Now, Northern Philippines

Philip put his fist through the datu’s desk.

A dozen weapons were raised in his direction.

Hands shook.

Fingers itched.

So, it was perhaps to be expected that one unfortunate soldier accidentally squeezed a trigger.

The bullet bounced off the side of Phillip’s face.

“First, you back out of our deal. Now, you’ve shot me in the face,” Phillip said flatly.

This was why he hated dealing with people. They were assholes. Give him a horrible monster or mutated animal anytime. Still, he was glad that he had taken on the burden of dealing with the datu on his own while Cal was taking care of the surviving aswang and human villagers.

Had one of the others in their group done this instead of him they might’ve gotten hurt while the datu and his men would’ve definitely gotten hurt.

The last thing they needed was more fighting.

“Lower your weapons!” the datu glared daggers at the offending soldier.

It was amazing to see how quickly a man’s demeanor changed after seeing a bullet bounce off another man’s face.

“I apologize for my soldier’s hasty and accidental act,” the datu wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.

“Mr. Lontoc… the deal. Do you intend to honor our agreement?” Phillip didn’t want to spend more time than was absolutely necessary in the fat, frog-like man’s presence.

“Er… there are questions. I mean, that is to say, how do we know that you have truly destroyed all the aswangs?”

“We brought the heads of the gabunan leader and the malakat second-in-command back, as for the village, we’ve given you directions. You can see for yourself that it’s empty.”

“Unfortunately, the foul creatures revert to human form in death. Those two heads could belong to any random drifter you found out there and I’m not willing to risk my men on a trip to the village.”

“So, is that a no?” Phillip stared down at the datu.

“Perhaps we can further discuss this after a quick break? Tempers are understandably high.”

“I’m not leaving this office without an answer.”

Weapons shook in scared hands.

Phillip felt a little bad for the fighters. He figured they were just doing what they were told. He had no intention of hurting them. They were more likely to hurt themselves with ricochets and friendly fire in the small office. Though, they didn’t know that. “Like we agreed on. Vehicles and fuel. Information on other factions along the highway to Manila. The right to purchase other supplies and services from the people in the city. Once we have what we need… we’ll leave,” he said.

“Yes,” the datu looked like he had taken a bite out of lemon, “but, you will not use these intimidation tactics on my people. You will pay the prices they ask and you will leave my city once I have given you what you have asked for.”

“We will bargain for fair prices,” Phillip corrected. “Otherwise, I’m happy to say that you’ve covered your end of the deal.”

He strode out of the office and out of city hall as fast as he could walk.

“Mr. Cruces, we heard a gunshot, but figured you’d be okay,” Hardhat ducked her helmeted head almost reverently.

Phillip sighed.

The rangers practically worshiped Rayna, which somehow extended to him.

“Don’t worry about it. I did tell you to stay outside regardless of what happened.”

“Yessir,” Mouthy saluted. “We knew they couldn’t do shit to you anyways, but we were ready to bust heads… just so you know.”

“Of course. Our deal is still on. Let’s head back,” Phillip said.

A few miles outside the city at the short block of abandoned houses that they had claimed as a temporary base a discussion was threatening to turn into an argument.

“My unit is barely effective with the losses we took. I’m down to seven spears. The unit and its Skills no longer function at less than five,” Doran said.

“So, you want to recruit from Ilagan?” Demi said.

“It’s the only way. Otherwise we’re useless for the rest of the Quest. Our true strength is as a whole. We’re just middling fighters with shields and sharp sticks without the unit.”

“Time is a concern. We can’t wait while you train replacements. Cruces wants to move south quickly.”

“Well, Commander Lawrence, it won’t take long. I’ve got Skills that’ll speed up the process. If I can get the recruits to buy in, I can get them the Spearman or Spearwoman Class in a few days to a week depending on how hard I ride them.”

Demi glanced at Hanna.

“The basics of the spear aren’t too hard to pick up,” Hanna shrugged. “Fighting in a unit is another matter.”

“We’ll drill every chance we get,” Doran said.

“The local leadership might have a problem,” Sgt. Butcher said.

“I’m only planning to take good candidates, both for our sake and their own,” Doran said.

“I don’t have any objections. Just make sure it doesn’t turn into a fight with the local militia,” Demi said.

“How are you planning to do this?” Hanna said.

“Word of mouth when we go into the city to buy supplies and repairs. I’m also considering visiting the militia base,” Doran said.

“Good way to start a fight,” Hanna said

“I wouldn’t be too happy about outsiders coming to my house to lure away my guys,” Sgt. Butcher agreed.

“I don’t have too much respect for a force that stayed home, while we bled to fix their problems,” Doran said.

“I’ll go in full Threnosh armor,” Hanna nodded.

“Thanks, but this is my idea. I’m taking responsibility,” Doran said.

“We’re one team on this Quest,” Demi said. “Both of you go, but no fighting, unless it’s in self-defense.”

“How many are you planning to take?” Sgt. Butcher said.

“As many that’ll fit in,” Doran said.

“Send the ones that you don’t want, but are promising, to me. My squad is down two, maybe three depending on what I decide to do with Fin after Cal gets back,” Sgt. Butcher said.

“What kind of skill set are you looking for?” Doran said.

“Tanky fighters, rogue types and mages,” Sgt. Butcher said.

“Can’t make you any promises on the first one. Those are what I need, but I’ll do my best,” Doran said.

“Sgt. Butcher, I need additional escorts for the mechanics. They’ll need to go over the vehicles we get to make sure everything is okay,” Demi said.

“My squad can help. How many do you need?” Sgt. Butcher said.

“As many as you can spare. I’ve only got Jake, Rebekah and Del so far,” Demi said.

“Your biggest guy, your toughest looking fighter and a guy with danger sense. Intimidation. Catscratch would’ve been perfect for this…” Sgt. Butcher set her jaw. “I’ll take my whole squad, except for Smores.”

“Thank you. Once Phillip gets back he’ll be enough to protect this place from random monster attacks,” Demi said. “Anyone have anything else they want to discuss?”

Negatives all around.

“Alright. I think we just need to see to our people and try to rest until Phillip gets back with the good news,” Demi said.

Congratulations!

You have successfully destroyed the Aswang Village.

Reward: 750000 Universal Points.

Individual Reward: 38713 Universal Points.

Individual Bonus Reward: 1 free Spell Code depending on level eligibility. Claim at the Spire.

Jake dismissed the Quest message with a disgusted grunt.

“What?” Rebekah said.

“Just looking at the Quest again,” he replied.

“Most Universal Points I’ve ever had, yet it doesn’t feel like it was worth it,” Rebekah said.

“Almost 40K and I’d give it all back,” Jake dropped his head into his hands. “What am I going to tell Hillary? Ron’s dead cause of me. I wasn’t good enough and he died. Now, she’s alone.”

“Shut up with that!” Rebekah snapped. “You think we all aren’t blaming ourselves? The fight’s been running through my mind over and over again. I can point to five things I could’ve done differently right now, but you know what, I don’t think it would’ve mattered. Once those things got close we were over-matched. Any one of us could’ve easily taken Ron’s place,” Rebekah said.

“I got a free spell to go along with four levels and the points,” Jake said bitterly.

“What’re you at now?”

“Level 29.”

“There you go. One more to 30. We all got our best Skill or spell at 20. You should get something that maybe will make the difference in someone’s life or death in the next fight,” Rebekah said. “I’m a little jealous. I only picked up two levels.”

“If I got four levels then Hanna should definitely be over Level 30 now, maybe we can ask her what she got?” Jake said.

“You can try. She hasn’t said a word. Actually went into the forest by herself,” Rebekah shrugged. “She’s blaming herself like the rest of us for Ron.”

“Get stronger just to survive. Gain it to thrive. Is it worth it?”

“Yes it is, but not for us. It’s for those that’ll live on after we die. If we can build a good foundation for people like Hillary then they’ll be much better off. They won’t have to figure this bullshit out as they go along, like we are. We fight and die. I figure that’s what we’re here for.”

“Yeah, well you’re a soldier. Fatalism is, like, your whole deal. Die for the mission, quest and all that.” Jake’s laugh was short.

“Watch your mouth. You’re a big boy, but I’ve knocked down bigger douchebags back in the old days,” Rebekah said.

“Sorry,” Jake raised his hands, “I try not to be one. It’s just… ten years,” he shook his head, “it’s hard to believe that it’s been over a decade. You know, at first I thought it was so cool. Magic was real. I had it! That didn’t last too long. Once I realized and saw what monsters could do to people. I was lucky that I’m a big guy. The tiny gremlins weren’t too tough. Just basically flailed around and crushed them. Then there was Flo and her little brother… poor kids.”

“Your hand?”

Jake flexed his magi-tech prosthetic. “I thought this was pretty cool too. Now…”

“It helps you do your job. And your job is whatever it takes to make a better world for people like Hillary. That’s what Ron wanted and that’s the only way you can make this worth it,” Rebekah said.

“I’m not strong enough to matter. I’m not like the Cruces brothers,” Jake sighed.

“You blew a huge hole through a wall,” Rebekah raised a brow.

“It was wood.”

“Made out of tree trunks,” Rebekah shook her head. “And you touched the aswang leader. Only you and Hanna managed that.”

“Still needed Cal to put the gabunan down.”

“Then keep gaining levels. You hurt the aswangs at Level 25. What do you think you’ll be able to do at thirty?”

“Kill him,” Jake said.

“So, you’re going to get a new spell when we get the okay to head into the city?” Rebekah artfully changed the subject.

“I haven’t thought about it. Maybe a stronger shield or a new type of attack spell. My strongest ones are all based on Shock. Or a really good healing one. Something like that might’ve saved him.”

“Healing’s good only if because we’re lacking in that right now,” Rebekah nodded.

“What about you? What’re you going to get with all those points?”

“I want to check out enchanted gear,” Rebekah said.

“Overpriced. You’re better off waiting for one of our mages to discover enchanting. Hell, maybe one of the double A’s can unlock it with all their points. If that’s possible.”

“Double A’s?”

“Amber and Alexa,” Jake shrugged. “Or one of the ranger mages can. That Smores guy is pretty smart. I’d bet on him.”

“If not that, then I’d like to pick up a direct damage Skill. I got Suppression Fire at Level 20, but it’s more of a support thing,” Rebekah said.

“Like a variable ammunition thing,” Jake mused. “Have you ever read Judge Dredd?”

“I don’t do nerd shit like you, but I’ve heard of the movie,” Rebekah said.

“They’ve got these guns that fire all sorts of ammo. Exploding, incendiary, A.P., so on and so forth. I’d bet there’s a good chance that something like that exists. Except, it’s probably a higher level thing. Unless, you can purchase it. Knowing how much the spires nickle and dime us, you’d probably need to buy each type individually.”

“So, what? Activate the Skill and the round in the chamber becomes that type?”

Jake nodded.

“I don’t know that doesn’t seem believable. The round just changes?” Rebekah said.

“You’ve seen me shoot lightning out of a phone,” Jake raised his brows. “You know, it’d support my simulation theory even more. That’s the only explanation for the way a round can transform in the cham—”

“Not interested in hearing it. I heard enough on the flight over,” Rebekah said.

She saw that there was light back in Jake’s eyes, which was why she had engaged in the conversation in the first place. Experience had taught her the dangers of fighting men and women falling into shock and despair after losses in battle. And they had lost a lot in the aswang village.

Ultimately, it was a small thing on her part to pull Jake a little bit back from the edge of the abyss.

“Of course it’s from my top three most feared things,” Cal sighed.

The true boss monster was a snakeman.

A tall, scaly, muscular man’s body was topped by a snake-like head with two, large, actual snakes coming out of each side of his neck.

The snakes struck, covering the thirty feet of hallway in two blinks of an eye. Only to bounce off an invisible telekinetic shield.

“God… the nightmares,” Cal shivered.

The snakeman’s hood flared and he opened his mouth.

Venom shot out of two glands.

Once again the telekinetic shield blocked the liquid, which fell to the ground and began to sizzle as it quickly ate its way through the floor.

“Acid spit or is the venom so toxic that it has acid like effects?”

This time the snakes struck along with another jet of venom.

Cal blocked the former and pushed the latter back onto the snakeman.

The snakeman crossed his scaly arms to block the glob. The scales immediately began to sizzle.

“Okay, so, perhaps the venom immunity only applies to the delivery system and not the entire body.”

“Why aren’t you killing it!” Ginessa called out from her hiding place behind the nurses’ station.

“It’s a new monster and I’m trying to record my impressions along with the video. I guess you’re right though.” Cal gestured and sent dozens of scalpels into the snakeman.

In an instant the monster resembled a porcupine, but it appeared as if its scaly hide was enough protection.

“Maybe if I just give them a stronger push.”

The monster charged.

Cal grabbed it in telekinetic grip and levitated it off the floor.

“Kill it!” Ginessa pleaded.

“You don’t like snakes either?”

“Yes!”

“Okay. What’s the quickest way to do this? Don’t want to touch it,” Cal mused. “Ah… got it! I want to test out that theory.”

Using his mind’s eye he located the venom glands inside the snakeman’s mouth and popped them with his telekinesis.

The effect was instantaneous.

The snakeman strained. His mouth opened and smoke streamed out.

Flesh dissolved frighteningly fast.

“Oh my gosh…” Ginessa said.

“Okay, I think that’s enough video.” Cal turned off the recording function in his helmet with a thought. “It’s a good thing all this mess will get cleaned up after I claim this place.”

The snakeman was a puddle spreading goo on the floor when the chime sounded in Cal’s ears.

Congratulations!

You have defeated the True Boss Monster.

Do you wish to claim The Hospital of the Holy Spirit?

“Yes.”

“That’s it?” Ginessa said.

“Almost. C’mon, let’s tell the others the good news. I’ll explain the rest of how this should work.”

Cal took Ginessa with him out the nearest window.

The hospital only had four floors, so it was a quick trip to the parking lot where the less objectionable members of the former aswang village and their human children were waiting.

The aswangs had formed a protective circle around the children.

Dozens of giant snake corpses surrounded them and every single aswang bore injuries.

Cal scanned their minds quickly and found no signs of impending bloodlust.

Still, best if they got their blood soon.

“Hospital’s almost ready. Fifteen, twenty minutes for the reset then you can get some blood,” Cal said.

“Just like that?” one of the aswangs said.

“I keep up my end. You guys keep up yours. No killing people, unless it’s in self-defense. However, this city and miles around are devoid of human life, which means as long as you stay here you won’t run into anyone for a long time.”

“But not forever,” another aswang said.

“We’ll deal with that when the time comes. For now you get to live and raise your children. Remember, you are not to turn them into aswangs.”

“Yes, we agreed,” an aswang said.

“Good. Now, you can live in the hospital. There’s rooms, bathrooms, showers, plenty of blood for you and a cafeteria for the kids. The only problem is you’ll have to exit the building before midnight so that the replenishing process can take place.”

“Obviously, that won’t work for the kids,” Ginessa said.

“Alternatively, you can live over there,” Cal pointed across the street to a motel.

“How can we defend it if we are forbidden from advancing to more powerful forms?” an aswang said. “These giant snakes were already a tough fight for us. A more powerful monster or monsters will come eventually.”

“I’ll claim it after one more thing.” Cal regarded the four remaining Aswang: Balbals. “You need human flesh to survive. Are you sure?”

“I— I went two weeks once without to test my limits. I turned into a mindless beast. Mr. Justino had to restrain me so I could be fed,” a balbal said.

Truth.

Cal studied the balbals.

They were a mix of ages. Two women and two men. From a teenager to a grandparent.

The one thing they had in common aside from the class was the fact that they were new to it and hadn’t killed another human being with their own hands.

That didn’t absolve them of the fact that they had eaten the flesh of murder victims.

Then again the Aswang: Mandurugos, including Ginessa were guilty of drinking the blood of those same victims.

Cal had scanned their thoughts and memories.

Some had regrets while others had enjoyed it.

Hanna had warned him that any future murders would be on his hands. She had wanted them all killed and the children taken to the city.

He knew that the children would’ve suffered there.

Taking the children with them wasn’t a realistic option with the danger they were headed to.

This was the best option the children had.

“The flesh doesn’t have to be from a living person. Someone that died recently is just fine, days, maybe a week,” a balbal pleaded.

Cal knew that wasn’t feasible.

What would they do? Pay for the corpses of recently deceased?

Family and loved ones wouldn’t stand for that.

It was also an issue of supply.

For one, even a large post-spires city like Ilagan didn’t have people dying on a daily basis.

The only realistic possibility aside from murdering people on the fringes was the balbals signing up with a ruthless warlord. Someone like that would love to utilize the aswangs’ strength and toughness against their enemies and monsters. It’d be easy enough to feed them with the flesh of their defeated foes.

Cal couldn’t allow that.

Ruthless warlords and innocent victims went hand-in-hand.

They needed human flesh.

He remembered Flo and wished this situation could’ve turned out differently.

Another failure.

The only choice he had was to preserve innocent life.

“I’m sorry,” he began, “but you’re going to have to come and fight with me.”

The younger two balbals’ eyes lit up.

The older two exchange a glance.

“When will we leave?” the grandmotherly-looking one said.

“Tomorrow morning,” Cal looked up into the dark sky. “I have to claim that motel and you need to help your family settle in. Drink some blood, say goodbye.” He regarded the rest of the aswangs. “I’d like to remind all of you that I’ll be checking up on you frequently. You won’t even notice me. Fail to honor our agreement and I will kill you. No questions, no bargaining. It’s important that you comprehend this. Your continued survival is in my hands.” Cal hated being heavy-handed.

The dawn came and with it the aswangs were stuck in the human forms.

Ginessa kept glancing at Cal as he flew her and the four balbals inside a telekinetic bubble.

“When will you do it?” the grandmotherly balbal said.

Cal hardened his jaw and crushed the brains of the other three balbal with a telekinetic hand.

Instant death.

Ginessa gasped.

The old woman closed her eyes and bowed her head.

He moved their bodies into a state of repose and closed their eyes.

“I don’t want to make any excuses, but I wanted to make it quick,” Cal said.

“I don’t hate you,” the old woman said. “You’ve given my daughter and grandson their best chance at living in this terrible world. I only have one request.”

“Go ahead.”

“I want you to make sure that my grandson isn’t turned into one of us.”

“Okay,” Cal nodded.

“Thank you.” Tears trailed down the old woman’s cheeks. “I’m ready.”

Cal ended the old woman.

He floated down into the rainforest and quickly built a fire for them.

“You lied to them,” Ginessa said in a soft voice as they watched the flames consume the dead.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“No excuses.”

“Maybe to them,” Ginessa gestured to the flames, “but not to me. I have to know.”

“There was no way I could’ve provided them with the flesh they needed. They would’ve gone berserk in a week and I would’ve killed them then. This way they didn’t see it coming and I just thought that it’d be better if they died as people.”

“What about their families? What will you tell them?”

“That they died bravely in battle against monsters. A lie to spare others or is it to spare myself?”

“You’d kill me too?” Ginessa whispered.

“I think…” Cal sighed, “I’d kill anyone if it meant saving others.”

“I was wrong about you,” Ginessa said. “You’re dangerous.”

Cal agreed.