Everyone had left the room save for Nate and Karah. She sat down on the sofa a bit absent minded as she kicked her legs. He hadn’t acted just on whim to save others like he had before. Now that he was, she felt discouraged. The times she’d needed him in the past, her desires for him to spread across the world and command it. None of it seemed to matter as long as she could be by his side.

  “Are you going to ask me?” Nate questioned.

  He had returned to his bed. Dr.Mei had popped in shortly after the deal was struck and told him to rest. Though nothing was wrong he still needed a little more recovery time. She’d been kind enough to fully repair his arm that he’d kept getting injured.

  “Ask what?”

  “Why I asked about your request.”

  “Would you really tell me?”

  “I was going to even if you didn’t ask.” Nate answered.

  “Then why even ask me about it? You, you idiot.”

  “I realized something the moment that Allison was taken away.”

  Karah grew quiet at the mention of the girl. While Nate was knocked out the doctors had explained to everyone what she really was and what she carried. She’d have to be the one to tell Nate, which put a bitter taste in her mouth.

  “I can’t just be angry at the world. Being angry doesn’t do anything for me, or you, or anyone else. I still will get angry, but that's not the point. That guy is a monster, he’s taken my father, Kent, and now even Allison.”

  “Kent?”

  “He’s been made into that hulking creature he calls Hercules. I’ll probably have to make another deal with the Grandmaster to fix him.” Nate said.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me? Are you being for fucking real, the pipsqueak is now that guy? Shit, Shit, Shit.”

  Karah, unlike Mandy, had been close to Kent. They were both on the short side and strong. Though he could never match up to her or Nate. He was a man that carried baggage like she did. It was because of Kent that she was finally able to confess her feelings to Nate in a proper way.

  “Yeah, this world we’re in now. It’s not something we can just dip a toe into. If we’re going to survive then we’re going to have to fight tooth and nail. This guy Zeus or whatever his real name is. He’s strong but he ain’t on the level of the Grandmaster. I can feel it deep down. But even she can’t stop him directly. I need the power to be able to do that.”

  “So we’re going to the top? As in not just you but me, all of us?”

  “I told you I wouldn’t abandon you. Not to mention I don’t think you’d be enough to handle me.”

  “Oh, really bastard. You want to talk smack to the person who saved your ass?”

  “And what if I do?”

  “Then you're going to end up in a world of pain.”

  Wayne stood out in the hallway. He’d listened in and he had a feeling Nate knew he was there. Only when the two inside started to act like the young adults they were and take out their feelings in a physical way did he take his leave. There wasn’t much point in trying to talk him out of being ambitious.

  In a way his goal was more real then his own. All the blood on his hands wouldn’t just go away if he fixed what he had made. Outside he could still see the Mark One. The soul he’d used to make the golem had been one of his first contracts. There wasn’t any way that they were coming back out till the Mark One died. He simply couldn’t bring himself to do it.

  As long as it was destroyed and not forced out it wouldn’t damage the soul. He couldn’t bring himself to give up the power nor destroy the soul within. Some souls were worth keeping around even if it would cost him a great deal in the future. It had likely already gone mad trapped within the metal coffin.

  Maybe if he’d looked to conquer the world instead of save it the war would have gone differently. His kid would have known him their whole life. The blood on his hands wouldn’t feel so heavy. Touching the glass on the window he felt for the spirit within. Its mind was a mere echo of what it once was.

  “I’m sorry old friend, it’ll be some time still til I can lay you to rest.” Wayne said

  “Mr.Sauvage, can I get a moment of your time?”

  Doctor Mei was standing in the hall. Her face was paler then normal after all the healing she’d been subject to performing. Some of the patients had been struck by residual lightning. It had slipped through Dr.White's defences during the explosion.

  “Yes, certainly how may I help?”

  The two moved to the morgue as they would be out of prying ears and eyes. It also served to bring Dr.White into the conversation. He was recovering nicely from all of the gunshot wounds. If the nurse had been any better a shot he'd have been dead.

  “So is this about the Corpse Vault?” Wayne asked.

  It was revealed that Allison was where they had been keeping their stock of bodies. She was a Pseudo-Human imbued with the power to fold space like a Pseudo-mancer. Hers was limited by the type of thing she could store but had the upside of being able to travel anywhere with it. A convenient way to port around their goods.

  “Not really, though we want to get her back to fulfill the agreement there are more pressing issues. Such as the Nurse who shot me.” Dr. White said.

  He lay in the bed he’d brought down to the morgue to slack off in during working hours. Gauze covered his chest and he was strictly told no strenuous activity. Any other time he’d have loved hearing he wasn’t allowed to move and could just lay around. With Allison missing he wasn’t very happy about it.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “And the explosion.” Wayne Added.

  “And that yes.”

  “That's why I brought you down here. Clearly there are others following the Mayor’s commands. They haven’t acted since last night but that doesn’t mean they won’t be on the move.” Dr. Mei said.

  “You're not wrong, didn’t the kids mention something about the police? Could the chief be working for the Mayor in a less official capacity?” Wayne asked.

  “Our thoughts exactly. My wife and I however cannot leave to check up on this matter. From what we understand, hiding everyone will be falling on our shoulders. I will not let anyone get to us again.” Dr. White stated.

  “The Grandmaster has told me she will be conducting Nate’s training personally. I think she does not like the fact he is so negative toward her.” Wayne said.

  “So that would leave you and children to take care of this check. I think we can all agree who will be going.” Dr. Mei said.

  “Message heard loud and clear. Tell Nate the plan when you see him next.”

  Wayne moved to take his leave but the two seemed to want to say more. He frowned at them for wasting his time. With whatever Zeus was planning on its way this was no time to dawdle. He cleared his throat loudly.

  “Is there anything else?”

  The doctors shared a look before looking back at him. He could feel a headache coming on as their stares bore into him. Why had he been the one to draw the short straw and be loaded down with problems? Not much time passed before Doctor White finally piped up.

  “We were just wondering what the point of the kids being here is? Now that the Grandmaster is back couldn’t we simply spirit them away? It would secure their safety and prevent any accidents.”

  “Did you think to consider that when you were housing the Corpse Vault? From what you explained you’d packed her full of all kinds of corpses. Even the illegal kind.”

  Wayne had no way of knowing about the legality of the corpses. The council controlling necromancers within the states had plenty of regulations. One such regulation being over the proper storage and distribution of specialty corpses. These corpses ran a large variety of things with varying taxes and regulations.

  A normal corpse from a human or animal wasn’t regulated. The only laws falling into a guideline aspect. It was when monsters or outer beings were involved. Monsters might have a large number of minor spells woven into various portions of their bodies. These minor spells would work without their conscious activation. After they died the magic could leach into the ground which often caused major issues.

  “We are Mancers, we would never have something without the proper permits.” Dr.Mei said.

  “Oh, did I miss the part where you were manipulating the girl and also the fact she is a Pseado-human? Don’t act all high and mighty with me. Neither of you were involved in the war. I know exactly what your goody goody faction leaders got up too. None of you are any different then any other Necromancer.”

  “Mr. Sauvage, don't think less of us. We wanted a child so much and when she came into our lives. What were we supposed to do? Let her die?” Dr.Mei Said.

  “Yes, that's exactly what you should have done. Else you could have made her a necromancer. I won’t fight you about this but don’t act as if the children are a real priority. We know who was rushed away and who was left behind.

  Do not interfere with Nate’s training. Help if you want to feel good about yourselves, but don’t you dare talk about knowing what's best for those kids. After everything they’ve struggled against they have every right to see this through.”

  “You would resign them to death?” DR. White asked.

  “I would resign them to choose what they want out of life. From what I know of that girl of yours she certainly didn’t want to be stuck within these walls forever. You could have just as easily let her have friends, play, and enjoy life.” Wayne said.

  “We.. we just wanted to…” Dr.Mei tried.

  “Enough, I’ve said all that can be said. I will check on the Police Chief.”

  Wayne turned to leave. It was unlike him to get so upset. His mind wouldn’t allow him to pull his thoughts away from the girl. She’d been taken right under his nose. Even calling the Mark One hadn’t helped. It was not his right to scold the couple but there was no one else who could. The lashing of his student's tongue would have to suffice for his own failures. Which were certain to come at some point. That is until he could get her back.

  “We are sorry sir. We’ll let your student know everything that was within the vault, no, that was within Allison.” Dr.White said.

  ***

  Teddy had been up half the night beside his brother's lightly injured yet unconscious body. It was becoming a disturbing pattern that he was ending up in such conditions. Karah had taken over watching over him so that he could rest. He had been moved to a separate room not far from his brothers. Resting was the furthest thing from his mind. The rest of his night had been dedicated to helping his brother, ending when he had passed out at a desk littered with things from among his brother's collection. Notably a pair of books.

  The first was the Audebert Structure, the main book detailing Nate’s current spirit house method. It contained a scant few items about magic circles and their proper application along with other useful tidbits of information. The second was the field notes from someone who signed their name as BH. It had its uses in describing various phenomena within the area of a Swallowed city along with musings over its origin.

  For Teddy he found and began to focus on the magic circle that was contained within the book. Reading the text around it was clearly used as a wide area amplification spell. He wasn’t sure how to go about completing it as the author hadn’t done so himself. Tens of practice formulas scattered across the top of the desk. A combination of things Renee had taught him and what he could glean from the Audebert Structure.

  Renee came inside and nudged Teddy awake. She’d moved him to the bed once he’d passed out. He rose groggily to find that her eyes were filled with both extreme glee and an equally great weight. She curled up in his arms, recounting what had happened with his brother and the grandmaster.

  Teddy wanted to ask about how the woman looked like his mother but knew now was not the right time. Renee needed him, just as she had needed his brother. Pride swelled up in his chest. His brother was showing him the kind of man that he should be. Even if he had left him behind for a time, there had been a good reason.

  “Why do you seem so conflicted? My brother won’t go back on his word. I can promise you that.”

  “It’s not that *Sniff*. He’s being bound into a contract because of me. Aren’t I simply destroying his fate to save my own? I’m selfish.”

  “Listen, my brother ain’t the type to go into something half-heartedly. He’s someone that defies expectations and in a good way. I know how hard he worked to keep me in school and out of the hands of the government. More than that he’s never been one to let someone struggle if he can help.”

  “I might have ruined his chance at love.”

  Renee said this with the most forlorn sound that Teddy thought she could make. To Renee after all these lives and deaths the only thing that had been constant was her love. Never leaving her side and always finding her once they were separated. Ruining Nate’s chance at true love seemed to be a graver sin then any other.

  “This might not be good to say about him so uh don’t tell him. He might give me a nuggie. I don’t think Nate would stop being with someone just because of an arranged marriage. He kind of already did that with your cousin and Karah. Even when he was with Mandy I heard him talk about a lot of girls at the house.”

  “What a scumbag.” Renee laughed.

  Teddy’s attempt to ease her mind had worked. She still felt guilty and knew she owed him. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t judge him for his philandering ways. It at least gave her some hope that he’d still find true love, in spite of the hurdles.

  “Well, he never claimed to be perfect. I need to go see him about these magic circles. Can we go?”

  “Lets give them a bit longer you know to sort out their feelings. I also want more cuddles.”

  “Your wish is my command.”