Alistair Reed didn’t want to die.

But after Commander Flinders had outlined his plan, he was having trouble thinking of a better way to do this.

He looked down at the two items in his hands. One, the device that would teleport him and whoever he was touching at the moment of his death, the other, a Resurrection Stone. The stone was a deep red. The red of blood. Alistair had always thought resurrections wouldn’t be possible—pre-integration and post, despite all the magic that was now in the world.

It would require a sacrifice, wouldn’t it? Something to exchange? Perhaps… a life for a life?

Alistair smiled at the red stone, looking into the depths. There was something swirling inside it, and he knew he was right.

How many had die so that I may live again?

He hoped it had been a lot. He certainly hoped it had been at least more than one.

He was worth it, after all.

“Will you do it, then?”

Alistair looked up. Commander Flinders stood over him. They were in the man’s tent.

“Of course I will,” Alistair said. “I’ve always been drawn to death.”

Commander Flinders raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Alistair had to remind himself that just because the universe was more full of killers than he’d ever imagined possible, it didn’t mean they thought the same as he did.

It took a rare man—or woman—to be like him.

The plan was to call this Xavier out. He was the base leader. There had already been a challenger, someone who no doubt had died by Xavier’s hand. But the System gave more opportunities for challengers.

And soon, Alistair would be one of them.

It didn’t matter that he couldn’t win.

His plan was to die.

~

“Why did we have to come all the way back here to hear your plan?” Howard asked. The man had a serious expression on his face, but he no longer looked so worried as he had been.

Xavier sat at the head of the table, just as he had when he’d been talking to Allegra the first time she’d arrived.

“And why is she here?” Howard glanced at Adranial.

The table was almost full. Howard and Siobhan sat beside each other. That woman, Melissa, sat one seat away from them. Xavier wasn’t sure why he’d felt compelled to let her come along, but after listening to everything back at the dungeon where he’d found Howard and Siobhan, she’d volunteered to join—apparently Howard had said something about the advantages of being with them.

Xavier figured they could always use more people. He was trying to bring the Earth back together, after all. And he didn’t mind if she were to hear their plans.

Adranial, along with the other members of her party—Elsie, Domical, and Larson—sat on the opposite side of the table. Adranial leant back in her seat, sent an easy smile Howard’s way. “I’m here to help.”

Howard glared at her. “Sure.”

Adranial smirked.

Xavier could tell it would take some time for the relationship to soften.

Assuming it ever does.

“I didn’t want to go over the plan more than once. Better to have everyone together. Besides, we’ll need to get the Portal Stone back before we go.”

“Isn’t Justin in danger, the longer we wait?” Siobhan said. “Shouldn’t we be going as soon as possible? Before they…”

Xavier pursed his lips.

That’s when Allegra, the last person on the table, sitting on the other side to Xavier, spoke up. “He’ll be alive.”

Siobhan’s head swivelled, her gaze pointing at the woman. “You’re sure of that?”

Allegra opened her mouth, hesitated. She nodded. “As sure as I can be. The Death Trap isn’t intended to kill. My former superiors will find anyone who was able to kill Commander Valian to be a potential asset.” She lowered her head. “They’ll use him well before they kill him.”

“Forced slave contract,” Adranial said. “That’s likely what’s to happen. In which case, his fate might already be locked, unless…”

“Unless what?” Howard asked. His voice sounded flat, serious, like it always did. But there was a hint of venom in his eyes.

Xavier suppressed a sigh. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand Howard’s perspective. He’d hated this woman, too. Contemplated killing her, several times.

But he was also beginning to understand her, and the way the Greater Universe worked. And, for the most part, this woman was on their side now.

For as long as it benefits her.

“It is possible that he is refusing to sign. If that is the case, they’re unlikely to be making his stay very… pleasant,” Adranial said.

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“Torture,” Siobhan breathed. “They’ll be torturing him?”

Adranial shrugged. “Torture is an effective method of making people do things they don’t want to do.” Her eyes flicked to Howard. “People will do anything to stop the pain they’re in.”

Xavier shut his eyes a moment. Imagining Justin. Sixteen years old. Stuck in a cell on an alien world. Tortured because he was refusing to serve them. Because he was determined to remain loyal. Torture was a horrible way to get answers from someone, but this wouldn’t be about getting answers.

Contracts were useful, in so many ways, but he was beginning to despise them.

Xavier opened his eyes. “Whatever is happening to him, he’s still alive. And if he’s signed a contract, it only means we’ll need to add someone to our list of people to kill. Once the contract holder is dead, the contract will become voided.”

“You mentioned a plan,” Howard said. “A dangerous one. What is it?”

Xavier summoned a sword from his Storage Ring. One Howard had given him, that the man assured had been used against Justin at one point. He placed the sword on the table, then he placed one of the Blood Trackers beside it. “The plan is a simple one. We go to the planet Nasrien. We locate Justin. We break him out.”

Adranial glanced around the table until her eyes settled on his. “I want to help. I do. But that isn’t a plan, so much as a suicide mission. I know I told you that you needed to make a statement, but the statement has been made.” She paused. “Quite effectively, I might add. But now, the sector knows about you. Word will have travelled. The next planet you visit won’t just test you—they’ll destroy you.”

Xavier dipped his head. “The plan is simple, but the execution will be rather difficult. I don’t intend to walk onto the planet and announce my presence. I will be in disguise.” He looked at the others. “In fact, we will all be disguised. Allegra.”

Allegra stood up. In front of her, uniforms began to appear. Or rather, an assortment of robes and armour that all had one thing in common—the insignia of the First Army emblazoned on them. “I pilfered these from the dead back at camp.”

Howard frowned. “All well and good to wear their uniforms, but if we step through one of their portals they’re going to be a bit suspicious.” He touched a breastplate. “Especially considering there’s still blood on them.”

“They had self-repair and self-cleaning. The blood will come out,” Allegra said.

“The man’s point still stands,” Adranial said. At a glare from Howard she shrugged. “What, you don’t think we can agree with one another?” She flashed him a smile.

Howard said nothing.

“Willpower Infusion,” Xavier said. “Allegra will step through first. She may have disappeared, but they’ll still think she’s a first lieutenant in their army.” He placed a Communication Stone on the table. “This Communication Stone is world-restricted, but Allegra assures me that it should work through a portal if that portal is close enough, and the other stone is close by on the other side. Allegra informs me that the portals are… loosely guarded. They don’t expect any threats to come in from our side.”

“That might have changed,” Adranial cuts in.

“Indeed. That’s why we’re sending her through first. To scope out the area, give us the all clear. If there are any threats on the other side that I’m unable to handle, she’ll step back through the portal.”

“Then what? We give up?” Siobhan said.

Xavier shook his head. “We reassess.”

“Why do you need all of us?” Melissa made a circle with her finger, encompassing everyone sitting down. “This sounds more like a two-person job. Not that I don’t want to help, but from what I’ve heard, you’re clearly far more powerful than any of us.”

“This mission isn’t about power,” Xavier said. “Not if we do it right.”

Adranial drummed her fingers on the hardwood. “The question still stands, Xavier. Why do you need us?” She touched one of the uniforms. “Besides, these uniforms aren’t going to do much to disguise non-humans.” She glanced at Domical with his horns, and Larson with his pointed ears.

“As I was saying, Willpower Infusion. With a little mental influence, I’ll be able to convince any guards on the other side that you are real soldiers a part of their army.” He paused, touched a hand to the Blood Tracker. “I need you all in case this goes pear shaped. You won’t all be coming along, but there might very well be some kind of retaliation if we’re discovered, so some of you”—he nodded at Adranial’s party—”will be staying on this side.”

Adranial’s shoulders relaxed a little at that. Xavier was sure the woman would still demand something from this, however. Even if she didn’t end up having to do anything. If only because he was using up a portion of her time.

Xavier took a deep breath. Let it out slow. “We aren’t just going there to find Justin. That’s why I need you.” He looked at Howard and Siobhan. Melissa, he still wasn’t sure of. Allegra already had a part in this plan. “You’ll be the ones to find Justin. To bust him out of his cell.” He looked at Siobhan. “You should be able to use your Summon spell to get him out once your close enough, right?”

“Assuming the cell doesn’t block teleportation,” Siobhan said.

Allegra shook her head. “Party teleports with Summon are much harder to block than single person teleports. You have to affect both people with anti-teleportation. Cells are designed so whoever is inside can’t teleport themselves out, but it’s harder—and generally unnecessary—to prevent someone on the outside from teleporting the person on the inside out.”

Adranial raised an eyebrow. “It’s a good thing you’re doing this in a weak sector.” She shook her head. “You definitely wouldn’t be able to get away with it anywhere else.”

Allegra looked at Adranial, eyes narrowed. “What sector are you from?”

Adranial smiled at her, but didn’t reply.

“What’s… what’s a sector?” Melissa asked.

All eyes turned to the woman. Xavier’s mouth fell open. Then closed. How little did this woman know about the Greater Universe? Has she been stuck in that forest the entire time?

Does that mean she didn’t go through a tutorial, and if so, why wouldn’t she have?

Now wasn’t the time to explain things to her.

Howard tore his gaze from Allegra and looked at Xavier.

“What will you be doing?” he asked. “If it’s our responsibility to get him out, where, exactly, will you be?”

Xavier looked up at the ceiling. “Allegra has informed me that the council that oversees the Invasion Force Division are D Grades.”

“D Grades?” Adranial asked. “That’s all?”

“C Grades are the most powerful assets on the planet Nasrien,” Allegra explained. “There are only five of them.”

Siobhan blinked. “I thought Empress Larona, being C Grade, was the most powerful Denizen in the sector?”

“She is,” Xavier said. “But she’s the most powerful because she’s a Progenitor, not only because she’d C Grade. She’s probably got the equivalent power of a non-Progenitor B Grade.”

Melissa was frowning, looking between them. Again, he wondered why he’d brought her along.

“Do you have something to say, Melissa?” Xavier asked.

“I want to come along.” She nodded at Howard and Siobhan. “And help them. I’m good at stealth, when I want to be.”

Xavier narrowed his eyes. How good could a low-level F Grade Denizen really be at stealth? Besides, he’d heard her talk before he arrived—he’d stood back a moment, assessing the situation that Howard and Siobhan were in. This person seemed to be here not because she was altruistic and simply wanted to help, but because she wanted something from them.

Not that he couldn’t understand that. It wasn’t as though she knew any of them.

Perhaps she thinks helping to save Justin will endear herself to us. And, well, it certainly would.

“Can’t hurt,” Siobhan said, though there was a little bit of doubt in her voice.

Adranial sighed, turned her head away from them, and muttered, “This is going to be a disaster.” It didn’t matter that her voice was barely louder than a whisper, everyone in the room heard what she’d said.

“You were going to say why you wouldn’t be with us? And you were speaking about the council?” Howard said. “That they’re D Grade.”

Xavier blinked. “Yes. And I intend to kill them all.”

That was the most dangerous part of his plan.