Welp, here we go again. Sorry it has been a little while I had to do a bit of traveling. I would like to thank diddley_squat and iamafallen for their reviews. I added their names to this chapter as a thanks. I had to get a bit creative for iamafallen. Let’s see if anyone can find it. Also please feel free to check out my website https://yougots.wordpress.com/ for other stuff. Enjoy.

They stood on a rooftop that overlooked a large gated entrance watching supply convoys leave and enter the military compound. The group of Linnare they had followed were currently speaking with what looked to be a Farg official. Whatever they had said satisfied the official and were led through the large bay door that doubled as a gate for the compound. The bay door may have looked metal but it shimmered and vanished when someone or something was allowed to enter. According to Kavdiir it was some kind of energy barrier and any who attempted to force their way through it never lasted long. Kavdiir’s description of what happened to them sounded a lot like a bug zapper to Otis; a pop, a fizzle and some ash.

“Well that answers that question. They are definitely working for the Farg,” Sonashi stated. Her scowl was clear as day, she already thought this mission was a lost cause.

Caeanos cursed and threw his hands in the air breaking himself from Otis’s shadow. “What are these one’s going to do now that we cannot follow them in? This one was expecting their wanton destruction to cover our tracks. Walking through chaos and explosions would have been so cool.”

Sonashi and Kavdiir broke from the shadow as well. Kavdiir’s face was firm and betrayed no emotion but Otis could tell there was a roiling rage burning beneath. “Any other time this one would scrap this mission but we cannot afford to let Sejin accomplish his mission.” Kavdiir said flatly while his aura played a harsh furious beat that only Otis could hear.

“So what do we do?” Otis asked cautiously as his shadow receded to hide under his foot.

“Gross. Can you stop that?” Sonashi interrupted Otis question as she backhanded his shoulder. Her backhands where no laughing matter nowadays.

“What? This body armor itches and its loose going to all the wrong places.” Otis said continuing his dance of scratching and pulling at his armor but now he also included rubbing his shoulder.

“I am smaller than you so imagine how I feel. What is this armor made of anyway? It feels weird.” To make her point she unrolled her sleeves to show that they went at least a foot past her arms.

“These ones do not know. We stole the material and sewed it together ourselves.” Kavdiir gave a curt answer attempting to end their antics.

“Already fighting like an old married couple.” Caeanos said to encourage them but immediately looked away to avoid Sonashi’s burning glare. He rushed to change the subject. “T-this one believes Otis goes in alone and secures our passage. His shadows are better when he travels alone. He may be able to evade the sensors and the guard’s optic implants.

Kavdiir’s gaze at the entrance hardened before he answered. “Agreed. These ones will change into the guard uniforms and approach the gate. Otis, you sneak in and make sure the gate opens for us. Do it quietly, these ones do not want to draw attention too early. That means no magic it’s too dangerous here.”

Otis made it down to the street level by the way of a fire escape. Covered in shadow he jumped on the back of a sleek driverless convoy truck and hung on the back of it like a fireman. It stopped momentarily at the gate before being let through. An intangible pressure washed over him as he moved into the gate entrance. He felt heavy and almost lost his grip on the back of the truck. He sent a tiny bit of mana to his hands to reaffirm his grip. The pressure from his fingers dented in the metal giving him better hand holds.

[-1MP]

The entryway was at least ten feet thick and the pressure ran its entirety. Once it cleared entrance the convoy truck wove its way around a few stone road barriers before coming to a stop in front of a guard house. Otis jumped off the truck before it continued down the street. Otis could see the aura of five guards in the building.

“Easy enough. Now let’s see about keeping that gate open.”

Otis slid into the open door as one of the soldiers exited to check the goods on the next convoy truck. Two soldiers manned the desk watching the monitors and flashing lights on their control panels. Their hands moved skillfully over their instruments to run scans on every vehicle and other entrants while issuing other commands through the microphones attached to their helmets. Two more soldiers stood along the back wall heavily armed and ready to inflict pain. All of their levels were upper thirties.

[Inspection Officer Lam’Raz - Level 36 Farg Soldier]

[Inspection Officer - Throdar Level 37 Farg Soldier]

[Enforcement Officer Hagru - Level 39 Farg Soldier]

[Enforcement Officer - Orl Level 39 Farg Soldier]

“Hey look at these lizards. What do they think they are doing?” Officer Lam’Raz shook his head and asked the officer next to him. The eagerness in his voice betrayed the professionalism he was trying to portray. ”Dirty lower races need to learn their place.”

Officer Lam’Raz directed their attention to monitor 4. It showed Kavdiir’s group in Farg uniforms approaching the gate. It was painfully obvious that two of them were Linnare by how they walked in attempt to hide their tails, while Sonashi was way too short to be considered an Ogrite. The out of date weapons they carried in their hands also did not help keep their cover.

“Their little lizard brains probably cannot even process what they are doing but in any case call in support. They are going to put up a fight, they always do.” Enforcement Officer Hagru said with a despondent sigh.

Damn this is going to be over before it can even start, Otis thought to himself. He summoned an [Elixir of Intellect] to his hand and drank it down.

[+15 Intellect]

Otis backed himself to the wall to place a fire trap. He could not push too much mana into it, he was too close and he still needed to open the gate.

“Red Entrance requests…” The soldier paused his order as something caught his eye on one of their monitors. It was the monitors that showed the interior of the guard house.

“Shit.” Otis saw his blue shaped outline on the screen.

The Ogrite spun around in his chair sidearm in hand to the shock of his comrades. “Intruders at Red Gate!” He shouted into his head set. The soldier fired hot plasma blast melting the wall where Otis had stood destroying his fire trap in the process.

[-2MP]

[-136HP]

Otis dove out of the way of the plasma round but the broken trap exploded and blew him into the heavily armed soldiers. His shadow dropped as he crashed into them and his rifle tumbled across the ground. Otis scrambled to his feet still disoriented from the blast. A kick caught him in the chest. It felt like a truck slammed into his chest and there was a distinct feeling of bones breaking.

[-436HP]

The kick knocked him to the floor again but this time he skidded away from the other soldiers. He heard their weapons spinning to life before he could see it. He did not know when he had unholstered the [Tactical 12G] but it was in his hand firing. A few shots struck the Farg in the shoulders and chest but it did not elicit the response he had expected.

The soldiers grunted as the bullets pinged their armor but none of them dropped. He had only managed to disturb their aim. Hot plasma melted and ruined the floors and walls of the guard house. Otis frantically moved out of their line of fire before ducking low and dashing at them.

Otis continued to fire his Tactical to disrupt their aim. The rate of fire of the Linnare firearm was higher than the plasma weapons but the Farg soldiers did not fear it. They shrugged off Otis’s rounds like they were nothing. Otis targeted the soldier who had originally called in for backup.

The Ogrite smirked through the clear faceplate on his helmet. “Coming back for m…”

Otis reinforced his arms with mana and drew [the Cruel Mistress] in a smooth motion slashing into the gap between the soldier's helmet and body armor. The sword struck the armor that covered Officer Lam’Raz’s neck both of them bent and flexed but neither gave turning Otis’s sword into nothing but a blunt instrument. Otis grunted as he swung through, the power from the blow threw the soldier to the side. The loud pop from the Ogrite’s neck told Otis that he was not getting back up.

[-5MP]

Otis spun firing two rounds into the next Ogrite’s shoulder ruining the soldier’s aim before he stabbed his sword forward into its face plate. The faceplate cracked throwing the Ogrite’s head back, Otis followed it with an enhanced kick to the stomach. The soldier bounced off the wall moments later. The remaining heavily soldiers unloaded plasma from their carbines now that two of their own were down. Their weapons were normally too powerful to be used in doors at this range but Otis was someone they could not let run free.

Otis retreated back to the control panel, balls of hot plasma flew over his shoulders as he ducked down. He continued to fire well placed rounds from his [Tactical 12G] hitting them in their arms and shoulders to disrupt their aim. He hit the switch to lower the barrier shield, praying that the half melted machine could still function. The barrier flickered out of existence.

“I can’t just leave this here.” Otis said through clenched teeth as something had struck his leg but he kept firing his weapon using the [Aura Sense] to guide his aim. He pressed his free hand down on the console to steady himself and planted a fire trap.

[-123HP]

[-5MP]

A plasma round struck Otis’s side as he turned to run aggravating his broken ribs and burning away his skin.

[-898HP]

I have been through worse, he told himself as he pushed through the searing pain. He dashed away from the console half dragging his leg behind him and dove through the hole in the wall made by the first plasma round. The fire trap ignited behind him erupting in a pillar of fire blowing apart the console then the building. The blast threw Otis further from the destroyed building.

[-126HP]

Otis rolled over and coughed up blood. That plasma round had done more damage than he had originally thought. In a daze he put his hand to his side, it was wet and he had a distinct feeling that there should be more there. Otis noticed something else, he was not healing the way he should it was too slow and he felt weaker by the second. Otis circulated his mana sacrificing what little he had for healing. His head cleared almost immediately and he pulled his hand away from his ribs to let the magic happen.

[-788MP] [+1100HP]

Otis gasped as it finished spitting the leftover liquid from his lungs. He had been dangerously close to figuring out what happens when he is completely out of health points. He would need to keep a closer eye on them now that he only had 1147 HP and for some reason it was not regenerating. Why now of all times, he wondered. After a few more breaths he noticed that he finally recovered a tiny sliver of a bit of health. It was nowhere near his normal speed but he would take it. He needed to get back to Sonashi and the others. The situation has changed and they needed to move no more being careful. He shook the last bit of fog from his mind and covered himself in shadow. He looked up to see a team of heavily armed guards coming his direction.

Sonashi, Kavdiir and Caeanos were still struggling to make it through the gate’s unseen pressure. No one had warned them that there was such a defense and it almost flattened them when they first stepped in. Sonashi was the first to make it through. Otis soon arrived next to her dropping his shadows when he did.

Sonashi yelped at his sudden appearance. She growled and was about to berate but the anger drained from her face when she saw his armor and clothing. The right side of his clothing was tattered and burned away. All that was left pink newly formed skin and his remaining clothing was covered in blood. He was pale and winced with every step he took but the fact that he was regaining his color relieved some of her worry.

“Hold them off.” Otis pointed back to the incoming Ogrite’s.

“Always having to clean up your mess.” Sonashi stepped towards the enemy with a smirk that she used to hide her concern. She opened fire and ducked behind a road barrier to dodge the incoming plasma bolts. She had the same problems as Otis, her [TX-190] only slowed the soldiers down instead of stopping them completely.

Otis grunted as he jumped back into the pressure zone. The pressure was too much for Otis to fire his weapon and the Linnare could barely stand. He quickly made his way to Caeanos who the furthest away and dragged him over to Kavdiir. Otis pulled the two panting Linnare free of the pressure field.

“Aim for the faceplate,” Kavdiir shouted over the gunfire. It was the least he could do as he tried to regain his strength. His muscles burned and ached from the intangible pressure before. The Linnare had no choice but to let Otis drag them to the barrier that Sonashi had used as cover. Kavdiir quickly drank an [Elixir of Fortitude] when he noticed Caeanos doing the same. The fact that it was called an elixir like those drugs worried him but he did not have much of a choice and he trusted Otis when he told them they were not the same thing. Energy quickly returned to the Linnare’s body and at that point Kavdiir knew he would have to have a steady diet of these ‘elixirs’ if they wanted to make it through this mission.

Sonashi corrected her aim and three rounds later a face plate shattered leaving the high impact round to cave in the soldier’s face. The soldiers continued to fire slowly melting down their cover.

“These ones cannot get pinned down here. Have to keep moving more guards will come.” Kavdiir after he caught his breath and opened fire from behind cover. Caeanos was not far behind as he took aim and killed one of the soldiers.

“What the hell do we do then? More are coming right now.”

“Of course there are more coming you lit the place on fire. What the hell were you thinking?” Sonashi complained.

Otis emptied the rest of the rounds from his [Tactical 12G] into the soldiers managing only annoy them as his shots struck chest and arms. “I was thinking that your costume sucks and they were calling for back up anyway.” Otis loaded another clip into his firearm. “You guys line up behind me. I may be able to still shoot while we are shadowed. Caeanos give me that.” Otis snatched the rifle from Caeanos’s hands after the Linnare finished reloading it.

“Don’t touch another man’s gun!” The Linnare hissed.

“You’re going to be spotter anyway. Tell me when you think one of those bastards can see us. Kavdiir, do you know where we should go?”

Kavdiir pulled himself down behind the eroding barrier. “No, plan on the run!”

Otis nodded in agreement and covered himself in shadow then pushed it over everyone else. He placed an earth trap on the ground and waited for the right moment.

[-5MP]

The Farg stopped firing when they noticed there was no response, a few dozen more soldiers had joined up to suppress the trespassers.

“Let’s go.” Otis whispered as he slowly left the barrier being careful to make as little sound as possible.

“Third one on the left, kill him quickly.” Caeanos whispered as he leaned closer to Otis.

“Too close! You’re breathing on my neck.” Otis turned to fire almost pulling himself out of Caeanos’s grasp. The soldier grunted brushing off the rounds that hit his chest.

“The face. The Face!”

“Your breath is hot, smells like fish. What did you eat for breakfast?” He shot at the Farg again and growled as he only clipped its shoulders. The Farg commanded the others to shoot in their direction.

“Your mother and do you even have eyes? Why did you even take this ones rifle?” Otis ignored the taunt and focused. Ranged weapons were never his strong suit and the bastard would not go down.

“Shut up, I am trying to concentrate. Even my training with Michelle I could not hit anything with an arrow, I always had to rely on [Enhanced Arrow] to take anything down.” Otis complained as he pulled the others behind another barrier. It would not last long the soldiers were already fanning out around them. The commander shrugged off a few more rounds from Otis.

“What is an [Enhanced Arrow]?”

“What?” Otis said while distracted by gunfire. “The [Enhanced Arrow] is a skill. I have one just like it for guns…damn it.” Otis cursed himself for forgetting the skill he gained from the library in Flower Hill Village.

[Enhanced Round]

[-25MP]

It was stronger than he expected. The round took the Ogrite in the chest launching him off his feet. Otis did not have time to revel in the skill as the soldiers continued to approach their plasma carbines spinning to life melting down their cover. Otis pulled his team away firing several more [Enhanced Rounds] clearing the way for their escape.

[Enhanced Round]

[-25MP]

[Enhanced Round]

[-25MP]

[Enhanced Round]

[-25MP]

[Enhanced Round]

[-25MP]

Otis pushed forward through the crowd. He was careful not to touch them, luckily none of the remaining soldiers could see their shadowed forms. They broke past the Farg into the area after the wall. It was much like the area before it, streets and white stone buildings. The sirens blared and the Farg soldiers were still flooding into the streets rushing to the gate. To Otis it looked like the Farg were prepared for a small scale invasion. At least it was until Otis’s trap seal activated. The localized earthquake seemed to shake the entire level as the ground rent open and swallowed all the soldiers in it range.

Otis had no clue how many the trap took down but the soldiers on the streets promptly doubled after it. Caeanos wasted no time pointing out who he suspected could see them. Otis could not afford to use much more mana so if he had a clear shot he choose to place three rounds into their unsuspecting face. A majority of the soldier’s did not wear full armor that the others had at the gate. Even with rationing Otis had almost used the entirety of his mana and the 30 minute time limit of the elixir was running out.

Otis ducked into an ordinary looking white building but did not drop the shadow. “Catch your breath but we cannot stay for long. There is three groups of ten coming this way now.” He summoned another [Elixir of Intellect] and drank it as the time limit on the previous one expired. The others in his group did the same drinking the elixir of their choice.

“How? How do they keep finding us?” Sonashi panted as she leaned against the wall. The Lower Patrol military complex was the size of a small city and they had been confronted by several groups hunting them down each group.

“They had a sensor in the guard house that could see me despite being shadowed. I have seen cameras all over the place so must be the same.”

“This one believes so too. They find us but their aim is terrible so they cannot always see these ones. Otis can you tell from here where the captive beast and insects are?”

Otis closed his eyes and pushed his senses as far out as he could until he could see the white aura of the soulless. Scattered in the sea of white he found a few yellows but most of them were tinged with red corruption. Another group grabbed his attention but they were several floors above the soulless.

Otis could hear himself groan. “What is it?” Caeanos asked, his eyes sharply looked through the window for any who were coming for them.

“The warehouse is underground and the building above it is full of neuromancers. Sejin is also there but on the upper floors.”

“How do these ones get there? Where is it?”

“Kavdiir don’t worry. I came into this building for a reason. It is one of the entrances to the underground.” Otis could not help but sigh. “Why does everything have to be underground? Don’t people like the sun at all?” Otis scratched as his itchy body armor as he complained.

“Even if they did everything above ground it would not matter or did you forget there is a ceiling over our heads on this level?” Sonashi’s eyebrow raised as she asked the question.

Otis pushed the [TX-130] back into Caeanos’s hands. “Forgot about that. Yea so they’re blocking the way into the tunnels but they don’t seem to know we are here yet so we have that going for us at least that. It looks like the underground is mainly used as a barracks but we’re lucky they are all above ground looking for us.”

“This one thinks your kind of luck will kill us one day.” Caeanos smirked showing a bit of his razor sharp teeth.

“How many?”

“Let me show you,” Otis formed an image in his mind composed of what he could see through his [Aura Sense].

He pushed the image into Kavdiir’s mind. It was merely outlines of guards in at the checkpoint, nothing too detailed but it was the best Otis could with his current amount of intellect coupled with the fact that Kavdiir did not any telepathic ability.

Kavdiir gasped as the image formed in his mind. He quickly overcame his surprise this was no time to ask Otis questions. “There is at least thirty of them. These ones will rush it in your shadows. Brother Caeanos you will still point out those who can see us. Otis be prepared to take them out. Everyone keep your weapons ready if these ones need to split up do so without hesitation and open fire if you have to. Once we make it underground form up in line again. Otis if the line breaks stay shadowed and clear the way for us.”

Sonashi gave a hollow laugh. “Thirty, a walk in the park.”

“Better than on the streets crawling with Farg.” Caeanos checked his gun over as he spoke. The look in his eyes showed as if he was just reacquainted with a long lost love.

“Well we will just hit hard and try not to let them hit back.”

“A bit of shock and awe. You should probably leave it to someone else then.” The smirk could be heard in Sonashi’s voice.

“These ones need to move,” Kavdiir stated with a little amusement to his voice before Otis could respond. “Let’s go.”

“Second soldier on the right can see these ones,” Caeanos whispered as they entered the checkpoint. The blue streaks on the Ogrite’s armor designated him as being someone important possibly the one in charge of the checkpoint. Otis moved without hesitation to Caeanos’s command. He raised the [Tactical 12G] and fired.

[Enhanced Round]

[-25MP]

The round exploded as it hit his face plate blowing the soldier back into the crowd. “Directly in front. He is blocking our way.” Caeanos is called out.

Otis fired another [Enhanced Round] hitting the soldier in the chest. The man tumbled to the floor taking several soldiers with him. The other soldiers finally took notice now that two of their own dropped without warning. The smart soldiers rushed to block the exit while other opened fire into the enemy they could not see.

“Tsk, weapons free!” Kavdiir shouted before he disengaged from Otis’s shadow. The others followed suit separating from the shadow but not before a large Ogrite slammed into Caeanos sending him and Sonashi sprawling to the floor.

Otis ran forward cloaked in shadow firing [Enhanced Round] from his tactical. Now that they were revealed he needed to clear the way quickly. [Enhanced Round] used relatively little mana but he only had so much and it was draining fast. Otis crossed the checkpoint, the enemies had not focused on him and let him get close. A flashed of shadowed steal that they enemy could not see took one of them by surprise. Upon contact the shadow dropped from Otis. The soldiers scrambled to fire but Otis was too fast. He dropped from their sights as soon as they could see him.

Otis fired his [Enhanced Round] while his blade found its home between another soldier's helmet and breastplate. In moments the eight soldiers blocking the checkpoint and entrance were down.

Kavdiir’s group was pinned down they had dropped several guards but the one that tackled Caeanos was still putting up a fight. Otis recognized him, he was the second soldier Caeanos pointed out, the one Otis shot in the chest.

[Checkpoint Captain Bungor - Level 39 Farg Soldier]

The soldier was charging Caeanos again, the Linnare had seen better days. He could barely stand as that tackle had done a lot of damage. Kavdiir and Sonashi were stuck the bolts of plasma made them hide behind checkpoint barriers for cover.

Otis reloaded his tactical and fired, the [Enhanced Round] sent Bungor to the ground again. Otis summoned the shadow to him and after a slight delay he was covered by it. The soldier still fired at him but now that he was not visible it easy to dodge them. The soldiers were sandwiched between him and Kavdiir, the skirmish turned in Rose Team's favor as the soldiers were caught in the middle of their crossfire.

Bungor was up again and charging at Otis, [Aura Sense] screamed in his mind. They were running out of time, reinforcements had entered the building.

Otis slashed upwards to take the tall Ogrite’s head, its speed was incredible to normal eyes it would only look like a flicker of light. Despite that [the Cruel Mistress] did not find its home as it was stopped dead by Gungor’s forearm.

“How do you like our new power armor shadow boy?” The Ogrite said through his smug grin as he strained from the weight of Otis’s sword. Gungor received an unexpected answer as Otis’s kick slammed into his gut. The kick threw Gungor into the wall, the Ogrite sagged slightly but did not drop.

[-30MP]

“It’s alright I guess,” Otis fired five consecutive [Enhanced Rounds] into the collapsed Gungor. “We gotta move more are coming,” he shouted.

[-25MP]

[-25MP]

[-25MP]

[-25MP]

[-25MP]

Kavdiir and the others dashed past Otis, Caeanos now only sporting a minor limp. Otis could only guess his friend had used a health potion to recover. Otis opened fire on the soldiers entering, his [Enhanced Rounds] downing four of them before the rest dove for cover.

[-25MP]

[-25MP]

[-25MP]

[-25MP]

[Gunnery Runes Unlocked]

[Gunnery Elemental Runes Learned]

[Gunnery Enhancement Runes Learned]

The knowledge entered into Otis’s mind the same as it always did when he learned a new skill. It had been a long time since he learned one from experience instead of a book. It was instantaneous, granted to him from the system that ruled Vilenna. The [Elemental Runes] were the same as the ones from the [Trap Seals] fire, water, earth and wind but instinctively he knew that the results from their use would be different and weaker. Basic high impact rounds could only contain ten mana points in it while better constructed ammunition could handle more. The [Enhancement Runes] runes only consisted of [Enhanced Round] and [Multi-Round] but there was a promise that he could learn others the more he used it.

Otis switched to [Fire Rounds] it did not have any penetrating power as the first [Fire Round] struck a soldier in the shoulder.

[-10MP]

The bullet shattered on the armor but fire immediately covered the left side of the soldier’s body. The fire spread to other soldiers, their armor kept them safe but it did not stop the chaos as some Ogrite’s dropped to the floor to douse the flames and others screamed at the sudden flames. No matter how strong the armor is it cannot protect against the fear of fire. Several more [Fire Rounds] shattered against the soldiers entering the checkpoint.

[-10MP] x 10

The fire spread out amongst them then into the room itself catching the equipment and feeding it into a frenzy. Smoke bellowed out following Otis and his team out of the checkpoint into the tunnels. There were more soldiers pouring into the underground complex now that Rose Team had made themselves known.

“Why did you not set them on fire earlier?” Kavdiir hissed as he fired at two incoming soldiers.

“I just learned it and don’t ask me how that is possible because I don’t know. Just chalk it up to stupid magic. And you told me not to use magic anyway!”

“That was when this one thought we could get in quiet!”

“Besides we have been in a tight space I didn’t want you guys to get hit by it accidentally.”

“Brother Kavdiir he is right,” Caeanos cut it. “It is not like these ones really know how to account for magic. You remember what he was like during our escape he would probably destroy this entire level.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” As if to punctuate Caeanos’s point there was a rumble behind them. The walls and ceiling shook and cracked. They could feel the temperature around them rise from the raging inferno they left behind.

“This one sees your point.” Kavdiir responded as he took out another soldier. His aim was still the best out of all of them whether it was with a bow or a gun.

“Yeah he is not that bright. We cannot trust him with that kind of power,” Sonashi added with a smirk.

“Sorry to hold you all back with my stupidity. I am going to try out the new stuff just for all of you.” The [Wind Round] struck the soldier in the face it was followed by a gale of wind that picked up the three incoming soldier and threw them back down the hall they came from.

[-10MP]

“What do you have to say now?”

“I have seen better,” Sonashi quickly responded masking her astonishment.

“Yes, this one agrees. Otis is this hallway clear?”

Otis sighed completely deflated from his previous excitement. “Yes but hundreds are coming in through different checkpoints. We are almost to the warehouse.”

“These ones go shadow again. Use your new magic to clear the way.”

They met the first group of soldiers soon after they covered themselves in shadow. Otis hit the leader of the group with a [Water Round]. It had by far the most penetrating power, ice sprouted out of the leader leaving the Ogrite as an icy pin cushion. The [Water Round] was powerful but had no group potential. Otis used a wind round to sweep the others away. The soldiers still lived but their group had no time to spare.

The [Earth Round] left Otis confused. It was almost completely silent and there was no visible damage. Otis followed it with a [Wind Round] as the leader began to give orders to fire at them. The gale threw them against the wall like it had to the groups of soldiers before. Just as Rose Team ran past the injured Ogrite soldiers the leader began to scream and clutch at his chest. A thorny vine shot out of the Ogrite’s chest and wrapped around it host’s body. Its thorns were almost like sharp teeth, it constricted grinding the body. More vines sprouted out wrapping the body grinding him into pulp, the vines pulsed consuming the blood and bone. Otis had seen this thing before on the battlefield against the insect mages. The [Plant Golem] stood after it finished consuming the body it stomped on the nearest soldier pinning him to the floor. The Ogrite screamed as vines stabbed into him ripping him apart. The [Plant Golem] lifted the body up grinding it down while it went on to rampage amongst the remaining soldiers.

[Leaf Lain Ma - Plant Golem Level 36]

Otis looked over to his team’s horrified face. “Don’t worry it's friendly.”

“This one would not call that thing friendly.” Caeanos stated as he attempted to keep his breakfast in his stomach.

“I meant it’s friendly to us.”

“A bit cruel.”

“Kavdiir what do you think the Farg will do to us if we are caught.” Sonashi looked the least affected by the [Plant Golem] feast.

“This one see’s your point. It will make for a good distraction.”

Three more [Plant Golems] and a lot of dead Farg later they reached the warehouse. The warehouse was quiet, the Farg had known they were coming and were lying in wait. Otis pushed his senses out to detect the placement of Farg troops and at Kavdiir’s command Otis fed Kavdiir images of the building. The floor beneath them contained a horde of neuromancers. They were placed throughout all of the floors of the warehouse to guard the prisoners. Otis assumed their purpose was to suppress them through mental manipulation and then to enslave the prisoner’s minds to the Farg. Otis just hoped that at least one of the prisoners was not broken.

“These ones need to split up. The Linnare cannot leave Sejin alive. Who knows how many of the Linnare secrets he had given to the Farg.”

“This one will go with you Brother Kavdiir.”

“No, you will go with Otis. Sonashi is coming with this one. You two need to create a distraction that will lead the Farg from us. After these ones have finished we will meet you in the warehouse.”

Otis nodded. “I will send you a message when the neuromancers are down until then hang tight. Caeanos let’s go.”

Otis could not afford to slow down and be careful despite the Farg ambush they knew was coming. Their backs were against the wall as more soldiers entered the underground. Luckily the [Plant Golems] could buy them a little bit of time. Otis feared that if he left too many traps it could collapse the whole underground on top of them even if they were weak.

“Hold up,” Otis whispered as they reached an intersection in the corridor. “Prepare yourself the Neuromancers are in the room ahead it’s some kind control room. We will be in their range once we cross the hall. There are also eight guards stationed outside and another ten down the other hallway. Let me take care of them first.” Otis stuck his tactical around the corner while remaining in cover and fired two [Earth Rounds].

He hit someone in both groups. The two shots soldiers did not even register to the soldiers as the bullet buried its seed in their body. “I will take out the Neuromancers but it will disable me for a bit so cover me.” Otis summoned the [Recall Stone] to his hand and gave it to Caeanos. “Keep this safe. Neuromancers are taxing and we may need to use the stone at a moment's notice.”

Screams emerged from the two shot soldiers. “That’s my cue.” Otis left Caeanos behind and rounded the corner. After a few steps he entered the Neuromancers range. He felt them probe his mind but they of course did not know that was a bad idea. He relaxed his mental defenses and the Neuromancers gladly took the invitation to attack. Otis severed them and consumed their mental energies. Whatever he could not consume recoiled back to them leaving them weak and disabled. Otis fell to his knees as the world spun around him. Their mental energy left its poison in his stomach pushing its contents out.

[+1 Intellect] x 22

Otis did not know when Caeanos pulled him back around the corner. The terrifying roar of the [Plant Golem] helped clear his head and the hum of the plasma carbines slinging plasma bolts at the golem did not hurt either.

“I-I am okay now,” Otis said as he stood up using Caeanos as support. “The plant is not going to hold them for much longer.”

After a couple of [Wind Rounds] the guards were cleared. Otis sent [+5MP] to his arms and pried the door from its hinges. Twenty two neuromancers laid on the floor some twitching and some dead. The time limit on his [Elixir of Intellect] expired but after that feast of mental energy he did not bother drinking another.

“I was right this is some kind of monitoring station. Can you do something with it?” The control room was large with three rows of consoles and massive monitors on the ceiling showing different camera feeds from all over the city. The Farg did not expect some intruder would ever make it here especially not through Neuromancers.

“This one can try.” Caeanos stated with a strange smile as he sat at the console. Otis was unsettled by Caeanos’s giggles as he moved far away from the Linnare to check the bodies over. The neuromancers had nothing important on them but it gave him some time to recover from the necromancer's attack.

After a few minutes Caeanos stood up. “Done! With this Brother Kavdiir should have no problem reaching Sejin.”

“What did you do?”

“This one disabled the camera systems and left last known sightings all over the city. There is also now thousands of us attacking.”

“Oh, is that all?” Otis said without hiding his astonishment.

“No, this facility is now on lockdown and is only keyed to Kavdiir and myself. This one told you my education growing up is quite extensive.”

“And here I thought you knew diddly squat. ‘Bout time you carried your own weight,” Otis snickered. “I will send a signal to Kavdiir.”

“No this one can do that too,” Caeanos picked up the microphone from the desk after messing with the console he was at. “Brother, go kill that fucker.” He spoke in Linnish.

Otis pushed out his senses so he could see Kavdiir and Sonashi move out. There was also widespread confusion amongst the Ogrite’s as many of them began to move away from them, no doubt targeting the other sightings Caeanos setup.

“Good job but I am still going to blow this thing up because why the hell not.” Otis placed a fire trap on the console.

[-1MP]

Caeanos pressed a button and the door on the other side of the room opened up. “This way to the prison cells. The bug people are halfway down.”

“Yea yea I know,” Otis complained killing Caeanos’s moment. “There are neuromancers down there too so I will be relying on you again.”

The smile dropped from the Linnare’s face. “Fine but remind me not to do you any favors from now on.”

Otis disabled ten more neuromancers as they traveled three floors down stopping their corruption from entering their prisoners. Otis could not consume all of them since they were in a rush and could not stop every time to get sick. He had gotten better at controlling his shadows and was able to expel a neuromancers mental energy before it could be devoured. He also got tired of looking at Caeanos’s annoyed face when he needed the Linnare to help him.

The warehouse was not a complicated facility. There was just a single staircase that went down six floors and each floor only had two rows of twenty cells.

The first few Rantide they reached were still alive but there was nothing but a hollow space behind their eyes. Otis shuddered as he looked at them and spoke to them in Rantide because there was no recognition there. They were completely broken left as puppets for the Farg. He and Caeanos advanced further down the row of cells. They came up to a fallen neuromancer with its mask lying next to it. It was still alive but its eyes were devoid of life and drool ran down the side of its cracked and gray lips.

The cell behind the neuromancer contained another Rantide. This time it was child and he was not broken at least not yet. The crying Rantide child hid in the corner looking as if he had just woken from a terrible dream. The child had not noticed Otis and Caeanos’s presence.

“Child,” Otis called out in heavy accented Rantide. “We come to free.”

The boy looked up for the first time. His eyes went wide in fear. He pressed his back firmly to the wall in attempt to stay as far from Otis as he could.

“No! You are here to kill me! Do not think you can fool me. My people know of you. I was there when you attacked our home.”

“Child, I am not here to kill you. Do you think I would have disabled that thing if I was?” Otis pointed to the neuromancer. “They had me under the same compulsion they were trying to do to you.”

“Stay away from me! I do not believe you.”

“Sorry, I don’t expect you to trust me or my friend but in the end you do not have a choice.”

Otis circulated mana to his arms and pulled the cell bar apart.

[-5MP]

“This one could have just opened the door. This one told you all doors are keyed to me.”

“I forgot. You have the pleasure of grabbing the kid and keep the stone ready.”

Caeanos grunted unhappily in response as he entered the cell and grabbed the struggling Rantide boy.

“Child, we will be taking you home soon. I need you to think of home, your mother, father, dog or whatever just keep it in your mind. We leave when our friends return.”

“We must save the others too! I am not leaving them behind.” The boy cried as he struggled.

“Sorry there is no saving them once the neuromancers got to them. Look, just keep your mind on home and you will see your family soon enough.”

“No, I have to save my brother!” The boy shouted and bit Caeanos’s arm and jumped free as Caeanos pulled his arm away. Caeanos cursed in pain as the boy ran down the hall.

“I thought I told you to hold him. I always knew you were weak but a child Caeanos. For shame.” Otis laughed.

“This one did not want crush the child and besides he cannot run that fast.”

“Excuses, excuses.”

Caeanos growled as he spoke. “It is a reason not an excuse.”

They found the boy in front of one of the cells they passed earlier. Otis had sensed where the boy was but stayed back not knowing how to handle the child.

“Why doesn’t my brother say anything? He doesn’t even look at me?” The boy lamented through the tears.

“Brother...Brother it's me, Rilic. Brother they have come to help us.” The boy’s pleas went unanswered as the other Rantide sat in his cell unfazed.

[Rilic - Level 12 Rantide]

“Sorry Rilic there is nothing I can do for your brother. This is what the neuromancers do. You just need to keep your mind on home and we'll get you there.” Otis looked away from the boy to fight back his anger at the Farg and motioned to Caeanos. “Grab him. We are going back to the control room to meet Kavdiir. I sense he and Sonashi are on their way down.”

The boy did not put up the struggle he once had as they went back up to the control room. He just whimpered in Caeanos’s arms, neither of them had a reason to stop or silence the child. The previous events had soured their mood but they still had to finish what they had started. The control did offer them a little joy as the console in the center of the room was blown to bits with several more Farg soldiers lying on the ground next to where the console used to be.

“I need help!” Sonashi called as she entered the room. “It was a trap. They were waiting for us.” Kavdiir was in her arms, a grievous wound on his side, his blood ran down her legs to the floor. She had left a trail of it behind her.

“Lay him down on the floor.”

“What happened?” Caeanos interrupted.

“Shit, my magic can’t…” Otis trailed off as he ran up to her as she gently laid Kavdiir down. He summoned a [Greater Healing Potion] to his hands and poured it into his mouth. “Help him swallow it!” He commanded anyone who was listening. Caeanos was yelling behind him but he was drowned out in Otis’s panic. He summoned another [Greater Healing Potion] from his bag and dumped its contents on the gaping wound.

“Shit, it’s not enough.” Otis put his hand over the wound. He cast his healing magic over the wound.

[Holy Healing]

[-110MP]

But it was the lowest level of healing skill. It was never meant to be able to cure serious injuries. Sure it could reknit flesh or mend bones but Kavdiir was missing a chunk out of his body and had lost so much blood. The health the Linnare had gained from the heal was steadily being lost as blood poured from the wound. There was hope Otis thought as noticed that the heal had stifled a little bit of the blood loss and it was fixing the wound. He cast another heal, now was not the time to be concerned about the amount of mana he had.

[Holy Healing]

[-110MP]

And another.

[Holy Healing]

[-110MP]

He continued on casting it four more times. The gaping hole in the side Kavdiir recovered a bit with every heal he cast. And then there it was, a flicker of life. Otis upended the contents of another [Greater Healing Potion] on the wound. Kavdiir’s eyes half opened and met Otis’s. A wave of relief washed over him as he felt a squeeze from Kavdiir’s hand. He had unconsciously grabbed it at some point. There was an indecipherable message in Kavdiir’s eyes. The Linnare tried to speak but the words were blocked by the blood that pooled in his lungs.

“Don’t speak I will heal you.” Otis said not bothering to contain the hope that entered his voice. Otis held Kavdiir’s gaze and then something unraveled deep behind Kavdiir’s eyes until there was nothing left. The harsh breath coming from the Linnare stopped.

“No, no, no, shit! Don’t do this.”

[Holy Healing] [Not Applicable if target is deceased]

“Kavdiir come back buddy.”

[Holy Healing] [Not Applicable if target is deceased]

“Fuck you. Work!”

[Holy Healing] [Not Applicable if target is deceased]

“Otis.” The shout sounded like a whisper to Otis’s ears.

[Holy Healing] [Not Applicable if target is deceased]

“Otis! We have to go. They are coming.” Otis felt Sonashi pulled him away from the body. He turned to her enraged and about to yell but was stopped by her tears. She was just as crushed as he was but she was still thinking clearly and she was right an army of Farg were coming. They ran out of time. If they stayed any longer they all would die.

“We cannot leave yet. They need to know,” Caeanos spoke. His voice broke and it sounded as if it was coming from far away.

“Who?” Sonashi asked in half confusion, half panic.

“I just want to go home. Home to mother.” The boy sobbed next to Caeanos.

“Mother, sister all of them. They have to know.” Caeanos answered.

“I-I got it.” Otis kept his response short in fear his voice would not come out. “Caeanos make sure to grab me.”

“What are you doing?” Sonashi’s panic was rising near taking her over completely.

“I need some juice.” Otis grabbed the two nearest living but comatose neuromancers and placed his bloody hands on their foreheads. He forced his shadows into their minds ripping the remaining mental energy from them. Otis gritted his teeth through the pain and backlash but still found himself sprawled out on the floor.

[+32 Intellect]

[+25 Intellect]

If I can plunge myself through a river of Bloodrage this is nothing, Otis thought as he forced himself to stay conscious. He pushed his [Aura Sense] outwards. The increased intellect boosted its effective range considerably but there was also a trick to stretch it further. One he learned from watching Violam in the caves. After the boost his range ended just outside the walls of the military compound. At his limit he directed his attention to the Farg walking the streets. He focused on one then hopped to the next person and then the next. He continued moving his senses through the red Farg auras towards the vacant house that they left Ilesha in. The streets were in chaos as news of their attacks must have traveled beyond the wall. Otis traveled through hundreds if not thousands of Farg in a matter of seconds.

His breath was turning ragged just because he ignored the pain did not mean it was not there. The recoil from his attack on the two neuromancers was destroying him from the inside out. Never again, he swore to himself.

He caught sight of Ilesha’s beautiful and pure yellow aura. She stuck out like an angel amongst demons. He pushed his [Aura Sense] to reach her and covered that distance almost instantly. There was a reaction in her aura like she noticed his presence. He ignored it and focused on the creature that Ilesha used for telepathy. There was two channels connected to it which Otis recognized as the auras of Queen Aludi and First Captain Atesha.

Otis focused his mind and pushed his message to the three of them. “Kavdiir is dead. Sejin has betrayed us. Prepare yourselves,” He spoke mentally in Linnish.

“Done.” Otis croaked aloud to whoever was listening.

Otis felt a tug from behind his navel. One last thing, Otis thought as a fire trap illuminated under his bloody hand and they vanished.

…

Violam stood beneath the pale pick scar in the sky. It showed signs of healing but it was not quite there. He had wanted power to overthrow Otis and take control once again. He wanted power to kill his enemies and stand on their graves. This is where the Halls had brought him.

Violam knew what the scar contained, he felt the rage and hate pulsating off of it. There was power lying just beneath it. Violam did what he always did when he needed the Bloodrage. He condensed his own rage down and splintered off a small stream of it. He took that stream and he fed it to the Bloodrage.

The scar darkened turning to blood red. The once healed skin steamed and boiled dripping globs of it down to the ground in front of him.

“Bloodrage, my contracted demon, I have need of you.” A roar of corruption tore through the scar to answer the summons.

“Contractor, what you want? No, do not answer it is obvious. But why should I give it to you? Your lesser half did not leave a good impression with me.” Streaks of fire attempted to grasp the sky like they once had only to fizzle and die away.

“I will kill him and obtain revenge for you.” Violam spoke as he drop to a knee. The pressure from the Bloodrage was enormous and it was slowly crushing him.

“Not Enough!” The shout crumbled the ground around leaving him to kneel on one lonely spire. “You do that for yourself, not me. Give me what I want,” The high demon growled.

“Yes. You will have my but I will retain my mind.”

“Do not bargain with me human!” The flames from within the scar dropped away to finally show the demon’s form. It leaned forward almost crossing the barrier to pass through the scar. “Fine, but I only allow one contractor. I will lend you my power to kill the other.”