January 26, 2019, 4:44 pm.

While at first, I thought we had a live feed to Ivicka's compound, after some investigation, we discover the recordings are at least several hours behind reality. Further investigation reveals the videos are sent in once a day, with only a week's worth of records in the archives.

A week's worth of records is a lot of potential information but it's incredibly boring to watch. And with time dilation, we don't have a good excuse not to.

After three hours of scanning through the footage, we've identified two other perspectives that expand the view. We've also determined that for some reason each cycle ends at 9:10 in the morning. Whatever the reason, this means the last video ends shortly after Ivicka departed her compound with Asterix before she invaded Folthka's compound.

Just like Tipan said, Asterix truly is looking better. Though the flowing crest composed of tentacles is new. It's not even that disturbing, resembling a slicked-back mane of dark emerald hair. As I watch, said hair reaches out to scoop up a nearby Fallen before depositing it in the resting dragon's maw.

Nevermind. That's super yucky.

Is this what they did with the Lord of the Deep? What possible benefit could it offer?

We continue scouring through the files while working out our plan of action. The intel is a few hours out of date, but it's amazing considering it fell into our lap. Then again, with how badly the System wants us to take down the Fallen, I guess it's not that surprising it's helping out.

"Next, it's going to give us a specialized rocket launcher that will take out Ivicka in a single shot," I verbalize to myself. There's no conveniently timed System message or appearance of an insta-kill weapon, but it was worth a try. I mean, what's the point of being continually monitored by an all-powerful System if they don't drop things in your lap every now and again.

Not that the System has a habit of giving me things without at least a nominal effort on my part.

With a clear outline of the compound, the flight path between it and her mountain Sanctum and a general understanding of the scale of their forces, I've come to a rather unpleasant conclusion.

This is going to suck.

Thousands of Fallen, hundreds of treants and at least three other dragons, all with the same tentacle manes encircling their heads. There are at least two Awakened Fallen, one who floats around with large metal plates and another who skips about with sudden bursts of wind. And those are just the forces we've been able to confirm.

On the plus side, they'll have no idea we're coming. And Genitha insists she could defeat everything herself. Except for Ivicka's unknown ally. If they turn up while the unconverted K'tharn are still locked away, things could get messy. And yeah, there are entire holding pens full of K'tharn waiting to be processed. We've already seen several dozen flown to her Sanctum.

So, that's our first objective. Get in, find the K'tharn, then get them out.

We'll be operating in two teams.

The current plan is mostly reliant on using me to ferry groups back and forth between the Knights and the Wizards. It was a surprisingly unanimous decision when Rose proposed the group names. He was kind of upset when Beth reminded him he'd be staying at Raz's, so it didn't matter which group he was in. He's an honorary Knight.

He felt a little better when Demo informed us he'd be staying behind as well. He chose Wizard.

The Wizards are composed of Beth and Genitha, while Roberts, Tipan and Rufka are the actual Knights. Technically, I'll be joining the Wizards, but I'm not on either squad, since I'm going to be bouncing around like crazy, ferrying people out. And transportation is going to be all on me. Turns out that Genitha's teleport takes a lot longer to cast. Like five minutes a shot.

Not what you want when you're in a hurry.

After the first step, we have half a dozen contingency plans, each for a different combination of Ministers that Genitha theorizes may show up. My part in each plan is simple. Get the Wizards to safety.

We're going over yet another variation of bad guy shows up, Beth and Genitha blow them up, Alexis gets everyone out when Rufka speaks up, "What happens if they come for us in the staging area?"

"That's why yeh'll be planting these in the area," Demo explains. Right, I think I remember them mentioning something about explosives. Rufka and I may have been a little distracted with Smoulder at the time. Smoulder's starting to feel a little annoyed she can't summon flames within the CMCC. When we tried to send her back to Raz's, we discovered we can't just pop out. We're stuck here until the full thirty-six hours are up.

Really glad I grabbed that extra food.

"Right. Uhm, what do these do again?" Rufka asks, glancing around the table.

"Shaped mana disruption charges. They'll knock any integrated creature below Silver-rank unconscious. Well, almost any."

"Wait. You've been carrying these around with you everywhere," I glare at Demo, as I realize he could have knocked us out at any time.

"Yep."

"Vaus-damn, that's handy. Mum, didn't you say these things are expensive?"

"To purchase, yes. There aren't many with the skill to create such devices in the Aetherium."

"Anyway, we'll plant the charges before anyone goes in. Assuming everything is the same as on the footage we'll place them…" Beth continues explaining the instructions which I copy as best I can into my notebook.

Another hour later, we've exhausted most reasonable tangents related to our upcoming smash and rescue so we've started playing cards while Roberts tells us about one of his less than legal adventures from before he became a doctor.

"Anyway, as I was saying, little Jim had me cornered. He's not to be confused with slim Jim, my brother's dealer. They're very different. For one thing, little Jim was actually quite large, so when I say he had me in a corner, I mean there wasn't much space to maneuver. At least, not at ground level. For another, little Jim had a personal interest in ensuring I'd have an extended stay in the hospital. After all, in his eyes, I was the only reason Maria wouldn't give him the time of day."

"Now, it may not be that incredible here, but at the time I thought myself rather daring when I chose to dash off the balcony to swing into the apartment underneath. It wasn't actually my best plan because I forgot that the apartment under Maria's was her brother's…"

Turns out Roberts had worked as a courier for some low-level drug dealers when he was in med school. This whole story started when Rose asked Roberts how he met his wife.

It's also the reason he goes by Roberts. When he told the story to his grandson, Ethan, the boy compared it to a movie he loved. Apparently there was a pirate hero that went by Roberts. Which leads to the most shocking revelation of his story.

Roberts's last name is actually Ling.

To which Rose blurts out, "You don't look Chinese!"

Even as the words come out of his mouth, his ears lay flat in embarrassment. I mean, he's right, Roberts doesn't look Asian to me. But then, I don't look Cree either.

Roberts laughs it off as he explains, "I take after my mother's side. But my grandparents moved to Canada from the Qinghai province."

Rufka is tapping a beat on her leg when she interjects, "I have no idea what any of that means. But did you actually go back for the package? Without any enchantments? Against a foe twice your size?"

"Of course. I'd have been dead without it, so it wasn't much of a choice. In fact..."

Before I know it, we've spent several hours trading stories. We hear a lot from Roberts, because Rufka keeps asking about his past. She loves that so many feature him running above cities. Apparently, he was quite the skywalker when he was younger.

That's another way to say a crazy person who runs up and down buildings without magic or equipment. Pretty sure they call it parkour or something now.

Rufka informs us that even with magic, there aren't many who choose to do so. At least not in the Aetherium.

As we're getting ready to sleep, we discover the command centre has rooms available.

It's a little late, but when I enter the room, the System informs me that I can use our key to link my personal room to the CMCC. If I'd set it up before I came in. It also informs me that if I access my room from within the CMCC, I won't be able to use any other exits. Because, you know, dilated time.

It's still cool.

The room is fairly basic, a simple desk and the least comfortable bed I've encountered since arriving on Akilo. Which includes sleeping on the stone floor of the church. Luckily, a positive health edge prevents it from being an actual issue.

While the bed is uncomfortable, this is the best place I could hope to spend tonight.

Because I'm able to spend it with Rufka without having to worry I'll zap her with a lightning bolt in my sleep.

…

And Smoulder. Yes, you little furball, I'm not kicking you out.

Not yet.

When I wake, I'm not sure if the fur in my mouth is from cuddling with Rufka or from Smoulder planting herself on my face to rouse me.

Deciding to get even with her by not feeding her immediately, I check the improvements to my attributes instead. And then start giving her a snack while I review. Because I'm a softie.

Class

Cataclysm Seed

Level

Iron

2

ATTRIBUTE

VALUE

ADJUST

STRENGTH

1

(+/-)

CONSTITUTION

11

(+/-)

AGILITY

16

(+/-)

ENDURANCE

11

(+/-)

INTELLECT

100

(+/-)

SPIRIT

100

(+/-)

PERCEPTION

50

(+/-)

RESOLVE

50

(+/-)

Integration Points

0

Progression Points

0

Storage

4.39

Cubic meters

Bonded Armour

2/3

RESOURCE

CURRENT/MAX

[EDGE]

(REGEN)

Health

142/142

[9.2]

(74)/d

Stamina

142/142

[9.6]

(77)/d

Mana

682/682

[60.3]

(571)/d

Focus

598/598

[44.2]

(442)/d

Matrix

Facet

189/189

[14.6]

(148)/h

Resistance

[EDGE]

Mana

[63]

Elemental

[63]

Temporal

[95]

Spatial

[95]

I was tempted to increase my Agility, but instead, I've finally raised my Strength to the point it's not in the negatives.

Yay?

The rest were almost evenly split between Endurance, Perception and Resolve. Hopefully, that'll be the end of any unbalanced attribute syndrome. Or whatever it's called.

Not every point went into attributes. Everyone made sure to pick up party voice and party chat. I was sorely tempted to keep placing my points into my mental stats, but the ease with which Rufka won our playfighting last night reminded me how much I rely on my magic to… well, do everything really.

I can move things with my mind. Of course, I use it every chance I get.

But sometimes you need to be able to take a hit without being reduced to a giggling mess once the tickling starts. Okay, I'm not actually sure Strength will help withstand being tickled, but it'll help me be the tickler instead of the ticklee.

The tickling also made me realize how long it's been since I've felt pain. I don't get minor aches or pains anymore. Not even that tingly sensation I should have got from Rufka sleeping on my arm all night.

I wonder how the System differentiates between tickling and other sources of tingling?

My musings are cut short by Rufka making an adorable half-snort as Smoulder steps on her ear. As they sort themselves out, I start laying out breakfast on the desk. After eating, we climb back into bed. We still have nearly twenty hours before we're done here. This is the closest we're going to have to a break and we've decided to make the most of it. Especially since we're charging into the lion's den once we're released.

And that's exactly what we do. Though we don't spend all day in bed, like I'd originally been envisioning. Rufka can't actually handle sitting still that long.

After a full day of messing around, visiting with the others, getting to know Rose (who is either incredibly different from Josh, or just doesn't have Josh's filters) and reviewing 'the plan' another dozen times we're all back at the entrance table, waiting for the last five minutes to count down.

Everyone can barely wait to get out. While we'd thought we were prepared to spend thirty-six hours in here, most of our preparations included using magic in some way. The lack has led everyone except Raz to go a little stir crazy.

He spent the whole time playing his guitar in the corner. Rufka and I danced several times, even taking turns with Roberts and Tipan. Roberts also took the opportunity to demonstrate some good old earth music, busting out a marvellous rendition of 'I like that old type of Rock & Roll' and a less impressive version of 'Iron Man'. His guitar work was excellent, but he just doesn't have the voice for it.

Rose and Beth spent a while talking. A long while.

But now we're leaving. Time to go face the big bad and all that.

My attempt to follow what happens on the way out reinforces that whatever went into creating the CMCC is out of my league.

For the moment.

Our hands are once again in position on the table. Other than a slight change in the patrons around us, it's as though we never left.

We don't waste time. The moment everyone is over the nausea, we head for the exit where Genitha prepares her group teleportation spell. Which I totally take notes on. All the notes. These are in addition to the instruction she gave me when we compared the idea of our spells while trapped in the CMCC, our efforts frustrated by the limited access to magic.

Even after spending a whole day there, I was the only one able to harness any magic.

It has roughly ten times the runes of my spell, which kind of makes me worried about mine. But then again, hers has guidance built-in, whereas mine requires a link.

Speaking of which, we still have Ivicka's arm, and the connection is still strong enough for me to confirm she's in the general direction of her Sanctum.

Kind of a grisly task, but better than teleporting halfway across the continent only to find out she was already in our back yard. Err, relative to our teleportation capability that is.

Genitha's spell is much neater than mine. Only the actual people chosen for transport are teleported. No practice dummies were harmed in the casting of her spell.

We emerge in a shallow dip between two nearby hills. I nearly step in a small pool covered in green moss when I turn to look around but manage to keep my footing. And by 'keep my footing' I mean I reshape the ground beneath my feet while crackling flames engulf my hands. I breathe deeply, embracing the plentiful mana in the air as a shudder of relief passes through me.

"Uh, Lexi. Stealth mission," Rufka reminds me, breaking me out of my daze just before I start creating great arcs of fire in the sky.

"Oh, right. Sorry," I apologize as I float down, stepping off the newly formed square block on the edge of the pool. I go to dispel my flight spell but...

I wasn't even using it.

Huh. That's new.

There's no time for me to revel in my newfound ability, as I help the others place Demo's charges in an egg-shaped oval around the small valley.

"Okay, people, we all know the plan. Keep your eyes and ears open. We'll be back for dinner." With that, Beth, Genitha and I slip out of sight, each of our invisibility spells enshrouding us.

However, while they fly directly towards the compound, I fly straight up.

Once my head barely protrudes above the treeline I connect directly to Beth's vision, ready to teleport at her signal. But it's a bit of a flight.

Didn't want a drago-squid stumbling over us. That would kill the mood.

Still, while we're flying, I decide I should talk to Beth.

I've kind of been ignoring it, since I've been focused on Ivicka and Rufka, but things were tense between her and Rose.

"So, Beth," I start.

"Yeah, kid?"

"About Rose."

"Not the time kid."

"I just wanted to know if you're going to… Ohmygod! What is that?!"

Beth snaps her vision to a twisting mass of flesh that is snaking between the trees below her. It must have over a million little arms, each one the general shape of a human's. Or a K'tharn's actually. Each arm ends in hands like theirs, though it looks like its claws never retract.

"Ah, a Vothborean. Truly an auspicious omen," Genitha comments through party voice.

"I'm sorry, what? How is that thing an auspicious omen?" Beth demands.

The rumbling of the massive millipede (cause that's what it reminds me of) fades as Genitha explains, "They're a rare creature that hunts Fallen, sending them to their final rest. It seems we may have an unexpected ally."

As Beth stares at the slimy carapace propelled by hundreds of humanoid arms, I can't help but wonder if we could trade-in for a slightly less disgusting ally.

Judging by Beth's 'blech,' she agrees with me.