Breaking into the Nook Inn went pretty much as I’d expected for the most part. We’d prevented anyone we saw from entering the central keep and raising the alarm, but we had no way of knowing if someone had immediately run to alert the Reaper Clan to our attack. It was highly likely, so we operated on the assumption that they would be waiting for us.

Unfortunately, that was exactly the case. Every non-Reaper had been evacuated, and the building had been closed down. This was obvious from the moment we burst from the portal by the lack of civilians. The lobby was packed with people, but they were all in Reaper form and all ready for a fight. Still, we’d prepared for this, and our next course of action was clear.

Mikel was the first through, closely followed by Ivan. The older master deflected and disrupted the first wave of attacks launched at him, and Ivan charged the biggest group he could find. Just as I appeared, I saw him slam into his chosen victims, the raw force of his charge sending them flying into their comrades behind. At least a fifth of the defending force was knocked prone, but Ivan still wasn’t done.

I’d learned the previous day that Ivan wasn’t human, but instead Granis. And each Granis, as I’d noticed, had the ability to channel more power. Their bodies changed drastically, and they lost all sense of reason, switching to a primal mode until their enemies fell or they died. Ivan now underwent this same change, his limbs growing longer and broader until he was a hulking nine foot tall monster. Several of the Reapers close to him gave cries of fear and tried to avoid him.

Leaving Ivan to his own devices, I sent my six clones scattering in different directions. They dove at the enemy, their scythes swinging in great arcs, forcing the Reapers to jump back and temporarily forget to attack. For the moment, we had the Reapers where we wanted them. Off-balance and surprised, they were unaware of my presence so far. Taking advantage of this, I darted for the section of bodies that blocked the stairs.

Wearing my dark gray robes, the first few didn’t try to stop me as I slipped past them. Then some of them recognized me and tried to intercept me. Weapons rained down on me from all angles, but before they could connect, I switched place with the nearest clone. My vision went dark for a brief moment, then I found myself standing in front of the Reapers I’d bypassed. I was just in time to see my clone shredded to pieces.

I hadn’t wanted to spend any of Granis’ energy this early, but I realized I had no choice. Feeling Tomas guiding my movements, I used my right hand to smack away one Reaper’s clumsy strike. I turned the momentum to a spin, gripping my scythe with both hands. This allowed me to slash the air around me in a perfect circle, cutting down a large number of those who opposed me. Then I threw the scythe as hard as I could, directing it to spin around me in a tight circle. With this protection in place, I darted forward again.

I punched through the defensive line without too much trouble, what with everyone too busy trying to avoid the spinning weapon around me. As soon as I was clear, I sent a huge wall of aura flying behind me as I abandoned the weapon, running up the stairs for all I was worth. I cleared several steps at once, almost bouncing off the walls in my haste. It wasn’t the most graceful advance, but it worked, and I soon left all my pursuit behind.

Now I was completely alone, and I hoped that there weren’t too many other people between me and my goal. I had twelve floors between myself and the top floor, and the stairwell sounded deserted. Or so I thought. It was on the landing for the twelfth floor that I found my next opponent waiting. She had clearly heard me racing up toward her, and I was met with a solid smack as some weapon sent me flying through the doors.

As I landed on my back several feet into the large meeting room, my attacker stepped into the room calmly and shut the door. Even before I looked up, I knew who it would be. There was only one person I knew who could think and react so calmly to an invasion. Sure enough, there was no mistaking that tall and limber woman holding a long metal staff in her hands.

“You’ve done well getting this far, Silas,” Selena said. “But I regret to tell you I cannot let you get any further.”

I scrambled to my feet, my heart thumping with nerves and my chest heaving with the exertion of running up the stairs. She was making no move to attack me, but her position made it clear she would stop me from reaching those doors again. There might be another stairwell on another corner of the building, but it wasn’t worth the risk of turning my back on her.

“I’m sorry, Selena,” I said, holding my hands up, ready for a fight. “I have to get past you.”

“So you can kill the Grand Reaper?” She asked, her face set. “I know that is your goal, but I cannot allow it. He has appointed me as his Guard, so I must stop you.”

“You don’t know what he’s done,” I protested. “There’s a lot of history you’re not aware of.”

“And you know better?” She asked, the first flash of anger showing. “After a mere two months as a Reaper, you think you know better than me?”

“I didn’t want to know,” I said quietly. “But my ancestor revealed it to me.”

“And you trust him above the one who taught you to fight?”

“I have to. He’s just trying to do his job, and I have to help him.”

“You know you cannot defeat me,” she said cooly, her face calm again. “Quite apart from my Oracle ability, you’re just a novice. You need many more years before you can stand at my level.”

That was unlike her, I thought. Selena had never been one to brag or boast, and the fact that she was doing it now didn’t bode well. I was alone, and we both knew that she could destroy me with one hand. Hell, she didn’t even need her weapon. Except for one thing, I thought. It’s a little early, but I may as well play my trump card.

You want me to help you? Tomas’s voice sounded in my mind.

It’s the only chance we have to get past her. I replied.

I felt Tomas’s influence spread throughout my body, bolstering my power, defense, and reflexes. It wasn’t a full possession, but it might be enough to help me triumph. Holding my hand out to the side, my scythe broke through one of the windows and flew into my hands. I gave it a quick spin, then took up a defensive stance.

“I regret having you as an enemy,” I told Selena. “But I have a job to do.”