Monster-human child found in Virklund's abandoned mine

―tabloid headline, Weekly Verden News

Israfel

I’m the unluckiest man alive. Just when my two-week vacation was approved, and my girlfriend said she’d have free time to accompany me for an entire day, a state of emergency was declared. Every soldier was to report to his commanding officer immediately, and all of the EL A-class officers were told to go to this briefing room.

“What do you think it is?” asked Vehuel, or Villy for short. He’d been promoted as my second-in-command a month ago.

“I don’t know, but my girlfriend will be pissed,” I said.

“When are you going to introduce us to her? I’m starting to wonder if she isn’t imaginary or something,” said Villy.

The other ELs in the room added their commentary, but I ignored them.

In a few minutes, Uriel, Sariel, and Seraph arrived and told us what was happening.

“We’ve been receiving reports of unusual monster activity in the western part of the continent. Kraej’s scientists have come to the conclusion that there is an oncoming monster wave. Today the monsters started gathering. Tomorrow they will start moving east. Kraej is monitoring monster activity closely. The monsters will probably start arriving in Kraej City’s outskirts in three days. A public announcement will be made in a few minutes,” said Seraph. His voice was deep and resonant but even that magnificent voice couldn’t soften the news.

My lips moved in a soundless curse. A monster wave. That meant every monster in the continent would be headed towards the city.

This was it. Monster hunters like us were revered because we were protectors. It was up to us to save as much of the city as we could. Professional monster hunters like us who were employed by the Kraej Company would be expected to form the bulk of the defense force in the front lines. Freelance monster hunters, here in the city and out in the various smaller cities and towns, would be heading up the local community defense and evacuation.

Looking around, I wondered if all of the ELs here right now would make it.

A secretary handed us folders with papers that outlined our battle plan. Uriel took over and explained how the military battalions and our smaller EL units would be deployed in a defensive line around the city. We’d be spread very thin.

“We’ll have only three days to fortify our position,” said Uriel.

We knew what that meant. We’d place explosive mines, barbed wire, ditches, barricades, and anything else we could to slow down the monsters. The regulars would hunker down in defensive positions, but we ELs would be right in the middle of the fighting.

“Uriel, Sariel, and I will be stationed in front of the lines. We’ll go where the monsters are thickest to thin out the swarm,” said Seraph.

I think my girlfriend will forgive me for canceling our vacation this one time.

The commanders went over the battle plan. Afterward, we all filed out of the briefing room with grim faces. Uriel told me to come with him.

I wondered what was up when we didn’t go to his or the others’ office.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“Magnus Kraej’s office,” said Uriel.

I kept my mouth shut like a good little soldier, but I didn’t understand why Magnus Kraej would want to see me.

The corridor outside Magnus Kraej’s office was full of people coming and going. There were a dozen more in the waiting room. The junior Kraej’s office was enormous, but I couldn’t appreciate it much because it was full of Lifers, soldiers, and regular staff.

“Ah, you’re here,” said Magnus Kraej when he finished reading and signing the paper a Lifer had put in front of him. He nodded at an elderly Lifer who ushered all of the other people out except for the bodyguards. “This is the one you’ve chosen to help her?”

Her? Who?

“He knows her,” said Sariel. “His name is Israfel.”

I would have thought Seraph or Uriel would be the one to talk to Magnus Kraej, but it seemed they had delegated Sariel to deal with him.

“Alfred will be going with you,” said Magnus Kraej. He indicated the oldest of the Lifers in the room whose hair was white at the temples.

I’d heard of a Lifer named Alfred. He was Dierk Kraej’s chief enforcer. Before the S-class ELs had made their debut, he’d been considered the deadliest man alive. Unlike us ELs who were trained as monster hunters, Alfred was an assassin.

“I’m sure Israfel will be more than enough,” said Sariel.

Kraej gave him a long, level look. “Alfred will decide whether he’s needed there or not. He speaks for my father in this.”

“Have the scientists said anything more about the shield?”

“No. They can’t even guess if it would work or not,” said Kraej. “It’s the only hope for the city. People like you and me, we’ll survive this, but the common people don’t have the same resources.”

“I want her out of here,” said Sariel.

“Of course,” said Kraej. “She’ll be a priority for evacuation if it comes to that.”

Who were they talking about? His mother?

One of the Lifers handed Sariel a folder.

“This is a document establishing the temple as a tax-exempt, protected historic site. Alfred is also authorized to negotiate with the priestess if needed. Men have been stationed all around the temple for protection,” said Kraej. “Tell Asteria to be careful.”

Asteria? What does she have to do with this? And what temple?

“Understood,” said Sariel.

Kraej dismissed us with a wave of his hand. The moment we opened the door and left, people poured in. It was going to be a busy day for all of us.

We were completely silent as we went down the elevator to the underground parking lot. Seraph and Sariel got into a nondescript military vehicle. Uriel and I got into another while Alfred got into a separate vehicle.

“Good job keeping your mouth shut,” said Uriel. He gave me directions as I drove.

“What the hell is going on with Asteria? What does she have to do with anything? What temple?” The questions poured out of me.

“Strange, but Asteria was the first to realize that a monster wave was coming. Did you know that glowing green eyes are the first sign?”

“No, I thought it was black eyes.”

“Asteria seems to know a lot about history. She moved faster than anyone else. She’s already at the temple of the shield with Oren and his friend Katja.”

“I think I remember the shield. The priests can cast one using an ancient artifact, right?”

“Yes, we’re going to that temple,” said Uriel.

The traffic at the military tunnels was unusually dense. I guessed traffic would be worse on our way back, but it would still be better than aboveground when the public learned of the oncoming monster wave.

Everybody would be trying to flee the city, but that wouldn’t work for most people. The city’s elite would be escaping by air. Travel by land was doomed since the monsters would be covering the entire land from here to the eastern coast. For ordinary people, the sea was their best bet. In an hour, crowds of people would be rushing towards the docks, desperately searching for a way out. The city’s police force would be hard-pressed to keep order, but that was their problem. We ELs had an even bigger one.

“It’s going to be bad, isn’t it, sir?” It wasn’t really a question.

“If the priestess can get the shield going, most people will survive,” was all Commander Uriel said.

I thought about tens of thousands of monsters attacking Kraej City with only us to keep it safe. I wondered how many of the regular soldiers would desert, either because of fear or because they wanted to protect their own family over protecting the entirety of the population.

We ELs would never desert because the military was our life.

Commander Uriel and I were lost in thought for a while until we got to the temple.

“I never knew this was here,” I said as I drove to the gates marked “Ubsola Temple.”

We parked our vehicles in the large, empty parking lot then walked into the temple grounds. It was a veritable forest, actually. The temple was a small and well-maintained set of wooden buildings. The others were already knocking at the temple door.

A girl with pink hair dressed in robes opened the door. She took one look at us then tried to close it again. “No Kraej.”

Girl, we’re not encyclopedia salesmen. You don’t refuse a visit from the commanders and Alfred.

Sariel held the door open and shoved a folder at her. “This is a document establishing the temple as tax exempt. You’ll receive funds from the city every month for the maintenance of this historic site.”

The girl stumbled back when Sariel forced the door open all the way and walked inside.

“Hey! Who do you think you are?” said the girl.

“I’m here to see Asteria,” said Seraph.

“Asteria? Why?” The girl seemed confused.

We took our shoes off in the entranceway while the girl went off, probably to call for reinforcements because she reappeared a minute later with Asteria, Oren, and Katja in tow.

“You see, Oren? This is what I meant,” said Asteria. “Anyone with a brain will be coming to see Sofia about the shield.”

“They won’t be able to mob the temple because the Kraej have men protecting this place,” said Sariel.

“Who asked them for protection?” said the girl Asteria had called Sofia.

Asteria took her by the arm and gently turned her around to face away from us. “Sofia, I know you’re angry at the Kraej, but there’s a monster wave coming, and these are the people who will be at the frontlines risking their lives to protect the city.”

Sofia was silent for a moment. When she turned around to face Sariel, her face was sulky and she was biting her lower lip, but she led us to the temple’s main hall. She even offered us tea, but we refused because we were in a rush.

Sofia told us about the ancient artifact’s state.

“The sewers. It’s always the sewers,” I said.

“I found the spot the embercats most likely use to enter the sewers,” said Oren.

“Fine. Let’s go,” I said.

“I’ll go with you,” said Katja.

Asteria wisely chose to stay behind. Seeing as she couldn't make them leave, Sofia agreed to show the commanders and Alfred the artifact.

I use the temple’s phone to call Villy to have a spare uniform and sewer soap sent over.

“What’s sewer soap?” asked Katja.

“Oh my gosh, it’s a horribly strong soap. It stung my eyes something fierce, but they say it’s the only thing that can get rid of the sewer smell,” said Asteria.

Asteria’s been to the sewers? And she thought about the monster wave and the shield before the Kraej scientists did? I hadn’t pegged her as an intellectual but there must be more to her than meets the eye. She wouldn’t have been able to capture the world’s deadliest warrior otherwise. Seraph had hardly taken his eyes off her ever since she appeared.

“Good luck,” said Asteria as Oren, Katja, and I descended into the city’s bowels.

I should be at the beach right now with my girlfriend instead of hunting monsters in the sewers again.

“I better get a big bonus for this,” I said.

And a city to spend it in.

Sofia: I captured the hero's heart!