Taela, Ciera, Hank, Dmitri, and Angel all gathered around him. Reece could sense that they all knew something awful had recently transpired but that it had all worked out. Reece looked at them all and smiled through his tears. Naeva looked up at him in confusion.

“What’s going on, Reece?” asked Naeva, her voice pleading. “Who’s dead?”

“No one,” said Reece. “I thought we’d lost you, but you came back to us.”

“What do you mean?” asked Naeva.

“Your father…,” began Reece. “… is here. You were attacked and almost died but apparently, I can heal too. I healed you and you’re okay now. It just took longer than expected.”

“Is that why I feel like crap?” asked Naeva.

“Yeah, I’m sure it is,” answered Reece. He had been about to tell her that her own father had attacked her but changed his mind at the last moment. That knowledge wouldn’t do anyone any good. Looking away from her, he made eye contact with Bijan. The man nodded a silent thanks and Reece nodded back in acknowledgment. This would be a secret that they would take with them to the grave.

“How many Qilin perished?” asked Reece, changing the subject when he spotted Shenfu standing near Bijan.

“None,” answered Shenfu matter-of-factly. “We are virtually indestructible. They could only hope to slow us down.”

“Ah, good,” said Reece, feeling relief at that.

“Then let’s all get out of the rain,” he said. “We can discuss ‘next steps’ somewhere dry.

The Lycaons led the group to a large barn. It was big enough to hold everyone, including the Qilin, though some of them stayed outdoors. Shenfu had said that they loved bad weather and they were proving it once again.

Naeva squeezed Reece’s arm and looked up into his eyes, “Thank you… for saving me. I think that I was… dead, but I’m not sure. I need to see my father now. He must be distraught over what he did, or almost did.”

“Of course,” replied Reece.

Naeva gave his arm another squeeze before letting go and turning to seek out her father. He was sitting on a bench and staring at his hands when she approached him. He looked up in surprise and quickly stood. Naeva moved in to hug him and after a moment of realization that she held no hard feelings, he hugged her back. They started to talk but Reece turned his attention to everyone else.

“I’m sorry for scaring you all like that,” said Reece.

“Nah, we get it,” replied Angel. “I’m sure I would have been just as bad.”

“Well, thanks,” said Reece, looking across his friends. “How’re you all holding up?”

“Good, I think,” replied Ciera. “You know, we thought Naeva was supposed to die here. Somehow, you changed her fate.”

“I’m not a big believer in fate,” said Reece. “Just probabilities. Wait… so that’s why you named our daughter Naeva! Out of respect for a sacrifice that she had yet to make. Ah, no… Naeva named our boy, Angel.” Reece looked over at Angel, arguably his longest-living friend. “Does that mean that you’re going to…”

“Die? We thought so, but who knows anymore,” answered Angel, cutting Reece off. “Hey, it’ll be what it’ll be.”

“So, what was this?” asked Reece. “Some sort of prophecy?”

“Something like that,” answered Angel. “But even prophecies aren’t guaranteed, clearly.”

“Yeah, clearly,” repeated Reece, looking over to where Naeva was still talking to her dad.

Now that the immediate danger had passed and they had some time to relax, Reece started to adjust the plan in his mind. There were only a couple of pieces of the nightcore still out there and he had a feeling that he would soon be facing Rogers, or Mr. Hargrove, rather. He’d be a fool if he didn’t at least try to better his odds when that happened.

“Bijan,” said Reece. “I need two of your best warriors. We’re taking the fight to the Order’s leader in Argentina, but we need to stop in Libya first. Unfortunately, I only have room for two more. Seeing as you attacked us under the Order’s commands, it stands to reason that they know where we are. We need to get moving, tonight. And on that note, how did they know to find us here?”

Bijan shrugged, looking away from his daughter and at Reece, “I couldn’t say. We were just told to come here and eliminate anyone and anything we found. You know the rest.”

“Okay, fair enough,” said Reece. “And thank you.”

Bijan nodded and gave Naeva a quick hug before standing up. Then he walked off to consult with what was left of his tribe. Following Reece’s request, he invited two of his warriors to accompany them. They were both powerfully built, a man and a woman.

“Reece,” said Bijan. “This is Eskander and Zhavia. They are two of my best warriors and they have agreed to accompany you.”

“Nice to meet the both of you,” said Reece. “I’m glad to have you with us. I should note, however, that we’ll be traveling by flying Qilin. Do you two think you can manage that?”

Both warriors shrugged but didn’t say ‘no’.

“Okay then,” said Reece. “I’d like to introduce you to Noofa and Qiltu, Qilin that have agreed to allow you to ride them. If you have a few minutes, it’d probably be best if you got to know each other and practice flying a bit before we must leave.”

The two Lycaon paired off with the Qilin and soon were having an internal discussion. Reece left them to it. Checking on the rest of his traveling companions, he approached Angel while he was talking with Beth and Saul.

“Everything okay?” asked Reece.

“Yeah, brother,” answered Angel. “Beth just came back with some supplies. The Lycaons gave us some provisions for our journey, so we should be set.

“Great, we just need to let our two new traveling companions get a feel for Qilin flight,” replied Reece.

Accentuating that point, Zhavia flew over their heads on Noofa, laughing maniacally. Eskander had mounted Qiltu, but they were taking it slow. Eskander looked a little green.

“Well, there’s one who we won’t have to worry about,” quipped Reece. “But we’ll give them a little more time.”

Twenty minutes later, the two new Qilin riders finally landed. They both had gotten the hang of things and were ready to head out. Everyone knew that it was time to go. Reece walked over to Bijan.

“Take care and keep yourself alive,” said Reece, a little more gentleness in his voice while he stuck out his palm. “If we succeed, we’ll return, and I’ll introduce you to your grandson.”

“I will, though we will be taking the fight to the Order now that we are free” answered Bijan, grasping Reece’s proffered hand and shaking it firmly. “I can see that my daughter had chosen her mate wisely.”

“You have no idea,” said Reece, smiling at pleasant memories of the fierce woman.

One by one, they mounted their Qilin companions. They all disembarked for Libya once more, leaving most of Naeva’s pack to take care of the local Order base of operation. For the first few hours, no one spoke, not even Chippo. Reece kept going over all the time he spent with Naeva and Angel, all his friends. This was the closest he had come to losing them since Thomas and Thato all those years ago. He’d lost others, Pasha and Aika for a time. He had somehow mercifully forgotten the pain of those losses. He reminded himself that this world was dangerous and that he could lose anyone at any time. He ended up torturing himself in the bargain while he thought about it.

“Reece,” came Shenfu’s voice into his mind, breaking him out of his double-edged thoughts.

“Yeah, Shen,” answered Reece, breathing deeply to cleanse himself of negative emotions. “What is it?”

“Ciera would like to speak with you,” he answered.

Reece realized she must have communicated with her Qilin mount who relayed the message to Shenfu since she couldn’t initiate the connection Reece had cultivated. He figured it must be important.

“Thanks, Shen,” said Reece before reaching out to Ciera with his mind. “What’s up? Is everything okay?”

“Well, not exactly,” she replied, sounding tired in his mind. “I’m drained and I can sense that you are too. I know this is an awful time to even bring up the idea of sex, but we’re both running on empty. If we don’t get together soon, well, we won’t be much good to anyone.”

“Okay,” answered Reece, though his heart wasn’t entirely in it. “After we land in Libya. I don’t think I could perform right now even if I wanted to. Will that do?”

“Okay Reece,” she replied. “It’ll have to.”

They ended up traveling straight through. After what had happened in Iran, they didn’t want to risk a repeat performance. They had no idea how many hundreds of tribal protectors of the earth that the Order had caged and shackled in their quest for world domination. It was early evening by the time the ruins of Cyrene came into view below them. The desert view reminded Reece of the worms he had seen in his dream, a stark warning to stay off the dunes, or at least that was his interpretation.

Unlike the last few places, these ruins seemed abandoned. There were no zombie hordes nor signs of an Order presence. The place looked untouched, except for the ravages of time. The ruins sat on a huge plateau halfway down a rocky hill cut into a terrace built for farming.

During their flight, Chippo had told him a little about the site. It was remarkably well preserved for being over two-and-a-half thousand years old and the victim of a mighty earthquake and numerous sandstorms. Many of the heavy stone walls, tan in color, were intact. Even several columns were still standing, part of what had been a large temple of Apollo, about two hundred meters long and marked by colonnades. Where once there were roads or floors, now grew brilliant green grass. The place seemed like an archaeologist’s dream.

They circled the entire area three times, surveying it for enemies. Finding none, they swooped down and landed lightly near the temple of Apollo. The Qilin took comfort in the shade while everyone else stretched their legs and explored their immediate surroundings. No one wandered off alone, not after what they had all been through.

With the area secured, it was time to figure out where they could find the nightcore fragment.

“Chippo?” asked Reece, trying to summon the Furdian with his mind.

“Hello, hello,” said Chippo, his usual cheery self. “Ah, we’re here. Good, good.”

A moment later he appeared before Reece, head up and his tail wagging happily behind him. He hopped up and down excitedly. Reece had a feeling that the Furdian had a special connection with the place. He was glad that it had put Chippo in such a good mood. Plus, his familiarity with the place might just come in handy for them.

“That’s right, Chippo,” said Reece, speaking normally. “I appreciate that. Look, now that we’re in the ruins of Cyrene, can you sense where the nightcore fragment might be?”

“Hmmm, okay, okay,” replied Chippo, joining Reece in speaking out loud. He then pointed towards the remnants of a building on the far side of the ruins, tucked into the cliff that slightly overhung the site. “It’s over there, but much lower...underground. Yes, yes. Deep underground, like all the rest.”

“Well then,” said Reece. “Let’s go check it out, shall we?”

Chippo nodded vigorously and the two of them headed over to the others while they set up a base camp of sorts inside of the temple. Blankets were laid down over the soft earth and food was brought out, the last of the bread, apples, and a couple of oranges. They’d have to gather more food soon. Everyone was traveling in pairs, even to answer the calls of nature. There was an uneasy tension in the air. Still, they had a semi-secure, well-hidden base camp set up in just a few minutes. A handful of collapsible chairs rounded out the meager set-up. Angel was munching on an apple when Reece walked up to him. Everyone else was trying to get some sleep after the shortness of the previous night and the long flight.

“Hey, bud,” called out Reece. “We’re going to try and find the chamber now. You all just rest up and hold down the fort, alright?”

“You want any of us to come with, amigo?” asked Angel through a mouth half-full of apple.

“Nah, the chambers are pretty secure,” answered Reece. “Unlike out here. Keep a sharp eye out. I’ll be as quick as I can.”

“Roger that,” replied Angel. “Watch your six in there, marine.”

Reece chuckled and waved as he headed towards the ruins when he heard someone call out from behind him.

“Wait,” came Ciera’s voice.

Turning, he had just enough time to throw out his arms as she threw herself into him, hugging him tightly and planting a big kiss on his lips. After slipping him a bit of tongue, she pulled her face back and looked into his eyes.

“You’re going in now, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Yeah, the sooner we get this over with, the better,” he answered, trying to keep his voice from cracking with emotion.

“Okay, well...I need something from you first,” she told him, stroking his arm. “You’re the bravest, kindest, most loving person I’ve ever met. I’m glad you’re our daughters’ father. I love you very much. Now, I need to feel your love inside of me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Reece, smiling, a glimmer of mischief appeared in his eye. A pleasant distraction would be more than welcome. He could restore his lost energy while also giving himself a break from the task at hand. “But you’ll have to keep it down, people are trying to sleep.”

Her eyes glistened with lust. Reece figured she was just starting to process Naeva’s near-death experience and couldn’t bear the thought of losing him too. Channeling that shock into her libido was making her intensely emotional. He looked at her tenderly, wiping a tear from her cheek. She was even beautiful when she was crying.

“It’ll be okay,” assured Reece, trying to soothe and give Ciera what both she and he needed.

They wasted no time, removing each other’s clothes efficiently. She used her mouth to get him ready and he returned the favor with gusto. Then she spun around and straddled him with animalistic passion. Sliding her lithe body over him, she wiggled until he was at her entrance. Then she scooted her hips down and he slid inside. A cute little gasp escaped her throat while she adjusted to his size. Ciera quickly found her rhythm, riding Reece both fast and hard. She played with his nipples and squeezed him inside her. Through her efforts, Reece filled Ciera with his life-giving seed, sweat beading down his face and body from the exertion. Ciera kissed him gently before pulling herself off him.

“Thank you,” she purred. “I really needed that.”

“It was my pleasure,” replied Reece, for the first time feeling awkward about what they had done. “And to be honest, so did I. Do you want me to stay with you for a while?”

“Just go, ya big lug,” she replied, playfully pushing him away. “Go save the world, lover.”

He took the hint, got dressed, and headed off for the building, waving his hand over his shoulder while he walked away. He could still taste her on his lips and tongue as he approached the crumbling stonework. It was all that remained of a series of pools and baths.

His emotions were heightened, and he was buzzing with energy again, so he chose to concentrate on the task at hand. Looking closer, he noticed the source of the pools seemed to come from inside a cave hollowed out into the cliffside. No water flowed now, or by all appearances, in recent memory.

Chippo took that moment to appear next to him, inspecting the cave as well. When Reece noticed him there, he gave the little guy a smile.

“What kind of place is this, Chippo?” he asked the ghostly Furdian.

“This is the fountain of Apollo,” said Shenfu, answering for Chippo as he walked up beside them. “Inside was the entrance to the antechamber. It has since been destroyed by the earthquake that leveled the city.”

“Is the antechamber intact,” asked Reece. “Can we still get there?”

“To both questions, yes,” answered Shenfu. “That is why I knew I had to come. Only I can take you there now. There is no other way. That’s probably why the Order abandoned this place. They did a good job of covering their tracks, but I can still smell them.”

“Well then, Shen,” said Reece. “I guess you’re my good luck charm.”

“More often than not,” replied Shenfu. “We make our own luck.”

“Well said,” replied Reece, smiling warmly at his Qilin friend. “In that case, shall we?”

“Let’s,” said Shenfu, his voice coming across in a whisper.

“Yes, yes, let’s,” agreed Chippo before he disappeared again.

The Qilin dipped down, allowing Reece to straddle his back more easily. Reece climbed on, the animated hair of the Qilin’s hide holding him tight. He grabbed ahold of Shenfu’s scruff and then they were gone, diving into the stone and sand below. Reece sucked in a breath as they dove, though what he inhaled within the solid stone was beyond him. It only took a moment to pass into what he could only assume was the antechamber and he was glad for it. The dual experiences of blackness and silence while passing through solid stone were disconcerting, to say the least.

“We’re here,” stated Shenfu.

“I still can’t see,” said Reece, the blackness not letting up in the least.

“Ahh yes,” replied the Qilin. “The solanite veins aren’t present in this part of the world.”

“Solanite?” asked Reece.

“Yes, also called Glow Ore,” replied the Qilin. “It only glows in its natural state, however, so is generally useless except as a light source for miners. Unfortunately, it doesn’t reside with more precious metals.”

“You are safe now and I must channel something to help you see,” added the Qilin.

Reece took Shenfu’s meaning and dismounted once he felt the hairs release their tangled grip upon his legs. Once he was off, a soft glow began to light the room. He noticed it came from the shimmering coat of the Qilin. Chippo decided to help and added his soft blue glow to the mix, a glow he was able to amplify. Between the two, Reece could just make out the features of the ancient antechamber.

“Thanks, guys,” said Reece. “That helps a lot. We would have been lost without you.”

while he spoke, he examined the room. Both Shenfu and Chippo slowly walked the room, casting their meager light so that Reece could make out the room’s details. A minute later and Reece had a good idea of the room he was standing within. The hemispherical room was in excellent condition, somehow having survived the earthquake. The single entrance to the room, however, was overflowing with sand and stone, presumably from the earthquake.

Around the room, some alcoves held many statues of Greek gods and monsters. Amidst gorgeous statues of Zeus, Apollo, Peneus, and Artemis, there stood statues of a bull-headed minotaur, the snake-haired medusa, another woman with the lower body of a snake - the lamia, a one-eyed Cyclops, and several others that Reece didn’t recognize. Reece did notice a bird-winged female, complete with taloned feet, that bore a striking resemblance to the bird-women, or Harpyiai, that had recently saved them in India.

In the middle of the room was a fountain with a statue of a nude female kneeling with a bowl in her arms, as if ready to scoop up the fountain’s water. The bowl wasn’t a part of the statue but simply rested in the statue's outstretched arms. It was a bowl that Reece recognized from the other antechambers around the world.

With half the answer, Chippo and Shenfu illuminated Reece’s way around the alcoves for a second time, studying each one and looking for the objects that he would need to place within the bowl. Finding nothing other than noting that each god or creature had one palm face-up, Reece went back to the fountain and drew out the nightcore. Looking at Chippo and Shenfu, he shrugged and placed it within the bowl.

Waiting only a moment, a golden glow erupted from each statue that circled the center of the room. Upon each of their upturned palms, a glowing object appeared. Reece threw up his hands in equal parts relief and frustration.

“Every time, it’s always a little different,” complained Reece out loud.

“They were set up by different sects. Many sects from all around the world. Different sects, different ideas,” explained Chippo. “Between language barriers, regional dialects, and individual interpretations, I think you’re lucky they’re as close as they are. Yes, lucky.”

“Fair enough,” said Reece. “Now, let’s figure this out and get topside before another six months passes.”

Now that the chamber was heavily illuminated, it didn’t take Reece long to figure out the simple puzzle. The golden glow kept him from distinguishing color differences if there were any. On the statue’s fifteen palms, there were spheres, cubes, pyramids, cylinders, and coins with a picture of an odd-looking plant on it. Reece noted that the coins were the only objects that weren’t plain. Grabbing up the three coins, Reece added them to the marble bowl and waited. It only took a moment for the coins to dissolve and form a dark puddle which the nightcore quickly absorbed. Looking at the nightcore, or Regenesis orb, as Shenfu had called it, he was surprised to discover that it was nearly complete. He could easily make out a mechanism on its surface, perhaps used to activate it.

That wasn’t the only surprise. He had been so enthralled by the nightcore that he had missed the subtle transformation of the statue. No longer nude, she stood before him in the same schoolgirl outfit that Karina had first worn, clearly pulled from his mind. He hoped therapy would make a comeback after they had rescued the world so that he could get rid of this fetish once and for all.

“I’m really sorry,” was all that Reece could say, indicating the somewhat indecent outfit.

“What? I kinda like it,” said the woman seductively, her words flowing like honey into his ears and massaging his heart and head.

She looked human for the most part, except her eyes were a brilliant blue he had never seen before, and she had slender pointed ears that stretched up the sides of her head. Her long blonde hair fell about her body like poetry and her form was both lithe and perky or shapely and curvy in all the right places. To say that she was exquisitely beautiful would be a gross understatement. Even Chippo let out a long whistle.

“Really?” asked Reece, glaring at the Furdian with narrowed eyes. “That’s disrespectful.”

Looking back at the ageless woman, he continued. “I apologize for my little friend here. He means well and is invaluable but can be a little rough around the edges.”

“Think nothing of it,” she replied. “I find it sweet that you would defend me so.”

Reece’s mind was whirling. “Oh, she was good,” he thought.

This felt like a honey trap meant to keep him down here and waste time while his friends waited in danger for his return. That realization snapped him out of his delirium, an intense attraction to her face, body, voice, and very presence. He could feel an aura of love, lust, and tranquility radiating from her body. Shaking his head violently, he knew he needed to finish this up quickly, no matter how pleasant it seemed now.

“I’m glad to be of service, but time is of the essence,” explained Reece, hoping the woman wouldn’t be too offended by his brush-off. “The world is in peril, and I’ve got to get back to my friends.”

“Of course,” she purred. “Tarry no longer.”

Reece nodded his thanks and headed towards Shenfu. The Qilin knelt, predicting Reece’s intentions. He nodded to the observant Qilin before walking to the mighty beast’s side and throwing a leg over his back. Just as he felt the Qilin’s hair grab onto his legs, he also felt a presence behind him, molding itself to his form. Peering over his shoulder, he found himself staring into the hypnotically exotic eyes of the seductive beauty he had released. This close, he could even smell her. The indescribable scent almost had him drooling as he fought his impulses and faced forward with a great deal of effort.

“Shen, take us up please,” said Reece through clenched teeth, not wanting to waste any more time.

If she wanted to join him, they could discuss it topside, where every minute wasn’t costing them an hour. He realized that she was obviously fine with the arrangement when she snakes her golden arms around his waist. Her touch, even over his outfit, was warm and inviting. If she moved her hands much lower, he would be mortified.

Thankfully, Shenfu pushed off the antechamber’s floor, forcing Reece to focus on not freaking out as they passed harmlessly through solid rock and densely packed sand while flying back to the world above. One long exhaled breath later, they were back on the surface. Reece prepared to greet their friends and introduce his new traveling companion. Instead, they appeared in the middle of an all-out battle.