Rebecca held her children close. She stood at the corner of the central housing building, watching the Portal. Nothing happened for Several hours. Miri had hung close to her, Rebecca knew she was waiting. For what, she didn’t know. Miri had always said her part, and left. This time was different. She had said Ethan was coming, and hung around, motionless, silent.
Rebecca continued to talk with her children. Soothing their fears that Miri was lying, she could feel it, Miri was telling the truth. He [Soul Connection] had reacted once the portal had finished forming. A wave of emotions crashed into her. Fear, apprehension, depression, anger, regret, shame.
It’s Ethan alright. Come on Baby, come on.
The waiting was killing her, but she remained cold on outside. She couldn’t let Miri, or the kids see her stress. Her kids least of all. If they caught even a passing glimpse at how she felt they’d crumble. She could feel them, two vibrating balls of worry, and excitement. Rebecca’s Harbor Soul had leveled to the point it worked with [Soul Connection] amplifying and separating emotions. She was already overwhelmed with her own emotions, if the kids lost it, she wouldn’t last much longer.
The portal began to shack and pulse. The women and children for the most part had departed long ago, after the initial wonder wore off. A few people had come and gone, some had returned and hung around chatting. But all movement stopped as eyes turned to the portal.
“Here it comes.” Was all Miri said.
It? Not him?
Rebecca watched as the Portal swelled with energy, and then a monster half the size of the build she was practically hiding behind shot out of it. At first its taut form shocked Rebecca, like a spring ready to launch. The Gray brown scales as large as some smaller cars she’d seen in the old world. Claws longer than she was tall. A mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Then she saw the blood, the deep rich red brown, rained down as it squeezed out of the portal at a blinding speed. Leaving red mist in its wake as it thrashed and swiped at the air.
It was clearly blinded, as more blood ran from its eyes than anywhere else. She watched as more and more of the gargantuan beast clawed its way forward out of the portal. Then like a force a nature birthing into the world, it freed itself, and short forward.
That was when Rebecca noticed the blood drenched chains around its neck ending in watch looked like curved daggers piercing its flesh. She followed the chains as the Drake ran away from the portal. Half way down its tail a man, made of white gray stone held on, chains wrapped around his arms. Power flashed across the open field, the man yanked on the chains and shot forward yelling.
“HAHA It worked! Now I am become death, and I bring the destroyer of worlds! HAHA!”
Ethan!
As if summoned the man turned and looked at Rebecca. No. He saw her.
--
Ethan’s vision blanked out as he crossed the threshold of the portal. His mind was racing, nerves on end, and body worn out. Pain assaulted him. But for a moment, it all disappeared. Then the world came rushing back, as he was yanked forward by the chains wrapped around his arms.
Joy filled him as he saw some place new, and the Drake still in one piece. Bloody, but it was like that before they arrived on the other side of the portal. Quickly thinking he did his best to cancel the gravity around him, and puled as hard as he could, launching himself forward towards the back of the Drake. Laughing he shouted the only thing that came to mind.
And that is when he felt Rebecca. Notifications rang in his ears. His body swelled, he felt powerful, he felt good. Turning he saw her, his Rebecca.
[ETHAN!]
What the hell was that?
“Joe, I heard Rebecca in my head. How?”
“That is Soul Connection. Seeing Rebecca lifted the block on the skill… and a lot more. Your stats have shot up. Focus on the Drake, I’ll handle everything else.” Joe said, going silent, as Ethan flew forward landing on the Drake’s back.
It was finally time for him to get his family and run. He just had one more thing to do.
“REBECCA, HALEY, MARK!! ATTACK THE DRAKE WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE, I’ll KEEP IT BUSY!” Ethan screamed, hoping he knew Rebecca as well as he thought he did.
The Drake ran blindly through the open field, Ethan riding it, swinging his rounded hammer head, slamming it into the side of the Drake’s head whenever it tried to veer off into the treeline surrounding the building in the center.
--
[Go! Haley, take Mark to the roof, track that monster your Dad is riding. Mark, listen to Haley, and do what your Dad said, unleash everything on it. I don’t know what he is up to, but he has a plan. If he says kill it, we kill it.]
Rebecca sent over [Soul Connection] as she ran after Ethan.
[Mom, is that really Dad? Why is he bald? And Gray?] Haley was confused, and wanted answers.
[Haley, please. Just do what I am asking, we can worry about that later on, but that is your father, I promise. My title is no longer deactivated. My Stats just shot up, and I felt it. I can feel your father’s emotions and right now he is not doing well. He needs our support. Please.]
Rebecca turned back, and saw that Mark was already half way up central building, he had constructed some sort of grappling hook, and was climbing.
[Fine, but I still wanna know why he’s gray.] Haley said as she formed a round disk of light, stepping on it and slowly rose into the air.
Rebecca turned and ran harder.
[Ethan, Ethan, can you hear me? I am headed to you. What is going on?] Rebecca sent over [Soul Connection], with no reply.
She could feel Ethan was overjoyed, and scared. She could feel he didn’t want her near him, he felt it was too dangerous. But she wasn’t going to leave him on his own. Not now, not ever again.
[Sorry, but you’re stuck with me. The kids are on top of the Housing building, waiting for the signal. I’m not going anywhere. I’m coming to get you, and that’s it. No getting around that.]
Rebecca felt the resolve Ethan let fill the connection they had, she had won him over. He was leading the monster around, running in a full circle. It would swipe at the air, howl or attempt to buck him off. Each time Ethan would send a heavy ball smashing into the side of the massive head. Shaking the creature to its core.
[What do you need me to do?]
“WE NEED TO STOP IT FROM RUNNING SO YOU AND THE KIDS CAN KILL IT!” Ethan shouted as he brought it back around towards her, and the central building. It was visibly beaten by now. Blood ran free from its face, and many cuts around its neck.
[Hold on, coming right up.]
Rebecca summon her chains of light, pushing herself off to the side, as the creature barreled by. Landing she sent the chains out again, binding its front legs. Its head rocketed forward, slamming into the ground throwing up a dust cloud. Dirt flew as it tumbled forward, back over front.
Ethan disappeared.
“Ethan!” Rebecca screamed.
“Easy there mama bear, I’m right here.” Ethan said, appearing behind her.
Turning around she saw him, it was too real. She had known he would come, she knew he’d bring trouble, but this?
“You’re gray.” Was all she could say, and not betray her feelings.
“Oh, right.” Ethan said as his skin returned to his natural hue.
Rebecca could see that he wasn’t bald, his hair was just really short, and growing in. But it was Ethan, her Ethan. Chains fell out of his back, and shot forward, pulling her to him.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Long time no see, I see you took care of the family while I was gone. But the chains of light are new. Oh, and the whole talking in my head.”
“Someone had to while you were off playing with your friend over there. Wanna fill me in? And I’m not the only one with chains.” Rebecca said, taking a moment to enjoy Ethan’s embrace.
“Ah, yeah, long story short, he’s not a friend, he’s a Mountain Drake, and he was like that when I found him. I was trying to show him my awesome wife, and he just didn’t believe me. As for the chains, I made em. Another long story. We can get to it after you give me a kiss, I kinda sorta missed you. And need one right now.” Ethan said, with a smirk.
“Right, I’m sure you were just reading your bible, practicing your hymns and that big ol’ Mountain Drake came down and picked a fight.” Rebecca reached up, and pulled Ethan into a long overdue kiss.
“Might wanna give the kids the go ahead with your lil mind phone.” Ethan said, pulling away, and going in for another kiss.
[Kids, unleash hell on the Drake. Give it everything, show off a bit for your Dad, let him know we have missed him.]
Pulling away, eyes locked on each other. Haley, and Mark sent confirmation through [Soul Connection].
--
Ethan was lost in his wife's eyes, he was home, and couldn’t be happier. The world melted away as he went in for another kiss. Pulling away he held Rebecca, wrapped in his chains, tools at the ready in case ‘his friend’ decided to recover, and come at them.
“Show off for me, huh? You been teaching the kids your bad habits again?” Ethan said, turning to see his kids on top of a three story building.
Is that where they’ve been staying? Joe said it would be protected, I hope the Drake can’t get to them, but it probably can. I’ll have to tie it down.
“Eh, they’ve been studying pretty hard, waiting for you to show up. We knew you would. But we should get out of the way.” Rebecca said, hating to let him go, but knew they had to get moving.
Ethan watched as a beam of light slammed into the Drake’s stomach from the roof. Followed by a volley of Mana bursts, looking like elongated bullets. Just slower. The Drake let out an angry roar, trying to roll over.
“Light and Mana bullets?” Ethan asked as they ran around the Drake, avoiding the barrage raining down near them.
“Luma Magic, similar to light, just not as restricted. It can control light, and the absence of light. And your son is something else, you have to see it for yourself. Come on, lets go.” Rebecca said as she summoned her own chains of light, and wrapped Ethan around the waist. Two more chains were summoned, and pushed them up into the air.
[Haley, can I get a platform?] Rebecca said.
“So you can just broadcast your thoughts like that?” Ethan asked, not entirely understanding what was going on, but glad he could hear his wife's voice again.
[Not quiet. The Guides can’t listen in on |Soul Connection| so we’ve been using it to communicate. I’ll show you later. For now, try to get used to speaking in your mind, through your soul, as well as through your mouth. Try to learn to speak with both, but don’t let anything you want kept secret be spoken with words. They are listening.] Rebecca said, as two more chains shot out wrapping around a thin platform of light that had formed not far from them.
Ethan watched as Rebecca controlled her chains better than he controlled his own. Going along for the ride, he watched as she deftly swung them under the platform, and up into the air. Her chains disappeared and reappeared before he had time to figure out what was going on. Two more chains short forward gripping the edge of the building, lifting them up and over the edge.
“You’re like a weird octopus with those chains, way better at then I am with mine.”
“Thank you, but I don’t use mine to beat my friends into meeting his family.” Rebecca said chuckling, glad to have Ethan back. “Hey, kids, say hi to your day, the none gray version.”
“Mean. It is Alabaster, thank you.” Ethan said, with a smile as he ran to his children.
“Dad!” Haley screamed, as she ran to meet her Dad. “I missed you.”
Sweeping her up in his arms Ethan gave Haley a big hug, and kiss.
“Missed you too firefly”
Mark held back, keeping an eye on the Drake. Unsure of how he should act. Ethan knew this, he had kept an eye on him since he was a kid. He knew he was a sensitive kid, but Mark never took his eye off what he deemed important.
Putting Haley down, Ethan walked over to Mark.
“Hey big man, you good?”
“The Drake isn’t dead. Everyone has evacuated. The Guides are watching.”
“I know. But that isn’t what I was asking. I wanted to know, if You are okay. I want to know how you are doing.”
“I am not hurt.”
“How are you inside?”
“Scared. Overwhelmed. Frustrated.”
“You frustrated with me?” Ethan said, kneeling down.
“No. System.” Mark said, never taking his eyes off the Drake.
It laid there slowly breathing, whatever the kids had done to it, hurt it. Hurt it bad.
“I completely understand. I’ve been pretty pissed at the System myself. Wanna know what I did?”
Finally taking his eyes off the Drake, Mark looked at Ethan. “What?”
“I sorta did something stupid. I declared war on it. Wanna help me take it down?”
[It can hear you, Miri confirmed it, Mom said so.] Mark’s voice rang in Ethan’s mind.
“It is too powerful.” Mark spoke out loud.
“I see what your Mom means now. It isn’t going to be easy. But I came here to get you guys out of here. There is more going on then I have time to tell you. But we are going to get out of here, and then I can explain everything. But to do that. I need your help. Do you want to help?”
[Yes. Tell me what you need, I can make it.]
“I can help, if you need it.” Mark said, diving into Ethan’s arms.
“I can’t do the Soul thing your Mom can do. Show me what you can do. Please.” Ethan whispered into Mark’s ear. Happy to have his son back.
[I feel safer talking like this. I can make constructs. As long as I understand how individual parts are created, I can recreate it with ambient Mana. I don’t have to understand how to make it myself just enough to form a mental image of it. Like a Lego set, I know how Legos are made. But I don’t know how a space shuttle is made, but I can recreate a shuttle. Or a car. But the bigger it is, the more it uses up my own Mana. I can only use the same amount of ambient Mana, as my reserves.]
Ethan was amazed. It was a perfect skill for Mark. The amount of nights he had caught him staying up late learning how things were made, it had become a nightly activity for the two night owls. Mark would explain how they whatever he was focused on that night, was made, until he passed out, and Ethan would carry him to bed.
“Rail Gun. I need a Rail Gun.” Ethan said, a huge smile on his face. Pulling away, he reached into his bag, and pulled out his hail marry.
“It’s called a Screaming Vacuum Penetrator it-” Ethan said, getting cut off.
“It’s like the IEDs, it uses a Vacuum to increase the force. But Screaming?” Mark said.
“It is part of what I need to explain later on. For now, magic. It adds a fear element, freezing the target.” Ethan said, getting up handing the round to Mark.
Haley had been watching the entire conversation.
“What do you need me to do, Dad?”
“That light beam was you right? Can you generate heat? Or is is like a concussive light thing? I saw you make a platform of light. Pretty sweet.”
“I can do both, heat is easier, and more cost effective on Mana.”
“Do that. I want Mark to punch a hole in it. Haley, you aim for the same spot. Burn it. We need to take it down, as soon as its dead, we haul ass-”
[To the portal?] Rebecca asked, cutting Ethan off, making sure that part was kept secret to everyone but her family.
Ethan nodded.
“Rebecca, you and me are gonna keep the Drake busy. Tie it down. Give Mark and Haley a clean shot. Then we go in for the kill. Got it?”
“I am following your lead. Kids, send the signal when you’re read. Need a ride dear?” Rebecca asked with a smirk.
“I think I can find my way.” Ethan said, as he started running for the edge of the building. Blinking further away and into the air.
Mark sat down and started constructing a rail gun to fit his Dad’s weird cone.
Haley watched her Dad disappear and reappear.
“Mark, I think you should hurry. The Drake is up and running. The Guides are along the outer border, just watching.”
[I just need three minutes. I don’t know how magnets are made.] Mark replied.
[Fair enough, but it doesn’t look happy. I think it healed up a bit. It isn’t bleeding anymore.]
Above the clearing surrounding the central building, Ethan pulled out two more Aggro Arrows, activating Gravity Control, they began to orbit him, as he fell to the ground.
“I have to get its attention, this is going to piss it the fuck off, so get ready to jump, or whatever it you do, out of the way. Focus on tying its legs up. We want it pissed and trapped.” Ethan said as Rebecca landed next to him, canceling her chains, “And you’re going to want to plug your ears or something. It is going to effect anyone within range.”
“First, you’re showing me how you do that blinky thing. Second, you’re going to show me how to do the floaty spiny around you thing. Third, how are you not going to be effected if you’re so close, I doubt plugging your ears works up close.”
“One, its called Blink, can do. Second, Gravity Control, can’t teach. Third, I have a friend who can help with that. You ready Joe?” Ethan said.
“Always.” Joe replied.
“Who is Joe? And where is this ‘Joe’?” Rebecca asked confused.
“Long story. He’s my Guide, I sorta… Ate him.” Ethan said, shame apparent on his face.
“Yeah, I’m gonna need the longer version on that one. Did you hear back from your friend?”
Ethan realized Rebecca couldn’t hear Joe, the dread of him talking to himself the whole time briefly passed. He was brought out of his thoughts as he felt the Aggro Arrows fill full of Ambient Mana, ready to go off.
“Yes. We gotta move, the Aggro Arrows are primed.”
“Aggro Arrows… God you suck at naming things. Are you sure you don’t want to head for the Portal now? I don’t want my kids to get beat up for their embarrassing Dad’s weird naming habits.”
“Yeah, you and Joe are gonna get along swimmingly.” Ethan said as he ran towards the Drake still blindly swiping away at empty air. Haley had managed to keep it occupied by shooting beams of light at the ground, leading it away from her parents.
“HALEY, TOWARDS US!” Ethan shouted.
[Dear. Let me handle that. Haley, lead the Drake towards us now, please.]
[Thanks mom, I couldn’t hear Dad. Dad, are you going to be okay? I don’t want to see you get hurt.]
[He can hear you, but he can’t talk to you. Don’t worry, I got his back.]
Ethan was feeling left out, but it was something to work on later. For now he had a Drake to kill. Haley started firing beams of light behind the Drake. It spun and swiped. Ethan launched his first Aggro Arrow. Before it hit, it roared in unison with the Drake, amplifying each others howl. The Drake squared up, teeth bared, it lunged at open air. Biting and slashing. The Aggro Arrow slammed into its ribs knocking it off its feet, it rolled shortly before sprinting back up and charging in the direction it was hit.
“Split up!” Ethan shouted as he ran to the left. Rebecca to the right.
The Drake jumped, furiously slashing where it had last heard its assaulter, moments before it landed, Ethan launched the second Aggro Arrow, hitting the same spot a small geyser of blood sprayed out. Launching the Drake closer to where Rebecca had been. Spotting her chance, Rebecca shot up into the air, and bond the Drake’s legs mid air.
[Those won’t hold, they aren’t meant to bind.]
Ethan understood, it was his time to attack. Changing direction, he started blinking towards the Drake. Launching an unprimed Aggro Arrow at the Drake to distract it more than anything. Pulling out one more Aggro Arrow, he sent it into orbit around himself.
“Get ready Joe. Gonna need that trick again.” Ethan said, as he started running once again towards the Drake.