Chapter 249

Chapter 249

Mme?! Audrey stuttered. I felt a wave of panic resonating from where the plant summon sat on my shoulder. Ironically, more than when shed kamikaze charged the snake. She was strange that way. Rarely, in niche situations, Id use my summons to speak for me. Either to communicate over long distances or speak to people in situations where discretion was required.

Your friend? I said slowly.

Even as I said it, I finally placed the face with a name. Brett. Id found him in the early days, held hostage by a den of monsters on one of the early floors of the Adaptive Dungeon. As a naturally suspicious person with the only key to the dungeon in my possession, Id assumed he was a dungeon construct, same as the monsters, drummed up to create a sense of urgency. When that was proved wrong, it created something of a conundrum because I didnt have the mask back then, and my side objective to not reveal myself to other Users was already in effect. Instead of playing along and being forced into a scenario where I either had to aid Brett directly or let him die, Id gone an alternate route. Used Audrey to communicate and aided from the shadows while she appeared to save Brett single-handedly.

It was such a minor event amid so many cataclysms that Id nearly forgotten it. Clearly, he hadnt.

She came to my aid while I was running for my life. Unexpected, but Im not the type to turn down help in a crisis. I take it you know each other, I said.

Classic Audrey. Brett grinned. Back when everything kicked off, this petaled lady pulled my ass outta the fire. Even told me about the Adventurers guild. God knows where Id have ended up without her help. His smile faded. Do you not remember me?

I shifted my shoulder slightly, jostling Audrey.

WHAT DO I SAY? Audreys voice echoed loudly in my mind.

You remember him, right? I asked.

YES.

Then stop yelling and start there. Beyond that its up to you. Hes your friend.

Iuh. Yes. You um let me have all the meat. Very tasty once I learned to skin them and did not have to worry about the fur. Yum. Audrey said.

I suppressed a groan as Brett rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Theres an image I was trying to get out of my head. He shifted his head from side to side. But who cares. And if youre helping out this guy, Im guessing youre doing well mate. Good on ya.

No fuckery in the negotiations? I asked.

Smooth as silk. Nick confirmed, bashing a bear-chimera in the head with his shield hard enough that its skull cracked and it fell to the ground. Twenty-six! He yelled at Tyler.

Thirty! Tyler yelled back, smiling wide. He heaved his massive-berserk style blade in a half-circle, obliterating a half-dozen chimeras. Gonna need a bigger sword if you want to keep up, kid.

Size doesnt matter you bastard! Nick hollered back, redoubling his efforts.

It was insane how quickly theyd found rapport.

Tyler was a close ally, but hed always regarded me with a certain degree of caution. Between his now mostly defunct truth-sight ability and uncanny judgment of character, there were likely more red flags in the mix than he was comfortable with. He saw my value, and appreciated what Id done, but hed always held me at arms length. I suppressed a flash of jealousy at the ease with which Nick had slid into the Guild Leaders good graces and focused my irritation where it was actually due.

Aaron continued through the throng, approaching the center, maintaining the same casual gait. The force field that surrounded him was unlike any Id ever seen. More offensive. Instead of simply passively repelling attacks, the chimeras that approached him were seized by invisible hands and uplifted, their limbs, necks, and even tails twisted mercilessly until the creature was broken and discarded, writhing on the asphalt.

Since the dome came down, Id seen plenty of high-level magic. But nothing quite like that.

Aaron came to a stop at the center of the melee. When he locked eyes with me, it felt like staring a shark in the face. Slowly, he nodded in appreciation.

He knows.

It was jarring, and more than a little alarming. I was used to my machinations slipping by under the radar. Making plays that no one would notice, tweaking things in the background so they came to an ideal outcome while everyone else was none the wiser.

But Aaron saw the play. And I had a strong feeling he was about to make himself the star of the show.

When he spoke, his voice emanated from everywhere and nowhere, booming, unyielding.

This region is now under the joint protection of the Adventurers Guild and the Order of Parcae. Hasturs will be done. Begone.

As his voice rumbled, the chimeras alone trembled, as if the earth beneath them was shuddering. And collapsed into piles of gore.