-It is your choice to end the instructive period early, Aleks-

“Why would I want to end it early?”

What I want to say is; this feels like a big risk. But I’m talking about the slugs here. The goo filled creatures that hurt themselves dropping down from the concrete ceiling, that seem weaken themselves to lay completely harmless traps.

-I remember how last week you said you wanted more of this, Aleks. That you enjoyed it. Your own words. Ending the instructive period means you will be able to seek out other people’s Ambits and complete them, with their permission-

“Doing more Ambits is still dangerous though. I kind of want to do more than my own but is there anything in it for me if I do?”

I do enjoy them; I do want more of them.

-It benefits you in the same way as completing your own. But now that you have your greater power, you will begin to grow stronger from the Ambits too. There are also dangers. Other people’s Ambits may have been ignored for long periods of time, causing the Ambits to become more dangerous. Each week dangers of any Ambit increases as its depth increases. Right now, you are facing creatures in the minimum depth layer, as everyone in the instructive period does-

“That does sound good.” It actually sounds great. I don’t know about the power stuff but the more Ambits sound great.

“But how do I find other people who don’t want their Ambit?”

-Some people are afraid of the dangers they must face and will gladly trade their Ambit. Others hide from me and their Ambits, ignoring and denying to the point that your little town claims Minor-Mass Delusion-

Hearing him say his own name like that is kind of creepy.

-There is a type of bounty system. You can let me know what you’re interested in, like someone wanting to trade their Ambit away. Each time I will notify you and claim a small reward from your total Ambit earnings. What’s going on here is you are trading for information, Aleks. There is a lot of information that can be traded for, with or without the bounty system. It is one of the reasons why a pseudonym or epithet is advised or even needed, like in your case, Aleks. Some do choose to use their real names without worry. But you, Aleks, you have enemies. They can find out where you live. They can find out who your family is. In short, Aleks, you need to choose a name to protect yourself-

The torch is dying and I don’t care about this name stuff. I don’t want my mom or sister hurt or people attacking our house, but beyond that I don’t care.

“I don’t care about this name stuff, Delusion. Also my torch is dying. I need to finish this Ambit quickly or I’ll be trawling their bones to the water channel in the dark.”

-You need to pick a name, Aleks. You have been in hiding for the last week-

“I don’t see why I need some extra name. Having no name sounds better. And I wasn’t hiding, I was practising image training like you suggested.” I’m terrible at lying.

-When someone wants to trade for information on you, the information available will be your real name, which is connected to your mother’s, who’s address can be found if one looks hard enough-

Delusion’s words linger in the dank tunnel air.

“Fine.” I say with a hint of bitterness. “You pick a name then.”

Moments pass and Delusion has fallen to Silence again. I wonder why he does it. Is he really taking the time to think or is it some kind of passive aggressive play he makes. At face value, he’s taking the time to think, or using the time for something else.

I turn my torch off. Better save what little battery is left.

-That sounds fair, Aleks. You named me Delusion so having me name you does satisfy a certain balance- Delusion’s tone takes on a humorous edge. -As you call me Delusion, I will call you sane. What do you think, Sanity?-

There’s too much amusement behind Delusion’s words. I think this is the first time I’ve heard any amusement in them at all. I should tell him it’s stupid. But I did say I don’t care.

“It’s okay.” I say, trying not to grumble. “I guess no better than yours.”

-Your torch is almost out of power. You should have better prepared yourself for the Ambit, Aleks-

“I forgot about that little detail. I was thinking of other things.” Like how to help Lera and get her to not think the worst of me.

-I only say that because you can’t make those kinds of small mistakes in the deeper Ambits-

“I get it… I’ll have to take some money from the storeroom down here.”

This is just getting worse and worse. Fuck Radovan and Fuck his money. I don’t want it and I don’t need it even if I need batteries. Is what I feel. But the reality of it is that I do need need Radovan’s money if I want batteries.

The easiest solution to this is to just kill Radovan, really. But I’m not ready for that yet.

“I’ll do it, Delusion. I’ll try kill the next thing I stumble into with my greater power.” I hope. Because the alternative is probably dying after getting myself into that situation. But the Ambit is these slugs, and they are useless.

-I believe you will succeed, Aleks-

-

Thinking I need money for batteries anyway, I’m heading to the storeroom further along the tunnel. Either I’ll meet the last of the slugs there or further on.

The torch isn’t going to last. I’m using it now because I feel like the possible risk justifies it. Also, while going back or trawling the slug’s bones to the water channel in the dark will suck, at least it’s not dangerous.

“Delusion, have the slugs been eating children?” I finally say. I’ve been hesitant to bring it up, maybe afraid of the answer and possible responsibility. “The bones they seem to spit out look oddly similar.”

-They could eat children, or even adults, if they escape the Ambit, but no. The bones they regurgitate are their own, you’ve experienced their use-

“So the creatures in the Ambits can escape?” It would have been horrifying if the Marrops escaped, not so much the slugs. “Is that why you said it’s dangerous to go out at night?”

-That is an answer you will have to work for or stumble across yourself, Aleks-

It’s the answer I expected but I try sound annoyed anyway. “Oh come on. Why can’t you just tell me this stuff?”

-Information is valuable and my concerns only go as far as your instructive period-

Delusion’s an asshole sometimes.

I carry on walking down the concrete tunnel, willing my torch to be brighter. I should buy extra batteries too. More of Radovan’s money spent.

“How big is this last creature going to be, Delusion?” I doubt he’ll tell me, but maybe Delusion will let something slip.

-Last creature? There is only the next creature and your greater power, Aleks. But if you’re expecting a repeat of the fully grown Marrop, then you will be disappointed-

I’m more relieved than disappointed; having to deal with something that big in near darkness isn’t something I want to do right now.

I begin wondering how far away the storeroom is when the torches dim yellowing light picks up the first odd shape on the smooth surface of the concrete tunnels floor.

Predictably, a bone.

I step forward to the edge of the goo and bone net, bringing several more slugs into my torchlight. They’re all the deflated and injured looking kind. A third, but much smaller, pack of slugs.

“Is-” I begin to say. But no, Delusion’s instructions were clear enough. I put my torch down and try to concentrate.

I bring my arms up in front of me and start locking up my joints with conflicting muscles. My hands, I realise quick, I don’t know what to do with them. It feels silly but I tense them into claws.

-You don’t need to worry about your palms or fingers, only where your arm points-

I give a rigid nod and clench my hands into fists, a much more comfortable position. I begin working through the rest of my body with my feet, my legs, my back and shoulders. I get to my abdominal muscles and I’m beginning to feel like I’m about to pop and squirt blood everywhere. Forearms, hips even my ear and facial muscles, I try to include everything as I tense. Or as I trigger, as Delusion called it.

I’m beginning to worry about passing out as I go back and forth between muscle groups, trying to make sure everything is included, when I feel the skin on my right arm vibrate softly.

Concentrating on the feeling, my arm almost feels like it’s humming, but it is definitely a feeling and not a sound. The flesh and nerves are tingling and I think the sensation of my skin is slowly going numb. It could just be my tensing of muscles pinching a vein or a nerve, but from what Delusion said, the sensation is promising.

-Close your eyes, Aleks. You are onto it now. Keep going, push further-

I do, I close them and I try to push further, but I’m beginning to feel a cramp coming on in my leg. The phantom feeling of a strip of muscle warning me of rebellion if I carry on.

-Do not let up, Aleks. You are close-

Delusion’s encouragement is helpful, but distracting too at a time like this.

The tingling and humming sensation in my arm has kept up, but the numbness has worsened. I begin to grunt for breath, having not been breathing properly because of the tensing. Just a bit more, I think Delusion is right.

For a moment I push my muscles further as they fight against themselves. I feel my neck bulge and blood rushes to my head as something snaps, reminding me of crossbow bolt or heavy draw bowstring for some reason - and the cramp in my leg kicks in. I lose my footing as one leg collapses and I feel a spray of grit hit my face, chest and legs.

A corner of my mind thinks it must have worked but the rest of me is too busy flailing on the ground in agony, trying to physically grab a hold of this cramp on my thigh. It feels like the muscle is tearing itself apart, which it probably is. After a few seconds of fumbling torture, I realise my arm, my right arm, isn’t working at all, in anyway. I’ve lost complete feeling and mobility with it. It’s like a dead appendage stapled to my body.

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I haven’t opened my eyes yet though. Between the agony and the dust and grit on my face, it didn’t seem like a good idea. I bring my only working arm up and brush the dust off my face. I open my eyes and look around at the light my torch provides on the concrete tunnel floor. I’ve been rolling around on bite sized chunks of concrete.

I push myself to a wall and lean against it as I sit, massaging my cramp with one hand as it slowly calms. The concrete tunnel wall, the one on the left side with the tubular wiring, there’s a small gash like someone has taken to it with hammers.

-You’ve done well, Aleks. You managed to injure but failed to kill anything. However, you successfully triggered your greater power-

I’m panting, I notice. I feel weak too. I feel like I’ve just gone for a run to the abandoned factories and back, but I didn’t eat breakfast beforehand.

I don’t respond to Delusion, it feels like I’m too busy trying to survive as the tunnel slowly smothers me.

-When you can, go back for your food and eat. Your greater power tires you, but not needlessly. In the coming days you must practice with it and not only will your ability to use it improve, but also your strength and stamina as a whole. Your greater power uses your muscles, and just as your muscles improve when you use them, the same is true for your greater power-

I still don’t reply, but Delusion doesn’t seem to mind.

Feels like half an hour to an hour passes before I can bring myself to get up. I want to head straight back to where I left my plastic bag with a tin of food and a tin-opener, but I know I’ll regret doing that. I need to grab the rope from the store room now so once I’ve eaten I can at least get started on trawling the slug’s bones to the water channel somewhere deeper in the tunnel.

-

In the end I felt too weak to swing my club or lift my wood axe without a great deal of effort. For the last pack of slugs I placed the weight of the wood axe on them and leaned, pressing my weight on too. Being deflated sacks of goo, they died all the same.

I pull the iron grate back into place over the access ladder and stand up to the sight of my basement. It feels good being home after that, but I’m filthy and still exhausted in a way that I think only a few days of rest will help. I left my clothes down the bottom of the access ladder so I’m just in my underwear, but I’ve still got lots of dried goo and grit stuck to me. I’m going for a shower. I normally use the basin or one of the small tubs to wash, but today will be the rare shower.

After Delusion’s irritation about me not having touched that little pink nub, especially after me not doing so ruined my Ambit, I’m going to bake it like Delusion said in the wood fire stove. I’ll need to talk to him about the whole receiving his last gift and the size of the body of water required. So I’ll get the stove started first and take a shower while the fire gets going.

But otherwise, I need to plan for tomorrow. I need to plan for watching the cafe the drug house uses. I must avoid Radovan and Kostas, but I need to see them coming and going to the cafe. A disguise or trying to hide my identity would just make me look strange; there isn’t much you can do when you’re a guy with short hair. There aren’t any shops across from it, or near it really, that I could wait around in as I watch. I would need to buy something from the shops anyway if there were.

The cafe doesn’t actually have a name, it isn’t even really a shop. It’s a house right on the edge of the house district, on the other side of Рекреационные сады Топрак - Toprak Recreational Gardens - from the drug house. Two old women run it, sisters I think. I’ve never bought from it or been inside before, never had the money. I’ve seen Kostas or one of his underlings chase fiends or homeless away from it once or twice when I’ve been on my runs over the years. Not being bugged by the fiends must be part of the cafe’s deal with Radovan or Kostas. Another reason I can’t easily wonder around there.

The other question is what am I even going to do if, and when, Lera does arrive? Do I go inside like I’m following her, or do I wait outside like I’m ambushing her. I’m her brother so it shouldn’t matter either way. I’ll go inside though, better not to stay outside in the open.

What to say, what to say, what to say. I have things I want to know, but I don’t know what to say.

I want to know why she packed up her room, why she doesn’t want to come back home, why she works for Radovan…

Why she’s afraid of Radovan.

But still, I don’t know what to say to make things better, to making things right. I’ll have to wait to see her mood and how she feels. Maybe Lera will still be upset about last week, maybe she won’t be.

I shut off the shower and its spray of cold water subsides. The pink nub is still in the tiny bottle in my desk draw, so I quickly towel down and throw on my oldest clothes, the ones I really should have used for the Ambit, and head for my room. I asked Delusions earlier, just before I left the Ambit, how exactly to bake the pink nub. The details were pretty vague. He said somewhere around 10 minutes at a low heat. Why around 10 minutes and what is a low heat?

I guess I’m more drying the pink nub out in principle, so I shouldn’t be trying to cook it. A very low heat then.

Tiny bottle in hand, I start tending to the fire. The heat needs to be really low and no flames either; they’ll just char the outside. I grab the oven glove and shut off the ovens vents, the flames need to burn themselves out. Next I grab the poker and open the ovens small round door, more of a window really. Heat vents out onto my face and I jerk back before beginning to moving the coals to the sides so the coals are further away from the position of the ovens tray. With everything ready I shut the oven’s door.

I’ve been wondering for a while now what the liquid in the tiny bottle is. It’s most likely water but I’m still curious.

I bring the tiny bottle to the sink and pop the cork off there. Nothing spills and I bring the bottle to my nose. It has a very feint citrus scent, though that could be the pink nub itself. I know better than to taste the water so I pour the contents out through my fingers, catching the neon pink nub.

Assimilation.

That’s what Delusion said. I don’t think I quite believe enough or trust enough to try that.

I grab the oven glove again, pop the oven open and drop the neon pink nub onto the tray.

-

“Are you there, Delusion?”

It took longer than I thought for the pink nub to cool down. I actually fell asleep waiting. But now I better see to this last gift before I get to bed. My greater power really drained me. I thought I would be fine by now.

-It is good to finally be in contact with you, Aleks-

Delusion sounds very much the same, the sound of his voice still seeming to come from inside my head. Maybe the only difference is that the tingling my ears experience is much more subtle this way.

“Will the basin be fine? I don’t want to washout one of the buckets outside.” I just want to get to bed.

-The basin will do. Plug it and fill it with water until it nears the brim-

I start filling the basin up, wanting this to be over quickly.

“So what is it? Last time you gifted me knowledge.”

The basin in the bathroom isn’t the biggest around. You can fit a medium sized pot in comfortably, could maybe squeeze a large pot in, but only if its handles were accommodating. I would expect it to be a weapon, but Delusion has already given me one I suppose; my greater power. Maybe he’ll be giving me some nice food to eat when using my greater power.

-You don’t value surprises, Aleks?-

“I’m just tired.” Even this talking is an effort, but Delusion does like his communication. “Triggering my greater power in the tunnel really took a lot out of me. I feel like I’m still going to be spent tomorrow and maybe even the next day.”

Leaning over from the toilet I shut the basins tap off. I pull my arm back and there in the water is… something. Something that wasn’t there before.

-Pull it out, Aleks-

Something with a chrome finish or perhaps polished metal with a silver gleam, its shape is all spherical curves before abrupt endings. I dip a hand into the water and have to reach to the bottom of the basin, where the metal has sunk to. Grasping the plastic it’s sealed in, I pull it out the water. It, because I have no idea what it could be. Plates of spherical polished metal like slivers of a large ball, manmade scales with no apparent use.

“What is it?” I ask trying to put some life into my voice, trying to hide my fatigue. I have no intention of appearing ungrateful for a gift.

-A helmet designed to prevent concussion and other head injuries. The bonus for you, Sanity, is that the helmet will also hide your identity by covering your face-

“Are you sure it’s a helmet?” My grateful facade quickly falls apart. “Looks more like crockery that would be displayed as an art exhibit at one of the gatherings for rich people.”

-You will be thanking me the first time your head is slammed into a material harder than bone. Now pull the helm out of its packaging, you need to learn how to put it on-

“Delusion, I’m really thankful for all this stuff you’ve given me, but I’m tired. I’m really tired. Tired from using my greater power if you remember. Can’t we do this another time now that I have the helmet? I fell asleep waiting for our little pink earphone to cooldown. I need to rest.”

Delusion is silent after my words and I wonder if I’ve annoyed him.

-Another time is acceptable, but before your next Ambit, Aleks-