“What. Have. You. Done!” the Necromancer screamed angrily. He howled and thrashed about madly on the floor as he rolled out of the stasis pod.

“We captured your stupid ass,” I called mockingly as I stared at the Necromancer. He rolled onto his hands and knees and glared balefully at me.

“You’ve banished the Great-Master from my mind. I… I can’t hear him anymore,” he sneered at us as his eyes roamed around the containment field.

“That’s what this baby does,” Patricia explained fondly. “It severs the mental connection between you and your master.”

“I will not speak of the Great-Master to you demonic whores. He is all-seeing, all-knowing, and malevolent to those that harm his seeded tenders.”

“Wow. That is interesting,” I began and glanced at my friends. “Now. Tell us what’re you doing with the ASP society?”

“I will not speak of those fools. They’re unwitting, ignorant, idealists. My master—”

“Great-Master,” I corrected, cutting him off.

“My Great-Master has used them for a while now. They’re but the least of my Great-Master’s tools. Their ignorance blinds them to our presence among their councils. They’re pawns in our plan.”

“And what’re those plans?” Ophelia spoke up and I glanced sideways at her. Her usually soft features were twisted by both pity, and disgust.

“To exterminate you abomination’s, and return the rightful rulers of this world back to their rightful place. We’re Gifted by the All Mother’s chosen. We were sent here to rule this land. It’s our right to see it done our way,” he declared and thrust his hands into the air triumphantly.

“Wow. He’s committed, that’s for certain,” I sighed. “What do mean by abomination’s? isn’t that a little contradictory. Considering…” I waved a hand at his kneeling form.

“You. Know. Nothing, demon,” he spat towards me. “We’re unlike you genetic deformities. We were granted our gifts by the gods themselves. My master—”

“Great-Master,” I reminded, and smirked as he growled at me.

“My. Great-Master,” he spat staring at me. “Has shown us the world he envisions this one to be like. It will be great and wondrous. Every vehicle will claim the skies. No longer will we be barred by the ocean. Our cities will be great, and they will tower into the skies. A great dome will shield the people. And with it will come portals to magnificent lands--"

“Look,” Patricia snapped tersely. “Tell us where you fuckers kidnapped his mom or, I’ll show you exactly what I envision for your immediate future!”

“You do not frightened me, demonic-bitch! Your deformation has clouded your judgement. Only peeling the flesh off your bones will remedy what ails you.”

“Listen,” Patricia snarled and took a step toward the containment field. “You speak of New Eden as if it’s some mystical places. It’s not. What your shitting, ‘Lich’ master is referring to is a simmering cesspit of corruption and elitism. We already fucked it up once. Your paradise doesn’t exist you asshole. Now tell us where his fucking mother is.”

I shot a look over to other women. Never having witnessed such vehemence from the raven-haired beauty before. Karen looked concerned and annoyed. Whereas Ophelia looked understandingly at Patricia angered posture.

“Even if I knew. Why would I tell you demonic whores anything,” the Necromancer smiled thinly and spread his hands to his side. “I am but my Great-Master’s Seeded.”

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right.

Oh, we could torture him sure. But how long would that take? How long did my mom have in their disgusting hands?

“Patricia!” I snapped harshly to the Technomancer as she started to raise her hand to blast the fucker in his smug face.

The Technomancer glanced back at me and frown intensely.

“Regroup,” I ordered and swivelled my finger to encompass us all. She scowled and shot a sneer at the Necromancer before following us out.

We moved out of the workshop, and house after Patricia ordered Judy to watch the Necromancer. What?” she all but snapped at me.

“Have you forgotten what we’re doing here?” I asked her, and continued before she reply. “Because you were unthinkingly about to blast away my best to save my mom. All for what? A fantasy?”

“Its not a fantasy,” she replied quietly and breathed out deeply. “It’s my home.”

“Mine as well,” Ophelia said softly and placed a reassuring hand on the Technomancer shoulder. “Hearing the Necromancer speak of it was… unsettling.”

“So what?” I asked confused.

“It’s a really… really… long story,” Patricia sighed. “It’ll take too long to explain it right now. I’m sorry, Eli. Hearing him speak of something he has no knowledge of. Just really pissed me off.”

“I get it,” I nodded at her understandingly. “I think. But look, I think I have an idea that might - might - work.” So I explained my plan to them and received reserved nods, as they looked at me lamely.

“How do you even know that’ll work?” Karen asked me, and it took every fibre of my being to not glance at Patricia. But something in my expression must’ve given it away to the Technomancer.

I stalled as the others entered the house before me. But Patricia waited with me as well.

“What did you see?” she asked dangerously, and I saw her gauntleted hands flex.

“You really want to know?” I replied cautiously and she nodded. “It was two memory’s mainly. There was destruction everywhere and think you were maybe…” I trailed off in thought.

“Eleven,” she supplied. “I always thought of being twelve at the time. Because my birthday was a few months away. You saw the day my life went to hell?”

“I saw the day you found your dad. Just having seeing, Arabella.” The seconds the words left my mouth I snapped it shut. The Technomancer’s eyes welled with tears.

“N-no one else knows that,” she choked on a repressed sob and wiped the corners of her eyes. “I never even told my brother that. He always believed he found him before I did.”

“I’m sorry, Patricia. I… I don’t know what to say,” I said lamely, and my chest ached at the sight of her vulnerability.

“Don’t apologies. All this talk of home. It should remind me why I fight. Just like my brother. I fight for those who cannot themselves fight back.”

After she sobered herself up a little. She moved back inside her house and I followed after. Instead of joining the other’s as they moved around the partition and into Patricia’ workshop. Ophelia and I set ourselves up in the Technomancer’s living quarters.

I sat down on couch as Ophelia sat beside me.

“Ready?” I asked her and leaned in to brush my lips against hers. This elicited a heavenly smile from the angelic-woman.

“Ready,” she nodded, and summoned her power as I drew I my thoughts inwards. Peeling my conscious mind outside of myself and into my Projection-form. “When I give the signal tell Patricia to the drop the containment field.”

“Won’t that re-establish his link to his master?”

“Great-Master,” I corrected teasingly. “And possibly. But if this works. We may get the answer’s we need.”

“We’ll recuse your mom, Elias,” she told me firmly in her soft tones. I nodded back and floated out of the room, around the partition, and into the workshop.

I felt my tether trailing out behind me, back to my Material form. I came to a stop and hovered over Karen’s head. The blonde Stormcaster stood with her hip cocked out as she rested against her spear. She and Patricia were speaking softly to one another as I neared.

“He can so intense sometimes,” Karen murmured quietly.

“I know. It’s strange, but it feels as if he’s been with us all along. A part of the team I mean,” Patricia nodded her head. Her eyes flicked sideways as she glanced towards the partition.

I immediately realised they talking about me. A part of me thought it was rude to listen in on their private conversation. But since when has a man never wanted to know what a beautiful woman thought about him. In my case, it was multiple women.

“Ophelia… damn lucky bitch,” Karen sighed, annoyance and frustration lacing her tone. “At least you have a chance. I think I fucked-mine-up by dating Andrew. I’m such an idiot,” she sighed again. “I was only at the academy for six months. I just picked the most popular guy there.”

“No you haven’t,” Patricia murmured reassuringly and looked to the partition once again. “I’ve seen how he looks at you. At all of us. He’s enamoured by us. He’s new to everything, and yet he’s taking it so solidly. So… well. I’ve never seen someone fight twin Draugen and a Necromancer on their first day using their powers in combat.”

“It was badass as hell. Then there’s his dreamy-purple-skin,” the blonde Stormcaster bit her bottom lip and shivered. She leaned in towards the Technomancer and whispered. “Sometimes, I just catch myself staring at his skin. Getting lost in all those stars.” Her face burned a bright flush.

“We’ll speak to Ophelia about it,” Patricia replied to her friend, and patted her shoulder.

“It’s practically cradle robbing with two. At least I’m nearer his own age,” Karen grumped.

“Could you—in all honesty—resist the allure Ophelia has. I know I haven’t, on multiple occasions.”

“Same,” the Stormcaster replied a little dreamily.

I decided I’d heard enough gossipy-lady-talk and floated towards the containment field. The Necromancer was still sat on the floor beside the stasis pod. His legs folded under him as his eyes ticked back and forth between the two women. His mouth silently moved. Almost mimicking their lip movements.

“Now,” I said through my Material-form’s mouth. A second later, Ophelia shouted the same and I felt the warm healing touch of her power encompassed the centre of my chest, and flow along the tether.

Patricia flicked her wrist out and snatched up the remote for the containment field. The shielding buzzed an electrical blue light as phased out.

The Necromancer’s head snapped more fully upwards and I saw that his eyes were a sunken hollow black. Then they widen at the sight of my Projection as I shot towards him as fast as I could. My hands closed around his head and I froze.

A moment of indecision passed as I tried to figure out how. Then much to my amazement I felt my Telekinetic powers response with something like a query… and I… accepted.

My world swam and narrowed into a tunnel of bleak light. My mind flashed through a muddled disarray of memories. I formed a thought in my head and my power changed my course. Spun me through the jumbled mind of the Necromancer.

Thousands of different memories and scenes flashed past me as I flew.

Then I spun to a halt.

An images phasing before me. It was of an old rundown factory-like building. The faded sign of the place was a ‘T-Fabric.’

An old fabric manufacturing plant?

Then the image was swarmed by black flickering flames and I, and my power, sensed something approaching. A presence formed within the Necromancer’s mind, making everything pulse before it a space in his mind was tore in twain to reveal a giant pair of bright purple eyes.

They hovered before me in the void of the Necro’s memories. I felt the vast age, the far greater will of this present as it tried to surge it’s own power towards me from a great distance.

I screamed from within and without. As a tendril of this presence’s power tried to pierce right through me. I shouted and commanded my powers mentally to force an exit from the Necromancer’s mind as fast as possible. What followed was a loud pop and a wet squishing splattering noise.

My eyes snapped open and I sagged on the couch. Ophelia hands were alight with her healer powers, and she them ran over me. I felt her invading warmth rush through me and wash away my fatigue. Tension expelled out of me with each pass of her hands.

“Elias?” the angelic-woman said concerned.

“I’m alright. At least I think I’m alright,” I replied and felt the on-coming nose bleed. “Damn it.” I dabbed at my nose with my fingers while I cupped my free-hand beneath the blood running off my lips and chin.

“Let me get you a dishrag,” Ophelia murmured and ran towards the kitchen area.

Patricia and Karen walked back around the partition and into the main room. Their expressions were grim as they glanced at me.

“We might have a problem. That is, if, you didn’t get anything,” Patricia amended. Karen grimaced and walked over to stand beside the couch near me. Ophelia came back holding out a grubby dishrag. That seemed of been used for more mechanic oils than dish soap.

I shrugged and without complaint pressed the rag to my dripping nose.

“I did get something,” I mumbled through the rag. The thin absorbent material clotted up quickly with my blood. “But what did you mean by ‘we might have a problem?’” I asked parroting her words back at her.

“Oh, the Necromancer’s head exploded. I don’t know what you did but his brain is squishy paste now,” Karen said with mock cheer.

“What did you find?” Patricia asked me eagerly, as Ophelia ran her fingers through my hair.

“Well, I know where—at least—I’m certain I know where they’ve got my mom. It’s an old fabric manufacturing plant called T-Fabric--”

“Trent Fabric,” Patricia nodded for me to continue.

“Right. Well I saw that and a bunch of other things that I can’t really quite remember. Then there was something else there. In the Necromancer’s mind. A presence—”

“The Lich,” Ophelia gasped. Her fingers freezing mid comb.

“I believe so,” I grunted and brought the dishrag away from my nose. It was thoroughly soaked, and my head was starting to feel a little woozy looking at it. “I think it tried to enter my mind. Or at least assault it. I think it wanted to know where we were hiding.”

“Did it succeed?” Patricia asked me quietly.

I shook my head hesitantly, “I don’t believe so. But truthfully… I’m uncertain. I wanted out so bad, that I forced my power to make an exit.”

“By exploding the Necromancer’s brain,” Karen nodded knowingly.

“There is something else though…” I started and trailed off.

“What?” all three women asked, just at the edge of impatience.

“I got an impression of the direction the Lich’s presence came from--”

“Where?” Karen demanded, before I could finish.

“East. Far, far, east. I think the Lich is hiding on Winderall.”

~*~*~*~

“I’ve got three possible Trent-Fabric plant locations in this city alone,” Patricia called out to us.

I was still sat on the Technomancer’s couch. Ophelia sat beside me, her legs across my lap, her head against my shoulder.

Karen was back in her yellow savannah dress. The blonde was sat on the floor beside my legs, her knees up against her chest as she stared blankly at nothing.

“One of the location is in the north-western quarter of Idrasa city.”

“I’ve never been,” I commented.

“No one has,” Patricia snorted. “The Plateau council government. Or more specifically the Idrasa sector of the government began excavating the sight some sixty-years ago. Then stopped three or so month after they began. Now, only the extremely poor and criminal gangs haunt the north-western quarter.”

“Why I have never heard of that? I thought everywhere in the city was brought up to the same level of standard long-ago.”

“You’ve never heard of the Undercity either. Those that’re extremely desperate. Live in the sewers and hunt the underwater channels.”

“Shit.”

“Shit is right,” Karen said speaking up from beside my legs. “They have it the worst. Even compared to the collared, their lives are drastically more difficult. They can never come to the surface. Instead, they choose to stay in the dank depths of this city away from the harsh stares of the mundane. And the cruel dictates of the SPBI.”

“Why though?” I asked frowning, glancing at each of the women.

Patricia looked up from her holographic tablet and looked at other two. Then they each gave a small nod in return.

“When the Arianium trials first began. The changes were either minor or extremely drastic. I’m sure you’ve heard the tale about how creatures and great monsters chased us all into the Keldasen Ocean?” I nodded and she continued. “While that is mostly false. It is also quite true. The creatures and great monsters you’ve heard of, are those who experienced the drastic – drastic - change.

“We became the monsters,” Ophelia picked up, her voice taking on a sorrowful tone. “Some more monstrous than others.”

“Since then. The more drastic changes aren’t as bad as they were in previous generations. They appear more human only with extra… features.”

“Like my wings,” Ophelia murmured. “Those that hide below us. Are generally people who’re in some shape or form, more obviously different than mundane human’s. I would’ve gone down there as well, if not for my sisters.” The angelic woman smiled gratefully at the other two. Though her face was still stricken by past worries and grief.

“So they could have wings… or a tail. Something along those lines?” I asked, thinking of added appendages that would be hard to conceal.

“Or horns. The changes aren’t as drastic anymore. But the variation is far greater and more numerous. They’re at least a good thirty-thousand people or more living below,” the Stormcaster replied, leaning her head against my knee.

Ophelia reached over to stroke her hand through the blonde’s wavy hair. “They cannot change their appearance like you, or Natalia,” Ophelia told me softly.

My head swirled with all of this information. The threads of my seemingly small world kept thickening, and thickening, with each passing day as I learned something new.

This novel is the work of Rhys Thomas. If you are reading this and it has not been published by Rhys Thomas, then this work has been stolen. Please report this to Amazon and me at email: [email protected]