Mask of Humanity

‘Do you trust him?’ Perro asked Azure, sending his virtual voice message through their connection.

‘No. He’s a creepy asshole and he took my ring. But what choice do we have? We need a safe place. The barricades almost broke last night.’

Perro nodded to himself as he stuffed his things into his backpack. ‘His eyes are dead,’ he said, and shivered.

‘We’ll have to see what my dad decides about him, if he can stop being a pussy and make the right decision.’ Azure’s resentment came through even over the Local connection, and he saw her staring at her father with a pouty, sulky little face. Perro turned away, flushing. She looked cute, when she was angry. And the rest of the time, too.

Perro thought John was doing a good job. But he didn’t want to start that argument again, not after last time. ‘It was the Raw’s ring first,’ he couldn’t help but say.

‘He should have given it to us, we bandaged him up. You even let him use your orb!’

‘I didn’t let him, he just took it. Broke the chain, too. I think he emptied it.’ He pulled the orb from a pocket to glance it over. The indicator was at empty. ‘Yup.’

‘What?! That motherfucker! You need to demand compensation!’

‘Really?’ Perro didn’t fancy that idea one bit. ‘But he said the soul-trap thing was payment for that?’

‘Sure,’ she said and then he heard, in the midst of the bustle and quiet chatter, quite a loud snort and turned his head to see it had come from Azure. Some others had turned to glance at her, but she ignored them, instead raising an eyebrow at him from him across the room. Her voice continued in his ears. ‘Payment to my dad and Cait and Karl. The soul trap isn’t fast, it worked but he didn’t even get a single percent, he thinks he’d need to kill about ten more zombies for that. It’ll be a one-person-at-a-time situation. How far down the list do you think you come?’

Perro frowned, looking away from her. ‘I dunno… pretty far I guess.’

‘So, you should demand something for yourself! It was your orb, not anyone else’s.’

‘Like what?’ Perro asked, having an uncomfortable feeling he already knew.

‘Like the ring. Hey, we can share it! It lets you fly Perro!’

‘Mmmm,’ Perro bit his lip. He didn’t want to argue with her, but there was absolutely no chance he would confront that man. He recalled the moment the Raw had stepped rapidly towards him, the cold empty eyes and blank face. His BIS’s threat awareness software had warned him of aggressive intent, asked him if he wanted to activate his self-defence chip, but Perro had just frozen, his mind spinning in terrified circles. Then the Raw’s hand had snapped out and he’d felt a wrench around his neck as his orb was ripped away.

It had felt like he imagined it might to stand before a killbot with orders to execute him. Perro had known, on some level, that if he did anything, anything, he would die.

The man’s demeanour had shifted after he sucked a breath from the orb. He’d smiled, and Perro’s threat awareness software had stopped blaring a quiet warning, the sensation of facing death itself fading, then the Raw had thanked him and said he owed Perro one before tossing the drained orb back.

‘Wait…’ His eyes widened. ‘He said he owed me one!’

‘What? Ok, awesome! Let’s go!’

‘Now?’ He grimaced. ‘Let’s wait until after the move, once we’re safe. I don’t want to cause a problem.’

A sigh filtered through their connection and resounded from the tiny microphones in his ears. ‘Fine,’ she said. ‘It looks like it’s time, anyway.’

Perro looked around in surprise, seeing everyone gathered. He quickly stuffed the last few things into the sack he’d fashioned from rags and moved to join them. He stood beside Azure, exchanging glances with her as John started talking. Her look was meaningful and arch. He managed an uncertain smile.

The big man first cast a glance out the door, where the Raw lurked in the corridor, then looked back to them. He tapped his head, and Perro along with the rest linked up to John over Local connection.

‘Hopefully he’s telling the truth and takes us to a safe place,’ John began. ‘But I don’t trust him and I’m sure none of you do, either. Watch out for signs of betrayal. This could all be a trick from the Chosen. Me and Cait will stick close behind him, the rest of you keep your eyes moving, watch behind us, watch around us, watch him. Stick on this channel, no splitting off into private chats. If you see anything odd, speak up.’

Perro nodded along with the others.

‘What about Tom? We shouldn’t just leave him there.’ The speaker was old Ben, who’d recovered enough to use his voice.

‘There’s no time.’ John glanced at the torch. ‘The Raw’s right about that. I’m sorry, Ben, but if we stick around we’ll just risk losing more people.’

‘Tom’s not worth it anyway.’ This was Elena, who wore her typically contemptuous expression as she looked at the corpse. Perro looked at her and his eyes lingered on the curves of her body through the rags she wore, then he abruptly looked away, flushing again, shooting a guilty glance at Azure who luckily hadn’t noticed.

Elena had been outright in her dislike of Tom since they’d met her. Tom had directed continual crude comments and innuendo at her since she and the others joined their group, and Perro had seen how forceful and demanding the man had been at times. Azure had said he was a creepy loser. Most of the women had disliked him, and Perro had personally experienced the man’s pushy ways when he tried to buy Perro’s Seed in return for a water bottle, only backing off when Azure came to Perro’s rescue. Still, Tom had been one of them…

John flicked a glance at Elena, but otherwise ignored her words. ‘Let’s go,’ he said.

###

Nicolai watched as they filed out of their little room, John coming to stand in front of him.

‘Ready?’ asked Nicolai needlessly, just to start a dialogue. He held out the borrowed water bottle.

‘Lead on.’ John nodded to him and took the bottle.

Nicolai read John’s wariness towards him in the man’s eyes and face and body, saw it echoed in the rest of them, saw how they watched him. He flashed a friendly smile to all then turned and started away, looked behind to see John following with the woman with a bionic arm beside him, and Karl just behind.

Nicolai took a moment to connect with his Seed, and extended half the tendrils of its Soul Sense ahead of himself, reaching down the corridor and feeling inside of rooms and around corners. The others he sent back, feeling at those following him, keeping tabs on them. None of them seemed to be aware of the technique, no signs of them utilising their own Seeds in the same way.

That done, he slowed down, turned to shoot a look at John and tilted his head to the side in an invitation, making space so John could walk beside him.

The big man frowned and exchanged a glance with the bionic-armed woman, but after a moment he came forward to walk with Nicolai. Nicolai intended to ensure John stayed to the side or better yet, in front of him. If they fought something he didn’t want to be alone at the front, stuck between undead and the group behind. He also intended to start working on the big man, take the first steps towards developing a bond and portraying himself as competent, sympathetic, reliable, and trustworthy.

‘You guys been stuck in that room since the Chosen ruined your old hide?’ he asked quietly.

‘That’s right,’ said John.

‘Not an easy job, keeping all these folk safe,’ said Nicolai, nodding respectfully to the big man, speaking quietly enough those behind couldn’t hear. ‘I see how they look up to you. You must’ve been through a lot.’ Sort-of look up to you, anyway.

John regarded him silently for a moment, a gauging, thoughtful look. ‘It’s been tough,’ John admitted at last. ‘We’re all eager to get somewhere safer. What’s your place like?’

‘It’s good, few routes in and the rooms can be locked up at night, big sturdy door to keep the creatures in the dark out. However, there will be a problem with getting all of you into it.’

‘A problem?’ John frowned.

‘The only way in is guarded by some very nasty undead. I normally run through and avoid their attacks.’ Nicolai glanced back at the motley crowd, the old man, the child. ‘Not everyone will be capable of running that gauntlet. So, I intend to clear out the ones I can for you, then distract the big one. I think there is a reasonable chance that everyone gets through in one piece, but you’ll all have to be careful, and fast.’

‘Why didn’t you mention this?’

‘I’m mentioning it now. Once you’ve seen what they’ll have to go through, if you want to try finding someplace else or return here, you’re welcome to do so. Part of the reason it’s so safe is because of the undead that block the way. They’ve kept the Chosen out so far.’

John didn’t reply, and Nicolai saw his eyes turn a little distant, saw his throat work silently. Speaking over Local connection to the rest of them, no doubt. A glance over his shoulder revealed them all exchanging worried and upset glances.

Nicolai knew there were decent odds some of them would be killed by the big skeleton. He wasn’t sure how easy it would be to distract it, and considering its many limbs it would be difficult for him to keep it fully occupied either way. He’d do the best he could, and that would have to do.

He led them through a series of tunnels, staying out of the open hallways as much as possible to avoid the undead patrols and Chosen. He and John talked little, and only of what needed to be done next. They managed to avoid any serious encounters, other than a small band of spearmen which Nicolai killed alongside with John, Cait, and Karl. Seeing them in action gave him some useful information.

Fighting those three wouldn’t be easy, not all at once. But it wouldn’t be that hard, and Nicolai wasn’t overly concerned. Winning fights and killing people was what he did. Still, it would be worth ensuring it wasn’t a fair fight.

Soon after, they arrived at the entrance to the Gauntlet.

‘Through this tunnel and the room inside, then out a tunnel on the far side, is my place,’ said Nicolai to John, who peered down the tunnel.

‘What is that?’ muttered John, staring at the quiet bulk of the giant skeleton.

‘It’s a big, dangerous skeleton that’ll throw weapons at you and chase. It’s slow, but if it catches anyone, they’re done. There are also some undead up on the balconies that throw bolts of energy at anyone passing through.’

‘So… what do we do?’

Nicolai adopted a pensive expression, as though thinking. He already knew what he’d do but he felt it best to make a bit of a fuss over things. It was important the group understand he was taking a risk for their sake, for him to start establishing the little debts they owed him.

He let out a breath, firming his expression with false determination, looking upon them. ‘I’ll go and take care of things, see if I can handle the undead up top. If I’m successful, I’ll then work to distract the big one and you guys can all run through.’ They were all watching him, hanging on his words.

Nicolai imagined himself viewed through cameras, like a character in a movie. The storied hero, come to save them all.

‘If I die,’ he told them, his tone strong, his face noble; perfectly self-sacrificial. The cameras zoomed in. ‘Then do your best to run through and reach the other side. From there, you’ll be able to get into my safe place. It’s possible to dodge the bolts of energy the undead up top throw; easiest if you stay behind the columns on the sides of the room.’

He paused then, creasing his heroic expression into one of brief consternation. ‘Ah. Before I can go, I need something from you.’

John blinked at him. ‘What is it?’ asked the man.

‘I need some Oma crystals. Need to recharge my Seed if I’m to do this.’

This wasn’t actually the case. Nicolai had a few crystals tucked away in a pouch beneath his rags, tied to his body. They’d not found them, as they hadn’t searched him thoroughly enough. That said, he saw no reason to use his own crystals when there were others handy, and after all, he was clearing the way for these people, not for himself.

One of them immediately stepped forward. It was the youth, the boy whose Orb of Rejuvenation Nicolai had used. He dug around in his ragged cloth pack then presented three Oma crystals with an uncertain smile.

Nicolai met that smile with a grin of his own. ‘Thanks, I appreciate it,’ he told the youth, taking the crystals, his simulated humanity actually feeling a little real appreciation. He wasn’t sure about most of these people, but the kid was okay.

After his encounter with the Chosen his Seed’s stores of Oma had dwindled, and it was strained. From his connection to it, he knew it could bear a little more, but it was best to top it up first. He fed it the three crystals while the others looked on, then tucked it back into his glove and it crawled between palm and glove until it was by the Pegasi ring.

He gave them all a firm nod and turned away, his poncho flaring slightly, a minor dramatic flair he felt was fitting, and as he stepped forward he pulled the hood up then tugged the screen over his face. The flaps fell and activated as he stepped into the room, turning him fully invisible.

Nicolai floated up to the balcony and landed atop. His movements were careful and quiet, the hooded undead up here not reacting at all.

It was his first time up on the balconies and he took a moment to work out the lay of the land, seeing that the balconies had various exits leading down corridors or into rooms.

He approached the nearest undead. From closer up he saw they were zombified bipedals, quite short, in mouldering, hooded robes. He saw no sign of any wands or other Imbued items in their hands, but was sure they’d have something, somewhere. He was eager to take their Imbued so he could throw bolts of energy himself.

Nicolai drew a knife then extended it through his sleeve, keeping it hidden till the last moment then his arm flashed out and he grabbed the undead by its neck and chin, using that grip to help him punch the knife into the side of its head.

Blue mist emerged as it crumpled. The other zombies turned, reacting to the sound and sight of one of them falling. He heard sizzling noises as he ducked through the nearest exit, then cracks.

Peeking back out of the corridor he lurked within, he saw them launching their bolts at the area around the undead he’d felled. After half a minute, they stopped and stood there in quiet confusion for a moment, then they returned to their wandering.

Nicolai stepped back out and headed towards the next zombie in line. Below, he could see the big skeleton-thing stomping around, aware that something was happening but unsure exactly what; hunting anyway.

He repeated his process until the zombies were all dead on one side, taking them one or two at a time. Then he floated over to the other balcony and continued his one-man extermination mission.

After killing the last he bent down to search it. At first his search was a quick frisk, looking for its Imbued item, but this turned into him stripping the robe off to reveal its withered, naked form, which had nothing on it but some shoes.

He took the shoes off, too, and checked inside, then Examined the shoes and the robe. The text just told him the items were mundane pieces of clothing, ancient and rotted, of no interest. Examining the zombie itself told him they were “bound of Zephira” and… that was it. He turned the zombie over and looked at it from every angle. There was nothing else on it. He moved to the next and repeated the process.

Some minutes later Nicolai stared down at the latest he’d searched, confused, annoyed. None of them had any kind of Imbued item. Yet, Kleos had told him that any “magic” he saw could only be the result of an Imbued item or a Symbiote, and that the undead were very unlikely to have Symbiotes.

How then? He pondered. Kleos had also mentioned there were some beings which could perform such acts without an Imbued or a Symbiote, but it had said these beings would be very powerful. In Nicolai’s mind, Paxolnaz qualified, and perhaps the centipede monster, too. These mouldering zombies certainly did not. With a snort, he stepped away. A question for another time.

He raised his head and looked up at the big crack in the ceiling, which he’d noticed his first time going through the Gauntlet. He’d wanted to investigate it since he’d first seen it.

The group can wait a little longer.