Whoever built my tricorder was not human. Or there is an alternative to essences that leads to a very different aura. Anyway I have time now and am halfheartedly writing a defense. Mainly that I am a civillian and that you cannot expect me to act according to military rules. The problem is that I don’t belief it myself. Monsters don’t make that difference.

But other than that I am making some progress. Some things about auras at least is correct. It turns out that auras need not be spherical. My tricorder’s probe can register auras. Thus my training setup is the probe and a cup next to it. Whenever I can lift the cup without the probe triggering, I move them closer.

And I need to get a grip on my mind. I find it very hard to remember how often I wanted to kill people before I had essences. Do I want to kill people more often or do I just care because I now could realize the intent? Well, I am lying to myself. Anybody carrying a bag whom you meet on the street could have an axe to be buried in your head in that bag. The new thing was the threat of a coup invalidating the old order.

And could I really hate the Network for withholding magic from the world, while I was wondering whether normal people should be allowed to dictate to me? Hell, yes. The Network was a bunch of liars, while I only lost democratic leanings.

Confinement if he could really do it might impact me. But he needs me to scan for monsters. That means sitting on turret all day long. And that is the common situation in a nutshell. Wizards are needed. He dares not even remove the padding from my seat. Though they have affixed anti-skid mats to the roof of the front gun turret.

I am enjoyed the cloudy but dry weather, as a lock comes into view and only the lock. It is empty of people, though not of water obviously. I asked my guards. Now that I am confined, my guards can be military. I will not pretend to understand those rules. I asked why this was so empty. „It is under remote control. The people are sitting in a nice control room. The guards are kept at some distance to not attract monsters.“ Very well. I am getting no auras here. The guards must be normal rank. Brave men.

The guards are clearing their throats. „The ship is no longer in motion. We have to lead you back to your cabin.“ I grin. The degree to which people are clinging to rules is funny. „Lead on“

I am meditating. In my cabin, obviously. The acustic alarm startles me. Meditation delays my reaction times. But it does allow for pushing out aura senses. Iron rank enemies. Dozens of them. But they are not human. Nor are most of them monsters. They are on deck and inside the ship. People are on the deck. They feel pain and despair. Shots ring out and screams fill the ship.

I need to get out of this cabin. The door is locked. The time for being nice is over. A chair smashes against the door. After a few times the chair is ruined but the door is unlocked the hard way. I still need to push strongly against it. A corpse blocked the door. I think it is one of my guards. It is kind of hard to tell, because the head is missing. I swallow hard a few times. A cold calm overcomes me, like the time twenty years ago with the bad industrial accident where I had to do first aid. My pressure bandages held that day. That reminds me of something; where is the blood that should be here? Removing a man’s head causes a gigantic mess. I conjure my assault rifle. I am not trained in walking silently, but the background noise makes sneaking redundant. There is a modified monster aura and noise coming from the corridor ending at the next T-junction. Should I switch to a knife for stealth? I don’t dare it. I am getting ready and go around the corner. I confront what really looks like an octopus. It hisses and jumps. I pull the trigger. It has left behind the chewed up remains of a human head. I quickly close my eyes and proceed in my erstwhile direction to the next junction. That should have taken me almost to the forward end of the old deckhouse. The navy had converted the cargo holds to magazines an bunks. But you need to go up on deck to enter them. Most of the pain I sense comes from there or the deck.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

I hesitate. I have to make a decision. If the hold is a confusing jumble of friend and foe, I will not take it back on my own. Having weapons with a superior range is useless in tight confines. The enemy has superiority in numbers. For now we have light. That may or may not last. In darkness my perception would show me traces, but nothing identifiable. Unless I am ready to shoot at anything that moved, that is no use. That section however, holds the guns. Leaving the guns to the enemy has a clear consequence. This ship is lost. That means getting Ulrike and Dejan out, getting to one of the other hips and radio for support. The lock will be blocked. This expedition has failed spectacularly. We are about to block of the major routes of traffic in Europe.

Tarrying won’t help. I round the next corner. Reinforcements! Two people in army uniforms. „Don’t shoot, I am friendly.“ Yet they shot and their auras are not human. I fire back. Two through the lower belly. One in the hip. I collapse. I go for a bronze rank potion from my inventory. It hurts. I whimper. A door opens and the cook drags me into his cabin. I moan and curl into a ball.

Some people say that they fear pain. They are fools. Pain is a sign of life. You need to fear death. I can feel the potion work. It is not nice and I keep whimpering, but the fear that crushes your soul is missing.

P: Do you have a gun?

He shakes his head. I give him a loaded 9mm from my arsenal.

P: Follow me. We need to get out of this ship. It is in enemy hands. We’ll die if we stay here.

He nods.

I strain my aura sense. If something does not read as human to it, I will fire, regardless of how human it looks.

P: We need to cross over to the other side of the ship, go back one frame and then up the ladder.

Something is passing by the cabin in what would be slow jogging speed for a human. I freeze and slowly hold a finger before my lips. He nods again.

We wait half a minute or so. The light goes out.

P: This is good. They do not see us, but I have aura sense.

My ocular normal perception shows me a path from the last place I saw the cook to a place I can remember as his bed. I have to try it.

P: Come on, it is just a few steps in the darkness. I am a wizard I will protect you.

He just whimpers.

P: It is really no problem. I have a big gun. All will be well.

He keeps whimpering. I sigh. Very softly. I have a sense of self-üreservation. And then I leave.

This time I do try sneaking. I even close my eyes and really trust my aura. No this is stupid. I can still see traces with my eyes.I round the corner. Right in front of me two non-people and two monsters are standing in a corridor over a downed sailor. I silenty and slowly raise my assault rifle. I aim by the traces. And then I go full auto.

Is that the right door? I concentrate. Yes, it is them. Telling people apart by aura is hard. I dismiss the rifle and advance, only to run into a sticky, soft resistance. And to hear a growl coming from behind the next corner. I pull out Rademacher’s wand and a flare, both into my left hand. The right is hopelessly entangled.

I fire the weapon at the spider web. It fails away. There is a growl and a shape dimly lit in the weapons coloured light races towards me. I throw myself to the floor and escape with a few deep scratches on my back.

There is a fire extinguisher mounted on the wall. The dog monster finds itself attack by a it, curving through the air aiming for the beast’s face. I get my big rifle out. It recognises the danger, but it is too late. A shot hits it in the face.

I knock on their door and yell their names. The whole ship must have heard that commotion. Something is comming down the ladder. As they open, I push into their cabin, flinging a hand grenade towards the ladderr.

P: Hello. Open your mouths cover your ears!

BANG. They heared on other ships.

D: We need to get out of here.

P: Yes, unfortunately a few of the tougher monsters have survived this.

I notice a porthole on a wall.

P: Is that an exterior wall?

U: Yes, why?

I do a full prismatic beam and let the void eat the wall.

P: Jump!