by Vowron Prime
Leaving the X42 at its roof-mounted dock, he donned his unpowered helmet and made his way up to the bridge to find his answer. The gunship’s own assault had wreaked havoc, sure, but that had all been concentrated on a single line where a pile of bodies lay. His own attacks had been behind that line, and where there had once been thousands of enemies, now only mangled corpses remained, accompanied by sections of gouged out circles that resembled a demolition test site. He had no memory of doing any of that.
The girls rushed up, worry etched on their faces.
“Thanks for looking out for me, you two. We, uh… we should probably have a chat once this all blows over, huh? Let’s just focus on the mission for now. I’ll call you as soon as we’ve closed off the source of this threat.”
The girls shared a look before nodding.
MC made his way to the bridge and observed the gunship’s flight path. Thirty seconds later put them above the first of three caverns from which the horde erupted. The rate at which they appeared wasn’t all that high, but given enough time, they added up. More worryingly, the beasts had a subterranean network. He doubted they’d created that without Dyn aid. Unfortunately, MC had no idea whether he’d already taken out their commanders in his rampage. They’d just have to plug the holes and see what happened.
“Commencing bombing run now. Gunnery status?” Edana called out from the pilot’s seat.
“Target is painted. Precision glide bomb one, armed and ready,” the gunner called out.
MC gave the command. “Bombs away.”
“Yes, sir! Ordnance deployed.”
The bomb dropped without much drama, falling for a second in silence before its wings deployed. It began gliding to its destination.
At two hundred fifty pounds, the heavy warhead contained no active propellant—allowing it to remain undetected by traditional surface-to-air missile launchers. The mutated beasts may not have had anything like that, but the Dyn sure did.
The bomb disappeared as it glided into the cavern. One hundred feet. Five hundred. It penetrated deep.
Reaver’s zoomed-in holographic view of the cavern’s maw turned brilliantly white for a split second. When the smoke cleared, there was no cavern left. The opening had been completely sealed by debris and destruction, along with a significant portion of the tunnel itself. They wouldn’t be digging themselves out of that hole anytime soon.
“Confirmed destruction of Target Alpha. Navigating to Target Bravo now,” Edana called out from the pilot’s seat.
MC couldn’t deny it; the Resistance seriously impressed him. They absorbed human tech like a sponge, and within the span of a few short weeks, they’d learned the right jargon and protocols, and acted with every ounce of professionalism he’d expect from the world’s best operators. Having such competent soldiers at his command made him feel a bit giddy. MC never once thought he’d ever care for his subordinates to this degree. Maybe he was getting soft.
They proceeded on to the next openings, which MC teleported down to, destroying them via relocation now that he’d had a few moments to recover. No point squandering ordnance when he was around. Bombs could be recreated via the matter fabricator, but the opportunity cost of using that device was simply astronomical.
Reaver landed near Nesthein’s walls in a flurry of dust and rotor downdraft. Their squads spread out into a perimeter circle, guarding the LZ for the return of their glorious leader.
That would be Nova, who stepped off once he’d given them the all-clear. Nina followed right after her.
Having now removed her cloak and with her pristine wings unbound, Nova looked downright magnificent. Thanks to the parasite’s influence, her own natural beauty screamed “goddess” in every possible way. With the makeup Nina had applied, coupled with the flowing white backless one-piece and her pristine wings, she graced the world simply by existing. MC found his jaw agape, which was unfortunately seen by the girls, who wore AR contact lenses for communications.
“Am I really so noticeable?”
“You’re drop-dead gorgeous, Nova,” MC found himself saying as he offered a hand to help her step off the gunship’s ramp. “You’re more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
She promptly turned beet-red.
“Damn straight,” Nina said, beaming. “My goddess here’s gonna woo these Thesbeans into eating off her hand! It’s all part of the strategy.”
“Well, I’d say it has a high chance of working,” he replied.
With MC and Nina flanking their goddess as she strode through the golden fields, the trio approached the towering walls of Nesthein.
Nina cleared her throat. “Ahem! On behalf of the one true goddess, Nova: Take us to your leader!”
Forty-Three
The Thesbeans didn’t quite know what to make of Nova’s entourage, and the feeling was mutual. Some people openly gawked. Others bowed in deference. Nova’s honor guard scanned them all for threats.
Nesthein’s guards were supposed to escort them, but the M33-clad Dyn formed the innermost protection around the goddess and Krar’s orb. The rest of their company organized in a tight circle around the core, the local guards relegated to the outermost ring.
The grand procession moved down the city’s cobblestone thoroughfare, following an envoy sent by the merchant prince. They had every single eye in the city on them, which made the whole event feel like a parade. A serious parade.
Nina had taken advantage of the opportunity to put Nova front and center, encouraging her to wave to the crowd as they passed. Nova had either been practicing, or she was the most natural actor MC had ever seen, because she exuded a natural grace that belied her usual clumsy self. He couldn’t think of a single aspect where she failed to pull off a thoroughly convincing goddess persona. Their envoy couldn’t even bring himself to look her in the eye. Though despite Nova’s allure, Nina managed to pull the attention of a few locals as well. Dressed in her formal tailcoat suit, she looked immaculate and professional. MC didn’t like those admiring looks at all.
He broke his gaze from Nova’s back to scan the surroundings through the X42’s eyes. The scenery was quite unlike anything he’d expected. From the drab outer walls, he’d expected a cookie-cutter medieval town. This place was anything but boring.
Colorful open-air stalls dotted the streets as vendors of all sorts hawked their wares. Unlike the more conservative Sorathean garb, everyone here seemed to be in love with color, sporting flowing silk robes of all hues, from purples and whites to reds and yellows. And nearly all of them wore both jewelry and piercings in numerous places. If Sorath was pragmatic and minimal, Thesbea was emotional and bold.
MC didn’t spot a single beggar or slum, though that could easily be on account of the prime locations through which their envoy guided them. Ornate wooden carvings adorned nearly every building, and each was painted over in a myriad of colors. He couldn’t even begin to fathom just how much effort they must’ve taken to construct, and he had a hunch that they hadn’t used magic in the process.
After passing through a second inner ring of star-shaped walls, they arrived at a large plaza in the heart of the city, centered around a massive fountain that fell into a circular pool where children frolicked, celebrating the city’s triumph over the beast horde. Pink and red rose petals covered the water.
It was hard to believe that such a well-off city existed on this planet, but then, the ruler of this city did call himself a merchant prince. The title may not have been just for show.
The entourage finally arrived at a stately manor nestled within the inner walls, located just a block away from the plaza. Three stories in height, its walls boasted both carvings and gorgeous murals depicting trading caravans transacting with another. No expense had been spared.
It was the first time MC had encountered art of any kind on Kelruhn. For once, he got to see how the Zevan actually looked. He’d deployed Midar before on the Zevan, but while helpful, Midar’s “sight” was fundamentally different fr
om regular vision. Nina had been right. They looked nearly identical to humans, which made sense given how they came into existence. The biggest difference lay in their gaunt facial features and recessed oversized eyes.
The group was politely ushered inside, but MC stopped the girls.
“Krar, clear the building and establish a perimeter. We need to make sure it’s safe first.”
Nina disagreed. “Magnus, that’s incredibly rude to our hosts. Can you be more discrete about it?”
“Sorry, princess. Better safe than sorry.”
“It is no matter,” their guide said. “Please, you are welcome guests here. Search the premises as much as you’d like, we have nothing to hide.”
MC cocked a brow at the Thesbean’s generosity, but he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. The search only took a handful of minutes. MC aided the effort with Midar, though he had to retract the suit’s faceplate to get a reading since the suit interfered with his pings. It did puzzle him how the ability had leveled during his rampage earlier, but he’d have to look into that at a later date. He only hoped none of the Zevan recognized him as “Emsy,” the contractor from Dervegen.
MC entered with Nina, Nova, Krar, and two Dyn troops in power armor. The rest stood by, guarding the building’s perimeter. Given the significant space that their suits took up, MC hung back with the other two, opting to stand at the edge of the intricately woven silk carpet that adorned the prince’s reception hall. The room lacked seats or tables of any kind.
Their guide motioned for them all to take a seat on a massive carpet while they awaited the prince’s arrival, narrating that the plush pillows that dotted the intricately woven rug were meant to be leaned against. The Thesbean demonstrated a lounging position that was somewhere between lying down and sitting. It looked uncomfortable as hell, yet neither Nina nor Nova had any difficulty adopting the awkward position. If anything, lounging this way made Nova seem even more divine.
As they waited, Nina briefed Nova on the importance of upholding the local land’s customs, though MC somehow doubted it would matter much given how the Zevan saw her as a living deity. He’d lost count of the number of times their attendant had bowed and gesticulated towards Nova while serving them hot tea. Much to Nina’s chagrin, MC had the tea tested before letting them sip it.
The prince burst through the doors at the far end, only to drop down onto his knees and place his head upon the rug right in front of Nova.
“Your Divine Eminence, I have no words to express my gratitude. I am Tenegol Juas, the regional merchant prince presiding over this humble city. I am entirely unworthy of basking in your presence.”
Before Nova had a chance to get flustered, Nina calmly interjected. “Please allow me to speak in our goddess’s stead. My name is Nina Cromwell, ambassador to her Divine Eminence, Nova.”
The Thesbean Prince was visibly relieved to address a fellow mortal and nodded furiously at Nina.
Nina continued. “We are, of course, happy to render aid to our friends in their time of need. As a show of good faith, we have stabilized the immediate situation outside of your walls.”
“Indeed. Your Divine minions’ display of strength was truly awe inspiring. Had we not known it was the work of the gods, we’d have thought such feats to be impossible! Ask anything of us—it shall be yours.”
“Not simply any god, know that this is the work of Nova, Protector of all Zevan. What we desire is a strong relationship between our two parties, with all the economic benefits that entails.”
The prince grew confused. “My apologies, and I mean no disrespect, but what could a humble nation such as ours provide a goddess? Surely your means are far superior to ours—no, please ignore that. I dare not question the motives of the gods, let alone our saviors. However, please know that I am merely a regional prince. You will want to speak with the Thesbeate Council for negotiations at the national level. But fear not,” he said, holding up a hand to Nina who was about to interrupt, “I shall draft you a letter of personal endorsement. It is the highest commendation a regional lord can bestow, and it will guarantee you an audience with the Thesbeate Council at Synaroa, our capital. I shall arrange for your transport as well.”
“Thank you, Prince Juas, you are most gracious, but please allow us to handle the transportation arrangements on our own,” Nina replied.
“We truly appreciate your cooperation. You are all important to us,” Nova said, prompting the Zevan ruler to look upon her in shock. No—it was more apt to say that he was unable to look away from her, such was her presence.
He audibly gulped before flattening his forehead to the ground. “Your words are too kind for these humble ears, my goddess.”
Nina continued to converse with the prince, making sure to highlight the point that it was Nova, and not the gods, that had come to their aid.
“I fully understand. I dare not meddle with the affairs of the gods,” Prince Juas responded. “The City of Nesthein will remember Goddess Nova and the aid she rendered here this day. In fact, what better way to memorialize the event than by erecting a statue? We shall build it right here in the central plaza!”
Nova tried to refuse, but Nina deftly cut her off, courteously accepting the gesture.
The prince insisted that Nina and Nova stay the night in his city and that they be quartered in his own mansion, but Nina politely declined that invitation on the grounds that her goddess would like to remain with her troops.
Nina did want to stay overnight to help strengthen relations, though. The prince had planned a feast for them, and the city’s influential members would be in attendance. MC spoke up before they parted. The prince had completely neglected to consider that the enemy might strike again.
“We’ve sealed off the beasts’ tunnels, but if they want to attack you again, they will. How will your city defend itself?” MC asked from his position at the rear of the room.
“Ah! You need not worry. Mage corps reinforcements from Synaroa and our local forts should arrive in the next few days. The beasts are powerful, yes, but Thesbean mages are the best in Jaluun. They will stand no chance!”
“And until then? What if they strike tomorrow after we leave?”
“That, well. It would be beyond my position to ask anything further of you.”
Nina’s eyes glistened at the opportunity to put Thesbea even further in their debt. “It isn’t an issue. We’ll leave behind a communication device of the gods. If you fall under attack, simply let us know and we will send help.”
Prince Juas seemed to struggle to accept Nina’s generosity. He did what any respectable leader would, though, and agreed with as much humility as he could. His display may have been overly exaggerated, but MC got the sense that the prince’s feelings were genuine.
“Thesbea is a peaceful country. We value commerce over war. I would not wish mortal danger upon any of my subjects. We are truly in your debt. Tonight, I shall host all of you in the nicest inn we have in town! In fact, I shall evacuate the establishment. Consider it yours for the duration of your stay!”
The prince had several of his staff escort the group out to their lavish accommodations within an equally impressive four-story establishment. MC, Nova, and Nina each retired to their own multi-room suites, furnished with poster beds, silk sheets, and all manner of intricate furniture.
While the girls freshened up, MC dismounted from the power suit, leaving the behemoth inside the gunship that waited outside. It barely fit inside the prince’s massive mansion as it was—there wasn’t a chance in hell he’d be able to attend a formal function with it. In the past, he’d have felt naked without it, but between the energy dampener, the relocator, and Midar, the suit was more of a nice-to-have rather than strictly essential gear.
His only worry was over whether the locals would know of his exploits from Sorath. The “hero” title was one he wished he could do without. He didn’t need another painful reminder of those he’d killed in cold blood.
The feast p
assed in a manner befitting such functions. Boring, tedious, superficial bullshit, though the buffet threw him for a loop. The food was surprisingly delicious. From various vegetable dishes to meats, it might’ve been the best he’d dined on in a great while.
If MC felt like a fish out of water, Nina was entirely in her element, capitalizing upon the opportunity to make hundreds of connections. Nova attempted to retreat to MC’s side, but Nina ensured that she was shown off to every important person in the city. The winged goddess didn’t speak much, which only seemed to add to her charm. It wasn’t every day that a deity graced their city.
Nova caught MC staring at her from a distance as the night was winding down. He averted his eyes, but that didn’t stop her from making her way over to him.
“What’s the matter, Magnus?” she asked with a soft smile.
“Nothing. And what gave you the impression that something’s wrong?”
Her smile grew just a bit, and MC had to concentrate to keep from being bewitched by her beauty.
“Come now, I have spent long enough with you to understand your reactions. I can tell that something is bothering you. Is it due to the parasite’s influence during your battle today? Would you share your thoughts with me?”
Whatever counterargument he’d been planning crumbled at her words. “Christ… Fuck it, fine. But not here. Let’s change our scenery a bit, shall we? Somewhere a bit more private.”
“Please do! Take me away from this place.”
Deploying Midar at its maximal range, he stepped in close to Nova and held her waist, just as he’d done countless times when they’d fled from the Legatus. Recognizing that he was planning on teleporting them, she leaned in and nodded.
They reappeared within a golden field of knee-high reeds that swayed in the warm summer’s breeze, several hundred yards away from Nesthein’s outer walls. They were entirely alone, save for the pale moonlight and the occasional gentle breeze. MC had chosen a site opposite of the battle earlier in the day. A battlefield littered with corpses didn’t feel like the best spot for an intimate conversation.
