ã€ŠRoadtrip - Madness Re-Incarnate #2ã€‹


 Divine Memory Crystal

    Date Unknown

    Nyx: Chapter 1 Notes

    Uh, well¡­ shit.

    I¡¯ll be honest, I turned this thing on without thinking about what I was going to say. Don¡¯t you hate it when that happens? Story of my life, I guess. I often forget to look before I leap. You could even say that¡¯s what got us into this mess in the first place.

    Anyway, it¡¯s probably best to start with the basics.

    I come from the Five Rivers, an intersection in space and time where the spirits of all things return through the five great rivers ¨C Styx, Lethe, Archeron, Phlegethon, and Cocytus. This sacred migration is referred to as the Flow. The Five Rivers is also populated by a rather eclectic assortment of species and fauna, these creatures acting as ¡°vessels¡± for the spirits. It is through fostering and nurturing such spirits that we may reach transcendence.

    Or, at least, that¡¯s the story the Oracles push. The truth is far less glamorous.

    Did I forget to mention that vessels don¡¯t have their own spirit? I¡¯m just packaging for the real thing. Or so the Oracles claim anyway. Although, that seems like a major design flaw, at least if the goal is for vessels to actually transcend. And if not¡­ isn¡¯t that an admission the game is rigged? Either way, this has had some really fun and interesting ethical implications for the Five Rivers ¨C such as rampant murder, torture, and enslavement. Real shame the Oracles didn¡¯t foresee that.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    But the payoff is worth it, right? Right? Well, that¡¯s not entirely clear. Let¡¯s look at that term ¡°transcendence.¡± Little vague. What does that even mean? Transcend where? To end up how? Getting fucked by whom? Because, in my humble experience, that¡¯s how things work on any plane of existence.

    Personally, I think they have it wrong ¨C that I do have a spirit. Or maybe I just have a problem with authority¡­ but we¡¯ll get to that in a moment. Anyway, I see the Five Rivers less as a dumping-ground-turned-spiritual-deathmatch and more as an efficient form of recycling ¨C one that just so happens to mercilessly purge anything deemed defective. Others would probably call that reincarnation. The word choice is up to you.

    Now, I happen to be in a bit of a bind. My life to-date may have been, let us say, slightly less than ideal, but things are really starting to look bleak. Yet in the midst of that darkness, a question occurred to me¡­ what if I¡¯m right?

    And that gave me an idea. Perhaps it might be possible to send myself a message. Write a note, stuff it in a bottle, and toss it out to sea in the hope of salvation ¨C except I¡¯m throwing this incredibly expensive gem into the Flow and I¡¯m technically sending it to myself¡­ Tortured metaphor aside, if my spirit happens to bump into it after I¡¯ve shed this vessel, then I guess I¡¯ll take it with me into the next life. And even if I¡¯m wrong, with the way that time tends to work differently inside the Flow, well, it¡¯s also possible that past me might find this. Or future me? In which case, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still alive. Congratulations.

    I¡¯m also not above tipping the scales in my favor. So, I¡¯m leaving this with a dear friend ¨C one quite good at swimming against the Flow.

    So, that¡¯s what this is. A backup plan. An experiment. A cosmic note in a bottle.

    I¡¯m honestly surprised no one has thought of it before.

    Anyway, we should probably get started.

    My name is Nyx and I¡¯m Hollow.

 Chapter 1 - Starving

    First off, I¡¯m not paranoid. I just want to make that clear upfront.

    Alright, sure¡­ I may have some deep-seated and unresolved emotional traumas, as well as a few incredibly minor trust issues. And, of course, I also live with this constant feeling like I¡¯m being watched. But I don¡¯t mean it in the way you might think! It¡¯s more like I¡¯ve¡­ done this before? Almost as though I¡¯m watching myself go through the motions. It doesn¡¯t help that, in my dreams, my day just repeats on an endless loop, walking through the same events. Over and over. Every single night.

    Okay, now that I hear it, I¡¯m not making a great case for the paranoia.

    And talking to you like this probably isn¡¯t helping either.

    But I assure you that my fear is anything but irrational.

    Everything ¨C man, beast, spirit, demi-god, actual-god¡­ even some inanimate objects, actually ¨C they¡¯re all out to get me. That¡¯s just experience.

    Although, sometimes I might tempt fate. Like right now.

    The partially submerged entrance to a cavern lingered before me, the dark hole yawning open like the mouth of a large beast ¨C thick plumes of vapor wafting in and out with the eddies of the river like it was breathing. They only added to the ever-present fog that coiled around my legs and arms, as though drawing me forward.

    Water sloshed underfoot and I slowed my movements, letting only a faint ripple break the surface as I slid down to my waist. My boots and pants had long been soaked by the lovely, scenic hike through the swampy marshes of the Outer Reaches and my tunic clung tight. The waters of Cocytus were frigid, goosebumps dotting my arms and disguising the crisscrossing layers of scars that covered my body ¨C too many wounds for a mere twenty cycles. Yet I was accustomed to the chill.

    This was it. My last chance to back out of a truly terrible plan. Skip out on crawling into this doom hole and getting eaten alive¡­ or disemboweled. Or possibly even disemboweled and then eaten alive. There were just so many tantalizing alternatives.

    My stomach let out a growl¡­

    But what did I really have to lose? I was starving.

    So, I was really dying either way. It was just a matter of how fast.

    Swallowing hard, I pressed forward. If my plan had worked, there shouldn¡¯t be any kraell left in the nest. I¡¯d lured the adults away by dumping the cuttings from the village¡¯s first catch of silverfish upriver. During their spawn cycle, they had to gather food for their brood. Yet I still couldn¡¯t let my guard down.

    The narrow tunnel eventually opened into a large enclosure, dirt mounded up in the center of a circular cavern and ringed by a waist-deep moat of water. And waiting atop that blessed hill was my goal. My salvation. Quite possibly the most exquisite sight I¡¯d ever laid eyes on. Which was rather pathetic, since the cave was covered in mud and the soupy, rank sludge that the kraell expelled. Even now it floated along the top of the water like dark foam.

    Yes, those were shit bubbles. I told you this was a terrible plan.

    Not that any of that mattered at the moment.

    There were eggs perched atop that mound. So many eggs. Neatly clustered and piled and their surface gleaming in the faint light trickling in from overhead ¨C courtesy of holes dotting the cavern¡¯s ceiling. Each one was bigger than my head.

    I¡¯d only be able to retrieve a couple, at most.

    I was already moving forward, shoving a bundle of herbs up each nostril to block out the smell before splashing through the muck. What can I say? I like to be comfortable while I execute my awful plans. As I reached the base of the mound, I pulled the crude leather satchel from my back and yanked open the strings even as I eyed the top.

    The largest eggs were up there. If I couldn¡¯t carry many, they might as well keep me fed for a few days. So, I picked my way carefully among the piles of eggs as I climbed on hands and knees, careful not to jostle the nests and testing my footing to ensure I didn¡¯t create a makeshift landslide. Eventually, I scaled the summit. I lifted one of the eggs gently, and held it up to the dim light, my stomach applauding my victory loudly.

    An omelet? No¡­ a scramble first. I didn¡¯t need anything fancy.

    Maybe with river leeks and a few of the spring onions from the floating gardens¡­

    Surely, the forest callers wouldn¡¯t notice if a few mysteriously went missing.

    Growl. I was way past hungry. I couldn¡¯t even remember how long it¡¯d been since I¡¯d had a proper meal. Days maybe? Almost a week?

    One egg slipped into my bag¡­ I grabbed another¡­

    Growl.

    ¡°Just wait,¡± I muttered aloud, rubbing my poor stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you, I promise.¡±

    Groooowwwwllll.

    I froze. Wait¡­ that one didn¡¯t sound like it¡¯d come from me.

    Crack.

    Yeah, that definitely wasn¡¯t my stomach.

    I turned ever-so-slowly, holding my breath. A fracture split the length of the egg beside me, marring its perfectly smooth surface. However, that hadn¡¯t been me? Had it? Had I bumped it on the way up? I¡¯d definitely been distracted once I saw the eggs, but¡ª

    The crack abruptly widened, like something was wedging it open from the inside. Meanwhile, the other eggs were beginning to tremble and buck. Okay, that wasn¡¯t a good sign either. Not a good sign at all. Was the kraell brood about to spawn? That might explain why the adults had reacted so desperately to my bait¡­

    Crack. Groooowwwwll.

    I turned again and froze¡ª

    An infant kraell had pulled itself from a shattered egg, coils of mucous still clinging to its scales. Two arms. Two legs. A fish-like head sporting gills along its neck that sucked at the air. Its over-sized white eyes roamed and swirled sightlessly, still not having adjusted to its vessel¡¯ new life. It was no larger than its egg-shaped prison ¨C certainly much smaller than me. However, appearances could be deceiving.

    ¡°Oh, so there was extra protein inside,¡± I muttered.

    Okay, so another fun fact about me¡­ I might occasionally use humor to deflect from uncomfortable situations. Or, as my teacher Fang had put it in such delicate and emotionally-sensitive terms when he found me shivering and half-naked in the marshes at five cycles:

    ¡°Crying kids get eaten first.¡±

    So, I¡¯d learned to laugh instead. Haha. Makes sense, right?

    Actually, now that I think about it, it might just be trauma.

    Lots and lots of trauma¡­

    Shit and there I was distracting myself again.

    Probably because a fight with a baby kraell wasn¡¯t a great idea, especially not in a half-submerged cave and surrounded by slippery mud and delicate eggs. But there was no other choice. It was standing in the middle of the one narrow path out of here and I didn¡¯t want to jostle any of these other eggs ¨C not if they were this close to hatching.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    So, I slowly pulled the dagger from my waist.

    Meanwhile, more of Fang¡¯s ¡°helpful¡± advice rang through my head.

    The desperate Hunter strikes first.

    And I was feeling pretty desperate, so¡­

    Leaping forward, I stabbed at the tiny creature. However, whether by instinct or fate, the kraell infant sidestepped suddenly, throwing me off balance. I hit the dirt and slid, crushing another egg and toppling a few more, but somehow catching myself before I slid down the mound. The eggs began to roll though, bouncing and crashing against another mound¡­ which, also began to topple¡­

    The cave soon echoed with the sound of cracking shells slamming against the rocks and splashing into the waters below. I winced.

    That was, uh¡­ not the result I¡¯d been hoping for.

    The kraell baby¡¯s head pivoted ¨C blissfully unaware anything was amiss ¨C its eyes swirling aimlessly but its gills heaving in a deep lungful of air as it searched for food to fill its stomach. The young were utterly blind at birth and essentially deaf. However, their sense of smell was still keen. Since I was covered in the mucus from the eggs and the adult¡¯s soupy refuse, I should be safe¡ª

    The infant¡¯s eyes swiveled and then focused on my face and I felt my heart lurch.

    Damn it. What gave me¡ª?

    I looked down to see that fresh blood dotted my arm, courtesy of the sharp, hard edges of the eggs I¡¯d shattered. I hadn¡¯t even felt the scratches. What were a few more scars anyway? Looking back up, I saw the kraell open its mouth to reveal rows of sharp, pointy teeth ¨C a hundred tiny needles. It was pretty horrifying.

    The kraell let out a gurgling, high-pitched cry and charged. All 20lbs of scaled flesh.

    ¡°Shit. Shit, shit, shit,¡± I muttered, scrambling backward¡­

    Only to topple more eggs, which set off another avalanche.

    The kraell infant struck one, stumbled...

    I couldn¡¯t let it get close. If it bit me, its poison would paralyze my limbs. Even as an infant and still without a spirit, I was no match for these creatures.

    See? Not paranoid.

    Just heavily outclassed by, well, everything.

    Including these fish-faced, murder babies.

    Frantic, I did something even more desperate. I grabbed an egg and hurled it at the infant kraell. At this point, what was one more, right? The first shot missed, the egg exploded apart and a limp, frail body crashed to the ground, twitching but failing to take its first breath. The second struck the creature dead on, slamming into the side of its head and sending it careening as the shell burst and its syrupy contents showered the mound.

    Taking advantage of its moment of weakness, I charged forward. I wish I could say it was a heroic assault. However, it ended up a mad scramble on my hands and knees through a mixture of mud, mucous, shit, and broken shells, my dagger still clutched in hand. Oh, and did I mention the herbs still stuffed up my nose? It was the stuff of legends, I¡¯m sure.

    The kraell had begun to recover and turned as I grabbed it, clawing at me with its knife-like nails and leaving long burning streaks down my arm.

    I clamped my hand around its throat and held firm, accepting the scratches in order to prevent its poison-stained teeth from sinking into my flesh. Then my dagger snapped forward and plunged into the creature¡¯s chest. Bright blue blood sprayed.

    Metal flashed. And again. And again. Until the kraell finally fell limp and I crouched over its corpse, adrenaline surging through my veins and my heart loudly announcing that I was still alive. That I¡¯d triumphed! My arms shot into the air, a whoop of victory echoing through the cave, only to be cut short by a few other sounds¡ª

    Growl. Crack. Groooooowwl. Crack.

    I froze. Turned slowly, dagger in one hand and dead kraell baby in the other.

    Ahh, I might have momentarily forgotten where I was.

    The other eggs had begun to hatch, helped along by yours truly, of course. Sure, there were a bunch of dead kraell babies floating in the water at the base of the mound. But there were also a lot more still alive. Not one or two. But dozens.

    Slimy, scaled bodies were already hauling themselves from the remains of the eggs and taking their initial stumbling steps, gills flapping as they heaved in their first breath of fresh air. Others already gnawed on their dead brothers and sisters, hungrily devouring their own brood. There were so many. Too many.

    Certainly, too many for this little food.

    And speaking of food¡­ I swallowed hard, remembering my mission.

    My eyes darted to my bag. A lone egg was perched inside.

    Then I was moving. Scrambling across the mound until my fingers found that tough leather band. I hauled the bag to me and pivoted, not making any attempt to hide my presence now. The infant kraell caught my scent and the brood sent up a gurgling, keening cry that echoed harshly off the cavern walls, even as I stumbled and half-fell down the mound.

    I kicked at another creature as it charged on unsteady legs, sending it careening into the far wall where it let out a high-pitch welp. Another rushed from below but I snagged an unbroken egg and sent it rolling down the hill in a blur ¨C toppling the kraell¡­ along with a few more behind it who were trying to claw their way out of the water. That strategy was working pretty well, so I kept it up until I reached the base of the mound ¨C kicking and hurling eggs as the kraell flailed blindly in my direction and their shrieks echoed off the walls.

    Taking advantage of a sudden opening, I dove into the dark sludge, only fighting against the pull of the water now, my lungs burning in my haste. Moments later, I pulled myself free of the cave. Between being blind and unaccustomed to the layout of their new home, I¡¯d bought myself a few seconds at least.

    ¡°Still on plan,¡± I muttered. More high-pitched screams came from the doom hole behind me, followed by splashing water. ¡°Well, sort of¡­¡±

    I¡¯d at least had the presence of mind to drag the bodies of a couple infant kraell along behind me. Sure, it would lure the others to my location more quickly, but, with my wounds and a one-way exit from the cave, that was already a forgone conclusion.

    As the rest of the brood swarmed through the tunnel, I quickly washed my bloody arms in the river, tossed a body at the mouth of the cave, and scrambled up onto the rocks.

    It wasn¡¯t a moment too soon.

    The brood emerged. One or two at first and then a throng as they scrambled over each other. Their gills pulsed and their blind eyes soon locked on the location of that corpse ¨C its blue blood staining the gray waters. They converged on the body and ripped it apart with savage fury, tearing the flesh from its bones with their claws and their too-sharp teeth making short work of its brittle bones.

    CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH.

    I looked on impassively. Another familiar sight.

    This is exactly what I was talking about¡ª

    Getting eaten and disemboweled at the same time.

    As the others piled on, the lone corpse soon proved insufficient to sate their hunger. They turned on each other then, clawing and biting and fighting for the scraps. The waters around the cave entrance turned a bright blue and the current washed it up against the rocks, painting the entire area in blood and entrails and death.

    And above this macabre scene, thousands of spirits danced in the sky in a flowing white river of energy, following the path of Cocytus as its waters wound northward. The Flow ¨C a celestial river of spirits that twinkled in a dazzling rainbow. It was enchanting.

    That was the Five Rivers for you ¨C equal parts beautiful and horrifying.

    Life here was harsh, brutal¡­ and often surprisingly short.

    Huh, but the kraell babies were already starting to turn in my direction. I needed more bait. I slashed the other corpse¡¯s stomach and flung it into the river ¨C blood raining down across the brood as it flew overhead. A splash and the current soon swept it up. The kraell brood surged into the river¡¯s depths, following the bait and slowly disappearing into the thick, spirit-filled mist that covered the river. So, that was one problem down¡ª

    The water suddenly rippled, a shadow passing under the brood. Then an explosion rocked the surface, shooting a massive plume of water into the air and briefly forcing apart the Flow. As the water settled, the baby kraell were, well, gone. All of them.

    Like I said, surprisingly short.

    ¡°Uh, okay,¡± I muttered, scrabbling back up the rocks along the coast. I had no idea what had just eaten an entire brood of kraell babies, but I didn¡¯t plan to find out.

    A cry went up from downriver and I froze. That wasn¡¯t the keening, high-pitched shriek of an infant, but a deep-throated roar. And that would be their parents¡­

    I wasn¡¯t safe yet. Not by a long shot.

    The infant kraell were dangerous ¨C even deadly. Especially for someone like me. What with my ¡°condition¡± and all. But they were still manageable.

    However, those little fish-faced, murder babies that managed to survive the perils of the Outer Reaches would eventually turn into hulking behemoths. Over a ton of rippling muscle and dense bone that forced them back down onto all fours and squished their limbs into thick columns. In a mere cycle or two, their tails would grow in and lengthen, their bodies adapting to allow them to easily navigate the waters of Cocytus itself and hunt the deep river. I didn¡¯t stand a chance against them, especially this close to the water. Even the other villagers avoided the spawning caves.

    So, what was I to do?

    My eyes turned to the river and I felt an inexplicable pull, that flowing current of spirits whispering to me. Perhaps¡­ perhaps it was finally time to draw on my extensive experience ¨C hundreds of life and death struggles and a body tempered by pain and hardship. Time to summon every ounce of willpower I had left¡­

    Yes¡­ yes this was it! My moment. I could feel the Flow of fate take hold of me, as though the river itself had been guiding me to this time and place. This was my chance. My opportunity to summon a unique and dangerous power that I¡¯d never known I¡¯d held.

    To break through my limits and¡ª

    Hahaha, shit¡­ sorry. I just couldn¡¯t keep that up.

    I hate to break it to you, but this isn¡¯t that kind of story.

    Or, at least, not yet? Memories lingered at the edges of my consciousness. Like a nightmare that I couldn¡¯t quite remember. All I got was a sense of death, longing, and an endless, rolling wave of shit hurtling straight toward me. Now, that last part sounded about right.

    The kraell roared again, closer this time.

    I sighed. No, the ¡°truth¡± was much less glamorous. It usually was.

    It was my ¡°moment¡± to run like hell.

 Chapter 2 - Bait

    Huh, you¡¯re still here? After that?

    Wow. Well, uh, I¡¯m sorry then. That was probably uncalled for, but it was all just a lot to process, you know? Almost dying. And the fish feces. And the horrible wave of murder babies with all those teeth¡­. Like I said, this is sort of the way I cope.

    However, I still can¡¯t promise this is going to be worth it.

    There¡¯s just going to be a lot of running.

    Which was actually pretty tough in the marshes. The water was deep in parts and shallow in others ¨C the terrain uneven. Islands and banks of dirt rose up out of the soup, creating a makeshift network of highways ¨C which only offered fresh dangers for the unwary. There were still plenty of other creatures living out here. And the way the mist swept in thick and dense from the river made it almost impossible to see. I could only make out the dark outlines of the willow groves that sprung from the marsh, like shadowy silhouettes, their claw-like branches looking far more ominous than usual.

    Not that the adult kraell had any trouble with the mist.

    They didn¡¯t really need to see or hear to follow my trail.

    However, judging from the roars at my back ¨C the sound gradually drawing closer ¨C they could definitely still smell my wounds. The adults¡¯ noses were much keener than the infants¡¯ and they must have picked up my scent when I washed my wounds in the river. The fact that I¡¯d disturbed their nest and killed off their brood was really just a bonus.

    The silver lining was that the adult kraell were much slower on land. The water was too shallow for them to use their tails and their stubby legs were terrible for running. That was one of the reasons I¡¯d chosen to hunt for kraell eggs. Among the species that lived in the marshes north of Anchon, believe it or not these were actually some of the easier to hunt.

    Another roar, this one closer.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I muttered, pushing forward. But I was almost there¡ª

    Then I saw it. A small mound among the marsh. A stick wedged in the mud and a stray red flap of cloth tied to the end. A backup plan I¡¯d prepared in case I ran into trouble.

    Okay, fine¡­ when I ran into trouble.

    Dropping to my knees, I dug into the soft dirt beneath the stick. I soon found what I was looking for. A small cage of glass covered in runes, the designs etched into the wood frame. And inside, a tiny blue creature smashed against the glass.

    It wasn¡¯t humanoid. Or mammal, fish, bird, or insect. It was no mere vessel ¨C a temporary cage of flesh and bone and blood. It was a spirit ¨C an infant water spirit, to be precise ¨C its body a collection of smooth, faintly-glowing sapphire liquid that flowed and formed and broke apart as it crashed against the walls of its tiny prison.

    As my face loomed close, the spirit shrank away in terror, recoiling from my presence and hurling itself against the far wall of the cage.

    I would really be up to my neck in kraell shit if Elder Gracen knew about this.

    Trapping a spirit without its consent went against the Way of the Flow ¨C the religion that dominated the Five Rivers. The religion itself was dense. Full of mantras and scrolls and meandering prophecy offered up by the Oracles. Which was only further muddied by the elders¡¯ interpretation of those writings, overly flowery language, and their own long-winded, self-serving sermons.

    Seriously, did all of the mantras really need to be delivered in poem?

    However, the Way of the Flow was actually quite simple.

    I had condensed it all down into a series of easy-to-understand rules.

    Rule Number 1: Spirits are beings of raw nimbus that return to the Flow when their vessel dies. Oh, they¡¯re also ¡°holy.¡±

    Rule Number 2: All other matter is a vessel for the spirits. Living or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. In return, the spirits grant powers to their vessel.

    Rule Number 3: A vessel¡¯s duty is to foster and grow their spirit in order to reach transcendence.

    Oh, wait¡­ what was that? You have questions about the rules?

    Some of the terms are vague? They seem too simplistic? Like why are spirits somehow holy? Who or what created The Five Rivers then? And, uh, seriously, why? Did you see those horrifying murder babies? Also, doesn¡¯t this seem like a shit deal for the vessels? Oh, and is it possible that this whole ¡°transcendence thing¡± is actually a giant divine scam? Like did anyone else notice that it wasn¡¯t even clear who or what was ¡°transcending?¡±

    Well, tough kraell shit for you.

    Because I have a ton of that and I¡¯m all out of answers.

    I¡¯m paraphrasing here, of course, but that¡¯s the gist of what the elders told me.

    Another odd hole in their rules? What if ¨C speaking not-at-all hypothetically, of course ¨C someone couldn¡¯t lure a spirit into their vessel?

    Like say, me? Nyx. This guy right here.

    I mean, I¡¯d tried. I tried pretty hard, in fact.

    Why wouldn¡¯t I? Did you miss Rule Number 2?

    The spirits give you powers.

    And, like most children, I¡¯d listened with rapt fascination to the stories of vessels capable of truly extraordinary things. Guides. Beings that could harness that power of divine spirits ¨C capable of bending light, growing forests, and destroying mountains singlehandedly. Legends in their own right. And I¡¯d seen the abilities of the other villagers. Even their more mundane gifts were incredible. The ability to control the water, grow plants, and work metal. I¡¯d dreamed of the day when I could claim a spirit as my own.

    I glared down at the tiny creature in that glass cage.

    At the bitter irony of what I was holding in my hands¡­

    Among the spirits, I¡¯d always wanted a water spirit. It was actually the symbol of Anchon and its powers were revered for their ability to work the river. Seriously, they plastered a little elemental water rune with a fish fin on every shipment we sent downriver. It was actually pretty iconic branding. Everyone in the southern Outer Reaches knew about us. Our customers even called themselves ¡°Fin-Fans¡ª"

    Anyway, I digress. When they were still alive, my mother and father had told me about the water spirits ¨C how they sometimes danced along the surface of Cocytus at night. As a child, I snuck out nearly every evening, sitting along the banks in the hope that one would appear. However, they never came.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    When that failed, I began offering treats and bribes, but still the spirits spurned me. Desperate, I took my baby sister Leandra down to the waters. Even at her first cycle, her presence had been magnetic, as though the spirits could sense her coming. They¡¯d rushed from the waters in a wave of glowing sapphire as though greeting a long-lost friend.

    I reached for them¡­ only for the spirits to shudder away from me as soon as I approached, dashing back to the safety of the river. Which, you know, kind of hurt my feelings. I was at that impressionable age.

    Faced with yet another failure, I refused to give up. So, I tried hiding in the bushes, building small cages of twigs and twine and pouncing on the unsuspecting spirits ¨C still using my baby sister as bait, of course. Oh, don¡¯t get upset. She was fine. Maybe a little muddy and tired and she cried a lot. But the tears seemed to draw in the spirits faster!

    Plus, she doesn¡¯t even remember. Hopefully.

    However, her sacrifice was in vain. The water spirits were nothing more than streamers of nimbus and they quickly danced away, bleeding through my flimsy prisons and back into the rivers while making the strangest noises. Almost like they were angry with me.

    I¡¯m not proud of what I did next, but I was pretty upset.

    I was also only five cycles old. So, give me a break.

    I, uh, well¡­ I leaped off one of the piers after them. Actually, I nearly died that day. I sometimes still have a recurring nightmare of that deep, dark water. As though it¡¯s trying to swallow me whole. The way the cloying moisture invaded my mouth and nose, the stiff current sweeping me downriver in an instant.

    All while those water spirits just watched me drowning.

    Like I said, I might have some trauma. And some trust issues.

    Still, I¡¯ve always been persistent.

    Or, in Elder Gracen¡¯s own words, ¡°a stubborn shithead.¡±

    So, I decided I just needed to switch up my strategy. Maybe water spirits were just assholes. I mean, it was certainly looking that way.

    I¡¯d also overheard the forest callers speaking of a trial meant to attune a vessel to nature and lure a spirit of the trees and grass. So, at six cycles, I ran away from the village, armed only with a small knife, journeying deep into the marshes. But I only found hunger and pain and danger waiting for me. If not for Fang, I would have died out there. I know I would have. Well, him and the stubbornness, of course.

    However, it wasn¡¯t the fear of death that ultimately deterred me¡­

    It was the day my parents died.

    That signaled a shift. They¡¯d been my last line of defense. My protection ¨C even if I hadn¡¯t realized it at the time ¨C as my peers outstripped me and lured their own spirits one-by-one. Until I was the only one left, empty and barren¡­ And without my parents, I was faced with the harsh truth. The realization I wasn¡¯t meant for greatness like the Guides from Elder Gracen¡¯s stories. That ¡°transcendence¡± would forever be out of reach.

    Which was a shame because the elders had really built it up.

    Anyway, I guess two things died that day.

    My parents¡­ and my hope.

    Also, yes, I may have practiced this monologue a few times.

    You should be grateful, though. This is the first time I¡¯ve actually delivered it!

    Of course, you¡¯ve probably already guessed the ending. The other villagers soon reached the same inevitable conclusion. A tired, old story as worn-out and recycled as Flow itself. I was different. Other. Friends turned to enemies in a heartbeat. They began to torment me ¨C even the adults spurning me, denying me meals with the others, a place among them. Leaving me to fend for myself as a child.

    Yep, this story also has light-to-moderate child abuse!

    But what harm was there? I mean, I had no spirit, right?

    I was merely an empty vessel.

    I was Hollow.

    And remember, according to ¡°The Rules,¡± that meant I was worth nothing. Less than a rock, technically. Especially if said rock was acting as a vessel for a stone spirit.

    Needless to say, I¡¯m not a huge fan of The Rules.

    My attention whipped back to the glass prison in my hand as the water spirit bucked against its cage. Its body became formless as it coated the glass, looking for any chink in the walls and wards. I tapped at the glass and it lurched back in horror.

    ¡°Screw you too,¡± I muttered, unsurprised by the reaction.

    It probably didn¡¯t help that I¡¯d technically buried it alive for three days.

    Don¡¯t know why it was so upset, though.

    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be hole-y?

    I¡¯m sorry, but you stuck around for this.

    Anyway, I tried not to take it too personally. It wasn¡¯t just that the spirits weren¡¯t attracted to my vessel¡­ it was more that they were repulsed by it. As though I was cursed. Rotten meat. Which, uh, didn¡¯t bother me at all. It definitely hadn¡¯t given me any self-esteem or body image issues. Anyway, if my sister Leandra hadn¡¯t helped me lure this infant water spirit, I¡¯d have had no chance of capturing it on my own.

    My hands clenched into fists. However, I could still memorize Elder Gracen¡¯s scrolls, trick the village glassblowers into building the cage, and scratch the wards into the wood. That¡¯s how I¡¯d survived this long. By being useful.

    Okay, fine¡­ there might have also been some light larceny.

    Oh, and a healthy dose of deceit.

    Hey, I was just a rock, remember? And you wouldn¡¯t punish a rock for well¡­ being a rock, would you? Of course not! That would be stupid.

    Believe it or not, that argument hadn¡¯t worked on Elder Gracen. Figures.

    Another roar came from my back.

    Damn it. The Kraell were getting closer. And I knew I was just stalling. Again.

    I needed bait. A distraction. And there weren¡¯t exactly a lot of options right now. I looked down at my bag. At the lone egg perched inside. And we¡¯d just met¡­

    ¡°Not again,¡± I muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can lose you like this.¡±

    The egg just sat there.

    Okay, I was talking to the egg now.

    I heaved out a sigh. However, it was better to go hungry than die gruesomely¡­ wasn¡¯t it? Right now, I wasn¡¯t so sure.

    But I still lifted the egg free of my bag, set it down gently, then speared my dagger through the top ¨C poking a hole in the thick shell. I closed my eyes for that part. I couldn¡¯t bear to watch. Luckily, while the kraell preferred the taste of sapian, they were opportunistic hunters. That point had certainly been driven home as I watched the infants devour each other. Hopefully, the egg¡¯s contents would be enough to attract their attention.

    Acting quickly, I thumbed the small latch at the top of the water spirit¡¯s cage. As it realized what I was about to do, it tried to flee, but resting my hand along the top was enough to deter it despite the patchwork of holes created by my fingers. Technically, it could have escaped if it wanted to. It chose the confines of its cage rather than touch my tainted skin.

    Which really helped with the guilt at what I was about to do¡ª

    Muttering under my breath and my stomach protesting loudly, I lifted the egg and dumped the contents inside. The water spirit tried to run then. Tried to flee. But it had nowhere to go and was soon swimming in the thick liquid, its body absorbing the contents of the egg. For good measure, I dropped the scaly, unborn Kraell inside and capped the top, making sure to shake it well. Then I popped it open again and dumped the contents.

    The spirit fell into the waters of the marsh with a splash, much of the egg¡¯s contents flowing along with it. It seemed confused, stumbling and its body rippling and contorting. Then it looked at me and let out a wet, squelching sound to announce its displeasure, its form contorting into a truly impressive number of shapes, including one that vaguely resembled a sapian hand. Although, that could have been my imagination¡­

    ¡°I suppose this means you¡¯re an egg spirit now. Congratulations, you¡¯ve transcended,¡± I observed solemnly, hand over my vessel¡¯s heart.

    Okay, in my defense, the lack of food, near death experience, and running for my life through the marsh might have been starting to get to me¡­ I was usually a lot funnier.

    The spirit froze as though it had heard me. Then came another, louder series of wet noises before it went limp. Like it had just given up. Then it took off into the marshes, racing away into the wetlands like a river wraith was on its heels.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not really at my best today!¡±

    Then, more quietly, ¡°Everyone¡¯s a damned critic.¡±

    I let out a sigh and rinsed the cage quickly before plopping it back in the hole and covering it with dirt. There was no sense taking the risk of bringing it with me. I also took the time to clean and rebandage my wounds more carefully. Already, the cuts were stitching closed. The nimbus that saturated the waters of Cocytus helped expedite our vessels¡¯ healing and it was routine for the villagers to use the waters as a salve.

    Not that this helped with my clothing. I was muddy, covered in grime¡­ as well as another unpleasant substance that reeked of fish. A souvenir that I¡¯d brought with me from the kraell nest. Hopefully, the smell of their own refuse would act as a repellant and help mask my scent. Either way, there was little I could do about that right now.

    So, I took off at a brisk jog, sticking to the narrow ramps of dirt that rose up out of the marsh. Mercifully, the roars at my back began to recede as the adult kraell caught scent of the egg spirit and reversed course, chasing after the spirit as it made a beeline for the banks of Cocytus. Which meant I was safe.

    Or, correction, I wasn¡¯t in any imminent danger of dying.

    However, I was still starving, my stomach protesting loudly. My arm still burned from the Kraell¡¯s scratches. Oh, and I was covered in fish shit!

    More importantly, this was going to be a real pain in the ass to explain.

    Especially as the sun ebbed toward the horizon.

    I was supposed to be at the village ¡°Game Day.¡± A different type of hell than the one I¡¯d just escaped from¡­ but this time without food. I sighed and just kept running ¨C putting more distance between myself and the kraell. I should think positively. The worst was behind me now. Dealing with the other villagers wouldn¡¯t kill me.

    Or, at least, probably not.

 Chapter 3 - Game

    Welcome to Anchon¡¯s annual Game Day!

    It¡¯s hosted during the slightly mistier time of year here in the southern Outer Reaches. Sorry, we don¡¯t really have seasons. Just wet and slightly more wet. The games are meant to celebrate the start of the silverfin migration. Yes, that¡¯s right, when we catch and prepare a whole new shipment to send downriver to our ¡°Fin-Fans.¡±

    And yes¡­ they paint that on the boats now. Not that I blame them. I mean, they do have a fan group for their canned silverfin. That¡¯s saying a lot. I might have a problem with The Rules, but the villagers of Anchon sure knew how to run a locally-sourced, fishing coop. Although, that could be because the commercial fishing outfits didn¡¯t come out here to the fringes and they had relentlessly run every other local fishermen out of business.

    However, that unified front didn¡¯t come from nowhere. They ran a tight ship. In fact, this Game Day was more like a ¡°company picnic.¡± One meant to boost morale and get everyone pumped to work endlessly for months on end with no breaks.

    But the games were riveting.

    Actually, I¡¯m not even being sarcastic this time.

    I mean it. Who wouldn¡¯t love watching their teenaged children beat the ever-living shit out of each other in a game of spiritual rugby? Pads? Armor? Rules? Who needs those when some river mud filled with nimbus will get you patched up nice and quick?

    And let¡¯s not forget the money to be made! Everyone was in on the action. Who wouldn¡¯t be? I mean, watching that shithead kid two huts over get his teeth knocked out wasn¡¯t good enough. You needed to bankrupt his parents. Get them into enough debt that they¡¯d sell that little asshole downriver to pay it off.

    You think I¡¯m joking? It happened to Fenris.

    Oh, who¡¯s Fenris? I don¡¯t know, he doesn¡¯t live here anymore.

    And if gambling and light human trafficking isn¡¯t your speed, don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s always gossip. You know, old ladies talking about which teenagers should get together, and, uh, ¡°forge¡± a few more vessels. Which is weird. Don¡¯t normalize that behavior. Not that the men were much better. They just gathered together in large circles to talk about their ¡°Flow¡± and recite poetry ¨C uh, sorry, the mantras.

    Anyway, my point was that a truly glorious time was had by all.

    Except me, for obvious reasons.

    My head thunked back against the rough trunk of a willow and I let out a dull groan. I was hidden in the shadows on the far side of the grove ¨C one of many raised islands dotting the marshes. I didn¡¯t want to draw any attention. Yep, I was still covered in kraell shit.

    A cheer went up and my attention shifted to my sister. Leandra raced across the field, tall grass swaying gently in her wake. Her dark blue hair ¨C bound by a simple band ¨C snapped at the air and moisture beaded on her skin. Those droplets clung in place, retaining their form despite the way she glided through the fog like a river wraith.

    She was circling, waiting for an opportunity to snatch the ball from the much taller and much larger young man that charged down the field.

    Jace was big for fifteen cycles and the muscle wrapping his body was a testament to the hours he¡¯d spent working with his father in the forge. Funny how that worked. Almost like he had a full stomach and was given adequate recovery time. Even so, I doubted he would be a match for me in terms of natural strength ¨C my body hardened by the grueling work of tending the nets. And, you know, running for my life¡­

    That was really an overlooked fitness tool.

    However, with his fledgling fire spirit¡¯s help, it would be no contest.

    A young earth caller moved to block Jace, his skin suddenly coated in rough stone, even as spikes speared from his feet and plunged into the wet earth to anchor himself in place.

    Jace didn¡¯t slow, only grinned as he called upon his fire spirit, a red glow suffusing his arms and chest and sending off streamers of steam as the mist touched his skin.

    As they collided, the stone caller¡¯s feet were ripped from the ground with a spray of earth, sending him toppling backward. He struck the ground hard, digging a furrow in the dirt. Ahh, he wasn¡¯t moving. Definitely out cold. Oh, and I saw chits being passed around ¨C a lot of them. Looked like he was definitely a shithead.

    Even the healer was taking her time to help him, Elder Farris chatting with Elder Elias, the blacksmith, his burly arms crossed as he watched his son dominate on field. Speaking of which, Jace was on the warpath, already leaving another bloodied body in his wake.

    ¡°That one¡¯s head must be made of steel. That explains much,¡± a voice suddenly hissed from the branches overhead.

    Shit. As though this day wasn¡¯t going bad enough already.

    The mist swirled lazily beside me and a pair of yellow eyes appeared, one giving me a wink. That could only be Fang ¨C a savran, his mist spirit allowing him to blend into his surroundings. His kind were natural hunters, their bodies and affinity for the mist allowing them to easily survive the perils of the Outer Reaches.

    He also wasn¡¯t a fan of The Rules, which meant the villagers weren¡¯t a fan of him, and, well¡­ I wasn¡¯t really a fan of any of them.

    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Is this how you speak to your dear friend and savior? You would not be alive if not for my aid and wisdom.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°As though you¡¯d ever let me forget it. Now, why are you here?"

    ¡°Something startled the game. And there was such a horrid scent coming from¡­¡± Fang paused, taking a languid sniff and the mist spiraling. ¡°Hmm, from you.¡±

    I grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Fang hissed. ¡°So, you know nothing of the kraell I passed? They were chasing a very distressed water spirit¡ª¡±

    ¡°Egg spirit,¡± I corrected immediately.

    Sometimes, I just couldn¡¯t help myself.

    A hissing laugh came from overhead.

    I let out a sigh. ¡°Fine. I might have tried to steal some eggs.¡±

    ¡°I told you that plan would fail.¡±

    ¡°And you really shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± I retorted. ¡°If the others discover¡ª¡±

    ¡°You worry for nothing. They have other things on their mind, such as your sister¡­

    ¡°And mating,¡± Fang hissed.

    A resigned sigh. ¡°Why is it always about mating with you?¡±

    ¡°I only speak the truth. They smell of lust.¡± A shark-like grin hovered in the air to my left before vanishing into a puff of mist. ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t sense it because you don¡¯t understand,¡± he hissed. ¡°You have difficulty with your kind, no?¡±

    See what I have to deal with? He was worse than those little old ladies.

    Although, he was right, technically. Most of those I¡¯d grown up with had already ¡°forged¡± a fresh vessel or two, but that wasn¡¯t really an option for the Hollow. Sure, I wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled with that outcome, but¡ª

    ¡°I could teach you how to find a mate.¡± Fang offered happily, his breath wafting against my ear. A scaly hand appeared from the mist, clawed forefinger raised. ¡°What am I, if not an exceptional teacher? It is easy. First, you unhinge your jaw. Second, you force out your dewlap¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop, stop¡­ See? This is what I¡¯m talking about,¡± I interrupted quickly.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    There was a long silence, Fang disappearing entirely.

    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s a dewlap?¡± I offered. Then immediately shook my head. ¡°No, no I don¡¯t want to know. Ignorance is probably bliss.¡±

    Fang just hissed out a laugh.

    Then, a moment later. ¡°There is not so great a difference between savran and sapien,¡± Fang observed, his eyes re-appearing and swiveling to the field. ¡°See how they puff their chests as your sister passes. It is a part of step three.¡±

    Another sigh. But Fang wasn¡¯t wrong about that either ¨C at least, not entirely. All of Anchon had made it out for this Game Day. And everyone ¨C man, woman, and child ¨C had eyes for Leandra. It was like the universe shined a spotlight on her at all times. I¡¯m not even joking! Elder Gracen¡¯s air spirit must have pulled back the mist, because a single ray of sunlight shone down on her, making her dew-studded hair sparkle like nimbus gems.

    Although, a few of those wandering eyes were pissing me off. That was still my little sister and I doubted that was her spirit they were admiring.

    ¡°I think that steel-headed one may finish this,¡± Fang offered.

    Jace had indeed made it most of the way down the field, leaving a string of groaning teenagers in his wake. He¡¯d knocked another two out cold and was nearing the goal ¨C an old bucket ringed with smooth, white river stones and guarded by a lone forest caller. It certainly looked like Jace was about to score ¨C ending this match.

    However, I had had the privilege of listening to Leandra chatter about the many, many, many strategies she¡¯d developed. All while I hauled along the blankets upon which the other villagers sat, the stones that marked the goals, and even those old, splintered buckets. I¡¯d had to make a return trip just to haul out the bait for the kraell. And later I¡¯d have to carry it all back again. Yet I wasn¡¯t bitter. Not at all.

    Okay, maybe a little.

    Either way, I also knew Jace ¨C knew just how stubborn he could be¡­

    Hmm, perhaps there was another way to salvage this wreck of a day. You could even say that I felt the ¡°spirit¡± of Game Day move through me.

    ¡°You want to make a bet?¡± I asked.

    Yellow eyes peered at me, inches away, narrowed to thin slits. ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s rare for you to gamble. Makes one suspicious.¡±

    I tilted my head. ¡°Yes or no?¡±

    ¡°It would be unwise to accept without knowing the stakes.¡±

    ¡°Three ventu carcasses when Leandra¡¯s team wins.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean ¡®if?¡±

    ¡°I meant what I said.¡±

    ¡°Can you even honor that bet?¡± A scaly finger stabbed at my side. ¡°The hunter is quite thin. Not a good sign.¡±

    ¡°You know I have to hand over my official prey to the elders.¡±

    A grunting hiss was my only response as Fang¡¯s eyes disappeared.

    It was my turn to poke at the Savran. ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re scared¡­¡±

    I may as well have insulted Fang¡¯s broodmother.

    Just wait for it¡­

    A pause, and then. ¡°Deal,¡± Fang hissed, the mists swirling as he swished his tail in a sign of irritation ¨C giving away his location. I knew how to get under his scaly skin too.

    While we spoke, Leandra had begun her play, abandoning caution and charging straight at Jace, water beading along her skin and her form a blur of mist. In response, the fire caller braced himself ¨C planning to rely on his superior strength and weight.

    I just shook my head¡­

    Just before the pair collided, water spread across Leandra¡¯s skin in a thin film ¨C stretching like a soap bubble and lasting only a heartbeat. She bent around her opponent in a single, fluid, boneless movement, causing the mists to swirl and twist in her wake as she dodged him. For good measure, she also kicked at the back of his leg and it buckled.

    I smiled. That one had been my idea.

    Asshole always forgot to enhance his legs.

    Before the larger youth knew what had happened, he was crashing to the ground, thrown off balance as he improperly shifted his weight to anticipate the impact. He tried to enhance his chest and face, flames flickering, but he was moving just a hair too¡ª

    Oof. That one looked like it¡¯d hurt.

    He¡¯d actually left a small trench in his wake. One he dug with his face.

    And Leandra was speeding across the glade, leather ball now in hand.

    Raw strength was no match for grace.

    ¡°Clever,¡± Fang hissed, reluctantly. He sounded worried.

    But he hadn¡¯t seen anything yet¡­

    Leandra wound and spun through the other defenders with little difficulty, her laughter filling the air and delight pulling at her lips. This was the problem with water spirits. They were fickle and hard to call, but, assuming a vessel¡¯s nimbus was sufficient, even an infant water spirit was capable of dramatically enhancing a caller¡¯s natural speed, reflexes, coordination, and balance. And Leandra¡¯s had already matured to a fledgling¡­

    Within seconds, only a single player stood on the far side of the field beside a plain wooden bucket ¨C the last thing standing between Leandra and victory. The girl eyed the bucket beside her nervously, staying just outside the ring of stones.

    This girl ¨C Celeste ¨C held an infant forest spirit in her vessel. While she wasn¡¯t permitted to physically enter the stone ring, her spirit had no such constraints ¨C making her ideal for this role. The grass around her suddenly whipped into the air, creating a whirlwind of green fluttering leaves that obscured Leandra¡¯s sight.

    Not a bad move ¨C one meant to buy Celeste time.

    With another flash of green energy, tendrils burst from the ground near Leandra¡¯s feet, coiling toward her and lashing at her shins. She could have avoided the plants ¨C I noticed her brief moment of hesitation ¨C but instead they wrapped around her ankles and wound up her legs, Leandra¡¯s charge coming to an abrupt halt. She was always such a showoff¡­

    ¡°When should I expect¡ª¡± Fang began.

    ¡°It¡¯s not over,¡± I interrupted.

    The other players were gaining on Leandra from behind. Meanwhile, Celeste grinned triumphantly, despite the way her chest heaved and she wobbled on her feet. After a few matches, she was tiring, her stores of nimbus swiftly depleting and leaving little to call upon the aid of her spirit. Yet she at least had the presence of mind to keep herself directly between Leandra and the goal as the grass fluttered to the ground.

    The distance was about 15 yards. A difficult shot for, well, anyone.

    Leandra just smiled calmly, unperturbed by her situation.

    Then she threw the ball straight up in the air. The water clinging to her skin shot up with it, more condensing out of the thick mists and forming a rare patch of clear air. The water enveloped the ball and it hung there, the other players slowing and gaping. Such a thing was rare ¨C it required vast amounts of nimbus and incredible control.

    Then the ball of water darted forward, racing over Celeste¡¯s head before slamming into the bucket, more liquid rocketing up into the air.

    A heavy silence and then¡­

    A rousing cheer erupted as the onlookers celebrated Leandra¡¯s victory! Even the marshes mirrored their jubilation. Motes of brown and green drifted up out of the grass, swirling together with faint blue specks that hovered in the fog. The spirits in the air and earth were responding to the surge of nimbus.

    ¡°So, now then, about our bet¡­¡± I began, taunting. Just a little.

    ¡°It is but one goal. It is not over yet,¡± Fang hissed.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it, though?¡± I demanded.

    Leandra suddenly shot a look around the field as though searching for something¡­

    Somehow, she knew just where to look ¨C was able to pick me out amid the shadows. Maybe it was her spirit¡¯s whispered words, the moisture around me quivering in place. Our eyes met and she beamed proudly. A ray of sunshine that seemed to peel away my own gloom. All the family I had left ¨C the only true family anyway. My entire world.

    Like it always did, the jealousy and bitterness clawing its way through my chest melted before that gaze. I wanted what she had ¨C what all of the villagers had. Desperately. But I could never be anything but proud of my sister¡­

    I raised a fist in salute to her victory, returning her smile.

    Although, like I said before, most things didn¡¯t survive the Five Rivers for long and my happiness always seemed to be at the top of the list.

    A faint roar rippled through the trees, barely audible over the noise of the villagers. I almost thought I¡¯d imagined it¡­ until I heard it again ¨C louder that time. That was a sound I definitely recognized and a pit formed in my stomach.

    This time, I was pretty sure it wasn¡¯t just hunger.

    Why were the kraell heading this way?

    Others had noticed too. Already, a few of the villagers were calling out a warning, waving at the players on the field and trying to get their attention. However, most still seemed oblivious as they cheered on Leandra and her team, even as my sister flowed around the field and celebrated with her teammates.

    I was already on my feet. ¡°Why are they here?¡± I grunted.

    ¡°Because you lured them here, of course,¡± Fang drawled back, his eyes reappearing and watching me with a bored expression.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    A scaled claw suddenly tapped at my arm, at the healing wounds there. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend. They tasted your blood, no? I smelled it on them earlier. They will not give up the chase. A distraction is not enough.¡±

    Those yellow eyes were suddenly close, peering at me. ¡°That was your plan, no? To distract them long enough to flee, lure them here, and then have the others finish them off for you? It seemed a fitting way to compensate for your condition.¡±

    I swallowed hard. I wish this had been part of some grand plan.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t mention that they would keep tracking my blood.¡±

    ¡°They will give up eventually, unless they get a taste,¡± the savran shot back. ¡°Yet you are still here. Alive. How would they manage that unless you gave them your blood?¡±

    Shit. I thought they¡¯d just caught my scent in the river. Had they managed to get a taste of my blood in the water? You see what I¡¯m talking about? Once is just bad luck, twice coincidence¡­ and the fiftieth time? Well, that was just the universe fucking with me.

    Fang eyes reappeared nearby, narrowing as he noticed my reaction. ¡°This was your plan yes?¡± He pressed again, more forcefully this time.

    I never got a chance to answer.

    The trees along the side of the clearing trembled and bucked, a wave of water crashing up out of the swamp. It was over ten feet tall ¨C an impossible feat this far from the river. This must be the kraell¡¯s spirits at work. Judging from the size of the wave, they were all fledgling, at least¡­ maybe even immature. The waters soon separated and spread around the glade, fully encircling the field and swiftly walling in the villagers. That water hung there, rushing in place, an impenetrable wall of moisture.

    It seemed the kraell were tired of chasing their prey.

    The rest of the villagers had definitely noticed now, shouts of alarm rising into the air¡ªand in the middle of the field stood none other than Leandra, frozen in surprise and her eyes wide and wild as they watched the kraell emerge from the wall of water.

    And those definitely weren¡¯t babies.

    Scaled giants stepped through the waves like they were nothing, water sloughing off thick, plate-like scales and their tails lashing at the air. Five of them, each a dozen-feet long and topped with a fish-faced horror with way too many teeth. Sharp claws dug into the soft soil and muscle rippled. Their gills huffed at the air, the mist spiraling as they picked out the locations of the prey lingering amid the field. Practically a feast of sapian flesh. Their half-blind eyes whirled toward the villagers¡­ and toward Leandra.

    ¡°What do you intend to¡ª?¡± Fang cutoff behind me.

    Because I was already running again, except this time it was in the other direction.

    My life might be worth nothing ¨C less than the mud and grass underfoot. But it had a purpose. One singular goal. One bright spot amid the darkness.

    Leandra. Protecting Leandra.

 Chapter 4 - Fishy

    You know what was weird? Even weirder than a pack of fish-faced horror monsters that had grown into some sort of gigantic lizard/fish hybrid, I mean?

    There appeared to be a spirit riding the one in front. It was familiar, its body a strange off white color, a yellowish yolk in its center. I¡¯d recognize that transcendent omelet anywhere. That was the egg spirit.

    I also had a few questions.

    Like why was it riding the kraell? Why did it come back? And why was it making all those strange shapes? That last one in particular was definitely a gesture I recognized ¨Cone I¡¯d received far too many times from angry villagers. Was it really that bitter? I mean, all I did was trap it in a prison, bury it for days on end with no sense of whether I was going to return, and then marinade it in kraell baby juice¡ª

    Actually, you know what? I hear it now.

    I never thought this day would come.

    It seemed I¡¯d found my first arch nemesis.

    To be clear, I¡¯s always suspected this would happen eventually. I mean, usually everything was just out to kill me, or eat me, or just emotionally abuse me like Fang ¨C but it was more of a casual thing, you know? However, someday I knew I¡¯d find the one.

    That one creature that would go to the ends of the Five Rivers to kill me.

    And, apparently, today was that day.

    The fish monsters charged into the field, other villagers screaming and running, my feet carrying me in the opposite direction toward my sister where she was frozen in the middle of the field. One of the Kraell loomed large before Leandra and prepared to lunge, opening a mouth filled with a hundred spikes as long as my hand¡ª

    Only for my shirt to slap the creature in the face.

    It was almost comical ¨C attacking a solid ton of muscle and death with a wet shirt.

    However, my clothing was still covered in shit and mucus, which the creature could no longer reach with its stubby, clawed arms. Its cloudy eyes wheeled, mature now but still almost useless while it wasn¡¯t underwater. At best, they could make out rough shapes. And now its gills were covered in its own shit, blocking its sense of smell.

    Although, that wouldn¡¯t stop it for long¡ª

    Leandra¡¯s hand was slowly drifting down to the knife at her waist, her eyes locked on those beasts, and droplets forming along her skin.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I shouted, grabbing her hand.

    She blinked, turning, staring like she didn¡¯t quite see me.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to fight. We need to run!¡±

    She finally heard that, snapping herself out of her fugue, her eyes wide as she took in the kraell before us ¨C the monster still trying to swipe at its face.

    ¡°What are¡­ what are they looking at?¡± Leandra murmured.

    It was my turn to hesitate. The other kraell were acting strangely. They had plenty of prey, but they had slowed their charge through the field as I neared, their gills huffing at the mist as they took huge, snuffling breaths. Then those half-blind, white eyes began to wheel slowly toward our location.

    The kraell definitely weren¡¯t an intelligent species. Their brains were quite small. Roughly the size of my fist. However, they had a strong instinctual compulsion to protect their brood. I know, ironic since they also eat each other. What can I tell you? Even animals can be hypocrites. There''s probably a lesson in there somewhere. Anyway, with the egg, shit, and blood covering me, the kraell had identified me for what I was¡­

    A baby murdering bastard.

    Also, it probably didn¡¯t help that the egg spirit was fucking pointing at me. Not physically of course. Instead, it held a few drops of my blood suspended in a ball of moisture ¨C a ball it was now using as bait to draw the kraell toward me.

    How did it get my blood, though? Perhaps the cuts on my arms when I dumped it out of its little glass cage? Damn it¡­

    That would explain how the kraell managed to follow me.

    My attention returned to Leandra ¨C taking in the villagers fleeing behind her, only gradually beginning to regroup as the elders barked orders. Their spirits flashed, forming the earth up into thick barriers even as the adults began to find their weapons. More water callers were grouped up in the rear, slowly pulling away the wall of water like a sheet. Creating just enough room for the others to flee¡­

    They weren¡¯t ready. I needed to buy them time. I needed to protect Leandra.

    And there was only one way. My hands were already pulling more cloth from my bag. Ripping it into long strips. Crouching and snatching a couple of those smooth stones around the goal and wrapping them with the cloth bands before tying them tight. It wasn¡¯t much, but I¡¯d have to make it work. It wasn¡¯t like I had a lot of options.

    After all, this was my fault, wasn¡¯t it? Sort of?

    Actually, you know what? I was blaming the egg spirit!

    But that didn¡¯t change the situation.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Leandra demanded.

    There was no time to explain.

    ¡°Go!¡± I shoved at Leandra. ¡°Get to the others.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She hesitated as she saw me lift my knife, realization suddenly shining there ¨C horror accompanying it in equal measure. ¡°Nyx, no!¡±

    But it was too late. I was already committed anyway.

    The blade sliced across the back of my hand. Fresh red blood welled, thick and strong. The smell wafted up into the air, carried on the mist. The kraell were definitely looking in my direction now. All five of them. Giants made of scale and muscle and way, way too many teeth. Shouting would do me no good, wouldn¡¯t draw their attention. But this would¡ª

    Ahh, actually it was working just a bit too well.

    They surged forward with savage fury, thick muscle rippling and their claws kicking up dirt and grass as their stubby legs struck the ground.

    Yet I was already running ¨C away from the villagers toward the northern side of the clearing. Past those fucking rocks and makeshift goal posts. I didn¡¯t bother to turn; to look to see if Leandra had listened to me. I couldn¡¯t afford too. I was a little busy¡ª

    I felt the ground tremble at my back and I dove to the side, pivoting in the air and hurling one of my cloth-wrapped rocks. A kraell struck the earth where I¡¯d just been standing, sending mud fountaining up into the sky, dirt and wet soon raining down around me. I hit the ground hard and rolled.

    As I recovered, I noticed two of the kraell pull away from the others, chasing after the rock I¡¯d thrown ¨C the cloth stained with my blood. The one that dove for me also appeared stunned. It shook its massive head and broken teeth went flying like shrapnel.

    I might not be able to kill them ¨C or even harm them really ¨C but I could distract them.

    However, there were still two left¡­

    And they were locked on my scent, barreling through the mist even as I heaved myself upright and started running again. I jumped and pivoted, hurling another rock. It struck the one on the left and the other suddenly jerked to the side as its gills huffed in the scent of fresh blood. It snapped, striking its brother and fresh blue blood sprayed. The kraell kept going, whipped into a frenzy by the taste of fresh meat. It tore into the other¡¯s flesh, its mad eyes wheeling and the other fighting back, clawing its shoulders and back.

    Then the Kraell repositioned and chomped harder with its powerful jaws ¨C jaws lined with hundreds of needle-like teeth. They snapped down on its brother¡¯s neck and it let out a choked gurgling sound, its movements slowing.

    ¡°This was an acceptable plan,¡± Fang remarked, only his eyes appearing nearby.

    Of course, that cold blooded asshole was still here. Not for the first time, I wished I could steal his mist spirit. That ability to conceal his presence would be incredible.

    ¡°You could help, you know,¡± I muttered.

    A snort. ¡°Why would I? This is an excellent learning opportunity.¡±

    ¡°To learn what?¡±

    ¡°How to deal with your own mistakes.¡±

    I let out a growl of frustration.

    ¡°Speaking of which, the wary hunter checks his back.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    With those words, Fang disappeared once more.

    I turned and saw the other three had given up on their bait and were barreling toward me again. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I pushed off and started running again, putting the body of the other Kraell ¨C its brother still feeding on his corpse ¨C between me and the rest of the brood. That worked on one of them as it tripped over the body and started a fight with the other, who was now staking out its claim to a brand-new source of food.

    Meanwhile, the others chasing me were roaring their rage.

    Water condensed across their scales as they gave chase, pulling the mists from the air around them. Then that moisture shot forward in a beam. It struck the ground nearby with incredible pressure, sending the dirt spewing.

    If I got hit by that¡ª

    The next one clipped my shoulder. Pain bloomed there, hot and fiery and my world twisted as the force of the blow and my momentum sent me into a spin. I hit the ground hard and slid, the mixture of mud and water making the ground slick. I blinked blearily, seeing that wall of roiling water coming close ¨C far too close, actually!

    I scrambled and kicked at the mud to avoid getting sucked inside. That would be a death sentence. Once my feet left the ground, I wouldn¡¯t be able to easily escape its strange currents. I would likely drown suspended in that wall of water.

    Not that my alternatives looked great¡ª

    The two krael were still coming for me. They jostled each other in their haste, whipped into a frenzy. I pulled another rock and heaved it to the side, but it did nothing. Because, of course, it didn¡¯t. Blood covered my arms where the wounds had broken open again and crimson stained the waters pooling around me, saturating the area in my smell. One giant red target¡­

    I could only look on. This was it. I had no other move left.

    I was going to die here. Helplessly.

    And yet¡­ I felt strangely calm about it.

    In that moment, I looked to the others. The villagers had fortified their position and had peeled back more of the wall of water. They were escaping. No one would bother to help me ¨C to rescue the Hollow. What better purpose could my vessel serve than to protect their ¡°holy¡± payload. At least, Leandra must be among them¡ª

    That thought was cutoff as a blur of motion swept under one of the Kraell like a splashing wave. Blue blood sprayed and it tripped, its face striking the mud as it slid forward ¨C digging a long trench. Leandra appeared nearby, water glistening across her skin and holding plain hand axe drenched in blue blood. She immediately pitched over, breathing hard and dropping the axe, letting out a grunt of pain.

    The other Kraell turned, sensing a new threat.

    Its claws whipped back ¨C only to pause as my last rock struck it in the side of the head. It wasn¡¯t enough to hurt it, not even close. However, it bought Leandra a moment. Long enough for her to collect her nimbus again, her vessel already worn out from the games. She blurred away as it took a second swipe at her. Meanwhile, I tried to rise.

    Shit, my leg hurt. I must have twisted it. Running was out.

    ¡°No¡­ no, look at me!¡± I demanded as the creature pivoted, raising my bloody hand.

    However, I could still buy Leandra time to retreat.

    The beast pivoted, raising its claws, its muscles surging and rippling beneath those thick scales. I heard Leandra scream. I saw my death looming above me. Again.

    Then the kraell¡¯s head simply exploded, showering the area with sapphire blood.

    I blinked. Blinked again. Yet it took me another moment to register what I was seeing. Elder Elias stood on its back. His body was covered in thick muscle, a function of working the forge with his son Jace. And in his hands was a massive two-handed hammer, flames coating the surface. They also licked at the kraell¡¯s headless body¡­

    The other along the ground began to lift itself. It looked like Leandra had severed two of its legs along one side, forcing it to crawl along the ground. Actually, it was mostly just spinning in a muddy circle. Just how hard had she hit it? The elder turned, raising a brow as he noticed its injury and sparing a glance at my sister. Then he raised his hammer once again. The kraell¡¯s back gave a sharp crunch. Then it went still.

    I heard a wet squelch to my side and turned to find the egg spirit standing there. It made another obscene gesture, let out a noise that sounded very much like a wet fart, and then danced off through the grasses.

    What an asshole. Maybe this meant things were over?

    It certainly seemed like we were even.

    Behind Elder Elias, the other callers were finishing off the rest of the Brood ¨C callers softening the earth and trapping them in the mud while Jace ended their lives one-by-one. Although, unlike his father, it took him a few hits to fell each creature ¨C even pinned down as they were. It wasn¡¯t exactly a noble victory, but it never was, was it?

    Elder Elias looked down at me and our eyes met. I don¡¯t know what I expected to see there, but was still surprised by the hate and disgust and rage in his gaze. His entire body was still coated in that fiery energy. All it would take him was one blow.

    One blow to end my life.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured, bowing my head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for you, Hollow.¡± The elder¡¯s eyes flitted to my sister, where she lay nearby, covered in blue blood and nursing her shoulder.

    Of course, he hadn¡¯t. Saving my life wouldn¡¯t be worth it.

    He¡¯d only fought because Leandra¡¯s life was at stake.

    Which never would have happened if I hadn¡¯t snuck into that nest¡­

    ¡°It would have been better if they¡¯d just finished you off,¡± Jace said calmly as he neared. He flicked his blade to rid it of the blue blood, flames shimmering across his skin. I hadn¡¯t been lying before. With his spirit, I was no match for him. And he knew it.

    ¡°Perhaps I should finish what they started¡­¡±

    The blade came to rest at my neck. However, I refused to move.

    I just stared at the ground. If this was the cost of Leandra¡¯s life, then so be it. I hadn¡¯t thanked Elder Elias for myself.

    ¡°Enough,¡± a new voice spoke up.

    The blade swept away as Elder Gracen appeared, floating on a cloud of air, his creaky limbs too frail to hold his weight any longer. He had taken in Leandra and I when we were little ¨C although, I suspected he was still hoping I¡¯d lure a spirit at that point. Either way, air spirits were rare in the reaches and few had traveled as far beyond Anchon¡¯s mists as Elder Gracen, which had always lent his words extra weight. Not that this made him beloved by everyone, of course ¨C especially given his choice of house guests.

    For example, Elder Elias and Elder Gracen took to each other like oil to water.

    ¡°This is no time for such nonsense,¡± Elder Gracen continued. ¡°Our priority is the safety of the villagers. We should focus on escorting them home and send a hunting party to secure the woods. There may be more kraell.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps the Hollow could tell us,¡± Jace said, noting the stink now clinging to the tip of his blade. More still stained my own clothes. ¡°He certainly smells like kraell shit.¡±

    ¡°I also noticed they were unusually focused on him,¡± Elder Elias added gruffly, his hammer landing in the dirt beside me with a heavy thud.

    My brow furrowed. Had they not see the egg spirit? Had I been the only one that caught that? Not that this seemed like the best time to bring that up.

    ¡°Because he cut his hand,¡± Leandra protested, speaking up in my defense. She was still cradling her arm. That attack she¡¯d made on the Kraell looked like it must have dislocated her shoulder¡­

    Okay, yeah, I was feeling pretty guilty now.

    ¡°There were plenty of injuries,¡± Elder Elias noted, waving at the throng of villagers that had collected south of the field. ¡°Yet they chased none of the others.¡±

    Even Leandra didn¡¯t have an answer for that one.

    And suddenly they were all looking at me.

    Shit. This was it. The end of the line.

    I didn¡¯t have any jokes or tricks to get out of this one¡­

    ¡°I hunted a kraell nest and stole some eggs. I thought I lost them but they caught my scent. They must have followed me here. I don¡¯t have their exact number.¡±

    I also left out the egg spirit. The fact that I¡¯d pissed off a spirit enough that it gathered a lynch mob of kraell and chased me across the marshes wasn¡¯t exactly a winning argument. They¡¯d probably string me up just for that.

    ¡°You put the entire village in danger¡ª¡± Elder Elias snapped.

    Only to be interrupted as my stomach growled. Damn thing almost sounded like another kraell¡­ Yet it bought me a few seconds as Elder Elias tried to manage his fury and Jace looked on with an incredulous scowl.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t punish Nyx. He lured the creatures away and bought everyone else time to escape,¡± Leandra pleaded into that sudden silence. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t gone back¡ª"

    ¡°A risk created by his own actions,¡± Elder Elias retorted. ¡°His vessel¡¯s life would be a small price to pay for yours or anyone else in the village.¡±

    Leandra glared back, her hands balling into fists.

    Elder Gracen coughed, his hand landing on Leandra¡¯s shoulder. A squeeze was enough to stop her in her tracks. ¡°However, she is right about one thing. No one was harmed. A surprising outcome against five kraell. In fact, Nyx technically killed one, did he not?¡±

    Jace frowned at that and Elder Elias simply went still.

    Elder Gracen waved at a corpse in the distance, the body eaten by its own brother. Huh, the old man was right¡­ sort of.

    ¡°That would make him quite useful, would it not?¡± the elder pressed. Elder Elias was wavering, he just needed another push. ¡°Or should we address why Nyx felt he needed to attempt something so desperate to eat? Such bias does not serve the village¡¯s interests. A good tool requires care, which I¡¯m sure someone with your experience would appreciate.¡±

    Ha! That last one was sharper than one of Elder Elias¡¯ own blades.

    Wait¡­ but did that make me the village tool? Huh. Mixed victory there.

    However, the blacksmith was never going to admit to any fault here ¨C how his hate of the ¡°Hollow¡± might have indirectly created this problem.

    Fortunately, there was another way out of this sort of predicament. It wasn¡¯t technically one of The Rules, but I¡¯d given it a sort of honorary status.

    Honorary Rule Number 4: If someone accuses you of breaking one of the rules, deflect, deflect, deflect! Yep, we need to keep that river of hypocritical kraell shit flowing smoothly¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re right. There are other priorities right now,¡± Elder Elias replied finally.

    ¡°But, father¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough, this isn¡¯t the time,¡± Elder Elias interrupted Jace. There were others watching right now. ¡°Lead the hunting party. Ensure the marshes are clear. Go.¡±

    Jace looked like he wanted to disagree, but he just spared me one last cold stare before pivoting on his heel, sword on his shoulder. He gave a wave to some of the other callers, collecting them into a group before heading into the marshes.

    Elder Elias also took that as his signal to leave. He didn¡¯t even bother to look at me. Why would he? Again, I was a rock, remember. I like that way better than ¡°tool.¡± Not that either were great options. I just heaved out a sigh.

    ¡°Can you make it back to the village?¡± That was Elder Gracen again.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I muttered, heaving myself upright. Sure, my leg hurt like hell and so did my shoulder, but they would heal quickly. What I couldn¡¯t stand was that look in his eyes. The mixture of pity and compassion and¡­ disappointment.

    ¡°Let me help¡ª¡± Leandra began, but was cut short.

    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t,¡± her friend Celeste barked at her, vines restraining her limbs. ¡°I need to see to your wounds and then we¡¯re going to have Elder Gracen float you home.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Leandra trailed off, teetering in place.

    She definitely wasn¡¯t fine. She¡¯d used far too much nimbus.

    Celeste caught her before she could fall, and, at a gesture from Elder Gracen, a stiff wind blew through the glade and collected beneath Leandra, forming another cloud of air that held her safely suspended.

    ¡°Be safe on your journey back,¡± Elder Gracen said over his shoulder as he floated after the pair. ¡°And since you¡¯re fine¡­ don¡¯t forget to bring back the supplies with you.¡±

    I hesitated. Wait, what?

    My eyes roamed the field. Blankets, baskets, and equipment thrown haphazardly across the grass. More than a few had been stomped into the mud by the kraell¡¯s oversized feet. That was going to take a while¡­

    I turned back but Elder Gracen had already floated off. No doubt, this was my penance. It was true that if the village had just fed me my fair share, none of this would have been necessary. But that was still just an excuse. The Five Rivers was an unfair place, which didn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯d fucked up. Badly. I¡¯d done the unthinkable.

    I¡¯d put Leandra at risk.

    ¡°Well, at least this day can¡¯t get any worse,¡± I muttered to myself.

    At that moment, twin yellow eyes popped up beside me, followed by a wide, toothy grin. ¡°Really? Then would this be a bad time to remind you of our bet?¡±

    My brow wrinkled in confusion. ¡°But the victory condition was¡ª¡±

    ¡°When Leandra wins. Yet the game appears to be over. And if there is no game, there can be no winner,¡± Fang hissed back.

    I just stared. Then¡­

    ¡°Damn it,¡± I muttered, Fang¡¯s laughter drifting across the ruined field as he vanished again ¨C this time for good. Leaving me alone in that ruined field.

    Are you getting it yet? Is the point sinking in?

    I told you, I¡¯m not paranoid. The universe just hates me.

    And we¡¯re just getting started¡­

 Chapter 5 - Ambush

    The walk back to Anchon was about as bad as I expected.

    Especially with half the town¡¯s garbage strapped to my back. I must have looked like some sort of hunchbacked monster amid the fog.

    The only positive was that my leg had begun feeling better. Especially after I chugged some river water. Which was a good thing because with the weight of my pack, my boots sunk into the raised trail that wound through the dense marshlands north of Anchon.

    Oh, and I¡¯d also managed to put off paying Fang¡¯s debt. Although, I still had to promise that I would pay up¡­ eventually.

    If I hadn¡¯t been having such a shit day, I never would have fallen for his trick. Looking back at it now, he must have set me up from the beginning. I bet he knew those kraell were headed to the clearing and relied on my overconfidence in my sister.

    What a cold blooded asshole. I swear he was just in it for the entertainment.

    I suspected that was the only reason he¡¯d saved me all those cycles ago.

    Either way, at least I was alone now ¨C with both my thoughts and my pain.

    I wasn¡¯t sure which one was worse, honestly.

    The sun had long since set by the time he neared the village, the mists dropping beneath the boughs of the willows. The shadows were only pushed back by the lantern swinging from my waist, a small light spirit trapped within the crystal enclosure. It winked and flashed, those signals echoed out in the gloom ¨C the other light spirits responding to their sister as they danced through the tall grass. However, they kept their distance from me, forming a pocket of darkness, chittering and flashing at me for imprisoning own of their own.

    All while the light spirit beat frantically against the glass.

    ¡°So dramatic,¡± I muttered. ¡°You¡¯d think I was torturing you.¡±

    The spirits didn¡¯t seem to love that ¨C at least, not based on the light show around me.

    As I kept walking, the darkness grew deeper and the mist pressed in until I could barely see more than an arm¡¯s breadth ¨C even the light of the other spirits growing dim. I must be nearing the graven grounds. Slowing, I peered into the gloom off to the right. A stone lingered there, marking the entrance ¨C a warning.

    I¡¯d heard that no plants grew on graven grounds and even the spirits were wary of such places. It was rumored that the land itself was corrupted, inhabited by spirits driven mad by pain and despair. Others claimed those were just myths. Legends. Stories to convince young children to finish their chores.

    For me, those tales weren¡¯t so easily discounted. If corrupted beasts existed ¨C their spirit driven mad and their vessel mutated and transformed ¨C then why not the spirits themselves? I¡¯d witnessed the carnage a corrupted beast could wreak firsthand. One such monster was responsible for tearing my parents away, burning them alive.

    And with those memories came the anger, hot and smoldering...

    I shook my head to ward off the unwelcome thoughts, shoving them back down deep and chaining their cage closed. The damn things kept escaping.

    Why do you think I spend so much trying to distract myself?

    Anyway, the light spirit¡¯s glow had dimmed as we neared the warning stones and its sisters had fled, streaking away across the tall grasses. Now, that was strange.

    Maybe the tales weren¡¯t just superstitious kraell shit. Either way, I didn¡¯t plan to brave the grounds ¨C especially not at night. So, I pulled my coat tighter to ward of the chill, hiked my oversized pack and started forward once more¡ª

    Only to freeze as I heard a telltale song drifting out of the mists.

    The voice was eerie, sublime. It whispered a tale of sorrow and longing that resonated with the hollow void in my chest. It drew me toward it, my eyes on the mists. When I blinked again, I¡¯d already taken a few steps off the path¡­ although I certainly didn¡¯t remember that. Acting on instinct, I pulled my dagger and sliced the back of my hand again.

    The pain was hot and sharp and cut through the song¡¯s effect.

    That could only be one creature. A river wraith. Although, they typically stayed near Cocytus, luring creatures to the banks with their songs before freezing the water, trapping them in place and sucking out their nimbus.

    Yeah, okay, they were giant river spiders. And that song you¡¯re hearing was them strumming at their webs ¨C attaching the fibers to the fog itself. If you thought the kraell were the worst thing out here, think again. Although, it was strange for one to venture this far inland. Perhaps it hadn¡¯t found any easy prey this evening.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon,¡± I whispered, wrapping my bleeding hand¡­ again.

    This is exactly why I had so many damn scars.

    Just how much bad luck could one person have?

    However, I stayed calm, focused. Just as Fang had taught me.

    The practical hunter used his head, not his heart.

    The sound was coming from the river-side of the trail. There were warding stones all along the path ¨C spirits trapped within the rock that would emerge if they sensed hostile intent or a corrupted beast. Yet they wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop a wraith, only slow it down. However, the wraith likely wouldn¡¯t venture too much farther from the water. So, I just needed to move away from the river. There was only one problem¡­

    I looked toward the graven grounds, a thin path winding through the mist.

    Under any other circumstances, I would flee in that direction, but¡ª

    My body tensed as the song came again and I was forced to press down hard on that fresh wound to keep my mind. It was closer now. The tall grasses along the trail rippled and snapped, ice crystalizing along the stalks. Once snow touched my cheek, I knew it was time to get moving. I had no choice. If I waited any longer, the creature would freeze me in place.

    Then would come the disemboweling and the eating.

    Anyone else starting to notice a pattern?

    I dropped the pack, shedding the extra weight. A wraith would have no interest in such things anyway. Then I set off down the narrow path leading into the graven grounds, passing the warning stone and my lantern swinging, causing the shadows to flicker and dance. I fled as quickly as I could without making too much noise.

    The wraiths hunted by sound.

    I eventually emerged into a clearing and slowed.

    I stilled my breathing and listened, but couldn¡¯t hear the wraith¡¯s song.

    However, I wasn¡¯t out of harm¡¯s way just yet. My feet were now planted firmly on graven ground. It was a willow grove, one of many that dotted the marshes. However, unlike the field used for the village¡¯s Game Day, no leaves clung to the trees¡¯ claw-like branches, the light spirit¡¯s dim glow creating jagged shadows. The ground itself was also barren of life, leaving only plain, dry dirt ¨C an oddity in the marshes. Even the mists didn¡¯t venture inside this place and instead retreated to the treeline, rare moonlight shining down from overhead.

    It was an unnatural sight.

    But more than that¡­ this place felt strange. The light spirit¡¯s glow had dimmed to almost nothing, the creature huddling within the depths of its enclosure. Something seemed to call to me, the shadows stretching higher across the trees as I stepped into the clearing. It was similar to the wraith¡¯s song¡­ just more subtle. It wasn¡¯t demanding attention, only requesting it. Almost like it was trying to warn me¡ª

    Vines suddenly wound up out of the ground, snatching at my ankles and anchoring me in place. I reacted quickly, reaching for my knife, but I wasn¡¯t fast enough. I was knocked from my feet, my knife thrown toward the treeline ¨C lost from sight. My back struck the ground with a heavy thud, the breath whoosing from my lungs and the telltale tinkle of broken glass indicating that my lantern was broken.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Something hard and heavy collided with my face. Then again. And again.

    I tried to raise my arms to protect myself, but found them lashed down.

    ¡°H-help?¡± I managed to croak as my lungs sucked in air. An instinct.

    ¡°No one is coming to help you, Hollow,¡± a voice growled from above.

    He wasn¡¯t wrong, but he didn¡¯t have to be such an asshole about it.

    I blinked away the fresh blood in my eyes and a pit formed in my stomach as I caught sight of my attackers. Jace, flames flickering across his hands. Ahh, never mind. Maybe he did have to be an asshole about it¡­

    And there were others standing around ¨C only shadows in the fiery light radiating from Jace¡¯s body. That would explain the forest spirit that had rooted me in place. Their hunting party must have returned late and gotten pushed off the trail by the wraith.

    ¡°What? Nothing to say now, huh? When Elder Gracen isn¡¯t here to protect you?¡± Jace demanded coldly as I simply stared up at him.

    What was the point of responding? There was no negotiating with that look in Jace¡¯s eyes. And he knew it; knew that no help would come ¨C even if someone happened to hear. None of those standing around him would stop him. I¡¯d lived this torment before. Almost every day since my parents¡¯ death. It was inevitable. Like the silverfin spawn. The cycles and the seasons of perpetual wet. The best approach was to stay quiet, to not make a sound.

    To wait until Jace grew bored and left.

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll just have to loosen your tongue.¡±

    Pain rippled through my abdomen.

    ¡°You should have just died today,¡± Jace grunted. ¡°You¡¯re a blight on our village. A curse. Just look how you put us all in harm¡¯s way. Even your precious sister.¡±

    Another kick, harder than the last.

    I grunted and could taste blood on my lips.

    I mean, he wasn¡¯t wrong¡­ not exactly.

    Although, I suspected pointing out the absurdity of assigning a single cause to any one event would be a bit too nuanced of a counterargument. As Elder Gracen had said, if they¡¯d just fed me for my work, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to steal the eggs.

    ¡°Or your parents. They died while you watched, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    Another kick. Now that was a low blow¡­ for more reason than one. Joking aside, that kick was also harder than the last. Jace wasn¡¯t holding back anymore. No one was moving to stop him either. Not a great sign.

    I wondered how much more abuse my vessel could handle.

    But, for some reason, I found myself beyond caring¡­

    Another kick.

    Maybe he was right¡­

    Another kick.

    Maybe Leandra would be better off without me¡­

    Another.

    I wasn¡¯t sure when Jace had started enhancing his legs, fire flaring and searing my clothing with each blow. All I knew was that I could feel the burns as the flames licked my bare skin. Stars clouded the corners of my vision like dancing light spirits. Those chains I wrapped around my mind rattled and more memories began to leak through. I could suddenly remember another time and another place where I¡¯d felt such pain¡­

    My hands clawing at burning reeds as my parents screamed, wordless, tortured wails of pain. And the flames¡­ so much fire¡­

    Jace¡¯s words had conjured that memory, had allowed him to kick open that cage in the hollow space in my chest ¨C one I kept locked tight. And with it came the anger again.

    Rage bloomed in my chest, a hot kernel of fury that flared into a full flame and blew apart the rest of the chains I normally kept wrapped around my emotions. It was wild and wailing, targeting anything and everything. Myself, others, my cruel fate. It might be a feeble, futile thing, but it was mine. Perhaps the only thing I could claim as my own.

    ¡°Is this all¡­ all you have?¡± I grunted, on my hands and knees again, that anger sustaining me, pushing back at the pain.

    Unwise, but I was past caring.

    ¡°What did you just say to me?¡± Jace demanded.

    I was hauled upright, Jace¡¯s spirit blazing as he held me aloft with a single hand, his arm like iron. This was the power of his fire spirit; of his father¡¯s teaching; of hours spent bending molten metal with bare hands. Fire lit his eyes, Jace¡¯s own fragile pride on display.

    More hypocritical kraell shit. And suddenly, I just couldn¡¯t take it anymore¡­

    It had just been one of those days, you know?

    The others crowded round, their faces obscured in shadow. The willows snapped and swayed in the breeze, the mists hovering just beneath their boughs as though to ensure the gods would witness this exchange. I smirked as I saw them watching.

    I still had one weapon that could wound my prey¡­

    ¡°Is this really about me? About the village? Or is it about you?¡±

    ¡°What? Did I hit you a little too hard? You¡¯re speaking nonsense,¡± Jace scoffedd, still smirking.

    ¡°I think¡­ you¡¯re worried,¡± I gasped.

    ¡°Worried? About what?¡± he scoffed.

    I just smiled, a toothy, bloody grin, that anger making me rash.

    ¡°That the Hollow killed a Kraell when you couldn¡¯t?¡±

    A gasp. Murmuring from our audience. Those complicit shadows.

    My secrets weapons¡­

    ¡°You¡ª You¡ª¡± Jace sputtered, fumbling for a reply.

    I shook my head. ¡°Or maybe that¡¯s not it. Maybe you¡¯re really just scared that despite granting you this strength, your spirit won¡¯t ever make you any smarter.¡±

    Some of the onlookers chuckled at my barb and Jace¡¯s eyes snapped to their faces, his fist clenching tighter on my tunic. When he looked back, something had changed. A shadow coiled up behind Jace, hovering over him, and towering tall. No cold justice or indignant anger shone in his eyes. This was something more ¨C something primal. A bottomless hunger. Murderous rage.

    I didn¡¯t even see the next blow coming. I was simply flying, hurtling through the air, pain enveloping my chest and fire searing my skin. There was only anguish and flame and darkness, and I barely registered it all as I hit the ground, the world listing and twisting, the willows fading away as consciousness slipped out of my grasp.

    And yet the darkness brought another memory with it¡­

    I had been down by the river. Barely seven cycles old, I was still trying to use my baby sister to lure the water spirits ¨C refusing to give up ¨C an elaborate string of cages and miniature pit traps prepared for the tiny creatures. They¡¯d grown in complexity. Now built of fired clay that I¡¯d molded myself and scrawled with crude runes ¨C an artificial vessel that would definitely succeed in trapping them this time.

    The first sign that something was wrong was the coils of smoke billowing up over the treetops. Then had come the screams. Acting quickly, I hid my sister, carefully wrapping her in thick leather sheets used to store cured silverfin and urging her to stay put, her eyes wide and frightened. Then I ran, my small legs taking me fast and far.

    The screams only grew louder as I neared.

    And that¡¯s when I saw it. A creature of nightmares. A corrupted firebear standing nearly twenty feet tall, its body warped and twisted, riddled with veins of molten energy as its spirit flared out of control. Each swipe of its paws sent out a wave of flames, fires that consumed a nearby building ¨C a familiar place. One where I slept. Ate. Played with little Leandra. Where my parents scolded me. Where the reeds by the door marked my height in a series of clean strokes from my father¡¯s knife.

    I ran to them. Even as the other callers rallied around the bear. As they pulled water from the river in the distance. As a wall of moisture formed around the corrupted firebear and steam rose into the air, hot and wavering.

    My parents were pleading¡­ calling out¡­ their faces barely visible between the reeds, their skin flaying and welting. But I was too weak. My young hands couldn¡¯t bend the reeds. I had no spirit to call upon. And the other callers were busy with the firebear.

    I could only scream and claw and pray and beg.

    Please¡­

    ¡­please¡­

    ¡­someone¡­

    ¡­help me¡­

    ¡­¡­

    We shall help you.

    The voice entered my mind unbidden and unfamiliar ¨C slithering into my thoughts like poison. More screams echoed in my ears and my eyes snapped open.

    For a moment, I thought it was just a hallucination, a memory, a ghost of my own pain and trauma. Yet as I blinked to clear my vision and my fingers clawed at the coarse dirt beside me, the screams continued, soon accompanied by the heavy sound of footsteps and incoherent shouts, the words garbled and confusing.

    I pushed upright in alarm. My body ached. My chest burned. I was already way past my limits, my vessel broken and bruised. I automatically reached for a knife that no longer lingered at my waist¡ª

    Yet a weapon proved unnecessary. The clearing was suddenly empty, only moonlight illuminating the glade ¨C my lantern broken and the light spirit having long fled.

    Jace and his companions were gone as well, their shouts fading into the distance. But all around the clearing, scratches and furrows had been carved in the earth. They almost looked like¡­ claw marks? Or perhaps something created by a sharp sword or knife? Yet I¡¯d never seen a beast that could make marks like that.

    I rose on unsteady legs and limped through the clearing. Stooping, my fingers traced one of those grooves and came away wet. I lifted my fingers to my nose. A familiar copper tang. Blood. And there was more ¨C faint, uneven patches that reflected the moonlight.

    ¡°Fang?¡± I murmured into the darkness¡­ almost hopeful.

    Yet no response came.

    Probably not the savran. This was too much, even for him. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d intervened with the kraell, so why start with Jace?

    A corrupted beast then? Or just another creature?

    And had I imagined that voice?

    There were too many unanswered questions¡­

    I grimaced. I needed to simplify ¨C to focus.

    The others had been attacked by something ¨C it didn¡¯t matter what it was right now. And if that something was strong enough to drive the others away, then I needed to get my ass moving. It could come back and I was currently unarmed and injured.

    So, I began limping away from town, heading back north, following a narrow trail through the marsh. If the creature had chased the others, I needed to put some distance between us. Then I could circle back around to the main trail and retrieve the equipment.

    Assuming, of course, the wraith had returned the river¡­.

    Shit. I shook my head. No, one problem at a time. I could do this¡­ even with no light, my leg throbbing, and now burns riddling my chest. I knew this area like the back of my hand. Which also happened to be split open and bleeding.

    Not that I was counting injuries or anything.

    I¡¯d just have to hope I made it back without a more permanent one...

    * * *

    As soon as my feet left the clearing, shadows slipped across the graven grounds. They slinked and slithered and coiled ¨C seemingly emerging from the dirt itself and unafraid of the moonlight that shone down upon them. They snaked forward until they reached those patches of blood, pulsing with malevolent energy as they consumed it¡ª

    Along with the nimbus suspended within.

 Hollow #2 Starts!

    Alright, I''m back!

    First off, sorry for the delay. It took me a bit longer than I expected to finish up the editing/proofing on book 1 and build up a backlog on book 2. Although, that stuff is done now. Audible Studios has the manuscript and they''ll be starting casting soon. They''re looking at late July for a synced ebook/print/audio release. Hype!

    Oh, and we''ve been working on a new cover for book one.  I replaced the cover here with the WIP -- still a few changes to make -- but I''d love to hear your thoughts!If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    And, finally, I made a promise, didn''t I? Something about releasing the prologue early if we got enough ratings? And, uh, I guess you all sort of delivered... a couple months ago.

    Although, technically, I just said "early." I didn''t really give a precise date, did I? Besides, what''s a little, light blackmail between friends, right?

    But I plan to deliver. Specifically, today. The foreword/recap and prologue will dropping here shortly. You''re welcome.

    Also, new chapters will drop on my Patreon on Mondays and Fridays for now. Once we''re about 10 chapters ahead there, they''ll start dropping here.

    And, uh, well... that''s it. Hope you all have a crazy new year!

 Hollow #2 - Foreword and Recap

    Welcome to the foreword!

    First off, I have a confession to make¡­

    I think Nyx¡¯s madness might be contagious.

    Seriously, it might be starting to get to me ¨C at least, that¡¯s what my wife said before she left me¡­ to visit her mother. For a month. Although, technically, she¡¯d been planning to go on that trip for a long time. But she didn¡¯t have to look so happy, you know?

    Anyway, I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is that I¡¯m sorry in advance for any adverse effect this story may have on your mental health. I mean, I know I¡¯m not responsible for your choices, and, to be clear, you definitely chose to read or listen to this. Like you probably had to buy it or download it or rob a bookstore or mug a stranger or emotionally blackmail a family member and pry it out of their scaly, drug-addled claws¡ª

    Actually, you know what?

    On second thought, I¡¯m not sorry. You were asking for this!

    In fact, you might be to blame for my tenuous grasp on my own sanity.

    I mean, didn¡¯t you blackmail me into writing this thing? With the implicit threat of withholding your sweet, sweet attention and overwhelming praise?

    Or, wait¡­ does that make us [Friends] now?

    I mean, it worked for Nyx and Fang, right?

    That sounds right. Huh, in that case, I should probably help out my new ¡°friends.¡± I¡¯m guessing you probably don¡¯t remember everything that happened last time. I sure don¡¯t. But that¡¯s no problem. I got you. Just sit back, relax, and let me regale you with a tale as old as time¡­

    One where a weird, and possibly crazy (but definitely not paranoid) sapien lived a rather miserable life in a fishing village in the Outer Reaches of the Five Rivers ¨C one renowned for their canned silver fin and their ¡°Fin-Fans.¡± If you¡¯re taking notes, which you should be, I recommend you jot that part down. It¡¯ll be important later.

    Anyway, I wouldn¡¯t call our would-be protagonist a ¡°hero¡± per se. More like an unwitting victim of the Flow who definitely didn¡¯t ask for or deserve anything that happened to him. Oh, and his name was Nyx. Yeah, you remember now right? Spiritless vessel? All the physical and emotional abuse? But he had a sister named Leandra! And a quasi-father figure named Elder Gracen that blew himself up to protect¡­ well, probably Leandra.

    Oh, and a cold blooded, sadist lizard that kept following him around. That¡¯s Fang.

    And after all that torturous and overly-long setup, the plot finally got started when a corrupted gate opened completely on its own and with no help from Nyx whatsoever. Ratkin came spilling out, attacked the village, brutally murdered and partially ate many of the townsfolk, and almost killed Leandra. But she lived! Only to get conscripted by a lady with resting-elf-face named Eris who was in some sort of will-they, won¡¯t-they, and incredibly confusing relationship with a horny warrior moose with the heart of a poet and the body of a living fur god. His name was Horrendous¡ª

    Wait, that doesn¡¯t sound right.

    How did that rhyme go again? When the moose-whore is about to score and we can¡¯t help but root for more¡­ Horus! His name was Horus. See? It works every time. How do you think I keep track of all these moving pieces book after book?

    Anyway, where was I?

    Oh, yeah. Nyx. So, he did what he did best. He escaped the Guides! And on the way out, he might have borrowed some stuff. A slick new arm chain. Some gems. Also, Horus¡¯ Voluptuous Volume. He even ran into an entrepreneurial demon with a Death Wagon who gave him a corrupted spirit for some unknown but hopefully altruistic reason.

    Then Nyx immediately jumped into the gate. With Fang.

    Which is when they met Demi for the first time ¨C their personal Skafos on her very first day on the job. She was top of her class, and in true top-shelf fashion, she gave them the premium gate treatment. Namely, an impossible, ludicrous death hole punched through space and time and filled with pitch, shit, and poison. The perfect hellhole to call home.

    Fast forward five cycles ¨C at least from their perspective ¨C and the reluctant tormentor-victim relationship between Nyx and Fang had blossomed into something more. Something beautiful. True bromance.

    They even built a lair together, filled it with three of the most perfect, special murder babies that have ever graced the Flow¡­ and also mountains Fang¡¯s emotional and literal baggage. Then they went on to create memories that would last a lifetime.

    Skipping through killing fields of blood while Nyx popped off.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Heinous traps blessed with a loving tap of Fang¡¯s dagger.

    Oh, and that time Nyx built a revolutionary heated sewer bath!

    Sure, they had their rough patches ¨C just like any couple. They each put up walls; they each lashed out at each other ¨C emotionally¡­ but also with weapons. One or both of them might have even allegedly nibbled on the other. It happens. But they worked through it together with copious amounts of therapy. Like a family.

    Ahh, and Nyx¡¯s spirit evolved. Her name is Lili. She can talk now. And control his body sometimes. They¡¯re basically best friend and there¡¯s absolutely no secrets between them¡­ mostly because Lili can access Nyx¡¯s memories. All of them. Also, she may or may not have an eating disorder. She¡¯s a little sensitive about it.

    And then, when you probably thought things couldn¡¯t possibly get any better, the Guides arrived! Nyx was, of course, a gracious and considerate host. Which is why he threw one hell of a Lair Warming Party. One filled with interactive sewer games interspersed with brief moments of relaxation in their underground-lair-turned-medium-end-spa where the Guides could never truly relax because they were possibly being hunted by a madman. They even topped it all off with a dip in Nyx¡¯s above-ground swimming pool. You know, the one filled with the blood of thousands of their victims. And there were even fireworks!

    After all of that nonsense, Nyx and Fang finally confronted the boss ¨C the ruling spirit of the gate! Only to discover she was actually a little sapien girl? One that had been brutally murdered, of course. Which was¡­ just perfect really. I mean, that revelation definitely didn¡¯t raise impossible existential questions without answers or undermine the established religion of this entire spirit world, including everything Nyx had ever been taught.

    So, of course, Nyx asked Maribel to join their family.

    And she accepted! New team member acquired!

    In this case, one that infused herself into Nyx¡¯s left hand in the shape of a rat tattoo which he could call on to form a shield composed of pure darkness. One that can also summon his sweet, precious, and impossibly-perfect babies.

    Ahh, and then Nyx may have put his foot in his mouth ¨C you know, by accidentally inserting himself into the budding relationship between the warrior moose and the elf lady. But it was fine. They probably didn¡¯t even hear his questions anyway. And if they did, they were probably over it by now, right?

    Oh, and then our fledgling family was dumped back in the swamp.

    And that¡¯s where the story ended.

    Yep, nothing else happened.

    Okay¡­ fine. Leandra lived happily ever after, loved and adored by her new adopted family in Asphodel. She grew up to be a well-adjusted career woman that practically flew through the Order¡¯s ranks. Definitely no crazy, dark revelations there.

    For her part, Demi finished what was possibly the easiest first assignment ever ¨C an impressive showing from an up-and-coming Skafos who went on to be the youngest member of management in the history of the Flow. Not a single problem to report.

    And Fang and Nyx? They just strode off into the mist, hand-in-claw¡ª

    Ahh, what was that? This doesn¡¯t sound right at all?

    I wouldn¡¯t write something that happy? It feels completely off-brand?

    Well, first off¡­ wow. That kind of hurts. I thought we had something special here. A connection. We were supposed to be friends. I mean, you did come back, right? Entirely of your own volition? That says something.

    Although, more about you than it does about me¡­

    Anyway, if you already know what happens, why are you even reading this?

    Or, you know what? Since you¡¯re just so smart, and good looking, and have such exceptional taste in literature, maybe you should be writing this recap, huh? I bet you would nail it. Someone with your natural, overwhelming charisma and your eye for detail probably picked up on all the important foreshadowing. In fact, I bet you used to give one hell of a book report when you were in school. I bet you even volunteered to go first; that you were that person. Top of your class. A real Demi in the making.

    What? I¡¯m just deflecting? Maybe also projecting?

    Alright, you caught me! I might have fudged a little.

    Leandra might have brutally murdered several of her classmates, revealed that she was killing off Nyx¡¯s tormentors during their childhood, and went on to become a Frontrunner for the Order of Apollo. I¡¯m sure that will all turn out fine, though. Not that it matters. We aren¡¯t going to see much of her in this book. Sorry, not sorry.

    Demi did get promoted¡­ but she was also assigned to watch Nyx as his personal Skafos. Also, her boss Charon might have revealed that the Flow is hunting Nyx, he¡¯s lived an almost infinite number of lives, and he¡¯s completely batshit.

    And Nyx and Fang might have tried to kill each other. Again.

    Also, Nyx might have hidden his growing insanity from his bromantic partner. You know, the fact that he can see phantom images of himself. Also, Asshole-Me.

    That¡¯s it, okay? Happy now?

    Wait¡­ why are you still making that face?

    Fine, maybe the ¡°alpha-Nyx¡± also left himself a note through that weird and still completely unexplained memory crystal. One where he really played up his, err, prowess. One that implied that maybe the Flow had been changing things; that maybe our Nyx ¨C you know, the real one ¨C had a much more challenging time in the gate. One that may have ¡°accidentally¡± revealed that Lili was important to Nyx.

    An old friend carrying an important crystal payload.

    Also, possibly his sister Leandra.

    Which¡­ isn¡¯t great, I guess.

    That sort of implies that she died, right? Or that she will die? Or maybe both?

    Honestly, there are still a lot of open questions.

    It¡¯s almost like someone was just making this shit up¡­

    Or, at least, that¡¯s how I imagine the book report would go.

    Anyway, that¡¯s it. Sure, maybe this was confusing, it left out a lot of important and possibly relevant information, it was only loosely chronological, and I didn¡¯t even mention Fang¡¯s drug addiction once¡­ or Nyx¡¯s archnemesis.

    But, tough shit. I never said I was good at book reports.

    I just write the books, I don¡¯t report on them.

    I mean, would you expect a tech reporter to just sit down and invent AI? Or like a sports broadcaster to walk on the field and throw a perfect pitch? Of course, not. That would be crazy. Also, stupid. Glad we¡¯re on the same page now.

    And yes, I realize those analogies were shaky. I don¡¯t care.

    But this has taken way longer than I expected; too long maybe.

    Hurry up and turn the page already! Because we¡¯re about to start the next chapter of the cosmic shitshow that is Nyx¡¯s existence.

    And remember, you asked for this.

 Hollow #2 - Prologue

    Divine Memory Crystal

    Date Unknown

    Nyx-¦Â: Chapter 2 Notes

    Wow, so as I read back through these so-called notes, I can¡¯t help but notice something.

    ¡°Alpha-me¡± was a raging asshole! Also, pretty short-sighted. It¡¯s no wonder he couldn¡¯t figure out how to solve his own problems.

    Should have called himself ¡°Asshole-Me.¡± Just saying.

    Anyway, if you haven¡¯t figured it out already, this is the ¡°beta¡± Nyx ¨C can¡¯t say I love that name, though. And if you¡¯re reading or seeing or remembering this, then I imagine you have a ton of questions. I mean, of course you do! We¡¯re us, after all.

    Maybe something like, ¡°What the hell is going on here? Also, what was the purpose of Asshole-Me sending a message to himself? If he actually reincarnated, how would he even use that information? Wouldn¡¯t he get a fresh vessel in another life or something? And if a younger, smarter, and much better-looking version of us received the memory crystal ¨C which my existence would tend to imply ¨C isn¡¯t that just time travel?¡±

    Well, Asshole-Me was wrong about a lot ¨C and, I mean, a LOT ¨C but he was right about one thing. The word choice is really up to you. I personally see this as a reincarnation story. Maybe an incredibly fucked up and non-traditional one, but honestly that just seems to be our brand.

    Then there¡¯s well¡­ the dead sister in the memory crystal, isn¡¯t there?

    Yeah, I caught that slip up. I¡¯m sure you did too.

    Best I can tell, Leandra died during that first attack on Anchon ¨C at least, in Asshole-Me¡¯s version of the story. Her spirit corrupted, he took her into his empty, broken vessel, and the two of them still ended up in the gate with Fang.

    My version had a few minor differences. First off, Leandra didn¡¯t die! At least, not before I jumped into the gate. Instead, I received my corrupted spirit courtesy of a creepy, masked guy driving what I can only describe as a ¡°death wagon.¡± He told me someone asked him to ¡°help me.¡± I¡¯m going to go out on an extra-dimensional limb here and guess that was Asshole-Me. As an aside, the wagon was over the top ¨C leaning way too hard into the black and tortured-soul motif. Anyway, Emporos doesn¡¯t really seem like the type to do anything for free, which really just begs the question: what¡¯s in this for him? I still haven¡¯t answered that one.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Oh, and my gate was way harder. I don¡¯t give a single rat shit what Asshole-Me said.

    Right about now you¡¯re probably saying something like, ¡°Wait¡­ if Asshole-Me sent Lili into the Flow with the crystal and Emporos delivered her, how did stuff that happened before that change? Besides, don¡¯t vessels have spirits? So, if Leandra is still alive, does that mean she has two spirits? And¡­ what happens if they touch? Would the whole Five Rivers explode? Also, doesn¡¯t this seem like a huge crock of kraell shit?¡±

    All fantastic questions! Unfortunately, the answers won¡¯t really help you. ¡°Oh, why¡¯s that?¡± we would probably ask. Same answer. Because Asshole-Me was an idiot. And also, so are you actually. I bet you haven¡¯t even thought of some of the better questions yet.

    Like how did Asshole-Me give this crystal to Leandra? Can a spirit even carry a physical object through the Flow? And, if not, how the hell are we supposed to access it?

    I know, as though we didn¡¯t have enough questions, right? Either way, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve realized by now that I don¡¯t have a great way to relay relevant and practical information ¨C assuming it would even apply to your version of the story anyway.

    Although, I guess if I could give you some advice, it would be really simple. Don¡¯t head north. That¡¯s it. Pick literally any other direction. West, east, even back to Anchon. Maybe build a camp in the middle of the swamp ¨C I hear it¡¯s nice and wet this time of year.

    And I can already anticipate our inevitable follow-up questions. Like, why not head north? How could this situation get any worse? Also, why should I trust you? Aren¡¯t you just a beta version of Asshole-Me who keeps dodging our questions?

    Well, first off, you can go fuck yourself.  Or, um¡­ actually, please don¡¯t.

    Theoretically possible, but the universe might explode.

    Secondly ¨C and I know this is going to be highly controversial ¨C but there are, in fact, some questions that are definitely best left unanswered.

    Like why has Fang been helping us? What¡¯s in that stupid bag he carries around everywhere? Why doesn¡¯t he want to go north? Is he hiding something? Possibly some deep, dark secret he¡¯s been harboring for more than a dozen cycles?

    You know, just some random questions. But you¡¯ll probably discover the answers for yourself soon enough. Because I¡¯ve always been a stubborn shithead.

    And, as it turns out, some things never change.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 1

    Probably Somewhere North of Anchon

    The Real Nyx

    Woah, you¡¯re back!

    I was worried I¡¯d lost you for good this time.

    And I had this whole introduction prepared and everything. You know, since I expected our reunion might be awkward. We left things on a weird, confusing, and ever-so-slightly crazy note. So, I took the time to write down my thoughts. I just wanted to give you a more ¡°normal¡± experience this time. You know, ease you back into things slowly.

    I know it has to be here somewhere¡­

    Err, or not. Shit. It¡¯s just really hard to check my pockets with these new bracelets¡ª

    Ahh, which is to say, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here!

    All of you. At the same time. Which is just perfect.

    Definitely doesn¡¯t make me feel self-conscious at all. Especially since I have to wing it now. Ahh, and there¡¯s that expression I¡¯ve missed. You seem confused¡­

    I just knew this would happen. That¡¯s why I prepared talking points!

    Get it together me. Be cool. Be normal. Or at least pretend. We¡¯re finally back and I told me that we weren¡¯t going to do this. We¡¯re more mature now. Sophisticated even. A world-traveling Nyx. We¡¯ve grown emotionally and intellectually and bromantically.

    Err, which is to say, we¡¯ve talked about me a lot already. So, uh¡­ how have things been going with all of you? Been reading or watching anything fun during the break¡ª

    Okay, screw this! You were gone for sooo long.

    Was it me? Did I do something to drive you away?

    Or maybe it was the murder babies? The endless hellhole of shit and death? Or was it Fang? I know he can seem cold-hearted and emotionally distant but¡­ well, he¡¯s a good provider, you know? Or was it The Lair Warming Party? Oh, I know, it was the revelation that all vessels have a spirit! No? Huh, then maybe that whole deep dive into the inner working of my [Broken Mind]? You know, the one where I was talking to myself? All ten thousand of me? That was probably a lot. Too much, right?

    I knew it was too soon to reveal all my ghostly baggage¡ª

    SMACK.

    ¡°Thanks, Lili,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°No problem. Besides, you really need to focus!¡± she snapped back.

    In my defense, that was pretty hard with all of the screaming.

    Everyone was apparently super excited to go on a tour of the Hellforge. Just another stop on our whirlwind family vacation! It had been a bloody good time so far!

    Speaking of which, I was currently standing in a long line of other would-be sightseers, each of us wearing these pretty, custom bracelets that our tour-guides had given us. It was really thoughtful of them. Introducing a buddy system was a great idea! I mean, I¡¯d seen firsthand how easily vessels died inside a gate. Practically none of the guests to my Lair Warming Party had survived. It was pretty depressing after I put in all that work.

    Which is why I was tied to the slender elf beside me!

    I know, you thought it would be Fang, right?

    Well, it was okay, he was buddies with the babies. However, they didn¡¯t let furry murder demons into the tour, which sort of made sense¡­ for other families. But my babies were special. Obviously. So, I¡¯d¡ª

    ¡°Nyx!¡± Lili snapped.

    Ahh, sorry. Anyway, where was I?

    Oh, yeah! My safety buddy. His name is Cole.

    At first, I thought maybe the buddy system was to help us avoid getting lost. I mean, the Hellforge was huge! And the tour-guides had really been militant about us sticking with the group. They even chained us together and made us march single file! Plus, they brought a ton of tour-guides to help keep us all super safe.

    They obviously took our security very seriously.

    Although, I was a little, well¡­ disappointed with the tour so far. Everyone else seemed into it ¨C screaming and wailing and carrying on. And, I mean, I got the ¡°forge¡± part. This room in particular was palatial, mostly empty, and lined with thick stone blocks and a thicker layer of dust. There was an average-sized furnace ¨C unlit. An anvil or whatever. Obviously, it was some sort of ancient, magical forge.

    But where was the ¡°hell¡± part?

    Maybe the dusty-forge or the condemned-forge, but Hellforge? They might have oversold that a bit. Could I get a refund? Do you think they¡¯d be open to that? I mean, I was starting to think this might be a scam¡ª

    Waaaaah! Gurgle. Thud.

    Uh, what was that? What was that sound?

    Ahh, nothing. Just another tourist hitting the ground. So, dramatic, but at least the screaming stopped for a moment. The other members of the tour group were just muttering and sobbing and several had apparently really, really had to go to the bathroom. Like they just couldn¡¯t wait anymore. In their defense, we¡¯d had very few breaks on the hike down here, so accidents were understandable. Besides, we all respond to stress in different ways.

    [Therapy] had taught me that.

    And this situation was a little stressful. On my end, I was trying to figure out how to politely ask for a refund while keeping my pretty new bracelets. For the others? Well, the rest of the tour group was being ¡°ritually slaughtered¡± by our much-more-heavily-armed tour-guides. I assumed this was all part of the ¡°Hellforge experience.¡±

    It just felt pretty forced and I was expecting more.

    ¡°For the hundredth time, these aren¡¯t tour-guides¡ª" Lili tried again.

    She was technically right. My understanding was that our guides were actually independent contractors hired by a group of merchants that owned the tour company. They¡¯d probably structured it that way for liability purposes.

    Oh, what was that? What were they trying to do?

    Nothing much. Just opening a corrupted gate.

    Yeah, this was Graven Ground! And I know exactly what you¡¯re thinking ¨C it looks way different than that grove outside of Anchon. Well, that would be because we weren¡¯t in Anchon anymore! Also, apparently, corrupted spirits weren¡¯t a monolith. They liked to haunt different places ¨C not just creepy groves of willow trees. Who knew? Although, looking at the d¨¦cor, this spirit must have been a workaholic¡ª

    Another scream tore through the air.

    Some members of our group were also, well¡­ a little rude? Don¡¯t you just hate it when people talk during the tour? And these people never shut up. They were all, ¡°save me!¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± And don¡¯t even get me started with the screaming! The first time felt organic, but the twentieth?

    ¡°Honestly, I think they¡¯re just looking for attention?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Please¡­ please,¡± a woman sobbed, hanging off one of our tour-guides.

    See? Ridiculous attention-seeking behavior.

    Everyone thinks they¡¯re the main character these days!

    Which is silly. Clearly, that¡¯s me.

    Fang just snorted in agreement. Oh, or my bad. He was just snorting a line of nimbus off his claw while glaring at me with those glowing yellow eyes. How had he even crushed it up with his hands tied? That was pretty impressive, honestly.

    Even better, he wasn¡¯t allowed to talk! We had a bet going.

    Frankly, I was enjoying the quiet time ¨C or I had been until everyone started talking and screaming during the tour. Besides, the two of us didn¡¯t really need to use words to communicate anymore, not since we¡¯d rekindled our [Bromance]. We shared a deeper connection now. Plus, Fang¡¯s eyes were really expressive. I could feel the seething waves of pride and adulation just rippling off of him.

    Yeah, this tour had been my idea!

    That¡¯s why I was so invested in its success.

    ¡°Nyx?¡± Lili urged again, sounding worried. ¡°Cole is up next and it looks like he¡¯s about to pass out. Are you going to actually do something?¡±

    She was right. The thin elf beside me was shaking like a leaf, his face super pale, his eyes round, and his hands trembling ¨C probably because he was so angry with the other members of the tour group. See? He wasn¡¯t screaming or crying! And his pants were almost completely dry. Perfect tour etiquette. We were basically best friends already.

    That¡¯s probably why they¡¯d made us safety buddies.

    In fact, Cole was the one who set us up with this Hellforge tour.

    Another scream tore through the air and a body thudded to the ground with a whoosh of dust. Hmm, Lili was right. It looked like there were only a few of us left. Frankly, I was glad they¡¯d kicked some of the others out of the tour. It was good to finally see a company that enforced its own rules. Plus, I bet we¡¯d get a more personalized experience with a smaller group. Maybe asking for a refund would be premature.

    I might even have to add that star back to my review¡­

    ¡°Nyx. Do something!¡± Lili snapped.

    Fine. She was right. It was time to finally speak up.

    I waved at my safety buddy with my bound hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got this.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡ª¡± Cole began, his eyes going wide.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Which was a weird reaction. Ahh, I know! He was probably nervous about public speaking. I¡¯ve found that the trick is to imagine that the audience is trying desperately to murder you. The rush of adrenaline really helps calm the nerves¡­ and it makes your fingers tingle! Also, you can¡¯t be disappointed that way.

    It¡¯s important to set realistic expectations for yourself.

    [Therapy] had also taught me that.

    ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± I piped up, dragging along Cole as I addressed our tour-guides. ¡°I mean, I can see my new best friend here is next up for the whole ¡°ritual killing¡± but he¡¯s a nice guy. Just seems like a waste, you know?¡±

    Cole¡¯s eyes went wider ¨C if that was even possible ¨C and he pushed forward. ¡°That¡¯s, uh, not actually true ¨C the friend, part, I mean. I don¡¯t even know these two, they just kidnapped¡ª¡±

    I knocked him aside ¨C maybe a little too hard. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s just shy and a little awkward. He¡¯s still pretty sensitive about it, but he actually has an extremely rare and weird medical condition that makes him¡ª¡±

    Ahh, Cole was glaring at me from the ground.

    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s, uh, confidential.¡±

    The head tour-guide just shook his head. ¡°You think talking will get you out of this? We don¡¯t need your vessel¡¯s medical history ¨C just your nimbus to open the gate.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I asked, cocking my head.

    Shit, I must have missed that part.

    See? This is what you get when the other members of your tour group won¡¯t shut up! You miss critical details. Like the fact that this wasn¡¯t actually a tour¡­

    It was an escape room! Obviously.

    ¡°That¡¯s not even remotely right¡ª¡± Lili began

    ¡°Oh!¡± I muttered, smacking my hands to my forehead, my safety bracelets making a smallish bruise. ¡°That makes waaay more sense. So, you¡¯re ¡°killing¡± these people for their nimbus? I thought this was just part of the tour ¨C you know, this whole performance.¡±

    My eyes skimmed down to the bodies. The blood was really authentic.

    I kicked one. ¡°Wow,¡± I murmured. ¡°Not even a grunt. They¡¯re fantastic actors.¡±

    The head tour-guide just stared back, his blade hesitating at my neck, and the others were murmuring to themselves in confusion. Meanwhile, Fang let out a hissing chuckle, Lili cursed in the back of my mind, and Cole groaned on the ground.

    ¡°W-what?¡± the tour-guide muttered, shaking his head. ¡°Are you crazy?¡±

    Wow. That was offensive. I was rationally-challenged, thank you very much.

    They definitely just lost a star on my review.

    Although, I guess he wasn¡¯t exactly wrong.

    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s complicated¡ª¡± I began.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Cole croaked as he began to recover. ¡°The two of them are insane. You all need to run¡­ run now. They¡¯re so much more dangerous than the gate¡ª¡±

    A gentle kick was enough to silence my safety buddy. ¡°Ahh, what I think my new friend here means is that this is obviously an escape room mistakenly marketed as a Hellforge tour. In which case, there¡¯s a much more efficient way to do this, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    The head tour-guide looked back and forth between us ¨C Cole now temporarily unconscious on the ground; me standing there with my hands bound in front of me and a broad smile on my face as I gave our tour-guide a long, slow wink.

    Oh, and Fang was¡­ actually, where was he?

    Ahh, he was on the other side of the forge, mist blooming through the room and his clone slowly breaking apart beside me into coils of vapor. His bracelets struck the ground with a rattle of metal, leaving his safety buddy standing there awkwardly. The mute trash goblin was using the huge anvil to prepare a fresh line of powder. I almost got on his case, but stopped myself. I needed to stop nagging him.

    This was his family vacation too.

    And they hadn¡¯t said we couldn¡¯t do drugs on the tour/escape room.

    Our tour-guides all jumped in surprise as they realized Fang had moved, metal scraping and their spirits flaring as they prepared to attack. Fang didn¡¯t even react. He just tapped out a fresh line and loudly snorted it up while making gratuitous eye contact.

    ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t move!¡± the head tour-guide snapped.

    ¡°Me or Fang?¡± I asked, suddenly standing beside his shoulder.

    He started and whirled, his blade slicing through the air¡ª

    And chopping clean through Fang¡¯s safety buddy!

    Only for the two halves to separate, the blade destroying the coat that I¡¯d made for my murder babies. Speaking of which, their beautiful, furry faces soon appeared as their disguise collapsed, the three of them scurrying free of the coat and taking up a position around me as they chittered in excitement.

    What I really didn¡¯t appreciate was the screaming from the tour guides.

    Stuff like, ¡°What the hell are those?¡±

    And, ¡°Good gods, why?¡±

    I mean, sure¡­ they¡¯d been clear I couldn¡¯t take them on the tour.

    But, again, I assumed that rule was for other people.

    Obviously, my babies were special.

    ¡°Woah, that doesn¡¯t seem very safe,¡± I offered as the head tour-guide raised his blade again, my arm chain rattling as I showed my empty hands. ¡°I know you have a job to do, I¡¯m just trying to help move this long.¡±

    ¡°Then you can help by dying,¡± he guide grunted, trying to gather his composure, but his blade hesitating. It was possible I¡¯d undermined his whole sacrificial murder event.

    He was also committed to staying in character. You know what? I was going to add another star back. And the pools of blood were so thick. The real thing gathered just like that ¨C I should know! They must have spent a fortune on special effects¡­

    ¡°Like I said, I might have an easier way,¡± I suggested. ¡°If all you want is nimbus, I¡¯m not sure why you wasted time with those other vessels. They¡¯re not particularly juicy.¡±

    With Lili¡¯s help, I¡¯d gotten really good at guessing if my prey was ¡°ripe¡± for the devouring. Plus, I was pretty sure I knew how to solve this escape room now. Sure, the tour-guides had to give me a hint ¨C but it still counts!

    ¡°For example, you put the bodies in the wrong spot.¡±

    I nudged the head tour-guide with my elbow conspiratorially. ¡°To throw us off the scent, right? Clever. Most people probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he muttered, shaking his head.

    ¡°Ahh, right. Staying in character.¡± I shot him a finger gun. He deserved it.

    ¡°You mind if I give it a try?¡± I offered then. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, you can always ¡°kill¡± us afterwards, right? I mean, there are a lot of you.¡±

    ¡°Why does he keep making quotes with his fingers?¡± one of the other tour-guides muttered. His buddy just shook his head in confusion.

    Their leader hesitated, eyeing the others. They looked equally puzzled ¨C bordering on flabbergasted. Probably because they¡¯d never seen someone offer to solve the escape room this quickly. What can I say? Sometimes, being a genius was a struggle. You couldn¡¯t just flaunt it in front of the less-intelligent ¨C they would get bitter and upset and resentful and try to reject the obvious. I¡¯d seen Fang do it a million times.

    The trick was to rub it in their faces. That was the only way for them to learn.

    ¡°Sure¡­ uh, I mean¡­ that seems fine, I think?¡± the head tour-guide offered finally.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± I chirped.

    ¡°Nyx, what¡¯s the play here?¡± Lili demanded warily. ¡°Can¡¯t we just eat all of these idiots and be done with it? I¡¯m huuuungry.¡±

    ¡°Just give me a second. This will totally work,¡± I shot back.

    From the way the tour-guides were looking at me oddly, I was guessing I¡¯d said that last part out loud. Oh well, there was a lot going on.

    Meanwhile, I was approaching the cluster of darkness looming right before the forge. It was a dense black ball that reminded me of Maribel¡¯s core ¨C you know, before she moved into my left hand, the tattoo of a rat still inked into my scarred skin.

    Do you know what was even weirder? The tour-guides were acting like they couldn¡¯t see it. The ball of darkness, I mean. They weren¡¯t even reacting to the shadowy spiderwebs that were creeping across the dusty floor and devouring the corpses.

    ¡°Uh, what are you going to do?¡± Lili demanded.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy! We¡¯ve got lots of nimbus. I¡¯ll just let it borrow some.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what? No, that¡¯s a terrible¡ª¡±

    Too late! I shoved my arm into the darkness.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d felt this weird, tickling, burning, icy drain feeling. I mean, there was that time back in Anchon, obviously. Also, the fight with the ratkin shaman. Still, this spirit seemed hungrier than normal. It really didn¡¯t hold back.

    Shadows whipped around my arm and trailed up across my torso, the energy flaring outward in a powerful blast that sent the dust spiraling away in a wave. Although, I barely felt it. I¡¯d gained a lot of nimbus since the last few times I¡¯d let a corrupted spirit nibble on me. Meanwhile, the tour-guides were shouting and yelling and a few were screaming¡­ which was flattering but seemed like a bit of an overreaction.

    This is exactly how I imagined a child felt when their parents oversold their achievements. Not that I knew for sure. You know, since my parents were super dead. All I had was Fang ¨C who wasn¡¯t even paying attention!

    I tried waving and shouting at him, but he must not have heard me over the screaming.

    And then it was too late ¨C it was all over. Asshole.

    The shadows released me and I turned. ¡°See? Told you I could solve it!¡±

    Huh, where did everyone go¡ª

    Oh, there they were! The tour-guides and surviving sightseers were all huddled around the door in a big group, staring at me wide-eyed and weapons drawn. Also, there was this weird rumbling sound and the floor was trembling.

    Huh, was this part of the tour/escape room?

    Something slammed into the top of the forge and the entire structure shook from the impact. The source soon became apparent as a gate crashed down through the ceiling ¨C which, judging from the big hole in the roof, probably wasn¡¯t the first time. And here I¡¯d thought that was to help vent the heat from the forge.

    Just goes to show that even a genius can be wrong sometimes.

    Ancient wood crashed down into the furnace and the waters of Cocytus rushed out in a roaring wave, glowing white and flickering rainbow washing through the room and bathing it in sweet, sweet nimbus. More than enough for my [Shadow Aura] to replenish my reserves, turning those waters dark, black, and sludgy and blunting Lili¡¯s complaining. It was important to bring snacks on the tour ¨C which also wasn¡¯t against the rules. I¡¯d checked.

    And following close behind were familiar, weathered doors. Like the hull of a ship, oars mounted in place as handles.

    However, the gate did something new this time.

    The wood began to fuse with the surrounding stone. The rest of the water turned a solid black before bursting into flame like oil ¨C those fires burning bright and hot as they stoked the forge back into a full blaze. With a creak and groan of machinery, the floor around the gate shifted, panels of stone sliding away to revealing a mawing abyss. The sludge leaked into those holes in the floor, tumbling down, down, down into the depths of the forge, only to be replenished by the gate. An endless, inky, flaming waterfall.

    More fires soon bloomed all around the room. The torches along the wall, the lamps in the adjoining hallway. The entire structure gave a screeching lurch of grinding metal and a rhythmic thump, thump, thump started underfoot.

    Huh, that was weird. Maybe this place had been a factory before?

    My guess was that the gate¡¯s nimbus had restarted the whole building.

    Oh, and those doors were creaking open now, more water spilling forth and rancid steam rising into the air as the fire burned it away. However, no mawing black void waited for us this time. Instead, it was a blazing inferno of hellfire.

    Ahh. I got it now! I really shouldn¡¯t have been so critical.

    ¡°Woah, that¡¯s cool! So, this is the Hellforge?¡± I asked, turning.

    Half the tour-guides had already made a run for it. The other half were still standing in the doorway in shock with the remaining tourists. Why were they all looking at me like that?

    ¡°You mean at the madman, grinning like crazy in front a portal to literal hell that you summoned from thin air?¡± Lili offered dryly.

    Hmm. You know what? She may be right.

    Maybe¡­ maybe this wasn¡¯t an escape room.

    ¡°You think!?¡± Lili nearly screamed.

    Which just meant this was something else. My attention shot to Fang, his eyes staring at that portal with a weird expression. Fear and curiosity and familiarity.

    Like¡­ Like he¡¯d seen it before.

    Maybe I¡¯d been wrong again. I know, lightning really can strike twice.

    Oh. My. Gods. I knew exactly what this was now. Fang must have planned¡ª

    Just then, Cole woke up, saw the hell portal, and started screaming and crawling toward the doorway, the chain rattling along behind him. I¡¯ll admit, that one stung a little. We¡¯d been getting along so well. I¡¯d even consider us friends.

    But now it felt like there was this distance between us¡­

    Which was an easy problem to solve. I just snatched my safety buddy¡¯s chain and hauled him back¡­ toward safety, of course. This was for his own good.

    What? Why are you all looking at me like that?

    Ahh, I bet you¡¯re just upset because you missed the beginning of our family vacation. I mean, you¡¯re family too, right? Sort of. And you missed everything! Sorry about that. That was actually part of my introduction. I had the whole story written out since it¡¯s super long and I didn¡¯t want to forget all of the many incredibly important details.

    But, you know what? I can just wing it¡ª"

    ¡°Nyx, we don¡¯t have time for that! These are just the weaklings. They¡¯re going to bring reinforcements once they realize the gate is open,¡± Lili snapped. ¡°You can¡¯t just start monologuing like you always¡ª¡±

    Nope, she was wrong. Besides, how will you appreciate anything that happens if you don¡¯t have any context? Like you even missed me meeting Cole! Great guy and super interesting backstory. Did you know he caught an STD from a corrupted spirit?

    That¡¯s a spiritually transmitted disease, by the way.

    Yeah, like I said, you¡¯re missing critical information.

    Plus, it¡¯s also incredibly important to raise awareness surrounding the risks of accidentally having sex with a corrupted spirit or beast. Sure, it might not happen a lot. Or ever really. Okay, fine maybe it only happened to Cole. But I¡¯m an ally of the STD community now. That¡¯s part of what it means to be a friend.

    Actually, that might also fall under my purview as safety buddy too.

    Besides, we have plenty of time.

    Fang still has a bunch of nimbus gems and my precious babies are eating the so-called ¡°bodies¡± ¨C they aren¡¯t even moving! Now, that was commitment.

    Even Cole was finally embracing the buddy system as he scrambled behind me. The others quickly followed suit, fleeing deeper into the room. Probably because of the thick, bloody mist wafting out of the doorway. The cloud was soon followed by a small army of mechanical sentries with sawblades for arms that rolled down the adjacent hallway as they hunted the tour-guides that had fled.

    Which was awesome! I wanted one so bad!

    Maybe I could build my own? It would probably help to take one apart first¡ª

    No ¨C no, I refuse to get distracted. I owe you a story. Don¡¯t you hate it when someone starts a tale and then immediately gets sidetracked? Yeah, me too.

    Alright, so this all started a few weeks ago¡­

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 2

    North of Anchon ¨C ¡°A few weeks ago¡±

    There we were, standing in the marshes.

    Just two bromates that had been recently released from the clinging and toxic confines of the Flow¡¯s sphincter.  But now?  Now we were free.

    Just one man, one lizard, and three of the most precious murder babies that had ever prowled the Outer Reaches of the Five Rivers.  Our luggage piled up beside us ¨C a mountain of bloody, ratskin sacks that held all of my incredibly important tools and Fang¡¯s completely useless junk.  A pile that actually dwarfed the corpse of the corrupted, adult kraell nearby ¨C the one I¡¯d murdered all by myself.

    Just a family.  One preparing for the vacation of a lifetime!

    And just like any good parent planning a vacation with three growing murder babies and an emotionally distant co-parent through an impassable swamp with several tons of equipment and without any direction or feedback or help ¨C I was freaking the fuck out.

    What?  No, not about the vacation!

    I had to eat my skill gems, remember?

    Specifically, 2 silver, 3 copper, and 4 bronze.

    Priceless and irreplaceable treasures¡ª

    ¡°So goooood,¡± Lili cooed.

    See?  What would even happen to me?  I mean, sure, I felt amazing ¨C like way more amped than usual and the buzzing in my head had leaped into overdrive ¨C was that normal?  That could just be temporary right?  Or what if all that concentrated nimbus overwhelmed my slightly-dented vessel?  I mean, I did feel a little warmer than normal, didn¡¯t I?  Was that the nimbus?  Was I slowly reaching some sort of critical mass that would¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your head will explode first,¡± Lili piped up.

    Wait¡­ what!?  Explode?  How did she even know¡ª

    ¡°Seen it before,¡± she mumbled.

    Also, why did her mouth sound full?  She didn¡¯t even have a mouth!

    ¡°How have you seen it before?¡±  My eyes went wide.  ¡°Oh, wait¡­ are your memories returning?  It¡¯s all the nimbus right?  This tingly feeling in my fingers?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just fucking with you,¡± she drawled.

    Whew, that¡¯s what I¡¯d been hoping¡ª

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she interrupted.  ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so worried, though.  That¡¯s how I plan to go out.  Just eat myself to death.¡±

    And now I was freaking out again.

    What?  What was that?  Why did I have to eat the gems again?

    To protect them from Fang, of course!

    Seriously, he was horrible.  It was this sort of physical and emotional abuse that had forced us to split up back in the gate ¨C to finally end our co-parenting relationship.

    Even after our group therapy session with Maribel and the revelation that our immortal souls were connected in an unholy union ¨C that we were a dysfunctional blended family ¨C it was always about ¡°things¡± for him.  Never about ¡°us.¡±  Or our ¡°babies¡± ¨C the same ones that were gnawing on the kraell corpse.  They were so adorable now that they were smaller again.  And if they ate nimbus, it barely took a trickle for Maribel to sustain them.

    Anyway, where was I?  Oh, yeah¡­ Fang.  Right.

    Our relationship had always been one of necessity.  I needed him to provide the entirely reasonable emotional support and praise I¡¯d been craving for, well¡­ a while.  Maybe my whole life.  And he needed me to help him survive a hellish deathscape that he¡¯d jumped into willingly and without any real explanation.  Well, other than that time he sort of admitted his feelings for me while under the influence of our revolutionary, heated sewer bath.

    I was all he had left in this world.  His tribe was dead, he¡¯d said.

    So, he loved me basically.

    But love alone can¡¯t keep a relationship alive.  Or stop a murderous, cold-blooded sociopath from cutting open my stomach in order to steal my precious gems.

    ¡°Our precious gems,¡± Lili corrected, letting out a long purring sound.

    See?  She understood.

    Anyway, there was only one way to keep this family together.  We needed to get back to our roots ¨C what made us, well¡­ us.  I needed to show Fang that he simply couldn¡¯t live without me.  Probably because he¡¯d be brutally murdered.  But also because he¡¯d miss my charming smile and my childlike delight of fun, family adventures.  That¡¯s right!  I just had to show him what he would be missing without me.  I could see it now!  It was so clear¡­

    He¡¯d turn and look at me with those big, glowing yellow eyes ¨C the flames of his lovely, seething wrath sending a message from his soul to mine.  One of¡ª

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fang hissed, those same yellow eyes smashed flat.

    ¡°Monologuing,¡± Lili muttered.

    ¡°Uh, just thinking,¡± I said.  His expression had been slightly different in my head.  This was just a generic, suspicious glare.  Maybe because I was standing so close to him.

    ¡°When you should be working,¡± Fang snapped.  ¡°I laid out the tarp for you.¡±

    Indeed, he had.  He¡¯d stitched together a bunch of ratskins and then folded them over to make a slightly more durable tarp.  His two clones were loading it with those bloody sacks while the real Fang prepared another line of drugs.

    This was also exactly what I was talking about!

    ¡°I am not hauling all your useless junk through the swamp,¡± I snapped back, crossing my arms.  ¡°How is this even supposed to work?  It¡¯s wet, and muddy, and there¡¯s standing water and creepy willow trees.  You expect me to drag all this stuff for hundreds of miles?¡±

    ¡°We are not leaving my treasures,¡± Fang shot back.  ¡°Would you leave your¡­ your babies?¡± he asked, that last word costing him.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± I said, hand to my chest.  ¡°I knew you were still angry at me ¨C still resentful that I had to save this family all by myself.  Again.  But don¡¯t you dare take it out on the children.¡±  At that last word, my babies all peaked out of the kraell corpse, their crimson eyes going round and large ¨C like big, bleeding saucers¡­

    Saucers that stared into your soul and weighed its worth in blood.

    Just like we¡¯d practiced!  I told you they were perfect.

    Fang just scowled back and then let out a long, exasperated hiss.

    We stood there ¨C twitchy, strung-out trash goblin and a strong, independent man that had tried everything he could to keep this family together.  We¡¯d even gone to [Therapy]!  After all this time maybe¡­ maybe I should just accept that Fang wasn¡¯t going to change.

    Maybe it was time to finally say what we¡¯d both been thinking for at least a few days.  Or possibly minutes.  Time was a slippery concept for me.

    ¡°Or I could take my stuff and we could part ways,¡± I said.  ¡°The gate¡¯s over.  You could go back to your rock-lair-cave or whatever.  I¡¯ll go find Leandra by myself.¡±

    Fang looked at me for a long moment, taking a big snort of nimbus.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been over this already,¡± he retorted finally, slumping back against the bloody pile and kneading at his temple with one claw.

    ¡°We, uh, we have?¡± I asked, suddenly uncertain.

    Wow.  News to me.  Also¡­ entirely possible.  My somewhat tenuous grasp on sanity had been slipping more lately.  But I mean, I don¡¯t have to tell you, do I?

    Although, I had a foolproof way to check.

    ¡°Lili, did we talk about this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, I don¡¯t know.  I¡¯ve been busssy,¡± she purred.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Damn it.  Damn it.  Damn it.

    ¡°Yes, many times,¡± Fang hissed, his eyes flashing as he lined up more powder on the corrupted kraell¡¯s corpse, the body shaking and shuddering as my precious babies tunneled their way inside.  He snorted, long and loud. ¡°Many, many, many times.¡±

    ¡°Uh, well¡­ that¡¯s interesting.  What did we talk about?¡±

    ¡°You agreed we will travel together.  You still owe me for keeping you alive for all those cycles ¨C and again in the gate. You also admitted that my garb¡ªmy treasures¡ªwere important to our survival and that you needed to bring them with us.¡±

    I stared at him.  That didn¡¯t really sound like something I¡¯d¡ª

    ¡°You even acknowledged that I¡¯m a superior hunter now that I have used all my skill gems,¡± Fang continued, ¡°and you were concerned that the babies would not survive with only your pitiful stats.  Also, you kept saying something about your head exploding.¡±

    Shit.  Okay, that definitely sounded like me.

    Or, at least the last part did anyway.

    Still, this didn¡¯t feel right.  Sure, my sense of time was shaky and I kept remembering words I shouldn¡¯t know and places I¡¯d never been and I took my responsibilities as a [Battle Daddy] very seriously and the head exploding thing was still a major a concern, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off.  That Fang might be full of kraell shit.

    And for the last time, I¡¯m not paranoid!

    ¡°Ahh, I think I remember now!¡± I said finally, smacking my forehead with my palm.

    ¡°I knew you would,¡± Fang offered with a toothy grin.

    ¡°That must have been the same conversation where you said I could have the rest of the nimbus gems ¨C you know, since you spent half our coins on drugs instead of an infinite-fucking-storage ring.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± Fang began, his eyes widening.

    ¡°Not ideal?  No, no it isn¡¯t.  You could have stored infinite drugs in that ring.¡±

    Fang blinked.  Blinked again.  The trash goblin¡¯s mind seemed to explode on that one.  He even forgot about the line of those precious drugs that was growing soggy on the kraell¡¯s scales, white streaking down the gray and blue.

    ¡°Or, you could admit that you made all of this up,¡± I offered, leaning forward with a smile.  ¡°That you just want to come with me ¨C with us,¡± I amended, waving at the babies.  ¡°That you¡¯d like to re-kindle our [Bromance] now that we¡¯ve survived that rough patch in our relationship and we¡¯ve both had a chance to work on ourselves during [Therapy].¡±

    Fang swallowed hard, looking everywhere but at me.  See?  He couldn¡¯t even look me in the eye.  I had him right where I wanted him!

    ¡°That is not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Fang?¡± I interjected.  ¡°It¡¯s okay.  I accept you for who you are ¨C a cold-blooded sadist who feels threatened and incredibly emasculated by our precious murder babies.  Who else can say that?¡±

    ¡°Where are the gems?¡± Fang murmured, horror filling his eyes.

    Okay, fine.  He might not have been embarrassed.

    He might have been looking for his nimbus gem stash.

    Luckily, I hadn¡¯t forgotten how to use my [Shadow Chain]!  ¡°Oh, this?¡± I asked, holding up a huge bag.  And¡­ he was glaring again.  Better.  Closer to the image in my head.

    Like I said before, there was only one way to keep this family together.  I would have to use everything that [Friendship] and [Bromance] had taught me ¨C lessons gleaned from surviving the very bowels of hell with my bromantic partner sometimes by my side ¨C but mostly running away or complaining or collecting trash.

    Which might be why this next part stung a little.

    ¡°This is just more blackmail,¡± Fang hissed.

    ¡°No-no¡­ this is [Bromance],¡± I replied.  And no, I didn¡¯t sound defensive.

    Fang crossed his arms.  ¡°Then this [Bromance] is just blackmail?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s, uh, other things too!¡±

    ¡°Like what?  Name one thing.¡±

    ¡°Um, what about that time we negotiated with Emporos!  Yeah, that was fun ¨C we both had our lists of questions.  Or what about that time you watched me kill the rat ogre by myself while you just watched impotently¡ª

    ¡°I helped!¡± Fang snapped.

    My smile widened.  ¡°Exactly.  Like my bromantic partner!  [Bromance] is also group murder and I know how much you love murdering¡­¡±

    ¡°No, anyone would have murdered the big rat.¡±

    ¡°Would they?  Would they, though?¡± I asked, cocking my head.

    Fang just let out a hissing snort, shaking his head as though he was in pain.  ¡°It does not matter.  It will not work.  I have other drugs now!  I don¡¯t need the gems!¡± he snapped back finally.  Not exactly an admission of our [Bromance], but we were getting close.

    ¡°Sure, but we took a lot of those drugs in Emporos¡¯ Death Wagon, and you¡¯ve been going through them pretty fast since we got back.  How long will they last?¡± I asked sweetly.

    His mouth was moving but no sound was coming out.

    Also, his eyes were super bloodshot.

    ¡°It seems like I have a lot of gems too,¡± I continued, eyeing the bag, pulling open the top to reveal the glimmering contents.  He was drooling now and his pupils were huge.  ¡°Plus, I imagine Lili and the babies and I will be stopping at a few other corrupted gates during our family vacation...¡±

    I snapped the drawstring closed.  Yes, it was made of ratkin sinew.

    That seemed to knock Fang out of his temporary fugue state.

    ¡°So, do you want to admit it now ¨C that you want to come with us; that you need us.  That you¡¯d like to rekindle our [Bromance]?¡±

    I leaned forward, my eyes gleaming in the mist.  ¡°That you¡¯re excited for our family vacation?  That you can¡¯t wait to leave?¡±

    ¡°That is not¡ª¡±

    ¡°You even packed already,¡± I said, pointing at the tarp.  Technically, true.

    Fang stuttered out a long hissing sound and his hands were shaking a little.  Was this fair?  Probably not.  Okay, maybe it was terrible.  But, he¡¯d just tried to take advantage of my temporary and completely unconcerning memory loss, hadn¡¯t he?

    I was just trying to get him to admit he had feelings.

    ¡°Or you just really want him to come with us,¡± Lili mumbled.  ¡°Because you love¡ª"

    Uh, don¡¯t mind her.  She isn¡¯t even paying attention.

    ¡°Fine.  I made it up,¡± Fang huffed, crossing his arms.  ¡°You did not say those things.¡±

    Ahh, this is what made it all worth it.  This moment of pure triumph.

    But I wasn¡¯t finished with the sulky trash goblin.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good start.  Anything else?¡± I offered, a smile frozen on my face.

    We stayed that way for far too long ¨C Fang staring, me smiling, the murder babies burrowing into the kraell¡¯s tender underbelly.  They¡¯d actually carved out a series of tunnels and one poked its head out of its neck.  Ahh, they were making a flesh fort!

    Also, my face was starting to hurt.  How long could I keep this up?

    But Fang broke first.  ¡°Fine.  I wish¡­ I wish to be a part of this¡ª¡±

    He just cut off ¨C like he couldn¡¯t force himself to say the words.

    ¡°Part of this what?¡± I offered, smile widening.  Seriously, could this cause damage?

    ¡°I wish to be part of this [Bromance],¡± he hissed out in a rush, flicking his tongue in distaste.  Ahh, that was the expression of progress.

    I already knew the answer, but it was nice to hear him say it, you know?

    ¡°Now, will you haul my treasures?¡± he huffed.

    Oh yeah¡­ I turned back to the tarp piled with bags.  Wow, that was still a stupid plan.  Although, I was a little touched that he thought I could pull it off.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Then no deal!¡± he snapped, slamming his fist against the kraell¡¯s corpse with a dull thud.  The babies chittered angrily from somewhere inside the creature. ¡°I knew your [Bromance] was crazy and weird and hollow!¡±

    Woah.  This is exactly why you shouldn¡¯t get back together with your exes!

    And yet¡­ I also knew that this was just his love language.

    Specifically, verbal and emotional abuse.

    ¡°Hey, if you have a better solution, I¡¯m all ears!¡± I shot back.  ¡°Dragging several tons of useless crap through a swamp on a tarp just isn¡¯t a workable solution.¡±

    ¡°Then build something,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°With what?¡± I demanded, waving at the swamp around us.

    All I saw was a kraell corpse, mud, and a giant pile of useless garbage.  What I needed was wood ¨C or some material I could shape into a vehicle.  Also, wheels would be nice ¨C maybe.  Not sure how well they¡¯d do in the swamp.  Except, I¡¯d used all my extra lumber on the Lair Warming Party.  I know, I know, I should have saved it.

    What can I say?  I¡¯m a giver.

    That¡¯s my love language ¨C acts of madness.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re still in the gate.  A random pile of stuff isn¡¯t just going to appear out of thin¡ª¡± I began.

    Only to cut myself short as a strong gust of wind blew through the swamp, carving a tunnel through the mist.  It led straight to the bank of Cocytus, spirits flowing above the top of the water.  Had the river always been that close?  Also, it looked like¡ª

    Yeah, that was a shipwreck!  The timbers were all washed up against the shore. The mists even formed a series of rainbows as the sunlight filtered through the fog, lighting up the wreck in glowing relief.  It was rather picturesque, honestly.

    ¡°Like that pile of materials right there?¡± Fang asked sourly, standing at my side and staring at the wreck.

    ¡°Well, uh, sure¡­ I guess that counts.  Technically.¡±

    There was a long pause, neither of us moving.

    ¡°Why are you still standing here?¡± Fang demanded.

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m just thinking,¡± I muttered, crossing my arms.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you go collect the wood while I plan the design.  Am I just supposed to do everything myself?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start,¡± Fang replied cagily.  ¡°You have the [Woodworking] skill.  I might damage the boards.  The wise hunter knows his own limits.¡±

    Damn it.  That was sort of fair.

    Also, that¡¯s the first time I¡¯d ever heard him use that particular saying¡­

    Another long pause.  Both of us refused to move.

    ¡°It is the rainbows, yes?¡± Fang asked finally.

    I breathed out a long sigh.  ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the rainbows!  This feels way too easy.  Like a trap ¨C like I¡¯m going to get eaten if I go over there.¡±

    Side-eyeing him, a thought came to me.  ¡°You could go see if there¡¯s a trap.  I mean, even if something tries to eat you, you can just use [Evasion].¡±

    It was Fang¡¯s turn to get cagey.  ¡°Too risky.¡±

    ¡°You could send a clone.¡±

    ¡°And risk my precious nimbus now that you hold my gems hostage?¡±

    ¡°My gems,¡± I retorted, clutching the bag tighter.

    ¡°Our gems,¡± Lili chimed in again.

    Another pause, interrupted by the occasional crunch and grind from behind us as my precious, sweet murder babies continued to hollow out the kraell corpse ¨C clearly an homage to their [Battle Daddy].  Which is why I felt a little guilty about the plan that was beginning to take shape in my head ¨C a shape that was rather rat-like...

    Maribel also seemed uncomfortable with it.  Or, at least, my left hand was shaking.

    Almost like she wanted to slap me?

    ¡°She does,¡± Lili confirmed.  ¡°So do I for making me sit through all that.  Seriously, I may be nauseous.  Do you have to do this emotional crap while I¡¯m trying to eat?¡±

    Huh¡­ or they were both jealous of how much progress Fang and I had made!

    Yeah, that was probably it.

    Lili just grumbled something about a ¡°crazy asshole¡± as she retreated from my core and my left hand twitched harder ¨C I actually had to hold it down with my right.

    Meanwhile, new questions were buzzing through my head.

    Like were they technically real?  My murder babies, I mean.  Didn¡¯t Maribel summon them from the shadows?  And she was using my nimbus to do that ¨C couldn¡¯t I feel that tickling, icy, burn even now?  Besides, the ratkin in the gate hadn¡¯t really died, had they?  You know, when we brutally murdered them in an endless wave of flesh, fur, and death?

    When I glanced to the side, I saw Fang staring at our blood-soaked children too.

    Our eyes met.  And, in that moment, our recently-discovered souls connected.

    I knew there was more to [Bromance] than blackmail and murder!

    Well, uh¡­ sort of?

    ¡°Hey babies!¡± I called out.  A furry, blood-drenched head appeared from the kraell¡¯s neck, another from its side, and a third from an unmentionable part near the rear.  Three sets of gorgeous, crimson eyes glowing softly in the mist.

    ¡°Your [Battle Daddy] and I need your help,¡± Fang hissed.  ¡°It¡¯s a, um¡ª¡±

    ¡°Special, top secret mission only you three can handle,¡± I added for him.

    We shared another look.  And there it was ¨C that was the fire!  That spark I remembered back in the hell sewers.  He hadn¡¯t looked at me like that since he¡¯d tried to eat me.  Even without words, I knew what my fellow co-parent was thinking.

    We could always make another baby¡­

    But we couldn¡¯t make another [Bromance].

    Probably.  That was also unclear.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 3

    The Flow

    Demi

    Yeah, that¡¯s right! I was moving up in the cosmos.

    Not only was I definitely not fired ¨C I received a promotion!

    No big deal really. I was just the youngest Skafos to ever be promoted to an administrator in the history of the Flow. Possibly. That wasn¡¯t exactly clear, but I also couldn¡¯t find anything to disprove it either. And on my very first assignment, no less! How many floating robes and cutesy masked demi-gods filled with nothing but existential dread and dreams of murder could say that, huh?

    Yeah, that¡¯s right. Just me.

    There was only one tiny problem.

    Test results processing¡­

    Processing¡­

    Processing¡­

    ¡°C¡¯mon, c¡¯mon, c¡¯mon¡­ you can do this me,¡± I murmured, bouncing up and down on my Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup> as I bent my tablet in half and eyed those notifications. ¡°We¡¯ve got this. I studied so hard this time. Memorized everything. Even double checked my work.

    ¡°I know we can do better this¡ª¡±

    New Test Results Have Arrived!

    Score Received: A-

    Tutorial Completion: 1.12%

    Estimated Time to Finish: 1.89 trillion eons.

    I stared at those glowing white words, the eyes on my cute fox mask going round and wide and my mouth dropping open. Again? AGAIN!?

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Gods damn it!¡± I screamed, hurling my tablet into the Flow ¨C the black square splashing through nimbus soaked waters, rebounding, and punching holes in the puffy white clouds that floated overhead, twinkling with spirits in all of the flavors of the rainbow.

    ¡°A-?¡± I demanded of no one in particular. ¡°What does the minus mean? Did I get something wrong? I don¡¯t even get to see the answers! Who designed this thing?¡±

    And yet as the echoes faded, only silence remained.

    There were no answers. No clarity. Only the Tutorial.

    The one required to unlock each of my fancy new administrator privileges.

    I¡¯d only been working on it for forever! What even was an eon? Was that like 10,000 cycles? 100,000? And did time even really matter here inside the Flow? I mean, hadn¡¯t the Cheater sent a memory crystal back in time to himself? And Charon had insisted that this wasn¡¯t even the first Nyx, right?

    Although, I knew those were just excuses; just a mask for the real problem.

    It was the minus. That fucking minus.

    That tiny little sneeze of a line represented every niggling doubt and insecurity I¡¯d never known I had. It was a perfect reflection of me ¨C Demi.

    I didn¡¯t even have a skeleton! And certainly no tasty food, or even a desk or a chair. I had to make my own! Apparently, Skafos were supposed to stand for all eternity. I just had the one thing ¨C the one thing that made me Demi!

    I was supposed to be the top of my class.

    Not slightly below the top. Or a minus-width from the top.

    The very tippy-fucking top. The top and then some.

    I wasn¡¯t a minus. I was supposed to be a plus.

    It¡¯s just that my instructor hadn¡¯t covered any of this stuff during orientation. The Tutorial was all about ¡°deterministic probabilities¡± and ¡°continuity errors¡± and ¡°disaster protocol this¡± and ¡°advanced gate design that¡± and there was just so much math. Like really, really complicated math in at least five dimensions. Way more than I¡¯d ever thought I¡¯d use in the real world ¨C or a glowing white abyss without end.

    Maybe I should have studied harder in school¡­

    This was also probably why I had a drinking problem.

    *slurp*

    *sluuuuuurp*

    Shit. I was dry again. A wave and my frosty, cloud mug refilled with glowing white nimbus and those little chewy fruit spirits.

    And I didn¡¯t feel bad about it at all! I mean, sure, Charon had told me specifically not to drink the tasty spirits ¨C but he¡¯d been shy about the reason why. Plus, I¡¯d already figured out how to delete the recordings. That had taken less math. Not zero math. Just less.

    Also, the stress had really been getting to me lately! It was just a lot of pressure. The Tutorial. All my new responsibilities as an administrator¡­

    Specifically, my assignment to kill Nyx ¨C aka, the Cheater.

    Okay, technically, I was just supposed to ¡°keep an eye on him.¡±

    But Charon had said I could try to kill him if I wanted. There was even a line! And one of the perks of management was that I got to skip the line straight to murder.

    Although, the chances of that were looking¡­ not good.

    At least one former employee had already failed.

    Actually, several by the looks of the assignment roster for Nyx.

    Okay, fine, it was an impossibly huge number! Not that it was clear why! I tried to open his case file, but those pesky error messages showed up every time. I didn¡¯t even know why the others failed. It wasn¡¯t doing great things for my self-confidence.

    Another sip. ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s the stuff. It¡¯s the faint aftertaste of existential despair that really carries the flavor, you know?¡± I said aloud, admiring my mug.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Only to realize I was alone.

    Talking to no one. Sitting on a Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup> in an endless white void.

    By myself. With nothing to do except study.

    ¡°Huh, I wonder what those two are up to now?¡± I murmured.

    Luckily, I had a solution for that now. Yeah, that¡¯s right, my office had a new window into the Five Rivers! Go me ¨C we¡¯re moving up in the world! I¡¯d decided it was important to focus on the little things. Like small upgrades to my cubicle. Sure, it was just the one viewing portal right now, but I heard it took at least a few billion eons to upgrade to a corner office. Although, my current view left something to be desired¡­

    The pair were just bickering in a swamp next to a pile of rainbows and a bunch of spotless and impeccably-made designer luggage. The murder babies were even playing in the pile of rainbows. I¡¯ll be honest, it was slightly adorable. That might have kept me busy for a while. You know, while the Cheater and the trash goblin did their usual song and dance.

    But eventually that got old and they were still bickering.

    This time it was over how to haul their trash.

    ¡°This is your fault, Fang,¡± I muttered. ¡°If you could just keep it up for more than a few minutes, we could have finished this ages ago.¡± I still hadn¡¯t forgiven him for failing to murder the Cheater.

    And then they bickered some more.

    There was some light blackmail ¨C emotional and drug-related.

    My fingers drummed on my couch. It was just starting to feel so tired ¨C this constant back and forth. They needed new material. Or, better yet, they needed to hurry the hell up! I couldn¡¯t kill them until they entered a new gate¡ª

    I hesitated. Wait, that wasn¡¯t true, was it? I mean, I¡¯d seen something¡­

    My hands darted across the surface of my tablet.

    Yup, there it was, a new feature. I could now create miracles!

    Okay, ¡°minor miracles.¡± I hadn¡¯t unlocked all the features yet. And the strength of the miracle decreased the further away from the Flow they traveled. But, right now, the pair were standing right next to Cocytus.

    They needed wood, right? Isn¡¯t that what Nyx had said? It only took a few dozen swipes at my tablet, but I eventually brought up the new miracle menu.

    Hmm, I couldn¡¯t make custom miracles yet, but I could choose from a list of preset options. It looked like I had a few choices¡­

    Oh, and this one came with lesser sea serpents! How big was a¡ª

    Ahh. They were huge and covered in armored scales. Easily big enough to eat a Cheater and his stupid, impotent lizard sidekick.

    Perfect! Just a few finishing touches and then¡ª

    ¡°Voila! I love it when a plan comes together!¡± I cheered as the mist swept away onscreen, revealing the ruins of an ancient ship.

    However, the mad smile on my painted face soon slipped. What were they doing? Why were they just standing there¡­ staring at it? The shipwreck that I¡¯d conveniently summoned for them. Were they going to check it out, or¡­

    No, no they were just going to bicker some more.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you paranoid assholes? I even added the rainbows,¡± I shouted at the portal, bending my tablet in half. ¡°You love rainbows! It¡¯s just all rainbows with you two. Seriously, do I need to create a sign or something! Just go¡ª

    ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± I muttered, peering closer.

    Only to recoil back into the comforting embrace of my Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup>, staring in wide-eyed horror. They¡­ they might be the worst parents ever. Were they really sending the murder babies to check on the wreck?

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡ª Hey, stop! Where is the cancel button on this thing¡­¡± My hands tapped rapidly at the tablet, navigating through at least fifteen layers of menus. Whoever had designed this thing was also a sadistic jerk.

    ¡°Squeak! Squeeeeeaaaak!¡±

    Too late. I could only stare in horror as the babies were smashed into puddles of rainbow and ripped into several jagged, colorful pieces, all while their plaintive wails filled the air. Leaving only the soupy, prismatic remains of three precious murder babies.

    Which promptly disappeared, my mask frowning in confusion.

    Then Nyx just re-summoned them beside him from a pool of shadows.

    I felt so conflicted right now! I mean, the babies were safe, but¡ª

    This meant I¡¯d wasted those sea serpents for nothing! They just ate a bunch of rat-shaped nimbus while Fang and Nyx looked on like terrible co-parents.

    Wait, were they fist-bumping? What was wrong with them?

    It would have almost been cute if it wasn¡¯t so damn frustrating!

    Especially since, after that, they just murdered the sea serpents. And not how you¡¯d probably think. I mean, the snakes had really strong armor. Even Fang¡¯s blades just skittered off them. Then they were running away and screaming and¡­ well, I almost got excited. Almost. But I¡¯d been burned too many times.

    And that skepticism proved justified. Fang used his clones as a decoy while the Cheater opened a shadow portal. A sea serpent lunged at Fang, only for his body to break apart as a murder baby fell out of a pulsating, black portal. The snake snapped up the baby. Swallowed. Then¡ªthen it start to choke and heave. The reason for that was soon obvious.

    The murder baby was eating it from the inside out.

    The rest of the snakes didn¡¯t last long.

    I could only stare at that portal now filled with rainbow lakes, the faint prismatic pitter patter of my failure raining along the shore. Another failure.

    ¡°Damn it! Why do they always survive?¡± I screamed, slamming down my tablet, the black square splashing against the water and bouncing straight back into my hand.

    This wasn¡¯t fair! I just couldn¡¯t win lately.

    Maybe I really was a minus¡­

    Wait! Hadn¡¯t Charon said the Flow¡¯s power to intervene directly was weaker in the Five Rivers? Huh, then maybe if I just got those two into a gate, that should speed things along. That meant I needed to bide my time. Just sit back on my Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup>, have another few drinks, work on the Tutorial and wait until they entered another corrupted gate.

    It had to happen eventually, right?

    My eyes slid to that A- still hovering there in the air.

    Although¡­ that would probably take a long, long time. Especially since the two of them bickered a lot and the Cheater was crazy and loved tangents. Also, the Tutorial was lame and rigged and terribly designed.

    Hmm, or perhaps there was another way?

    What about that moose and the elf lady? What were their names again?

    Ahh, yeah! Horus and Eris.

    What if I used my miracles to help them hunt down the Cheater and his impotent lizard sidekick and tear out their spines in a flurry of rainbows? Just like the Cheater was doing with the sea serpents for some unknown reason. Wow, that was actually making me really thirsty. Luckily, my new promotion came with unlimited refills¡­

    *sluuuuurp*

    Much better! Now, what were Horus and Eris up to?

    The view shifted ¨C the portal now showing Anchon.

    ¡°Wait¡­ what? They haven¡¯t even left yet?¡± I muttered. ¡°What¡¯s taking them so long? That should have just been a quick¡ª¡±

    Warning! Deterministic Probability Dropping!

    Narrative Continuity: 75.67 to 69.69%

    Oh. Oh shit.

    The Manual had mentioned this¡­

    The Flow had a sort of script ¨C a ¡°narrative¡± if you will. It could predict with almost perfect precision the actions of every spirit registered to the system by compiling an impossible and inconceivable number of variables. That¡¯s actually how the Oracles could predict the formation of corrupted gates. And, coincidentally, what I¡¯d been studying.

    If that seems complicated¡­ it was.

    Also, there was so much math involved.

    Anyway, long story short, there were occasional outliers like the Cheater who refused to just go with the Flow. They were dangerous because they could create deviations from that narrative ¨C continuity errors. Like two duplicate spirits being in the same plane of existence at the same time. Oh, or how Nyx¡¯s memories of an almost infinite number of former lives had begun to fracture his mind and bleed over into his subconscious behavior.

    In this case, the problem was the strange relationship that had begun to develop between Horus and Eris ¨C two key members of the narrative. A relationship that should never have existed; that couldn¡¯t have existed if not for one person.

    The one that had manufactured this entire situation.

    With a stolen journal, a heated sewer bath, a labyrinth of traps, and two cryptic and entirely-too-personal questions. That¡¯s it. That¡¯s all it took.

    You know, to break a divine and semi-sentient river of spirits that could bend time and space and that had been servicing this eternal loop of suffering and pain referred to colloquially as reincarnation with perfect precision for the better part of forever.

    Sure, it wasn¡¯t a traditional romance story ¨C likely not the pulse-pounding and titillating tale that most were looking for ¨C but somehow it was working.

    Even I was starting to ¡°ship¡± the two of them!

    And this was all the Cheater¡¯s fault.

    In an instant, my fingers raced across my tablet. They¡¯d trained us for exactly this situation during orientation. Luckily, I¡¯d been the top of my class! The movements were automatic, the product of exhaustive study and preparation.

    And only moments later, I was done! The support ticket had been submitted¡ª

    My tablet let out a chime, more glowing white words appearing in the air.

    Supervisor Help Request

    From: User#31223523509823422345

    Subject: HELP!!! I HAVE A CHEATER PROBLEM AND IT¡­

    Ahh. Haha. That¡¯s right¡­ there was no supervisor. Or there was, but that supervisor was me. Which wouldn¡¯t be much help right now, would it?

    My eyes swept back to the viewing portal, that sense of dread returning with a vengeance. The fact that I¡¯d messaged myself didn¡¯t help ¨C just more evidence of what I¡¯d already feared; what that minus represented.

    Maybe I¡­ maybe I wasn¡¯t the top of my class anymore.

    Because there was no class ¨C no one keeping score.

    There was only me. Alone. Facing a madman.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 4

    Anchon

    Horus

    What was I doing wrong?

    Inside my future Friend¡¯s murder dungeon, I had excelled.  My axe swept away the muck and shit and pitch for My Lady.  My hands worked away those delightful knots in her shoulders.  My impervious fur protected her from the poison darts and crushing rocks and even kept her safe during our brief swim in my future Friend¡¯s delightful swimming pool.

    Yet ever since we left, things had been different.

    We had returned to Anchon.  ¡°To report on the gate and this Nyx ¨C to send word back to Asphodel,¡± My Lady said.  I had resisted; had wielded my [Bullshit] with impressive strength and skill.  Yet, My Lady insisted.  ¡°It was our duty,¡± she said.  ¡°Danae needed to be treated,¡± she argued.  She was not wrong and even my [Bullshit] couldn¡¯t refute her points.

    So, instead, I continued to act on Rowan¡¯s advice ¨C to destroy the obstacles to My Lady¡¯s heart.  In this case, enormous piles of paperwork.

    In the past, I had avoided such work.  Putting pen to page was meant for the secrets of the heart.  That was why writing was invented, for penning private and heartfelt and sometimes wishful and probably incriminating secrets and then hiding those pages away where no one would ever read them or judge you.  Ever.

    It was not for lists of ¡°casualties¡± and ¡°equipment¡± and ¡°expenses.¡±

    Not for dry reports that barely made mention of my overwhelming strength or our fiery chemistry or the way the swamp mist sparkled in the wake of My Lady¡¯s fury as she destroyed a mile-wide swath of marsh.

    And yet¡­ I discovered something new amid those pages.

    [Bullshit] utterly destroyed paperwork.

    I crushed those piles of paper with impeccable precision.  Demolished manifests and expense statements with the expertise of a seasoned accountant.  And utterly annihilated the detailed descriptions of the deaths of the many, many members of my former unit.  Everyone except Danae.  I-I even enjoyed that last part, although I am ashamed to admit it.

    In less than an hour it was over and I felt something I¡¯d never expected ¨C a sensation normally reserved for the aftermath of glorious and brutal battle.

    My blood song sang an anthem of victory.

    Yet My Lady¡¯s reaction quieted that song in an instant.

    She walked in, stopped, and stared at those piles ¨C neatly stacked and organized alphabetically, of course ¨C her beautiful eyes a blaze of glorious fury and surprise.  Then came the many, many detailed questions.  And her fire only grew brighter as I answered each with ease as burning gaze skimmed those pages.  Even though I plied her with the power of [Bullshit], she insisted on reviewing the paperwork herself, muttering and smoldering.

    Her dedication to her duty was admirable.

    No doubt, the loss of those useless vessels weighed on her mind.

    Or, at least, so I thought.  So, I had attempted to help her in another way, to smooth away those knots in her shoulders ¨C her neck pinched taut and tight.  To bring her tea.  Meals when she refused to eat.  Bedding when she didn¡¯t return to her tent.

    Yet, even then¡­ she spurned me.

    Told me to, ¡°Leave her alone.¡±

    And, ¡°To get the fuck out!¡±

    Why?  Perhaps it was me?  Or¡­ us?

    Perhaps she hadn¡¯t heard the words that my Future Friend had spoken?

    ¡°Are you dating?¡± he¡¯d asked.

    ¡°You¡¯d make a cute couple,¡± he¡¯d said.

    Or perhaps I was reading into things.  Perhaps My Lady was right to check the paperwork.  With an opponent as cunning and ruthless as my future Friend, such caution was warranted.  That must be why it had been four days now since we returned.  However, I was left with nothing to occupy my time ¨C no enemies to kill; no problems to crush¡ª

    Ahh, but that was not entirely true.  More [Bullshit].  It came so easily now.

    There was one problem I was still attempting to destroy.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Rowan muttered, sweeping into my tent.  ¡°I tried to get away sooner, but Eris has been on the warpath ever since she got back.  Seriously, I think she might finally be losing it.  She¡¯s wouldn¡¯t even let me¡ª¡±

    The sprite froze as he saw me.  Or perhaps it was the creation in the center of my oversized tent.  I was building it for My Lady.  My Future Friend had inspired me with his works.  A furnace made of sewer clay, that heated bath, and, his finest work, that glorious, above-ground swimming pool filled with the blood of his many, many victims.  If we were to chase after my future Friend, we would need transportation suitable for My Lady.

    ¡°Is that¡­ is that supposed to be a carriage?¡± Rowan asked hesitantly.

    ¡°It is,¡± I grunted, slapping the top¡ª

    Perhaps too hard.  It collapsed, the lumber snapping.

    That kept happening.  It was so easy to destroy this problem.  Too easy, actually.

    Oh, well.  I threw the scrap in the growing pile in the corner, Rowan¡¯s eyes following the arc of the timbers before they crashed into the mound.  The one now towering ten feet.

    ¡°Do, um¡­ that is, would you like some help?¡± the sprite offered.

    I looked at the pile of broken wood and the few intact pieces remaining.  Hmm, that was another problem.  How would I get more without alerting My Lady?  She¡¯d already been spending so much time pouring over equipment and resource manifests¡­

    ¡°Yes, yes please,¡± I replied finally.

    Rowan shook his head, a green glow suffusing his fingertips and flowers and vines soon began to wind up out of the floor, twining together and lifting the remaining lumber into place.  A carriage was slowly stitching itself together in the center of the tent now.  Meanwhile, the sprite slumped back onto an oversized flower that sprouted from the ground and his pipe appeared in his hand.  He took a long hit, his eyes straying to my face.

    ¡°So, uh, how was the corrupted gate?¡±  Rowan asked finally.  ¡°I mean, I heard Eris¡¯ version and read her incredibly exhaustive report, but it was missing a few important details.¡±

    I shook my head.  How to describe it¡­

    ¡°It was a grotesque hellscape paved in shit, pitch, and blood.¡±

    ¡°So, uh that doesn¡¯t sound¡ª¡±

    ¡°In short, it was exquisite,¡± I continued with a sigh that blew the side of the tent taut like the sail of a ship.  ¡°I miss it so much.

    ¡°The Hollow created a true masterclass in suffering,¡± I continued, staring off into space ¨C lost in my memories.  ¡°Tunnels filled with pitch and fire that only My Lady and I could conquer, followed by a spa-like oasis ¨C he even built his own heated bath and My Lady and I bonded in its destruction.  Then the cellar games to showcase my strength and endurance, followed by a refreshing dip in a swimming pool filled with blood.  I can still see her so clearly, My Lady shivering and glaring and smoldering in the moonlight.¡±

    "That¡¯s, uh, interesting,¡± Rowan offered hesitantly, eyeing his pipe and then taking another long hit.  ¡°But what about you and Eris?  Did anything happen there?¡±

    ¡°It did.  In fact, it was almost like my future Friend knew me.  That he planned all of that just to¡ªto help me,¡± I said.

    ¡°Your future friend?  Ahh, yes ¨C the Hollow,¡± Rowan muttered, shaking his head incredulously, a small frown on his lips.  ¡°At least, it sounds like you and Eris grew closer.¡±

    ¡°We did.  I even held her in my arms.  Twice!¡±

    Rowan just blinked, fluorescent smoke drifting from his lips as he prepared to take another hit.  ¡°Uh, that¡¯s not quite what I meant¡ª¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°He also inspired me, my future Friend,¡± I continued, oblivious, lost in my memories.  ¡°As I saw the genius of his torture dungeon and considered your advice, I had a thought!  Many things can be weapons, yes?  Even weak, pitiful flowers.¡±

    Rowan nodded and shrugged.  ¡°Sure?¡±

    ¡°So, I asked myself a question - what if my words could be a weapon?  That¡¯s when everything changed.  I acquired a new skill.  It is called [Bullshit]!¡±

    A puff of smoke blasted from Rowan¡¯s lips, the sprite devolving into a hacking coughing fit as he pounded at his chest.  Not that I spared him any attention.

    My hands clenched into fists.  ¡°Finally, I thought.  Finally, I¡¯d discovered a weapon that could cut through my Lady¡¯s armor, that could pierce her heart and chain it together with mine.  She feels the same way I do.  I just know it.¡±

    Rowan was very quiet and when I turned, he had an expression on his face I didn¡¯t recognize.  His eyes and mouth were forming three perfect circles.

    Was it the new skill?  Such things were typically kept confidential among the Guides.

    But there was no need for secrets among True Friends.

    Rowan had taught me that long ago.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

    Maybe I had finally found the sprite¡¯s weakness?

    He blinked.  Blinked again.  Then he shook his head, stared down at his pipe, back at me, and then he must have decided he needed another hit.  This one took even longer.

    ¡°Yeah, I was just, uh, processing,¡± Rowan muttered sometime later, smoke spiraling around him in a thick, iridescent cloud.  ¡°That was just¡­ a lot.¡±

    ¡°Also terrifying,¡± he muttered under his breath.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ahh, nothing ¨C nothing at all!¡± Rowan chirped.  Hmm, his eye was twitching.  It must be fatigue.  Eris had locked him up for days to help with the paperwork.  Even true warriors grew tired.  ¡°So, it sounds like things went well.  Sort of.  What did Eris say?¡±

    That¡¯s when my expression fell.  We had not spoken much since our return.  There was only her work and her lists and her reports.  ¡°Nothing.  That is the problem!  I assumed we would already be planning the wedding.¡±

    I already knew what flowers I would ask Rowan to grow for us.

    Sunflowers.  Because her spirit shone like the sun.

    Also, because they shot beams of fire.  My Lady would love it.

    ¡°Ahh,¡± Rowan observed softly.

    He eyed me up and down, his gaze appraising ¨C the same look he used on the battlefield.  I sensed the advice of a true warrior coming and I was ready.

    ¡°Love can be a tricky thing,¡± the sprite began tactfully.  ¡°However, it¡¯s easy to get caught up in your own feelings.  To get ahead of yourself or even read into things¡ª¡±

    ¡°I could feel our connection,¡± I interjected, stomping a hoof and the ground trembling.  ¡°You also did not hear what my Future Friend said!¡±

    ¡°Uh, alright¡­ which is what?¡±

    ¡°That we would make a cute couple.¡±

    ¡°I, uh¡­ I don¡¯t doubt that,¡± Rowan replied, shaking his head.  ¡°I¡¯m just saying, until she admits those feelings, you can¡¯t be certain whether she feels the same way.¡±

    As he saw my ears droop and shoulders slump, Rowan looked frustrated, searching for the words to convey his point.  ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should give up.  The opposite in fact.¡±

    ¡°But my Future Friend already asked us if we were together?  Does that mean nothing?¡± I demanded.

    Rowan¡¯s eye was twitching again.  ¡°Well, sort of, yes¡ª¡±  The sprite cutoff as he saw my eyes blazing white.  He quickly put up his hands.  ¡°Alright let¡¯s start over¡­¡±

    He shifted upright on his flower, leaning forward.  ¡°Okay, love is war.¡±

    I nodded.  Of course.  I knew that already.  Everything was war.

    ¡°Alright, but that gate was just one battle.  The war isn¡¯t over.¡±

    And suddenly, just like that, I understood what Rowan was trying to say!

    ¡°Ahh, I have it now!¡± I said with a broad smile, one that showed off the full length of my tusks.  ¡°Thank you, Rowan.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± the sprite offered with a wave and a chuckle.  ¡°It¡¯s not¡ª"

    ¡°The only way to win this war for her love is to force her to admit her feelings.¡±

    ¡°Uh, wait, that¡¯s not quite¡ª¡±

    ¡°That must be my future Friend¡¯s plan,¡± I continued, my mind racing as the pieces all finally slammed into place.  ¡°He intends to be the bait ¨C to distract My Lady and lure her out of the safety of her tent and away from her paperwork.  Which means he meant for me to learn [Bullshit].  He gave me a weapon that could cut through the walls she¡¯s built around her heart.  And when she¡¯s focused entirely on him, that¡¯s my time to pounce!¡±

    My fist smacked the nearby table and it collapsed into a fresh pile of debris.

    ¡°Just like back in his perfect murder dungeon!¡±

    Rowan stared back, his pipe hanging limp in his hands.   His eyes and mouth were making those strange shapes again.  ¡°Uh, alright, maybe we should start over¡ª

    Yet those words died on his lips as the tent flap swept open.

    Mist coiled inside, spiraling around My Lady¡¯s slender legs, her mail gleaming in the sudden flash of sunlight.  And as the flap fell back, shadows hovered around her face, her eyes framed in blazing fire ¨C not quite enough to hide the dark circles that hung beneath the smoldering flames like warpaint.  Her shoulders were tense and tight.  Her hair tangled.  Evidence of the sacrifices she¡¯d made for her duty ¨C the many days spent checking my paperwork.  Her eyes promising a merciless death.

    In short, she was breathtaking.

    And now those burning eyes were locked on Rowan¡¯s creation, fingers twisting at her ring as she took in the carriage in all its glory.  I¡¯d lost track of his progress during my story, yet Rowan¡¯s spirit had kept going.  The vehicle was now a resplendent white, stained that way by his flowers, the boards held together by thick vines.  Flowers bloomed across the surface in a rainbow of colors, motes of glowing pollen fluttering through the air.

    My Lady sucked in a sharp breath, pressing a hand to her chest.

    ¡°What is this?¡± she asked in a clipped voice.

    Rowan was still frozen in surprise, his pipe in hand.

    Yet, I¡¯d had much practice with the [Bullshit], so I stepped in smoothly.  ¡°Since you were focused on securing Anchon and reporting the status of our operations and you excel at such administrative work, I decided to focus my efforts elsewhere.  We will need transportation when we leave to hunt the Hollow.  This is your carriage¡­ My lady,¡± I offered.

    At the same time, I tugged open the door ¨C making sure to be extra gentle.

    As I did, a cloud of pollen swept out¡­ and as those motes touched the ground, flowers bloomed there, forming a thick carpet.

    I was impressed.  Rowan had gone to a lot of effort.  It was magnificent.

    Except My Lady¡¯s eyes were only burning more brightly.

    ¡°No way.  This, uh¡­ this will not do,¡± she muttered, shaking her head.

    I cocked my own, my mane swaying.  She was having difficulty making eye contact.

    Instead, her gaze locked on Rowan and her brow furrowed as she finally noticed him sitting on an oversized flower, his pipe in his hand, and his brain still trying to register what he was seeing.  He must have taken too many hits.  Another sound lesson from a true warrior and Friend.  No doubt, he¡¯d manufactured this situation to demonstrate that even he wasn¡¯t immune to his own smoke.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Rowan?¡±  Her eyes shot back to the carriage, fingers still twisting anxiously at her ring.  ¡°Did you help Horus make this¡ªthis thing?¡±

    The sprite looked at me then, his expression pleading.

    And it was at that moment I knew he¡¯d planned this.  A True Friend to the end.

    ¡°I forced him to help me,¡± I interjected, My Lady turning that beautiful, burning gaze back to me.  I prayed its searing heat would never fade.

    ¡°His puny body is useless and his spirit is strange, but he can occasionally be useful.  However, I¡¯m sorry he offended you with this hideous and impractical design.¡±  Rowan winced at that one.  ¡°Clearly, this won¡¯t allow us to easily traverse the swamp ¨C he must have been attempting to ¡°tease¡± me as he is known to do.  No doubt, out of resentment for being forced to perform such a demeaning task.¡±

    My Lady wavered, her fury fading into confusion.   Even Rowan was looking at me behind her back, mouthing the word ¡°wow¡± and softly clapping.

    She whirled and he sobered in an instant.  ¡°Rowan?  Is this the truth?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah.  That¡¯s right.  He, uh, made me build the stupid¡­ ugly¡­ impractical carriage,¡± the sprite offered, wincing on each word.

    My Lady watched him, then nodded.

    ¡°Danae?¡± she demanded then.

    All eyes in the room turned to the vulpin woman that had been standing in the corner of the tent the whole time.  Ahh, I¡¯d forgotten she was there.  I¡¯d ordered her to stay near me after we returned to Anchon.  I couldn¡¯t kill her ¨C My Lady would get suspicious ¨C but she knew too much for me to leave her to her own devices.  Better to keep your Friends close and your enemies closer.  Those were Rowan¡¯s words.  And Danae was either one or the other.  Or possibly even both.

    And now the vulpin was looking between the three of us in confusion.

    Then her eyes met mine ¨C my irises glowing bright white and my axe rising behind me ominously.  A warning.  When My Lady glanced over her shoulder at me, I caught the hilt neatly and saluted her with the blade.

    She frowned, but turned back to Danae. ¡°Well?¡±

    The vulpin swallowed hard.  ¡°That¡¯s, uh¡­ exactly what happened,¡± she chirped.

    Another long pause and then¡ª

    ¡°Fine, then I shall accept it,¡± My Lady said finally.

    She still didn¡¯t look entirely convinced, but that was okay.  I could use our time on the road to wear away at her defenses with an endless barrage of [Bullshit].  She would have nowhere to flee in the marshes.

    ¡°So, um, how do you plan to travel if you aren¡¯t going to use the carriage?¡± Rowan offered, pointing to his creation.

    My Lady looked caught off guard.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±  She trailed off uncertainly.

    ¡°Clearly, a true warrior relies on nothing more than their own two legs,¡± I interjected, stepping forward and laying a hand on the carriage, the wood snapping under the weight of my arm.  ¡°Besides, it will be easier to find signs of the Hollow¡¯s passage if we are on foot.  At least, I assume that¡¯s what My Lady must be thinking.¡±

    She glared at me, and then, moments later, her expression softened.  A small smile pulled at her lips and fire lit her eyes in a twinkling blaze.  ¡°Hmm, Horus is right.   I am much, much faster on foot.  Hopefully, you¡¯ll be able to keep up,¡± she added, our eyes locked, a challenge in her gaze.  A test perhaps.

    And I could hear my blood singing in my veins.  It was already starting ¨C what Rowan had described!  This must be the second battle in the war for her love.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, My Lady.¡± I replied, bowing deeply. ¡°I will always make sure your path is clear ¨C always.¡±

    My Lady¡¯s fire dimmed and she looked suddenly uncertain.  ¡°Ahh¡­ I guess we¡¯ll see.  Speaking of which, we¡¯re nearly ready to leave.  Make sure you have your supplies prepared ¨C both of you,¡± she said, waving at Danae.

    Then My Lady swept out of the tent in a blur of fire.

    Proof of her speed.  She was indeed fast.

    But not nearly fast enough to outrun my love.

    As soon as she vanished, Rowan and Danae let out a collective sigh.

    The sprite was glaring at the carriage.  ¡°Ugly?  Slow?  This thing can travel by root system and I infused it with a ton of nimbus, it¡¯ll be way faster than running on foot.  And how is Danae supposed to keep up?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°I could stay here¡ª¡± the Vulpin squeaked eagerly, raising a hand.

    ¡°I shall carry her,¡± I interjected, stomping a hoof.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really not necessary¡ªoof!¡± Danae grunted as I lifted her one hand and slung her over my shoulder.  She weighed nothing.

    ¡°And thank you,¡± I said to Rowan.  ¡°I won¡¯t return until I have won this war ¨C until My Lady has admitted her feelings.  You are a True Warrior and Friend.¡±

    Then I was gone, the whole tent shuddering as I left.

    Which left Rowan standing there, staring wide-eyed and shaking his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s actually not¡ª¡± he began.

    ¡°Ahh, fuck it.¡± he muttered to himself.  ¡°Honestly, how bad can it turn out?¡±

    He hesitated, his eyes growing troubled as they slid across the stack of ruined timber, the remains of his carriage, the scorch marks the elf had left along the floor¡­ and the hole in the tent where I had made my departure.  Then he looked down at his pipe¡ª

    And took the mother of all hits.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 5

    North of Anchon

    Nyx

    Have you ever wanted to build something and you just have this perfect and also possibly completely unrealistic vision of what you want it to be?  Happens to me all the time.  Especially when I¡¯m trying to build something brand-spanking new or starting a hobby.

    Like say I¡¯m going to pick up [Tailoring] for the first time?  Ball gown, first try.

    [Blacksmithing]?  Full plate mail with gold filigree.

    Actually, scrap that!  The armor should be self-moving.  Armor spirit maybe?

    Also, it should be able to wield weapons.  We¡¯ll have to figure out how to make those.

    And honestly, if we¡¯re going to go to the trouble of making the armor in the first place, why stop there?  I mean, couldn¡¯t we make a mold?  Maybe I¡¯ve never done that before, but how hard could it be?  Which really begs a much more pressing and important question, right?  Like how many autonomous, robot-armor-death machines should I build?  More than one, obviously.  But where do I stop?  Five?  Ten?  A hundred¡­ thousand?

    You see what I mean?  I tend to build stuff up in my head.

    It¡¯s hard to find the line ¨C you know, the one between reasonable and completely batshit.  Although, I¡¯ve developed a foolproof system.  Works every time.

    I just keep going until the screaming starts.

    ¡°What the hell are you building now?¡± Fang yelled.

    He had to.  There was a lot of banging.  We had to hammer in all the nails, after all.  The ones I¡¯d made out of the remainder of our scrapmetal.  And it was only me and the babies.  We didn¡¯t have much in the way of tools, or skills, or materials, or even time¡­ but we had plenty of elbow grease.  Also, moxy.  Such a fun word.

    I waved at the murder babies and they all stopped, ¡°You did great.  Perfect honestly.  No notes.¡±  They all chittered happily and showed their huge murder teeth.  ¡°Well, except¡ª¡±

    ¡°#1, you were moving a little slow.  Also, #2 and #3, I felt like your attention was more on the heaping pile of snake meat than your work.¡±

    All completely reasonable and honest feedback.

    Normally, my babies would have just nodded profusely.  Maybe bowed.  You know, like regular children.  I mean, I didn¡¯t demand that they prostrate themselves before me like some sort of god¡­ but if it happened naturally, who was I to say no?

    And yet, this time, they¡ªthey didn¡¯t.  They just stared back.

    Then you know what they did next?

    They crossed their arms and glared at me!

    Me!?  Their [Battle Daddy]?  What could have possibly caused this strange new¡ª

    ¡°You sent them to get brutally murdered by the big juicy snakes,¡± Lili observed, still mumbling around a mouthful of my skill gems.  A mouth that still didn¡¯t exist, by the way. ¡°And now you¡¯re clearly deflecting to deal with your own crippling guilt.  Looking for problems with them instead of reflecting on your own issues.¡±

    Uh, wow.  Lili had gotten much more insightful as she ate my skill gems.

    ¡°Our gems,¡± she corrected automatically.

    Also, um, I totally wasn¡¯t deflecting.  The babies are fine!  Look at them!  They¡¯re¡ª

    Hey, wait!  They were gone.  Where did they¡ª

    Ahh, they were swimming in the pile of snake guts.  Of course.

    ¡°They left while you were babbling to yourself again,¡± Lili observed.  ¡°Hmm, actually I was wrong before.  I mean, it was deflection, but it looks like it wasn¡¯t just guilt¡­ it was also fear.  You¡¯re afraid.  Terrified really.¡±

    Pssh.  She was wrong.  I¡¯m fearless.  Remember that time I jumped out of a portal and [Chain Punched] the rat ogre?  Or when I stared down Maribel when she was in full rat king mode?  She even ate my eyeballs!

    My left hand tingled in agreement.  See?  She had my back.

    ¡°Really?¡±  Lili mumbled.  ¡°Because it looks to me like your babies are changing.  Growing.  And that thought frightens you.  Maybe someday they won¡¯t need you, just like¡ª¡±

    Uh, what?  No!  That¡¯s not¡­ like, not at all what I was worried about!

    Technically, they¡¯d already grown up once and I was kind of hoping that we would get to skip over the teenage years the second time around.  Besides, were we even really sure they were still mine?  Any old rat could have come out of Maribel¡¯s murder dungeon, right?  That¡¯s why I¡¯d given them new names.  Okay, fine, they were just numbers.  And no, it wasn¡¯t because I couldn¡¯t tell which one was Brute and which was Smash!

    ¡°Fine, which one is #3?¡± Lili asked.  ¡°You know, the one that sacrificed itself for you, remember?  That got smashed into a gory puddle of former baby.¡±

    ¡°Uh, the one on the left.¡±

    SMACK!

    Ahh, that was Maribel that time.

    And Lili just cackled in the back of my mind.

    Okay.  It was possible that I deserved that.

    ¡°Fine.  Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± I said with a resigned sigh ¨C the three of us and absolutely no one else watching our babies swim through a pile of snake intestines.  Seriously, they were just wiggling through the gore with their little fury bodies, feet tucked together like fins, and their mouths wide open.  Ahh, they thought they were snakes now.

    Maybe this was a blessing.  A chance to experience their childlike wonder again.  To murder new and fascinating creatures as a family.

    But how long would we get to appreciate this sight?

    Days?  Weeks?  Centuries?  I guess that depended on whether I could use a skill gem on Maribel¡¯s sweet new shield and what modifiers the Flow gave me if it worked.  So, I guess we should just appreciate this while it lasted.  They probably wouldn¡¯t be the same innocent death monsters after the world had gotten to them.

    ¡°But they¡¯ll always be my babies,¡± I murmured.

    And no, I¡¯m not crying!  That¡¯s mist.

    Also, I swear, Fang did this next!

    ¡°Our babies¡± he hissed, stepping up beside me, his clawed fingers winding through my own.  They didn¡¯t even cut me ¨C not even a little bit.  It was perfect.

    Then he started asking me questions about the wagon I was building.  And he seemed genuinely excited!  He asked me how I came up with such an impressive and revolutionary design for the track system and he even helped me¡ª

    ¡°Nyx!¡± Fang snapped, clapping his clawed hands in my face.

    I blinked.  Blinked again.

    Huh.  Shit.  Okay, maybe that didn¡¯t happen.

    Maybe I really do build up stuff in my head.

    I mean, our bromantic relationship was still new, right?  Or newish?

    ¡°Are you there?¡± Fang asked, peering close ¨C too close.  ¡°Lili is he there?¡± he shouted into my ear.  ¡°What is he building?¡±

    Wow.  Still hated that a lot.

    ¡°Debatable,¡± Lili muttered.  Meanwhile, dark question marks rippled down my arm.

    Everyone was a critic, apparently.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a wagon,¡± I told Fang for at least the thousandth time.

    ¡°This is a wagon?¡± Fang demanded.

    Okay, sure.  This is what I was talking about before.

    I was trying to make Emporos¡¯ Death Wagon ¨C you know, because I couldn¡¯t steal it.  At least, not yet.  And maybe I was shooting for the stars there.  My version probably wouldn¡¯t be an extra-dimensional death wagon that could travel through space and time.  Mostly just the space part.  Maybe.  We hadn¡¯t tested that yet, actually.

    But I was already almost half-way there!

    It was even pretty good, in my opinion.

    Especially considering all I had to work with were sewer tools, way too much garbage that we really didn¡¯t need to bring with us, some ancient wooden timbers soaked in the nimbus-rich waters of Cocytus, and, in what was becoming a surprisingly common occurrence the last five cycles or so¡­ corpses.  Or should I say, the salvaged and distressed spines of several giant snake creatures we¡¯d reclaimed from a local beach.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Also, the half-rotten skull of a corrupted adult Kraell.

    In this family, we believed in recycling.

    ¡°Using the snake skeletons was a weird choice, though,¡± Lili offered.

    ¡°Why all the bones?¡± Fang added.  ¡°Wagons have wheels.  Wheels, Nyx.  They are round.  Like a circle.  Like these wooden things you made, but much bigger.¡±

    Huh.  Wasn¡¯t loving that tone at all ¨C or the hand gestures.

    Apparently, we also had a wagon bigot over here.

    ¡°For the last time, we aren¡¯t using wheels,¡± I replied with a sigh.  ¡°We¡¯re in a swamp, so the wagon wheels would just sink under the weight of all of your useless garbage ¨C not to mention all the souvenirs you¡¯ll inevitably purchase and murder and steal during our family vacation.  Remember, we have to make sure to leave room in our luggage.  On top of that, we can¡¯t even use the roads.¡±  We agreed that would be too risky.

    You know, because we were being hunted.  Probably.

    ¡°Does that even matter now?¡± Fang snapped.  ¡°You have taken days.  Also, you make this unholy racket and there¡¯s the bonfire!¡±

    He pointed at the truly massive blaze beside the equally impressive pile of snake meat smoking nearby.  Not the scraps the babies were eating.  These were neatly butchered slabs thicker than the length of my hand.  Fang had done some shopping for our family vacation.

    Uh, what was that?  Why did the fire need to be so big?

    Well, what can I say?  I missed my sewer furnace.  Plus, I had extra wood and the nimbus really seemed to give it some extra pep.  [Engineering] called it an ¡°accelerant.¡±  Besides, it was also important to get the pan really hot before you add the meat.  I¡¯d learned that back in the sewer.  That¡¯s how you get a perfect sear ¨C char black and crunchy.

    ¡°How long can we stay here?  The Guides will find us!¡± Fang continued, wiping at his nose and sniffing hard.  It sounded like he had a cold.

    But I knew better.  The reason he was so angsty and bitter and mean and ungrateful¡­ or more than normal anyway, was because he was out of drugs.  Seriously, I was impressed.  It had only been a few days and there had been a lot of drugs.

    Okay, maybe less after our bender in Emporos¡¯ Death Wagon¡­

    Although, the grumpies were easy for me to handle.

    You see it now, right?  All that was left were my nimbus gems.

    My perfect, brilliant plan had finally come to fruition.  One cultivated over cycles spent tucked away inside the Flow¡¯s sphincter and sealed once he came crawling back to our [Bromance] on his hands and knees ¨C just like I knew he would.  I had him in the palm of my hand now.  But I wasn¡¯t going to be fooled this time.  Sure, he wanted to get back together when it was convenient for him.  When he needed me and my gems to overcome the excruciating withdrawal symptoms.  But I was going to set firm boundaries from the get-go.

    Specifically, by controlling the flow of nimbus gems.

    Oh, how was I defending the bag?  Good question!

    ¡°That literally no one asked,¡± Lili said with a sigh.  ¡°Can we please get back to the wagon?  At this rate we¡¯re never going to leave¡ª¡±

    She¡¯s wrong again.  This was brilliant.  You see, I just chucked the bag as high up into the air as I could, then set two shadow portals ¨C one on top of the other.  Lili had to hold off on eating the crystals, of course, but she was still busy with the skill gems anyway.  And the bag was too high up for Fang to reach it ¨C and trust me, he¡¯d tried.  He could actually jump super high when he used his clones.

    ¡°That¡¯s just the same trick you used on Maribel,¡± Lili drawled.

    My left hand tickled as Maribel offered her agreement.

    Wow.  Why was no one ever on my side?

    ¡°Because your side is crazy!¡± Fang snapped.  Apparently, that last one had been out loud.  ¡°Do you know how many monsters I have had to hunt while you worked on this¡ªthis insane, reject ¡°wagon?¡±  Dozens.  You attract everything nearby with all of this banging and fire and yelling and blood and¡ª¡±

    He cut off as I threw him a nimbus gem, his pupils dilating as they traced its majestic arc in slow motion, his limbs freezing in place.  Then the greedy trash goblin snatched it with barely a ripple from the mist.  Damn, he was fast.

    Also, busy now.  Like I said, our [Bromance] was going great this time.

    I wasn¡¯t going to make the same mistakes.

    ¡°Better?¡± I asked moments later.

    Fang sniffed hard, his eyes growing clearer.  ¡°Ahh¡­ yes.¡±

    See?  Told you I had a way to manage the grumpies.

    ¡°Great.  Because I was about to tell you that the wagon is almost ready!¡± I announced with a broad smile and a wave at my glorious new creation.

    ¡°Almost?¡± Fang demanded, glowing yellow eyes squeezed into a skeptical line.

    My smile faltered.  ¡°Ahh, well, I mean, I haven¡¯t tested it yet.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t know if it even works?¡± Fang said, throwing up his hands.  ¡°This is what you get for trying to reinvent the wheel.  It is silly and pointless.¡±

    Okay, now my eye was twitching.  But I was trying really hard not to fall back into old patterns.  There were fewer opportunities out here to squeeze in my own [Therapy].  Especially since Fang hogged all of the kills.

    ¡°Look, my design makes sense¡­ I think.  [Engineering] says the tracks will work better in the marsh and long term, they will let us offroad in nearly any conditions ¨C something about the surface area and weight or whatever.  It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    ¡°Will the snake spines hold?¡± Fang demanded.

    ¡°They¡­ should.¡±  They were really strong and the snakes had like a thousand ribs, apparently.  They worked really well as tracks.

    Another long, skeptical hiss.  ¡°You should test it first.  Or the babies.¡±

    Wow, that kind of hurt for some reason.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know why you¡¯re so nervous,¡± I muttered.

    It was a relatively normal wagon bed ¨C one made of ancient timbers.  I mean, it was kind of boat-shaped, but that¡¯s just because it was easier than making it square again.  Also, the weird tank tracks underneath made of huge, interlocking snake spines was a little off-putting, I¡¯ll admit.  But they weren¡¯t dangerous now because we¡¯d murdered the snakes already.  It wasn¡¯t like I could reanimate them.

    Although, that would be super cool¡­

    ¡°You mounted the Kraell head to the front,¡± Fang said, pointing with a claw.  He was right.  I had.  It was huge.  As wide as I was tall ¨C a skeletal, half-rotten fish face filled with a thousand razor-sharp teeth.

    ¡°That was my idea!¡± Lili practically shouted and I winced.

    That was also correct.  She told me it would help me make friends.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re thinking.  I had follow-up questions too.  But Lili insisted other people responded to confidence.  And who could possibly be more confident than a guy that murdered a giant fish monster?  Honestly, it was a fair point.  I couldn¡¯t think of anyone.

    ¡°I find it horrifying,¡± Fang continued.

    The words ¡°Me 2¡± scrolled up my arm in black lettering.  I quickly covered them but it was too late ¨C Fang had seen them.  I really needed to shut that shit down.

    ¡°See.  Lili agrees its stupid too,¡± Fang asked.

    ¡°Wait¡­ what?  No, it¡¯s horrifying and awesome!  Screw him.  I don¡¯t care if you two are back together now.  Kill him and take his sweet, sweet nimbus!¡± Lili demanded.

    There was another dark symbol on my arm now, but it looked pretty phallic.  Luckily, Maribel helped out and automatically covered it with my left hand.  Only for Lili to switch up the position, my left hand slapping my chest, my leg, my right hand¡­

    Huh, I wonder if Lili could draw those images on my forehead?  Luckily, she hadn¡¯t thought of that yet.  Whew.  That was a scary thought.

    Wait¡­ shit, she could see my thoughts, couldn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Yes.  Great idea.  Also, are we ever going to wrap this up?¡± Lili asked dryly.

    Fang seemed to be thinking the same thing since he was staring at my magnificent wagon once more.  ¡°So, how does it move?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, that¡¯s sort of the problem,¡± I muttered.

    I had an idea, but it wasn¡¯t the best.

    So, do you remember how my chain could make two portals?  Like the two that were currently keeping the bag of nimbus out of his Fang¡¯s greedy claws?  Well, it turned out that they didn¡¯t split the force coming from the original portal.  So, if I attached the two chains to the wagon and pulled?  Double the force!  Isn¡¯t destroying physics fun?

    While I was feeling pretty amped up lately from Lili devouring all of my precious skill gems, and I had packed on a few extra pounds of pure muscle back in the gate, pulling my new wagon would still be a stretch by my lonesome ¨C especially loaded down with several tons of garbage.  But that¡¯s where my babies came into play!  I¡¯d created a super cool harness that hooked over their shoulders and then attached to me.

    Think of it like a car seat!  Except on the outside of the vehicle.  Honestly, that was probably safer anyway.  Besides, they loved it¡ª

    What?  Why are you looking at me like that?

    Okay, fine, they hated it.

    Although, I realized they probably just needed motivation¡­ so, I also set up this fun little lure for them.  Only the best for my babies.

    Alright, you got me again.  It was raw snake meat on a stick.

    So, uh, a few minutes and some cursing later, there I was.

    Meat stick in hand.  Portals ready.  Bags loaded.  Babies buckled in.  Bag of nimbus gems strapped to my chest extra tight so Fang couldn¡¯t steal them.

    This was the virgin voyage of my Death Wagon 1.0.  Also, please keep in mind that this was a first try.  I should still get credit even if it doesn¡¯t work.

    ¡°There is no way this works,¡± Fang muttered as he looked on.

    ¡°Not with that attitude,¡± I muttered.  But I¡¯d been feeling great ever since Lili started eating those skill gems.  Like I could scale mountains or beat sea serpents to death with my bare hands.  Maybe this would help me burn off that energy?  Plus, I had [Packmule], right?

    Fang sighed.  ¡°I never thought I¡¯d say this, but well¡­ you aren¡¯t fat enough.¡±

    I turned slowly, staring.  ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Ever since the gate, you have become much larger, bordering on rotund.  Like a man-shaped mountain of crazy.  I do not even know how it is possible to get this fat on a diet of rat meat.  But you are still not large enough for this.¡±

    His yellow eyes shifted to the stack of dried meat now sitting in the bed of the wagon.  ¡°Although, now I understand your eating problem.¡±

    Wow.  Just¡­ wow.

    ¡°See?  It doesn¡¯t feel great when others point out your food issues,¡± Lili observed.

    I¡¯ll admit, Fang¡¯s words did sting.  My body image issues were already a sore spot.  But I decided to channel that feeling of intense and unbridled rage and the desire to crush his stupid, slender, drug-addled face with my over-sized, ham-fist into something productive.

    Like pulling the wagon.

    My legs dug in and I gave the meat stick a good shake.  The babies and I charged forward, straining against the chains and the weight of the wagon.  It creaked, groaned, trembled¡­ then began to roll forward gradually, shifting off the wooden risers I¡¯d placed under the tracks.  Then we started to pick up speed.  Sure, it was ungodly heavy, but if we got it moving, [Engineering] said the momentum would help.

    Moments later, the wagon slid to a stop and I let out a whoop of victory, the babies joining in with their wailing death chitter.  They jumped on me and I gave them pets and kisses and bloody snacks because they were my perfect murder demons and they deserved it.

    See?  The family vacation was already bringing us closer together!

    ¡°How do you steer?¡± Fang grumbled suddenly.

    We all froze in our celebration, turning to find the lizard standing there and staring at the wagon, arms crossed.  What a killjoy.  Plus, the answer was obvious!

    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± I answered simply.

    Fang stared.

    I stared back.

    He blinked first.  ¡°How will this work then?¡± he nearly shouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s easy, we¡¯re just going in one direction.  I built it facing the way we¡¯d be traveling after we leave this incredibly scenic riverbank,¡± I explained calmly.

    Seriously.  Did he really think that little of me?

    Fang looked off in the direction the wagon was pointed and his expression darkened, beads of moisture condensing along his scales.  Was he¡­ sweating?  Nah, it was probably just the mist.  Or maybe withdrawal?  Hard to tell.

    ¡°North?¡± Fang hissed.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that too obvious?  The Guides will be searching for us already and they must be close after all this time.  They will know you¡¯re going after your sister.  Why not east?  Or west?¡±

    I shrugged.  Those were all good points.  Except¡­

    ¡°Just a feeling.  Lili agrees too.¡±

    ¡°I do!¡± she offered, my right hand curling into a corrupted thumbs up.

    And he was right, building the wagon had taken a long time.

    But, for some reason, I wasn¡¯t too worried about that either.

    When he saw we weren¡¯t joking, Fang started yelling.  Something about how we were crazy and we were all going to die and we didn¡¯t even know what was waiting for us north of the swamp.  Something about an impassable forest of death?

    Whatever.  I started to tune him out.  It was impossible to talk to him when he got like this ¨C when he stopped listening.  Besides, did he really expect to have any say over our itinerary when he hadn¡¯t even helped me plan our trip?  When he¡¯d made me shoulder all of the emotional, and intellectual, and physical demands of planning a family vacation?

    Typical.  See what I mean?  It was far too easy to slip back into old habits.

    But I wasn¡¯t going to let Fang¡¯s negativity get me down!  We were finally ready!

    The wagon was packed, the babies were buckled in and Fang and I had even agreed to start a new chapter in our [Bromance] ¨C this time with healthy boundaries!  I didn¡¯t know a lot.  Like what we would find, or if my wagon would hold together, or how we would all ultimately die.  I mean, I knew it was going to be gruesome, of course, but the specifics were still cloudy.  I¡¯ve always loved surprises.

    Anyway, I only knew one thing for sure¡­

    This was going to be the best family road trip ever!

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 6

    Like I said, maybe I build stuff up in my head.

    And, apparently, that¡¯s not limited to just crafting projects.

    It also applies to family vacations!

    It¡¯s just that I¡¯d never been on a road trip before.  And it seemed so fun.  Just one big, dysfunctional, blended family hitting the wide-open swamp.  Exploring strange new places.  Seeing amazing sights.   Travel games and songs and endless adventure that would only bring us all closer together.  Maybe we¡¯d even make new friends!  Pick up a hitchhiker or six.  Get inside tips on the local haunts and lesser-known attractions.

    Or maybe this was just how I¡¯d learned to cope with a childhood devoid of parents or food or death wagons or any semblance of control ¨C by creating this beautiful story in my head and then holding onto it with a death grip that refused to accept bleak reality.

    Like the fact that my babies were growing up¡­ again.  That I had an immortal soul and so did Fang, apparently.  That my sister had been captured by the Order of Apollo and taken to Asphodel, which was, like, really far away.

    Also, the fact my head might still explode.

    Sure, Lili was done eating my skill gems now.  But it could still happen!

    Oh, or the fact Fang was still the exact same person despite five cycles spent inside a lightless hell beside his one, true bromate¡ª

    ¡°Left!  Leeeeeft!¡± Fang screamed, his clawed hands clutching at the piles of ratskin bags to hold himself perched atop his booster seat.

    See?  He was still so controlling.  He¡¯d been backseat driving the entire time.  Trying to boss me around and refusing to consider my feelings.

    Like did he even think to ask what I thought?  Maybe I wanted to go right¡ª

    What?  What was that?  Why did he have a booster seat?

    Seriously, that¡¯s what you¡¯re focused on right now?

    I mean, okay.  In short, it was because he couldn¡¯t see over the edge of the wagon.  I¡¯d used that medium-sized, ruined sailboat as the base and we needed to leave plenty of space for souvenirs, right?  Exactly!  Of course, we did.  So, Fang had piled up the ratskin sacks into a sort of macabre throne, one replete with armrests ¨C the congealed blood really helped them stick together.  At first, he¡¯d loved it.  He kept barking orders and insisting that he was helping us ¡°navigate.¡±

    Personally, I¡¯m not sure his high-pitched, blood-curdling screams counted.

    ¡°Nyx!¡± Fang screamed again.

    Man, he really sounded frantic now.

    ¡°Oh shit!¡± Lili muttered.

    We came barreling out of the mist, just a family on the greatest road trip ever, our death wagon hurtling through the fog at a breakneck and almost impossible pace.  All of us screaming with joy and the spirit of adventure.

    Or, at least, that¡¯s how I imagine the nearby herd of pycervos saw us. They just stood there on slender legs, their lithe, deer-like bodies tense, and their hooves smoldering underfoot.  Frozen in shock, eyes wide and staring.

    More importantly, a massive boulder loomed up out of the fog.

    Huh, that wasn¡¯t great.  And we were moving pretty fast ¨C that momentum thing I¡¯d been talking about before.  Luckily, I had a solution for that too!

    Like I said, we couldn¡¯t steer ¨C not exactly.  Although [Engineering] informed me that it was technically possible to turn the tracks by rotating them in opposite directions or slowing the tracks along one side.  But, as with most things, that turned out to be optional.

    If you used enough elbow grease, it all worked out.

    Or in this case, knee grease?

    Huh, that didn¡¯t really have the same ring to it.

    ¡°Nyx, focus!¡± Lili snapped.  Meanwhile, Fang was just screaming incoherently.

    Alright, I guess she was right.

    ¡°Babies!  We need to brake!¡±  I shouted.

    One gave me a salute, lifted its harness off its head and then dove toward the tracks¡ª       CRUNCH.  CRUNCH.

    Thump, thump, thump.

    Like I said, I didn¡¯t install any brakes.  But my babies were immortal!  And sacrificing one of their beautiful, furry bodies did help to shift us slightly to the left.  The rest was just more knee grease. My remaining babies and I all pushed off as hard as we could, causing the entire wagon to lean, the wood and bone creaking as it tilted.

    Bone crunched as the wagon listed up onto one track, the other grinding against the boulder with a shower of sparks as the wagon just barely squeezed past.  Meanwhile, mist bloomed as Fang created his clones, snatching at the bags to keep them in place.  Then the tracks struck the ground again with a geyser of mud and water and sent Fang flying a couple meters into the air.  He landed with a grunt, and a groan, and a lot of cussing.

    With a tickle of my left hand and Maribel¡¯s help, my baby rematerialized from a pool of shadows, scurrying along beside us and grabbing at his harness.  I tossed him a treat which he snapped up happily.  They¡¯d been reluctant at first¡­ but brake duty came with snacks!

    My babies really were perfect angels.

    Sometimes, they just leaped into the tracks on their own now.

    Maribel seemed conflicted at that one, my left hand twitching.

    ¡°You almost killed us all!  Again!  Slow down!¡±  Fang screamed, his eyes wide and bloodshot.  The result of weaning him off his drugs.  The grumpies kicked in if I didn¡¯t give him a crystal every so often.  It had been¡­ huh, actually I¡¯d lost track.

    Luckily, I¡¯ve always been good at running away from my problems.  But I don¡¯t need to tell you ¨C you remember right?  And sure, this particular problem was attached to me by a twin pair of shadows chains.  But that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t try, right?

    So, I¡¯d come up with a solution.  If I just ran really, really fast, Fang didn¡¯t have time to complain!  Not about the lack of drugs or gems.  Or to criticize my very first attempt at building a Death Wagon.  The screaming was an improvement honestly.

    Plus, this was a little cathartic.  Especially after all those cycles of him complaining about how I was so slow?  You remember right?  How I was ¡°a waste of two good legs.¡±  ¡°A sapian-shaped rat steak.¡±  ¡°So slow that it took two trips for me to haul ass.¡±

    Alright, I¡¯ll admit¡­ the last one was pretty good.

    And then there were the hidden perks.

    For example, my Death Wagon 1.0 apparently had one hell of a sound system ¨C one I hadn¡¯t even known I¡¯d installed!  The boards were kinda creaky, and the tracks rattled a lot.  And when you got the whole thing up to speed and hurtling across the marshes at a breakneck pace that left a wake of mud and water behind us¡­ well, it made a sort of roaring, rumbling grind.  It was pretty loud. Okay, it was super loud ¨C more than enough to drown out Fang.

    ¡°And then there¡¯s the singing,¡± Lili muttered sourly.  ¡°You skipped over that.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Uh, what was that?  What¡¯s she talking about?  Um, nothing.

    Okay, fine, sure¡­ I¡¯m singing right now.

    ¡°All the tracks on the death wagon go¡ª¡±

    ¡°Squeak!¡±

    ¡°Squeak!¡±

    ¡°Squeak!¡±

    To be clear, those were my babies squeaking in sequence.  Yeah, they were amazing.        ¡°The trash daddy in trunk in the trunk goes¡ª¡±

    ¡°HOWOO.  HOWOO.  HOWOO!

    ¡°Fuck you!¡±

    That last one was Fang.  Honestly, I feel like my babies captured him perfectly.

    Besides this was a road trip!  And we needed games and songs!  I mean, my babies didn¡¯t really know the words, so they just sort of shrieked as loud as they could.  What they lacked in harmony they made up for with raw, unbridled, and slightly-murderous enthusiasm.

    It was absolutely adorable.

    I mean, sure, I¡¯d started with a game at first.  But ¡°I Spy¡± had gotten old fast.

    The swamp was just so boring.  There were only creepy willows and boulders and mud and water.  Plus, it was always my turn since the babies couldn¡¯t talk and it was hard to understand Fang through all the screaming.  After the first few dozen rounds, the game might have also started getting kind of dark¡­

    ¡°Really?¡± Lili demanded.  ¡°Dark?  Is that what you want to call it?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes?¡± I replied tentatively.

    ¡°I spy my own body image issues?¡± She offered.  ¡°I spy a very wet metaphor for my life ¨C racing blindly through the mists.  Oh, or my favorite, I spy my own existential dread closing in on me like the walls of a coffin ¨C the acknowledgement that this quest to save my sister might be a feeble attempt to grasp control of a hellish and cruel world that seems relentlessly stacked against me.¡±

    She, uh, she¡¯s making that last one up.

    ¡°Sure I am.  The ¡°singing¡± is definitely an improvement,¡± Lili grunted.

    Okay, fine.  Maybe I have some travel anxiety.

    It was just a lot!  Managing my babies and pulling this whole Death Wagon together, and Fang had just been in a terrible mood the whole time and was constantly nagging me.  Plus, I hadn¡¯t gotten to do any [Therapy] in forever.  Fang got to kill everything.

    You know, all the many, many monsters and creatures that were drawn to our lively family roadtrip.  It might have been the grinding crunch of our Death Wagon 1.0 and the beautiful music my babies and I were making.

    ¡°It is.  The entire Five Rivers is united in its desire to shut you up,¡± Lili said dryly.

    ¡°Uh, no.  They¡¯re jealous.  They can just see that we¡¯re bonding.  As a family.¡±

    ¡°A family that¡¯s leaving behind a wake of murder,¡± she shot back.

    Alright, fine.  Sure.  There was some blood mixed in with the water and mud.

    Okay, it was a lot.  Rivers of it, honestly.  We left a sort of bloody smear behind us.

    Fang kept using [Evasion] while he tried to stay seated on his bloody sack throne, forming misty daggers that cut down the creatures that charged out of the fog ¨C including that herd of pycervos.  Fang¡¯s clones would then grab the corpses and toss them into the wagon before vanishing into more puffs of vapor.

    Although, this did have a slight, negative impact on visibility.  Every time he used the skill, mist bloomed out around him in a massive wave.  It was like he was making a misty directly overhead ¨C which, I guess he was?

    So, honestly, this next part was entirely his fault.

    A dark, shadowy wall suddenly loomed up amid the vapor and my brow scrunched in confusion.  That was weird.  It stretched really far in both directions.  Also, it was super tall.  Like maybe fifteen feet or so.  Weird.  I wonder what it was?  Also, [Engineering] was telling me we didn¡¯t have enough room to stop.  That wasn¡¯t ideal.  Fang seemed to agree ¨C at least, based on the pitch of his screams.

    He really hit a high note that time.

    It was okay, though.  I¡¯d come up with a solution for just this situation.

    Specifically, I canceled my portals, another appeared below me and I vanished¡ª

    Only to drop out of a portal behind the wagon, landing with a splash and a stumble.

    Thankfully, that gave me a perfect view of the crash landing.

    My wagon hurtled kraell-head-first into that shadowy wall, the mist peeling back as it punched through the vapor.  Only to slam into what looked like a dense forest of large tubes.  Reeds or bamboo maybe?  Unclear.  But the wagon carved its way into the forest with a crunch and a shower of debris, its momentum carrying it a few dozen meters before it lurched to a halt, sending Fang and a few more bags flying through the air¡ª

    Only for the lizard to disappear and reappear beside me.

    Fang opened his mouth, stabbing a finger at me.

    I was expecting more nagging, more ranting and raving.

    So, what came out was a surprise ¨C sort of¡­

    It was the most ungodly shriek.  It sounded like a hundred of my perfect babies were screaming at the top of their lungs.  Which was weird since they had just respawned beside me and they were clutching at their ears in pain.  Okay, so not my babies.  And I was pretty sure this wasn¡¯t just Fang¡¯s whining.  I mean, he was loud, but not this loud.

    The wail soon quieted.  Weird.

    Curious, I stepped closer to the bamboo.  What had made that noise?  Had that been the forest screaming?  Only one way to find out.  I kicked a reed.

    Another ungodly shriek peeled through the air.  And did the stalk contract?  A big puff of vapor even escaped from the top.  So cool.

    ¡°What is this?¡± I shouted over the noise, looking at Fang.

    His tribe used to roam this whole area, or, at least, so I¡¯d assumed.

    Not that he¡¯d told me this, of course.  Even after five cycles trapped inside that gate, he rarely spoke about himself.  No.  Those were just rumors from the other villagers.

    I¡¯ll admit, our communication skills could still use some work.

    ¡°Screaming Bamboo Forest!  I have told you this so many times,¡± he shouted back, hands pressed to his earholes.

    Hmm, fascinating.  Although, the name was a little on the nose.

    Even more interesting, an echoing scream came from deeper within the bamboo forest, another rising again, this time closer.  Almost like something was heading this way.

    Fang drew his daggers and I unraveled my arm chain, the babies grabbing their shields and short swords.  However, as the seconds ticked past, no monsters emerged.  No giant horde of flying wasps or maybe a huge, armored bull with like a horn that shoots laser beams?

    What?  Don¡¯t look at me like that.

    I¡¯ve never been this far from Anchon before.  Maybe they have new monsters!  That was part of the fun of a road trip ¨C finding unique and super dangerous creatures¡­ and then murdering them as fast as you can so you can beat Fang.

    Although, this one looked liked it was a dud.  Which was weird.  I could have sworn something dangerous and interesting was approaching.

    ¡°False alarm, I guess,¡± I muttered with a sigh, relaxing.

    I know, I know, I should be grateful.  It wasn¡¯t that long ago that the sound of unknown shrieks from the depths of a strange, screaming bamboo forest would have sent me sprinting off into the mists at the speed of pure terror.  But I¡¯d changed.  Grown.

    And not just sideways.  Mentally too.

    I was a brilliant genius that had basically soloed a silver gate, remember?

    ¡°Except for me and Fang and the murder babies that carried you super hard,¡± Lili observed, as though ticking off a list.  She¡¯d been a real downer lately.

    ¡°Nyx,¡± Fang hissed.

    ¡°What¡ª?¡±

    Ahh, he wasn¡¯t nagging this time.  He was pointing.

    Shadows hovered overtop the bamboo forest.  Monkey-like creatures with huge red eyes, fur slicked with vapor, and four sets of weird paw-hands.  Oh, and they twisted in the middle, rotating really hard and launching themselves into the air ¨C only to snatch the top of a reed and neatly pinch off the top.  Seriously, their top half could basically spin around.  It was horrifying and creepy and I wanted to pet one so bad¡­

    Ahh, I got it now!  They used the screaming bamboo to find prey, then approached more quietly across the top of the forest by squeezing those little windpipes closed.  Maybe a few had missed on the way here?  That would explain the screams we¡¯d heard.  Clever.  Also, wow there were a lot of them.

    Which meant¡­ this was it!  Finally.

    The first detour on our very first road trip as a family.  I mean, sure we¡¯d gotten into a death wagon accident.  But, on a road trip, the terrible and infuriating damage to your amazing one-of-a-kind creation caused by a co-parent¡¯s backseat driving wasn¡¯t a horrible curse!  No, it was a blessing in disguise.  An opportunity for adventure.  Without that completely avoidable problem that was entirely Fang¡¯s fault, we would have never found demon monkeys perched atop a screaming bamboo forest!

    Even Maribel was excited, my left hand tingling as the rat-shaped tattoo transformed into an ebony shield, my chain already dangling at the ready.  I got it.  Their big blood-red eyes reminded me of the babies.  They were even sort of cute.  I mean, weren¡¯t monkeys basically just tree rats with hands¡ª

    My shield promptly smacked me in the face.

    Wow.  Ow!  Why was I so strong?

    Alright, fine.  I guess I misunderstood.  Those were, uh, imitation reed rats?  Hideous, furry monsters whose beauty paled in comparison to our precious babies?  Filthy mutations that needed to be purged to maintain the purity of the rat bloodline?

    I waited.  Maribel seemed happy ¨C my fingers tingling.

    Hmm.  Not sure how to interpret that.  A little speciest.  Also, I felt like this might have long-term ramifications.  Were we going to have to murder anything that challenged the beauty of our perfect babies?  Actually¡­ you know what?

    Maybe I was okay with that.  What kind of parent would I be if I didn¡¯t murder anything that threatened my children?  And that includes their self-esteem right?

    Besides, I liked the energy Maribel brought to the table.  Even the babies were feeling it.  They¡¯d formed a defensive circle around their [Battle Daddy] like the perfect little murder machines I¡¯d trained them to be.

    Hell, Fang looked excited too!  Or, uh, nervous?  Hard to tell.

    Ahh, I could see why.  It looked like the monkeys were multiplying.

    ¡°Probably because you keep shaking the reeds!¡± Lili snapped.

    My hand froze.  Huh, that would also explain why Fang was glaring at me.

    ¡°Sorry.  It was Lili.  She¡¯s hungry.¡±

    The skin on my forehead itched as the word ¡°no¡± formed there.  Or, at least, I assumed that¡¯s what it said based on Fang¡¯s expression.  But that look was back ¨C that fire in his eyes that just screamed that he wanted to eat me.  I¡¯d missed that.

    Anyway, I take back what I said before.

    I don¡¯t build things up.  I mean, look at this!  Our family completely surrounded by hundreds of demon monkeys along the edge of a screaming bamboo forest and standing beside my lightly damaged and hopefully repairable Death Wagon.

    This was awesome.  Perfect even.

    Frankly, the best family road trip I¡¯d ever been on.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 7

    What I¡¯d forgotten was that the universe hates me.

    Also, maybe I¡¯d gotten lazy about asking questions.  It was hard to maintain that same childlike inquisitiveness day after day.  I also partially blame spending five cycles inside a cesspit of rat shit.  But you¡¯re right.  I¡¯m supposed to be a recovering hypocrite.  So, I should probably get back to basics.  Start asking the big questions.

    Like if the weird demon monkeys had adapted to hunt in this screaming bamboo forest, how did they attack their prey?  Also, what did they eat?  Oh, and what kind of spirit was nestled within their core ¨C tucked away behind those glowing red eyes?

    Turns out, it was a shit spirit.

    I mean, I don¡¯t know that for sure.  Maybe a digestion spirit?  Or stomach enzyme spirit?  Food spirit?  Technically, those would all work.  What I didn¡¯t quite understand was why it was on fire.  Or how¡­ well, how sticky it was.

    Uh, what was that?  What the hell is going on?

    Also, great questions.  I love that you¡¯re getting into the spirit of things!

    Best I could tell, the demon monkeys were throwing their flaming shit at us.  Again, to be clear, it was really sticky, flaming shit.  They squeezed it out into their paws when their torso spun around.  Ahh, there¡¯s a fresh wave incoming right now actually¡ª

    A flaming deluge splashed against Maribel¡¯s shield, much of it dripping off and sizzling along the ground.  More of it was mounding up against the other side of the Death Wagon.  You know, because Fang and I had taken cover behind it.  It was safer and safety was super important on a family road trip.  Huge clouds of steam wafted through the air as the mist touched the smoldering crap mountains.

    Okay, like I said, I didn¡¯t know it was shit.

    It¡¯s just that the demon monkeys were expelling it from one of the holes in their body.  It was hard to tell which one since their torso rotated really fast.  Plus, it stunk bad, but that could be some sort of chemical accelerant.  Or, at least, that¡¯s what [Engineering] said.  Also, wow those demon monkeys were nimble.  They could jump and leap between the reeds with perfect precision, perched on just the tips and usually with a single hand.

    The leaping also seemed to help them line up their shots better.

    I hated it.  Hated it a lot actually.

    ¡°Maybe if you focused we could deal with that problem?¡± Lili offered in a weary voice.  ¡°Perhaps kill them off and drain their sweet nimbus?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying!  There are just so many,¡± I muttered, peeking over the top of the wagon.  ¡°And it¡¯s hard to catch them¡ª¡±

    A shadow portal snapped open, and my chain lashed out, the demon monkey dodging in a fluid, impossible movement before snatching another reed.  Then my babies pulled me back down as more flaming shit slapped against the wagon.  Sure, it wasn¡¯t setting the vehicle on fire with all of the mist and moisture.

    But still!  I¡¯d just built it.  It was brand spanking new!

    Or, I guess it was before I¡¯d crashed into the bamboo forest.  Shit, I really hoped it was okay¡­  Wait, what was I even saying!?

    Even if it was fine before, it was covered in flaming shit now!

    I could feel my road trip dreams slipping away¡­

    And it was only one person¡¯s fault!

    ¡°You could help, you know?¡± I demanded, whirling toward my useless co-parent.

    He could have murdered all the monkeys super-fast if he wanted.

    ¡°Sure¡­ for a price,¡± Fang answered, crossing his arms.

    His eyes looked clearer than they had in ages ¨C too clear.  Huh, even his skin looked better actually.  A ruddier green.  And his scales weren¡¯t flaking anymore.  Maybe the road trip and my blackmail had been good for him.  Probably all the screaming and adrenaline had been cathartic too.  Oh, shit ¨C he was still watching me, that toothy grin widening.

    ¡°Uh, what price?¡± I asked sweetly to the pitter patter of flaming shit striking my wagon.  I winced at each impact.  And he knew it ¨C he knew he had me.  All that shit piling up against my Death Wagon would bury it eventually.  I still wasn¡¯t sure what the monkeys ate, but they¡¯d definitely filled up ahead of time.

    ¡°You know what price,¡± he answered.

    Yeah.  I guess I did.  The bag of nimbus gems was still strapped to my chest.

    ¡°But you just got clean¡­ ish,¡± I retorted.  ¡°You¡¯ve been much more present on this trip.  More attentive to me and the babies.  You even participated in our songs!¡±

    His eye twitched that time.  Heh.

    ¡°That was not participating.  That was you blackmailing me with the gems and then charging recklessly through the swamp.  It is why you crashed into the screaming forest.¡±

    ¡°Uh, I think you mean you crashed,¡± I retorted.

    ¡°How?  How did I crash?  You were pulling the wagon!¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t even touching the wagon when you crashed it,¡± I retorted.  ¡°And weren¡¯t you in the slave driver¡¯s seat?¡±  That¡¯s what he called his ratsack throne.  ¡°You know, while you were throwing those old, rusty daggers at me?  Incentive to run faster you said!¡±

    He was looking cagey now.  ¡°That is not what happened, you are misremembering¡ª¡±

    Oh, that son of a probably-perfectly-nice-broodmother.

    ¡°Because I was so slow?¡± I interjected.  ¡°So slow that I run at the speed of smell, you said.  But it¡¯s okay, ¡°I may be slow, but at least I build shitty wagons?¡±  ¡°One with only three gears: slow, slower, and stopped?¡±  Fang just laughed.  Laughed!Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°But it was¡­ it was sooo slow,¡± he chuckled.

    In my defense, I had just started and it took a while to build up momentum.

    Also, we found a hill eventually.  That really helped.

    Although, Fang stopped laughing when he saw my expression.

    That was an admission.  Or good enough, anyway.

    Ha.  Not crazy!  See?

    ¡°That isn¡¯t quite the victory you seem to think it is,¡± Lili drawled.

    ¡°Anyway, so you¡¯re responsible for this,¡± I said, pointing at the shit.

    Wow, the piles were really getting large¡­ and deep.  I¡¯d sort of been hoping that maybe they¡¯d run out of flaming poo.  That was looking like that was a soft, flaming no.

    ¡°And I told you not to go this way.  The north is dangerous.  This ¨C all of this ¨C is why no one travels this way,¡± Fang snapped.  ¡°I told you this many times, but you and Lili just ignored me.  You only talk about your feelings.¡±

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like it when you say it like that.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, how your feelings always get us ankle deep in shit?  And why is it always on fire?  How do you even manage this?¡±

    ¡°He¡­ he might actually have a point,¡± Lili murmured.  ¡°I mean, looking at your memories, you did come up with the plan to jump in the gate.  And that whole pitch blade idea to burn the rats¡­¡±

    ¡°Whose team are you on?¡± I shot back.

    ¡°See?  Even Lili knows the truth.¡±

    Fang didn¡¯t look upset anymore, just¡­ resigned.  Rubbing a claw at his temple while the thud, thud, thud of flaming shit beat out a frantic rhythm against the wagon at our backs.  Also, the shields the babies were holding up to create a circular wall around us.

    ¡°Besides, I am too weak now,¡± Fang murmured, laying a hand across his forehead.  ¡°All that nimbus I spent making clones and killing monsters and collecting their corpses¡­¡±

    I just squinted at him.  ¡°You seem fine.¡±

    ¡°But I cannot drain the nimbus like you.  Create that [Shadow Aura] while you run.¡±

    He let out a sigh.  ¡°I have no fuel left in the tank, as you say.¡±

    The crafty trash goblin peered at me between his scaled fingers.  ¡°Is that not important on a ¡°road trip¡± ¨C as you call it?  Is this not the ¡°gas station¡± you speak of.  It certainly reeks.¡±

    Okay, it was my turn to stare.  That was¡­ that was¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re totally right,¡± I muttered in astonishment.

    Wow.  Did that mean Fang really did listen?  This was awesome!

    ¡°I guess I should give you at least¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fifty gems,¡± he interjected, his act vanishing, his face now far too close, and his eyes going round.  Woah, his pupils were super dilated.

    ¡°Uh, that seems like a lot¡ª¡±

    I cut off as something much heavier than flaming shit struck my babies¡¯ shield roof.  I waved at them and they shifted to form a small viewing hole.  Huh, it was the corpse of one of those demon monkeys.  That was weird, right?  Had the others killed him by accident?  Maybe a heart attack or something from all that leaping?  Or is this what happened when the monkeys finally ran out of shit?  I knew they couldn¡¯t keep it up forever!

    ¡°Or it could be the big needle sticking out of its neck,¡± Lili countered.

    You know what?  She could be right.  I plucked the barb free and held it up to the nearby flames.  It was as long as my hand, an inch across, and flat.  But it was rigid and incredibly strong.  Also, there was some glowing green stuff on the top.

    Which looked delicious!  I hadn¡¯t seen that vibrant color of poison since the shroom garden back in the lair.  None of the food here in the Five Rivers had the spice level I¡¯d grown accustomed to.  I mean, I¡¯d brought some of the shrooms with us, but they wouldn¡¯t last forever.  Maybe this was a good replacement.  Only one way to find out¡ª

    Yeah.  Wow.  What a kick!

    I even felt my lips go numb.  Paralytic most likely.

    ¡°Did you just¡­ lick the glowing green death needle?¡± Lili asked.

    Of course.  How else was I supposed to taste it?

    Anyway, did this mean the monkey wasn¡¯t dead?  I peeled back one eyelid.  Woah, yup, still alive.  Weird.  You know what was even stranger, though?

    The thump, thump, thumping had vanished.

    ¡°They stopped firing,¡± I observed.

    ¡°No¡­ we do not know that,¡± Fang countered, sounding a little frantic.  ¡°This could just be a trick ¨C an attempt to lure us out.  You must give me the gems, top off my nimbus just to be safe.  Wait¡ªwhat are you doing?¡±

    I was sightseeing!  And I couldn¡¯t see shit behind my babies¡¯ shield roof.  Well, I mean, I could ¨C but you understand what I¡¯m trying to say, right?

    Anyway, with a wave, the shields peeled back, the flaming shit sloughing away¡ª

    Only to reveal a hellscape.  Fiery shit coated the whole wagon, much of the bamboo around us, and sat in big smoldering piles.  The smell was also pretty special.

    The monkeys had all dropped to the ground.  Hundreds of them.  They just lay there twitching.  Each one had those barbs stuck in their furry bodies.

    Which really begged a more interesting question¡­

    Like what the hell had taken down the monkeys?

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that thing,¡± Lili offered, my right hand rising, black veins riddling the skin.  She pointed at the edge of the clearing my Death Wagon had created.

    Three sets of glowing, green eyes peered through the vapor, followed by a body at least thirty feet long, one that moved with a lithe grace through the thick steam.  It looked like a tiger ¨C but if its fur had been replaced with scale spikes with the tensile strength of metal.  Those spines rippled as it moved, flattening against its body and reflecting the light cast by the heaping mountains of flaming shit.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I murmured.

    ¡°We need to run,¡± Fang hissed softly.  His limbs were frozen in place and he wasn¡¯t even reaching for his dagger.  Weird.

    He was also doing that sweating thing again.

    ¡°So, you know what that thing is?¡±

    ¡°Toxifovos.  Apex predator.  So dangerous.  Too dangerous,¡± Fang said, not making a single move.  Wait, were his hands trembling?  And what was that expression in his eyes?

    Was that¡­ respect?  Maybe even something fear-adjacent?  Wow.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fang hissed.

    Ahh, well, um¡­ if I sort of cut in front of Fang, it was almost like he was looking at me like that.   With respect and fear, I mean.  It felt pretty good.

    Okay, now he was just glaring again.

    ¡°Uh, nothing.  Just trying to get a better look,¡± I replied.

    Hmm, so I just had to beat this oversized poison kitty then?  No problem.

    I turned around slowly, maintaining eye contact with that monster ¨C which was awkward.  The poison kitty had six eyes, after all.  So, I just picked two. The spines along its back had all risen up, quivering a little as they stood on end.  Each time, a droplet of glowing green poison eeked from the tip.  I¡¯ll be honest, it looked pretty cool.

    Also, we were apparently in some sort of staring contest?

    ¡°Is the staring normal?¡± I asked over my shoulder.

    ¡°If you break its gaze or try to flee, it will fire.  The needles track you.¡±  Fang was slowly pulling his daggers free without breaking eye contact.

    ¡°So, is there any way to kill it?¡±

    ¡°Kill it?¡± Fang echoed incredulously.  ¡°No.  No one would be stupid enough to hunt this creature.  Few hunters have even gotten this close to it.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± I grunted, cocking my head.

    ¡°Wait, what are you thinking?¡± Lili demanded.  ¡°I can see the edges of it, but¡ª¡±

    Oh, don¡¯t mind her.  She¡¯s been a real killjoy lately.

    And why are you all looking at me like that!?  Don¡¯t you trust me?

    Wow.  Okay.  You don¡¯t all have to look away and mutter under your breath¡­

    Seriously, you¡¯re worried for nothing!  I was just thinking that I didn¡¯t love how my babies were staring raptly at the poison kitty ¨C blood-red eyes wide and shining in fascinated awe.  It was similar to the expression that was on Fang¡¯s face.  He never looked at me like that!  Okay, technically, he did¡­ but it was just for a second, so that didn¡¯t really count.

    But maybe I could change that.  Besides, I had a reputation to uphold, after all.  I was supposed to be the [Battle Daddy], right?  We couldn¡¯t have a repeat of that situation with the rat ogre.  I needed to nip this in the poison-tipped-bud right now.

    ¡°Except how?  How are you going to defeat this creature?¡± Lili demanded.  ¡°I can sense its nimbus and it could kill us in a heartbeat ¨C faster maybe.¡±

    Huh.  Did she really not see it?  it seemed obvious.

    Hadn¡¯t Fang just told us the answer.

    I mean, it was almost like someone had set this up just for me.

    You know, stubborn shithead and all.

    Wait¡­ do you see it?  No?

    Wow.  Alright.  Maybe I¡¯m only the genius here.

    I guess I¡¯ll just have to show you then.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 8

    The Flow

    Demi

    I had an A+ idea this time!

    One that would definitely kill the Cheater and Fang.

    Or, more realistically, it would at least slow them down.

    I mean, it hadn¡¯t happened all at once.  Sure, I might have gone to a sort of dark place after messaging myself ¨C tried to drink away my problems.  Drown myself in the fruity delight of an endless ocean of spirits and nimbus.  But then, when everything seemed bleak and there was no hope in sight¡­ inspiration struck!

    Horus and Eris were certainly taking their sweet time and there wasn¡¯t much I could do solve that problem.  My miracles could create sea serpents and over-sized spiders and some sort of flaming demon creature and alter the fabric of reality across both time and space, but strangely there was nothing that could ¡°friendzone¡± a moose warrior using the power of [Bullshit] or remove that flaming rod from Eris¡¯¡ª

    Sluuuuurp.  Ahh, sorry.  I was dry again.

    A quick wave solved that problem as my mug refilled.

    Anyway, like I was saying, the miracles had limitations.  Or maybe it was because I hadn¡¯t finished the Tutorial yet?  I mean, sure, I tried.  But it was taking forever.  See?

    New Test Results Have Arrived!

    Score Received: A-

    Tutorial Completion: 1.14%

    Estimated Time to Finish: 2.13 trillion eons.

    ¡°The time just keeps getting longer!  How is that even possible!?¡± I muttered.

    Even more strange, that notification couldn¡¯t be dismissed.  It just hovered there.  A constant, nagging reminder of my failure ¨C my inadequacy.

    Of that fucking minus.

    I shook my head.  No, no distractions.  I told me we needed to focus.

    Maybe my miracles couldn¡¯t kill the Cheater or destroy the fledgling relationship between Eris and Horus¡­ but maybe they didn¡¯t need to!  Maybe I just needed to stall their prey long enough for them to catch up and then let the heat of their sexual frustration incinerate those two crazy, co-dependent idiots.

    So, I¡¯d come up with this!  This A+ plan.

    One that involved tripling the number of those demon monkeys in the screaming bamboo forest.  Also evolving their spirits to add a fire element to their sticky poo attack.  Sure, I had to mess with the Flow¡¯s narrative ¨C make just a few small tweaks spanning back a few thousand cycles or so and altering an entire ecosystem.

    There had been a lot of math.  So very much math.

    And that had seemed like a great idea¡­ at first.  But then I realized some sticky flaming poo would never be enough to stop Fang and the Cheater.  I mean, I¡¯d seen them inside the gate.  Fire and shit was sort of their thing.

    That was the plan of a minus.

    Close, but still nowhere near good enough for some unknown and likely arbitrary reason.  Certainly not perfect.  Certainly not the plan of someone at the tippy-fucking-top of their class.  The youngest administrator in the history of the Flow.  Probably.

    Here¡¯s where the plus comes in.

    This forest was the home of a divine beast.  A creature of overwhelming strength and power.  Essentially a murder machine with four paws and six eyes and a body covered in venomous, metal scales.  Despite how the Cheater kept calling it a ¡°poison kitty,¡± even the other Guides were terrified of it.  The Orders hadn¡¯t managed to kill it ¨C only drive it away from Asphodel and send it fleeing into the Outer Reaches.

    Now, normally, the Toxifovos was reclusive and hibernated in its den for cycles, only coming out to feed every so often.  There was only one thing that could disturb its slumber.

    It¡¯s mortal enemy.  Demon monkeys.

    Demon monkeys that I¡¯d helped evolve.

    And now that plan was finally coming to fruition.

    One that relied on the Cheater and Fang¡¯s ¡°road trip¡± and fresh relationship issues; one that assumed they would eventually crash straight into the screaming bamboo forest; one that predicted the resulting screams would draw a horde of demon monkeys hellbent on defending their territory; one that would inevitably draw the attention of the poison kitty¡ª

    Shit, now I was using the Cheater¡¯s name for it¡­

    It didn¡¯t even make sense!  That was venom on its scales!  Venom!  Poison referred to a toxic substance inside a creature¡¯s body.  A monster could be poisonous.  Its attacks were always venomous.  Obviously.  Nyx would know that if he¡¯d taken the damn Tutorial¡­

    I took a deep breath.  In.  Out.  Slurp.

    Ahh, that was better.  The breathing exercises helped.

    But mostly it was the drinking.

    Anyway, this was it!   The culmination of all my hard work.

    The Cheater and Fang were facing off against the toxifovos, standing there trembling in fear.  Even the murder babies were backing away slowly and Fang had sheathed his blades ¨C sweet despair rippling across his face.  I was about to watch the Cheater and his impotent lizard sidekick finally get torn apart in a flurry of rainbows!Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    See?  I always suspected math could be fun!

    ¡°Wait¡­ what¡¯s happening?¡± I muttered a moment later, leaning forward.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fang hissed on the viewing portal.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± the Cheater asked over his shoulder as his shield broke apart and the corrupted energy swept back into his left hand.  Then he did something insane; something that I hadn¡¯t predicted; that the Flow itself hadn¡¯t predicted.  And I should know.  I¡¯d run the calculations at least a thousand times.  He-he just walked straight toward the Toxifovos, the beast watching him with uncanny focus, scales quivering.

    ¡°No, it is not,¡± Fang snapped back.

    ¡°I mean, you just said it yourself.  We found the Screaming Bamboo Forest¡¯s staring contest champion!¡± the Cheater replied casually.

    ¡°The what?  You will die¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.  He may be undefeated.  But that just makes it more of a challenge,¡± the Cheater replied with a grin, never breaking eye contact with the creature.  ¡°Besides, he¡¯s never met me.  I¡¯m a stubborn shithead, remember?¡±

    The creature seemed equally surprised.  Instead of attacking, the Toxifovos just stood there, its quills shrinking back and lying flat as the Cheater approached.  Then the asshole just sat down in front of the divine beast ¨C never breaking eye contact for a moment.

    That was it.  That was the extent of his ¡°plan.¡±

    The two of them just sat there.  Staring at each other.

    Ahh, my bad.  Sat there surrounded by piles of flaming shit and the still-twitching bodies of at least a few hundred demon monkeys.  It really set a strange scene.

    One I could only stare at wide-eyed, my drink forgotten, my mouth hanging open and a continuous, high-pitched sound escaping my throat¡­ like a muted scream.

    Again?  Again!?   What even was this?  Why wasn¡¯t the poison kitty¡ª

    Damn it¡­ no, the Toxifovos.  Why wasn¡¯t it attacking him?

    Why did this keep happening to me?

    ¡°Hey Fang, what¡¯s the record?¡± the Cheater asked.

    ¡°The what?¡± the useless lizard demanded.  ¡°What record?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the longest someone¡¯s matched the kitty¡¯s stare?¡± the Cheater asked over his shoulder.  ¡°Oh, and what happens if I beat the poison kitty?  Are there prizes?¡±

    ¡°Prizes?¡± Fang echoed from behind me.  ¡°Are you¡ª¡±

    The lizard cutoff, his yellow eyes sliding to the bag of nimbus gems still strapped to the Cheater¡¯s chest.  If I¡¯d had a heart, it would have stopped in my chest.  In that singular moment, Fang and I shared the same thought ¨C a connection forged by our mutual desire for revenge.  Although, in his case, it might have just been withdrawal.

    ¡°Yes, do it, Fang!¡± I hissed by mask growing dark.

    Maybe I could still salvage this.

    ¡°Ahh, actually, you¡¯re right.  There is a prize.¡±  Fang shifted slowly over to the wagon, the Toxifovos following his movements with its other two sets of eyes but making no move to attack.  Then he began rummaging through the ratskin bags, doing his best to avoid the thick layer of still-smoldering shit¡­

    Moments later, a rusty knife sliced through the air and lodged in the Cheater¡¯s thigh.  He let out a grunt of pain.  A few more sailed after the first, glancing off Maribel¡¯s shield as it rippled out of his hand, blocking the attacks.

    ¡°Ow, what the fuck?¡± the Cheater shouted back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.  This is part of the competition,¡± Fang called back.  ¡°A¡­ err, challenge round.  It is to increase the difficulty.¡±

    ¡°That sounds made up.  Are you sure you aren¡¯t just trying to steal the gems?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ no, of course not,¡± Fang muttered before letting out a frustrated hiss.

    Then he glanced at the three babies as they stared raptly at Cheater.  He offered them some of the rusty knives and they wavered ¨C at least, for a second.  But apparently, they hadn¡¯t forgotten about the Cheater¡¯s ¡°brake system¡± for his new death wagon.

    Or being used as bait.

    Or as furry, child-labor.

    Because they soon joined in on the fun.

    ¡°Oh gods!¡± the Cheater shouted.  ¡°Ow, shit¡­ wait¡­¡±

    ¡°See!¡± Fang called out. ¡°Even the babies can participate ¨C a group activity that will bring us all closer together.  Or are we not on a family road trip?¡±

    The Cheater looked pretty conflicted at that one.

    I take back everything I said before, I always knew Fang had it in him!

    ¡°Ahh¡­ in that case, let¡¯s go!  I can do this all day!¡± the Cheater roared, ripping a blade from his arm.  And he still hadn¡¯t broken eye contact.

    Could¡­ could he really withstand the barrage of all four of them throwing rusty knives while engaged in some sort of strange staring contest with a divine beast?

    I know, I know.  I should be happy.  I mean, even if Fang and the babies failed and the Cheater managed to survive, this was still wasting precious time.  And that had been my goal, right?  To stall them until Eris and Horus showed up and crushed them under the weight of their mutual misunderstanding?

    Yet I still had this horrible feeling¡­

    This hollow, dull ache in my chest where my heart should be.

    The same exact feeling I¡¯d had when I¡¯d first met these two ¨C when those first crimson error messages had cascaded through the Flow.

    Maybe because there were still all these unanswered questions ¨C questions I just knew the Cheater would ask in my place.  Like, why wasn¡¯t the Toxifovos attacking him?  Why had it just sat down on its haunches?  Why had its scales slicked down and the venom disappeared?  Like it was relaxing?  Why was it just calmly watching the others with its other eyes?  And was that¡­ was that amusement I detected in its expression?

    My fingers tapped at my tablet.  I¡¯d seen a bestiary somewhere¡­

    Bestiary Entry: Toxifovos

    <ul>

    <li>Strength: Divine</li>

    <li>Spirit: Venom</li>

    <li>Mortal Enemy: Demon Monkeys</li>

    <li>Primary Attack: Homing metallic spines tipped in a high-concentration paralytic.</li>

    <li>Behavior: This creature will not attack unless provoked, but once combat has been initiated, its highly-armored body makes it impervious to nearly all attacks and its homing spikes making it impossible for its prey to flee. There is currently only one known way to defeat¡­ (tap for more)</li>

    </ul>

    It just stopped.  Right there.  Just fucking trailed off.

    I tapped where it said.  Obviously.  But then this happened.

    Error.  Permission Denied.

    You lack the required training to access this information.

    Please complete the Bestiary Tutorial to continue.

    What?  Why?  Who the hell designed this piece of shit¡ª

    No, no.  I just needed to calm down.  Remember the exercises.

    Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Sluuuuuuurp.

    I had this.  I had plenty of time.  The Cheater wasn¡¯t going anywhere ¨C just sitting there forming shadow portals around himself to block the daggers, his chains draining the monkey corpses to heal his wounds.  See?  Plenty of time.

    Besides, how hard could the bestiary tutorial be?  I mean, it didn¡¯t sound like that would involve any math, right?  It was probably just a lot of memorization¡ª

    Bestiary Tutorial

    Part 1 of 456,238,324,987

    Question 1: Please calculate all possible genetic variants of a void-spirit-type divine beast starting from two infant time and space spirits, a Cheloniidae family vessel, and a low atmosphere biome across a period of six standard eons.  Please show all of your work.

    I could only stare at the prompt.

    What?  What!?  There wasn¡¯t even a lesson!

    And that required tons of math!  Like, so much math.

    Besides, wasn¡¯t it asking me how to breed a divine space turtle?  Or many different types of space turtle?  I¡¯m like 61% sure that¡¯s what that question was really asking.  Why would I ever need to know that?  This was total and unmitigated kraell shit¡ª

    Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Sluuuuuuurp.

    Shit.  It wasn¡¯t working.  I was still upset.

    Sluuuuuuurp.   Sluuuuuuuuuuuuurp.

    Ahh, okay.  I was good now.  Calmer.  More focused.  Maybe this was impossibly difficult¡­ and just the first question¡­ and a ridiculous waste of time¡­

    But I had this, right?  I¡¯d dealt with worse.  Maybe.

    Besides, what were a few eons anyway?

    No¡­ seriously.  How long was an eon?  That still wasn¡¯t clear.

    And then and uncomfortable realization.

    Shit.  Maybe¡ªmaybe I really am I minus.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 9

    Chapter 9 - Confidant (ERIS)

    Wandering the Swamps North of Anchon

    Eris

    ¡°I keep coming back to it ¨C that cesspit of hell conjured by a madman ¨C his infuriating, ridiculous questions.  They¡¯re still burned into my perfect mind,¡± I growled.  ¡°Playing on an endless loop.  Us?  Me and Horus?  A cute couple?  That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s just crazy.  Isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Practically rhetorical.  Obviously, it was.

    ¡°No, I sense Kastor¡¯s hand in this ¨C my brother trying to toy with me; to test my discipline; my resolve.  That answer is much more plausible.¡±

    I hesitated, twist, twist, twisting at my ring ¨C replaying those same scenes over and over again even as my boots splashed through the muck and mist coiled round in dense, impenetrable clouds.  As though a different answer would pop out at me.

    Or perhaps I simply wanted a different answer?

    No, of course not! That was ridiculous.

    This was definitely a conspiracy¡­ of some sort.

    That was the only thing that made sense.

    ¡°Yet, what is Horus¡¯ role in this then?¡± I continued, my brow pinched in thought.

    A frustrated sigh escaped my lips.  ¡°It¡¯s the paperwork that gets me.  The death of a whole unit certainly comes with more than a few forms, of course.  And Horus has never shown any interest or ability with paperwork before. But by the time I woke up the next morning?  He¡¯d completed it all.  All of it!¡±

    I shook my head, fingers anxiously twisting at my ring as I flipped through those memories once again.  ¡°Naturally, that made me suspicious.  Was this part of the conspiracy ¨C whatever plot my brother is hatching?  Rushing me into some situation where I¡¯m alone with Horus, chasing the Hollow through the Marshes?

    ¡°So, I had to double check the paperwork.  That¡¯s completely reasonable.

    ¡°I mean, sure, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking,¡± I continued smoothly.  ¡°Did that really require multiple days?  Obviously, the Hollow and his companion are already on the run and the clock is ticking.  But this Nyx has shown himself to be a threat, so better not to chase one enemy with another lurking in the rear.  If Horus is plotting¡­ something, that could be dangerous.  Even for me.  Possibly.  That makes sense, right?

    ¡°Yet the forms were filled out with painstaking care ¨C that wasn¡¯t just some ruse.  Even Horus¡¯ penmanship was masterful.  Smooth flowing lines written by strong, yet somehow-impossibly-soft hands¡ª"

    I cut off with another shake of my head ¨C harder this time, as though that would rid me of these uncomfortable memories and equally uncomfortable questions.  My temples were pounding and my neck also ached for some reason.  Tension and lack of sleep most likely.

    It was strange.  Those problems had vanished inside the gate.

    ¡°Of course, there were, ahem¡­ a few oddities,¡± I continued.  ¡°Some missing materials.  Metals, wood, and construction supplies yet nothing obvious to show for it.  Rumors among the Guides about some kind of bath?  Maybe Nyx was behind that too?  Or perhaps more materials were used to rebuild and fortify the camp than expected?  Either way, there was nothing obviously suspicious.¡±

    My eyes smoldered in the mist.  ¡°At least, not until I saw that¡ªthat monstrosity.

    ¡°I had just begun to trust Horus again ¨C to dispel these thoughts as simple paranoia.  Perhaps trauma from enduring Nyx¡¯s maze of madness.  But then I saw that exquisitely crafted carriage.  Even the flowers ¨C he¡¯d chosen my favorites.  I¡¯ll admit, as a young elf maiden, I may have occasionally entertained fantasies of such a¡ª¡±

    My mailed fist struck my chest-plate with a clang.

    There it was again.  That slippery slope.

    And I seemed to just keep sliding¡­

    I needed to maintain control; to focus.

    ¡°My suspicions came rushing back in an instant,¡± I growled again.  ¡°This isn¡¯t normal¡­ it couldn¡¯t be!  This was a plot.  How else could Horus have known those details about me?  Pure coincidence?  I think not!  Kastor must have fed him that information.  But still¡­ what is his goal?¡±

    My fingers kneaded at my neck.  It was just so tight¡­

    ¡°Perhaps my brother intends to get me out of the way entirely ¨C some political game?  Create a scandal that would disenfranchise me with the Order ¨C possibly even my own family?¡±  I scoffed.  ¡°As though something as petty as a sexual harassment¡ª¡±

    I froze, my boots splashing to a halt.

    Ahh, I was saying a lot of words¡­A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Words that only led to more questions.

    Like who exactly was harassing who here?

    ¡°No, I¡¯m getting sidetracked again,¡± I covered quickly, continuing my march through the swamp.  ¡°My brother¡¯s goal isn¡¯t the problem.  The real issue is that carriage.  Something still feels off there, doesn¡¯t it?"

    My searing eyes suddenly pivoted to Danae¡¯s face where she trudged through the marsh beside me.  The vulpin just stared back, mouth moving but no sound escaping, one eye twitching.  It seemed she had a permanent tick now.  Likely the trauma of watching her unit perish ¨C most drowning in a river of pitch, shit, and fire.  It happened.

    She should seek the care of the mind spirits when we returned to Asphodel.

    But, for now, there were more important matters; more important questions.

    ¡°Have you noticed anything strange between Horus and Rowan?  At first, I thought they might be enemies ¨C old rivals.  But now¡­ now I¡¯m not so sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ um¡­,¡± Danae squeaked.

    ¡°I know, it¡¯s hard to believe,¡± I continued with a sigh, rubbing at my temple.  ¡°A tavros and a sprite conspiring with a noble vessel and the leader of the Order of Apollo to manufacture political dirt on his sister?  It almost sounds crazy.  Insane.  But perhaps that¡¯s exactly why Kastor came up with this plan ¨C striking where I least expect.¡±

    My boots sucked into the mud, the slurp of wet soil accompanied by my spirit¡¯s ever-present laughter.  Apex had been having the time of his life lately.

    That was part of the reason we were making this hike so slowly.

    I refused to answer his questions¡­ and he refused to lend me his power.

    The other reason was that Emporos wasn¡¯t able to sell us any information on the location of our quarry.  More proof that we weren¡¯t just chasing some backwater villagers¡­

    The one thing ¨C the only thing ¨C I knew was that this was all Nyx¡¯s fault.  When I finally got my hands on the Hollow, I was going to dissect him.  Slowly.  Pull out the answers to my questions one by one.  And since I was a healer¡­ I could take my time.

    Yet perhaps trudging through his muck was an opportunity in disguise.

    Uh, not to spend time with Horus ¨C of course, not!

    This was my chance to gather more information.

    My burning eyes slid to Danae again and the girl swallowed hard.  When had she moved so far away from me?  Odd.  Yet a problem easily remedied.

    I snatched her arm, pulling her close again.  ¡°You¡¯re a fantastic listener, did you know that?  I feel at ease with you ¨C like I can trust you.  And you have shown remarkable resilience in surviving that labyrinth of shit and death.  That strength should be rewarded.¡±

    ¡°Really, uh, that¡¯s not necessary¡ª¡± Danae began.

    ¡°Ahh, but it is,¡± I replied, sliding a box from beneath my coat and popping the lid to reveal its glimmering contents.  ¡°These are skill gems that the Order requisitioned for this expedition, rewards intended to be given to those recruits that show promise ¨C the strength to be a Frontrunner.  And now¡­ they¡¯re yours,¡± I said, placing the box in Danae¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Um, uh, thank you, but I would really just like to go back to Asph¡ª"

    ¡°Asphodel isn¡¯t the only city with its own Guidepost, but you¡¯re right that you won¡¯t be able to use the gems until we find one,¡± I interjected smoothly.  ¡°However, there is a town north of us that should meet your needs.  We need only make the journey.¡±

    The vulpin just stared back, her tails tucked.  And was she trembling?

    It must be a mixture of excitement and anxiety.  Yes, that was it.  Such a reward was rare and she must be weighing how best to use the gems ¨C to maximize her own strength.

    I would help her.  Danae needed to survive.  She would be useful.  Vital really.

    Assuming, of course, that she could be trusted.

    Who knew how deep this conspiracy went.

    My arm slipped across her shaking shoulders, my hand soothing and warm as I stroked her fur.  It wasn¡¯t nearly as soft as Horus¡¯.  ¡°Ahh, and it¡¯s also important for me to stress that anything I tell you should remain confidential ¨C since this plot may involve Order leadership.  Any breach of that confidentiality would subject you to court martial.¡±

    ¡°Which, uh, means what exactly?¡± Danae replied in a whisper.

    ¡°Instant death, obviously,¡± I replied with a dismissive wave.  ¡°Via incineration.  You¡¯ll barely feel it.  Very clean.  Leaves zero evidence.  Just some ashes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, ahh¡­ obviously,¡± the vulpin echoed with a fragile smile.

    ¡°And if you should hear anything from Horus ¨C anything that would shine light on his intentions or planning ¨C of course, I expect you to share that information.  I have a feeling such assistance would help facilitate your own¡­ transcendence through the Order,¡± I offered, side-eying her.  This wasn¡¯t my preferred path, of course.  I was accustomed to acting more directly.  But subterfuge and bribery still had their place.

    It was important to fight fire with fire, after all.

    And besides, if we were making this journey on foot¡­ well, I could use this time to force Horus to admit to his intentions ¨C to gather evidence of my brother¡¯s plotting.

    With my memory crystal, that was all the proof I would need.

    Ahh, Danae was still staring, my arm holding her close.

    ¡°Do we understand each other?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ that is, uh, of course,¡± Danae stumbled, nodding quickly.

    Perfect.  Because I could already sense Horus approaching.

    He was hard to miss.  His impressive form barreling through the mists, the ground shaking slightly under foot.  And soon he appeared, the mist spiraling out around him in moist ribbons, that vapor refusing to cling to his perfect, immaculate fur.  It rippled and flapped with each stride, dry and warm and practically sparkling in the morning sunlight, rainbows arcing between those droplets.

    Ba-bump.

    Ahem.  That had also been happening often lately ¨C too often.  Perhaps I should see a healer when we returned or have Danae treat me.  My working theory was that prolonged use of Apex¡¯s power had taxed my vessel.  Also, possibly stress and lack of sleep.

    ¡°My Lady,¡± Horus growled, kneeling and taking my hand.

    Entirely unnecessary, but I still found my fingers reveling in the feel of his fur.

    Only to notice Danae watching me from behind his back.  She slowly shook her head.

    Ahh, yes.  Good.  She was already playing her part well.

    ¡°Report?¡± I demanded, my hand whipping back.

    He looked up at me, his eyes glowing a soft white.  ¡°I found him,¡± he growled.

    Another feeling welled inside me, a fire that had my eyes blazing bright ¨C Horus sucking in a sharp breath.  Anxiety, excitement, and a burning desire to discover the unknown; to interrogate the Hollow; to force him to answer my many, many questions.  Like what was he?  What strange spirit was nestled in his Core?  How had he defeated a silver gate ¨C even thrived within that relentless hellscape?

    And, most importantly, what part did he have to play in Kastor¡¯s games?

    Because, clearly, he was linked somehow.

    ¡°My Lady?¡± Horus asked when I didn¡¯t respond, those silver eyes shining in the mist as they met my own, the heat from his body pushing away the cloying fog.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ good.  Then lead the way.¡±

    He nodded and my burning eyes followed his back as he turned away.  He gave away nothing ¨C no hint of the plot that lurked below the surface.  Yet I was on to him now.  I¡¯d get him to admit it eventually.  It was only a matter of time.

    I mean, he had to be working for my brother, right?

    What else could it possibly be?

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 10

    Chapter 10 - Delicacy

    Screaming Bamboo Forest

    Nyx

    There hadn¡¯t been a lot of food choices back in the lair.

    I mean, I¡¯d made do.  The problem was that there just weren¡¯t many options, and the rat meat was really best when grilled char black and extra crunchy.  Of course, I tried to mix it up.  Burgers and rat steaks and salads.  To spice it up.  Just a healthy, heaping coating of dried death shroom.  But, ultimately, it was still just the same thing.

    Day in and day out.

    Cycle after cycle.

    Murder after murder.

    Which meant the snake meat had been a delicacy.  Something new; something that had sent my budding genius into full bloom.  Just think of it!  I could have sliced it up the snake meat into perfect, thick rings that would have just barely fit into my big frying pot.  And there was so much fat ¨C almost too much.  Like the snakes had been gorging on something.  Probably Silverfin.

    And then came the inevitable, buzzing, inspired questions.

    What if I brought the fat up to a boil?  What if I dropped the snake meat into that vat of seething, roiling deliciousness?  Oh!  And what if I had something I could put on the snake first?  Like a crust or flour maybe?  I could have made snake tempura.

    Which was a delightfully fun word. Tempura.  Tempura.  Teeeempuuuura.

    No idea where I¡¯d learned it or what it meant, but it made my stomach growl.

    Unfortunately, Fang hadn¡¯t shared my enthusiasm.  In fact, he hadn¡¯t even let me pull out my cookware or spend any time setting up a new kitchenette.  Although, at least I got the fire pit set up before he stopped me.  He kept complaining that we were ¡°being hunted¡± and I was ¡°wasting time¡± and we were ¡°all going to die.¡±

    Yet that brief moment had awoken something in me.

    A brilliant, inspired, blooming hunger.

    Which was why I was super excited to try the demon-monkey sliders sizzling on my awesome new camping grill!  I¡¯d even prepared a bamboo salad and grilled a couple more slices for the buns.

    Minor, unforeseen downside?  When you cut it, the bamboo lets out a tortured, wailing, death scream that cuts straight through your soul.  It¡­ well, I almost had second thoughts for a minute there.  Me!  The same guy that killed all those kraell babies!

    It just raised weird questions.

    Like was this wrong?  Was I murdering a helpless plant or¡­ something else?  Would this only add more karmic baggage to my newfound soul ¨C I mean, I was still adjusting to the idea of having a spirit of my own, you know?  And I was starting to think that maybe different types of spirits were like different people?  Like if you had a fiery personality, did you come back as a fire spirit?  In which case, what kind of spirit was I?   A ¡®genius spirit¡¯ probably.  I¡¯d also never seen a ¡®badass spirit¡¯ in person, but it could exist, right?  Either way, now that I had one, I definitely didn¡¯t want to mess it up somehow!

    On the other hand¡­ the bamboo tasted amazing.

    Sweet, crisp, just a little salty.

    Somehow, that made it easier to look past the moral and potentially devastating spiritual consequences of murdering these helpless, screaming plants¡­ also the demon monkeys, I guess.  I felt less bad about that.

    ¡°Right?  I¡¯ve been trying to tell you this for a long time,¡± Lili observed. ¡°How can something that tastes so good possibly be bad for you?"

    She had a point.  Maybe I should have listened.

    What was that?  Why are you looking so frustrated?

    I¡¯m sorry.  I can¡¯t understand you when you¡¯re all screaming like that.

    Maybe we could do like a charades sort of thing.  You just¡ª

    Ahh, yeah¡­ like that.

    Are you licking your hand?  The back of your hand?  Like a cat¡ª

    Ahh, I got it!  You want to know how I butchered the demon monkeys!

    ¡°I really, really don¡¯t think that¡¯s it,¡± Lili muttered.

    Of course it was.  And thanks for asking!  Fang just watched without helping at all and spent waaay too much time laughing at me.  See?  Now you¡¯re interested right?

    Butchering the monkeys turned out to be much harder than it looked.  I mean, they were all still alive ¨C just twitching on the ground ¨C so the meat was super fresh.  The problem was more the flaming poo.  I tried cutting one open and, well¡­

    It exploded.  Everywhere.

    Like a monkey-shaped mine.

    And to be clear, it was a shit-splosion.  I mean, I was used to the blood and entrails and such, but I wasn¡¯t expecting the blast of flaming shit.

    Yeah, you¡¯re right.  I probably should have.

    Although, I was able to run a few experiments, at least.  And since the monkeys were paralyzed¡­  yeah, you could just sort of twist ¡®em a little and the poo came flowing out.  It was much cleaner and safer that way.  The shit caught fire when exposed to the air, which I guess explained why the monkeys weren¡¯t spontaneously exploding.  And why cutting into them caused them to explode?  A buildup of pressure from the heat and released gases.  Or, at least, that¡¯s what [Engineering] told me.

    However, the shit also had phases!  Sticky and flaming at first, and then once the mist extinguished the fire ¨C wham, it puffed up and turned rock solid.  [Engineering] said it ¡°cured¡± into something similar to ¡°concrete.¡±  Although, this version was super heavy, basically indestructible and impervious to poison, acid, water, and fire.  Seriously, I couldn¡¯t even melt it not matter how hot I got my new furnace.

    I was calling it Poo-Crete<sup>?</sup>.

    I¡¯m sure some of you see it now, right?

    Yeah, I had a new building material!

    Actually, you should see all the stuff I built!  The very first thing was the furnace and kitchenette over there next to the Poison Kitty ¨C it really likes the heat for some reason¡ª

    What?  Why are you all pointing at the cat?

    Wait¡­ oh, I get it!  You were asking about Poison Kitty earlier, right?

    Whew, sorry.  It¡¯s been a day.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Uh, so do you want to know what happened or¡ª

    Okay, geez, I¡¯ll take the screaming as a yes.

    Anyway, I¡¯m actually a little proud about that.

    Yeah, that¡¯s right.  You¡¯re looking at the reigning champion of the Screaming Bamboo Forest ¨C at least, when it comes staring contests.  The Blinkless Wonder.  The StareMaster.  The king of creep.

    I know, I know, the things I do for family, right?

    Somewhat eye-ronically, it actually wasn¡¯t that hard.  Fang and the babies eventually got tired of throwing knives at me.  That only lasted for a few hours until my special, perfect angels got bored.  They were cute, but they got distracted easily.  After that there was some screaming and then Fang just got really super quiet for a day or two.

    Sure, maybe this was extreme.  Maybe I was doing that thing again ¨C building stuff up in my head.  Technically, I broke my own rule!  I didn¡¯t stop when Fang started screaming.  I just couldn¡¯t let them down!  Family bonding activities were important.  Critical really.

    Yeah, that¡¯s right.  I did this for Fang.  Also, my babies.

    Definitely not for me.  Even though I wanted the victory sash so bad¡ª

    Anyway, eventually, well¡­ the poison kitty fell asleep.

    Hey!  Why do you all look so skeptical?

    That¡¯s really what happened!

    ¡°C¡¯mon, tell them, Lili,¡± I insisted.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Really?¡± I demanded.  ¡°You¡¯re going to play it like that?  Just because I wouldn¡¯t let you eat the Poison Kitty?¡±

    ¡°It looks so tasty ¨C all that juicy nimbus,¡± she cooed.

    See?  She just has an eating disorder.  The Poison Kitty totally fell asleep.

    In fact, it was still asleep.  Even the death wails of the bamboo hadn¡¯t woken it up.  It must have been really tired.  Or maybe I¡¯d lost track of time¡ª

    ¡°You did!  It¡¯s been a week!¡± Fang snapped, stabbing a claw in my face.

    I glanced at him, blinked once, then shook my head.  ¡°Nah, couldn¡¯t have been.¡±

    ¡°It was!  I¡¯ve told you this already.  You also refused to give me any gems and every time I got close to you and that¡ªthat monster¡­ it started to attack me. I had to gnaw on the wagon to get even small scraps of sweet, sweet nimbus¡ª¡±

    He cut off abruptly as I turned, wide-eyed, steam wafting away from the demon monkey burger perched on my spatula.  ¡°Uh, what did you just say?¡±

    ¡°N-nothing,¡± he stumbled, looking anywhere but at me.

    ¡°Really?  Because it sounded like you ate part of my wagon.¡±

    ¡°You were imagining things again.  You do this.¡±

    I squinted at him, then glanced at the wagon.  It was covered in poo-crete, most of it quite solid by now.  That¡­ wasn¡¯t ideal.  Although, it looked like a lot had been chiseled away while it was still soft and pliable, claw marks etched in the side.  Almost like someone had been digging to find that tender, nimbus-filled wood just underneath all that partially-solidified monkey crap¡ª

    Fang shifted position, blocking my line of sight.  Not a great sign.

    We locked eyes ¨C me, spatula in hand; Fang, looking really suspicious.

    ¡°Your burgers are burning.¡±

    He was right, but somehow, it felt like he was just trying to deflect.  We would have to settle this later.  If, indeed, he¡¯d damaged my Death Wagon 1.0, this wasn¡¯t over.

    I flipped the burgers off the grill, onto their wailing bamboo buns ¨C which only moaned softly now ¨C and soon slapped down six plates at the makeshift table I¡¯d made out of more bamboo and some poo-crete.  It¡¯s okay, I had Fang make a misty or three to clean them off really well.  Plus, there was the fire.  It was totally sanitary.

    My left hand tickled and the murder babies came scurrying out of the bamboo forest, taking up their seats with practiced ease.  Even Fang settled reluctantly into his place.  We all reached out, taking hands ¨C we had to say the dinner mantra, after all.

    However, everyone froze as a rustle came from behind us.  Not that I could see why they were so worried.  The Poison Kitty had just woken up from his nap.  Ahh, he was stretching and his spines looked so pretty in the firelight, flickering and flashing.  Then he noticed the new blanky I¡¯d made for him.  Did he love it as much as I thought he would¡ª

    Ahh, no.  He hated it.  Wow.  I mean, those spines shredded it super fast.

    ¡°Nyx¡­ Nyx, do something,¡± Fang hissed out of the corner of his mouth while pivoting around behind our babies ¨C like he planned to use them as living shields.

    ¡°This is it.  We¡¯re all going to die!  I told you to eat the kitty!¡± Lili snapped.

    Maribel just softly patted my right hand as though to console her.

    Wow. What was their problem?

    ¡°Hey, sorry about the blanket.  It was probably a stupid idea,¡± I called out.

    Fang sucked in a sharp breath as the beast turned.  All six of its lovely, glowing green eyes locked on us.

    ¡°Come on, I made a place for you!¡± I called out, patting a spot beside me ¨C one where a much, much larger sixth plate sat.  One heaped up with a few dozen demon monkey burgers.  ¡°See?  I made some for you too.¡±

    The Poison Kitty just looked at me¡­ looked at the burgers¡­ back at me.  Then the monster blinked in confusion.  Meanwhile, Fang and Lili cursed softly and it looked like the babies had stopped breathing.  Wow.  I thought they would have more faith in their [Battle Daddy].  Wasn¡¯t I the Screaming Bamboo Forest¡¯s reigning staring contest champion?

    Luckily, I had a secret weapon.  One perfectly suited for subduing monsters.

    I just waved my hand over the burger in the direction of the Poison Kitty, the mixture of smoke and steam wafting toward the monster.

    Then the creature sniffed tentatively at the air, its spines flattened back, and it slowly slinked forward.  When no one made any move to attack, it came up to the table and sat back on its haunches before lunging at the pile of burgers¡ª

    Only for me to slap its snout.

    ¡°Manners,¡± I barked.  ¡°We still have to say the mantra.¡±

    And now everyone all staring at me like I was crazy ¨C including Poison Kitty.  Even my murder babies.  They chittered to each other under their breath and wow did their eyes sparkle as they watched me.  I¡¯ll admit, I liked that.  See?  It was totally worth it.

    Meanwhile, Fang just made this weird and incredibly high-pitched gurgling sound, his hands clenched tight around his daggers.

    ¡°Why are you freaking out?¡± I asked him.  ¡°I mean, I¡¯m the staring contest champion now.  Poison Kitty knows not to mess with me.  That¡¯s why I¡¯m wearing the sash.¡±

    ¡°I have told you so many times¡­ that sash means nothing.  Also, it is hideous.¡±

    Oh, really?  I guess I was just going to have to prove my point.

    The poison kitty growled at me and I met its gaze evenly.  ¡°Oh, what was that?  Did you want to have another staring contest?¡± I demanded, pointing at my sash.

    Another long pause.  But the poison kitty broke eye contact first.

    ¡°See?¡± I demanded, whirling back to Fang.

    Unbeknownst to me, the Poison Kitty¡¯s spines flared out behind my back, its eyes pulsing with an ominous emerald energy as it eyed our dysfunctional family with ravenous delight.  Fang opened his mouth¡­ closed it¡­ opened it again¡ª

    Ahh, he¡¯d lost the ability to speak, just pointing behind me.

    I turned to find Poison Kitty sitting there demurely, calming licking a paw.

    See?  He was completely harmless.  I guess that just wasn¡¯t enough proof.  It was going to take another push to bring Fang and the creature together.

    ¡°Hold Fang¡¯s hand,¡± I demanded, pointing to Fang on the other side of Poison Kitty.

    The kitty froze, all six eyes narrowing, darting between me and Fang.

    ¡°Nyx, please¡­¡± Fang hissed under his breath.  Wow, he was really damp now.

    The kitty didn¡¯t seem keen either, eyeing the lizard in disgust.

    ¡°Do it.  Both of you.  That¡¯s a command from your staring contest champion ¨C ahh, and the owner of this big bag of nimbus gems,¡± I added when Fang opened his mouth to object to my hard-won new title.  Again.

    His jaw snapped shut, the pair glared at each other, then they each slowly reached out, reluctantly touching just the smallest piece of scale and the tip of a deadly, venom infused death spike.  Good enough.  See?  The sash did have powers.

    ¡°Okay, now give me your paw,¡± I said to the monster beside me.

    Poison Kitty didn¡¯t hesitate that time.  Its paw landed in my lap in an instant.  Woah, it was really sharp.  Like cuddling a bundle of knives.  Luckily, I had some experience with that already.  Plus, the wounds went numb really fast, which was actually pretty convenient.  Although, no wonder Poison Kitty and Fang didn¡¯t get along.

    They were basically the same creature.

    ¡°You are insane,¡± Fang hissed.

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°You sure I can¡¯t just have a little nibble?  The poison kitty just has so much nimbus¡­ like more than it really needs, right?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What if I say the mantra?¡±

    ¡°Still no.¡±

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Then I recited the dinner mantra.  Strangely, we didn¡¯t even need to change up the words.  They still worked out here in the Five Rivers.  Weird, right?

    ¡°We thank ourselves for being such amazing hunters and surviving this cesspit of hell.  We deserve every bit of this food.  May the Flow dry up and go fuck itself.  Amen.¡±

    Three squeaks, some cussing, a frustrated growl and then we dove in.  As a family.

    And the burgers were just as delicious as I imagined!

    Unfortunately, like most things, it was over far too fast.

    At which point, the poison kitty just stood up, paced back to the fire, curled up, and went back to sleep.  Well, sort of.  Two sets of eyes kept watch on us.  It was creepy.  Also, I really wished I had an extra set of eyes¡­

    That probably would have helped me appreciate would happened next.  My murder babies approached the monster slowly, the eyes tracking them.  But when it didn¡¯t react, they promptly cuddled up to next to it, its spines flat and no longer dangerous.  Moments later, the four of them were snoozing softly.  Sure, keeping my babies here was draining nimbus and I¡¯m sure Lili would get upset, but¡ª

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine.  We have lots now after I ate the skill gems.¡±

    I winced.  Ahh¡­ yeah.  Great.

    But before I couldn¡¯t even dive into that problem, Fang turned to me, his eyes large and round and looking straight into my soul.  Then he said this.

    ¡°I wish to talk about your¡­ your feelings.¡±

    Okay, everything else could wait.  My immortal soul.  Wasting my skill gems.  The adorable and horrifying sight of my murder babies snuggled up to the second place staring champion of the screaming bamboo forest.  All of it.

    Because I had been waiting for this moment my entire life.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 11

    Chapter 11 - Feelings

    Act cool.  Just fucking act cool, Nyx.  You can do this.

    ¡°You really can¡¯t.¡±  That was Lili.

    But I could.  I had to.  For the sake of my poor feelings.

    ¡°Oh.  You do?¡± I asked, my voice cracking only slightly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Fang hissed. ¡°I was waiting until you finished doing¡­ all of this,¡± he said, waving at the very basic and barebones camp that I¡¯d built.  ¡°I wanted to be sure you were able to focus.  Because we must discuss your feelings.¡±

    I know.  I know.  He¡¯s done this to me before.

    Led me on.  Walked my fragile ego right up to the cliff-edge with promises of praise and emotional connection and physical affection and¡ªand even his respect¡­

    Just to tip my brilliant-yet-sometimes-charmingly-gullible-self right over that edge, watch me wail and scream, and then laugh as my confidence was shattered beyond repair.

    But I still wanted to hope, you know?  To dream?

    Is that so wrong¡ª

    ¡°Why are we heading north?¡± Fang demanded.

    I could only stare back, my mind going suddenly blank.

    ¡°What?  What do you mean?  Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to talk about my feelings¡ª¡±

    ¡°I do.  That is what you said, no?¡± Fang interrupted, glaring at me with those glowing yellow snake eyes.  ¡°It is these¡ªthese feelings you and Lili have that make you go north.¡±

    He flicked his tongue on that last one.  Like he had a bad taste in his mouth.

    ¡°Ahh.  Uh, so those were the feelings you were talking about?¡± I asked, my voice cracking again.  Barely.  And that moisture around my eyes was mist, thank you very fucking much.            I was still cool.  So super cool.  Like ice.

    ¡°More like a lukewarm puddle.¡±  Lili again.  She definitely wasn¡¯t helping.

    ¡°Yes!  Why are we heading north?¡± Fang demanded, shaking his head.  ¡°The horny moose and the cold-face elf lady must be following us, this is an obvious direction, and you have wasted so much time.  You are often crazy and you babble too much and your ideas are incredibly dangerous¡­ but usually you still make sense.  Of a sort.  Sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ thanks, I think?¡± I offered, frowning.

    That was a compliment, right?  Sort of?

    ¡°No.  Not really,¡± Lili yet again.

    Then she sighed.  ¡°He does have a point. You¡¯re going to have to just tell him the truth.  We can¡¯t keep dodging this forever ¨C even though you really, really tried here.¡±

    She was right.  Damn it.  I hated when that happened.  Apparently, running away from your problems was only effective in the short term¡­ or if your problems were just super slow.  But mine had all his stat points in Agility.

    I guess it was time to face the music.

    So, I looked Fang in the eyes, leaned forward, took his hands ¨C not because I had to ¨C it just felt right.  And then I told him the truth.

    ¡°I have no idea.  Lili told me to do it.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±  Okay, that was both of them that time.

    ¡°Why do you trust her to¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Why would you blame me for¡ª?¡±

    Huh, so, in my defense, this idea had seemed like a great one at the time.  Except now I was just getting yelled at by two people that couldn¡¯t hear each other.

    Maybe this wasn¡¯t my best, but it wasn¡¯t entirely a deflection!

    ¡°Just give me a chance to explain,¡± I said to them both.

    Fang didn¡¯t look convinced, and Lili was just grumbling, expletives rolling up my arm.  She was getting pretty creative, even if the name calling was really hurtful.

    ¡°Okay, so Lili had a feeling that we needed to head north¡ª

    ¡°That is the same thing you just said!¡± Fang snapped.

    ¡°And that isn¡¯t the whole story.¡± Lili that time.

    ¡°Uh, yeah.  I know.  You have to let me finish.¡±

    His jaw snapped closed and Lili reluctantly shut up.

    ¡°Unfortunately, Lili can¡¯t really explain why she feels that way.  Her memories are¡­ fuzzy.  Incomplete.  Unlike Maribel, she can¡¯t remember who she is or how she died.¡±

    All true and Lili wasn¡¯t cursing any more ¨C she¡¯d gone really quiet instead.

    Now that I was thinking about it, you know what was even more strange?  Why couldn¡¯t Maribel talk?  Like she was roughly the same age as Lili ¨C in spirit years or whatever ¨C I think?  And she could definitely talk back in the gate, right?  Sort of?  What was different now?  Maybe the amount of nimbus?  Huh, if that was right, then what would happen if I gave Maribel more of my vessel?  Would she have more nimbus and then be able to¡ª

    ¡°Not fucking happening.  I get the big room.  She gets that hand,¡± Lili snapped.

    Didn¡¯t love that she was referring to my body as her ¡°room.¡±

    Also, why did she say it that way?  What was wrong with my left hand¡ª

    ¡°You know exactly what!  I¡¯m just the spirit of a real girl, remember?  One stuck inside your body.  Your whole, entire body,¡± Lili snapped.  I¡¯ll be honest, it felt like she was mocking me somehow.  ¡°Do you seriously not remember¡ª

    She cut herself off.  ¡°No, no this is what you want isn¡¯t it?  To distract me?¡±

    Uh, no¡­ never.  I wouldn¡¯t do that ¨C go on a tangent to avoid a problem.

    ¡°I think I hate you,¡± Lili muttered.

    Oh yeah, and Fang was still glaring at me suspiciously.

    ¡°Ahh.  Anyway, like I was saying,¡± I continued, ¡°I trust her, so I took Lili at her word.  She hasn¡¯t ever tried to steer us wrong ¨C at least, that I¡¯ve noticed,¡± I offered with a shrug.

    Fang glared some more ¨C not looking convinced.  Then he caved, his shoulders slumping forward.  ¡°I guess¡­ I guess you are right.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, he really trusts me!¡± Lili purred.

    Good thing too.  Now I didn¡¯t have to tell him the truth!  Although, I can¡¯t believe he bought that crock of kraell shit¡ª

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Lili snapped.

    Damn it.  I thought that one too loud, didn¡¯t I?

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take control of your body and make you tell him¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯ll tell him the truth,¡± I shot back quickly.

    Ahh.  That one was out loud, wasn¡¯t it?

    Yup, Fang was glaring again, glowing yellow eyes squashed flat.

    ¡°What was that about the truth?¡± he demanded, claws tapping at the poo-crete table.  Were they always that sharp?  Huh, the nail beds were way healthier now they¡¯d he¡¯d slowed down on the drugs.  Maybe the staring contest had been good for him.

    Oh, and now they were tapping more rapidly, Fang growing impatient.

    Okay, sober-adjacent Fang was a mixed bag, honestly.

    ¡°Ahh, right, so about that¡­ there may have been some additional evidence that helped convince me that we should head north,¡± I said, with a big smile.

    That just seemed to make him glare harder.

    The seconds ticked past, neither of us budging.

    And then, ¡°What evidence?¡± Fang hissed.

    Damn, I was hoping he¡¯d missed that.  Maybe I could tell him¡ª

    ¡°Nyx,¡± Lili growled, my right hand rising and preparing for a slap.

    Ahh, and Fang was looking at the hand now.

    ¡°Um, okay, so I may not have been entirely forthright about the extent of my mental health, um¡­ issues, I guess you could call them.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± he asked archly.

    ¡°So, uh, you know Asshole-Me, right?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately.¡±

    That still stung for some reason.

    ¡°Yeah, well, so you know I can hear him, right?¡±

    He nodded.  Of course.

    ¡°Well, I can also see him.¡±

    Another big smile.  It was important to really stretch it until it hurt.  Yep, you can do this, me!  Kill him with kindness.

    ¡°See him?¡± Fang echoed.

    I know it was a lot to process.  He probably needed some time to digest¡ª

    ¡°Just him?¡± Fang interrupted my thoughts.

    Wait¡­ what?  Why would he ask that?  Like seriously, why?  Did I somehow broadcast I was talking to a bunch of other people?  I thought I was super discreet!  Can you believe this cold-blooded and entirely-too-observant jerk?

    So, naturally, I said, ¡°Yep, of course.¡±

    ¡°Then who were you talking to just then?¡±

    Fuuuuuuuck.  That had to be Lili¡¯s fault.

    ¡°Nope, you just weren¡¯t paying attention,¡± she replied.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    I sighed.  Fine.  It looked like the audience was out of the bag.

    ¡°A lot of people actually,¡± I said, crossing my arms.  Not because I was defensive.  It was just more comfortable that way.  ¡°They¡¯re, uh, totally real¡­ you just can¡¯t see them.¡±

    Fang was nodding, taking out his little journal and his pen.  What was that for?  What was he writing?  I wasn¡¯t sure I liked this new direction at all¡ª

    ¡°So, what do these imaginary people look like?¡± Fang asked, his forked tongue licking the pen tip as he watched me with suddenly-clinical yellow snake eyes.

    Shit.  Lili was also raising my hand like she was going to slap me and Fang¡¯s pen was making this irritating scratching sound that was super distracting ¨C maybe too distracting to control my nimbus while dodging his questions.  And Lili¡¯s slaps really hurt now even with my [Pain Tolerance].  It was hard being this awesome sometimes.

    Which meant there was only one way out of this.

    ¡°They look like¡ªlike me.¡±

    Fang stared a moment, jotted another note, then looked back at me.  It was worrying me that he wasn¡¯t reacting at all.  ¡°How many of these other¡ª¡± he checked his notes, ¡°crazy assholes do you see?  Sorry, the Flow¡¯s words, not mine.  I must be accurate for the record,¡± he explained before I could object.

    What record?!  Who was going to read this?

    He¡¯d done this same shit back in the gate with my so-called ¡°debt.¡±

    ¡°Subject is easily distracted¡­¡± Fang murmured.  Another scribble.

    I glared at him and then glanced at the mists around us.  They were filled with my alter-egos.  Just standing there and staring and laughing and judging.  I wasn¡¯t sure if this was all of the other mes.  I had a feeling it wasn¡¯t even close.  Which was concerning.

    Seriously, the clearing was super crowded.

    ¡°Um, lots,¡± I offered.  ¡°Hundreds maybe?¡±

    My palm inched closer, darkness threading the skin.

    ¡°Or, uh, thousands,¡± I corrected myself.

    Another note and Fang¡¯s fingers were trembling this time.  ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    Then he just trailed off, his eyes shot back to his notebook, and he started writing again.  Who does that?  And why?  Why was he writing this down?  Also, isn¡¯t that kind of insulting?  Like this revelation wasn¡¯t even important enough for him to remember?

    You know what?  This was waaay less fun than [Therapy].

    ¡°Hey, I know this sounds, well, a little¡ª

    ¡°Crazy?¡± Fang offered.

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like that word,¡± I retorted.  He just sniffed and made another note.

    ¡°As I was saying, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m hallucinating them,¡± I continued.  ¡°They¡¯ve been responding to my questions, like nodding and shaking their heads.¡±

    ¡°So, they confirmed Lili¡¯s¡­ feelings then?¡± Fang asked.  He glanced down at his journal again.  ¡°These imaginary people in the mist that look like you?¡±

    Okay, when he said it like that it sounded crazy.

    Which probably meant he wasn¡¯t going to like this next part¡­

    ¡°Uh, not exactly.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±  He steepled his hands.  ¡°How did they react then?¡±

    ¡°They, uh¡­ they shook their heads.  All of their heads. Vigorously,¡± I replied.

    Another note and a long, slow hisssss of disappointment.

    ¡°Hey, but hear me out!  The other mes could be out to get me!¡±

    ¡°Ahh, paranoia again,¡± Fang observed, nodding.  Another damn note!

    What.  The.  Fuck.

    He should know better than anyone that I wasn¡¯t paranoid¡ª

    ¡°No, not paranoia.  The universe hates!¡± I snapped at him, stabbing my forefinger into my forehead.  ¡°Like, think about it.  If everything is out to get me, why not these other mes?  This could all be some sort of complicated trap!  So, I decided to go with Lili.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, so you trust me then¡ª¡± Lili began happily.

    ¡°I mean, if I die, then she loses her vessel, right?¡± I finished.

    That was also one of the foundations of a perfect relationship, I¡¯d decided.

    No ¨C not prioritizing the same principles.  I can see how you might have leaped to that conclusion, but it¡¯s wrong.  So wrong.  That was just a side effect of the important bit.

    I meant mutually assured destruction.

    It was up there with blackmail, honestly.

    What was that?  That¡¯s just another form of blackmail?

    Shit¡­ okay.  Um, well, maybe it really is just blackmail all the way down then¡­

    ¡°Subject has deep-seated trust issues,¡± Fang murmured, writing again.

    ¡°And lizards in glass houses shouldn¡¯t be throwing rusty knives,¡± I muttered.

    He just sniffed again.  Sniffed!  ¡°So, that was it?  That was your plan?  Trust Lili because the other imaginary yous might be out to get you¡­ or themself?  Because this is better?  Trusting the parasite that wishes to take over your vessel and devour the world?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± I snapped without thinking.  ¡°I don¡¯t trust Lili either.  So, I wasted a ton of time so I could run out the cooldown timer on [Phone-an-Asshole].  Then I could just ask him why the other mes were so reluctant to head north.  You know, hedge my bets¡ª¡±

    It all came flooding out in a rush.  I couldn¡¯t help it.

    Which is probably why I suddenly ended up face down in a pile of still-curing Poo-Crete, my face throbbing.  Although the cold felt nice.  I was guessing Lili wasn¡¯t happy that I didn¡¯t completely trust her after everything we¡¯d gone through.

    ¡°Yeah, no shit, you asshole¡ª¡± she began.

    Which¡ªwhich I guess implied that she¡­ she must care about me, didn¡¯t it?  Why else would that upset her?  Cause her to lash out emotionally like that?

    ¡°I really do hate you,¡± she muttered.

    Heh.  No, she didn¡¯t.  I just proved it.

    Although, it was hard to feel good about that right now.

    Especially since Fang was still staring down at me triumphantly.  Poo-Crete clinging to my face.  My inner secrets laid bare to both him and his damn notebook.

    I was never going to live this down, was I?

    Wow.  I never thought I¡¯d experience this.

    Overwhelming defeat, I mean.

    Is¡­ is this what it felt like to be Fang?

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± he hissed, those eyes looming close.

    ¡°Sorry, it just slipped out.  I can¡¯t help it.  Crazy asshole, remember?¡±

    I raised a challenging eyebrow.  That¡¯s right.  I was going to lean into it!  Maybe my fragile hold on my own sanity was a feature ¨C not a horrible and crippling weakness.

    Fang frowned, flicked his tongue at their air, then shook his head.  ¡°No, you will not distract me.  Your plan was less stupid than I thought.  Do it.¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡± I asked, staring blankly.

    He rubbed at temple as he let out a hissing sigh.  ¡°Call Asshole-Me.¡±

    ¡°Uh, okay¡­ that¡¯s, I mean¡­ sure.¡±

    Shit.  It felt weird doing it with him staring like that.  Oh, well, there was nothing¡ª

    Fang raised a scaly claw before I could do anything.  ¡°Also, Lili will translate for me.¡±  The wary trash goblin leaned forward, snatching my arm ¨C the one with the chain ¨C and pulling it close, sliding my sleeve back to reveal bare skin.

    ¡°Hey, are you saying you don¡¯t trust me?¡±

    He just stared back.  He didn¡¯t even bother to respond.

    Wow.  That was harsh.

    I swallowed and then, well, I [Phoned an Asshole].

    Which didn¡¯t take long ¨C I mean, he was standing right there.

    ¡°Fucking finally!¡± Asshole-Me snapped, stabbing a misty finger at me as he somehow regained his voice.  ¡°That took forever.  All of that inane bullshit about your wagon and your babies and this coked-up lizard daddy here.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± I offered for Fang¡¯s benefit.  ¡°He says hi.¡±

    My right arm itched and Fang hissed angrily, his claws digging into my skin, little pricks of blood welling.  ¡°I am not a coked-up¡­ lizard daddy!¡±

    ¡°Ahh, so Lili is translating, hmm?¡± Asshole-Me, observed, watching the corrupted text scroll up my arm.  He leaned close to Fang, watching him with a grin.  ¡°Nyx nibbles on you while you sleep.  Every.  Single.  Night.¡±

    ¡°Lili, stop¡ª¡± I began.

    ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t be trusted,¡± she replied in an irritated voice.  ¡°If it helps, think of this as couple¡¯s therapy, but with less murder.¡±

    What was even the point then!?

    Shit, no¡­ she was just distracting me from¡ª

    Too late.  The words were already appearing along my arm, Fang¡¯s pupils going super wide ¨C like he¡¯d just spied a nimbus gem cache.  Shit.

    ¡°Fang, uh, I think, it¡¯s important for you to remember that Asshole-Me is well¡­ an asshole,¡± I began.  ¡°Also, he¡¯s me, so he¡¯s probably a liar too!¡±

    I didn¡¯t love having to make that argument, but it worked.

    Fang glared at the words suspiciously, then at me, then just growled in frustration.

    ¡°Wow.  I was expecting him to at least try to eat you,¡± Asshole-Me observed in a bored voice.  ¡°Looks like you really domesticated this Fang.  Pity.  Mine was more fearsome.¡±

    Now I was having trouble focusing on Fang ¨C and the fact that Lili was already translating.  What had Asshole-Me just said?

    ¡°Wait, what do you mean¡ª¡±

    I froze and Asshole-Me¡¯s smile widened.

    ¡°Do not waste your question,¡± Fang snapped, his claws stabbing into my arm.  ¡°You are right.  He is a liar ¨C an even bigger asshole than you.  I know what you are thinking, that is impossible.  But it is not.  We must be careful.¡±

    Mixed feelings there across the board.

    But he was also right?  Asshole-Me was trying to bait me into burning the cooldown again.  That begged the question of why, of course.  But I couldn¡¯t just ask that either.

    ¡°What should we ask him then, Fang?¡± I said, adding some emphasis just to be clear.

    Asshole-Me was frowning now.  Okay, that was better.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Fang answered finally.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªwait, what?¡± I asked.  ¡°Why nothing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s his angle here?¡± Asshole-Me muttered, looking irritated.

    Fang just shrugged.  ¡°You were right last time.  He doesn¡¯t know anything.  We did just fine without him actually.  What will we get this time?  Another riddle?¡±

    Asshole-Me snorted.  ¡°You only survived because of my riddle¡ªerr, I mean my hint,¡± he snapped.  ¡°Besides, this stupid skill has rules ¨C rules I have to follow.  You think I just love standing here and watching this crazy asshole fuck everything up?¡± he demanded.  He was kind of shouting at Fang ¨C not that the lizard seemed affected.  He just read my arm calmly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue where you¡¯re heading right now ¨C what¡¯s lying in wait for you.  A mountain of bullshit that makes that other gate look like a fucking cakewalk.¡±

    Fang crossed his arms.  ¡°We can handle it.  See?¡±

    He waved at the Poison Kitty napping with my babies and my Poo-Crete covered Death Wagon¡­ oh and also the huge pile of paralyzed demon monkeys.

    Asshole-Me looked stumped for a second but then whirled back to Fang, stabbing a finger at him.  ¡°Whatever.  All I see a caravan of madness hurtling straight into a tornado of shit.  And even if you can handle a fight, there are other things you can¡¯t face, can you, Fang?  You know what¡¯s north of here, don¡¯t you? What¡¯s waiting for all of you?

    The sneaky trash goblin was suddenly having trouble making eye contact.  Did he seem¡­ nervous?  He was doing that suspicious sweating thing again.  Or maybe he just compulsively bathed when he was anxious?

    ¡°Wait, what are you talking about?¡± I interjected and Fang winced.

    Asshole-Me¡¯s smile widened.  ¡°Idiots,¡± he muttered.

    Wait¡­ Oh, shit.  I just asked a question, didn¡¯t I?

    ¡°Ahh, he hasn¡¯t told you yet, has he?¡± Asshole-Me drawled, looking at me with a smirk.  Man, I just wanted to punch his stupid, ugly face so bad.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin the surprise though.  You should really see it for yourself.  Yep, head north.  That seems like a perfect idea.  You¡¯ll end up learning all of Fang¡¯s secrets that way.¡±

    I was hating the sarcasm¡­ but loving the rest.

    ¡°Anyway, peace out, assholes.¡±

    Then Asshole-Me strode off into the mist.

    Which left me and Fang and Lili and the Poison Kitty and my murder babies and my Death Wagon 1.0, minus whatever Fang had eaten.

    So, it was probably more like a .5 now.

    Also, uh, the rest of you, of course.

    ¡°What was he talking about, Fang?¡± I demanded.

    It was the lizard¡¯s turn to look away.  ¡°Nothing.  It is just¡­ I have some history there ¨C the place we¡¯re heading.  It is uncomfortable for me.  I would appreciate space and for you to respect my privacy.  The considerate hunter respects boundaries.¡±

    Hmm.  That one was new.  Also, convenient.

    Although, this explained why Fang was so insistent on going anywhere else.  Why he¡¯d manufactured this entire encounter ¨C had backed me into a corner.

    Frankly, I was pretty impressed.

    But now I was also super curious!

    I mean, what could he be hiding?  A secret family ¨C you know, the not dead kind?  Oh, or wait!  What if he had a mistress?  Or maybe it was something really humiliating?  Like did he secretly do improv?  Modern, interpretive dance?  There had been that time back in the gate ¨C you know when he tapped his traps with his little blood dagger¡­

    ¡°Or what if he¡¯s a wanted lizard?¡± Lili added, excitement coloring her voice.  ¡°Like maybe he murdered someone?  Like a ton of someones!¡±

    ¡°Are you joking?  He was super weak before the gate.  He probably just stole their stuff and ran away.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, you¡¯re right.  Way more likely.¡±

    Fang flinched as the words kept scrawling down my skin, but he just crossed his arms and his jaw snapped shut with a click.  ¡°Not telling,¡± he grunted.

    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon, you have to tell us!  Pleeeaaase?  You made me tell you about my mental health challenges¡ªyou even forced me.  Twisted my arm.  I mean, technically that was Lili, but we both know you tricked her into it.  You clever lizard, you.¡±

    Okay, he wasn¡¯t glaring any more.  He liked that, huh?  Compliments?

    Shame he¡¯d never given me any.  Ever.

    But he still wasn¡¯t talking.

    Luckily, I had a backup plan for that.

    ¡°What about for some nimbus gems?¡± I asked.

    He twitched!  I saw it!

    ¡°N-no¡­ not even for that.¡±

    Oh.  My.  Gods.

    Which meant whatever this was ¨C it had to be amazing, right?  Better than drugs even!

    But the tight-lipped, hypocritical trash goblin wasn¡¯t going to give it up.  Which just meant we needed to make it to this town even faster.  Unfortunately, there was a screaming bamboo forest in the way ¨C one that made it hard to pull the wagon.  Plus, it was still partially covered in Poo-Crete.  Even if I cleaned it up and made a few small upgrades, another barrage of flaming shit and our tracks would get locked up and we¡¯d be stranded.

    And then there was the bamboo forest.  It was already regrowing, weird tendrils emerging from the fragments of torn plant flesh, hunting for other scraps before pulling them inside the tube and devouring them.  Even if we cut through it somehow, it would just keep regrowing.  How would we¡ª

    I hesitated, my brow furrowing as I noticed something intriguing.

    The bamboo was regrowing, cannibalizing itself, and forming new stalks all throughout the clearing.  Well, almost.  There were a few patches where the bamboo wasn¡¯t growing, where it seemed trapped ¨C ringed by a fresh line of Poo-Crete.

    Almost like it couldn¡¯t cross that thin line of monkey shit.

    In that moment, a new plan bloomed in my mind.  A new project.

    Except the wagon would be heavy with the upgrades I had in mind.  Maybe too heavy for me and the babies to pull it.  Yet a smile crept across my face as my eyes locked on the cutest sight in the Outer Reaches ¨C my babies cuddling a second-rate staring contestant.

    Maybe there was another way¡­

    ¡°Ooooh, I like this plan!¡± Lili purred.  ¡°Rivers of nimbus and bloody carnage!¡±

    ¡°Nyx?  I do not like this expression ¨C this creepy thing you are doing with your lips,¡± Fang murmured.  ¡°What are you planning?¡± he demanded, suspiciously.

    ¡°Lili, what is he thinking?¡± he yelled into my ear.

    Except this time, only question marks rippled up my arm.

    Accompanied by the sound of Lili¡¯s cackling.

    We were back, baby.  A united front.

    I hated this new couple¡¯s therapy, but it was still effective.

    My smile just widened.  ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.  Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Now Fang looked terrified.  Which was perfect.

    A family vacation should push you out of your comfort zone.  It should inspire you to try new things, see new places, taste new food, and murder entirely different species. However, our vacation had been missing something ¨C something important.

    What was a road trip¡­ without a road?

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 12

    Chapter 12 - Cruise Control

    We were finally ready!

    Sure, it had taken a few days.  But you couldn¡¯t rush pure genius.

    Well, I mean, you could, technically.  And Fang had certainly tried ¨C something about Horus and Eris and our gruesome deaths or whatever.

    For some reason, I wasn¡¯t that worried, though.

    Another feeling.  Lili agreed too.

    Besides, there was important work to do.  Crucial really.

    Like it took a while to prepare for our road trip.  And then there were the completely necessary upgrades to our Death Wagon.  It was important to learn to iterate ¨C to strive for constant and relentless self-improvement that bordered on masochism.  And if, in the process, you created a rolling, armored death-fortress and utterly annihilated the local flora and fauna¡­ well, that was just collateral damage.

    Or creativity fuel, as I liked to call it.

    Anyway, first we coated the whole wagon in a super thick layer of poo-crete.  I mean, Fang had eaten quite a bit of the original wooden frame. Seriously, he had a problem.  Past tense, of course.  Because he was clean now.  Mostly.

    It was just awesome.  I loved it.  Really.

    It didn¡¯t bother me at all that I couldn¡¯t blackmail him into divulging his precious secrets.  Not.  At.  All.  That just gave me more time to work on my wagon.

    Speaking of which, I also built a canopy out of more poo-crete and a protective ledge over the tracks.  The bamboo tubes really helped with the framing.  Except¡­ the walls let out a muted moan when you touched them now.  It was weird, but you got used to it after a while.  Plus, it could double as an alarm system if someone tried to steal my wagon!  Which was a concern for obvious reasons.

    I mean, I still planned to steal Emporos¡¯ ride.

    Oh, and I also made a sort of, well¡­ plow?  It was attached to the front and mounted just below the skeletal, mostly-rotten kraell head.  That was to help with the debris and obstacles.  Stuff like the screaming bamboo.  Also, it dipped a few inches into the soil to help rip it out by the root system.  You know, since the stalks regrew really fast, shoots spearing up from the ground all around our camp.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking.

    ¡°But Nyx, with all that poo-crete, the wagon must be really heavy ¨C maybe too heavy for even you and your impressive and indomitable strength.¡±

    Which was fair.  But you¡¯re forgetting, I already solved that problem.  Wee have a new hitchhiker! And there are universal rules of hitchhiking.  You know, to pay for the ride, of course.  Everyone knows that¡ª

    Why are you looking at me that way?  Have you really never heard of this?

    Oh c¡¯mon, it even rhymes!  Grass, gas, or kick-ass?

    Huh, well maybe it¡¯s just me.  Anyway, we chose gas. Also, kick-ass.  I mean, we already had plenty of bamboo.  That¡¯s sort of like thick grass, right?  And there was nothing that said we could only choose one.  I don¡¯t make up the rules here.

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Lili asked.

    Yup.  100%.  I just enforce them with militant precision.

    But since the Poison Kitty was out of gas and our wagon didn¡¯t really have a steering system or brakes or any suspension or even an engine, we had to improvise.

    Specifically, I reconfigured the harness.

    Now the Poison Kitty was just lashed to the wagon by twin shadow chains.  And just in case you forgot somehow ¨C which happens to the best of us ¨C that means it doubled its pulling strength.  I was hoping it was going to be enough.  I mean, he looked pretty skinny.

    What?  What was that?  Why was Poison Kitty okay pulling the wagon?

    Funny you should ask!  You see, during out staring contest, well¡­

    I felt like we connected.

    Over those hours and days staring into each other¡¯s eyes, we became more than simple competitors brought together by fate and family.  Poison Kitty acknowledged me.  Disgust and curiosity and amusement slowly turned to respect.  Personally, I think he saw something in me he recognized ¨C and me in him.  In those lovely, glowing, green eyes, I saw a pain and frustration and barely suppressed rage oh-so-similar to my own.  A kindred spirit.

    I guess what I¡¯m saying is that the eyes are the window to the soul.

    ¡°And by that you mean you got bored sitting there,¡± Lili added wearily.  ¡°Then you made a bunch of shit up in your head like you always do.¡±

    Uh, no!  We connected.  It happened.

    Okay, fine¡­ I might have gotten a little bored.  It was just the two of us sitting there for a really long time, day and night, surrounded by monkey corpses.  Which got me thinking.  Why was the Poison Kitty here?  I mean, it didn¡¯t attack us ¨C just the monkeys, right?  Which implied what?  That it was hunting them maybe?

    Then I noticed in my peripheral vision that Poison Kitty¡¯s other two sets of eyes were sometimes glaring at the monkeys ¨C watching them as they twitched on the ground.  If the poison wore off, the kitty would launch another spike.  Like it was trying to keep them incapacitated?  I mean, if it wanted to kill them, it could have, right?  It just needed to aim the spines at the head or neck or heart or poo-crete sack.

    Instead, the kitty was keeping them alive.  But why?

    Now, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking.

    ¡°Maybe the Poison Kitty is a vegetarian.¡±

    I thought the same thing.  But then I made him the demon monkey burgers!

    And he ate them!  Yeah, that whole thing with the handholding ¨C that was an experiment.  The handholding was, uh¡­ totally part of it.

    Why are you looking at me like that?  Like you don¡¯t trust me?  Tell them Lili!

    ¡°He¡­ he actually did plan that.  Sort of,¡± she offered in a stunned voice.

    And then. ¡°How did I not notice this?¡± she muttered to herself.

    Like I said before, genius over here.

    Anyway, we could rule out vegetarian now.

    Which left only one other plausible explanation.

    It must be about revenge.

    ¡°Gods damn it, not this again,¡± Lili groaned.

    Hey, it makes sense, though!  Like the kitty was clearly hunting the monkeys.  And then it incapacitated them ¨C but kept them alive.  Also, it never eats the live, uncooked ones ¨C only my sliders.  Possibly because my cooking was just that amazing.  And wasn¡¯t Poison Kitty the one that stacked all the monkeys in a big moaning, twitchy pile?

    Why else except to take them back to his lair and torture the shit out them?

    Possibly literally.  The poo-crete was super useful.

    ¡°That is so stupid,¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°What sort of threat could these monkeys possibly pose to that monster?¡±

    Huh, I guess she was right about that.

    We had means and opportunity, but the motive was still muddy.

    Maybe the demon monkeys had coated Poison Kitty¡¯s mate in poo-crete in her sleep and entombed her in a mausoleum of cured monkey shit?  Or him?  Who was I to judge the relationship between feral, poisonous kittys covered in metallic, poison-etched spines?  Or maybe the monkeys had killed its babies?

    Either way, it didn¡¯t matter.  Mostly because I was totally right.  I mean, the kitty had been pretty enthusiastic after I explained the plan.

    ¡°You just stuck the harness on its back while yelling at it to hold still,¡± Lili observed.  ¡°It stabbed you so many times.  That doesn¡¯t count as explaining.¡±

    Those were, uh, love stabs.  I should know.  Fang gave me lots¡ª

    ¡°I also think it is revenge,¡± Fang hissed.

    See!  Also, I must have been talking out loud¡­

    ¡°Yeah, right.  He¡¯s just trying to suck up to you,¡± Lili snapped.  ¡°To distract you so we can¡¯t uncover his deep, dark secrets.  You shouldn¡¯t fall for it¡ª¡±

    She was probably right, but a guy could dream¡­

    ¡°You do?¡±  I asked Fang.  Wow, my face hurt.

    Oh, I was smiling again.  By accident this time.

    I also felt my forehead itch and Fang glared at it.  I really hoped it wasn¡¯t a penis.  Then those glowing yellow eyes refocused on my face.

    "Yes, it is definitely revenge.  Possibly also your sash.  It is quite¡­ fetching.¡±

    Hmm.  Okay, I could hear it now.  That sounded suspicious as rainbow wreckage.

    ¡°Perhaps you could even reconsider our seating arrangements¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nope, not happening.  Not unless you want to tell me your secrets.¡±

    ¡°Ha!  Serves you right!¡±  Lili snapped.  My right hand might have made an obscene gesture, Maribel clamping down on those traitorous fingers.

    ¡°Fine, then there is no point pretending,¡± Fang hissed, his eyes squashing flat in an instant.  ¡°Your idea is stupid.  Also, your sash is ugly.  The wagon is too heavy ¨C totally impractical.  I am glad I don¡¯t have a seat.  I will be safer walking.¡±

    Uh, what was that?  What was he talking about?You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Well, uh, I might have also reconfigured the interior of the Death Wagon.  Gone was Fang¡¯s throne of slightly damp and still-bloody ratskin bags ¨C those were now stored behind a poo-crete partition.  I¡¯d built a separate containment cell for the demon monkeys made out of more thick bars of poo-crete covered bamboo.  It was then lined with Poison Kitty¡¯s spines ¨C all facing inward.  Then I made a driver¡¯s seat right up front with a decent view.  In short, we¡¯d solved the primary problem that had caused us to crash.

    Specifically, the backseat driving.

    My fix was to remove the backseat.  I know, brilliant right?

    Which meant Fang had to walk!   But who cares?  He was fast, right?

    ¡°And you would do this to the babies too?  Make them walk?¡± Fang demanded.  ¡°Is this how a good [Battle Daddy] would treat them?¡±

    ¡°Squeak, squeak, squeak.¡±

    Woah, they were soooo cute.  My babies were all crouched around Fang, pawing at his scaly arms, their saucer-like eyes super wide and a beautiful blood-red.  They squeaked plaintively as they stared up at me.

    ¡°See?  Maybe they will stop loving you for this.  Maybe they will finally come to accept me as the new [Battle Daddy]¡ª¡±

    ¡°You deserve so many treats!¡± I interrupted, throwing them some demon monkey sliders.  They quickly snatched them from the air and devoured them ravenously all while Fang looked on with wide eyes.  ¡°You remember the rules, right?  If you follow daddy¡¯s orders and help him steer, he¡¯ll give you more treats.¡±

    ¡°No, do not listen.  This is just more blackmail,¡± Fang hissed at the babies.

    They all looked at him ¨C alone, cold, glaring from the mists.

    Then they looked at me ¨C sitting atop my armored death fortress next to a pile of still-steaming demon monkey sliders, a domesticated poison kitty tethered to the wagon nearby and scratching in irritation at his harness.  I slowly patted the seat beside me¡­

    The babies all abruptly fled Fang, scurrying up the side of the wagon.

    The impotent trash goblin could only glare.  ¡°Little traitors.  I shall not forget.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡± I asked him sweetly.  ¡°Maybe you want to divulge all of your dark secrets?  Hand over that strange bag on your back full of corpses¡­ skeletons¡­ or, uh, flowers?¡±  He wasn¡¯t reacting at all.  Shit.  ¡°Anyway, it looks pretty heavy and you¡¯re going to be doing a lot of walking.  Like a lot of walking.  Are you sure you want to carry it?¡±

    His glowing eyes met mine ¨C just two bromates in a stare off.

    He must have forgotten about the sash, though.

    My point is that he lost.

    ¡°No!  The answer is still no!¡± Fang snapped a few minutes later, his expression sullen.  ¡°This plan will kill us all.  You should end it now.  Just eat me.¡±

    Wow.  He was so dramatic.  I would never eat my co-parent!

    No idea where he even got such a ridiculous idea¡­

    ¡°I mean, if he¡¯s offering, though,¡± Lili murmured.  ¡°Girl¡¯s gotta eat.¡±

    My [Shadow Aura] might have nibbled on him slightly before I stopped her.

    ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t possibly do that to my bromate,¡± I told him.

    Fang just snorted.  ¡°That is not true, you nibble on me so often¡ª

    ¡°Ahh, ahh, ahh.  Do you remember the rules?¡± I asked.

    His jaw snapped shut.  Then a reluctant ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°Want to say them back to me just to make sure?¡± I asked sweetly.

    ¡°Every time I complain or scream¡ª¡±

    ¡°Like a little, sapian girl,¡± I interjected.

    He winced, but continued. ¡°Every time I scream or complain, I lose a gem.  If I keep working, you will give me gems.¡±

    Fang shook his head.  ¡°This makes no sense, though.  What if you get distracted or lose count?  Or do you simply plan to trust me¡­¡± he trailed off menacingly, mist coiling around him and obscuring everything but his glowing snake eyes and toothy-grin.

    I was unimpressed.

    ¡°Maribel is the judge.  She¡¯ll keep an eye on you.  Literally, actually,¡± I offered, pointing at my left hand ¨C which was waving ¨C and also at my left eye, threads of corruption running through it.  We were testing something.  Specifically, whether my eyes could operate independently.  If they could that would be so awesome, right?

    I could win two staring contests at the same time.

    Poison Kitty had given me the idea.

    Besides, Maribel was really sweet when you got to know her.  At least, as long as you weren¡¯t an inferior rodent-like species that needed to be purged with impunity and fire.  I guess what I¡¯m saying is that she was fully on board with my plan.

    Which meant I could totally trust her.  Maybe.

    Plus, we still had the mutually assured destruction thing.

    Here, you can think of this one as a downpayment,¡± I said as Maribel tossed him a gem.  Fang¡¯s pupils bloomed outward in an instant.  The crystal vanished in a puff of mist, followed shortly by the sound of crushing glass and a loud snort.

    ¡°Ahh, fine.  Are we ready then?¡± Fang demanded, his eyes brighter now.

    That was more like it!  I was loving the enthusiasm.

    ¡°Actually¡­ yes.  I think we are!¡±  I announced.

    Oh, uh, by the way, I may have installed a surround-sound system in our new ride ¨C what I was now referring to as the Death Wagon 2.0.  The bass wasn¡¯t anything to write home about, but who needed that anyway?  Besides, it could hit one hell of a spine-tingling high note.  One I was pretty sure could shatter glass.

    WAIL, SHRIEK, SQUEAK!

    Uh, what was that?  Did I install the screaming bamboo pipes near the driver seat ¨C ones that were embedded in the poo-crete.  I mean, technically, [Engineering] said this was a type of pipe organ.  It had little strings attached to pipes of different lengths ¨C I just picked the widest tubes.  You know, to make them louder.

    When I pulled it, the effect was like an air-horn ¨C except one that screamed bloody murder in different pitches.  The babies loved it.  So did Poison Kitty.

    I could tell since he just took off running.

    Alright, this might also be another situation where my expectations didn¡¯t quite intersect with reality.  Although, in my defense, it was because the wagon was a little wider, a little longer, several times heavier, we were trying to travel through a nearly impenetrable forest full of flesh eating bamboo, and Poison Kitty was pulling the wagon all by himself.

    I¡¯ll admit, I made some assumptions about my new second-placed friend.  Anyone who was that good at staring contests was probably in horrible shape, right?  You know, from not moving for days or even weeks at a time?  I mean, I should know!  I was getting extra thick.  Also, didn¡¯t the homing spikes mean Poison Kitty didn¡¯t need to chase down his prey?  In my defense, he¡¯d spent most of our relationship sitting or napping, hadn¡¯t he?

    So, I was expecting a gradual build-up of speed.

    Maybe some light heckling from Fang.

    You know, the usual.

    Instead, Poison kitty crouched down, tensed his legs ¨C this strange emerald energy winding through the metal spines as they began to vibrate rapidly.

    Then we shot off like damn like a damn Ventu.

    ¡°Hoooooooooly shiiiiiiiiiit!¡± I screamed.

    Lili was just roaring in my head.

    And it was clear why.  The plow was causing dirt to plume into the air high overhead as it tore out massive hunks of the bamboo roots system and sent the tubes flying.  Meanwhile, Lili¡¯s [Shadow Aura] was draining all that precious nimbus as it swept up in front of us, the energy surging through my body.  Oh, wow.  That felt great.

    It was almost enough to make me forget about Fang¡¯s secrets.

    Eating your problems is really the best.  I highly recommend it.

    And as those tubes flew up into the air, my scaly bromate took care of¡ª

    Wait, uh, actually¡­ where was Fang?

    I turned to see him racing after the wagon, screaming something I couldn¡¯t hear.   Probably because I kept pulling on the cords to my new sound system.

    WAIL, SHRIEK, SQUEAK!

    My babies really liked the new sound system, apparently.  Although, communicating with Fang was going to be a challenge.  Luckily, I¡¯d planned ahead.

    I grabbed a spare tube and puckered up.

    ¡°MAKE A MISTY!¡± I screamed back at him.

    ¡°I will not do it if you use that word¡ª¡± he shouted backed.

    WAIL, SHRIEK, SQUEAK!

    Ahh, sorry.  My hand slipped.

    ¡°I will not do it even if you¡ª¡±

    WAIL, SHRIEK, SQUEAK!

    It didn¡¯t really count as complaining if I couldn¡¯t hear him, did it?  I mean, he could be saying anything.   Like, ¡°Wow, Nyx.  This contraption you¡¯ve built is even more amazing than I expected.  I¡¯m so proud of you.  Also, your sound system rocks and you were right to stop and pick up a hitchhiker.  Which means I was wrong.  So, very, very wrong.  And stupid.  And literally green with envy.¡±

    ¡°I can still hear you!¡± Fang roared.

    Ahh.  Haha.  I guess I was still using the tube.  Woops.

    Then he just started making obscene gestures.  Huh, did that count as complaining?

    Maribel sort of tilted my left hand back and forth.  I took that as a maybe?

    So, another deep breath and then, ¡°DO IT OR NO GEMS!¡±

    Fang seemed to resign himself to his fate after that.  He just exploded into a cloud of mist now located behind the wagon ¨C not overtop of it.  That¡¯s where we messed up last time.  Correction, where he messed up.  Anyway, flying blades of mist sliced through the air and carved up the bamboo, which landed in neat stacks atop the wagon canopy.  Meanwhile, Maribel routinely grabbed a nimbus gem and hurled it back at Fang every time he started stumbling and lagging behind.

    Sure, this might seem cruel and heartless.  Possibly even petty.

    However, you could also frame this in a positive light.

    I mean, Fang was getting fresh air.  Exercise.  Plus, we had him on a strict diet of nimbus gems.  For his own good, of course.  To ensure he stayed clean-ish.

    Plus, I¡¯d told him so many times that if he didn¡¯t stop complaining, he¡¯d have to walk.

    And well¡­ I¡¯m a man of my word.  Yeah, this is about integrity.

    Anyway, it was smooth plowing from there, our Death Wagon rumbling through a forest of screaming bamboo.  Sure, there was no road ¨C no highway.  But we built our own.  As a family.  Okay, fine.  It was mostly my babies.

    Haven¡¯t you noticed the little chutes on either side of the Death Wagon?

    Huh, no?  You didn¡¯t?  Wow, okay, this was so cool¡­

    So, you know how I noticed that the bamboo didn¡¯t regrow where the poo-crete had cured?  You know, back at the gas station?

    Oh, yeah.  You see it now, right?

    We were really building a highway!

    Yanking up the bamboo by the roots, chopping up the tubes and storing them neatly on top of the poo-crete canopy ¨C Fang¡¯s clones lashing the bundles down with ropes made of rat sinew ¨C all while my babies squeezed out some poo-crete that ran down those chutes and lined either side of a fresh new path through the Screaming Bamboo Forest.  And as the crap cured and expanded, it created a paved roadway.

    I called it the Highway to Hell!

    Woo!  That deserved a yank!

    WAIL, SHRIEK, SQUEAK!

    Ahh, the babies were just so excited.

    Okay, a couple dozen more pulls¡­

    WAIL, SHRIEK, SQUEAK!

    WAIL, SHRIEK, SQUEAK!

    The more astute among you have probably caught on by now.  The highway and the armored death fortress and my perfectly-crafted strategy to wear Fang down until he broke and confessed all of his many dark secrets were just the beginning.  Just the opening act.  The warm-up to our family road trip.  One that was making so much noise¡­

    Oh yeah.  That¡¯s right.

    I can tell from the horrified looks on your faces that you finally see it¡ª

    ¡°Wait, I want to tell them this time!¡± Lili interjected.

    ¡°Alright, fine.  You did help come up with it,¡± I acknowledged.

    ¡°Okay, Nyx was right.  We needed a travel game!  And it was really hard to come up with something where everyone could participate ¨C I mean, some of us don¡¯t even have our own vessel!  Also, it needed to be something that Nyx couldn¡¯t ruin by turning it into some sort of existential metaphor for his life.  That part was critical.  So, I had a thought.  The monkeys were attracted to the screaming, right?¡±

    They really were.  Even now, the monkeys were scurrying across the tops of the bamboo forest ¨C hundreds of them ¨C all lured by the sound of a modern blended family making memories that would last a lifetime.

    Or, at least, I would never forget this moment, dashing through the screaming bamboo forest at a breakneck pace, plumes of dirt, roots, and bamboo rocketing into the sky, all while hundreds of demon monkeys circled round in writhing, leaping, twisting waves.

    They weren¡¯t even throwing their poo!  They were just staring ¨C probably in awe.  Whisked away by the beautiful melody we were making.  And I mean that literally.  The force of the sound system was enough to stun them as they neared, several losing their footing as they covered their huge ears with their paws.  They were probably just overwhelmed by my musical genius.

    Honestly, it was almost flattering.  Maybe we should take this a step further.  We could even start a family band¡ª

    Oh shit!  The monkeys were starting to recover, poo igniting in a rippling red wave.

    Never mind, I might have read that one wrong.

    ¡°But we have a solution for all of that shit!¡± Lili announced in glee.

    We did indeed.  ¡°Babies!¡± I called out.

    They stopped squeezing out the poo-crete, threw their used up demon monkeys back in the cage ¨C one staying behind to slam the door closed.  As for the other two?   They leaped off the front of the wagon and dove straight into the tracks even as I whistled for the Poison Kitty to stop ¨C through a tube, of course.

    The wagon skidded to a halt and the kitty turned to glare at me¡ªthat is, until he noticed the legion of monkeys waiting for him.  Then a different expression shone in those emerald depths.  One that sang a song of pure vengeance.

    ¡°Poison kitty, it¡¯s your turn!¡±  I shouted.

    My new best friend and the second-best staring contestant in the screaming bamboo forest took that opportunity to unleash the second phase of our plan.  Its spines all stood up on end, glowing green venom leaking from each tip.  Then it launched them.  All of them.  The air was soon filled with the whirring buzz of a few hundred poison needles.

    The monkeys tried to run then, but the needles just followed them.  They struck the demon monkeys with pinpoint precision.  The creatures went rigid and began to fall from the bamboo.  Flaming shit and furry bodies and staring eyes tumbling down around us.

    Oh, and a lot of mist.

    It was¡­ honestly it was¡ª

    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Lili murmured in awe.

    She was right.  I¡¯d never forget this either.

    Oh, why was there so much mist?

    Well, each time Fang used [Evasion], he summoned the mist blades to chop up the bamboo, but he also summoned two clones!   His doppelgangers then snatched the bodies from the air as they dropped, tossing them into the wagon where my perfect babies respawned ¨C grabbed their slider treats, of course ¨C and then helped stuff the monkeys into the cage.

    And as his clones flitted past, I could see it.  Fang would never admit it; would deny it to his grave, but I could see that feral gleam in his eyes.  He was getting into the game.  Sure, I¡¯d had to bribe him with the gems, but loot was still loot.

    Even if, this time, it was a few hundred paralyzed demon monkeys.

    Also, several tons of bamboo lumber.

    Either way, this was best road trip game ever!

    Lili calls it Monkey Massacre.  What do you think?

    Hey, uh, you¡¯re being super quiet.  I mean, more quiet than normal anyway.  And why are you all looking at me like that?  Are you¡­ are some of you laughing?

    Oh, I know.  You¡¯re probably just in shock.

    It¡¯s not every day you see a family come together like this to create pure, unholy magic.  Sure, sometimes I shoot for the stars and my aim is off¡­ but this time?

    Well, this time, I¡¯m pretty sure we nailed it.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 - Wingman

    The Birth Place of the Death Wagon 1.0

    Horus

    I would recognize my Future Friend¡¯s work anywhere.

    The size of the campfire ¨C larger than my arm span.  And nearby sat a crude grill and a workstation made of river mud.  Even without his name etched into the side, I knew it was him.  This was a camping kitchen built for a giant.  Built just for me.

    That¡¯s why I already had the fire lit by the time I returned with My Lady and Danae.  The timbers my Future Friend had left neatly stacked nearby burned extra hot.  Also, there were two beds ¨C which came in extra-small and normal-sized, a shelter that could house even my impressive girth, and there were even ratskin blankets ¨C which I had cleaned in the river and left hanging by the fire to dry.  They were nearly there.

    As I said, the fire was very hot.

    Hot enough to push away the mists and reveal Cocytus¡¯ sparkling waters, spirits swimming in an eternal river.  To send off a massive plume of smoke ¨C yet that soot never touched the kitchen or camp.  Almost like my Future Friend had anticipated the draft off the river; like he¡¯d chosen this spot on purpose.  Like he¡¯d constructed this camp for me.

    I will admit, I had begun to wonder if I had been reading into things before ¨C back in the grotesque hell sewer.  I¡¯d even begun to doubt that my Future Friend had designed that brutal shit-scape just for me¡­

    Even as I secretly hoped he had.  That maybe I had found not just a Future Friend, but a Future Best Friend.  That perhaps he¡¯d read my journal ¨C come to see the world through the eyes of a warrior with the secret heart of a poet.  In that world ¨C in that story ¨C I¡¯d even begun to toy with a new idea; to wonder if maybe¡­ maybe I¡¯d been wrong all this time.

    Perhaps some secrets of the heart weren¡¯t meant to hide among the dusty, dark pages of my journal, but to be shared.  Maybe, just maybe my gift with the pen might give voice to the battle song in my heart; might allow me to sing my love from the mountaintops ¨C loud enough for the whole Five Rivers to hear it.  That others might just join me ¨C raise their voices with mine.  A choir of battle and brotherhood; a world united by the power of love¡ª

    No, no ¨C I was running ahead of myself.  It happened.  I was very fast.

    It was easy to make that mistake¡­

    Because those doubts were finally dashed.

    Because I now knew those dreams were real.

    Because, this time, my Future Friend had left a note.

    One addressed to me.  To Horus.  No¡­ to his Dear Friend Horus.

    One filled with meticulous instructions¡ª

    ¡°What sweet hell is this?¡± My Lady muttered, her eyes burning and fingers turn, turn, turning her ring, the gem reflecting the blaze of the fire.

    I quickly stood upright, paper crinkling as I hid the note.  It did not matter if I damaged the paper.  I had already memorized its contents.

    ¡°The Hollow¡¯s camp,¡± I reported, with a wave and a smile.

    The [Bullshit] came so easily now.

    ¡°No¡­ no, I see that,¡± My Lady growled so sweetly, her eyes smoldering as she inspected the latest version of Nyx¡¯s kitchen table.  ¡°He put his name on everything ¨C everything.  Again!  He makes himself untrackable through Emporos somehow, but he puts his name on literally everything?  Why?  Why?  Is he taunting us?¡±

    I had my doubts.  I didn¡¯t know my Future Friend well ¨C not yet ¨C but I suspected he may have been trying to claim credit for his masterclass in¡­ well, not suffering.  Not exactly?

    Dating perhaps?  That seemed more likely.  At least, based on his instructions.

    ¡°Ahh, perhaps the answers will come to us once we¡¯ve had something to eat,¡± I suggested.  My Future Friend had even left clean plates and utensils.  He was so considerate.

    ¡°You mean the lesser sea serpents he must have killed here?¡± My Lady demanded.  ¡°How is this even possible.  Even silver ranks struggle with the serpents¡­¡±

    Ahh, yes.  The blood soaked ground was a dead giveaway.  Also, the massive pile of scrap meat and bones.  The other animals must have been too frightened to approach the corpses ¨C which explained why the fresh meat was still stored in a small, stone cold locker beneath the kitchenette.  Frankly, I loved what had he¡¯d done with this camp.

    It was almost¡­ nostalgic.  Reminiscent of my childhood.

    ¡°Ahh, yes.  It appears they slayed several of the creatures somehow,¡± I noted.  Of course he had.  My Future Friend was also a master of battle.  ¡°Although, at least we have plenty of food,¡± I offered, waving at the workstation where the snake meat was ¡°marinating.¡±

    I had not heard of this¡­ soaking meat in ¡°herbs and spices.¡±

    However, this was part of my friend¡¯s instructions.

    Danae was just staring at the food, drooling slightly.

    I briefly considered pitching her into the blaze that lingered nearby.  Even now, the heat singed her fur.  She did not even notice.  She might not even feel it¡­ but no.  My Lady was still watching us, her burning eyes narrowed in suspicion as she glared at the fire and makeshift kitchen.  Ahh, better to gently turn the vulpin woman and push her toward the enormous table my friend had built ¨C one more than big enough even for me.

    ¡°Is the meat poisoned?¡± My Lady demanded, glaring as I set down plates.

    ¡°I do not believe so,¡± I replied.

    I didn¡¯t know for sure, of course ¨C but his note assured me it wasn¡¯t and my Future Friend hadn¡¯t lied to me yet.  I was more nervous that I¡¯d prepared the food incorrectly.  He had left detailed instructions, but my hands were too large and strong for his tiny tools.  I might not have gotten the measurements rights.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not eating it,¡± Eris snapped.  ¡°And I sure as hell am not sleeping here¡ª¡±

    Which is exactly what the note said she would say.  Or close enough.

    ¡°Perhaps he wishes to lure us into a false sense of security,¡± I replied smoothly, moving back to the kitchen.  The vat of snake fat hanging over the fire was starting to smoke, which meant it was almost ready.  ¡°At least, that¡¯s the only thing that makes sense, no?¡±

    She nodded, reluctantly, massaging her neck.  Her muscles so looked tight.

    My fingers twitched.  No, no his instructions had been clear.

    I just needed to wait.  My Future Friend hadn¡¯t steered me wrong yet.

    Ahh, plus, I was supposed to watch the fry time carefully¡­

    Thankfully, the [Bullshit] required little thought now.

    ¡°However, if that¡¯s the case,¡± I continued over my shoulder, ¡°then there should be no harm in taking advantage of his hospitality.  We only hurt ourselves if we give into his mind games ¨C mind games that could otherwise force to march through the swamp in the dark and while fatigued.¡±

    I gestured at Danae at that last part.  She had collapsed on the table.

    She appeared to be unconscious.  That was surprising.  We had only been marching for a week.  We¡¯d also eaten and slept just a few days ago.  She was so weak; so easy to kill.

    Except I would have to make her death look like an accident¡­

    My Lady didn¡¯t look happy with my response, but her fire still dimmed.  My duty was to destroy the obstacles to My Lady¡¯s heart.

    And, sometimes, that obstacle was herself.

    My Future Friend¡¯s words were profound.

    ¡°Fine.  We will sleep here.  And I am¡­ curious about this serpent you¡¯re cooking,¡± My Lady said, sniffing at the savory aroma and eyeing the frying vat with curiosity.

    The snake did smell divine.  Marinated in a spice Nyx had left behind.  A small jar.  It was green and glowed slightly, but that went away quickly once the meat was fried.  Maybe the pollen jars that Rowan was talking about?  It had a similar consistency ¨C a fine powder that got everywhere and made my fingers tingle.

    ¡°I will get you some, My Lady,¡± I offered with a bow.

    She nodded as she slid down the bench and closer to the fire ¨C as though she was cold.  And perhaps she was.  Her spirit had been strangely absent for days now.

    Although, My Lady assured me that this pace was for our own good.  We needed to move carefully to ensure we didn¡¯t miss my our prey¡¯s trail, she¡¯d said.

    I did not understand her concern.

    The camp was obvious.  I had seen the smoke from miles away.

    ¡°Ahh, and perhaps something to dri¡ª?¡± She cut off as I handed her the mug ¨C one filled with chilled river water from Cocytus itself, the liquid brimming with nimbus.

    We both froze.  Her fingers touching mine.  Mine refusing to move.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Our eyes locked on anything but each other.

    Then Danae snored loudly and ruined everything.  Again.

    The vulpin¡¯s death would be slow and painful.

    The moment was gone in an instant.

    My Lady jerked her hand away and was suddenly preoccupied with her drink.  She must have been extremely thirsty ¨C taking many, many small sips that rendered her unable to speak for several long minutes.  When she had finally drained the cup, she said, ¡°Have you, um, found any evidence of where Nyx was heading after this?¡±

    I nodded.  ¡°Of course.  Behind you.¡±

    She turned.  ¡°I don¡¯t see¡ª

    Then she did ¨C I knew she would.  Although, it had taken me a moment too.  In the waning daylight, the tracks were hard to see.  Improbably far apart.  Nearly quadruple my arm span.  The imprint pattern obvious to anyone with an interest in bloody mayhem.  Those two trenches had been created by a spine.  I had seen it thousands of times.

    But never quite this large, or uniform, or¡­ parallel.

    Those two deep trenches stretched off toward the north, disappearing into the mists.

    ¡°Oh, good gods.  What did that maniac build now?¡± My Lady hissed.

    The rest of the evidence was littered around us.  Bones and scraps of wood.  Broken tools.  A gigantic trench leading down to the river ¨C as though someone had dragged a ship from the waters.  More huge wooden blocks set at even intervals ¨C a workstation for something truly enormous; something that even made me begin to feel small.  And everything still labeled, of course.  There was even a little plaque¡ª

    Ahh, yes, I¡¯d forgotten.

    ¡°He did leave a¡­ note of sorts,¡± I offered, gesturing at the plaque.

    It was fine, the snake needed a few more minutes, anyway.  The note had said to wait until they were a golden brown.  Or char black.  My preference.

    My Lady squinted ¨C her sense more than acute enough to read the words even at that distance.  A testament to her extensive training.

    ¡°The birth place of the¡­ Death Wagon 1.0?¡± My Lady murmured.  ¡°What is a Death Wagon?  That doesn¡¯t sound good, does it?¡±

    I respectfully disagreed.  That sounded amazing.  I wished to see it with my own eyes.  Also, to ride it.  Yet I still used [Bullshit] to be safe.

    ¡°No, no it doesn¡¯t, My lady.¡±

    It seemed my instinct was right.  She heaved out a heavy sigh, rubbing at her temples, her shoulders still tense and tight.  Yet it was still not time to act.

    ¡°It is no matter,¡± I continued with a shrug of my enormous shoulders.  ¡°At least, this should make him easy to follow.¡± I placed the snake meat on her plate, steam wafting away from it.  ¡°We have his trail now.  It is only a matter of time.¡±

    ¡°Just what is he planning?¡± She muttered, cutting at the snake distractedly.  ¡°Is he heading straight for Asphodel?  Surely, no one is that insane¡ªahh, never mind, I forgot who we were dealing with for a moment.  But what could he possibly hope to accomplish?  And why didn¡¯t he obscure his trail?  Or maybe he did?  Maybe this was all intended to throw us off his scent?  We¡¯ll have to be careful tomorrow, move slower, keep an eye out for traps,¡± she murmured, deep in thought as she popped a bite of sea serpent in her mouth.

    Her eyes went wide.  ¡°Oh, this is good!  What is this?¡±

    ¡°Snake Tempura,¡± I offered.  ¡°Fresh sea serpent fished from the waters of Cocytus, seasoned with a medley of local herbs and spices, and then deep fried.¡±

    My Lady just stared at me, blinking those beautiful simmering, suspicious eyes.  ¡°Tempura?  Deep fried?  Horus, I¡­ I didn¡¯t realize you knew how to cook.¡±

    ¡°I was secretly taking classes back in Asphodel.  Proper nutrition is important for a true warrior¡¯s muscle development and training.¡±

    More [Bullshit].  It was a reflex at this point.

    And My Lady seemed to accept it.

    Her eyes sparkled in the firelight, a rare, fleeting smile on her lips as she took another crunchy bite.  ¡°Oh, it¡¯s got a delightful kick to it!¡± she announced.

    Danae¡¯s eyes popped open at that, homed in on her own plate, and then she devoured her helping in record time.  As well as her second.  And a third.  Also, part of a fourth.

    It was quite good, I¡¯ll admit.   I had a small taste and then saved the rest of mine for later.  I was on a warrior¡¯s fast.  Rowan told me it would help me build strength and also fit through tiny doors.  Normally, the tavros eat a diet rich in¡ª

    Ahh, what was wrong with, My Lady?  Was she sick?  The snake tempura seemed to be having a strange effect on her.  The more she ate, the more she seemed to slowly¡­ relax.  I had never seen this happen.  Never.  The tension simply melted from her shoulder and those simmering flames sputtered out.

    Hmm, what about Danae¡ª

    Odd, the vulpin was already asleep again.  She was curled up in a ball by fire, not even bothering to use her bed roll.  Unusual.  She always slept with her back to a hard surface, in a low crouch, a weapon in her hand, and her eyes half-lidded.

    The tavros called this ¡°Warrior¡¯s Repose.¡±

    My Lady proved more resilient.  By her second plate, she was still rolling her shoulders in a feeble attempt to flee from those painful knots.

    Which meant it was time.

    My prey was vulnerable.  A perfect opportunity for an ambush.

    My hands were suddenly there ¨C tugging and pulling gently at the straps of her armor.  She protested weakly, but gave up when I insisted that her equipment needed to dry.

    She did not even glare at me.

    And once free of both her emotional and physical armor, there was no longer anything standing between me and those lovely knots.  My fingers had a life of their own, a soft white glow infusing each tip ¨C my weapons of war.  The perfect choice for this battle.

    My Lady didn¡¯t even protest, only let out a soft moan as I began my massage.

    Just as my Future Friend had predicted.

    Overwhelming victory.

    ¡°Ahh, thank you¡­ Horus,¡± she murmured, eyes half-lidded in bliss.

    ¡°Of course, My Lady.¡±

    Then she leaned her head back on my shoulder and her fingers wound through my fur as she let out a soft, contented sigh.  Her heart soon beat a steady rhythm of sleep as the rest of her tension faded away.  This was the first time I¡¯d seen her sleep in weeks ¨C since we had returned from the gate.  And¡­ she was so close.  So soft.  So warm.

    Ahh.  This¡ªthis wasn¡¯t covered in my Future Friend¡¯s instructions.

    What was I to do?  I looked to Danae, but she was like the dead.

    This would be a perfect time to finish her off ¨C while My Lady was finally asleep.  I could even make up some excuse; could stage the death scene.  A roaming monster perhaps?  Or perhaps she simply rolled over into the fire¡­

    Yet that would mean moving.  And right now, I was My Lady¡¯s pillow.

    Hmm, then I wouldn¡¯t move a single muscle.

    I took my duty very seriously.

    *          *          *

    I woke slowly, morning sunlight trickling down through the light mist rippling off the banks of Cocytus.  I was unsure when I had fallen asleep, however, the blaze had died down during the night, the fire still smoldering and sending off tufts of steam in the cool morning air ¨C enough heat to still keep us warm.

    Wait¡­ us?

    Feeling a weight on my chest, I looked down ¨C only for my breath to catch in my throat.  My Lady lay there, curled up in my thick fur, her armor still drying on the many, many racks nearby, my arms wrapped around her and warding off the morning chill.  Dew studded her cheeks and nose like diamonds, sparkling in the dawn¡¯s light.

    She was resplendent.

    This moment was perfect.

    I wished to capture to ¨C to trap it.  To enslave it with my secret words and keep it trapped in my journal forever.  So, I would never forget the heat of her, the rise and fall of her breath, the thud, thud, thud of her heart, the sizzle of frying fat¡ª

    Wait, what was that sound?

    I turned slightly to see Danae standing by the workstation ¨C the blaze now small enough to allow her to stand close.  She appeared to be frying up strips of snake in the oily fat.  And was that¡ªwas that my Future Friend¡¯s special seasoning?   She had used so much!

    A growl reverberated through my throat before I could help it.

    Danae whirled, our eyes meeting, then her lips broke into a broad smile.  She looked refreshed.  Like she¡¯d slept for weeks.  Some of her original sparkle returning ¨C that flame that had nearly been extinguished by my Future Friend¡¯s majestic murder dungeon.

    ¡°Ahh, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± she chirped.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe we all slept for so long.  Did you know it¡¯s been two days?  I was just making breakfast, do you want some¡ª¡±

    Had she said two days?  That couldn¡¯t be right, could it?

    Wait¡­ no, there was a more important problem right now.

    I glanced down.  My Lady was not yet awake.

    Which meant there was still time to stop Danae ¨C to put an end to her annoying, intrusive little life.  My axe rose through the air behind the vulpin and sliced forward, only to sweep through clear air as she suddenly stooped.  Danae grabbed a plate, slapped some snake tempura on top and approached, steam wafting.

    ¡°Did you use this spice before?¡± Danae asked, that precious, glowing vial in her other hand.  ¡°It¡¯s amazing.  It really rounds out the flavor of the snake.¡±

    I wanted to tell her to stop, to raise a hand¡ª

    But that would also mean moving.  Forgetting my duty.

    And as the tempura neared, those coils of delicious vapor wafting across My Lady¡¯s face, she breathed in¡­ moved¡­ began to stretch¡­ to yawn.

    ¡°Ahh, Danae, you¡¯re here,¡± My Lady murmured, eyeing the vulpin blearily.  ¡°I just had the best dream.  Horus and I were¡­¡±

    She trailed off sleepily and her eyes fluttered open again¡ª

    Only to meet mine inches away.

    The resulting blast completely evaporated the shelter my Future Friend had built ¨C blew it away in a gust of fire and smoke and ash.  Incinerated the outdoor workshop, the remains of the bonfire, and the crude kitchen my Future Friend had built.

    And as the flames faded¡ª

    I could see a familiar plaque skipping across Cocytus before diving beneath the surface ¨C entombed in its frigid waters.

    It took another minute for the smoke and dust to clear.

    And when it did, I found myself sitting in a small crater.

    Completely unharmed.  Unsurprising.  My fur was quite strong.

    I was not proud of this, but my first thought was not of My Lady ¨C or, at least, not directly.  No.  My first thought was of the seasoning.  Danae had been holding it¡ª

    Ahh, she still was.  Her golden shield was cracked and seared and it soon exploded apart, amber motes drifting down around us.  Danae just stood there, her fur singed, her hands trembling, the plate of tempura wobbling and that precious green jar still perched in her other palm hand.  Her spirit must have kept her alive.

    That was¡­ unfortunate.  But at least the jar was fine.

    My Lady would need that precious¡ª

    Oh, yes.  Where was My Lady?

    She was standing several paces away, her back to us, and her gleaming armor somehow already wrapping her limbs.  When had she had time to put it back on?

    ¡°Ahh¡­ My Lady?¡± I offered gently, rising.

    ¡°What?  What¡¯s wrong?¡± she demanded, pivoting.

    Her eyes were pure flame.  It was glorious.

    I just looked around at the ruins of Nyx¡¯s camp.  It was gone.  All of it.  Even the kitchen.  It was an impressive crater.  Almost as big as my record.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I murmured, waving.

    ¡°It was, um, necessary to destroy the camp,¡± she snapped.  ¡°We don¡¯t want to leave any evidence that the other Orders might find and we don¡¯t know the Hollow¡¯s purpose in building this trap¡ªerr, I mean, this place.  We can¡¯t trust anything that he builds.  Anything,¡± she insisted, her eyes blazing bright.

    Then she coughed into her mailed fist.  ¡°Now, prepare yourselves.  We should get moving.  He can¡¯t be far now.¡±  With that, she began to march off into the swamp.

    ¡°Wait, but are you alright¡ª¡±

    I cut off as Danae touched my arm with a shaky hand, her eyes pleading.  She slowly shook her head as My lady stormed off, each footstep causing the water to evaporate under foot.  She was soon obscured by the steam, a thick puffy trail lingering in her wake.

    Hmm, perhaps Danae was right.  Perhaps My Lady needed space.

    Although, this left the vulpin and I alone.

    Surrounded by thick steam and smoke.  With no witnesses.

    Which she seemed to realize as I turned, my eyes glowing bright white.  My axe rose behind her, the blade glimmering amid the fog.

    She had caused this; had woken My Lady.

    And yet¡­ she¡¯d also saved that precious vial of spices; had stopped me from overstepping with My Lady.  It was clear to me now that she was not a morning person.

    This must be why she had been avoiding sleeping.

    Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be necessary to kill Danae immediately¡­

    The vulpin looked down at the plate in her hand, realizing she was still holding it.  She swallowed hard¡­ then offered it to me.

    ¡°Still, uh.. still hungry?¡±

    ¡°No, I am on a diet.¡±

    She looked at me with round eyes.  ¡°Ahh¡­ of course you are.¡±

    Danae moved to turn, but my blade stopped her.  ¡°But leave the vial.¡±

    ¡°W-why?¡± She sputtered, looking suddenly reluctant.

    ¡°I should test it.  My Lady is right.  Our Future¡ªconscripts might be planning something.  I should hold onto it for safekeeping.¡±

    More [Bullshit] and Danae looked reluctant, but she handed it over when my axe loomed closer. Then she turned and scurried off after My Lady, that plate still clutched between her paws.  She soon vanished into the mixture of mist and steam.

    Which left me standing there.  Alone.

    In a massive crater, the remains of my Future Friend¡¯s delightful camp still smoldering.  My Lady no longer speaking to me.  Danae still somehow alive.  And yet¡­

    ¡°This¡­ this¡­ is the best day ever!¡± I roared.

    I was triumphant ¨C victorious in the second battle in the war for My Lady¡¯s heart.  I had followed my Future Friend¡¯s instructions to the letter and the result was beyond anything I could have possibly imagined.  The memory etched into my mind with perfect clarity.  The rise and fall of her chest.  The feel of her weight against me, her fingers coiled in my fur.  I was closer to getting My Lady to admit her feelings ¨C I just knew it.

    After all, I had heard her words.  She had dreamed of me¡­

    I had no idea what else my Future Friend had in store.

    Yet I couldn¡¯t wait to discover the rest of his battle plans.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 - Poison Springs

    Screaming Bamboo Forest

    Nyx

    You know my favorite part of road trips?

    Yeah, that¡¯s right. Visiting old friends.

    Just swinging into town with little to no warning while they¡¯re in the middle of, you know¡­ whatever. Maybe cleaning the house. Maybe they¡¯re at ¡°work.¡± Or maybe they were in the middle of hunting, capturing, and enslaving a veritable army of demon monkeys.

    Ahh, I might have tipped my hand there, didn¡¯t I?

    Fine, yes¡­ we swung by PK¡¯s place ¨C that¡¯s ¡°Poison Kitty¡± but abbreviated.

    It¡¯s cooler. Also, easier to say.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re thinking.

    Didn¡¯t we just meet? Wasn¡¯t PK supposed to be a hitchhiker? Weren¡¯t we starting to mix metaphors here? Really stretch this narrative to fit some sort of agenda? Maybe to avoid major existential questions created by our scaly trash goblin¡¯s deep, dark secrets? Or to gloss over the glaring trust issues that plagued our dysfunctional family? Or the increasingly unlikely possibility of reaching Asphodel and rescuing Leandra? Ever?

    I mean, seriously. We¡¯d already encountered a regenerating, wailing death forest, shit flinging demon monkeys, and a second-place staring contest champion capable of enslaving an entire species without a second thought.

    And to be clear, we were still in the Outer Reaches.

    This was supposed to be the easy area. The tutorial basically.

    Anyway, the answer is yes. Yes to all of it.

    But PK and I were basically best friends already.

    I mean, sure, technically we only met a few days or weeks or months ago ¨C again, time was a fuzzy concept. But we¡¯d already gone through extensive amounts of group therapy together. Err, or I mean, ¡°travel games.¡± Monkey Massacre proved to be extremely popular, despite the fact that very few monkeys actually died.

    Nope, we just threw those twitchy little rat-wannabes in the cage.

    Although, we eventually ran into a new problem.

    It was a logistics issue really.

    You see, I¡¯d built the Death Wagon to accommodate Fang¡¯s souvenirs ¨C all of his so-called ¡°treasures.¡± I thought I¡¯d left enough room. That was on me.

    I¡¯d badly underestimated his hoarding problem.

    Anyway, the bamboo really started stacking up ¨C literally. Also, my babies had to cram the monkeys into their cage now. There was barely any room. It was becoming a safety issue. I mean, what if one exploded and started a chain reaction? The resulting blast of flaming shit would have taken out the whole wagon!

    So, we had to stop or risk getting entombed in demon monkey shit.

    Yeah¡­ I know. It¡¯s a lot. A truly terrible mental image.

    Don¡¯t you like the road trip version better? Yeah, me too.

    Which is why I couldn¡¯t wait to see PK¡¯s place! I bet it was¡ª

    The Death Wagon abruptly punched through the bamboo and launched out into open air, a few feet of clearance between the tracks and the surprisingly flat ground. Which was perfect. The elevation let me take in the majesty of PK¡¯s home.

    Although, it was really more like a sprawling ranch, the bamboo chopped down and cut up and pushed out to form a ring of writhing, ragged vegetation around the glade. Probably to improve his view of that resplendent green lake, glowing emerald mist wafting up into the air and pushing away the ever-present mist. And perched beside it was the most picturesque cave ¨C just a yawning dark hole like the mouth of a feral monster.

    Wow. I was impressed.

    PK didn¡¯t tell me about the lake front property! Maybe he was just feeling self-conscious or something. Or maybe he wanted it to be a surprise! That could explain why he was just sitting there, harness snapped, watching us fly past with those glowing green eyes ¨C why he looked so anxious¡­ almost nervous really.

    ¡°Poison lake! Lake, Nyx! Stop!¡± Lili screamed.

    Ahh, shit. She was right. That momentum thing was going to be a problem. Like I said, we were carrying a hell of a lot of bamboo and demon monkeys.

    Luckily, I had a system for this now. The tracks struck the ground with a grinding groan and I pulled the emergency brake. A piercing wail echoed through the clearing. This was actually our new hydraulic brake system. And¡­ yes, in this case, the ¡°brake fluid¡± is blood. The wagon gave a pulsing shudder from the right side as each of my precious babies leaped into the tracks. We soon swerved into a skid, one that kicked up a veritable wave of mud and dirt and bits of bamboo as we skid toward that bubbling, toxic lake¡­

    And we nailed it again! We stopped just short of the bank. And the monkeys didn¡¯t explode! They were all just squished up against one side of the cage. Plus, we only lost a few pallets of bamboo on the roof¡ª

    SNAP. CRUNCH. SPLASH.

    Or¡­ most of it. Whatever. There was always more.

    More importantly, we were here! PK¡¯s place looked awesome.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you had your own toxic lake!¡± I shouted at him where he still sat near the edge of the clearing, pawing at his face like he was in pain. ¡°And that cave? I bet that¡¯s your home right? And the rock helps keep away the bamboo? Clever.¡±

    He preened a little at that, looking away with two sets of eyes.

    Ahh, he was embarrassed.

    WAIL, SHRIEK, WAIL.

    We both froze, turning and staring down the fresh patch of highway we¡¯d carved out of the forest. I know what you¡¯re probably thinking. That was the bamboo screaming, right? Maybe more monkeys? Some sort of monster that was following our trail?

    Well, you¡¯re not wrong ¨C not exactly.

    Mist billowed down the length of that tunnel, a rolling, dark stormfront. Shadows moved within its depths, causing the fog to twist and spin. Soulless monsters, their yellowed eyes glowing ¨C their throats all uttering the same chilling words. A wailing chorus that rose above the forest, hitting a pitch impossible for the living ¨C or, at least for the warm blooded.

    ¡°Slow¡­ slow down¡­ please¡­ slow¡­¡±

    An army of Fangs came stumbling through the mist, their scaly bodies streaked with moisture and loaded down with an impossible amount of bamboo and monkeys and the corpses of several other creatures I only vaguely recognized¡ª

    Oh yeah! I remember seeing them whizz past the wagon a couple miles back.

    Ahh, what was that? How does this work? Don¡¯t Fang¡¯s clones only last 10 seconds?Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Ahh, well, you¡¯re right again! Although, Fang had figured out a workaround there. As they began to break apart, the clones launched their ¡°treasures¡± into the air¡­ only for a fresh army of Fangs to catch them ¨C mist exploding out in expanding rings. An endless, wailing juggling act performed by the world¡¯s worst hoarder.

    One who had to be running out of¡ª

    Ahh, yeah. That was the last of his nimbus.

    Another wave of clones collapsed, hurling their ill-gotten loot toward the heavens and the wailing abruptly stopped. In that sudden silence, the lead Fang ¨C the real one ¨C simply collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving and his body dripping wet.

    He looked up, his yellow snake eyes wide and wild.

    He was staring at his ¡°treasures.¡±

    At his ¡°precious loot¡± soaring through the sky.

    His clones were gone now, leaving no one to catch it. A roiling stormfront of mist and bamboo and useless shit and a legion of twitching monkeys ¨C their eyes wide and mouths screaming silently. It all hung there for a moment, the updraft of the clones¡¯ final screams enough to hold it in place for a few precious seconds¡­

    Until the inevitable force of gravity pulled it back down to earth.

    I expected Fang to run. To flee. Or at least to dodge.

    Instead, he just looked¡­ resigned? He spread his wiry arms wide, turned his face up into that storm, and closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t even seem to react as a monkey hit him square in the face. Or when a piece of jagged bamboo punctured his thigh. He just endured it all, swiftly buried under a veritable mountain of useless shit.

    In his defense, it wouldn¡¯t be a real road trip without at least one family member having a crippling mental breakdown that left them crying and screaming in the middle of the road for absolutely no reason. You know, the product of the typical stress and anxiety associated with extended travel through a wailing death forest full of monkey shit. I mean, sure, typically they were children, but aren¡¯t we all children at heart?

    Anyway, I ticked off another of the items on my road trip bucket list.

    ¡°Family member throws a tantrum.¡± Perfect.

    Although, for some reason, I felt a little guilty.

    Like Fang¡¯s hoarding wasn¡¯t new, but where did it come from?

    Was it possibly a symptom of a larger problem? Maybe he was doing the same thing as me ¨C trying to distract himself? Just instead of creating extended and highly-entertaining dissociative narratives, he used ¡°things¡± to fill some sort of hole in his tiny, shriveled heart? One created by some inexplicable trauma that he refused to reveal no matter how many times I asked? One that I can only assume occurred somewhere north of our present location?

    That maybe ¨C just maybe ¨C I had used his own coping mechanism against him in a desperate attempt to break him¡ª

    Err, or I mean, to encourage him to open up to me and create a healthy dialogue?

    You know, for his own good? And the future of our relationship?

    ¡°I will¡­ I will have my revenge, Nyx,¡± Fang roared into the sky, holding the ruined fragments of his ¡°former treasures¡± in his claws.

    Ahh, right¡­ so that was looking like a maybe, right?

    ¡°Sure. Tell yourself that,¡± Lili muttered.

    Thankfully, the revenge seemed a ways off. Fang couldn¡¯t stand. You know, because of the bamboo in his thigh. Also, because he was partially buried under all of his useless crap. Plus, the mist was still super thick¡­

    PK and I met each other¡¯s eyes. We no longer needed words to communicate after days spent driving the wagon. We both knew exactly what the other was thinking. This was our chance to run away. We both started to turn¡ª

    ¡°I see you two! I know you are there,¡± Fang called from the mist.

    We both froze. Shit.

    But could he actually do anything about it?

    Only one way to check. I took another step. Hmm, nothing. No misty daggers flying at my face. No clone trying to stab me. Just this wailing sound¡ª

    ¡°No, stop it! I will kill you if you take another step!¡±

    PK and I looked at each other again ¨C another moment of connection; of realization. Specifically, that Fang couldn¡¯t do shit. We could just walk away.

    So, we did.

    ¡°No¡­ turn around¡­ you¡¯ll regret this!¡± Fang called out, starting to sound frantic. And when that didn¡¯t work, ¡°You would do this to me? Leave a dear friend injured and alone in the middle of the death forest?¡±

    We both hesitated. Ahh, shit. He was right about that.

    ¡°Maribel?¡± I asked.

    My precious babies reformed from the shadows and I threw my arms wide to accept their sweet embrace¡ªonly to be left hanging. They just stuck out their paws and glared at me. Hmm. Didn¡¯t love that either. But I handed over their obligatory bribes.

    ¡°Do you babies mind watching your Trash Daddy for a few minutes¡ª¡±

    Ahh, and there were the paws again.

    Hmm. Maybe¡­ maybe this was my fault too?

    ¡°Yes! Of course, it is!¡± Lili muttered. ¡°You keep having them kill themselves.¡±

    She sounded pretty upset. Almost like she cared about them. That she even loved them and couldn¡¯t bear watching their adorable faces reduced to a bloody pulp.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that, well¡­¡±

    Not like me. I fully and unconditionally accepted my murder babies ¨C no matter what they looked like. Fully alive. Missing a few toes¡­ or arms. Even partially decapitated, they would always be my babies. That¡¯s what it meant to be a good parent.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound right at all,¡± Lili muttered.

    Hmm, I see you all are glaring at me too.

    Ahh, you know what? Maybe you all are onto something. Maybe I was looking at this wrong. Should I really be upset about my babies demanding treats? Or should I be proud of them? I mean, weren¡¯t they blackmailing their [Battle Daddy]? And don¡¯t I do that all the time? And imitation is the highest form of flattery, right?

    Which could only mean one thing¡­

    They might be teenagers now, but they still loved me.

    Shit, I think I was about to cry.

    ¡°What are you doing? Are you bribing the babies? This is not fair,¡± Fang growled from the mist ¨C wow, his voice was hoarse. Probably all the screaming.

    ¡°Please go easy on him. He¡¯s injured,¡± I told the babies.

    Huh. There were the paws again. See? Just like their Battle Daddy.

    But I was also out of sliders and it would take a while to build a new kitchen.

    ¡°Sorry, there aren¡¯t any more,¡± I said with a shrug.

    Their saucer eyes went round and they let out this charming, angry murder chitter. They turned as they heard more of Fang¡¯s complaining, stalking into the depths of the fog. To look after their Trash Daddy, of course. This is why people had kids, I suppose. To look after them when they became disabled¡­ or buried themselves under a mountain of their own trauma and undiagnosed mental illness.

    Then¡­ well, then there was just more screaming. It was no big deal.

    Besides, PK was about to give me the grand tour!

    It. Was. Amazing. 100 acres of rolling, muddy, manicured marsh. PK was also apparently a fan of lawncare. He¡¯d mulched the bamboo cuttings and left the rest to fertilize the lawn. Which was efficient. It took a lot longer for the little pieces to regrow.

    He even had his own fruit trees! I mean, sure, the trunks were a solid black and appeared to have the same density as forged steel, the branches winding up into sharpened spears of darkness that stabbed at the sky. But the fruit was even more horrifying! Blood red and shaped like a heart. And I know what you¡¯re probably thinking¡­

    Not the cute, fun shape. Seriously, they looked real.

    I actually had to bite one just to check¡ª

    What? Why are you looking at me like that?

    It tasted way better than it looked. Sweet with a slight tang¡ª

    Oh, oh shit. I just had the best idea. What if I combined this with death shroom? Could I make barbeque sauce? I so badly wanted to build a kitchen now. See? My stomach was growling really loud¡ª

    Huh, or that could have been PK.

    He was currently carrying the twitching, demon monkeys littering the ground around the wagon to the grove of fruit trees, pinning them down with a few well-placed spines in a rough circle around the trees.

    Then he backed up, his spines stood on end quivering, and he fired. The monkeys exploded in sequence, showering the ground in a thick layer of expanding poo-crete, the flames sizzling and snapping at the air. However, PK let out another frustrated growl as the substance made an irregular shape, much of it running downhill before it could cure, and the trees¡¯ roots absorbed the rest of the flaming sludge.

    What was he doing? Why was he¡ª

    Oh, I think I got it! I hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but there were a lot of monkey corpses around the base of those fruit trees ¨C or, at least, their bones. And the twitching mass of monkeys crammed into their cage on the back of the Death Wagon were all staring at that grove with rapt fascination. Many appeared to be drooling.

    I even tested it ¨C waving the fruit in front of one of the creatures. It was creepy. Its eyes followed the fruit even though it was paralyzed.

    And then there was PK¡¯s lawn¡­

    He was cutting it back, but it just kept regrowing and encroaching on his fruit trees.

    The pieces were starting to click into place.

    PK had been hunting the monkeys ¨C that much was clear. The question was why.

    I figured he planned to torture them¡­ and maybe it was partly that. I mean, I¡¯m pretty sure the monkeys had been stealing his fruit. And to protect it, he¡¯d cut back the bamboo to give himself better visibility. You know, allow him to take out the monkeys while lounging by his poison lake. But that wasn¡¯t a long-term solution since the bamboo grew rapidly, especially with all the fresh fertilizer.

    Which is where the monkeys came in. PK must have planned to use the poo-crete to block the bamboo¡­ except the blood trees absorbed it. Also, he didn¡¯t have hands. You know, to build a form for the poo-crete and reinforce it with bamboo.

    I looked at PK, admiring his shiny metal body covered in quivering metal death spikes, all six of his eyes glaring at those fruit trees. He was clearly very upset. I got it. There was nothing worse than people trespassing on your lawn and stealing your creepy fruit ¨C much less these ugly, wannabe rat bastards.

    He had a body built for brutal murder¡­ but not for lawncare.

    I patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, buddy. I see the problem and I think I can fix it for you.¡± My eyes skimmed the property, a smile on my face and the screams of my wailing co-parent echoing in the distance.

    My eyes were locked on that poison lake, [Engineering] whispering sweet, sweet things into my ear. Like the fact that it didn¡¯t look like a lake. The steam gave it away. Also, the bubbles. Nope. That right there was a poison spring.

    Ahh, shit. I¡¯d forgotten about PK¡¯s paralytic¡­

    My hand was already super numb from petting him. Which was fine. That would give me time to think through the design plans.

    It was going to be amazing.

    And totally not just another distraction¡­

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 15

    Chapter 15 - Too Soon

    I tried to drag it out.  I really did.  The road trip, I mean.

    Honestly, I just didn¡¯t want it to end.  And maybe I was nervous about the future ¨C what lay beyond the screaming bamboo forest, and shit-flinging monkeys, and also PK¡¯s quaint villa overlooking the glowing, green hot springs.

    Which was even more perfect after I built the hotel and the deck around the springs.   Also, the retaining wall surrounding the property to keep out the bamboo ¨C after we removed the existing vegetation and root system, of course.  We even rehabilitated his fruit trees with a fresh batch of fertilizer.  Yes, it was the mulched corpses of the many, many demon monkeys who had sacrificed themselves for the sake of my new friend¡¯s home reno.

    As a bonus, I even built a raised deck for PK overtop his cave ¨C one that gave him a perfect view of the lake and the surrounding forest.

    He could kill the monkeys from miles away now.

    I wish you could have seen the final product!

    We spent hours soaking in the springs.  I even suggested that PK consider opening up the property ¨C using it as a vacation destination when he was traveling or visiting friends.  I mean, I bet tourists would jump at the opportunity to visit what was essentially a high-end spa.  He¡¯d looked a little skeptical, but I was quick to reassure him.

    People were always talking about toxins nowadays.

    At least, so I¡¯d heard back in the gate.

    Okay, fine, it was just me and Fang.

    But those toxins were critical for maintaining your health.  Specifically, it was important to infuse as many poisons and acids and venoms as possible into your vessel.  To build up your tolerance, of course.

    Ingesting them was an easy first step ¨C we¡¯d certainly done a lot of that.  But that just couldn¡¯t match the efficiency of soaking in hot, bubbling, poisonous sludge.  It really infused those toxins deep, deep into the tissue where they¡¯d never, ever leave you¡­

    ¡°There¡¯s just so much wrong with that,¡± Lili sighed.  ¡°Like I don¡¯t even know where to start...  And what was that last line?  Your own abandonment issues on full display?  Do you really think anyone would want to soak in a poison bath?¡±

    ¡°Fang liked it,¡± I shot back.

    ¡°You had to paralyze him first.¡±

    ¡°He still enjoyed it after he calmed down.¡±

    At least, I think so.  He couldn¡¯t really talk¡­ because of, uh, the paralytic.

    In my defense, I was trying to see if I could turn him back into that pink, super cute Fang!  You know, in order to tease out his deep, dark secrets.  Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work.  Maybe it was the poison.  It was a little concentrated.  Which was fantastic for exfoliating your skin and getting it buttery soft.   But it also sort of started to melt after a few minutes ¨C the skin, that is.  The babies¡¯ fur came off in clumps.  It was gross.

    Which was why it was important to take breaks from the poison springs.  Also, not to put your head below the water.  The chemicals were designed to keep the springs clean of any bacteria and algae and, well¡­ organic matter generally.

    But it was fantastic for safely dissolving the monkey corpses.

    Besides, my babies were fine.  I could re-summon them and they were just having so much fun.  And once the paralytic wore off, they chased their Trash Daddy around, using the bamboo like a water cannon ¨C that was my idea.  All you had to do was fill it up, aim it at your bromantic partner, and then tickle the tube.  I can still hear Fang¡¯s excited, happy screams and their manic chitter ringing through the forest.  Ahh, good times.

    Anyway, after we helped our friend renovate his property and used up most of our bamboo and stash of demon monkeys, we hit the open road again!

    PK was so happy with our remodeling work that he actually offered to pull the wagon.  I didn¡¯t even have to make him wear the harness ¨C he did it willingly.  He also showed us some of his favorite local killing grounds.  My favorite was the safari tour of the demon monkey village.

    ¡°We killed thousands and devoured their sweet nimbus!¡± Lili crowed.

    We sure did.  Just a quick family drive-by.

    Then we went shopping at a local farmer¡¯s market!

    ¡°It was just PK fruit¡¯s trees,¡± she replied, less enthused that time.

    Except, the fruit was delicious.  I told you that already, right?  That¡¯s not exactly new, but you know what is?  A question occurred to me during the safari tour: didn¡¯t the monkeys seem to love the fruit?  Also, it was super juicy and the skin was pretty thin ¨C almost like a water balloon, right?  The next question came naturally.  It felt organic.

    What if we injected some of the poison from the springs into the fruit?

    Now, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking.

    That it would make for fantastic bait, right?  Like if the monkeys ate the fruit, then they¡¯d get poisoned and die faster?  I¡¯ll admit, that was part of it.

    But not all of it.  You¡¯re really not thinking big enough.  Weapons were all about the delivery system.  I even gave you a hint already.  Remember the tube fight¡ª

    Ahh, yeah.  You see it now.  I can tell.

    It¡¯s the murderous glint in your eyes.  Fang had the same expression.

    It almost made me forget that he was a dirty, dirty secret keeper.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Anyway, yes, we built a handheld cannon out of bamboo tubes ¨C one that fired heart-shaped fruit that glowed a sickly emerald-crimson.  And something about the air pressure or poison or whatever dissolved the skin.  Which meant once you fired the fruit¡­

    Yep.  It soon exploded, creating a sickly sweet cloud of pure monkey death.

    It was amazing.  Here, I¡¯ll show you.  You just grab a fruit ¨C like so.

    Then you just ram it in ¨C sometimes you might need to use a little lubrication if yours is particularly large.  But be gentle.  The skin is tender.  Then you give the tube a little rub and tickle until it erupts with a scream of bloody delight!

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°Do you want to rethink that description?¡±

    Nope.  It was perfect the first time.

    ¡°Sometimes I wonder if Fang is the lucky one.¡±

    ¡°Uh, really?  Why?  Because of the sweet new ride I built for him?¡±

    ¡°No¡ªbecause he doesn¡¯t have to hear any of this.¡±

    Uh, okay.  Harsh.

    Also, take what she says with a grain of salt.  She¡¯s just a little hangry.

    You see, the bamboomers ¨C that¡¯s what we were calling my new poison-death-cannon ¨C they made short work of the monkeys.  PK didn¡¯t even have to help anymore!  Plus, I was able to improve on the design, lengthening the barrel to get some extra range and then mounting the cannons to the raised platforms I¡¯d installed on either side of the Death Wagon.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking.  ¡°Who would man those cannons?  Maybe Fang?  But I thought you said he was a terrible backseat driver?¡±

    Well, you¡¯re right.  That was too much responsibility for him.  Too soon, you know?

    Plus, we still hadn¡¯t broken him yet.  We would rip those secrets from his cold dead heart one way or another, but most likely with copious emotional and physical abuse.

    Anyway, my babies were more than happy to main the cannons!  They chittered in murderous delight, their blood-red saucers sparkling as they committed monkey genocide.  And, since there were only two turrets, that left one to operate the poo-crete chutes and help with the braking.  Plus, it taught my babies how to share.

    And possibly gave their [Battle Daddy] more leverage.

    They were getting older, remember?  And this was an important step in that development.  Parents had to know when to set boundaries ¨C to encourage independence.  Sure, the babies might have pitched each other over the side of the wagon more than a few times, leaving a long bloody trail of former baby in the wagon¡¯s wake¡­

    But they could respawn!

    This was also the best time and place for them to experiment.  Resources are scarce ¨C that¡¯s just a universal truth.  And this gave them the opportunity to learn how to blackmail and assassinate their competition in a safe environment.  Someday, they might eventually leave the nest and run off to conquer cities and pillage nations on their own¡­

    Which is why I savored every moment.  Soaked in every precious second as they fired off the bamboomers in a frantic hail of poisoned fruit, puffs of green floating over huge swathes of the bamboo forest and their shrieks of joy ringing through the air.  It was perfect.

    What?  What was that?  What was I doing during all of this?

    Ahh, well¡­ nothing.  And it was amazing.

    All I had to do was sit back, relax, and have a few barbeque monkey kababs while I soaked in the sights ¨C and a veritable ocean of nimbus, my aura stretched to its limit.  I¡¯d noticed it really helped loosen up the roots and bamboo that came fountaining over the top of the plow.  Plus, it tamped down on Lili¡¯s complaining.

    I¡¯d even built a little awning and a lounge chair ¨C one with plenty of cup holders.

    But like all good things, it eventually had to come to an end.

    Mostly because we ran out of monkeys.  And then out of forest¡ª

    Our Death Wagon broke free of the bamboo with a shower of debris, the screams of the dying plants, and a barrage of gunfire, thick green clouds of poison blooming in the sky and following us in a huge emerald river.  Although, this time there was no need for the emergency brakes.  We just ground to a halt as we slammed into a handy trench, mud and dirt fountaining up into the air and nearly knocking me out of my seat.

    Luckily, I¡¯d had the foresight to install a seatbelt.

    It was a fitting finish.  Even if it was sad to see it end.

    ¡°Are you crying?¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no!  It¡¯s just the mist,¡± I shot back, wiping at my eyes.

    ¡°Yeah, sure it is,¡± she drawled.

    To my credit, there was a lot of mist.

    The vapor seemed to cling to the bamboo forest behind us, the vegetation forming a long line that stretched off in either direction.  The forest just¡­ ended.  It was super weird.  Maybe because of the huge muddy trench that had been dug up along the edge of the bamboo ¨C the one that stretched nearly 10 yards.

    In the distance, I could barely make out the shadowy silhouette of what might be a wall?  It was hard to tell through the fog.  Seriously, it was ridiculous ¨C and this is coming from someone that grew up in Anchon where damp was just a state of being.

    Honestly, it was a little hard to breath here¡­

    ¡°Oh, thank¡­ *huff*¡­ the gods.  We¡¯re finally¡­ *huff*¡­ here,¡± a familiar, wheezing shout came from behind us, followed by a rhythmic squeaking sound ¨C like claws on stone.

    The reason for that soon became obvious.

    Fang¡¯s new ¡°ride¡± slowly emerged from the fog at our backs.  I¡¯d built it to help him keep up.  After that whole thing with the loot and running, it was clear Fang was still suffering from¡­ performance issues.  He still lacked staying power.  But I don¡¯t have to tell you, right?  I mean, you know how he has a tendency to pop off with no follow through, right?

    Also, I knew he could be sensitive about his lack of endurance.

    So, I pressed on that weakness hard.

    Specifically, I built him something special.  One big wheel out front, two little ones behind.  Little peddles, his legs a scaly, green blur of movement.  Although, the screeching grind was my fault.  Friction between the front wheel and the frame.  I could have fixed it, but it drowned out Fang¡¯s complaining.  I even made him a little trailer to help carry his backup loot.  I called it his Big Wheel.

    It was¡­ it was just adorable.

    ¡°Stop it,¡± Fang scowled at us as we stood there watching him.

    All six of us ¨C me, PK, Lili, the three babies¡­

    Oh, shit.  Make that seven.  Maribel was laughing too.

    ¡°You just¡­ look so cool,¡± I managed to squeak out.  ¡°The coolest.¡±

    ¡°This is not a joke,¡± he huffed, sliding to a halt and trying to lift himself out of his Big Wheel.  That proved difficult with that strange and still-unexplained pack on his back.  It looked heavy.  ¡°This is a dangerous¡­ *huff*  Damn it¡­¡±

    ¡°Would you like help?¡± I asked sweetly.

    Oh, yeah.  That was a feature too.

    I¡¯d almost broken him.  I could tell.  It was the glare.

    ¡°No,¡± he hissed.  Then he made a misty and two of his clones helped lift him out of his Big Wheel and back onto his two scaly feet.

    ¡°As I said, this place is dangerous,¡± Fang snapped at us.  I swear, we weren¡¯t laughing.  Okay, maybe the babies were¡­  ¡°That place in the distance is Apati¡ª¡±

    ¡°A party?¡± I interjected, suddenly intrigued.  ¡°That sounds fun¡ª¡±

    ¡°Apati.  Not a party,¡± Fang snapped, stabbing a finger at me.  ¡°You know this.¡±

    ¡°Okay.  Sure.  So, what¡¯s so dangerous about this place¡ª¡±

    I was interrupted as PK nudged against me, jerking my arm.  Then he gave me a long lick across the face.  His tongue was like a cheese grater.  It hurt so bad, even with my [Pain Tolerance].  But it was also really sweet, you know?

    ¡°Ahh, thank you, PK!¡± I murmured, giving him pets.  Carefully.  I¡¯d paralyzed myself so many times already trying to hug him.  Which was dangerous.

    Too much and I might wake up in the back of Fang¡¯s Big Wheel and halfway across the bamboo forest¡­ for, uh the second time.  Or third?  Sorry, hard to keep track.

    Behind PK, three sets of glowing, red eyes peered over the edge of the wagon, fruit cannons now pointed in my direction.  Hmm, it seemed someone was jealous.

    Again, it¡¯s important to set boundaries with your children.  To make space for yourself ¨C for your needs.  Like having adult friends.  Sure, they might be a horrible murder monster that lived beside a toxic swamp that you only just met, but¡ª

    The kitty suddenly pushed away my hand, looking me dead in the eye.

    Huh, well that was a serious look ¨C almost sad.  One that stopped that babbling buzz in my head cold.  Because, somehow, I knew what he was trying to say.

    This was it.  The end of the line.

    Yet another thing I¡¯d been putting off.

    It was time for our hitchhiker to finally, well¡­ take a hike.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 - Parting Presents

    I knew it couldn¡¯t last forever ¨C good things never did.

    And PK was probably one of the best things to ever happen to us.

    Or, at least, to me.  He didn¡¯t really like Fang and only tolerated the babies.

    ¡°What is your monster doing?¡± Fang hissed, backing away in a puff of mist.  He was suddenly standing near the wagon and the babies, glaring suspiciously.

    That was, uh, also a good question.

    PK appeared to be shivering rapidly.  It was pretty strange to watch.  His spines almost blurred from the vibration and the ground was trembling slightly.  Maybe too much of my cooking?  Indigestion maybe?  I mean, PK was looking a little thicker around the middle.

    Not that I was fat-shaming him, of course!

    I would never.  Not after all of Fang¡¯s mean comments.

    Huh, was PK¡¯s skin peeling off?  It was as though the kitty was releasing a second layer ¨C like a snake or something¡ª

    Molting!  That¡¯s the word.  Except, the kitty¡¯s skin was mostly a hard layer of armor and spikes with a tensile strength far greater than steel.  That could explain the sparks, though.  Also, the impressive amount of heat coming off of him.

    Moments later, a hollow replica of PK fell to the ground, including his head and the spines along his back.  The surface glowed softly like it had been heated in a furnace and it sizzled where it touched the mixture of mud and moisture.

    Which left poison kitty looking¡ª

    Woah.  Iridescent.  He was just glowing.  Like, literally.  His scales were now different colors, vivid and bright and no longer worn down and tarnished by mist and poison.

    He was radiant.

    And he knew it.

    PK preened, rising to his full height.

    ¡°I agree, you¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    ¡°And terrifying.  I like it,¡± Lili added.

    Maribel was less enthused.  Just an itching sensation along my left hand.  Although, she was clearly biased.  If it wasn¡¯t a rat, then she wasn¡¯t interested.

    Speaking of which, my babies were all still watching from the safety of the wagon.  Trembling, and shivering, and staring.  That included Fang, of course.

    ¡°Well, thank you for the¡­ err, present?¡± I offered, waving at PK¡¯s glowing metal skin.  ¡°I had a lot of fun with you too¡ª¡±

    Shlick.

    I felt something sting the back of my neck¡­

    Huh, my hand wasn¡¯t responding.  Or my feet?  Weird.

    ¡°Probably the spines sticking out of us,¡± Lili sighed.

    Ahh, she was right!  All five dozen of them.

    It was almost flattering really.  I mean, PK thought it took this much poison to paralyze me?  I knew soaking in the poison springs was worth it¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re focused on?  I told you that monster was going to end up eating us.¡±  She heaved out a sigh.  ¡°I feel so conflicted.  On the one hand, I fucking told you so.  On the other, we¡¯re probably going to die here.¡±

    Oh, corrupted spirit of little faith.  I could still wiggle my fingers¡ª

    Shlick, shlick, shlick.

    Okay, uh, not anymore.

    I was starting to get concerned, but surely Fang and the babies would¡ª

    Ahh, no.  They were still hiding in the Death Wagon.  Fang actually locked the door.  He even made full eye contact as he did it.  Wow.

    Meanwhile, PK stalked toward me, his tail lashing around his former skin, still glowing a bright, vibrant red, steam coiling away from it in thick clouds.  It looked hot.  Like really hot.  What was he going to do with the skin?  Maybe mold it into something cool?  But did I really need to be incapacitated for that¡ª

    Unless¡­ oh, oh shit.   I saw it now¡ª

    Right before PK gripped his still pliable and very much molten skin between his teeth and slung it over my shoulders.  Just a brief delay as my clothes ignited and burned away.  Then came the pain.  It was intense.  Excruciating really.  A scream was already tearing its way out of my throat¡ª

    ¡°Ahhhhhh¡­¡±

    Or, at least, that¡¯s what I expected.

    ¡°Ahhha¡­ ahha¡­hahaha.  Stop¡­ stop it¡­¡±

    My skin melting actually didn¡¯t feel that bad ¨C at least, not after the poison springs.  See?  I told you!  It was all about getting the toxins as deep as possible.

    Except it tickled so bad.

    Uh, what was that?  Why?

    Because PK kept licking the metal!  He was slowly molding it to my body, each long tongue stroke cooling the surface rapidly.  The parts under my arms and along my feet were the worst.  Yup, only those spots.  And a surprisingly short time later, he was done, steam wafting away from my awesome new¡­

    Well, it was a onesie.

    I didn¡¯t really have a better word to describe it.

    Uncomfortably form fitting, hard as metal yet surprisingly flexible, with gloves that made my fingers look like paws ¨C there was even a little latch thing for my arm chain!

    I turned to look at my back and felt something shift along my neck.  Oh, oh, oh, it had a hood too?  And it made me look like PK ¨C it even had six little eyes!  And it sort of stuck to my head and face when I put it on.  Mostly by vibrating up to temperature and fusing with my skin.  Just a minor burning sensation and then bam!  Full hood.

    This was so cool.  And if I sort of whipped my arms real fast¡ªThe author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Shlick.  The metal spines stood up along my arms.

    No poison, though.  Boo.

    Shlick.  Off.

    Shlick.  Back on.

    Still very cool, though.

    Okay, I was wrong before.

    This wasn¡¯t just a onesie.  It was clearly a battle onesie.

    Ahh, and PK was just sitting there, waiting for a reaction.  No doubt, this was his way of repaying me for remodeling his house.  I didn¡¯t need payment ¨C certainly hadn¡¯t asked for any.  I gave out my grass, gas, and kick-ass freely.  He knew that.

    And this was just too much.

    Words weren¡¯t going to be sufficient ¨C not for this.

    So, I did the next best thing.  I just leapt at that cuddly ball of poisonous death spikes¡­ which I was now immune to!  I could finally reach the gooey, soft, adorable center I always knew rested inside all of those super sharp spikes.  We tumbled and cuddled and I got that spot right behind his ears I always knew he was just dying for me to scratch, but I could never quite reach.  Mostly because I passed out before I got that far¡­

    And then, of course, Fang ruined everything.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Fang demanded.

    PK and I froze.  We turned, pulling away from each other.

    Only to find the others were staring at us from the Death Wagon.  Four sets of eyes.  Three blood-red and full of jealous, murderous rage that made me feel pretty good.  One yellow and squashed into twin, judgmental lines¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s a battle onesie, obviously,¡± I answered.

    Silence and then, ¡°How will you bathe?  Or go to the bathroom?¡±

    ¡°Well, uh, that¡¯s¡ª¡± I began.

    Shit.  Those were really good questions.

    PK had fused this to my skin, right?  That didn¡¯t sound¡ª

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not a problem!  Look at the hood?  It comes off, right?¡± I retorted, ripping it free with no small amount of effort and trying my best not to flinch.

    ¡°By vibrating.  Turning bright red and melting.  Does that not hurt?¡±  Fang asked, stepping out of the wagon.

    ¡°I mean¡­ a little ¨C especially over the sensitive areas.  Like my eyelids.  What¡¯s your point,¡± I asked, crossing my arms.  Not defensively, of course.

    ¡°Hmm, interesting.  Sapians must not be sensitive¡­ down there then.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a question.  Definitely a statement.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, I can always just¡ª¡±

    Oh shit.  Shit.  Shit, shit, shit.

    ¡°Wait, PK, you wouldn¡¯t have designed this without¡ª¡±

    I cut off as I turned.  There was no point in finishing my question.  The answer was already staring right back at me.

    Which was ironic.  Because PK couldn¡¯t fucking meet my eyes.

    And while I contemplated how many barbeque kabobs I¡¯d eaten recently (a lot) and how much heart juice I¡¯d drank (way too much), PK decided to move on.

    He stalked toward the wagon.  The babies all vanished back into the bed in an instant.  Fang looked around to find himself alone ¨C the sole object of the cat¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Shit,¡± the terrified trash goblin muttered.  He considered running for a moment, before realizing just how futile that would be.  So, he tried to talk his way out of it.  ¡°Uh, good toxifovos¡ª¡±

    An angry hiss-growl erupted from the iridescent death monster.

    ¡°Ahh, I forgot.  It is poison kitty, yes?  PK?¡± the nervous trash goblin amended quickly.  That one sounded like it had hurt him to say.

    The cat just glared, growling under his breath, and revealing those rows of razor sharp teeth.  I¡¯d seen them cut through poo-crete.  It was crazy.

    Seriously, nothing else seemed to damage it.

    Fang suddenly swallowed hard and squared his thin, scaly shoulders.

    ¡°If my vessel will die anyway, it will not end like this.  I will at least tell you the truth before you kill me,¡± Fang hissed, stabbing a claw at PK.  ¡°I think you are a silly cat.  You have all this power yet you do nothing with it ¨C chase monkeys and build stupid houses.  I would level cities and steal all their sweet loot.¡±

    Fang was making his hoarding face again ¨C his eyes huge and glowing, teeth bared, shoulders hunched forward while he made these little swiping motions with his hands.

    He used to do that all the time back in the hell sewer.

    ¡°Or eat a few species to extinction,¡± Lili added thoughtfully.  ¡°You know, he sort of has a point when you think about it.¡±

    The babies popped their heads over the ledge of the wagon and offered a few squeaks.  I was guessing they also agreed.  Geez.  My family was super judgmental.

    ¡°Also, I think Nyx could do better, which is saying a lot,¡± Fang snapped.

    That seemed to be the last straw for PK.

    His eyes turned a bright green and his growl deepened, his spines lifting ¨C all of them.  Despite his impressive speed, Fang didn¡¯t have time to react.  PK¡¯s spines began to vibrate, he crouched, and then launched forward in a blur of movement, his teeth bared.

    In that fraction of a second, Fang glanced toward me¡ª

    There was nothing I could do; no way I could move fast enough to help him ¨C even if I¡¯d wanted to, even if he¡¯d deserved it¡­ which he didn¡¯t.

    Those fangs loomed close, only inches away¡ª

    Then they snapped shut with a click and a crunch, dust billowing in a huge cloud.

    And as the dust spiraled away¡­

    Fang was still standing there, trembling uncontrollably.  PK had bitten Fang¡¯s ring ¨C the one he¡¯d received back in the gate.  Just enough force to puncture the metal with several teeth without snagging Fang¡¯s scales.  The puzzled trash goblin looked at his hand, blinked¡­ then tried to form words.

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±

    Poison kitty pulled off Fang¡¯s ring in a lightning-fast movement.

    One that left the savran muttering, ¡°Hey, no!  Bad kitty!  That¡¯s my treasure¡ª¡±

    He cut off as PK turned and glared, a low growl rumbling in the back of its throat and a thousand spines standing on end.  Fang froze.

    The cat¡¯s eyes flared green and energy swelled where it held the ring in its mouth, a poisonous mist flaring out around it.  That glow suffused the ring and seemed to seep into the metal until it shone with a blinding emerald light.  Moments later, it dropped the ring at Fang¡¯s feet, looked him in the eye ¨C then at me ¨C then took off for the forest without another word, vanishing in mere moments.

    Silence hovered across the muddy wasteland.

    For my part, I was still trying to figure out how to access, err, ¡°little me¡± without causing excruciating burns.  I was a little jealous of Fang.  It looked like he hadn¡¯t had any trouble going to bathroom.  Or maybe he was just extra misty at the moment.

    ¡°What was that all about?¡± I muttered with a frustrated sigh ¨C giving up.  The intense ¡°groinal burning sensation¡± would have to be a future-me problem.   I could probably hold it for a long time anyway.  ¡°What did it do with the ring?¡±

    Huh, I felt something sharp prick the back of my neck.  I reached back and felt along the length of something familiar ¨C one of the cat¡¯s spines.  Just a quick jerk and I pulled it out.  Woah, little dizzy.  PK always had the best toxins.

    Except, my new best friend was already gone¡­

    Also, he¡¯d never do that to me.

    Well¡­ except if he was giving me another onesie.

    Anyway, that¡¯s not the point.  We all know it was Fang.

    I turned, slowly.  ¡°What was that, Fang?¡±

    He was wearing that ring, green energy flaring, more of those spines materializing beside him.  ¡°Testing my new equipment,¡± he countered, his eyes flashing and his lips peeled back in a feral grin.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you say shopping was important on a road trip?¡±

    Oh, that bastard.  He always knew just what to say¡­

    Also, I was sort of into it.  I mean, I needed to test my new battle onesie, right?

    And as the hood and gloves settled into a place with a tingling burn, I realized something wonderful.  Those spines he was shooting at me couldn¡¯t do shit.

    In fact¡­ it almost felt like maybe¡ªmaybe Fang was the one stalling now.

    I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out¡­

    The Trash Goblin was clearly nervous about whatever was north of us.  This party place or whatever, right?  And why had he been so slow in the forest?  Was it really a lack of stamina ¨C or did he just want me to think that was it?  Plus, he had no chance of beating me because PK had just given me fresh refill of kick-ass, so what was this?

    Although, counterpoint, Fang looked pretty damn confident.

    Was I missing something?

    ¡°Where are our nimbus gems?¡± Lili snapped.

    Fang¡¯s smile widened as I met his eyes, his claws wrapped around a familiar and yet much, much smaller bag of nimbus gems.  It seemed it had been a trick all along.

    The slow finish.  The huffing and puffing.  The constant complaining and wailing across days and possibly even weeks.  The shivering and trembling and hiding in the wagon while I was being burned alive.

    This was my fault.  I¡¯d gotten complacent.  Started to think he wasn¡¯t a threat.

    Yet he¡¯d been faking it the whole time ¨C had just let me think I was getting to him.

    All so he could steal the family jewels for himself.

    Or, wait¡­ could he still be stalling?  Even now?

    Two things could be true at the same time, right?

    ¡°Who cares?  Get our gems back!¡± Lili insisted.

    Ahh, whatever.  She was right.  Besides, I was just stalling too¡ª

    Long enough for my babies to fire a fruit cannon right up his scaly ass ¨C one that exploded into a thick cloud of glowing emerald and sent Fang reeling and coughing.

    A quick respawn and my babies were suddenly standing beside me and handing me my own bamboomer ¨C this one of my own, special design.  Eight rotating barrels.  Stationary turret mount.  My babies trained to reload in sequence and an ample supply of poison fruit waiting at the ready.

    I called this one the Fruit Cocktail.

    Which was pointed at Fang as he emerged from the cloud, unharmed but hacking and coughing.  Also, twitching slightly.  That would be the poison.

    Then he saw me and the look in his eyes was glorious.

    They were like twin, yellow moons.

    And all I saw staring back was [Friendship].

    You know what?  Who cares what his motive was?

    This was the perfect way to end our road trip.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 17

    Chapter 17 - Bestiary

    Demi

    The Flow

    Finally!  Finally, I had finished the Tutorial!

    Okay, that was a tiny bit misleading.

    I¡¯d finished the Bestiary Tutorial ¨C not the whole thing.  Not even close.  So, really I¡¯d only completed a tiny, tiny sliver of a veritable mountain of ridiculous questions filled with far too much math.  And now?

    Well, I guess it was time to see my score.

    Test results processing¡­

    Processing¡­

    Processing¡­

    My fingers drummed a bored rhythm on my Floaty Coach<sup>?</sup>, spirits spiraling overhead.

    This seemed to be taking longer than normal. Too long maybe¡ª

    Sluuuuurp.  Slurp.  Sluuuuurp.

    Ahh, that was so much better!

    After extensive and thorough testing, I¡¯d decided that despite what the stress and anger management tutorials had claimed, the breathing, meditation, and mental visualization exercises weren¡¯t making me any calmer.  Besides, I didn¡¯t even really have lungs anyway, right?  Anyway, it was mostly just the drinking.

    Okay, it was entirely the drinking.  It really took the edge off¡ª

    New Test Results Have Arrived!

    Score Received: A+

    Tutorial Completion: 1.15%

    Estimated Time to Finish: 2.26 trillion eons.

    I¡ªI suddenly couldn¡¯t breathe; couldn¡¯t move; could barely think.

    Then it was like a dam broke ¨C literally and figuratively, nimbus spewing from my masked mouth in a spray of pure joy.  All of my stress and anxiety just flowed away.

    You know, like getting promoted so quickly ¨C maybe too quickly?  An impossible mission to stop the Flow¡¯s Worst Cheater?  Eons of relentless study and preparation?

    All of that hardship had led to this moment.

    ¡°I always knew I was top of my class!¡± I shouted into the void, bouncing atop my furniture and screaming my empty little robe out.

    Seriously, where did my voice even come from?

    No, no more stupid existential questions.

    This was possibly the best moment of my life.

    Which was¡­ actually pretty sad, wasn¡¯t it?

    In an instant, my joy faded.

    It was just me, bouncing alone in a very damp white void.  There was no one to praise me.  No one to clap.  No one to hand me a single gold star sticker.  You know, the one that meant you were the best.  They didn¡¯t just hand those out to anyone, after all.

    I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯d been expecting more¡­

    Sluuuuurp.  Slurp.  Slurp.

    And there I was¡­ drinking again.  I told me we needed to slow down.  Besides, what did I even have to feel anxious about now?  Maybe that I¡¯d completed my goal?  That now I was left with¡­ with nothing at all?  That even if I somehow managed to kill the stupid Cheater, maybe that victory would feel just as hollow as this one?

    Maybe it didn¡¯t help that it felt like I was missing something¡ª

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡± I chirped, brightening.  ¡°The toxifovos entry!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d almost forgotten why I was even taking this stupid tutorial.  Wow.  Even the UI updated.  There was also additional information.

    Bestiary Entry: Toxifovos (a.k.a., Poison Kitty ¨C PK for short)

    <ul>

    <li>Strength: Divine</li>

    <li>Spirit: Venom</li>

    <li>Mortal Enemy: Demon Monkeys</li>

    <li>Likes: Long walks around the poison spring.  Demon monkey sliders.</li>

    <li>Dislikes:   Fang¡¯s screaming.  Fang¡¯s ugly face.</li>

    <li>Personality Type: Traditional tsundere monster.</li>

    <li>Marital Status:</li>

    <li>Basic Attack: Homing metallic spines tipped in a high-concentration paralytic.</li>

    <li>Behavior: This creature will not attack unless provoked, but once combat has been initiated, its highly-armored body makes it impervious to nearly all attacks and its homing spikes making it impossible for its prey to flee. There is currently only one known way to defeat¡­ (tap for more)</li>

    </ul>

    Uh, okay.  Was that information really necessary?

    Although, it didn¡¯t matter.  I was at the end again, but this time, I was different.  Stronger.  More experienced.  Empowered by the unholy might of the Tutorial.

    This time¡­ I could ¡°tap for more.¡±  So, I did!  I tapped it so hard.

    Although, the result was pretty anticlimactic.  The prompt just filled in further.

    There is currently only one known way to defeat the Toxifovos: Mating.  Specifically, a potential mate must defeat the Toxifovos in a test of wills.  It is incredibly important that they do not move, breathe heavily, or blink and that they maintain eye contact for the duration of the mating ritual.  These contests have been known to take upwards of two cycles.  There have currently been no recorded winners and the Flow predicts that the Toxifovos may eventually die alone ¨C leaving no progeny and leading to its species¡¯ extinction.

    In fact, this is why the Toxifovos was driven into the Outer Reaches and its environment was carefully tailored by the Flow to ensure that it would not wake from its slumber ¨C a process that took eons.  Luckily, the creature is normally quite lazy and will sleep continuously unless its territory is disturbed.  Thus, it is incredibly important that no changes are made to this biome¡ª

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, my mind suddenly going blank.

    ¡°What!?¡±  Louder that time.  Maybe a little screamy.

    ¡°Who designed this stupid system? Why would it hide such an important detail in the notes?  And then why did it let me make all of those changes before?  And does the Toxifovos even have a gender?  It¡¯s a metallic death ball covered in venom!¡±

    Sluuuuurp.  Slurp.

    Okay, I needed to calm down.  Just because we might have accidentally woken up a divine beast and introduced it to the Cheater, didn¡¯t mean anything had happened, right?  Maybe they didn¡¯t hit it off?  Maybe PK had just ripped his head off his shoulders?  Although¡­ it was strange that the prompt was using the Cheater¡¯s nickname, wasn¡¯t it?  And the last time I saw them, they were having some sort of contest¡ªThe narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± I murmured, my painted eyes going round.  I mean, the mating ritual did sound a lot like a staring contest, didn¡¯t it?  But no.  No!  Maybe¡­ maybe he was already dead.  Yeah, the prompt said no one had won before, right?  And that hadn¡¯t changed.

    Only one way to check.  I brought up a viewing portal.

    One that showed the Cheater ¨C still very much alive.

    ¡°What is he wearing?¡± I muttered, peering closer.  It looked familiar.

    My painted eyes darted between the viewing portal and the image resting beside the bestiary entry.  Ahh, yeah.  I saw it now.  Irrefutable proof.  The Cheater was definitely alive¡ªand also possibly married now¡­ to one of the most dangerous creatures in the Five Rivers.  Which was perfect.  Just perfect.

    Sluuuuuuuurp.

    Ahh, I was rubbing at my ears again.

    Slurp.  Slurp.  Slurp.

    Okay, better.  Sort of.

    And with that calm came clarity.  This wasn¡¯t over yet.  The changes I¡¯d made to the Screaming Bamboo Forest had been for a singular purpose, after all.  To stall the Cheater and his impotent lizard sidekick ¨C the one riding the tricycle onscreen.  I bet the staring contest and related nonsense had wasted tons of time.  I¡¯m sure Horus and Eris were¡ª

    The viewing portal shifted and my mug splashed to the ground, forgotten.

    ¡°They¡¯re just reaching the forest?¡± I screamed.  ¡°What have they been doing?¡±

    A tap at my tablet and the portal rewound quickly.  Eris pouring her heart out to Danae.  The elf simmering in silence and tons of walking.  Woah, she looked super angry for some reason¡­  Ahh, I see, because they found the Cheater¡¯s first camp¡ª

    Wait, what was this?  The screen froze on Eris cuddling atop Horus.

    ¡°Oh.  My.  Gods,¡± I murmured, a delighted smile on my face.

    Fine.  I might have become a tiny bit invested in their romance.  They weren¡¯t exactly a traditional couple.  They didn¡¯t really work on paper ¨C elf princess and death warrior moose.  But something in my gut told me there was a connection there.

    But more than that, how had Horus pulled this off?  I thought things between them had been pretty rocky.  Although, I guess there was only one way to find out¡­

    I rewound a little more ¨C slower this time.

    However, the curve of my painted smile soon flattened, then went rather concave.

    ¡°Oh¡­ oh, Horus,¡± I murmured.  ¡°You poisoned the girl.¡±

    I felt so conflicted.  I mean, on the one hand¡­ ick.

    But also, maybe Eris needed to learn to relax?  Drugs were basically training wheels for that, right?  I mean, it was working pretty well for me¡­

    Not that it really mattered.  The result was the same.

    ¡°Does this mean they¡¯re finally a couple now?¡± I murmured, fiddling with my ears as I fast forward back to the fun part where they woke up together.  I might have watched it a couple times.  For research, of course.  ¡°I mean, they slept together, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it works that way,¡± another, more masculine voice spoke up.

    ¡°Uh, it totally does,¡± I shot back over my shoulder.  ¡°I just finished the Bestiary Tutorial, so I know all about mating now.  The monsters just cuddle each other, the screen fades to black while the Flow builds the baby from components of each of their genetic material in a sanitized, extra-dimensional laboratory, and then it delivers the finished product by carrier pigeon.  Or a stork if one is available.¡±

    ¡°Uh, okay, sure¡­ except how do they share that genetic material?¡±

    ¡°From the cuddling, obviously,¡± I snapped, whirling¡ª

    Only to freeze in place.  Wait.  That hadn¡¯t just been another voice in my head.  Or, I mean, maybe it still was.  But there was also someone standing inside my cubicle.  A stranger, his spindly limbs wrapped in smooth, pressed wool and his face covered by a mask just like mine.  Well, sort of like mine.  His was slightly more¡­ demonic?

    ¡°Waaaaaah!,¡± I screamed, gliding away through the Flow until my back slammed up against the invisible wall of my cubicle.  ¡°Who are you?  How did you get in here?  What happened to your face?  How are you this ugly¡­ and creepy?  And why is there a wagon in my office?  Wait, that thing looks familiar¡­¡±

    I recognized that wagon, didn¡¯t I?

    The demon man-creature just frowned.  ¡°I¡¯ll ignore most of those questions.  As for who I am, my name is Emporos.¡±  He promptly hinged at the waist and dipped into a deep bow.  Then his painted eyes flicked to the viewing portal.  ¡°Ahh, I see you have an office with a window.  Administrator, huh?¡±  He looked around.  ¡°Although, I guess you haven¡¯t been promoted to the corner office yet.¡±

    Wait, he knew about the corner office?

    ¡°Do you work here or something?¡± I demanded, eyes narrowed. I kept the Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup> between us for safety.  During the Bestiary Tutorial, I¡¯d seen some monsters engage in ¡°forced cuddling.¡±  Is that what he wanted with me?  To cuddle my tiny empty body?  I mean, it looked interesting, but I wanted to cuddle on my own terms, you know?

    ¡°Once upon a time,¡± Emporos offered with a shrug, leaning back against his wagon.  ¡°Corporate life didn¡¯t really suit me, so I took the black parachute and retired.  Opened my own little shop.  I guess you could say that I¡¯m an independent contractor now.¡±

    Which explained the wagon, I guess.

    ¡°You like it?¡± he asked, waving at his ride.  ¡°It travels through time and space and has infinite storage ¨C no big deal really.  I even added an extended loading dock recently.  It¡¯s huge.¡±  He smirked, clearly proud of himself.  ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what Nyx thinks of it.  I bet he won¡¯t even fill a small fraction¡ª¡±

    I just switched the viewing portal back with my tablet.

    The screen now showed the Cheater rolling across a wasteland in his new ride.

    Emporos cut off, his mask freezing in place and his mouth slowly drifting open.  It might have been the several tons of rock and bamboo and twitching demon monkeys.  Or the rotating cannon platforms on the side.  Or the giant plow on the front topped off by an adult kraell skull.  Or maybe it was Fang pedaling his little heart out behind him.

    ¡°What is that thing?¡± he murmured.

    ¡°The Death Wagon 2.0,¡± I explained wearily.

    Emporos just looked back at his own tiny wagon.  ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Alright fine,¡± I admitted finally.  ¡°Maybe you were formerly employed by the Flow.  But what are you doing here now?  In my office?¡± I demanded, straightening.  Yeah, I was an administrator now.  I should act like it.  This person was the interloper.

    The masked demon just shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m a Merchant of the Flow.  Which means I go with the Flow ¨C literally.  I can only appear around¡ª¡±

    ¡°Gates,¡± I finished for him, reading from my tablet.  Yeah, I had his file now.  It was¡­ very large.  Very, very large.  He did seem to be who he said he was ¨C although, his mask looked a lot younger and more carefree in his photo.  Fewer lines and wrinkles.

    ¡°So, uh, how are you here?¡± I insisted, focusing on him again.  ¡°I don¡¯t see a gate.¡±

    He spread his arms wide.  ¡°Well, technically, a gate is merely a concentration of nimbus large enough to begin drawing on the Flow,¡± Emporos answered as he stalked toward me.  ¡°And you, my dear, are practically brimming with nimbus.¡±

    I shrunk away.  Probably because he was being super creepy ¨C hunched forward, eyes smoldering, feral grin, and weird shadows that shouldn¡¯t be possible in here.

    ¡°That¡¯s, uh¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?  So, you haven¡¯t been drinking the Flow?¡±

    I froze, my expression perfectly neutral.  I could do this.  Keep it together me.  I¡¯d deleted all of the incriminating evidence, even the recordings¡ª

    ¡°What?  I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I squeaked.  Perfect.

    Emporos eyes dropped to the puffy white mug at my feet, a smirk on his lips.

    I kicked it.  Hard.  So hard the mug disappeared into a cloud of vapor.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what it looked like, plus you can¡¯t prove it,¡± I finally broke, stabbing at him with a finger, my fox face scowling.  ¡°I deleted all of the recordings and you don¡¯t even work here anymore.¡±  Yeah, that¡¯s right.  I was totally safe.

    ¡°Ahh, but did you delete the offsite backups?¡± he asked innocently, stepping around my office and inspecting the furniture and screens full of notes hanging in the air.

    I hadn¡¯t had a chance to clean up after studying for the Tutorial.

    ¡°The offsite backups?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ you haven¡¯t finished the Data Management Tutorial yet?  That should have been your first choice.  Rookie move there,¡± he said.

    ¡°Wait, you know about the Tutorial?¡±

    Yeah, that¡¯s right, I¡¯d used the Cheater¡¯s Honorary Rule Number 5 ¨C When in doubt, deflect, deflect, deflect.  I wasn¡¯t proud of it, but desperate times called for desperate deflection.  Shit¡­ that was one of Fang¡¯s teachings, wasn¡¯t it?  What had they done to me?

    ¡°Know about it?¡± Emporos scoffed.  Then his demonic smile widened, stretching nearly the width of his mask, the spirits above flickering and flashing.  ¡°I¡¯ve finished it.¡±

    My attention whipped back to the demon.

    What?  Was that even possible?  How?

    ¡°I can see you¡¯re intrigued.  How far along are you?¡± he asked innocently, leaning back and inspecting my notes once more.  ¡°Oh, here it is,¡± he continued as he found the latest prompt.  He let out a whistle.  ¡°Wow.  You have a while left, huh?¡±

    My shoulders slumped.  He was right.   ¡°It never¡­ it never ends.  It just keeps getting longer and longer.  It¡¯s impossible,¡± I murmured, despair warping my mask.

    And suddenly he was standing there, close ¨C too close really.  His hand on my shoulder.  His voice whispering in my ear ¨C such sweet, incredible words.

    ¡°What if I told you there was a way to skip it?¡±

    When I spun, he was suddenly lounging atop my Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup>.

    Yet I didn¡¯t even care.  Was he telling the truth?  Was there a way?

    ¡°Ahh, you look skeptical.  Yet surely you¡¯ve brought up my file by now, right?  So, you can confirm that I¡¯m telling the truth.  I can sell anything.  Anything at all.¡±

    My tablet indicated that he was indeed telling the truth.  If I¡¯d had a heart, it would be beating so fast right now.  Even my palms felt sweaty.  But not so sweaty that I couldn¡¯t turn off the recordings again.  I could deal with the backups later.

    ¡°What would your help cost me?¡± I asked finally.

    ¡°Oh, nothing much,¡± Emporos replied with a wave.  ¡°It¡¯s just that, while my Death Wagon is a marvel of spiritual engineering, it doesn¡¯t have any windows.¡±

    He was right.  The vehicle was just a black box on wheels ¨C a little uninspired after watching the Cheater, if I was being honest.

    ¡°I guess what I¡¯m saying is that I¡¯d like to rent out your cubicle for a bit.  Keep an eye on this pair of¡­¡± he trailed off, his eyes on the screen where the Cheater appeared to be playing with his new ¡°battle onesie,¡± practicing with the spines and his shield.

    Emporos seemed distracted, staring wide-eyed.  Maybe it was the armor.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about this¡­¡± I murmured, feeling uncomfortable.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± the demon coughed and his attention whipped back to my face.  ¡°In that case, I can sweeten the pot.  I¡¯m intimately familiar with this Nyx.  In fact, you¡¯re not the first administrator I¡¯ve met who was assigned to his case.  I suspect that experience would be invaluable, no?  Assuming you wish to see him die brutally?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I do.  I really, really do,¡± I murmured.  It was like he understood me.

    ¡°I thought so,¡± Emporos replied, then leaned forward on my Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup>, his eyes gleaming and shadows coiling overhead, threading through the Flow.  That was¡­ disconcerting and I watched him warily, my tablet clutched in my hands like a shield.

    ¡°So, what do you say?¡± he asked.  ¡°Do we have a deal?¡±

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 - Gaslight

    Eris

    Screaming Bamboo Forest

    Gas Station #1

    ¡°Do¡­ do you want to talk about it?¡± Danae asked nervously.

    No, absolutely not.  That was the last thing I wanted.

    ¡°Oh, come now, you know you want to.  She¡¯s such a good listener,¡± Apex purred, my fingers curling into frustrated fists.  ¡°Plus, you¡¯ll need my powers, won¡¯t you?  How about this?  If you answer the girl¡¯s questions, I¡¯ll give you a pass.  She¡¯ll be my proxy.¡±

    I side-eyed Danae as she marched through the marshes beside me.  She was looking rather refreshed after our stay at Nyx¡¯s camp ¨C almost suspiciously so.  Bright-eyed and bushy tailed and smiling in delight as she crunched away at that enormous plate of snake tempura she was still carrying, her hearth spirit enveloping it in a bubble of gold like some sort of sacred relic.  To keep the fog off, she had said.

    Clearly, she was also feeling well enough to pry into my affairs.  Yet she still shied from my gaze, her eyes dropping to the ground.  This was still Danae ¨C still a vulpin ¨C their race always weak, demure, and easily subdued.

    The trade was to my advantage.

    ¡°Fine.  You have a deal.¡±

    And to Danae, ¡°No.  I don¡¯t wish to talk.  Not at all.¡±  With that, I marched ahead of her, leaving the vulpin to follow in my steaming wake.

    Silence met that response ¨C even the crunching stopped.

    Okay¡­ perhaps that was too harsh.

    ¡°What would I even have to talk about?¡± I added with a shrug.

    There, an easy rhetorical question that wouldn¡¯t have any follow-up¡ª

    ¡°Maybe blowing up the camp?¡± Danae offered nervously.

    Was that even a question?  I tested by drawing on Apex¡¯s power¡ªnothing.  Damn it.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡ª¡± I began, hesitating.  ¡°That was just a reflex.  He surprised me.¡±

    ¡°Horus?¡± Danae asked.

    I flinched.  Flinched!  Me?  An immortal warrior that had stood down armies of corrupted beasts.  Was this how far I¡¯d fallen ¨C how tenuous my hold on my own sanity had become?  My control wasn¡¯t just slipping away¡­ it was already sprinting toward horizon ¨C likely driving an impossibly huge death wagon.

    Ahh, Danae was still waiting.

    And that one was definitely a question.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered shortly.

    I just needed to stay calm.  Short responses.  Offer nothing.

    ¡°Hmm, you seem uncomfortable around him.  It feels like you even avoid saying his name.  Are you¡­ nervous maybe?¡± Danae continued.

    I whirled, steam wafting.  ¡°Nervous?  Why would I be nervous?  I¡¯ve braved the depths of Tartarus.  Stood against armies. Horus is nothing compared to what I¡¯ve endured.¡±

    Danae didn¡¯t look convinced.

    ¡°Fine.  Perhaps I am¡­ concerned.  He could be in league with Kastor and even with this Nyx, after all.  He probably manufactured that whole thing ¨C seduced me into¡ªinto relaxing, just to put me off my guard.¡±

    Ahh.  That wasn¡¯t the concise response I¡¯d planned.

    Danae just met my glare with a wide-eyed, blank stare, plopping another piece of fried snake in her mouth and crunching down.  Oh, how that sound irritated me¡ª

    And yet I so badly wanted another piece.

    ¡°I am merely suspicious and rightfully so.  That tempura?  His so-called cooking skills?  The¡­ the massages?  It¡¯s must all be part of this plot.  It has to be.  He must have wanted me to fall asleep.  Who knows what he was up to while I was unconscious.  What he could have done to me¡ª

    I paused, my cheeks flushing as several images suddenly swept through my somewhat imperfect mind¡ªHorus¡¯ strong fingers working at the straps of my armor, and then my clinging wet clothing¡ªonly to be forced aside just as quickly.  Especially when Danae¡¯s tails flicked curiously and she cocked her head, those huge eyes watching me with rapt attention.

    ¡°I, uh, I even wonder if he might have poisoned the tempura,¡± I covered quickly.

    The vulpin¡¯s brow furrowed and she glanced down at her sacred plate quizzically.

    I scoffed, throwing up my hands in frustration.  ¡°But that¡¯s clearly impossible.  I have no explanation for how we slept so long ¨C days by my calculation.  Apex would have purged any poison from my¡ª

    Another pause.  A brief doubt.  Unless Apex had allowed Horus to poison me¡ª

    No.  That was crazy, paranoid even.  No spirit would threaten their own vessel.  Nyx was just getting to me ¨C his madness infectious.

    When I looked back up, Danae was holding a hand to her stomach, the palm glowing.  As she saw me looking, her hand whipped away.

    ¡°Anything?¡± I asked, already anticipating the answer.

    ¡°No¡­ of course not,¡± she answered, her voice cracking slightly.

    ¡°See?  There must be some sort of plot at work,¡± I announced, already moving on.  ¡°Now, if only I knew how to respond to these attacks¡­¡±

    This wasn¡¯t my battlefield of choice ¨C these words and feelings.  Killing monsters was simpler.  Easier.

    Danae nodded slowly, eyeing her sacred tempura warily, confusion and uncertainty and a strange longing lingering in her gaze.  Then her eyes shifted back to me and brightened in an instant ¨C as though she¡¯d had an epiphany.

    ¡°Or, um, is it possible you¡¯re approaching this the wrong way?¡±

    My brow furrowed.  ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, perhaps you just need to look at the situation with fresh eyes.  Horus prepared a meal for you, clean bedding, stoked the fire, prepared a fresh meal, and even eased your vessel¡¯s pain.  Almost, like he respects you ¨C maybe even cares for you.  How would you typically respond to that?¡± she asked.

    We stood there for several long seconds.

    Me processing Danae¡¯s words.

    Her reaching a paw down to snatch another tempura, inspecting it closely, then letting out a sigh before plopping it in her mouth, her sharp little teeth crunching down hard.  I could practically see the stress melt from her shoulders with each delicious bite.

    ¡°How would I respond?¡± I echoed, perfectly fine.  Perfectly controlled.

    Certainly not processing Danae¡¯s last statement over and over in an infinite repeating loop ¨C every detail recorded with painstaking care and forever enshrined in the glowing gemstone on my finger.  One that threatened to destroy the rest of my fragile, imperfect mind.

    Maybe he cares for me?  Cares?  Cares how?  As a subordinate?  A colleague?  As a friend?  Or as something¡­ more?  How could a single irritating word carry such depth ¨C such ambiguity ¨C such troubling implications?

    Danae just nodded with a happy, oblivious smile.  ¡°Yeah, like what if ¨C hypothetically ¨C this whole conspiracy was nonsense?  What if he just genuinely cared for you?¡±

    In that moment, I finally saw Danae¡¯s true value.

    It was like the whole of the Five Rivers had shifted.

    ¡°You are absolutely, 100% percent right,¡± I murmured.

    ¡°Ahh, good.  Glad I could help¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been letting Horus get to me ¨C letting his mind games work.  I¡¯ve been asking myself over and over¡­ how do I get Horus to admit to the conspiracy?  How do I fight back?  Yet, you just handed me the answer.  If Horus is pretending to care for me, possibly even trying to¡ªtrying to flirt with me, then there¡¯s only one way to respond.¡±

    ¡°Uh, and that¡¯s what exactly?¡± Danae asked, looking confused.

    My fingers twisted anxiously at my ring and more details came into focus.  Danae¡¯s pupils were quite large and her motor coordination appeared to be deteriorating ¨C the vulpin stumbling and weaving in place.  Perhaps her vessel was not fully recovered despite her rest.

    Although, the answer to her question was obvious now.

    ¡°Of course, I need to make Horus think I return his affections.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± That was Danae and Apex at the same time.

    ¡°Not because I actually care for him, of course,¡± I reassured them both quickly.  ¡°I am in complete control of my emotions.  This is purely to protect the order from Kastor.¡±

    There was only silence then ¨C the two of them mulling over the brilliance of my plan.

    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying you plan to date Horus?¡± Danae asked.

    ¡°Pretend to flirt with Horus,¡± I amended sharply.  ¡°Let¡¯s not get crazy.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Do you¡­ do you know how to flirt?¡±

    ¡°That is a really good question,¡± Apex murmured.

    I blinked.  Well, that was¡ª

    Hmm.  Possibly a problem.

    But how difficult could it be?  I mean, I had excelled at subterfuge with Danae ¨C specifically, the bribery and double entendre.  Plus, I¡¯d planned our current mission¡ª

    Ahh, that reminded me.  We were almost within sight of our target.

    ¡°Silence.  The enemy structure is near,¡± I commanded.

    Not to avoid her question ¨C of course not.  This was for the mission.

    The smoke had been visible from several miles away ¨C a thick, dark column of soot jetting up through the mist.  Only one person would be crazy enough to build a fire big enough to produce that much smoke.  And then, of course, there was the unusual part¡­  The glowing green light shining through that thick black smog ¨C like some sort of emerald eye.

    ¡°Horus should have already circled around the structure by now,¡± I murmured as we stalked forward.  ¡°No doubt, he will wait for our signal¡­¡±

    I trailed off as we approached.  The structure the emerged from the fog was unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen before.  My feet slowed as my simmering eyes took in fresh chaos, my fingers twist, twisting, twisting at my ring as I recorded every insane detail.

    Where to even start?

    Perhaps the screaming bamboo forest that emerged from the mist ¨C the one that lingered behind the strange structure, stretching off toward the horizon.  A forest that was most definitely not recorded on the Orders maps.  I would know.  Screaming Bamboo was an incredibly insidious and invasive species.

    The ground around the structure was also covered in a thick layer of some sort of¡­ rock?  Perhaps stone?  Yet, it looked like it had been poured into molds and then swept flat and smooth.  The building was built of more of the same, stretching up only a single story and creating a squat, fortified stone bunker nearly 20 meters square.  One with windows.  A door built of more solid concrete and mounted on a crude hinge.  More shutters made of the same.  Both meant to be locked from the inside.  Impossibly large and heavy.

    More of that odd material had been used to build a nearby spire that stretched far up into the mists overhead before flattening into a rough oval ¨C a sign, that was clear now.  One made out of some sort of spines that had been embedded into the stone, their tips glowing bright green.  One that announced that this was ¡°Gas Station #1¡± ¨C whatever that was supposed to mean.  One that was encircled by more emerald spines in the shape of an eye.

    And before the structure and strange spire?

    A massive, squat pedestal nearly five meters long and three meters wide ¨C a flat, rectangular awning stretched overtop and built of more of that strange stone.

    The source of the smoke was also clear now.

    It was coming from the truly enormous furnace built into that pedestal.  One that was so hot and bright that it burned away the mist.  I could even feel its heat from here.

    I forced my feet to move again, a headache starting to pound behind my temples even as my ring kept spinning, recording each and every impossible detail.

    Even as bright energy condensed along my fingertips.

    The fire seemed fresh.  Which meant the Hollow was likely still here.

    Which meant I needed to stay alert¡ª

    A brief flash of movement from the entrance of the gas station and my beam arced forward, slicing at ankle level.  It wouldn¡¯t kill ¨C only incapacitate the Hollow, the wounds seared shut to prevent him from bleeding out.  Besides, he couldn¡¯t run away without feet¡­ and Danae could always reattach them.

    Yet time seemed to slow as I came face to face with a stranger.

    A dirty, sapian man who appeared to be¡­ shaving?  That certainly looked like water on his chin; a razor in his hand.  He looked surprised, then terrified as those fiery beams arced toward his tender, unprotected legs in slow motion¡­

    Apex had been true to his word, allowing me to enhance my perception and to borrow his flame.  Yet there were still limits.  No matter how hard I pulled back at my arm, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.  There was nothing I could do ¨C nothing Danae could do as she just blinked in surprise and slowly raised more tempura toward her mouth.

    Then a hoof slammed down in front of that strange man.

    My beam arced harmlessly across Horus leg as he stepped out from behind the furnace and met us both with a big smile.  My beam left a dark, smoky line across the backside of the furnace and clipped the bottom corner of the sign before sputtering out.  Not that Horus seemed to notice, thankfully.

    And no harm was done.  The sapian was still alive, his razor clattering to the ground, dropping from trembling fingers as he stared at me in wide-eyed horror.

    See?  Totally fine.  Only mild mental trauma.

    ¡°Ahh, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Horus greeted us, several crude-yet-painfully-familiar kitchen utensils orbiting him, each one glowing a bright white.  He was also wearing an apron, one that somehow fit his enormous frame.  ¡°Want a burger?¡±

    He waved at an enormous grill where several dozen thick slabs of meat were sizzling, a plate of some sort of root vegetable slices lingering just beside it ¨C each one lightly roasted.

    ¡°No, we are¡ª¡±

    Danae shoved me aside.  ¡°Yes, please!¡± She answered as she stuck her face close to the grill and took a long, languid sniff, her fur singed from the heat.  Yet she paid that no mind, her saliva evaporating as it landed on the furnace.

    ¡°Mmmmmmm, it smells so good,¡± she growled.

    ¡°My Lady, would you like one?¡± Horus asked, his spatulas flipping the ¡°burgers.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    Another growl.  This time my stomach.  I suppose it had been a long hike; a while since we¡¯d last eaten.  Fine.  One couldn¡¯t hurt.  For research, of course.

    ¡°Yes, fine.  One.  But first, report,¡± I commanded.  Danae looked at me like her unit had just died¡­ again.  Yet she would live.  She had the first time.  ¡°What is going on here?  Who is that sapian man and those other people?¡±

    More were emerging from the gas station.  A couple savrans.  A vulpin.  Their bodies lacked the nimbus to be Guides.  Not a threat.  And certainly not our quarry.

    ¡°Ahh, so I circled ahead as you directed, but after watching the location, it became clear that the Hollow wasn¡¯t here.  Instead, I found these survivors trying to light the grill,¡± he said, waving at the structure before him with a grin.  ¡°They were having trouble so I gave them a hand.  The trick is to use all of the lumber at once.  Also, it gets pretty hot.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t stand within fifty paces, you mean,¡± the sapian man muttered.

    That might also explain why the savrans were sweating and hiding in the building.  And why Danae was using her shield to ward off the heat.  I¡¯d hardly noticed.

    That, fortunately, was a problem I could fix.  Apex drained some of the flames, bringing the temperature down.  ¡°Better?¡± I asked.

    The strangers nodded and slowly approached, Horus greeting them and asking for their orders.  The food did smell divine¡­

    No.  This is what happened last time.  I¡¯d gotten distracted.  I needed to focus.

    This time, I didn¡¯t plan to just fall asleep.

    This time, I planned to flirt.

    ¡°Did you say survivors?¡± I asked.  ¡°A monster attack then?  You must have beaten it quite quickly ¨C I don¡¯t even see any evidence of the kill.¡±

    Horus glanced at me in surprise, his eyes giving a soft ivory pulse at my words.  I would stroke his ego.  That should work, right?  Most of the men I knew were incredibly arrogant.  All they spoke about was their kills streaks and their combat prowess.

    ¡°No, not him,¡± one of the savrans hissed.  ¡°Our savior."

    I just blinked, turning toward him.  ¡°Your what?¡±

    ¡°The one who built this place.  We got attacked by sea serpents in the river.  They destroyed our boat and left us stranded in the swamp.  We only survived because we saw the green glow through the mist.  To think anyone would build a bunker like this in the middle of the marsh.¡±  The savran shook his head, an awestruck expression on his scaly face.

    He couldn¡¯t possibly be talking about¡ª

    No, that was too crazy to even consider.  Too impossible¡­ even if all the evidence pointed to one inevitable, ridiculous, insane conclusion.

    ¡°Ahh, but you can see him for yourself,¡± the old sapian man offered.

    And then he was pointing¡­ at the statue on the other side of the gas station.

    The one that slammed a final nail into my mental coffin.

    The one of Nyx.  It was oversized, of course, towering three meters.  Incredibly detailed.  Each and every scar.  That crazed look in his eye I¡¯d seen right before those rats had slammed the door to Emporos¡¯ wagon shut ¨C the one burned into my perfect, screaming mind.  He¡¯d even incorporated his arm chain.

    Then there were the inevitable questions, each one another shovel-full of dirt crashing against the lid of that coffin, the weight growing.  Why the burger in one hand?  Why did the inscription below it declare him to be the ¡°Reigning Staring Contest Champion of the Screaming Bamboo Forest?¡±  And why was his other hand pointing off into the distance¡ª

    Ahh, that would be the reason right there.

    Behind the gas station, someone had punched a hole through the dense bamboo forest ¨C one impossibly wide.  That itself was impossible.

    The bamboo was incredibly sturdy ¨C resistant to most weapons ¨C its root system went down nearly five feet, and it re-grew quickly ¨C very quickly.  Screaming bamboo was considered a threat even close to Asphodel and infestations were taken very seriously.  Typically, an entire division was required for removal.  And that was for a small infestation.  This was a forest.  It would take¡­ three divisions, at least?  Maybe more?

    It was impassable for anyone under gold rank.

    Or, at least, it should have been.

    Yet that wasn¡¯t the worst of it.

    He¡¯d¡­ he¡¯d somehow paved it.

    The ground was completely coated in that weird stone.

    ¡°Ahh, you noticed the highway.  Isn¡¯t it a beauty?¡± the sapian man asked between bites of his burger.  ¡°With this, we could probably make it to Apati in just a week or two.  We thought we¡¯d have to go around.  That would have taken months.¡±

    The others were nodding in agreement.  Like that was a reasonable position.

    Like Nyx had done some sort of good here?  Had¡­ saved lives?

    My perfect mind simply couldn¡¯t handle it.  My fingers just kept twist, twist, twisting at my ring ¨C searching through those million crazy details for any other explanation.  My skin was on fire, my heart racing.  Fast. Too fast.  And my breath only came in shallow, rapid gasps.  I was suddenly feeling lightheaded and the world swam.  And all the while, that statue seemed to be staring right at me; laughing at me ¨C as if it was mocking me.

    ¡°My Lady?¡± Horus growled, suddenly at my side, his hand steadying me as I stumbled.  ¡°Are you okay?  Perhaps you need food and rest?¡±

    I blinked, suddenly staring up into his glowing white eyes.

    And in that moment¡­ all of those buzzing questions drained away.

    ¡°My Lady?¡± Horus asked again.  ¡°I already took the liberty of preparing your accommodations for the evening.  Would you like me to take you to bed?¡±

    Ba-bump.

    That was all it took for it all to come rushing back ¨C that one question.

    Before I knew it, I punched him.  Hard.

    Horus¡¯ impressive bulk sailed backward, his back crashing into the gas station wall and causing the entire structure to buckle and moan as I disturbed the bamboo that must be embedded in the walls.  Moans that only reminded me of¡ª

    No!  Oh, no!  This was supposed to be pretend¡­

    Although, as I saw the billowing wave of dust where Horus had collided with the Gas station, my confusion was replaced with a new, novel emotion.  A gnawing, hollow thing that lingered in my stomach.  The expressions of the others only made it worse ¨C shock, awe, and fear warring for dominance on their faces.  Danae simply stared at me, mouth agape and eyes wide.  I already knew what she must be thinking.

    Had I ruined it?  I was supposed to be flirting.

    And now all these people were staring at me like I was¡­ like I was Nyx.

    Like I was the crazy one?  Which was clearly ridiculous!

    I squeezed my eyes shut, rubbing at one temple, trying to find my center.

    ¡°My Lady,¡± a familiar voice growled.

    My eyes snapped open to find Horus standing there.  Perfectly fine.  His fur wasn¡¯t even dirty.  And that expression on his face, that bloodlust I was suddenly feeling¡­ it was invigorating.  Before I knew it, magma was beading on my fingertips again ¨C hot and wet.  I just don¡¯t know what came over me.  I wanted so badly to hit him again¡ª

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re not yet ready to sleep,¡± Horus replied, looking me dead in the eye.   ¡°But please let me know if you change your mind.¡±

    Ba-bump.

    Never mind.  I take it all back.

    I was very good at flirting.  Possibly even too good.

    Then he sniffed at the air.  ¡°Ahh, the burgers are nearly done!¡± Horus realized, his spatulas already tossed them onto the buns in a flurry of movement.  Then they carried the plate to an oversized table picnic table resting nearby ¨C one clearly built for giants.

    Danae was already sitting there, just waiting, and the others soon gathered round and took their seats cautiously.  They gave me a wide berth as I joined them.  And only because my vessel required sustenance ¨C that must be why I nearly fainted a moment before.  Not because I enjoyed Horus¡¯ cooking.  Obviously.

    Yet before Danae could bite into her burger, the others did something strange.

    ¡°Before we eat, it¡¯s important to say the mantra,¡± the sapian man offered.

    My brow furrowed.  ¡°The what?  What mantra¡ª"

    The man waved at the table.  Ahh, yes.  There it was.  Another insane detail lost among a thousand others ¨C those words etched into the surface.  Not just Nyx¡¯s name ¨C not this time.  This time, he¡¯d left a message.  One written by the refugees¡¯ ¡°savior¡± himself.

    Then they all took each other¡¯s hands, bowed their heads and recited the following words ¨C words that were permanently etched into my mind.

    ¡°We thank ourselves for being such amazing hunters and surviving this cesspit of hell.  We deserve every bit of this food.  May the Flow dry up and go fuck itself.  Amen.¡±

    Blasphemous.  Profane.  Insane.

    And yet, everyone else was already eating ¨C even Horus and Danae.

    Could¡­ could it be that maybe I was the one that had it wrong?  Was I really giving into Nyx¡¯s madness; Kastor¡¯s plot?  Or was I making it all up?  Could this Nyx actually be an agent for good?  Simply a misunderstood young man?  Was I imagining enemies where none existed to avoid an even more uncomfortable truth¡ª

    However, those questions were all blown away as I took a single, tentative bite.

    This¡­ this was absolutely, sinfully delicious.

    Or maybe I was just overthinking it.  Maybe the answer would be clearer on a full stomach.  Maybe even a second helping and a short nap.

    It was important to hunt your prey with a clear head, after all.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 - Rules

    The Wasteland Outside Apati

    Nyx

    Schlick, shlick, shlick.

    ¡°Oh gods... it feels so good...¡± I groaned.

    Shlick, shlick, shlick.

    ¡°Hey babies, come look!  See how it gets really tall and quivers?¡±

    Shlick, shlick, shlick.

    ¡°Please stop. It is weird when you do this,¡± Fang hissed.

    ¡°Why?  What''s wrong with¡ª" I began, turning.

    Woah. Why are you all looking at me like that?

    It''s the spines!  Like the ones on my new battle onesie?  They flick out when I shake my arms and since the fabric is fused with my skin and the spines vibrate¡­ yup, that¡¯s right.  My onesie has a massage setting.  You can also use it on your legs.  It feels great.  Really helps work out the knots from dragging several tons of your bromantic partner¡¯s useless crap.

    Huh, you still look uncomfortable.

    Seriously, I promise I wasn¡¯t doing anything weird¡­

    Or, well¡­ not any weirder than normal?  Just pulling the wagon.  My babies and I have to remember?  Because PK left us?  It¡¯s just me and the babies now ¨C their perfect, misshapen furry bodies glowing a bright red as they channeled their spirits.

    Besides, I have no idea what you were thinking.

    But I do know it says a lot more about you than it does about me.

    ¡°No¡­ it was weird,¡± Fang gasped as he pedaled his little, shriveled, dead heart out to keep pace with us.

    I was skeptical.  Or maybe it was hard to take him seriously when he was riding his tricycle.

    ¡°I hate to say this, but he¡¯s right,¡± Lili added.  ¡°Besides, it feels like you were intentionally trying to bait your ¡°audience¡± and we were the ones who had to pay for it.¡±

    That¡¯s, uh, not true.  Obviously.

    ¡°Really?  So, you weren¡¯t practicing lines?  For an hour?  To impress¡­ well, yourselves, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I thought you were supposed to be on my team?¡±

    ¡°Except your team is crazy,¡± Fang muttered.

    Wow.  I was feeling attacked right now.

    Anyway, you should take everything they say with a grain of salt.  They were just upset.  Lili because we were driving through a veritable nimbus wasteland.  After the screaming bamboo forest, it was just a big muddy field full of precious little food.  Like none.  Plus, that shadowy wall in the distance turned out to be a lot farther away than we expected.

    And Fang had a fresh case of the grumpies because, well¡­ he was Fang.

    He even got to ride up front now!  He should be happy.

    Although, that was partly because he had to make a misty every so often.  You know, to help conceal the Death Wagon 2.0 as it barreled across the muddy wasteland.

    Not that this made a lot of sense since it was already super misty.

    I couldn¡¯t even make out the shadowy walls in the distance anymore.

    Almost like that was Fang¡¯s goal.  To keep my blind folded.  Lead me through the fog and then surprise me with the most epic party ever!  Maybe there would be, uh, like an army of creatures to fight?  Or we¡¯d make a nice dinner together?  Hold hands and sing?

    Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure.

    I mean, I¡¯d, um¡­ never been to a party.

    Despite all of their rules and mantras and being generally uptight, the villagers back in Anchon had thrown them occasionally.  It¡¯s just that I was never invited.  Actually, they locked me in one of the smoke houses.  To make sure I couldn¡¯t sneak in¡­

    Which is why this was going to be the best party ever!

    Also, technically, my worst.  You know, because it was my first¡ª

    ¡°That is not it!  A million times I tell you this.¡± Fang huffed and hissed, yellow eyes glaring at me.  Hmm.  Things seemed to keep slipping out more easily lately.

    ¡°This place¡ª¡±

    ¡°My surprise Apati, I interjected.

    He sighed.  ¡°Apati.  Just Apati.  It is a place.  A city.  Also, dangerous,¡± Fang snapped.  ¡°You must take this seriously.  No jokes.  No strange plans.  It is important that you don¡¯t reveal who you are¡­ what you are.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°You mean sapian?¡± I shot back, hand to my chest.  ¡°That¡¯s racist¡­ or, uh, speciest?¡±

    ¡°No, that you are crazy.  So crazy.¡±

    His words cut deep, but it was the look in his eyes that got me¡­

    Did they have to look so dead inside?

    ¡°We¡¯ve been over this.  I don¡¯t like that word,¡± I replied evenly.

    And now he was kneading at his temple with a claw and growling under his breath.  ¡°Fine.  We will make this easy.  I know you like rules¡ª

    ¡°Well, like might not be the right word¡ª¡±

    ¡°We will make them simple.  Very simple.  So simple even you can remember,¡± Fang snapped.  ¡°Rule #1: You need a new name.  Anything except Nyx or the Hollow.¡±

    That made sense.  You know, since we were being chased?  Probably?

    Also, the rule was super open-ended and¡ª

    Oh, shit.  Wait.  Was Fang suggesting¡­ roleplay?

    I mean, I kept telling him our bromantic relationship had started to stagnate.  Was this¡ªno, it had to be!  This must be how he planned to spice things up¡ª

    Ahh, he was glaring again.

    ¡°Okay, sure, obviously,¡± I replied, totally nonchalant.  ¡°What else?¡±

    Fang stared another moment longer, but I didn¡¯t crack ¨C just put on my most innocent and attentive expression.  See?  Roleplay!

    Then he sighed and continued, ¡°Rule #2: You will not use your spirits.  Any of them.¡±

    I just stared back, stumbling slightly over a rock before I caught back up to the babies ¨C who were all now paying rapt attention.  Even Maribel gave an angry little hand tingle.

    ¡°Ahh, but then how will we do couple¡¯s therapy?¡±

    ¡°Or eat?¡± Lili insisted, the skin on my arm itching.

    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Fang answered, smiling a little too much ¨C almost like he was happy to skip couple¡¯s therapy.  Which was just impossible.  Maybe he was already getting into character?  Yeah, that had to be it¡ª

    Maribel stabbed a finger at the ratpack, her question implied.

    ¡°Maribel¡¯s right!  What about the babies?¡± I demanded, waving at them, each one giving Fang their saddest murder-demon-eyes.  They were so big.  Like crimson moons.  ¡°They¡¯re so excited about the surprise party!  Would you really deny them this¡ª"

    ¡°No!  No one must see the babies!¡±

    Maribel didn¡¯t love that.  She kept trying to flick Fang off with my left hand.  Also, throttle him.  I mean, I could see where she was coming from.  I always knew Fang was secretly ashamed of our children.  But this¡­ this was just proof, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Wait, was he saying no to the couple¡¯s therapy or the eating?¡± Lili demanded, corrupted black text scrawling up my arm even as she raised it and waved it in Fang¡¯s face.

    Fang glared at the offending limb.  ¡°Both.  You are on a diet.  For your own safety¡­ and for everyone else¡¯s.  Also, because your vessel is getting large.  Too large.  It is important to make a good impression.  And fit through doors.¡±

    Wow.  I mean, just¡­ wow.

    Okay, sure, fine¡­ maybe I¡¯d made a few more demon monkey burgers than we really needed.  Also, the barbeque kabobs.  And the blood heart smoothies.

    Anyway, my point was that my babies were still developing little murder demons¡­ possibly.  And nutrition was incredibly important for growing teenagers, right?   That¡¯s how they were able to pull the wagon so easily now, wasn¡¯t it?  Besides, this was a vacation!  Wasn¡¯t I supposed to cut loose?  You know, devour everything in sight?

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Lili crowed.  ¡°This is just more body shaming.  No matter how large and scarred and ugly you become, I¡¯m still beautiful on your inside.  Why can¡¯t he see that?¡±

    Yeah, exactly¡ª

    I hesitated, frowning.  Wait, that didn¡¯t sound quite right¡­

    ¡°And most important is Rule #3,¡± Fang continued, ignoring my confused expression and the increasingly angry images I could only imagine Lili was drawing on me.

    ¡°You must act normal.¡±

    Lili and I both froze.  Even Maribel hesitated.

    ¡°Uh, what does that mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Normal,¡± he repeated, raising a claw.  ¡°Not weird.  No crazy games.  No therapy.  No killing anyone¡ªnot even maiming.  No battle onesies ¨C that is why you have to wear the cloak.  No strange, made-up parties¡­¡±

    He was just ticking off a list of my favorite things on his scaly claws.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re thinking ¨C that I was probably upset at these arbitrary and controlling rules that were sure to ruin my first party ever.

    Except that¡¯s where you would be wrong.

    You see, I¡¯d had my suspicions for a while now.  Of Fang, I mean.  Because he was clearly hiding something.  I had a sixth sense for these things.

    ¡°He straight up admitted it,¡± Lili interjected sourly.  ¡°Also, Asshole-You told us as much.¡±

    Sure, yeah, that too.

    But I¡¯d also had a feeling.

    Fang had been weird about this place for a while now ¨C always trying to get to us to ¡°leave¡± or ¡°turn around¡± or ¡°go another way, anywhere else, please for the love of the Flow.¡±  Also, the closer we got, the more controlling he became.  Almost like he was returning home and he was embarrassed of us ¨C his bromantic partner and his three adopted murder babies.  Can you imagine that?

    Clearly, that was impossible, though.  Fang obviously lived in a cave or under a rock or something.  I¡¯ll admit that wasn¡¯t super clear.

    Plus, his family was dead.  Super dead.

    Yet it was all obvious now.  There was only one explanation.

    Fang really was throwing us a surprise party.

    You know, for saving his scaly ass, rescuing him from a gate he couldn¡¯t possibly have defeated on his own, and then planning the best family road trip ever.

    ¡°Uh, are you sure?¡± Lili sounded skeptical.

    Of course, I was.  It was even in the name of the city!  That was the hint, obviously.

    ¡°But what about how we tortured him by withholding the gems?  Or made him juggle all his loot?  Or how you humiliated him by forcing him to drive his little lizard tricycle?¡± Lili demanded.  ¡°Oh, or what about that time he tried to backstab us with his upgraded poison ring?  Doesn¡¯t he seem¡­ angry and resentful?¡±

    Maribel just pointed at my right hand.  It seemed she agreed.

    I can see you all look skeptical too.

    But wait, hear me out¡­

    That was all part of the ruse.  More roleplay.

    I mean, this is Fang we¡¯re talking about, right?  We all know he has to be lying about something.  Probably even multiple somethings.  So why not this?

    Which is why it was easy for me to agree to his terms.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.  I¡¯ll behave,¡± I replied.

    Fang just glared back suspiciously, huffing and puffing.

    Maybe because I was smiling.  I¡¯d been practicing.  It only hurt a lot now.

    And just to summarize.  Here were our new rules:

    <ul>

    <li>Rule #1: Change my name.  It could be anything I wanted.  Anything at all.</li>

    <li>Rule #2: Don¡¯t show anyone Lili or Maribel.  Also, the babies.  Disguises were okay as long as they were tasteful.  We could also nibble on Fang as needed to maintain our blood-nimbus levels, because ¡°spiritual diabetes¡± was a concerning and very real health condition.  One we totally had.  We just had to nibble in private.

    </li>

    <li>Rule #3: Be cool.  The coolest guy at my surprise party.

    </li>

    <li>Bonus Rule #4: Act surprised when the party started.</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what he said at all¡ª¡± Lili began sharply, only to pause and reconsider.  ¡°Actually, on second thought, I love it.¡±

    Maribel tickled her approval as well.

    All three of us were in perfect agreement, two thumbs up and a smiling nod. Which only caused Fang¡¯s eyes to squeeze into two, thin suspicious lines.

    Fortunately, he couldn¡¯t ask any follow up questions.  Because we were here!

    And boy did we make an entrance¡­

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 - Pre-Apati

    We rolled in like a thunderstorm.  A billowing wave of mist a mile wide that swept across the wasteland.  The moisture was so dense that rain pitter pattered the mud.

    And, of course, it wouldn¡¯t be a storm without thunder.

    A moaning, grinding, chittering, squeaking, wailing, shrieking cacophony of sound ¨C like the roar of some desperate murderous beast.  One that wished to bathe in the blood of thousands, always hungry but never full.  A hollow, all-consuming void that threatened to devour the whole of the Five Rivers.

    We strode from that darkness ¨C Fang and I.

    Each of us fully in character ¨C each of us embracing the roleplay.

    And you know the most important part of platonic, adult roleplay?  That¡¯s right!  Costumes!  My body was completely covered in a very thick ratskin cloak.  Also, my face.  Fang had insisted it gave me an air of mystery.  Then he launched into a long rant about how we shouldn¡¯t scare the townsfolk.  I¡¯m still not sure how those two things were related.

    And Fang?  Well, Fang was roleplaying a grouchy asshole.

    To his credit, he was fucking nailing it.

    ¡°This is not normal,¡± Fang hissed, glaring at me.

    ¡°I told you already.  We have to make an entrance to my¡ª¡±

    His eyes narrowed.  Oh yeah.  Right.  Bonus Rule #4.

    I was supposed to act surprised for my party.

    ¡°My, uh¡­ first city since the gate.  Yeah, that¡¯s what I meant.  Besides, I¡¯ve been good.  Look, we¡¯re walking like you wanted.  I even parked the wagon and the tricycle back in the fog,¡± I replied, waving behind us at the stormfront, which seemed to hover there.

    He glared at it skeptically.  ¡°Just be silent.  Let me do the talking,¡± Fang hissed finally.

    Then he started marching toward the city wall.

    That was fine.  I planned to appreciate every single moment of my surprise party.

    Like the fact that, up close, those walls were really something.  Four stories tall, the mist billowing against a patchwork of iron, impossibly huge sheets stapled and stitched and seared together as though by giant smiths.  Or perhaps Guides, their spirits melting down the metal and raising it into place.  [Engineering] was already picking it all apart piece by piece. It turned out that there were actually some structural issues with the¡ª

    Fang came to an abrupt halt, raising a clawed hand.

    Before us stood a massive gate ¨C one that stretched the length of that wall.

    Then we stood there and waited, a storm whipping past us¡­

    My shield out and arm chain swinging at the ready¡­

    Fang with his daggers in hand¡­

    Both of us prepared for battle.

    Which, uh¡­ which didn¡¯t happen?

    I¡¯ll be honest with you, I was pretty surprised.  Just not in the way I¡¯d hoped?  Like there was no army waiting to murder us?  No Guides hidden by some sort of secret veil of magic?  No villagers lining the walls with pitchforks and torches?

    What kind of surprise party was this?

    I mean, I¡¯m not saying I wanted to get attacked by an angry mob¡­ but it would have been kind of nice, you know?  Like an acknowledgement of how much we¡¯d grown ¨C how imposing and terrifying and monstrous we¡¯d become?   Even Fang looked sort of put out, didn¡¯t he?  He just stood there glaring at the wall.  Plus, my super cool entrance was just wasted.  There wasn¡¯t even anyone here to appreciate it¡ª

    Ahh, never mind.  There was one person!

    Specifically, the portly vulpin that peered out of the window of his tiny little gate house ¨C the one situated right next to a very small, slender door in the wall.

    You know, the one beside the enormous gate.

    ¡°One second,¡± he chirped happily, ¡°I¡¯ll be right with you!¡±

    We just stood there awkwardly as he took another sip from his thermos, tugged on his hat and a pair of boots, and pulled open the door, humming softly to himself as he approached, pulling his raincoat tight and close to ward off the artificial rain.

    ¡°Whew, odd weather we¡¯re having here in the wasteland.  A sky turtle must have swept some of the mist from the forest this way,¡± the vulpin observed as he approached.  ¡°Have you two managed to stay dry?¡±

    Fang and I just looked at each other.

    His scales dripping wet.  My new ratskin cloak soaked through by the mist.

    Okay, there were some downsides to my super cool entrance¡­

    ¡°No.  We did not,¡± Fang answered, scowling at me.

    ¡°Ahh, you poor things.  You should come inside and get warm,¡± he offered, waving at his little shed.  The one with the toasty fire and did I smell¡ªahh, yes, those were definitely baked goods.  I smelled sugar.  My stomach growled loudly.

    Yet neither of us moved ¨C our weapons still raised.

    Although, it started getting awkward when nothing happened.

    The vulpin stared at us in confusion and then his eyes brightened.  ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m sorry.  Totally understand the hesitation.  I didn¡¯t even introduce myself, did I?  Name¡¯s Pietr.¡±

    He offered us his paw.  We both stared at it.

    I didn¡¯t see any weapons, but that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t hidden.

    Although, I was beginning to suspect that maybe¡­ maybe there weren¡¯t going to be any weapons.  Or armies.  Or angry mobs.  Just Pietr and his thermos.

    Which meant that maybe this wasn¡¯t my surprise party?

    Oh, shit.  Pietr was still waiting, hand raised, eyes blissfully blank, mouth smiling with zero pain.  Hmm.  Maybe he was just a really nice guy.

    So, I accepted his grip and I threw a smile on my face.  Just like I¡¯d practiced.

    ¡°Not that he can see it with the hood,¡± Lili muttered bitterly.

    Which was fair.  Damn.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you too, good sir.  My name is N¡­ ick,¡± I said, Fang just letting out a slow, disappointed hiss.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you came up with?¡± Lili demanded.

    I¡¯ll admit, not my best.  I was just under a lot of pressure!

    And, sure, he couldn¡¯t see my face or the smile I¡¯d practiced, but I made sure my grip was nice and firm.  Just like Lili had taught me.

    We were making a new friend already!

    ¡°Rule #3.¡± Fang hissed softly.  ¡°Let go of his hand.¡±

    Ahh, Pietr¡¯s smile had disappeared.  Also, his eye was twitching.  And was he crying?  No, that had to be the mist and the rain.  Although, he exhaled loudly as I let go of his hand.

    ¡°You have a¡­ strong grip,¡± Pietr gasped, holding up his mangled paw.  A flash of his hearth spirit and the bones popped right back into place.

    Then he took a long sip of his thermos and his smile was back in a flash.

    Hmm, what was he drinking?  I wanted to try some so bad¡ª

    ¡°Is there no one else here?¡± Fang demanded, eyeing our surroundings cautiously.

    ¡°Ahh, yeah, it¡¯s just me manning the gates,¡± Pietr chirped.  ¡°We don¡¯t really get many travelers from the south¡­ or any travelers, actually.  The screaming bamboo forest really cut down on foot traffic over the years,¡± he explained.

    ¡°So¡­ no army of soldiers?¡± I asked very discreetly.

    ¡°Soldiers?¡± Pietr retorted, incredulous.  ¡°Why would there be soldiers?¡±

    ¡°The rolling stormfront of mist?¡± Fang offered, waving behind us.  ¡°Or what about the noise as we approached?  You didn¡¯t hear the wailing and moaning and shrieking?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, no, I didn¡¯t,¡± Pietr replied, pulling wax from his ears.  ¡°Lots of noise with the factories and such.  Bunch of folks have hearing problems around these parts.¡±

    Now that he mentioned it, Apati was pretty loud.  Even from the other side of that giant metal wall, we could make out a repetitive clanking boom ¨C as though a thousand hammers were striking metal at the same time.  Almost like an army of weapon-wielding murder robots.

    Oh, shit.  Okay.  I had it now!  I just needed to be patient.

    This was just the introduction.  The lead-in to the main event.  The pre-Apati.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Which meant the pressure was off.  I could relax.  Ease myself into it.

    My eyes shot back to Pietr.  Fang must have meant for this to be the warmup.  My practice friend.  Don¡¯t worry.  I had this.  I¡¯d been taking careful notes.

    ¡°Does this count as a violation of Rule #3?¡± Lili asked.

    Nope.  Making friends is normal.

    And I was trying to making friends.  So, I was normal.  Obviously.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really make any sense¡ª¡± Lili began.

    ¡°Ahh, forgot the formalities,¡± Pietr spoke up, pulling out a clipboard from beneath his arm.  ¡°Sorry.  It¡¯s been so long since we had visitors that I¡¯ll probably be rusty with the registration.  Almost as rusty as that gate, eh?¡± the vulpin offered with a grin, elbowing Fang.

    To my surprise, the savran didn¡¯t stab him!   Which was weird.  I¡¯d tried doing that many times ¨C touching him, I mean ¨C and I¡¯d gotten stabbed.  Like a lot.  Yet Fang¡¯s eyes just gleamed, his daggers disappeared in a flash, and a broad toothy grin stretched across his face¡ªAhh, nevermind, I knew that smile.

    He was about to fuck over my new friend Pietr.

    So, not a physical stabbing ¨C more of a mental and emotional one.

    A scaly arm slid across the vulpin¡¯s shoulders.  ¡°That is no problem.  We will be easy.  Just two normal merchants with nothing to hide.¡±

    The vulpin smiled back.  ¡°Glad to hear it.¡±  He jot down our names.  ¡°Fang and¡­ Nick, was it?  So, it¡¯s just you two then?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡ª" I began.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Fang hissed, glaring at me.

    Why was he looking at me like that?   Ahh, right!  The ropleplaying.  But wasn¡¯t he kind of hogging my new practice friend?  Like we¡¯d gotten off to a weird start with the handshake ¨C I probably didn¡¯t do it hard enough.  But maybe I could still turn this around?  Maybe I could impress him?  But what did other people like?

    ¡°Anything else to declare?¡± Pietr asked.  ¡°Good and materials?  Vehicles¡­?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes.  There¡¯s Fang¡¯s tricycle and the wagon,¡± I piped up excitedly.  ¡°And we are carrying so much stuff.  You have to see it.  It¡¯s pretty cool.  They¡¯re just parked back in the creepy but totally harmless and natural stormfront.¡±

    Ha.  Perfect.  I mean, Fang loved loot and I loved vehicles and we were both guys ¨C just like Pietr, right?  Bromates?  So, I¡¯d just combined the best of both worlds.

    The vulpin smiled.  ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll just need to inspect the vehicles and¡­¡±

    I had trouble paying attention.  Fang was mouthing something at me behind Pietr¡¯s back and making some weird slicing gesture with one claw ¨C like he was¡­ ripping out his own throat?  Oh, I get it!  He must have set this all up.  So, he was telling me to finish it.

    Maribel, Lili, and I all gave him a thumbs up.  We had this.

    Oh, and Pietr was still talking about something.

    ¡°¡ªyour vehicles may not be able to fit ¨C the gate has been in bad shape for cycles now.  You¡¯ll have to bring any materials you plan to trade through the side door.  But, first, we just need to make sure you aren¡¯t hauling anything dangerous.  Sometimes the monsters get clever and try to hitch a ride inside.  Crazy right?¡±

    I flinched.  You all know I don¡¯t love that word.

    But it was okay.  Sometimes, you had to look past personal differences to make friends ¨C in this case, our differing views on the mental health challenges faced by individuals, beasts, monsters, and spirits who had undergone cycles of emotional and physical abuse.

    In my humble opinion, we didn¡¯t have a ¡°crazy problem¡± in the Five Rivers.  Or even a ¡°murder problem.¡±  We had a mental health problem.

    And it was my responsibility to help educate.

    Which is why I didn¡¯t hold it against Pietr at all as I gave him a tour of the Death Wagon over Fang¡¯s sputtering, impotent protests.

    Besides, it was too late anyway.

    My left hand tickled and screams echoed out of the mist ¨C long and loud enough to send a tingle up my spine.  Pietr almost dropped his thermos, but Lili caught it for him, the vulpin taking it gratefully.  Meanwhile, the mist was blown away by a couple discreet blasts of my babies¡¯ bamboomers, revealing the true majesty of my creation ¨C a recreational vehicle that would unite Pietr and I in the bonds of true [Friendship].

    See?  He didn¡¯t even have words.

    He was just staring at that marvel of engineering.

    In fact, he was stunned speechless for most of the tour.  Which was perfect.  It let me do all of the talking ¨C my natural showmanship bubbling to the surface.

    I showed him the plow ¨C two tons of poo-crete shaped into a death shovel.  We¡¯d levered it up once we entered the wasteland.  No bamboo to worry about, you know?  Plus, the friction just made the wagon harder to pull.  Oh, and the adult kraell skull mounted overtop.  Pietr loved that one.  He made this sort of choked, gurgle of pure joy.

    Then the track system, which¡­ in retrospect, I probably should have washed before giving the tour.  We¡¯d been off roading in the screaming bamboo forest, after all.  So, there was some natural build up.  You know, the usual ¨C mud, blood, entrails, excrement.  It had formed a sort of bloody, crimson slurry.  Actually, it stained most of the wagon and had caked up around the treads in a thick sludge.

    But Pietr was super considerate about it.

    He just ignored the mess.  It was pretty hard to get him to even look at it, honestly.

    Then I explained how the turret system worked.  You know, the twin platforms jutting from either side ¨C each with a bamboomer of my own proprietary design.  Let¡¯s just say they could deliver a ¡°cocktail¡± of poison.  Pietr seemed skeptical, so, of course, we had to spin up the cannons for him.  Give him a little light weapons demonstration.

    Which he loved!  He was so excited ¨C screaming and shouting and trying to run away.  But it was fine¡­ I restrained him.  For his own safety, of course.

    And the final stop was the merchandise.

    Specifically, the wagon bed.

    It was a little tight in there.  Fang had insisted we pick up and store literally everything, so his garbage was piled up all the way to the canopy and packed tight ¨C like really, really tight.  Seriously, I had to use my shadow portals to get my babies to retrieve stuff and add more trash, you know sort of like the holes rats carve in walls and¡ª

    It was in that moment that I blew my own mind.

    See?  Socialization is incredibly important.  Vital really. It helps stimulate the mind - even if you already happen to be a budding genius.

    I mean, I¡¯d been calling them shadow portals for a long time now.  But ¡°ratholes¡± was a waaay better name, wasn¡¯t it?  I had Pietr to thank for that.

    Anyway, there was also more junk stored on the roof ¨C the poo-crete canopy I¡¯d built.  Okay, it was mostly bamboo ¨C but Fang had me cover it in tarps.

    Something about ¡°invasive species¡± and ¡°mass panic?¡±

    I don¡¯t know what he was on about either.

    And then we finished the tour at the back of the Death Wagon.  You know, the cage where we kept the demon monkeys?  You remember, right?  The one built of poo-crete?  We had to get rid of the spines at some point.  Ha, get it?  Because they¡¯re sharp?

    Pietr really loved that joke too.

    Anyway, the spines had also become a safety hazard.  Especially once the cage got full.  One little bump and a misplaced stab and all of those monkeys might explode in a chain reaction.   But it didn¡¯t matter.  We didn¡¯t even really have to paralyze the monkeys anymore ¨C not if they already couldn¡¯t move.  The ratholes made any storage problem a solvable one.  The monkeys were basically having one big, happy, twitching, cube-shaped, group hug.  We just had Fang use his little spine ring to paralyze them when we needed to pull one out.

    Much more efficient that way, especially without PK¡¯s help.

    And, well¡­ just like that the tour was over.

    ¡°So, what do you think?  Pretty cool, right?¡± I asked, smiling and leaning back against my super sweet recreational vehicle.  I was so nailing Rule #3 right now.

    Pietr seemed speechless.  He was just standing there, clipboard held in his hand.  His breath coming short and fast.  His eyes wide and his pupils super dilated.  He also kept grabbing at his left arm for some reason¡­ like it was in pain or numb or something.

    Hmm.  This must be what awe looked like.

    Ahh, then his thermos slipped out from under his arm.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got that for you,¡± I said, snatching it from the air and offering it to Pietr, the hood of my cloak slipping back.  ¡°What are friends for right?¡±

    Our eyes finally met then¡ª

    Mine screaming for him to love me.

    His screaming for someone to help him.

    Huh, actually, why wasn¡¯t he taking the thermos?

    I poked him.  No response.  Poked him again.  Nothing.  Slide to the left, slide to the right.  Weird.  His eyes were still following me, but the rest of him was completely frozen.  This felt familiar somehow¡ª

    But there were no spines.  Obviously, I checked for that first.

    ¡°Fang, do you think something is wrong with Pietr?  It looks like he¡¯s been paralyzed by your pretty-little-lizard-princess-ring, but there¡¯s no spine.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I poisoned his thermos.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you what?¡± I demanded, whirling.

    ¡°It is your fault.  I told you to be normal ¨C to let me do the talking,¡± the savran snapped, stabbing a claw at me.  ¡°Not show off your crazy death wagon.¡±

    ¡°But I was being normal.  I was just giving him the tour¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of your blood-soaked wagon?  Of the remains of hundreds of monsters caked up around the tracks?  We left a blood trail that stretches all the way back to the forest ¨C that was why I made the mist¡­ to wash it away.   Yet, it just forms rivers and plasters it to the wagon.  It only makes it worse.  And then you destroyed Pietr¡¯s gate house.  Look at it.  It is covered in poison,¡± Fang ranted, clearly worked up for some reason.

    He was exaggerating.  It was barely melting.

    ¡°Pietr really enjoyed it, though.¡±

    ¡°Pietr threw up while you were talking.  Three times.¡±

    Okay, I sort of remember that differently.  I just thought he got so excited that he couldn¡¯t keep down those pastries his wife had made for him.

    ¡°Well, he loved the monkeys,¡± I said, arms crossed.

    ¡°Those monkeys?¡± Fang demanded, waving at the Meat Locker nearby.

    A thousand glowing red eyes were staring at us, each one silently screaming ¨C begging for the sweet release of death.  In my defense, I never claimed we operated a free-range monkey farm.  Plus, the despair made them taste better.  Juicier.  And since they couldn¡¯t move, that increased the fat content of the burgers.  That was just facts.  Also, flavor.

    ¡°And the fact is that you left me no choice but to paralyze him,¡± Fang hissed.

    Ahh, that last one must have slipped out again.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I did.  It was either that or kill him,¡± Fang snapped back.  ¡°Except someone might miss him ¨C like his damned wife.  So, either we poison and kidnap him or dispose of the body.  You choose,¡± Fang insisted.

    A gentle, wheezing moan escaped Pietr¡¯s paralyzed throat.

    ¡°Ahh, well, this is probably fine then,¡± I answered finally.

    Fang just snorted.  ¡°Glad you agree.  Now, I¡¯m going to go see if there is room for the wagon on the other side of that giant gate ¨C the one Pietr said we couldn¡¯t open,¡± Fang announced and vanished in a puff of mist, which left me and Pietr alone.

    ¡°Ahh, sorry about this,¡± I said, going for reassuring.  ¡°I¡¯m sure the poison will wear off pretty soon.  Maybe only a few hours¡­ or days.¡±

    His eyes got a little wider. Which was actually a good sign.  Small motor movements came back first.  That meant he probably wouldn¡¯t die from an overdose.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take care of you,¡± I said, patting his shoulder.

    I hate to say it, but maybe Fang was right.  I¡¯d gone about this wrong.  You know, by trying to impress Pietr with my amazing wagon.  After everything Fang and I had been through, you¡¯d think I¡¯d remember by now, right?

    [Friendship] was built on blackmail.

    In this case, holding Pietr¡¯s health, safety, and thermos in the palm of my hand.

    ¡°Wwwweeee?¡± he wheezed suddenly.

    ¡°See?  I told you!  You¡¯re already getting your voice back!¡± I slapped him on the back.  ¡°And yeah, my babies and I will take great care of you.¡±

    My left hand tickled and my murder babies formed from pools of shadows ¨C like they always did.  I figured this was okay.  Especially now that we were friends.

    ¡°Okay, babies say hi to our new friend!¡±

    They all stuck out their paws immediately.

    ¡°Ahh, you are such cute little bloodthirsty mercenaries,¡± I cooed, handing them a few leftover sliders.  They were getting a little slimey but they were still good.

    Although, I was going to need to find a kitchen soon¡­

    ¡°Ahh, do you want one too?¡± I asked Pietr.

    His eyes went wide and he gurgled, which I took as a yes.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fang hissed as he reappeared.

    ¡°Uh, feeding Pietr,¡± I replied.  ¡°You know, being a good friend.¡±

    The savran¡¯s eyes darted to the babies, but he didn¡¯t complain ¨C just let out a long, slow hiss of disappointment.  Somehow that stung worse.

    ¡°So, can the wagon fit?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, but the gate is old.  Rusted.  Your¡­ friend was telling the truth.¡±

    I could see Fang was reluctant to say what he was really thinking.  His eyes kept darting from the gate to the wagon and then back to me ¨C only to repeat again.

    ¡°Why are you so close¡­ and smiling?¡± Fang demanded.

    ¡°You were just about to ask if I could help, weren¡¯t you?  Use my amazing engineering prowess to open the big gate?  C¡¯mon, you can tell me.¡±

    Another slow hiss, like he was releasing murderous pressure.

    Then those sweet, sweet words¡­

    ¡°Yes, can you¡­ can you fix the gate?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I murmured, eyeing that wall again.  [Engineering] had already picked apart the structure a long time ago.  It was possible, but not easy.

    ¡°Probably not in a normal way,¡± I added with a shrug.  ¡°It would probably be safer to leave the wagon behind ¨C along with all of your treasures.¡±

    Fang grimaced, glancing back at his mountain of garbage.  ¡°There is no one near.  No one watching.  Also, the factories make a lot of noise.  Likely no one would notice¡ª¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± I chirped, suddenly standing way too close again.

    ¡°Is that a yes?¡± I asked with another big smile.

    Okay, this one hurt a lot.  I was just so happy¡­

    Fang looked back at his loot one last time, then sighed.

    ¡°Fine.  Do it.  Just try not to make a scene.¡±

    ¡°Of course.  I¡¯ll be super subtle.  Who do you think I am?¡±

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 21

    Chapter 21 - Pre-Pre-Apati!

    Apati was amazing.  Better than I could have possibly imagined.

    First off, it was organized, which I really appreciated after living with Fang.

    He had no respect for personal boundaries.  Also, cleaning.  He¡¯d just spritz everything with a little mist and call it done.  Or leave his garbage wherever, most likely in big heaping piles right in the middle of my kitchen.  And don¡¯t even get me started about the fit he pitched when I told him the wagon was full.  He wanted to cram even more stuff in!

    But I don¡¯t have to tell you.  You remember the ratholes, right?

    That really is a much better name¡­

    Anyway, after a while, I just stopped arguing.

    Although, my ratholes sometimes deposited stuff on the side of the highway.  Out of sight, of course.  I was discreet.  I guess the moral here is that sometimes we have to lie to the ones we love.  We have to help them help us¡­ which allows us to help them again in the future¡­ sometime¡­ maybe.  It¡¯s like a great circle of lie-helping.

    Huh, you look confused.  Also, a little judgy.

    Shit¡­ this sounded better in my head.

    So, uh, moving on seamlessly ¨C in stark contrast to the lair and the wagon, Apati was flawless.  The streets were constructed in a perfect, grid-like pattern.  The different zones were even labeled with color-coded bars.   That blew my mind.  I didn¡¯t even know that could be a thing!  I mean, of course, I knew labeling was a thing.  But a whole city that was into labeling things?  This place was just perfect.

    Even the air made me feel nostalgic.  The whole place was covered in an incredibly thick, mist.  Except this fog was colored a dark gray.  You know,  from all the smoke ¨C from the ¡°factory,¡± Fang said ¨C the one I couldn¡¯t see through the haze.  Either way, it reminded me of Anchon.  Also, the lightless hell sewer.  There had been lots of smoke there too.

    Although, this place was much warmer.

    Almost like we were being lightly boiled.

    Fang had to maintain his mist just to keep cool.

    However, the smog came with some side benefits!  First, it warded off the terribly bright sun and produced a perpetual darkness that I found strangely comforting for some reason.  Plus, it created a fun ambiance to the town, especially since the smoke vibrated in time with the constant, metallic clang that reverberated through your bones.  Almost like the pulse of some monstrous, corrupted beast with obsessive compulsive tendencies.

    Frankly, it felt like home.

    Although, visibility was an issue.

    Which was actually great since I had to¡­ err, dismantle the gate. Between the haze and all of the noise, no one seemed to hear my solution for getting the wagon inside the city.

    The smog was also likely why the residents felt the need to paint glowing colored bands on each of the buildings.  I used PK¡¯s poison to make my signs ¨C it glowed a nice bright green.  But how did they get the reds and yellows?  Spirits maybe?  Or some sort of phosphorescent ink?  I couldn¡¯t wait to find out!

    I¡¯d have started demolition immediately, but Fang insisted that would be ¡°rude.¡±  Also, ¡°crazy.¡±  Also, ¡°a clear violation of Rule #3.¡±

    Fair enough.  So, I had to content myself with just looking.

    And only a little touching¡­

    That¡¯s how I figured out that the taller structures we were passing were residential.  ¡°Apartment buildings,¡± Fang called them.  Green banded, of course.  Each building was exactly the same height.  Five stories.  Built of more overlapping sheets of metal.  Windows punched into those sturdy walls at perfectly even intervals.  I¡¯ll admit, the symmetry appealed to me, but what was inside those apartments had my inner interior designer purring in satisfaction.  They were all exactly the same.  The furniture inside was all made out of¡­ ahh, you guessed, it more metal.  I double checked.

    Plus, someone even had the foresight to weld the furniture to the floor.

    Which was a fantastic choice, honestly.  It was more durable that way.

    I can¡¯t tell you how many guests came through my lair ¨C primarily because most of them died before I got a chance to say hello ¨C but one thing I learned was that salvaged, rotten, shit-covered wood conjured from the Flow¡¯s asshole really just couldn¡¯t hold up to any more abuse.  Metal was a solid choice.  Or poo-crete in a pinch.

    But that just raised more questions!

    Like where had all the metal coming from?   I mean, there was so much of it ¨C almost like it grew on¡ªoh, shit.  Maybe metal trees grew here out of the wasteland and they shed metal leaves?  That would have been really cool, right?This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Unfortunately, the more likely answer was the dock.  And boy was it bustling.  I thought Anchon had a large operation, but I was wrong.  So very wrong.  Dozens of ships were perched inside an artificial bay ¨C one carved out of the shoreline and circled by a really thick, really tall harbor wall.  Again, also made of metal.

    But how did the boats get through the¡ª

    Woah.  Woooooaaaah.

    The harbor wall opened.  At least, that¡¯s what [Engineering] told me.

    It also said those were ¡°cranes¡± lining the docks ¨C a few lifting cargo free of the ships.  You know, the really heavy pallets that were likely loaded down with all the metal.

    Which came from somewhere presumably.  It could still be metal trees.

    Ahh, what was that?  How did my Death Wagon fit in the city?

    Good question!  Whoever had built this place had the foresight to construct an extra-wide commercial lane straight down the middle of the city.  Probably for death-adjacent recreational vehicles like mine.  Honestly, it fit perfectly.  Almost like I¡¯d somehow known the measurements in advance, which was impossible, of course.  We only occasionally scraped the front of a storefront.  You know, the yellow-banded buildings that lined the street.

    The only downside?

    I was feeling a little self-conscious.

    I mean, it had been a long, long time since I¡¯d been in a public setting. You know, after being locked in an extra-dimensional pocket universe full of shit and pitch.  The Lair Warming Party had helped¡­ a little. But I hadn¡¯t even gotten to talk to anyone!  Just followed Fang around and picked up after him!  And it¡¯s not like I¡¯d had lots of friends back in Anchon ¨C mostly just tormentors.  And a surprisingly high slavery and childhood death rate had really helped wean the pool of potential friends further.

    And now I was five cycles older and I¡¯d heard it was harder to meet new people as you grew older ¨C you know, now that you weren¡¯t given communal beatings or forced into indentured childhood servitude together.  It was harder to find that connection.  That common hatred directed at your parents and the elders and the mantras.

    Even our family road trip had been a relatively solitary adventure.  I mean, we met PK, of course.  And all those demon monkeys.

    But it was still nothing like this.  All these people.

    So, it was natural that it felt like they were all staring at me.

    Right, sure, I know.  That¡¯s just in my head¡ª

    ¡°No, they¡¯re definitely staring at us,¡± Lili added, sounding conflicted.

    Ahh, yes.  I guess they were.

    And I want to be clear here, I don¡¯t see species.  I look straight past things like scales and really sharp teeth and glowing, snake-like eyeballs¡­ usually to the sweet, nimbus filling nestled inside and just waiting to be devoured.  I guess what I¡¯m saying is that I see food¡ª

    Ahem, sorry.  That might be Lili¡¯s influence.

    What I mean is I only see people.

    But most of these ¡°people¡± looked a lot like Fang.

    Again, not because all savrans look the same ¨C although, they kind of do.

    ¡°At least, they¡¯re glaring at us with different colored eyes,¡± Lili offered.  ¡°And they aren¡¯t screaming or attacking.  That¡¯s a pretty big difference.¡±

    She was right again.  They just stared silently ¨C no one moving a muscle.  Not even the people standing in their apartment windows.  Or the dock workers we passed.  And not even when I popped my head into a window to get a good look at one of those apartments.  Although, some of the people on the street did move.  Out of the way mostly.  That was fair.

    It was like they were all stunned speechless.

    Probably because they¡¯d never seen a wagon this awesome before.

    ¡°Or it could be the noise,¡± Fang hissed, his eyes appearing above the lip of the wagon, Pietr sitting beside him and twitching slightly as the paralytic gradually wore off.  We couldn¡¯t just leave him at the gate.  That would have been unsafe.

    Especially after I got done with it.

    Ahh, but Fang could be right.  We were moving pretty slow ¨C you know, since it was just me hauling the Death Wagon.  By myself.  The wagon covered in blood and carrying an insane payload of demon monkeys and screaming bamboo.  The babies needed to ¡°stay out of sight¡± to ¡°avoid a riot.¡±  Fang was right.  They were cute ¨C almost too cute.

    But the wagon still made this delightful moaning grind as it creeped forward.

    Then we reached a four way intersection.

    Which was a problem since Fang made me hide my emergency brakes¡ª

    A sharp, stabbing pain rippled through my left hand.

    Ahh, I meant my beautiful babies.  Sorry, Maribel.

    Luckily, Fang indicated our destination was straight ahead before slinking back into the wagon bed so no one could see him.  Best I could tell, if we turned right, that led to the docks.  And left¡­ well, it was hard to tell through the smoke.  Although, I could see some sort of structure glowing in the distance.

    Oh, well, we could go on a tour of the city once we checked in at the hotel.  Fang said he already had a room reserved and everything ¨C that he ¡°knew a person.¡±  Probably the same person that was setting up my surprise party¡ª

    Although, all of those thoughts fled as the smog peeled away to reveal an impossible sight¡­ but not for the reason you¡¯re probably thinking.

    I mean, to its credit, the building at the end of the road was huge.  Fifteen stories of glowing red perfection.  At least 100 smokestacks pumping out enough toxic smog to tell me someone around here knew how to stoke a furnace.  Many massive warehouses.  They probably needed all that room for the people. You know, the bustling army of little sociopathic lizards making their way inside without killing each other somehow.

    All of that was pretty incredible.  Insane really.  But still possible.

    And it wasn¡¯t even the logo on the side of that huge building.  The one I recognized.

    How could I not?  I mean, I grew up in the home of the Fin-Fans.

    Or, at least, I thought I had?  I was second guessing that now.

    It wasn¡¯t even the questions that bubbled and frothed in the back of mind.  You know the ones I hadn¡¯t thought to ask before now?  I mean, obviously, we¡¯d been sending a lot of raw materials north along the river cycle after cycle, but what happened to it after that?  Hell, we didn¡¯t even can most of the silver fin meat, did we?  We mostly just smoked it on the shore and stored it in huge crates, right?  So¡­ had we always had a factory here?  One that no one in my village had ever told me about?  Or ever mentioned ¨C even by accident?

    Maybe this had been some incredible, sprawling conspiracy to avoid telling yours truly?  Which was flattering but probably unrealistic¡­

    Or, more likely, did they just not know?

    Those were all fantastic questions that made me feel super uncomfortable and start to question everything I thought I knew, but my attention was captured by something else.

    No, the true marvel was beside the giant factory full of terrible and possibly soul-crushing answers that threatened to destroy my already fragile psyche.

    Specifically, it was a bookstore ¨C yellow banded, of course.

    The one with the cutout of Horus in the window.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 22

    Chapter 22 ¨C Surprise Apati

    The store¡¯s front window was lit up with a dazzling display of spirits. They illuminated a heaping pile of books ¨C the release of a new-yet-somehow-strangely-familiar bestselling series. I knew that was the case because the sign beside the stack of books said so. Also, there was a huge line of people that stretched down the street, all of them waiting impatiently to get inside.

    ¡°Oh, my gods!¡± I murmured, abandoning the wagon as I raced over.

    ¡°Nick, stop! Nick!¡± Fang hissed impotently from the wagon, his eyes darting nervously to the crowd ¨C you know, the hundreds of savran who were still staring.

    But I ignored it all, smooshing my face up against that glass to get a better look.

    ¡°Love and World Domination.¡±

    That¡¯s what the title said. My title.

    The acronym was LaWD. Yeah, I did that.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Fang hissed, reluctantly emerging from the wagon and eyeing the crowd warily. He must have been worried someone might try to steal something from the wagon. Which was silly. No one seemed too keen to get near it. ¡°Why did you run off¡ª?¡±

    Then he saw it too, those glowing yellow eyes turning into twin moons.

    ¡°This¡­ this is not possible,¡± Fang hissed. ¡°Is this Horus¡¯ journal?¡±

    It was. It is. It had to be.

    ¡°Emporos got the cover perfect,¡± Lili gushed.

    She was right. Horus was smack in the middle, wearing a suit and tie ¨C Eris facing him, wearing a form-fitting pencil skirt and blouse and dagger-length stilettos.

    And beneath them? A pile of corpses. I knew he would love it.

    ¡°But it has only been weeks. How is this possible?¡± Fang continued, shaking his head and eyeing the line of people nearby ¨C the really, really long line.

    And they were mostly women. Maybe. It was hard to tell the genders of some species and Fang had told me it was rude to ask. Also, like I said before, I don¡¯t see species or gender, only the success of my horny buddy¡¯s new book¡­ no, his new-yet-instant bestseller.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± I asked, peeling my face from the glass, my smile etched permanently into its surface. ¡°Emporos loved the book so much that he offered us the premium publishing package.¡±

    However, I hadn¡¯t realized it came with a full cut out of Horus ¨C like the one inside the store. Woah, he looked good. Like he¡¯d seen a stylist or something? I mean, the sweater-vest was an A+ choice and they topped it off with a scarf. And were those¡­ glasses?

    I¡¯ll admit, it sounds strange, but I felt a tingle.

    Fang frowned. ¡°Premium? You spent our drug money on this?¡±

    It was my turn to glare ¨C finally. ¡°The fact that you don¡¯t even remember tells me you were already snout deep in your drugs. But¡­ yeah, he said if we paid him a couple extra coins, he could go back in time and pick the perfect moment to publish ¨C you know, really take the romantasy genre by storm.¡±

    ¡°Romantasy?¡± Fang echoed.

    ¡°It¡¯s a combination of fantasy and romance,¡± one of the customers spoke up, eyeing Fang like he was stupid. Probably because he was.

    She was right. I should know. I¡¯d invented a whole new genre, after all. All me!

    I was smiling so hard right now. It hurt a lot.

    ¡°And it worked,¡± I offered before Fang could complain. ¡°Just listen to them!¡±

    Fang¡¯s jaw snapped shut and he eyed the other customers. Specifically, the ones nearby talking animatedly about Horus¡¯ new book.

    ¡°It took ages to make its way to the Outer Reaches. Luckily, the last ship that made it into the harbor was carrying a pallet ¨C the only one we¡¯ll be getting for a while now that the harbor wall has been closed off.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re so fortunate! I can¡¯t wait to get my copy.¡±

    ¡°I know, it¡¯s supposed to be the greatest romance story of our time.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but¡­ what is it about?¡± That was a smaller vulpin girl.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Half the crowd turned on her, glaring with glowing snake eyes.

    Which left the little fox girl trembling and shrinking back. One of her friends stepped in smoothly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. She¡¯s just not much of a reader. I¡¯ll explain.¡±

    Disappointed hisses met this announcement, but the others backed down.

    Which was weird. Why were they all so on edge¡ª

    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have time to ponder on that mystery.

    The fox-girl¡¯s friend quickly came to her rescue. ¡°It¡¯s about a divine-rank tavros general that dies of natural causes after defeating an entire army singlehandedly. Except his vessel doesn¡¯t die! It became so powerful that it transcended even death. Instead, he¡¯s reincarnated as a sapian in a strange new land ¨C a world without spirits.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    This got a few incredulous laughs from the crowd. Which was a bit hurtful, even though I knew they weren¡¯t talking about me ¨C not specifically, anyway.

    Although, the heckling didn¡¯t help¡­

    ¡°Right? Can you imagine? A bunch of hollow, useless vessels just wandering around and getting killed off? It¡¯s a wonder they didn¡¯t all go extinct.¡±

    See? I didn¡¯t love that¡­ even if it was true.

    ¡°Except the twist is that Horus still has his weapon spirit,¡± the fox girl¡¯s friend continued in excitement, ignoring the crowd. ¡°So, now he has to work his way up the sapian power structure one step at a time as something called an ¡°office worker¡± while keeping his powers a secret. At least, that¡¯s the plan until he falls in love with his boss¡ª¡±

    The savran abruptly cut off, letting out an excited hiss as the bookstore¡¯s staff began unlocking the doors. Which, uh, took a while. Why were there so many locks? Also, wasn¡¯t the door kind of overkill? It looked like it was made of solid metal and weighed two tons. Like several savran had to work together to push it open even a few inches.

    Which led to other questions. Like why were the staff wearing armor and wielding weapons, their spirits already suffusing their bodies in a dull glow?

    Huh, and had the line of customers always been so heavily armed?

    Although, the answer soon became obvious.

    A moment of silence ¨C of stillness.

    The crowd watching the bookstore staff.

    The staff forming a protective, defensive formation around the door.

    Then it began. All it took was one shout.

    ¡°LaWD have mercy!¡± one of the customers shouted.

    Which was a line from the book. Sorry, you¡¯d get it if you¡¯d read it¡­

    Anyway, that was the signal. The result was complete chaos. Scrambling, rushing, running, stabbing, punching, kicking, cursing, screaming, biting, and backstabbing. Three women died before the throng even passed the bookstore¡¯s threshold, their vessels bleeding out in the street. But the fighting didn¡¯t stop there. In fact, it only intensified as they made it inside the store, the occasional explosion rocking the entire structure.

    The staff didn¡¯t even try to stop it! Just kept the brawl contained. They had smashed the bookshelves up against the walls, several vulpin shielding them with their hearth spirits as they huddled in the back, the other employees protecting them.

    Which left a single table in the middle of the store.

    One filled to the brim with those books.

    The one right beside the cutout of ¡°sexy Horus.¡±

    Precious, titillating loot for an army of cold-blooded sociopaths.

    I saw one woman stab another in the throat to steal her book. Another took her opponent¡¯s infant vessel and flung it out of the store to distract her. Which, uh, didn¡¯t work? Although, the baby got some good distance¡­

    Wait, why would anyone bring a baby to this?

    Ahh, I know, meat shield.

    ¡°Smart move,¡± Lili added.

    I agree. I mean, she could always make another.

    Plus, the mother had used that opening to snatch a book and then disappear.

    Then Fang was grabbing my shoulder and hauling me away from the launch of Horus¡¯ incredibly popular new book and the ensuing bloodbath. ¡°We need to go¡­ now,¡± he hissed, glancing nervously over his shoulder.

    ¡°Why? We¡¯re totally safe as long as we aren¡¯t holding a book.¡±

    He whirled, stabbing a claw at me. ¡°Because you published that book!¡±

    ¡°Uh, no, technically Emporos did¡­ at some point in the past.¡±

    ¡°But you asked him to. You even gave him the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Copulation Cookbook.¡±

    Another long hiss. Like he was in pain.

    ¡°Although, I guess you¡¯re right. I did include a few small, minor edits. Just helped to clean up the continuity and grammar and narrative structure¡­¡±

    I trailed off because Fang was glaring even harder.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± he hissed, jerking a clawed thumb over his shoulder. ¡°Look at them. If they go this crazy over some stupid book, what if they knew where it came from?¡±

    Oh. I got it ¨C I think. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re worried about my safety?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m worried about my safety.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you yelling so loud?¡±

    Fang froze. Probably because he¡¯d noticed the screaming and fighting had stopped. Moisture suddenly broke out across his scales, growing thicker even as he swallowed hard.

    ¡°They¡­ they are behind me, yes?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. They¡¯re all looking at us.¡±

    Fang turned then and witnessed the third impossible thing of the day.

    A horde of maybe-women of a probably-unrepresentative-sample-group of shapes and species brought together by their appreciation for quality literature. The survivors anyway. Each one clutching that sacred tome to their chest. Each one staring at us ¨C those eyes carving straight through our skull and attempting to rip out our secrets with their eyeballs.

    Fang and I met each other¡¯s eyes, held hands, and did the only thing we could.

    Specifically, Fang made the biggest Misty ever ¨C like his life depended on it.

    Because it probably did.

    Okay, it definitely did.

    Mist bloomed out across the street in a sudden tidal wave. Fang¡¯s clones ran in two different directions. One screaming, ¡°I know what happens in book two.¡± And the other, ¡°I have the author¡¯s home address.¡±

    And the two of us? We took off for the weird factory building with the Fin-Fan logo. See? You don¡¯t even care about that now, right? Pretty lame, honestly.

    Uh, what was that? Why the handholding?

    So, we could keep track of each other in the mist, duh.

    ¡°Yeah, except I can sense his nimbus,¡± Lili offered.

    Okay, fine, maybe it was because I just liked it.

    ¡°What? I thought it was because you couldn¡¯t see,¡± Fang hissed, trying to let go.

    A futile gesture. I¡¯d really been working on my grip strength lately ¨C you know, all those wagon pulls? So, he didn¡¯t have much choice.

    And then we were slamming through the doors of that massive building and into¡ª

    Huh, actually, this wasn¡¯t what I was expecting at all.

    It didn¡¯t look so much like a factory as, well¡­ a tavern? I mean, not that I¡¯d even seen one before, of course. But it matched the description from Elder Gracen¡¯s stories. Huh, he even got the location of the bar and kitchen right. Although, I guess that wasn¡¯t much of a coincidence. There weren¡¯t really that many walls in a room, right?

    Probably because of the screaming outside and people beating against the door.

    Also, maybe because Fang had built a mountain of furniture.

    This¡­ this was it, wasn¡¯t it? This had to be it.

    All that nonsense at the gate? The trek through the city? Horus¡¯ new bestseller?

    That had all just been the warmup. The pre-pre-pre-Apati.

    Which meant this was finally my surprise¡ª

    One of the savrans stood up ¨C the one sitting at the head table; the one with fiery ribbons running down pitchblack scales. The one that didn¡¯t even bother to draw weapons. The one that radiated heat so intense that the drinks around the room were beginning to evaporate into steam. Yeah, that one looked like a boss.

    ¡°Uh, Fang?¡± I offered.

    He whirled, glaring and about to say something hurtful I bet.

    But he didn¡¯t get the chance. Instead, Fang¡¯s eyes came to rest on that boss creature and the color suddenly drained from his scales, green fading to a sickly white. Even his mist evaporated, leaving him looking¡­ well, pretty drained, honestly. Not his best, certainly.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± he muttered. Like he recognized that dangerous-looking savran.

    Wow! Which meant I was right! This was my surprise party!

    Remember? He told me he ¡°knew a person.¡±

    Which must mean it was this person, right?

    ¡°Who is that?¡± I whispered to my trembling bromate.

    However, he seemed to have lost the ability to speak, his mouth moving but no words escaping ¨C only a soft gurgling sound.

    ¡°Yes, tell him. Who am I?¡± that fiery creature demanded, stalking forward with a deadly grace, traces of molten energy dripping down its claws.

    Yet I was wrong about one thing.

    The surprises weren¡¯t over ¨C not yet.

    Not by a fucking longshot.

    ¡°She¡¯s my¡­ my mother,¡± Fang hissed.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 23

    Chapter 23 - Bet

    Demi

    The Flow

    ¡°So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?¡± Emporos asked, still staring ¨C his mask¡¯s expression demonic as he leaned forward on my Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup>.

    A younger, more innocent me might have jumped at the chance to bypass the Tutorial ¨C to finally take my fate into my own hands.  However, that was before I¡¯d been assigned as the Cheater¡¯s personal skafos.  Before the continuity rate kept dropping.  Before I¡¯d messaged spiritual tech support, only to reach myself.  Before I¡¯d accidentally and completely unintentionally disturbed a divine beast from its slumber with an army of shit-slinging demon monkeys ¨C a divine beast that went on to marry the Cheater¡­ or something.

    But I was older now.  More mature.  More experienced.  A career woman with ambitions of a corner office.  So, I was hesitating.

    Plus, a question kept circling through my likely-empty head.  I wasn¡¯t proud of it.  In fact, I didn¡¯t really want to dig too deeply into the implication of the thing.

    But¡­ what would the Cheater do in this situation?

    Certainly, he wouldn¡¯t just accept whatever deal this shifty demon merchant was offering with little to no information and his career ¨C or his vessel¡¯s life ¨C on the line?  Just ¡°trust¡± a stranger?  That would be stupid.  Crazy.  A real bottom of the class move.

    ¡°Um¡­ Demi?¡± Emporos asked, waving a hand.

    I blinked and my gaze shifted back to his face.

    The answer was just staring back at me.

    Suddenly, I knew exactly what the Cheater would do ¨C he¡¯d ask questions.

    Like just who the hell was this so-called ¡°Merchant of the Flow?¡±

    Luckily, I had his profile right here.  Just a swipe of my hand and several glowing white panels formed nearby, orbiting me like a black hole.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Emporos demanded, looking nervous now.

    ¡°Asking questions,¡± I murmured.  Another wave and my own couch materialized.  Also, a new mug and a refill of fruity nimbus.  My mouth was feeling super dry for some reason.

    ¡°Like first off, what exactly is it that you do?¡± I asked, my eyes skimming his profile.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been over this.  I¡¯m the Merchant of the Flow¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, you said that already.  But how do you know when to show up?  Like how exactly did you know to come here?  To my office?¡±

    Emporos looked frustrated.  ¡°As I said, the collection of nimbus¡ª¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t really explain anything,¡± I interjected.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t trust me?¡± the merchant demanded.  ¡°I used to work here!  You even have proof.¡±  He gestured at his profile.  ¡°Hell, I would have been your boss back in the eon.  Besides, this is a great deal I¡¯m offering here and the clock¡¯s ticking¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is it, though?  Because you already acknowledged time works differently here,¡± I interjected.  Yeah, I was channeling some Cheater right now.  ¡°It looks to me like I have all the time in the universe,¡± I added sourly, waving at our softly glowing surroundings.

    Oh, he didn¡¯t love that.  His masked-mouth did a little angry pucker.

    Wait, was this why the Cheater enjoyed this so much?  Taking the upper hand?

    I had to admit, I felt pretty good.  Like a boss.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Emporos grunted, deflating slightly.  ¡°I have my own tablet.  One similar to yours ¨C just with a few different features.  See?¡±

    He pulled it out and pivoted the black square.

    Wow.  He was telling the truth.  And his tablet was way different.

    ¡°See here?  People request my presence ¨C they just need enough nimbus and a compelling desire to buy something.  Then it sets up a pickup location and serves the referral to the merchants within a few planes of existence.  So, we just choose the jobs we want.  See?  All of the perks of employment without the cubicle.¡±

    My brow scrunched.  ¡°So, you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re a skafos?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Emporos snapped.  ¡°I¡¯m a traveling merchant.¡±

    ¡°Right.  But do you typically let people enter your wagon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.  How else would I show them the merch¡ª¡±

    ¡°Which happens when?¡±

    Emporos breathed through his nose ¨C those painted nostrils flaring.  I liked that.

    ¡°At the end of a gate,¡± he offered grudgingly.

    ¡°And you deposit them where exactly?  Somewhere else?¡±

    ¡°Possibly.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes?¡±

    He was glaring now, his eyes smoldering.

    ¡°Fine, always ¨C but I¡¯m still not a skafos.¡±

    Did I even really need to say anything to that?  I went with a quizzical eyebrow.

    Emporos growled in frustration.  And there it was¡­

    The taste of sweet victory ¨C even better than nimbus.

    Alright, I was coming around to the Cheater¡¯s position on questions.

    ¡°Fine.  Let¡¯s move on.  When you say make a living, what do you earn exactly?¡±

    I mean, that was news to me.  So far, I got paid nothing.  Ahh, wait, sorry.  Charon told some super funny jokes last time.  So, I guess I got paid in jokes.

    His frown deepened.  ¡°Uh, that¡¯s, well¡­ nimbus, okay?  We earn nimbus.¡±

    ¡°This number up at the top?¡±  I tapped his tablet.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Emporos grunted, crossing his arms.

    ¡°Why does it keep dropping?¡±

    He just went silent, glaring at me.

    That was okay.  That¡¯s typically what happened when the Cheater asked questions too ¨C that¡¯s how I knew it was working.  Plus, I didn¡¯t need him to answer.  I had his profile!

    ¡°Ahh, because the Flow charges a fee for the tablet¡­¡± I trailed off, my eyes skimming the explanation.  Wow.  The terms were rough.  Like what was this passage right here?  ¡°Rates subject to change at the will of the Flow.¡±

    ¡°Which isn¡¯t a big deal,¡± Emporos offered quickly.  ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a small price to pay for my freedom ¨C the opportunity to travel the whole, wide universe.¡±

    ¡°¡­and if you can¡¯t pay, you¡ªwow, you cease to exist?  Really?¡± I finished, my fox eyes round and oh-so-painfully innocent.

    He winced.  Yeah, I caught that.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Fine.  There might be some mild disadvantages.¡±

    That was putting it lightly.  At least I had job security.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t look so high and mighty if I were you,¡± Emporos shot back, stabbing a finger at my face.  ¡°I can tell what you¡¯re thinking ¨C that your place within the Flow is secure.  Well, here¡¯s a harsh truth, Skafos get terminated all the time.  All.  The.  Time.  Do you know how many Nyx has burned through ¨C others just like you, I mean?¡±

    Yeah, right.  Not just like me ¨C not top of their¡ª

    ¡°Every single one was top of their class,¡± Emporos added.

    Well, shit.  And to answer his question¡­ no, I didn¡¯t have a hard number on how many of my predecessors had failed.  The Cheater¡¯s case file was still corrupted.  But the list was long ¨C like super, super long.

    ¡°Do you even know what happened to them?¡± Emporos demanded, sensing weakness, his eyes burning gleefully as he leaned forward.  ¡°You think you have the tools to handle Nyx right now?  After disturbing the Toxifovos?  After Eris and Horus¡¯ budding romance?¡±

    I didn¡¯t even blink ¨C although, I really, really wanted to.

    Because I already knew what to do ¨C what to say ¨C what the Cheater would say.

    ¡°And you can supposedly bypass the tutorial?  You?  An independent contractor who¡¯s just a few missed jobs away from being wiped from existence?  Don¡¯t we have the exact same job?  And even if you¡¯re telling the truth, isn¡¯t time on my side?  Aren¡¯t you losing nimbus every second you sit here talking to me?  I could just wait you out until you¡¯re begging me to let you bypass the Tutorial.  Assuming you aren¡¯t just full of kraell shit¡­¡±

    A new, fluffy white ottoman appeared and I kicked my legs up, taking another long, slow slurp without breaking eye contact.  On the outside, I was cool.  So super cool.

    And on the inside?

    Just a hollow void filled with one long existential scream.

    ¡°Fine.  Fine!¡± Emporos finally snapped, cracking like glass.  ¡°You want proof?  I¡¯ll give you proof.¡± He rose in a fluid movement, tapping at one of my windows, the view shifting to an employee login¡­ which he provided without hesitation.  And then¡ª

    Hello, Welcome Back SuperUser#001

    My eyes widened.  What?  WHAT?

    Emporos just leaned back on his couch, smirking, arms crossed ¨C this time in triumph.

    ¡°How is that even possible?¡± I murmured.  There weren¡¯t any SuperUsers mentioned in the Tutorials for the tablet.  And they definitely hadn¡¯t covered this during orientation.

    ¡°Because I designed it,¡± Emporos answered easily.

    ¡°You designed¡­ what exactly?¡± I replied slowly, turning.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±  That demonic smile widening.  ¡°The Tutorial.¡±

    Silence filled that resplendent white void then, my mug hanging from my limp fingers.  He-he had built the Tutorial?  This person?  This demon right here?  Was he lying?  Telling the truth?  But that prompt sure looked real, didn¡¯t it?  And what did he have to gain by lying anyway?  What sane person would claim credit for that monstrous, horrible, torture engine?  For all I knew, that Tutorial was why all those other skafos had failed.

    ¡°Why?¡± I demanded, suddenly standing before him, only inches away from his very surprised face.  ¡°Why would you make that ridiculous thing?  All of those A- scores?  No explanations for anything?  Everything locked behind another damn tutorial?  And why does the time to finish keep increasing?  Is it even possible to finish?¡±

    I was breathing heavily, my mask warped into a rabid, manic expression.

    And Emporos just stared back, his smile gone ¨C his expression puzzled.

    ¡°Because it was my job,¡± he answered with a shrug.  Like it was obvious.  ¡°Middle management doesn¡¯t deal with customers.  Ferry around those Guides?  No way.  No, mine was a more sacred objective.  A role critical to the survival of the Flow itself.  My job was to make up work for everyone else.  And I was fantastic at it.  At one point, I was responsible for creating 98.628% of my direct reports¡¯ work.  That was an industry best.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t wrong.  He¡¯d won a few awards according to his profile.

    I just blinked at him.  ¡°But¡­ why?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I did it for you ¨C all of you,¡± he explained.  Again, like it was somehow obvious.

    I stared at him ¨C he stared at me.

    The Flow kept on swirling overhead.

    I already knew the breathing exercises and meditation didn¡¯t work, so I went straight for the nimbus.  Yeah, I slurped until I filled that hollow, existential void in my chest ¨C the one where I kept my screams and thoughts of murder.  I just felt like I was going to need it.

    You know, for the next question.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± Emporos asked dryly.

    With a nod, I set my mug down, letting out a little belch ¨C a puff of rainbow mist emerging from my lips.  ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±

    My eyes rose to meet his.  ¡°So, how was this for me exactly?¡±

    The merchant shrugged again.  ¡°I was trying to keep you all busy.  I mean, I worked my way up from a skafos once, if you can believe that.  I knew firsthand just how boring this job just could be in between picking up Guides.  They don¡¯t even give us furniture ¨C no desk, no chair, no memories, no nothing.  Plus, we had a pretty high turnover rate ¨C you know, skafos that just went insane.  And so my idea for the Tutorial was born.¡±

    He smiled, his eyes distant.  ¡°Management loved it; just loved it.¡±

    ¡°My gift to all of you ¨C my legacy,¡± he said, still-fucking-smiling.

    I tried to access more of his profile then ¨C to confirm what he was claiming.  Yet I was met with another painful, taunting message.

    Access Denied: Confidential

    Please Complete the Super-Secret, Double-Pinky Swear Tutorial

    Emporos saw those words ¨C how could he not?  And that smile just widened.

    He had me and he knew it.  A part of me was even wondering how he managed to incorporate math into a pinky swear tutorial.  Because he definitely did.  Regardless, that was just more proof ¨C proof that he was indeed who he claimed to be; that he could very likely allow me to bypass the Tutorial.

    Which just left one last question.

    ¡°Why Nyx?¡± I demanded.  ¡°Why are you so interested him ¨C why make this trade with me?  If you answer that, I¡¯ll consider you proposal.¡±

    Emporos hesitated, his eyes flickering as though he was considering lying¡­ then his shoulders slumped forward in resignation and he met my gaze evenly.

    ¡°Alright, you want the truth?¡±

    I nodded super fast ¨C mostly because he looked so embarrassed.

    ¡°I made a bet on Nyx, okay?  And before you start, I know the odds are crazy ¨C insane really.  I¡¯m betting against corporate; against the Flow itself.  The chance that Nyx succeeds ¨C that he ultimately survives ¨C are slim to none.  You still don¡¯t know nearly enough math to even compute them.  But long odds also mean big wins.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re rooting for the Cheater?¡± I asked, aghast.  ¡°But why?  What do you hope to win after he screws everything up?  I mean that literally.  Have you seen Charon¡¯s demonstration with the Flow and the circle and everything?¡±

    Emporos just shook his head.  ¡°Sorry, I answered your question.  I told you why I was interested in Nyx ¨C which means you have to consider my proposal.¡±

    I scowled at him.  ¡°Then consider it considered.  And the answer is no.¡±

    The merchant just threw up his hands, laughing incredulously.  ¡°Silly word games, really?  Is that where we are now?¡±  He sighed.  ¡°Fine.  I get it.  I used to be like you ¨C a real stickler for The Rules.  I used to want that corner office really bad¡­ at least, until I was the one sitting in it¡ª¡±

    ¡°You sure seem to be looking for a window now ¨C a couple viewing portals?¡± I demanded.  ¡°And I can¡¯t help but notice that your wagon doesn¡¯t have any ¨C any at all.  You get to travel the cosmos but you don¡¯t get to see where you¡¯re going, do you?¡±

    Emporos just smirked.  ¡°Says the skafos still stuck in her cell.  Worst case, I lose my bet and miss out on the show¡­ this time.  There¡¯ll be another Nyx.  But what about you?  If you fail here ¨C if this Nyx survives ¨C which he almost certainly will if you can¡¯t use your full administrative privileges, what then?  You get canned?  Demoted?  Wiped out of existence?¡±

    His smiled widened.  ¡°Do you even know what will happen?¡±

    Shit.  Okay.  He had me there.

    ¡°But if you don¡¯t want to make a deal, that¡¯s fine ¨C consider my offer off the table then,¡± Emporos said with a sigh, rising and waving at his wagon, the door creaking open.

    Shit.  Shit, shit, shit.  I couldn¡¯t just let him leave, but if I said something first I¡¯d lose all my hard-won leverage, just like Fang always¡ª

    The merchant¡¯s hand hesitated as it touched the wagon.

    ¡°Or¡­ maybe we could make a deal,¡± he offered slowly.  ¡°Perhaps that would help you learn to trust me.¡±

    Which was pretty hard to do when he was glowering at me, his mask¡¯s eyes smoldering and painted lips peeled back in a demonic grin.  An ominous crimson light even emerged from deep within the wagon, casting him in a blood-red glow.

    ¡°What are the terms?¡± I asked, going for nonchalant.

    ¡°If Nyx survives this next gate, I¡¯ll bypass the Tutorial for you,¡± he answered easily.  ¡°See?  Painless.  You have nothing to lose.¡±

    I was the one hesitating now ¨C considering.  Looking for the trick.  I knew there had to be one ¨C there always was.  At least, with Fang and Nyx it was usually obvious¡ª

    ¡°Not that someone like yourself needs it, right?¡± Emporos taunted.  ¡°You still have Horus and Eris gunning for him.  And you were top of your class.  The best of the best.  This could be your corner office moment.  One of the few skafos to ever get promoted to middle management on their very first assignment.¡±

    Oh, that sounded nice.  Very nice¡­

    ¡°But just in case something goes, why not have a backup plan?¡± The merchant insisted, suddenly standing close, his eyes gleaming.

    Which wasn¡¯t a terrible point.  There would always be other gates.

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a deal,¡± I chirped.

    Emporos¡¯ smile widened and he waved at his wagon¡ª

    Only for the vehicle to transform ¨C an awning shifting out of the top as the wagon spit furniture out of the door in the side, the chair landing with a splash.  There was even a pitcher of lemonade and a glass.  Suddenly, Emporos was sitting there, my tablet somehow in his hand ¨C although, I sure as hell don¡¯t remember handing it back to him.

    He pointed it at the glowing view portal and the scene shifted.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what Horus and Eris are up to¡­¡± he murmured with a smile.\

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demanded, glaring.

    ¡°What?  Oh, you were right, my wagon doesn¡¯t have any windows.  How will I know if I need to bypass the Tutorial for you unless I stay and watch?¡± he asked, his demonic features mustered into the picture of innocence ¨C which I definitely wasn¡¯t buying.

    I was about to give him a piece of my mind ¨C or howling existential void, whatever ¨C but froze as the viewing portal shifted.  Horus and Eris were¡­

    Okay, what was going on now?

    Because it looked like they were standing awkwardly outside of some sort of spa, or resort, or¡­ something.  Emporos just let out a pleased cackle, sipping at his lemonade and popping a handful of¡ªwait, what even was that?

    Something white, fluffy, with the faint whiff of molten fat and salt. It crunched softly as Emporos chomped down on his snack ¨C on his solid food.  I could practically feel my mouth watering, which was weird for many reasons.

    No, no I needed to focus.  Because suddenly I had a bad feeling about this.

    Like I¡¯d just gotten screwed somehow.

    I just wasn¡¯t quite sure how yet.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 24

    Chapter 24 - PB&B

    Poison Springs

    Eris

    I thought I could handle this.

    And perhaps the situation at the ¡°Gas Station,¡± hadn¡¯t helped.  Perhaps it had given me false confidence in my ability to¡ªto flirt.  Once was not difficult.

    Yet maintaining it proved more challenging.

    Especially while traversing this Screaming Bamboo Forest of Madness.  The one designed to erode my perfect concentration like the drip, drip, drip of acid on stone.  A slow, excruciating death by a million impossible questions.

    Like why build this insane highway out of what was very clearly monkey crap?   The many, many corpses made that obvious.  Yet how many would it have taken to build it?  Judging from the contents of their stomach, more than 100,000, surely?  Except there weren¡¯t enough corpses, were there?  I had only counted¡­ 10,929 impaled on the spike tubes along either side of the highway for some unknown but likely horrible reason.  So, where were the rest?   Why were entire villages vacant and missing their furry occupants?

    Also, why was the Hollow ¨C this Nyx ¨C always playing with feces?

    Once was unfortunate, twice was concerning, and the third time¡­ well, that was a pattern.  Perhaps he had a shit spirit?  I had never seen one, but it seemed possible.

    Although, that did nothing to explain why his highway looped back on itself for no conceivable reason.  Which was fine because there were signs, right?  The ones installed at the eight-way intersections?  Because who wouldn¡¯t want to see the thickest bamboo tube in the forest?  Or the slipperiest monkey tunnel?  Or the longest mud slide?

    I¡¯d barely agreed to head to this place called the ¡°PB&B.¡±

    And only because Horus insisted.  In fact, he seemed intent on fully exploring this insane highway.  His rationale?  What if Nyx had created something dangerous?

    Which was¡­ somewhat reasonable.

    Yet when we finally arrived at our destination¡ª

    Well, I was only faced with more questions.  So many more questions.

    A twist of my ring took in a thousand deranged details.

    A building rested in the middle of a clearing in the screaming bamboo forest.  One built entirely of¡ªoh sweet Apollo.  Really?  He was calling it Poo-Crete<sup>?</sup>?  And what was that little symbol?  And why had he put that label on everything?  The towering perimeter wall around the clearing.  Also, the tower beside the gate with the glowing green sign that announced that this was, indeed, the PB&B.  That was strange.  Incomprehensible.

    And almost to be expected really.

    However, the design was new¡­ at least, for Nyx.

    The front fa?ade of that sinister death cottage was shaped like a¡­ like a heart.  Also, it was painted blood red with cracks of glowing green spiderwebbing through the stained Poo-Crete<sup>?</sup>.  It was also encircled by a small garden, several beds ¨C which were also shaped like hearts ¨C filled with gigantic, glowing, iridescent mushrooms taller than my waist.  Which seemed to be a theme, because even the sign was¡ª

    Yes.  Heart shaped.

    The horrible overuse of red made a stark contrast with the massive glowing green lake that was nestled beside the cottage.  The one that was softly boiling, bubbles of viscous poison popping and spraying the air with toxic emerald vapor.  The same gas that was slowly liquefying the demon monkey corpses that had been tossed beneath the grove of crimson trees on the other side.

    To make matters even worse, the vegetation appeared to be sucking up those remains, the blood traveling through the thick veins spiraling those trunks and filling the slightly pulsating fruit that hung from those branches.  The ¡°Farmer¡¯s Market,¡± the sign beside it read.

    Probably because of the stall out front, fresh fruit waiting to be sold to¡­ someone.

    Although, I suppose that answered my questions about the monkey corpses.

    Not that it made me feel any better.

    The ¡°Farmer¡¯s Market¡± also had convenient access via a path that ran along the shores of the poisonous springs, through the dense clouds of flesh-eating acid, and right past a miniature mountain of stone that had seemingly erupted from the ground in a jagged spike.  The one with a mawing, dark cave carved into its base.  Also, a set of stairs that spiraled up to¡ª

    What even was that way up there?  A deck?

    It seemed likely.  Mostly because another extended from the base of the cave¡¯s entrance, stretching out overtop the toxic springs and creating a circular rim or basin ¨C almost like that poison had been carefully cordoned off for some inconceivable reason.  And what was that behind it?  It looked vaguely familiar, difficult to make out through the haze.  Some sort of structure?  With towels¡­

    No, no¡­ it couldn¡¯t be.

    Even Apex was curious now.

    A flicker of his power was enough to reveal the burning outline of a sign beside the towel kiosk ¨C one now visible through the haze.  Incontrovertible proof.

    ¡°Poison Springs Bathing Area,¡± it said.

    And below it, in smaller text:

    ¡°Please help maintain the poison springs¡¯ natural ecosystem by staying within the assigned bathing area.  Also, little murder fish may try to eat you if you leave.  They¡¯re nearly indestructible.  Also, needle thin.  Seriously, stay behind the wall.¡±

    I breathed in and out through my nose, my fingers twisting harder and faster as I tried my best to suppress the desire to destroy it all in a glorious inferno of destruction¡­

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Horus hummed, eyeing our surroundings.

    Ahh, yes.  I needed to focus.  To maintain the flirting.

    As I said, it was difficult to concentrate.

    ¡°This looks like a good place to make camp for the night,¡± Horus said, brow furrowed as he stared at the cottage.  ¡°Although, the building seems small.  Hopefully, there¡¯s more than one bed.  Otherwise, I guess we¡¯d be forced to share.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Ba-bump.  My fingers froze.

    One bed?  Share?  Is that what he just said?

    In that rather cute cottage nestled beside a glowing, emerald lake?

    And, now that I considered it, didn¡¯t those toxic gases look rather radiant as darkness loomed over the Outer Reaches?  Surely we would both be immune to the acid, right?  Perhaps we could even walk to that grove, Horus shielding me from the occasional pop and hiss of spraying acid, taking my hand in his as we¡ª

    ¡°Just a joke,¡± Horus interjected with a booming chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯m sure the Hollow made plenty of beds.  He always makes so many.  Too many even.¡±

    Danae winced at that one, shook her head, and headed for the cabin.

    Why was she so upset¡ª

    Ahh, right.  Because Nyx murdered the rest of her unit.  My thoughts were slow.  Sluggish.  Desperately trying to catch up ¨C to process the madness around me. To avoid those pesky images of me and Horus that were now burned into my perfect memory¡ª

    ¡°Are you okay?  Perhaps you got a little ahead of yourself?¡± Apex taunted.

    And now I could feel that fire bloom in my cheeks ¨C accompanied by the familiar desire to flirt with Horus so hard right now.  Yet I couldn¡¯t.  He needed to remain uninjured to answer my questions.  Also, Danae insisted the flirting should be used sparingly.  According to her, it wasn¡¯t supposed to involve any collateral damage.

    ¡°Feels like I touched a sore spot.  A mixture of rage and shame.  Could you be¡­ embarrassed, My Lady?¡± Apex mocked.

    No!  Of course not!  Not exactly¡­

    I was just getting into character.  Yes, of course, playing a part.  This subterfuge, this dance, this battle of wills between Horus and me.  This was just a byproduct of the intensive flirting.  Of too much sleep and the Hollow¡¯s surprisingly delicious recipes.  I had tricked myself into thinking I might even be enjoying¡ª

    Not that I got a chance to finish that thought.

    Horus¡¯ laughter must have summoned it ¨C the creature that stepped out of that cave.  The one beside the glowing emerald lake.  The one with its own deck.

    Two, technically.

    The monster had six glowing green eyes.  Rippling muscle and sleek, slicked back spines ¨C each tip coated in glowing and far-to-familiar venom.  Each smooth, swaying step promised a slow and excruciating death, its prey¡¯s body frozen in place by its paralytic venom.  Too much and it would devour your vessel from the inside out, slowly liquifying your flesh.  This creature ¨C no, this monster was capable of destroying entire cities by itself.

    I¡¯d only read accounts; seen pictures, but this had to be¡ª

    Toxifovos.  A Divine beast.  Only a step away from transcendence.

    ¡°Ahh, finally, a suitable opponent,¡± Horus grunted, his axe flaring white and floating at his side in an instant.  ¡°Stand back, My Lady.  I shall handle this.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I snapped, my fingers threading through his silken fur.

    Horus looked at me in confusion.

    ¡°That creature is dangerous.  Even for us.¡±

    He didn¡¯t look as though he believed me.

    ¡°Then should we¡­ retreat?¡±  There was regret in his voice.  As though he wished to fight this monster.  Surely, he could feel its overpowering nimbus ¨C the energy clustered so dense and tight that it was like staring into the sun.

    And yet, Horus looked excited ¨C a fire that matched the one burning in my Core.  The questions were already circling.  My curiosity simmering.  A divine beast ¨C a class of its own ¨C one I still aspired to.  A rare opportunity for research.  To test its limits and abilities.  To see how well my own skills measured up¡­ how far out of reach my goal might be.

    Could I really take it?  This monster?  Alone, perhaps not.

    My gaze shot to Horus.  But together?  Could we destroy it together?

    ¡°No,¡± I muttered ¨C cold logic prevailing.  That wasn¡¯t an option either.

    Just another dream ¨C another fantasy.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Horus asked.  ¡°Think of what we could learn¡­¡±

    As I met his eyes, I could see a blaze that matched my own.  That was real.

    Was this¡ªwas he flirting with me now?  Not with his fists but with his words and expression?  With his body language?  All that thick muscle taut and tight and luxurious hair swaying in the tainted, toxic breeze.  Tempting me with the promise of research?

    And, more importantly, was it working?

    That stray question brought my racing thoughts to a screeching halt.

    Before I realized it, I took a single step back.  The Toxifovos¡¯ scales went rigid, standing on end and vibrating softly.  I froze and even Horus stilled his breathing ¨C the three of us locked in a deadly stalemate.

    Ahh, right.  My perfect memories supplied the answer ¨C only seconds too late.  This creature didn¡¯t attack unless its quarry attempted to flee.  Which meant we had time.  A brief moment of peace.  One I could perhaps use to study the beast and come up with a plan to¡ª

    Then Danae stepped out of the cottage and ruined everything.

    She was holding a skewer and her mouth was absolutely covered in some red-colored sauce.  ¡°Have you two tried this yet?¡± she called out, munching away happily.  ¡°The Hollow¡¯s recipes say this is called barbeque sauce¡ª¡±

    Danae cutoff as she saw our expressions and her head pivoted, soon taking in the full majesty of the Toxifovos.  I could see its spines quiver faster, picking up speed until a low thrum filled the air ¨C glowing green venom dripping down their glimmering, metallic length.

    My brow furrowed.  That glowing green venom looked familiar.  Like it had been used to build the signs at the Gas Station and here at the PB&B.  Which implied that this creature ¨C no, this monster ¨C had been helping Nyx?  Maybe?  Somehow?

    That only raised even more impossible questions.

    For example, had Nyx won this staring contest?

    The perfect memory of that statue returned in a heartbeat¡­

    Yet there was a more immediate and pressing problem.

    One set of the monster¡¯s eyes shifted to Danae and met her gaze, locking her into its trap.  She was already recoiling, her foot rising to step back, moving gradually ¨C as though the beast couldn¡¯t see her if she just moved slowly enough.

    Shouting a warning wouldn¡¯t help ¨C would only startle the creature.

    Damn it.  An impasse.  Perhaps with Apex¡¯s help I could distract it¡ª

    ¡°Ahh, it looks like it¡¯s question time again,¡± he purred, right on time.  Apparently, with Danae otherwise occupied, we were back to regular blackmail.

    Asshole.  Why was he like this?

    ¡°Fine.  What do you want to know?¡± I ground out.

    ¡°Ahh, simple.  I want you to answer Nyx¡¯s question ¨C you know, the one he posed back in the gate.  Do you think you and Horus would make a cute couple?¡±

    That was my first mistake.  I¡¯d expected Apex to relent.  Possibly even appreciate the severity of the situation.  However, his question surprised me.   Enough that I looked at Horus and realized my hand was still wound in his silken fur.

    What happened next was instinct.  A reflex.  Automatic.

    I took another step back.

    Which was my second mistake, of course.

    And the causal ball was already rolling.  Apex was kind enough to enhance my perception; to ensure I witnessed it all with perfect clarity.

    The monster went tense, launching a hailstorm of spines.

    Danae ducked back into the safety of that strange cottage as Horus stepped forward, shoving me out of the way, his massive form hovering before me protectively¡­ even as those spines raced through the air.  They were moving fast.  Too fast for me to react.  They slammed into Horus¡¯ impossible, impervious fur, his body shuddering from the impacts.

    However, the joke was on the Toxifovos.  I had seen him withstand the collapse of an entire keep; the blast of my furious power.  Those spines couldn¡¯t possibly pierce his¡ª

    Ba-Bump.  Time seemed to stop.

    Red droplets sprayed the ground, twining through Horus¡¯ fur and soaking into those rich, strong fibers ¨C staining that golden brown a bright red.  Which was impossible.

    What was that?  Blood?  But whose blood?  It couldn¡¯t be Horus¡¯¡ª?

    Ba-Bump.  My heart thudded, hard and painful.

    That lurching pain was enough to bring Apex¡¯s gifts to an end, time speeding back up to the painful present.  Even as Horus let out a pained grunt, dropping to a knee.  As more of those red droplets pitter pattered the ground like bloody rain.  Too much.  A dangerous amount.  And if the spines had pierced his skin, then the venom¡ª

    Horus turned then and his glowing white irises met the confused inferno raging in mine.  Twin fires that burned white-hot.  As the monster prepared to launch another barrage, I saw resolve in Horus¡¯ gaze, the tavros refusing to fall despite his injuries.  He rose on trembling legs, taking my numb fingers in his and encircling me protectively.

    ¡°My¡­ Lady,¡± he grunted.

    His meaning was clear ¨C his sacrifice was clear.

    I tried to call on Apex then ¨C on his power.  To protect Horus.  To stop this.  To fix this.  To empower Danae.  To heal Horus.  To do something¡­ anything!

    Yet my spirit didn¡¯t answer.  Of course, he didn¡¯t.

    I hadn¡¯t answered his question, had I?

    But there was still time ¨C still a chance to fix this!

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I do think we¡¯d make a cute¡ª"

    ¡ªbut it was too late.  I was too late.  Again.

    I could only look on helplessly as a fresh wave of spines struck home, Horus¡¯ body jerking with each impact.  More crimson flowed and then he sank forward, striking the ground with a dull thud, those glowing white eyes still locked on mine.  Blood pooled around him, thick and cloying, staining that impossible, perfect, impervious fur.  Horus¡¯ body seized, then went still, his breathing slowing, his pulse fading¡­

    Ba-Bump.  Ba-Bump.  Ba¡ª

    Then there was only silence.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 25

    Chapter 25 - Prodigal Hatchling

    Fin Fan Corporate Headquarters

    Nyx

    Okay, first impression of Fang¡¯s mom?

    She was, well¡­ super hot.

    And, to be absolutely clear, I mean that both literally and figuratively.

    What?  Don¡¯t look at me like that!

    Ask Lili and Maribel.  I bet they¡¯ll have my back.

    ¡°I mean, I hate to say it, but he¡¯s right,¡± Lili offered.  ¡°Something about the pitch-black scales, those molten streaks, and the murderous aura do it for me.¡±

    My left hand just wobbled a little ¨C announcing Maribel¡¯s indifference.  Although, her vote should be taken with a grain of salt.  I mean, Fang¡¯s mom wasn¡¯t a rat, after all.  But she had the tail and the claws and scales black as midnight.  So, most of the way there.

    ¡°You think Fang¡¯s mom would be open to replacing him?¡± Lili added.  ¡°It feels like it would make our dynamic less weird.  Also, hotter.¡±

    She was right.  We could even make a mobile sauna in the Death Wagon¡ª

    ¡°So, the prodigal son returns,¡± Fang¡¯s mom snapped, steam wafting out around her, an army of savrans arrayed against us.  ¡°Is this how you greet me?¡±

    To her credit, Fang was just standing there awkwardly cowering and sweating mist.

    ¡°How you greet your sisters?¡± she continued, waving at the others.

    Wait, what!?  They didn¡¯t call this a surprise party for nothing!

    But were¡­ were they his sisters or his ¡°sisters in scale,¡± if you know what I mean?

    Was that speciest?  They all had the same snaked-eyed death glare, but were they really his sisters?  All of them?  Or just like some of them?  Half maybe?  Actually, now that I thought about it, how many babies did a typical broodmother have?

    Shit.  I really should have paid better attention to his dating advice¡­

    Also, did Fang have brothers?  Uncles?  A father?

    Actually, did savrans¡¯ have genders?

    I know, I know¡­ I¡¯m getting distracted from the real questions.

    Like weren¡¯t all these people supposed to be dead?  Spirits freed from their mortal vessel?  You remember that right?  The part where he told me his tribe was dead?

    ¡°Dead to me,¡± Fang hissed under his breath.  ¡°I said dead to me.¡±

    Shit, okay.  That last one must have been out loud.

    Also, that¡¯s not at all how I remembered it.  ¡°Hey Lili, what did I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Huh, you know what? You had an extra helping of Death Shrooms that evening so it¡¯s pretty cloudy¡­ but I think he could be right.¡±

    Well, shit.  That was a no, a yes, and a maybe.  So, a tie.  Not only that, but Fang¡¯s mom was looking at me now, those glowing orange eyes dripping with disgust as they inspected me from head to foot.  Then she let out a slow, disappointed hiss.  This felt so familiar¡ª

    Ahh, it was just like Fang!  He must have gotten it from his mother¡­

    Actually, you know what?  Maybe I was thinking about this wrong.  Maybe I shouldn¡¯t feel betrayed by Fang¡¯s totally-still-alive family or resentful that mine was all very much still dead or kidnapped.

    I got it now.  Why Fang was just standing there ¨C mouth open and pale and sweating and shifty eyed.  Obviously, he was nervous.  I¡¯d gotten pretty good at picking up on his body language.  Extensive couple¡¯s therapy had helped with that ¨C with our communication.   Which is how I knew exactly what was going on here.

    Everything else had been a cover.  All of it.  The road trip.  His insistence we not head north ¨C he knows reverse psychology is super effective against me.  Even this surprise party.  Fang was nervous because he was finally bringing me home to meet his family.

    Or should I say, my in-laws.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Fang¡¯s mom demanded, stabbing a claw at me.  ¡°And why do you make that face ¨C like you are in horrible pain?  Please stop.¡±

    Huh, is that what my smile looked like to other people?  That was actually helpful feedback.  I¡¯d been practicing, but I didn¡¯t have a mirror ¨C just Lili and Maribel.

    But as for who I was, well, let¡¯s just say it was a good thing I had a chance to practice with Pietr.  That must have also been part of Fang¡¯s plan, which is why I gave him a thumbs up.  He was just trying to help me overcome my crippling social anxiety.  Luckily, I had a solution for that ¨C practicing my opening line thousands of times until it was second nature.

    ¡°Ahem, my name is Nicolas Squattingham Murderson the Fourth,¡± I announced.  ¡°You can call me Nick for short.¡±

    I even remembered to bow.  Lili said it would help.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Manslaughter,¡± Fang¡¯s mom said back.

    I blinked.  That wasn¡¯t part of the script.  This was normally the part where the other person said their name, but she¡¯d skipped straight to talking about our hobbies?

    What a weird and totally awesome power move.

    Which was fine.  I could adapt.  I¡¯d practiced.

    ¡°Oh, you enjoy that too!¡± I replied, my smile widening.  ¡°We already have something in common.  That¡¯s fantastic.  Although, I like to keep my slaughtering options open, you know?  Is there a reason you prefer men, specifically or¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, that is my name,¡± Fang¡¯s mom ¨C who was, uh, named Manslaughter ¨C answered.

    Okay, weird.  But I shouldn¡¯t judge.  Definitely shouldn¡¯t laugh.

    We were also way off script now.  How could I have anticipated she¡¯d have such a weird name?  What was I even supposed to say to that?

    No, no we¡¯d trained for this.  I needed to breathe.  Just power through.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s still a, uh, pleasure to meet you,¡± I replied, my eye twitching slightly.  My smile was also falling apart on me.  The muscles had gotten overused today.  ¡°Fang has told me, well¡­ absolutely nothing at all about you ¨C any of you,¡± I added with a vague nod at the rest of the room.  ¡°And I¡¯ve been super excited to meet you for, uh, at least the last sixty seconds.  It¡¯s an honor to finally meet his family ¨C to meet my mother-in-law.¡±

    I cocked my head.  ¡°Or I guess, should I just call you mom?¡±

    Fang¡¯s mother stared back and the others hissed in confusion.

    ¡°W-what?¡± she demanded, caught off guard.  ¡°Why would you call me that?¡±

    My brow scrunched.  ¡°Uh, well, obviously because Fang and I are bromates.¡±

    Now they were all staring at me.

    Almost like they didn¡¯t believe me.  But that was ridiculous¡­

    I mean, sure, Fang hadn¡¯t told me about his family ¨C obviously, because of the surprise party.  But surely, he¡¯d told his secret family about me!  I mean, we were clearly bromates.  That¡¯s why I was holding his hand¡ª

    Which Fang peeled off gently, his eyes meeting mine ¨C his completely unexplained anxiety and fear at meeting his own secret family melting in the face of the comforting warmth of our [Bromance].  ¡°Don¡¯t worry.  I have this,¡± he reassured me.

    He straightened his skinny shoulders, hefted that strange pack that he was always carrying for some reason, the glow returning to his eyes as he glared back at a room full ¨C or half-full ¨C of his totally-alive family.  Mist coiled around him as he stepped in front of me.  Then he revealed the true depth of our bromantic relationship to his whole entire family while they watched with all those weapons and incredulous glowing snake eyes¡ª

    ¡°I do not know this sapian.  He follows me around and says crazy things,¡± Fang explained.  ¡°I feel bad for him, so I keep him fed.  See?  Very fat.¡±

    Wow.  Just¡­ wow.  He even turned and poked me!

    ¡°Seriously, that was so harsh,¡± Lili murmured.

    Maribel was just patting my shoulder awkwardly.

    Oh, trust me, Fang I would be having words about this.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    But, for now, it was important to keep up appearances ¨C to not paralyze my bromate, tie him up, and torture him¡­ At least, not in front of his secret family.

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Fang¡¯s mother muttered, shaking her head.  Then her gaze returned to her son.  ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t be here.  Do you not remember what I told you?¡±

    ¡°I remember well,¡± Fang snapped back. ¡°If I showed my face around here again, I better be prepared to die.  But I¡¯m not that same hatchling anymore.¡±

    His mom just snorted, a blast of steam striking a table and boring a hole straight through the wood.  Woah, the pressure was getting intense.

    ¡°The over confidant hunter bites off more than he can chew.  Some things never change,¡± she hissed back, steam pouring from her nostrils in thick streams now, the molten cracks in her scales flaring.  Fang flinched, just glaring back.

    Ahh, she used Fang¡¯s hunter thing!  Or maybe it was the other way around?  They even had subtext ¨C delicious hints at some mysterious back story that no one seemed keen to explain to me.  Which was just great.  I didn¡¯t feel awkward at all.

    ¡°Enough of this.  Take care of him,¡± Fang¡¯s mom ordered, waving at a trio of Fang¡¯s sisters.  Maybe.  Sorry, it¡¯s not like anyone even introduced themselves!

    ¡°Leave him alive,¡± Fang¡¯s mom hissed.  ¡°I want to know what he¡¯s been up to ¨C what other damage he might have caused.¡±

    Fang¡¯s sisters all smiled, showing way too much teeth.

    Then they rushed forward, black scales slick with steam, raising daggers that let out this whirring, high-pitch grind.  Ahh, probably because they were channeling steam into them.  Actually, oh wow!  The blade was serrated and rippled back and forth in a blur of metal, the heat causing them to glow a dull orange.  Like tiny, overheated chainsaws.

    I wanted one so bad¡ª

    Oh, wait, were they going to try to cut Fang with those things?  In here?  The cathedral-like hall was big, but not that big.  Plus, Fang¡¯s mist cloud had started getting pretty huge.  He¡¯d huffed most of our nimbus gem stash at this point ¨C his drugs long gone.

    ¡°Uh, sorry to intrude, but you don¡¯t really want to do that¡ª¡± I began helpfully.

    Ahh, too late.

    Fang just smirked, never breaking eye contact with his mother as those whirring little chain-daggers cut at his scales¡ª

    Only for them to disappear.  Mist exploded out across the room in a billowing cloud, thick and wet and super dense.  Luckily, I used the cover to discreetly summon my babies and a little rathole.  They got the tarp up just in time to ward off most of the blast.

    Normally, I wouldn¡¯t care.  But I couldn¡¯t let him mess up my cloak.  Not in front of my mother-in-law!  First impressions were incredibly important.  Or, uh, second impressions.

    Especially, when your bromantic partner humiliates you in front of his entire family.

    Screams echoed from the mist and then a light began to pulse in the center of the room ¨C the heat rising, rising, rising.  Fang¡¯s mom evaporated the mist rapidly, forming thick storm clouds along the vaulted ceiling, rain soon pitter pattering the floor of the inn.  Those droplets sizzled as they touched the scales of Fang¡¯s sisters, the trio all moaning on the ground.

    Meanwhile, the rest of his secret family looked on with dispassionate and somewhat surprised glowing snake eyes.  Probably because Fang was unharmed, stalking toward his mother, his own daggers in hand.

    Even she looked taken aback, however the fire in her eyes flared back in a flash.  His sisters started to move, but she held up a hand.  ¡°No, no I shall handle this.¡±

    ¡°You should pick up a weapon,¡± Fang drawled.

    His mother smiled, showing her teeth.  ¡°I don¡¯t need weapons for you.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, a superheated laserbeam of steam jetted from her mouth, spearing through the air and piercing Fang¡¯s forehead¡ª

    Only for the clone to break apart into wisps of mist.

    Her brow furrowed, her eyes narrowing even as she twisted and raised her forearm.  Fang¡¯s blade skittered across her scales and sent off a shower of sparks, nowhere near sharp enough to penetrate her armor.  Had she reinforced it with metal?  Interesting.  I was guessing the whole steam thing might be a side effect of breathing in all the soot and smoke outside.  Maybe they had evolved from mist spirits to steam spirits?

    However, Manslaughter wasn¡¯t expecting that Fang to break apart as well.  Or for the real Fang to come barreling at her from behind.  She pivoted, but too slow.  His blade cut along her scales, the blade coated in a thick, vibrating layer of mist ¨C like a water saw¡­ cleaving into her scales but not quite drawing blood.

    Damn, Fang¡¯s mom was thick.

    Her eyes widened and another blast of steam erupted from her mouth.  At point blank, Fang couldn¡¯t dodge.  But he didn¡¯t need to.  Another bloom of thick mist erupted from him.  Then another and another, the moisture so cloying and thick that it was becoming difficult to breathe.  The fight had devolved into a clanging, flashing blur amid the fog.

    However, Fang¡¯s mom soon burned it away.  Revealing many copies of Fang cutting and slicing and stabbing and dodging as his mother warded off his attacks with just her bare claws.  However, she was getting slower, scratches marring her scales.   Then he pressed his advantage, the clones pushing in close¡ª

    Only for his mother to do something new.

    Her scales lifted slightly and steam exploded from those openings, forming a perfect sphere.  Fang and his clones were thrown back, more thick mist appearing as his body broke apart.  I expected him to wait, to retreat and regroup, but Fang had a different plan.

    He must have used the clones to bait his mother into attacking; to time his own attack.  To aim for that split second window when his mother needed to recover from that defensive move, her dark scales glowing a dull red as they settled back into place.

    Because the real Fang shot through that wall of superheated steam, the mist coating his body protecting him from the heat.  He raced toward his mother so quickly that he was merely a green streak, vapor wafting in his wake.

    In that moment before Fang struck ¨C that fraction of a second ¨C I could have sworn I saw his mother¡¯s eyes lock with his; realization reflected in her gaze.  There was no rage or murder or disgust shining there.  It was something else.  Something unfamiliar.  A look Fang had never given me¡ª

    CLANG.

    The force of the impact sent the mist and steam blastingg away, and even stripped the moisture from the bodies of the other savrans still standing there, smashing it up against the walls until rivers of water and dust flowed down their surface.

    Fang and his mother stood in the center of the room ¨C his blades caught in his mom¡¯s grasp.  But she wasn¡¯t using her bare claws anymore.  Instead, she was wearing a pair of metallic claws.  Steam pumped through the machinery, puffing and gusting as the claws flexed and snapped out, sending Fang hurtling backward.

    His feet touched down lightly and he slid to a stop.

    Silence lingered in the room ¨C his sisters staring.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t need weapons,¡± Fang sneered.

    His mother grimaced, her eyes smoldering.  Then she relaxed her stance.  ¡°Clearly, I underestimated you.  You have grown.  You are no longer the Nameless I knew.¡±

    My brow furrowed.  Uh, what?  Nameless?  His name was Fang.  Obviously.  Uh, right?  Or maybe he¡¯d been lying about that too?  Woah.

    ¡°I have a name.  It is Fang.¡±

    Her expression hardened, the air around her boiling.  ¡°Yet you still forget our customs.  You did not earn that name.¡±

    Uh¡­ okay.  I was still super confused.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one that forgets ¨C the one that chose to give up our heritage, to give up the mists, to become slaves,¡± Fang snapped back.

    His mother snorted.  ¡°And I see you still speak like a hatchling.  Na?ve.¡±

    Her eyes narrowed as she inspected him.  ¡°There is only one explanation for your growth,¡± she observed.  ¡°You have meddled with another gate, haven¡¯t you?  Even after what happened last time¡­¡±

    The others were hissing louder now, their eyes glowing and glaring.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t like last time.  We conquered a gate,¡± Fang hissed back, his eyes flashing.

    Uh, so I was still kind of lost.  Had Fang entered another gate?  Without me?  But¡­ but I thought I was his first?  And was this still part of my party?  Another surprise?  If so, then they were starting to lose some of their impact, honestly.  Or maybe just context?

    His mother looked me, standing there and peeking over the top of a ratskin tarp, my babies hiding beside me.  ¡°We?¡± she echoed.  ¡°You and this sapian?  Now I know you lie.¡±

    ¡°Hey, but we did¡ª¡± I began indignantly, taking a step forward.

    And suddenly a few of those glowing chain-daggers were pointed at me.  Woah.  His sisters could sure move fast.  What they gave up in invisibility they gained in speed and power and fun new weapons.  Although, Manslaughter was just shaking her head in disbelief.

    I¡¯ll admit, that stung.  I could totally prove it, though!  I just had to use Lili¡¯s¡ª

    Ahh, Fang was glaring at me and shaking his head.

    Ahh, right¡­ Rule #2.

    But c¡¯mon?  I couldn¡¯t even show them what a true [Battle Daddy] looked like?  I thought you were supposed to help your bromantic partner show off for your estranged and slightly racist mother?  Plus, this surprise party seemed pretty light on the party part...

    ¡°What do you want?  Why did you come back here?¡± his mother demanded finally.

    ¡°That is a long story, but I had no choice,¡± Fang hissed back.  Then he glanced at the other savrans ¨C all of them watching and staring.  ¡°I would like to explain.  Privately.¡±

    His mother just snorted, steam blasting.  ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°You owe me as much.  You broke the rules of engagement.¡±  He nodded at her claw-like weapons.  ¡°Or have the tribe¡¯s rules changed that much; have you truly been domesticated by these other races ¨C by these Fin-Fans?¡±

    Angry hisses met his words accompanied by the grinding whirr of super cool steam-powered weaponry that I would still very much like to take apart.

    His mother waved the others back.  ¡°Fine.  I shall hear what you have to say.  But if I do not like what I hear, we shall gut you and your¡­ fat sapian pet.¡±

    Fang winced at that one.  So, did I.

    Although, I was thinking our reasons might be different.

    Honestly, I wasn¡¯t so worried about the literal stabbing, but her words cut deep.

    His mother¡¯s glowing gaze shifted to the barricaded door, Horus¡¯ fans still pounding at the surface and the furniture shuddering.  Oh, and me still standing there ¨C still completely dry because of my tarp and pushing my babies into another discreet rathole.

    ¡°In fact, we will keep your sapian here.  As leverage,¡± she continued.

    ¡°That is not a good idea.  He should come with us,¡± Fang added quickly.  ¡°He is¡­¡±  He just trailed off, uncertain how to finish as he saw his family¡¯s skeptical expressions.

    His mother¡¯s frown deepened.  ¡°Do you¡­ do you care for this one?¡±

    Woah, and now I was staring at Fang with everyone else.

    This was it.  This was his moment.  His chance to come clean and admit he loved¡ª

    ¡°Uh, no.  No!  Of course not.  I¡¯m just worried about¡ª¡±

    ¡°What then?¡± his mother demanded.  ¡°He is just a sapian.  Little threat.¡±

    Fang didn¡¯t look convinced.  He actually looked really, really nervous.

    Probably because I was starting to look pretty upset.  I gave him my best glare.

    ¡°Enough.  Let us go,¡± his mother demanded, waving at an adjoining hallway off the main hall.  She glanced at the others.  ¡°The rest of you, clean up this mess and disperse the crowd outside.  And watch this faaat sssapian.¡±

    Still wasn¡¯t loving that at all.  And was the hissing lisp necessary?

    Fang met my eyes one last time, mist dripping from his scales.  ¡°Remember The Rules,¡± he hissed, keeping his voice low so his sisters couldn¡¯t hear him.  ¡°Normal.  Be normal.  And no using Lili or the babies.  You understand?¡±

    I nodded.  ¡°Of course,¡± I chirped.  I even smiled.

    That only seemed to make it worse, though.

    ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Of course, not.  I wouldn¡¯t do that to my dear friend.  You know, lead him to believe his entire family is dead and then deny our bromantic relationship in front of them?  That would be terrible, right?  That might even feel like a horrific betrayal.  One worthy of reaping sweet, sweet vengeance in some sort of convoluted and ultimately insane plot.¡±

    I just stared at him innocently.  ¡°See?  That doesn¡¯t sound like me at all.¡±

    Wow, now he looked really nervous ¨C like he didn¡¯t want to leave.

    I don¡¯t know why, though.

    ¡°Are you coming?¡± his mother demanded.

    He looked conflicted.  I just raised an eyebrow.

    Then he sighed and disappeared in a stream of mist, flowing off after his mother.

    There he went again.  Running away from his problems.  Again.

    Hiding from me.  From himself.  From our relationship.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we don¡¯t need him,¡± Lili said.  ¡°His mom is way cooler.¡±

    My left hand, threaded with darkness, patted my shoulder.  It was sweet, in a way.

    But not quite what I needed right now.  My life to-date hasn¡¯t been what I would call ¡°fun.¡±  Or ¡°easy.¡±  Or even ¡°survivable.¡± I mean, I don¡¯t have to tell you.  You saw it all, right?  The child abuse?  Getting stuck in that gate filled with rat shit?  Fang horrific and somewhat-predictable betrayal?

    But when the Flow only gives you shit, well¡­ you learn how to make poo-crete, right?  I guess what I¡¯m saying is that I discovered a way to cope a long time ago.

    You know, instead of going into a murderous rage.

    I channeled that passion into my projects.

    And right now?  Well, I¡¯d been promised a party¡­

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 26

    Chapter 26 - Project Apati

    Okay, one question answered.

    The blood-red liquid in those mugs was ¡°Friendship Juice.¡±

    And the bottles behind the counter? ¡°Extra Strength Friendship Juice.¡±

    Ahh, how did I know?

    ¡°Because we¡¯re having a real party!¡± Lili shouted.

    She had to.  The Fin-Fan cafeteria was pretty lively now.  A hundred or so of Fang¡¯s ¡°sisters¡± all having the best surprise party for me ever.  It was such a huge surprise, in fact, that most of my guests hadn¡¯t even known there was going to be a party!  Or that it was for me!   I¡¯ll admit, that stung a little, but it was clear that I was still the star.

    All I had to do was say the magic words.   Here, let me show you.

    ¡°Another round on me!¡± I roared.

    ¡°Yassssss!¡±  Again, those were Fang¡¯s sisters.  Probably. You know, the snake-eyed women with the really interesting power tools that were ¡°keeping an eye on me.¡±

    The rest was more of an incoherent scream created by the combined love of a dozen different species.  It seemed Friendship Juice transcended race.

    Which was weird.  I don¡¯t remember that being part of the mantras.

    But it really, really should be, you know?

    Maybe I could add this to the dinner mantra somehow¡­

    Ahh, what was that?  What am I doing?  Oh, that¡¯s easy.

    But you probably need some background to really appreciate it.  And I swear, this is a short tangent.  You¡¯ll barely notice it, honestly.

    First off, I¡¯d made my guards ¨C who, once again, were also possibly Fang¡¯s sisters ¨C give me a tour.  It turned out that this place was Fin-Fan Corporate Headquarters ¨C which included an extensive processing, packing, canning, and shipping operation.

    Obviously, I had follow-up questions.  Many of them, actually.  But I¡¯ve also learned to prioritize.  I know, I know¡­ it sounds a lot like procrastinating.

    But it¡¯s actually completely different.  Common mistake.

    Here, I can make it easy for you.  When you prioritize, you¡¯re avoiding doing something.  But when you procrastinate, you¡¯re avoiding doing everything.  See?  Totally different, but also very, very similar.  Either way, I was definitely doing something.

    Specifically, I was hungry.  Also, thirsty.

    Luckily, it turned out that this big tavern-room-space was actually a cafeteria ¨C one that served most of the staff here at the factory.  That¡¯s important because the cafeteria had an extra-large juice dispensing counter.  They called it a ¡°bar.¡±  It also had a full-service commercial kitchen.  Although, it was laid out terribly and all of their appliances were designed for the savran to operate them by injecting steam.

    How was I supposed to get a good sear on my monkey burgers if I had to steam everything?  That was not the way anything was meant to be consumed.  It needed to be deep fried.  Or, at least pan-fried.  Preferably with lesser sea serpent fat.

    Anyway, that¡¯s all just to say that I remodeled their kitchen for free.

    And once I solved our food problem, I was even more thirsty.

    But getting the friendship juice out of the kegs was super slow.  Especially since all the cooking really attracted a crowd.  And they were even thirstier than me!

    So, I improvised ¨C you know, budding genius and all.

    Specifically, I attached a tube of screaming bamboo to a keg.

    Okay, fine, the secret was elbow grease.  You just had to sharpen an edge and slam it home.  That got us some pretty good suction when I tickled the tube, but aiming it proved to be a challenge.  So, I fashioned this sprayer nozzle thing out of some shitty tools I found in the kitchen and an extra helping of elbow grease.

    Yup, that¡¯s right!  I could now shoot the Friendship Juice into the mugs¡­ or directly at my new friends¡¯ faces.  The last one got them super excited.  All I had to do was kick the keg and the bamboo let out a garbled tooting sound and a blast of Friendship Juice.

    That was fun¡­ for a while.

    But when that inevitably got old, I started to experiment.  I discovered that if I mixed in about 25% of the Extra Strength Friendship Juice to each keg, I got an even better reaction from my new friends.  And then I remembered I saw one of the other-mes wearing a super cool hat!  So, I decided to make one of those too.  Just took some guy¡¯s helm, strapped two mugs to it and then made the straws out of thinner bamboo tubes.

    They.  Went.  Absolutely.  Crazy.

    It was like the invention of fire.

    Liked I¡¯d finally improved on the wheel.

    Sure, [Engineering] told me it wasn¡¯t a big deal and this was an overreaction.  But he sounded pretty bitter if I¡¯m being honest.  Almost like he was upset he didn¡¯t think of it first.

    Although, he did raise a few compelling points.  I mean, look ¨C I can¡¯t deny the results and I know I shouldn¡¯t second guess myself when I¡¯d made so many new friends so fast.  But the questions were still there¡­

    Like maybe why were they so excited?  About the Friendship Juice, I mean.  The hat was a stroke of pure genius.  Also, I was noticing slurring, impaired motor coordination, and, well, let¡¯s be real¡­ their judgement was possibly affected.  Like was it safe to trust a stranger you met just a few minutes ago to spray Friendship Juice directly into your open mouth?  Even if he was wearing a really stylish new onesie?  I mean, what if he was conducting strange and possibly immoral experiments on a group of strangers?  Maybe lacing the Friendship Juice with his own proprietary blend of Death Shroom and a dab of PK¡¯s poison?

    Although, everyone seemed even more relaxed and they raved about the taste.

    Also, why wasn¡¯t I feeling anything yet?

    I mean, I drank a LOT.  Seriously, that¡¯s what impressed my new friends so much in the first place.  Like I drank a whole barrel.

    Then they asked me if I felt ¡°buzzed?¡±

    There¡¯s always this constant buzzing in my head¡­ so, I said yes?

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it!  This is awesome!  Yes, worship us like a god!¡± Lili roared over the noise of the crowd.  Wow.  It seemed like it had gotten even bigger somehow, the door to the cafeteria propped open and the crowd spilling outside.

    ¡°Nick, Nick, Nick!¡±  They all chanted.

    It wasn¡¯t super creative ¨C or my real name ¨C but I¡¯ll admit, I kind of liked it.

    Okay, fine, I liked it a lot.

    I really hope this didn¡¯t awaken something in me¡­

    My forehead suddenly felt itchy and darkness threaded my right hand as it lifted the sprayer nozzle, only to be followed by another roar from the crowd, a spray of blood-red liquid, and a new chant.

    ¡°Lili, Lili, Lili!¡±

    Hmm, well, it was only fair.  All it cost were those magic words anyway.

    Ahh, shit, speaking of which, our stream had gone limp.  Killed another keg.

    Oh, well.  Easy solution for that.  I just ripped out the bamboo spigot, pulled off the fresh new tendrils, and slammed it down into another keg, the crowd roaring their approval.  Or that might have been in response to my babies.  They emerged from the freshly remodeled kitchen, thick black smoke billowing at their backs.  They held huge, heaping platters of food, their bodies covered in a bright red glow.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking.  Fang told me to keep them out of sight.  This was a clear violation of Rule #2.

    But hear me out¡­ after the second drink, no one seemed to care that they were being served food of unknown origin cooked by a complete stranger and his band of feral murder rodents.  In fact, Fang¡¯s sisters seemed to love the babies.  Giving them pets and treats.  And those little furry attention whores were just lapping it up¡ª

    ¡°Hey, so how did you meet Fang?¡± one of Fang¡¯s sisters scream-asked.

    ¡°Well, uh¡ª¡± I began, turning.

    Woah, suddenly my ¡°guards¡± were all really close ¨C like three eerie clones of Fang with their big glowing eyes and pointy teeth.  I think I¡¯d had a nightmare like this once¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s sort of complicated,¡± I shouted back.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°Nyx, please don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to tell us if it¡¯s uncomfortable¡ª¡± the savran began.

    ¡°No, I meant, it¡¯s just going to take a while to tell the entire story,¡± I shouted back with a broad smile.  I loved a good tangent.  You probably didn¡¯t know that about me.

    Then I did just that.  The storytelling, I mean. And I made sure to go into excruciating and completely unnecessary detail.  Like any good storyteller, of course.

    I¡¯ll admit, my delivery was even pretty good.

    I mean, I¡¯ve had lots of practice with you, right?

    Thanks for that, by the way.  I¡¯d raise a mug of Friendship Juice for you, but well..,. you¡¯re not entirely real, are you?  It¡¯s the thought that counts, though.  Probably.

    Sometime later, it seemed oddly quiet.

    Ahh, that was because everyone was staring at me.  Again.

    And not like normal ¡°staring¡± you know ¨C like when you just drive your death wagon peacefully down the street?  This was different.  Really creepy, quiet staring.  All 300+ of my new friends.  Okay, maybe it was 500.  And their eyes were weird.  Like too round.  And some were kind of wet.  Were they¡­ crying?  Maybe the Friendship Juice was wearing off?  Or was this a weird side effect?  I¡¯d heard someone talking about sad drunks¡­

    Damn it, I should have gotten the babies to hook up another barrel while I was telling my story.  Did I¡­ did I ruin it?  Again?  Like with the Lair Warming Party?

    Wait, were they still my friends?

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m so sorry,¡± the savran beside me murmured, patting my shoulder.

    ¡°Yes, it is okay.  We are still your friends,¡± another said.

    Shit.  Had that last one been out loud?

    ¡°Judging from their faces and that tragedy of a story, I¡¯m going to go with yes,¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°Geez.  Way to kill the vibe.¡±

    Then the weirdest thing happened.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    All my new friends started stalking toward me with those weird, wet, round eyes, their pupils dilated ¨C just like Fang.  Were they going to try to murder me now?  I definitely ruined it, didn¡¯t I?  Why do I always do this?

    You know what?  Whatever.  Maybe I deserve the stabbing this time¡ª

    But no steel slid into my gut, or sliced through my scarred-studded skin.  Instead, they wrapped me in arms covered in fur and scale and feather and a few other things I was really curious about.  That pressure, gentle but insistent.  Squeezing and squeezing and squeezing until I didn¡¯t feel numb anymore ¨C no longer quite so¡­ hollow.

    Huh, what was this?  Was this a hug?

    Another blink and then¡­.

    Then the moment ended.

    People started pulling away, wiping at their eyes.  More than a few were just hugging each other and openly weeping.  A couple were catatonic, staring off into the void.

    Wow.  Okay, that seemed like a bit much.

    Was this a normal reaction to the beginning of the world¡¯s greatest [Bromance]?

    ¡°No.  No, it¡¯s not,¡± Lili grumbled.

    Hmm, then I definitely didn¡¯t want to dig at that too deeply.  See?  Prioritizing.

    I waved at Pietr behind the bar where he was sniffling and wiping at his nose.  After the paralytic had worn off, I¡¯d give him a super important job.

    He took a deep breath and lifted a tube to his lips. ¡°This is, uh, Pietr from the South Gate and I¡¯m new to this whole ¡°DJ¡¯ing thing,¡± but here it goes¡ª¡±

    Then he started up the Fin-Fan Headquarters¡¯ new sound system again.  I was actually pretty proud of it ¨C a few dozen bamboo tubes of different lengths and sizes fashioned into a rough keyboard.  I¡¯d gotten the idea after Pietr said he used to play something called a piano.  Or [Enigneering] did.  I guess I can throw him a bone.  It was no beer hat, but what was a party without music?

    See?  Everyone was already getting back into the swing of things again ¨C all those pesky tears melted away by a fresh spray of crimson ¡°Friendship Juice.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve never liked Fang,¡± someone snapped, my attention whipping back around to find Fang¡¯s sisters staring at me again.

    ¡°Fang is a terrible name ¨C the same as my grand-broodmother,¡± one sneered.  I¡¯m pretty sure that one was named Jesssica?

    ¡°What do you expect from the Nameless?¡±  Uh, and she was Sssandy?

    ¡°And after he nearly destroyed our tribe!¡±  Sssusie that time?

    ¡°This is starting to feel speciest,¡± Lili offered, sounding uncomfortable.

    Ahh, sorry.  I¡¯m horrible with names.

    Oh, shit.  But they¡¯d been saying something important!

    ¡°Wait, what do you mean Nameless?¡± I interjected.  ¡°You keep using that word, but I don¡¯t know what it means¡ª"

    ¡°It is obvious¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can explain¡ª¡±

    ¡°It is a long story¡ª¡±

    Ahh, they were all talking at the same time.  Perfect.

    Anyway, the resulting explanation was half screamed by three of Fang¡¯s sisters over the shriek and wail of my new sound system, so I¡¯ll try to decipher it as best I can for you.  It turned out that the savrans ¨C or, this tribe, at least ¨C had a custom around naming their young.  More specifically, they earned their names based on their first kill.

    Some adopted the name of their murder weapon.   Which worked out great ¨C sometimes.  Spike?  Talon?  See?  Normalish names.  But, obviously, some weren¡¯t ideal.  One of his sisters was named ¡°Spiked Club.¡±  Another was named ¡°Fireplace Poker.¡±  Although, it felt like there was a story behind ¡°Fish Sandwich¡±¡­

    Anyway, my names for them aren¡¯t looking so bad now, huh?

    For others it was more about the general murder activity.  Like ¡°Heartbreaker¡± wasn¡¯t as endearing as you might think.  And some were more aspirational.  ¡°Spineripper,¡± for example.  The sisters went on for a while about how impractical that one was, especially since they couldn¡¯t use weak prey to earn their name.  There was also a surprising amount of physics involved in ripping out someone¡¯s spine.

    Anyway, the tribe¡¯s members had gotten more creative over time ¨C mostly because the obvious, boring names were already taken.  You know, stuff like Dagger or Throat Punch or¡­ Fang.  Yeah, you see it now, right?  I was starting to think that wasn¡¯t his real name.

    ¡°Okay, so why is your mother¡¯s name Manslaughter?¡± I asked tentatively.

    Fang¡¯s sisters all started screaming at once again.  Sorry.

    But the answer was more terrible than you might think.

    You see, it had to do with their tribe¡¯s mating process.  Again, savrans weren¡¯t a monolith.  Presumably, the females of other tribes didn¡¯t eat the males after mating.  Uh, yup, you heard that right.  I had to get them to repeat it a few times too.  Also, it was hard to understand them since they were laughing so hard.

    So, yes¡­ Fang¡¯s mom had a huge body count.  So high, in fact, that she¡¯d earned the title of Manslaughter by her naming day. Which sort of made sense.  You saw her!  She¡¯s a real steam show.  And yet my mind was still officially blown.

    I mean, obviously, that explained why Fang had so many siblings.  Also, why he had so many sisters.  But the more astute among you must have noticed it by now.

    As for the rest of you ¨C the dumber ones ¨C I¡¯ll spell it out.  I¡¯ll even show my work.

    1 Fang + 1 female = 1 female, babies, and a snack.

    Then we solve for Fang like so:

    1 Fang + 1 female ¨C (1 female) = 1 female, babies, and a snack ¨C (1 female).

    Then we simplify to get:

    1 Fang = babies and a snack.

    See?  Mathematical proof that Fang had never gotten laid.  Ever.  Or he¡¯d be dead.

    Which meant, all those mating rules he was always talking about?  All those jokes about how I would die sad and lone and unloved?  A perpetual virgin?  If I just ate a bit more, maybe I¡¯d suck in a mate with my own gravitational pull?

    Yep.  All kraell shit.  Or possibly projection.

    Either way, this was one of the best days of my horrible life.

    That¡¯s probably why I was cackling maniacally.

    It was okay.  Fang¡¯s sisters seemed into it.

    ¡°Oh, I am going to get him so good for this,¡± I declared.

    ¡°Wait, so you know his weakness?¡± Jesssica asked.

    ¡°How do you plan to do it?  To kill him?¡± Sssandy that time.

    Woah, that was a bit further than I was planning to go¡ª

    ¡°He is too strong now.¡±  Yup, the last one was definitely Sssusie.

    Lili just sighed in the back of my mind.  ¡°We just went over this¡ª¡±

    I realize that.  But these names were way easier for me to remember.

    Also, they seemed really into the hypothetical Fang murder.  So, I guess I could level with them.  I mean, they were basically family, right?

    ¡°I do, actually,¡± I murmured, and they all leaned in close, anxiously awaiting my response.  ¡°It¡¯s really easy.  You just have to¡ª

    They leaned even closer, barely breathing.

    ¡°¡ªdraw him a warm bath.¡±

    ¡°A¡­ bath?¡± they demanded in unison.

    ¡°Yeah and if you add bubbles he won¡¯t even feel it when you stab him to death.¡±  I cocked my head in thought.  ¡°Actually, he might just drown.¡±

    They stared for a few more super long seconds and then¡ª

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Crazy asshole!¡±

    ¡°So full of shit.  That story probably wasn¡¯t even real anyway.¡±

    I frowned as I watched them storm off.  Hmm.  What did I do wrong?

    ¡°I told you no one would believe you,¡± a familiar voice piped up, twin yellow eyes appearing with a swirl of mist¡­ followed shortly by the rest of Fang ¨C who was now sitting at the bar, stealing the mug from one of my new friends and downing it in one go.

    ¡°Okay, but a bath is definitely the best way to kill you,¡± I insisted.  We¡¯d been over this a lot back in the gate.  Actually, it was sort of an ongoing bet.  Kind of.

    Okay, fine.  I threatened to tell people as leverage.  What can I say?  I¡¯m a good friend.

    He nodded.  ¡°It is, but it sounds ridiculous.  This is why I am not worried.¡±

    Which was fine.  Just fine!  I didn¡¯t mind being wrong.  Besides, it didn¡¯t matter.

    I had something better now.  Something so much better.

    ¡°So, uh, I met a few of your sisters,¡± I offered, inspecting my mug.

    ¡°I see that,¡± Fang observed, watching the epic party that was raging through the cafeteria and out into the street, that blood-curdling beat echoing across the whole of Apati.

    ¡°But I haven¡¯t met many of the men in your family¡­¡±

    I just trailed off and Fang¡¯s claws froze on his mug.

    ¡°Ahh, is that so?¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Yeah.  It¡¯s weird.  Would you mind introducing me to your father¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dead.  Very tragic.  Died when I was young,¡± Fang answered immediately.

    ¡°Ahh, well I guess I can relate.  But that¡¯s terrible,¡± I offered, patting him on the back.  He winced for some weird reason.

    ¡°Maybe a brother?  Or an uncle?  Or a grandfather then?  I¡¯d love to meet the male role model in your life ¨C you know, that snake-eyed bastard that taught you to hunt.  All of those many, many lessons surrounding savran mating?¡±

    ¡°All dead.  Very sad.  Too sad for me to talk about,¡± Fang offered, wiping at his eyes. He even conjured a bit of mist to simulate tears.  I was impressed.

    And maybe, under other circumstances, I¡¯d have even fallen for it.

    ¡°So, your mother and the other females didn¡¯t eat them?¡±

    He froze then, turning ever-so-slowly, those big beautiful amber eyes like twin moons.

    Oh, yeah.  This was it.  That Fang-in-the-headlights look I longed for.  Right now, he had the scaly, cold-blooded body of a hunter and the expression of prey.  He tried to run then, but there was nowhere for him to go.  Mostly because my chain was already wrapping his body, shadowy webs of corruption licking at his scales ¨C slowing his movement and draining away his precious nimbus.  He tried to make an emergency misty¡­ but he couldn¡¯t.

    Which was fine.  I understood now why he had performance issues.  Also, why he might be so bitter and angry and sometimes bordering on sadistic.  It was a confidence problem.  Self-esteem that could only be propped up by a strong, masculine influence.

    But I had a plan for how to deal with that problem.

    A very public; very personal plan.

    ¡°Ahh, Pietr!¡± I shouted at the vulpin, waving to get his attention.  The screeching howls abruptly faded.  I stood, hauling Fang up onto the bar.

    ¡°Don¡¯t believe anything he says,¡± the self-conscious trash goblin shouted to the confused guests attending my awesome surprise party.  ¡°He is a crazy¡ªumph."

    A few rags took care of that problem.

    ¡°A crazy party fiend, am I right?¡± Pietr shouted into a tube, then taking a long swig of ¡°Friendship Juice.¡±  Honestly, I was surprised he was still standing, but happy to see he was getting into the swing of things.

    The roar of the crowd was deafening and Fang was looking really worried now.  Probably because I had looped my chain over the nearest rafter and hauled him up so he was dangling there overtop the bar.  Then Pietr passed me the tube.  I even helped him rip the tendrils off his arm where they were trying to burrow into his tender flesh.

    ¡°Alright, I want to introduce you all to my dear, dear friend and bromate here,¡± I began, addressing the crowd.  ¡°His name is Fang.  And we braved the depths of a corrupted gate together, can you believe that?  Yeah, this is the guy I was talking about earlier.¡±

    The roar back was almost deafening.

    And when it faded, ¡°I know, I know.  But it turns out that despite all that time we spent together ¨C cycles and cycles ¨C he¡¯s been harboring a deep, dark secret.¡±

    A lot of boos that time and Fang¡¯s eyes were pleading with me to stop.  To have mercy.  To not humiliate him in front of a crowd composed of most of his family¡­ and his entire hometown?  But I was doing this for him.  I¡¯d found that the trick to building confidence was to brutally murder any trace of pride that you had left.

    If I stopped now, what kind of friend would that make me?

    That¡¯s right.  A terrible one.

    ¡°Specifically, my friend here is Nameless.¡±

    The crowd grew quiet, somber expressions on the faces of Fang¡¯s family and general confusion from the sprinkling of other races.  Although, based on the whispers, it looked like the rest of the family was filling them in.  Perfect.

    Yeah, I know, you probably thought I was going to shame Fang for his lack of sexual experience.  But that wouldn¡¯t really make us even.  I mean, you saw what he did to me when I met my mother-in-law?  Do you really feel bad about this?  Really?

    ¡°No!  Finish him!¡± Lili roared.

    Maribel also gave me a thumbs up.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ve only recently learned the customs of the tribe,¡± I continued.  ¡°The way some of you have been looking at me like a snack ¨C literally.  Sorry ladies, but I¡¯m off the market.  Health reasons.¡±  That got a few laughs.  The trick was to write to your audience.   ¡°However, I think I have the gist of the naming rules.  It¡¯s about your first or most glorious kill, right?  Massacres are bonus points?¡±

    This got a roar of approval.  Fang just looked bewildered now, his gaze darting between me and the crowd and rivers of water dripping off his scaly, dangling body.

    ¡°In which case, I don¡¯t understand ¨C Fang shouldn¡¯t be Nameless.¡±

    Now the huge room went totally silent.  Everyone was lost now.

    ¡°Not me,¡± Lili added, cackling in the back of my mind.

    Even you look puzzled.  Don¡¯t worry.  You¡¯re going to love this.

    ¡°You see, I¡¯d like to propose that Fang has committed sexual genocide,¡± I continued.  ¡°He has killed any chance he has of ever getting laid.  Murdered even the faint flicker of respect or attraction or fondness anyone might feel toward him.  Just look at him.  An elderly, aging bachelor well past his tender, young, and likely juicy years.  Living proof that he has never had sex, and, at this point, likely never will.¡±

    A horrified, tense stillness lingered through the cafeteria and that was pure dread welling in Fang¡¯s eyes now.   I just raised my fresh mug of ¡°Friendship Juice¡± ¨C the one my babies handed me.  ¡°So, here¡¯s to my dear friend and my bromate ¨C Buzzkill.¡±

    The silence that met this announcement was deafening.  As deep and wide as an ocean.  You could hear a pin drop.  A faint cough.  The shuffle of claws on stone.

    No worries.  I had a solution for that.

    ¡°And Buzzkill says the next round¡¯s on him!¡±

    The silence only made the roar that followed even louder.  A tidal wave of sound that refilled that ocean in an instant.  A blaring, triumphant, celebration.  A christening.

    I didn¡¯t even have to keep Fang tied up anymore.  He just slumped to the bar, defeated, dejected, every single one of my new friends coming over to say hello ¨C to congratulate him.  His sisters were even chanting his new name.

    ¡°Buzzkill.  Buzzkill.  Buzzkill.¡±

    Yeah, this was definitely the best day of my miserable life.

    ¡°That was beautiful,¡± Lili added, sounding choked up.  Was she¡ªwas she crying?

    And through it all, Fang stared off into the distance in abject horror.

    Actually, what was he looking at?

    Ahh.  Okay.  I see her now.

    So, in my defense, maybe the copious consumption of the ¡°Friendship Juice¡± and my many experimental poisons had made me a touch slower ¨C a little off my game.  I know, that might sound crazy after that overwhelming and well-deserved revenge.  But I can still admit when I make a mistake ¨C when I forget to ask questions.

    Like if Fang was here, then where was his mother?  Also, how would she react to me remodeling her kitchen?  And her bar?  And inviting the entire town to my surprise party?  And using up every last drop of her ¡°Friendship Juice¡± ¨C even the kegs I¡¯d found in the storage warehouse?  And inviting in three of the most adorable murder babies ever ¨C you know, the ones still tossing burgers at people as they made their rounds of the room?

    The answer was¡­ not well.

    The boiling wave of steam ended the party pretty fast.  Well, not at first, of course.  The screams were remarkably similar to my new sound system.  But after the third degree burns, everyone hustled out pretty fast and they even made pretty good time down the street.  And since it was also way past the babies¡¯ bedtime, I slipped them out a discreet rathole.

    Which really just left me, Fang, and my mother-in-law.

    Or uh, maybe just me and his mother.  Fang had disappeared.

    It was almost like Manslaughter couldn¡¯t see me ¨C like she was broken.  She just stood there, staring at the remains of my surprise party, her eyes smoldering.  No reaction. Maybe it was just overwhelming ¨C all the surprises?  Like the kitchen remodel.  And the new juice spraying apparatus.  Also, the sound system that was now embedded in the wall.  The poo-crete was structural.  Otherwise, the bamboo would devour the walls.

    ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± she muttered.

    ¡°A surprise party.  Surprise!¡± I answered with another smile.  I thought I was getting better at it.  Although, maybe not.  Steam started pouring out of her ear holes.

    Hmm, you know what?  Maybe she was just sad.  Overwhelmed by a barrage of uncomfortable emotions from meeting her estranged son again.

    In which case, I had the best idea ever!  It had worked great for me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I told Fang¡¯s mom.  ¡°I discovered this thing you can do when you¡¯re feeling overwhelmed.  It feels super good.  It¡¯s called a hug¡ª¡±

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 27

    Chapter 27 - Deflection

    The Underground Hell Forge Tour/Escape Room

    The Real Nyx!

    Wow.  Fang¡¯s mom hits so hard that she knocked us back to the present!

    See?  More proof that she¡¯s a knockout.  Literally.

    By the way, this is Nyx.  The real one¡­ maybe.  That¡¯s still up in the air, isn¡¯t it?  But I do know we¡¯re still in that ruined forge with the surviving tour-guides and the other tourists.  You know, the one with the big, flaming portal to hell?  Can¡¯t miss it.

    It feels like it¡¯s been a really long and possibly unnecessary amount of time since you were last here.  So, uh, how have you been enjoying the backstory so far?

    I told you a lot happened.  And we aren¡¯t even halfway!

    Hmm, a lot of you are looking confused, upset, and maybe even a little angry.  Like you have questions¡­ which is fair.  Reasonable even.

    You¡¯re feelings are valid.  In fact, I feel like we need to slow things down ¨C like we may have gotten off on the wrong foot.  As you can see, I¡¯ve been under a lot of pressure.  That¡¯s probably why I¡¯ve been coming across a little, well¡­ unstable?

    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re going with?¡± Lili offered dryly.

    Anyway, like I was saying, I owe you an apology.

    After that lightless, shit-filled cesspit of pain and suffering ¨C you know, the gate ¨C I thought things would be easier.  That I wouldn¡¯t need to deflect with jokes, and silly shenanigans, and elaborate stories.  That maybe my life would change ¨C that our lives would change.  That our newfound powers and our bromantic relationship and our beautiful murder babies would finally be enough for us to be free.  To be happy.

    But, well, the universe had a different plan in mind.

    Like dumping us in the middle of a swamp.

    Or filling Cocytus with giant sea serpents.

    Or putting a forest full of screaming, flesh-eating bamboo in our way.

    Oh, or the demon monkeys!  And the flaming shit ¨C we can¡¯t forget about that.

    And then, of course, there were Fang¡¯s secrets ¨C as well as his surprise family.

    Which was supposed to be our thing ¨C the dead parents, I mean.  It¡¯s what had brought us closer together as bromantic partners.  Now what did we have?  Murder and loot and three of the most precious death rodents in the Five Rivers?  It just didn¡¯t seem like enough.  And if it was, then why would Fang feel the need to keep all of these secrets?

    Things were so much easier when I thought they were all dead¡ª

    Not that I¡¯m rooting for my in-laws to die, of course!

    Or, well¡­ maybe not all of them.  Just most of them.  Seriously, if they were dead, then he wouldn¡¯t need to keep secrets, right?  And now that we knew spirits were immortal, was there really any harm?  The ethics was fuzzy at best.  So, problem solved!

    Ahh, I¡¯m doing it again, aren¡¯t I?

    Falling back into old habits.

    See what I mean?  It¡¯s just easier that way.

    Easier to pretend we¡¯re on a family road trip than to focus on the brutal reality of dragging the Death Wagon hundreds of miles through the swamp, my feet broken and bleeding  Or that I had ¡°befriended¡± a two-ton ball of death spikes and poison ¨C one that had nearly killed me many, many, many times.  Poison overdose, of course.  Or that I had invented a fun and incredibly useful new building material.  You know, instead of focusing on the many times I was nearly buried under a flaming mountain of shit.

    Or that that I was attending a surprise party ¨C you know, instead of being publicly embarrassed in front of Fang¡¯s entire and still very much alive family.

    I know this isn¡¯t a perfect solution.  Or even a good one.  But it helps.

    Even if it makes things difficult for all of you.

    In fact, I feel so bad about it, that I have to make it up to you somehow¡­

    Wait, how about this?  What if we just skip the rest of the boring and completely irrelevant backstory and go straight to the good stuff ¨C to the gate?

    That¡¯s my gift to you.  For always being there ¨C staring and judging and laughing and sometimes crying.  For always having my back despite my dubious grasp on my own sanity and my penchant for complicated, nuanced, character-driven storytelling.

    So, what do you say, buddies?  Or, err, pals?

    ¡­

    Hmm, I don¡¯t like how you¡¯re hesitating.  Don¡¯t you trust me?

    ¡°But what about Elder Gracen?¡± Cole spoke up.

    My eyes snapped to his face, the elf¡¯s skin slick with sweat and his clothing plastered to his wiry frame.  To be fair, it was rather warm down here in the forge.  Probably because of the magma that was slowly seeping out of the flaming, hell rift behind me.

    ¡°What the fuck, Cole?¡± I hissed.

    Also, the talking out loud thing was really getting out of hand.

    ¡°Uh¡­ sorry?¡± Cole muttered, raising his hands.  ¡°I just didn¡¯t know if you were talking to me or someone else or maybe even nothing at all.  This is just really confusing.¡±

    ¡°He has a fair point,¡± Lili added.  ¡°Besides, the rest of this isn¡¯t going to make sense if you don¡¯t tell them what we learned about the Fin-Fans and your father¡ª¡±

    ¡°Elder Gracen is not my father!¡± I interjected.  ¡°Do you remember his last words?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not.  How would I know that?¡± Cole asked cautiously.

    ¡°Not you.  I¡¯m talking to Lili,¡± I snapped, pointing at my hand.

    ¡°You, uh, you named your right hand Lili?¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Yes, and the left one is Maribel.¡±

    Cole apparently needed a second to process, blinking owlishly.

    Meanwhile, Fang was just sitting by the anvil laughing.  Laughing.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    You know that feeling you¡¯re experiencing right now ¨C a mixture of frustration, confusion, suspicion, and a faint note of betrayal?  All of your many, many questions piling up and buzzing in the back of your brain just waiting to be addressed by this asshole who refuses to give you a straight answer?

    Like I might be lying you?  Trying to trick you somehow?  And why?  Possibly to avoid crippling emotional issues that are best buried under a figurative mountain of bullshit?

    Well, now you know exactly how I feel.

    Because Fang certainly wasn¡¯t talking ¨C and he definitely wasn¡¯t explaining anything.  Even bribing him with nimbus gems hadn¡¯t worked.  He still refused to answer my questions.

    What was that?  Didn¡¯t we have a bet?

    Alright, fine, maybe I was just calling it a bet.

    I mean, I told him: ¡°If he couldn¡¯t say anything nice, he shouldn¡¯t say anything at all.¡±

    And he, well¡­ he just stopped talking!

    Which wasn¡¯t great.  But he didn¡¯t have to look so damned happy about it!

    I don¡¯t even know how to process that.   At first it was kind of funny and then really insulting and now he just seems to be using it as permission to keep me in the dark.

    Ahh, anyway, I¡¯m doing it again, aren¡¯t I?  Distracting myself.

    Probably because it¡¯s easier than facing Cole¡¯s completely irrelevant questions¡ª

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just doing the same thing as Fang, though?¡± Lili offered.

    Uh, no.  This is totally different.  I deflect to protect my mental health.

    Fang does it because he¡¯s a cold-blooded asshole.

    See?  His smile just got even wider!

    ¡°Maybe if you stopped talking out loud¡ª¡°¡± Lili began tiredly.

    ¡°Did you find Elder Gracen¡¯s last words to me yet?¡± I interjected.

    ¡°Almost.  Your monologue is distracting,¡± she muttered as she reviewed my memories, a tickling sensation creeping along my scalp.  ¡°I¡¯m sure it can¡¯t be that¡ªoh.  Oh, wow.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he called me a stubborn shithead.   Right before he blew himself up in a crimson shower of not-my-daddy.  Can you believe that?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Lili and Cole murmured in unison.

    I also didn¡¯t love how the other tour-guides and tourists had stopped working and were listening intently, each of them drenched in sweat and holding a makeshift pickaxe ¨C one of my own proprietary design.  A glare was enough to get them back to work.  Although, they were still moving slowly and side-eyeing me and clearing eavesdropping.

    Cole cleared his throat, watching me warily.  ¡°Do you think maybe your issues with your father¡ª"

    ¡°Temporary legal guardian,¡± I corrected.

    ¡°Right.  Sure,¡± Cole murmured, shaking his head.  ¡°Anyway, do you think they might have something to do with this?¡±  He waved at the room.  Specifically, the arch made of poo-crete that I¡¯d built near the portal ¨C the one that stretched over the anvil.

    Okay, I know what this looks like, but this isn¡¯t just another insane project.

    Seriously, I¡¯m telling the truth this time!

    We were just doing some basic gate maintenance.  I mean, I mentioned the magma, right?  Well, it was a safety issue, obviously.  So, we built a little trench to contain it.  Or, correction, I had the surviving tour-guides and tourists help build the trench ¨C the same one that now wound through the room in a dizzyingly complicated pattern.  They were surprisingly enthusiastic about it.   Not burning alive was apparently good motivation.

    ¡°And the arch and metal garlands?¡± Lili demanded.

    Uh, well, those were for me.  Honestly, they helped elevate the space and meshed perfectly with the steampunk aesthetic this place had going on¡ª

    ¡°And the pews?¡± That was Lili.  Yet again.

    Clearly, we would need seating¡­ you know, to rest?

    ¡°Or maybe this is just more deflection?  Another project like the highway or the bed and breakfast?  Maybe you¡¯re running away from your problems again?¡± Cole asked gently.

    Everyone else got super quiet ¨C just watching me.

    Ahh, and so are you.  And you look really, um¡­ suspicious.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already been over this.  I already owned up to¡ª¡± I began.

    ¡°So, Fang¡¯s secret family doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± Cole pressed.  ¡°You know, the fact that they aren¡¯t dead?  That he lied to you?  Many, many times.  Including the fact that he knew Elder Gracen was actually¡ª"

    ¡°No, I¡¯m totally fine,¡± I replied quickly, crossing my arms.

    ¡°You sound a little defensive,¡± Lili observed.

    ¡°Are you sure?  Maybe talking about it would help¡­ and involve fewer casualties?¡± Cole tried again.  To be fair, only a few of the tourists had died building the arch.

    ¡°It might even be therapeutic,¡± Cole offered.

    I¡¯ll admit, he almost got me with the promise of [Therapy].  The key word there was almost.  But I also caught how he looked to Fang ¨C how that scaly, duplicitous trash goblin gave him a nod.  Like this was some kind of conspiracy.  Like they¡¯d planned this whole exchange just to get me to admit my super awesome new plan¡ª

    Wait¡­ shit.  That sounded really suspicious, didn¡¯t it?

    And, of course, now you¡¯re all glaring at me!

    Look, I was just making that offer to skip the completely unnecessary parts of the backstory to be nice, okay?  I¡¯m not trying to pull anything over on you.  I wouldn¡¯t do that, would I?  Avoid glaring and uncomfortable emotional problems that I still haven¡¯t fully processed with crazy antics and high-octane family fun?

    ¡°Uh, yeah.  That sounds exactly like you,¡± Lili observed.  ¡°In fact, you just admitted that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing for ages now¡ª"

    And silenced.  Just needed to shield my core for a second.

    Anyway, I was just trying to make amends.  Just trying to give you an opportunity to skip past silly side content and focus on the big picture.  The gate.  Carnage.  General mayhem.  Probably sweet, sweet loot!

    Oh, like what about those skill gems I ate?  Remember that?  And you know there¡¯s a Guidepost somewhere in Apati, right?  We could find out what the gems did to me so fast.

    There¡¯s even a measurement test coming up where Fang and I join the tour group.  Yeah, that¡¯s right!  They measure my power.  The public finally gets to see the majesty that is Nyx!  I break the device, the whole crowd stares in awe¡­ then they cheer.  It¡¯s amazing.

    A hallmark of any good power fantasy.  You could have that right now.

    We could just skip straight to it.  What do you say?

    Huh, shit.  Well, you can¡¯t really say anything, can you?

    Alright, new plan!  Straw poll.  Everyone who wants to hear the incredibly boring side stuff about Elder Gracen and the Fin-Fans and Fang¡¯s family raise your hands.

    One¡­ two¡­ three¡­ thousand.  Damn it!

    All of you?  Every single freaking one?

    ¡°Cole, why the hell is your hand up?¡± I snapped.

    ¡°I, uh¡­ well, I want to hear this part too,¡± he said with a shrug.

    ¡°You were there Cole,¡± I ground out.

    ¡°Sure, but some of this may be relevant to my, uh, well¡­ my condition,¡± the elf whispered, cupping his mouth with one hand.  ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t realize that was your surprise party at the Fin-Fan factory.  Although, I suppose I should have noticed sooner what with the bamboo and the screaming and general mayhem.  But that¡¯s actually where I¡­ you know.¡±  He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, glancing at the other tourists in embarrassment.

    I winced.  Ahh, yes.  His STD.

    Again, that¡¯s his spiritually transmitted disease.  From sex stuff.  At my surprise party.  See?  This is why you¡¯re supposed to use protection.  I recommend a durable battle onesie with limited and excruciatingly painful access to your genitals.

    ¡°So, more like a chastity onesie?¡± Lili asked, the skin on my forehead tickling.  It seemed I¡¯d gotten distracted once again, my corrupted houseguest slipping her bonds.

    Fang also really loved that one ¨C hissing and coughing.

    Which earned him a glare, but his taunting amber eyes just stared back, filled with an expression that I really didn¡¯t like; one that should never be on his face.  That was triumph.

    Because we all know who just backed me into a corner.  I mean, do you think that Cole managed to pull this off on his own?  Cole?  Really?

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s actually really hurtful¡ª¡± the elf began.

    See?  He still has feelings.

    No.  We all know who the true mastermind is here.  The scaly, mute spider pulling strings behind the scenes.  The one that orchestrated this entire exchange just to¡ª

    Well, that isn¡¯t entirely clear, is it?

    Wait, no, I¡¯ve got it!  Fang was doing what he¡¯d been doing for weeks now.  Stalling.  Burning time.  Every precious second I spent focusing on my crippling trust and daddy issues was time I wasn¡¯t able to devote to figuring out a way to pull the answers to my many, many questions from his impenetrable mind palace.

    Well, the joke was on him!  I could still streamline the story.  Cut out all of the unnecessary details and tangents and side characters that no one cares about.  Hell, I could probably finish this in just a few¡ª

    ¡°Plus, I¡¯m also curious what happened to Horus,¡± Cole murmured, shaking his head.

    ¡°Right?  Did he die or what?¡±  That was another tourist.

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t have, right?¡± A tour-guide piped up.  ¡°I mean, PK is Nyx¡¯s friend.  Why would he try to harm Horus, much less kill him?¡±

    ¡°Unless he saw him as competition or something,¡± another added.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the part about Demi and their marriage?  That was what the onesie was for.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but if Horus is dead, how will he write the sequel to LaWD?¡±

    That last one was Lili.  Traitor.

    Although, the crowd really loved her point, the words scrawling up my arm and across my forehead, the skin itching uncontrollably.

    What was happening right now?  Why was everyone getting along so well?  Why were they all so invested in Horus?  Maybe near death experiences had that effect?  Either way, they looked excited, setting down their tools and picking out seats among the many, many pews that filled the room as they watched me expectantly.

    Like they wanted to hear my insane ramblings.

    Which, I¡¯ll admit¡­ felt pretty good.

    I let out a sigh.  It seems I¡¯ve been outvoted.  And, I mean, I can¡¯t let my audience down ¨C even if this whole exchange may have been engineered by a grinning, scaly sociopath to avoid addressing our own relationship issues.

    Which is just perfect.  Because I wanted to tell this story anyway.

    Yeah, it¡¯s going to be great.

    Not emotionally scarring at all¡­

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 28

    Chapter 28 - Best Friend

    PB&B

    Horus

    The herd had a custom.  They called it a ¡°Trust Fall.¡±

    The calves would all find the tallest bluff, one that towered up into the clouds.  Then we would each take turns getting a running start and leaping from the ledge.  Soaring through the air, wind whipping at our fur, until we fell into the waiting arms of our calf-mates¡ª

    Or sometimes not.  The ritual was quite efficient at weaning out the weaker members of the herd.  Also, the most annoying.  It was important to cull the herd early.  Plus, the bonding activity brought the survivors together to form a more cohesive group.  That is why I had adopted the same management style with my own unit.

    However, that was also the first time I realized I was¡­ different.

    Stronger, faster, and several times larger than my peers.

    Perhaps that is why they never caught me.  Not once.

    I realize it was meant as a compliment, my peers realizing I needed no help.

    Also, it turned out to be a valuable learning experience.  Each time I leaped from those cliffs and sped through the clouds before slamming into rigid and unforgiving stone, I grew stronger.  With each broken bone.  With each punctured lung.  With each journey home, dragging myself many leagues across the bluffs, bleeding and broken and lightheaded from blood loss.  And the lesson?  I could only trust myself ¨C in my own power.

    Perhaps that is why I hesitated when I learned of my Future Friend¡¯s latest battle plan.  His most recent strategy to lay siege to My Lady¡¯s heart.

    The one written on the note I¡¯d collected from the cute little cottage he was calling the ¡°Bed and Breakfast.¡±  I slipped away while My Lady was sleeping one evening ¨C my Future Friend¡¯s precious jar of special spices always ensured she slept deeply, her anxiety bleeding away and her adorable, booming snores announcing her tremendous power to the entire screaming bamboo forest.

    And in the soft, glowing emerald light of the PB&B¡¯s sign, I read the title.

    ¡°Trust Falling in Love.¡±

    Almost like he knew of my childhood; my training; my deep-seated trust issues.

    Naturally, I was suspicious.  I was not proud of that.  After his marvelous hell dungeon and the gift of those treasured spices and that fantastic highway full of engaging and rewarding experiences ¨C each one bringing My Lady and I closer ¨C I should have learned to trust him.  Yet, this time, he was asking for a lot ¨C the impossible really.

    The plan was simple, insane, and utterly ruthless.  It was brilliant.  And it began with an observation.  My Future Friend had witnessed My Lady¡¯s reaction when I¡¯d been buried beneath the keep back in the corrupted gate ¨C the way her eyes blazed and she¡¯d hesitated to save the others.  From this, he¡¯d formulated what he called a ¡°hypothesis.¡±

    Perhaps My Lady was vulnerable when she felt my vessel¡¯s life was in peril.

    Ridiculous, of course.  Mostly because my fur was impenetrable.

    And that was actually the first problem we had to overcome.

    To test my Future Friend¡¯s theory, we would need to injure my vessel and evaluate My Lady¡¯s reaction.  However, that would require I allow myself to get hurt.  That I take a running leap from the clifftop of our budding friendship in the hope that someone would finally catch me.  And no mere scratch or scrape would be enough.

    That was why the plan was so elaborate.

    First, I had to steal several of those strange, pulsating blood fruits.  Then carefully prepare a patch of fur along my chest using a mixture of mud and that toxic spring water and long strips of bamboo, the tendrils helping to work the toxins in deep.  Then I had to rip it free in one smooth motion.  That pain was¡­ intense.  Yet necessary.

    And when the preparations were complete, there was only one final step.

    I just had to let my Future Friend¡¯s green-eyed assistant plunge a metallic two-foot-long spine directly through that tiny bald patch of skin, between my armored ribs, and into my heart ¨C which, of course, was the most efficient way to administer the incredibly potent paralytic.  Anything else would have been futile.

    In short, my Future Friend was asking me to die.

    And I did.  For approximately 6 seconds.

    That was how long it took my vessel to purge the toxin and repair the damage.

    All of those many cycles of training had made me resilient.

    However, what followed was the most difficult part of my Future Friend¡¯s plan.  A true test of the power of [Bullshit].  I must remain still, unmoving, not breathing.  Slow my heartbeat like this was any other trust fall ¨C although, there was little risk of bleeding out this time.  Just wait, watch, and¡­ listen.

    ¡°Where is the wound?¡± My Lady demanded, her hand pressing at my chest.  ¡°There¡¯s just so much blood.  I can¡¯t feel the puncture¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± she snapped over her shoulder.  ¡°Keep healing him, Danae!¡±

    I could feel the warmth of the vulpin¡¯s hearth spirit envelope me.  Pointless.

    ¡°It-it isn¡¯t enough,¡± My Lady muttered, her fingers just mashing the blood fruit into my thick fur, more blood spurting and splashing her armor.  Much of it stained my fur a dark crimson.  A side effect of the toxic spring water.  It temporarily removed the protective oil that helped ward of toxins, fire, water, and nearly everything else.

    A flash of heat and a scream from Danae and her hearth¡¯s spirit¡¯s power surged.

    Ahh, that was the signal.  I heaved in a big gasping breath of air.  Mostly because I¡¯d been holding my breath for a while.  But also because my Future Friend had left detailed instructions.  He said this would make it more ¡°dramatic.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Then my eyes peeked open to reveal the loveliest scene.

    My Lady was kneeling beside me, her hands pressed into my matted fur, her eyes like twin suns, streaks of fire searing their way down her pale, smooth cheeks.  She appeared crushed.  Devastated.  Absolutely destroyed.  But, most importantly, vulnerable.

    And behind her, Danae stood there, gasping and shaking and barely able to remain standing.  Likely because her fur was seared in several places, each one in the shape of a handprint.  Evidence that My Lady had infused her with her spirits¡¯ gifts.  Many, many times by the look of things.  And all to save my vessel.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re okay?¡± My Lady offered weakly, blinking those glowing eyes.

    Ahh, what was the line again?  I had memorized it carefully¡ª

    I took her small hand in mine, my fingers trembling as my Future Friend instructed.

    ¡°Of course, My Lady.  I¡ªI would never leave you,¡± I said, as weakly as possible.

    Which was difficult.  My lung capacity was exceptional.  That was how I was able to hold my breath for so long.  Yet it was worth it.

    Her reaction was better than I could have possibly imagined.  My Lady was a simmering, frozen statue, her body pressed against me, flecks of blood staining face and her gleaming mail, her fingers touching that bare patch of skin ¨C that vulnerable part of my impressive, god-like physique.  The feeling was electric.

    And in that moment I knew true joy.  Once again, my Future Friend was right.  We had finally found My Lady¡¯s weakness.  The hole in her defenses.

    To make her vulnerable with me¡­ I just needed to be vulnerable with her.

    Who would have thought?

    Ahh, but that was obvious.  My Future Friend would have.

    Then Danae collapsed and ruined everything.  Again.

    My Lady snapped out of her fugue, barking at Danae as she backpedaled away from me in a flash of flame, eyeing her bloody hands.  ¡°See to his wounds.¡±

    Danae gasped where she lay on the ground, pressing her palm to her chest and her burns slowly healing, leaving patches of bald skin.  ¡°Yes¡­ yes, My Lady.¡±

    She managed to crawl over to me, her gentle fingers plucking at my fur.  ¡°I, uh¡­ I don¡¯t see the wound.  Wait, why is the hair¡ª¡±  Danae cut herself short as she looked up at me, realization dawning there.  Awareness of my [Bullshit].

    Our eyes met.  Hers glowing gold.  Mine a soft, ominous white.

    ¡°My vessel must have healed itself,¡± I said.

    Danae swallowed hard.  ¡°Ahh¡­ uh, ahh yes.  That seems right.¡±

    I released my bone shattering grip on her hand, Danae having the presence of mind to discreetly heal the injury so My Lady wouldn¡¯t notice.  She let out a small sigh of relief as the bones shifted back into place in a small series of pops.

    ¡°Where is the creature?¡± I asked at the same time, trying to lift myself up.  ¡°I must slay it.  Where is my axe?¡±  I made a show of looking for it.

    A distraction.  It made the [Bullshit] more powerful.

    ¡°No, no.  Stay put,¡± My Lady said, at my side in a blur, fire suffusing her body and burning away the blood that coated her gleaming mail.  ¡°The creature fled after it attacked you.  I shall go patrol and ensure it doesn¡¯t return.¡±

    Our eyes met one last time.  ¡°You just rest.  Heal.¡±

    Then she was gone, leaving only a faintly-glowing silhouette.

    Danae and I were now alone, so there was no sense maintaining the [Bullshit].

    I heaved myself upright and shook out my fur, blood spraying ¨C beating against a hasty, golden shield that Danae had summoned around herself.  She was having trouble meeting my eyes, her fingers twining together and her lips pinched taut as she inspected the traces of mashed blood fruit littering the ground¡­ like she wished to say something.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I know this might sound crazy, but did you¡­ did you just stage your death?¡±

    I met her gaze evenly, shaking my head.

    ¡°What a ridiculous question,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Oh, good, I almost¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did,¡± I interrupted.

    ¡°What?¡± Danae squeaked, her eyes going round.

    ¡°It was necessary.  I have found My Lady¡¯s weakness now,¡± I explained, as though it was obvious.  Because, of course, it was.  But there was still something more important we needed to address.  Especially now, while My lady was distracted.

    I had lost 6 seconds.  6 precious seconds.

    And I was certain.  I have always had a remarkable internal clock and this wasn¡¯t my first death.  My record was actually 17 minutes and 37 seconds.

    ¡°What happened while I was dead?¡±

    ¡°Well, uh¡­ the monster attacked you, then My Lady said something, and started firing,¡± she muttered, waving toward the cave.  Indeed, the viewing deck was gone ¨C just smoke and ashes ¨C the stone mountain seared a solid black.  Yet that wasn¡¯t important.

    To use her spirit¡¯s gifts, she must answer his questions.

    My Lady had complained much about this arrangement back in that exquisite hell sewer.  How those questions were often ¡°too personal¡± and ¡°invasive¡± and ¡°incredibly nosy¡± ¨C which I thought was odd.  Spirits had no noses.

    ¡°What did she say?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure.   It happened really fast and there was a lot going on.  I was eating, and it looked like you had died ¨C maybe,¡± Danae muttered, shaking her head.  Her hands were still shaking, the vulpin unable to stand.

    She had been through much.  And I had learned during these last few weeks what these signs meant ¨C how to respond to it.  She needed ¡°encouragement.¡±

    So, my axe swept through the air and came to rest at her neck, the blade glowing white.  ¡°No one is here.  If you do not tell me, no one will know how you died.¡±

    Danae swallowed and then¡­

    She did something new.  I had seen this before with prey backed into a corner.  When they had nothing left to lose.  I just didn¡¯t expect to see it now.

    Danae met my eyes, a little snarl peeling back her lips and revealing sharp teeth.  ¡°My Lady will know,¡± she shot back.  ¡°She has much healing knowledge.  You think she will not notice an axe wound?¡±  Then she just waited, refusing to back down.

    An impasse.  We just stood there, at a standstill.

    However, I had become more accustomed to ¡°killing outside the box,¡± as Rowan called it.  And as I had already discovered, many things could be weapons.  Pitch.  Fire.  Venom.  Flowers.  [Bullshit].  Even kitchen utensils.  So, why not the spines littering the ground, each one still coated in glowing green venom?

    So, I improvised.  Danae seemed to appreciate it.

    That little snarl disappeared as she stared at the hundred spines that now orbited her in glowing white, those emerald tips all pointed straight toward her face.

    ¡°Or I can make it look like an accident.  The monster could have circled back and I was too weak to fend it off,¡± I offered, waving at the spines.  ¡°I was so sad at your loss.¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t think you could fake that¡ª¡±

    So, I gave her the tears.  Yes, [Bullshit] let me turn them on at will.

    ¡°How-how is possible for you to look so¡­ cute?¡± she muttered in horror.

    She¡¯d even forgotten about the spines ¨C just staring at me.

    It was a defense mechanism.  It had gotten me more attention from the herd mothers ¨C most of their milk, in fact.  Which might go a long way toward explaining my impressive size and strength and speed.  Also, perhaps why few of my calf-mates had survived.

    ¡°So, do you believe she will accept that story?¡± I demanded.

    The vulpin swallowed hard and then her shoulders slumped in defeat.  ¡°I, uh.. I think I might remember what she said,¡± Danae muttered.

    Ahh.  Perfect.  I was right.

    I knew keeping her alive would be worth it.

    ¡°She said something like, ¡°No, no¡­ we would make a cute couple.¡±  But that doesn¡¯t really make any sense,¡± Danae said, shaking her head in confusion.  ¡°Do you know what she could be talking about or¡ª¡±

    The vulpin cut herself short as the spines clattered to the ground.

    I couldn¡¯t breathe, could barely think, my heart thundering.  This was proof.  Evidence.  My Lady had definitely heard my Future Friend¡¯s questions.

    There was also this dull, aching pain in my chest, just over my heart.  Yet this pain was different from getting stabbed, different from the searing burn of poison coursing through my veins.  This pain was almost nostalgic.  In an instant, I was three cycles old again.  Both my legs crushed.  Lying there on the rocks bleeding out and waiting for death¡­

    Yet this time, I wasn¡¯t wondering if the herd would come to get me.

    This time, I was wondering how I could be so lucky.

    How I had earned such a good Future Friend¡ª

    No, no, that wasn¡¯t accurate.  Not anymore.

    I may have had doubts before, but they had been crushed by the weight of a growing mountain of evidence.  It was all so clear now.

    Nyx wasn¡¯t just a Future Friend.

    He was a Future Best Friend.

    And I would follow him into the depths of Tartarus itself.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 29

    Chapter 29 - Invoice

    Fin-Fan Corporate Headquarters

    The Lame Past Nyx Again

    I had the weirdest dream during my post-surprise party nap.

    Something about a Hellforge and a portal of living flame and a bleeding-hearted moose pining over this elf lady who refuses to acknowledge her own feelings?  Probably just my subconscious trying to tackle the trust and communication issues in my own relationship, weaving in my memories and experiences over the last few days.

    Just like I was imagining this weird vibration.  It was this grinding hum that rippled through my chest and down my arms.  It felt pretty good honestly.  I¡¯d never had a massage before, but I imagine it would feel just like this¡ª

    ¡°Gods damn it!  Is there no way to cut through this?¡± someone hissed.

    ¡°I told you.  Nothing works.  Trust me, I have tried many times.¡±

    Okay, that last one was definitely Fang.

    ¡°What are you talking about¡ª?¡± I began, my eyes snapping open.

    Only to see Fang and his mother standing over me.  It seemed I was lying on a table in the now very empty tavern/cafeteria.  Manslaughter was holding something that resembled those chain daggers Fang¡¯s sisters had been using.  Except this one was bigger.  Much bigger.  More like a chain sword?  In fact, there were lots of other power tools strewn along the ground and tables around me, the blades mangled and broken.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re thinking.  Why were they broken?

    Although, the reason for that was pretty obvious.

    I mean, Manslaughter was still trying to cut open my chest, sparks flying as her chain sword ground against the spines of my onesie.  Ahh, I guess that would explain the shrieking, metallic grinding noise.  And for some reason, my hood was on.  Also, my cute paw gloves.

    But she and Fang both froze when they saw me move, the chain sword still whirring.

    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s going on?  What are you doing?¡± I asked.

    Neither of them answered.

    Wait, I knew what this was¡­

    ¡°I mean, if you wanted to get my clothes off, all you had to do was ask.¡±

    That one was directed at Fang¡¯s mom.  The eyebrow wiggle was just a bonus.  Hopefully, it translated through the hood of my onesie.  Fang told me it was a pivotal part of the savran mating rituals.

    Which, on second thought, didn¡¯t make any sense.  You know, since they didn¡¯t have eyebrows?  But what did I expect taking dating advice from a hopeless virgin?

    That earned me a glare from Fang.

    Woops.  My bad.  That must have been out loud.

    He let out an exasperated snort and disappeared ¨C reappearing in a puff beside another table, the much smaller bag of nimbus gems leaning against his chair.

    Meanwhile, Manslaughter let out an irritated hiss, steam pouring from her lips.  ¡°It is still alive?  How?¡± Manslaughter muttered as she glared at me, still holding that huge sword.  Steam beaded on her ebony scales and sizzled on the streaks of molten energy, the moisture clinging to every line and curve of her deadly, lean body.

    Why couldn¡¯t I have dreamed of this?

    I mean, this was hot.  Like really hot.

    Seriously, it was very warm in here.  Probably all the steam.

    ¡°I ask myself that question every day,¡± Fang hissed as he plucked a gem free, crushed it, and began preparing a fresh line.  ¡°Every.  Single.  Day.¡±

    Wow.  I wasn¡¯t loving any of that.

    ¡°But I punched him with my claws.  They are meant to shred the metal fins,¡± his mother muttered, eyeing the bulky weapons resting on a nearby table.  ¡°He is just sapien.  Even if I cannot cut this strange armor, the blow should have liquified his brain.¡±

    Fang just snorted the line, coughing and hiss-laughing.

    It was impossible to understand what he was trying to say.

    Luckily, Lili was there to help.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s saying, too late.¡±

    See?  This is why I didn¡¯t feel bad about his impromptu naming ceremony.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably the hood,¡± I offered helpfully, pointing at my face.

    I bet it also looked cool from the outside.  I mean, I couldn¡¯t be sure since I didn¡¯t have a mirror or anything, but I had a feeling.  PK had looked pretty sharp, after all.  Unfortunately, the eyes made everything look super green.  Also, it got kind of hot.  That¡¯s why I usually kept it off.  Whew, that was much better¡ª

    ¡°He just ripped it off his face!¡± Manslaughter muttered in horror and fascination, now standing several paces away, well out of arm¡¯s reach as she inspected my ravaged skin.

    If she liked that, she was going to love it when I took off the whole onesie.

    This was also why I didn¡¯t put the hood on very often.  Ripping the metal off my cheeks and neck was pretty easy¡­ it was the eyelids that always got me.  Also, the scalp.  You know, because of the hair.  I just had to take a deep breath and then pull really hard.  Luckily, Lili¡¯s [Shadow Aura] patched me up fast.  I just borrowed some nimbus from Manslaughter¡¯s power tool, the blade grinding to a stop as she stared at it in puzzlement.  Luckily, that distracted her long enough that she didn¡¯t notice my eyelids grow back.

    ¡°Anyway, you seem upset,¡± I observed, blinking away the blood as I eyed Fang¡¯s mom.  ¡°Do you need another hug?¡± I offered, reaching forward.

    Only for that chain sword to roar back to life and make a sweeping arc at my head.

    My onesie reacted immediately, the hood vibrating rapidly and sliding back up into position, fusing together with my skin.  The blade sent off a fresh shower of sparks and jerked my head to the side.  Although, the spines cushioned most of the blow.

    ¡°See?¡± I offered, pulling off the hood again.  ¡°Totally the onesie.¡±

    Manslaughter was just looking back and forth between me and Fang now.  She looked shocked.  Like she¡¯d never seen a battle onesie before.  Weird.

    I was also starting to think that maybe¡­ maybe she didn¡¯t like hugs.

    Which was even weirder.  They were amazing.  Maybe she¡¯d just never had one?

    ¡°Or maybe you should get consent first,¡± Lili offered dryly.  ¡°You have a pattern of inappropriate behavior and boundary issues.¡±

    Uh, like what?  Name one thing.

    ¡°Buying me off a suspicious demon in a death wagon?  Oh, or that time you tied up Fang and hung him suspended from the ceiling for weeks? Or months?  Honestly, that¡¯s still not clear even when I review your memories.  Or what about when you paralyzed poor Pietr?  Or when you remodeled your in-laws¡¯ kitchen without asking¡ª¡±

    Okay, fine!  I get it.

    Sometimes I just get excited.  I can¡¯t help it¡ª

    ¡°But you can.  And you definitely should,¡± Lili insisted.

    Uh, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s right about¡ª

    Huh, why are you all nodding?  Do you agree with her?

    Wow, more nodding. A lot of nodding.

    Fine.  I¡¯ll get consent or whatever next time.  Happy?

    ¡°What is he doing now?  Who is he talking to?¡± Manslaughter hissed at Fang.  He just shrugged and snorted up a line of powder in one long inhale.  ¡°Is he crazy?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t like that word¡ª¡± I began.

    Fang sort of undercut my message, though.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he hissed simply.

    His mother shook her head.  ¡°I admit I thought you were lying when you told me his spirit was unique.  However, I have never seen armor like this before.  Still, his onesie and crazy talk will not be enough to distract me.  Look at what he did to our food hall!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you like the remodel?¡± I asked with a smile.

    ¡°No!  I do not.  I hate it.  I hate it very much.¡±

    Okay, my smile faded a bit.  Which left me with mixed feelings.

    Like I was unhappy that she didn¡¯t like the remodel.  But smiling also still sort of hurt?  Especially when the skin was freshly regrown like this.  It was a little sensitive at first.  Frowning just felt more comfortable, you know?

    ¡°Ahh.  What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± I began.  ¡°Did you see the kitchen¡ª¡±

    ¡°I did!  You destroyed every appliance and replaced our tools with a giant furnace made out of this¡ªthis strange smooth stone.  It is too large.  It takes up the entire wall and the smoke is suffocating, even for us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I made the hole in the roof,¡± I explained.

    She just glared back.  ¡°Do you not mean the whole roof?¡±

    Fang just chuckled.  ¡°That was a good one.¡±

    He was right.  His mom really was witty when she got angry.  She was the complete package ¨C funny, furious, and smoking hot.

    ¡°I think you might have a problem,¡± Lili muttered.

    Or she was just jealous. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°What!?  No!  Of course, not¡ª¡±

    Ahh, and now she was sputtering in frustration¡­

    ¡°Anyway,¡± I continued, ¡°now you can get an awesome sear on your demon monkey burgers.  Steamed food is disgusting.  Also, bland.  Also, very boring.¡±

    ¡°And what are we supposed to burn?¡± Manslaughter shot back.  ¡°Why do you think we use these tools powered by our steam spirits, hmm?¡±  Her claws raked at a ruined chain dagger, sending it flying.  It struck a nearby wall and quivered in place.

    Ahh, huh.  You know what?  I hadn¡¯t thought to ask that question.

    I guess there really was a first time for everything.

    ¡°There is no wood here!¡± Manslaughter shouted when I just stared back at her blankly.  ¡°No timber!  Only that bamboo.  Only the wasteland.¡±

    My brow furrowed.  Wait, what?

    But she could burn the bamboo, right?  There was lots of that¡ª

    ¡°And don¡¯t get me started on the bar,¡± she continued, pointing a clawed finger at the offending furniture.  ¡°You drained every bottle and keg we had ¨C even the ones in storage.  You ruined the bar and what are those things plastered on the wall, those massive tubes?¡±

    Okay, fine.  She hated the kitchen.  You couldn¡¯t win ¡®em, all¡­ even if, technically, I won a lot.  Like pretty much all the time.  But she was going to love this.

    ¡°That¡¯s your new sound system,¡± I explained with a more manageable grin.

    ¡°Our new what?¡± she snapped back.

    ¡°Your, uh¡­ your new sound system,¡± I tried again, feeling less confident.

    She was just staring, her mouth moving but only a low growl emerging.

    ¡°Here?  I¡¯ll show you how it works.¡±  I hopped up from the table and jumped the bar very gracefully, only breaking a few mugs and a couple empty bottles.  ¡°See?  I made a little keyboard and the keys are attached to these strings wrapped around the bamboo.  So, you just have to play some notes like this¡ª

    WAIL.  SHRIEK.  WAIL.

    ¡°Pietr is better at it than me,¡± I offered with a shrug. ¡°But you get the idea¡ª¡±

    I cut off as I turned and saw a familiar expression on Fang¡¯s mom¡¯s face.  Her son gave me that look all the time.  Which left me feeling confused.   Mostly because she was way hotter.  I¡¯ll admit.  I got a tingle.

    ¡°You used the bamboo to make that?¡± she demanded, her voice eerily calm.

    Which was weird.  She was radiating a lot of killing intent.

    Why was I so turned on by this?

    Maybe¡­ maybe I really was crazy.

    Oh, shit.  She was still glaring.

    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± I chirped.  ¡°What else would I use?  It worked great with the kegs too.  I even made this little spigot system.¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear gods,¡± she murmured in horror, racing around the bar in blast of steam.  Then she saw what was left of the kegs, the wooden barrels eaten away by the bamboo and a miniature forest already growing behind the bar ¨C not quite reaching waist height.

    Then there was just a lot of screaming as Fang¡¯s mom blasted the bar and the sound system along the wall with a tight spray of steam, pressure washing the vegetation with superheated water.  It even started to strip the poo-crete off the walls.  Or, well, chip it anyway.  That shit was basically impervious once it hardened.

    ¡°What¡¯s her problem?¡± I whispered to Fang.

    He just sighed, rubbing at his temple.  ¡°I told you.  I told you this so many times, but you didn¡¯t listen ¨C you never listen!  That bamboo is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fucking terrible!¡± his mom interjected, emerging from the steam, her eyes glowing orange and those magma-like ridges in her scales flashing.

    ¡°That bamboo is the bane of our existence.  That forest to the south grew that large in a mere 12 cycles.  12 cycles.  Now we can barely keep it contained and we have to send crews out weekly to burn it back.  That¡¯s why we¡¯re in this situation.¡±

    ¡°Uh, what situation?¡± I asked gingerly.

    She growled.  ¡°Apati is dying.  The bamboo completely destroyed our ability to ship inventory from the villages to the south by land, forcing us to brave Cocytus.  That wouldn¡¯t be a problem ¨C not normally ¨C but recently something has stirred up the monsters that live within its waters.  Not a single ship has survived the journey north in weeks.

    Huh.  Do you think she was talking about those sea serpents?  You know, when she mentioned the monsters in the river?  Also, I told you so!  It would have been way too dangerous to just swim upriver while draining all that sweet, sweet nimbus.

    More fun, of course, but also super dangerous.

    ¡°Our orders are already stacking up ¨C all these Fin-Fans,¡± Fang¡¯s mom continued in disgust.  ¡°Yet we have already used the pallets in storage.  And no silverfin is coming north.  And now you just destroyed our cafeteria and infected it with this¡­ this scourge.¡±

    Oh, c¡¯mon.  Was it really that bad?  It felt like she was overreacting¡ª

    Oh, shit.  That might have been out loud.

    I could tell because her orange eyes squashed into thin lines.

    Okay, now I could definitely see the resemblance with Fang.  And I was getting another tingle.  No wonder every other male in their tribe was dead.  Like super dead.

    His mom was a real steam show.

    ¡°I appreciate the flattery, but it will not save you,¡± she hissed.

    Ahh, I guess that one was out loud. Woops again.

    ¡°You did it on purpose that time,¡± Lili muttered.

    Maybe I did ¨C maybe I didn¡¯t.  Although, Manslaughter didn¡¯t sound nearly as upset that time.  And I could have sworn she blushed a little¡­ or it could have just been the veins of magma pulsing.  Hard to tell.  I¡¯d probably have to run a few more experiments.

    Lili sighed.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re using your condition to hit on Fang¡¯s mom.¡±

    Neither could Fang.  He was just glaring at me suspiciously.

    ¡°Do you understand now how much damage you caused?¡± Manslaughter continued, weariness entering her voice.  ¡°How much this will cost?  A small fortune just in repairs ¨C not to mention the bamboo remediation ¨C since it¡¯s in the walls now.  But the blood nectar?  That¡¯s irreplaceable.  Especially, with morale so low and the ports locked down by fucking sea serpents¡­¡± she trailed off, glaring at me.

    ¡°What?  Why are you doing that with your hand?¡± she snapped.

    I was, uh, raising it.  ¡°I just have a question,¡± I said.

    ¡°Then ask it,¡± she hissed.

    ¡°By blood nectar, do you mean friendship juice?¡±

    She looked at Fang.  He grudgingly nodded.

    ¡°Yes, sure.  Friendship juice.  Which is made from an extremely rare blood fruit that¡¯s only cultivated in areas with a dense concentration of nimbus ¨C which makes the Outer Reaches infertile ground.  Not that we could even get seeds out here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Like these,¡± I offered, a couple appearing in my palm courtesy of a discreet rathole.  PK let me keep a ton of his fruit.

    Also, Fang wouldn¡¯t let me throw away the seeds when I spit them out.

    I¡¯m serious.  He made me keep them all.  We had lots.

    Manslaughter just blinked.  Blinked again.  Looked at Fang¡ª

    But he wasn¡¯t paying attention to his mother.  Our eyes locked and we no longer needed words to communicate.  Not when there was money to be made ¨C a bargain to be haggled.  We had something better.  I called it bromunication.

    It went something like this:

    Nyx: Maybe¡­ uh, maybe we¡¯re actually carrying a lot of valuable loot.

    Fang: Of course we are.  Why do you think I was so focused on collecting it all?

    Nyx:  Wow.  That was some incredible foresight.

    Fang: No, no, you embarrass me. It was all because you built such an impressive Death Wagon ¨C one that could fit all of my precious treasures.  The humble hunter admits when he¡¯s wrong.  I am not too proud to admit that you are a truly talented bromantic partner and I couldn¡¯t have done any of this without you.  I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t introduce you to your mother-in-law properly.  I was just ashamed ¨C grappling with my own crippling inferiority complex.  Also, the fact that I will almost certainly die a scaly virgin.

    Nyx:  It¡¯s okay.  I know.  But it¡¯s not just the blood heart fruit.  I also get the impression that Manslaughter doesn¡¯t know that the poo-crete stops the bamboo from growing.  I mean, I built our whole wagon out of it and it worked great.  Oh, and then there¡¯s the highway we built, which might solve their transportation problem¡ª

    Fang let out a pained his, cradling his face in his claws.  Meanwhile, his mother was staring at me again, her eyes like twin suns.

    Wait.  I didn¡¯t say all of that out loud again, did I?

    ¡°You did.  You definitely did,¡± Lili grumbled.

    Ahh, well.  I guess that would save us some time.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± I muttered at Fang, crossing my arms.  Again, not defensive.  ¡°We would have had to tell her all of that stuff anyway.  At least I didn¡¯t reveal how to milk the monkeys or that the secret to keeping them paralyzed is your¡ª

    My bromate¡¯s eyes went wide even as his mother¡¯s sharklike grin widened.

    Then, well, Fang fucked up.  It wasn¡¯t me this time!

    ¡°Nyx, stop!¡± he snapped.

    This time all three of us froze.

    Wow.  He used my real name.  He broke his own rule!

    I mean, I¡¯d been good.  Sort of.  Used a fake name with all my new friends, had kept the babies hidden from sober eyes with a proprietary blend of herbs and spices and a few thousand experimental cocktails.  Also, their cute cloaks.  His mom had even bought the idea that I had some kind of strange new spirit?  Maybe a metal spirit?

    Although, that felt flimsy as kraell shit.  I mean, how had I healed so fast then?  You know, from ripping off the hood of my onesie?

    I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is that Fang lived up to his namesake.  He was a huge buzzkill.  And right when we were about to sell the invaluable precious treasure stored in my wagon to pay off our bar tab. You know, all that stuff I¡¯d kept because I just knew it would be important in the future ¨C and definitely not because he¡¯d complained until I caved.

    ¡°Wait¡­ what is your name?¡± Manslaughter asked, turning to look at me.

    ¡°Uh, Nicolas Squattingham Murderson the Fourth,¡± I answered.

    Her eyes narrowed.  ¡°And if I said Nyx was a crazy¡ª¡±

    ¡°Rationally challenged,¡± I corrected automatically.

    Ahh, shit.  I could tell I messed up.  It was the way her eyes flashed triumphantly.

    ¡°Fang?¡± his mother growled, turning.

    It was no problem.  Sure, Fang had broken one of his own rules.  And publicly humiliated me in front of my family and my mother-in-law.  And emotionally and physically abused me for the entirety of my childhood.  But this time, he¡¯d have my back, right?  This was a perfect opportunity to stand up to his mother ¨C especially now that there was money to be made?  I mean, he loved money!

    Yeah, when his scaly back was against the wall, he¡¯d be forced to tell her to the truth; to admit who I was ¨C what I was ¨C to him, right?  Right?

    Nope.  Wrong.  So very, very wrong.

    Fang sat there, not blinking or moving.

    Then his body slowly began to break apart into streamers of steam¡­

    That cold-hearted bastard just ran away!

    His mother stared a moment longer at the empty seat.  Then she just deflated, her head sinking into her hands as she rubbed at her temples with sharp claws.

    Ahh, that was just like Fang.  He did that all the time!

    ¡°What?  What is it now?¡± she snapped at me, glaring between her claws.

    Right.  She was asking because I had my hand up again.  ¡°Uh, is there something wrong with me being Nyx?¡± I asked tentatively.

    I¡¯d always suspected there was.

    ¡°No.  No more talking.  No more questions,¡± she hissed.  ¡°Just follow me, mouth shut, hands in your onesie¡¯s pockets.  Understand?¡±

    I opened my mouth to ask which pockets, but she interjected quickly.  ¡°Just nod if you understand.  Do not speak.¡±

    I did.  Very rapidly.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    She spun and stabbed a claw at a few of Fang¡¯s sisters guarding the door.  ¡°You three, move this¡ªthis Death Wagon to one of the warehouses.  Be discreet.¡±

    ¡°Uh, have you seen that thing.  It¡¯s huge.  How are we supposed to¡ª¡± Susssie began.

    ¡°Just do it,¡± Manslaughter snapped, her eyes flashing.

    The sisters looked at each other and then fled.  Quickly.

    Which left me alone with Fang¡¯s mom in the food hall.  She spared one last glare at me and curled a claw for me to follow.  Then she heaved away from the table, kicked her way through the trash covering the floor of the cafeteria, slammed a set of double doors off their hinges, and stalked into the depths of the Fin-Fan Factory.

    Which.  Was.  Awesome!

    I had so many questions, but I couldn¡¯t ask any of them.

    Like what were all those machines standing in nice neat rows?  The ones manned by savrans wearing thick leather smocks?  And why were they shooting their steam into those machines?  Oh, was that how they were powered?  Is this where that loud rhythmic clanging sound had been coming from?  The one I could hear from the city walls?

    But what were they making?

    I peered close, sniffing.  That scent was familiar.

    Oppressive.  Fishy.  It reminded me of my childhood.

    Then I saw it.  Silverfin.  They were canning silver fin.

    Obviously.  I mean, the logo was slapped all over the building, wasn¡¯t it?

    Each of those machines were pressing the fish into little cans.  The ones in the next room were cutting up and processing the dried fish.  The ones beyond that?  Mixing it with oil, water, and salt.  And beyond that?

    Well, we also shipped the scales north, didn¡¯t we?  So, they were melting them down and smelting those cool power tools.  Also, the cans.  But first the scales had to be shredded with those claws that Manslaughter had been using.  Then the ribbons of metal were dumped into a big pot.  A bunch of the savrans stood in a circle and injected their steam into some sort of huge furnace beneath it until the metal glowed red hot.

    Which I guess explained where all the metal came from.

    Not from trees that grew metal leaves ¨C which would have been cool.

    Me.  It came from me.  Or, at least, some of it.  Okay, probably a lot of it.

    And then came new questions ¨C less exciting ones.  Like just where the hell were we?  What was this place?  Had Elder Gracen ever mentioned this?  Had the elders?  I didn¡¯t think so.  But maybe they were just keeping it from the Hollow?  Or¡­ or maybe the Elders didn¡¯t know?  But Elder Gracen routinely traveled north, right?  Wouldn¡¯t he know?

    As I pondered those mysteries, we walked up a few flights of stares, rounded a final turn, and came to the door to an office.  One with an incriminating placard.

    One that said, ¡°Tom Gracen ¨C CEO of Fin-Fan, Inc.¡±

    Huh.  There was this uncomfortable, painful knot forming in my stomach¡ª

    However, without ceremony, without waiting for my questions, without asking for my consent, Fang¡¯s super hot mom just pulled open that door, revealing a sprawling, posh office ¨C one with floor to ceiling windows that showcased the factory floor far below.  An ornate metal desk had been placed in the center.  And behind it?

    A person.  Sapien.  Graying hair.  Pristine robes.  That familiar judgmental scowl.

    ¡°Sorry to bother you Mr. Gracen.¡±

    Then I was faced with one final question ¨C one I wasn¡¯t allowed to ask.

    I mean, she was calling this man Mr. Gracen.  Tom, if the placard was to be believed.  And he was presumably the CEO of a company I hadn¡¯t known existed.  But more importantly, Mr. Gracen was supposed to be dead.  So dead.  Like super, super dead.  I mean, I¡¯d seen it happen myself.  Had witnessed his last words.

    ¡°Stubborn shithead,¡± he¡¯d said.

    Or, at least, I thought I had.

    Now I was wondering if I was finally going crazy.

    Because that¡­ that was that Elder-Fucking-Gracen sitting behind the desk.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 30

    Chapter 30 - Elder

    ¡°This sapien called himself Nyx.  He seems to have traveled here with my¡­ my son,¡± Manslaughter reported with a wince.  ¡°As you instructed, I brought him here immediately.  Also, he destroyed the cafeteria.  I¡¯m going to go check on this Death Wagon they brought¡ª"

    ¡°Be careful of the demon monkeys,¡± I added helpfully.  ¡°The paralytic might be wearing off and they can get a little angsty¡­¡±

    She was just glaring at me again.

    Ahh, right.  I wasn¡¯t supposed to talk.

    ¡°Now he¡¯s your problem,¡± she finished.

    With that, she slammed the door and we were alone.

    Just the sound of her hissing curses fading behind the rhythmic, dull thump of this mystery factory that definitely shouldn¡¯t ¨C but most certainly did ¨C exist.

    Just like the elderly gentleman sitting behind that desk.

    You know, Elder Gracen?  Who was still breathing somehow?  Although, I guess I hadn¡¯t technically seen a body, right?  Mostly because there hadn¡¯t been anything left after the lightning blew him up along with a hundred or so ratkin?

    Either way, he was here.  Staring at me waaay too calmly.

    I¡¯d imagined this moment thousands of times while stuck in that lightless hell sewer.  We all do it, right?  Replay our most traumatic memories on repeat while we lay awake at night staring up at the glowing green moss covering the ceiling of our sewer bedroom?  And like I¡¯ve explained many times, I don¡¯t sleep anymore.  Which gave me extra time to dwell.

    What would I say?  What would he say?  Who would go first?  Would we talk about the gate?  The attack?  Our past?  My parents?  Leandra?  Or maybe there would be no words ¨C no cute pleasantries.  Maybe ¨C just maybe, he¡¯d smile¡­ throw his arms wide and welcome me into a fatherly hug?  Especially now that I knew that was a thing.

    Instead, I did what I normally do.

    I froze ¨C stuck in my own thoughts.

    Until the moment had passed.

    Until Elder Gracen coughed into his hand.

    Until it had gotten super awkward.

    ¡°Ahh, so it¡¯s Nyx, right?¡± he said.

    Like he didn¡¯t remember who I was.  Maybe that lightning bolt had scrambled his brain?  Yeah, that could be it.  Probably why there was a big bandage on his head, right?   Maybe he¡¯d blasted himself a few miles away, his spirit had instinctively cushioned the impact, but he¡¯d still suffered hopefully-permanent brain damage.

    That could also be why he was staring at me in confusion.  Why he looked a little nervous even?  And was he sweating?  I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever seen him¡ª

    Maribel pinched me discreetly.  Ahh, she was the best.

    ¡°I¡¯m just not getting involved in this,¡± Lili grumbled.  ¡°Also, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Which would make her the worst.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s still Nyx.  You¡¯re adopted¡­ son,¡± I replied slowly.

    Elder Gracen nodded, then a smile settled on his face.

    ¡°Sorry.  Head injury,¡± he said, pointing at his head.  ¡°Terrible memory loss.¡±

    Confirmation.  Of course, he didn¡¯t remember me!  This was just fucking¡ª

    Wait.  Wait, no.  This wasn¡¯t a horrible nightmare.  This was perfect.

    ¡°That¡¯s just terrible,¡± I said, stepping forward and opening my arms wide¡ª

    Elder Gracen hesitated, looking uncertain.  It might have been the smile.  I stopped and he swallowed hard, rising and accepting my embrace reluctantly.

    Ahh, this was the sweet, warm feeling of consent.

    ¡°This really isn¡¯t what I had in mind,¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°You¡¯re just taking advantage of an old man with a brain injury to roleplay some weird father-son relationship.¡±

    Maybe, but I wasn¡¯t going to let her ruin this for me.  I just held on tight and treasured this perfect moment.  Even when Elder Gracen started wheezing, tried to pull away, and started glaring at me.  He was trying to say something but I couldn¡¯t quite make it out.  Probably something about how much he¡¯d missed me.  How I was his favorite.  I always knew it.

    ¡°Is this a bad time to mention he smells weird?¡± Lili asked.

    Wow.  That was ageist.  Old people reek, but you shouldn¡¯t say that to their¡ª

    ¡°No, I mean, he smells delicious,¡± Lili amended.

    Actually, now that she mentioned it, he did smell fantastic.

    Also, it was pretty weird that he¡¯d hugged me ¨C even with the brain damage.  I mean, he¡¯d never done that before.  Ever.  Did he even know how?  Or maybe the hugging thing was something instinctual?  Like maybe showing affection was something hardwired into our vessels?  If so, did that mean he¡¯d always known how but deliberately chose to never hug me, specifically?  Which, I¡¯ll admit, was a little upsetting.  Also, suspicious.

    Like was he even really hurt?  Or was this all just a ruse?

    I mean, he sure as hell hadn¡¯t told me about this huge Fin-Fan factory, right?

    ¡°Please¡­ let¡­ go,¡± Elder Gracen wheezed, pushing at me feebly.

    He wasn¡¯t even trying to use his wind spirit to stop me.  Which was even weirder.  He¡¯d used that breezy asshole to send me literally flying out of our hut back in Anchon.  Also, skipping across Cocytus.  And he had this neat trick where he would gag me with a band of air.  I hated it so much.  Yet he didn¡¯t use any of his tricks now.

    Almost like he couldn¡¯t.

    I peered at him then, our eyes meeting.

    And that¡¯s when I saw it ¨C staring back at me.

    A weird tingling sensation ¨C a tickle I remembered vividly.  A feeling I hadn¡¯t sensed in some time.  Weeks maybe.  Not since the hell sewers.  All those corrupted spirits.

    Also, now that I was focusing on it, he felt strange.  Not nearly as frail as I imagined.  And that bandage didn¡¯t seem to be covering anything.  No swelling.  No blood.  No wound.  I checked when I ripped it off.  It was also super clean.

    ¡°What?  What are you doing¡ª¡± he gasped, hand to his totally intact head.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I interrupted.

    He blinked in surprise.  ¡°Uh, what?¡± he asked.  ¡°I¡¯m, uh, Tom Gracen, clearly.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow.  ¡°You mean, Elder Gracen?¡±

    He looked flustered.  It was weird.

    ¡°Yeah, exactly¡­ that¡¯s what I said.¡±

    And when that didn¡¯t work, he pointed at his head.  ¡°Brain damage, remember?¡±

    ¡°Fine.  Then which one do you love more ¨C me or Leandra?¡±

    His eyes narrowed.  ¡°Well, you¡­ obviously.¡±

    I loved that.  I loved it a lot.  This was better than I could have possibly imagined.

    And yet, that could only mean one thing.

    Yeah, you guessed it.  He must be full of kraell shit.

    My [Shadow Aura] flashed out around me in an instant, licking at the floor, walls, and table, drawing on the sweet nimbus nestled there.  Rust and decay spread across the metal and the paper on the desk shriveled as I drained that precious energy.  I could see now that the same corruption threaded across Elder Gracen¡¯s skin like a spiderweb.  Although, I wasn¡¯t responsible for that.  That was coming from his vessel ¨C his core.

    No problem.  I could [Curse Break] that easily.  So, I did.

    Just reached out with a corrupted hand and tore that energy apart. Lili devoured the nimbus hungrily, cooing in the back of my mind.  It had been a while since we¡¯d had a snack.

    Which left the so-called ¡°Elder Gracen¡± leaning back against his desk, breathing hard and clutching at his chest like he was in pain.  Also, he looked weird now.  Sharp, pointy ears.  Whip thin.  Smooth skin.  Corruption threading his glowing amber eyes.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked.

    His eyes shot to mine.  ¡°Wait, you can see me?  The real me?¡± he asked, his accent sounding strange, almost stilted.

    I cocked my head.  ¡°Uh, well, I don¡¯t know.  What do you normally look like?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    He frowned.  ¡°Uh, an elf?  Pointy ears?  Smooth alabaster skin¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.  Cheek bones that could chisel rock?  Permanent resting elf face?¡±  I finished for him.  Maybe that was racist too, but I¡¯d only met the one elf so far.

    ¡°Exactly!¡± He announced, a broad smile on his face.  Then he hesitated, my words finally landing.  ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°Then, yeah ¨C I guess I can see the real you,¡± I answered with a nod.

    ¡°Oh, thank the gods,¡± he gasped, launching himself at me and wrapping those bony, twig arms around me.  I felt conflicted.  Had he always been this sharp?  ¡°I thought something was wrong with me.  Ever since last night, no one can see me ¨C the real me.   My spirit isn¡¯t working and he stopped talking to me.  I just¡­ I just really appreciate you¡ª"

    He pulled back, his eyes inquiring.  ¡°Actually, what did you do to me?¡±

    ¡°I ate that corruption thing you were using,¡± I explained.  ¡°But, uh, who are you?  Also, what are you doing here?  What happened to the real Elder Gracen?¡±

    The elf seemed to take stock of himself, backing away and straightening.  ¡°I will have you know that I¡¯m a silver rank guide ¨C a royal vessel,¡± he said, waving at his ears.  ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll tell you anything?¡±

    As he spoke, an amber energy suffused the air around him and his eyes shone brightly.  He suddenly looked stronger, muscle rippling across those scrawny, pale arms.  Armor settled into place, sturdy plate and chain.  I¡¯ll admit.  It was somewhat impressive.  A younger and more na?ve me might have even fallen for it.  But all I saw right now was a question dodger.

    Also, more of those weird spiderwebs threading through the air around him.  Which made me think maybe none of this was real?

    Luckily, I knew how to solve this problem.

    He just needed to be properly motivated.

    Plus, I was possibly still processing my frustration with my bromate ¨C you know, for ruining the introduction with my mother-in-law and then running away.  Again.  Also, the fact that Elder Gracen was somehow complicit in this mystery factory ¨C maybe.  But he wasn¡¯t here to accept his well-deserved punishment for lying to me.

    So, this strange elf would have to do.  His energy faded, flickering and stuttering as I stalked toward him.  ¡°What are you doing?  No, don¡¯t touch me!  I¡¯ll-I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡±

    In my experience, few creatures that could actually kill me bothered to threaten first.  So, I wasn¡¯t that worried.  I unraveled my arm chain with a jingle of metal.  The sound proofing in the office was pretty exceptional ¨C the sounds of the factory only a muted roar.  Which is why no one heard his screams.  His desperate cries for help.

    And, some indeterminate time later, I had answers.

    ¡°So, your name is Cole?¡± I asked, legs kicked up on the desk.

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ please let me down,¡± he wheezed.

    Ahh, what was that?  Why was he asking that?

    Uh, because I might have, um, hung him from the ceiling¡­ with my arm chain.

    What!?  Don¡¯t look at me like that!  He had it coming?  You saw him.  He impersonated my adoptive father and he hugged me without my consent didn¡¯t he?  Now that I knew that was a thing, of course.  Which means I can do whatever I want with him now.  Light to moderate torture?  Twenty questions?  Or maybe just devour his nimbus¡ª

    ¡°You know what?  I¡¯m actually cool with this,¡± Lili offered.

    See?  If she said it was alright, we were good.

    ¡°Oh, gods¡­ please let me go.  I told you everything I know,¡± Cole gasped.

    I eyed him suspiciously and he swallowed hard.

    ¡°Not everything.  Where did you get this chair?¡± I demanded.

    Specifically, the one I was sitting on ¨C the one behind the desk.  It had little wheels on the bottom.  Also, it swiveled.  Like you can spin really fast.  I needed one badly.

    ¡°I, uh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Cole replied.

    Shit.  Oh, well.  I could probably make one.

    What?  What¡¯s wrong now?  Why are you all glaring at me again?

    Ahh, probably because I haven¡¯t explained anything, right?

    Lot of nodding.  Okay.  Here it goes.

    ¡°So, let me get this straight,¡± I began, steepling my fingers on the desk.  ¡°Elder Gracen actually has a first name?  And it¡¯s Tom?¡±

    Cole nodded.

    ¡°He hired you to impersonate him and help operate this factory since you have a persuasion spirit?¡±  I checked my notes.  I found them to be extremely helpful when tackling expository reveals.  ¡°Which can convince people that you¡¯re actually Tom?¡±

    Another nod.

    ¡°Except Tom disappeared a few weeks ago and never came back?¡±

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.  He just left me here.  And I don¡¯t know how to run this place!¡± Cole replied, pleading with me as he dangled from the ceiling.  ¡°Tom did all of the actual work.  And now we have supply shortages, and sea serpents, and employee morale is in the gutter, and our distributors have been screaming at me to send more canned silverfin north, our creditors are upset, and a few of the larger merchants are even circling and looking to destabilize our operation.  Plus, my spirit has been acting strangely since yesterday¡ª"

    Ahh, yeah.  We¡¯d been over that too.

    I sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s corrupted,¡± I explained.

    Cole just stared back.  ¡°What?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Did you, uh, possibly do anything out of ordinary lately?¡± I asked.  ¡°You know, get brutally beaten on Graven Ground by your much younger bully?  Like in a horrible, emasculating way?  No?  Weird.  Or did you witness a vicious murder or experience some sort of trauma?  Maybe a shadow voice whispered to you?¡±

    He shook his head.  ¡°Uh, no.  I just went to that party in the food hall last night.  I even met someone ¨C which is rare for me.  I thought we really connected.  We actually went back to my place and we, uh, you know¡­¡±

    Nope, I didn¡¯t.  ¡°No.  Please elaborate.¡±

    ¡°We, uh, merged vessels.¡±

    My brow furrowed.  What?  Was that a thing?

    ¡°We had sex,¡± Cole grunted finally.  Was he blushing?

    ¡°As Elder Gracen?¡± I asked, horrified.  Ew.  Ew, ew, ew.

    I hadn¡¯t consented to that mental image.  I definitely hadn¡¯t.

    ¡°No, as myself, thank you very much,¡± Cole snapped.

    ¡°Really?¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°This guy got laid?¡±

    I didn¡¯t buy it either.  I mean, he wasn¡¯t much to look at.  Hanging from the ceiling.  Super pale.  Really thin.  Lots of glaring and complaining and whining.  Also, there were mostly savran here in Apati.  So why wasn¡¯t he dead?  It just didn¡¯t add up.

    ¡°Maybe because you spiked the friendship juice?¡± Lili offered.

    Possible.  But did he have consent then?  Like did it count if the other person had been drugged?  Obviously, it was wrong if Cole did the drugging.  But what if it was an innocent third-party that had just been trying to make friends at his surprise party?  Or, wait, did that make me an accomplice?

    ¡°What?  No, I really did meet someone.  She wasn¡¯t savran,¡± Cole interjected, glaring at us now.  Ahh, that must have been out loud again.  Woops.

    ¡°So, this was a real girl?¡± I asked, still skeptical.

    ¡°Of course she was real!  You think I would lie?¡±

    ¡°Maybe?  I mean, you were impersonating Elder Gracen.¡±

    ¡°For my job!  I told you that.  And I wasn¡¯t impersonating him on purpose ¨C I can¡¯t control my spirit now, remember?  But this woman was definitely real.¡±

    ¡°Fine, then what did she look like?¡± I asked.

    Cole¡¯s eyes went distant.  ¡°She had lustrous green hair that fell to the small of her back and her skin was a pale blue-gray.  But it was her eyes that captivated me ¨C like warm milk.  She was also a fantastic listener.¡±

    Hmm, I don¡¯t know.  Sounded fake.  Who had green hair?  And white eyes?  Lili?

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t believe him either.¡±

    ¡°But I have details.  She was wearing a pendant,¡± Cole pleaded, sounding desperate now ¨C almost like he was trying to convince himself.  ¡°It was some sort of strange crystal.  A core of darkness nestled in glowing white glass.  It almost looked like a¡­ well, like a rotten egg actually.  She got really upset when I mentioned that.  In fact, it was rather strange¡ª¡± he froze as he saw our reaction.

    Oh.  Oh, shit.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­?¡± Lili began.

    Yeah, yeah, I did think.  I think Cole had just had sex with the egg spirit ¨C or, uh, whatever vessel it had snatched this time.  How had I missed that?  Shouldn¡¯t I have been able to sense its presence?  Or could it hide it now?  That was mildly terrifying.

    ¡°Or maybe we didn¡¯t notice with the drugs and the party?¡± Lili offered.

    Shit.  She might be right.  Lili had gotten really into it too.  Maybe the friendship juice had affected us more than I thought.  Also, I was starting to think it might not have been Cole that took advantage of his date.  It might have, uh, been the other way around.

    Yeah.  That¡¯s right.  He¡¯d been spirit raped.

    I should know.  I¡¯d been a victim too.

    You remember back in the gate when that rat spirit shoved its way inside of me¡ª

    ¡°Wait, what are you saying right now?¡± Cole stared back, horror reflected in his eyes.

    Wow, okay.  That had been out loud too.  My filter must be busted.

    ¡°Uh, yeah, maybe¡ªor almost certainly.  But it¡¯s okay!¡± I reassured him.  ¡°You¡¯re a survivor ¨C just like me.  Just know that you¡¯re not alone,¡± I reassured him.

    Maribel even patted his shoulder, Cole staring at the darkness threading my hand with wide eyes.  Ahh, and now I felt bad for tying him up like this.

    There were also the inevitable follow up questions.  Had the egg spirit infected him somehow ¨C corrupting his persuasion spirit?  Like some sort of spiritually transmitted disease?  Woah, had I just discovered the first STD?

    But I guess there wasn¡¯t much point to keeping him tied up now.  Cole was just hanging there, dejected, staring off into space and likely contemplating how it was pointless to get upset; that the universe was just a cruel and unforgiving hellscape paved in blood and tears.  I¡¯ve been there.  So, I let him down.  I was even gentle.  He only fell the last couple feet and sort of lay there in a lump of sharp angles.  Seriously, he needed a meal or three.

    ¡°Are you¡­ uh, are you alright?¡± I asked.

    I¡¯ll admit, I almost felt a little guilty.  For what, I wasn¡¯t sure, though.

    ¡°No!  No, I¡¯m not alright!  What did that woman do to me?¡± Cole groaned.  Then he pushed himself up, stabbing one of those bony fingers at me.  ¡°Will I end up like you?  Crazy?  Insane?  Talking to myself?  Naming my hands?¡±

    Woah, I didn¡¯t love that.

    But, yeah, possibly?  That was still unclear.

    Oh, he was still complaining¡­

    ¡°I used to be able to persuade anyone of anything!  Just a few whispered words and you¡¯d think you were talking to your grandmother right now!  Do you know how amazing that was?  To just say something to someone and they¡¯d just believe it ¨C whatever it is?  I¡¯ve gotten away with murder, literally.¡±

    I just stared back.  This guy?  Murder?  His pants were a little wet.  Lili?

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not buying it either,¡± she added.

    ¡°See?  You don¡¯t believe me!¡± Cole cried.  ¡°My spirit is broken.¡±

    Also, he was literally crying.  He was super weepy and sniffling and his eyes got all red.  Wow.  I really didn¡¯t like it.  Wait¡­ is this why Fang hated it so much?

    What could I do to make him stop?  Reason with him?

    ¡°But, uh, it worked when we walked in,¡± I offered.  ¡°You looked like Elder Gracen.¡±

    ¡°Sure!  It seems to work if the person expects to see someone else,¡± Cole ranted.  ¡°But if they already know who I am?  Or if they start to doubt¡­ then poof!  Gone!  That¡¯s why I had to start using this stupid bandage.  To pretend I¡¯d had some sort of brain trauma.¡±

    Ahh, which might explain why I didn¡¯t notice until our hug.

    His shoulders slumped forward.  ¡°Shit.  I am so fucked.¡±

    Okay, yeah, I definitely felt bad now.  Especially since the egg spirit was stalking me.  Cole would probably hate to learn that he¡¯d only been spirit raped to get to me.  It happened apparently.  One of the many downsides of being the main character.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± he demanded, whirling.

    Ahh, shit.  I really needed to start gagging myself or something.

    Fang had been proposing that for cycles, but I¡¯d resisted.  Maybe he had a point.

    ¡°I might know the egg spirit¡­ personally,¡± I offered tentatively.  ¡°It might even hold a small grudge against me because I sent it to a high-end spa for a few days.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure, let¡¯s just go with that,¡± Lili drawled.  ¡°Just ignore the part where you buried it underground for weeks, then doused it in kraell egg juice.¡±

    Cole was also glaring suspiciously, his eyes all squinty.

    ¡°But, maybe we can help each other,¡± I offered with a broad smile ¨C one that didn¡¯t make Cole look any more comfortable.  ¡°I¡¯m actually something of an expert when it comes to corrupted spirits.  Maybe there¡¯s a way we can fix you.¡±

    He didn¡¯t look confident ¨C or happy ¨C at all despite my very generous offer.

    ¡°I mean, I did break your illusion super easily,¡± I added.

    Cole nodded grudgingly.  ¡°Fine.  It¡¯s not like I have a choice.¡±

    Then his expression brightened.  ¡°Wait, I forgot.  Tom left you a message.  Maybe there¡¯s something in there that can help me¡­ or us,¡± he amended, with a wave.

    I just stared back, a lone eyebrow hitting my hairline.

    It was hard to even get excited again, you know?  After being tricked so many times?  Plus, Cole had already admitted his core was literally full of kraell shit.

    ¡°Persuasion spirit,¡± he corrected me, glaring.  ¡°And I¡¯m being serious this time.  He really left you a message.  Check me!  See?  No corruption.¡±

    Hmm, he was right.  The spiderwebs were missing.  Lili?

    ¡°I buy it this time.  There probably is a message,¡± she confirmed.

    Ahh.  Cool.  Cool, cool, cool.

    I was so cool.  Like ice.  Like a fucking glacier.  I mean, we¡¯d already gone through this once with fake Elder Gracen already.  We¡¯d practiced for this.

    What was that?  Ahh, no¡­ I¡¯m not squealing like a small girl.

    ¡°Uh, yeah you are,¡± Cole murmured.

    ¡°Get the message Cole,¡± I snapped at him, aura flaring and devouring one of the guest chairs, the wood crumpling in on itself.

    Like I said¡­ super cool.

 Hollow Preorder Live!

    First off, some good news!

    Hollow is now available for preorder on Amazon</a>.  It''s dropping July 25th -- ebook/print/audio. Audible Studios has been KILLING IT on their production. I''m pretty pumped.

    I also wanted to give a quick update, especially since I''ve been rather quiet lately.

    So, uh, I hurt my hand pretty bad in January. Three months and some physical therapy later, and it''s almost back to normal. Or normal enough to write without pain. So, yay!Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Although, that obviously had an impact on my writing speed. I was hoping to be finished with Hollow #2 around now, but I''ve still got another 10+ chapters until the novel is content complete. I''m guessing that''ll be done by the end of the month.

    This also affected my editing progress.  Normally, I would edit more extensively as I write, but I haven''t been able to.  So, I''m going to change up my strategy!  I''m planning to go back and do a pretty big overhaul. Especially the beginning sequence. I want to tone down Nyx slightly (reducing his monologues would go a long way). The later stuff is also a bit... complicated (even after writing 15+ books!), so I want to get some initial impressions. I''m guessing that sequence will need some tweaks as well.  Which is all just to say that your feedback is super helpful and I''m definitely reading it!

    Anyway, that''s all for now.  I''m going to get my ass back to work!

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 31

    Chapter 31 - Message

    Elder Gracen had left a message.  For me.  Just for me.

    Probably because I was secretly his favorite.  I mean, obviously.  Leandra was great and all.  Talented.  Pretty.  A prodigy really.  But what do people love more than watching a charismatic, successful, ambitious, and incredibly gifted person absolutely dominate everyone around them with effortless grace?

    Yeah, that¡¯s right, an underdog.

    Someone weak, and weird, and rationally challenged.

    Someone with character.  With personality ¨C maybe even several.

    Someone who¡¯s forced to face overwhelming hardship and adversity.

    Someone just like me.

    See?  Told you I was the main character.

    ¡°Stop rolling around in the chair.  Just sit still,¡± Cole grunted.

    That was harder than it sounded.  I was just so excited.  Also, nervous.  Plus, he¡¯d been taking forever.  It seemed Elder Gracen had hidden my top-secret message really well.

    ¡°Or he forgot where he put it,¡± Lili muttered sourly.

    Don¡¯t mind her, she¡¯s just hungry.

    ¡°Ahh, here it is,¡± Cole announced finally, pulling a small box from a shelf, blowing off the dust, which billowed thick and dense.

    Setting the box on the desk, Cole opened it way too slowly.  He pulled out a translucent disk that looked like it had been made out of a nimbus gem, the surface glowing a pale white.  Lili confirmed a moment later when our stomach growled.

    ¡°What is that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The message,¡± Cole answered with a resigned sigh, placing the disk on some mechanical contraption on the desk ¨C one with a light spirit trapped inside.  You know, the one that was making rude gestures at me.  Then the elf looked at me.  ¡°No talking until it¡¯s over.  And no questions!¡± he snapped.  I put my hand down slowly.

    Then Cole settled against the desk and the spirit started playing the message, shining a beam of light directly through that disc of nimbus.

    Okay, I was so pumped.  My mind was practically buzzing.

    What did it say?  What had Elder Gracen wanted to tell me?  How much he adored my inquiring mind and my tenacity?  Oh, or maybe he would finally explain why he was secretly the CEO of a company that shouldn¡¯t exist?  Also, how?

    But all my questions were dispelled in an instant.

    Because an image flickered into existence above that weird device, the light spirit casting the projection into the air ¨C the hazy outline of a person.

    Elder Gracen.  The real one.  Maybe.  I mean, I couldn¡¯t be sure.  Plus, he looked younger.  Well, or still old, just less wrinkly.

    ¡°Hello, Nyx,¡± the projection said.

    ¡°First, off, if you¡¯re watching this, then you somehow made it to Apati.  Frankly, I¡¯m shocked¡ªerr, or I mean, impressed.  That you¡¯re not dead, I mean.  Unfortunately, that also probably means I am ¨C that, or Tartarus has officially frozen over.¡±

    Hmm, I was sensing a theme here¡­

    Phantom Elder Gracen heaved out a sigh.  ¡°The truth is that I¡¯ve been stalling.  Procrastinating.  I¡¯ve wanted to tell you the truth for a long time.  Cycles really.  There just never seemed to be a good opportunity.  So, this is my Plan B.  I know you¡¯ve been¡­ curious for a while about why I took in you and your sister Leandra ¨C why I protected you both.¡±

    I had.  Actually, I¡¯d asked a few hundred times.

    However, Elder Gracen was an expert question dodger.

    ¡°Well, you finally win, you stubborn shithead,¡± he muttered.

    Hmm.  Not the touching, emotional reunion I was expecting.

    Okay, fine.  Hoping.  Even in the face of impossible odds.  Happy?

    Another heavy sigh and then.  ¡°I knew your parents for a long, long time ¨C longer than that quaint and insufferable fishing village has existed.  They were brilliant people, leaders in their field.  I even helped them create this place ¨C Apati.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I wasn¡¯t always an elder and I didn¡¯t always go by this name ¨C or recite those inane mantras.  I was born Tom Gracen ¨C adventurer, scholar, explorer, and businessman.  But that¡¯s a long story¡­ too long.  There just isn¡¯t enough space on this gem to fit all of my countless exploits.  My incredible journey.  The many times I saved your parents from getting brutally murdered¡ª

    ¡°Well, until I couldn¡¯t.¡±  The ghost Elder Gracen hung his head.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important.  I need you to listen to me.¡±

    His head rose, his ghostly eyes focusing on mine.

    I leaned forward in my seat.  What was he going to say?  Was this it?  The moment he admitted his feelings for me?  That he was proud of me?  That he¡¯d always known about my hidden potential ¨C my budding genius just waiting to bloom?  Or maybe he¡¯d give me some special insight into the lives of my super dead parents?  Oh, my gods¡ª

    ¡°I took you in because it made me rich.  So, unbelievably, filthy rich.¡±

    Huh.  And now ghost Elder Gracen was¡­ smirking?  That felt wrong somehow.

    Although, the cackling was worse.  It went on for a while.

    Maybe it was just difficult to see one of your many father figures torn down and humanized in an all too real way?  I should know.  Hadn¡¯t the scaly one abandoned me after reluctantly bringing me home to meet his family?

    ¡°And you can be too,¡± Elder Gracen ¨C or, err Tom ¨C continued after the laughter had died down to a wheezing cough.  ¡°And before you ask, we aren¡¯t talking about those bullshit wooden chits the villagers of Anchon use.  The currency of the Five Rivers has been and always will be one thing.  Nimbus.  Sweet, sweet nimbus.¡±

    I¡¯ll admit, that caught my attention.  Lili¡¯s too.

    ¡°Tell us more, you duplicitous son of a bitch!¡± she roared.  ¡°Tell us all your secrets!¡±

    See?  She was pretty invested for some reason.

    ¡°Now, I imagine you¡¯re asking how.  You¡¯ve always been a smart kid.  Insane and weird and annoying and incredibly weak, but smart.  Even without a spirit, if you play your cards right, you stand to inherit an empire ¨C one built on the backs of those ignorant backwater idiots in Anchon and their even more moronic Fin-Fans.

    ¡°You see, it all started after your parents died¡ª

    The recording kept going for a while before winding to a stop, the light spirit fading and returning to its little cage.  The crystal was now dull and lightless.

    Which left me sitting there.  Stunned.  Staring out through those nearby windows at a city.  At the majestic skyline of Apati ¨C thick black smoke billowing gently in the breeze.  Hundreds, possibly even thousands of black collar workers gathered here to collect silverfin, package silverfin, and then ship that silverfin out to the hungry, teeming masses.  Their mouths wide open and ready to receive the next load of my company¡¯s love.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Yes, that¡¯s right.  My company.

    Because you were looking at the new CEO of Fin Fan, Inc.

    At least, according to the Bylaws sitting in front of me, my name inked in as a successor.  The ones written on some sort of thick, heavily-ward metal plate that practically hummed with nimbus ¨C as though someone was worried they¡¯d be destroyed.  Cole explained that this was a contract tablet.  It somehow bound your spirit or something.

    The specifics weren¡¯t important.

    Because that was my name way, way down at the bottom, and half buried under some sort of food stain¡­ but it was there.  A successor CEO.

    Also, that¡¯s Chief Erritating Officer according to my new friend Tom.  The acronym felt like a stretch for some reason, but I would have to defer to his superior business experience.

    And that beautiful smog ridden mess outside?  That was my city.

    I told you it was a surprise party!  And it came with presents!

    ¡°Let¡¯s devour it all,¡± Lili roared.

    Meanwhile Cole was just staring at the Bylaws in horror and muttering to himself.

    Huh, you¡¯re looking at me the same way.  You look¡­ confused?

    Ahh, I guess I might have skimmed past a few important details.

    Ten second version?

    Tom was a Grade-A, Divine-Ranked, Grandmaster Asshole.

    And I was in awe.  Seriously, I should have been taking notes.

    After my parents died, he traveled to Anchon to collect me and Leandra ¨C only to discover something even better than taking on the interminable liability of adopting someone else¡¯s ¡°crotch goblins¡± ¨C Tom¡¯s words.  Specifically, he discovered a ¡°financial opportunity.¡±

    So, instead of formally adopting us and ferrying my sister and I away to the luxurious smog-filled streets of Apati, Tom chose to remain in Anchon.

    You can probably see it now, right?  His master plan?

    The one where he used his identity as ¡°Elder Gracen¡± to convince the townsfolk to expand their fishing operation, to hunt and process the silverfin ¨C not just for their own use ¨C but for profit.  The townsfolk were also insular, introverted, and both unwilling and unable to travel far outside the town.  So, naturally, Elder Gracen was the best person to journey north ¨C to navigate the ships ¨C his air spirit lending a helping hand to their sails.

    poor, stupid crew members.  All it took was using his air spirit to carefully position several billion ¡°invisible particles of matter¡± that he said were always floating around us in order to ¡°bend light¡± and create a clone of himself.

    Or so he explained.  But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important¡­

    It was a massacre.  A bloodbath.  A lopsided killing spree that made anything my bromantic partner and I had accomplished back inside the gate pale in comparison.

    He sold each pallet at fifty times the amount he paid the villagers.

    Apparently, food in Asphodel was scarce ¨C many hungry mouths to feed and lots of extremely dangerous monsters roaming the area around the city ¨C where the concentration of nimbus was nice and thick.  How else could there be a fan club for canned silverfin?

    Seriously, you didn¡¯t think that was weird?

    Okay, fine. I probably should have questioned that one too¡­

    Anyway, Tom didn¡¯t stop there.  That was just the beginning.

    He soon had the villagers expand their fishing coop.  Start pushing the other local villages out of the market.  And those he couldn¡¯t?  Well, he just suckered them in along with Anchon.  Apparently, there were many Elder Gracens.  Dozens, in fact.  He expanded until he controlled every fin and scale that passed through the entire southern Outer Reaches.  They all flowed through his greedy, wrinkly hands.  A mountain of metal and fish flesh that made my own accomplishments pale in comparison.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking.  How did Tom pull that off?  How did he manage to travel to all of those villages while running the company and being the extremely negligent parent to two budding young vessels?  How did he convince all of those stupid villagers that he¡¯d lived in their villages for cycles?

    Well, the answer to that was easy.  He brought in Cole.

    Who had apparently been impersonating Tom for ages.

    Yes, yes, I may have actually been talking to Cole during parts of my childhood.  It might have been Cole that had gagged me¡­ or threw me out of our hut.  Because why the hell would Tom choose to live and sleep in a fucking straw hut when he had this palace back in Apati waiting for him?  The many, many rooms attached to this office ¨C the bathroom with running water.  His own private bedroom?  An army of employees?

    I wasn¡¯t even mad.  Honestly, I wasn¡¯t.  At least, not about that.

    Like which one would you choose?  Squalid, damp hut or fish palace?

    Yeah, that¡¯s right ¨C the fish palace.  That¡¯s what I¡¯d pick too.

    Although, there were a few other pesky questions.  Like why did he have me harvesting the silverfin?  I had worked how many days?  How many cycles?  Without breaks?  Or food?  And with injuries?  Oh, and where did all that money go?  All that glorious nimbus?  Also, is this why he was gone for days and weeks at a time?  Was he just living it up here in this magnificent temple to his beloved ¡°capitalism?¡±  Taking in the smog wafting across the waters of the bay in the morning sunlight from his palatial office?  While I was starving?

    No¡­ No, I wasn¡¯t angry.  Just disappointed.

    Mostly that I couldn¡¯t kill him again.

    Apparently, I was also setting a mood.

    Because Cole swallowed hard.  ¡°So, um.  There are a few other details¡ª"

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t.  I¡¯m processing my feelings right now.¡±

    The elf hesitated, cocking his head in confusion.  Also, a small amount of fear.

    One feeling in particular stood out ¨C my eyes locked on that little white disc.  Curiosity.  Also, suspicion.  Okay, that was technically two things.  I hadn¡¯t noticed the label before, but I did now.  So, I grabbed it gently and lifted it free of the device, the light spirit recoiling away from my fingers like they were covered in kraell shit.

    Cole started forward, looking uncomfortable.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Too late.  I flipped the disc and set it back down.

    The top had been labeled ¡°Side B.¡±

    This was ¡°Side A.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Leandra,¡± the projection of Tom said this time.  ¡°If you¡¯re watching this, then that means I¡¯m dead ¨C probably.  Or it¡¯s also possible I had to go into hiding for a bit.  Between us, it would probably be safer if you told Nyx that I¡¯m dead ¨C assuming he¡¯s still alive, of course.  You know how he can be a little¡­ unstable.¡±

    He smiled at the camera.  ¡°Actually, I¡¯m relieved that it¡¯s you that found this first.  You¡¯ve always been my favorite.  I mean, I wrote a message for Nyx too, but I had to talk around the issue of, well¡­ your parents.  He¡¯s just not ready yet.  I know you¡¯re still upset with me for not telling him what really happened to them, but trust me, it¡¯s better this way.¡±

    Tom¡¯s expression grew serious.  ¡°And, unfortunately, you need to maintain that lie ¨C for his own.  All you need to know is this:  Nyx cannot go near the old forge.¡±

    He kept going for a while longer, then the recording petered out again.

    Leaving me alone with my thoughts.

    And Cole.  Also, Lili and Maribel.  They were all super quiet.

    Maybe because my [Shadow Aura] was eating the walls of my new office.

    But I wasn¡¯t going to let this get me down.  I had a foolproof system for dealing with situations just like this one ¨C you know, when facing a mountain of existential despair that threatens to crush your fragile psyche.  A process that I had cultivated and refined over countless cycles spent back in that relentless hellhole.

    I just needed a distraction.  Something to take my mind off things.

    Luckily, the mist slowly seeping in under the door offered the perfect escape.  All I had to do was confirm my suspicion.

    It was easy.  I just made a rathole ¨C one here in the office, the other out in the hallway.  Then I stuck my head through to see my scaly, bromantic partner hovering just outside that door ¨C his earholes pressed to the wood and the door to the closet across the hall standing open.  That was my companion.  My dear friend.

    The one who must have known all about this.

    How could he not?  His whole family worked for Tom!

    No doubt, that¡¯s why he¡¯d insisted I keep my existence a secret.  Why I had to give a fake name; to hide my abilities and our precious babies.  Why my bromate was still in the closet ¨C specifically, Tom¡¯s coat closet.  It was so clear now.

    ¡°Uh, Nyx.  Are you okay?¡± Lili asked.

    Maribel was just patting my shoulder.

    I was fine.  Perfect, actually.  Just contemplating a little revenge.

    ¡°Uh, so Cole¡ª¡± He jumped, startled and sweating.  Probably because the furniture was slowly decaying and collapsing as I drained it of its precious nimbus.

    ¡°Yes-yes?¡± he chirped.

    ¡°So, it looks like I¡¯m your boss now.¡±

    Cole winced.  ¡°Yes¡­ yes, I guess you are,¡± he admitted reluctantly.

    It wasn¡¯t like he could deny it.  His signature was on the Bylaws too.  As an employee.  The one written in his own blood.  And according to the tiny, tiny text, that meant he forfeited his nimbus if he violated the contract.

    Which was perfect for making friends!  I mean, the blackmail was built in.

    Honestly, they should have called it a Friendship tablet.

    Ahh, Cole was looking super nervous now.

    ¡°Great, so as your boss, I guess I should get a better handle on your current abilities.  You said your persuasion spirit wasn¡¯t working?¡±

    ¡°Well, it does¡­ sort of,¡± he amended anxiously.  ¡°It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t control what people see and I really have to work hard to sell it.  It almost feels like they see what they want to see, if that makes sense?  Costumes and props also help.¡±

    I nodded.  That made sense.  Probably why I saw Elder Gracen at first.

    Plus, I had some experience with this.  Fang did the same thing to me all the time.

    Like remember when he tried to make me think it was my fault that he crashed our death wagon into the screaming bamboo forest?  You know, while the monkeys were hurling their flaming shit at us?  That whole thing about how it was really a gas station?

    Yeah, that¡¯s why I called it gaslighting.  Another phrase I invented.

    And it appeared that Cole¡¯s spirit had evolved ¨C just like the egg spirit.

    He now had a gaslight spirit nestled within his core.

    Ahh, and the elf was edging away from me.

    Probably because I was smiling again.  Also, unraveling my chain.

    ¡°Ahh, good.  Good.  And, uh, I¡¯m sorry about this,¡± I began.  In fact, I wasn¡¯t.  ¡°But I¡¯m going to need to tie you up again for a second.  That¡¯s cool, right?¡±

    ¡°No, no that isn¡¯t¡ª"

    He tried to run then ¨C my new employee ¨C my new friend.

    Unfortunately for him, he didn¡¯t get very far before my babies emerged from a few ratholes, chittering happily and their blood red eyes filled with murderous delight as they grabbed him and hauled him back, stuffing a rag in his mouth to muffle his screams.  Lili was completely onboard, cackling in the back of my mind.  Even Maribel thrummed her excitement, my left hand twitching.  I understood where she was coming from.

    She loved putting on a show almost as much as I did.

    And this one?  This one was for Fang.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 32

    Chapter 32 - Torture

    I was feeling better.  A lot better, actually.

    I mean, torturing Fang wasn¡¯t [Therapy] ¨C not exactly.  But it was close.

    And before you start, no¡­ I was not procrastinating.  Or running away from my problems.  I was prioritizing.  Specifically, my mental health.

    See?  Completely different thing.

    ¡°No¡­ No, Nyx¡­ please ¨C I can¡¯t take anymore,¡± Fang¡¯s mother hissed, her voice husky, deep, almost a growl really.  ¡°Ohhhhh!¡± she moaned.

    Uh, okay, this isn¡¯t what it looks like!

    Ahh, what was that?  It looks like Fang¡¯s mother is bound up by my arm chain and swinging from the rafters, her rippling, well-toned limbs glistening in the steam and her sultry eyes half lidded in exquisite pain?  Like we were ¡°torturing¡± her in order to mess with her closeted crotch goblin eavesdropping out in the hallway?

    Okay, then it¡¯s, uh, exactly what it looks like.  Sort of.

    ¡°Any fours?¡± Cole asked from across the partially collapsed desk.

    ¡°Nope, go fuck yourself,¡± I replied.

    But much more importantly, I was so good at this new game!

    I called it ¡°Go Fuck Yourself.¡±  You see, each person had to ask if the other was holding cards of a certain number or type.  If they guessed right, they got those cards.  If you matched four, you got a point.  If the other person didn¡¯t have the cards, then they had to draw another.  I was winning.  Cole hadn¡¯t made a single match.

    He was taking his overwhelming defeat really well, though.

    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re cheating,¡± he muttered, pulling another card from the deck.

    ¡°Most people say that at first.  You¡¯re just new to the game,¡± I reassured him.

    Cole was still glaring, but he just let out a frustrated sigh.

    ¡°Um¡­ any sixes?¡± I offered.

    Cole just sputtered, staring at the card he¡¯d literally just pulled, turning it to reveal the six of sea serpents.  Ahh, that would make another match for me!

    ¡°How?  How do you keep doing this?¡± he demanded.  ¡°Are you psychic?  Can your corrupted spirit read minds or something¡­ and also destroy my illusions?¡±

    Ahh, right.  I¡¯d told him about Lili.  Also, Maribel.  What was the harm?

    I mean, I had the friendship tablet now.

    ¡°Nope.¡± Then I hesitated.  ¡°Well, not exactly.  Lili can read my mind, but not other people¡¯s.  As for the game, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening.  I¡¯ve never won before.¡±

    Which was technically true.

    Mostly because I just invented it.

    Meanwhile, I discreetly peeled the shadowy spiderwebs off the card Cole had handed me and let Lili eat them.  It was actually a nine of kraell.  Interestingly, Cole¡¯s new gaslight spirit worked on himself too.  Apparently, he was really starting to doubt his ability at this game¡­ or I was just amazing at it.  One or the other.

    Although, I had to mix some traditional cheating in with the mind games for it to work.  That¡¯s where my babies came in.  Like how #3 was currently peering out of a rathole behind Cole and was gesturing that the next card was a three of¡ª

    The elf whipped around abruptly¡­ only to find nothing.

    Just Fang¡¯s mom dangling there near the door and moaning loudly.

    Huh, why are you all pointing at her and screaming at me¡ª

    Ahh, right!  I guess I still need to explain.  You see, we weren¡¯t just messing around and torturing my bromate.  We were also testing out Cole¡¯s new and evolved spirit.  He was my new employee, after all.  So, this was basically my job now.

    Also, I¡¯d had so many questions.

    Like was the illusion limited to Cole?  Could he only change his own appearance or also the appearance of other objects?  Like, say, a ratskin sack of Fang¡¯s garbage I had the babies haul up from downstairs and then hung from the rafters with some old chains?  Or some playing cards I found in Tom¡¯s desk?  Also, did the illusions have mass?  Body heat?  Could they make realistic sounding voices?  Or sound effects?  Like the clink of my arm chain?  I mean, Cole had mimicked Elder Gracen ¨C or Tom ¨C pretty well, right?

    Obviously, the answer was yes.  Yes to all of it.

    This was so much better than Cole¡¯s lame persuasion spirit.  I¡¯m not even sure why he was upset about it.  The egg spirit had given us a gift.

    Now, the more astute among you might also be wondering how my babies had been hauling stuff up here.  I mean, don¡¯t my ratholes have limited range?

    Honestly, that¡¯s a fantastic question.

    As for the rest of you¡­ well, some of us are just born different.  Smarter.  More perceptive.  Better looking.  Funnier.  But it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not your fault.  Being mediocre has its advantages too.  Like no one will ever ask you to come up with a last-minute plan to save your dysfunctional family.  They¡¯ll probably ask your much more talented sister.

    That¡¯s why she¡¯ll die younger.  Probably from the stress.

    See?  Don¡¯t you feel better?

    I figured.  I¡¯m getting really good at gaslighting.

    Anyway, the answer was simple.  There was this little chute that ran from Tom¡¯s office right down to the food hall.  Which didn¡¯t make me angry at all.  Why would it?  You know, because my adoptive, conman father had access to food all day, every day?  While I was starving?  And bleeding?  And probably limping?  But still fucking working the river?

    Ahem¡­ anyway, I was fine with it.  Great even.

    All that hard work had probably built character.  Also, muscles and an unhealthy thirst for vengeance.  As I said, I was getting really good at this gaslighting thing.

    Honestly, I was a natural.

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s just so deep¡­ too deep,¡± Fang¡¯s mom moaned louder.

    What?  Why are you looking at me like that?

    Ahh, you must have figured it out by now.

    Yeah, that was all Cole¡¯s new spirit.  It¡¯s awesome, right?  But you sort of have to ¡°prime the gas pump,¡± if you know what I mean.  Like how I¡¯d had to weave in some actual cheating at the card game before Cole started doubting himself.

    And the answer to your inevitable question is yes.  In order to get this whole thing with Fang¡¯s mom going¡­ yeah, we had to act it out at first.  Also, destroy some of the air wards soundproofing the door to make sure Fang heard every glorious second.

    The best part?  This worked with Fang¡¯s rules!

    Yeah, that¡¯s right, we were just roleplaying.

    Cole really hadn¡¯t wanted to ¨C roleplay Fang¡¯s mom, I mean ¨C but he¡¯d come around eventually.  Some people just needed to be properly motivated.  Bromance had taught me that.  Besides, it only took a few minutes before the gaslight spirit took over and the clone of Fang¡¯s mom had only gotten more, um, realistic since then.  I¡¯m, uh¡­ I¡¯m not proud of it.

    I¡¯m fucking delighted.  Look at her!  And those moans?  Exquisite.

    And that was all me.  All my acting.  My props.  My perfect set.

    My left hand twitched.  Okay, Maribel helped too.

    ¡°I have to admit, it¡¯s pretty fun,¡± Lili offered grudgingly.

    Of course, it was!  I mean, owning some sort of canned silverfin empire was nice and all, but think of all the people I could gaslight with this power!  Not just Fang, but everyone.

    And then there were more questions.  Better questions.

    Like was the quality of the illusion relative to our victim¡ªor, err, gas lightee¡¯s belief in the lie?  That was Cole¡¯s theory.  And if so, could we make the illusions more powerful?  Bigger?  If we really committed to a role, you know?  And was there a limit?  Like what if we convinced a whole crowd of people they were getting attacked by a sea serpent?  Would Cole¡¯s spirit create one?  Maybe even allow the illusion to use its own fake spirit¡¯s powers?

    Thankfully, we were about to discover those precious answers.

    Because the door blasted open with a wave of mist.

    And our test subject finally arrived.

    Fang strode through that cloud of vapor, body slick, his chest heaving, daggers drawn, his eyes like twin suns ¨C burning with a fury I hadn¡¯t seen in ages.  Cycles even.

    Even more interesting, the scene changed as he entered the room, as those glorious searing orbs took in his mother dangling there.  Cole¡¯s spirit flared powerfully and dark spiderwebs streaked across the office.  The walls transformed in an instant, now covered in soft, crimson velvet.  We¡¯d painted them red, so they were already halfway there.  And yes, it was blood.  Also, an extensive and very tasteful collection of whips and manacles now hung there ¨C neatly arranged and labeled, of course.  Property of Nyx, they said.  That was also me.  We¡¯d hung up some of Fang¡¯s trash ¨C just nailed it straight to the walls.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    I always knew [Interior Design] was going to be my most powerful skill.

    Although, I wasn¡¯t planning for the clone of me that suddenly appeared in the empty chair beside Manslaughter, Fang¡¯s little book in one hand, a pen in the other¡­ like I was taking notes?  But why was I wearing glasses?  And a sweater with arm patches?

    Honestly, Gassy-Me looked a little like Horus, right?

    ¡°Is it possible that your estrangement with your son started with your own parents?  What were they like?  Were you close?¡± Clone-Me demanded.

    ¡°No, no, Nyx¡­ no more.  I can¡¯t¡­¡± Fang¡¯s mom growled.

    Clone-Me stabbed that pen at her.  ¡°Did your father leave when you were little?¡±

    Her eyes went wide.  ¡°How¡­ how did you know?¡± she hissed back.

    Meanwhile, Fang just stood there in shock ¨C his rage turning to confusion.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cole ¨C the real one ¨C whispered to me across the desk.

    I shook my head.  No idea.

    Although, it was a really good question.

    First off, I think Cole was right.  The power of the illusion was relative to the gas lightee¡¯s belief.  The strength of the illusion had increased gradually while the closeted trash goblin listened outside the door ¨C filling out, becoming more convincing, more real.  Maybe he¡¯d begun to believe it?  But why this sudden change then?  Was it something about seeing it?  And why all these odd details?  The sweater?  The glasses?

    I mean, I got the misleading, sexual moans¡­ also, the manacles and whips.  I had sort of built up that scene, hadn¡¯t I?  That was funny.  Hilarious really.  But what about that weird book and those questions?  I wasn¡¯t responsible for any of that... right?

    ¡°Do you think maybe it¡¯s your own issues ¨C growing up without a father ¨C that encouraged you to brutally murder and eat your own mates?¡± Gassy-Me continued.

    He adjusted his glasses.  ¡°That maybe your male offspring are so weak and such ineffectual hunters because they lack a strong male role model in their lives?  That maybe¡­ just maybe, you¡¯re responsible for how Fang turned out?  Frail.  Whiny.  Emasculated by even his own precious murder babies?¡± Gassy-Me demanded.

    He checked his notes.  ¡°Also, why he¡¯s in some absurd bromantic relationship with a crazy sapien with a poor grasp on reality and a penchant for interior design?¡±

    Why did Gassy-Me sound so disgusted at that last part?

    Also, I swore he just made eye contact with me!

    ¡°Maybe¡­. Oh, maybe you are¡ªyou are right,¡± Manslaughter growled.  ¡°It is just¡­ that is so deep!  Too deep!  Please stop.¡±  She moaned again as though she was in pain, writhing against her restraints.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.  I know these sensations are new, strange.  These are feelings ¨C your feelings.  Dozens of cycles of repressed emotion,¡± Gassy-Me explained.

    ¡°I hate them!  I hate them so much!¡± she cried.

    Cole and I just watched.  Speechless.

    Okay, yeah¡­ this definitely wasn¡¯t us.

    Alright, new hypothesis:  The gas-lightee was the one creating the illusions.

    Which meant we were just ¡°guiding¡± him ¨C but that was about it.  And apparently, the gas-lightee¡¯s capacity to rationalize was quite high.  Almost unlimited really.

    Like take this scene right here.  Clearly, Fang didn¡¯t see me as a viable sexual partner for his mother ¨C which was incredibly insulting.  But he did see me as a clinical madman willing to psychologically dissect my new mother-in-law.  Which was¡­ also terrible?

    ¡°Not far off, though,¡± Lili added thoughtfully.

    ¡°Now, look at your son and tell him how you feel,¡± Gassy-Me demanded.

    Oh, shit.  Fang looked real pale, the color draining from his scales.  He just stood there, trembling, sweating, staring, his daggers forgotten¡­

    You know what?  Actually, I kind of hated this.

    I mean¡­ I loved it, obviously.  But that was sort of the problem.

    The illusion was doing a better job of being me than me!  Like how was I supposed to enjoy this when Cole¡¯s spirit was stealing my thunder?  And Gassy-Me definitely looked at me this time.  He even smirked.  Smirked!

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± Fang¡¯s mom muttered.

    ¡°Do it, or I¡¯ll have to punish you again,¡± Gassy-Me insisted.  ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about the time I killed a rat ogre with my bare hands while your son just stood there and watched.¡±

    Then her eyes shot to Fang.  ¡°No!  Please!  Okay, Fang¡­ Fang you are¡­¡±

    ¡°It is¡ªit is fine.  You do not have to¡­¡± Fang stuttered, trying to stop her.  But he didn¡¯t run away.  Didn¡¯t try to flee back into the closet in the hallway.  Which could only mean one thing.  He was curious.

    ¡°But I¡­ I have to¡­  Fang, you are¡ª¡±

    He leaned forward, his daggers hanging from numb claws.

    ¡°You are weak.  So, weak.  Weaker than this handsome sapien.  He is so witty.  So charming.  So much smarter than you.  And so good looking ¨C definitely a viable sexual partner for your steam show of a mother.¡±

    What?  That¡¯s what she said!  You heard her¡­

    Okay, fine.  Technically, that last one was me.  I might have taken over.  Sorry.  All I had to do was stand behind Fang¡¯s mom and mimic her voice ¨C Cole¡¯s spirit rendering me invisible.  I couldn¡¯t just let Gassy-Me have all the fun!  It was so easy to impersonate Manslaughter.  I just added lots of ¡°s¡± sounds and then let Cole¡¯s spirit work its magic.

    Lili sighed.  ¡°We talked about this.  Also, it didn¡¯t work.¡±

    What?  But it was so convincing¡ª

    Ahh, Fang was glaring at Gassy-Me, suspicion suddenly shining in those giant yellow snake eyes.  And my clone¡¯s smile was sort of¡­ drooping?

    What?  What was going on?

    Wait, did the mean there was no way Fang could rationalize what I just said?  That there was literally no way he could imagine his mom might be attracted to me?

    Wow.  Just wow.

    ¡°What is this?  Is this real?  Where is the actual Nyx?¡± Fang demanded, his eyes skimming the room until they locked on Cole ¨C who sat frozen behind the desk, cards still in hand, his eyes wide, and his face super pale.

    Ahh, his spiderwebs had snapped, his own illusion shattering.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Fang demanded.

    ¡°Uh, my name¡­ my name is Cole¡ª¡± the elf began, flustered.

    ¡°Did you do this?¡± he demanded, pointing, murder in his eyes.

    Cole swallowed hard.  ¡°No!  No, of course not!¡±

    Fang didn¡¯t look convinced, stalking toward the elf, mist billowing and his daggers held firmly, the metal gleaming in the soft red light that was shining from somewhere.

    Ahh, this looked like a great time for me to leave¡ª

    Luckily for Cole and quite unfortunately for me, Manslaughter walked in right then ¨C the real one ¨C blasting fresh demon monkey shit from her arm with a beam of steam.

    ¡°Mr. Gracen, there¡¯s a problem in the warehouse.  Those demonic monkeys have gotten loose.  Not only that, but apparently, the entire southern gate was destroyed.  The whole thing.  It¡¯s just a pile of scrapmetal.  Where is that crazy sapien¡ª?¡±

    She cutoff as she witnessed the scene in the office.

    No one said a single word.  Although, I did notice Fang¡¯s eyes drift back and forth between the clone of his mother dangling from the ceiling and the, uh¡ªthe real one.

    The one who was glaring at the person in chains.

    Another pulse of corruption rippled through the room.

    And suddenly it was a clone of Fang hanging there.

    Except, this time, Gassy-Me wasn¡¯t sitting in the chair anymore.  I was actually holding one of the whips on the wall.  Wow.  The empty hanger was still there.  Seriously, I was impressed with the level of detail.  But what was I going to do with it?

    ¡°Do it!  Call me your [Battle Daddy]¡ª" Gassy-Me roared, raising the whip.

    Woah!  Woah, woah, woah.  Time to stop the experiment!

    Which I did.  Immediately.  By having Lili devour all of the illusions at once.  She really didn¡¯t want to but I made her.  She purred in the back of my mind, relishing the sweet influx of nimbus.  That was much better than the laughing.

    Unfortunately, the others weren¡¯t as grateful or amused.  Judging from the way they were all screaming at me, it seemed like they were stuck on the whole ¡°gaslighting thing.¡±  They looked pretty upset.  Pointing at the weird tools nailed the walls and the bloody rat sack swinging from a chain.  Also, there was lots of incoherent yelling.

    Oh, what was that?  What are you trying to ask?

    Something about Fang and the whip?

    Ahh, you must be wondering how Cole¡¯s illusions sustain themselves, right?

    Another fantastic question!  Obviously, they used some of his nimbus to get started, but my theory was that the spiderwebs were actually devouring the nimbus from the surrounding environment.  At least, judging from the way the walls had rusted rather quickly and the carpet had fallen apart.  Also, the whips and manacles had all basically disintegrated.  Which really opened up an interesting new line of questioning, didn¡¯t it?

    I mean, obviously, both animate and inanimate matter contained nimbus ¨C even back here in the Five Rivers.  Lili and I had been eating plenty of it.  Except objects didn¡¯t just disintegrate when I drained them like back in the gate.  They sort of decayed?  Different, but not that different, you know what I mean?  Like what was the implication of that?

    Was everything made of nimbus?

    But the gates were created, right?

    So had the Five Rivers been created?  And if so, by whom?

    The theory seemed sound, but I didn''t have any way to prove it.

    Well, except maybe by draining all of the nimbus in a specific point.  Which was actually really hard.  It wanted to fill that empty space back in.  Like water, or mud, or monkey shit, or blood¡­

    Anyway, maybe if I drained the nimbus really, really fast I could punch a hole in time and space. Sort of like when I absorbed the sewer bricks back in the gate.  That might prove my theory¡­ or possibly create a ravenous black hole that would swallow the entirety of the Five Rivers.  Huh, now I was super curious¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡±  Ahh, that was everyone.

    They were all staring at me ¨C which led me to believe I might have been talking out loud.  Again.  But they didn''t look quite as upset anymore!  Mostly just horrified.

    ¡°It was just theoretical,¡± I muttered.  ¡°Anyway, are you all feeling better now?¡± I chirped.  No one answered ¨C all of them just glaring.

    And then, ¡°What is happening here?¡± Fang demanded.

    ¡°Who is that?  Where is Mr. Gracen?¡±  That was Manslaughter, pointing at Cole.

    ¡°Nyx, why are you hiding behind me?¡± the elf insisted.

    Ahh, right.  I guess it was time to finally explain things.

    ¡°You are all experiencing a shared delusion caused by the proprietary blend of herbs and spices I laced into the food downstairs,¡± I explained calmly, using Cole as a shield.  An elf-shaped infused spirit item that I could browbeat into working at will.

    Shit, they were all still glaring.  I was hoping Cole¡¯s gaslight spirit would work again.

    Apparently not.  Not after the other person was aware of the deception.  Weird.

    It was almost like they didn¡¯t trust me.

    And they were all looking pretty murdery.

    So, I explained for real this time.  Which took a while.

    ¡°So, this elf has been pretending to be Mr. Gracen,¡± Manslaughter muttered sometime later.  ¡°With his persuasion spirit, which is now¡ª

    ¡°A gaslight spirit, yes.¡±

    ¡°Because of his STD?¡± Fang asked.

    ¡°Shh, he¡¯s still sensitive about it.  He got spirit raped.¡±

    Cole just flinched, his head in his hands.

    Manslaughter was massaging a temple with a claw again, a dot of blood beading there.  ¡°And Mr. Gracen is dead ¨C maybe ¨C and he left you the factory.  You?  A sapien with a broken core and no spirit?  The Hollow.  The weak, irritating child he adopted?¡±

    Didn¡¯t love any of that, but I just kept smiling.  It really hurt.

    ¡°Technically, he owned the whole town,¡± I chirped.  ¡°So, I guess I do too now, right Cole?¡±  He just groaned in pain.  Manslaughter seemed to take that as a yes.

    ¡°And this¡­ this is not more gaslighting?¡± Fang demanded.

    Everyone looked at Cole then.  ¡°No, he¡¯s telling the truth this time.¡±

    ¡°As insane as it sounds,¡± the elf muttered under his breath.

    ¡°Then that means all the damage Nyx caused to the food hall, our debt¡­¡± Fang murmured, his eyes brightening and a feral grin sliding across his face, revealing far too many teeth.  ¡°It¡¯s gone, yes?  Because we own everything?¡±

    ¡°We?¡± I demanded, crossing my arms.

    In a flash of mist Fang was standing by my side, his scaly arm threading through mine.  Which was super weird.  I don¡¯t know if you knew this, but he wasn¡¯t normally the touchy feely sort.  More stabby and abusy.

    ¡°Of course.  I get half,¡± Fang answered.

    ¡°What?  Why?  How?¡± I demanded.  ¡°This was my inheritance.¡±

    Fang scoffed, waving a clawed hand.  ¡°We are bromates, are we not?  And that entitles me to half of the bromantic estate.  These are the rules, yes?  The same rules you used against me in the hell sewer?  Do you not remember?  Lili back me up¡­¡±

    The forgetful trash goblin trailed off.

    It was probably the smile creeping across my face.

    The realization reflected in those snake-like eyes.

    My trap finally snapping into place with perfect precision.

    He tried to remove his arm then, but I didn¡¯t let him.  Oh, no.  I¡¯d learned my lesson.  I wasn¡¯t going to let him run away from this ¨C run away from us.  Not after he¡¯d just admitted our relationship in front of his mother.  The real one.

    Oh, yes.  That¡¯s right.  Fang was finally out of the closet.  He¡¯d even revealed our bromantic relationship to Manslaughter.  Or, should I say, my mother-in-law.

    Who was now looking at me with a conflicted expression.  One that warred between disgust, despair, and resignation.  Probably because I was a weak, hollow, rationally challenged sapien¡­ but also super rich.  In fact, I was her boss.  So, I could fire her at will.

    Which meant we were officially family now.

    Tied together by the loving bonds of blackmail.

    ¡°Ahh, yes, I guess Fang¡¯s right,¡± I replied, still smiling.  For some reason, it hurt less now.  ¡°Isn¡¯t he¡­ mom?¡±

    Manslaughter flinched, glared, steam pouring from her earholes.  But she didn¡¯t try to stab me.  Or punch me.  Or murder me.  Probably because she couldn¡¯t ¨C not with my battle onesie.  Instead, she just looked away.

    Meanwhile, Fang just seemed lost, slumped against me and staring vacantly.

    And Cole looked like he was going to be sick.

    See?  I told you.  I was feeling a lot better.  Great, actually.

    You just had to learn to prioritize.

    And now?  Now, it was time to survey my empire.

    ¡°Our empire,¡± Lili hissed, cackling with glee.

    Then she and Maribel hi-fived.

    Best.  Surprise party.  Ever.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 33

    Chapter 33 - Filthy Rich

    ¡°You¡¯re broke,¡± Cole announced.

    ¡°We¡¯re broke?¡± I gasped.

    ¡°I¡¯m broke?¡± Lili howled.

    ¡°He¡¯s broke?¡±  Fang ripped his arm free of my grasp.  ¡°Then I take it back.  He is not my bromantic partner.  I just said that to take advantage of his insanity.¡±

    That one was for his mother.  Manslaughter didn¡¯t seem to be buying what he was selling, however.  Which was a shame, because Fang was super broke.

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ for the thousandth time yes,¡± Cole sighed, rubbing at his eyes ¨C the company¡¯s records splayed out across Tom¡¯s dilapidated desk.

    It turned out that Tom had also been using the elf as his accountant.

    I was starting to think Cole was, well¡­ a pushover.  Like maybe he had a confidence problem?   Probably because no one had ever really challenged him ¨C not with that persuasion spirit nestled in his core.  I bet he¡¯d lived this super cushy life.  Just talking his way out of all the hard, vessel-breaking work ¨C you know the stuff that built character?

    Like imagine you asked him to haul silverfin?

    Except, he already did it, didn¡¯t he?  Didn¡¯t he?

    But that¡¯s also probably why he let the egg spirit rape him.

    Yeah, I said it!  He¡¯d told me more and honestly, I think he was asking for it¡ª

    ¡°I was.  It wasn¡¯t rape.  I thought she was a really nice person!¡± Cole snapped.  ¡°And, yeah, sure¡­ maybe it was nice that someone was finally paying attention to me.  The real me.  She was the first person my persuasion spirit didn¡¯t work on¡ª¡±

    He froze, everyone staring at him.

    ¡°That was not a warning sign?¡± Fang asked.

    ¡°Wait, so I was only your second?¡± I demanded.  I thought we¡¯d shared something special.  And now Fang was glaring at me¡­ and his mother was glaring at him.

    ¡°Enough.  You all need to focus.  I told you this place is falling apart,¡± Fang¡¯s mom growled, grossing her arms, a small cloud of steam collecting along the ceiling.

    ¡°Except it¡¯s already fallen apart,¡± Cole muttered, glaring at me before turning back to the records, his pale fingers stained black with ink.  ¡°Employees haven¡¯t been paid in weeks, morale is shit, the port is blocked with sea serpents, we have no fish or scales arriving from the south, zero inventory left to ship out ¨C even if we could get the boats out of port.  Oh, and the vault is empty.  Not a single gem.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but what about Apati?  You said I owned the city,¡± I insisted.

    He did say that, right?

    ¡°He did.  He definitely did,¡± Lili insisted.

    ¡°See?  Lili says you did,¡± I demanded.

    ¡°This voice in your head?  This so-called spirit?¡± Manslaughter asked.

    I don¡¯t know why she was using air quotes.

    Or why she was laughing and nudging Fang.

    ¡°She¡¯s calling you crazy,¡± Lili explained super helpfully.

    My eyes shot to my scaly bromate ¨C who was suddenly looking anywhere but at me.  What had that traitorous trash goblin told her exactly?  You know, when he¡¯d disappeared just before my surprise party got started?

    No, it didn¡¯t matter!  Cole knew my spirits were real, right?  He could prove it¡ª

    Ahh, his eyes were pleading with me not to say anything.

    Yeah, I guess it would be awkward explaining how I tied him¡ª

    SMACK.

    ¡°Ahh, thank you Lili,¡± I mumbled, rubbing at my jaw.

    ¡°No problem.  You were about to say that out loud again.¡±

    I figured.  Although, now everyone was definitely staring at me like I was crazy.  Not sure that did anything to help my case.

    ¡°Uh, anyway¡­¡± Cole continued slowly.  ¡°You¡¯re right, you do technically own the entire city.¡±  Ahh, okay, I was feeling better.  ¡°Except¡ª¡±

    ¡°Gods damn it, Cole.  You know I hate that word.¡±

    He nodded.  ¡°I know.  Except, I have to tell you this¡ª¡±

    I raised my motivational arm chain.  ¡°Then say it happier.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, um¡­ well, then I have some terrible news!  Uh, you also inherited a sizable debt.  I mean¡­ a truly massive, monstrous debt.  Probably more than anyone has owed?  Ever?  In the history of the Five Rivers?¡±

    Okay, mixed feelings there.

    Although, that was way easier to handle than his normal doom and gloom.

    Also, I was starting to get this strange feeling again.  One I¡¯d had for a while now.  Ever since I saw that Fin-Fan logo plastered on the side of this factory.

    And I saw the same realization reflected in Fang¡¯s traitorous yellow snake eyes.

    This wasn¡¯t paranoia ¨C it was experience.

    ¡°Tom fucked us,¡± we said at the same time.

    Ahh, see?  Who could deny that bromantic connection?

    ¡°What?  What do you mean?¡± Manslaughter demanded skeptically, eyeing me like I was just some crazy asshole her son had dragged home.

    Which meant I just needed to show her my razor sharp intellect.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± I demanded, rising and pacing the room.

    ¡°That Tom the swindler, the terrible father, the capitalistic genius, decided to throw himself at an army of ratkin?  To blow himself up with his own lightning blast?  And for Leandra?  I mean, why?  My sister is special, talented, extraordinary really.  But this is Tom we¡¯re talking about, isn¡¯t it?  The same guy that left both of us in that backwater shithole?  The one that had defrauded the entire southern Outer Reaches?

    ¡°We¡¯re just supposed to believe he blew himself up?¡±  I demanded.

    ¡°Right,¡± Fang added, raising a claw.  ¡°Where is the body, hmm?  I have blown up many, many creatures ¨C gone through many simulations,¡± he added, nodding at me. I liked that.  It sounded smart.  ¡°They always leave pieces.  Organs.  Small bones.  Lots of blood.¡±

    He was right.  Also, I was loving his enthusiasm right now.

    They were coming around ¨C Cole and Manslaughter ¨C I could see it.

    ¡°Or did he assume a ton of debt, expand way too fast for a workforce that were killing off every single member of their male population ¨C every single one except for Fang, of course.  Because he¡¯ll die alone and sexless.  A perpetual virgin¡ª

    ¡°Move on,¡± Fang hissed, nudging me with his elbow.

    Ahh, yeah.  I was losing Manslaughter.

    ¡°Anyway, my point is that this whole operation was unsustainable.  Like what if something happened to Cole ¨C his bookkeeper and professional gaslighter?¡± I asked, waving at the elf, who flinched.  ¡°This place would have just fallen apart.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s almost nice¡ª¡± the elf began, giving me a fragile smile.

    ¡°Like what if he grew a backbone and fucked Tom out of his fortune?  It would be so easy right?  His persuasion spirit was way better.  Hell, he could have just convinced Tom to give him the keys to the city, right?  And Tom knew that.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Cole¡¯s jaw snapped shut.  He looked conflicted now.

    I kept going.  ¡°The obvious answer is that Tom never planned for this operation to last forever ¨C just long enough to grow the business, create a huge hoard of gems for himself, waiting for the day that the gate outside Anchon exploded and then¡ªWHAM!  He pretends to blow himself up, leaving lots of witnesses to explain what happened to his many creditors.¡±

    ¡°And the rest of you to rot here,¡± Fang finished.

    Then we fist bumped.  Perfect analysis.  99.99% chance we were right.

    ¡°Or what if he just had a change of heart after his business slowly went broke?¡±  Manslaughter asked, looking skeptical.  ¡°Perhaps he realized what he was really missing was family?  That he¡¯d come to love two weak, pale sapiens.¡±

    We just stared back at her.  Ahh, that was¡­ uh, possible.

    Although, it felt weird coming from Fang¡¯s mom.  Out of character.

    Actually, what was that weird chortling sound Manslaughter was making?

    Ahh, she was laughing.  Was that¡ªwas that supposed to be a joke?

    Ahaha¡­ so funny.  That my adoptive father might have loved me.

    You know what was worse?  Fang thought it was fucking hilarious.

    ¡°Okay, fine¡­ the theory makes sense,¡± Manslaughter offered grudgingly, wiping the steam from her eyes.  You know, once the laughter died down.  Fang was still chuckling.

    And Cole just looked horror stricken, all wide-eyed and pale and staring into the distance ¨C like he could see his pride fleeing north toward Asphodel.

    ¡°I could have just stolen the whole operation,¡± he muttered to himself.

    Yup.  He could have.  See what I mean?  Confidence problem.  Luckily, he found us, though.  A few cycles and we would beat that carefree naivety right out of him.

    Fang¡¯s mom just rolled her eyes.  ¡°Not that it matters.  What will you do now?¡±

    At which point, my bromate and I locked eyes again.  We each nodded.

    ¡°We run away.  Run very fast,¡± we both said at once.

    For some reason, they didn¡¯t love that answer.

    ¡°Of course, I expect this from Fang,¡± Manslaughter muttered.  ¡°But you too?¡±

    Her expression was serious, her gaze holding mine ¨C judgment and sorrow lingering there.  It softened her hard edges.  ¡°I thought you might take your new responsibility seriously.  What of my people?  My daughters?  What will become of them?¡±

    Uh, this was unexpected.  Maybe another joke?

    Except she looked so serious and upset.

    ¡°Well, we just met and¡ª¡± I began.

    ¡°Is this really how you would treat your family?  Your mother-in-law?¡± she hissed, Fang frowning.  ¡°If you stay¡­ if you help us, I will even let you call me mom.¡±

    She didn¡¯t even wince as she said it.  Oh.  My.  Gods.

    This was it.  She was finally accepting me as her son-in-law!  I just knew¡ª

    ¡°Do not pretend,¡± Fang hissed, stepping in and stabbing a claw at his mother.  ¡°I see how you stab yourself in the thigh.  Where do you think I learned that trick?¡±

    Oh, shit.  She totally was!  That¡¯s how she¡¯d said all of that with a straight face?

    Wait, did that mean Fang did that too?  That he lied to me?

    ¡°We do the same thing all the time,¡± Lili offered.

    Ahh, right.  I guess that¡¯s true.  Plus, hearing that from Manslaughter had been nice.  And now Fang was all fired up.  This was the confrontation I¡¯d dreamed of for days now.

    ¡°You just want us to stay to be scapegoats,¡± he insisted.  ¡°Sacrifices for the creditors when they get here.  You hope they will take over and leave you in charge.¡±

    ¡°Or my vessel alive, at least,¡± she retorted, abandoning her ruse, not a trace of contrition on her face as she jerked the dagger free and seared the wound closed with a blast of steam.  ¡°But we need the sapien.  He¡¯s the sole living heir to Mr. Gracen¡¯s inheritance and so he controls the contract tablet.  Also, he¡¯s possibly the only person that can subdue the demon monkey outbreak in the warehouse.¡±

    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t work,¡± Fang insisted.  ¡°I can¡¯t let you destroy what I¡¯ve built.  What we¡¯ve built¡ª¡± he even snatched my arm, Manslaughter grabbing the other.

    Ahh, Fang meant our relationship!  He totally meant¡ª

    ¡°I have worked for some many cycles to train this crazy one and now he is finally useful.  He built me a death wagon!  He fetches and carries my precious treasures.  Also, his cooking is not terrible.  He keeps a tidy lair.  You can¡¯t have him.¡±

    Wow.  That sort of made me sound like his slave, didn¡¯t it?

    But, at the same time, it was also really nice to hear, you know?  To be appreciated?

    Shit.  I felt so conflicted right now.

    ¡°Plus, we¡¯re still being chased,¡± I pointed out.

    Fang winced and Manslaughter¡¯s eyes squashed flat.  ¡°Chased?  By whom?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, Horus and Eris¡ª¡± I started.

    Fang clamped a scaly hand over my mouth, but it was too late.

    ¡°Eris?  Eris Vasilios?¡± Cole demanded, snapping out of his fugue and suddenly looking panicked ¨C even more pale, if that was possible.

    I shook my head.  ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know her last name.  She¡¯s like an elf, though?  So maybe you know her?  Or she¡¯s like your sister maybe?¡± He shook his head.  Ahh, just the lizard people then.  ¡°She wears this shiny silver armor.  Bow.  Fire around her eyes¡ª¡±

    Ahh, that last detail landed hard.

    Manslaughter and Cole looked like they¡¯d seen a ghost.

    ¡°The Flame of Tartarus is chasing you?  The Sun Scientist?¡±  Cole demanded.

    ¡°Shit, shit, shit,¡± Manslaughter hissed under her breath, looking weirdly nervous.

    Meanwhile, Fang was just cradling his face in his hands.

    ¡°What¡¯s so bad about Eris?¡± I asked.  ¡°It feels like you¡¯re judging her kind of harshly.  Sure, she¡¯s a little uptight, but I think she and Horus would make a cute couple.¡±

    ¡°She is, um, passionate about her research,¡± Cole offered.

    That didn¡¯t sound so bad¡ª

    ¡°And the last time she ¡°chased¡± someone, thousands of vessels perished.  It was a huge scandal ¨C the whole of Asphodel was talking about it,¡± Cole finished.  ¡°It actually stained the waters of Styx red for weeks.  From all the blood, I mean.¡±

    Hmm.  Well, that wasn¡¯t ideal.

    Luckily, I already had a solution for that!

    ¡°No problem,¡± I answered confidently.  ¡°I actually have a plan for how to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, no¡­ you need to leave.  Now,¡± Manslaughter snapped.

    ¡°See?  I told you,¡± Fang hissed, smirking at his mother.

    ¡°This is not the time to gloat¡ª¡± she began.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to leave,¡± I interrupted.

    Now they were all staring at me again.

    ¡°What?  This place seems fun and we just got here and I want to tinker with my death wagon and I haven¡¯t even asked the real Manslaughter for stories about Fang yet.¡±

    ¡°The real Manslaughter?¡± his mom echoed, glaring again.

    ¡°We will die,¡± Fang hissed, stepping close and forcing me to look at him.  ¡°Crushed between these creditors and Eris and Horus¡ª¡±

    ¡°Except you saw how close they were getting back in the gate ¨C Horus and Eris, I mean,¡± I retorted.  ¡°Like I said, I have a plan.  Actually, it¡¯s more of an extended tour/date around Apati,¡± I shot back.  ¡°They¡¯re going to love it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be amazing,¡± Lili cackled in glee.

    See?  I was actually pretty excited about it.  I¡¯d been working up to this moment for weeks now.  Seriously, I¡¯d put in a lot of work.

    And¡­ they were all staring at me again.

    ¡°We could just drive him out,¡± Manslaughter muttered.

    ¡°With his battle onesie?  You couldn¡¯t even cut it. He will just sit in one place and won¡¯t move for weeks,¡± Fang retorted.

    She snorted, watching me spinning in Tom¡¯s really cool wheely chair.  ¡°I do not believe it.  I bet this one couldn¡¯t sit still for an hour¡ª¡±

    I came to an abrupt halt.  Oh, shit!  Did you hear what she just said?

    Manslaughter cutoff, looking uncertain as I pulled my sash from a rathole and offered it to her proudly.  Irrefutable proof of my divine-rank patience.  Meanwhile, Fang sighed, his eyes dead and soul shriveled up and howling in pain.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Fang¡¯s mom muttered.

    ¡°Proof he is insane,¡± Fang muttered. ¡°That he can and will sit in one spot for weeks.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all going to die,¡± Cole whispered to himself.

    See?  Doom and gloom again.

    Fang approached and forced me to look at him again.  ¡°Nyx, be reasonable.  Even if we stay, even if you distract Horus and Eris, there are still the creditors and we have no money.  What will we do?¡±

    ¡°I bet we can negotiate with them.  Besides, we still have some nimbus gems.¡±

    Fang flinched.  ¡°You can¡¯t give those away,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Not all of them.  But some of them maybe,¡± I retorted.

    ¡°Well¡­ well, even if you do ¨C if you save this place ¨C what then?  That elf with an egg fetish told us this is business unsustainable ¨C it was even part of our presentation, remember?¡±

    I did actually, which was reassuring.  ¡°But I also have this fifty-seven step list for how to improve Apati,¡± I said, waving the paper with all of my careful, handwritten notes.

    My bromate snatched it away.  ¡°This is just more crazy¡­¡±

    Fang trailed off, his yellow eyes skimming the paper.

    Then they shot back up to me.

    Then back to the paper.

    Then back to me again.

    ¡°When did you do this?  Write this?¡± Fang demanded.

    Ahh, well¡­ that¡¯s hard to say.  ¡°Maybe while we were playing cards?¡±

    Cole was shaking his head.  Ahh, that wasn¡¯t great.  I guess my memory was getting a little patchier lately.  But you couldn¡¯t win them all, right?

    And Fang¡¯s eyes had narrowed¡­

    ¡°Uh, Lili?  Help me out?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I got nothing.¡±

    Ahh, cool.  That wasn¡¯t concerning at all.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.  It won¡¯t work,¡± Manslaughter insisted.

    Fang didn¡¯t even bother to respond ¨C he just handed her the paper.  Cole even got up and circled around behind her, reading over her shoulder.

    And moments later, ¡°Is-is this really possible?¡± Cole asked.

    ¡°It cannot be,¡± Manslaughter insisted.

    But it was and it could.  Because I was a budding genius.

    Plus, [Engineering] had been telling me some interesting things ever since we saw those steam powered machines on the factory floor.  Something about ¡°turbines¡± and ¡°pressure systems¡± and ¡°hydraulics¡± and ¡°drive trains¡± and ¡°power steering¡± and, also¡­ strangely, something called ¡°hydroponics?¡±  I wasn¡¯t sure that was technically an engineering field, but it had the ¡°hydro¡± part in it.

    Oh, and they were all looking at me again.

    ¡°Can you really do this?¡± Fang whispered, moving close.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I answered with a shrug.

    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work?¡±  His mom that time.

    ¡°Well, then I guess you can use me as a scapegoat,¡± I answered with a broad smile ¨C one that put them all at ease.  ¡°I mean, then I¡¯d get to watch people fight over me again.¡±

    I¡¯d enjoyed that a lot.  Too much probably.

    Meanwhile, Lili was just cackling in the back of my mind.  Dreaming of the oceans of sweet, sweet nimbus that we stood to gain if my plan worked.

    And my left hand was trembling.  Maribel seemed excited.  Probably because my plan was also going to require extensive amounts of [Interior Design].

    ¡°Then I say we give it a try,¡± Manslaughter said finally.

    Fang nodded.  So did Cole.  Ahh, everyone was onboard!

    ¡°But first, you need to take care of the monkeys,¡± Fang¡¯s mom snapped.

    ¡°Ahh, no problem,¡± I answered and Maribel summoned my babies.

    They emerged from pools of shadow, bamboomers already locked and loaded and each wearing ratskin pouches full of poisoned blood fruit.  I¡¯d had a feeling Manslaughter wouldn¡¯t be able to manage the monkeys, so I¡¯d come prepared.

    ¡°Monkey problem downstairs.  Try not to kill too many,¡± I instructed my babies.  ¡°We¡¯re going to need as many as possible for the construction.  Also, the breeding pits.¡±

    All three nodded, but then refused to move.  There was this strange gleam in their eyes.  Like they were waiting for something¡ª

    ¡°Ahh, and you can each eat 5 of them,¡± I added.  ¡°But no more.  I¡¯ll count.¡±

    They just chittered at me and immediately vanished.

    Which left me alone with the others.  Cole shaking his head.  Fang hissing in delight as he re-read my plan for the third time.  And Manslaughter staring at me like I¡¯d grown a second head ¨C horror and shock warring for dominance.  Also, maybe a hint of attraction?

    It was only a matter of time.  Women are attracted to genius.

    ¡°What are you?¡± she hissed, her voice husky.

    See?  It probably helped that I was so good with children.

    ¡°Oh, nothing much.  Just hollow,¡± I answered with a big grin.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 34

    Chapter 34 - Screwed (DEMI)

    Demi

    The Flow

    ¡°Wow, it looks like you have competition,¡± Emporos muttered, taking a slurp of his lemonade and popping a handful of his nimbus popcorn.

    That¡¯s what he called those fluffy white kernels.

    I¡¯d tried to make my own but they just didn¡¯t come out the same.

    Which is why I had to rip my painted eyes away from those possibly delicious fluff balls, the merchant smirking me at me as he noticed.  I hated that.  Hated it a lot.

    Ahh, and he was still pointing at the viewing portal.  The one where the Cheater was still very much alive ¨C despite how much I¡¯d been rooting for Manslaughter to pry open that battle onesie like a fresh can of silverfin.  I might even have been counting on it.  Not that I was going to let Emporos know that.

    But the merchant was pointing at Cole¡­

    ¡°Competition?¡± I sneered, mustering all the false bravado that could fit in my tiny, empty robe.  ¡°Some elf that got raped by a spiritual omelet?¡±

    It was a far cry from a space turtle.  And I should know after the Bestiary tutorial.

    ¡°I mean, it did manage to infect his vessel and spirit,¡± Emporos shot back.  ¡°Which means it has someone on the inside now.  Someone close to Nyx.¡±

    ¡°Someone helping the Cheater, you mean,¡± I retorted.  ¡°All it managed to do was give him an even stronger power ¨C one he¡¯ll no doubt abuse in some horrible, weird way.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Emporos hummed.  ¡°If that¡¯s how you see it¡­¡±

    Then he just trailed off, watching the show.

    He kept doing this ¨C lording his experience over me.  Forcing me to keep asking all of these questions.  Like what were those kernels made of?  What did he melt over the top?  Then he sprinkled something rainbow-colored and powdery on it¡ª

    See?  It was like he was messing with me.  Trying to break me.

    But the joke was on him!  I was top of my class ¨C which meant I¡¯d also passed the orientation¡¯s torture segment with flying colors.  They¡¯d tortured me for eons and gotten nothing.  Nothing at all.  Which is why I wouldn¡¯t break now.

    I would just, um, bend.  Slightly.  Out of curiosity.

    ¡°Is there another way to see it?¡± I asked finally.

    I didn¡¯t want to and regretted it immediately as the demon¡¯s mask pivoted back to me, his eyes smoldering and painted lips curled into a macabre grin.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s dangerous to give him this power?  To gaslight anyone?  This crazy person barely holding his fragile psyche together with a patchwork of bromance and delusion?  He¡¯s already having blackouts ¨C memory loss.  This is just the beginning.  And now, with enough victims and ambient nimbus, he could warp time and space itself ¨C form a sort of temporary gate, if you will.  One that would trap even him.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ what?  Is that possible?¡± I gasped.

    ¡°Oh, it is,¡± Emporos replied with a grim smile.  ¡°When corrupted spirits grow strong enough, they start to have their own spiritual mass ¨C their own gravity, if you will.  That¡¯s how corrupted gates typically form; why your Cheater¡¯s spirit is always so hungry.  And the egg spirit basically gave him an amplifier.  If Nyx were to lose control, to give into that hunger, he might consume everything¡­ even himself.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Would he even be able to tell the difference?¡±

    He shook his head.  ¡°It was a clever move.  It seems the Flow has gotten tired of waiting for him to die¡­ or for his Skafos to intervene.¡±

    Shit.  Shit, shit, shit.

    My painted teeth were grinding.

    I couldn¡¯t let that corrupted quiche claim all the credit ¨C not after I¡¯d come this far.  I had to do something ¨C something besides avoid asking Emporos questions and completing this stupid Tutorial.  If only the Cheater would hurry up and get to the gate!  Wasn¡¯t he curious about those gems he¡¯d eaten?  He hadn¡¯t even found a Guidepost yet!  Just engaged in this endless silliness with his scaly bromate and his so-called ¡°mother-in-law.¡±

    At this rate, even if he got to the gate, he probably wouldn¡¯t even enter it.  Instead, the Cheater would probably just go on some crazy, protracted monologue all designed to fool his ¡°audience¡± while he set up some stupid event for him and his bromate.

    If only the gate could just suck him inside¡ª

    Woah.  I just had the best idea.

    But, like, in reverse.

    Hadn¡¯t Emporos said Nyx could use the gaslight spirit to form a temporary gate ¨C one that altered the Five Rivers itself?  If that was possible, then couldn¡¯t I do the same?  Force the gate to expand its power out into the Five Rivers?  Yeah, that made sense.

    And my tablet soon indicated that was actually a thing.

    Go Demi!  I knew I had it in me!

    It was called a domain-type gate.  There was even a helpful description¡­

    Introduction to Domain-Type Gates

    Corrupted gates are distinguished by both their layout and their method of generating nimbus.  A traditional gate conjures creatures that emerge from the gate, destroying and killing local flora and fauna to harvest nimbus.  However, it is possible for a gate to adopt a different approach to nimbus gathering.

    Specifically, a corrupted gate may expand its nimbus into the surrounding environment, altering the surrounding matter and extending the gate¡¯s ¡°domain¡± into the Five Rivers.  Often some sort of prize or reward is offered at the epicenter of the gate ¨C one intended to draw in native fauna.  Then the gate closes around the victim, killing it and absorbing its nimbus.

    However, such gates have also been known to have drawbacks, including¡­ (tap for more)

    I eyed those stupid parenthesis suspiciously, sparing a glance at Emporos ¨C however, my squatter was still focused on the screen.  So, I tapped it.  Discreetly.

    Error.  Permission Denied.

    You lack the required training to access this information.

    Please complete the Domain Gate Tutorial to continue.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± I hissed.

    ¡°Ahh, something wrong?¡± Emporos asked, suddenly standing at my shoulder.

    I spun, whirling my tablet away from him, my painted eyes glaring.  ¡°Back across your line.  You know the rules,¡± I snapped at him as I pointed at the line of fluffy nimbus I¡¯d painted across the floor of my office, his wagon crammed into the other side.

    ¡°Ahh, yes.  My apologies,¡± he replied, not looking sorry at all.  ¡°You just seemed distraught,¡± he offered as he stepped back over the line.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.  I¡¯m fine,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Really?  You don¡¯t need any assistance?¡±

    I did.  I really, really did.  But at the same time, I didn¡¯t trust Emporos.  I¡¯d already agreed to his stupid trade ¨C which really just seemed like I¡¯d given up the viewing portals for free.  But I tried to tell myself it was okay.  If the Cheater survived the next gate, the merchant had promised to help me bypass the Tutorials.   All of them.

    I should ask for help.  Or, at the very least, I should complete the tutorial first.  Especially after what happened last time with PK ¨C or, err, I meant the Toxifovos.  Making changes without having complete information was dangerous.  It could blow up in my face.

    And there was no downside to asking him for help ¨C at least, not obviously.

    But that just made me more suspicious of Emporos.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I answered, tapping at my tablet.  ¡°Just making some routine adjustments to the gate.  Checking to make sure nothing changed,¡± I explained.

    Also, dramatically expanding its power, converting it into a domain-type gate, and selecting the perfect prize to place at its center ¨C one the Cheater would never be able to resist in a million, billion cycles.  You know, doing my job.

    ¡°Well, alright,¡± Emporos replied with a shrug.  ¡°Could you switch the portal back to Horus and Eris?  Nyx seems like he¡¯s going to be tinkering for a while.¡±

    I sighed, settling back on my Floaty Couch<sup>?</sup>.  Was that all I was to him now?  The remote control for the viewing portal¡ª

    Although, my painted eyes soon went round, staring in horror as the viewing portal shifted to a familiar, insane cottage nestled beside a poisonous lake.  The one where Horus and Eris were still staying with no obvious plan to ever leave.

    And with it came another thought; another niggling doubt.

    Maybe¡­ maybe I wasn¡¯t very good at this job.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 35

    Chapter 35 - R&R

    Divine Memory Crystal

    Eris'' Field Report ¨C Divine Beast

    I realize I¡¯ve been remiss in updating my field reports.

    However, the last few weeks have been¡­ eventful.

    Upon reaching the ¡°PB&B,¡± we were attacked and Horus was badly injured.  He had no detectable heartbeat for 1 minute and 6 seconds.  The culprit was a divine beast.  A Toxifovos.  A legend in living flesh and covered in quivering steel armor.  Between Horus¡¯ injuries and this new threat, we had no choice but to remain at the cottage.

    ¡°R&R¡± Horus called it.

    And he was right.  It was critical that we rest & research.

    Specifically, to allow Horus¡¯ strange wounds to heal, which has taken far, far longer than expected.   Internal damage or a consequence of the Toxifovos¡¯ unique toxin, most likely.  At least, according to Danae.  Apex¡¯s scans of Horus¡¯ vessel revealed little information.  My current hypothesis is that his fur blocks my spirit¡¯s nimbus.  So, of course, I was forced to conduct a thorough physical examination.

    My findings were inconclusive.

    Further research is needed.

    Of course, such downtime has delayed our pursuit of the Hollow and his companion.

    However, the opportunity to study a divine beast was too enticing to pass up.  Even close to Asphodel, beasts and vessels with such power are incredibly rare ¨C their movements tracked and their abilities heavily studied and investigated.  Such power represents a risk not only to the Orders but to the stability of the whole Five Rivers.

    Even more strangely, the divine beast appears to have allowed the Hollow to create structures near its lair ¨C that odd cottage, the poison springs and attached dock, the grove of blood fruit trees in the distance, and the retaining wall that wraps the property, preventing the encroachment of the screaming bamboo.  Of course, all of it labeled with Nyx¡¯s name.

    This points to one inevitable, impossible conclusion.

    The Toxifovos doesn¡¯t view the Hollow as a threat.

    In fact, there is some¡­ evidence that they are even on friendly terms.

    Specifically, the image carved into the side of the miniature mountain the Toxifovos claimed as its lair.  It was hard to make out until the attack ¨C until my spirit had scorched the stone black.  Yet, now it stood out in sharp relief.  Almost like the Hollow planned for this.

    Yet that¡¯s impossible, of course.

    The pattern was heart shaped.

    And in the center?  These arcane symbols:

    PK+Nyx

    BFFs 4Ever

    Was it some code?  Some trick?  What did ¡°BFF¡± stand for?  Who or what was this ¡°PK?¡±  And why had the divine beast allowed that mad sapien to etch such a message onto the side of its lair?  Were they working together somehow?  Had he tamed a divine beast?

    Of course, I had no choice but to investigate further ¨C to scour the beast¡¯s cave in search of clues.  To inspect every corner of that macabre cottage.  To study the springs that bubbled and frothed, poisonous gas glowing and wafting in huge clouds overtop the surface.  To walk beneath the boughs of those blood-fruit trees¡ª

    And that¡¯s where I reached a revelation.

    That grove¡­ that grove had been cultivated.  Not for mere days or weeks.  But for cycles.  Decades.  Centuries.  Far longer than the Hollow could have been present here.  Did that imply that divine beast was growing the fruit?  A sign of intelligence?  Unfortunately, none of the other researchers have lived long enough to confirm whether this is unique to the toxifovos or a trait all divine beasts share.

    Even more interesting was how such a grove could exist here.  Of course, blood fruit is considered a delicacy within Asphodel, its juice and meat containing huge quantities of nimbus ¨C the roots fertilized with dead vessels, their nimbus recycled.  Typically, the juice is distilled many times and alcohol is added to help preserve the tincture.  Even in such a form, small quantities are enough to heavily accelerate a vessel¡¯s growth.  Many royal families have their children drink such tonics from a young age.  Consequently, large tracts of the limited land around Asphodel are devoted to the plant¡¯s cultivation.

    However, the blood groves thrive in a nimbus rich environment.  It is unheard of for a grove to exist in the Outer Reaches, where the nimbus is thin and the vessels weak.  So, how have the trees grown out here?  And not only grown, but thrived?  The fruits on those branches are several times larger than normal.

    After extensive study, my working hypothesis is that the screaming bamboo forest makes an ideal growing environment ¨C however ironic that might seem.  Normally, the bamboo would encroach on the trees and devour them.  However, the Toxifovos must have been cutting back the vegetation ¨C as evidenced by the massive piles heaped outside the walls and the claw marks etched deep into the soil.

    The creature then shredded the bamboo into a coarse mulch ¨C laying the substance in big heaps around the base of the blood fruit trees.  More monkey corpses were piled on top of that, their bodies slowly destroyed by the bamboo as its tried to regrow, creating a bloody slurry that the trees are able to readily absorb.

    Yes, that¡¯s right.  The trees are being fertilized.

    Not just with corpses ¨C dead and desiccated vessels ¨C but with plants.

    Something previously thought impossible.

    My research then pivoted to the bamboo.  Why was this incredibly invasive species being used as fertilizer?  Previous attempts to study the bamboo were considered too dangerous ¨C the risk of infection too high.  Many such facilities had to be purged with flame and fire.  Yet the introduction of the poo-crete offered a new solution.  A way to contain the bamboo and study it safely.  Or¡­ more safely.

    After dissecting the bamboo and studying the flow of nimbus with Apex¡¯s assistance, the answer became clear.  The bamboo absorbs the nimbus from the mists that cascade off of Cocytus.  The tubes regularly contract, pulling the mist down into their depths, leaching the nimbus from the water and then expelling the remaining vapor with a wheezing cough.

    This explains the plant¡¯s incredible growth and regenerative properties.  Each stalk is brimming with nimbus, the younger ones similar in strength to a bronze-rank vessel.  However, the older tubes are closer to silver or even gold.

    And when combined with the monkey corpses, the trace amounts of poo-crete stored within the monkey¡¯s intestines appear to partially neutralize the bamboo¡¯s regenerative property ¨C at least, enough for the blood fruit trees to absorb the bloody mash.  If the grove is then enclosed in more poo-crete, that prevents the forest from encroaching on the grove and from any trace amounts of fertilizer from escaping.

    The result is a blood fruit grove that can grow in an otherwise nimbus-poor environment.  Safely.  With minimal risk to the surrounding environment.

    This¡ªthis is incredible!  Remarkable really.

    The scientific discovery of the century!

    If such an operation could be expanded ¨C the bamboo cultivated intentionally ¨C it might even be possible to grow the blood fruit all along the banks of the five rivers.  This would represent a massive increase in arable land.  It would also allow local vessels to increase their strength and help bolster the power of the Orders¡¯ ranks ¨C especially if the fruit was refined into high-concentration elixirs or pills.

    The results are extraordinary and should more than compensate for the casualties incurred during the gate and our pursuit of the Hollow.

    Now, all that¡¯s left is to follow our quarry.

    We are only waiting for the rain to stop¡­

    End of Report

    *          *          *

    PB&B Outdoor Patio

    Eris

    The rain pitter pattered against the poo-crete umbrella that hung overhead, each droplet sizzling as it landed, sending up a small tuft of steam.  The rain here was highly acidic, likely due to the poisonous springs, that glowing green gas stretching out across the sloping lawn, creating pockets of glimmering emerald among the haze.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Far too acidic to leave the safety of the cottage.  Danae and her spirit were not strong enough to withstand the poison.  Not yet.  Not for tens or hundreds of miles.

    Fortunately, that me more time to pursue my research.

    ¡°Are the springs important?¡± I murmured aloud, eyeing the papers littering the surface of the table ¨C all of my notes and diagrams ¨C as well as glass jars filled with samples.

    There had to be some reason that the divine beast had chosen this location.  The poison seemed to have no effect on the blood grove or the poo-crete ¨C despite being highly toxic to organic matter.  It appeared that the toxifovos might have poured small amounts onto the fertilizer to help create the blood slurry and delay the regenerative properties of the bamboo.  However, in my tests, it wasn¡¯t strictly necessary.

    ¡°Perhaps to drive away the monkeys?¡±

    That could be possible.  They would likely be attracted to those blood fruits and that toxic gas quickly ate through the monkey¡¯s fur and skin.

    ¡°That¡¯s the question you¡¯re focusing on?  Really?¡± Apex demanded.

    ¡°Can you honestly say you aren¡¯t intrigued?¡± I shot back.  ¡°You¡¯re looking at one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in centuries.  A way to leech nimbus directly from the rivers.  We could reduce our casualties substantially with this.¡±

    We could drink the river water, of course, but it didn¡¯t bind to the nimbus as strongly as blood or organic matter.  Typically, rare ingredients from the corrupted gates were used to create tinctures and teas.  Plants and creatures stolen from the depths of Tartarus.  Flesh and blood made ideal vessels for that energy.

    ¡°It is fascinating,¡± Apex agreed.  He¡¯d been much more willing to lend me his powers for my research.  ¡°However, I feel like you¡¯re avoiding the real question.¡±

    ¡°And what question is that?¡± I snapped back, growing frustrated.

    Why was he always like this?  Forcing me away from my research?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?  Why are we still here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahh, a fresh batch of tarts just came out of the oven,¡± a deep voice suddenly boomed across the little courtyard that rested just off the cottage ¨C a table and chairs and my umbrella perched on a patio of poo-crete.

    The tavros held an umbrella made of more poo-crete in one hand to ward off the acid rain ¨C there had been several anchored to the wall next to the front door.  And in the other?  A tray of pastries, crimson fruit bubbling around a flaky white crust.  They smelled divine.

    I quickly sat up straight, organizing the papers scattered across the desk ¨C the results of my research.  Drawings of the various plants.  Tentative designs for a more sophisticated blood-fruit farm ¨C a commercial operation that would span dozens of acres.

    Horus set down the tarts and my stomach growled loud enough to drown out Apex¡¯s complaining and irritating questions.   And one bite was enough to settle that buzzing anxiety in my stomach ¨C that feeling that always arose when Apex started asking his questions.

    ¡°Wow, they¡¯re so good,¡± I mumbled around a mouthful of tart.  ¡°What is it?¡±

    Horus looked proud, standing there in his huge apron.

    ¡°Something new.  I had an idea.  What if I were to refine the bamboo into a flour?  Could I bake with it?  One punch was all it took.  Then I added a small sprinkle of that poisonous spring water to prevent the bamboo from regrowing and more fresh water to create a paste, which I kneaded and then rolled flat.  For the filling, I chopped up blood fruit, simmered it in river water, and reduced it down.¡±

    He glanced back at the cottage, a thick plume of smoke wafting into the sky.

    ¡°Then it just took a minute or two in the Hollow¡¯s oven.  It is very hot.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fantastic,¡± I murmured, already on my second.

    Horus looked flattered, bamboo flour stuck to his fur in small patches.

    ¡°They even have this little kick to them.  What is that?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, some ground mushrooms from the garden,¡± he answered.

    Of course, the giant glowing toadstools that were growing along the wall of the cottage.  I recognized them from the hell sewer ¨C Nyx must have brought some back and replanted them here.  My brow furrowed.  I hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to study them yet, too distracted by the divine beast and the blood fruit grove.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to examine them more carefully,¡± I offered.  Especially since Danae seemed addicted.  She was just sitting under another umbrella, a half-eaten platter of barbeque sliders resting beside her and her eyes staring blankly into the distance.  After a few days, she¡¯d taken to crumbling up the mushrooms into a faintly glowing paste, drying them by the fire until they turned into a powder, and then sprinkling them on her burgers.

    ¡°Or, you know, we could just leave?¡± Apex cut in.  ¡°Chase this Nyx person?  Answer all of our many, many questions about him?  Or have you forgotten our mission?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t.  But the rain prevents us from traveling safely.¡±

    An excuse.  I could likely blast away the storm front with Apex¡¯s help.  However, I also didn¡¯t want to endure answering any more of his irritating questions.

    ¡°Besides, my research is important,¡± I snapped back, that buzzing anxiety returning with a vengeance and my shoulders suddenly feeling tense again.

    ¡°Or you¡¯re just looking for an excuse to procrastinate,¡± he shot back dryly.  ¡°I wonder why, hmm?  Maybe it has something to do with your personal chef there?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡±

    However, I never got a chance to respond.  Not as Horus¡¯ strong hands wrapped around my shoulders, kneading at those fresh knots as I let out an involuntary groan of pleasure.  How was he so good at this?

    ¡°You look tense,¡± Horus observed.  ¡°Here, have another pastry.¡±

    Another bite and my remaining tension melted away.

    In my defense, they were really, really good.

    Several minutes later, Horus soon took a seat beside me, the two of us just watching the rain, the clouds of poisonous gas.  Neither of us talking.  No one peppering me with irritating questions.  It was peaceful.  It even reminded me of¡­

    ¡°Of what?¡± Horus asked suddenly.

    Ahh, had I said that out loud?  That was odd.  However, I found it difficult to care at the moment, another pastry already in hand.  The food always made me feel so calm.

    My eyes gazed into the distance, the memory flickering through my mind ¨C sharp edges sanded down by the weeks we¡¯d spent in this cottage.

    ¡°Ahh, I was just thinking of my childhood,¡± I murmured.  ¡°This reminds me of the family estate where I stayed as a young vessel.  It was always raining there.  Just like this.  The servants would bring us pastries in between our lessons and fighting practice.¡±

    ¡°They made you pastries?¡± Horus asked in confusion.

    ¡°Maria did,¡± I amended with a nod.  ¡°The supplements were too bitter ¨C those tinctures and pills.  So, she worked them into my meals instead.¡±

    Horus chuckled and my cheeks flushed.

    Likely just the warmth of the pastries.  Yeah, that made sense, right?

    Certainly not the way his glowing white eyes watched me with such intensity.

    ¡°Not your parents?¡± Horus asked.

    I scoffed.  ¡°Hardly.  I didn¡¯t see my mother or father for my first thirty cycles,¡± I explained.  ¡°They sent me to the estate.  For my safety, they said.¡±

    As I saw Horus¡¯ confusion, I continued, ¡°The royal families are quite competitive.  Dangerous.  Assassination among families is common.  Expected really.  It helps forge us into stronger vessels.¡±  I couldn¡¯t quite remove the bitterness from my voice as I stared down at the fresh pastry in my hand.

    In fact, this was the first time I¡¯d had one in centuries.

    Ever since my maid ¨C my surrogate mother ¨C had tried to poison me.

    It was still so vivid.  Maria¡¯s beaten and bloodied face kneeling before me, my small hands wrapped around her furry throat, fire blazing down my arms.  Her tears evaporating, leaving scorched black streaks down her cheeks and her tails twitching.  My instructors watching calmly, looking for any trace of doubt or hesitation or emotion.

    A scared mother staring back ¨C her real children kidnapped and held as blackmail.   Her adopted child delivering her execution.

    Yet I¡¯d had no choice.  No option but to grasp for something ¨C anything ¨C to anchor me; to make sense of this.  To answer the questions that buzzed through my mind.

    And then there it was.  Logic.  Cold and calculating and inevitable.

    Her children were just vessels.

    This woman ¨C just a vessel.

    Merely containers for what really mattered.

    I repeated that over and over and over like a mantra.  Willed myself not to feel the pain in my chest, to hold back the sobs that threatened to burst from my chest, to not let any of those unwanted emotions show on my face¡ª

    ¡°Born into battle.  Much like the herd,¡± Horus grunted.

    I looked up sharply to see him watching me, his gaze knowing ¨C a bottomless well of hardship and suffering and pain reflected there; one I could easily get lost in.

    We held each other¡¯s gaze, a tenuous connection hovering between us.  New questions came to me then ¨C not about Nyx, or his madness, or my brother¡¯s motives, or the divine beast, or those delicious, macabre fruits.  No, these were about Horus.  About his life.  About the tavros and the herd.  Where had he grown up?  What had his childhood looked like?  How had he come to join the Order?  What had created that pain so similar to mine?

    And why had I never thought to ask before now?

    Maybe I hadn¡¯t wanted to know the answers¡ª

    A whistle emerged from the cottage, a shriek that destroyed that fragile connection.

    ¡°Ahh, I forgot I left some tea on the stove,¡± Horus gasped, rising swiftly and barreling back toward the cottage, his umbrella lying there forgotten.

    Sparkling acid rain touching his thick fur, only to ripple off harmlessly.

    I watched him go, feeling conflicted.  Almost¡­ upset?

    ¡°What is wrong with me?¡± I muttered, shaking my head.

    What was this weakness?  These questions?  These memories ¨C buried deep but never truly forgotten.  No matter how many centuries past, I was still that little girl.

    I could ignore it.  Distract myself.  Repeat a new mantra ¨C one filled with all of my many, many questions.  All to avoid another¡­

    ¡°Why am I still here?¡± I murmured.

    That¡¯s what Apex had been trying to ask.

    And now that the question had been put into words, my spiritual tormentor was quiet.  Too quiet.  Not offering any acknowledgement, any answer.

    Yet my eyes gave me away as they stared back at that cottage.

    ¡°Would we make a cute couple?¡±

    That¡¯s what Apex had asked.  Just before Horus died.

    And when pressed ¨C with my back to the wall ¨C my answer had been yes.

    Maybe¡­ maybe that was because that¡¯s how I truly felt?

    Or maybe this was just history repeating itself?  Was Horus another Maria?  Another weakness?  Another vulnerability?

    My eyes shot down to the table, to those pastries.  Not laced with a poison potent enough to kill ¨C but perhaps just enough to subdue?  To force me to relax; to drop my guard? To render Danae incapacitated and staring blankly at the mists?  To get her out of the way?

    More questions I¡¯d been avoiding¡­

    My fingers pulled a small jar from my pouch, touching the cool glass gently.  Nestled inside was a tuft of fur ¨C Horus¡¯ fur.  It had been severed when the Toxifovos attacked, his impressive body limp and broken and bloodied.  I wasn¡¯t sure why I¡¯d kept it ¨C not at first, anyway.  A token?  Some strange sentiment?  Or possibly curiosity?

    Especially as I watched it mend itself.  Push out the blood and paralytic venom.  Regrow.  Regain its lustrous shine despite no longer being attached to Horus.

    And as the days past, a new question taunted me¡­

    If the Toxifovos had nearly killed Horus ¨C had managed to slice through his impossible, impenetrable fur before, why didn¡¯t its spines cut it now?  There had been plenty lying on the ground ¨C each gathered and stored for my research.  Certainly, enough to test my theory with a quick stroke¡ª

    ¡°Ahh, here we go,¡± Horus boomed once more, emerging from the cottage, two steaming cups and a crude metal tea kettle resting on another platter.

    I quickly hid the jar ¨C that incriminating evidence.  Tucked it away and buried it once more ¨C at least, from sight; from Horus¡¯ far-too-perceptive gaze.

    Yet as tavros set the tea on the table and I took a sip, the questions remained.

    Why was Horus helping me?  Why was he here?  Had he always known how to cook like this?  How had he learned these recipes?  Was he poisoning me?  Danae?  Was he really working with my brother?  And to what end?  Some sort of scandal?  The succession?  And how did Nyx tie into all of this?  Was he just a coincidence?  Was he working with Kastor and Horus?  Some sort of agent of the Order?  One capable of subduing a divine beast?

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 36

    Chapter 36 - Remodeling

    Apati

    Nyx

    This was it.  The part of the family vacation where you visit your bromate¡¯s secret and still-very-much-alive family and they rope you into doing some ¡°light remodeling work¡± for zero pay, entirely at your own expense, and using all of your hard-earned loot.

    Either that, or their creditors would hunt you across time and space.

    See?  Blackmail.  That¡¯s how I knew we were already friends ¨C already family.

    And it was better than I¡¯d ever imagined.

    The remodeling, I mean.

    And there¡¯d been plenty of opportunities for imagining back in Anchon.  As I hauled the silverfin, and shoveled crap, and braved the marshes without a spirit ¨C my broken, beaten, and bloodied vessel often throbbing in pain.  As I did literally all of the shit work only to have the other villagers cheat me out of those silly wooden chits.  Out of dinner.  Also, breakfast and lunch and this new thing I¡¯d just learned about it.  It was called brunch.

    Imagine that, a meal right between breakfast and lunch?  Crazy.

    I just kept learning new ways the villagers had mistreated me¡­

    Anyway, you remember, right?  Holonomics?  The Rules?  The mantras?  A legal and economic system built up around a bunch of poetry?  Yeah, it was terrible.

    Which is why I had a few notes.

    Okay, a ton of notes.  Too many probably.

    Luckily, my mind is a steel trap.

    Which was fortunate because I¡¯d been handed a perfect opportunity ¨C the chance to finally turn my dreams into horrifying reality¡­ and to, uh, also avoid being gruesomely murdered or hunted by yet another group of Guides.  The chance to remodel not just an underground sewer lair, or a gas station, or a kitchen, or a cute bed and breakfast, but an entire city.  An entire culture.  The whole thing.  From the ground up.  Even lower sometimes.

    Apati technically had more than a few underground storage areas.

    Also, an extensive tunnel system.

    Now, I know what you¡¯re probably thinking.

    Does enduring a lifetime of torture at the hands of a bunch of backwater villagers make me qualified to design and implement brand-new economic and political systems?  To force my new and untested technology on these cranky lizard people?  To upend their entire business model and replace it with something of my own unique design?

    No¡­ no, probably not.

    But, counter point, does it matter?

    I mean, we all have an immortal spirit, right?  And these vessels seem temporary, don¡¯t they?  Kinda flimsy?  Plus, aren¡¯t all our fleeting endeavors ultimately doomed to failure?  Look at Anchon!  Yeah, in shambles and taken over by the Order of Apollo.  Or Apati?  Built by a conman who peaced out with all of their hard-earned money.  Or what about my lair?  My swimming pool?  My heated bath?  Do you have any idea how long those took to build?  And where are they now, hmm?

    Yup, gone ¨C just vanished back into the Flow.

    I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is that, given enough time, everything falls apart.  Everything.  Vessels.  Tools.  Lairs.  Towns.  Socio-economic systems.  Even relationships.

    Like when you discover that your adoptive father was apparently running a long con on your entire village and very much at your expense?  Oh, or that your sister was actually his favorite ¨C which you knew deep down, of course, but at least it had gone unspoken?  You know, so that you could still pretend?  Or when your bromate keeps his totally-not-dead family secret and then lies to them about your [Bromance]?  Also, how he keeps avoiding your questions about that really interesting ancient forge ¨C along with the rest of his family¡­

    Which doesn¡¯t bother you at all.  Not even a little fucking bit.

    Anyway, my point is that it all falls apart.

    No matter how hard you try to hold it together¡­

    Which is actually awesome, right?

    Because that means none of it matters!  That we shouldn¡¯t be afraid of tearing down something old, or building something new, or disrupting the status quo or killing a few hundred¡­ thousand people.  Because it¡¯s all meaningless anyway and will be washed away by the tides of time.  Because our lives are just an inconsequential horror-fueled nightmare with an inevitable end that most people won¡¯t remember.

    So, when life hands you shit, you know what you should do?

    Exactly!  Throw it at the wall and see what sticks!

    And I¡¯m a disruptor.

    Which means my shit always sticks.

    But you don¡¯t have to trust me.

    I can prove it.  I have a plan.

    After many cycles in a lightless abyss and facing the relentless and gruesome prospect of being murdered on a daily basis, I learned something.

    Hobbies are important.  They keep you sane.  Or sane-adjacent.

    And do you know what¡¯s the most important step to any new remodeling project?

    You¡¯re probably going to say materials and labor.

    Which is wrong.  It¡¯s morale.

    Now, just hear me out before you judge.  Say you want to build a highway through a screaming bamboo forest, right?  One made of monkey shit?  That you had to squeeze out of each monkey?  One by one?  While they screamed and clawed and stared up at you ¨C pleading for death?  You need something to get you through that.

    Over that murder hump, as I call it.

    Something that will let you wrench that precious poo-crete from their squirmy little bodies without pondering the karmic weight of subjugating an entire race of creatures ¨C dooming them to an existence of suffering and death for your own benefit and uncomfortably reminiscent of how your adoptive, conman father treated you.

    In my case, that was easy.

    The monkeys were clearly shit-flinging, knock-off rats with no respect for others¡¯ property rights that needed to be taught their place in the furry pecking order ¨C one way, way below my perfect murder babies.

    Then, boom!  I can twist those suckers, no problem.

    Which brings me to my point ¨C morale is about telling a story.

    And any good writer knows that starts by considering your audience.

    In this case, the residents of Apati.  Fang¡¯s secret family.

    Over the last few days, I¡¯d learned that there was only one thing they had in common.  One thing that could reach their dead, shriveled hearts.  One thing that got them up in the morning and lulled them into a hissful sleep each night.  One thing that had prevented them from killing each other off cycles ago.

    Loot.  Cold.  Hard.  Loot.

    So, my first step as CEO was to call a meeting.  Yeah, that¡¯s right.  A meeting of the entire town.  More than a thousand murderous lizards and a sprinkling of other minority races filling the courtyard outside the Fin-Fan factory.  Of course, they were all ecstatic to see me again.  Screaming and clapping and shouting and chanting my fake name¡­

    What?  Why are you looking at me like that?  You don¡¯t believe me?  Again?

    I can prove it, though!  Look at Fang¡¯s mom¡ª

    ¡°What is this?¡± Manslaughter asked in disbelief, staring out at the crowd.  ¡°Why are they chanting his name?  This is madness.¡±

    See?  Told you it was real.

    ¡°Just wait.  It will get worse.  So much worse,¡± Fang hissed in pain.

    He¡¯d been onboard with the plan until he read the speech I¡¯d prepared, then he was nothing but a wellspring of negativity.  Maybe he was just bitter that his family was accepting me so easily ¨C that they¡¯d welcomed me into their steamy embrace.

    How even his mom was starting to look at me with that smoldering¡ª

    ¡°No, it is because you tricked me,¡± Fang snapped.  Ahh, my mouth still had no filter.  ¡°And this so-called ¡°plan¡± is a steaming pile of kraell shit¡ª

    ¡°You know what, if you can¡¯t say something nice, then you¡­¡±

    I started strong but trailed off uncertainly, my brow scrunched in confusion.  I was getting the weirdest sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.  Fang just watched me, his snake eyes squashed flat.

    I wasn¡¯t sure why I couldn¡¯t finish.  It just felt¡­ wrong somehow.

    ¡°Nevermind.  Just watch,¡± I snapped.  ¡°My plan is going perfectly so far.¡±

    It hadn¡¯t even been hard.  Especially since most of crowd remembered me from the party the night before and Pietr was ¡°tickling the pipes¡± inside the Fin-Fan factory, those tortured screams getting the crowd¡¯s adrenaline pumping ¨C also, their prey drive humming.  It also helped that my precious babies were dispensing a fresh batch of friendship juice to the crowd ¨C one we¡¯d whipped up with most of our remaining bloodfruit.

    Luckily, we¡¯d brought plenty.

    We threw one hell of a pa¡ªum, meeting.  Yeah, that¡¯s what I was going to say.

    And just when the excitement reached its peak, I pulled out a tube of bamboo, caught the crowd¡¯s attention, and hauled Cole up onto the stage with me.  He looked really nervous.  He hated this part of the plan for some reason.  I had to wrap him up with my arm chain and drag him on stage as he clawed at the stairs and sobbed uncontrollably.

    ¡°No, please¡­ please don¡¯t make me be a part of this!  They¡¯ll kill us both!  I¡¯m too young and pretty to die.  There¡¯s still so much for me to live for.  Like¡ªlike maybe all of my older siblings will die and I¡¯ll inherit a fortune!  It could still happen¡ª¡±

    Normally, this would have set a weird tone.

    But, remember, your audience is important.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Fang¡¯s family loved it.

    Yet I had something even more amazing planned.

    ¡°How are you all doing?¡± I asked, my voice booming through the tube.

    The answering roar was overwhelming, wrapping me in layers of pulverizing sound and more than a little steam.  Like a hot ¡°sound hug.¡±

    ¡°So, pretty good then?¡±

    Another roar.  That looked like a yes.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect.  Because I have some news.  You¡¯re all fired!¡±

    The resulting silence was sudden and utterly deafening.

    All of them were just staring at me with those murderous yellow eyes, Cole sobbing and shivering and shaking behind me.  Ahh, yeah¡­ this could be why he was nervous.

    Okay, before you judge me too, just wait until you hear my reasoning!

    ¡°Sorry.  There¡¯s no choice.  We¡¯re out of money, we have no way to continue paying your salaries, we have no product, no way to ship in more with the sea serpents and the Order of Apollo setting up camp in Anchon, no inventory left to sell, and our creditors are likely already on their way here to collect on the company¡¯s crippling debt,¡± I explained, listing out each of our problems on my fingers.

    See?  Mind like a steel trap.

    Except, I still had the notes written on my other hand¡­

    Fuck.  They were gone ¨C just blood-red streaks now.

    I may have forgotten to account for the steam.  And Fang was laughing at me off stage, but I couldn¡¯t let him win¡­

    Yeah, this was, uh, fine.  I¡¯m pretty good at improvising anyway.

    ¡°Plus, this town was designed and run like crap,¡± I continued.  ¡°Like who is even in charge?   And how did they get that job?  Probably nepotism, right?  Or fraud?  And is it really okay to kill your sexual partner?  Every time?  Wouldn¡¯t some sort of law enforcement system help cut down on that?  Also, ensure a stable population and workforce?  Maybe some schooling for the few males left?  Survival training of some sort?  Buzzkill would be great at that.  He¡¯s always running away from our relationship¡­¡±

    The crowd didn¡¯t seem to love any of that ¨C the silence suddenly filled with the sound of scraping metal and the whirring grind of a few hundred power tools spinning up to speed.

    Hard to know what triggered them there.

    That was fine.  I just needed to keep going¡­

    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t even be mad!  You¡¯re owned by the company.  It says it right here in your employment agreement,¡± I said, waving the contract tablet.  ¡°You¡¯re just assets.   All of you.  Not just Fang¡¯s mom, which is weird¡­¡±

    I trailed off, double checking the contract.

    For some reason, they didn¡¯t love that either.  Although, the upside was that Fang tried to stab me for the crack about his mom ¨C only for Manslaughter to put him down with a punch to the back of the head.  I couldn¡¯t tell if that was because she was flattered or wanted to stick to the plan.  Either way, that earned me some points back with the crowd.

    Like I said, it¡¯s incredibly important to know your audience.  Vital really.

    Fortunately, that also bought me enough time to make my point.

    ¡°Except, you aren¡¯t assets if I fire you, right?  Which means our creditors can¡¯t collect on your slave¡ªerr, employment contracts.  I¡¯m trying to protect you.  Although, again, technically Fang¡¯s mom is still an asset¡­ because her ass just can¡¯t quit.¡±

    Ha!  Fang¡¯s mom even hiss-laughed at that one.

    And Fang looked so upset.  Oh, shit, he was about to make a murder misty¡ª

    Time to hurry this thing along!

    ¡°Anyway, as I was saying, you are free to leave.  To flee before the creditors get here.  I just¡­ I just couldn¡¯t see any harm come to you ¨C my new friends.  My new family.¡±

    I¡¯d just blown their tiny lizard brains.  I could tell.  The crowd was just staring at me with wide eyes, impotent power tools whirring down slowly.

    Which left them weak.  Confused.  Vulnerable.

    Susceptible to an emergency infusion of morale.

    Yup, you guessed it.

    I sold them one hell of a story.

    ¡°Or¡­ you could stay and help me fix this mess,¡± I offered to some skeptical hisses.

    ¡°I know ¨C I know ¨C you¡¯re probably asking yourself why, right?  Why should you trust this rationally-challenged sapien that entered into a bromantic relationship with your estranged brother Buzzkill?  That¡¯s fair.

    ¡°The answer is experience,¡± I replied with my biggest smile ever.  For some reason that got a really strong reaction.  I knew it would come in handy somehow.

    ¡°Most of you have already heard about my humble beginnings from the surprise party.  Orphan.  Broke.  Hollow.  How I¡¯m a humble, self-made sapien.  How I¡¯ve managed to do this many, many times before ¨C survive against impossible and overwhelming odds, I mean.  Yet I faced that overwhelming torrent of shit head on.  I went to therapy ¨C worked on myself.  And in the end, I rescued my family from the toxic confines of the Flow¡¯s silver-ranked rectum with just garbage, murder, and a dash of blackmail.   And just look at me now?¡±

    With a wave, the murder babies emerged from a trio of ratholes, pandering to the crowd with their huge, blood-red saucer eyes and hugging their [Battle Daddy] tight.  I¡¯d only had to hide the demon monkey sliders in the spines of my battle onesie.  It worked great.

    And just in time.  Fang exploded out from under his mother¡¯s foot.  Thick vapor swept across the stage even as Manslaughter hauled back the ratskin curtain with her exquisitely toned arms to reveal my recreational vehicle, light spirits blazing through the adult kraell skull mounted on the front.  Vapor spiraling around the turret placements.  The giant cage in the back.  The extra storage space on the roof.  It was a thing of beauty.

    Meanwhile, Pietr picked up the beat, wailing music roaring ¨C a whining, rising crescendo that sent a shiver of electricity up my back.

    ¡°I have it all!  A Death Wagon!.  A fashionable battle onesie that even Fang¡¯s mom wants to pry off me?¡±  That got a pretty big shout out from the ladies.

    ¡°The love of three of the most precious murder babies that had ever graced the Flow.¡±  That got a bunch of ¡°ahhs.¡±  Which was fair.  They were adorable.

    ¡°And the companionship of a cold blooded sociopath who obeys my every command! My little pet lizard.  Hopeless virgin.  You know him as Buzzzzzkilllll!¡±

    Pietr knew the signal and the wailing increased in pitch, mimicking Fang¡¯s screams.

    Ahh and now the traitorous trash goblin was hesitiaintg ¨C frozen on the edge of the stage.   Unable to decide whether to try to kill me and feed into my amazing plan or resist and let me keep talking.  I knew this would happen.

    Which is why I did this.  I wasn¡¯t proud of it¡­

    I pulled out a fresh nimbus gem and waved it at him, his pupils dilating in a split second as they caught sight of that precious gemstone.

    ¡°Buzzkill, fetch!¡±

    The nimbus gem hurtled over the crowd.  Fang paused for only a moment ¨C a split second of indecision where he weighed his pride against the tingly reward of pure power.

    Then he was gone in a blur, mist exploding across the stage.  He leaped off one of his clones, then another, then snatched that gem.  Only moments later, Fang was back on stage, snorting a line off his claw as his clones fell into the crowd of his sisters, the savrans ripping them apart savagely and roaring their approval as they exploded into more mist.

    They fucking loved it!

    ¡°See?  He even does tricks.  I¡¯ve trained him so well.¡±

    Fang glared back at me, but what could he say?

    Hadn¡¯t he just claimed the same thing about me?

    Plus, he didn¡¯t have a bamboo tube so no one could hear him.

    Now, I just needed to tie this all up in a neat bow of rat intestines.

    ¡°To top it all off, we¡¯re already retired,¡± I continued.  ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re actually on the bloodiest and most dangerous family vacation the Five Rivers has ever seen!

    ¡°And you can have the same!  A sweet ride.  Beautiful murder babies.  A co-parent that knows his place in the lair!¡±  I roared through the tube, the crowd screaming in approval now.  ¡°I¡¯m offering you the opportunity to take your lives in your own two claws ¨C to become the bloodthirsty villains of your own story.  A chance to own a piece of Fin-Fan, Inc.¡±

    Oh, I had them now.  A thousand glowing yellow eyes focused on me.

    A thousand voices chanting my name.  Or, well, close enough.

    I¡¯d had nightmares just like this, but this one was going so much better¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I continued as the screaming died down a little. ¡°If you stay, if you remain employed by and actively working for the company, you will receive an equal share of the profits and voting rights.  If you choose to leave or stop working in the future, the company will buy back your shares at market value and you will be free to go live your life.  Retire!  Go on a vacation of your own!  Or stay at home!  Raise a family¡­ or not ¨C because there aren¡¯t any men strong enough to handle you.  So maybe you pick up crochet?  You wouldn¡¯t even need the needles with those claws, right?   Maybe get a few poison kittys to keep you company, I guess?¡±

    My sisters-in-law were looking at each other weird now.

    Shit, I was losing them again.

    ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s the best part¡­,¡± I trailed off, my voice growing quieter and Pietr dropping the tempo.  ¡°Since you¡¯re all getting in at the ground level, that means there¡¯s still huge room for growth.  Because we¡¯re already planning to expand aggressively with one of our up-and-coming new product lines.¡±

    I held up a softly glowing vial of what appeared to be blood.

    And it was.  Kind of.  We¡¯ll get to that later.

    ¡°I call it Friendship Juice¡­ or FJ, for short,¡± I announced.  ¡°Highly addictive.  Almost dangerously so.  Laced with a proprietary blend of special herbs and spices that will guarantee your new friends keep coming back again and again and again until you¡¯re either out of product or they run out of money.  We even have a killer new slogan.

    ¡°FJ - The taste of friendship.¡±

    Oh, they absolutely loved that.  Especially when the babies used the bamboo sprayers, hosing the whole crowd in a bloody crimson mist, their fanged snouts raised wide to the sky and revealing row after row of incredibly sharp teeth.

    But I wasn¡¯t done yet ¨C not by a long shot.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all!¡± I roared, keeping up the momentum.  ¡°We¡¯re also offering a new employee retention program to help fill out our ranks and reduce your workload.  For a limited time, we¡¯re offering membership to outside employees.  Anyone who wants can sign up to become a shareholder and employee of Fin-Fan, Inc.  And for every person you get to sign up, you will receive another share in the company!¡±

    A collective gasp escaped the crowd.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.  The sky¡¯s the limit!  Sign up 20 new employees?  Boom!  Twenty new shares.  Retirement just came a little earlier, ladies!  You¡¯ll be out there¡­ like murdering everything in sight in no time at all!¡±

    That one got a huge response.  Okay, they liked murder.  Got it.

    ¡°And we haven¡¯t even talked about voting rights!  One vote per person, regardless of share ownership.  All major decisions by popular vote.  Elections every 10 cycles.  You will finally have a say in how this place is run.  Your voice will be heard!¡±

    Just not right now.  Again, because they didn¡¯t have a tube.

    ¡°And as for me?¡± I asked, placing a hand to my chest.

    ¡°I won¡¯t take a single gem in compensation.¡±

    This was the part that Fang had hated.  But it was important.  Critical really.

    Now I just needed to finish this ¨C bring it home.

    ¡°So, the real question isn¡¯t why should you trust me to remodel your city?  It¡¯s why shouldn¡¯t you be rich?  Why shouldn¡¯t you own your own recreational vehicle?  Have your own babies?  Find your own bromate?  Go on your own vacation?¡±

    ¡°The real question is why shouldn¡¯t you trust me?¡±

    ¡°All you have to do is believe in me.¡±

    Like Elder Gracen hadn¡¯t.  Like Fang should.  Like my babies did.

    And like I hoped all my sisters-in-law would.

    And with Cole by my side, they did.

    His spirit spread through the crowd like wildfire, those shadowy spiderwebs threading across scale and skin.  Leaching that sweet, sweet nimbus and feeding into the narrative I was spinning.  Taking advantage of the dash of death shroom I¡¯d added to the friendship juice ¨C along with a few mild hallucinogens, because why not?  The result was a mad kaleidoscope of power that tumbled and rushed and roared its way back onstage and welcomed me into its searing, clinging embrace.  One strong enough to bend reality around me.

    They no longer saw a stranger.  A sapian.  The Hollow.

    They saw a rockstar.  An entrepreneur.  A one-man wrecking ball.

    One here to clean up a clusterfuck and build an even bigger one from the rubble.

    And they would all be a part of that!  They would own it, technically.

    The combined roar was enough to shatter glass all down main street, Fang¡¯s family combining their spirits into a torrent of steam that rocketed up through sky in a swirling column nearly a mile wide.  Which seemed dangerous.  I really hoped that didn¡¯t have a major and unforeseen effect on the local weather.

    And while Cole¡¯s spirit gaslit Fang¡¯s entire family into trusting an unstable madman with their lives and livelihoods, the spiderwebs pulled away from my skin to form a perfect clone of myself.  One with depth and heat and weight and with Cole reluctantly pulling the strings as he hauled himself up from the stage floor ¨C apparently, no longer convinced he was going to be lynched.  Honestly, he started getting pretty into it.

    Gassy-Me kept talking ¨C kept making lots of promises.

    And then, well¡­ my part was done.

    They looked pretty damned motivated to me.

    And before you start in on me, I already know what you¡¯re going to ask.  I mean, Fang did too.  Almost immediately, actually.  Although, he was screaming it at me instead of just standing there and glaring and looking super confused.

    Why was I giving away the whole company?

    It¡¯s a fair question.  I¡¯ll admit, it¡¯s a little out of character for me¡­

    I¡¯d like to say it was to trick Fang¡¯s sisters into taking the fall with our creditors if my plan didn¡¯t work.  Or to help gaslight them harder ¨C you know, to make them think they could ¡°trust me.¡±  Or even because I¡¯d seen how hard they worked, how much they¡¯d given up ¨C trading the tantalizing thrill of murder for operating a canning machine.  How this company had taken away the best years of their life and left them with a slew of mental health issues that inevitably showed up in their personal relationships.  Probably because they hadn¡¯t gotten the [Therapy] they richly deserved.

    But the answer was simpler than that.

    I figured it would piss off Tom.

    Because he¡¯s still alive ¨C we all know that right?

    You know, the guy that had run off with all of their money?  My adoptive conman father?  The self-proclaimed king of capitalism?

    He¡¯d bet all of his money on himself.  Not his favorite, Leandra.  Or, you know, me?  His second favorite. A budding and misunderstood business genius.

    So, naturally, I planned to prove him wrong.  To turn this company into an economic powerhouse that would take the Five Rivers by storm.  To build an empire that made his little con look like child¡¯s play.  To create so much wealth that the combined weight would be enough to bury him alive under a mountain of nimbus gems.

    Fang had made a weird choking, gurgle sound at that part.

    But, here¡¯s the best part¡­ I wouldn¡¯t own any of it.  Not a single gem.

    First, because it didn¡¯t matter.  We¡¯ve already covered that.

    Second, because I didn¡¯t really want the responsibility and stress of running a company that would hopefully create many, many incredibly jealous enemies.  Cole could do that.  Plus, he deserved a chance to work on his confidence issues ¨C to be the boss he¡¯d always pretended to be.  And what better way than by learning to gaslight his employees?  I was already working on his imitation battle onesie.   It would look exactly the same as mine but without any of the defensive features.  It was going to be great.

    But finally, and much more importantly, because fuck Tom.

    I was going to create a mountain of wealth and then burn it in front of him.

    And you know how I know it¡¯s going to work?  Fang.

    He hadn¡¯t looked at me like this since I burned his trash mountains.  You remember that?  Back in the hell sewer?  It was glorious.  He just stood there beside me, staring at the crowd, watching his dreams of endless nimbus crumble around him.

    See?  Like I said, my shit always sticks.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 37

    Chapter 37 - Blood Drive

    Okay, you were partly right.

    After morale, parts and labor are critical to any remodeling project.

    Although, the more astute among you might have some questions.  Like how did we have so much poo-crete?  Was committing monkey genocide really enough to pave an entire, extra-wide highway through the Screaming Bamboo Forest?  Especially since we left an incredibly long trail of corpses?  Wouldn¡¯t we run out eventually?  And, most importantly, would we have enough left to complete my many planned projects for Apati?

    Those are all fantastic questions.

    And as for the answer?

    Well, uh, poo-crete is actually a renewable resource.  Every few hours or so, a fresh load came out flaming and hot and sizzling and ready to build something glorious.

    Wait¡­ why are you looking at me like that?

    No, no I don¡¯t mean the monkeys kept crapping.  Honestly, how would that even work?  We ring ¡®em out and chuck ¡®em back in the monkey crate?  That¡¯s just inefficient!  What would we even feed them?  Bloodfruit?  But those are precious, right?  They¡¯re the main ingredient in a fresh cup of FJ.  Plus, how would we know which monkeys we¡¯d already milked?  Would we have to transport them between cages?

    See what I mean?  Inefficient.

    Also, dangerous.  They were really hard to catch after the paralytic wore off.

    Luckily, there was another way ¨C a better way.

    After throwing a few hundred of the creatures in the cage attached to the back of the Death Wagon, I¡¯d noticed something strange.  They¡­ well, they seemed to be multiplying somehow.  I wasn¡¯t sure about the specifics, of course.  And what happens behind closed bars is none of my business.  But I do know one thing.

    If you stuck two monkeys in a cage, every few hours or so, a third popped out¡­

    And another few hours after that?  Yup, the baby was full grown.

    Maybe a response to the relentless, screaming hellscape that was the bamboo forest?  The one where even the rain was acid?  Some sort of evolutionary adaptation?

    At least, that¡¯s what some of Fang¡¯s sisters called it.  I mean, I would have asked Fang what was going on, but we all know why that have been pointless, don¡¯t we?  Don¡¯t we?  The winking is to help drive my point home.  Specifically, that¡¯s he¡¯s never gotten laid.  Ever.

    Anyway, the mechanics are still a mystery.  I guess what happens in the monkey fuck-cage stays in the monkey fuck-cage, if you know what I mean.

    And if you use more than two monkeys?

    Yup, you¡¯ve got a cluster fuck.

    That¡¯s the technical term for when multiple new monkeys pop out at once.

    Either way, the one cage worked well during our highway construction project.  However, now we needed to scale it up for our new commercial applications.  Really start pumping out the poo-crete, you know?  So, we built a bunch of new cages!  Which was super easy.  There was tons of scrap metal in Apati.

    Then we split the monkeys between the cages, installed a new automatic sprayer system based off my ingenious new design ¨C one that would lube up all those furry little bastard with a thin coat of FJ. We started by throwing in some fresh fruit to feed them, but after extensive testing, this system turned out to be better.  Faster.  We increased the clusterfucking by at least 200%.  Plus, something about my proprietary blend of herbs and spices made them more docile!  Incredible, right?

    But opening the cages each time was inefficient too.  And making sure the demon monkeys were wedged in tight both increased the output and improved safety.  I mean, the monkeys couldn¡¯t fling their poo if they couldn¡¯t move, right?

    Luckily, I had a solution for that too!  I installed a new, prototype orifice made out of a narrow band of one of the larger bamboo tubes along the bottom of each cage.

    So, every so often¡ª

    PLOP!  A monkey pops right out the bottom!

    The pressure just does it automatically.  And the coating of FJ helps them slide through smoothly.  Perfect system, right?

    My left hand tickled as Maribel turned my fingers into a corrupted thumbs down.

    Ahh, she¡¯s right.  We aren¡¯t quite finished yet.

    Those of you that share Maribel¡¯s view that the demon monkeys are an inferior wannabe-rat that only deserves to be imprisoned, tortured, and then drained dry of their precious crap will absolutely love this next part.

    The cages were each suspended above a worktable, each one manned by Fang¡¯s sisters, each of them wearing those mechanical claws that Manslaughter had used on me.  Except these were blunt and padded ¨C not designed to shred silverfin scales and pry open cans, but to squeeze and twist those demon monkeys with a puff of steam.  It was important not to puncture them or they would explode.  And poo-crete explosions could be deadly.

    The next problem was how to store the poo-crete, right?

    That turned out to be pretty easy.  Fang¡¯s sisters squeezed the poo-crete into a bamboo collection system, a hundred pipes emptying into a large, rotating, indoor vat that kept off the mist and kept the monkey crap moving so it didn¡¯t cure.  A special steam system also helped warm the outside.  If it wasn¡¯t exposed to water immediately and was kept warm and moving, the poo-crete would keep for weeks.  Maybe longer.

    I got the idea from the monkeys!  I mean, obviously, the poo-crete wasn¡¯t hardening inside them right?  Plus, they twisted a lot.  So, we simulated that.

    And once the bodies had been twisted dry?

    Well, the limp, twitching, and sometimes still-breathing bodies really started to pile up.  But we believe in recycling in this family.  So, they were eventually hauled off to the grinder in an adjacent warehouse ¨C a whirring, steel-toothed contraption that ground up the monkeys into a gory pulp.  The monkey mash was then hauled off to the blood fruit fields to act as fertilizer.  A perfect, bloody, ingenious system.

    Maribel fucking loved it.  She really enjoyed watching the process.

    Which is why we spent so much time in the factory.

    Observing the metal cages hanging from the ceiling, thousands of glowing red eyes glaring at us from overhead ¨C desperately pleading for death.  The recurring, wet plop, plop, plop as the monkeys landed on the worktables, their muscles too atrophied to even put up a fight.  The grunt and shriek as they were drained dry of their precious payload and then dumped in big twitching piles.

    Honestly?  It reminded me of home.  Of my lair.  It might have been the smell.  Or the crimson eyes peering from the darkness.  Also, possibly, all the blood.

    What?  Why are you looking at me like that?

    Ahh, right¡­ you¡¯re probably wondering how we hauled around all the monkeys.  And the monkey mash.  And the poo-crete, right?  Like we needed to tackle multiple constructions projects and build a nice little fortification to block the spread of the bamboo forest, didn¡¯t we?

    Well, alright, I guess I can explain.  If you insist.

    So, remember how I mentioned a steam turbine?  You know, after I got a chance to see some of the factory machinery?  Yeah, well, I decided to build one.  It wasn¡¯t that complicated.  Basically, a big metal pole with a bunch of fan blades welded to it.  Then you put it in an enclosed metal container and shoot the steam through one end.  That didn¡¯t take my engineering team long at all to make¡ª

    And voila!  The pole starts to spin super fast.  So, we made some grooves on the end like on a gear ¨C a drive shaft [Engineering] called it.  It attached to this little box and cross bar, which transmitted that rotational energy from the shaft to the wheels, causing them to spin through the magic of physics.  You slap a couple seats and a wagon bed on top of that frame and the result?  A steam powered vehicle!

    That¡¯s right, I¡¯d reinvented the wheel a second time!  Or¡­ third, technically?

    Anyway, it clearly wasn¡¯t a futile waste of time, after all, now was it?

    In fact, we have several different types of vehicles now.  An all-purpose utility vehicle for hauling monkey bodies and other miscellaneous materials.  A bamboo harvester with a few of those big glowing chain blade things welded to the front ¨C because we needed to cut down and gather more bamboo, right?  Oh, and then a larger, commercial hauling vehicle.  I called it the Beast.  It was equipped with a two ton container made of 100% pure grade-A poo-crete fresh from the monkey anus.

    Only Manslaughter was strong enough to drive it alone. It was for hauling the bamboo back from the forest.  Since, you know, that was an essential part of farming blood fruit.  Since PK and I were basically best friends, he¡¯d revealed some of his farming secrets.  It turned out that it was the combination of ground bamboo and monkey guts that really gave his fruits that extra pep.  Also, their distinctive, huge size.

    You just had to liberally spread the writhing monkey paste across the field ¨C carefully, of course.  And then wait for nature to do its thing.  For those fragile, tender, blood root stalks to emerge from the field of pulped guts and spear up into the sky.  To grow pulsing, throbbing, juicy new fruits that would spread our message of friendship across the whole of the Five Rivers.  That¡¯s why it was easy to shrug off the thousands of monkeys that needed to die to make this happen.  I mean, they were giving their vessels¡¯ lives for a good cause.

    So, I guess that¡¯s it.  That was my plan for producing a fresh cup of FJ.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Not bad, huh?  I¡¯ll admit, I was pretty proud of myself.

    ¡°You forgot something important¡­ the labor part,¡± Lili piped up, cackling.

    Ahh, I guess I did.  Sorry, I got carried away.

    I hadn¡¯t accomplished all of this alone.

    It took a team.  An engineering dream team.

    So, you might have also been wondering, who¡¯d built Apati?  All of the canning machinery?   Those super cool chain swords, and knives, and those steam-powered claws?  Who was maintaining all of that stuff?  Naturally, my first thought was Fang¡¯s sisters.

    But that turned out to be wrong.  Oh-so-very-wrong.

    And yet the answer just felt so right¡ª

    ¡°We have almost completed the renovations to the city walls,¡± a savran reported, standing at attention and wiping off his glasses ¨C the steam in the factory could be a bit much.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± I answered.  ¡°And the bamboo clearing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going well,¡± my head engineer announced.  ¡°We¡¯ve cleaned out most of the vegetation surrounding the city, mulched the root system, built the retaining walls and walkways out of poo-crete according to your designs and we¡¯ve started planting the blood fruit groves as soon as they come online.   The first few fields are already sprouting.¡±

    He shook his head in disbelief, eyeing the other engineers behind him.

    That¡¯s right.  You heard me right.  Him.  As in a male pronoun.

    As in a male savran.  There were many of them, in fact.  Dozens.

    The survivors.

    I¡¯d finally found Fang¡¯s male role models.  And they were¡ª

    ¡°Adorable!¡± Lili crowed.  ¡°They¡¯re so cute!¡±

    She was right.  And fashionable.  They stood in a tight group behind me.  Wearing fancy hats.  Glasses.  Neat little lizard suits.  Bowties.

    It was almost like they were trying not to get laid.

    Which, well¡­ I guess they were?  Technically?

    After decades and possibly even centuries of being hunted by the females, it turned out that the male members of the tribe had evolved.  Yet instead of sharp claws and vicious teeth and thick muscles and flaming poop, they¡¯d gone a different direction.

    They¡¯d adopted a version of my system, actually.

    They¡¯d made themselves indispensable.

    Their bodies might be smaller and weaker and more fragile than their female counterparts.  They might have terrible fashion sense.  Zero game.  Almost no way to defend themselves.  But they made up for that with raw brainpower.  By servicing and designing the many machines that were incorporated into the factory, their mist spirits exposed so often to the grease of the machines that they had evolved into oil spirits.

    Which was perfect.  Since that allowed them to more easily service the machinery and create the ink to draw out complicated schematics in their little notebooks.

    Yet just being useful wasn¡¯t enough.  I knew that firsthand.

    So, they¡¯d gone further.  They¡¯d evolved to survive.

    Not by growing bigger, or stronger, or faster.

    They¡¯d gone a different direction.

    Specifically, they¡¯d evolved to be far too cute to kill.

    Which is why their eyes were larger.  Why their scales took on a pink hue when exposed to heat ¨C including steam.  Why their claws retracted.  Why they were all slightly pudgier, slightly curvier from the lack of demanding physical labor.  Why their clothing was so form-fitting, neatly tailored and designed to show off their bodies ¨C a testament to the hours they¡¯d spent sewing their own outfits in their well-decorated little lizard lairs.

    They even shared tips and tricks ¨C wrote them down in those little journals.

    Yeah¡­ yeah, that¡¯s right!  The wise hunter applies his eyeliner liberally.

    To make his eyes look even bigger, of course.

    This explained so much.  So very much.

    With a burst of mist, Fang appeared beside me, his scales slick and Manslaughter walking into the factory behind him, eyeing the work.  ¡°One of the babies said you needed me?¡± my bromate snapped irritably, glaring at me.

    ¡°Ahh, about that¡­¡± I began, grinning.

    ¡°It¡¯s Buzzkill!¡±

    ¡°Buzzkill¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°Wow, he looks so cool.  Look at how big his dagger is!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not even afraid to be around Manslaughter¡ª¡±

    Fang flinched, turning and eyeing the other males with distaste.  I¡¯d always wondered why he was so reluctant to have me meet his uncles.  His grandparents.  His male role models.  And now?  Now, I knew why.  And it was absolutely glorious.

    ¡°Why are they here?¡± Fang hissed at me, edging away from the others.

    ¡°They¡¯re my engineering team.  We¡¯ve been over this,¡± I replied easily.

    ¡°He would look even scarier with a touch of blush,¡± one commented.

    ¡°Right?  Maybe some fake blood tracing the scales of his face?¡±

    ¡°That would really give him a demonic look.¡±

    Fang flinched again.  I don¡¯t know why.  I agreed.  I¡¯d seen him with blood crusting his scales. He did look more intimidating.  I mean, would it hurt him to put in a little more effort?  To pay some attention to his appearance?  He should probably write that one down in own little lizard diary¡ª

    ¡°Ahh, my babies are here!¡± Manslaughter cooed when she saw the others.  Steam blasted out across the group, their scales shifting from dark green and gray to a bright rainbow of colors even as their claws retracted and they stared up at her with huge round eyes.  A reflex.  An instinct.  The result of decades of evolutionary adaptation where only the cutest survived.  They were so fucking adorable it almost hurt.

    The steam was even having an effect on Fang, but he conjured his mists, using it to ward off the heat ¨C to protect himself from transforming into his much more adorable, docile self.  His true self.

    ¡°What.  Do.  You.  Need?¡± Fang hissed at me, still glaring.

    ¡°Ahh, nothing.  I just missed you,¡± I said with a smile.

    This one didn¡¯t even hurt.  I loved this so very much.

    It almost made up for Fang keeping secrets and ignoring me and lying to his family about our bromantic relationship.  And Elder Gracen.  Also, about his male family members.  The ones who were also definitely not dead.  At least, some of them.

    ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s so sweet,¡± one of the engineers hissed.

    ¡°Right?  They make such a great bromantic couple.¡±

    ¡°Even after how he¡¯s mistreated poor Nyx¡­¡±

    Also, I was loving how his male counterparts were much more accepting of me; of our relationship; of our obvious connection.  That¡¯s probably why Fang had been keeping his distance.  Definitely not because I kept pestering him to answer my many, many, many questions.  So many.  Too many really.  I actually had to write some of them down.

    Luckily, the engineers always had a spare notebook and pen.

    Fang hissed out a long, pained sigh.

    Meanwhile, Maribel and Lili hi-fived while he glared at them.

    ¡°The factory seems to be coming along,¡± Manslaughter noted, ignoring our antics.

    I nodded.  ¡°Yup, we¡¯re almost finished.  Although, harvesting the poo-crete is just the first step.  Ultimately, we¡¯re going to need to ship it north.¡±

    Why stop with the FJ?  I figured there was probably a market for impenetrable, water-cured poo-crete across the Five Rivers.  It was super convenient to build stuff and if we used the bamboo to create a supporting lattice, even Fang¡¯s sisters couldn¡¯t break it apart.  At best, they could just chip the corners.  It was really strong.

    Manslaughter looked skeptical as she stared at the huge rotating vat in the center of the factory.  ¡°Sure, but how?  This does not look easy to transport.¡±

    ¡°Or safe,¡± Fang muttered.

    I grimaced.  To be fair, a few of his sisters had gotten encased in shit.

    It was a truly awful way to die.  I should know.

    My babies had done it dozens of times.  Maybe hundreds.

    ¡°Oh, but our team of engineers has a solution for that!¡± I announced.

    Every pair of glowing snake eyes in the room turned to that diminutive group of fluorescent baby lizards wearing their snazzy little outfits ¨C each one holding a notebook.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s um¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s overselling it¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not sure it¡¯s ready¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahh, they¡¯re just being humble,¡± I stepped in smoothly.  With a clap, Maribel summoned my precious babies and I automatically handed them treats.  Then they darted off across the room to the huge tarp I¡¯d discreetly positioned along one side of the room ¨C the one hiding our marvelous new creation.

    ¡°Drum roll please!¡± I demanded.

    The baby lizards tried their best.  But they were too weak to get the heavy bass rhythm I was looking for¡­ so I glanced at Fang¡¯s sisters.  They started clanging their armored fists together, the monkeys overhead adding a nervous chitter to the rising wave of sound.

    And as it reached its apex, I signaled my babies!

    They pulled back the curtain to reveal my latest masterpiece.  My solution for bringing a fresh load of monkey crap to every corner of the Five Rivers.  A smaller rotating container was positioned along the back of the vehicle ¨C one made entirely of cured poo-crete.  The hole at the top was hooked up to a complicated tube system made of bamboo covered in a thinner layer of poo-crete, the bamboo¡¯s suction more than enough to pull out the poo-crete.  The vehicle was even equipped with our largest and most over-designed steam turbine to-date ¨C one that required a minimum of four of Fang¡¯s sisters to operate it.  Which was completely necessary.  The vehicle was very, very heavy.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡± I announced.

    Fang and his mother were speechless.  I could tell.  Because they weren¡¯t saying anything.  Anything at all¡­

    Okay, now it was getting awkward.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Mansalughter hissed eventually.

    ¡°I¡¯m, uh, I¡¯m calling it the Dump-Truck,¡± I answered.

    Fang was just rubbing his eyes in pain.

    ¡°It is just a smaller rotating vat on wheels?¡±  That was Manslaughter again.

    ¡°Well¡­ yes, technically.  But the sprayer system is new!¡±

    I gestured at the babies and they quickly pulled the sprayer hose free and another climbed up on the bed and started tickling the top of the tube.  Moments later, the entire pipe pulsed and throbbed, growing slightly larger and then poo-crete erupted from the end of the hose ¨C two of my babies trying vainly to hold it steady as it shot a high-pressure stream of monkey shit at the target nearby.

    Their aim wasn¡¯t great¡­ actually, it was pretty terrible.

    They got the wall, most of the floor, the side of one machine.  Fang¡¯s sisters also had to flee the wave of monkey shit erupting from the hose.  And moments later, it was over ¨C they¡¯d drained the entire tank dry in mere seconds.  Almost as fast as Fang tended to pop off.

    The others just stared at the huge mess we¡¯d created, a lot of poo-crete covering my babies and still sizzling.  They just sighed and then broke apart into shadowy streamers¡ª

    Only to reappear beside me, standing in a line and paws stretched out for payment.

    Which, of course, I provided.  ¡°You did great.¡±

    They just chittered angrily, scarfed down their burgers, and disappeared.

    ¡°This¡­ this is a weapon?¡± Fang asked in confusion.

    It was my turn to glare.  He knew it wasn¡¯t.  That was why he was smiling.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a transportation and application system.¡±

    ¡°Why does the poo-crete shoot so far then?¡±  That was Manslaughter.

    ¡°To hit those hard to reach locations.¡±

    ¡°But what if it is close?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still a work in progress,¡± I replied through clenched teeth, waving at the engineers ¨C they were taking copious notes.  ¡°We could probably use larger tubing to reduce the pressure slightly,¡± I offered.  ¡°That¡¯s not a terrible idea.¡±

    ¡°You wish to make it even bigger?  Even after the last model exploded?¡± Fang asked.

    ¡°That was one time!¡± I snapped back.

    Fang¡¯s smile just widened, showing more teeth.

    Probably because his sisters were all muttering in alarm.  They would have to drive and operate the vehicle, after all.  I wasn¡¯t loving this at all.

    This is exactly why I needed Cole ¨C but he was busy dealing with¡­ well, everything else.  Housing.  Food.  Transportation.  Childcare.  Our new police force.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a proto-type¡ª¡± I began, trying to head off a new morale problem.

    Thankfully, the universe decided to help me out.

    ¡°Nyx!¡± Cole came running into the factory, screaming at the top of his lungs.  ¡°Nyx, where are you?  We have a huge problem!¡±

    Thank the Flow!  Like I said, a perfect distraction.

    ¡°What is it this time?¡± I demanded, hands on my hips.

    Cole pitched over, breathing hard, and putting up a finger.  Wow.  He was really out of shape ¨C maybe even worse than the engineers.  No wonder he got raped by the egg spirit.  He really needed to add in more cardio.  Maybe I should make him do some wagon pulls.  That had really helped me build muscle and endurance.

    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s something coming,¡± he gasped finally.  ¡°It¡¯s heading downriver.  A huge ship.  Our¡­ our scouts just reported in.  It¡¯s our creditors.¡±

    Ahh, well, that was a problem.  My eyes swept across the factory we¡¯d just finished building.  Our blood fruit saplings weren¡¯t even fully grown yet and we hadn¡¯t finished setting up all of the fields.  This was, uh, sooner than I¡¯d been expecting.  Weeks too soon.  I¡¯d been hoping to have our operation up and running.  Maybe sell a few pallets of FJ to demonstrate the commercial viability of our new product line¡­

    I could see that same realization reflected in the eyes of everyone present.  Manslaughter glaring at me.  Fang laughing and smiling and generally acting like an asshole.  His sisters all staring through the steam, the poo-crete manufacturing operation having ground to a standstill.  And my engineers were¡ªahh, right.  They were gone.  They¡¯d vanished into a hole in the wall.

    Which was just fine.  Perfect actually.

    Just like the males of Fang¡¯s tribe, I¡¯d also evolved to survive.  Grown stronger.  Faster.  Smarter.  Crazier.  That was part of my own unique charm.

    Besides, I always perform best under pressure, right?

    ¡°No.  You just start talking to yourself,¡± Fang hissed skeptically.

    ¡°Like right now,¡± Manslaughter added with a nod.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t exactly wrong,¡± Lili added.

    Wow.  I was starting to feel attacked.  Maribel just pat my shoulder.  At least, she was still on my team ¨C her support bought and paid for with the corpses of thousands of fake rats¡­ which I guess did sort of undercut the authenticity a little.

    But this was fine.  Yeah, yeah, this was going to be great.

    We would just have to go with Plan B.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 38

    Chapter 38 - Red Carpet

    I¡¯ll be the first to admit I tend to build things up in my head.

    But that was super hard when I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect.

    Don¡¯t you just hate it when that happens?  When guests show up without any notice?  When you don¡¯t even know how many are coming?  Or who they are?  Or what they look like?  Or what they like to eat?

    At least, back in the gate, I¡¯d known most of those answers.  That¡¯s how I was able to plan my Lair Warming Party.  You remember that, right?  All those fun sewer games?  I¡¯d been able to plan a warm welcome.  You know, because there was only the one entrance and the one exit ¨C the shit only flowed one way through that extra-dimensional hellhole.

    But out here, in the Five Rivers, there were only questions.  Like how would our creditors be travelling all the way out here to Apati?  By land?  That seemed slow.  Also, unlikely.  Especially with the screaming bamboo forest encircling the city.  We hadn¡¯t even built the highway to the north yet.  Although, it was still possible, right?

    Or maybe they planned to come by water?  But that came with its own host of problems.  Not that I have to tell you, right?  We had a small-to-moderate sea serpent problem.

    It was frustrating.  How was I supposed to create lofty and completely unreasonable expectations if I didn¡¯t even know what to expect?  That¡¯s right¡­ there was only one way.

    I just had to plan for every possible contingency.

    Maybe that was overkill.  Fang seemed to think so.

    But that was also why I was prepared when our creditors showed up.

    Or, at least, I thought I was.  But that wasn¡¯t just any boat traveling downriver.

    It was a hulking behemoth.  The mother of all ships.  One so wide it disappeared into the ever-present mist that floated atop Cocytus, the bow cutting through the dancing rainbow river of spirits.  At least ten stories.  Giant holes in the side for the equally huge cannons ¨C ones wider than even Horus¡¯ impressive arm span.

    And manning that vessel was a new race ¨C one I heard long before I caught sight of them.  I¡¯d only heard stories of the sirens.  A race of creatures born to the water, their vessels adapted to swim and work the river.  Their voices had been described as eerie.  Sublime.  Luring other races and innocent creatures to the shore ¨C pacifying even native monsters.

    Like the sea serpents that had infested the bay.

    Honestly, I hadn¡¯t even tried to fix that problem.   First off, I hadn¡¯t had time ¨C not with everything else going on.  But also, what were we going to do?  Fight them in the water?

    And that trick we¡¯d used with my precious babies didn¡¯t seem like it would work anymore ¨C not after the serpents had spent weeks devouring all of the native wildlife.  We must have fought infant sea serpents before, because the giant scaly river monsters were now nearly 100 feet long.  Frankly, it was all we could do to keep them on the other side of the big metal wall that encircled the harbor.

    Yet the sirens handled them easily enough.

    Their voices rose through the air, singing a caressing lullaby that lured the snakes from the waters, their bodies weaving in time with the music.  And as the sea serpents hovered there, the sirens took the opportunity to fire at those easy targets.

    The cannons exploded with a puff of smoke, launching enormous harpoons that streaked through the air but seemed to miss their targets¡­

    Huh, that was weird.  Maybe they were terrible at aiming?

    Oh, wait, I got it!  The harpoons pivoted in midair, guided by some unknown spirit as they arced and curved back toward the boat, wrapping the snakes¡¯ armored scales until they cinched taut.  The serpents barely reacted, their movements listless and confused, the song still working its magic even as the crew hauled them toward the boat.

    Even more interesting, the prow of that impossibly huge ship began to open up, splitting down the center and revealing a giant bladed guillotine.  The crew simply hauled the sea serpents toward that blade and as the first entered¡ª

    SWISH, CRUNCH.

    Headless sea serpent, its lifeless body dropping to the deck where a crew began to butcher and carve up the creature with expert precision.  A well-oiled machine.  Only minutes later, the corpse had been disassembled and pushed aside, the team ready for another.

    I¡¯ll admit, I was impressed.

    This seemed like a great way to get rid of the sea serpents.

    And for a moment, I considered doing nothing. Abandoning my Plan B.

    But I was also curious, my mind abuzz with a frantic and compelling new series of questions.  Like did the snakes prefer calming music?  Not a wailing death shriek produced by possibly sentient bamboo tubes screaming in abject horror?   Had¡­ had my new sound system created this problem?  Possibly even lured in the snakes from miles around?  I mean, the problem had definitely been getting worse, hadn¡¯t it?

    Was all of this potentially my fault?  I know, crazy right?

    Unfortunately, there was only one way to test my theory.

    Thankfully, I¡¯d had the foresight to prepare a reception for our new guests no matter which way they decided to arrive.  Really roll out the red carpet treatment, if you know what I mean.  Offer them the gift of pure friendship.

    And why not?  What could possibly be closer and more important than the bond between debtor and creditor?  Nothing, of course!  Fang had taught me that.  You remember that too, right?  His little notebook that tracked my debt in ventu corpses?  Plus, now that I knew our guests loved music, they¡¯d probably appreciate this even more¡­

    WAIL.  SHRIEK.  SCREAM.

    The screams were so loud that they drowned out the sirens¡¯ song, blowing it apart and with it the relative calm that had settled across the bay.  The tethered serpents began to kick up a fight, thrashing and pulling against their restraints ¨C those thick braided metal ropes straining and snapping taut.  Okay, that seemed like proof¡­

    The snakes really hated the sound of the bamboo.

    Although, that didn¡¯t explain why the waters of Cocytus began to, well¡­ boil.

    Yet that mystery was solved only moments later as more serpents began to emerge.  Not one or two or even a dozen.  But hundreds.  In all shapes and sizes.  A veritable writhing mass of serpentine flesh and snake-like eyes ¨C all of them pointed at that offending ship ¨C the one standing between them and the shore where we were making sweet music.  The sirens¡¯ song faltered and was soon replaced with shouts and screams of alarm, tiny dots rushing across the deck ¨C hard to make out at this distance.  It looked like¡ªThis story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Yup.  They were trying to turn the boat.  To run away.  Smart play.

    Unfortunately, the ship was pretty big ¨C possibly too big.

    Plus, the sea serpents seemed really upset.

    Probably because DJ lil¡¯ P was still laying down some sick beats, the vulpin slamming his keyboard with abandon.  His furry ears plugged with wax and his eyes closed as he focused on making musical magic with his fingertips.

    The wave of snakes crashed against the side of the hull with explosive force, causing the impossibly huge vessel to list.  Then they began to scale the side, many slithering up the decks and boring into the portholes in the side before disappearing inside the ship.  That giant gaping hole in the front also turned out to be a serious liability.  It was just a bloodbath.  The crew must have decided to change plans at that point because smaller boats started dropping from the side of the massive ship ¨C the one nearest the shore.

    ¡°Over here!  Flee to the harbor,¡± I shouted through a tube, waving at the harbor wall, the gates creaking open with a horrific, shrieking grind of metal on metal.  Not that the serpents paid this much attention.  They seem pretty fixated on that ship.

    It was probably all the screaming¡­

    Anyway, for safety, we¡¯d also installed several glowing lamps filled with light spirits ¨C you know, to make sure the harbor was visible through all the steam and mist and splashing water.  See?  Obsessively planning for every possible contingency is important.  Critical really.  The secret to my genius.

    The smaller boats were soon making a beeline straight for us ¨C abandoning their mothership to the sea serpents who were tearing it apart in a writhing, massive pile of snake flesh.  One that towered up more than a hundred feet into the air.  Hundreds of sea serpents united in their desire to destroy that offending vessel ¨C the one between them and the shore; between them and the source of that wailing death ballad.

    They also began to hunt the smaller boats in the water.  One.  Two.  Then a dozen of those boats broke apart as the serpents slithered after their quarry.  The sirens¡¯ screams blended with Pietr¡¯ wailing death ballad before cutting off, the water stained a dark red, the waves kicked up by the thrashing serpents pushing it to shore.

    The first boats soon made landfall, the survivors rushing from the vessels and scrambling up the steep, muddy banks as fast as they could ¨C which turned out to be almost comically difficult.

    Like I said, I hadn¡¯t known what to expect of our creditors ¨C what vessel might be carrying those sublime voices.  I¡¯d assumed something curvy and voluptuous.  A vessel as scintillating as their music.  One that might even be hotter than Fang¡¯s mom¡­

    Which just goes to show that you shouldn¡¯t make assumptions.

    The sirens were, well¡­ thick.

    They each weighed about a ton.  Like big humanoid walrus.  Tusks jutting from their mouth ¨C webbed hands and feet.  Dense, slick fur that helped mask the impressive rolls of fat.  Or blubber, I guess?  Is that the technical term?

    Okay, before you start with me, I¡¯m not body shaming them!  I would never do that ¨C not with my own issues.  To be clear, I¡¯m jealous.  I¡¯m down with the thickness.

    Hell, there was a time when I would have loved to pack on that kind of poundage.  If I¡¯d had a body like that back in the hell sewer, I¡¯d have made the best bait.  I mean, look at them!  The snakes were taking them out so fast, even the ones that were flopping their way up the bank, breathing hard and heavy and clearly unaccustomed to such intense cardio.

    And in the distance, their ship was¡ªahh, it was burning now.  I guess something must have caught fire.  Just a giant pyre of flames and writhing, armored snakes, thick smoke billowing up into the air and obscuring the twinkling spirits from sight.  Wreckage and corpses and thick blood forming a massive mile wide trail up to the shore.

    ¡°What am I watching?¡± Cole muttered in horror beside me.

    ¡°The red carpet treatment,¡± I announced with a smile.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± he snapped.

    ¡°The blood is the carpet,¡± I explained helpfully.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, I caught that,¡± he shot back in a dry voice.

    Meanwhile, everyone else looked pretty excited.  Lili was roaring her approval in the back of my mind, Maribel¡¯s hand was twitchy, Manslaughter and her daughters were all watching with rapt fascination ¨C their glowing snake eyes wide and jaws slack.

    And Fang was already barking orders.  ¡°Man the bamboomers!  Focus!¡± He roared through his own bamboo tube.  The engineers all assumed their positions along the interior wall we¡¯d built along the shore ¨C you know, for our safety.

    The smaller savran were each operating one of our new and improved, steam-powered bamboomers.  Once I¡¯d shown the engineers the design, they¡¯d really run with it ¨C narrowing the barrel and attaching a pressurized steam chamber.   Although, the recoil was pretty fierce.  Too much for the wimpy engineers.  That¡¯s why we¡¯d mounted the turrets to the tops of the buildings along the shore.  And why a female savran was standing next to each one, funneling their steam into the contraptions until they let out a high-pitch whistle.

    ¡°And FIRE!¡± Fang roared.

    Missiles erupted from those cannons and rocketed through the air at the speed of pure teamwork, passing the surviving sirens flopping their way up the bank before crashing into the oncoming line of sea serpents ¨C a writhing, roiling, boiling mass of snake flesh that was barreling toward those meaty songsmiths.

    See what I mean?  The sirens were the perfect bait¡­

    The missiles drilled into the snake¡¯s armor¡­ and I mean that literally.  The tips glowed a bright red and gave off a whirring grind as they spun.  That was more than enough to allow them to punch through those thick scales.  Yet we weren¡¯t done.  The contents in the shaft exploded, bright green poison seeping into their snakelike bodies and the excess billowing out in an expanding wave ¨C one that saturated the waters and coated those snakes.

    We¡¯d had to use a bunch of our reserves from the poison springs.

    It was actually highly toxic and dissolved flesh in seconds.

    At least, for other people.  Turns out I was special.

    I¡¯d always suspected, but it was nice to finally have proof.

    Fang ordered the engineers to keep firing.  Again and again.  Until the snakes movements began to slow, growing confused and listless.  More than a few were just floating on the surface, writhing and twisting and twitching amid waters now stained a festive red and green.  The other sea serpents seemed to be catching on to the problem, and slowed their assault even as the harbor gate slowly began to grind closed.

    With a wave from yours truly, DJ lil¡¯ P finally cut the music ¨C leaving only the sound of splashing, groaning, grunting, and the crackle of the massive ship burning in the distance as it slowly sank.  And in that void, the others stared at me¡ª

    Awestruck by my genius, obviously.

    I could feel the heat of their praise from here¡­ or, uh, that might have actually been the ship in the distance.  Wow, it was really burning fiercely.  I wonder what they must have been carrying onboard.  Something flammable most likely.

    But there wasn¡¯t time to dwell on that.  Our guests were still scrambling up the shore.

    And among the sirens were other races.  A few vulpin, a couple dozen sapiens, and a whip thin man with a serious case of resting-elf face ¨C glaring and screaming at the others.  Tossing a few of his teammates behind him as bait for the few surviving sea serpents that had managed to sneak inside and slither through the flotsam of blood and body parts.

    Accompanying him was also the biggest siren I¡¯d ever seen¡­ which I guess wasn¡¯t saying a lot since this was my first time.  But he was also wearing a really cool hat and his crew seemed to be rallying around him, raising their voices with his and forming a protective barrier of rainbow energy along the shore ¨C enough to blunt the feeble attacks of the injured serpents, the rest of the brood retreating back into depths of the river.

    I couldn¡¯t be sure, but I was guessing he was the captain.

    The nimbus radiating off him and the elf was just¡­ exquisite.

    ¡°Finally!  Finally, after all this talking and craziness and family nonsense, it¡¯s time to feast!  Kill them all and drain their oversized vessels of their sweet nimbus!¡± Lili roared.

    ¡°Uh¡­ no,¡± I replied slowly.  ¡°That¡¯s not the plan.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± she snapped.  ¡°But you burned their boat and killed most of the crew!  Seriously, they¡¯re injured ¨C distracted.  This is our perfect opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t those two look super dangerous, though?¡±

    ¡°So what?  Just open a couple ratholes and drop them back in the middle of the bay!¡±

    Huh, that¡­ that actually wasn¡¯t a terrible idea.

    But, unfortunately, I had other plans.  Better plans.

    ¡°Okay, but the ship was an accident.  An experiment.  Weren¡¯t you listening?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ no.  Not really,¡± Lili replied reluctantly.  ¡°I tune you out when you¡¯re monologuing.  Are we seriously not going to eat them?  Aren¡¯t you hungry?  Ravenous?  It¡¯s been forever since we¡¯ve eaten and they¡¯re so thick and juicy and filled to the brim with¡ª¡±

    Which was just more body shaming.  I expected better ¨C especially from Lili.  You¡¯d think with her eating disorder she¡¯d be more compassionate.  Or maybe she was just deflecting?  Making the problem about them instead of about her?

    ¡°I don¡¯t have an eating disorder.  I¡ªI just have a fast metabolism.  And I¡¯m not deflecting.  You never let me pillage and murder anymore.  Ever.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true.  What about the monkeys?¡±

    ¡°You did that for Maribel ¨C not me.¡±

    My left hand twitched happily.  Ahh, right.

    ¡°Okay, fine.  Next time, I¡¯ll let you murder-pillage, sound good?¡±

    Lili just grumbled in the back of my mind, but seemed resigned.

    Ahh and the others were staring at me again.  This time like I was insane.

    Shit.  That might have been out loud.  Again.

    Anyway, we still had to greet our new guests.  Or potential new employees ¨C at least, if my plan worked ¨C which it always did¡­ except when it didn¡¯t.  Anyway, my voice soon boomed across the bay where the survivors were bleeding and groaning along the beach.

    ¡°Welcome to Apati!  The home of friendship!¡±

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 39

    Chapter 39 - Serpentine

    Demi

    The Flow

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot of sea serpents,¡± Emporos murmured before crunching down on another handful of that delectable-looking popcorn.  ¡°Seriously, how did so many¡ª¡±

    He cut himself short, side eyeing me.

    Meanwhile, I was¡­ uh, very distracted by my tablet.  My Tutorial.  You know, the one about domain-type gates.  I mean, I was committed already, but there was no harm in learning more, right?  Right!  This was important, critical training.

    ¡°Demi?¡± Emporos asked when I didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Yes, fine!¡± I snapped, hurling that tablet across the flow, the black square ricocheting off the invisible walls and splashing through the water underfoot.  ¡°I may have used a minor miracle before.  Just a little one.  You know, to get them off that stupid beach and closer to the gate.  And it worked, okay?  How was I to know that it would cause this¡ªthis mess?¡±

    The demonic merchant was just watching me, a strange expression on his face.  ¡°Oh¡­ oh, honey.  You know making even small changes to an ecosystem can have a huge impact, right?  Like forcing the sea serpents south¡­ during the silverfin spawn¡­ and with no natural predators out there where the nimbus is thin.  Normally, the river dragons closer to Asphodel would keep them under control, but¡­¡±  He trailed off, just waving at the portal.

    He didn¡¯t need to say it.  It was obvious.

    The damn serpents had multiplied out of control.

    There were thousands.  And that was just in the bay beside Apati.  There were many, many more downriver.  They¡¯d destroyed every ship in the Outer Reaches.  Which was a mixed blessing honestly.  It meant that the Cheater couldn¡¯t travel by boat¡­ but, then again, that didn¡¯t really seem like a necessity.  Not anymore.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you take the miracle Tutorial?¡± he offered gently.

    Which hurt even more than getting yelled at for some reason.

    It was the pity in his eyes.  Like I was a failure.  A minus.

    ¡°No, no I didn¡¯t!¡±  I snapped back, the pressure that had been building in the hollow void in my chest growing, growing, growing until it felt like I would burst.

    And then, well¡­ I did.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that was a thing!  No told me and no one covered any of this during orientation.  Which isn¡¯t fair at all!  Why didn¡¯t they teach us about ecosystems and gate design and evolutionary trees and space turtles, and why is there so much math ¨C like way, way too much math?  There has to be an easier way to do this, right?  How do the other skafos manage it?  Are they all dead?  Insane?  Driven mad by an ¡°unstable genius?  Except, who fucking knows?  Because I¡¯ve never even met any of them!

    ¡°And why don¡¯t I have any furniture?  Or food?  What does drinking the Flow do?  And if it¡¯s so bad for me, then why does it taste soooo good?¡±

    I was breathing hard, my chest heaving, my eyes wide and wild.

    ¡°Just¡­ just have a drink.  It¡¯ll help,¡± Emporos offered, more pity shining there.

    Slurp.  Slurp, slurp, slurp.

    He was right.  I did feel better¡­ for some unknown reason.

    ¡°Look, I know this is a lot and that we got off to a rocky start, but I really am here to help,¡± the merchant explained ¨C his point only undercut slightly by the way his eyes smoldered like a demon.  ¡°As for the orientation, they don¡¯t teach this stuff for a reason.  Because most skafos don¡¯t need it.  They¡¯re little more than spiritual taxi drivers.  They just ferry the Guides from one place to another.  But you¡¯ve started down a different path.

    ¡°Administrators are¡­ different.  The requirements are more stringent.  They are more like architects.  They don¡¯t steer the ship, they help build it.¡±

    His gaze shifted back to the portal where a hundred serpent corpses were slowly being roasted alive inside that massive ship ¨C the one that was so huge that the top portion still speared out of the bay like a monstrous, smoking mountain.

    ¡°At least Nyx managed to kill most of the serpents in the bay,¡± he offered, obviously trying to help.  ¡°That should help cut down on their numbers.  Plus, some of the crew is still alive.  That could work to your advantage¡­ maybe.¡±

    Wow.  Wow, was he rooting for me now?

    Is this how low I¡¯d fallen?  My competition was trying to help me?

    ¡°And there¡¯s always Eris and Horus,¡± he offered when I didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°As though that will help!¡± I shot back, the portal shifting again.  Showing a familiar macabre, little cottage in the woods.  ¡°They¡¯re never going to leave!  I¡¯ve already tried everything.  Well, everything within the scope of my minor miracles.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Which wasn¡¯t much that far from the river.

    Like I sent a horde of demon monkeys at them.

    Okay, fine.  It was like a smallish group.  There weren¡¯t many left.  I was hoping it would draw in PK and drive them out of the cottage.  Instead, the oversized cat just killed the monkeys long before they got close ¨C as well as every other monster I¡¯d sent toward that glade.  Like he was defending it.  Like he was protecting them.

    Yet this was too much.

    Horus was¡­ was serving Eris food?  On the patio?  While acid rain pitter pattered against their poo-crete umbrella?  While she was wrapped in a ratskin blanket and working on her ¡°reports?¡±  I¡¯d even started to think that maybe ¨C just maybe ¨C they did make a cute couple.  I was even starting to root for them!

    ¡°Ahh, those blood fruit tarts looks delicious,¡± Emporos murmured.

    They did.  They looked good.  So good.

    Which raised another, more dire question.

    Like why would they ever leave the PB&B?  I mean, hadn¡¯t Horus been healed for days now?  Possibly even weeks?  Or would they just stay there forever?

    And if they did¡­ would Nyx ever make it to the gate?

    I couldn¡¯t even make it stop raining!  The weather system around Apati and the forest was irrevocably fucked, Fang¡¯s sisters producing so much steam that it had destabilized the climate for hundreds of miles in every direction.  And that acid rain was keeping Horus and Eris trapped at the cottage ¨C or, at least, giving them an inane pretense to stay put.  To tell stories about their dark and compelling childhoods and eat pastries.

    My eyes whipped back to Emporos, my painted brow furrowed.  Or¡­ wait.

    Was he really trying to help?  Or was this it?  Was this his plan?

    An empty promise to help me bypass the Tutorial ¨C one predicated on the assumption that the Cheater would actually run out of nimbus or drugs or his enthusiasm for his insane family vacation ¨C that he would ever make it to the gate?

    An assumption that was starting to look like a steaming pile of kraell shit.  Was this how the merchant had screwed me?  Would I be stuck with him in this office for all of eternity watching my failures play out on screen over and over again.

    Without pastries?  Or back rubs?  Or a fluffy blanket?

    And there was only one way to find out.

    One last trick at my disposal.

    The emergency blessing.

    I didn¡¯t want to do it.  The instructions even said to only pull it in cases of dire emergency or a Cheater infestation.  But this counted, right?  Right?

    Red warning spirits started flashing around my office, my empty chest heaving, my little hands clamped around the huge lever that had materialized from the Flow.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Emporos demanded, those smoldering eyes wide now, the pity gone and replaced with something different ¨C concern.  Possibly even fear.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I insisted.  ¡°What does it matter if I pull it?  Won¡¯t it just backfire on me like my last miracle?  Possibly even help the Cheater?  Shouldn¡¯t you be rooting for that outcome?  You know, if you¡¯re gambling on the Cheater staying alive?¡±

    We stood like that for a long time.  A standoff.

    The lack of response was answer enough.

    He hadn¡¯t been trying to help me.  He¡¯d been trying to scare me ¨C to deter me from using the tools at my disposal.  I could see it in the way his eyes shied away from mine, the way he fiddled with his mug nervously.

    ¡°Look, let¡¯s not be hasty.  Do you even know what that does?¡± he demanded.

    No.  No, I didn¡¯t.  I bet there was a Tutorial for it, but I didn¡¯t care anymore.

    But, obviously, I wasn¡¯t going to tell him that.

    ¡°Of course, I do,¡± I answered, not batting a single eye.

    Emporos swallowed.  ¡°Fine¡­ okay, I may have been trying to trick you.  To encourage you not to use your miracles.  But you don¡¯t understand the stakes for me.¡±

    My cute fox mask contorted, my lips pulling away into a feral grin.

    Yes¡­ yes, I finally had him.  I¡¯d made him admit it.

    Which could only mean one thing.

    This lever was my answer to winning.

    To finally killing the damn Cheater!

    So, I did what I had to do.  I heaved at the lever, pulling with all of my strength ¨C which wasn¡¯t much.  I actually had to sort of jump to get enough leverage¡ª

    And then the lever slid down with a solid thunk.  Those red spirits were flashing wildly now, a wail rising from the depths of the Flow even as the lever disappeared and a counter appeared overhead, one counting down with inevitable certainty.

    Emporos could only look on in horror.  Then he dropped his head into his hands and I felt this tiny fire in my chest ¨C one I hadn¡¯t felt in ages ¨C not since orientation.  The same feeling I¡¯d gotten every time my test scores came back.  One of pure triumph¡ª

    Wait, was he¡­ was he laughing?

    The merchant raised those smoldering eyes to meet mine once more, a grin on his painted lips.  One that quickly extinguished the fire in my chest.  One that had me second guessing my conclusion.  Had that been the trick, or¡­

    ¡°So, I guess you forgot that the emergency miracle sends a support message to your boss,¡± Emporos offered.  ¡°Either that, or you¡¯ve finally worked up the nerve to fight for your job.  I have to admit, I didn¡¯t think you had it in you.¡±

    I blinked.  Blinked again.

    Ahh¡­ ahh, yes.  It was that second thing.  Definitely.

    ¡°Of course,¡± I said, trying my best not to scream.

    Out loud anyway.  Inside, it was just one long existential shriek.

    ¡°Then game on, Demi.  Game on,¡± Emporos offered, clapping softly.

    I liked that.  It wasn¡¯t an A+, but it was nice to be appreciated¡ª

    Oh shit.  My eyes were locked on the screen now.

    The one where a meteor was barreling through the atmosphere, a giant flaming chunk of rock that was streaking down, down, down.  Heading directly toward a familiar screaming bamboo forest.  Toward a tiny lake.  One resting beside a quaint cottage.  Would this be enough to force them to move?  Probably.  Almost certainly.

    Or it could kill them both and destroy any chance of killing the Cheater.

    ¡°This is fantastic,¡± Emporos purred, grabbing another handful of popcorn.  ¡°Will they die?  Escape?  Force Nyx into the gate before Charon shows up?¡± Emporos continued, smiling gleefully at the screen.  ¡°The stakes make it more fun.¡±

    A frown pulled at my lips.  That wasn¡¯t the reaction I¡¯d been hoping for.

    Emporos didn¡¯t even seem worried that Charon was coming.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous if you get found in here?¡± I demanded.

    He looked at me in surprise.  ¡°What?  Why?¡±

    ¡°Because, uh, you¡¯re not supposed to be here.¡±

    His smile just widened.  ¡°You¡¯re right.  I¡¯m not.  But I didn¡¯t break in.  I was invited, wasn¡¯t I?  By you.  We even have a deal ¨C one where you agreed to let me stay in exchange for my help. Also, providing you with access to Nyx''s old case files.¡±

    He waved at the air, a scroll of parchment forming from the shadows and unraveling, splashing against the ground and rolling toward me ¨C one with our agreement spelled out in excruciating detail.  There were even pictures.  And video.

    And with it came a sudden realization.

    ¡°You tricked me!¡± I snapped at him.

    ¡°Me?  I didn¡¯t pull the lever,¡± Emporos replied, hand to his chest.

    Yet he was still smiling.  Just like the Cheater ¨C just like an asshole.

    This was it.  This right here.  This was how he¡¯d screwed me.

    By tricking me into screwing myself.

    And now there was nothing I could do.

    Nothing but wait and watch and drink and hope.

    Sluuuuurp.  Slurp, sluuuuuurp.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 40

    Chapter 40 - Business Meeting

    Apati¡¯s New Conference Room

    Nyx

    This was it ¨C my very first business meeting.

    And everything was perfect.

    I¡¯d learned the importance of ambiance back inside the hell sewer.  We didn¡¯t have a giant mound of rat corpses, or a dark keep, or an eerie and ever-present moon.  But we did have our brand new, luxury conference room, one I¡¯d had the engineers build atop the tallest tower in Apati.  One that speared up out of the mists.  One encircled by floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a beautiful view of the bay ¨C the mothership still smoldering and the prow towering above the waters ¨C as well as the many, many snake corpses that our employees were pulling up on shore, butchering them for those precious rings of meat.

    We were having a snake fry later - for our guests, of course.

    Okay, I¡¯d also wanted to try that recipe for ages¡­

    Plus, the skeletons were super useful for making the tracks for our new fleet of dump-trucks.  Yeah, that had all been part of my plan too.

    ¡°I thought it was an experiment?¡± Lili muttered.

    Ahh¡­ right.  That¡¯s, uh, what I meant.  That was all totally improvised.

    ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t tell anymore,¡± she muttered.

    Yeah, I know.  That¡¯s part of my charm.  I like to keep people guessing.

    Anyway, there I was, sitting at the head of the conference table, flanked by Fang and Cole ¨C the elf dressed in an elaborate disguise, a rat fur moustache on his upper lip and a strange, feathered hat on his head.  He insisted it was necessary.  So that Peri wouldn¡¯t recognize him.  Like I mentioned before, Cole suffers from some self-esteem issues.

    Oh, and to be clear, Peri was the elf we¡¯d seen on the shore.  The one that was actually sitting across from us.  He was apparently a ¡°royal vessel,¡± fifteenth in line to the Order of Poseidon¡­ whatever that meant.

    Like was that good?  Bad?  Was he fifteenth out of fifteen?  Otherwise known as last place?  Or was that out of a hundred?  Or a thousand?  Maybe his parents had banged out as many vessels as Manslaughter?  In which case, that was pretty good, right?

    All I knew for sure was that his extra-wide sea captain was definitely first in line to order second helpings.  I mean, he was huge ¨C even bigger in person.  Maybe his other crewmates hadn¡¯t died¡­ maybe he¡¯d just eaten them.

    Seriously, had we prepared enough food for him?

    ¡°Nyx, you¡¯re doing it again,¡± Cole whispered shakily.  ¡°Talking out loud.

    Ahh, right.  That could be why everyone was glaring at me.

    Except Lipos.  He looked mildly flattered ¨C almost amused?  At least, I assumed that¡¯s why his tusks were vibrating.  Hmm, I felt a connection there.  Like we could be friends.  Plus, his hat was super fashionable ¨C wide brim, little bones bound to the fabric in the shape of a skull.  Like a pirate.  I wanted one so bad.

    Although, something had been bothering me¡­

    Isn¡¯t a captain supposed to go down with his ship?

    I mean, I¡¯d heard that, right?  That was a thing?

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Lipos replied, breathing hard and his fur matted with a slick layer of sweat, more drip, drip, dripping to the ground like rain.  ¡°What would be the point of that?  You can always hire a new crew¡­ but finding a new captain ¨C that¡¯s much harder.  Plus, this is a good learning opportunity for your employees.  It teaches them that they¡¯re expendable.¡±

    First off, yes, that had been out loud again.  I might be a little nervous.

    And secondly?  ¡°That actually makes a lot of sense!  I adopt a similar approach with my murder babies.  Teaching your underlings their place is part of being a captain.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a captain?¡± Lipos rumbled, skeptical.

    His voice had such a rich, resonant timbre.  It was distracting.

    ¡°Ahh, basically.  Captain of a ship called family.¡±

    Fang just let out a long, slow hiss of disappointment and Cole¡¯s face sank into his hands.  I don¡¯t know why.  Small talk was an important part of any business meeting.  This was our opportunity to find a connection outside of work.

    ¡°Can we get on with this?  Why are we here in this ridiculous tower?¡± Peri demanded, glaring, his eyes pulsing an ominous sapphire as his spirit made its presence known.

    Okay, rude.  He was giving off a pretty murdery aura ¨C like he wanted to kill me.   Badly.  I should know.  I¡¯d gotten really good at picking up on killing intent.  Experience, you know?  But it was what he said about my tower that hurt the most¡­

    ¡°Nyx, focus!¡± Lili snapped.

    I coughed into my hand.  ¡°Ahh, right.  I¡¯m sorry for your bloody reception,¡± I began.  ¡°As you can see, we have something of a sea serpent problem.  That¡¯s actually why we haven¡¯t been able to make any shipments of silverfin north for, well¡­ ages really.¡±

    ¡°And who are you?  Where is that elderly asshole Tom?¡± Peri demanded.

    See?  Connection.  We both hated Tom!  Small talk at its finest¡­

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll be happy to learn that Tom¡¯s dead.  Allegedly.  And as per the terms of his contract, he is no longer liable for the debt to your Order.  Of course, the company is still on the hook and I speak for Fin-Fan, Inc.¡± I offered with a nod and a wider smile.

    They just stared back, looking skeptical.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the owner of the company?  You?¡± Peri insisted.

    He looked around the room, as though questioning his own sanity.  Cole and Fang were having trouble meeting his eyes for some reason.

    ¡°Well, not exactly¡ª¡± I answered, cocking my head.

    ¡°I figured,¡± Peri interjected in a dry voice.

    ¡°Uh, which is to say that, following Tom¡¯s death, the company has transitioned to an experimental, new business structure.  We¡¯re now more of a collective cooperative with the goal of decentralizing leadership and transferring control of capital back to the workers.   So, we elect a rotating leader to guide our business planning.  And, right now, that¡¯s me.¡±

    Ahh, they looked even more confused now.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°So, you answer for Tom¡¯s debt?¡± Peri demanded.  His eye was starting to twitch.  I thought elves were supposed to be all stoic ¨C that¡¯s what Cole told me anyway.

    Was it almost dying?  Having to flee that burning wreckage and horde of snakes to avoid being eaten alive?  Or maybe he was worried Lipos would eat him ¨C the captain looked downright famished.  I swear he lost a few pounds just taking the stairs up here.

    Oh shit, the elf was still glaring at me.

    ¡°Well, no¡­ not me, specifically.  I don¡¯t actually own any shares in the company directly,¡± I explained.  ¡°You see, we¡¯ve actually divided the share ownership among all of the employees.  So, I guess you could say the community is liable.  Literally everyone here ¨C except for me, of course.  However, I¡¯ve been empowered to negotiate on their behalf.¡±

    And now the elf was massaging at his temples.  It felt like I got that response a lot.  ¡°Does anyone else understand what this crazy sapien is saying?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s saying he¡¯s in charge but also he isn¡¯t.¡±  That was Lipos.  Seriously, his voice was majestic.  Also, his tusks definitely vibrated as he spoke.  Like tuning forks, [Engineering] said.  Maybe that was how his song spirit worked.  It was so cool.

    ¡°Yep.  See?  He gets it,¡± I shot back, my smile getting shaky.

    Getting my lips into position wasn¡¯t hard, it was keeping them there¡ª

    ¡°Look, we¡¯re just here to collect on the debt¡ª¡± Peri began, letting out a soft sigh.

    ¡°Ahh, but before that, how about refreshments?  You must be ravenous after your journey and all that running and rowing,¡± I offered.

    ¡°No, we don¡¯t¡ª¡± Peri began.

    ¡°I could eat,¡± Lipos interjected, his beady eyes suddenly shining.

    Of course he could ¨C my brother in thickness.  I clapped my hands and our tiny, robed servers stepped into the room carrying platters of fresh FJ and plates of heaping demon monkey sliders.  They quickly made the rounds, depositing a mug and a plate of burgers in front of each person.  Although, I noticed a tail slipping out from under one of their robes and I quickly stepped on it.  The server gave a cute little chitter and a jump, familiar crimson saucers glaring at me from beneath the cowl of its hood.

    Okay, fine¡­ they were my babies.  I was ashamed I had to wrap up their adorable little faces like this, but I¡¯d discovered that not everyone found them as lovely as me.

    Even if they were wrong.  Like so very wrong.

    ¡°These are demon monkey burgers with a bamboo bun, caramelized death shroom, and a blood fruit chutney,¡± I explained.  ¡°We¡¯ve paired it with a fresh batch of FJ.¡±

    ¡°FJ?¡± Peri echoed, staring at the mug suspiciously.  Meanwhile, Lipos was sniffing his burger, already salivating as he stared at the steaming delicacy.

    ¡°That¡¯s friendship juice.¡±

    They were still just staring.  No one was eating.

    ¡°Um, is something wrong?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Do you think we were born yesterday?  This could be poisoned.  It almost surely is,¡± the elf snapped back, slapping at his captain¡¯s hand as he tried to grab one of the burgers.  ¡°Do you expect me to just put anything in my mouth?¡±

    That was fair.  However, I¡¯d come prepared.

    ¡°No worries.  It¡¯s not poisoned.  See?¡±  I took a big bite.  It was so good.

    Lipos was just staring at me, a strange lustful expression in his big, beady eyes.  I motioned at the others and they all took a bite and a swig of FJ¡­ even Fang, although he seemed reluctant.  He¡¯d been quiet lately ¨C too quiet.  But I just chalked that up to him finally learning his place in the new pecking order ¨C one at the very bottom.

    I explained that was the best place for his talents.

    We all had to play to our strengths.

    And he was definitely a power bottom.

    Anyway, that demonstration seemed to placate the uptight elf.  He even took a nibble at his burger, his eyes widening in surprise.

    ¡°Hmm, this is actually pretty good,¡± he murmured.

    Lipos just grunted, stuffing an entire burger in his mouth, his eyes half-lidded in bliss.

    ¡°And what¡¯s this beverage?  It¡¯s surprisingly rich in nimbus.¡±

    Oh, I know it was.  It was all about the fertilizer.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you think so.  You see, since we¡¯ve been experiencing some logistical issues with securing more silverfin inventory, we decided to develop several new product lines.  Specifically, we have begun producing this new food and beverage.  Of course, this is just a small taste of what we have to offer ¨C an appetizer, if you will.¡±

    Shit.  No one was laughing.  That one had killed with the sisters¡­

    ¡°To what end?¡± Lipos demanded.  ¡°Nothing is getting out of that bay, including us,¡± he growled, glaring at Peri.  ¡°And with that forest of screaming bamboo, I¡¯d say we¡¯re all trapped here.  What difference does the debt make after losing our ship?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t our ship ¨C it was your ship.  We only had a contract.  One that doesn¡¯t make me liable for any damage caused by native wildlife,¡± Peri corrected with a sniff and taking another delicate bite.  ¡°And you might be trapped, but I can simply take a gate back to Asphodel.  Me and my guides were here to collect a debt, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°And what about me and my crew?  You plan to leave us here?¡± Lipos demanded, glaring now and his tusks beginning to vibrate more strongly.

    ¡°Expendable vessels,¡± the elf sneered.  ¡°Although, perhaps there might be a place for some of you.  There might be materials to carry back.¡±

    Wow.  Harsh.  But technically true.

    I was sensing some tension between these two.

    Almost like the elf had roped the walrus into a lopsided contract that left him holding the bag and carrying all his treasures.  Not that I knew what that was like¡­

    Lipos growled, a rumbling, rising sound as his spirit¡¯s energy surged, waves of rainbow energy radiating through the conference room.  Peri simply stared him down, completely unperturbed by that show of power.  Without even moving, moisture condensed from the air, turning into thick, super dense balls of water that orbited him like a star.

    Wow, there were so many.  Like dozens.

    And Peri wasn¡¯t even breaking a sweat.

    Not even Leandra could manage that.

    Just how powerful was he?  Silver rank at least.  Maybe gold?

    ¡°Or we could simply settle this now,¡± Peri insisted, staring down his captain as those orbs shifted into a series of vibrating blades ¨C all of them pointed at the captain.  ¡°I¡¯d be happy to help you and the remainder of your worthless crew Flow on.  Given that you couldn¡¯t even handle a few sea serpents, I doubt anyone will miss you.¡±

    The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, but I just used mine to slice my burger in half.  It was easier to eat that way.  After getting locked inside the hell sewer and then planning our family vacation, I guess I¡¯d forgotten about the Way of the Flow.  The mantras.  The system of oppression and power that dominated the Five Rivers.

    It was pretty ruthless.  Honestly, I felt bad for my brother-in-thickness.

    Lipos backed down, averting his eyes ¨C and placating his wounded pride with a second helping of demon monkey burgers.  He must do that a lot.  It explained the girth.

    See?  We had so much in common already.

    ¡°Now,¡± Peri continued, his eyes back on me.  ¡°What exactly are you proposing?  I see these new products.  They are interesting but certainly don¡¯t warrant the cost of opening a gate.  So, how do you plan to ship them north?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, well, that¡¯s a small but manageable problem¡ª¡±

    ¡°He has no plan,¡± Fang interjected as he rose.

    My gaze snapped to his face, my eyes questioning.  What was this?  This wasn¡¯t part of our plan¡­ or was it?  Honestly, I was having trouble remembering lately.

    ¡°I see.  And who are you?¡± Peri demanded.

    ¡°Ahh, this is my associate, Buzzkill.¡± I answered automatically.

    ¡°My name is Fang,¡± the insecure trash goblin hissed.

    ¡°You have two names?¡± Lipos asked in confusion.

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± I added.

    ¡°It is not,¡± Fang snapped, focusing on Peri.  ¡°And this is my point.  You shouldn¡¯t believe anything this sapian says.  He is sick.  Crazy¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true!  I¡¯m rationally-challenged.  It¡¯s a disability.  A medical condition, and you know that,¡± I shot back, stabbing a finger at him.

    ¡°See what I mean?¡± Fang said with a sigh, not even bothering to look at me.  ¡°He recently suffered a serious head injury ¨C one that left him unconscious for days.¡±

    Wait that had been for days?

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not¡­ completely true.¡±

    ¡°See?  The crazy sapien admits it himself,¡± Fang offered.

    ¡°I recovered quickly.  And I can assure you I am almost completely sane.  I think,¡± I reassured our guests with my biggest smile before whirling toward Fang.  ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been elected to speak for the company.  What authority do you even have to act on behalf of Fin-Fan, Inc, hmm?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes.  Thank you for asking.  I am currently the largest shareholder,¡± Fang replied, slapping down the contract tablet and sliding it across the conference table to our guests.  ¡°As you can see, I now own more than 50% of the outstanding shares in the company, which empowers me to impeach our acting leader and hold a new election.  There are many employees who are uncomfortable with the current direction of the company.¡±

    Our eyes met then, glowing yellow slits meeting the confused and flabbergasted and betrayed expression of his bromantic partner.  It seemed I was wrong.  That I¡¯d underestimated the greedy trash goblin again.  He hadn¡¯t been quiet ¨C resigned.  He¡¯d been plotting a coup.  A hostile takeover of my new business¡ª

    ¡°That you don¡¯t own,¡± Lili offered.

    ¡°Whose team are you on?¡± I shot back.

    ¡°Right now?  Fang.  He promised me a feast if I went along with him.¡±

    Wait, what?  When did that happen!?  I mean, I would have had to be there if they were talking, right?  Sure, the memory gaps were getting worse, but this was still too much, wasn¡¯t it?   I mean, do you remember any of this?  I see some heads shaking.  Ahh, now I was getting nervous ¨C starting to suspect this wasn¡¯t part of my plan at all...

    At least, I didn¡¯t think so.  I still couldn¡¯t remember.

    And Fang¡¯s smile just kept getting wider as he watched me.  Yet that was enough to stiffen my spine, to get my heart racing, my palms sweaty, and my beatin¡¯ chain ready for when I wooped his scaly ass yet again.

    This was fine.  Perfect even.

    I do my best work running full tilt into the shit.

    But I don¡¯t have to tell you that, do I?

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 41

    Chapter 41 - Hostile Takeover

    There we were.

    Just two bromantic partners facing off in a brand new battlefield.

    One without blood or pitch or bamboo or monkey shit or even traditional weapons.  Because our audience ¨C our future customers ¨C had made us leave them all at the door ¨C everything except my arm chain.  Mostly because it was welded to my arm.

    One with only spinny chairs and an ornate conference table and steaming refreshments and stacks of parchment piled high with cold, hard facts.  Except I didn¡¯t have any paperwork.  Only Fang did.  And there was so much.  Like multiple stacks, neatly organized and labeled with meticulous sticky notes.

    The ones made out of sheets of bamboo.  When had he had time to do that?

    Also, wasn¡¯t that both awesome and horribly dangerous?

    No, no that wasn¡¯t what was important.  I needed to focus.

    This time, our negotiation had an audience.  Specifically, a judgmental and extremely dangerous gold-ranked nepotism hire and my brother-in-thickness.  A panel of judges ¨C one evaluating each of our pitches ¨C our alternative visions for Apati.  We would need to keep things constrained.  Mature.  Professional.

    ¡°Each employee only gets one vote,¡± I told Fang calmly ¨C my opening salvo.  ¡°Even with your shares, you can¡¯t just push through anything you want.¡±

    I should know.  I¡¯d made the rules air-fucking-tight¡ª

    ¡°Then it is good that I have the votes,¡± Fang replied easily, waving a dismissive claw.  ¡°The same employees that decided to sign up with the company through me ¨C that gave me all of these many, many shares.¡±   He set down another stack of papers.  ¡°I am authorized to vote on their behalf.  A proxy vote.¡±  He was smiling now with way too many teeth.

    Wait?  What?  What the hell, that was¡­ that was brilliant.

    Yet there were other questions, like¡ª

    ¡°Who would even agree to that¡ª¡±

    I cut off as the realization hit me.

    ¡°The engineers?  Really?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°They are employees,¡± Fang snapped back.

    He didn¡¯t even have the grace to look ashamed after how he¡¯d locked them all in the tunnels under Apati and pretended they didn¡¯t exist ¨C had even told people that they were all tragically dead.   He just kept smiling.

    Yeah, this so who I was dealing with.  A cold-blooded sadist.  A corporate killer.

    ¡°They also see me as a hero,¡± Fang continued, pulling out a pair of glasses and wiping them clean before settling them on the bridge of his snout.  He looked fucking great ¨C all a part of his strategy, no doubt.  ¡°A legend.  They show me respect.¡±

    ¡°And their makeup tutorials?¡± I offered, earning a wince from the suddenly fashionable trash goblin.  No wonder he¡¯d started dressing better lately ¨C his brothers and uncles had probably been helping him!  Although, I did think his suit looked good on him ¨C I¡¯d even complimented him!  ¡°You think I¡¯ll let this stand¡ª¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do?  Threaten me?  Blackmail me?  Use our babies against me?  It won¡¯t work.  Not this time.  Not with this esteemed gentle-elf here.¡±

    Oh, that son of a steaming hot broodmother¡­

    I wasn¡¯t even sure whether to be angry or impressed right now.

    Although, this is exactly why you shouldn¡¯t help your bromate get clean.  He¡¯d likely use that newfound mental clarity to secretly step up his hygiene game, study the company bylaws in depth, and learn complex business and accounting rules in order to cheat you out of the business that your estranged conman father left to you ¨C his second favorite.

    ¡°What¡­ what is going on right now?¡± Peri demanded, his rigid brow crinkled in confusion.  Lipos was just watching with keen interest, already on his fourth helping of burgers.  My babies were under instructions to keep them topped off.

    ¡°A hostile takeover,¡± I answered, my focus still on Fang ¨C on the bromantic partner that was stabbing me in the back right now.  ¡°The question is why.  Why, Fang?  After everything I¡¯ve done for you.  After I¡¯ve saved your life countless lives.  Given you children.¡±

    Peri¡¯s eyes went wide at that one and he looked at Lipos who just shook his head.

    None of that was lost on Fang, who looked extremely uncomfortable.

    ¡°Why?¡± he echoed, losing his cool slightly, glaring and hiss-sputtering.  ¡°You really ask me this?  I never wanted to come here!  I told you we needed to avoid this place so many times.  That it was dangerous.  That we would die gruesomely.  I tried to reason with you.  Begged and pleaded.  But do you listen?  No!  Never!  You insist on coming here.  Make me drive that¡ªthat tricycle.  Then you embarrass me in front of my family with this crazy bromance¡ª

    ¡°You mean our relationship?¡± I insisted.  ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for caring about you!  About wanting to meet the people in your life.  To meet your family.¡±

    ¡°Just like this!  You say this crazy nonsense.  Giving away all the shares in the company was the last straw ¨C all of that nimbus just there for the snorting.  And you give it all away!  For what?  To get revenge against a dead man?¡±

    ¡°We both know Tom¡¯s still alive!  Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°And how does trying to mate with my mother factor into that plan?¡±

    Lipos snorted, partially inhaling a burger.  ¡°Woah¡­ he did what?¡±

    Oh, that was a low blow.  He knew we shared something special.

    ¡°Yes, he makes all these comments about my mother.  About how she is a steam show.  How he wishes to lick the sweat off her scales.  How he¡¯d love to let her pry open his onesie¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s completely out of context!¡± I shot back.  ¡°He¡¯s not telling the whole story.  We¡¯ve already slept together!  Or, well, I did.  She¡¯s also the sexiest lizard woman alive.  That¡¯s not just me ¨C not just subjective.  It¡¯s a fact.  Ask him how many siblings he has.   Her body count is enormous.  That¡¯s just math.¡±

    ¡°Is your mother really that attractive?¡± Lipos asked.

    Fang hedged, cocking his head.  ¡°How am I supposed to answer that¡ª"

    ¡°What difference does any of this make¡ª¡± Peri tried to intervene.

    ¡°Plus, he told me she was dead ¨C that his whole family was dead.  Dead!¡± I continued, stabbing a finger at Fang.  ¡°But they aren¡¯t.  They¡¯re all very much alive and living here.  He introduced me to them as his pet, can you believe that?  After we shared five cycles inside of a corrupted gate ¨C after we built a home.  A life.  A family together.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Lipos hedged, cocking his head.  ¡°As for the pet thing?  I kind of get it.  Sapiens are very weak.  Although, I may be biased.  I¡¯m actually in a unique position to appreciate Fang¡¯s family issues and reading between the lines, it sounds like his parents don¡¯t believe in his lifestyle.  Mine don¡¯t either.  It¡¯s created a lot tension with the pod.  Maybe Fang was feeling insecure and embarrassed.  Maybe he wasn¡¯t ready to reveal that side of himself to his family yet.  Have you considered that maybe you forced the issue in a very public and embarrassing way without considering his feelings?¡±

    Wow.  Damn. Alright.

    I didn¡¯t know how to answer that question.  I mean, I was pretty sure Fang didn¡¯t have feelings, but I could be wrong there.  However, I did know one thing for certain.  Lipos really was my brother-in-thickness¡­

    Because that shit was deep.

    ¡°Sure, but then I only agreed to do this whole remodeling project to save his family ¨C completely at my own expense by the way!  And this is how he thanks me?  By ruining my first business conference ever?  By trying to take over my company?¡±

    ¡°It is not your company!  That is the problem,¡± Fang hissed.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Peri snapped, water cascading through the room and his eyes aglow.  Those globes condensed down into blades that hovered at our necks, vibrating like a watersaw.  He did it so fast, none of us could react.  Apparently, royal vessels were no joke.

    We both froze, neither of us moving an inch ¨C just glaring at each other.

    Like I said, we¡¯d managed to keep it completely professional.

    ¡°If you are indeed the majority shareholder, what is your plan for settling the debt?¡± Peri insisted, looking at Fang.  I tried to speak up, but the blades pressed closer.  My babies shifted in the background, bamboomers peaking out from under their robes ¨C but I just shook my head slowly, Fang¡¯s smile widening in delight.

    ¡°We wish to sell it for parts.  Dismantle the buildings.  Take the vessels ¨C the other shareholders,¡± Fang said simply.  ¡°There should be enough to settle the debt.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t know that¡ª¡± I began.

    Only for Fang to smack down another stack of papers and slide them toward Peri.  ¡°The financials.  The company balance sheet.  As you can see, tearing down the buildings would provide plenty of raw metal, which will catch a fair price back in Asphodel.  The machinery can also be repurposed.  And the vessels will make exceptional slaves ¨C you can use them in your canning operations in the north.¡±

    Where had he learned out how to¡ª

    Cole was slinking back into his seat, looking everywhere but at me.

    ¡°Cole, you taught him this?¡± I hissed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have any choice.  He threatened to murder me,¡± the elf whispered back.

    Wow.  Just¡­ wow. First Lili had bailed on me and now this.  Seriously, Fang had put so much effort into this ¨C way more than he ever had before.  It was pretty incredible.

    Wait¡­ no I wasn¡¯t impressed!  I was pissed.  Uh, right?

    ¡°You would sell your sisters into slavery?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Better that than your crazy plan,¡± Fang shot back.

    ¡°Hmm, he¡¯s right.  It¡¯s enough to recoup the debt,¡± Peri offered, skimming the papers.  ¡°We could deconstruct everything and use the personnel here to transport it back through a gate.  It¡¯s not a terrible plan.  One I was already considering¡­¡±

    That traitorous trash goblin¡¯s eyes were practically glowing.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t cover the loss of the ship.  Or the death of all of those many, many vessels.  It would take ages to replace them, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I spoke up, drawing Peri¡¯s attention.  ¡°I¡¯m sure your contract with Lipos here entitles him to some compensation.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it does,¡± my brother-in-thickness replied, saluting me with his mug.

    ¡°Or you could kill them all,¡± Fang offered.  ¡°No witnesses, no problem.¡±

    Peri actually seemed to be considering that proposal and Fang¡¯s smile only widened as the water blades pressed closer to my brother-in-thickness.

    Yet Lupis just looked bored.  ¡°Sure, but the pod will still notice one of our ships has gone missing and our pod also has an ongoing contract with your Order unless you¡¯ve forgotten.  Without us, who is going to produce sea-dragon meat for your canning operation?  Especially since there¡¯s no silverfin.  In fact, a new food source would be a boon given the scarcity in Asphodel right now¡­¡±

    Fang¡¯s confidence faltered, his claws making this murder scratch thing he always does when he gets nervous or angry or wants to kill me.

    Yeah, that¡¯s right.  I could still win this ¨C I had to.

    ¡°But why, though?¡± Lili spoke up.  ¡°We could just¡­ you know, leave.¡±

    Well, Fang¡¯s family?  But also maybe my pride?  Okay, fine¡­ that was a lie.

    It was simpler than that.  More basic.  I could tell Fang was still hiding something.  I just knew there was another surprise waiting for me here ¨C that the party wasn¡¯t over.  It was going to be something juicy and terrible and probably emotionally devastating.  I mean, you see how much effort Fang has put into this.  There has to be a reason.

    And it¡¯s going to be amazing ¨C I just know it.

    Peri sighed, his waters retreating from Lipos as he took another bite and washed it down with a mouthful of friendship.  Then those cold, calculating elf eyes shifted to me.  ¡°So, we heard from this scaly one.  Now, what are you suggesting?¡±

    ¡°Something different,¡± I offered with my best smile.

    Ahh, he was frowning.  Never mind, too much smile.

    ¡°We have figured out a way to mass produce the blood fruit.¡±

    Oh, yes.  I had him now.  He was going to love this¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± the elf answered around another bite of burger.

    ¡°Uh, which part?¡±

    ¡°All of it?¡± the elf replied¡­ like I was stupid.  ¡°The blood fruit only grows in high concentration nimbus regions.  And that¡¯s ignoring the transportation problem.  We¡¯re a long, long way from Asphodel.  Gates are too expensive or I wouldn¡¯t have made this insufferable voyage by boat, Cocytus is clearly infested with sea serpents, and the bamboo is a menace.  Perhaps you wouldn¡¯t know this out here in the reaches, but that bamboo is typically eradicated as soon as it¡¯s discovered, otherwise it will destroy whole towns.  The fact that this place isn¡¯t buried already is a testament to the perseverance of the vessels living here.¡±

    The elf pointed at Fang.  ¡°Which means, they¡¯d make great slaves.¡±

    My bromantic partner¡¯s grin just widened a bit further.

    Seriously, he was just showing off.

    Also, wow.  Okay.  That was all news to me.

    The blood fruit only grew in the north?  AND there was no other bamboo?

    Then I froze as a sudden realization struck me.  Like a broken bone snapping back into position ¨C a brief flash of pain and then my mind was off, sprinting across the bleak, vacant, fractured landscape of my consciousness.  Pursuing the perfect plan.

    When the universe gives you shit ¨C specifically, flaming monkey crap that builds beautiful highways and blood grove fields ¨C you know what you should do?

    That¡¯s right, monopolize it.  Claw and scrape and harvest your way straight to the asshole and set up camp, until only you control the Flow.

    And lucky me¡­ I was the asshole.  A budding genius.

    ¡°Do you even hear yourself right now?¡± Lili demanded.

    I ignored her.  She was a traitor.  She¡¯d picked her team ¨C the losing one.

    Even Fang knew it ¨C realization suddenly dawning in his glowing snake eyes.

    ¡°Except, what if it isn¡¯t?  Impossible, I mean,¡± I answered, my smile widening.  ¡°In fact, you¡¯re drinking fresh grown blood fruit ¨C cultivated right here in the Outer Reaches.¡±

    The elf froze, staring at his mug, his brow furrowed.  ¡°No, it can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Guide, right?  You can sense nimbus?¡±  I demanded.  ¡°Test it.¡±

    His brow furrowed.  Then water enveloped the drink, the contents lifting from the mug until they hung in the air, the moisture compressing and condensing and filtering the other materials until there was only a glowing red sphere.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Peri murmured, registering as much surprise as his kind could muster.  ¡°You weren¡¯t lying.  And this is so pure.  Only the fields outside Asphodel have this much nimbus and the Order of Dionysus controls them with an iron fist.  This¡­ this is incredible.¡±

    Then his eyes narrowed.  ¡°Some trick?  Bringing in fruit from the north?¡±

    ¡°How?¡± I demanded.  ¡°You saw the bay ¨C the sea serpents.  And we haven¡¯t built the highway to the north yet.  So how would I accomplish that?¡±

    ¡°A gate?¡± Fang snapped, growing desperate.  ¡°You could have used a gate!¡±

    I glared at him.  ¡°Me?  The rationally-challenged sapien?  Your pet?  Which is it, Fang?  Am I an incompetent, weak, idiot?  Or an all-powerful, genius, mastermind capable of opening gates by myself, hmm?¡±

    He just crossed his arms and gave me a one-word answer.  ¡°Yes.¡±

    Wait, was that a compliment?  Sort of?  I mean, indirectly, right?

    ¡°If you¡¯re telling the truth, this could be worth a fortune.  Several even,¡± Peri murmured, ignoring us both while Lipos just looked back and forth between me and Fang with keen interest.  ¡°If we only had a way to ship it north¡­¡±

    My smile widened further.  Seriously, it hurt so bad.

    ¡°Ahh, funny you should mention that.  What if I told you we had a way to harvest, repurpose, and prevent the bamboo from spreading?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Then I¡¯d say you were a liar,¡± the elf answered easily.

    ¡°But I can prove it!¡± I insisted.  ¡°See?¡± I demanded, pivoting in my spinny chair ¨C the one I¡¯d built for just this situation ¨C and pointed out the windows to the south.

    With a gesture, my babies hauled at the ropes along the nearby wall, peeling back the protective metal paneling that kept the glare off the southern side of my tower.  Seriously, the sun above the steam could get pretty intense.  And in the distance was our new retaining wall ¨C our blood grove fields a writhing, bloody mound of fresh, throbbing, future produce.

    Peri and Lipos were staring in shock.

    And Fang was sweating buckets.

    ¡°He has only produced one small crop ¨C not proof he can bring it up to scale.  And creating a highway to the north would take many cycles,¡± Fang insisted quickly.  ¡°Imagine the cost.  And it would not stop even if he manages to escape the forest.  There are still other towns.  Other creatures.  Other dangers to those vulnerable caravans.¡±

    All great arguments.  Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t landing very hard.

    Probably because I¡¯d used the opportunity with Fang¡¯s sisters to perfect my proprietary blend of special herbs and spices, which, of course, I¡¯d applied liberally to our guests¡¯ meal.  It didn¡¯t affect me much ¨C barely at all really.

    However, Peri was rubbing at his eyes, the tension draining from his shoulders.  He looked so much more relaxed than when we started, his brow furrowed in concentration as he leaned back in his chair and mulled on my perfect plan ¨C the ghost of a grin on his face.

    Fang had noticed too, more mist coating his scales.  Which was just perfect.

    ¡°He does make fair points,¡± the elf acknowledged, nodding at Fang.  ¡°The Order could use additional funds and materials now ¨C not cycles from now¡­¡±

    ¡°Yet the future profits would be overwhelming ¨C would more than compensate for the cost,¡± I urged.  ¡°Just imagine having your own monopoly on the blood fruit.¡±

    I could tell Peri was imagining it, his eyes gleaming.

    Silence reigned momentarily as he weighed the options.

    ¡°There¡¯s also the graven grounds,¡± Lipos suggested into that vacuum.

    ¡°Ahh, yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Peri murmured, shaking his head slightly, as though surprised he¡¯d forgotten such an obvious detail.

    Which wasn¡¯t obvious to me at all.  Graven grounds?  Where?  What?

    ¡°Uh, what are you¡ª¡± I began.

    ¡°It is too dangerous,¡± Fang interjected quickly, rising from his chair.  ¡°Are you mad?  Hundreds of Guides have died attempting to master the forge.¡±

    ¡°Luckily, we brought plenty ¨C even with our losses,¡± Peri offered with a shrug.  ¡°The forge was always our target.  It was safe to assume that that asshole Tom wouldn¡¯t be able to make the debt payment.  So, we have to recover our investment and the cost of this expedition somehow.  Why not claim the Hellforge for ourselves?¡±

    Hmm, is it just me, or does a Hellforge sound a lot like an ancient forge?  Like the one that Tom was talking about ¨C the one he¡¯d told Leandra specifically not to mention to me?  The one that none of Fang¡¯s family seemed to know about?  The one he¡¯d insisted didn¡¯t exist?  The one that even now had him sweating buckets of mist as he stood there avoiding my gaze?  I was being literal this time.  The babies set the buckets beside him.

    We¡¯d just redone the floor to my tower, after all.

    Was that what all of this was about?  This attempt to take over my company?

    I told you Fang was trying to hide something!  Like this incredibly dangerous corrupted gate just waiting for the murder-pillage¡­

    ¡°Oh.  My.  Gods.  That traitorous, cold-blooded son of a steam show was trying to cheat me out of a veritable mountain of nimbus,¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°Nevermind, I¡¯m switching teams again.  Team Nyx, all the way!¡±

    I always knew she¡¯d come around.

    ¡°Uh, what forge?¡±  I asked innocently, raising my hand.

    ¡°The one under Apati?¡± Lipos offered, looking between me and Fang in confusion.  ¡°The one that¡¯s been there for decades?  It¡¯s called the Hellforge.  Rumor has it that any Guide that conquers the gate can control the forge itself ¨C can create technological marvels.  With such a weapon at our disposal, we could recover our losses many times over.¡±

    Wait, it could do what now?

    Suddenly, I was glaring at my bromantic partner.

    ¡°If you can conquer it,¡± Fang insisted, growing frantic and side-eyeing me nervously ¨C maybe because my [Shadow Aura] was eating part of the floor.  ¡°No one has managed it.¡±

    Peri scoffed.  ¡°Young vessels forget so easily.  Others have succeeded.  It was the gate that originally formed this town, at least if the stories are to be believed.  We also came prepared ¨C were given the advice from the Oracles themselves.  They were the ones that told us to make this trip ¨C that told us how to open and conquer the gate.  We even brought a specialized group of Guides accustomed to dealing with a domain-type gate.¡±

    This.  Sounded.  Amazing.

    I wanted to go so bad.  I mean, you heard him!

    They even brought tour-guides.  This was perfect.

    That meant I probably didn¡¯t even need to do anything.  Just follow them around and take in the sights and devour an ocean of free nimbus.

    I mean, I¡¯d been thinking lately that our family vacation had turned into a lot of work ¨C mostly for me.  I hadn¡¯t gotten to do any [Therapy] in ages and Lili was right¡­ it had been a long, long time since we¡¯d murder-pillaged together.  I owed her that.  This was supposed to be her vacation too.  Plus, you know, Fang really didn¡¯t want me to go.

    Which meant it was probably awesome.

    ¡°And when all those Guides die?¡± Fang demanded, getting desperate.  ¡°What then?  You will only have more losses to add to the pile.¡±  He topped that off by waving at the mothership still smoldering in the bay.

    Peri just arched a brow.  ¡°Good thing we contracted that out too.  As I said, this was a low-budget undertaking.  We outsourced much of the risk.¡±

    ¡°And with our help, you could outsource even more,¡± I offered, snaking an arm around my traitorous, scaly bromate.  He flinched but couldn¡¯t run.  Not here.  Not now.  ¡°We would be more than happy to help.  Consider it a show of good faith.  You will have the full support of our company and its employees.¡±

    ¡°You mean, my company,¡± Fang snapped.  ¡°I still control 50%.¡±

    Peri was about to speak up, his eyes glowing and those water orbs forming again, but I cut him off.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have this,¡± I said.  Plus, again, we just re-did the floors.

    ¡°Ahh, right¡­ about your newfound share ownership,¡± I said, turning back to Fang.  ¡°You know, I just realized with all this debt talk, don¡¯t you still owe me?¡±

    A debt.  One written in his little journal.  One counted in ventu.  One I¡¯d more than paid off back in the hell sewer by selling him all my incredibly valuable equipment.  In fact, he now owed me.  17,000 ventu corpses.  More than enough to cover the share ownership of a company saddled with a ton of debt and no income.

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± Fang began, patting at his suit.

    His scaly eyes went wide as I pulled out that journal, waving it in front of him.  ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± I demanded.  He¡¯d had to remove his old clothes and that suspicious bag ¨C placing them in the hallway¡­ where my babies could get to it.

    They were already eating their snacks as they watched with glowing red eyes beneath those dark cowls.  My perfect, sweet angels.

    And, in that moment, Fang knew he¡¯d lost.

    ¡°As I said, you will have the full support of our company and its employees,¡± I repeated.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Fang?¡±

    ¡°We are all going to die,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°What was that, Fang?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ yes, you have our support.¡±

    Peri just stared at us skeptically.  ¡°That¡¯s nice and all, but that isn¡¯t necessary¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes.  See?  They plan to open the gate and deal with it themselves!¡± Fang hissed, perking up, sudden hope returning to his eyes.

    Then the elf seemed to consider something, locking eyes with Lipos, the two sharing some unspoken communication.  ¡°Ahh, but on second thought, we suffered many losses ¨C more than expected.  Perhaps your people could help.¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± I replied with a broad grin as Fang¡¯s smiled melted away once again ¨C his hope crushed anew.   ¡°Where do we sign up?¡±

    ¡°Um, well¡­ that is we should only take those strong enough to protect themselves,¡± the elf amended, eyeing me up and down skeptically.  ¡°Those who plan to accompany the guides will need to be tested.  You have a guidepost here in Apati, no?  A way to connect to the Flow and check your status?  Anyone above bronze rank should be suitable.¡±

    I froze, my heart hammering.  We had a what now?

    ¡°Do we¡­ do we have something like that, Fang?¡± I said, holding my bromate so super tight ¨C enough that I felt the bones in his shoulder crunch.  I could feel him trembling.

    He saw the others watching, could feel his impending defeat pressing in on him, and there was no escape.  No way to claw his way out of the hole he¡¯d dug for himself.  It was in the way Peri stared at his beverage, savoring the sweet, fruity, and slightly coppery tang of friendship.  In the way Lupis was devouring his fifth plate of demon monkey sliders even as my babies watched, blood-red eyes peering from beneath their hoods.

    Then he finally accepted it, the tension draining from his scaly body.

    ¡°Yes¡­ yes we do,¡± Fang admitted.

    And with that, I felt the familiar swell of pure victory.

    This day couldn¡¯t possibly get any better.

    Not only had my plan come together perfectly, not only had I made a bargain with our new friends and business partners ¨C who seemed completely trustworthy ¨C but I got to go on a tour of the Hellforge and finally check my status!  To see what those skill gems I¡¯d swallowed and Lili had eaten had done to my poor, broken vessel.  To check on the likely insane stats of my new battle onesie.  But those were just perks.

    Because, I also had a feeling I was going to learn more about my bromantic partner ¨C pry his precious, tantalizing secrets from his cold, dead claws.

    I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is that my first business meeting went great.

    I¡¯d even say it was an overwhelming success.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 42

    Chapter 42 - Appraisal

    We¡¯re finally here.

    The moment everyone has been waiting for.

    It¡¯s been such a long journey.  With its ups, its downs, but mostly its overwhelming victories.  Staring contest champion.  Acting CEO of Fin-Fan, Inc.  Master negotiator.

    I know, I have a tendency to go on tangents.  To avoid important and stressful and possibly terrible answers to questions I don¡¯t really want to ask.  Like, could I have figured out where the guidepost was on my own?  I mean, I built some sort of poison rocket drill, right?  Or helped, anyway.  And surely this wasn¡¯t rocket science.

    All fair points.  I probably could have ¨C probably should have ¨C made more of an effort.  And I¡¯m not ignorant of the effect this has on you.  On my audience.

    How the many major unresolved plot points start to back up?  How you get clogged up and bogged down by the many irrelevant details until it¡¯s hard to even remember why you¡¯re still here, straining to figure out what¡¯s going on?  How it leaves you feeling narratively constipated?  It can be frustrating, sometimes painful, and often unpleasant.

    But it¡¯s all okay now.  Because we¡¯re finally here.

    Specifically, just south of the shaft¡ªmy apologies, the guidepost.

    I know, it¡¯s probably not what you were expecting.  Smaller.  Thinner.  Made of some sort of weird, translucent crystal, spirits tumbling through its depths ¨C like a small part of Cocytus had been captured in that rock-hard vessel.  More mist spiraled through the air above the column, thick and white and touching down just at the tip.  More proof that the gatepost was connected to the Flow ¨C to whole of The Five Rivers.  The wellspring of life itself.

    And there was an audience of course.  Familiar faces ¨C Peri and Lipos.  A few of the sirens.  A dozen or so sapiens.  A smattering of locals.  Oh, and a couple hundred tour-guides.  Also, our leader ¨C our head tour-guide supreme.  A tavros.  One of the few I¡¯d met besides Horus.  His fur was brown, though.  And his name was Linus.

    I was starting to notice another pattern.

    But that¡¯s just another tangent.  I know that now.

    However, I won¡¯t hold back anymore ¨C I can¡¯t, even if I really, really want to.  It¡¯s finally time our us to feel the Flow.  That exquisite relief as the building pressure drains away in one magnificent moment of near ecstasy¡ª

    Only to be followed by a sudden emptiness as we wonder what else could possibly fill that void.  That hollow space now inside of us.

    Maybe¡­ maybe I was just trying to save you from that¡ª

    ¡°Oh, gods, are you ever going to finish?¡± Fang snapped.

    Ahh, he was standing beside me, glaring, of course ¨C still bitter from his most recent defeat.  ¡°Just touch the post and show Linus your status.  It is not that hard.  You do not need to monologue.  Especially one so weird.  What was that?  With the shaft?  And the pressure¡­

    His eyes went round.  ¡°Ahh, I get it now¡­ it is because you are the asshole.¡±

    ¡°What?  No¡ª¡± I started.

    ¡°Really?  That is the metaphor, yes?  Just south of the shaft?  That would make the shit your status?  It is fitting.  The introspective and honest hunter acknowledges his terrible stats,¡± Fang recited, claw raised.  That one was definitely new.

    As for his other points.  Ahh, well¡­ okay, he might be right.

    Maybe I didn¡¯t really think this one through.

    ¡°And why does Lili not stop you ¨C are you really okay this?¡± Fang shouted in my ear, drawing a few curious glances from the other tour-guides.

    ¡°I¡¯ll allow it, mostly because it pisses you off,¡± she muttered, my right hand giving Fang a corrupted one-finger-salute.  Apparently, she hadn¡¯t forgotten how he¡¯d tricked her.

    Fang just snorted.  ¡°Figures.  You will change your mind.  Trust me.  You should have stayed on my team,¡± he hissed, watching the others touch the column in the center of the room, light flashing each time ¨C one of the tour-guides taking notes.

    Those judgmental snake eyes centered back on me.  ¡°Not that it matters.  You will probably not pass.  Will probably embarrass yourself in front of your many new friends,¡± Fang said, scratching at his snout with a bored expression.

    Oh, shit.  I didn¡¯t even think of that!  What if they were terrible?  Like Lipos was here and I felt like me and my brother-in-thickness had bonded.

    Wait, no¡ªthis is what Fang wants.  I can¡¯t let him trick me like this!

    ¡°You know what?  If this gate is so bad ¨C if spending time with us, with your family is so horrible ¨C you can just stay behind,¡± I told him.

    His eyes squashed flat.  ¡°You mean it?  You will not force me somehow¡ª¡±

    ¡°I mean, you¡¯ll just be admitting to your family that you¡¯re still weak and ineffectual and only average at murder.   Still a Buzzkill.  But they already expect that.¡±

    Oh, yeah.  I could use his own thing against him.

    He sniffed at me.  ¡°They are not even here.  They don¡¯t even know about¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s Nicolas and Buzzkill!¡± someone shouted from behind us.

    Right on fucking time.  It was perfect.

    Fang stiffened, turning ever-so-slowly to find his entire family pouring into the building.  The one on the western side of Apati.  Right beside the entrance to the Forge actually.  There was a huge pit, one that seemed to stretch down endlessly.

    When I¡¯d asked Fang, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this giant hole and the building beside it?,¡± do you know what he told me?

    It was a treasure hole.  For storing his family¡¯s treasures.

    Then he asked me to fetch something from the bottom.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t.  I did the opposite.  I did literally anything else.

    Which, on reflection, he knew I would.  He¡¯d tricked me.

    Also, that¡¯s why this was fair ¨C inviting his entire family, I mean.  Using his pride to force him into attending this underground tour of the Hellforge with me and Cole.

    ¡°Why do I have to go again?¡± the elf whined beside me, wearing a disguise ¨C a ratfur moustache and a big floppy hat.  He was worried Peri might recognize him.  It seemed to be holding up pretty well ¨C no one had even looked at him.  He¡¯d also passed the test with flying colors.  Okay, they were sort of dim, but he still passed.

    ¡°Ahh, no reason,¡± I said, eyeing Fang¡¯s ¡°family.¡±  They looked pretty¡­ shadowy.

    ¡°It¡¯s what he gets for tricking us,¡± Lili growled.  This had been her idea.

    I was impressed.  Also, mildly terrified.

    Also, you see what I mean now?  Gaslighting people you knew was way easier.

    Shit, Fang was looking suspicious again.

    ¡°What now?¡± I taunted him.  ¡°Will you take the test or run away?  Maybe crawl down into the tunnels and start applying some eyeliner?  Because I¡¯m not afraid to show mine.  So, what about yours, Fang?  You ready to whip it out and see how we compare?¡±

    His eyes met mine.  Mine met his.  We still hadn¡¯t touched the guidepost.

    Then he broke like I knew he would.  ¡°Fine.  I will do it, but you will regret this!¡± Fang snapped, glaring at me as he approached the guidepost.

    He settled a hand on the column and light flared¡ª

    I was expecting it to be bright, but holy shit.

    Compared to the others, the light was practically blinding, cascading through the enclosure and many raising their hands to ward off the light.  Seriously, it was like staring into the face of the sun.  And in the middle of that blaze stood Fang, his status glowing before him in glorious white relief.

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Patience

    <table width="322">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td colspan="6" width="322">

    Status

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="79">

    Vessel

    </td>

    <td width="71">

    Fang

    </td>

    <td width="93">

    Strength

    </td>

    <td width="32">

    41

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="28">

    13

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="79">

    Rank

    </td>

    <td width="71">

    Silver

    </td>

    <td width="93">

    Vitality

    </td>

    <td width="32">

    42

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="28">

    14

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="79">

    Title

    </td>

    <td width="71"> </td>

    <td width="93">

    Agility

    </td>

    <td width="32">

    141

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="28">

    42

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="79">

    Spirit

    </td>

    <td width="71">

    Mist

    </td>

    <td width="93">

    Endurance

    </td>

    <td width="32">

    51

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="28">

    21

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="79">

    Evolution

    </td>

    <td width="71">

    Fledgling

    </td>

    <td width="93">

    Nimbus

    </td>

    <td width="32">

    71

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="28">

    36

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    ¡°Wow.  That savran is mid-silver rank.¡±

    ¡°Here?  In the Outer Reaches?

    ¡°Woah, this definitely isn¡¯t his first gate¡­¡±

    ¡°He even obtained a new passive skill!¡±

    Everyone was talking about Fang.  Everyone.

    And that brooding, reclusive sadist who used to hide in his little lizard lair made out of rusty knives just to ¡°get some alone time?¡±  He was soaking it up.

    Fang smiled, showing more than a few teeth, saluting Linus and Peri where they were watching with the other tour-guides.  Even the elf registered surprise, just the barest twitch of an eyebrow.  And Linus looked like he wanted to start a fight with Fang right now ¨C like he wanted to rip him apart with is bare hands and shove his broken spine down his throat.

    I was so jealous.  This¡­ this was supposed to be my moment.

    Yet Fang wasn¡¯t done.  He exploded, mist billowing out across the room and wafting up to walls as the other tour-guides and would-be tourists gasped and drew their weapons.  Suddenly, a trio of Fangs was standing there in the center of the room, each striking a pose, their scales glistening and spinning, shimmering daggers of mist spiraling around them.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Then the real Fang killed the others, stabbing them and each exploding theatrically, the onlookers slowly sheathing their blades and watching wide-eyed.

    Clap, clap, clap.  A small pitter patter that soon turned into thunderous applause.

    ¡°Did you see that?  A cloning skill?¡±

    ¡°And area denial.  Plus, I bet his spirit uses less nimbus in the mist.¡±

    ¡°Impressive.  I wonder how many clones he can make¡­¡±

    Little did they know that it was all show.  He could get it up, but he couldn¡¯t keep it up.  Warfare was all about endurance, after all.

    ¡°So, how did I do?¡± Fang taunted as he strut back to me, that infuriating grin still on his stupid, scaly face.  ¡°Do you think you can measure up?¡±

    Oh¡­ oh, that son of a steaming hot¡ª

    ¡°Wow, Fang,¡± Manslaughter spoke up from behind me, both of us whirling in surprise.  ¡°I knew you had grown stronger, but this¡­ this is incredible.  To think one of my offspring ¨C a male, at that ¨C could match my own strength.¡±  She seemed taken aback, eyeing her son with an expression I¡¯d never received from her.  Respect maybe?

    But I still had disgust, confusion, and curiosity.  So ha!

    Fang swallowed hard.  ¡°It is nothing,¡± he sneered back.  This isn¡¯t my full power ¨C my full strength.  Only the beginning.¡±

    He scratched his nose as he spoke, trying hard for nonchalant.

    His claws were shaking slightly, though.

    Hmm, maybe Lipos had been on to something before.

    Also, the more astute among you might be starting to question this.  Like, wasn¡¯t Cole still here?  Wasn¡¯t the gaslighting still going on?  Was that even the real Manslaugher?  And while we were at it¡­ had that result even been real?  Could Cole¡¯s gaslight spirit affect a guidepost?  A bunch of other Guides?  I mean, we hadn¡¯t tested that yet, had we?

    Those are all fantastic questions.

    Unfortunately, it was most definitely real ¨C Cole looking at Manslaughter and Fang¡¯s many sisters in confusion, shaking his head.  And I hated it.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, interrupting this awkward moment where everyone was praising Fang and his incredible abilities.  ¡°Are you coming on the tour?¡±

    Manslaughter just shook her head.  ¡°No, of course not.  This is a death sentence.  I was just curious to see your status,¡± she replied, side eyeing Fang before turning to me.

    See?  Right there!  Curiosity!  Also, a faint note of disgust.

    Ahh¡­ ahh, shit.  Now I was feeling some pressure.

    But it was finally my turn.  After all this time, I was¡ª

    ¡°No, just go touch the fucking post,¡± Fang snapped.  ¡°Or I will make you.¡±

    Wow.  Somebody was acting really confident after his amazing showing.  Fine.  I won¡¯t drag this out anymore.  I just walked up to the guidepost and touched the shaft.

    And, then¡­ boom.

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Horticulture

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Brewing

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Baking

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Vacation Planning

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Auto Maintenance

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Smiling

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Business Planning

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Accounting

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Rocket Science

    New Passive Skill Acquired ¨C Civil Engineering.

    [Rocket Science] merged with [Engineering] - [Engineering] Rank Up!

    [Civil Engineering] merged with [Engineering] - [Engineering] Rank Up!

    [Business Planning] merged with [Economics] - [Economics] Rank Up!

    [Accounting] merged with [Economics] - [Economics] Rank Up!

    [Baking] merged with [Cooking] - [Cooking] Rank Up!

    [Brewing] merged with [Cooking] - [Cooking] Rank Up!

    [Cooking] has evolved into [Chef]

    Woah.  Like¡­ woah.

    So, first off, I gained a huge number of skills.  Way more than Fang.  This is exactly why you should take breaks ¨C why rest was so important.  That¡¯s why I¡¯d planned our family vacation.   Experiencing new things was essential for growth.  Critical really.

    Although, I wasn¡¯t sure what merging skills did¡ª

    Ahh, it just increased the rank of the skill.  See?  Free experience!

    Also, the evolving thing was interesting.  Although, I didn¡¯t have much information on what that meant.  Oh, well.  Besides, there was something important.

    My head clearly hadn¡¯t exploded from eating those skill gems.  And while they were most definitely gone, they had unlocked something new.  Something fascinating.

    Skill Gems Consumed: x2 silver, x3 copper, x4 bronze

    Total Corruption Reduced by 20%

    Status UI Updated

    <table width="349">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td colspan="8" width="349">

    Advanced Status

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Vessel

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="84">

    Unknown

    </td>

    <td colspan="3" width="78">

    Sanity

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="92">

    Unstable

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Rank

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="84">

    Silver

    </td>

    <td colspan="3" width="78">

    Memory

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="92">

    Compromised

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Title

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="84">

    Rat King

    </td>

    <td colspan="3" width="78">

    Mood

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="92">

    Insecure

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Strength

    </td>

    <td width="35">

    53

    </td>

    <td width="49">

    (76)

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="41">

    31

    </td>

    <td width="18">

    =

    </td>

    <td width="45">

    75

    </td>

    <td width="47">

    (107)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Vitality

    </td>

    <td width="35">

    76

    </td>

    <td width="49">

    (109)

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="41">

    28

    </td>

    <td width="18">

    =

    </td>

    <td width="45">

    96

    </td>

    <td width="47">

    (137)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Agility

    </td>

    <td width="35">

    24

    </td>

    <td width="49">

    (34)

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="41">

    6

    </td>

    <td width="18">

    =

    </td>

    <td width="45">

    28

    </td>

    <td width="47">

    (40)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Endurance

    </td>

    <td width="35">

    70

    </td>

    <td width="49">

    (100)

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="41">

    32

    </td>

    <td width="18">

    =

    </td>

    <td width="45">

    92

    </td>

    <td width="47">

    (132)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Nimbus

    </td>

    <td width="35">

    144

    </td>

    <td width="49">

    (205)

    </td>

    <td width="20">

    +

    </td>

    <td width="41">

    60

    </td>

    <td width="18">

    =

    </td>

    <td width="45">

    186

    </td>

    <td width="47">

    (265)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Spirits

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="84">

    Evolution

    </td>

    <td colspan="3" width="78">

    Corruption

    </td>

    <td width="45">

    </td>

    <td width="47"> </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Lili

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="84">

    Fledgling

    </td>

    <td colspan="3" width="78">

    25%

    </td>

    <td width="45"> </td>

    <td width="47"> </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95">

    Maribel

    </td>

    <td colspan="2" width="84">

    Fledgling

    </td>

    <td colspan="3" width="78">

    5%

    </td>

    <td width="45"> </td>

    <td width="47"> </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="95"> </td>

    <td width="35"> </td>

    <td width="49">

    Total

    </td>

    <td colspan="3" width="78">

    30%

    </td>

    <td width="45"> </td>

    <td width="47"> </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    Oh, yeah, that¡¯s right!  They reduced my corruption!

    No wonder I¡¯d felt so light¡­ so limber.  How I¡¯d managed to pull my family through thick and thin with just some knee grease and a healthy helping of love.

    And with my fancy new Status, I could now see my total corruption.  My original stats.  Those big, thick, massive numbers.  My true potential written there for all to see.  Proof that I was better than Fang.  It was just math.  All of those fancy equations pointing to one inevitable truth.  That I was stronger.  Tougher.  Slightly slower, but much better looking¡ª

    What?  What was that?  What about the Sanity category?  The Memory one?

    Ahh, well¡­ you know what?

    On second thought, this all seems incredibly subjective.  Like how does the Flow even come up with this information?  And what does it really mean?  I mean, what¡¯s really the difference between a Strength of 1 and 100?  See?  Vague as shit.

    The much more important thing here is that there¡¯s now a tradeoff on using the skill gems, right?  At least, for me?  Because I¡¯m special?  I could either use them to upgrade my many, many, many amazing skills¡­ or I could eat them and reduce my corruption rate!  Which would give me access to more of my huge, incredible, enormous stats.

    Stats that had boosted my lowly, broken, hollow vessel all the way to silver.

    Yeah, I was amazing.  But there was still one more thing to check¡­

    Battle Onesie ¨C Unknown Rank

    The living skin of a Toxifovos.  Proof of its commitment and complete lack of trust¨C ensuring that its future mate will never stray or die or get dismembered or go the bathroom.

    At least, not before marriage.

    What the hell was this?  This was the prompt for my battle onesie?

    Was it talking about PK?  Giant, poisonous death kitty with an even bigger heart?

    I mean, I won¡¯t deny that we had a connection.  That we were more than just friends.  But I think he might have gotten the wrong idea about our relationship¡­

    Oh well, I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t come back to haunt me.  Right?  I mean, we parted on good terms and I¡¯ll probably never even see him again.  And if I do, I guess I can just explain things, gently.  Specifically, that I¡¯m a lifelong bachelor ¨C doomed to die alone.

    Just like Fang.  Honestly, that¡¯s probably what brought us together.

    Although, the prompt did answer one question that had been bugging me for a while.  Like how was I using this item?  You know, since I couldn¡¯t use spirit infused items?  All that fancy equipment Fang and the rest of the tour-guides were wearing?  Yet, I was able to put on the gloves and the hood and use the spikes¡­

    Turns out, there¡¯s a loophole.  I can use the item if it¡¯s still alive.

    Although, that was a little creepy.  I preferred my clothes to be dead.  Super, super dead.  Had I really consented to this?  I was new to the whole consent thing but that felt like a no, right?  I mean, you all remember how PK basically forced me, yeah?

    ¡°Oh, gods, this hits the spot,¡± Lili purred in the back of my mind.

    Wait, what?  What was she¡ª

    My eyes widened as they refocused on the scene before me.  Oh, shit.  Lili was currently draining the guidepost, using my distraction to devour that sweet, sweet nimbus, inky corruption now threading that glorious white pedestal and stretching up, up, up, and stretching off toward the river in the distance.

    Although, she was right.  It did feel soooo good.  Tingly.  I¡¯d missed this.

    ¡°Right?  Just give in¡­ just let it happen,¡± she growled as she stroked the shaft.

    Again, not sure I¡¯d consented to this either.

    More concerning, warnings started popping up, glowing red and bright¡­

    WARNING!  Corruption Detected.  WARNING!

    Terminating Connection¡­

    The energy abruptly sputtered out, a backlash of nimbus surging back down that tenuous connection and slamming into the shaft, rippling through the crystal.  The surface cracked, crumbled, and then exploded apart, blowing crystal dust in every direction.  Maribel had my back, though ¨C my shield materializing and blocking most of the debris.

    Which left me staring at the ruined, shattered remains of the column.

    That wasn¡¯t great.  Plus, it felt like I¡¯d forgotten something really important¡ª

    My eyes went round, my hand jerking back.

    My audience!  Shit!  Shit, shit, shit.

    I whirled, heart hammering in my chest, expecting to face the worst ¨C all of those tour-guides staring at me.  Lipos and Peri and Linus and most of Fang¡¯s family.   To face the judgement and horror in their eyes ¨C the weapons in their hands.

    It likely wouldn¡¯t be the joyous celebration of Fang¡¯s power I¡¯d just witnessed.  A chance to reconnect with my estranged mother and earn a scrap of her respect.

    But fear and attempted murder were close, right?

    Almost the same thing as respect and a hug?

    ¡°No, not really,¡± Lili drawled.  ¡°Besides, they¡¯re all gone anyway.¡±

    She was right.  The room was strangely empty.  Which was a relief¡­

    Also, incredibly insulting!  They hadn¡¯t even stuck around for my test?  Really?  Not even Fang and his family?  He¡¯d even passed up the opportunity to insult me!

    Where the fuck was everyone?   Where did they¡ª

    I cut off as I stormed out the door.

    Ahh, I found them.  They were all just standing outside and staring at the sky for some reason.  And what the hell was that sound?  That high-pitched wail sounded a lot like the sound system I¡¯d installed in the Fin-Fan factory.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?  You missed my test!¡± I snapped at Fang.

    He didn¡¯t even respond, just pointed straight up.

    What?  Why was he¡ªOh, oh my¡­

    The ever-present vapor was thinner as night began to fall across the Five Rivers, the savran finishing up at the factory and the mist retreating back to the river.  Which is how I finally caught sight of what they were all staring at.  Specifically, the giant chunk of rock that was hurtling toward the Five Rivers, leaving a long trail of fire in its wake.  And it was getting big fast.  Almost like it was heading this way ¨C like directly at us.

    A beam of light suddenly shot from the depths of the bamboo forest, fiery and red and pulsing.  It slammed into the meteor, slicing clean through the space rock, and dividing it into neat halves, each one curving to the side before striking the depths of the forest.  The ground trembled underfoot and dust spewed into the sky.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Peri demanded, his resting-elf-face frozen in a scowl.  ¡°That was clearly a guide that stopped the meteor.  Gold rank, at least?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Linus growled with a nod.

    ¡°Out here?  In the Outer Reaches?¡± Peri scoffed.  ¡°Who could possibly¡ª¡±

    I smacked my forehead as the realization came to me.  I thought that location looked familiar ¨C roughly in the direction of the PB&B.  I¡¯d completely forgotten to tell Peri about this!  It was fine, though.  This seemed like an organic time to bring it up.

    ¡°That¡¯s, uh, probably just our friends.  They¡¯re looking for us.¡±

    ¡°Us?¡± Peri repeated, suddenly glaring at me.

    I just pointed at Fang and jerked the other thumb at myself.

    ¡°Who could possibly be looking for you two?¡± the elf snapped.

    Wow.  That was hurtful.  Plenty of people!  But, in this case, just two¡­

    Fang tried to stop me then, shaking his head and his eyes going wide.

    ¡°Horus and Eris,¡± I chirped.

    Everyone outside froze ¨C all the tour-guides staring at me again.  They were all being super quiet.  I¡¯ll be honest, I kind of enjoyed the attention.  It wasn¡¯t the clapping and respect I¡¯d be looking for; possibly even craving.  But it was close.

    ¡°Horus and Eris?¡± Peri repeated.  Seriously, he echoed me a lot.

    ¡°There¡­ there could be other people with that name,¡± Lipos offered, looking nervous.  It was easy to tell, he¡¯d stopped compulsively eating the plate of burgers in his hand.

    ¡°Uh, possibly,¡± I chirped.  ¡°But these two are with the Order of Apollo.¡±

    ¡°The Order of Apollo is after you two?¡± Peri ground out through clenched teeth.

    ¡°The Sun Scientist is here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, good gods.  We¡¯re all going to die¡ª¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should just brave the forest¡ª¡±

    The others were muttering.  Clearly nervous.

    ¡°Uh, yeah.  Of course,¡± I replied, wrapping an arm around Fang¡¯s shoulders.  ¡°We¡¯re wanted men.  Impressive, right?  But we have a plan for this situation.  Trust me, we¡¯ll be able to keep Horus and Eris occupied for a while.¡±

    Peri just shook his head.  ¡°A plan?  To distract the Sun Scientist and the Butcher of Tartarus?  Two of the most dangerous vessels in the Order of Apollo?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± I chirped back with a big smile.

    For some reason, no one on my team spoke up.  Not Fang.  Not his smokeshow of a mother.  None of his sisters.  Which was odd.  They¡¯d loved the plan when I explained it.

    ¡°Actually, they told you it wouldn¡¯t work and you were crazy,¡± Lili offered.

    Ahh, alright¡­ well, I remembered that differently.

    The elf took a deep breath, closing his eyes¡­ and when he opened them again, resolve shown there.  He glanced at Linus.  ¡°New plan.  We need to hurry and conquer the gate and then get the hell out of here.  When can we move?¡±

    The tavros cocked his head, his eyes skimming the other tour-guides.  ¡°Tomorrow morning at the earliest.  Judging from the distance of that beam, I¡¯m guessing we have a couple days until they make it here depending on how fast they¡¯re traveling.¡±

    ¡°Oh, great!  We¡¯re starting the tour early?¡± I asked, excited, popping up between the two of them. And here I thought I¡¯d ruined my chances after breaking the gatepost.

    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t coming¡ª¡± Peri began, glaring at me.  Then he seemed to second guess himself.  ¡°Actually, you know what?  Sure.  You can go too.  At least, if you can answer a few questions.  Like do these other people know how to grow the blood fruit?  He waved at the others standing there and staring.

    ¡°Of course.  All of our employees have been trained,¡± I declared proudly.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Peri purred.  ¡°In which case, sure.   You can definitely come with us.  In fact, why don¡¯t you go with the first¡­ tour group?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked in excitement.  Oh, this was better than I could have imagined¡­

    ¡°Yes.  Now, I have to go prepare,¡± Peri said, cutting off any more of my questions as he bustled away with Linus and the other tour-guides, barking orders.

    ¡°Of course!  Don¡¯t worry!  We¡¯ll be ready!¡± I called after him.

    Then I nudged Fang beside me.  ¡°You see that?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ yes, I did,¡± he answered, his eyes squashed flat and glaring.

    I understood how he felt ¨C mostly jealous, I suspect.

    ¡°I got to come and I didn¡¯t even have to take the test.  See?  I told you.  I¡¯ve always been special,¡± I said, smiling and watching the dust cascade over the top of the forest.

    That was just met with a long, slow hiss of pure jealousy.

    This was going to be amazing.

    But Peri was right.  I needed to get to work.  To prepare.  I hadn¡¯t lied to the elf ¨C we had a plan for dealing with Eris and Horus, but we¡¯d have to move up our timetable.

    Luckily, I knew just the group to help out¡­

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 43

    Chapter 43 - Starstruck

    Still at the PB&B

    Horus

    The plan worked even better than I could have dreamed.

    Nyx had done that.  My new Best Friend.

    He¡¯d turned those many secret hopes, and wants, and desires ¨C those mere dreams in my heart something more ¨C something better.  He¡¯d made them real.

    Weeks spent in this delightful cottage with oversized doors and vaulted ceilings that finally fit my vessel¡¯s frame.  A bed that could support my weight and an almost endless supply of monkey meat kept fresh with just a small spritz of the poison from the springs ¨C just enough to kill the so-called ¡°bacteria¡± and easily applied with the revolutionary bamboo and poo-crete sprayer bottle he¡¯d left beside the sink.  Kitchen cleaner, he called it.

    Which, of course, was used to clean the kitchen he¡¯d built for me.  An oversized furnace, a waist-high counter that kept Danae¡¯s grubby, thieving little paws off my food.  And to top it all off, there were even delightful new recipes.

    Blood Fruit Tarts.

    Fluffy Bamboo Bread.

    Demon Monkey Sliders.

    Blood Fruit BBQ Sauce.

    Those were all treasures.  Worth a fortune, the food chock full of nutritious nimbus and the sweet blood of a thousand monkeys brutally murdered ¨C the faint note of agony and despair elevating each dish.  Designed to be prepared only by someone of tremendous strength like me and my Best Friend ¨C vessels that could pound the bamboo into a fine powder with our bare hands.  Yet, in contrast to the final item, they all paled in comparison.

    Because at the very bottom of that list was another recipe.  Nyx¡¯s Proprietary Blend of Herbs and Spices, it said.  It only required a few dozen different mushrooms from the garden.  They were dried, then smashed and combined in precise ratios.

    And the finished product?  A glowing green powder that could refill that empty jar he¡¯d given me all those days and weeks ago ¨C back at that first, crude camp.

    A perfect concoction that eased My Lady¡¯s tension and improved her sleep.  That kept Danae incapacitated ¨C lounging around the cottage with her precious plate of demon monkey burgers, the food always protected by a dome of glimmering amber energy¡­ which left the vulpin¡¯s fragile, furry, and swiftly growing body left exposed.

    Vulnerable.  Weak.  Distracted.  Easily killed.

    The poison springs were an obvious choice to dispose of the body.  It would be so easy to punch her once, dump the body, and let that poison melt through her flesh and bone, leaving little evidence except for a thin pink foam that floated across the surface.

    I even tried, but the vulpin was¡­ different now.

    She lived only for her food.  Those precious burgers.

    And tucked inside those flaky buns must lie some secret ¨C some secret art of a warrior.  Because there was now a fire burning in her eyes.  More metaphorical than My Lady¡¯s, of course.  But Danae had found something worth fighting for ¨C worth living for.

    She had survived all of my attempts on her life ¨C even my latest.  I can remember it so vividly.  She woke mid-punch, my fist colliding with her shield ¨C the one protecting the precious burger plate.  The amber energy had collapsed under my indomitable strength, of course, shattering like glass and pressing her back hard into the wall of the cottage.  However, she recovered quickly, jumping up from her crouch ¨C warrior¡¯s repose.

    We froze, the two of us staring at each other.  Neither blinking.  Each of us waiting for the other to flinch ¨C for our next move.

    And then Danae surprised me again.

    She made me an offer.  A ¡°truce,¡± she called it.

    If I supplied her with the burgers and didn¡¯t kill her, she would stay out of my way ¨C would even go so far as to help me.  Join forces in the war for My Lady¡¯s love.  It seemed she had wormed her way into My Lady¡¯s confidence somehow.

    I had asked her why, of course.  Why help me?  Why betray My lady?

    Her answer had been simple.  She was hungry.

    Also, this had been the most relaxing few weeks of her life.  ¡°She needed this badly,¡± she said.  And, in her own words, ¡°If I tried to take this away from her, she would tell My Lady that I had staged my own death.¡±   She even claimed to have proof.  A backup plan that would divulge my secrets in the event of her untimely death.  For example, if she was crushed to a pulp or accidentally fell in the springs.

    All good reasons to keep her alive.

    So, just like that, I had an accomplice.

    A mission ¨C to never leave this cottage.  Ever.  Or, at least, until we ran out of food.

    And a plan ¨C to cook and massage and talk my way past My Lady¡¯s defenses until her heart was within striking distance.  Until she finally admitted her feelings.

    And it was an overwhelming success.  Not only had My Lady embraced life here at the cottage ¨C focusing on her ¡°research¡± and the blood fruit and the endless experiments involving monkey shit ¨C she had even started asking questions.

    That wasn¡¯t new, of course.   She had an inquiring mind ¨C one not shy to ask an endless barrage of fiery questions.  That was one of the reasons I¡¯d fallen for her.  She asked about the fruit.  About the bamboo.  About the flaming monkey shit.  And, of course, about my Best Friend.  All normal.  But this time?

    This time, some of her questions were about me.

    About my childhood.  My parents.  My herd.  My eventual exile.  My life in the Order.  My work ¨C my impressive kill count ¨C highest in the Order.  My swift rise through the ranks.  Copper, Bronze, Silver, and then Gold¡­

    That mountain hadn¡¯t been scaled in a day.  I¡¯d learned that lesson many cycles ago.  Having the highest kill count wasn¡¯t about how many monsters and vessels and corrupted spirits you killed each day.  It was about putting in the murder every day.

    The key was consistency.

    That¡¯s how I¡¯d gotten here.

    One murder at a time.

    Or, in this case, by revealing all my deepest, darkest secrets.

    Now, I realize this may seem counter intuitive ¨C to expose your weakness to the most dangerous creature you¡¯d ever met.  And yet, my Best Friend¡¯s plan had worked.

    He was right.  The trick was to be vulnerable with my lady.

    And if that applied to the physical ¨C weapons, blood, and dirt ¨C could that not also apply to the mind ¨C to emotion?  Like wielding words as weapons?

    So, I lay bare the history of this broken vessel¡­

    All in the hope of luring her in, drawing her out, scaling those defenses that she created around her heart.  And with each question¡­ I came a little closer.

    During our conversations ¨C hours spent by the springs ¨C she told me more about herself.  About her prolific family.  Her many, many brother and sisters ¨C a natural consequence of long-lived races.  Her dozen step-fathers.  Her mother¡¯s distaste for traditional birth control methods.  Battle training and warfare and etiquette all infused into her tiny, young vessel.  All of that hardship and pain a kind of bloody fertilizer that would help her to grow into the strong, independent, brilliant, beautiful woman I knew.  I wished to write it down.  To immortalize her story for all of eternity.

    To make it last forever ¨C even though I knew it couldn¡¯t.

    Nothing ever did.  Even the bloodied and most exhilarating killing sprees eventually come to an end.  Typically, because you ran out of things to murder.

    Or, in this case, because a massive meteor appeared to be hurtling directly toward our tiny, peaceful, and blissfully remote cottage.  The one that would almost certainly interrupt dinner.  All four courses ¨C the patio table already set.  Even the pitter patter of acid rain had slowed and then stopped.  A beautiful evening with clear skies, the sunrise an ocean of orange on the horizon.  No doubt, the meteor had burned through the cloud cover.

    ¡°Horus, where did you put the¡ª,¡± My Lady began, stepping out of the cottage.

    She cut off as she followed my gaze ¨C up, up, up toward that enormous ball of fire streaking through the evening sky.  Just a small twitch of her shoulders ¨C it¡¯s where she carried her tension ¨C that¡¯s all that gave away her anxiety.  One that mirrored my own.

    ¡°Surely, it will miss us,¡± I offered, hesitantly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure¡­¡± My Lady murmured, trailing off.  Her eyes suddenly burned bright and that fire streaked out into the air around her, forming a complicated series of diagrams and numbers as she calculated the trajectory and arc of that celestial body.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming straight for us,¡± My Lady said then, the words damning.

    ¡°I suppose we should evacuate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I guess we should.¡±

    Yet neither of us moved even as that fiery ball punched through the few, faint wispy clouds, the moisture dissipating in an instant and forming a glorious halo of vapor that reflected the waning sunlight.  It was beautiful.  Almost as resplendent as My Lady.

    ¡°Is it dinner yet?  I¡¯m starving,¡± Danae grumbled tiredly, waddling out of the cottage and rubbing her stomach.  Her precious burger plate must be empty.

    ¡°What are we all looking at¡ªoh, shit,¡± she muttered, fear fighting back against the effects of my Best Friend¡¯s proprietary blend of herbs and spices.  ¡°Is that going to hit us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, it is,¡± My Lady answered a moment later and my brow furrowed.  Was that a note of sadness I detected in her voice?  Disappointment?  Maybe?

    Was this it?  Were her defenses finally starting to crack?

    Would this shooting star finally grant my wish¡­

    Would she finally tell me her true feelings?

    ¡°Then why are you both just standing there?¡± Danae demanded, her eyes glowing gold.  ¡°Can¡¯t you stop it or something?  It¡¯ll destroy our dinner if you don¡¯t!¡±

    Not a care about her own vessel¡¯s safety.  Only her precious food.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± My Lady replied calmly, her hands still tracing images in the air beside her ¨C schematics and diagrams; angles of attack.  ¡°The meteor is too large.  My beam would only destroy the surface layer of rock and the rest would still make impact.¡±

    ¡°Uh, alright, then we can run, right?¡± Danae asked, turning back to the cottage.  ¡°I¡¯ll just go get the food and then we can¡ª¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be enough,¡± My Lady interjected, those flaming calculations growing and multiplying as she stared up at the meteor.  ¡°Even if we started running now, we couldn¡¯t get far enough away in time.  The blast from the impact will be at least a hundred miles wide.¡±

    ¡°Horus!  You can just go punch it or something?¡± Danae demanded.

    ¡°Too big.  Too high.  My Lady is right,¡± I growled.

    ¡°Then I could shield the cottage and the food¡ª¡± Danae began.

    Only to stop short as she saw My Lady¡¯s stoic expression.  ¡°Our best course of action is to go inside the Toxifovos¡¯ cave and layer your shields.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but what about the food?¡± Danae asked in horror, the gold in her eyes flickering as she stared bleakly at the table ¨C then back at the kitchen window, delicious, tantalizing steam wafting from that opening.

    My Lady swallowed hard.  ¡°The cottage will be destroyed,¡± she said, her voice stilted and too cold.  The same voice she used when she was trying not to act upset.  The same one that her cold-blooded family had beaten into her fragile young vessel.

    I was so close.  Come on, so close¡ª

    ¡°No, no I refuse to accept that!¡± Danae snapped, her eyes blazing gold once more, her gaze darting between me and Eris.  ¡°You two are gold-ranked vessels.  You have to be able to do something!  Anything.  Think of the burgers!¡±

    My Lady just shook her head.  ¡°Maybe if I could make my beam stronger.  Some sort of lens possibly?  It would need to look roughly like this¡ª¡±  Equations suddenly exploded through the air and the fiery outline of a lens appeared ¨C one almost larger than me, its curves calculated with perfect precision.  She¡¯d designed this?  In a mere moment?

    But there¡¯s no time to build such a thing¡­¡± My Lady trailed off, the meteor growing even larger.  ¡°We only have sixty seconds at most.¡±

    Danae¡¯s brow furrowed, those panicked, crazed eyes meeting mine.  Then they dropped to the axe that was leaning against the table.

    And in that moment, we shared a connection ¨C a communication.

    I started to shake my head ¨C shooting an alarmed look at My Lady.  My eyes pleaded with Danae.  No, she couldn¡¯t do this ¨C couldn¡¯t reveal this.  My Lady would get suspicious.  This was something I hadn¡¯t shared with her and for good reason¡­

    However, Danae¡¯s expression hardened.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t get my food, then deal¡¯s off,¡± it said.

    ¡°I can get you more food,¡± I shot back with my eyes.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be the same.  You promised me!¡±

    My eyes flitted skyward again.  ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect a huge meteor¡ª¡±

    ¡°Horus can help,¡± Danae spoke up, crossing her arms and glaring at me.  Almost like she was daring me to murder her.  I knew I should have just tossed her vessel in the springs¡­

    ¡°Help?  Help how?¡± Eris demanded, looking surprised ¨C almost excited?

    I grimaced.   My secret had been exposed.  My weapon spirit was good at many things.  Killing.  Murdering.  Pillaging, of course.  But many things could be a battle.  The war for my Lady¡¯s heart ¨C one waged with [Bullshit].  Also, a kitchen.  A chef pitting his meager abilities and tools against the fires of the furnace.  Grinding up and forming the demon monkey meat into perfect burgers.  Pounding the dough into submission.

    While that last task might only require bare hands.  The rest required tools ¨C weapons of war.  Knives.  Spatulas.  Whisks.  Pots.  Pans.  An oven rack.  Measuring cups for carefully weighing out herbs and spices.  A grater to add a hint of blood fruit zest to the burgers.

    And my weapon had spirit delivered again.

    ¡°His weapon.  It can transform,¡± Danae said.

    Of course, she knew.  She had insisted on watching me cook ¨C standing there and staring and drooling through the kitchen window.  To prove I could supply her with an endless stream of food; that I could buy her silence and her help.

    My Lady stared in shock, her eyes wide.  Looking to me.  ¡°Is that true?¡±

    She almost looked¡­ offended.  That I hadn¡¯t told her?  That I¡¯d hidden this ability?  I hadn¡¯t wanted to!  But if I¡¯d told her, what then?  How long would take for her to start asking more questions?  She was far too brilliant to let it end there.  For example, if my weapon spirit could bake a quiche, could it do other things?  Possibly even chip away at the walls surrounding her heart with an overwhelming barrage of [Bullshit]?

    It was a tactical error.  The cost of not killing the vulpin when I¡¯d had the chance.

    My entire battle plan now put at risk by Danae¡¯s stomach.

    However, there was no going back now.

    ¡°It is.  It¡¯s true,¡± I growled quietly, head bowed.

    My Lady looked back and forth between me and Danae then ¨C her eyes squinting in sudden suspicion, her beautiful, perfect mind already hard at work, no doubt.

    ¡°So, all those kitchen utensils.  The spatulas.  The pans¡­¡± she began.

    ¡°Yes, that was me,¡± I answered.  I¡¯d tried to pretend Nyx had made them.

    We just stood there, looking at each other, that silence growing long and heavy.    Pregnant with many more unasked questions with terrible answers ¨C growing almost as wide and as fat as Danae¡ªand, just like Danae¡¯s weight problem, both of us not sure what to say.

    And then, the moment I¡¯d feared.  The flash of realization in her fiery eyes that I¡¯d kept this from her.  A secret.  The small quirk at the side of her thin lips ¨C basically a smile.  And then the words I¡¯d dread most spilled from My Lady¡¯s lips¡­

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about¡ª?¡± she began.

    ¡°What are you two doing?¡± the vulpin snapped.  ¡°Stop the meteor!¡±

    And in that moment, Danae ¨C fragile, fat Danae ¨C she re-earned her place by my side.

    ¡°She¡¯s right.  There¡¯s no time,¡± I said, pulling my axe from my back.

    As My Lady looked on in fascination, a pulsing white light enveloped the blade, growing into a bright glare.  The metal melted away, widening and stretching.

    This time, I wasn¡¯t making a spatula.  Or a pan.  I was making a new weapon.  A lens as wide as my arm span and as tall as a tavros.  Stretching out, out, out until the metal grew thin and clear as glass, following the outline of My Lady¡¯s lens precisely, my hands only shaking slightly under the tremendous pressure.

    Starsteel was the divine standard for weapon spirits, although difficult to wield.  With practice, it could adopt the elements of nearly any material.  A perfect match for me.

    Or¡­ almost perfect, I realized as I watched my Lady.

    She stared in fascination and delight at my massive tool.

    ¡°Will this be enough?¡± I asked, trying not to let the strain show in my voice.  I needed to maintain my spirit to keep the lens together like this.  ¡°Or do you need for it to be bigger?¡±

    ¡°It gets bigger?¡± she asked in disbelief.

    I smiled then.  Of course, it did.

    ¡°The meteor!¡± Danae reminded us, pointing straight up.

    If only a look could kill¡­

    Actually, could that work?  No, no I needed to focus.

    My Lady shook herself, fire blazing behind her eyes as more flaming calculations erupted in the air around her, her spirit¡¯s power pulsing and flames coiling across her body.  Her suspicion and surprise was soon replaced by something even more tantalizing and rare.  Excitement.  She was practically brimming with it, her lips peeled back in a vicious smile as the fire clung to her body like hellfire.

    She¡¯d never looked lovelier.

    ¡°Oh, this will do nicely,¡± My Lady purred.

    Then the fire condensed into her palms, growing in strength and power.  Growing so bright that I could no longer look at the flames directly ¨C that I began to grow concerned.  Would that heat harm my weapon?  It had endured the heat of my Best Friend¡¯s furnace, but even that paled in comparison to the power My Lady had summoned.

    Yet there was no time to ask.

    Because My Lady fired.

    The beam of energy erupted from her hand in an instant, wide and large ¨C the same beam I¡¯d seen destroy a mile-wide swatch of marsh.  Yet as that energy touched my lens, it condensed, funneled down into a narrow pinpoint of pure, destructive power.

    My Lady¡¯s fingers wound through mine then, that ivory power still infusing the skin.  I looked down at her in surprise as even more flaming calculations drifted through the air around us.  ¡°There¡¯s no time!¡± she shouted.  ¡°You need to maintain your spirit¡¯s power, so I¡¯ll aim.  We¡¯re going to cut it in half first!¡±

    So, we did.  That narrow laser beam struck the meteor, seeming too small and feeble to possibly destroy such a monstrous thing.  Yet it sliced cleaned through the rock with barely any resistance and the meteor began to break apart, the two halves splitting in midair.

    My Lady moved my hand again then.  A crosswise motion that was almost too fast for me to follow ¨C but the beam did.  It traced those outlines hovering in the air before her, chopping those two halves laterally into a dozen rocky fragments.

    And then, just like that, we were done.  Both of us staring up into the sky as flaming stars rained down around us ¨C My Lady¡¯s hand still held in my own.  Then her eyes drifted to mine ¨C and mine to hers.  As though they had some gravity of their own.  One that pulled me down into their fiery depths, a blazing inferno I could get lost in forever.

    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Danae screamed as the meteoric fragments struck.

    The ground bucked, just enough to break us from our paralysis.

    My Lady glanced at the vulpin, brow furrowed and raising a single, flaming hand as she stalked toward Danae.  ¡°Summon your shield.  I¡¯ll empower you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± the vulpin shot back, flinching away from her.

    She looked to the kitchen one last time, blood fruit tarts still cooling on the sill ¨C steaming and fresh and piping hot ¨C and her resolve hardened.  Then Danae summoned her hearth spirit ¨C calling on its power to save her precious food.

    And it answered.

    Good gods did it answer.

    Golden energy swept away from her in a dome, growing, growing, growing until it stretched to cover the entirety of the cottage and the springs and the blood fruit grove.  As that barreling wave of dust and debris rippled across the tops of the forest, the energy thickened.  Danae added layer after layer until the shield glowed a solid gold, adding every ounce of nimbus she had ¨C her legs collapsing from under her.

    I hadn¡¯t known her tiny fat vessel held this much power ¨C this much nimbus.  She hadn¡¯t before, had she?  That weak, ineffectual vulpin?  She¡¯d barely survived my Best Friend¡¯s hellgate.  So, there must be some other answer.  The blood fruit perhaps?  Weeks spent gorging on BBQ?  The nimbus suffusing her vessel?

    Regardless, the evidence lay before me.  The debris struck with tremendous force, smashing against that barrier and the ground shook under foot, listing and cracking and titling¡­ but the impossible shield held.

    And, moments later, the barrier began to collapse.

    A single fracture at first, then it exploded apart.

    Revealing a scene of devastation.

    My Lady and I stood just outside the cottage ¨C the one that was still intact.  Only minor damage to the walls ¨C the poo-crete impossibly strong.  The bamboo forest around the PB&B had been blown away, piled up against Danae¡¯s shield in huge, twitching, writhing mounds.  And overhead, twinkling motes of golden energy rained down around us.

    Our eyes met again, once more ¨C My Lady and I.

    My blood sang an anthem of victory, one I knew she could hear ¨C it was the rare smile on her lips ¨C the way her eyes burned with fiery passion.  My weapon still spread into an impossibly wide lens.  My fingers still tingling from her touch.  Those equations blowing away on the breeze.  That¡­ that was the first time I¡¯d used my weapon with someone else.  That was our first real battle together.

    And it was utterly glorious.

    I could even forgive Danae for betraying me.

    Because, at least right now, I didn¡¯t see any incriminating follow-up questions shining in My Lady¡¯s eyes.  Only eager excitement and the promise of bloodshed.  Pride at the utter destruction that we had created¡­ together.

    And I had Danae to thank for that.

    Also, the meteor.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 44

    Chapter 44

    Apati ¨C Fin-Fan Factory Cafeteria

    Nyx

    ¡°Welcome to the weekly meeting of the LaWDs and Ladies Official fanclub,¡± Sssusie announced to horde a horde of savran, all of them crammed into the Fin-Fan cafeteria.  ¡°I¡¯m excited to announce that instead of our regular chapter reading and analysis, tonight we have something different planned.  A special guest.¡±

    Excited hisses filled the air in a rumbling, rolling, and terrifying crescendo ¨C the acoustics really giving it a sinister vibe.  One that wasn¡¯t helped by the fact that they were all staring with those big yellow snake eyes that never blinked.  Or that they were all armed, each carrying their sacred tome.  A limited edition copy of Love and World Domination.

    ¡°Please give a steamy welcome to Nicolas.¡±

    A long pause and then she hissed off stage.  ¡°Nicolas?¡±

    I blinked.  Blinked again.

    Oh!  Oh, shit¡­ that was me.

    Sorry, I was just distracted for a moment.

    I mean, wasn¡¯t I just somewhere else?  Like watching a meteor outside that doomhole?  Or, uh, maybe destroying the meteor with the force of my sexual tension?  You remember that too, right?  It can¡¯t just be me.  Maybe Lili knows¡ª

    ¡°Uh, no.  Not really,¡± she replied quickly.  Maybe too quickly.

    ¡°You sure?¡± I asked suspiciously.  ¡°I mean, it seemed so real¡ª"

    ¡°Almost as real as a horde of savran glaring at you?  The same group that¡¯s obsessed with that stupid romance novel?  The same group that tried to gut you the last time you mentioned Horus in front of them?  The same group we had to lock up?  Maybe you should pay attention instead of asking stupid questions.¡±

    Okay, that was fair.  But I had to do it!  Lock them up, I mean.  They kept trying to hunt me and Fang.  Seriously, they tried to kidnap me at least five times.

    Although, I understood why now.  How they had hunted the males to near extinction and forced the rest to turn into simpering and adorable nerds.  How they no longer had any viable sexual or romantic partners within reach, which had sent them searching for that connection in the pages of a book.  With fictional characters that made them forget they had no partner of their own.  A story full of adventure for a group of working class women who didn¡¯t have time for such things.  A perfect fantasy that could help distract them from their problems; from their mundane, miserable, spinster lives.

    The downside of such fantasies is that they often lead to irrational behavior.

    Like trying to kidnap a poor, innocent sapian to get details on Horus¡¯ next book.

    That¡¯s why I prefer realism ¨C why I personally try to stay grounded.

    Lili sighed in the back of my mind.

    Almost like she objected for some unknown reason.

    Anyway, I¡¯d only released them now because my bromantic partner¡¯s family was super busy building new vehicles and remodeling the city and harvesting bamboo and building the blood grove fields.  And Fang and I were about to go on an underground tour of the Hellforge.  Which meant we were going to need more claws on the ground.  A group that could...  a group that could¡­ uh¡­ shit¡­ what were we doing again?

    ¡°Convincing them to help distract Eris and Horus?¡± Lili offered.

    Ahh, right.  Thanks, Lili!  She always had my back.

    Not like Fang or Cole.  Of course, they were nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°So, how are you all doing this evening?¡± I asked, giving the crowd a big smile.

    All I got back was silence and more staring.  A few exasperated hisses.

    Wow.  Public speaking was a lot harder without a fresh mug of FJ.  Or maybe they were still upset about me locking them up?  Could be both.  In the meantime, I guess I would just have to go with my standard move ¨C power through and hope for the best!

    ¡°Great, great, it¡¯s a pleasure to be here too!¡± I said into that oppressive and overwhelming and super judgmental silence.  ¡°As Sssusie said, I have something special planned for you all.  A chance to finally meet your hero himself.¡±

    Oh, they were hiss-whispering to each other now.

    Curiosity was winning over skepticism and disgust.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!  Horus Bloodmane is coming to Apati!  Maybe tomorrow¡­ or the next day¡­ or really anytime in the next week or so.  But he¡¯s definitely coming.  Maybe.¡±

    Ha.  Some of them even blinked that time.  More than a few had even begun leaking steam, the vapor wafting up and collecting along the rafters.  Their hisses had also grown in volume and their lips had peeled back into terrifying shark-like smiles.

    I had them in the palm of my hand now.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Sssusie asked from off stage ¨C the new one I¡¯d had the engineers build here in the cafeteria for shows and events and impromptu speeches.

    ¡°Oh, you know I am.  Horus is coming.  This is not a drill.¡±

    They were excited now ¨C rising from their seats and their cheers filling the air.

    ¡°And as if that wasn¡¯t amazing enough, you know who¡¯s coming with him?  Oh, yeah, that¡¯s right.  The inspiration behind his love interest Erica ¨C Eris herself.¡±

    They suddenly went super, super quiet again ¨C just glaring at me.

    ¡°What?  What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± I demanded.  ¡°I thought you¡¯d be excited¡ª¡±

    ¡°Excited?  She is so oblivious!¡±

    ¡°How doesn¡¯t she see that Harold loves her?¡±

    ¡°Her dark backstory doesn¡¯t make her any less of a princess¡­¡±

    Wow.  Okay.  Some mixed feelings on Eris¡¯ character then.

    ¡°Alright, I see that there¡¯s some resentment¡ª¡± I tried again.

    However, they were barely listening anymore.

    ¡°And the secret keeping!  Ugh!¡±

    ¡°All because of some sort of paranoid delusion that her CEO brother installed Harold as a plant?  Seriously?  What¡¯s the point of that?¡±

    ¡°I know! Why not just kill her brother and be done with it?¡±

    ¡°I think Horus could do better.¡±

    ¡°No, he deserves better.  A real woman that would kill for him.¡±

    ¡°And who¡¯s honest ¨C both with him and herself.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    In their defense, they were making some fair points.  I mean, the secret keeping was horrible ¨C and I wasn¡¯t just saying that because I¡¯d personally been on the receiving end of more than a few surprises from my bromantic partner.  Okay¡­ maybe a little.

    There shouldn¡¯t be any secrets between friends.

    ¡°Or maybe she has a good reason to keep some things to herself,¡± Lili grumbled.  ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just afraid of what would happen if she were to tell the truth.¡±

    ¡°Uh, you mean like how they¡¯d finally realize they both had feelings for each other?¡± I offered, dryly.  ¡°That they¡¯d have a chance to finally be happy?  To know that they¡¯d found someone they could trust ¨C a true partner.¡±

    ¡°You say it like it¡¯s so easy.  Like there¡¯s no possible downside!  What if she¡¯s right and Harold is a plant?  What if he used that information against her?¡±

    My brow furrowed.  Uh, why was Lili so upset about this?  It was just a book¡ª

    ¡°Maybe everyone in her life has betrayed her ¨C including her own family ¨C and she has crippling trust issues.  Maybe that doesn¡¯t just go away with a few backrubs.¡±

    ¡°Well, how else do you think the relationship is going to progress then?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe Harold could admit what he¡¯s thinking?  How he¡¯s feeling? Tackle his own insecurities head-on instead of manufacturing this strange game ¨C this hypothetical ¡°battle¡± for her love?  Or, you know, he could reveal how he¡¯s been drugging her food for weeks! Or are we only focused on her secrets?  That¡¯s some hypocritical kraell shit.¡±

    I grimaced.  Okay, that was fair-ish.  The drugs were controversial, except¡ª

    ¡°You mean the drugs that are helping her relax?¡± I demanded.  ¡°Helping her remove that stick from her ass ¨C the one you¡¯re saying her family put there?  Maybe those drugs are giving her the emotional and physical space to deal with her own issues.  Maybe Horus is doing her a favor by not pushing the issue.¡±

    ¡°You mean avoiding the issue?  Yet again?¡±

    For some reason, that hit harder than it should have.

    Which is probably why I said this, ¡°Right, because she¡¯s always such a victim?  Of her family, of her brother, and now Horus?  Like she doesn¡¯t have any agency over her own life ¨C any power to change things?  We both know she¡¯s been letting it happen ¨C that she has to at least suspect the drugs.  Also, his feelings.  I mean, could he be any more obvious?  She¡¯s supposed to be a scientist.  That isn¡¯t much of a deduction.¡±

    Lili just laughed angrily.  ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s her responsibility to come forward?  I guess, it¡¯s always the woman¡¯s job to do the emotional heavy lifting.  That¡¯s the most sexist shit¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sexist?¡± I insisted.  ¡°What are you talking about?  I love women.  I celebrate them.  Look at Fang¡¯s mom!  And, obviously, one of them has to crack eventually.  I mean, the conflict is that they aren¡¯t communicating.  There¡¯s no other way to fix that problem, not unless one of them is finally honest ¨C one of them takes the risk.¡±

    ¡°So why not the delusional one?  Why does it have to be Eris?¡±

    Okay, that was too far!  I¡¯m not delusional¡ª

    Ahh, but we weren¡¯t talking about me, were we?

    We were talking about Horus and Eris ¨C or their characters Harold and Erica.

    Right?  I think?  It was getting confusing¡­

    Probably why those pesky questions were buzzing through my brain, circling and growing even as Lili got really quiet.  Too quiet.  Was she trying to tell me something?  Did she have a secret?  Did I?  Maybe the reason I was so upset about this incredible book?  Was I trying to hide something from myself again.  I wish I wasn¡¯t so good at it¡ª

    ¡°Uh, do you two need a moment?¡± Sssusie asked gingerly.

    I blinked.  Blinked again.

    Ahh, right.  We were still on stage.  Me yelling at my arm, dark text scrawling up my forearm, and my hand making an obscene gesture.  The others in the audience were all crowded around the stage ¨C for a better view of my arm, of course.

    ¡°She does raise some fair points, though.¡±

    ¡°I mean, I never looked at it like that.  Maybe Horus does need to¡ª

    ¡°No, it¡¯s both of their responsibility to communicate.¡±

    ¡°They just need someone to force them tell each other how they feel.  Maybe that side character Denise will finally speak up¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes, right!¡± I jumped in, shaking my head to try to clear those questions that still lingered at the edges of my mind.  ¡°That leads me to my point, I think.¡±

    ¡°You have a point?¡± Sssusie asked, incredulous.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±  I just needed to remember what it was.  ¡°That was, uh¡­ all part of my presentation.  My point is that, err¡ª¡±

    ¡°You need their help to force Horus and Eris to communicate,¡± Lili offered sullenly.

    Ahh, right.  Thank you, Lili.

    She just grumbled, cutting off contact with my core.

    Which was worrying¡­ but she was probably just hungry.  Maybe.

    Plus, I had a few dozen murderous sociopaths staring at me.

    I swallowed hard.  ¡°My, uh, my point is that Horus did what every good writer does ¨C he wrote what he knows and then inserted himself directly into his own story.¡±

    Okay, they just looked confused.

    ¡°Harold is Horus.¡±  A gasp.

    ¡°And Erica?  Erica is Eris.¡±  Another gasp.

    ¡°Horus loves her ¨C has always loved her ¨C he just can¡¯t bring himself to admit that.  And neither can she.  Just like in the book, they¡¯re at an impasse.  They need something to force them to tell each other how they feel; to smoosh their faces together really hard.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Sssusie demanded.  ¡°In the book, even when their crazy client Nico forces them to travel for work ¨C to spend weeks alone in a cute B&B ¨C that still wasn¡¯t enough.¡±

    The others were nodding in agreement.

    Huh, that name also sounded weirdly familiar.

    Also, Sssusie raised a fair point.  If that trope didn¡¯t work, then what would we¡ª

    Oh, I remembered now!  My amazing plan.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to try something different,¡± I explained, my smile stretching wide.  ¡°You¡¯re right, traditional tropes don¡¯t work on these two.  Relentless hardship, a common enemy, and a super cute bed and breakfast isn¡¯t enough.  Which is why, this time, we¡¯re going to crush them with the power of pure romance.¡±

    There was a collective intake of breath, their eyes round.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to plan the most perfect first date ever.  One that will break their body and mind and leave them with no other choice but to reveal their feelings for each other!¡±

    They were hissing again and there was lots of steam, skepticism giving way to excitement.  They had been training for this for ages.  Preparing for this day.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, I¡¯m asking you ¨C you students of love, you professors of poontang, you educators of the erotic arts ¨C to finally put that knowledge into practice.  What do you think this has all been for?  The studying.  The chapter readings.  The intensive arguments about every aspect of these two fictional but also totally real people?  Memorizing and criticizing every aspect of their characters in excruciating detail?

    ¡°It was for this!  No one knows them better than you!  Only you have any hope of forcing these two idiots to tell each other how they feel no matter what it takes or what it costs or who has to die!¡±

    The answering roar was deafening.

    Only broken up by the whirring grind of chain weapons spinning up to speed¡ª

    Wait, what?  When did they get all of those weapons?  I thought we searched them all carefully when we let them out of their cage¡­

    Crimson eyes peeked at me through the crowd, my babies slinking along the aisles and handing out a bunch of those chain weapons.  As they noticed me glaring, they froze, dropping the weapons with a clatter and acting all innocent.  I guess Lili wasn¡¯t the only one trying to send passive aggressive messages.

    I hadn¡¯t given them much attention lately.  Or, at least, I didn¡¯t think I had.  It was really hard to remember, but I¡¯d been busy with the remodeling project.  Probably.

    Maybe this is what happens when you ignore your precious murder babies¡­

    They go out and arm an angry crowd of sociopaths.

    ¡°However, there are still rules!¡± I shouted over the hissing and roar of chain weapons.  The crowd paused, slowing, growing quiet, those big yellow snake eyes glaring.

    ¡°What rules?¡± Sssusie demanded, arms crossed.

    ¡°Um, well, first¡­ no killing anyone¡ª¡±

    A collective, exasperated sigh escaped a hundred scaly lips.

    ¡°And no maiming either!¡±  That one wasn¡¯t popular either.

    ¡°And I know this is a lot, but it would also be great if you could avoid causing unnecessary property damage.  We just remodeled the town.¡±

    ¡°What if, hypothetically, Eris were to trip and fall and impale herself on a pile of scrapmetal, the wound gets infected and she dies an agonizing death?¡± Sssusie asked.

    ¡°Good question.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what if she dies horribly?¡±

    My brow furrowed.  ¡°Hmm, well in that case, I guess you wouldn¡¯t have violated any rules¡­ hypothetically, of course.  And Horus would probably be devastated after watching the love of his life fade away before his eyes.  That might even leave him devastated, emotionally vulnerable, and probably looking for something to fill that hole in his heart¡ª

    I trailed off as I realized it was suddenly very quiet.

    Looking up, I saw that the others were just staring.

    And they looked super pumped.  That was pure murder shining in their eyes.  I should know.  Fang used to look at me like that all the time.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t kill her¡ª¡± I began.

    ¡°You heard him!¡± Sssusie roared into a bamboo tube, her voice overpowering mine.  ¡°If she dies by natural causes, Horus will be on the rebound!¡±

    An answering roar met her words, one far louder than any other.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go make love happen!¡± Sssusie screamed.

    With that, the LaWD fans piled of the cafeteria, running out into the night with their chain weapons whirring.  Shouting and screaming and planning the most epic first date ever.

    Leaving me standing there and feeling conflicted.

    Had¡­ had they possibly taken away the wrong message from that?

    Nah!  It was going to be fine ¨C better than fine!

    Tomorrow was going to be a great day.

    A perfect day.  One filled with fun and family and light fraud.  With the possibility of uncovering the answers to uncomfortable and slightly distressing new questions.  Like why didn¡¯t Fang want to go?  Or why Lili was so moody?  Or what was wrong with my babies?  Why had they stopped looking at me like that?  Like their [Battle Daddy]?

    Also, why was Lipos trying to sneak out of the cafeteria¡ª

    I froze.  The siren went still.  Our eyes met.

    And in that moment of silence, more questions began to pile up.

    Like why was he here?  Had he been here the whole time?  And was he carrying a book?  The one tucked tucked under his arm, partially hidden by his blubber?  The one it looked like he was trying to hide for some reason?  Maybe¡­ maybe because he was a fan?

    It looked like I was right again.  Probably because I was great at reading people.

    I just knew Lipos was my brother-in-thickness and now?

    Now, I finally had proof.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 - Go Fish

    ¡°This isn¡¯t what it looks like,¡± Lipos grumbled, pounding back half a mug of friendship juice as we sat at the bar in the Fin-Fan Factory cafeteria.  ¡°I just wandered in accidentally.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked.  ¡°So, why do you have a book then?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± my brother-in-thickness began, only to freeze as he saw that the evidence was in my hands, courtesy of a discreet rathole.

    ¡°It¡¯s even a special edition, signed copy,¡± I observed, thumbing the pages.  ¡°To my biggest fan, Lipos.¡±  I was guessing he meant that literally.

    The siren just let out a frustrated rumble, his tusks vibrating and giving it a deeper bass quality ¨C one that sung a melody of pure murder.  I knew that look well ¨C it was one I relished.  The look of imminent defeat¡ª

    ¡°If you tell anyone, I¡¯ll crush you into a pulp,¡± the siren growled, glaring.

    ¡°Of course, not,¡± I replied ¨C the very picture of trustworthy innocence.  Although, for some reason, Lipos still looked skeptical.  Probably the smile.

    I just couldn¡¯t help it.  It felt so good to be right, you know?  You¡¯d think I¡¯d get used to it, but nope ¨C it always felt like the first time.  Fresh.  New.  Exciting.  Vindicating.

    Lipos sighed, staring down into the depths of his mug, the two of us sitting at the bar in the now very empty cafeteria.  ¡°It¡¯s just, well, it gets dull on the ship.  Weeks, months, and sometimes whole cycles working the river.  Lonely, empty nights with only your own thoughts and the occasional roar of the sea dragons.  Those stories kept me sane.  Gave me something to focus on, even if it was just for a while,¡± Lipos grumbled, his gaze distant.

    I could certainly relate.  Horus¡¯ bedtime stories had been a favorite back in the lair.  That¡¯s why I had to publish his horny handbook ¨C to give others that same joy; that same distraction from the miserable, terror-fueled nightmare that was, well¡­ living.

    The siren shook his head.  ¡°I just can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a fan group out here¡­¡±

    I leaned forward, suddenly all ears.  ¡°Wait, so Horus is popular in other places?¡±

    Lipos glanced at me in surprise.  ¡°Of course!  His books are best sellers.  I¡¯d wager every vessel between here and Asphodel knows his name.  Do you know how rare it is to find a book about something other than nimbus cultivation or the Way of the Flow or fucking transcendence?  And something not written in arcane poetry,¡± he spat, distastefully.  ¡°I wish I could transcend my way to a real library.¡±

    And, it was in that moment that I knew Lipos and I would be the best of friends.

    It was his love of romantic power fantasies.  The bitterness.  The jaded misanthropy.  The rolls of fat that promised to swallow me up in their warm, soft glory¡­

    ¡°You are very close again,¡± Lipos rumbled.

    Ahh, right.  ¡°Personal space,¡± he called it.

    I backed away to find him staring at me again, his forehead rolls crinkling.  ¡°Wait, but I thought you knew him ¨C Horus, I mean.  But you don¡¯t even know about his books?¡±

    ¡°I do, it¡¯s just we haven¡¯t, uh, spoken lately,¡± I offered.  Technically all true.

    ¡°So why is it such a secret that you like the books?¡± I asked quickly.

    ¡°Not everyone is so accepting,¡± the siren grunted.

    ¡°What?  Why not?¡±

    ¡°Inter-species relationships are frowned upon,¡± DJ ¡®lil P spoke up from the other side of the bar, his fingers tapping out a soft-yet-haunting melody ¨C one that really set the mood.  It seemed like he was always here lately.  Seriously, he was getting really good at playing the pipes.  And it felt like it sounded different ¨C less screamy, you know?

    ¡°Did you do something to my keyboard?¡± I demanded.

    The portly vulpin glanced at me with bleary eyes full of fresh friendship¡­ and a healthy dash of fear.  ¡°Uh¡­¡± he hedged.

    ¡°I fixed the wailing death machine,¡± Lipos offered, with a wave.  ¡°Just infused a portion of my song spirit into it and carved some runes into a fresh layer of poo-crete.¡±

    He waved at the machine.  Now it produced a lilting, harmonic melody that resonated with the fabric of my soul.

    It was a side grade at best.

    DJ ¡®lil P swallowed hard under my glare.  ¡°Ahh, as I was saying, most species stick to their own, if you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Is that like an official rule, or¡­¡±

    The vulpin cocked his head.  ¡°Not exactly, it¡¯s just that those that don¡¯t usually end up dead.¡±

    My eyes flitted to Lipos, the siren nodding.

    Is that why he had said that thing about me and Fang?  About his family not accepting me?  Were they¡­ were they racists?  Or speciests?  Could that be why Fang was so upset?

    Huh, do you think¡­ maybe that was what Lili had been talking about too?  You know, with her incredibly confusing and inscrutable and coded criticism of Horus¡¯ wank work?  Could she have been talking about me and Fang?  How there was this distance between us ¨C both literal since he wasn¡¯t here, but also figurative ¨C an emotional distance?  Neither one of us willing to be the one to make the first move?  To be honest with each other?

    Lili stirred, not quite touching my core.

    She¡¯d been really quiet since our creative writing seminar.

    ¡°I am reluctant to ask¡­ but is something wrong?¡± Lipos asked.

    I looked up to find both of them watching me.  What was I doing?  Sitting here and wallowing about Fang when I was supposed to be drinking with my new friends!

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I replied.  ¡°Just relationship problems.  I have to say, I envy you both ¨C your freedom.  I miss my single days¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not single,¡± DJ ¡®lil P chirped, taking another swallow of friendship and making the cutest little burp I¡¯d ever heard.  Seriously, it was like a hiccup.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that inter-species relationships are frowned upon?  I think?¡± he asked, blinking owlishly, his cheeks flushed.  Then he shrugged.  ¡°Anyway, we moved out here ages ago.  Me and the Misssus.¡±

    Oh, shit.  You heard it too right?  It wasn¡¯t just me?

    I see a lot of nodding.  Awesome.

    I fucking told Lili it wasn¡¯t racist!

    Even DJ ¡®lil P called his wife Misssus ¨C which, implied what?  That she was savran?  Statistically, that seemed very likely.  That was just math.  And if she was savran, then, obviously, that couldn¡¯t be her real name.  Since, you know, it didn¡¯t contain any murder.

    ¡°It¡¯s still racist,¡± Lili muttered finally.  ¡°You don¡¯t even know she¡¯s savran!¡±

    Ha, see?  I knew I could break her!

    Also, no it wasn¡¯t, not if DJ ¡®lil P was doing it¡ª

    ¡°Actually, it is kind of racist,¡± the vulpin offered, looking at me deadpan.

    Ahh, that was all out loud.  Again.  Lili could have fucking warned me¡ª

    ¡°And once again, it¡¯s on me to help you, isn¡¯t it?¡± she snapped.

    With that, she retreated from my core, leaving me staring at DJ ¡®lil P.

    Ahh, shit.  I guess I had no choice but to double down, though.

    ¡°Um, how was it racist?  You called her¡ª¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s my nickname for her ¨C a joke between the two of us,¡± the vulpin explained.  ¡°You call every single one of them Sssusie or Sssarah or Sssandra¡ª

    ¡°Also, Sssophie,¡± Lipos added with a chuckle.

    ¡°See?  That¡¯s racist.¡± The little traitor fox pointed at Lipos.  The siren just chuckled and shrugged, pounding back another fresh mug of friendship.

    Shit, okay.  I guess we needed to triple down.

    ¡°Okay, fine, then what¡¯s your wife¡¯s real name?¡± I demanded, arms crossed.

    It was DJ ¡®lil P¡¯s turn to hedge, suddenly looking away.  ¡°That¡¯s not important¡­¡±

    I sensed weakness, which meant it must be awesome.

    ¡°Are you ashamed of her?  Of her first kill?¡± I asked, grin widening.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Lipos asked in confusion.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how savran get their names ¨C they¡¯re based on their first kills.¡±

    ¡°So weird,¡± the siren muttered, taking another swig.

    The vulpin just stared back at me, feigning confusion, but he seemed to have forgotten that I was a staring contest champion.  He soon took another big swallow of my piping hot friendship, and then cracked.  Hard.  ¡°Fine.  It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s Vaghammer.¡±

    Time seemed to freeze, my mind kicking into overdrive.  Even Lipos looked stunned, our eyes meeting.  There were just so many questions ¨C too many.

    Then that tiny crack in DJ ¡®lil P¡¯s psyche split wide¡ªIf you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°See?  Just¡­ how?  And do I really want to know?¡± DJ ¡®lil P muttered, head in his hands.  ¡°I-I just can¡¯t call her that.  It¡¯s too much.  I had to come up with a nickname.  I had to!  That¡¯s not racist!¡±

    Ahh, I sympathized.  I really did.  But also¡­

    ¡°So¡­ I was right?¡± I asked.

    The vulpin just groaned.  Lipos looked confused, then shrugged.

    I was going to take that as a yes.  Not racist!  Knew it!  Their naming system was just a horrible, awkward clusterfuck.  Even worse than their mating¡ª

    Wait, hold on, I was still missing something, wasn¡¯t I?

    ¡°How is he still alive?¡± Lili asked, too curious to resist.

    Right, that!  Shouldn¡¯t Vaghammer have murdered him¡ª

    ¡°You know why!¡± the vulpin groaned into his arms, proof that I still had no mouth filter.  ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not too proud to admit it¡­ I¡¯m-I¡¯m adorable.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it!¡± he snapped, peeking up at us, tears in his eyes.  Those huge round eyes, moisture welling perfectly at the corners.  Ahh, and his lip was trembling.

    Wow.  He was right.  He was really cute.

    Even Lipos was resisting the urge to pet him¡­

    ¡°See?  This is always the reaction I get!¡± the vulpin snapped, glaring back at us, our hands twitching.  Although, in her defense, Maribel was just trying to kill him.

    ¡°That¡¯s sort of our thing ¨C the vulpin.  Big eyes, little bellies, fluffy tails.  Just like my brothers-in-law, I was already adapted to survive my mate¡¯s love.  Then the Misssus got controlling and weird and jealous.  I mean, I was the only vulpin here.  An exotic snack.  You wouldn¡¯t believe the things they said to me ¨C the things they told me they wanted to do to my tails.  How they¡¯d paw at me and stroke my belly without even asking!  Which is why she made me man the south gate ¨C it was safer out there beyond the wall!¡±

    I blinked.  Blinked again.  There was just a lot of information coming at me fast right now ¨C like maybe too fast.  Was DJ ¡®lil P saying he lived in that little hut I¡¯d blown up?

    ¡°But it still felt like she was pushing me away ¨C sure it was for my own safety ¨C but there were entire weeks she just forgot about me.  Weeks,¡± DJ ¡®lil P echoed.

    He shook his head.  ¡°I guess, if I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯d gotten depressed.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t seemed depressed.  He¡¯d seemed cheerful ¨C almost manically so.

    ¡°Which doesn¡¯t sound familiar at all,¡± Lili drawled.

    ¡°Then you came along.  You gave me another chance,¡± the vulpin said, grabbing my face between his adorable little paws, his eyes full of friendship.

    Seriously, high doses of FJ made your eyes turn red.

    ¡°You saved my relationship.¡±

    ¡°Uh, how?¡± I managed to ask.

    ¡°You destroyed my hut.  Gave me this keyboard ¨C a purpose.  And now our relationship is better than ever ¨C me and the Misssus.¡±

    ¡°But what about the, uh¡­ controlling jealousy part?¡±

    Suddenly, the little fox person couldn¡¯t meet our inquiring eyes.

    ¡°I, well¡­ I like that part,¡± the little fox man said with an embarrassed shrug.  ¡°I¡¯m a hit with the ladies here, they love to come listen to me play.  And now that the others are on the prowl, well¡­ the Misssus is finally paying attention to me again.  It turns out that I like controlling, powerful women.  Scaly and hard on the outside and buttery soft on the inside.  The type of woman that will kill for you, even when she doesn¡¯t have to.¡±

    The vulpin smiled broadly, showing his sharp, little teeth.  ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t believe the things she¡¯s willing to do in the sack now.  Sometimes, she traps me inside for days.¡±  He looked very proud of himself at that one.

    For my part, I was pretty confused.  So was Lipos.

    I mean, we had followed up questions, of course, but¡ª

    ¡°So weird,¡± Lipos growled, shaking his head.

    Not that DJ ¡®lil P was listening.  He was playing again, now singing along with the chords.  ¡°Wrap me up, tie me down, throw me in the sack and seal it¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahh, anyway¡­ so I bet you¡¯re enjoying the single life then?¡± I offered to Lipos.  ¡°Exploring the, uh, narrow, perfectly linear river?¡±

    ¡°Nope.  I am also bonded, but not like this one,¡± the siren murmured, eyeing the little vulpin with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

    ¡°Ahh, what¡¯s your mate¡¯s name¡ª¡±

    ¡°Names,¡± Lipos corrected.  ¡°As in multiple mates.¡±

    Ahh, right.  ¡°Um, how many?¡±

    ¡°One in every major port.  So, five?¡± he offered with a shrug.  ¡°We¡¯ve also forged 236 new vessels, 158 grandvessels, 123 great-grandvessels, and 84 great-great grandvessels.¡±

    Holy shit.  Alright, maybe I¡¯d been wrong.   Again.  It happened sometimes.

    ¡°Why do you have so many?¡± I asked in shock.

    And here I thought having three of my own was a lot.

    Lipos and the vulpin shared a look.  ¡°Young vessels,¡± he said at the same time.

    ¡°What?  What does my age have to do with it¡ª?¡±

    ¡°How old is that vessel?  Twenty cycles?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-five¡­ I think,¡± I answered self-consciously.

    They both laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m 156, the siren said.

    ¡°63.¡±  That was the vulpin that time.

    The siren noticed my shocked look.  ¡°It happens.  Most races live a long time.¡±  He eyed me.  ¡°Most other races anyway.  And sirens don¡¯t live as long as elves, so we have to make the most of it.  Plant our seed.¡±  He shrugged.  ¡°Besides, the little vessels are useful.  How do you think we fill our crews?  Obviously, we experience some losses.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t really given it much thought.

    Huh, shit.  Maybe I¡¯d gotten lazy about asking questions¡­

    Then another thought struck me¡ª

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you, uh, sad that they¡¯re dead¡ªI mean, if they were your kids?¡±

    The siren scoffed.  ¡°Ahh, not really.  Didn¡¯t you hear me?  I can always make more kids, but no one can make another me.  Plus, I have plenty of kids.  Why do you think I¡¯m sailing all the way out here to the Outer Reaches?  I needed a break ¨C some space.  Like I said, I can¡¯t get any reading done at home.  All that nagging and screaming and crying.  The boat is the only place I can finally get some peace and quiet.¡±

    He hesitated, grimacing.  ¡°Or, at least, it was¡­¡±

    Wow.  Does it feel like maybe other people have their own story going on off camera?  One I¡¯m totally not part of?  Like, I didn¡¯t even consider what losing his ship would mean to Lipos, did I?  Or that our philosophies on child rearing would be so similar.

    I was even starting to feel bad about running my experiment¡ª

    Ahh, shit.  He was looking at me suspiciously¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry again about your ship,¡± I offered quickly, patting him on the back.  ¡°Still no idea what happened ¨C we were just trying to signal your vessel to come to shore.  We couldn¡¯t possibly have foreseen that the sea serpents would be whipped up into a frenzy and tear apart your ship in a flurry of blood and fire and the tortured screams of the dying, stranding you and the remainder of your crew-children in the middle of a murder forest¡­

    ¡°But, uh, I guess we do now.  It might even be possible to weaponize such a sound system to prevent any further ships from making it into port, which I guess would make it difficult or almost completely impossible for anyone to send reinforcements.

    ¡°Or invade Apati by water.  Just saying.¡±

    Lipos just raised an eyebrow at me¡­ then heaved out a sigh.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.  The Pod loses ships all the time.  The Order will cover the cost of the materials and our shipwrights will have another in service in a week.¡±

    He heaved out a big sigh.  ¡°The problem is that I don¡¯t want to go back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I asked, unable to keep the excitement from my voice.

    This was it!  We had finally arrived at my real goal.  My true motive.

    This wasn¡¯t just a friendly bonding session.

    This was a job interview.

    Lipos¡¯ job interview.

    ¡°And get stuck at home while the ship¡¯s being rebuilt?  No thank you,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°You could stay.¡±

    Lipos blinked at me, cocking his head.  ¡°Are you kidding?  What would I even¡ª¡±

    ¡°You heard my plan during the meeting with Peri.  We¡¯re planning to expand soon, start building a highway further north,¡± I interjected.  ¡°And we¡¯re going to have to ship our merchandise somehow ¨C obviously, the river¡¯s out.  I was thinking by land.  We have a prototype whipped up already¡­ what we need is a crew.  Someone to drive it.¡±

    The siren was staring now, looking intrigued.  ¡°Drive it, huh?  Traveling by land?¡±

    ¡°Long days on the open road with just you and your crew and your wheeled armored death fortress carrying a priceless payload of friendship,¡± I corrected.

    He was mulling on it, I could see it.

    Then he snorted.  ¡°A dream.   You¡¯ve got the Butcher of Tartarus and the Sun Scientist on one side and Peri¡¯s gods-damned suicide mission into the Hellforge on the other.  You¡¯ll probably be dead before the week is out.¡±

    Possibly.  I always assumed that was the case.

    That way, I couldn¡¯t be disappointed.

    ¡°You heard the plan to distract Horus and Eris,¡± I retorted.  ¡°And it doesn¡¯t have to work for forever ¨C just long enough for me and Fang to skip town.  They¡¯ll follow us.¡±

    Lipos nodded.  ¡°But there¡¯s still the Hellforge.¡±

    Even DJ ¡®lil P was looking nervous at the mention of it.

    ¡°You both look just like Fang.  He¡¯s been so negative about the Hellforge.  Am I the only one that¡¯s excited for the tour?  It sounds really cool!¡±

    The vulpin and Lipos shared an incredulous look.

    ¡°Right¡­ yeah, the tour,¡± DJ ¡®lil P said, his fingers pausing.  ¡°Um, do you even know what that forge is?  How it was created?¡±

    ¡°No.  Blank slate ¨C I figured they¡¯d tell us on the tour.¡±

    Also, everyone else refused to answer my questions.  Especially Fang.

    Which is why I was nearly hanging off the edge of my bar stool¡­

    The siren shook his head, slapping down his mug with a thunk.  ¡°Really?  It¡¯s famous throughout the Five Rivers.  The reason this city even exists,¡± he offered.

    DJ ¡®lil P nodded.  ¡°He¡¯s right.  This city was founded by a powerful vessel, one that held a forge spirit in his core.  His plan was build a utopia ¨C someplace that wasn¡¯t plagued  by monsters or strangled by the Orders¡¯ influence.  ¡°Somewhere where all species could be free.  And with the rich source of metals from the river, the natural geothermal vents beneath the city, and the nimbus of Cocytus, this was the perfect spot.

    ¡°So, he built Apati.  The gem of the southern reaches.  A shining monument to peace and prosperity, its metal walls and towering buildings reflecting his ambition.  He used that collection of nimbus to forge powerful relics and items.  Technological marvels.  And as the acclaim spread, so too did Apati grow.  Others traveled here.  Built homes.  Families.¡±

    ¡°Built it all on top of a lie!¡± Lipos declared, smacking the bar.

    Oh, a plot twist.  I loved those!

    ¡°Vessels began going missing.  One and two at first.  Then dozens.  Then hundreds.  Eventually, the truth came out.  The founder wasn¡¯t harvesting native nimbus.  He was sacrificing the settlors, bleeding them for their precious energy.  That¡¯s what he was using to create his relics.  His weapons.  His machines.¡±

    ¡°So, naturally, the remaining townspeople brutally murdered him,¡± the vulpin added with a shrug.  Like that was normal.  And I guess it was?

    ¡°Except the damage was already done,¡± Lipos continued.  ¡°The horrific deaths of all of those vessels tainted the spirits nestled within their cores.  They created a corrupted gate in the center of the founder¡¯s workshop ¨C the Hellforge.¡±

    So, basically the same thing as back in Anchon.  Or close enough.

    Lipos seemed to sense that I wasn¡¯t phased.

    ¡°This gate is different,¡± he insisted.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t release monsters.  It draws in vessels like flies to honey.  The desperate and the ambitious.  And the prize?  Control of the forge.  The ability to create nearly anything ¨C at least, so I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°There have been a few that have managed it,¡± DJ ¡®lil P.

    ¡°Although, never for long,¡± Lipos added.

    ¡°When the current founder loses control, the gate just goes dormant again ¨C waiting,¡± the vulpin added, his eyes huge, the lighting low and haunting music drifting through the shadows around the room.  The same ones that seemed to be clawing up the walls and away from the faint light of the nearby lantern.

    Woah.  Like, woah.

    First off, I wanted this power so bad.  Like so bad.

    Seriously, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever been more excited for the Hellforge tour.

    Also, they did a fantastic job with the ghost story.  Like good lighting.  Perfect ambiance.  Great delivery.  It almost felt like they¡¯d practiced.

    There was just one problem ¨C one unanswered question.

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Fang want me to go?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°He probably just doesn¡¯t want to die,¡± Lipos offered.  ¡°Did you hear the story?¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s never stopped him before!¡± I replied.  ¡°He jumped into a corrupted gate with me for no reason.  He could have just left!  Same when we got out of the gate.  If he didn¡¯t want me to meet his family ¨C if he was embarrassed by them ¨C then why come with me?  Why travel all that way?  Just¡­ why?  I thought we had something special.  True bromance, you know?  But lately, I just can¡¯t get him to communicate with me¡­¡±

    DJ ¡®lil P and Lipos looked at each other.

    ¡°What was that about bromance¡ª¡± Lipos began in confusion.

    ¡°Ahh, what I think he meant to say,¡± the vulpin interjected quickly, glaring at the siren, ¡°is maybe you¡¯re just looking at it wrong.  You¡¯re right.  Fang did come with you and he didn¡¯t have to.  Risked his life when he didn¡¯t have to.  And saved yours when he didn¡¯t have to.  So, maybe he just doesn¡¯t want you to go into the Forge.  Maybe he¡¯s worried about you.  That he isn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d do if he lost you¡­ Maybe-maybe he even cares about you.¡±

    I looked at Lipos.  The siren glanced the vulpin, then said.  ¡°Uh, yeah.  Probably that.  Either way you shouldn¡¯t go.  It¡¯s a death trap.  Literally.¡±

    I could barely focus on what he was saying.

    There was this, uh, warmth in my chest.  My lips twitching, forming a smile all on their own ¨C one that didn¡¯t even hurt.  This new feeling was delightful ¨C one I didn¡¯t really have a word for, probably because I¡¯d never felt it before.  All I knew was it that it felt like being wrapped up in the best group hug ever.

    Even better than lopsided killing sprees.

    Or road trip songs and games.

    Or small-scale civil engineering projects.

    Then DJ ¡®lil Prophet finally said the magic words.

    ¡°Maybe Fang¡¯s telling the truth,¡± he said.

    And in an instant, that feeling became something different.  It grew a thousandfold ¨C until that warmth spread out to my fingertips like liquid lava, my heart beat a frantic rhythm, and my lips started to crack and bleed.  From smiling so hard, of course.

    Because Fang never told the truth.

    Especially not when it came to his feelings ¨C or alleged lack thereof.

    Which meant he had to be lying now.  The only question was why.

    And suddenly, everything Lili had been trying to tell me with her super cryptic double entendre made sense.  Our communication problem was a challenge. Another competition.  Like a staring contest¡­ except with our feelings.  Neither of us willing to be the first to make the first move ¨C to be vulnerable with the other.

    At least, not with our words.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 46

    Chapter 46 - Renewal

    The Underground Hell Forge Tour/Escape Room

    The REAL Nyx.  Budding Genius.  Entrepreneur.  Battle Daddy.  Bromate.

    Which brings us to now ¨C to the present.

    To the culmination of days and weeks and months of dragging my death wagon, traversing a screaming death forest, making new friends, but also committing furry genocide on the entire demon monkey species and imprisoning the survivors.  Of surprise parties and horrific and emotionally crippling secrets and home renovations.  Of endless tangents and side stories and unnecessary detail that has all been building to this singular moment.

    The climax, if you will.

    Because I finally knew Fang¡¯s plan.

    It was obvious, wasn¡¯t it?

    His lies and secrets and general grumpiness had all been an act.  One intended to lure me in.  Get me incredibly excited.  To whip my curiosity into a manic frenzy.

    Telling me to, ¡°Stay away.¡±

    Or that, ¡°We¡¯ll all die horribly.¡±

    Specifically, inside the Hellforge.

    But why here?  Why this place?

    This big, inexplicable, and yet strangely nostalgic lightless hole in the ground filled with dust and mold and lined with thick stone blocks.  With a burning portal to hell that felt like it was watching me like the eye of some monstrous beast ¨C the warmth of the magma strangely reassuring.  The complete lack of bathrooms giving the place a familiar, pungent aroma.  Fang even had the foresight to bring tour-guides to act as decoys ¨C to distract me from his master plan, of course.  His message.  One not spoken with words, but painted with his feelings.  Because I knew just what this was¡­

    We celebrated this day every cycle back in the hell sewer ¨C or, at least, I did.  The anniversary of that moment when our souls had connected.

    Specifically, the day our bromance was born.

    Yes, that¡¯s right.  I can see that the slower ones among you finally see it now.

    Fang had been planning our annual ¡°Bro-newal Ceremony.¡±

    That¡¯s why there was the arch over the anvil.  The garlands of metal flowers strewn across its surface and welded to the walls and strung overtop the many pews ¨C all of which were filled with our audience.  Our witnesses.  All of them sitting there sweating and fidgeting and eyeing the exit nervously.  Lured here with the promise of treasure¡­

    And I was positive they would treasure this moment forever.

    This was Fang¡¯s way of finally rewarding me for all of my tireless effort.  Dragging the wagon.  Planning an incredible and fun-filled family vacation.  For forcing him out of the closet with his family.  And for rebuilding his childhood home into something bigger, better, and significantly more profitable.  This was his way of saying thank¡ª

    ¡°No, no it is not!¡± Fang snapped ¨C the scaly trash goblin finally cracking and breaking his extended silence.  ¡°This is madness!¡±

    I felt conflicted.  On the one hand, I¡¯d finally made him talk.

    On the other?  Well, he was doubling down on the lies¡­

    ¡°Then why are you still here?¡± I demanded, crossing my arms.

    ¡°Because you forced me,¡± Fang hissed in irritation.  ¡°I cannot pull the wagon and all my loot is here ¨C held hostage by our creditors.¡±

    Ahh, right.  I guess I had done that.

    That¡¯s also how I¡¯d convinced him to wear the tux.  The one his brothers and uncles had designed and sewn for him.  I have to admit, he looked sharp.  Even sharper than normal.  It might have been the hidden pockets for all his concealed blades.

    Honestly, it hadn¡¯t even been that hard to convince him.

    More proof that this was all part of his plan!

    Fang just let out a long slow hiss of pain.

    ¡°That is not proof of anything.  The suit is¡­ well made,¡± he hedged.

    ¡°Fine.  Then what about the arch?¡± I offered, pointing overhead.  ¡°All of these lovely decorations?  It certainly looks like a bronewal ceremony, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    He snorted, rolling his huge glowing eyes.  ¡°I did not build these pews, or this arch or the garlands of flowers, did I?  You did.¡±

    ¡°Actually, we did,¡± Cole piped up, the elf standing on the other side of the anvil, the two of us facing off before him.  He was wearing a robe and looked rather sweaty.  Probably because he was so close to the hell portal.  Our audience were also a little indignant, shuffling and muttering and glaring very unappreciatively.

    ¡°Right?  I spent hours on those garlands.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started on the lava trench¡­¡±

    ¡°The idea to make it sketch the outline of a rat was my idea.¡±

    Okay, I felt like we were getting sidetracked.

    ¡°Not now, Cole,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, we should get some credit,¡± the elf muttered.  ¡°It took a lot of work to set this up and your instructions were less than clear¡ª¡±

    Another glare silenced him.

    Shit.  And Fang was gloating again ¨C his eyes taunting.

    ¡°Okay, fine.  Our audience helped a little¡ªwhich I very much appreciate,¡± I declared hastily, mostly for their benefit.  ¡°But aren¡¯t you responsible for that audience being here?¡±

    ¡°What?  How?¡± Fang demanded, looking confused.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯d told me about the Hellforge earlier, it would have just been the two of us ¨C but, instead, you waited until our creditors arrived.  Which can only mean one thing?  You wanted to make sure our bronewal ceremony had witnesses!¡±

    Silence met that declaration.  And then¡­

    ¡°I hate to admit it, but he does have a point.¡±

    ¡°If Fang really didn¡¯t want to be here, couldn¡¯t he have just run away?¡±

    See?  The crowd was coming around.  Even Cole looked uncertain.

    ¡°There is a certain insane logic to it,¡± the elf muttered.

    ¡°No!  No, there is not!¡±  Fang insisted, looking desperate.  Then his eyes landed on the corruption threading my hand and arm.  ¡°Lili!  Lili knows.  Tell them the truth.¡±

    Wait, what?  Were they working together?

    A short, somewhat suspicious pause and then, ¡°I, uh, well¡­ fine.  To be honest, I¡¯ve been in on his plan since the beginning,¡± Lili answered with a sigh.  ¡°I just felt like you deserved something nice, Nyx.¡±

    Oh.  My.  Gods.  I fucking knew it!

    So, the memory lapses and cageyness and weird double entendre must have been¡ªUnauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°All part of his bromantic plan,¡± Lili confirmed incredibly fast.

    ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡± Fang demanded, his eyes watching me suspiciously.  ¡°What is she saying?  Lili, tell him the truth ¨C not more lies.  It is time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry.  She did,¡± I said, taking Fang¡¯s clawed hand in mine.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe the two of you were working together on this.  Honestly, I thought she hadn¡¯t forgiven you after you ruined our business meeting.  I guess that was just another clever misdirection.  All so you could avoid showing me how much you cared.¡±

    ¡°What?  No, it was not.  I do not care about¡ª"

    My arm itched, dark text appearing there.  ¡°Really?  You don¡¯t?  I mean, I get why I¡¯m here ¨C since I¡¯m stuck with him.  But you could have left whenever.¡±

    Fang just stared wide-eyed at my arm.  ¡°Why are you enabling him?  You know this is not real, Lili.  Just tell him what we have been hiding¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, a few needles of darkness punched through Fang¡¯s scales, and he lost the ability to speak, his shark-like teeth clacking ominously but no words escaping.

    My brow furrowed in confusion.  ¡°What was¡ª¡±

    ¡°I just silenced him with [Hex].  He told me to,¡± Lili replied reassuringly.  ¡°It was all, um, part of his plan.  He made me promise not to let his own emotional insecurity ruin it.¡±

    Wow.  Fang had thought that far ahead?

    I was so impressed with him right now ¨C my bromate straining against my iron grip and screaming something silently at me.  I could see his feelings written all across his face, his eyes locked on mine and pleading desperately.  Probably for me to get on with it.

    And who was I to deny him?

    ¡°Babies!¡± I called out.

    Majestic, discordant organ music began playing as #3 tickled the tubes that we had along the wall with a thick layer of poo-crete.  Meanwhile, #1 and #2 swept down the aisle, careful to step over the troughs of molten lava.  They grabbed handfuls of metal flowers and threw them really hard at the guests ¨C the guides and tourists flinching and doing their best to block the shrapnel, the screams of the wounded adding to the rising chorus.  The extra flowers fell into the lava where they sizzled and melted, smoke wafting and coiling around the crowd¡¯s feet before sweeping down the aisle.

    Then my babies came to a rest beside me, pulling back their hoods and their beautiful crimson eyes locked on mine.  They looked so happy for me.

    ¡°Ahem, Cole?¡± I demanded, noticing the elf watching my murder babies with horror in his eyes.  ¡°The vows,¡± I offered, gesturing at Fang¡¯s little notebook in his hands.

    ¡°Ahh, right¡­ right,¡± the elf replied, coughing into his hand.

    Several long seconds passed.  ¡°Wow, this is so long,¡± he murmured, his eyes still skimming the page.  ¡°And weird.  Are you really sure you want me to read¡ª"

    ¡°Just read it,¡± I hissed at him.

    I¡¯d worked on it really hard.

    ¡°Uh, okay¡­ Nyx and Fang, I am honored to share this special day with you and your victims ¨C err, or, I mean guests,¡± Cole amended nervously, eyeing the audience.

    ¡°While many people think that forging a bromantic union is the pinnacle of a platonic friendship, in reality it is just one step in a life-long journey. This journey will at times challenge your bond and test your convictions but the enduring blackmail, lies, and secrets the two of you have collected on each other have given you the motivation to face them together. Today we gather to renew the vows you made to your partner many cycles ago.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Cole muttered under his breath.

    He sucked in another deep breath and pushed forward.

    Meanwhile, I just stared into Fang¡¯s eyes.

    While he silently screamed his love back at me.

    ¡°Bromance is a covenant that grows stronger through time and shared experiences.  Like threads, hundreds of tiny threads, which sew people together through the cycles, thickening and growing until they become solid and strong and sometimes even real.  Chains that bind the two of you together in the unholy bonds of true bromance.

    ¡°And today we weave another thread?¡± Cole recited in confusion.  ¡°Ahh¡ª¡±

    He cut off as he saw me wrapping my arm chain around Fang¡¯s claws.

    It was, uh, symbolic.  The pulsing, dark shadow aura rippling across the metal was mostly for show.  Also, to slow Fang down if he tried to run.

    ¡°Cole?¡± I muttered.  ¡°The vows?¡±

    ¡°Right, um, now we shall have each of you read from the¡ªthe bro-code¡­¡±

    The elf trailed off, his eyes darting down the page and his lips slipping into an awkward, horrified frown.  ¡°What is this?¡± he muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s really not that important,¡± I explained quickly, glancing awkwardly at our audience.  They also looked curious.  Too curious maybe.  ¡°We could, uh, probably skip it since Lili had to silence Fang.¡±

    ¡°Are these real?¡± Cole demanded.  ¡°Did you write these rules?¡±

    ¡°We both did,¡± I answered in a clipped voice and not all at all defensively.  ¡°We each got to pick our own rules.  And once the list started getting long and kind of awkward, we had to write it down.  Eventually it became our¡­ our bro-code.¡±

    ¡°I shall not make my bromate haul trash more than twice per day?¡± Cole asked.

    ¡°Rest days are important,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°I shall not nibble on my bromate¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahh, well that one has exceptions¡ª¡±

    ¡°Unless Lili is super cranky and threatening to take over my vessel or its necessary to defeat an unstoppable boss monster,¡± Cole murmured.  ¡°Yes, yes, I see that.

    ¡°Anyway, just skip down to the last part,¡± I insisted.  The crowd was murmuring and looking kind of judgy.  We were losing them.

    ¡°Ahh, right¡­¡± Cole muttered, his eyes skimming.  ¡°Here we go¡ª¡±

    ¡°Does anyone here object to this bromantic union?¡±

    Just a formality.   We¡¯d had very few objections back in the hell sewer.  Mostly just Lili ¨C which actually made her recent support kind of odd, didn¡¯t it?

    Anyway, I guess that was just a testament to how people could grow.  How those chains binding us together had gotten stronger over time.  Besides, it didn¡¯t matter.  Since she was on board, there wasn¡¯t anyone who would¡ª

    ¡°Um, yes, you in the back,¡± Cole called out.

    My head whipped around, even Fang going still ¨C no longer straining to speak or run away.  One of the tour-guides had a question, his hand raised for some fucking reason.

    ¡°Uh, so I¡¯ve been wondering something?¡± the man began timidly.

    ¡°Right, well, go ahead,¡± Cole offered.

    ¡°Is it really safe to be holding this, err¡­ delightful bro-renewal ceremony here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the sort of objection he¡¯s talking about¡ª¡± I began, trying to head off the inevitable random and intrusive nonsense that had nothing to do with our bromance¡ª

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it, though?¡± another tourist piped up, raising her hand.  ¡°Isn¡¯t where you choose to hold your bro-renewal a reflection on your relationship?  And this is the most dangerous spot you could have picked.  Is it¡­ is it possible that the two of you only know how to be together when you¡¯re being hunted or chased or you¡¯re about to die?¡±

    Well¡­ shit.  That was actually a really insightful¡ª

    ¡°Thank you for your question.  Okay, you there, head tour-guide,¡± Cole offered gesturing at the siren in the front pew.  The extra-wide one with the tusks.

    ¡°Something has been bothering me for a while now,¡± the siren grumbled, rubbing at his chins.  ¡°How does Nyx know what happened to Eris and Horus?¡±

    A sudden silence descended across the forge.

    ¡°Now that you mention it, he¡¯s right.  Wouldn¡¯t Nyx have gone into Hellforge before Horus and Eris even showed up in Apati?¡± Someone else piped up.

    ¡°Maybe PK?¡± another offered.

    ¡°But he didn¡¯t say the poison kitty could talk.¡±

    ¡°Yet he seemed to understand the creature and give it orders, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°True¡­ but you can¡¯t explain away Demi.  How would he know any of that?  All that stuff about her deal with Emporos and the meteor?¡±

    I blinked.  Blinked again.

    There was a lot to process here¡­

    ¡°Uh, what does any of this have to do with their relationship?¡± Cole offered, side-eying me nervously, my arm itching as Lili wrote him a hasty note.  The elf read the corrupted text aloud, ¡°We should, uh, at least keep the questions relevant in¡­ um, respect for the ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Cole mouthed at Lili and she just gave him a quick hand wiggle.

    ¡°It goes to Nyx¡¯s sanity,¡± the head tour-guide offered with a shrug.

    ¡°Yeah, can Nyx even consent to this bro-newal?¡±

    ¡°And what about Fang?  Are we just supposed to believe he¡¯s really going along with this?  He¡¯s tied up.  Plus, Nyx seems to be nibbling on,¡±

    I guess that was all technically true.

    But I had to or Fang would just make a misty and escape!

    You heard Lili?  He wanted this!

    ¡°Which sounds a lot like rape, doesn¡¯t it?¡± someone asked.

    ¡°And a clear violation of the bro-code.  Do you see a boss?¡±

    Cole was starting to waver.  ¡°Hmm, well that¡¯s sort of fair¡­¡±

    This had gone on long enough. I needed to defend myself.

    ¡°Okay, first off, Fang was asking for it,¡± I finally interjected.  ¡°Literally. You heard Lili ¨C he asked her to shut him up and keep him here because he¡¯s aware of his horrible trust issues and his emotionally avoidant behavior.  That¡¯s a step forward for our relationship.¡±

    They were all mulling on that, not yet convinced.

    ¡°Fine, but what about the others then?  How do you know what¡¯s happening to them?¡±  Someone called out.  I couldn¡¯t tell which one of them had asked.

    And Cole and Fang weren¡¯t saying a word ¨C frozen in place and watching me attentively.  Even Lili had gone quiet.

    I understood their hesitation.  They likely thought I was upset.

    However, I wasn¡¯t.  There was no way I could be angry or offended by these overly critical jerks pointing out the obvious continuity issues in my story and directly challenging my own sanity.  Or for interrupting the bro-newal ceremony Fang had planned for me.  This was just a part of the process.  In fact, it was an opportunity.

    I¡¯ve always had a penchant for storytelling.

    ¡°The answer is easy,¡± I said, raising my eyes to meet our audience.  ¡°How do you think I had molds for the garlands?  Or tools?  Or the poo-crete to make our lovely new organ?  I¡¯ve had spies relaying useful materials and equipment this whole time.  Also, information.  Specifically, members of LaWDs and Ladies.  They¡¯re quite familiar with these tunnels.  They have to be to catch themselves a man these days.¡±

    In fact, the forge connected to many of the underground tunnels that Fang¡¯s siblings, cousins, and uncles used to hide from their amorous advances.

    The crowd sucked in a collective breath of shock.

    I know, it was a fun twist.

    And Cole and Fang were already relaxing¡ª

    ¡°Or you could just be lying,¡± the super thick siren piped up again, those beady little eyes on me.  ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any of these accomplices.  And that still doesn¡¯t explain¡ª

    ¡°Then how do I know how my plan for Horus and Eris went, huh?¡± I demanded.

    More silence met those words, the head tour-guide looking confused.

    ¡°Or do you really think that I would orchestrate some incredibly elaborate plan to distract them and NOT figure out a way to hear how it went?  Does that sound like me?¡±

    The siren had nothing and the others looked flustered.

    They were close, but still not quite there.

    ¡°What if I said I could prove it?¡± I offered, leaning forward.  Now Fang and Cole were looking worried ¨C dread settling in their eyes as they realized what that meant.

    Like I said, I¡¯ve always enjoyed telling stories.

    And this one?  Well, this one was about Danae.

 5 Days to Launch!

    Title says it all.  Hollow</a> is dropping on Amazon on the 25th in ebook, print, and audio!

    Here''s a sneak peak of the audio</a>.  It turned out pretty cool, in my humble and entirely unbiased opinion.  We spent a ton of time on casting for this, and I think he nailed the later portions for sure.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Oh, and I''ll be starting chapters on book 2 back up again on Friday!

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 47

    Chapter 47 - Timeless

    PB&B

    Danae

    I will be the one to kill death.

    An unlikely goal for the weak, timid, shy, demure Danae.

    But appearances can be deceiving.

    I should know.  I¡¯ve lived a long time.  Longer than most.  Long enough to know that the quest for transcendence is really a quest for survival.  Each race has adapted differently, of course.  Fangs and claws.  Impenetrable fur.  Homing, poison-tipped razorblades the length of my arm.  Formidable intelligence and deep-seated trust issues.  But the outcome is always the same ¨C their vessels forged in the fires of fate.

    And the vulpin evolved as well.  We became adept at running away.  At hiding.  At licking our wounds and biding our time.  Underground in burrowed halls or in the treetops, claws digging into thick bark.  Any hidey-hole a hearth that could be called home.

    Unfortunately, if you flee long enough¡­

    Sometimes you forget what¡¯s chasing you.

    And while we were running, our people forgot much more.  How to use our sharp teeth and sharper claws.  How we had been forced from our true homes.  How we had been pushed into the Outer Reaches, where the nimbus was poor and our hearths cold and wet.

    We forgot how our race had been driven to near extinction.  And all for what?

    For a story.  A prophecy, they called it.

    The Oracles foretold that the vulpin ¨C the timid, weak, shy, enslaved vulpin ¨C would someday give birth to the destruction of the Five Rivers and the Flow itself.  One might even think that a joke, especially if they saw us now.

    Or they might have questions¡­

    Like what did ¡°give birth¡± even mean?

    Was it literal?  Or more figurative?  Would one of our daughters or sons become a dark god hellbent on consuming the universe?  Or would it just be an accident?

    Although, the Orders decided it didn¡¯t matter.  There was an obvious solution to both problems.  Time and experience demonstrated that the best defense isn¡¯t a hearth spirit.  It¡¯s an overwhelming and systematic genocide so devastating that it¡¯s capable of erasing its own cultural legacy.  Because dead vulpin tell no tales.

    Which is why our people had forgotten it all.

    Until the day I was born.

    A moment of profound joy and grief.

    At my first breath, my vessel immediately attracted a hearth spirit.  One so strong that its light shone across the entirety of the grove.  This marked me as a ¡°saint.¡±  As a ¡°prodigy.¡±  ¡°Chosen of the gods.¡±  A healer that might mend the whole of the Five Rivers.

    And yet that power didn¡¯t stop my mother from dying minutes later.

    Or my father from following a few days after.  Grief, they said.

    Maybe those scales balanced.  Prodigy and orphan?

    Yet it¡¯s always possible to dig a deeper hole, one big enough for all of the bodies¡­

    Because, as the cycles turned, many others joined them.  My siblings.  My aunts and uncles.  Not casualties of war, but of happenstance.  Accidents.  Nothing that could be tied to me ¨C not directly.  An awakened dragon.  A death cult hunting the wrong target.  A few dozen monster attacks.

    And each time, I was left unharmed.  My spirit shielding me from those dangers behind glowing, golden walls.  Of course, I tried to use my gifts; my spirit¡¯s impressive power.  I tried to heal them ¨C to protect them.

    Yet it was futile.  Healing one injury doesn¡¯t prevent the next.  Shielding one person means you miss another.  No matter how powerful you are, keeping others alive is like trying to hold back a bloody tide with your bare paws.

    Maybe Horus is right.  Maybe everything is a battle.

    If so, then I learned long ago that living is a losing one¡­

    So, I left dozens of homes in ash and blood and destruction.  My poor vessel passed from one set of blood-stained paws to another, until there were no more hearths to call home.  No way for my people to continue running away from the truth.

    That I was no ¡°prodigy¡± ¨C no ¡°saint.¡±

    That I was cursed by the Flow.

    And, as I said, they had all been running for so long, they had forgotten who they were really running from.  The danger wasn¡¯t the Orders.  Or the Mantras.  Or the Oracles.  Those people that had destroyed our race and damned generations to servitude.  That had made us too weak to defend ourselves ¨C dependent on their strength.  That had filled our minds with myth and superstition that made us easy to control.

    No, obviously the problem was me.

    That¡¯s when things changed.  When I became the enemy.

    At first, they tried to keep their efforts secret.  At first they pretended.  That the many, many attempts on my life were an accident.  A coincidence.  That I was ¡°lucky¡± to be alive, shielded behind those glowing, golden walls.  But as the cycles passed and they filled the hole with many, many more bodies, all pretense faded, giving way to frustration, anger, and then¡­ acceptance.  Funny how much that always looks like despair.

    That¡¯s why I was given this name.  A warning.

    ¡°She who walks a trail of bloody tears.¡±

    That is what my name means in our language.

    Danae a shorthand for death.

    Although, in the end there was no one left to warn.  Because¡­ well, I started to believe the story too.  Began to take the hint after a few hundred attempts on my life.  So, I did what our kind do best.  I ran.  And ran.  And fucking ran.

    Until it was just me.  Until I was all alone.  Until I couldn¡¯t hurt anyone else.

    It was in that solitude that I finally discovered my purpose.  My goal.  My mission.  To find a way to succeed where the others had failed ¨C to find some way to free this world of my curse.  But, as everyone knows, you can¡¯t kill death¡­

    Falling, drowning, stabbing, choking, acid, fire, poison, plague, and parasite.  I tried everything.  Yet each time, my hearth spirit saved me.  Enveloped my poor fragile vessel in a golden globe of light.  Purged the poisons.  Healed my wounds.

    I almost gave up hope¡­ until I had an epiphany.

    Perhaps death couldn¡¯t be killed.

    But maybe she could still give up.

    After all, my hearth spirit couldn¡¯t force me to eat or drink, could it?

    That¡¯s how the Order of Apollo found me.  Lying in a glade.  Surrounded by the long-faded evidence of my many attempts to kill death.  The toppled and broken trees had been replaced by new saplings that had grown tall enough to blot out the sun.  Old blood had faded long ago, absorbed by the forest.  The remains of dozens of monsters were still strewn around me, their flesh withered and faded until only fragments of yellowed bone remained, hidden beneath thick bushes and shrubs and grasses.

    They said they found me floating, suspended in a golden aura.  That when my vessel began to fail, my hearth spirit must have put it into a healing coma, slowly draining my vessel¡¯s nimbus over countless cycles.  An incredible feat.  Something only a few of our species could manage, even during the height of our power.

    And when faced with this fresh mystery, did they ask questions?

    Like how long had I been there?  Centuries, surely?

    Or why was I alone?  Starving when food was plentiful?

    Or what might my name mean?

    The one etched into the metal pendant I wore.

    The answer was no.  They never thought to ask.

    And there was no one left to warn them.

    They only saw an ¡°asset.¡±  A ¡°healer.¡±  A ¡°saint.¡±

    History repeating itself in an endless, pain-filled loop.

    When they forced me awake, I was weak, confused, uncertain, and uncaring.  Even my final, desperate plan hadn¡¯t been enough to kill death.  Only to delay the inevitable.

    They told me I had been conscripted.  That I would journey to Tartarus to receive ¡°training.¡±  I tried to explain why they should let me go.  Although, admittedly, I often struggle with social interactions.  Working up the energy to try is hard enough.  But I also have little practice.  I¡¯ve lost count of how many people have died mid-sentence.

    So, it¡¯s no surprise that they didn¡¯t listen.

    But they should have.  My first unit died.  All of them.  Fifty-three vessels perished to the goblins on the first floor of Tartarus after our teacher disappeared.  I was the only one that survived.  I remained inside my golden shields for three days until they found me.  Forced to watch the goblins eat the others.

    Still, they did not believe me.

    An ¡°automatic graduation,¡± they called it.

    Which is what landed me in Eris¡¯ unit ¨C as a ¡°fresh recruit.¡±

    This is all just to say that I have lived a long, long, long, long time.  Too long.  Longer, surely, than any other vessel.  That my name is synonymous with death.  That I have witnessed every horror and hardship known to the Five Rivers.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Or¡­ so I thought.

    But I was wrong.  So very wrong.

    Because this Hollow ¨C this Nyx ¨C he was an artist.  He had created a relentless murder dungeon that made my previous traumas pale in comparison.   My already endless nightmares now filled with the fresh images of bloated faces choking on shit.  Others, their skin flaying from their bodies as they were cooked in flaming shit.  Lightless tunnels filled with traps and death.  And the screams¡­ don¡¯t even get me started on the screams.

    I had always assumed there could only be one death.

    No one ever speaks of her in the plural sense.

    But¡­ could there be two?

    Maybe that¡¯s why I¡­ well, why I sympathized with him.

    The Order was hardly an altruistic organization.  I¡¯d seen that firsthand.   How they shrugged off the loss of their fresh ¡°conscripts.¡±  How Eris and Horus had barely registered the deaths of their subordinates.  And I saw how they kidnapped Nyx¡¯s sister.  How they had tied him up outside, sick and injured, like an animal.

    Even I?  What had I done?  Nothing.  I¡¯d been too numb to care.  I¡¯d just let them take his sister to Asphodel ¨C had known what that meant.

    But what did it matter?  What did any of it matter?

    Everyone dies.

    Everyone except me.

    And¡­ except for Nyx.  And it had mattered to him.  I could almost remember what that felt like.  To feel angry.  Outraged.  To have enough hope left to try.  To believe you had a chance.  That you weren¡¯t fighting yet another relentless, unwinnable battle.

    Yet it was still futile.  He knew that.  He¡¯d seen the truth.

    I¡¯d seen it in his eyes ¨C that acceptance.  That familiar despair.

    So, why did he keep fighting?

    That¡¯s how it started for me.  Just a single question.  One that led to many others.

    Like how was it possible that someone capable of such cruelty could also be so kind?  Could build beds and stitch pillows and embroider personal notes to each of his ¡°guests?¡±  Why had he stitched my name on a ratskin pillow?  With a little fox skull and crossed bones.  Had he remembered me from our short interaction ¨C his vessel still filled with poison?  How was that possible?

    Perhaps if I could answer those questions, if I got closer to him ¨C caught up with him ¨C I might discover a way to kill death.  So, I endured the tortured, romantic tug of war between my two ¡°companions.¡±  Their insufferable mind games and denial and paranoia even as I began to wish for them to hurry up and die like all the others.  From experience it shouldn¡¯t take long.  Certainly not this long.

    Yet, they also had their uses.  They got me closer to Nyx¡­

    Albeit, slowly.  Very, very slowly.

    Then I tasted his cooking and everything changed.

    By the time we reached his first camp, I hadn¡¯t eaten in cycles.  At least a few hundred according to the Order¡¯s researchers.  They¡¯d infused my vessel with nimbus to wake me and ever since, my stomach barely reacted to food.  Everything tasted like ash.  I required regular infusions to stay conscious ¨C ¡°nimbus injections,¡± Eris called them.

    Yet the first time I smelled Nyx¡¯s cooking, I felt something strange.  Sensations that were at once both familiar and foreign.  A rumbling in my stomach.  My mouth wet.

    Before I could contain myself, I¡¯d already taken a bite.

    Suddenly, those many, many lifetimes of horror and death and trauma and pain and tragedy, even my sacred mission ¨C they were just¡­ gone.  There was only the crunchy, delicate delight of sea serpent tempura.  The savory and slightly sweet flavor slowly giving way to a tantalizing burn as Nyx¡¯s proprietary blend of herbs and spices tickled my palate.

    And after I¡¯d gorged myself¡­ I¡ªI fell asleep.

    A beautiful, blissful, dreamless sleep.

    There were no nightmares.  No blood.  No shit.  No screaming.

    Only a contented warmth that wrapped me up tight.

    I woke a changed woman.  That single meal was the answer to my prayers.  Perhaps not a way to kill death ¨C not exactly.  Not directly.  But just like Horus and his [Bullshit], perhaps I was simply looking at it wrong.

    With my mouth full of joy, there had been no room for anything else.  There had only been that delicate crunch.  That exquisite medley of flavors¡­

    Perhaps death couldn¡¯t be killed.

    But, for just a moment, it had ceased to exist.

    And that was like death, wasn¡¯t it?  Dead things are always forgotten.

    And thus, a new goal was born.  My guiding light.  My siren¡¯s song.

    To eat.  Specifically, to eat Nyx¡¯s inconceivably delicious recipes.

    Of course, it was likely just the herbs and spices.  My hearth spirit confirmed as much.  However, I didn¡¯t care.  The poison wouldn¡¯t kill me ¨C my spirit wouldn¡¯t let it.  And each ravenous, frenzied bite was a moment of pure, unfiltered joy.  Each crunch, like snapping bones, announcing my victory over death.

    Which is why the days and weeks that we spent in that ugly, horrible, blood-stained butcher shed tucked away in a wailing death forest were the best of my long, long life.  Days filled with all kinds of new delicacies.  Foods that had never existed during my time.

    Blood fruit pastries.

    BBQ demon monkey sliders.

    Fluffy white bamboo bread drizzled with a blood fruit reduction.

    Spicy monkey kabobs.

    All prepared by Horus¡¯ large hands, his fur making him immune to the considerable heat that poured off of Nyx¡¯s many ovens and grills.  Those same hands that neatly cleaned, tucked, and folded the sheets on my luxurious bamboo-stuffed bed where I spent night after night in blissful, drug-induced oblivion.

    With frequent naps and studious attention to my meal plan, I was now capable of killing death for upwards of 20 hours per day.   With more training, I hoped to improve that.

    Although, that created a new problem ¨C new questions.

    Like how were they still alive?  Horus and Eris, I mean.  As I said, I assumed they would die off quickly.  I¡¯d been counting on it actually.  Their relationship and blatant communication issues had created a consistent and recurring headache ¨C one even my hearth spirit couldn¡¯t heal.  And there were still several hours of the day I couldn¡¯t eat or sleep.

    I was even starting to wonder if¡­ if maybe they were immune to me?

    Or perhaps my war against death had begun to work?

    That seemed like a credible conclusion.

    And as the days and weeks passed, I almost began to believe it.

    At least, until I saw the meteor.

    Peered up into the sky, my precious plate of food still in hand.

    Staring at irrefutable, undeniable, flaming proof.  That I¡¯d been wrong.  That a huge chunk of burning space rock would crush what little progress I¡¯d managed to make.  Would reduce my live-in cook and his prospective romantic partner into a soupy, bloody mess.  Although, at least that solved another mystery.  This must be why Horus called it a crush.

    And as that realization sunk in, something inside me snapped.

    I couldn¡¯t just give up.  Not now.  Not like this.  Not when I¡¯d finally found a way to kill death ¨C even temporarily.  So, this time, I did something different.

    This time I fought death.

    And when the dust cleared and ground stopped shaking¡­ it was still standing.  That grotesque nightmare cottage that held all of my precious food.  The ¡°PB&B.¡±  My golden shield crumbling and motes of energy floating down around me, sweat streaking my matted fur and my chest heaving.  Dust billowed across the front yard of our murder shed and revealed yet another marvel¡ª

    Standing there were Horus and Eris.  Still very much alive.

    They stared up at the sky in wonder.  The meteor had evaporated the dense, perpetual fog that washed off Cocytus¡¯ shores and wafted across the screaming bamboo forest ¨C those pillowy green clouds that had been filled to the brim with acid rain.  Now there were only clear skies, The Five Rivers¡¯ twin suns finally revealed and curving down toward the horizon.  Smaller fragments of rock still streaked through the air, leaving long orange trails overhead.

    That¡¯s when Eris seemed to notice that her hand was still touching Horus¡¯ ¨C his ¡°weapon¡± still enlarged, but the lens slowly wilting as he focused on the star-studded sunset.  Her eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly ¨C a telltale sign that she was about to experience another violent mood swing.  I heaved out a sigh.  Here we go again¡ª

    Eris took a quick step away from Horus.

    ¡°We should, um, get moving,¡± she said curtly, avoiding Horus¡¯ questioning gaze.  ¡°That could have been an attack by the Hollow.¡±

    I was doubtful.  This seemed beyond even Nyx¡¯s madness.

    Horus apparently shared my skepticism.  ¡°While that is possible, are you sure¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am.  I will go retrieve my equipment.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Eris disappeared in an orange blur, flashes of flame sparking all around the cottage as her papers and equipment swiftly disappeared¡­ only to reappear in the distance as she created a small, organized pile.  Perhaps she should have been born a vulpin.  Because she was quite adept at running away ¨C at least, from her feelings.

    Which left us alone ¨C Horus and me.

    The tavros glanced at me, his axe reforming and held loose in his hand.

    I saw the promise of death in his eyes.  A promise he still hadn¡¯t delivered on.  I was beginning to think he was completely full of this [Bullshit], as he called it.

    The two of them were fucking perfect for each other.

    ¡°You betrayed my secrets,¡± Horus growled, menacingly.  Although, I noticed how he kept a wary eye on Eris.  ¡°You told My Lady about my weapon.¡±

    This is where he would threaten me.  Browbeat me into submission.  More history repeating.  In the past, I would have simply submit.  What was the point of fighting when the other person would die anyway?  Obviously, there wasn¡¯t one.  However, that was before.

    Before I¡¯d discovered Nyx¡¯s delightful recipes.

    Before I¡¯d found companions that appeared to be immune to my curse.

    This was new, uncharted territory.  How was I supposed to interact with people that¡­ well, that didn¡¯t die?  That seemed like they would be sticking around for a while?  Or, at least, until we caught up with the Hollow and he invented some new, insane way to kill them both?  Maybe he would even find a way to kill me.  I really hoped it involved food.

    Which reminded me, I had something to live for now.  And nothing left to lose.  I mean, what was the worst that could happen?  Horus actually tried to kill me?

    That would be such a shame¡­.

    So, perhaps it was time for me to adapt.

    Which is why I squared my shoulders, met Horus¡¯s eyes and said this, ¡°If you¡¯re going to kill me, then do it.¡±  I even bared my neck, pulling my head to the side.

    He might even be able to manage it now.  My nimbus was low.

    Horus¡¯ eyes flashed and he pulled his axe back, swinging it down hard¡ª

    Only to hesitate a mere inch away from my skin.

    My hearth spirit didn¡¯t even bother to shield me.

    Unfortunate, but unsurprising.  He was all [Bullshit].

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± I said, never breaking eye contact, axe still resting near my neck and Horus¡¯ gaze filled with confusion.  ¡°Because you need me.  Without me, you wouldn¡¯t have had an opportunity to combine your spirit with My Lady¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­ true,¡± Horus acknowledged, the blade pulling away.

    I was getting much better at this talking thing.  Practice helped.

    ¡°She also seemed quite impressed with your weapon.¡±

    Eris called this flattery.  I didn¡¯t understand it.

    Why did the opinions of future corpses matter?

    ¡°She did, didn¡¯t she?¡± he murmured, his eyes following the blaze of fire as it flitted around the camp, Eris still collecting her belongings.

    ¡°So, it sounds like you owe me¡­ at least, if you want me to keep helping you.¡±

    Not an empty promise.  Despite my lack of social experience, I was familiar with the social customs of ¡°dating.¡±  Not from firsthand experience, of course.  But I was quite well read.  Books and scrolls made for much more resilient friends.

    Horus¡¯ eyes snapped to back to mine, filled with fiery indignation.  Yet still he didn¡¯t strike me down.  ¡°What do you want?¡± he demanded.

    Ahh, finally, we were at the important part.

    I looked at the cottage, then back to him.

    ¡°You know exactly what I want.¡±

    We stood like that for a long time.

    Me, staring up at a giant that could kill me with one punch.  Presumably.

    Him, a simpering warrior god being defeated by death herself.

    ¡°I will bring half of the supplies,¡± he announced.

    My nimbus sparked and flared, gold flecks filling the air around me.  This must be how Nyx felt.  This fiery, angry feeling?  It reminded me of his spicy herb blend¡­

    ¡°What?  How am I supposed to carry it all?¡± Horus demanded.  ¡°You know that Nyx left several tons of produce and monkey meat.  Even I cannot¡ª¡±

    I just pointed at the poo-crete wagon beside the cottage.  The one Horus used to haul blood fruit from the grove back to the twisted, blood bungalow.  This was much easier than forming those pesky words and sentences.

    ¡°You would have me drag a cart?¡± Horus demanded.  ¡°What would My Lady¡ª¡±

    He cut off as Eris re-appeared nearby, scowling at us both and sweat dotting her brow.  ¡°What are you two doing just standing here?  We need to get ready to move.¡±

    Ahh, I would have to talk again¡­

    I could do this ¨C no, I had to do this.

    My precious food was at stake.

    I cocked my head, meeting Horus¡¯ glare.  ¡°We were just discussing how best to transport our supplies ¨C and your research materials.  Horus suggested he could haul it all using the fruit wagon, didn¡¯t you¡­ Horus?¡±

    For his part, the tavros looked conflicted.  Also, confused.  His gaze darted between me, the wagon, and My Lady¡¯s burning, judgmental gaze.  Like he couldn¡¯t figure out how he¡¯d gotten here ¨C trapped in this situation.

    I could certainly relate.

    ¡°That would be fantastic, actually!¡± Eris commented finally, rushing forward in a blaze of fire and touching Horus shoulder.  ¡°I was just wondering how I was going to carry all of my notes and samples.  Plus, we should bring a few of the fruits with us for further testing.¡±  She was talking very fast, flames coating her skin.

    Horus looked at me over her shoulder ¨C his eyes wide.

    ¡°As I said, it was all Horus¡¯ idea,¡± I offered.

    ¡°Ahh, thank you, Horus,¡± My Lady said, suddenly realizing she was touching him¡­ yet again.  This happened a lot.  Too much.  Yet I tried not to let it ruin my appetite.

    ¡°It is no problem, My Lady,¡± Horus rumbled.

    With a small smile, Eris disappeared again.

    ¡°So, do we have a deal?¡± I demanded.

    And, this time, when Horus turned, there was a different expression in his eyes.  Not anger.  Not uncertainty.  Not confusion.  That was respect shining there.

    ¡°We do,¡± he growled, turning to leave.

    I was victorious!  In fact, I was even feeling brave enough to try¡ª

    ¡°A snack would also help tide me over while you¡¯re packing,¡± I called after him.

    Horus flinched but then just kept moving.

    Which left me standing there, a strange feeling stirring in my chest.  My lips also kept moving on their own ¨C peeling back to reveal my teeth.  That was new too.  Another adaptation maybe?  Hmm, I wonder what else I was capable of¡­

    Then another thought struck me like a meteor, my wayward face freezing in place.

    Wait¡­ could¡ªcould I convince them to let me ride in the food wagon?

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 48

    Chapter 48 - Gas Leak

    Fang¡¯s Epic Bro-newal Ceremony

    The realest Nyx with an irrefutable backstory.

    And there you have it!

    See?  My plans for Horus and Eris were going perfectly.  Or, close enough.

    Irrefutable proof that I had spies everywhere.  That my sanity was in tip top shape.

    ¡°Is it, though?¡± Cole murmured, shaking his head.  ¡°How does you telling yet another story prove that the spies are real?  Couldn¡¯t you have just made it all up?¡±

    I must have been glaring because the elf swallowed hard and quickly course corrected.  ¡°Or, at least, I imagine that¡¯s what someone could wonder.  But definitely not me.  I believe you, for sure.¡±

    Hmm.  I wasn¡¯t buying it.

    Actually, most of the audience still looked skeptical.  Fang was rubbing at his temples, Lili was just super quiet, and¡­ wait, why are you all looking at me like that?  What¡¯s wrong now?  Are you really siding with the tourists?  With Cole?

    With all of their pesky, irrelevant questions?

    Like, ¡°What did that have to do with anything?¡±

    And, ¡°Right?  He didn¡¯t even mention his so-called spies?¡±

    Also, ¡°And if they really exist, then why can¡¯t he just show us one?¡±

    That last one was Fang.  The doubtful trash goblin staring expectantly.

    ¡°They are, uh¡­ otherwise occupied,¡± I insisted, crossing my arms in a very relaxed fashion.  ¡°They¡¯re busy.  Plus, they already brought everything that we need, didn¡¯t they?¡±  I demanded, pointing at the decorations.

    Fang started to open his doubtful, slanderous mouth again¡ª

    ¡°Actually, this only makes the continuity issues worse.  For example, how do you know what happened to Horus and Eris and Danae before they arrived in Apati,¡± the siren offered slowly ¨C our former head tour-guide turned professional fucking skeptic.  ¡°And aren¡¯t your stories actually too detailed?¡±

    Fang pointed at him.  ¡°Exactly!¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Well, um¡­ that¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Ruining your bro-newal!¡± Lili supplied, coming to my aid, the words itching up my arm in a long line.  ¡°It¡¯s natural for partners ¨C especially long-term platonic partners ¨C to keep secrets.  How else do they maintain the, err, the magic in their relationship?¡±

    Finally!  At least, someone had my back.

    ¡°No, no it is not natural,¡± Fang hissed.  ¡°We should tell him the truth.  I have said this many, many times but you ignore me.¡±

    That gave me pause.  It was just odd to hear coming from Fang.

    Lili¡¯s corrupted energy abruptly flared, more ratholes opening behind my bromate.  However, he was ready this time.  He dodged the [Hex] needles with perfect, fluid precision.

    ¡°You cannot just silence me again.  He needs to know,¡± Fang insisted, glaring at my right hand, the skin pitch black and coils of corruption lashing at the air.

    ¡°He¡¯s not ready.  You don¡¯t know what will happen¡ª¡±

    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s going on?  I¡¯m kind of lost,¡± I interjected gently.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening is that Fang¡¯s making a scene.  Again,¡± Lili snapped.  ¡°This is exactly why he told me to subdue him.  He¡¯s ruining the ceremony.  It¡¯s my duty to, uh, stop him from destroying your bronewal¡ª¡±

    ¡°She is lying,¡± Fang sputtered as he dodged and ducked and weaved another dozen shadowy portals, our audience watching with wide eyes and tense limbs as needles and steam blew past them.  ¡°Every time I try to tell you, she does this¡ª"

    Hmm.  It was starting to feel like maybe they weren¡¯t on the same page; that they weren¡¯t actually working together?  Come on, you see it too, right?  It can¡¯t just be me¡­

    Although, didn¡¯t that mean at least one of them was lying?  Or both?

    And some parts were probably true-ish.  I mean, they must have been working together a little bit, right?  Because they kept dropping these tantalizing hints at subtext that I wasn¡¯t part of ¨C or simply didn¡¯t remember.  And if Fang had asked Lili to help him, why was she stopping him from telling me some sort of ¡°truth?¡±  That¡¯s all I¡¯d wanted for weeks, wasn¡¯t it?  Was this what she¡¯d been talking about back in the Fin-Fan Factory cafeteria with that all that cryptic and pointed criticism of LaWD?

    Or could this just be more bullshit from Fang?  Wasn¡¯t this out of character for him?  To tell the truth, I mean?  Hadn¡¯t he been doing the opposite for a long, long time?  Dodging my incessant questions and hiding in closets?

    Man, my head was really starting to hurt¡­

    It didn¡¯t help that Fang and Lili were shouting and fighting, the forge now filled with mist as Fang dodged a barrage of tiny, corrupted needles and snapping chains.  And I could have sworn he was trying to cut off my right hand.  Like he was really going at it.  But Maribel wasn¡¯t letting him, her shield blocking his attacks.

    Apparently, she was also team Lili?  How was I supposed to interpret that?

    Meanwhile, Cole was huddled behind the anvil, using it as cover.  And our audience ¨C our witnesses ¨C were cowering in their pews.  Raising ratskin tarps to ward off the mist.  They looked sort of¡­ intrigued?  Surprisingly invested in the relationship drama between Fang and Lili and not looking at me at all.  Which was wrong on many levels.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I was starting to feel like¡ªlike a side character.

    In short, these two were ruining my bro-newal ceremony.

    Then I hesitated.  Or was this simply an opportunity in disguise?

    A chance to finally force them to tell me all of their juicy secrets?

    Fang and Lili were no longer on the same team.  All of us were secluded in an underground hellforge that felt strangely like home.  Plenty of complete strangers to act as our audience¡­ or jury?  To hold court on our family¡¯s dysfunctional issues and judge us all harshly.  But mostly Fang and Lili because I¡¯d obviously been horribly mistreated.

    Which, of course, they knew.  Since I¡¯d told them the whole story.

    Yeah, that¡¯s right.  It was time for a whole new kind of group therapy.  But with public scrutiny, lots of judgement, and penetrating questions!

    I was smiling so super hard right now¡­

    ¡°Okay, everyone stop!¡± I demanded.

    As I spoke, I retook control of my core, wrapping it in thick layers of nimbus until it shone like the sun in my mind¡¯s eye ¨C more than enough to stop Lili in her tracks, the corruption fading from my hand.  The one I held up to Fang, his blade glancing off the manacle of my trusty arm chain before he backed away, daggers still clutched in his claws.

    Then they both started talking at once¡ª

    ¡°Listen to me, she is lying¡ª¡± Fang began.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill that scaly son of a brood¡ª¡± Lili roared.

    ¡°Enough.  Stop,¡± I insisted, raising my hand again.  ¡°We¡¯re going to handle this like a family.  In a civil way with no fighting or stabbing ¨C front or back,¡± I added for Fang¡¯s benefit.  He let out a hiss of disappointment, the clone sneaking up behind me breaking apart.

    ¡°Then¡­ what do you suggest?¡± Fang demanded, his knives disappearing.

    ¡°We were on the objections part of the ceremony, right Cole?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ I guess we were, maybe?¡± he muttered, grudgingly rising from his hiding spot behind the anvil and reviewing his script ¨C the one I¡¯d written for him.  It was rather damp now.  Another thing Lili and Fang¡¯s infighting had ruined.

    ¡°Good.  In that case, I object!¡±  I said, raising my own hand.

    Everyone was staring at me now ¨C even Fang.  He actually looked upset.

    I had mixed feelings about that.  Mostly good ones, though.

    It was the implication of the thing, you know?

    ¡°You object to what?¡± Cole asked tentatively.

    ¡°One or both of them are lying,¡± I said, nodding at Fang and pointing at my right hand.  ¡°And this is no way to renew our bromantic vows, with a mountain of secrets and lies.   Our blackmail should be out in the open.  Honest, direct threats.  That¡¯s the foundation of true friendship.  So, the question is¡­ who is it?  Who¡¯s full of shit?¡±

    I looked out across our audience ¨C our jury ¨C all of them staring in silence.

    Like they were waiting for something. Probably some incredible reveal.  A demonstration of my genius budding into full bloom.

    And normally, I¡¯d deliver, except¡­

    ¡°No, uh, seriously, which one is it?  I could really use some help,¡± I offered.

    The guides and tourists still looked like I was trying to trick them.

    Which was fair.  I might deserve that.

    ¡°I think they¡¯re both lying,¡± the head tour-guide declared finally.

    Ahh, finally!  That there it was.  I knew I could count on complete strangers to solve our relationship issues with only my wild stories and zero context.

    ¡°Obviously, Fang lied about his family and Elder Gracen and that he was going along with Nyx¡¯s business plan¡­ and maybe that he was hosting this bro-newal ceremony,¡± the siren continued, rubbing at his many chins in thought.

    Although, perhaps I¡¯d been wrong about his title.  Obviously, the sirens were emotionally well adjusted and fantastic at dealing with interpersonal conflicts. Likely a product of being stuck on a ship for cycles at a time with their own family.

    My brother-in-thickness Lipos had taught me that.

    Which meant maybe this one wasn¡¯t a tour-guide.

    Maybe this one was a therapist.

    One that would poke and prod at our relationship in painful detail.

    ¡°Or this whole bro-newal might just be Nyx¡¯s madness,¡± another member of the audience confirmed, watching me closely.  Our therapist nodded, chins #3 and #4 wobbling.

    ¡°That does seem more likely,¡± someone else confirmed.

    Wait, what the fuck did they just say?  Hold on¡ª

    ¡°Fair enough.  Then what has Lili been lying about?¡±  Someone else demanded.

    ¡°Working with Fang?  Clearly, they¡¯re not on the same page.¡±

    Fang was nodding rapidly now.  ¡°Exactly,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s clear that they¡¯re both lying, but I¡¯m still stuck on one thing¡­¡± our therapist murmured, his eyes on me for some reason.  ¡°Nyx still hasn¡¯t explained how he knows what happened to Horus and Eris before they arrived in Apati.  I mean, they could have told his ¡°spies,¡± I guess ¨C but he certainly didn¡¯t explain that part, did he?¡±

    ¡°And he still hasn¡¯t proven those spies are real,¡± Cole offered.  Yet again.

    I frowned at that.  He was really harping on that one point¡ª

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget Demi and Emporos,¡± another person piped up.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way he could have known about them.  Aren¡¯t they in some sort of pocket universe inside the Flow that isn¡¯t subject to the natural laws of time and space?¡±

    Wow.  It just seemed like they were attacking me again.

    ¡°Is there a point to this?¡± I demanded.  ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be figuring out what Fang and Lili are lying about,¡± I reminded them.  Again.

    Our head therapist rose from his seat with a grunt and a heave, turning to address the audience.  ¡°A good starting point.  But what if, in fact, all three of them are lying!¡±

    Gasps of surprise echoed through the room.

    Or¡­ well, I wish they had.  They all seemed pretty unsurprised.

    Honestly, that kind of hurt worse.

    ¡°Wait, what?  I¡¯m not lying to anyone¡ª¡± I began.

    ¡°Perhaps not on purpose,¡± our therapist interjected, whirling.  ¡°But your corrupted spirit infects your whole vessel doesn¡¯t it?  Even your mind?  This Lili?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yes, but¡ª¡± I began hesitantly.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you remember her talking to Fang?  Coordinating this bro-newal ceremony you insist he planned?¡±

    Well, that was because, uh¡­

    Our therapist kept going. ¡°Is it possible Lili can affect your perception of events?  Alter your memory?  Change what you perceive?  Couldn¡¯t your spirit have been lying to you the whole time?  Making you imagine whatever she wanted?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes that is what I have been saying!¡± Fang insisted.  ¡°She is a liar.¡±

    Those were all¡­ fantastic, horrifying questions.  I mean, I¡¯d been having weird memory lapses lately.  Time felt sort of skippy.  Almost like I could fast forward and rewind and pause.  And there were some memories that felt out of place.  Or maybe out of order?  Things I knew that maybe I shouldn¡¯t?  Like with Emporos and Demi?

    How had I known those things?  When had I¡ª

    I shook my head.  The memories were fuzzy and my head still really hurt ¨C a headache that pounded behind my temples like a drum.  Which, uh, wasn¡¯t a good sign, was it?

    ¡°And what about the letters to Horus?¡± our therapist demanded.

    I looked up, blinking blearily.  ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You wrote him letters.  Recipes and advice.  At least, that¡¯s what you told us.  Don¡¯t you remember that?¡±

    I frowned.  I, uh¡­ I mean, I remember that he got them, but did I write them?

    Even worse, there was this weird, sickly feeling coiling my gut.  Like that hollow expanse in my chest was growing, swallowing up my body¡¯s warmth.

    Suddenly, this wasn¡¯t as fun as I thought.

    Wait, I was probably just hungry!  Maybe because I hadn¡¯t eaten in ages and I¡¯d used all that nimbus to help open the gate.  ¡°Uh, maybe this is a good time for a snack break¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course, Nyx probably can¡¯t answer,¡± our therapist continued, this time speaking to the audience, waving at me as I stood there blinking rapidly and cradling my head.  ¡°Not if his memory is impaired.  There¡¯s only one person who can answer our questions.¡±

    His eyes turned to me, sharp and piercing, one bulbous finger pointing at my hand.

    ¡°What do you have to say, Lili?¡± he demanded.  ¡°Did Nyx really write those letters?¡±

    She was quiet ¨C too quiet.  Perfectly silent and still.  No longer raging against my barrier of nimbus, even as the energy gradually retreated.

    And then those telltale black letters began to itch up my skin¡­

    ¡°No.  I wrote the letters.¡±

    Which, uh, seemed like perfect time for an intermission.

    I mean, I imagine Danae was having much more fun¡­

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 49

    Chapter 49 - Third-Apati

    Apati

    Danae

    My mind drifted on the breeze, killing death with each breath.

    Vapor floated overhead, wafting and swirling behind the ever-present glow of my golden shield.  Mist watching was my new favorite past time.  Especially right after a big meal.  When my thoughts drifted and the images in the fog seemed to have a life of their own.

    That cloud looked a lot like Eris ¨C all hard angles and edges.

    And that one was Horus ¨C all soft fur and thick horns.

    They moved closer together, almost looked like they were about to kiss¡ª

    The wagon beneath me jostled, my shields immediately appearing and cushioning my body.  It turned out the answer to my question was yes.  I could convince them to let me ride in the food wagon.  Although, technically¡­ wasn¡¯t it also a death wagon?

    At least, if I was riding in it?

    Anyway, that¡¯s why I was lying atop my many plates ¨C my perfectly preserved meals ¨C each one shielded by a golden bubble of energy.  Staring up at another barrier that hung over the wagon to keep off the rain.  Killing both time and death at once.

    ¡°Danae?  Danae?¡±

    Interesting.  The fog-Eris¡¯s mouth was moving and twisting now.  Almost like she was talking to me.  I swear I felt like I could actually hear her.  Too much food probably.  Some of Nyx¡¯s proprietary herbs and spices were hallucinogenic.  Not that I minded, of course.  It made the mist watching more interesting¡ª

    ¡°Danae!  Are you ignoring me?¡±

    Hmm.  Fog-Eris looked angry now.  It was honestly a spitting image of¡ª

    My shield abruptly shattered, the blast knocking me backward, only for another to appear behind me, cradling my body against the side of the wagon.  I blinked blearily, trying to get my bearings.  The blast of flame had punched a hole through the mist ¨C which had only grown thicker once we left the forest.  This offered a perfect view of Real-Eris who was walking alongside the wagon¡­ and who looked as upset as Fog-Eris.

    She could definitely use a snack.

    Which is why I offered her a piece of tempura.  Gingerly, of course.

    Sometimes, she would get upset and destroy the food for no good reason.

    Eris looked conflicted for a moment, eyeing Horus where he trudged along ahead of us, happily humming to himself as he hauled the wagon.  Then she snatched the tempura in a blaze of orange, crunching away happily and the stress melting from her shoulders.  This is what I meant.  She needed the herbs and spices.  They helped her relax.

    ¡°Could you please walk with me a moment?¡± Eris offered moments later, wiping at her mouth discreetly and eyeing Horus again.  ¡°I¡¯d like to scout ahead.¡±

    ¡°A good idea.  Just be careful, My Lady,¡± Horus growled, their eyes meeting.

    Both of them stayed like that for a long time.

    Normally, it would be awkward.  But this time I welcomed the reprieve.  My eyes darted down to the banquet I was lounging upon, each precious dish protected in its own bubble of pure gold ¨C to ward off the mist, of course.  Mold grew quite quickly.  I also noticed that the food stayed really fresh if I enveloped it in the healing aura.  It even retained the heat.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you get going¡­ My Lady?¡± Horus offered finally.

    Eris jumped.  ¡°Ahh, right.  Of course.  Danae, come along.¡±

    ¡°Do I have to¡ª¡±

    And now Eris was glaring at me behind Horus¡¯ back, her spirit burning away the mist around her and steam wafting from her armor.  Which reminded me of how I¡¯d convinced her to force Horus into letting me ride in the wagon.

    To help spy on him, I¡¯d said.

    Why had that been so hard to remember?

    Maybe I really had eaten too much¡­

    So, with a sigh, my spirit wrapped my precious wagon in a few extra layers of shields ¨C you could never be too safe when it came to killing death.  Then another lifted me free from the wagon bed and set me down on my feet.  I¡¯d gotten quite good with my shields lately ¨C inspired by Horus¡¯ kitchen utensils.  I couldn¡¯t believe after centuries I hadn¡¯t thought to use them for anything other than blocking things and healing.

    Which is what I was thinking about as the two of us marched off into the mist.  Or, at least, Eris did.  Mine was more of a slow plod.  Walking felt harder than normal¡ª

    And several minutes later, I discovered some things were worse than death.

    Such as trying to keep up with Eris on foot ¨C my chest heaving and my legs burning and my fur drenched with moisture.  In short, I was miserable.  Thankfully, I figured out a solution a half mile back.  I could hop onto a shield and just float along¡ª

    Eris slowed abruptly, but I was ready.  My shield popped, my feet hitting the ground.  Eris only saw me stumble slightly, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

    ¡°Report.  Did you manage to ask my questions?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Some of them¡­¡± I murmured.  Most were weird.

    ¡°His favorite color?¡±

    I winced, rubbing at my temple.  The herbs and spices were wearing off and that headache I always got around Eris was coming back.  She was just¡­ a lot.  Too much really.

    ¡°Blood.  Which isn¡¯t really a color,¡± I added under my breath.  Not that she noticed.

    ¡°Of course.  I should have known,¡± Eris murmured, her eyes blazing.

    How long were we going to do this?  All this walking and talking?

    My stomach growled.  A moment of weakness.  Likely why this slipped out¡­

    ¡°Why are you asking these questions?¡± I muttered.  ¡°What does knowing his vessel¡¯s birth date or his favorite author have to do with Kastor¡¯s plot?¡±

    Eris¡¯ eyes blazed and she opened her mouth ¨C likely to yell at me some more ¨C only to pause, her brow pinched tight.  She seemed conflicted.  ¡°It is important to know your enemy.  I¡¯m creating a detailed personality profile on Horus,¡± she explained.

    I must have looked skeptical because Eris just huffed.  ¡°What about the patch of fur on his chest?  Has it grown back yet?¡±

    ¡°It has,¡± I answered slowly, watching her.

    ¡°Hmm, interesting.  Very interesting,¡± Eris murmured.

    She always did this.  I mean, both of them talked to themselves like I somehow couldn¡¯t hear them.   Or like I didn¡¯t exist.  Although, I supposed it made sense.

    Why keep secrets from death?

    But at least Horus didn¡¯t caress a little vial of stolen hair while he did it.  It was so weird.  Way weirder than staging his own death, in my opinion.  Or drugging Eris¡¯ food.  I swear it almost looked like Eris had woven the strands into the shape of a little person¡ªThe tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Eris finally noticed me watching and the vial vanished in an instant.

    She was about to ask me another question when she suddenly stopped.

    The reason for her hesitation loomed out of the mist.  A wall that towered high overhead, gradually appearing through the mist.  It was made entirely of metal.  At least several stories tall and stretching off in either direction toward the horizon.  Even more interesting, the air here seemed to pulse and throb, a dull repetitive clang booming in the distance ¨C like the heartbeat of some savage beast.

    The highway ran straight toward that wall and simply ended.

    There was no sign.  No gate.  Or opening.  Or outbuildings.

    Only a single pedestal with a massive red button resting on top.

    The sign beside it said, ¡°Push Me!¡±

    Neither Eris nor I moved.  Even without his signature written all over it, this was clearly the work of Nyx.  Of death himself.

    Which is why we were still standing there when Horus caught up with us, the creaking rumble of wood grinding to a halt and his hooves stomping the poo-crete as he approached.

    ¡°What are you both looking¡ªAhh,¡± Horus rumbled, his eyes focusing on that pedestal.  ¡°This is new.  Do we know what the button¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.  No we don¡¯t,¡± Eris snapped, her eyes bloodshot.  A hundred flaming diagrams and designs hung around her ¨C her many, many attempts to extrapolate the effects of that seemingly innocuous button.  ¡°I can see that it¡¯s connected to some mechanical apparatus in the wall, but the design is convoluted and insane and I can¡¯t determine more without taking it apart.  It could open a gate, or conjure an army of murder robots, or let out an ungodly shriek that summons monsters¡­ or even that Toxifovos.  I mean, I can see that it has some sort of sound system, but its purpose is unknown.¡±  The words flowed in a manic torrent.

    Horus just looked at me with pleading, nervous eyes.

    I let out another sigh.  I knew just what to do in situations like this.

    I offered Eris another piece of tempura.  Thankfully, I¡¯d already eaten half a plate during her tirade ¨C now that my precious food wagon had caught back up, of course.

    She took it absently and bit in with a crunch, her eyes squeezing closed in bliss.

    ¡°Should we just try pressing the button?¡± Horus offered a moment later ¨C after the food had worked its magic.  She tensed and his fingers were there ¨C working out those knots in her shoulders.  ¡°I mean, what is the worst that can happen?  He cannot kill us.  Maybe Danae dies, but that will not affect our mission,¡± Horus continued gently.

    My ears perked up at that.  Promises, promises.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.  I know you¡¯re right,¡± Eris murmured, her eyes half-lidded.

    Yet neither of them moved.  Horus just continued his massage, the elf leaning back into his soft, luxurious fur.  She was also sitting on the wagon bed which¡­ wasn¡¯t ideal.  Since they were blocking access to my precious food.

    Another thing worse than death?

    Dealing with these two lovesick idiots.

    If I left them alone, they would stay like this for hours.  Or, at least, until the herbs and spices wore off and Eris went crazy and started shooting beams of fire.  And there was a non-zero chance that would damage my food.  Which is why I had to do it.

    Press the button, I mean.

    I don¡¯t know what I was expecting.  But it wasn¡¯t this¡­

    The metal wall unfolded ¨C or, at least, the outer panel did.  The metal retracted, pivoted, and then telescoped outward to form a makeshift stage.  One several hundred feet wide.  The interior of the wall was filled with massive gears and springs, the contraption whirring and thunking and shooting off blasts of steam.  Dark, mawing openings remained among all of that machinery, yet it wasn¡¯t clear where they led.

    Then the music started playing.

    After the bamboo forest, I was expecting a wailing death ballad.  One that would play endlessly in my nightmares.  One that would encourage me to fight death with everything I had ¨C specifically all of my remaining sauces and herbs and spices.

    Instead, the sound that emerged was delightful.  A beautiful peel of chords, rising and rising to an inevitable climax¡ª

    At which point, it¡­ it got weird.

    Specifically, the mechanical people came on stage.

    They emerged from those dark portals in the wall.  The disturbing mechanical imitations of savran and tavros and sapian and siren and many more races ¨C their bodies haphazardly welded together and moving with jerky, chopping motions of their incredibly sharp arms.  Their eyes burning red embers.  Steam wafting from their mouths and coiling around their metallic bodies as they drifted around the stage.  Dancing.

    And worse¡­ singing.

    It''s a life of murder, a life of tears,

    It''s a life of friendship, a life of fears,

    There¡¯s no point in prayer,

    So we just want to share,

    FJ contains alcohol!

    They repeated that last line many times.

    ¡°What is FJ?¡± Eris murmured, twisting at her finger, eyes smoldering.

    As soon as she spoke, the mechanical people began to projectile vomit what looked unmistakably like blood.  At least, it had the same consistency and color.  They actually got some decent distance, much of it washing up around our feet.

    Although, I guess that answered Eris¡¯ question.

    The big glowing sign that read flickered on over the stage also helped.

    ¡°Friendship Juice<sup>?</sup>,¡± it said.

    ¡°Good gods¡­¡± That was Eris.

    ¡°So cool¡­¡±  That was Horus.

    Slurp.  That was me.

    ¡°Are you drinking it?¡± Eris snapped at me, her composure cracking.

    ¡°It¡¯s blood fruit,¡± I answered, from where I stood near the stage.  The mechanical people took turns vomiting into my open mouth as they danced.  Actually, this batch was way better than the stuff Horus made back at the PB&B.  Nyx must have improved his recipe.  I wondered if I could use my shields to scoop it up and save it for later¡ª

    Although, I didn¡¯t get the chance.

    Because a random chop from one of the creepy mechanical people suddenly sliced clean through neck of another approaching from the other side.  The head went flying and crashed into the gears along the back wall, wedging tight.  A metallic screech filled the air, steam jetting erratically as the mechanical people all ground to a halt.  They stood there trembling, bucking and pitching, steam blasting from their seams in thick plumes.

    The grinding metal also kicked up sparks which must have ignited the oil they were using to lubricate the machinery.  That oil must have also been quite flammable.  Because there was lots of fire.  Although, at least, that burned off the steam.  Now the mechanical people looked like infernal metal demons, their eyes ablaze as they melted.

    Oh, and they were still vomiting blood.

    I figured that was it ¨C that was as bad as it could get.

    Then they started to explode.  One by one.  In massive geysers of flaming oil.  Jagged metal shrapnel ricocheted across the stage and rebounded off the poo-crete highway.  My shields appeared in an instant.  Horus and Eris didn¡¯t even bother to dodge.  Just stood there in stunned silence as the shrapnel swept past and the stage began to collapse, still on fire, of course.  And I just took another bite of my tempura ¨C still perfectly crisp.

    Actually, it tasted even better if you dipped it in the FJ.

    ¡°What.  Was.  That?¡± Eris asked, each word its own sentence.

    Ahh, and her eye was twitching.  And her fingers were glowing.

    This was bad.  She was about to blow.

    I just really hoped she didn¡¯t aim at the wagon¡ª

    Mist suddenly sprayed from nozzles along the top of the stage, putting out the fires, and slowly cleaning the stage and surrounding highway of the FJ.

    ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m so sorry about that!  I¡¯ll be with you in just a second!¡±  a booming voice called out, so loud that it echoed out into the mists and my spirit had to form little shields around my tender ears.  What sort of monster was that loud?

    The gears began to grind again and then the entire wall shifted apart until it formed a large gap ¨C one at least a dozen yards across.  And standing in the opening was an entourage.  Several savrans lined up and wearing matching uniforms.  They held a sign between them, the cloth stretched out into a banner that read, ¡°Welcome Horus and Eris!¡±

    That was odd, but even more surprising was that the group was led by a vulpin.  The one with the cane, glasses, and robe.  It was embroidered with a big ¡°P.¡±  He was also holding a tube of bamboo, ripping the tendrils off his paw as they tried to latch onto him.

    ¡°Again, my apologies,¡± the vulpin said in a more normal voice, trying many times to toss away the bamboo tube.  ¡°Still working out some kinks.  But my name is DJ ¡®lil P and we¡¯ve been expecting you!  You must be Eris and Horus, right?¡±

    Eris looked like she was experiencing brain bleeding.  A ¡°stroke,¡± she called it.

    Although, Horus was more eager, a broad smile on his face.  ¡°That is right.  I am Horus.  Did you say your name was DJ ¡®lil P?  That is very strange.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was given to me by Commissar Nyx.¡±

    ¡°Did you say Nyx?¡± Eris demanded, suddenly stooped over DJ ¡®lil P.  ¡°Is he here?  Where is he?  Bring me to him now!¡± Her eyes blazed and heat radiated off of her in waves.

    Although, DJ ¡®lil P wasn¡¯t nervous.  ¡°Ahh, right.  He said you¡¯d want to meet him, but he isn¡¯t here right now.  He¡¯ll be back in a few days.  In the meantime¡ª¡±

    Eris¡¯ eyes flashed, raising her glowing fingers toward the vulpin¡ª

    ¡°He told me to have food and baths waiting for you.¡±

    The beams from Eris¡¯ fingers glanced off the edge of a hasty golden shield and rebounded safely into the poo-crete, leaving small puddles of magma at her feet.

    I had to intervene.  There was food at stake.

    Eris looked more conflicted, her mental wheels spinning.  After spending weeks with her, I could anticipate her clever, agile, and entirely logical mind.  On the one hand, we were walking into enemy territory.  And on the other¡­

    ¡°There¡¯s a bath?¡± Eris insisted.

    ¡°Yes, of course.  Nyx helped design it himself.¡±

    The elf flinched.  ¡°Is it clean?  Safe?  Not filled with poison or acid or¡­ shit?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± the vulpin replied, sounding offended.

    ¡°And not built of shit?¡± Eris added.

    ¡°No, not¡­¡± DJ ¡®lil P hesitated.  ¡°Uh, well, actually, it might be.¡±

    Eris looked like she was about to murder him again.

    ¡°Although, they¡¯re lined with metal!  The poo-crete is mostly structural anyway.  And we regularly give them a high-pressure steam cleaning.  They¡¯re very sanitary¡­¡±

    The elf blinked twice.  That was a sign that she was still processing.

    ¡°Fine.  Take us to this bath¡ª¡± Eris began.

    ¡°And the food,¡± Horus and I both interjected.

    ¡°Of course,¡± DJ ¡®lil P answered.  ¡°Just follow me.¡±

    And, with that, we entered Apati, the gate screeching closed behind us, a mechanical creature falling from the stage and crushed between several hundred tons of metal.

    ¡°I love this place,¡± Horus murmured as he and Eris walked off after the other vulpin.  Quietly, of course.  So, Eris couldn¡¯t hear.

    I wanted to agree ¨C I almost did.  I mean, there was food.

    But there were also doubts.  Like the fact that no one had died yet.  That was unusual.  Also, the way the savrans with DJ ¡®lil P watched Eris and Horus with a predatory gleam in their eyes, their lips peeled back in a feral grin.

    Let¡¯s just say my ¡°death sense¡± was tingling.

    And it was never wrong.  Never.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 50

    Chapter 50 - Pilot Light

    Group Therapy in the Hellforge

    The, uh¡­ most likely real Nyx?

    Wow, do you have this sudden, intense craving for tempura and a bath?

    Also, I could have sworn we were just outside Apati, right?  Watching my ingenious solution to help advertise Apati¡¯s new product line?  It was just a proto-type, of course.  There were still a few, err¡­ minor kinks to iron out.  Mostly the explosions and the fire.

    But now it seemed like we were back in the forge?

    I blinked.  Blinked again.  Also, a couple more times for good measure.

    Yep, still the same charming, steampunk-themed bro-newal decorations.  Cole standing there by the anvil-altar shaking and sweating.  The audience sitting in their pews muttering and murmuring and judging.  Our overweight therapist watching me intently and taking copious notes in Fang¡¯s journal.  And Fang by my side¡­ glaring.

    It was like we never left.  Which was just perfect.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Fang hissed as he saw me blinking owlishly at him.

    ¡°Finally, what?  What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked.  ¡°I miss anything interesting?¡±

    That question was met with a long, uncomfortable silence.

    ¡°You drifted again.  You do this¡­ just leave, but in your mind.  Mumble and rant about crazy things.  Mechanical creatures and singing,¡± Fang explained in exasperation.  ¡°You talk about your food.  Burgers and tempura and death.  It makes no sense!¡±

    ¡°I, uh, I did?¡± I asked.  Fang just turned to our therapist, pointing at the notebook in his hands ¨C Fang¡¯s notebook.  He¡¯d been taking notes, apparently.

    Indeed, there was a lengthy description of my new gate design¡­

    ¡°Yes.  When you are stressed.  Confused.  When faced with the truth.¡±

    He hesitated, watching me.  ¡°Do you remember what we were talking about?¡±

    I tried, I really did.  But it was hard with my head aching like this. Somehow it hurt even worse than before.  Probably sinus congestion from all the dust down here.

    But maybe Lili could remember what we were talking about.

    Actually, she was being super quiet for some reason¡ª

    My body suddenly stiffened, the memory returning with a vengeance.

    ¡°No.  I wrote the letters.¡±

    I swallowed hard, that knot in my stomach clenching tight again.

    Ahh, right.  I remembered now.  We¡¯d been having a super fun group therapy session where I was planning to force Lili and Fang to reveal their juicy secrets.  Except it had backfired on me when our overweight therapist tried to gaslight me into thinking it was my problem ¨C that I was the one lying here.  And then Lili had revealed that she¡¯d been¡­ well, actually that wasn¡¯t clear.  Writing letters or something?

    You know what?  Why was I even upset about that?

    That seemed pretty innocuous, didn¡¯t it?

    ¡°How she takes control of your vessel?  How you have been drifting ¨C losing hours and even days?¡± Fang demanded, glaring at me.  ¡°How she has been lying to you this whole time?  You call this innocuousss?¡±  He lisped.  It happened sometimes when he was upset.  Also, I guess I must have been talking out loud again¡­

    And, okay.  Sure.  Fine.  Those were fair-ish questions.  But I¡¯m sure Lili had a perfectly reasonable answer.  She always had my back.  Err¡­ right?  Lili?

    A long, pregnant, tense, and somewhat troubling pause followed, our audience all leaning forward and staring at my arm.  Even our therapist and Fang were standing really close.  And then, several painful seconds later¡­

    ¡°Ever since we left the gate, you have been drifting more and more ¨C getting lost in your stories,¡± Lili began slowly.   ¡°Fang is right.  I didn¡¯t tell you what was happening.  I tried, but you weren¡¯t ready to listen ¨C to hear it.  You would deflect with jokes or stories or your ¡°family vacation.¡±  You do this with painful or sensitive subjects.¡±

    ¡°So, I did the only thing I could.  I protected our vessel when you drifted off.  And I wrote those letters to Horus.  To stall.  To buy us time while you were¡­ distracted.¡±

    Hmm.  Okay.  Well, that didn¡¯t sound so bad.

    The other members of the audience seemed to agree.  Even our therapist¡¯s chins were nodding along as he read Lili¡¯s response.

    ¡°I mean, she has a point.  We heard the contents of those letters.¡±

    ¡°They did buy lots of time.¡±

    ¡°Right?  She knocked out their whole group out for days at the first camp.

    ¡°And how much time did they lose at the gas station and the PB&B?  Weeks?¡±

    ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t see how that harmed Nyx.  And did she even really lie?  She kept a secret, sure, but only Fang has actually told a lie.  Several, in fact.  And weren¡¯t his lies way, way worse?¡±

    ¡°Like when he told Nyx his whole family was dead¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dead to me,¡± Fang corrected again, his eyes flashing and mist dotting his scales.  That also happened when he was nervous.  ¡°But you all miss the point¡ª¡±

    ¡°Or embarrassed him in front of his mother?¡±

    ¡°That was awful!  And don¡¯t forget how he tried to steal Nyx¡¯s inheritance.¡±

    ¡°No.  No, this is what I am trying to explain.  I tried to get him to leave Apati!  For our safety!¡± Fang insisted.

    ¡°See?¡± Lili demanded.  ¡°He¡¯s still at it.  Trying to convince you that somehow I¡¯m the problem ¨C when all of the evidence points firmly at Fang.  Classic gaslighting.¡±

    ¡°You¡ªyou horrible¡­  This is just more lies,¡± Fang hiss-sputtered.

    I arched an eyebrow at that.  ¡°Or¡­ secrets,¡± he amended reluctantly.  ¡°But she hasn¡¯t told you everything.  The crafty hunter lies by omission.¡±

    That one was new.  Also, kind of on the nose.

    It was obvious Fang was scrambling now.  Unfortunate, but not unexpected.  But at least we finally had an answer, that tension in my stomach easing¡ª

    ¡°Something is still bothering me,¡± our therapist interjected, raising a pudgy hand.  Everyone went quiet and my eyes went wide.

    Oh, I bet this was going to be good.  Maybe some sort of resolution of our relationship issues?  I mean, this felt like it had been going on for a while ¨C too long even.  Like we¡¯d somehow lost the point of the whole bro-newal celebration.  But maybe we¡¯d get some insight into why Fang kept deflecting blame onto Lili.  Maybe he was just projecting his own insecurities onto her ¨C you know, because it was easier than working on himself; on facing his own crippling trust issues?  Or maybe he saw her as a surrogate mother figure?

    And you all saw the issues between him and Manslaughter¡ª

    ¡°How did Lili know what to write?¡± our therapist asked.

    That was¡­ ahh, not quite what I was hoping for.  Also, kind of cryptic, right?

    Yet Fang¡¯s eyes flashed happily and he stabbed a finger at the overweight siren.  ¡°Exactly!  How did she know those things about Horus?  About Eris?  Didn¡¯t her plans work perfectly?  Too perfectly.  Nyx¡¯s plans only work sometimes and he is a budding genius, yes?  He says it many times,¡± Fang hissed.  ¡°So, how did Lili know?¡±

    I liked that he intentionally weaved in some flattery this time, even if I hated the rest. Especially how our therapist was nodding, chins a-flapping once more.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hole in her story,¡± the siren acknowledged.

    And just when I thought we were almost out of the emotional woods ¨C that I could finally relax ¨C that writhing feeling in my stomach cinched tight once more.  Especially since Lili had gone quiet again, tense and still, barely touching my core.

    She hadn¡¯t lied¡­ not yet.  But maybe Fang was right ¨C even if I hated to admit it.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Maybe she was just a crafty hunter.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s Horus¡¯ journal, right?¡± someone piped up.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible that he wrote down information about himself and Eris.  Enough to come up with a plan, maybe?  For Lili to provide relationship advice¡­¡±

    I was nodding now.  Yeah¡­ yeah, we probably read it in his¡ª

    ¡°That makes sense for Horus, but not Eris,¡± our therapist murmured, heaving himself upright again and waddling the room.  Shit, that was a bad sign.

    Every time he paced, we got uncomfortable truths.

    And I still really hated how everyone was watching him.

    ¡°Nyx stole the journal before he entered the corrupted gate, but Eris didn¡¯t tell Horus about her childhood until long after,¡± our therapist began.

    He raised a pudgy finger.  ¡°And how could Lili have known how they would react to the special herbs and spices?  How did she tailor the doses so perfectly ¨C enough for a small vulpin, an elf, and a huge tavros?  Enough to calm but not kill?¡±

    ¡°Nyx experimented on the residents of Apati,¡± someone suggested.

    ¡°Except that also happened after she¡¯d already left the vials and the notes ¨C several weeks later, right?,¡± another retorted.  ¡°Honestly, the timeline is confusing.¡±

    ¡°It is.  Do we even really know how much time passed?¡±

    Whew.  My heart was beating really fast, and I was feeling lightheaded.

    Not, um, not because of their questions, of course!

    Like I said, it was probably just because I hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± our therapist declared.  ¡°Which only leaves one possible explanation¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is fascinating, but what about that snack break?¡± I suggested quickly.

    ¡°He¡¯s right, I¡¯m feeling ravenous,¡± Lili piped up, text itching up my arm.

    Only for us to receive suspicious looks from our audience and therapist.  Fang just crossed his arms and glared at us triumphantly.  ¡°You ate the rest of the food the last time you drifted,¡± he declared.  ¡°There is none left ¨C no way to avoid this.¡±

    He cocked his scaly head at our therapist.  ¡°Because I know what the fat walrus will say.  This is finally proof.  Lili could not write those letters unless she knew many things about Eris and Horus.  What they were going to do.  Where they were going to travel.  Where they planned to stop.  How much they each weighed to measure the doses.  Their favorite foods to entice them into eating those dishes.¡±

    Fang leaned forward, his eyes gleaming.  ¡°And yet, she remembers nothing.  Isn¡¯t that what she said?¡± he insisted.  ¡°Back in the marshes.  Before we began this so-called road trip?  That she had lost her memories?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ but she¡­ maybe I misunderstood¡­¡± I fumbled.

    Searching for an answer.  Any answer except the most obvious one.

    ¡°Tell him, Lili,¡± Fang demanded.  ¡°Tell him the truth.¡±

    The room descended into silence.

    Then black text slowly slithered across my skin.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡ªhe¡¯s right¡­ sort of,¡± she answered finally.

    And there it was.  Proof.  Irrefutable proof.

    That Lili had lied.  Lied to me.  Just like Fang.

    ¡°But Nyx, listen,¡± she insisted. ¡°It¡¯s much more complicated than¡ª¡±

    ¡°It is not complicated,¡± Fang interjected.  ¡°It is simple.  She is a liar.¡±

    The crowd was all muttering and murmuring and glaring.  Like they agreed.

    But before I could even begin to process her betrayal ¨C our therapist made everything even worse.  I was beginning to think that maybe ¨C just maybe ¨C that was his job.

    If so, I would make an amazing therapist.

    Ahh, right¡­ but he had another question.

    ¡°Does that really explain how she knew all those things?¡± our therapist muttered, glancing down at his many notes and his brow creased in thought.

    ¡°Maybe she regained the memories of her past life, but how did she know those things about Horus and Eris?  The two of them barely knew each other before the gate, but Lili somehow knew both of them?  And what of the skills she displayed?  Are we to believe Lili was not just a healer in a past life, but also a cook and an engineer and a matchmaker and an interior designer?  That¡¯s too complicated.  Too much coincidence.¡±

    He shook his head, fat rolls wobbling majestically.  ¡°There¡¯s a simpler answer.  Don¡¯t we know someone who can do all those things ¨C that has all those skills?¡±

    And suddenly he was looking at me.  They were all looking at me.

    Under other circumstances, I would have loved it.  Especially after our therapist had stolen the show at my own bro-newal.

    Except, this time, the former tourists and tour-guides were staring all wide-eyed and confused.  Our therapist¡¯s mental wheels were still spinning ¨C watching me as he pieced together the shattered fragments of my broken mind.  And Fang was just gloating, his eyes shining in triumph now that we were finally facing these uncomfortable questions.

    Like had Lili used my vessel to do all those things?  Had she used my skills?

    And that begged the question, didn¡¯t it?

    How had I gained all of those many impossible, insane skills?

    I liked to think it was just me ¨C that I was a budding genius.

    And, I guess, in a way¡­ it stills is ¨C I still am.

    But I¡¯ve suspected for a while that those skills came from somewhere else.

    That they came from you.  The real audience in the room.

    All of you.  The phantom versions of me that have been hanging around for¡­ well, cycles now.  Living with me, laughing with me, traveling with me.  Listening to my stories.  Witnessing my overwhelming victories and incredibly infrequent defeats.  Always mute.  Always staring.  Always judging.  Just like you are now.  And I suppose I deserve it.

    Because I¡¯ve been running from this problem for a while.  Too long.

    Which is why I already knew what Lili was going to say.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t my memories, Nyx.  They¡¯re yours.¡±

    I swallowed hard, that serpent in my stomach thrashing and writhing now, urging me to stop; to run away; to reject the truth.  And I did.  Or, at least, I tried.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not possible,¡± I murmured.

    But the questions were mounting now.  An inevitable buzzing tidal wave.  One that had been building for a while.  Ages.  Questions I definitely didn¡¯t want to ask.  The ones I¡¯d tried to push aside with another tangent.  Another story.  Another deflection.

    But now they were here.

    Like how had I known how to cook those recipes?  Chisel that statue of myself?  Build that incredible death wagon?  Re-purpose a mountain of monkey crap?  Renovate a city?  I mean, you saw that whole presentation with the friendship juice and the creepy mechanical dolls, right?  How did a poor, mentally-challenged young man from a fishing village build that?  Was I supposed to believe it was just innate genius?  All of it?

    Or, as our therapist said.  Was their simpler answer?

    Did it come from you?  All of you?

    The only problem is that you can¡¯t talk¡ª

    Or¡­ can you?  Have you been lying to me too?  Just like Fang and Lili¡ª

    ¡°They can¡¯t,¡± Lili confirmed, text no longer scrawling up my arm. ¡°But they have been communicating¡­ with me,¡± she continued.

    I cocked my head.  What?  Come again?  How was that even possible?

    ¡°Is Lili talking?¡± Fang demanded, shouting in my ear.  ¡°Write the words, Lili!   Write the words so we can be sure you do not tell more liesss.¡±

    ¡°Nyx, we should really talk about this privately first¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, no he¡¯s right,¡± I said aloud, my heart beating hard and fast, my palms suddenly sweaty.  ¡°If they can¡¯t talk, how do you¡­ how do we know those things?¡±

    ¡°Because we have their memories,¡± Lili answered slowly, my arm itching and the crowd pushing in close to read.  ¡°All of their memories.  All of those other Nyxs.  Countless lives, countless deaths.  A million permutations of the same tragic story.   But we also have the memories of others for some reason.  Eris.  Horus.  Danae and Demi.  They¡¯re jumbled up and mixed together.  Conflicting details, motives, perspectives.

    ¡°It¡¯s too much¡­ far too much for one mind to handle¡­¡±

    She stopped speaking, but somehow I knew what she was going to say.

    You probably do too, don¡¯t you?  You¡¯ve suspected it for a while, right?

    That I¡¯m getting worse?  Crazier?

    Which could only mean one thing.

    ¡°And mine ¨C ours ¨C it can¡¯t handle it,¡± I murmured.

    We all knew it.  Maybe we always had.

    But it was easier to pretend we couldn¡¯t, to distract ourselves¡ª

    ¡°Yes, yes that¡¯s right!¡± Lili exclaimed.  ¡°That¡¯s how you¡¯ve coped.  Fang sees the drifts as a bad thing, but they¡¯re necessary.  It¡¯s too much information for one mind to handle ¨C at least if you focus on it.  So, you needed a distraction.

    ¡°A family vacation.  Road trip games.  Construction projects.  Staring contests and home renovations.  Anything and everything besides the truth.  That gave you an escape ¨C gave those memories an outlet.  That¡¯s what kept you here ¨C kept you grounded ¨C kept you from simply drifting away altogether.  That¡¯s what Fang doesn¡¯t understand.¡±

    She was right.  Even now, I could feel them.  The memories.  Overwhelming.  Chaotic.  A hundred.  A thousand different version of this room.  This forge.  These people.  Sometimes our therapist was whip thin.  Sometimes savran.  Sometimes a majestic meat mountain.  Some details agreed and many more didn¡¯t.  Creating conflicts.  Continuity errors.

    I squeezed my eyes shut against those images; against the pain in my temples.

    Yet the questions kept coming...

    Like a boulder crashing downhill.  Unstoppable.  Inevitable.

    How was this possible?  Spirits could remember their past lives, but hadn¡¯t there only been one?  Was Lili suggesting I¡¯d lived thousands?  Millions?  And only spirits remembered¡­ so was I dead?  Was my vessel somehow broken?  And how did that explain the memories of other people?  Of a demi-god?  A tavros?  An elf?

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Lili muttered.  ¡°And the others, they won¡¯t tell me.¡±

    My brow furrowed at that, staring down at my left hand.

    Even as I did, the scars kept shifting across the skin, wriggling and worming their way across my knuckles and spiraling up my arm.  Injuries from other lives.  Other monsters.  Other friends and enemies.  But which¡­ which were real?

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember¡ªcan¡¯t control it,¡± I ground out, my head throbbing as I squeezed my eyes closed.  To focus ¨C to blot out the questioning judgmental gazes of our audience.  The sympathy shining in the eyes of all those other-mes.  I could barely focus on one memory before it slipped between my mental fingers.

    ¡°No, of course, you can¡¯t,¡± Lili answered softly.  ¡°I can¡¯t either.  Even your current memories are hard to hold onto ¨C why do you think it takes me so long to find things?¡±

    My brow furrowed.  That made sense, except¡ª

    ¡°So how did you know?  How did you make those plans ¨C write those letters?¡±

    Silence then.  Hesitation.  Lili considering her response¡ª

    ¡°I figured out a way to communicate with the other yous.¡±

    My eyes shot open, taking in those ghostly figures ¨C peering into the eyes of those others mes.  They were filled with the same surprise.

    ¡°What?   How?  They can¡¯t talk¡ª¡±

    Ahh, and then I saw it.   It was so fucking obvious.

    You can¡¯t talk, can you?  At least, not yet.  But you¡¯re still me.  Which means you each have a Lili too ¨C one that can control our vessel.  Move our fingers.

    And write words across our skin.

    I blinked and suddenly I could see.

    I could see them all.  A hundred.  A thousand.  A million notes written in corrupted letters and crawling up translucent skin.  And all saying the same thing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.  I¡¯m so sorry.  We had no choice.¡±

    The other-mes looked similarly shell-shocked, yelling at their hands and arms and feet and shoulders.  It took my fractured mind a moment longer to figure out why.  To understand the implications.  How had I missed this before?  Unless¡­ unless Lili had¡ª

    ¡°Unless she hid it from you,¡± Fang finished for me.

    I could feel something snapping inside of me ¨C something important¡­

    This wasn¡¯t a game anymore.  Had long since stopped being fun.  I wanted it to end.  To go back to what I was before ¨C blissfully ignorant.  For Fang to stop talking.

    But he didn¡¯t. ¡°And if she lied about this¡ª¡± he hissed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie!¡± Lili snapped back.  ¡°I didn¡¯t remember.  They were his memories.  And I didn¡¯t lie about the other Lilis, I just hid it from him.¡±

    Fang¡¯s smile widened ¨C shark-like and feral.  ¡°Ahh, yes.  You are right.  You did not lie.  You did worse.  You tricked him.  Blinded him.  Used him.  All to hide the truth.

    ¡°And if she hid that, then what else is she hiding?¡± he hissed in my ear.

    No one could answer that question ¨C no one but Lili, who had gone silent.  Not even those other-mes, who just stood there ¨C for once not trying to speak or wave or gesticulate.  For once not laughing.  No, that was sympathy shining in their eyes.  A familiar pain and anger ¨C one so like my own.  One that was my own.

    I squeezed my eyes shut.  As though that would somehow make it any less true.  Any less real.  As though simply forgetting something was enough to destroy it.

    Just like Danae¡¯s plan to kill death.

    And then¡­ there it was ¨C a memory.

    Crystal clear and painfully real.

    Another escape.

    So, I took it.

 Hollow #2 - Chapter 51

    Chapter 51 - Apati-zer

    Apati

    Danae

    The walk through Apati did nothing to ease my fears.

    Because nothing happened.  No accidents.  No deaths.  Even Eris and Horus were acting relatively normal ¨C no weird staring or awkward handholding or inadvertent property damage.  Just hundreds of savran watching us pass in complete, bone-chilling silence, their huge, glowing snake eyes following our every moment with unwavering focus.

    And yet they did nothing.  Made no move to attack. They even waved reluctantly ¨C at least, if I waved first.  It was calm ¨C almost peaceful.

    Even snacking on my tempura wasn¡¯t helping ease the tension.

    I just knew something horrible was bound to happen soon¡ª

    ¡°You seem on edge,¡± DJ ¡®lil P commented suddenly, his cane tapping at the ground, and his body wrapped in that plush robe, a heavy golden chain around his neck.

    I started.  I¡¯d been so distracted, I hadn¡¯t noticed him walking beside me.

    I may have also been hitting the snack wagon hard.

    ¡°I am.  A little,¡± I answered, side-eyeing the vulpin.

    ¡°Ahh, would it help if there were fewer people watching us?¡±

    ¡°A bit,¡± I muttered.  From experience, it would also reduce the collateral damage when everything inevitably went to hell.  ¡°But it¡¯s not like¡ª

    The other vulpin just waved his hand.  That¡¯s it.  That¡¯s all.  And hundreds of savran stepped back into their homes and shops without a single word.  Everyone except for a few dozen people minding their business and the guards surrounding us protectively.

    ¡°What did you just do?  Why are they listening to you?¡±  I muttered in shock.

    This was inconceivable.  Every vulpin I¡¯d met in the last several hundred cycles had either been a docile servant¡­ or they were dead.  Mostly the latter.  They certainly didn¡¯t lead others ¨C much less a dangerous race like the savran.

    DJ ¡®lil P nodded in understanding, a strange sympathy shining in his eyes.  ¡°I used to be like you ¨C taught that I was weak.  A tiny body and claws and a spirit only built to defend and heal.  I thought moving out here to the Outer Reaches would make that better ¨C easier.  But I was just lying to myself.  I was just scared.  All the time really.

    ¡°At least, until I met Nyx.¡±

    Wait.  Did he just say he stopped being afraid after he met Nyx?

    ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡± I began, shaking my head.

    I was interrupted as a crackle filled the air, followed by a voice ¨C one that emerged from the bamboo tube system attached to the nearby buildings.  One I¡¯d never heard before ¡­ and yet somehow already knew exactly who it belonged to.  Nyx.  His raspy, manic voice echoed all down the street, repeated a hundred ¨C a thousand times.  Like he¡¯d somehow figured out how to duplicate himself.  To create an insane army of one.

    ¡°Hello fellow shareholders.  Commissar Nyx here with your daily safety message.  Remember, consent to mate does not mean consent to get ate.  Thank you for helping keep Apati a death free zone and may the Flow go Fuck Itself.  Amen.¡±

    ¡°May the Flow go Fuck itself.  Amen,¡± DJ¡¯ lil P echoed.

    Along with everyone else on the street.

    Horus and Eris were watching in shock, the latter muttering under her breath ¨C something about ¡°blasphemy¡± and ¡°the mantras¡± and ¡°how could this have spread so fast?¡±  For his part, Horus looked ecstatic.  Like a young bull seeing the world for the first time. He even repeated the phrase along with the rest of the residents of Apati.

    And, for my part, I was just confused.

    DJ ¡®lil P seemed to sense that.

    ¡°See?  Nyx changed the rules,¡± the vulpin elaborated.  ¡°Before him, I lived in fear.  That I¡¯d be kidnapped.  Raped.  Possibly even eaten.  And what could I do about it?  I couldn¡¯t protect myself ¨C my vessel was too weak.  So, I was forced to simper and fawn.  Make myself too cute or useful to kill.  But not now.  Not since Nyx made it illegal to kill or eat other vessels inside Apati ¨C at least, the intelligent species.  We still need to eat.¡±

    For my part, I could only stare back in stunned silence.  A death-free zone?  Killing was illegal?  Could¡­ could Nyx really just do that?  Just kill death with a command?

    I knew he was strong ¨C stronger than most, but still¡­

    DJ ¡®lil P seemed to anticipate my questions.

    A small, sly smile graced his lips.  ¡°And once the fear of death is removed ¨C once someone else is protecting us, I realized something.  We hold all the power.  Just watch.¡±

    He turned to the savran guards marching behind us.  ¡°Ahh, I hurt my foot¡­ could one of you please carry me?¡± he asked, limping slightly.

    At the same time, DJ ¡®lil P transformed.  His eyes got super round and seemed to sparkle, and he hunched in on himself, making his body as small as possible.  With his small stature, all the savran saw were his huge, round eyes framed by soft, velvety fur ¨C the hair stained black to help further accentuate his eyes.  And then, in a final, masterful stroke¡­ tears beaded at the corners, gleaming in the light cast by the buildings.

    It was insane.  Impossible.  Degrading.  Demeaning.

    And it fucking worked.

    In fact, they fought over who got to carry him.

    And proceeded to give him a massage.

    ¡°See what I mean?¡± DJ ¡®lil P asked moments later, lounging in the arms of the winner of that impromptu contest, the champion scratching the fur around his neck and ears.  He shifted her claws up a little to hit the right spot.  ¡°All it takes is some eye liner.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s incredible,¡± I murmured.

    ¡°It even improved my sex life with the missus,¡± the vulpin offered, pointing at the savran carrying him ¨C the one that had blooded a few of the others to win the right.  ¡°The competition really helps keep her on her claws, you know?¡±

    ¡°It is true.  The sssex has been incredible,¡± she confirmed, nodding.

    I had follow-up questions ¨C many of them ¨C  but unfortunately, I never got the chance to ask them.  Because, our group abruptly came to a halt.

    Some sort of wagon had tipped over and was blocking the road.  However, on second glance, it was unlike anything I¡¯d seen before.  Made out of that poo-crete material and several tons of metal.  A strange track system instead of traditional wheels.  And even more odd?  There were no beasts or spirits pulling the vehicle ¨C instead, steam poured from the hood in great, thick plumes.

    ¡°Steam truck accident,¡± one of the savran guards called out.  ¡°We should go around.¡±

    Easier said than done.  Eris had already seen the contraption¡ª

    ¡°Wait, what is that machine?¡± she snapped, flaming calculations already appearing in the air around her.  And suddenly, that uneasy feeling in my stomach returned with a vengeance, ruining my appetite.  I knew what that look meant.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°Are there more?  I wish to study¡ª" Eris began, before disappearing in a flash of flame ¨C only to reappear beside the wagon, inspecting it closely.

    DJ¡¯ ¡®lil P sighed.  ¡°Damn it.  We were supposed to keep the trucks out of sight,¡± he muttered under his breath.  ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to get back to work,¡± he told his wife.

    ¡°It isss no problem, sssugar pawsss,¡± she hissed back, setting him down.

    ¡°Just a moment.  Sorry for the inconvenience,¡± he said for my benefit.

    Then the vulpin was waddling off to deal with Eris ¨C who was already trying to take apart the ¡°truck¡± ¨C DJ ¡®lil P¡¯s foot magically healed somehow.  A point none of the other savran seemed to notice.  It was also surprising that Horus wasn¡¯t assisting Eris ¨C maybe lifting the wagon to provide a better view or helping to disassemble it with his tools¡ª

    ¡°Danae,¡± Horus suddenly growled, lifting me off my feet and my protective shields immediately enveloping my vessel as he pulled me close.  His eyes were wide, white, and utterly frantic.   I¡¯d never seen him like this.  ¡°I need your help.  Now.¡±

    Without asking for permission, he rushed to the side of the road, everyone else preoccupied with the commotion in the street.  Probably because the steam tank had exploded under Eris ¡°tests,¡± screams ripping through the air.  Horus ignored it all, just running really fast down the street.  Really, really fast.  I barely got a chance to bring my plate along!

    Then Horus just dropped me, a last-minute shield cushioning my fall.

    ¡°What are you doing?  What¡¯s wrong now?¡± I snapped up at him.  After making sure my food was undamaged, of course.  Horus had gotten lucky.

    ¡°This,¡± he growled, pointing to the side.

    At a store.  I¡¯ll admit, I didn¡¯t see it at first.  Almost like my mind didn¡¯t want to see it.  The huge cutout of Horus in the window.  The one wearing glasses.  And a sweater.  The one standing beside an empty table that must have once held books, a bloodstained sign saying they were ¡°sold out.¡±  But a fake cutout of one remained.  The one showcasing a novel entitled, Love and World Domination.  The one with a picture of Horus holding a scantily-clad Eris in his large, toned arms, his eyes on hers and their lips so tantalizingly close.

    Even more concerning were the customers inside the bookstore that had noticed the two of us standing in the huge bay windows.  The ones pointing and whispering to each other.  Like they ¡®recognized¡¯ Horus.   Like he might actually be the same person as the cardboard cutout.  Which was surprising because the Horus I knew looked very different.

    Especially right now.  He was breathing hard, his eyes were a strange pink color, and he was squeezing his axe really hard ¨C the one he was holding in his hands menacingly, the blade a blinding white.  Yet he also looked conflicted ¨C perched on the precipice of destruction and just waiting for something to tip him careening over the edge.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡± I murmured.

    ¡°Nyx.  My Future Best Friend,¡± Horus answered hoarsely, as though each word was painful.  ¡°He stole my diary weeks ago.  I assumed he read it ¨C I knew he had.  But he must have¡­ he must have published it.  Somehow.¡±

    ¡°In just a few weeks?¡± I muttered, shaking my head.  Wasn¡¯t he building a highway through a screaming bamboo forest?  How had he managed this?

    Even for Nyx, this seemed impossible.

    ¡°Emporos.  Time manipulation,¡± Horus growled back.  ¡°Very expensive.¡±

    It was troubling that Horus seemed to be losing the ability to speak.

    ¡°Ahh, right,¡± I murmured.  ¡°And the problem is what exactly¡ª¡±

    He grabbed me again, his face looming close.  ¡°She.  Can.  Not.  See.  This.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to ask who.  I could see Eris disassembling the truck behind Horus, the parts now strewn across the ground, neatly organized and labeled.  A crowd of angry lizard people hovering and hissing, but no one stupid enough to stop her.

    I could also see the cluster of savran making up our security detail ¨C their eyes not on the scene in the road, but on Horus.  The cold, calculated gleam in their eyes.  The way they clutched their weapons, like they were¡­ waiting for something.

    Almost like that ¡°accident¡± might not have been so accidental¡ª

    ¡°Fix this or I will end you,¡± Horus growled, my attention whipping back to him.

    More empty promises.  I just stared back skeptically.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we done this already?¡± I asked.

    He let out a frustrated growl, inspecting my face.  ¡°Fine.  Then I will give you food.  I will cook for you as much as you want.  Endless food.¡±

    My ears perked up ¨C giving me away.  I mean, it was an intriguing offer. Except¡­ ¡°How am I even supposed to fix this?¡±

    I was surprised he even thought I could.

    Maybe proof of just how upset he was.

    Besides, if he¡¯d bothered to ask my opinion, maybe it was a good thing.  Maybe Eris finding his romantic fanfiction would finally open up a productive dialogue between them.  Clear the air.  Honestly, the cover looked pretty good.  I might even give it a read after¡ª

    ¡°Distract, My Lady,¡± he growled, shaking me.  Which I didn¡¯t appreciate, the contents of my stomach sloshing around violently.  ¡°Use the Bullshit.  I know you know how,¡± he growled.  ¡°You are almost as good as me.¡±

    And now he was accusing me of being full of crap?  Him?  Really?

    ¡°What am I supposed to say when she¡¯s like this?¡± I muttered, waving at Eris dismantling the machine in the road, the occasional explosion rippling through the air.  ¡°And even if I distract her, the shop will still be here.¡±

    My gaze skimmed to the shop, chewing my lip between my pointy teeth.  ¡°I guess we could destroy it or something, but even that wouldn¡¯t be enough.  She could still pick through the rubble.  Ask what happened.  Recreate the building and merchandise with her spirit.  Although, if there was some way to make it look like an accident¡ª"

    In that moment, I realized my mistake.

    Horus was fragile, flustered, scrambling for a solution.

    Obviously.  Why else would he ask death for help?

    And I just gave him one.  His favorite solution actually.  Destroying things.

    Just then, another one of those strange steam vehicles turned a corner on a side street.  The driver, a savran woman, saw the commotion on the main thoroughfare, the two of us standing there, and started to turn around.  She never made it.

    Horus¡¯ axe was already there.  It lifted the vehicle, the entire thing floating toward us.    The savran woman tried to pour more steam into the engine, the tracks spinning rapidly and letting out a metallic grind, but it didn¡¯t work.  Not with the entire vehicle floating above the ground.  And when it neared, Horus didn¡¯t even hesitate.  He just punched the truck, sending it hurtling into the bookstore at the speed of public humiliation.

    The destruction happened too fast for me to do anything.

    The stone columns lining the wall of the bookstore ¨C the load bearing ones ¨C simply exploded.  The impact sent huge stone blocks hurtling inside the store, followed closely by the vehicle itself ¨C several tons of poo-crete and metal.  And since the savran driver had been frantically pouring steam into the boiler, the pressure had been building.  Which is likely why it exploded on contact, spewing superheated steam through the entire store.  The bay window promptly exploded under the intense pressure, sending a shower of jagged glass rocketing through the street as the entire building began to collapse.

    The customers inside ¨C those who lived through the initial attack ¨C barely had time to react.  Although, they still had plenty of time to scream ¨C their shouts echoing down the street.  A street where Eris stood, her arched ears twitching as she began to turn¡ª

    Toward us ¨C toward me and Horus.  Who were standing before a scene of true devastation.  Waves of steam billowing, glass flying, rock crumbling, our victims screaming.  Apparently, even their steam spirit had limits as they were boiled alive¡­

    I¡¯m not sure if my hearth spirit meant to save me or help Horus or prevent more collateral damage¡­ but it didn¡¯t really matter.  It sprung into action on its own.  Golden light enveloped the entire building, blocking the shrapnel from peppering the street.  My shields also replaced the supporting columns for a brief moment, long enough for Horus and I to back away.   Which gave the handful of survivors a chance to scramble toward the exit, their bodies broken and bleeding and scales melting under the heat and pressure.

    If I just held the shield for a few moments longer, they might survive¡­

    Then Horus¡¯ hand landed on my shoulder.

    ¡°No witnesses.  Remember, endless food,¡± he whispered.

    I¡¯m not proud of what I did next.  I mean, I debated for a moment¡­

    But then the shield holding up the roof collapsed, the building caved in and everyone died gruesomely, their bodies exploding apart under the tremendous weight and pressure, the remains cooked in the steam and any survivors drowning in blood and water.  But I kept the outside barrier up the whole time ¨C to, uh, to block the shrapnel.

    Definitely, not to hide Horus¡¯ shame.  Or my own.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Eris demanded, suddenly standing between Horus and I, peering at the structure curiously as the remains of the survivors were simultaneously boiled and crushed beyond recognition.  Occasionally, scaled hands would claw at my shield, soggy and illegible books smashing up against the barrier in a repetitive thud, thud, thud.

    ¡°Yeah, what¡ªwhat happened?¡± DJ ¡®lil P gasped, waddling up behind her.

    Horus eyed me warily before turning to My Lady.  ¡°These machines might be defective.  Like that other one, this one broke and ran into the store.  Very strange.¡±

    The vulpin just shook his head.  ¡°Really?  This has never happened before ¨C much less twice in one afternoon.  Did anyone see what happened?¡±  Horus swallowed hard as DJ ¡®lil P eyed the other members of our security detail questioningly.

    Yet not a single savran stepped forward.

    ¡°Danae saw the whole thing,¡± Horus added quickly.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    And suddenly, everyone was looking at me.  At the carnage around me.

    But¡ªbut wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a death-free zone?

    Or perhaps that rule didn¡¯t apply to me?

    To death herself.

    Ahh, and they were all still staring.

    ¡°He is right.  The machine¡­ broke,¡± I squeaked finally.

    I stopped listening after that.  Just slumped back against the snack wagon as they discussed the accident and droned on about the property damage and death count and the engineering behind the strange trucks.  Something about steering columns and momentum?

    I knew I should feel bad.  Guilty.  Angry even.  That Horus had created that situation ¨C that he¡¯d forced my hand.  Had undermined my mission.  Had made me harm when I could have helped.  Or that the group of savran ¨C our security detail ¨C were still standing in the road and watching us; that they hadn¡¯t said a word.  They must have seen what happened.

    And yet I just felt hungry.  Really, really hungry.

    Hadn¡¯t DJ said something about a bath and a meal?

    That sounded nice.  Really, really nice.

    And at least there was no way to fuck that up.

 Update - Brief Hiatus

    Hey all!

    So, as an update, Hollow #2 is fully content complete (and clocking in at a ''petite'' 220K words).  Which means I''ve switched over to editing full time now.  However, I''m noticing as I work through the ending and tweak the early chapters that I''m going to need to make some changes.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Since this also affects the ending (and your reading experience), I''m going to pause the chapters for a bit -- probably a couple weeks -- and focus on editing this thing up and getting it ready to move to my editor/proofreader.  I''ll be back with the final chapters once I''m a bit further along.

    Thanks for sticking around for this madness and I hope you all have a great week!

 Roadtrip Pre-Order Live!

    Hey all! Sorry for the hiatus, but I come bearing good news...

    Book 2 is done! I''m calling this one "Roadtrip." It''s available for pre-order</a> and the ebook/print/audio are going live February 4th.

    You can also snag an early access copy on my Patreon for $5+ subscribers. The post went live this morning.

    I debated posting the rest of book 2 here on RoyalRoad, but I ended up making a bunch of changes as I was editing -- including the early chapters. Which would have meant reposting nearly every chapter for the ending to make sense. That seemed a little excessive/cumbersome. Especially since the editor on this site requires me to reformat every single line when I copy/paste from Word. So I opted to just finish up and get it ready for the official release instead. Just one of the pitfalls of posting a draft.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Next up is another installment in my Awaken Online</a> series and I''m about a third of the way through the draft. My guess is that one will be done around the middle of 2025, at which point I can switch back over to write Hollow #3.

    And that''s all for now! Happy reading!