DUET :Chapter 15:

Maggie

I can’t hear his voice too well. Everything around me is faded out, my eyes only finding that child that Marcus and Savannah are carefully placing onto a gurney. Sounds have become slowed as if I’m in another dimension, and I can’t make out any type of conversation they or anyone else could be having. I can sense people I don’t know, probably soldiers from the other base. None of them come near me, and I can understand why. I feel like I could implode at any moment. I don’t even think I’ve moved since I first discovered her. Goro has tried to get me to sit, but I can’t seem to find the desire to move. I can sense him near me, maybe right behind me. He’s probably making sure no one tries to mess with me.

“Magg . . .”

His voice barely reaches me that time, but I ignore it as I watch the girl being secured, a blanket being laid over her broken body. Her eyes have been closed, though that final hint of happiness still lingers on her face, causing my stomach to churn. No one, especially a child deserves the suffering she endured.

Finally, I gather the will to move, turning my head slightly so I may look over my shoulder. As I suspected, Goro is standing behind me, his back to mine as he keeps an eye out. Immediately, he turns his eyes back to me, probably sensing that I moved. Although I’m looking directly at him, I can tell his expression reads worry. He leans over, and for the first time, I can make out his voice clearly, “Are you ok?”

What kind of question is that? Do I look ok to you?

Despite my inner dialogue, I’m able to answer with a single word, “No.”

His brow furrows, obviously not happy to hear my response. “Do you want me to take you back to the craft? You can sit with Sammy for a little while,” he says quietly.

I ponder the idea. Going back to Sammy now, I’d probably get back some of my senses sooner. It’d also be nice to speak to her about everything. I wonder if she’s ever had to see anything like this. It’s terrifying to think about. With that thought, I shake my head, returning my eyes to the girl. Then, I actually step forward. Goro seems surprised, but quickly joins my side, keeping an eye on me as I walk to the gurney. Savannah and Marcus look up, not to me, but to Goro. He must signal them or something, because they slowly back off, allowing me access to the girl. I pause, my eyes falling on her face. Although content, her face is paled extremely, her lips white almost. Blood is dried in her dark brown hair, starkly contrasting her porcelain features. Blood runs down a side of her face and from the corners of her mouth, making me feel sick the more I gaze at the sight.

I adjust my eyes lower, finding her hand sticking out slightly beneath the blanket. Her nails are painted a bright pink color, the coat maybe a few hours old. I gently take her hand in mine, and I catch a flash. A woman, maybe in her thirties, her features similar. She’s laughing as she does the girl’s nails, asking her about her playdate scheduled for later today. The girl sounds excited, talking to her mother about how she hopes to go find seashells to make a necklace with an initial charm.

The bright sun suddenly goes dim, catching her mother’s attention. Then, there’s a deafening buzzing noise. The house begins to shake. Her mother knows what’s happening, and takes her hand, dropping the nail polish as she tries to push the girl towards the basement.

They’re too late. There’s a white flash, screams.

Then nothing.

I shrink some, squeezing my eyes shut as I release her hand. Goro senses my change, and leans over. “What is it?” he asks.

I don’t answer quickly, my voice shaking, “. . . This was the first place they attacked.”

Goro looks surprised by my words, “What? Why would they come here first?”

No one says a word in response to his thoughts. It seems everyone is thinking the same thing, but no one wants to be the one to say it.

This wasn’t a supply mission. This was a propaganda mission.

I open my eyes slowly, meeting her face again. She said something about her mother finding her, maybe that means she didn’t see her mother die. Her mom may still be alive for all we know. I clench my teeth, trying to keep calm as I slowly grip the blanket and pull it gently over the girl’s face. She deserved better than what this corrupted world could give. I turn towards Goro, not thinking much as I take his hand and pull him out of the alley with me.

“M-Magg-“ he starts.

“Just follow me,” I say quietly. He falls quiet in response, his eyes meeting those around us. Through his touch, I can sense his discomfort and worry, making my heart pang a little. He doesn’t want anyone thinking we’re close.

Soon enough, we’ve rounded the corner and walk behind one of the rovers that the human soldiers brought over. I turn to face him, unsure how to feel about his complex expression. I sigh, meeting his eyes, “The girl was with her mother during the attack.”

His eyes widen, “She was?”

I nod, “Yes, but she didn’t have any memories of her mother being killed.”

“Which means-“

“Her mom could have survived,” I say, before I shift my eyes. I stare at the singed earth, then shake my head as my intuition takes over. “No . . . she was pushing the girl in front of her, meaning that the Noxcus saw her first,” I mumble.

“Wait, just how much did you see?” Goro asks.

I look back at him, “Well, I saw that they were together, on the main level I believe, and during the touchdown her mom tried to get her to the basement . . . but before they could get there, there was a bright flash of light.”

“Do you think it could’ve been an energy blast?” he asks, “It may have blown the two apart.”

I think on the idea, but shrug. I groan slightly, looking around, “I can’t tell, she didn’t have any residual memory remaining after that. She probably blocked everything else out because she was so scared.”

Goro doesn’t reply, his expression hardening. I run a hand through my hair, beginning to braid some of the locks together as I try to calm myself a bit more. I can’t jump straight to conclusions considering there’s not really any proof, but considering all the damages and what I saw, I can’t see how her mother might have escaped the attack. As I look around, one of the houses nearby catches my eye. I eye it closer, seeing half of the building has been blown away, while the other half is partly burned away. Something about it is familiar, and out of curiosity, I decide to investigate. “Goro,” I say.

“Yeah-“ he starts.

I take tight grip of his hand again. “Hold on,” I reply.

With that, I take off, catching him off guard as I flash. The world blazes by at intense speed, only halting moments later as I land us within the crumbling building. Goro falls slightly, probably unsure what to think. I think a moment, before I realize that that was the first time he’s probably tagged along to a flash. I look over at him, and grimace. “Sorry, I forgot that you were inexperienced,” I say honestly.

He gestures to me as he takes a deep breath, standing straight, “Just give me an actual warning next time.”

“Yeah, yeah . . .” I start before I’m caught by what’s left of the room. Goro looks perplexed, scanning the room as well. I step forward, my expression falling as I see a chair toppled over in the back of the room, slightly charred. Beside the seat is a half melted glass bottle, and when I kneel down and wipe away the ash, dried pink polish is revealed, splattered on the hardwood. Next to it is a dull charm with a letter etched into it. A lump forms in my throat and I raise a hand to my mouth, doing my best not to let my emotions win. Goro seems to sense something is wrong, walking over quickly to my side. After a moment of standing over me, he lowers himself to his knees. He notices my discovery, his eyes widening. “Her mom was painting her nails when they attacked,” I say plainly as I remove my hand from my mouth.

He swallows hard, his eyes darting around the room, “So, this is her house?”

I nod, “Yeah, I can recognize some of it.”

Goro catches the hint of depression in my voice, watching me closely as I stand and begin to walk away. His countenance quickly turns from upset to worry, and before I know what to do, he catches my wrist. I turn quickly and meet his stormy blue eyes, a strange jolting down my spine as I return his gaze. He doesn’t say anything as he stands, just holding my eyes intently. Then, his expression breaks some, his brow furrowing as he lifts his other hand to my face. His fingers caress my cheek as he pushes my bangs away from my eye, making my heart pick up. He leans over some, his tone calm despite his worried aura, “Seriously, are you ok?”

My expression loosens due to my surprise, though it doesn’t last long. I redirect my gaze to the grey sky invading the inside behind him, and sigh. “Innocent people, children no less, they shouldn’t have to die,” I say quietly, “Who made war a necessity to society anyway? All the other animals on Earth don’t fight, they mind their own business. They collect what they need and live life as they want. What does taking something by force gain you? It just makes people angry . . . Anger leads to violence, violence leads to revenge, revenge leads to uprise, uprise leads to war, and war leads to destruction and just more anger and hatred.”

He just stands there, his expression calm as I continue my sudden monologue, “I get that not everyone is exactly the same. We have different religions, different cultures, different languages . . . but that doesn’t mean we’re any less human than anyone else. Hell, even aliens are now equals. The Faxcaecus, the Nocanna, the Jacboatus, they’re all our allies in this God forsaken war. They’re not the same as us, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve any more respect than we do from them. There can be disagreements, there can be debates and arguments even . . . but is taking of the life of a child really so unimportant that things can’t be thought out peacefully? Why must there be a calamity before we can think like decent beings and just agree to disagree, and get on with our lives? Why not try to understand, maybe learn something new? Why go directly to hate?”

“. . . Because Maggie, no one is perfect,” he says plainly, “I think everyone truly wants peace, but among those beings are those who also want wealth, power, sex, status. . . . They want materials to prove that they are better than others. They don’t want to talk, they don’t want to work for those things the right way. They want them now, and if that means they have to take it, then they will.”

“That’s stupid-“

“I agree, but that’s the way it is,” he says, gently taking one of the pistols from his holster jacket. He looks over it, then meets my eyes again, the blue colder. “So, you have to make sure that the good guys . . . whichever side that may be, well, they’re the ones that win in the end,” he says as he slaps the magazine into place, “You have to aim better, you have to shoot better . . . and sadly, you have to sometimes count your sins as you take lives.”

My eyes search his for a moment, before I say quietly, “You don’t really think that.”

“I have to,” he replies almost robotically, “It’s because I have that I’ve survived this long.”

My expression saddens, and although it may be a really bad time to mention it, I think it’s also one of the best. I say bluntly, “Are you referring to how you got Infection?”

His entire composure falters, the cold sheen over his eyes shattering as he registers my words. He stumbles over his words as he tries to speak, “H-How did you-When did you hear ab-Who told you-“

“It was in your records that you entered the military soon after turning sixteen,” I explain, “HERA explained to me that that only happens when a person has been Infected.”

For a moment longer, he looks totally flabbergasted. I guess he didn’t expect anyone to find out about his Infection. Though, to my surprise, he composes himself quickly, moving his gaze around the room as he walks away a bit. He pauses, now facing away from me. His fist clenches some, putting me a bit on edge as I watch him. Then, he speaks, “I didn’t want to be a soldier.”

I blink, not expecting the words to hit my ears. He seems like the perfect soldier to me, always so calm, so good when it comes to strategy and fighting. He’s a brave person, I just assumed he had planned to do this. “Hell, I didn’t know what I wanted to be yet,” he continues, catching my attention again, “I got Infected, and only a day later the war started. I was told I’d be shipped out with all the other boys in my part of the area that we’d be shipped out to training as soon as we were all healed. . . . I didn’t have a choice. They needed soldiers, young men to fight. The draft was beautiful in comparison to our orders. Any boy over the age of eighteen or had been Infected over the age of fifteen that was normally healthy was called up. An entire generation was taken to the battle front, and there was nothing we could do about it.”

My stomach sinks. His shoulders fall some, and he looks back at me. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s not joking, nor has he talked on the subject for a long time. It brings a bit of pain to his thoughts. Then, oddly, he chuckles, looking up at the ceiling. “Most of the soldiers are no different than Jeweloids, now that I think about it. . . . I’m no different than you in this situation,” he says as he traces the ashy plaster with his eyes, “But nowadays, if I think about it . . . I honestly have no clue what else I’d be doing. I can only imagine myself as a soldier. Nothing more.”

“You’re more than a soldier, Isugoro,” I say without thinking. His eyes fix back on me as my words hit the air, both of us looking a bit taken back. Though after a moment, his expression softens.

“What am I then?” he asks me.

I’m caught. I have no clue how to say what I want to. I can’t just say “you mean a lot to me” or “you’re a good friend.” Those are not only cheesy as hell, but really don’t play into the situation. I look down at my hands. They’re a bit dirtied, some scratches here and there. Past them, I see the AA-12 Convert strapped to my belt. Immediately, I ball my hands up, and look him dead in the eye, “You’re Human.”

He looks taken back by my words. While in the obvious sense, my words are definitely true. But I wasn’t speaking in terms of DNA, and he knows that. He doesn’t look at me as a Jeweloid, he sees me as an individual. He looks after others, and though oblivious sometimes, he’s loyal. He has morals, he doesn’t look down on anyone. He’s a true human.

Suddenly, the ground shakes. Goro and I are caught completely off guard as we both look around. Goro turns slightly then gasps, and before I know what’s happening, he throws himself on top of me. “GET DOWN!”

He yells as he takes us to the ground, but it’s hard for me to hear him at the end as something explodes. My ears pop, and even though I know my eyes are squeezed shut, an intense light still overtakes me. Something somehow hits the small gap between my padding on my calf and I wince as a sharp pain jolts up through my spine. I grit my teeth to hold in a shout. This is nothing.

After a moment, I open my eyes, coughing some as heavy dust and ash are pulled into my lungs. The air is fogged by the new turn up of debris, and despite the injury on my leg, I’m otherwise ok. Though, my concern quickly turns to Goro. His arms are wrapped tight around me, shielding me from what I guess was a timed grenade or something. I can hear him breathing, his breath light against my ear, though forced in a way. Slowly, I pull my arms a bit free, moving my hair out of the way as I search his face. My eyes widen.

He looks like he’s in pain, but he’s holding it together pretty well. Quickly, I start to freak out, “G-Goro?!” I start.

“Shush, don’t panic,” he says with a short grunt, “I’m ok, really. Just landed wrong I think.”

I don’t believe him. “Turn over on your back,” I order as I begin to push him off of me.

“I’m fine-“

“Just do it, Isugoro,” I interrupt, looking him dead in the eye.

He watches me a moment, then gives, slowly rolling over onto his back. With a sharp breath, he holds back a shout, and as I sit up, I immediately see why. A piece of the wall about the size of a baseball looks to have slammed into his right thigh, ripping through the padding and causing a large bloody gash. I look at my smaller wound, and instantly realize that my injury had resulted from the same fragment ricocheting off of his leg, as the spots align almost perfectly. My brow furrows, and I look back up at his face. “Isugoro, you’re hurt pretty bad,” I comment.

“I’m fine, seriously-“ he starts, cut off as pain overcomes him. His head falls back to the floor, and he grits his teeth now. Worry overtakes me. He needs medical attention. Bad.

Sammy is the closest healer, but thanks to the explosion, my tracking still hasn’t come back online. I don’t know how to get back. I then think of Goro’s shades. I look in his ear, and curse to myself as I see it’s missing, probably blown out at impact. He looks at me once the pain subsides for the time being, looking guilty. “Sorry,” he says, “It’s only the first mission, and I’ve messed up. I really suck at this.”

“Don’t say that!” I immediately retort, leaning over him, “I only have scratches because you protected me, like a Partner should. Don’t apologize to me for doing your job.”

He bites his tongue, searching my eyes. Without meaning to, I recall something I did before. Sure, it was a dream, but I was able to null the pain of it and return some peace. I look back towards the wound. It looks pretty bad, but it’s not deep enough to have penetrated more than the muscle. He’s facing neuron pain signals. I look back at his face, my expression hardening some. He catches that I’m thinking of something, “What is it?”

My heart starts to beat rapidly, knowing what I’m about to suggest is taboo. But, for now, it’s the best thing I can do for him. I meet his eyes, and say calmly, “I can take care of the pain, but I need you to close your eyes.”

Of course, he looks slightly skeptical. “What are you going to do?” he asks.

“Just trust me on this, alright?” I ask, “Please.”

He watches me a moment longer, then sighs, relaxing as he lays his head back and closes his eyes. I just sit a moment longer, composing myself as controlling my breathing. This is absolutely insane.

But I need to help.

With that thought in mind, I lean over, and despite my speeding heart . . . I press a tender kiss on his lips. He goes rigid almost instantly, not sure what to do as I do my best to decode the signals. Codes fly, and I give final instructions through his mental transmissions. Under my will, the messages go, and before long, I can sense that the neurons in his brain are no longer transmitting to his injury. Goro relaxes some, though his kiss is still awkward as I conclude the mental coding. Though, as I finish, I find myself unable to break the kiss immediately. I adjust, as does he, and what was weird is now natural. For maybe four seconds, the kiss that initially let me into his mind becomes just what it was supposed to be; a kiss.

My own pain numbs some as I’m enveloped in a strange warmth. I know why I feel this way, it’s rather obvious; I like Isugoro. Something about him, despite everything that has happened, despite all the horrible things . . . somehow he makes me hopeful that there can still be happiness. My chest is tight, my heart panging with yearning as I break the kiss. Slowly, I open my eyes, and soon after, he does too. He looks caught off guard, the tips of his ears a bit red, his cheeks slightly flush, and his eyes dart some before he finally meets my gaze. I move my hand and rest it on his chest without thinking. I’m surprised to feel his heart racing, but I hold on to my composure, and my expression falls, “Sorry, is there still pain?”

His eyes widen, then he looks totally perplexed. He sits up slightly, eyeing the wound in amazement, as if he thought it had disappeared. I hold down a chuckle; it seems that with the kiss I also took his prior knowledge that he has been hurt at all. After a moment, he looks back at me with an astonished look, “No . . . no, there’s not. What did you do?”

“Cut off neuron transmissions,” I explain, “Think of it . . . like a morphine shot.”

His eyes just hold mine, before he looks away, sighing as he looks around, “You never cease to amaze me.”

I grin some, his praise warming my spirits. Though, I can’t stay content for long, as I realize we need to regroup with the rest of our squad. Glancing around, I catch the sight of a sheer curtain clinging to a rod. Quickly, I go to stand so I can retrieve it, but as soon as I put weight on my injured leg, I fall to my knees with a sharp gasp. As a jolt of pain shoot through my body, Goro finally catches sight of the wound. His expression turns back to concern, and he starts to speak, “Maggie, you-“

“I’ll be healed within ten minutes, it’s ok,” I interrupt, stumbling back to my feet. Adjusting to my injury, I walk gently over to the curtain, pulling it swiftly from the rod and hurrying as best I can back to Goro. Goro simply watches me, stunned as I rip the curtain into long strips and wrap them tight around his injury. I sigh, looking at my handy work, “It’s not the best, but it’ll keep any more dust and ash from getting into the wound.”

I turn, surveying the area. The explosion decimated the other half of the room, what was what remained of the kitchen and the ceiling above it has been completely destroyed. Although I’m not an expert, what weapons training I did receive in the capital tells me that this was caused by a timed mortar. My brow furrows as I make a connection. This house was a set-up, the Noxcus planned for soldiers to inspect this place. That also means they planned on the little girl being discovered.

They used her as bait.

My fists clench, rage sparking deep within me. How dare they pull a child into their sinful warfare.

“Maggie.”

I’m caught off guard as I hear ripping, looking back to see Goro making two more strips with what remains of the curtain. He gestures to me, and when I crawl closer, he sits me down and wraps the strips around my own wounds. My breath catches as I watch, his eyes focused as he gently tightens the makeshift bandages. After a moment, he looks up at me, and grimaces, “Thanks.”

I can’t stop my facing from burning as his blue eyes warm, his expression very attractive as his hair falls a bit messy. I must say, although dirty, he makes quite the handsome soldier. I advert my eyes and start to stutter random things, trying to distract him from my obvious attraction by just being strange. It seems to work well enough, as a few moments later, his expression breaks and he laughs. I love his laugh, it makes me feel like I’m somehow repaying him for all he’s done for me. I pout, but quickly return to normal. I stand once more, finding that my wound is a lot more bearable than previously, and turn, holding my hand out to Goro. He takes it firmly, and with my help, we’re able to get him back upright. He uses me as a leaning post as I walk us back over to the opening to the outside, and before long, I make out soldiers. Some look to be heading this direction to investigate the noise, others just stare in our direction. I grip Goro’s arm tight as I speak, “I’m gonna flash us, so just hold on.”

Goro nods, and with that, I push off. The world races beneath us as I flash to our previous destination. Upon landing, both Goro and I make a rough landing, and it appears we both land on our lamer lead. Goro grunts and I let out a shout before we both topple to the ground. It’s mere moments before I can hear other familiar voices, thankfully addressing Goro, not me. As I turn over on the crispy grass, I open my eyes to see Katie and Anna staring at me. Anna drops to my side, her expression worried as she sees the cloth wrapped around my leg. “You’re both hurt?” she asks.

“I-I’m almost fully healed,” I reply, “It’s just being annoying.”

“Oh damn!” I hear Savannah say, “Goro, your leg is ripped up! How do you not feel this?”

He doesn’t answer. I turn my head, and to my surprise, I find he’s laying right beside me. Somehow, he and seems to sense I’m staring at him, his head turning some and his eyes meeting mine. I hold his eyes a moment, then grimace. I suppose we’ll have our secrets.

With that, Katie orders that Goro be taken back to the craft for Sammy to be healed. I am placed under Katie and Cecelia’s care until he returns to the field, which, as long as Sammy doesn’t have any issues, should be fairly soon. I watch helplessly as they put him on a stretcher, Marcus and Savannah soon flashing to get him back even faster. The wind whispers through the wrecked buildings, mocking me for my inability to keep us safe. Sure, Goro may be the one that everyone places responsibility on, but I as his Partner also carry the duty of keeping him safe. I have failed.

“P-Please! Let me through!”

My eyes widen as I catch a woman’s voice. I turn, and as my wound continues to heal, my ability to walk improves. I walk around the corner, and before my eyes unfolds a strange sight of soldiers trying to hold down a single woman, and failing. Though, I wouldn’t say she was making it easy to restrain her. She’s flailing erratically, her eyes bulging and darting every which way. She’s wailing, pleading to be let through to the transport vehicle; the same the little girl’s body should be on. I walk closer to the disarray and that’s when I finally see the woman’s full face, and I catch my breath.

It’s the woman from the vision. Immediately, I intervene, “H-Halt! Stop this, now!”

The soldiers and the woman pause a moment, before the woman starts crying to me, bursting through their arms and clinging herself to me. As she continuously mutters unreadable mumblings, I look over her. She’s been beaten up pretty good, sustaining a few severe injuries to her legs, abdomen, and head. Blood is sprayed all over her, her clothes dyed the eerie rust tint, ripped. I gulp, and find her eyes again, caught off guard as I catch something strange. It’s only a second, but to me, it’s a lot.

“Please, where is she?! Where is Faya?!”

Another strange correlation goes off in my mind. I watch her as she continues to cry to me, and I put on a sympathetic expression, trying my best to shush her. “Calm down Ma’am,” I say calmly, “Who is Faya?”

“M-My daughter, my daughter, please!” she shouts, her voice shrill as her hold on me tightens.

I set up a mind barrier, looking over my shoulder to see Katie and Anna watching cautiously. They look honestly heartbroken by this woman, caught in the emotion of her struggle. The soldiers are even worse off, some of them have even taken off their caps and are lowering their heads in respect.

Where’s Goro when I need him.

Maggie.

My eyes widen, shocked to hear his voice in my mind. I’ve had telepathic conversations with Goro before, but he’s never been the one initiate the conversation. I didn’t know he could.

Goro, how are you-

Sammy helped. Something just came up on her scanner.

What?

There’s a Noxcus in that area.

I pause, finally putting all the strange pieces together. I hide my new realization from the woman, still trying to soothe her.

Maggie, get out of there. Now.

I blink, caught a bit off guard as I hear the stress in his voice.

Why?

Because I just translated mission notes Marcus had found. The Noxcus have a sub mission. There’s a reason why they picked Nao. They knew Jeweloids would come to investigate.

My breath catches.

They want to take some of you out, Maggie.

At that moment, the ground begins to shake again, the woman clinging tight to me as screams overtake us. I look up, caught as I watch the unstable walls of the nearest buildings beginning to fall apart. As if Goro predicted it, all the falling rubble is headed straight for the Jeweloids, none of the human soldiers. Thank God each of us catch on, flashing fast to escape the collapse. Without warning, I feel the pain returning to my leg, and with the woman still in my arms, I make sharp impact with the ground.

“Ack!” I shout as sharp pain shoots throughout my body. I can’t help my strained expression as the wound I thought would already be healed begins to send intense waves of agony up my spine. I pant slightly, sitting up to look around.

Maggie? Maggie?!

Goro sounds slightly panicked. Immediately I respond.

I’m alright. But my wound still hasn’t fully healed.

It hasn’t?

Suddenly, Goro’s frequency shifts, replaced with another that’s just as soothing.

Hun, were you injured by the same shrapnel as Isugoro?

My eyes widen. Sammy.

Yeah, why?

Sammy doesn’t respond quickly, allowing the woman to retake my attention. She looks petrified, her eyes digging into me. “What? What is it?” she asks, her voice still strained.

“N-Nothing,” I stutter, looking over as the dust settles, “Anna, Katie!”

“I’m good!” I hear Katie yell.

“Same here!” Anna answers.

I sigh in relief, both sound perfectly fine. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a coldness flash over the woman’s eyes. Hmm.

After a moment, I help the woman stand, doing my best to ignore the stinging of my wound as I turn to where I heard Katie and Anna’s voices. Though, I don’t have to investigate. Moments later, both flash and appear before me, Katie’s Partner Cecelia with them. As soon as Anna sets her eyes on me, her expression loses some of its warmth. She can sense something is wrong. I send her a stare, and she nods slightly, knowing not to address it outwardly. Katie groans, looking back at the collapsed wall. “The heck was that about? I thought this area had been classified as stable,” Katie comments as she props her hands on her hips.

“Well, considering that this place was basically destroyed by Noxcus, I wouldn’t say anything should be classified as stable,” Anna comments, her eyes now on the woman, “Do you know where any other survivors may be?”

The woman shakes her head. “No, when I came to I was alone,” the woman explains, before suddenly breaking down into sobs again, “My daughter was nowhere to be found!”

“Calm down, Ma’am. Everything will be alright-“ Katie starts.

“Anna, Katie, I want you two to return to the craft and report the collapse,” I interrupt.

Both of them look surprised, and Cecelia steps forward some. “LAPIS, shouldn’t you be the one to report?” she asks.

I shake my head, “No, I’m in command on the outside while Goro is gone. I need to keep on the ground with the other squad.”

“Well, how about I stay with you-“ Anna starts.

“I want all three of you to go,” I say.

They look to each other, their expressions concerned. They can tell something is off. Katie becomes strangely serious, staring right at me. “Maggie, what are you-“

“I am the commanding Jeweloid, and co-leader of this operation,” I say, my eyes colder, “Go to the craft. That is an order.”

The three of them shut up, Anna a bit shocked. Though, they can’t do anything. They simply nod. Though, Katie does say something, “What about the woman? Should we take her?”

The woman’s grip tightens on me, and I shake my head, “No, if anything she’ll go with the Human group.”

With that, the three of them have nothing else they can do. They salute, and before I can blink, they’re gone. I’m alone.

Maggie, what the hell are you doing?!

Goro’s voice yells through my mind. A lump forms in my throat, but I can’t help my decision.

I can’t let anyone else be involved.

I’m gonna bait out that Noxcus. What else?

Maggie, that’s crazy! There’s only knowledge of one Noxcus, there could be more!

Well then, I’ll take them out then.

Maggie-!

“You know that the Human squad from the other base is gone, don’t you?”

The woman’s voice is suddenly much calmer, almost inclined. My eyes focus dead ahead. “Yes, they fled when the building collapsed,” I reply, “I have no way of contacting them either.”

“You had your comrades leave because you didn’t want them to become involved,” she says, her eyes almost lifeless as she stares up at me, tear lines drying on her cheeks, “You wanted to get the Noxcus by using yourself as bait.”

I don’t reply immediately, but I grin grimly, “That little girl’s name started with a “T”, not an “F”, you messed up.”

With that, the woman’s expression darkens, a vile smile rising on her lips. She cackles, and before long, I find myself with an arm around my neck, a hand gripping my left wrist tight against my back. I don’t move. “Heh, so you knew? You’re smarter than you look, LAPIS,” the woman says, “I didn’t know I was dealing with such a highly prized target though, I’m honored to be the one who captured you.”

“Captured me?” I repeat, before I chuckle, “I let you get near me.”

“True, but even so, taking you out means glory for me,” she says with venom in her tone, “I mean, I already injured you well enough.”

My eyes widen slightly, causing her to cackle, “Foolish girl? Did you think we have learned nothing of you kind? We know Jeweloids have advanced healing, so it makes sense for us to have measures to slow it, and make it almost unbearable.”

I think back, and my brow furrows, “You put something on the mortar.”

“Correct!” she snickers, before her voice darkens, “Tell me, did you enjoy our work? This woman sure did, she was crying in amazement the entire time.”

I tense as I realize what she’s talking about. The fury that had cooled sparks some as I speak calmly, “. . . You made her mother watch?”

“Of course!” she says, sounding like it should’ve been an obvious fact. Rage is beginning to flame.

“You’re such a coward, taking over her mind to make her do the dirty work after you tortured her,” I say.

The woman laughs, “You’re a fool!”

SHING

I’m caught off guard as I hear a blade, even more so by a strange burning pain. Slowly, I look down, and against my better judgement . . . I see the blade of a sword sticking out of my abdomen, blood dripping from the tip. I think shock has already taken me, causing I’m not feeling any immediate pain. All I register is the woman’s cackles, then her quiet voice as she whispers into my ear, “I killed that woman. I’m simply borrowing her skin.”

Her words unlock a hell I’ve been compressing since I first learned of it in the Capital. Without a second thought, I take the tip of the sword, and without a second lost, I completely break off the end. The woman- no, Noxcus gasps, caught off guard.

“Is that so?” I say.

I stop holding back. I release a power shock which brings the Noxcus to its knees. It pulls back on what’s left of the sword, causing a river of blood to start to ooze from the wound. I ignore it as I turn, seeing the human face white with surprise. Then, it sneers, hurrying to its feet and trying to escape. “Not so fast,” I say, making a gesture.

In mid stride, the Noxcus stops, all but its face frozen. It gasps, and yells in its native language. My eyes burn with rage as I interlock a long distance connection for the first time.

“HERA,” I say.

Instantly, I sense the connection click, and her voice comes alive in my mind.

LAPIS, what is it?

“I request full use of Capability A.”

Wait, what?!

“Granted, or not?” I say coldly, “Though know no matter what, I’m gonna use it.”

For the first time, HERA’s voice sounds hesitant as she replies.

LAPIS, what are you planning on doing?

“Destroy an enemy, simple.”

She doesn’t answer quickly.

. . . Is anyone else around?

“Already evacuated.”

I hear a sigh, then an answer.

“Don’t destroy too much.”

“Can’t promise much.”

With that, I release what I consider my curse, my mind now holding this Noxcus’ demise. I release my gesture, and the Noxcus falls some, whipping around with an angry expression. “DIE!” it screams as it throws itself at me, pulling out a hidden weapon. I don’t flinch as I keep my eyes on it. I raise my power, and right before it can swing, it pauses in midair. Its eyes widen, unsure what’s happening as it floats for no reason. “W-What the-?”

“You should know your opponent before you try to anger them,” I say, narrowing my eyes as my presence builds, “If you know anything about me, tell me, why am I considered the most powerful Jeweloid?” It says nothing, simply staring at me. I feel a smile rising on my cheeks, and the Noxcus’ expression becomes more frightened. I take a single step forward, and lift my hand to its face, not touching it, just placing it right ahead. Its eyes focus on my palm, and I chuckle darkly. “Because . . . I can destroy you simply by thinking about it,” I whisper.

I shut my hand, and against its will, the Noxcus draws its limbs in. Its eyes dart, then meet mine. It grits its teeth, then spits at me, “You’d never kill an innocent woman-“

I squeeze my hand tighter, and it cringes, letting out a short grunt. My humanity turns off, my anger consuming me as I give in to my power. I stare at it, saying simply, “I believe she’d agree that her body shouldn’t exist if a demon inhabited it.”

With that, I open my hand at great speed, and with that, the Noxcus goes flying, screaming as it makes sharp impact with a nearby building. I don’t react, pulling it back time and time again like a ragdoll and throwing it into multiple buildings and broken rock. It cries in extreme agony, but I pay no heed, feeling nothing as I bring it right in front me, making a squeezing gesture to twist its alien organs. Its wails are high and torturous, the strange blood gushing from multiple orifices.

I’m numb. After some time, I stop paying attention to everything entirely. This fury, this rage . . . how can it be so palpable, yet inside there’s nothing? Has an inner fire burned away emotion? My power is cascading from me like sonic waves, suppressed anger, sadness, everything, I’m taking it all out on this single murderer. At one point, I bring it back, annoyed that it’s limp. Inwardly, I understand what has happened; I’ve killed it. In fact, I probably killed it within the first few attacks.

It’s not enough. It doesn’t deserve me to stop, that’s a single thought that tells me to keep going. I hear a scream, and with that, I throw it again, sending my raw power straight into it. It blazes on.

Then, in a single moment, what control I have is gone. I’m screaming, I can sense my vocal chords going raw as a light consumes me. Subconsciously, I’m ashamed.

I don’t want to level this town.

But, at this point, my powers are in control, and with its will, I know that I’ve at least erased two miles. At this rate, I may take out survivors, and my own team. I can’t do a thing. I’m trapped in my body, stuck in a black void as I rage on like an animal on the hunt.

LAPIS wants to destroy.

“MAGGIE!”

I sense myself moving, but I feel nothing until suddenly . . . everything stops. The air goes still, my power completely shuts off, and I’m caught around chest. It’s then I feel something for the first time. I’ve swallowed something, a liquid of some kind. It’s cool, but as it goes down my throat, a strange sensation overcomes me. I’m tingling a bit, and finally, I’m able to open my eyes and see again. My vision is blurred, but I can make out the face before mine.

Goro.

I finally realize that what had caught me were his arms, his hold tight around me. His face is close to mine, his breathing hard, his expression strained and completely consumed by worry . . . and fear. Something drips on my face, and my eyes glance down. A trail of blue liquid runs from the corner of his mouth. I make another connection. That’s what I just drank . . . so, if it’s running from his lips, that means . . .

Before I can finish the thought, my mind turns to mush. My body goes limp, only his embrace holding me up. I make eye contact with him again as my vision begins to fade out. His blue eyes are so calming, so clear, yet they’re laced with fright. I made him afraid. I feel tears beginning to form on the rims of my eyes, and I try my best to show him a kind expression. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t want to be a destroyer. I don’t want this curse.

I want to be happy with you.

Yet, I can’t say any of that. The last thing I’m able to do as the light disappears is just say the truth.

“I really am a monster.”