***Tirnanog, Hochberg***
***Astra***
We entered our quarters and I bade Peter sit down on the couch.
The guard who had shadowed us the entire way followed into the room and our advisor raised an inquisitive eyebrow until Thalia took off the helmet.
“Thalia! What were you doing hiding among the guards!?” Peter exclaimed.
Thalia tilted her head while she put her helmet down on the shelf next to the door. “I am here to protect the delegation against mental influences, Peter. I can't do that if you people go off alone. Besides, it's helpful if others don't know someone like me is in the room. They are less guarded.”
He looked accusingly at me and then at Magnus. “You two knew? How come the guards didn’t question her presence?”
I nodded in my partner's stead while Magnus went to get himself a drink. We had talked about Thalia's secretive support the night before. “It's one of our strata's special policies for dealing with mental attacks. All guards are instructed not to question people joining their ranks – given they know the right passphrases and signs.”
“It's not their fault. I suggested this. Astra and Magnus are heavily protected against mental influences.” Thalia waved her hand dismissively. “And while you aren't completely vulnerable, their mutations give them a significant edge on you, which lessened the risk. As you know, it's normal for a clan to bring people with psychic mutations to important meetings.”
Peter scoffed. “I've been trained to resist all sorts of mental shenanigans, just as a foreign dignitary should be. I can't believe you haven't trusted me on this. It stings.”
“And it looks like I was right to do so.” Thalia didn't show any remorse. “I already had my suspicions because of the scout captain's behaviour. Vanya is dangerous. I don't know how they managed it, but it feels like she has more mental abilities stacked on top of each other than me. The girl is a blazing inferno of mental power. In terms of psychic ability, she is a genius. I think she knew I was in the room from the start, but she never acknowledged my presence.”
I couldn't help but purse my lips in surprise. Stacking mutations concerning a single field wasn’t unheard of, but dangerous. One could say Magnus and I had stacked precognition, reflexes, processing and sub-identities since all of these mutations somehow affected the mind – which was already incredibly risky.
The method of stacking was frowned upon and only slightly less dangerous than using mutations which affected the same body part. The obvious pay-off was power.
Some people went as far as stacking six or seven mental mutations like Thalia. But every time it was done repeatedly increased the chances of something going horribly wrong.
If Vanya had maxed out her un-partnered mutation path completely with mental mutations and suffered no ill effects it was like throwing a coin and coming up with heads ten times in a row.
I had seen nothing on Vanya that even hinted at negative side effects. Assuming a child of her age behaving like the ruler of an entire clan was no downside for her mental well-being.
As far as I remembered, Thalia had never praised anyone so highly for the mental arts. Back at Aerie, the most someone with psychic abilities would get had been hesitant approval of their skill.
Magnus shifted on his feet. “Are we compromised? Did she do something?”
“No, but I would recommend you two to keep up whatever it is which makes you feel like you have multiple personality disorder. She shrank back slightly when she touched the two of you,” Thalia replied. “As for the others. All she did was listen, which was bad enough. Her presence dominated the room. Everyone except for me may as well be an open book to her. I felt her reaching out to everyone and she barely needed a touch to get what she wanted. She is like a glass cannon for mental power. If I ever seize up and start twitching, start killing, because I don't believe I can hold her off for long.”
I frowned. “I haven't felt anything.”
“Neither did I, which is worrisome when you say she tried something.” Magnus looked displeased. “What's this touch-thing and reaching out? I only feel a tingle when someone tries to mess with my mind.”
“Please don't take my words for fact. It is simply the best way to describe what I feel when using my power. It is how my mutation manifests my ability. Your skill to sense these things is completely different from mine,” Thalia clarified before she looked at Peter who shook his head in answer to her earlier question.
“Riiight,” Thalia droned. “No meetings without me from now on. Peter, can you tell us something about Vanya? I think our plans are falling a bit short with Greta dead. The old matriarch was a well-known power. Vanya is not.”
Peter spread his hands helplessly. “I am sorry. I don't know a whole lot. Greta adopted Vanya when her parents died. I know nothing about them, except that Greta had their counsel. Vanya was still a babe when she was orphaned. So the child is a natural-born Tirn. I have never met her personally, but Greta mentioned the girl fondly from time to time. She was grooming Vanya as her successor.”
Magnus raised his voice, “So if Greta had a positive disposition towards us, wouldn't it be within reason to assume Vanya inherited her mentor's political course?”
Our advisor shook his head. “Assuming is not knowing. In absence of another choice, we should proceed as planned, but I would be wary of thinking Vanya plays for our team. If Greta did a good job at educating her, then she will always look to her clan first.”
“Good,” I said. “Then all we have to do is present Vanya with the truth.”
Magnus looked doubtful. “Don't praise the day before it is over. The same truth in two different pairs of ears often causes vastly different reactions.”
It took me a moment to decipher my partner's newest idiom. In the end, I could only agree. I didn't believe the situation to be too dire, but being too hopeful also wasn't warranted. Greta had likely been a mother figure for the girl. No matter Vanya's mental development, the loss must affect someone of her age.
“Who is Tianna to the girl?” I asked after a moment of thought.
Peter looked a little lost. “Tianna was always a close counsel to Greta. Officially she has the role of an advisor, but she was more like a handyman. She went on diplomatic missions when the matriarch was indisposed and received foreign dignitaries. She was practically Greta’s right hand, which is why I know her so well. To be honest, I would have expected Tianna to take over when something happened to the matriarch.”
There was a knock on the door and everyone looked at it.
Since I stood the closest to the entrance, I went to answer.
On the other side was one of our bodyguards who gave me a slight bow. “There are people from Hochberg at the docks, protector. They want the promised cargo and one of them asked for you. A large woman, blonde.”
“Oh?” I wondered briefly who would ask for me specifically but realized soon enough I had gotten to know quite a few people during my years at the Old Camp – though I couldn't come up with a reason for anyone to seek me out specifically. I didn't have any real friends among other clans who would pay me a social visit. Just acquaintances. “See to the cargo. She surely meant the evidence we brought with us. I'll go and see who it is.”
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“As you wish.” The guard turned and went to get our evidence.
I quickly informed the others of where I was going, then left Thalia, Peter and Magnus to their meeting.
The woman who waited for me at the dock was no other than Sarah, the recruiter who had represented Clan Hochberg at the Old Camp.
“Sarah!” I waved and went down the ramp, trailed by my bodyguards.
She hadn't changed much, which allowed me to recognize her easily.
Sarah looked me up and down with a bemused expression. “By Gaia's benevolent bosom! It is you. I didn't believe it when I heard you were among the delegation, a protector no less. A lot must have happened at Aerie!”
“Indeed,” I admitted. “You know why we are here?”
Sarah waved her hands defensively. “Oh, no. Don't tell me anything. I am just a trusted guard captain who got too curious for her own good. I am here to pick up some cargo for the matriarch's advisor, Tianna.” She grinned. “I guess it worked out for you in the end. I was pretty embarrassed about Brook’s uncouth behaviour towards one of our allies. I hope you are over the altercation. Where is your pretty boy?”
I didn’t want to go through the entire explanation of Magnus using an alias back at the camp, so I just went with his nickname. It wasn’t technically wrong to use it, since a lot of our hunters had started calling him by his alias when they saw him train with dad. Since then the alias had stuck among certain circles.
“Tulkas is in a meeting. And I think so?” I shrugged. “If Brook doesn't want to open an expired jar of worms, neither do we. You were always more reasonable than the other Hochberg at the camp, so no hard feelings.”
Feeling awkward to admit so, I scratched the back of my head. “Besides, I think I needed the push. Who knows whether I would have taken the jump without Brook's pressure? This doesn't make it right what he did, nor do I forgive his actions. But I can let the matter go.”
“Ah.” Sarah looked chagrinned. “I can't talk for the asshat, but you are right. As far as I am concerned the old rivalries can stay behind at the Old Camp. If you run into Brook and he decides to make trouble, just deck him. As a protector, you should have no trouble doing so. He still isn't partnered.”
Sarah winked at me. “Finding a freshly arrived woman at the Old Camp is his only hope, given his personality. Nobody else would take him for the risk of being stuck with an idiot for the rest of their lives.”
I nodded. “That's fine with me. And yes, Tulkas and I have been doing well. We are both classified as juggernauts nowadays.”
Sarah whistled. “We have to train together someday. I remember you being a terror at the Old Camp. Once the political manoeuvring is over.”
***Tirnanog, Mount Aerie***
***Forgotten***
Mary Frost walked down the corridor with a blank expression on her face. She passed me close enough to touch, but I didn't flinch a single muscle and trusted in my camouflage.
It had been the eighth time she had passed me while I slowly crept deeper into the compound. The old woman was paying her daily visits like clockwork. If nothing else, she was diligent in her duties.
Once she turned around the corner, I moved again. It was the final leg of my journey. On the way out, I wouldn’t have the luxury of taking my time. Traversing the Frost's compound without getting caught was almost impossible without the necessary patience, but I had finally arrived at my goal.
I opened the door and slid inside before I closed the door behind me ever so slowly.
Mary’s scent path led me directly to the three eggs which lay on a large bed.
Wasting no time, I drew my combat knife and smashed the first egg. Milky-white fluid spilled from within and revealed a malformed foetus. For a moment, I thought it might be a diversion. A trick, but no.
It was humanoid, so definitely of human origin. None of Tirnanog’s native species had this trait.
To think I risked my life and wasted time coming here when this was failed offspring. The orders coming from Earth had become ever more nonsensical lately. Why did they want some failed mutants killed?
The Frosts would have done the job for me once they hatched.
Going on, I smashed the second egg when I noticed something like smouldering ash drifting through the air and landing on the remaining egg.
Cursing inwardly, I made sure my breathing mask was on tight before I turned to the door.
A small, goblin-like creature was standing there and chittered. It pointed at me.
The hag stepped into the doorway and nodded while petting the little monster’s head. “Yes, I can see him now Chitters, good work. Why don’t you drop your camo, Forgotten.”
More of the glowing embers detached and spread from her brittle filaments when she moved. They slowly drifted away, trailing every motion.
I quickly assessed the situation. My eyes flicked from left to right, up and down, but this room was a cave with only one exit and the ventilation shaft was far too small for me to fit through.
“This is a trap,” I concluded once I realized I had been had. “You lured me into a room with only one exit.”
Mary gave a slight nod. “When the huntress can’t stalk her prey, she has to wait for the prey to come to her.”
I growled and drew the silenced pistol from my belt. Wasting the few remaining supplies from Earth was bad, but it felt like there was no way out for me. I had to try my best and serve Earth by doing my best to escape. Using every resource at my disposal was warranted.
Mary’s clothes shifted and her filaments snaked up her body until she was entirely covered like a mummy. Then the brittle filaments pulled taut and formed what seemed like a layer of silvery latex. The only disturbing part was the lack of features like orifices or eyes.
I grinned when more filaments extended from her body to form the signature halo above her head and what looked like a paper-thin sword which was fused with her left hand.
The brittle nature of her filaments warped further until no sign of the Frost’s trademark mutation remained.
She looked like a statue cast from silver once the transformation finished.
“The Invincible, they call you.” I pointed my gun at the remaining egg. “I wondered, is the halo a statement? Or is it necessary?”
Mary shrugged. “It’s kind of an inside joke, to be honest, but I don’t see any point in enlightening you.”
“Step out of the way, or I’ll shoot the remaining egg. Then you will have failed.”
“Should I pretend to not see the malformed embryo on the bed right there?” She looked towards the ceiling as if she was actually considering it.
“No. Get the guards, Chitters.”
The little monster at her side clicked and ran away.
I pressed the trigger once, splattering the egg before I aimed at her and unloaded every last bullet in the magazine.
Mary just stood there, taking the uranium-tipped bullets which bounced off her chest and head. It was like the armour-penetrating bullets were mere lead. One stayed stuck in her neck for a moment before the filaments rearranged and restored themselves to perfection. The bullet fell to the ground, useless.
All I achieved was causing more of the glowing embers to flake off her body. The impact points glowed like little coals, but that was all.
I advanced and brought my combat knife forward to block, but Mary circled her sword faster than I could react. Her blade contacted my knife briefly, causing a hail of sparks. The force of the impact jarred my arm and cast my knife aside before she chopped twice with measured movements.
My right arm with my knife fell off before my legs toppled away from beneath me.
I landed hard and bounced roughly onto the marble floor. Grunting, I used my remaining arm to turn myself onto my back before I threw the empty pistol at her head.
It was a futile gesture of defiance, but one I felt compelled to commit. Earth’s Special Task Forces never gave up. Never stopped fighting till the end.
The pistol bounced off Mary’s head and she swung her sword once more in a manner which felt way too casual.
My remaining hand fell off, revealing the bio-mechanic enhancements which riddled my entire body.
I grunted. “End it. You won’t get me to talk. I’ve switched off my pain receptors. There is nothing you can do to me.”
The hag stepped forward and a faint smile formed on her inhuman features.
She knelt next to me and raised a hand, pointing a finger right at my left eye. One of her filaments returned to its brittle state and detached from her wrist before it snaked along her finger. It aimed for my eye and I closed it before she grabbed my face.
The filament touched me gently, then applied more pressure.
Instinct told me to flinch away but I couldn't!
I felt the ashy filament worm its way beneath my eyelid and deeper, rasping roughly against my flesh as it did so.
The sight on my left side went dark and there was a wet 'plop' before the witch showed me my eyeball.
“You know...” Mary sighed, sounding a little bit annoyed. “You people may be able to switch off your pain receptors, but it doesn't change that there is something human left in you. I've managed to break quite a few of you by taking parts off bit by bit.”
“There is nothing you can do to me that I haven't seen before,” I replied from between clenched teeth.
“Are you sure?” More filaments wormed their way up her fingers. “With these, I can reach places even you people haven't thought of before. All I want to know is whether there are more of you around. It would allow me to sleep a little deeper at night.”
“My mission is already fulfilled and your vile offspring has been ended. You are nothing more than failed experiments,” I spat. “My serial number is 13985. For the books. I will tell you nothing more.”
“Vile? And why do you people always insist on your serial number? It’s not like Earth cares about their soldiers. You were abandoned decades ago.” Mary stood back up. “Why am I even arguing with a brainwashed puppet?”
“Brainwash-” My mind jarred to a halt, abolishing the thought before it restarted again. “You are failed experiments. We have to get you back under control.”
Mary poked my shoulder with her sword. “Your scientists fumble around in the dark with their experiments. They take what is already there and throw it into a jar in the hope of creating something useful. Most of the time their random juggling does indeed fail. Catastrophically, like with Chitter’s people. They are hardly more than hunting dogs nowadays. Useful, but no longer human. Sadly, intelligence doesn’t seem to be a necessary trait for survival. But once in a while, something like me comes along. Something they can’t control – nor understand. It’s the true reason why Earth prefers us to stay beyond their gate. Because they know, if we ever get to the other side there will be hell to pay!”
She chuckled and pulled back her foot before she kicked my head and everything went black.