After dinner, they retired to their rooms and despite his exhaustion, Danny struggled to sleep. His mind drifted to Druid. Then to Jose.

Initially, when he’d started training Jose, he had kept their relationship mostly professional. They were friendly, of course, but he had kept the banter light. Danny kept his focus on the gym floor chat and locker room gossip. The information didn’t just help increase his chances of finding clients, but Druid also found any information regarding villains and henchmen valuable.

When Jose got his powers from Power Merchant and then pursued employment under the villain, Danny pushed their trainer-client relationship further. Druid needed the intelligence for his mission. However, somewhere along the line, he genuinely started caring about Jose.

As Danny tried to fall asleep, he swiped through the ThreatLevel app to Jose’s entry. The page had grown since he made it.

Jose the Lizard/Scale

Threat Level: D

Destructiveness: E

Killability: C

---------------------------

Might: D

Survivability: C

Recovery: E

Mobility: F

Spark: O

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Power Type: Lizard physiology with standard enhanced mobility and senses. Can generate armour plating or serrated ridged scales and move them around his body. The first increases his size, strength and defence while slowing down. The ridged scales can’t grow over the plates, but they can shred skin and flesh with no trouble.

*Has regrown his tail and limbs after losing them in battle. Recovery abilities need reconfirmation.

Classification: Bruiser

Jose’s power set had developed further since his fight with Druid. The ridged scales were new. Danny wondered whether it was a natural development of his abilities, or Power Merchant had changed him further. The name caught him off-guard, too. People rarely gave henchmen aliases. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense since his real name was out in the open, too. The name Scale suggested that either Jose had started his journey towards becoming a villain or someone saw the potential in him to become one.

Thinking about his clients eventually lulled Danny into a deep sleep, and his dreams took him to the mangrove forest. The sun’s rays left golden patches on the shrubbery below. Walking through them reminded him of the same rush he got from consuming essences. The feeling wasn’t as euphoric and subdued, but he welcomed it nonetheless.

Unlike his last visit to the dreamscape, Danny didn’t start in front of the giant mangrove tree, but could see it through gaps in the canopy. He passed deer, foxes, rabbits, and several critters he failed to recognise. The hand mouths continued to function in the dream and he felt all movement around him. At first, Danny didn’t bother with the eyes, but when navigation proved difficult, he expelled a pair. They found Kabandha before him.

The asura sat under the giant mangrove, feasting on a mountainous plate of biryani. Kabandha ate slowly, using his bare right hand. Despite their size, his digits moved with surprising dexterity, drawing rice, meat and potato into clumps before delicately sliding them into his mouth.

“Why am I here?” Danny asked, sitting down opposite Kabandha.

“You tell me, Daniel Das,” Kabandha said. “I didn’t bring you here. You came to this place of your own accord. What’s on your mind? What’s bothering you?”

Danny watched the asura eat, struggling to put his thoughts in words.

“It’s fine if you need to talk at me instead of to me, Danny. Companionship is part of our deal as well. I’m a confidant that can never betray you and my lifetimes of experience could benefit you, too.”

“I’ve spent my life wanting and pursuing one thing,” Danny said.

“And that’s to become a hero?”

Danny nodded. “It started off as hero worship. I wanted to be Vish, Armorbuster, or Lancer. They’ve saved the world more times than I can count. Then, as I got older and everyone my age started developing powers, my motivations changed. Constantly looking over my shoulder and seeing friends crippled because of rampaging villains or henchmen scars a kid, you know?” He sighed. “I wanted to—I still want to protect the powerless after getting my powers. Joining the League felt like the best way to do that.”

“That’s changed now, I suppose,” Kabandha commented.

“Honestly, I don’t know anymore,” Danny said. “It’s the only legal way to do what I want, but the more I learn about the League and how things work, the stupider it feels. My closest friend—perhaps my only real friend—is a member, and I can’t talk to him because of its rules. They set the mission and I have to do what they want, not what will do the most good. Then there is all the marketing, portraying a character that sells.” He sighed. “It just feels so stupid and detracts from what I thought a League hero is supposed to be.”

“You need to join the League,” Kabandha said. “From what I understand the owner of the Sur Veda is in the organisation. Correct?”

Danny nodded.

“Then you have no choice but to join the League. The previous wielder of the Asuran Veda opted for a more direct approach, and that didn’t work. When the two fought, both Keepers had reasonably similar experience with their relics. Now, the Sur Veda’s wielder has had two decades of practice. Even if you picked a more potent partner like Ravana or Kumbhakarna, you wouldn’t be ready to face him in a head-on fight. Now, you don’t just lack strength, but experience as well.”

“Right. So the direct approach won’t work.”

“Indeed. You need to infiltrate the organisation, figure out this Vish’s weaknesses, and use the organisation’s resources to grow stronger. Feed me and learn to use your current tools better. Sound is a versatile tool and there are uses besides blasting people in the face.”

“Like what?”

“If I were you, I’d learn to make your arms sing. Punch people with the arm hollows humming, and you could mess with their insides.” Kabandha chuckled. “You have one major advantage over your opponent, you know.”

“Let me guess.” Danny’s eyes narrowed as he spoke. “You’re my advantage.”

“I’m serious. The Asuran Veda is a prison. Meanwhile, the Sur Veda is an arsenal of weapons meant to contain entities like me when we tempt mortals with power and break free. Your opponent is alone—”

“You mean besides his allies and bootlickers in the League?”

“Yes. He had no one to guide him on how to use his weapon or unlock all of its secrets. He may have figured it out in the past two decades, or he might not have. When you’re on the battlefield, you have me watching your back. I bet the Sur Veda and its weapons don’t mould his body to function better with the given powers, either.”

“Thank you,” Danny said, smiling at the asura. “For everything. Talking to you knowing that we’re truly in this together helps.”

“There’s one eventuality you need to prepare for, though,” Kabandha replied. “Defeating Vish and putting the two Vedas to rest might result in you losing your powers.”

“You mean I’ll go back to my powerless life?”

“Yes. There’s a high chance of that happening. After all, putting the Vedas to sleep will sever our contract and return me to my prison. I just hope you feed me enough delectable essences before the time comes.”