A tiny flash of movement was the only warning Marcia got. It was enough for her to react in time, but not everyone was as lucky.

Drones burst into her lair like a swarm of giant angry wasps. They wasted no time, locking onto their targets and firing plasma bolts into the skulls of her men. The gangsters’ lifeless bodies hit the floor before they even had the chance to process what just happened.

Marcia rolled to the side, mentally barking at her constructor to attack.

Artificially recreated animals solidified from the streams of blue energy gushing out from her waist. Her eyes flared pink in tandem with the makeshift zoo, and the horde of animals joined in the fight as well. Chaos broke out as the abandoned castle ballroom quickly turned into a warzone.

Marcia looked around, before spotting the source of her trouble. She gritted her teeth at the figure sauntering away and fired her pistol at the woman.

“Ow! What the fuck, you bitch!” Kleopatra stumbled to the side, clutching her cheek where the plasma bolt had grazed it.

Marcia threw her body towards the woman, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. She flung her hand and swept the staff out of reach.

Kleopatra snarled and lunged towards her.

Marcia dodged her feral attacks, before locking their legs together and straddling her enemy’s waist. She raised her fists, raining blow after blow onto Kleopatra’s face.

But her temporary victory was short-lived.

Hard wood met her back as she released a short gasp, losing her telepathic focus on the animals. Marcia staggered to her feet, massaging her stomach gingerly where Kleopatra had kicked her away. She dived for the staff again, but the Magi was prepared this time.

The taste of iron filled her mouth as Kleopatra caught the side of her head with a steel-toed boot and kicked her away. Marcia barely felt herself tumble on the ground as everything went dark for a brief moment.

“Bet that felt good for you, huh?!” Kleopatra’s voice slowly registered as awareness temporarily seeped into Marcia’s senses. “That fucking hurt!”

Kleopatra snapped her fingers again, and the drones turned their attention to the mobster boss instead.

The world spun as Marcia tried to get up, dazed by the concussion Kleopatra had just given her. She tried again, but only crumpled back to the ground as an unbearable headache shot through her. No… Get up, dammit. I have to get up!

The familiar sound of plasma cannons charging up sent alarm through her entire being, but it wasn’t enough to revitalise her. Everything was turning dark again—

Metal groaned as the drones trembled slightly. Cracks shot through the cannon muzzles as the emerging light faded away. Kleopatra could only open her mouth in surprise before an invisible force clumped all the machines into one giant metal wreckage. Marcia strained to turn around.

“Felix Pagonis?!”

And that was the last thing Marcia heard before pink light flashed behind her.

~ ~ ~

Felix did not have to wait too long for Marcia to wake up. The damage done to her head was mild, to begin with, and it was a damn good thing she had stocks of healing potions readily available in this place.

He had left her men to take care of her while he watched over Kleopatra’s unconscious body. She was easy enough to knock out. It only took a solid blow, in addition to the fact that she was caught by surprise. But her memories were disturbing, to say the least.

Unlike the heroic Kleopatra of his world, this version of her had estranged herself from her family and chosen to forge her own path after failing the Guardian Council tests. Unfortunately, she turned corrupt almost immediately after becoming an official, and Surone’s unstable regional politics only gave her more reason to lust for more power.

He cast another glance at the knocked-out woman. She did not look so vicious now, despite everything she had done before.

“I can fix this for those I can yet save…” he mumbled to himself. “I know how to get that power. I just need to find the books. I just need to—”

“Felix.”

He turned around, breaking into a wide smile. “Oh, thank the gods you’re alright.”

“We’re going to need the gods, alright.” The look on Marcia’s face as she walked in was a lot more grim than it was tired. “Kleopatra Vulcan is an important official. If she doesn’t make it to the gaol on time, the government is going to get suspicious and crack down on us.”

“So I’ll go in her place.”

“What? Why on Earth would you do that?”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“I heard everything, sis. Kleo’s going to be the new warden of Devil’s Gate, right? That’s where I’m headed too,” Felix said, waving Kleopatra’s staff. “If I use her authority, I can grant myself access to speak with the Mad Badger.”

Marcia folded her arms. “That’s a lot you’re risking on something so uncertain. I can think of a hundred ways things could go wrong.”

“And I can come up with a thousand ways to fix them,” the man replied quickly. “I’ve already acquired my path there from her memories. It’s a good thing our dear governor here has been to that place a few times before. This is the quickest and most direct way to save my world— To save all our worlds. With the power to change the multiverse, I can save everyone. No one will have to suffer anymore.”

The siblings shared a moment of silence before Marcia broke it with a loud exhale.

“I’ll order my men to keep an eye on Vulcan until I return,” she said. “I’m coming with you.”

“Are you sure your men are a match for her?” Felix creased his eyebrows. “I saw the aftermath; a lot of them died in her drone attack.”

“She’s weakened, now that she doesn’t have her staff or her drones to command. I’m sure they can handle just one woman. And once today is over, she’ll no longer have authority in my sector, so she can’t pursue us.” Marcia’s jaw was visibly clenched. “I have to go with you, and you’re not stopping me. I can’t— I won’t risk losing you again.”

Felix pursed his lips for a brief moment, before pulling her into a tight hug.

“You won’t. I’ll be with you to the end, I promise.”

~ ~ ~

The gentle rumbling of the truckle carriage was rocking Felix gently like an exasperated mother trying her best to lull her baby to sleep. He remained silent, allowing his psychic senses to rest for the first time since he entered this world. Smooth silver pressed back against his skin as he clutched Kleopatra’s staff tightly.

Thankfully, the trip to Devil’s Gate wasn’t complicated. A single trip was enough since the gaol was open to many contractors moving in and out. Kleopatra probably would’ve been driving her personal carriage into the place, but that was a luxury Felix could not afford now. So as it was, the siblings had to settle for sneaking into the back of a truckle carriage and smuggling themselves in.

“Do you miss them?” Marcia asked out of the blue.

“What?”

“Your family, I mean. You’re an orphan too, right?” she clarified herself, her face downcast. “I just… I really miss them, y’know? I really miss our family.”

Felix closed his eyes as his childhood flashed in his mind. The cheering when he got his psychic powers, the made-up adventure games he would play with his sister, the day of the traffic accident that took their parents’ lives…

The man opened his eyes again, suddenly realising that they were glowing pink along with his sister’s eyes.

“S— Sorry, I didn’t mean to read your memories—” he began, but Marcia giggled softly.

“Don’t be. I’m glad our memories are so similar.” She gave him a warm smile, which faded quickly. “If only we’d just stay home that day, huh?”

“If only…” Felix’s voice dropped.

“Y’know, after you died, I was taken in by the Guardian Council. Kleopatra’s father was their leader back then. He felt really guilty, even though it wasn’t his fault,” his sister continued. “And so he wanted to raise me as an adoptive daughter because he couldn’t bear seeing a ten-year-old girl live all by herself.”

“I suppose that didn’t work out in the end,” Felix mumbled.

A tear rolled down Marcia’s cheek. “I was blinded. Blinded by resentment. Consumed by hate. To my stupid mind back then, the Magis and law enforcers were the source of all my troubles. So I sought to undo everything. I ran away from his house, and I…”

Marcia’s lips quivered.

“I ran back to the very same group of people who kidnapped me. All because they were Metas just like me.”

“Do you regret it?” Felix asked.

“Every day of my life,” the woman replied bitterly. “I grew up with the gang of Metas and rose the ranks, eventually becoming their boss. I had respect. I had power. I had money.”

She shook her head.

“But I didn’t have a family. I really wanted my real family back, and so I…” Marcia wiped away her tears. “If I had the chance to redo everything— If only I was given a second chance… I wouldn’t have… I wouldn’t—”

She squeezed her eyes shut, her lips trembling again.

Felix placed a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me if it still hurts you, Marcia. And besides, you fared much better than I did.”

His sister looked at him quizzically.

“In my case, you were the one who died. I couldn’t save you on time before Titus Angelo syphoned out your entire essence. And unlike your actual brother, I didn’t follow that vile man back to his castle.” Felix pursed his lips slightly. “Not like that would’ve made a difference, anyway. But I was a sore loser, so I decided to rob Purgatory for your soul.”

“You know Necromancy too?” Marcia’s eyes widened with shock.

“No, but I had a… a friend,” Felix said. “I don’t know if he exists in your world, but his name was Orpheus Caesar. With his help, we went to that accursed place and snatched your soul back from death.”

“No. No way.” Marcia shook her head violently. “That didn’t— That won’t work. You’ll only make things much worse.”

“Well, I never did find out.” The man closed his eyes painfully. “Because your soul never made it back. A horde of malicious spirits ambushed us, and they destroyed your soul forever. Orpheus, he…”

Felix clenched his fists. “He was dragged into the depths of hell by the spirits. I couldn’t do a damn thing to save him; to save both of you. I only made things worse because of my stubbornness.”

“It feels like the gods just enjoy tormenting us, doesn’t it?” Marcia laughed dryly. “What I wouldn’t give for us to have just one more day of happiness together—”

A sudden jerk interrupted her as the carriage engines cut themselves off abruptly. Marcia looked at the door wildly. There was a commotion outside their vehicle. Felix raised a finger to his lips as the pink glow returned to his eyes.

“Stay quiet, sis. Our carriage is being searched.”