They didn't have to wait long for the others to arrive. Linda was next, having rushed past Bronson and the Elson brothers to burst into the city with a very enthusiastic expression. James only noticed her because he was in the process of throwing a body out of the seventh floor window.

"Up here!" he called out.

"Did you save me some?" she asked.

Chuckling, he pointed to the door. "Take the stairs. We are on the top floor and Amber is going to kill them all if you don't hurry."

Sprinting toward the door, Linda quickly pounded up the stairs as James met her in the hall. He could hear Amber cursing a few apartments over as she likely took damage again.

"All I have is my crossbow," Linda stated as she scanned the halls.

"Good enough," James said while pushing her down the right hall. "Start over here and throw the bodies out the window afterwards."

Nodding eagerly, she double check her quiver and bolted into the room.

"Food…" the creature droned.

"Holy fuck! It can talk!" Linda yelled a moment later.

Snickering, he heard the twang of her crossbow before the Forsaken screeched. A scream came a second later before a heavy thud hit the ground.

"Are you okay?" James asked as he stepped into the apartment. Linda was sprawled on the ground, rearming her crossbow while taking aim. Her armor was burned through across her chest, and the Forsaken had a bolt sticking out of its eye.

"Food…hurt…" the creature droned.

"Fuck you!" Linda growled before pulling the trigger again. The bolt struck its other eye as her siphon leached its life. Getting to her feet, she dropped her crossbow and grabbed a bolt from her quiver. Racing in, she leapt on the monster and started stabbing its neck over and over until it fell still. All the while, her flesh was burned.

"Remind me not to piss you off," James said with grin.

Snorting, Linda ripped her bolts out of the monster and checked them over. "I gained Corrosion Resistance and Regeneration is already handling the burns. How many are left?"

"Half of this floor, and the other floors leading up to here."

Nodding, Linda reloaded her crossbow and hurried out of the apartment.

"You forgot the body!" James yelled to the void. Only the sound of hurrying steps answered him. "Dammit…"

Picking up the body, he moved to the window and chucked it out. Knowing that he had yet another person to clean up after, he returned to Amber. The cat was rubbing her side where a fresh burn mark rested.

"They are fast bastards, aren't they?" she murmured.

"Yup." Grabbing the body, he moved to the window. "Why am I the one cleaning up after all of you?"

"Because you are a good house husband," she teased. "You do the laundry, cook, clean up after me. What more could I ask for?"

He laughed. "I really dislike you right now. Maybe even hate. I might even poison you while you sleep."

Scoffing, she ran a hand down her side while cocking her hip. "As if you would harm this body."

"I'm not taking the bait."

Smirking, she turned and sashayed out of the apartment. "You already did when you responded!"

Rolling his eyes, he looked out the window and toward the forest. Luna was returning with everyone else and Elder Bo looked disturbed as he scanned the city.

"Something wrong?" James called out.

Bo met his gaze and nodded. Frowning, James jumped out the window and landed with a thud that kicked up dust. Luna kissed his cheek in passing as she led everyone to the apartment.

"Spread out," she told everyone. "We have to clear this entire building before nightfall. Throw the bodies outside to feed our friends."

James didn't wait for the responses as he stepped up to Bo. "What's wrong?"

Bo waved for him to follow as he walked away from the others. They made it back to the forest before the elder stopped. "This city shouldn't be here."

Frowning, James glanced back at the buildings. "What do you mean? I know it feels odd, but it's clearly here and made by the ancient humans."

Shaking his head, Bo said, "this city wasn't here when I settled in Settling Stone. There was no wasteland in the middle of the forest. As you know the outer edges of the area are the wasteland. Not this."

Rubbing his head, James cursed. "I'm going to have to search the city for answers. A city can't simply appear at random."

"That's what seems to have happened." Bo crossed his arms. "I'm worried about what you are going to find."

"I am too," James admitted. "I'll start my search tomorrow. For now, the others need to grow stronger, and we are going to use this city to do that."

Nodding, Bo started walking back to the apartment. "I'll keep an eye on everyone. It's best we keep our guard up."

Agreeing, James found Luna outside the apartment, waiting for him. "We should talk."

Nodding, Luna grabbed his arm and led him away. "What's going on?"

James didn't answer right away. Instead, he leaned against a tree, scraping bark free and sending ash down from the branches above. Waving it away, he finally spoke up. "This city wasn't here when Bo settled the area."

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know?" he admitted with a shake of his head. "I'm going to start looking around tomorrow. I need you to push everyone to grow stronger. This is the perfect place to fight different Forsaken that are stronger than those in the forest."

Resting her head on his chest, she said, "I understand. Did anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

"Yup. Amber flirted with me pretty badly. It's almost like she saved it all for when you weren't around."

Growling, Luna snapped her attention to the apartment. "I'm going to have a few words with her." Sighing, she added, "at least she makes you laugh."

"She does do that," he said with a chuckle. "Leave her alone, Luna. You will never get her to stop."

"I know," she grunted.

"We should go check on the children." Grabbing her hand, he started leading her back to the city. "Maybe we should tease Amber in return."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I'm sure we can think of something. I bet she won't be expecting it if we both start flirting with her." Pushing open the apartment door, they stepped into the foyer.

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Humming, Luna leaned into his side. "We can build her up, then shut her down."

"Exactly!"

Giggling, she led the way to the stairwell. "We'll spring it in a couple of days. You take the lead, and I'll follow suit."

"These apartments have baths we can use. Some of them are rather big," he stated.

Turning to him, she smirked. "How big are we talking?"

"Enough for two, if you are up for it."

Beaming, she nodded right away.

Turning her back around, he pushed her up the stairs. "Save those thoughts for tonight. We'll even have a bed to sleep in."

"Are we really going to sleep?" she teased.

"At some point." Rolling his eyes, they fell silent for the remainder of the climb. Stepping onto the seventh floor, they were greeted with screams of pain, but not from Linda or Amber.

"Are they torturing the Forsaken?" Luna questioned.

Following the screams, they found Linda slamming the head of the Forsaken against the ground while stabbing its chest over and over as it spasmed.

"What the hell?" Luna murmured.

Snarling, Linda climbed off the dead monster and kicked its body. "Bastard!"

Whistling, James stepped into the apartment. "Did the Forsaken offend you somehow?"

Turning to him, she beamed. "Yup!" she chirped. "It was breathing!"

Eyes wide, Luna backed up a step. "Remind me to never piss you off…"

"I'm nearly level three!" Linda added. "Pretty soon Amber won't be the highest level. Maybe I'll even get my weapon."

"I hope so," James admitted. "You'll run out of ammo if you keep it up. We have no way to replenish your bolts."

Shoulders slumping slightly, Linda nodded. "I know…"

Clapping his hands, he blocked the doorway as Linda started to move. "You are forgetting something."

"I am?" Linda questioned with a cock of her head.

"The body."

Glancing at the corpse, Linda shrugged. "That's what I thought our house husband was for."

Groaning, he ran a hand down his face. "I'm going to kill Amber for spreading that."

Luna giggled by his side. "But dear husband, are you really going to stop cleaning up after us?"

Glaring at her, he pointed to the body. "Clean it up! I don't care which one of you does it. Get it out of this apartment."

For the first time in a while, he grew slightly angry. Luna gulped and hurried over to the body and picked it up. Linda even grabbed the lower half and they chucked it out the window.

Stepping aside, James let Linda out of the apartment to keep hunting. With annoyance, he marched over to Amber. Luna followed behind him, her expression of worry boring into him.

He could feel all of the Forsaken in the apartment complex shiver as his soul pushed out with his emotions. Amber knew right away that he was coming, and he felt her hurry to a window.

Pushing open her door, he found her dumping a body out of the window.

"I cleaned up!" she squeaked.

Nodding, he turned and left without saying anything. Luna waved at the cat before hurrying up to his side. "I think they will clean up after themselves for a while."

"Good," he said curtly.

Grabbing his arm, she pulled him to a stop. "I think you should help me claim an apartment. I believe its time for me to pull out the oils I bought."

"Oils?" he questioned.

"For your massage." Smiling, she pushed him against the wall. "That is if you are okay with a filthy demi-human like me rubbing oil all over your muscles."

The intensity in her gaze made him swallow. "I'm okay with that…"

"Good," she chirped. "Help me find a room, dear husband."

***

Jamie crept into the apartment without making a sound. Her flaming bow was drawn, the arrow made out of soul energy. Her curse was almost non existent until she started fighting.

Sighting in the Forsaken, it turned and stared at her with wide eyes. Just before it was about to scream, she released her arrow and watched the world shift as her Soul Weapon ripped through the air. The Soul Arrow exploded against the monster, coating it in flames that burned away at its soul.

Pain exploded in Jamie's body, making her grind her teeth as each passing second it got stronger. Pulling on her bow, she split it into two daggers and rushed forward. Leaping through the air, she stabbed both daggers into the Forsaken and felt spikes of pain in her chest. Stabbing the monster over and over as its body burned and its soul was added to hers, she snuffed it out.

Just as suddenly as the pain came, it was extinguished as the monster fell. Gasping for each breath, she smiled. The weapons are worth it. James downplayed how strong you were with your Soul Weapons.

Picking up the body, she tossed it out the window and watched the vultures jump on the corpse.

If pain is all I have to deal with in order to burn and decimate souls, I'll gladly bear my curse. I don't even need to siphon if my flames are on them. Although there isn't any pain if I siphon.

She had reached level three that morning and gained her weapon. Ever since, she had hardly put it down. The only time she dismissed it was when she heard Luna coming for her. But now that she was on her own on the third floor, she reveled in it.

I wonder what James will think when I show him. I'll be able to cover for him as he rushed into the fight. Even Amber has a melee weapon and I'll be able to help her. Although the woman flirts with my brother way too much.

Brushing her hands off on her pants, she cracked her neck before heading back into the hall. She hadn't gained any skills for her first two levels, which is why her Soul Weapon was so strong. It engulfed her foes in fire that absorbed and burned their souls with the flames of hell.

She wanted to laugh wickedly as she prepared to enter another apartment. Her bow was summoned again, and the humanoid Forsaken was waiting for her. They eyed each other for a second before she released her arrow and the monster thrust its arms at her.

The spear heads tried to punch through her chest, but she twisted and bent with the flexibility gained from her years of training. Slipping out of the way, she watched the monster explode into flames before she rushed forward. Her daggers were out, and she was ready to kill. This was just one more monster on her way to catching up to her brother.

***

Mender strode into the apartment of the second floor with confidence. His staff glowed with a charged attack, and when he met the eye of the Forsaken, they both knew the fight was already decided.

"Consecration," Mender mumbled.

The attack at the end of his staff launched out in a ball of light. His Soul Attack was Soul Consecration. An area of effect attack that took up the entire apartment living room as it deployed. A field of white flames coated the floor and both Mender and the monster.

Screaming in pain, the Forsaken stabbed Mender in the chest and stomach, hoping to kill him. With a laugh, Mender pulled out the arms even as his flesh burned. The flames of his attack roared over his body, healing the wounds in a second.

Seconds turned to a minute as the monster slashed and stabbed Mender over and over, only for every wound to heal near instantly. By the time it realized it should flee, the Forsaken had already lost. The consecration circle turned its body to dust as it purified its body and added its soul into Mender.

Waving his hand, he snuffed the flames and stretched his arms above his head. One down. Another dozen or more apartments to go.

He learned early that he could cast Soul Consecration nearly indefinitely. It took a small portion of his soul energy to cast, and if he charged it before releasing it, he could regain the cost. While the skill was active, he continually used soul energy, but as long as a soul was burning inside the attack, he could keep up the skill.

He still wished he had his Soul Weapon, but he hadn't been lucky so far. He likely wouldn't get it until level four, or maybe even five. It was an annoyance after not getting any skills right away. He had to admit that reach level three, he had gained something powerful enough that he could support his friends and attack at the same time. Now he just needed to show it off to James and Luna.

***

Linda knew what her Soul Weapon was going to be. Her Soul Attack enhanced her accuracy to an uncanny level. If she wanted to hit a fly in midair, she could. It wasn't one that damaged the soul of her target, but made her superhuman in its own way. She reasoned that she might get a different Soul Attack or skill eventually, but she was nearly level three and still didn't have a weapon.

Sighing, she reloaded her crossbow again and crept to the next apartment. The thrill of the hunt was growing on her as she prepared to kill another Forsaken. In the distance she could hear Amber growling and attacking on the same floor as her.

She knew James and Luna had claimed an apartment already, but she didn't want to bother them with her talk about her skill. None of them had overly shared what they could do. James and Luna hadn't asked, and none of them felt the need to showcase and show off. When the time came, they would all prove they could stand beside him.

Pushing open the next door slowly, she eyed the Forsaken in the living room. Why they weren't in other rooms was beyond her, but she could easily see its soul, even if its body did blend into the shadows and low light of the space.

Activating her skill, the world slowed as she took aim. Her vision zoomed in on the ember that made up the creatures soul. With a practiced breath, she pulled the trigger.

The world returned to normal speed as her bolt struck her target and decimated the ember in its body. Screams of pain filled the air as the monster dropped to the ground and thrashed. Its soul was already bleeding into her as she activated siphon.

"Just die already," she snorted while walking forward with a drawn bolt. Slamming it into the creatures head, she started to brutally kill it until its soul was gone.

Wiping blood from her face, she grinned. "Time for another."

***

James enjoyed his time with Luna before she fell asleep. The bedroom they were staying in was quiet apart from the burning winds blowing against the building. Everyone had stopped fighting and had claimed rooms on the seventh floor. Amber had entered his apartment and claimed the second bedroom, not talking to either him or Luna. She had used their bath that they had left the water in, but everyone else was going to have to sleep dirty.

He knew that many of them were showing off their new skills, but still wanted to keep them secret. He didn't fault them, and wouldn't pressure them into giving away their secrets. He knew that when the time came, they would all come together to fight. That's when it would matter.

Slipping out from the bed, James made his way into the living room and to the window overlooking the city. He felt haggard as he tried to spread out his soul and was pushed back once again.

What can possibly be in the city that can suppress my soul? I need to discover what it is, and soon. This city is too good of an opportunity to train, that I don't dare pull them out. But are we in danger?

He didn't have the answers he needed. What he did have was a course of action. In the morning, he would set out into the city and find an entrance into the sublevel if there was one. He would discover why a city appeared in the middle of the forest. And hopefully he would learn just what that meant for the world.

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