by Ramy Vance
Meredith fidgeted in her seat, growing more agitated. "Obviously, he's an idiot. Human politics are so backward. For instance, our reports have shown that the reports of the Dark One being destroyed is total nonsense. It is a narrative being pushed by Myrddin, his cronies, and human diplomats to gain access to our world to appropriate the resources they’ve stripped from their own planet. Humans are dangerous. Your viciousness is known across your own planet, and now you’re spreading it to ours like a cancer."
At this, Anabelle's eyes lit up. "You want to talk about violence? Have you forgotten the Three Hundred Year war the elves waged against the drow? Our own kin? Or perhaps you've neglected to remember that the first blow against the orcs was struck by elves."
At this, Meredith's face closed up, giving the impression of a clam. "That is not human business. Those are—"
"The secrets of elves? And therein lies the problem. The time for secrets is over. The time for division is finished. Look, I understand; getting used to this is difficult, but can you imagine how the humans must be feeling? They only found out about all of us less than two years ago. Now their entire civilization is being restructured. They need to give us a chance, not the other way around."
Nigel raised a pen. "Yes, those are all good in words, but what do you have to say about the Dark One? Is it true he still lives? How about we start with some honesty?"
Before Terra could say anything, Abby answered, "Yes and no. The answer is more complicated than that. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Dark One was removed from our realms, all nine of them. We don't know if he's been destroyed, and we are working tirelessly to find out."
Meredith's hawk eyes zeroed in on Abby. "You see? They've been lying to us. How can we trust Myrddin's Initiative when they've already spun the truth so much?”
"God, would you shut up for a minute?"
Meredith's jaw dropped as she glared at Abby. "How dare you speak to me like that? A child has no right—"
"A child who has given everything she has for the Nine Realms. Who has lost..."
Abby’s voice trailed off, and she looked down at her hands. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she continued, "My father died in the first wave of the Dark One's attacks, killed by orcs under the Dark One's mind control. I joined Myrddin to kill orcs. To get revenge. What I found was a much more complicated world than I had thought. I sacrificed my humanity to free the orcs. The least humanity and the rest of the races can do is try to work with each other because it's happening whether you like it or not. We all know about each other. It doesn't matter if Myrddin works with the human diplomats to make this easier for everyone involved. It's happening regardless."
Meredith and Nigel looked at each other before the dwarf meekly said, "How do you propose to accomplish that?"
Abby smiled and relaxed. "Well, here are a couple of strategies we've prepared to be reviewed by all of the races of the Nine Realms. All of them."
Terra, Abby, and Anabelle sat in the green room, watching the recording of the debate.
"I think you three did a remarkable job," a voice said.
They turned around to see a magical projection of Myrddin. "I don't think I could have said any of it better myself."
Anabelle grabbed Abby and squeezed her tightly. "That's because we had a junior debate leader on our team. Abby killed it."
Terra nodded, glad to know Abby and Anabelle could hold their own in the public eye. Particularly Anabelle. This was loads better than her first television appearance.
Myrddin smiled softly. "You all did fantastically. If only Sarah could get through an interview without threatening to murder someone."
Anabelle shrugged. "Everyone has their own style."
"Understood. I trust you will all be returning shortly?"
The members of the DGA nodded in unison. "Of course," Abby replied.
"Wonderful. I will see you soon."
Myrddin fizzled out of sight. As soon as he was gone, Anabelle pulled a set of keys out of her pocket. "Guess who snagged the chauffeur’s keys?"
Abby gasped before breaking into laughter. "Sarah should have never shown you how to pickpocket."
"Who’s ready to finally see New York?”
Chapter Seven
Abby didn't get back to her room until long after midnight. If her body had been anything like a regular human's, she would have been exhausted. Luckily, she was able to control her body to such a degree that she never got tired. Instead, her nanobots could do any and all micro-repairs on her body and internal systems that created the need to sleep.
But there was only so far that could go, and she was close to her limit.
It had been worth it, though. Anabelle had taken her and Terra all over the city, showing them her favorite spots from her modeling days. But that wasn't all. It had felt wrong for them to be in New York without visiting the site of the lich's return.
They had stood where Rasputina had erupted from the earth and visited the city blocks she'd used for a mass ritual to summon a Jotuun. It was a good way to end the day.
None of them wanted to forget what they were fighting for.
If they hadn't seen the wreckage before, they would not have known this part of the city had been reduced to rubble.
The only sign of destruction was a monument erected to the victims of Rasputina the Lich's attack.
A lot had happened since then, even though it didn't feel like it because there was always something to take care of. Abby could see it in herself. She hadn't felt like a child when she originally signed up with Myrddin, and she didn't feel like an adult now that she was eighteen. It was more complicated than that.
Abby looked at herself in the mirror, watching the light reflect off the nanobots that formed a collar up to her chin.
That was part of what made her feel different. She'd never been insecure about the changes to her humanity. They had been judgment calls and sacrifices for the team and the war. But it was still hard for Abby to get her mother's worried face out of her mind.
The week after they defeated the Dark One, Abby had returned to the farm. Her mother had looked at her like—
Abby didn’t want to think about it. She decided to go to the shooting range.
As she was preparing to leave, her comm pinged with a message from Creon to the team. He'd found a lead on the Dark Melody.
Terra messaged back first. We just got home. Can it wait until tomorrow?
Anabelle was next. Yeah, we had a long day.
Then Creon. That's your call. If you want to take the chance that we might lose the one lead we have to find the contact who is supplying criminals with a possible world-destroying material, well, that's up to you guys. I'm a simple scientist. Who am I to question the great Dark Gate Angels?
Terra sent a string of expletives, followed by a set of aggressive emojis, then, Fine, I'll see y'all at the Collider.
As Abby made her way to the Collider, she stopped by Persephone's room and knocked. She stood there for a few minutes, but there was no answer. That was what she'd expected.
Persephone had hardly been home over the last three months. She was traveling between the realms, leading classes on cultural sensitivity, opening training workshops, and in some cases, mediating the more confusing social issues that arose.
Persephone had been surprised when Myrddin offered her the job, but Abby hadn't. The recommendation had originated from her, after all. Abby knew her drow girlfriend and how big Persephone's heart was. Her compassion was coupled with the practicality needed in such times.
If there was anyone who could help this transition along, it was Persephone.
But the job came with sacrifices, and right now, one of those was their relationship. The two of them still hadn't been able to make time for a date in over a month.
Abby sighed. She missed Persephone, the sound of her voice, her soft skin pressed against her own. Hopefully, things would slow down a little bit, and they would be able to spend some time together.
&
nbsp; It was amazing that they had seen more of each other when the universe was on the edge of collapse.
The complications of peace, Abby thought. When you’re on the edge of death, you make time for those who matter. When you’re not, well, life seems to get in the way.
Terra and Anabelle were already at the Collider by the time Abby arrived. Roy was there as well, talking quietly with Anabelle a few steps from Terra.
Abby tilted her head in Anabelle’s and Roy's direction. "What's up with those two?"
Terra shrugged as she fiddled with her wrist comm. "I think they were supposed to have a date tonight or something. Don't ask me how. If Cire suddenly showed up, I’d give that orc a kiss on the cheek and pass out. I'm fucking exhausted."
Roy walked over to Abby and Terra, his face frazzled. During his tenure heading the operations of the DGA, gray had salted his perfectly black beard and hair.
Still, he looked a lot healthier than he had before. He’d finally put the weight he had lost back on. "Good to see you two. It's been a while."
Terra hugged Roy tightly, lifting him off the ground. "Hell, yeah. You can say that again. How you been living, my dude?"
"Same ol' shit, different day. Blackwell's finally getting used to the new job, so that's making my life a lot easier."
"Sorry we're taking Anabelle away from you tonight. Creon didn't think it was a good idea to put this off."
Roy waved away Terra's concerns. "Don't worry about it. I'm heading out too. There's been an altercation on the orcish world with a few humans."
Terra's smile fell, replaced by a tense frown. "What the hell is happening? I didn't hear anything."
"That's because it's not a problem with the orcs. It’s the humans who are being shitheads. A bunch of rowdy humans on a work program went off on an orc, and it got messy. As a result, it fell into my jurisdiction, but don’t worry. We already solved it. I have to go pick up the pieces. Guess they weren't prepared for what happens when you're a racist against someone who is willing to kick your ass. They're lucky the orc didn't tear their heads off."
Terra shrugged as she started to brood. "Where's the fun in that? I can't believe that shit is still happening."
Roy watched the Hadron Collider turn on. "We're doing our best to cut down on it. Weed out the crazies. Every so often, we get an anti-orc nut. The more we can keep that kind of news off-planet, the better. The orcs have been making a good show of faith by opening up to us, largely because of you. I'd really hate for humanity to fuck it up."
Abby stepped aside to give some workers a way to get past. "Have there been any incidents on Earth? Like on the orc world?"
Roy shook his head. "No, but honestly, we're expecting one. People blew each other up for this shit for years. Now the same hate groups are looking for someone else to terrorize.” He forced a tired smile. “But again, don’t worry. We're on the lookout."
Anabelle came over and kissed Roy on the cheek. "Later, babe. We gotta go."
The former mech rider nodded solemnly. "I'll leave you guys to it. Be safe."
Terra saluted Roy as she walked by. "Always do." Then she turned to Abby. "Hey, how come you don't just teleport us there?"
Abby raised two fingers. "One, teleporting uses a lot of our energy, especially if it's going to be you two in addition to ourselves. Secondly, Tesla."
Anabelle gave Abby a confused look. "I thought you left him locked in an in-between realm or something?"
Abby shrugged. "People say they know how all that works. We're not sure. Rather play it safe. Sometimes we have nightmares he's going to find us. What we did was torture, but it was the only way. It scares us to think about what he would do if he ever got out."
"Don't think about it. You're wasting your time and energy. We do what we have to do. That's our job. Now let's go."
Anabelle stepped through the Hadron Collider. Terra and Abby followed right after.
Abby and Terra stepped out of the Collider. Anabelle was tossed out and landed flat on her ass. "Goddess damn it!" she grumbled as Abby helped her to her feet.
Terra looked around. "You gotta get better with your landings, Anna. You'd think you didn't grow up with magic, the way you always bomb that."
Anabelle brushed off her uniform. "The Collider is not magic. And shut up. I haven't fallen out in a while."
While Anabelle and Terra argued, Abby scanned the area they had arrived in. The mission briefing had said this was an island off of Greece. The Dark Melody had been traced to a cave on the island.
The island was covered by a heavy thicket of greenery that started not far from the beach, which was where the portal had dropped them. The crashing waves gave Abby the creeps as she wondered what could be hiding in the island's dark interior. "Come on, let's get this over with so we can go home."
Terra followed after Abby. "I'm not gonna argue with that."
Abby led them into the thicket, illuminating the path she was trying to make. "Martin, can you scan for odd life forms?"
Martin popped up in Abby's peripheral vision. "All forms of organic life are odd to me."
"Stop being a smartass."
"Might as well tell me to stop breathing. Oh, wait, never mind. All right, this is what we got. Tons of plants, like a shit-ton, but nothing weird for this region. Little scurrying things here or there, and a lot of decomposing animals. I think that's a good place to check out."
Abby converted her arm into a long blade and slashed through the branches in front of her. "Thanks. Will do." She looked over her shoulder. "Martin says there's something suspicious up ahead. A bunch of dead animals."
One of the vines Abby moved out of the way snapped back and hit Terra in the face. "What’s so special about dead animals? Isn’t that the law of the jungle or something?"
"Depends."
They continued walking and finally came to the dead animals Martin had spoken of.
Carcasses were piled high. There were at least twenty of them, stripped of nearly all their flesh. Their polished bones reflected the somber moonlight.
Anabelle knelt to get a closer look. "Looks like we've stumbled onto a predator’s trash bin." She picked up one of the bones. "It's been picked clean. See the claw marks?"
She tossed the bone to Terra, who looked it over, then handed it to Abby, who scanned it. "Those are teeth and claw marks. Whatever did this ate nearly everything," Abby said. "There wasn't a whole lot left over to decompose."
Abby looked around the island for a moment before bringing up her map. "The island is too small to have a predator this large living here. What the hell would it even be?"
Anabelle scratched the back of her head before pulling her hair up in a bun. "Could be something from one of the Nine Realms, someone dropping off animals for illegal transporting. There's that huge big cat thing in the States. How many of those people would be willing to drop a fortune for something from another realm?"
Terra shook her head. "That would make sense if we were someplace near the States. There's no market like that near Greece. And there's only one? Why would they only bring one?"
"Well, what are the other options?"
Abby pointed her scanner at the ground, highlighting footprints in the dirt. The footprints were nearly three times the size of her feet. "How about we follow these and find out?"
They followed the trail through the trees until they came to a cave in the side of a ridge. There were fresh footprints outside the cave, along with the remains of a fire. The ashes were still smoldering in the firepit.
Abby checked out the fire. "Looks like we got us a real live person. Guess smuggled animals are off the list."
Terra kicked a rock. "Damn it. I was really hoping for something weird to wrestle."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of trees cracking to their right.
Pushing over all the trees in his way, a cyclops came toward them, wearing a tattered blue robe with a hood pulled down to his eye. The staff he gripped in his right hand was abo
ut a foot taller than Abby.
"What about something to kill you?" the cyclops bellowed.
Terra laughed as she jerked her thumb toward him. "This is the guy who’s selling the Dark Melody? Give me a break."
The cyclops raised his staff and slammed it on the ground. The ground beneath Terra tumbled into a hole, which she promptly dropped into, narrowly escaping by grasping the edge. Anabelle dove forward and helped her up.
"Ugh. Magic," Terra grumbled.
Chapter Eight
The three DGA agents squared off against the cyclops.
He walked right past the DGA to the entrance of his cave, where there was a large stone, and sat down. "Before we get into this, I want to know who the hell you are and what the hell you are doing here."
Abby and Terra exchanged glances while Anabelle laughed. "We're the ones who are here to ask questions. Like, for one, how the hell did you get your hands on the Dark Melody?"
The cyclops reached behind the stone and pulled out the body of a half-eaten lamb. "Oh, you must be Myrddin's girls."
Anabelle bristled at the term, the hair on her neck standing up. "Before we go any further, I'm going to tell you not to say that again, or we will make this much more painful for you than it needs to be."
The cyclops bit into the lower body of the lamb, easily tearing it apart and swallowing the entrails. He didn't bother to stop chewing as he spoke. "Why? You are his lapdogs, aren't you? He says run, and you ask how far."
"Whose lapdog are you?"
"Don't matter to you. You'll be dead in a couple of minutes. Hmm. You'd probably go well in a stew. I haven't had elf in a while."
The cyclops stood and removed his robe, revealing a body with tightly corded muscles and a misleading beer belly.
Anabelle had fought cyclops before. They weren't much different from giants, maybe a bit easier because of the lack of depth perception. "Fine, your funeral."
Faster than the eye could register, Anabelle ran forward. Her fist went up as she leaped, ready to crack the cyclops on the head.
