"I promise not to 'go wild' or anything," Yuri said. "Can I come around the corner now?"

Despite knowing with pretty solid certainty that Yuri didn't have his memories of our previous fights—unless he was the best Goddamn actor in the Integrated Universe—I still felt a cold sweat forming on my lower back. What if my face in close proximity awakened his memories and he snapped me in half with his mind? What if his brain was just going through the System equivalent of a reboot, and memories came rushing back in at the worst time?

But in the end, having Yuri by my side as I stormed the Beasts' stronghold was the ultimate trump card. Astrid had been totally cowed in the last redo when I'd shown her his severed head. And I'd seen Yuri effortlessly beat her down before.

Taking a deep breath, I said, "Okay, you're fine. Come on over."

He stepped from around the corner, his wide-brimmed hat pushed back to reveal his eyes. They studied me and I studied him in turn. He looked much the same, though his expression was much less bored and surly, more friendly and curious. Also, he looked naked without his piece of wheat sticking from his lips.

"Nice cape," he said after a moment. I felt animosity spark from Red, though she didn't make any hasty moves. She wasn't as forgiving as I was, apparently.

"Thanks," I replied absentmindedly. "So, plans. We could go on the roof and scout out the situation, decide on something prudent and measured. But to be honest, my friend's already been in there longer than I'd like. She could be getting tortured even as we speak."

"I see," he replied seriously. "What do you suggest?"

"We walk right through the front fucking door."

The corners of his lips turned down in a frown and I could tell right away he didn't like that idea.

"You're sure I'm the strongest cultivator here?"

I nodded confidently. "Absolutely. Everyone falls into line when you're around. I did see Astrid get a bit mouthy with you one time and you taught her a lesson quite easily."

"Hmm." His frown deepened. "That doesn't sound like me. I generally don't enjoy flexing my strength over weaker opponents."

If he wasn't so damn useful, I would have laughed in his face. In my experience, that was exactly what he enjoyed doing.

"Like I said," I quickly added. "She's not a good person. She deserved worse than you gave her to be honest."

He nodded. "I'll take your word for it." He paused, moving to the edge of the alley to look at the stronghold. "The fortifications and size of the building suggests a significant cultivator presence. Are you certain we two are enough to rescue your friend and cow this Astrid individual?"

"I won't lie and say I'm one hundred percent certain." I waffled my head side to side. "But I'd say ninety percent." I could see him considering my words, so I added, "Even if it was fifty-fifty, I'm going in there." My eyes darkened as I came to his side and examined the stronghold. "That bitch has my friend."

He gave one resolute nod, then stepped from the alleyway. "Then we must go."

I hesitated a moment, a little surprised by how quickly he had been convinced, then hurried to catch up to him. "Any plan?" I asked as we neared the gate.

"Wing it," he replied with a shrug.

When the lone guard standing outside the gate saw us approaching, he hopped up from where he had been lounging, standing at attention like we were important officials.

"Watcher Yuri!" he exclaimed. "What brings you here?" I recognized this guard as the one Astrid—magicked to look like Murn—had bowled over when we had made our escape. He eyed me suspiciously, but made no comment.

"I'm here to see Astrid Black-Eye," Yuri replied with a bit too much bluster. "Take me and my associate to her this instant."

Despite his overacting, the guard blanched at his command. His voice trembled as he said, "She's occupied with important business, Watcher. Could I relay a message—"

Yuri waved his hand and the port door to the side burst open.

"You may not." Then he strode through the door without another word.

With wide eyes and a bit of a smirk, I hastened to follow the retreating figure as he walked into the stronghold. The guard made to follow us, then glanced at his post, staring after us with indecision.

Leave the gate unmanned or let Yuri stroll through their stronghold by himself. Not great choices.

After a few seconds—once Yuri was nearly across the courtyard and at the main door—the guard chose the lesser of two evils. He sprinted across the courtyard to open the door for Yuri.

"Let me accompany you, Watcher Yuri. The castle is big and I would not want you to get lost when your business is so critical."

Yuri nodded tersely, as if responding was beneath him.

As for me, I followed closely behind, scanning every nook, cranny, and defensive placement in the courtyard. Again, I couldn't help but notice how undermanned this stronghold was. My previous visit here hadn't been a fluke—there was really only a single guard at the gate and two guards manning the top of the wall.

For a stronghold of this size, there should have been half a dozen on the walls, and at least a dozen more training in the courtyard, or going about their business.

Instead, it felt like a ghost town.

But why were their numbers so limited? Were the majority of their forces arranged to raid the Kaori? That thought filled my stomach with lead, but there was nothing I could do for Mileen and Hiko right now. Lacy came first, as much as it pained me to leave them to their fate.

I pushed thoughts of Mileen and Hiko from my mind as the guard led us into the stronghold. The entry way was exactly as I had seen it last time—a table in the corner with a half-full bottle of wine and a handful of strewn-about papers on its surface. One door led off into a wing I hadn't explored, while the other led down into the dungeons.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

The guard went over to that door and took out a keyring. He fumbled the ring as he rushed to find the correct one. After dropping the entire set with a clang, he cast a wide-eyed look toward Yuri before hurrying to pick them up.

"Apologies, Watcher."

Yuri affected a bored expression and waved his hand as if to say, 'get on with it.'

The man quickly mastered his nerves and slotted the key into the door. The hinges complained with a horrendous creak as the man pulled open the door.

"After you," the guard said with a slight tremor in his voice.

Yuri indicated that I should lead with a slight nod and I was all too happy to oblige. It was taking everything in me not to sprint ahead to rescue Lacy and slap the taste out of Astrid's mouth.

But I managed to keep my pace level as I took the stairs. Cycling my Fate energy, I projected it outward, highlighting the narrow corridor and the landing below.

I wasn't going to be caught out by Astrid's illusion control anymore.

Behind me, I heard Yuri and the guard follow. The man loudly cleared his throat, obviously working up the courage to ask a question.

"Out with it," Yuri demanded imperiously. Though I was beginning to believe his amnesia was real, he was doing a damn good impression of the arrogant cultivator surrounded by underlings.

"Uh, pardon me, Watcher. I was just wondering as to the nature of your visit." He lowered his voice and without a maxed-out Perception, I couldn't quite catch the next part.

Yuri cleared my confusion up with a bark. "It's none of your damn concern why the Climber is with me! And no, you may not inquire." I glanced over my shoulder to see the guard wilting in place. I could practically see his asshole puckering under Yuri's glare. "In fact, I think we can manage from here. Give us directions and be on your way."

The man gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing visibly. "Watcher, I can't do that—"

"Can't?" Yuri asked quietly, his tone dangerous. The shift in volume was off-putting, even knowing he was just playing the part.

And if I was off put, the Beast escorting us was damn near crying. I had to imagine he'd seen Yuri snap a neck or two from the way he was frozen in place.

"Apologies, Watcher! I misspoke! Down these stairs, to the left, third door on the right." The man was up the steps and out of sight within moments.

I eyed Yuri with a surprised expression and he looked back just as shocked. With a quick glance behind him to verify the guard was gone, he turned back and shrugged.

"You're scary good at that," I said before turning back. Now that the guard was gone, I started taking the stairs two at a time, just short of a run. My Fate energy didn't fill the space as fast as I could move—almost like a lag that I had to account for—otherwise, I'd be doing a hundred-yard dash that would make my Olympic times look like a toddler's first steps.

But as we neared the bottom of the stairs, I felt my pulse begin to quicken, my palms sweating. Red was tense, too, the anticipation of a life-or-death struggle priming the cape's killer instinct.

Pulling my diskslinger into my left hand, my katana in my right, I prepared to fight Astrid Black-Eye.

When I turned the corner, Astrid was standing there, her eyes narrowed in confusion as her Black-Eye flared wide. Almost too late, I realized that there were two of her. The one only five feet in front of me was the real one and it was her that wore the confused expression. Behind her, about fifty down the hall, stood her illusory doppleganger. And that Astrid wore the manic grin that I had come to associate with the leader of the Beasts.

Schooling my expression with every ounce of self control, I focused my eyes on the distant Astrid, pretending as if I couldn't see the real one standing before me. It was so damn strange, though. The real Astrid wasn't showing any signs of her usual batshit crazy act. No rictus grin or bugged-out eyes or…any expression at all, really. Except for a suspicious look.

"It's such a pleasure to meet again," the illusory Astrid called from down the hall. The real one edged a step closer, examining me as if she had nothing to fear in all the world. "What brings my little—"

She cut off as soon as Yuri came into sight, the true Astrid suddenly showing real emotion as she took a halting step back.

In an instant, she dispelled the illusion, her real self becoming visible to both my Fate energy and my normal eyesight.

"Yuri?" she exclaimed. "What—" She cast me an accusatory look, then adopted her manic facade once more. With a silly grin, she surveyed the both of us. "What a pleasure it is to see you both. My favorite Watcher and my new best friend, coming to visit at the same time!"

I was itching to stab her directly in the face. But I managed to hold myself back…. for now. If Lacy was hurt though, I'd burn this whole damn place to the ground, with Astrid inside.

"Astrid," Yuri replied with a nod. "I've come to retrieve the girl."

There was a shift in her face that my Fate energy couldn't miss. A subtle illusion played across her features, hiding her true expression. To my mundane vision, she seemed coy and playfully surprised. But through the sight granted by Fate, I saw a fire ignite in her eyes, her nose wrinkling in a snarl. It was only an instant, but clear as day.

Astrid was fuming.

"Girl?" she asked innocently. "I don't know who you could mean."

Yuri took a single step forward and I glanced over to see his face darken. "Don't push me." A frisson of energy passed off him like a wave of force. The walls trembled slightly as loose stones and dirt were displaced by the subtle show of power.

Astrid's illusion, along with her acting, dropped in an instant and she sighed. Turning to me, she asked with a deadpan expression, "So you've signed a Soul Contract, then?"

I was so thrown off by her shifting expressions that I took a moment to process a response. How had she come to that conclusion so quickly?

And why did she ask with such a bland tone?

Before I could regain my footing, she nodded as if my silence was answer enough.

"Congratulations are in order then, Yuri?" she asked, confusing me even further. To Yuri's credit, he kept his own expression neutral. "I'll admit, you deserve to get out of the game. Heavens know how long you've been at this." She shook her head with a rueful laugh. "Centuries, I'd imagine. To think, you were this close to snagging the rabbit and ending your servitude." She held her arms out wide in a victorious stance. "Unfortunately for you, I'm just one step ahead."

"What are you talking about!" I demanded, whipping my sword up to her neck.

She eyed the blade with an amused look, then dismissed me with a snort.

"I can't imagine what you were thinking, not guarding those little rats once the first Climbers popped through." I glanced at Yuri in confusion, then remembered he must have been just as puzzled as me. A narrowing of his eyes was the only tell he gave, but Astrid seemed to realize something was off. She tilted her head, licking her lips in thought. "Huh. That wasn't an oversight, was it?"

Yuri said nothing, playing the role to perfection. I had to resist my natural inclination to open my mouth and ruin everything.

Astrid glanced between the two of us, suspicion forming in her eyes. The third eye on her forehead was wide, though I could only see that through the effects of my Fate energy; she had cast a subtle illusion to make it appear closed.

The silence was beginning to grow awkward, so Yuri took a gamble. With a chuckle, he shook his head. "No, Astrid. It wasn't an oversight."

The rage renewed, though she kept an illusory, placid facade—presumably to throw me off. She didn't seem to expect her magic to work on Yuri.

And man, was it working. I wanted to ask, What the fuck are you talking about? I wanted to shout it. She had been talking in code for minutes now and all I could think about was Lacy chained up in one of these cells, cold and scared and cut off from her power.

"How?" she asked in a surprisingly candid tone. "I accelerated the raid as soon as I overheard the brat." I assumed I was the brat. "I can't think of any way you managed to secure the rabbit before my people made their move."

Rabbit? That was the second time she'd used that word. Was it in relation to the Kaori? Hiko? Mileen? Or maybe it was her inside person, Neeka? But what was the significance of this rabbit?

"That's for me to know," Yuri replied, continuing to play the part.

"We've always had a candid relationship, Yur-yur." Yur-yur…the fuck? Astrid glanced at me and pursed her lips. "Is it this one you're worried about? Here—" Her Black-Eye swiveled to me and I felt Astrid's power wash over me. I panicked for a moment, then realized I still had control of my limbs. My instinct was to ram my katana through her neck, but she turned to Yuri as if nothing had happened. To my ears, Astrid and Yuri continued a pleasantly vague conversation about double-crosses and capturing the rabbit. But through my Fate energy, a second conversation overlaid across the first. It was partially garbled, as if passing through water or glass, but I still managed to lock in on the true conversation she had kicked off in secret.

"—Okay, cut the shit," the true Astrid said in a casual manner. "How'd you do it and what do I need to do for you to take me out of this Heavens-forsaken hole?"