by Riker Kane
“You get close enough, that thing will flatten you easy… There has to be a way to get it to come out of its shell.”
There had to be some way I could hurt it. If I could get to its head, one good punch would do enough damage to daze it.
The terrapin leaped up and slammed back down onto the grass, shaking the ground and forcing Jade and me to steady ourselves. Then it slowly started coming forward.
“I don’t think it can see where it’s going,” she said. “Not that it matters… It’s gonna hide in it shell for as long as it can.”
“…Then we’ll let the bastard hide in its shell.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The gauntlets are strong enough. I can break through its shell.”
Jade hesitated to say anything. There was a look of reluctance in her eyes. But as the giant turtle moved closer, she knew it was the best option.
“It’s your call,” she said.
“Keep it off balance as best you can. Save your endurance and stay out of its way.”
She twirled her staff and pointed it forward. I ran up to meet the terrapin. It was right in front of me, raising both of its front legs to try and stomp on me. Its heel was more than enough to cover my entire body.
“Shit!” I just managed to roll out of the way and avoided getting turned into a pancake.
“Watch out!” Jade shot a fireball into the turtle shell and made it take a step back.
It was the second I needed to move to its side and grab its shell. “C’mon…” I squeezed my fingers on it as hard as I could. The hard green bone began to give underneath the metal until I finally made a grip for myself. “There we go.” I dug my fingers in and pulled myself up until I was on top of its back. My arms moved out as I kept my balance. The turtle was big but it was too slow to shake me off.
“Now let’s see…” I moved up near the part of the shell where its head was hidden. One hand digging into the shell, I reared back with the other gauntlet and slammed it down. The blow reverberated through my palm and the rest of my body. It was like slamming my fist into a brick wall. But when I looked closer, I saw it. A small crack appearing in the lining of the green shell.
“That’s it… I got you…”
I measured another punch and the crack grew. Another punch and the lines began to separate. The turtle began to move underneath me but I maintained my balance.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
CLANG. One punch. CLANG. Then another. CLANG. Then another. I pounded my knuckles into shell, ignoring my own fatigue and aching muscles.
The beast roared, the vibrations from its echo enough to wobble my legs. But I kept my balance, holding on to throw more punches.
I kept swinging until—CRUNCH—the shell began to break off. Chunks chipped away, splintering off in every direction. I was breaking away so much of the shell I could see the soft flesh underneath. And just in front of me, there was the terrapin’s head slowly beginning to peak out.
“Jade! Get ready!”
I raised both of my fists over my head and brought them down together, breaking off a massive chunk of the turtle’s shell.
“RAAAAAAAAAAH!” The head popped out and its mouth opened with a scream that shook the sky.
“Now!”
Jade fired a volley that caught the side of the beast’s head, sending it into a daze. I rushed up as fast as I could before it receded back into its shell. With all of my strength, I reared back and threw a right hand that caught the top of the creature’s skull. If I could get through its shell, its head wasn’t any match for me. I cracked its head then fired again, working the gauntlet like I was trying to turn the beast into mush.
Its whole body shook. Its head flailed. But it was slowing down. Weakening. Even its screams were fading. An endless assault from Jade and me made it writhe until suddenly, it exploded into a shower of red, green, and blue Mana.
I tumbled from the sky and thudded on the grass, knocking the wind out of me. “Shit…”
Jade rushed up. “Are you all right?”
“Never better.”
The soft howl of the wind filled my ears and blew against me. From the corner of my eye, I saw something move. A soft pulse of energy floated just above the grass. Blue waves like I’d seen coming from the Junction Gate. I kept staring until it formed an uneven circle.
“That’s it,” I said. “The way to the next zone.”
Right next to it, a purple Obelisk formed. Jade walked up to it then placed her palm on it. “We can use this as a checkpoint. I think we should head back before moving into the next zone. Redgrave might have some important information for us.”
I looked down at all of the Mana surrounding me and nodded. “Got some levels to gain. Might as well be prepared for what’s next.”
15: Drinks & Drama
Enzo Drake
Level 10 Slayer
(5 levels available)
Hit Points 100
Endurance 50
Strength 12
Speed 9
Durability 13
Control 8 (+3 Synergy Bonus)
“Five more levels. Better watch out, Jade. I’m comin’ for ya.”
Jade crossed her arms, looking over my shoulder at the tablet display. “The gap’s closing. That’s all for the best. You need to be at your strongest the closer we get to Anarchy.”
“Just admit you’re a little worried I might be catching up to you. I know Omegas can be insecure about their stats and levels. That’s the reason so many young people join up with the Legion.”
The miffed look on her face only made me grin even more. She sighed softly then gave me a reluctant nod. “There’s no doubt there’s a bit of a competitive streak in some Omegas—”
“Ha! I knew it! You can’t avoid something like that. Everybody always wants to be the biggest and baddest.”
“The Legion gives certain incentives to help push Omegas to their limits. But I was never one who cared too much about the scoreboard.”
“I find that hard to believe. You take pride in being an Omega.”
“I take pride in being an Omega. But my only competition is myself. No one else.” Jade clenched her jaw so hard I could see her cheeks shifting. I kept staring at her, grinning and watching the smile slowly appear on her face. “Even when you do pass me, just know I’ll do my part on the battlefield, Slayer.”
“I know you will.”
She moved to one of the other workbenches to polish her staff. I turned back to the tablet and approved the five level increases. The rush of energy flowing from the gauntlets squeezed my forearms and spread through my veins. The invigorating rush was like my insides were bubbling. The feeling faded and I saw my new stats on display.
Strength 14 (+2)
Speed 10 (+1)
Durability 15 (+2)
Control 8 (+3 Synergy Bonus)
My muscles swelled tighter. I was a little lighter on my feet, too. But the satisfaction of seeing the numbers go up was better than gains I’d ever gotten in the gym.
I moved over to the workstation where Redgrave was working. I set my gauntlets down then watched him hold up the small orb.
The terrapin dropped a bunch of Mana for me to absorb. But it dropped one thing behind I couldn’t. A solid blue jewel I could squeeze in the palm of my hand. The jagged edges made it look like an unrefined sapphire. Even if the lights weren’t so yellow, there wasn’t much of a shine to it.
“I’m guessing that’s not just some random rock,” I said.
Redgrave held it close to his eyes then set it down on the workstation. “It’s a Core. Concentrated Mana. Sometimes Shadows leave them behind.”
“Can you do anything with it?”
“Cores are used to power-up Omega weapons in the Crafting Bay. There are engineers who specialize in it.”
“You’re a smart guy, Doc. You can do it, too.”
“Perhaps if I had the right tools. But I don’t have an analyzer, so I couldn�
�t even tell you what type of bonus this Core would give you. And I’m afraid I don’t have the precision a weapon engineer would have.”
I looked at the jewel and sighed. “Too bad.”
“But I was the creator of the Slayer Gauntlets. You don’t think I designed them without being able to improve them, did you?” The old man smiled up at me. I should’ve been mad at him for not telling me in the first place. But Redgrave seemed amused enough that I had to laugh.
“What can you do?” I asked.
“Just as the gauntlets break down the Blue and Green Mana into Red Mana so you can use it to level, I can do something similar with this Core. I can amplify the strength of the gauntlets and further unlock its potential with this.”
“Is that right?” I picked up the blue jewel and tossed it around in my hand. “It’s a shame we haven’t come across more of these Cores. All of those goblins are cheapskates, apparently…”
“The terrapin was of significant strength. It’s no surprise it carried a Core with it.”
“That giant turtle wasn’t much of a challenge. All I had to do was punch it as hard as I could.”
“Not all battles are meant to test your fighting capability. To get to your destination, there will be times when you will have to climb over the wall and not simply punch through it.”
Redgrave spoke slowly. His words resonated with me. I figured maybe it was because he was older. Considering the things he knew, the guy definitely had some wisdom. I didn’t trust him completely yet but he was doing everything he could to convince me otherwise.
“It will be some time to upgrade the gauntlets,” he said. “You fought a long, hard battle. I recommend you take this time to yourself.”
“Not a bad idea…” I walked over to Jade and stared at the staff she was wiping. “Doesn’t look any worse for wear. You sure you need to tend to it that much?”
“A Harbinger’s staff gets worn from the Mana it channels. Engineers maintain it the same as they would a sword or a shield. But you did most of the work in the battle, so the wear isn’t significant. I’ve leveled enough to unlock a new ability. Normally, abilities are practiced with Captains in the training labs. It appears I’ll have to learn it for myself.”
Jade finally put her staff down when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and read the text on the screen. I stared at her eyes, watching her expression change to something more serious. I still didn’t know her well enough to push her to tell me if something was wrong. I was probably just being paranoid.
But I knew there was something else I could do, at least.
“It was a long battle,” I said. “Exhausting. We both got a mission bonus for it. What do you say we head out for the night for another cooldown?”
Jade glanced at her phone for a few seconds before looking up at me. “Yeah.” She nodded, a half-hearted smile on her lips. “That sounds all right.”
~ ~ ~
Jade had such clean, fair skin, she probably got a lot of attention wherever she went. Her dark hair always had a sheen to it. It was like every strand was combed in place, trailing down the sides of her face in perfect lines. High cheekbones. A thin nose and a pointed chin. Maybe I was just used to staring at everybody in the gym that she stood out to me.
But at Lucky’s Pub, it was even easier for her to stand out. I would’ve called the patrons around here lowlifes if I wasn’t one of them myself. Nah. That’s just how Newmire was. Just honest folks looking for a place to drink.
Jade sat next to me, looking as out of place as I’d ever seen her. And judging from the look on her face, she probably felt it, too. She raised an eyebrow, examining the dingy, dimly lit bar. Her expression didn’t change as she eyed the drink in front of me.
“I never figured you for a pineapple juice sort of guy.”
“Is that right? Probably took me as one of those dudes who only drinks whiskey using the skull of the last person I killed.”
“That crossed my mind.”
We smiled at one another before turning to our drinks. I wrapped my lips around my straw while she stirred the ice around in her glass of iced tea.
It was a quiet evening. Perfect after all of the noise of the latest battle in the Vale.
“You’re pretty good, you know that?” she said suddenly.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to be a little more specific.”
She laughed and shook her head. “You know what I mean. Some people take a long time to adjust to Pandora. You’re a natural. You’ve got it. Something innate. Instinct. You’d make a great Omega.”
“You trying to recruit me?” I raised an eyebrow at her, my lips still wrapped around my straw.
“I’m only saying, after we find your father, I’m sure the door will be open for you. They might have something to say about your weapons and you’ll probably have to pick a standard class but you’d do well. Think about it. Fighting for the world. Making some decent money. It’s a good workout, too. No better way to level up and get stronger.”
“Yeah… That sounds like you’re trying to recruit me.” I sucked up a mouthful of my drink and swished it around in my mouth. “The LOD is everywhere. Humanity’s greatest challenge. You can’t walk down the street without seeing a brochure. You can’t scroll through your phone without seeing an ad. But you already know the truth.”
“I do?”
I leaned in close to her to make sure she could hear me. “My father was an Omega. He joined the Legion to do his part. What did he get for it? He’s gone. No trace. No memory. They don’t even acknowledge what happened to him. He’s a blemish on their spotless record. I’m not doing this to save the world or make money. This is for him. And once we get to him, that’ll be the end of it. He can get the retirement he deserves and I can hang up the gloves.”
I moved back to my drink. The sweet juice helped cool me down. I didn’t even know why I was getting so worked up in the first place.
Jade stayed silent. But the last thing I wanted to do was leave her in a bad mood. Not after everything we accomplished.
“I’m too old anyway,” I said.
“You’re twenty-seven. That’s not old.”
“Omegas apply right when they’re fresh out of high school. Imagine a guy like me, ten years older, showing up for orientation with a bunch of kids.”
“You’d be a little older but on the battlefield… You’d have your place.”
“No thanks.”
I could see Jade smiling from the corner of my eye. She gave me a sideways glance as she took a sip of her drink.
Lucky’s Pub was mostly quiet, with everybody beginning to wind down their night. It was already past midnight when we both finished our first drink.
“That was nice,” she sighed. Her eyes shifted to the phone she was clutching tight in her hand. “It’s getting kinda late though. Unfortunately…”
I wasn’t one for reading girls. Jade was as confusing as the rest of them. But damn if it didn’t look like something was bothering her. Some damn frown that showed up whenever she looked at her phone.
“…I guess it is getting kinda late. Should probably get some rest. Starting a new zone.”
“That’s probably a good idea. Thanks for the drink, Enzo—”
“Well, well, well. Look who it is.”
A familiar voice interrupted us. I couldn’t place it exactly. But a quick glance next to me and I saw just who it was.
Ethan and his boys were there, wearing the same outfits they had on in the gym. The blond inched toward me with his hands out.
“Enzo. In the flesh.” Ethan said it with as much fake enthusiasm as he could. “What are the chances?”
“Newmire’s a small town. It happens.”
“Apparently.” He shifted his eyes to Jade. He gave her the same look frat boys gave when they eyed something they liked. But he turned his attention back to me, making it obvious he had something else on his mind. “Just wanted to congratulate you on the exhibition earlier. Nice litt
le scrap we had. Never expected much from a civilian.”
“I know a thing or two.” I didn’t take my eyes off him. Not that I could with how hard he was staring at me.
“It seems like you do. You’re a good fighter. I’m not trained in the ring though.”
“Hmm… That’s surprising.”
It wasn’t.
Ethan chuckled to himself. “No, Omegas train for more serious threats. Monsters. Beasts. Giant creatures you couldn’t even imagine.” Ethan slicked his hair back over his head with his hand in an attempt to show off his bicep. “Yeah, that’s the kind of thing an Omega deals with.”
“I’ll bet… You and your friends deserve a chance to relax. Settle down. Have a drink. My friend and I were just leaving.”
I got up from my seat and Jade walked with me toward the exit.
“Omegas are the reason civilians like you are still around,” Ethan called out suddenly to stop me in my tracks. “Everything you’ve got is because of the Legion. Too bad you can’t show some respect.”
I stared at the ground, listening to Ethan and his buddies scoff in disgust.
“Enzo?” Jade put her hand gently on my arm.
I looked up at her and nodded. “It’s okay. I got this.” I spun back around and marched right up to Ethan, moving close enough until I could look him in the eye.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” I said. “I don’t owe you or any Omega thanks. The Legion hasn’t done shit for me. So if you want me to show some respect, earn it.”
Ethan took a step back, his lips twitching into some smarmy little smile. He looked at both of his buddies and shrugged. “You hear that, boys? The man doesn’t respect the LOD. Doesn’t appreciate the Omegas that are stopping the monsters from coming right to his doorstep.”
Ethan raised his voice enough to draw the attention of the whole bar. Everybody was still on their seats but stopped their conversations. The tension was noticeable.
I stood my ground as Ethan walked right up to me, that grin of his as smug as ever. “You’re right,” he said. “Respect is earned. I guess I’d better do it now—”
