by Riker Kane
I stuck my leg out and pushed it through the energy. The rest of my body followed. I kept walking until my feet were back on solid ground.
My eyes shifted left and right. The dim lights of the storage warehouse were just bright enough for me to see all of the LOD equipment around me. Jade was there. Alisa was there. And Dr. Redgrave stood with his hands behind his back.
Behind me, the blue energy slowly disappeared into the air.
“That’s some kinda magic trick,” I said.
“It’s not magic,” Redgrave said. “I worked with Higashi himself when he discovered the first gateway into Pandora. The same method can be applied to our own world. Matter can be transported short distances.”
“Wait… Are you telling me you teleported everything?”
He nodded. “We’re still on the docks. In a different storage facility. If Castleberry were to investigate the previous warehouse we were in, he would find nothing except perhaps a faint but undetectable residue.”
It made sense. I mean, as much sense as teleporting could make. I couldn’t argue with it, since I’d seen it for myself.
“You know about this?” I asked Jade.
She shook her head.
“It was too much of a risk,” Redgrave explained. “If Jade didn’t have the details, there would be no information to give if she were apprehended.”
“Well, now we all know,” Alisa said. She put her hands on her hips, an unsatisfied look on her face. “Castleberry knows what’s up. He’s hounding me about details but I keep telling him I’ve got nothing.”
“If we’re still on the docks, Castleberry is still coming for us,” Jade said. “If it comes down to opening every warehouse and searching every building, he’ll do it. He’ll get the warrants. He’ll get the resources. There’ll be no teleporting if he has people everywhere at once.”
“How much time do we have?” I asked.
“A few weeks at most.”
“The clock was already ticking before Agent Castleberry’s arrival.” Redgrave moved over to his workbench and put down the device he used to teleport everything. “I anticipated deceiving someone like him would be necessary. There is no time to worry about him.” He moved over to the display map. The blinking blue dot neared the center. He placed his finger on it and trailed it along three lines to different points.
“The next step in your journey. We’ve arrived at another decision. I’ve been able to get more accurate readings. In addition to the worlds you’ll be traversing, I was able to get a reading on the Shadows looking to stop you.”
The incident with Castleberry was forgotten. Everybody focused on the task at hand with Redgrave continuing to explain where we were going.
“Up first are the Onyx Mountains. A black, treacherous climb through rocky terrain. Your journey will be more an ascension than a walk. Waiting for you at the top at the last checkpoint would be the Scarlet Giant. A bloodthirsty ogre who prefers ripping its victims limb from limb.”
“Climbing mountains to fight a giant who wants to tear us apart.” Alisa shook her head, a grimace on her face. “That doesn’t sound like fun.”
“Keep in mind, the mountains would be the shortest zone you’d have to go through.”
“That’s good,” I said. “But a longer zone means more levels to gain.”
“Indeed. Which brings me to your next option, the Ashen Plains. A stark, barren grassland consumed by fire. Minus the inevitable Shadows, it would be a simple walk toward the beast responsible for all of the destruction in the zone.”
“And that would be?”
“The Razor Dragon. A fire-breathing behemoth whose talons are just as dangerous as the flames it spews.”
“I don’t suppose there’s a zone with bunnies who wanna throw chocolate instead of fire at us.” Alisa’s eyes widened, actually thinking Redgrave was gonna tell her what she wanted to hear.
Jade laughed softly and sighed. “What’s our last option?” she asked.
Redgrave moved his finger to the last dot on the map we could head to. “The Crimson Coast. The waters are dark, bloodied by the victims of the Sepia Fiend. The tentacled beast lures unsuspecting targets on the edge of the waters, dragging them into a sea fight where it has the advantage.”
“Hey.” Alisa clapped her hands together. “Did you hear what I said about bunnies?”
Redgrave walked up and put a hand on her shoulder. It didn’t give her much consolation as she frowned.
“You’re strong,” he said. “The original Slayer was able to make his journey to Anarchy by himself.”
“I’m not the Slayer my father was,” I said.
“Perhaps. But three of you will make up the difference.”
“It was always gonna be a challenge either way,” I said. “Any opinions?”
“It’s your call,” Jade said.
“Alisa?”
She frowned as she looked up at the map. “I’m here for the cash. Just tell me what to shoot.”
Onyx Mountains. Ashen Plains. Crimson Coast. It was gonna be hard no matter what.
“We’re going to the Crimson Coast,” I said. “Everybody get ready.”
Jade and Alisa moved to the workbench to make sure their weapons were in order. Redgrave led me over to the side where the Slayer Gauntlets were waiting. They were polished to a shine, showing no chips or scuffs from all the Shadows I punched.
“A new ability has been added with the Core you gave me. You can see it for yourself.”
I slid the gauntlets on and the communicator display brightened.
SP-002 SLAYER GAUNTLETS
*Amplified Melee Damage
*Amplified Strength
Added Core Abilities:
Revolver Drill
Swing both gauntlets 360-degrees, hitting targets on all sides
Power Shield
Activate a frontal energy barrier that blocks damage
“The gauntlets have a built-in defense but it’s only meant for minor attacks. This will stop all incoming damage whether it be from a volley of projectiles or a single, devastating blow.”
“That’ll be useful.”
“Another reminder, the gauntlets are tied directly to your level of control and endurance. The higher your control, the more damage it will be able to sustain. Your endurance will be drained activating the barrier.”
“It’s tiring being on defense just like being on offense. I get it.”
“In addition, I was able to procure additional missions for you.” He tapped on his tablet and my display lit-up with the information.
Available Missions
Defeat 50 Shadows
Reward: $500
Gain 1 Mana Level
Reward: $100
“Gain a level? That’s a little too easy.”
“Alisa insisted on taking on as many missions as possible.”
“Is that right?” I looked over at her. But it wasn’t that weird she wanted more missions, considering she was doing this for the money. “She’ll get her cash. Any other tips for me?”
“You’re getting closer. Don’t let the incident with Castleberry distract you.”
I nodded. “I’m ready to go.”
“Good luck, Slayer.”
~ ~ ~
The yellow sun shined just over the horizon but not burning bright enough I couldn’t look out toward it. Beneath it, the waves crashed in the water a gentle rhythm. The white foam gathered from every ripple. I’d been to the beach before, so being out near the water like this wasn’t anything new to me. The sea salt filling my lungs. The breeze blowing against my skin. The palm trees swaying underneath the darkening orange sky. I couldn’t remember the last time I was out on the beach with the sun setting in the backdrop like it was now. The scene was gorgeous enough to make me forget I was in Pandora.
But it wouldn’t be Pandora without something being a little off. It was all around me, forcing me to blink my eyes to make sure I was looking at it right.
“Whoa…�
�� Alisa slowly walked toward the edge of the water. “You see this?”
“I see it all right.” I moved next to her and scooped up some of the water. I cupped it in my hand, examining it closer. “It’s… red.”
“Then I’m not going crazy.”
“I guess that’s why it’s been labeled the Crimson Coast.”
“Careful now,” Jade said behind us. “There’s a reason the water is red. It’s stained with the blood from everything killed in it.”
“Eep!” Alisa scurried back onto the sandy beach and pulled out her hand cannon.
Even though there was a reddish tent to the water, I could still see what was underneath it. “The water’s safe around here. From the looks of things, it’s like an ordinary beach. The only difference is the color.”
“At least the weather is nice,” Alisa sighed. “I’d still rather get through this as fast as possible.”
“Agreed.” I walked back onto the sand and looked around. We stood on the beach, the first island in a chain of them that went farther than I could see. “There’s only one path to walk forward. I’m guessing that’s our destination.” I pointed to the mountain in the distance. One peak stood out higher than the others, its rocky top stretching beyond the clouds.
“Whatever happened to not having to scale treacherous mountains?” Alisa said.
“I’m only reading what the map is telling me. You ready?”
Alisa nodded though it was clear she wasn’t completely comfortable about walking through red waters. Jade rested her staff on her shoulder with energy flowing from her palm to the tip of the piece of cold steel.
I walked forward through the sand and toward the edge of the water leading to the next island. The water was shallow, barely getting up over my heels. The waves pushed the tide in but there was nothing that threatened to wash over us completely.
The mountains in the distance were covered with a forest of palm trees at the base. But it’d take some time before we reached it with how many islands there were between us and our destination.
“This is the Crimson Coast, huh?” Alisa said. “You know, if it wasn’t for the monsters lurking in the water and the complete lack of civilization, I wouldn’t mind spending some time out here.”
“You are spending time out here,” I replied.
“You know what I mean. I’m talking about on a vacation. Laying out in the sand. Listening to the waves and watching the sun go down. I wonder if anybody came to Pandora and decided to just stick around.”
“That’s not likely,” Jade said. “Every trip into Pandora is monitored at every District. When someone goes through a Junction, they know exactly which Omegas have gone through. Their vital signs are being monitored. Their actions are being tracked. Their Recall Boxes have a record of their genetic data, ready to recompose them if everything goes bad. You can’t be in Pandora without somebody knowing you’re there.”
“But we’re in Pandora now. And nobody knows we’re here.”
Alisa made an interesting point. I raised an eyebrow at Jade, who looked like she hadn’t considered what Alisa mentioned. The answer was obvious though.
“This is another dimension,” I said. “Earth is our world. That’s where we belong. Nobody would stay in Pandora. Not willingly, anyway.”
“You ever wonder if there’s anything else out here? I mean, not just Shadows trying to kill us but people like us. You know, ordinary folks who are from Pandora.”
Alisa’s questions made me chuckle. “I don’t know,” I said. “I never…”
I stopped talking when a giant wave crashed to the left of me. I raised my fists and watched as swirls of white energy formed just above the water. They kept growing into larger circles until flashing in a bright light. What looked like goblins fell out, splashing into the water and quickly swimming toward us.
“Time to test my upgrade.” Jade stepped forward and charged her staff. A Solo Spark fired out in a green fireball big enough to engulf a whole car. The surface of the water ignited.
“Ahhhh!” Screams from the goblins filled the air as they flailed to try and put the flames out. They struggled to get out of the water, kicking their arms and legs in every direction. I rushed up and slammed my fists into them as they reached the shore. Just a single straight shot was enough to turn them into Mana. The added strength of my gauntlets made me feel like I was vaporizing the goblins completely.
Another burst of energy formed on the other side of the small island we walked across. More goblins spilled into the water and began rushing toward us.
“My turn.” Alisa raised her hand cannon and began firing. Steady shots of blue energy hit the goblins, slowing them down as they struggled to get to the water. Jade followed up with another Solo Spark that engulfed a small group of the goblins.
But there were so many of them, a few of them managed to get onto the sand unscathed.
The creatures looked like the others we’d encountered. But these ones had scales with a deep-red tint. On their forearms and calves were the scaly fins they used to swim faster. In their hands, crude wooden spears with sharp tips were pointed right at me.
“Gaaaah!” The goblins shouted in unison as they tossed their spears at me.
I quickly raised my fists. “Power Shield!” A blue barrier formed around my gauntlets and spread over the rest of my body in a half-dome. The spears deflected and splintered when they collided. Bursts of energy chipped my shield but nothing got through.
I kept the shield up until the volley was over. The barrier came down and a deep gasp escaped my lungs. “Shit… He wasn’t kidding about it testing my endurance.”
“Careful now.” Jade moved by my side and aimed at the goblins advancing toward us. Two dozen creatures kicked up the sand and closed the distance on the small, barren island. “With me, Alisa.”
“I got you.” Alisa raced up with her weapon.
The two moved next to each other and fired. Cannon blasts and fireballs consumed the group, taking out more than half of them in flames and piercing shots.
“My turn.” I ran forward and cracked the nearest goblin’s head. A quick spin and I leveled the next one with a backfist. The goblin’s all converged on me but I was already in a rhythm. Left hook to one goblin’s jaw. Right cross to the next goblin’s stomach. Left jab to the next goblin trying to leap at me. I twisted and turned in every direction. My increased speed allowed me to turn easily and not get overwhelmed.
But the beasts were relentless even though they were fighting a losing battle. Six remained, all leaping into the air to try and claw me to death.
“Revolver Drill!”
My gauntlets came up and I spun, knocking them away before they could get close. The hard steel against their scales was unforgiving. Their bones crunched and their black blood spilled with a noxious stench that overpowered the sea salt air.
But when I was done attacking, all across the sand around me were their beaten bodies which quickly faded into Mana. The fresh ocean air returned and it was peaceful on the beach again.
“Not too bad for a first attack.” Alisa held her barrel up to her mouth and blew it even though there was no smoke to blow away.
I chuckled at the sight of her, already forgetting about the red sea goblins we just killed.
Jade looked down at her communicator. “The first checkpoint isn’t too far from here. Maybe half-an-hour. I recommend we get there and stop for the night. No point in pushing ourselves hard on our first night back.”
The trail of islands ahead of us went for miles. “We can’t get to the end of the zone in one night. But I say we try anyway.”
Jade smirked. “I figured you’d say that.”
“I love the nightlife,” Alisa said. “I’ve got to boogie. Let’s do it.”
25: Closer
Enzo Drake
Level 23 Slayer
(3 levels available)
Hit Points 100
Endurance 50
Strength 17
&nbs
p; Speed 12
Durability 16
Control 15 (+5 Synergy Bonus)
The Power Shield was a lot stronger than I expected it to be. Probably because of the massive boost in control I didn’t even realize I had. Another three levels and even more Red Mana flowed into me to make me even stronger than before.
Strength 19 (+2)
Speed 13 (+1)
Durability 16
Control 15 (+5 Synergy Bonus)
Seeing my strength numbers jump up made me more eager to get back out there and punch another goblin even though they were already no match for the gauntlets. But the fatigue of the night had me tired enough that I had to take a break.
“It’s already past one,” Redgrave looked at all of us with a smile on his face. “You’ve spent more hours in there than I expected.”
“When you’re in a groove, you gotta keep going,” I said. “Didn’t keep you up, did we?”
“There’s nothing else I’d rather do than monitor your progress. I take it the Shadows were nothing extraordinary.”
“Just a few cuts and scrapes. Mostly goblins. They’re a lot more violent with the spears they’re throwing at us but we’ve got the means to deal with it.”
“Just as expected from a Slayer.”
I set the gauntlets down on the table. They were lighter in my hands because of all the levels I’d gained but it was still a relief to get use of my own hands back.
“Okay, okay, okay,” Alisa said. “You kept us there for longer than usual. We completed our missions. It’s time for the best part of the night.” Alisa rubbed her hands together, her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth in anticipation.
Jade laughed softly and nodded. “I’ll admit, it is satisfying to have a meal and relax after venturing as far as we did. We always met in the Central Square back at the District. Seems like a good routine to have.”
“I won’t argue with that,” I said.
“Sweet!” Alisa pumped her fists and scurried to the warehouse exit.
