Nexus’ operators appeared to be fond of simple titles. Their ludus and new earth-side headquarters didn’t have anything Grand like Golden Aegis or didn’t show off its affiliations like Wilson Luduses. Instead, they had settled for calling themselves The Forge. If one were to peek through the new gate or over the five-meter-tall wall, they’d see barely anything different from the old retail part on the verge of collapse. Nil had visited it several times since childhood, but most of the old businesses had collapsed after the cataclysm and the boom of Summoned-run companies.

Four multi-storeyed megastores bordered the giant parking lot, which had two entrances and exits. Now, two opposing buildings had been turned into housing. The taller of the pair, a popular electronics chain from the nineties and early-two-thousands with offices above, had spacious rooms and suites for the Summoned. Much to Nil’s delight, he had top-floor accommodation. It contained a small kitchen, a combined living and dining room, a spacious bedroom, and a large bathroom with a shower cubicle. As requested, the builders had constructed an indoor garden as big as the bedroom.

Meatball squeaked with delight as Nil released her, rolling around the space at high speeds, leaving tracks in the dirt. A hydroponics system hung from the ceiling, and bags of mulch sat against the wall.

“Do your magic, girl,” Nil said, watching his spirit companion frolic. “Grow me a private cultivation space.”

The whelp ceased her rolling, skidded to a halt, and looked up at him. She squeaked triumphantly.

“I sunk hundreds in your little treats. Don’t let me down.”

Meatball rubbed up against his leg before returning to her happy rolling. He wanted to leave her to her antics, but considered it important she explore their new stomping grounds with him. Most of the rooms on his floor appeared occupied, while those below were not. He peeked into the others on his way down, and they appeared nowhere near as large or well-furnished as his.

“Working for the nexus has its perks,” he told Meatball as she peeked out of his jacket. The whelp squeaked in response.

The decor matched the Nexus. Everyone had tall ceilings, rich, dark, polished wood accents, and handmade furniture. It had an old-world field that most would only find in period pieces set before the Second World War. Nil preferred it to the cold, modern decor of Golden Aegis and far more than the futuristic feel of Wilson Luduses.

Signage in the lobby shared information regarding the compound and the residents’ accessibility to different sections. The ludus members didn’t have access to half of the supermarket opposite them since it now served as civilian staff housing. Meanwhile, the other half was their new cafeteria. It had private dining areas with a first-come-first-served booking system.

“Only senior staff and members with good standing may book the private dining rooms,” he read out loud to Meatball. “What do you think? Do I have good standing?”

Meatball’s squeak very much sounded like her questioning whether she expected him to have such answers.

“I know. I know. You’re a whelp and don’t speak human. But it's important that we practice communicating. Just going off expression or whatever this connection is isn’t enough?” The whelp half-cocked her head like a confused puppy, studying Nil as he spoke. He sighed. “You don’t understand this, but if we keep speaking, we will sometime soon. Anyway.” He checked the welcome booklet someone had left in his room and pointed at the two remaining buildings. “These two are our new training grounds.”

The building to Nil’s left had five floors and ample underground space. The leaflet writer had included an informative history section. It claimed that the structure was the oldest in the retail park and was once a department store. The company went bankrupt before Nil was born, and the new owners tried to turn it into a mall. They were successful for a while but then abruptly sold the bottom two floors and basement to a supermarket while the top three housed smaller independent businesses and office space. Soon after, the new landowners turned the area into a retail park.

“This one is exclusively for ludus members. Private training rooms. Classes. Gyms. Swimming Pools. It's got it all.” Then, Nil faced his animal companion toward the shorter squat building on the opposite. “That’s got the team training rooms. It also has the teleportation service and staging area for Apocalypse Arena. We won’t have to visit the Wilson Ludus. That’s nice.”

Meatball struggled in Nil’s hand, pulling toward the space between the four buildings. The builders had turned the former parking lot into an outdoor exercise area. It contained a running track, an obstacle course, and even a green space for relaxation.

“No. I think it is too early for you to rip through. The management staff won't be happy if we destroy the green on arrival.” Meatball’s protests. She vibrated in his hands, spikes popping in and out. If not for Absorb, she would’ve shredded his palms. Nil hoped the whelp understood as much and wouldn’t be prone to mindless tantrums. “Okay. Maybe just this—”

“Nil!” He turned around just in time to see Emily sprinting at him. Nil moved Meatball away from his torso, holding her to the side before the teenager could throw herself at him. Emily’s eyes widened, and she stopped midstep just before reaching him. “What the fuck is that?”

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“Language!” Udit Roy scolded, lightly smacking the back of his daughter’s head as he caught up. He also froze on spotting the Ironroot Whelp in Nil’s hands. “Is that your spirit companion?”

Meatball withdrew her spikes and unfurled. Unlike her bark-like woody carapace, her ankylosaurus-like face and unarmored sections made her appear far more adorable than her usual state.

“Emily, Baba, meet Meatball,” Nil held his spirit companion closer to his chest so they’d get a better look. Much to his relief, she ceased protesting and studied the two new humans. Her beady eyes focused, and her nose twitched. “The Schema calls her an Ironroot Whelp. I’m not entirely sure what that is.”

“She looks like a cross between an armadillo and some sort of plant creature,” Emily commented, hesitantly reaching out to Meatball. After taking a moment to sniff the delicate fingers, the whelp nuzzled into Emily’s hand. “Hi, Meatball.” She giggled. “Sammy will love him.”

“When did you get back?” Udit asked. He appeared far less interested in Meatball and only gave her a polite scratch before hugging Nil. “Maybe half an hour ago? I’m sorry I didn’t warn you about the quest beforehand. It wasn’t pre-planned.”

“It’s fine. We got the message from your caseworker before the news about Symbiotech broke.”

“We guessed you took the quest to get out of the collapse,” Emily added. “You didn’t face much trouble when you got back, did you?”

“Unfortunately, the Nexus doesn’t have the power to drop me off wherever I want.” Nil sighed. “So, I showed up in the rubble of their old headquarters. There were police on the scene, and they held me for a couple of hours for answers. I feigned ignorance of their illegal activities and told them I was abandoned and trapped when everything came crashing down.”

“You’re not any sort of trouble, are you?” Udit lowered his volume and moved closer to his son as he spoke. “Symbiotech has been in the news a lot the past couple of weeks, and it's not for the right reasons.”

“How much did Layla tell you?” Nil hesitated, wondering how much to share with his family.

“Not a lot,” Emily answered.

Since his decision to help take down Symbiotech had endangered his family, he thought it best to be honest. Nil told them about the company’s illegal activities, their impact on his life, and all the manipulations and plots. He explained all the details he had skimmed over before and also told them about the depth of his involvement with the Nexus. Much to his relief, neither party seemed mad at him afterward. “If there is any trouble afterward, Layla promised me that the Nexus would take care of it. I’m untouchable while within the ludus grounds anyway. It doesn’t count as Great Britain or Earth property.”

“I’m proud of you.” Udit smiled, squeezing his son’s shoulder. “I’m glad that the visage and horrid weight on your shoulders is gone. You’re free now. You can live your life.”

“I’m happy for you, dada.” It was rare for Emily to address him with the Bengali term for older brother. She hugged him, stood on tip toes, and kissed his cheek. “What’s next for you?”

“Work for the Nexus. Ascend. Become somebody who can fix the world and get rid of entities like Symbiotech. My only concern is your safety, and as long as you’re affiliated with the ludus and live here, I can function freely.”

“What happens when I go to university?” Emily asked. “Even if I do well enough to go anywhere in London, there will be a big commute involved.”

“We’ll figure it out when the time comes, Emmy,” Nil answered, putting an arm around his sister. Meatball started to wriggle again as her interest in meeting new humans passed, so he returned her to his core. “For the time being, let's enjoy what we have.”

Nil sat down with his family for a meal for the first time in several weeks. They weren’t pleased the ludus rules didn’t allow Nil into their apartment. However, as the manager, Udit had no trouble getting a private dining room—not that there were enough staff or residents to book them out.

The Nexus’ vast resources meant they had hired excellent cooks and equipped the kitchen well. Given the diverse menu and the dish descriptions, they didn’t skimp on ingredients either. Nil ordered a green Thai curry with jasmine rice, Vietnamese prawn summer rolls, crispy beef in a chili-garlic sauce, and sea bass steamed with ginger, lemon grass, coriander, and chili. It was a lot for a single person, and the portions proved significant. However, Nil had no trouble packing it away. It felt like he hadn’t eaten in weeks.

“This is all so good.” Nil’s words were barely incoherent through the mouthful of food. He passed Emily a spring roll. “Try this.”

“Stop spraying!” She exclaimed, smacking his hand. “I swear. Every time I see you, you eat more like an animal than before.”

Nil barely understood his own following word, but fortunately, Sam translated it for him. “It's the increased calorie requirements.” The younger man’s face and shirt were almost as messy as Nil’s. “I read that the needs increase because of the rapidly improving physiology and abilities adapted to the body, peaking at Bronze. Then they start going down again. Apparently, Golds and Platinums people have met while on quests don’t require any food at all.”

“That’s no excuse for you to be messy,” Udit told the youngest Roy. “Stop emulating Nil. He probably hasn’t eaten well in a while and has been through a lot over the past few weeks.” The man wasn’t wrong. Samara ensured her summoned employees didn’t starve. However, because of strict rationing, Nil never felt truly satisfied. Cultivating eased his hunger, but it wasn’t the same as eating real food. “Take it slow and respect your food.”

It felt good to be surrounded by the people Nil adored. Things slowed down as they started on dessert. Nil finally filled his family in on everything that had happened during his quest. They were pleased to learn about Andrew’s progress toward his goals and even more so when Nil showed off his gauntlets.

Udit wished to know when they’d dine together again, but Nil made no promises. He needed to train, cultivate, and plan for his next move. The Nexus’ newest quest hung over his head, and indecision tore at Nil. He could do a lot of good by removing dangerous individuals from Earth. However, Nil didn’t want to turn into the interdimensional organization’s hitman.

As soon as Nil left the private dining room, more familiar faces spotted him and interrupted his train of thought.