I had never been so alone. Well, that was not entirely true. I had been left alone after my father died or was killed, according to Amy. She had bailed on me, and there was the check-in from Lawrance every week. I hated the man sometimes, there was no real reason other than him being a lawyer, yet I owed him. I had insisted to Racheana that he would be treated well and used if he had the ability, and being slightly less slimy than other lawyers was a bonus.

Right now, even Sprite was silent. Not that she was super chatty, but I was leaving her to do her AI things, like calculate where the fuck we were.

I knew my general local location, on a deserted beach. Up past the rising sand and thin vegetation line was a seemingly endless desert.

Pretty standard, except it was not Earth. Some things were slightly off.

Gravity was not noticeably different, but it was slightly higher than Earth's. Once you got over the salty tang from the ocean, the air seemed to taste rusty. The sky was blue—beautiful blue, just not quite Earth blue. I was not an artist and didn’t have names for the colours I saw, and I was reluctant to interrupt Sprite for trivial matters of colour.

The sand was pristine pale gold. The only other beach I had seen that came close was Lucky Bay, a beach 700 km from Perth in Western Australia. That beach was magical and worth the seven-hour drive to get there. Shit, I missed some of the Australian scenery, and I hoped that it survived Integration.

The beach was empty. I was far enough from my companions that I could not see them and was outside their drones' range. I was not hiding from them – I was just trying to determine what had happened.

Sprite: It was the loot. If I had more time, I could develop a more detailed analysis. The sonic attacks were designed to lower resistance, and then the loot triggered some sort of paranoia and greed complex. As long as they remain on the beach, they should be safe. The attack seemed to be coming from an underwater core, possibly deteriorated or claimed by some minions of chaos.

Fuck. What was I going to do?

Jean was missing, and the glorious Alpha Team was compromised, wanting to kill me, yet not.

I slowed my walk down and looked around. I had walked for close to an hour, and the day was just like yesterday – hot.

A hundred meters inland was the harsh desert, and the rest consisted of empty sandy beaches. I didn’t even know which directions were which, not that it mattered. My sensors couldn’t get a read on magnetic north on this planet.

I was not going inland; I could see the rifts blinking in and out randomly, and neither Sprite nor I could determine a pattern. I was staying on the beach as it was surprisingly free from them. The soft ocean swell, the crash of waves on the beach and the gentle breeze were a great option.

I didn’t want to go too far from the team, but couldn’t get too close. Occasionally, I saw the drones flying high in a sentry pattern. I didn’t want to try to contact them without some extra data and a plan. None of my active skills worked as expected, and Sprite could not figure out why.

Shit.

I finally stopped at some rocks that formed a short breakwall out into the ocean. They were one of the first significant landmarks I had come across, and they provided some cover from the wind and shade from the relentless sun. Not that I physically needed it, but psychologically, it felt divine.

I sat leaning against a rock.

Lost. Out of 'System' coverage and no way to contact home.

I could vaguely feel a bond, a link to the Empie, but it was a nebulous thread of belief and hope. I knew that it was because I was the Champion. I hoped that Raechina was okay and not too worried. Shit, who was I kidding, she would be mad as anything. Me not being there was another thing that had been ripped away from her.

I sat on the rocks by the ocean, thinking.

I started taking stock of what I had to work with.

I had a large amount of food and drink. More than enough. I didn’t need to eat or drink for sustenance, more for pleasure, company, and buffs if I was lucky enough to eat high-tiered, well-prepared food. The rest of the squad was not so fortunate; they would be on rations and carrying whatever personal food they had. I knew quite a few emergency stores were spread around since it was easy enough to stack them in inventories.

Since they were not sworn Legion, they could not access the shared inventory that a proper cohort would use for a mission like this. I was more concerned that my shared inventory appeared greyed out and inaccessible. I wondered if it was just a lack of energy or the distance.

I had all my weapons and could finally use my Uban Tactical Legion kit, a step up from my training gear. It was the first time I had looked at it and could legitimately use it. Even when training with Xarius, I had worn the stock standard kit they all wore. Even on this mission, it seemed to be overkill. Not anymore.

I decided to strip off and change.

Their version of underarmour was MetaWeave CombatSkin. As I unpacked it, I noticed it even had a small leaflet describing its care.

Quantax's MetaWeave CombatSkin Version 18 is a highly advanced, lightweight under-armour designed for urban tactical operations. Made from a blend of nano-fibres and intelligent materials, it offers excellent ballistic protection while remaining breathable and comfortable for extended use. The fabric is durable against cuts and abrasions. It includes integrated biometric sensors to monitor vital signs and provide data for tactical displays. Its low-profile design allows it to be worn seamlessly under other armour, making it ideal for operatives who need protection without sacrificing mobility or stealth. MetaWeave CombatSkin is the pinnacle of protective clothing produced exclusively for the Imperial Legion.

Damn. I put it on. For once, the marketing was not lying. It was comfortable. It was like shimmying into a wetsuit. Once I closed all the velcro-like seams, it tightened and became skin-tight, adjusting to my build.

Sprite: I am configuring the sensors and connecting up the data ports. It may be a bit limited while the glitches afflict you.

Just let me know if it is going to be a problem.

The combat pants were reinforced, lightly armoured black combat fatigues. They had spatial pockets for ammo and weapons and spatial hoppers for materials to fuel the self-repair functions. Besides configuring them to fit me perfectly, I was pretty happy with them, so I moved my energy clips and weapons to the appropriate pouches and holsters. No more belts. They were only slightly constricting, but I still had a full range of movement.

The shirt matched the pants. There was extra spatial storage for healing, as well as for rations and water. Once done up, it was seamless and sealed to the pants, making it almost like a bodysuit or a combat onesie.

Sprite: I have authorised the suit's basic systems to administer healing from its reserves before we use our primary healing. It should be okay for minor wounds and slow down life-threatening complications. It has antitoxin, a general antidote and some combat stimulants built in.

Combat stimulants sound like good shite.

Sprite: They are. Please do not use them outside of combat.

Sure, I was never a big user of mind-numbing intoxicants other than alcohol. Never got into the uppers and downers pill-popping scene.

Sprite: And I'll make sure you don't start now.

Thanks, Mum.

Sprite: We cannot use the camouflage here.

Why not?

Sprite: They are configured for more urban environments, but your HUD is still glitching.

My stealth is out, too.

Sprite: You will have to be careful.

It was good to have some cheerful banter with Sprite. A slight weight lifted from my shroud of gloom.

I finally got the boots out. I was keen on the boots, the ones I had were super and some of the best ever, but I was interested to see what the Legion did for boots.

Sprite: Incoming Data Stream:

The UrbanAssault Boots are a high-tech piece of military footwear explicitly designed for the demands of urban tactical operations. Commissioned by the Imperial Legion, they are constructed from a durable, lightweight composite material that offers flexibility and strength, crucial for rapid movements and prolonged engagements in urban environments.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Key Features:

Reinforced Durability: The outer shell is made from CarbonFlex, a synthetic carbon fibre hybrid that provides exceptional resistance to abrasion and puncture. This makes the boots ideal for navigating debris-filled streets and rugged urban landscapes.

Enhanced Grip Technology: The soles feature a multi-directional grip pattern with micro-suction pads, enabling superior traction on wet and dry surfaces. This technology ensures stability during high-speed pursuits or in treacherous conditions.

Integrated Impact Protection: Equipped with kinetic energy absorbers in the heels and reinforced toe caps, the UrbanAssault Boots minimize the impact on the wearer’s feet during high jumps or when dropping from heights.

Climate Adaptability: These boots have a climate-control lining that adjusts to temperature variations, providing insulation in cold weather while offering breathability in warmer conditions. This feature ensures comfort and performance regardless of the external environment. 100% waterproof when combined with a compatible Urban Tactical Battlefield Kit.

Intelligent Connectivity: Embedded with smart fibres, the boots can sync with tactical HUDs (Heads-Up Displays) to provide real-time data on movement speed, direction, and terrain analysis, enhancing the operator's situational awareness.

Stealth Mode: The materials used are non-reflective and sound-dampening, reducing the boots' visibility and noise generation, which is crucial for stealth operations in hostile settings.

Design Aesthetic:

The UrbanAssault Boots sport a sleek, matte black finish with subtle charcoal accents along the panels and eyelets. They are designed to blend seamlessly with the urban tactical battlefield kit. Their robust yet streamlined design does not impede mobility, allowing for agile, responsive maneuvers in close-quarters combat and urban exploration.

Ideal for military personnel, law enforcement, and special operations, the UrbanAssault Boots are the footwear of choice for the Imperial Legion, which demands the best protection, performance, and stealth in its urban engagements.

I had thought that my previous boots were comfortable. These were even better.

There was also a TactiGuard Helm, a full-head covering with excellent features: climate control, sound management, night vision and thermal imaging, and glare reduction. There were also some clip and mounting points for external lights, targeting lasers and cameras.

One of my early purchases was the whole Urban Tactical Battlefield Kit, and I could finally put it to good use without standing out or showing off.

The helm settled down, making the entire kit water and airtight.

Sprite read my mind.

Sprite: I hope you will not test it with a swim.

I had not considered it, but now that you have mentioned it, I should test it.

Sprite: I urge caution. Might I remind you of the danger that…

Relax. I'm not going to put us in danger. Well, not just yet. We still need a plan.

So, after a few tests of jumping and rolling and a small splash in the ocean, I returned to my rock and did some deep thinking.

Not grand thoughts nor shallow ones. Melancholy? Depressed? Frustrated? Sure, why not? I had a list a mile long of things I needed to do and was stuck on a rock on an unknown planet. At least I knew Earth was in the best hands it could be despite being nearly overrun. I really needed to define what I actually wanted to do. Everything I had done since I had accepted the blue goo injection had been reacting. I had not really made any significant choices for myself. Sure, most had been for the best, but was it for the best for me? Damn, I was getting selfish. Peter Parker had a similar conundrum; he had power given to him and saw it as a duty to help, to use his powers to improve the world around him.

The question was, did I?

Earth being invaded was the first line in the sand.

Karass.

Fuck them. I guess I'd join if there were an army to join to fight against a global threat.

They were an enemy of humanity, and as long as I was a human – which I technically was not anymore – I'd have to fight them or be a big hypocrite.

Chaos and, worse, the second line.

I had found a sense of purpose and joy when I fought and put my life on the line—the thrill. Yet, I was beginning to wonder how much I was myself and how much I was being manipulated by the 'System' pushing karmic balances on people.

Karma is such a reductionist term for the balance of my life. It was as if it were a plus for doing good and a negative for doing wrong, again enforced by the system. How much agency did a member of The Empire or even a Karass citizen have? How much was I being controlled and manipulated? Would I even know?

Was I being pushed into something, or was it fate and coincidence? Did my choices matter?

My melancholy thoughts were interrupted by Sprite.

Sprite: Luke, I have found some anomalies in my review of your Logs since your Integration. Now that we are of a higher calibre, some things have revealed themselves. Maybe it is this place beyond the reaches of the system….

Huh? What?

Sprite: During your initialisation, the first upgrade to System Nanite Interface V2.09a (Beta Earth Human Expansion), to be exact, there was an inconsistent moment.

What do you mean?

Here is a copy of the original log:

Escalating appeal case.

System Notified, Anomaly detected.

Emergency Enhancement Proceeding.

SYSTEM: WARNING: Any or all changes may be rolled back.

Initialization: Safe Mode Debug Mode: ON.

????: Do you want to live?

Standby for System Intervention.

SYSTEM: System Log Started: Case Id 002. Resolution Pending Successful Integration.

????: Trust your luck.

Yeah, I kind of remember.

Sprite: Well, it is like unravelling a ball of string the size of a planet. There is more there, some cypher or code. I am working on it. The hashes of the logs do not match the hashes of the recorded logs. Either the original logs were different, or more impossibly, someone edited the logs after the fact without me noticing. I am looking into it.

Sure, if you notice anything else, let me know.

The funny thing was I didn’t really. Not clearly. There was so much going on. I also felt something odd about that.

????: Do you want to live?

No, that was not right. It was different. It was more. I was missing something.

????: Trust your luck.

No, that was not right either. It was as if the words were shortcuts to something extraordinary. There was a connection to something. To … it was close.

The ring.

I looked at the ring on my finger. The plain, worn silver band. The one that had threads tied to the centre of my being. I took it off. No, I couldn’t.

Shit. It was hard. I didn’t want to. Fuck. I sure as hell did want it off. Something? Someone was making me keep it on. Fuck.

I took it off again. It took me minutes. I was sweating and breathing hard.

Sprite: Your heart rate is spiking. What are you doing?

Agency. How much do I have?

Sprite: You are a fully autonomous sentient being with total agency over your actions.

Shit. She responded too quickly. Too rehearsed.

Really?

Sprite: Yes.

I threw the ring into the ocean and watched it glint, sparkle, and disappear into the swell.

I will not be beholden to anyone, not the system, the empire, the legion, the drakes. I will stand for what is important to me. I am too small to be a Champion. I am not noble or just. I am lazy and selfish. I want to do what is right, not because someone asks, forces, or even manipulates me. I want to do what is right because it is what I want to do. At the moment, that is a very small list of things. Sarah, Racheana, Amy, Mike. Earth is too big for me to try to save. The Empire has betrayed me and let me down despite trying to help, but it has failed the people of Earth. The Karass can go fuck themselves, but I'll deal with them if they come at me.

Sprite: You have some very serious oaths that bind you to them.

Damn. Sprite was right. I didn’t think that through and was already second-guessing throwing the ring away, not just because of its value. It was a link to something powerful.

Have there been any changes since I threw the ring away?

Sprite: What ring? You keep mentioning a ring. You do not have one in your inventory or are not wearing one.

Except I was. Fuck.

On my finger, a plain, worn silver band with threads to the centre of my being.

Are curses real?

Sprite: Yes.

Are cursed items real?

Sprite: Yes.

How do you detect curses?

Sprite: I am not entirely sure, but some classes can. A powerful member of the Mages Guild might be able to point out how an enchanter or crafter might be able to do it. Classes like Witch, Shaman, Warlock. They are considered darker areas of magic and are not generally taught.

Shit.

Sprite: I cannot detect any curse-like effects. However, with your nanites and HUD playing up, it is more difficult to determine if there are adverse status effects. I would expect a curse that could affect you to be very powerful or subtle.

Shit.

Sprite left me alone to return to my thoughts, and I watched the sun move slowly across the sky. The shadows moved, and I sat thinking.

The tiny golden rabbit was the next to disturb me.

"Greetings and Salutations."

I didn’t even register it as weird, "Um, Hi there."

Sprite: Who are you talking to?

"Are you an illusion?"

"Certainly. Follow me." It hopped a few times down the beach, stopped and looked over its shoulder. "Come on, you don't want to be on the beach when the sun goes down."

Sprite: What are you talking to?