NOVEL NEXT 2.21: Intense
Caleb's POV
Caleb let out a long, tired sigh as he sat on the roof's edge, watching the scene develop in front of him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a cigarette, set it between his lips, then flicked the lighter open.
He could have used a spell, but there was just something special about lighting a cigarette the old way.
Caleb took a deep pull, eyes closed, then let the smoke out.
"Well. I got here too late. Do I go now and muscle those two out, or do I wait and see if these people have a spine?"
Caleb took another drag, held it in, then let it go, turning to his right. "What do you think?"
The pale, ghostly face turned slowly toward him, and an echoing rasp escaped from the spectre's translucent form.
"Yeah. Good point. Go ahead. Approach and listen from under their feet. Stealth mode."
The ghost sank through the cement, and Caleb sensed it as it sped away, his connection to it grew fainter as it made its way toward the meeting between the Union's agents and the settlement's leaders. Caleb knew that the ghost was nothing like Yelena, but he still talked to her. Who knew, maybe that'd get it to speak, someday.
Interesting that their tier-2's a monster, though. Does that imply there's a tier-2 monster tamer? Or is this something else?
Caleb took another drag, then turned toward the unmoving dog behind him. "Do you know what's an Ignisra?"
[Undead Direhound (I) - Level 66]
The dead dog stared past him, a drop of blood glistening down its blood matted throat as its empty sockets shone with pale green lights, not even twitching at his words.
"Oh well. Guess we'll see."
***
Sriti's POV
"I think we might have come under-prepared for this one," grumbled Elias as they both watched the oncoming figures. From afar, the settlement had looked pretty amateurish. No walls, barely populated. They hadn't expected tier-2s and high levels. "Think we can take them?"
Sriti pressed her lips into a line. "No. Maybe if we've had one of the tier-2s assigned to this mission, but we don't. The brass wanted us to put pressure and close the deal if we could force it, but not only they have a tier-2 around, five of them are either matching us in levels or barely one or two levels behind. And there's more coming. Their response is faster and more organized than I expected, which probably means they've got good scouts or they're getting alerts, which means tier-2 pylon. So it's plan B. And we play nice."
"Got it. But man… I don't know if I can take another one of Sebastian's—"
"Later," Sriti cut him off. The group was now within ten yards, and there was no need to come off as too unprofessional. Especially when they needed these people to fold. Fast.
The first who'd gotten to them was a man in shorts and goat legs who'd just bounded his way toward them, soon followed by a woman with two white streaks in her hair and a blue glowing crystal set above her heart. The rest arrived at a more sedated pace, with the cat-looking monster walking right after them. Sriti scanned their faces, trying to discern which one was their leader before her eyes settled on the moth-winged woman with the golden eyes and the golden tiara.
She's lower level than the others, though…
Sriti knew full well that levels didn't mean leadership as some of the Union's top brass hadn't yet broken into tier-2, but her still being in her early 60s and still holding her ground around a tier-2 said a lot. The woman in question stepped forward, ahead of her companions and smiled at Sriti and Elias.
"Hello, and welcome to New Dawn. To what do we owe this visit?"
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The woman's slitted yellow peered over the both of them, waiting, so Sriti took a step forward, looking around at the faces that had come to meet with her as she fastidiously ignored the pylon she could see in the distance. The readiness in the air impressed her and frankly, even made her a little wary. But she wasn't representing herself. She was representing a multi-settlement group with no less than eight tier-2 in their ranks already. She shouldn't come off as too weak, even though she couldn't impress that on the calm but alert faces in front of her.
"I'm Sriti, and this is Elias. We're here on behalf of the East-Coast Union. Our leaders—some of whom have been literal senators and governors—believe the world's changing fast and that we need to stand together and rebuild. And they believe that those who stand alone risk getting swept up in someone else's tide. We came expecting to offer terms... but maybe it's better to talk first."
The woman with the slitted golden eyes nodded along, and began scribbling on her notebook, but Sriti didn't let that disrupt her. This wasn't the first uncooperative audience she has had to speak sense into.
"There's opportunity in cooperation. Resources. Protection. We're hoping you'll consider joining us peacefully, under the banner of unity. Of course… if you'd rather stand alone, the world may not leave you that option for long."
At that point the cat yawned, while the golden eyed woman continued to scribble for a short second, and Sriti watched, blinking, as the cat looked up and spoke in a language she didn't know but could understand thanks to the first trait she had gotten the day this had all started. "She almost sounds like Amanda did to those other humans. Only, this one's a little more afraid."
The tension in the air instantly broke as all but the golden eyed woman either chuckled or smiled, and after a short beat, even she showed a half smile. "It's all about growth at this stage. And I bet they're not the only ones we're going to meet today. Oh? Seems like it's finally moving."
The golden slitted eyes swivelled downward mid-sentence, right as the cat jumped to its feet, anklets of rose-gold appearing around its paws.
"What's the meaning of this?" Elias said as he summoned his shield and horns, right as a ghostly figure pulled itself out of the ground, sending shivers running down Sriti's back. She summoned her two wands, spells ready to blast the apparition but she held her finger away from the trigger, and a beat later, she looked up at those who were facing her. Was this an ambush?
The slitted-eyed woman raised a hand to stop her own people from making a move. "It's not these two. It's coming from somewhere else."
Just like her, the people facing her had also summoned a myriad of spellforms ranging from scales, vambraces, and all sorts of body enhancements and armaments.
"Sharp!"
Sriti and Elias whirled just in time to see a man step from behind a ruined fast-food joint, a dead dog ambling right behind him. He was gaunt. Sickly. With bright green eyes that matched the light of the undead dog's socket, and he had mottled pale wings that made him look like some sort of emaciated bat.
[Human (II) - Level 73]
"A bit too sharp to your taste, eh? Union? I'm assuming from those suits. Not many others are trying so hard to rebuild your sorry excuse of government," drawled the man, casually approaching.
"Caleb Warren. Brotherhood," whispered Elias in her ear, and Sriti cursed inwardly.
Now the unhinged fucks are here, too.
"The one and only," said the man, his lips spreading to reveal a mess of jagged, yellow teeth as he turned to Elias, having clearly heard them. Turning toward the gold-eyed woman, Caleb nearly fell into half-bow, stumbling over his own furry clawed feet before he stabilized and smiled. "Unlike this…sorry lot. The Brotherhood just wants talent. You can keep your pylon. And frankly, we're not interested in most of you. But if you want to really stand at the top of this new world, join us. That goes for you, fire cat, and even you, crown-lady. You don't have the level to join us, but you clearly have talent. You noticed Yelena even when she was supposed to be stealthy. I'm sure you'd make a worthy… um. Sister."
The woman with the crown and slitted golden eyes looked from one group to the next, then she gave them both a smile that made Sriti unconsciously swallow.
"Where are my manners? Well, thank you both for introducing yourselves. My name's Amanda Daniels, and behind me is the settlement of New Dawn. Our administrator is currently indisposed, but I'll be sure to communicate to him both of your offers and I'm sure he would love to come to both your cities to turn in his answer. Though while you know where we are, we don't know where to address our answers. Would you mind telling me how we could reach you? As for your recruitment offer, mister Warren, I'm very happy with my current position. I find I'm well equipped and backed to do my job right. Though I can't answer for… the 'fire cat', as you so aptly put it."
The flames along Ember's back flared, and she gave the two groups a narrow-slitted look, tail whipping back and forth. Sriti felt like a mouse being stared down at. "I will pass."
Amanda nodded down at the cat, then gave Caleb an apologetic smile. "That's unfortunate, then. I believe we've addressed and said everything that needed to be said. Are we done here, ladies and gents?"
Sriti and Elias shared a look and, with a quick nod, it was decided. They were backing away. But before she could speak, a wheezing laugh escaped out of Caleb, and the dead dog behind him moved forward.
"Intense! I like you. But my offer's pretty final. So if you don't want to join, then I just need to take over your pylon," he said as needle-thin claws extended out of his digits. "One way or another, you two are coming with me."
Sriti gestured at Elias to step back as the people of New Dawn summoned their weapons and brandished their spells, and though she still stole a glance toward the potentially undefended pylon in the distance, it was time to retreat.
There might be nothing to take over if what she heard of the Brotherhood was true. And if not, they could always come back in strength and take it.