Chapter 44: Twelve Hours Left
“Sir. They’ve defeated it.”
Doctor's hunched over form straightened up as he heard his right-hand man co in. The room was surprisingly clean and well-lit. In fact, it was almost a replica of an operating room from a hospital.
An Earth hospital.
“As expected,” Doctor sighed. “That one was just the third, after all. Our toys have improved in quality since then.”
Breaker coughed into his fist awkwardly. “We’re running out of materials, sir.”
“That’s fine. We’ve almost accomplished our goal, haven’t we?”
“If that man gets involved-”
Doctor waved Breaker off. “Your old comrade? He’s injured. He cannot fight. You told so yourself.”
“Regardless, he is a formidable opponent,” Breaker growled. “He is not to be underestimated.”
“Do you think I’d lose, Breaker?”
“I understand. Then, I shall take my leave.”
Breaker bowed and left the room, leaving Doctor alone at the table. In a few minutes, he straightened up again, tossing a scalpel to the side. Walking over to the sink to wash his hands, he snapped his fingers once. From the shadows ca two n, one skinny and one short, both wearing greasy smirks on their faces.
“What’s up, boss?” said the skinny one.
“Birdie. It’s your turn.”
“You an I finally get to make so dolls?”
“If that’s what you want, then yes. You know I don’t care what you do with the insects.”
“Any of them… small?” Birdie said hopefully.
“So of them are.”
Birdie licked his lips. “Then I’ll do this one for free.”
The man looked as disgusting as his words, but Doctor didn’t react in the slightest. He couldn’t have cared less about these two. They just did their jobs well. Whatever aftermath followed was none of his business. Why should he care if a few more test subjects disappeared?
“You do all of them for free. You know what happens if you don’t, right?”
Birdie just sighed, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Just give the details, and Mise and I will take care of it.”
Doctor nodded. “Then, this is what they look like…”
~~~
John would’ve been surprised to find out that there’d been no further complications after he’d passed out. In no ti at all, a team of ten mages, Albert, Bren and Elfin ca down to help escort the prisoners out. John was thrown onto a cart, and everything went smoothly.
The prisoners were taken to the church of Celeste, where the priests gave adequate care. John would’ve normally thrown a fit about this. He had his suspicions about churches, and not just because of what’d happened with Prota. Religion in fantasy settings typically never ended well.
Thus, he would’ve been surprised to find out this church was the safest place the prisoners could’ve gone.
The church wasn’t sothing just anyone could join. Only those selected by Celeste herself could be a part of the Holy Order. Only the pure could enter. They had no political factions, no ties, and no obligations. They were under no ties to any governnt or any higher power. Even kings could not order them around. Corruption was weeded out imdiately. They had no reason to take bribes or run underhanded deals, and the rare dissident was always expelled imdiately.
Still, even with this explanation, Prota wasn’t all that comfortable around them, given their past interactions. They’d only been doing their jobs, as John would say, but feelings weren’t so easily erased. She quickly left and followed the two n who took John to a hospital.
“You’re his sister, right?” the doctor said, checking his notes.
Prota nodded.
“I’m gonna need you to answer so questions, ok?”
Prota froze up. She didn’t want to. She didn’t feel comfortable with—
Fate said as he burst into the room, saving the day. “I’ll answer for her. Sorry, she’s a little shy.”
“Who’re you?” the doctor frowned.
“His… friend,” he answered hesitantly. “I was with him in the dungeon when he fell unconscious.”
“Can you validate-”
Fate pulled out his adventurer’s card and a letter from Albert. Inside were notes instructing the doctor to leave John alone for a day.
“...I see,” the doctor muttered as he read the note. “In that case, I will leave the patient to rest. You do understand, though, that if my patient isn’t awake within… say, twenty-four hours from now, I will take action.”
Fate nodded. “Of course. Thank you.”
The doctor got up and left the room, leaving Fate, Prota and Kit behind.
“Thank you,” Prota muttered.
Her hands were still shaking, but the tension was easing its way out of her body. It was strange. Ever since John had fallen unconscious, she was relapsing into the way she’d felt during her ti on the streets. She felt the need to curl up and hide away, to remain unseen and let a shell surround her, cutting her off from the world.
She hadn’t realized it, but… did she rely on him that much?
“Hey. He’s gonna be alright,” Fate said quietly. “He said he’d wake up, right?”
Prota nodded.
“Has he ever lied about sothing like that?”
Prota shook her head.
“Then it’ll be fine. I’ve got to go do so work myself. There’s so much to figure out…”
Still muttering to himself, Fate left the room, leaving Prota to watch over John. Earlier, the doctors had removed his bloody clothing and replaced it with hospital clothes, but sohow, he was now back in his red t-shirt and black sweats. His hoodie and scarf were hanging on a chair, too, even though Prota hadn’t seen anyone bring them in.
She stared at John’s sleeping face.
“Wake up…”
With nothing to do, she rested her head on John’s chest and fell asleep.
~~~
“You want to join ?” Fate said, surprised.
“Yes! I have to save my sister!”
Fate looked at Danjo with concerned eyes. The boy was still thin and malnourished, probably traumatized, too, and yet here he was, asking Fate to let him go back into danger.
“It’s too-” Fate started, but he stopped speaking midway.
How could he tell this boy that it was too dangerous?
Danjo knew it was dangerous. He knew the risks of going back into the dungeons, hopefully. Despite all that, did he still want to go with them?
“What can you do?” Fate said, trying to find an excuse to dissuade the boy.
Realistically speaking, there wasn’t much Danjo could do to help. It didn’t look like he’d be able to fight, and a boy this young probably wasn’t a high-level mage or so kind of mighty warrior. People like he and Prota were exceptions rather than the rule, after all.
Fate sighed and looked at Danjo, trying to figure the dwarf out.
“Hold on. First. How old are you?”
“...I’m eleven.”
Fate was surprised. The boy was the sa age as he was. Really?
“Um… I was told I look young for my age, but that’s apparently normal for dwarves…”
The boy seed to stutter a lot, his eyes darting back and forth. He had a quiet and weak voice, but it was different from Prota. He seed more shy and unsure of himself rather than distrustful of others.
Fate hesitated.
“Danjo. Do you understand what it ans to co with us?”
“Yes.”
“You could get captured again.”
Danjo trembled at that. His eyes glazed over as his body began to naturally react to the experiences he’d been through, but he clenched his fists and powered through. He gave Fate a resolute nod.
“I can’t… can’t leave my sister there. I have to help her…”
“Help your sister?” Fate said.
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“I’m an orphan,” Danjo explained. “My sister, Olivia, she found on the streets. She… she didn’t have parents either, but she took in anyway. She always encouraged to do what I wanted to do. Even though we didn’t have a lot, she did the best she could…”
“What did she do? As an occupation, I an.”
“She was an adventurer. It was a few months ago. She went out to help two adventurers who got lost, but she never ca back… they were F-rank, but apparently they were around the old mansion. So ancient B-rank quest or sothing.”
Fate stopped listening.
Everything else naturally fell into place. The dungeon they’d found, the souls, the monsters, everything, they were all connected. To be honest, despite John’s reputation of being correct, it was hard to believe that his theories were accurate this ti. It was just that far of a stretch to trust it entirely.
Well it didn’t seem like a stretch anymore.
“Anyways, I went looking for her. I wanted the guild to do sothing, but I didn’t have any money, and they told that she knew the risks…” Danjo said, his voice trailing off.
“And you got captured?”
“Yes. I found my sister there. She was… all thin. Normally, she’s very cheerful and kind, but she was like a husk,” Danjo explained, shivering as he rembered. “I have to get her out.”
Despite everything, Fate couldn’t help but feel touched. This boy was likely still recovering, still trying to return to an ordinary life, but his first thought was to help his sister.
How could he say no?
“Fate,” Kit warned. “Focus. There’s more information to be gained.”
His ntor’s words shook him back to his senses. Right, emotions shouldn’t get in the way of rationality right now.
“Wait,” Fate said after thinking for a mont. “Why wasn’t your sister with you when we found you?”
“I was moved. There’s more than one lab,” Danjo explained.
More than one lab. It made sense. That was why there hadn’t been a plethora of enemies.
This wasn’t their main base.
“Do you know where your sister was?”
“No. That man… the one they call Doctor…” Danjo shivered at the re thought of him. “They turned the lights on in the cells. Sothing happened, and then I was knocked out, and then I woke up in another place.”
Fate nodded slowly. This was new information. Doctor. It was a na. It was infinitely more than they had before.
“Danjo,” he said slowly. “I’m gonna ask you one more ti. Do you understand what it ans to co with us?”
Danjo nodded. “I- I’m okay with getting captured again. I just- I just want to save my sister.”
“What can you do?”
“I- I do a little magic engineering. It’s not super impressive or anything, but I…”
Danjo rambled on, but that wasn’t the important part. Danjo had made a master key out of the dumps of that dungeon. What else did he have in store?
“Can you show ?”
~~~
“...and so, that’s the thing. Any problems?”
“Yeah. Why do we have to deal with the church?” Birdie complained. “They’re annoying.”
“Just do it. You have complaints, you take them to Doctor. Understood?”
Birdie just sighed as he played with his knives. “You’re telling so kids killed that crab and that weird ss?”
“What, you think our man is lying?” Breaker said, raising an eye.
“It’s just… you sure there wasn’t anything else? I don’t wanna deal with unforeseen variables.”
Breaker nodded. The argunt was fair enough. “There shouldn’t be anything. You have the reports on them.”
The small dwarf, Mise, stood up gruffly.
“Then, to confirm, I will restate the given information. The masked boy, Fate, is a powerful mage and fighter whom we must be wary of. It is suspected that he has a mana bond with a nine-tailed fox. The girl, Prota, is a powerful mage suspected of possessing the “Soul Steal” ability. The boy, John, is a manaless fool who carries a strange weapon and is sowhat competent in hand-to-hand combat.”
Breaker nodded, crossing his arms. “That is correct. I assu you have no further questions?”
“What do we do with them?” Birdie grinned.
“Whatever you want. That is up to you. Just make sure they’re dead and out of our way, and bring back the bodies when you’re done.”
He stopped and snapped his fingers, and a small child ca walking up with a canister in hand. Her eyes were lifeless, and she walked chanically as if she were a robot and not a human. Just like the slaves in town. He passed over the canister to Mise, who took it with a confused look on his face.
“What is…”
“Use it,” Breaker grunted. “It’s soul power. There are ten vials in there. Each of them will let you cast a Last Stand once.”
The two n stared.
“Are you asking us to take on an army?”
“It’s a failsafe. Don’t use it if you don’t have to.”
Birdie nodded and hopped off the crate he’d been sitting on. He had a strangely sadistic smile on his face.
“Take number ten with you.”
The hulking body that’d been on the surgery table erged from the shadows silently.
“Ugh, fine,” Birdie groaned. “Co on, you hulking idiot. Let’s go get so new toys.”
The odd trio left the room, leaving Breaker alone.
“Those three could take on so of the paladins at the church. Granted, they may be fools, but does Doctor really think so children can stop them?” Breaker muttered. “And if he does, then what in the world are we up against?”
~~~
Fate stared at the workshop in awe.
Danjo had led Fate back to his ho. It was small, but it wasn’t too bad. However, half the lower floor had been converted into a workshop. Tools and trinkets were everywhere, with grease and oil staining the stone floor.
“Sorry,” Danjo apologized. “I would’ve cleaned up, but…”
The more Fate talked to Danjo, the more he started to understand Danjo’s character.
The boy was shy and timid, but the instant he started talking about sothing he enjoyed, he lit up and beca confident. In the first place, he probably wouldn’t have opened up to Fate had he not been so desperate, but here, it felt like the true Danjo was shining through.
He wasn’t very well inford, but the theories the boy had about artificing were amazing. You wouldn’t have been able to tell just by looking at him. He didn’t have proper schooling or training, but maybe that was where the boy got his skills from. There was no formal training to bind him to silly rules.
Fate had stumbled into a hidden genius. He just had to coax it out.
“I was playing around with so tals,” Danjo muttered as he tinkered. “Specifically, those that interact with electric magic. I found that certain mana crystals that were deed useless could power certain things, and it…”
Danjo put on two gloves with a bunch of wires sticking out. Fate wasn’t sure what they were supposed to do until Danjo pointed them at the wall and pressed a button. A bolt of electricity shot out, temporarily blinding Fate. Unfortunately, the gloves crumbled after a single use.
“Well, that. These aren’t practical, though. They end up not working half the ti.”
“What the hell…”
Danjo wasn’t well acquainted with artifacts, apparently. Typically, artifacts were items with rare enchantnts, like magic swords or armour with absolute protection against certain kinds of elents. They were items practically made of mana.
Danjo wasn’t doing that. What he was doing was science. Sothing like science from Earth.
Fate continued to be amazed as Danjo explained certain things he wanted to make, like portable stoves that could fold up and easily be carried, or items that could spew out flas light enough to start a fire.
Even Kit had no words as she stared at the various items Danjo had either made or planned out. As a magic geek, sothing like this was beyond what she had imagined. These were items that could make even the manaless powerful.
“I was interested in making weapons, too,” Danjo explained. “But Olivia said I should focus on helping people.”
Fate nodded slowly. He was still taking in everything that he was seeing. This boy was an incredible asset. More than that, he was soone Fate wanted to work with. The boy had soone he wanted to save. He was willing to risk his life to save soone else.
Wasn’t he like that, too?
“Danjo. I’ll have to talk to so people about it, but… yeah. Maybe we can do sothing.”
~~~
“Number ten is being sent out… I need to make another one. That one is a prototype anyway.”
Walking over to the cells, Doctor turned left and then walked into a block that was slightly different from the others. It was slightly better kept and slled less like crap. Children tended to have less favourable survival rates in worse circumstances.
“Which one…” the man muttered, then opened a cell door, waking a child up and instantly causing him to cry.
“Now, now,” Doctor said in a failed attempt to soothe the child. “We’re going to see your mommy.”
The boy didn’t even respond. He just looked up, eyes devoid of light.
“That’s right,” the man said, ending the conversation and roughly dragging the boy to a large tal room with various tools.
“Now, let’s see…”
The next hour could only be described as a terrible experience for the boy. The boy had initially struggled, but Doctor pinned him down with force that didn’t reflect his physical appearance. After a while, the boy was no longer capable of moving and was forced to give in.
It was the sa procedure as the woman from before. Pure torture. Of course, it wasn’t just for the sake of torture.
After an hour, Doctor found what he was looking for, a small glowing white orb. He withdrew it and imdiately shoved it into a canister. By this ti, the boy was clearly dead, although the surgery had been so clean one would’ve just assud the boy was sleeping.
“Much better,” Doctor sighed.
Wheeling the body into another room, he plugged the body into a large intricate machine, hooked up to an unseen power source. There was a loud whirring as the machine did its work, and when it was done, the boy opened his eyes, lifeless but open.
“Can you hear ?” Doctor said, snapping his fingers.
The boy nodded but did not speak.
“Spin in a circle for .”
The boy did exactly as Doctor commanded.
“Very good. Now… get on all fours and bark like a dog.”
The boy did so, completely unembarrassed. It wasn’t shalessness. There was just no emotion behind the boy’s eyes. None at all. Like a at golem that existed only to obey commands.
“Alright. Now, I need another body, an older one…”
~~~
John being unconscious didn’t an much to soone like him. He was floating around in a void with Zero, waiting to wake up once more.
“John. You know sothing’s gonna happen, right?”
“What, because I’m unconscious? Yeah, probably.”
John rembered the first ti he’d t Zero. It’d been a situation similar to this. It was strange at first, to talk to a clone of himself, but at this point, it was practically second nature.
“They’re going to have to deal with it on their own,” Zero inford his body.
John didn’t even bother to look at his soul. “Yeah.”
“You can’t interfere this ti.”
John actively turned away this ti. “I know.”
“You don’t care?”
John stopped floating around and turned to look Zero in the eyes.
“If I can’t do anything, what do you want to do? Cry about it?”
“I thought you liked being in control.”
“It’s called coping, man. Just leave alone.”
Zero looked at John with such an expression of pity that he couldn’t take it anymore. John floated closer, getting nice and personal with himself.
“You know just as well as I do, Zero. Just because I’m self-aware doesn’t make any less of a puppet. It just makes a self-aware puppet. “Dance, white boy, dance!” That’s .”
“You’re not white-”
“That’s not the point. The point is, I don’t get to do jackshit, right? Ultimately, if Prota’s destined to die, then am I supposed to do?”
“John,” Zero said softly. “That’s the point of an [Anomaly]. You can change things.”
“What? What bullshit are you spewing now? The [Plot] was determined a long ti ago. I can’t change things. If the [Author] wants to call down the raw might of the sun and nuke us all, what can I do about it? If the [Story] just ends one day, what am I supposed to do? I can only stroke off so many [Readers] at once, you know that?”
“...what the fuck are you saying?”
“My point is that there’s nothing I can do. It is what it is, Zero.”
The soul looked at John sadly. “That’s not true. Your existence changed the direction of the [Story], John. The [Author] treats you as a special individual. You’re an [Anomaly].”
“That makes no sense. I’m still a [Character]. What am I, a self-insert or sothing? Is this one big fanfiction?”
“■■■■■■■■”
“Fuck you.”
Zero shrugged. “What am I supposed to do about it? John. As much as, yes, you are a puppet, you can control your strings. You’re going to have to make choices eventually.”
John stared at Zero. “? You want to make a decision?”
“Yeah. You’ll have to, eventually.”
“But it won’t be my decision!” John exclaid, throwing his hands up. “I’ll never need to make a choice because in the end, the [Author] will make it for !”
John sighed and sat down. Zero floated above him.
“But you must admit, you’ve been acting differently since Prota entered your life. Or am I wrong?”
“...you should learn to shut your mouth.”
Zero nodded and simply sat beside his physical copy. John didn’t refuse the company. At tis, Zero felt like his enemy, but other tis… well, Zero was him. It wasn’t bad to be alone, in a sense.
Even if your only company was the voices in your head.
~~~
“Hey! Stop! You have to-” a guard started, but was imdiately shot down dead, a tal spike piercing his skull.
“Hey!” the other guard yelled, getting ready to fight, but he, too, was also shot down.
Mise lowered his staff as the trio walked out of the dungeon.
“You’re in charge of cleaning up the bodies,” Birdie complained.
“I killed them,” Mise pointed out.
“Yeah, you get to have all the fun. You should clean up.”
“I cleaned up last ti.”
Birdie sighed. “Hey. Do sothing about this.”
The hulking creature picked the bodies up and smashed them together. Flas erupted from his hands and incinerated the dead guards, leaving nothing but ash behind.
“Huh. We have a walking trash disposal unit. How convenient,” Birdie grinned.
The group swiftly made their way through the forest. Number ten moved surprisingly quickly despite his massive size, but even more frightening was the silence in which he moved.
“We’ll be there in a bit. There were a few things they wanted us to take care of. Naly, disposal of the dungeon.”
“I don’t want to deal with the crazies,” Mise complained.
“We have this guy. Co on, it’ll be nothing. We’ll get to the village in… oh, ten hours or so. Don’t worry about it.”
With a nod, the group set out. Ten hours until they reached the village.
John would be back up and running in twelve.
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