James reached the slum entrance to the drug lab. He knew there was more to the place than he had previously explored, and now it was time to find out what he missed.

Luna stayed by his side, a small amount of wind blowing around them. Her nose was wrinkled up in disgust. "What does the drug do?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Jamie said people were moving faster than normal with bloodshot eyes. It's hard to say if it does more."

Taking the lead, he moved through the dimly lit tunnels until they came to the first room, filled with crates of the drug. He still had his sample from last time, but now there were even more guards watching the crates.

Spreading out his soul, he struck them, knocking them out. Their bodies hit the floor a second later and he received a new skill.

New Soul Skill: Soul Pulse: Level 1/10

Cocking his head, he heard Luna sigh next to him.

"Did you really just gain another skill?"

Smiling, he nodded. "Yeah. It appears I've used my soul enough times to push people and things away, and apparently that includes knocking them out."

Turning to him with annoyance, she lightly kicked his leg. "Stop gaining new skills!"

Covering her mouth, he tried to shush her, but the other souls in the nearby rooms noticed. With annoyance, he started moving, bringing her with as she felt shame.

Entering the main production facility, he spread out his soul and pulsed everyone, knocking them out before hurrying through. They needed to find where the tunnels would go deeper.

Room after room, they knocked people out. Luna had pushed him out of the way after the first growing room and tried her hand at gaining his skill. She didn't succeed right away, but she gained something different, that he wasn't expecting.

"I have Soul Control now," she said smugly. "You aren't so special after all."

With a deadpan expression, he said, "I guess you can lead everyone in my stead. I think I'll take a vacation."

Glowering at him, she poked his chest. "Don't you dare push everyone off onto me!"

Shrugging, he started walking again. "I'm not special enough for you. I'll have to take a walk through the world and discover myself anew."

Grabbing his arm, she forced him to stop. "I'm sorry…I was just excited."

Smirking, he winked at her. "You're too easy to tease."

Growling, she let him go and stormed off, leading the way. Hurrying after her, they found a section of the tunnels that was different from the others.

The dirt looked fresh, as if something had sealed an entrance. It crumbled to the touch, not fully being packed down and James pulled out a shovel.

"Let's find out what they were hiding." Shoving his shovel into the loose dirt, he started pulling down the wall.

Luna used her wind magic to clear the air of dust and move the loose soil to a pile off to the side. Within minutes, he had created an opening to another tunnel, large enough for them to walk upright through.

More enchanted lights illuminated the new hall as he stepped inside. Luna joined him a second later, and they found the descent to be sharper than before. The ramp made their muscles tight as they controlled their speed on the slope.

The dark, dirt walls, transitioned to stone after a few minutes. If he had to guess, they were under the mountain, and after another few minutes, the stone turned to carved masonry.

"I think we are close," he said softly.

"To what?"

"Old world bunker or something." After another minute, the slope leveled out and they entered what should have been a cavern. What they found instead was an open space, nearly as large as the city above. Metal and concrete structures were spread out in massive proportions that contrasted the white stone walls and floor.

An illuminated path led the way, creating a street structure for the buildings. Reading the sign by the entrance, James whistled.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

"Aether Chemical Research Facility No. 24."

Frowning, Luna touched the sign. "Is that where we are?"

"It is," he said before starting down the path. "Whatever the city lord and old king had been using for the Forsaken, likely came from here. It's going to take time to search through all of this."

Keeping pace with him, Luan sniffed the air. "The place smells like death."

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"Like Forsaken?" he questioned.

"Yes. Something living is down here."

Slowing his pace, he spread out his soul for the first time since entering. Thousands of souls pinged against him, making his eyes widen. They were moving through the structures and streets, likely guarding the place.

Luna copied him a second later, spreading out her soul as well. "They aren't very strong. The others could use them for practice."

Glancing back at the entrance, he pursed his lips. "That's not a bad idea. We also have a few people to change and make stronger."

"Grace and Zenaria, the two women after your heart," she teased.

Rolling his eyes, he returned to the tunnel entrance. "Let's hold off on searching this complex until we have the others. This is too much for the two of us."

"I agree."

Returning to the city was faster than when they first went through and the drug workers were still passed out. With wind blowing around them, they made sure the drug was cleaned off them when they returned to the surface.

"Everyone is going to be busy for another few hours," Luna stated.

"They will be. That means we need to be seen helping on the streets." Spreading out his soul, he found Amber and Mender working together with a few other cultivators. With a frown, he pulled Luna toward them.

Walking through the streets only took half an hour before he found his companions. When he found the cultivators healing a group of children, he relaxed. Mender was the first to notice him and waved him down.

"We could use your muscle," Mender stated in greeting.

Amber jogged over, covered in dust and wooden slivers. "He's right. This is too much work for just me."

Searching the area, he realized what they were getting at. Souls were under the collapsed structures and families were digging them out.

"Luna, are you better at digging as a wolf or human form?" he asked.

"Human for something like this." Patting his arm, she met up with a healer and headed off to help. She stayed close enough that her aura was canceled out, but just barely.

James took another healer and moved further down the street. "Why are you helping the demi-humans?" he asked.

The brunette human was covered in white healer's robes as she kept pace with him. "We shouldn't discriminate."

"Good answer." Stepping up to a family of beaver demi-humans, James bowed his head. "I've come to help."

The family didn't look at him as they dug through the rubble. The mother was in tears with her two daughters as the father hoisted large sections of the wall out of the way.

"Stop!" James ordered.

For the first time, they noticed him. Stepping out of the ruins, they all grew angry. Before they could argue or react, he held up his hand. "Your son is under the rubble and still alive. Walking all over it will kill him."

A defeated expression passed over the family before they latched onto his words.

"He's still alive?" the father asked.

"Yes. Now help me move a few things and we'll find him." Stepping into the destroyed house, James started lifting sections of the wall and furniture. Passing everything off to the father, they quickly made short work to the child.

James waved the healer over. "Can he be moved?"

The woman knelt by the teen and shook her head. "He's barely breathing and his ribs are crushed. It'll take me a few minutes to help stabilize him. We need to get him to Mender."

Before the family could rush over, James pulsed them with his soul, forcing them back. "Let the healer work. You'll have your son again in a few minutes."

He knew the family needed food and didn't know what Mender and Amber had been doing about that. Leaving the healer for now, he hunted down Amber. It only took a quick touch of his soul before she was jogging over to him.

"Yes, Master?"

Ignoring the looks the beaver family was giving them, he asked, "what are we doing for food and shelter? These families need a lot."

Amber had an answer right away. "We are sending them to the Leaping Rabbit for food. Many of the nearby families are taking people in for now. Everyone in the district is coming together."

Rubbing his chin, James glanced towards the inn. "Very well, but Bunny is going to run out of food."

"Already handled."

Raising his brow, he went to ask another question when Amber laughed and patted his cheek.

"I have it covered, Master. We just need you to help where you can. I'll handle the small details of my district."

Taking a relieved breath, he nodded. "Thank you. I'm still trying to remind myself that you all can handle most of my problems."

Patting his cheek again, she turned away. "I have to get back to it, Master. We have a lot of work to do before night falls."

Turning back to the beavers, he filled them in on where to get food for the time being. He also noticed several groups of demi-humans and humans pulling wagons and loading them up with rubble.

Pulling a ring out of his storage, he quickly drew the rune he used for his storage rings. Filling it with power took a minute longer and with a satisfying click, the enchantment settled into place.

Moving over to the workers, he waved them down. "I have something for you."

The man in charge regarded him before recognition dawned on him. "Grand Master!"

Holding up his hand, James waved him off before he could bow. "We have too much work to do that we can skip the bowing." Handing over the ring, he added, "use this to move the rubble. I can make a few more over the next half hour to speed up your work."

"What is it?" the man asked.

"Storage ring with enough space for three wagons. I'll give you a few to spread out. We need this rubble handled as soon as possible."

The group clamored over the ring in reverence as James pulled out another unenchanted ring. While the leader passed off the ring to a worker and had him empty the wagon and move on for more rubble, James created another. Handing it over, he said, "let's get to work. I have another three rings on me that I can use."

"Thank you, Grand Master. Without you…" Bowing, the leader let out a slow breath. Soon the rest of the demi-humans and humans were bowing as well.

Letting it happen for a few seconds, James waited out the moment. Once they stood straight again, he got started on another ring. He would need to find more jewelry if he was going to help further.

***

Two shadowy figures floated over the city, hidden from view. The one clearly in charge tapped their finger against their arm. "They found the research facility."

"Does it matter? The city has already fallen. Our efforts have been wrested from us by that man."

Rubbing their chin, the leader debated the problem in hand. It was clear that the man responsible for ending the threat of their projects before it truly began was a Valiant. How one survived the war was a mystery. All of the test subjects around the world had been killed.

The only thing they could think of was that they hadn't eliminated all of the adults. If that was the case, where were his parents?

The Valiant was already growing dangerous by the day. No one on the surface would be able to kill him as he now stood. The only saving grace was the man didn't know how to increase his power rapidly. For some reason, he was protecting a city that he could harvest. A city of souls that would make him stronger.

Turning back to their companion, the leader lowered their arms. "Leave the city lord and elders to him. This sect failed and it's time to move to another."

"Very well."

With the decision made, they left the city, heading southwest and back to their homeland.

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