"Hit me again," Kylen barked at me. I didn't want to. My hesitance must've shown on my face because he continued. "Do you want to figure out how to make an ability useful in combat, or not?"

The two of us were in a sparring room designated for training abilities. It was a tier above the usual basement practice arena. Expensive padding meant to minimize injury covered every wall. The floor was marked with dozens of lines to measure distance. It was also underground, like most of Lobsterhead's training facilities. If I ever meet the architect, I thought, then I'm going to ask them what their obsession is with caves dedicated to improvement.

Back to the situation at hand, Kylen had a point. I needed to make this ability work and I didn't have very much time to do it. Hyperion's fireball had inspired me and I'd tried to apply a similar technique toward my [Sonicpunch]. Results had been slow but promising.

The single biggest change I'd made was that I'd given up on attempting to wear the wind. For me, that couldn't be done. I had no abilities that were remotely close to wearable and I wasn't sure where to begin with getting one. It'd been a pipe dream that I was unable to make work.

Speaking of Hyperion, his speech had thrown the fort into a tizzy. This time more focused on preparation rather than panic, but the energy around the streets was aggressive all the same. Everyone was trying to find a final edge; pick up one last technique that they could bring with them into battle against the Kanaadians. I was doing the same. You could never be sure what'd be the difference between life and death.

"You're sure?" I asked him.

"Would I be here if I wasn't sure?"

The problem was that the core ability that Eunike and I had differed. I had been trying to create an imitation of the fists of hers that had broken steel without knowing what abilities went into them. I couldn't wrap my fist in the wind like she could, nor could I figure out any way to do so. However, I could use [Empower] and [Windslash] to make my fist fly very quickly through the air. I'd figured out that if I made the latter ability go slowly, then I could intentionally send my fist through it and pick up a speed boost along the way.

From there, it'd become about minimizing the amount of time it took me to catch up to the phantom fist. It took an hour of practice but I'd gotten consistent enough that I could summon the wind fist a second before needing the acceleration.

"If you're sure," I conceded. "But you can't say that I didn't warn you."

I wound back my arm and clenched my fist and activated the relevant abilities. Then, I let my fist fly toward him and felt [Windslash] drag my body along with it. I tried and failed to keep my feet planted on the ground. Oops. That's something I need to work on.

Kylen keeled over like he had a stomach ache when my knuckles reached him, and collapsed when the rest of my bulk followed thereafter. That was the 2nd time something like this had happened. I wouldn't be surprised if he was more bruise than man come the morning that followed. He was a large person, but he wasn't big enough to withstand getting body slammed by me.

"The ability makes my fist move quickly. That's a plus," I said as I helped him off the ground. "I just can't figure out how to make it not take the rest of me. It's not like I can send myself hurdling into every opponent that I come across."

He winced as he stretched back up to his full height. Then, he looked at me like I'd said something mad.

"I don't mean to be rude, but why can't you? You're bulky enough that you can knock down almost anyone. If we put you in some heavy armor, then couldn't you function like some sort of System-assisted battering ram? I know that I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of your charging. Plus, there always needs to be someone who leads the charge into the fray."

I considered his words. "That's a good point. I never imagined myself as someone who'd wait among the rank and file."

"That's because it'd be a waste of the sizable advantages Zeus has bestowed upon you," Kylen said. "It's like you were made for battle. Most Legionnaires can't even do half of what you're capable of. If they could, I think that the Legion would've already conquered the rest of the continent. Maybe even the world."

I was good compared to the rest of Fletcher Hall but not that good.

"You speak of me like I'm a god, Kylen. Isn't that against the teachings of the Temple Authority?"

He shook his head. "I'm not speaking of you like you're a god, Ghul. But you might one day become a Hero. If Zeus immortalizes your name within the histories of New Rome, then I'll have done something good. There's no greater honor for mortal ilk such as us. If this is a future that I can guide you toward, then it is my duty as a faithful member of Zeus's flock to see the task done," He met my eyes. "Hit me again."

That was intense. Something in his words felt strangely familiar to me, but I couldn't place where I'd heard them before. I wasn't comfortable with the amount of reverence Kylen had put on ensuring that I became more powerful. Shouldn't he be worried about himself? He's going to the front as soon as I am.

Kylen had volunteered over breakfast to help me figure out my replica of Eunike's ability. I'd worked on recreating her fist for some time and my peers and I had figured that I'd not have the time to continue to do so whilst marching. They were probably right. So, it was now or never. I was grateful to have another set of eyes working with me to make progress with it.

It took three more failed attempts before I figured out a trick to my ability. The more that I fought the movement of my body going with my fist, the less effective the ability was as a whole. So, I decided to stop resisting and let my body go with it. The resulting change shocked me. Instead of the force of my punch sending Kylen to the floor, it'd sent him flying into the padded walls on the other side of the room. I counted the marked distance measurements on the floor. Ten.. fifteen.. twenty, I thought, I can punch a grown man twenty yards by launching myself toward them.

"What in Zeus' name was that?" Kylen asked, bewildered.

He sat on the floor with his back against the soft wall I'd just thrown him into. I hoped that he'd be willing to continue. His red bangs had been thrown over his face and forehead by his sudden passage through the air.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"I think I might've figured out what the next step was," I grinned. "We aren't going to make a copy at all. We're going to make something better."

Kylen staggered whilst getting up and caught himself, but then still had to put his arms out to find his balance. He swayed unsteadily on his feet.

"I don't think I can take another hit like that.. It felt like you just cracked every bone in my back. My head's spinning and I didn't even hit it on something. Whatever you're onto is powerful, even if it isn't what Eunike had."

"Do you think it'll crack some skulls?" I asked. As I spoke I felt a stinging sensation on my knuckles. I could already see welts beginning to form on them, ugly red marks where my skin had struggled to withstand the force delivered through it. That was a problem. I couldn't go around splitting my hand open every time I hit someone.

"If it hasn't already cracked mine, yeah." He grinned.

"I'm feeling a little--"

He stumbled again. I ran over and helped him regain his footing by bending down and slinging my arm below his. I didn't like how wobbly he'd suddenly become. It made me nervous, as he was someone I cared about and I'd thought I could do a better job of controlling myself. I made a mental note to be more gentle when in bouts with my friends.

"Kylen, I think you've had enough for today. Can't do much good serving Zeus if you can't walk. Besides, I'm sure you'll sleep it off.."

He groaned in acknowledgment. His words were unintelligible. How hard had I hit him?

"Let's get you checked out by a healer," I said. In truth, we should've had one on standby when we started. But no instructor expected a serious injury from us because we shouldn't have been strong enough as newly enlisted. But there's an exception to every rule, and I was this one. Instructor Culkmen had taken great care of informing Fletcher Hall of that.

"It's all gonna be alright, I promise," I told him. I was probably saying that to reassure myself more than him.

I was going to owe Kylen for this, and not just because he'd gotten hurt. I was eager to check my [Status]. A notification blinked at the edge of my field of vision.

Requirements for ability: [The Fist That Parts the Sea] met. Variant path of [Empower] and [Windslash], intended to prevent the User from becoming overwhelmed by a large group of opponents.

* * *

I'd carried Kylen bridal-style most of the way to the Healer's Temple before we were interrupted. A group of three imperial inquisitors, the militant branch of the Temple Authority, patrolled the road leading to the citadel. They were stopping everyone that passed by, and sure enough, one of them had set his sights on me.

It was an understatement to say that I stuck out. I loomed over them and walked with a now unconscious grown man carried in my arms like he was a little girl. If they gave me trouble, I decided, I'd never let Kylen hear the end of this. So much for the noble servants of Zeus...

"Halt!" One of them demanded. "In the name of the Eternal Emperor, be still!"

I'd already stopped walking at that point. I think it made him feel better to order me around. I stood still with Kylen in my arms and absentmindedly adjusted a cloth wrapping on my knuckle. I'd put it there to prevent any bleeding, as the skin was still tender from earlier in the day.

He wore an unremarkable set of leather armor. It was the kind that was either reserved for an apprentice or someone that no one important cared about very much. At his waist was a blade, but I could tell from the way that it sat on his hip that he didn't know how to use it. He was accompanied by a woman in plate mail who looked very much like she was in charge and another person who wore the same leather attire. Links of iron chains hung at each of their waists, which gave me a bad feeling. Something about the chains threatened me, though I had no clue what they used them for.

The only thing that identified them as inquisitors was the lightning bolt motif engraved on their helmets. It was the universal symbol of Zeus and was usually only worn by those who would claim to act in his name.

"Identify yourself! And state what business you have within the citadel!"

The force with which he talked made me think what little power he'd gained as a servant of Zeus had gone to his head.

"I am Ghul, Legionnaire of Fletcher Hall," I said. "I'm seeking medical attention for my friend, Kylen, also of Fletcher Hall. He's become disoriented after a nasty ability misfired. Has something happened within the Citadel?"

I didn't say that I'd been the one to misfire the ability. I didn't think they needed to know that. The level of security didn't make sense. There was no reason that the Citadel should have checkpoints unless something had gone seriously wrong. Was it a leftover measure from The Psychic Prince's attack?

The inquisitor glanced at his superior, who gave him a nod.

"There's been a sighting of a Horror loose within the lower town," He explained. "We've reason to believe it's capable of blending in with the general population. No one is sure what it is or what it wants. Only that it's violent and has a nasty taste for people."

"As such, for the foreseeable future admittance into the Citadel is by [Status] verification only. A Horror shouldn't be able to project one in the same way a person could. We recognize that it's invasive but System-provided proof of identity is the only way to be allowed entrance."

I frowned. I got the feeling that anyone considered important wouldn't be required to submit themselves for inspection. I doubted they asked the divines to display their [Status], but then again, divines don't typically walk the streets. I imagined that they'd be too busy falling over themselves than asking for a verification of identity. Because of the unusual authority attribute, I'd be unable to submit myself for inspection.

Additionally, the reason behind their presence disturbed me. Something had to be done if a Horror walked the streets of Lobsterhead, even if we were about to be shipped off to die in a war. I wouldn't be shocked if whatever the monster just slipped through the cracks once we deployed. Then there'd be no chance of catching it.

"What do you mean that it's 'capable of blending in with the general population'?" I asked. "Does that mean it's able to hide among a crowd?"

He nodded grimly. "Something like that."

His reply had been intentionally vague, which set off all kinds of alarm bells in my head. He knew more than he was telling me. But, I supposed I should be grateful that he was telling me anything.

"Wouldn't someone have noticed something strange by now? There are enough people here that someone must've seen something.."

"You would think so," He said. "But no one's come forward for the past month. Have no fear, though. It seems to prefer hunting within the Citadel."

The armored superior smacked him on the back of the head with a gloved hand. She looked annoyed at something he'd said. Honestly, if the Horror had a preference for hunting within the Citadel, then I was surprised they hadn't dealt with it sooner. Knowledge about it was good although it didn't help much with the current predicament I faced.

"What if I'm incapable of having my [Status] verified? I've got some privacy concerns about just showing it off.."

He shrugged. "I'm sorry, but that'd mean no entrance to the Citadel. We can't risk taking any chances."

Kylen, I thought as I walked away from where the three inquisitors stood. Sorry, but you might end up having to sleep this one off anyhow.