The journey back to Albaum took Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. much longer than they had expected. For C.H.A.D.D. to get its bearings, they first had to get back to Duilleag so it could recalibrate the map. He thought keeping ten kilometers from the Liberation headquarters would have been more than enough distance to keep prying eyes away. But Liberation’s scouts were much more thorough than he’d anticipated. C.H.A.D.D. detected a small squad of men approaching their location only minutes after Kyle had finished his practice with RESONANCE that first day. Kyle decided not to attack the group, even though there were no awakened present among the soldiers.

To avoid risking discovery by the patrols, they’d had to nearly double the distance from the city. When coupled with the time Kyle spent in combat practice and with RESONANCE, they added two extra days just to get to the other side of Duilleag. Kyle thought he understood the direction to get towards Nierburg, but they burned another three days after they got lost, requiring C.H.A.D.D. to guide them back to the outskirts of Duilleag before getting on the right path.

All told, the journey took them just shy of two weeks – nearly double what they’d planned. The canteen had run dry two days ago, even with careful rationing, and they’d been out of food for almost twice as long. A broad smile grew on Kyle’s face as they broke the tree cover and saw the outskirts of the familiar city. Rushing into Albaum with HASTE active, Kyle made a beeline for the kitchen he’d turned into his home base. As he got closer to the city, however, he grew wary and deactivated his skill.

Albaum was mostly destroyed when Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. had first entered the city, but the wreckage of buildings was much worse now than before. Buildings not reinforced with heavy concrete and rebar were smashed to pieces, entire residential neighborhoods on the outskirts flattened to the foundation. It was like a tornado had passed through, destroying indiscriminately. Kyle’s first thought was that either Liberation or the group from Nierburg had discovered his location and razed the area in search of him. However, his confusion lasted only a moment before he felt it. It was faint, but the air around the destroyed homes carried a trace of mana that he had grown all-too familiar with during his time in the cave. The same type of mana that had pulsed through the fly, the Infernal, and himself.

Another monstrous insect had been here, searching for something. With a modest effort, Kyle suppressed the pulses coming from his body as he reactivated HASTE. The newfound flexibility offered by RESONANCE coupled with the training he’d been doing had paid off in a pretty big way – and the ability to limit the outward expression of his mana was just the tip of the iceberg.

He darted through the ruins of the city until he came to the entrance to his home, and gave a sigh of relief. The debris he’d strewn in front of the door looked to be undisturbed, and as he entered the building, the familiar sight caused the tension he’d been carrying to melt away. He gently set C.H.A.D.D. down, followed by the plates of chitin from the Infernal that he’d brought from the cave. Next, he filled his canteen and drank greedily, only taking breaks to stuff his face with the dried nuts and other provisions he’d been given.

Until now, he hadn’t realized how much stress he was still carrying. Thinking about all the work he still wanted to get done was daunting, but the bone-deep weariness from the past months had well and truly sunk in. He wasn’t going to get anything else meaningful done today, however there was still one thing he wanted to check on before he drifted off to sleep.

After he finished washing up, he went to his mirror and took a good look at the face staring back. His complexion was still an olive tan, a testament to all the time spent outdoors despite his month in the cave. His rough brown beard had grown back in, and his shaggy hair draped over his ears and down over his eyes. Kyle didn’t feel up to trying to shave or cut his hair this afternoon, so he pulled it back as he took a closer look at his eyes. The familiar green orbs were a mirror of his grandfather’s, though the eyes staring back had changed.

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It was subtle, but the glassiness was the hint that gave it away. His irises were the same deep emerald, but there were almost invisible lines separating it into perfect hexagonal panes, like the facets in a gem. Upon closer inspection, his skin, too was different. His features had always been sharp with high cheekbones and a pronounced chin. That had been magnified with his time in the wilderness. While some could be attributed to the change in his diet and physical exercise, he knew that there was another contributing factor. The interlaced fibers that formed his Enhanced Carapace were a mockery of skin – more undeniable proof that he was a monster pretending to be human.

A wave of emotion hit him as he stared at his reflection, and he had to suppress a sudden, violent urge to smash the mirror. The thought wasn’t a new one, and neither was the anger. He didn’t choose this. He didn’t want this. Or did I? He had been the one to pursue fighting the Infernal. He had been the one who killed the fly. He’d chosen to absorb the crimson stone a second time. And he had been excited to see what changed. Isn’t that what monsters do? Sacrificing their humanity for power?

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, hands clenched on the cool steel of the sink. He felt the metal strain under his palms, and he forced himself to take some deep breaths, closing his eyes, recentering himself. Am I still me? Kyle thought about his life before the cataclysm. He became a Healer because the Central Authority needed more and he possessed the aptitude. However, the passion and study he put into medicine was more than just a government directive. He liked helping people. That was one thing that hadn’t changed. The methods may have shifted, but the motive was the same.

Continuing that train of thought, he considered some other things he used to enjoy: being outdoors, watching the stars, eating good food. None of that had changed. His body had begun to turn into something else, but his soul was his own. He kept his eyes closed for another moment as he steadied his breathing, then turned as he opened them, heading for the corner where his makeshift bed was waiting. While there was still a lot for him to wrestle with, it could wait until after he got some sleep.

Waking up nearly twelve hours later, Kyle felt refreshed in both body and mind. Part of him had to wonder if a good night’s rest was a type of magic all its own, and after finishing his stretches and morning training routine he sat down to finish making a list of things he needed to do. For the first time in a while, Kyle wasn’t in a position where all he could accomplish was metaphorical triage.

He was safe, he had access to important resources, and he had the knowledge and abilities to continue to walk down a path of his choosing. He also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was still too early for him to shepherd more refugees to Nierburg. One thing was clear to him - he simply didn’t have the power, at least not yet. So that left him with the advice C.H.A.D.D. had given him.

Right now, he needed power. Power enough that the Central Authority wouldn’t be able to deny his value. Enough that Liberation would think twice before crossing him. Enough that the bandits and raiders wouldn’t dare to raise their weapons towards the people under his care. Enough power to survive, despite the odds. And if that made him a monster, so be it. Sometimes people looked at you like a monster too, Grandpa. They didn’t know you. And they don’t know me.

All that in mind, he put pen to paper. The list was extensive at first, but with some thought he boiled it down to what he truly felt were the most important three items for now:

* Fill up the refrigerators with beetle meat

* Investigate the mana traces from the border of Albaum

* Figure out the C.H.A.D.D. transportation situation

At face value each item was simple, though Kyle knew that was only true of the first. Getting supplies was simple, but always necessary. Tracking the mana from whatever had flattened those houses would be a simple task too – but depending on what he found he could easily end up in a position where he was gone for weeks.

The last item was the real wild card in Kyle’s mind. If his ideas worked, he would end up with a solution that would not only simplify carrying his buddy with him, it would also open a lot of doors for future improvements to his situation. If his ideas didn’t pan out, he’d have to start over from scratch. The rumbling in his stomach reminded him why restocking the fridge was top on his list, and with a lighter heart he picked up the drone and cradled it under his left arm. “Come on, C.H.A.D.D. Let’s rustle up some grub.”

[DON’T YOU MEAN GRUBS, DR. MAYHEW?]

“No, C.H.A.D.D., I don’t.”