{[Apart from love, the hardest thing to share is our loneliness.]}
"I want this one." Alex pointed at an M39 Enhanced Marksmanship Rifle.
The group was preparing themselves in the White Room. Ashner, Gio, and Wong studied the gun for a few seconds.
"Is something wrong?" Alex tilted his head towards the guys.
"No, it's just…" Ashner removed the locks on the gun safe and lifted the weapon. "This belonged to a girl in our platoon… Her name was Julia… And she…"
Ashner glanced at Wong, who had a conflicted gaze.
"She died protecting Wong… She pushed him to the ground, and her body was ripped apart with shrapnel…"
"She had steady hands," Gio added. "Julia was a phenomenal sniper, but she wanted to become a surgeon after the war… Sadly, like the rest of our battalion… She didn't make it…"
"I shouldn't take it."
Ashner handed the sniper rifle to Alex.
"No… We collected our friend's weapons, but if they knew their weapons were still protecting us, they'd be happy about it…" The guys were a bit hesitant, but they gave Alex the weapon.
The group studied the vets. They all carried scars on their souls.
The menu popped up.
* Sniper Rifle – 1 > 3
Did he level up just by touching it? How?
Ashner pushed on the odd symbol.
* Naturally Talented
That's the same symbol that Saki had on her power… I should focus on improving these if I find them… But so far, I've only seen two…
"How does it feel?" Ashner asked.
Alex held the weapon and peeked through the scope.
"It feels good." Alex smiled.
"Little bro." Gio tapped Alex's shoulder. "Please take care of that weapon…"
"I will." Alex was ecstatic. He tried leaving his sidearm, but Ashner shook his head.
"The sidearm was for you to familiarize yourself with firearms. But if you want a stronger weapon, we won't deny your request… In fact, I hope all of you decide what type of weapons you want to use."
Ashner landed on Luna. "Especially you… Since the day we've met, you've refused to touch one."
Luna's ears jolted. "It's not that I'm against it… But they scare me…"
"It's hard to imagine you being scared."
"It does happen." Luna blushed. "A lot more than I let on…"
"Then how about this?" Ashner handed her a headset and gloves. The headset covered one eye, and the gloves had wires connecting to each fingertip.
"What's this?"
"This is the setup for an advanced combat drone operator." Ashner smiled.
"That was…" Wong sighed. "Esteban's…"
Luna took the gear, and the guys showed her how to wear it. She also carried a small backpack with solar panels. The drone was no larger than a basketball, but it was armored with a thin layer of Graphene and designed to hold multiple types of firearms. To top it off, it had several cameras on its head and tail.
Luna, Gio, and Wong stepped outside. They started teaching her how to use it.
"What about you, Risa?" Ashner asked the cat-girl. She had kept her distance since Angel joined the group, and on occasion, she glared at Ashner. "I know you're talented with your sword, but a side arm will be helpful."
"I don't care." She scoffed.
Why has she been so angry lately?
Angel tugged on Ashner's arm. She hadn't let go of his hand the entire time.
"I like that one," Angel said, pointing at an FN P90 Submachine Gun. "It's round."
Ashner smiled at her, and Risa glanced at the two with crossed arms.
"That one's too big for your current size," Ashner admitted.
"Oh?" Angel moved the mana in her body, and she grew. Her body filled up neatly, and her childish charm became a young beauty. She was still holding Ashner's hand.
Angel jumped away from Ashner and let go of his hand.
"What's wrong?" Ashner asked, and Risa narrowed her eyes and studied the two.
"In this form… It's embarrassing holding your hand…"
"Embarrassing?" Ashner's mask showed him raise his eyebrow. "You've been holding it all day."
"I know… It's just… I feel different about it now…" Angel struggled to express herself, and Risa closed the distance, moving her head close to the demi-dove. "My heart is racing…"
"Is it?" Risa's ears wiggled left and right, and Angel blinked, confused by the cat-girl's intentions. "Is it really?"
Ashner handed the submachine gun to Angel, and he gave her a handful of ammo.
"As for you, Risa." Ashner studied her. "Do you want a gun or not?"
Risa glanced around. "Okay… Pick one for me." Risa glanced away from Ashner.
Maybe she dislikes Angel because she's a bird and Risa is a cat… I don't know… Let's see… For Risa, she focuses on closing the distance, but she's vulnerable for a fraction of a second when she stops… Her weapon must be easy to handle and give enough power to push back any type of enemy… This one…
Ashner handed Risa two Beretta 93R's, each with an extended magazine.
Risa held them, confused. "Why these and not one of the larger ones?"
"Because of your style of fighting," Ashner explained. This firearm isn't a single-fire like Alex's. It's automatic and will drown your enemies in bullets quickly… I figured if you're ever in a tough spot, this will be helpful."
Risa's ears lifted. She smiled. "Thank you, Master."
She's in a better mood… Good…
Risa glared at the demi-dove.
But she's still not happy with Angel…
The group left the White Room, and a dozen small ball-shaped robots followed. As they did, they scanned the environment around them.
Gio walked with a laptop and proudly showed off what the drones were doing. "These little things record everything in great detail and create a picture for us." Gio tapped on the laptop, and sure enough, it created a digital replica of the areas they had walked through.
"That's amazing." Luna was highly impressed.
"It's a gift from Glasgow Corp." Gio smiled brightly.
"Can we use those to map out all of Sanctuary?" Luna asked.
"Yes, but these drones only have a maximum distance of about fifty feet. Their high-resolution cameras and laser scanning technology burn their batteries quickly, so that's why I'm carrying this backpack.
Gio was carrying something similar to the drone backpack Luna was carrying, except his was heavier and bulkier.
XP:25 > XP:110
They're at it again… I'm grateful…
Ashner glanced at Luna and the others. Alex tapped one of the drones floating around. Luna had struggled a bit to keep up with the group. Risa put herself in the formation randomly. Sometimes in the far back, other times in the front. Ashner didn't mind.
Angel was walking in her adult form. As much as Ashner tried to avoid it, he caught himself glancing at her. She was a walking work of art.
"Halt." Risa lifted her hand up in a fist.
The group all took a knee, just as they had practiced.
"What is it?"
"Storm halk." Risa pointed ahead. In the trees, a white bird with yellow feathers on its wings was sitting on a lone branch. "They have lightning magic, and their speed rivals my own."
Wong used his scope and discerned it. "It's large and, dare I say, beautiful."
"Beautiful or not, that thing will kill us. We're in its territory," Risa reassured.
"It's still far off…" Wong glanced at his group. "If we were still in the field, this would be a Julia problem."
"Or how she would put it." Gio reminisced. "A Julia solution."
The guys depressed themselves a little. It had been years, but moving with the weapons of their fallen friends left a unique sting.
"Alex." Ashner gave his orders. "Take the shot, kill that monster."
Alex's ears wiggled. "I've never fired this weapon…"
"It's simple." Ashner helped Alex get into a prone position. He spread his legs on the ground in a comfortable position, and then the scope self-adjusted to the wind. It did all the math and aligned itself with the target. "Once the reticle is on the bird's center mass, I want you to pull the trigger slowly."
"What if I miss?" Alex studied the group. They were asking something big from him. "That monster can kill us."
"You won't miss," Ashner reassured him. Both Gio and Wong readied their weapons and kept them on the monster.
Alex aimed at the bird, just as Ashner had taught him. He inhaled and exhaled, inhaled and exhaled, and then paused his breathing as the air left his lungs.
He pulled the trigger.
XP:110 > XP:160
"Target is down," Gio smirked at Alex. "Damn, little bro, you're as good as Julia."
"I don't understand… I've never used this weapon before…"
"It's a unique skill of yours." Ashner stood up. "You're naturally talented with a sniper rifle… So from now on, targets like that are yours."
As they approached the small pile of gold, Ashner thumbed the gem in his pouch, and all the gold disappeared.
No more back-breaking work… I love magic…
The group continued climbing up the mountain.
Passing by trees with rings of moss every three or four feet. And flowers that wrapped into themselves as they got close to them. They slept around large roots when the sun set.
Then, as they moved deeper, they discovered that the ground was covered in millions of feathers. Not enough to overtake everything but enough to choke out plants. Their colors shifted from blue to red and some hues of pink and yellow.
"What is all this?"
"The feathers of thousands of birds." Luna picked up a large feather. "Winged creatures come to this mountain and remove their feathers here."
"Why remove their feathers?" Wong was heavily invested and even collected a handful of them.
"Birds remove a feather and present it to a mate. If she accepts it, she flies away with it, and the male follows… But if she rejects it, she throws it on the ground." Angel explained. She studied her own wings. "It's the same with demi-doves…"
"So that's why this place is called the Feather Mountain." Ashner related with the birds. Rejection stung, and some days, he convinced himself he didn't want anyone. Just a foolish lie to hide behind. "Poor birds."
"Does this happen on all mountains?" Wong asked eagerly.
"It happens on all of them, but for some reason, this one always gets more birds… Well…" Luna corrected herself. "It used to happen… Every year, we have fewer and fewer birds…"
The drones scanned the feathers and kept up with the group as they moved on. Until the splashing of a running river echoed.
"Over here!" Risa was on a branch and waved at the group.
Alex dashed ahead and immediately started drinking from the river.
"We found it." Luna managed. She was out of breath. "The river is strong."
Gio sat down with his laptop, and the drones created an efficient route to dig into the mountain and redirect the river into the now-dried path.
Ashner suggested redirecting a portion of the river. Then, they can have it reemerge with the main river.
"That's a lot of work." Gio sighed.
"Yes, but redirecting the entire river will benefit everyone." Ashner glanced at his group. They had walked for three days, and the sun was getting ready to set.
Angel tilted her head up towards the trees.
"Is your home nearby?" Ashner asked, and the entire group focused on her. Risa especially.
Angel nodded gently. "It's up there." She pointed in the distance.
Ashner studied it with his weapon's scope. Sure enough, wooden huts were in the trees. Some were partly burned, and a portion of trees near them had also suffered fire damage.
"That's where my clan was attacked…" Angel was in her mature form, but a part of her was childish. "It's also where my dad…"
Risa's jealous gaze shifted. She wasn't aware of Angel's past, but the pain in her eyes… That, she related to.
"We don't have to go there," Ashner spoke.
Angel shook. She debated it and squeezed her hands but lifted them slightly in a girly fashion. "I…" Angel glanced at the river…
"Go." Risa interrupted. She had used her wind magic to land next to Angel.
"It hurts…" Angel admitted to the cat.
"That pain won't leave until you face it," Risa recalled her own past. "And it'll haunt you if you run from it."
Angel studied Risa, now aware that she carried some kind of shame.
"Okay…" Angel extended her hand towards Risa. "Will… Will you go with me?"
Risa took a sharp glance at Ashner and then back at Angel. "Why me?"
"Because." Angel tilted her head. "I want to borrow some of your courage."
Risa wasn't thrilled or angry over it, so she floated towards the homes, and Angel flew. She grabbed Risa's hips and helped direct her.
The two girls landed on the wooden bridges that connected the trees to one another.
Angel stopped as the bridge shook. Her eyes watered.
Husks of her people were scattered everywhere. They had gems growing out of their eyes and mouths.
The Dead God had devoured them.
"I'm sorry." Risa turned towards Angel, who was lost in her mind.
"It hurts being here…" The winged girl admitted.
"Luna can destroy the trophies." Risa tried to bring an upside to her situation. "We can also take some of your personal belongings back with us."
Angel nodded and sat on the ledge, her feet hanging off the bridge.
"I can bring the others here."
"Not yet." Angel's eyes were empty. "As stupid as this sounds… I was hoping everything would somehow be the same when I got back… I hoped my dad would hug me and remind me how much he loved me… Maybe the hunters would bring back meat, and we could sing and dance and fly into the sky… It hurts... because I can see the past I left behind…"
"Angel…"
"I want the rain to come down… Maybe it can wash away the pain… Maybe I can pretend to be who I was… Maybe I won't feel so alone… Maybe…"
Risa hugged Angel, wrapped her arms around her neck, and caressed her stomach.
Angel's eyes widened. "Why? I can see you glaring at me from time to time… I thought you hated me… Why… Why are you comforting me?"
"I don't hate you…" Risa wasn't lying. She recalled how casually Angel held Ashner's hand and closed the distance with him. "I just wish I had your courage…"
"My courage?" Angel half laughed. "I'm a coward… A crybaby… And I need other people to help me deal with my problems… Even now… I don't want you to stop hugging me… I'm so scared of being here… I'm scared of everything… And now… I'm scared Ashner might throw me away like my dad did…"
"Not Ashner…" Risa reassured the little crybaby. "Not Gio, not Wong, not Alex or Luna… None of us will ever abandon you…"
"What if they do?" Angel turned smaller in Risa's arms. "What if I'm left all alone again? I can't deal with that… I'd rather the Dead God devour me than that…"
"I vow it to you." Risa's heart softened. She was acting out due to her jealousy, but in this moment, she grasped Angel's heart, her innocence, and her fears. "I'll face anything that comes our way… I'll protect you as fiercely as I protect Ashner and the others… That seems to be the only thing I'm good at…"
"I disagree." Angel clung to Risa. "Ashner talks to me about you often. He thinks you're beautiful and loves that you always support his decisions, even if they're dangerous or unpopular… He also told me that you changed him… That he was lost, and you guided him back from a cold place."
Risa's eyes twinkled. "I didn't know that…" She just about hummed, and she smiled brightly.
"I wouldn't mind if we became a family." Angel glanced up at Risa, and she hugged her. "I've always wanted a large family… I want an older sister I can rely on…"
"Sister?" Risa imagined it and then made another suggestion. "What about a mother?"
"Hummm." Angel tilted her head. "Luna is more motherly."
Risa imagined Luna, from her supportive nature to her gentle pampering and feminine composure… Compared to her, Risa was a brute who was prone to jealousy but never had the courage to admit why. "Okay, she can be the mom."
Angel smiled and hugged Risa tightly.
"But if you're calling Ashner dad, it just makes it feel like he'll prioritize Luna over me." Risa glanced up and to her left.
"I…" Angel's body grew and ended up a little taller than Risa's. "I call him daddy… Because it helps me deal with the truth…"
"What truth?"
Angel studied the house directly in front of them. Risa stretched her neck to glance at it, too.
"The truth is… My real dad left me to die… A part of me hoped he and the rest of my kin were still here… But if my dad asked me to stay with him… I don't know if Ashner would approve… I don't know if I'll pick him or my dad… I want them to be the same person… But at the same time… I want Ashner to become my partner… I don't understand it myself, but… He can be both my lover and the father I lost…" Angel had struggled to get her words out. "Does that make me weird?"
"No." Risa hugged her, this time in her normal form. "All of us heal in different ways… You're gorgeous, much more than I… I'm sure if you asked Ashner to make you his, he wouldn't deny your request."
"I don't just want him." Angel smiled. "I want you and Luna too."
Risa inhaled sharply.
"All of us, we can be a big family… And then we'll all have children, and our family will grow even more." Angel smiled, revealing her fangs. "I always wanted that when I was here… I expected it to just be with demi-doves… But having demi-cats and elves would also be amazing."
"I'm not sure how I would feel about that." Risa was hesitant. "Demi-cats don't have a poly custom. We were too few… And we had more males than females…"
"Most cultures prioritize it," Angel explained. "Men are always fighting and dying… And there are some only-female races out there… But no only-male races… Plus, if we were a family… I wouldn't mind playing with you…"
"Playing?"
"Yes." Angel leaned in and whispered in Risa's ear. "I want to play with you… Big… Sis… Ter…"
Risa's face blushed red, and she was utterly confused, which left Angel laughing.
Angel shook her head. It had been long since she laughed, so the muscles stretching again caught her off guard.
Down below, Ashner and the group waved at the two girls.
"They want to come up here." Risa and Angel stood up and walked on the suspended bridge. "What about your home? Do you want to go inside it?"
Angel shook her head. "Living here was all I knew… I thought it was a perfect childhood… But now I'm not so sure… If anything, it's a perfect memory…"
The two girls studied her old home.
Angel sensed her heart beating. "Sometimes, a perfect memory should be forgotten…"
*******
Luna destroyed all the husks with her magic. As she did, Gio and Wong studied the inside of the homes. The demi-doves had nothing valuable, and nature had overtaken most of the homes. As the husks shattered, Angel clung to Risa instead of Ashner.
I'm glad those two are getting along, but I miss Angel's hugs… Do I like clingy girls? You know, I've never thought about it, but I've never had anyone before… Maybe it's just because it's Angel… If Luna or Risa hugged me and clung to me, would I like that, too?
Ashner studied how Risa hugged Angel. Both their arms were slim. Ashner's muscles were more prominent than the girls, but somehow he wanted it. He wanted them to hug him… But asking for something like that… Ashner shook his head, and Risa tilted her head towards him.
Why am I like this? I've been alone for so long that a hug from any of those girls becomes intoxicating… When did I become this pathetic?
*******
The group tracked back towards Sanctuary. Angel held her head a little higher, and Luna tried to hug Risa from behind, but she used her wind power to slip away.
"No fair!" Luna just about cried. "How come you let Angel hug you but not me?"
"It's different." Risa's eyes narrowed.
"It's not that different," Luna argued, but Angel hugged her, catching the elf off guard.
"I don't mind hugging you, too," Angel spoke meekly.
Luna smiled brightly and hugged Angel. Risa sighed and walked towards Ashner, who was leading the group.
"Did you get tired of her hugs?" Ashner asked.
"No." Risa shook her head. "Angel needs hugs to feel loved… So I gave her what she needed."
"You hugged me a while back too… Did you give me what I needed at that time?"
"Yes…" Risa admitted. "Your eyes told me that you needed someone, anyone, to hold you."
I understand now… She's attentive to people's needs… Risa sometimes acts cold and distant, but she's the complete opposite when it comes to these things.
Risa's ears moved, and she grabbed Ashner's bicep.
Ashner raised his hand, made a fist, and then waved his hand down. The group formed a circle and readied themselves for the worst.
"What is it?" Ashner whispered to Risa.
"I hear voices," Risa said, pointing towards a heavily forested area. "At least ten people."
Ashner gave his group hand signs, and they closed in together. Luna held Angel and kept her in the center with herself.
"People are nearby," Ashner explained to the group. "If it's demi's we can invite them to join us, but if it's slavers, we might have to fight them."
Angel hugged Luna tighter.
"We need to get eyes on our targets," Ashner explained to the group.
"I'll go." Risa readied her sword.
"No." Ashner tapped on Luna's drone backpack. "I think it's time we use our world's tech."
Luna put on the headset and guided two drones up. As she did, Gio dabbled with his laptop, and the drones became see-through. They occasionally pulsed when the environment was too much to copy, but overall, they were practically invisible and silent.
"Luna, can you fly them straight ahead?" Ashner asked, and Luna wore the gloves with wires. She moved a few fingers, and the drones moved ahead. The group had a high-def video from above.
"This is fun." Luna smiled, and the drone painted their targets below. A red outline counted the people. It was a total of fifty-five. "I found them."
Luna moved her whole body instead of just her fingers as she maneuvered the drones, and the entire time, she had a huge smile on her face. The elf dabbled with the digital heads-up display, and the cameras zoomed in.
"Some of them are wounded," Wong added. "And they do have ears… Dog ears."
Alex's eyes widened. "They're demi-dogs? I've never met any before…"
"Really?" Gio narrowed his eyes. "But you're one of them."
Alex shook his head. "I was born with the succubuses… They were all born with wings, regardless of what kind of ears they had. Black bat wings and a black tail emerged from them… But I was born with neither… I don't know how those demi's will treat me…"
"Hopefully, they're inviting." Ashner stood. "We're making first contact… Alex, can I count on you?"
Alex nodded.
The group moved through the woods, and the drone returned to Luna's bag. She removed her headset, and it fit neatly on the backpack.
They stepped over thick roots and vegetation, ignoring leaves that pulsed a dim light. Moans echoed, and the echos of pain triggered Wong's fight-or-flight reaction.
"Hello there." Alex stepped out of the thicket first. He waved at the demi's with a smile.
The demi's huddled together. None of them were carrying weapons. They were carrying bags of supplies and food. They were the furthest things from warriors.
"Who are you?" One of the demi's asked. "Your mana… It's blended with something else."
"I'm an Incubus," Alex admitted as he walked towards the group. "I'm here because."
"You're a slave!" One of the dogs hesitated, and Alex grasped that some of them were wounded with cuts on their limbs. "Don't let your Master know where we are… Please have mercy on us."
"It's alright." Alex's eyes glowed purple. His power put all the demi's at ease. "My Master is trusted and protected by demi-kind."
The demi-dogs were none the wiser.
Ashner emerged from the bushes along with the rest of the group.
Alex's magic is helpful for these types of situations…
Wong closed the distance towards the closest wounded demi and immediately started working on him.
"What happened?" Ashner asked, his mask made some of the demi's cuddle together.
Even with Alex's magic, they were still cautious. One of them tossed his bag next to Ashner. "Take everything inside… Just let us go… We'll leave, and you'll never see us again…"
Ashner picked up the backpack and handed it back to the demi. "We're not going to enslave anyone. Instead, we're looking for demi's willing to join us."
"Join?" A demi girl with blue dog ears bared her teeth. "We won't become anyone's slaves."
When she lashed out, some of the demi's imagined the worst.
"He's serious." Luna intervened. "Ashner has some slaves, but look at my crest. It's blue… Ashner is a good man… Join us."
The demi's were hesitant but grasped that they were easy targets. Distastefully, the girl with blue dog ears spoke up. "Will you promise us safety?"
"Yes," Ashner reassured and tilted his head towards Wong, who was wrapping a demi's limb with a bandage. "We'll also provide you with medicine, food, and water."
"We need proof." The girl spoke up. "Some of our people were taken."
"By slavers?"
She shook her head. "Goblins… Theirs a dungeon near us… Five of our sisters were stolen…"
Ashner spoke to Risa and Luna. "How strong are goblins?"
"They're weak, but if given enough time and access to women, their numbers will increase… In time, they'll become orcs… Disgusting creatures… They're known as 'The Rapists.'" Luna spat the words out with disgust. "It's in our best interest to eradicate those little vermin before their influence and power grows…"
"We're only a few miles from Sanctuary." Risa's eyes were sharp. "The Timor forest didn't keep the hell hounds out. Who's to say it'll keep the goblins away… Ashner, give me permission to face them."
These girls really hate goblins… But even if the demi-dogs didn't ask us, we need to pull the root out of this problem before it flourishes. That benefits everyone.
"If we destroy the dungeon and save your sisters," Ashner said to the girl with blue dog ears. As he did, she stood up and stared at the eyes on his mask. She had a really slim body. "Will you join us?"
She's brave… Even the guys are afraid to look at me in the eyes… And she's cute too… Gosh, this world has way too many beautiful women…
"You're asking… Not demanding?" The girl's eyes were conflicted. "We're asking you to risk your lives… For strangers…"
"I want to earn your trust." Angel emerged from the bushes. The vampire put all the dogs on edge. "She won't harm anyone… Take a look at her neck."
The demi's calmed down. Angel went up to Ashner. She was in her small form and started nibbling on his forearm. Her fangs were itchy.
"A vampire…" The girl had no words beyond that.
"What's your name?" Ashner asked the girl. Her eyes were silver.
"I'm Sapphire." She spoke clearly. "And yours?"
"I'm Ashner… You surprise me… Most of your people are too afraid to speak up… But you're different."
The compliment caught the girl off guard. "I'm assuming the worst… But even if you were to enslave us all… At the very least, you'll die facing the goblins, or you'll save my sisters…" Her comment made some of the other demi-dogs cautious.
"A clever tactic… But I'm curious why none of you are carrying weapons."
"We're not warriors," Sapphire admitted. "We specialize in enchantments."
Enchanters?
Ashner reached into one of his pockets on his chest. He pulled out a gem with a liquid inside it. "Can you work with these?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, some demi's use the entire gem, but I'm capable of drawing out power from it and reusing it over and over until the liquid mana inside disappears."
Ashner smiled. "Alright, we'll save your people, but in return, I want you to use your skills for us…"
"That's if you can save them…" The girl didn't trust Ashner.
"We'll need a guide… Take us to the dungeon…" Ashner glanced at Wong. "Stay here and tend to the wounded. The rest of us will clear the dungeon."
Wong nodded and continued working.
Sapphire kept her distance from Ashner and the group. But she guided them.
She's cautious. If only it were easier to convince people to trust me… But then again, it's this way in my world, too…
After a day, Sapphire jumped into a dry ditch. She crawled up, and the group mimicked her.
Fifty meters ahead of the group stood two goblins guarding a cave's entrance. They wore pieces of fabric to hide their junk and had necklaces made of bones. Each one had a short spear.
Ashner slid down, and his group circled him.
Sapphire did, too, mostly out of curiosity.
"That cave might be large… Going in blind is too risky… So how about we treat this like a mission." Ashner smirked at Gio. The shorter man grabbed the goggles and put them on Luna. "Luna put the camouflage on those drones and fly them into the cave."
Luna obeyed, and four small drones lifted up and hovered. Then they all camouflaged. Gio readied his laptop, and the drones flew into the cave. As soon as they entered, their thermals lit up.
The drones were silent, and as they flew in, they recorded the inside of the cave, even painting the targets with a red outline.
"This is fun." Luna smiled brightly as she maneuvered the tech effortlessly.
Esteban trained for months to maneuver two drones. Luna can manage four so casually… She doesn't realize it, but she's a genius at this.
After the drones finished their mission, Luna positioned them in locations that oversaw large sections of the cave. Although they didn't get every inch, they were more than effective.
"I found the girls." Luna moved her fingers, and the laptop highlighted their bodies with a green outline, removing their status as enemies. "They're deep in the cave, but I don't see the dungeon master."
"Is it common for the dungeon boss to leave?" Ashner asked no one in particular.
"It's not common, but it happens from time to time," Risa answered as she readied her sword.
Another drone lifted up from Luna's backpack and it created a hologram of the cave for the group.
Sapphire and Angel were in awe.
"Alright." Ashner put his finger in the entrance of the cave. "The cave descends as soon as we enter it. It's a tiny dungeon, but it has… How many enemies?"
"Forty-five," Luna answered, still with her goggles on. The display menu was bright, but it didn't entirely obscure her vision, so if she needed to, she was capable of fleeing the battle. At the push of a button, the drones would returned to the backpack.
"It's manageable. Compared to the spiders we fought, these numbers are child's play." Ashner returned his attention to the map. "The cave splits into two different paths, but they unite in the center, and that's where the girls are… So we'll split into two groups, fight our way through the cave, and save them… Our main objective is their safety, but they will only be a burden until we eliminate all the monsters. Chaos creates fear, and fear creates targets."
Gio nodded but the demi's were confused by his comment.
"Risa, your main job is to protect those girls, and if they decide to run, knock them out."
"What?" Sapphire's ears rose. "Why do that?"
"For their safety." Gio smiled at her. "We're treating this as a hostage situation. The best thing those girls can do is stay put. Plus, it's pitch black inside the cave, so if they run, they might head straight towards the goblins… They're not tied up, so we're just preparing for the worst."
"Alex, you'll take the prone position at the entrance of the cave. If some of those creatures get past us and run for their lives, you'll kill them." Ashner explained. "Gio, you've got the SAW so you'll go on your own… Don't have too much fun."
"We're about to start a party," Gio smirked. "I'm going to have a blast."
The demi's all kept curious gazes on the soldiers. They were completely different than usual. It didn't sink in until that moment that Ashner and Gio were warriors from another world. And they were professionals.
"Keep away from the walls," Ashner spoke to Risa. "At least a foot, the walls are made of stone, and bullets tend to fly alongside them."
Risa nodded.
"Luna, your job is to keep us informed if anything changes." Ashner handed everyone small, snug earpieces. They were safely hidden in Luna's backpack. Then Gio and Ashner readied their nods. They synced with Luna's headset and painted their enemies.
Luna nodded.
"Angel," Ashner glanced at the redhead. Stay with Alex. If the battle turns bad, you'll get him out of here and circle back for Luna and Sapphire."
Angel's body grew. She was taller than Risa. Her whole figure became more mature. "As you command," she bowed gently.
"What about me?" Sapphire asked.
"You'll stay with Luna." Ashner nodded at Gio, and he removed his combat knife and handed it to her. "Combat is chaos, and luck often plays a huge role… If things go bad, you run."
Sapphire hesitantly took the weapon. She held it awkwardly, but she nodded.
"Alright," Ashner said, lifting his head toward their objective. Everyone knows their jobs… Let's save those girls."
Alex crawled up first and readied his sniper. Next, he aimed down his sights. The short man recalled everything Ashner had taught him, and he aligned the red dot on the goblin's chest. Then he pulled the trigger, readjusted aim, and fired again.
Both goblins collapsed, leaving behind a single gold coin each.
XP:160 > XP:180
"Targets are down. Let's move." Ashner and Gio rushed forward with Risa, Alex, and Angel behind them.
"The goblins haven't noticed their guards have died." Luna's voice buzzed through their earpieces.
Alex took a prone position at the cave's entrance. Through his scope, he aimed his weapon down both paths.
"It's empty." Alex gave the group the okay to move on.
Gio took the left path, and Ashner and Risa took the right.
As they moved, Gio and Ashner's nods painted the location of their targets. With each step they took forward, the numbers dropped by a foot.
The SAW raged.
XP:180 > XP:250
Here we go.
Ashner and Risa cleared the long pathway without encountering any goblins and entered the main hallway. Where all the goblins were panicking.
Ashner focused his weapon, started firing from the right, and moved left.
XP:250 > XP:320
"Shit!" Gio screamed in the mic. "Eight of them passed me. They're heading towards the exit!"
"I see them," Alex replied.
"Don't fire yet," Luna spoke calmly. "Gio, get out of the way."
"I'm moving, damn it!" Gio dashed forward, clearing the path, and he dove away from the thin path. Ensuring no stray rounds had a chance of hitting him.
"Alex, kill them," Luna said as Risa jumped into the battle. The elf darted her eyes, putting the battle together and redirecting her allies if they needed it.
Alex focused his shots, and one by one, he left nothing behind but spent shells and gold coins.
XP:320 > XP:450
Gio lifted himself up and started firing at the goblins from his left to right. Their targets had nowhere to run, so one by one, they fell.
XP:450 > XP:610
"Clear!" Gio roared.
"Clear!" Ashner replied, and they rushed towards the demi-dogs, who were too scared to move. He glanced at them quickly, making sure they were alive. "They're good." His nods notified him that none of the women were wounded, and they were still breathing.
The ground shook beneath Ashner.
"What the fuck!"
From below him, a massive beast rose. Its face was similar to a goblin's, with the same pointed nose and disgusting teeth, but it was covered in heavy, rusted armor. And he carried a massive shield and morning star mace. To top it off, it stood easily eight feet tall.
It was hiding underground!
Ashner, along with the girls, tumbled on the dirt and rocky ground. Their bodies collided, and one of the girl's shoulders hit the buttstock of Ashner's M-4 Carbine, forcing it out of his hands. It slid on the ground away from him. His NOD's also gave him an ERROR sign. It had disconnected from Luna's drones.
FUCK! My weapon!
The orc smiled and readied itself for a killing blow.
In the cold reality of war, luck always plays a role in your survival. One bad day, and it's all over.
Risa's sword slashed at its neck, but it shattered into dozens of little shards. The orc used his shield and pushed the cat away with supernatural strength. Before she slammed against the wall, she used her float ability to mitigate the blow. But the impact made her yelp, and she collapsed in pain.
"ASHNER!" Gio dashed towards him. He needed a position where his rounds wouldn't hit his allies. The risk of firing from his current distance was a guaranteed death sentence for Ashner and the girls.
Ashner pushed one of the girls behind him, putting himself between them and the monster. Then he pulled out his side arm and fired. Most of the rounds broke through the armor, but it did nothing to slow the beast down.
The monster grabbed his weapon with both hands and readied itself like a baseball player.
Then, its face was hit with a strobe lights. He glanced away and took a step back.
One of the drones dove down and blinded it.
Way to go, Luna.
Gio leaped ahead of Ashner and unleashed the full power of the SAW. "Goblin deez nuts!"
The orc lifted his shield up, but the bullets ripped it apart. Even with its fat body, the rounds tore through him, and he collapsed. The monster howled in pain and then turned to black mist and gold coins.
XP:610 > XP:810
"Bitch!" Gio spat next to him. He turned towards Ashner. "You hurt?"
"Nah, my ass just wanted to kiss the cold floor." Ashner laughed. "Thanks."
"There's no need for that." Gio held his hand out, lifting Ashner up. "We're brothers."
The heart of the cave lifted near the hostages. The black heart beat, and Gio gave it a disgusted gaze. "That's nasty."
"You killed the boss, so the heart is yours." Ashner moved forward. "Risa?"
No reply.
"RISA!"
Again, no reply.
No, no, no. She was thrown, but maybe she landed on a spike, or perhaps a stray round hit her.
One of the drones lit up and lit the path for Ashner.
Ashner jogged towards it, and Risa was knocked out. She had bumped her head. Ashner checked her pulse. "Good, you're alive." Ashner let himself breathe. He had imagined the worst.
Ashner lifted her up and carried her like a child in his arms.
He returned to Gio, who was trying to calm down the girls. The drones had their lights on, and none of the girls were pleased that a human had come to their rescue.
"We're not here to enslave you. We're here to save you." Gio tried explaining, but the girls were cautious and shivering.
"Ruby! Emerald!" Sapphire's tone echoed throughout the cave, and she and Alex rushed in. Sapphire hugged two of the girls tightly. "You're alive…"
"Sapphire!" The girls started talking, and the slim, silver-eyed girl explained their situation.
Ashner carried Risa towards Gio, who was recording the beating heart with his nods. "What is this?" Gio asked.
"It's the heart of the dungeon… Put a bullet in it, and let's go home…"
"Why is it a heart?" Gio wanted to explore the topic more. "If this Dead God wants to devour the world, then why show us the very thing that we need to live… It just seems cruel, like this God mocks all living things even while it's losing a dungeon…"
"Who can say… Maybe it's not a God, and it's some kind of monster… We've barely touched the surface of this world…"
"Yeah." Gio used his sidearm and destroyed the heart. It turned to black mist like every monster he killed.
XP:810 > XP:1,210
Dungeon Cleared!
The menu showed an armored orc holding his shield up but getting gunned down by a digital Gio. Then it died and left behind some gold.
1 Silver Key Obtained
1 White Room XP Earned
Gio has obtained 1 Spin in the Gotcha System. Use now?
If they shoot the heart, they get a free spin? Oh, Gio is going to love this… But what if he gets a useless power? Damn… I'll tell him when we're in Sanctuary…
New White Room's Available. View now?
I'll look at that later… I'm too tired for it right now… Ashner was wearing the magic bag. He touched the gem, and all the gold, excluding a single red potion, disappeared into Ashner's bag.
Ashner took the potion and put it in one of his pockets.
The group left the cave. As they exited, the sun started to set, and the demi's immediately started complimenting Ashner's group… They were excited and swore to tell everyone of their heroic battle against the goblins.
"They're quick to trust," Gio told Ashner, who was still carrying Risa. She was small enough for him to carry in his arms. As long as he put her head on his shoulder and he let her legs hang against his hip. "Maybe it's because they had dog traits? Did Alex trust you right away?"
"Yeah… He did…" Ashner studied the new demi's. Two of the girls were circling Alex and just about drooled over him.
*******
Returning to Wong and the other demi's didn't take long. As soon as they did, the clan put their complete trust in Ashner and followed them. Eager and willing to live in Sanctuary.
On the way back, Risa's eyes opened. She nudged her head against Ashner's shoulder. That part of his body wasn't armored. Then she sniffed, and her eyes opened wide. She recognized his scent.
"Look who's awake," Luna smirked and held her fingers against her lips.
Angel glanced toward Risa and smiled.
Risa's ears clasped down against her head, and she glanced up at Ashner.
"No!" She struggled and flailed her legs. "Put me down!"
Ashner was caught off guard, but he did as she asked.
"You were sound asleep, like a baby." Luna continued to tease Risa. "You even drooled a bit on Ashner's shoulder."
"I DID NOT!" Risa glanced at Ashner's shoulder to ensure it was a prank. It was. "What happened? That orc was at your feet."
"We won," Ashner admitted. "Gio's the hero of the day."
"I'm glad." Risa smiled, and then a sharp pain on her ankle made her tumble on Ashner. "Ow! Seriously!"
"It's fine," Ashner reassured her. "You got hurt. It happens to everyone."
"No, it's not okay!" Risa hissed. "I'm supposed to protect you…, but I'm useless… I can't even keep my weapons from breaking…"
"You did your part." Ashner wasn't displeased with her skills in the slightest.
"No." Risa's ears dropped to her sides. "You're always saving me…"
"What's wrong with us saving each other?" Ashner helped Risa regain her footing.
"It's just…" Risa struggled to explain it, so she didn't. "I just don't know what to do when you save me."
Luna fought hard to keep her giggles from emerging, and Angel was out of the loop.
"I'll scout ahead." Risa put pressure on her leg, and she gritted her teeth. Ashner held her arm tightly.
"Don't." Ashner lectured. "You're hurt, and we're still a few days away from Sanctuary. I'll carry you the rest of the way, and you will get some rest."
"Yes, let our master carry you." Luna continued to tease.
"It's not... Well… It's…" Risa's face burned red. "It's embarrassing if you carry me like a child."
That's what's bugging her?
Ashner turned around and knelt. He offered her a piggyback ride.
Risa hesitated, but Luna pushed her forward with her hand, and Ashner lifted her up. Once his hands wrapped around her thighs, she pressed her chest against Ashner's back. His armor pressed against her. Her arms wrapped around his chest, and her head hung against his neck.
Angel smiled, finally catching on. Her desire for a massive family had just become more realistic. She glanced at Luna, who smiled back at her.
Ashner lifted her up and walked. She didn't weigh anything to him. But admittedly, sometimes, she was embarrassed about the oddest things.
"Ashner," Risa spoke meekly. "How long does someone need to suffer until they're forgiven for their sins?"
What's on her mind? Does she think cause she got knocked out of the battle that it's a sin? No… This is about Naomie…
Ashner took a few seconds to answer, and as he did, Risa clung to him cautiously.
"The moment someone truly regrets their actions and tries to make a difference. That's when they're forgiven… Sometimes our consciousness will tell us otherwise and drag us through the mud, making us relive our shame over and over… It leaves us wounded in a cycle of guilt… But just how I'm carrying you now… You need to carry yourself above your shame and remorse… Step on them like how we step on the grass at our feet… The grass, like our past, remains unaware of our guilt." Ashner spoke confidently. "Just like the moon above us, it cares not for anything below it… Instead, it shines and gives light to all things… So do the same… Shine brightly over the things that haunt you… And stomp on your regrets until they're buried in your past… Then move on when your body is exhausted, 'cause that's your soul telling you it's been punished long enough."
A beat vibrated against Ashner's armor.
Is that her heart?
Risa's ears and face were red, but she hid them behind Ashner.
She smiled and accepted something she had kept fighting against for a long time.
Risa purred happily.