Psychoverse

by Jamie Hawke

  Hunters turned and shouted, some running, others opening fire or leaping to bring the attack from above. More roars and grunts as the trinth hit the first wave, limbs and metal tearing through the enemy. A barrage of shots hit at once from superpowered hunters and their ships, causing the trinth to go down, but then it merged with several bodies nearby and rose, stronger than ever. Some of the rifles and other weapons locked on, too, returning fire so that the trinth was a mass of destructive power.

  “Holy shit,” Tink said, gripping my arm and pulling me out of there. I was back with the team, watching as Erupa checked to ensure her pistols were ready. The two monks were in meditative states, and Hinru was still tapped into the trinth.

  “Move in from the left,” Master Dawa said, breaking from his trance. “I’ve seen the way, and that route leaves us with the best chances of success.”

  “Left… to where?” I asked.

  “The hills beyond,” he said, indicating where the ground sloped up, partially obscured by swaying oak-like trees that boasted spikes along the trunks. “There’s a waterfall there, and behind the water is a spot where the jump is set up. When we’re close enough, it will activate automatically.”

  “Let’s fucking do it, then,” Cheri said, pulling her sword and getting that wild look in her eyes.

  “Try and stay undetected as long as possible,” I advised. “Best to avoid the fight if we can.”

  She frowned. “Where’s the fun in that?”

  “You like winning, don’t you?” Erupa chimed in, earning a smile from Cheri.

  “Go,” Hinru said, voice distant. “I’ll be right behind.”

  At that, I nodded. Mer lingered next to her with a rifle she had picked up—smart—and Tink went small at my side.

  “Ready,” I said, then held up a hand and waved them on.

  We moved along the rim, keeping low and out of sight. I pushed with my upgraded emotional abilities to amplify the terror the hunters were feeling at the sight of the trinth, although judging by the explosions and shouts of agony, they’d already had a good dose of it. We ran along in a semi-circle to approach a spot where the ground went down, crossed a stream, and then made a hard right to head for the waterfall. From that point, I could see the rocks, hear its roar, and imagined I would be able to smell the fresh water if not for the scent of gunpowder and death.

  “Couldn’t we just fast travel through the stream?” Cheri asked, glancing back at the sight of Mer and Hinru now crossing.

  “Not deep enough,” Hinru replied, catching up.

  “Besides, at this point we’re as close as we’ll get,” Master Richter said from ahead of us as he pulled some leaves aside. Sure enough, there was the waterfall and the water below. He motioned to a ridge along the side toward the enemy that we were to take, and was just stepping onto it when the flash of gold from earlier hit, followed by a strike that went right through one of his legs and sent him plummeting to the water below.

  “Shit,” Hinru shouted, eyes returning to normal as she lost control of the trinth and focused on getting us a shield before the next gold blast hit.

  The Reapers didn’t bother, this time. Or Reaper, as there was only one. The female landed on top of one of the rocks by the waterfall and eyed us with curiosity.

  “You’re surrounded and outnumbered. What’s your game?”

  Hinru stepped toward the edge, hands up and purple mists swimming around her. “As long as it leaves you dead, I’m satisfied.”

  “We will see.”

  Another flash, and I saw that one of the other Reapers had entered the water and was tussling with Master Richter, who appeared to be holding his own in spite of the lost leg. But, I saw a trail of red streaming out from his position and gradually spreading over the surface. Master Dawa roared, throwing himself out over the surface and sending drops of scarlet spraying out.

  At that moment, my team charged in for the attack. Only, as I pulled my pistol, I sensed intense aggression from above, so instead I rolled to the side and drew my arc baton, swinging on instinct.

  I connected with the third Reaper as he appeared, giving him a nice jolt. He pulled back, breathed deep, and then came at me again. My legs felt like jelly as I pushed up, dodged left to avoid his attack, and then swung at him while attempting a shot at the same time. The strike hit, the shot revealing a shield that rippled about him.

  “Have to do better than that,” he said, zipping left in a flash of light and then suddenly appearing on my right with a thrust of his hand that shattered my armor. A clean break, right between the O and L of “police.” I stared in horror, barely moving back in time to avoid the full strength of his next palm strike. This one hit, but not directly, so the effect was a simple charge that sent me flying back to hit the tree behind me, whacking my head.

  I threw myself sideways and noticed Mer leaping into the water below, and wondered what was going on there. Before I had time to think too much about it, screams from one of the Reapers told me things were looking good on our end, and that gave me hope. When my Reaper attacked me again, I channeled that hope into my latest upgrade, an Energy Flare. Basically, it was like bloodlust but in a good way, filling me with adrenaline and helping me to dodge fast, move in and strike hard.

  A good thrust from my baton into his stomach and then a crack across his jaw, and he staggered back, eyes going wide with surprise.

  “Get to the jump point!” Master Dawa shouted, and I gave the Reaper one more good crack with my baton before turning and darting over toward the waterfall. As I went, I caught a glimpse of Mer clawing her way out of the water, her tail turning to legs—nude ass exposed—and I made out Tink and Master Dawa running. Erupa pushed one of the Reapers away, the Reaper held back by a shield of purple from Hinru.

  “Cheri!” I shouted, charging across the ridge while looking for her, and ran right into her arms on the other side. She grabbed me, pulling me with her, and then Tink was with us and we were behind the waterfall.

  A metal circle on the floor lit up, sending spiraling blue up around a base point. I spun, searching for my team. Erupa darted in, turning with guns drawn, and then Master Richter was there with Mer, she helping him walk, and Hinru came next, shouting for us to go.

  Erupa and Tink went first, and then Cheri. I motioned for the others, when Master Dawa and my Reaper came flying in, bursts of energy appearing around them in black and red, then green, and I leaped into the fight as one of those shots hit Master Richter and sent Mer into the jump port.

  She was gone, and so was half of Master Richter’s face.

  Shit. I managed to get a hit in against the Reaper and pull Master Dawa with me to jump, only to feel him shudder in my grip, then go limp.

  I spun, clinging to Master Dawa as the jump port flared. Blue and white light flashed around us, rising, making it almost blinding.

  Almost, I saw, because I could still very clearly make out the red blossoming from Master Dawa’s chest and abs, the way his eyes rolled up, went blank, the dead Master Richter on the ground at our side.

  Then we were gone, shot out to wherever the other side of the jump port waited.

  6

  An all-too-familiar scent hit me, one that I had thought back on many years since leaving the temple. Clear air, heavy, full of pine and a light mist from the waterfall roaring not so far off. We were at the Temple of Domrem, with its curved roofs and slick, carved red wood, inlaid with gold to form patterns that represented the energy associated with martial arts techniques. All of this atop high mountains with cliffs on all sides.

  My eyes drifted to the halfway point of the closest pillar, where I recognized a jagged pattern that had given me such grief. A tiger’s paw over two lines with a third going through them. It was the symbol of the three-kick strike and tiger claw—the same move I had used to take down Master Shen.

  I didn’t have time to linger on such thoughts, however, as a shout sounded from a passerby. I was very much aware of the dead man in my arms. Shit, we had
just arrived at the temple, and our entry card was dead.

  For a moment I stared down at him, then knelt, placing him on the spiraling stones, and stepped back. His blood was on my hands, my broken armor and vest.

  “Declare yourselves,” a voice shouted, and a moment later a dozen monks descended on us. The front-most row wore the thick ropes instead of sashes that marked them as enforcers.

  Before I could speak, one of them laughed. “Ezra… Faldron. This man needs no introduction.”

  “The Ezra Faldron?” the first man who had spoken asked, not taking his eyes off me. His eyes went to the man on the ground, going wide. “And he’s brought our master back.”

  A quick motion with his hand, and three monks darted forward, kneeling to check on their dead master. Seconds later, one confirmed his death, the other two standing facing off with me, as if trying to keep me away from the body.

  “Explain,” a monk behind me said, voice bringing back a flood of emotions. Mostly pain, heartache, and confusion.

  I spun to see Eloise. Master Eloise, as evidenced by her blue robes and gold sash, but to me she would always be Eloise. Her gold hair was pulled back in a bun, and hazel eyes moved over my features, processing that it was really me. Her emotions showed surprise, then quickly shut off. She had always been able to do that—block my ability to read her emotions. It had been incredibly annoying, and maybe a bit of a turn on.

  “Let me guess,” Cheri said, eyeing the monk. “This is her?”

  “Her?”

  “The slut he used to have a thing for.” Cheri cocked her head, almost caught unawares as Eloise flashed forward to slap her across the face. A slight move and the slap missed, causing Eloise to pull back and eye Cheri with a new level of respect.

  “How’d you do that?” Eloise asked, but then waved her hand. “Doesn’t matter. Insult me again, and I’ll have your head. Now, tell me what happened to Master Dawa and while you’re at it, Master Richter. Or—”

  “You’ll have our heads?” Cheri scoffed. “I’d like to see you fucking try.”

  “Stop,” I said, stepping forward between the two. “We’re on the same side.”

  “I certainly hope that’s true,” Eloise motioned to her enforcers, who had stepped forward, ready to intervene. “I’d hate to find out you killed two of our top monks and returned here to gloat about it. You know, because of the whole having to take your heads thing,” she shot Cheri a snarky glance, “and because you used to be one of our best. Tell me what’s happening.”

  Cheri was still glaring, but her jealousy would have to be put aside for now.

  “This,” I said, indicating Hinru, “was one of the leaders of the Gold Reapers, the handlers for most bounty hunters in our system.”

  “Avanguerre,” Eloise said, nodding. “I’m familiar.”

  “Then you know the situation already,” Hinru cut in. “And that we’re up against a majority of the Oram bounty hunters, maybe even some from beyond.”

  Eloise’s nose twitched. Even when she was hiding her emotions, she had such tells as that one, which said something was up. Her words confirmed it. “We’ve been given orders to hand you over, should we see you. Before you get worked up, though, we have no intention of doing so. The message went out to all groups not affiliated with the Citadel. While we’re not in with them, we aren’t about to get involved in a civil war between the greatest bounty hunters the universe has ever seen.”

  Hinru, whose eyes had been showing anxiety for the first half of what Eloise said, now softened, nodding her appreciation. “In that case, you should know that Master Dawa and Master Richter died to get us here. They were working with the Hermites to open a gateway to immense power… a gateway we believe only Ezra can open.”

  “Is that so?”

  The way Eloise looked at me was nothing short of desire, and Cheri was the second to notice.

  “How many gateways, exactly, has he opened around here?” Cheri asked. “One specifically, that I’m—”

  “Cheri, please.” I turned, taking her hand. “This isn’t the place.”

  She seemed about to soften, until she noticed my apologetic grimace to everyone nearby. At that, she stormed off, although there was no way she could have known where she was going.

  “I’ll check on her,” Erupa said, going to follow. A couple of enforcers looked at Eloise for guidance on whether to stop them but backed off at a nod from my old friend. It wasn’t until then that I noticed why Mer was holding her hands in front of her—to hide the fact that she had no pants.

  I cleared my throat, and Eloise noticed too. A snap of her fingers, and a monk stepped forward, removing his outer robe and handing it to Eloise, who in turn presented it to Mer.

  “I’m not even going to ask,” Eloise said, stepping back and turning away as Mer wrapped the robe around her waist like a long skirt. Her pants must have been torn and lost in the fight, I reasoned.

  “Thank you,” Mer said.

  A glance from Eloise in the direction Cheri had gone reminded me that situation wasn’t over.

  “She really didn’t mean anything by it,” I tried to explain. “I actually don’t know what’s going on that…” My words trailed off at the look Tink was giving me, and even Cheshire was sending me emotional waves that seemed to say ‘Stop being a jackass.’ At that, I realized Cheshire had made it through, which sent a wave of relief up my spine. The cat was becoming part of the team, after all.

  With a sigh, I jogged after Cheri and Erupa, calling back, “We’ll continue this momentarily.”

  I caught up to them at a pagoda-like room, where Cheri was starting up the stairs but Erupa had apparently said something to stop her.

  “Fuck,” Cheri said at the sight of me. “Just… stop trying so hard.”

  “Trying?” I asked. “I’m sorry, it’s…” I wanted to go on about how being emotional and jealous at a time like this was counterproductive, about how the pressure was on me for opening the gateway and being able to control what was on the other side, and how that was a damn lot of stress. This wasn’t helping. Instead, I held up my hands in surrender and simply repeated, “I’m sorry.”

  Erupa considered me, then took a step back, nodding toward Cheri. I took the hint, stepping up to the latter, holding out a hand for her.

  “You’re saying you didn’t want to fuck her?” Cheri asked, folding her arms.

  “I’m saying it doesn’t matter. All that matters is you—the team. And you,” I added to Erupa.

  “Focus. I’m not the one all butt-hurt,” Erupa said with a slight grin that showed she appreciated the effort, but didn’t need it.

  “So, what, you’re painting me as irrational? Emotional? Some sort of…”

  “Psychobitch?” Erupa offered.

  Cheri laughed. “Fuck you.”

  “Fuck you, too.”

  The way they were looking at each other… yeah, they both meant those words literally.

  “We’re going to have plenty of time for that, soon,” I said. “First, can we please focus on getting the core stones and saving everyone?”

  “And ‘Master’ Eloise?” Cheri asked. “You want to fuck her or not?”

  “No.” Fuck, that was a lie. I knew it, and they both knew it. “No, as in that’s not on my list of priorities. On some primal level, one that speaks to my past and what I used to want, of course. But on the level of who I am today, a man with no lack of love or loving, the answer is no.”

  “Better,” Erupa admitted. “Who the hell wouldn’t want to fuck her? Girl is hot.”

  “She’s fucking gorgeous,” Cheri added. “Of course. I wouldn’t be jealous otherwise.”

  “You have nothing to worry about.” I took her hand in mine, gave it a reassuring squeeze, and then turned to see Eloise with two of her enforcers, watching us. Tink, Mer, Hinru and Cheshire were behind them.

  “This is what you all ran off to discuss?” Eloise glared.

  I considered making an excuse, trying to justify it a
ll, but instead stood tall and said, “I’ve come for the core stones.”

  Everyone went silent, stiff, staring at me. Finally, Eloise stood tall as well, hands behind her back, and nodded.

  “Well then, Ezra, let the games begin.”

  7

  Before the trials for the stones began, we were led to a pair of rooms, one of them where I was to be cleansed, separate from my team. I washed and donned the robes of the temple. Their coarse fabric brought back old memories of days on end training, pushing myself to the extreme.

  Finally, after I had time to meditate and felt that I had properly purified myself, I exited and went to find a bite of nourishment. My team was gathered around a thick, wooden table, snacking on beans and rice cakes. They turned my way, curious, but waited for me to grab some food and join them before asking what was going on.

  “It’s a simple trial,” I said, “that involves going up against the high monk of the temple. Since Masters Dawa and Richter are gone, that apparently leaves Eloise.”

  “Grand Master Eloise,” Cheri corrected me. “She had been promoted a while back, I heard while you were bathing.”

  I nodded, taking that in, then noticed that Mer had cleaned up and changed, too. Her hair was pulled back in a bun and her clothes replaced by robes worn traditionally by visitors to the temple who hadn’t yet been admitted. The effect was rather complimentary, reminding me of Earth paintings of Japanese geishas.

  She noticed me looking, and blushed. “After I explained what happened, Grand Master Eloise had this presented to me. The idea is that I’ll be able to transform much easier, without worrying about pants being torn or… worse.”

  I nodded and allowed a smile. “It was kind of hot, though, seeing your ass out there as we made a run for it.”

  She threw a piece of bread, hitting me right on the tip of my nose and earning a couple of chuckles.

  Not from Hinru, though, who was eyeing me with worry.

  “What?” I asked.