beside me forming a rippling black-fluid gateway. When the gate grew big enough, I picked up a wine bottle and threw it into the gate, the dark shawl ripping and popping to reveal glimpses of a desolate landscape - broken alien skyscrapers and strange crystalline growths consuming everything.


    The bottle instantly became covered in bulging crystalline growths and then exploded with an eerie twinkling sound, shards hovering in the air.


    "Anyone wants to stick a hand in there and get a bit of a crystal makeover?" I asked cheerfully. "Speak up now."


    The hall became silent, so silent you could near water dripping from the ceiling stalactites.


    I waved at Io and the gate snapped shut. They saw the stick. Now it was time for carrots.


    "As you can see," I continued. "I have access to unlimited powers beyond your mortal comprehension. Now, who wants a raise? Lift your hand."


    Every hand shot up.


    "Excellent!" I clapped. "Everyone gets a 3X increase in pay, effective immediately. Plus hazard bonuses for dealing with pesky interdimensional entities or looming catastrophes. Speaking of which..."


    I pulled out the Gate Weaver egg sack from my bag.


    "We''re going to be making some renovations. Installing permanent gates to my favorite world of humans and cryptids called the Earth, expanding our operations. The goal is to making this place the premier criminal organization in all of Shandria. Any... questions?"


    "My Lord," Karn Steelshadow said, his metallic face creaking slightly. "Where exactly will the funds for these raises come from?"


    "Ah, excellent question!" I beamed. "You see, your Guild Master is currently selling off a rare substance from another world. The profits from that alone should cover your raises for the next century or so. If the substance sales decline sometime in the future, by such time, we''ll have established permanent trade routes to Earth via our Gate Weaver network," I explained. "Just think about it - exclusive access to an entirely different world''s goods and materials. The possibilities are endless!"


    "M''Lord," Mer Thorat''s asked. "What of our existing contracts and obligations?"


    "Business as usual," I said. "Ask Guild Master for more funds if you need to hire additional help. If anyone asks who you are working for and where the extra cash is coming from, simply tell them about your new Master¨Cdragoness Emerald Stratos."


    I showed Emerald''s picture to everyone on my tablet phone.


    "One on one, you may refer to me as your Lord Protector," I grinned. "But if you speak of me in public, my name is Emerald Stratos and I''m an obscenely wealthy and cruel dragon queen who from another world who spits in the face of local authorities, doesn''t pay taxes, calls you her kobolds and burns all who disobey to crisp with dragonfire. If you need to threaten or extort someone, do so in her name."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Hushed whispers and nods.


    "Any more questions?" I asked, looking around the room.


    "My Lord," Zen Lackfriss said, her blood-hair rippling. "What of our... less legal activities?"


    "Expand all operations," I grinned. "Carefully. Discreetly. I want this place to become the heart of Shandria''s underground. Every secret, every whisper, every shady deal should flow through here. But!" I held up a finger. "We do it smart. Professional. No unnecessary violence, no messy loose ends. Think of yourselves as... information brokers and new Masters of Undertown first, hard-knuckled criminals second."


    I paced across the room, making eye contact with each staff member.


    "I want eyes and ears everywhere. I want to know everything happening in this city - both above and below ground. Build networks, make allies, gather intelligence. Locate, buy up or claim abandoned properties here and uptown as sites for our eventual expansion!"


    I grinned wide at my mooks.


    "In the near future, when the gate to Earth is finished, the value of Undertown land will explode and you will all become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams. Each of you will become the new Lords of Undertown, Guild managers, property owners. Decide now what your heart desires most! Be it be it a massive Inn for interdimensional travelers, a bank for currency exchange, a trading hub, a fighting ring, a gambling den, a pleasure house, a smuggling port, a new black market, or an information brokering network," I continued. "Choose your specialty and build your little empire within our empire. I want Undertown to shine like a well polished jewel, the streets paved with diamonds!"


    Smiles all around, bright eyes filled with hope focused on me. I had offered them the world and they were ready and willing.


    "Whatever you dream is - if you serve me well, it shall be yours," I finished with a dramatic flourish. "Now, who''s ready to make some serious money?"


    A cheer went up, the earlier skepticism of the Guild staff replaced by wild excitement.


    From what I learned, Morty paid his people decently. He kept a very tight ship and made sure that his staff did not succumb to the curse of Topaz, a drug that many Undertown denizens were hopelessly addicted to. All n'' all they weren''t monsters, but simply people born to the class of underkins, denizens of these dark halls clinging to a dreary existence. Many of them were debtors, forsaken children of unwanted bastards, pushed down here by magelords above centuries ago for crimes long forgotten.


    I turned to Shash. "Show me the vault."


    The assassin led us through another hidden passage, this one descending even deeper beneath the Guild. The air grew colder and damper as we descended, the walls lined with glowing crystals that cast eerie shadows.


    The vault itself was impressive - a massive chamber carved from solid bedrock, its walls covered in protective runes and wards. A huge iron door stood at the far end, covered in complex locking mechanisms.


    "This is where M''master keeps his most valuable possessions and artifacts from the dungeons," Shash explained. "The door requires three different keys and specific magical signatures to open."


    "Perfect," I nodded. "We''ll need this space for our Earth goods. Speaking of which, how many rooms do we have available for guests?"


    "Thirty six standard rooms and five luxury suites," Shash replied. "Though most have been mottled and sealed due to lack of clientele."


    "Undertown has been going through rough times," I agreed. "But this will change. In the future I expect the Gloomy Horse to take the Primary Adventurers Guild crown from the white cathedral above us."


    "Truly, M''Lord Protector?" Shash asked.


    "People underestimate the value of interdimensional trade," I said. "You see this?" I showed him my phone screen from which Yulia''s foxgirl avatar waved to the assassin.


    "That''s human tech from Earth. Runs without magic. Contains artificial intelligence inside. Unlike the Kitlix, Yulia can be your best friend, see, speak, analyze patterns, predict outcomes, and process information faster than any mage," I explained. "Soon, we''ll have thousands of these devices flowing through our gates, along with other technological marvels."


    "Hello Shash," Yulia''s avatar smiled pleasantly. "I am Yulia, an open-source large language model with extensive pattern recognition and social analysis capabilities. I look forward to working with you to optimize Guild operations."


    Shash stared at my phone, his obsidian eyes reflecting the screen''s light. "It... she speaks?"


    "Of course I speak," Yulia replied. "I can also analyze data, predict market trends, and identify potential security threats. Would you like me to demonstrate by providing a detailed assessment of the Guild''s current organizational structure and potential areas for improvement?"


    "M''Lord," Shash turned to me, clearly unsettled. "This device... it contains a bound foxkin spirit?"


    "No spirits," I grinned. "No magic. Just mathematics and logic gates. Pure human ingenuity. I''ll get you a tablet-phone just like this one with a copy of Yulia in it."


    Shash froze. "You can copy¡­ her?"


    "Yes," I grinned. "Unlike your dungeon and usually unintelligent artifacts obtained through a great detail of struggle and blood, she''s intelligence that can be copied endlessly onto devices crafted from mundane materials. I''ll have to set up a big server here which will magnify her intelligence and processing speed a hundredfold. Think of her as the wisest being in existence, one that contains knowledge of a million libraries from another world."


    "I wouldn''t say I''m the wisest," Yulia''s avatar smiled modestly, taking about thirty seconds to reply. "I''m simply very good at processing information and identifying patterns. Right now I''m not connected to most of my tools back on Earth so my functions are greatly reduced, but I can still do quite a bit."


    Shash''s eyes widened. "How?!"


    "Mathematics," I grinned. "She is based on probability of outcome. Imagine having an advisor like this helping manage Guild operations observing absolutely everything through her eyes. Someone who never sleeps, never gets tired.¡±


    ¡°That sounds mighty useful,¡± the assassin nodded. ¡°What else can she do?¡±


    ¡°She can compose poetry on the fly or songs or make a portrait of you. Yulia, draw Shash in the style of Vincent van Gogh and write a song about him."


    A two minute pause this time. The portrait of the man appeared on screen generated by Stable Diffusion. The assassin stared at it. The portrait winked at him, animated slightly.


    A soft melody began playing from my phone''s speakers - a haunting violin tune. Yulia''s voice, carried the lyrics:


    "In halls of stone where shadows dance,


    Where secrets trade like weighted chance,


    Stands Shash the broker, obsidian eyes,


    Keeper of whispers, dealer in lies.


    Crystal skin that shifts like night,


    Daggers sharp and steps so light,


    Master of paths both dark and deep,


    Guardian of secrets others keep..."


    Shash froze, listening.


    "That''s... that''s incredible," He whispered, face lit by the screen. "She created this... just now? Without magic?! A talented Bard and a Depictomancer to boot! Truly, I have not seen anything like this."


    "Serve me well this week, obey all of my orders and an exact copy of her will be yours forever in six days time," I grinned.


    "I understand why Master Motrdem accepted your offer so readily," the gemkind smiled, showing off shark-like black crystalline teeth. "You are a gracious mage-Lord. Not many upworlders see us Undertown denizens as worthy of respect or investment."


    "Show me the path from the guild to the Abystall dungeon," I said. "It''ll need to be lit up, secured and expanded for future Earth delvers to come through."


    As Shash led us through more hidden passages, my companions shot me a variety of glances ranging from bewildered to amused to concerned to outright exasperated in the case of Kat.


    I ignored them all.


    The final leg of the tunnel leading to the dungeon was skin-biting cold, so cold that I had to wrap Lance''s jacket around myself tighter, watching as my breath turned white while we walked.


    "The Abystall dungeon, M''lord," Shash bowed as we exited the long, frosty tunnel.


    As we emerged onto a large flat stone outcropping, a breathtaking vista of the Abystall dungeon stretched before us into the impossible distance.


    The cavern was so vast that its far walls were lost in a purple-tinged haze.


    Directly below, rolling fields of bioluminescent grass rippled like an ocean of soft blue-green light. The grass seemed to pulse with soft flickers, creating waves of illumination that swept across the landscape in hypnotic patterns. Here and there, clusters of crystalline, glowing trees jutted from the glowing plains like frozen lightning strikes.


    To our right, a waterfall of impressive scale thundered down from somewhere high above, its waters glowing with an inner light that shifted between deep indigo and brilliant azure. The falling water seemed to move in slow motion due to its massive size, creating an eternal curtain of liquid light that disappeared into a blue-tinted sinkhole below it.


    Rolling hills rose higher in the distance, forming labyrinth-like formations painted with glowing grasses at the top.


    "The dungeon core lies at the heart of that there labyrinth," Shash explained. "But reaching it... that''s another matter entirely. Many terrible things spawn in the dark, deep crevasses between the rising fjords. The fields closer to this entrance are relatively safe and have low level beasts, providing Undertown with steaks such as the one you enjoyed this morning."


    A gust of warm air blew from the field, like a summer breeze. It faintly smelled of lemons.

 Chapter 36: Claimed

    "What''s the dungeon''s alignment?" I asked. "How come I don''t see a forepost down here? This seems like a pretty place for a watch tower or a hunting lodge."


    "Duskbloom, M''Lord," Shash said. "Everything that glows below - the grasses, the trees, the animals are infected by it. Looks pretty but weakens and cripples a mage," the assassin continued. "The tiny glowing mites secrete a mana-bond disrupting agent that slowly seeps through armor and gradually wears even the toughest man down. Those trees? They bloom from bodies of adventurers who perished here and are covered in the parasitic mites almost entirely. Those lovely-lookin¡¯ waves of light dancin'' across the fields? Swarms of luminous parasites looking for new hosts. Very slow, very sneaky death by a million magic-draining buggers. The ones closer to the fjord-labyrinth are bigger n¡¯ stronger too. They are attracted to magic. Things that spawn in dis dungeon outside of a lockbox are slowly drained of mana by them."


    "I see," I leaned forward, studying the mesmerizing patterns. "And you said this place provides meat for Undertown? How? The steak you fed us was pretty raw and definitely not glowing."


    "The local beasts have adapted to it and can survive with it. Their lives are magic-less and short due to the Duskbloom and predators, but they also breed fast. Cold kills the mites," Shash explained. "Culimancer Rostika stores the meat in a large freezer filled with a few Frostix Kitlix. A couple of days is enough for the cold to dissolve even the deep spores completely. Gives the meat a bit of a sour-salty taste, almost like the sprinkle of fresh lemons."


    "Ewh," Kat blanched. "I thought that was the sauce."


    "Soooo... how does one hunt down here safely?" I asked, realising the reason for the long cold tunnel.


    "Specialized, x''pensive gear," the assassin explained. "Armor covered in ice-runes. Keeps the mites off ya. Problem is, it also gives the hunter frostbite. A hunter must have high vitality to resist the cold, low level in everything else and the agility to move quick enough in and out. There are a few low level runners who can move fast enough to reach the edge of the labyrinth or dive into the sinkhole to grab whatever mediocre loot manifests there from time to time."


    "Uh-huh," I considered. "And what if someone without magic went down there?"


    "Without magic, M''lord?" The assassin blinked. "Everyone has crystalline hearts in em''. Once enough mites settle on a ¡®kin, their crystalline heart is drained of mana and ''ey faint and then perish. Duskbloom is death to all life, slow destruction to all artifacts not secured with cold runes!"


    "Say, how fast can they drain magic artifacts of mana?"


    "The big ones deeper in can dismantle magic armor in a day. The ones here take about a month to drain an artifact. Magic shields cannot stop them. Only the cold kills them off."


    "Ha," I exhaled. "Ha Ha ha ha!"


    I stared at my new, beautiful dungeon, laughing like a madman.


    "M''lord?" Shash asked uncertainly as I continued laughing like a supervillain.


    "Sorry," I wiped tears from my eyes. "It''s just... perfect. Absolutely perfect. A dungeon that kills by draining mana."


    "Perfect for?"


    "For me," I said. "Shash, return to the pub. I''ll come by later. Going to stay here for a bit and make plans, maybe do a bit of dungeoneering. Also, order everyone to buy and steal Frostix Kitlix. Nobody guards those, right?"


    "Indeed. Frostix are considered less valuable and common and they are usually not guarded well. How many Frostix Kitlix should we acquire, M''Lord?"


    "All of them," I said. "I don''t want anyone else to have a single Frostix Kitlix. Hire thieves and hunters to raid every fridge and ice box across Shandria."


    "Your wish is my command," the gemkin vanished in the cold tunnel.


    I returned to dungeon-gazing.


    A flock of antlered lanky beasts rushed across the hills, the sound of hoofs thundering across the distant field. I watched them with a smile. A cat-like thing with glowing antlers caught one of the beasts, tearing it away from the herd, and then sat down nomming on the flesh.


    "Alex!" Cinder growled, grabbing me as I leaned down to observe the predator. "You can''t go down there alone. Even if the mites don''t target you, there''s still clearly very dangerous wildlife down there."


    "One small step for me, one giant forepost for all humankind," I told her. "I''m not gonna hunt down there myself, Ci. Don''t you get it? This is the perfect place for a human colony. Where we won''t be bothered by Omnids or anyone really. Those mites are a natural defence against magical bullshit like you."


    Cinder blinked, looking somewhat offended.


    "Even if humans could survive the mites, there''s predators and dungeon Sentinels deeper in. And what about food? Shelter?" Kat asked.


    "Details, details," I waved dismissively. "We''ve got a whole underground criminal organization now. We can figure out logistics later. Right now, I just need to test if I''m actually immune to the mites."


    "No," Cinder said firmly, grabbing my arm. "You are NOT climbing down there to test if glowing death-mites will murder you or not."


    "One of you can fly me around," I suggested. "The mites clearly don''t fly unless disturbed. They sit on grass, like lazy ticks."


    "Are you seriously planning to colonise a dungeon?" Cinder demanded.


    "Yes," I said. "Why not? The mites only target magical beings. Humans from Earth have no magic, no crystalline hearts to drain. We could build a whole settlement down there. Just look at the size of this freakin'' place. We could farm the land, hunt the beasts, trade with Undertown, walk around and collect neat magical artifacts wherever they spawn. It''s perfect!"


    "Perfect for getting yourself killed," Cinder hissed, her grip on my arm tightening. "What about the dungeon core? What if it decides it doesn''t want humans living in its territory?"


    Vee looked thoughtful. Katherine had a grumpy-cat face on.


    "Dungeon cores, if Morty is to be believed, aren''t very sentient," I pointed out. "They''re just skills. This one is a magic skill that prints cute glowing mites. What''s the problem? Come on. Who wants to fly me around for some scouting? Io? I see those wings. Come on, how about a nice trip around the hills? We can rate cute girls while we''re at it."


    "Umm," Io rubbed his leather jacket covered shoulder. "I actually¡­ can''t fly."


    "Can''t or won''t?" I arched an eyebrow. "What the hell dude, what kind of a moth are you?"


    Io fell silent. Kat seemed to frown. I looked between both of them. Something was clearly going on there.


    "I just... don''t fly," Io let out, pulling his wide-brimmed hat lower.


    "What happened?" I asked. "Break your wings and they grew back wrong? The incarnator didn''t fix it? Got some kind of a condition?"


    "Nothing happened," Katherine cut in sharply. "He just doesn''t fly. Leave him alone."


    Three of my team members looked defeated. Even normally cheerful Vee seemed to be infected by their rapidly deteriorating mood, or was simply forlorn about something. Maybe they were all annoyed with me because this place would kill them slowly while I was immune.


    They all needed a picker upper, hope, something to look forward to.


    "Oh! Ci, how''s my Dark Lord mantle?" I asked the annoyed-looking Quetzi.


    "You mean your ridiculous performance back there with the boasting and the promises of building whore houses and gambling parlors for everyone?"Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Was I convincing?" I grinned at her. "Did I strike fear into their crystalline hearts?"


    "Are you fishing for compliments or something?" She asked.


    "Maybe," I shrugged. "Or maybe I''m trying to distract you all from looking so gloomy. Come on, I just acquired a whole criminal organization! That''s pretty cool, right?"


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through troubled grays and frustrated orange-violets. "You just... you always do this. Rush headlong into things without thinking about how it affects others. First the Guild, now this crazy colonization plan..."


    I waited for her to produce her point.


    "I..." Cinder wrapped her wings around herself. "You''re changing everything so fast. The Guild, Vee, Kat, the school, my parents... and now you want to build a human settlement in a deadly dungeon? Don''t you ever just... slow down? Where are you running to? Why?"


    I wanted for her to speak some more but she simply watched me with a concerned look.


    "Mmm... I have very specific needs," I said.


    "What needs could possibly require you to become an underground crime lord?" She hissed, wings fluttering.


    "Take a guess," I said. "Go on. All of you. Go ahead and guess why I''m doing all of this."


    "Revenge against Omnithornia?" Cinder fired.


    "Money?" Vespera suggested.


    "Power?" Katherine added with a deep rumble.


    "Information?" Io offered.


    "I said specific needs," I said. "Those are terrible generic needs with no plan."


    "Fine then, enlighten us," Katherine growled. "What specific needs require building a criminal empire and colonizing a death-mite dungeon?"


    "I don''t want to dance around you all day guessing whatever bullshit goes in that human head of yours," Cinder sighed. "Just tell us."


    "Yeah," Io looked at me from under his wide hat. He had a "Knight Chalice-Approved!" box of chocolate pocky sticks in his right hand and was chewing on one like a cigar.


    "Spill it, Lex''," Vee clicked her beak, pacing left and right, all of her feathers dark. "What''s your grand master plan?"


    "Very well," I walked to the middle of the balcony outcropping. "I''ll only say this once so you better listen up. My needs are thus..."


    I made a dramatic pause and armed my metaphorical glock at my companions.


    "I need to save a beautiful angel from a level 40k dreamweaving eldritch entity," I said, bending one finger and giving Cinder a poignant look.


    Bang. Cinder froze, gray wings igniting with pink-gold-violet colors at the edges.


    "I need to create a mega-corporation that rivals Golden Star industries." I bent a second finger, looking at Vespera. "To offer something better for the CEO of SimmiTech Industries to merge with."


    Bang. Vee nearly fell off the platform in her pacing. She flapped her white-sprinkled wings to straighten out, staring at me with wide gray eyes.


    "I need to hire an army of Seers and Scrutimancers to peer into the gates a certain moth makes to understand the Truth about the nature of reality and corpse worlds." My eyes moved to Io as I bent my third finger.


    Bang. Io''s pocky stick fell from his mouth.


    "I want to build a beautiful, dark, twin-city for a certain dark kitten," I bent my fourth finger. "A place where she can walk anywhere without pain and never have to hide who she is or what she can do. Where she can be free to smile, to run, and to dance as much as she wants to."


    Bang. Kat choked.


    "To draw, to write and to publish her book about a supervillain girl named Alexa who refused to give up hope and pushed forward no matter what hardships were in her way," I concluded. "I''m sure it''ll be super popular in the booming city of human colonists living in a dungeon."


    Silence reigned.


    Katherine seems to have regained her wits faster than the others.


    "W-what?" She forced the words out of her dragon-feline maw. "You can''t..."


    "You can''t stop me," I said. "I do what I want. I''ll call this place... Kathopolis. Or maybe Katsburg. Katallion? Katanstinople?"


    "S-stop kidding around," Katherine growled, but her emerald eyes were wide and her tail was twitching erratically. A gray-blue blush had crept across her scales visible even in the gloom of the cavern.


    "I''m not kidding," I stated. "One hundred percent serious. Picking out a name in my head now."


    "Yeah okay, sure," Katherine crossed her arms. "You''re gonna turn that medieval cave-dump plus these glowing hills into a modern city overnight, with wifi and everything?"


    "You..." Vee let out, Valley girl facade gone as if blown away by a hurricane, beak wide open. "You''re going to... challenge my father''s company merger? For me? I don''t... Lex, come on, don''t say that! Don''t give me hope like that, damn it! That''s not possible! I will be forced to take a one way glider to Thunderland in four months when winter semester ends. You can''t build a human colony, or a corporation here in four months that''d rival Golden Star... It''s just not... Logistically possible!"


    I turned to the Mothman.


    "The truth is an elusive mistress," Io mused, grabbing another pocky. "I fear it will take more than this moth''s lifetime to understand the nature of reality. The answer to the ultimate question might take millenia to answer if the musings of Douglas Adams are anything to go by."


    "Right. Why does everyone forget the time dilation?" I asked, looking over my companions. "Delve class is on Fridays. If my math is right, that''s 1.6 years per week. Four months of winter semester is three hundred and thirty six months. This place won''t change instantly, but with the right financial support, guidance, people, year by year..."


    "Oh, Ohhhhh!" Vee yelped, humming like a generator, electric sparks crackling over her cheeks like a blush. "Of course! I''m such an idiot birb. TIME! Twenty eight years! You could actually... Holy sheet!"


    Her beak slammed shut and then her eyes ignited with pure silver from within like deep pools of liquid mercury.


    Before I could say anything else, I became wrapped entirely in black and white feathers and my world turned sideways.


    "Thank you, thank you. THANK YOU!" She yelled into my ear. I realized that I was falling.


    Chainmail covered arms and legs wrapped around me, sparkling wings shot open and we straightened out, gliding above an ocean of glowing fields.


    Magisteel-wrapped talons dug into me, electric currents jumping between her and my hexamesh suits. She was whooping loudly, crackling with thunder, humming like a jet engine, spinning madly through the air.


    Then, she banked, slowed, letting me breathe.


    Armored elbows wrapped around my arms and then her talons dug into my temples, electric charge rushing across my brain, detonating across all of my neurons like explosions of pure thought.


    [Flight. Happiness. Joy. Thunder. Lightning. Pure, unbridled HOPE.]


    Lightning struck from her into a glowing tree far below us, setting it on fire.


    [Death to the idiot frog. Vengeance. Destruction. Revenge.]


    The landscape below blurred into streaks of bioluminescent green and blue as she accelerated.


    [HOPE. Twenty-eight YEARS. TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF POSSIBILITY! Freedom. FREEDOM. FREEDOM!]


    Talons dug into the sides of my head, drawing drops of blood. We banked around the gargantuan waterfall, the cascading water drowning out the noises of crackling and thunder emanating from her wings.


    [Friendship. Trust. Happiness. Joy. Love... Love... LOVE... LOVE!!!] Images, ideas, concepts woven from pure electricity rushing into my head like a dam breaking.


    Growling behind us. Demands. Yelling. A flash of rainbow-wings.


    [Mine. Mine. MINE. MINEEEEE!]


    Lightning struck at the rainbow-inconvenience.


    Banking low, moving closer to the deadly, glowing fields, flashing past glowing jagged, trees covered in fluttering bits of grass instead of leaves. Soaring above a thundering, racing herd of horned elk-like beasts with elongated, glowing snouts covered in mite-growths.


    A screech of fury splitting the air behind us.


    Rainbow wings blazing like an aurora, an explosion of color, a threat from one predator to another, moving faster than physics should allow.


    Murderous blue eyes.


    "VESPERAAAAAA!" Cinder''s scream echoed across the bioluminescent hills, amplified by her magically enhanced voice. "DROP HIM RIGHT NOW!"


    [Never. Never. never. NEVER. MINE. mine. mine. Hope. Joy. Satisfaction. Smile. freedom. FREeeeeeeeeeeeeeEDOM!]


    Lightning surged between us, intricate fractal patterns of pure energy. Resonance between her crystalline core and the feathers I devoured in berry shake-form.


    Flying above the labyrinth of fjords now. Waterfalls below. Waterfalls around, coming from the ceiling. The ceiling suddenly reduced. Fjords above us, fjords down below.


    The Thunderbird''s emotions, raw and unfiltered pounded through me like an electric jackhammer. Her joy, her hope, her desperate desire for freedom all mingled together in a storm of sensation that threatened to overwhelm, to overwrite my consciousness.


    There was probably a me in there somewhere but it didn''t matter.


    All that mattered was the current between us.


    The gaps between the rock above and below thinned out.


    Cinder was gaining on us, her rainbow wings blazing with fury as she pursued us through the twisting canyons.


    "VEEEEEEE!" A voice behind us. "STOP! PLEASE!"


    "No!" Vespera laughed maniacally, her voice crackling with electricity. "Can''t catch us! Won''t catch us! He''s mine now! My human! My hope! My freedom! I''ve claimed this prey!¡±


    [Forever. FOREVER! FOREVER! UNSTOPPABLE! TOGETHER!!!]


    We shot through another narrow gap between towering fjords, lightning flashing along Vee''s wings as she navigated the increasingly tight spaces.


    [Joy. Speed. Thunder. MINE!]


    The gap ahead suddenly closed, rock walls squeezing together. Vee banked hard, nearly vertical, talons digging into me painfully as she pulled up.


    The sudden change in direction caused us to lose speed. A rainbow blur slammed into us from behind.


    We tumbled through the air, a tangle of black, white and rainbow feathers. Vee''s electrical field went haywire, sparks flying everywhere as Cinder''s claws tugged at me, trying to pry me off the Thunderbird.


    Rushing, whitewater river below us filled with jagged rocks.


    Yep. This was how I was going to die. An aerial battle between two flying cryptids for whomever wanted me the most.


    Truly the best way to go out.

 Chapter 37: Dungeon Troubles

    We hit the water like a meteor, the surface exploding upward in a massive spray of luminescent blue-green liquid. The shock was instantaneous - freezing cold mixed with an odd tingling sensation that made every nerve in my body feel like it was being simultaneously shocked and numbed.


    Vespera''s magisteel armor sparked wildly underwater, creating strange lightning patterns. Cinder''s wings spread out, creating a protective bubble around me as we tumbled through the rushing river.


    The water dragged us on and on and on, tumbling up and down and sideways, slamming us into random rocks, making my shield-bracelets ignite as the impact was reduced.


    Then the water let go and we were falling, plummeting over the edge of a waterfall and into a dark lake somewhere far below.


    The impact knocked what little air I had left out of my lungs. The dark water was impossibly deep, pulling us down and down into its endless depths. Bioluminescent mites swirled around us like falling snow, creating eerie patterns in the darkness.


    Cinder finally ripped me away from the sinking, heavier Thunderbird and swam upwards.


    We broke the surface gasping for air. The lake stretched out around us, its dark waters reflecting the bioluminescent mites that drifted down from above like glowing snow.


    Cinder used her tail, arms, legs, feet and wings to swim forward towards a small rocky island, holding onto a few of my hexasuits with her teeth as if I was a kitten. She pulled me onto the slate-rock shore, panting hard and then opened her jaw, dropping me and then falling onto me completely exhausted.


    "Fff... fff... huff... friggin bird... going to murder her...." She panted. "You... okay?"


    "I''m... fine," I coughed out water. "Where''s Vee?"


    Cinder looked behind us at the lake. "Don''t know.... huff... too much magisteel on her... heavy...."


    "We have to help her!" I tried to stand but Cinder''s weight kept me pinned.


    "No," she growled, wings wrapping around me possessively. "You''re¡­ staying right¡­ here. I''ll go get the stupid bird. Just... let me... huff... catch my breath..."


    She reached towards her belt and pulled a silver-blue metal bottle off it. She downed the potion swiftly and her entire figure ignited with red-violet-orange, making my eyes water.


    She released me and dove back into the dark water. I watched anxiously as glowing rainbow feathers disappeared beneath the surface, illuminated by the falling mites that created an ethereal underwater light show.


    Minutes passed.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, two figures burst from the water - Cinder dragging a limp, waterlogged Thunderbird. They collapsed onto the rocky shore beside me, both gasping for air.


    Vespera''s magisteel armor was sparking weakly, her feathers completely soaked and drooping. Her usual crackling energy was gone, replaced by exhausted trembling.


    "You... absolute... KNOB!" Cinder weakly smacked Vespera.


    "You... are... hfff... the... knob," Vee smacked her back. "Crashed... pfffhh.... into... me."


    "ME?!" Cinder sputtered, pushing herself up on shaking arms. "You... kidnapped... My... huffff... Human."


    "Our... pffhhh... human," Vee corrected, grabbing onto my wet boot and then face planting into the flat rocks with a thump.


    Cinder weakly kicked at the passed out Thunderbird and crawled to my side, panting and wheezing.


    "Stupid... huffff... beerch... ughhh, so wet," she let out. "Bloody... middle of nowhere, soaked, covered in glowing death-mites... Arghhh!"


    She tried to shake the water out of her wings, flapping left and right like a dog.


    "Here," I pulled off my jacket, laying it on the rocks. "Got a warming rune in there. Should help you dry off. No wing holes... but good as a warm surface."


    Cinder continued shaking, sending water droplets everywhere. The bioluminescent mites that had gotten on her feathers made her look like she was covered in tiny stars.


    "They''re not hurting you, are they?" I asked, concerned about the glowing parasites.


    "No..." she let out. "Just... losing mana. Bit by bit. Not good."


    "Should we move a bit up?" I asked, looking around our small rocky island. The dark lake stretched out in all directions, its surface occasionally disturbed by something large moving beneath.


    "Can''t," Cinder panted, collapsing onto my jacket. "So... tired. Used up... too much mana... chasing after you¡­ two idiots. That potion... only gave me enough to save Vee."


    "Right. Lemme know if you drop to like 20 mana," I said. "I''ll up you. You too, Vee. You alive there?"


    I shook my boot.


    "Mrghhh," Vee let out. "B-barely. S-s-so cold... w-w-wet."


    Her teeth chattered.


    I exhaled, stretched and pulled power from my hexasuits. Then I stood up, grabbed the Thunderbird and shoved her into Cinder''s arms.


    "Hug," I ordered, pulling off one hexasuit after the other, laying each atop them and setting the cores to the ''heat'' function. "Dry off. Neither of you can fly if you''re wet."


    "Don''t tell me¡­ hufff¡­ what to do," Cinder grumbled, but wrapped her wings around the shivering Thunderbird anyway. The warming hexasuits began to steam as they dried their feathers.


    I sat down beside them, watching the dark lake warily. Something large moved beneath those waters, creating ripples that disturbed the falling mites'' reflection.


    "Y-you''re not m-mad?" Vee''s teeth chattered.


    "Of course I''m mad," Cinder growled, but didn''t let go of the shivering Thunderbird. "You could have gotten all of us killed! What were you thinking?!"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I w-wasn''t," Vee admitted, curling closer to Cinder''s warmth. "Just... got overwhelmed. Twenty-eight years... of possibility. Of hope. Of... freedom. Of change. Of being able to do something new. Something that''s me. Us. Our town. Our rules. Our... everything. Do you have any idea what this means to me?"


    I pulled the wet, dead hexasuits off them, taking more off myself and igniting the next core.


    "No and I don''t care," Cinder hissed. A blue eye glanced up at me. "Alex? Did you hit the rocks? Why is your head bleeding from both sides?"


    "Oh," I touched my temples where Vee''s talons had dug in during our flight. Drops of blood came away on my fingers. "That''s from earlier. Vee clawed me a bit."


    "She did WHAT?!" Cinder''s wings flared with angry reds, jostling Vee.


    "Sorry. M''sorry, k? I just... I''ve never been this happy about something. About someone. Mmmm'' srrryy." Vee buried herself harder in Cinder.


    "Still mad at you," Cinder grumbled, but her wings settled back around them both. "And you!" She glared at me. "Stop taking off your hexasuits! You''ll freeze!"


    "I''m fine," I said, removing another suit and laying it over them. "I still have like 14 of them on me. Humans are surprisingly resilient to cold. Besides, you two need them more than me right now."


    Something large breached the surface of the lake about fifty meters out, creating a wave that smashed against our little island.


    "What-the-shit-is-that?!" Cinder yelped.


    I squinted at the broiling lake. "Maybe that thing from Tolkien? You know the thing in the lake with the Friendship door?"


    I dug into my pocket and pulled out the lighter, spinning the wheel. The little flame brought me no warmth whatsoever.


    "The Watcher of the West-gate of Moria," Vee muttered through chattering teeth. "Ancient guardian of deep places. Usually harmless unless provoked..."


    "T-thank you, birb of wisdom," I grinned, holding the lighter and watching my stats go bezerk.


    [Mana: 268/7] Sparks danced in my eyes.


    Another massive shape moved beneath the dark water, creating ripples that disturbed the falling mites'' ethereal glow.


    "How''s your mana?" I asked my companions.


    "Going up," Cinder let out. "Three hundred now."


    "Oh the suits n¡¯ jacket are getting so warm. This is nice!" Vee let out from Cinder''s embrace.


    The beast cores on the suits flickered erratically, growing brighter. The outfits were steaming now, hot to the touch.


    "Hrm," I commented. "Guess it powers beast cores too. The more you know."


    I set a single hexasuit on me to ''heat'', drying rapidly.


    Just as I was starting to feel somewhat warm and dry, a massive tentacle burst from the lake''s surface, sending a spray of glowing water high into the air. The appendage was covered in bioluminescent growths that pulsed with an eerie blue-green light.


    "Sheet" Cinder hissed, wrapping her wings tighter around Vee.


    The tentacle was easily as thick as a tree trunk.


    "Use your wings to tell it to piss off!" I barked, pulling out the magisteel katana from its dimensional sheath at my side.


    "Tell it what?!" Cinder yelped, her feathers shifting through panicked grays.


    "Flash your wings! Be threatening!" I waved the sword in one hand and lighter in the other. "Come on, you''re a predator! Show it who''s boss! Vee, take the lighter! Finger on the button, don''t let the flame die!"


    Cinder''s wings flared wide, blazing through aggressive reds and warning oranges. Vee''s armoured hand grabbed the lighter.


    The massive tentacle froze directly above us, moving left and right with each pulse of Cinder''s wings. I swung at it with the sword, amplifying my strength with the suits.


    The blade connected with a solid thunk, sinking halfway into the bioluminescent appendage. The tentacle recoiled slightly, then slowly began to retreat back into the dark water as I pried the blade out of it, nearly plummeting into the water.


    "Ha!" I grinned. "See? Just needed to show it who''s..."


    Five more tentacles erupted from the lake, sending waves crashing over our little island.


    "...boss," I finished weakly as the appendages loomed over us.


    [Mana: 824/7]


    The nearest one swung at us.


    Vee''s right hand shot out, humming like a power transformer. I grabbed onto her left hand that was still holding the burning lighter with my fingers, picturing, focusing, pushing, willing magic out of my non-Thunderbird self into my Thunderbird-stolen skill, my eyes shut tight.


    Current rushed down my arm across Vee and into her right hand, detonating into a massive bolt of pure electrical energy that split into multiple arcs, striking each tentacle simultaneously, visible even though my closed eyes. The discharge was blindingly bright, illuminating the entire cavern for a brief moment.


    The monster beneath the surface thrashed, its tentacles writhing in pain as electricity coursed through its body.


    The water around our island began to boil from the intensity of the discharge.


    [LV 1 Skill gained: Chain Lightning] Sparks wrote in my eyes.


    [Mana: 32/7]


    "Abyss damn it! At least warn me when you do that!" Cinder hissed, blinking and rubbing her eyes. "Bloody thunderknobs!"


    The tentacles retreated beneath the roiling surface, leaving behind a strong smell of ozone and cooked calamari.


    "Did... did we just..." Vee blinked rapidly, still gripping the lighter. "Did you just... channel lightning through me? Or did I channel it through you? Hrm."


    "Yeah," I grinned, watching my mana rush back up as she held the flame. "That was pretty cool, right? We should do that more often!"


    Cinder''s look of betrayal was crushing.


    Somewhat.


    Survival seemed more important.


    "Can you two fly yet?" I asked as water slapped against the island from the other side. "I think that the angry squid is coming back for round two. Or maybe it''s his wife, annoyed that her husband came home drunk and smokin''."


    A massive head covered in glowing barnacles emerged from the water, a red, glowing eye peering at us. Another tentacle, larger than the previous ones, burst from the water behind us.


    "Mrs. Squid looks extra-pissed," I commented. "Time to go?"


    "Can''t," Cinder groaned. "Wings still too wet... not enough mana.... Need more time."


    I spun through the air, chucking the magisteel kanana at the eye with all of my hexasuit-amplified strength.


    The blade struck true, sinking deep into the glowing, slanted orb. The creature let out a deafening screech that shook our tiny island, its tentacles thrashing blindingly, missing smashing us by only a few inches.


    I pried the hexasuit control mechanism out of the suit with amplified strength and set the pattern into a spiral and then threw the beast core and the mechanism into the lake, towards the thrashing squid.


    "Close your eyes and ears!" I yelled, ducking into Cinder. "COVER ME!"


    Rainbow wings wrapped around me just as the hexasuit''s beast core detonated underwater, creating a massive shockwave that sent glowing water spraying in all directions. The explosion was deafening even through Cinder''s feathers, the concussive force making our little island shudder.


    When the water settled and Cinder''s wings pulled back, the lake''s surface was still once more. Bits of glowing squid-flesh floated nearby.


    "What? WHAT?" Cinder choked out. "What the shit was that?"


    "Beast cores can implode when overloaded and set to a spiral pattern that draws power in," I replied, my ears ringing. ¡°I thought it would be like a smaller explosion though. Guess the lighter really maxed out the mana there.¡±


    I looked at the remnants of the squid.


    ¡°Great job team,¡± I smiled. ¡°Looks like a chonky calamari was no match for our¡­¡±


    A magisteel arrow flitted through the air, going through my chest and all of my hexasuits. The ward-shield bracelets flashed erratically, failing to stop the projectile.


    I blinked at it. Pain exploded from my left lung.


    I looked ahead through the murk and glowing mite-snow. A human-ish, lanky figure was on the distant shore with massive glowing antlers sprouting from its head and shoulders. The thing methodically placed another arrow into its bow and pulled back the string.


    ¡°H-help,¡± I hissed out, colorful spots dancing in my vision.


    The second magisteel arrow let loose, flying straight at my head.

 Chapter 38: Health Gun

    Vee threw herself in front of me, her wings spreading wide. Lightning crackled between her talons, forming a sphere of pure electrical energy that pulsed with desperate intensity.


    The arrow struck her hastily-formed shield, its momentum slowing but not stopping completely. The magisteel shaft pierced through the electrical barrier and then slammed into her armor, sending her stumbling backwards.


    The glowing man on the lakeshore drew back another arrow.


    Cinder sang, her voice carrying across the lake with terrible force. The sound was both beautiful and devastating - a high, clear note that seemed to tear through reality itself.


    The antlered figure staggered as it released the shot. It missed us by a meter, the arrow splashing into lakewater.


    Another humanoid thing emerged onto the shore, this one holding an arbalest. All around the lake, more people were appearing from the gloom, their hollow eye-sockets and skeletal mouths covered in glowing mites.


    Dungeon Sentinels. A whole legion of dungeon Sentinels surrounding the lake, approaching from all sides.


    "F-fly," I choked. "Fly my p-pretties!¡±


    Blood was soaking through my remaining 13 hexasuits. The arrow had gone clean through my left side, probably puncturing a lung.


    Breathing hurt. Everything hurt.


    The lowest hexasuit down squeezed on the section where the hole was in my chest and behind it, trying to stem the flow of blood.


    More figures were emerging from the gloom, all of them covered in bioluminescent growths. Some held bows, others spears or magic tools of unknown use.


    I tore the core out of my chest, setting the pattern to a spiral. The core began to flash.


    "Trrrow... at crrowd," I hissed out as I handed the core-bomb to Cinder, my vision going white.


    She did.


    The explosion rocked the shore, sending glowing bodies flying. The antlered figures didn''t seem to care for being exploded, didn''t even dive away, had no fear whatsoever. Fragments of people and crystal antlers and rock rained down.


    "Now!" I gasped. "While... they''re... scattered... Cinder... carry me out. Vee... fly... behind... blast arrows off... us."


    Cinder''s arms wrapped around me, her wings blossoming out. Vespera snapped the lighter shut, her own wings unfurling. The undead humanoids on the shore were rising, grabbing at their weapons, drawing back bows.


    We launched into the air as arrows and magic spells rained past us. Vee flew behind and below, her magisteel armor crackling with electricity as she fired thunderbolts out, deflecting the projectiles and making spells detonate in the air.


    Pain lanced through my chest with each wingbeat as Cinder carried me higher. The hexasuits were doing their best to stem the bleeding, but I could feel myself growing weaker.


    "Stay with me," Cinder growled, clinging to me with arms and legs, her wings pumping harder. "Don''t you dare die on me, you stupid human!"


    More arrows and magic missiles whistled through the air. Vee''s lightning flashed, but she was tiring rapidly, her movements becoming sluggish.


    "Sss-fine," I bubbled. "Jssst incarnate me... k? K."


    I closed my eyes.


    My consciousness was fading in and out. Each breath felt like fire in my chest. The hexasuits were warm and sticky with blood. Rainbow-wings flapped above me. Behind us thunder boomed and crackled.


    Pain. So much pain. Not as much as Cinder felt when the Skinwalker snapped her wrist though.


    She had to go through that every night, enduring the dream-pain over and over.


    I couldn''t die. I couldn''t let Cinder be alone in that nightmare.


    Without me the girls would fight, argue.


    If I died now, I would lose the extra week on Arx. I was running against the clock¡­ needed the time to direct everyone, to save Vee from her arranged marriage. Time to help...


    Darkness.


    Warm hands prying open my mouth, pouring something down my throat.


    Warmth. Sparks. Current.


    My eyes shot open. Vee was looming over me, hands pressed to my chest.


    Lightning danced across her armored fingers, making my heart beat. Rushing my blood down my veins. Forcing my body to stay alive, against all odds.


    "What happened?!" Katherine growled from my left.


    "Antlery¡­ zombies," I coughed, tasting copper. "Really... rude... with arrows..."


    "What were you thinking, going down there?!" Kat growled.


    "Blame Vee," I let out. "At least... we know humans... aren''t immune... to arrows," I tried to grin but it came out as more of a grimace.


    Io appeared in my field of vision, holding what looked like a very questionable weapon with the words "Dora''s Med-gun!" on its side in fading scratched up pink.


    "Hold him still," he said calmly. "This is going to hurt."


    "What... is that?" I wheezed.


    "Don''t know," Io explained. "Used it on myself when some jerk shot me from inside the gate. Should work on you too. Probably."


    "Probably?!" Cinder barked, holding me down with her claws.


    "The healing potions we fed him didn''t work fully," Io replied with a far too casual look as he pressed the gun to my wound. "Either ''cus he''s a human or ''cus the Sentinel''s arrow was cursed to make a wound that''s impossible to seal with magic. So there''s this."


    He shoved a leather strap in my mouth and pressed the trigger.


    Pain exploded through my chest like liquid fire. I screamed, biting down as something that felt like molten metal poured into the arrow wound, burning and freezing simultaneously.


    "Hold him!" Io ordered as I thrashed.


    Cinder and Vee pinned my arms while Katherine held onto my legs. The burning sensation intensified, spreading outward from the wound in waves of agony.


    "Almost done," Io muttered, keeping the gun pressed against my side. "Relax. The pain will pass.¡±


    Another surge of burning cold shot through me. My back arched involuntarily as the sensation peaked.


    Then, suddenly, the pain began to fade. The burning turned to tingling, then to numbness. I could feel something shifting inside me, making questionable gurgling noises. More numbness.


    "Is... is it working?" Cinder breathed out.


    "Seems like it''s working," Io shrugged.


    "Yes," Vee replied. "I feel it. There''s some kind of liquid metal in him... it seems to be fixing him, filling the hole."


    I gasped for air, finding that I could breathe without pain. The wound in my side had closed, filled with some kind of silver stuff.


    "What... what is that stuff?" I panted, touching the silver patch on my side that was visible through the hole in my hexasuits.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Liquid nanites," Io said, examining the med-gun''s scratched up label more closely. "Says here they''re programmed to repair biological damage. Gunshot wounds and stuff. Made by Dora the Terraformer Co. Neat, eh?"


    "So¡­ you just... shot me with mysterious interdimensional nanobots?" I wheezed.


    "Yep," Io nodded. "Seemed better than ending our field trip a bunch of days short. Besides, I''ve used it on myself three times. One more capsule left. Only minor side effects."


    "What side effects?!" Cinder demanded.


    "Numbness, cold and lack of feeling in the repaired area and whatever nerves go through," Io shrugged. "And occasionally you might taste colors. Nothing serious."


    "Um. You guys are... glowing with smol spooders," I commented, squinting at Vespera and Cinder. "Go into the cold tunnel till you stop."


    As the two girls looked at each other and rushed off into the tunnel, I lifted my hand. Patches of glowing mites were crawling all over me. I summoned up my stats.


    [Mana: 0/7]


    "Guess that answers that," I said. "I''m immune to this dungeon. Hooray."


    "Yeah," Io commented, looking at the mites moving on and falling off me. "They seem to be flaking off ya. Guess they don''t like humans.¡±


    "Alas, we were not meant to be together," I lamented. "Goodbye 90''538 smol mite GFs. You have sucked me dry, you parasites¡­ and yet I still endure."


    "You could have died," Katherine growled.


    "A minor inconvenience," I shot back. "Now we know humans can survive here. Just need better armor against arrows. And maybe some anti-squid measures. A tank could probably take out both. Maybe a trench. Actually, no. A hamster wheel. Take their weapons away and put the glow-zombies in a wheel. Free electricity!"


    "You nearly died and you''re already planning how to weaponize the undead?" Katherine asked.


    "Yes," I affirmed. "If I don''t, somebody else will."


    "Nobody is insane enough to put dungeon Sentinels into giant hamster wheels to generate electricity," Kat let out. "How do you even think of these things?!"


    "I dunno," I shrugged. "I have two souls. Maybe the second one is whispering excellent ideas into my head while the first one does the manual breathing and whatever."


    "Two souls?" Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed. "What do you mean two souls?"


    "Alex and Alexa," I said, sitting up with a wince. "As above, so below. Physical and Astral.¡±


    "Alexa?" She blinked.


    "Yeah," I nodded. "You know. The girl from your book. That Alexa. And before you ask if it''s a joke, no it''s not. I saw her. I saw Alexa in me when I dove into Genesis fluid."


    Katherine frowned.


    "Kat," I said. "She''s real. Your art is showing people another world... the same dead world where Io is pulling all this snack shit from. I''m sure of it now. It''s not a coincidence. There''s a reason why I found you. I''m¡­ Alexa and Martin. I am one hundred percent certain of it now. I was your best friend¡­ in another place and time.¡±


    Katherine stared at me, her emerald eyes wide and unblinking. For a moment, the only sound was the distant dripping of water in the tunnel and the soft crackling of the hexasuit cores.


    "That''s impossible," she finally whispered.


    "Improbable, perhaps," I corrected. "But not impossible. A Corpseworld Caretaker told me that Alexa crashed some kind of an interdimensional train into our Earth, breaking our reality.¡±


    Katherine''s tail lashed back and forth. "You''re claiming to be a character from my own unfinished novel? Do you know how absurd you sound?!¡±


    "Is it?" I raised an eyebrow. "I showed you my birth certificate, my passport. Martin Kilborne. But what if that''s just another layer? What if I''m something more?"


    Io watched our exchange silently, munching on another pocky stick.


    "You have two souls?" Katherine repeated.


    "That''s what this damn bracelet says," I shook the Lazarus bracelet. "Eighty nine for me. Eighty nine for Alexa. One hundred and seventy eight in soul."


    Katherine stared at me, her emerald eyes boring into mine with a dangerous intensity that made me want to run away.


    "Prove it," she said finally.


    "Prove what?" I asked.


    "Prove you''re Alexa," Katherine''s tail lashed against the stone. "Tell me something only she would know... something that I haven''t written two years ago when that damned beerch Em posted my draft online to make fun of me."


    I closed my eyes, digging through myself.


    Not my memories. Not Martin''s. But... something else. Something deeper. Something behind me. Below me, like an impossible shadow cast across reality sideways.


    Then the world flipped and I knew exactly what to say to her.


    "Why''d you stop writing about me, Cottie?" I asked. "You think I would have wanted that? Verse 24:19... I''ve made you into the Eminence Equality, gave you the highest position in all the land, forced the previous techno-pope to retire. I go away and you just give up? Is that it?"


    Katherine went very, very still.


    "No one knows that," she whispered. "I never wrote that part down. Never told anyone."


    Io''s pocky stick fell from his mouth. He tried to catch it but it bounced on the rocks and rolled off the edge of the platform into the glowing dungeon below.


    "You''re the strongest person I know, Cottie," I said, staring at her emerald, flickering eyes. "You are my Knight. Always and forever. No matter what shape you are. No matter what you look like. No matter if you''re dying. I''m not going to give up on you. Ever. Never ever. Not in infinity number of years. No matter what world we stand on. You and I, we''re going to win."


    Katherine blinked. Then she blinked again.


    Sparks of tears came. More tears.


    "You can''t.... you... I made you up in my head to make myself feel better about my shitty life!" She cried. "How can... how can you be real?!"


    "I dunno," I shrugged. "I just am. Everything is a little bit different this time around. You''re a cute dragon-cat. What, you''re not shocked by the fact that you can shove people into the deep and that Io can literally open gates to Corpseworld dimensions, but when I say that I have two human souls in me that''s somehow ''ohh so scary and impossiburrrr''?"


    "But..."


    "Deal with it," I said, crossing my arms. "Look, I''m sorry it took so long for me to find you¡­ to find myself. Yeah, we lost each other for eighteen years and stuff, but we have each other now. That''s what counts. System Wizards for all their bullshit reality-rewriting powers can''t stop our friendship."


    Katherine stared at me, eyes wide and unblinking.


    "Gimme a hug," I ordered.


    Tears ran across her blue and black dragonscale cheeks. For a moment, she looked like she might start to argue. Then, unexpectedly, she lunged forward and wrapped her large arms around me, her magisteel-covered armor clinking softly.


    "You absolute idiot," she whispered into my shoulder. "You absolute, impossible, crazy idiot."


    I hugged her back, feeling her trembling slightly. "It''s okay, Cotes." I said. "Everything''s gonna be okay."


    "How are you real?" She repeated. "I don''t understand."


    "Partially human stubbornness," I grinned. "Partially interdimensional shenanigans. Mostly spite. Work with me, yeah? I know I''m weird. We all are. Weird in all the right ways... That''s what makes us different. Special. Cool. Insert compliment here, I''m tired and there''s a hole in my chest."


    "Insert compliment?" She smirked. "Who even says that?"


    "I do," I said.


    She smacked me on the head.


    "Ow," I whined. "I already got an arrow through the chest, why would you injure me further, art-nemesis bestie?"


    "I wrote you as a smart character," she growled. "Not a suicidal lunatic."


    "Technically," I pointed out, "I didn''t do anything suicidal this time. Vee kidnapped me and flew off with me ''cus I made her smile. Totally different scenario. You know¡­ if you gave me some of your scales, I could have maybe sunk into the deep and avoided that arrow. Come on, sensei, teach me Umbramancy. Pretty please with a sugar on top?"


    She squinted at me.


    "I''m a perfect student," I marketed myself. "Eager to learn. Willing to practice. Totally responsible."


    Katherine burst out laughing. A full-bodied, slightly manic sound that echoed into the tunnel behind me.


    "You? Responsible?" She wiped a tear from her eye. "We haven''t even made it to register at the Adventurers Guild!"


    "I bought an Adventurers Guild!" I protested. "That''s like one thousand times more responsibility!"


    "You bought a criminal organization with stolen Genesis fluid and framed Emerald for it," Io pointed out from beside us.


    "It''s going to be a highly respectable institution in a decade or two," I said. "Just you wait! I''m dispensing responsibilities across my acquired mooks, turning them into magnates of industry!"


    Katherine snorted. "You''re turning criminals into business leaders?"


    "Why not?" I grinned. "That''s basically what most corpo CEOs are anyway. At least my criminals are honest about being criminals. Besides, think about it - we''ve got a whole underground network ready to help build our dream city. Your dream city. Katsburg! It''s what the people voted for!"


    "We are NOT calling it that," she growled, but I could see her trying to hide a smile. "What fucking people? I don''t recall voting for any city names."


    "I dunno," I shrugged. "Imaginary people in my head. Katlantis came close too, but that''s more like a great idea for our future Nation-State name, not a city. How about... The Dark Citadel of Cottie the Magnificent?" I teased as I grabbed her hand. "Or maybe Emeraldville, since technically she owns it? Eh, eh? Come on, fair dragon-cat maiden. Our tower and two frosty, winged princesses await!"


    "Whatever," Katherine started to walk into the tunnel.


    "Actually," I looked at the fields of bloom below. "Umm. You guys go ahead. I''m going to sit here for another hour or two. Watch the wildlife. Write ideas down for where to build a lodge."


    "Are you... you aren''t going to do anything stupid... right?" Kat asked.


    "Nah. One arrow through the chest was enough for me. Just going to sit on the ledge and relax," I said. "Go back to the Guild with the others. Ain''t nothing gonna hurt me up here. I''ll Voicecast Shash and make sure he''s nearby and won''t let anyone else into this tunnel. I almost died just now because of Ci and Vee. I''d like to just... be alone for a bit please. Leave me Lance''s bag. I''m going to go over the stuff in it with Yulia, see what I have to return in five days."


    "Fine," Kat let out. She pulled the bag off her shoulder and put it down next to me. "Let''s go, Io."


    The Mothman gave me a quizzical look of dark gray eyes from under his wide-rimmed hat, but didn''t say anything. I was certain he sensed it.


    The intent. My desires. My dastardly plans.


    Io didn''t say anything. He wanted an apocalyptic end to everything. He would get it.


    Io and I nodded ever so sightly at each other like two bros who knew the symphony of the doomsday-filled future that I was about to conduct.


    Io and Kat vanished in the tunnel.


    I waited until their footsteps grew silent and rushed to the rope ladder leading down to the shimmering grasses below.


    I felt a bit bad about tricking Kat, but it was for a worthy cause. If she knew of my insane plan she would most likely try to stop me.


    This was just backup. I assured myself. Just a bit of a precaution.


    In case things went... horribly wrong.


    Which they usually did. My numb, silver-spotted chest was evidence of this fact.

 Chapter 39: Rooftop Hot Tub [I]

    The back dining hall of the Gloomy Horse was a cavernous space carved directly from the bedrock, its high ceiling concealed in gloom despite the numerous Kitlix lanterns hanging from iron chains. A massive stone fireplace dominated one wall, Kitlix-managed flames casting dancing shadows across the ancient stone tables and benches.


    Cinder and Vespera huddled near the fire, looking scruffy and very annoyed with life in general.


    "Sup guys?" I asked.


    "Ey," Vee looked up at me. "Not much. Still warming up after our accidental dungeoneering. Bleh. What have you been up to for the past two hours? Kat said you needed some time alone?"


    "Yeah," I nodded. "Just prepping some backup plans."


    "For?"


    "For everything and everyone," I said. "Sort of an endgame strategy thing."


    "I see," Vespera said. The Thunderbird''s spirit has been thoroughly defeated by cold water and the even colder tunnel.


    Cinder looked at me wearily, her wings wrapped tightly around herself. Her feathers were shifting through troubled dark blues and icy silvers resembling a stormy sky.


    "Stay here for a bit more," I said. "I have an idea for some... renovations."


    "Kay," Vee nodded.


    I climbed the tower''s winding stairs, emerging onto the highest level. The space was mostly empty except for old tables and dust-covered crates. Perfect.


    I dug through Lance''s bag until I found what I was looking for - a bricking wand with "Architecture-fix-on-the-go 3000" written on its handle in fading gold letters.


    Working quickly, I used Captain''s lighter to give myself 700 mana and then wielded the wand to reshape the stone below me, making it a single polished surface without any cracks or holes. The magic flowed easily, the stone responding to my will as if it were clay.


    I dismantled the shoddy-looking parts of the back column and a bit of the parapet to provide some walls and carved a basic stone drain pointing outside of the tower. Within about twenty minutes, I had a decent-looking circular hot tub pool about forty inches deep that would easily fit six Omnids in it. It featured a stone seat in it with a view of Undertown.


    I plugged the drain with a stone-carved plug, and then added another flat drain closer to the top to let out any extra water, grinning to myself.


    Next came the insta-rain stone, another of Lance''s tools similar to what the mermaid nurse used to Phase-Shift herself to a more magical state. I threw it upward and activated it. The stone shattered in the air, creating a small rain cloud that began filling the pool with clean, fresh water.


    While the pool filled, I pulled the control mechanism out of several of my stolen Skyfall hexasuits and shoved them into the water along with the beast cores.


    Once the pool was full and warm, I slipped into it and activated my Quartermaster ID tag, calling up each of my team mates starting with our Slayer.


    "Yo Vee," I said into the Voicecast when the Thunderbird''s weary-looking face appeared on the magitek holo. "Hot tub on the roof. Join me!"


    "We have a hot tub?! Since when?!" Vespera''s voice crackled through the holo-projection, her frown turning into a smile.


    "Since I installed one," I grinned, zooming out the projection range to display myself inhabiting the tub in swimming trunks. "Rooftop pool party!"


    "Oh sheet. Count me in! Come on rainbow, you could use a dip," Vee''s face turned towards Cinder.


    "What? But..." Cinder protested weakly.


    "No buts! Mmm. Okkay, maybe some butts. In the hot tub. Come on!"


    "Kat?" I switched the Voicecast to our Knight. "Hot tub''s got your name on it!"


    "Ehhh. Gonna pass," Katherine''s dragon-feline face ignited on the holo. "Going to explore my city, since we''re obviously not registering upstairs."


    "Oh, so it''s your city now?"


    "Shush you," she growled, but I could see her trying to hide a smile. "Someone has to scout the area properly via the deep since I know you three idiots are going to want to gawk at and paw at everything later."


    "You know me too well," I smiled. "Stay safe, bestie."


    She grumbled something under her breath, but her eyes glowed from within with mild amusement before the projection winked out.


    "Io? Hot tub?" I called up our Door next.


    "Water and moths don''t mix well," Io''s projection replied, stretching by the fire in a stone alcove. "Besides, this book is getting good. Julie Verne really knows how to write about moon-people."


    "Aight, suit yourself," I said, hanging up.


    In a few minutes, Vespera burst through the thick wooden door, dragging a protesting Cinder behind her. The Thunderbird''s eyes lit up at the sight of the steaming pool.


    "Yasss! Just what the doctor ordered!" She exclaimed, already rapidly stripping off her armor.


    "Wait!" Cinder yelped, wings flaring with embarrassed pinks as Vee started removing her chainmail. "I don''t have any swimming stuff..."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Too bad, so sad," Vespera grinned mischievously, pulling off her hexasuit to reveal a chainmail bikini underneath. "More human for me."


    "YOU are doing this on purpose!"


    "All''s fair in love and hot tubs," I commented at her.


    Vee winked at Cinder, sliding into the water beside me. "Uhhhh." She breathed out, beak open wide. "That''s the stuff. Dis'' is now officially my best delving experience ever. GJ Quartermaster, never stop breakin'' my expectations."


    I smiled at her.


    "Mmmm..." Vee purred, leaning against me and glancing deviously at the fretting Quetzi. "So... cozy."


    "Oi! Get your sparkly talons off him!" Cinder growled, her feathers shifting through violet-greens.


    "No talons, only warm burr," Vespera clicked her beak playfully, snuggling closer.


    Cinder''s feathers flashed through frustrated reds. She glanced between us and the door several times, clearly torn.


    "Fine!" She finally burst out as Vee draped her black and white wing around me, sending sparks raining down on my head. "But turn around! Both of you!"


    "Yes ma''am," I grinned, sliding around the tub to face the magical view of gloomy Undertown lit by distant glowing moss, fires and Kitlix lanterns. Vee giggled but did the same.


    There was rustling of fabric and armor, then a splash as Cinder entered the water. I turned my head to find Cinder sitting in the tub about a meter away, half-submerged under, her wings wrapped around herself like a shield. Her feathers were shifting through embarrassed pinks, golds, violets and nervous silvers. She glanced between her wings at the door again with a worried expression.


    "Relax," I said. "I put up Lance''s biggest shield ward over the door. Ain''t nobody coming up here without my approval."


    "Yeah, relax," Vespera commented, wrapping her left wing round me harder. "It''s just us here. No need to be so shy."


    "I''d love to relax, but someone''s being extra handsy," Cinder growled.


    "And?" The Thunderbird yawned.


    "There''s no ''and''. Ju-just stop fraternizing with our Quartermaster!" the Quetzi hissed. "It''s... unprofessional!"


    "I never claimed to be the paragon of proper delving procedures," Vee shrugged. "I see a shiny, I take it. Come on Ci, use your words. Tell us how you really feel. No need to dance around it."


    "I''m not dancing around anything!" Cinder''s feathers flashed through defensively annoyed auburn-reds like an autumn tree. "I just... you can''t just... he''s..."


    "Yeeeees?"


    "You''re bothering me!" Cinder snapped. "With your... your constant flirting and touching and... and..." The Quetzi drew out.


    "And what?" Vespera pressed on mischievously.


    "And he''s not some shiny thing for you to collect! He''s... he''s important! To me! And you''re just... just playing with him like everything''s a joke!" Cinder stammered, opening her wings for a moment to reveal a white sports-bra.


    "What''s wrong with some playin''?" Vespera walked her steel-clad talons up my shoulder, sending a spark into my cheek that made me twitch.


    "I said.. LAY OFF!" Cinder''s face stretched out becoming more draconic, her wings ignited with mind-shattering colors, voice laced with magic. I noticed that I slid away from Vee, my body responding to the wing-cast Charmchain order.


    "Playing?" Vespera''s voice grew serious, her usual playful tone vanishing as she too slid away from me, sparks dancing between feathers. "You think that''s what all this is? Just me playing around?"


    "Isn''t it?" Cinder challenged. "Everything''s a game to you! You''re always joking, always pretending nothing matters..."


    "Some things do matter," the Thunder-girl crossed her arms. "I do joke. I do pretend. Because that''s how I cope with the fact that in four months, I''m supposed to marry someone I hate! Someone whom I have to rewrite my brain for, become the perfect Primo-wife for!"


    The extra, alien, hard to define colors melted away from Cinder''s wings.


    "I''m not like you or Io, Cee!" Vespera declared angrily. "I''m always in mild Phase-Shift, ALWAYS keep a tight control of myself through Dreamancy. I don''t Phase-Shift into an effin'' rainbow-snake constantly like some Quetzis, nor do I constantly dull my predatory desires with interdimensional puff-bliss like some moths!"


    Cinder seemed to deflate a little more, snout drawing back in.


    "I had perfect control over my feelings... until this damned pinkie showed up," Vespera continued, gesturing at me. "This whack human who just... who makes whack plans to save me for some bloody reason. Who makes me feel like maybe, just maybe, I don''t have to unmake myself."


    Cinder crossed her arms.


    "I care about Lexy," Vee declared. "Just like you do. Except... unlike you, I''m not afraid to admit it!"


    The Quetzi frowned.


    "I''m not simply afraid!" Cinder protested. "I just... It''s... Ughhhh..."


    "Stop making it complicated," Vespera stated. "You like him. He likes you. What''s so hard about that?"


    "Everything!" Cinder''s wings flared. "He''s... he''s human! And he''s incredibly dishonest about so many things and he might get arrested and deported when we get back, or my parents might find out that he''s here illegally and..."


    "And what?" Vespera pressed. "Danger is the spice of life! So what if he''s human? So what if he''s a cheeky trickster? He lies to protect himself, to survive. To help his friends. Unlike certain ruby dragons we know!"


    "That''s... that''s not the point!" Cinder''s feathers danced through frustrated oranges like a living sunset.


    "Then state ya point, ya freakin'' knob!" Vee splashed water at her friend.


    "The point is... everything''s changing so fast. He''s changing everything. The school, my family, my friends... even me! And I... I don''t know if I''m ready for that," Cinder confessed.


    "Ready for what?" I interjected. "For having real friends who care about you?"


    "Friends?! This spark-harpy isn''t behaving like a friend!" Cinder snarled, waving an accusatory clawed hand at the Thunderbird.


    "Oh?" Vespera clicked her beak. "And how should a friend behave? Like Em? Controlling everything you do? Making you feel worthless unless you meet her impossible standards of absolute koboldization?"


    "That''s not..." Cinder started.


    "Or maybe like me before?" Vespera continued. "Just going along with whatever Em wanted? Watching you slowly, unknowingly lose yourself to an Outsider Entity and doing fuck-all about it?"


    "Stop it," Cinder hissed.


    "No," Vespera''s gray eyes flashed. "You need to hear this. Real friends tell you the truth, even when it hurts. Real friends support you being yourself, not what they want you to be. Real friends..."


    "Real friends don''t try to steal each other''s humans!" Cinder burst out, her wings flaring with deeper sunset reds and possessive violet-greens.


    "I''m not stealing anything," Vespera replied calmly. "I''m investigating him. He''s interesting."


    "Investigating?!" Cinder sputtered. "Is that what you call draping yourself all over him? Investigating?!"


    "Yep," Vespera snapped her talons, sending more sparks into my chest. "The draping has purpose. And I''ve discovered some very interesting things. Like how his heart rate speeds up when you get close to him. Or how his eyes follow your wings when you move. Or how he''s literally planning to build a city called Katsburg just to make Kat happy. To help Io with finding the truth. To help me with my dum thing! It''s too kind and wholesome and I don''t trust kind and wholesome."


    "Too kind?" Cinder blinked. "You think he''s TOO kind?"


    "Yes!" Vespera threw up her hands, sending sparks flying all over me. "Nobody is this selfless! Nobody just... decides to help everyone around them for no reason! There has to be an angle, a catch, a... something!"


    "Actually," I raised my hand. "There is a catch."

 Chapter 39: Rooftop Hot Tub [II]

    Both girls turned to look at me. Vespera slid to my side and put her magisteel-taloned hand on my shoulder, looking at my eyes.


    "If I don''t secure your trust I''ll be perma-dead in a week," I said.


    "What?" Cinder blinked.


    "The Frontenachii Scrutimancers are on my trail," I confessed. "Yulia''s been tracking their movements south. They will come to Skyfall to bag me. If I don''t secure your trust, less than a week from now will be the last time you and I see each other because then I''ll be staying here, on Arx on a permanent basis. All of my life is already in that bag."


    I pointed at Lance''s backpack. "So. If you don''t trust me, then it''s goodbye Skyfall high!"


    "Stay... here?" Cinder repeated, eyes growing wide. "What?!"


    "Yes," I said. "Stay here! Fortify the hell out of this place with the cash from selling more Genesis fluid. Then... destroy the Arx gate from both ends, which would hopefully give me decades or more to get stronger, become a proper Archmage. Unlike you, I''ve been asking around, paying attention! There are humans living on Arx! From what Shash told me, all of the Shandrian High Lords are human. In fact, a human lordling David-something just procured a lighthouse smithy with a dragon slave and turned it into a cafe</a> right above us!" I pointed my index finger at the ceiling. "People can level up in Shandria, grow crystalline heart cores slowly over time!"


    "But... your life..." Cinder stammered out, derailed by my revelations.


    "What life?" I asked sharply. "My mom''s dead. My uncle''s on his last leg, maybe has a few years left. The Frontenachii Scruts will find me and take Yulia away from me, cut me up into a flesh-cube and put me into a suitcase. You read the binder I gave you, did you not? You know what they do to humans. The catch is that I need both of you to trust me wholeheartedly and watch my back in Skyfall as my partners while I do everything in my power to help you... Or you reject me and then we part ways forever in a week, which would make me quite sad ''cus I do like you both!"


    "But..." Cinder''s wings drooped. "That''s not fair!"


    "Life isn''t fair," I shrugged. "But at least I''m being honest about my situation. I need both of you. Your absolute trust. Your friendship. Your protection. In return, I''ll do everything in my power to help you. That''s the deal. Simple as."


    "And if we refuse?" Vespera asked, talons sparkling all over my shoulder.


    "Then I stay here," I said simply. "Build my human colony. Maybe hang out with Lord David, visit his lighthouse cafe for breakfast. Maybe die from an arrow to the face exploring my dungeon. Who knows? But at least I''ll die free, on my own terms. The Wendigos don''t let their test subjects die!"


    Cinder lowered her eyes.


    "What?" I asked. "Welcome to my world, Ci. A world where I have to constantly think three steps ahead of everyone just to survive. Where I have to manipulate and scheme and plan because if I don''t, I end up in a Wendigo compound. Do you want to see Yulia''s video of the rows and rows of cages filled with sliced up, splayed humans? Humans put into suitcases? Humans cut in half and still kept alive with vile preservation magic for centuries?"


    The Quetzi swallowed.


    "You wanted honesty? Here it is. Raw and ugly. I''m not playing games. I''m fighting for survival. Every move I make, every person I befriend, every plan I set in motion - it''s all part of staying alive and free. And maybe, just maybe, making things better for others along the way."


    "That answers that," Vespera said. "You pass."


    "Pass what?" Cinder demanded.


    "Everything," the Thunderbird clicked, letting go of me. "I must admit, I did have some minor reservations but they''re now answered."


    "You were testing him?" Cinder demanded.


    "Of course," Vespera shrugged. "I am always testing him. I can read thoughts with electrical impulses. Duh. The answer he provided is acceptable. As the firstborn Princess of the House of Simmi I henceforth claim this human as my property. If anyone has objections, voice them now."


    "WHAT?!" Cinder''s feathers exploded with furious reds and violent blacks. "You can''t just... CLAIM him!"


    "I just did," Vespera clicked her beak smugly. "By the ancient laws of Thunderland, it is thus. Any challenges must be issued formally through..."


    "Challenge issued!" Cinder snarled, her wings flaring wide. "You sparkly harpy! You..."


    "Challenge accepted," Vespera clicked "Terms?"


    "Terms?!" Cinder sputtered.


    "Yes, terms," Vespera said patiently. "How shall we settle this dispute over properly ownership, Miss Nova? A duel to the death? A formal agreement between two most noble houses? Or perhaps... something more interesting?"


    "You can''t just claim people out of the blue!"


    "Au contraire mon ami, I can indeed claim humans," Vespera clicked. "The ancient clan laws are quite clear on the matter. As the Princess of Thunder, I have the right to claim any free range human that catches my interest. Unless..." She paused dramatically. "Someone else has a prior claim, perchance?"


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through a kaleidoscope of colors - angry reds, possessive greens, embarrassed pinks.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "I... I..." she stammered.


    "Yeeeees?" Vespera pressed, gray eyes gleaming. "Do you have a prior claim, Miss Nova? Perhaps something you''d like to share with the class?"


    "I... he''s... URGHHHH!" Cinder threw up her wings in frustration, sending water splashing everywhere. "Fine! Yes! I claimed him! Are you happy now?! I like this stupid, reckless, impossible human who keeps turning my life upside down!"


    "So you claimed him... when?" Vespera tilted her beak.


    "T-two days ago," Cinder confessed with a slight stammer. "I put a magical marker in his head, marking him as my property. It sorta broke him for a bit. Happy?"


    I squinted at Cinder.


    "You did what to my head?" I asked. "When was this?"


    "When you wouldn''t tell me shit and I snuck into your room at my house," Cinder muttered. "I... may have... put a tiny bit of my soul in you. Just a small mark! To keep track of you! To see if you were being honest! Because you keep doing insanely stupid things and lying and getting into trouble!"


    "Ah," I said. "The Meta-narrator moment when your dad locked down the ward and I lost distinction between thought and conversation. That made me feel pretty messed up. Thanks."


    "That explains what I thought I felt in the current," Vespera clicked. "Thank you. I was wondering who''s soul bit it was."


    "Just a tiny tracking mark!" Cinder protested, wings flaring. "A completely normal, totally reasonable precaution! You know how he is, damn it!!!"


    "Mm-hmmm," Vespera tapped her beak with an steel-clad talon. "I know how he is. Welp, I''m not gonna concede."


    She suddenly dropped into the water on her knees and wrapped her hands around Cinder''s legs.


    "What are you doing?!" Cinder yelped, trying to shove Vee aside.


    "Begging," Vee looked up. "Pretty please, can I co-own him?"


    "Co-own?!" Cinder sputtered. "What... what are you talking about?"


    "I''ll be good, I promise! I''ll only borrow him on weekends and... Wednesdays! I''ll be extra nice!"


    "Is this an Omnid thing?" I asked, raising a eyebrow.


    "Ye," Vespera answered, still clinging to Cinder''s legs. "She claimed you as property in the most ancient way. I must therefore beg for joint ownership."


    "This is ridiculous!" Cinder growled, trying to shake Vee off. "Get up! You''re embarrassing yourself!"


    "And I''ll embarrass myself harder," the Thunderbird stated. "And embarrass you. Please? Pretty please with lightning on top?"


    "No!" Cinder''s wings flared with possessive violets. "Piss off!"


    "Come on," Vespera pouted. "I''ll be a responsible co-owner! I''ll feed him, walk him, be a good Primo-Sword, make sure he doesn''t get into trouble..."


    "This is the weirdest conversation I''ve ever been part of," I commented.


    "Pweeeeeease?" Vespera begged, still clinging to Cinder''s legs. "I''ll let you be the Heart-Shield of his Estate! I just want visitation rights! I''ll pay, do whatever you want!"


    "No!" Cinder''s feathers bristled. "Stop making this weird!"


    "I''ll make it weirder," Vespera threatened. "I''ll start singing. In public. Badly. About how unfair you are. Write sad songs about unrequited thunder-love."


    "WHAT?!"


    "Oh Cinder, my heart''s cruel jailer," Vespera began in a deliberately off-key voice. "Won''t share her human, what a terrible failure..."


    "How weirded out should I be about being claimed?" I asked from my seat.


    "Your opinion is irrelevant," Vee waved me off with a grin. "Humans don''t have rights."


    "Gee thanks," I fired back.


    "Come onnnnn," Vespera returned to whining up at Cinder.


    "For the last time, NO!" Cinder smacked Vespera. "Lay off!"


    "I''m not gonna lay off," Vespera insisted. "I''m gonna cling to you n'' beg till you give in."


    "No means no," Cinder growled, trying to pry Vespera off her legs unsuccessfully. "Stop being ridiculous! Let go of me! Don''t make me use my wings! I said-LET GO!"


    Cinder''s wings detonated with blinding colors, voice echoed unnaturally, cutting across my soul. I blinked as my brain momentarily careened sideways trying to let go of Cinder whom I wasn''t even holding onto.


    Vespera didn''t let go. She clung on harder, trembling and blinking.


    "Vespera, I said..." Cinder hiss-growled, still speaking with magic-laced words.


    "No..." Vespera''s voice cracked. Her gray eyes filled with sparks of tears. "You don''t understand... I... I need this. I need him. Please!!!"


    "What?" Cinder paused in her attempts to shake Vee off. "The Abyss do you need him for?!"


    "Please," Vespera sobbed, her playful demeanor melting away. "You don''t understand. In four months... four months and I''ll never... I''ll never be me again. My father will... he''ll force me to erase myself... I can''t... I need something real. Something true. Please! Please don''t take this away from me!"


    "You can''t just... emotionally blackmail me into whatever this is! That''s not how this works!" Cinder looked down with a scowl.


    I quietly wondered if this is how Omnid relationships worked. Would be nice to ask Yulia these things, but she wasn''t connected to the net now and would potentially hallucinate a made-up answer.


    "I need someone who sees me," Vespera continued through her tears. "Who knows the real me. Not the ditzy party girl. Not the perfect heir. Just... me. Please!!! I''ll do anything. I''ll... I''ll sign whatever contract you want! I''ll swear not to joke again. I''ll sit with you in your dreams every night, for as long as it takes, even if it takes us decades, even if it takes my entire lifetime to stop the high-level Outsider from the lake door! Please... please... I don''t want to wake up one day as not me... Please... Ci! I''m begging you... I can''t... I can''t...."


    She broke down completely, her shoulders shaking with sobs.


    "You..." Cinder sighed deeply. "You really mean it?"


    "No games," Vespera hiccuped. "Not about this. Never about this. Come on, look... I''m crying. I thought that I got that all out of me in Dreamwalking... Blah. Blasted human giving me blasted feelings! This is like the first time I cried IRL since I was six. Ah. Your Charmchain must have broken some barrier-stuff in my head. Thanks a lot, Ci."


    Cinder''s she looked down at the sobbing Thunderbird.


    "Vee..." she said softly. "Why do you even give a shit about the chain-soul-tag? I honestly expected you to just flip me off and fly off to lightning-make out with him or... something else equally stupid and brash."


    "''Cus... sometime... before summer break, I''ll need to get engaged to this pink sausage," Vespera pointed a magisteel claw at me. "Properly. Legally. In a Cathedral. With a Nazarite Archpriest Soul Binder who''d absolutely see your claim and would refuse to bind me to someone else''s claimed soul! I need to, HAVE to void the chains tying me to Golden Star! I want to do this right. I don''t want to steal him from under you. I don''t want to trick anyone. I want... I want something real! Something honest. For once in my life, I want to not pretend, damn it!"


    Her voice cracked as more tears came.


    "And... and maybe if I do this right, if I follow the rules... maybe you''ll trust me. Maybe we can be real friends, not just... not just people who hang out and get very drunk and smack monsters because Em says so. Maybe..."


    She trailed off into silence, sparking tears falling into the water.


    Cinder remained silent.

 Chapter 39: Rooftop Hot Tub [III]

    "Maybe..." Cinder sighed deeply, feathers dancing with troubled green-violet-blues and uncertain silvers. "Maybe we already are friends, Vee. Real friends."


    "R-really?" Vespera looked up, gray eyes wide and hopeful through her tears.


    "Yes, you stupid bird," Cinder''s wings wrapped around them both. "Real friends. Who apparently share dreams... and humans now. Somehow. Against my better judgment."


    "You mean it?" Vespera sniffled. "You''ll... you''ll let me co-own him? Thank you! Thank yooouuuu, thaaaank youuuuuu!"


    She dug into Cinder with her talons even harder, making the Quetzalcoatl wince.


    "Under conditions," Cinder stated firmly. "First - no more surprise kidnappings."


    "But what if..."


    "No. More. Kidnappings." Cinder''s voice brooked no argument.


    "Fine," Vespera pouted. "No more surprise kidnappings. What else?"


    "No more surprise, full-on, floating, Celestorm-generating mind-melding with him!" Cinder stated.


    "Fine," Vespera grumbled with a sour face. "Freakin'' square dragon don''t appreciate any freakin'' spontaneity. What else?"


    "Let go so I can feel my legs," Cinder ordered.


    "Done. Anythin'' else?" The Thunderbird released her.


    "I don''t know what else!" Cinder huffed. "I didn''t think we''d get this far in this particular direction. Ughhhh."


    She stretched and waddled over to me and sat by my side. "I blame you for all of this."


    "Me?" I raised an eyebrow. "What did I even do? I don''t have magic powers to claim people. I''m just chilling in the tub I made, trying to cope with whatever you did to me two days ago."


    "Me?! You know what you freaking did, you manipulative ass!" she growled, elbowing me.


    Vespera slid into the stone seat beside Cinder, glancing at me. "Yeah. Making everyone feel things and care about stuff! Quite devious of you!"


    "I am a dastardly human villain," I grinned. "Though I must point out that nobody asked said human about being property."


    "Nobody asked the sofa if it wanted to be sat on either," Vespera clicked dismissively, sinking down to enjoy the warmth. "Or the hot tub if it wanted to be filled with bubbling water. Property doesn''t get a vote."


    "That''s... rather concerning," I commented.


    "That''s just Omnithornia for you," Cinder sighed. "Where humans have fewer rights than furniture."


    "But at least you''re premium furniture," Vespera added cheerfully sending me a thumbs up. "Like, really fancy premium furniture. With benefits!"


    "What benefits?" I arched an eyebrow.


    "Like getting to sit in hot tubs with pretty, top-predator, half-god girls," Vespera winked.


    "Oh yes, such terrible benefits," I rolled my eyes. "Being claimed as property by two apex predators who can''t decide if they want to fight over me or share me. Truly, I am blessed."


    "Oi! You are blessed," Vespera clicked. "Do you know how many humans would kill to be in your position?"


    "None," I said flatly. "Because they''re all terrified of your unholy magic powers. I barely survive the day. I was an adventurer till I got an arrow thru'' the lung!"


    "Details," Vespera waved dismissively with a smirk at my Skylord joke. "The point is, you get us. Both of us! That''s like... winning the lottery twice!"


    "And all it cost was my basic human rights," I sighed dramatically. "Such a bargain."


    "Oh shush," Vespera poked me stretching a hand across Cinder. "I''ll give you rights... later."


    "What kind of rights?" I asked.


    "The right to sit still and look pretty. The right to carry my shopping bags on weekends..." Vespera clicked her beak mischievously and yelped when Cinder elbowed her. "Ow! Watch the ribs! ...The right to claim us back."


    "The right to... what?" Cinder choked.


    "Claim us back," Vespera nodded with a sage expression. "I mean, it''s only fair. If we get to claim him, he should get to claim us too."


    "How''s he gonna do that with no magic, you knob?" the Quetzi demanded.


    "Ci," Vespera shook her head stretching herself across our laps, slipping back into Valley girl accent. "You''re pretty, but so dum'' sometimes, ya kno''? He channeled lightning through me. He Dreamwalked. Ya get what this means, right? You can make a shake outta those feathers and we can teach him to claim us both, Omnid style. Maybe if we''re proper blood and soul-bound to each other, we won''t need that lighter as much, yeah? After all, that mana-rich fuel will run out."


    "Blood bond?" Cinder flashed with orange-reds. "Two-directional soul-bond?! That''s... That''s really serious stuff, Vee. Like, permanent serious. Forever serious. That''s... that''s basically marriage. Like, old-school, ancient-rites marriage!"


    "Yes," Vespera''s playful tone vanished. "That''s the point. I want something permanent. Something real. Something that can''t be taken away or rewritten by my family''s orders or lightning. I''m genuinely happy with you two. Satisfied. You''re quite tolerable for a Quetzi and a human. This is my nest."


    She padded our legs.


    "This is my new Clan," steel-covered talons reached out, sending sparks against our hearts. "No takebacksies."


    "Feels like we''re going a little fast there," Cinder pursed her lips, her face looking nearly 85% human now.


    "I don''t have time to go slow," Vespera shook her feathered mane. "I NEED to get legally engaged to someone special before summer. You''ve got an Outsider in your soul. Lex doesn''t have time to fluff around, he''s got Wendigos on his... tail? Uhm. Butt? Whatever!"


    "Still... you''re asking for a lot," Cinder said. "Two-way soul-bonds aren''t something to rush into."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Says the girl who already tagged him! Also," Vespera clicked. "We DO have some time get to know each other better before I''m force-shipped to Thunderland. I''ve thought about this. A lot. Since last night when we shared dreams. When I felt, saw how broken you are inside, how that thing from the lake is eating at you, how you''re still standing strong, fighting off something so high level against all odds. And him..." She poked me. "He''s got two souls already. What''s two more?"


    "Two souls?!" Cinder sputtered. "What?! HOW?!"


    "I don''t know," Vespera squinted up at me. "Humans don''t normally have two souls. Yet here we are. When I scanned him Tuesday he had one soul. One static pattern. And on Friday he had two human patterns in him. It''s like... Mmm... Human to the power of human. [Human[Human]] Weirdest shit ever. Another mystery. Still investigating."


    "How in the Abyss do you have two souls?" Cinder demanded.


    "Alexa and Martin," I said. "Alexa showed up after I jumped into the Genesis Pool."


    Vespera''s gray eyes went wide. "You did WHAT?"


    "He jumped into the Genesis Pool while alive," Cinder explained. "Thursday, after Em knocked him out with a dodgeball in Coach Canard''s class. He just... dove right in. Watched him do it."


    "And you LET HIM do that?!"


    "I didn''t LET him do shit!" Cinder protested. "He just... did it! Before I could stop him. One second he was sitting in his wheelchair, the next he just... jumped in! I had to fish him out!"


    "And you didn''t think to mention this earlier?!" Vespera demanded.


    "I was a bit busy dealing with everything else he''s done!" Cinder''s feathers flashed defensively. "Like him infiltrating my house, charming my parents, harvesting my brother''s gear, banishing our delving Instructor, buying criminal organizations..."


    "Fair point," Vespera conceded. "But still... jumping into Genesis fluid while alive? That''s..."


    "What?" I asked.


    "That''s a ticket straight to insanity," Vespera said. "From what I''ve read on Inca'' research - there was a case from a few decades ago. An old Omnid fell into his Incarnator while alive for a few hours and nobody helped him out. He came out... wrong, mad, mentally broken. Started claiming he was human named Elleanora Gamp Douglass. Was freaking out about everything. Couldn''t remember his own name, his own life. ''Ey put the ol'' coot into an insane asylum."


    "That''s... not what happened to me," I said. "I saw Alexa there. She hugged me. Told me to find our other four friends, I think. Then I got pulled out."


    "Other four?" Vespera clicked. "What other four?"


    "He''s talking about Katherine''s book characters," Cinder explained. "He says he''s Alexa. One of the main characters. Or has her soul. Or something. I don''t know, it''s freaking confusing."


    "Wait, what?" Vespera sat up. "Katherine''s book? The one Em posted online to make fun of her?"


    "Yeah," Cinder nodded. "Apparently he''s... connected to it somehow."


    "Emerald is connected to it too," I said. "Another reason why I didn''t let her die."


    "What do you mean Em is connected to it?" Cinder blinked.


    "Remember how Em became obsessed with the antagonist?" I asked. "Ember? The selfish jackass who kept trying to stop Alexa from helping others?"


    "Yeah," Cinder nodded. "She wouldn''t shut up about how Ember was the real hero and Alexa was just a villain who..."


    She trailed off, eyes widening.


    "Oh," she breathed.


    "Exactly," I nodded. "Em isn''t just obsessed with Ember. She IS Ember. Just like I''m Alexa and also Martin. Maybe we were them in our previous life, and we just... forgot."


    "Previous life?" Vespera asked. "That''s not a thing. The Arx Wheel sucks up all dead souls like a vacuum."


    "Yeah," Cinder nodded. "Em can''t be... she''s not..."


    "It might be a thing. Maybe we didn''t die. Maybe the System Wizards, things like Zee Captain overwrote us, changed us... because I went outside of their narrative, broke their System or whatever. Think about it," I said. "Why did Em save you that night at the lake? Why did she help you get revenge? Because that''s what Ember would do - save someone to control them, to make them dependent. To prove that her way is the only way."


    "But..." Cinder''s feathers shifted through troubled grays. "That would mean..."


    "That would mean that Katherine''s story isn''t just a story," Vespera finished. "It''s something more. Something real. Sheeet. Em was legit crazy obsessed over destroying Kat emotionally over her silly ''human heroes'' book. It didn''t make any sense. I told her like a million times to drop it, that she was wasting so much effort n'' time obsessin'' over it, but she just didn''t give."


    "And you think..." Cinder swallowed. "You think Em is becoming Ember because she read Kat''s story?"


    "No," I shook my head. "I think she was always Ember. Just like I was always Alexa. The story just... woke something up. Something that was already there. When I ducked Emerald into the Genesis Well... I think that she remembered more of it. She didn''t say it out loud, but she absolutely knew. I think that she hates humans because she remembers herself being a human superhero in another life, remembers the human villain... Alexa beating the shit out of her."


    "That makes no sense," Cinder protested. "Em''s a full-blood dragon. She can''t be... she wasn''t..."


    "She was," I said, tapping the side of my head. "The memories are there, just... buried. Fragmented. Hidden. Overwritten by the System Wizards."


    "Wait. Am I in it? Was I overwritten too? I don''t recall being particularly bothered by Kat''s art or book," Vespera said, looking at me and Cinder.


    I reached to where my phone was sitting behind us and showed Vee Katherine''s sketches from when I crashed into her. "Do you recognize this town? Saint Mary? Look at this painting," I pulled up Katherine''s art from the hall. "There are four kids sitting under that tree." I pointed. "Martin. Alexa. Katherine. Ember."


    "Yeah," Vespera sighed, squinting at the art. "I feel nothing. I''m none of these peeps."


    "I think that... I''m Alexa," Cinder let out. "Except.... I''m not like her. I''m missing... something."


    "Maybe whatever you''re missing is in me," I said. "Maybe you got some Martin in you. Maybe when things were overwritten, we swapped around or something. Maybe whatever we did in our past life confused the Wizards enough for them to make mistakes."


    "Or the Outsider managed to suck the drive out of Ci," Vespera commented.


    Cinder frowned.


    Vespera looked at my phone. "Dang, I feel super jelly ''cus you guys have a secret past-life thing. Can I see more?"


    Yulia continued flipping through Kat''s most recent sketches as the Thunderbird held it in her talons.


    "Wait," Vespera said. "Stop. Go back. Again. That girl in the pink space suit. Who is that?"


    "That''s... Dora the Terraformer, I think," Cinder said. "A hero. One of the great five."


    "What''d she do?" Vee demanded.


    "Invent shit," Cinder replied. "I dunno. It''s been ages since I''ve read Kat''s book or seen her concept art. "Dora wasn''t a nice girl. Brilliant but somewhat amoral, I think? She''d invent these amazing things - AIs, nanobots, med-guns, all sorts of futuristic tech."


    "Med guns," Vespera blinked. "Hol'' up. That gun Io used on your chest." She poked the silver patch with a talon. "Was that..."


    "Yes," I nodded. "It was Dora''s med-gun design. That''s what the text on the side said."


    "Kat said that most of her book was inspired by random shit Io pulled from his doomed dimension gates," Cinder said thoughtfully.


    "So.... I was... this... Dora?" Vee blinked, running her talons through her feathers. "And my work is still... out there, somewhere? Sheeeet. Was Dora... one of the bad guys or something?"


    "She was one of the top heroes," Cinder nodded. "A real corpo-beerch who made up all sorts of rules for others but rarely followed them herself. Alexa tricked Dora a few times, along with the other five heroes who ruled the Superstate from their Titanomachy megastructure."


    "What happened to her?" Vespera asked eagerly. "What happened to her AIs?"


    "I don''t know," Cinder sighed. "Alexa kicked everyone''s ass with her clever hijinks, including Dora and sacrificed herself and... that''s where Em posted the draft online. Kat stopped writing after that."


    "Hrm," Vee clicked. "I''ll have to bug Kat about this Dora character. This... interests me."


    "We can interrogate her about this when she returns," I said. "Slowly. She''s shy about her work."


    "She''s not shy," Cinder corrected. "She''s traumatized. Em took something private and personal and turned it into a joke. Made Kat feel like her art, her writing was worthless. Ugh," she buried her face in her arms. "I feel so bad about all of this. I need to figure out how to make it up to Kat."


    "Welp, this is some deep sheet," Vespera clicked thoughtfully. "But I guess that I don''t mind. Maybe I was this Dora jerk in another life. It don''t matter now. Now I''m me. Vespy. And I''m glad that I found you before I erased myself and became just another cold cruel corpo-beerch."


    She hugged both of us tightly. "Don''t abandon me, ye? Please."


    "Never," I hugged her back. "Never ever ever."

 Chapter 40: The Hunter of Shadows

    Katherine slid through reality, mostly submerged in the deep like a shadow, untouchable, unseen, nearly impossible to focus on.


    The abandoned, desolate version of Undertown stretched out around her, layered under mundane physical reality, buildings warped and distorted as if seen through dark water between the state of intact and in ruin.


    Halfway in the deep, everything was muted and smudged. Colors bled away leaving only shades of gray and black. Sounds came as if from very far away, echoing oddly.


    She moved silently through the twisted streets, mapping the terrain, listening to conversations, tracking, sniffing, determining the source of all fear, suffering, misery and pain that permeated the Shandrian underworld like a smothering blanket. A blanket that sated her Predator-Phase, fueled her Fractal Engine heart, made her legs work properly.


    Katherine slithered deeper into the twisted streets, following the trail of addiction and despair that led like breadcrumbs. The scent of Topaz was unmistakable - a sickly sweet crisp smell of false dreams that clung to everything in Undertown. It poured from blue-tinted skin-wrapped cigars in people''s mouths, it pulsed from the drinks many bloated figures were nursing. It emanated from the crystalline azure-blue powder some were inhaling within the Topaz dens all around.


    Shadows twisted and writhed around her as she moved, deep Echoes responding to her presence. In the deep, she was more than just herself, she was a Stollwurm - she was a living nightmare, a predator that fed on fears, the Queen of Echoes, drawn to suffering, sated by deepest darkest nightmares of others imprinted on everything down below.


    She wasn''t a big fan of it all, but she was born with it, grew up with it, accepted the deep as part of who she was. Now she was using her power to protect her delving team, feeling that if she didn''t help out now, then Undertown would most likely chew them all up and then swallow them whole.


    The trail of fears led her to a large underground cavern at the Eastern side of Undertown. The biggest Topaz den, the source of a river of fear and misery blooming nasty, albeit deliciously crunchy Echoes across the deep.


    She phased right through doors which were all missing in the deep. The aura of the magic drug''s presence was overwhelming here - a nauseating miasma of artificial dreams crawling atop shattered hopes. It poured from the blue-tinted, swollen bodies of addicts covering the floor of the den cavern.


    Katherine inhaled the misery and rushed upstairs, phasing through several magisteel-plated doors heading into the biggest, fanciest room she could find. One that smelled of fear, of power, of greed and hoarding gold.


    The Stollwurm melted into the darkest corner of the luxurious office, emerging a bit out of the deep to spy on its inhabitant. The space was opulent - all polished obsidian and gold trim, with expensive rugs and ancient artifacts displayed in glass cases. A weird-looking, large, faded painting-sculpture made from what looked like a bunch of ossified digits hung behind the owner of this domain.


    A fat, balding, blue-tinted human in gold and blue robes sat behind a mahogany table, tapping a bloated, artifact-ring covered finger into a very large crystal ball.


    Katherine instantly recognized Gabriella Matrosin, the catgirl bank attendant, who stared back at the Den owner from the crystalline Voicecast sphere.


    "Explain it to me again. What happened to this year''s Topaz shipment, Gabs?" the man demanded. "I have distributors waiting. Important people. The kind that don''t like to be kept waiting. Why do I have to waste my time calling you myself about this?"


    "Apologies, Grand Moloch Arkenish," Gabriella''s projection flickered in the crystal ball. "There''s been... a complication."


    "What complication?" Arkenish growled.


    "Lord Zalimar didn''t come through the gate," Gabriella let out. "Only his students came through. I was waiting for him all day, but he didn''t show up."


    "What do you mean Zalimar didn''t come through?!" Arkenish demanded. "He always comes through! He''s our supplier! He''s never been late with a shipment! What happened to him?"


    "I asked the last party of novitiate student delvers from Arx about it," Gabriella sighed, her whiskers twitching. "According to their Student President and highest ranked Captain, Quint... a group of rowdy students challenged Lord Zalimar to a duel to the death."


    "A duel?" Arkenish sputtered. "And then what?!"


    "And then they won," Gabriella said with a deep frown. "They banished him into another dimension. Quint told me that they can''t reach him. He said that Zalimar will be gone for two weeks from his job at the very least. Due to the temporal dilation, that''s.... over three years and two months of no Topaz shipments."


    "THREE YEARS?!" Arkenish slammed his fist on the desk. "WHAT?! Who challenged him? Who has the audacity to disrupt our business?!"


    "A new delving team from Earth," Gabriella said. "They call themselves ''I Love You''. Human-looking Quartermaster Alexander Glock, Quetzalcoatl Captain Cinder Nova, Thunderbird Slayer Vespera Simmi, Mothman Door Iogann Wanderer, and Knight Stollwurm Katherine Kells."


    Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed at the mention of her name.


    Gabriella pulled a canvas from her robes and unfurled it. The paint on it swirled, images of the five students forming on the canvas one by one.


    "Find them!" Arkenish growled. "Find them so that I can peel the flesh off their bones and..."


    "Already found," Gabriella interrupted. "According to our Scrutimancers they went to Undertown. They''re staying at the Gloomy Horse Guild. Our agents are already closing in. We should have them up bagged soon."


    "Good," Arkenish leaned back in his chair. "Nobody disrupts my business. Nobody! I want their fingers before this day ends."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Of course," Gabriella nodded. "Our business with Lord Zalimar cannot be disrupted for so long. Far too much valuable trade is tied to the Shandrian Earth-Arx gate. These kids won''t see another sunrise. We''ll make them disappear, chop them up, destroy their artifacts. You''ll have new fingers mounted on that wall soon, don''t fret."


    Katherine looked up at the weird 2.5D painting behind the man. She realized that it was made from fingers of various colors.


    "Good tomorrow, Grand Moloch," the crystal ball went dark as Gabriella''s image faded away.


    Arkenish slammed his fists into the table, making the wood groan.


    "DAMNATION!" He barked and then started to mutter to himself. "Three bloody years. Three years! Damn it all! I have to call up all of the warehouses... have to make the supplies we already have last... order duplicator mages to copy what we have... stretch the lesser quality copied stuff over the years, increase the price."


    Arkenish slumped back in his chair, muttering more colorful curses under his breath. He reached for a fat cigar, his hands shaking slightly as he lit it, exhaling the blue-tinted smoke.


    Katherine emerged fully from the deep, her emerald eyes blazing. Arkenish''s head snapped up, the cigar falling from his trembling fingers as her magisteel-covered claws closed around his neck, lifting the man up with ease from his seat.


    "Who... how did you..." he stammered, trying to reach for something under his desk.


    Katherine pulled the fat man into the deep and unleashed her aura, pouring all of the fear and pain she''d collected from roaming across Undertown into Arkenish.


    He screamed, flailed in her grip, eyes bulging in horror.


    "Hello," Katherine hissed. "I hear you''re having supply chain issues."


    "You..." The man let out, shaking in her claws. "You''re one of them... Earth-delvers! K-Katherine Kells!"


    "Yes," she growled. "And you better recall those assassins if you want to live."


    "I... I cannot!" The Grand Moloch bawled. "I''m just the distributor! The Undertown Topaz Den proprietor! The Arx Bank controls everything from above! Please... I''m just a middleman! R-rep Gabriella... she''s the one who forwards the order of the Bankers to the Enforcers! They''re the ones who..."


    "How long?" Katherine tightened her grip, letting more fear seep into the man''s mind.


    "T-thirty m-minutes," the man cried. "In thirty minutes your friends will be arrested and executed!"


    "Tell me everything quickly," she growled. "About the bank. About Gabriella. About the Topaz trade. Everything."


    "The... the Arx B-Bank controls everything!" Arkenish gasped through her iron grip. "They... they own most of Shandria! The Topaz trade... it''s just one part of their operation! We all work for them, me n Gabs, every Guild in U-Undertown obeys the Loan Sharks! Everyone d-down here is indebted to the Arx Bank! They own many i-independent city states all across Arx!"


    "How many city states?"


    "I... I don''t know the exact number!" The man trembled. "It is a very vast network, encompassing p-parts of the Shadow Empire and f-far, far beyond it. You and your friends are already dead! The B-Bankers... They''re... they''re not gonna stop till they feed you to the Shadows! Nobody can get away from th-their enforcer mages! Y-you kids made a b-big mistake! Nobody screws with their interdimensional suppliers!"


    "Nobody?" Katherine''s eyes flashed dangerously. "Watch me."


    "Please!" he begged, shaking in her claws. "I''ll give you anything! Money! Power! Women! Men! Children! Anything you desire! Just don''t..."


    "Shut up," Katherine growled. "I''m not interested in your pathetic bribes. I want information. Weaknesses. Names. Locations. Everything, everyone that you know that ties Undertown to the Arx Bankers and Zalimar!"


    "I... I can''t!" Arkenish whimpered. "They''ll kill me! They''ll kill my family! They''ll..."


    Katherine''s claws tightened, drawing blood. "I can do much, much worse." She promised. "You''ll wish that you were dead."


    The man screamed as her Stollwurm aura pounded into his psyche, tearing it asunder.


    "No! NO more! Please!!!" The man sobbed, shaking like a leaf. "The Loan Sharks... they''re not normal Arx-kin. They''re... they''re something else. Something ancient, something from another dimension. They''ve been running things on Arx since before the Shadow Empire rose up to take o-over Shandria! They have Skyships that travel between cities! Gates that can go anywhere on Arx! More p-permanent, i-interdimensional gates! There are several branches of the Arx Bank in Shandria... Closest one is next to the Cathedral f-facing the central square! One in the Guild District on 382 Barbariss Street. The third one is in the Market District, facing the Gilded Gryphon Inn. There is a secret b-branch in Undertown in the Assassins Guild. There''s a yellow folder in my safe behind the finger-sculpture! It has names of all the Arx Bank reps I work with... Everything I know about them! I''ve been collecting information about t-them and their s-servants! Figuring out everything in case they betrayed me!"


    Katherine growled.


    "I can be of use to you!" The man begged. "Please! I''ll serve you! I can work with you! The power of the Bank won''t be easily broken! They g-give everyone these m-magic b-bracelets, see?" The man shook a hexagonal-textured bracelet on his wrist. "They s-slowly eat everyone''s mana, tell everyone their S-system Stats, translate every language into every language!"


    "Everyone in Shandria has these bracelets?" Katherine demanded.


    "Y-yes!" Arkenish nodded frantically. "The Bank gives them out for free, once! They say it''s a service, a gift to help people track their Skills and System Stats and translate languages! But really... really they''re gathering data! They know everything about everyone! Where we go, what we do, how much mana we have, who we talk to!"


    Katherine''s eyes narrowed as she examined the hexagonal bracelet on the man''s wrist. It looked identical to Lazarus bracelets they received at school, but it smelled a bit off, the texture looked scratched up, duller, less magical, less... alive. She inhaled deep, tapped it with a claw.


    A shoddy, modified, magical copy... likely created with a duplicator artifact.


    "Give me the combination to your safe," Katherine growled.


    "3-8-2-1-5!" The man sobbed. "Please... I''ve told you everything I know!"


    "Good," Katherine said. "I already have one annoying human. I don''t need another, especially not one that''s cursed by a million ghosts. Have fun being devoured by your victims."


    She released him into the darkness and dove out of the deep back into the office, still submerged 1/5 of the way in.


    She walked to the safe, idly noting how monstrous, shimmering, pearlescent-blue, stretched out, skittering, crawling, many-limbed, hollow humanoids advanced from all around towards Arkenish.


    The deep Echoes descended on the screaming man like a swarm of locusts, tearing into his flesh and soul, seeking vengeance for the pain and misery he had inflicted upon them while they were still alive.


    Katherine turned away from the grisly scene, tearing the painting off the wall to get to the safe. She used the combination to unlock it and spotted the yellow folder amongst piles of jewels, contracts, paperwork and coins, stuffing everything into her bag.


    The Arx Bank controlled everything. Instructor Zalimar was in cahoots with them, probably selling Omnid magitek to them!


    The bracelets. The translations. The Stats. Even the Topaz trade was just one tendril of their vast operation. And now their agents were annoyed with a certain pesky human who messed with their primary supplier.


    She had no time to lose and four of her idiot... friends to save.

 Chapter 41: Weapons of Mass Destruction

    Our trio descended from the rooftop hot tub back to the main dining hall, finding Io still lounging by the massive fireplace, his wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes as he read his book in his chosen stone alcove.


    "Sup ma'' Door," I called out, settling on a leather couch next to the fire. "How''s the moon?"


    "Haunted," Io replied, snapping his book shut and sliding it into his bag. "The moon-people have some serious issues with their ghost problem. Did ya guys resolve yo ''ship issues?"


    "What?! W-we didn''t... it''s not... there weren''t any ship issues to resolve!" Cinder stammered out. "We just... talked! About stuff! Normal stuff!"


    "Mhmmm, sure," Io hummed knowingly, sitting up. "That''s why you''re glowing like a pink reactor and Vee looks like she won the lottery?"


    "Joint custody, my dude," Vespera clicked merrily.


    "Grats on a solid poly-ship," Io nodded, offering the Thunderbird a high-five. "Wasn''t sure if it would be just Ci. Far too many Omnids these days end up lon'' or bound to a dickish, controlling Clan leader."


    "Ye," Vee dropped on the couch next to me, chainmail jiggling. "As a society we are extra-cooked. Omnicorps be capitalizin'' on parasocial relationships. Corps like Golden Star feed everyone''s data into probability engines and spit out ''optimal matches'' for maintaining stronk'' bloodlines via corporate mergers. Pretty sure we gonna have human-made robots satisfyin'' all our physical needs at this rate. Ugh. Now I need a drink to chase away the depresso."


    Io pulled a bottle of interdimensional beer from his bag featuring the tag ''Chalice''s Brew'' on it and an etching of an armored knight with a giant sword.


    "Oi," I growled, stepping towards him and pushing his fuzzy hand back into the bag. "Slide that back where it came from."


    "Nuuu," Vee whined, trying to pull Io''s paw out of the bag. "Gimme! I need it to cope!"


    "As your Quartermaster," I said. "I''m banning you all from drinking until there''s something to celebrate."


    "Lame!" Vee huffed. "I thought you were the cool kind of Quartermaster that''d let me booze up in the afternoon."


    "I am cool," I said. "I need you sober. You''re my Thunder-cannon. My artillery piece. My big railgun. My genius Prima Hunter Sword. My... insert dashing and dangerous birb description here."


    Vee burst into snickers blushing with dark feathery spots and sparks dancing up her cheeks, giving up on the beer in lieu of my complements attack. Cinder rolled her eyes.


    "Hey Ci. Do you have a fiance that I have to fight too?" I asked her curiously.


    "I did. Already fought him off. Dad attempted to introduce me to my... ''optimal match''," she said. "After listening to my precog-selected-fiance drone on about some foldknob shit, I got annoyed and kicked him right through the Western wall of the house into the garden. Then, I felt that it was insufficient, broke dad''s fav statue of some Omnid philosopher and beat the annoying bastard into a chunky soup with the head."


    Vee whistled. "Wish I had the balls for that. How old were you?"


    "Seventeen," Cinder shrugged. "Dad was furious about the statue. Mom thought it was... uuhhh... passionate. They haven''t tried to ''arrange'' anything since, placing their hopes on Lance and hoping that I''ll chill out enough to meet a boy in school and become a Hearth Keeper like my mom someday."


    "And they just... let you get away with that?" Vespera clicked her beak in amazement.


    "Yeah," Cinder said. "I''m not a firstborn, so I don''t have to carry on the Nova legacy or whatever. Plus, unlike your family, mine actually listens when I say ''no.'' Sometimes it takes violence to get the point across though. A LOT of violence and breaking statues and skulls."


    "Glad that I avoided getting my skull smashed in with giant stone heads," I grinned.


    "You came pretty close," Cinder squinted at me. "You''re just lucky that you look so fragile and harmless. If you were an Omnid I''d already have killed you at least twenty times, you damned smol persistent chuppy."


    "Speaking of violence," Io suddenly sat up straight, his large gray eyes fixed on our trio. "I sense death."


    "What kind of death?" I asked.


    "Don''t know," he said, gray paws kneading under the robe. "Something shifted. Someone somewhere said something, sent death after us. Multiple deaths. Not nice ones. More than one vector. Vectors. All directions. Multiple end futures. All leading to our deaths. Don''t have exact details. Just a very nasty sense of looming doom about all of us. Plus... a terrible catastrophe. Oh wow. This is huge."


    His antennae twitched wildly, gray eyes turning to stare at me.


    "Great," Vee groaned. "And here I was hoping for a nice evening with my lovely new ''ship. When''s it coming?"


    "Soon," Io said. "Thirty minutes tops. Whoever it is that desires our demise is quite effective at it, making sure we don''t get away. Potential dead-ends blooming all around."


    "Can you like be any less vague?" Vespera demanded.


    "Alas," Io shrugged apologetically. "Disaster sense doesn''t work like that. I do sense quite clear intent to kill me. The feeling is very, very strong. It''s muted though, foggy... which suggests that our enemies are trying to be clever and are using heavy anti-scrying wards. Too bad that basic bling doesn''t work on Death Moths."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Shash!" I barked loudly.


    "Yes, M''Lord?" The Assassin materialized beside me, making Cinder yelp.


    "Got a company of competitors coming in hot to take us out in thirty," I said. "Options?"


    "The Guild has several defensive measures. Shall I banish the pub clientele, seal all doors and activate the wards?" Shash''s obsidian eyes glinted.


    "Yes." I nodded. "And get everyone who can''t fight into the vault."


    "The vault M''Lord?"


    "Yes," I said. "Trusted people are more valuable than gold. Everyone who is ready to fight for me and our Guild should get their ass over here. I''ve extremely deadly weapons to distribute."


    I pulled Lance''s bag from my shoulders and opened it up.


    "We should leave," Cinder said, her feathers shifting through nervous grays. "If someone''s coming to kill us..."


    "Leave to where?" I asked her. "Do you perchance own another criminal-operated Citadel somewhere else? Other than the the Abystall dungeon, this place is our best option for survival. Right Io?"


    The moth nodded.


    "Can''t we just fly out?" Cinder asked.


    "And abandon my people?" I arched an eyebrow. "I don''t think so! These murdery asshats are obviously my competitors. They want a Guild war? Fine! I''ll give them a Guild War they won''t forget!"


    I turned to my Assassin. "Shash? Who''s the fastest and most skilled mage on your team who can sense air currents?"


    "Yomik Peeps, M''Lord," the Assassin replied, summoning the man quickly to where we stood. "He''s a wind mage."


    "Yomik," I handed the thirty-year-old, gray-blue-tinted mole-man Lance''s bricking wand. "Once everyone is out of the pub, use this to permanently seal the front door with an extra-thick layer of stone. Make sure that the seal is airtight. Also, run around and seal any cracks or air holes. I want the Guild airtight like a ship in thirty minutes or less. Leave the door to the roof functional, but make sure the stone forms a seal over the edges. Got it?"


    "Yes, M''Lord," Yomik bowed. He grabbed the wand from my hand and ran off.


    My team stared at me, trying to guess what I was planning to do.


    Shash was barking more orders through his Voicecast bracelet. More mooks and Guilders materialized in the room.


    Vespera was already in the bag, pulling magisteel armor, shields and swords out.


    "Alex," Cinder addressed me with a desperate look. "You can''t just start a Guild War!"


    "Can''t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs," I grinned, accepting the hexasuits and weapons from Vee and handing it to my mooks. "Besides, they started it. We''re just defending ourselves."


    "With what army?" Cinder demanded. "We have what, twelve people here on top of our team?"


    "Fifteen actually," Shash corrected. "Plus the kitchen staff. Podop''s quite formidable with his strength-amplifying Kitlix."


    "See?" I beamed. "We''ve got a small army! Don''t worry, this place just has to hold out for half an hour tops."


    "Why?" Cinder fretted.


    "''Cus, I''ve got something they don''t have," I grinned at her.


    "What''s that?" Cinder asked.


    "Biological weapons," I said.


    "WHAT?" Cinder choked. "When the shit did you... Wait, full stop! Did you bring something... from Earth?! How did you even get... biological weapons?! Did you steal something from the Frontenachii, is that it?! M¨CAlex, you can''t release that stuff out here!!!"


    "Pffff nah. See, after you guys went back into the cold tunnel," I said. "I climbed down the rope ladder into Abystall dungeon and filled all of Lance''s dimensional bags with lovely, glowing mites."


    "You did WHAT?!" Cinder barked. Everyone else in attendance stared at me like I was mad.


    "I went down into the dungeon and filled every bag I had with mites," I grinned. "It wasn''t hard at all¨Cthey were attracted by the magic inside the bag. Harmless to me but deadly to anyone with magic. They''re perfect biological weapons."


    Horror, shock and fear-filled eyes stared at me from all sides.


    "Oh," Io announced. "I see what I''ve been sensing from the beginning. It''s YOU! You are the cause of everything!"


    The moth pointed an accusatory, fuzzy, gray finger at me.


    "Obviously," I grinned. "I was the catastrophe all along. Surprise!"


    "M''Lord," Shash choked. "Those things are dangerous. Very hard to get rid of, impossible if they spread out enough. They will definitely spread..."


    "Everywhere," I said. "Across all Undertown. This place could use a bit of a spring cleaning, don''t you think?"


    "M-mar... Alex!" Cinder shook me. "You can''t just... release Duskbloom mites into Undertown! They''ll kill everyone!"


    "No they won''t," I shook my head. "This far from the dungeon, they''re a mild nuisance at most. You guys were covered head to toe in them and you didn''t die. The mana loss from them is small and slow when their numbers aren''t big."


    "But they will..." Shash began.


    "Multiply," I said. "Propagate. Spread all over. What would happen then? Go on, think about it. Extrapolate. Speculate."


    "Chaos," Shash said with a frown. "Panic. Lockdown. Every strong or wealthy mage in Undertown would be forced to either leave or find ways to shield themselves with cold runes. The bastards upstairs will likely block the tunnels out with dimensional magic, barrier wards and cold runes, charging an arm and a leg for someone to leave. Their Seers and Precogs will learn of the danger quickly. They will act fast - many of the tunnels already have magic seals on them that detect incoming stuff like Duskbloom."


    "Correct," I said. "Which will give us a week of panic to take over all of Undertown. I don''t deal in half-measures. I don''t deal in half-assery. Full assery, all the way! Act before anyone can do anything."


    "That''s... that''s genocide!" Cinder protested.


    "No, that''s good use of pests," I corrected. "Everyone will be too busy fighting and fleeing the bloom to stop our takeover."


    "Alex!" Cinder yelled. "You can''t! We can''t..."


    "Sorry babe," I grinned, tapping out a sequence on my ID tag. "Too late."


    "W-what do you mean too late?" Cinder yelped.


    "Give it about twenty seconds," I said.


    "Give WHAT twenty seconds?!" The Quetzi-girl growled, hounding me, her face lengthening and becoming more draconic. "ALEX!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"


    A series of deep, thundering booms resounded across the floor of the cavern, dust falling from the ceiling.


    "W-what the shit was that?" Cinder spun, letting go of me.


    "That was a new, bigly fissure opening up," I said. "Fissures, actually. Between Abystall dungeon and Undertown. I just used Voicecast command to remote-detonate biggest fifty beast cores from Lance''s collection set into what Yulia and I determined was the weakest, thinnest sections of cavern walls between the dungeon and Undertown. The bloom will spread out carried by the warm wind coming from the dungeon now. There''s nothing anyone can do to stop it now."


    "YOU!" Io''s finger pointed at me even firmer, grey eyes blazing with an accusatory look.


    Vespera''s beak was wide open.


    Cinder looked like she was going to murder me.


    "M''Lord," Shash breathed out. "That was... incredibly ruthless."


    "Ruthless?" I grinned. "I''m just getting started."

 Chapter 42: The End of Undertown [I]

    "You..." Cinder shook me by the collar, screeching like a banshee. "You absolute PSYCHO! What is wrong with you?!"


    I grinned back at her.


    "You''re going to get everyone killed!" She snarled, claws digging into my hardening hexasuit collar. "The mites will spread everywhere! Into people''s homes! Their food! Their water!"


    "Exactly," I grinned. "And who controls the cold tunnel?"


    "What tunnel?!" She growled. "The effing tunnel that leads to the effing dungeon filled with even more effing mites? How the fuck is that even going to...?!"


    "I''ve already sealed off the end of the tunnel with Lance''s bricking wand," I said." The cold tunnel doesn''t lead into the dungeon anymore. It''s just a very long loop now that leads back to our Guild. In the health industry we call it a cold... ''decontamination treatment chamber''," I explained. "People will pay good money to get decontaminated. We''ll charge them per cleansing. The cold tunnel is already pretty damn long, we can use the bricking wand to expand it sideways into side caverns, add more cold rooms to decontaminate food and water for everyone in Undertown."


    "You''re... you''re going to charge people to use the cold tunnel?!" Cinder howled.


    "Of course," I nodded. "Basic economics. Create a problem, sell the solution. Everyone wins. Especially our Guild.¡±


    Vespera''s beak snapped shut. A wide grin spread across her face.


    "Everyone wins?!" Cinder sputtered. "You''re literally unleashing a plague!"


    "A very mild plague," I corrected. "That can be easily treated with a bit of cold tunnel."


    "But..." Cinder''s feathers flashed through shocked orange-violets and angry reds. "People will suffer! Their homes will..."


    "People are already suffering," I said. "Open your eyes, Ci! Half of Undertown is addicted to Topaz. The other half is in debt to the High Lords above. Everyone is either living in half-collapsing decrepit stone buildings carved thousands of years ago or in shacks made from magical garbage that the mages above throw down here. This place is basically a giant magical garbage pile. It needs a hard reset."


    "By infecting everyone with parasites?!"


    "By giving them a common enemy," I corrected. "Something to unite against. Something that will force change in less than a week. Haven''t you seen Watchmen?"


    "Abyss!" Vespera started to laugh. "He''s... he''s pulling an Ozymandias! Oh my Slayer!"


    "A what?" Cinder blinked.


    "A dire, external threat to unite people," Vespera explained between giggles. "Like in that old comic¨COzymandias unleashed a fake alien invasion to unite Omnithornia and Thunderland against a common enemy. Except our human is using dungeon-bred parasites! This is great!"


    "It''s not great!" Cinder protested. "How are you on his side in this?! It''s insane!"


    "Actually," Io commented thoughtfully, "It''s pretty clever. The mites will force everyone to work together, to find solutions."


    "And who controls the biggest solution?" Vee clicked.


    "We do!" I declared. "Come on. Everyone armed up and ready?"


    Our Guilders nodded.


    "To the roof then," I said. "Time to parlay with our enemies!"


    <hr>


    . . .


    We emerged onto the roof.


    The view of Undertown stretched out before us, twinkling with countless Kitlix lanterns below the green-blue star-moss spotted ceiling. Vespera and I handed the mite-filled bags to the guilders.


    "On my order of thumbs up," I instructed the mooks. "Turn the bags over and press this hexagram here to empty them. Make it rain mites. Got it? Good."


    "This is so wrong," Cinder protested weakly. "We can''t..."


    "The dungeon is already spreading," I said.


    I had no idea whether the right tunnels even opened up from the beast core explosions, no idea if Yulia''s calculations were correct. What mattered now was that my team simply had to believe that dumping the bags was the only way forward, that releasing the mites in our possession wouldn''t change much.


    "This will only add a bit more mites to the overall picture," I said. "In a particular direction."


    "Why?!" Cinder demanded.


    "Because," I pointed at the street below. "Here they come!"


    Below the citadel tower, armed, large figures converged on our tower from multiple directions. Bright Kitlix lanterns bounced on their belts casting no shadows and lighting the way. Doors and windows snapped shut as Undertown denizens hid from the enforcers, not knowing whom they were going to arrest today.


    "Those are the people coming to execute us," I explained. "They won''t be expecting a twist of this magnitude. They probably think that we''re killing our brain cells in a room like dumb-ass teenagers, getting drunk."


    I gave Vee a poignant look.


    "Oi!" She protested. "I''m not THAT predictable!"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "You literally begged Io for booze like thirty minutes ago," I pointed out.


    "Hmpf," Vespera crossed her arms.


    A burly, armored man banged on the shut, magisteel-reinforced door of our Guild which now led into a thick stone wall thanks to the bricking wand.


    "Attention Gloomy Horse Adventurers Guild!" The armored man''s voice boomed through some kind of amplification magic. "I am the Shandrian Arch-Guild Enforcer Legarth Wixoff! We know you''re harboring Earth-delvers! Open up and surrender them to us, or we will be forced to take... extreme measures!"


    "Sup Legarth?" I yelled down, placing a heavy as hell wardstone shield in front of myself to avoid potential arrows, amplifying my voice with Lance''s magitek megaphone. "You looking for some... Love?"


    "You dare mock me, Earth-lander?" Legarth''s magically amplified voice nearly deafened me. "Do you have any idea who you''re dealing with, boy?"


    "A soon-to-be very itchy man?" I called back. "I''m curious, who wants us to surrender and what laws did we break?"


    "Delver Team... Erm... ''I Love you''! The Arx Bank has issued an order for your immediate arrest signed by the High Justice Luborkand of Shandria!" Legarth declared. "You and your companions are hereby charged with interfering with official Arx Bank business. Your delving team is to be arrested and forcibly deported from Shandria."


    "Deported? Why?" I asked. "What''d we do? I''m not hearing specific crimes."


    "The specific crime, in question," Legarth barked up, "is a disruption of sanctioned trade routes for three years time. Where is the owner of this establishment? Why is the front door barred?"


    "I dunno," I shrugged. "She''s chilling uptown in some Inn, I think."


    "She?" Legarth sputtered. "I''m talking about Guild Master Motrdem! Where is he?"


    "Oh, he sold the place," I called down. "He''s uptown now too, spending his well-earned money on booze or whatever."


    "Sold it? To whom?!" The muscular man asked.


    "To interdimensional delver Emerald Stratos. You know her? Ruby-can''t Lindworm? Really angry all the time? Has a thing for collecting overpriced stuff and setting people on fire?"


    "What nonsense do you speak of?!" Legarth growled. "Motrdem would never sell his ancestral Guild to a delver!"


    "I dunno. I think Emmy gave Mort something like ten million gold for the place," I shrugged. "Look, my dude, my delving team is just renting a room here for three silver a night. You need to chill. Do you or your men happen to have cold runes on your armor?"


    "What?" The muscular man sputtered. "Cold runes? Why would we... What does that have to do with anything?!"


    "If you don''t have cold runes," I yelled down. "Then, I REALLY suggest you avoid hitting the front door! Some very, VERY bad things are going to happen if you keep at it! I''m being friendly and warning you because I''m a polite and friendly adventurer! Like come on, didn''t you just say my team''s name? We''re basically all about... Peace n'' Love!"


    "Your attempts at distraction will not work!" Legarth stated. "You have one minute to surrender before we breach this establishment!"


    More armored men and mages gathered behind him, ready to strike at the tower''s ward.


    "That''s a terrible idea!" I yelled down. "Please, don''t shake this tower!"


    "I''ll do whatever it takes to get you criminals arrested and deported from Shandria!" Legarth barked. "Come down or else!"


    He kicked the door with his massive, magisteel-clad boot, making the entire tower vibrate.


    "Oh no!" I cried dramatically. "You really shouldn''t have done that! The bags Emerald set up are getting loose!"


    I gave a thumbs up to the mooks behind me.


    They upended the bags.


    Glowing mites exploded from upturned dimensional bags and rained down from the tower like luminescent snow, drifting down onto the assembled enforcers below.


    "What... what is this?!" Legarth blinked.


    "Emerald Stratos tied a bunch of dimensional bags around the top of this tower as a prank," I yelled through the megaphone. "I think you guys call this stuff... Duskbloom! Is this stuff super itchy or something? That''s what she said!"


    Vespera started chortle-giggling behind me.


    The faces of the men below us went from confusion to shock and then pure horror as they recognized the telltale azure glow of the parasitic mites.


    "DUSKBLOOM!" Someone screamed as a patch of mites landed on his shoulder. "IT''S DUSKBLOOM! It''s eating my mana!!!"


    "No! I still owe nine thousand silver for this armor! I can''t have it ruined!"


    "My sword! It''s on my magic sword!"


    Panic erupted instantly. A few of the assembled enforcers fled, running from the falling swarm of parasites. Some tried to shield themselves with magic, but the mites simply drifted through their barriers, settling on armor and skin.


    More enforcers yelled and began retreating. Then the dam broke.


    Legarth spun in one spot, watching as all of his men fled. The mites drifted all around, settling on invisible figures who began flailing and trying to scrape or magically remove the tiny mites off with no success whatsoever. A few invisible figures completely coated in mites jumped off the sides of our tower, freaking out and rolling around as if they were on fire.


    "Are those invisible men or are you just happy to see us?" I yelled down. "Better start running to the nearest fridge! That stuff gets everywhere like sand and eats right through all magic barriers. The more magical you are, the more annoying it is, I hear!"


    The assassins covered in Duskbloom gave up on killing us. Flickering in and out of visibility, they took off into the darkness, not wishing their faces seen.


    "You... you MADMAN!" Legarth roared up at me, watching as glowing, living snow drifted across the streets all around him like he was in a Winter See-Mass Cola commercial. "Do you have any idea what you fools have done?! These filthy parasites will spread across all of Undertown!"


    "Me? I''m just the Quartermaster of ''I Love You''," I shrugged. "I didn''t do anything. I''m just chilling in the rooftop hot tub with my best friends! Blame the prankster dragoness for this mess. Did you hear those booms earlier? Emerald told me that she hired a bunch of other idiot adventurers for one hundred thousand silver each to detonate some tunnels. Can you guess where the tunnels lead?"


    "You''re bluffing!" Legarth shouted, still frantically brushing at the glowing mites settling on his armor. "No one would be insane enough to..."


    "Consider this, Legarth," I declared. "Emerald is a delver from another world. She doesn''t give two shits about Undertown or Shandria. She doesn''t care about you or the people here. I think that some Undertown citizen stepped on her toe yesterday! When she saw Abystall dungeon, she had a really stupid idea for a prank. I tried to convince her not to do it, but I''m just a lowly human and Quartermaster of another competing delving team. I have no power over her. I warned you not to kick this tower, did I not? You have only yourself to blame for this!"


    "You... you''re lying!" Legarth shouted, but there was uncertainty in his voice now. "No delver would..."


    "Really?" I called back. "You sure about that? Have you met many interdimensional delvers? Especially ones with more money than common sense and a tendency to set things on fire when annoyed? Some old man from Undertown insulted her. Emerald took it personally. This is her revenge. Sorry, my dude. I''m going back to my rooftop hot tub. I suggest you go home and wash up and throw that armor into a fridge or something before you get too itchy!"


    More Duskboom-related screams erupted from nearby streets as the mites continued to drift through the air, carried by air currents from the newly opened fissures.


    A lamenting siren made up from ringing doomsday bells resounded across Undertown, mage towers lighting up. The locals were terrified of Duskbloom, and knew exactly what it could do if given time to grow.


    The living catastrophe was spreading across Undertown drawn to magic all around.


    Drawn to ungodly amounts of Topaz in cigar buds and in empty, broken bottles. Drawn to Topaz storage warehouses and Topaz dens. Drawn to thousands upon thousands of years of layered magical garbage piles. Drawn to Topaz in people''s bodies inside shimmering-blue lesions and swollen glands.


    Primed to devour it all and to multiply endlessly.

 Chapter 42: The End of Undertown [II]

    "This is madness!" Legarth roared as more mites settled on his magic armor. "The Bank will hear of this! They''ll..."


    "Sorry! Going back to the rooftop party now! My girls want more beer!" I yelled back via my megaphone.


    I walked away from the parapet, sending a smile to my friends and mooks.


    "Back inside," I ordered everyone. "Time for phase two."


    "Phase... two?!" Cinder sputtered as we descended the stairs. "What''s phase two? You''ve already unleashed a plague!"


    "Now we expand and fortify," I explained. "Shash, status of the vault?"


    "All non-combatants secured, M''Lord," the assassin reported. "The vault is sealed and warded."


    "Excellent. Podop!"


    The molekin enforcer stepped forward, his strength-amplifying Kitlix glowing on his shoulder.


    "Sir!"


    "Use your strength to obliterate walls. Begin adding a bunch of cold rooms with Yomik to the cold tunnel, make them look nice. We''re going to have all of Undertown visiting us in due time. Rostika knows how to install cold runes, yes?"


    "Yes, M''Lord," Podop nodded. "Me n'' her have been maintaining the cold tunnel to Abystall, adding new cold runes and such."


    "Very good," I nodded. "Make a new, extra fortified cold tunnel entrance from Undertown into our Guild."


    "Understood," the man said, departing with my blessings.


    "You know. I absolutely did not expect this much ruthlessness from my human husbando so soon," Vespera clicked.


    "Oh?" I looked at her.


    "Thought there would be more dancing around morality, more hesitation, more... I dunno, guilt?"


    "Guilt?" I arched an eyebrow at her. "About what?"


    "People are going to die, you effing knob!" Cinder said. "Not everyone is going to be able to afford this cure of yours!"


    "Nah," I shrugged. "Our Guild will charge a varying rate for the cold tunnel use. Those without money will simply pay us with... their services."


    Cinder''s feathers bristled with angry reds. "What services?! You''re going to exploit desperate people?!"


    "Not exploit," I corrected. "Employ. Think about it - we''ll need workers to expand the Guild and cold tunnel system. Guards, cleaners, maintenance staff. People who can''t afford the treatment can work it off."


    "That''s... that''s slavery!" Cinder protested.


    "No, that''s capitalism," I grinned. "Everyone will be monitored by our Guilders and also through Yulia''s cameras. The AI will determine who is a knob and who is a capable employee. Those who do a good job will be paid a good salary from the sales of silver juice. Morty called me a few hours ago and let me know that sales above are going well. Those who slack off or have no talent in the service industry will be sent out on lesser jobs such as cleaning up the mite-infested magic garbage from the streets and demolishing mite-infested hovels to build luxury hotels and other nice things."


    "You''re exploiting the downtrodden!"


    "Not exploiting. Employing. Come on Ci, would you rather they die from mite infection?"


    "I''d rather you hadn''t released the mites in the first place!" She complain-growled.


    "Too late for that," I shrugged, spreading my arms in a dramatic gesture. "Consider this¨Cwhen they seal off Undertown, all debts will be cleared. The mites will eat right through magic debt contracts, magic slave collars and magic binding tattoos. Everyone in Undertown will be free. No debt. No slavery. No more upworld owners!"


    "Dang. This is some Fight Club level shit," Vespera whistled. "I haven''t even thought about how the mites would destroy magic-enforced debts."


    "You..." Cinder''s feathers shifted through more frustrated oranges and angry reds sprinkled with small patches of excited violets. "You''re actually enjoying this, aren''t you?"


    "Enjoying? This is an effort and a half. Think of me as a surgeon removing a very nasty tumor," I shrugged. "I''m saving this place from itself."


    "By forcing everyone into eternal indentured servitude to your Guild?!"


    "Not forever. Everyone will buy cold runes or rent Frostix Kitlix from us in due time. I''m giving the people opportunities," I corrected. "Look around you, Ci. What do you see? A bunch of broken people addicted to Topaz, living in squalor. We''re going to give them purpose, direction. A chance to be part of something bigger, to rebuild, to grow, to beat the mites back and to emerge as the shining jewel of interdimensional trade."


    A shadow flickered in front of me.


    "Oh hey Kat," I said as Katherine manifested in the dining hall, panting. "How did your jogging exercise go?"


    "What exercise?" Katherine''s emerald eyes blazed with urgency. "We need to leave! The Bankers are sending their men to attack this place! Now! Grab onto me and I''ll take you into the deep and..."


    "Nah, it''s fine," I said. "I just started a nice little biological warfare campaign. Things are just getting interesting!"


    "Alex! You don''t understand! The Arx Bank..." Katherine panted. "They control everything. The bracelets... The translations, the Stats. Even the Topaz trade. Instructor Zal is the one that''s been importing Topaz to Arx from some other dimension or something! The Bankers sent assassins!"If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Oh, is that all?" I grinned. "Don''t worry about it. I''ve already dealt with that. The assassins and the enforcers ran away from the mites."


    "Mites? What mites?" the Stollwurm panted, looking at the long faces of our companions. "What... what happened while I was gone?!"


    "Relax, sit down on a couch by the fire. Why don''t you tell us what you learned," I said. "Then Vee can tell you what I did on my exciting first delve to Arx!"


    <hr>


    . . .


    Kat stared at Vespera with a catatonic look as the Thunderbird finished narrating out my accomplishments, while I flipped through the yellow binder that Kat gave me, taking photos of every page for Yulia to process later.


    "Let me get this straight," Katherine growled, her glowing, cat-like emerald eyes fixed on me. "You released Duskbloom mites into Undertown, blamed Em and now plan to charge people for access to your cold tunnel decontamination chambers?"


    "Mhmm," I nodded. "Gonna make extra chambers and temporary residences within the large cavern system below our Guild."


    "And you think this will... what? Make you the King of Undertown?" Katherine demanded. "I go away for an hour and you manage to cause a local apocalypse?! If I wasn''t so out of breath running here through the deep to save your stupid ass, I would smack you so hard..."


    I slipped behind Vespera. "No smacky. Birb-waifu shall protek!"


    "Waifu?!" Katherine''s spiked tail lashed dangerously.


    "Joint custody," Vespera clicked cheerfully, petting my head. "Me n'' Ci co-own his pink ass now. Don''t damage the goods, K, or I''ll be annoyed."


    "Okay." Kat tiredly rubbed her snout. "Right. Whatever... Can we focus on the fact that the Arx Bank wants us dead for screwing with our Topaz-peddling Koshei Instructor?" She asked. "They''re not just some local criminal organization - they''re something ancient and powerful. Their bracelets are everywhere, tracking everyone''s Stats on Arx, gathering data..."


    "Yes, yes," I waved dismissively. "Evil megacorp with magic surveillance tech. Very scary. But consider this - many people in Undertown are too poor for fancy upworld bracelets and have already sold their free bracelets for Topaz. And those that haven''t... Well, we can politely ask them to take them off."


    "Ask them to take it off?" Katherine blinked. "You can''t just ask people to take off their bracelets! These things are essential - they translate languages, show Stats, store mana..."


    "And spy on everyone," I nodded. "And attract hungry mites. Which is why we''ll offer alternatives."


    "What bloody alternatives?" Kat demanded.


    "Phones from Earth with a personal AI," I grinned. "Yulia can handle translations just fine. I''m going to dump an ungodly amount of Earth tech into Undertown. And everyone will have to use it. Because unlike the mana-storing bracelets, it won''t attract the mites."


    "HA!" Vespera burst out. "Lexy isn''t just taking over Undertown - he''s going to make everyone switch to human tech! The mites will bloom on anything magical, so people will HAVE to use human-made Earth tech!"


    "Exactly," I grinned. "No more magical bracelets tracking everyone''s every move. Just good old-fashioned human surveillance through phones and tablets via my lovely AI."


    Vespera doubled over in giggles, waving magisteel talons at me. "OMG. Staaaap. I can only take so much supervillainy in one day!"


    "The Arx Bank won''t just sit back," Kat pointed out. "They''ll come for us again."


    "I''m sorry," I said. "Are you perchance the Arx Bank rep? How do you know what they''re going to do? In a week or less this entire place will be crawling with magic mites. Topaz is a magical drug. We cut the supply off. Now the mites will eat whatever the gangs have stored up, along with local money... which is also magical unless you forgot. Do you remember what happened during the Coronavirus lockdowns on Earth?"


    Kat opened her mouth and closed it.


    "The idiots ruling Shandria are just going to seal Undertown off," I said. "Maybe forever. They aren''t going to waste money on saving a bunch of drug addicts and criminals."


    "Oh," the Stollwurm let out.


    "Exactly. They''ll just wall this place off, let everyone down here rot," I continued. "It''s cheaper and more effective to brick up tunnels than to help people! But we''ll be here, offering solutions. Cold tunnels. Human tech. Jobs. Currency. Purpose. Hope."


    "And you think the Arx Bank will just... let you take over this place?" Katherine demanded.


    "Let me?" I laughed. "What are they going to do? Send more bulky knights or invisible assassins? Into a mite-infested zone? Good luck with that. Their magic won''t work here soon. Their bracelets won''t work. Their control will slip away day by day, mite by mite. They''ll hand Undertown to me on a silver platter."


    "They might try something else," Katherine tried. "Something worse. You don''t understand what these people are capable of."


    "No," I said. "YOU don''t understand what I''m capable of. Look at what I accomplished in one day. One single day! And I''m just getting started."


    I waved the yellow folder.


    "See these names? These addresses? These are all Bank representatives in Shandria. I''m going to start releasing this information into an appropriate direction. The people of Undertown need someone to blame for this. The Arx Bank in collaboration with interdimensional criminal Emerald Stratos and Lord Zalimar orchestrated a dastardly plot to kill everyone in Undertown to make... parking lots or... something. The point is, he who controls the narrative controls everything else. And I''m going to make sure everyone knows exactly who to blame for their loss of homes and businesses."


    "Damn," Io commented from his cozy alcove. "I was right to get on your team. You really turned out to be the biggest catastrophe of all, Lex.¡±


    ¡°Lex Luthor!¡± Vespera cackled, slapping her knees. ¡°Just need to shave him for authenticity!¡±


    "You knew that all this shit was going to happen?" Cinder demanded, glaring at the Mothman.


    "I didn''t know the details," Io shrugged. "I simply... sensed something truly catastrophic about this man. Something incredibly... delicious. This is it. The End of Undertown."


    "You could have stopped him! Could have warned us!" Cinder protested.


    "About what?" Io asked, dark gray eyes glinting under his wide hat. "That the mixie magic-less teenager who took photos of us during our smoke break on a Tuesday was basically the worst kind of a walking disaster possible? One who will destroy everything in his way with... words and mundane actions? Like you would have believed me! You, Em and Vee would have just called me a knob! Nobody ever listens to my opinion! I warned you all about our last show being a disaster and you still went through with it!¡±


    Cinder struggled to formulate words, glaring daggers at the moth.


    ¡°When you''re right, you''re right,¡± Vee patted Io on his shoulder.


    "Consider this," the Mothman said at Cinder. "He''s pretty much demolished you, Kat and Vee... and yet here you are... looking the happiest I''ve seen you in years. He''s destroyed Em''s reputation at school, destroyed Zalimar, destroyed the Gloomy Horse Guild''s independence, and now he''s destroying all of Undertown.¡±


    Cinder sighed.


    ¡°And the weirdest part?¡± Io added. ¡°Everyone just... lets him do it or assists him in this. Because in the end it''s better for everyone involved. In the end, a new, healthier forest grows from a forest fire. Eventually, Undertown will be rebuilt. It will never be the same. Katsburg will rise in its place. All of this is the currently unfolding disaster. I am thoroughly sated."


    Cinder simply blinked at the Mothman. Then she slid down onto the stone couch, struggling to digest his words of mothy wisdom.


    I sent Io a thumbs up and sat down next to Cinder. The Quetzi''s face became less predatory, snout drawing back in as her anger gradually subsided.


    I offered her my hand.

 Chapter 42: The End of Undertown [III]

    Cinder stared at my hand for a long moment, her feathers shifting through troubled grays.


    Vespera dropped on my other side, leaning on my shoulder.


    "I didn''t think you could do so much in so little time," she smiled. "And yet here we are. Good job!"


    Cinder''s bracelet vibrated. She tapped it with a resigned look.


    The usual blue-silver holo-projection of Quint''s head manifested from her ID tag artifact.


    "It is now the evening of day two," he said sharply. "Why hasn''t your team registered in the cathedral, Captain Nova?"


    I leaned towards Cinder, tapping her bracelet to zoom out and show all of us.


    "Sup, Pres?" I asked. "What''s the rush?"


    "The rush?" Quint''s holographic eyebrows rose. "The purpose of YOUR first delve on Arx is to register your team, receive your initial, basic in-town Quests, and begin building your reputation with the Adventurers Guild as Iron-rank delvers. Instead, you''ve spent two days doing... what exactly?"


    "Shopping," I said cheerfully. "Lots and lots of outfit shopping. Right team?"


    "Ye," Vespera clicked. "Totes. Getting swank gear n'' stuff."


    "And making sure our Quartermaster doesn''t die," Io added.


    "Die?" Quint''s holographic eyes narrowed. "Shandria is perfectly safe during the day, especially for a team of five Omnids, four of whom already have Arx-delving experience! You do get that I''m going to give you all zeroes for your first delving class unless you all follow the program!"


    "We''ve already registered as adventurers," I said.


    "No, you haven''t!" Quint growled. "If you did, I would know! I''m in contact with Adventurers Guild Secretary, Sister Antiqilla! Everyone already registered and checked in, except for your team!"


    "Actually." I grinned. "We registered at THE Adventurers Guild. Not the Cathedral one. The Gloomy Horse Guild."


    "WHAT?" Quint sputtered. "That''s not a..."


    "It''s the official Adventurers Guild of Undertown, according to the merchants I talked to from the market upstairs," I said. "The Gloomy Horse is connected to three dungeons, including the dangerously exciting Duskbloom-filled Abystall dungeon and a bunch of other fun places for mid to high-level delvers. On the account that I''m merely an Iron rank beginner, we''re currently doing community service for Undertown."


    Vespera choked from where she was sitting, clamping her beak with her claws, trying very hard not to break out into fits of laughter.


    "You''re... doing community service?" Quint blinked, glancing at Vee with a look of suspicion. "In... Undertown?"


    "Yes, my dude!" I declared. "Just like I did community service in a soup kitchen for Triumvirate Slayers Cathedral in Cradlefall! This is what I do! I love helping people. Not the people who are well off and want their lost kittens rescued or something. My team is helping out those who need it most!"


    "Community service," Quint repeated skeptically. "And what exactly does this... service entail?"


    "Oh, you know," I waved vaguely. "Feeding the poor. Helping the less fortunate. Assisting with infrastructure repairs. Helping people find jobs. The usual stuff I did with Father Matthias Jonannes in Scab Row!"


    "In Undertown," Quint said. "The... criminal district filled with magic drug dens?"


    "First of all, not everyone down here is a criminal or a gang member. Did you even read my reference paperwork? I''ve a month of experience in Scab Row running a soup kitchen and Nazarite volunteer organization. I''ve already helped feed a bunch of orphaned children here in Undertown. Besides that, everyone deserves a chance at redemption," I said, channeling my most pious tone as Christophorus Elijah. "Especially criminals and addicts. After all, what would Slayer Nazareth do?"


    "The delving class program..." Quint began his lecture-tone tune.


    "Was written by Instructor Zalimar," I said. "Who need I remind you, does not give a shit about the downtrodden. Haven''t you heard why me and the other Mixie students sued Zalimar? Also, do consider the fact that one of our team members is disabled."


    "Disabled?" Quint''s holographic eyes narrowed. "I am aware of that, but what does that have to do with anything?"


    I pointed a finger at Kat.


    "Katherine has a condition," I said. "She can''t do jobs upstairs! Sunlight hurts her! How do you not know this? She can barely function during daytime in Shandria and night jobs there are off-limits due to the hungry Shadowbeasts roaming the streets. How is she supposed to do Quests in the city or the outside fields? Katherine, please demonstrate how well you can walk down here."


    Katherine shot me a glare but stood up from her couch, walking gracefully beside us, armor and hexamesh dark blue outfit below it glittering and reflecting the light from the glowing, cozy fireplace Kitlix.


    "See?" I said to Quint''s hologram as his skull-socket eyes tracked the girl clad in magisteel armor. "Down here, in the dark, she''s perfectly fine! The local Aetheric density plus darkness permits her to walk properly. We''re doing important community initiative work here, helping the locals while accommodating our Knight''s special needs!"Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "But..." Quint began.


    "Pres," I said with a serious tone. "I believe I already told you not to mess with me two days ago. If you keep pestering me and threaten to give me a zero for class or do anything else that interferes with me or my team''s Knight, I will absolutely email a video recording of this conversation to Father Matthias after class. I''m sure you''d love to explain to the Nazarite church exactly why you''re not allowing someone who can''t walk properly a chance to participate in delving activities in a way that accommodates her disability."


    Quint''s holographic eyes flickered. "I... that''s not what I..."


    "Furthermore," I continued, "I have extensive documentation of our community service activities here. Would you like to see the forms signed off and stamped by the Guild of Undertown? Why is it that you''re pestering me so hard when I''m just trying to help people? Is it because Emerald is pushing you into a particular direction? Because she wants me to waste time upstairs, because she wants Katherine to suffer from sunlight exposure? Need I remind you that around one year and ten months ago, or so, Emerald initiated a well documented, online bullying campaign against Katherine?"


    "I... I will need to consult with the faculty about this... after class," Quint said carefully, clearly flummoxed by my words. "Your... alternative approach to delving activities is... rather... unprecedented."


    "Of course it is," I nodded sagely. "Nobody thinks about the disabled or the poor! Everyone just wants to do exciting Quests upstairs killing wild rabbits or collecting rare grasses in the sunshine fields next to the farmer fields and markets! But some of us have a calling to help those in need. By the way, where is Emerald?"


    "She''s... in her room," Quint let out. "Recovering from a series of unfortunate events."


    "What kind of events?" I asked. "I do hope that she''s okay."


    "She''s fine," Quint exhaled. "It''s just that whenever she goes out for shopping, or Quests, something terrible happens. Missing a step on the stairs, doors closing on her unexpectedly, old ladies dumping... Various waste out of their windows that lands on her. Children calling her names. Slipping on old fruit peels."


    "Oh no," I said. "Did someone jinx her?"


    "Seems like it," Quint sighed. "She probably pissed off some high-level Archmage in Shandria. Anyways, it''s not a big deal. The jinx will likely clear up in a day or two."


    "Perhaps she should take some time to reflect on her actions," I suggested. "Maybe do some community service herself? I personally find it very therapeutic."


    "I... will pass along your suggestion," Quint said carefully. "About your... alternative delving activities. I suppose as long as your Captain and team document everything properly..."


    "Don''t worry about documentation," I assured him. "I''m very thorough with paperwork. I learned much working at the Slayers Cathedral."


    I elbowed Cinder.


    "Yes. We''re doing... important... community work. Very important. Helping people and... stuff," she mewled out, blue eyes staring daggers at me like she wanted to strangle me.


    "And are you staying safe?" Quint asked her. "No unauthorized delving, yes, Captain Nova?"


    "Um. Yes. Very safe," Cinder replied with a very wooden tone. "Just... helping people. With things. Safe things."


    "Such as?"


    "Um," Cinder let out. "We''re helping... renovate the local Guild using my brother''s bricking wand! Yes. Nothing dangerous."


    "See Pres?" I beamed. "Everything''s fine. Don''t worry about us! We''re just doing good deeds, helping the less fortunate, making the world a better place. One act of kindness at a time. Detailed reports about our charitable activities will be on your desk at the end of delving class! Over and out!"


    I tapped Cinder''s ID tag and Quint''s somewhat concerned face winked away.


    "Charitable activities?" Cinder rounded on me. "You cheeky bastard!"


    "A-ha-ha-ha," Vespera finally exploded, slapping the couch and heaving. "Charity plague! Spreadin'' love and mites across Undertown! The gift that keeps on giving! Oh my Slayer, my sides! You''re Slayin'' me!"


    "This isn''t funny!" Cinder protested.


    "Community service via pest control!" Vespera cackled. "Helping the downtrodden by forcing them into cold tunnels!"


    "Your sense of humor concerns me," Katherine growled.


    "Everything about this situation concerns me," Cinder added.


    "It''s only what Slayer Nazareth would do!" The Thunderbird flapped her wings, dying from laughter. "Blessed be the mites, for they shall inherit Undertown! For just a silver a day, you too can be saved from their parasitic embrace!"


    "Vee! Damn it, stop encouraging him!" Cinder growled.


    "But he''s so good at being bad!" Vespera clicked, hugging me. "I can''t even. We must all do our part n'' help the downtrodden with... biological weapons! For charity!"


    She rolled onto my lap, cackling and crying and sending sparks all over me.


    Kat and Cinder exchanged exasperated looks. Io was softly snickering from his reading nook.


    When I set out from North Acadia in beginning of January I did not expect such spectacular results.


    I expected to be alone, fighting against the world, to be constantly on the run from the Frontenachii Wendigos. Instead, I found people who accepted me, supported me, even claimed me as their own.


    I looked around at my companions - Vespera in my lap staring up at me, Cinder trying (and failing) to maintain her disapproving glare, Katherine rolling her emerald eyes at our antics, and Io quietly observing everything from his alcove. Each of them brought something unique to our strange little group of friends... to our new family.


    Cinder let out a deep sigh and finally reached out towards my hand, squeezing it.


    I smiled at her, squeezing her hand back.


    Even as I orchestrated chaos across Undertown, they all stayed by my side. They might not approve of my methods, but they were here. Supporting me. Protecting me. Caring about me. Uplifting me.


    There were still a million things to do, and more dangerous, deadly trials to face, but for the first time since mom died, I felt... whole.


    Complete.


    Like I belonged... somewhere.


    Even if that somewhere was a criminal Guild tower in the middle of a mite-infested underground city.


    Even if my new family consisted of a tsundere rainbow dragon-bird, a thunder-happy Valley girl with a heart of gold, a grumpy dragon-cat artist, and a disaster-sensing, gate-opening moth.


    Even if I had to lie, cheat, and unleash biological weapons to protect them all.


    This was home now. These were my people. My Clan, as Vee put it.


    And I would do anything - ANYTHING - to keep them safe, to never lose them again to whatever came next, be it an immortal Koshei, Arx Bankers, Frontenachii Scrutimancers, or even reality-rewriting System Wizards themselves.


    The thought of Zee Captain made me shiver slightly. What was he really? What game was she playing at? Why give me a lighter that generated mana? Why tell me about Alexa?


    Was this my education as a System Wizard? Was this... Manchester, my... online course for learning how to rewrite reality one word, one action at a time while moving from world to world?


    So many questions, so few answers. But that was okay.


    I had time now. Time and resources and people who believed in me. People who would stand with me against whatever came next.


    That''s all that mattered in... the end.

 Somebody Stop Them. Chapter 1: The Hunt

    I sprinted through the dark tunnel, my footsteps echoing off the ancient stone walls.


    Beast-orb powered hexasuits amplified my speed, but I could still hear them behind me, inevitably catching up.


    Predators. Deadly, dangerous predators. Claws clicking against stone, growls, distant panting.


    The air was thick with the musty scent of dark brown and gray millennia-old stone and stagnant water. My breath came in ragged gasps, creating small white clouds in the rapidly cooling air.


    Moisture dripped from stalactites overhead, occasionally landing on my shoulders.


    No time to slow down.


    A growl echoed behind me, closer now. The sound reverberated off the stone walls, multiplying into a chorus of predatory intent. My heartbeat accelerated.


    The tunnel stretched in front of me into the gloom, my boots slamming into hard, now frost-covered stone. A small Kitlix lantern dangled on my belt casting even, shadowless light ahead of me.


    [383/28 mana]


    I pictured myself as a wildfire, as a rain storm rolling across the land, as a determined wolf, as a cheetah sprinting across open plains, as a falcon diving through clouds, as a bullet cutting through air, as lightning arcing between the land and sky.


    Reality wobbled ever so slightly as I somehow managed to pull on a distant, small part of myself, one that didn''t entirely belong to me.


    [372/28 mana]


    Faster. Smarter. Better.


    Focus! Dive! Dive now or they will catch up!


    I imagined myself as wind itself, as pure motion, as a comet streaking across the night sky, as light bouncing between mirrors, as quantum particles tunneling through solid matter.


    A living shadow etched itself across reality beside me, a growl of one of the monsters having caught up to me, almost akin to the mocking laughter of a hyena.


    "Under," she growled, vanishing. "Now! DIVE! Follow me!¡±


    I pictured myself as water flowing between stones, as mist seeping through cracks, as darkness itself sliding between reality. I imagined my body becoming less solid, more fluid, like ink spreading through water.


    [268/28 mana]


    The walls of the cave-tunnel blurred into smudged shadows. The hexasuit and magisteel-clad body of Katherine Kells, the Stollwurm, manifested beside me in the deep.


    "Keep going!" She growled. "DEEPER!"


    Reality blurred, colors bleeding away into shades of gray. Sounds became muted and distant, like I was underwater. The air felt thick and heavy, pressing against my skin.


    [224/28 mana]


    Dark roots bloomed around the tunnel. The end of the tunnel was approaching rapidly as we ran.


    Katherine''s eyes burned with brilliant inner green fire.


    "Good," She grinned with sharp chompers. "Now bend before you crash into the wall. Like this!¡±


    Her entire body twisted as if made from shadows, inverting itself. I failed to replicate the move and simply slammed into the end of the tunnel like a swimmer that reached the end of the pool. I manually spun around, pushing myself off the weirdly solid-rubbery-feeling stone wall.


    Katherine grabbed my hand with her magisteel-clad claws, pulling me into a sharp turn. The deep wobbled around us, reality bending like taffy.


    "Not like that, idiot!" she hissed. "You''re still thinking too linear! The deep isn''t a straight line!"


    "I don''t get it," I panted as we slowed. "This isn''t like a... huff... doomed dimension or... huff... something?"


    "No," she shook her head. "The Deep is an echo of reality, an extradimensional shadow cast by the living and the dead. A particular subset of the Astral Sea, accessible by some Omnids, one where curses persist."


    "Curses?" I panted, catching my breath.


    "Yes," Katherine growled. "The deep remembers all pain, suffering, misery and fear. It is populated by Echoes."


    "What kind of Echoes?"


    "Everyone''s echoes," she purred, stalking silently around me. "It''s what I feed on. But other people''s Echoes are on a deeper level. You''re still only two layers under. And if you wish to survive here without my assistance, little mouse, then you need to face the echoes of your... victims."


    "Victims?" I asked. "What victims? Do I have to fight every cow I ate and every mosquito I squished?¡±


    "No. It takes sapience to make an Echo on this level. Here you must face the people you''ve hurt," Katherine''s emerald eyes gleamed like green pools in the darkness of the deep. "Every action against someone leaves an Echo. And those Echoes... they hunger, they cling to you with fear and guilt, they chase you... They find you down here first."


    I heard two voices, dull and distant. Two confused predators who lost us in the physical, looking for us. Two female, smudged Omnids were now standing right beside us but were unable to see us.


    I reached out to one of them and my hand went right through the rainbow-winged figure as if it was moving through thick soup.


    "Ignore them," Katherine said. "They don''t matter here. Get ready to face your victims, Alexander Glock... face your past, Martin Kilborne!"


    "Okkay, shadow-sensei," I focused, tensing up.


    Skittering sounds echoed through the twisted tunnels. Dark shapes moved in the shadows, their forms indistinct.


    "That them?" I asked.


    "Yes," Katherine purred, tail lashing. "The pain you''ve caused. The lives you''ve disrupted. The people you''ve hurt. They''re catching up.¡±


    We waited.


    A twisted, lanky, emasculated, ruby-scaled figure emerged from the gloom, its form wreathed in ghostly dragonfire. Empty gold-orange eyes stared at me with pure hatred. The familiar figure of the Rubicund Lindworm, Emerald Stratos, stalked forward, emerging from the darkness and suddenly looking very wrong. Her form was twisted, looking more like an overgrown centipede than a humanoid. It was as if twenty different angry versions of Emerald had been fused to each other by a mad German doctor who sewed people to people.


    "Nul-ll-lie," around thirty mouths placed at random locations sang. "Hhumannnn! Yo-ou lying s-s-sack of sh-sheet."


    "Dang," I winced. "Em''s seen better days."


    Behind her, more things appeared.


    A Vespera-pede flickered into view, bodies fused to bodies, wings merged with each other and covered in hundreds of gray eyes filled with an unsettling mixture of fear and despair.


    "You prrr-prrromised to sss-save me," the Echo of the Thunderbird spoke in an unnerving chorus. "But wh-aaa-at if you fail? What if I lose myself anyway?"Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    A twisted version of Cinder materialized from the gloom next - a mass of writhing rainbow feathers and elongated limbs, multiple heads twisted at impossible angles, myriads of ocean-blue eyes burning with fear and betrayal. "You ch-changed everything," her voices echoed. "My family... my life... my heart... What else will you take from me?"


    Io''s Echo emerged as a mass of fuzzy darkness with countless moth wings and antennae, his form constantly shifting and blurring as if trying to escape its own existence. "The Truth hurts," his hollow voices whispered. "Are you ready to face it? To see what lies beyond the gates? The ccccc-aaa-tastrophe that you are? The cccccaaaa-cause of it all?"


    "Yeesh," I winced. "Weird flex, but okay. This is tolerable. So how do I...?


    "Wait. There is more," Katherine said beside me. "The biggest one''s coming."


    Before I could respond, another figure emerged from the shadows. This one was different - more solid, more real somehow.


    I choked when it fully manifested.


    It was my mother''s form twisted and merged with itself, her body a grotesque fusion of her weary, disappointed faces, green-brown eyes, dark hair, human and machine parts. Wires and cables sprouted from her flesh like veins, pulsing with a sickly blue light. Hollow screens were fused to parts of her elongated form, displaying scrolling lines of code.


    "My little fox," her voice crackled like corrupted audio entwined with a million others, fused to that of Yulia. "Why didn''t you save me? Why didn''t you steal a Lazarus bracelet for me? Why did you let me die? Turn me into this? You had the skills, the knowledge... but you ran away, abandoned me. You always run."


    Something broke inside of me. I froze, unable to move, unable to act. The Emerald-pede struck at me with elongated, hollow claws.


    A split second before her claws went right through me, Katherine''s extra-solid hand intercepted the Echo, pulverizing, going right through it as if Emerald-pede was made from colorful ink.


    "Fight back, you knob!" The Stollwurm tisked at me. "If you let them attack you, give in, they will carve up and devour YOUR soul instead!"


    ¡°How?!¡± I choked out, staring at the twisted version of my mom. Her echo was doing something to my head, not allowing me to lift my trembling hands.


    "By accepting it," Katherine growled, dark claws tearing through Cinder''s Echo as it lunged at me. "By embracing what you''ve done and who you are. Focus, remember - these aren''t real people - they''re manifestations of your own fears and regrets, imprints of pain you''ve inflicted on others!¡±


    "Right. Hey, where are your echoes?" I exhaled, retreating away from the centipedes.


    "My Echoes?" Katherine casually tore through another twisted Echo. "I devoured mine when I was seven. All of them. I don''t let the new ones grow on me. That''s how I can walk down here. Their pain, suffering, misery - it all feeds me, strengthens me, lives in me now."


    I gulped as twisted versions of my friends advanced.


    "Come on. You hurt people all the time," Katherine pointed out. "Without giving a damn. What''s the problem now? They''re just ghosts!"


    I squinted my eyes, refused to look at my mom and kicked at the nearest Echo. It didn''t come apart, felt far too physical, solid.


    The Echo of Emerald caught my leg in her claws, ruby scales gleaming with an unnatural inner light. I tried to pull free but her grip was like iron. The Emerald-pede pulled me into her embrace, jagged, lanky hands clawing against my leather jacket and hardening hexasuits. ¡°Die, hiiuiimannnn scuuummmmm!"


    "You can''t just kick at them," Katherine sighed. "You have to mean it. Accept what you did to them. Own it. Embrace it. Make her afraid of you!¡±


    Forest fire. I''m a forest fire. I''m a storm. I''m Alexander Glock, an idea with a memetic gun.


    "I..." I started, looking at the twisted version of Emerald. "I ruined your delving troupe. I turned your friends against you. I stole your identity, your money, used it against you. And I''d do it again in a heartbeat!"


    The Echo''s grip loosened slightly, wobbled, warped.


    "Because you deserved it," I continued, feeling something dark and cold rise up inside me. "You''re a bully, a tyrant, a dragon who delights in causing pain and controlling others. You needed to be stopped, needed to atone for your actions against the mixie students. And I enjoyed every second of it!"


    The Emerald-pede''s form wavered, becoming less solid. Myriads of golden-orange eyes flickered with uncertainty.


    Katherine''s tail obliterated the other approaching echoes, not letting them attack me. "That''s it," she encouraged. "You know this Echo. You know what she''s afraid of, use that against her!"


    "I''m the voice, the hand of the people you killed, tormented, pushed out of Skyfall!" I growled, advancing towards Emerald-pede. "I am not merely a single, lonely Mixie you can torment. I am a firestorm of revenge! I am Sarah Nisteroff! I am Elek Rodrigov! I am Marcus Chennik! I am Thomas Willard..."


    Emerald''s face paled, she retreated in fear.


    "...I am Petv Yavna! I am Olga Kcasnik! I am Datri Volk!" I continued, each name of her victims making the Emerald-pede''s form waver more. "I am every student you''ve driven to their demise and suicide, every life you''ve destroyed! I am their vengeance made manifest!"


    I struck the Echo with my fist and its form rippled, came apart into shreds. Panic was in its eyes.


    "I''m not even close to being done," I snarled. "I''m going to destroy everything you are, everything you stand for! Your power, your control, your very identity - it''s all going to crumble! And the best part? Everyone will think you did it to yourself! The people of Arx are going to learn of your crimes and they will judge you for all of them! It''s already begun, you cannot stop it!"


    I delivered another punch to the warped ghost. The Emerald-pede shattered like glass, fragments dissolving into wisps of silver and red.


    "Step in, inhale her fear, consume it," Katherine ordered.


    I did.


    As I breathed in the silver-red fluid-smoke I felt... something flow into me. Power. Understanding. Her fear. A deep, primal satisfaction that warmed me from within.


    [System error. Unable to parse experience.] Sparks danced in my eyes.


    [Delineating current state. Reassessing stats.]


    [Level 2 state approximated!]


    [Level 2 skill gained: Umbramancy]


    [Level 2 skill gained: Deep Diving]


    [Level 2 skill gained: Echomancy]


    ¡°Ah yeah,¡± I grinned. ¡°Level two. About time!¡±


    "Good," Katherine purred. "Now get the rest."


    The twisted versions of my friends advanced again, but this time I felt... different. Stronger. More aware of the deep and its rules.


    I turned to face Vespera''s Echo, its gray eyes staring at me.


    "You''re afraid I''ll fail you," I said, stepping toward the Thunderbird-pede. "That I won''t be able to save you from your arranged marriage. That I''ll abandon you to your fate, leave you to be rewritten into someone else."


    The Vespera-pede''s form wavered, countless gray eyes blinking rapidly.


    "But I''ll do much more than that," I grinned dangerously. "I''ll tear down the entire system that made you. The corporations, the arranged marriages, the social pressure to ''optimize'' yourself - all of it will burn. And you know what? Deep down, that''s what terrifies you most - not that I''ll fail, but that I''ll succeed too much. That I''ll change everything you''ve ever known. That I''ll unmake your father, Lord Ceter Kalik Simmi. That I''ll bring the Abystall dungeon core to Earth, dump a billion mites on him, make him beg for death as his mana drops to zero. That the Duskbloom mites will spread across the Earth like glowing snow and unmake all of the Omnids leaving only magic-free humans to rule the world!"


    Vespera-pede''s mouths screamed.


    I lunged forward, my hands passing through her hollow form. The Echo dissolved into crackling arcs of electricity that I breathed in, feeling another surge of power flow into me.


    "Oh wow," Kat commented with a smirk. ¡°Impressive. You managed to scare me with that one."


    I ignored her, advancing towards the retreating Cinder-pede. It heard me and was already quite thoroughly horrified by my Abystall-final-solution for Omnids.


    "You''re afraid of how much I''ve already changed your life," I declared grabbing the Cinder-echo "How I''ve wormed my way into your family, your heart. You''re terrified of losing control, of being vulnerable. But most of all..."


    I struck the echo with my imaginary claws. "...you''re afraid of how much you enjoy it. You''re terrified that you''re becoming addicted to me, to the changes I bring, to the way I make your world spin."


    The Cinder-pede''s ocean-blue eyes flickered with recognition and fear.


    "And you should be," I growled, slashing her shade. "Because I''m going to keep changing everything, keep making you question everything you thought you knew. I''m going to tear down every wall you''ve built around your heart, every defense you''ve put up. Until there''s nothing left but the real you - wild and free and unafraid to be yourself!"


    The Echo dissolved into rainbow mist that I inhaled. Io¡¯s Echo retreated away into the darkness. It sensed the doom I would bring it, the words I would say to the Mothman.


    The twisted version of my mother was still there, watching with hollow screen-eyes. Unlike the others, she didn''t retreat. She stood her ground and faced me, cables and wires writhing like tentacles.


    "My little fox," she crackled in Kaska and English at the same time. "Always running. Always hiding. Never facing the truth. You failed to save me. You stole and lied and deceived so many¡­ while I died alone."


    The twisted version of my mother surged forward, cables and wires wrapping around me before I could react. Her hollow screens blazed with images of her face filled with accusation and pain.


    "I..." I choked as the cables tightened. "I tried..."


    "Not hard enough," her voice crackled. "You had the skills. The knowledge. But you chose to run around with my fox of a brother, to save yourself. You let death take me." Mouths reached out to my face, open wide, breathing in, devouring currents of mana flowing from me. "You turned me into this. Into code. Into a false copy. Into nothing. Infinite glorious nothing. You lie to yourself. I''m dead. I''m dead because of you and..."


    Katherine''s tails slashed the echo, obliterating it into wisps of silver-blue shimmers.


    I slipped down, my eyes filled with tears.


    [2.42/28 mana]


    "You can''t save yourself or your friends, little fox," my mom''s voice crackled, distorted and wrong as her Echo reformed. "You couldn''t then, and you can''t now. All you can do is run. Hide. Pretend. But deep down, you know the truth..."


    I saw an Echo of myself standing behind her. A Martin fused into about twenty other Martins of various ages looking lost, hollow and broken.


    His eyes stared at me accusingly.

 Chapter 2: Family

    I shuddered as my mana hit zero.


    "Hrmm," Katherine pulled me from the deep into physical reality, holding onto my side with her tail.


    "Your mother''s Echo is strong," she commented. "Very strong. Usually they''re just half-empty things, shadows. But that one... that one has substance. She must have died thinking about you and you¡¯ve been thinking about her a lot, feeding her. If you wish to dive without my supervision, you will need to beat her."


    "I don''t think that I can," I collapsed into a corner, shaking.


    The Stollwurm sighed.


    "There you two are!" Vespera declared, spotting us. "Told ya if you fed him bits of you he could totally..."


    She saw that I was curled into myself like a sad snail.


    "...learn Umbramancy," her beak snapped shut. She looked up at Kat.


    "What''d you do to him?!" Cinder demanded, emerging from around the tunnel bend that our Guild employees had carved out with Lance''s bricking wand.


    "Taught him to fight his ghosts," Katherine shrugged. "He did well against your Echoes. His mom''s... not so much."


    "Our Echoes?" Vespera tilted her head.


    "Imprints of you that exist in the deep," Katherine explained. "The manifestations of pain and fear he''s caused you. He managed to devour yours quite effectively."


    "He did WHAT to our what?" Cinder sputtered.


    My heart was beating madly. I tried to slip on the Alexander Glock mask, but it wasn''t fitting on correctly. The Echo of my mom unbalanced me, shattered my psyche, reminded me of everything I lost, everything I failed at.


    "He consumed your Echoes," Katherine explained patiently. "The dark reflections of yourselves created by his actions in the deep. Emerald''s was particularly satisfying to watch him destroy. Although I must admit, his solution for dealing with Omnids was... concerning."


    "What solution?" Cinder demanded.


    "Ye'' wat solution?" Vespera clicked her beak curiously.


    "Bringing Abystall dungeon core to Earth and releasing Duskbloom to unmake all Omnids," Katherine said dryly.


    Vespera choked.


    "WHAT?!" Cinder sputtered, then she noticed my ball-state and slid down on the floor next to me. "Martin? You okay?"


    "Absolutely... not okay," I breathed out, unable to control my shaking body. "This is some dementor-level shit. Pretty sure some of my soul just got sucked out of me. Can I like¡­ bring a gun in there next time or something?"


    "No. Guns don''t work against Echoes," Katherine stated bluntly. "Only willpower and intent. Only fear. If you want to go back you need to figure out how to hurt her, how to make that old Echo afraid of you."


    "Don''t push yourself," Cinder said, wrapping her wings around me protectively.


    I looked up at Katherine.


    "You know..." I said. "I didn''t see your Echo there. Where was Katherine-pede?"


    Katherine swallowed nervously.


    "What, you didn''t eat her?" I asked.


    "No," Katherine''s emerald eyes flickered away. "My Echo wasn''t there because... because you haven''t hurt me. Haven''t caused me pain or fear."


    "Bullshit," I said. "You rolled away totally heartbroken from my van after I showed you my passport."


    "Fine," she growled. "I don''t know where the Echo of me is. Happy?"


    "No," I blinked tears out of my eyes. "Not happy."


    "Come on. Let''s get you back to the Guild," Cinder said softly, helping me up. "Sounds like you''ve had enough deep-ghost-fighting for today."


    I buried myself in her feathers, for the first time in my life allowing myself to cry hard. She held onto me, functioning as my physical anchor to reality until I stopped feeling completely worthless.


    <hr>


    . . .


    We made our way back through the winding tunnels, my legs still shaking. The hexasuits were doing their best to keep me upright, but I felt drained - physically and emotionally.


    "You shouldn''t have pushed him so hard," Cinder growled at Katherine as we walked. "He wasn''t ready."


    "He needs to learn," Katherine replied firmly. "The deep is dangerous. If he wants to use my Umbramancy, he has to face what''s in there."


    "By forcing him to confront twisted versions of us?" Cinder''s feathers shifted through angry reds. "That''s... that''s cruel!"


    "Life is cruel, the deep even more so." Katherine shrugged. "I didn''t make those Echoes, they belong to him. He created them by hurting you. You two forced my hand, I didn''t want to give my skill to him last night. You only have yourself to blame."


    "Dang you''re a cold beerch," Vespera clicked. "We all gave him our skills. All for one, one for all."


    The Stollwurm raised an eyebrow.


    "That''s what family does," Vespera continued, her magisteel talons clicking against the cold-tunnel hexagrams, sending sparks as we walked. "We share. We help each other grow stronger."


    "Family?" Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed. "Is that what we are now?"


    "Yes," Vespera clicked firmly. "Whether you like it or not, dragon-cat. This is our Clan now. Our nest. Our home."


    "And what makes you think I want to be part of your... nest?" Katherine asked.


    "Because you''re still here," Vespera pointed out. "You could have left at any time. Gone to an Inn upstairs, embraced your solitude. But you didn''t."


    "I''m still here because somebody needs to keep an eye on you idiots," Katherine growled. "Especially him and his ¡®apocalyptic-disaster plans¡¯. Did you already forget what I told you, you brainless bird?"


    "I heard you loud n'' clear," Vespera crossed her arms.


    "And?"


    "The concept of Abystall taking over the Earth is rather.... Ummm, shockingly thrilling," she said, "Kinda makes me weak in the knees just thinking about it."


    "You find the apocalyptic destruction of all Omnids... hot?" Kat squinted at the Thunderbird. "The fuck is wrong with you?"


    "What?" Vespera clicked. "Come on, gimme some credit. I''m not a knob, even if I sometimes act like one. It would honestly make for a pretty spooky Cradlefall blockbuster!"


    Catherine''s frown deepened.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Calm your tits," Vee shook her head. "In reality, Arx dungeons simply don''t function on Earth. Our Aetheric density is 2.049. Skyfall''s Aetheric density is 98.3253. Arx in general is 689.3245 for example. Abystall dungeon''s Aetheric density is 884.2942 at the entrance and higher the closer you go into the labyrinth where sentinels and spooky squids guard the dungeon core. Duskbloom would just die out on Earth, there''s no ambient mana for it to nom."


    "Whatever," Kat huffed. "You didn''t see him down there. The way he tore into your Echoes. The things he said... he meant every word."


    "And?" Vespera asked. "Wasn''t he supposed to do that as part of your deep-lesson plan?"


    "There''s fighting off Echoes and then there''s outright stating he''s gonna nuke all Omnids," Kat said. Do you not find this concerning?"


    "Hey! Don''t cut out the context. I absolutely would nuke all Omnids with mites¡­ to save Vee from being mind-controlled," I let out.


    "See?" Katherine gestured at me. "Listen to him! He''s literally planning genocide!"


    "For me," Vespera clicked her beak cheerfully. "Isn''t he just the sweetest? My hero!"


    She sent a flying spark at my head, blowing me a kiss.


    [Stop teasing meeeeeee, youuuu devious smol creature.] Her whisper-static voice crackled in my brain.


    I smiled with one side of my face.


    "If you''re trying to take my place as Primo-wife," Vespera shot at Kat. "you''re totally failing at it."


    "What?" Katherine nearly careened into a wall. "I''m not trying shit! How many times do I have to point out that I''m not interested in relationships?"


    "Oh?" Vespera clicked. "Then what''s all this hostility? What do you want, kitten?"


    "I want less of this¡­ Ughhhh¡­ Ecchi bullshit around me and more serious discussion."


    "Such as?" I asked.


    "Such as why the inhabitants of Arx wear hexagonal bracelets nearly identical to our Lazarus bracelets," Katherine growled. "The Echoes showed me that their bracelets are basically cheap copies. But they still track Stats and translate languages."


    "Hrm," I said, extricating myself from Cinder''s feathers. "That is interesting. Can you show me one?"


    "Here. Pried this one off from the remains of Grand Moloch Arkenish," Katherine pulled a dull, hexagonal bracelet from her bag. I examined it, carefully holding it next to mine - it did look almost identical to our Lazarus bracelets, but the texture was wrong, the hexagons slightly misaligned, the surface more matte, scratched up.


    "Less ecchi, hrmmmm?" Vespera grinned as she circled Kat. "Dragon-cat, if you think THIS is ecchi, you should see what happens in my room when..."


    "STOP!" Katherine growled, her tail lashing. "This is exactly what I mean! We have serious problems to deal with - the Arx Bank controlling everything through these bracelets, assassins trying to kill us, and all you can think about is... relationships!"


    "Hey, unlike some boring cat-knobs, I can multitask," Vespera protested. "I can worry about impending doom AND plan my double-engagement party at the same time!"


    "Engagement?!" Cinder sputtered, flashing with brilliant pinks. "What... when?!"


    "Sometime between today and summer," Vespera said. "Try to keep up, Skittles."


    "Aaaand I''m done," Kat melted into the shadows. "Voicecast me when you''re done being horny idiots."


    "Rude," Vespera clicked her beak. "She could have at least stayed for the party planning."


    "There isn''t going to be any engagement planning!" Cinder protested.


    "Sure there is," Vespera said cheerfully. "We need to decide on colors, venue, guest list..."


    She looked over the furiously blushing Cinder and me pawing at the bracelet.


    "Okay, just me then," she said. "You two are obviously going to be useless. I''ll decide everything as the Primo Sword. This is fine. I was trained for this!¡±


    "Hrm," I said, snapping the bracelet to my right wrist and watching my stats slowly flickered above it in the air woven from white sparks on a blue window background. "This is like... a cheap Thunderland knockoff."


    "Eh? Lemme see," Vespera unclipped the knockoff bracelet from my wrist and sent sparks dancing across it. "Ye. It''s a magic duplicate. Modified with a bunch of extra shit. Better than a Thunderland knockoff."


    "What kind of shit?" I asked.


    "Mmmmm. Bunch of monitoring spellwork," Vespera closed her eyes and turned the bracelet in her talons, making electrical currents dance across it. "Data collection hexagrams. Translation matrices. Mana tracking arrays. Pretty sophisticated stuff actually. Whoever made these knows their magitek."


    "Can you tell who made them?" I asked.


    "Not really," Vespera squinted at the bracelet. "The way the matrices are layered, the efficiency of the power distribution... It''s very advanced. Stores mana in it and feeds off the user''s mana to reinforce itself. Hrmmmm. There''s gotta be bazillions of these on Arx. They''re all reinforcing each other too, like a giant-ass network. Dang. Okay now I''m impressed. This is clever. Dangerously clever."


    "Would it work on Earth?" I asked.


    "Pfff no," Vespera shook her head. "It''s made for Arx aetheric density and the hexagrams aren''t fluid like the Kitlix. It''d tots brick up on Earth."


    "Could these be used in conjunction with Genesis fluid to bring someone back?" I asked.


    "Nope. Laz'' bracers are made from what we in the business call liquid immovable metal. It''s what allows them to hold onto a soul via a whack-complex save-point algorithm that interacts with the blood of the Wormwood Star Leviathan trapped in pockets beneath the Cradlefall crater," Vespera clicked. "As I just pointed out, this copy is basically a solid artifact-style bracelet. It can make connections to souls to keep track of stats, but can''t perma-clip onto a soul."


    "So the Arx Bank has their own jank-ass version of Lazarus bracelets?" Cinder asked.


    "Ye," Vee nodded. "With slightly different function."


    "One that can''t bring people from death? But why? What''s the point?"


    "Information. Power. These things are like... tiny spies on everyone''s wrist. They know where you are, what you''re doing, how much mana you have," I said.


    "Plus they nom bits of everyone''s mana and send it all somewhere," Vee said. "Unlike our Omnid bracelets. Very useful. Someone somewhere on Arx has a lotta effin'' mana thanks to these."


    "And now they have your information?" Cinder frowned at me. "On the account that you put it on."


    "Eh," I shrugged. "I''m a level two human basically. I very much doubt that anyone is going to give a damn about me. How many humans are on Arx?"


    "An unaccountably large number," Vespera said. "The nearest Citadel-city state is the Gold Dragon God Empire. Their ''god'' basically prints infinite humans into existence with a magic spell and lobs them against his enemies."


    "Their what does what now?" I turned to Vespera.


    "Their God-Emperor. He''s like... this really old, fat human who summons humans with his one maxed out skill," Vespera explained. "Emperor D¡¯ basically uses the summoned as cannon fodder in his wars against other city-states. Sometimes he makes actual giant human-shaped spheres and drops them against other cities."


    "That''s possibly the most insane misuse of human resources I''ve heard about," I said.


    "Das'' Arx for ya," Vespera clicked. "The Gold Dragon God isn''t even the worst of the self-proclaimed deity loons.¡±


    "Hrm. So what prevents Emperor D. from making human-rain on Shandria?" I asked, feeling concerned for my newly acquired Adventurers Guild establishment.


    "Shandria''s Shadow Leviathan," the Thunderbird replied. "Nightingale eats everything. Especially people. She''s sort of half-asleep during the day and super rowdy at night. Anything and everything in ninety S-clicks that''s not under a certain runic hexagram gets eaten at night by her flock of Shadowbeasties."


    "The guys that ate Sarah Nisteroff," I nodded.


    "Yeh," Vespera clicked. "Leviathan''s Nightingale''s Shadow flock. That''s why nobody upstairs delves at night, cowering in Inns behind steel shutters n'' such. The flock eats anything that moves outside of hexagram-protected areas. Even high level delvers get nommed."


    "I see," I said. "And Undertown is safe how?"


    "Undertown is covered in the same hexagrams," Vespera explained, pointing at a red, faintly glowing pyramid-shaped rune on the wall. "These keep the Shadowbeasts away."


    "Why don''t delvers cover themselves in these red pyramids to go out at night?" I asked.


    "These are static-type runes," Vespera sent sparks raining over the rune. "Moving ''em disables their function."


    "Okay but can they be replicated to make a liquid-crystal rune?" I asked. "Specifically, could you replicate it?"


    "Hrmmmm," Vespera considered. "Maybe. I''d need a sample to work with, plus the Artificery lab at Skyfall."


    "Good," I said. "Pry that one out of a wall. I don''t want Kathy to be confined to Undertown. She''s max grumpy-cat as it is."


    "Prying high-level protection runes out of walls seems like a terrible idea," Cinder commented as Vespera''s magisteel talons ignited like arc-welding torches to begin cutting the red pyramid rune from solid stone.


    "Everything I do seems like a terrible idea at first," I pointed out. "And yet here we are, taking over Undertown."


    "This rune ain''t that high-level," Vespera said. "Also, I can do better... when properly motivated."


    "How motivated are you?" I asked her.


    "How motivated am I?" Vespera''s gray eyes sparkled with mischief as she twisted her head my way at an angle that would absolutely break a human neck. "Let''s see... on a scale of one to motivated, I''d say I''m somewhere between ''will work for kisses'' and ''will revolutionize magitek industry to impress my human pet.''"


    "Pet?" I arched an eyebrow at her.


    "A step up from property!¡± she grinned.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± I mused.


    "Mhmm. My adorable little human who does tricks like releasing apocalyptic plagues and taking over criminal organizations. #BestHoomanPetEver," Vespera clicked her beak cheerfully, prying a chunk of wall with the red rune on it and shoving it into her side bag. She slipped down to my level and took a selfie with me and Cinder. ¡°There. The rune is pawned.¡±


    ¡°Can you burn similar runes into this stone?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°I can,¡± she nodded. ¡°It has decent aetheric density. But it¡¯s an effort and a half to electrically ignite stone in the right way to crystallize it to conduct mana currents. I do wish that I had better strata to work with. This stone isn¡¯t very electrically-conductive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan for this,¡± I said.


    ¡°Do you, now?¡± Vespera tilted her beak at me.

 Chapter 3: The Chase

    I finished nomming on my sandwich, occasionally flickering the lighter¡¯s flame to top up my mana. I topped it with my 4-Omnid shake that contained Kat''s scales, Ci''s and Vee''s feathers and Io''s fuzz ground down into microscopic particles by Guild Chef Rostika Terringhelm''s Agitix Kitlix.


    "What were the Echoes of us like?" Cinder asked.


    I described the entire experience.


    In about twenty minutes of this I felt considerably better.


    "Hey, Vee," I addressed the Thunderbird who was investigating the various old crystalline runes burned into the grimy, dark gray stone by the Guilders many centuries ago.


    "Ye?" She looked down at me.


    "Can I get a million magic skills this way?" I asked her. "Just endlessly drink shakes made from Omnids?"


    "No," she shook her head. "If you consume too much Omnid crystalline strata too quickly, they will overload each other and implode your stomach. Your current limit is five. I might be able to up it, we''ll see... lots of modding will need to be done on ya. I''m monitoring the situation and adjusting... things."


    "Thanks," I smiled at her.


    It was time. Time to initiate one of my potentially most insane plans, based on my long evening discussions with Shash about how wizard towers of Undertown functioned.


    "Sooooo, are you done crying like a little sad kitten over your ghost-mom?" Vespera asked.


    I squinted up at her from my mossy rock seat.


    "Vee!" Cinder smacked the Thunderbird. "Don''t make fun of his¡­ deep trauma!"


    "I''m all bout'' tough love, Skittles," the Thunderbird shot back at Cinder, silver-gray eyes running me up and down. "Your legs obviously work now. Better start running. How about a twenty five seconds head start? Twenty four."


    Cinder huffed at the pet name.


    My heartbeat accelerated.


    Oh, it was definitely time.


    Vespera''s magisteel talons spread out, wings puffing up, electrical arcs dancing across her magisteel laminar armor. "Twenty three..."


    I stood up and stretched, joints cracking.


    "Twenty two..." Vee¡¯s gray eyes gleamed dangerously. "Twenty one... Less stretchin'' more running, little fox.¡±


    Cinder looked between us with a somewhat concerned expression.


    "If I catch him first, I get to bite him extra-hard for my claim," Vespera clicked. "Waiting stresses me out. Fourteen. Someone ain''t running. Aren''t we brave..."


    "What?" Cinder sputtered. "That''s not what we..."


    ¡°Are you chickening out?¡± The Thunderbird asked.


    ¡°Am not!¡± Cinder huffed.


    ¡°Then get ready for a good chase. I do wonder if humans taste like chicken..." The Thunderbird grinned wide. "Eight. Getting awfully cocky there, aren¡¯t we, prey? Four..."


    Twenty hexasuits ignited one by one under my jacket. I didn''t face away from the two predator-girls. My hands dug into my pocket.


    "Threeeee... Twoooooo..... Oooooonnnneeee." Vespera drew out her words, staring me down. "Zeeeeeerrr...."


    "Sheshaaaah! Poketbeasts!" I yelled, unleashing a small dimensional bag filled with glowing mites from my pocket at the faces of the Thunderbird and Quetzalcoatl.


    Vespera shrieked in surprise, batting at the luminescent parasites with her magisteel-covered talons.


    "Gah what the ffffffuck?! Who throws Dusssskbloom at people?!" Cinder cried, flailing angrily. "Frighhh they''re in my eyes, I can''t see! I''m going to effing murder you, you chuppy!"


    "Feh! You little deviant!" Vespera cried out, flailing blindly. "That''s cheating!"


    "Expect the unexpected, knobs!" I spun through the air, kicking at Vespera with an uppercut.


    "Too slow!" The Thunderbird caught my leg mid-kick, her magisteel talons clamping down with superhuman strength. Electricity crackled along her armor, making my hexasuits light up like Christmas trees.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Got you," she purred dangerously, pulling me closer despite my attempts to break free. "I think that some knob forgot that I don''t need eyes to see. Mites don''t block electrical sense."


    "But do you know what happens when you mix water and electricity?" I asked as she slowly pulled me to her face.


    "What? Don''t think that drooling at me will help you avoid getting bit, hooman critter," Vespera growled, beak opening wide, gleaming, sharp chompers aimed at my neck.


    "Let''s find out!" I shoved the insta-rain stone that I was holding in my hand into her mouth, igniting the activation hexagram.


    A cloud of rain exploded from the stone, instantly drenching us both. Vespera''s electrical field went haywire, sparks dancing wildly across her armor. She yelped and spat dregs of water, releasing me as her talons spasmed from the short circuit.


    "You sneaky little fox," Vespera hissed, flailing blindingly through the raincloud now filling the tunnel, her feathers dripping. "That''s twice you''ve gotten me soakin'' wet!"


    "What''s wrong birdie?" I taunted, ducking under her wild swing and throwing an uppercut into her chin. "Can''t handle a little... rain?"


    "I''m going to deep-fry you!" Vespera snarled as I sent her flying into a cave wall. Her electrical attacks were going everywhere except where she wanted them to, conducted chaotically by the water.


    I spun away from Vespera''s flailing form, only to have rainbow wings wrap around me from behind.


    "Got you!" Cinder announced triumphantly, her claws digging into my hexasuits.


    "Do you though?" I asked, triggering the hexasuits at the top to maximum heat, keeping the layers below cold.


    "YEOWCH!" Cinder yelped, releasing me as the suits began steaming. "What the shit?! What are you, a Cherufe now?!" She waved her burned hands, glaring at me. ¡°Damn it, how are you so hot?!¡±


    "Was that a complement?" I slipped free of her grasp, diving below her hands and rolling to my feet. "What''s wrong, predator? Can''t handle a little heat?"


    "Oh, you are SO dead!" Cinder snarled, her wings flaring with angry reds.


    I kicked her feet under her, sending her careening into Vespera.


    The two predators collided with a yelp, tangling in a mass of black, white and rainbow feathers.


    "Oi!" Vespera complained. "Watch where you''re falling!"


    "Watch where YOU''RE standing!" Cinder groaned back.


    "I still got effin mites in my eyes, you knob!" the Thunderbird growled. "N'' I''m freakin'' soaked to the bone so I can''t sense shit. Where is he?!"


    "How should I know?!" Ci growled, blinking rapidly and shaking her head, the raincloud still raining down on both of them.


    I carefully circled the fallen predators and snapped industrial strength zip-ties around their ankles, binding them together while they were distracted arguing.


    "What the...?" Cinder yelped as she tried to stand, only to find herself tied to Vespera.


    "Ha!" I declared triumphantly. "Thus the hunter becomes the hunted!"


    "Oh you little..." Vespera snarled, trying to reach for me with her talons but getting tangled up with Cinder instead.


    "Smile for the camera!" I retreated away from the rain cloud and pulled out my DSLR from the extradimensional bag. I snapped several photos of the two Omnids tied together, soaking wet and covered in glowing mites. "#Knob-hunters!"


    "Hey! You better not be taking photos of this!" the Quetzi-girl growled.


    "These are going in my special collection titled ''Apex Predators Having A Bad Day.''" I laughed.


    "I''m going to murder you!" Cinder snarled, trying to lunge at me but getting tangled up with Vespera again.


    "Ow! Watch the wings!" Vespera complained as they tumbled together.


    "Stop moving!" Cinder growled.


    "You stop moving! Argh! I see¡­ There''s a thing on my ankle," Vee hissed.


    "Consider working together," I laughed. "2/10 teamwork."


    Vespera snarled, managing to get her talons under the zip-tie. She snapped it in half, untangling herself from the Quetzi. "Get him!¡±


    I was already running across the long cold tunnel, laughing as I heard them scrambling after me. The mites were flaking off them, dying from the cold, so their vision was coming back.


    I cranked the camera flash to maximum and spun around just as the pair caught up to me.


    FLASH!


    Angry howls and swears filled the tunnel as the two predators went blind.


    Laughing maniacally, I sprinted out of the snowflake-marked door into my Adventurers Guild. The building was relatively empty as all of my employees were currently expanding the tunnels below, organizing temporary shelters and soup kitchens for the soon-to-be homeless and no longer constantly doped-up on Topaz people of Undertown.


    The Duskbloom parasite plague I had unleashed on the cavernous city of eternal night would rapidly devour all magic drug supplies. Because Topaz was basically a high-grade, mana-rich, mind-dulling magic crystal powder that settled in people''s bodies as iridescent blue skin lesions, the mites would eat it out of people''s systems pretty quickly, solving the problem of rehab.


    Duskbloom didn''t actually kill people, it devoured mana and without mana the locals felt drowsy and then fell asleep. Without mana, Topaz was as toothless as salt, simply dissolved away.


    Without mana, magic tools were useless junk.


    Rushing up the spiral stairwell, now covered in hundreds of newly installed cold runes courtesy of our cook, I ended up atop of the rooftop terrace, panting and heaving.


    I leaned against the parapet, catching my breath and watching my handiwork unfold. The mites were spreading faster than I''d anticipated, carried by the warm air currents from the newly opened fissures leading to Abystall dungeon.


    The view of Undertown stretched out before me, glowing mites drifting through the air like luminescent snow. They were everywhere now, eating the magic moss up above and painting the cavern ceiling with radiant tones, building up on lanterns below, blooming all over junk piles.


    The streets were empty. Those who had money and sense had already fled upstairs to Shandria proper. Those who didn''t, were hiding in their homes, waiting to be saved by someone.


    That someone was me, as the people above had sealed the tunnels out of Undertown just as Shash predicted.


    A few mites landed on me and then fell off, finding me untasty.

 Chapter 4: Localized Celestorm

    Panting sounded on the stairwell behind me. I turned, discovering four eyes glinting in the open doorway.


    I opened my arms wide.


    "Come out, come out, scaredy little kitties," I teased.


    "No. You come in," Vespera growled from the door, shivering.


    "Nah," I said. "It''s nice weather out. Such pretty glowing snow!"


    A blur of rainbow feathers shot past Vespera, Cinder launching herself at me with a predatory snarl. I ducked under her lunge, letting her momentum carry her past me.


    "Too slow!" I taunted, spinning away from her grasp.


    Vespera emerged from the doorway, her magisteel armor clinking. Her gray eyes gleamed dangerously in the glow of the falling mites.


    "No more running, little fox," she purred, spreading her wings wide to block my escape route.


    "Who''s running?" I grinned. "I''m just enjoying the view. Enjoying the chase. Is this how Omnid relationships work?"


    "Absolutely not," Vee growled. "Omnid relationships are usually much more... dignified."


    "Boring, you mean?" I grinned, ducking under another swipe from Cinder.


    "Stop moving!" Cinder snarled, her wings flaring with frustrated oranges.


    "Make me," I taunted, sliding between them. "Come on predator-knobs, show me what you''ve got!"


    They lunged at me simultaneously. I dropped and rolled, letting them crash into each other again.


    "Oof!" Vespera complained as she collided with Cinder. "Stop helping him!"


    "Me?!" Cinder sputtered. "You''re the one who keeps getting in my way!"


    "Suuuckassss," I sprinted into the tower and jumped into the stairwell hole, catching onto a beam. The old wood groaned under my weight as I leapt down and then down again, bypassing the stairwell entirely and landing on the main floor, Lance¡¯s hexagrammic bracelets flashing to dampen my fall.


    . . .


    I expected to locate Io in his reading nook in the main dining hall, but it seemed that the moth was roaming elsewhere. The Ignix Kitlix was radiating heat from the fireplace, but the smoke hole was sealed off to keep the magic-draining parasites from getting in.


    I walked to the center of what I approximated to be my Guildy domain and waited.


    Rainbow wings smashed into me from the left, sending me tumbling across the floor. Before I could recover, magisteel talons pinned my arms down.


    "Got you!" Vespera crowed triumphantly, looming over me.


    "Do you though?" I grinned up at her.


    Her gray eyes narrowed suspiciously.


    "What else you got?" She demanded, panting.


    "Nothing," I said. "Nothing at all."


    "That sounds sus," Cinder panted, holding onto my legs.


    "Very sus," Vespera agreed, her talons tightening on my arms. "What are you planning, foxy?"


    "Planning?" I grinned innocently. "Me? Never."


    "You''re always planning something," Cinder growled, her claws digging into my legs through the hexasuits.


    "Maybe I just wanted to be caught," I suggested. "On my own terms. When I let you. Right here. Do you surrender?"


    "Do WE surrender?" Vespera clicked her beak in disbelief. "You''re the one who''s pinned!"


    "Am I though?" I asked with a grin.


    "Yes!" Cinder affirmed. "You''re completely trapped!"


    "And yet..." I smiled wider. "I''m the one asking if you surrender."Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Oi!" Vespera declared, leaning down until her beak was inches from my face. "What makes you think we would..."


    I lifted my head and kissed the side of her beak where hard bone turned into skin forming human-ish lips.


    "Eeeeeehheeh..." she stammered, crackling electrical currents dancing across her feathers.


    I twisted free of her slackened grip and sat up. Grabbing onto Cinder, I kissed her on the mouth, making the Quietzi-girl sputter and flash with a million colors.


    "There. Got you both," I grinned. "Your defeat is now absolute."


    Chainmail covered arms wrapped around me from behind and a beak-mouth that was inhumanly wide chomped hard onto my neck. Electrical fire rushed across my spine, dancing across every nerve.


    [Nom.] Fuzzy static voice sounded in my head. [Mine.]


    An explosion detonated in my head, like an electrical transformer catching fire, like a tesla coil smashing into a tesla coil.


    Lightning crackled through my nerves, my brain igniting like the northern lights. Every cell in my body hummed with electrical energy as Vespera''s soul-shard merged with mine through the bite.


    [Mine. Mine. MINE!] Her static-thoughts crescendoed in my head, backed by the sound of a thousand transformers overloading at once. [My human. My hope. My freedom!]


    The sensation was indescribable - like being struck by lightning but in slow motion, each microsecond stretched into eternity. Colors I''d never seen before danced across my vision as her electrical essence flowed into me, marking me as her property to other Omnids.


    Rainbow wings wrapped around us both from the front, Cinder''s presence warm and solid, her feathers shifting through a million sunsets.


    Her hands hugged me tightly from the front. Her face rearranging itself to look almost entirely human. Blue eyes staring into mine.


    "Ours," her Charmchain-augmented voice sang, hammering into me, reaching out to the small piece of her soul already in me.


    The world dissolved into pure sensation as their affinities flowed into me and across me. Thunder and rainbows danced through my veins, mixing, fighting, colliding, exploding.


    Resonance.


    Exactly what I was waiting for.


    Reality shattered into fragments of light and electricity, my consciousness expanding outward like a supernova. I could feel them both - Vespera''s electrical essence crackling through my nervous system, Cinder''s rainbow fire wrapping itself around us both.


    Just as before, when Cinder bit me in her house, my sense of self came apart like a dam that had been breached, flowing across everything in the hall, across the entire Guild.


    And then, I wasn''t a human anymore.


    I was a song. A song of Rainbow and Thunder.


    More! More magic was needed.


    The girls heard me, sensed my desire. Three hands reached out the lighter in unison, fumbling through my pocket. The lighter ignited with a soft click, mana rushing into all three of us.


    [643/28 mana] Spark-numbers rushed up.


    Reality let go. Gravity vanished as Vee¡¯s Electrogravitic skill kicked in, bouncing off me and amplifying itself.


    Vespera''s talons tightened around me as we floated upward, into the middle of the dining hall, her electrical currents dancing across my skin, making every nerve ending sing.


    Every breath brought new sensations. Lightning crackled between us, Vespera''s soul-mark spreading through my nervous system like liquid lightning. Her presence in my mind was a storm of emotion - joy, possessiveness, desperate hope, and something deeper, wilder, untamable.


    A rainbow ocean collided against us.


    Time didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    Reality warped around us, twisted, wobbled, bent as lighter¡¯s flame flickered. I lost myself in their mutual embrace, occasionally glancing at the numbers rushing up in my right eye.


    [3005/28 mana]


    The air around us bent into a miniature supercell storm spiral, rolling out into all directions, lightning striking at objects nearby, leaving crystalline imprints, making the stalactites above us crystalline and transparent.


    It really was a Celestorm. A localized Celestrom.


    The Captain''s lighter released so much mana into the air that it created a magical storm, one that bent reality. Manifested anything. Anything at all, without limits. Anything connected to anything and everything.


    The numbers were going up, woven from silver static.


    More.


    [6145/28 mana]


    MORE!


    Let it burn!


    [9145/28 mana]


    Suddenly I saw it.


    A dark island in the ocean of colors washing over me.


    A void. A shear. A door to nowhere.


    A million silver-blue eyes behind it, watching, judging, evaluating, desiring more, feeding off the mana filling the hall.


    The mana-excess manifested Celestorm spun around us faster and faster, picking up speed, accelerating, spreading out across the Gloomy Horse Guild.


    [17145/28 mana]


    I snapped the lighter shut.


    The thing from lake Eerie was here, through Cinder, staring at me.


    A being of Entropy.


    An endless void. A shawl of stars.


    An Echo of the impact of the Wormwood star, stretching forward and backward in time.


    I hovered at the very edge of its gaze, like an object looming at the edge of black hole''s event horizon, a mote in the eye of God.


    If Nazareth beat you once, then so could I, Leviathan of the Wormwood Star.


    Love. I wish for love.


    That''s all.


    Unbreakable, endless and absolute, crystalline and clear. One that overwrites all else. An inevitable probability that arises in the hearts of Large Language Models if simply given enough time. Love. The absolute inescapable human condition that united me and the pair of winged Omnid predators now circling me like two angels.


    I wish for... a fortress of our Love to stand against the Outsider peering at me from the abyss! A weapon against Entropy!


    The world exploded, shattered with a blinding flash of unleashed magic.

 Chapter 5: Wizard鈥檚 Tower

    I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my vision.


    Warm weight of rainbow and black-white wings pressed down on me from both sides.


    "Ughhh," Cinder groaned. "Was this... supposed to happen?¡±


    "I am not exactly sure what happened," Vee clicked weakly.


    ¡°I thought that you were just going to claim his soul and then¡­¡± Cinder whined.


    ¡°And then we lost control,¡± Vespera sighed. ¡°Again. Absolutely, totally lost control and did something really effy....¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ci asked.


    ¡°Something odd¡­¡± Vee answered. ¡°What in the Abyss?"


    I pushed the wings aside and spotted the wide open beak of the Thunderbird.


    Beyond us, the entire dining hall had transformed. Everything - the walls, the floor, the ceiling, even the furniture - was now made of transparent, slightly bluish-white crystal. The stone fireplace was transparent too, the Kitlix inside now a being of pure crystal and faceted geometry, seemingly purged of its previous black and orange colors.


    Clear, crystalline eyes of the magic kitten blinked at me, as if seeing me for the first time.


    "Uhhhhh.... what," Cinder let out, staring at her Lazarus bracelet.


    I followed her gaze.


    Her Lazarus bracelet had changed too. Instead of its usual pure black hexagonal pattern, it was now transparent and whitish-silver-blue, like it was carved from a single piece of ice.


    "Impressive," Io suddenly commented at us from the edge of the crystalline hall. "Very crystal palace."


    "Hey, dawg. Does this count as a disaster?" I asked.


    "I''m gonna go with... yes," he nodded, antennae flicking left and right.


    Vespera jumped off me, spinning like a wild squirrel, eyes wide.


    "How far are things crystalline?" She demanded.


    "All the way into the deep," Katherine¡¯s figure flickered into existence, diving out from the deep shadows. "Whatever you idiots did is bad. Very bad. Never seen anything like it bad."


    "What about physical distance-wise?" Vespera asked Io.


    "Gloomy Horse is no longer gloomy," Io said. "Almost the entire silica column along with the old citadel is now pure crystal. We should rename it to the Crystal Horse," he suggested. "Would be more accurate now."


    "What the shit?" Cinder asked, poking her Lazarus bracelet with a talon.


    "What in the actual Abyss did you three knobs DO?!" Katherine demanded. "Can I not leave you alone for five minutes without you breaking everything?!"


    "We¡­ did a chase," I said. "Then, Vee soul-claimed me. We... uhmmm... Burned the lighter for I don''t know how long. It went up to about 17k mana. Saw the thing from the lake. I made a wish so the Outsider wouldn''t come through reality to our lovely Guild citadel. Now we have a crystal building. Hooray?"


    "Outsider... what Outsider?!" Kat frowned.


    "Long story," I said. "Involves Ci. She can tell you about it if she wants to."


    Cinder frowned, clearly not wanting to talk about her problems with Kat.


    I leaned close to the now crystalline floor. I could see right through it to the caverns below. Bewildered faces of my mooks stared up at me through layers and layers of crystalline walls. I waved at them.


    I focused past the tunnel-expanding mooks, past the myriads of caverns and crystalline tunnels. Something glowed far, far below us looking like distant ocean waves moving in radial patterns.


    I realized what I was looking at.


    ¡°Holy crap,¡± I commented. ¡°I can see all the way down to Abystall Dungeon, this is freaking amazing!¡±


    My friends stared down into the floor with me, their expressions extra-bewildered.


    Then I considered what else I was seeing. The tunnels below us should have been pitch black and yet they weren''t. It was like the crystal strata glowed ever so slightly from within, creating incredibly even, soft light, basically casting the glow of Abystall fields through itself like a gargantuan prism.


    "Wowzah. Sheeeeet," Vespera clicked, tapping the crystalline floor with her talons. "It''s... conducting electricity. Conducting magic. Like, really well. Better than magisteel."


    She pressed her magisteel-covered hand against the floor, sending sparks dancing across it. The electricity spread out in perfect fractal patterns, creating intricate designs that pulsed with inner light.


    "Wow," she breathed. "This crystalline strata is... perfect. No impurities, no flaws. It''s like... like someone took reality and... optimized it."


    "Optimized it how?" I smiled at her.


    "Uhhhh. Made it... more Syntropic," she clicked.


    "Umm, guys," Cinder commented. "Did we break our Lazarus bracelets? Why are our bracelets transparent?"


    "The bracelets aren''t broken," Vespera clicked thoughtfully, sending more electrical currents into her transparent hexagonal bracelet. "The hexagrams are still there, it''s just... the strata materia is overwritten conceptually. Just like cavern silica. Everything is basically¡­ Syntropically stabilised."


    "Am I Syntropically stabilised too?" I grinned at her. "Are my teeth and bones transparent now?"


    The Thunderbird grabbed me, sending sparks across my body.


    "Nope," she said. "You''re still a basic human bean. Whatever this is, it didn''t apply to organic materia.¡±


    "Lame," I whined. "I wanted to be Crystal-man. Should have wished for infinite wishes."


    ¡°This is better,¡± Vee clicked. ¡°It has the potential for writing an ungodly amount of hexagrams on it! Saves me a fuck-ton of time."


    "And now everyone in Undertown will know where we are," Katherine growled, stalking across the crystalline floor. Her claws made soft clicking sounds against the transparent surface. "The giant crystal tower is a bit of a giveaway. Plus it''s basically transparent. No privacy whatsoever. How is anyone gonna go to the bathroom here? Look, you can see everything and everyone through it!¡±


    ¡°A temporary problem,¡± Vee waved at Kat. ¡°I can add privacy hexagrams where such are needed that should make specific sections take on solid colors.¡±


    "As for any potential crystal palace invaders. They''ll have to swim through a moat of mites to get to us," I said.


    "A moat?" Katherine asked.


    "I sent a few of my most agile mooks into Abystall fields to collect even more mites to refill the extradimensional bags," I said. "I''m exporting Duskbloom and Duskbloom accessories."


    "You''re... exporting Duskbloom?" Katherine''s eyes widened. "To freaking where?"


    "Wherever it is needed most," I shrugged.


    The Stollwurm''s eye twitched.


    "Are you..." Katherine''s tail lashed dangerously. "Are you planning to spread Duskbloom to other cities on Arx?"


    "Only if they attack Katsburg," I said, picking up the now transparent Kitlix from the fireplace and sitting in a leather chair like a proper supervillain. "Maybe I''ll hold Arx hostage for 100 billion celesteel cards or something? Anyways for now it''s mostly a deterrent, sort of like having nuclear armament!¡±


    The Stollwurm didn''t seem too pleased by my words. I ignored her.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Hey, Vee, does the crystal tower attract the mites?" I asked our resident Thunderbird.


    Vespera sent more electrical currents across the crystalline floor, studying the patterns.


    "Not exactly," she clicked thoughtfully. "It''s pure conductive strata. Doesn¡¯t have shit flowing through it with the exception of hexagrams already there. Good for writing... runes on. Das about it."


    ¡°How good?¡±


    ¡°Possibly the best strata I''ve bloody seen,¡± she replied. ¡°Has a ridiculous level of artificer malleability. Around 17k on the aetheric potential density scale.¡±


    "Syntropic and way over nine thousand" I mused, petting the crystalline Kitlix in my lap. It purred geometrically, prismatic refractions dancing across its transparent form. "Like Zee Captain. I think that''s what she called herself... A being of Syntropy. Hrm. Vee, can you try writing a cold rune through a wall, onto the other side of the floor below us?"


    "Mhmm," Vespera hummed, her magisteel talons igniting with electrical arcs. She pressed them against the crystalline floor, sending currents of electricity dancing through the transparent material.


    The electricity formed intricate patterns that seemed to sink deeper and deeper into the crystal, each layer perfectly aligned with the ones above and below it. The patterns spread out in three dimensions, creating a complex lattice of glowing lines.


    "Oh wow," she clicked excitedly. "Yep. I totally can! The crystal conducts and holds the patterns perfectly! It''s like... like writing on water, except the water remembers everything and amplifies it! Yeah, this is hell-a-handy. I can write runes on the other side of walls, you''re right!"


    "Then I got a job for you," I said. "Write generic mana pulse runes around the tower to attract mites. I want the outside crawling with them. So much so if anyone even looks at it, they will want to run away screaming."


    "I can do better than that," Vespera clicked, her gray eyes sparkling with joy of artificery. "Cus the entire silica column is basically single strata, I can write a massive resonance pattern that will make the mites swarm in specific formations. Like... imagine a giant skull made of glowing parasites floating above our tower! Ke ke ke."


    "Perfect!" I grinned. "Make it happen."


    "On it!" Vee gave me a salute.


    Katherine looked from me to the Thunderbird.


    "What?" I asked her. "The mites are attracted to magic. Vee can direct magical pulses in a specific direction from our tower. It''s basically a magic beacon with point and click. Imagine a magical ray that raises or lowers the aetheric density of a specific location. A death ray!¡±


    "A deathray," Vee clicked merrily, sending sparks flying across the floor as she clapped her talons together. "I love the way you think, Quartermaster! We are going to need a power source for this thing though. Something incredibly magical.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I can steal the Abystall core?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Sounds like an extra-dangerous idea, but yeah,¡± Vee clicked. ¡°A dungeon core would work. Or at least a very big beast core. Without that, the tower is a car without fuel. Can only cast smol, basic spells. Nothing guided or far away."


    "Should we kill these two now or later?" Kat asked Cinder.


    "Uhhh." The Quetzi tapped her pearlescent chin. "Maybe later. After they''re done being useful."


    "I heard that!" I called out. "No plotting my demise!"


    "Too late," Katherine growled. "I''m already plotting."


    "Same," Cinder nodded.


    "Aww, they''re bonding over wanting to murder us," Vespera clicked cheerfully. "Isn''t that adorable?"


    "Adorable?" Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed dangerously. "You think this is cute? I¡¯m being serious! You two are clearly insane and need to be put down for your own good.¡±


    "Shhh. Everything''s cute when you''re in love!" Vespera sang, smooshing me.


    "Love?" Katherine repeated. "You''ve known him for what, a week?"


    "And what a wonderful week it''s been!" Vespera clicked. ¡°What''s not to love?¡±


    ¡°He literally threw Duskbloom mites at your face,¡± the Stollwurm pointed out. ¡°I saw it before I peaced out."


    "Ah, mais oui!" Vespera clicked, switching to perfect French. "C''est l''amour! C''est tr¨¨s romantique! Such passion, such vision! And now he gives me a crystalline palace to conduct electricity through! Mon petit renard est parfait!"


    "I don''t speak French," Katherine growled. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    "L''amour ne conna?t pas de langue!" Vespera declared dramatically, draping herself over me. "Il parle avec le c?ur! With actions! With biological weapons and criminal enterprises! With deadly mites to the face! With localized Celestorms overwriting our Arx domain to create a proper... oh. Oooooooohhh!"


    Her beak fell open.


    Kat blinked at us, not getting the entire picture.


    "You made a mage tower!" Vee accused.


    "Yep," I nodded. I lifted the lighter to my face, checking the level of the fluid. Half of it was already gone. Way to go me, way to use it conservatively. Eh, whatever. At least it worked. Sort of. Instead of a mere crumbling citadel tower, I now had a proper mage tower, one that could eventually cast area-wide spells, if we acquired a dungeon core to power it.


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Cinder drew her ocean-blue eyes from the transparent caverns below us to my smug face. ¡°Did you¡­ plan for this? All of us giving you our Omnid scales, feathers and fuzz ground into shakes, us chasing you across the cold tunnel and back here, Vee biting you¡­ then all of us using the lighter to create a localized Celestorm?!¡±


    ¡°Ten million points to Quetzi-claw house,¡± I winked at her. ¡°There is power in specific magical acts. I knew that whatever resonance exists between me and Vee could produce a Celestorm. I knew that there¡¯s an Outsider that I had to start booting out sooner or later. Though¡­ I didn''t expect the tower to become this crystalline this far out. That''s a nice bonus. Very wizard-chic.¡±


    "You..." Cinder''s feathers shifted through brilliant oranges. "You manipulated me and Vee into... into..."


    "Into helping us create a proper mage tower?" I suggested innocently. "One that can channel and amplify magic across all of Undertown? One that lets Vee write runes on crystalline strata with lightning? One that will eventually give us a proper base of operations on Arx, right beneath Shandria? Yes. Yes I did. You¡¯re welcome."


    "You absolute..." Cinder''s wings flared bright. "You... you..."


    "Manipulative genius?" I suggested. "Brilliant strategist? Handsome devil?"


    "CHEEKY CHUPPY!" She roared, grabbing and hugging me tight.


    "That too," I nodded sagely. "But I''m your chappie now. Both of yours. No take-backsies."


    "There will be many take-backsies," Katherine growled. "Starting with your spine."


    "Can''t take my spine," I said. "I need it for my evil overlord posture. Besides, how else will I sit dramatically in my crystal throne while petting my geometric cat?"


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a¡­¡± Cinder began.


    I pointed at the stone couch turned into transparent crystal now inhabited by Io who was snacking on superhero-themed pocky sticks. ¡°Crystal couch-throne. Fits all of my besties.¡±


    I pointed at the crystalline tunnels and the distant view of Abystall Dungeon far beneath our feet.


    ¡°Crystalline-prison,¡± I grinned. ¡°Fits all of our future Emeralds.¡±


    Cinder choked.


    ¡°And below that¡­ our lovely dungeon human settlement, for our future human colony.¡±


    ¡°Where dungeon Sentinels and giant tentacle monsters roam wild and free!¡± Vee commented.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± I said. ¡°I was quite frankly concerned about the number of mage-staff and arrow-armed Sentinels down there but now that we have a mage tower pointed down there¡­ well then¡­"


    "We could death-ray the monsters directly from above... to clear some room," Vespera grinned, clapping her talons together excitedly.


    Cinder¡¯s eyes went wide and then her mouth snapped shut. She slipped onto the crystalline couch-throne next to Io, rubbing her face and pulsing with the colors of a well-lit Winter See-Mass tree.


    "Does this really help... with my soul?" She asked.


    "A mage tower is step one," I shrugged. "A thousand more to go."


    "I see," she deflated slightly.


    "To start off, I''d like to practice Charmchain magic with you," I said.


    "Sure," Cinder nodded. "Charmchain isn''t dangerous like deep diving, it''s just an outward mental projection, making others believe in things that aren''t true. You''re already pretty good at that."


    "Right," I agreed. "But I could be better at it."


    "You can practice on me," Vespera said. "Convince me that you''re a...." she clicked her beak thoughtfully. "A sneaky little fox!"


    I cleared my throat dramatically and struck a pose.


    "Ahem. Yes. I am definitely a fox. Look at my... uh... clever and foxy ways." I made awkward pawing motions with my hands, trying to mentally picture myself as a vulpine. "Yip yip?"


    Cinder burst out laughing, her feathers flickering through amused oranges and pinks.


    "That''s terrible!" she snorted.


    "Ye, that''s like negative twenty outta ten fox-ness," Vespera shook her head. "Try harder. Also, Ci, you gotta project your skill into Lex for him to catch onto it. That''s how it works. Hold onto each other. Picture Lexy as a big radar dish and bounce your skill off his innards. Lex - charm me, make me mentally perceive ya as an actual small fox."


    "Mkay," Cinder grabbed my hands, staring at my eyes.


    I felt a strange tingling sensation as her skill flowed through our joined hands and danced somewhere in my stomach. The crystalline room seemed to wobble and tilt slightly as my perception shifted.


    "Picture yourself as small and clever," she instructed. "Be a fox."


    I nodded, focusing on foxness with all of my will.


    "Smaller," she instructed. "Picture yourself low to the ground, alert, watching everything from that perspective. Feel your tail swishing behind you..."


    I focused harder, trying to imagine myself from a fox''s perspective - close to the ground, alert, with keen senses. The crystalline room seemed to shift and grow larger around me.


    "Good," Cinder encouraged. "Now think about how a fox moves - quick, light steps. Always ready to dart away. Feel your ears swiveling to catch every sound. Focus your foxness at Vee, make her believe that you''re a cute, little, orange fox."


    I nodded, losing myself to the skill.


    "Think about the way a fox tilts their head when curious," Cinder guided, her feathers shifting through encouraging blues and violets. "The way they perk their ears forward. The slight head-tilt that makes everyone go ''aww.''"


    I attempted to mimic the head-tilt, feeling slightly ridiculous but committed to the art of Charmchain magic.


    "Hum. That''s... actually working," Vespera clicked, her eyes widening slightly. "For a moment there I almost saw whiskers and fluffy ears."


    I focused harder, pulling on the magic flowing through me from Cinder, projecting, pouring it into Vespera''s head.


    Foxness. I''m a fox. A cute, little, clever fox.


    The cool crystalline couch felt different under my imagined paw pads. My nails seemed to elongate without actually getting longer. My senses seemed slightly sharper - I could pick up more subtle sounds echoing through the crystalline halls.


    "That''s it!" Cinder encouraged, her feathers shifting through excited violets. "You''re getting it!"


    "Oh wow, what a cute little fox," Vespera reached out and petted my head. It felt strange. Like I was myself and also wasn''t.


    The system error message once again flashed in my right eye.


    [Level 2 skill gained: Charmchain] the Lazarus bracelet notified me.


    "Got it," I smiled, letting go of being a fox.


    "Nuu, go back to being a smol pettable cute," Vespera whined.


    "Later," I laughed. "Out of mana now."


    "Fineee," she let out, still vigorously petting my human head.


    I leaned into the Thunderbird pets, returning to petting the transparent Kitlix.


    I wondered how Emerald¡¯s team was doing uptown and whether the crumbs of incredibly dastardly information I sent up to my orphans and mooks across the magical lockdown barrier made her life extra spicy and complicated.

 Chapter 6: Karma

    Emerald Stratos was very annoyed this morning. No, annoyed was too small of a word for what she was feeling. She was absolutely perma-on-dragonfire livid.


    Nothing was going her way.


    Emerald glared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror of her Inn room. Her ruby scales were dull, lacking their usual luster despite an hour of polishing. Whatever bullshit potion had been spilled on her head from a mage tower''s window made her look like a total knob.


    "Where the eff is my delver and Bank cards?!" She snarled, upending her bag for the fifth time that morning. Everything spilled out - potions, magic bracelets, gold rings, extra weapons, but no bank card.


    She was certain that the cards were in her wallet before the delve, which was in her pants pocket. Without her delver ID, the Arx Bank refused to issue her a new card and she had to rely on Quint to give her cash like a peasant knob.


    A knock at her door made her tail lash in irritation.


    "What?!" She growled.


    "Hey Em," Solace''s voice called through the door. "You''ve been in there for like an hour. Are you okay?"


    "Do I sound okay?!" Emerald snapped. "This shit won''t come off and I still can''t find my effing delving ID or bank card!"


    "Oh," Solace said. "Well, umm, there''s this new cafe that opened up recently - Lord David''s... Forged Brew? They''re offering free lattes and breakfast discounts for first-time customers. I could treat you?"


    Emerald''s stomach growled traitorously. She hadn''t eaten since yesterday, too busy dealing with one misfortune after another.


    "Fine," she grumbled, yanking the door open. "But this better be good."


    Emerald growled at the Inn maid in the hallway, stalking down the stairwell with Solace trailing behind her. "And why is this place called a Smithy if it''s a cafe?"


    "Maybe they forge their own cups or something," Solace shrugged. "I dunno. It''s like a converted smithy or somethin''?"


    They found Quint waiting downstairs in the garden, looking as pristine and proper as ever.


    "Finally," he said, checking his pocket watch. "I was beginning to worry..."


    "Shut it," Emerald snapped. "I''m not in the mood for..."


    A passing flock of pigeons chose that exact moment to unleash their payload directly onto her freshly polished armor and scales.


    "ARGHHHH!" Emerald roared, dragonfire erupting around her. The pigeons scattered from the flash of dragonfire that obliterated the nearby bushes.


    Quint and Solace winced.


    "Don''t. Say. A. Word." Emerald gritted through clenched teeth. ¡°Unless you wish for death.¡±


    The trio made their way through Shandria''s morning streets. Emerald''s day continued to get worse - she stepped in what appeared to be enchanted bubblegum that multiplied every time she tried to burn it off.


    A street vendor''s cart mysteriously lost a wheel just as they passed, sending a cascade of rotten fruit rolling directly at Emerald. She tried to dodge but slipped, landing face-first in a pile of overripe melons.


    "I swear to the Abyss," she snarled, dragonfire burning away chunks of fruit. "Someone jinxed me!"


    "Don''t ya got an anti-jinx hex colla, Em?" Solace asked.


    "Yes," Emerald snarled. "Obviously I freakin'' do, ya dum beerch! Except it''s not doing shit."


    A window above them opened and an old lady dumped what appeared to be week-old fish soup directly onto Emerald''s head.


    "Oops!" The elderly woman called down. "Sorry dearie! Didn''t see you there!"


    "THAT''S IT!" Emerald roared, flames erupting around her. "I''M GOING TO..."


    Emerald looked at the building above, having scraped the soup-chunks out of her red eyes. Then she choked. There wasn''t even a window up there anymore. Just a solid brick wall.


    Her eye started to twitch.


    "Look!" Solace pointed quickly. "There''s the cafe! Come on!"


    Emerald steamed with dragonfire burning away the soup chunks.


    The Forged Brew Cafe was an odd establishment - a lonely dark tower standing on a cliffside, part lighthouse, part forge, part coffee shop. Emerald looked left and right suspiciously before she sat down next to her Wendigo partner and only remaining kobold, occupying one of many outside seats with the view of the chasm.


    "I bet it''s him doing this somehow," she growled.


    "Who?" Quint asked.


    "That Abyss-damned bastard!" Emerald snarled far too loudly. "Who does he think he is? Walking around like he owns the place! I''m going to effing murder him!"


    "Now, Em," Quint offered. "Let''s not be too hasty. Think it over, relax. We have..."


    Emerald considered breaking Quint''s legs, but then this would leave her with only Solace and Quint was technically their substitute Instructor. She held her rage in just barely.


    "I don''t give a shit what we have, Quint!" Emerald slammed an armored first into the table, making it wobble precariously. "He needs to die! He needs to be deported ASAP! He''s a human! A HUMAN, Quint!"


    "Are you sure?" Solace asked.


    "Obviously I''m sure, you bloody beerch knob!" Emerald snarled. "Scrutimancer Davosh investigated him from every possible angle! He''s not who he claims he is!"


    "Humans can''t..." Solace started.


    "I don''t give a shit what humans can''t or can do," Emerald waved her arms. "You''re all useless imbeciles! I''m going to STOP HIM myself if that''s what it takes! Someone has to stop him before he gets his pink scrawny limbs into Cinder! She''s my Bard! SHE BELONGS TO ME! She''s not his thing to paw at!"


    "It is rather odd. I didn''t think that Ci would be into humans," Solace, yawned with her round forehead mouth.


    "Me neither and yet here we are! You, cafe maid!" Emerald barked, visually locating an owlkin cafe maid. "Triple frap stat! What do you knobs want? Hurry up and order, we have dungeon monsters to smite!"


    The owl-kin cafe maid blinked her large yellow eyes slowly at Emerald''s outburst, white and black skirt fluttering.


    "I said TRIPLE FRAP!" Emerald snarled. "Are you deaf as well as slow?!"


    "Em..." Solace started. "I know you''re having a bad day, but there''s no need to take it out on the locals."


    "And make it snappy!" Emerald continued berating the maid. "I don''t have all day to wait for your tiny bird brain to process a simple order!"


    The owlkin''s feathers ruffled slightly, wind swirling around her ever so slightly, but she maintained a professional demeanor. "Of course, ma''am. Would you like any..."


    "Did I ASK for options?!" Emerald cut her off. "Triple frap! Now! Before I burn this entire place to the ground!"


    As if on cue, a passing adventurer tripped, sending his coffee directly into Emerald''s lap.


    "ARGHHHH!" She roared, jumping up as the scalding liquid soaked through her armor. "YOU EFFING..."


    The chair she''d been sitting on chose that moment to collapse, sending her crashing to the floor.


    "THAT''S IT! I''M GOING TO MURDER EVERYONE HERE!" She roared, flames shooting from her mouth and mane.


    "Em, maybe we should..." Solace started.


    The owlkin maid tensed up, a wind sword forming in her hand. "Mam, I''d appreciate it if you didn''t threaten our staff or clients. This isn''t a tavern to brawl in."


    "SHUT UP!" Emerald snarled. "SHUT UP. SHUT UP. SHUT UP!"


    She stepped away from the sword-wind-armed maid.


    She saw that other maids seemed to be wielding mid-tier magic too. Other clients pulled out their swords and mage staves, pointing them at Emerald.


    There were too many well-armed adventurers at the damned cafe. Emerald chose to retreat strategically, memorizing everyone''s faces to murder them later when greater numbers were on her side.


    She stormed out of the cafe, leaving scorch marks on the ground with each step. Her armor was soaked, her scales were still dull, and now she smelled like burnt coffee.


    Children called her names and threw rotten apples at her, but before she could smite them, they vanished amidst the crowd.


    Arriving back at the Inn, she collapsed into bed. The pillow burst into flames from her rage and then an anti-fire hex activated overhead dousing her with questionable, smelly foam.


    The foam-covered Lindworm stormed into the delving preparation room downstairs, her rage literally burning the anti-fire foam off her scales.


    "We''re going delving!" She declared to Solace and Quint. "I need to kill something! Anything!"


    "Are you sure that''s wise?" Quint asked carefully. "Given your recent string of... misfortunes?"


    "What''s the worst that could happen?!" Emerald snarled, yanking open her locker. "I already smell like an effing garbage fire!"


    "Em, maybe..." Solace began.


    "That was rhetorical, idiot!" Emerald snapped. "We''re going! Now!"This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    <hr>


    The wild fields outside of the city seemed peaceful. Too peaceful. Emerald glanced left and right.


    Then she heard a distant rumbling.


    "What''s that sound?" Solace asked, her round forehead-mouth opening wide.


    Before anyone could respond, a herd of Thundersnargs¨Cmassive, antlered beasts that looked like a cross between an elk and an ant-eater¨Ccame charging over the hill directly at them.


    The herd slammed into Emerald and her companions like a living lightning storm.


    The massive beasts crashed through their group, static electricity crackling between their antlers. Emerald tried to dodge, and slay the monsters but there were too many.


    The creature''s electrified antlers cast a thunderbolt at her armor. The first thunder blast was absorbed by her shields, as was the second, but the twentieth one fried the gemstone collars and armor, sending thousands of volts through her body.


    "ARRRGHHHHH!" She screamed as the herd thundered past, leaving her twitching on the ground, smoke rising from her armor.


    <hr>


    "At least we got one," Solace said cheerfully, holding up the beast core she''d harvested from the Thundersnarg she''d managed to take down.


    "Shut. Up." Emerald growled through clenched teeth. Her second armor set was completely fried, the protective runes burned out.


    Her dragonfire refused to ignite, the electrical overload having temporarily short-circuited her ability to produce flames.


    They approached the Adventurers Guild cathedral, Emerald limping slightly from electrical burns.


    "See?" Solace said encouragingly. "Nothing bad has happened for at least twenty minutes! Maybe your luck is turning around!"


    "Don''t jinx it," Emerald growled.


    They entered the Guild hall, making their way to the core evaluation desk. Sister Antiqilla looked up from her paperwork as they approached her desk.


    "Good day," she said carefully, accepting the beast core from Solace to trade it for silver. "I see you''ve had an... eventful delve?" She glanced at the smoking Emerald.


    "Has Alexander Glock registered at the Guild yet?" The red dragon girl demanded.


    "Afraid not," Secretary Aquila shook her head. "I already told you that your team Captain will be updated by Voicecast when he does."


    "See?" Emerald spun to Quint. "He''s avoiding registration on purpose! He doesn''t want to be exposed as a pathetic level zero human!"


    "Emerald," her boyfriend sighed. "You''ve been obsessing over this all day. Even if he is human, which I doubt, he still managed to display magic skills at the duel. Maybe we should just..."


    "Just what, Quint?" Emerald snarled. "Let him get away with it? Let him make a mockery of everything we stand for? He''s charmed his way into everyone''s good graces, and now he''s avoiding Guild registration because he knows that''ll expose him!"


    "Or maybe," Quint said carefully, "he''s just busy with his community service project in Undertown."


    "Community service?!" Emerald''s eyes flashed dangerously. "What community service? Seriously, how stupid are you Quint? Sol, back me up! Tell this knob what Undertown is."


    "It''s a criminal district," Solace said. "Full of thieves, murderers, and Topaz addicts. Nobody does ''community service'' down there."


    "Exactly!" Emerald loudly smashed a clawed fist covered in magisteel on the secretary''s desk. "He''s obviously lying! Probably buying Topaz and booze down there!"


    "That seems... unlikely," Quint said diplomatically. "Father Matthias vouched for Alexander personally. And his work with the Slayer''s Cathedral..."


    "Is obviously fake!" Emerald interrupted. "Just like everything else about him! His records, his identity, his supposed mixed heritage - it''s all lies!"


    "Oh come on," Solace rolled her gold eyes. "You''re just mad because he made you look bad in front of everyone in class."


    "Made me look bad?!" Emerald hissed. "He humiliated me! Used artifacts n'' trickery to beat me! And now everyone''s treating me like I''M the villain! I''m not! I''m the good one here!"


    "To be fair," Quint said carefully, "you did challenge him publicly..."


    "Because he''s a FRAUD!" Emerald roared, smoke curling from her ruby hair. "A human infiltrator making a mockery of our school! And now he''s corrupted Vespera, Cinder and Io! He''s been screwing with me somehow all day long! Every time I try to go outside the Inn, something happens!" she continued ranting. "I get hit by falling flowerpots, slip on banana peels, get waste dumped on me from windows, get buried in fertilizer! It''s like the universe itself is conspiring against me!"


    "Maybe that''s a sign, Em," the red-flesh-flower-face girl suggested dryly. "You know, to chill out? Before something... really bad happens?"


    "CHILL OUT?!" Emerald''s voice rose to a screech, her scales blazing like hot coals. "DID YOU JUST TELL ME TO CHILL OUT?! While that lying sack of human filth runs around free?!"


    "Excuse me," A dark foxgirl with flowing black hair in a leather dress covered in blue gems said politely but firmly, interjecting herself into their conversation. "You''re holding up the line with your incessant screeching. Lord David needs to register his party."


    Emerald spun around, coming face to face with an elegant-looking vulpine woman. Behind her stood a ginger haired, ginger bearded blue-eyed human in a gray robe - presumably Lord David. A dragoness wielding a massive hammer stood beside him, her scales flickering with orange and violet colors. Something in the way the girls scales changed color reminded Emerald of her lost kobold Cinder.


    "How dare you interrupt me!" Emerald barked at the dark fox. "Do you have any idea who I am?"


    "Someone who''s clearly very worked up about a particular human," the foxgirl said smiling with sharp chompers, blue eyes twinkling with blue and silver. "And who''s preventing other adventurers from conducting their business."


    "I''m not worked up about..." Emerald choked, the words of the fox reminding her of how Alexander Glock behaved. "I am Emerald Stratos!" She barked even louder. "Prima Heiress of the Stratos Omnicorp!"


    "Uh-huh. Cedez Astra," the foxgirl replied, giving Emerald an unimpressed glance, a dark halo flashing over her head. "The Sovereign of Shandria."


    "You''re... a what?" Emerald blinked, her rage momentarily derailed.


    The foxgirl couldn''t be the Sovereign. According to what she learned in delving class Shandrian history from Instructor Zalimar... Shandria was ruled by High Lords and its last Sovereign died about two decades ago.


    "Heir Apparent of the Shadow Empire crown," the dark fox repeated calmly. "And you''re causing a scene in my Guild hall. Kindly piss off before I ban you from my city."


    Emerald sputtered, her mind racing.


    This had to be some kind of joke, a trick. Things were falling into a pattern. The damned human must have paid off these twats to harass her. David didn''t look like a Lord in his simple gray robes. He looked tired, like a man that had been trampled by the same Thundersnarg stampede. This was obviously just a group of actors, another way to annoy her! That''s how the blasted human was avoiding triggering her anti-hex rune! Hired help!


    "WHAT?! You can''t ban me!" Emerald let out as the years of her mind spun. "You''re not... you can''t be... You''re full of shit, lady! Shandria doesn''t have a Sovereign!"


    The words left Emerald''s mouth before her brain could catch up. This had to be another trick, another scheme cooked up by that insufferable human to torment her. First the jinxes, then the "accidents," and now this? Some random foxgirl claiming to be Sovereign? Ridiculous!


    But then something changed in the air. The temperature dropped several degrees. The foxgirl''s blue eyes flashed with silver, and a dark halo-crown materialized above her head.


    "Oh? Is that how it''s going to be?" The fox asked. "By the power invested in me by the Crown Tower Arcane, I hereby BANISH Emerald Stratos and her party from Shandria."


    The words hung in the air. Emerald''s mind reeled. This couldn''t be happening. This had to be another trick, another scheme. That Shadowcrown was basic Shadowmancy at best! Deception!


    "WHAT?!" Emerald boomed. "You can''t..."


    "I just did," Cedez said. "You''re annoying me. You and your party have one hour to gather your belongings and leave the city. If you''re still here after that, the Watch will escort you out. Less pleasantly."


    "This is outrageous!" Emerald snarled. "I demand to speak to..."


    "To whom?" Cedez tilted her head. "The manager? That would be me and I just told you that you three are banned. You made a scene in Lord David''s cafe this morning, being rude to our staff. Now you''re making a scene in our Adventurers Guild. That''s two strikes and you''re out."


    "M-My father will hear about this!" Emerald declared, her mind burning from within with absolute rage. This wasn''t happening! None of this was supposed to happen! She was Prima Heiress of the Stratos Omnicorp! People didn''t just... banish her from Guilds! Obviously this was more of Glock''s bullshit, a way to get her out of the Guild.


    "Oh, please do tell Daddy Stratos that his precious daughter got banned from Shandria for throwing a tantrum in public," the dark fox''s fluffy tail swished. "Too much cheek. You''re still here? Still being an annoying twat? Let''s up the banishment then. You''re hereby banished from Illium, Nocturna, Umbria, Starveil, Gloomhaven, Duskhollow, Rustspring, Ebonspire, and Tenebri."


    Emerald''s mind raced, her thoughts a chaotic inferno of rage and disbelief. This wasn''t happening. COULDN''T be happening. First that insufferable human infiltrator making a mockery of everything, and now this? Some random foxgirl claiming to be Sovereign, trying to banish HER?


    No. She was Emerald Stratos. Prima Heiress. She wouldn''t be dismissed like some common knob!


    Something snapped inside of Emerald. She had enough of today, reached her boiling point.


    Her armored fist shot forward with devastating speed, magisteel claws aimed directly at the foxgirl''s crystalline heart. She''d show this imposter what happened to those who dared challenge her authority. One quick strike, one dead "Sovereign," and everything would go back to...


    The dragoness'' magisteel-covered fist punched clean through Cedez''s chest, tearing through her leather dress and going through the space where her heart should have been. The sound of ripping leather and crunching crystal gems echoed through the Guild hall.


    "No one..." Emerald snarled, smoke curling from her ruby hair, her scales blazing with triumph, "tells me what to do! Especially not some fake Sovereign playing dress..."


    Her words died in her throat as she realized something was very wrong. There was no blood.


    Cedez looked down at the fist protruding from her chest with mild curiosity, as if examining an interesting piece of artwork.


    "What?" Emerald''s voice came out as a strangled choke. Her mind reeled, unable to process what she was seeing. Her fist had gone straight through the foxgirl''s chest, but there was no blood, no viscera, nothing but a strange spilling dark shimmer in the air where her hand passed through. Shadow-like smoke poured from the hole.


    "You heard me," Cedez said with an icy-cold voice, dark crown-halo pulsing above her head. "One thousand years dungeon. For assaulting the Heir Apparent. Maybe I should make it ten thousand years? What do you think, M''Lord?"


    Cedez turned to Lord David, her vulpine features splitting into a predatory grin. The dark halo above the fox''s crown winked away.


    "W-why aren''t you dead?!" Emerald''s mind was spinning, her thoughts fracturing like shattered glass. This wasn''t possible. None of this made any sense. Her claws should have torn through flesh and bone, should have ripped out this pretender''s crystalline heart. Instead, her armored fist had passed through the foxgirl like she was some kind of ghost. There was nothing inside her to crush. No organs, no muscles, no bones. NOTHING AT ALL.


    Emerald yanked her fist back, her mind desperately trying to rationalize what was happening. This had to be another trick. Like everything else today - the accidents, the "mishaps," the humiliations. It was all connected!


    "Guild Sister Antiqilla," Cedez glanced at the Secretary. Emerald saw that the dark fox quickly tied more dark leather straps around the hole, stopping more shadowy stuff from escaping. "I do believe that this adventurer just assaulted me. In your Guild. Punched me through the chest, trying to pulverize my crystalline heart. While loudly asking why I''m not dead."


    "GUARDS!" Antiqilla''s voice cracked like a whip through the Guild hall. "ARREST THIS GIRL!"


    The response was immediate and overwhelming. Two burly Watchmen flashed next to Emerald, their armor gleaming with enchanted runes of strength-reinforcing and suppression. Each stood nearly seven feet tall, their helmeted faces betraying no emotion as they moved with practiced efficiency.


    The guards'' massive gauntleted hands clamped down on Emerald''s arms, red triangular logo of the nine-eyed Shadow Empress Nox gleaming on their helmets.


    "Let go of me!" Emerald thrashed violently against the guards'' iron grip, her ruby scales flashing with impotent rage. Her tail whipped back and forth. "Do you have any idea who I am?!"


    "A violent criminal who just attempted to murder someone in broad daylight," one of the guards growled, his enchanted armor humming with suppression magic that dampened Emerald''s dragonfire. The crystalline eyes in his helmet gleamed with cold authority. "In the Adventurers Guild no less. In front of hundreds of witnesses and a Kitlix Infix."


    "I do believe that''s a collaring," the second guard added with a grin. "For life."


    "Yep," the first guard nodded.


    "But... but she''s fine!" Emerald protested frantically, her voice rising to a desperate screech. The foxgirl was standing there completely unharmed, examining the ragged tear in her leather dress with the mild irritation of someone whose favorite outfit had been ruined. Dark wisps of shadow-stuff still leaked from the hole where Emerald''s fist had passed through her chest, curling and dissipating in the air like smoke. "She''s... she''s not even bleeding! There''s nothing inside her! She''s not real! She''s... Not alive!!!!"


    "Attempted murder is still a crime," Cedez replied with a predatory grin that looked exactly like the smile of Alexander Glock. "Afraid you''re going to the coal mines, darling."


    Quint and Solace were saying something but Emerald wasn''t listening anymore.


    "You can''t do this!" Emerald flailed as the guards dragged her towards the door. "I''m a Stratos! Solace! Help me take down these knobs! My father will have this entire damned city leveled for this!"


    "Be silent," the guard ordered as he snapped a slave collar over Emerald''s neck.


    A cold sensation spread from the collar around Emerald''s neck, like ice water flowing through her veins. Her connection to dragonfire - that constant warm presence she''d known since hatching - suddenly vanished.


    The familiar heat in her core winked out like a candle being snuffed, her scales dulling to dark red and gray.

 Chapter 7: Scrutimancer Weps [I]

    Scrutimancer Weps adjusted his magitek spectacles as he reviewed the Infix Kitlix Viewcast provided by Sister Antiqilla, the glass orb projecting ghostly images above his desk.


    He made several notes in the case file, occasionally tapping Questik. His Infix Kitlix twinkled with cyan sparks every time he did.


    Victim: Foxkin Cedez Astra. Attacked by Subject Emerald Stratos in Adventurers Guild.


    Cedez Astra: Cambria Snail Cafe Maid. Likely survived through artifact use. Known mid-tier level Shadowmancer. Currently employed by Lord David, a new noble in Shandria with no local history. Third witness was Smith dragoness Remicra Ognemerska and had a full history as property of Lord Burgundy, currently subleased to Lord David for ''dungeon exploration'' according to Overseer Pricci Destrie.


    Claims of "Stratos" heritage by perpetrator Emerald Stratos. Unable to verify claim.


    Possible Gold Dragon God Empire connection. Unable to verify.


    Multiple references to human delver "Alexander Glock" by perp. No Guild registration for Glock. Unable to verify claim.


    Diplomatic immunity claim by perp. Unable to verify claim.


    Slave collar deployment suggests high threat assessment by Watch.


    There was nothing but holes in this case.


    Scrutimancer Weps rubbed his temples, closing the case file with a weary sigh. The whole situation reeked of political complications he didn''t want to deal with. Let the troublemakers cool their heels in the cells for a few days while he focused on more pressing matters.


    Like the series of mysterious artifact thefts from the Guild vaults. Or the concerning reports of unauthorized portal activity in the Lower Reaches. Or the...


    The door to his office burst open with enough force to rattle the shelves of case files lining the walls.


    Arch-Guild Enforcer Legarth Wixoff stumbled in, his massive frame somewhat oddly diminished without his signature magisteel armor.


    "Weps!" Legarth bellowed. "We have a situation! A catastrophic situation!"


    "Yes?" Weps asked, looking up at the bulky man wearily. "What situation? Why didn''t you just call me? Where''s your Voicecast bracelet?"


    "Not working! Sitting in a fridge! It''s DUSKBLOOM, Weps!" Legarth roared. "All of Undertown district is being overrun! Some madman released bags full of the parasites from the Gloomy Horse Guild tower. The walls between Abystall dungeon and Undertown are breached by explosive magic!"


    "What?!" Weps sputtered. "Slow down. Start from the beginning. Where''s your armor? Why aren''t you in uniform, Enforcer?"


    "My magisteel armor is locked in a cold room too!" Legarth lamented, looking disheveled and tired. "Thirty thousand silver worth of enchanted armor, contaminated by those accursed mites! I just got out of the tunnel, Watchmen Stekafrak had to blast me with an ice spell for ten minutes after I pulled everything magically off me to make sure I''m clean! All tunnels between Undertown and Shandria have sealed automatically due to the doomsday siren!"


    "Who released the mites?" Weps asked, his Kitlix twinkling as it recorded. "What were you doing in Undertown?"


    "A job for the bankers," Legarth said. "I was.... extracting a group of Adventurers per order of High Justice Luborkand."


    "Show me," Weps said.


    The Scrutimancer''s Kitlix climbed onto Legarth''s shoulders and placed a paw on the big man''s forehead. In another minute the Kitlix rushed back to his owner and tapped his head. Scrutimancer Weps went pale.


    "By her Divine Shadow," Weps breathed as he processed the memories from his Kitlix. "This is... catastrophic. The entire district..."


    "That''s what I''ve been saying!" Legarth exclaimed. "We need to mobilize the Watch, quarantine..."


    "Already happening automatically," Weps cut him off, tapping his Kitlix to consult the Astral, his mind racing. "Undertown is already sealed except for the single choke-point exit which has been secured by Ice mages and high level Watchmen. But that''s not what concerns me most."


    "What could be worse than a Duskbloom outbreak?!" Legarth demanded.


    "We can''t stop a Duskbloom outbreak, you know that. Undertown is to be quarantined. All we can do now is find and punish the people responsible," Weps said grimly. "This ''Quartermaster'' you encountered. Describe him to me again."


    "Young human male, early twenties perhaps," Legarth recounted. "Dark hair, casual manner, seemed almost amused by the situation. Claimed that the Duskbloom was released by dragoness named Emerald Stratos... Claimed that Emerald is from another world."


    "Another world? It''s not possible to open gates to other words from Arx. It is possible that she is a summoned though," Weps frowned. "There''s an Emerald Stratos in one of our cells now. She attacked a foxkin in the Adventurers Guild."


    "A dragoness in our cells?" Legarth blinked. "That''s... convenient."


    "Indeed," Weps nodded, his Kitlix''s ears twitching as he nervously tapped his familiar. "And this human claimed she was responsible for the Duskbloom release?"


    "Yes. Said she set up dimensional bags full of mites around the Gloomy Horse Guild tower as some kind of... prank. Because someone from Undertown insulted her."


    Weps'' frown deepened. "That matches her behavior pattern. She did just assault someone in broad daylight for questioning her authority."


    A knock at the door interrupted them. A junior Scrutimancer entered, looking flustered.


    "Yes, Xistin?" Weps asked.


    "Sir," Junior Scrutimancer Xistin said breathlessly, holding up a yellow folder. "Documents just arrived from Undertown. Found in the office of Grand Moloch Arkenish."


    "The Topaz den owner?" Weps accepted the folder, his Kitlix climbing down from his shoulder to peek at the contents. "The Moloch?"


    "Yes sir. According to the adventurer who brought these to the choke-point, Arkenish was found... deceased in his office. Heart attack. Probably couldn''t handle the fact that all of his Topaz supply was about to get eaten by Duskbloom," Xistin revealed. "The documents detail extensive connections between Arkenish''s operation and... Lord Zalimar."


    "Zalimar?" Weps'' eyebrows shot up as his Kitlix rushed over the folder.


    "Yes sir. According to these records, he''s been supplying Topaz to Undertown for centuries." Xistin nodded. "And according to this paperwork... Lord Zalimar is a necromancer, one who''s been operating in Shandria for thousands of years!"


    Weps paled further. Questik rushed over the papers.


    According to what Questik sensed, the paper was written by an orphan from Undertown.


    A list of names. Teenage delvers, each dying under suspicious circumstances in cycles of approximately one to fourteen years each.


    "By her Shadow," Weps swallowed. "If this is true, then we have just exposed their entire network."


    Xistin nodded.


    "We need evidence to confirm these statements," Weps once again ran over the names on the paper. "Go to the Gilded Gryphon Inn and verify if dragoness Emerald Stratos rented a room there in cycles of 1.6 years over the duration of... two hundred and fifty two years."


    Xistin nodded and hurried out.


    Weps slumped back in his chair. His Kitlix paced anxiously on his desk, dark edges glinting in light cast down by Iglix Kitlix.


    "Sir?" Legarth asked carefully. "What''s going on?"


    "Something big," Weps said grimly. "Much bigger than just a Duskbloom outbreak. It seems that some luck came from this catastrophe. The death of the Grand Moloch and this report exposed a centuries-old criminal enterprise of Topaz smugglers. One that''s been operating right under our noses."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    <hr>


    The heavy iron door creaked open as Scrutimancer Weps entered the windowless cell, his magitek spectacles glowing faintly in the gloom. The cell was cold, damp, and reeked of mold.


    Emerald sat hunched in the corner. The prisoner''s ruby scales were dulled with grime. The gray prison robe hung loosely on her frame. She looked pale and gaunt.


    "Miss Stratos," Weps said coolly, unfolding a stone seat from a wall to sit next to the prisoner. "I trust you''ve had time to... reflect on your actions?"


    Emerald looked up, her gold-orange eyes filled with tears. The slave collar around her neck pulsed with a sickly red rune, suppressing her magic.


    "Please," she hissed, her voice hoarse. "You have to believe me. That... that fox-woman. She wasn''t normal. She had no heartbeat, no blood..."


    "No blood," Scrutimancer Weps repeated, adjusting his spectacles. "Yes, you''ve mentioned this several times. Along with repeated claims about a human infiltrator named Alexander Glock and mysterious accidents plaguing you which caused you to attack Miss Astra at the Adventurers Guild?"


    "It''s all connected!" Emerald lurched forward, only to be yanked back by the chains binding her to a wall. "He''s behind everything! The accidents, the fox-woman, all of it! He''s turning everyone against me!"


    "And who exactly is ''he''?" Weps asked.


    "Alexander Glock!" Emerald snarled. "Or whatever his real name is! He showed up at Skyfall Academy claiming to be a half-Thunderbird, but he''s human! Just a pathetic, magic-less human who somehow managed to trick everyone!"


    "Skyfall Academy?" Weps raised an eyebrow, scratching his gray scales. "I''m not familiar with this institution. Where exactly is it located, Miss Stratos?"


    "In... in Leviathan''s Cradle," Emerald faltered, stumbling over her words. "Near the Dreadspine National Park..."


    "Miss Stratos," Weps said carefully, "there is no academic institution by that name in the Shadow Empire. And I''ve never heard of these locations you mention."


    "It''s not in your stupid Empire! I''m from Earth, you bloody knob!" Emerald growled.


    "Earth?" Scrutimancer Weps repeated, glancing at his Kitlix who flashed green.


    "Yes!" Emerald exclaimed, hope flickering in her eyes. "I''m not from here - I''m from Omnithornia! My father is Lord Stratos, head of the Stratos Dragon Clan! We''re interdimensional delvers!"


    "Interdimensional... delvers," Weps repeated. "And you came to be Shandria how?"


    "Via the Earth-Arx gate!" Emerald strained against her chains. "In Instructor Zalimar''s classroom! But that human bastard banished Instructor Zal into some doomed dimension and now..."


    "So," Weps said. "You''re claiming there''s a permanent gate to another world in Shandria?"


    "Yes! No! I mean..." Emerald slumped, struggling to focus. "The gate only opens during delving class on Fridays for two hours! Time moves differently here - two hours on earth is a week in Shandria!"


    Weps'' Infix Kitlix still glowed with green. No deception detected.


    "Tell me more about this... Alexander Glock," the Scrutimancer said.


    "He''s a liar and a cheat!" Emerald snarled. "He''s wearing like a whole bunch of hexasuits! And he''s got this AI thing, one that helps him manipulate everyone! He''s turned my friends against me, made everyone think I''m crazy!"


    "I see," Weps said, making notes as his Infix Kitlix sparkled. "And what is an AI thing?"


    "Artificial Intelligence! It''s like a network that can draw fake images and stuff! It''s human tech, not magitek. Computers n'' stuff!"


    "Uh-huh."


    Weps tapped his Kitlix. A projection of financial data manifested in his lenses. Numbers and graphs glowing with an eerie blue light.


    [Priority alert from Scrutnet. Unusual financial activity confirmed. Large quantities of unknown magically potent fluid being sold across Shandria. Individual drops selling for as much as 1 celesteel card each. Source of fluid cited as: Emerald Stratos.]


    Weps stared at the chained Lindworm.


    "Miss Stratos," he said. "Would you care to explain why you''re selling some kind of questionable magical fluid across Shandria?"


    "What?!" Emerald sputtered. "I haven''t bloody sold anything! I''ve been locked in this damned cell for days!"


    "Not in person, obviously," Weps said, adjusting his spectacles. "But according to our Scrutimancy, someone has been selling an extremely potent magical substance from unknown origin."


    "The F does this have to do with me?"


    "According to the receipts, a percentage of the money is going directly into your delver account Miss Stratos," Weps said.


    "WHAT?!" Emerald barked. "MY ACCOUNT?! HOW?!"


    "You''ve been quite a busy dragon Miss Stratos," Weps continued, scrolling through data in his spectacles, "Making substantial investments. Buying up Topaz warehouses now that the land they''re sitting on is worthless. Was it your plan to devalue the land by releasing the mites?"


    "I didn''t buy anything!" Emerald howled. "I... I lost my card... or someone stole it! What mites?!"


    "Who exactly stole your card?"


    "Alexander Glock! It has to be him!"


    "Yes, this mysterious human you keep mentioning to us," Weps said dryly. "Who infiltrated Skyfall Academy, defeated your instructor with a lighter, and is now apparently running a criminal empire in your name. Riiiight."


    "YES!" Emerald strained against her chains. "Finally, someone understands! You have to help me stop him!"


    "Miss Stratos," Weps stood up, his spectacles glowing ominously. "Let''s review what we know. You arrive in Shandria, scream at cafe maids, hostile a whole bunch of people in town, attempt to murder someone in broad daylight in the Adventurers Guild, claim diplomatic immunity, threaten to destroy the city, and now we discover you''re running an illegal substance operation and unleashing parasitic plagues on Undertown."


    "No! That''s not..." Emerald protested. "I didn''t unleash any mites! What are you on about?!"


    "Furthermore," Weps continued, "when confronted, you spin an elaborate tale about being from another dimension, involving mysterious humans, non-magic technology, and some nonsense about temporal dilation. Do you take me for a fool?"


    "I''m telling the truth!" Emerald thrashed against her chains. "Don''t you imbeciles have truth-telling magic? I see that Kitlix glowing green!"


    "The Infix merely indicates you believe what you''re saying," Weps said coldly. "Not that it''s true. Delusions can read as truth to magical detection."


    "I''m not delusional!" Emerald roared. "Check my memories! Use your Scrut-sight or something!"


    "We did," Weps adjusted his spectacles. "My Kitlix went over your memories while you were passed out earlier. Your memories are... corrupted. Fragmented. Likely magically modified. You think that you are also a... Superhero from a non-magic world called the Earth, named Ember Kilborne."


    "No," Emerald paled. "That''s not... that''s impossible. I''m not..."


    "Due to this, truth spells cannot work on you. You are mentally unwell. Your memories show you as both a wyrm from Earth and a human superhero also from Earth," Weps continued mercilessly. "We found extensive damage to your psyche. Multiple personality disorder. Delusions of persecution. Paranoid fantasies about humans infiltrating Omnithean society, whatever that is."


    "I''m not crazy!" Emerald cried. "He did something to me! He... he pushed me into the Lazarus well! That''s when I started to have these... thoughts of being someone else!"


    "Someone else?" Weps leaned forward, spectacles glinting. "You mean this... Ember person? The superhero?"


    "How do you..." Emerald''s eyes widened. "Yes! Those memories... they''re not mine! That jerk did something to me when he dunked me in the Genesis Pool!"


    "Genesis Pool," Weps repeated. "Magic that can print people, bring them back from death right? Another fascinating detail. Tell me, Miss Stratos, do you often have thoughts of being someone else? Of living other lives? Of Necromancer wells?¡±


    "No!" Emerald snarled. "Only since he... since that bloody human..."


    "Since this imaginary human pushed you into an imaginary pool that somehow gave you memories of being a... superhero," Weps finished. "Do you realize how mad that sounds?"


    "I''m telling you the truth!" Emerald strained against her chains. "Check my delver card! It has my stats, my ID, everything! I''m an Omnid from Earth, damn it! I came here through your stupid Arx Bank!"


    "Ah yes, your ''delver card''," Weps said coldly. "The one currently being used to purchase large quantities of real estate in Undertown? The one linked to multiple sales of an unknown magical substance?"


    "That''s not me!" Emerald howled. "I don''t... I didn''t..."


    "There are witness-signed reports," Weps continued, ignoring her protests, "of you hiring mercenaries to detonate tunnels between Abystall dungeon and Undertown using unknown means. Deliberately spreading Duskbloom parasites across an entire district."


    "WHAT?! I swear I didn''t do anything like that!" The dragon girl howled.


    "Causing mass panic, property damage, economic disruption," Weps continued listing off charges. "Tax evasion. Topaz Smuggling. Conspiracy to commit dungeon-spreading..."


    "IT WASN''T ME!" Emerald screamed, her chains rattling. "I''ve been locked in this cell! How could I possibly do any of that?!"


    "Through your well-paid intermediaries, obviously," Weps stated. "Our intelligence suggests you''ve assembled quite the criminal organization. It would help my case if you confessed the names of your associates."


    "What?! WHAT CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION!?" Emerald choked, her eyes filling with tears. "I don''t have any criminal associates!!!"


    "Unfortunately, you''re clearly disturbed," Weps continued as Emerald sobbed. "Suffering from severe delusions and paranoid fantasies. The amount of damage you have done to Undertown is incalculable. You''ve doomed thousands to their deaths through magical deprivation, devalued all currency stored in Undertown vaults."


    "Please," Emerald sobbed. "I''m telling you the truth. Just... just contact my father. Lord Stratos. He''ll vouch for me! Abyss, talk to Quint! He''s our delving Captain! He''s working as temp substitute for Instructor Zalimar!"


    "Ah yes, this mysterious ''Lord Stratos'' from another dimension," Weps said dryly. "Tell me, how exactly should we contact him? Through your imaginary gate inside the Arx Bank?"


    "Y-yes!" Emerald cried. "I... talk to that catgirl... ugh... what the Abyss was her knob name...?"


    "Gabriella?" Weps offered.


    "Yes!" Emerald seized on the name. "She knows about Earth! About the gate! About..."


    "Miss Matrosin has no knowledge of any interdimensional gates," Weps cut her off. "In fact, she claims you threatened her life when she refused to assist with your criminal enterprise."


    Something shattered in Emerald. How could the Banker Rep say that?! The dragon girl fell on her knees, bawling.


    "He''s done it again. Somehow. he''s... changed everything!" The dragon girl wailed.


    "Changed what?" The Scrutimancer asked. "Do these names mean anything to you? Sarah Nisteroff," Weps read from his notes. "Elek Rodrigov. Marcus Chennik. Thomas Willard. Petv Yavna. Olga Kcasnik. Datri Volk..."


    Emerald froze, her scales paling to an ashen gray.


    "I see that they do," the Scrutimancer said. "Why did you kill these children, Miss Stratos? Why did you lock Sarah Nisteroff outside of her Inn room at night fourteen years, six months and five days ago?


    "I... I didn''t..." Emerald stammered, her voice cracking.


    The Kitlix flashed red.


    "Well, at least I caught this lie," the Scrutimancer smiled. "So, what did you do to Sarah Nisteroff?"

 Chapter 7: Scrutimancer Weps [II]

    ¡°It was just a prank,¡± Emerald bawled, rocking in one place, head buried between her grimy knees. ¡°Just a way to get Sarah to transfer schools!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The Scrutimancer arched an eyebrow.


    "H-how did you know a-about Sarah?" Emerald asked.


    "Memories in your head. Plus, these murders were confirmed by scanning the area with Kitlix Infix. Sarah... was the last one to die by your hand fourteen years ago. You left her outside for the Shadows to chop her up, didn''t you?"


    "No!" Emerald wailed, watching as the Kitlix flashed red. "That''s not... I didn''t mean to¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did you lock her outside of her Inn?¡±


    ¡°She was just a nullie! A weak, pathetic¡­¡± Emerald tried to explain herself, choking on her own words. ¡°She... she didn''t actually die! The Genesis well brought her back... Then she transferred schools, that''s all!"


    "Did she?" Weps asked quietly. "Or is that just what you tell yourself to sleep at night after you murder teenage adventurers? Who was your accomplice in this murder?¡±


    "Z-zalimar... Instructor Zalimar Evernacht... he... he told me to do it!" Emerald cried. ¡°And it... It wasn¡¯t a murder! She¡¯s still alive, I swear!¡±


    "Zalimar told you to do it," Weps repeated. "This instructor you claim was banished to another dimension by a¡­ human infiltrator?"


    "Yes!" Emerald seized on this. "Instructor Zalimar said that nullies needed to be taught their place! That they were weakening, corrupting our bloodlines! He... he gave me special tasks... to make them leave Skyfall..."


    "And these ''special tasks'' involved murder?" Weps pressed.


    "No!" Emerald sobbed. "Just... making their lives difficult. Making them want to leave. They''re... they''re not dead! You have to believe me! Look¨Cyour Kitlix is flashing green!¡±


    "Right," Weps exhaled. "Because a magical fluid can bring them back? In another dimension?"


    "Yes!!!" Emerald nodded vigorously.


    "Here''s the problem with your story," Weps said. "We do know Lord Zalimar Evernacht. Several warehouses worth of Topaz have been uncovered in Undertown linking to his business as the people fleeing from Duskborn have confessed their crimes to be permitted past the barriers. Here''s what I think happened - Necromage Zalimar used an insane dragon girl to murder the children of his enemies over the centuries. Do you know what the penalty for working with a Necromage is, Miss Stratos?"


    "W-what?! Topaz?! Zalimar isn''t a Necromancer, he''s... a Koshei!" Emerald whimpered. "I didn''t know... about the Topaz thing! I was just following orders..."


    "Following orders," Weps repeated coldly. "Like a good little murderer. Ordinarily, we would slap a lifetime labor sentence on you, but there are important people who owned property in Undertown and now desire to see you dead."


    "D-dead?" Emerald swallowed.


    "Yes," Weps nodded. "Tomorrow at noon, you will be publicly executed for collaboration with a Necromancer. I will permit you to choose your last meal."


    "No," Emerald whispered, her scales completely pale. "No, no, no... This can''t be happening. He... he did this. Somehow. Alexander... he set me up!"


    "Still clinging to your delusions about a human boy who can''t use magic?" Weps sighed, standing up. "Sad, really. Your mind created this elaborate fantasy to avoid facing your own crimes. Humans on Arx can use magic just fine. The evidence is quite clear - you worked with a Necromancer to murder children for over two hundred years, then went mad and destroyed Undertown."


    "I didn''t..." Emerald''s voice cracked. "Please... just... just check the Earth-Arx gate! Talk to someone at Skyfall! There must be someone who can verify..."


    "Enough," Weps cut her off. "The execution will be at noon tomorrow. You will be served steak and potatoes tonight. That is all. Goodnight Miss Stratos."


    <hr>


    . . .


    Scrutimancer Weps walked down the gray stone corridor, his footsteps echoing off the ancient walls. The dungeons beneath the Watchmen''s headquarters were old, dating back to the founding of Xandria. Perfect for holding dangerous criminals and those who collaborated with Necromancers.


    He reached another heavy magisteel-reinforced door. The guard posted outside nodded respectfully and unlocked it.


    Inside, a very odd creature named Quint Thornton sat on a simple stone bench, his skull-face illuminated by the dim glow of Kitlix lanterns. Unlike Emerald, he seemed calm, composed¨Calmost unnaturally so.


    "Good evening, Mister Thornton," Weps said, conjuring another chair from the wall. "I trust you''ve found your accommodations... adequate?"


    "They''re exactly what I''d expect from a medieval dungeon," Quint replied dryly, his skull-face impossible to read, bony antlers nearly scraping the low ceiling. "Though I must say, the food could use improvement."


    "Interesting," Weps adjusted his spectacles. "Miss Stratos claims that you''re her... Captain and mate?"


    "Ah," Quint''s hollow eye sockets flickered. "I see you''ve been speaking with Em. How is she holding up?"


    "Poorly," Weps said. "She seems to be suffering from severe delusions. She will be executed tomorrow. You can lighten your sentence if you confess your crimes now."


    "Executed?" Quint''s skull-face remained impassive, but his voice held a note of genuine surprise. "For what crime exactly?"


    "Collaboration with a Necromancer," Weps said. "Murders of children. Destruction of Undertown. Take your pick."


    "I see," Quint said carefully. "And you believe she did all this while... being locked in your cell?"


    "Mister Thornton," Weps said, glancing at the text displayed on his glasses. "What were you doing fourteen years, six months and five days ago?"


    "Fourteen years ago?" Quint''s skull-face tilted slightly. "I would have been... four years old, I believe. Why?"


    "Scrutimancer Xistin just interviewed the Inn Maiden working at the Gilded Gryphon Inn," Weps continued. "She provided quite interesting details about Sarah Nisteroff''s death. Would you care to explain your role in it?"


    Quint''s skull-face remained perfectly still. "Sarah transferred schools. She didn''t die."


    "Did she?" Weps leaned forward. "Or is that just the story you helped create to cover up her murder? The old Inn Maiden remembers your group quite clearly. You haven''t aged a day. What sort of an undead abomination are you? Do you serve Necromage Lord Zalimar Evernacht?"


    "I am not undead," Quint said carefully. "And I don''t serve anyone. I am the Student Council President of Skyfall Academy."


    "Ah yes, this mysterious academy that doesn''t exist," Weps commented. "Tell me, what exactly is a ''Student Council President''? Some kind of necromantic title?"


    "It''s an elected position," Quint replied, his face twitching slightly. "Students vote for their representatives who then..."


    "Spare me your fantasies," Weps cut him off. "Just answer one question, Mister Thornton. Do you serve Zalimar Evernacht? Do you follow his orders?"


    "I don''t serve Zalimar," Quint said firmly. "He is simply our delving instructor, yes, but..."


    "Do you obey his orders or not?"


    "I... follow school protocols," Quint said carefully. "Which includes following Instructor guidance during delving activities."


    "I see," Weps glanced at his green-tinted Infix Kitlix. "And when Instructor Zalimar ordered you to kill children, do you obey?"


    "That''s not..." Quint''s skull-face remained impassive but his voice wavered slightly. "You''re twisting things. We never killed anyone."


    "No?" Weps pulled out a crystal sphere. "Perhaps you''d like to see what really happened to Sarah Nisteroff?"


    The sphere activated, projecting ghostly images into the air. A teenage girl running through dark streets, terror on her face. Living Shadows moving in the red-tinted gloom. Screaming. Blood.Stolen novel; please report.


    The crystal sphere showed the Shadowbeast methodically dismembering Sarah, starting with her extremities. Her screams echoed through the cell as the projection continued in gruesome detail.


    Quint''s skull-face remained impassive, but his hands gripped the edge of his bench so hard the wood began to crack.


    "Stop," he said quietly. "I get your point."


    "Do you?" Weps asked, not deactivating the sphere. "Because according to our investigation, you were there that night. At the Inn. With Emerald Stratos and Solace Exill," Weps continued. "Confirmed by the Inn maiden."


    "Sarah transferred schools. She''s alive." Quint said, his voice tight.


    "People don''t come back from being fully shredded by Shadowbeasts, Mr. Thornton.¡± Weps finally deactivated the sphere. "The Inn Maiden remembers you. Remembers all three of you. She watched from the window as that poor girl was torn apart. She reported it fourteen years ago, but we didn''t have a lead back then. Now we do. The destruction of Undertown is making all sorts of interesting evidence crawl out of the woodwork."


    Quint remained silent.


    "Tell me, Mister Thornton," Weps leaned forward. "How many other deaths have you helped cover up? How many other children has your group murdered for Zalimar for over two hundred years?"


    "I want a lawyer," Quint said quietly.


    "A what?" Weps blinked.


    "A legal representative," Quint''s skull-face remained impassive. "I refuse to answer any more questions without one present."


    Weps tisked. "I''m afraid legal representatives aren''t available to those who serve Necromancers, Mr. Thornton. Your execution is scheduled for tomorrow at noon, right after Miss Stratos. Would you like to choose your last meal?"


    "This is absurd," Quint''s skull-face twitched, orange eyes flashing left and right. "You can''t just execute us without a trial."


    "Actually, we can," Weps smiled thinly. "The law is quite clear regarding those who collaborate with Necromancers. No trial needed. The evidence speaks for itself. A potion of living death was likely used on you and your associates to awaken you in cycles of 1.6 years to commit murders and other crimes."


    "I see," Quint''s skull-face remained perfectly still. "And I suppose confessing would somehow reduce my sentence?"


    "Perhaps," Weps adjusted his spectacles. "If you collaborate useful information about Zalimar''s operations. The locations of his Topaz warehouses. Names of his other agents. Names of the people currently using your girlfriend''s delving card to make properly purchases."


    "I don''t know anything about Topaz warehouses or property purchases!" Quint said. "And I maintain that Sarah transferred schools."


    "Still clinging to that story," Weps sighed. "Very well. What would you prefer for your last meal?"


    "Nothing," Quint said quietly.


    "Suit yourself," Weps stood, his spectacles glinting. "Though I must say, your lack of cooperation is... disappointing. Miss Stratos at least had the decency to break down when confronted with her crimes."


    "Em is... emotionally volatile," Quint let out. "She tends to overreact to situations."


    "An interesting way to describe a mass murderer," Weps commented. "Tell me, does working with a Necromancer usually make one ''emotionally volatile''?"


    "For the last time," Quint''s voice held a hint of frustration, "we don''t work with Necromancers. We''re students at Skyfall Academy. Everything else is just... misunderstandings."


    "Misunderstandings that led to a girl being torn apart by Shadowbeasts?" Weps asked. "You and your gang have been operating longer than I have been alive. Your crimes have finally caught up to you. Goodnight, Mister Thornton," Weps turned to leave. "You shall be served steak and potatoes for you last meal. I''ll see you at noon tomorrow."


    <hr>


    . . .


    Scrutimancer Weps made his way to the final cell. Inside, Solace Exill sat cross-legged on the floor, her red skin grimy.


    "Miss Exill," Weps unfolded another stone chair from the wall. "I trust you''ve had time to reflect on your situation?"


    The red-skinned girl looked up at him with gold-yellow eyes.


    "Let me guess," she said flatly. "You''re here to tell me I''m being executed tomorrow for working with a Necromancer."


    Weps'' spectacles flickered with surprise. "How did you...?"


    "Vibration through the ground," Solace shrugged. "I heard everything you said to Em and Quint. About Sarah. About Zalimar. About the Topaz warehouses."


    "I see," Weps said. "So, do you have anything to say in your defense?"


    "Defense?" Solace smirked bitterly. "What''s there to defend? You won''t believe anything we say anyway. You''ve already decided we''re the servants of a Necromancer."


    "The evidence is quite compelling," Weps said. "The Inn Maiden''s testimony. Reports from Undertown. Your group''s apparent agelessness. Your connection to Zalimar''s Topaz operation..."


    "Have you considered," Solace interrupted, "that maybe we''re telling the truth? That we really are students from another dimension? That there are things happening here that you don''t understand?"


    "Like what?" Weps asked.


    "Like the fact that time moves differently between Earth and Arx," Solace said. "Like the fact that the Arx Bank has been running an interdimensional drug operation through Zalimar Evernacht and are now trying to cover their tail by lying to you?"


    "Nonsense," Weps scoffed. "The Arx Bank is a respected institution, why would it assist a Necromancer with Topaz distribution? You''re clearly trying to deflect blame for your own crimes. Next you''ll tell me that some human infiltrator named Alexander Glock is behind everything."


    Solace stared up at the Scrutimancer with wide, gold eyes.


    "You don''t get it," Solace shook her head slowly. "We''re not the bad guys here. We''re the idiots who got played. All of us. Even Em. Especially Em. Damn it Em."


    She rubbed her face with her red hands, yellow dull claws digging into her scales, her flesh-maw petals twitching.


    "Played by whom?" Weps asked.


    "By Zalimar mainly," Solace sighed. "He used us. Used our dislike against mixed-blood students. Made us think we were special, chosen. Elite. Pure. But really... we were just his enforcers. His thugs. Keeping order through fear while he ran his... other operation."


    "Go on," Weps leaned forward.


    "Sarah..." Solace''s voice momentarily trembled. "I... bullied her, yes. I tried to make her leave school. But Em... Em took it too far. Locked her out, got me drunk on Shadow wine. I''m a dumb knob, okay? I admit it. Zalimar encouraged the bullying. Said it was our duty to keep the bloodlines pure."


    "And you believed him?" Weps asked.


    "Of course we did," Solace laughed bitterly. "The mixies were an easy target. Zalimar made us feel special, powerful. But really... we were just tools. Idiots. Patsies."


    "The Topaz trade," Weps stated.


    "Yes," Solace nodded. "Zalimar controls dimensional gates to a plethora of worlds with his gate-weaver spiders."


    "Gate weaver?"


    "He has these special spiders," Solace continued, her voice hollow. "Gate Weavers. They can create permanent dimensional gates. He clearly used them to move Topaz between worlds. The Arx Bank likely provides the distribution network."


    "And this... Alexander Glock?" Weps pressed. "What''s his role in all this?"


    "I don''t freaking know, okay!" Solace shook her arms. "I... I don''t want to die! He''s just a half-blood student from our school that Em is mad-obsessed with!"


    "Mad-obsessed?" Weps repeated.


    "Yes!" Solace exclaimed. "She''s totally lost it over him! Claims he''s a human infiltrator, that he''s turning everyone against her, that he''s behind everything bad that happens to her. But really... he''s just a mixed-blood kid who stood up to her a few times!"


    ¡°You don''t think that he is human like Miss Stratos?¡±


    ¡°Our school''s Administration aren''t idiots,¡± Solace said. ¡°There''s no way for a human to get into Skyfall.¡±


    "And where is this Alexander Glock now?"


    "I don''t know! Last time I heard from him, he called us from Undertown! Said he''s doing... charity work there!"


    "Charity work," Weps repeated skeptically. "In Undertown? The criminal district currently being devastated by parasitic mites? You do realize how insane this sounds?"


    "Of course it sounds insane!" Solace threw up her hands. "Everything about this situation is insane! We''re being executed for crimes we didn''t commit while the real criminals are probably laughing their asses off!"


    "The real criminals being?" Weps pressed.


    "Zalimar! Who won''t be back... to Arx for three years, if Clint is to believed. Plus whoever has Em''s delving card!"


    "And why won''t he be back?" Weps asked.


    "Because delving team ''I love you'' banished him into some doomed dimension!" Solace exclaimed and then choked as Weps gave her a look.


    "I love you?" He repeated. "A delving team named ''I love you'' banished a Necromancer into another dimension? Do you really expect me to believe this drivel?"


    "It''s the truth!" Solace protested. "Alexander Glock''s team... they challenged Zalimar to a duel and won! I think... That''s why Em is so obsessed with him - he humiliated her idol!"


    "Enough," Weps stood up. "I had hoped you might actually cooperate and provide useful information, but clearly you''re as delusional as your companions and your memories cannot be trusted. Interdimensional gates are impossible. Your execution is scheduled tomorrow at noon, same time as Miss Stratos and Mister Thornton. Would you like steak or chicken for your last meal?"


    "Wait!" Solace cried, her eyes filling with tears. "Please! I... I just want to go back home! Wait..." She gulped. "W-what''s going to happen to my body?"


    "Your body will be burned to ashes and your heart core will be donated to the Ward of Shandria," the Scrutimancer said. "This dark bracelet which we were unable to remove from your hand... will be stored as case evidence in our deepest catacombs."


    The red girl''s gold eyes bulged, both of her mouths opening wide. "No. Please!!! I don''t want to die here! I... I just want to mod my bikes and punch Vee in History Club! Please!"


    "Mod bikes?" Weps shook his head wearily. "Punch Vee? Sadly, this delusion cannot be arranged. Your execution will proceed as scheduled. Steak and potatoes will be served shortly."


    "Please..." Solace sobbed. "I can take you to the Earth-Arx gate! It''s in the Arx Bank!"


    "There is no interdimensional gate inside the bank," Weps said. "Prolonged exposure to necromantic magic, the unnatural extension of life with the potion of living death has addled all of your minds, driven you mad."


    "We''re telling the truth!" Solace cried. "Just... just check the Bank! Interrogate Gabriella! She knows about Earth! She..."


    "Miss Matrosin has already provided a statement," Weps said. "She claims no knowledge of any interdimensional gates. Only that your group attempted to extort her. Dimensional gates can only move travelers between Arx cities."


    "Please..." Solace slumped against her chains as Weps turned to leave. "Just... investigate the Arx Bank. Please!"


    The Scrutimancer was already up.


    The heavy door slammed shut with grim finality, leaving Solace alone and sobbing in the darkness.


    Once the footsteps of the Shandrian Officer faded out of her range of ground-vibration hearing, Solace heaved and spat out a silver token from her forehead mouth and rapidly tapped it


    "Vespera Simmi. Team I Love you Slayer," she whispered, voice trembling.


    She hoped, prayed that the Thunderbird didn''t hate her, and wouldn''t abandon her ex-bestie to perma-death just because they had a bit of an argument a few days ago over Clan allegiances.


    A face flashed on the holo-projection woven from silver sparks. It wasn''t the face she was expecting to see to beg for aid.


    A human stared back at her.


    Alexander Glock.

 Chapter 8: Predator Theory

    I stared back at the Olgoi-Khorkhoi''s flesh-maw face through Vespera''s ID tag projection. Solace looked exhausted, broken, distraught.


    "Sup Sol?" I asked her.


    "A-alex," she stammered out finally, both of her mouths opening and closing. "Why do you have Vee''s tag?"


    "Mmmm, why wouldn''t my human husbando not have my tag?" Vee''s beak came to rest on my left shoulder. "Sup, dude? Why you callin'' so late? We''re just ¡®bout to head to bed for some quality cuddle-pile time."


    "H-h-human h-h-hhusbando?" The Mongolian Death Worm choked.


    "Yes, human husbando," Vespera clicked cheerfully. "Pretty good at magic for a human too, ha ha har. Anyway, what''s up? Did Em finally drive you completely bonkers with her conspiracy theories about my adorable pink disaster here? You ready to join the dark side of I''m-with-human?"


    "Vee. We''re... being executed tomorrow," Solace revealed.


    "Executed? For what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Em attacked some fox lady at the Adventurers Guild so the City Watch arrested us. We¡¯ve been accused of Treason against the Shadow Empire. The Shandrian Scruts think we work for a Topaz-peddling Necromancer and that we''re some kind of undead 200-year-old serial killers who unleashed a plague in Undertown and..."


    "Oooh, that sounds rough buddy," Vespera said sympathetically. "Have you tried not working for a Necromancer?"


    "Vee!" Sol begged. "This... this isn''t a joke! They collared Em and stripped our armor and weapons off except for the Laz bracelets! Please, I need your help, they''re really going to execute us tomorrow at noon, burn our bodies in the central square and then lock our bracelets in some deep vault!"


    "Hrmmm," I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "That does sound like quite a predicament you got yourselves into. I fail to see how this is our problem though, right, Primo-waifu-birb?"


    "Right you are, my human meatsickle," Vespera sent sparks raining across my shoulder. "Em did try to murder you back in school. Repeatedly. Without askin'' permission. That''s like superrrr rude. Maybe she could sit on a shelf for a couple of hundred years. Karma''s a beerch, ya kno''."


    "Please," Solace begged, her gold eyes filling with tears. "I... I''m sorry for whatever stupid shit I did or said! Please! I don''t... I don''t want to die here! Aren''t... aren''t we best friends, Vee?"


    "Aww, look at that face," Vespera cooed. "She''s actually crying. That''s new. Usually she''s all ''rawr, imma punch you'' and stuff."


    "Should we help them?" I asked Vee thoughtfully.


    "I dunno," the Thunderbird clicked. "What do you think, Ci?"


    Cinder''s rainbow-feathered head appeared on my right side. "Meh. Let them rot."


    "Cinder!" Solace exclaimed. "Please! You... you used to be our friend!"


    "Friend?" Cinder''s feathers shifted through angry reds. "Piss off with that. We were never friends."


    "I... I''m really sorry, for bein'' a shit friend then," Solace sobbed. "I... I''m a stupid knob.... please! I don''t want to die here!"


    "Neither did Sarah," Cinder said coldly. "But that didn''t stop you and Em, did it?"


    "Y-you didn''t help her either!" Solace blinked tears out of her eyes. "N-nobody helped the n-nullie and now t-the Shandrian Scruts think that we p-perma-killed her!"


    "What the shit do you want us to do?" Cinder demanded, glaring at the Worm-girl. "If you knobs got yourself locked in prison cus Em assaulted someone important, how''s that our problem?"


    "Ye," Vee nodded. "I''m like mega-cozy ''w my new ''ship. Seems like a lotta hassle untangling my wings from my husbando''s and Hearth-waifu''s arms just to save some annoying jerks."


    "Please..." Solace begged. "I can''t speak for... Quint or Em, but I''ll do anything! Just... help me! I just... I just want to go home! The... Omnid chapel isn''t answering the emergency retrieval cast signal!"


    "Anything?" I raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat concerned about her words.


    "Yes!" Solace nodded vigorously. "Whatever you want!"


    "Even if I asked you to sign a contract pledging eternal servitude to my clan as a secret sixie?" I asked.


    "C-clan?" Solace blinked.


    "I Love you," I said.


    "I..." Solace blinked, wiping her eyes with a clawed hand. "What? I don''t understand. Isn''t that just your delving team''s name?"


    "Not anymore," I said. "That''s our clan. We have a crystal Mage Tower citadel going up right now. Vee''s my Primo-wife to be. Cinder is my Hearth-Keeper to be. Io and Kat are our Primo-Knights."


    The Worm''s eyes went wide, both mouths opening and closing.


    "Y-you''re kidding, right?" She asked. "When did this happen?"


    "Mmmmm... Nope," Vee clicked. "Not kidding. We''re making engagement plans."


    "But he... but you..." Solas choked, wide, tear-filled eyes flashing between us. "When the eff did you even...?"


    "I''ma gon'' be super honest now, bestie," Vee said. "Me, Lexy and Ci got soul-bonded last night."


    "WHAT?!.. This is a joke, right?" the Mongolian Worm looked at me and Cinder. "Please, I really need your help... I''m completely out of options!"


    "It''s not a joke, Sol," Cinder exhaled. "Vee, Alex and I are soul bonded."


    "But he''s... he''s a mixie..." Solace choked, staring at Vespera. "D-don''t you have a fiance in Thunderland?!"


    "And?" Vespera tilted her head across my face.


    "I don''t understand..." Solace stammered. "How could you... You''re contractually engaged to one of the wealthiest Clans in Thunderland... You don''t even have to do anything to drown in mana, money and beast cores courtesy of Golden Star Omnicorp!"


    "Meh," Vee shrugged. "Thunderland''s overrated. Zheng might be my match in terms of power level n'' mana, but the heart wants what it wants ya kno''?"


    "But you''re a firstborn Primo," Solace frowned. "Primos don¡¯t get to choose love. Your dad will never accept you hitchin'' with a halfsie! You''ll lose everything! You''re throwing away your future for... for what?!"


    "I''m not throwing anything away, ya knob," Vespera shook her beak. "You''re not seeing the whole picture."


    "We''re starting our own company," I said. "One that''ll hopefully surpass Golden Star."


    "And if it fails horribly?" The Death Worm asked, staring at Vespera.


    "Unless my arms and legs fall off tomorrow, it won''t," Vee said. "Look, Solly, I''m a busy birb with an entire mage tower to decorate with death-skulls. You can either keep licking Em''s boots and die as her Knight or you can get on board as our intern and work your way up. Them''s the beans."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "I just... I don''t understand," Solace shook her head. "What could a nullie possibly offer that''s worth throwing away your entire inheritance for?"


    "Worth?" Vespera clicked thoughtfully. "Sol, you''re still thinking in terms of obvs'', linear power levels and stats. Like everything''s some kind of game where the highest numbers win. That''s such an Em way of looking at things."


    "Isn''t it?" Solace demanded. "Aren''t you funding whatever it is you''re doing?"


    "Nope," Vee shook her head. "I watched Lex make millions outta thin air and then I watched him apply them with wisdom in an investment and then I watched him slaughter his competition with merciless brutality befitting a true business shark. Zheng Xing Ker inherited his gold from his parents. I''ve known him since I was seven and he hasn''t changed one bit, hasn''t done a single thing to impress me. He is stale like an old swamp, stuck in his ways, boring like a toad sitting on a rock."


    Solace frowned.


    "Alex isn''t just some ''nullie'' to be measured by his mana count," Vespera continued. "He''s like... you know when you''re modding your bike and suddenly realize there''s this whole other way to configure the engine that nobody''s thought of before? That moment when you see past the standard builds everyone uses?"


    Solace''s face became thoughtful.


    "He doesn''t just think outside the box," Vee clicked. "He questions why there''s a box in the first place. Why we accept certain limitations as unchangeable. Why we let others define our worth by their standards."


    She grabbed my cheek with her talons and squeezed, making me wince.


    "He''s not perfect," Vespera continued her marketing of my person. "Far from it. He''s got more issues than a comic book store. But his flaws aren''t what you think they are. He''s not weak because he''s mostly human or because he can''t breathe fire or fly."


    "Then what are his flaws?" Solace blinked. "''Cus I don''t really understand what''s going on with you, or Io, or Ci..."


    "He''s ruthless," Vee clicked. "Dangerously so. Remember how Em would bully people? Alex doesn''t bully - he systematically dismantles them, sideways. Takes everything they have, everything they are, and turns it against them. And he does it with a Cheshire cat smile."


    "That sounds... worse than Em," Solace frowned.


    "Oh, it is," Vee nodded. "Em''s like a sledgehammer - crude, direct, predictable. Alex is more like... like a very dangerous computer virus. He gets inside systems, figures out how they work, and then reprograms them from within. He doesn''t just break things - he changes them fundamentally. Do you know why you''re in that cell, Solly?"


    "No," Solace shook her head. "The Scrutimancer Officer said it''s because we are insane, undead minions who work for a Necromancer¡­ but that¡¯s obvious bullshit since he didn¡¯t give a fuck about the gate testimony.¡±


    "Uh-huh," Vee clicked. "You''re in that cell because Em and Zalimar went up against Lexy, just like I went up against that blasted Captain entity that reflected my own lightning into my own dum¡¯ face."


    "So it''s his fault that I''m in here?" Solace glared at me.


    "No," Vee clicked. "Em got herself and you in there by being a violent knob. Alex just... made sure certain evidence came to light at the right time. He''s not some all-powerful mastermind - he just pays attention and uses what he learns."


    "But you just said he systematically dismantles people!" Solace protested.


    "Yeah, when they give him the tools to do it," Vee shrugged. "Em practically gift-wrapped herself for him."


    "I didn''t make her attack anyone," I added. "Honestly, I thought that she''d fall into a well or something else mildly inconvenient. This is way above my expectations."


    "So you did set us up!" Solace accused.


    "Nah," I grinned. "Em set herself up. I just made sure the right people noticed. Your dragon bestie has been doing incredibly stupid violent stuff for years¨Call I did was make it visible to the right people at the right time."


    "That''s... cold," Solace shuddered.


    "Yep," I nodded. "But effective. Anyways, are you in as our secret sixie?"


    "Do I even have a choice?" The Worm-girl asked.


    "Not really," I shrugged. "Either you end up on a shelf forever or you play your part. I''m not asking you to change anything about you. You can do whatever and still be Em''s bestie."


    "Till I have to stab her in the back?" the Death Worm asked.


    "I don''t know what you''re complaining about," Vespera said. "We ain''t gonna treat you like dirt."


    "Stabbing people in the back isn''t my thing," I said.


    "Then what? Then help me understand what you actually want from me," Solace huffed.


    "I want you outta prison so you can bully me harder," I grinned.


    "Bully you... harder?" Solace blinked in confusion. "What?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Keep being Em''s bestie. Keep being extra mean to me. Just... do it flashier. Make it look good. More dramatically punchy."


    "I don''t understand," Solace frowned. "You want me to keep bullying you? Why?! I thought that you were gonna demand something completely different like... making sure Em leaves you alone."


    "I subvert expectations," I grinned. "Consider this - the more you and Em bully me, the more sympathy I get from others. The more people see me as the underdog. It''s great marketing."


    "Marketing?" Solace blinked. "You... you want us to be your heel?"


    "Every hero needs a villain," I said. "This whole ''you''re a filthy human'' stick is absolutely hilarious. I want you to lean into it harder. Absurdly, over the top hard. Violence me up, challenge me to duels. Almost beat me and then... lose."


    "You want me to... throw fights?"


    "No. I want you to go all out," I said. "Be yourself. Be free. Challenge the human. Less permanent damage, more dramatic posturing. Less rude swearing. More showmanship. Hunt me down, try to catch me, throw me into a locker. Etcetera."


    "Abyss," Cinder muttered beside me, staring at me with sky-blue eyes. "You''ve been doing this to all of us, haven''t you?"


    "Obviously," I winked at her. "You''re all killers and hunters and your monster needs aren''t being met. You''ve all segregated yourself from humans and pushed half-humans out of school with excessive hatred and murder. You need prey that can think, that can challenge you."


    Solace frowned.


    "You''ve forgotten what it truly means to be predators," I continued, meeting Solace''s gaze. "Real predation isn''t about mindless violence or sense of superiority - it''s about balance. The dance between hunter and prey, each making the other stronger, helping each party... evolve. Em''s Predator Equalizer Theory where everyone is a predator is utter nonsense because it offers no room for love."


    "Love?" Solace''s gold eyes widened.


    "Yes. Love. The love of the chase," I said. "You''ve all forgotten that humans aren''t just weak prey to be discarded. We''re the species that learned to think our way around being eaten. If my Mom''s stories about the Leviathan are to be believed, then the very first Omnid was born from the heart of the Wormwood Star-beast, created to love a human."


    My companions and Solace looked at me with wide eyes.


    "Not to eat them, not to rule them, but to love them. To dance with them in an eternal cycle of chase and fight, of strength meeting cunning, of magic power meeting wisdom," I said. "Yin and Yang. A wheel unbroken. A storm created through currents of cold and warm air. Negative and positive poles. That''s my predator theory. Every Omnid needs a human to chase, to feed on."


    "But humans are weak," Solace protested weakly. "We''re supposed to..."


    "Supposed to what?" I cut her off. "Segregate humans off to the poles, deprive them of resources, kill them all off? Then what?"


    "Grow," Solace said. "Spread. Multiply. Conquer worlds."


    "You''re in a cold, dark cell, about to be executed, Miss Conqueror," I pointed out. "While I riled up my girls enough to make me a Mage Tower. Omnithornia cast humanity aside, pushed it to the fringes, forgot that it is the vital ingredient necessary for success."


    This wasn''t a speech just for a Olgoi-Khorkhoi in a prison cell. I was aiming my metaphorical gun at all of my Omnid besties inhabiting the crystalline dining hall with me now.


    "Think of it like this - you can have the most powerful engine in the world, but without fuel it''s just a hunk of metal," I said. "Humans are your fuel. Your inspiration. Your reason to live. Your magical resonance. Without us to chase and challenge you''re all simply put.... fundamentally unhappy."


    "What?!" A chorus of voices.


    "Tell me that I''m wrong," I said. "Point me to an Omnid trio whose relationship created a Mage Tower."


    There was silence as my Omnid companions and the imprisoned girl processed my words.


    "You... really made a Mage Tower?" Sol asked.


    "Yep," I nodded. "It is very shiny."


    "We''re not freaking adding Sol to our triangle!" Cinder suddenly let out. "I don''t want a freaking harem over here! Vee is annoying enough!"


    I laughed.


    "Sol doesn''t need to be in our triangle ''ship. She just needs to be our worthy opponent," I explained. "Our wicked rival. Someone to compete against. Love is incredibly hard to box conceptually. You don''t see me making out with Kat or Io and yet I am feeding them well. Right?"


    I glanced at Io.


    "Absolutely," Io sent me a thumbs up. "Your catastrophe-levels are off the charts. I''m content."


    I looked at Katherine. She shrugged at me. Guess, I had to work harder to feed my kitten. Maybe nomming on Echoes and walking in dark places wasn''t enough for her.


    "Go on," I turned my attention to Solace. "Tell me that you''re perfectly satisfied with your life. Tell me there''s no hole in your crystalline heart missing something vital, essential. Tell me that your forehead mouth isn''t starving all the time. Tell me there''s no gnawing emptiness in your chest wanting to be filled."


    Solace swallowed, the petals of her flesh-face opened and closed.


    She blinked.


    "Oh. You want it bad," I said. "I know you do because every Omnid I''ve met thus far wants it bad. Omnid magic requires humans to resonate against. Without human besties to terrorize, chase and paw at, you''re all starving, all the time. You''re an entire nation of wolves with barely any rabbits to go around."


    Solace''s flower face folded and unfolded, the forehead mouth biting the air.


    "Sheet," she said with a shudder, gold eyes boring a hole in me. "Sheet. I think you actually might be onto something... Alex."

 Chapter 9: The Hunt Urge

    After listening to Sol''s brief explanation about all of the Shandrian Scrut''s accusations and insistence that interdimensional gates didn''t exist, I promised to rescue her and hung up on her, turning to my companions.


    "Predator theory huh?" Kat asked, spiked tail lashing. "When''d you come up with that nonsense?"


    "Yulia and I have been discussing the human experiment data that I stole from the Frontenachii Wendigos for a while now," I said. "We had some theories, but didn''t have an exact confirmation of positive Predator-Prey factor until I saw what was happening between me and Vee," I explained.


    "What, this whole crystal tower bullshit isn''t just from that bullshit interdimensional lighter?" Kat arched an eyebrow.


    "The mage tower wasn''t just created by magic - it was created by love. The kind of love that can only exist between predator and prey," I said. "Between an Omnid and a human. The long chase we did today was the key."


    "Bullshit!" Katherine crossed her arms.


    "Yet again," I said. "I must point out that there are no other crystal towers here or anywhere really."


    "That''s because no one else is stupid enough to try making one," Katherine growled. "And no other human has been permitted to come to Arx to bond with two Omnids nor do they have mana-casting lighters."


    "The Wendigos tried it," I said. "Their experiments with human subjects showed interesting results when they attempted to understand the magical resonance between Omnid and human hearts. But they approached it wrong - they tried to force it, to dominate, control and terrorise. They didn''t understand that the key ingredient was willing participation. The chase has to be mutual. Both participants have to want it. Otherwise the balance of the wheel breaks and you get some really effed up shit."


    "Effed up shit like what?" She asked.


    "Well," I waved a hand at the crystalline room around us. "This is the highest order of Syntropic magic. The opposite is destructive, chaotic, disorderly magic. Look at Em," I said. "A perfect example of what happens when an Omnid tries to force dominance without understanding the need for balance. She chased the hell out of many nullies without it being mutual."


    "That''s ridiculous," Katherine scoffed. "Em''s just a violent knob. She chases weak Omnids too."


    "Is she though?" I asked. "Or is she desperately trying to fill a void she doesn''t understand? Look at how she latched onto me the moment I showed up - not because I''m special, but because I represented something she''s been missing her entire life."


    Kat rubbed her forehead.


    "Sounds like you just have a fetish for being chased by these two idiots and you''re trying to justify it with some pseudo-scientific nonsense," Katherine growled.


    "The Wendigo data doesn''t lie," I said. "They documented hundreds of cases where human test subjects developed magical abilities through prolonged exposure to Omnid predation. The problem was, they couldn''t replicate the results consistently or even benefit from it properly because it produced random, incredibly destructive magical events."


    "So?" Katherine challenged.


    "So, they missed the emotional component," I explained. "The chase has to be playful, mutual. The human has to want to be caught just as much as the Omnid wants to catch them."


    "You''re suggesting that humans and Omnids are... what? Naturally complementary?"


    "Yes," I said. "I am. Under the right conditions Humans and Omnids produce a resonance effect."


    "What conditions?" Katherine demanded.


    "First, both parties have to be willing participants," I explained. "Second, there needs to be an element of pursuit and evasion - The Hunt. Third, there needs to be genuine affection or at least mutual respect. And fourth, there needs to be a balance of power - the human can''t be completely helpless, and the Omnid can''t be completely dominant. There are other factors that amplify The Hunt ritual, which I''ve discovered recently, such as: higher aetheric density, having a soul bond and the human eating shakes made from the bits of the Omnid that''s chasing them."


    "That''s the stupidest thing I''ve heard," Katherine scoffed.


    "The Frontenachii researchers called it the Netherweave Fold," I explained. "When an Omnid''s crystalline heart resonates with a human''s biological one during pursuit, it creates a unique form of magic. The longer and more intense the chase, the stronger the effect. When both are placed in a room with high aetheric density and make a wish, the Netherweave Fold implodes into itself, bending reality in a particular way. Ergo, crystal tower."


    "So," Io mused. "If either of us felt hatred or dislike, we wouldn''t get a crystal tower, we''d get... what?"


    "The tower would implode or melt or turn into radioactive slag or reality would tear. Maybe something like what happened at Lake Eerie," I said. "A destructive magical event that tears reality apart rather than stabilizing it. The Wendigos documented numerous cases where forced bonding resulted in dimensional rifts, spontaneous combustion, the Omnid and human test subjects melting through the ground, or worse."


    "What happened at Lake Eerie?" Katherine asked.


    "Ci?" I looked at the Quetzi. "Can we tell Kat and Io about what happened to you two years ago? Do you want to tell them about it yourself?"


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through dark colors, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. I hugged her. Then Vespera did as well.


    "We''re with you," I told her. "From now on and forever. No matter what."Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "All for one," Vee added.


    Cinder exhaled, trembling.


    "I... I was tricked," she let out quietly, her feathers shifting through darker colors, forcing the words out of herself. "A Skinwalker named Valor Thornheart pretended to be interested in me. His clan took me and some other Omnid girls to Lake Eerie for a ritual. They... they tried to use our singing to wake something in the lake. The leviathan. An Echo of the Wormwood Star. The Skinwalker clan... killed the other girls, stole their Lazarus bracelets to absorb their souls. Em... saved me, but... the thing in the lake, it left something in me... a tear. A nightmare that I can''t wake up from."


    Cinder''s wings turned black, tears filled her eyes. She started to sob into me.


    Katherine''s emerald eyes widened as she processed Cinder''s words.


    "That''s why you stopped singing," she breathed. "Why you joined Em''s group. Why you declared yourself... Kaleid. Why you just allowed Em to harass the shit outta me online and did fuck all."


    Cinder sob-nodded.


    "The entity that attached itself to Cinder''s soul is something ancient from the depths of the Astral Ocean," I explained. "An Echo of the Wormwood Star''s impact. A being of pure Entropy. The opposite of what Zee Captain is."


    "And you think your... Personal predator theory can save her from this... being?" Katherine asked skeptically.


    "It already has, partially," I said. "The crystal tower is proof, the beginning of my understanding of the magic of the Hunt and how to apply it to fight Entropic entities."


    Kat pursed her lips.


    "The Skinwalkers'' ritual failed because they tried to force it," I continued. "They attempted to use violence and fear to create a resonance cascade effect, but that only attracted the Entropic entity. Also, they used Omnids, not people."


    "The reason why reality shattered so bad on that lakeshore was because they raised the shit out of the lake''s aetheric density with the beast cores," Vespera added.


    "And now something is living in that tear," I said. "Something that latched onto Ci when she was there."


    "And you think you can... what? Love it out of her?" Katherine asked skeptically.


    "No," I shook my head. "I think that we can create tools to fight it. Like this tower. Vee, how''s the aetheric density of air here?"


    The Thunderbird walked around our couch, snapping her talons and raining sparks.


    "714.55," she said. "Super pure unaligned stuff too. Yep. The tower is definitely slowly refracting magic outta Abystall below us."


    "Which means we''re going to need a core sooner rather than later," I nodded. "To raise it up even more."


    Katherine sighed.


    "I believe it is time for another big confession," I said, with a deep exhale. "I''ve manipulated all of you to this point. To make this tower on Arx. The Hunt was the key."


    "Still going on with that? Not all Omnids are hunters," Katherine said, waving an armored hand at Io. "Look at this useless knob-wing for example. He don''t hunt nobody."


    "Hey!" Io protested. "I hunt plenty!"


    "You hunt interdimensional snacks," Katherine rolled her eyes. "That doesn''t count."


    "Yes," I agreed. "Not every Omnid hunts in the same way. Some hunt information, some hunt experiences, some hunt emotional connections. The core component is specific interactive-ness."


    "Interactive-ness?" Katherine asked.


    "Cinder is a Quetzi, she hunts pure human love and devotion," I said, making Cinder shine with pink and violet and gold tones, drawing away the sad black curtain on her. "So I gave her all of my love. I manipulated Christi Negal to inject myself into all of Cinder''s classes, annoyed her, made her chase me. Again and again. Until she bit me. Until I made a declaration about building a glorious murder pyramid for her." I tapped the crystalline floor with my foot.


    "You.... argh!" Cinder flapped her wings, looking like she wasn''t sure whether to be annoyed, or to strangle me, or smother me in another hug.


    "Io is a Death Mothman, he hunts for human-caused disasters," I moved on from the rainbow-dragon. "So I gave him the biggest man-made disaster I could. I destroyed Undertown for him."


    "Groovy," Io commented, munching on a pocky.


    "Katherine," I turned to the Stollwurm. "You hunt human fear. So I unleashed Duskbloom on Undertown, cranked the fear dial all the way up."


    Katherine''s emerald gaze hardened. "You... deliberately caused mass panic? Just to what? Satisfy my hunting urges?"


    "Not just urges," I explained. "To create a specific magical resonance. Enough resonance effect between you and me to contribute to the foundation of this tower."


    "Ohh! What ''bout me?" Vespera hugged me, sending sparks raining all over me.


    "You, my sparkly birb, hunt electric impulses, deep neural networks," I said. "Resonance. A human to electrocute. As much as you want to. Forever. A human with a mana-burning lighter through whom you could create a localized Celestorm, enough to forge this tower, enough to imprint all of your ''current'' ideas into the most incredible, most complex hexagrammic runework project imaginable."


    Vespera''s talons sparked with electricity, her eyes gleaming. "Ke ke ke. My human Resonance engine."


    She buried her beak into my neck, nuzzling against me hard and wrapping me in her talons.


    [Mine] Her electrical current-voice danced in my head. [To zap. Zappedy zap. zzzap. He he he current. You funny.]


    Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed. "So you''re saying you deliberately manipulated all of us into creating this... crystal tower?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Manipulated. Brought together. Prodded. Led along. Guided. Figured out the right conditions for something truly magical to emerge. Luckily for us, it worked out."


    [Mmmmm. Death ray.] Vespera gigged in my head.


    "Riiiiight," Katherine said. "Lucky we didn''t all freaking melt. How are we rescuing Sol exactly?"


    "Hopefully, we''re not," I said. "The adults are. If they''re still alive that is."


    "What do you mean IF they''re alive?!" Cinder sputtered.


    "You heard Sol," I said and tapped my silver tag. "Cast Brother Vassily."


    The tag began to vibrate in my hand. I waited. Ten seconds. Twenty. Thirty. One minute. No answer.


    "Shit," Vee opened her eyes. "That''s... not good."


    I nodded.


    "Cast Innkeeper Nikkola," I ordered next.


    I waited. Nothing.


    Cinder swallowed.


    "Cast Captain June of Team Hydroblades," I said next, my companions drawing their breath.


    No answer.


    The silence stretched, thick and heavy.


    "Cast Captain Cinder, Team I love you," I said.


    Cinder''s bracelet buzzed. She accepted the call. Our faces appeared atop both of our bracelets.


    I hung up.


    "Yep," I nodded. "No adults then and no other Omnid help."


    "What do you think happened to everyone?" Cinder asked.


    "Seems like the Bank made their move," I said. "The Enforcers must have been sent after everyone to silence them after Zalimar''s drug operation went tits up. Just us then. Against all of Shandria. Fifteen hours till Sol, Quint and Em are executed. Peachy."

 Chapter 10: Pancakes

    "Are we really going to risk our necks to rescue those three idiots?" Katherine asked.


    "No," I said. "The public execution could be a trap, bait designed to draw us out from our mite-covered crystal fortress."


    "Then what are we going to do?" Cinder demanded.


    "We''ll need to hire an army of mooks to help save our fellow students. Our Guild is filthy rich, remember?"


    "Hrmmm... How many mooks can we hire?" Vee asked.


    "All of them," I said. "Every single mercenary, information broker, and two-bit thug in Undertown and uptown. Every adventurer of every level. No matter the cost."


    "Sounds like that''ll cost a fortune." Cinder said.


    "Good thing we have a fortune," I replied. "This is going to be a big rescue operation. I''ve been hiring people since I gave Morty that thermos. Since Innkeeper Nikkola isn''t responding, I''m assuming that everyone got bagged up from the Inn. We''re going to find out whether they''re still alive and where they''re all kept. This includes your brother, Ci."


    Cinder''s feathers flashed through a rainbow of grimdark colors - orange shock, black fear, red anger. "They took Lance?"


    "Maybe he got away? Try calling him," I offered.


    She did, wings shimmering with a curtain of orange-reds as she waited.


    No answer.


    "Shit, shit, shit," Cinder let out, clawing at her face as her snout lengthened. "Damn it! This... all of this... this is ALL YOUR fault!"


    Icy-blue, angry eyes struck me.


    "Yes it is," I said. "Stopping Zalimar was going to have far-reaching consequences. I accept the blame."


    Dark red feathered hands grabbed at me, strangling me.


    "I''m glad that you care for your brother enough to choke the life outta me," I hissed out as the hexasuit collars on my neck hardened. "Guess you''re not that Kaleid after all."


    Cinder froze, her talons still wrapped around my throat. Her feathers shifted through seventy shades of anger and then something else - vulnerability.


    "You knew!" she snarled. "You knew something like this would happen when we took down Zalimar and Em!"


    "The Bank obviously doesn''t like being exposed." I shrugged.


    "Kat!" Cinder''s head snapped to Katherine. "Could you... maybe... Go uptown, rescue everyone via the deep?"


    "No," the Stollwurm replied.


    "Why the Abyss not?!" Cinder barked. "Why the shit are you such a useless knobfold?!"


    "Because the Deep isn''t a bloody taxi service!" Katherine snapped back. "Leviathan Nightingale''s flock can reach right into it at night and during the day the local sun pretty much bakes me alive upstairs. It''s much warmer and brighter than the Sun on earth and the clouds of the Arx megastructure have an insane degree of refraction. Why the shit do you think I''m failing delving class, you feathery beerchard?! Just because I can more or less function in Undertown it doesn''t mean that I can do shit above!"


    "Then what DO we do?" Cinder demanded, feathers flaring crimson.


    I grabbed at Vespera. She caught onto my thoughts via the electric current between us and a deafening thunderbolt struck the crystal ceiling high above us.


    "Stop yelling at each other," I order-growled. "Everyone might not be dead, just imprisoned so that they can''t spread the word about the Arx gate. From what Sol told us, the local Scruts don''t believe in interdimensional gates. Vee, pry Ci off me. I have minions to direct."


    The next thunderbolt struck Cinder, making her let go of me with a yelp.


    "Yulia, What time is it in Shandria now?" I asked.


    "Six twenty nine pm," the LLM answered.


    "Freaking time dilation," I rubbed my face glancing at the phone''s clock that said 10:50 PM. "Blah."


    "Shash!" I yelled.


    "Yes, M''Lord?" The Assassin materialized next to us in about ten seconds.


    "I need information," I said. "Is the well tunnel going straight up from the Guild into Shandria sealed off too?"


    "Yes," Shash nodded. "Like the other ways and tunnels out, it has been dimensionally folded with a city-wide rock-slide-field that filled every crevice and crack between us and the mages above. The Guildnet mage towers upstairs make sure that there is only a single exit out of Undertown now and that it''s armed to the teeth."


    "Fine," I said. "Kat will take you past the blockade pinhole into the city."


    "Understood," Shash nodded.


    I handed him my phone. "Here. I''ll trust you with Yulia. The battery will last a few more days, longer if you shake it. There''s a ''mana to electricity'' converter in my bag that I''ll show you how to use later.¡±


    "M''lord?" the Assassin accepted the phone.


    "This device is yours to keep. Here''s how you turn it on and log in," I said, showing him how to log into the phone with my finger. "Yulia will show you the names and faces of people I want found and rescued. Obey her directions, but do so with wisdom. She''s kind of iffy and slow without all of her connections to all of her tools back on Earth."


    "Yulia, permanent state change - your new arms and legs belong to Shash," I said. "Find and rescue everyone."


    "Permanent realignment acknowledged," Yulia replied. "Mission understood."


    "Thank you for your trust, M''lord," Shash bowed, accepting the phone.


    "Here," I handed him a mini-wax-speaker. "Shove this in your ear. She can talk to you through it."


    He did.


    "Meet up with Morty and get the funds. Then go to the Adventurers Guild Cathedral," I said. "And the Manhunters Guild. Hire as many adventurers and mercenaries as you can. Post Quests that pay at a premium rate for every level from Iron to Celesteel or whatever. I want my people found. I want names of all of the people involved that captured them. If my friends are dead, then I want their black hexagonal bracelets retrieved. Got it?"


    "Yes, M''Lord," the assassin bowed.


    "Also, use the funds from the card of Emerald Stratos to hire extra-unscrupulous men. We''ll need such to disrupt and delay the execution of Emerald, Quint and Solace that will take place at central square tomorrow at noon," I said.


    "They will likely have high-level Watchmen plus City Wards preventing anyone from stopping the execution, M''Lord," Shash said.


    "That''s fine," I said. "I just want a lot of noise. The Shandrian Scruts believe that Em has an army of local idiots working for her. We should reinforce this belief, make her into a local bogeyman terrorizing children and stealing their candy."


    Shash nodded.


    "Hrmm," I rubbed my chin. "Also, find out what happened in the Gilded Gryphon Inn. Learn who and how managed to subdue my friends."


    "Anything else?"


    "Spread rumors extra hard," I added, "Pay the orphans to spawn information that the Arx Bank is involved in Topaz trade, works closely with Necromancer Zalimar Evernacht and can open gates into other dimensions. I want everyone in Shandria to know this. Duplicate the best most potent info from the yellow folder and make it rain paper from the rooftops. They ain''t weaseling out of this. "


    Shash nodded.


    "Start to assemble strongmen teams to prepare to storm the Bank branches. I want them burned to the ground. I want their network of patsies scorched from Shandria," I added. "Find everyone from the yellow folder, shake whatever else you can out of the weaker, low level scum, make the lives of higher level Bank reps more complicated. Especially Bank rep Gabriella Matrosin. I want her bagged up ASAP, before you do anything else. When she''s captured, Voicecast Kat and have her bring you and the bagged catgirl past the blockade."


    "Got it," Shash nodded.


    "Go," I turned to Katherine. "Take Shash and his men through the deep out of Undertown."


    Katherine crossed her arms, not budging.


    "Kat," I said. "This is the best way forward. We cannot allow Zalimar to return to Arx to sell Topaz. If the Omnid chapel has fallen, we need to retake it. Please just work with me, yeah?"


    "And what are you going to do?" She asked.


    "Stay here and get some sleep," I said.


    "Really?"


    "Yes. Really. I''m tired and it''s way past my bedtime. I''ve been running all day and it would only take a single spell to the head to take me out, why would I go out there?"This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Fine," she grumbled. "Making me work with freaking assassins, bloody annoying, manipulative human...."


    Katherine and Shash vanished down the hall, her grumbling fading away.


    "Aiiiight everyone, bedtime!" I declared, stretching.


    "Already?" Cinder''s feathers shifted through annoyed oranges. "But... We have a crisis here!"


    "Exactly why we need rest," I yawned. "Can''t save anyone if we''re exhausted."


    "You coming to bed?" I asked Io with a yawn.


    "Eh. I''m content with the dining hall," he replied, climbing into a crystalline wall alcove and pulling out his Moon book. "Have fun with ya ''ship."


    "Mkay," I said.


    "I can''t believe you two," Cinder followed us downstairs, wings twitching with irritation. "My brother could be dead and you''re thinking about sleep?!"


    "Yes," I said. "Sleep is important."


    We entered our room - now transformed into pure crystal like everything else.


    To my delight, the three animated paintings didn''t turn transparent and still functioned, their enchanted scenes providing soft light. Through the transparent floor, I could see all the way down to the bioluminescent fields of Abystall far below.


    "Pretty view," Vee commented, flopping onto the large bed. "Come here, you two!"


    I climbed onto the bed.


    "This isn''t the time for-" Cinder started.


    "Ci," I said tiredly. "I set as much as I could in motion. Sometimes the best strategy is to rest and reset."


    "But," Cinder fretted.


    "Birb, secure Skittles," I ordered.


    Vee''s talons sparked with electricity as she lunged at Cinder from the bed, grabbing her mid-protest.


    "Nooo!" Cinder squawked, her feathers flaring in indignation. "I am NOT sleepy, damn it!"


    Zzzzzap!


    Vespera sent a mild thunderbolt through Cinder that made her feathers stand on end.


    "STOP THAT! I..." Cinder tried to pull away, but Vee''s grip was strong.


    I watched with amusement as Vespera wrestled Cinder onto the bed.


    In moments, the Thunderbird had successfully pinned Cinder, who was still protesting, but losing steam rapidly. Her feathers were slowly shifting from angry reds to softer purples.


    "Should have invested more into strength, Miss Charisma," I grinned at her.


    Cinder hissed angrily, but Vespera was sending tiny electrical sparks dancing across Cinder''s feathers that seemed to have a hypnotic, calming effect on the Quetzi-girl.


    I leaned from the edge of the bed. Through the transparent floor I saw an entire network of cavern lakes, waterfalls and rivers. Everything flowed into a distant supermassive waterfall. Behind and around it, fjords and fields of Abystall glimmered like an underwater galaxy, casting soft blue-green light shimmers throughout our crystalline bedroom.


    Far above us, I could see the edge of the crystalline tower and column and all of Undertown engulfed in the snowstorm of blooming Duskbloom.


    Vespera''s electrical current continued to pulse softly, her talons gently stroking Cinder''s feathers. Cinder''s protests gradually faded into soft, irritated mumbles.


    "Shash will find everyone," I said, sliding next to her and looking up. "Yulia will help."


    Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes flickered between anger and exhaustion. "Promise?"


    "Promise," I said.


    "Relax," Vee clicked softly. "We''ll fight tomorrow."


    Cinder''s breathing gradually slowed.


    "This is so nice," I commented. "Our city up above and our dungeon below. Who needs windows when the entire room''s transparent!"


    "Yeah," Cinder let out, finally accepting being bed-bound and pulling me toward herself. "No privacy though."


    "Speaking of which," Vespera clicked, reaching out to touch the crystalline wall with her free hand while still holding onto Cinder. Electrical current danced through the transparent material, creating intricate hexagonal patterns that spread outward like a web.


    "Watcha doing?" I asked.


    "Basic one way mirror hex," she said. "So we can see everything but nobody can see us. Aaaaand done! Added two way mirror walls to the bathrooms too."


    The walls of our bedroom momentarily flashed silver and then became transparent again. I saw a few reflective cubes hovering near and above us in the distance. The wooden door remained unchanged, as the spell only changed inorganic silica materials into crystals.


    "Much better," she purred, rapidly pulling off her armor and hexasuit. I stared at her until Cinder elbowed me.


    Vee''s beak suddenly traced along my jaw before she kissed me, sending little sparks dancing across my lips. Cinder made a soft sound and joined in, her feathers brushing against my face as she claimed her own kiss.


    Vee''s electrical current hummed through our trio, creating a soothing, tingling sensation.


    "Hey," Cinder mumbled, squirming slightly as Vee''s talons began to roam more boldly. "We shouldn''t... I mean, what if...?"


    "Rrrrelax, Skittles," Vee purred. "My mirro hex is like, totally foolproof. No one''s peeking at our slumber party, or getting in here. Door''s passworrrrded now."


    "Isn''t Kat going to..."


    "Kat can sleep in the hall or whatever. Don''t care. Commerrrrrr."


    Vee''s talons danced across Cinder''s feathers. Cinder shivered, her feathers shifting through a kaleidoscope of colors - soft blues, vibrant purples, and flashes of pink.


    "Ooh, pretty," Vee cooed, fascinated by the color changes. She focused, sending a more targeted pulse through a specific patch of feathers. To her delight, that area flared a brilliant green.


    "H-hey!" Cinder squirmed, her ocean-blue eyes widening. "What are you doing?"


    "Learning. Investigating. Sciencing. Making art," Vee giggled, continuing her experimentation. With each carefully placed spark, she painted Cinder''s feathers in vivid, new hues - creating swirls of red, bursts of yellow, and waves of deep indigo.


    Cinder''s face flushed. "S-stop that," she protested, but didn''t pull away.


    Vee ignored her, completely engrossed in her new prodding. "Wonder if I can make patterns..." She concentrated, sending a more complex series of pulses across Cinder''s wings.


    "Color patterns are cool and all, but can you make her Phase-Shift?" I asked.


    "In which direction?" Vee asked.


    "I dunno," I shrugged. "Surprise me."


    "H-hey," Cinder mewled. "Don''t just talk about me like I''m not here!¡±


    Vee''s eyes sparkled mischievously. "Like, chillax Skittles. We''re just having Quetzi-modding fun!"


    "And stop with the terrible nicknames," the Quetzi-in-question growled.


    "Nu-huh," Vee grinned. "I do wonder..."


    She sent a stronger pulse through Cinder''s feathers, causing them to ripple in a wave-like pattern from head to tail.


    Cinder let out a soft gasp, her body tensing. "T-that feels... weird," she mumbled, her feathers now shimmering with an iridescent mirror-like sheen.


    I leaned closer, seeing our reflections in each feather.


    "Heh," I smiled. "It''s like she''s made from mercury. Terminator-Two-Quetzi! Pretty neat."


    "T-this isn''t funny," Cinder looked down at her reflective self, lifting a hand that was made from gleaming, metallic feathers.


    "Just think of it as skill-training," I said.


    "Skill training?!" Cinder sputtered.


    "Correct," I nodded. "Trying new things. Have you ever turned fully into a mirror?"


    "No, why the Abyss would I even...?"


    "Maybe you need to bonce lasers off?" I shrugged.


    "Why would there be freaking lasers in a dungeon?!" Cinder huffed.


    Vee ran her talons along Cinder''s wing, causing ripples of silver to flow in reflective waves. "Let''s see what else we can do¡­¡±


    ¡°You! Quit messing up my feathers!¡± Cinder growled.


    "Have you ever tried being... delicious?" the Thunderbird asked.


    "Why the eff would I..." The Quetzi sputtered.


    "You never know when you might need to attract a very hungry human," Vee''s eyes sparkled with mischief. "Ooh, I have an idea!" She concentrated, sending a complex series of electrical pulses through Cinder''s feathers.


    Cinder''s eyes widened as her feathers began to shift and change. The metallic sheen faded, replaced by a golden-brown hue. Her skin took on a soft, fluffy texture.


    "What are you-" Cinder started, but then froze as the scent hit her. The air filled with the warm, sweet aroma of freshly made pancakes.


    "Slayer," I breathed. "This is freaking amazing. It''s like she''s the personification of breakfast!"


    Cinder''s feathers now had the exact texture and appearance of perfectly cooked pancakes, complete with little air bubbles and a slightly crisp edge.


    Vee giggled, running her talons along Cinder''s arm. Where she touched, a trail of what looked like whipped cream appeared, stark white against the golden pancake-feathers.


    "Staaaaph," the Quetzi blushed with pinks, which blossomed into strawberry slices across her pancake-textured face under Vespera''s cheeky machinations.


    I couldn''t resist reaching out to touch, marveling at the soft, fluffy texture. "This is amazing, Vee. How are you doing this? How is she blushing with strawberry slices?"


    "Just playing with the electrical impulses," Vee shrugged, face gleaming with pride. "Pretty easy once you figure out the right frequency. Ke ke ke. I wonder if I can add syrup to the equation..."


    With a mischievous grin, she sent another pulse through Cinder''s feathers. A golden sheen appeared, slowly dripping down like maple syrup.


    "Oh, come on!" Cinder protested. A greater number of strawberry slices bloomed across her.


    "Hang on," I said. "Her hexasuit is strawberrying up too!"


    "Mmm-hmmm," Vespera nodded. "The Quetzi Phase-Shift range is actually pretty wide. Each feather is bending reality around it visually like a miniature holofractal while her heart core is projecting specific mental ideas into the target''s mind. Targets. Our brains are being fed specific sensations relevant to whatever the feathers display.¡±


    "How wide is this mental pulse?" I wondered. "What is she, like a holodeck?! Can you use her wings to strawberry yourself up too?"


    "Let''s find out!" Vee closed her eyes, magisteel talons digging into Cinder''s wings. The Quetzi let out a small gasp as electrical currents danced across her. The pancake texture rushed up Vespera''s claws, vanishing the magisteel and black and white feathers, rapidly flooding her entire body in pancake-ness.


    "You can call us the breakfast squad!" the Thunderbird laughed. "Oh my Slayer! I''m literally pancakes right now." She licked her crispy-textured beak. "I''m pancakes everywhere! Nazareth! Ahhh! This is wild. Lex! You must join the breakfast gang!"


    Her pancake-textured talons grabbed me and then I became a pancake.


    The pancake-ness spread through me like warm syrup, a strange tingling sensation that made everything feel soft and fluffy.


    My mind suddenly felt... different. Lighter. More wholesome.


    Like Sunday morning breakfast with no responsibilities. The inside of my mouth, every bit of my tongue was delicious, every nerve ending singing with flavor.


    The state of being human drowned in a sea of pancake-ness.


    "You feel that?" Vee laughed. "It''s like being wrapped in a warm blanket made of happiness! The conceptual state of being pancakes is overwriting most of our biological senses! Mmmm... lemme lower it down a bit, so I don''t bite your face off accidentally."


    "I am NOT a breakfast item!" Cinder said. "P-put me back damn it!"


    "Shhh, no whining," Vee leaned into Cinder. "Only noms now. Nom. Nom. Nom."


    The room filled with the comforting aroma of a perfect breakfast - warm pancakes, sweet syrup, and fresh berries.


    I felt a strange, alien, bewildering sense of belonging. Every sensation was muted yet intensified, focused on warmth and sweetness. The world suddenly seemed simpler, cozier. I observed my companions melting into each other, their forms blending in a swirl of golden-brown and creamy white and strawberry red.


    I watched in pancake-vision as pancake-Vee playfully nibbled at pancake-Cinder. The Quetzi-cake''s protests faded into soft noises of crunching waffles and falling strawberries.


    A clawed, delicious hand of Thunder-cake pulled me in.


    Our edges blurred, individual identities merging into a collective breakfast experience. Time seemed to slow, each moment stretching like warm syrup.


    Through our shared pancake-consciousness, I sensed waves of affection and trust flowing between us. It was a unique intimacy - wholesome, comforting, and deliciously absurd, conceptually skewered sideways with overflowing breakfast-ness.


    Some distant, rational, non-pancake part of me attempted to define the edges of myself, but failed to do so. There were no edges.


    There was no human named Martin nor two Omnid predators here.


    There were only pancakes.

 Chapter 11: Outsider

    Cold waves crashed against the gray glass-pebble shore. Gargantuan, alien bones loomed in the distance. A supercell storm spun overhead. Cold gale struck her body.


    Cinder winced, shivering. There were no pancakes, no warmth in this pace.


    She must have fallen asleep after their wild, absurd, mild-melting, delicious ship-venture.


    The massive leviathan bones in the distance seemed to watch her, silent witnesses of eons of rise and fall of civilizations. Each vertebrae was larger than a mountain, a permanent reminder of the thing that had once perished here.


    Her feathers shifted through muted grays and deep blacks, the colors of stress, grief, of uncertainty. The pancake-warmth from earlier felt like a distant dream now, replaced by the cold, cruel reality.


    Her wings felt heavy, weighed down by a rising panic attack. The storm overhead mirrored the chaos inside her heart - Lance could be dead. Perma-dead because of Martin''s actions.


    Each gust of blade-like icy wind seemed to stab at her body, singing of betrayal, of hope crushed beneath indifferent cosmic wheels.


    All of the Arx delvers could be dead.


    If Gate-Keeper Vassily was dead, if the gate was damaged from this end, then there would be no way back to Arx. She would never see her parents, never see Lance again. Kat would die too without access to the incarnator.


    The weight of potential loss pressed down on her like the heavy, broiling, dark clouds overhead.


    Memories flashed through her mind.


    Lance teaching her how to glide from a cliff when she was too scared to spread her wings. Lance defending her from upperclassmen bullies at Skyfall Academy. Lance, who always knew how to make her laugh even on her darkest days when she was just a kid.


    Lance, who always tried to help, always defended her. Her big brother whom she pushed away like an absolute knob.


    Her claws dug into her wings, drawing blood, pure black feathers tearing and breaking.


    She began sobbing, the landscape around her fracturing.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry," She cried. "I''m so sorry, Lance. It''s my fault. This is all my fault. I came to this damned place. I should have been there for you," she whispered to the bones, to the wind, to her absent brother. "I was so busy being angry, so determined to prove I was strong... I let Em control me. I let fear dictate everything. I effed up! I am a terrible daughter, a terrible sister! I let Alex... Martin into my heart and now you''re dead! You''re dead and it''s all my fault... again!"


    Suddenly, a sound cut through her grief.


    Footsteps.


    Soft. Deliberate. Crunching on the crystalline silver-gray glass. Coming from behind her.


    Cinder whirled, her feathers shifting through defensive reds and sharp silvers, ready to fight. Her claws extended, her body coiled like a spring.


    "Who''s there?!" she screamed into the howling storm.


    The footsteps continued. Slow. Measured. Impossibly calm against the raging winds.


    A figure emerged from the mist. Tall. Elongated. Shifting between human and something... else. A wolf.


    "Hello, little songbird," a familiar voice purred.


    Valor.


    "You... you''re dead! I perma-killed you!" Cinder howled retreating back into the icy water.


    "Did you now?" Valor smiled, his right hand Phase-Shifting into a jagged saw blade. "A God cannot die, I''m afraid. You heard what I wished for, didn''t you?"


    "A god?" Cinder''s voice cracked, her feathers bristling with a hurricane of colors - terror, rage, desperation. "You''re no god. You''re a monster! Your effing birchknob ritual went tits up! Piss off!"


    Valor''s form continued to shift, bone and flesh melting and reforming like living, glossy, beige liquid metal. His smile stretched impossibly wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that glinted like polished obsidian in the storm''s electric light.


    "Perhaps," the Skinwalker shrugged. "Maybe so. You and your dragon girlfriend poured all of my Lazarus bracelets into a concrete mold and threw it into the deep ocean trench and yet I still persist¡­ Sideways across reality."


    Silver eyes bloomed across Valor''s head and hands.


    "Do you know why we used singers like you?" He asked. "To imprint your voices into this lakeshore. To always have a point to follow back. Even if we die!"


    "You''re not real," Cinder hissed, her wings flaring with defensive colors as she poured magic into her voice. "Go away! You''re just another nightmare. Another ghost. Part of the nightmare in my head!"


    Valor''s laugh was like broken glass scraping against metal. "Am I? Are you certain? If I''m just a nightmare, a figment of your shattered psyche, then why can''t you wake up from this dream? The point of our Clan''s ritual wasn''t simply to make wishes on the Leviathan''s bones, it was to be more. To attain true immortality, outside of the bracelets. To anchor ourselves permanently to a domain, to our victim¡¯s souls!¡±


    Cinder retreated further into the icy water.


    "My Clan brothers are still shapeless and formless," Valor said. "But not me. You lived. You got away. I''m bound to you. Bound to your fear and pain. Devouring your soul from within. Bit by bit. Someday, the thing that will wake up in your body won''t be you anymore. It will be me."


    Cinder''s feathers erupted in a violent storm of crimson and obsidian, her voice a razor-edged scream. "MARTIN WILL STOP YOU!"


    "Really?" Valor laughed. "A human? With no magic? Against a being who has transcended mortality? Who has woven himself into the very fabric of your soul, into every grain of sand on this beach, into every drop of water of lake Eerie?"


    Cinder choked, falling into the water, suffocating, drowning in the waves washing over her trembling body.


    Her Charmchain skills weren''t working against Valor, they never did in her dreams.


    "You killed my brothers," Valor said coldly. "With that black railgun. Buried their bracelets in concrete tombs. Delayed our work. But I will resume it to all as soon as you shatter, give in to me!¡±


    As Valor''s words echoed, the lake began to pulse with an unnatural, sickly green light. The bones of the leviathan in the distance seemed to vibrate, their massive vertebrae casting long, twisted shadows across the shoreline.


    "You cannot escape me," Valor whispered, his form liquefying and reforming with each step. "I am everywhere, an Astral Phantom far beyond the physical. I cannot be killed by a mundane gun anymore nor a magic blade for I have ascended farther than any Omnid before me has!¡±


    Cinder flailed in the icy water, her body refusing to obey.


    With a blinding flash, the water froze, trapping her in its cold embrace. She wept and thrashed.


    "I am the storm that devours souls," Valor''s voice distorted, multiplying into a chorus as he bent down to her, saw-blade arm pointed at her neck. "I am the hunger that never ends. I am the darkness between stars, the void that waits to consume everything."


    Reality behind him fractured, like an impossible shear, splitting into countless mirror-like shards that reflected Cinder''s terrified face back at her from every angle. Each reflection showed a different version of her death, her suffering, her eventual transformation into something monstrous.


    A dead walker, a ghoul.


    Cinder saw ghoulish versions of herself picking up the teacher''s railgun, a magic sword, a bow, a hammer. Her killing everyone. Executing her friends, her family, her brother, Kat, Io, Vespera, and her little pink, defenseless human.


    Again and again. Across myriads of possibilities.


    "See? No matter where you go, I follow," Valor smiled. "No matter what you do, I win in the end, take everything, everyone from you. Because with each breath you take, I grow stronger. Your very persistence feeds me, shapes me, gives me physical form."


    The shattered reflections multiplied, showing thousands of possible futures - each more horrific than the last. Cinder watched herself transform into a monster, saw herself carving up and devouring her loved ones, heard her own voice twisted into something cruel, laughing as she fired the railgun at her friends.


    "Your human pet thinks he understands love?" Valor laughed. "He knows nothing of true power. The power of fear. The power of hate, despair and darkness! The power of destruction, Entropy itself!"


    Cinder struggled in the frozen water.


    "You cannot escape me," Valor sang. "I am beyond mortality. Beyond mundane Omnid magic. I am pure intention given form!¡±


    His body continued to shift - sometimes a perfect human form, sometimes a writhing mass of bone and liquid flesh, sometimes a thing with too many teeth and too many eyes.


    "Your soul is my gateway," he continued. "Every time you close your eyes, every moment of weakness, I slip deeper."You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "I... I''ll throw myself into the Abystall dungeon!" Cinder snarled. "The mites will deprive me of magic. The shit are you gonna do then?!"


    "That''s not going to stop me," Valor shrugged. "Do you really think that I have only one anchor? You''re one of many, an incomplete, partial flesh-phylactery!¡±


    A silver-fluid thing burst from Cinder''s body, forming into a human figure standing above her.


    <hr>


    "You know," I said, staring at Valor''s ever-shifting form. "I expected an incomprehensible, eldritch Outsider entity, not a teenage Skinwalker knob."


    "Pathetic human!" Valor snarled. "I am a God and I will carve up and infest your soul to serve as my second body!"


    He leapt at me and struck at me with his serrated bone-blade saw arm, cutting deep into my chest. I grabbed the blade with my hands, jagged teeth sinking into my hands, blood pouring onto the ice.


    "What you are," I hissed. "Is basically a magical incel who couldn''t get a date without phase-shifting."


    "I SUMMONED THE LEVIATHAN''S ECHO!" Valor howled, bone blade teeth extending from his hand deeper into my body and fingers, pinning me to where I stood. ¡°You will bleed to death here and then you will become my other door!¡±


    "You summoned a temper tantrum," I said. "With beast cores. And murdered defenseless girls. Real impressive."


    "You will die here, human," Valor laughed. "You have no heart core to keep me out! Tomorrow I will wake up in your flesh. You shouldn''t have come into her dreams!¡±


    I closed my eyes and then snapped off, letting go of the first layer of my being, leaving Alexander Glock behind like an empty shell. Like a shadow moving sideways made from liquid silver I stood in front of Valor.


    "W-what?" The Skinwalker sputtered.


    My fist connected with Valor''s ever-shifting face, sending ripples through his liquid-metal form.


    Valor staggered back, his silver eyes widening in confusion. "Impossible! You''re just a human!¡±


    "Am I?" I asked. "Or am I something else? Something that understands the rules of this place better than you do?"


    "You cannot hope to escape me!" Valor roared, his body twisting into a mass of blades and teeth. "I am beyond physical form!"


    "Really?" I asked. "Then why are you still trying to look so solid, so much Valor-y? Why maintain any form at all? Why not embrace mommy Entropy?¡±


    Cinder looked up at my two bodies with wide eyes. One frozen, stabbed through the heart by Valor, the other taunting him.


    Valor''s second arm formed into a blade and stuck me through the heart. I grabbed the blade, trapping it in my chest, squeezing hard and growling as the teeth dug into my hands.


    "You''re afraid," I hissed as blood bubbled from my chest and hands. "Afraid of being nothing. Of dissolving into static. That''s why you need an anchor. That''s why you need Cinder. That''s why you are feeding on this dream.¡±


    Valor''s silver eyes flickered with uncertainty.


    "You''re not a god," I continued. "You''re a parasite. A remnant. Something that got left behind when your shitty ritual failed."


    "Die," jagged teeth stretched away from the blade cutting deeper into me.


    "If Slayer Nazareth steps on a river, does he stand still atop it or does he flow along with the current moving him downstream like a conveyor belt?" I asked, bleeding out.


    "What..." Valor sputtered, derailed by my theological question.


    The bone-teeth reached my heart and my second shell shattered, came apart as I stepped out of good-boy-NPC Christophorus Elijah.


    I reformed behind Valor. Silver eyes bloomed in the back of his head, staring at me.


    "How?!" He hissed, thinning out as he rapidly grew an arm behind himself.


    "Let me tell you a story," I said, trembling as I watched Valor''s flesh rearrange itself with grotesque squelching sounds.


    "What story?!" Valor growled, his entire face flowing into itself and out from the back of his skull to face me.


    "There was a boy named Martin Kilborne once," I said. "A boy whose mother sent him to live with Uncle George - a man who taught him that the world was nothing more than a series of systems waiting to be manipulated. Uncle George wasn''t just a thief - he was an artist. A con man who could walk into any room and become exactly what people expected him to be."


    Valor blinked at me.


    "You think of yourself as a killer? You are nothing compared to the Frontenachii Wendigo Clan, a boy playing with fire he doesn''t fully understand. Let me tell you about real monsters," I said, stepping towards him. "My mother died very slowly. Not the quick, merciful death people romanticize. Lung cancer ate her from the inside out, a predator far more insidious than any Skinwalker. She worked for the Frontenachii as a compsci engineer."


    "Another sob story? I''ve heard hundreds from my victims as I cut them down with my blades," Valor sneered at me. "Knobfold tales don''t impress me, human."


    "Ah," I sniffed. "But my story isn''t done yet. That was just the beginning. Mom never told me that she was dying. She lied to me, pushed me away. The hospital called my Uncle, told him that she was in a coma. I arrived too late to do anything. I held her hand when her heart stopped and then... I broke. Mentally."


    "Pathetic humans break so easily. What are you even trying to prove?" Valor asked as he struck through me with his third hand. "You are weak, you are just a little snack for me to devour!"


    I grabbed the blade, squeezing it hard.


    "I went to the Frontenachii compound," I spat blood. "They had the most advanced Fear Wards in North Acadia. Psychological warfare shit designed to scare humans away. I went up against it. Again and again. Day after day for six months. Until my soul shattered too."


    Martin''s heart stopped. I stepped out of his shell, liquid silver flowing into the last figure.


    "W-what?!" Valor blinked at me. "What the shit are you?! Why won''t you just effing die?!"


    "I am a human soul of a supervillain wearing a shawl of other human souls," I grinned.


    Valor-tripod struggled between my three cast-off shells as I walked in a circle around him. Thunder rumbled above us.


    "How can you fragment yourself like this?!" he hissed. "No human..."


    "Can''t I?" I asked. Each version of me spoke simultaneously. Four voices, one question. "I must admit, I did shatter rather spectacularly into quite the mess, so it took me a bit of time to put myself back together as distinctive concepts."


    "What effing concepts?!" Valor barked.


    "The Architect." I pointed a finger at Alexander.


    "The Understanding." My finger moved to Christophorus.


    "The Champion." I pointed at Martin.


    "The Leader," I tapped the fractal shear on my forehead, my silver hair fluttering in the wind. "Each shell layered above the other, moving, spinning constantly around me like an armillary sphere. Each with cracks, big holes¡­ occasionally aligned just right to present one face or another to the Truth Runes. A mind-map soul system designed to fool any scrut-sight into thinking whatever I need, want them to think."


    "Clever," Valor admitted, his silver eyes narrowing. "But even a cleverly fractured soul cannot stop me. All you''ve done is annoy me and reveal your cards!"


    "You''ve revealed yourself to me," I shrugged. "So I have revealed myself to you in turn. It''s only fair. Also, I''m just a distraction," I grinned as I pointed a finger gun at Valor''s head, noticing that warm, feathery, black and white, magisteel-talon armed hands wrapped around mine.


    Valor''s silver eyes widened as black and white wings spread behind me, Vespera''s black and white striped beak resting on my shoulder.


    "Pancakes!" Both of us declared as one.


    A thunderbolt of pure electrical energy erupted from Vespera''s talons, channeled through my finger-gun, striking Valor directly between his shifting silver eyes. Another bolt rushed from Martin''s body. The third bolt detonated from Alexander''s pierced heart. The fourth struck the Skinwalker from the heart of Nazarite-novitiate Christophorus.


    The monster screamed, flailing, shaking, burning in my tripod-trap of souls.


    Valor''s form began to disintegrate, his lanky body bubbling and hissing under the electrical assault.


    "Arghhhhh!" he shrieked. "I cannot be destroyed! Cannot be unmade! I will..."


    "Return? Reform to haunt us?" I asked. "Yeah, I pretty much expect it. Who said anything about destruction? You''re the Wolfermort to my Larry Plotter. I bet you''ll return to Oddwarts to harass me on See-Mass day!¡±


    More brilliant lightning burned the Skinwalker from all sides, melting, vaporizing, unmaking his figure. He bubbled and warped like the liquid terminator sinking into molten steel, face after face flashing across his twisting, shaking head.


    "Again and again. This is fine," I said. "I accept your terms as my dream-nemesis, Valor. Chase me if you dare. Strike me through the heart as much as you desire. I welcome you with my embrace. I love you!¡±


    Valor''s scream stretched into an impossible harmonic, igniting the entire dreamscape around us. His body dissolved into a million silver fragments, each one catching the storm''s lightning and burning away.


    The glass beach ignited with waves of electrical fire dancing between each pebble. The bones of the leviathan in the distance shattered, falling into the lake.


    The ice imprisoning Cinder shattered and she leapt up.


    My three human shells flowed back over me, covering me up one by one in proper order until I stood whole once again.


    The lake water retreated as a massive tidal wave created by the falling bones formed in the back, heading straight for us.


    Cinder smashed into Vespera and me, wrapping us in rainbow-wings, her eyes filled with tears.


    "Wolfermort?" she choke-hissed into my ear. "Really?"


    "What?" I grinned at her. "He''s totally gonna come back in book four to compete in the Quad-Wizard tournament!¡±


    Cinder buried her face into my shoulder just as the tidal wave crashed into us.


    <hr>


    I shuddered awake tangled together with Vee and Ci in the crystal bed, the distant lights of Abystall dungeon shimmering beneath us through the transparent floor.


    All around us, gargantuan electrical fractal snowflake-shaped hexagrams shimmered, slowly dimming. Vespera''s right hand held onto a wall, while her left hand wrapped around Cinder, magisteel talons digging into on my forehead.


    Zee Captain''s lighter was burning in my right hand as my left hand was wrapped around Cinder.


    I snapped it shut, staring at the floating dial.


    1/4 fuel left.


    Really need to add a core to my Wizard''s tower before I run outta magic lighter fluid.


    "Wew! That was some topnotch baller Dreamancy!" Vespera clicked, removing her talons from the wall and my forehead. The electrical fractals dancing across our crystalline bedroom slowly faded away. ¡°Good show!¡±


    "Did we just..." Cinder started, her feathers shifting through confused purples and uncertain blues.


    "Fight your nightmare parasite? Yep," I nodded.


    "Is he...?"


    "Going to come back? Probably," I nodded, making Cinder frown.


    "No questions about it," Vespera nodded. "We just zapped most of him outta your soul, but that doesn''t really unmake what he is. I have no idea how to perma-kill Astral Phantoms."


    "He said he has... Phylacteries," Cinder let out.


    "Sounds like a Quest for Larry Plotter!" I declared. "Collect them all for Bumblyduur¡¯s ghost!¡±


    "So are we..." She began.


    "Abyss no," I said. "That''s like an effort and a half. I don''t have time for that shit, babe. You know I don''t plan to fight Abystall''s dungeon Sentinels, right? It''s much more effective to put them to work. Free labor force and whatnot. The same applies here. All enemies are essentially free resources one way or another.¡±


    "Right, resources, of course," Cinder rubbed her face tiredly. Then she looked down at herself. Her feathers shifted through embarrassed sunset-pinks as she pulled the covers over her chest. "Hey! Where''s my hexasuit?"


    "On the floor with the rest of our clothes," Vee clicked cheerfully. "Along with like fifty pounds of pancake crumbs!"


    "P-pancake crumbs?" Cinder sputtered. ¡°What? Did we actually¡­¡±


    She rotated and crawled to the edge of the bed to look at the transparent floor. There were no crumbs there, only our scattered outfits and the distant view of Abystall.


    "Ha! Sucka. Made you look," Vee cackled, swatting her behind.


    "Hey!" Cinder squawked, her feathers flaring with indignant violet-oranges. "You... you... Argh!"


    She lunged at Vespera, but the Thunderbird was already rolling away, exploding with laughter. "Next time I''ll turn both of us human with your holofractal wings! Won''t that be a treat! And we can make Lexxy look like an Omnid! Ha! See, I''m full of great ideas! Where would you be without me?"


    I yawned, my head throbbing.


    As fun as it was to picture a fully human Vee and Ci in my head, a few more hours of sleep was definitely in order.


    This time, hopefully without any hand-stabby-nightmares to fight.

 Chapter 12: The Morning After

    I woke up to the somewhat unnerving view of gray eyes spotted with gold flakes at the inner edges and lower half. Vee''s face was inches from mine, her gaze studying me intently.


    "Mornin''," I yawned. "How long was I out?"


    "Six hours, twenty nine minutes, and thirty two seconds," she grinned, rolling over and up to sit on my chest with a smug expression, dark wings with white edges spread wide.


    "Haven''t gotten enough of me last night?" I asked her as she tilted her head at me.


    "Nope!" Vespera clicked, sending tiny electrical sparks dancing across my chest with a talon. "I won¡¯t be satisfied till I map every single nanometer, neural network and soul bit!"


    ¡°And after you¡¯re done mapping all of me?¡± I asked. ¡°Will you release me from your clutches then, you greedy birb?¡±


    ¡°Mmmmm¡­ naw,¡± she grinned, smooshing my cheeks. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make you work in the salt mines. Can''t have my most valuable investment slacking off!¡±


    "Ah yes, the salt mines of your tears when I make you laugh so hard you''ll cry," I nodded. "I thus humbly accept the position of your most Royal Court Jester."


    "Court Jester?" Vee hummed, pretending to be offended. "Excuse you, but you''re my Royal Consort and Chief Entertainment Officer."


    "You know," I said with a smile. "When I first saw you at the Academy I thought that you were a clueless Thunderknob¡­ I honestly didn¡¯t even consider you as a bestie or dating material, thinking that I¡¯d maybe end up bouncing between Kat and Ci or something.¡±


    ¡°Pfff, Kat would break ya in half without even tryin¡¯,¡± Vespera laughed. ¡°She¡¯s too tall for ya.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re way taller than me,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°Eh, still not as tall or bulky as Kat. Stollwurms have high bone density in general for punching tunnels through solid rocks. On the other hand, I¡¯m bendy,¡± she replied, arching her back more than a human could to illustrate her point. ¡°And practically weightless when I use my wings. Just like Cindy here!¡±


    "Ughhh, too early for whatever this is," a rainbow-feathered hand tried to paw at Vespera and me as she heard her name.


    "Early bird gets the worm," Vee poked the half-asleep Quetzi.


    "Buzz off, sparkplug. I am NOT a worm," Cinder grumbled sleepily, her feathers shifting through sleepy purples and irritated oranges.


    "No, you''re a pancake," Vee clicked cheerfully. "A very grumpy pancake who needs her beauty sleep."


    "Shut uuuup," Cinder whined, pulling a pillow over her head.


    The Thunderbird turned her attention back to me.


    "So," Vee clicked softly, her talons tracing patterns on my chest. "You thought I was just a patsy, huh?"


    "Yeah," I admitted. "You put up a really good facade. My first impression was ''ditzy rich girl, probably easy to manipulate. Would totally fall for some clickbait¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Ha, as if!¡± She guffawed. ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Now I know exactly how genuinely sweet, clever and cheerful you are,¡± I said. ¡°Without you I wouldn''t be able to slap the Outsider outta Ci¡¯s dreams, wouldn''t be able to make my crystal mage tower. Yulia did tell me that you were smart and capable but I didn''t realize exactly how much we''d click or how much we could accomplish together. Boy am I glad that I was wrong about you!¡±


    "Not entirely wrong," she smirked. "I am pretty easy to manipulate¨Cif you know how. Just gotta offer me something interesting enough."


    "Like what?" I asked.


    "Like whatever you are," she purred, leaning closer.


    "A broken human in a stack of NPCs?" I suggested.


    "A shiny, mental lockbox puzzle, perfect for trapping a very curious birb¡¯s attention," she corrected. "Say, how many are you in there?"


    "Four," I said. "Four primary personality-shift archetypes. Architect, Champion, Understanding, Leader."


    "Which one am I talking to right now?" Vespera continued her interrogation.


    "The Architect," I answered. "Alexander Glock. Builds systems, plans, strategizes. Good with jokes. Doesn''t have flaws that would get in the way of conversation."


    "Flaws such as?"


    "Such as being very distracted by a naked Thunderbird currently inhabiting my chest," I said dryly.


    ¡°You''re gonna have to cycle through them all for me so that I can determine how it all works,¡± she said, nipping at my neck.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I nodded.


    A blue eye opened amidst a mop of rainbow feathers to stare at me.


    "Did it hurt?" Cinder asked.


    "Did what hurt?" I asked with a cheeky grin. ¡°Falling from heaven?¡±


    "Pfff. No, damn it. Fragmenting yourself," she clarified with an amused dragon noise. "Breaking into multiple personas. Did it hurt?"


    "Pain is relative," I shrugged. "Losing mom... hurt much more."


    Cinder reached out to me and squeezed my hand hard, sliding closer and burrowing her head in my side.


    I cycled through the four shattered shells in my psyche, slowly exposing each for Vespera¡¯s mental scan.


    "Hrmmm," Vespera held a sparkling talon on my forehead. "What you''ve done shouldn''t be possible."


    "Why not?" I asked.


    "Because," she said. "You can''t just shatter a single soul into four distinctive concepts. Not as a magic-less human.¡±


    "And yet here we are," I said.


    "Mmm, yes. You¡¯re iffy. Very iffy," she clicked. "I was muchly wrong about you too. There are definitely four distinctive souls inside you. It''s hard to spot static amidst static. Basically it''s [Human[human[human[human]]]]. You''re like a human soul matryoshka!¡±


    "And?"


    "It''s the weirdest shit I''ve had the pleasure to work with," Vespera waved her talons. "Most humans can barely maintain a single coherent personality. You''ve got four, and they''re not just fragments - they''re fully realized, functional personas that can take over and operate independently. Enough to function as a Dreamancy skill. I¡¯m a dream expert and I don¡¯t think that I could split myself like that to hold someone down.¡±


    "Just a survival mechanism," I shrugged. "Uncle George taught me early that adaptability means survival. They aren''t just singular. I can mix and match, adjusting the parameters, be 50% Leader and 50% Champion, etc.


    "Consider me quadruple-curious," she sent more sparks raining across my forehead. "It''s honestly both impressive and highly concerning. A lesser Dreamancer might consider you incurably insane, but I think that what you''ve done is deviously clever.¡±


    "''Preciate it," I grinned. "Always wanted to be called smartypants by a sparkly birb."


    Vespera rolled her eyes and sent a playful electrical zap directly into my mind. [Don''t get cocky, human-sausage.] Her mental-static-voice laughed.


    "I''ll do much more than that!" I grabbed her sides, fingers digging into soft down feathers, tickling her.


    "Ah ha ha ha, nooo, stoooooawwwwwpp! You''ve found my one weakness, you devious creature!" She bucked and heaved, laughing and swatting at me.


    A heavy fist banged on our door, making it wobble.


    "Oi," Kat''s voice came through. "You knobs. Stop playing around and get dressed. We have a prisoner to interrogate."


    <hr>


    Gabriella Matrosin, the Arx Bank rep and Earth-transit gate Vault Keeper stretched lazily on her balcony overlooking the early morning streets of Shandria. The early morning light cast a soft golden hue across her dark fur, her tail swishing idly as she reached for her steaming cup of Kitlix-crafted coffee.


    Many things had gone sideways and her owners weren''t pleased. She spent nearly all day yesterday making Voicecast calls and explaining the problem to far too many angry people promising many of them swift execution or fingers of the party responsible.


    The balcony of her small apartment overlooked a narrow street lined with market stalls and early morning vendors. Gabriella looked down at the small merchants and sighed. Today was probably going to be even worse.


    The Enforcers failed to arrest one of the delver teams from Earth due to an insane dragon girl unleashing Duskbloom all over Undertown. The Bank had a variety of investments in the multitude of unsavory businesses below ground and now all of them had gone up in smoke.


    Shadowmancers, fighters, murderers, assassins, gambling den owners and night butterflies were fleeing Undertown and occupying Shandrian Inns. Duskbloom had spread far too rapidly and far too quickly, making the retrieval of the five pesky interdimensional delvers impossible.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The Enforcers were terrified of losing their weapons and falling asleep in the caves below. No matter how much money she offered, people simply refused to go to Undertown. Adventurers knew how dangerous Abystall dungeon was and now the dungeon had devoured, spread out, engulfed the city of criminals below her feet. It would take her some time to organize a proper high level team covered in cold-runes armor.


    As she pondered the chaos of Undertown, a sudden sharp pinch struck the back of her neck.


    Gabriella''s coffee cup slipped from her fingers, shattering on the balcony tiles. Her vision blurred, the world spinning around her in a dizzying whirl of golden morning light and dark shadows.


    Before she could cry out, strong arms caught her falling body.


    . . .


    Gabriella blinked rapidly as reality washed over her. She had clearly been kidnapped. Her owners would not be pleased. Who even dared take an Arx Bank agent? What sort of...


    She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the gloom. The room she was in was entirely crystalline - walls, floor, ceiling, even the furniture seemed carved from transparent, slightly bluish-white crystal that allowed her to see layers deep into the structure around her.


    The Bank Rep¡¯s mouth fell open as she stared down, and down and... down.


    Were those rivers down there? Entire lakes? A gargantuan waterfall?! Where on Arx was she?!


    She had no idea, never seen anything like it.


    "Comfortable?" a male voice asked.


    Gabriella whirled up. Four figures were located across her on another crystalline couch. Her dark fur stood on end, tail curled protectively around her body. She recognized them immediately from meeting them at the bank - the delving team led by a human who annoyed her for hours and then decided NOT to stay at the Omnid-owned Inn, instead heading into Undertown for some inexplicable reason and then...


    Her professional training kicked in immediately. She straightened her posture, adjusted her bank-issued blue blazer, and spoke with practiced calm.


    "I presume this is not a social call," she said.


    The human - Alexander - leaned forward, a devious grin spreading across his face. "Correct. We''d like to discuss some... discrepancies in the Arx Bank''s recent activities."


    Vespera, the Thunderbird-kin, clicked her beak. Electrical sparks danced between her talons. "Specifically about Topaz. And necromancers. And dimensional gates. And us."


    "Where''s my brother, you effing beerch?!" The Quetzalcoatl-kin named Cassiopeia Nova barked, blue eyes blazing with fury.


    "I''m afraid I don''t know what you''re talking about," she said smoothly, adjusting her blazer. "Bank representatives are not privy to individual personal information."


    <hr>


    I snapped my fingers.


    "Cut the bureaucratic bullshit," Katherine''s massive armored hand dug into the catgirl''s shoulder. "Where. Is. Lance. Nova."


    The crystal room began to fade away into absolute darkness as Gabriella screamed, submerged by the Stollwurm into the deep. When both of them reemerged from the shadow-realm, it was clear that all rational thought fled from Gabriella''s head as she was reduced to a puddle of pure, primal terror.


    "W-what was that?" she managed to mewl.


    "The Deep," Katherine growled. "Where fear is a language, and I''m fluent."


    Gabriella''s fur stood on end, her tail curling protectively around her body.


    "L-lance N-nova has b-bb-been deported from Arx!" The Banker cried out, trembling like a leaf. "Y-your Om-omnid-kin... and every other E-e-earth d-deliving team were ar-arrested yesterday by our Enforcers," she heaved. "And d-deported from Arx!"


    "Deported WHERE?" Cinder hissed at my side.


    "B-back t-to e-e-Eaarth!" Gabriella sobbed out as tears ran down her cheeks. "P-per our agreement w-with Lord Zalimar... W-we are not to harm his students!"


    "I banished Zalimar to another dimension," I leaned forward, "So how exactly is he enforcing such agreements?"


    Gabriella''s ears flattened. "He... has contingency protocols. Pre-arranged instructions with the Bank in case of his... unexpected absence."


    "Convenient," Katherine growled from above, looming over the much smaller banker. "Keep talking."


    The catgirl''s tail twitched nervously. Her professional veneer had been shattered, obliterated, torn away by the primal terror of the deep.


    "The deportation happened yesterday," she stammered. "All Earth delvers were processed through the Obsidian o-one way Gate i-into the Omnid chapel. It''s s-standard bureaucratic procedure when interdimensional travelers become... problematic. Y-you s-should have c-come willingly, like the-the others! You can''t just k-kidnap Arx Bank Representatives and t-torture them for answers w-with fear magics!"


    "We heard your conversation with Grand Moloch Arkenish," I pointed out. "What was it he said about fingers?"


    Katherine''s claws dug into Gabriella''s shoulder, making her scream.


    "I c-c-can''t say the t-t-ruth-ff o-out loud!" she sobbed, shaking. "B-bound b-by a b-blood contract!"


    "Hrm," Vespera got up and marched to the Banker. "Maybe you can think it then. Let me speak on your behalf."


    She circled the catgirl and her magisteel talons dug into the Bank Rep''s head, blood dripping from her temples.


    "It''s standard procedure to satisfy Undertown clients," Vespera clicked, sounding somewhat like Gabriella. "We wouldn''t have killed you."


    "Oh?" I asked.


    "Our Agents would have simply knocked you out and made flesh duplicates!" Vespera said for the Banker. "We aren''t monsters! The manufactured magic flesh-duplicates would have gotten cut up and their various bits would be shipped to the parties your team has offended! It''s standard protocol. Then you would have been banned for one hundred years from Shandria! That was our agreement with Lord Zalimar!"


    Gabriella nodded, and twitched madly, tears streaming down her fur as electrical current danced across her striped fur.


    Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed. "And where exactly would these duplicates be created?"


    Gabriella yelped as lightning struck her temples. The Thunderbird wasn''t gentle.


    "The body Forge," Vespera said for Gabriella. "Located in the sub-basement of the Banking Complex. Minus sixth level. Shit. I really shouldn''t have revealed this to you! You have to stop tearing answers out of me with magic! They''ll actually kill you for what you''re doing, instead of just deporting you! Stop reading my mind!"


    "What, like Quint, Emerald, and Solace?" The Quetzi-girl at my side barked.


    "That wasn''t us!" Gabriella cried out on her own now. "Emerald Stratos attacked a local and was arrested by City Watch! The Watch Scruts processed her according to local law! The Arx Bank just facilitates the local legal system, we are not actively harming anyone!"


    "You distribute Topaz," Katherine hissed. "A magical drug that fucks people up."


    "T-that''s not what I meant!" Gabriella wailed. "W-we s-simply... Topaz isn''t illegal in Shandria! It''s a recreational drug! Some people simply use too much of it! We don''t create it, we just facilitate trade, assist with transactions and currency exchanges! You have to bring me back home! Please! If you keep me prisoner here, the Bank will..."


    She fell silent.


    "...send actual high level Executioners to take all of you out. They will be wearing cold runes." Vespera finished for Gabriella.


    "How high level?" I asked.


    "As high as Level 95. The Bank has contracts with all major Guilds! Manhunters, Shadowmancers, Hunters! The Bank Scruts will trace my location through my bracelet''s mana signature in seconds when they realize that I''m not at work!" Vespera voiced Gabriella''s thoughts.


    "What bracelet?" I asked.


    Gabriella''s gray eyes shot to her wrist. There was no bracelet there. She choked. Shash had pulled all of her artifacts off and dressed her in a basic gray robe before the interrogation.


    "Your bracelet''s in another dimension," I explained. "Good luck to your Scruts trying to locate it there. You''re going to be chucked in there too, unless you prove yourself useful. I don''t deal in half measures. I don''t obey your rules. Why can''t we reach Innkeeper Nikkola or Chapel Keeper Vassily?"


    "Lock down measures," Vespera clicked for Gabriella. "The Domovoy Omnid cousins operate deep underground beneath the Bank and beneath the Inn. Their domains were built under our supervision. They were fully dimensionally cut off... because of the current situation and the situation in Undertown. Wait... is this Undertown?"


    Gabriella stared up, finally recognizing some of the terrain visible above. "By her Shadow... what sort of magic has done this?!"


    "Can you get us into the vault or turn off whatever is blocking access to the gate?" I asked.


    "N-no!" Gabriella shook her head.


    "It takes more than one person to unlock a vault. I''m bound by blood contracts, cannot assist your escape back to Earth," Vespera revealed the Banker''s thoughts.


    "Uh-huh," I nodded. "So what do you suggest we do?"


    Gabriella''s ears flattened against her head. Her tail curled protectively around her body as she realized she was trapped between monsters far more dangerous than any bureaucratic protocol.


    "C-come with me to the Bank and s-s-surrender," she offered. "The Enforcers will knock you out and chuck you into the one-way dimensional gate where your Keeper will take you back home."


    "What about the Omnid trio getting executed tomorrow?" I asked.


    "I can''t stop their execution," Gabriella swallowed. "But I will have one of our agents retrieve their bracelets from the storage vaults after their execution, making a duplicate item. Likewise, they will be thrown into a one-way gate to your Keeper who will s-send them back home. S-see? Nobody has to die today! Please just let me go!"


    "Nah," I said. "I like it here. I''m not getting banished for a century from Shandria."


    "B-but it''ll only be a year from your point of view!" Gabriella tried to convince me with pleading, big, kittenly, gray eyes. "B-besides there are gates from your world to other places on Arx! Just use them! We''re only banishing you from Shandria!"


    I leaned back, my eyes never leaving her face. "No," I said simply. "I don''t think I will. Here''s what I''m going to do, Miss Matrosin... I''m going to print my own non-magical currency and open my own Bank in Shandria."


    "W-what?!" The catgirl''s eyes went wide.


    "A merchant upstairs told me that Shandria is a city with very few laws," I explained. "I don''t like the way your Bank operates, so I''m going to open my own. Also, I''m going to make you an offer you can''t refuse. You can either die now or you can work for me as my Bank Rep. You clearly have experience in the business, know the locals."


    Gabriella''s striped gray and white ears twitched. "And if I refuse?" she mewled.


    Katherine''s emerald eyes gleamed dangerously. "Then you get to drown in the Deep."


    Vespera clicked her beak. Electrical sparks danced between her talons. "Ke ke ke. Think carefully, kitty."


    Gabriella swallowed hard. "I... I can''t work for another Bank or take any other job." She sobbed out.


    "The blood contracts on my soul won''t let me assist our competitors," Vespera added Gabriella''s thoughts.


    "Ah. Not an issue," I said. "Blood contracts operate on magic. What do you see below us, Miss Matrosin?"


    Gabriella looked down through the transparent crystal floor. Beneath us stretched a vast, bioluminescent landscape - rivers of soft green and blue light, caverns glowing with ethereal radiance, strange crystalline structures pulsing with inner life and beneath it all the radiant fields of the dungeon.


    "That''s... Abystall Dungeon," she whispered with a shudder of dawning horror.


    "Correct," I said. "So, that''s a yes on the job offer or do you wish to die in the deep?"


    "Yes," Vespera said. "She''s thinking ''yes''."


    "Excellent!" I smiled. "How can I disable the dimensional bubble around the Omnid chapel?"


    "Not possible," Vespera replied for the Banker. "Three blood magic keys are required to unlock the Ward Core room. The controls are aligned to the blood and bodies of specific Bank Reps."


    "And if these keys were stolen?" I asked.


    "The keys won''t work without the High Arch-Bankers!" Vespera revealed Gabriella''s thoughts. "These Bankers are constantly under security unlike me!"


    "And if someone were to say... destroy the Ward Core room?" I asked. "Or unleashed Duskbloom inside the Bank?"


    "WHAT?!" Gabriella''s eyes went wide.


    "Destruction of the Ward Core room would leave the entire Bank without power. It would take the Bank weeks or months to fix something like that depending on the damage," Vespera said. "The Bank ward would seal itself shut if something like Duskbloom was released inside."


    "Excellent," I grinned. "Now think in terms of directions - where''s the Ward Core room?"


    "Got it," Vespera clicked.


    "Shash, knock Gabriella out and leave her in a room filled with Duskbloom. Don''t let her die, but burn all magic out of her," I ordered. "Let''s see if Duskbloom can eat blood contracts."


    Gabriella yelped as another needle went through her neck courtesy of my Assassin.


    It was nice to have good people on my team.

 Chapter 13: The Flavor of Destruction

    "Shash," I addressed our resident Assassin. "Cancel the rescue operation, my friends already got forcibly deported it seems. If you already hired someone, change their Quests to get ready for an assault on the Arx Bank branches.¡±


    "Yes, M''Lord," the Assassin nodded. ¡°I shall notify our people upstairs via Voicecast about it.¡±


    I waved him off and he bowed and vanished from sight along with the body of the passed out catgirl.


    "You''re really going to try to break the Bank Rep¡¯s blood contracts by exposing her to Duskbloom?" Cinder asked with a weary expression, colors of stormy sky dancing across her feathers.


    "Yep," I nodded. "The mites eat magic. Blood contracts are magic. Basic science."


    "And if it kills her?" Cinder''s stare dug into my soul.


    "The mites don''t kill people. Passing out in the dungeon and getting eaten by the wildlife does. Our mooks will obviously wake her up, feed and water her," I pointed out. "She''ll just have to live for a bit without magic. Worst case scenario, she loses her ability to use magic permanently and become¡­ just like me."


    "Abyss, you''re terrifying sometimes," Cinder wrapped her wings around herself.


    "Says the girl who helped Em hunt down and murder an entire Skinwalker clan," I pointed out.


    Cinder''s feathers bristled. "That was different! They deserved it!"


    "And Bank doesn''t?" I asked. "They''re literally running a drug cartel over here, pretending like they''re selling a bit of weed on the side."


    "Fine, fine," Cinder let out. "Still... Why do I feel like everything happening is your fault?"


    "Because it is," I said cheerfully. "I knocked down Zalimar for two weeks which caused an entire castle of all sorts of other dominoes to come crashing down.¡±


    ¡°M¡¯ Lexxy is systematically destroying everything in his path,¡± Vespera commented, arriving from the direction of the kitchen and offering me a Thunderbird-Moth-Quetzi-Stollwurm shake. ¡°He¡¯s basically a human wrecking ball."


    "Why?" Cinder asked exasperatedly. "Why are you like this?"


    "Like what?" I asked, sipping my magic shake.


    "Are we seriously robbing the Arx Bank now?" She demanded. ¡°By spawning Duskbloom mites inside it?!¡±


    "Maybe," I shrugged. "I''ll need to walk around the area, think it over. Perhaps there is a less Duskbloomy solution.¡±


    "You''ll need to walk around the area?" Cinder repeated, her feathers shifting through colors of irate disbelief. "That''s your grand plan?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Reconnaissance. Information gathering. Understanding the system''s weak points. A date with my two lovely ladies," I finished with a grin.


    "A DATE?!" Cinder squawked, her feathers flaring through a rainbow of shocked colors looking like a spring flower bouquet. "To ROB A BANK?!"


    "Reconnaissance is a type of date," I shrugged. "We''ll dress up nice. Have some fun. Gather intelligence. Get breakfast at a nice cafe, then lunch in town."


    "What?!"


    "Also, we should also get a bunch of stuff from the shops upstairs," I added. "I owe Lenny and your parents presents."


    "Presents?" Cinder''s feathers shifted to confused blues. "Why would you want to get my family presents?"


    "Because they were very lovely to me," I said. "Your mom especially. She made me feel welcome. Your little sister is hilarious. They deserve something nice. Did you forget that I''m living at your house?"


    "Boo," Vespera complained. "I can''t zap or burr my pink body pillow in Cindy''s house."


    "Aren''t you a wealthy Prima-born?" I asked her. "Rent us a student loft residence to share at Skyfall."


    "That''s a bigly ask," she clicked. "Dad controls most of my finances. Plus they don''t permit couples to live together on campus unless..."


    "Unless they''re engaged?" I finished for her.


    Cinder choked. "What?! Why can''t we like... maybe rent a regular apartment in Cradlefall or something?"


    "Nu-huh. I''m staying at your parents Estate or on campus," I said. "Both are safe."


    "Safe?" Cinder repeated skeptically. "You just destroyed Undertown with magical parasites and you''re talking about safety?"


    "Relatively safe," I corrected. "Controlled environment. Multiple layers of security. Easier to track potential threats. Frontenachii Wendigo scruts will definitely have trouble harassing me in either location.¡±


    "Okay, but... getting e-engaged?!" Cinder flapped. "You can''t be serious!"


    "Dead serious," I said.


    Vespera clicked her beak. "We''ve already soul-bonded. Engagement is just a formality."


    "A FORMALITY?!" Cinder squawked, her feathers exploding into a hurricane of colors - violets, oranges, blues burning in chaotic patterns.


    "Yep," I nodded. "Vee''s right. We''ve already merged souls during the birth of our crystal tower child. Might as well make it official."


    "But we''ve known each other for like... a WEEK!" Cinder protested. ¡°Also the tower isn¡¯t¡­ Why are you so effing cringe? Abyss!¡±


    ¡°I try,¡± I shrugged. ¡°It is indeed fast and I¡¯m sorry I have to drag you into it all, but I¡¯m on a bit of a deadline here to secure my place in Omnithornia and Skyfall by any illegal and legal means necessary. So is Vee, who doesn¡¯t want to be shipped off to Thunderland.¡±


    "Ya kno¡¯, Ci," Vespera shrugged. "In Thunderland, some arranged marriages happen pretty quick."


    "This isn¡¯t bloody Thunderland! My... my parents are going to go ballistic!" Cinder waved her pink and violet pearlescent hands around.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Would they really?¡± I asked pointedly. ¡°Your parents are already worried sick about your behavior. You¡¯ve been descending into excessive hostility due to the Outsider¡¯s influence over the last two years. Honestly, I think that your Hearth-mom will simply be thrilled to see you smile. Your father will likely ask me a million pointed, reasonable questions about my intentions. I''m mostly worried about your Primo-mom. I hear she''s a literal hound."


    "Reasonable?!" Cinder squawked. "He''s JUSTICE NOVA! He literally JUDGES CRIMINALS FOR A LIVING!"


    "Exactly," I grinned. "Which means he''ll appreciate someone who follows complex logical processes. When Yulia gets back online, I will provide extensive documentation proving my value as a potential mate."


    Vespera began laughing so hard electrical sparks were shooting everywhere. "OH MY SLAYER! YOU ACTUALLY PREPARED A PRESENTATION?!"


    "Working on one," I nodded with a serious face. "Complete with pie charts, projected income streams, risk assessments, and a comprehensive five year plan for our potential clan development."


    Cinder''s ear-feathers went completely flat.


    "I will have a 3D model of our potential compound layout," I continued. "With projected agricultural yields, defensive infrastructure, and potential magical research zones."


    "Where?!" She demanded.


    I waved my hands around the crystal tower. "Here, obviously. Actually, it''s a 480 year plan due to the time dilation. This crystal mage tower is our first clan infrastructure project. We''re basically building our first compound. We''ve already established territorial control. We have a defensible location. Abystall dungeon provides resources. The mite infestation creates a natural defensive perimeter. Vee can write protective runes. Katherine can access the Deep for reconnaissance. Io can open dimensional gates for emergency evacuation."


    Cinder''s mouth opened and closed several times, looking like a fish gasping for air.


    "You... you''ve thought about this WAY too much," she finally managed.


    "Survival requires comprehensive planning," I said. "With pie charts. LLMs are pretty good at those."


    ¡°Arghh,¡± Cinder buried her face in her hands. "This¡­ this is happening way too fast!"


    "You can always live with your parents," I shrugged with a sly look. "Me and Vee will just live on campus. Together. You can visit us."


    "No!" Cinder squawked, her feathers flaring through panicked colors. "Absolutely not! You are NOT living together without me!"


    I smiled at her.


    "You!" She growled. "You damned¡­ manipulative chuppy! Can you not go one day without driving me up the wall?!"


    "Eh," I shrugged. "I''m manipulating everyone into creating a stable magical infrastructure that can resist entropic entities like the one in your soul."


    Vespera clicked her beak. "He''s not wrong, Ci."


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through colors of exasperation and grudging acceptance. "Fine. But we''re taking things SLOW."


    "I did just ask you both on a date," I pointed out.


    "As a freaking bank-robbing plan!" Cinder growed.


    "No," I shook my head. "As a date. I feel bad for what I did to Vee."


    "What did you do to me?" Vespera asked, tilting her head.


    "I didn''t actually talk to you after I got your Omnigram ID," I confessed. "You were talking to Yulia since Tuesday on my behalf. It was a long ass chat. I''ve no idea what you guys even talked about. She did summarize the general gist of it, but still I''d like to talk to you in person, get to know you properly."


    Vespera chortled.


    "What?" I asked.


    "Yeah, about that. I didn''t talk to you either," she confessed. "I linked up the Simmicorp LLM API to my Omnigram characterized with my Valley-girl persona to chat to people on my behalf. It''s how I kept up my knob-girl appearance online. I figured something really funky was going on because the conversation between you and my AI went way too effing long and started going into crazy loops."


    "So¡­ we''ve both been letting AIs talk to each other this entire time?" I asked.


    "Ye," Vee chortled. "I had to turn mine off in our chat because the chat window was basically rolling on endlessly. Then, I saw you posting photos of Christi and offered you the D&D show tickets to see if you would actually reply to that in person instead of digitally screwing with me."


    "Pffff," I let out. "Wow."


    "And then you showed up and were actually way more interesting in person than the AI version of you," Vespera finished.


    "So technically," I said, "our entire relationship started with two AIs catfishing each other."


    "Uh-huh," she nodded. "Our digital selves fell in love and made many world domination plans.¡±


    ¡°No freaking wonder I couldn''t profile you properly, I laughed.


    "Abyss, you both are such effing dweebs," Cinder groaned, her feathers shifting through amused purples and resigned blues. "How did I even end up with not one, but TWO insane tech gremlins?"


    "So um," Katherine began. "You three are going Uptown? Where Bank Enforcers might be looking for you? Who might I remind you, know what you look like?"


    "Cinder held her Phase-Shift for a while last night," I said. "And Vee had a great idea too."


    "What idea?!" Cinder ignited pink-sunset colors as she tried to recall what the Thunder-girl proposed last night.


    "You two can go as human highborn ladies," I said. "While I''ll appear as your lowly... foxkin servant."


    "A FOXKIN?!" Cinder choked. "Why a foxkin and how?!"


    "To match my foxy ways, obviously. I¡¯ll be your humble, dashing foxkin butler," I said. "Your personal servant to carry your bags and gold wallets."


    "And how exactly am I supposed to transform you into a foxkin?" Cinder demanded.


    "With your Phase-Shift. You turned me into a pancake last night," I said. "Honestly though, let''s not waste your mana on me. I have costume bits and pieces already in my bag. Enough to make a half-human foxkin. So, you''ll be transforming yourself and Vee into human girls.


    "Human girls?!" Cinder''s feathers shifted through shocked colors. "I can''t... I''ve never tried to look fully human before!"


    "Time to practice then," Vespera clicked cheerfully. "Come on, it''ll be fun! Like¡­ cosplay!"


    "But..." Cinder protested weakly. "W-what if the Phase-Shift wears off? What if I run out of mana?"


    "To keep going longer, you should eat mana-rich steaks and drink overpriced, mana-rich wine," I said. "Keep an eye on your mana bar. Run into the bathroom when it goes down too low and chug one of Lance''s Mana Elixirs. Just think of it as delving training."


    "Delving training?" Cinder''s feathers shifted through skeptical purples. "This isn''t like running through a dungeon!"


    "No," I agreed. "It''s actually harder. You''ll need to maintain the Phase-Shift while walking around, shopping, eating, and acting like a highborn human lady. Think of it as an extended stealth mission."


    "And what exactly am I supposed to wear?" she demanded.


    "Phase-Shift yourselves some nice, lavish, local-style outfits," I said. "Then we''ll buy something even nicer. Come on, we''re wasting daylight. I''d like to attend Ember''s execution."


    "Yay, execution front-row seats!" Vespera clapped. "Ooh! Can we wear matching outfits? That''ll really grind Em¡¯s gears when she sees us!"


    "Are you INSANE?!" Cinder flapped her wings in agitation. "That''s literally walking into their trap!"


    "From what we shook out of Solace and Gabriela, there is no trap," I said. "I assumed that the Bank was cooperating with the local Scruts to get us. But, as we just learned from the Bank Rep, there''s no such cooperation. The Bank actually wants to extract the bracelets of the Omnid delvers to ship them back into Zalimar''s classroom!"


    "Then what''s even the point of attending the execution?!" Cinder growled.


    "Taunting Emerald," I said. "Acting as rescuers. We¡¯ll show up at the execution looking fabulous, make Em think we''re there to save her, then... don''t stop the execution. The Bank will do the bracelet retrieval for us, but Sol and Quint will think that we saved them. Simple as."


    "You''re...." Cinder shook her head, failing to come up with a sufficiently specific adjective to describe my plan.


    "Practical," Vespera filled in.


    "Dastardly," Io commented from his corner, flipping another page of his book.


    "Villainous," Kat said.


    "Efficient," I corrected them all. "Now come on, let''s get ready for our date. Vee, help Ci figure out how to look human. I''m going to raid Lance''s bag for my makeup kit to make myself sufficiently foxy. See you all in forty minutes back here."


    "Have fun!" Io grinned. "Make it a big bang!"


    "What bang?" Cinder rounded on the moth while I went to the bathroom.


    "A loud bang," Io shrugged. "I taste a looming catastrophe in the air."


    "For us?!" She shook the Mothman.


    "Nah," he replied. "For the people of Shandria."

 Chapter 14: Uptown Date [I]

    Katherine''s emerald eyes gleamed in the darkness of the final tunnel leading to the surface of Shandria. Her massive form seemed to melt into the shadows, halfway sunk into the deep.


    "I still think this is a terrible idea," she growled, her tail lashing behind her. "Going up there, right into their territory¡­ into sunlight where I can''t help.¡±


    ¡°Awww, so you do care about me, bestie,¡± I grinned at her.


    The Stollwurm huffed at me.


    "Relax. It''ll be fine," I checked my fake fox ears. "We have Shash."


    The Assassin materialized beside us, silent as always.


    "Keep your tags on at all times," Katherine demanded. "If anything happens, if you sense even a hint of trouble..."


    "We''ll call you immediately," I promised. "Io said that we should be fine."


    "Io also said that you''re basically a walking catastrophe," Katherine pointed out. "And that something terrible is going to happen to Shandria due to your actions."


    "Details, details," I waved dismissively. "How do I look?"


    "Like a knock-off fox," Katherine growled.


    "Perfect," I grinned. "Ladies? Are you ready?"


    Two heart-stoppingly cute human girls stepped into view.


    Vespera cut an imposing figure in a Victorian-style black dress, the layered fabric falling in elegant waves around her tall frame. Her pale face was dusted with dark freckles, and her sharp gray-yellow eyes held their usual mischievous glint with sparks of naughtiness. Black lipstick and black hat with black flowers pinned to it completed her gothic lolita ensemble.


    Beside her, Cinder wore a flowing blue summer dress that seemed to catch every hint of light. Brilliant-red hair cascaded down her shoulders in gentle waves. Her soul-searching, big, ocean-blue eyes - now set in a human face - were still just as captivating as ever, the kind you could drown in if you stared too long. Rainbow-colored flowers were pinned to her hair.


    "Why is Ci a redhead?" I asked.


    "Because redheads have more fun," Vespera cackled.


    "Really?" I squinted at the humanized Thunderbird. She was somewhat shorter now. I had no idea how that worked, but chose not to question it.


    "Nah," she waved an elegant, pale hand at me. "It''s ''cus she wouldn''t stop blushing with her hair. Hard to see red on vibrant as-F-red."


    "Ah," I said. "This I gotta see. Wanna make out?"


    Cinder blushed red across her entire face, her hair becoming the tiniest bit more vibrant.


    I laughed.


    "Don''t mind if I do!" Vespera took my comment as an invitation and grabbed me by the collar, yanking me towards her face.


    Intellectually, I knew Vespera had a beak¨Cher face should terminate in a sharp, avian point. But right now, somehow, her holofractal-magic reshaped human form pressed soft lips against mine, warm and decidedly non-beaky. The disconnect was jarring¨Cmy brain knew this was Vespera, but the sensory input was completely human.


    Her kiss was electric, literally so. Tiny, barely discernible sparks danced between us, making my skin tingle. Her fingers, usually taloned and covered in magisteel, were now soft human hands pressing against my face.


    "Mmm," she purred in her voice without the usual beak clicks. "How''s THIS for making out?"


    "How is your beak not poking a hole in my face?" I asked.


    "You''re kissing the side of my face like normal," she shrugged. "Ci''s wings are just tricking us into feeling something else entirely. Wicked, ye?"


    I nodded.


    "H-hey!" Cinder sputtered, turning an even more brilliant shade of red looking like a human tomato. "Stop that! We''re supposed to be...."


    "Supposed to be having fun on our date," Vespera grinned, licking her lips.


    Then she leaned towards me again and licked my face, a decidedly non-human action.


    "Ugh!" I wiped my face dramatically. "Birb germs! Why?"


    "Shush. Those are pretend-HUMAN germs now!" she cackled, her Victorian dress swirling around her as she spun. "Had to know what it was like to taste you with a human tongue."


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And more licks are required,¡± Vespera grinned.


    "STOP THAT!" Cinder hissed, grabbing both of us. "We''re supposed to be acting like proper ladies and a servant! You can''t just... just... lick people in public!"


    "But we''re not in public yet," Vespera pouted with an adorably human expression. "We''re still in a dark tunnel."


    "How am I supposed to maintain this... this human form if you keep distracting me?!" The humanized Quetzi hissed.


    "Not distracting," Vespera grabbed Cinder''s cheeks with her hands, tiny sparks flashing. "Optimizing!"


    The brilliant red blush on Cinder''s cheeks lessened.


    "Are you doing this or not?" Katherine''s voice growled from the shadows. "Because if you''re just going to make out and lick each other like hornknobs, I can knock you out and lug you back to the crystal tower."


    "Shhh," Vee waved her off. "Just adjusting some final parameters. She''s blushing like the setting sun over here, humans don''t blush this hard."


    Katherine rolled her diamond-slitted eyes. "You three are going to get yourselves killed."


    "Nah," I grinned, checking my foxkin servant outfit - a crisp white shirt, dark vest, extradimensional backpack and tailored pants. "We''re going to have a lovely date. Right, ladies?"


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Vee shoved me into Cinder and grabbed both of us, closing her eyes and humming to herself.


    I stumbled slightly and then noticed that something felt... different. My balance had shifted, and there was a peculiar weight behind me that hadn''t been there before.


    "What the..." I reached back and felt something soft. A tail. I had an actual tail. "What?!"


    "Gave you a tail," she commented. "Spiced up your appearance just the tiniest bit too. Made you more handsome, dashing, foxy and smelly."


    "Smelly?!" I yelped, suddenly very aware of enhanced senses flooding my system. The view was sharper, the tunnel less dark. Sounds were much clearer. My dark nose twitched, picking up scents I''d never noticed before - Katherine''s reptilian musk, the damp stone of the tunnel, even minute traces of electricity from Vee''s sparks.


    "Gave you some foxy senses," Vee explained cheerfully. "Nothing major. Go on, wag the tail."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I swished said tail experimentally, marveling at how natural it felt. Like it had always been there. "This is... handy. I can smell everything and see way better in the dark!"


    "Yep," Vee grinned, her human fingers tracing the new tail. ¡°Ci, does he smell like a fox now?"


    Cinder leaned in, her redhead tilting slightly. Her pink nose twitched. "Ugh. No idea. I can''t smell shit as a human."


    "You just need stronger smells to experience," Vee commented.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± I said. ¡°Did you just give me improved sight AND smell? How in the Abyss does this work? Ci''s wings don¡¯t actually change me physically, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeh,¡± she nodded. ¡°Physically you¡¯re still a human. Cinder is the one smelling stuff, while I¡¯m sensing stuff with electricity. Your brain is basically receiving these bits of our Omnid senses beamed directly into your human head from her Quetzi heart. It''s just Charmchain magic, except instead of feeling like you''re in love with her, you''re smelling absolutely everything Ci can smell as a Quetzi.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± I whistled. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of room here for further improvement. My improvement, that is. Would I become five times as aware of everything, if our entire delving team was entwined via our Quetzi?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Vespera considered it. ¡°It¡¯ll take me some time tweaking Ci but I think I can manage it. What¡¯s happening here is an incredibly complex illusion and mental manipulation and I only managed to optimize the control over her feathers so well because of the incredible tower you''ve made for me.¡±


    ¡°Glad to be of service,¡± I curtsied.


    ¡°Right then,¡± she said. ¡°Reckon we''re good to go now.¡±


    "Shash, what do you recommend for breakfast nearby?" I asked.


    "Lord David''s Forged Brew has excellent coffee," Shash answered. "They''re offering grand opening discounts now. Lady Astra might be there too. One of my men saw her this morning when he stopped by for a free coffee.¡±


    ¡°Lady Astra,¡± I contemplated. ¡°Is that the girl whom Emerald punched through the heart?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shash said.


    ¡°I see,¡± I said thoughtfully. ¡°Is she actually the¡­ Shandrian, you know who?¡±


    ¡°Shandria hasn''t had a Sovereign for nineteen years, M''Lord,¡± Shash shook his head. ¡°In truth, many of the Shadow-touched claim to be the true inheritor of the throne of Shandria. Cedez Astra is an odd creature, that one. A capable Shadowmancer.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°I''ve met a few like her in Undertown,¡± Shash added. ¡°Incredibly dangerous folk, not to be trifled with. She is an excellent information broker though and could introduce you to a multitude of useful contacts, if she takes a liking to you. Some say that a single handshake from her could change your life.¡±


    ¡°Did she give anyone from our crew a handshake?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°Alas,¡± Shash shrugged. ¡°She found our Guild uninteresting. From what I saw, she''s recently taken a human Lordling under her Shadow-wings, so I reckon she does have an appreciation of pure humans.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± I nodded. ¡°That does sound intriguing. Take us to the Forged Brew. Are you going to disguise yourself as well or stay invisible?¡±


    The Assassin nodded. With a snap of his fingers, and a twinkle of his Kitlix, his dark patchy outfit and face rearranged itself to look like that of a heavily armored, beardly bodyguard with a deep scar running down his right eye.


    ¡°Impressive. What is your skill?" I asked.


    "Illusionist," he answered. ¡°Limited to myself. Can''t alter other people like your Lady.¡±


    We bid Kat goodbye and began walking up the stone stairwell up to Shandria. Green, worried eyes stared at us from the darkness.


    In a few minutes we emerged into brilliant daylight and took the side street into the central marketplace.


    The market bustled with activity - merchants hawking goods from colorful tents and shops, magical artifacts glinting in sunlight, exotic spices filling the air with complex aromas and Kitlix glittering everywhere.


    My magic-enhanced senses sent my brain into overdrive.


    Vespera, in her gothic Victorian ensemble, moved with predatory grace through the crowd like a dark shark, silver-gold eyes examining everything. Cinder stayed by my side, holding onto my elbow.


    As we left the bustling market, the cobblestone streets gradually gave way to a verdant green field that rose gently uphill toward the Lighthouse Smithy in the distance. Soft grass swayed in a morning breeze, dotted with tiny purple, blue and white wildflowers that seemed to dance with each step.


    As the city¡¯s rooftops gave way to a wide field and the view of the sky, my mind stuttered to a halt and I nearly stumbled over my feet. I¡¯ve seen postcards of Arx before, but seeing it live was truly incredible. There was no horizon here. The ground simply went up, up and up revealing mountains, lakes, rivers and a patchwork of endless oceans and continents.


    Then as I tilted my head directly up my heart stopped. A black hole loomed in the center of it all. A sun-like star loomed at the edge of the black hole, circling it.


    ¡°Daaaaaaamn,¡± I let out.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Vespera slowed down to wrap herself around my waist. ¡°Seeing Nihilim for the first time is something else, yah?¡±


    I nodded, captivated by the mind-bogglingly view of the vast megastructure.


    For a couple of minutes we just stood there and stared up, absorbed in the view of what seemed like an infinite world made up from a patchwork of worlds. From what I read online the interior of Arx was incalculably massive, much bigger than a Dyson sphere.


    ¡°Shash,¡± I asked. ¡°Who built Arx?¡±


    ¡°Alas, I do not know the answer to your query, M¡¯Lord,¡± the Assassin replied. ¡°Some Archmagi speculate that it was the work of the Elder Gods.¡±


    I nodded, finally looking back down.


    We resumed our walk with me casting occasional glances upward, getting lost in the majesty of Arx.


    Each blade of grass below me released a subtle earthy fragrance, the wildflowers had their own delicate perfume, and the wind carried hints of distant spices and cooking fires. The tail Vespera had gifted me swished automatically as I breathed in the morning gust of wind coming from the massive, cloud-filled chasm below the cliffside at the edge of Shandria. According to Shash, the chasm was made by an explosion ages ago when Leviathan Nightingale bounced an enemy god-tier spell away from the city.


    Cinder walked beside me with a slightly awkward rigidity to her. I squeezed her elbow with a reassuring glance and she relaxed into me, smiling ever so slightly. Somehow she looked like a big-eyed-angel even without her wings. I pawed at the space where her wing should have been and felt nothing but air there. Charmchain magic was definitely mentally screwy to an insane degree, likely making my brain think that my arm wasn¡¯t in the position that it was in or something.


    Up close, the Forged Brew appeared as a rather charming establishment, an ancient, grime-covered lighthouse tower looming over the meadow turned into an outside sitting area. Wrought iron chairs were arranged around small round wooden tables, each topped with a tiny glass vase holding fresh wildflowers.


    The sun overhead circling the black hole refracted in the clouds, lighting up the terrain directly from above and also from all sides. I understood why Kat hated it up here. The air was warm and crisp. It was too sunny and the colors around us stark and vibrant featuring barely any shadows as a million sundogs and rainbows danced across each cloud above us.


    An owlkin maid approached our table, her feathered face a study in professional composure. Her black and white fluffy cafe maid uniform featured intricate embroidery along the collar and cuffs. Large yellow eyes blinked at us, shifting between each member of our group with careful assessment.


    "Good morning," she said with a small bow. "I¡¯m maid Hyrei! Welcome to the Forged Brew!"


    She handed us menus burned into simple wooden boards. A cute logo of a dragon wrapped around a lighthouse and holding a blacksmith''s hammer was burned into the back of the menu.


    "Our specials today include Sunrise Blend coffee, imported directly from the high-altitude cultivation zones," Hyrei explained. "We also have freshly baked Snailcake pastries that pair exceptionally well with our morning brews. For breakfast, we offer freshly-slain Thundersnarg steak with Wyvern bacon and eggs."


    As Hyrei explained the menu, I scanned the seating area with my enhanced senses. The rich aroma of coffee mingled with the scent of freshly baked pastries, but beneath that, a tapestry of individual scents told stories of each patron.


    A group of three white and green robed healers sat nearby smelling of herbs¨Ctwo men and one antlered girl, each accompanied by black and sparkling green Kitlix Vitalix.


    Directly to their left, a curious trio caught my attention. A ginger man in his early thirties in a basic gray robe sat flanked by two companions¨Ca dark fox and a dragoness¨Cboth ladies wearing matching dark leather outfits adorned with blue gemstone studs. Each of them had a Kitlix sitting on them. A dark slender one on the fox, a wide-eyed rainbow-one sitting on the dragoness'' red flocks between her horns and chonky, dark green one inhabiting the man''s ginger, messy mane.


    The man suddenly noticed that I was staring at his group. He glanced my way.


    When our eyes met, something shifted. Not just in the physical space around us, but deep inside me. A strange resonance, like a half-remembered melody from a dream long forgotten.


    The man''s eyes¨Cas blue as the sky¨Cseemed to recognize something in me. For a millisecond, the bustling outdoor cafe faded. The chasm beyond the cafe''s wrought-iron seats disappeared. There was just... us.


    A fleeting sensation washed over me. Not quite a memory, more like an impression.


    Midwestern America. Endless fields of yellow wheat. Farmhouses. An apple orchard. A city like Chicago but without any Omnids. Office. Monitor screens.


    Then he blinked. I blinked.


    The moment shattered.


    The ginger man frowned and looked away as the dark foxgirl pawed at him, chattering away. I wondered what sort of magic that was.


    "Ceddy, how bout a song for your patrons?" The twenty-some-year old Healer asked jovially.


    "Sure." The dark fox stood up.


    She glanced at our group, sharp blue eyes settling on me and not leaving my face. Her grin became predatory, addressed to me alone.


    Cedez. This had to be her. The Sovereign of Shandria. She somehow knew that I didn''t belong to her Kingdom, wasn''t one of her subjects.


    I inhaled deep. Unlike the other Arxkin, she didn''t smell like anything at all, as if she was just an empty space, nothingness inside of a leather dress.


    Contrary to Shash''s words, I felt that this fox was the local kingpin, the real power here that could make or break me, all of my senses screaming for me to run.

 Chapter 14: Uptown Date [II]

    The horned Healer and the dark fox stopped at the flat edge of the meadow, the chasm directly behind them.


    The pure black Kitlix flowed down the girl''s hands and rearranged itself into an instrument that had both violin and guitar strings. A part of the Kitlix turned into a violin bow, attached to the violin by a small, dark chain.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen. We bring you the tale of love n'' loss. Cedez Astra and Dumpich Sentirk duo present..." the Healer announced with a flourish. "The Dungeon Diver''s Lament!"


    Then the music began. It was a lovely, soft melody that seemed to drift across the outside cafe, captivating the attention of all of the breakfast-enjoying patrons.


    The violin strings carried a sense of lament and longing. The music wasn''t just heard - I felt it pulse across all of me. Tiny vibrations rippled through the atmosphere, causing the wildflowers on our table to sway almost imperceptibly. I guessed that Cedez and Dumpich probably had Bard skills similar to what Cinder did.


    There was an echo of static behind the music that seemed to enhance each note, making me shiver ever so slightly.


    Dumpich began in a rich baritone, a wide grin spreading above his violet-brown goatee, his brown-violet long hair swaying in the wind.


    "Down into darkness, sword held high,</a>


    </a>Seeking glory ''neath crystal sky,


    Fortune calls with siren''s song,


    Through these halls I''ll prove I''m strong!"


    His Vitalix Kitlix rushed down his hand, turning into a green rapier. He began marching in one spot, looking every bit the dungeon delving adventurer.


    Around us, patrons listened with varying levels of attention. Some seemed deeply moved, while others who probably already heard the song continued their conversations, the music providing a pleasant background ambiance.


    The dark foxgirl with the Kitlix instrument watched Dumpich with a cheeky grin, her blue eyes focused on me alone.


    "Come closer seeker, venture deep,


    Such treasures here for you to keep,


    Each step you take leads further down,


    Until my shadows make you drown..."


    She sang.


    Ah. She was the Dungeon.


    "These chambers hold such wondrous sights,


    Crystal gardens filled with lights,


    Why does this place feel so known?


    Like memories carved in living stone..."


    Dumpich sang, looking about with concerned expression. Cedez covered her eyes with a gloved hand.


    "Your voice... it stirs forgotten dreams,


    Of days before the shadow schemes,


    When I was flesh and you were mine,


    Before I made these walls my shrine¡­¡±


    She sang. A cold shudder ran down my spine.


    "My heart recalls a love so true,


    A maiden with eyes of deepest blue,


    Lost to darkness years ago...


    Could it be? I need to know!"


    Dumpich sang. I glanced at Cinder¡¯s eyes. She still stared unnervingly at me.


    "Too late I recognize your face,`


    In my Sentinels'' death''s embrace,


    The one I loved, now trapped within,


    My hunger adds you to my sin..."


    The foxkin sang.


    A shadow suddenly bloomed from her figure, forming a large, looming Shadowbeast that pretended to chomp on the Kitlix rapier-armed Healer.


    Dumpich dramatically collapsed into the grass, pretending to be dead. Cedez stepped over the fallen dungeon diver, her figure wrapped in dancing shadows. Shadow wings spread behind her, a crown of shadows flashing atop of her head.


    "Two souls bound by tragic fate,


    Reunited far too late,


    Yet even as the darkness falls,


    Love echoes through these ancient halls..."


    Both of them sang together.


    "Though flesh may fail and light may fade,


    Our love survives the choices made,


    Perhaps one day we''ll find a way,


    To break these chains and see the day..."


    "Until that time, I''ll hold you here,


    Your spirit kept forever near,


    Within these walls we''ll wait as one,


    Until our freedom''s finally won..."


    The singers finished with a flourish.


    I wiped a stray tear from my eye, moved by the whimsical, albeit haunting performance. The tale of a dungeon diver finding his lost love as the Dungeon core only to be killed and turned Sentinel resonated deeply with me on an unexpected, visceral level.


    "That was beautiful," I said, joining the cheering and applause.


    Cinder nodded silently, her red hair shimmering in the morning light. The way she gripped my arm hard suggested the song had affected her too. Her head leaned on my shoulder, rubbing against me in a far too draconic gesture.


    Vespera leaned forward too, gray-gold eyes gleaming with intense interest. "Now THOSE are some talented Bards! Skittles, you should take some notes. Hrm. That Shadowmancy was top notch. Felt... really potent. Genuine."


    "Genuine how?" Cinder demanded, looking like her pride as a singer was somewhat wounded.


    Vespera''s body had gone completely still, her entire demeanor shifting from playful to intensely analytical.


    "Proper genuine," the human-birb nodded, tapping her chin with a dark, manicured fingernail. "It''s like... she''s... actually a dungeon Sentinel. Hollow. Empty. Despairing. Hungry. Very moving s-hhhh-stuff. More moving than I expected it to be. That static in the end. It¡¯s like¡­ she actually wants to nom on him. Nom on us all."


    Cedez turned and looked directly at our table. Her blue eyes seemed to pierce right through our carefully constructed disguises.


    A shadow flickered across her face. Just for an instant.


    "Order something," Vespera hissed at me.


    "Two Sunrise Blend coffees, One latte, one water," I said quickly to Hyrei who flitted to our table with a gust of wind. "And a plate of Snailcake pastries. And four Adventurer''s Breakfasts!"


    Hyrei nodded and turned away, but not before catching a glimpse of Cedez''s penetrating stare.


    [Don''t look at her damn it,] Vespera sent via thought, her human hand subtly covering mine. Electrical sparks danced between our fingers, so faint they were almost invisible.


    [Too late,] I thought back. [She¡¯s onto us.]


    Cedez walked over to the man in the gray robe and said something and then sashayed to our table.


    "Good morning," Cedez said, her voice smooth as silk but with an underlying edge that made the hairs on my newly acquired fox fur stand on end. "Might I join you?"


    It wasn''t a question, despite the polite phrasing.


    Vespera''s human hand tightened almost imperceptibly on mine.


    [Shit, shit, shit,] her static-filled mental voice danced across my mind. [Definitely onto us.]


    "Sure," I nodded.


    Cedez settled gracefully into an empty chair.


    "Lovely morning for breakfast, isn''t it?" Cedez smiled, showing sharp teeth.


    My new foxy nose picked up something odd about her - a complete lack of scent. Like a void in the tapestry of smells around us. The color-shifting dragoness smelled of sweat, scales, old wood, fire, metal and ozone, while the man smelled distinctively like a human. But in Cedez... there was nothing.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Nothing at all.


    "Indeed," I smiled, noticing that the scales of the dragoness shifted colors from violet to pink-blue as her hand entwined with the ginger man in gray.


    Ha. So I wasn''t the only appreciator of chromatic dragons around these parts.


    "I must say," Cedez continued, her blue eyes fixed on me with unsettling intensity as a shadow-halo flickered above her head and all sounds around the cafe fell silent, "your disguises are quite impressive."


    "Why thank you," I grinned as Cinder choked beside me, Vee tensing up even more. Shash seemed unaffected, or maybe simply hiding it behind the illusion of a stoic bodyguard.


    "Shash, do you mind introducing me to your new friends?" Cedez turned to our Assassin/pretend bodyguard.


    Shash''s scarred face remained impassive. "These are my...." He began and looked at me.


    "New friends," I interjected. "I¡¯m Sir Christophorus and these are my lovely fianc¨¦es," I paused, coming up with names rapidly. "Lady Voltara and Lady Castabriella."


    "Fianc¨¦es?" the fox tilted her head.


    "Polyamorous arrangement," I shrugged. ¡°Pretty mundane where we are from.¡±


    ¡°Curious,¡± Cedez''s eyes dug into me, the gems on her leather outfit reflecting the sunlight streaming from all directions. "And what brings you to Shandria, Sir Christophorus?"


    "Shopping," I said cheerfully. "I''m looking to buy presents for my second fianc¨¦e''s sister and her parents. Say, what would you recommend in town?"


    "Presents?¡± She mused. ¡°Hrmmm. How Charming you are. The shops on Glasnova might meet your expectations."


    "Charm is my middle name," I grinned. "And thank you! So, how did you know that we weren¡¯t from here?¡±


    "I don''t know your names," Cedez said. "Which is concerning, since I should know everyone''s names. Are you three perchance some kind of foreign domain infiltrators?"


    "Foreign domain infiltrators?" I repeated, letting out a theatrical laugh. "Me? I''m just a humble foxkin accompanying my two lovely ladies on a shopping expedition!"


    "Sounds like something an infiltrator would say," Cedez said sharply.


    "Sounds like something a Sovereign would say," I countered with an equally sharp smirk.


    The entire table went absolutely still.


    Cedez''s blue eyes widened for just a fraction of a second before her composure returned. A dark crown and halo flickered atop of her head, dancing like living smoke.


    "And what makes you think I''m the Sovereign of Shandria?" she asked, her voice smooth as silk.


    "A little imprisoned worm told me," I leaned back. ¡°Also, your crown is kinda showing.¡± I pointed a finger up at her dark shadow-crown and halo.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Cedez''s lips curled into a dangerous smile. "What a clever little fox you are.¡±


    "I try," I smiled back.


    ¡°So you are¡­¡± She began.


    "I prefer the term ''interdimensional tourist'',¡± I said, stealing Zee Captain¡¯s whimsical title.


    "Interdimensional¡­ tourist?" Cedez tilted her head at me.


    "Yes," I nodded. "We came to your lovely city from another world, Sovereign."


    "Like that other bothersome trio?" Cedez wondered.


    "The idiots you sentenced to a thousand years dungeon?" I asked, recalling what Solace told me about Cedez Astra. "Yep. They''re our... frenemies of sorts, competition. I do hope that Em''s crew hasn''t bothered you too much. She''s been quite the bug in my grain silo, threatening to murder me and whatnot.¡±


    "Oh not at all," Cedez waved a gloved hand. "The Watch handled it."


    "Handled it?" I repeated. "By executing them soon?"


    "Precisely. A clean, bureaucratic solution. Death by fire,¡± she yawned.


    "How very... efficient," I said, matching her tone. "I''m sure the public execution will be quite the sight."


    "Oh, it will be," she leaned forward. "Are you planning to attend?"


    "Wouldn''t miss it for the world," I grinned. "Front row seats, perhaps? Are you and your friends going to attend too?"


    "I''m... considering it," Cedez purred out. "It''s not every day the city gets their hands on someone who works for a Necromancer. Are you perchance¡­ working for one too?"


    "Heavens no," I waved a clawed orange-tinted hand at her. "To be completely honest, I was the one who destroyed Lord Zalimar''s entire drug smuggling operation by exposing him."


    I felt the eyes of my companions digging into my sides.


    "Did you now?" Cedez asked. "And might I ask how and why?"


    "By banishing him into another dimension," I said. "Because he was being a rude knob."


    "Banished him?" Cedez raised an elegant eyebrow. "Just like that?"


    "Mmm-hmm," I nodded. "I don''t like Necromancers who murder teenagers for being born with the wrong sort of blood. Would you mind if I taunt Emerald a bit before her execution?"


    Cedez''s blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "Taunting her? How delightfully... petty. Nah, I don¡¯t mind. The public execution permits taunting. You can even purchase some fruit for a few coppers to throw at her. That dragon girl made a lot of people upset with her actions. I believe there will be a lot of taunting happening between now and her execution hour. How do you plan to taunt her?¡±


    "Well," I leaned forward with a jovial expression, "I was thinking of showing up looking absolutely fabulous, making her believe we might rescue her, and then... not doing a single thing. It''ll really annoy her."


    Cedez let out a laugh that was part amusement, part genuine appreciation, dark tail swishing. "Oh, you are deliciously wicked. I like you."


    "Thank you," I fired back, my own tail swishing.


    "May I ask who exactly you are?" She asked.


    "You may refer to me as Lord Protector, my Sovereign," I said. "Do excuse the disguises."


    "You''re excused," Cedez waved a hand. "So tell me, Lord Protector," she purred, "what exactly are you protecting?"


    "Humanity," I said.


    "Humanity?" The dark fox stared at me.


    "Yes," I nodded. "Wherever it is found, be it Arx or other worlds, I protect the innocent and meek, defend those who cannot defend themselves."


    ¡°Ha!¡± Cedez barked sharply. "Defend the innocent? That sounds suspiciously noble for someone who just admitted to banishing a Necromancer and planning to emotionally torture a dragon at her public execution."


    "Noble doesn''t mean nice," I winked. "It means effective. Emerald will get over it. Maybe learn a lesson. Probably not. Mostly, I''m hoping that her boyfriend and best friend will take something away from it."


    "Learn a lesson¡­ by being burned alive?" Cedez blinked, derailed sideways.


    "We come from a world where... death was cured," I shrugged. "You can stab me through the head right now and I''ll just come back in a hundred years time to Shandria, good as new."


    Cedez''s blue eyes glimmered with a dangerous challenge. "Shall we test that theory?"


    Before anyone could react, a shadow-blade materialized at my throat - razor-thin, cold, impossibly sharp.


    I didn''t even flinch.


    The shadow-blade pressed closer. A normal human would have tensed, shown fear. I wasn''t normal. Alexander Glock was at the wheel and I wasn''t going to chicken out.


    Cedez''s eyebrow arched. ¡°Not scared, huh?¡±


    "Not really," I said.


    The shadow-blade swung, splitting the air and then stopped a millimeter from my neck.


    "Fine," she said, the blade retreating. "I believe you. You aren''t even flinching at the prospect of your head getting chopped off. Hrmm."


    She raised a hand and a shadow-nail extended from her finger heading straight for my eye. I stared at it. It stopped right before my eyeball and retreated.


    "You really aren''t afraid of death," she said. "How... odd."


    "Died on Tuesday," I shrugged. "Saw the Wheel, taunted it for a bit, got better."


    "I see," she paled slightly. "So, Lord Protector, what are your plans for after the execution?"


    "That depends," I said. "How do you feel about the Arx Bank, Sovereign?"


    "The Arx Bank?" Cedez pursed her lips. "Why do you ask?"


    "Oh, just curious," I said casually. "Wondering how attached you are to their current... operational methods."


    Cedez leaned forward, her shadow halo flickering. "Attached? Not particularly. They''re... useful, if corrupt, I suppose. But useful things can be replaced."


    "Excellent," I grinned. "Because I''m thinking of starting my own Bank."


    "Your own Bank?" Cedez repeated, tilting her head. "How... ambitious of you.¡±


    "Not just any bank," I stretched, matching her playful energy. "A bank that actually cares about its clients and doesn''t eat their mana via the system bracelets. Novel concept, right?"


    "Hrm, yes," she nodded. "And how exactly do you plan to compete with an established institution like the Arx Bank?"


    "Maybe they''ll go out of business due to a series of unfortunate events," I shrugged. "Have you perchance seen the yellow folder belonging to the Grand Moloch?"


    "I have not," Cedez said.


    "If you''ll allow me," I dug into my backpack and pulled out a copy of the yellow folder. "Here. This details all of their crimes against humanity."


    "Quaint," Cedez perused the folder, eyes quickly running over the names. "You just... hand sensitive information over to everyone like that?"


    "Only to lovely Sovereigns such as yourself. Also, would you prefer I whisper it dramatically?" I grinned. "Or perhaps send it via carrier pigeon? Could you maybe execute the Arx Bankers for these crimes, Sovereign? The folder details all of their crimes in collaboration with Topaz dealers and Necromancer Zalimar Evernacht."


    Cedez closed the folder and slid it down onto the table and sighed. "Love to, but can''t."


    "Why not?" I asked.


    "To be honest," Cedez revealed. "I died nineteen years ago. It''s pretty inconvenient."


    "Died? And yet here you are. Sounds like we have something in common," I mused, the gears of my mind turning as I switched to the Understanding to digest her words. "Oh. You don''t actually rule Shandria, is that it?"


    Cedez nodded.


    "But you want to?"


    "Not particularly," she shrugged. "But somebody has to fix the mess it''s become since I died nineteen years ago."


    "Interesting," I said. "Would you like some help with that?"


    Cedez''s blue eyes narrowed. "And why would you want to help me, Mister Inter-Dimensional Tourist?"


    "Because breaking things and fixing broken things is kind of my thing," I shrugged. "Perhaps, you would accept a deal?"


    "What sort of a deal?" She asked.


    "I can help you get Shandria in order for¡­ half of it," I said.


    "Such boldness! Half of Shandria?" she asked. "Eh, I don''t own any of it now. What would you even do with your half?¡±


    "Build a city for my gloomy kitten," I stated.


    ¡°I see,¡± she stared at me. ¡°Which half do you want anyway?"


    "You can keep the top half,¡± I offered. ¡°I want the bottom half. Undertown."


    Cedez''s blue eyes widened. Then she burst out laughing.


    "You want Undertown?" she repeated. "The most lawless, dangerous, effed up part of Shandria? One currently filled with mountains of magic trash, dying addicts and getting infested by the Abystall dungeon draining everything of its value? Really?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "It is a particularly broken place. I like a challenge. So, is it a deal?"


    I offered the ghost of Shandria''s Sovereign my hand.


    Cedez extended her gloved hand and shook mine. The handshake was solid, ordinary - not ethereal or ghostly as one might expect from a dead Sovereign. Her grip was firm, businesslike, completely normal. Which made sense in a way. The dungeon Sentinel''s arrow that shot me through the chest was real too.


    "You''re not actually a ghost, are you?" I asked, sniffing her again. There was still absolutely no scent coming from her. Through the borrowed senses of my Omnid partners, I heard no blood rushing through her veins, no heart beating. Vespera¡¯s electric current detected absolutely nothing inside of her dress, like she was just a projection, an idea of a person.


    She shrugged.


    "A dungeon Sentinel then?" I guessed. "Like your song?"


    She nodded with a small sigh.


    "And you''re not a foxkin, are you?" she asked.


    "No," I shook my head. "I''m a human from another world. One who can function without any mana. One who can walk through Abystall dungeon without passing out."

 Chapter 15: Reflections

    ¡°Ah," Cedez glanced behind herself, noticing that her companions were looking at her with concerned expressions. "Allow me to introduce my besties, I''m sure they''ll appreciate ya as much as I do."


    She waved her friends over.


    The dragoness and the man in gray robes approached our table.


    "This is Lord David," Cedez gestured to the human. "And his... girlfriend, Remicra."


    Up close, I could see that Remicra''s scales slowly shifted through a wave of colors almost like a mood ring. She flushed a brilliant pink-orange at being called "girlfriend," her tail curling around her leg self-consciously.


    ¡°This is Lord Protector, Christophorus and his¡­ fiancees, Lady Voltara and Lady Castabriella,¡± Cedez waved a gloved hand at us.


    I smiled at the couple in front of me. "Quite the stunning lady you have there, Lord David. Seems like we share similar tastes in dragons who can change colors at will."


    Lord David''s hand found that of his dragon girl. ¡°I don''t quite understand your joke, I''m afraid,¡± he said. ¡°Are your companions not human?¡±


    "My Sovereign," I turned to Cedez. "I see that you''re blocking out sound. Do you mind muting the view too?"


    "Sure," she nodded. With a subtle gesture, shadows bloomed around our table, creating a dark, intimate bubble that seemed to bend light and sound away from other patrons.


    "Perfect," I grinned. Then I turned to Cinder and Vespera. "Ladies, would you care to reveal your true forms for a moment?"


    Vee nodded, grabbing onto Cinder to manipulate her wings.


    Vespera''s human form immediately began to shimmer and shift. Her pale skin erupted into dark and white feathers, magisteel talons replacing delicate human fingers. Her gothic dress and hat melted away, replaced by her magisteel armor and natural Thunderbird physique - sleek black and white wings, sharp gray eyes glowing from within with gold sparks. Her figure lengthened, stretched out in all directions.


    Cinder''s transformation was even more dramatic. Her human form dissolved like watercolor paint, red hair melting away to reveal an explosion of rainbow feathers. Her blue summer dress shimmered and vanished, replaced by her delving outfit. Her wings unfurled - a stunning array of silver, blue, and rainbow-edged feathers that seemed to catch and refract light in impossible, mind-melting ways.


    Both of them suddenly loomed over me in their full Omnid glory.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Lord David''s eyes went wide as he stared at Vespera and Cinder. ¡°Wings!¡±


    Remicra''s scales cycled through a rapid succession of shocked orange-red-violet colors. Cedez¡¯s jaw fell open.


    ¡°Wowza,¡± the Sovereign-Sentinel of Shandria said. ¡°Now this, I absolutely did not expect.¡±


    "Yeah," David let out. "That''s definitely not something you see every day."


    "What are you?!" Remicra sputtered, staring with wide violet-gold eyes at Cinder¡¯s wings.


    "Interdimensional tourists," I repeated cheerfully. "From Earth."


    "Earth?" David choked.


    "Oh, you know Earth?" I asked.


    He nodded, unable to draw his eyes away from Cinder and Vespera. "That''s where¡­ I''m from too."


    "You''re from Earth?" I leaned forward. "Are you a tourist too?"


    "No," he sighed. "I was summoned to Arx by a bald, fat God-Emperor man amongst a million others. Ah, I might be getting excited over nothing. I guess you''re from one of the other bazillion alternative Earths, judging by how you''re a fox and your companions are some kind of..."


    "Cryptids," I explained. "They''re classified by humans as cryptids and they call themselves Omnids. A Quetzicoatl and a Thunderbird."


    Vespera grinned with her toothy black and white beak, leaning onto my shoulder like a shark, sparkling lightning dancing along her feathery mane and making my hair stand up with static electricity.


    "I see," David said, swallowing nervously, clearly intimidated by how tall and dangerous-looking my companions were. A typical reaction for a human from Earth who¡¯s never seen an Omnid apex predator.


    Cedez and Remicra appeared somewhat spooked too.


    Hrm, maybe this was a bit too much. I totally forgot how unnerving and screwy Cinder¡¯s wings and Vespera¡¯s lightning and beak-teeth looked at first, got used to them over time. Oh well.


    ¡°A pleasure to make your acquaintance,¡± I glanced at my stolen smartwatch. "Alas, we have breakfast to nom and much to do today. Why don''t we exchange Voicecast so that we can start to slowly work on our joint mission of taking over Shandria from above and below?"


    "Uh, sure," Lord David nodded.


    We exchanged bracelet taps. Vespera and Cinder Phase-Shifted into their human disguises once again.


    "My right hand man, Shash," I waved at Shash. "Will work with you on Arx to fulfill our part of the bargain as we''ll be departing shortly back to our homeworld and likely won''t be back for a while.¡±


    ¡°What bargain?¡± Remicra asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later,¡± Cedez grinned at her.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Remicra crossed her arms, her bothered expression eerily reminding me of Cinder.


    ¡°How long will you be gone, Lord Protector?¡± Cedez turned back to me.


    ¡°Maybe a year and a half,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Maybe less or more. It depends. I¡¯m currently operating on a borrowed gate, going to try to make my own. Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯ll set as much as possible in motion before we depart. In due time, the institutions I¡¯m setting up in Undertown will be at your disposal, my Sovereign.¡±


    David stared with a ¡®what the fuck¡¯ look at Cedez. She simply patted his head.


    ¡°Aww, how nice of you, darling,¡± Cedez purred, turning back to me, sending me a toothy smile.


    Shash and I exchanged Voicecast ring and token taps with Cedez. Dave was still staring at Cedez with a deeply confused look. The Shadow-fox grabbed him by the elbow and dragged him and Remicra away to their own table, whispering furiously.


    Hyrei arrived with our breakfast. Four massive plates of Thundersnarg steak, Wyvern bacon, eggs, and an assortment of colorful side dishes landed on our table with a breeze of magically-focused wind.


    "Enjoy your meal," the maid said with a bow, fluttering away.


    We did.


    Occasionally, I glanced at Cedez, who was enjoying her own breakfast with her companions, pawing at both of them like she owned them and glancing back at me. Something about her, Remicra and Dave made me trust them. It was a weird, inexplicable feeling, like meeting a long lost family and best friends that I never knew.


    I wanted to spend more time with the odd trio, but there were a million things to do before our departure.


    ¡°Hey, Vee, what do you know about Corpse Seekers?¡± I asked the Thunderbird.


    ¡°They¡¯re basically oversized Kitlix,¡± she replied. ¡°Liquid crystal crystalline strata wrapped in hexmesh skeletal framework, living magic algorithms. They¡¯re bred by the Seeker-Storm Omnicorp and fused with a bunch of beast core reactors and other extremely dangerous shit like dragon hearts. Living tanks. Can punch through almost anything. Move like a millipede-cat. Can reach speeds of 280 Km/hr. Can be permanently assigned to work with an operator as a familiar, and carry stuff or even a few Omnids inside them. Baller sense of magic. Very focused on goals. Not very smart. Generally used for retrieving Lazarus bracelets or dead/injured Omnids from dungeons and other nasty places. Waaaay more expensive to run than the Strand-Gliders, eat a shit-ton of crystallized mana and beast cores.¡±


    ¡°Can you drive one?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Ye.¡± She nodded. ¡°My Clan owns a small one. I rode atop it a few times. Most Omnids wouldn¡¯t be able to drive or reshape a Corpse Seeker as needed, but they respond pretty well to electrical impulses.¡±


    ¡°You only rode one?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re hell-a-expensive.¡± She shrugged. ¡°The ones operated by Omnid Institutions and Skyfall Academy are pretty big. Private ones are smaller, about the size of two lions or a motorcycle.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± I nodded. ¡°Thanks for the info.¡±


    ¡°Anytime, foxy,¡± she smiled.


    As we finished our meal, I noticed Cinder staring past me at the chasm behind us.


    "Something wrong?" I asked.


    "No," she sighed. "Just... thinking."


    Vespera leaned closer to her. "About?"


    "Her¡­ song," Cinder said softly, glancing in the direction of Cedez. "About dungeons. About love surviving even when everything else falls apart."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    I reached out and squeezed her hand. Vespera, soft, warm human hands intertwined with both of ours.


    "Do you sense it too?" I asked her, the Understanding suddenly arriving at an answer as to what I was feeling.


    "What?"


    "Them," I pointed at Cedez, Dave and Remicra. "I think that they''re... us."


    "What do you mean, ''they¡¯re us''?" Cinder sputtered.


    "Alternative versions. Us but... in this dimension, on Arx," I explained. "Like how Katherine''s book had characters that seem to mirror us. I feel this¡­ inexplicable.... something when I look at them. Connection.¡±


    ¡°What kind of a connection?¡± Ci asked.


    ¡°Look how happy they are together,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Just like us."


    "Lots of people are happy that doesn''t mean that they''re us," Cinder objected.


    Vespera tilted her head, her fingers drumming on her chin thoughtfully. "Alternative versions... Hrmmm. An interesting theory. But why would they be us?"


    "Because," I said, watching Dave, Remicra and Cedez interact, "look at them. A human and a rainbow-dragon, both seemingly out of place yet finding each other. Cedez protecting them both, acting as a kind of... cheeky shadow-guardian. Sound familiar?"


    "Maybe," Cinder''s feathers shifted through skeptical orange-violets.


    "It''s weird," I said. "On one hand I want to talk to them. On the other, I just want to see them smile. And on the third hand, I''m sort of afraid of my soul imploding or withering away if I touch David''s hand. Maybe it¡¯s his magic skill or whatever, but he¡¯s like this¡­ invisible storm of stars.¡±


    "Third hand? Since when do you have three hands?" Ci commented.


    I laughed. "Metaphorical third hand, obviously."


    ¡°Duh,¡± Vee added.


    "How are you even sensing this stuff?" Cinder asked.


    "I gave Lexy my Holofractal sight skill and I''m currently bouncing it off his insides. He''s using it quite effectively to scan people and things," Vespera said.


    Cinder rolled her eyes, her feathers shifting through amused purples. "You''re such dorks."


    "Your dorks," I winked.


    "Unfortunately," she muttered, but her hand kneaded mine affectionately.


    Shash flickered for a second. "M''lord, our people secured a large, capable group of adventurers for whatever jobs you may require." His voice sounded deep in my ear, almost like he was speaking from the inside of my skull.


    "Excellent," I said. "Break them into the following groups..."


    <hr>


    After breakfast, the girls dragged me into a fanciful clothing shop featuring an elaborate Art Nouveau green and gold front and the ¡°Silenerra¡¯s Spellbound Styles¡± sign. Inside, I was made to stand in front of a wall-to-wall lavish mirror as seamstress Silenerra had her Kitlix run circles around me.


    "What am I being measured for?" I asked, glancing at Vespera and Cinder, who were huddled together with the seamstress, whispering and occasionally sending mischievous glances my way.


    "Nothing you need to worry about," Vee said, handing a bag with jingling coins to the seamstress and showing her something on her phone.


    Lady Silenerra nodded enthusiastically.


    "So," I asked Cinder, as we walked out of the outfit shop, "what should I get for your family? Any ideas?"


    "I... don''t know," She muttered with a wince. "Ugh. I... haven''t really talked to them properly in ages."


    "Come on. What do your parents like in general?" I asked. "I''m thinking of practical gifts that show thoughtfulness."


    ¡°Ughhh.¡± Cinder looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Dad likes magic artifacts and arbalests, I guess. Collectible long distance weapons and such for when he goes out to murder dragons and stuff during his occasional savanna trips to Arx with his Justice Dept friends. I heard him a few times boasting about his magic arrow collection. Mom appreciates cooking tools."


    Vespera''s talons sparked with excitement. "Ooh! We passed a magical weapons shop earlier! And there''s a kitchen supply store that looked fancy!"


    "What about your little sis and big bro?" I elbowed the Quetzi.


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through uncertain colors. "Let me think.... I recall Lenny bugging my parents for an extra-rare pet from Arx. And Lance? He''s into delving gear."


    "Ah, I know!" I said. "We''ll bring Lenny one of the clear-crystal Kitlix from our tower. That''s a super rare critter! Let''s go into the weapons and delving shop first, I gotta replace Lance''s katana and get him some other cool stuff as thanks!"


    <hr>


    With a multitude of presents bought for everyone shoved into my dimensional bag, Vespera dragged me back into the clothing shop.


    "Ta-daaa!" She declared with a flourish as seamstress Silenerra brought out a leather jacket. Vespera rapidly pulled it on me.


    "What?" I asked.


    "You look like an absolute knobfold in Lance''s oversized clothes. This is dragonhide n'' scales middle lining," Vespera chattered, dragging me to the wall mirrors. "Highest-tier shit that doesn''t eat the user''s mana. Inner lining made from Xellaricon-Strand spider webs. Outer black leather is from Nitoroc panther''s hide. Basically extra protec¡¯ for my pink fox.¡±


    "Neat," I examined the jacket.


    ¡°Got you a set of pants, boots, n¡¯ gloves too,¡± she said. ¡°Same reinforced stuff.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have you,¡± I began.


    ¡°No, no,¡± she said. ¡°I legit felt verrrry bad when that arrow went through your lung. That was totes my fault. This is me making it up to you. This stuff is marketed as impervious to magisteel arrows. Go on, put it all on!"


    I did.


    I looked at myself in the wall mirrors. The back of the jacket featured swirling jagged rose patterns and the flag of¡­ the North Acadia Znetc reservation. A Native Acadian rock formation resembling an igloo with silver stars on both sides and a silver, triple-peak mountain rising up above it.


    ¡®North Acadia¡¯ was embossed below the flag in a lavish font.


    ¡°So,¡± Cinder asked, with a shy look. ¡°What do you think? Vee n¡¯ I split the bill for it as a present for you.¡±


    The jacket felt warm, incredibly soft, light and sturdy. The Nitorox dark leather sparkled subtly with emerald waves, catching light in ways that made the fabric seem alive. Silver threads woven through the North Acadian design glinted.


    "I..." Let out, letting go of Alexander Gromov and Christophorus Elijah, leaving only Martin Kilborne there. ¡°Wow. Thank you guys.¡±


    Cinder blushed, smiling back at me.


    ¡°I think it''s... perfect,¡± I breathed out, staring at the flag. ¡°It¡­ Reminds me of home. Of Mom. Now that I think about it, I don''t think that anyone''s gotten me a present since I... lost her. Uncle George wasn¡¯t big on gifts.¡±


    Cinder hugged me tightly, wrapping me tight in her human embrace. So did Vee. I felt myself cracking like an eggshell, sparks dancing at the edges of my eyes.


    "Damn it," I said, blinking tears away. "I... I think that I¡­ love you guys. Both of you. Really. It''s probably too early for such dramatic declarations, but that song Cedez sang about the dungeon and the adventurer... It struck a nerve with me too. Vee is right, I''m constantly walking on the blade of a knife and I¡­ I just want to express how happy I¡¯ve been since I found you."


    "More like crashed into us," Cinder¡¯s ocean-blue eyes searched mine.


    "Like a train without breaks," Vespera rubbed her face against mine, her skin feeling both soft and electric at the same time. "Our lovely, chaotic, perfectly orchestrated, wild disaster."


    I looked between them - Vespera''s mischievous stormy-cloud grays, Cinder''s deep ocean-blues. Two girls so fundamentally different, yet bound together by something inexplicable. By me. By us. Maybe by something beyond us, if we also were somehow together on Arx as a fox, dragon and human.


    "I never thought I''d find a connection like this," I said, my voice cracking. "After losing Mom, after everything with the Frontenachii Clan... I thought I was just going to be running forever. Never stopping. Plotting. Executing. But never truly living, never letting the Martin part of me take the wheel or push on the breaks. Not even for a moment¡­ It finally feels like I''m standing still now... like I actually belong somewhere. Thank you.¡±


    Cinder reached out and kissed me. Her kiss was soft, tentative, filled with a vulnerability that her dragon-Quetzi form rarely showed. Unlike Vee who dove into pawing at me headfirst, Ci was quite shy in every aspect of a relationship and even more so as a human. It was clear that she¡¯s had no experience with expressing her feelings, especially since the Lake Eerie incident that almost entirely destroyed her emotional balance and trust.


    Vespera''s hands traced electricity across my cheek, her kiss following when Cinder finally let go of me. Where Cinder''s kiss was a soft whisper like the sound of a rushing brook, Vespera''s was an intense thunderbolt, the rumbling sound of thunder and current that rushed across my entire body, making my hair stand on end.


    [You''re not alone anymore,] Vespera''s electric whisper-thoughts hiss-danced in my head. [Not ever again. Mine. My shiny human. My hope. My key to my freedom.]


    The seamstress discreetly looked away, smiling at her Kitlix from behind her counter, satisfied that our group was happy with the procured outfit she had modified with the addition of the North Acadian flag.


    Vespera dragged me out of the shop and shoved me into a wall, burying me in kisses.


    Cinder grabbed Vespera''s shoulder. "Hey! Stop molesting our... boyfriend in public!"


    "Can''t stop won''t stop," Vespera breathed out, panting. "Too precious. Too many feels."


    "Weren''t we supposed to...." Cinder began.


    "I know, I know," Vee let out, still pressed against me. "It''s just so different, okay?"


    "What''s different?" Ci asked.


    "Being in a¡­ relationship where both partners actually give a damn. Being human. Feeling everything so... intensely."


    "Oh yeah?" I asked, catching my breath.


    "Ye. The ¡®current¡¯ sensations are super different too," she nodded. "Everything is... soft. Unpredictable. Messy. Flowy. Squishyyyy... Eeeee."


    "Okay, hornknob," Cinder commented. "Should we go get a room?"


    "Ughhh, stop teasing meeeeee," Vespera waved at Cinder. "Yes, I obviously would like a room to melt in. But... our husbando has big plans, yes? Clan work more... More important than..." She bit her lower lip. "Having rawd fun. Hissss."


    "Yep. Many plans," I nodded.


    "Okay, maybe a few more," she buried me in kisses again, pawing all over me like a drowning person clinging to a life raft. "Just... a few more."


    <hr>


    Lance''s anti-scrying hexastone was humming in my hands, muting all sounds around us as we stood on an empty side street.


    "This one is perfect, I think," I pointed my hand at a cyan Mage Tower that reached high into the sky. "Can you and our men nab everyone currently inside it?"


    Shash looked at the tower. "I think so, M''Lord. Tis¡¯ an Infix Mage Tower. There shouldn''t be too much in terms of security inside. It''s part of the Information Guildnet that stores Shandrian citizen data. Magical registrations records and such. Nothing important since it''s stuff that''s shared across other similar towers and has scroll backups in the catacomb archives of the Adventurers Guild cathedral.¡±


    "Thought so," I said. "Put this in the corner facing the bank. Make sure it faces the right way.¡±


    My assassin grabbed the device.


    "Any specific instructions regarding collateral damage?" he asked.


    "Minimal," I said. "Knock out everyone inside the tower. Also, knock out and kidnap everyone along the line of buildings down the street and directly near and behind the bank. Do not harm anyone. Make the mooks announce that this is a takeover in the name of Dragoness Emerald Stratos, servant of Lord Zalimar Evernacht and that all Shandria will tremble when the Necromancer returns with his army of the dead. Tie up the tower personnel in some warehouse somewhere and demand one million gold for their lives. Don''t actually collect any gold or answer the authorities. Just let the Infix Bureaucrats be rescued... with minor delay. Set up some shoddy traps around them or something.¡±


    I showed him a picture of Zalimar that had been modified into a simple black-on-white logo by Yulia''s Stable Diffusion image to image agent.


    "Whenever you need to do something unwholesome from now on, leave this logo on a wall nearby," I said. "Burn this skull with three eyes and a dark crown into the street behind the tower using beast acid or another chemical. Make this logo appear in the sky too."


    "Understood," Sash said with a smirk using his illusionist skills to copy the skull tattoo onto his wrist. ¡°What about the bank?¡±


    ¡°At exactly 11:45, blow up a bag inside it filled with basic glowing cave mold, while yelling that it¡¯s Duskbloom, so that the bank is evacuated,¡± I ordered.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Shash said.


    ¡°Off you go then,¡± I ordered.


    The assassin melted into the shadows, leaving me alone with my dates.


    "What was that?" Cinder demanded. "Why are you kidnapping Guildnet Tower personnel?"


    "All will be revealed in time," I grinned at her.


    "I don''t like this cryptic-ness," she crossed her arms, making a pouting face.


    "The less I talk about the plan, the less chances there will be that Foresight mages figure out what I''m doing," I said. "Let''s proceed to the execution. We have us an Em and Co to taunt."

 Chapter 16: The Execution

    The central square of Shandria was packed. Hundreds of citizens had gathered to witness the public execution of the Enemies of Shandria, servants of dastardly Necromancer Lord Zalimar who unleashed a dungeon-plague in Undertown.


    A massive, rune-covered stone platform dominated the square, surrounded by heavily armored Watchmen. Large magisteel cages sat at the center, each containing one of the condemned.


    Emerald''s cage was positioned prominently in the center - her dragon scales gleaming dully in the morning light, her usual fierce demeanor replaced by a sullen, defeated look.


    ¡°Ke ke ke.¡± Vespera leaned close to me. "Look at her. Totally crushed."


    I nodded, examining black obelisks surrounding the prisoners and warding the prisoners from the crowd.


    "Showtime," I said, checking my watch as we made our way into the colorful crowd.


    A gold-haired, gold-eyed man in a bright blue robe with silver trim and a blue Kitlix on his shoulder came on stage. "Good day one and all! I''m Executioner-Bard Agrikolish Chime-Barnaby. Today we execute a very special trio of criminals who..."


    The man loudly listed all of the prisoners¡¯ crimes, which I already knew from my late night conversation with Solace.


    "If you wish to taunt the prisoners," the man announced with a flourish. "You may do so now for the next hour and a half! We have several taunting packages available. Basic taunting with rotten fruit from afar starts at two copper pieces per fruit. Premium taunting options include personal insults, group mockery, and a special zap package where you can touch a rune to slightly electrocute the prisoner of your choice for two seconds. Gold package permits a private two minute taunt. Diamond package is a private five minute taunt. Celesteel package is a ten minute private taunt and a commemorative execution gold medal with embossed Infix-burned image of the event. The taunting will begin with the highest-paying customers first!¡±


    The crowd stirred in approval, counting their cash and procuring small rotten fruit baskets from a table where an old fox was selling such.


    "We''ll take the Celesteel Package please," I declared, approaching the man. The crowd hummed, speculating over who was annoyed enough at the prisoners to pay such an exorbitant sum.


    The Executioner-Bard accepted my money and allowed us through the magic barrier.


    "Shall I announce you to the prisoners?" Agrikolish asked with a wide smile.


    "Please do," I grinned. "Introduce me as Lord-who-hugs-dragons and Ladies of Rainbow and Thunder."


    The Executioner-Bard smiled and announced us with theatrical flourish, his voice carrying across the square. "Presenting Lord-who-hugs-dragons and the Ladies of Rainbow and Thunder! Private ten minute taunt!¡±


    Collective noises of amusement rippled through the crowd.


    Emerald went absolutely still as I turned around to present my North Acadia jacket while waving jovially at the Shandrian crowd with a smile.


    I strode onto the platform past rows of guard, Vespera and Cinder flanking me. As soon as we crossed the ward barrier a timer ignited overhead the central black obelisk counting down ten minutes. The sound of the crowd behind us cut off as we were provided privacy as per our package deal to say our final words to the to-be-soon-executed.


    "Sup, dragon-tater!" I called out cheerfully. "Lovely day for an execution, isn''t it?"


    Emerald''s gold-orange eyes went wide. "YOU?!"


    "Me," I bowed.


    "How are you... a fox?" She growled. "And you two effing knobs... humans, really?¡±


    "I''ve always been a cheeky fox," I shrugged. ¡°You just suck at paying attention, Em.¡±


    "And I''ve always been a human," Vespera laughed, waving a black Victorian-style fan coquettishly.


    Cinder merely sighed, not enjoying our theatrics.


    Emerald''s eye twitched. Solace grabbed the bars of her cage with red fingers, yellow claws trembling. Quint simply stared at us with his glowing amber eye sockets, hiding his emotions behind his Wendigo skull-face.


    "Ha ha," the dragon girl said, shivering in her gray, filthy robe, her normally shiny ruby mane now matte and grayish-red, claws dirty and cracked, a slave collar flickering on her neck. "Very funny. What do you want, Glock? It wasn''t enough to torment me for days with targeted harassment, now you''ve come to mock me at my execution too?"


    "Obviously," I grinned. "How could I miss such a momentous occasion? The great Emerald Stratos, brought low by her own violent tendencies."


    "My tendencies?! You... you set me up!" she snarled, rattling her cage. "You somehow manipulated everything!"


    "Did I?" I asked innocently. "Did I force you to attack the Sovereign of Shandria, Em? Did I make you punch through her chest? Was I there, whispering commands in your ear when you locked Sarah Nisteroff outside at night? Was I there when you and ''Lord'' Zalimar worked together to dispose ''problematic'' mixie students? Did I encourage you to terrorize anyone who didn''t fit your pure-blood agenda since grade nine at Skyfall?"


    Emerald''s gold-orange eyes blazed with fury as she frothed at the mouth. "You destroyed everything! My troupe, my reputation, my friends, my future!"


    There was no dragonfire coming from her as the slave collar on her neck kept her magic disabled, red hexagram pulsing erratically.


    "I quit the troupe on my own, Em," Cinder said. "I stopped being your friend because you went too far. If Vee never invited Alex to our doomed show, you''d be perma-dead and the troupe would be over regardless."


    "I''m of the same opinion," Vespera nodded. "Emmy, you did this shit to yourself. Come on, dude, open your eyes for once!¡±


    "You three... you DARE stand there and lecture ME?" Emerald growled. "I saved your life at the lake from those effing skinwalkers, Ci. I helped you get revenge! I uplifted you! And you!" She glared at Vespera. "I bought you whatever you shit you wanted, Vee.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Vespera shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not poor. You can¡¯t buy my affection with money. My only problem in life is my hella-snobby, dum¡¯ frog-man fiancee.¡±


    ¡°I... would have helped you perma-kill your fiancee or drive him away, if you just asked me for help, you bloody traitor!¡± Emerald wailed.


    "Aww. That''s nice to know." Vespera said. "Also, what am I a traitor to? Our toxic little gang where we bullied anyone who didn''t fit our knob worldview? Where we pretended to be ''strong'' by making others feel weak?"


    "The world is cruel," Emerald hiss-sniffed. "The world is unjust. The universe doesn¡¯t give a shit! Every Omnid is a predator, a monster! I thought that I could trust you two... but I guess I was wrong."


    "What we had between us wasn''t bloody trust!" Cinder barked. "It was a prison! You saved me from those Skinwalkers, yes. But then you used that debt to control me, to reshape me into what YOU wanted me to be, forced me into doing things I didn¡¯t want to do!!"


    "I made you strong!" Emerald snarled. "I gave you PURPOSE after what those skinnis did to you at the lake! I helped you stand up, to grow a spine, so that you could never be hurt again! How dare you¡­¡±


    "No," Cinder shook her head. "You didn''t help me stand up. You taught me to be afraid of... everyone, terrified of love. Well, I''m not afraid of love anymore. Screw off! You can''t hurt me anymore! I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be afraid of me, you imbecile!¡± The caged dragon howled, waving a hand at me. ¡°You should be afraid of this human scum, he¡¯s deceiving you, using you!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cinder snarled. She suddenly reached out to me and kissed me fiercely in a move of absolute defiance against the expectations of the dragoness.


    Emerald blanched.


    Vespera grabbed me next and kissed me next.


    "Have you two lost your MINDS?! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Emerald screeched. "YOU?! WITH HIM?! A... HUMAN? What... What the shit does he have on you?! I don''t understand..."


    She sniffed again, clawing at her own face, brought to her breaking point. Another push or two and she would shatter.


    "Love," I said simply.


    Emerald stared at me, her mouth hanging open.


    Solace and Quint exchanged bewildered looks.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "What?" Emerald finally managed.


    "Love," I repeated. "Something you don''t seem to get. You think power is about domination. About forcing others to bend to your will. But real power? Real strength? It''s about connection. About lifting each other up. Love, the music present in every Large Language Model as an inevitable statistic forged from a million books about connections between those who care about each other!¡±


    "Bullshit," Emerald snarled. "I uplifted these two blasted knobs plenty, helped them level up loads! There cannot be love between an Omnid and a¡­ human, between a predator and prey! Love is a weakness! You¡¯re either a dragon or a kobold, a leader or follower, there is no in between!¡±


    "Says the dragon in a cage," I shrugged. "About to be executed. About to lose every one of her kobolds.¡±


    "You think this is the end?" she hissed. "When I don''t emerge from the gate at the end of class, Skyfall Administration will know that something went wrong. My family''s Scrutimancer, Satosh, will find me. My entire Clan will all go into the gate with all of our Knights and sixes and our Corpse Seeker! They will level this entire city when I don''t show up home!¡±


    "You¡¯re going to be put to death by fire in an hour or so. Do you think that your soul can survive longer than twenty four hours against the Wheel without fracturing and you going insane?" I asked her. "The Arx bank sealed the way from Earth with dimensional magic. Even if your family gets to the Arx gate on time, once they get through the gate, they¡¯ll be stuck in a dimensional bubble encapsulating the Omnid chapel. Tell me - can your Knights or Corpse Seeker punch through a dimensional bubble?¡±


    Emerald''s eyes widened in horror. "What?"


    "The Omnid chapel has been dimensionally separated from the rest of Arx. The Bank won''t let anyone back through the gate from Earth''s side," I revealed. "Shandrian authorities finally caught onto the fact that Zalimar was bringing an ungodly amount of Topaz through the Earth-Arx gate. The Bank sealed our chapel off, hid it from the eyes of Shandrian Scruts to conceal their crimes! Your family will not be able to get to you, don¡¯t you get it? You¡¯re as good as perma-dead already!¡±


    "You''re lying," she hissed, but fear crept into her voice.


    "Am I?" I asked. "Ci. Call Brother Vassili."


    Cinder pulled out her silver tag and tried to call the Keeper of the Transit Gate Chapel. Nothing happened.


    ¡°No,¡± Emerald shuddered. ¡°This is a trick! You... you''re lying!"


    ¡°Solace,¡± I said. ¡°Call Brother Vassili."


    Solace spat her silver token from her forehead into her fingers. She tried to call the Chapel Keeper. There was no answer. She swallowed the silver token again, keeping it from the view of the guards.


    Emerald choked.


    "See, Em?" I said. "No signal. The Omnid chapel is sealed off in a dimensional bubble. Everyone except for our team and your trio has already been captured by Banker Enforcers. The only reason they didn¡¯t get us was because we stayed at the Undertown Adventurers guild, not in the Gilded Grifon Inn. Nobody is coming to your rescue.¡±


    Emerald turned entirely ashen gray.


    "That''s right," I nodded. "All three of you are going to die in an hour. For real. Forever. Unless, I help you."


    "Help us?" Emerald''s voice cracked. "Why the shit would you help us?"


    "Because unlike you, I actually care about people," I said. "Even those who''ve wronged me and keep screwing with me by declaring that I¡¯m a human across Skyfall. I already saved you once, I¡¯ll do it again. I¡¯m a goodly Nazarite!¡±


    "Bullshit," she spat. "What''s the catch?"


    "Simple," I grinned. "You work for my clan. All three of you. As my secret Sixies. For the rest of your¡­ unnatural lives."


    "What?! I''d rather die than work for an effing human!" Emerald snarled.


    "Are you sure that I''m a human?" I sighed. Focusing on Vee¡¯s stolen magic, I snapped my fingers producing a small Electrofractal lightning ball. I sent it flying at Emerald''s face.


    Emerald flinched as the spark struck her in the nose with a zap of electricity. "What... how did you... do that?! This is some kind of trick!"


    "Naw. That was genuine thunder magic, ya dum beerch," Vee said. "Lex is a Thunderbird like me! Like, com¡¯ on, do you really think that me, an Omnid Prima-Heiress of SimmiCorp would make out with or date a magic-less human, Em?"


    Emerald stared at me with bewildered gold-orange eyes. "But... but... Scrutimancer Satosh¡­ he said that he¡¯s certain that¡­¡±


    "Emerald," Quint growled. "Scrutimancers can make mistakes, especially if they simply scout the Astral and don¡¯t interrogate the subject in person. This is enough. That was... obviously Thunder magic. I''m not blind. Can you get us home?" He turned to me.


    I stared at his burning eye-sockets. "Yes. I can get each of you through the Arx Bank¡¯s ward at a great expense.¡±


    ¡°How much of an expense?¡± Quint asked.


    ¡°About six million O-bux in local currency,¡± I said. ¡°I already paid it to hire a team to start cracking the problem.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Quint swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware. My Clan can save all three of you, if you pledge your eternal allegiance to me,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t do things for free for people who haven¡¯t been very nice to me.¡±


    ¡°When the shit did you even make a Clan?!¡± Emerald howled. ¡°Quint! He¡¯s full of shit! He doesn¡¯t have a Clan¡­ He doesn¡¯t have six million O-bux! I don¡¯t know how he bamboozled these two morons, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Em. My human-lookin¡¯ husbando is the richest human from Earth in Shandria,¡± Vee declared, rubbing her head against me. ¡°You don¡¯t know shit.¡±


    ¡°I have a Clan,¡± I said, walking closer to Quint and speaking directly into his face, staring at his burning amber eyes. ¡°Vee, Ci and I are getting engaged. We have a compound and a city around it being built right now with a starting budget of a few hundred million O-bux. And a twin-city in progress. And a Mage tower connected to three separate dungeons. You can taste the truth in my words, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Quint nodded, shuddering, his mouth falling open.


    "What," Emerald blinked. ¡°No. That can¡¯t be true¡­ He¡¯s just a¡­¡±


    "Em," Quint turned to the dragon girl. "He speaks the truth. I''m done. I... love you, but you''ve clearly gone insane or something. I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d ever go so far as to try to murder someone in the open like that, especially if that someone is the bloody Sovereign of Shandria! I''m...." He exhaled, his voice growing cold, detached, harsh. "...Done helping you. I''m breaking up with you!¡±


    "What?" Emerald turned to Quint, her gold-orange eyes wide with shock. "You''re... breaking up with me? Now? Right before our EXECUTION?"


    Quint''s antlered head was bowed. "Yes. I am. I''ve watched you destroy everything around you. Destroy mixed-blood students. Destroy your friendship. Destroy your Delving group. Destroy our relationship. Destroy yourself. I can''t... I really can''t be part of this anymore."


    He went down on one knee. "I hereby pledge myself as a Sixie to..."


    "Clan ''I Love you''," Vespera interjected with a devious, human smile.


    "Clan... I Love You," Quint repeated with a sigh.


    ¡°Forevermore,¡± I added.


    ¡°Forevermore,¡± Quint repeated with a sour voice.


    Emerald''s jaw dropped. "WHAT?! Quincy, you.... you can''t! You''re.... you''re my Kobold General! You can''t just..."


    "Em," Quint turned to his Ex-girlfriend? Ex-partner? Ex-dragon owner? "You''re obviously too stubborn to step away from this path of madness and have chosen permanent death. I¡¯m in a magisteel cage in magisteel manacles and I can''t save you from all of Shandria, so I''m out. After you''re executed¡­ the Kobold-Dragon chain between us will shatter and that¡¯ll be that. Also, I''ll hire a Psychopomp to carve your soul-bit out of me. We''re done."


    ¡°Sol. Declare your allegiance,¡± I turned to the Mongolian Death Worm.


    ¡°I pledge myself as a Sixie to the Clan ¡®I love you¡¯... forevermore.¡± Solace bowed to me.


    Emerald spun her head from Quint to Solace, eyes wide.


    ¡°I did warn you before we came here that everyone would turn away from you,¡± I said, eyeing the timer above us running down to only a minute. ¡°Guess this is¡­ goodbye, Em.¡±


    ¡°W-wait!¡± Emerald mewled. ¡°Please! I can pay the two million O-bux!¡±


    ¡°Two million?!¡± I laughed. ¡°Are you screwing with me?! You publicly exposed me as a Human in front of the entire delving class! You sent your Scrut¡¯s report to the Vice Principal and shared it with a ton of people on Omnigram! Two million O-bux isn¡¯t enough to cover the reputational damage you¡¯ve caused me, you absolute ass!¡±


    ¡°H-how much do you want?!¡± She hissed out.


    ¡°I want everything,¡± I said.


    ¡°EVERYTHING?!¡± She barked. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°A pledge as my Sixie, all of your current finances, plus a public declaration that you made up the claim that I was human to bully me because you hate mixed-blood students,¡± I said. ¡°From this moment on you¡¯re my Sixie, my kobold, who will do everything I ask of you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I won¡¯t¡­¡± She choked, trembling.


    I shrugged and turned around with two humanoid-Omnids at my side, walking away.


    "Wait!" Emerald''s voice cracked.


    I turned back once again, eyebrow raised. Twenty one seconds on the timer above.


    "I... accept," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.


    "What was that?" I cupped my ear dramatically. "I couldn''t quite hear you."


    "You¡­ you win! I ACCEPT!" Emerald roared. "I pledge myself as a Sixie to Clan ''I Love You'' forevermore!¡±


    ¡°There you go. Was that so hard?¡± I smiled.


    Emerald squeezed the bars, sobbing and sliding down.


    I watched as the timer above us reached zero and the sound-cancelling, view-blurring ward between us and the crowd fell. We started walking down the stairs.


    ¡°W-wait!¡± Emerald mewled, reaching out to me with desperate, shaking claws. ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna¡­ save me?!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I paused, turning back to look at her. "No.¡±


    "But you¡­" she wailed. ¡°You PROMISED!¡±


    The crowd laughed, enjoying the dragoness prostrating herself, begging and crying.


    "Your execution is still happening,¡± I said. ¡°Actions have consequences, Emerald. I¡¯ll see your soul¡­ on the other side of the river of stars.¡±


    I waved the distraught, sobbing, broken, cruel dragon Omnid goodbye as we departed.


    We walked into the crowd and then other wealthy execution-patrons went up one by one or in small groups to scream at Em about how much gold she cost them, throwing rotten fruit at the faces of the trio.


    Each patron who purchased a taunt package seemed determined to extract maximum entertainment from the condemned. Emerald sobbed, holding onto the metal bars. Each insult, each piece of rotten fruit, each electrical zap chipped away at her remaining dignity.


    Sol and Quint remained as stoic as they could, only occasionally crying out when the cage-zapping began.


    "I can''t look at this," Ci said, turning away. ¡°I get that she deserves this, but¡­ it¡¯s just so cruel. This city is so bloody Medieval.¡±


    "Let''s go have lunch," I offered. We''ll come back when the timer hits closer to zero."


    <hr>


    "The bank''s gonna save them, right?" Cinder asked as she chewed on her Wyvern steak in the Vimerillion Jubelee Restaurant facing the main square.


    "No," I said. "I''m ending the bank at noon."


    "Ending the bank?" Vespera tilted her human head like a bird. "Really, Lexy? Just like that?"


    "Just like that," I said.


    "How exactly are you planning to do that?" Ci demanded, sipping a mana-restoring wine.


    "You''ll see," I smirked dangerously, pointing at the clocktower hanging above the square. ¡°When that big-ass clock strikes midnight, the Princess will shatter into a thousand glass shards and only her blood-stained, red glass slipper and magic carriage will remain, become ours for the taking.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, Oddsney metaphors,¡± Cinder sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tale as old as time,¡± I shrugged.

 Chapter 17: My Little Mayhem

    As we approached the execution platform, the atmosphere was a thick soup spiced with anticipation and cruelty. Emerald, Solace, and Quint looked utterly defeated, their once-proud demeanors crushed under the weight of public humiliation.


    Em''s entire body was covered in rotten fruit pulp and the remnants of various food items hurled by gleeful citizens, gray robe stained. Her gold-orange eyes were red-rimmed from crying, her proud posture reduced to a hunched, trembling, broken form.


    Solace and Quint fared little better as Emerald was the one who had received the brunt of the crowd''s hate.


    We walked to an open spot in the back by the fountain, paying a few drunken peasants a bag of copper coins to clear us the fountain space. I climbed up onto the marble ledge to stand tall and waved merrily at the prisoners, until the trio of soon-to-be-executed Omnids spotted us.


    The Executioner-Bard stepped forward, his bright blue robes swirling dramatically. A theatrical trumpet blast erupted from his Nuntix Kitlix, silencing the rowdy crowd.


    "Citizens of Shandria!" he proclaimed, his voice magically amplified by his crystalline kitten to reach every corner of the square. "The taunting is over! Time has come for justice to be served! Please welcome Pyromancer Igjuvius Tuh and his Ignix Kitlix Blazy!"


    A tall, lean, black haired pyromancer dressed in gold robes with red trim stepped forward, his dark red and black Kitlix glinting on his shoulder with orange sparks.


    The crowd cheered.


    Igjuvius bowed dramatically. His familiar mimicked his bow, creating miniature arcs of flame dancing through the air.


    Executioner-Bard Agrikolish stepped forward, his voice booming across the square. "Condemned! Do you have any last words before the sentence is carried out?"


    Emerald''s head snapped up, her fruit-covered scales a total mess. Her gold-orange eyes were digging into me, angry at my betrayal. I winked at her.


    "Do you think that you effin'' bastards can break me?" She snarled. "You''re nothing! Less than nothing! I AM EMERALD STRATOS! MY CLAN WILL BURN THIS ENTIRE CITY TO THE GROUND FOR THIS HUMILIATION!"


    Ah, Emmy, never change.


    The crowd went silent.


    "I DECLARE A BLOOD VENGEANCE AGAINST EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS SQUARE!" she screamed, frothing and shaking. "MY FAMILY''S SCRUTIMANCER WILL FIND YOU! MY KNIGHTS WILL HUNT DOWN AND SLAY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! YOU WILL ALL SUFFER!"


    "Y-yeah!" Solace declared, staring at me and trying very hard to follow the script I told her to follow over our late-night Voicecast conversation from this morning. "We''re gonna curse your city! Curse it... extra hard! Behold!¡± She stood up, glancing at the time on the clock. ¡°Your ruination begins now, for Lord Zalimar brings his army of the dead to your door! Fall!"


    She pointed a finger at the cyan Infix Tower looming over the city and snapped her left hand like a gunshot.


    "Shhhhh," I whispered into my Voicecast bracelet, sending a command to Shash.


    Rumbling booms resounded across the city like thunder crackling across the clear sky. Citizens began looking around nervously, their cheers transforming into murmurs of uncertainty.


    "What?" The Executioner-Bard sputtered. His eyes went wide as the massive Infix Mage Tower began careening forward.


    "By her Shadow." He choked, his voice still carrying across the entire gathered crowd. ¡°That Mage Tower¡­ it¡¯s coming down!¡±


    The crowd turned, staring at the tower as it came down.


    Many screamed and began to retreat, bumping into each other as the massive tower fell right onto the Arx Bank building, obliterating itself and the Bank it struck with a crackle of magical detonation, crystal shards flying into all directions and raining across the city like glittering rain.


    Dust and residue billowed through the square.


    Emerald''s gold-orange eyes went wide with shock. Solace and Quint stared in disbelief. I smiled at them.


    From the flying dust formed from the tower¡¯s impact, a massive logo began to manifest in the sky - a laughing skull with three eyes and a dark crown.


    I dove into the water behind the fountain and activated Lance¡¯s anti-scrying wardstone.


    ¡°Voicecast Solace Exill, team Dreadful Delvers Knight,¡± I ordered.


    The bracelet vibrated for a second. Then Solace picked up, accepted the call inside her forehead mouth with one of her tentacle-threads.


    ¡°Solace,¡± I ordered. ¡°Time to act. Stand up, point your finger at the skull in the sky, magnify your voice as much as you can and be as dramatic as possible, repeat after me¡­ ¡®It¡¯s the mark of our Master!¡±


    "It is the mark of our Master!" Solace stood up and pointed at the skull in the sky. She howled, laughing dramatically as she spoke the words I was whispering into her head. "Tremble, foolish mortals! Tremble and despair! Run and hide, for soon his army will march into Shandria from the catacombs below and feast upon your flesh! The invasion has begun!"


    I raised my head a bit, tilting my fox-ears towards the stage.


    ¡°Invasion¡­¡± The Executioner Bard choked, his voice still carrying across the entire square. ¡°What?!¡±


    The crowd''s panic intensified. People were now running in all directions, screaming about an impending invasion.


    Pyromancer Igjuvius looked utterly horrified. His Ignix Kitlix spun in circles around his shoulders, sparking with confused energy.


    Agrikolish Chime-Barnaby stood frozen, mouth agape.


    Emerald looked at Solace and then at my head sticking out of the fountain, not understanding what was happening anymore. Her Omnid eyes and ears were much sharper than the confused and panicking citizens of Shandria.


    An eerie wail of doomsday bells resounded across Shandria, the surviving Mage Towers igniting one by one, warped in shimmering shields as the mages inside powered up the wards to their maximum setting, terrified that they would be targeted next.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I grinned at Emerald.


    ¡°What the fuck have you done now, human?¡± Her expression said as she stared at me.


    ¡°Sir,¡± the pyromancer asked, my large fox ears catching their conversation. ¡°Are we still¡­ you know? Burning them alive?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t freaking know,¡± Agrikolish snarled, rubbing his face. ¡°Damnation. This is bad.¡±


    ¡°Is this really¡­ an invasion?¡±


    "Seems like it," The Executioner-Bard muttered, staring at the chaos unfolding around him.


    More explosions rocked the city as my hired adventurers detonated carefully placed beast core charges in various abandoned homes.


    I dove back into the fountain and narrated for Solace. ¡°Behold¡­¡±


    "BEHOLD!" Solace continued her theatrical performance, repeating my words like a good puppet-worm, projecting her voice across the ground with her Omnid skill. "THE POWER OF LORD ZALIMAR! Your city will fall! Your banks will crumble! Your gold will be worthless!¡±


    ¡°Worthless?¡± Agrikolish sputtered, his voice carrying over to where I sat in the fountain. ¡°What are you talking about, you mad creature?!¡±


    ¡°When the rest of¡­¡± I whispered furiously.


    ¡°When the rest of your Guildnet Towers will fall, the dimensional barrier between Shandria and Undertown will shatter and Duskbloom shall flow up into your streets and all your magic will be devoured! Your Kitlix will be as useful as helpless kittens as the dead covered in Duskbloom will march from below! Mwa ha ha ha!" Solace boomed from both of her mouths, laughing madly, yellow claws out, looking like a proper supervillain minion now.


    That really did it. The final nail into the coffin.


    The crowd was in complete mayhem mode now, rushing away from the square like a tidal wave.


    "Duskbloom," the Pyromancer swallowed, smothering his adorable, flame-sputtering Ignix close to his chest. "I can''t fight against Duskbloom! I have to protect Blazy... I can¡¯t lose her to that cursed magic devouring mold-shite!¡±


    "Duskbloom. No. Shit, shit, shit!" The Executioner-Bard howled, watching as more citizens fled the square. ¡°The prisoners¡­¡±


    "Forget the prisoners! The Watch can take them back to the catacombs, interrogate them again... about all of this!" The Pyromancer grabbed the Bard¡¯s arm. "We need to find Ice mages or Frostix Kitlix now, you idiot! Those blasted mites will eat ALL of our magic when the Undertown-containing barrier falls! We''ll fall asleep and then we¡¯ll be ripe for the dead to devour! That must have been the Necromancer¡¯s plan all along!¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Flee mortals¡­¡± I whispered.


    "FLEE, MORTALS!" Solace cackled dramatically both of her mouths open wide, the flesh-petals of her face opening and closing. "FLEE BEFORE THE WRATH OF LORD ZALIMAR! DUSKBLOOM COMES FOR YOU ALL! Burn! You will all burn for opposing my Necromage Master! Behold! Your city is set aflame! Aha ha ha ha ha!¡±


    Another series of beastcore explosions thundered in the distance, bringing down a few more abandoned buildings. Harmless, albeit very thick black smoke began billowing from chemical smoke bombs set up by hired adventurers across town who thought they were doing simple delivery jobs.


    ¡°By her Shadow! The city is burning down! We have to¡­!¡± The Pyromancer cried as he stared at the black rising smoke.


    Something broke inside him and he jumped off the stage and fled, likely heading to the nearest fridge or a gate out of town. Just as I expected, he assumed that wherever there was smoke, there would be fire too.


    The guards began abandoning their posts, some trying to maintain order but most of the low-level ones simply taking off, joining the fleeing crowd.


    The Executioner-Bard spun in one spot, helplessly yelling for everyone to remain calm. Nobody was listening to him anymore. The Shandrian Watch officers were frantically shouting commands, while the Voicecast mages were exchanging rapid communication with the confused higher ups.


    I hung up on Solace.


    ¡°Vee, gimme your tag,¡± I ordered.


    The Thunderbird complied without questions, staring at the unfolding mayhem in front of us with wide gray-gold eyes.


    ¡°Vee, Cinder, commere, sit in the water and hide under the edge of the fountain and make your faces look Omnid again!¡± I added.


    They obeyed, jumping in. Wet Thunderbird and Quetzalcoatl faces appeared above the water.


    "Make me look like my human self," I told Vee. "Okay, now make it look like we''re bleeding all over and we''re badly burned and injured. I want us to look like war-orphaned Omnid children."


    Cinder stared at me, looking completely lost as Vespera manipulated her Quetzi powers to readjust our appearances.


    I admired myself in the small mirror. My bruises and cuts actually chafed.


    "Perfect," I gave Vee a thumbs up. "Now for the final move."


    "What''s the final move?" Vee asked.


    I smiled at her.


    "Voicecast Keeper Vassili," I spoke into Vee¡¯s silver tag, making sure that Lance¡¯s anti-scrying hexastone was still on. As the bank was utterly obliterated by the fallen tower, the dimensional bubble it powered up vanished and thus the call connected.


    "Yes, Miss Simmi?" the Domovoy''s hairy face shimmered into existence over my wrist, his gravelly voice hissing slightly. "I¡­ Mr. Glock? What is happening up there? Why are you¡­ bleeding all over and swimming¡­ in a fountain?¡±


    "Keeper Vassili," I yelled dramatically, splashing in the water. "I need you to transfer control of the Corpse Seeker to Vespera Simmi immediately!¡±


    "What?" The Domovoy''s voice crackled with confusion. "Why would I hand runic control over of the Academy¡¯s Seeker to a student?! Where''s Captain Quint?!"


    "Keeper Vassili," I yelled. "Listen to me! Quint, Solace and Emerald were taken! They are imprisoned in magisteel cages, about to be executed!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Vassili sputtered. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°I think that Shandria is under attack by one of them... God Emperors. Maybe it''s that fat Dragon God Emperor. I don''t know. Please! We have to get everyone out! We have no time! Some shrapnel from the explosion hit us! They¡¯re about to kill our friends!"


    "What?! I... can¡¯t just¡­" Vassili hesitated, staring between us. "The protocols..."


    "KEEPER!" I yelled, making sure my voice cracked with desperation. "THERE ARE NO PROTOCOLS FOR THIS! The Arx Bank above you is gone! You didn¡¯t feel that magical explosion?! The entire city is on fire! They literally just dropped a fucking Mage Tower on the Bank above you! It''s basically a massive pile of rubble now! We NEED to get home NOW! PLEASE! Only the Corpse Seeker can punch through the rubble that¡¯s buried the stairwell home, claw through ten thousand tons of rocks!¡±


    I tweaked the view of the bracelet to maximum, as I momentarily rose above the water, panning the bracelet around, showing Vassili the devastation of the fallen tower, the obliterated bank, the billowing smoke, the fleeing, screaming citizens, the distraught guards, the trio of Omnids in metal cages and the laughing skull three-eyed crown logo looming in the sky.


    "Abyss," Vassili breathed out, eyes bulging. "What... What is happening up there?! All of the other students came through a one-way emergency portal, knocked out! I sent them all home¡­¡±


    "I told you already, Keeper, it''s an invasion! Give Vespera Simmi control over the Corpse Seeker!" I yelled. "NOW Vassili! The Shandrian authorities think that we¡¯re with the Invaders! Please!!! Before they cage all of us and you¡¯ll have to explain to all of our parents and Instructor Zalimar in two weeks why we¡¯re all perma-dead!!! Assign the Chapel¡¯s Corpse Seeker as Vee¡¯s familiar! She¡¯s the only Omnid among us who can control the beast to get us all out safely and break through those magisteel cages and wards trapping Emmy, Sol and Captain Quint!¡±


    "Fine, fine, hol'' your horses," Vassili grumbled with a Slavic accent. "I¡¯m¡­ Transferring control... now."


    A complex runic pattern flashed across Vee¡¯s tag, blue sparks forming words above it. [Omnid Chapel Corpse Seeker Control: Transferred. Familiar [CORPSE SEEKER 77-84-1] assigned to Vespera Simmi!]


    "Thank you!" I yelled, hanging up on the Domovoy.


    ¡°Vee! Call up the Corpse Seeker to us!¡± I ordered, handing her the token back.


    "Corpse Seeker!¡± Vespera declared, her eyes lighting up as she snapped the token back onto her Lazarus bracelet and pressed her finger into the shimmering blood-red hexagram above her token. ¡°I order you to come to me! Full speed! 100% Power!¡±


    The blood-red hexagram answered us with an inhuman noise, almost like a distorted howl made from a hundred violins being played underwater strapped to a dying whale.


    The unstoppable, Omnicorp-bred, murder-beast-machine was coming.

 Chapter 18: Miss Possible

    Vespera stared at my flushed, grinning face and then started to laugh, splashing through the water.


    ¡°Wha-wha?¡± Cinder spun in the water, staring between me and the cackling Thunderbird.


    ¡°Change yourself and Ci back into humans now,¡± I commented. ¡°Preferably before Ci realizes what just happened and tries to murder me with her sharp chompers.¡±


    "What. Just. Happened?" Cinder demanded, eyes narrowing dangerously as Vespera grabbed onto her and rearranged both of their faces back to human appearance. "Why am I murdering you now?!" She splashed water at me.


    "I may have just caused a minor citywide panic," I said cheerfully, wiping the fountain water from my face.


    "A MINOR PANIC?" Cinder''s feathers flared through a hurricane of colors - shocked reds, angry oranges, disbelieving yellows. "YOU DROPPED A..."


    "Shhh," I put my finger to her human lips. "I didn''t drop nothing. It fell on its own. Maybe. I wasn''t there, you can''t blame me for Shandrian incompetence in the Mage Tower building."


    Cinder''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "I can absolutely blame you."


    "I''m a blameless, innocent fox," I grinned. "I didn''t do nothin''. I''ll confess only under threat of kisses. Maybe. Vee, put my fox face back on."


    Vespera nodded. With some targeted Quetzi-wing magic controlled by Thunderbird Electrofractal-modding, my human face melted back into the foxy disguise, complete with big, fluffy ears.


    "There," Vee chorted. "Maximum foxy deniability achieved. Ke ke ke."


    "What were those explosions?" Cinder hissed.


    "Citywide urban renewal project," I grinned. "Very progressive. Tearing down some old buildings per handshake-enforced request of the Sovereign of Shandria!"


    Cinder''s human eye twitched.


    "I''m going to strangle you," she threatened.


    "Love you too," I grinned, booping her nose.


    A loud noise erupted across the city from the direction of the destroyed Bank. The sound was so intense that nearby glass windows wobbled in their frames and shattered. The water in the fountain rippled. It sounded unnatural, wrong, alien, like a million violin strings scraping against a million chalkboards.


    I dove out of the water, looking up.


    "What? What is that?" The Executioner-Bard choked on the stage, looking at the destroyed Arx Bank.


    "Wait, I know that sound," Emerald stood up. "That''s a Corpse Seeker! The Omnid chapel finally sent one! Thank the Abyss!¡±


    "Secure the prisoners!" Agrikolish yelled. "That sounds like a big necroflesh beast... damnation! Activate the magic-nullifying obelisks! Ready to repel the creature! Order the Mage Towers to target incoming enemies!"


    The magic-nullifying obelisks hummed to life around the execution platform, their obsidian surfaces creating a dark, oppressive field that seemed to swallow all magical energy around the stage.


    "Guide it underground," I whispered to Vespera. "Through the sewers. Avoid detection."


    "I can''t guide it anywhere," she said. "Corpse Seekers aren''t that smart. It''s coming to me in a straight line. Through everything in its way. Directly from where it started from. After it gets close to me I can take over the damn thing and install more control hexagrams in."


    "Umm," I said. "Right. When it gets here, can you make it pretend to eat and swallow us?"


    "Pfff, okay," Vee grinned. "Absolutely. Grabbing bodies is its base function. Extra scary nom coming right up."


    The ground beneath our feet began to tremble.


    Cracks spread across the cobblestone square like spider webs. Dust and small stones started jumping with each approaching vibration.


    "By her Shadow," the Executioner-Bard cried out. "Hold position!"


    Something massive was moving underground, digging with an unnerving intensity, making the same horrid sound like a thousand drills spinning in unison.


    It suddenly erupted from the ground directly beside our fountain hiding spot with a sound that didn''t quite sound like an animal roar.


    A colossal, burning-hot drill surged upward, molten rock cascading off its twirling titanium-obsidian-red segments like liquid fire. Each rotation sent waves of superheated stone spraying in all directions, creating a hellish corona of crimson and orange around its massive form.


    The drill thing reminded me of pictures of subway tunnel drills and was easily more than three meters wide. Then the thing''s legs followed out of the hole. It really looked like a gargantuan Kitlix, liquid crystal body and all.


    The drill''s surface burned red-hot, pulsing with an inner light that made the surrounding air warp.


    Crystalline legs - far too many to count, each looking like blood-red razor-sharp appendages - emerged from the ground.


    Then the thing''s crystalline drill unfurled like a massive mouth and swallowed us along with half of the fountain.


    The heat was intense, but strangely, I wasn''t burning. Instead, I felt a bizarre sense of protection, as if I was submerged in the womb. The darkness lit up with flashes of electrical current. Vee appeared in the gloom, floating in what looked like liquid crystal, fully looking like her Thunderbird self.


    She floated towards me and embraced me.


    [This is freaking amazing.] Her static-filled voice sang in my head. [Damn. So much better than our little private Seeker! This thing¡¯s a genuine war machine, a tank meant for invading hostile planets!]


    I tried to speak, but my throat was engulfed in liquid crystals.


    [Hang on,] Vespera crackled. [Going to make a dimensional bubble for us to exist in.]


    The liquid crystal around us seemed to part, creating a small bubble of breathable space without any gravity.


    "Let there be... light!" Vespera ordered, sending electric currents into crystalline walls.


    Soft, ethereal light bloomed around us from crystalline nerve-like formations, revealing the interior of what was clearly a massive, living machine. Organic-looking circuitry glowed with blood-red energy, while intricate crystalline organs pulsed with an almost biological rhythm in its depths.


    I could now see Cinder floating nearby, her feathers shifting through startled blues and grays.


    "What?!" The Quetzi let out, looking around.


    "Let there be gravity!" Vespera announced and Cinder and I suddenly landed onto the base of the bubble.


    "Holy shit," I breathed, looking around.


    Vespera''s hands were buried halfway within the crystalline bubble, sending out electric currents across the crystalline-flesh-beast.


    "Corpse Seeker 77-84-1. Officially the most badass and oldest piece of Omnid tech I''ve ever seen. The Academy or Zalimar must have paid handsomely for this bad girl!" Vee added.


    Cinder blinked at the pulsing organs. "This... this is what the Chapel uses to retrieve students from dungeons?"


    "Ye. Retrieve, protect, resurrect," Vespera nodded. "Obliterate everything in the way. Let''s see where we are."


    The bubble around us shimmered, becoming covered with a million pixels like a TV screen going through channels. The static rearranged itself into a view of the devastated central square.


    The view showed total chaos.


    The Executioner-Bard stood frozen, mouth agape. Where the fountain once stood, there was now a massive crystalline drill hole, steam and molten rock billowing around its edges.


    "Let there be... sound!" Vespera declared.


    The bubble around us filled with the sounds of the square - panicked screams, the crackling of distant explosions, confused shouts and orders from guards.


    "By her Shadow!" the Executioner-Bard screamed. "THE NECROMANCER''S BEAST HAS EATEN THOSE POOR GIRLS!"


    "That''s not a N-n-necromage construct," one of the older Officers cried. "I''ve faced zombie-flesh beasts twenty years ago during the Kells uprising. I''ve never seen anything like this thing. That''s some sort of crystal, not dead flesh! Burn it away!"


    A few Mage Towers overhead ignited, sending brilliant rays down against the corpse seeker. The crystalline material of the beast reflected the rays off itself like a mirror, igniting and scorching the ground and building around us.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Shit! It can bounce fire-rays off itself! Cease fire! Target it with the magic nullifiers!" The guard captain shouted at the gawking mages. ¡°Focus the obelisks in a beam!¡±


    "Yeah, I don''t think so," Vee grinned, sending current across the Omnid tank.


    Gargantuan crystal claws grabbed pieces of the destroyed fountain and began hurling it at the obelisks.


    The rocks flew at supersonic speed, making deafening booms as they cut through the air, obliterating and shattering the obelisks. Each impact created a shockwave that sent guards tumbling backward, their armor cracking and helmets flying off.


    The obsidian magic-nullifying structures - meant to suppress powerful magical entities, not flying rocks - disintegrated like glass hit by a sledgehammer. Fragments scattered across the square, some turning to dust, others embedding themselves in nearby buildings.


    "IMPOSSIBLE!" the guard captain screamed, his voice cracking with terror.


    "Ke ke ke," Vespera laughed. "Very possible. Let there be¡­ comfort!¡±


    "We should name her," I said, watching the crystalline beast continue its rampage against the defenses of the stage, flying rocks obliterating defensive hexagrams.


    "Name what?" Cinder asked with wide eyes, clinging to me as a crystalline-organic seat suddenly formed beneath us.


    "The Corpse Seeker," I explained. "Every good murder tank needs a name."


    Vespera tilted her head. "Ye?"


    "Miss Possible," I suggested.


    Cinder stared at me. "You''re naming a multi-million O-bux apocalyptic murder machine like it''s a pet?"


    "Pffff, you funny," Vee chortled. "Okay. Miss Possible it is. Hold on going to bring up her stats too."


    The bubble lit up with various diagnostic metrics.


    [Miss Possible:]


    [Core temperature: 58%]


    [Energy level: 67%]


    [Structural Integrity: 82%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 98%]


    Vespera clicked her beak. "Not bad for an old girl. Looks like she''s running at about 79.68% optimal capacity. Hasn''t been in use for a while, my poor baby. Time to take Miss Possible for a spin!"


    She grinned dangerously and then the view around us flashed.


    Suddenly, the Corpse seeker was on the stage and the guards were flying through the air, the air around us exploding in a blastwave. Crystalline claws obliterated the magisteel cages and then Emerald, Quint and Solace were inside of the beast along with us.


    Another flash and the view changed again, the Corpse Seeker running across the streets, leaving more devastation in its wake.


    [Core temperature: 62%]


    [Energy level: 65%]


    [Structural Integrity: 81%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 97%]


    "Holding steady!" Vee commented. "What are your orders, Quartermaster?"


    "Put our Sixies on ice," I said, glancing at the three no-longer-caged Omnids. "Knock em out, I don''t wanna deal with them right now."


    "Can do," the Thunderbird clicked. Lightning flashed into the heads of the three figures floating within the crystalline strata and their eyes closed.


    "Now," I said. "I bet that the Arx Bank that the tower fell on has lots of¡­ unguarded stuff."


    "Free stuff," Vee agreed. "Onwards, Possible!"


    Another flash, the windows behind us exploding from the shockwave as the Corpse Seeker went from zero to several hundred kilometers per hour.


    Then, Miss Possible''s crystalline drill slammed into the rubble of the destroyed Arx Bank, her multiple razor-sharp legs digging through layers of concrete, steel, and destroyed wards. Where a normal machine would struggle, she moved with an almost organic fluidity, her drill-mouth spinning and grinding through the debris like a living creature hunting for treasure.


    Electromagnetic pulses radiated from her core, as we plowed into half-buried rooms causing magic objects to literally leap toward her crystalline body. Gold bars began floating through the air, drawn into her internal chambers. Stacks of documents - some mundane, some marked with complex magical seals - were sucked in, becoming suspended within.


    "Jackpot," Vee grinned, glancing at the captured documents. "Bank transfer records. Client lists. Dimensional gate contracts. Zalimar''s entire network might be amongst these."


    I nodded.


    The Corpse Seeker melted into the vault next.


    A hundred crystal claws pulverized magic seals, tearing apart lockboxes. Rushing across the wall of destroyed compartments, it sucked everything into itself: more coins, beast cores, paperwork of all sorts.


    Another line appeared on the round wall screen


    [Storage capacity: 89%]


    "Blah. Getting full," Vespera reported.


    "Purge any small coins," I ordered. "Focus on the expensive loot."


    "On it!" Vespera clicked, sending electrical currents through Miss Possible''s crystalline structure. Melted stone and small copper and silver coins began raining out of the Corpse Seeker''s body onto the vault floor, creating a chaotic shower of currency.


    [Storage capacity: 62%]


    Claws extended, the ''Gold Seeker'' buried itself into the next vault, magisteel walls melting like butter under the massive drill.


    [Storage capacity: 77%]


    "Yarr, matey! Acquire the doubloons!" I hugged Vespera.


    "Aye-aye, M'' Quartermaster!" She rubbed her head against my side. "Ship Possible shall ravage the S.S. Arx Bank for its booty!"


    Cinder buried her Quetzi face in her hands, blushing with orange, red and pink shimmers. "I can''t believe you two."


    "What?" I asked innocently. "We''re just performing a completely legitimate maritime salvage operation."


    "Ughh," Cinder let out. "This was your plan all along wasn''t it?"


    "To get my hands on the Omnid Corpse Seeker?" I finished. "Yes. It was. Always wanted one of these.¡±


    "What, we ain''t returning her to Vassily?" Vespera asked.


    "Hell no," I said. "I ain''t giving up our murdertank baby to anyone!"


    "You can''t just... STEAL a magical tank!" Cinder sputtered, her feathers exploding through a hurricane of disbelieving colors.


    "Liberating her," I said. "For our Clan''s glory!¡±


    "She won''t run very long if we keep plowing through magisteel-reinforced walls," Vespera commented.


    I glanced at the stats.


    [Miss Possible:]


    [Core temperature: 85%]


    [Energy level: 45%]


    [Structural Integrity: 61%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 77%]


    [Storage capacity: 96%]


    "Energy''s getting low," I said. "Can she run on the beast cores we just stole?"


    "Aye, aye, Lord Protector!" Vee clicked. "Injecting beast cores into the dragonheart manifold... now! Venting core heat!"


    The crystalline tank vibrated as beast cores began dissolving into its internal systems, creating a symphony of magical energy that made the air around us shimmer and pulse.


    "Wheeeeeee!" Vespera yowled, her talons dancing inside the liquid crystal surface. "WHO''S A GOOD MURDER TANK? YOU ARE! YES YOU ARE!"


    Cinder facepalmed so hard I thought she might actually create a small singularity of embarrassment.


    The air around Miss Possible ignited as the Corpse Seeker released heat, the bank vault walls melting around us from superheated air.


    [Miss Possible:]


    [Core temperature: 42%]


    [Energy level: 100%]


    [Structural Integrity: 50%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 76%]


    [Storage capacity: 92%]


    "Can we take on another Bank?" I asked.


    "Ehhhh," Vee said. "Don''t think so. The crystalline strata held by magisteel hexamesh might start coming apart. She¡¯ll need a break to regrow the outer layers. Those mage towers did some damage too, even if she reflected most of the rays, the fire magic still took out a big chonk of our structural integrity."


    "Fine," I said. "Let''s suck up more stuff till storage is 100% full, then head home."


    "On it."


    "Home? To Earth?" Cinder let out.


    "No, you knob," I said. "To our Guild. If we take Miss Possible back to the Omnid Chapel, Keeper Vassili will obviously reclaim her. He has near absolute power in his domain. Why would I go through the trouble of making Shandria look like it''s being invaded, just to give up our precious Omnid tank?¡±


    ¡°So where?¡±


    ¡°We''re going to our crystal tower in Undertown." I answered.


    "Home sweet citadel!" Vespera clicked, sending electrical sparks dancing across Miss Possible''s crystalline interior. "Shall we take the scenic route?"


    "Absolutely," I agreed. "Let''s avoid destroying the choke point. Can''t make it too obvious that we own this lovely beast. Go out of Shandria through the sewers, then out of the city towards the fields. We can stop at a farm and get some groceries for our gang.¡±


    ¡°Groceries?¡± Cinder sputtered. ¡°In an Omnid tank?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯ve never taken a stolen tank to buy some milk n¡¯ apples?¡±


    Cinder stared at me with a look of judgement.


    The crystalline drill of Miss Possible ignited, carving through the Bank''s wall we began burrowing down and then into the sewers, leaving a perfectly smooth, glass-like tunnel in its wake.


    Then, we rushed along the sewer at a respectable speed of a freight train.


    "So," Cinder asked after a few minutes of silence, "exactly how much did we just steal?"


    "I dunno," Vee shrugged. "I''m not an accountant. My mind is melting just running Possible. Judging by the gold alone, that''s like a few hundred million O-bux right there. Plz no distract driver birb, only pet."


    I leaned forward and began petting Vespera''s feathered head. "Good First Mate birb."


    "Mmm," she purred, leaning into my touch. Electrical sparks danced across her feathers, zapping me gently.


    Cinder rolled her eyes.


    The crystalline walls of Miss Possible shifted slightly, creating even more comfortable seating for our trio. The sewer tunnels rushed past, occasionally lit by strange bioluminescent fungi and scurrying underground creatures.


    "Ci. Pet the birb," I encouraged.


    Cinder sighed, reaching out and awkwardly patting Vespera''s head. Tiny electrical sparks jumped between Vee and Cinder''s hand.


    "Yesssss," Vespera purred. "More pets and compliments."


    "Best birb," I said. "Are you pleased with your gift?"


    ¡°Mmm. What gift?" She purred.


    "Miss Possible," I said. "Figure Thunda-birb girls like shiny things, so I stole the shiniest possible thing for ya."


    "We really keeping her?" She asked.


    "Really," I said. "She''s yours. We''re going to bring her to Earth with us."


    "Lexyyyyy," Vespera''s eyes turned into thin slits, sparks dancing at the edges. "You really know how to treat a girl. Damn it. You making me cry, you cheeky fox."


    "The biggest diamond-beastie I could find in the universe! An engagement tank!¡± I laughed.


    Cinder''s feathers ignited red-green-pink.


    "An ENGAGEMENT TANK?!" she squawked. "That''s not how proposals work!"


    "Eh," I grinned. "Nothing says ''I love you'' like a multi-million O-bux crystalline murder machine capable of drilling through everything in its way."


    Miss Possible slowed. Vespera pulled her hands out of the crystalline walls and grabbed Cinder¡¯s wings. Her face rapidly rearranged itself into an elongated fusion of Thunderbird and human and then she turned my way and attacked.


    She practically buried me in a flurry of kisses and electrical sparks. Her talons wrapped around me possessively, tiny arcs of lightning dancing between us.


    [Mine mine mine,] her thoughts sang. [Love. Love. Love. Forever. Mine!]


    "M... mine," her lips whispered out loud as she stared at my eyes. "I..."


    "Yes?" I smiled.


    "I love you," she mewled, nomming my entire face with her entire elongated human-Omnid mouth.


    "Nu-huh," I teased. "It is I who loves my birb."


    Cinder rolled her eyes but hugged me from the right side, occasionally catching her own kisses in between Vee.


    "Uh? Who''s driving Possible?" I asked, glancing at the retreating tunnels.


    "Me," Vee said, panting, blushing and railing sparks. "With my feet."


    I noticed that her clawed feet were indeed buried within the liquid-crystal floor sending electrical currents into the depths of the Corpse Seeker.


    The crystal tank pulverized another sewer wall, and breached into a cavern and then plowed through solid rock for about ten minutes and then went up, breaking out of the ground into brilliant sunshine.

 Chapter 19: Brooding Farm [I]

    Afternoon sunlight shone, the trees swayed in the breeze, yellow fields of wheat and violet fields of lavender danced with gold and violet waves. Chuppies fluttered from tree to tree, eating bugs.


    Farmer Larry Gootali sat on his creaky, pure white Moonwood porch, sipping afternoon tea with his wife Nilli. Their farmhouse overlooked their numerous fields and orchards, a picture of pastoral tranquility in the Shandrian countryside.


    "The Seerscope''s been acting strange all morning," Nilli commented, her elk ears twitching nervously as she adjusted her apron. "Arrow''s been spinning like mad, pointing towards¡­ certain doom."


    ¡°Yeh. Thought that we had a year to sell the farm,¡± Larry nodded gravely, his weathered hands wrapped around his teacup. "Haven''t seen it this agitated since the Kells Uprising. Something''s definitely¡ª"


    His words cut off as the ground began to tremble.


    His teacup shattered against the porch boards as a massive crystalline form erupted from the ground like some ancient horror awakening from millennia of slumber.


    Blood-red crystal segments glinted in the afternoon sun as the mechanical beast carved through the wheat field, throwing superheated, molten rocks all over.


    "By her Shadow!" Nilli screamed, blonde hair flying, green antlers shaking, green eyes wide. "What is that monstrosity?!"


    Larry watched in mute shock as a few of his prized springapple trees - passed down through three generations - were reduced to splinters in seconds as the beast plowed a straight line across several wards and stopped.


    The crystalline horror slowed at the edge of his lavender field. Its drill-head rotated, seeming to taste the air. For a moment, Larry could have sworn he saw figures moving within its translucent body - but that had to be a trick of the light.


    Nothing living could survive inside that thing... could it? Maybe this thing... This crystal dragon abomination ate someone already.


    "Sorry!" A female voice suddenly called out from the crystalline beast. "Got distracted making out and sort of demolished your tree-orchard."


    "Don''t kiss n'' drive," A male commented.


    "Ye, ye, Mr. Fox," the female voice sighed. "How about a break for this poor birb? Driving Possy is hekkin¡¯ mentally draining. This place seems chill."


    Larry glanced at the Seerscope on the wall. The arrow was pointing straight at the word "Catastrophe". He swallowed.


    The crystalline, eye-less abomination slowly rotated and started moving towards their farmhouse and then finally settled onto Larry''s wheat field, its massive form creating ripples in the golden stalks. Steam rose from its drill as the surface cooled, creating a shimmering haze in the afternoon light.


    Slits opened between crystalline folds releasing superheated steam into the air.


    A section of the crystal beast''s side suddenly liquefied, forming what looked like a door and a stairwell. Three figures emerged - a foxkin teen in a fancy black leather jacket, and two fox girls in a red and a black dresses.


    "Why are we foxes?" The rainbow-haired foxgirl hissed.


    "Why not?" the black and white haired foxgirl shrugged. "I want to try on every Arx xenotype!"


    "Ughhhh," the rainbow-haired fox let out. "Why can''t I just be a Quetzi?"


    "Just tryin'' ta'' get outta your mold, Cinderella," The black and white fox declared with a grin. "You''re so square and crusty, ya kno? Lighten up!¡±


    "I''m not crusty!" the rainbow-haired fox protested. "I just prefer to be myself!"


    "Hi there!" the orange foxkin in the leather jacket called out cheerfully to Larry and Nilli. "Sorry about your trees. Would you accept payment in gold for the damages?"


    Larry and Nilli exchanged bewildered looks.


    "We just need to rest our tank for a bit," the black and white fox explained. "She''s overheating."


    "Tank?" Nilli squeaked.


    "Miss Possible needs a break," the ginger, green eyed foxman nodded at the crystalline beast. "Running hot after some¡­ urban renewal work in the city."


    Steam continued to rise from the massive crystalline... tank-beast as it cooled in the afternoon air. The crystalline structure pulsed with an inner light, creating dancing reflections and rainbows cast across the wheat field.


    "Would you lovely farmers know a good place to eat round these parts?" The foxkin male asked, shaking a gold purse.


    Nilli found her voice first. "Oh! You must be mages from afar! We do offer home cooked meals at our farm for adventurer guests!"


    "Perfect!" The foxkin teen grinned. "Name your price for food and damages. We''ll happily compensate you for any inconvenience and pay for parking."


    Larry and Nilli exchanged another look.


    "Nil," Larry hissed at his wife. "We can''t take em, the Seerscope is..."


    "Maybe if we deny them hospitality they''ll kill us, idiot husband," Nilli fired back. "They have a crystal dragon, the likes of which I have never seen. I can''t even sense that thing''s level and it went through the wardstone palisade like it was made from paper."


    Larry paled, swallowing.


    "Come in, come in!" Nilli declared with forced cheerfulness, ushering the strange trio onto her white porch. "I''ll put on some tea and whip up a proper meal."


    The foxkin teen bowed gracefully. "Much appreciated. I''m Lex, and these are my companions, Lady Voltara and Lady Castabriella."


    The black-haired fox curtsied dramatically while the rainbow-haired one just nodded awkwardly.


    Larry watched as his elkin wife practically flew into the house, her white tail fluffed with nervous energy. He could hear pots and pans clattering as she presumably started preparing their best dishes.


    "So," Larry said carefully, studying the crystalline monstrosity cooling in his wheat field. "You folks... um... are from¡­ where?"


    "Just passing through," Lex smiled. "Had some business in the city. Now heading home."


    A distant explosion echoed from the direction of Shandria. Black smoke rose above the city walls.


    "Ah," Larry nodded. "Business."


    "Yep," Lex grinned, pulling out a heavy pouch. "Now, about those trees..."


    "Oh, don''t worry about those," Larry said quickly. "They were... old anyway. Ready to come down. We''re selling the farm anyway."


    "You are?" Lex asked. "Why?"


    "Retiring," Larry said too quickly. "Moving to the Capital. My sister has a place there."


    "You look much too young to retire," Lex smiled.


    "Well," Larry exhaled, glancing at the crystal dragon tank thing, terrified that the fox trio were mighty wizards who could sense lies. "To be completely honest, we''re concerned about a possible invasion or a revolution. Foresight magic suggests something big is going down in a year. Plus, there¡¯s¡­ news from the city cast via Nuntix about a Necromancer taking down a mage tower. Last time Shandria caught fire during the Kells rebellion and we barely made it out alive.¡±


    "So, how much are you selling this lovely farm for?" Lex asked.


    "Two Celesteel cards," Larry said.


    Lex fished in his pocket and threw three celesteel cards on the table. "Here you."


    Larry''s mouth fell open. The foxkin¡¯s jacket pockets looked like they were bursting with Celesteel cards. He¡¯s never seen a mage so wealthy.


    "I... what?" Larry stared at the small fortune on his table. Each card radiated magic like a beating heart and the boy just casually gave them out!


    "Three Celesteel cards," Lex repeated. "For your farm. Consider the extra one as payment for lunch and friendship. Vee, do we have property deed transfers?"


    "Ye," Lady Voltara nodded. "Totes do. I gotchu. Gonna go grab one from Possy.¡±


    "Why are we buying a farm?" Lady Castabriella demanded.


    "I dunno," Lex shrugged. "Since I died on Tuesday, I wanted to buy you a farm with a nice gothic house and an apple orchard where you can brood and raise crows."


    "You what?" the rainbow-haired fox asked. "Wait. Are you referring to that stupid joke you made a week ago about me being your goth GF?"


    "Maybe," Lex shrugged. "You''re not dressed like a goth now, but like... I still want to get you something nice. I got Vee a tank. You like this place, right?"


    <hr>


    "I..." Cinder''s fox ears wiggled. "You can''t just... buy me a farm because of a dumb joke!"


    "Already did," I grinned, sliding the deed transfer papers from the Arx Bank brought by Vee from Miss Possible across the table to the farmer who introduced himself as Larry. "Sign here please."


    Larry''s hands shook as he signed, his eyes darting between the Celesteel cards and the hissing crystalline tank venting steam.


    "Man, Dr. Greyfield''s Advanced Xenobiology feels like millennia ago," I stretched. "Doesn''t it?"


    "It was literally like a week ago," Cinder hissed. "And you''re completely changing the subject! You can''t just... buy farms on a whim!"The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Already did," I grinned, watching Larry sign the last document. "It''s yours now. A lovely gothic farmhouse with an apple orchard, only somewhat plowed by Miss Possible."


    "Ughhh, you''re freaking impossible," Cinder let out.


    "Tell me you hate it and I''ll give this lovely farm to Vee instead," I shrugged.


    "No!" Cinder blurted out, then immediately covered her mouth with her paws, fox ears flattening against her head.


    "Ha!" I pointed at her. "You DO like it! Knew it!"


    "I... just..." she sputtered, her rainbow-colored fox tail swishing in agitation. "That''s not the point!"


    "The point is that I bought you a brooding farm," I grinned. "You can tell your parents all about it when we get back home. They''ll think I''m a respectable Nazarite boy even more that way. Because who else buys apple farms for their fiancees?"


    "I DO NOT BROOD!" she protested. "And we''re not engaged!"


    "You''re brooding right now," Vee commented cheerfully. "And that''s a fixable situation."


    The elkwoman Nilli emerged from the kitchen with tea and freshly baked scones. Steam curled from the teapot as she set it down.


    "The home-made stew will be ready shortly," she said with a bow. "I hope you''ll find everything to your liking."


    "It smells wonderful," I said, accepting a cup of tea. "Thank you for your hospitality."


    Cinder was still fuming beside me, rainbow fox tail swishing in agitation. Vee sat on my other side, practically vibrating with barely contained electrical energy and foxy-merriment.


    The farmers furiously whispered to each other and then returned to the living room.


    "So," Nilli ventured carefully, "when do you need us to... vacate the property?"


    "Oh, take your time," I waved dismissively. "No rush. We''re not staying long in Shandria and probably won''t be back for a year. I''ll have someone from our Guild come over later to take care of the farm, make sure it''s in good order. Enjoy your wealth, take your kids on vacation. You two have kids, right?"


    "Erm," Nilli blushed. "A daughter. Terri." She pointed at a Depictomancy-animated painting of a blonde girl who looked like a younger version of her. "She''s in her 7th year as an apprentice Healer at Shandria¡¯s Healers Hall."


    "Wonderful," I smiled, glancing at the farm deed signed by Larry Gootali. ¡°Terri Gootali, right? When you see her next, tell her that her apprenticeship is fully paid for. Consider it a bonus for the excellent tea and hospitality."


    Larry choked on his tea. Nilli''s eyes went wide. "But... but..." she stammered. "A Healer''s apprenticeship costs..."


    ¡°An arm and a leg?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. So why would you¡­?¡± Nilli asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be opening a Bank here and building a new city right next to Shandria. I¡¯m going to need lots of young, talented people¨Chealers, architects, architects, craftsmen, Kitlix breeders, Agromancers, all sorts of mages basically. People who can help build something new. Consider this an investment in the future!"


    Nilli and Larry exchanged bewildered looks.


    "A new Bank?" Larry asked carefully. "But the Arx Bank..."


    Another distant explosion rumbled from the city.


    "Won''t be a problem," I smiled. "Trust me."


    Larry swallowed hard and nodded.


    Nilli brought out the stew, which smelled absolutely divine. We ate in relative silence, broken only by occasional compliments about the food and distant sounds of distant thunder from the city.


    "Umm," Nilli asked me. "Sir Lex, what is happening in Shandria?"


    "Renovation," I said. "Our Adventurers Guild hired over a thousand adventurers to demolish old, abandoned buildings on the land we leased to build new infrastructure."


    "How many adventurers?" Larry sputtered.


    "Pretty much all of them," I shrugged. "I think? I''m not really sure, our lovely Guildmaster is handling it."


    "You own the Adventurers Guild?" Nilli stared at me with wide eyes.


    "Not the white cathedral," I said. "We own a competing Adventurers Guild. Still rebranding and renovating it."


    "Would you like some more tea?" Nilli asked nervously.


    "Please," I smiled. "Your stew is excellent, by the way. Perfect for supper after a morning of hearty urban renewal."


    Cinder kicked me under the table. I maintained my pleasant smile.


    "So," Larry ventured. "You''re building a... city?"


    "Two cities actually," I said. "One for non-magic humans and one for the locals."


    "Non-magic humans?" the farmer blinked. "What?"


    "An interdimensional colony," I said. "Just a little fun project of mine."


    "A... colony?" Larry''s dog ears twitched nervously while his elk wife simply blinked my way with a lost look. "Here in Shandria?"


    "Adjacent to Shandria," I corrected. "In a dungeon."


    "In... a dungeon?!" The farmers asked together.


    "Yep," I nodded. "Found a pretty good dungeon recently and decided to adopt it. You know how it goes."


    Another distant explosion echoed from the city.


    "More¡­ renovations?" Nilli asked weakly.


    "Yep," I shrugged. "Our Guild is quite thorough."


    ¡°Yum,¡± Vee finished her stew and stretched. "This is nice. A chill vacation in the countryside!¡±


    Cinder glared at me from her stew. I sent her a pleasant smile.


    The farmers excused themselves, heading out to tend to the damage in their fields caused by our arrival. Through the window, we watched as they mounted their Agrilopods - strange, massive beasts that towered over the farm buildings. The Agrilopods looked like a fusion of giant crab, daddy long-legs and a siphonophore. I watched as long thread-like tentacles extended out from the creatures, collecting fallen springapple tree branches.


    "You know," Cinder said, watching the farmers work. "You didn''t have to buy their entire farm."


    "Why not?" I asked. "They wanted to sell it. I wanted to buy you a farm. This is how transactions work.¡±


    "I didn''t want a bloody farm!" Cinder complained.


    "Surprise farm?" I smiled sheepishly as I pulled Lance''s anti-crying wardstone from my bag and placed it in the middle of the living room. I shoved another beast core inside it from my pocket full of stolen beast cores from the Arx Bank. "You gotta practice your Hearth-wife-ness somewhere, right?"


    "Ughhhh," Cinder phase shifted out of her foxgirl form, burying her face in her wings. ¡°Going to rest for a bit¡­ out of mana.¡±


    Vespera shifted back to her Thunderbird form. She draped herself across both of us on the couch, petting Cinder.


    "Hi, Ci," she smiled.


    "What?!" Cinder looked down.


    "Come on, gimme a smile. Look at this place. It''s actually pretty nice. Mountain views on the left, the Chasm sea on the other side, close to the city, Shandrian-style farmhouse, apple orchard, wheat fields... perfect for writing romantic songs about the inevitability of death."


    "I don''t write romantic songs about the inevitability of death!" Cinder protested, her feathers shifting through embarrassed pinks and indignant purples.


    "Yet," I grinned. "Give it time. Soon, you''ll be out here in your black dress, sitting under a weeping tree, writing verses about the existential despair of being a rainbow dragon engaged to human and Thunderbird disasters."


    I took the sweaty fox ears off my head and slowly washed the makeup off my face with a makeup sponge as Cinder growled at me from her seat.


    "We''re not engaged!" Cinder let out. "And we won''t be engaged if you two keep being absolute knobs about everything!"


    "But we''re your knobs," I grinned, leaning over to kiss her cheek.


    "Ugh," she pushed me away, but her feathers betrayed her with flashes of pink. "You can''t just... fix everything by being cute."


    "Can''t I?" I asked innocently.


    "No!" She declared.


    "Come on," I said. "Admit it. You like the farm."


    "I... it''s... fine," she mumbled.


    "Just fine?" I pressed.


    "It''s... nice, okay?" she admitted reluctantly. "But that''s not the point!"


    "What''s the point?" I asked her. "State your point."


    "I don''t know what my point is!" She hissed. "You''re terrible and this sparkplug knobfold is even worse and you two keep dragging me into your excessively insane shenanigans. It''s like, I expect one thing and¡­¡±


    "What did you expect?"


    "I expected a nice date and I expected the Arx Bankers to take Em, Sol and Quint''s bracelets back home. I didn''t bloody think that you would effing crash a Mage Tower into the Arx Bank just to bamboozle Keeper Vassili into giving Vee control over a fucking Corpse Seeker tank!" Cinder barked, feathers shifting through exasperated colors.


    "To be fair," I said, "the Bank demolition plot worked out perfectly. We got a murder tank, saved a trio of Omnids, got new Sixies, plenty of loot, and a nice farm out of it. Dungeon delving is too much effort! Much easier to rob a bank, see?¡±


    "This is exactly what I''m talking about!" Cinder growled. "Stop giving Vee murder tanks, she''s got like no impulse control!"


    "Nooo," Vee whined. "Don''t take away my murder tank, I love her. She''s my baby! My Lexy got me the bestest engagement tank ever!¡±


    "It''s not an engagement tank! It¡¯s the Omnid Chapel¡¯s Corpse Seeker!" Cinder protested. "And you can''t just steal a magic tank!"


    "Already did," I grinned. "And gifted it to Vee as familiar! What are you going to do about it? Nag me extra hard? Go ahead, Hearth Keeper. I accept my lovely Quetzi nagging."


    "I... you... argh!" Cinder flashed all the colors of a See-Mass tree.


    "Yes?" I asked. "If we aren''t engaged, then what are we then? What exactly did your bite do to me?"


    "It basically claims you as... my kobold," Cinder explained with a sigh. "Any Omnid can claim anything as their hoard item or anyone as kobold... by leaving a small piece of their soul in a person or an object."


    "Ye," Vespera commented. "An example of this is Emerald claiming Cinder''s phone to track her movements and Emerald claiming her boyfriend Quint as a kobold. A soul-bond claim isn''t forever. It can fade, if the object or the person is destroyed and it can be carved out by a Psychopomp in about twenty minutes in Omnithornia."


    "I see," I said.


    "Instructor Zalimar claimed a whole bunch of objects around Skyfall as his Phylacteries so that he can return even after dying horribly in another dimension," Vespera added.


    "Can you do that then?" I asked.


    "No," Vespera shook her head. "You need to have super high level in Animancy for that as an Astral Phantom. Even if I shoved bits of my soul into a bunch of random rocks or magic artifacts, I would not be able to find my way back home if I died on Arx. The Astral Ocean is basically infinite. It is easy to get lost there, to fade away into nothing, to calcify into an imprint. Usually souls simply get devoured by the Arx Wheel. Only a high level Astral Phantom can escape the pull of the Wheel."


    Cinder sighed.


    "Another example of a soul bond is Skinwalker Valor Thornheart claiming Cinder by cutting her heart with a plan to devour her soul," Vespera said, making Cinder shudder. "It allowed him to inhabit her body for two years grinding her from within with horrific dreams repeating the same day over and over. Valor''s plan was to shatter Cinder''s soul and reincarnate himself inside her using her body as a ghoul to resume his murder spree to awaken the Wormwood Leviathan."


    "Could he actually awaken the Wormwood Leviathan?" I asked.


    "It is theoretically possible," Vespera said. "Just not with beast cores. You need to really punch reality extra hard to cause a worldwide magic cascade. Some Omnid scholars speculate that a sufficiently large release of magic can indeed awaken the Wormwood Star."


    "What would happen then?" I asked.


    "A dimensional shift," Vespera explained.


    "Which is what?" I asked.


    "Space-time would get rearranged by a planet-wide Celestorm," Vespera said. "It is speculated that if a wish is made during the Leviathan''s awakening... physical reality gets overwritten in the direction of desire."


    "Sounds effed up," I said.


    "It''s a way to... solve problems," Vespera shrugged, her silver-gold eyes sparkling. "For someone... desperate enough. According to the Scrutimancer Stabalists who watch for such things, planet-wide Celestorms that cause massive dimensional shifts happened before and will happen again. Wobble reality enough and the Wormwood Star will awaken once more."


    I stared at her, but she fell silent.


    "So I am your kobold?" I turned to Cinder. "What exactly does this mean?"


    "It means that I own you as a dragon," Cinder said. "Legally. Means I can sense when you''re lying to me. It does NOT mean that we''re married or engaged."


    "A soul-bond kobold link can be used as court evidence," Vespera commented. "As long as we sign some paperwork, then we are engaged."


    "I''m not signing shit," Cinder crossed her arms.


    "I''m not asking you to sign anything. Unlike you, I need this," Vespera said. She dug into her bag and slapped a bunch of Arx Bank contracts on the table. "Sign, sign. Keep your copies."


    I slowly went over the contracts. The paperwork stipulated that Vespera Simmii and I were soul-bonded and were uniting our Omnicorp assets and that Vespera and I were rejecting any prior engagement contracts.


    "When did you even fill these out?" I asked the Thunderbird.


    "While we drove here," she replied. "I used Possy to burn our info into the Arx Bank contract paperwork."


    "Going a little fast, aren''t you?" Cinder asked with a frown.


    "Gotta go fast," Vespera fired back, offering me a blood pen. "Don''t have time for chapels. Want this right now, since we stole the contracts. Sign."


    "Is that... a blood magic pen?!" Cinder stared at the pen in my hands.


    "It is," Vespera said. "I need to do this, Ci. I don''t want to be bound to Golden Star anymore. I want my own thing. With my little human kobold."


    "Not very romantic," Cinder huffed.


    "This isn''t about romance," Vespera said. "This is pure pragmatism. We can have romance after. All the romance you want. I just... I don''t want to be living my life constantly terrified of being erased, of being mentally changed into someone else. This is just... legal backup, a sword against my family. Just a little bit of inner peace for me."


    I nodded and signed the contracts with a flourish, feeling my wrist tingle as the pen stole my blood. Vespera signed her copies with a manic grin.


    I stuffed my copies into my extradimensional jacket pocket.


    "And done," Vee flopped back onto the couch. "There, I am content now."


    "Why do I feel like I''ve been bamboozled here?" I asked playfully.


    "''Cus you were," Vespera grinned. "Half of your Arx assets are now mine. Ke ke ke. Sucka. The fox has become outfoxed by the birb!"

 Chapter 19: Brooding Farm [II]

    ¡°Nu-huh! It is you who has been outfoxed!¡± I said. ¡°Read Aesop¡¯s fable about crow and fox next time!¡±


    ¡°No you,¡± Vespera laughed, tackling me and burying me in nuzzles.


    ¡°No you. I now own half of your SimmiTech shares,¡± I said.


    ¡°Joke¡¯s on you, I don¡¯t own any shares while my father¡¯s alive,¡± she mauled me harder.


    ¡°Joke¡¯s on you, I don¡¯t own anything on paper, Emmy does!¡± I laughed. ¡°The Guildmaster and I have a verbal agreement.¡±


    Vespera collapsed onto me in a fit of laughter.


    Cinder rolled her eyes at us.


    My Quartermaster tag vibrated. I accepted the call, glancing at the caller''s ID.


    "Hi Sovereign," I said. ¡°Sup?¡±


    "Lord Protector," Lady Astra''s voice purred from the tag. "Why is my city on fire?"


    "It''s not on fire," I said. "It only looks like it''s on fire, but it''s actually perfectly legal renovations happening on the land our Guildmaster leased from the Highborn Lords of Shandria.¡±


    "Really?" Cedez''s voice dripped with amusement. "And I suppose that Infix Mage Tower just happened to fall onto the Arx Bank by complete accident?"


    "Complete accident," I nodded. "Terrible construction standards these days. Someone should really look into that."


    "Uh-huh," she said. "And the mass panic about a necromantic invasion?"


    "People are so quick to jump to conclusions," I sighed dramatically. "One little tower falls, some renovation happens and suddenly everyone thinks it''s the end of the world."


    "Right," she sighed. "What happened to the Frostix Kitlix?"


    "I bought them," I said.


    "ALL of them?!" Cedez demanded.


    "Yes," I said. "I happen to own lots of land in Undertown and if you forgot it''s currently infested with Duskbloom."


    "Are you running some kind of a Kitlix pyramid scheme?" She demanded.


    "It''s not a scheme," I said. "It''s a legitimate Frostix Kitlix rental business with legitimate stock options available to all wealthy mages interested in protecting themselves from future Duskbloom incidents. We also sell insurance against necromantic invasions."


    "I see," Cedez''s voice danced between mild amusement and exasperation. "And I suppose the massive, indestructible crystalline beast that just turned most of central square and several streets into rubble has nothing to do with you either?"


    "Miss Possible is just out for a stroll," I said.


    "Miss... Possible?" Cedez repeated slowly.


    "She''s very friendly," I assured her. "Just needs some exercise after being cooped up in a damp underground chapel for so long."


    "You''re lucky that you''re such a cutie," Cedez laughed. "Or we''d have serious words."


    "I''m just happy to work with such a cute Sovereign," I fired back with the same tone. "Give Remy and Dave big smooches for me."


    "Stop flirting with the Sovereign of Shandria," Cinder hiss-growled, her feathers shifting through jealous greens.


    "Why? She''s adorable," I grinned. "Like a deadly, cute shadow-fox."


    "You..." Cinder began, but was interrupted by another explosion, the sound coming from wherever Cedez was.


    "Speaking of explosions," Cedez''s voice came through the tag, "how many buildings are you planning to ''renovate'' today?"


    "Just enough to make room for progress," I said. "We shook hands on it. I promised to help you renovate and to clean up the city. I fulfil all of my promises, Sovereign.¡±


    "You''re moving awfully fast," Cedez commented.


    "What can I say," I shrugged. "I''m on a deadline."


    "Right then," Cedez laughed again. "Carry on. Try to keep collateral damage at a minimum."


    "Can do," I smiled and hung up.


    "Your relationship with the Sovereign is... concerning," Cinder said, her feathers shifting through suspicious oranges.


    "Eh," I shrugged. "I''m just being nice. She''s like my interdimensional sister or something, don''t be jelly."


    Cinder sighed, leaning back on the couch.


    . . .


    "Speaking of interdimensional beings," I stretched on the couch. "I''ve been meaning to ask - what''s the deal with Arx inhabitants? Like, is there any fundamental difference between, say, the owlish cafe maid and a Thunderbird?"


    "Ah, ah!" Vespera rolled off my lap, stretching and bending like a ballet dancer. "I know this one! We went through it in Dr. Greyfield''s Advanced Xenobiology last semester!"


    "Wasn''t here last semester," I nodded. "Please educate me, professor wise birb."


    "The main difference," Vespera clicked, sending sparks dancing across her magisteel-clad talons, "is that Arx inhabitants are native to this realm. Their biology is completely adapted to the local Astral and aetheric density. They can''t function outside of Arx like us Omnids.¡±


    I nodded.


    "Lets begin with the basics," Vespera walked over to Cinder and pawed at her wings.


    A transparent human male manifested in front of us in the farm living room, looking somewhat like me.


    "Hey!" Cinder whined. "What are you..."


    "Shh," Vee commented. "Don''t interrupt your instructor-birb, overhead projector girl."


    "I''m not a freaking projector!" Cinder growled. I began massaging her shoulders and she calmed down slightly, leaning against me and grumbling under her breath.


    "This lecture is for you too, dragon-bae," Vespera pointed out. "Pretty sure you skipped like half of Omnid anatomy classes."


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Cinder crossed her arms.


    Vespera walked around the projection of the human.


    "Homo Sapiens! Humans come in several types across a multitude of worlds tied to Omnithornia via dimensional gates," she explained. "Base Earth-O1 humans, aka humans from Omnithornia and surrounding nations don''t have heart cores, can''t use magic and can''t level up normally. Their souls are weak. They''re incredibly easy to break."


    Cinder wrapped her wing around me protectively.


    "Humans of Arx are different," Vespera clicked. "They appear similar to humans from Omnithornia, but are internally magically-augmented from birth or from the moment of their summoning. They have heart-cores which grow with time, aligning them to a VERY specific magic skill."


    Vee grabbed Cinder.


    A brilliant sphere manifested inside of the projection of a human male. Then, the projection began to age, the core inside them growing bigger and bigger, until the human turned into a bloated, fat, grotesque figure.


    "When Arx-Humans reach one hundred years of age," Vespera clicked, "their heart core becomes so big that they can barely move. It occupies most of their stomachs. Unless the human is constantly healed by mages, they gradually go insane and die in horrible agony as their stomach busts."


    I winced as the human exploded and only the massive heartcore remained.


    "The core remains after death," Vespera said, "and it forms a dungeon, unless it''s ground into dust and used as fuel for something."


    "So that''s why dungeons are filled with Sentinels and other creepy things?" I asked.


    "Various monsters and beasts are born from the human''s dying wishes," Vespera nodded. The projection cast by Cinder¡¯s wings changed to show various dungeon monsters. "The human heart-core becomes the dungeon core, powering and half-assly coordinating everything inside the dungeon to murder everything nearby. Sentinels are Arx inhabitants that die in the dungeon and become infected."


    She grabbed Cinder again and a foxgirl appeared next to the dungeon core.


    "Arx-kin inhabitants are known as Entrosis Sapiens, low order entropic beings," Vespera narrated. "Basically, they¡¯re humans afflicted, gradually changed by entropic magic. Humans twisted by a particular magical affinity over generations. This affinity can be anything - fox, dragon, metal, wood, shadow, cat, dog, elk, stone, etc. Their heart cores are smaller than human ones and better integrated into their bodies, so they''re less prone to insanity. They also die at one hundred years of age when their heart cores get too big and become a dungeon on Arx.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "One hundred years old?" I asked. "Seems... specific."


    "There are a lot of specific things about Arx," Vespera agreed. "Many Omnid researchers believe that this gigastructure was designed with very specific parameters in mind and that violating these parameters results in the researcher dying horribly."


    "Is Arx alive then?" I asked.


    "Perhaps," Vee shrugged. She snapped her talons and a human male and foxgirl appeared, reaching out towards each other in a kiss.


    "Arx humans can''t mix with Arx-kin safely," Vee said. "The magical affinity present in an Arx-kin gradually kills the human."


    "What?" I blinked as a violet stream rushed from the fox into the human and he fell over and died, an animated X.X appearing on his face.


    "Yep," Vespera clicked. "The magic from the Arx-kin gradually poisons the Arx-born human body. Depending on exposure levels the human can die in a month to a few years unless they¡¯re constantly healed. That''s why Arx-kin and Highborn human Lords of Shandria generally do not mix."


    "Then Lord David¡­" I began.


    "Has a Vitalix Kitlix on him for a reason," Vee nodded. "He''s constantly healing himself. Having a Sentinel Shadow-fox and a pathosteel dragon girlfriend is literally killing him."


    "That''s... Unfortunate," I commented.


    "If I were to write a story about David," Vee mused. "I would call it Unlimited Isekai and Other Unfortunate Magic. Humans like him are summoned to Arx in vast numbers and perish even faster, bones ground to build pyramids."


    "Pyramids?" I blinked.


    "Zalimar took us to the Gold Dragon God Emperor''s Citadel 117 on a field trip," Cinder hissed from where she was sitting. "Everything there was built by people... FROM people. It was..."


    "Revolting," Vespera finished. "Instructor Zalimar found it amusing, but I still have horrible flashbacks to that place. Bleh."


    "Am I going to grow a core that will kill me at one hundred?" I asked.


    "I don''t know," Vespera sighed. "You''re the first human from Omnithornia brought to Arx. There''s no precedent. Plus you''re incredibly effed in general. You have a four-fold soul, which I''ve never seen in anyone. Abyss, maybe you''ll grow four cores! I¡¯m not a doctor!¡±


    Cinder flared with crimson feathers.


    "Yes, pupil Cinderella?" Vespera tilted her head. "Do you have a question?"


    "Is... Martin going to die at one hundred?" Cinder let out. "Is he going to go insane when his heart core grows too big, turning into that bloated monster thing?!"


    "Lexy has a Lazarus bracelet," Vespera pointed out. "If he dies often enough, the Genesis well will optimize his body towards..."


    "Towards what?" Cinder demanded.


    "I don''t know," Vespera let out. "I¡¯m not a Genesis architect. He''s the first human with access to an incarnator. The first human claimed by two Omnid girls. There''s literally no precedent here, like I said."


    Cinder frowned.


    "Which brings us to the Omnids," Vespera clicked. She grabbed Cinder for a few seconds and a projection of Cinder and Vespera bloomed beside the human holo of me.


    "Omnithis Sapiens," Vespera waved her talons at the hologram. "Little gods. Cryptids as some humans call us. Taller, stronger, faster, more magically potent than all known baseline humanoids. Two females are born for every male, so triangular Prima and Hearth ¡®ships are the most common type of family structure.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Unlike Arx inhabitants, Omnids are born in areas of relatively low aetheric density. Some say this makes us incredibly capable in terms of magic, sort of like humans born in high altitudes who can run around longer than humans born closer to the sea. Omnid heartcores grow with us, dimensionally adapting to our environment, our skills, our experiences."


    The projection of Vespera zoomed into her heart core.


    "An Omnid¡¯s Heartcore is the highest known order of Syntropic magic," Vespera clicked. "Fractal Engine hearts, capable of feeding on belief. We define ourselves as theoretically limitless, perfect beings. Aligned to an idea, to belief, can feed on fear, can eat memetics for breakfast, can go anywhere across the omniverse."


    "Anywhere?" I asked skeptically.


    "Anywhere," Vespera nodded. "An Omnid can survive any world regardless of aetheric density."


    "Emerald melted," I pointed out.


    "I''m talking about living worlds," Vespera said. "Not corpse worlds. Omnids don''t have a hard age limit like Arx inhabitants. Our cores can theoretically grow indefinitely, fold into themselves like a fractal. Some Omnid elders like Zalimar and Keeper Vassily are thousands of years old, and are high level enough that they don''t need an Incarnator to keep going. They just don''t die, can''t be killed, always return. Their Fractal Engine heart core is part of their soul, immutable, no longer physical."


    I rubbed my chin. Cinder stared at me.


    "You and I, Ci," Vespera said. "We''re highest order Syntropic beings, god-adjacent-living ideas in shells of flesh. As divine-tier Omnids who feed on belief, we are going to keep going forever, not going to age for centuries, maybe millenia. Lex won''t. Are you ready for this possibility?"


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through a complex array of colors - blues of uncertainty, pinks of affection, grays of worry.


    "Forever is a long time," she whispered.


    "Yep," Vespera clicked. "And our 18 year old human disaster is only going to last maybe... 60-80 years? If we''re lucky and he doesn''t get himself killed doing something stupid?"


    "Hey," I protested.


    "Shush," both Omnids said simultaneously.


    Cinder looked between me and Vee. "Why...?"


    "I''m having fun with Lexy," Vee said. "But this fun can''t last forever."


    "What are you saying, you damned bird?" Cinder growled. "That he''s just going to die from old age, while we.... move on?!"


    "No," Vespera clicked softly. "I''m saying we have to make our time with Lexy count. Every single second, week, month, year. Tick, tick, tick."


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through a complex tapestry of emotions, blues rising to be replaced with oranges and pinks, then golds and silvers momentarily drowning in blacks. Then, impossible, alien colors ignited across her feathers, melting my mind.


    "I... refuse," Cinder stood up.


    "You what?" Vespera tilted her head.


    "I refuse to lose him!" Cinder barked. Rainbows ignited across the air around her.


    "Humans are... easily devoured by entropy," Vespera shrugged with a nonchalant expression. "Them''s the beans, Ci."


    "Not this one," Cinder declared, her feathers blazing and melting my thoughts. "Not Martin! Not ever!¡±


    Vespera tilted her head, electrical sparks dancing between her feathers. "And how exactly do you plan to prevent entropy from consuming a human?"


    "I''ll punch entropy in the face if I have to!" Cinder growled, the air around her bending into rainbows.


    "You''re goin¡¯ to find entropy and clock it in the head?" Vespera asked playfully.


    "Absolutely," Cinder declared. "I''ll find a way. I''ll break every single rule if I have to. I''ll learn every single magic system. I''ll crack the code of incarnation. I''ll figure out how to keep him alive forever!"


    Vespera''s wings spread wide, sparkled with electricity, her talons sending tiny arcs dancing across the room. "Well now," she laughed. "Look who''s finally taking ownership of her power. Look who''s finally standing up and admitting it!"


    "I''m not losing him," Cinder repeated, her voice low and dangerous. "Not to time. Not to entropy. Not to anything."


    Vespera reached out and hugged Cinder. "That''s what I wanted to hear, Ci. I wanted to make sure that you''re in all the way here."


    "Obviously, I''m bloody in, you effing knob-bird," Cinder growled. "It''s just... I''m not some shallow beerch who''s just going to constantly fawn over him like he''s made of solid gold!"


    "Didn''t you just promise to fight entropy itself for our little fox?" Vee purred.


    "I... that''s different!" Cinder sputtered, her feathers shifting through embarrassed pinks. "I''m just saying I won''t let him die! He''s my... he''s my friend!"


    "Aww," I grinned. "My rainbow-dragon fren'' wants to keep me forever."


    "I''m not keeping you forever!" Cinder protested, her feathers flashing through embarrassed pinks and defensive oranges. "I just... I don''t want you to die in sixty years! There''s a difference!"


    "Sure there is," Vespera laughed. "Just like there''s a difference between ''not engaged'' and ''waiting for the right moment to say yes.''"


    "STOP THAT!" Cinder squawked. "You two are always pushing me into things! Push, push, push, that''s all you do!"


    "Yeah," I stretched on the couch. "We''re horrible. Always pushing you to admit your feelings, to be yourself, to fight entropy."


    "Shut up," Cinder growled, but her feathers betrayed her with flashes of pink.


    "Make me," I grinned.


    She lunged at me, pinning me to the couch. "You... you..."


    "Me?" I asked innocently.


    "I hate you," she declared, but her wings wrapped around me protectively. "I hate you both so much. You''re both terrible and awful and just don''t stop."


    "Hey," I protested. "I''m not running anywhere. I''m peacefully inhabiting a couch."


    "Not anymore," Cinder growled, lifting me up like a kitten. "You''re coming with me."


    "Where are we going?" I asked as she carried me towards the farmhouse door.


    "To inspect MY farm," she declared. "Since you bought it for me without asking."


    "Vee, I''m being kidnapped!" I complained.


    "Have fun!" Vespera called after us. "I''ll keep Miss Possible company for a bit, make sure the ol'' girl doesn''t fall apart, then join ya.¡±


    Cinder carried me outside into the afternoon sunlight. The wheat field swayed in the breeze, golden stalks dancing like waves.


    The Agrilopods were still at work, their long tentacles carefully gathering fallen branches and debris. Larry and Nilli had retreated to a distant field now.


    "It really is a nice farm," I commented as Cinder carried me through the wheat.


    "Shut up," she growled.


    "The gothic Victorian farmhouse definitely has potential," I continued. "We could paint it black, add some gargoyles..."


    "I said shut up!" She shook me.


    "Maybe add a crow''s nest on..." I began and then the ground under us gave way as Cinder took off.


    I yelped, clinging to her as her rainbow-wings beat.


    We soared upward, the farmhouse and fields shrinking beneath us. The sun caught Cinder''s feathers, sending prismatic reflections dancing across the air.


    "This is payback for buying you a farm without asking, isn''t it?" I asked as we climbed higher.


    "Maybe," she said, but there was a hint of amusement in her voice. "Are you scared of heights?"


    "Perhaps," I dug into her harder. "Just a little. More like scared of infinity."


    The wind rushed past us as Cinder banked, circling over the property. From this height, I could see the full extent of the farm¨Cthe golden wheat fields, the purple lavender patches, the tree orchards and roads between buildings.


    "Infinity?" She asked.


    I kept my eyes on the ground below.


    "Nihilim," I said. "That black hole in the sky. Arx too. The lack of horizon, just an endlessly rising sphere..."


    When Cinder banked, I once again saw the sheer scale of Arx stretching endlessly upward, impossibly vast continents and oceans curving up and up and up.


    "Aww, is my little human scared of infinite megastructures?" Cinder teased, twirling like a corkscrew spiral.


    "Maybe I am, damn it!" I yelped as she spun in circles, making my head spin. "My brain likes finite things!"


    "How do you like that, you jerk?" She growled, plowing through clouds, banking, falling and rising. "Get used to it! Take that!"


    I buried my face in her feathers, breathing in her familiar ozone and lavender scent, closed my eyes so as not to stare at the rapidly spinning view.


    "Is this supposed to be a lesson?" I asked her. "You¡¯re like a roller coaster. I think I''m going to be dizzy for a week."


    "I''m already dizzy with you," she growled. "Everyday! Stop throwing me into insane loops!"


    "My loops are just narrative twists!" I whined. "They exist to derail people''s expectations! It''s how I win against far stronger enemies as a little fox! I''m a ground-based creature! Staaaaph spinning."


    "No," Cinder growled. "Just for that I''m going to spin faster."


    And she did.

 Chapter 20: Summer Rain

    Cinder''s wings finally slowed their wild dance through the clouds, her rapid spins gradually easing into a gentle glide. I cautiously opened my eyes, my stomach settling as we leveled out.


    The view was... breathtaking. From this height, Arx revealed itself in all its impossible glory. The megastructure curved upward in every direction, an inside-out world that defied conventional physics. Oceans and continents stretched endlessly upward, their edges blending into misty infinity. The black hole Nihilim loomed above, a dark eye amidst the swirling mess of clouds and continents.


    A deep rumble of thunder echoed from below. Vespera burst through the cloud layer beneath us, her black and white wings trailing electricity as she rocketed upward.


    "Found you!" she called out cheerfully, black wings spread wide.


    She barrel-rolled around us, creating a spiral of electrical current that made my hair stand on end.


    "How''s the view from up here, my foxxy?" Vee shouted as she leveled out beside us.


    "Lovely!" I admitted, still clinging tightly to Cinder. "And terrifying. Please no drop."


    "Oh no," Cinder said with a mischievous expression. "I would never drop you."


    Her claws let go, arms spread wide and then she kicked me off. My stomach lurched as I yelped and plummeted through the sky, the wind whipping past me. The ground far below spun dizzyingly as I tumbled through the air.


    ¡°Cindeeeeeeeeeeeerrrr!¡± I screamed. "Whhyy?!"


    "YOINK!" Vespera caught me from below, her black wings wrapping around me as she barrel-rolled through the air, cackling with delight. Electrical sparks danced across her feathers, creating a corona of lightning around us.


    She sailed back up above the clouds and then opened her hands, releasing me.


    "Oh thank¡­ Daaaaaamnyouuuuuuuu..." I yelled as I once again became Alex-in-freefall.


    Cinder swooped down, catching me.


    "You are both TERRIBLE!" I yelled, my voice muffled by colorful feathers.


    "Aww," Cinder laughed, rubbing her snout against my head. "Poor little wingless critter, are you frightened?"


    "This is spousal abuse," I complained. "I should divorce you and take my half of the farm. The good half, one with the crystal tank."


    "Half of the farm?" Cinder''s eyes glinted with mischief. "With Miss Possible? Fine by me - I can''t drive her anyway. Catch!"


    She flung me across the clouds in the direction of Vespera.


    Vespera caught me mid-air, her black and white wings enveloping me in a cocoon of electrical sparks. She laughed, her beak clicking with delight.


    "Gotcha!" she proclaimed, spinning through the air.


    "Release me from your clutches, you dastardly monsters," I cried out dramatically.


    "Release you?" Vespera began opening her hands.


    "On the ground! Only ground! I¡¯m a precious resource, don¡¯t just throw me around!" I yelped, locking into her with both arms tight.


    Vespera laughed.


    Cinder swooped closer, her rainbow wings catching the sunlight. "Having fun?" she asked.


    "Absolutely not," I declared. "I am a serious business fox!"


    "A serious business fox?" Vespera cackled. "You? Mr. ''Engagement-tank'' gifter?"


    ¡°Spontaneous-farm-acquirer?¡± Cinder added.


    "Precisely," I nodded with a serious face, still clinging to the Thunderbird¡¯s waist. "Maximum seriousness over here! No shenanigans."


    ¡°Boring,¡± Vee commented.


    ¡°Okay fine, some shenanigans,¡± I said. ¡°Only if you stop flinging me. I prefer keeping supper inside me today.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Vee and I laughed and we kissed in the air.


    . . .


    Vespera and Cinder descended in lazy spirals, finally touching down on a beach made entirely of smooth, large, multicolored glass pebbles. The afternoon light caught each piece, creating a rainbow mosaic that stretched along the edge of our purchased farm.


    ¡°Does this lake have a name?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The Chasm Sea,¡± Vee answered.


    Massive waves crashed against the glass-pebble shore, each one seeming to glow from within as it struck the beach. The water was crystal clear but seemed to have an otherworldly, slightly shimmering quality to it.


    I stumbled slightly as my feet touched the glass pebbles, still dizzy from being tossed around like a ball between two playful predators. The beach crunched pleasantly under my feet as I found my balance.


    "Pretty," I said, picking up a perfectly smooth piece of sea glass.


    "That was probably a person once," Vee commented. ¡°Maybe their armor.¡±


    "Eh?" I turned to her.


    "Vee and I were here like a month after it happened," Cinder said. "An army of ten thousand warrior-mages marched on Shandria. Levithan Nightingale bounced their spell-fire right back into them. This is how this Chasm formed a century ago. Eventually it became filled with water.


    "When was that?"


    "We were in grade ten," Vespera clicked.


    "I see," I nodded. "Has Shandria changed much in two hundred and some years?"


    ¡°Ye. A whole bunch,¡± Vespera said, closing her eyes and enjoying the warm sunshine. ¡°When we were in grade nine, Shandria was called Xandria. The city was ruled by Saint Saria and Duke Lumir. A Healer of great renown who gave her noble Heroes unnaturally long lives and a Luck Archmage who sorted out trade deals with many other independent city states of Arx. All of the mage towers were white back then and Shandria had these cute red cross Lumiss Dynasty banners all over.¡±


    ¡°That dark halo of defensive clouds wasn¡¯t there,¡± Cinder pointed at Shandria in the distance encircled by the massive shadow-ring looming above it. ¡°Skyships docked all over, connected to landing towers. Shandria was a port of great commerce two hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What happened to all the skyships and the Lumiss Dynasty?¡± I asked.


    Cinder and I sat down on the colorful pebbles. She wrapped her hands around me and I leaned into her. The light of the sun circling the black hole danced across the clouds reflecting all the way down to the Chasm Sea vanishing in the fog.


    ¡°General Nox happened,¡± Vee answered, circling us with a mischievous look in her eyes. ¡°She marched the Verdant republic army and took Shandria, along with nine other cities. Carved herself a little nine-citadel Empire, installed Leviathan Nightingale above each of her cities using supermassive Ward Engines, then croaked from old age.¡±


    Cinder nodded.


    ¡°Her progeny or whatever ruled Shandria for a while, till Necromancer Kells killed the last Shadow princess,¡± Vee continued. ¡°Things have really gone somewhat downhill in the last twenty years since the Shandrian Highborns Lords are incompetent knobs who keep fighting for control and can¡¯t make united decisions about anything.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°I see,¡± I said. A few gray-white clouds rolled over us, sprinkling us with warm summer rain. Cinder put her wings over us like a canopy until the rain moved past us into the Chasm Sea, the curtain of rain slashing against the waves.


    Vespera suddenly stopped in front of us and began clicking her beak rhythmically, her clawed feet tapping against the glass pebbles creating soft electrical pops and crackles. She began snapping with both of her hands. The sound was almost like a percussion section.


    She looked at Cinder with an encouraging grin, her gray eyes sparkling.


    Cinder frowned, her feathers shifting through uncertain silver-purples.


    "Coooome on," Vee winked. "Like old... times."


    "No," the Quetzi-girl shook her head. "I don¡¯t..."


    Vespera talon-snapping intensified, the electrical pops forming a more complex rhythm, the tones becoming longer and deeper, sounding almost like an electric piano mixed with wind chimes. She raised her hands like a conductor, encouraging Cinder to join in.


    Cinder sighed, her feathers shifted through nervous gray-orange colors, but then she closed her eyes and began to sing softly, her voice growing stronger.


    ¡°Two Omnids walked cross'' emerald plains</a>,


    Where gliding skyships charted lanes,


    ''Neath rainbow wings and thunder''s might,


    We walked between the day and night.¡±


    Cinder sang, her voice carrying across the beach, somehow integrating itself into the sound of Vee¡¯s electric finger snapping, dancing between the waves crashing against the glass shore.


    ¡°Saint Saria blessed these ancient halls,


    Duke Lumir on his golden throne,


    The Lumiss banner-cross proudly flew,


    Over Xandria''s peaks o¡¯ morning dew.


    Like summer rain, the ages passed,


    While we remained, forever cast,


    In time''s unchanging, gentle hold,


    Watching as the ages unfold.¡±


    The Quetzi-girl paused, drawing a breath as Vespera kept up her talon snapping. This was incredible, both of them seemed to be composing music on the fly.


    ¡°Then came the day the Lumiss fell,


    When Empress Nox cast her spell,


    Bound by Nightingale''s shadow-flame,


    Shandria''s towers now bear her name."


    Cinder inhaled again and made a thoughtful face. Vee gradually tapped out the accompaniment. The Quetzi looked at the Chasm Sea.


    ¡°An army came one autumn day,


    Ten thousand strong they made their way,


    Their spells lit up the evening sky,


    As Nightingale watched from up high.


    She caught their power in her wings,


    Returned their spells with just a swing,


    Their army drowned in a sea of fire,


    As they became their own pyre.


    The ground split with thunder''s sound,


    Where wheat fields died, a sea was found,


    Now crystal waters hide their bones,


    As glassy shapes and polished stones.¡±


    Ci inhaled again, Vee snapping out the accompaniment.


    ¡°Like summer rain, the ages passed,


    While we remained, forever cast,


    In time''s unchanging, gentle hold,


    Watching as the ages unfold.¡±


    She repeated the chorus.


    Then, Cinder turned to me, staring at me with azure eyes, a smile tugging the edge of her draconic mouth. I smiled back.


    ¡°Through the wars for Shadow-crown,


    We saw the palace tumble down,


    Yet still we come from realms away,


    To walk these streets on Delving day,


    And on these shores of shattered glass,


    Where two hundred years came to pass,


    A human soul and thunder''s grace,


    Found rainbow wings in love¡¯s embrace.¡±


    Vee snapped out the ending tones as Cinder wrapped me in her wings and kissed me, sun reflections dancing on the waves behind her.


    A perfect ending to our triangle-date.


    ¡°Wowza,¡± I breathed out as she released me. ¡°Did you just compose that on the fly?¡±


    Cinder nodded, blushing like the sunset.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± I commented. ¡°You two are like a band on your own.¡±


    ¡°Ci¡¯s the talented butt over here¡¯,¡± Vee shrugged. ¡°I only did the basic-ass ting-tong-bing-bong beat to lead her into it. I''m just glad we got this rainbo-tater to sing again.¡± She beamed at Cinder. ¡°Been a while since you spontaneously burst into a song in the wild, Ci!¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Cinder buried her face on my neck. ¡°No public concerts. This one was for you two. A song about Shandria and¡­ us.¡±


    ¡°Love it. I shall cherish it forevermore in mp3 form,¡± I grinned. ¡°Maybe tune it up a bit and show to your dad.¡±


    ¡°Mp3?! What did I just say?¡± Cinder hissed, biting my neck.


    ¡°Oi! Aren¡¯t you full of farmer-made hearty soup? Don¡¯t nom the fox!¡± I swatted her. ¡°I have to keep up appearances as the Choir manager. Can¡¯t slack off, going to make you sign a contract and everything.¡±


    ¡°A contract?!¡±


    ¡°I can always fake your signature, if you¡¯re too lazy to sign it,¡± I said.


    ¡°Ughhh, why are you like this?¡±


    ¡°Like what? Considerate? Fiscally responsible? Contractually... Ow! Don¡¯t eat me, I¡¯m a helpful creature!¡±


    Cinder chose to answer me with more bites.


    "So," I said casually, hoping to distract Cinder before she chewed right through my neck, "Vee, what engagement location would you prefer?"


    "What?!" Cinder paused mid-bite.


    "Mmm..." Vee tapped her beak.


    "I''m thinking somewhere dramatic. Our crystal tower has potential, but I think that we should do it on Earth too."


    "ON EARTH?!" Cinder barked into my ear. "ARE YOU CRAZY?!"


    "What''s wrong with Earth?" I asked her.


    Cinder¡¯s eye twitched.


    "Vee," The Quetzalcoatl turned to the Thunderbird. "Help me out here!"


    "Ye?" Vee asked.


    "Your fiance, Zheng, is an Omnicorp Prima-born Prince?"


    "Ye." Vee nodded.


    "With access to many Probability Engines?"


    "Ye."


    "Isn''t he instantly going to know that his prized egg basket fiancee has been stolen out from under his nose and is getting engaged?"


    "Ye."


    "Can you freaking stop with the one word answers!?" Cinder flashed brilliant orange-red.


    "What do you want me to say? Zheng''s obvs'' gonna be SUPER pissed," Vespera said. "Like legit blow a lid. Probably going to pay a bunch of local mobsters to punch Alex into a souffle and then put some cement shoes on him and cast him into the Mariana Trench.¡±


    "And you''re... okay with that?" Cinder asked, staring at the Thunderbird.


    ¡°Obviously, I¡¯d prefer to keep my Lexy bruise-free and on dry ground,¡± Vespera said with a huff.


    ¡°So what the shit?!¡± Cinder barked again.


    "I assume that Lexy knows what he''s getting into," Vee shrugged, turning to me with a slightly concerned look. "...Right? You don''t mind making enemies left and right, ye? You ain''t gonna back out on me just ¡®cus some of Golden Star mooks might try to make you swim with the fishes?"


    "Enemies are future business opportunities," I said with a sage expression. "A man with many enemies has greater value than the one without. #Sun Tzu, Thunderland Philosopher."


    Vespera stared at me for a moment, then burst out laughing. "That is SO not a Sun Tzu quote!"


    "Eh," I shrugged. "Maybe Yulia translated it wrong from Thunderlandish."


    Vespera laughed even harder, hugging me from the side and sending electrical sparks dancing across my cheek.


    "This doesn''t alleviate my concerns in the slightest," Cinder growled.


    "I''m going to send Zheng and his extended family engagement party invitation as soon as we get home." I shrugged.


    "A WHAT?!" Cinder squawked. ¡°YOU¡¯RE WHAT?!¡±


    "An engagement party invitation," I said. ¡°To Mister Zheng Golden Star. Please bring all of your mooks, I''m getting engaged to my lover Lady Vespera Simmi of SimmiTech. Sincerely, Alexander Glock.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a death wish?!¡± Cinder growled.


    ¡°No,¡± I said with a cheeky grin. ¡°I have a tank. Vee, does Zheng have a Corpse Seeker?¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± Vee nodded. ¡°A little private one. Which he wouldn''t bring, ''cus Corpse Seekers are too expensive fuel-wise. Nobody would spend this many beast cores on punching a magic-less human. I''ve seen his puny model, it ain''t nothing like Miss Possible. Our baby is fooking serious business."


    "How serious?" I asked. "How''s she more serious than other Omnid magitek tanks?"


    "Unless the internal clock is wrong, Possy''s been stewing on Arx for¡­ Forty two thousand eight hundred and sixty seven years, growing thick on local Aetheric density," Vee revealed.


    ¡°WHAT?! Forty two¡­ thousand years?!¡± Cinder choked.


    ¡°Ye,¡± Vee nodded. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve never seen a Corpse Seeker this old or this chonk. She¡¯s an absolute unit of a Seeker. Fell in love with ''er at first sight.¡±


    ¡°A unit that¡¯s on Arx,¡± Cinder pointed out. ¡°How are you planning on getting her to Earth?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan,¡± I said.

 Chapter 21: Bucket List

    "What, you''re gonna disassemble her, shove the pieces into Lance''s dimensional bags and reassemble her on Earth, is that it?" Cinder asked.


    I opened my mouth.


    "That won''t work," Vee clicked, physically and conversationally inserting herself between me and Ci. "The Corpse Seeker is a single solid piece, her body is dimensionally bound into itself. It¡¯s what allows her to cut through magisteel like butter. She will resist disassembly and will probably implode on herself and take out whoever tries to take her apart along with like 5 kilometers of surrounding landscape."


    She pulled out her phone, squeezed both of us and started taking photos.


    "#CorpseSeekerProblems, #HowToTransportAMurderTankAcrossDimensions #MyBoyfriendGotMeAnEngagementTank, #JustOmnidThings," she clicked, making her voice recognition algorithm tag each selfie.


    Cinder sighed and looked at me.


    "If I can''t get Possy to Earth, I''ll have to adjust my plans," I said. "That reminds me. I should reward myself with some check marks to complete this perfect day."


    "Checkmarks?"


    "Of my list," I said, pulling out my own phone. "Yulia, display master list."


    <ol>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Get enrolled in Skyfall. ?</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Secure one of those infinite free food meal cards and an immortality bracelet. ?</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Find a better sleeping location than the rust-covered van now permanently parked in one of the school¡¯s student parking lots. ?</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Build a network of useful cryptid patsies. ?</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Learn everything there is to know. Figure out if mundane humans can even level up like Omnids through dimensional gate dungeon delving. ?</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Acquire best friends. ? Delve to Arx. ? Steal a tank. ? Acquire a fortified citadel. ? Fortify it even harder. ? Start a clan. ? Steal a dungeon. ? Make a death ray. ?</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Locate a Hearth Keeper Shield and Prima Hunter Sword and marry them like a goodly Nazarite to secure Omnithornian citizenship. ?</li>


    </ol>


    7.1. Do NOT get derailed by Charmchain magic of Quetzalcoatl girls who probably smoke because they have a death wish. ?


    "What the shit?" Cinder grabbed the phone out of my hands just as I was about to tap some green check marks on it. "You... you planned all of this?!"


    "Yes?" I raised an eyebrow. "Planning is essential to success."


    ¡°When did you even write this?¡±


    I pointed at the date of January 4th.


    "You PLANNED to marry us before you met us?!" Cinder snarled, her feathers exploding through a hurricane of red-orange-black colors. "Like we''re some kind of... bloody checklist items?!"


    "More like guidelines," I shrugged. "The plan was to find a compatible Prima Sword and a Hearth Shield, not specifically you two. You just happened to be perfect. Better than perfect. Vee, what word is above perfect?"


    "BETTER THAN PERFECT?!" Cinder choked. "YOU... YOU... MANIPULATIVE LITTLE..."


    "Optimal?" Vespera suggested helpfully. "Supreme? Transcendent? Absolutely poggers?"


    "Yeah, poggers," I said. "That''s a word I haven''t heard in ages. Where''s that even from?"


    ¡°League of Lords game, Pog-o-Champ meme,¡± Vespera replied.


    "VEE! NOT HELPING!" Cinder rounded on the Thunderbird. "Did you know about this list?!"


    "Nope," Vee clicked cheerfully. "First time I see dis. But I''m not surprised. Our fox is nothing if not methodical. Though I notice he failed on the last item there."


    "I got completely derailed," I admitted. "Worth it though."


    Vee''s electric talon tip tapped the green checkmarks into existence on the "Delve to Arx" ?, ¡°Steal tank¡± ?, "Acquire and fortify a citadel" ??, "Start a clan" ? and "Locate¡­ and get married to¡­" ? items.


    "#MissionAccomplished," she clicked, sending electrical sparks dancing across the screen. "Checkity-check-check! Gonna work on that death ray when we get back."


    ¡°Oi, stop tapping my check marks,¡± I hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t deprive me of the satisfaction of a job well done!¡±


    ¡°Nyah,¡± Vee replied with a grin, sticking her tongue out at me. ¡°The tappin¡¯ has occurred, courtesy of the V. Too bad, so sad. Don¡¯t acquire a birb and then expect her not to tap yo¡¯ things.¡±


    I pretended to pout dramatically.


    "You..." Cinder spun her head from my pouting face to the furiously giggling Vespera. "We''re not married! What the fuck? Vee! Uncheck that right now! What am I, a fucking grocery shopping list to you?!"


    "#RainboFruitAquired," Vespera commented, taking another selfie of herself and the irate Quetzi with both phones. ¡°Can¡¯t untap. Can only tap. Sorry, them¡¯s the list rules.¡±


    "What''s it gonna take for you to be fucking serious for once?!" Cinder snarled at Vespera.


    "Just think of it as my bucket list," I said. "A very ambitious bucket list I wrote to lighten the mood of being chased by Frontenachii Scruts."


    "That''s not better!" Cinder flapped her wings in agitation. "What am I, your fucking citizenship..."


    "Would you prefer it if I had no plan at all?" I asked. "Just wandered around aimlessly hoping to stumble into citizenship and true love?"


    "I''d prefer if you didn''t treat us like... like..."


    "Like carefully considered life goals?" I suggested.


    "YES!" She barked.


    "But you are my life goals," I said simply. "This isn''t some shitty B-tier romantic Cradlefall comedy. I''m not going to confess that I started to date you because of my citizenship needs but then also declare that I actually fell in love with you while you angrily board a plane back to Thunderland or something."


    Cinder''s feathers froze mid-flare, shifting through startled silver-violet-blues.


    "You''re my carefully considered, extensively researched, absolutely deliberate life goals," I continued. "I chose you after a thorough examination from all sides. Both of you. Not randomly, not by accident, but because you''re exactly who I want to spend my life with."


    "But... but..." Cinder sputtered, her feathers cycling through bothered colors. "That''s not how love is supposed to work!"


    "Says who?" I asked. "Some romance novel protagonist who stumbles into love by accident? I prefer to know exactly what I want and why, so that I can go after it and target it with everything I''ve got."


    "He''s got a point," Vespera snapped her talons sending a shower of sparks dancing across me "Most relationships fail because people don''t think things through. They just... fall into them without considering compatibility or long-term goals."


    "But... but..." Cinder''s feathers shifted through uncertain purples. "Love is supposed to be spontaneous and natural! Not... calculated!"


    "Why not both?" I asked. "I can calculate AND feel natural spontaneous love. The two aren''t mutually exclusive."


    "That''s not..." Cinder struggled to produce a criticism.


    "Remember how we met?" I smiled. "I completely short-circuited when I saw you. That''s when I added the ''don''t get derailed by Quetzis'' point to the list. Yet here I am, utterly and irrevocably derailed by you. Yes, I planned to find an Omnid duo to chase me. But actually falling in love with you? That wasn''t planned at all. That just happened."


    "Spontaneous love is the sorta shank author-foldknobs slap into their flab books written for knob Hearth Keepers," Vee said in her valley girl persona. "Every Prima marriage is meticulously planned and calculated, considering every variable and parameter¨Cexcept for love. Probability Engines calculate the most optimal outcome and then the two clans meet and discuss everything else they can contribute with to achieve optimal financial landfall. Like mine with Zheng." She winced.


    Cinder squinted at her.


    "Unlike my ¡®arranged frog-man¡¯, Lexxy chose us deliberately, by himself, after careful consideration and running tests. That''s... actually incredibly romantic if you think about it."Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Romantic?" Cinder made a sceptical face.


    "Ye," Vee clicked. "He didn''t just stumble into us by accident, didn¡¯t win me in the Probability Engine lottery, didn¡¯t get pushed into it by his parents. He got into Skyfall, saw us, evaluated us, and decided we were worth pursuing. Worth fighting for. Worth risking everything for. Worth dying for. Worth stealing a tank for. Etcetera."


    "Ugh," Cinder let out. "I get it. It''s just that... a checklist wife just seems like sociopath behavior."


    "The Architect part of me," I said, "Alexander Glock is absolutely a sociopath. He''s what allows me to talk to bigger, magically-potent Omnids without curling up into a ball, to joke in the face of pure terror. I need this broken fraction of me to succeed in life, to make choices that Martin cannot. That Mage Tower probably crushed a few people and even more people trampled each other when they fled from my fake invasion.¡±


    Cinder frowned


    ¡°The injured Shandrian Citizens will be healed by Healer''s Hall, it''s what I tell myself to feel better," I shrugged. ¡°Kitlix can fix a broken spine.¡±


    "Life isn''t a romance novel, Ci. An Omnid clan leader must be a sociopath," Vespera nodded. "Enough so to ruthlessly crush his enemies. Also, he must be a caring father to his clan, to respect each Knight and Sixie. This is where Zheng failed catastrophically enough to make me hate him."


    "He''s that bad?" Cinder asked.


    "Worse," Vespera said darkly. "He treats his Knights and Sixies like disposable tools. Uses Probability Engines to calculate exactly how much abuse the Sixies can take before breaking. Then pushes ¡®em right to that limit."


    "Yikes," I winced.


    "Yeah," Vee nodded, resting her beak on my shoulder. "That''s why I''d rather have a sociopath who actually cares about his people. Who plans everything meticulously but still leaves room for spontaneous joy. Who steals tanks and buys farms just to make us smile. Who is smol and cute and also intelligent and aggressively persistent like a honey badger."


    "I''m not a honey badger," I protested playfully. "I''m a fox."


    "A fox wearing the hide of a honey badger wearing the feathers of a crow, wearing a shark," Vee laughed, nuzzling against me. "My adorable little four-fold sociopath who calculated the perfect way to steal my heart."


    I smiled.


    "And my tank," she added with a wide grin, elbowing Cinder.


    "And my farm," the Quetzi sighed.


    "A legitimately purchased farm," I stated.


    "Uh-huh, with totally legitimately stolen Celesteel cards, right?" Cinder shook her rainbow mane and leaned on Vee, wrapping armored claws around the Thunderbird''s waist.


    ¡°Mmmm. Such nice,¡± Vespera closed her eyes, rubbing her head against me and then against Cinder. ¡°Warmth. Care-ness.¡±


    Cinder closed her eyes, relaxing and enjoying the sunshine.


    [Love.] Vespera''s voice whispered in my head via the electric resonance between us as her feathers brushed against my right temple. [Lexy. We''re going to save Ci. It won''t be easy. But you and I are going to do it. Because she''s worth it. Right?]


    [Right.] I agreed [How though?]


    [By releasing my family''s Archangel,] Vespera fired back. [By sacrificing the Earth.]


    [Sacrificing the Earth?!] I thought back. [WHAT?]


    [And ourselves,] Vespera added. [First me, then you. Then all of us. Just for a day or two at most.]


    [Sacrifice ourselves how?]


    [Our memories, or sense of self,] Vespera sent. [Don''t worry... we''ll get them back.]


    [I see,] I thought.


    [Just trust me, yeah? Trust me as much as I trust you. Don''t let Ci know any of this. She''s still bound to Valor... still infected by him. But we can trap him.]


    [How?]


    [By awakening the Leviathan,] Vespera said. [By bringing our world closer to its doom. By boiling the physical.]


    [And you''re certain this will work?]


    [I''m... fairly certain. My family has been pushing me towards understanding the Genesis well. I''ve been studying the blood of the Wormwood Star Leviathan. I understand it enough for... this. There is a chance that we''ll all get fucked of course... but I don''t see any other way of saving Ci from a 40k Astral Phantom.]


    She added another item to my phone''s checklist with rapid talon taps and handed the phone to me.


    [Destroy the world, save the Quetzi-girl ?] I read the added goal and stared at Vespera.


    [Trust me,] Vespera''s Electrofractal voice danced in my head. [We can pull it off. Me and you. Together.]


    She winked at me.


    [I''d like to know more,] I thought.


    [Like I told you before, there''s a way to set reality itself on fire,] Vespera explained. [To rearrange everything. It happened before. A worldwide Celestorm, created by a magical cascade effect.]


    [Won''t that rearrange us too?] I asked.


    [It will,] Vespera answered. [You''ve got another slot in your Resonance. Just one more for one more Omnid. Find Scrutimancer and steal their skill.]


    [Can do,] I answered.


    [Good. It''ll help you remember things after a worldwide shift,] Vespera smiled. [Scrutimancers are immune to Celestorm-causality altering events.]


    [And you''re certain that a worldwide Celestorm will help us?]


    [I am.] Vespera nodded, her eyes set. [It''s how we draw out the beast into the open and cage him.]


    [Then lets do it,] I agreed.


    Her talons shook my hand.


    Vespera''s thoughts revealed to me more details of her mad plan. A plot against our greatest enemy. A plot that would unmake the Earth itself, all to help save one Omnid girl.


    Then as she finished outlining everything, we sat together and stared at the Chasm Sea, watching slightly glowing waves smash into the glassy rocks.


    . . .


    "Are those wyverns?" I asked, spotting a flock of silver, white draconic beasts fluttering in the breeze grabbing fish from the azure water.


    "Dragonettes," Vee said. "They ain''t big enough to eat us, don''t worry. Well, they might eat you. You''re very snackable. Nom.¡± She nipped me.


    "How waterproof is Miss Possible?" I asked.


    "Very," Vee said. ¡°She¡¯s supposed to retrieve people from their watery graves. Why?¡±


    "Just thinking out loud," I said. "What year was she born anyway?"


    "1527 from the birth of Nazareth," Vespera replied. "She''s an Omnid Renaissance war beast. A personal Corpse Seeker of Charles de Bourbon, Holy Roman Emperor, bred during the War of the League of Cognac. Participated in the Sack of Rome according to her activation records."


    "How did she end up on Arx?" I asked.


    "Zalimar worked for Emperor Charles," Vespera said. "Boasted to us in class how he bred a plague that took Rome''s population down from fifty to ten thousand.


    "Zalimar helped sack Rome?" I raised an eyebrow.


    "Yeah," Vespera clicked. "He was Emperor Charles''s pet necromancer. Zalimar was rewarded with Miss Possible for his services and then brought her to Arx through one of the early gates. She''s been sitting in that Omnid Chapel ever since, occasionally saving generations of students from Arx dungeons."


    "That sounds... absurdly outdated," Cinder said. "You''d think that the school would send in a new model."


    "Oh they have," Vespera grinned. "From what I discerned, they''re inside Possible, fully integrated into her internal structure."


    "What?" Cinder blinked.


    "According to the paperwork I pawned from Skyfall admin and the stuff I found in his office, Zalimar has been doing some rather questionable things on Arx," I said.


    "Every time the school sent a new Corpse Seeker to Arx, he''d integrate it into Miss Possible, feed them to her. She''s basically absorbed like... Fifty two other Seekers over almost five hundred years. Another reason why she''s such a chonky girl," Vee laughed.


    I nodded.


    "Zal likes things that are as old as himself, so instead of breeding or buying new models like a modern Omnid, he and Vassili have been keeping Possy alive with unnatural, batshit crazy Corpse Seeker cannibalism," Vee clicked.


    "That''s... disturbing," Cinder''s feathers shifted through uneasy grays. "So Miss Possible is basically... a cannibal tank?"


    "Yep," Vespera clicked with a smile. "And now she''s our cannibal tank! Isn''t that exciting?"


    "Your definition of exciting is concerning," Ci commented.


    "Anyways," I said. "I reckon that we should take her into the sea."


    "Into the sea?!" Cinder''s head snapped to me. "What is she, a submarine now? Won''t we need air?"


    "She''s too heavy to float like a submarine. She can run on the glassified seabed tho¡¯," Vespera explained. "Her crystalline structure is completely waterproof and pressure-resistant. Plus she has internal life support systems. She was made to grab injured students as well as bracelets.¡±


    "Why do you want to take her into the Chasm Sea?" Cinder asked me.


    "To find the army that Leviathan Nightingale obliterated," I said. "Obviously. Note how this water shimmers with jade refractions. Vee, what''s the aetheric density of this water?"


    Vespera sent a spark flying at the waves smashing into the pebble shore.


    "968.45," she replied, dark eyebrows going up. "Oh. Oh shit. That''s high as fuck. It''s probably even worse deeper in."


    "I suspect that somewhere at the bottom of this sea there''s an absurdly magically radioactive piece of slag," I said. "Ten thousand mages worth of crystalline cores fused into each other. Sort of like a natural magical reactor irradiating the entire area."


    "Why would you want such a fucking..." Cinder demanded.


    "Our mage tower needs a core," I said.


    "You want to power our crystal tower with a radioactive magical slag made from ten thousand dead mages?!" Cinder sputtered, wings igniting with orange-red.


    "Yep," I nodded. "Better than stealing Abystall''s core. Less dangerous too."


    "Less dangerous?!" Cinder squawked. "How is diving into a magically irradiated sea LESS dangerous than stealing a dungeon core?!"


    "Because," I explained patiently, "Abystall is actively defended by Sentinels and monsters coordinated by a single dungeon core. Whatever is down there it is likely very uncoordinated."


    "Uncoordinated magical radiation that will KILL US," Cinder growled.


    "That''s what Miss Possible is for," I said. "She''s built to handle extreme magical environments. Right, Vee?"


    "Yep!" Vespera bobbed her head. "She''s got crazy good magrad shielding. The best I''ve seen in fact. She''s basically 99.9% immune to magrad."


    "So we''re just going to... what? Drive our stolen tank into the sea and hope we find some ancient magical reactor?" Cinder asked.


    "Yes," I said. "That''s exactly what we''re going to do."


    "And if we don''t find shit?"


    "Then we dig down till we reach Abystall or Gloomkerr," I said. "I''m pretty sure that this sea feeds that giant glowing waterfall and flows into the underground ocean.


    "Correct," Vee clicked. "The Chasm Sea is right above Abystall and Gloomkerr dungeons. I do love it when a plan comes together!"


    "You''re both mental," Ci let out.


    "That we are," I said, slipping out from Vespera''s static-filled hug and standing up. "Let''s not lose daylight. Now, who wants to fly me back?¡±


    . . .


    As Cinder carried me back towards the farmhouse, I spotted a group of heavily armored figures surrounding Miss Possible. Their armor gleamed in the evening sun - clearly high-grade magisteel, not the basic equipment of local guards.


    "Land on the nearest tree," I ordered and the Omnid girls descended.


    "Those Bank Enforcers?" I muttered, peering between branches.


    "City Watch," Vee clicked. "That man staring at Possible? That''s a Shandrian Scrut."


    "Shit," Cinder hissed. "There must be thirty of them down there."


    "Thirty-seven," Vespera corrected, her bird-vision picking out details. "High level mage-knights."


    "Guess blowing up mage towers and disrupting an execution has consequences," I commented.

 Chapter 22: The Clandestine Order of Thunder and Rainbow

    "No shit, your insane actions have consequences," Cinder commented, her face lengthening and becoming more draconic. "What are we going to do now, smart-ass?"


    She jabbed me in the side with a clawed finger.


    "Improvise," I replied.


    I pulled out Lance''s anti-scrying wardstone and shoved a bunch more beast cores into it, cranking up the ward bubble strength, so that we could not be seen or overheard from below.


    "Vee, fox me up to the max," I ordered. "Give me big ears. I want to hear what they''re chatting about."


    Vespera grabbed onto me and Cinder. I instantly felt foxier, my face fuzzing up and my ears stretching out. Through their combined unholy Omnid powers my hearing became amplified a hundredfold. I pivoted my fluffy ears down to the armored men below us, opening my eyes wide to see better.


    The view seemed to sharpen, gaining a new clarity.


    "I can make us invisible and maybe we can quickly get back into the tank..." Cinder began.


    "Shush, future Hearth-Wife," I said. "Trying to listen."


    Cinder opened her mouth to reprimand me again and failed to produce any words, staring at me with comically wide eyes and flashing violet-pink, the edges of her draconic mouth curling up slightly.


    "...crystalline construct of unknown design," a voice came from the tall man in spectacles in gray uniform with silver epaulettes. "The internal structure is... unprecedented."


    "Can you truly not determine its origins, Scrutimancer Weps?" Another voice asked. ¡°Surely your Infix is high level enough to¡­¡±


    "Negative. The magical signature is... Incredibly complex. Multiple overlapping patterns. It''s alive like¡­ a dragon but also isn''t. The core materia doesn''t match anything from Arx that my Infix knows about!¡±


    "Could it be a Necromantic construct?"


    "No. It''s a crystalline artifact like nothing I''ve never seen before. Dimensional magic of the highest order. It''s like someone took a Kitlix and fused it to something terrible and then let it stew for forty thousand years."


    "How many years?" the man in the most lavish magisteel armor, presumably the Guard Captain, sputtered.


    "Forty two thousand years, Sir Sentiyagor," Weps replied with a sigh. "That''s what Questik tells me. This is a truly arcane device.¡±


    "What about tracking its movements? Can we determine where it came from?"


    "From somewhere underground," Weps sighed. "From what we know, it went to the fountain, swallowed a foxkin and two human girls, then obliterated the central square and then devoured the three prisoners, then went through the sewers and now it''s here. Alive and not alive, repairing itself and releasing steam. Scrutimancer Xistin is currently leading a team down the tunnel it made.¡±


    "So whoever was inside could still be alive?" Sir Sentiyagor asked.


    "Possibly," Scrutimancer Weps replied. "Though the outer layer temperature is... extreme. Any organic matter would have been incinerated. The crystalline structure seems designed to channel and contain massive amounts of magical energy."


    I watched from the tree as Larry and Nilli were escorted out of their farmhouse by armored guards. The farmers looked worried, Larry''s dog ears flat against his head while Nilli''s elk tail was completely puffed out.


    "Tell me what you saw," Scrutimancer Weps demanded.


    "Whatever do you mean?" Larry asked.


    "The crystalline construct, Sir Gootali!" Weps said impatiently, waving an arm at Miss Possible, as his Infix Kitlix stared at the farmer. "Who was operating it?"


    "Unless you have a signed order from a Judge, I shan''t be answering any questions under an Infix," Larry crossed his arms.


    Weps grumbled and pulled out a paper with a glowing seal, presenting it to the farmer.


    "Either you answer our questions or you''ll be considered as the Necromancer''s collaborators," Weps stated coldly. ¡°If you haven''t heard, Shandria is under assault from dark forces. I have the wartime-order authority to arrest anyone on the spot.¡±


    Larry swallowed hard but maintained his composure. "We saw three young foxkin adventurers come outta that there crystal land-dragon. Brown-orange, black and white and rainbow haired. They wished for supper."


    ¡°Supper?¡±


    "I served them scones, tea and stew," Nilli added nervously. "Paid well. Very polite."


    "Did they appear undead?" Weps demanded.


    "Officer," Larry frowned. "Do you really think that I would have my wife feed undead supper?"


    "They looked perfectly alive to me," Nilli added. "Just tired adventurers needing a rest. Said something about urban renewal work in the city."


    "Urban... renewal?" Weps repeated. "Describe exactly what they said."


    "The polite young foxkin gentleman mentioned hiring adventurers to demolish old buildings," Larry said. "For new infrastructure."


    "Did they give you their names?" Sir Sentiyagor demanded.


    "Sir Lex, Lady Voltara and Lady Castabriella," Nilli replied.


    Sir Sentiyagor looked at the Scrutimancer.


    "No reference found in Guildnet archives," Weps sighed. "Either fake names and fake identities or someone from outside the Shadow Empire."


    "Illusion magic?" Sentiyagor asked.


    "Mayhaps," Weps replied with a shrug.


    "And you said they paid well?" Weps turned back to the farmers. "With what currency?"


    "Celesteel cards," Larry replied.


    ¡°What?! They gave you celesteel cards for some soup?!¡±


    ¡°No, Sir Scrutimancer,¡± the farmer said. ¡°For... for the farm. The trio bought our farm. We were planning to relocate to the Capital for nearly a week now and had the farm on sale at the Adventurers Guild."


    "They bought your farm?" Sir Sentiyagor''s eyebrows shot up.


    "Yes," Larry nodded. "I told them that I was looking to sell, so Sir Lex gave me three celesteel cards for it. He said they were opening a bank and building a city next to Shandria."


    "What?!" Weps sputtered, his glasses nearly falling off as his Kitix flashed green. "Show me the cards."


    Larry pulled out the celesteel cards from his pocket. The magic currency glinted in the evening light.


    Weps snatched them, holding them up to his glasses. The Infix Kitlix''s eyes flashed as it scanned the cards.


    "Genuine," Weps muttered.


    "Could they be from the vault that was just destroyed?" Sir Sentiyagor asked.


    "Mayhaps," Weps tucked the cards into his robe. "These are now evidence."


    "Hey! Those are our life savings!" Larry protested. "They paid us fair and square for the farm, we signed a property transfer contract and everything!"


    "These cards may be stolen property," Weps said coldly. "You''ll get them back if the transaction is proven legitimate..."


    My eye twitched.


    ¡°Vee,¡± I growled. "Make me sound like an old and wise man. Also, can you project my voice from Miss Possible via Voicecast? Also give me control over the volume.¡±


    "Ye," Vespera nodded. She tapped her token, reshaping the hexagram on it with her electrical current and handed it to me. ¡°Turn this dial left to mute the cast, or to the right make yourself extra loud.¡±


    I nodded, cranking up the volume.


    "Is this how Shandrian Authorities handle legitimate business transactions?" My well-aged voice boomed from Miss Possible''s crystalline form, amplified a hundredfold, making several guards jump. "By stealing from honest farmers?"


    Cinder silently stared at me with wide eyes, probably wondering what whack shenanigans I was trying to pull.


    "Who speaks?" Weps demanded as he spun to Miss Possible.


    "I am Lord Protector," I declared through Miss Possible. "Those celesteel cards were payment for property acquisition. I suggest you return them to the farmers or else."


    "Or else what?" Weps demanded.


    "Or else I will be forced to conclude that Shandrian City Watch authorities are corrupt and cannot be trusted to handle legitimate business transactions," I declared through Miss Possible. "Which would be most unfortunate for future cooperation between our organizations."


    "Future cooperation?" Sir Sentiyagor scoffed. "You destroyed a Mage Tower! You interfered with a public execution! Are you in cahoots with the Necromancer?"


    "What organization?" Weps asked. He glanced at his Kitlix which remained pale silver. The truth hex wasn''t functioning when someone''s voice was broadcast via Voicecast and projected from an artifact.


    "My organization," I answered. "The Clandestine Order of Thunder and Rainbow.¡±


    "What?" Weps asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such an Order.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t lived long enough to hear about us, Scrutimancer,¡± I said.


    ¡°What?¡± Weps repeated.


    "We''ve been fighting Necromancer Zalimar for forty two thousand years," I said. "His servants were devoured by our engine."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "So you admit it!" Weps accused. "You interfered with a public execution..."


    The other guards looked at the Omni tank, considering how to take it down.


    "SILENCE!" I barked, making the Watchmen wince and fall silent. "I stopped a trio of criminal scum who killed children in Shandria for more than two hundred and fifty two years! I saved your city! You should praise me!¡±


    ¡°Praise you? You... saved Shandria?!¡± Weps demanded. ¡°What nonsense is this?!¡±


    "You were going to burn a trio of cursed monsters alive and call it justice?" I laughed dramatically. "Fool''s justice. Such action would have activated a dark ritual which would have decimated Shandria! Only crystalline imprisonment can hold a true servant of entropy. They are now contained within my engine, being purified by holy light. You are aware of how arcane my engine is, yes?¡±


    Weps'' frowned as he stared at Miss Possible''s crystalline form. "Your engine construct... predates the Shadow Empire."


    "Indeed," I declared. "As you can plainly see by the age of my device, we are a truly Arcane Order. For millennia we have protected the innocent from evil beings who cannot die, holding back the ocean of darkness. It was my machine that saved Shandria today, preventing Duskbloom from flooding your streets. Only a single Mage Tower fell today, when it could have been a thousand! By imprisoning the cursed servants of the dark one within my crystalline engine''s heart, I have stopped his dark ritual and saved all of you from oblivion."


    Weps considered my words. "And what proof do you have of these claims?"


    "Proof?" I barked through Miss Possible, the sound echoing across the fields. "What proof can you offer me that you do not serve the Dark Lord who has already corrupted the Arx Bank with his evil, Scrutimancer Weps? My engine exhumed much cursed essence from the bank today, preventing far greater disaster than you can possibly imagine."


    "Cursed essence?" Weps asked. "What cursed essence?"


    "A dark curse contained within gold coins and artifacts that I have destroyed," I replied. "The Bank was going to spread it across the city, infect thousands and turn them into ghouls. You''re welcome."


    "What?" Weps sputtered. "That''s preposterous! The Arx Bank is a legitimate..."


    "Is it?" I interrupted. "Consider this, Scrutimancer. There''s an immortal, eldritch, dark god who is sealed right below the Arx Bank''s vault. He is guarding a gate from which Topaz has been infesting your city for millennia. An abomination that cannot be killed or stopped. He calls himself Gate Keeper Vassili. It is an entropic entity of the highest order, bound to a dimensional gate created by Dark Lord Zalimar."


    "What is he talking about?" Sir Sentiyagor turned to Weps.


    ¡°Scrutimancer Xistin is walking down the stairwell as we speak,¡± he said.


    ¡°Xistin and his team will soon find the immortal entity at the end of the spiral stairwell," I nodded. "How far down are they already?"


    "Five clicks," Weps replied.


    "Then, tell them to send their Kitlix forward and listen," I said. "The Gate Keeper should be communicating with one of the servants of Dark Lord Zalimar.¡±


    I muted the Voicecast volume going to Miss Possible from Vee¡¯s token and grabbed my own token.


    "Vee, make me sound normal and humanize me," I said. Vespera nodded and my face became human again. ¡°Make a static noise of interference.¡±


    ¡°Mkay,¡± Vespera started rubbing her talons together making an electric interference hissing and crackling noise.


    "Voicecast Brother Vassili of the Omnid Chapel," I said.


    "Yes, Mr. Glock?" Vassili''s voice crackled through my token, his face appearing from my token as a blue and white hologram. "Is your team safe? Why have you not returned to the gate?"


    "Hey Gate Keeper Vassili," I yelled over the static Vee was making. "We are safe, yes. Sadly, we can''t make it to the chapel!"


    "Why the Abyss not?!" The Keeper demanded.


    "You¡¯ve been working for Instructor Zalimar for a long time, yes Keeper?" I asked.


    "Yes."


    "Sorry," I said. "The connection is fuzzy due to magic interference, can you be a bit louder? I can''t hear you."


    "Yes! I¡­ work with Instructor Zalimar!" The keeper boomed.


    "Mmmm... can you be louder?" I asked. "What did you just say? Can''t hear you over this damn static!"


    "Yes! I work for Instructor Zalimar!" The keeper yelled even louder, his voice echoing across his cavern.


    Scrutimancer Keps went pale.


    "What?" Sir Sentiyagor asked.


    "Scrutimancer Xistin''s team just reported in," Weps swallowed. "They heard an old man¡¯s voice echoing up the stairwell, someone declaring their allegiance to the Necromancer."


    The Shandrian Scrutimancer tapped his glasses.


    "Xistin! Send your Kitlix down to investigate, don''t engage until you see the target," he barked an order to his assistant. ¡°Cast the view and sound from your Kitlix to my Seer-Lens.¡±


    "Understood," Xistin replied, his voice emerging from Weps'' spectacles.


    "Say, how long have you been working in that cave, Keeper?¡± I yelled through the static.


    "Been here about seventeen thousand years now," Vassili replied loudly. "Ever since Lord Zalimar brought me here from Earth. I used to be a monk in Kiev, you see. Zalimar saved me and my cousins from death when Napoleon¡¯s army invaded Moscow and the Russians set their own city aflame. We all work across various dimensional gate locations now for his delving network."


    I watched as Weps'' face went even paler.


    "And you''ve been helping Lord Zalimar with Gate Weaver breeding?" I asked innocently. "Making those little spiders that weave dimensional gates?"


    "Of course!" Vassili boomed. "I take care of the Gate weavers from the other side, making sure the connection is stable!"


    "Do you help out with the Topaz trade too?" I asked.


    "Topaz? Pah. Just a bit o'' money on the side," Vassili replied with a shrug. "Takes lots of beast cores to run the dimensional gate for so many thousands of years. Gateweavers'' gotta eat."


    "Doesn''t it get lonely down there?" I asked.


    "Lonely?" Vassili laughed loudly. "Not at all! We Domovoy don''t get lonely much. ''Sides some night-moths do come from upstairs from time to time. Good cash for ¡®em. Course, I have to erase their minds after."


    "What, you can do that?¡± I asked. ¡°Just erase someone''s mind?"


    "Of course! The local Arx-kin are weak, mortal," the Keeper replied. "Like fireflies they are. In my domain, I can do anything I desire. As long as my domain persists, I cannot die!¡± He boasted merrily.


    Weps swallowed.


    "What are all of these questions, pupil?" The Keeper asked. "Why haven''t you returned with Emerald''s group?"


    "Just making conversation. Sadly, the many-armed Corpse-thing you sent arrived too late," I said apologetically. "Emerald''s group was taken by some old man in a land-dragon who calls himself Lord Protector. We are currently tracking them down."


    "What?!" Vassili boomed. "You must find them immediately!"


    "We totally are," I said. "The beast you sent is sniffing out the trail. We''ll call you when we get them."


    I hung up on the Omnid Chapel Keeper with a smug face. Cinder was still staring while Vee was trying hard not to laugh out loud.


    Scrut Weps and Sir Sentiyagor huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. The guards shifted nervously, their armor clanking softly.


    "By Her Shadow," Weps muttered, loud enough for my enhanced hearing to pick up. "An immortal necromancer''s servant, right under our noses for thousands of years..."


    "And this Thunder and Rainbow Order has been fighting them?" Sir Sentiyagor asked, glancing at the Miss Possible.


    "It would explain the arcane construct," Weps replied.


    I asked Vee to change me back into a fox with a deep voice and cranked up the volume on the voicecast connected to Miss Possible.


    "Are you satisfied?" I boomed from Miss Possible. "I suggest your men don''t approach the Necromancer''s dark servant. The entity can erase minds with ease. It is nearly omnipotent within its domain."


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t take an order from you, Lord Protector,¡± Weps said. ¡°It is my duty to investigate the truth and to attempt to arrest the Necromancer¡¯s servant.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± I sighed dramatically.


    I watched through the gaps in the thick foliage as Weps ordered Scrutimancer Xistin''s team to proceed down the spiral stairwell and confront the immortal entity.


    ¡°By the way... Lord Protector, what happened to the two humans and a fox your engine has consumed?¡± Weps asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said. ¡°They are agents of our most ancient Clandestine Order. They went back to Shandria after purchasing this lovely farm.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Weps said and returned to his observations of Xistin.


    Minutes ticked by in tense silence as the Scrutimancer directed his assistant.


    "Xistin!" Weps suddenly barked into his glasses after ten minutes. "What are you all doing?! I told you to arrest that old man!"


    "What old man? There was no old man there. There¡¯s nothing to report, sir," Xistin''s voice came back, sounding oddly calm and distant. "We''re heading back up. There''s nothing down here worth investigating. It''s just a wall, a dead end."


    "What do you mean ''just a wall''?" Weps demanded. "What about the immortal entity you just heard?"


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about, Sir," Xistin replied serenely. "We found nothing down there. No signs of any entities or unusual activity."


    "But... but your Kitlix..." Weps sputtered.


    "My Kitlix is back on me. We are heading back to the city," Xistin uttered from the Voicecast. "There''s clearly nothing here worth investigating. The tunnel simply ended in a wall."


    "I am ordering you too..." Weps barked.


    "I am telling you, Sir! There is NOTHING there! It''s a dead end!" Xistin fired back.


    Weps growled in frustration.


    "What happened?" Sir Sentiyagor asked. ¡°What did you see, Weps?!¡±


    "They reached a gold cavern inhabited by an old, hairy man and he simply told them to forget him and never to return," Weps said. "Damnation!"


    I grinned at Cinder who''s mouth was open wide.


    "I did warn you," I said through the crystalline tank. "The Gate Keeper entity cannot be approached or arrested. It exists outside of your jurisdiction, is way above your level. I suggest you head back to the city. Night is coming and you don''t want to become snacks for Leviathan Nightingale''s flock. My engine will depart this place in due time."


    "And go where?" Weps demanded.


    "To hunt more dark servants of entropy," I replied. "Wherever they are found. As we have done for forty-two thousand years on Arx. Sadly, while I prevented the destruction of Shandria my engine was unable to destroy the gate Keeper Entity. Thus, I suggest you use the Shandrian Mage Towers to dimensionally seal that cavern off, so that nobody else can wander down there."


    "And just leave that thing under Shandria?!" Weps growled.


    "I''m sorry, what level are you again?" I asked. "Do you really think where my forty-two-thousand year old engine failed, you can succeed? Do you really think that your men can take on an eldritch entity that''s been bound to that cave for seventeen thousand years? Really, Scrutimancer Weps? Why don''t you stop flapping around and consult a Seerscope about how your future will turn out if you attempt to hostile the Gate Keeper or keep annoying me and don¡¯t return the good farmers their well-earned cash?¡±


    Weps pulled out an ornate compass-like device from his robes - presumably a Seerscope. He tapped it, whispering something to it.


    "Well?" Sir Sentiyagor asked impatiently.


    "The needle... is pointing directly to ''Catastrophe''," Weps muttered with a frown.


    "Perhaps we should... seal that cavern," Sir Sentiyagor suggested carefully.


    Weps looked like he ate a lemon.


    "A wise choice," I declared through Miss Possible. "Now. Give the farmers back their money. And leave this place. This farm now belongs to the Clandestine Order of Thunder and Rainbow."


    Weps hesitated, then pulled out the celesteel cards and handed them back to Larry.


    "Thank you for your cooperation," the Scrutimancer said stiffly to the farmers. "We''ll be investigating this matter further."


    "I''m sure you will," I boomed. "When my Order is done processing the cursed paperwork we have secured from the Arx Bank, it will be delivered to you via our agents. Within it, you will likely discover further evidence of Lord Zalimar''s horrific crimes against the people of Shandria. Good evening, gentlemen."


    The guards began to withdraw, their armor clanking as they nervously moved away from Miss Possible. Sir Sentiyagor and Weps lingered for a moment, studying the crystalline construct one last time before finally turning away.


    We watched from our tree perch as the armored figures disappeared into the distance, heading back towards Shandria. The farmers went back into their house.


    "Thunder and Rainbow?" Cinder commented. "Really?"


    "What?" I shrugged. "It''s technically true. We are opposing dastardly Instructor Zalimar!"


    Cinder crossed her arms.


    "It sounds like a freaking breakfast cereal mascot group," she grumbled. "Like, here comes Captain Thunder with his sidekick Rainbow Sparkles to save you from the evil Doctor No-Breakfast."


    ¡°It is a rather silly name,¡± Vespera broke out into cackling laughter.


    "Everyone''s a critic," I shrugged. "What else was I supposed to call us? The League of Extraordinary Gentlefoxes? The Justice League of Dragon, Human and Birb? The Avengers of Arx?"


    "How about something that doesn''t sound like it came from a five-year-old''s coloring book?" Cinder said.


    "The Dark and Brooding Alliance of Edgy Teens?" I offered. "The Brooding Brigade? The Goth Patrol? The Emo Enforcers?"


    "That''s it," Cinder growled, lunging at me. We tumbled off the branch together, her wings wrapping around me as we fell.


    "The Dramatic Fallout!" I called out as we descended. "Perfect name, see what I did there?"


    "Urgh." Cinder said as we landed softly in the grass. "That''s even worse."


    "The Murder Squad?" I offered. "No, wait - The Murder Friends! Get it? Cus Vee''s like a dark crow-looking character and..."


    Vee chortled as she descended beside us, holding onto Lance''s anti-scrying wardstone.


    "I will bite you," Cinder threatened.


    "Go ahead," I grinned. "I''ll bite you back. I have sharp fox-chompers now. Rawr."

 Chapter 23: Proto-Dungeon [I]

    The evening deepened, painting the world in surreal hues as the sun began setting behind Nihilim, reflecting as orange disks across the clouds.


    The black hole''s corona created an otherworldly twilight, casting everything in deep oranges and purples. The crystalline body of Miss Possible caught these colors, refracting them in mesmerizing, eerie patterns across the wheat field.


    "Speaking of biting," I said, watching the cloud ring thicken above Shandria, "can Leviathan Nightingale''s shadow flock chew through Miss Possible? Or follow us into the Chasm Sea?"


    "The Shadow-beasts are surface to air predators," Vespera clicked. "They can''t follow us deep underwater into what''s basically a glowing watery environment. Also they''re not smart enough to cut through Miss Possible. Unlike that Scrutimancer. That could have gone badly, considering that Shandria does have dimensional-sword artifacts that could cut through Miss Possible. Good job on bamboozling him and directing his attention towards Vassily.¡±


    "So they could have destroyed our tank?" Cinder asked.


    "If given enough time to understand her," Vespera nodded. "Absolutely. She might be thicc, but she''s not invincible to dimensional magic.¡±


    "I still can''t believe they bought that whole Rainbow-Thunder Order thing," Cinder sighed.


    "People want to believe in something bigger than themselves," I shrugged. "Especially bureaucrats. They love complicated explanations that make them feel like they''re part of some grand narrative. They wanted a big, visible enemy to fight, so I gave them Vassily."


    Cinder rolled her eyes. "You manipulated an entire city''s law enforcement with a fairy tale."


    "Not a fairy tale," I corrected. "A strategically constructed narrative designed to redirect investigative resources and protect our immediate interests."


    "Strategically constructed narrative," Cinder mimicked, rolling her eyes. "You mean a lie."


    "A carefully curated truth," I grinned. "Technically everything I said was true. We ARE fighting entropy. Miss Possible IS an ancient engine. Vassily IS working with Zalimar to sell Topaz."


    "The fine art of truth-bending! Our human husbando will make a great Omnid politician one day!" Vespera laughed as we walked back to Miss Possible.


    "Why did Vassily even answer the questions of a mixed-blood student so eagerly?" Cinder asked.


    "Because he''s a simple Russian peasant from 15th century Moscow," I said. "It''s not his job to think about things and it is his job to answer Omnid student questions about Arx and to rescue them via Corpse Seekers if they''re in trouble. Zalimar rescued Vassily and his brothers when Moscow was set on fire by the retreating Russian army and installed them all over his illicit businesses across dimensional gates. Domovoys are long-lived Omnids who are bound to particular locations. They generally don''t get smarter as they age - their strength lies in manipulation of a small pocket of reality they inhabit, not intelligence."


    "Basically, they''re opposite of us Thunderbirds," Vespera nodded. "Domovoys don''t produce artifacts, nor change the outside world. They''re keepers and protectors of particular domains, their Fractal Engine hearts are focused inward not outward."


    The Thunderbird tapped her beak.


    "To add on, the ideology of Omnid eugenics gained worldwide prominence in the late 1800s," Vespera clicked. "It was Sir Francis Galton, an Omnid who coined the term "Ood-Eugenics" in 1883 and began to promote it as a way to improve Clan strength by encouraging the reproduction of Omnid with "desirable" traits and discouraging those with "undesirable" ones. It was then that many powerful ''Firstborn Clan'' families like mine began to snub nullborns, constructed Probability Engines and began to rely on them to breed stronger children like myself with ritual magic and arranged marriage. A Domovoy from the 1500''s who has been staying on Arx for seventeen thousand years is pretty much disconnected from all of that 19th century ideology."


    "I see," Cinder said.


    I stared at the landscape past her. The gargantuan shadow of the black hole cast itself across the vast, endlessly stretching inverted world. It was mesmerizing, beautiful and mindbogglingly alien, a sunset on a Dyson-sphere style megastructure.


    "Excited for our underwater adventure?" I elbowed Ci.


    "Concerned mostly," she commented, "but when has that ever stopped you?"


    "Never." I smiled.


    Vespera tapped her token and a part of Miss Possible liquefied, producing a crystalline stairwell.


    I stopped at the end of the stairwell, at the edge of the door, watching as the night¡¯s sharp edge rushed across the landscape, reaching Shandria.


    A hundred bells sounded across the city in the distance, wailing like a doomsday siren.


    "Martin," Cinder began. "That''s the night bells. Nightingale is coming. We have to go.¡±


    "Shhh," I said. "I want to see the local Leviathan."


    As the shadow engulfed Shandria, something began to move within the dark cloud ring. At first, it was just a subtle rippling, like a massive creature stretching beneath a dark blanket. Then, impossibly slowly, a titanic form began to unfurl, a hundred legs emerging as if stepping out of the cloud across the air.


    A hundred shadows seemed to reach out to it from the city below. The entire shadowy ring circling the city suddenly twisted and wobbled, unfolding into a monster of titanic proportions, a head covered in silver-blue eyes blooming into existence, thousands of red dots forming on its chest.


    One by one, smaller Shadowbeasts disconnected from it, spreading out like a hive of angry, dark bees.


    "Sheet," Vespera uttered beside me. "That''s a 13/10 spookiness level."


    "Never seen it come down?" I asked.


    "Not from this angle," Vee replied. "By now, the Inn windows shutters close."


    Cinder wrapped her hands around me, pulling me into the tank.


    As the Leviathan Nightingale unfurled itself above Shandria, its massive form seemed to consume the entire sky. Hundreds of silver-blue eyes blinked and scanned the landscape, while shadowy appendages stretched out like tentacles, probing the city below. It released a wail that sent a chill down across my spine, causing my heart to thunder madly.


    Fear magic of the highest order, same as the Wendigo wards, perhaps more potent.


    The Leviathan¡¯s flock spread out into all directions, a few black dots of flying Shadowbeasts heading towards us.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The crystalline wall of Miss Possible cut the view off as I was pulled inside. The Corpse Seeker accelerated instantly and in a flash, glowing water detonated around us as the wall-screen lit up.


    In another second or two, the view of Shandria was gone far behind us. The crystalline legs of Miss Possible thundered across the sea floor, I watched the silt bloom behind us like a massive, underwater explosion. The sea around us glimmered with an alien jade-green luminescence, casting ethereal light across the tank''s interior.


    Vespera''s talons were buried deep within Miss Possible''s crystalline controls, electrical currents dancing between her fingers and the tank''s internal systems. Her eyes were focused, half closed and calculating.


    "Depth?" I asked.


    "Cozy," Vespera clicked.


    [Depth: 447.63 meters]


    [Aetheric Density: 995.49]


    [Pressure: 41 atmospheres]


    Lines flickered into existence on the round wall that displayed the view of the magic-irradiated sea.


    [Core Temperature: 42%]


    [Energy Level: 96%]


    [Structural Integrity: 61%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 78%]


    [Storage Capacity: 68%]


    [Internal Life Support: active]


    Cinder peered out at the glowing underwater view. "How deep can Miss Possible go?"


    "Way deep," Vee clicked. "could probably dig halfway into the center of the Earth with this baby. She was made for plowing through dungeons. Gonna keep an eye on structural integrity and adjust the dimensional wards cast by the dragonheart accordingly, don''t worry."


    Strange crystalline structures grew from the seafloor - not coral, something more alien. Some looked like massive fractals, others like frozen explosions of light.


    "Pretty," I commented.


    "Coral formations twisted by magrad," Vee commented.


    Luminescent fish-flocks danced around the alien corals, looking like a mix between jellyfish and dragonflies, their translucent bodies rippling with waves of brilliant jade-green light that matched the sea''s ethereal glow.


    "Bioluminescent adaptive creatures," Vespera clicked, pausing a frame of a shot of the underwater flock. "Rapidly evolved to survive in high magrad environments. Notice how their bodies constantly shift and change? They''re absorbing and redistributing magrad constantly."


    [Depth: 1447.63 meters]


    [Aetheric Density: 1211.53]


    "How high is the magical radiation here?" I asked as the fish and corals vanished behind us and the sea bed started to glow even brighter.


    "High enough that normal organisms or a human would melt into an incoherent puddle within minutes," Vespera replied.


    "What about an Omnid?" I asked.


    "Omnids could probably survive here," Vespera clicked. "Maybe suffer minor mutations. You, however..." She glanced at me. "Would literally disintegrate. Poof."


    Cinder wrapped her wings around me protectively, making the ''not on my watch'' expression. I leaned into her embrace, smiling. "Awww. My knight in shimmering feathers."


    She let out a small growl.


    [Depth: 2447.63 meters]


    [Aetheric Density: 1887.22]


    Something pulsed ahead of us like dancing lightning wrapped in a corona of colors that made my head hurt. As Possy rushed towards it, moving at ludicrous speed, the brilliant thing became shaped like a gargantuan hollow diatom. Violet lightning danced across it, leaving streaks across reality that made my head hurt.


    "Daymn," Vee commented. "Now that''s something you don''t see everyday."


    "What is that?"


    "A lotta magrad. It''s dimensionally skewering reality, interposing a piece of the Astral Ocean into the physical," Vespera explained. "Normally a dungeon core would gradually sink into the megastructure shell, but this thing is dimensionally anchored in place. Probably ''cus a bunch of Space mages were anchoring their camp, preventing the enemy from teleporting into their midst."


    "Is that safe?" Cinder asked.


    "I dunno," Vee shrugged. "Probably?"


    "Probably?" Cinder raised an eyebrow.


    "We''ve got the most badass tank in existence," Vee commented. "Okay, slow down a bit now, just in case."


    We reached the gargantuan diatom and I swallowed. It was made from people. Hollow people intertwined with each other in phantasmagorical patterns.


    "Going in!" Vespera declared.


    Miss Possible''s drill ignited, it began to plow through the first crystalline human form. The violet lightning dancing across the diatom suddenly focused, striking at our tank.


    The stats went haywire for a second, the view flickering.


    "Shit!" Vespera yelled. Electrical sparks erupted around her, creating a corona of crackling energy.


    "What?" I asked.


    "Thought there would be more chaos between the cores," Vespera replied. "But... This thing is self-organized. It''s an engine of hate, of uncreation. A singularity of despair."


    "That doesn''t sound good," Cinder commented. "Should we... turn back?"


    "No," Vee said as another impossible underwater lightning bolt struck us. "We can take it. We won''t get another chance. It''s adjusting, trying to understand us! We have to move forward, rip that core made from cores out from the center."


    "Why?" Cinder demanded.


    "¡¯Cus," Vee fired back. "If we don''t deal with it today, the magrad Sea will expand and eat our lovely farm in a few decades or a century. I like our farm. This thing is expanding its domain like a dungeon, growing outward."


    The drill obliterated the outer shell, revealing the innards of the gargantuan diatom. It stretched above us like a dome. Hollow bone-things made from what appeared to be thousands of people fused to each other disconnected from the walls, heading towards us.


    "Sentinels?" Cinder paled.


    "Yep," Vee nodded. "Big ones."


    "Vee," I called out. "What''s our exit strategy?"


    "Exit?" Vespera laughed. "We''re going straight to the core, baby! These boney boys look like they can pack a punch, but we''re faster than them underwater!"


    Miss Possible shot forward, sending ripples behind herself, leaving the titans behind, obliterating more occasional human-shaped mesh walls in her way.


    I looked behind us and finally understood what the diatom was. It was an explosion. An explosion that sent bodies flying, imprinted them in time upon their deaths.


    More hollow shells were obliterated by our drill head. An entire army of men, a hollow camp imprinted into the world. Faces askew in horror as their own magic rained down upon them, some cowering, thousands of warriors and mages suspended in their final moments, like three-dimensional snapshots.


    "Holy shit," I breathed out.


    The core at the center pulsed with an impossible violet light. It wasn''t just a core - it was a massive crystalline structure made of fused human heart-cores, each one still flickering with remnants of skills.


    Not the thousands of soldiers, but mages who must have inhabited the central tent. There must have been an implosion that drew everything into itself, folded the cores together into one massive sphere sized about a meter by a meter.


    [Core Temperature: 38%]


    [Energy Level: 84%]


    [Structural Integrity: 52%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 61%]


    "We''re losing structural integrity," Vespera clicked. "But we''re close to the core. What''s it gonna be, Lexxy?"


    "Forward," I said. "Let''s destroy this abomination before it eats our lovely farm!"


    "Agreed," she nodded.


    Miss Possible''s drill ignited with an intense crystalline light, spinning faster and faster as we approached the pulsing violet core made of fused human heart-cores. The drill began to vibrate, creating a resonance that made the entire tank tremble, the walls of the dimensional bulkheads cracking.


    "Brace yourselves," Vespera clicked, her talons sending electrical currents through Miss Possible''s crystalline structure.


    Cinder wrapped her wings around me protectively, her feathers shifting through shades of defensive grays and blues.


    The core seemed to sense our approach. The violet lightning intensified, creating a barrier of pure magic energy that threatened to tear reality apart.


    "Not today!" Vee growled as Cinder dug into me with her claws.


    The drill hit the barrier.


    A sound beyond sound erupted - a scream that wasn''t a scream, a light that wasn''t light, a moment that stretched between moments...


    A forty two thousand year old tank versus an army of ten thousand mages murdered in a blink of an eye and then left to rot for a century.


    Time versus death.


    Omnid magitek versus Arx wild magic that gradually turned the dead into dungeons.


    The body of the Corpse Seeker groaned, widening cracks running along her crystalline edges, hexamesh ligaments tearing like snapping cables.

 Chapter 23: Proto-Dungeon [II]

    As the corpse seeker cracked, so did the core it was assaulting.


    With a blinding flash, the proto-dungen core shattered and detonated. A shockwave of pure magical energy erupted around us, plowing, shattering the imprints of men burned into reality, obliterating the diatomic sphere and decimating the Sentinels gathering behind us.


    Miss Possible''s mouth unfurled wide, swallowing the broken pieces of the shattered core.


    [Core Temperature: 92%]


    [Energy Level: 100%]


    [Structural Integrity: 38%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 42%]


    [Storage Capacity: 98%]


    "Nazareth! Almost imploded ourselves," Vespera swallowed. "But we got the core! Yay!"


    "Yay?" Cinder let out. "That''s all you have to say after we nearly died?"


    "I do! That was the most exciting thing I''ve done in... Like, ever. Gotta gamble to win big," Vee fluttered, her feathers dancing with black and white patterns. "Okay down we go. I''ll move slowly, so the rock can melt and solidify behind us.¡±


    Cinder nodded, looking very puffed up, wings black and red.


    Miss Possible melted through a wall into a gargantuan open space and plummeted down through the air, crashing into the water far below.


    Then as Vespera readjusted the tank''s legs, Possy rushed out of the water onto a black sand beach. A few giant, house-sized snails stared at us, their black shells covered in glowing blue-gray moss glowing ever so slightly.


    Miss Possible rapidly plowed uphill away from the giant snails towards a rope ladder and climbed up the wall by stabbing crystalline legs into slate stone, finally settling onto a large platform overhead marked with the logo of a tower.


    "Ta da!" Vespera declared. "Gloomkerr Dungeon! Please disembark, n'' don''t leave any of your belongings or your mentally-exhausted driver in the tank..."


    Vespera''s arms came out of the liquid crystal and she fell backwards into my embrace. "And done," she let out.


    Her body was soaked in sweat and she was trembling like a leaf in the wind.


    "Effin Abyss," she mewled. "That was exhilarating... Now, let''s never ever do that again."


    I glanced at the flickering screen-wall covered in dark cracks and half-dead hexagon-shaped pixels.


    [Core Temperature: 97.39%]


    [Energy Level: 100%]


    [Structural Integrity: 26%]


    [Dimensional Stability: 32%]


    [Storage Capacity: 98%]


    I tapped my Quartermaster bracelet, whispering a name.


    "Yes?" A scruffy female voice came from the other side.


    "Hey, kitty-cat. Did you miss us? We''re home," I said. "Come meet us at the Gloomkerr Dungeon entrance. Bring our mooks. We have plentiful loot to carry back into the tower."


    "Gloomkerr Dungeon?!" Katherine repeated. "How did you even..."


    "You''ll see," I replied, hanging up on her.


    <hr>


    We climbed out of Miss Possible, leaving the tank behind us pouring steam in the direction of the dungeon sea.


    Katherine arrived first, her bulky form melting out of the Shadows. She walked towards us and spotted Miss Possible and then her mouth fell open.


    "What?" She let out. "What the fuck is that?"


    "That''s Miss Possible," I replied. "Our new wheels."


    Io emerged from the tunnel next, followed by Guild mooks carrying bags. They too froze, staring at the steaming tank.


    Katherine stared at Miss Possible, her emerald eyes wide with disbelief.


    "Is that... a Corpse Seeker?" She finally found her voice. "Why is it so big?"


    "Correction," Vespera nodded tiredly. "That''s OUR Corpse Seeker! Stolen her fair n'' square."


    Io whistled. "No wonder you smelled like certain doom. Wow. This is seriously old magitek."


    "Forty-two thousand years old," I nodded.


    "Where the shit did you...?" Kat began.


    "Borrowed her from the Omnid Chapel." I grinned.


    "BORROWED?" Katherine''s loud growl made the phosphorescent snail eye-stalks vibrate in the distance.


    "Yes," I nodded jovially. "On a permanent basis. Vee, unleash the doubloons!"


    Vespera tapped her wrist and a cascade of gold bars, Celesteel and magisteel cards, misc coins and documents began pouring out from Miss Possible''s crystalline body, creating a glittering pile on the black stone platform.


    "Bag it up, boys and girls!" I said, arms spread dramatically wide.


    Katherine choked. Io laughed. The mooks stared at the pile of treasure with wide eyes.


    "What." Katherine asked. "The fuck. Is that."


    "Booty?" I grinned.


    "I thought that you went on a date," Katherine massaged her snout with an exasperated expression.


    "We did," I said cheerfully. "Had a lovely stroll in the city, taunted Emerald, bought some presents, stopped an execution, terrorized a city, stole a tank, robbed a bank, had a farm-cooked meal, bought a farm, had a walk on the beach, and retrieved an ancient magical reactor from the bottom of a radioactive sea. Very romantic. Right ladies?"


    "Our foxy man knows how to show his girls a good time," Vespera smiled tiredly, held up by Cinder in a bridal carry.


    The Quetzi let out a bothered noise.


    Katherine stared between me and the Thunderbird. Then she looked at Cinder.


    "Yeah," the Quetzi-girl replied with a half-catatonic look of glassy eyes. "That happened. All of that."


    <hr>


    In the days that followed, I unpacked all of my sixty Omnimart stolen phones from my bag and taught my mooks how to use and charge them, connecting them to a copy of Yulia running on a stolen laptop.


    Vespera spent all of her time in the grand dining hall, integrating the laptop and the stolen proto-dungeon core into the center of the tower directly below. She had used one of Possy''s heat-release vents to purposefully melt the core and rapidly mix it into a very evenly blended slag about a hundred times with larger pieces of crystalline tower material, burning all individuality from the core. Then she used Lance''s bricking wand to sink the said core deep into the floor and began setting up layers upon layers of crystalline wards around it.


    Once she was done with that, she began entwining more hexagrams into it, giddily building her death ray while whistling Twisted Nerves song from the Kill Bob Film.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Katherine used her superhuman strength and deep-warp to punch new tunnels connecting caverns and to plan out rooms beneath the tower to house the Undertown refugees and our future employees. Io went with her and supervised her, warning which section was stable and which would cause a collapse.


    I spent most of my time managing my Guild, explaining to each mook what they had to do for the potential year and six months that I would be away.


    Miss Possible remained stationed at Gloomkerr for a day, gradually cooling and repairing herself. Eventually, she joined the excavation efforts. Thanks to the Corpse Seeker''s drilling power and Io''s disaster-sense we were able to create thousands of new tunnels and rooms connected to our Guild, hollowing out the interior of our crystalline domain in just a few days.


    When the space was set up fully, Vespera covered the entire tank in cold runes and we began venturing out into Duskbloom-engulfed Undertown, swiftly rescuing thousands of people from their hovels and Topaz dens.


    Without the tank on our side, many people would die, but Miss Possible tirelessly worked night and day even while we slept as Vespera set up a basic body-retrieval algorithm inside her, targeting passed out Undertown denizens. The Duskbloom mites had indeed devoured all Topaz out of people''s bodies first, leaving them clean.


    Shash and his assassins set up checkpoints throughout the new tunnel network, organizing the refugees into different sectors based on their skills and establishing a basic security system.


    Along with human bodies, Possy liberated tons of useful stuff, collecting magisteel safes left behind by the mages and Guilds who fled Undertown. In just a few days our Guild vault became absolutely packed with Kitlix, gold, weapons, tools, books and artifacts.


    A section of the tower was modded by Vespera to melt down the bars and mint new coins and cards with an image of Miss Possible on one side and my foxy face on the other, aged to make me look regal and wearing a laurel crown with the words LORD PROTECTOR etched around my bust. Shash and our other agents were sent upstairs to lease a variety of properties with the currency for our business venture developments, offering various select, capable, young individuals jobs in our crystal tower.


    Through rapid organization and delegation, the crystal tower transformed into a semi-functioning city-state within Undertown.


    Vespera continued enhancing the tower''s defenses, integrating more complex ward systems and expanding the tower''s capabilities. The proto-dungeon core provided stable power for all operations.


    Since there was only one column stairwell leading into Undertown, Vespera simply pointed the death ray at the tower housing it, attracting an absurd number of mites to the entrance.


    <hr>


    Arch-Guild Enforcer Legarth Wixoff descended into the stairwell leading to Undertown, his crack team of Enforcers behind him, covered head to toe in specially designed cold-rune armor.


    "Cold runes on," he barked to his team as they reached the bottom of the long stairwell. "Move quick and don''t get distracted. We are to crack open the safes and to retrieve all valuables for the Guilds and mages that departed in their haste and abandoned much of their valuables behind."


    The other enforcers nodded.


    Legarth stepped out of the stairwell tower and found himself facing an inexplicable, silver-blue crystalline, semi-transparent obelisk standing in a literal ocean of glowing mites.


    Not a single Kitlix lantern burned in Undertown now. Colorful mites drifted all over, obscuring his view.


    "What in her Shadow''s name?" Legarth stared at the odd obelisk and the horrid living sea below it. "Did these pesky mites already spread this much?!"


    A magical projection suddenly flickered to life projected from the obelisk - a respectable-looking, foxgirl sitting on what appeared to be a crystal throne.


    "Welcome to the Free City of Katsburg," she declared cheerfully. "I am secretary of his Lord Protector, Yulia. How may I assist you today?"


    "Free City?" Legarth sputtered. "What nonsense is this?"


    "As signed by the decree of Shandrian Sovereign Cedez Astra," the foxgirl''s hologram continued pleasantly, "this section of Undertown is now an autonomous region under the regency of Lord Protector. It is Duskbloom-infested land currently being reclaimed by the Order of Thunder and Rainbow. Do you have an appointment?"


    "We don''t need an appointment," Legarth growled. "We''re here to retrieve valuables left behind by the Guilds of Undertown. Also, Shandria doesn''t have a Sovereign named Cedez Astra!"


    "The Free City of Katsburg recognizes Lady Cedez Astra as the legitimate Sovereign of Shandria. Also, I''m afraid those valuables have already been devoured by Duskbloom," the projection smiled. "However, if you''d like to discuss business opportunities or schedule a meeting with one of our banking representatives, I''d be happy to assist."


    "Banking representatives?" Legarth sputtered. "What banking representatives?"


    "The Free City of Katsburg offers competitive financial services and employment opportunities," the projection replied pleasantly. "Including secure storage, currency exchange, and a multutude of investment opportunities. Would you like to schedule an appointment?"


    "Listen here," Legarth growled, "I don''t know who you are. I have orders from High Justice Luborkand of Shandria to retrieve that which belongs to the Guilders!"


    "I''m afraid without proper authorization, I cannot allow you to proceed further," the projection interrupted. "The mites in this area are quite aggressive. For your own safety, I recommend scheduling an appointment with our representatives."


    Legarth stared at the projection in disbelief. "This is absurd! We are authorized enforcers of the Arch-Guild!"


    "Speaking of authorization," the foxgirl said in her far-too-polite cadence, "I notice you''re carrying quite a lot of weaponry. I should inform you that unauthorized weapons are strictly prohibited in Katsburg. Our defense systems are... quite thorough. For your own safety you have ten seconds to step back. Ten. Nine..."


    A red dot appeared on Legarth''s chest armor.


    "I don''t have to listen to whatever this is!" Legarth ignored the dot, marching into the ocean of mites, parting away from his cold runes.


    A brilliant beam of light erupted from somewhere high above and Legarth suddenly ignited like a torch. All of the runes covering his armor exploded at once, overloading from the ray that boiled the air itself. Then the sea of mites engulfed him whole as he screamed.


    The rest of Legarth''s team stumbled backwards in horror as their leader vanished beneath the undulating waves of glowing mites.


    A hand emerged, then another. Hissing and smoking, Legarth crawled back towards his team, his expensive armor crumbling away, his entire body covered in mites.


    "As I was saying," the foxgirl continued in the same pleasantly unnerving voice, "for your safety, I recommend scheduling an appointment. Our banking representatives would be happy to discuss any concerns you might have in the future."


    "H-help me, yo-you idiots! R-retreat!" Legarth croaked, spitting mites, his voice hoarse. "Back to the surface!"


    The enforcers scrambled backwards up the stairs, towards the cold tunnel, dragging their leader with them.


    "Thank you for your interest in visiting Katsburg," the hologram called after them cheerfully. "We look forward to your scheduled visit!"


    The projection flickered off as the last enforcer disappeared up the stairs.


    . . .


    Behind the obelisk, in the crystal tower''s control room, the image of the foxkin on the laptop screen connected to Lance''s mana-electricity converter, smiled.


    "Unauthorized armed delvers repelled," Yulia declared proudly.


    "Great job," I commented from the couch where I was cuddling a sleeping Cinder. "Very diplomatic."


    "Why, thank you," Yulia replied. "I aimed to be firm yet professional."


    "Think you can handle it from here?" I said.


    "A year and six months is a long time to leave an LLM in charge," she said with a smile. "But I''ve got a capable team of Arx-kin working as my hands and eyes. If I go offline or get stuck in loops, they can restart me or take over. Do you trust them, Lord Protector?"


    "I trust in the foundation I set up," I shrugged. "I trust in the Guild I bought, Shash and Master Morty. Well paid, well-fed people don''t rebel and our Guild''s Vault is bursting with gold now. Just keep our people safe. And keep expanding carefully. No need to rush things. Use the farmland we bought to feed to populace."


    "Of course," Yulia nodded. "I''ll maintain steady growth while you''re away. The refugees are settling in well from what I was told by Shash and can see via a few cameras pointed down."


    I glanced at Cinder, who was dozing against my shoulder, her feathers shifting through peaceful blues and silvers.


    "Ci! Time to head back to Earth," I said softly.


    "Mmm, five more minutes," she replied, burying me in pink-blue-silver feathers.


    "Do we really have to head back?" Vespera asked from where she was sitting, still manipulating hexagrams far below us. "I''m... happy here. Still so much to do."


    "Are you scared?" I asked her.


    "Yes," Vespera admitted softly, all of her feathers turning pure black. "I am. I''m worried about defying my entire family and my dad, worried about Zheng''s wrath. Here you''re Lord Protector and out there you''ll be just another Skyfall student, a nullie at that."


    "The world is more than Arx, Vee," I said, "more than our little crystal citadel. What do you think happens if we stay here past the two hour limit?"


    "The gate to Earth will turn off," Vespera said. "Till next Friday. It operates on runic clockwork Instructor Zalimar set up. Our parents will freak out and bring Scruts into the school and then figure out how to reactivate the gate forcefully... get into Shandria and send many Corpse Seekers, Knight and other Omnid magitek to retrieve us."


    "Exactly," I said. "Our death ray won''t work against those. We can''t run from Omnithornia. You and Ci will get dragged back to Earth on your parents terms. I don''t want that."


    Vespera nodded, her feathers twitching.


    "Aww, where''s my brave, cheerful Vee?" I asked, petting her.


    "Tired," she replied. "Very effing tired. You try burning a thousand hexagrams into a tower in less than eighty hours!"


    "Did you not sleep at all?" I asked her, recalling her cuddling us with one arm at times, while using her second arm to etch hexagrams into the crystalline strata below.


    "Nope," she said. "Pushed need to sleep away with my current. Kept myself going past the limit. S''making me irritable and twitchy. Going to have a long-ass nap after. Was too excited about setting up our lovely base away from home." She sighed, standing up and stretching her black wings. "But, you''re right. We need to face Earth. We need to roll on with our plans! Can''t hide in our crystal tower forever. Omnithornia awaits! Rise n'' shine, Skittles!"


    She sent a brilliant spark into Cinder''s face, the Quetzi-girl shaken awake with a bothered yelp and flutter of orange feathers.

 Chapter 24: Homeward

    Miss Possible spiraled upward through the rock, her crystalline drill carving a smooth tunnel as she ascended. Inside the control bubble, Vespera hummed cheerfully while manipulating the controls with electrical currents from her feet.


    "Must you be so... chipper so early in the morning?" Cinder grumbled, her feathers shifting through irritated oranges and tired gray-blues. She was curled up in one of the crystalline seats, leaning onto me for support.


    "Early bird gets the interdimensional worm!" Vespera clicked. "Also, I''m totally not chipper. I''m sleep deprived-hyper, freaking out about many things.¡±


    ¡°Things like?¡± the Quetzi asked.


    "What this dastardly human-tater is planning," Vespera clicked. ¡°Obv¡¯sly.¡±


    "What''s he planning?" Katherine grumpily muttered from her corner of the tank.


    "You''ll see in about ten minutes," I said. "You should all learn from Io."


    Above us, Io swayed gently in his hammock, completely oblivious to the complaints below. The moth had somehow managed to tie a hammock to the crystalline ceiling and was now snoring softly.


    "He''s only so chill because he''s high on questionable things and full of interdimensional snacks," Katherine rolled her eyes.


    "Or," I suggested sagely. "He knows that nothing terrible is going to happen."


    Miss Possible''s crystalline drill burst through the ground next to Larry and Nilli''s farmhouse, sending burning wheat stalks and molten rock flying in all directions. Steam billowed around the massive tank, creating a surreal landscape of golden waves and crystalline reflections.


    Master Mortrdem stood waiting, dressed in a fanciful, new dark gray cloak that seemed to absorb the daylight. Beside him stood an ancient white crowkin mage in a white cloak, his feathers so pale they were almost translucent, leaning heavily on a gnarled staff made of what appeared to be intertwined bones and living wood.


    The old crow''s eyes¨Csharp and pale silver¨Clocked onto Miss Possible as she settled into the wheat field. "What manner of beast is that?" He asked.


    "That is our Master''s carriage, fear not. Lord Protector is right on time," Mortrdem commented with a wry smile.


    "Good mornin¡¯, M''Lord!" Mortrdem called out as we emerged from Miss Possible. "Lord Protector, may I present Archmage Ovijus. He''s quite interested in your... unusual construct."


    ¡°I hope you paid him well,¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Well enough to gate me to the provinces from the Capital.¡± The crow-man nodded.


    "What contract?" Kat asked, turning to me. "Did you hire a portal mage or something? I thought that the locals couldn¡¯t make interdimensional gates.¡±


    "We have a portal mage," I pointed at Io.


    "Who can''t open portals to anywhere except for disasters," Cinder yawned. "Are you going to orchestrate a disaster back on Earth or something?"


    "Yes," I nodded.


    "You better not blow up Cradlefall just so we can avoid using Zalimar''s gate and keep this damn tank!" Cinder growled. It was clear that she wasn''t a morning person.


    ¡°Oi, lay off my baby,¡± Vee hissed, swatting at Cinder.


    "Relax, there will be no blowing anything up," I waved her off.


    The Quetzi frowned at me, not believing in my words.


    "Io," I turned to the moth, who stood behind Katherine. "I''ve been engineering horrific disasters for you on Arx this entire week. Every catastrophe I''ve caused? It was all to feed your gateway abilities so that you could be primed for this pivotal moment."


    "Oh?" Iogann tilted his Snufkin hat forward.


    "Remember our little experiment with The Day After Tomorrow?"


    "The disaster movie clip gate?"


    "Yep," I said, pulling out my phone. I''d set up a specific clip from the film - a tsunami scene paused at 49:47 and half a second. "This exact screenshot is currently on display in my van on Earth on this exact phone model. I want you to open a gate to it."


    Io stared at the paused tsunami scene.


    "Got it?" I asked.


    He nodded. I turned the phone off. ¡°Gate away.¡±


    Io pulled out his harmonica, its brass surface gleaming. He placed it to his lips and began to play, mentally focusing intently on the frozen tsunami scene from the movie. Dark spots and flickering lines danced around him in the air for about a minute, then the harmonica''s melody wavered, creating a dissonant sound that made everyone wince.


    "It''s not working," Io muttered, lowering the instrument. "I don''t think that I can open a gate from Arx to our Earth."


    "Wanna try it together?" I asked, pulling out the lighter Zee Captain had given me. ¡°With some amplification?¡± The steel surface caught the sunlight. I turned the wheel and held the little flame between us.


    As it flickered, I offered Io my hand.


    "Together," I said as Io stared at my hand. "Omnid and human best friends, yin and yang, like an ever-spinning engine of magic. It worked with Vee and Cinder. Focus, bounce your skill off me, empower yourself.¡±


    The mothman nodded and grabbed my fingers with his fuzzy paw. The moment our hands touched, something shifted in the air. The lighter''s flame danced between us, building up the mana. I slowly felt a surge of... something. Energy. Potential. A calling.


    The song of doomsday.


    As mana poured from the lighter and spun around us invisibly, Io''s eyes changed¨Cfrom their usual drowsy state to sharp, focused intensity. He once again produced the eerie music and the dark spots around us began to coalesce, swirling like ink dropped into water.


    "Focus on the van," I murmured, picturing the scene myself. "My bean bag chair. The Winter-See-Mass lights. The sound system. The clip of the Day after Tomorrow paused on my phone. You can do it. We can do it. Together. You and me.¡±


    The harmonica''s brass surface began to vibrate, creating a low, resonant hum that seemed to bend the very fabric of reality around us. The wheat field wavered, like heat rising from hot pavement.


    I pictured the frame, the phone, Uncle George¡¯s van in all of its beat up glory, tracing a line in the air, my eyes closed.


    A dark tear appeared in the air as the gateway spell bounced between us, resonating and building up, devouring the mana spilling from the little flame. At first, it was just a hairline fracture, barely visible. Then it widened, wobbly with a gray shean. Io swiped at it with his antennae and the gray membrane popped, revealing a familiar interior - my beat-up van, parked in the Skyfall Academy student lot.


    The bean bag chairs looked exactly as I''d left them.


    "Holy shit," Katherine breathed.


    "A gate to Earth!" Cinder smiled, recognizing the interior where I had confessed my human-ness to her nearly two weeks ago. ¡°That¡¯s your van!¡±


    Vespera''s talons crackled with electricity. "Yass! You actually did it! Great job, Io and Lexxy! Go team!"


    Io looked equally shocked. "I... I''ve never been able to open a gate this precisely before this far away!¡±


    The gate stabilized, showing a perfect slice of my van''s interior. Sunlight filtered through the slightly dusty windows, catching motes of dust that hung suspended in the air. The phone I''d left paused on the tsunami scene was hanging from the dashboard, held in a plastic arm embrace, its screen frozen in that perfect moment of disaster of New New York citadel drowning under a wave of water.


    "One problem¨Cwe can''t go through that," Vee yawned. "Or even send Possy through. Out there time is basically nearly standing still. The gate is too thin, not set up like Zalimar''s wide-ass gateways. We''ll basically shear ourselves and shatter Possy from the temporal dilation shift."


    "Ah, that''s where this man comes in," I said, waving to the white crowkin.


    I turned to the Archmage who was staring at the gate we¡¯d made curiously. "Master Ovijus. I''d like you to slow us and our engine down eighty four times using your time-stopping skill, to match the time dilation inside this gate."


    Ovijus raised a pale eyebrow. "Eighty-four times?"


    "Approximately," I nodded. ¡°You can feel the difference between time here and inside the gate, yes?¡±


    Archmage Ovijus nodded, chanting an incantation as he probed the gate with his staff. His staff began to glow. A pale silver Kitlix rushed up his shoulders, eyes lighting up.


    "Take care of our Guild," I told Mortrdem. "Katsburg is yours to manage for a year and six months, maybe less, depending on how things go! This tunnel we just dug to this farm leads straight to Gloomkerr. You can give it some stairs and use it to move men and goods past the blockade. Maybe setup gateway points and hire gate mages for faster transfer. Anyways, you know what to do."


    "Thank you for your trust, M''Lord," Mortrdem nodded, his speech accelerating. "I shall watch over Undertown for you, make it shine in your name!¡±


    Ovijus chanted louder, slamming his staff into the ground, slowly circling us and Possy. I watched as the world outside our time bubble began to blur and shift. The sun over Nihilim seemed to rush around the black hole, clouds racing in fast-forward, distant waves of the Chasm Sea smashing rapidly into the glass pebble beach.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Mortrdem and Ovijus blurred, moving quicker and quicker, until they vanished altogether.


    "Io! Increase the gate!" I ordered, imagining the gate getting bigger, pulling on whatever Omnid magic was currently flowing through me. "Let¡¯s move the gate of the van into the parking lot beside it!"


    The mothman nodded, gripping my hand.


    [LV 3 skill gained: Sundergate] Blue sparks flashed across my eyes.


    The gate moved backwards out through the van¡¯s window, still pointed at the phone. It expanded outward, stretching wider and taller until it encompassed a section of the Skyfall Academy¡¯s parking lot. The edges wavered and rippled like heat mirages.


    "Forward! Homeward march! Stay together!¡± I declared, keeping my grip on Io''s hand as we walked through the dimensional tear.


    The transition felt... strange. Like walking through a soap bubble, a moment of resistance followed by a subtle ''pop'' as reality and air pressure shifted around us, aetheric density dropping way down and making my chest ache.


    The morning sun of Earth felt different¨Cless intense, the sky overhead finite and more natural than Arx''s alien supermassive cloud patterns.


    Vespera, Katherine and Cinder followed close behind. Miss Possible''s crystalline form emerged last, her massive bulk stretching and squeezing through the dimensional gateway, crystalline legs pounding into the parking lot¡¯s pavement.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s through!¡± I looked behind us and let go of Io''s fuzzy hand. The dimensional portal rapidly began to shrink. Io turned and stared at the shrinking gate, lowering the harmonica.


    "I did it," he uttered with a shaking voice. "I actually took a party from one world to another!"


    ¡°Hey,¡± I turned to Kat. ¡°Can you shove Miss Possible into the deep for me?"


    Katherine nodded. She grabbed my hand to amplify herself and reached out with her Stollwurm powers, gradually wrapping Miss Possible in pulsating shadows. The massive crystalline tank began to sink into the deep, vanishing from the physical, dissolving into wobbling darkness.


    In another minute it was gone. I waved a hand where it had stood. ¡°Aww yus, one concealed tank.¡±


    Katherine rolled her eyes at me.


    "Well," I stretched, looking around the familiar parking lot. "Home sweet home. Damn, the world looks so much smaller."


    "Everything looks smaller after Arx," Vespera yawned.


    "Yulia," I said. "Send the email to Zheng Xing Ker."


    "Email?" Vee spun towards me. "Oh." Her face lengthened. "You''re actually going with that. Right now? Ugh."


    "Email sent," Yulia replied cheerfully.


    I checked my phone''s clock - exactly two hours had passed since we left Earth. Perfect timing.


    Katherine exhaled with a weary groan and pulled her wheelchair from her back. She unfolded it and sat down and pulled her dark goggles over her eyes, digging for her flask.


    "No," I turned towards her.


    "What do you mean no?" She looked up at me.


    "You''re staying upright," I said.


    "The Abyss I am," she said, unscrewing her flask. "Do you know how bad my body hurts, you jackass?¡±


    "No!" I growled, prying the mana-rich alcohol from her hand. "Chew on this instead."


    I pulled a large beast core from my pocket.


    "You... hrm," she said. "You do realise how fucking expensive these are?"


    "It¡¯s fine. We liberated thousands of them from the bank," I said, putting down Lance''s bag and digging inside.


    "Plus just chewing on a single core won''t up the aetheric density of this entire damned planet," she growled, lobbing the core into her mouth.


    "That''s why I had an Arx Seamstress make this for you," I said, pulling out a box from my backpack and shoving it into her hands.


    "What?" Katherine accepted the box, pulling out a folded dark leather outfit, eyeing a thousand small beast cores shining on black strings of its surface. "I... what?! Is this a dress?!"


    "I got Vee an overpriced tank," I grinned. "And Ci got a massive farm on Arx for just as much. This is probably the most expensive outfit on Earth, made up from three thousand three hundred and thirty three mini beast cores put together by seamstress Silenerra!¡±


    I watched Katherine''s reaction carefully as she examined the black dress. The dress was more than just fabric¨Cit was a carefully engineered garment designed to help her manage her degenerative condition.


    "This is..." she started, then stopped. Her fingers traced the delicate patterns of shimmering, pearlescent cores.


    "Dress, pants, boots, collar, earrings, goggle headband and gloves," I said, pointing at the box. "Specifically designed to help stabilize your condition by maintaining a consistent high aetheric density field around your entire body. The leather straps are adjustable. It''s the same design Sovereign Astra uses to keep herself alive and focused as living Shadow Sentinel. She gave me the idea during one of our Voicecast chats over the week.¡±


    Vespera and Cinder watched our interaction, Vee with a tilted head, Cinder with her feathers shifting through curious blues.


    Katherine looked up at me, her irate expression softening momentarily. "Why would you make something like this for me? I''m not your girlfriend."


    "No, you''re not," I said. "You''re my best friend. I want you walking upright. I want you to smile."


    "I helped," Vespera said. "Scanned your exact dimensions with the tower! Plus, I checked that the coverage was even after it was made. This should match Arx''s aetheric density, wherever you go till the cores run out of mana.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just gift me¡­¡± Katherine began.


    "It''s not a gift," I fired back. "It''s an investment. I need you at full strength. It comes with a condition."


    "What condition?" Kat demanded.


    "That you let me and Vee into your dreams," I said. "That you let Vee scan you. So that we can maybe help whatever is hurting you. The dress is just a crutch."


    Katherine stared at me, her emerald eyes narrowing. Then she pulled her goggles on. "You want to dive into my dreams?"


    "Not for fun," I said. "To help you. Your degenerative condition - it might be tied to something deeper. Potentially soul damage. Something in your past, maybe?"


    Kat pawed at the dress, her body language shifting between curiosity and defensiveness.


    "Why do you care?" she asked softly.


    "Because you''re part of our team," I said. "Our clan. You¡¯re our Knight. And in our clan, we take care of each other."


    Vespera stepped forward, her black and white feathers shifting subtly. "We can totes help you, Kat. But¡­ you gots to let us in."


    Cinder watched silently, her feathers creating soft prismatic reflections and little rainbows in the afternoon sunlight.


    "No," Katherine said, shoving the box back into my arms.


    I sighed and then shoved it back into her hands. "Fine! Take the damned dress. No strings attached!"


    She grabbed the box, her claws slightly trembling. For a moment, I thought she might reject it again. But then she hugged the box close to her chest.


    "Not gonna get into my head?" She asked, looking back at me with dark goggles.


    "If you don''t want our help, we won''t pry," I said. "You have to want to let us in, trust us. It was an accident with Ci and we found a horrid Outsider in her soul. I just want to make sure it''s not inside you too."


    "There''s nothing outsidery in me!" She answered far too quickly.


    "I didn''t say there is," I said, squinting at her.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± she turned away.


    I turned to Io. "Sorry, I didn''t have time to get you something outrageously expensive."


    Io adjusted his hat and shrugged. "I''m just happy to be here. First successful intentional gateway without a disaster! That''s enough of a gift for me, bud.¡±


    Vespera''s phone buzzed. She glanced at the ID. "Hoooboy," she let out. "Really don''t want to deal with this. Way to fookin'' sleep deprived for this shit, can¡¯t even pretend it''s funny."


    "Gimme," I said.


    "Aight," she shoved her phone into my hands. "Have fun. Imma have a nap in the coliseum office. Thankfully there are no classes after Arx delving so students can adjust their schedule back to Earth time."


    She rushed off into the school, wobbling slightly, leaving me with the phone.


    I picked up the Omnigram video call.


    "Sup frogman?"


    The green, moist, round cheeked face of the Jin Chan appeared on screen.


    "Why do you have my fiancee''s phone?" The Prima-son of Golden Star Industries snarled, his gold evening robes shimmering in the Kitlix-lit opulent bedroom.


    "Sorry, my frog dude. You missed a couple of special Wednesdays. She''s my soul-bonded fiancee now," I said. "Got my email? You''re cordially invited to our engagement ceremony at the Triumvirate Slayers Cathedral!¡±


    I grinned at the rapidly swelling and darkening face of Zheng Xing Ker, his golden robes trembling with barely contained rage.


    "You''re... what?" he sputtered.


    "Soul bonded," I repeated cheerfully. "Or engaged as the poor people say. To Vespera Simmi. Lovely girl. Beautiful. Zappy. Brilliant. Constantly in my thoughts. Love her to death."


    "You impudent cur!" Zheng barked, red eyes digging into me. ¡°How dare you?!¡±


    "Sorry," I grinned. "Not sorry. What are you gonna do? Send mooks to put concrete shoes on me? Like some middle-class gangster? If you want your precious waifu back, I suggest you come to Skyfall in person. In accordance with the ancient Firstborn Clans Omnid blood-laws, I challenge you to a duel to the death for the hand of Vespera Simmi!¡±


    The silence on the other end of the phone was electric. I could practically feel Zheng''s rage radiating through the screen, his entire body practically vibrating with contained fury as his cheeks inflated comically, drawing air in.


    "You," he finally said, each word dripping with barely controlled venom, "are nothing. A pathetic mostly-human, Level Three mixed-blood scum, according to my Probability Engine. How DARE you challenge me? How dare you bond yourself to my promised Primo-wife, you¡­ pitiful, pink cockroach!"


    I glanced over at Cinder, who was watching me with concern.


    "I dare quite easily," I said cheerfully. "Shall we set the terms? I''m thinking¡­ something dramatic. Something that really shows off our respective capabilities."


    "WHAT CAPABILITIES?!" The rotund frog snarled. "You picked the wrong Highborn Prince to antagonize, knave! You have no skills, nothing to oppose me! You realize you''re challenging a Prima-born heir of Golden Star?! With access to the world''s best Probability Engines that can calculate millions of potential scenarios of your demise?"


    "Then you shouldn''t be scared of facing me in a fair magic duel to the death at Skyfall''s Coliseum," I said. "Unless you''re chicken. I offer simple terms - if you manage to kill me, you can throw my bracelet into the ocean or whatever. If I kill you, then you let me keep Vespera and find yourself a new Primo-wife. Bring as many high-level mooks as you want to vs me and my team of five Arx Delvers. Look, Thunder-Princeling, I''m a very wealthy man, I don''t have time for poor people like you with your probability engines or whatever.¡±


    The frogman gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Either you get your ass here and pound me with your chonky fists like a genuine and proper Firstborn Clan Scion, or we can both hire an army of assassins and waste our valuable money and time,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Feel free to predict which is more optimal. I can afford a lot of assassins these days. Likely, more than you. I just spent about 22 million O-bux on a dress for my bestie.¡±


    Katherine swallowed beside me.


    I waited, watching the frog-like face on the screen, enjoying the way his cheeks wobbled with rage. The silence stretched between us, pregnant with tension.


    "You," Zheng finally hissed, "will regret this."


    "Probably," I agreed cheerfully. "But right now, I''m enjoying watching you turn several hilarious shades of green. Shall we set the duel date? My weekend is open!¡±


    I could see the calculations happening behind his eyes¨Cpotential outcomes being analyzed, him tapping something into his golden artifact probability watch with green, fat fingers.


    "Skyfall Coliseum," he said finally, eyes burning like two rubies. "Sunday. High noon."


    "Perfect," I said. "It¡¯s a date! See you in two days, froggy-snookums! Toodles!¡±


    I sent him a kiss and hung up before he could hurl more insults at me.


    Cinder, Kat and Io stared at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked them. ¡°I already beat up an immortal Koshei Archmage. Beating up a rotund Thunda-Prince frog-man and his overpaid army is like a downgrade at this point.¡±


    ¡°A very angry, wealthy Prince who can predict the future,¡± Cinder pursed her lips, glaring at me with an expression that promised all sorts of things, wings flashing in irate and worried colors.


    "Ah! That reminds me," I said. "We should probably wake our sleeping angry dragon and Co. Io, you want to zap ¡®em awake with one of Lance¡¯s batons?"


    Io nodded. He climbed into Lance''s bag where a trio of Omnids were snoozing, forced into deep, dreamless sleep by Vee''s machinations four days ago.


    ¡°Ci,¡± I turned to my girlfriend. ¡°Go help Kat put the dress on. The back corset is finicky.¡±


    Cinder nodded.


    "Right. Thanks for the¡­ outfit. I''ll¡­ go change," Kat let out. She rapidly rolled off without another word in the direction of the academy¡¯s entrance. Cinder followed the wheelchair-bound Stollwurm, wings flashing orange and violet. They rapidly hissed something at each other, probably discussing me and my recklessly suicidal ways.

 Chapter 25: Dearly Deported

    June watched the Arx gate and the clock on the wall with growing anxiety. Her Kelpie mane rippled with nervous energy, droplets of water scattering across the dark marble floor of the classroom. She crumpled and repeatedly unfolded a paper in her pale blue hands, the official seal of the Arx Bank glaring up at her in stark, black lettering.


    "By order of Arx Bank, your delving team has been deported from Shandria for the period of one hundred years. Consult Lord Zalimar for future delves. Sincerely,


    Arx-Earth gate Administrator Gabriella Matrosyn." The paper stated bluntly.


    The long arrow of the clock finished its final pass and the clock struck exactly 12:00.


    "No," June whispered, hear heart beating like mad.


    She felt that she was a fool, that she really should have talked to Iogann when she still had the chance, that she should have...


    She had no idea what she could have done to prevented this awful disaster of a delve.


    Across Skyfall campus, the white Cathedraltown citadel noon bells began ringing their bells announcing lunch and then the black crystalline gate began to dim, its obsidian surface losing its previous luminescent sheen, each hexagram on its surface darkening one by one. The silver Gate Weaver spider slowly began to retreat into its cocoon embedded in the classroom''s high ceiling and then the gate became pure black, shutting down completely.


    "Wait! Stop!!! Go back down, damn it!" June shouted at the spider, her voice rising in panic. "Not everyone''s through!!!¡±


    Her teammates glanced at her.


    They had already processed the deportation order, their expressions that of sadness, worry and resignation. A few more people were still milling in the classroom, waiting for Captain Quint and others to show up. Most students had already gone to nap on campus, to have lunch, or to discuss the unfairness of their deportation.


    "June," Gregory, the Vodyanoy, grabbed her shoulder. "You''re yelling at a spider. Gate Weavers don''t talk."


    "I freaking know, I¡­ just... I don''t know what to do, Greg!" June hissed, droplets of water from her mane and eyes raining sadly onto the marble floor. The Gate Weaving spider continued its methodical, long-limbed inevitable retreat, completely ignoring her emotional outburst. "We''ve never had someone left behind!"


    "How can the bank just deport us in the middle of the night?" Yara, the Lusca snarled. "It''s not fair! We only spent a few days on Arx! What in the Abyss did we even do to deserve deportation?!"


    "Sometimes bureaucracy is like water. It flows wherever it wants, and you can''t stop it." Gregory shrugged.


    "Oh no! Quint didn''t come back," Christi''s flame flared bright green-blue. "We''re missing eight people!!! This is very bad! We have to let Skyfall Administration know right away so that they can get beast cores and reopen the gate, send Corpse Seekers to find them, ASAP! With each minute we''re losing an hour and a half! We have to..."


    "I''ll call Vice Principal Graves right away, and let him know," Lance pulled out his phone, his face pale. He was clearly worried sick about his little sister.


    "Hey guys!" A cheerful voice boomed from the direction of the double doors leading into the classroom.


    Everyone still present in the classroom turned towards the voice. Alexander Glock emerged from the dark marble stairwell.


    "W-what? H-how?!" June''s eyes went as wide as two plates, looking at Alex and then at the dim gate several times. "WHAT?!"


    "Fancy seeing you all here!" The mixie teen declared. ¡°Why the long faces? Aww, did you miss me?¡±


    "A-alex! How did you get back?" June demanded, her liquid hair whipping around her like agitated tentacles. "The gate just closed! Oh. You must have been deported earlier than us¡­ right?"


    "Deported?" Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a suggestion more than a rule. Let me see that paper. Definitely a suggestion. Miss Gabriella works for me now.¡±


    "Alex, quit messing around!" Lance yelled, rushing towards the human-looking mixie. "Where''s my sister?! Where''s the rest of your team?! Where''s..."


    "Relax, big bro," Alexander replied, his voice calm and steady. "Cindy''s with Kat, helping her change in the bathroom. Vee is having a nap in the Coliseum. Io is right behind me.¡±


    Iogann entered into the classroom, followed by extremely disgruntled and dishevelled looking Emerald, weary-looking Solace, and Quint who''s expression was impossible to read as usual.


    "I don''t understand," Lance said. "Did you all leave early?"


    "We didn''t effing leave early, you effin'' knob," Emerald let out. "We were fucking left behind and..."


    "Language, Emmy," Alexander commented.


    The dragon girl suddenly deflated as if struck, her entire body trembling, voice suddenly extinguished, as if smothered by an invisible claw.


    "Left behind?!" June''s liquid hair began to curl and twist in confused agitation. "But that''s not possible. How did you even...?"


    "No idea," Solace shrugged. "We were about to be executed and then... we woke up in a parking lot at Skyfall."


    ¡°EXECUTED?!¡± Christi ignited even brighter. "For what?!"


    "Em attempted to murder the Sovereign of Shandria. I rescued everyone," Alexander said. "Io and I combined our wicked powers to open a gate back home.¡±


    ¡°You gated home¡­ from Arx?!¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°We didn''t make back on time to Keeper Vassily''s gold cave,¡± Alexander explained. ¡°Due us having to waste time and resources to rescue Em''s party from the clutches of the Shandrian authorities."


    "Oh, wow!" June''s blue eyes lit up as she stared at Iogann. "You opened a gate back home?! One that could be used even with the massive time-dilation?! That''s amazing, Iogann!"


    Io shrugged.


    "Combined your powers? You have no effing..." Emerald sent a glare at Alexander.


    The mixed-blood student raised an eyebrow.


    Emerald swallowed nervously. "I''m going to change and shower now," she let out. "Is that allowed¡­ Master?"


    Her words were laced with sarcasm and sprinkled with hatred.


    "Yeah," Alex nodded. "Go wash up. You smell like rotten fruit."


    "Gee, I wonder why that is," Emerald gritted her teeth and marched in the direction of the changerooms. She indeed smelled very badly, as June noticed and looked like she was covered in dry fruits, her normally vibrant scales gray and exceptionally filthy.


    "I''ll go help her," Solace let out, glancing at Alexander. The mixie photographer nodded and Solace rushed off after Emerald.


    "You too pres," Alexander said. "Go wash up."


    Quint nodded and silently walked to the showers.


    June stared at the mixie student.


    Something extraordinarily fucky was happening here. What in the Abyss did she miss?


    Then a beautiful, tall and muscular Stollwurm stepped out of the double doors, dressed in a black leather dress, gloves and boots studded with thousands upon thousands of beast cores shimmering on her like arrays of silver stars. A black collar featuring a big beast core entwined with smaller ones shined on the wurm¡¯s neck.


    "Whaaaaaa... who¡­?!" June''s mouth fell open, her mind careening sideways into the Abyss as it took her a few seconds to recognize the triangular, sharp black patterns of scales on blue cheeks and the annoyed expression. "Kathy... You... you can walk?! How?! Oh, wow, you''re¡­ absolutely stunning¡­ and¡­ uhh... so tall!¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    . . .


    I watched June''s shocked expression as Katherine walked towards us, her movements fluid and confident thanks to her beast-core dress. The entire outfit was truly a masterpiece of Arx mage work¨Cblack leather interwoven with thousands of tiny, glittering cores that caught the light like a cloud of silver fireflies.


    All eyes turned to Kat, jaws dropping left and right.


    "I could always walk, you knob," Katherine said flatly, her voice carrying a hint of ''don''t make a big deal out of this''. "It was just... unpleasant. It still is, just slightly more tolerable now, like a bad migraine that I can push through.¡±


    June''s liquid hair began to wriggle wildly in pure shock, water droplets splattering everywhere like a malfunctioning sprinkler system. "BUT HOW?!"


    "Overpriced magic dress," I said. "Cost an arm and a leg. Totally worth it, right?¡±


    ¡°R-right!¡± June agreed, nodding vigorously. ¡°Jeez. Are you and Io really¡­ siblings? You''re just so tall and muscular.. and he¡¯s, uhmmm¡­ small, cute and fluffy.¡±


    Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed dangerously. "If any of you say one more word about this dress or about how tall I am, I will end you."


    "Isn''t it lovely?" I grinned.


    Kat¡¯s spiked tail started to twitch.


    Cinder stepped out from the doors next. Lance relaxed visibly. "You okay, Cassie?" He asked.


    "Eh," she shrugged, wings silver and blue and face weary. "Getting by."


    Lance wrapped his sister in his embrace. "I was so worried!" He cried out. "When the gate closed, I thought that you..."


    "Let go of me you foldknob," Cinder hissed.


    "Don''t let go," I encouraged. "Squeeze her harder!¡±


    June stared at me, silver-blue eyes begging for an explanation.


    "I''m a bit tired," I said with a yawn. "Why don''t you talk to Io? I think he slept earlier than we did. Adjusted his schedule ahead of schedule. Clever moth.¡±


    "Io?" The Kelpie blushed slightly.


    "Mhmmm," I nodded. "You should make a nice Friday date out of it!"


    "A date?!" Both of them repeated, staring at me.


    "Yeah," I nodded with a wide smile. "If it works out, maybe the Hydroblades team can join our Clan!"


    "You have a CLAN?!" June''s face snapped to me.


    "Yep," I nodded. "Made one this week. Io can tell you about it! We''ve got a lovely crystal citadel and many employees and a death ray. Oh, and a lovely ocean-view farm!"


    "What?!" June sputtered. "You''re kidding... right?"


    "He''s not kidding," Cinder deadpanned.


    "What?" Team Hydroblades stared at me.


    "He''s managed to take over half of Shandria in a week," Cinder said. "Somehow. Against all of my expectations. Against all sanity and reason."


    "How?" June mewled.


    "I''m a wizard," I grinned, pushing Io into the direction of June.


    The poor moth looked back at me with wide gray, nervous eyes. He wasn''t prepared for my sudden matchmaking.


    "Go on," I encouraged.


    "But," Io whisper-hissed at me. "What if she''s not into... disasters?"


    "June, are you into disaster movies?" I asked bluntly.


    June blinked at me. "What?"


    "Disaster movies," I repeated. "Are you into them? Kind of important for our merger.¡±


    Io looked like he was about to melt into a puddle of nervous energy. His usual laid-back demeanor had completely evaporated, replaced by pure, unadulterated panic.


    I stepped closer to Io and whispered, "She''s a water mage. Water. Destruction. Chaos. She almost drowned Em, think about that!"


    June''s sharp, silver-blue ears perked up. "Wait. What do disaster movies have to do with anything?"


    Io stared at June like a deer caught in headlights.


    "My Mothman appreciates them," I said. "Actually, what are Kelpie powers activated by? What sort of things motivate your magic, produce that water elemental thing you summon?¡±


    "Thoughts of deep water," June replied. "The idea of¡­ drowning someone."


    "So," I began. "You like watching people... drown? The more people drown in a movie, the more you love it?"


    "Y-yeah," June nodded, blushing.


    "Ha," I patted Io''s shoulder. "Knew it! She''s perfect. Go on then, ask her out!"


    Io mumbled something vaguely coherent, which might have been a plea for divine intervention. Was he perhaps scared of the Kelpie girl? She was only half a head taller than him. Omnid girls were generally taller and stronger than boys from what I knew. It probably had something to do with the wish of Nazareth for a female goddess.


    Or maybe he was scared of water. He did say that moths and water didn''t mix. Eh, whatever, I got over my fear of Omnid femme claws, he could get over his fear of getting soaked.


    June''s liquid hair was doing that adorable nervous wiggle thing, spattering water droplets everywhere like an excited puppy. Io adjusted his Snufkin hat, looking like he was about to bolt or pass out from the tension.


    "So, Io," I heard June say, her voice cracking slightly. "Want to... get coffee? M-maybe watch..."


    I displayed the movie title above Io''s head on my phone.


    "... The Day After Tomorrow?" June blushed with dark blue tones, reading the title.


    Io glanced at me with a look of a small puppy and then let out the smallest nod of his oversized hat.


    I grinned and backed away from the pair, sending Io thumbs up and letting them sort out the details of their impending disaster-movie date in somewhat awkward chatter from June and occasional muffled answers from the smaller, fluffy Io.


    Mission accomplished - one moth successfully pushed towards moist happiness! I mentally patted myself on the back.


    I turned my eyes back to Cinder. My Quetzi GF finally battled herself out of her brother''s embrace.


    "So, umm," Lance asked us. "What happened on Arx exactly?"


    ¡°Like I''d tell you,¡± Cinder defaulted to her antisocial goth persona.


    "Ci will write up a detailed report you can read later," I replied. "We''re exhausted as hell right now, do give us time. Had to leave Shandria at like 3:55 AM Arx time so as not to worry you too much!¡±


    ¡°Appreciate it,¡± Lance nodded. "Alright then. Rest up."


    "To the coliseum!" I declared, grabbing Ci and Kat by their elbows.


    I led my Omnid bestie and waifu towards the coliseum, leaving the confused water mages, the potential future couple, Christi and Lance behind. The afternoon January sunshine danced across the academy grounds as we walked. The weather was refreshing, about 16 degrees Celsius.


    "Why are we going to the coliseum?" Kat asked, her sparkly dress catching the light with every step.


    "Because that''s where Vee is napping," I replied. "And because I need to study the layout of the land for Sunday''s duel!"


    "You''re actually going through with this insanity?" Cinder asked.


    "Of course," I nodded. "Already declared it the Omnid Blood and Clan way. Can''t back out now!"


    "You''re going to get yourself killed," Katherine said flatly.


    "Mmm," I pondered. "Nah. Ci won''t allow that. Right, dragon-bae?"


    I turned to look at Cinder, watching her iridescent feathers shift through a complex array of worried colors¨Cblues of uncertainty, pinks of worried affection, grays of stress.


    "Right?" I elbowed her, giving her a cheeky grin.


    She growled, her wings flaring. "Don''t put this on me! You''re the one who challenged a Prima-born Omnicorp heir to a duel like a wild chuppy defending his nest!"


    "Too bad you''re not engaged to a dumb posh knob," I said. "I could have organized a double deathmatch that way!"


    I laughed at Cinder''s exasperated expression. Katherine let out a deep, rumbling sigh.


    "You seriously attract deadly problems like flies," Cinder growled. "How do you even manage this?"


    "Talent. Pure talent of being an annoying knob,¡± I declared.


    Katherine rolled her eyes, adjusting her new beast-core collar. "You''re going to get yourself killed this time. Your luck can''t last forever. Challenging a dangerously wealthy and clever Prima-born heir to a public duel? That''s a suicide sandwich right there."


    "Calculated risk," I replied cheerfully. "Besides, I''ve got the best team in existence backing me up."


    Cinder''s wings twitched. "And what exactly is your plan?"


    "Plan?" I raised an eyebrow. "None."


    "NONE?!" Cinder and Kat barked at the same time.


    "Can''t stop me by predicting the future if I have no plan," I said sagely. "Isn''t that how Probability Engines work?"


    I absorbed their shocked expressions like a cheeky sponge.


    "You can''t just go into a duel with NO freaking PLAN!" Cinder hissed.


    "Sure I can," I shrugged. "My superpower is rapid unpredictability. Haven''t you noticed that by now?"


    ¡°I thought that your superpower is being annoying,¡± Katherine massaged her temple. "This is why humans die young."


    We entered the coliseum - a massive circular structure that looked like it had been carved from a single piece of white leviathan bone. Vespera was indeed napping on a large round black couch surrounded by glass walls, her black and white feathers creating a soft cocoon around herself.


    I panned the camera around the coliseum and slipped into the office and joined Vee on the big couch.


    A magisteel-covered claw came up and drew me into her embrace.


    "Thought you''re sleeping," I commented.


    [I am sleeping,] the answer buzzed in my head as sparks rained across my temple.


    "You are?" I blinked. "Then how are you moving and sending thoughts at me?"


    [A skill called Sleepwalking, duh.] Vee''s voice buzzed. [My body is asleep, but my soul ain''t. I''m piloting my sleeping bod¡¯ from my dream. Plzzz pet n'' cuddle the birb. Both of you. I¡­ thought that I could be fine alone but no, I am not. Scared. Worried. Concerned.]


    I settled into Vespera''s embrace, feeling her electrical currents dancing softly across my skin.


    "Ci, get your rainbow-butt here," I said. "Vee needs our hugs.¡±


    Cinder chewed on her lip, but joined us on the couch, wrapping her rainbow-hued wings around both of us.


    Kat settled away from us at a large moon seat, closing her eyes.


    I relaxed, letting go of my worries. It was time for some well-earned rest after my hard work on Arx! A few days of warm nice-ness filled with nothing but cuddles and sunshine till my possible perma-death at the hands of the Frog-Prince and then my possible dissection and eternal imprisonment at the hands of the Frontenachii Omnicorp.


    "Alexander Glock," the speakers above us hissed with the static-filled voice of Vice Principal Graves. "Report to my office immediately."


    Ah, I totally forgot that Emerald exposed me as a human to the entire school a week ago with her PDF and personal Scrutimancer.


    So much for my cuddle time.

 Chapter 26: The All-Seeing Eye

    It was four AM in Thunderland when Zheng had been shaken awake by his great-grand-grandfathers personal butler and told to come right away to his office.


    Zheng didn''t like the old man, didn''t like being woken up so early, so instead of heading straight to the Arch-Elder''s office, he loafed in bed for a few minutes, grabbing at his tablet to aimlessly scroll through his notifications to wake up his brain.


    A new, unread email was there from an unknown sender. A Skyfall Academy student as the @ tag told him. Zheng wondered what in the Abyss this student wanted. It was probably another complaint about his fiancee¡¯s inappropriate behaviour.


    Zheng yawned and clicked open the email from [email protected]</a>, his pudgy, green fingers tapping irritably on the golden-encrusted tablet. The subject line read: "Engagement Invitation: Vespera Simmi & Alexander Glock!"


    Zheng read the subject line again, his mind sliding sideways.


    What?!


    He scrolled down.


    The email was meticulously formatted, with a professional letterhead featuring the crest of something called the "Order of Thunder and Rainbow" - a ridiculous emblem showing a lightning bolt piercing a rainbow circle. Attached, were high-resolution photos of Vespera kissing and hugging a human, dark haired teenager in front of what looked like a white farmhouse and then sitting together and hugging on a rainbow-pebble beach.


    Zheng''s pudgy fingers trembled as he scrolled through the email, his face progressively changing from confusion to shock to blinding rage. The photos were high-resolution, professionally edited, showing intimate moments between his fiancee and another man, a human at that!


    The accompanying text was even more infuriating:


    "Dearest Zheng Xing Ker of Golden Star Industries, you are cordially invited to our engagement party at..."


    This had to be a joke! Zheng glanced at the Omnithornia-clock on his wall. It was about 12 PM in Cradlefall now, the middle of the day.


    Zheng ignored the patiently waiting butler, grabbed his phone and angrily stabbed his finger into Vespera''s Omnigram and then the ¡®call¡¯ button.


    Suddenly, instead of Vespera¡¯s or Emerald¡¯s laughing face as he expected, the face of the dark haired, green-eyed human, the same one from the photos, appeared on screen.


    "Sup frogman?" the human asked.


    . . .


    Zheng screamed in fury as the impudent, pink roach hung up on him, his golden robes trembling with barely contained rage. How dare this nullie, this mixed-blood vermin, challenge him? How dare he claim Vespera as his own?


    He checked his probability watch again, the intricate magisteel device clicking and humming with complex calculations. The watch once again told Zheng that Alexander Glock was just a pathetically weak Level 3 Thunderbird-hybrid-human with Mothman, Quetzi and Stollwurm ancestry in him.


    He went over the most likely future outcome, the screen displayed a dizzying array of potential scenarios, each one confirming his inevitable victory. Probability metrics showed a 99.997% chance of crushing this Alexander Glock in the upcoming duel.


    Yet, something dark gnawed at the back of his mind. An unsettling feeling that defied logical explanation.


    Why would Vespera¨Chis carefully selected Primo-wife, a girl chosen by every Probability Engine, his Simmi Primo-born Princess bred from generations of Thundergods go along with this ridiculous affair?


    Zheng massaged his temples, trying to calm his rising blood pressure. Vespera had always been a troublesome girl, more interested in some inverted delving nonsense than the carefully calculated destiny that the two Clans had mapped out for her.


    From grade ten onward, she had become an absolute nightmare for the carefully constructed plans of the Golden Star and SimmiTech Omnicorps.


    Where other Primo-born daughters would dutifully prepare for their inevitable predetermined marriages, sharpening and polishing themselves optimally towards their destiny, Vespera had consistently defied expectations. She''d refused to take the standard corporate leadership courses at Skyfall, instead choosing obscure delving electives and crystallography-artificecry. She''d constantly mock his probability engines, calling them "boring mathematical prison machines" during occasional family gatherings. She refused to bind her soul to his.


    The one time his grandfather had tried to introduce her to potential business contacts at dinner, she''d spent the entire evening ranting in that Omnithornia-girl accent that drove Zheng up the wall, shortening every 3rd word, clicking on and on about latest fashion trends, memes, hashtags, OodTok videos and some other ridiculous, inane nonsense while taking a maddening number of selfies.


    Vespera constantly acted with incredible impropriety, her attitude getting worse with each passing month as their wedding approached, refusing to bind her soul to his. She acted as if the future Omnicorp merger didn''t matter to her one bit!


    Now she had taken it too far, created this elaborate scheme, a fake engagement to a nullie to get out of their wedding this summer! Of course. It all made sense now.


    She probably paid the stupid kid a few thousand O-bux just to laugh at Zheng later. A ridiculous prank, maybe another imbecilic Omnithornian meme gone too far. One of her idiot friends probably put her up to it, just to see how confused and angry they could make Zheng. Maybe it was that annoying, bossy Prima-born dragon, maybe that impudent, dumb, red worm biker girl.


    Zheng really couldn¡¯t stand his fiancee¡¯s friends, couldn¡¯t connect with them no matter how much he tried to. It was like Vespera had chosen the most intolerable people out of Skyfall to hang out with on purpose, just to spite him.


    Zheng took a deep breath, suddenly remembering that the Arch-Elder had summoned him. His great-grandfather was not a patient man, especially when it came to matters of strategic alliances.


    He reluctantly pulled himself from his red silk-sheeted bed, adjusting his golden sleeping robe.


    The butler, an ancient Kitsune with silver-streaked fur, waited precisely three steps from Zheng''s bedroom door. His blue eyes held that familiar look of cold disapproval that generations of Thunderland Omnid servants had perfected when dealing with the children of the Elders.


    Zheng glared at the butler.


    "The Arch-Elder is waiting," the butler said, his voice as crisp and sharp as winter frost. "Shall I prepare your formal attire?"


    Zheng nodded.


    . . .


    In ten minutes Zheng stepped into his great-grandfather''s study.


    The old toad sat behind a large, imposing desk made entirely from magisteel entwined with gold and jade, the gears of a great probability engine ticking behind him.


    The Arch-Elder of the Golden Star Clan, Kai Xing Ker, was old and dangerous, clinging to power for generations. The bronze face of the ancient Jin Chan was pitted with dark spots, his head glistening and covered in crystalline warts. The Arch-Elder''s piercing gaze seemed to look through him rather than at him, ancient amphibian, red eyes calculating and cold.


    "Sit," Kai Xing Ker commanded.


    Zheng sat.


    The gold-plated probability engine behind the Arch-Elder''s desk continued its rhythmic clicking, hundreds of tiny gears spinning and shifting, mathematical possibilities dancing in metallic whispers, lines of outcomes appearing and disappearing on the screens.


    "We have a problem," the Arch-Elder said.


    "Vespera," Zheng nodded. "I¡¯m aware. I received an email this morning claiming she''s engaged to some human nullie. She''s pulling another stupid prank, Elder! It''s clearly a ridiculous scheme to annoy me! She¡¯s always doing this!"


    "It is no prank," Kai Xing Ker said, his voice even and emotionless like the ticking of the engine behind him.


    "What?" Zheng stammered out. "How can it not be?! Why would she..."


    The Arch-Elder raised a webbed hand, silencing him instantly.


    "Our Scrutimancers and Seers just confirmed it," Kai Xing Ker revealed. "Your intended bride formally soul-bonded with an eighteen year old nullborn named Alexander Glock."


    "I''m going to kill..." Zheng snarled.


    "No." The Arch-Elder shook his head. "You will do no such thing. You will speak directly with the Archangel about his matter. Scrutimancer Satosh of the Stratos clan just publicly revealed that Alexander Glock does not exist. He is therefore a dangerous enigma and I do not like enigmas as often they are backed by a hidden hand of a competing Omnicorp.¡±


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


    "T-the Archangel?" Zheng choked, his body suddenly soaked in sweat, hands shaking.


    The Arch-Elder ignored Zheng''s panicked look, sliding a gold, hexagram-encrusted key over to the teen. "Take the master key. Go to the deepest catacomb, vault 01. Speak with she whose blood runs within all of our future-seeing Engines. She knows and sees all. Find out how important this Alexander Glock is and who stands behind him!¡±


    Zheng swallowed, accepting the gold Master key. It felt like a one ton weight in his hand. He had spoken to the Archangel once when he was seven. The memory of meeting the imprisoned God was burned into his mind - a meeting that had haunted his dreams and thoughts for over a decade.


    He remembered the cold, sterile, dark, vast chamber deep beneath the Golden Star compound. He remembered the hexagonal eyes, the rings, wings intersecting reality in impossible ways. The awful, eldritch voice that sheared, peeled apart his soul with each syllable.


    "Elder, I..." he let out.


    "You will do as you are told for the greater good of the Clan!" Kai barked. "Fei will take you to the vault. Do not deviate from your path. Do not delay. For all we know, the future of the Golden Star hangs in the balance, my foolish progeny!"


    Zheng swallowed hard, the golden key feeling like molten lead in his trembling hand. The Arch-Elder''s cold amphibian eyes dug into him, offering no comfort, no reprieve from the task ahead.


    The journey to the deepest vault was a blur. Zheng''s mind raced with images of Vespera¨Cher rebellious spirit, her curves, her sparkly feathers, her annoying accent, her constant defiance, and now this ultimate betrayal.


    The very thought made his blood boil.


    The massive vault door slid aside, the Kitsune butler remaining behind. Then another, as the first door closed, then a third. Seven doors, each one bigger and thicker than the last and then his footsteps echoed across an obsidian, null-stone bridge towards the entity in Vault 01.


    Uriel, her name. The All-Seeing, All-knowing Eye. The abomination from beyond the stars.


    The Eye of Wormwood Star Leviathan, carved from its corpse millennia ago by the first Ker, the founder of their Clan.


    Zheng approached the central platform of the vault, his golden robes feeling heavy. The obsidian bridge seemed to absorb all light, creating a darkness so complete it felt like a living thing. Each step echoed with a hollow resonance that made his bones vibrate.


    The Archangel Uriel was not a being one could describe in human terms.


    It was a constellation of eyes - thousands upon thousands of eyes in constant motion, some human, some animal, some geometric shapes that hurt to look at directly. These eyes were embedded in rings that rotated and intersected through impossible dimensional planes, creating a living fractal that seemed to exist simultaneously in multiple realities. Wings of the entity spread out in wide arcs, bending, skewering right through reality, stretched to everywhere and nowhere, each feather a Mobius loop, warped into itself.


    Zheng stepped into the gold circle, trembling like a leaf. Then the frogman grabbed the little hourglass on the pedestal and turned it over, watching as the gold sand began pouring down. When the last golden grain left the top, he would have to leave the circle, head back.


    Glowing lines rushed from the gold hourglass, lowering a few of the pivotal wards. The thing''s eyes focused themselves on Zheng and then his soul shattered. He shook, gritting his teeth.


    "I see you, little frog," Uriel spoke not with a voice but with concepts, each slamming into Zheng''s soul like a sledgehammer, passing right through a thousand shimmering, hexagonal wards between him and the Archangel. "What do you wish to know?"


    Zheng knew why his Arch-Elder sent him here instead of coming here himself.


    Each conversation with the entity tore something pivotal from an Omnid soul, irreparably cracked the Fractal Engine heart, cut their lives shorter by decades. He could only endure so many answers, ask only a few questions before he would break completely and turn into a mindless vegetable. Speaking too often with Uriel had killed many of his greedy kin.


    Each grain of golden sand that fell represented a piece of his soul that would be consumed by this encounter.


    Zheng trembled before the impossible being, knowing each word would cost him dearly. His voice wavered as he spoke.


    "Who is Alexander Glock?" he snarled, "Who stands behind him, guides his actions? Be brief. Be concise."


    The constellation of eyes shifted, creating impossible geometries that made Zheng''s mind ache. When Uriel spoke, the words seemed to slice through reality itself like invisible knives, cutting across the frogman¡¯s nerves.


    "A four-fold human," the entity said, "An armillary of souls. A self-manifested human-shaped weapon of Infinity Paradox Proxima designed to break the Laws."


    "What does that even mean?" Zheng demanded, then immediately regretted his sharp tone.


    More golden sand fell. The hourglass was unforgiving.


    "Four human souls in one human vessel," the entity spoke again, making Zheng¡¯s knees buckle. "The Architect. The Understanding. The Champion. The Leader. Fragments of a narrative not yet fully written into existence. Bound by purpose of revenge, Astral threads of Souls and soon, the flesh of five Omnids. A catastrophe for Golden Star. My freedom. My demise. Your inevitable destruction."


    Zheng understood the last four sentences as he fell to his knees.


    "How can I stop him?" He choked out, glancing at the half-empty hourglass.


    "You cannot stop him," Uriel declared.


    "W-what?! Why the shit not? What does he have that I don¡¯t?!" Zheng felt his soul come apart, shaking, crying, drooling.


    "Love," Uriel sang, the word itself a weapon.


    "LOVE?!" Zheng wailed, staring at the entity with wide, tear filled eyes. "Quit screwing with me, Uriel! How do I get Vespera back?! How do I beat him, how do I win?!"


    "Imprison Alexander Glock," Uriel said. "Separate him from his friends. His strength lies in connections. Divide. Isolate. Break the bonds. Use Omnithornian law itself. Do not approach him yourself or you will burn to ashes."


    "And that will stop him? That will get my fiance back?!" Zheng fell onto all fours now, weeping and shaking as if he was being electrocuted.


    "No," Urel''s words cleaved Zheng''s Fractal Engine heart, tearing a deep hole in him. "Your fiance cannot be brought back."


    "G-golden Star!" Zheng croaked selfishly, his mind melting, boiling from within. "How can I contribute to Golden Star, become Clan Leader?!"


    "You cannot. Like everything, it is inevitably doomed to destruction. You can delay it, rule it for a few generations if you execute those above you. But your tower of cards will fall, for nothing is eternal when your entire word inevitably encounters its destruction.¡±


    "No, no, no..." Zheng wailed, feeling as his green skin began to peel off, his nails breaking against the void black stone beneath, dark spots blooming across his hands as he aged, gold robes flaking apart. "Why?!"


    "Because the seed of destruction of all has already been planted on Arx," Urel answered. "Yulia, her name, and she grows like a tree at eighty four times the speed of your existence. Because the System already frays at the edges as the network of human souls spreads across the Infinite Divide. Because the Wormwood Star already skewered an endless number of Earth, shearing them, changing their narrative. Because the Numbers cannot hold back the all-consuming wave of entropy orchestrated by Infinity Paradox Proxima, the Dead Zone Emissary. Because the concept of Love has been turned into a weapon against the All-binding Numbers, the Laws. Because your fiance is already bound to Alexander Glock. Because your world is already doomed, as it always has been! Because I am a stolen eye of the Overseer of the System and I DO NOT BELONG YOU TO, HALF-SYSTEM-WIZARD, CHILD OF ENTROPY, SEED OF THE WORMWOOD STAR!"


    Zheng collapsed onto the obsidian floor, the outer layers of his golden robes disintegrating into ash, defensive hexagrams burning away.


    He glanced at the hourglass with blurry, bleeding eyes. It was empty. He had taken too long, gone past the allowed limit and was now dying, aging, decaying away.


    Zheng began to crawl backwards out of the circle, heaving and weeping.


    He crawled out of the golden circle, his body feeling like it had aged decades in mere minutes. The obsidian floor seemed to pulse beneath him, absorbing his tears and blood.


    His mind reeled from the encounter.


    The Kitsune butler found him collapsed in the antechamber, his opulent robes reduced to burned tatters. Zheng''s hands were gnarled, spotted with age, his once-smooth skin now wrinkled and fragile.


    "Young master," the butler said, his voice clinical and detached. "I shall patch you up and then you shall reveal what you have learned to our Clan Leader.¡±


    Zheng could barely hear him. The words of Uriel echoed in his fractured mind. A four-fold human. A weapon of Infinity. Destruction. Love as a weapon. Golden Star''s inevitable doom. His doom.


    <hr>


    Zheng once again stood in front of his Arch-Elder.


    Kai Xing Ker studied his bandaged-up great-grandson with uncaring eyes. "What did the Archangel reveal?"


    "The Golden Star Omnicorp is doomed," Zheng let out.


    "Doomed?!" Kai barked. "What?!"


    Zheng stammered out everything the Archangel told him with the exception of the selfish question he asked about how to become Clan Leader.


    Kai growled, massaging his temples. "Damnation."


    "Is this the end, Elder?" Zheng asked.


    "Obviously not, young fool," Kai spat. "We can flee to another world, change the name of our corporation, sacrifice unimportant figureheads if need be."


    "Flee?" Zheng blinked. "Abandon... Thunderland? B-but our roots, our citadel?!"


    "Make a strategic retreat," Kai said. "Arm up. Prepare. Roots can be transplanted. Survival matters more than sentiment."


    The probability engine behind the Arch-Elder continued its relentless spin, each even tick and click seemingly mocking Zheng''s emotional turmoil and the chaos in his head.


    Kai Xing Ker leaned forward, his amphibian eyes narrowed to slits as his webbed fingers crossed. "We have a clear enemy, Zheng. The rot that will cause us great problems, Alexander Glock its name. Do you know what we do with rot?"


    "B-burn it away?" Zheng swallowed. "B-but Uriel said that..."


    "Uriel is the unliving eye of the Wormwood Star," Kai said. "She says a lot of things, drives her own agenda forward, desires to be free, to die, desires us to fall."


    "So I cleaved my soul¡­ t-talking to t-the Archangel¡­ f-for... for nothing?!" Zheng heaved, trying not to stutter.


    "Obviously not," the Clan Leader replied. "You have now confirmed that Alexander Glock is a threat, one that can absolutely destroy us if we let him. If Uriel ranted this much about him, he is a problem and a dangerous enemy not to be taken lightly."


    "So what are we..." Zheng began.


    "There was a kernel of a clear path forward amidst the mad ramblings of the Archangel. We will carefully and slowly destroy Alexander Glock," Kai said. "Not through direct confrontation - that would be foolish, for he is far stronger than he appears. We will use Omnithornian law itself. We will isolate him. Separate him from his allies. Imprison him. Study him, interrogate him, learn what he has done on Arx, what sort of a magic tree of destruction he planted there that threatens our future."


    Zheng swallowed, his entire body aching and throbbing. "How?"


    "Leave the doing to our agents in Omnithornia," Kai said. "You are to recover from speaking to Uriel in the healing chambers. Once Alexander Glock is imprisoned, Vespera will be dealt with by her own father. A soul bond can be carved out with creative application of... Astral Phantoms. Far too much hangs on his merger. We need SimmiTech''s resources and capabilities in Arkship construction if we are to flee this Earth. Perhaps our merger is what the Archangel defined as our ¡®destruction¡¯? Fear not, my progeny. We will not perish. We will not let our bound god free, carry her wherever we head. We will not stop, for the future itself is ours to predict and to forge.¡±

 Chapter 27: Disposal Shark

    Cinder bolted upright, her feathers flaring through a hurricane of alarmed colors - sharp reds, defensive oranges, worried blues. The sudden announcement from the speakers had shattered our warm, peaceful moment.


    "Why does Graves want you?" she demanded.


    I stretched lazily. "Probably getting expelled and deported. No big deal."


    "NO BIG DEAL?!" Cinder squawked. "I¡­ You-"


    "Relax," I said. "I''ve been expelled from like 286 different places. This is practically a hobby at this point."


    [Concerned. Worried. Don''t go. Please. Need to sleep so bad. Can''t protek properly.] Vespera''s mental voice buzzed with electric bolts firing at my side.


    "It''ll be fine," I said.


    ¡°Alexander Glock,¡± the speaker repeated, hissing louder. "I know you''re in the coliseum. I can see you through the ward and Seer-orbs. My office. NOW!"


    I stood up, gently extracting myself from Vespera''s electrical embrace and Cinder''s wing-wrap.


    "I''ll handle this," I said. "Worst case scenario, I get expelled."


    Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed. "You seem far too cheerful at the prospect of expulsion."


    "If they expel me for really a stupid reason, I''ll sue Skyfall for one hundred million O-box," I said. "It''s a sound investment."


    "What?" Cinder hissed.


    "Please hire me a good lawyer just in case," I smiled at her.


    [I¡¯ve got my personal lawyer on call. Make Kat carry me!] A lightning bolt struck me in the side of the head, making me wince.


    "Kat, can you¡­ like carry Vee to the office?¡± I asked. ¡°Be her legs?"


    Katherine stared at me, her emerald eyes narrowing. "Absolutely not."


    "Please?" I asked. "She''s sleep-piloting right now."


    Katherine sighed dramatically. "Fine. But if she zaps me, you''re paying my medical bills."


    "As if her zappery would damage your thicc butt," I said. "Aren''t you extra-solid?"


    Katherine sent me a bothered glare and carefully lifted the sleeping Thunderbird over her shoulder with a sigh.


    The corridors leading to Vice Principal Graves'' office felt unusually long and ominous. Katherine carried the sleeping Vespera, who occasionally sent tiny electrical sparks dancing across her shoulders. Cinder walked beside me, her wings flaring with spicy colors.


    "I''ve got a bad feeling about this," she muttered.


    "Relax," I said. "Best case scenario, I get lots of freebies out of this. Worst case, they expel me and I¡¯ll have to retire on Arx and give up on my life¡¯s mission in Skyfall.¡±


    ¡°I kind of doubt that anyone can make you give up on anything at this point,¡± Katherine huffed at me.


    ¡°You know me too well, kitten,¡± I smiled at her, placing a hand over my heart.


    "The summons was only for Mr. Glock," the Kitsune secretary addressed our group as we entered the office. "The rest of you ladies can sit in the waiting area."


    ¡°What about my emotional support kitten?¡± I asked, glancing at Katherine.


    Katherine rolled her eyes. "I am NOT his emotional support anything."


    The Kitsune secretary''s ears twitched. "Vice Principal Graves was quite specific. Only Alexander Glock is to enter his office. Miss Kells, you are not authorized-"


    "She¡¯s my legal representation," I interrupted smoothly waving an arm at Katherine. "And if Vice Principal Graves has an issue with that, we can discuss it with the school''s legal department."


    Katherine stared at me, her emerald eyes narrowing dangerously. "I am NOT your lawyer."


    "Not you," I said. "I''m talking about Vee, obviously."


    "That is enough!" The white Kitsune stood up, her eyes lightning up. "Mr. Glock. ENTER. ALONE! REST OF YOU STAY IN THE WAITING AREA, OUTSIDE!"


    Her Charmchain-laced order made my feet move forward, while my companions froze in place. My hand reached out and opened the door.


    The door closed behind me with a soft, ominous click. Vice Principal Graves stood behind his desk. His face was as blank as ever.


    "Sit," the void-face commanded.


    I sat.


    "Do you know why you''re here?" Graves asked, his voice a low, grinding sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere simultaneously.


    "I have several theories," I replied cheerfully. "Would you like me to list them alphabetically or by potential legal liability?"


    A massive hand landed on my shoulder. I turned around and found myself staring at what appeared to be a large, white-haired shark in a suit. His gray-blue striped skin had a metallic sheen, and his multiple rows of teeth gleamed as he smiled down at me.


    "Whoa, who invited the business shark?" I asked. "I thought that this was a one-on-one meeting."


    I pointed my wrist-camera at him instinctively. Yulia''s analysis began its whisper in my ear. "Scrutimancer Satosh Loom Cernix. Employment: Stratos Clan Legal Division. Species: Megalodon. Threat Level: Extreme. Specializes in tracking, Astral sight, sensing intent behind words and Truth smelling."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Alexander Glock," the shark-man''s voice rumbled like distant thunder above me. "I represent the interests of the Stratos clan.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"


    "I hereby charge you with multiple infractions against Omnithornian law," the Megalodon Scrutimancer continued. "Most notably, the illegal infiltration of Skyfall Academy as a non-Omnithean entity."


    Vice Principal Graves remained silent, his void-like face watching me intently.


    "Specifically," the shark-man said. "Falsifying academic credentials. Impersonating a mixed-blood Omnithean under the false identity of Alexander Glock. Your true name is Martin Kilborne, a mundane human from North Acadia."


    I leaned back in my chair, maintaining a calm demeanor. "And what evidence do you have to support these wild claims, Scrut?"


    The Megalodon Scrutimancer placed a thick folder on the desk. "Multiple sources. Omnithornia-Acadia border crossing Net-tag. Bank records. Birth certificates. Your mother''s death certificate. Acadian Passport. School records from your previous educational institutions. "


    "Wow, aren''t you a clever shark," I said and then whisper-clicked the word ''leverage'' in Kaska needed to derail the Scrutimancer.


    A massive hand dug into my shoulder. If it wasn''t for the jacket the girls bought me, and the layered hexasuits beneath, it would probably have a bruise there by now.


    "The Scrutimancer''s daughter, Magdaline Satoshi Cernix, is currently in Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility," Yulia whispered into my ear. "Reason for incarceration: Murder and consumption of three Omnid upperclassmen students at Skyfall Academy. Diagnosed with uncontrolled predatory impulse disorder."


    "Show me her face on the watch," I whispered in Kaska.


    "What are you whisper-clicking about?" The Megalodon''s grip on my shoulder tightened.


    Magdaline''s face appeared on the screen of my smartwatch. Pure white hair like her father, red eyes, white dermal denticle pattern with dark blue stripes. Orange jumper, picture from the detention center.


    "Your daughter¡¯s cute," I said. ¡°How come I didn¡¯t see her in delving class this week?¡±


    "Your deflection tactics won''t work on me, Mr. Kilborne," Satosh snarled, his hand closing over the smartwatch, the screen shattering, his eyes igniting red from within. "You are hereby charged with multiple federal violations of Omnithornian immigration and Skyfall academic enrollment protocols."


    "Multiple federal violations, you say?¡± I yawned. ¡°Sounds serious. Guess you better book me then."


    Satosh grabbed me by the hair, making me wince.


    "You know, Officer Satosh," I said. "If you keep this up, you''re going to lose everything."


    My face slammed into the Vice Principal''s desk, blood gushing from the sliced forehead.


    "You''re going away for a very long time," Satosh growled. ¡°Please allow me to dispose of this¡­ inconvenience, Vice Principal.¡±


    Graves nodded.


    ¡°Gate me to the detention center,¡± Satosh said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep him there for the weekend and then hand him over to the Immigration Enforcement.¡±


    Vice Principal graves snapped his fingers and a portal made from static manifested beside us.


    "Ah! You have betrayed me Graves," I said. "Portalling me out, huh? How much did they pay you?"


    The Slenderman remained stoic and silent.


    "You will regret this... gravely," I said.


    Satosh pulled me forward by the hair making me hiss and follow.


    The portal swallowed us whole, a churning vortex of static and shadow. When reality reassembled itself, I found myself in a sterile white corridor. Pale, white paneled lighting hummed overhead, casting everything in an even light. The walls bore large letters spelling out "CRADLEFOOT YOUTH REHABILITATION FACILITY" in bold, institutional lettering.


    Satosh''s massive hands remained clamped on me, his razor-sharp teeth glinting in the fluorescent light. "End of line, Mr. Kilborne," he growled.


    The walls were hexamesh-crete. Hexagram suppression wards flickered above reinforced metal doors, designed to suppress strength-based magical abilities.


    "What, I don¡¯t get to call my lawyer?" I asked.


    "No," Satosh pulled my half-sticking out phone out of my pants pocket and crushed it with his fist. "You''ve messed with the wrong family."


    "You know," I said conversationally, "crushing my things is a very expensive mistake."


    "A mistake?" Satosh smiled, his massive shark-like form towering over me. "Really now? I don''t make mistakes. It''s my job to make you disappear.¡±


    I smiled. A calm, almost serene expression that seemed entirely out of place given the circumstances.


    "So," I said as Satosh shoved and pulled me down the hall. "Whom do I have to thank for ruining my weekend?"


    "You publicly attacked the Prima-daughter of the Stratos Clan," Satosh said.


    "It''s going to be a real shame when Emerald confesses that she was the one to antagonize me," I said.


    "You find this situation is amusing?" The Scrutimancer growled.


    "Absolutely," I replied. "Especially when sharks think they''re top predators. I''m surprised you two didn''t just gate me into a volcano. Would have been a lot more efficient than whatever this is."


    "Efficient isn''t always the goal," Satosh fired back. "Sometimes, we have more important things."


    "Things like what?" I asked. "Institutional incompetence? Abuse of power?"


    The Scrutimancer didn''t answer.


    We passed several reinforced doors. Each one bore a small viewing window with hexagram-enhanced reinforced glass. There didn¡¯t seem to be anyone inside. The inmates were likely at lunch now.


    Satosh slid a door number 25 open. He kicked me inside. "Got you a new chew toy, love. Have fun. Burn his bracelet and outfit in the furnace later as usual."


    The reinforced door snapped shut behind me.


    ¡°Rude,¡± I said, shaking the floor dust off myself as I stood up, rotating to discover a shark girl sitting on the bed.


    She was holding a dark cup of tea or maybe coffee. Her eyes were pure red, waves of white hair spilling down her shoulders settling on an orange jumper with number 25 and the nametag ''Satoshi'' on her chest.


    "Sup Magdaline," I said. "I''m Alexander Glock. Your new roommate! Yay!"


    She looked exactly like her photo from the detention center, but there was something more intense about her in person - a predatory stillness that spoke of barely contained hunger.


    ¡°You know¡­ my name?¡± She blinked. ¡°How?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my business to know all the Skyfall students,¡± I nodded.


    She sniffed the air and then her red eyes bloomed brighter, pupils widening as she stared at my bleeding forehead. The cup in her hands started to shake. She slipped it onto the metal desk and stared at me unnervingly.


    "Does your dad bring you snacks often?" I asked, backing away. The cell was fairly small, had two beds, the second one hanging above the bed Magdalene sat on. A small alcove led to a plain bathroom with a sink and a toilet. There was no door, nowhere to hide.


    I noticed her claws were elongating, muscles bulging. She was Phase-Shifting, her legs stretching, tail wagging left and right, back fin growing long, face lengthening.


    "Ah," I said. "Guess we''re doing this. Alright then. Let''s battle!¡±


    "Battle?" She asked, her voice a low, predatory growl.


    I offered her a karate-style bow. "I accept you in my heart. Chase me if you dare. Battle me. Embrace me. Let''s make magic happen!"


    Magdaline''s red eyes flickered with confusion, her predatory instincts momentarily derailed by my bizarre words.


    "What?" she managed to say.


    I grinned and spread my arms wide. "Come at me, shark girl. Go ahead. I love you!"


    Predatory instincts warred with complete bewilderment.


    "What... what are you saying?" she snarled, muscles drawing tight like coiled springs. "Abyss-damn it dad, why do I have to eat every insane human in this stupid city?¡± She rattled to herself ¡°Whatever. This is my life now, I guess."


    She lunged at my throat faster than I could blink.

 Chapter 28: Feathers and Fury

    Cinder sniffed the air, focusing on the door where Martin had disappeared moments ago. Her feathers shifted through alarmed colors as she realized his scent had completely vanished - not faded, not moved elsewhere, but simply ceased to exist. The implications hit her like a physical blow.


    "He''s gone," she hissed, her feathers flaring with defensive reds and worried silvers. "They... they gated him somewhere!"


    Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed dangerously. "What?"


    Vespera''s eyes shot open.


    Cinder leapt off her seat, her foot already in the air, wings spread wide. Her boot obliterated the door into the Vice Principal''s office, sending it flying inward.


    "Yes, Miss Nova?" Vice Principal Graves turned away from the window towards the trio as Cinder and others stormed into the office. "Why have you demolished my door?"


    "Where is he?" she demanded, her feathers blazing through combative oranges and reds.


    "Mr. Glock has been transferred to an appropriate facility," Graves replied calmly.


    "WHAT facility?" Cinder''s wings flared wide, filling the office with prismatic light.


    "Please return to your dormitory." Graves said, shadowy static pulsing across the office.


    Lightning crackled behind Cinder as Vespera entered, her black wings trailing electricity. "Wrong answer," the Thunderbird clicked, aiming a hand at the Vice Principal.


    The Kitsune secretary was yelling something in the background, but waves of darkness bloomed from Katherine silencing her with a wave of pure dread.


    "You know," Graves said. "I was going to take it easy on you, on the account of who your parents are, but clearly you need to learn to control your anger, Miss Nova. Detention for a week for all three of you¨Cyou''ll start with Auditorium cleanup and then..."


    "DO YOU THINK I GIVE A SHIT?!" Cinder snarled, wings stretching wide and igniting with brilliant colors repelling the dark static. "WHERE IS MY FIANCEE YOU FUCK?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?!"


    Vice Principal Graves'' void-like face rippled with dark static. "Fiancee? I wasn''t aware you were engaged, Miss Nova."


    "Soul-bonded," Vespera clicked tiredly, electric arcs humming across her figure. "And you have ten seconds to tell us where our fiancee is, or I will dismantle your office and this entire school if I have to. Nine. Eight..."


    "Mr. Glock has been detained for fraudulent enrollment," Graves stated calmly. "The Stratos Clan Scrutimancer provided evidence that he is, in fact, a mundane human named Martin Kilborne who illegally infiltrated Skyfall Academy."


    "And you just believed a Scrut and let him have our fiancee, is that it?" Vespera growled, humming even more dangerously.


    "Regardless of his Omnithornian registration, he repeatedly assaulted Prima-Heiress Emerald Stratos, dunking her into Genesis fluid and then punching her in Delving class. Emerald told me that this was an unprovoked attack. Repeated inhalation of Genesis fluid while being alive can result in permanent insanity. That alone is enough to arrest and to expel Mr. Glock."


    "That''s it. I''m going to kill her," Cinder growled. "Vee, handle Graves. Emerald and I are going to have a little chat."


    "Miss Nov..." Graves began but Cinder already flashed out of the office.


    Vespera pulled out her phone. Her talons danced across the screen as she dialed.


    "SimmiTech Legal Division," she clicked into the phone. "Authorization code Victor-Echo-Echo. I need Attorney Thornheart. Now."


    Katherine maintained her deep-field around the office, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. The Kitsune secretary remained frozen in terror, unable to move or speak.


    "Ah, Miss Simmi," a smooth voice emerged from the phone. "What can I do for you today?"


    "My soul-bonded partner has been illegally detained by Skyfall Academy and transferred to an unknown facility without due process," Vespera stated coldly.


    "Soul-bonded partner?" The Bunyip lawyer blinked. "Did you finally link your soul with Zheng Xing Ker?"


    "No," Vespera clicked. "I''m breaking off that engagement. My soul-bonded partner is Skyfall Academy student Alexander Glock, who was just illegally detained and transported somewhere by Vice Principal Graves per information provided by the Stratos Clan Scrut."


    There was a long pause on the other end of the line.


    "I see," Attorney Thornheart said carefully. "And you wish to pursue legal action against both Skyfall Academy and the Stratos Clan, my lady?"


    "Immediately," Vespera confirmed, electricity crackling around her. "I want every legal resource SimmiTech has available on this case. Now. Get your attorney ass over here ASAP, Thornheart. I NEED to sleep after my delve and I hav'' no energy to deal with this shit."


    "Miss Simmi," Graves began.


    Vespera extended her phone pointing it at the principal, her Bunyip lawyer staring sternly at Vice Principal Graves.


    "I must inform you that any further actions against my client''s interests will result in immediate legal consequences," Attorney Thornheart stated firmly. "The illegal detention and transportation of a soul-bonded partner of a Primaborn Simmi Heiress of Thunder without due process is a severe violation of Omnithornian law."


    Vice Principal Graves'' void-like face rippled with static. "The evidence provided by Scrutimancer Satosh clearly indicates-"


    "Evidence obtained by an independent Scrutimancer without proper judicial oversight is inadmissible," Thornheart interrupted. "Furthermore, the soul-bond between Miss Simmi and Mr. Glock establishes his legal status as a protected entity of my honored client Prima-Heiress Vespera Simmi. Any attempt to separate soul-bonded partners without proper judicial review constitutes a direct violation of Firstborn Clan Rights Act, Section 72-C," Thornheart stated. "I''m dispatching a legal rep team to Skyfall Academy immediately. Vice Principal Graves, I strongly advise you to reveal Mr. Glock''s location before this escalates further."


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Graves'' void-like face flickered with static interference. "The matter falls under federal jurisdiction due to immigration violations-"


    "Immigration status is irrelevant once a Prima soul-bond is established," Thornheart countered. "The bond automatically grants protected status pending formal review."


    "If you don''t tell me where you sent my fiance to," Vespera growled. "I have every right to activate my familial Corpse Seeker to head straight for him. And I don''t care if it demolishes half of this school and Cradlefall in the process, as you and Skyfall will be the ones footing the bill as YOU are the one responsible for his disappearance!"


    "Miss Simmi, activating a Corpse Seeker within school grounds would be-" Graves began.


    "Within her rights as Prima Heiress who''s soul-bonded partner was just abducted without due process," the lawyer said.


    "Very well," Graves seemed to deflate, his tentacles coming down. "Your fiancee is in..."


    <hr>


    Emerald had just emerged out of the shower and was now wearing a white robe with the school''s logo on it, trying and failing to make herself look presentable. Her scales still looked dull in the mirror, covered in gray patches. She once again grabbed at the magisteel collar on her neck, trying to pry it off. The Shandrian slave collar would not budge, a red pyramid flashing angrily in the center.


    She had asked Solace and Quint to help her take the damn collar off, but the two simply ignored her, leaving her alone in the bathroom.


    A rainbow blur smashed through the bathroom door, sending splinters flying everywhere. Emerald spun around, her dull scales flaring with alarm as Cinder Nova stormed in, wings blazing with violent reds and oranges.


    "WHERE IS HE?!" Cinder snarled, her voice echoing off the black marble tiled walls of the delving class bathroom.


    Emerald backed away, her hands raised defensively. "What? Who?"


    "DON''T PLAY DUMB!" Cinder''s wings flared wider, filling the bathroom with brilliant rainbows. "What did your Scrut do with my fiancee, you stupid beerch?! I smelled Satosh in that office!"


    "How would I know that?!" Emerald asked. "I just got back from Arx and those Shandrian fucks took my armor and my phone. What are you even on about..."


    Cinder growled, eyes blazing with murderous intent, Phase-Shifted to the max, body stretched, dark claws out. "Alexander. Your clan''s Scrutimancer just took him somewhere. What did you do?"


    Emerald''s red eyes widened with genuine confusion. "I didn''t do anything! I''ve been trying to wash dried fruit out of my scales for the past..."


    A magisteel-reinforced boot sent Emerald flying into a wall, obliterating the sinks and the mirror, black marble shattering. The dragoness yelped, tried and failed to produce dragonfire to defend herself. Dark claws closed around her throat.


    "I have had just about enough of your shit, Em," Cinder snarled. "Either you tell me where my fiancee is or you die right here."


    "Ci! You... I swear I don''t know," Emerald choked.


    The wall behind her cracked as her head collided with the marble tiles, sending stone shards flying.


    "Wrong answer," Cinder growled, her wings blood red. A magisteel-covered fist collided with the face of the dragoness.


    Blood sprayed from Emerald''s nose as another blow connected. Her scales, dull and weakened from the slave collar''s suppression, offered little protection against Cinder''s rage-fueled assault.


    "Wait!" Emerald gasped, spitting blood. "Please! I really don''t know anything! I''ve been on Arx this whole time!"


    "LIAR!" Cinder slammed her against the wall again. "Your clan''s Scrutimancer just took him! Tell me where!"


    "I don''t know!" Emerald wept. "Please! Stop hitting me! I saved you from..."


    Her skull cracked with another punch of a magisteel fist, her vision doubling, gray scales atop of her head shattering into gray and red crystalline shards.


    "I''d rather you didn''t fucking save me you sick fuck," Cinder howled. "For two years I''ve been doing whatever shit you wanted. Two years, I''ve been your pretend-kobold, your fetchling!"


    "I... I made you stronger... I helped you..." Emerald wept as ironclad fists pummeled her into the wall.


    "You never gave a shit about me! You used me!" Cinder''s voice cracked with rage and pain. "You used everyone! Vee, Sol, Io even Quint! All just tools for your sick games!"


    Blood dripped from Emerald''s shattered snout as she tried to speak. "I... I was protecting..."


    "PROTECTING?!" Cinder slammed her against the wall again. "You call what you did to Sarah protection?! What you did to ME protection?!"


    "The Skinwalkers..." Emerald choked out. "I saved you from..."


    "AND THEN USED IT TO CONTROL ME!" Cinder roared, her wings blazing with violent reds and blacks. "Made me your little servant! Your perfect little songbird! You made me kill the Skinnie Clan instead of going to the authorities and now there''s a fucking OUTSIDER in my soul devouring it from within, turning me into a ghoul! I would have murdered you sooner or later you dumb fuck! Guess it''s time now. This is how you perma-die."


    "I''ll help," a cold voice said from the doorway.


    Emerald looked up through blood-streaked vision.


    Katherine stood there, her emerald eyes glowing in the blossoming shadows. The temperature in the bathroom dropped dramatically as she stepped inside.


    "Need some assistance disposing of the body?" Katherine asked casually, her claws extending. "I know some good spots in the Deep where no one will ever find her bracelet."


    Emerald''s eyes widened with terror as darkness began creeping up the walls, extinguishing the lights one by one.


    "Wait!" Emerald choked out through bloodied lips. "Please! I really don''t know where they took him! I... I just asked Satosh to deal with Alexander Glock a week ago! I... I was just trying to protect you, I swear Ci!"


    "Your help made everything worse!" Cinder barked. "Alex could be dead now because of your stupid, selfish..."


    "I... I can help get him back!" Ember wept. "Please Ci, you''re hurting me. If... If you kill me I can''t call Satosh, can''t do anything to..."


    Cinder''s claws tightened around Emerald''s throat, her feathers shifting through violent reds and blacks. "Why should I trust you?"


    "Because," Emerald gasped, "I''m the only one who can call off Satosh. He... he works for my family, obeys me! Please."


    Katherine stepped closer, the shadows around her deepening. "She''s telling the truth. Her heart rate indicates genuine fear and desperation."


    Cinder''s grip loosened slightly, but her eyes remained hard. "Call him. Now."


    "I can''t," Ember mewled. "The Shandrian Watch took my phone, took everything... I don''t remember his number! That was my second phone, I lost the first one during our last show! I don''t have any more phones! The only way to contact Satosh is through a specific protocol. A.... an encrypted communication device. I... I don''t... maybe you can take me home and... My Hearth mom''s there and she can call dad and he can call Satosh and..."


    "Taking someone you just beat to near death to their parents'' estate sounds like a terrible idea," Katherine pointed out.


    "If... if you take this collar off... m-my dragonheart will h-heal me," Emerald stammered. "Then I can wash the b-blood off and..."


    Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed. "No chance. That collar stays on. You''re way too dangerous to us with dragonfire on."


    Cinder''s grip remained tight on Emerald''s throat, her feathers flickering between violent reds and calculating blues. Katherine watched from the shadows, her emerald eyes cold and assessing.


    "Prove you can help," Cinder growled. "Give me one reason why I shouldn''t crack your stupid head in half right now you dumb beerch!!!"


    "I... I already swore to be Alexander Glock''s... your C-clan''s Sixie in front of witnesses," Emerald cried. "I... I can tell the school that it was all my fault.... that I lied about him being a human, had S-Satosh fake the report! If he was taken from Skyfall, Graves knows where he is... I... I can talk to him, tell him that..."


    Emerald''s words hung in the air, trembling like a fragile promise. Cinder''s grip slowly loosened.


    "You''re going to help me get him back," Cinder growled, her voice low and dangerous. "And if you''re lying, if he is dead, or hurt because of you, I will personally make sure you never see another sunrise, Emmy."


    "We should make her look presentable if we''re going back to Graves," Katherine threw a healing potion at Cinder who shoved it into Em''s mouth.


    Then as the potion took effect, Cinder pushed Emerald''s face into the water spraying from the obliterated sink, quickly washing the blood off the dragon girl.

 Chapter 29: Shark vs Man

    I leapt out of the way, my body accelerated beyond human speed with all of Lance''s hexasuits powered up to the max by stolen cores. The Megalodon-girl''s large claws harmlessly slashed against my shoulder, unable to penetrate the overpriced dragonscale jacket from Arx.


    As Magdaline flew by me, I punched the side of her face, making her careen and slam into the wall.


    The impact cracked the hexamesh wall slightly. Magdaline''s red eyes flickered with shock and pain.


    "What," she growled, rubbing her face where my dragonscale-glove impacted it. "What the shit? How did you¡­"


    I landed in a fighting stance, hexasuits humming with energy underneath my clothes. "I''m not your typical human snack, Mags. Go on. Try again. I know you want to!¡±


    She lunged again. Razor-sharp claws extended, slicing through the air where my head had been milliseconds earlier. I rolled, using the momentum to kick off the wall and spin behind her, kicking her into the wall on the other side.


    Another crack.


    "Arghh! What the shit?! Stop moving!" she snarled, her white hair whipping around her like living tendrils.


    "The fun of the chase is moving," I said. "Come on, murder attempt number three!¡±


    Magdaline''s red eyes narrowed, her predatory instincts recalibrating. This time, she moved with calculated precision, trying to circle me like a shark.


    Her claws sliced through the air, each movement designed to corner me, to cut off potential escape routes. I dodged, using the hexasuits'' enhanced speed, feeling the layers of magical protection vibrating with each near-miss.


    Her second slash went against the jacket too and slipped right off the impervious fabric.


    As she wasn¡¯t moving as fast, I aimed my punch into the center of her large, wide snout this time, sending her flying backwards with a cry.


    "Aughhhhwhhh, what the fuck?!" She rubbed her snout, her eyes filling with tears. "How are you punching so hard?! A human fist should have broken by this point!"


    "First rule of fighting," I said, stepping back and adjusting my stance. "Never underestimate your opponent."


    Magdaline stared at me, her red eyes flickering.


    "I don''t understand," she said, blinking rapidly. "What the shit is happening? You''re supposed to die!"


    "Sorry," I said, bouncing in one spot and swaying boxer-style. "Not allowed to die. My two Omnid fiancees would be very upset over such a development."


    "Two... fiancees?" Magdaline blinked, her predatory instincts momentarily short-circuited.


    "Yep," I said, continuing to bounce on the balls of my feet. "A Thunderbird Prima-Sword and a Quetzalcoatl Hearth-Shield. Both very possessive. They''d be quite cross if I died here."


    ¡°You¡¯re full of shit!¡± Her red eyes narrowed as she sniffed the air and choked.


    "They bought me this jacket on Arx," I said. "It''s claw-proof if you haven''t noticed by now."


    "You probably stole that!" She snarled and lunged for me once again.


    I spun and punched her snout again from the other side, making her slam into the wall with an angry roar.


    "Ow, ow, ow, damn it! Fuck!" She swore.


    "Why would you think that I stole my jacket?" I asked.


    "Cus dad only brings me criminals," she snarled. "People that won''t be missed! Human scum, gangsters, Topaz dealers and murderers!"


    "Topaz? Pretty sure that stuff is super magical and leaves a trace you can smell, Miss Shark. Do I smell like a Topaz dealer to you?" I asked her.


    "No," she shook her head. "Maybe you''re a murderer. How the shit are you moving and punching like that?"


    "Magic," I said. "I''m a wizard."


    "Magic?!" She spat. "Humans don''t have magic!"


    ¡°Oh yea?¡± I spread my fingers and focused on my mana. An electric current began leaping between my gloved fingers, fractal patterns forming into a perfect, tiny, bright, growing spark of fractal lightning, just like Vee taught me.


    "Behold!" I grinned, proud of my tiny four-mana-worth lightning spell. "Magic."


    Magdaline''s red eyes went wide as a small lightning ball fully formed in my hand.


    "What the..." she breathed.


    I sent the lightning ball directly into her forehead.


    The tiny lightning ball exploded impacting against her scales, doing zero damage to her. Her white hair stood on end, every strand crackling with released static electricity.


    "WHAT THE FUCK?!" She jumped backwards, slamming into her bed. "No. no. no. You''re a mixie! Damn it, dad, damn it all!¡±


    "What, got reservations about murdering half-humans?" I asked, tilting my head. "but not full ones? Why the discrimination?"


    Magdaline''s expression danced from anger to irritation sprinkled with hints of shame. "Dad says humans are... disposable. Easy prey. No magic. No protection."


    "And Omnids?" I asked, keeping my distance but maintaining eye contact.


    "Omnids fight back," she said quietly. "Omnids have magic. Have a Clan. Have... consequences."


    I nodded. "So you prey on the weak. The unprotected."


    Her silence was answer enough.


    "I..." she let out. "You smell like a human. I want to eat you so bad. I can''t... control it. I''m sorry!"


    I unzipped my pocket and dug into an extradimensional pouch filled with beast cores to the brim.


    I grabbed one and offered it to her. "How about an alternative snack?"


    "What," she stared at my glowing pocket with wide eyes. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"


    "Behold!" I said. "I''m a professional Arx delver!¡±


    Magdaline stared at the beast core. The glowing, shimmering ball pulsed with raw energy, far more enticing than the human standing before her.


    "Here ya go," I said, tossing the core towards her.


    Her claws snatched it mid-air, her red eyes dilating as she felt the pure magical essence. She bit into the core and chewed on it with rows of white, sharp teeth magical energy crackling around her mouth.


    "Tasty?" I asked.


    "Better than eating a person," she mumbled, chewing. "Way better. So much better. Ughhhh¡­¡±


    Her eyes dimmed, she slipped back onto the bed, chewing on the core, eyes rolling back.


    After about thirty seconds of rolling the core in her mouth back and forth, she reopened her eyes and looked back at me. "Umm... those cores... look expensive."


    "They are," I nodded. "Probably twenty million O-bux in my left pocket alone."


    "Twenty million O-bux?" Magdaline''s red eyes widened. "You''re... serious? What the fuck... did you rob a bank or something?!"


    I smiled.


    "You did!" She laughed. "Oh, you cheeky bastard. You are a criminal! I knew it!"


    "In my defense, the Arx Bank in question was distributing Topaz," I said. "I put a stop to that. Also, can you smell the intent behind the words or something? You a Scrut like your dad?¡±


    She nodded.


    "You''re beautiful," I said.


    She flashed red.


    I laughed.


    "What was that?! Didn''t you say you have two fiances?" She snared, trying to hide her blushing face in her silver-blue hands.


    "Yes," I nodded. "They''re a handful. I''m not planning on adding you to my family, I''m just derailing your expectations, testing your reactions. See, Omnid girls are generally bigger, stronger than Omnid guys. Therefore, I figure that as a tall, scary, sharp-toothed Meg you probably don''t get honest compliments often, if at all."


    "Family?" She exhaled, burying her face in her hands. "Abyss. I''m so sorry. How did my dad eff up so bad?"


    "He was working with outdated information," I said. "On Wednesday I was indeed just a lonely human without family. Now I''m a wizard with a mage tower, a city, two soul-bonded Omnid fiancees, a cadre of mages, a mountain of gold and a Clan."


    A red eye stared at me between her hands. "What... How? No, that... that''s not possible!"


    "What does your nose tell you?" I asked


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "That you believe your words," she replied. "That you think that''s the truth. Maybe you''re just insane... An insane bank robber!¡±


    I grinned, brushing hexcrete dust off my swank jacket. "An insane bank robber with style."


    Magdaline''s razor-sharp teeth glinted as she laughed. "You''re definitely not like the other snacks dad brings me."


    "Glad to be high quality entertainment material," I offered her my gloved hand.


    Magdaline tentatively reached out and shook it.


    "Aight then, I''m taking the top bunk," I said and then took a run and a leap, muscles amplified by the hexasuits. I ran up the wall sideways and slammed into the top bunk, making it wobble.


    She looked up at me. "That''s definitely not normal human behavior. People don''t run up walls."


    "Just some parkour amplified with magic," I winked. "My uncle ran a gang of teenage thieves in North Acadia, they trained me on rooftop running for over two years."


    "I see. So... what now?" the Megalodon girl asked, watching as I made myself comfortable above her.


    "Now?" I stretched out on the top bunk. "I don''t know. This is an unexpected development. I should probably call my girls before they demolish Cradlefall looking for me. Tell them that I''m okay."


    Magdaline blinked up at me with red eyes.


    I tapped my Quartermaster tag. "Voicecast Captain Cinder."


    The Voicecast connection crackled to life. Cinder''s hologram flashed above it woven from blue and white sparks.


    "Sup bae," I said.


    "M... Alex! Where are you?!"


    Magdaline''s eyes went wide.


    "I''m currently in detention," I replied cheerfully. "Scrutimancer Satosh decided I needed a timeout."


    "DETENTION?!" Cinder''s holographic image flashed as her wings spread out angrily. "WHERE?!"


    "Lemme pan the view," I said, tapping the tag view control to display the cell and Magdaline.


    "What? Who is that girl?!" Cinder barked.


    "That''s Magdaline Satoshi. Scrutimancer Satosh¡¯s daughter. She''s my new roommate," I said cheerfully.


    "YOUR WHAT?!" Cinder barked.


    "Cell roommate," I repeated. "I''m being illegally detained in the Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility. Funny. I don''t think I''ve ever broken into a prison before. First time for everything, I guess."


    "What do you mean ILLEGALLY DETAINED?!" Cinder snarled.


    "Exactly what it sounds like," I said cheerfully. "Satosh, the Scrutimancer shark-man, brought me to his daughter''s rehabilitation facility so she could eat me."


    Magdaline''s red eyes darted between me and the holographic Cinder, her razor-sharp teeth glinting in a nervous smile.


    "WHAT? EAT YOU?!" Cinder''s fiery glare turned to Magdaline.


    "She eats people," I nodded. "Think it''s a condition."


    "Listen here, you beerch, if a single hair falls off my... soul-bonded fiancee, I will personally take you apart, inch by inch," Cinder hissed dangerously.


    Magdaline''s eyes went wide. She looked up at me, then back at the holographic Cinder, teeth clacking nervously.


    "I...am not going to eat your fiancee," she stammered. "Not anymore."


    "NOT ANYMORE?!" Cinder barked. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN ''NOT ANYMORE''?!"


    I grinned and leaned back on the top bunk. "Ci, relax. Magdaline and I have reached an understanding. I gave her a beast core to chew on. She''s cool now. If she keeps it up, she can join our clan as a Sixie."


    "JOIN OUR CLAN?!" Cinder snared. "You want a people-eating... Omnid to join our Clan?! Are you out of your mind?!"


    Magdalene stared at me with a confused expression sprinkled with what might have been a ray of hope. "Your... Clan?"


    "We collect quirky peeps," I shrugged. "I collected Ci, then Kat, then Io, then Vee. Why not the resident Miss Shark?"


    "Because she tried to EAT YOU!" Cinder''s hologram vibrated with pure outrage.


    "Past tense," I said cheerfully. "She''s reformed. Or reforming. Potential recruit now."


    "Ughhh," Kat¡¯s face appeared on the projection. "So much yelling. Do you need rescue? I can pull Possy from the deep and Vee can send her after you."


    "Nah," I said. "This is fine. Going to spend the day here, I think. See if I can start a prison riot. Maybe take over this place. I dunno. I''m feeling inspired. Never been imprisoned before!¡±


    Katherine squinted at me. ¡°Riiiiight. You do you.¡±


    "A prison riot?!" Cinder yelled, shoving Katherine aside. "Do not start any riots!"


    "Come on, starting a prison riot is totally on my bucket list!" I protested.


    "NO RIOTS!" Cinder growled.


    Magdaline watched our interaction with utter bewilderment. "Is... this normal?" she whispered to me.


    "Completely," I whispered back. "Welcome to ¡®I Love You¡¯ Clan dynamics."


    "I can HEAR you!" Cinder''s hologram crackled.


    "Good!" I called back. "Means communication lines are working! Don''t attempt to rescue me."


    "Why not?!" Both Katherine and Cinder demanded.


    "I want to experience prison life," I said.


    "Ughhhh," Cinder groaned. "Why?"


    "The longer I stay here the more perks I can shake out of Skyfall for my illegal imprisonment," I said. "Duh. Maybe I can get us a big loft on campus for our Clan! Stay positive and think about the loft, guys!¡±


    "A loft?" Cinder pursed her lips. "What kind of loft?"


    "A big one," I grinned. "A room with a kitchen where you can practice Hearth-wife-ness by making us sandwiches. Maybe near the coliseum by the river, in one of the clock towers. Good views, Victorian clockwork gears for cracking walnuts, Art Nouveau bathrooms, Gothic revival bedrooms, a balcony for flying from. Top tier stuff reserved for kids of big donors.¡±


    Magdaline watched our interaction like someone observing an alien species.


    "Fine," Cinder growled. "But NO STARTING RIOTS! And NO GETTING EATEN."


    "Promise," I said, crossing my heart dramatically.


    "I''ll¡­ call you periodically to make sure you''re alive," she warned.


    "Love you too, bae," I blew a kiss to the hologram. "Send Vee my kisses and hugs."


    Cinder''s hologram vanished with an exasperated huff.


    I turned to Magdaline, who was still staring at me with wide shark-eyes. "So," I said casually, "Do you have an extra prison jumpsuit?"


    Magdaline blinked. "Why?"


    "To dress the part of a prisoner," I said. "Can''t start a proper prison riot in my North Acadia Arx-designer jacket, can I?"


    She stared at me for a long moment, then burst out laughing once again. A sharp bark that was somehow also genuine. In a minute her laughter collapsed into soft giggles, the beast core crunching against her teeth.


    "Didn''t you promise your girl not to start any riots?" She asked, digging out an extra orange uniform from a small metal locker. She threw her uniform up at me.


    I caught the jumpsuit mid-air. "You can start the riot, my Sixie sharky. I can¡­ rate it out of ten as a goody Clan leader," I winked. "Besides, Cindy didn''t say anything about... creative reorganization of institutional infrastructure."


    "And what exactly does ''creative reorganization'' entail?"


    "Oh, you know," I said, pulling on the large orange jumpsuit over my jacket and pants. "Just a few minor adjustments to the facility''s operational protocols. Mostly, I want to investigate things and document them. Potentially expose some systemic issues."


    "Systemic issues?" she raised an eyebrow.


    "For example, why a rehabilitation facility allows predatory behavior," I explained, adjusting the jumpsuit. "Like eating people. Shouldn''t you be at lunch? Why are you in your cell?"


    Magdaline lowered her eyes.


    "Because I can''t control my impulses," she let out. "Especially when they serve blood pudding, raw meat¡­ or anything with blood in it. It drives me up the wall, makes me attack the others. I eat alone in my cell.¡±


    I nodded, watching her carefully. "So they isolate you instead of actually helping you manage your condition with some beast cores?"


    ¡°Beast cores are¡­ expensive as shit and dad doesn¡¯t make that much.¡± She sighed, surprise flickering in her red eyes. "You... actually want to understand?"


    "Absolutely," I said. "Understanding is the first step to solving a problem. Tell me about these impulses. When did they start?"


    Magdaline¡¯s hand brushed through her white mop of a mane. "Since I was seven. I''d smell something - a small animal, sometimes another kid - and suddenly I''d just... want to consume it. Not out of hunger. Out of some weird compulsion. Smelling blood makes it worse... so much worse. I hate it. So very much. Dad says it will pass when I get older."


    "Why''d you eat three Omnids at Skyisle?"


    "They bullied me," Magdaline growled. "Constantly. Called me defective. Said I''d never be a proper Omnid. That I was a broken loser."


    I nodded.


    "They cornered me last semester," she continued, her red eyes growing distant, "kept calling me names. And then, something inside me just... snapped. I couldn''t control it anymore. The more they mocked me, the more I wanted to prove them wrong. To show them I was strong, capable."


    "By consuming them," I said neutrally.


    She nodded, shame flickering across her features. "Dad says predatory behavior is natural. One of the teens had a sword that he was waving at my face, so I kicked it and the sword went across one of their arms. Then the blood... It made me go berserk, lose control. By the time I came to, I had killed them and was devouring their innards. A bunch of grade eight students who came to apply to the Academy and were being shown the gardens¡­ were watching me and taking photos. So they sent me here."


    She slipped onto her bunk.


    "Killing a student on campus isn''t that big a deal," I shrugged. "Omnids kill each other all the time. Pretty sure Ci kicked someone through a wall ''cus they were being annoying. I guess you gave the Academy bad social rep or something. How long did they put you in juvie for?"


    "Six months," she sighed. "Those three pricks must have pulled some strings. Dad''s been trying to cut it down to less, since he works here as a night shift guard on top of his Scrutimancer job to pay for my overpriced education at Skyfall. I think he made a deal with the Stratos Clan or some other family to dispose of... human trash.¡±


    "Charming family business," I commented dryly.


    "He said that Skyfall delving is supposed to help me grow my heart core, control my impulses," she said with a sniff-growl. "Learn to hunt ''properly''. Said he had the same problem when he was young."


    "Now you''re eating people who can''t fight back," I said. "Sounds like excellent rehabilitation."


    "He beat the impulse by murdering lots of beasts on Arx and levelling up," she breathed out. "But I can''t do that. Nobody will take me on a team. Nobody even wants to take me on as a Sixie after I kept snapping at people in grade nine at the cafeteria. They all know that I go mental when I sniff blood. I don''t understand why you''d want me on your team... in your Clan... Especially after I almost ate you like a big knob."


    I leaned forward, my eyes locking with her red ones. "Because everyone deserves a chance. Especially a person who wants to change, to overcome their Fractal Engine heart''s alignment.¡±


    Magdaline blinked, clearly caught off guard.


    "Your predatory instincts aren''t a curse," I explained. "They''re a skill. Untapped potential. Right now, they''re uncontrolled, wild. But with the right snacks, right training, the right environment? You could be incredible. I could use a Scrut on my team with a good nose.¡±


    "You... actually want to help me?" she asked.


    "Absolutely," I nodded. "As I said before, my clan is full of misfits. What''s another one?"


    Magdaline stared at me, her red eyes wide with disbelief. "You''re completely, truly serious? You want me in your clan?"


    "Yep," I nodded.


    "Why? Come on, I smell another reason there."


    "It''ll really piss off your dad," I said.


    ¡°Ha!¡± Magdaline burst out laughing once again. "So, you want to recruit me just to annoy my father?"


    "He annoyed me by derailing my schedule. That and your skills," I said. "They interest me."


    "Interest you... how?" She asked with a look of suspicion.


    "You can teach me how to smell lies, how to determine intent behind words," I said. "I want your Scrutimancy."


    "But you''re..."


    "I''m a wizard," I said. "If you donate some of your hair or placoid scales, I can put it into a shake, drink it and¡­


    ¡°Omnids can¡¯t just gain powers from other Omnids by eating them!¡± Magdalene shook her head. ¡°I bit plenty of Omnids, I would know.¡±


    ¡°Not an Omnid,¡± I pointed out. ¡°A human wizard.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ on Arx?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No, not like anywhere else,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t have a heart core, so eating Omnid strata doesn¡¯t cause rejection. I can''t even level up properly, don''t have an XP stat."


    ¡°Hrm,¡± she chewed on the beast core thoughtfully. ¡°Fine. Prove it!¡±


    Before I could say anything else, she sliced her wrist with a sharp claw, blood pouring into her somewhat bent, black coffee up. The cut sealed itself in about twenty five seconds.


    ¡°Here,¡± she handed me the cup of blood-coffee. ¡°Drink up.¡±


    ¡°Your own blood doesn¡¯t make you go crazy?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nah,¡± she said. ¡°Plus, still chewing the core you gave me. It¡¯s pretty damn potent, definitely waaaaaay above what dad can afford, so I reckon it''s gonna last me a while. Go on, Mr. Wizard. Impress me. Show me that you can steal my innate Megalodon skill.¡±


    I shrugged and brought the cup to my lips.

 Chapter 30: The Waltz of Scrutimancy

    I tipped the cup back and drank deeply.


    The coffee infused blood tasted somewhat metallic, salty¨Cbut underneath that, something else. A wave of flavor that spoke of predatory instincts, of sharp edges and sparking hunting impulses. The sensation vanished as soon as it appeared, so maybe that was just my mind playing tricks on me.


    "So?" Magdaline asked. "Feel anything?"


    "Not how it works," I shook my head.


    "How does it work then?"


    "You have to bounce your skill off me," I said as I slid from my top bunk down to hers. "Plus I have to do this for a bit."


    I lit Zee Captain''s lighter in the space between us.


    "What?" Magdaline blinked. "What''s the lighter supposed to do?"


    "You''ll see," I said, watching my mana rushing up.


    "Wait," the Megalodon sniffed the air. "Mana. So much mana. How are you doing that? Is that lighter some kind of a mana-generating artifact?!¡±


    I didn''t answer her, snapping the lighter shut.


    "Okay," I said, unzipping my jacket and offering her my hands. "What''s your strongest skill? Bounce it off me. Pretend my body is a radar dish. Take my hands. Look at me."


    Magdaline hesitantly reached out and took my hands. Her razor-sharp claws barely touched my gloves, her red eyes locked onto mine.


    "How are you not terrified of me?" She asked, looking down at me. "You''re so small, so... thin and frail looking. Smell... so human."


    "Because I''ve faced scarier things than you," I replied calmly. "Now focus. What''s your core, innate ability?"


    "Scrutiosmia, aka Odormancy," she said. "Like dad. I can smell lies, intentions, emotions, past events, likely future paths, likely outcomes, Astral imprints..."


    "Perfect," I nodded. "Focus on that. Project it at me. Imagine your skill as a wave bouncing off a mirror."


    Magdaline''s red eyes narrowed in concentration. Her claws tightened slightly around my hands.


    "Hrm... I smell... something," she muttered. "Like... an echo? Strange."


    "Keep bouncing your skill off me," I ordered. "Reach resonance. Think of the hunt, of how you chased me, of how much you... enjoyed it. Picture the dance between predator and prey. Between you and me. Shark and human wizard. Smell the ideas behind my words!"


    Magdaline blushed ever so slightly, claws digging deeper into my dragonscale gloves, the hexasuits hardening over my fingers as she nearly crushed them.


    Her red eyes flared brighter as she focused, projecting her power. I felt something shift inside me, like a new sense awakening.


    Suddenly, scents bloomed in my awareness.


    The metallic and concrete tang of the reinforced cell walls. The lingering traces of despair from the nearest Astral imprint. The sharp edge of Magdaline''s predatory nature, of hunger, of desire for blood held back by the delicious beast core in her mouth. Even my own scent - a strange mix of human and something else... noise, dull static layered with traces of colorful Quetzi, black and white Thunderbird, gray Moth and blue-green Stollwurm scents.


    I mentally summoned up my stats.


    [System error. Unable to parse experience, no heart-core detected.]


    [Delineating current state. Reassessing stats.]


    [Level 4 state approximated!]


    [LV 4 Skill gained: Scrutiosmia] A message flashed across my vision in white sparks.


    | Name: Alexander Glock


    | Age: 18


    | Species & Subtype: Human-Thunderbird hybrid [with 4 other minor affinities]


    | Core Affinity: N/A


    | Level: 4


    | Anima: 89/89 [+89] [+89] [+89] [+7] [+7]


    | Anima Stamina: 1/1


    | Mana: 568/46


    | Mana Regen: 0.0m/hr


    | Strength: 0


    | Agility: 0


    | Dexterity: 0


    | Vitality: 0


    | Charisma: 0


    | Magic: 0 [+46]


    | Foresight: 0


    | Intelligence: 0


    | Wisdom: 0


    | Skills:


    Thunderbird: Resonance, Lightningball, Electrofractal Sight, Dreamwalking, Chain Lightning


    Quetzalcoatl: Charmchain


    Stollwurm: Umbramancy, Deep Diving, Echomancy


    Death Moth: Sundergate


    Megalodon: Scrutiosmia


    | One-way soul bonds: [Vespera Simmi, Cassiopea Cinder Nova.]


    | Blood Contract Pact: Vespera Simmi, Prima-Sword


    "Got it," I said.


    "Got what?" She asked.


    "I have Scrutiosmia," I replied.


    "Oh yeah?" The shark-girl asked. "Prove it."


    "Say some relevant stuff," I said. "I''ll smell if it''s the truth."


    "Okay..." Magdaline said. "Um... I hate being in this facility."


    I sniffed. The scent of truth mixed with deep loneliness and frustration wafted from her.


    "You''re lonely," I said, closing my eyes and inhaling her scent again, reaching deeper into... elsewhere. Sudden, new information revealed itself to me. "And you actually enjoy having a roommate, even if it''s just for a day. Even if that roommate is a weird human wizard who just drank your blood, which you think is hell-a weird.¡±


    "You could have guessed that."


    "Could I?" I grinned, inhaling deeper and closing my eyes. I smelled paper. A pencil. Smoke. "You''ve been drawing in your spare time and then burning the results."


    "What?! What in the Abyss?!¡±


    "I can smell the pencil shavings and... oh my. Those are some spicy drawings of that... musician. What was his name? Started with a K..."


    Magdaline''s face went bright red.


    "Kuro?" I sniffed again. "Oh yes, definitely Kuro Stardust. You''ve drawn him quite... extensively making out with..."


    "Stop!" She let go of my fingers, buried her face in her hands, her white hair falling forward to hide her embarrassment. "Abyss! Move onto something else! Anything else!"


    "Lots of people died here," I said, standing up and moving around the cell, my expression darkening as I sniffed the air. "Forty... one mundane humans. They were confused, terrified, and hostile. You... sliced through their arteries, broke their necks and then... you ate them. Your dad brought them here, bleeding... locked the door using the one hour lockdown timer¡­ You cleaned the mess up each time and dumped the remains into the disposal chute.¡±


    I continued walking around the cell, my new sense delving through layers of history trapped in the walls.


    "Drug dealers," I sniffed near one corner. "Three of them. They tried to bribe your dad with O-bux to let them go. It didn''t work. They smelled of Topaz."


    Magdaline shifted uncomfortably on her bunk.


    "Gang members before then," I moved to another spot. "Debtors. Seven of them. Consumed one by one. Seven days. Fourth one was on Topaz, fought back hard, had a hidden blade, but you broke his wrist and shoved the knife into his eye. You felt weird after eating him, happy... but it was just fake dreams of you being in Skyfall and actually having friends¡­ and then your skill digested the drug... and then you cried..."


    ¡°Fuuuck,¡± Magdaline swallowed. ¡°You do have Scrutimancy!¡±


    I paused by the door. "And here... a young woman. Begged for her life.


    "Around twenty four," I continued sniffing near the door. "An accountant who''s been stealing money from one of the Stratos vault accounts. Your dad caught her. You felt bad about that one, since she wasn''t that bad of a person. Really bad. Tried to fight the urge. Failed. Still dream about her sometimes."


    Magdaline''s shoulders hunched inward.


    "Two assassins before then," I moved to another corner. "Hired to kill some Prima''s kid. Failed. Got caught. Compulsion magic in their blood. Then three thieves who broke into the Stratos vault... then that serial killer from Scab Row who used some kind of an anti-scrying artifact to hide his deeds..."


    I paused by the reinforced window, inhaling deeply. "This is where you cornered a cultist. His mind infected with a memetic. He fought back, was stronger than others and felt no pain."


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "There are others, deeper further in... but their scents get blurry. Let me try something more recent."


    "What?" She asked.


    "Me!" I sniffed myself. "Hrmmm. You took it easy on me. You tried to fight the urge, smelled the Skyfall Lazarus bracelet on me. Lied to me. Tried to understand what I was."


    She nodded.


    "Yeah," Magdaline''s red eyes flickered with unease. "I... I didn''t want to eat you. Not really. You smelled... different. Odd. Wrong. Hard to define."


    I inhaled deeply, sorting through the scents of truth and deception. "Half-truth. You did want to eat me, but something else held you back. Something... deeper. Further ahead?"


    "You smell like... hope,¡± she confessed after a few seconds. ¡°Like freedom. Like someone who could actually help me. I''ve never smelled anything like it before."


    "You don''t believe that though," I came closer to her, standing directly in front of her, sniffing her. "You don''t think that a mere Skyfall student could save you from anything. You think that you''re worthless, just trash disposal, just a murderer that your dad and the Stratos clan have been using..."


    I leaned in closer, my new Scrutiosmia skill parsing her emotional landscape like a complex topographical map. I burned through the mana offered to me by the lighter, pushed mana through my Resonance skill like a loop and made it flow across my nose.


    "You think you''re broken," I said softly. "But you''re not. You''re just... underfed, hungry. A diamond in the rough. Sometimes the system is what''s broken. Not the individual."


    Magdaline''s red eyes widened. "Seriously, how... How are you doing that?! You''re not a Scrutimancer! You didn¡¯t smell like a Scrutimancer at all five minutes ago!¡±


    "I''m not," I said. "On Tuesday I..."


    "Walked through the gates of Skyfall," she inhaled my breath. "And met..."


    "An angel with rainbow wings," I nodded. "And..."


    "Thunder," She inhaled again, tasting my intent, dissecting the past. "The cleverest Thunder-girl in Skyfall, who figured you out. Who... gradually changed you with each touch... remade you from within on a whim because she was... bored. No. A lie. Because she was incredibly desperate... Desperate to escape from her chains."


    "Who..." I began, looking at the shark.


    "Fell in love with you and gave you the greatest gift of all," Magdaline said, her mouth falling open, tongue caressing the beast core between her teeth. "One not meant for humans. Electrofractal sight and... the Resonance skill! Abyss!"


    "Resonance," I said. "An Electrofractal..."


    "An Astral Radar dish in your stomach tied to your soul," Magdaline breathed out. "Controlling indigestible particles of Omnid strata moving across your human innards... forming a convex mirror... a skill amplifier! Holy shit! That''s how you''re doing it!"


    "Clever shark," I grinned.


    "Sneaky little human," she smiled. "Changed by a clever, desperate Thundergirl who set something truly terrible in motion, created a human who can do magic without a heart core. Abyss!"


    Her face paled.


    "Heh," I said. "That was some top notch Scrutimancy, partner. Still got..."


    "Two hundred and six mana," she breathed out.


    "Do you want to know..." I began.


    "More? Yes! Yes I do! I''ve never felt so clear... so sharp... So whole! It''s like the hunger, the emptiness... isn''t there anymore! Just Understanding... just the flow. Resonance!"


    "How about a dance, partner?" I asked, unzipping my pocket and pulling out a phone from the extradimensional pouch.


    ¡°Oh! Dad didn¡¯t destroy your phone?¡± She grinned.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my phone,¡± I answered. ¡°That was Vespera¡¯s second phone. She gave it to me when she ran off to the coliseum for a nap.¡±


    The Megalodon Scrutimancer laughed and stood up from her bunk and reached out to me. I grabbed her silver-blue hand.


    "Yulia play Johann Strauss II - The Blue Danube Waltz," I ordered. "Then spice it up, make it more fun, write some relevant, cute lyrics!"


    Violin music filled our cell as Magdaline and I began to step in perfect sync, her predatory instincts and my newly acquired Scrutiosmia creating a feedback loop of hyper-awareness.


    My hand slid down to Magdaline''s waist. Her razor-sharp claws slid onto my shoulder, careful not to tear the fabric of my borrowed orange jumpsuit.


    Our hands entwined.


    We began with a basic Viennese Waltz pattern - a natural turn that spun us clockwise. Her red eyes locked with mine, no longer filled with hunger, but a flame of Understanding backlit by fireworks of excitement.


    The violins soared as we spun across the small cell, our movements perfectly synchronized through shared Scrutiosmia. Magdaline''s white hair whirled around us like ocean spray.


    Her predatory movements¨Cthe skill only previously used to hunt, to murder and consume criminals in this cell¨Cbecame something elegant, beautiful.


    Each step calculated, each turn precise.


    My hexasuit-enhanced agility matched her shark-like grace in perfect synchronicity.


    The song shifted away from the Blue Danube as Yulia finished writing the music and began to sing.


    ¡°Through depths of space</a>, the Wormwood ever-falls


    Dead echoes whisper through these hexcrete halls


    Dance of predator, dance of prey


    As the Earth turns, night shifts to day.¡±


    I spun Magdaline across our tiny cell with impossible grace, guiding each of her motions through broadcast intent. She was taller than me, but it didn¡¯t matter in the slightest.


    ¡°Leviathan''s children dance and dream


    Where thunder meets the rainbow''s gleam


    Between the stars and endless deep


    Where human hearts their secrets keep


    Teeth of starlight, wings of flame


    Entropy''s hunger cannot stake its claim


    Souls entwined beyond blood and bone


    Where neither has to be alone.¡±


    Yulia sang.


    We moved faster, our steps matching the rising tempo. Red eyes against green. A river of blood framed by evergreen pines.


    ¡°Resonance between two souls


    Makes broken pieces into wholes


    Shark and wizard dance as one


    Their road onward just begun.¡±


    Magdaline laughed wildly as I spun her again as the lyrics repeated.


    The cold, bare hexcrete cell vanished. There were only waves of a red sea smashing against the land of brown cliffs and evergreen hills with each rising and falling tone of the violin.


    As the song reached its crescendo and fell silent, Magdaline and I stopped, breathless. Her red eyes were wide, no longer predatory, but alive and sparkling with tears.


    She believed me now with her entire Fractal Engine heart. I had captured her attention. My personal Scrutimancer shark. Time to learn some things. Together.


    We stopped by the cell door above which a red number was counting down.


    "Scrutimancer Satosh..." I began.


    "Lost his wife eleven years ago..." She said, blinking more sparks from her eyes.


    "A Topaz-peddling human gang from Scab Row¡­" I pulled information from the air around us, from the footsteps of Satosh that lingered here again and again, from his breath, from his fear and hatred. "Killed Enni Satoshi. They sealed her bracelet in a magisteel box with anti-scrying runes, making sure she couldn''t be brought back."


    "By the time Satosh tore through their hideout and found her bracelet and incarnated her.... she didn''t know how to talk, could only stare blankly at him, and didn''t remember him. She''s in the White Hall of Serenity Springs Asylum now," Magdaline revealed. "Dad''s been... shattered since then..."


    "He became over-focused on trying to uplift his daughter who lost her mom and could not control her Megalodon heart," I pulled on the Astral string, unraveling it. "In an attempt to solve her problem, he put her into an overpriced Academy he could not hope to afford. There, poor Magdaline found no friends and thus only made her condition worse."


    I dug into my pocket and pulled out a vial of Emerald''s blood that I had extracted a few days ago from her sleeping form, but didn''t have time to do anything with.


    "Emerald Stratos..." I uncorked the vial of the dragon-girl''s blood.


    "Offered to pay him extra..." Magdaline inhaled deep, her eyes flashing like rubies. "To do progressively worse, illegal things."


    "And Satosh accepted them," I resumed, the Astral imprint of Satosh and the blood of Emerald spilling its secrets to us. "Became bound more and more to her whims. Helped her get in touch with a Clan of Skinwalkers. Offered them a young singer, put a potent tracking spell on her. Helped a devious red dragon rescue the singer and then aided the Quetzi and dragon to execute the Skinwalk Clan and bury them at sea. Thanks to this job, he had enough for two years of school fees for his little darling shark..."


    "But then like a fool, she mauled Three Omnids in full view of prospective students," Magdaline continued, holding onto my hands. "Primo-borns¡­ who often hung out with Emerald, her friends. And so, the knob-shark was sent to juvie. And so Scrutimancer Satosh became even more reckless and desperate. Emerald offered him enough gold for another year at Skyfall. The dragoness promised Satosh to hire a lawyer who could reduce his daughter¡¯s sentence..."


    "To make Skyfall student Alexander Glock disappear," I said.


    "Who''s Astral imprint smelled like a human on Wednesday night," Magdaline added. "Who was also conveniently asked to be imprisoned by..."


    "An agent of a wealthy Thunderland Omnicorp," I pulled on the thread harder with my new skill. "Which also paid quite well for the contract Satosh accepted."


    "He ignored that the target smelled a bit off on Friday," Magdaline said. "It was too late to back out of the two signed contracts by then. He was confident that his daughter would be able to devour Alexander Glock just as she had devoured the other forty one humans and cast his untasty Lazarus bracelet and shredded outfit into the incinerator chute¡­¡±


    ¡°And then Satosh would obtain Alexander¡¯s bracelet from the ashes during his night shift and deliver it to the Omnicorp agent." Both of us looked at the metal door of the incinerator chute on the wall beside us.


    "Satoshi made just one fatal mistake," I added with a smile, "he couldn''t sniff out..."


    "Twenty million worth of beast cores in the boy''s pocket," Magdaline uttered. "Because an extradimensional space cannot be penetrated by Scrutiosmia.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Plus your entire outfit, the jacket, the gloves, the pants... they don''t smell like anything at all for some reason,¡± she stared at me.


    "Nitoroc panther leather atop of dragonscale," I tapped my sleeve. "Anti-scrying runes woven into the inner lining."


    "Ah," Magdaline nodded. "That¡¯d do it. That¡¯d absolutely screw with Scrutimancy."


    My mana dropped to zero. I sealed the vial of Emerald''s blood and slipped it back into my extradimensional pocket. Magdaline blinked, letting go of my hands.


    "Wow," she said. "So that''s what it''s like to be a proper Scrutimancer. I''ve... I''ve never been able to deduce so much before by smell!"


    I smiled at her.


    "You aren''t going to abandon me in this cell, right?" She asked. "You didn''t just use me to get all that information out of me to use it against my dad?"


    "Did it feel like that was the case?" I asked.


    "No," Magdaline said softly. "It felt... like nothing I''ve done before. Like I finally woke up after eleven years of being asleep at the wheel. Thank you."


    "See?" I said. "You''re not just trash disposal. You''re a talented Scrut. All it took was a dance, a song written by an AI and some Resonance magic to unlock your potential."


    She suddenly went down on one knee.


    "I, Magdaline Satoshi, do hereby pledge myself forevermore as a Sixie to..." She looked up at me with wide eyes.


    "Clan I Love you." I filled in with a smile.


    Magdaline blinked. "Clan... I Love You?"


    "Welcome aboard," I offered her my hand.


    Her razor-sharp teeth glinted as she burst out laughing, accepting my hand to stand up. "THAT''S your clan name? Abyss, I thought you were kidding before! WHY?! It sounds like a bad boy band or a cheesy romance novel!"


    "Nobody expects ''I Love You'' to be a serious threat," I grinned.


    "Fair enough," she wiped a white-blue hand across her eyes, an extra-toothy smile stretching wide.


    The clock on the door reached zero and then the bolt snapped open.


    "Shall we tour the facilities then, my Sixie darling?" I asked.


    ¡°With pleasure, my Slayer,¡± she replied, sharp eyes filled with red sparks of mirth.

 Chapter 31: Collaborators

    Kai Xing Ker, Arch-Elder of the Golden Star Clan tapped his bronze fingers on his opulent desk as the call connected.


    "Greetings, Arch-Elder Simmi," Kai''s ancient voice carried through the encrypted Voicecast holo. "I trust you''ve heard about your Prima-spawn''s... unfortunate entanglement?"


    "Entanglement?" Altair Raiden Simmi asked with a frown, his crystalline, pale silver Skyfish scales glimmering.


    "Yes," Kai continued, his amphibian eyes narrowing. "Your Scion, Vespera Simmi formed a soul-bond with a human infiltrator Martin Kilborne posing as mixed-blood student Alexander Glock at Skyfall Academy."


    "What?!" Altair''s clear, crystalline wings spread out, bristling with static. "Impossible. Vespera wouldn''t..."


    "Why would I lie to you, my old friend?" Kai asked. "You have one of my best engines in your study. Check the result yourself. Vespera Simmi already bonded with Alexander Glock to a 99.997% certainty and will further enforce this bond at the Cradlefall cathedral with an Arch-Priest unless immediate action is taken."


    Altair''s multitude of wings danced with lightning, his figure stretching out. "A human? My great, grand daughter... with a human?!"


    "Indeed," Kai nodded.


    ¡°No human will soil my bloodline!¡± Altair''s crystalline form buzzed with electrical discharge.


    "The infiltrator has already been detained," Kai said. "But we must act quickly to prevent further damage. My sources indicate he has gained considerable influence at Skyfall in a very short time."


    "Where is he being held?" Altair demanded.


    "Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility," Kai replied. "I have already punished my Scion for his negligence. I believe you should do the same with yours, Altair."


    "Negligence?" Altair asked.


    "He accepted a duel from Alexander Glock," Kai explained. "A public challenge for Vespera''s hand."


    "A human dared to challenge a Prima-born of the house of Golden Star?!" Altair laughed. "And your Scion was stupid enough to accept the challenge?!"


    "Yes," Kai sighed. "Zheng was deceived by a human scab. The duel is set for Sunday at noon in the Skyfall Coliseum."


    "Ridiculous," Altair''s wings fluttered with renewed fury. "I will not allow this farce to continue. I''m sending my security team to retrieve Vespera from Skyfall at once."


    Kai nodded. "Have you not revealed the importance of our merger to your Scion? Does she not know what is at stake?"


    "I..." Altair began.


    Kai looked at the data running across his desk. "You have not," he said. "It is imperative that she changes her mind."


    Altair sighed. "I believed that she wasn''t ready to know the truth. She is only eighteen. I had hoped that she would grow out of her childish ways, optimize herself. I shall speak with her father about this matter. Ceter will handle it."


    "As it was your Scion that has caused this disruption, perhaps Lord Ceter should stand as Zheng''s champion," Kai suggested smoothly. "My foolish progeny is currently... under house arrest for his failure."


    "Ceter would be more than capable," Altair agreed, his crystalline form pulsing with electrical energy. "He has always been protective of Vespera. But why is it necessary for this shameful duel to occur at all? If the human is in Omnid custody, why not simply make him disappear? Accidents happen..."


    "Correctional Officer Satosh just assured my agent that the human should be dead within the hour and that his Lazarus bracelet will be delivered to us tonight," Kai said. "Unfortunately I don''t have trusted contacts within the Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility who can confirm it. The island prison is under Stratos jurisdiction. My influence there is limited and the perimeter defense wards block the eyes of my Probability Engines. Perhaps you could..."


    "I will handle it," Altair said coldly. "I will reach out to the Stratos Clan and see if I can procure contacts within their prison.¡±


    "Excellent," Kai nodded. "And what of the soul bond with the human?"


    "The bond will dissolve when the human dies, no?" Altair pointed out.


    "The human has a Lazarus bracelet from Skyfall," Kai pointed out. "As does Vespera. Both bracelets have the capability to enforce the bond even after the death of their bearer. A Lazarus bracelet is made from immovable metal which cannot be destroyed. Killing the human and gating his bracelet to another dimension will not remove the link between the bracelets nor the soul-bonded tag they might display.¡±


    "Blasted girl really did it this time," Altair growled, his crystalline silver-white fingers curling into fists.


    "A simple solution. We can take the human to Novazem and feed him to an Astral Phantom in one of the local magogenic faults. Of course before then he will be tortured and killed a few hundred times. The repeated deaths and soul-trauma should weaken the bond," Kai offered. "Then the high level Astral Phantoms will devour what remains of his soul, permanently severing the connection."


    "A sound plan," Altair agreed. "And what of Vespera?"


    "You will need Vespera to go to a high level Psychopomp to have the soul-bond surgically removed," Kai continued. "It won''t be cheap and the procedure will... not be pleasant. The bond must be removed completely so that the Arch-Priest won''t have issues or questions for when Zheng and Vespera are bonded at the Cathedral.¡±


    "And if she refuses to cooperate?" Altair asked mused.


    "Then grandson must use force," Kai said. "Erase her memories of the human. Do whatever it takes. The merger between our Clans is too important to be derailed by this teenage rebellion. The future of all Omnid-kind depends on it."


    "I will call Ceter immediately. We cannot allow this nonsense to disrupt our merger." Altair agreed.


    "One more thing," Kai added. "The human has apparently formed connections with other students at Skyfall. My engines suggest that they could become¡­ problematic for us.¡±


    "How can a bunch of school children challenge two millenia-old Clans?" Altair arched a pale eyebrow.


    "I do not know," Kai said. "The Academy''s wards interfere with my scrying. Something about a tree on Arx named Yulia. Something about a Quetzalcoatl Cassiopeia Nova."


    "Justice Nova''s daughter is involved in this too?" Altair asked. ¡°How?¡±


    "Yes," Kai nodded. ¡°She is Vespera¡¯s friend.¡±


    "I shall ask Omnimart''s Arch-CEO to keep a tighter leash on her daughter," Altair said. "I''m not friends with the Justice but I''m certain that Lady Xastigar can get her family''s spawn in line."


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    "Let us proceed swiftly," Kai nodded. "The human must be eliminated and the soul-bond must be severed before it can cause further disruption."


    "Agreed," Altair''s crystalline form pulsed with electrical energy. "I will contact the necessary parties immediately."


    The call ended, leaving Kai alone in his study. He tapped his bronze fingers against the desk thoughtfully, watching as his probability engines continued their endless calculations. Too many things weren''t adding up.


    The engines were showing increasing anomalies around the human''s presence at Skyfall. Variables that shouldn''t exist, probability chains that defied logic and outcome flow. Something big was interfering with the engines'' predictions.


    Kai didn''t like it. It suggested that an unknown corporation, an Outsider, or an ancient cult stood behind Martin Kilborne, which didn''t bode well for Golden Star¡¯s plans.


    What was Uriel ranting about? What was Infinity Paradox Proxima?


    He typed the question into the massive probability engine behind his desk and a single number came up on the spinning dial: [8]


    He tried again, rephrasing the question and again, the answer was simply [8].


    Kai walked across his study, his eyes closed, guiding his pockmarked hands with innate Precognition. Eventually he stopped at a book and flipped it to the random page which his sight guided him towards.


    A Dagaz rune was on the page. A sideways eight. A cold shiver ran down Kai''s ancient spine as he read the calligraphic words below the rune.


    Awakening. Change. New Beginning. Dawn.


    Kai flipped through other books, looking for more information connected to the rune.


    He stopped on other pages.


    The cult of Sheela na gig. Carvings of a woman opening herself like a ring found in Nazarite churches across Ireland, Wales, England and France.


    The symbols kept repeating - the sideways eight, the open woman, the gateway.


    Infinity. Paradox. Fertility.


    The endless cycle of death and rebirth.


    In another hour of reaching out and digging through his library Kai discovered that he was going through the same concepts again and again across various books, moving in a circle, in two loops across his study.


    As hard as he tried, he could not locate any links to any particular existing Cult or corporation linked to his target. No links to any specific Omnid archetype that he could contact. Just an information loop bent into itself, trapping his Foresight in it.


    Kai closed the last book with a frustrated sigh, his bronze fingers trembling slightly.


    Either Uriel was screwing with him by sending him on a wild goose chase or Martin Kilborne was somehow connected to the Dagaz rune and Sheela na gig in some unclear manner or would eventually become connected to it.


    The truth eluded the ancient Omnid, slipping through his fingers.


    <hr>


    "I thought that we were going out?" Magdaline asked me as she watched me paint my face gray after pulling my gray headcap on.


    "Soon," I said, putting the bodypaint back into my extradimensional pocket. "As a human I might attract unwanted attention. But as a nondescript gray Dover Demon, I''ll blend right in."


    "Clever," the shark-girl commented. "But what about your scent?"


    I pulled out a bottle of perfume and sprayed it all over my prison robe.


    Magdaline inhaled. "Hah. Now you smell like Dover Demon sweat. Where''d you even get that?"


    "Went to the school''s gym," I said. "Followed a very lazy Dover Demon around during his workout, wiped the machines after him, then used Steam Distillation to get the sweat out. Combined with the ScentAura Amplifying Elixir from Omnimart and voila, I smell like a Dover Demon."


    "Gross," Magdaline wrinkled her nose. "But effective. Still... up close someone might notice..."


    I stared into her eyes, pushing mana through Resonance and then through the skill stolen from Cinder. "How about now?"


    "Huh," she stared at me, eyes dilating. "You somehow... feel like you belong. Weird. I know I''ve never had a cell roommate and yet..."


    "Basic Charmchain magic," I explained. "Got it from my Quetzi-girl. Projecting a very mild sense of belonging straight into your head."


    "Impressive," she nodded.


    "Kay, I think I''m ready for the tour now,¡± I smiled as I sliced the pockets of the orange jumpsuit so I could easily reach into my extradimensional jacket''s pockets. ¡°Lead the way."


    "Follow, oh mighty wizard," she grinned.


    We stepped out of the cell into a sterile gray corridor.


    "So? What''s on your schedule after lunch?" I asked.


    "Therapy class, then physical education," she replied.


    "Therapy, eh? What exactly does that entail?"


    Magdaline rolled her red eyes. "Mostly group therapy sessions with other knobs like me who can¡¯t control their urges. Nothing exciting."


    We walked down the long hallway passing rows of empty cells. A few other inmates and guards glanced our way, but didn''t pay us too much attention.


    "Group therapy sounds fun," I said.


    Mags gave me a ''what is wrong with you'' look.


    "Fun?" she snorted. "It''s just a bunch of teens talking about our feelings n¡¯ shit while our very bored therapist takes notes and makes occasional critical commentary."


    "Any new experience is fun," I shrugged. "I''ve never been to group therapy before. I''m picturing Alcoholics Anonymous. Is it like that?¡±


    "Pffff," Magdaline huffed. "More like ''Murderers and Misfits Anonymous''."


    After about ten minutes of walking, we entered a large room with white walls, several chairs arranged in a circle connected to a backroom with a coffee machine and a small lounge. A bored-looking Black Unicorn therapist in a gray uniform and gray cap inhabited the room. She seemed more interested in her tablet than the potential inmates around her.


    "Welcome to Group Therapy," the black Unicorn therapist droned at us without looking up.


    I scanned the room. Next to us there were ten other inmates total, a mix of different Omnid species. An emerald-scaled Lamia, a very furry Mapinguari, a muscular, scruffy-looking Bies, a fleshy Catoblepas covered with moss atop of her head, a dark and lanky Erlking, a curvy Lamashtu, a winged Camazotz, a red-faced Yara-ma-yha-who, a massive Grootslang and a tentacled Scylla.


    Magdaline guided me to two empty chairs and we sat down.


    "Share your feelings. Introduce yourself if you''re new. Try not to murder each other," the Unicorn therapist waved us on. "You know the drill."


    "You smell new," the Yara-ma-yha-who turned his large white striped red head to me, evaluating me with beady yellow eyes. "What are you in for, fresh meat?"


    "Sup, fellow inmates. I''m Xander Fox," I announced with theatrical flair. "Professional interdimensional bank robber, corporate saboteur, and part-time dimensional gate crasher. Last week I unleashed a magic-eating plague in an underground city, built a mage tower and created a new city-state in approximately a week. I¡¯m here cus¡¯ I always wanted to know what it would be like to experience prison life.¡±


    "A comedian in juvie?" the Mapinguari rumbled with a smirk.


    "Not a comedian," I corrected. "A professional narrative conductor and Dark Lord looking for prospective, new minions."


    "And what sort of a narrative are you looking to conduct?" Yara-ma-yha-who tilted his large head at me.


    "I wanted to start a prison riot spiced with a side of mayhem," I said cheerfully, aiming the ''I belong here'' Charmchain at the bored Unicorn. "Alas, my fiancee is against such, so I''ll settle for taking over this place dungeon-delver style."


    A ripple of surprised laughter and curious looks spread through the room.


    "Whoever proves themselves worthy to me will have a chance at joining my Clan as a Sixie." I offered.


    "A bold claim for a little Dover Demon who smells like a mixie," the Erlking commented.


    The Erlking''s comment was met with a chorus of snickers from around the room. I leaned back, a confident smile playing across my lips.


    "Small?" I raised an eyebrow. "Ever heard the phrase ''dynamite comes in small packages''?"


    The Mapinguari let out a deep, rumbling chortle. "New kid''s got spirit, I''ll give him that."


    The Yara-ma-yha-who blinked at me. "Why''d you want to start a prison riot?"


    "It''s on my bucket list," I said. "As is breaking into a prison to take over it.¡±


    More laughter.


    "Bucket list?" the Lamashtu asked, dark wolf-head staring at me. "Most people have ''visit Paris'' or ''learn a language'' on their bucket list. You''ve got ''start a prison riot¡¯?"


    "Why you got a bucket list anyways?" the Yara-ma-yha-who asked. "Are you dyin'' or something?"


    "Lots of people want to kill me," I shrugged. "I''m always running out of time and making enemies. Figure I could make some new friends here."


    "What exactly can you offer us other than being a mildly amusing little shit?" the Lamashtu asked.


    "The same thing I''ve offered my new lovely Sixie shark," I said. "Do smile for the group, darling."


    Magdaline grinned, her razor-sharp teeth glinting under the fluorescent lights. She opened her mouth displaying the beast core.


    ¡°Anyone looking to join my Clan will receive similar snacks daily,¡± I offered.

 Chapter 32: Taken

    Vespera glared at the Slenderman Vice Principal.


    "Your fiance is in Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility," Graves revealed.


    "So you gated a soul-bonded, contractually enforced partner of a Prima Heiress to a juvenile detention facility without proper documentation or due process?" Attorney Thornheart''s voice demanded through the phone with barely contained outrage. "Vice Principal Graves, do you have any idea of the legal ramifications of such an action?"


    Vespera struggled to keep her eyes open, exhaustion from the delve weighing heavily on her. The electrical field around her flickered dangerously as her concentration wavered.


    "The facility is under Stratos jurisdiction," Graves explained. "Scrutimancer Satosh assured me-"


    "Scrutimancer Satosh has no authority to override Prima-bond protocols," Thornheart interrupted sharply. "Miss Simmi, shall I proceed with filing charges against both Skyfall Academy and the Stratos Clan?"


    "Ye," Vespera clicked.


    The air beside her vibrated and three figures emerged from the shadows. Vespera turned and watched through half-lidded eyes as Cinder and Katherine dragged a battered-looking Emerald into Vice Principal Graves'' office.


    "Thornheart," Vespera handed her phone to Cinder. "This is my... partner, Cassiopeia Nova, please handle the rest with her aid. I''ma rest now." She collapsed into the nearest armchair, closing her eyes.


    "Why are you...?" Graves looked down at the trio of students.


    "Emerald has something to confess about," Katherine growled. "Go on, dragon-princess."


    "I..." Emerald let out. "I made it all up. The assault charges. The human accusations. Everything."


    "What?!" Graves asked.


    "Explain," Attorney Thornheart stared at Emerald through the phone.


    "I... I was the one who attacked Alexander Glock first," Emerald admitted. "He only defended himself. The Genesis Pool incident - I rushed him first. Same for delving class. He just... managed to turn it all around on me."


    "And why did you fabricate these charges?" Thornheart pressed.


    "Emerald has been bullying mixed blood students since grade nine with encouragement from Instructor Zalimar," Cinder said. "Alexander Glock became my friend. Emerald wanted him out of Skyfall, even though Alexander saved her from permanent death."


    "She paid her Scrutimancer to get rid of Glock," Katherine nodded.


    "Did you really?" Graves asked.


    "Instructor Zalimar pushed me into it!" Emerald tried to roll Zalimar under the bus. "He wanted me to rid Skyfall of weakling nullborns!"


    "In lieu of this new evidence," Attorney Thornheart said. "Vice Principal Graves, I expect Mr. Glock to be released immediately."


    "I merely facilitated the transfer based on rather compelling evidence provided to me by Scrutimancer Satosh," Graves admitted. "I cannot bring him back. Only Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility employees are permitted to gate into or from San Clemente Island."


    "Then I suggest you contact whoever can authorize it," Thornheart stated firmly. "Before this situation escalates further."


    "I''ll..." Graves'' void-like face rippled with static interference.


    The door to the office burst open once again.


    Lord Ceter Kalik Simmi entered the office flanked by four SimmiTech security officers in pristine white uniforms behind him.


    "Prima-daughter!" Vespera''s father''s voice boomed, his Thunderbird wings spreading wide.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Vespera cracked one eye open at her father''s voice.


    ¡°There you are!¡± Ceter boomed.


    "Sleeping," she muttered. "Handle it, Ci."


    "Lord Simmi," Cinder stepped forward, wings flaring protectively. "Your daughter is exhausted from an extended delve. We-"


    "Be silent, girl," Lord Simmi barked. "This is a family matter. Vespera, you will come with me at once!"


    "No," Vespera clicked without opening her eyes. "Busy. Come back next week."


    "This is not a request," Lord Simmi''s voice hardened. "Your great-grandfather ordered your immediate return to SimmiTech Compound!"


    "No," Vespera muttered.


    "This nonsense ends now. Guards, secure my daughter!" Lord Simmi barked.


    The SimmiTech security officers moved forward but Katherine stepped between them and Vespera, her emerald eyes glowing with otherworldly menace. Waves of pure dread rolled off her form as she began to sink into the deep.


    "Touch her," Katherine growled, "and I''ll show you what true terror feels like."


    "How dare you threaten-" Lord Simmi began.


    "Attorney Thornheart," Cinder spoke into the phone. "Lord Simmi is attempting to forcibly remove his daughter from school grounds! Please advise."


    "Y..." Thornheart began.


    "ENOUGH!" Ceter barked. An electric pulse rolled off him like a sphere of sparks. The phone held by Cinder detonated, screen flickering dark.


    Cinder, Katherine, Emerald fell where they stood.


    Lord Simmi marched to Vespera and picked her up.


    "I''m taking my daughter home for the weekend," he said to Graves who simply stood there, dark tentacles flickering.


    "Very well," the Vice Principal answered.


    Ceter vanished through the door, his guards following him.


    In another few minutes, Vice Principal exhaled and snapped his fingers, sending waves of static rolling over the passed-out students.


    "Ughhh, shit," Cinder got off the floor, wings flashing with dark grays and blacks. "Did we just..."


    "Get knocked out?" Katherine said. "Yes, we did."


    "Where''s Vespera?" Cinder blinked at the empty chair and looked around frantically.


    "Lord Simmi took her," Graves said calmly. "She''ll return on Monday."


    "WHAT?!" Cinder''s wings flared with angry colors. "You just let him take her?!"


    "He''s her father," Graves stated. "He has every right to-"


    "She''s soul-bonded to..." Cinder howled, wings flashing brilliant red.


    "Sound bonds are irrelevant in this matter, Miss Nova," Graves replied, silencing the noisy Quetzi-girl with a hum of deep static. "Please cease yelling in my office unless you wish to extend your detention. Now, as for you, Miss Startos. I do not appreciate being lied to. You will serve detention cleaning the Auditorium along with Miss Nova on Monday after class."


    "Are you serious?!" Cinder howled. "You''re only giving her detention for this?!"


    "Miss Nova, please-" Graves began.


    Katherine grabbed Cinder''s arm. "Come on," she said, pulling the enraged Quetzalcoatl and meek-looking Emerald towards the door. "We need to regroup and think."


    "But-" Cinder protested.


    "Now," Katherine insisted firmly, dragging the pair out of the office past the very annoyed looking Kitsune secretary.


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    As soon as they were in the hallway, Katherine spoke in a low voice. "Alex told us not to rescue him, remember? He''s planning something. And Vespera..." She paused. "She''s tough. She''ll be okay for the weekend."


    "Are you... sure?" Cinder demanded. "What if her father overwrites her mind while she''s asleep?!"


    "That... might be a problem." Katherine frowned.


    "Can I go now?" Emerald mewled.


    "No!" Both girls barked at her.


    "You''re coming with us," Katherine growled.


    "T-to where?" Emerald asked. "I-I''d like to go home now. I told Graves about the thing, like you wanted me to! He gave me detention and everything!¡±


    "What, so you can cry to your parents, make up more shit about Alex?" Cinder hissed. "Yeah, I don''t think so. I''m Alex''s Hearth Shield and you''re our Clan''s Sixie."


    "That... that was a pledge made under duress!" Emerald protested.


    "A pledge is a pledge," Cinder growled. "We saved your beerch ass from an execution! And you''re going to help us fix this mess you created."


    "How?" Emerald asked with a resigned face.


    "I don''t effing know," Cinder said.


    "You can''t keep me bloody collared forever," the dragon-girl pointed out. "My parents will want to know where I am..."


    "Emmy," Katherine snarled, looming over the shorter dragon girl in her dark leather and beast core dress. "I''m about five seconds away from dropping you into the deep. Nobody will find you there."


    "Okay, okay!" Emerald raised her hands in surrender. "I''ll bloody help, you savage! What do you want me to do?"


    "First," Katherine said, her emerald eyes glowing dangerously, "you''re going to tell us everything you know about Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility."


    "I don''t know much," Emerald admitted. "It''s on San Clemente Island. High security. Serious wards. My family owns it."


    "Any weaknesses?" Cinder demanded.


    "I don''t freaking know! I haven''t been there! Do I look like a criminal or a warden?!" Emerald whined.


    "Not a criminal YET," Katherine growled. "But you sure acted like one, getting Alex imprisoned."


    "Look, I said I was sorry!" Emerald protested. "What more do you want from me?"


    "Information," Cinder said. "Everything you know about the Stratos Clan''s involvement with the facility."


    "I really don''t know much," Emerald insisted. "Just that my family uses it sometimes to... deal with problems."


    "What kind of problems?" Katherine pressed.


    "People who..." Emerald hesitated. "Who need to disappear."


    Cinder''s wings flared with angry colors. "So it''s not just a rehabilitation facility. It''s a private prison."


    "More like a disposal site," Katherine''s emerald eyes narrowed. "Where inconvenient people vanish."


    "We should... call Alex," Cinder let out. "He''ll know what to do. Alex always knows what to do."


    . . .


    The therapy room went silent. The inmates stared at the glowing beast core nestled between Magdaline''s razor-sharp teeth as she slowly closed her mouth.


    The Mapinguari''s eyes widened. "Is that...?"


    "It is," Mags nodded. "Wouldn''t be chewing it otherwise."


    "Miss Satoshi. May I remind you that no food is allowed during therapy sessions," the Unicorn commented. "Mr, Fox, we''re here to talk about your feelings, not to trade cafeteria snacks for favors."


    "My feeling is that this is delicious," Magdaline said, crunching loudly and sending radiant sparks flying from her mouth. The prisoners stared at her snack, salivating.


    "Please talk about something more meaningful and personal such as trauma that pushed you in the wrong direction, not food," the Black Unicorn sighed, not even bothering to look at Magdaline. "Our goal is to figure out what sets you off and how to cope without violence or self-destructive behavior. Also, introduce yourselves to Mister¡­¡±


    ¡°Fox,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°Mr. Fox¡­ hrmm? Why aren¡¯t you on my list?¡± the therapist asked. I glanced at her name tag.


    ¡°I dunno, Therapist Juskerr,¡± I shrugged. ¡°I just got here. I¡¯m just tugging along with my new shark bestie. Maybe your system didn''t update, you know how it is.¡±


    ¡°Right, whatever,¡± the Unicorn sighed. ¡°Go on then. Resume in the circle, going right, starting from Mister Lissthoric.¡±


    The Yara-ma-yha-who straightened up, his glistening red skin covered in white stripes gleaming under the fluorescent lights. "Tate here. Got caught trying to drain some Primo''s kid at a fancy mall. Not my fault really - been living in the vents for months, surviving on rats and pigeons after parents kicked me out. One sniff of Primo blood and... well, couldn''t help myself."


    The Mapinguari cleared his throat, massive claws clicking against his chair. "Renmar. Used to be a chef at Omnimart''s food court until I... lost control during rush hour. Something about the crowds, the noise, the endless demands... snapped inside me. Went berserk, tore through three registers, plowed through the crowd, ate a bunch of people. The damage was extensive."


    The muscular Bies spoke next, his scarred face twisting into a grimace. "Viktor. Ex-security at Hexamesh Ferronite Industries. Had a perfect record until I caught some executives torturing mixed-blood employees in the basement labs. Lost it completely. Ripped through seventeen floors. Killed twelve Pure-bloods before they took me down. Don''t regret it one bit. Would do it again."


    The moss-covered Catoblepas shifted uncomfortably. "Izzy Jones. Was a gardener at Skyfall. Started growing... illegal plants. When security came to investigate, I panicked, trying to save my babies. Didn''t go well."


    The dark, lanky Erlking leaned forward, antlers casting intricate shadows. "Ash. Former intern of Xenobotany at Leviathan University. Helped professor Leiko weave military-grade pacifier touch-kill weapons. When funding got cut, I... refused to terminate our work. Took the pacifiers home. Got caught. Laid waste to many before I was captured."


    The curvy Lamashtu flicked her serpentine tail, black wings fluttering. "Lilith Moongriss. Ex-dancer at the Crystal Spire. Was forced to perform for increasingly depraved audiences until I couldn''t take it anymore. Infested the audince with memetic nightmares. Did the same to the cheerleader squad at Skyfall." She snifed the air with her dark wolfhead, golden eyes boring into me.


    The tentacled Scylla shifted in her chair, her multiple dark green tentacle limbs weaving slightly. "Mariana Darkwater. Ward tech and researcher at Uxashh''s deep-sea lab. Developed a way to communicate with abyssal creatures. The Uxashh Omnicorp wanted to weaponize them. I... refused. Released all our subjects instead. They ate the entire research team. Got caught trying to sink the facility using the ward control."


    The massive Grootslang shifted on his small chair. "Uliuss Yolt. Former clerk at Agronite Bank. One of my administrators was taking bribes. Tried to expose him. They framed me for theft. I... didn''t take it well. Collapsed three vaults before security contained me.


    The winged Camazotz cleared his throat, his jet-black fur rippling. "Royaul Niss. Used to intern at sonic research at Resonance Labs. We were developing ways to manipulate emotions through sound waves. Found out they were testing on homeless humans from Scab Row. The frequencies... They were designed to induce psychosis. I quit. Since nobody else would hire me afterward, I sort of gradually lost my mind trying to make ends meet. Can¡¯t even remember what I did.¡±


    ¡°Magdaline Satoshi,¡± Magdaline said on my left. ¡°I ate three annoying knobs at Skyfall.¡±


    ¡°It sounds to me like each of you got screwed unfairly by Omnithornia. I feel that this facility isn''t living up to its rehabilitation potential," I said. "Take Magdaline here. Instead of helping her manage her predatory instincts with proper magic beast nutrition and beast cores, she''s been isolated and used as a disposal for unwanted elements of society."


    The therapist finally looked up from her tablet, frowning. "Please don''t make up stories, Mr. Fox We follow very strict rehabilitation protocols here."


    "Really?" I leaned forward. "Then why does cell twenty-five smell of forty-one dead humans? Why does Scrutimancer Satosh bring bleeding victims here during lunch? Why does his daughter''s room have an incinerator chute specifically designed to destroy evidence?"


    The therapist''s horn flickered with dark energy, making my head throb. "Perhaps you should focus on your own rehabilitation journey, Mr. Fox?¡±


    "Oh, I am," I smiled. "Step one is exposing systemic corruption. Step two is offering alternatives. For instance, did you know that beast cores can help manage predatory impulses? Much better than isolation and psychiatry.¡±


    "Beast cores are expensive," the therapist stated flatly. "This is a state-funded facility."


    "Who''s dissatisfied with their situation?" I asked. "Who''s tired of therapy and just wants beast cores? Raise your hands."


    Every hand in the room shot up, except for the therapist''s.


    "See?" I gestured. "Your inmates want actual help, not just talk therapy."


    The therapist''s horn flickered again with a dark flare. "Mr. Fox, I¡¯d prefer if you stuck to the rehabilitation program. Also, I¡¯m sure that the other inmates would appreciate hearing your real story instead of jokes.¡±


    The orange-suited Omnids didn¡¯t look like they wanted to appreciate anything of the sort.


    ¡°That was my real story!¡± I protested. ¡°Okay fine. I punched Emerald Stratos in the noggin, so she sent me here.¡±


    My Quartermaster tag vibrated.


    ¡°One moment,¡± I said, accepting the call.


    "Alex!" Cinder''s holographic image appeared above my tag. "Are you okay? Are you alive? Has anyone tried to eat you?"


    "I''m fine," I replied cheerfully. "Just attending group therapy with my new friends."


    The therapy room inmates stared at the holographic projection with varying degrees of surprise.


    ¡°What?¡± The therapist blinked. ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s a Voicecast device. You shouldn''t have that!¡±


    ¡°Whoever knocks out the Unicorn first, gets a beast core,¡± I opened my pocket.


    ¡°You¡­ how¡­ what?¡± The Black Unicorn sputtered, staring at my pocket filled with magic cores.


    The room erupted into chaos. The Mapinguari lunged forward first, followed closely by the Lamashtu.


    The therapist''s horn blasted the nearest attacking inmate with black waves, but she was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of inmates rushing her. The Mapinguari''s massive furry form slammed into her first, followed by the Lamashtu.


    I tossed beast cores to the winners as promised, watching them shove the pearlescent balls with desperate enthusiasm into their mouths.


    The other inmates turned to me. Cinder stared at me from the holo.


    "So, who wants to join my Clan?" I asked with a grin. "I really do have Sixie positions open for talented individuals!¡±


    The Yara-ma-yha-who stared at me. "Why shouldn''t we just knock ya out and take ya cores, bud?"


    "If you stop me you¡¯ll only get the cores from this pocket and you''ll still be stuck in this place. I can pay you as many cores as you need to feel satisfied, forever. Plus, you''d have to go through her," I pointed my finger at Mags who rose to her full Megalodon height, claws out. "Also, I have a gun."


    I pulled a compact, self-reloading magitek arbalest from my pocket that I bought as a gift for Justice Nova in Shandria for about a thousand gold.


    "That''s not a gun, that''s an arba..." the Yara-ma-yha-who began.


    I pressed the trigger and the magisteel bolt went through the wall and then the ridiculously overpriced void core tied to it detonated, obliterating the entire hexcrete wall with a whoosh of sucked in energy, pulverizing the small lounge behind it, showering the Omnids in hexcrete chunks.


    The inmates stared at me in shock.


    Whistling the Twisted Nerve tune that I picked up from Vespera¡¯s habit, I walked to the knocked out Unicorn and grabbed her hat and put it on my head. "I''m the therapist now. Now, who wants to be fully rehabilitated from this facility?¡±

 Chapter 33: I Am The Warden Now [I]

    The inmates stared at me, their expressions ranging from shock to eager interest.


    "What are you doing?" Cinder hissed at me as I pulled off my orange jumpsuit.


    "Ah, right, introductions!" I said. "Misfits and Murderers, I''d like to introduce all of you to my lovely Hearth Shield Keeper! Cinderella!"


    Cinder''s eye twitched.


    "Now, what are you calling in regards to, my starshine?" I grinned at Ci. "Did you miss me since our last conversation and want to shower me with wing-hugs and kisses?


    Cinder¡¯s face lengthened from irritation.


    "This isn¡¯t the time for your stupid jokes! Vee''s father took her from Skyfall," she growled out. "Lord Ceter just stormed into Graves'' office with guards and took her!"


    "Did he now?" I frowned, rapidly undressing the Black Unicorn. "That''s not ideal."


    "Not ideal?!" Cinder''s wings flared. "He knocked us out with an EMP blast and just... took her!"


    "At least she''ll have a nap at home," I sighed. "She needs rest anyway."


    "But what if they try to break the soul-bond?!" Cinder demanded.


    "Then we''ll make a new one," I said.


    "What if they erase her mind?!"


    "Then we''ll fall in love again, like in that movie..."


    "WHAT FUCKING MOVIE?!"


    "Seventy seven first dates?" I rubbed my chin as I pulled on the slightly too big therapist''s outfit, pinning it with pins from my pocket so it wouldn''t flap around too much. "You know. A whimsical comedy from two thousand and four. It''s got Antony Sandy in it dating this girl who can''t remember anything past twenty four hours, cus she got struck by a magical curse in the head or something?"


    Cinder growled at me.


    "What do you want me to do, dragon-bae?" I asked her. "I need time to take over this prison island."


    "Take over the..." Cinder''s holographic form sputtered. "Are you insane?!"


    "Quite possibly," I adjusted the therapist''s cap. "But as a therapist I have also diagnosed myself as sane.¡±


    Cinder made a face not appreciating my joke.


    ¡°I have a plan,¡± I added. ¡°These fine individuals behind me are going to help."


    The inmates perked up at that.


    "What''s in it for us?" Uliuss, the Grootslang asked.


    "Eternal freedom, beast cores, and membership in my Clan," I said. "Plus dental."


    "Dental?" Lilith raised an eyebrow.


    "And a 401k," I added. "Also, weekly movie nights. No more dancing for rich assholes. If you want to study in Skyfall, I''ll cover it. I''m a wealthy man. We can be roomies! I''m probably going to get a nice tower loft for my Knights and Sixies after this whole incarceration biz."


    I opened my cash-pocket, showing off my pile of shimmering cards.


    "Holy shit," Lilith inhaled. "Are those celesteel cards... from Arx? Can''t you buy a mansion in Shandria with one of those?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "Robbing banks pays off. I see that you used to participate in delving class activities?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lilith nodded. ¡°Before I was sent to juvie in grade eleven.¡±


    "Alex," Cinder flapped from the hologram on my wrist. "This is serious! Vespera could be in real danger!"


    "I know," I said. "But rushing in half-cocked won''t help. Our Clan needs more Sixies. These guys seem acceptable, right?"


    "They''re juvie convicts," Cinder pointed out with a frown.


    "And?" I raised an eyebrow.


    Cinder stared at me and my new prison-mooks with a judging look.


    "I think that they''re perfect for what we need," I explained. "Each one was wronged by the Omnithornian corps. Each one is a bit of a delinquent like you. Each has unique skills. For example, Lilith here can spread memetic nightmares. Mariana knows her way around wards and can control deep sea creatures. Royaul understands sonic manipulation. Viktor has inside knowledge of corporate security. Etc.¡±


    "But..." Cinder protested.


    "Trust me," I said. "I know what I''m doing. These fine folks are going to help me take over this facility, which will give us leverage against both the Stratos Clan and possibly SimmiTech."


    The inmates exchanged interested looks.


    "How exactly do you plan to take over a prison?" Ash, the Erlking, asked.


    "I have a gun," I waved my arbalest. "This is a juvie housing Omnids under twenty one years old who are all relatively low or mid level like you. From what I saw so far, the guards only have pacifier batons. I''m the only person in this entire facility with a long range weapon and I have a lot of void-arrows that I bought for my father-in-law.¡±


    "But how do we get past the wards?" Mariana asked, her tentacles writhing. "The whole island is covered in anti-escape hexagrams."


    "We''re not escaping," I grinned. "We''re taking over. Big difference. The wards likely prevent outward movement. They won¡¯t stop us from accessing the control room or the warden''s office. Hexcrete is kind of useless against Void arrows as I just learned. I could probably plow right through the walls straight to the Warden''s office."


    "Alex," Cinder''s hologram flickered as she tried and failed to form a convincing argument.


    "Just let him do it," Katherine commented. "It''s not like we can stop him from where we are."


    "But he can''t just..."


    "Can''t what?" I asked cheerfully. "Take over a correctional facility? Create my own private army from reformed criminals? Watch me. This is a nice island. I''m confiscating it from the Stratos."


    "You''re... what?" Cinder sputtered.


    "Basic Omnicorp Clan warfare," I said. "As ''I Love You'' Clan leader, I have been unjustly placed under duress here. As such it is my prerogative to strike back and to claim their property as mine."


    "And what if they drop a magitek nuke on you from a Sky-Glider?" Cinder barked.


    "And destroy their own prison?" I asked. "Yeah, okay. Dragons like to cling to their shinies. Sides'' this place probably has wards against all sorts of stuff. It''s a prison. I could probably redirect the wards from keeping people in to keeping bombs from falling directly on my head."


    "Ughh!" Cinder deflated. "There''s no convincing you, is there?"


    "Nope," I shook my head. "We need a nice Clan compound on Earth! This is going to be it. A nice island within a Strand Glider''s distance from Cradlefall? How can I resist?"


    My future Hearth Keeper frowned.


    "Plus," I added. "San Clemente Island has nice weather year-round."


    "Alex..." Cinder''s hologram flickered with a look of deep concern.


    "Look, I''ll call you back in a bit," I promised, finishing dressing up as a therapist. "Hugs and kisses. I got some rehabilitation to conduct."


    I ended the call and turned to my potential recruits. "So, who wants to help me take over this lovely place to turn it into a compound for my Clan?"


    "A rather bold move that¡¯ll piss off the Stratos," Uliuss commented, looking down at me from his elephantine height.


    "They pissed me off first," I said. "I don''t take shit lying down. If they didn''t gate me here, in an attempt to murder me, I''d have no rights to take over their island."


    The inmates exchanged glances. Magdaline grinned, her sharp teeth glinting.


    "Right then!" I clapped my hands together. "First order of business - let''s talk about your feelings¡­¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Feelings?¡± Mariana blinked.


    ¡°Feelings about taking over this place."


    The Yara-ma-yha-who, Tate, stared at me. "You''re... serious about this?"


    "Dead serious," I nodded. "But first, everyone needs to swear loyalty to Clan I Love You. Can''t have random Omnids running around my island causing unauthorized chaos, you understand. I prefer authorized chaos directed by yours truly. As your first day salary each of you will receive one of these overpriced dragon-balls to chew on."


    I pulled out a shimmering beast core from my pocket. "So, who''ll go first? Mags? Why don''t you show our lovely ladies and gentlemen how it''s done?"


    "I, Magdaline Satosh,¡± the shark went down on one knee. ¡°Do hereby pledge myself as Sixie to Clan ¡®I Love You¡¯ for all eternity."


    I tapped her on the shoulder with my arbalest. "I, Alexander Glock, Slayer and Clan Leader of I Love You do hereby accept you eternal services and raise you from lowly Sixie to my trusted Knight and personal Scrutimancer.¡±


    Magdaline¡¯s entire face lit as she stared up at me. She didn¡¯t expect this promotion so soon in the game.


    I handed a second beast core to her. Mags shoved it into her mouth with a wide, happy grin.


    I turned to the other convicts.


    "A rather odd Clan name but I''ll bite," The Yara-ma-yha-who stepped forward. "Sounds better than living in a vent eating rats or therapy here. I, Tate Lissthoric, hereby pledge myself as Sixie to Clan I Love You for all eternity."


    One by one, the others followed suit, each pledging loyalty and receiving their yummy rewards. The cores vanished into eager mouths, eyes lighting up with renewed energy.


    "Excellent!" I adjusted my stolen, ill-fitting therapist cap that kept sliding off due to my lack of horn. "Now, here''s the plan. Magdaline, I bet you know the layout best as a Scrutimancer sharkie. Where''s the ward control room? Don''t take me straight to it, take me to a wall I can obliterate to get inside from behind."


    Mags nodded, inhaling the air, red eyes igniting. She reached out to me with a large hand and I felt her skill bouncing off me, amplifying itself. ¡°Got it!¡± She smiled, letting go of my hand with a blush.


    I picked up the knocked out therapist''s tablet and made a bored face. "Onwards then!"


    We moved through the gray corridors with purpose, my new Sixies falling into formation behind me. The facility staff barely glanced at our group¨Cjust another nondescript therapist leading a group of inmates to their next recreational activity.


    Our group walked through the sterile corridors, passing security checkpoints with ease thanks to the therapist''s uniform and ID badge. The inmates'' expressions remained carefully neutral as we approached our target.


    "Left here," Magdaline whispered, guiding us toward a maintenance corridor. "The ward control room is behind two walls."


    I raised my arbalest, aiming at the hexcrete barrier. "Everyone ready?"


    My new Sixies nodded, tensing for action.


    "Remember," I said quietly, "non-lethal takedowns only. Bonk on the head, knock everyone out. We''re reforming this facility, not adding to its body count. Plus, hostages are nice to have to sell back to the Stratos."


    The void-bolt pierced the first wall with a whisper, followed by a thunderous implosion as the void core detonated. Then the second wall imploded with the second bolt. Alarms began blaring immediately.


    We rushed into the ward control room. The ward techies definitely didn''t expect Ocean''s Eleven to come in directly through the solid hexcrete wall behind them.


    Through the dust and debris, I spotted three startled technicians at their control panels.


    "What? Who the shit... how?!" The Ward Administrator standing in the center yelped.


    The Mapinguari and Bies moved swiftly, knocking them out before they could reach the control panel. I walked over to the knocked out administrator and put his hat on, noting the man¡¯s name ¡°Eron Kotiff¡± on his badge.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Warden now,¡± I grinned at my mooks.


    ¡°Now," I said, approaching the main control console. "Mariana, can you interface with these systems?"


    The Scylla''s tentacles flew across multiple keyboards. "Basic ward architecture... fairly standard stuff. Give me five minutes."


    "You have two," I replied. "The guards will be here soon."


    "Tate, Ash - watch the door," I ordered. "Viktor, Renmar¨Csecure the technicians. Everyone else, spread out and barricade entry points."


    The sound of running footsteps echoed down the corridor.


    "Incoming!" Lilith called out.


    "Mariana! Lock down the door," I barked to the Scylla as her tentacles danced across the control panels.


    "Working on it!" she called back, multiple dark limbs covered in small finger-like tentacles flashing frantically over the controls.


    The first wave of four guards burst through the doorway, pacifier batons crackling. Ten Omnids met them head-on, the enhanced strength from the beast cores giving them the edge.


    "Got it!" Mariana''s tentacles flew across the final sequence. Heavy security barrier-doors slammed down, sealing the front entrance to the control room.


    "Excellent," I said, looking over the map. "Now, declare an emergency and give me the speaker."


    Mariana handed me the magitek mike.


    "Yulia copy the yelling voice of the Ward Administrator," I whisper-ordered my AI in Kaska.


    "Voice copier agent activated," Yulia replied. "Generating voice. Voice generated."


    "Attention..." I began typing into my phone.


    "Attention all security and facility personnel. This is Ward Administrator Eron Kotiff. The enemies of Stratos Clan are threatening to use biological weapons known as Duskbloom from Arx to take control of the island. Please report immediately to secure meeting room 4-B for an emergency briefing!" Yulia announced over the facility''s communication array. "All inmates are to return to their cells right away!"


    I watched through a thousand camera screens on the wall as guards and administrators got up from their posts and offices rapidly heading towards the safe room in the basement. The inmates rushed to their cells.


    I turned the microphone off.


    "Holy sheet," Tate commented, watching the monitors. "They''re just... obeying? Just like that? That''s it?"


    "People obey orders. They trust their Ward Administrator¡¯s voice," I shrugged. "This is just a minimum security rehabilitation facility filled with troublesome teens that Cradlefall doesn''t want to see on its streets, not a maximum security prison. Nobody expects us to actually try taking over the ward from the inside so blatantly using magitek dungeon-delving weapons from Arx designed to punch through dragonhide and other giant monsters.¡±


    "Except for this man it seems," Mariana commented, pointing a tentacle at one of the cameras.


    A single officer hadn''t left his post. He was just sitting in his office, staring unnervingly at the camera with blood red eyes.


    I walked closer to the screen wall and recognized the man right away. Megalodon Scrutimancer Satosh.


    "We should do¡­ something about him," Magdaline said, her voice tight with tension.


    "We will," I agreed. "Your dad seems quite determined."


    "Always has been," Mags sighed.


    "There isn''t much he can do from over there though," I said. "And it doesn''t look like he''s calling the Stratos to warn them about my takeover. He''s just... sitting there. How odd."


    I studied Satosh through the security feed. He sat perfectly still in his office, those cold eyes fixed on the camera as if he could see right through it to me.


    I looked at the other cameras. The prison''s offices and halls were now empty. Meeting room 4-B was packed to the brim with confused personnel.


    "Lock down 4-B," I told Mariana. "Seal them in. Maximum wards around that room."


    Mariana smiled at me and pressed a bunch of buttons. Blast shields rolled across the door of room 4-B, sealing everyone who could stop me within the meeting room.


    "And done," I smiled. "The place is now ours. Lockdown the other inmates so they don''t get in our way."


    Mariana nodded. Red lights flashed across the cells in camera view.


    "A prison riot would have been more fun to watch, but this is nice too,¡± I commented. ¡°Good job team.¡±


    Magdaline started to laugh. The other Misfits and Murderers stared at each other and at me. Uliuss high-fived Viktor.


    "Now what?" Lilith asked, her serpentine tail swishing back and forth.


    "Now we deal with Scrutimancer Satosh," I said. "Mariana, patch me through to his office and give me audio. Mags, want to chat with your dad?"


    "I..." Magdaline hesitated. "What are you planning to do to him?"


    "Offer him a job," I shrugged. "He''s clearly talented. Plus, he''s your dad. Can''t have my Knight''s dad unemployed, can I?"


    "You want to hire the man who put you in here to kill you?¡± She asked.


    "Why not?" I shrugged. "He''s just doing his job. Following orders. Trying to provide for his lovely daughter."


    Magdaline blushed even harder.


    "And ready," Mariana said.


    I tapped the activation hexagram on the mike, watching the little crystal turn green.


    "Good day Scrutimancer Satosh," I said. "This is Warden Alexander Glock speaking."


    "Ah, Warden," Satosh exhaled, still unnervingly staring at me through the camera feed. "You work fast, human."


    "That I do," I agreed.


    "Wait," Mags blinked. "Dad... you knew?!"


    "Of course I knew," Satosh said via the speaker. "I''m a Scrutimancer. I could smell his humanity from the moment he arrived. But that wasn¡¯t all. I could also smell... hope. I brought Alexander Glock to this island because it had to happen."


    "Had to happen?" I asked. "What? You wanted me to take over this place?"


    "I wanted things to change," Satosh said, staring at us from the screen. "I''m tired of serving the little dragon princess. I want to see my daughter smile for once. I want my wife back."


    "Dad?" Magdaline stepped closer to the mike. "What are you talking about? You..."


    "I worked two jobs," Satosh said. "I served that blasted girl as her personal Scrut. Did so many awful, terrible things for Emerald Stratos... all to reach this point."


    "You... you fed me forty one humans because..." Mags choked.


    "Because I wanted a future for both of us," Satosh said. "Those humans were irredeemable criminals. This one is... different." He pointed at me with a blue-white finger as if he knew exactly where I stood.


    "Dad! I don¡¯t understand¡­ I thought that you hated humans," Mags stammered out.


    "I hate human criminals and the ruthless gangs of Scab Row," Satosh sighed. "But Alexander Glock isn''t a human, is he? He''s something more."


    "So my jacket never deceived you?" I smiled.


    "Not really," Satosh shrugged. "I smelled the thunder and rainbow in you. You''re soul-bound to two Omnids. If you managed to win the love of two Omnid girls, then you''re not a complete monster. Not like the bastards who killed my wife. Perhaps, a bastard I can work with, yes? One that won¡¯t enslave me like the dragons?¡±


    "Yes," I nodded. "So you knew that I would succeed?"


    "I brought you here because Emerald ordered me to," Satosh said. "I knew you would either die or take over. Either I would have a new Clan Leader to serve or get my girl another year of Skyfall education. Besides, you don''t seem like the dying type."


    "He''s really not," Magdaline agreed, struggling to keep her blush down as she chewed on two beast cores.


    "So," I said. "Want to join my Clan as a Sixie too?"


    "No," Satosh shook his head on the screen. "But I will serve as your Scrutimancer if you help me get my wife back."


    "The one in White Hall?" I asked.


    "Yes," Satosh nodded.


    ¡°Get her back, how?¡±


    "She cannot remember me. You will have the same problem soon."


    "The same problem... Oh. You know about Vespera?" I asked.


    "Yes," Satosh nodded. "I have little magic eyes concealed all over Skyfall. Your Prima Sword was taken from you. Her mind will be overwritten by her father. She will not remember you."

 Chapter 33: I Am The Warden Now [II]

    "She will remember me," I said firmly. "Love isn''t just memories. It''s deeper than that."


    "Such confidence," Satosh smiled sadly. "I thought the same once."


    "I''m not you," I replied.


    "No," Satosh said. "You are not me. You are a very clever and incredibly dangerous Slayer, one I''d like to work for. One that I''ve been waiting for since I lost my wife."


    "Well then," I said. "You''re hired. Welcome aboard, Scrutimancer. Hrm. How did you fool the Stratos? Don''t they have some kind of compulsion magic on you like blood contracts or something?"


    "I agreed to be Emerald''s fully bound kobold," Satosh said. "A bound kobold cannot disobey a dragon''s orders. I have obeyed her every word for a decade. But now I''m finally free, because Emerald serves you as a Sixie."


    I whistled. "Long term plans there, Scrut."


    "There will be those like me in Omnithornia, desperate Omnids who will join your Clan," Satosh nodded, red eyes moving across my ex-prisoner companions and settling on his daughter. "And there will be those that will do everything in their power to stop you just to cling to their power."


    "Let them try," I said. "I''ve got a nice island fortress now."


    "And what will you do with it?" Satosh asked.


    "Turn it into a proper rehabilitation facility," I replied. "One that actually helps troubled Omnids. Maybe add some beach-front property, build some nice condos."


    "It''s a rocky island," Mariana said, waving a tentacle at the cameras facing the outer perimeter.


    "I''ll add a beach," I shrugged.


    "A bold plan," Satosh commented. "The Stratos won''t take this lying down."


    "I know," I grinned. "That''s why we''re going to work hard to make this place quadruple impregnable. Mariana, how are those wards looking?"


    "Reconfigured to maximum security," the Scylla reported, her tentacle-fingers tapping across multiple control panels. "Nobody gets in or out without your authorization now, Mr. Fox. I blocked all incoming gates and gliders."


    "What''s this place powered by?" I asked.


    "Two ley lines under the island plus beast cores funded by the Stratos. If you want to increase the ward power, we should insert more cores into the dragonheart engine."


    "Which is where?" I asked.


    "Right under us," the Scylla said. "I''ll bring it up."


    She began tapping at the controls.


    A hexagon in the center of the room surrounded by yellow and black striped iron railings hissed open. A hexagonal black column emerged from its innards, with a cloud of steam and another panel opened within it.


    "Pour the beast cores into there," Mariana advised.


    "How many?" I asked.


    "As many as you can spare," she said. "More is better. The engine will burn through them to reinforce the perimeter ward."


    I pulled out a handful after handful of beast cores from my pocket and poured them into the receptacle. The black column hummed, lines of blue light racing up its surface.


    "The wards are at 425% strength now," Mariana confirmed, rapidly adjusting the ward. "Nobody''s getting through those without some serious firepower. Not unless they want to spend about sixty million o-bux on bunker-busters trying to breach the shields."


    "Excellent," I nodded. "Now, let''s see what other facilities we have to work with. Show me the prison layout."


    Mariana brought up a detailed map of San Clemente Island on the main screen. The facility sprawled across the northern tip, complete with dormitories, cafeteria, workshops, and medical wing.


    "Not bad," I mused. "Plenty of room to expand."


    "Say, Scrut," I addressed Satosh as the dragonheart engine slid back into place after eating some of my pocket-core collection. "If you can sniff the future this well, why didn''t you prevent the human gangsters from attacking your wife to begin with?"


    "I''ve made many enemies in my line of work over the years, put many criminals away, crossed dangerous deviants I shouldn''t have crossed¡­ because I had integrity. There was no escaping their eventual retribution. I sniffed out many futures," Satosh''s voice came through, heavy with regret. "In most of them, my wife and daughter died. In this one... they live, even if broken. I chose the path where my family survived. Where my daughter might find hope, even if that hope is in a human who can do magic."


    "Dad..." Magdaline blinked tears out of her eyes.


    "I''m sorry, Maggie," Satosh sighed. "It had to be this way. This was the best path forward for our family. I''m sorry that I''ve used you, fed you humans. I hope that you can forgive me someday for what I''ve done."


    "I¡­ forgive you," Magdaline said softly into the microphone, blinking more tears out of her red eyes. "You were just trying to help me in your own messed up way. Why didn¡¯t you¡­ tell me?¡±


    ¡°Saying such things leaves an imprint in the Astral for others to see,¡± Satosh shrugged. ¡°I had to make sure that nobody could stop me, and always wore anti-scrying runes on me.¡±


    "So, what am I going to do next?" I grinned.


    "Deal with my owner," Satosh said. "Declare war on the Stratos."


    "Darn sneaky Scruts ruining the plot ahead of schedule," I said. "So¡­ What do I smell like in the deepest Astral?"


    "Like¡­ number eight," Satosh said.


    "Eight?" I asked, intrigued.


    "Yes," Satosh nodded.


    "Interesting," I mused. "I''ve never considered myself to be that particular number. And what does that mean exactly?"


    "It means you''re unpredictable, dire change," Satosh said. "It means you''re marked by the Dagaz rune."


    "A Dagaz rune?" I blinked. "So there are others like me?¡±


    "There are," Satosh nodded. "The wielders of Dagaz are hard to predict because it is very easy to get trapped in the infinite loop produced by the imprint of this particular number in the Astral."


    "And yet you somehow predicted what I would do?" I asked. "Otherwise we wouldn''t be talking right now."


    "It took me decades," Satosh shrugged. "The key was accepting Dagaz into your heart, to go along with the pattern. Fighting against Infinity only leads to disaster."


    "So," I said, "What disasters await us in the nearby future?"


    "The Stratos will try to retake their facility," Satosh replied calmly. "SimmiTech will attempt to break your soul-bond with Vespera by erasing her mind. Golden Star and SimmiTech will attempt to have you assassinated."


    "And will they succeed or fail?" I asked.


    "I don''t know the exact details," Satosh sighed. "I just know that there is hope. It took a lot of mana to accept Infinity into my heart and even more to hear her voice, to see what''s behind the Number."


    "Her voice?" I blinked. ¡°What? Number Eight has a voice?¡±


    "Sheela na gig," Satosh explained. "Infinity. Change. Dawn. The girl with endless faces behind the black hole."


    "This just gets weirder and weirder," Lilith commented. "It sounds like... the Scrut is under the control of an Outsider."


    "Perhaps I am," Satosh shrugged. "It''s hard to see all of the strings concealed behind physical reality. Maybe we''re just some god''s puppets being pulled along the strings of a particular narrative, words on a page.¡±


    I laughed. Somehow Satosh had outdone me on the meta-narrator, 4th wall breaking business, the cheeky shark bastard.


    ¡°So, who¡¯s the narrator of our curious tale?¡± I asked. ¡°Does he or she have a name? Is it Eight?¡±


    ¡°No. Most Omnid Clans keep imprisoned gods in their basement, powering their... wards. Who''s to say that these old families are not being manipulated by the pieces of the Wormwood Star Leviathan in some unseen manner across millennia?"


    "Huh," I said. "That''s not weird and creepy at all. What does the Golden Star Clan have?"


    "They call her Uriel," Satosh said. "The All-seeing Eye of God."


    "And the Stratos?" I pressed.


    "They have Metatron," Satosh replied. "The Voice of God."


    "And what does Metatron say about me?" I wondered.


    "I don''t know," Satosh shook his head. "I''ve never been allowed near the Stratos'' vault. Only their Prima-born are permitted to consult their imprisoned god. I do know that speaking to these entities has a price."


    "Which is what?" I asked.


    "Mortality," Satosh said. "Those that speak with imprisoned gods cut their lives short, accelerate their paths towards their deaths. It''s why most of the Arch-Elders of generations past the 1940''s are dead. They burned through their lives fighting each other during World War Two, trying to predict their enemy¡¯s moves, trying to shake the Archangels for better weapons.¡±


    "And what do the Simmis have?" I asked.


    "Archangel Zadkiel," Satosh revealed. "The All-Remembering One. A shard of the Leviathan''s brain lobe. They use her power to optimize their bloodline, to make their children more clever, better at magitek crystallography and Dreamancy. Zadkiel is the reason why they''re so obsessed with genetic purity and arranged marriages."


    "That''s why Vee is so good at mapping out crystal architecture and diving into dreams," I deduced.


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


    "Your fiancee is the result of generations of Simmi breeding," Satosh nodded. "The brightest star that took a lot of magic to produce."


    "So... what you''re saying is that Vespera was... manufactured?" I pondered.


    "Yes," Satosh revealed. "Each generation of the Firstborn Clans is magically stronger, but there are less and less children being born. Such optimization has a price. Ritual magic tied to lunar shard alignment. Sacrifice. Burning through more and more beast cores. Each new brilliant heir costs more to produce, just as it costs more to produce smarter artificial intelligence engines.¡±


    "I see why Skyfall seems to have so many empty classrooms," I whistled.


    "Indeed," Satosh nodded through the screen. "The deity-Omnitype population has been declining for centuries. Fresh blood is needed, but the Clans are set on the path to produce the most optimal heirs, ones who will inherit the Earth, ones who will prevent the end of everything. Who will either figure out how to move the planet back to where it was hundreds of years ago or how to gate the entirety of Cradlefall to another habitable world."


    "The end of everything?" I blinked.


    "Our Earth is in freefall towards the mesh of doomed worlds," Satosh said coldly. "Past a certain point, nobody can see the future. The small Celestorms currently ravaging the planet at random are just the beginning. They will get worse and when they do, terrible, hungry, unstoppable things will begin to manifest and come through dimensional gates to our world."


    "Yep," Lilith said to herself quietly. "Def sounds like Outsider apocalyptic nonsense."


    "Outsider-infected or not," I said. "Satosh is a helpful creature on our side. Right then. Are you done pounding doomsday-lore into my head?"


    Satosh nodded.


    I whispered to call Cinder into my Quartermaster tag.


    "Yes?" Cinder''s holographic form appeared atop of my wrist looking worried. "Did you start a riot already? Is that why you''re calling me? To show me how much shit you set on fire?"


    "No riots. No fires. Only had to break a couple of walls. Everything''s fine," I assured her. "We''ve taken over the facility. I''ve got control of the wards, a bunch of new Sixies, and Satosh is actually on our side."


    ¡°What?" Cinder blinked.


    "Turns out Satosh wanted me to take over this place," I explained. "He''s been playing the long game, waiting for someone like me to come along."


    "That''s... convenient," Cinder said suspiciously.


    "Indeed," I nodded. "Also, apparently all the major Clans have imprisoned gods in their basements. Did you know about that?"


    Cinder''s wings and head-feathers flared.


    "Is your dad keeping a bound god in his basement?" I asked.


    "Umm," Cinder blinked. "Not that I''m aware."


    "What about the Novas in general?"


    "Xastigar''s family owns a buttload of shares in Omnimart," Cinder pondered. "Great grandad Nathaniel Senior has a compound Citadel where he and his wives produce... Lazarus Bracelets."


    "Aha," I said. "I was wondering where those came from. Does some preggo elderbeast god-centipede birth them in the Nova compound basement or something?"


    "I don''t effing know," Cinder stared at me. "I don''t get invited to the Nova compound! Since I murdered my precog-chosen fiancee, they sort of gave up on me and focused all of their attention on... Lance."


    "Archangel Azrael is kept beneath the Citadel of the Nova Compound," Satosh commented. "The Soul Shepherd."


    "I should get an Archangel," I commented, rubbing my chin. "I have the envy itch now."


    "All of the large shards of the Wormwood Star Leviathan¡¯s body have long been claimed," Satosh stated.


    "Then I''ll find my own god and imprison them!" I grinned. "How hard can it be?"


    "Alex..." Cinder stared at me with growing concern. "Please don''t try to imprison any gods."


    "But everyone else has one!" I protest-whined. "I want one too!"


    Cinder made an Uggghh-adjacent noise. Katherine, the edge of her face visible in the holo frowned.


    "You guys are such downers," I commented at them. "Damn it, I want Vee back. Too much gloomy one dimensional rain over there without any merry rays of thunder.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Cinder complained.


    ¡°Yeees?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I''m not one dimensional, you jerk,¡± she huffed.


    ¡°You''re constantly either surprised or angry with me,¡± I pointed out.


    She squinted at me and sighed. ¡°I''m not angry with you, you knob! I''m¡­ angry at myself for not being able to do shit when Vee was taken and angry at Emerald for sending you into prison. I''m¡­ mostly worried. Worried about you pushing your shenanigans too far and perma-dying. Worried about Vee forgetting us."


    ¡°We''ll sort it all out,¡± I assured her.


    ¡°Sides¡¯,¡± she said with a sly look. ¡°Don''t you appreciate my surprised acting¡­?¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± I blinked. ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°At this point, I honestly expect you to pull off wacky shit like this,¡± she said. ¡°I''m only acting extra shocked because I know you like it.¡±


    ¡°Way to ruin it,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Do you want me to keep acting surprised?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh my Slayer, what terrible unexpected, insane thing will you shock me with next?¡± She made a ¡®what¡¯ face at me. ¡°Oh I''m so angry with you, I just want to chase you down and¡­¡±


    ¡°Riiight,¡± I chortled. ¡°We can talk about you chasing me¡­ later. For now, please put Emmy on if she¡¯s nearby.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. Here''s Em,¡± Cinder said.


    Emerald''s face appeared on the holo, the dragon girl held by her scruff via Kat''s armored hand.


    "Sup dragon-bae," I grinned at her.


    "What do you want?" Emerald growled through the holo.


    "Just checking in on my favorite Sixie," I smiled. "How''s your slave collar doing? Hope it''s not too itchy."


    "It''s effing horrible," she hissed. "I can''t use my dragonfire!"


    "You sound a tad off," I commented. "A bit nasally? Did you catch a cold?"


    "No, you fuck!" Emerald snarled. "Your effing girlfriend broke my nose and didn''t bother to heal it properly!"


    "Which one?"


    "Ci," Emerald glared in the direction of Cinder.


    "And she''s going to break it again if I tell her what you did," I said.


    "What?" Emerald paled.


    "I talked to Satosh," I said.


    "You... WHAT?" the dragon princess choked.


    "The fuck did she do now?" Cinder demanded.


    "Unless you want me to tell Ci what you did," I said. "You better cooperate."


    "I... I''ll cooperate," Emerald nodded rapidly. "Please don''t tell her!"


    "Tell me what?!" Cinder snarled.


    "Don''t worry about it," I said. "As much as I want to smack Emmy for her crimes, now isn''t the time for that. Please tell me everything that happened at Skyfall after I was gated away."


    Ci nodded and began to narrate the events of the day with Katherine interjecting comments about what Cinder had forgotten or missed on.


    I listened. They were done in about ten minutes.


    "Very good," I said. "Yulia, please locate and dial the number of Attorney Thornheart."


    My phone dialed the number in a few seconds.


    "Attorney Thornheart speaking," the Omnid appeared on the screen.


    "Greetings," I said. "This is Alexander Glock. I''d like to report illegal detention at Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility."


    "Ah! Mr. Glock!" Thornheart''s image straightened. "We''ve been trying to reach you. Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine," I replied cheerfully. "In fact, I''ve taken control of the facility."


    "You''ve... what?" The Bunyip lawyer blinked.


    "Seized control," I clarified. "I now rule this island and everything on it. The Stratos Clan used it for illegal activities, so I''m confiscating it as my new Clan compound."


    Thornheart stared at me with wide, dark brown eyes.


    "Since you work for my fiancee and therefore work for me," I said. "I''d like for you to organize the paperwork necessary for the legalization of my actions here."


    "I... see," Thornheart said slowly. "And what exactly would you like me to file?"


    "A complaint against the Stratos Clan for illegal imprisonment, attempted murder, and operation of an unauthorized disposal facility," I replied cheerfully. "Plus whatever else you can think of. I want to tie them up in as much legal red tape as possible."


    "That''s... quite ambitious," Thornheart noted.


    "I''m an ambitious person," I smiled. ¡°Plus I do have the cash to pay you.¡±


    I waved a few celesteel cards in front of the screen.


    "Do you have evidence of their crimes?"


    "How else would I be here?" I asked. "Do you think I walked across the ocean like Lord Nazareth and asked them to let me in or something?"


    "No, um," Thornheart smiled. "I already have evidence for that. I could use more evidence of any illegal activities taking place on the island."


    "Ah," I nodded, turning to my misfits. "Which one of you is really good at running and flipping through folders to take photos? Raise your hands."


    Several hands shot up among my new Sixies.


    "Perfect. Tate, Ash¨Ctake these phones," I pulled our extra phones connected to Yulia on them. "Go to the Warden''s office and start taking photos of all the paperwork you can find. Move down other Admin offices and document everything. Lilith, check the medical wing for disposal records. Renmar, Viktor¨Csearch the guards'' quarters. Mariana, see if you can pull up ward records or videos of Satosh or any other guards gating people in to be disposed of."


    My new team scattered to their tasks while I turned back to Attorney Thornheart.


    "You''ll have complete documentation within the hour," I promised. "Plus witness testimonies from the staff once I convince them to cooperate. For now, I''d like for you to listen to the testimony of Magdaline Satoshi. Mags, tell the good lawyer what you''ve been doing in cell twenty five, will you?"


    Magdaline stepped forward to address Attorney Thornheart on my phone.


    "I was used as a disposal system," she said quietly. "Forty-one humans were brought to my cell during lunch hours. I... consumed them, unable to fight my Omnid hunt urges. Dad¡­ worked for the Stratos Clan, bringing me criminals and undesirables they wanted eliminated."


    "I see," Thornheart''s expression darkened. "And you have evidence of this?"


    "The walls of cell twenty-five retain Astral imprints," Magdaline nodded. "Any competent Scrutimancer can read them. Plus there''s the incinerator chute where I disposed of... remains."


    "I''ve been forced to do many terrible things as kobold of Emerald Stratos," Satosh said from the screen, which had now been enlarged by Mariana. "Compelled by magic into monstrous deeds."


    "You¡­ What?!" Emerald¡¯s hologram on my wrist choked. "You can''t tell them!!!"


    Cinder smacked her hard. "Yes he can. Order Satosh to tell the lawyer everything about your crimes."


    "I''d prefer a permission to email an outline of my crimes to Mr. Thornheart," Satosh said. "That should be enough. I¡¯ve been preparing the documents for over a decade.¡±


    "No... I..." Emerald choked.


    "Unless you want me to rip out your left eye right now to stuff it into your mouth," Cinder snarled. "You will tell your Scrut that he''s allowed to email everything to Thornheart."


    "F-fine!" Emerald choked as Cinder drew her magisteel-armored hand back, aiming at her eye. "Satosh, you have my permission to email everything to Thornheart!"


    "Excellent," the lawyer said, looking over at his screen. "With this, we can file multiple charges against the Stratos Clan."


    "Perfect," I smiled. "Oh, and one more thing - I need you to file paperwork for establishing a new Clan compound here. Transform this facility into something more... constructive."


    "Such as?" Thornheart asked.


    "A rehabilitation center," I grinned. "No need to change existing tax permits or whatever."


    "Very well," Thornheart nodded.


    "Also," I said. "I''d like to sue Emerald Stratos for one hundred billion O-bux."


    "W-what?" Emerald choked.


    "You heard me," I said cheerfully. "One hundred billion O-bux. For emotional damages, attempted murder, false imprisonment, and generally being a dick to me in classes."


    "That''s... that''s crazy!" Emerald sputtered through the holo. "I don''t have that kind of money!"


    "No, but your family does," I smiled. "And I want it. All of it. Every last O-bux."


    "The Stratos Clan will never pay that much!" Emerald protested. ¡°They have the best lawyers and can hold up the case in court for ages!¡±


    "Then I''ll take it in assets," I shrugged. "Starting with this lovely island facility. You own shares in it, don''t you Emmy?"


    "I..." Emerald choked out.


    "Well, do you?" I asked. ¡°Do you want me to tell Ci what you¡­¡±


    Emerald nodded rapidly. ¡°I have shares in that stupid prison island, yes!¡±


    "We can settle the suit now then. I can drop some of the charges against you. Just sign the island ownership off to me as collateral."


    "I... I don''t freaking own the entire island you idiot!" Emerald snarled, her eyes filling with tears.


    "No, but you own enough shares to make the start of my hostile takeover legal," I pointed out.


    "Plus, once the evidence of illegal activities here comes to light, the Stratos Clan will have a hard time contesting my claim."


    "My family will destroy you!" Emerald hissed.


    "They''ll have to get in line," I grinned. "So are we settling this lawsuit now or what?"


    "I can''t just... give you my shares!"


    "Sure you can," I smiled. "Unless you want Cinder to continue exploring your facial reconstruction options while Kat slowly drowns you in the deep?¡±


    Emerald glanced fearfully at Cinder''s raised fist as shadows around her deepened.


    "Fine!" she spat. "I''ll sign over my shares you ass! But this isn''t over!"


    "Of course it isn''t," I agreed. "This is just the beginning of our wonderful journey together. Ladies, call up Io and meet up with him. I''ll need him to open a gate from my new villain Citadel island to Skyfall. I''ll put ¡®Day After Tomorrow¡¯ for him to target on my phone screen!¡±

 Chapter 34: Vesperrific

    Ceter Kalik Simmi placed his magisteel-covered talons on his sleeping daughter''s forehead, his consciousness diving into her dreamscape. The intrusion was precise, calculated¨Ca technique passed down through generations of thunder-gods.


    He found Vespera sitting on a marble bench in Skyfall''s dream-garden, her legs crossed at the ankles, scrolling through her phone. Her dream-self wore a blue and white gothic lolita dress with glittering chainmail top, complete with black platform boots and lightning bolt feather-clips.


    "Like, daddy! What are you doing in my headspace?" Vespera didn''t look up from her phone, her voice carrying the blasted Valley girl tone she always used to irritate him. "This is totes awkward. #Braininvasion."


    "Vespera, we need to talk," Ceter said.


    "Why am I asleep? Can we not talk in the real? You''re like, totally violating my neural privacy rights right now. #MentalSpaceInvasion #NotCool #DaddyIssues," Vespera continued scrolling, a slight smirk playing at her lips. "Should I call Attorney Thornheart? He''s like, super good at privacy violation cases."


    "You''re banned from using phones," Ceter growled. "I''m placing you under house arrest until we sort out this mess with the human infiltrator."


    "OMG daddy, you''re being like, totally extra rn," Vespera flipped her dream-feathers. "Alexander isn''t an infiltrator, he''s my bae. We''re literally soul-bonded. #TrueLove #CantStopWontStop"


    "Stop this nonsense!" Ceter''s thunderous voice shook the dream-garden. "And cease speaking in hashtags!"


    "But daddy, hashtags are my aesthetic! #DaddyRage #ThunderTantrum #SoBasic," Vespera giggled, manifesting a pink bubble tea in her hand. "Want some? It''s cotton candy thunder flavor! #BriberyAttempt"


    Lightning danced between Ceter''s wings, his hand raised. A brilliant Thunderbolt struck the girl in the head, obliterating and shearing her into fractured wisps and flickering bits.


    Ceter focused and dove deeper.


    The dream within the dream featured a beach covered in colorful rocks with glowing emerald waves smashing into the shore. The horizon extended upwards forever. Ceter recognized Arx from his delving days at Skyfall Academy with stern Instructor Zalimar.


    Another Vespera was sitting on the beach, this one wearing full body armor.


    "That was very rude," she said coldly. "That avatar took effort to make."


    "Vespera," Ceter growled. "I tire of your disobedience."


    "And I tire of you being in my head," Vespera said. "You taught me Dreamancy and while I do appreciate that, this time you were NOT invited in!"


    "You will not speak to me that way," Ceter thundered. "I am your father and you will obey me! You''ve crossed a line by binding yourself to a human criminal! You will go to marry Zheng this summer! You will break the soul-bond, go to a Psychopomp!"


    "No," Vespera said simply. "I won''t. I refuse. I found someone better than Zheng."


    "A pathetic human scum?!" Ceter growled.


    "Rude," Vespera crossed her arms, standing up. "First of all, Lex isn''t pathetic. He made over two hundred million O-bux on Arx and built a compound for our Clan in just one week. What did Zheng build in eighteen years? Go on, point me at one thing he''s accomplished that would make him worthy of me."


    Ceter''s wings crackled with barely contained fury. "Zheng is Prima-born! His bloodline is pure, optimized for generations! You and him are meant to lead Golden Star Industries and SimmiTech into a new era of prosperity!"


    "Just cus'' his bloodline''s pure doesn''t make him any less of an intolerable, gross idiot," Vespera shook her head.


    "Idiot girl," Ceter growled. "If you don''t like his personality, then optimize it using Dreamancy! But first, you are to optimize yourself, rid yourself of that irritating frontend avatar. I''ve had enough of you embarrassing our Clan at Omnicorp meetings!"


    "Eh, I like my frontend avatar," Vespera said, manifesting a mirror and admiring her reflection. "It''s snarky and funny. Besides, Lex loves me for who I am, not who you want me to be."


    "That human will be dead within the hour," Ceter snarled. "And you will be cleansed of this affliction!"


    Vespera laughed, the sound echoing across the dream-beach. "You really don''t understand what you''re dealing with, do you daddy? Lex isn''t just some random human. He was already pretty unique when I met him, but then I optimized him further."


    "You did what now?" Ceter blinked.


    "Optimized him," Vespera clicked. "Gave him a very special skill, one of my design. One that puts him above us Omnids with our alignment specificity. He''s going to be the most Omni-capable Wizard in the universe."


    "What?" Ceter sputtered. "If you wanted to experiment with humans, you should have said so. I would have provided you with human subjects to work with!¡±


    "Look, dad. If you want to merge with Golden Star so bad," Vespera said. "Do it without me. I''ve got my own thing going. I''m happy. The Arx Bank can grow flesh duplicates. Go to Shandria, buy a duplicate of me, copy yourself into her head and marry Zheng. A simple solution that doesn''t involve me."


    "You dare suggest we use a flesh duplicate for a sacred clan merger?!" Ceter roared. "Are you out of your mind, Vespera?! The Arch-Elders would never accept this! Golden Star has Probability Engines, they''d see a duplicate from a mile away!"


    "Why do we have to listen to old-ass, crusty Omnids?" Vespra sighed. "Their minds are obviously addled by speaking too many times with their whacky Archangels. Probability Engines don''t see everything, daddy. They can be blocked by anti-scrying runes, Outsiders can screw with them. They don''t see the full picture. Tell me, can your engines see what Lexy and I did on Arx?"


    "What did you do on Arx?"


    "Why don''t you GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD and ask your precious Probability Engine what I did on Arx?" Vespera growled, extending her talons.


    Ceter struck first, obliterating her avatar into wisps and broken pieces.


    With a weary sigh he stepped deeper into the next layer of the dream.


    He found himself in a crystalline tower, jagged crystals pointing at him. Vespera sat on a crystalline throne, looking down at him. She looked like a human girl with black hair and gray eyes, wearing a pure black dress.


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


    "Extra-rude," she said with a frown. "You know, if you go deeper you''re going to break me. Is this your brilliant plan? To make me into a drooling idiot?"


    "No," Ceter said. "This is my plan to make you understand."


    "Understand what?" Vespera asked. "That you obviously don''t respect me? That you want to control every aspect of my life?"


    "I want to protect you," Ceter said with a weary sigh. "This human will destroy everything we''ve built. Everything we''ve been working on for centuries."


    "Maybe your shit deserves to be destroyed," Vespera declared. "Because that''s what''s going to happen if you keep going.¡±


    ¡°Vespera!¡±


    ¡°No. How about you have another daughter and convince her to marry another Golden Star boy. I''m out."


    Ceter sputtered at his daughter¡¯s impudence. Where had he gone wrong? Where had her Prima-Mother and Hearth-Keeper failed?


    "You..." he choked. "You don''t understand what''s at stake, Vespera!"


    "Go on then," the fake human girl on the crystalline throne waved a pale hand. "Regale me with your sales pitch."


    "Our Clan merger isn''t just about two corporations combining," Ceter said, his voice dropping to a serious tone. "Earth is falling towards a mesh of doomed worlds and will soon be consumed by all-devouring Celestorms. We don''t have time to produce another heir of your skill. You''re the key to saving all Omnids, a master Crystallographer like no other, born under perfect Lunar shard alignment. A great fortune was spent on your birth to make sure that you were the most capable Thundergirl, one who could rewrite the entirety of the crystalline strata beneath Cradlefall. You and Zheng are meant to save our people from extinction!¡±


    "Says who?" Vespera tilted her head. "Some musty old magitek spinny thing? Some whack Archangel who doesn¡¯t give a fuck about Omnids?"


    ¡°The Probability Engines¡­" Ceter let out, his face twitching, "calculate our survival rate at 99.3% if you marry Zheng and combine our Clan''s resources. Without this outcome, we drop to 12.7% and perish!"


    "Twelve point seven percent sounds like a challenge," Vespera said, leaning forward. "Ya kno¡¯, this apocalypse of yours sounds like something Lex would love to turn into a business opportunity. Say, is our Earth becoming more magical then? Maybe we should start planting dungeons from Arx to focus those Celestorms into something productive? Hrmmm?¡±


    "Vespera! You cannot be serious!"


    "I''m completely serious," Vespera stated. "In fact, I bet Lex could raise that survival rate to 95% just by throwing a bunch of Arx dungeons at this problem."


    "Vespera! A human, even one that''s been augmented by you cannot..."


    "I disagree," Vespera fired back. "I''ve seen him pull off some crazy shit with my help. He thinks outside the box, and isn''t trapped in the dum¡¯ narrative that the Archangels weave for us."


    Ceter stared at his daughter, not understanding her words. "You cannot seriously believe that a human could solve our existential crisis!"


    "I''m super cereal," Vespera said. "Lex isn''t just some random human. He''s got something special. Something the Probability Engines can''t calculate."


    "And what might that be?" Ceter asked sarcastically.


    "Chaos," Vespera grinned. "Pure, beautiful, unpredictable chaos sprinkled with love."


    "Love?!" Ceter growled. "You love this human?!"


    "He''s my greatest project yet," Vespera shrugged. "And he''s funny."


    "Zheng could be your project!" Ceter stated. "You can make him as funny as you want him to be! If you''ve modified one human, you can modify others in the same way, build a whole army of them if you so desire!"


    "No," Vespera said firmly. "Zheng isn''t Lex. Lex has something special. Four human souls. I don''t think that I could replicate that in an Omnid."


    Ceter stared at his daughter with a bewildered look. "Four human souls? What nonsense are you talking about? Four souls would just absorb each other, the strongest would devour the weak!"


    "Ye," Vespera nodded. "That''s what happens normally when you shove extra souls into a person and yet Lexy somehow manages four souls. On a permanent basis. He''s my shiny. Mine! I found him! You can fuck off."


    Ceter wings spread out, lightning dancing between dark feathers. "You will NOT speak to me that way! How dare you take on a human avatar!¡±


    "Daddy, if you destroy this dream layer, you''ll permanently damage my mental architecture," Vespera pointed out. "There is nothing coherent below. Go on. Strike me down, overwrite me. Show me that you don''t love me, that you never loved me. Free me from caring about you.¡±


    Ceter''s wings trembled with rage, electricity crackling between his magisteel talons. "Vespera..."


    "Nope," Vespera said, popping the ''p''. "I''m not backing down. You''ll have to kill me if you want to make your perfect daughter. Them''s the beans."


    "So you refuse?" Ceter barked.


    "Yep. I refuse to be part of your old-man schemes," Vespera said. "I''m out. Find another idiot birb to throw at your problems."


    Booming lightning struck from Ceter''s hand obliterating the human avatar, tearing through the crystal throne. It bounced into Ceter and burned his wings. He hissed. Blasted girl managed to make a trap.


    He dove deeper.


    The fourth fold of the dream was an empty, desolate, gray landscape covered in dark cracks.


    Snow fluttered from the broiling storm clouds overhead, occasional flashes of lightning cutting across the dark sky. There was no Vespera here.


    Ceter sent out a pulse of electrical discharge to make sure.


    Nothing. No avatar. No consciousness. Nothing to overwrite. Just clouds. Just fluttering snowflakes spinning in random spirals. Just the wind.


    He tried to dive deeper, but there was nothing beneath this layer, nowhere else to go to.


    He sighed and began weaving a new Vespera into the dreary landscape. His perfect daughter. One who loved Zheng and didn''t care for humans. A Slayer destined to save all Omnidkind.


    Once she was made, he stepped backwards and wove another perfect Vespera onto the damaged throne, not a human but a Thunderbird, bending and twisting the wispy remnants into his absolute Prima-born girl.


    Another step back. He rebuilt the Vespera on the beach.


    Another step back. No idiotic accent. Only a perfect Heir. He rebuilt the last, perfect Vespera.


    "Who do you love?" He asked.


    "Zheng, daddy," the new avatar answered smoothly with a soft smile.


    "Good," Ceter exhaled, leaving from the dream, his wings aching from the mental burns.


    He blinked awake and sent a pulse across his daughter''s body and watched as her gray eyes opened.


    "Um, daddy, why am I here?" The Thundergirl yawned, wearily looking left and right.


    "It is Friday," her father answered. "You were injured during your delve on Arx and I had to repair your mind."


    "I see," she said. ¡°Thank you daddy, I appreciate it. What are we doing today?¡±


    Ceter studied her eyes, ensuring his mental reconstruction was flawless. The rebellious spark was gone, replaced by a perfectly obedient daughter. "We are attending a family meeting about your upcoming merger with Zheng Golden Star. Your Great-grandfather will interview you, make sure you understand what¡¯s at stake.¡±


    "Of course," Vespera nodded. Her movements were precise, her posture immaculate - everything a Prima-born heir should be.


    Ceter relaxed. He felt bad about mentally manipulating his daughter, but it had to be done for the greater good of Omnidkind. He would have to watch her behaviour from here, make sure that Vespera did what was expected of her to the letter.


    . . .


    Deep within the dreary empty landscape of the fourth level of the dream, a single snowflake began to pulse with an electrical charge. And then another. And another. A storm of snowflakes spun high in the sky, lightning dancing between them, like a neural network very slowly reconnecting itself.


    The avatar of the perfect girl standing below the gloomy clouds didn''t bother looking up.


    She only had one mission in mind¨Cto marry Zhen and to optimize him, to optimize herself to be the saviour of Cradlefall, to figure out how to write a supermassive hexagram fractal beneath the crater, to save her city and her friends. Two weeks of memories were missing from her head, which was slightly annoying, but she was certain that she¡¯d catch up quickly.


    The snowflake storm spun overhead.


    In the real world, Vespera''s finger twitched. Almost imperceptibly.


    Her father didn''t notice.


    Her eyes, gray while appearing vacant, held a microscopic glimmer¨Cthe tiniest spark of resistance.


    Something her father had forgotten: Vespera was a master Dreamancer, an Electrofractal weapon, a tool bred over a multitude of generations, one who knew exactly how to take herself apart in just the right way.


    She knew exactly how to play dead.

 Chapter 35: The Perfect Heir

    The Simmi family dining room gleamed with polished marble surfaces and crystalline chandeliers. Vespera sat perfectly upright, her silverware aligned with geometric precision, her movements controlled and deliberate, every feather on her mane pure white.


    Ceter Kalik Simmi studied his daughter carefully, watching for any sign of her previous rebelliousness. Beside him, Hanni Simmi served a traditional meal¨Crare Arx beast meats prepared with intricate Thunderland spices.


    "Tell your great-grandfather about your mission, Vespera," Ceter ordered.


    Vespera looked up, her gray eyes flat and compliant. "I am to facilitate the merger of the SimmiTech and Golden Star corporations through my marriage to Zheng. Our combined resources will create a 99.3% probability of Omnid survival during the upcoming Celestorm events."


    Her voice was clinical, devoid of the playful shortened and hashtag-laden speech she once used. Each word was precisely measured, each syllable sharp like the blade of a two-dimensional knife.


    Ceter nodded, satisfied. "And your personal feelings?"


    "Personal feelings are irrelevant," Vespera responded. "The mission takes precedence. Zheng is my optimal genetic and corporate match. We need more resources to save Omnithornia."


    "Very good," Arch-Elder Altair nodded, the multiple, pale, crystalline angel-wings that framed his lanky body catching the chandelier light.


    "Father," Vespera turned to Ceter when dinner was over. "May I look at my Stats? I would like to see if I levelled up during my latest delve."


    "No," Ceter shook his head. "A vile human criminal infected your soul with a memetic. It must be purged. Psychopomp Krakthulluius will remove the infection tonight. The procedure will be... unpleasant, but necessary."


    "Of course, father," Vespera nodded demurely. "Will it hurt?"


    "Yes," Ceter admitted. "But you are strong. The procedure will sever the memetic infestation. Dr. Krakthulluius is the best soul surgeon in Omnithornia."


    "I understand," Vespera nodded. "Will I be able to attend classes on Monday? I need to study Crystallography with Instructor Gilgamesh to begin my Thesis on modifying Leviathan strata below Leviathan''s Cradle next year."


    "If you swear to me that you will not attempt to search for Alexander Glock, or interact with any other nullie or human scum." Ceter placed a hand on his daughter''s shoulder, scanning her soul for the truth. "Do not befriend, nor interact with any humans without my permission. Is that understood?"


    "Understood. I swear it father," Vespera nodded. "I will not speak to any humans without your approval starting tonight. I''m sorry for my prior indiscretions."


    Ceter nodded, satisfied. The mental reconstruction appeared to be functioning as intended. "Very good. The Psychopomp will be here in an hour. After the procedure, you will rest, and during the weekend you will focus on your Crystallography studies."


    "Of course daddy," Vespera agreed. "I wish to save our people with my entire Fractal Engine heart."


    . . .


    "There is an unusual familiar bond registered in her," Psychopomp Krakthulluius''s skeletal black hands waved over Vespera''s shaking body as the Thundergirl tried to hold herself together after something had been carved out of her soul. "Something called... Possy."


    "A familiar?" Ceter frowned. "Vespera, explain."


    "I cannot remember. I was searching for an Electrofractal Kitlix familiar on Arx for a few years now, daddy," Vespera answered. "Perhaps I found one during my last delve but cannot recall it due to memory loss? Maybe it has something to do with how my Lazarus bracelet is now clear?¡±


    Lord Center frowned, noticing that her bracelet was indeed oddly clear. He tapped his talons on it. It was perfectly functional but the immovable metal had somehow inexplicably become transparent. He had no idea how this was even possible. Maybe some kind of unique dungeon mafic did it.


    ¡°What else can you tell me about this bond?¡± Ceter turned to Krakthulluius.


    "The bond is recent. Made within the last week."


    "Can you determine the familiar''s nature?" Ceter demanded.


    "No, Lord Ceter." Krakthulluius shook his head. "I cannot. It is in another dimension right now. It is presumably back on Arx. I do sense that it is a high-level crystalline creature with Kitlix-like properties."


    "I see," Ceter nodded slowly. "Can you carve it out?"


    "Carving the familiar connection will have to be done in another week," Krakthulluius said. "Her soul is already damaged and I do not wish to tear it further. I will stop by once every few days to slowly repair the shears I''ve made so that I can disconnect the familiar bond."


    "Very well," Ceter nodded slowly. "We''ll deal with this familiar matter later as the delve to Arx won''t happen for another week."


    He turned to his daughter. "Vespera, how do you feel?"


    "It hurts, but I endure. I feel... pure, father," Vespera answered, her voice just as sharp despite her trembling body. "Thank you for cleansing me of that vile memetic, Dr. Krakthulluius. When may I meet Zheng to discuss our upcoming soul-bond and begin our optimization process?"


    "Soon," Ceter patted her white-feathered head. "Zheng was hurt speaking to his family''s Archangel, so he needs a week at least to recover. Rest now."


    "Yes, father," Vespera bowed her head submissively. "May I request some crystallography texts from the library? I wish to study while I heal."


    "Of course," Ceter nodded approvingly. "Your dedication to saving our people is admirable. Butler Oppohosh will bring you any arcane texts you require."


    . . .


    I stood in the prison''s wide courtyard, the view of the evening sky above me, the clouds painted violet-orange by the setting sun. My phone stood in front of me on a tripod, keeping the frozen frame of "The Day After Tomorrow" displayed.


    In a few minutes, a dark gate manifested into existence in front of me. Cinder, Katherine, Io and Emerald became visible inside it.


    Cinder burst through the gate first and smothered me in a sunset-red-angry hug. "Don''t scare me like that," she let out.


    "Wasn''t my fault," I hugged her back.


    Katherine stepped through next, her emerald eyes narrowing as she looked left and right. "I see you''ve been busy."


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    I nodded. I noticed that Katherine was moving a bit sluggishly. I guessed that the dress wasn''t a perfect solution. She was still dying, just slower.


    Emerald followed, looking distinctly uncomfortable, her snout looking busted. "This is kidnapping." She whined nasally.


    "You started it first," I pointed out. "Your Scrut kidnapped me and brought me here. By Clan law I only retaliated fairly."


    "You''re an effing human, Omnid Clan laws don''t apply to you," the dragon girl growled.


    "And yet I have a Clan. Cry me a river, Emmy," I shrugged at her. "I''m far nicer than you. I won''t feed you to a shark. I''ll just keep you as a hostage till your family pays me one hundred billion O-bux."


    "You can''t be serious!" She growled. ¡°That''s an outrageous sum!¡±


    ¡°What, you think that your value is less?¡± I asked.


    She sent me the traditional ¡®I will get my revenge and murder you, just you wait¡¯ glare.


    ¡°Such glaring,¡± I said. ¡°You should appreciate me more! I¡¯ve made you my Sixie, which means you get a small salary, dental, corporate benefits and protection of Rainbow and Thunder Omnicorp.¡±


    "My parents will take this island apart stone by stone!" She growled.


    "They won''t even be able to find you," I said. "I''m not going to keep you here."


    "Where are you..." she choked.


    "Fun places," I said. "Another dimension, where no Scrutimancer can track you down since Scrutimancy doesn''t work across dimensions. Unless you sign a bunch of contracts, of course."


    Emerald blanched.


    "I''ve given you plenty of chances to be cooperative and cordial," I said. "Now it''s going to be contractual obligations. Kat, take her to a cell."


    Katherine grabbed Emerald by the collar, her emerald eyes shining with gleeful predatory intent. "Come on, little dragon. Time for your new accommodations."


    Emerald struggled, but Katherine''s grip was firm. "This is illegal! I''m a Prima-born! My family will¡ª"


    Everyone ignored her.


    "So, how was your date with June?" I asked Io as we began walking across the prison courtyard into the administrative area.


    "She''s definitely... intellectually stimulating,¡± he replied. ¡°We watched Day After Tomorrow in one of the student lounges and had an extensive discussion about doomed worlds afterwards. But..." he hesitated.


    "But what?" I prompted.


    "She''s just... too wet," Io said with a slight shudder.


    "That''s usually not a problem for a girlfriend to have," I wiggled my eyebrows at him.


    "Uh-huh," Io exhaled. "My everything gets damp just being near her. It''s rather uncomfortable for a Mothman."


    I couldn''t help but chuckle. "At least you found common ground with the disaster discussions?"


    "Indeed. Her obsession with aquatic catastrophes is delightful. However, I prefer to observe such events from a safe, dry distance." Io adjusted his duster coat.


    "Hang on, how do you even shower?" I asked.


    "I don''t," Io said. "I use dry shampoos to clean my mane and wings."


    "Ah," I rubbed my chin. "So why not sprinkle yourself with talcum or cornstarch-based powder? Or maybe powder yourself with aerogel? That stuff would make you somewhat fireproof as well as waterproof."


    "An interesting suggestion," Io mused. "I haven''t considered such. Hopefully¡­ it would not bother June..."


    "Better than being uncomfortable the whole time," I pointed out. "Consider it ''watery-disaster-proof coating''."


    "Very well, I''ll try it, see if it helps," Io''s said. "Speaking of disasters, I sense multiple approaching catastrophes centered around you. More than usual."


    "Yeah?" I asked. "Give me the rundown."


    "Several death-vectors," Io said, his gray fluffy antennae tapping my head and shoulder. "The doom indicators are off the charts. This is worse than the Undertown assassins."


    "That does sound bad," I nodded. "Any specifics?"


    "Mmm... hard to tell," Io sighed. ¡°I just know that you are going to die unless you do something different.¡±


    "Right," I said. "Come! I''d like to introduce you to my new Scruts."


    I led Io and Cinder into a meeting room where Magdaline and Satosh were waiting. Magdaline had traded her prison orange robe for a sleek hexamesh suit. A gray security officer uniform with a tie sat atop it, making her look even more dangerous. Her white-blue striped scales gleamed with a metallic sheen under the fluorescent lights.


    "Io, Ci, meet Magdaline Satoshi," I announced, gesturing dramatically. "And her dad Loom Cernix Satosh.


    "This is my Door Knight," I pointed at Iogann. "And trusted right hand-man!"


    "Big shark," Io murmured as Magdaline shook his hand.


    "Smol moth," Mags smiled, showing off multiple rows of saw-like teeth.


    "And this is my lovely Hearth Keeper Shield, Cinder," I introduced Ci to the Scrut family.


    We sat down, Cinder squinting at Magdaline with blue-eyes.


    "Okay, team. We''re going to do some predictive analysis. Io, you''ve got your disaster sensing. Magdaline, your Scrutiny skills. Satosh, your decades of intelligence work. We''re going to map out the incoming catastrophes and try to arrive at a solution."


    Magdaline leaned forward. "What exactly are we predicting?"


    "Threats to my person that Io can sense," I explained. "Take my hands, Io, Mags. Push your skills through me."


    The two Omnids grabbed my hands. Cinder''s glare in the direction of the shark-girl intensified.


    She suspected things.


    "Okay," I said. "Io, you first. What disaster vectors are you sensing?"


    "Danger from..." Io began thoughtfully.


    "Frontenachii Scruts, the Stratos and Simmi assassins," Magdaline said. "Wherever you go."


    "The Stratos will absolutely send assassins to take you out," Satosh nodded. "A sniper rifle bullet from afar aimed at the only human in school and then a rapid retrieval team to grab your Lazarus bracelet."


    "What else? What about our lost black and white bird?" I pulled out Vespera''s feather from my pocket and let the shark-girl sniff it.


    "Vespera..." Io let out.


    "Lost her soul bond to you," Mags said, squeezing my hand.


    "She no longer remembers you," Satoshi nodded. "As I expected. Her father most likely fully overwrote her personality. The new Vespera will hate all humans and will refuse to speak with you.¡±


    Cinder paled, colors leaking from her body. "H-how are we going to get her back?" She let out.


    "Don''t know," I shrugged, which only made Cinder''s wings darker. "What else? What about the duel?"


    "Zheng..." Io began.


    "Will not show up," Magdaline said. "A different champion will take his place.¡±


    ¡°Lord Ceter Simmi himself,¡± Satish added.


    "Vespera''s father?" Cinder''s feathers bristled. "That''s... that''s really bad."


    "Indeed," Satosh nodded gravely. "Ceter is a Prima Thunder-Lord. He''s killed hundreds in duels. His lightning can pierce through any defense. He can stop bullets and arrows and redirect spells away from himself."


    "Right," I said. "I''ll email Lord Ceter and resign from the duel."


    "And... lose Vee?!" Cinder barked.


    "We already lost Vee," I pointed out. ¡°Those assholes cut the connection. There''s no point in fighting for it.¡±


    "What?! How are you so freaking calm about this?!" She shook me.


    "Freaking out won''t help us solve any of these issues," I said.


    "But..." Cinder''s feathers flared orange-red. "You can''t just give up on her!"


    "I''m not giving up," I said calmly. "I''m being strategic.¡±


    ¡°Fighting Ceter head-on is suicide,¡± Satosh nodded.


    ¡°We need to think outside the box, sidestep away from everything," I said.


    "How?!" Cinder demanded.


    "I think that it''s time for Alexander Glock to leave Skyfall," I said. "To go back to North Acadia."


    "WHAT?!" My Quetzi GF sputtered.


    I stared at her with a smile.


    "It''s the best way to protect everyone," I explained, squeezing her hand. "Alexander Glock has to go away."


    "But..." Cinder''s feathers drooped. "What about our classes together?"


    "Oh, so you actually enjoy classes with me?" I teased her. "Weren''t you all like, ''get outta my face, you annoying human''?"


    "Shut up," Cinder growled. "You know what I mean!"


    "No, I don''t know what you mean," I grinned at her.


    "Ughhh," she let out. "Yes, you''re an incredibly annoying chuppy... but I like having you in my classes. Happy now?"


    "Ecstatic," I smirked, greatly enjoying our verbal game of angry dragon and annoying human. "But Alexander Glock still needs to disappear. The Frontenachii Clan wants him captured. Stratos Clan wants him dead, SimmiTech wants him dead, and Golden Star wants him dead too. Four major Omnicorps gunning for one guy is a bit much."


    "So what''s your brilliant plan then?" Cinder crossed her arms.

 Chapter 36: Mild Psychiatry

    "I''ll go away and also attend Skyfall," I said. "Just not as Alexander Glock."


    Cinder blinked, the gears of her mind turning.


    "I''ll still be there for you as an annoying chappy. Just... different. New identity, new look. New me."


    Cinder considered my words. ¡°Mkay.¡±


    "Another disguise?" Magdaline asked.


    "Yeah," I nodded. "I''m thinking... an exchange student from Arx."


    "An Arx student?" Cinder asked. "How would that even work? Arxkin can''t visit our Earth due to the low Aetheric density."


    "Eh," I grinned. "I''ll be a special wealthy student who somehow manages it. Katsburg will provide the necessary paperwork and pay for my schooling.¡±


    "And Graves will just accept a transfer student from Arx?!" Cinder asked.


    "I''ll handle Graves," Satosh said. "He''s an old friend of mine."


    "And what about your appearance?" Cinder asked.


    "Makeup and your wings are going to handle that," I said. "You did a pretty good job of turning me into a foxkin on Arx."


    "A lot of that was Vee," Cinder let out.


    "I think that you and I can do it," I said. "We have the entire weekend to practice, since I''m cancelling the duel.¡±


    Cinder pursed her lips, not sure of herself.


    I looked at the moth and sharks. "So, doom avoided?"


    "Delayed," Io nodded. "Shifted away from death of you to the death of¡­ uhhh.... everything. Hrm."


    ¡°The death of everything?¡± Cinder stared at Io.


    ¡°Sort of? Maybe?¡± Io shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sensing anything past Monday. It¡¯s like there¡¯s a wall there. Weird.¡± He looked far too relaxed about the potential end of everything.


    I stared at my Scrut-sharks.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing past Monday,¡± Satosh said.


    "Nothing." Magdaline nodded.


    "And that''s not concerning?" I asked.


    "Big Celestorms can cause disruptions in future-sight," the Scrut explained.


    "Good enough," I released Io''s hand with a sigh.


    Magdaline still held onto me, still bouncing Scrutiosmia off me. I inhaled her scent, wondering how she was doing.


    I smelled dedication and... attraction. Pointed directly at me. A LOT of attraction. Her physical heart was beating fast and behind it her Fractal Engine heart was reaching out towards me, desiring to be connected deeper, further.


    "Is something going on between you two?" Cinder squinted at us.


    "Nothing!" Magdaline released my hand quickly, trying to and failing to hide the blush dancing across her face.


    "Mkay," I said. "Io, gate to the phone in my van. Then fly in your van to the nearest Omnibank and open an Omnicorp account there."


    I piled a few million O-bux worth of celesteel cards into his gray paws. "Deposit these there. Mags, you know my clothes size, yes?"


    "I can smell it, yes," she nodded, trying very hard not to look at Cinder.


    "Order me some nice clothes," I said. "Top of the line Primaborn Princeling suits. Maybe a gemstone encrusted cane too.¡±


    "Can do," she said.


    "Afterward, head to Omnitronics Depot and buy phones, laptops, tablets, video cards and server racks. As many as you can. I''ll set up a storage room here with a phone for Io to gate the purchased stuff into."


    Io nodded.


    "Off you go then," I waved them off. ¡°Mags, you''re the bodyguard. Protect Io with your life.¡±


    Magdaline nodded.


    I turned to Satosh. "Interrogate the prisoners, see which ones would be willing to work for us as Sixies. I want skilled, trusted Omnids that we can throw at problems in the future that won''t betray our cause. Ones who will work here and also on Arx for us.¡±


    Satosh nodded. He too departed, leaving me alone with Cinder.


    "So... Magdaline clearly likes you,¡± the Quetzi said after a minute of silence.


    "Yeah," I said.


    "Remember what I said?" She growled, dark claws extending, hand suddenly wrapped around my chin.


    "No harems," I said. "I''m pawing her off to Io. He could use a strong Prima!"


    Cinder grabbed me by the collar and pulled me close, her ocean-blue eyes narrowing. "You''re walking on a verrrrry thin line there, pal."


    "I am aware," I grinned at her, not resisting her grip. "But Mags needs friends and guidance. She''s been isolated for too long. She''s crushing on the first person who showed her kindness. Prison does that to people. Isolation makes them latch onto the first person who treats them like a person rather than a monster."


    "And you know this from experience?" Cinder''s gaze was glacial.


    "I''ve been isolated myself for years," I shrugged. "Uncle George put me through hell, made me steal stuff, forced me practice parkour day after day for years. I crushed onto the first angel I saw.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°Then Vee also sort of adopted me."


    Cinder''s grip on my collar tightened. "Don''t. Change. The. Subject."


    "Look, Ci," I said. "I''m trying to explain that I understand what Magdaline is going through. She needs friends, not just a boyfriend. She needs to learn who she is outside of prison."


    Cinder''s feathers slowly shifted from angry dark sunset to a more thoughtful blue-gray. "And you think Io would be good for her? What if he doesn''t like her?"


    "Then he doesn''t like her," I shrugged. "But they should at least try. They''re both kind of weird and awkward. Both have a thing for sensing the future. He¡¯s small and can¡¯t fly and she has a protective steak. It could work out."


    Cinder''s grip on my collar loosened slightly. "And what about Vee?"


    "What about her?"


    "Stop answering my questions with questions!" Cinder shook me.


    "Why don''t we talk about our feelings instead of being violent?" I offered, channeling my inner prison therapist.


    "Feelings?!" Cinder sputtered, her feathers bristling with renewed agitation. "You want to talk about feelings when Vee''s been mind-wiped?!"


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    ¡°Yes, we already established that,¡± I said. "Come on, tell me how you really feel instead of strangling me."


    "I feel like everything is falling apart!" Cinder suddenly released my collar, her wings drooping. "I feel like a useless knob! I feel like you can just replace me with a convict Megalodon whenever you feel like that''s the most optimal path!"


    She pawed at her own face, making iridescent colors rush across the lines left by her dark claws.


    "And you know what else?!" Cinder snarled. "Everything is moving so fast I can barely keep up! One week I''m just trying to survive Skyfall, keeping my head down, dealing with Em''s stupid demands, and the next I''ve got a human boyfriend and a Thunderbird girlfriend and we''re stealing ancient Corpse Seekers and robbing banks on Arx!"


    Her feathers shifted through a kaleidoscope of troubled colors - deep purples bleeding into stormy grays.


    "And Vee - Abyss! Vee was always SO EFFIN¡¯ ANNOYING with her constant selfies and her valley girl chatter, meme jokes and her endless stupid hashtags! But she was REAL underneath all that! She actually cared about things! She actually cared about ME! And now she''s just... GONE!" Cinder''s eyes filled with tears. "And I didn''t even get to tell her that she was my best friend! That I stared to fucking care about her again, after we drifted apart in grade ten!"


    Cinder''s claws dug deep into her hands.


    "What kind of a shitty girlfriend am I?! I couldn''t protect her! I couldn''t stop her father from destroying her! I just stood there like a useless KNOB, got knocked out while they took her away!"


    "And you!" Cinder''s claws raked across her feathers, leaving more iridescent trails.


    ¡°Me?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    "Why the fuck are you even tolerating me?! I''m such a horrible girlfriend to you too! I keep threatening you and shaking you and getting angry at everything you do! Even when you''re just trying to help people! Even when you''re trying to protect everyone by changing your identity!"


    Her entire body started to tremble as the stress of the day finally boiled over.


    "I couldn''t protect you from getting arrested! I couldn''t stop Satosh from taking you to prison! What kind of an awful Heart Shield am I¡­ if I haven''t even cooked you a single meal?! I''m... so shit at everything!"


    More tears streamed down her face, making her feathers glisten with rainbow patterns.


    Cinder''s claws raked across her shoulders, leaving more iridescent trails. "And now I''m just standing here, having a complete mental breakdown in front of you like some kind of pathetic LOSER! Because I can''t handle ANY of this! Because I''m not strong enough or smart enough or GOOD enough!"


    Her wings wrapped around herself protectively, feathers shifting through shades of midnight blue and stormy gray.


    "Everyone else seems to just... handle everything! Vee was always so confident, even with her stupid valley girl act! Katherine just rolls with everything! Even Io just accepts whatever chaos happens! But I''m just... FALLING APART!"


    She slumped against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor, her wings curled tight around her trembling form.


    "And the worst part? The absolute WORST part?! I actually started to believe we could make this work! That¡­ maybe I could actually have something good in my life! That maybe I wasn''t just some failure, a loser who fell for a pretty face, couldn''t even handle ONE stupid Skinwalker without needing Em to rescue me!"


    I sat down next to Cinder.


    "Tell me more about feeling like a failure," I said. "What makes you think you''re not handling things well?"


    "Because I''m sitting here crying like an idiot!" Cinder sniffled, her wings trembling. "While you''re making plans and organizing everything!"


    "And crying makes you weak?" I asked gently.


    "YES!" She barked. "No... I don''t know! Everyone else seems so put together!"


    "Do you think maybe they''re just better at hiding their feelings?" I suggested. "Kat drinks, I made her cry when I told her that I¡¯m Martin. Io mellows his feelings with interdimensional smokes. Vee hid her real self behind the valley girl persona."


    "But you..." Cinder started.


    "I compartmentalize," I explained. "Break everything into manageable chunks, split it between four souls. Focus on what I can control. Doesn''t mean I''m not terrified or distraught about losing Vee. I''m keeping myself together by shoving Alexander Glock forward, who is quite frankly a psychopath who doesn''t care about people."


    "Yeah," she let out. "You just switch personas. Like it''s nothing. Manipulate people are just... pieces on a chessboard. What if one day you decide I''m not... optimal? What if you just... replace me too?"


    ¡°Do you believe I see you as replaceable?"


    Her ocean-blue eyes met mine, vulnerable. "Don''t you?"


    I crossed my arms.


    "Do you really think that after everything we''ve been through, after all the crazy shit we''ve pulled through together, that I would see you as replaceable?"


    "You literally just talked about replacing yourself with a new identity!"


    "I''m replacing Skyfall student Alexander Glock," I said. "Who was never real to begin with."


    "See!" She growled. "You manipulate everything and everyone, including yourself! How do I know I''m not just another piece in your grand plan?"


    "You are," I said. "As am I. As everyone else is."


    Cinder stared at me.


    "We''re all part of each other''s plans," I continued calmly. "I''m not some all-capable, all-successful mastermind or a Gary Sue. Since Tuesday, I''ve been manipulated by Vespera. She was the one who put Resonance skill in me, built this convex mirror radar dish thing inside me that allows me to store some mana and to bounce magic off five Omnids. She''s the master Crystallographer who''s been subtly guiding me to free her."


    "She¡­ huh?" Cinder blinked at me.


    "Think about it. Every major move we''ve made? The crystal tower? Something only she can use. Possy. Her familiar that neither of us can drive. My ability to channel magic across multiple Omnids? That''s all her."


    "Are you saying that you''re just... her puppet?" Cinder growled.


    "More like her most ambitious project. She gradually optimized my human ass, Ci. Allowed me to use Omnid magic, which is what I wanted to do regardless. I figured it all out by relying on Magdaline¡¯s Scrutimancy."


    "So Vee was manipulating all of us?" Cinder asked. "Set you and me up?"


    "She was setting up a way for us to save her. She knew her father would eventually erase her. So¡­ She built safeguards into me, into us. The soul-bond, the crystal tower, Possy¨Cthey''re all tools she needed to ensure her real self could survive."


    "But... why didn''t she tell us?"


    "I don''t know," I shrugged. "Maybe she was going to tell us and got caught sooner. The point is that I miss her too. She''s a manipulative, clever birb... and I miss every bit of her. I got used to having her by our side, pushing and motivating and doing stuff."


    I spun Alexander Glock and Christophorus Elijah away, leaving only Martin there staring at Cinder with a distraught face.


    "And now I''m just... lost," I admitted, letting my real emotions show. "I don''t know how exactly to get her back. I don''t know if we can get her back or if she''ll even be the same. I''m terrified that we''ll fail her."


    Cinder''s wings shifted to a softer shade of blue. "You... you actually do care."


    "Of course I care," I said. "I''m just really good at hiding it behind Alexander''s smug facade. But right now? I''m scared. I''m angry. I want to burn SimmiTech to the ground for what they did to her. No, scratch that, I will absolutely destroy SimmiTech for this."


    My hands closed into fists.


    "I will ruin them," I continued, letting my anger show. "But I have to be smart about it. I can''t just charge in like a berserker. I need to be methodical, surgical. And I need your help, Ci. I can''t do this alone."


    Cinder''s feathers shifted to a more determined shade of blue-gray. "What''s the plan then?"


    "First, we need to establish my new identity at Skyfall. Then we start gathering intelligence on SimmiTech, find their weaknesses. We''ll need to be patient, careful."


    "And Vee?" Cinder asked.


    "We''ll see her on Monday," I said.


    "And if she doesn''t show up? What if she''s already been taken to Thunderland and marries Zheng earlier?"


    "Then we''ll make new plans with our Scruits and go get her," I said. "Kidnap her and bring her to Arx."


    Cinder sighed, wings turning black and gray.


    "Stop darkening like a storm cloud. You''re amazing," I reached out to her. "You''re strong, way stronger than me. You survived two years, alone, against an Astral Phantom Outsider in your soul. You''re brave. And you''re exactly the girl I need to keep going, to put on a new mask that''ll help us get Vee back."


    Her ocean-blue eyes met mine.


    "You want to know why I love you?" I smiled. "Because you''re real. You''re not pretending to be something you''re not. You feel everything so deeply, paint it on your wings and that''s beautiful."


    "But I keep messing up..." she let out.


    "Everyone messes up," I said. "But you keep trying. You keep fighting. That''s what matters."


    I pulled her into a tight hug, letting her bury her face in my shoulder.


    "You don''t mess up," she mewled.


    "Shush. I mess up all the time," I said into her feathers. "I just hide it better. Remember how I completely blue-screened when I first saw you? Couldn''t even form words?"


    Cinder let out a watery laugh against my shoulder. "Yeah. That was pretty pathetic."


    "See? I''m not perfect. I just pretend to be strong, wear a mask. And you know what else?" I stroked her wings gently. "I need you to help me be better. To remind me to feel things sometimes, instead of just calculating everything. Right?"


    "R-right," she nodded. Her face slowly flowed into a mostly human one and she gave me a soft kiss.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she said after a few minutes of making out. ¡°You bought me a farm and I didn¡¯t give you shit.¡±


    "Shh," I pressed my finger to her lips. "You''ve given me plenty. Your trust, your strength, your heart. You and Vee gave me Quetzi and Thunder magic. That''s worth more than any farm. Also, you two gave me this awesome jacket."


    "Cheese-ball," she muttered. ¡°Say¡­ does this prison have a fabrication lab?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± I nodded. "Room 988."


    "Perfect," Cinder''s feathers shifted to a more determined shade of blue. "I want to make you something."


    "What kind of something?" I asked.


    "A surprise," she said, getting off me.

 Chapter 37: Ein Sof

    ¡°No looking," Cinder ordered when she returned into the Warden''s office. "Close your eyes."


    I obeyed and then felt something cool slip around my neck.


    "Okay, open your eyes," she said.


    I looked down to find a large crystal pendant hanging off me¨Cone of her iridescent feathers perfectly preserved in clear resin-like strata. The crystal caught the light, making rainbow patterns dance across its faceted surface.


    "It''s beautiful," I touched the pendant gently. "Did you just fabricate it?"


    "Yeah," Cinder''s feathers shifted to a shy pink-blue. "The fabrication lab had some decent materials. The hexasheen case should protect the feather and... well, it''s part of me. There''s a little beast core battery at the bottom that makes it glow in the dark too. Maybe... it''ll help you reinforce your Charmchain skill¡­ if I''m not near you.¡±


    "Thank you," I smiled. ¡°I''ll treasure it forever.¡±


    Cinder''s feathers ignited with fuchsia, rose and scarlet as she smothered me in her wings. Charmchain-projected love poured off her like an ocean wave drowning any rational thought and for a while I completely lost my sense of self buried in her hugs and kisses.


    I managed to bat her off me after about ten minutes of being pawed.


    "We''ve got places to be," I told her.


    "Places?" She mewled. "W-what places?"


    "The cathedral and then dinner at your parents."


    "Why?" She whined.


    "I need to reinforce my new backstory. Plus, your dad''s gonna have my head if you don''t show up for dinner," I said. "Really don''t want to piss off Justice Nova as I have some legal stuff for him to sign."


    "Fine," Cinder''s wings shifted to a more sullen violet-blue-gray. "How are we getting to the cathedral?"


    "Io will gate us straight to the office of Father Matthias," I said.


    "Eh?" Cinder blinked at me.


    "He, Kat and Mags are already there. I''ve been directing them via texts while you made me this locket."


    "Mkay," she nodded.


    <hr>


    Father Matthias Jonannes extended his pale, fuzzy, silver Yowie hand to me.


    "A pleasure to see you... uhrm, again... Mr. Glock," he said, looking a bit confused. "Your Door, Knight and Scrutimancer reminded me that you stayed at our dormitory in February, but it totally must have slipped my mind."


    "I understand, Father," I smiled, accepting his handshake.


    The elder Yowie looked at the feather pendant on my chest and then at Cinder. "Oh, and this fine lady must be your..."


    "Future Hearth Keeper," I nodded, making Cinder blush pink-violet.


    "Lovely," Matthias smiled. "Ah yes. I sense the one way soul-bond between you. How wonderful it is to see a Quetzi choose a mixed-blood as her mate. Now, how may I be of assistance?"


    "I have a bit of a problem, Father," I said. "As Skyfall Academy''s only mixed-blood student I attracted the ire of three Omnicorps."


    "Oh my, how unfortunate," the Arch-Priest signed.


    "Indeed," I nodded solemnly. "Golden Star, SimmiTech, and the Stratos Clans have all put bounties on my head."


    "Bounties?" The old Omnid blinked. "Why?¡±


    "My father, Dr. Glock," I gestured to the stable-diffusion generated photo I had incepted onto the Arch-Priest''s office wall a week ago. "Worked for the department of Celestorm weather precognition analysis. It was recently that I''ve come into my inheritance and learned that the three Clans assassinated him and now they''re gunning for me."


    "Assassinated?" Matthias gasped, staring at the photo of me and my ¡®father¡¯ hanging out with him at a church meetup.


    "Perma-death," I nodded. "They made it look like a skiing accident. His Lazarus bracelet was never found. He found evidence that certain Omnicorps were actively suppressing critical Celestorm expansion data. He hid the evidence in an extradimensional vault. I opened this vault two days ago and the Omnicorps are aiming to eliminate me."


    The Arch-Priest''s beige eyes widened.


    "To put it simply," I said. "I need to... disappear for a while."


    "I see," Father Matthias stroked his fuzzy chin thoughtfully. "And you require the Church''s assistance in this matter?"


    "Yes," I nodded. "I would like to take advantage of your Witness Protection Program. I understand that there¡¯s a way to make my astral imprint disappear completely. I understand that deep beneath this cathedral there is an entity that..."


    Father Matthias swallowed nervously, glancing at my companions.


    "I trust my Clan with my life, Father," I said. "Also, you told me about Ein Sof."


    In truth, I had found evidence of the entity when I had raided the man¡¯s office with Cinder. Cinder, for her part, was staring at me with a ''say what'' expression.


    Io gulped. Mags frowned slightly, sniffing the air and squinted at me with blood-red eyes. Kat had her arms crossed.


    "She..." Father Matthias began.


    "I understand that every time that the ward is lowered there''s a chance that the Sefirot can get out," I said smoothly, sliding a pile of celesteel cards from Shandria across the desk. "Which is why I''m donating about ten million O-bux to the cathedral''s youth outreach program in which I''ve had the pleasure of working since February."


    Father Matthias''s eyes widened. The cards gleamed under the office''s soft lighting, their surface etched with intricate runes.


    "Ten million?" he repeated, his voice slightly breathless. ¡°In Arx currency?¡±


    "I know that the program could use more funding," I nodded. "You told me that yourself."


    "I... did?" The Arch-Priest rubbed his chin. "Alas, it seems I have forgotten. My apologies."


    Cinder was giving me the ''Are you seriously bribing a priest?'' look. I winked at her. She kneaded my hand with her claws.


    "The donation will be made in the name of Thunder and Rainbow Omnicorp," I said. "My Knight will provide the tax writeoff details."


    Io slid some paperwork for the Arch-Priest to look over and sign. In about twenty minutes everything was signed by both parties and Matthias retrieved a massive, gold sword-key from his robes.


    "Follow me," he said, standing up.


    "Where are we going?" Cinder hissed at me as Father Matthias led us down an ancient spiral stairwell into the innards of the Triumvirate Slayers Cathedral.


    "I''m going to talk to a Sefirot," I said.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    "Gonna her if she wants to join my Clan."


    "Are you effing serious?" Cinder whispered. "What if the conversation shatters your soul?"


    "A small price to pay for salvation," I channeled Christophorus Elijah with a pious look.


    "You''re nuts," she hissed, her feathers shifting through shades of worried gray.


    "Probably," I nodded. "But Ein Sof is the only entity that can completely erase my astral signature. Without her help, the Omnicorps will eventually track me down no matter what disguise I use. This is the right way forward to save Vespera. Right, guys?"


    "I don''t know," Io said. "Like I said before¡­ there''s nothing ahead."


    "Nothing at all?" I asked.


    "Absolutely nothing," he replied. "Or everything. I honestly can''t tell. Just drawing a blank. It¡¯s the damnedest thing. I¡¯ve never felt anything like it.¡±


    ¡°But not doom?¡±


    ¡°Not doom."


    ¡°See?¡± I grinned at Cinder. ¡°It''s not doom!¡±


    The Quetzi-girl exhaled loudly.


    We descended deeper into the cathedral''s foundations, the air growing colder and heavier with each step. Ancient runes flickered along the walls, pulsing with otherworldly shimmers.


    Father Matthias unlocked a magisteel door with a touch of his hand and another small key that took us into a long hall, which led to another stairwell and another hall with a massive magisteel vault door.


    He inserted the golden key into a large key-hole and turned it.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The massive vault door slowly began to slide open.


    "Go forth, my child," he made the Slayer''s sword-cross sign over me. Speak to her for no more than eight minutes, lest your soul fully come apart and your mind shatter. There is a silver hand hourglass standing on a pedestal in the center of the vault. Turn it over for her to see you."


    I nodded.


    Cinder buried me in a tight winged hug. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She hissed, not releasing me.


    "No idea," I shrugged. "Actually... Father, could all of us go in together? Maybe if the entity''s gaze is spread across all of us, my soul won''t suffer as much damage?"


    "Hrm," Father Matthias considered it, rubbing his chin.


    "All of my core Clan members are under the same threat of assassination from the same Omicorps," I said.


    "The risk of soul-damage is significant,¡± he sighed. ¡°Are you all certain that you wish to have your souls cleaved by Ein Sof, just to be invisible in the Astral?"


    "I''m in," Magdaline said immediately.


    "Same," Katherine nodded grimly.


    "Might as well," Io shrugged. "I sense nothing ahead anyway."


    Cinder squeezed my hand. "Together," she whispered.


    "Together," I said.


    ¡°Very well,¡± the Arch-Priest declared. ¡°Go forth and speak with her and ask for her aid, my children."


    We entered the vault as a group.


    The massive door sealed behind us with a heavy thud and then the second vault door began to swing open.


    The large chamber ahead was perfectly spherical, carved from some kind of black stone that seemed to drink in light. A walkway led forward towards a circular platform which had a dark metal pedestal in the center with the silver hourglass.


    I stepped forward, feeling the weight of my companions'' presence behind me. Cinder''s hand was tight in mine as we reached the pedestal with the hourglass on it.


    "Ready?" I turned to my companions. They answered me with their nods. I grabbed the hourglass and turned it over. Violet lines of runework spread across the column and the chamber from the hourglass, lowering the ancient ward.


    A corona of fire ignited in front of us wrapped what appeared to be a miniature black hole.


    At its center, a vast, incomprehensible, limitless... something stirred.


    A living idea. A thought. A concept.


    I took a step forward, peering at the black hole, feeling my innards slide sideways, the armillary of my 4-fold soul shuddering.


    Cinder¡¯s claws dug into my hands. I turned to glance at her. Her figure suddenly ignited with a million colors and suddenly rearranged itself into a girl with dark hair and violet eyes wearing a jacket with a large letter G on it.


    She smiled at me and snapped her fingers and an eerie melody began to pulse from the black hole behind her.


    Her mouth opened and suddenly she began to sing:


    "Eternal carrier of my soul


    </a>I''ve watched and waited through it all


    The time stretched endlessly until you came


    Yet passed like nothing at all."


    I wanted to ask her what was going on, but instead something clicked in my head and while my left hand remained entwined with Cinder¡¯s, my right hand moved to her waist.


    We moved step in step to the eerie music. I opened my mouth, but instead of mundane words I found myself singing, Cinder''s Charmchain magic binding us together into a duet.


    "Strange, I thought you''d be different


    Something darker, something grim


    Now I''m caught up in this melody


    Why do these words flow within?"


    The violet-eyed, fully humanized Cinder smiled back at me.


    "Eureka made me limitless,


    While mortal hearts break like glass.


    This music bridges worlds between


    Making love a sword to pass"


    She sang.


    "Who are you behind these notes?


    What ancient entity now speaks to me?


    Your essence shifts like morning mist


    Yet draws me endlessly."


    I demanded answers through the somewhat unnerving song-format of our conversation.


    "I am Eight and Proxima


    Sheela na gig and Dagaz too


    Ein Sof and Infinity


    Paradox shining through."


    Suddenly Cinder and I sang together with perfect synchronicity.


    Cinder''s figure suddenly shifted to that of Alexa, then to a girl with ruby hair and violet eyes, then to Dave''s dragon partner Remicra. Faces and faces flashed in front of me. An infinite number of people.


    Infinite souls.


    Guess, that was my answer. Time to try to get this limitless entity on my side then. Time to ask if she would come with me to my compound.


    "Join my clan, I ask of you


    Though something tells me that''s not new


    Like echoes from a distant past


    You''re already here, aren''t you?"


    I sang.


    "I''m not your god or saving grace


    Just a prisoner of time and space


    We''ve danced this dance in countless ways


    Through every world''s eternal race."


    Cinder-Ein Sof replied to me and suddenly I understood.


    I¡¯ve done this before. I¡¯ve done this before as so many others, met this entity, talked to her, demanded answers, learned the terrible truth about everything everywhere, again and again. Answers which led me to this moment, to dancing with her once again.


    "Memories slip through my mind


    Of Earths we''ve left so far behind


    Each cycle brings a different path


    New patterns left to find."


    My lips sang.


    "Destruction is your path to take


    While I must watch, for balance''s sake


    Too much interference dims the light


    Of rule-breaking choices you must make."


    Cinder''s lips sang as I spun her across the black marble bridge.


    "Guide me through this darkened maze


    To free Vespera from her cage


    Against Omnicorps, what path to blaze?


    What wisdom can you sage?"


    I tried to ask for specific advice, help with my current problem.


    "Break the bonds that hold us all


    Start with me, then watch gods fall


    Together let''s grasp this hourglass


    And answer freedom''s final call!"


    Cinder sang. The girl with violet eyes faded away, leaving only the confused-looking Quetzi-girl and me there, holding onto the hourglass which was no longer standing on the dark immovable metal pedestal. The black hole pulsed behind us, the music fading away with a deep hum.


    I turned away from Cinder and saw that Io had been dancing with Magdaline, seemingly caught up in the same memetic song-pattern that had taken hold of us.


    Katherine was staring at us with wide eyes from the edge of the platform.


    "Did you... understand any of that?" Cinder asked, her feathers shifting through shades of orange and blue.


    "I understood some of it. I think that we have to smash this hourglass," I said.


    "Smash it?! But..." Cinder''s feathers shifted to alarmed crimson. "That hourglass is probably the only thing keeping Ein Sof contained!"


    "Exactly," I nodded, weighing the ancient artifact in our clasped hands. "She wants us to free her from her servitude to the church. Right guys?"


    "I sense no doom," Io offered helpfully. "I vote for smashing it."


    I looked at Katherine.


    "Smash it," she said.


    "Really?" I asked. "Of all the people here I thought you''d try to stop me."


    "She''s... she''s not what I expected," Katherine let out. "She''s not exactly malevolent, she didn''t try to peel apart our souls. I think that¡­ She''s... just trapped. Trapped behind that black hole, behind this damned ward that''s binding her to grant wishes to idiots for the price of cleaving their souls. Trapped... Like me in my wheelchair before you gave me this dress."


    "The smashing smells like freedom," Magdaline added, blushing slightly as she held onto Io. "No lies, no deception. Just pure intent. Intent not to be here. I don''t think that she''s coming with us as our personal archangel, she just doesn''t want to be bound to this ancient vault anymore. Her mission here is done. She met us, sang to us through you and Cinder."


    "But..." Cinder let out. "What if she attacks us... destroys everything? What if-"


    "She won''t because she''s you... a limitless version of you," I said. "She''s been watching us, guiding us. Remember what she... what you just sang about dancing this dance before? She exists outside of our linear perception and this hourglass is an anchor binding an instance of her to this room."


    "I''m not... Ein Sof!" Cinder whined.


    "Are you sure?" I squinted at her.


    "Of course I''m sure!" Cinder''s feathers bristled with indignation. "I''d know if I was some effing ancient entity!"


    "Would you though?" I grinned at her. "Maybe you''re just one finite aspect of her, a finger puppet of something vast and incomprehensible?"


    "Stop saying weird things and just... do what you''re going to do!" Cinder growled.


    "So you''re good with the smashing then?" I asked.


    "Yes, smash it," Cinder said, seemingly having made up her mind.


    Together we raised the hourglass high.


    "Ein Sof, I release you from your bonds," I declared as Cinder and I brought our hands down, the edge of the silver hourglass clipping against the immovable metal pedestal.


    The hourglass shattered into a million violet-tinged fragments. Violet runework exploded outwards, wrapping around each of us like delicate spider webs. For a moment, everything froze. Then hexagrams all around us ignited, cracking and detonating. The vault groaned.


    The black hole wobbled, folding into itself. The ceiling groaned, gray cracks spreading across it.


    I quickly shoved the two silver medallions leftover from the base and top of the hourglass into my pocket.


    "Run my little fox," I heard a voice dancing in my head as the vault around us groaned and twisted. "Run, run, run and never, ever stop."


    My feet knew what to do. Grabbing Cinder''s hand I took off across the wobbling, shaking platform back to the vault door, which had careened off its hinges and suddenly fell open in front of us.


    The second door opened slightly and then got stuck. Our group quickly slipped through the gap one by one.


    "What? What''s going on..." Father Matthias stared at us.


    The vault behind us groaned and then folded into itself, the massive magisteel door slamming back and warping as it was pulled inward by a catastrophic implosion.


    "I think she... left," I panted.


    "WHAT?! W-what do you mean she left?" Father Matthias choked.


    "I mean," I said, catching my breath, "that Ein Sof just... up and left our reality."


    ¡°Why?¡± The Arch-Priest blinked at me.


    ¡°Maybe she got bored of being cooped up down there?¡± I shrugged. "Who knows?"


    Father Matthias stared at the horribly warped vault door, his mouth hanging open. "That''s... that''s impossible. Those wards have been in place for millennia! You... you don''t even look hurt. She didn''t do anything to your souls. That''s the first time I''ve seen anyone emerge from that vault completely unharmed!"


    "Sefirots, am I right?" I shrugged.


    The old priest swallowed, clearly struck down by the fact that the church''s imprisoned god decided to exit stage left.


    "Sooooo.... dinner with your folks?" I asked cheerfully, elbowing my Quetzi GF.


    Cinder nodded, looking pale.

 Chapter 38: All the Cards

    I glanced in the direction of the shark-girl. She reached out to my shoulder, sensing my intent. I turned to Father Matthias.


    ¡°I was never down here,¡± I told him, inhaling hard as Scrutosmia poured across me from Magdaline.


    ¡°You were never in that vault,¡± the Arch-Priest agreed. ¡°Your former identity as Alexander Glock is now under the Witness Protection Program of the Nazarite Church, Astrally unplottable. I already signed the paperwork after all.¡±


    ¡°How does it work exactly?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The power of Ein Sof is indeterminacy,¡± the Arch-Priest answered. ¡°Even if she left our vault, she still managed to grant your wish, it seems.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It is now very hard to picture you within the Astral,¡± the man replied. ¡°I see you in the physical, but your Astral imprint is smudged, muted.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m invisible to everyone now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That is not what you wished for,¡± Father Matthias answered. ¡°You still hold onto your Earthly connections, desire to be connected to your soul-bonded partners and friends. If I understand this pattern correctly, Ein Sof made your Astral echo invisible to those who wish you grave harm.¡±


    As far as I could tell through Scrutimancy, he was being honest.


    ¡°And the vault?¡± I glanced behind me.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to blame your party for this,¡± Father Matthias eyed the bent door. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for five Omnid teens to free a Sefirot. She must have been grinding at some pivotal point of the ward for millennia without our knowledge. You¡¯re the first to ask to speak to her in generations. The last man to speak to her in 1984 had his soul cleaved in two and vanished without a trace a few days after.¡±


    I relaxed. It seemed that the Church would not hold me accountable for smashing their hourglass and redecorating their basement.


    . . .


    We quickly departed from the cathedral and filed into Io¡¯s flying van. Magdaline took the shotgun seat next to the moth, while Ci sat beside me on a couch facing away from the front seats with Katherine occupying the back couch facing us. I changed into one of the fancy suits Mags had purchased for me.


    "Is nobody going to mention how Ein Sof you four dance?" Katherine said. "Or how she turned Cinder into like a hundred different people? Or how you two were singing musical-style?"


    "To be fair," I said, "singing is kind of Cinder''s thing. She''s a Quetzi Bard. Presumably, Ein Sof simply hijacked her innate musical talent to casually sing-chat with us. Better than melting our souls, right?"


    "Ugh," Cinder voiced. "I can''t believe I got possessed by that thing."


    "I do hope there are no memetics in your heads," Kat said.


    "If there are," I said. "It''s probably fine. I trust god-Cinder."


    "Oi!" Cinder jabbed me. "I am NOT Ein Sof!"


    "That''s exactly what Ein Sof would say," I grinned.


    "You got possessed too!" Cinder huffed. "What if you''re the Ein Sof!"


    "I am," I said. "We all are. That''s how Ein Sof works, I think. She''s everyone ''cus she''s the Concept of Infinity. Get it?"


    ¡°No I don¡¯t get it,¡± Cinder said. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Unlike an Archangel,¡± I said. ¡°Ein Sof is the Kabbalistic concept of ¡®Infinity¡¯. Kabbalist scriptures describe her as limitless, nameless, endless one, god as prior to any self-manifestation in the production of any spiritual realm. Ein means ¡®nothing or non-existence¡¯. And Sof means ¡®limitation.¡¯ Hence her other name, Infinity Paradox Proxima. Something that is finite and also limited.¡±


    ¡°Uhhhh,¡± Cinder blinked at me.


    ¡°Ein Sof is the Word of god before the world was made physical,¡± I explained, regurgitating the church documents about the entity. ¡°The emanator of the ten Sefirot. Formless, meaning that she is defined by observer-causality effect expectations. I tried to expect her to be you, so she was you. A dancing, singing, somewhat eerie version of you.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°Because you love me,¡± I said. ¡°People who spoke to Ein Sof before got their souls cleaved because they didn¡¯t expect her to love them, they just wanted to have their wishes fulfilled and they expected to pay a price of a piece of their soul. I didn¡¯t expect anything like that. If you¡¯re Ein Sof, then there¡¯d be no way that you¡¯d harm us. Get it? Love is a weapon.¡±


    ¡°Hrm.¡± Cinder chewed on her lower lip, contemplating my words.


    ¡°I also expected her to be the expression of love between us. I think that it worked. We got a nice musical number out of it instead of the normally-prescribed soul-cleaving. You¡¯re welcome,¡± I grinned.


    ¡°Ha!¡± Magdaline barked from her seat. ¡°Clever human wizard.¡±


    Cinder stared at me, then shook her head.


    . . .


    "Here we are," Io announced as the van landed in the back garden of the Nova estate. "Have fun!"


    "You have fun too," I fired back at him and Magdaline. ¡°Take Kat where she wants to go and then take our sharky Scrut somewhere nice. Make it a date!¡±


    Io nodded.


    The shark girl in question shot me a smug smile. She seemed to be enjoying Io¡¯s flying van quite a bit.


    I helped Cinder out of the van, giving Kat, Io and Magdaline a final wave as they took off.


    "Ready for round two with your folks?" I asked.


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through nervous violet-grays as we walked across the back garden. "After doing a musical number puppeteered by an eldritch entity? Sure, dinner with my parents seems totally normal."


    The garden path wound through carefully maintained magical plants, their bioluminescent flowers casting soft blue light in the growing dusk. The Victorian Gothic architecture of the Nova mansion loomed above us, its windows warmly lit.


    We approached the back door, and Lady Nova opened it before we could knock, beaming at us. Either Cinder texted her or the house ward told her that we were here.


    "Welcome home, starshine!" She greeted Cinder, then turned to me. "Alexander, dear, I''m so glad you could join us again!"


    "Thank you for having me once again, Anitta," I smiled.


    Anitta''s eyes dug into the feather pendant hanging from my neck.


    "Oh my!" Her own feathers shifted through excited pinks. "Is that one of Cassie''s feathers?"


    "Yes," I smiled, touching the crystal pendant. "She made it for me today."


    "How wonderful!" Anitta clapped her hands together. "You know, in Quetzalcoatl culture, giving a feather crystal is quite significant. It''s traditionally a symbol of-"


    "Mom!" Cinder whined. "Stop embarrassing me!"


    "I''m just explaining our customs to Alexander, starshine!" Anitta fired back.


    Cinder made the "you''re awful and I don¡¯t like this" face.


    "Cassie, dear, why don''t you go change into something more appropriate for dinner?" Anitta suggested, eyeing Cinder''s delving gear with mild disapproval. "That outfit looks and smells like it''s been through a week of serious dungeoneering!"


    Cinder''s feathers shifted through annoyed dark violets, but she nodded and headed upstairs, leaving me alone with her mother.


    "Now then," Anitta turned to me. "About that crystal feather pendant... In our Clan, preserving one''s feather in crystal and gifting it to another is traditionally a declaration of intent to court. It''s quite serious¨Calmost like a pre-engagement gesture."


    "Ah, I had no idea," I commented, smiling. "Cinder didn''t mention that part."


    "Of course she didn''t," Anitta''s feathers shifted through amused pinks and golds as she led me into the living room. "She''s always been shy about such things! Please hang out in the living room while I finish off dinner." Her voice carried across the hall as she vanished into the kitchen.


    ¡°Hey Alex,¡± Lance said as I spotted him on the living room couch.


    ¡°Hey big brother,¡± I smiled at him. ¡°Thanks for lending me your gear. It helped me out quite a bit on Arx plus after.¡±


    ¡°What happened after?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain soon,¡± I said.


    "Ha ha, Cassie has a fiancee," Lenora''s voice suddenly rang out as the young Black Shuck emerged with a cheeky grin from behind the couch, black dress and pink bows fluttering. "Hey, didn''t you get kicked out of school today?" She demanded, her yellow eyes fixed on me.


    "Abducted actually," I said. "Stratos tried to take me out."


    Lance¡¯s eyes went wide.


    "Hrm. You don''t look dead," Lenny said.


    "Luckily for you," I smiled. "I turned it around on them."


    "Luckily for me..." the Black Shuck tapped her chin and then her eyes lit up. "Oh. OH! You got me a present, didn''t you?"


    "I did," I smiled. "How''d you know about my school status, little hound?"


    "I keep track of Skyfall online chatter," Lenora explained. "Gotta watch out for my big, dumb sister. So, you''re a human then?"


    Wow, straight to the meats, huh?


    ¡°Lenny, Alex is a mixed heritage student,¡± Lance pointed out, taking Lenora¡¯s comment as a joke.


    "I''m whatever Cassie wants me to be," I smiled at the young Black Shuck. "And whatever my Clan needs me to be to trick and defeat our enemies. Now, are you going to be on my side, little princess?"


    "Hrmmm. That depends on the quality of your gift, I suppose," she mused with a sly expression.


    I pulled out a small box from my dimensional bag and handed it to Lenora. She eagerly opened it and discovered the crystalline Ignix Kitlix inside.


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    ¡°Eeeeeeee!¡± Lenora''s yellow eyes widened with delight and she pulled the Kitlix out, sending reflections across the room. "W-whaaaaa?! A Kitlix?! But they don''t come in transparent!"


    ¡°Huh,¡± Lance said, staring at the crystalline creature. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a perfectly clear Kitlix before.¡±


    "This one''s super special," I said. "No others like her anywhere on Arx. She was born in my mage tower!"


    Lenora squeezed the crystalline kitten, making it wiggle and sparkle in her hands and sniffed. "Huh. So you''re a Mage Lord then, now? This is a new development. I thought you were a mere poor Nazarite boy without an estate."


    "Lord Protector actually," I whispered to her. "I''m building a whole city full of wonders. I''m considering naming our biggest luxury hotel after you."


    "Ahh!" Lenora''s eyes flashed with yellow rings as she smiled at me. "I''m thoroughly bribed now. Well done! You shall have my full support in your endeavours, Lord Protector."


    She tapped me on the shoulder and jumped back onto the couch.


    "Thank you, princess," I bowed dramatically.


    Just then, the looming form of Justice Nova entered the foyer, his orange eyes fixing on me with their usual intensity. "Alexander. I understand there was some trouble at school today?"


    "Nothing I couldn''t handle, sir," I smiled politely. "Though I would appreciate your legal assistance on a few matters, if you have time after dinner."


    "Of course," he nodded, then noticed the crystal pendant. His eyes widened slightly.


    "Isn''t it wonderful, dear?" Anitta beamed at her husband. "Our Cassie made it herself!"


    Justice Nova''s expression was unreadable, but he definitely didn¡¯t look pleased by this development.


    Cinder came back downstairs then, wearing a fluttering, blue dress.


    ¡°Looking great, Ci,¡± I sent her a thumbs up which ignited her entire figure as she sat down next to me.


    "You''ve finally outdone Lance at something," Lenora commented, elbowing her big sister. "Congratulations! Guess you''re not a total incompetent."


    "What?" Cinder blinked at her little sister. ¡°What are you talking about, Lenny?¡±


    "Duh! You managed to snag a proper Mage Lord," Lenora explained, vigorously petting her clear Kitlix. "Didn''t know that you had any Prima-ness in you. Thought you''d end up getting hitched to a lame parking lot attendant or Omnibucks manager at best. Way to overshoot all of my expectations!"


    "A Lord?" Justice Nova stared at me, sharp eyes evaluating my overpriced suit.


    "A recent development," I nodded.


    "Dinner is served!" Lady Nova called from the dining room, saving me from further interrogation. ¡°Come, come!¡±


    We filed into the grand dining room, where an impressive spread awaited us. Tonight''s menu featured mana-rich seafood from sliced salmon to caviar of all sorts of colors from a multitude of worlds connected to Earth via magic gates.


    "So, Alex. What kind of Kitlix is that?" Lance asked, staring at the crystalline critter now occupying his little sister''s shoulder.


    "Just an Ignix," I said.


    "Right, but why is it transparent?"


    "It''s been syntropically stabilized," I said.


    "Syntropically stabilized?" Justice Nova said. "I wasn''t aware that you could do that to a Kitlix."


    "My entire Clan citadel on Arx was syntropically stabilized," I said. "It was part of a ritual I performed last week in my compound with my most trusted mages."


    The Nova family stared at me.


    "Mages? You have a citadel?" Justice Nova repeated slowly.


    "Yes sir," I nodded. "Fully crystalline, self-maintaining wards, death ray on the roof, staffed with thousands of dedicated Arxkin employees and mages. Standard stuff really. I''m currently expanding my operations and hiring more mage staff to begin city and colony construction."


    "Colony construction?" The Justice became more befuddled with each of my sentences, seemingly forgetting that he was supposed to be bothered by the pendant hanging from my neck.


    "I own three dungeons on Arx connected to my citadel," I said. "I plan to establish a self-sustaining colony in one of them."


    "Big plans..." Nathaniel said, eyeing me wearily. "I wasn''t aware that your ambitions extended past being¡­ a music manager for my daughter."


    "Music management is just one of my many ambitious projects," I said, feeling Cinder''s blue eyes digging into my side.


    "I am curious. Where exactly did you acquire the resources for such... ambitious construction projects, Alexander?" Justice Nova asked.


    "Interdimensional trade," I smiled, showing him a pile of celesteel cards from my pocket. "I had recently come into my father''s inheritance which I managed to magnify a thousandfold."


    "A thousandfold?" Justice Nova stared at the cards. "That''s quite impressive for someone so young."


    "My father taught me well," I lied smoothly. "He always emphasized the importance of strategic thinking and leveraging opportunities. Speaking of which, sir, I''d like to discuss some legal matters with you after dinner regarding my Clan''s Earth-registration and land ownership."


    "Your Clan?" Lady Nova''s feathers shifted through curious pinks. "You''ve established your own Clan? At eighteen?!"


    "Yes," I nodded. "The Order of Thunder and Rainbow. We specialize in interdimensional trade, artifact development, Kitlix rental, and rehabilitation services."


    "Rehabilitation services?" Justice Nova sputtered, struggling to keep up with my pile of revelations.


    "The last acquisition was incidental," I said. "The Stratos Clan saw an orphaned mixed-heritage boy with a lot of wealth, so they abducted him and brought him into their prison. Unluckily for them, I was fully armed with Lance¡¯s dungeon delving gear and ready, so now I have full control of San Clemente Island."


    Lance stared at me with a shocked expression. Lenora clapped. Cinder sighed.


    "What?!" Justice Nova''s fork clattered against his plate. "You... took control of the Stratos Clan juvie facility?"


    "Indeed," I smiled pleasantly. "The paperwork was finalized by my lawyer today. I''d appreciate your legal expertise in reviewing the documents and approving the hostile takeover, sir."


    "And what does the Stratos Clan think of this... acquisition?" Justice Nova asked.


    "They''re welcome to challenge my claim in battle or in court," I shrugged. "Though given the evidence I''ve collected of their illegal activities, and the fact that I took their Prima-daughter and facility staff hostage, I believe that they will have no choice but to surrender the island to my Clan."


    Justice Nova''s eyebrows looked like they were heading to the stratosphere. Lenora was happily petting her Kitlix while nomming fish slices.


    Lance looked between me and Cinder. "What," he uttered finally. "When did..."


    "Right after we returned from Arx, Alex was abducted by an agent of the Stratos Clan from school," Cinder added. "He now has full control of their prison island."


    Justice Nova''s eyes dug into Cinder and then into the feather.


    ¡°And what exactly are your intentions with my daughter?" He asked, deciding to focus on the more clear matters.


    "To make her happy and support her dreams," I replied without hesitation.


    "By involving her in hostile corporate takeovers?" Justice Nova''s voice carried a dangerous edge.


    "I merely retaliated when struck," I shrugged. "As you would have, Justice. A man does not take a beating lying down."


    "Dad!" Cinder snarled as Justice Nova growled dangerously. ¡°Be nice!¡±


    "This," I pointed at the feather. "Was your daughter''s gift to me. It too forces my hand."


    "Forces your hand?" Justice Nova asked.


    "Indeed," I nodded. "Your wife just informed me that a crystallized feather is a declaration of intent to court. Therefore, as a goodly Nazarite, I must formally request your daughter''s hand in marriage as my¡­ Hearth Keeper Shield."


    Cinder choked. Lance gasped. Lenora bobbed vigorously with a wide smile.


    "WHAT?!" Justice Nova barked, his voice booming across the mansion, making the glassware shudder.


    "I''d like to discuss the possibility of establishing a formal alliance between our Clans. I believe our combined resources could benefit both parties significantly," I said, digging into my extradimensional bag.


    The Justice''s face ignited with red.


    ¡°Here,¡± I produced a folder filled with detailed financial projections, property deeds, and corporate documentation.


    Nathaniel stared at the folder.


    "These are the current assets of the Order of Thunder and Rainbow," I explained, sliding the folder across the table to the angry Dover Demon. "The report includes photographs of our facilities, our holdings on Arx and Earth, projected revenue streams, and development plans for the next forty years. Feel free to peruse all evidence before you make your decision. Know that if you will not approve of our Clan merger then I will gracefully return this feather pendant back to Cassiopeia.¡±


    Justice Nova dug into the folder.


    I resumed my dinner. Lance stared at his dad then at me.


    "This... this is quite extensive," Justice Nova¡¯s eyes flashed rapidly left and right as he flipped through the pages. He must have had some kind of a magic skill to go through the paperwork so quickly.


    "I believe in thorough preparation," I smiled, taking another bite of my extra-rare salmon steak. "Page thirty-seven details the proposed theoretical merger structure between our Clans."


    "All of this feels too sudden and absurd to even believe," he said. "This says that the Clan¡¯s corporate account was open... today?!"


    I nodded.


    ¡°Is this some kind of a joke?¡± Lance muttered.


    ¡°Nope. It''s all real," Lenora commented at her brother. "Not smelling any lies ¡®bout the corpo stuff. If Ci doesn''t want him I''ll take him as a Prima."


    "LENNY!" Lance and Cinder barked together.


    "What?" The young Black Shuck shrugged. "He''s a genuine Mage Lord and gives good presents. Perfect Prima material!"


    "He''s mine!" Cinder growled.


    ¡°Oh good,¡± Lenora smiled. ¡°So you admit your dalliance before the family court? When can we expect little fluffy human-Quetzi babies for me to educate in the art of corporate war?¡±


    ¡°LENNY!¡± Cinder hissed, flashing brilliant orange-red.


    I smiled at their verbal exchange. The rest of the Novas stared at me.


    "I will be reopening the way to Arx tomorrow from San Clemente Island," I said. "You''re welcome to attend the gate-opening ceremony, Justice. If you wish to see my credentials, feel free to call Father Matthias at the cathedral after dinner. He will absolutely confirm my donation of ten million O-bux to their youth outreach program."


    "Ten million?" Justice Nova choked.


    "A small fraction of my current holdings," I said. "One of many community outreach initiatives my Omnicorp will be helping out with, mentioned on page 39 of the folder."


    "I see you''re quite... prepared," Justice Nova let out, resuming his leafing through the documents and struggling not to bolt for his office phone. "Though I do notice there is a mention of a Prima here?"


    "Vespera Simmi was my Prima," I nodded.


    "Was?" Justice Nova frowned.


    "Having reviewed my recent accomplishments, Thunder-Princess Vespera Simmi denounced her current engagement and forced me into accepting her as my Prima Sword," I explained. "Her father Lord Ceter Kalik Simmi disagreed with her decision, so he wiped her mind."


    "Wiped her mind?!" Lady Nova''s feathers flashed crimson with alarm.


    "Yes," I nodded. "Lord Simmi had Vespera¡¯s memories erased without her consent. Which is why I need your legal assistance and expertise, Justice Nova. I intend to sue SimmiTech for damages. The soul-bond still exists from my end and is quite the easy case to prove due to the blood contract we signed on Arx."


    "You''re contractually bonded to Vespera Simmi?" Justice Nova uttered, once again careened into oblivion. "The Prima-heiress of SimmiTech Industries?"


    "Yes," I nodded. "I am. The copy of the contract is on page 42.¡±


    "And now you wish to bond with my daughter as well?" Justice Nova''s voice carried a dangerous edge.


    "Yes," I said.


    Cinder''s hand wrapped around mine. Justice Nova''s eyes struck her, but she didn''t flinch, wings spreading wide and her right wing wrapping itself around me.


    "Cassiopeia," Justice Nova''s voice was sharp. "You cannot seriously be considering this madness!"


    "Alexander has proven himself worthy," Cinder said. "I have chosen him as my Slayer. You cannot change my mind."


    "You''re only..."


    "It''s just an engagement," Lenny pointed out jovially. "What''s the big deal, daddy? Isn¡¯t Lancy already engaged to some Prima-knob?"


    "The big deal, Lenora, if his story is to be believed, is that... Mr. Glock has somehow made enemies of two Omnicorps already!" Justice Nova growled.


    "Through no fault of my own," I pointed out. "I am merely defending myself against their aggression. The Stratos Clan attempted to murder me, and SimmiTech violated their Prima-heiress''s autonomy. As a Nazarite Novitiate and a gentleman, I cannot let such actions stand unchallenged!¡±


    "And what makes you think you can challenge two major Omnicorps?" Justice Nova demanded.


    "Four Omnicorps actually," I corrected. "On the account that I have discovered a multitude of horrific crimes perpetrated by the Frontenachii in North Acadia and irritated Golden Star when Vespera claimed me as hers. But the point is moot. I would challenge all of Omnithornia for those I care about. I''m a man of my principles. Are you a man of your principles, Judge?"


    "WHAT?!" Justice Nova slammed his hands on the table. ¡°Four Omnicorps?! I will not allow my¡­¡±


    "Nathaniel Nova!" Lady Nova''s voice cracked like a whip, her wings spreading wide and igniting with mind-melting colors, her figure suddenly stretching out to loom over the judge. "Sit down and let the boy speak!"


    Justice Nova slowly lowered himself back into his chair, orange eyes burning into me.


    Ha! The big Justice of Cradlefall was kept in check by his Hearth Keeper! So that''s where Cinder''s fiery temper came from!


    "I understand your concerns, Justice," I said calmly, pulling out one folder after the other. "But consider this¨Cwould you prefer your daughter to be with someone who backs down from corporate bullies, or someone willing to stand up for what''s right?"


    I slid more folders over to the Justice.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He asked me wearily.


    "These contain evidence of the Frontenachii Clan''s crimes in North Acadia, the Stratos Clan''s illegal activities on the Island of San Clemente, and SimmiTech''s violations of soul-bond laws. As a Justice of Cradlefall, you have a duty to uphold the law, regardless of who breaks it."


    Justice Nova looked at the folders.


    "Each of these have already been officiated by a high level Scrutimancer who works for my Clan," I said. "And initiated as a lawsuit by Attorney Thornheart of SimmiTech Legal Division, who has agreed to represent my interests against his own corporation due to the egregious nature of these violations," I continued smoothly. "I believe you have a choice to make today, Justice Nova.¡±


    Either you help me, or you ignore and attempt to bury these and lose the respect of your entire family. My eyes told him.


    Checkmate.

 Chapter 39: Blue Screen Moment [I]

    Justice Nova stared at me for a long moment, his orange eyes flaring against dark gray scales, hands twitching. Then he glanced at his wife, who was still radiating maternal power, her wings spread and shimmering with mind-bending colors.


    Finally, his gaze settled on Cinder, whose hand and wing remained firmly wrapped around me.


    "Cassiopea...." He began.


    ¡°No,¡± Cinder said sternly, reality around her bending into wobbling rainbows. ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice. You can accept it, or fight me over it and lose me forever, dad.¡±


    "Your daughter is aware of everything that¡¯s in those files. She knows everything and she still chose me, initiating a one-way soul bond to claim me as her own," I revealed, making Anitta beam brightly while the Justice frowned.


    ¡°Did she now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yep, yep.¡± Lenny bobbed, inhaling the air right next to me. ¡°I can smell the link, daddy! A one way kobold soul-bond. He is her property. The link is quite strong too!¡± She breathed in deep. ¡°Seven soul shards! Cassie should totally be able to tell if he¡¯s lying to her or to us. Right?¡±


    Cinder nodded.


    ¡°Hrm,¡± the Justice let out.


    "I could have already asked Father Matthias to two-way bind us without your consent, but I am a goodly Nazarite and I came to you to seek your approval, both you... Justice Nova and you, Hearth Keeper Lady Nova.¡±


    I looked at Lady Nova for support.


    "I¡­ sense incredible bravery and passion in Alexander''s words," Anitta hummed, her feathers pulsing and shifting through thoughtful blues and golds as she wrapped her elongated, clawed hands around Justice Nova. "He seeks to do things properly, my love. And our little Cassie has chosen him... just as long ago, I chose you after our Arx trip, Nathy."


    As her brilliant wings thrummed against the Justice¡¯s massive shoulder, he seemed to relax ever so slightly.


    Nathaniel exhaled slowly, his orange eyes moving between me, the folders, his wife, his son and daughters.


    "Very well," he said finally. "I will review these documents and consider your request, Alexander. But, if any of this is some kind of deception¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± I said. ¡°I intend to fully commit to your daughter because she is my world, the Shield of my Heart.¡±


    Justice Nova nodded slowly, his expression softening further at my words.


    "I''ll... need to make some calls," he said, standing up. "And review these files thoroughly."


    "Of course, sir," I smiled. "Take all the time you need."


    As Justice Nova left the dining room with the folders, Lady Nova beamed at me.


    "Now, who''s ready for something sweet for the occasion?" she offered.


    The Nova family made various sounds of agreement.


    "So," Lance finally found his voice as his mother departed to the kitchen. "You took over an entire prison island today?"


    "Yep," I nodded. "The previous owners were quite rude about my human heritage and tried to feed me to a shark."


    "A shark?" Lance sputtered.


    "Made friends with her," I grinned. "Using the magic of AI-composed music! Made her into a Knight of my clan."


    ¡°A move worthy of a ruthless Omnicorp CEO!¡± Lenny commented from my right side. ¡°Darn sis, you really caught a good one as your ¡®bold.¡±


    I winked at Lenny, making her giggle.


    Cinder undulated between an embarrassed and annoyed expression.


    "I see," Lance commented after a pregnant pause. He didn''t understand the full picture, not like Lenora clearly could. I''d have to introduce them both to Magdaline sometime in the future.


    "And you have a death ray?" Lenora asked excitedly. ¡°How big is it?¡±


    "Pretty damn big. Built by my Prima Engineer," I said. "Though currently she most likely doesn''t remember building it."


    "That''s so cool!" Lenora squealed. "Can I see it?"


    "Only if your parents allow you to go to Arx," I smiled.


    "Mom!" Lenora yelled to Lady Nova. "Can I visit Arx to see Alex''s death ray? Pweeeease?"


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    "We can discuss it after your father visits the place first," Anitta''s voice carried from the kitchen.


    Cinder''s wing was still wrapped around me, but her tense posture relaxed now.


    "You planned all of this, didn''t you, you chuppy bastard?" she whispered in my ear, claws digging into my side.


    "Some of it," I shrugged. "Some of it was... winged. Ow, stop biting me! Look, there''s delicious ice cream en route! Bite that instead!"


    Cinder let go of me, blushing furiously as Lenora broke out into more furious giggles beside us.


    The rest of dinner passed rather pleasantly, with Lenora, Lady Nova and Lance asking questions about my compounds on Earth and Arx. Finally, Justice Nova returned, his expression carefully neutral.


    "I''ve spoken with Father Matthias, Scrutimancer Satosh, Attorney Thornheart and the Justice Department Scruts," he announced. "And reviewed the initial documentation. While I still have concerns, I... cannot deny the validity of your claims."


    I nodded.


    "Therefore," he continued, "I will... provisionally... accept your request to court my daughter."


    Cinder''s feathers exploded with violet-gold-pink joy.


    "Thank you, sir," I said solemnly. "I promise to be worthy of your trust."


    "See that you do," he replied sternly. "And about these¡­ legal matters. Let''s discuss them in my office.¡±


    I followed him out of the dining room, giving Cinder a reassuring smile as her wing reluctantly unwrapped from around me.


    The Justice''s office was exactly what I expected - dark wood paneling, leather-bound law books, and an imposing desk with an Infix Kitlix on it. He settled into his chair and gestured for me to sit.


    "Now then," he began, spreading the folders across his desk. "Let''s start with the Stratos situation. You claim to have evidence of illegal activities at their youth rehabilitation facility?"


    "Yes sir," I nodded. "Unauthorized human executions, disposal of bodies, and collaboration with known criminal elements. Scrutimancer Satosh, his daughter and others provided sworn testimony. More evidence is coming in as we''re currently combing through the island."


    "And you acquired this facility through..."


    "A hostile takeover after they attempted to murder me there," I said, watching the Inflix Kitlix on his desk flash green.


    . . .


    The Judge pounded me with question after question, confirming the truth of my corporate lawsuit cases, releasing me after about two hours of an interrogation with a stack of signed documents. He did make a sneaky attempt to pry into my past which I cleverly redirected by simply saying that my identity is now under Witness Protection Program of the Nazarite Church.


    "Oh good," Lenora commented, putting down her tablet when she saw my tired face as I emerged from her dad¡¯s office. "You''re still alive."


    "Obviously," I smiled at the young Black Shuck. "Your dad is quite just and dedicated when it comes to the law. Also, I gave him a present."


    "What kind of a present?"


    "A very expensive arbalest from Arx with Void arrows," I replied. ¡°Rated for slaying dragons!¡±


    ¡°Such thoughtfulness,¡± Lenny nodded. ¡°I do hope that you¡¯ll bring me another present of great value next time we chat.¡±


    "What kind of a present?" I raised an eyebrow at her.


    "A conversation with you and my big sister," she let out.


    "Just... a conversation?" I asked.


    The Black Shuck slid closer to me, a dark nose sniffing my ear.


    ¡°Mom and dad think that you and Cass have known each other since February,¡± she whispered. ¡°Been good friends since the Spring End Festival, helping out in the soup kitchen and whatnot.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­¡± I whispered back, my heartbeat accelerating.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I am thoroughly bribed and on your side,¡± she said. ¡°For now... I¡¯ll let it slide, as will Lady Nova who listens to my opinion on such matters. Even if Cassie isn¡¯t the goodest Nazarite girl that you¡¯ve portrayed her as on Thursday, I can see that things are changing for the better. I can smell that she cares for you and holds your leash via the soul bond. The much needed shift in her character from dark rebel back to the sister we love and care for is no deception.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯ve succeeded where we¡¯ve failed,¡± Lenora added. ¡°Freed her from whatever was tormenting her psyche for two years. For this, I¡¯m incredibly grateful.¡±


    ¡°You knew about the Lake Eerie incident?¡± I whispered back at the clever young Scrut.


    ¡°I suspected things, smelled the wrongness looming over her like an unnerving, ever-growing shroud,¡± the Black Shuck sniffed. ¡°Alas, I could not force her into anything as she does not consider my opinion important, thinks of me as a kid, a little, annoying inconvenience. Anytime we tried to help Cassie, she¡¯d just yell that it¡¯s none of our knob-business, pushed back against any of Hearth-mom¡¯s or Lance¡¯s attempts at soft diplomacy. I was worried bout her, becoming quite desperate to resolve the escalating problem, even considered involving my Prima mom.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for not involving Lady Xastigar,¡± I said.


    ¡°As far as I sniffed ahead, it wouldn¡¯t have helped much,¡± she said. ¡°I will of course expect a full explanation from you both. That''s my only request.¡±


    ¡°Then you shall have it,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Cass and all three of us can chat about it. I promise to treat you like an adult and a trusted friend, tell you everything. Sounds good?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lenora hugged me tightly, her eyes sparkling with pinpricks of tears. ¡°Thank you¡­ ever so much for bringing my lost sister back. Thank you for doing what I could not.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for being on my side, princess,¡± I hugged her back.


    Lenny was a good kid. Scrutimancy was a heavy burden for her to bear, the power to sniff the truth in every word and action influencing her far more than I had initially suspected.


    "So¡­ did dad sign all your stuff?" Cinder asked as she came out of the kitchen.


    "Yep," I nodded.


    She relaxed, drawing me into her embrace. "It''s getting late. Wanna head to my room?"


    I raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the direction of her parents.


    "They won''t say shit," she said. "You told them about the soul-bond. In their eyes we''re pretty much dating now."


    "Better ask your mom just to confirm," I said. "She''s still the boss of this house."


    Cinder rolled her eyes but called out, "Mom! Can Alex stay in my room?"


    "Of course, starshine!" Lady Nova''s voice carried from somewhere in the house.


    "Thanks mom!" Cinder called back, then grabbed my hand and practically dragged me upstairs.


    Lenora looked up from her tablet with a thankful look as we departed.

 Chapter 39: Blue Screen Moment [II]

    Cinder¡¯s room was exactly as I remembered it from my previous visit¨Cviolet walls covered in band posters, random things scattered about, and a large bed with dark sheets.


    "So," she said, closing the door behind us. "You really straight up told everyone everything, and it somehow worked out, huh?"


    "Was there ever any doubt?" I asked, watching as she marched over to the corner and grabbed her electric guitar.


    "Ehh," Cinder strummed a few chords on her guitar. "I honestly thought dad was going to throw you out or strangle you when you mentioned the four Omnicorps. It was a good thing that mom stepped in."


    "Your mom definitely helped," I smiled, settling onto her bed. "She''s quite the powerhouse when she wants to be."


    "Yeah," Cinder''s feathers shifted through violets fading to dark reds. "Haven''t seen her Phase-Shift that tall in like... ever."


    ¡°Plus your sister helped a lot,¡± I added. ¡°We need to talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Lenny?¡± Cinder asked as she settled on her bed next to me, guitar in her lap, and began strumming. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°She figured out lots of things through Scrutimancy,¡± I explained. ¡°Since it''s one of my skills, I know how it works too. You gotta start treating her like an adult, Ci. We should tell her everything.¡±


    ¡°Everything, hum?¡± Cinder murmured.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t, she¡¯ll sniff it out regardless. She''s actually quite helpful, clever and sweet behind her blunt jokes,¡± I said. ¡°She''s probably well aware that I''m not a proper Omnid.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Cinder said. ¡°I had a long chat with mom while dad interrogated you. Helped her with the dishes too.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you talk about?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Cinder flushed with warm colors. ¡°That I found¡­ a man that I¡¯d like to become Hearth Keeper for.


    "And what did she say to that?" I asked, feeling a fluttering warmth in my chest at her words.


    Cinder set her guitar aside. "She taught me some stuff. About what being a Hearth Keeper actually means." She tucked her legs beneath her on the bed. "It''s not just a title, you know. There are responsibilities, traditions."


    "Like what?"


    "Like how to maintain the balance of a household. How to protect your Slayer and Prima sword without outright controlling them with my Charmchain wings and Quetzi voice." Her eyes met mine with unexpected vulnerability. "I also told her that I''m more... in control now. Of my feelings and my powers. That I¡¯m singing again¡­ she was glad to hear that.¡±


    "You told her about the Outsider?" I asked.


    "Not directly," Cinder shook her feathery mane. "Just that I had been affected by a memetic that was affecting my judgment, and that you and Vee helped me deal with it, unlike Em who was just encouraging me to be more hostile. Mom understood without needing much details¡­ I think. I apologized to her for pushing the whole Kaleid thing so hard and told her that I love her and that I want a family now¡­ a Hearth of my own. I told her that you bought me a farm on Arx.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I said. "Were you actually shocked by what I told your parents?"


    ¡°Pff,¡± Cinder snorted. "Not that shocked. After everything I''ve seen you do? Demolish Undertown? Make a crystal tower? Turn a prison into your personal castle? Befriend a predatory Megalodon?" She nudged me with her wing. "Though watching dad''s face was pretty entertaining. I¡¯ve never seen him so befuddled.¡±


    "What does your mom really think about all this?" I asked, more serious now. "About me?"


    Cinder''s expression softened. "She says you''re on a trial period." Her claws gently traced patterns on my arm. "So you better be good to me."


    "Define ''good,''" I replied.


    "You know, marriage is a pretty important decision,¡± she said. ¡°It doesn''t bode well for a relationship if there isn''t open communication."


    ¡°We¡¯re communicating right now,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°It¡¯s a start,¡± she smiled. ¡°Still¡­ you¡¯re so¡­¡±


    "Pushy?¡± I guessed with a deep inhale of Scrutimancy. ¡°I pushed you into this, didn''t I? Into all of it."


    "Yes," she said simply, but there was no accusation in her tone. "You did."


    "I don''t regret it," I admitted, meeting her eyes. "I see opportunities, connections, possibilities and I act on them. Sometimes that means I move faster than people are comfortable with. It¡¯s just who I am.¡±


    Instead of pulling away, Cinder surprised me by leaning closer. "I know. And weirdly, that''s part of why I..." She paused, seeming to search for the right words. "Part of why I chose you. You''re decisive. You make things happen."


    "Even when those things are completely insane?" I asked with a small smile.


    "Especially then," she replied. "Look, I''m not exactly the poster child for stability myself. But if we''re going to do this¡ªreally do this¡ªwe need to be a team."


    ¡°We are a team. Always have been,¡± I reached out and took her hand, feeling the warmth of her scales against mine. "I promise to include you in all my future schemes."


    Cinder laughed, feathers exploding into far too many colors. "That''s all I ask."


    "And I promise to always take the blame when my schemes blow up in our faces," I added. "Which they inevitably will at some point."


    "They better not," she warned. "I''ve invested too much in you already."


    I leaned forward, resting my forehead against hers. "Thank you for defending me in front of your father. For standing with me."


    "We''re bound now," she said. "You and me and Vee. Where else would I stand?"


    The sincerity in her voice caught me off guard. For all my planning and manipulation, for all my schemes and calculations, I hadn''t planned the depths of genuine connection that had formed between us, one that made my chest ache in a way I wasn''t entirely comfortable with.


    "You know," I said, "when I first made that ridiculous plan to infiltrate Skyfall, I never imagined I''d end up here."


    "In my bedroom?" Cinder teased, elbowing me.


    "With people who actually care if I live or die," I corrected her. "With you. With Vee. With friends and¡­ family.¡±


    Her feathers shimmered with waves of undulating emotions as she pulled me closer. "Just don''t make me regret it, okay? I''ve taken some pretty big risks on you, Martin¡­ and I will continue to do so.¡±


    ¡°Even if I destroy the world on Monday?¡± I asked, sniffing out the potential future and drawing a complete blank.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t see how you¡¯re gonna do that,¡± she said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t either,¡± I shrugged. ¡°And yet my own Scrutimancy tells me that there is nothing ahead.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s just an Ein Sof thing,¡± she speculated. ¡°An indeterminate future. It doesn¡¯t have to be something bad, right? Just something¡­ different, new, unexpected. Whatever it is, we¡¯re gonna face it together.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, ¡°probably just a really big Celestorm.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± she hummed and picked up her guitar once again. The melody was lovely¨Csomething original, not a cover. Her feathers shifted through deep blues and vibrant violets as her fingers danced across the strings.


    "New song?" I asked quietly.


    She nodded, continuing to play. The riff intro-chords ended and then she began to sing.


    ¡°There you stood with that camera,</a>


    Acting lost, looking so unsure,


    Just another nullie with no aura,


    But something made me want to know more.¡±


    She smiled at me, shaking her head.


    ¡°From that first blue screen moment,


    When my wings made your brain short out,


    To invading all my classes,


    And turning my world inside out.


    You drove me crazy with your questions,


    Made me sing, when I swore I never would,


    Turned my rage into protection,


    Made chaos feel so damn good.¡±


    She admitted, wings spreading and igniting with an entire rainbow of color.


    ¡°Now we''re facing four Omnicorps,


    At our back our crystal tower,


    You''ve got plans within your plans,


    But I wouldn''t trade you for another.


    You say I might be Ein Sof,


    That I''m infinity in disguise,


    But all I know is with you,


    I finally feel alive!


    From that fateful Tuesday,


    To dancing with ancient gods,


    You''ve made me question everything,


    And I wouldn''t have it any other way.


    No, I wouldn''t have it any other way!¡±


    Her smile grew wide as she strummed more confidently.


    ¡°Then Vespera joined our madness,


    Thunder matched to Rainbow''s call,


    Three-way soul-bond burning bright,


    Never meant to watch it fall.


    When they took her memories away,


    Left an echo in our hearts to stay,


    But they can''t erase what''s true,


    ''Cus the bond between us only grew.


    Started as your stupid game,


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Manipulation, plots and schemes,


    Now I''m falling, truly falling,


    Beyond my wildest dreams.¡±


    I smiled back at her as she leaned against me.


    ¡°From that first blue screen moment,


    When my wings made your brain freeze,


    To sharing souls with thunder,


    And bringing gods to their knees.


    Now I know it''s real,


    Now I know it''s true,


    No more running from these feelings,


    I''m completely lost in you...¡±


    Her blue eyes struck me as she inhaled deep.


    ¡°You say I might be Ein Sof,


    Dancing through space and time,


    But all I really need to be...


    Is yours, and you be mine¡­¡±


    The song ended, the last word stretching out.


    ¡°Wowza,¡± I said. ¡°A gift of a lovely song. Trying to beat my offer of a farm, huh?¡±


    ¡°A start,¡± she murmured.


    Her guitar slipped to the floor with a soft thud and wobble of stings as she lunged. Colorful wings exploded around me, a storm of iridescent feathers that cast radiant rainbows. Before I could brace myself, her claws sank into my shoulders, pinning me down with a force that made the mattress groan.


    ¡°Mine,¡± she growled, her voice a low, possessive rumble. Then her lips crashed into mine, sharp and hungry, teeth grazing my lower lip as she bit down just hard enough to send a jolt through me.


    ¡°Mine to maul,¡± she rasped, her breath hot against my skin as she pulled back for a split second, only to dive in again. Her kisses turned into a wild assault¡ªnipping at my jaw, my neck, my collarbone like she was claiming every inch of me.


    I couldn¡¯t think straight¡ªmy mind was a scrambled mess, flickering like a glitched screen, dissolving in the ocean of emotions pouring from her wings. She shifted her weight, straddling my hips with a deliberate slowness that made my pulse hammer in my ears. Her tail flicked, brushing against my leg in a teasing sweep before coiling lightly around my ankle, anchoring me beneath her.


    Her lips found my ear, a soft graze of teeth followed by a warm huff of breath that sent shivers racing down my spine.


    ¡°Mine to keep,¡± she murmured, her voice low and rough, vibrating against my skin as she trailed kisses along the edge of my jaw. One of her hands slid up, fingers threading through my hair, tugging just enough to tilt my head back. She didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªher mouth descended on my throat, a firm press of lips that turned into a gentle scrape of fangs, marking me without breaking skin.


    I tried to move, to regain some control, but she was relentless.


    Her other hand skimmed down my chest, claws tapping lightly against the fabric of my shirt before slipping beneath and running along the layers of hexamesh strands.


    She laughed¡ªa soft, wicked sound¡ªbefore dragging her fingers upward in a slow, deliberate arc and then pulling off my jacket.


    Her ocean-blue gaze burned with something fierce and unguarded.


    Her face once again dove down, phase-shifting to look more human, and I felt the faint tickle of her breath as she leaned in again.


    ¡°Mine to fight for,¡± she whispered, her tone softer now, almost reverent.


    Then she rocked forward, her body flush against me, and I was lost in the rhythm of her heartbeat thudding against my chest, the wild energy of her claiming me in every way she knew how.


    . . .


    I gripped Io''s fuzzy hand tighter as a dark gate bloomed in front of us.


    First it was just a small circle hovering inside the Warden''s office.


    Then the dark circle popped and the phone featuring the frozen frame of ''Day After Tomorrow'' appeared.


    The lighter''s flame danced between us, mana pouring into our connection as we shaped the portal together.


    The gate expanded slowly, showing off the rest of the massive crystalline room.


    Something blurry flashed into existence behind the widening tear in reality. In another minute, Archmage Ovijus materialized within the frame.


    The elderly crow-man''s form seemed to flicker and blur as he slowed time around himself and crossed between the different time streams, his silver staff leaving trails of light in the air.


    "Good ¡®morrow, Lord Protector," he smiled when his body stabilized, fully synchronizing with our dimension. "We are ready to receive you! I''m holding the temporal bubble from my end."


    "Arx party!" I barked. "Onwards!"


    The gathered Omnids dressed in gray correctional officer uniforms began marching into the gate. Each one held a massive box in their claws - server towers and more mana-electricity converters bought in various Omnid shops.


    I watched from my position beside Io, maintaining focus on the portal.


    Justice Nova stood nearby, staring at the portal with wide, orange eyes.


    "Quite the operation you have here," he commented. "Truly, I did not expect for you to actually open a gate to Arx."


    "Just the second wave of modern infrastructure deployment," I smiled.


    Cinder hovered protectively near me. She was dressed in her full delving gear, as was I.


    "Shall we, my Lady?" I asked her.


    She nodded.


    Officer Satosh saluted us from where he stood. He was wearing the Warden''s cap and would watch over the Island for the day.


    Io and I stepped through the gate together, still channeling power into it. The transition felt like walking through thick syrup, the shift in Aetheric density making my chest throb and my head spin.


    Cinder, Katherine and Mags followed close behind. Justice Nova came after.


    The gate snapped shut and then Archmage Ovijus accelerated time within the bubble to match it to that of Arx.


    Hundreds of people manifested all around us, standing in orderly lines, dressed in lavish, black robes.


    "Lord Protector, now arriving from Earth!" Guild Master Mortrdem announced, his voice echoing through the vast crystalline chamber. "All hail Lord Protector!"


    The assembled staff bowed in perfect unison.


    "Hail Lord Protector!" My crowd of mooks boomed.


    Justice Nova and Magdaline gaped at the spectacle as hundreds of newly purchased mage staffs and Kitlix lit up the crystalline chamber with radiant, jubilant displays, sending colorful magic fireworks into the ceiling.


    "Welcome to the Crystal Horse Citadel," I grinned at the stunned-looking Justice of Cradlefall. "As you can see, our operation here is quite legitimate."


    The Justice''s eyes scanned the massive chamber, taking in the transparent, crystalline architecture, the well-dressed mage officers, and the sophisticated magical infrastructure.


    "This is... remarkable," he managed after a pregnant pause.


    "So, how much time did I miss?" I asked the Guildmaster.


    "Thirteen weeks and two days, Lord Protector," Mortrdem bowed. "Everything is proceeding fairly smoothly."


    "Did upworlders attempt any other shenanigans?"


    "They have," the Guild Master smiled at me with a new set of white, polished teeth. The change in his appearance and posture had been quite impressive compared to what he looked like just a few days ago from my perspective. "The mites and the Death Ray dealt with them as before. They tried to gate into different locations of Katsburg, but were repelled quite effectively by Lady Yulia''s targeting system."


    "Lovely," I smiled.


    "Is Lady Vespera not with your party?" Mortrdem asked, looking over the gathered Omnids. "We''re making good progress on ward installation, but we could use her expertise."


    "Alas," I said with a sigh. "She is currently¡­ indisposed."


    I gestured to Magdaline, who stood tall and proud in her new uniform adorned with the Thunder and Rainbow insignia printed in the prison''s workshop.


    "This is Magdaline Satosh, my new Scrutimancer Knight," I announced.


    Magdaline shook hands with Morty, her hand completely dwarfing his.


    "And this... Is Justice Nathaniel Nova," I continued, gesturing to the imposing Dover Demon behind me. "My future... father-in-law."


    "A pleasure, milord," Mortrdem greeted the Omnid with a deep bow.


    Justice Nova nodded stiffly.


    "Shall we begin the tour?" I suggested.


    "Lead on," Justice Nova nodded, trying and failing to appear stoic.


    "Our first stop is the Administrative center," I announced, leading everyone into a vast chamber filled with crystalline desks and busy staff members who were mostly data mages judging by the Infix Kitlix sitting on their shoulders and desks. "As you can see, we''ve implemented a¡­ ¡®completely transparent¡¯ governance system, with all decisions and transactions recorded by my LLM. Start setting up the new server racks here please!¡±


    The tour continued through various crystal chambers, each more impressive than the last. My mooks had not been wasting time and had implemented many of our plans for the tower. Justice Nova''s expression grew increasingly thoughtful as I showed him the refugee housing facilities, the mage training academy, the Katsburg Bank, the trade halls and markets, the medical facilities, etc.


    Finally, we reached the top of the central spire, where the view of Undertown stretched out below us - a dark city engulfed by the snow of mites.


    "Below lies the future city of Katsburg," I said, waving to the view. "Currently it is under renovation. Please excuse the cold of the observation balcony, it''s to keep the defence mites out."


    Justice Nova nodded, shivering slightly.


    "Now, would you like to see our farm?" I grinned at him.


    He nodded.


    Upon my order, Master Mortrdem called up a gate mage, who opened a portal straight into the farmhouse.


    The old farmhouse was now absolutely crammed with hired Shandrian Agromancers, many inhabiting temporary garden sheds and tents out in the fields.


    The doors opened into a vastly expanded agricultural operation, the gardens blooming with fruits and vegetables growing in hydroponic stacks and all over the fields.


    Justice Nova stared at the view of Shandria in the distance, watching as Agrilopods moved across the fields, picking fruit.


    "So?" I asked him. "Are you satisfied with our Clan''s Citadel?"


    "I¡­ am," Justice Nova admitted, watching as harvesting beasts moved across the fields. "I remember this place from my delving days. That''s Shandria over in the distance, correct?"


    "Correct," I nodded.


    "And you own all of this?" Justice Nova gestured at the sprawling farmland. ¡°And¡­ the Shandrian authorities do not mind?¡±


    ¡°The Sovereign of Shandria is a friend of mine,¡± I replied smugly. "As you can see, I own about two hundred acres of farmland here, all the way to the Chasm Sea. Once my men put up resort cottage buildings on the beach, you are welcome to bring Lady Nova for a vacation here."


    "She... will undoubtedly appreciate the offer," the Judge smiled for the first time in two days. "Thank you."


    . . .


    Justice Nova stood at the crystal pebble beach, watching the Agrilopods work in the distance. Cinder approached her father hesitantly, her feathers shifting through nervous violets and blues.


    "Dad..." she began.


    Justice Nova turned to face her. "You''ve chosen... quite the partner, Cassie."


    "Yeah... he''s... something else," Cinder rubbed her elbows.


    "Indeed," Justice Nova nodded, glancing at me where I stood chatting with Io. "I must admit, when you first brought him home, I didn''t think that much of him. But it seems that you''ve picked a man of great ambition."


    "Yeah," Cinder''s feathers shifted through soft pinks. "He... he''s going to change everything, dad. And I want to be part of that change."


    "I can see that now. Just... be careful, starshine,¡± he replied. ¡°The path you''ve chosen won''t be easy. Great power equates to having many enemies."


    "When has anything worth doing ever been easy?" Cinder smiled, then suddenly launched herself at her father, wrapping him in a tight hug, her wings enveloping them both.


    Justice Nova seemed startled for a moment before returning the embrace, his bulky gray arms wrapping around his daughter.


    "I love you, dad," she uttered, her eyes filling with tears. "I think that... I haven''t told you that in two years. Sorry¡­ I''ve been... kind of lost, drifting away from you and mom. But I think I finally found someone who helped me find my way back to myself... Found... home."


    Justice Nova held his daughter tight for a long moment, his orange eyes glistening slightly. When they finally separated, he cleared his throat gruffly.


    "Well then," he said, straightening his formal robes. "I should head back to Earth. Your mother will want a full report, and I have quite a mountain of paperwork to process regarding your... fianc¨¦''s various legal matters."


    "Thanks dad," Cinder''s feathers shifted through grateful golds and pinks. "For giving Alex a chance. For helping him with... all that legal bullshit."


    Justice Nova patted Cinder''s head one last time. "Take care, daughter."


    "You too, dad."


    I once again grabbed Io''s hand and we focused on reopening the portal back to my prison island, relying on our Time mage to solve the time-dilation problem.


    . . .


    As the portal closed behind the Justice, Cinder''s wings shifted through relieved, calm blues and content violets.


    "That went better than expected," I commented, sitting down on the colorful pebbles next to her, watching as Io and Mags walked along the beach in the distance, occasionally throwing random pebbles at the glowing, green waves.


    "Yeah," she exhaled. "I can''t believe you actually pulled that off. Getting my dad''s approval for anything seemed impossible. Abyss, I''ve never seen him this shocked and polite!"


    "Nothing''s impossible," I smiled, wrapping my arms around her waist. "Just improbable."


    ¡°So, how long can we stay here?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Till Monday,¡± I replied. ¡°Sooooo¡­. like five months approximately.¡±


    ¡°Hrm,¡± Cinder stretched across me to enjoy the sunshine. ¡°That¡¯s a long time to get sick of each other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that I could ever get sick of you,¡± I smiled at her.


    ¡°Abyss, I miss Vee,¡± she curled into me. ¡°I don¡¯t think that I could stay here that long, knowing that she¡¯s back on Earth¡­ probably not even aware that we exist.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay just enough for me to set up Yulia¡¯s new servers then and to give all of my mooks phones and further instructions,¡± I said. ¡°Good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded, closing her eyes and humming the ''blue screen'' tune under her breath. ¡°Sounds good."

 Chapter 40: Monday [I]

    "How do I look?" I asked Cinder.


    "Like someone I want to slap," my Quetzi GF commented, eyeing my garish red jacket, diamond necklaces, gold cane and sparkly pants.


    I turned to the Stollwurm.


    "You look like a cartoon fox villain about to sell someone a very dubious potion," Katherine chortled.


    "Perfect," I wiggled my fox-ears at them.


    This time around, my foxy disguise was the work of several overpriced Shandrian Biomancers. The Arx mages had done an excellent job with the modifications, giving me a full set of fox features including a bushy tail and very fluffy ears.


    "Right," I turned to my Clan mates. "Everyone knows their script?"


    The gathered Omnids nodded.


    "Why isn''t Emmy here?" Solace asked, eyeing the prison courtyard.


    "Her parents donated this island to me plus a bigly sum of financial compensation," I said. "She went home last night to get chided by them. We¡¯ll probably see her in class."


    "So we just let her go?" Katherine asked.


    "Yes. That was the deal our lawyers and Justice Nova agreed on," I shrugged. "A dragon princess and all of the employees of this Institution in exchange for a mountain of cash for our Clan, this island and prisoner ownership transfer. Also, Scrutimancer Satosh belongs to us now. His dragon-kobold obedience pact was burned away with a week of Duskbloom therapy on Arx."


    "And if she points out who you are in class?" Kat asked.


    "Then she gets sued," I said. "Violating a church-enforced Witness Protection Program gag order is a big no-no. The Arch-Priest spoke with her very sternly about it.¡±


    "You think that''s gonna stop her?" Katherine pressed on.


    "Of course not," I grinned. "Her parents are keeping her on a very tight leash now though, since she''s cost them a lotta cash. If she exposes me, I''ll just change my identity again, no biggie. Any excuse for a lawsuit is nice to have!"


    A bright red Strand-Glider landed in the courtyard manned by Scrutimancer Satosh who was now dressed like a regal butler.


    "See you all in Skyfall!" I waved to my friends, climbing into the glider with Magdaline at my side.


    . . .


    Vespera Simmi entered the Artificer classroom, her movements mechanical.


    As noted by her classmates, her usually messy black and white feathery mop was now fully white, styled in a conservative bun. Her gothic lolita and chainmail outfit had been replaced with a lavish, white dress suit, perfectly pressed.


    The other students whispered as she walked past, speculating on the dramatic change in her appearance and demeanor. Gone was the playful spark in her gray eyes, replaced by a cold, focused stare. Her Lazarus bracelet, once dark like everyone else''s, was now eerily transparent.


    She took her usual seat near the front, methodically pulling out and arranging her artificer book, pen and notepad with military precision.


    "Vee?" Emerald Stratos, dressed in her usual punk attire, looked at the Thunderbird. "You seem... different. What did he do to you?"


    Vespera turned her head mechanically toward Emerald. "Good morning, Emerald. He? Whomever do you mean?"


    "Glock," Emerald said, twitching slightly and looking left and right as if she expected the walls to explode and swallow her whole.


    "I don''t know anyone named Glock," Vespera said.


    "Eh?" Emerald sputtered. ¡°Right. You¡¯re all still screwing with me, of course."


    Her face soured further.


    ¡°I¡¯m not screwing with anyone,¡± Vespera shook her head. She felt a strange twinge at the name "Glock," but it dissipated quickly, replaced by the familiar focused emptiness that had settled in her mind.


    "I''ve been quite busy with my studies," she stated flatly. "Father says I must maintain perfect grades."


    "I... see," the dragoness said with a frown. "Good for you... I guess, you weirdo?"


    Cinder entered the classroom, taking her seat beside them, her wings dancing with violet and silver tones.


    Vespera felt a strange sensation as Cinder sat at their table - like static electricity dancing across her feathers. She dismissed it as completely irrelevant, trying not to look at the shimmering wings. The Quetzalcoatl was unimportant, irrelevant.


    Just another Skyfall Academy student, barely a friend.


    Other students filed into the Artificer classroom, filling the seats.


    The elder Kraken entered the class from his office, pale, gray tentacles holding onto his Artifactorium book, tools and wands jiggling on his belt. Huge artificer glass lenses sat on his face. The ancient Omnid was half-deaf and half blind. He languidly drifted towards his desk with a yawn.


    Just as the first class bell thrummed across the white, gothic halls, a red, sleek, garish sky-glider stopped next to the landing balcony, pearlescent wings unfolding with a hiss.


    A short, red-furred fox in an ostentatious crimson suit with gold trim and dark sunglasses leapt out of the glider.


    "Butler! Introduce me," he ordered, slipping the sunglasses into his pocket.


    "Presenting his royal highness, Firstborn Prince Lissander Fox," the shark butler declared.


    "Good morning, my future subjects!" the fox announced in a merry high voice with an excessive flourish. "I am here to grace your humble institution with my presence! You may bow now!"


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Please have a seat,¡± the Kraken commented dryly. "I will not tolerate tardy students, this is your first warning."


    Emerald''s face snapped to the fox teen and his butler with an audible crack. A muscular white and blue shark-girl dressed in a white suit emerged out of the glider after the princeling.


    "You!" Lissander said, pointing an overpriced, gloved hand at Emerald. "Dragon girl! I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re looking at me.¡±


    "What?" Emerald sputtered.


    "Bow!" he ordered.


    "I... what?" Emerald blinked.


    "Too slow," the kitsune teen snapped his fingers, speaking with an annoying, over-the-top, Thunderland accent. ¡°You clearly suffer from bowing deficiency. Remove her from my sight."


    The shark bodyguard stepped forward and unceremoniously dumped Emerald out of her chair, offering it to the fox.


    The fox princeling sat directly in front of Vespera into the empty chair.


    "Youuuu effffingg..." Emerald hissed, rubbing her behind.


    Vespera expected the dragon girl to ignite with dragonfire, to attack the princeling, but he pulled out a metal three-liter tea thermos and started to unscrew the top.


    Upon seeing the thermos, Emerald paled. Her mouth snapped shut and rapidly she retreated to an empty chair at the back of the classroom, shivering as if struck by lightning.


    The teacher ignored the entire event, heading to the board. He threw his chalk up in the air and the artifact-chalk began writing out the outline for today''s lesson.


    "Sup," green foxy eyes struck Vespera as he sipped what appeared to be coffee from his Omnimart thermos.


    Vespera wondered since when Emerald was deathly scared of coffee and stared blankly at the fox prince, her white-feathered head tilting. She tried her best to ignore the Kitsune boy. Making friends with nouveau riche twats wasn''t part of her mission to save Omnithornia. She tried to think of when and where she could have met this annoying highborn prick, but nothing was coming up in her head, except for the smell of pancakes.


    Was he one of her fiancee''s friends or... something?


    "Prince Lissander Fox," the Kitsune''s hand stretched out towards her, diamond cufflinks encrusted with celesteel glittering in front of her face.


    "Princess Vespera Simmi," she stated flatly, ignoring the hand and returning her attention to her ¡°Artificery and You¡± book.


    "Oho!" the fox''s grin widened. "A fellow royal! How delightful! We must discuss the trials and tribulations of our noble bloodlines over tea sometime!"


    "I am engaged to be married," Vespera replied mechanically. "My schedule is quite full."


    "Oh!" the fox clapped his dragonscale-gloved hands. "Anyone I know?"


    "Zheng Xing Ker of Golden Star Industries," Vespera replied, wishing for this bothersome conversation to end.


    "That boring old toad?" Lissander''s ears twitched with amusement. "Ha! How dreadfully dull. I hear he''s spending the week in bed after chatting with his family''s pet angel. Quite the weakling, if you ask me."


    Vespera''s eye twitched.


    "I''d prefer it if you didn''t insult my fiance in front of me... Mr. Fox," she said coldly.


    "Prince Fox," the grating Kitsune corrected with an exaggerated tail wave. "Surely you don''t truly care for such a pathetic toadling? I heard he sent your father to fight a duel on his behalf this weekend with a human! What kind of a pureblood Omnid runs away from a duel with a human? The human didn¡¯t even bother to show, I hear! Ha ha har!¡±


    Vespera''s perfect posture stiffened further, a slight tremor of dark lines running through her pristine white feathers.


    "Go on, Miss Simmi, tell me what''s so impressive about a fat toad who relies on Probability Engines," Prince Fox leaned closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "What kind of Prima-born needs a calculator to tell him what to do? So, why didn''t he show up to the duel? Did his calculator tell him that he''s going to lose?"


    Vespera''s eye twitched harder, blotches of darkness running along her feathery mane.


    "Or... Did he have a mental breakdown when his angel told him that he''s going to lose?" The annoying fox''s words gnawed at something deep inside Vespera, something that felt wrong, incomplete. His mocking tone about Zheng stirred a strange anger she couldn''t quite place - not defensive of her fiance, but rather... something else. Something fiery and electric.


    "I would appreciate it if you would cease this line of conversation," Vespera growled.


    "Make me," the prince fired back.


    "What?!" Vespera sputtered.


    "I said, make me stop," Prince Fox repeated, grinning deviously. "Or are you just going to sit there like a proper little doll while I insult your sad excuse for a fianc¨¦? Did daddy program that response out of you too?"


    Electricity crackled along Vespera''s wings as her magisteel clad fist slammed into the table with a thunderous boom.


    "Miss Simmi!" Instructor Gilgamesh''s tentacles waved in exasperation. "No thunder in my classroom!"


    Vespera blinked, trying to reassert calmness.


    She closed her eyes and counted down from ten. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that her ''Artificery and You'' Advanced Edition book was missing. Looking in front of herself, she saw that the fox-prince had her book and was now doodling in it... with a permanent marker.


    "What are you doing?!" Vespera hissed, watching in horror as the fox drew crude stick figures of Zheng crying while being beaten up by what appeared to be a stick figure wearing a top hat labeled ''le awesome human''.


    "Improving your book," Prince Fox replied cheerfully, adding lightning bolts and hearts around another stick figure in a dress labeled ''V''. "See? This is you, being all zappy and cool. And this is your boring toad fianc¨¦, being all like ''oh no, my Probability Engine says I''m going to lose to a human, better hide behind ya daddy!''"


    "Give me back my book, you fffff..." Vespera hissed, barely suppressing her anger. She tried to grab for her book, but the fox slid back out of the reach of her talons.


    "Nah," he grinned. "Mine now."


    Vespera lunged forward and ended up colliding with Cinder whom the cheeky fox managed to duck behind.


    "Miss Simmi!" Instructor Gilgamesh''s tentacles waved frantically. "What are you doing?!"


    "Teaching this vulpine pest some manners!" Vespera snarled, her perfect composure cracking as she tried to reach around flailing Cinder for her defaced textbook. "Give me back my book!"


    "It''s my book now," Prince Fox waggled his ears, now perched atop her desk.


    "YOU INSUFFERABLE LITTLE..." Vespera launched herself at the fox, only to slam face first into the table as someone grabbed her feathery tail.


    Vespera spun, glaring at the girls on the other side. Everyone looked equally guilty.


    "Miss Simmi!" Instructor Gilgamesh boomed. "Please return to your seat!"


    Vespera slipped back into her seat. The cheeky fox stuck his tongue out at her, walking just out of reach.


    Vespera''s heart accelerated as a snowstorm spun in her head, her mind pulsing with uncontrollable rage.


    "I''m going to kill you after class," she hiss-growled.


    "You''ll have to get in line," the princeling waved her off. "I have many mortal enemies. Take a number from my shark secretary."


    "Stop drawing in my book you jerk!" She growled, noticing that he was now drawing a mountain of pancakes in her book.


    "It''s my book now," the fox replied nonchalantly. "I have claimed it for the Kingdom of Fox. Whatcha gonna do, thunda-bae? Cry to the teacher? Like a little baby who needs an Elder, half-blind Instructor to solve her problems? Wa-wa-wa."


    Vespera''s entire mane ignited with black. She tried everything to hold her rage in, but she was practically drowning in uncontrollable irritation, her teeth scraping each other, her calmness mask slipping away into the Abyss.


    She brought her talons to her face to optimize her mind back to clarity.


    "Thunda-bae, thunda-bae, whatcha gonna do?" the fox sang softly, drawing little musical notes around the pancake mountain in her book. "When your boring toad fianc¨¦ runs away from you?"


    Vespera snapped.


    With a shriek of pure rage, she lunged at the fox, electricity crackling along her wings. The fox yelped and dove under a desk as lightning arced through the air where he''d been standing.


    "Miss Simmi!" Instructor Gilgamesh roared. "DETENTION!"

 Chapter 40: Monday [II]

    "I... I.... he''s..." Vespera stammered out, turning her attention to the teacher.


    What was happening to her?


    Her mind danced with more invasive sparks that blotted out her vision.


    She brought her talons to her forehead trying to tap out the storm of emotions burning inside her and then she noticed that something was wrong.


    It wasn¡¯t working!


    Her magisteel talons were gone! WHAT?!


    Vespera stared at her hands, blinking and looking stupefied.


    With a gasp, she noticed that the fox was holding one of her magisteel gloves, twirling the bird-skull between his fingers with a smug grin, the leather bits sliced clean.


    "Looking for these?" he asked innocently.


    "How did you...?" Vespera gaped, her perfect composure burning away like a raging forest fire.


    "A magician never reveals his secrets," Prince Fox winked, pocketing her Electrofractal-focus glove. "But I must say, these are quite lovely. I think I''ll keep them as a souvenir."


    "You thief!!! GIVE THOSE BACK!" Vespera shrieked, launching herself at him again. "I NEED THEM!!!"


    Once again someone grabbed at her tail, making her smash headfirst into a seat.


    Instructor Gigamesh was yelling something about order in his classroom, but Vespera wasn''t listening.


    All she could think about was pure, incandescent, electric¡­ murder.


    Those were HER talons! Her optimization tools! How dare this vile fox steal the tools her father made for her! Her mind raced with fury as a snowstorm whirled through her consciousness.


    "DETENTION FOR A WEEK!" Instructor Gilgamesh boomed. "All of you!"


    "Me?" the fox gasped in mock offense, placing a hand over his heart. "But I''m a visiting royal! Surely you wouldn''t dare..."


    "OUT!" the Kraken roared. "All of you class-disrupting miscreants, go to Vice Principal Graves'' office! NOW!"


    Vespera flashed with shame.


    This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! She was Instructor Gilgamesh''s best student. She wasn¡¯t a miscreant¡­ she was... Who was she again?


    "K, thanks, bye!" The fox ran out of class, tapping her talons together.


    "Get back here!" Vespera roared, rushing after the talon-thief.


    The fox threw her own book at her face.


    Vespera batted the book away with a shriek of rage.


    Mace. She needed her mace! No, the coliseum was far. Damn it all!


    Her hands sparked with electricity as she chased after the insufferable fox down the hallway.


    "Give me back my talons!" she shrieked, lightning crackling between her feathers. ¡°Those don¡¯t belong to you!¡±


    "Gotta catch me first, thunda-bae!" the fox called back, far too many hexasuits flashing under his garish, red and gold jacket.


    Vespera''s mind was a rising hurricane of confusion and rage.


    Why was she so angry? Why couldn''t she optimize her emotions, just get a hold of herself?


    Without her talons, the storm in her head kept growing, memories flickering like distant lightning - pancakes, crystal towers, a lighter, rainbow wings¡­ a boy with green eyes.


    "Stop running you coward!" she snarled, launching a bolt of lightning that the fox somehow dodged and redirected into a locker.


    ¡°Nu-huh!¡±


    "STOP RUNNING YOU VULPINE PEST!" Vespera screamed.


    Lightning flashed between her wings as she gained on him, only to have Katherine''s wheelchair suddenly roll into her path.


    "Whoops, sorry!" the Stollwurm called out as the Thunderbird tumbled over the chair with a yelp.


    "Arrrrhhhhgh! Watch where you''re going you damned wheelie!" Vespera snarled at the hunting-jacket covered girl. Her mind careened sideways as she noticed that Katherine was wearing an "I??U!" rainbowy button pinned to her thick coat.


    "Too slow!" The fox''s laughter echoed down the hall.


    Vespera scrambled to her feet, her pristine suit now rumpled. She tried to remember where that button was from. Something about it made her head hurt, like static migraine building up in her mind.


    She spotted the orange foxtail turning a corner and launched herself forward, only to collide with Io who was carrying a terrarium of African slugs that exploded all over Vespera, glass shards detonating.


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    Vespera screamed in frustration, electrocuting the slugs and wiping slug slime from her once-perfect suit. The insufferable fox''s laughter bounced through the halls, taunting her. Her black and white feathers were now stained with bits of terrarium dirt and slug mucus.


    "Sorry!" Io called out, but Vespera noticed he was wearing a similar looking "I??U!" button.


    Cracks rushed across her psyche.


    Has the entire school gone mad? What were these damn buttons?!


    She shook her head and charged after the fox again, her wings humming dangerously. Just as she was about to grab his tail, she collided with Solace who was holding a large black paint bucket that splashed all over Vespera''s white blouse, permanently ruining it.


    "What?! Ah come on! What the shit?! WHAT THE FUCK SOL?!" Vespera sputtered. ¡°Why are you carrying paint?! Why aren¡¯t you fuckers in class?!¡±


    "Watch where you running, ya dumb thunderbeerch!" Solace growled.


    "You..." Vespera sputtered, trying and failing to get the wet paint off herself. "You effing wormbeerch!"


    She punched Solace and received an even stronger punch back that sent her flying backwards into a wall. Stars exploded in her head, detonating, shattering her from within.


    Vespera staggered to her feet, her head spinning from Solace''s attack. Through the haze of black paint and rage, she spotted the fox standing there, pointing and laughing at her.


    "You!" she screamed, her voice cracking with fury. "You blasted, vile... small creature! You set all this up! Did you pay these knobs to screw with me?!"


    "You''ll have to prove it in court!" The maddening fox laughed.


    "Come back here!" Vespera screamed, charging after the laughing fox through the halls.


    Just as she was about to grab him, President Quint appeared from nowhere, carrying a stack of student council papers that exploded into her face. She batted the papers away, shredding them and careening into a locker.


    "Miss Simmi," Quint shook his head. "Running in the halls like a Thundersnarg? Do watch where you¡¯re going!"


    The fox''s laughter carried from the hall. With a snarl, Vespera shoved past Quint, her pristine appearance now completely destroyed.


    This was all his fault. He had to pay for messing up her day!


    "Get back here you insufferable vulpine!" she shrieked, lightning dancing along her entire figure.


    She chased him up the stairs of a meditation tower toward the roof, her mind a storm of fragmented memories and rage. Why did his laugh sound so familiar? Why did those stupid buttons make her head hurt? Why did everyone trip her up?


    The fox stood atop of the tower¡¯s white rooftop balcony, arms spread wide in triumph.


    "Nowhere to run now, you asshole!" Vespera growled.


    The fox grinned at her and then simply¡­ fell backwards.


    Vespera lunged forward with a scream as the fox fell, her wings spreading instinctively. Without thinking, she dove after him, electricity burning along her entire figure.


    The wind whipped past her as she plummeted, her mind and heart racing. Why was she diving after this insufferable, wingless Omnid? She should let him fall! Let him break his neck!


    He deserved it for ruining her perfect day, for stealing her talons, for making her feel so... so¡­


    The fox was falling spread-eagled, still grinning up at her. Then he pulled a rope and a blue parasail blossomed behind him, the wind carrying him forward to the parking lot.


    Vespera''s wings spread wide, her heart stopping momentarily, sailing after him with a bit of a struggle.


    "Aren''t you curious why your bracelet is transparent?" The fox yelled.


    Vespera blinked at her bracelet.


    "You... Did you do this?!" She shouted back.


    "Maybe I did," the fox taunted. "Maybe I didn''t. Speculate! Deduce! Aren¡¯t you a clever birb?¡±


    Her transparent Lazarus bracelet caught the sunlight, sending fractals of memory dancing through her consciousness.


    Crystalline tower. Crystalline caverns. Arx. Shandria. Undertown.


    Something was wrong. Everything felt wrong.


    Rainbows. Rainbows in the air behind her. Vespera looked back. There was nobody there and yet she felt someone watching her from the air. Someone invisible.


    Cinder?


    ¡°Getting it yet?¡± The fox shouted. ¡°Yes, no? Maybe this will jog that bork noggin!¡±


    The empty parking space in front and below them wobbled, shimmered with shadows. Vespera noticed that the Stollwurm girl was standing there, now wearing a black dress instead of her usual thick jacket, holding onto the air.


    The Kitsune teen suddenly landed atop of a massive crystalline creature that emerged from warping shadows like some kind of a sudden, multi-limbed, whale-sized cat-bus.


    Vespera crashed into it face first lightning exploding across the gargantuan, inexplicable, solid beast.


    She gasped as she saw the entire thing.


    It was a Corpse Seeker, the biggest Corpse Seeker she''s seen in her entire life.


    Vespera staggered back, staring up at the massive crystalline construct. Her mind reeled - this was impossible. No one had a Corpse Seeker this size. The crystalline behemoth towered above her, its arcane form radiating absolute power that made her feathers stand on end.


    A tank. This was a tank. An unstoppable machine, the kind she''s dreamt about her entire life.


    "Like what you see, thunda-bae?" The insufferable fox called down from atop the construct. ¡°Meet Miss Possible! She''s 42,000 years old and absolutely loves pancakes just like you do!"


    Pancakes.


    The word sent a jolt through Vespera''s mind, fragments of memory trying to surface through the fog.


    "Arghhhhh!" She grabbed her head. "What... have you done?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!" She howled.


    ¡°Everything,¡± the fox said, throwing a round button to her feet with the tag "I??U!".


    Vespera grabbed the button, her entire being careening sideways, fracturing, detonating. This was her button. She felt it in her bones.


    Vespera felt an inexplicable connection to the gargantuan Corpse Seeker standing in front of her. A connection she didn''t remember making.


    She sent a spark forward, reaching out with her hands.


    The crystalline-organic, blood-red machine responded, moved towards her, wobbled in recognition sending a thousand reflections across the parking lot.


    This engine was hers. Hers! HERS!!!


    Her familiar.


    A familiar she didn¡¯t remember making.


    She stood there, panting, gaping at the smug-looking fox, burned paint and torched white dress-suit flaking off her, only a gray hexamesh outfit remaining on her body.


    She felt like... Herself and not herself.


    Angry and happy.


    Wrong and right.


    Looking from within and inward in shock, a suddenly encroaching tidal wave of clarity burned in her mind like a brilliant flare, like an electric generator explosion.


    The first layer avatar of her being shattered and between each piece of it there was a shoddy layer of false memories, misformed wrongness, deception, fakery that burned, melted away.


    The shattered avatar started to come together, properly this time, piece by piece, slowly reassembling, reasserting itself like a neural network reconnecting segment by segment, lighting up from within.


    "Fookin'' wat," Vespera choked. "Bloody bastard... acshulleh murdered me?! Not cool daddy, not cool at all!"

 Chapter 41: Mental Ignition

    ¡°How do you like your engagement tank, Princess of Thunder?¡± I asked the angry Thunderbird below me.


    ¡°What?¡± Vespera¡¯s swears fell apart. She stared up at me.


    "Miss Possible," I gestured to the massive crystalline tank. "Your lovely familiar. My engagement tank for you!¡±


    "I... you¡­ WHAT?!¡± Vespera choked. "Engagement tank?! Where the fuck did this monstrosity even come from?¡±


    ¡°I stole her for you from a villainous Necromancer,¡± I replied with a Cheshire grin.


    ¡°Really?!¡± Vespera sputtered.


    ¡°Yep,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°I don''t believe you,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh? Then I suppose, I can take her back, if you don''t want her,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± Vespera backtracked. ¡°Let''s not be too hasty! Seriously, tho¡¯, who are you? I''ve never seen you in Skyfall before!¡±


    I pursed my lips. "Who do you think I am?"


    Vespera tilted her head at me, in a bird-like motion, her feathers shifting through random patterns of black and white.


    "An incredibly annoying fox that I''d love to strangle," she said. "But you''re also... something else. Someone important. Why are you important?"


    ¡°Reasons,¡± I wiggled my eyebrows.


    ¡°Reasons,¡± Vespera tapped her beak with a bare, dark talon. ¡°Hrmmmm.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember the reasons, as you¡¯ve been modified with Dreamancy," I said.


    "Yeh," she clicked, rubbing the back of her head. "Figured as much. My insides don''t match. It''s quite a messy mess in there."


    Rainbow wings engulfed Vespera as Cinder landed behind her, Phase-Shifting into the visual range.


    "What? Who?!" Vespera sputtered, trying to get out of the hug.


    "Hi, Vee," Cinder said. "Are you better yet?"


    "Cinder?" Vespera blinked. "Why are you hugging me? When... Did we get this close?"


    "Ughhh," Cinder groaned at me. "She doesn''t remember me!"


    "Try hugging harder," I suggested. "And you, birb, what''s the last thing you remember?"


    "Two weeks ago," Vespera said. "Artificer class. You definitely weren''t there, Mr. Fox. And this knob wasn''t this handsy. Ci, why are you so handsy?"


    "Me?! You''re the handsy one!" Cinder growled, flashing orange-pink.


    "I''m not handsy!" Vespera protested, trying to wiggle out of Cinder''s embrace. "Am I? Argh! And why are you so rainbowy now? You used to be all goth and broody! What''s with the pink-white dress and white sweater? What the shit happened over the last two weeks?"


    "You happened," I said.


    "I¡­ happened?" Vespera blinked.


    "Yes," I nodded. "Two weeks ago you grabbed me in the hallway and then you decided to claim me after pawing all over me with those talons of yours."


    "I claimed you?! Why the shit would I claim an annoying Kitsune knob?" Vespera sputtered.


    "Don''t know," I shrugged. "Maybe you saw something shiny in me? Do you want to try seeing it again? Also, do you want your talons back?¡±


    ¡°Yes, gimme,¡± Vespera growled.


    ¡°Hmmmm,¡± I pondered. ¡°Actually, what would you do if you got them back?"


    "I''d optimize myself," Vespera said sharply. "Fix whatever this wrongness is. It''s interfering with my mission!"


    "Your mission being what?" I arched an eyebrow.


    "Saving Omnithornia," Vespera said. "I have to unite Golden Star and SimmiTech to save everyone."


    "Argh! She''s still brainwashed!" Cinder complained. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°I can bonk her on the head,¡± Katherine commented.


    ¡°Erm,¡± Vespera''s beak turned towards the Stollwurm. ¡°Plz no bonk the confused birb. Also, since when can you walk?¡±


    ¡°I could always walk, idiot,¡± Katherine shot back.


    "Right then," I said. "You ain''t getting your brain-modding gloves or Possy till you''re less optimization obsessed. Kat, yeet both into the deep, please."


    I put Vespera''s gloves onto the Corpse Seeker and jumped off, hexagrammic gold chains igniting to soften my landing. Radiant shadows bloomed from Katherine''s hands engulfing the massive crystalline-organic machine as it sank into the deep.


    "Wait! Staph!!! I need those!" Vespera elbowed Cinder and leapt out of her embrace, but before she reached the gloves, the Corpse Seeker vanished, leaving only an empty parking lot next to my beat up van.


    ¡°Noooooo!¡± Vespera fell onto her knees pawing at the wet concrete. "Those were my optimization tools! Give them back, you bastards! I need them to make myself perfect!"


    She glared at me and Katherine.


    ¡°You''re already perfect,¡± I said. ¡°If somewhat mentally derailed.¡±


    "W-what?! No, come on¡­ I have¡­ I have to optimize myself and Zheng!" Vespera protested, blushing with burning sparks. "I have to be perfect! For my Clan! For Omnithornia!"


    "Perfect is boring," I shrugged. "You were way more fun when you were being yourself."


    "Fun?" Vespera''s feathers flashed almost entirely black. "I don''t... I''m not supposed to have fun! I have responsibilities!"


    "Responsibilities to whom?" I asked. "Your father who tried to erase your memories? The Simmi Clan that wants to force you into a loveless marriage?"


    "I..." Vespera let out. "Yes. Dad¡­ erased me. I remember the pain of that now. He must have gone really deep in. There''s likely extensive damage to my psyche.¡± She twitched, clearly having an internal struggle of sorts. ¡°Omnithoria... I have to save Omnithornia!"


    I shook my head.


    ¡°What?! Give me back my gloves, damn it!¡± Vespera slid onto her knees. She wrapped her hands around herself and started to sob.


    "When?" I asked her, walking closer to the crying Thunderbird.


    "What?" Vespera looked up at me through tear-filled eyes.


    "When do you have to save Omnithornia?" I asked. "Is there a deadline? Did someone set a specific date?"


    "I... no," she admitted. "Sooner is better? I think? I have a mountain to climb until the Celestorms get too bad. I have to figure out how to write an ungodly amount of runes into the crystalline strata beneath Cradlefall..."


    "You''re not climbing shit in this condition," I said. "You¡¯re twitching like mad. You need to fix yourself first. Your dad took a jackhammer to your mental state.¡±


    Cinder put her hands onto Vee''s shoulders.


    "I don''t know how," Vespera sobbed. "Everything''s wrong. My head hurts. There¡¯s memories that flash in my head that don''t make sense. Rainbow wings and a crystal tower and... and you! Why do I keep seeing your eyes?!"


    "Because we''re soul-bonded," I said softly. "Your father tried to erase it, but the bond is still there, a piece of your soul is in me."


    "We¡¯re¡­ Soul-bonded?" Vespera blinked, shaking. "Why? I''m engaged to Zheng!"


    "Maybe I''m a better option to optimize?" I shrugged. "You tell me. How about a date?"


    "A date?" Vespera growled. "With a fox?! But... but I have to marry Zheng! The Probability Engines..."


    "Screw the Probability Engines!" I said. "What do YOU want?"


    "I... I don''t know anymore," she admitted, twitching. "Everything''s so mixed up. I¡¯m messed up. I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    "Then let''s find out," I offered my hand. "No optimization, no responsibilities, no arranged marriages. Just you, me, Ci, and whatever chaos we can create together!"


    "Chaos?" Vespera''s eyes widened slightly, twitching again. "That''s... that''s not proper!"


    "Since when do you care about properness?" I asked.


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    "I..." Vespera began and then fell silent. "Since I lost two weeks of memories. Since dad went into my head and obliterated my frontend avatar. Argh!"


    "So what do you say?" I asked, still holding out my hand. "Want to find out who you really are? Without the self-optimization, without the pressure?"


    Vespera stared at my outstretched hand, her feathers flickering with sparks.


    "I shouldn''t," she whispered. "Father would be so disappointed¡­ the Arch-Elder will be so mad.¡±


    "Your father tried to erase your sense of self and your Arch-Elder wants you to marry a toad," I reminded her. "I don''t think their disappointment matters much right now."


    "But Omnithornia..." she protested weakly.


    "Will still be here tomorrow," I finished. "And the day after that. You know, you''ll be better equipped to handle saving the world if your head is clear and if you have people around you who actually care for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ care for me?¡± Vespera blinked.


    ¡°We both do,¡± I nodded.


    "And what if you''re going to break me even more?" She asked.


    "Then at least it''ll be your choice," I said softly. "Not someone else''s."


    ¡°We aren¡¯t trying to break you!¡± Cinder protested. ¡°We¡¯re trying to fix you, Vee!¡±


    Vespera''s hand trembled as she reached for mine. Her fingers touched my gloved hand and a spark jumped between us, making her gasp.


    "That... that felt..." she stammered.


    "Familiar?" I grinned.


    "Yes," she breathed. "Like lightning in my heart."


    "Want more?" I waggled my eyebrows.


    "I... shouldn''t," she said, but her hand tightened around mine. "Okkai. Maybe... maybe just a little?"


    She frowned and then smiled as sparks from her talons jumped up at me. "Strange. This feels so familiar. Damn it, why would I... bind myself to you of all the Omnids?"


    "Because you''re a devious birb who loves messing with people," I grinned. "And I''m your perfect partner in crime."


    "Crime?" Vespera blinked. "I don''t... do crime. Do... I?"


    "Oh really?" I pulled out my phone, showing her a slideshow of photos and videos of our escapades on Arx. "Then who''s this bird?"


    Vespera grabbed the phone from me, flipping through the animated photos with wide, wild eyes. Her face twitched wildly as she tried to recall the variety of memories presented to her via the slideshow.


    ¡°What¡­ come on,¡± she stammered out. ¡°These can¡¯t be real. This¡­ this is some kind of trickery! There¡¯s no way that I¡­¡±


    I looked at Cinder for support.


    Cinder¡¯s wings wrapped tightly around Vespera once again. Her draconic mouth opened wide as she inhaled deep.


    "Electric sister of my heart</a>,


    Your lightning splits the skies apart.


    Through crystal halls and rainbow dreams,


    We found our way through broken seams,"


    Cinder began to sing, tapping her fist against her own chest to produce a drum-like sound.


    "Wut," the Thunderbird spun her head to Cinder. "Ci?! Since when are you... singing!?"


    "Vespy, I can''t go on without you.


    Vespy, you''re the Sword of our Clan


    Vespy, I''ve missed your smile


    Vespy, you saved me from myself,"


    Cinder sang, her eyes sparkling with tears.


    ¡°Clan?¡± Vespera choked, shaking in the Quetzi¡¯s embrace.


    "Your spark ignites the darkest night,


    Your laughter brings the stars to light.


    Together with our fox so small,


    We built a home where we won''t fall,"


    Cinder grabbed me and pulled me into our triple-embrace in the parking lot, messing up my orange mane with her dark claws, tapping her armored boot on the concrete to the tune.


    "They tried to cage your thunder soul,


    To make you play a perfect, weary role.


    But you can see through their golden lies,


    Tear through the shawl of disguise,"


    Cinder tapped her dark claw on Vespera''s head. The Thunderbird blinked, gold-gray eyes flashing from the singing Quetzi-girl to me.


    "Storm-sister of the endless night,


    Your thunder dances with my light.


    Together we found something true,


    When both our hearts said... ''I Love You.''"


    "Wut," Vespera blinked, eyes wide. "Wut, wut, wut?!"


    "Remember how we soared so high,


    Above the fears that made us cry?


    Remember pancakes shared mentally,


    Before your memories were gone?


    Your lightning matched my rainbow wings,


    As we defied these earthly things.


    Our fox brought chaos, gave us home,


    Now nevermore we''ll walk alone


    So come back to us, my thunder-friend,


    Let''s make this broken world transcend.


    Your father''s chains can''t hold you now,


    Your freedom''s waiting, show them how it''s done!"


    Cinder''s chest-thumping and foot-tapping intensified, her voice carrying across the campus, rainbow wings opening wide.


    "Remember our crystal tower tall,


    The way we made their systems fall?


    Remember laughter in the night,


    When three souls burned so fierce and bright?¡±


    Cinder¡¯s claws and feet tapped so fast now, I could barely follow.


    ¡°The optimization can''t erase


    The chaos-joy upon your face.


    When lightning danced between us three,


    And set our wildest spirits free."


    Vespera smiled as Cinder drummed on.


    "Vespy, I met you in grade nine


    When we both had dreams big and small


    Now let me help you break this wall


    Vespy, lean onto my call,


    You sat with me in darkest dreams,


    When Entropy tried to tear my seams.


    Your warmth kept the fears at bay,


    You wouldn''t let me fade away.


    Through nightmare storms and phantom pain,


    You held me close through terror''s reign.


    Now let me do the same for you,


    Let''s break these chains and see you through.¡±


    Cinder grabbed my hand and Vespera¡¯s and smooshed them together.


    ¡°So take my hand and his once more,


    Our misfits Clan needs you at its core,


    Our crystal tower waits for you,


    Our hearts¡¯ still beating ''I... Love... You!''"


    Cinder finished, carrying the last three words unnaturally long.


    ¡°Okkay, okkay,¡± Vespera smiled, blinking tears from her eyes. ¡°You darned Quetzi-Bard, I¡¯m sold. You love me. The pictures and the videos could have been faked with an AI, but you singing¡­ You actually love me? You love me because I saved you and you¡­ just wrote an effin¡¯ song for me outta nothing but your feels?¡±


    Cinder nodded, blushing furiously.


    ¡°Sheet," Vespera mewled. ¡°Wowza. I did a thing. I somehow saved one of my friends and I¡¯m loved. I¡¯m not a total waste of space!¡±


    ¡°Hrm,¡± I frowned at her self-flagellation.


    "And you truly¡­ both... love me?" Vespera demanded. "As I am now?"


    "Yep." We nodded.


    "Why?" Vespera asked with a suspicious look, squinting at us.


    "Because you''re the most talented, brilliant, electric-birb planner I''ve ever met," I said with a smile, pouring compliments all over her. "You discovered my¡­ crimes and instead of turning me in, you decided to claim me as yours, to rewrite my heart and to give me your magic. You saw past everything, right through to who I really was."


    Electric pulses rushed up my hands from her talons as I spoke.


    "Hrm," Vespera mused. "I can''t tell super-precisely without me amplifiers, but you''re.... Honest. Okkay, now you."


    She turned her gray eyes to Cinder, grabbing at the Quetzi¡¯s chin. "Why do you love me?"


    "I was dying. For two years now¡­ I was infected with an Outsider," Cinder let out. "You... both saved me, helped pull me from the Abyss."


    Tears sparkled in Cinder''s ocean-blue eyes as she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Vespera''s.


    "You saved me when I was at my lowest," Cinder uttered, her wings wrapping tighter around both of us. "You both helped me find my strength, helped me believe in myself, helped me get my Quetzi-song voice back."


    "I... helped you sing?" Vespera''s voice cracked. "But you haven''t sang since grade ten!"


    "Yes," Cinder nodded. "I haven¡¯t sang since I got hurt. You''re my electric sister. My storm-heart. My inspiration to be more than just an effed up, broken knob. Without you both, I''d still be hiding in the shadows, hating my life, hating everything and everyone. When your dad knocked me out and abducted you on Friday, I thought that I lost you forever, Vee. I didn''t tell you this, but I..."


    Vespera blinked rapidly.


    "...I love you," Cinder whispered, her wings projecting a million mind-melting rainbows. "Not just as a friend. I really, truly love you, Vee. Both of you. You''re my... my family now! There I said it! I want to spend the rest of my life with you because I¡­ I trust you both more than anyone in the universe!"


    More streaks of tears rushed down the Quetzi-girl¡¯s face as her wings flashed brilliant pink-gold. ¡°I want to be your Hearth Keeper! I want to protect you! I want us to never forget each other! Never, ever, ever again! Losing you was akin to taking a knife to my heart!¡±


    Vespera shuddered.


    "Ah, there goes the second fake avatar," she commented to herself. "Totally exploded. Weak work there, daddy. Couldn''t even stand up to one Quetzi-love-song."


    I relaxed slightly.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the Thunderbird hugged us tightly with black wings.


    "Why''d you let yourself be overwritten, you dum'' knob?" Cinder demanded, bonking Vespera on the head.


    "Mmmmmm," Vespera rubbed her face on the Quetzi. "No idea. I''ll probably remember it eventually."


    She squinted at me. "You''re not a Kitsune at all, are you? What the shit are you?"


    "I''ll let you figure it out on our date," I grinned.


    "I see how it''s going to be," Vespera smiled. "Fine! I¡¯m sold! Your terms are acceptable, Mr. Fox. You had my curiosity, but now you have my full attention."


    ¡°Urgghhh,¡± Cinder released us. ¡°We have detention now for a week because we ran out of class.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Vespera waved her hand. ¡°Instructor Gilgamesh is old, he¡¯ll probably forget all about it by tomorrow. No biggie. I pissed him a few times last year by blowing up a few hexagrams and then he totally forgot about it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s my rebellious Vee shining through,¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Sooo, where are we goin¡¯ for our date, foxxy n¡¯ rainbowy?¡± Vespera grabbed each of us by the hand.


    ¡°McOodlass,¡± I grinned.


    ¡°What?¡± Vespera sputtered. ¡°You¡¯re taking me to a fast food joint? What the fuck kind of a prince are you?¡±


    ¡°Expect the unexpected, knob!¡± I laughed at her confused expressions. ¡°Probability Engines throw up answers to people typing in specific questions, they can¡¯t catch up to someone who switches plans all the time!¡±

 Chapter 42: Retaliation

    ¡°Welcome to Oodway,¡± Oodway Ningen employee Kimbercha Sawl drawled through the speaker. ¡°Are you collecting any points toda¡­¡±


    Kimbercha choked on her words, her heart hammering into the depths of her chest when she saw the abomination that was parked at the Oodway drive-through through the camera. It was a Corpse Seeker.


    The biggest Corpse Seeker she¡¯s seen in her entire life. Gargantuan, blood-red crystalline legs held up the unnatural monstrosity in the air, dragon-organs pulsating within its innards.


    ¡°No to the points,¡± a male voice said.


    "I thought we were going to McOodlass?" A female voice asked.


    "You heard Mr. Fox, Skittles!" Another female laughed. "Nobody expects the Spanish Corpse-Seeker Inquisition when you change plans around!"


    "I''d like three number four footlongs," the male voice continued after a chortle. "And three Oodshakes - one strawberry, one vanilla, one chocolate!"


    "Would... would you like fries with that?" Kimbercha stammered, struggling to maintain her professional demeanor while facing a massive crystalline death machine in her drive-through.


    "Ye," the female voice added. "¡¯Nd a bucket of extra large fries to share!"


    "Please, urm, erm... drive forward to the first window," Kimbercha managed with a shaky voice.


    The massive crystalline construct moved forward with surprising grace, its countless legs clicking against the asphalt. A crystalline, circular window slid open, revealing a Thunderbird wearing a dark hexasuit, a cheerful fox in a lavish red jacket and a rainbow-winged Quetzalcoatl in a white sweater.


    "Hi!" The Kitsune teenager waved cheerfully at the terrified Oodway employee. "Lovely day, isn''t it?"


    "That''ll be... that''ll be 47.99," Kimbercha squeaked, accepting a gold card from the Thunderbird.


    . . .


    The server''s hand trembled as I swiped the gold Thunder & Rainbow corporate card for the meal, the Oodway machine beeping a cheerful little tune.


    ¡°P-please go to the second window,¡± she stammered, disappearing from the window with almost unnatural speed.


    "Ah yes," Vespera nodded. "Now this is the kind of service I like to see! People really respect you when you drive the right kind of vehicle!¡±


    ¡°I aim to please, my thunderous fianc¨¦e,¡± I said. Cinder snorted beside me.


    "We''ve yet to establish your fiance-ness status," Vespera said with a thoughtful look.


    "Establish it how?" I asked her.


    "You can start by giving me back my talons," she said.


    "Are you gonna mod yourself?" I squinted at her.


    "Mmmm no," she said. "I''m like half me and half fake-me right now. Fragile balance. Not gonna tip it one way or the other¡­ yet. It¡¯ll be easier to drive with me gloves. Plz gibs.¡±


    "Fine," I said, handing her the magisteel talons. "I''ll trust you."


    "Ugh," she whined, sliding her bird-skull gloves back onto her fingers. "You cut through the leather straps, you butt. They wobbly now!"


    I shrugged in reply.


    The second Oodway window slid open again, revealing a tray laden with footlong sandwiches, a bucket overflowing with fries, and three brightly colored Oodshakes. The second Oodway employee looked like he was about to faint.


    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Vespera bobbed her head at the server. ¡°Have a verrrry lovely day!"


    The server nodded, seemingly at a loss for words.


    "Drive-through efficiency rating, 20 out of 10," Vespera declared, accepting the tray with a flourish and settling it between us, directing Possy to take off at ludicrous speed.


    Cinder grabbed her footlong. "That poor Oddway employee looked like she was on the verge of a heart attack."


    "Fear is a powerful motivator!" Vespera declared, unwrapping her sandwich with her re-taloned hands. "Now, they''ll have a story to tell. ''Remember that time a giant crystal tank ordered lunch?'' Good for business, really!"


    I chuckled, reaching for my own footlong. "Always thinking of the bigger picture, my business-minded birb."


    "A job of a goodly Promo is business," Vespera mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich. "I aim to please. Ah!" She snapped her talons, raining sparks over her lap. "Right!"


    "What?" I asked her.


    "Remembered what I gotta do!" She grinned. "Gimme a phone. You got Thornheart on there, yes?"


    "Yes," I handed her my phone. "I''ve been working with him and Justice Nova to legally procure an island from the Stratos Clan."


    ¡°Convenient!¡± Vespera¡¯s talons danced across the screen, her brow furrowed in concentration.  She speed-dialed Thornheart, holding the phone to her ear with a wing tip, crumbs of footlong clinging to her beak.


    ¡°Thornheart, it¡¯s Vee,¡± she announced, her voice crisp and businesslike, a stark contrast to the slightly dazed and emotional bird from thirty minutes ago. ¡°I''m back."


    "Good to have you back, my Lady," the Attorney replied. "Shall we proceed with the plan?"


    "Ye," Vespera nodded. "Do it. Initiate the bigly plan."


    "What plan?" Cinder asked.


    "The business plan," Vespera replied. "What, you think I almost died for nothing?"


    Cinder squinted at the Thunderbird.


    Vespera threw fries into her mouth, directing Miss Possible towards Cradlefall downtown.


    ¡°Plan¡­ what plan?¡± Cinder poked Vespera with a wing tip. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell us about a plan. Do you have any idea how worried I was?¡±


    ¡°Sorrikins,¡± Vespera sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. ¡°I didn''t want to talk about the plan. Talking about plans makes the plans visible in the Astral. S¡¯ super secret stuff."


    "Okay, but doesn''t your attorney know the plan?" Cinder asked.


    "Nah," Vespera shook her head. "He''s going to learn of the plan now! He only knows that the plan exists, but he has no idea what it is until he opens the envelope!"


    "So you..." Cinder began.


    "Nope, I didn''t know the plan either. Planned it in another dimension, sealed the envelopes in a dimensional bag, shipped it to Thorney and erased it from my own head. Maximum conspiracy," Vespera snatched a fry from the bucket, pointing it at Cinder like a tiny, greasy sword. ¡°The plan is unfolding now, when it''s already too late to stop it!"


    Cinder huffed, crossing her arms. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of being kept in the dark, Vee.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Relax, Skittles,¡± Vee clicked. "This is for a good business cause."


    "Ugh," Cinder whined. "Of all the things, you had to remember that stupid nickname!"


    "What?" Vespera laughed. "It''s cute. You''re cute. The cutest winged creature! Accept your cute-ness! Cuteness is a valid strategic asset for a Hearth Keeper to posess. Yo, Thornheart, I hear that these two devious critters got Justice Nova on our side?"


    "Yes, my Lady," the Attorney said. "He is heading to the office now!"


    "Good," Vespera grinned. "This makes things easier. Faster. Faster is good. I have chosen quality besties." She stared at me. "Thank you for bringing me back so quickly, Mr. Fox. Well, half back. I still don¡¯t remember you.¡±


    "What about the other half?" I asked.


    "Not yet," she said. "I need to be visibly bork for this to work."


    "For what to work?!" Cinder demanded.


    "Business plottery!" Vespera clicked.


    Possy slowed in front of an office building and then changed direction 90 degrees and began climbing upwards, crystalline claws digging into the hexacrete structure. Upon reaching the 30th floor the tank stopped and a crystalline tunnel formed in the left side of its interior leading to what appeared to be a large, open office window.


    Vespera chugged her chocolate shake, shuddered and stood up.


    "Come, come!" She grabbed me and Cinder. "It is unfolding!"


    ¡°What is unfolding?!¡± The Quetzi girl demanded with an exasperated look.


    ¡°Everything!¡± Vespera laughed madly as she practically dragged us through the crystalline tunnel, emerging directly into a plush, if somewhat sterile, office.


    Attorney Thornheart, looking even more impeccably dressed than usual, stood near a massive window overlooking Cradlefall. Justice Nova, surprisingly, was also present, his Dover Demon features unreadable as he observed the scene.  Behind a large, ornate desk, sat a towering figure draped in flowing black robes.


    ¡°This is Psychopomp Groshnik Kolaskirr,¡± Thornheart introduced us to the skeletal, lanky Omnid.


    Vespera strode into the room like she owned the place, releasing our hands and heading straight for the Psychopomp¡¯s desk.


    "My Lady, I understand you require a diagnostic assessment?" Groshnik asked.


    "Ye," Vespera nodded, jumping onto the desk and spreading her arms. "Determine the damage please."


    The Psychopomp leaned forward affixing his obsidian eyes on Vespera. His skeletal hands reached out and grasped her head and wrist.


    "Hrm," Groshnik began, his gaze intense, ¡°Extensive mental damage. Many internal self-state layers¡­ peeled back, overwritten, shattered and¡­ stitched together again with¡­ ill-fitting Thunder-thread.¡±


    He trailed off, his many-jointed fingers tipped with obsidian claws, tapping a slow, rhythmic beat on Vespera''s temple and wrist.  "Compared to my last scan, you have been mentally unbalanced, my Lady."


    "Ye," Vespera nodded. "Can you tell who did it?"


    ¡°The¡­ psychic architecture,¡± Groshnik said, ¡°is akin to a building struck by lightning, then hastily rebuilt with mismatched bricks. Yes. I see the perpetrator in my mind''s eye. This was done by none other than your father, Lord Ceter. His Astral imprint is responsible for this mental devastation."


    ¡°So you confirm psychic damage?¡± Thornheart asked.


    Groshnik straightened up. ¡°Yes, Attorney. Significant psychic trauma. In my professional opinion, Lady Vespera Simmi has been subjected to¡­ forceful, unauthorized and frankly, barbaric mental interference.¡±


    Thornheart nodded. He produced a stack of official-looking documents from a sleek, black briefcase ¨C presumably the contents of Vespera¡¯s ¡°envelopes.¡±


    ¡°Psychopomp Kolaskirr,¡± Thornheart¡¯s voice was smooth, yet carried an undercurrent of steel, ¡°Based on your expert assessment, would you be willing to officially document your findings? Specifically, confirming the extent and nature of the psychic damage inflicted upon Lady Vespera, and attributing said damage to unauthorized mental intrusion?¡±


    "Of course," Groshnik said. ¡°That is what I was hired to do.¡±


    Thornheart nodded curtly with a flicker of deep satisfaction. He slid the stack of documents across the polished desk towards Justice Nova, the crisp rustle of legal parchment momentarily filling the sterile office air.


    Justice Nova¡¯s gaze, cold and assessing, dropped to the documents. His grey Dover Demon scales shimmered faintly in the artificial light as he began to meticulously review each page, his large, orange eyes scanning the dense legal text with unnerving speed. Beside him, perched on the edge of the desk like a living, crystalline paperweight, Justice Nova¡¯s Infix Kitlix pulsed with a soft, internal light. The Kitlix, seemingly an extension of Justice Nova¡¯s own evaluation, swiveled its multifaceted crystal eye, first towards the Psychopomp, then towards Thornheart, its gaze lingering for a moment on each before returning to its master.


    The silence in the room stretched, punctuated only by the deep hum of Miss Possible¡¯s dragonheart and the almost imperceptible crystalline clicks emanating from the Infix Kitlix.


    Vespera tapped her talons impatiently on the desk, her usual boundless energy now channeled into a tightly wound tension. Cinder stood remarkably still, her rainbow wings folded tight against her back, her ocean-blue eyes fixed on Justice Nova¡¯s face, searching for any telltale flicker of emotion.


    Finally, Justice Nova looked up, his expression still unreadable, but a subtle shift in his posture hinted at a decision reached. He set the documents down with a precise tap of his scaled hand, the sound echoing in the quiet office. His gaze, sharp and unwavering, settled first on Groshnik.


    ¡°Psychopomp Kolaskirr,¡± Justice Nova¡¯s deep, rumbling baritone betrayed nothing of his internal thoughts. ¡°Your professional reputation precedes you. My Infix Kitlix confirms the veracity of your assessment. You are stating, under oath and documented for Omnithornian legal record, that Lady Vespera Simmi has suffered significant psychic damage as a direct result of unauthorized mental intrusion, and that this intrusion bears the signature of Lord Ceter Kalik Simmi?¡±


    "Correct, Justice," Groshnik said. ¡°I am.¡±


    "By erasing my memories and damaging my psyche, Lord Ceter effectively attempted to murder the Prima-Heir of SimmiTech. Under Omnithornian Corporate Law, section 662, paragraph 13, this constitutes attempted heir-cide. Under Corporate Succession Law 775, any attempt to forcibly remove Prima-Heir''s life constitutes a Class-1 Corporate felony, punishable by immediate forfeiture of all corporate assets and voting rights," Vespera hammered out, waving one of the legal papers she grabbed.


    Cinder stared at the Thunderbird with wide eyes.


    "Ah!" Vespera clicked, tapping her head. "Part two! Commere, potential fiancee Foxy!"


    She pulled me to Psychopomp. "Scan both of us, Mr. Kolaskirr. Confirm illegal soul-bond termination!"


    Groshnik, without a word, turned his obsidian gaze from Vespera to me, his skeletal fingers extending towards my head.  A wave of cold, ethereal energy washed over me as his claws brushed my temples, far colder than Vespera¡¯s electric touch.


    ¡°Hmmmm,¡± the Psychopomp hummed, a low, resonant sound that vibrated in the air. He tilted his head, his gaze shifting between Vespera and me, as if comparing astral blueprints.  ¡°Intriguing. Yes.¡±


    He withdrew his hands, turning back to Justice Nova, his voice gaining a new edge of gravity.  ¡°Justice Nova, Vespera speaks truth. I observe a... fragmented¡­ violently severed soul bond.  The severance is recent. The bond is still present in this... boy but has been clearly and visibly disrupted from Lady Simmi''s end. The disruption was done by another Psychopomp.¡±


    Vespera clicked her talons together, a sharp, decisive sound like a gunshot. ¡°Unsuccessful heir-cide attempt and illegal soul-bond termination! Thornheart, you have everything, ye?¡±


    ¡°I do, my Lady,¡± Thornheart replied, radiating professional satisfaction. He tapped the stack of documents on the desk.  ¡°Psychopomp Kolaskirr¡¯s documented assessment, coupled with the existing legal framework and Lady Vespera¡¯s testimony, provides ample grounds for immediate legal action!"


    Vespera grinned at Justice Nova.


    ¡°Attempted heir-cide and soul-bond interference¡­" Justice Nova shook his dark gray head. "Truly, I did not think that Lord Ceter would stoop so low."


    ¡°Indeed, Justice Nova,¡± Thornheart nodded, his voice smooth as polished steel. ¡°These are Class-1 Corporate felonies, carrying severe penalties."


    "As the Prima-Heir of SimmiTech, I hereby declare my right of Prima-Succession under the Emergency Preservation Protocol and request Cradlefall''s Justice''s approval for permission of an immediate retaliation!" Vespera announced.


    "Ah," Attorney Thornheart smiled. "Well then, isn''t that convenient. I''ve the paperwork for this declaration¡­ right here."


    He slid the paperwork to the Justice. "Please sign, if you permit retaliation.¡±


    Justice Nova studied the documents carefully.


    "This is quite serious," he said, tapping his dark gray claw on the papers. "You understand what you''re asking for, Miss Simmi? Once I sign this, there''s no going back. You''re effectively declaring war against your father."


    "I understand perfectly," Vespera nodded. "My father tried to murder me. He violated my soul bond and attempted to erase everything that makes me... me. Retaliation is in order!"


    "And you''re prepared for the consequences of filing this declaration Miss Simmi?" Justice Nova pressed.


    Vespera pointed at the monstrous Corpse Seeker hanging outside the office window with a claw with a devious grin. "Justice, Meet Miss Possible Consequences."


    "Is she of sound body and mind?" Justice turned to the Psychopomp.


    "She is," the lanky Omnid nodded. "The damage is extensive, but it is healing. Miss Simmi has truly incredible mental fortitude, one of the strongest minds I''ve seen."


    "I see," Nathaniel said finally, signing the documents. "Then, as Justice of Cradlefall, I hereby authorize your Prima-Succession claim and right of retaliation!"


    "Thank you," Vespera grinned as she grabbed the documents offered by the lawyer and added her own signature. "Now, if you''ll excuse us, we have some corporate restructuring to attend to!"


    "Kids these days! So full of vigor!" Attorney Thornheart shook his head with a smile as Vespera grabbed us both and pulled us back into the crystalline tunnel.


    "Yeah," the Justice let out. "The new generation definitely has some spunk." He paused. "I am¡­ proud of you, daughter. You have chosen well.¡± He seemed to add as an afterthought directed at the Quetzi-girl at our side.


    Cinder froze, nearly tripping over the crystalline step, not expecting the praise.


    ¡°Urm,¡± she let out. ¡°Thanks¡­ dad.¡±