9.

Santi watched as Duncan materialized ten feet to his side. Not from the pool of shadows at Santi’s feet, but rather a further away, slim sliver of shadow cast by a slight crest of the land. The plain faced man was dressed in a plain black sleeveless workout shirt that hugged his lithe frame. The ugly red wound that Santi had afflicted on him was apparent as Duncan stayed a few feet away from him.

“This is the worst wound I’ve taken. I fought Champions and they couldn’t do what you did. You should be proud,” Duncan’s voice was flat and emotionless, his eyes blank pools.

“My father taught me to finish my work and do it right. Can’t be proud of a half completed job now, can I?” Santi met his gaze and didn’t flinch. He belonged here, standing equal to the former Champion.

“Big claims. Yet, we are not here to measure our mutual animosity, but rather to forge a brief alliance to deal with a greater threat.”

“The curse.”

“Yes. Did you ever see Toronto?”

“No, never made it there. Why?”

“A curse took root there. Powerful thing, gluttony. Ravenous hunger that consumed everyone it touched. It spread and spread and spread until the entire city was consumed. I wasn’t in charge of the operation to break it, but I was there. Santiago. It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t want to witness something akin to it again.” Duncan appeared to be truthful, but the master assassin would have no problems lying to him.

“Mercy is a bloodthirsty killer, but from what I heard, they are more than happy killing themselves to feed their curses. They could burn themselves out before they become a problem.”

“The chaff will be blown away, it won’t die though. The strong will only grow stronger, spreading their rage and hatred as they do so. They won’t destroy themselves, at least not without erasing large swathes of the region.”

“So, a truce of sorts. I can keep my desire to rip your heart out of your chest for a while longer. Can you keep it professional?” Santi asked as he waited, nerves stretched thin for the first hint of betrayal.

“I’ve always been a consummate professional. None of this was ever personal. You are simply in the way of my Lord’s will.”

“Do you know where they’re going?”

“The horde is moving erratically, turning and switching direction on a dime. They’ve backtracked before, swung wide of easy to conquer areas just to hit areas with strong guardians. They don’t discriminate, they attack monsters, animals, or people. Nothing is beyond them.”

“So, no?”

“Currently I don’t. I can keep an eye on them while you rally your people.”

“So you track them, I get my people, we find where they’re at and then destroy them all in one big move?”

“Yes.”

“And the inevitable betrayal and backstabbing?”

“After we’ve destroyed the curse’s anchor.”

“Excellent.”

“I see why Marley loved you.” Duncan said it with such sincerity and deadpan tone that Santi didn’t register it at first.

“Who the fuck is Marley?” Santi spat, but his mind was twisting. Her face changing in his mind, growing imperceptibly more full, lips plump, nose shrinking and becoming dainty as a blush and freckles appeared in his mind.

“Ahhh, I see. Makes sense. The ritual sent our memories back and without her class, oh well. You’ll wake up in a second and won’t remember a thing of this. Poor bastard, putting you out of your misery would be a kindness.”

“Marley and me were good for each other. I couldn’t believe she was alive when I found her,” Santi said. Something was off, his sense of time was wrong. He was missing seconds. Twenty-six of them. Since coming back he was never missing time. He knew every moment of the day like he knew his own name.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Lots of names for that one. She played her parts well. I was honestly surprised when she was able to ascend to become a Champion. Didn’t think she had it in her, but she was a welcome addition to our number.”

“Do you know where she is? I have some questions I would like to hear her answer.”

“Vaguely. She’s like me, lots to do and so little time. She was deployed in the South though. Atlanta birthed so many Champions, couldn’t let it go without a bit of a nudge.”

“Is that your goal? Change the futures of our Champions, pull them to your side before they realize what you are?”

“No. It’s to change them so they don’t become what they did. If they join the better, it is only right to bow to the power of our Lord. Yet, as long as they don’t stray, they can continue to grow. Those we didn’t think would change have already been pruned away. You were the last piece of business I had on the West Coast.”

“Glad I could ruin your plans then. So, want to tell me more of what you all are going to do? Monologue to me, your evil plot?”

“It’s not evil. It’s the same as you’re doing. Grow strong and protect people. It’s easy to hate someone when you don’t know them. You should be more unbiased, it might open your eyes.”

“Please, you can save the propaganda for your recruits. I walked your camps, the detention centers, the rituals, and everything else. I know what you and your people are.”

“Pity. I had hoped to spare Claire some heartache from killing you. I’ll keep tracking the horde and we’ll meet in two days at the little outpost your scouts were killed in.”

“It was you.”

“No. But I watched.” Duncan slipped away without a word and part of Santi thought he had made a mistake. He should have struck while the assassin stood there unarmed and unprepared. Ended him before he could have a chance to betray him.

There were the missing seconds to think about. Duncan had said Marie’s name and the world had fuzzed out again. He had felt it before, he searched and strained for a moment before those gray walls rose up. They were lesser this time and part of Santi screamed as he realized what was happening to him. The walls fuzzed out and grew thin and shapeless, becoming a fog that drowned him.

Santi blinked looking around the sunny hillside. He had to get back to Chloe and Hana. They had been waiting for a while and he didn’t want the two of them to worry about him. Not after seeing what the horde had done to the trailer park.

It took only a few minutes to make it back to them now that he was no longer trying to track the passage of the horde. Both women stood around waiting for him, silent and alert as they took cover behind a few abandoned cars.

“And?” Chloe asked as he got down to them. Santi had to hold back a sigh as he began to tell them what had happened. They didn’t know who Duncan really was, but the fact the leader of the group that he had fought had shown himself set them both on alert.

“He’s a more powerful version of Daniel?” Hana asked incredulously.

“More ruthless and likely a stronger affinity to shadow. I couldn’t sense him this time until he decided to reveal himself. He’s a true threat. Keep a wary eye out for anything that seems suspicious. I don’t trust them, but this cursed group is Wrong. We need the numbers to clear them out.”

“I’m not disagreeing with you, it’s just. Hard to believe you’d be willing to side with him,” Chloe stated her opinion.

“I don’t like it. It’ll be easier to keep track of him when he’s on our side rather than being an unknown running about.”

“You’re going to double-cross him,” Chloe said, half-accusation, half-praise.

“If he doesn’t do it first, you’re damn right I am. The moment the curse holder is dead, Duncan dies.”

“Good. Thought you were getting a bit soft in the head for a moment.” Chloe’s smile was kind enough that it removed any sting her words had. Before he could respond the sky rippled silver and a BOOM shook the world. Before the initial shock of the first explosion hit, another rolled over them, then another, blast after blast that shook the ground and rattled their teeth.

[Air Manipulation] spun up and around him and the women, blocking the rippling sonic booms. Each blast of sound tore at his spells and he was forced to cast over and over again trying to keep himself and the others from being overwhelmed.

For a few minutes they grabbed and held at each other as the world shook around them. It was as if they were experiencing a powerful earthquake while a squadron of fighter jets soared around them. Then it ended as suddenly as it began.

Congratulations, you are still alive!

The Initialization is well under way and many have shown their promise.

Now, to connect you to the wider world.

Pillars of Civilization have landed.

Claim them and grow stronger.

“What the hell was that?” Chloe shouted as she clutched at her ears. Hana was on her knees, clutching her head as she worked her jaw up and down to try to have her eardrums pop.

“Pillars of Civilization apparently.” Santi had to keep the excitement out of his voice. The day had been a rollercoaster and now that he was seeing the trails of white vapor rising up not far from him, he was happy to think about what was to come. The mountain of coins he had accumulated

Access to the markets would alone be worth it. Being the master of a pillar would allow him to know the strongest people in the area. He wouldn’t know their exact location, but the general location of them was more than enough. If he could go and claim one fast enough, he could track both Mercy and Duncan.

“Let’s go. I want to see what they are before anyone else.” Santi took off, not waiting for either of the women. Both of them followed a second later, their grumbling following behind him.