Carnival - A LitRPG Apocalypse

Andrea was from a cadet branch of the nobles that now ruled the part of Spain that had once been Navarre. Armand took her aside and they had a quiet conversation. Some of the darkness that still occupied his mind was lifted by having someone from a somewhat similar background to talk to.

“So you can use fire? Show me,” Jane arrogantly said to Ryn.

“Not in here. Have you met Professor Death? He gets really cross about property damage in the Academy,” Ryn replied. “Maybe we could go out to the arena later?”

“Pfft. I’d have thought the daughter of Sunstrike would be a bit more fiery,”

“You’re a bit obsessed with fire, aren’t you?” laughed Bad.

“I am not obsessed. You’re a pathetic little bruiser who couldn’t touch me if we fought!” snapped Jane. Bad rose angrily to his feet but he paused, then he laughed and sat back down.

“Fair enough, Kev. Fair enough,” Bad smirked.

“Hi, I’m Kev, I’m the team leader. What do you think you can bring to the team?”

“You’re the psyker? Read my mind and you’ll know what I can bring!” Jane barked with a laugh as her orange eyes stared at Kev.

“All I’m getting is conceit and fear. You’re blustering and acting like an asshole because you think it makes you look strong. We don’t need someone who looks strong,” Kev replied calmly.

The temperature in the room jumped significantly as Jane began to glow more brightly and Simon began guffawing, breaking off from his chat with Sally.

“I see I’m not wanted here. Good luck finding someone whose power fits so well with what you’re looking for. Arrogant assholes!” Jane snarled. As she turned Kev reached out a hand and there was a moment of silence before the glow began to fade.

“You were testing us. I think we’ve passed but now the question is if you drop the act will you pass our test?” said Kev. Zeeg snorted behind him, drawing all eye’s to her.

“Perhaps a short field trip is in order?” Zeeg said.

“Hell yes! Time to shine!” said Jane as she glowed brighter without increasing the temperature. Ryn noted the girl didn’t have to make things hotter as she modulated her flame-body.

“Um, I’m not so sure?” said Andrea. “I’d like to stay here and talk more.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” asked Sally, slapping the smaller girl on the back. “Come on, it’ll be fun and I’ll keep you safe!”

The group filed out of the room and headed to a portal that let them out in the Black Forest in Germany.

“Any particular reason you picked this place?” asked Ryn as she looked around and recognised Schiltach, the site she and her friends had chosen to ess-up.

“You’re familiar with it and the threats are minimal but enough to allow you to learn to synergise together,” Zeeg replied as she led the team deeper into the forest. The light became dappled as they moved into the trees, shining down through the leaves above them and despite their experience the effect caused the teens to fall into a fighting formation.

Bad and Sally led the way with Bolf in between them. Jane tried to take flight but was forced to walk along leaving blackened footprints when the branches limited her movement.

“This is shit. Give me an open sky and I’ll show you what I can do!” she muttered unhappily.

“Perhaps a less than optimal environment is a good place to train?” said Bolf as he turned his head back and forth, taking long sniffs of the air.

“What would a dog know about flying?” Jane grumbled.

“More than you would think.” Zeeg’s voice was cold. “Focus on your surroundings.”

Kev soon detected a nest of Laki’s and guided the team towards them. They crouched down and began planning out an attack. Simon set up some traps to buy them time if they needed to fall back, much to Jane’s disgust.

“Just the candidates should advance,” Zeeg said, ruining the elaborate plans Kev was defending. Bad and Jane both wanted to charge in and let the chips fall where they may. Ryn and Simon were both arguing for a more considered approach which only made the other two more determined to rush in, all guns blazing.

“Works for me!” said Jane as she shot forward on a column of fire, leaving trails of burning brush and branches in her wake.

“Dammit!” Simon snapped as he moved forward, throwing out spikes of metal to either side as he ran. Andrea reached out shyly and brushed her hand against the back of Ryn’s hand before she moved forward quickly.

“Anyone want a snack?” asked Armand as he pulled some dried meat from his storage space and crouched down behind a bush to watch.

“I’m good thanks,” said Ryn. She bent down next to the French boy and looked on with interest.

Jane had arrived over the nest and half a dozen of the low level monsters had rushed out. Without a bruiser to get in close and break their backs the monsters were more formidable than they should have been and this nest seemed to consist of level fours.

“Burn!” yelled Jane as she shot back and forth, breaking through the lower branches until a thicker one smashed into her head and knocked her to the ground. A group of charred and very irate Laki’s closed in quickly, their dozen of legs rustling as they scurried across the detritus littering the forest floor. Jane looked up groggily and opened her mouth to scream as the beast lashed out at her.

Flames that weren’t her own wrapped around Jane and she blipped sideways as Andrea used her borrowed power. The girl fell to the side and leant against a tree as Simon hurled a series of spiky balls down around the flaming girl.

As Jane stopped squawking in shock a wave of fire washed out from her, driving back the Laki’s as she climbed to her feet leaving a burning imprint in the turf.

Simons traps began to detonate, launching shards of metal or blasts of elemental energy into the monster unlucky enough to trigger them. Within thirty seconds the nest was cleared and the smoking remains of the monsters were strewn around the trio.

“Well that worked,” said Bad.

“Perhaps more of a challenge would be appropriate?” suggested Bolf was his tail wagged slightly at the thought of the whole team having to work together.

“No. We have to return to Wayfaire. Now. Anyone who can’t keep up will get picked up by John-Dad afterwards!” Zeeg barked as she took off towards the portal then looped round to headbutt people in the back if they started lagging.

Jane burst upwards through the trees and shot off on her own, leaving the rest of them behind.

“Seal your suits!” Ryn called as they sprinted through the bushes. Whatever had happened must be serious, the details could come later as far as she was concerned. Zeeg had always been loyal and dedicated to her family's well being and she saw no reason to question the dog’s motives now.

As each suit sealed up Ryn began surrounding them with fire and blipping them forward. Only once everyone else was as far ahead as her field of vision allowed would she blip herself forwards to catch up.

“What’s happening?” gasped Kev as he stumbled into a tree after being teleported. He shook his head and swerved round it to charge on.

“The portal system has been abused. The Imperium has gone to war and used it to position some of their troops in advance of the attack. Move, puppies! You don’t want Traveller to have to come and pick you up!” Zeeg barked. She slowed down next to Andrea, who was boosting herself forward with blasts of flame, and encouraged the girl to climb up on her shoulders.

“I can’t teleport cheaply enough to keep up! The fire seemed more efficient!” the girl gasped as she pressed her face into Zeeg’s back.

“As John-Dad would say: no worries, dude. The rest of you; move!”

They burst out from beneath the trees to find the town in turmoil. The sentries and guards were digging in behind their fortifications. Most of them were at least. The highest levelled locals were forming up around the portal and facing it with grim expressions on their faces.

“Signatory! Hold your powers or I’ll fucking eat you!” snarled Zeeg as they burst into the clear area surrounding the glowing blue break in space-time. None of the people nearby dared to raise a hand as Zeeg hurried the teens through the portal. Once on the other side she stopped and let Andrea slide off her shoulders.

“Situation?” Zeeg snapped. Whatever information was fed to her implant left her snarling and pacing back and forth in a way that reminded Ryn of an angry tiger in a cage.

“Shelly and the Dragon need to be involved in this. The Imperium has abused their privileges and needs to be punished.” There was a pause that left even the gung ho Jane staring worriedly at the three metre tall dog.

“I know that, Bob. Pete is stuck dealing with the Thing. We’ll find a way. Yes, the boy should return home. I’m not his mother, old drone. Yes, I agree we need to resolve that situation as well but she should be involved. I know, Bob! How often must I say it? I’ll take her there now. You’re sure about the margins? Fine.” Zeeg seemed to deflate. Whatever the details of the conversation the dog had, for whatever reason, chosen to share out loud Ryn had a sinking feeling in her gut as a result. The dog sighed loudly, almost like a horse neighing as her lips vibrated at the expulsion of what seemed like far too much air from her lungs.

“We need to go to your mother, Ryn. All of you follow me and no questions for now,” Zeeg growled.

The teens moved off after the oversized lurcher and Ryn’s mind began working again after the mad dash through the woods. Every portal on Blue Street was guarded by B-1945s and there were ED-209 variants parked regularly along the street. The normal foot traffic that linked the entire world together had vanished and the streets were eerily empty.

Zeeg led them through a portal, then through corridors that seemed to wind downwards to yet more portals. Ryn recognised the route.

“Why are we going to Mum? She’s out of action until we can solve the nanite problem?” asked Ryn worriedly.

“What fucking nanites?” demanded Simon. “I signed up to become a Sig, not to deal with grey goo at my level! Shit I don’t think I’ve got anything that could counter something like that!”

“The Thing in the Congo is some kind of biomech that’s dug its way into the Earth. It’s converting the substrata and the outer mantle into more of itself. Unfortunately the Thing can also affect humans with its nanites. I’m sure the canine race will be fine but it’s a problem for your people,” muttered Zeeg as she led the kids ever deeper into the Bunker. “We need to fix Vic. She’s the only one we’ve got free to defend Wayfaire aside from me and the Pack. We need her on her feet.”

“Can I cancel my application?” asked Andrea quietly.

“Please don’t! Your power’s awesome and we want you on the team!” said Kev hurriedly, nudging the girl along as they followed the winding corridors and sprinted past drones and bots that looked far more on guard than they usually did. This deep into the Bunker you usually met Bob-bots that were laughing and joking because no one could get this deep inside the security web without being dealt with. Andrea moved along reluctantly but her back straightened slightly at the praise.

They emerged into the containment room Vic was being kept in. Ryn rushed over and put a hand against the inches thick “glass” that contained Vic and the nanites. She took a deep breath and fought down her reaction at seeing her mum looking like a mosquito trapped in transparent amber.

“What’s the problem with her?” asked Jane.

“She got hit by the Thing,” snapped Ryn without turning around. Her eyes had moistened and she fought down the urge to start crying. Her other hand came up and rested against the glass.

“So just burn her?” asked Jane in a voice that left Ryn filled with rage. Ryn spun and looked at the girl made of fire.

“What the fuck would you know? You’re just a fucking psycho with a power that kind of matches mine! My family has been leading the way since the Advent and you’re just some crazy bitch!” Ryn spat.

Jane went very still. Her body normally flowed as flame-shapes rose from her feet to her head but all of that stopped in this moment. The light coming from her increased significantly, forcing the teens to look away but the temperature remained constant.

“Perhaps a more measured response would be best?” Kev began with a stutter. He was waiting to see if Ryn killed Jane. This was the first time he had ever heard Ryn swear and they’d grown up together.

“From the mouths of babes… The spawn must calm down,” came a voice from the doorway. Shelly skittered into the room on her long spider’s legs. “Victoria will heal with fire. I can regrow her arm if it is lost in the process.” Dozens of refractory eyes stared down from above everyone except Zeeg.

“There might be something to this,” muttered the nearest Bob-bot.

“We’re not burning her to kill whatever it is she’s been infected with!” snarled Ryn.

“She has a modification. Fire heals her,” said Shelly as the giant spider tiptoed around the teens, who all shied away from her, so she could put her face near the glass.

“Why do we even need Sunstrike on her feet? Let her heal safely!” said Bad. “Dad can watch over the city. Who the hell would risk messing with Wayfaire?”

“The Imperium. The situation is evolving. Ha!” Shelly chittered in amusement at using the word.

“They have positioned elite fighters, who seem to be above level twenty five in some cases, by using the portal network. Traveller was very clear about how he would react to that kind of action. Bob, can you let the fire users into the containment room?” the spider asked.

“It’s sealed. The nanites are airborne. Nothing gets in or out,” replied the drone sadly.

“I can sort this,” Jane pushed through the others, carefully controlling her temperature for once. As she reached Ryn they shared an intense look, some unspoken threat passed from Ryn to Jane who nodded solemnly in response. Ryn reluctantly moved back. Sparks of fire hovered around her clenched fists as she watched Jane move forward with narrowed eyes.

Jane splayed her hands against the glass and reached through it with her power. Inside the air began to haze as waves of heat washed through it. Soon water was evaporating and flashing into steam before condensing against the view screen leaving long streaks of grey as the nanites were pulled from the air.

“I’m not sure this is working? Vic is fine but the nanites aren’t being destroyed,” muttered Bob.

“Give me a minute!” snapped Jane. The heat haze increased and it became hard to see inside the containment chamber. The window ignited and light poured out at the same time as a series of alarms went off.

“Containment breach! Everyone out now!” bellowed the B-1945 as it began shoving the others towards the door. Then the light increased again and everyone threw themselves down and covered their eyes as the heat washed over them.

What should have reduced them to ash was merely uncomfortable except for Ryn and Jane. Immunity to fire damage had its advantages. Shelly had skittered back the farthest, knocking aside Zeeg as she fled the burning heat.

“I’ve made a vortex. It’ll hold the nanites for a while. Get everyone out now!” Ryn’s heart leapt at hearing her mothers voice.

Vic stepped through the glass that dripped away from her skin as she left the containment chamber. She burned so brightly it was almost impossible to look at her but Ryn flinched as she noticed her mum’s left arm was missing just below the shoulder. Then she ran for her life with her friends and a giant spider.