Kyto and Tiddles walked up to the house. They could both hear the excited shouts of the cubs before they had even reached the door.

“Dad’s back,” Sneezy shouted.

“Is he?” Rosie said excitedly.

The three siblings sprinted towards the house’s front door and started to scratch at it.

Tabs walked down the stairs at the commotion the cubs were making and saw them. “What is wrong with you three?” she said, approaching them.

“Dad is here. Open the door!” Pouncer replied, even though Tabs could not understand him.

Tabs frowned, walking to the door and opening it for them to see Kyto and Tiddles walking up the road. Her heart skipped as she saw him; he looked bigger again, as if he had grown taller. Tiddles also looked huge.

The cubs bolted out the door and ran at Tiddles, throwing themselves at him.

“Dad. You are back. How was it? I guess you won? What happened?” Rosie asked in a jumble of questions.

Tiddles grinned at the cubs. “We are home safe and sound for now, and I am sure we will talk about what happened later.”

Pouncer and Sneezy cheered at his response when Rosie responded, “What do you mean for now?”

Tabs ran from the doorway and engulfed her man in her arms. She kissed him passionately on his lips, and he swung her around. “I am so glad you are home. TJ sent updates to us, and we have been so worried. Are you ok?”

“I am as well as I can be,” he replied, grinning and placing her back on the ground. He realised that she seemed to have weighed less when he had picked her up.

“Crystal is in town with Elizabeth at the hangar.”

“I have not seen them yet. I have come straight from the town square, where the portal appeared.”

“What portal?” Tabs replied, frowning.

“We only have twenty-four hours and must leave again.”

“What?”

“We have been issued a new quest that means we have to go through the portal within the next day, or we suffer a further incursion of the town.”

“What is the System playing at? What portal, though?”

“Let us go inside, and I will explain all to you.”

The emotional rollercoaster that Tabs went through as Kyto explained what had happened to them in the Dungeon she could not put into words. When Tiddles had started answering and elaborating on parts initially, she had not even realised he was talking, having been so used to Kyto relaying his comments and engrossed in the story. When she did, she nearly fell off the sofa they sat on. Tiddles had chuckled away to himself for ages, and the cubs had looked at him with complete confusion until he had explained that everyone could understand him now.

“So, you have to go through this portal tomorrow?” Tabs asked.

“Unless we want the town to be invaded by even worse creatures than last time, then, yes, we have no choice,” Kyto replied.

“You said it does not say where it goes, though.”

“No, we have no idea until we go through it.”

“I wish there was a way to come with you.”

“I wish there were as well, but it says that the portals can only be used by Enlightened.”

“I wish we knew what the System is trying to accomplish,” Tabs said.

“We still have over four hundred days until the challenges it mentions start, and as things are going, I do not think it will get any easier between now and then. I only wish that the rest of you were also Enlightened.”

“I am going to grab some food for the cubs,” Tiddles said.

“Sure, let me go and open the utility room up,” Tabs replied.

“You have not left it open for them?” Tiddles asked.

“It would have been left open if a certain little monster could be trusted not to hunt for giant rats and bring them back into the house. After finding a dead rat lying in the kitchen for the fifth time, Crystal laid the law down with them.”

“It was Pouncer,” Rosie and Sneezy replied in unison.

Pouncer dropped his head sheepishly. “They were gifts.”

“They may be gifts for our kind, but Risen do not eat giant rats,” Tiddles replied. “Do you promise not to bring any back in again?”

“Yes, Dad,” he replied sullenly.

“You should be good to leave it open again now,” Tiddles said.

“That will be helpful. Having three cubs needing to go to the toilet at different times gets a little wearing,” Tabs replied, getting up to unlock the door.

A while later, a truck could be heard outside, and moments later, Crystal walked in the front door with Lars. Her eyes were puffy and bright red, and there were clear streaks on her cheeks where she had been crying.

“What is wrong?” Tabs asked with concern.

Crystal turned and grinned. “Absolutely nothing.”

“Then why do you look like you have been crying?” Tabs asked.

“That would be my fault,” Lars replied.

∆∆∆

Josie returned from her recent patrol to the guard room to be passed the message that Mr Cooper wished to see her. She had worked for Mr Cooper on several occasions, and he always wanted something underhand completing. She was not bothered and was quite happy doing the dirty work if needed. She had disposed of particular competition for Mr Cooper in the past, and if he asked for her, she knew it would be something similar. She walked across the yard of the fuel depot to the offices.

Harmon was sitting in his office reading through the latest report from New Talisia when there was a knock on the door.

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“Come in,” he called.

Josie walked in, “Mr Cooper, I believe you asked to see me?”

“Ah. Hemmings, good. You are here. I have a task for you in New Talisia. Nothing bad for now, although it may require your special touch at some point,” Harmon replied.

“What exactly do you need me to do?” Josie asked.

“For now, it is just information gathering. I have had recent reports that that bitch, Geneva, has been overstepping her position. She has assigned my home to some newcomers, and I want to discover why she thinks they are so important.” He said.

“Has that not been reported already?” Josie asked; it was a little strange that he did not already have details like that, and going on a scouting job was not what she usually did.

“It has, but what I have heard does not ring true, and I want a second opinion.”

“What do you have already?”

Harmon pushed the latest report over to her. She bent down, picked it up, and read the details. They were all aware of the forces that had attacked New Talisia, but she had not heard the reports about the strangers who had helped. The details were brief, but it mentioned a beast and a man who could heal.

“What is so strange about a beast or a man who heals?” she asked.

“He heals without using medicine from the rumours. He has some power that can heal others, and I want to know where he got it from, and the beast apparently bursts into flames,” He replied.

Josie frowned at his comments, “Bursts into flames? I have worked with beasts for several years, and never have I seen a beast that will go near fire, never mind burst into flames!”

“You can now understand why I wish for a second opinion,” Harmon replied.

“When did you want me to go?”

“The next delivery run is tomorrow if you can be ready by then. I have booked you into your usual accommodation while in town.” He replied.

That meant she was staying at the Broken Tap. It was one of the main bars in New Talisia, and Mr Cooper owned it. It had several rooms that were available for use as required. They were not for general members of the town and were used when Mr Cooper had guests from other townships or business partners coming to see him. The Broken Tap also served the best food in the town.

“How do you want me to report?”

“In person. We have fuel runs every two days, so report back after four. That should give you enough time to discover whether there is any truth in the rumours.”

“No problem.”

Josie turned and left Mr Cooper’s office. She was going to look forward to being in the Broken Tap. It was also an excellent bar for gathering information because it was popular. Anyone who was anything in the township ate and drank there. She made her way back over to the barracks block and went to her room.

She held privileges as the depot guard and had a private room with a small lounge area. She had only been at the fuel depot for six years but had soon risen in the ranks. She did not take fools lightly, and several had fallen to her wrath. She was also the only beast handler who had two beasts. Lady and Lola were her beasts. They were sisters and had been captured as cubs. She had not found them but managed to procure them from an unfortunate man who fell foul to her wrath one night seven years ago now. She had had to dispatch him and, searching his vehicle, discovered the small cage containing the two beasts. She knew how much value they had and what they could do when trained, so she had taken the opportunity to move into the guard business.

Others rumoured that she had started life as a raider, which she had never confirmed or denied to them. The truth was that she had been a raider until the group had split. The leader had died remarkably of old age, and the two members, his juniors, then vied for power. She had ended up walking away from the raiding life when it happened as she did not like either of the people who had fought to take over.

She began to pack, ready for the trip to New Talisia, when the system upgrade occurred. After its conclusion, the beasts had been going wild in the cages. She would have to leave Lady and Lola behind and would need to ensure that they were fed. She left her room and went to the cages where the beasts stayed when not on patrol.

The depot had twelve beasts, taking turns running regular patrols of the depot and surrounding area. The fuel they made on the site was one of the wealthiest commodities, and they occasionally found fools who tried to break in and steal containers. It never went well for any that did if a beast got on their trails. One recent incident saw one of the delivery drivers who had been running a side scheme being discovered when the fuel tallies did not match up. He had fled the depot with his family while still under suspicion, and she had been sent to track him down. The fool had not travelled far and hid in an abandoned warehouse several miles from the depot. Lady and Lola had tracked the family easily and dispatched them all.

“Hey, girls,” she said, approaching the cages. Lady and Lola came strutting over to her as she opened the door. The other beasts in the cage moved out of their way as they walked over. Several months ago, an incident occurred when a young male beast that had started at the depot tried to take charge. It had not gone well for him. The girls had made their position known when they had torn it to pieces one evening. They were not very large, but combined when they worked together, there was not a beast alive that she was aware of that could face them. They had a sibling bond, which allowed them to work in unison.

“I need to go away for a few days,” she told them. They both nudged her with understanding as she stroked them. The beasts were the only living things she had any feelings for. She did not care for anyone or anything else.

Henry, a young man who oversaw cleaning the cages, walked from his small shed where he kept his equipment.

“Henry. I need to go and do a job for Mr Cooper for four days. Make sure that Lady and Lola are fed while I am away.” She said it was not a question. Lady and Lola looked at Henry and growled at him hungrily.

“Will do,” he replied fearfully. He hated feeding them; the pair were savage, and he was always worried they would attack him.

Josie smiled as she walked away from the cages. She knew that Lady and Lola had scared Henry to death. It was good that he showed fear as many others in the depot did when they were released on patrol.

The convoy to New Talisia left early the following morning. The journey would take several hours, and even though the roads were well travelled, the going was always slow with fuel convoys due to the speed at which the trucks drove. There was always a fear of an accident and the potential disaster if the fuel was spilt. She had climbed in with a guard who had come to escort the delivery from New Talisia and had been discussing the recent events.

“I wish I had been there to help,” my beasts would have loved killing those creatures you have mentioned,” Josie said.

“More beasts would have helped, but the one that was there. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. It is the largest beast I have ever seen, and I have seen a few,” Hugh replied.

“Being large does not mean that it is necessarily the strongest. My girls have handled bigger beasts before.”

“No, when I say large, I mean this thing is huge. And when it was burning!” Hugh replied, pausing as though lost for words to explain.

“Burning?”

“Yeah. It was burning. I was fighting at the Western stockades. We had been at it for a while, and there seemed no end of the creatures coming in when this beast suddenly appeared that was on fire. It was not a normal fire. It seemed ethereal as if it was part of it. It’s the strangest thing I have ever seen. It devastated the monsters, setting hundreds on fire.”

“Hundreds?”

“I am not sure how many, but that beast slaughtered so many monsters it was crazy.”

“I will have to try and see this beast while I am in town.”

“It was not there when we left. It had gone with its master to an area where they think the incursion may have originated. I have not been there myself as not part of the rota.”

“So, it is not in town at the moment?”

“No, not currently.”

“That is a shame. I hope they are back soon.”

“I could not tell you when they are due back, sorry.”

“So, apart from the beast, what about this strange man who can heal people?”

“Don’t even get me started on him. He has this power. I can’t explain it, but he can heal people. I know first-hand from being injured. I had been taken to the hangar after the fight as I had a broken wrist. I had not even noticed it during the fighting, but after they left, the pain had set in, so after checking my notifications, I went to get it looked at. This young man comes up to me, covered in blood and gore from the fighting and, without even touching me, points at me, and the next thing I know, my wrist is healed.”

“He just pointed at you?”

“Yep. He just pointed at me. He did not touch me or look at my arm closely; he just pointed at me. I would not believe it myself if it had not happened to me. That was not the strangest thing, though.”

“What was that then?”

“The glowing ball.”

“Glowing ball?”

“Yeah, he had this glowing ball of light that floated by his shoulder the whole damn time.”

“What like a lantern?”

“No, just a ball of light hanging in the air.”

Josie frowned, “How can a ball of light just float in the air?”

“My point exactly. How? There are rumours that he is an Enlightened.”

“Enlightened? As in this new age, we are supposed to be in?”

“Yeah. Supposedly, but don’t take my word for it. Wait until you get there. Everyone has been talking about him and his beast.”

Josie sat there contemplating what the guard had told her. It would be the strangest assignment she would have ever been given if any of it were true. She could not be sure of Mr Cooper’s plan, but it usually resulted in somebody suffering if it involved her.