“What?” I managed.

Madigan had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. He simply stepped back and took Howard with him. That was one less asshole to deal with immediately.

“There isn't a chimera alive who doesn't want to avenge James Smith,” Rachel explained, her voice even. Menace laced her next words, “I can smell him behind you.”

Seth stepped out from behind me. He stared at Rachel like he was seeing a ghost, “I… thought you were dead.”

Rachel's face contorted with rage, “That's all you have to say?!”

She almost charged, but Sunit intervened. He stepped between us and placed a hand on her shoulder. I felt a faint thrum, like when the system stopped time. Sunit's gentle touch somehow stopped Rachel instantly.

“Just a moment,” Sunit began peaceably. “What is your grievance with Seth?”

Rachel glared at Sunit, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Sunit smile radiated innocent courtesy “The witness to the duel if your cause is just.” Somehow there was a faint hint of potential trouble if the cause wasn't.

“You…!” Rachel got a handle on her temper. “Seth Cohen is one of the ten most wanted criminals of the Technacoast. He is an assassin and a traitor! He killed James Smith. My dad.”

I had every opportunity to ask questions, instead I made assumptions. I had wrongly assumed Seth's backstory had been to mess with me, hinting at darker aspects of my -the Titan's- past. When it hadn't rattled my cage I assumed it had been a shot at Angelica. It still might have been, but it was also blatant telegraphing of an incoming fight. Like the journal, the goblin village, and the carvings in the dungeons.

Back to being reactionary.

Sunit nodded, “I can understand your rage.” He turned to Seth, “Do you have anything to say?”

Seth was sweating bullets: he glanced to Sunit before turning his attention back to Rachel, “I… You look so much like your mother.”

The hell? Rachel bared her teeth but didn’t respond.

I hated to jump in but Seth had helped me. Sure, I had learned most of the Cosmic Martial Art myself, but Seth gave me the little hints I needed, and helped me form the plans to save Spine.

“Seth did kill James Smith, but only because Smith's chimera work was killing people. Tens of thousands, probably more.” I said. I braced for Rachel's response.

Strangely she calmed. She scoffed dismissively, “That old lie? It’s just Fan-Coast propaganda. Most chimera are viable for soldiers, but the one who aren't -the 'failures’, as you would call them- don't die. They get sent to the northern infirmary: most end up working in the farms or factories.”

I tried to trigger Perception, but no prompt appeared. I must have failed the check. No system backing today. How was I already dependent on a skill I barely used?

“So you have been there?” I asked.

A brief moment of uncertainty flashed in Rachel's expression, “No, I- all combat ready chimeras are needed on the frontlines. We are the reason Mad Zach's monsters haven't conquered us.”

I glanced at Seth. Maybe it was as simple as meeting him first, but his story had more truth to it than Rachel's.

“Then how can the Technacoast afford to send 30 of you out here to kill an old man living in a shed?” I asked carefully.

No uncertainty this time, “Seth Cohen is a traitor. He committed one of the worst acts of terrorism the Technacoast ever had to endure. Him killing James Smith all but ended the Chimera Program.”

“Thank you, God,” Seth murmured.

Rachel struck almost faster than thought. Her clawed hand slashed at Seth’s throat. I should have expected it but had been caught completely off guard. By the time I even realized what happened her claws had blood on them. Seth had better reflexes than me, but he was now much lower level.

Scale was nice but it had observable limits.

Thankfully, Sunit had been both expecting something and ready. As Rachel made her swipe he immediately reacted. He simply pushed her back half a pace, turning what would have been a ripped-out throat into a series of wicked gouges into Seth's skin.

“Do not do that again,” Sunit warned.

Rachel pressed against Sunit’s arm but didn’t really gain ground. She clearly wasn’t listening, “Say that again!”

Seth ignored the blood running down his neck, staining the front of his coat, “I thought he killed you, Rachel. No one survived the grafts to elevate a person to Epic scale.”

“What a shock! You not believing in me! Dad did!” Rachel shouted.

Seth looked phenomenally tired. “I read his notes. He expected you to die. The plan was to see how your body failed, and learn lessons for the next batch. He just had access to you, Rachel. He didn’t care.”

“Bullshit!” Rachel spat.

“I have the notes,” Seth tried, “They are in…”

“Like I would trust something you had for years!” Rachel shouted over him.

“You could recognize your dad’s handwriting right?” I asked. I wasn’t looking forward to stepping into this again, but Seth was not making any real headway. Anything he said just angered her more.

Rachel snarled as she turned to me, but she calmed noticeably before answering, “Of course.”

“Is Seth capable of forgery?” I pressed gently.

“Not that I know of,” Rachel admitted.

“So let’s take a look at it,” I suggested.

“Nah, it is propaganda,” Rachel dismissed. “I get why you are confused. That stuff can work on anyone: best not to look at it ever.”

The Corporal nodded before adding, “No one is immune to propaganda.”

Was she talking so calmly to me because of my high Face Attribute? She seemed a little erratic. I understand she had an ax to grind, but the almost instant dulling of her anger when talking to me, or how she didn’t so much as lay a finger on Sunit as he actively stopped her from attacking Seth. Was her rage just that focused?

Sunit, seeing Rachel calm, straightened, “I take it you will not recant your claim?”

“Never,” Rachel agreed, her eyes drifting toward Seth.

When Sunit turned his gaze on Seth.

Seth swallowed. He continued to ignore the blood leaking from his neck, “James Smith was a monster. Rachel, please don’t believe the lie. He used you.”

“He loved me!” Rachel screamed at him, “Not that you could understand something like that.”

Claws taking a chunk of him didn’t register, but Rachel’s last barb hit Seth like a kick to the stomach. He staggered back and would have stumbled and fallen if I hadn’t caught him.

Sunit heaved a long suffering sigh, “These sound like valid reasons for a duel.”

“Sunit,” I started.

“I won’t fight them, any of them,” Seth said.

“That would be forfeiture of the duel,” Sunit warned.

“Sunit!” I cut in.

He gazed at me, eyes hard, and spoke slowly, “Doug, this is how things are done. Contained.”

I considered his words. I had my opinions on duels, but his meaning was apparent. This Mandir was a fragile balance of politics built on a foundation of mutual… I wouldn’t call it faith. That felt wrong. I could feel the subtle weight of Lola’s domain on me. It wasn’t suppressing me yet but its presence was tangible. This is how the followers of Lola could keep things… peaceful.

A look of surprise snapped into Rachel’s expression, “Oh, that is easy then. We will just take him outside the domain and beat him to death with a rock.”

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“You can’t do that,” I started.

“Don’t worry,” Rachel said, cutting off my argument, “We got a brick in the truck. We came prepared.”

“I mean I am not going to allow you to do that,” I corrected.

“Don’t do that,” Rachel warned, her voice still chummy. She gave a nod to the corporal. He clicked his radio. Somehow the words ‘converge on lieutenant’ were audible in the static. Both the Corporal and Rahel shrugged, before Rachel turned her attention back to me, “Odd, anyway, Doug right? Don’t do that. I am reasonable, but some of the enlisted, they are… passionate people. If you get between them and this traitor… I worry about your health.”

“Plus he has no reason to intervene,” The corporal offered.”

“Oh yeah, that,” Rachel agreed and then turned to Sunit.

Sunit watched me carefully, waiting for my answer. I saw the other soldiers shouldering their way through the crowd.

“I am Seth Cohen’s student. I am not going to let you kill him.” I spoke loudly.

The crowd parted as the soldiers reached us.

“Doug, don’t…” Seth started.

“I hate to say it but listen to him,” Rachel added. She looked sad as she continued, “I get it. He probably was there for you in a moment of need. Maybe he opened some small door for you. But you’ve got to understand, it is a trick. He uses those feelings of obligation to take more than he will ever give. It is manipulation. You got to watch out for that.”

I just stared at her… she was completely serious.

Rachel sighed, “Scan him.”

The Corporal with his bugged eyes focused his gaze on me. I felt some weird sort of contact as a skill touched me. Then several other brushes of the system as several other soldiers used more skills. “He is level seven. Rare Scale. “ he grinned, “Highest skill is Willpower, somehow it says he has over four hundred hit points. Get this, he has the God Killer tag.” he burst out laughing.

“That’s what I read too,” one soldier called out.

“Same!” a third added.

“So standard half-giant trickery,” Rachel said. She thought for a moment, “Barns, you up to test the waters.

“Damn right,” a large man, Barn’s said. He walked into the circle, “I challenge you to a duel.”

“Goddammit” I muttered to myself before speaking to Barns, “You don’t want this. See the God Killer tag?”

Barns grinned, “Nice use of Deception Skills, but if you are going to pretend to be strong, up the level you present. Otherwise you would have to be a Titanspawn. Don’t worry, I am not going to hurt you permanently…if I can help it." He raised his massive fists.

“I accept,” I said.

“Very well.” Sunit said.

A lot of shit happened all at once.

The Eyes of the War Goddess are on you

Warrior’s Suraksha has been removed

Fight Well!

The prompt was expected. Having the weight of the domain spike wasn’t. It restricted me and slowed me just like the dungeon did. Shit, I guess Barns found religion at some point. Barns also immediately charged.

I braced for impact. I put my hand up to block. Only to find Barns had juked far to my right. The hits came like lightning. His right hand slammed into my jaw. His left into my solar plexus. Then his right foot planted behind mine as he hip-checked me.

Big guy I may be, but physics still applied to me… for now. I stumbled.

I was able to roll to my feet, and Barns gave me the breathing room. He had meant it when he said he wasn’t going to hurt me more than necessary.

“You should have stayed down,” Barns chided.

I checked and found Brunhilda and Spine on the edge of the circle. She was healing Seth, while eyeing some of the nearby soldiers. They were watching the duel.

Barns’s fist crashed into my tender bits again. “Eyes on the fight!” he bellowed immediately after hitting me in the dick then my neck.

I dodged a kick. But didn’t take the option to counter. Instead I used the Analyze Skill.

Analyze check… Successful

Name:

Abel Barns

Race:

Human (Chimera: Brawle- Ape/Fishman)

Class:

Chimera Corp Grunt

Level:

28

HP:

98

MP

0

Defense

21

Power:

24

Mobility:

16

Body:

18

Mind:

5

Face:

7

Magic:

3

Trait:

Big Guy

Some folk are just bulky. The bearer of this trait gains an addition 20% mass over their standard growth pattern. They also gain 2 points in Body and Power Attributes.

Unnatural Trait: Chimera (Uncommon)

This is level independent. This trait increases it’s bearer’s Scale to Uncommon. It will also cause the bearer to show physical attributes similar to those of the Mobs used.

Perks:

Chimera Corp Soldier

You are part of the few viable combat capable Chimera. This perk unlocks skills related to the Soldier Class as well as the Pack Tactics, and has a possibility of Unlock Mob-Related Skills

Multiattack

Quantity has a quality all its own. This perk reduces the penalty of making multiple attacks by 2.

Note 1: Standard progression of stacking penalties still applies

Note 2: Standard Maximum total attacks still applies

Disposition:

Abel Barns is growing concerned. Based off the damage he had dealt, he knows he is not breaking your defense. He also recognizes the sensation of the Analyze Skill. He does not yet realize you are the user of the skill.

This guy was the same level as Brand, but he was definitely not as strong. Now that I had a better gauge of his strength and limits I came up with a plan.

Dampen check… Successful

Damage Set to 15 HP max.

I lumbered toward Barns. “You shouldn’t have even started this.”

I got lucky here. My display of aggression had the desired effect. It goaded Barns into another attack. He tried another feint. I almost fell for the step to the right but was prepared for his kick from the right. My knee rose and met his shine in a bone rattling impact. Then when Barn’s right hook came for my lower ribs I swept it away with me left. Anticipating his last jab I turned my torso. The strike glanced off my right arm.

That's when I countered. My right hit Barn’s in the chest with an uppercut that lifted him off his feet. Then, I brought my left hand down on his back. The impact flung him face first into the icy ground.

Attack from Abel Barns… blocked x3

Counter Attack Successful!

Dampen Check Successful! Abel Barns Takes 15 damage

Attack against Abel Barns… Successful

Dampen Check Successful! Abel Barns take 15 damage

I barely paid any attention to the prompt. The important part was the total damage I had dealt. Thirty so far; sixty-eight left before he dies. I needed to get him to quit.

Barns was still for a long moment. Way too long: he was stalling. Why? Finally he stirred, he slowly moved his arm, and pushed himself to his knees. He gazed at me as he then staggered to his feet. He grinned, “We got a soft heart here.” He rolled his shoulders, “He may be built like a wall and hit like a hammer, but he doesn’t have the killing drive.” He started to laugh to himself.

“Is that a joke to you?” I asked.

“Absolutely not,” Barns answered, the smile sliding off his face. “But, this isn’t a fist fight. My job isn’t to win. It is to learn, so others can complete the mission. I am relieved to find out I am probably not going to die.”

“You entered this fight expecting to die?” I asked, taking an involuntary step back.

Barns stretched his back, “More like prepare, just like everyone else with me. All of us would gladly die for the Technacoast.” He slammed his right hand into his shoulder as did most of the soldiers in the crowd.

“There is no need for this. Seth is no threat to you anymore. Damage done. He has lived in squalor and exile since then. No one needs to die.”

Persuasion check… Failed

Barns’ eyes hardened, “The Authority says he dies. I mean to plant the knife.”

He kicked a hunk of ice at my head. I slapped it out of the air only to find Barns in the gap in my defenses. I couldn’t block it, so I dodged instead. I half-stepped back, causing his jab to miss me by a hair’s width. I did block his second punch and immediately countered. My left hand balled into a fist and hammered his stomach. I simply took the kick Barns launched on the shoulder. The three points of damage were gone before the prompt cleared my mind. For my attack I merely backhanded him across the face.

He spun and blood and teeth went flying. Barns hit the ground again but quickly rose to his feet. “He keeps doing the same amount of damage again and again. He’s holding back.”

“Just surrender,” I implored. “We can talk through this.”

“Nah, I don’t listen to propaganda,” Barns said. He took a step closer. “Let’s just agree to disagree.” He held out a hand like he wanted us to shake on it.

The instant I looked at it, I knew I fucked up. I had let my guard down. I want to keep talking. The knife slammed into my neck. It scraped my collar bone as it slid between a tendon and my windpipe on its way into my torso.

Barns open hand didn’t ball into a fist but instead straightened into sharp locked fingers and slammed into my left eye.

Pain and confusion. Those are words that technically describe the experience but I am just going to say they don’t convey the reality. Rather than blur or darken the vision in my left eye tilted to a ninety-degree angle. The knife was both a sharp edge and a burning pressure. The problem wasn’t necessarily the damage it was doing but that it was now preventing me from moving my head and causing greater pain with each beat of my heart.

On pure instinct I blocked the Barns's third attack. I slammed my palm into his nose and kicked him away. Thankfully the Dampen checks succeeded.

“Surrender! NOW!” I roared.

Intimidation check… Successful!

“I give,” Barns shouted instantly.

His face paled as I watched him. My vision slowly corrected itself. I pulled the knife out of my neck carefully. “Swear you will never try to harm or assist in the attempt to harm Seth Cohen ever again.”

Barns glanced over to Rachel. When she nodded, he said, “I swear.”

“Go,” I said.

“Pretty sure he has Face Skills,” one soldier shouted.

“He has Unarmed and Block Skills at Expert,” the Corporal said plainly.

“He has the Dodge skill also!” another called.

“His health is still at 420!” another added.

Rachel considered that, “Must be good at Deception to keep the illusion up through a fight. Nothing for it. Going to have to keep wearing him down.” She waved off a few of the soldiers, Sarge included. They vanished into the crowd.

“That isn’t exactly honorable,” Sunit observed.

“No, it isn't,” Rachel admitted, “but it is a good strategy.”