Now, Manila

The sun had fallen and they had set up a fortified base camp in the middle of the highway due to a lack of buildings in the immediate area.

Torches and light orbs were arrayed around the perimeter walls, which were made from trees that Cal had pulled out of the encroaching rainforest. With his father’s help the two had laid the logs down lengthwise, stacking them up to just under six feet in height.

Thoughts of a fully grown ibingan made everyone look at the wall dubiously.

Cal eyed chunks of baby ibingan grilling over open flames, frying in a pan and even baking inside a pile of coals.

They had indeed found a few people among the new recruits with either a Cook Class or a level in it in addition to whatever their primary was.

He sat next to his armor, which was in standby mode, it was literally standing next to him. Conversations drifted to him even thought he wasn’t making an effort to pay attention. The price of enhancements to his senses and brain. It was too easy to focus on things despite all the noise mingling together.

Case in point an argument brewed.

“I’d feel better if someone was at least guarding my equipment,” Maya said. “Thousands of hours of hard work and we’re just leaving them there?”

“They’ll be fine,” Demi said with barely restrained annoyance. “They’re isolated at the top of the tallest building in Manila. Anyone that might mess with them will have to go through the fog.”

“Or they can fly like Cal, perhaps something like that ibingan they’re talking about,” Maya said archly.

“Does either of those things sound probable to you, Maya?” Demi said. “Besides, Cal said he’s monitoring the situation.”

“He’s sitting right there!” Maya jabbed a finger in Cal’s direction.

He pointedly shifted his gaze to where Smores was badgering one of the Cooks about how the young man was turning the skewers of baby ibingan meat on the grill.

“My babies are miles away!” Maya continued.

“And he assured me that he can get there in minutes,” Demi soothed.

Cal could tell that the two women's’ argument would just go around in circles until the Watch Captain got sick of it and would order Maya to go relax.

And so, he allowed his thoughts to focus elsewhere.

His notice landed on Cristos, who was doing a good job looking as if he wasn’t paying attention to Ginessa.

The young mandurugo was seated next to Rino a distance away from where Cristos was seated in the back of a truck.

Cal was glad to note that Ginessa had taken his words to heart and had sought out someone to talk to.

“Will people ever not look at me like I’m a monster?” Ginessa’s eyes focused on the asphalt beneath her feet.

“Who cares what anyone else thinks? Fuck em,” Rino said.

That didn’t fill Cal with confidence.

“The only one that can decide who and what you are is yourself,” Rino continued.

“But I have to drink blood to live,” Ginessa said.

“Right, I’ve seen you drinking from blood bags. Big deal,” Rino shrugged. “As long as you aren’t killing people then anyone that thinks you’re a monster can fuck themselves. Hell, I’d bet some of the guys are secretly hoping they can offer themselves up for you. You’re a super hot vampire chick. Dumbass nerds are all over that,” she sneered.

Ginessa blushed.

“Jesus…” Cal muttered.

How could he get Ginessa away from Rino? Maybe send his father over?

“Bottom line, don’t let anyone treat you bad or, like, put you in a box of their expectations. Figure out who you want to be and be true to that. That’s what I do,” Rino said. “Look, I don’t know what kind of powers you’ve got. I didn’t really get to see any mandurugos fighting back at the village.”

“I’m not really good at fighting,” Ginessa said.

“So, you just need training. If you want I’ll help you out. Maybe the others won’t be so scared of you if they see that you’re just like me,” Rino said.

“They’re not scared of you?”

“Oh, no. They’re scared of me,” Rino barked a laugh. “Just the way I like it.”

That held good possibilities for Ginessa.

Cal decided that he didn’t need to interrupt their conversation after all.

Time whiled away as Cal sat and listened idly to conversations while actively monitoring the darkness beyond their lights for potential threats.

The ibingan meat was ready before long and the first volunteer bravely stepped up to taste it.

Unsurprisingly, Ambrose was the first.

It made sense to Cal. The young man had probably done some weird stuff with his Headhunter Class. Eating monster meat was probably a step down.

Ambrose took a skewer with cubed chunks of grilled ibingan meat from the plate.

“Just one piece,” Sgt. Butcher warned.

“Pffftttt… I ate it raw and nothing happened,” Rino said.

“I suspect your digestive system, indeed your entirely biology has been altered by your Class,” Smores said.

Ambrose nodded, took a deep breath and popped a piece into his mouth.

Everyone in the camp watched him as he slowly chewed.

Every twitch on his face had people either leaning closer or ready to bolt away.

Cal noted that some had hands on their weapons or empty hands slowly rising to cast spells.

Ambrose swallowed. “It’s… not bad,” he said.

“What does it taste like?” Hardhat’s eyes were wide.

“I don’t know. Like a fishy chicken?” Ambrose shrugged.

Sgt. Butcher took the skewer from Ambrose. “No one else eat any ibingan meat until we’ve checked Ambrose out.”

Cal scanned the young man with his abilities and found nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps the hint of a sliver of energy in his stomach. It didn’t mean that the meat was magical. It could’ve just been Ambrose’s own inherent mana.

Cal wasn’t sure. He still hadn’t come up with a definitive answer on what he detected with his myriad of psionic powers.

Was he detecting the magical energy?

Or was it a matter of connecting to the individual and perceiving said magic through that person’s perceptions?

Nevertheless, he was going to remain quiet unless it turned bad for Ambrose.

The throng of mages and science types, including Jake and the excited L&L duo, crowding around Ambrose would do their due diligence before declaring if the ibingan meat was okay for consumption.

“Guys, I don’t think I ate enough. I thought I felt something, but I don’t know,” Ambrose said.

“Yo, can you feel your mana pool? Did it get bigger?” Jake said.

“If it was already full then what difference would it make?” Smores said.

“He means that one possible effect is that your maximum mana might be increased,” Louis said.

“Except the cooks didn’t cook the meat with specific magical intent, right? They just cooked it like you would normal food. So, why expect anything at all?” Lexie groused.

“That’s true, but we had no choice. Perhaps the act of cooking a magical creature will pay dividends for the cooks,” Smores said.

“They could level and maybe get magic recipes,” Lexie mused.

“Right, just like we get spells and Skills,” Jake said.

“They’ll have to go to the spire if they do level from this,” Louis said.

“This is no good,” Smores shook his head.

“Um… what?” Ambrose blinked.

“One piece is clearly not enough,” Smores said.

“Damn, too bad we didn’t bring any Doctors or Nurses with us. They’ve got Skills that let them scan and diagnose people,” Jake said.

“I could try asking some spirits if they can see anything different with Ambrose,” Rai said.

“Don’t waste your energy. At least not yet. I have to eat more,” Ambrose said.

“Ten more minutes, per the Sarge’s orders,” Smores grumbled.

Cal’s attention drifted over to one of the vans where the only mages not interested in the ibingan meat were sitting.

“I’m resting, not dying,” Max rasped. He glared weakly out of the back of the van where he laid.

Alexa, Amber, Del, Rebekah, Trevor and Santi were clustered around the van and had been talking while shooting glances towards Max.

“Do you want more pain killer? I made more potions,” Santi stared into Max’s eyes. The teen’s effort was too blatant.

Max regarded the stump at his right shoulder. He remembered through the haze of drugs, normal and abnormal that a monster had eaten his entire arm. “Thanks, but no. I’ll need to get my mind clear for the Quest.”

“You don’t have to—” Amber began.

“Yes! I do!” Max growled.

The young woman flinched.

“Only thing I can. After Ron…”

Waves of sadness, regret and guilt emanated from the group.

Cal felt for them. He could ease their pain, but he had no right to take what belonged to them.

Although, he knew that if they knew what he could do, some would ask to be released from that burden.

Was it selfish to keep that aspect of his powers a secret?

“Good. I was getting tired of wiping your ass,” Alexa snorted.

The younger men and woman looked away blushing.

“Huh, so that’s why I’m wearing a diaper,” Max winced.

“To think I wanted to be a nurse when I was younger,” Alexa said.

“General public doesn’t really consider all the bodily fluids you have to deal with,” Rebekah nodded.

“I thought you were in the Army?” Trevor said.

“I had to do a few weeks in a mobile hospital after a hurricane once.” Rebekah didn’t elaborate. “So, how’s the stump feel? I know— knew guys that lost limbs and… well, it sounds like it sucks.”

“I’ll let you know once the kid’s potions wear off.” Max looked at where his arm should’ve been. “I don’t know how I’m…” he closed his eyes.

“Hey, dude, don’t worry! You can get a cool magitech prosthetic like Jake and that detective lady,” Trevor said. “He said that he’d get right on it once we get home!”

“God, Trevor! You’re the worst!” Amber hissed.

“What?” The young man blinked in confusion.

Max swallowed the lump in his throat. “Thanks, but no. A mechanical prosthetic just doesn't… feel right.”

“Oh… okay,” Trevor deflated.

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“This feels like a nightmare,” Max said. “I keep looking for Ron’s face… just like Rory. Another face I’ll never see again.” He squeezed his eyes shut, but couldn’t keep the tears from leaking free.

Del choked at the mention of Rory, who they lost to the fishmen less than a year ago.

Overwhelming emotions surged out of the entire group.

Silence reined.

“We’re going to die, aren’t we?” Amber said softly.

Trevor looked at the young woman with utter betrayal written on his face.

Alexa and Rebekah regarded each other before the latter sighed.

“We’re at war. No really says this, but it’s true. We are at war with the world that the spires created. And, yeah, people die in war. One day,” Rebekah took a deep breath, “it’ll be me or any of us. What’s important is that we remember why we die. We need to get stronger to face the monsters. To do that we have to throw ourselves into true danger. Maybe one day we can build the world back into a place where people won’t have to do as we do just to survive. I don’t know why you volunteered for the Quest. We all have our own reasons. But, that is mine. I truly wish Ron had made it. I would trade myself for him without hesitation, but that just wasn’t how it shook out. It was his time. Not mine or yours. You just need to make peace with the fact that one day it will be your time.”

“It sounds kinda… ridiculous… when you put it into words like that,” Trevor laughed bitterly. “But why not? Fight and die or don’t fight and also die. I guess the difference is how much you can make whatever terrible thing kills you work for it.”

“What we do matters.” Del’s eyes watered. “Even if, no, especially if we die. Our sacrifices matter. I will never forget those we’ve lost and I know that our friends, family won’t forget us.”

“C’mon, guys. We’re not dead yet,” Alexa said. “We’ve faced fishmen and an eldritch entity in its lair and came out from it stronger. I gained 3 levels from the aswang village. Quantifiable proof that we’re getting stronger through the challenges.”

“Um…” Santi raised a hand, “I haven’t… faced an eldritch entity, I mean.”

“Well, you’re about to, so…” Trevor shrugged.

“Enough moping. Go. You don’t have to hover over me,” Max rasped.

“You sure? You don’t sound or look good,” Trevor said. “Ow!”

Amber had slapped the back of his head.

“I need rest,” Max said.

Rebekah nodded. “You heard the man. Watch Captain Lawrence has been uncharacteristically lenient with us the past week, but now that we’re at our target location we need to get our heads back into the mission. See to your preparations.”

“Are you going to try the magic meat?” Trevor said.

“I think I have to. I need every advantage I can get, right?” Alexa said.

The Watch had scattered with one exception.

“Rebekah’s speech was terrible,” Alexa said.

“She’s hurting more than anyone. Ron and her joined the Watch back at the beginning,” Max said.

“We’re running out of old timers. Rory and Keisha are dead. Gene, Olo, Bastien, Mads, Johnny and Remy, Megan and their kids went to another world,” Alexa said.

“I wouldn’t mind stepping foot on another world before I die,” Max said. “Can you imagine what that must be like?”

“Maybe we won’t have to. Cal’s friends with those aliens. He could put in a good word for us after this is over. We just need enough points to travel there,” Alexa said.

“Wouldn’t mind a set of that armor. If I had that I wouldn’t have lost—” Max choked.

Alexa grabbed his hand and squeeze. “It’s not over for you. We live in a world of magic now. Who knows what you can do. Even if you don’t want a prosthetic there has to be another option.”

“Yeah…”

A small spark of hope lit up inside Max.

----------------------------------------

“I can stop it now…” Lilah murmured.

“Huh?” Dr. Rufo jolted awake. He had dozed off in a chair next to Lilah’s bed.

“Pushing… too strong… have to… hold…”

The doctor shined the candle lantern over Lilah’s face to find that she was still sleeping.

“Nightmare?” he whispered.

No.

He couldn’t assume anything. Not with how the world had changed. Over ten years and he was still struggling to completely accept it all.

“Hurry… Eron…”

Dr. Rufo laid a hand on Lilah’s forehead.

Warm, but not feverish.

He checked her pulse.

Elevated, but not dangerously so.

“Diagn—” Dr. Rufo bit his tongue at the spike of pain that lanced through his head.

He had used his Skills too much in the last few days.

It seemed that he had discovered his limits.

“Too much… can’t… losing…”

The door to Lilah’s room opened.

“Is everything okay? I thought I heard someone in pain,” Madalena said.

Dr. Rufo’s face twisted as he tasted blood. He wasn’t going to be able to heal his tongue for some time. “Yes, no,” he sighed. “That was me. I accidentally bit my tongue.”

“Faster…”

“Is Lilah okay?” Madalena frowned.

“Better than she has been lately…”

“But?”

Dr. Rufo shook his head.

Lilah mumbled something unintelligible.

“Should we wake her?” Madalena said.

“I’d say she’s just having a bad dream, but with the magic,” Dr. Rufo ran a hand through what was left of the hair on top of his head, “I— I just don’t know what to do. Waking her might hurt. Then again it might help.”

“Leave her unless you’re mostly sure that she’s in actual danger. We don’t want to mess up anything with her connection to her wards,” Madalena said.

“Eron…” Lilah murmured.

Madalena scowled.

“He’s not back yet, is he?” Dr. Rufo said.

“No.”

“Should we be concerned?”

Madalena sucked her teeth. “He’s not overdue,” she grunted. “You want to take a nap or something, Doc? You’re looking more tired than normal.”

“No, I need to keep an eye on Lilah.”

Dr. Rufo had fallen asleep, but only for a few minutes judging by the melted wax in the lantern. The young woman was right, though. He felt exhausted all the way down to his old bones. The fact that he couldn’t use his Skills decided things for him.

“No, never mind. I think you’re right. Can you watch her? I just need an hour nap.”

“Sure, I can do that at least,” Madalena said.

“I’ll be in the living room. If anything changes or you have the slightest worry, wake me,” Dr. Rufo said as he gave Lilah once last look before heading for the door.

Madalena eyed the bent old man as he shuffled out. He seemed to be getting older and weaker every time she took notice of him. Just another thing to weigh on her thoughts. Another to thing to worry about. They needed Dr. Rufo. The kids needed him. He took care of them more than she or Eron did.

She settled into the chair next to Lilah’s bed and regarded the girl. So small and delicate. Like a fragile doll that could shatter at the slightest touch.

“And we’ve been using you so much, haven’t we,” Madalena whispered, “I’m so sorry, Lilah.”

A pained frown flashed across Lilah’s face.

Madalena was on her feet in an instant, ready to call for the doctor.

The words were on the tip of her tongue when Lilah’s expression smoothed.

Madalena swallowed them and sat back down. Resolving not to take her eyes off Lilah.

“… baby… scared… protecting…” Lilah muttered.

Madalena’s eyes narrowed.

What did Lilah say?

“Poor thing. She must be having a nightmare.”

Lilah babbled for a few more seconds before falling silent.

Madalena’s thoughts returned to what had been plaguing her for weeks.

Their dwindling options for a way out.

When Eron had said that he had gotten a message out to Cal, she had known hope for the first time in a long time.

That had been steadily beaten down by all that she had lost since then.

Friends she had led to their deaths.

The kids being murdered by people from outside the fog.

How was that even possible?

The cursed fog wouldn’t let them escape, but it allowed others to enter only to lead to that?

What sort of god was this thing that engineered such ridiculous cruelty?

The loss of a sanctuary and more people followed.

And as always the ever-present shades of her family.

Every time she looked out into the gray, she imagined them staring back at her.

Dead, but still around.

Would that they were gone forever.

At least then she could grieve and move on.

Instead, she felt like she was stuck between two worlds.

She watched the candle light cast dancing shadows on Lilah’s face.

Dark to light and light to dark.

Despair and hope warring against each other.

Candles eventually went out. Madalena knew this.

Lilah’s magic would do the same.

Why hope for the impossible?

She gently held Lilah’s hand. So thin and light.

“Please… hold on just a little bit longer,” she whispered.

“We… home…” Lilah murmured.

Madalena said nothing for the remainder of her vigil.

She didn’t know how much time had dwindled when the door to the apartment opened. She sprang to her feet and hurried out the door.

“I’m back,” Eron said. He eyed the softly snoring Dr. Rufo on the couch. “Good. Doc needed the rest. I brought them back, but,” he wouldn’t look her in the eyes, “we lost a few more.”

Eron explained what had happened at his grandparent’s old house.

Madalena was numb. She tried to feel sad about the losses, but nothing came up.

“One less sanctuary for Lilah to maintain. Yay,” Madalena said without real enthusiasm.

“How is she doing?” Eron said.

Madalena told him.

“So, nothing bad while I was gone?” Eron said searching.

“I’m pretty sure Doc would’ve said something if that was the case. All he said was that she wasn’t in immediate danger, but she wasn’t okay,” Madalena shrugged. “She was having nightmares. That’s about it.”

Eron’s gaze sharpened. “How do you know? I mean, about the nightmares?”

“She was talking in her sleep. Probably re-living all the times you took her out to do the wards,” Madalena scowled.

“What did she say exactly?”

“Something about babies and going home. What’s this about!” Madalena snapped, annoyed.

“Dreams and nightmares aren’t just dreams and nightmares anymore,” Eron sighed. “Magic bullshit and such. Maybe I can ask Lilah more when she wakes up.”

“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Madalena scoffed. “Traumatize her when she’s asleep and awake.”

“She can handle it,” Eron frowned.

“She’s twelve!”

“I’m not having this conversation again,” Eron said flatly. “You can go grab a bite to eat or sleep or something. I’ll takeover here.”

Madalena sensed that her older cousin wasn’t asking. She considered arguing, but realized they’d just wake Lilah and Dr. Rufo. They desperately needed rest, so she swallowed her pride and stalked out of the apartment and went to her own.

Eron waited a long moment before he let out a long breath. His shoulders slumped as he walked into Lilah’s room and sat down.

Something tickled the back of his neck.

He turned “Cherry?”

Nothing.

His gaze returned to the sleeping Lilah.

Something was off.

“What are you doing in here, Cherry?”

He turned again and beheld the achingly beautiful gabunan. Who was, thankfully, modestly clothed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.

That was different.

“I smelled blood and was concerned,” Cherry said.

Eron’s eyes narrowed.

“Relax. Dr. Rufo bit his tongue.”

“Okay, but why are you still here? Have you been in here this whole time?”

“I was… concerned.”

“You going to elaborate on that?” Eron raised a brow.

Cherry walked over to the window and cracked the blinds open to look outside. “If anything happens to the girl… well, this place is no longer safe. I simply wanted to be among the first to know when to flee.”

“Uh huh. If something happens to Lilah, there is no fleeing,” Eron said.

“I’d get further than most,” Cherry shrugged.

“If you were here the whole time, then you heard all the things Lilah was saying in her bad dreams.”

“The nonsense babbling you’d expect from nightmares.”

“Right. Can you repeat them for me, please?”

And so Cherry did.

After a moment Eron shook his head.

“You think it means something?”

“Magic stuff, maybe.”

Cherry’s perfect brow arched. “It’s your turn to elaborate.”

“Look I got nothing definitive. It’s more like a wild guess. A fantasy,” Eron said. When Cherry simply looked at him expectantly he continued. “The wards, the sigils. Lilah is connected to them. They keep the fog back, while at the same time it pushes against them. There’s got to be some kind of interaction there.”

“Hmm, you think there might be a connection between Lilah and the fog,” Cherry mused.

“I wouldn’t go that far, but maybe if there’s an entity responsible for the fog then it could be similar. It’s generating and maintaining the fog, so it’s connected and when it clashes with Lilah’s wards there’s something like a bleed through for her.”

“So, she’s seeing the fog entity. Except she’s never given any indication of this before. Why now?”

“No idea. Could be she’s more open when she’s sleeping. Like the subconscious picks up what the conscious won’t for her own good. Or the fog’s recent increase in strength is the factor. Hell, she’s been leveling, so she’s stronger now, which lets her know more. I don’t know,” Eron threw his hands up. “It’s just a theory.”

“Then, assuming there is truth in this, what do you make of her words?”

“Nothing, everything,” Eron sighed. “Madalena’s probably right. Lilah’s just re-living bad memories.”

“Except…”

“Can’t assume anything rational or normal when it comes to magic stuff.” Eron eyed Madalena. “You’re magical… what are your instincts telling you?”

“Nothing different from what I’ve told you before. I can sense a great amount of magic, energy, whatever you want to call it, coming from the girl,” Cherry hesitated.

“And?”

“It’s taking a toll on her,” she finished.

“Which we already knew,” Eron said.

“The girl can’t keep this up for much longer.”

Eron regarded Cherry for a moment before looking down at Lilah.

“She’s strong and I’ll ease the burden by shutting down the furthest sanctuaries. We still have hope.”

Silence.

Eron turned his gaze back to the window.

Cherry was gone.

His senses weren’t as good as they had been outside of the fog, but they were still beyond the normal human standard.

Yet, he had missed Cherry when had entered the room and now he hadn’t noticed her leave.

“Magic,” he said with a smile. “The cause of and the solution to all our problems.”

Silence.

His brothers and sister would’ve laughed at that.

He wondered if he would ever hear them again.