by Ramy Vance
Anabelle shimmered into sight. She was lying on a lounge, her hair pulled back in a messy bun and her face devoid of any makeup, but she somehow looked as radiant as if she'd prepped for a photo shoot. "Way to inspire confidence, Grok, seeing as how you bailed on your agreement with the Dark One."
Grok smirked smugly. "If you'd prefer I honor that commitment over this one, I'll kindly ask you to release me."
"Not a chance. Just saying you're hardly trustworthy."
Abby appeared next, along with Persephone. The two of them were sitting together on a couch. "People change," the drow said. "I was on the Dark One's side, and you guys didn't have a problem accepting me."
Anabelle glanced at her. "One, you were a kid who was microchipped. Two...well, actually, I guess that's the only reason. Oh, and you're also kind of a sweetheart. Abby's told us some embarrassing—"
Abby interrupted. "Maybe we should all be quiet for a second so I can finish some calibrations. It would be unfortunate if our communications cut out. Or if someone else's did."
Terra laughed. Abby was as awkward as ever. It didn't seem like her tech upgrades were going to change that. Seeing Abby hit Terra with a pang. She missed the kid. Missed hanging out with her and Anabelle instead of running missions all the time. Part of her wondered what was going to happen when this was finally over. Did people stay in touch after wars? What would she have in common with a sixteen-year-old cyborg and an elvish model?
Other than taking down the biggest, baddest son of a bitch in the entire universe? If that didn’t bring you together, nothing could.
Roy looked around the room. "Guess that's everyone."
There was a sharp crackling sound, and Rasputina popped into sight. She sat in a chair, her hands folded and her chin resting on them.
Roy sighed. "So, you're going to be sitting in on everything?"
The lich looked up, her green eyes flashing. "Unless you would like to provide me with private meetings for everything that you discuss."
"I'm still not sure you need to know much about anything you aren’t involved in."
Anabelle, surprisingly, stepped in to defend Rasputina. "She's part of the team, even if I don't like it. The more we act like she isn't, the harder it is going to be to work with each other, so let's just accept it. She doesn't want to work with us. We don't want to work with her. But we need each other."
"Fine. All right, I want reports from everyone. Anabelle, you’re up."
The elf cleared her throat and explained how the last mission had gone, informing Roy that they had retrieved the soul jar and were ready to tackle the dungeon they’d had to skip. She suggested that the full team be available for the dungeon crawl, especially if Rasputina was going to be there.
Roy leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up, looking like a caricature of a tough guy from a military soap opera. "Hold on. Break it down for me in layman's terms. What the fuck happened to make Rasputina good?"
Rasputina pulled back her hood, showing her younger, healthier face. "Plainly speaking, I left a surprise for the monster I had become. When she consumed it, I reversed part of the process of becoming a lich. My personality is split. There's me, the real Rasputina. and then there is the lich, who I will keep in check."
Roy shook his head. "Jesus Christ, Abby has an AI and a nanobot consciousness living in her, Persephone hosts part of a sentient elder god, and now this? Can we make a new rule? No more multiple personalities. This shit is getting hard to keep up with."
Abby and Persephone giggled, and the drow tickled Abby.
Roy cleared his throat. "Also, please keep all the cute shit off private channels. Everyone. Okay, Terra and Cire. How did everything go on your end?"
Terra groaned as she sat up straighter. "Well, I'm not dead, and both me and Anabelle are going to be trained in the Path of the Lost, so I guess that's a win in my department."
Anabelle's eyes widened. "Wait, what are you talking about?"
Grok looked at Anabelle and smiled. "I'll be training you both. One of the perks of Terra becoming the new Hand of the orc council."
Anabelle didn't look happy about the information she had just received, but she didn't say anything else, merely slumped further into her couch.
Cire spoke, his voice clear and sharp. "I have undergone the rites required to assume the position of the shaman for all orcs, and I have healed from them. Now we have the guaranteed strength of the horde."
Abby clapped her hands as she leaned forward. "Oh, Cire! Congratulations! That sounds amazing."
Cire smiled slightly. "Thank you."
Roy clapped, slow and sarcastic. "Hey, guys, we're doing a military briefing, not an emotional powwow. Is there anything else you have to say about the horde, Cire?"
"My name has been revoked by the customs of the horde. From now on, refer to me as ‘Shaman.’"
Roy raised his eyebrows. "Oh, okay. Thanks for the heads up. Abby?"
Abby stood up and stepped farther into the room. "Unlike the rest of you, we don't have anything positive to report. We've learned the Dark One has a new agent, a resurrected version of Nikola Tesla. And the Gate into the Netherverse? It took us to a place that was made from the souls of people who have fallen in combat against the Dark One."
Roy nodded solemnly as he scratched his beard, his brow furrowed with thought. "How are those things related?"
"Tesla was using the Dark Melody and his own tech to resurrect some kind of ghoul army. We were barely able to escape, and our gnomish division sustained severe casualties. We managed to shut the Gate down, though."
"Has there been any activity from the area again?"
"Not after Tesla raised the dead and took them through. No. None."
Roy looked around the room. "Okay, so we got some good news and some bad news. Guess the next step is to figure out how and why the Dark One is using the Netherverse. I can check and see what intel I can pull up on that, but until then—"
Rasputina cleared her throat. "I might be able to help you there."
Chapter Eight
Abby and everyone else in the meeting watched the lich rise from her chair. Even as a hologram, Rasputina's power radiated from her—or perhaps it was the layer of insanity right below the surface.
The memory of Rasputina driving a knife into Abby's stomach flashed brightly in her mind. There was that as well.
She could almost feel the blade still cutting through her nanobots and her skin. She still felt the fear as well. Looking at the lich terrified her. She hadn't voiced her opinion about working on the same team as Rasputina to the rest of the DGA. She didn't think she was going to, either.
Grok had tortured Anabelle for nearly a week, and she was able to still work with the orc. If the elf could push her way through it, Abby told herself she could as well.
Maybe people could change.
That wasn't the matter at hand. The real question was how powerful a tool the lich could be. From everything Abby had seen, the DGA had just been handed a nuclear cache to use against the Dark One. Just the fact that Rasputina knew things about the Netherverse was already giving the DGA more resources.
The lich didn't bother to see if anyone was looking at her. She probably didn't care. "The Netherverse is the nexus of all realities."
Anabelle was geared into what the lich was saying. "What do you mean, all realities?"
"You all know about the Nine Realms and how they exist, folded on top of each other. That's why inter-realm travel works. There is hardly any space you need to pass through. It's like climbing a staircase. You're always in the same house, more or less."
"Then why say ‘other realities?’"
"Because you forget that just because your house is nine stories, there are other homes on the block. Those are the other realities."
Even though Abby was terrified of Rasputina, it had no bearing on her curiosity. She'd read a little bit about the theories of alternate dimensions and realities from studying the mission briefings of
Team Boundless, a Dragonrider squad that had allegedly met a psychic being named Vardis from another reality.
Vardis had claimed to come from the same dimension as the Dark One. Further, he’d said he had a weapon that could have destroyed the Dark One. The plan had fallen through due to the betrayal of Alex Bound and her squad, who were responsible for destroying the weapon. Alex had thought to use it for herself, to destroy the Dark One and rule Middang3ard instead.
Abby couldn't help but ask a question. "So, you're saying that there are multiple versions of us out there?"
Rasputina shook her head. "It's not that simple. There are infinite realities. The complexities of infinity are much more than you can understand, even with your improved intelligence. The only one in the room other than me who can probably fathom such a thing is Cire, now that he's finally been brought into his role as a true shaman."
She turned to face him. "You must have seen some interesting things, yes?"
Cire did not acknowledge Rasputina's words, so she continued, "For every action that has taken place in the entire history of existence, there were a nearly infinite number of variations. Some matter more than others. A leaf hitting the ground a centimeter from where it landed in another universe hardly causes any consequence. Whether you cross a street at a certain time does."
Rasputina waved her hand and a green version of Abby appeared in the room. "This is our Abby. Every decision she has ever made spawns another Abby. Every decision."
Billions of Abbys appeared in the room, so close together you could hardly see their faces. "Some of these Abbys are similar to ours. Others bear only the slightest resemblance. Quantum physics is a little more complicated than there being a good Abby and an evil Abby."
Terra raised her hand as if she were in class and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but I just wanted to double-check. Is there a possibility that there is an evil Terra?"
Rasputina snapped her fingers and all the Abbys disappeared. "Yes, there is a high probability. Or you could be the evil Terra in a couple of years. Who knows?"
Terra mimicked an explosion with her hand. "Mind. Blown."
Rasputina continued. "The only thing the vast majority of realities have in common is death. Nearly everyone and thing dies at some point, and that is what connects us all. The Netherverse is, in essence, the afterlife."
Roy ran his hands through his hair and groaned. "How? Every race has their own idea about the afterlife. How many different versions of the afterlife are there if there are infinite realities?"
"That is the interesting part about the Netherverse. It's composed of the decaying bodies of the Elder Gods, bodies dead but still dreaming. Every soul in the Netherverse is affected by the dreams of the Elder Ones, who contort themselves based on the memories of the souls. Everyone gets their own personal afterlife, informed by what they believed their afterlife would be when they died."
Abby's HUD went off. She'd received a message from Terra, which copied Anabelle. I feel like I should have smoked a shit-ton of weed for this conversation.
Abby stifled her giggle as she texted back, Who would have thought we'd get a metaphysics lesson from the lich?
Anabelle didn't seem to have time for joking. "And how do you know all of this?"
Rasputina's skin reverted to that of the deathly husk that was the lich. "I am neither dead nor alive. I've slipped between the planes for years, sometimes living my time among the dead, others trying to remember what it meant to be alive. I've seen it with my own eyes."
Her skin returned to normal. "That is how the Dark One plans on invading, by using the Netherverse as a Gate to the different realms and possible realities. Depends on the level of his power and ambition, but he can easily access the nine realms through the Netherverse."
Roy skimmed through his notebook. "What about this Tesla? Why the hell does the Dark One have a super-powered nerd inventor?"
"We think we have that one figured out," Abby sheepishly muttered.
Abby pulled up a holograph of a limited edition run of S.H.I.E.L.D. On the cover was a man who looked suspiciously like the one she had recorded trying to kill her.
Roy groaned as he let his head sag backward, his irritation mounting. “Are you telling me that the Dark One is using villains from comic books in alternate realities?"
Rasputina shook her head. "Actually, that's not how all this works. That would have to be a form of magical creation. It’s just a very eerie coincidence. Maybe the Dark One gets his ideas from human media. Who knows?"
Abby retreated to her bed.
Roy jumped to his feet and began pacing as he scratched his beard, digging deep as if he were trying to find his chin. "Okay, great. I got a lot of information but no clear plans. What are we doing about this?"
Anabelle shook her head. "If no one else is going to talk about the elephant in the room, I'll bring it up. We are now working with three former agents of the Dark One. Persephone, I'm not even slightly worried about, but the other two? Are you guys kidding me? This isn't one of Abby's ridiculous animes. People don't suddenly become good."
Abby clasped her hands tightly together and pressed them against her knees. "They aren't ridiculous."
Terra slapped her thigh. "Yeah, I resent that statement. We just finished the Perfect Cell arc, and it was fucking amazing."
Roy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you three seriously arguing about anime right now? That's it, no more missions with the Mundanes. Those MERCs are rubbing off on you."
Anabelle zeroed in on Roy, her eyes narrowing. "Anime aside, I have a point. How the hell are we supposed to trust those two?"
Roy turned to Grok. "She's right. What do you have to say about that?"
The orc straightened up. "Sarah cut a deal with the council. Ever since I joined the Dark One, I've had a price on my head. They've been waiting to kill me, and they would have if it hadn't been for Sarah. One of the conditions is if I back out of my side of the bargain, the council will unleash the horde on me. Cire probably heard about that one."
He nodded slowly. "It is true. The council has the means to stop her if she does choose to go rogue."
Roy turned around and pointed at Rasputina. "What's your convenient reason for why we should recreate the first season of Power Rangers?"
Terra's HUD went off, and she looked down at the message she'd just received from Abby. Now who’s making too many nerdy references?"
The HUD pinged again. This time it was from Anabelle. Will you two stop fucking around and pay attention?
Across the room, Rasputina looked to be deep in thought, her brows knitted tightly together. Finally, she answered, "There isn't any reason for you to believe me. All I can tell you is that I'm in control of my body."
Anabelle wasn't backing down. She stepped closer to the lich. "Are you? Because what I saw back in that cavern was someone who is mentally deranged trying to pretend they are sane. I'm not saying you have an elaborate plan to trick us, but there is no part of me that assumes you are even slightly in control."
"How do you propose to settle this? Do I have to take a psyche evaluation? Makes me wonder if you would pass."
"Fuck off. I might have anger issues, but I'm not an arrogant, psychotic, undead bitch."
Rasputina's eyes flashed bright green as she clenched her fist. "I'm. Not. Crazy." She bit the corner of her lip as she picked her cuticles. "And I am in control."
"What do you get out of this? Why the hell would you help us?"
Rasputina relaxed. "I remembered why I became this way. To defeat Death, the Dark One. That in and of itself would be reason enough, but I-I was destined to choose this. There was a higher purpose for my descent into this filth of an existence. I was meant to destroy the Dark One."
Anabelle raised her hands in defeat. "Does no one else hear her delusions of grandeur? Next thing we know, you'll be telling us that Jesus Christ with the Three Goddesses and Hephaestus personally choose you for this holy mission. Even your reasoning sounds like
it needs to be medicated."
Rasputina sat back down, hanging her head. "There has to be a reason I did this to myself. I know it. They know it. I know it." She continued to repeat this to herself.
Anabelle walked away from the lich. "I rest my case."
They sat there in silence as Roy deliberated. After what felt like an eternity of listening to Rasputina muttering softly to herself and occasionally crying, he made his decision. "I once fought with a guy who thought he was the reincarnation of King Arthur. One of the best men I served with. We're not pulling her from the mission until she proves she's not fit for combat. That being said, Rasputina, you're meeting with our psychology and health department tomorrow, and you will be for the rest of your time here."
She wiped the tears from her face and sniffled. "Understood."
Roy spun so that everyone in the conference could see him. "Now, what I've just heard is that we have a potential army of undead to deal with. We have a horde that, no offense, pales compared to an infinite fucking number of souls. We don't know if we can keep the Gates closed. Oh, and we have a fucking soul jar, and the DGA suddenly understand nerd culture now."
Abby raised her hand slowly. "Uh, we've always understood."
"That is not the point."
Rasputina, her eyes having become lucid again, pulled her hood up. "There is a way to stop the Gates. Ask the drow the one thing she fears more than anything, the fear that sits deep in her chest. If she were even to hear it spoken aloud, it would frighten her."
Persephone looked around, obviously uncomfortable with being brought into the conversation. "What are you talking about?"
Abby grabbed the drow’s hand and squeezed.
Rasputina smiled cruelly, a bit of the old lich shining through. "Tell them what that Dark Melody has nightmares about."
Persephone took a deep breath and sighed. "The Dark Melody has nightmares about ether flame. It would scorch it to nothing. Completely sever its ties to me."
Roy collapsed into his chair. "Great. The one kind of dragon I don't have access to. Couldn't be an ice dragon. God forbid a red dragon. Had to be an ether dragon. Well, I guess until we can figure this out, the priority mission is on hold. Until then, each of you keeps up with your current assignments. Good chat, team. Glad you all developed a sense of humor. Roy out."
