Disclaimer: English is not my first language. I'm using Grammarly to check the Grammar and using Word to write it.
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A new post on PHO fills the tablet's screen. Attached is a photograph of a mountain of explosives. Beneath it, a countdown timer flashes 1:00:00, the seconds slowly ticking away.
"How many explosives is that?" I asked, my voice low.
Da Vinci studies the image for a long moment before answering, "Just from the photo...I'd estimate seven to eight hundred kilos of C4."
I frown at the answer.
Lisa snatches the tablet from Da Vinci and brings it closer to her face.
"What do you think? Is this real or a distraction?" I asked.
Lisa talks before Da Vinci.
"It's real," she whispered, not taking her eyes away from the tablet.
"How can you tell that?" I asked.
Lisa tears her eyes away from the tablet, her face grim and confused, and points to numbers that are at the bottom of the post.
"See this? These are the coordinates to the entrance of Coil base," Lisa said.
"Where is that?" I asked.
"In the underground level of a parking garage in the middle of the Commercial District. He went to so much trouble to hide that place, and now...what is happening?" Lisa said, looking at the tablet with a troubled expression.
"I'd say by now it's safe to assume that Coil isn't calling the shots anymore," Da Vinci said with a hum.
"But he would never let-" I interrupt Lisa.
"Lisa, I know this is confusing and all that, but we aren't getting anywhere with this. We have to focus on the problem at hand," I said.
Lisa looks at the tablet one more time, lets out a sigh, and nods.
"What is the plan?" Lisa asked.
I stay quiet for a moment.
"Skadi, William, Okita Alter, Paladin, and I are going to invade the base. We're going to rush straight to the explosives. We don't have time to play it safe," I said, rubbing my chin. "How many entrances to the base did Hassan find?"
"There's only one, and it's the one that Lisa just said," Da Vinci said.
"Escape routes?" I asked.
"Only one. It's in the back of Coil's office and leads to the sewers," Da Vinci said.
Lisa snorted coldly, "Yep, that sounds about right. He only cares about himself, and everyone else can go to hell."
"I want eyes on that escape route," I said, turning to Lisa. "Anything we're missing?"
"Just that the entrance is heavily fortified. A meter-thick Tinker-tech vault door, with numerous laser turrets guarding it. Coil didn't spare any expense on that," Lisa said.
"It's easier to set up defenses when you know where you're being invaded from," Da Vinci said with a hum.
"Yeah. He took that very seriously," Lisa said with a frown.
"We can deal with that and the protective wards. We just have to be on the lookout for any other surprises Coil's company has set up," I said.
"You two really don't know this guy?" Lisa asked, looking at Da Vinci and me suspiciously.
"We don't know him, but we have an idea of what people like him are capable of," Da Vinci said.
"What does that mean?" Lisa asked, tilting her head.
"It will all be explained later," Da Vinci said.
"I'll hold you to that," Lisa said with a huff.
I checked the time and saw that four minutes had already passed.
All right. Time to go.
"I'll make a quick call to Dauntless, then put on my costume," I said.
"I'll be right back too," Lisa said, walking toward the workshop door.
"Where are you going?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lisa stopped by the door and turned toward me, "To put on my costume. I'm going too. And before you say anything, no, it's not because I'm worried you won't catch Coil. I know you won't let him get away. I want to be there so I can look that son of a bitch in the eyes and tell him that I won!" she spits out, her voice full of resentment.
Well, spite is one of the strongest forces in the universe.
Lisa takes a deep breath, calming herself down, "Also, I have an idea of where Coil is keeping the explosives in the base," she adds.
I glance at Da Vinci, and she merely shrugs in response.
I turn back to Lisa. She's staring intensely at me, practically daring me to tell her no.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, "You stay next to me at all times, got it?"
Lisa gives me a thumbs-up, flashing a toothy smile.
"By the way, who's Paladin?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Shielder's new cape name," Da Vinci said.
"She's changing names, huh? I thought she was trying to steal that name from New Wave," Lisa said.
"That's not even close to what happened. It was an honest mistake," I said.
"If you say so." Lisa shrugs, clearly not caring about the reason for the name change.
"Go put on your costume. We'll be leaving soon," I said.
Lisa nods and leaves the workshop.
Suddenly, my cellphone starts ringing.
I pick it up and see that Dauntless is calling me.
That saves me some time.
"Hey," I said, answering the call.
"We've got a situation," Dauntless said in a grave voice.
"Yeah, I saw the PHO post. I wasn't expecting Coil to do something like that," I said.
"Tell me about it. We were still trying to find his base when this happened," Dauntless said with a sigh.
"Yeah, there was a good chance you would never find the place. His base is an underground bunker in the middle of the Commercial District," I said.
"What? How did he build something like that without anyone noticing? And how do you know?" Dauntless asked, clearly shocked.
"Tattletale told us everything. Turns out, she was forced to work for him at gunpoint and wanted to be free of Coil. So, she made a deal with us: information in exchange for protection," I explained.
"Hold on. Tattletale, from the Undersiders? The group of thieves?" Dauntless asked.
"The very same," I said
"Unbelievable," Dauntless muttered.
"She also informed us that you had an internal problem. Da Vinci told Dragon about it," I said.
"Ah... that. Yeah, Director Piggot called an emergency meeting, and, oh boy, I've never seen her that angry before. I thought she was going to have a stroke for a moment. Things have been hectic around here ever since," Dauntless said with a tired sigh.
I wasn't expecting him to be this open, but it sounds like they've either cleaned house or are close to it.
I'd like to ask more, but it's probably better not to push my luck.
"There's something else we need to talk about. Were you told about the... other side of the world?" I asked cautiously, wanting to hear his answer before continuing.
"You mean the fact that magic is real? Yeah, I was told about it," Dauntless said deadpan before pausing. "Why are you asking about that?" he asked, clearly dreading the answer.
"There's a magus helping Coil, and he's placed protective wards around the base," I said.
"You've got to be kidding me," Dauntless said with a groan before quickly regaining his composure. "Okay. Who are we dealing with? And what are protective wards?" he asked seriously.
"We don't know who he is. He appeared out of nowhere. As for the wards, think of them as a magical security system. Depending on who set them up, they can be vicious," I said, my voice heavy. "The important thing is that you can't let anyone enter the base until we deal with them."
"Okay, I'll talk to Director Piggot. Hm? Hold on a second," Dauntless said.
I hear him talking to someone, but the voices are too muffled for me to make out anything.
A moment later, Dauntless returns to the call.
"We've got another problem. Mass panic is starting to set in across the Commercial District. Everyone is trying to leave at the same time, and things are getting messy very quickly," he said grimly.
I lower the phone and turn to Da Vinci.
"Send the Valkyries, Cu Chulainn, and Ushiwakamaru to help with the evacuations. And tell Avicebron to send some of his golems too," I said.
She nods and grabs her tablet, quickly getting in contact with the Servants.
"I'm sending some of my Servants to help with the evacuations," I said as I returned to the call.
"Thanks. The more people helping, the better," Dauntless said gratefully.
"Meet you at those coordinates?" I asked.
"See you there," Dauntless said before ending the call.
"See you later," I said to Da Vinci.
"Be careful," she said.
"When am I not?" I asked with a smirk.
The last thing I see before leaving the workshop is Da Vinci crossing her arms and giving me a dry look.
Yeah, fair enough.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
We reach the Commercial District in less than five minutes, leaping from building to building as we head straight for the parking garage.
From above, the situation looks bad.
The closer we get, the more the panic takes hold. People are desperately trying to escape the area, clogging the streets with cars as traffic grinds to a standstill. Others simply run, pushing past anyone who gets in their way. Shouts echo through the streets as people stumble, collide, and fall, causing injuries in their wake.
Avicebron's golems are already working among the crowds, directing people toward safer routes and helping those who have been injured. Above them, the Valkyries patrol the streets, keeping an eye out for anyone trying to exploit the chaos. Ushiwakamaru and Cu Chulainn are moving through the crowd as well, helping wherever they're needed.
New Wave is working alongside the police, trying to keep the evacuation organized. It's helping, but there are simply too many people and too much fear for everything to go smoothly.
Members of the Protectorate and the Wards are doing what they can, filling gaps wherever they're needed.
We land in front of a three-story parking garage.
PRT troopers have already surrounded the building, forming a perimeter and keeping civilians away from the entrance. Dauntless and Armsmaster stand among them, both watching the garage with grim expressions.
The moment our feet touch the ground, they notice us.
They quickly make their way over.
"How are the evacuations going?" I asked.
"Far too slowly. There are too many people. We aren't going to be able to clear the area in under an hour," Dauntless said grimly.
"How much time do we have?" I asked.
"Forty-nine minutes," Tattletale said, checking her phone.
More than enough time.
"Why is she here?" Armsmaster asked, fixing Lisa with a heavy frown.
"Not the time, tin can. There are more important things to worry about than little old me," Tattletale said.
She moved toward the parking garage, but Armsmaster stepped in front of her.
"You aren't going with us. There is much you have to answer for," Armsmaster said.
"There's a bomb underneath all of us, and you want to do this now!?" Tattletale cries out in outrage.
She shoots Armsmaster a venomous glare before blinking slowly and looking him over more closely.
"Oh, but this isn't about that, now, is it?" Tattletale asked, a fox-like smile spreading across her face. "No, no, no. This is about a bruised ego. You've been trying to clean up Brockton Bay for years, and Coil has been running circles around you without you ever realizing it! Oh, how embarrassing! And now, here you are, trying to save face and prove that-"
I cover her mouth with my left hand.
"That's enough," I whisper to her before turning toward Armsmaster.
He stares coldly at Tattletale, doing his best to act as though her words haven't affected him. The tight grip around his halberd tells a different story.
"We don't have time for this. You can question her later," I said.
"Gladly," Armsmaster replied with chilling calm.
Tattletale's eyes widen in alarm. She quickly pulls my hand away from her mouth.
"Hey! I'm a victim too! I was forced to work for him at gunpoint!" she said.
"Was she?" Dauntless asked, clearly skeptical.
"We verified it. She's telling the truth," Mash said.
Dauntless and Armsmaster glanced at each other.
"Make sure you put that in your report!" Tattletale said, planting her hands on her hips. "It ain't my fault Coil made fools of the PRT and Protectorate."
"You know, you aren't making things any easier for yourself," Rengoku said.
"Excuse me for not wanting to be blamed for things I didn't do!" Tattletale huffs before blinking in confusion. "Who said that?" she asked, looking around.
"That was my partner, Rengoku," Okita Alter says, holding up her sword.
"What?" Dauntless and Tattletale ask at the same time, both staring at Okita Alter as though she's suddenly grown another head.
Armsmaster, meanwhile, simply stares intently at her.
Okita Alter was about to explain, but I placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.
"You can explain to them later. We have a bomb to deal with," I said. "Lead the way, Tattletale."
She nods and rushes into the parking garage, heading down toward the underground level. She leads us to a wall in the far corner.
"Behind this wall is a path that leads to the entrance. Give me a second to-what are you doing?" Tattletale asked, looking at Okita Alter as she approached the wall.
Okita Alter stops in front of it, draws her sword, and slashes.
Once.
Twice.
Then again and again, so quickly that my eyes struggle to keep track of the blade.
She sheathes her sword.
The wall immediately falls apart, revealing a tunnel behind it.
The passage slopes downward, stretching roughly two hundred meters in length.
"...That works too," Tattletale said breathlessly before shaking her head.
She's about to take a step into the tunnel when Skadi raises her wand.
Tattletale suddenly yelps as she's lifted off the ground and deposited beside me.
She opens her mouth to complain, but I shake my head. She closes it with a reluctant huff.
"What's the matter?" I ask, narrowing my eyes as I look down the tunnel.
"There is an illusion here," Skadi said with a thoughtful hum.
She raised her wand and traced several runes through the air. The symbols glow faintly before shooting down the tunnel.
For several seconds, nothing happens.
Then the runes strike something.
A sharp crack echoes through the passage.
The air in front of us fractures, cracks spreading across the illusion like broken glass. A moment later, it shatters completely, revealing a robot standing at the far end of the tunnel.
It's armed with a bulky, futuristic-looking weapon.
Armsmaster immediately stiffens.
"That is a plasma cannon! Everyone, move!" he roars.
The robot raises the weapon.
A flash of light fills the tunnel.
The plasma bolt tears toward us, illuminating the entire passage with its intense light.
Armsmaster, Dauntless, and Tattletale dive to either side, scrambling out of its path.
We don't move.
There's no need.
Mash steps forward and raises her shield.
The plasma bolt strikes it dead center.
The impact shakes the tunnel.
A thunderous boom rolls through the parking garage as dust and debris fall from the ceiling. The light from the plasma washes over Mash, briefly obscuring her from view.
Then it fades.
Mash is still standing.
Not a scratch.
The robot begins advancing, its cannon firing again.
Another plasma bolt slams into Mash's shield.
Then another.
And another.
Each impact shakes the tunnel, but Mash remains firmly planted in place. Her shield absorbs every shot without allowing even a single bolt to reach us.
Tattlatle stares at her in disbelief, "What the hell? She's tanking all of that, and it looks like she doesn't even feel it!"
Of course she doesn't.
She's Chaldea's strongest shield.
I keep my eyes on the robot.
"William," I said.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Don't damage the plasma cannon," I said.
William looks toward the weapon.
I gesture toward it, "Let's see if we can bring that back to Da Vinci."
William nods, "Got it."
He raises his crossbow and fires a dozen bolts at the golem.
The bolts cut through the air in a tight spread, closing the distance in seconds.
Then they stop.
Every bolt hangs motionless a few centimeters from the golem, suspended in midair by an unseen force. They remain there, perfectly still, as though an invisible hand has caught them.
"Oh?" William raises an eyebrow. "Now, that is an interesting trick."
Dauntless briefly looks around the corner, his attention drawn to the weapon in the golem's hands.
"Is it just me, or is that cannon glowing really brightly?!" he said, worried.
Armsmaster's expression tightens.
"It's overheating! At this rate, it will explode in the next sixty seconds!" He grits his teeth. "And that robot will reach us before then!"
Can't let that happen.
"Skadi, freeze it," I order.
Skadi raises her wand.
Runes form in the air around her, one after another, glowing with cold blue light. The temperature drops almost immediately.
Then the storm comes.
A powerful blast of freezing wind tears down the tunnel, carrying snow and ice with it. Within moments, the passage disappears beneath a raging blizzard.
The cold is intense enough to make my skin sting.
Then, just as quickly, it ends.
Snow settles onto the ground.
The tunnel has been transformed.
Ice coats the walls, ceiling, and floor, turning the passage into a frozen corridor. At the far end, the robot stands completely encased in ice, its cannon frozen alongside it.
For several seconds, nothing moves.
Then a crack appears across its chest.
Another follows.
The fractures spread across its body, branching outward until the entire robot is covered in them.
With a sharp crack, the robot breaks apart.
Pieces of ice and metal tumble across the floor, leaving the tunnel silent once again.
I look at the remains.
Well, there goes my chance of bringing that cannon back to Da Vinci.
"Well, that was effective," Dauntless said, his breath condensing into a cloud of white mist as he looked down the tunnel.
Armsmaster remains silent, staring at the remains with a faint frown.
Tattletale, meanwhile, is having a much harder time with the sudden drop in temperature.
"W-w-what the fuck?" she stammers, rubbing her arms as she shivers.
Skadi looks over at her.
"Oh. My apologies," she said.
She waves her wand.
The ice begins to disappear, melting away from the walls and floor. Another rune forms, releasing a wave of warmth that quickly restores the temperature to normal.
"Better?" Skadi asked.
"Yeah, thanks," Tattletale said with a relieved hum.
She looked toward the remains of the robot and scowled.
"Freaking robot," Tattletale said.
Skadi pauses, "That isn't a robot."
Tattletale looks at her.
"It's a golem," Skadi said simply.
Armsmaster's head snaps toward Skadi.
"A golem, you say? Aren't they supposed to-" I cough loudly, cutting him off.
He glances at me.
I give him a pointed look, then briefly glance toward Tattletale.
Armsmaster follows my gaze. After a moment, he gives a quiet hum and decides not to continue.
Tattletale looks between the two of us, clearly curious, but wisely keeps her mouth shut.
"Skadi, can you sense the protective wards?" Mash asked.
"Yes. There are multiple layers of them. Give me a moment. I will deal with them," she said.
Skadi raised her wand and began scribing runes into the air.
One after another, the symbols appear, each glowing with an ethereal light. As she continues, the air around us grows heavier, saturated with magical energy.
A few seconds later, she finishes the sequence.
With a final motion of her wand, the runes flare brightly.
A wave of magic surges through the tunnel.
The entire parking garage trembles under the force.
Then the magic fades.
"We can proceed now," Skadi said.
"Tattletale? What's wrong?" Mash asked, concern creeping into her voice.
I turn toward her.
She's clutching her head, her face twisted in pain.
"Nothing. It's just a little headache," she said through gritted teeth.
"What's wrong with her?" William asked.
"She's suffering from a Thinker headache," Armsmaster said matter-of-factly.
Ah.
She must have tried to analyse the runes.
"Maybe it would be better if you-" Tattletale interrupts me.
"Finish that sentence, and I'll kick you in the nuts!" she said, glaring at me.
"No need for threats. I'm just looking out for you," I raise my hands in mock surrender.
Tattletale huffs, but the expression quickly turns into a wince. She places a hand against her temple.
"Skadi, give her a little help," I say.
Skadi nods and casts a healing spell over Tattletale.
The tension in Tattletale's face gradually eases.
"Better?" Skadi asks.
"Yeah. Thanks," Tattletale says with a relieved sigh.
"All right," I look down the tunnel. "Let's go."
We raced through the narrow tunnel without slowing, emerging into an enormous vault chamber.
At its center stood a colossal vault door.
We barely managed more than two steps inside before the ceiling came alive.
Panels snap open with mechanical precision, revealing rows upon rows of laser turrets that descend in unison, their crimson targeting beams locking onto us.
Huh, this brings back memories.
The air screams as the first volley erupts.
"Paladin!" I shout.
"I've got you, senpai!" Mash said.
Without the slightest hesitation, Mash leaps in front of Lisa and me, her massive shield meeting the storm head-on. A rain of laser fire engulfed her position, each blast exploding harmlessly against her unyielding defense. The torrent was overwhelming, but Mash never takes a single step back.
Tattletale cries out in panic, crouching low with her hands over her head.
Skadi, with a graceful motion of her wand, summons a translucent wall of ice that spreads around herself, Dauntless, and Armsmaster. The lasers crash into the barrier only to vanish, their destructive energy swallowed without leaving so much as a crack.
On the opposite flank, Okita Alter becomes a whirlwind of steel. Her blade flashes faster than the eye can follow, carving through every laser aimed at her and William, each strike splitting the deadly beams apart before they can reach their targets.
With the pressure lifted, William levels his crossbow.
A storm of bolts erupts from the weapon.
Each shot finds its mark with impeccable precision. One turret explodes. Then another. And another. In mere seconds, every last turret is reduced to smoking wreckage, their shattered remains crashing to the floor as silence settles over the chamber once more.
"Nice work," I said, giving Okita Alter and William a thumbs-up.
Okita Alter thumbs up in return with a big smile.
"This was a nice warm-up," William said.
I turn to Tattletale, "You okay?"
"My ears are still ringing, but I'm alive. So, yes!" Tattletale said, rubbing her ears as she got back to her feet. She looked around at the destroyed turrets. "You guys make this look so easy."
"It's not that big of a deal, kid," William said.
"Yeah. We've dealt with far worse than this," Okita Alter added.
"Like what?" Tattletale asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"That's a secret," Okita Alter says flatly.
"Of course it is." Tattletale sighs.
"How are you two doing?" I asked, turning toward Dauntless and Armsmaster.
"We're fine. Skadi protected us. Thank you for that," Dauntless said gratefully.
"It was nothing," Skadi replied.
Dauntless looked around the facility, his expression growing more serious.
"Seriously, how the hell did Coil build all of this without anyone noticing?" he asked, a hint of shock in his voice.
"It's already concerning enough that he had access to our systems. And now we find all of this," Armsmaster said with a grunt.
"How much time do we have?" Mash asked.
"Thirty-seven minutes," Armsmaster replied with a frown.
More than enough time.
I turn my attention toward the massive vault door and let out a thoughtful hum.
"How much do you want to bet Coil's men are waiting on the other side to ambush us?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.
Tattletale snorts, "That is a fool's bet."
"Well, no reason to keep them waiting," I glance at Skadi with a smirk. "Let's go say hello."
Skadi approaches the vault door without a word.
She places one hand against the metal.
Ice quickly begins spreading from her palm.
It races across the door in branching patterns, quickly covering the entire surface. Within seconds, the massive vault door is completely encased in ice.
A large rune slowly forms in the center.
Skadi lifts her other hand.
She snaps her fingers.
The rune flares with brilliant light.
A sharp crack runs through the frozen door.
Then another.
The entire vault door fractures.
With a deafening crash, it shatters into countless pieces of ice, revealing the chamber beyond.
Rows of mercenaries are waiting for us, rifles already raised and aimed directly at us.
I stare at them.
Called it.
Before they could open fire, Skadi reacted immediately.
She raises her wand.
The fragments of ice scattered across the floor suddenly lift into the air.
They swirl around her, gathering into a dense white cloud before surging through the doorway.
The mist spreads across the chamber, flowing between the mercenaries and swallowing them from view.
For a brief moment, all I can see is white.
Then the mist stops moving.
It hardens.
Ice rapidly forms around the mercenaries, encasing them where they stand. Within seconds, the entire room is filled with frozen figures, their rifles trapped alongside them.
The only sound is the faint cracking of ice as some of the mercenaries struggle against their restraints.
"That takes care of them," Skadi said calmly.
Lisa lets out a low whistle.
"Damn. That wasn't even a fight," she said.
Armsmaster steps closer, studying the frozen mercenaries.
"How long will the ice last?" he asked.
"As long as I want," Skadi replied.
Dauntless looks over the frozen soldiers, his expression thoughtful. "I have to ask. Are they going to get frostbite or something like that?"
"It's a possibility," Skadi said.
Dauntless nods, "Got it," he said, then suddenly pauses. "Hm? Hold on."
He raises a finger to the side of his helmet.
Armsmaster does the same a moment later.
"Excuse us for a second," Armsmaster said.
The two of them move a short distance away before speaking in hushed voices.
I watch them for a moment.
What is that about?
"Henry, Lung broke out of confinement," Da Vinci said suddenly.
I tense up at the news.
My Servants and Tattletale notice immediately.
"What's wrong, Master?" Okita Alter asked, tilting her head.
"What?!" Dauntless and Armsmaster shouted at the same time.
Okita Alter, Skadi, William, Mash, and Tattletale glance toward them before turning their attention back to me.
"Okay. What the hell is going on?" Tattletale asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Lung escaped from PRT headquarters," I said grimly.
"What?!" Tattletale exclaimed, her alarm obvious.
"How did he escape?" Mash asks.
"Give me a second," I said. "How did Lung escape?" I asked, still surprised.
"Not sure yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if Coil had a hand in it," Da Vinci said.
"Yeah. Of all times for that to happen," I muttered, furrowing my brow.
"There's more. Something isn't right about him," Da Vinci adds.
"What do you mean?" I asked
"Lung seems more interested in causing havoc than escaping. And while I can't confirm it yet, he appears to be in considerable pain," Da Vinci said.
Pain?
"Where is he?" I asked.
"About three blocks from PRT headquarters. He's already covered in scales, reached four meters tall, and his transformation is accelerating rapidly," Da Vinci said.
I frown.
At this rate, Lung will keep ramping up and cause even more damage.
"Is Sigurd at the hotel?" I asked.
"No. He's at Lord's Port. He's serving as one of Sherrel's bodyguards today," Da Vinci said.
"All right. I'll contact him. Send Asclepius as well. It would be nearly impossible for all of this to happen without anyone getting hurt," I said.
"Got it," Da Vinci said.
"Sigurd," I said.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Lung escaped from PRT headquarters. I need you to deal with him." I said.
"Understood," Sigurd said.
I turned back toward my Servants and Tattletale.
"Da Vinci doesn't know how he got out. We can focus on that later," I said.
"This has Coil's name written all over it!" Tattletale hisses. "He did this."
Before I can respond, Armsmaster and Dauntless walk back toward us.
"You guys staying?" Okita Alter asked.
"Yes. The bombs are the priority. Everyone else can handle Lung," Armsmaster said.
"I sent one of my Servants to deal with him," I said.
"Only one?" Armsmaster asked.
"He's the most qualified to deal with Lung," I said seriously.
"I see," Armsmaster gives a small nod.
"Let's pick up the pace. Tattletale, lead the way," I said.
"Right!" she said.
Tattletale immediately breaks into a run.
We follow, moving deeper into the base and heading straight for the explosives.
Along the way, we encounter more mercenaries. They do their best to stop us, firing their weapons and throwing everything they have at us.
It doesn't matter.
Okita Alter and William make short work of them, clearing the way as we continue farther into the base.
Deeper.
And deeper.
"How big is this place?" Armsmaster asked, glancing around as he ran.
"I'd say it's about the same size as an Endbringer shelter," Tattletale said, already starting to pant from the constant running.
"How much farther?" Dauntless asked from above us, flying through the corridor.
"Won't be much longer! We just need to turn left here and it-Whoa!" Tattletale abruptly stops as she turns the corner.
We come to a halt behind her.
Three golems stand at the end of the corridor.
They remain completely still for a moment.
Then their bodies glow.
And they disappear.
Oh.
That can't be good.
Before anyone can react, two of them suddenly reappear in the middle of our group.
The third appears right beside me.
The first golem immediately lunges at Armsmaster.
It tackles him straight through the wall, sending both of them crashing into the room beyond.
"Armsmaster!" Dauntless shouts, immediately flying after them.
The other golem lunges toward the Servants, but Okita Alter intercepts it.
Her blade flashes.
The golem is cut apart in an instant, its body falling to pieces.
But that brief distraction is enough.
The golem beside me moves.
A blade extends from its right forearm with a sharp metallic sound.
It swings immediately, the weapon cutting through the air in a wide arc aimed straight at my neck.
I duck beneath it.
The blade passes above my head, cutting a few strands of my hair.
I reinforce my arms and drive my fists upward, striking the golem's arm with enough force to knock it off course.
I follow immediately.
One punch.
Then another.
Then another.
My fists hammer into its chest, each blow forcing the golem farther backward.
I finish with a powerful elbow to its chest.
CRACK!
The chest plate shatters beneath the impact.
The force of the blow sends the golem crashing into the wall, spiderweb cracks spreading through the surface around it. Sparks begin to spit from its damaged chest as its body twitches against the wall.
It tries to push itself forward.
It manages one step before a dozen arrows tear through its body.
Before it can recover, Mash charges in and slams her shield into its side.
BOOM!
The golem is sent flying down the corridor, crashing hard into the opposite wall.
Its body twitches violently.
Then it goes limp.
"Senpai! Are you all right?" Mash asked, concern clear in her voice.
"I'm fine! What about you guys?" I asked.
"We're fine," Skadi said.
I turned toward the hole in the wall, intending to go inside.
Before I can take a step, something suddenly comes flying through it.
Armsmaster.
He crashes into the opposite wall.
His armor has a few dents and scratches. He turns his head to the side and spits out a small amount of blood.
"Hey, you," Armsmaster interrupts me.
"What are you waiting for?!" he said. "Go! We'll catch up later!"
He pushes himself away from the wall and runs back through the hole.
I swiftly turn to Mash, "Let's go."
We rejoin the others and follow Tattletale deeper into the base.
She leads us through another corridor before stopping at a set of heavy double doors.
She pushes them open.
A massive storage room stretches out before us. Crates and equipment are stacked along the walls, but my attention immediately settles on the center of the room.
The explosives.
There they are.
We barely have a chance to take another step.
The room suddenly shifts.
The walls ripple as though the entire structure has become liquid.
Then black lines begin appearing across the surfaces around us.
They twist and writhe.
Moving.
Alive.
Before I can react, they suddenly lash out.
Skadi moves first.
She raises her wand and rapidly inscribes a series of glowing runes through the air.
A pulse of magical energy erupts from her.
The black lines recoil violently before dissolving into nothing.
The room falls still.
"Was that a curse?" I asked.
"Seems like it," Mash said, looking around cautiously. "Thankfully, it wasn't anything serious."
"Good," I said.
I turned toward Skadi.
"Deal with the bombs," I said.
Skadi approaches the explosives and raises her wand.
Runes appear around them, forming a precise circle.
The symbols flare.
The explosives vanish.
There is no explosion.
No smoke.
Not even a sound.
They're completely vaporized, leaving nothing behind, not even dust.
One problem down.
"Hey. You okay, kid?" William asked.
I look toward Tattletale.
Mash does the same.
Tattletale has gone pale.
Her hands tremble slightly, and she looks like she's struggling to steady herself.
She suddenly jolts and looks toward William.
"I... I guess so?" Tattletale swallows hard. "For a second, I felt like I was going to vomit my heart out. What the hell was that?" her voice is noticeably shaken.
"Something vile," Skadi says gently. "But you do not need to worry, child. I have dealt with it."
Tattletale looks at Skadi, then at me.
She lets out a tired sigh.
"You know, Armsmaster seemed to know what those 'golem' things were. And I heard you mention a 'curse'." she folds her arms. "But you aren't going to explain any of that, are you?"
"Not yet. Da Vinci will explain everything later," I said.
"God. I hate being the only one in the dark," she said bitterly.
Tattletale shakes her head, as though trying to clear away the lingering discomfort.
Then she straightens.
"Now that the explosives are dealt with, we can go after Coil," Tattletale said.
"Wait a second," William looked toward me. "Shouldn't we wait for Armsmaster and Dauntless, Master?"
"Do they even need help?" Okita Alter asked.
"Let me check," Skadi said.
She raised her wand and inscribed several runes in the air. A soft glow fills her eyes as she focuses on something beyond our immediate surroundings.
"Hmm. They have it handled. I'd say the fight will be over in less than five minutes," Skadi said.
"Great. Then let's get moving. The longer we wait, the greater the chance Coil gets away," Tattletale said immediately, though there's an anxious edge to her voice.
"That assumes he hasn't already escaped," Mash points out.
Tattletale's expression darkens.
Hassan hasn't reported anything about Coil taking the escape route.
He could still be here.
"We'll find out soon enough. Skadi, leave something behind so Armsmaster and Dauntless can find us," I said.
Skadi waves her wand.
A small fish made of ice takes shape before us. It circles her once before floating toward the doorway.
Tattletale watches it go, "What is that?"
"A simple construct. It will guide them to our location," Skadi explained.
"Lead the way," I said.
Tattletale nods and takes off down another section of the base.
It takes us about five minutes to reach Coil's office.
William kicks the door open and steps inside, with Okita Alter following close behind.
A moment later, William calls out.
"You can come in," he said.
Tattletale, Mash, Skadi, and I enter the room.
William and Okita Alter are both staring toward one side of the office.
I follow their gaze.
Ah.
Coil is slumped against the wall.
His throat has been cut open, and a pool of blood has spread across the floor beneath him.
Tattletale sucks in a sharp breath.
She stares at his corpse without blinking.
"How long has he been dead?" Mash asks.
William kneels beside the body and examines the wound closely.
"He's still very warm, and there's still some blood coming from the wound. I'd say… about five to ten minutes, give or take," he said, getting to his feet.
"What about the man who was helping him? Any sign of how he escaped?" I asked, looking around the room.
The place was a mess. A table had been flipped onto its side, broken monitors littered the floor, and bullet holes pocked one of the walls. A gun lay on the ground, surrounded by scattered shell casings.
Hm. Had this been some kind of disagreement between them, or was it something else?
William shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine. If he'd tried to use the escape route or the front door, Hassan would've warned us."
I let out a thoughtful hum.
"Let me check," Skadi waved her wand, sending a small pulse of magical energy through the room. "Oh? This is interesting. Some kind of spatial fluctuation happened here."
"He opened a portal? Or teleported?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Can't say. The trace is too faint to tell. What I can say is that it's not something we're familiar with," Skadi said seriously.
Tinker tech or a parahuman's power, then.
"Um, senpai," Mash whispered.
I turn to her, and she motions toward Tattletale.
She's still staring at Coil's corpse, having barely moved since we arrived.
"I'll talk to her," I whispered.
I walk over to her side.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey," Tattletale replied quietly.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"I'm more than happy to see him dead, but I'm also frustrated for some reason," Tattletale said, rubbing her arm.
"About what?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. He's finally gone, but this doesn't feel as satisfying as I expected it to," she admitted.
"Well, you wanted him to suffer. To rot away in prison while you went on with the rest of your life. Coil being dead takes that away from you." I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
Tattletale remains silent for a moment before slowly nodding.
"Yeah, that sounds about right." She tilts her head, then looks back at the corpse. "Give me a second."
She walks closer to it.
"I won," Tattletale said before kicking the corpse hard. "Burn in hell, asshole."
She turns back to me with a satisfied smile.
The ice fish Skadi created floats into the room, with Armsmaster and Dauntless following closely behind. They're both breathing heavily, their costumes sporting a few more dents and scratches than before, but otherwise they seem fine.
They look around the room before their eyes settle on Coil's corpse.
"Are you two all right?" Mash asked.
"A little banged up, but nothing serious," Dauntless said.
Armsmaster opens his mouth, but I speak before he can.
"We didn't do this, if that's what you're wondering," I say flatly.
"I see," Armsmaster nods. "What of the man who was helping him?"
"Gone," I said with a sigh.
Armsmaster hums, a small frown appearing on his face.
"I'm so glad this is over," Tattletale said with a tired sigh, rubbing her temples.
"It's over here, but Lung is still out there rampaging," Mash points out.
Tattletale freezes for a second before muttering a few curses under her breath.
Let's check how things are going.
"Sigurd, what's the situation?" I asked.
"Master, I've taken care of Lung," Sigurd replied.
"Good job. Keep an eye on him. I still have a few things to take care of here," I said.
"Understood," Sigurd said.
"Lung is down," I announced.
Tattletale, Armsmaster, and Dauntless all visibly relax at the news.
"Tiring day, huh?" William said, sounding amused.
"It's certainly been something," Dauntless said with a shake of his head.
"Well, it's not over yet. We still have to check the rest of the base." I rub my chin.
I want to see what else is hidden in this place. There's no telling what Coil might have been keeping down here.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
So, it's been a while, huh?
Well, a few things have happened over the last few weeks. Some good, some bad, but mostly just normal stuff.
One thing that really caught me by surprise was my graphics card giving up on me. I honestly didn't see it coming since I had been playing games normally without any problems. I managed to get a better one for a good price, but it still caught me completely off guard.
About this chapter:
I have some mixed feelings about it.
When it came to Coil's base, I kept rewriting entire sections. I have no idea how many times I rewrote them.
I would write something, then come back to it some time later and think of a different way it could go. Then, I would rewrite the whole thing.
I did that multiple times throughout the chapter.
Anyway, I'm going to be changing how much time I spend focusing on each story.
While I do enjoy focusing on one story for a while, it also takes a long time. Also, at some point, I start thinking about the other story, which ends up taking away some of my focus from the chapter I'm writing.
So, from now on, I'll switch between stories every three chapters.
Hopefully, this will mean the chapters won't take quite so long to write.
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If you like my stories and wish to support me, you can find me over at pa-tre-on (slash) Regulareader.
Or at Ko-fi.com/regulareader