—Chapter 30—

—Merry Christmas—

Kellan slung his rifle off his shoulder and held it close, the barrel pointed at the ground.

The bizarre city didn’t remind him of Fayetteville. The buildings were closer together, and the street signs, shops, and public notices were all written in kanji, hiragana, and katakana—all pictograms and alphabets used in Japan. Occasionally he saw words in English, like a coffee shop with the words, “Happy Happy,” written on the window.

The distant sounds of conflict kept Kellan on guard.

Once he and Xiang turned down a street, he couldn’t see Sen, Husker, or Mavis, which also worried him.

“Does the Nexus not have cellular towers?” Kellan asked. “Having phones would make this easier.”

“They won’t work,” Xiang muttered.

“What about short-wave radios? We could use things like walkie-talkies to stay in touch.”

“The Net prevents the use of that kind of technology.”

Kellan half-laughed. “The TVs are working fine. Obviously, some tech works.”

“The images you see on the TVs are projections from the Arbiter.” Xiang glanced around, a slight frown on her perfect face. “Most communications from the Arbiter work no matter what, so long as it’s within the Nexus. If you took those TVs to some other dimension, they would lose all usefulness. Even as televisions.”

Kellan ran a hand through his hair, irritated that everyone seemed to know important details about their surroundings, but they didn’t care to share. He wished he had more details about the rules, and what they needed to do to win.

Skittering—the rapid scrape of something on metal and asphalt—caught his attention. He lifted his rifle and pointed at the nearby alleyway, some narrow space between two crackled buildings with wooden boards nailed over the windows.

“What was that?” he whispered, unable to see anything down the dark alleyway.

Xiang stopped and turned, her expression never shifting away from disinterest. “It’s a Kuji. You needn’t fret. A Kuji won’t attack unless you’re marked as the Straggler.”

Kellan kept his weapon up regardless. Apparently the Kuji were the killer monsters out to cull teams. They had to be dangerous.

“What does it look like?” Kellan stared at the alley, but he saw and heard nothing. No movement. No more skittering.

“It has the look and shape of a spider.”

“Whatever made that sound was too big to be a spider.”

“Very well.” Xiang smiled to herself, a chuckle on her breath. “It’s a large spider.” She crossed her arms, lost in her own thoughts. “I had forgotten how much you like to argue semantics and word choice.”

A shiver went down Kellan’s spine. First off, he hated spiders. And secondly, he didn’t like the way Xiang thought she knew him. Whoever Alex Kellan the Defector was, it wasn’t him.

“The Kuji won’t attack?” Kellan asked, his voice low.

“No.”

“Then one second. I’m going to get a look at it.”

Xiang didn’t reply. She stood in the middle of the street, her attention on the surroundings. A couple of her illusionary bunnies hoped by, both with white and brown fur, like rabbit-shaped cows.

What kind of spider was in the alleyway? Kellan wanted to know what to look out for. And he wanted his eyes to give him more information on the beasts. Why were they so spooky? Surely, they couldn’t be too dangerous.

With careful movements, Kellan approached the alleyway. Two dumpsters, a dilapidated couch, and three trash bags were the only occupants in the alley. A cold breeze washed through the narrow walkway as Kellan glanced around. The darkness in the shadows made it difficult to see the fine details.

He could light something up with his eclipse magic, but again, Kellan cursed at himself. He wanted the ability to see in the dark. It would make everything so much easier.

Kellan inched into the alleyway, only a few steps, when someone stepped out of the shadows, seemingly from nowhere. On instinct, he held up his rifle, ready to fire, but he relaxed once he saw who it was.

Jace.

His machine-eye glowed in the darkness, the light-blue hue almost a reassurance. Jace was one of the few people Kellan classified as sane within the world of the Nexus.

Jace held up a finger to his lips to form a shh. Then he pointed up.

Kellan followed his gesture until he spotted a portion of the wall and window which wasn’t boarded up.

“A Kuji is nearby,” Jace whispered. “They don’t like it when people go looking for them.”

Kellan lowered his weapon and pointed it at the ground. “Xiang said they wouldn’t attack.”

“They won’t, but they can make your life difficult even without killing you. Trust me. You should get out of here and focus on finding a key.”

“Oh, yeah?” Kellan didn’t like the tone in his voice. “Why’s that?”

“I've bet arcana that your team gets a key in the first round.” Jace smirked as he stepped back into the darkness. “You wouldn’t want me to lose arcana, would you?”

Before Kellan could respond, Jace was gone. Or invisible. Kellan wasn’t sure. He just knew that the mysterious man always seemed to be close by. Was Jace… following him? He still hadn’t unraveled the mystery of the dog tags.

Kellan touched his tags as he backed out of the alleyway.

“Are you satisfied?” Xiang asked.

He turned and jogged to her location. “Not really.” Once together, he tightened his grip on his rifle. The city seemed so massive, and he wasn’t sure where to begin.

As if having the same thought, Xiang said, “If one of the keys is in a live rabbit, it’s likely underground. It’s winter, and they prefer to burrow. We should head into the sewers to look.” She pointed to one of the many tunnels jutting out of the ground. “We don’t have much time. The Net is already shrinking.”

“Where are we? Exactly?”

Xiang glanced around. “By the look of the language, I’d say we’re at some sort of parallel to Japan.”

“We were teleported here, right? And that happens instantly?” Kellan glanced up at the sky. The morning sun filtered through the crimson of the Net, giving the whole city an eerie aura.

“That’s correct. Teleportation happens instantly.”

“Then we’re not in Japan.”

Xiang lifted an eyebrow. “Why do you think that?”

“Because it’s still morning.” Kellan pointed to the low light of the sun. “It was morning in Fayetteville. Which means we’re still in the same time zone. If this were Japan, it’d be night.”

“Why does it matter where we are?”

“Because bunnies,” Kellan used air quotes around the word, “have different behaviors depending on where you are in the world and depending on whether we’re talking about hares or rabbits. Hares stay above around. No burrowing. Rabbits burrow. Eastern cottontails—which are found on the east coast of North America, near Fayetteville—don’t burrow. They live in forests and thickets, usually next to open fields. So we probably shouldn’t check the sewer first.”

Xiang brought a hand to her chin, her eyes narrowing. For a prolonged moment, she said nothing, she just mulled over the information. Finally, she asked, “Why do you know so much about bunnies?”

“I had to take several field survival courses,” Kellan replied with a sigh. “I thought that information would never really come in handy, but this is the second time I’ve had to utilize everything I’ve learned, so I’m sure the universe is having a good chuckle.”

Xiang fidgeted with her nails before finally nodding. “This is an urban area, but perhaps there’s a park we can investigate.”

“What? You don’t have some retort about how the bunny is actually part of the Arbiter or something?” Kellan chuckled at his own joke. With sarcastic jazz-hands, he added, “The Arbiter pulled out his kidneys in order to make mammals for his misshapen children, and anyone who touches the hopping organs will be thrown in a pit with a million giant spiders.”

Xiang gave him no reaction.

With a sigh, Kellan slung his rifle onto his shoulder. “Listen, if there’s something magical about the bunnies, it would be great to—”

Searing pain ripped through his back.

[Sinsidious Chick #3] uses talons to stab [Alex Kellan] for 3 damage.

[Tyranny Worms] restore [Alex Kellan] for 1 damage a round.

Kellan shouted as he stumbled forward, caught off guard by talons ripping through his flesh.

A bird had attacked him.

No. Not a bird.

A monster.

It was some sort of raven, but it was the size of a large dog. Somehow, it had swooped down, silent as nightfall, and dug its talons straight into Kellan’s back. The bird had metal parts—machine in nature—and when it flapped its wings, the strength of its flight was enough to lift Kellan off his feet.

Without much thought, Kellan lifted his rifle and shot up at the monster.

[Alex Kellan] shot [Sinsidious Chick #3] for 18 damage. (9 +100% Sharpshooter Modifier + Sevriss Bonus)

The beast shrieked and then released Kellan. When it was about to fly away, Xiang waved her hand. Another bird appeared—an illusion—and it flapped its giant wings in front of the monster, confusing it. The beast slashed and shrieked, unable to see through the fakery.

Name: Sinsidious Chick #3

Race: Lesser Yami

Magics: Eclipse, Wyld

Rank: Impossible

Armor Rating: ---

Health: 19

Stats:

Strength—5

Dexterity—5

Fortitude—1 [Hollow Bones]

Intelligence—1

Perception—2

Willpower—1 [Animal]

Abilities:

Stealth Fighter—The yami can cloak itself in a bubble of silence and a shroud of invisibility while in flight. The bubble and field break when the yami takes violent action.

It only has one health left.

Kellan shot the beast. It flapped its wings, unable to support itself until it eventually crashed to the ground. The bird twitched and flapped as its screeching gradually dying along with it.

Kellan took a deep breath as he stared at the dying monster.

“Number three,” he muttered, his back on fire from the damage. The freakish Tyranny Worms stitched his skin back together, but Kellan already knew there were more nearby.

He glanced at the sky. There had to be more. He couldn’t see them.

Xiang walked over to the corpse of the bird, and then knelt. The black oil-like blood glittered with two pieces of red arcana. She grabbed one, and it disappeared into her flesh, practically melting into her.

Right as Kellan was about to say something, another bird suddenly became visible. It’s bubble of silence popped as it swooped for him.

Without conscious thought, Kellan stepped backward.

And then disappeared into the darkness. He sank into the void, out of reach from the bird. The talons hit the road, but Kellan had vanished into the shadows and “stepped” away through the darkness, like swimming in cold ink.

When Kellan wanted to emerge, he stepped up, like quickly walking out of a pool of weightless water. He was a good ten feet from his original position, and his “shadow-step” had happened so fast, even the second bird seemed confused.

“Void Agent,” Kellan muttered to himself as he stared at his hand. His focus from eclipse magic… He closed his eyes for a moment to think about it.

Void Agent

The mage gains the C rank power “Shadow Stretch” for free (the ability to step into the shadows, move their full distance, and then exit the shadows). Diving into the “void” of darkness only lasts 6 seconds, but the mage may travel anywhere that a shadow could fit through.

Stepping through the darkness? A tactical godsend.

When the bird screamed and lunged for him again, Kellan willfully stepped back into the shadows. Diving into the safety of the darkness was interesting—but he couldn’t experience it long. It was like his breath ran out in just six seconds. He had to emerge, but he stepped out behind the beast as it slammed into the road.

Kellan stood, lifted his rifle, and fired.

The raven screamed as the bullet ripped through most of its frail body. The machines weren’t as delicate, but the moment the bird started bleeding, it obviously wanted to get away. The raven took to the sky, and Kellan let it go.

But when he glanced up, to follow the trail of the monster, he had to crane his head back to see the top of a fifteen-story building. On the roof was the largest damn bird Kellan had ever seen in his life. The bird’s body was so swollen and bulbus, it obviously couldn’t fly.

It had to be the size of a single-family house. Maybe larger.

Its eyes had ruptured and wept blood. Its feathers were mangled and falling out onto the roof of the building. Visible bulges of flesh—they were so large, Kellan suspected they were the size of person—pulsated and popped, gushing out pus with the consistency of cottage cheese.

“What is that?” he said, breathless.

Name: Sinsidious

Race: Greater Yami

Magics: Eclipse, Wyld

Rank: Impossible

Armor Rating: 5 [Layers of Disease]

Health: 60

Stats:

Strength—15

Dexterity—2 [Bloated]

Fortitude—20 [Layers of Disease]

Intelligence—1

Perception—0 [Blind]

Willpower—1 [Animal]

Abilities:

Immaculate Conception—The yami lays fertilized eggs that hatch within ten minutes.

“Ten minutes?” Kellan said aloud. He whipped around, his heart rate going up. “We need to get into a building.”

Xiang glanced around, and then hurried for a door in a building across the street from the massive beast. With a wave of her hand, the door popped open. She entered.

Before Kellan followed, he rushed for the corpse of the single dead bird. He scooped up the arcana from the black blood, and then absorbed it.

[Alex Kellan] absorbed 1 arcana.

He ran for the building with Xiang, and as he went, a dozen more of the birds appeared in the sky, all swooping for his location. Kellan leapt into the darkness just before the next set of talons ripped into his body. He traveled through the darkness and emerged inside, next to Xiang.

The building—it was some sort of office complex. A receptionist’s desk, along with waiting chairs and a couch, were all positioned around the walls and windows.

The dozens of birds screeched, and two flew for the windows, shattering glass.

Xiang sighed. While rolling her eyes, she waved her hands and created more illusionary birds, the same kind she had used to distract the first. The fake birds fought with the real ones, distracting them.

Once the birds weren’t clawing at the building, Kellan managed to catch his breath. The worms finished their work, and Kellan no longer felt the sear of pain.

“Creatures like that are common in the games,” Xiang said. “It’s meant to distract us. We need to leave it and focus on the bunny.”

“We could gather some arcana.” Kellan rotated his shoulders. “The birds weren’t difficult to kill.”

“They’ll swarm you. That’s their tactic.”

A box fell off the receptionist’s desk.

Kellan whirled on his heel and brought up his gun.

“It’s one of the inbred,” Xiang said with a frown. “Kill that if you want arcana.”

Kellan lowered his weapon, disgusted with her flippant disregard for sentient life. As far as he was concerned, he didn’t want to kill any innocents trapped with the twisted confines of the Nexus.

“Come out,” Kellan said. “I won’t shoot you.”

For a short moment, nothing happened.

But then someone crept out from behind the desk, their odor reaching Kellan before he truly saw them. The soft stench of forgotten garbage wafted throughout the room. The person’s filthy clothes were ripped and tattered. It was a man—maybe more a teenager—with lumps on his body, a beach of a forehead, and no hair on his face, not even where eyebrows should’ve been.

“I-I’m not here,” he said, spittle flying out as spoke. “I was j-just trying to g-get home. I w-won’t interfere with your g-game.”

Kellan hesitated. He slung his weapon over his shoulder and motioned to the room. “It’s just me and… And this lady.” He stepped forward, but just once. “Look, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

“Are you really asking it questions?” Xiang stepped closer to the front door and glanced out the windows of the office building. “The birds are retreating to their mother. We can leave soon.”

Kellan ignored her.

The misshapen man remained on the ground, half on his knees, half poised to stand. Kellan motioned him up, disappointed his analysis didn’t see anything.

Which meant the resident wasn’t a mage or half-mage.

“What’s your name?” Kellan asked.

The man pulled on his dirty coat. It was brown, either from soil, or because it started brown, Kellan wasn’t sure.

“My n-name is Cash.”

“Really?” Kellan said, immediately regretting. “I mean, that’s not important. Sorry. I just need to know a few things. I’m Alex Kellan, and—”

The man’s eyes went wide. He had no eyebrows for further emotional shock, but Kellan got the picture.

“Oh, you’re Sad Sack!” Cash said as his lips twitched into a smile. “M-Merry Christmas! I’m happy to be alive, t-too!”

Kellan sighed and then dragged a hand down his face. “Jesus.”

“The Arbiter s-sent out messages of wh-what you had done.” Cash rubbed his hands together, the skin on his knuckles flaking off, revealing raw scabs. “You saved Hua and Twi. Such good kids. Their p-parents didn’t make it.”

Kellan wanted to ask, you knew them? but his throat tightened when he remembered the hall. He shook his head, dispelling the thoughts.

“W-Wait.” Cash held up a hand and then stepped forward. His smell became ever more prominent. “Can you help me? The y-yami… The Arbiter has given it life once a-again, but the chicks are a-attacking. They’ll find our h-home and kill us all.”

“We don’t have time,” Xiang stated.

Once again, Kellan ignored her.

“If I help you, do you think you could help us find the key for the game?”

Cash hesitated. He rubbed his hands together at twice the speed. “The Arbiter has f-forbidden us from helping outsiders.” He stared at the ground, avoiding Kellan’s gaze. “F-Forgive me.”

“It’s fine. Never mind. Do you think you could help me find more gold arcana?”

Xiang gave the conversation her full attention, her keen eyes locked on Cash. She waited, expectant, but remained quiet.

“Gold arcana…” Cash held his arms. “If y-you kill the bird… I think I m-might know someone who w-will offer up their a-arcana.”

“And arcana freely given is gold, right?” Kellan asked, hoping Xiang was paying attention.

Cash nodded once.

With a sardonic glance, Kellan turned to Xiang, and then motioned to himself, and then to Cash. “I told you. There was gold arcana. Hua and Twi even sang a song about it.”

“G-Gold arcana cleans the soul, red a-arcana takes its toll.” Cash didn’t sing as well as the kids, but even he seemed to know the little rhyme as soon Kellan invoked it.

“The key is more important than your quest for gold arcana,” Xiang stated. She returned her gaze to the window. The skies seemed calm, but Kellan knew it was all a farce. “And killing the mother will take a considerable amount of time.”

Kellan held his breath. He had an idea on how to deal with the bird. It was a tactic he had used while in the Delta Force several times.

“If I can kill the bird, I will,” Kellan said.

Cash’s eyes grew bloodshot and glassy. He smiled, despite himself, and then bowed his lumpy head several times. “Really? Oh, praise you. Merry Ch-Christmas! Thank the Arbiter!”

Without a word, Xiang exited the building, the click of her heels echoing out in the city. How much time did they have left? Kellan was certain they had plenty. Her desperation bothered him, but he figured she would change her tune as soon as she heard his plan.