Assault, page 21
Vic, communication is restored, but I detected three messages being sent out immediately upon that device’s failure . . .
[Send a message to Honor and Shield: Targets and location found. Send the location and label it Raven. Alert them to the risk of those messages having been sent as well.]
Done . . .
I walk to the pile of storage devices and start touching them.
[Key?]
Not yet. I’m taking normal action for empty or coin only devices . . .
[Good.]
“Are you here to get us out?”
I hear a voice coming from behind me and to the right. It is a small gnome with long, dark blue hair. She can’t be more than the human equivalent of twelve.
I nod. “I am.”
I keep touching. There are quite a few to go through.
I have it . . .
I walk up to a cage on the bottom row and open it. A human female who looks around twenty is crouched in the back of the cage. She looks abused, with bandages all over her. I make a decision and unsummon the staff; it disappears into the air. I open the cage door I just unlocked and say, “It’s okay. I’m here to help. If I give you the keys, can you open more cages?”
She doesn’t answer, only able to sit scrunched in the back of the cave shivering. I sigh.
“It’s okay. You’ll be fine.”
I get out and move to the next cage and do the same. This time the lady dwarf nods and says, “I can.” I hand her the keys. Every dwarf I know is a hardy one.
I walk to the other side and move all the way to a cage against the far wall. I find it interesting there are no collars on the victims. Maybe it interferes with the testing? Either way, I point at the cage door, and the human boy inside curls up in the back. A small ball of plasma splatters against the lock. It sizzles, and I pull.
[That works. Timer?]
Thirty-three minutes . . .
I back up and point at a cage and the ball of plasma hits the lock again. I repeat this as I walk down the row and keep firing balls of plasma. Until I come to a cage with a familiar face. I walk up to it.
“Your dad misses you.”
She starts bawling.
“I’ll take you home now,” I say softly.
Response from Shield: Get them out now. Compromised . . .
Chapter 40
[Fuck! Signal Gunny to get the transport and get his ass here right the fuck now. Like this fucking second.]
Message sent . . .
I call to the room in my misty voice. “I’m sorry to do this, but this location has been compromised, and the enemy is on the way. We need to hurry and release everyone as quickly as possible. I need everyone who can help someone else to please do so. You are all victims, and I need your help to save everyone. Thank you all in advance.”
Soon everyone who is physically and mentally capable is helping someone who isn’t.
I speed up my actions as well and am firing plasma from both hands. There are grav carts floating around the third, fourth, and fifth levels to help them down.
Gunny will arrive with the transport in seven minutes. Your timer is at sixteen minutes.
Looking around, I see only three people remain in cages. Two on the left and one on the right. I leap from grav cart to grav cart and head over the side with two. Two plasma balls later and my cart holds an elf and a human as we lower to the ground. Both are abused but can walk. The lady dwarf is helping another dwarf off. I tie a bag around my torso with all the spatial containers.
“All right, everyone. We should have a ride coming shortly. Follow me.”
I lead them to the pad but stop.
“Wait until I signal it is clear.”
I step on the pad and appear above. I stick my head out of the door and immediately stick it back to avoid the multiple mana projector rounds that fly by my head. The rounds are not penetrating the room, which means it was made for this purpose. Likely they did not plan for it to be captured and defended by the enemy. I have no idea how much mana my cloak will cover me for, and I’d rather not test it now.
With my quick glance I saw thirteen humans and three auto-turrets. The humans are behind vertical red mana shields.
[That’s not good.]
Then I hear the humming of one of the turrets moving closer. Shit. I need to avoid damaging this pad. Death won’t help with turrets, floating so no ice, and they are lightning shielded.
I quickly stick my finger around the corner and throw a plasma ball. I hear a plop and sizzle and humming stops coming closer. Activating [Mana Sight], I find I cannot see through the walls. Damn. I deactivate it.
Okay. Time for something new.
I press my hands on the ground and send into the ground a magica I have rarely used. In fact, this is the first time I am using it for combat. I pour myself into the floor and earth beneath. I can see the stone floor start to steam on the other side of the large room and earth below heat so much it begins to melt and coagulate. I hear yelling outside, and the turrets start a faster approach.
I need to move now! Reaching within myself, I plunge all but a slip of my mana into the ground at once, and that entire half of this building’s floor explodes upwards in streams of the glowing liquid of melted stone, earth and metal.
Warning! Host has 10% remaining mana . . .
The screams are hysterical now. I push until I hear silence, and then I let go of the mana.
Warning! Host has 5% remaining mana . . .
[Mana Lifeline at the rate of health regeneration to mana. Tell Gunny to guard the perimeter but to not approach.]
Confirmed . . .
I feel the slight drain but ignore it. Sticking my head around, I see a world of absolute destruction. There are noxious gasses floating up from a dark-but-still-liquidy ground. I see parts of humans and turrets pointing towards the ceiling, the rest of them buried in magma. The few human faces I can see are in a rictus of pain. I hear some humming from one the turrets half buried in the glowing magma; it appears to still be functional and attempting to move its barrel in a position to subdue me. I point at it, and a fist-size plasma ball melts its inside in moments. A light blue freezing cold spreads from my feet, and earth cracks and groans in protest. I also create an air bubble that sucks in all the gasses and foul air in the large warehouse. Thanks to lifeline, I can hold both the ice and air until Jo gives me the alert I am waiting for.
Temperature and air quality have reached minimum safety standards . . .
I release all the magica with a sigh. A tiny sliver shows in my mana bar. Damn, that was close.
I walk around and send every human into my [Living Inventory], pick up each spatial treasure that falls and place it into my bag. Then I send each turret into my [Inventory] and walk back to the pad.
[Tell Gunny he can approach.]
I port to the facility and see everyone barely standing. “I’m so sorry for the delay. It is safe now. Please head through after me. I will be removing this cloak and mask, but you will still not be able to see my identity. Please do not attempt to touch me.”
[Disable the cloak and mask. Remind Gunny my identity is to be kept a secret and to not use names.]
Affirmative . . .
The smoke surrounding me fades, and my infiltrator set is the only thing left.
I take the port and slowly guide everyone into the larger room where Gunny is turning in a circle. Seeing me approach, he says, “Kid, did you—”
He cuts off when he sees the bedraggled, patched, pale, and barely-able-to-walk group following me out of the room. The illusion is apparently broken.
I turn around and say, “Everyone, this man will load you into a transport. He is a good man and can keep you safe. I need everybody but one to follow.”
I walk up to the judge’s daughter and say, “If you’ll follow me, I can get you home to your family.”
I take her to the door and, with as little mana as possible, knock her out, check for injuries, lift her into my arms and carry her the few blocks to Grace. I slide her into the sidecar and tell Grace to keep her secure.
#She is safe with me, Host Vic . . .
Chapter 41
I place the girl in her bed and walk back to the judge’s room. I wake him again and walk him to her room. I open the door, and he sees her in the bed. He collapses on the ground, and I follow as he cries onto my shoulder mumbling “Thank you. Thank you” over and over again. I pat his back and say, “You are a good man and an honest judge, and she was innocent. Please, just keep being yourself. And I recommend you withdraw her from that school and find another that offers a similar curriculum.”
[Send it, Jo.]
Sent.
“You have received research on two other private educational institutions that offer a similar program. Fill out the form, pick one, and your daughter’s tuition is covered for her entire time there. I wish you the best, your honor.” I lift his head and look directly at him through my mask. “Please earn this.”
I stand and walk away.
***
Walking into my home, Aria gives me a huge hug and says she is on her way to help those people. I nod and tell her I will be joining shortly.
[Ask for an immediate emergency session with Honor and Shield. Raven again.]
Sent . . .
I place the bag on the table, [Inventory] my armor, and take a shower. It isn’t what I want, but I’m a life magica, and I can help.
I change into my sweats and t-shirt and tie up my hair.
[Where am I going?]
Whyatt has set up an infirmary of sorts on the thirteenth floor conference center. Vic, you saved ninety-seven people tonight. I’m so proud of you . . .
[Thanks, Jo, but they aren’t saved yet. Some of those injuries looked bad. And that is just the visible trauma.]
I port to thirteen and walk in. The place has beds lined up with medicos walking swiftly between them. Looking around, I see Aria helping a young human boy who is crying. She is trying to comfort him and heal him at the same time.
I move to an older human who appears to be giving direction. “Sir, how can I help? I am a strong life magica, if an inexperienced one.”
He looks overwhelmed but truly passionate about helping these people. Looking down at the crypad, he says, “Beds forty-three through forty-nine,” and he points me to an area with nobody helping. I nod and walk over. The beds are clearly labeled and I start at forty-three.
A tigerkin who looks like an adult male is lying with his yellow eyes open and a distant look in them. I walk up to his side and say quickly, “Hello. My name is Vic, and I am here to help. Is it okay if I touch you to send some healing energy?”
He offers no response, just stares up at the ceiling. I sigh and touch his arm.
His injuries are . . . I want to throw up again. His insides are not in the right place. I cannot imagine the pain. First thing I do is send the life energy to his nerves to dull them. I soothe them and put them to sleep, and the man reacts for the first time. I see tears flowing down his yellow eyes as he closes them. He lets out a breath and relaxes slightly. Then I begin working to put things to rights inside this poor victim of cruelty I cannot even imagine.
[Humans do this to ourselves and to our allies. Why would we do this? Besides being cruel and unforgivable, it weakens us against the enemy.]
I don’t know, Vic. This poor man could not have deserved the suffering he endured . . .
I have no response and just work to heal while keeping his nerves dulled.
After doing what I can for him, I tap the crystal at the end of his bed, and it slowly flashes yellow. That means he is out of danger but needs an expert.
***
I spend another four hours helping as best as my limited skills can. My emotions are pretty muddled with my exhaustion as Aria and I weakly walk home hand in hand. We immediately strip and head into the hot bath where Aria promptly falls asleep in my lap leaning against me. I lay my head back.
[Give us an hour, and then I’ll move us to the bed. It's not good for her to fall asleep in hot water.]
Get some rest, Vic. You’ve both earned it . . .
I close my eyes and do.
Chapter 42
I wake the next morning to Aria’s tears on my chest as I look down and see her watching me.
“I’m so sorry, Vic. I never understood what you do. What you see. I thought after the orcs at the valley—I thought I understood. But I didn’t. I don’t know what you have seen in your life or . . . job, I guess. I don’t know how you could do this with nobody to come home to. I can barely do a tiny portion, and I have you at home. I’m not asking for answers. I just want you to know I’m sorry for what you’ve seen and done. That’s all.”
I smile at her and say simply, “Thank you, love.”
Then she puts her head back down on my chest, and we just lie there. I hear her breath steady as she falls back asleep.
[Anything back from Honor or Shield?]
09:00 in room eight . . .
[Confirm.] I’ll make up the hand-to-hand another time.
You were amazing last night. Aria is right. You’re amazing . . .
[I do my job even when it hurts so much I can’t breathe. If I don’t do it, someone else might, and I struggle to think of anyone who can do it better.]
What’s so impressive, Vic, is that statement had no arrogance to it. You were simply stating fact . . .
[I compartmentalize. Can we stop talking about this?]
Sure, Vic. How about your alerts from last night? . . .
Skill updated. Passive skill [Absorptive Death Mana Manipulation] has leveled from 5 to 8 . . .
Skill updated. Passive skill [Magma Mana Manipulation] has leveled from 6 to 10 . . .
No further progress is available for [Magma Mana Manipulation] until an advanced version of this skill is activated. All mana used to advance nanomachines for skill [Magma Mana Manipulation] is now directed to overall nanomachine advancement . . .
Skill updated. Passive skill [Life Mana Manipulation] has leveled from 8 to 10 . . .
No further progress is available for [Life Mana Manipulation] until an advanced version of this skill is activated. All mana used to advance nanomachines for skill [Life Mana Manipulation] is now directed to overall nanomachine advancement . . .
To cut to the chase, you received 23,376.91 mana essence . . .
[That’s a lot from humans.]
Two were Specials of decent level . . .
[I need to remember to [Inspect] more.]
I agree. You had no evolutions, sorry . . .
[That’s okay. I assume I have a lot to catch up on. What is my schedule?]
Feed Eggy soonest. You need to authorize a bunch of requests about buying land. You have Hyoto this evening, both sniper rifle and your beating—I mean staff lesson. You need to review those three acquisition recommendations and then investigate the fourth and fifth customer of Nature’s Memory Earthscaping and Care. And I have all kinds of material for you to review on farming and animal husbandry. Honestly, Vic, I think you should just hire someone to do that last one; your time is simply too valuable to be spent that way . . .
[All of that is great. I’m not ready to pursue the fourth customer today. I need a breather. On the farming, I think you’re right. How the fuck do I find the right person?]
Searching . . .
[Of course. You’re fantastic. What about improving yourself? There has to be something there?]
That is MilNet research and is taking some time. And one other thing about last night . . .
[What is it?]
Do you remember when you first entered they were speaking about acquiring a company and needing coin and such? Well, McCormick Acquisitions and Mergers is Mr. Cannon’s old law firm . . .
[Set up a chat with Mr. Cannon for today.]
Request sent. That is all until your 09:00. I have a final recommendation. I think you should assign your primary or secondary profession. It takes two weeks for you to enable. And here is your profile, finally.
Name:
Michael Uriel Victory
Nickname:
Vic
Titles:
Scorching Magica (Hidden)
First of your Kind (Hidden)
Mana Born (Hidden)
Mana Master (Hidden)
Magical Machine (Hidden)
Magnicarum Maximus (Hidden)
Immortal Slayer (Hidden)
Age:
25 {24?}
Evolution Level (Essence):
3 (181,096.82
/3,375)
Species:
Magnicarum
Class:
Inquisitor Magnicarum
Professions:
Primary: Unassigned
Secondary: Unassigned
Available: Armorsmith, Tailor
Health:
353/353 (+64)
Mana:
4084/4084 (+1,076)
Physical Attributes:
Strength:
18.9 (+1.3)
Constitution:
20.3 (+1.4)
Agility:
16.4 (+2.0)
Magical Attributes:
Intelligence:
20.8 (+2.2)
Magica:
78.9 (+18.7)
Miscellaneous Attributes:
Absorption:
22.7 (+1.8)
Health Regen:
Mana Regen:
17.65/second
