James sat with Mother as Luna went off to level up with the others. She was determined to reach level eight before they left for the nest, which would be sooner than they thought.

"It's growing larger," Mother stated. "Pretty soon a new one will develop."

"We can't have that." Rubbing his eyes, he asked, "is there a secret bunker in this city?"

"There is." Smiling her toothy smile, she lifted a claw and pointed toward her nest. "It's been waiting for you. You'll learn something helpful I believe."

"You would know," he snorted.

"Come now, James, there's no need to be like that. I have only done what is in your best interest."

Getting up, he walked away a few steps and crossed his arms. "You used Amber against me. She emotionally broke down when she told me the truth. Now I know something is coming for me, but not what. That really helps me sleep at night."

Sighing, Mother lifted her head. "Sarcasm does not become you, James. Did you not enjoy Amber getting close to you?"

Narrowing his gaze, he snarled, "how do I know that she got close to me because she wanted to, or because you told her to? We nearly became mates, and now I can't help but think it was all planned."

"Would that be so bad? Your soul yearns for her, James. Everyone can feel it when you two are together. And believe it or not, she was doing everything she could to get close to you without me talking to her."

Running a hand through his hair, he blew out a slow breath. "Maybe you're right. What you did though…"

"I would do again. My only concern is giving you all the tools you need to choose your own future and the future of my family. We are bound to you, James, and we will fight for you. We just want a place to call home."

"So do I," he said softly. "What am I supposed to do?" Gesturing to the city all around him, he added, "am I supposed to save the world? Bring back my people? Defeat the enemy that is after me? What is it am I supposed to do?"

Closing her eyes, Mother lowered her head again. "Those are decisions for you to make, James. I can tell you how happy your followers would be if your children were running around with us. I could beg you to save both Earth and the Underworld. I could even help you decimate all your enemies. But what you do will always change your fate."

"I don't want this responsibility," he whispered. "I just want to…"

He honestly didn't know what he wanted. Part of him craved to grow stronger and reach heights unknown. The other part of him wanted to stop fighting and have a family. He wanted to enjoy his friends and find peace.

"It won't be that easy, will it?" he asked softly.

"I'm sorry, James. I really am, but I'm greedy and want a future my family can be proud of. I will walk over blood and bones to make that happen."

Resting his hand on her snout, he sighed. "There's no future as long as the rents remain, is there?"

"I'm afraid not."

Turning toward the sky, he watched his vulture fly high overhead. His other animal companions had spread out through the center area and started building nests for themselves. This would be their home until they were needed. He didn't know when that would be, but as long as they were bonded to him, they would steadily grow stronger, just like the vultures and Shadow Paw did.

He needed to search the bunker under the city. It likely wouldn't take his mind off the problem at hand, but maybe, just maybe, it would give him a clue to his race, or maybe even the rents.

"I should go," he said after a minute.

Humming, Mother acknowledged him. With nothing more to lose, he started toward her nest and where the entrance to the bunker would be. Before he made it too far, he spread his soul over the city and found Luna happily tearing apart a pack of fish.

Grace was spilling poison everywhere, likely dancing among the death she was causing. Linda and Zenaria were working together to wipe out blocks of Forsaken.

It wasn't until he turned to Amber that his heart hurt. Her soul brushed against his like a lover's kiss. She felt him right away, and pushed happiness toward him like she normally did. It was clear that he had unresolved feelings for the nekorian. Feelings that he shouldn't have, especially since he was with Luna. His life was growing complicated, and he knew it would only get worse.

***

"Venice, we are nearly there."

The woman in charge of the kill team nodded and drew her spear. Slipping her shield into place, she drew free from her thoughts. "Stand strong, men. The Rent will test you like no other foe. We will make the climb quickly and without casualty."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Venice took a steadying breath and started to jog. They were still a mile from the rent, but would need to warm up their muscles before arriving. They were in for a fight against some of the toughest Forsaken that had ever been created.

We only need to push up the ramp. No more, no less. If we can avoid the ire of the Queen, we will reach the surface.

She knew it was unlikely that they would arrive unscathed. One or more of her men would die trying to reach the surface. That was fact. That was also why there were ten men with her. They would need at least five to kill the Valiant, and that is if she didn't have to step in.

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Only a little farther…

Counting her breaths, she kept them steady and easy. In through her nose and out through her mouth. Her armored boots struck the stone ground and filled their small cavern tunnel with echoes of metal. Luminous moss and mushrooms lit her way as old battlements and fallen killing fields were left behind.

So much death and destruction. Yet, we've never been able to bring down a Queen. We don't even know if that would close the rent.

They arrived at the Africa Rent at a steady pace. Roars of anger and bestial cries filled the air as black creatures exploded into activity. Their entrance was noticed by all, and it was only thanks to the rent spanning for hundreds of miles that the Queen happened to not be there.

The canyon they were in connected the Underworld to Earth through a series of ramps to the surface. The switchback paths wound up steadily and steep. They would be digging in with every ounce of strength they had just to climb.

"Turtle Formation!" she shouted.

The men circled around her, raising their shields as they drew their spears back. The first Forsaken were nearly upon them. Monstrous, humanoid creatures that stood twelve feet tall and were filled with enough muscle and power to crush anyone but the elite.

Closing her eyes for a fleeting moment, Venice prepared for impact. Thrusting her spear out, she opened her eyes and activated her Killing Field. All of the damage they took would be echoed back against their foes. When her thrust landed, she activated another skill and caused an explosion of wind to erupt inside the innards of the monster.

Blood coated everything as she kept pushing forward. Her skills would be on cooldown, and she could feel her internal energy already depleted slightly. If she pushed too hard during the sprint, she would have to recover for days. That was the downside of her race. They held great power, but there was a cost. There was always a cost.

***

Amber felt James rub against her and couldn't help but start purring. She didn't mean to savor him so much, but couldn't help but express how she felt. The man was addicting every time he rubbed his against her. Mouth watering even.

I can't keep doing this to him. It's not fair to him and Luna. They are soulmates for crying out loud!

She knew it wouldn't be that easy to stop, but she did have self-restraint and wouldn't kiss him again at least.

It was needed. I made the choice not to be with him, and I need to stand by it. He's happier with Luna than he would be with me.

It was only partially true, but she could live with partial statements. For now, she would continue to grow stronger and watch his back as he took on the world. He needed her, and she needed him. They were partners, and no matter what was coming, she would be there to help him stop it.

Turning her attention back to the Forsaken around her, she realized that she couldn't really call them that anymore. She was a Forsaken after all, and she had nothing to do with these monsters.

That begged the question. What were the Forsaken and what all encompassed them. The normal animals of the world were all black skinned Forsaken that didn't have special powers. Then there were the mutated Forsaken, like the ones she was fighting. But why were demi-humans considered Forsaken? And why did the dragons know that, and the one creature that came out of the giant?

Shaking her head, she started to get dizzy from all of the thoughts. She simply needed to forget all of that, and focus on killing the monsters around her. She was nearly level seven, and only needed a few more kills to get there. The clump of kelp around her was perfect for her to grow.

***

James found the entrance hidden under a corner of Mother's nest. Pulling back the fabric, he grabbed the handle to the hatch and pulled. The grinding of metal and rust filled the air before a burst of stale air exploded from the ladder down. Coughing a few times, he waved the air away as dust joined the mix.

Why is there so much dust?

Rubbing the dust out of his eyes, he blinked a few times to clear them. It took over a minute to recover before the dust and air settled. He could feel Mother's curiosity as she sat in her nest watching him.

"Tell the others where I went," he ordered.

"Yes, Master," she teased.

Snorting a laugh, he grabbed the ladder and descended. Every few rungs, a flashing red light would fill the air, nearly blinding him like the last wasteland city he had visited, or more like, woke up in.

Minutes of descending finally came to an end and with a quick scan of his soul, he found his friends far above him. What more, he found hundreds of souls down in the bunker with him. Unmoving souls.

More of my people?

He wasn't sure, but he wanted to check as soon as he could. If he could free them from their misery, he would. But if for some reason, they weren't his people, he was curious what was going on.

The room he found himself in was a small square, squat room with a single sliding door. Plain white walls and floor surrounded him while a pulsing red light tinged it all.

Stepping up to the door, he knocked on the hard, metal surface and listened to it echo. Pushing on it, he tried to force it open, only for the metal to protest against him. It was hard enough that he couldn't simply force it without really trying.

With annoyance, he slammed his fist into the door, bending it inward and knocking it off its track. Grabbing the edge, he pushed and pulled until he could set the broken door against the wall.

Peering through the dusty air, he made out a long hall leading him further into the complex. The pulsing lights were disorienting as they cast the lingering dust in a haze that he had to walk through. Breathing slowly and steadily, he felt the tickle in the back of his throat as the world tried to settle.

Reaching the end of the hall, he wasn't surprised to find a intersection leading off to two more halls. Souls were on either side of him, and he had nothing to lose by checking one over the other.

Picking left, he walked slowly as he listened for any sounds of movement. It wasn't long before he came upon an open door on the side of the hall. Looking down further, he noted that several more doors were closed.

Why is this one open?

Stepping inside, he scanned the space for danger. He wasn't expecting a sleeping quarters with a lone skeleton on the bed, nor a pulsing red pad on the desk. Frowning, he moved to the skeleton first.

Three of its ribs were broken and old blood stains coated the blanket and side of the bed. Whoever it was likely died from their wounds. Which made him question why the pad on the desk was flashing.

Pulling out the chair, he sat at the desk and lifted the small metal device. It was as large as a book, but much thinner. Very thin if he was being honest. He had never seen something like it before.

Poking the glass, he watched the device blink to life. The screen lit up with a white, luminous glow before words trailed over the surface.

"Charging complete."

Charging? He questioned.

Once the message faded, a new screen appeared. One that seemed to be some kind of archive, similar to a libraries. On the left side was a column of topics, centered around several topics.

"Primary. Political. Research. Experimental. Redacted."

The list of categories made him frown. He didn't know what redacted meant, but he could read the word just fine. It was in one of the ancient languages that his false mother had taught him.

Selecting Primary, he watched as a list of messages appeared, denoted by envelopes next to subjects. The first one caught his attention as it was the only one that had bold writing.

"Emergency Evacuation."

The small subject line was enough to tell him that whoever owned this pad didn't make it out for the evacuation.

Poking the line, he watched as the pad expanded and a message appeared alongside the subject title at the top.

Emergency Evacuation.

All personnel are to report to the nearest evacuation point. The city above is under siege and is currently being claimed by the Rent. You all have thirty minutes to leave before you will be sealed in with our research. We must not let the Valiants learn what we were doing. This facility will be locked down and then collapsed…

The message continued for a while longer, but he had read enough. He had one very important question.

Why isn't this facility collapsed?

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