Now, Las Vegas

Cal experienced a lifetime through the diminutive leader’s ears.

Two hundred years in the sliver between seconds.

Born in blood.

A mother cut down by a gaunt, purple-skinned being that glittered with painfully bright light and an even brighter blade.

The colony’s enormous caverns filled with centuries of carefully carved stone. A place to live and work. All their needs met. None went hungry, none went cold. Now burning bright with fires natural and unnatural.

The sounds of death seared into a newborn’s ears.

Her early years spent knowing hunger and dread as the dwindling remnants of her colony fled from one cavern to another cave. The purple-skinned terrors always on their heels bringing bright and sharp death.

She grew into knowledge. Learned bitter rage at what was stolen from her and her people. It was their land. They had done nothing.

The invaders from the spires hadn’t even attempted to speak to them. They simply took.

Fighting was difficult. She was small, stunted by a life of not enough. The thought of her mother fueled the fire in her stomach and drove her ever forward.

Where she was small, she’d compensate with viciousness.

The blood of the purple-skinned ones was warm and sweet on her tongue.

Stronger and stronger she grew.

The remnants of her colony found the remnants of others.

From across their entire land they banded together and began to take back what was theirs.

One last battle.

Victory snatched from their claws by more purple skins appearing out of the spires.

Desperate flight back to their last bastions.

Doom on the horizon.

The purple skins pushing forward to finish what they had started.

An offer from the spires.

It was terrible, but extinction lay at the end of the other path.

What choice did she have?

“Sacrifice selves… future chance,” the gray-furred leader said.

Trexlatl was her name. Not that she had given it.

Ironic that he had stolen it from her thoughts just as the purple skinned aliens had stolen her world.

“You can never leave this encounter challenge.”

A terrible bargain.

“Live here… breed… kill monsters… invaders… die.”

Which they had been doing for about about two years. The timeline aligned with the ten year mark and the end of the tutorial phase. Cal had to wonder about how many more of these places had been scattered around the world. How many invasions had already been seeded by the spires?

Perhaps they weren’t as neutral or impartial as they seemed.

“How long do you have to stay? When can you leave?”

“Never… not us… pups… pups of pups… unknown.”

Cal felt bad for them. He really did, but they were an alien species looking to colonize his world. Could he just let them?

Natives didn’t tend to fair well with colonizers, even if these ones weren’t starting from a place of strength.

Well… the bat people couldn’t physically leave the encounter challenge and it sounded like he had years before that changed.

His telepathic scans had revealed a deeply traumatized people distrustful of other species, which was understandable since they had been genocided off their world.

“I’m not interested in fighting.”

“Your kind… not fight?”

The hope in her voice.

“Just me,” he said sadly. “I can’t say the same for every person that might come in here.”

“Then… fight.”

Disappointment and resignation.

“I’m going to leave now… in peace,” he gestured at the hundreds of bat people held frozen by his telekinesis, “I’ll let them go.”

“No fight… leave.”

He released them and zipped into the air not giving them a chance to change their minds. He blanked his presence from their perceptions as he rejoined Dayana.

“What the fuck are you?” Dayana stared at him with wide eyes.

“I’m like Hayden.”

“Oh shit! Superpowers! Are you the flying man?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Cal had an idea he knew who she meant.

“There’s a rumor about this guy that’ll fly in and punch you to death if you’re being too much of an asshole. They say he broke up the slavers in the south, like five-six years ago. That he stopped the first Meat Parade after it had gone from, like Vermont to New Jersey. That he killed the Witches of Florida after they tried to steal the souls of every baby and soon to be born in the state.”

Cal blinked.

Eron had been typically vague with the details of his activities. There was brief mention of the first, but nothing of the other two.

“Not me. This is the farthest west from California I’ve been since the spires appeared. I also spent maybe five years on that other world.”

The bat people were scattering through the cavern. They were rushing into the countless tunnels.

“Let’s talk more later. We should get out of here before the tunnels get too crowded. I hate rush hour traffic.”

Dayana stared at him blankly.

“Of course you wouldn’t understand,” he sighed.

“What’s the problem? You just do what you did when we walked in here.”

“I could, but that’d ruin a good chance for you to maybe gain a level and impress me.”

Dayana’s eyes narrowed.

“You’re a Rogue. Being sneaky is one of your things. If you can sneak your way through a bunch of echo-locating bat people…”

“If I get discovered I’m going to have to start slicing and stabbing. Wouldn’t that be bad for your peace thing?”

“Just do your best and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“I’m trusting you,” Dayana said.

“Same to you.”

“Silent Movement. Vanish.”

He lost the young woman with his eyes and ears, so he had to track her with his mind.

Several close calls and a nerve-wracking two hours later they reached the entrance chamber.

They stepped out into the sunlight and found a rather battered group of people.

“Fucking finally!” Hayden said.

Cal regarded the three dozen or so people. Many injuries, but he was glad to see that none had died. That would’ve been on him since he had kept the monsters from attacking as they had traveled to the encounter challenge entrance.

“What was in there?” Hayden said.

“I’ll tell you all about it when we get back to the hotel,” he said

“Are you serious?” Hayden shifted her gaze to Dayana.

“Yeah, we should do that,” Dayana said.

“We came all this way to go in there,” Hayden thrust a finger toward the black void in the side of the mountain, “not spend two hours fending off mutant rattlesnakes, lizards and rabbits.”

“Hayden, that’s enough,” Elliot said. “We’re spent. We can’t go in there.” He turned to Cal. “You’d better have something good to share. Otherwise I’ll be upset that you’ve wasted our time.”

“Is it really a waste? It seems that some of you probably got a level or two. These mutant animals look like they were pretty tough.”

“I hope you’re strong enough to deal with the rest. It’s a long hike and drive back to the city,” Elliot said.

“Don’t worry about it.”

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

“They don’t have a name for themselves. Their language is basically clicks, screeches and probably other types of sound. They’re bat people after all. The Universal Translation System translates the term they have for themselves as People in our language,” Cal said.

Hayden would have called him out for bullshit if Dayana hadn’t vouched for everything he was saying.

A species of bat humanoids that had agreed to act as encounter challenge monsters in exchange for free passage from genocide on their world with the eventual opportunity for their children or grandchildren to leave and attempt to colonize the Earth.

What the ever-loving fuck?

“We need to bring the rest of the company and the mayor’s men. Come back and kill them all before they can spread out and infest our country,” Tyson said. “We have to do it now. While they’re trapped in one place, like rats.”

“Like bats,” Jayde gave him a sardonic grin. “You used the wrong comparison. Why change it? They’re all ready bat people.”

“Fuck you, crazy bitch!” Tyson shot her double fingers.

Jayde laughed in his face.

“Dayana,” Elliot began. “You were there. What’d you see? Is what he says true?”

“Don’t know about the whole story. I was too far away to hear it, but they were definitely bat people and they talked if you trust the translation bullshit,” Dayana said. “For what it’s worth I don’t think he lied to me about anything while we were in those caves.”

“They’re fucking bat people with sticks and stones! We’ve got guns, spells and Skills!” Tyson said.

“Far be it for me to get in the way of your genocidal desires…” Cal began.

Hayden felt that was exactly what the man wanted to do.

“… but there are thousands of them and they have home field advantage. How many of you can see in the dark?”

“Those light crystals,” Tyson challenged.

“Made for a dim environment for me. It’ll be much harder for someone with normal human eyesight. Sure, some of you have Skills, but not all you do,” Cal said. “And I’ll add that you’ll find the journey there more difficult without me.”

“You’d leave them alone, knowing that one day they’ll be free… why?” Hayden had to know.

“Because I’d like to think that genocide is never the answer,” Cal said.

“This is our planet!” Tyson snapped.

“Plenty of space now,” Ledge said lightly.

“Fuck you too!” Tyson sneered.

“As eloquent as always,” Ledge dipped his head toward his fellow lieutenant. “C’mon, guys… I suspect we’re arguing a moot point. I think it’ll be impossible for us to get back to that cave without him,” he gestured toward Cal, “so, why not forget about it for now and focus on what we traveled all the way to this city for…” he spread his arms to encompass the auditorium they were seated in, “food and cocktails!”

“We had a deal,” Elliot addressed Cal. “You were supposed to help us in that encounter challenge.”

“I put a lot ‘maybes’ in our previous conversations,” Cal said.

“Going back on your word,” Tyson scowled.

“I left you plenty of encounter challenges in the city and even a few spawn zones. I’ve also hosted and fed most of you for over a day. That tan tells me you had a good day lounging by the pool,” Cal raised a brow.

“But you won’t stop us if we go?” Hayden said.

“No, but if what you’re after is more power then I think I have a better offer,” Cal said.

Hayden felt his eyes look right into her soul.

“Dayana got a bunch of points by just being the second person to walk into that cave,” Hayden said.

Elliot groaned as excitement susurrated through the entire expedition packed inside the auditorium.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

“How many did she get?” Megyn said.

“Don’t answer that!” Elliot snapped. “We’re approaching this as a whole group. Strength in numbers.”

“That’s just about all I have to say. There’s plenty of food in the buffet. If you want something else I’ve made every restaurant available to you. Just have to cook the stuff yourself. The same rooms are open. I figure if you’re going to challenge the other resorts then it’ll be easier if you’re based on the Strip,” Cal said.

“What do you want in exchange?” Elliot said through grit teeth.

“Nothing.”

“I’d rather not keep building up a debt,” Elliot said.

“1% of what you take. Cash, gold, jewelry, gems and so on,” Cal said.

“What about Universal Points?”

Hayden could hear the grinding of teeth across the entire expedition.

Cal was giving them so much for nothing, but Elliot was bargaining against it.

“I think you all need those more than me,” Cal smiled and exited stage left.

A sharp elbow dug into Hayden’s side. “Let’s go,” Dayana whispered.

Right.

Dayana led the way, followed by Jayde and Prim, Hayden brought up the rear.

She felt eyes on her back, could imagine the look of existential worry on Elliot’s face.

They left the auditorium, walked through the eerie silence of the casino floor and into the elevator.

“I feel like a secret agent!” Jayde grinned. “I bet that’s a class! That’d be cool!”

“What’d you really see down there?” Hayden regarded the tightness around Dayana’s eyes.

“Power that can help us gain more of our own,” Dayana said. “I couldn’t tell you earlier when others could’ve heard. He flew into them. Blocked all their attacks like nothing. Hundreds, a thousand. They didn’t touch him and he didn’t hurt any of them. You understand?”

“How?”

“I don’t know,” Dayana said.

“The flying man? O.M.G. is he the flying man!” Jayde shook Dayana’s shoulders.

“Bitch! Get off me!” Dayan shoved her. “He said he wasn’t and I believe him.”

Hayden stepped between the two before it could escalate. “We need to be careful with this guy. Something is off. I can feel it.”

“Nila is very nice,” Prim said.

Prim had spent the day in the resort apparently bonding with a potential enemy.

“Who?” Jayde said.

“Oh, Nila is Knight Ila. Since they didn’t trust us she used a fake name. Oh and she’s not really a Knight. Oh and her armor was fake. It’s not really medieval style. It’s all futuristic looking. Cal brought it back from the other world,” Prim explained.

“She just told you all that?” Dayana said flatly.

Prim nodded.

“I had to go through a scary ass cave full of bat people to learn that,” Dayana said.

Hayden suppressed a sigh. “We don’t know if Cal is as nice, Prim,” she said as gently as she could. “We hear what he has to say, but don’t commit until we can discuss it later. Agreed?”

“Yeah,” Dayana said distractedly.

“I do what you tell me. Like always,” Jayde snorted.

Prim nodded hesitantly

Silence descended on the elevator as it continued to rise.

“You don’t listen, like half the time,” Dayana hissed at Jayde.

“Shut up or I’ll uppercut you in the vag. Fireball that tuna sm—”

The ding of the bell signaled their arrival in a way that the smoothness of it stopping failed to do.

Hayden sighed.

The doors slid open.

They had reached their destination.

Dayana led them through the opulent lobby and a door that opened up to reveal a smiling Cal.

Jayde let out a low whistle. “You’re living the high life. Plenty of suites, right? What’ll it take for us to get in one of these?”

“A deal of some kind. Not in this tower, but I can let you stay in one of the others. Your choice,” Cal said.

“You keep talking about deals. What do you really want?” Hayden said. She didn’t have patience for small talk bullshit. Especially from people that thought being a big shot rich guy made them special. This guy might’ve been able to back it up from what Dayana had said, but as far as she was concerned he hadn’t proved anything to her, yet.

“Why don’t we talk business after dinner,” Cal said.

“Business first. Dinner depends on if we like what you have to say,” Hayden said.

“Suit yourself. We can talk on the balcony.

“Where’s Nila and the baby?” Prim said.

“She’s putting him to sleep,” Cal smiled.

He led them outside and stood at the railing while they found seats.

“I’m not going to waste time. Our world is in trouble. We lost something like 90% of the population. For the most part the survivors struggle in small communities. Some people decided that this was their best chance to act out their darkest impulses. Animals changed. There are monsters and worst things out there. Some of these invaders from other worlds are intelligent with designs on taking our world and using us for, frankly, horrible things. Fates worse then death,” Cal said.

“If that’s true, how come we haven’t run into any of these guys. The bat people are the first I’ve heard about monsters being just like us,” Hayden said.

“You’ve been lucky in that regard,” Cal said.

“Can you tell us, then?” Jayde said.

“No lies. We’ve got bullshit detectors,” Dayana said.

Cal told his story.

Of another world and a species of small gray aliens. Of a golden-winged angel from yet another world with a taste for fingers that claimed dominion over all. Of a giant monstrous woman that wore clothes made from her own skin.

He told of horrors on their own world. Ones that they had no idea existed. An impossible tall and thin humanoid. An elf, but not the noble kind so often found in human fiction. This one savored the corruption of others. He had taught like-minded humans his type of magic. For this cabal, the pain, suffering and debasement of their fellow man was the path to power.

He told them of fishmen and their dark god. Of the gifts that made their human cult inhuman, both in body and soul.

Last, he told them of the fog. An entity that blanketed a city and subsumed thousands of inhabitants, forcing them to serve it in a hellish existence. Neither dead nor alive.

“Shit…” Jayde said flatly.

“You and your family got them all though, right?” Dayana said.

“Mother Madrigal and the fog entity are gone. Zalthyss and the Vitiator are out there somewhere. The Deep Azure’s physical avatar was destroyed, but its true self, essence, whatever, is still somewhere out there. We killed a lot of the fishmen, but the oceans are huge. I’m concerned that there are more of them.” Cal ticked them off with his fingers, one by one. “These are only the horrors that I’ve had first had experience with. My brother has faced and killed others over the years. And with such things it’s sometimes hard to tell if the killing will stick.”

“So… you want our help fighting these things?” Hayden said.

“Bit out of our league,” Dayana said.

“Well, I wouldn’t expect you to fight things without a good chance of success. And you will get stronger with time and effort. The point is that I and my brother can’t be everywhere all the time. I would like for other similarly powerful people to focus on fighting and killing such things rather than ruling their own little fiefdoms. Ultimately, our world needs to be united against what’s coming. The spires opened the gate barring them from us a little bit when ten years passed. How much time is left until that gate is thrown wide open?” Cal said.

“So… you want to conquer the world,” Hayden said.

“Not at all.”

“Well, not everyone is going to want to listen and do what you say. Especially if they’ve got their own power,” Hayden said.

“I’d hope agreements could be made. The world is at stake and we’re all in it,” Cal shrugged.

“What if they’re dictators and slavers? You’d make deals with them?” Hayden pushed.

Cal gave her a mirthless smile. “Benevolent dictators I can let pass. As for the rest, no deals. They don’t get to keep their power.”

“How would this even work? It’s not like we can travel the country looking for these elite monsters,” Dayana said.

“I don’t have details, since you are the first promising people I’ve come across. The outline of my plans will have you based in close proximity to me. I’ll take care of transport to and from problem sites. You handle it,” Cal said.

“This is a terrible interview,” Jayde said.

“Let me ask you then… what do you want?” Cal said.

Hayden thought about it very hard. Truth was what Cal was offering sounded just like what she wanted. Hard fights to get better and stronger. If he held up his part of the bargain that’s all she’d have to worry about. Wouldn’t have to worry about looking for them. She assumed he’d take care of all their food and housing needs. Better to clarify.

“Are you going to pay us?” Hayden said.

“Why would you need money? I’d project that you’d get plenty of Universal Points from killing more difficult monsters. There’s also a way to maybe game this so that Quests get generated. There might by bonus rewards in addition to the points. I know of a few cases in which people have been able to do just that,” Cal said.

“Food, a house, equipment, maintenance. You know, living stuff,” Hayden frowned.

“At a minimum you’ll be treated like a pro sports team. Best of everything,” Cal said. “If you don’t remember pro sports then picture it like being a superhero team,” he nodded to Dayana.

The silence stretched as the Furies glanced at each other.

Cal merely regarded them with a patient look.

“I’m ready to agree, provisionally though, and if you double cross us I’ll make you pay,” Hayden said. She regarded the rest of her team. “I’m not speaking for you. You better ask for what you want.”

“Pretty much the same for me. Take care of all my ancillary needs. The only thing I really want is to gain levels. Going up against gods and horrors sounds like the fastest way to do that. Hell, I gained a level just sneaking back from the bat people city. If you keep doing that for me then I’ll work for you,” Dayana said.

“If they’re in… I’m in, so… whatever,” Jayde shrugged.

Eyes drifted to Prim.

“Me? But I’m too weak to fight those things,” Prim said.

The girl had gone stiff from the attention.

“You don’t have to fight. Nila shared a little bit from your talk earlier today. I have a separate offer for you,” Cal smiled warmly.

Hayden’s eyes narrowed.

“The safest place you can be. One where you won’t be pushed into a life that you don’t want. Enough food to satisfy you and a home of your choice, at a minimum. You’ll have the opportunity to pursue what you want,” Cal said.

“Nila was telling me about where you guys live,” Prim said. “I can live there?”

Cal nodded. “No strings attached,” he caught Hayden’s eyes.

“He’s not bullshitting,” Dayana said.

“Then I want to do that, but I also want to be a Fury,” Prim said.

“You are,” Hayden said quickly, “but you’re not strong enough yet to go up against the really hard stuff. Why not live in a good place while you get stronger?”

“The others?” Prim said.

“In your orphanages? I don’t like what your mayor is doing with her breeding program,” Cal’s face twisted, “but I can’t just take them. That just feels like kidnapping,” he held up a finger, “with one exception. Kids like you, Prim, the ones they’re grooming… that’s not right, so if they choose, they can join you. I’ll fly them right over.”

Prim smiled happily, tears welled in her eyes.

Hayden patted her on the back.

“The Dread Paladin,” Dayana said.

“He murdered your friend,” Cal said. “I’d warn you to stay away for now. His strength and abilities are too much for you.”

“But not for you,” Dayana said.

“Maybe… I can’t be sure. The source of his abilities… they have a similar feel to the things I told you about,” Cal said.

Hayden stifled the urge to curse the man.

Patience.

She could be patient.

She had managed to be in the Dread Paladin’s presence for weeks without attacking him. She could wait longer.

“Okay…” she took a deep breath, “sounds like we have a tentative deal.”

“We can work out the details after dinner,” Cal said.

“Hey, Prim! Girls,” Nila appeared at the balcony door.

Hayden regarded the woman. It was the first time she had seen her out of that, apparently, fake armor. Nila wasn’t impressive. The woman was petite with a pretty face. Asian of some kind. She could never tell.

“Dinner’s ready when you are,” Nila continued.

“Introductions!” Cal said brightly. “This is Nila, my better half. These are the Furies, but they can introduce themselves…”

Hayden rose stiffly and shook Nila’s hand. She blinked then frowned. Surprisingly strong grip from the small hand with its dainty fingers and wrist.

Once the introductions were completed they followed Nila into the dining room.

The food was spread out on the counters. It all smelled good as far as Hayden was concerned.

They filled their plates with their choices and sat down to eat.

Conversation immediately went back to those terrible things Cal had claimed to have faced and in some cases killed.

“Yeah, like first thing it did, bit them off and ate them,” Cal wiggled the three fingers on his left hand, “I managed to turn them though, so it choked for a little bit. That reminds me. I wanted to ask about that pastor.”

“Don’t know much about him. He’s part of like a traveling church group. They said they came from north of us. Somewhere in Kansas or Oklahoma,” Hayden said. “They run a small church. Not a lot of people go. Annoying, but mostly harmless…”

“Ms. Daniels sometimes lets them help around the house. They’re always telling the kids how fun and happy being part of the church is,” Prim said.

Cal and Nila exchanged a look.

“Dominion of Light and Joy… Church of Eternal— son of bitch!” Dayana snapped. “That’s what you said, right? This Zalthyss is from the Dominion…”

“Try not to think too hard about it. I need to investigate first,” Cal said.

“Seems like one of those things you want our help for,” Hayden said.

“You’re not yet on a Zalthyss level,” Cal said. “Don’t think about it. It might draw attention to you. If you start hearing weird music randomly, let me know.”

Hayden wanted to argue, but Cal’s stories were fresh in her thoughts and she wasn’t a fool. She knew what she was capable of and what she wasn’t.

“I have a question,” Jayde raised her hand. “Why do you have your baby with you? It seems dangerous for him.”

“It’s quite the opposite. He’s safer with me, with us,” Cal said.

“That seems suspicious,” Jayde said.

“Well, to be honest. He’s not ours,” Cal said.

“Really? He looks just like you,” Prim said.

“He’s a foundling. I found him in the aftermath of that fog stuff I told you about,” Cal said.

“So you adopted him,” Dayana said.

“Not… exactly. I’m hoping to find him a loving home. It’s just that I, we, had to go on this trip and I couldn’t leave him,” Cal said.

“That’s not good,” Jayde said lightly. “He’s going to imprint on you guys. If he hasn’t already.”

“He’s not a bird!” Dayana snapped.

“Nah, it’s pretty similar. It’s like how babies of all species are cute, right? So the parents want to take care of them harder. I read it in the library,” Jayde said. “I’m just saying if you don’t want to mess him up then you either keep him or get rid of him asap. Kids need to grow up with the same parents. Can’t make it weird for them.”

“Uh… thanks for the insight,” Cal said.

“No problem, least I can do is share my knowledge when you’re going to give me a mansion,” Jayde grinned.

They spoke of lighter things as they ate.

Shared happier stories.

For the Furies it was their fights with monsters.

Not wanting to be outdone by Cal’s terrors, they told him of their own.

Mention of the Meat Parade had drawn a dark expression across Cal’s face. However, it had vanished so quickly that Hayden doubted what she had seen.

For what it was worth, he promised that the cannibals had his attention.

Hayden relaxed as the night wore on.

Safe.

She felt safe for the first time in as long as she could remember.

That was why she was reluctant to depart, but the night grew late and the baby started crying which as good a signal as any.

The Furies piled back into the elevator.

“Elliot’s going to be mad,” Dayana said.

“So what? Since when did we care what he thought?” Jayde said.

“This is different. We’re leaving the Golden Eagles completely. We have a contract,” Dayana said.

“It doesn’t say that they own us,” Jayde said. “If they were smart they’d be all up Cal’s ass looking for their own deals. Not that he’d just take anybody.”

“Hayden, say something?” Dayana said.

“What?” Hayden had been lost in thought. The warmth from the meal and the company lingered within her. “Oh, we just don’t say anything. Cal seems like he knows what he’s doing. If he’s serious about uniting against the bad guys then he’s probably going to make deals with everyone. The eagles. The mayor… although she’s going to hate him.”

“Is it okay?” Prim said. “I don’t want to get anyone hurt.”

“Fuck yeah! Kids shouldn’t be forced into serving some pervy old farts,” Jayde said. “I’d rather punch em all, but I guess taking you guys away is the next best thing.”

“I forgot to ask him about his powers,” Hayden said. “I wonder if he knows why we’re different. Why everyone else gets classes, but I, we, don’t?”

“That’s cause you’re special… or unlucky,” Jayde said.

“Or both,” Dayana said.