Ewww! I shuddered as I ran with Mammoth Buddy after my ass.

It was extremely awkward carrying Myra over my left shoulder because she was bigger and taller than me, and I had to hold her right arm dangling by a few sinews from her shoulder bones in a specific way—collateral damage of yours truly when I gutted Mammoth Buddy—so it wouldn’t tear off before it could heal, while at the same time lugging the massive weapon on my other side. Like Myra, the axe’s double-bladed head was wider than my torso, its length from one end of its pole to the tip of the blade longer than my body.

But I was fine with it, no problemo, just slightly annoyed with the bulky luggage—my usual gripe at the airport. Weight wasn’t a concern either; I could feel pulsing strength flowing through every fiber of my muscles even though I hadn’t transformed.

My fucking issue with this world was the repulsive feeling of Myra’s skin, or rather lack of it. She looked like the creepy human model we had in science class back in high school. Most of her clothes were dissolved by what I suspected to be stomach juices of Mammoth Buddy. Pretty fucking strong stuff to have melted clothes and clumps of her hair…and her skin…and flesh.

She was soaked in the nasty substance when I pulled her out. It continued to break her body down as her regeneration struggled to fight back in her weakened state, resulting in vomit-inducing gunk coating her and getting on my hands and arms. The stupid acid even burned the upper left part of my shirt. I could feel streaks of liquified Myra running from my shoulder down to my chest.

Really gross! Did I already say ‘Ewww’?

(Erind, don’t think that way of your friend. She’s suffering, be considerate.)

And here we go, the annoying mind-reading antics of my new partner. He had introduced himself as Penemoo or something like that.

Weird name, I thought as I hopped from one flattened car to another, leading Mammoth Buddy away from the police station. I wasn’t sure how that was spelled because it was the first time I had heard of a name like it.

(Penemue), he calmly repeated, and then spelled it. His cadence was like someone announcing flight schedules over the airport PA system, but I received the entire statement instantaneously in my head, very unlike someone actually talking to me. (And I told you, it’s not mind reading.)

Or so you say.

Earlier, the moment my fingers wrapped around the handle of Penemue—insert a joke from Reo here—he was gracious enough to immediately warn me of the connection we’d have. Of course, that gave me a pause because of…reasons…

But I was forced to ally with him because Mammoth Buddy was going squish us. I also wanted to try to take down Auron.

Penemue had elaborated our link wasn’t mind reading per se; he couldn’t dig through my memories and stuff like that. All he could “hear” was my “inner voice”, or the thoughts going through my mind, so he cautioned me to be careful of what I would think about.

Sounds like fucking mind reading to me.

(Fine, you win. It’s mind reading), he conceded.

Mammoth Buddy made noises of frustration, something between a rumbling growl and an airy bellow because it couldn’t catch me…us. It probably couldn’t trumpet anymore because I lobbed off like half of its trunk. The ground continued to tremble.

(Can we focus on dealing with the main problem behind us instead of arguing about this?)

“Mind reading and controlling,” I said pointedly. I scanned down the road where I could leave Myra behind, preferably a place with clothes. I'm a very considerate person.

(I’m not even attempting to control you. By the way, good job drawing the attention of the monster and saving the precinct. Thank you.)

I noted his use of the word ‘monster’ instead of Adumbrae. Was that because he was an Adumbrae himself trying to be a good guy and didn’t want to be associated with actual monsters doing monster stuff? Or did he know the true nature of these parasite things, and that they weren’t Adumbrae?

Probably both.

(Brilliant job spotting and destroying the XR-Field Generator covered by the monster corpses), he said, referring to those peculiar metal boxes. He didn’t directly reply to my musings, but still did confirm my suspicion. (There should be another generator with Auron. However, you successfully drove him away, and now the elephant creature is simply following its instinct to attack you since you badly hurt it. And thank you again for not killing the innocent people also on the helicopter.)

“I was expecting for you to dispel the wind blade when Johann told me they had hostages,” I said. “But you waited for me to do it. Were you going to let them die to maintain the truce with me?”

Penemue didn’t answer my question. (There’s a clothes store coming up on your right. See the sign on the next block?)

I spotted it two blocks away and hastened my pace. I was already running fast, but not fast enough to leave behind Mammoth Buddy; Penemue wouldn’t want this guy going somewhere else and killing more people.

Mammoth Buddy directed dozens of tentacles my way. I evaded them all perfectly without seeing them coming from my back. Penemue sent images, or rather impressions, of everything happening around me. This must be how he saw the world as an inanimate object—oh, he’s alive, so just an object then.

I zigzagged down the hard pavement, hopped on top of trashed cars, and then over buildings, enjoying the wind whipping my head, going through the threads of my mask, and cooling my face. The rush of wind also felt good on the wound on my abdomen that had now mostly healed. Holding Penemue noticeably helped the recovery of my grievous injury.

I landed on top of the roof of a two-story building with the clothes store on its first floor. I dropped down the edge and entered the store through its broken display window.

The place was a mess. Many display shelves were emptied, some of them toppled over. Clothes were strewn across the floor, unwanted by the looters who probably have been chowed by the monsters. Further inside, I found a couple of half-eaten human corpses. I continued and found the back room open. These dead people weren’t able to hide like my homies. I kinda wish that entertaining bunch survived.

(You do care for people.)

“This should be a good spot,” I said, ignoring Penemue. I placed Myra at the corner of the back room. Her eyes were still closed. She was breathing normally but moaned in pain when I arranged her into a more comfortable position. Only a few patches of exposed muscles remained; her skin had mostly grown back and healed.

(She wouldn’t be in this state if you saved her much sooner. I was teaching you how to use more of my powers.)

I shoved the clothes on the shelves down to cover her. As long as her brain was intact, she’d completely recover given time. “See you later, Myra.” I rushed out of the store to lead Mammoth Buddy in another direction.

(Can we stop with these tests if I’d try to control you? I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to break my promise, and you’re just putting people in danger.)

“No one around now to put in harm’s way.”

(I hope you’ll cease with this charade then.) Penemue ‘sounded’ angry and annoyed—'felt’ might be the apt word—but the way he spoke was still calm and even like he was calling for a cleanup on Aisle 10. (I know you’re doing this to assert dominance. I can read your mind, you know?)

Mindreader, I taunted him. I stood in the middle of the street. I held the axe up high and waved with it. “Over here! Come here and die!”

Mammoth Buddy was rampaging towards me—I really didn’t need to do anything to get its attention. It whipped its lowered head left and right, raking the buildings on the sides of the street, destroying them.

It was looking less and less like a mammoth. Humongous tumors, as large as boulders, burst through its thick hide, eating its main body to fuel their growth. Mammoth Buddy was beginning to decay, almost melting like ice cream as myriad tentacles sprout all over like weeds wiggling in the air. It reminded me of the dope-ass science experiment we did in middle school of growing maggots on fresh meat.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

With one jump, I got on top of the hardware store opposite the place I left Myra. I waved again to make sure it saw me, before dropping down to the other side.

Mammoth Buddy followed me. It turned left, smashing through a squat brick building as if it was a mere sandcastle, and stepped on the street I was on.

We faced each other with about a block’s length between us.

The sun was high up in the sky.

The only thing missing was some old Western music for our duel. Oh, and tumbleweeds! I recalled Deen teaching me the name of those balls of branches rolling through the wilderness.

(What nonsense are you thinking?) Penemue scolded me in a very calm manner. (Use my full power now and end this. We have to chase Auron. We don’t have time to waste here.)

“Not sure if you’re going to believe this, but random things just go through my mind.”

(Fine, you win. Have it your way.)

“Don’t worry,” I said with a grin. I tightly gripped the long pole of the axe with both hands, propping the blade above me. “We have the perfect dramatic moment here. I'm not going to waste this.”

Mammoth Buddy furiously stomped with its decaying legs. The stump of its trunk split down the middle, continuing both ways up to its forehead and down to its mouth. The flaps stretched wide open, its whole face becoming a sideways mouth filled with hundreds of dagger-like teeth.

“The full power you mentioned…”

The axe burned like hot coals in my hands, not that I had ever held hot coals.

I didn’t let go.

I looked back at its double-bladed head. The creepy human face on it seemed to be sobbing, which I couldn’t wrap my head around. I could see it wasn’t moving because it was a fucking carving on metal. Yet, I felt it expressing anguish. I almost felt pity for it as its sadness flowed into my heart.

Almost.

Glowing green tears streamed from the sides of its eyes, branching outwards through the whole surface of the blade into intricate patterns. The lines continued down the pole. I was about to let go of it but resolved not to. The weird liquid touched my hands.

“Oh my god!” I was energized. Energized!

JUICED THE FUCK UP!

It was like I drunk a gallon of energy drink plus coffee mixture. My heart pounded as if I was right next to a stack of concert speakers booming bass music—I don’t even like concerts. Blood rushed to my head, to my hands, every part of my body. The tingling sensation became more intense, almost electrifying. My pale skin turned pink and then became darker and darker going red as the veins were pushed to their limits.

Mammoth Buddy began its charge, leaving chunks of flesh in its trail.

I took a step forward. The ground cracked beneath my feet. Swirls of wind kicked up the dust and enveloped me.

POWERRR! I yelled inside my head because it was too embarrassing to yell it out loud. The feeling was so overwhelming that I forget that Penemue was there. Whoopsie. I even almost forgot who I was.

(I see you’re enjoying yourself. It’s been some time since I released this much.)

The gigantic-mouth-flesh-blob-tentacle-monster, barely an elephant, came closer and closer.

(Are you going to yell out something when you attack?)

“I…uh. No time!”

Mammoth Buddy bent its head down, shoveling the pavement into its expansive mouth that could fit a house. The mouth covered me and clamped shut.

And then everything went black.

Just one jump.

A teensy-weensy jump…and a swing—

(Don’t swing me!)

I blinked my eyes.

Light.

I was still holding the axe up, a fourth of a way mid-swing. Eh?

(It’s over.)

“What do you mean it’s over?” I relaxed, lowering Penemue. I turned to look around. “Where did Mammoth Buddy gooo...” My voice trailed away when I saw the aftermath of the battle behind me.

Four enormous legs remained standing. Just legs.

The rest of Mammoth Buddy was turned into minced meat confetti that coated the street and buildings. It was as if a heavy snowstorm passed—which doesn’t happen in California—and buried this area in snow…snow made out of disgusting mutated flesh and black blood. Mists of the black blood were still drizzling down.

“Holy shit…Di-did I do that?”

(Ehem.)

“We.” I rolled my eyes. “Did we do that?” Penemue didn’t need to answer because I already knew. But I still couldn’t believe it. “Oh my god, this is so awesome! But I don’t know what happened! No one recorded this shit?”

A news chopper flew into view. It might be the same one I saw earlier.

(Very impressive, Erind. It’s rare for someone to draw that much power out of me in such a short time.)

“I hope those news people recorded it. Better if they are broadcasting live.”

(We have to go to the hospital now.)

“Huh? How are we going to do that? Like a car? I’m not sure if we can find—” Most of the vehicles in this area had been destroyed by either monsters or humans. “I guess we can run.”

(This is what we’re going to do). He transmitted his plan to my mind.

“Eh? That’s insane,” I said. I gazed up at the news chopper flying above capturing footage of the…not sure what I should call the shit that happened here. “Is that going to wor—? Hang on, why are you even suggesting this? That’s dangerous for those people.” Erm, was I becoming the good guy?

(It’ll work. And I’m not putting them in danger.)

“You are though.”

(Fine, you win.) It was funnily becoming his catchphrase. (It’s not my catchphrase. And we have no other choice. It’s our best option to get as fast as possible to EFU Medical Center. You also have your allies there, correct?)

“Uh…yeah.” Reo’s call crossed my mind when we were discussing how to follow the Auron’s helicopter going to the hospital—that was when we were fighting on the rooftop—which was how Penemue found out about them. He also picked up how I felt about Myra and the others. Oopsie.

(I know you don’t exactly consider them your allies, but we should help them.)

“Sure, sure,” I mumbled. “Okay, I’m going to do this. It’s your fault if those people die.” I swung the axe upward, feeling the air flowing around me, coaxing a moderate gust.

The wave of wind buffeted the news chopper. It wobbled in the air.

I threw the axe up to it, giving it a twirl to coat it with a wind shell to control its angle. It was more like a very strong toss instead of hurling it at the helicopter. It reminded me of the ring toss game I played as a kid at the State Fair we visited every year when Dad was still around.

Only this was tossing an axe…into a small helicopter.

The winds tilted the chopper away from me. At the same time, the axe arched above it and dropped down its open door. Hopefully, it didn’t destroy anything important inside or hurt the pilot Penemue was aiming to mind control.

My connection with Penemue gone with him out of my hands—there’s a dirty joke here somewhere— there was no more power controlling the winds and they dissipated. But the helicopter still wasn’t steady. They were having a slight commotion inside.

I allowed myself a deep sigh.

What a chore controlling my thoughts when linked with Penemue. I couldn’t recall doing something like this ever—using a face that shared traits with my inner personality.

The moment I realized what was happening, that was the option left to me. Just like the defenders of a castle abandoning a breached outer wall and retreating to inner walls, I had to ‘retreat’ to another layer of face. There was no point trying to build a different personality; Penemue would just notice it. I had to stop him at the inner wall of my castle, while not showing anything further inside.

Just blank out any deeper thoughts while distracting him with the ‘tests’ he thought I was doing.

Really weird experience. The only other ‘person’, if she could be called that, who knew the different side of me was SpookyErind.

I disliked the feeling. Was it worth it for the cool fight sequence?

Depends on the video I’d check out later.

The small chopper started to descend. It had the XYTV logo on its side. I walked to the spot it was going to land.

Once it touched the ground, two people clambered out—a hassled news reporter with a torn red dress and a cameraman. The reporter broke her heels as she ran, falling. Her partner assisted her while still carrying the camera. Both of them limped away from the helicopter, crouching down as the rotor blades blew wind outwards.

Funnily enough, they were still trying to continue reporting the news as they escaped. Commendable work ethics.

“What a long day,” I said, adjusting my mask. It was crusty from dried black blood and reeked of that disgusting smell, but I was getting used to it. I was also tired as fuck, but I had another matter to attend to at the hospital. After this, I was going to relax inside the small steam room at Deen’s house.

I hope she brings me some pastries from that event she attended.