Codename: Freedom - Book 4 - Chapter 53

“Bow down you peasant!” Mia demanded, standing over Bolt who still sat in his seat.

He lowered his head and shook it to make it look something like false trembling. His acting wasn’t much better than Mia’s.

The pleading in his voice was much better. “Forgive me my magnanimous queen of enlightened understanding. How dare I select a champion opposed to your own, even if his battalion did win over yours. And who’s to say the Real Major wouldn’t fare better against Lucius with his pshield and refinement belt than the Centurion did. Have mercy on this pathetic soul—who can’t wait to see which battalion fairs the best again the Manticore King.”

“At least you got one thing right,” Mia pushed on. She wasn’t done gloating. “You are pathetic. You’re not even willing to admit that Lucius is the better fighter.”

“He’s faster, and would be extremely difficult to hit, but didn’t we all think the Real Major had already lost when he pulled off his upset victory? Never underestimate a real veteran.”

Mia crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at LeLisa for help.

The much taller girl stood and crossed her arms as well, glaring down at him. “Bolt loses ten style points for being a sore loser.”

Mr. Rachet saw an opportunity and took it. Standing as well, he crossed his arms and glared down at Bolt. “Let’s make it twenty points.” When both of the ladies seemed pleased he was taking their side, he struck. “But…” Their countenance fell. “The peasant does have a point. In a one-on-one duel without weapons, I think it’s clear that Lucius is the absolute favorite. However, with shielding tech, would his technique have been able to kill the Centurion? Oh wait. The bonus event looks unintentionally designed to answer that very question. How about that…”

Mia’s lips were so pursed that they scrunched up her nose. It made it tickle. “You’re lucky you found a way to spin that into hype for the bonus event.”

“I am so very talented,” Mr. Rachet beamed.

Oren did his thing and interrupted them as things were about to get started. “They’re going in.”

Another wall of screens appeared in a grid. It wasn’t just one battalion taking a chance at the bonus event, but most of them that had actually succeeded in clearing the castle of Ekseliksi. There were about forty remaining. Everyone’s attention was focused primarily on just the first too. It wasn’t as much a Prodos versus Lethal Accord thing as it was the Real Major against the supposed fake one.

***

The staircase led us into a room of failing light, much like a twilight. The walls looked like they’d been formed by being cleaved from the rock instead of built by brick. They were made of grey to black stone, that gave the room a colorless feel. Calling the room a basement just wouldn’t cut it. It looked like a grand pit that was square in shaped and only slightly wider than its three-story height. It was a dungeon if I ever saw one.

The Manticore King wasn’t hiding. He was oversized just like the world boss had been in Freedom. I’d already thought it before, this one made my earlier assessment true. It was a dragon with the head of a panther and scorpion’s tail. He was standing on all four on the other side of the room giving us an uncaring glare. It was at least fifteen feet tall at the head and a few feet less at the shoulders. The dungeon was decent in size, but against such a large creature, it might not be enough.

“So Kline,” I said casually. “How about you go in there, smack it with this secret weapon of yours, then we can all go home and stuff ourselves with too many carbs.”

“There’s no such thing as too many carbs,” he snorted, rubbing his hand over his ballistic covered six pack. His abs were each the side a normal man’s pecs. “But I’d be happy to.”

He was taking his first step with Mel grabbed one shoulder and Barrell grabbed the other, holding him back.

“You guys are really underestimating the Kline.” He held up his pole-hammer, and I noticed that the one he was carrying was different.

Seeing that we were all paying attention, he grabbed it with two hands, then fed it a little bit of energy. Its shaft glowed red—only rank G psionic bolstering. Once it reached the anvil shaped hammer, it ignited the same color over the spike, but its back end turned a different color. It was difficult to see. Then I noticed Kline was holding the weapon firm and realized exactly what it was.

“It’s using push?”

His teeth flashed before he cut his energy. “Exactly. I funnel weapon enhancement into it, and the back end here takes some of the energy and transforms it into push.”

“It’s a rocket powered energy hammer,” Barrell declared.

“A psionic rocket…” Mel corrected. “That’s got to take some getting used to.”

“It does,” Kline replied, smashing his chest with his fist. “That’s why I haven’t been developing that headbutt technique.”

Mel’s mouth dropped open,” I. Uh.”

Kline snickered. “We should be able to do some damage. Right boys?”

It was then that those in our squad from his poleaxe group stepped forward. The three of them all had identical weapons. One of them was one of our rank E psionic users.

Before approaching the king, we discussed our approach with Peter and Victoria. Our biggest concern was its speed. If it had speed similar to Krato, then we’d have lost the battle before it begun. What was most likely, was that it had the strength and defense capabilities equivalent to a rank D psionic user but moved at a speed peak rank E users could handle. It they really wanted to push us, they might make it a little faster so that only the best squads could possibly keep up.

“Okay then,” I summarized. “I’ll give it a little tickle to get its attention. Mel, stay back with your man so that you can distract it with some fireworks to the face. Kline, approach down the middle and hit the flank when something opens up. Cripple it if you can. And Barrell, pester it from whatever direction Kline and I aren’t.”

Everyone answered in the affirmative.

“Let’s do this.”

As much as I wanted to take a shot at it on my own to test out how far my techniques had come, Prodos winning was far more important. Our placement would make winning all future events essential for us just to have a shot.

I stepped into the room alone. My shadow drone had my shield and weapon. First, we needed to gauge its strengths, or we could just be sending everyone to their deaths. That would’ve been so tragic it was funny.

Pushing myself into the air, I shot forward. I wasn’t ready to face it head on but prodding it a bit was necessary.

Like a bored cat, it swatted at me as I neared.

Darting to the side, I tossed a silver bolt into the side of its neck.

As if the catnip had finally kicked in, it scurried after me like I was an annoying rat.

I led it around the room, peppering it with bolts as I got a feel for its speed. It was faster in a straight run than a Centurion, no doubt about it, but it’s size also seemed to hinder its movements. It was as we had thought.

I tested the speed of its tail, observed its tendency to claw or bite, and how it liked to keep its distance as it attacked instead of throwing around its weight. As far as I could tell, it was something we could work with, so I guided it back to the far side of the room so the squad could advance.

“Go,” I said through my headset’s comms.

Barrell and the man he’d chosen to join us shot into the room, circling behind the king. Kline, our two rank E users, and his two other pole-hammer users, took a much steadier approach. They headed to the middle of the room to set up so that they could capitalize on the manticore’s movements. Mel and his man headed to a far corner to get a better angle.

I blasted it in the face one more time when Barrell arrived. Their attack was swift and fierce. Akonizo strengthened their spears as they plunged them into its tail end.

The king jerked to turn and face them when an overcharged bolt smacked it in the snout. It seemed stunned.

Kline wasn’t about to miss an opening. It’s ribs and haunch were wide open.

His aura, as well his men’s, burned as they charged in. Four of the psionic rocket hammers were pulled back. In larger overhead arcs, they swung while feeding their weapons energy. A few spears joined with them, but the four hammers impacted like a series of firecrackers.

The battle had just begun, but I dared it hope it might already be the beginning of the end. Destiny threw up a screen so that I could see the damage done to the manticore’s flank. Two rank E psionic users and four of the fancy pole-hammers had delivered direct hits all at once. The massive beast was rammed backward, jarringly into the wall.

When I saw the damage left on its flank, the color ran from my face. They hadn’t even left a mark.

I felt the change as soon as it happened. It wasn’t a psionic tremor or anything audible. I didn’t see anything in the manticore’s body language, but it was like killing intent was oozing from its pores.

One of Mel’s overcharged bolts flew at its unmoving form. The king came out of hibernation and reach out its maw. With a snap, it caught the bolt with its mouth.

If we’d thought the bolt had stunned it before, we now knew that at most it had caught it off guard.

The king turned his head and found the retreating Kline and his men. In the next instant, it leaped upon them. No longer was it the playful cat toying with its food. It tore at them—wrestling them beneath its weight.

Pole-hammers flew and psionics blazed. They fought back while Mel and I bombarded it with bolts as fast as we could. Barrell and his man arrived within seconds. They tried their same approach from before, but the monster’s tail seemed to have a life of its own. As soon as they struck, the tail went wild, swiping at them. At that range they couldn’t dodge. They slid halfway across the room before crashing into the wall.

Some of Kline’s men were lucky and had been just out of range as its massive form landed. Most of them were pinned under the manticore. Kline included.

All in a moment, the battle had changed.

It was my fault. I should’ve waited longer—tried a few more techniques—before calling for them to join me.

When psionic bolts didn’t work, I rush in from the side. With all the momentum I could gather, I threw myself into the king’s shoulder with Apotho shielding me.

To say the force I generated was enough to jostle the Manticore King was technically true. Did it shove it off my friends? Not even close. It must have weighed a few tons.

Even as if swatted at me, I threw Dragon Slayer into its ribs, pushed back to dodge, then flew in again.

Mel had drawn near and prepared to shove an overcharged bolt up its nose from point blank range.

I could almost feel the monster’s intention. Jumping within range of its claws so that I was too tempting of a target, it hacked at me first.

I struck its paw with a Phantom Fist to launch me back as much as injure it. Then Mel’s bolt flew.

The intense silver energy bit into the tip of its nose before spreading over its face like a corrosive mist and seeping into its skull.

Mel was already moving back. By all rights, it should’ve worked. It was an overcharged offensive technique landing at point blank range.

It was only after it shook off the attack and clawed at the ground to rush after him that I realized where my own mistake was. Yes, his technique was overpowered for rank E, but he had just reached this level. If he was closer to the peak, then it likely would’ve worked. As he was now, it just wasn’t enough.

Even as I moved, I realized Victoria’s speculation was right. Rank D level psionic shielding was just too much for us to break through.

Mel wasn’t reliant on his aura alone, so his retreat went far better than the others.

I screamed at those left standing to get our injured men out. At least, I wanted to think they were just injured. I hoped. I threw bolts after the king as it chased after Mel.

His other caster had somehow stayed alive by fleeing with all he had. It just wasn’t enough. He couldn’t keep up with Mel and was about to meet a mouth full of teeth.

Mel wouldn’t have it, so he stopped his retreat and shoved the guy aside. I already knew it was exactly what he would do.

I flew in from the side and slammed my shielded shoulder into the side of the king’s face. It was enough to force it to the side so that Mel could get out of the monster’s path.

The manticore grabbed at me, but I launched myself upward and out of its grasp.

It wasn’t finished with me. Rising up on hits hind legs, it tried to swat me from the sky.

When its paw came, I kicked at it with an Othisi push and made my retreat with its help. As I glided across the room, I issued a command to retreat.

Mel’s voice sounded in my ear, “You need my help.”

“I don’t mind you staying, but are you sure you can stay out of that thing’s reach?”

There was a pause before his answer. “No.”

“Then go,” I said catching myself low on the wall with a push before settling back down. “I don’t know if I can kill it, but it won’t touch me.”

The manticore found where I had landed and turned to chase after me. I threw a bolt to keep its attention for Mel’s caster was uncomfortably close. They were still dragging some people out of the room. So many people had died today and now those closest to me were beaten up or dead. It is only a simulation. And I hated it.

“Can I pierce it’s hide?” I asked Destiny to calculate the possibilities.

“No. Even with Dragon Slayer, it should be impossible.”

“It should.” But that meant it was just a prediction. What was actually possible was still up in the air.

I began circling the monster as I considered all the things we’d hit it with.

“Everyone is out,” Victoria said, contacting me. “You need to retreat.”

“I need to do this.”

“I understand,” she responded.

Without another thought, I picked up my pace and sped in from the side. Dragon Slayer pounded its front shoulder. It was slightly faster than the Centurion but had more trouble spinning. I was off again, skirting around it in the other direction. Attacking its other flank, I made things even and attacked its other shoulder. If I couldn’t pierce its armored flesh, then perhaps I could bruise its muscles to the point of slowing it down. If that didn’t work, then I’d hit it again. If ten Dragon Slayers didn’t work, then I throw one hundred. If that didn’t work, then a thousand. The battle had just begun.

***

Mia was at the edge of her seat as she watched Lucius take on the Manticore King alone. Each exchanged looked close to the human eye, but the monster had yet to even touch him. The worst part was that no matter what he did, the most he could do was smack the massive creature around a bit.

“The Real Major as scored blood,” Bolt hailed, standing to his feet as if proclaiming victory prematurely.

It was really as simple as that. Lethal Accord had lost one man, but their level of attack was higher, and the Major’s overcharge weapon enhancement was just too much. They approached it in three groups. The one in the front and right flank struck first, giving the Real Major a clean shot. A single attack was all it had taken.

She had seen the level of attack Prodos had thrown at it as well. They estimated Mel’s overcharged bolt was rated in the top three of all casters. Kline’s push powered pole-hammers were even more destructive physically. They were just not enough.

LeLisa’s hand found Mia’s and gave it a squeeze.

“Woah,” Mr. Rachet roared. “Sergeant First Class Brendon Black, ranked third on the Genesis list, did the same. It looks like the Forefathers will be able to kill it as well.”

She watched as a few more battalions with peak level rank E users were able to injure it. Most of them still couldn’t harm it, but there were a few.

Once injured, the manticores seemed to become more aggressive, but they were also losing speed fast.

The first king fell to unsurprisingly, Lethal Accord. Mia kept her eye on Lucius’s battle as the minutes crawled by. After ten minutes, most battalion’s squads had either been wiped out, retreated, or were close to defeating the boss monster. Five minutes later, four battalions had defeated it while most others had given up.

There were still a handful out there. Some of them could be considered top squads even if their battalions hadn’t placed high in Vanguard so far, but they all faced the same problem. They simply didn’t have the firepower to cause enough damage.

“So what was the point of this bonus event?” Mia asked. “To prop up the Genesis battalions?”

“No,” Bolt objected. “To make a clear distinction between them.”

“Oh yeah?” LeLisa challenged. “Then tell that to him.” She pointed to the screen where one solo soldier was darting around a crumpled dungeon with a dragon chasing after him. He used the walls as much as the floor to give him speed or to change direction. The monster chancing him couldn’t have been more furious. It was using every weapon at its disposal to try to snag just a wrinkle in his clothing. Instead, it was battered from every which angle without end.

“Uh, no thanks. I lost my courage card in the restroom. Can’t find it.”

The whole panel laughed, but Bolt picked up again. “I have to say, I’m excited to see how he develops. Can you even imagine the finale? You’ll have some of the top Genesis guys breaking through to rank D, and underdogs like Lucius and Mel who might be able to give them a run for their money.”

“Underdogs?” Mia nearly screamed.

“Hey, I just mean in Vanguard. Once Lucius catches up to their rank, he’ll definitely be in the top ten—maybe top three.”

“Cool down there, honey.” LeLisa said, stroking Mia’s sleave-covered arm. She turned to Bolt and made sure she had Mr. Rachet’s attention. “I think a bet is in order. For the finale, I bet a Freedom participant will end up in first place in the one-on-one competition. The loser must come on the winners meta-cast dressed as a peasant, bow down, and kiss their feet.”

“Oh, that’s so good,” Mia responded, patting her friend’s hand.

“Deal,” Bolt said, unwilling to back down.

It was Mr. Rachet who was hesitant. “Why are you looking at me? I haven’t picked a side. I’m just an innocent troublemaker trying to liven things up.”

When all three of them were glaring at him, he threw up his hands. “Fine.”

The idea of the bet didn’t hold her attention for long. Mia turned her attention back on Lucius and the rest of them joined her. Oren blew up his screen so they could take in every detail.

***

Victoria watched the window displaying Lucius’s battle with a deadpanned expression. She didn’t blink. She calculated his psionic energy use at a glance. His techniques, she could gauge them without needing an AI to do it for her. His movement, the angles, even the flow of logic he must have been using as he struggled to piece together a strategy that would actually work, she deduced all of it. She’d already thought far ahead and come to a conclusion. He couldn’t win.

Despite that, she didn’t command his retreat. He probably wouldn’t listen anyway, but if she sent people in to interfere, their battalion would automatically be disqualified, and it would be over. So why didn’t she end it?

He’d said it himself. Motivations were complicated. She knew it would be to his betterment to see it through—even if he died at the end. It was also for the good of Prodos. They had lost much today. Military leadership’s opinion, their fan’s, the world’s—they couldn’t help but to compare them to the other battalions. Lucius was like a living challenge to those who dared think less of them. And there were other reasons. Personal ones. But more than anything, she wanted him to prove her wrong.

She’d come to a decision. “We’re moving in,” she called out to her intelligence team. There was no need for her combat general gear any longer. She chose to wear just her normal headset.

Half an hour had passed in the bonus event when they started moving up the hill toward the castle their battalion had taken. Throwing up a rank F aura, her pace wasn’t slow as she began to ascend. The only ones that stuck with her were Peter and Oliver. The rest followed as quickly as they could.

***

I had intended to pick a single spot on the king’s body and keep pounding on it until something broke. The manticore was far too bothersome to make it easy for me, though. If I had to choose, its nose would’ve been my preferred target. It seemed sensitive enough that I suspected the most damage could be caused there, but rarely did I get a clean shot.

Instead, the lower ribs on its left side became my main target, followed by its front shoulder on the opposite side. Its snout became my third after that.

Destiny had informed me that a few others had been able to kill their Manticore King. It was a little demoralizing, but I wasn’t without hope. That also mean this thing was possible to kill.

As I circled around it, I had to admit my frustration at not being able to do much damage was starting to get to me. But if I failed today, it would not be a failure of determination. I removed the doubt from my mind and focused on the act instead of the result.

I drove toward its flank again. Akonizo covered my knuckles and I struck out. Reading its movements, I limited the attack to a Phantom Fist, which lacked the third layer of Dragon Slayer.

Pushing off it with a kick, I was away again.

There were a few possibilities—approaches I could try—but they would just as likely injure me as the manticore. Taking a glance at my remaining energy, I’d dipped down to a third remaining. I had twenty, maybe thirty minutes left in me at best. It would be the wisest course of action to save any of the crazy stuff until near the end of the fight. If my repeated beating on it had yet to work, just a little more might be what it took.

Dragon Slayer landed firmly on its ribs. I darted back to dodge its claws only to lunge in and send a second one smack dap to its nose.

It seemed more irate than pained, but, then again, annoying it to death was an approach I wasn’t against.

***

After forty minutes had passed, no other competitors were left facing the Manticore King but one. Mia had grown quiet, just as the others had, while she watched her favored player keep fighting as if his endurance had no end. Even Bolt had stopped praising the others in the awe of the moment. The Real Major may have been able to defeat his Centurion, but it had been a drawn-out battle in which he was thrashed badly.

The four of them may have been at loss for words, but Oren proved his worth for the millionth time and started to bring up the players from other battalion’s reactions.

Those who had completed the event and bonus event had already ported back to their bases. Nearly all of them, their entire battalions for that matter, were watching Lucius’s fight against the king.

The Real Major, seventh rank on the Genesis list Master Sergeant Matt Williams, third rank Sergeant First Class Brendon Black, and second rank Staff Sergeant Ebrima Okoro were watching the event through their headsets closely. All four of them had been able to injure and defeat their battalion’s Manticore King. Most of them were as quiet as the panel. Oren was able to get decent enough angles so that they could see their expressions.

Brendon Black had been the most negative with his comments about Lucius’s chances in the event, but now he was shifting his weight back and forth anxiously.

The Real Major stood in the middle of the field a short walk from his base’s main facilities where he’d been ported to as soon as they’d defeated their king. He hadn’t moved. There were dozens of people around him doing the same thing.

It seemed the entire world was watching. From forty-five to fifty minutes, it was reaching the level of the ridiculous. Brendon Black had swiped his screen away, only to bring it up again a minute later.

“How is he still going?” Mr. Rachet asked. “He can’t have much psionic energy left. I think I want to switch sides in our bet.”

“Too late,” LeLisa replied, rejecting the offer outright.

“He better kill this thing, or I’m going to be—” Bolt growled.

Everyone was thinking along the same lines. If he couldn’t kill it after all this, it was just unfair.

“Yeah…” Mia agreed with his for perhaps the first time today.

“I think he’s already won,” LeLisa announced like it was so. “Just look at his competition.”

They did as she suggested.

Only the Real Major and second rank on the Genesis list Ebrima Okoro could remain still. The others were pacing, rubbing, biting nails, or just looking irritated.

“What I wouldn’t give to be able to interview them right now. Which one of them do you think wants to fight Lucius?”

Mia realized, LeLisa was right. As much as she wanted him to be able to be able to kill this thing, he had already done enough. Then she began to grow apprehensive. What if he didn’t stop?

***

Victoria had descended to the base of the stairs but didn’t go a step further. She couldn’t bare to take that last step and disqualify him if he somehow managed to pull off the impossible. Instead, she continued watching through her headset because it gave her the best angles.

Ever time he landed a blow on the Manticore King, she flinched like she was being struck.

When Lucius scooped up one of the pole-hammers Kline’s men has left there, Peter spoke. “He’s getting low on energy now, so he must feel he has to try something different.”

She nodded, watching how he tested the weapon as he continued to evade the king. A few seconds later, he sped around to its flank and gave the weapon a full swing. His rank E energy lit up the weapon and Othisi add its thrust to his swing. At lower ranks, the thrust was minimal, but at rank E, it became more powerful—and useful.

The spiked of the weapon clobbered its shoulder, resounding like a large drum. Even that caused no visible damage. It just had a small knockback effect.

Lucius had abandoned his techniques to seek out another, better method. Victoria felt the moisture welling up in her eyes. She’d seen what he had meant to show her today.

After a few more minutes of him trying the hammer, her first tear fell. She didn’t sob outright, but the first tear wasn’t alone.

***

I’d really hoped Kline’s secret weapon would’ve been able to make up for my shortcomings, but it seemed the only thing that might would be a high level of psionic power. Something I just don’t have.

I was reaching my limit. It would only be a few minutes now.

I’d noticed the King was starting to slow. As thrilled as I should’ve been, I feared it was far too late to make any difference.

Flying passed the entrance to the dungeon. I tossed the pole-hammer aside so that it could easily be retrieved later. It was an impressive weapon.

That left only one thing to do.

“Now’s a good time to retreat,” Destiny said. “You’ve proven everything you need to prove. I’ve been monitoring your top competitors. They’re scared of you.”

“Are they Ekseliksi?”

“Please, Lucius. I know what you’re probably thinking. Let’s just call it a day. We can start training as soon as we return.”

“I have to try, drone-head. Close your eyes.”

Speeding around the manticore, I found my angle and took it. As I neared, I didn’t prepare an attack. Instead, I jumped.

Stepping hard on its back, Othisi shot me straight up toward the ceiling. It was only three stories high, so it wasn’t out of my range of comfort. I eyed a spot on the ceiling and flipped. Landing feet first with Othisi cushioning me, I spotted the manticore below. After our hour-long fight and its own exhaustion, it didn’t even think of looking straight up.

At least, I’d have a clear shot as I gave in to my insanity. There was one very difficult problem I had to solve that I hadn’t found an answer to. If I was moving too fast, I couldn’t execute Dragon Slayer faster enough to make it work.

There was no time to contemplate anything. I made use of Othisi at full power as I propelled myself toward the ground. Aiming for its head would’ve been a mistake as tempting of a target as it was. It could move it far faster than its full form. So my aim landed on the middle of its back.

I shot downward with my arm pulled back. My fist already glowed with Akonizo’s silver.

It felt me coming. Just like a cat, it arched its back so that its nonexistent hair could stand on end. It was far too late for it to do anything else.

I struck out with full power, not holding anything back. Othisi fired off without the normal limitations I placed on it. I called up Apotho to act as a shielded hammer. It roared into my chest, through my shoulder, and down my arm. Surging passed my elbow, I willed for it to move faster, but I was already there. The Phantom Fist part of my energy attack pressed into its spine. My physical fist was already there, and I didn’t hold back.

I didn’t feel the bone shatter, nor the impact of my body slamming into the monster an instant later. My whole body was covered in shielded energy. It had landed a split second after my fist.

I think it was Destiny screaming at me that woke me from my stunned state. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was, but I was already sending healing energy to the places that hurt the most.

“Your collarbone is broken and three ribs,” Destiny stated. “And your hand…”

My hand didn’t even hurt. One look and I turned away and didn’t want to look back.

“Up,” she screamed at me.

How had I not broken my neck?

I spun over to my better side. Nothing was left unbruised. I then saw the Manticore King was just out of arm’s reach. Othisi pushed me to a semi-upright state as I saw the monster had bellyflopped under the weight of my attack.

It seemed stunned, but my large opponent soon clawed back to its feet.

I’d healed as much as I could before relying on the little amount of energy I had left to force me back into a hovering state and fly back.

When it was slow to chase me, I thought for a moment I’d finally injured it. It took me only a few strides to realize that it wasn’t serious. There may have been something minor, but its running form hadn’t changed. The last blow I’d given it had left it exhausted. That made the two of us.

“You tried. Now it’s time to leave,” Destiny urged.

“Just a little more,” I said before darting in and jabbing it with a Phantom Fist.

“I give up, just do what you want.”

***

“The psycho did it,” Bolt said, bursting out laughing. “He actually hurt it.”

Mia had lost all expression. The idiot had nearly killed himself, and here he was poking it again with his only good hand. LeLisa was holding on tight to her arm to support her, but also because she wanted support. Even if the king was hurt, what was the point? She just wanted it to end.

Mr. Rachet had pulled up a live feed of Marabella’s reaction. She was hiding half her face behind her hands and her eyes were bloodshot. Mia had known the girl liked him, even if he wasn’t currently interested. It was the feed of Prodos’s Queen Victoria that had taken her by surprise. The woman hadn’t turned away from watching for a second, but her face was just as wet.

Bolt continued. “They’re both slowing down.”

***

I knew Destiny had gone against her words from a few minutes before and was trying to dissuade me again, but what she was saying barely registered. Even if I was losing steam, I could see that the manticore was as well. All I knew for sure was that I had to keep going. I had to win.

When I started to feel my energy levels falter, I dropped my hover ability and began relying on Othisi to push me around the room. The rate of my attacks had slowed, but so had my enemy’s advance.

***

“Should we go and stop him?” Peter asked gently.

“No,” Victoria replied. “I must let him finish.”

He nodded but knew she didn’t see it. He’d only seen her like this a few times in her life. It was eerily just like her mother. He knew she had decided something. What? He wasn’t sure. He just knew he had to be ready.

“It’s coming,” she said suddenly.

He readied to move.

***

For what seemed like a long time,—maybe a few seconds—I stood opposite the Manticore King. It had been struggling just like I had and seemed it didn’t want to move. Was it a respite of necessity because we’d both used our last bit of energy? I liked to think so but knew that wasn’t the case.

I’d felt the effects of psionic sickness more than once. As I stood there, I wasn’t sure how my body remained standing, but I held onto my consciousness by a thread and would not let go.

The king must have realized that it was over and was taking it time to catch its breath. It wasn’t until it was done that it found the energy to snarl at me one last time. Spinning where it stood, its tail swung wide like a giant’s flail.

I didn’t flinch or try to turn away. I stared my opponent down as the killing blow came.

***

“Go,” Victoria commanded.

Both Peter and Oliver rushed into the dungeon. The Manticore King ignored them, lying down to have its much-needed rest.

Oliver was far faster than he was, even if they were both limited to rank F psionics. He was going to try and grab the kid’s legs, but Oliver scooped him up and was running past by the time he drew near.

They both returned at about the same time. She had Oliver lay him down.

“Allow me,” Peter requested. He knew she was already accustomed to these simulated deaths, but there was no reason she needed to be the one to kill him.

Then he saw her kneel at his side and his entire body clenched up. She placed her hand on his chest. Peter wanted to call out—to reason with her—but this was what she’d decided, and he knew her well enough that he’d never be able to stop her.

Therapeia surge from her, grasping a hold of the young man she’d once knelt next to just over a year ago. At that time, she hadn’t dared to heal him. Peter hadn’t known how hard it would hit her, but not being able to help had left a deep wound. He remembered her sobs, and how she wouldn’t move from this stranger boy’s side. Maybe if she had been eased into it, then it wouldn’t have been so poignant.

Better than anyone else except for the genius girl herself, he knew what dangers this might bring them. She was putting herself at risk. Not only would she now feel obligated to always be on location to heal her soldiers in need, but any government agency, or world nation for that matter, that hadn’t investigated her, certainly would now. It was individuals he worried about the most. Agenda driven individuals were always the hardest threats to prepare for, find, and neutralize.

***

When it finally ended, Mia breathed a sigh of relief. It was over.

It surprised her to see Bolt visibly upset. Even Mr. Rachet had lost his normal businesslike nerve.

It was Oren who drew their attention to Lucius’s competitor’s reactions. Brendon Black had stormed off. A few looked lost, but the Real Major noticed he was surrounded by his men and felt something much more sincere was called for. Putting his hands together, he began to clap. It wasn’t long before his men joined him. Someone must have informed Ebrima Okoro what the Major was doing, for he started clapping as well even though they were in two different battalions and no where near each other in simulation.

“No way,” LeLisa said, throwing up a screen for all of them to see.

It showed Victoria, the Prodos Queen, kneeling down over Lucius and… healing him?

“Wait, she can do that?” Bolt said, emerging from his funk.

“No way,” Mr. Rachet responded.

“Hey. I said that,” LeLisa scolded.

“What is she, the sixth, seventh person that has unlocked the ability to heal?”

“Something like that. Did she just unlock it now? If not, why hasn’t she been using it?”

Mia chuckled to herself, but it drew the panel’s attention. “It makes you wonder if intense emotion can cause someone to unlock abilities.”

“Why would you—oh…” Rachet replied. “So they really do have a thing. Isn’t she engaged though? Some old fashioned prearranged thing?”

“That’s the story, but I think we need to find out who this guy is. Even if it’s some political thing, a little social pressure might do the trick.”

“On it,” LeLisa chirped.

***

Victoria was struggling within herself. She could easily heal him faster, but she wasn’t sure if she could fool the cube’s energy sensors that measured the amount of power she used. She’d pulled it off a few times before. The level she desired was a real risk, though. At least he was unconscious.

Instead, she resolved to limit herself to the peak of rank E psionics. She tried not to stare at his face. The firmness of his chest, even below the ballistic layer, was enough. She just wanted to be close to him.

She had crossed a line today that she couldn’t take back. It would make it harder on Peter. She’d have to find some way to make it up to him. She’d also have to turn her mind to outside threats at a level she’d naively left to him until now.

As much as she hoped Lucius would understand and appreciate what she was doing. She partially hated herself because it tied them closer together. It meant he would be in more danger than before.

She dared a glance at his face, before quickly looking away.

He was heavily injured enough that it took her forty-five minutes to get him in a stable state where he could easily recover the rest of the way on his own.

“Take him to the recovery chamber,” she issued, then returned to her feet. She glanced at him one last time then ported away. They had a conversation coming, but it would be hours before he awoke. There was much going on inside her she didn’t understand. It was time to figure it out.